Hey guys! Sorry for the long wait, and short chapter. I wanted to show how this story is going to have a very dark turn to it, not bad as in gore or things like that. I will post others stories for that.
Anyway i hope you enjoy this chapter a bit.
"Blah Blah" - the mysterious creature speaking.
"Blah Blah" - Text or writing
Get Set To Get Decked!
The night was pretty warm with a slight cool breeze in the air, making his heated skin feel better as it gently hit his face. It was the only thing that calmed Steven down these days, now with everything that has happened to him. Still, even with the cold and quiet night to look up at through his window, the hybrid couldn't help but frown and worry and confusion. His hands even twisted up in slight anger as his thoughts replayed in his mind.
It has been three weeks since his visit with his Master; if you want call him that. Steven didn't know what to make of the smoke and ash creature, but as he touched his bare neck at the memory of it at all caused him to shiver. It was the creature who saved his life but by sending him back before his death was even thought up of, and all because of his promise. The promise was a simple one, but held his life on the line. He still speaks to it, mostly at night or in his reflection which hasn't changed whatsoever. He can still call back to their first encounter since his reset, as if it was something that still haunts the diamond hybrid. Its voice, hands, and eyes all but shook the teen to his core and sadly he could do nothing to stop it. It's words, still deeply written in his ears and very soul.
Steven his body grow tense, his mind telling him to pull the being's hand off of his neck and attack the monster. It was a threat, the unknown and creatures as such are to be fought against. He was just about to when the creature chuckled and placed a finger on his lips, holding his neck a bit tighter.
"Now now Steven… no need for that." The creature whispered slowly in his ear.
The hybrid shook but found his heartbeat relaxing at the small command of the creature, his body growing slightly numb to the cold and clammy touch. What was this? The creature was completely controlling his body. Steven looked at the monster through the mirror, but the image won't focus. It was a shadowy figure, almost like it was made of ash and smoke, but the figure was obviously looking to be made of some type of skeleton. The skeleton bones and ash moved constantly, ripping back across the body to show that their was flesh before shifting back to show just bone. He couldn't tell if the creature was female or male, but its voice was clearly nothing close to human or any gem he had heard before.
Only it's hands and face seemed mostly solid, the ash and smoke coming from within the hybrid's shadow. The smell of decay and smoke filled his nose to the point where it burned. It was coming from the creature, but also coming from himself. Steven smiled the sweat and death latching on to his body, his now dead body as he looked at himself deeply in the mirror. The burned skin of his ruined right arm, the dried blood on his arms, back and mouth, the cracks of his gem that he could only guess happened on impact falling to the ground. He was covered in death, much like the creature now holding him in place.
The creature, now seeming to smirk at him through the mirror, took in a deep raspy breath as it spoke once more. "It's such… a delightful sight isn't it…" it purred, almost in an awe type manner. "How your body… is completely intact… but deep inside… your soul is all dead and broken~"
"Wha… W-Who are you?" Steven couldn't help but ask. This creature, this creepy and awful smelling monster was making his skin crawl. Its words and cold touch on his shoulder was making him feel a bit sick.
The creature, seeming to stop moving for a second, suddenly let out a raspy crackle of laughter, causing the teen to shiver at the demented sound. "The right question my pawn… it what am I? You got to… work better on that my… sweet little pawn~"
Steven frowned, trying to ignore the smell and sight of the creature still on his shoulder. He whispered softly, "What do you want?"
"Just... to make sure that my pawn…. Is doing what I asked of him, and I must ask… how is your memories my pawn? Do you… remember our little deal?"The creature started to stroke his cheek in such a soothing manner. If only it didn't bring pure disgust to the hybrid.
"What deal would I make with you!? What do you want with me!?"
"Silence!" Steven's mouth shut at the loud and demonic shout, much to the creature's delight. It hummed in approval at the hybrid's forced obedience, petting his head in a slow tempo as it spoke back to it's slow and raspy speech. "See... see how easy you obey your Master~... it's easier… for the both of us my pawn."
