I was never really one for cartoons. My two younger brothers, Cub and Alpha, loved the animated characters, but I was always turned off by the unrealistic designs and worlds. It didn't seem natural for a character to be able to bend their arms in that way, or for them to have such big heads and small torsos. I usually stuck to the live action shows. Now, ever since that new show Steven Universe came out, it's all my brothers talk about.
"Oh, Zelia, the gems are so cool!" They'd say. "My favorite is the space Dorito! Or maybe it's Bird Mom! I can never choose!" I just shake my head at these juvenile nicknames. They need to stop spending so much time on the internet. I think it's starting to affect their intelligence levels.
What was so great about this Steven Universe anyhow? It's just some hyperactive kid that has a gem for a belly button and lives with three abnormally scaled women. There was no point to this show other than to attempt to make kids laugh with it's weird humor. My brothers tell me I haven't seen enough episodes to understand yet, but after watching six with them you'd think I'd feel something by now. Pearl does nothing but be OCD and annoys me constantly. Amethyst is just there for comic relief, and Garnet barely does anything but observe. Also, why is her hair shaped like a square?
Tonight is the night of the "Steven Bomb 3 finale". My brothers have their popcorn bowls, soda, and other snacks sprawled out among the floor. I sit on the cushioned couch and observe. The only reason I'm watching it with them is that they promised me my own bowl of popcorn and twenty dollars if I sit through it all. The generic theme song plays as I munch on my buttery kernels and squint through my glasses. Since my brothers turned off all the lights the brightness of the screen is a little too intense. The episode starts out at some weird environment and a green gem with triangle hair is trying to do something. "Green Space Dorito is back!" My brothers giggle. I roll my eyes at the stupid name. It's more stupid than the name my parents decided for me. "Zelia." Who has EVER heard of that?
Anyway, I started to doze off a little when I heard a loud rattle. "What was that?" I asked, sitting up to look around.
"It's thunder storming," Said Alpha. "We're gonna lose signal with our stupid Direct TV network." My parents named my brother Alpha because he was born first out of the two, so he was the "alpha twin," and he sure did act like it. Cub is shy and doesn't like to take the lead, while Alpha is, well, an alpha.
I nodded my head at his Direct TV comment, hoping it DID lose signal. About two minutes later my wish came true. The boys groaned and Alpha got up to get Dad while Cub made more popcorn. I sat there staring at the pixelated screen. I looked to the bottom corner and read the box out of boredom. There was something there, something different. I rubbed my glasses to see if it was something on them, but no, the pink dot was still there in the middle of the box. I went over to the TV and tried to wipe it off. As soon as my fingertip made contact, I got shocked. It wasn't your regular magnetic shock, though. It was stronger and hurt far more. I rubbed my finger and tried again, this time covering my finger with my shirt. The pink dot turned white and expanded. It kept getting bigger until I was standing in the middle of whiteness.
I could see nothing but white, everywhere I looked. I thought it was just a dream and tried to wake myself up, but it wouldn't work. I tried calling for my brothers but all I got where echoes in response. I backed up and bumped into some invisible wall. in desperation, I tried punching it to break myself out. After one punch, the thing shattered and I was in some other world universe. I held up my hands. They were two-dimensional and cartoonish. Then I noticed I wasn't the only cartoonish thing. Everywhere I looked there was animated people and computer drawn cars. A queasy feeling arose in my stomach. Some kid approached was starting to approach me as I sat down. The last thing I remember before blacking out was recognizing that kid to be none other than Steven Universe.