Steven could do nothing but glare at the creature, wanting nothing more than at this point to get this creep off of him. It was controlling his body, focusing him to be kept quiet. It reminded him too much of White Diamond, and as much as he cared for the diamond, her taking over his family still upset him to this day. He was no one's puppet or pawn as this creature put it, and he wasn't going to let this thing have this much control. Still, he knew that this being was behind something strange. His head was pounding and his neck where it was holding him burned terribly. The images from before keep flashing back, and the shocking thought crossed his mind.
With a deep frown, Steven kept his gaze on the mirror. "What did you do to Spinel?"
The creature seemed to smile through the smoke and ash surrounding its head, leaning closer to the boy's ear and face while very pleased with his question. "She is where she should be… another pawn in our game~"
"I… swear," Steven started to shake, his anger quickly reaching heights that even shocked him. "If you hurt her…"
"Now why would I hurt her… You said you would do anything for her… Even made the Promise~"
That word only caused the pain in his head to be pounding at this point, hot and painful. Steven frowned, trying to calm down his rapid heart beat as he looked at the creature's cold silver eyes. "What do you mean?"
The creature chuckled, moving the boy to turn away from the mirror and to his shadow, his brown eyes widening in shock to see his shadow twist and pulled with the monster. It creeped off the walls of the bathroom like a beast waiting to ponce, hands looking close to that of the massive spiders he had ever since. Boney and twitching, they latched to his chin and shoulder like a parent trying to keep their child still. It was completely possessive, the hold bringing a deep dark feeling in his very soul. As he looked fully at the monster before him, he couldn't help but feel a sense of knowing this creature. Their touch, their voice, even the way it looked at him with such dead eyes felt familiar, but looking caused his throat to hurt even more. It was on fire at this point. He groaned in slight pain.
The creature just smirked, leaning down closer to his face as it hissed out its revolting breath. "You feel it… don't you? I can sense it hurts… oh, but your mind is all jumbled up! Your soul knows me… but your mind is all damaged…"
"W-What did you do to me?" Steven glares hard, but his body trembled at the sight of this demented creature.
"Nothing… that isn't… already mine~"
"I'm not yours…" The hybrid hissed out, wanting this shadow out of his bathroom now more than ever. "I don't know what you are, or what you have done to me, but I swear if you hurt Spinel or my family I will end you! Get out of my head!"
The creature all but laughed, the noise loud and laced with insanity. "That's it my pawn! Keep playing… the amnesia game… it doesn't change your faith. It doesn't change the fact… that if you lose… she suffers~"
"What's up with evil beings being vague! Just tell me what it is that I promised. Tell me why you are my Master, and tell me what is it that I have to do."
"Simple my pawn… nothing as of yet…"
The hybrid was having enough of this creature and was quickly growling and planning to attack, but the rotten smelling thing was faster at reading his harsh glare. It chuckled before it snapped its fingers with glee. Steven was shocked at this point how the gems didn't hear him, cause as the hot fire like pain surrounded his neck the poor boy screamed. The sound bone chilling and full of agony. The boy fell to the ground as he clung onto his pain searing neck, feeling the collar to be heating up but causing no pain to his hands. The pain was from inside, his voice straining from the screams and his vision blurring with tears. The creature leaching off his shadow laughs, pure and manic like that it brought the struggling teen pure and utter horror.
Steven continued to choke and let out screams of pain, feeling his throat about to be split in two. His legs were kicking like man as he started to claw at the fire wasn't his throat really hurting like this, but his soul. He knew right away what the creature was doing. He felt his soul being pulled from his body, the effect bring his throat to such a state to where he couldn't breath. His body was aching, and his heart was beating too fast, but still besides that his outside body was fine. He looked up at the creature, his body shaking madly as his screams died and his mouth was open in the silent torture.
"But… your attitude towards me… is very unpleasant,"The creature leaned down to Steven, the boy growing pale by the minute but somehow alive. The evil being placed a finger on his chest, the contact in this state making Steven ache and close his eyes in a much worse feeling of fire pain, but his voice long gone as it was just silent screaming. "I can… very well rip your soul out… killing you once more, but… I will not do such a thing… to such a powerful pawn like you Steven Universe… From now on… you will do as you have before and… fulfill your promise… fail to please me or damage your deal… and you will both be part of my collection."
Steven just continued to choke and spasm on the floor, but he could hear the creature clearly. He was at this thing's mercy, both him and Spinel. It brought them back, saved them from their faith of death, but it also puts them under its command. Did he do this to them? Was it his fault that they were trapped? Was Spinel in this kind of torture too? No, he just couldn't risk it anymore. Even if his mind was telling him to fight against this monster, his body was no longer his own. His life now wasn't just on the line, but hers as well. He had to play along, to save her and his family no matter. For now, he had to obey this creature and follow its rules. With as much movement as he can, the hybrid nods to the creature, showing he understood.
"Good boy… my pawn…"The creature lift its finger off of his chest, taking the pain and fire with him as Steven took a big gasp of air. He coughed and trembled where he laid, his body too weak to move as it rasped out another breath. "And make sure… that you tell no one… about this… keep your promise Steven… for her sake…"
Steven nodded, gasping and trying to calm down his beating heart. He understood now what was at stake, he won't let it go to waste now. He kept his eyes closed as the creature melted back into his shadow, a cruel and demented laugh filling his mind and heart.
He sighed, pulling himself out of that horrible nightmare of a memory. Since then that creature has always been in his shadows. Steven saw it, heard it whisper into his ears when no one was around. It made him feel sick to his core, knowing now what was at stake and what was really going on. Steven did die with Spinel that day on the injector, but something had brought them back. It was the creature and it made a deal with him to fulfill a promise he now can't remember. He felt so lost and frustrated cause this thing was nothing like he had ever seen before with the gems, and it had the hybrid wrapped around its nasty finger. He couldn't run from it nor hide, and all it wanted to do was to play its game and see if he could win it.
The boy already knew what that game was, a game of chance and outcomes. It wanted him to change the future. To do things differently with the knowledge he has of the future, seeing if with this he can somehow make a better ending with his death and the end of the world. Steven growled, slamming his fist on the wall near his bed with complete rage and frustration. He knew it was smarter to just go against the beast and repeat everything he can to match his previous life, but it would only end badly. Would he die again if that was the case? Would the monster punished Spinel for his foolish idea? He just couldn't risk it, no matter how much his mind screamed at him not to follow this thing's orders. The hybrid had to play its game, and beat it in the end.
With that thought and final decision, Steven moved towards his pillow to reach for his journal. He checked the time and date and found out it was close to nine in the morning now. Flipping open the pages he found where he had left off in the planning of future events.
Destroy the Red Eye: Have done it with only a few minutes faster than before. Gems became worried and confused over my known knowledge. Need to be better at hiding it. Keeping the cannon with Dad until future use.
Luna Sea Temple: Finish in a faster time than before, but so am still bring the cheeseburger backpack again. Remembering to get the statue this time and not let the temple fall again. If the gems get concerned again just throw them off. Watch out for Garnet!
Steven sighed, knowing now that today was the day of the mission with the gems to the Luna Sea Temple. He got up and got ready for the big day, his mind only half there as he thought more on the creature now lurking in his shadows. His eyes caught his reflection in the bathroom mirror again, seeing his sixteen old body covered in the same burns, blood, and cuts he saw before. His eyes were blank now, a grayish brown like the life has been sucked right out of them. It was such a horrid sight that the hybrid had to turn away from it, closing his eyes in defeat.
"Did… did the gems find me like that," He whispered painfully, imagining the gems and Connie running over to him only to see him lying on the ground with his eyes open and glass like. If it wasn't for the fact that he hadn't eaten yet this morning, he most likely would have puked.
Steven shook his head, taking deep breaths as he forced his body to relax and look at his reflection again to brush his teeth. He gripped his shirt, speaking slowly to himself. "I can do this. I have to, for their sake and hers."
"Hey Steven!" He heard Pearl call out to him from the wrap pad. The hybrid finishing up his hair before grabbing his slippers. "Are you ready for breakfast? I'm making pancakes!"
"Sure thing Pearl," Steven called out happily, putting on his fake grin for them as he has done before. "I'll be there in a second." He stepped out and put on his act once again in front of the gems, ignoring the state of his shadow gleaming down at him.
What do you guys think? I hope the creature was scary enough for you. I'm not going to spoil what it is just yet. Nope you guys are just going to have to wait!
High Five The Sky Guys!