A/N: Commentary and reviews are welcome, comment away, only in that way we can improve.
This is a crossover between a nightmare on Elm Street and steven Universe. the Idea of a crossover came when I realize that steven had never face someone unambiguosly evil. The world were he lives is white and grey, so a character who was evil for the sake of being evil woud be to foreign to him that it will force a new dinamic onto him.
After everything that happened in Homeworld I decided to take up my dad and the Gems on their offer to get a little vacation. My dad decided to go in a little traveling van through the country…having still 9 million dollars guaranty that we could forgo work for a few days. Pearl, Garnet and Amethyst were also traveling with me. I was looking through the window to see the forest of oak and hickory.
"Hey Stuball, got something in your head?" my father asked.
"Humm… just everything that happened, Lars is trapped in the deeps of Homeworld, I got all of my friends trapped by Topaz for some dumb thing I said to Peridot once"I took some air, "and on top of that… there is something that I learned in the trial that just left me with even more questions," I said one hand over my left cheek.
"It wasn't your fault Steven" Garnet suddenly said, peaking her head trough the space between the seats of the van.
"Yeah Steven, that is in the past, now just chill" Amethyst interjected while also peaking from the space.
"Although, Steven is right to be concerned…what if the diamonds learn that he is"Pearl asked trying to squeeze herself through the space left in the seats.
"Hey, hey let's not press Steve" said Greg a little anxious that it was Gem stuff what was bothering his son. "This travel is for relaxation and frankly, I think you are ruining the vibe here" he said to the Gems.
"And Connie getting mad with me"Steven began to say.
"oh Stuball, she forgives you… I wish she could be here, but her mother said that battling monsters occasionally was not reason to let her girl in a country trip… or something along those lines"He said a little nervous. Connie's mother really was strict on her a time of traveling the night caught up with them…fortunate for them there was a town.
"So, Springwood" Greg said while looking at the map and to the welcome sign to the town. It looked pleasant; a couple and their girl looking out in the distant sunny place, a small sight read: "Springwood a nice place to live".
"Maybe there is a nice motel where we could pass the night" Greg told to the Gems and Steven. After they drove a little they found a little motel where to pass the nigh: "The Springwood Inn".
"Sheesh guys this place needs to be condemned!" Amethyst said after looking at the motel.
"Now, now Amethyst, maybe they have fallen on hard times. It does not mean that" The moment that Greg laid eyes more clearly on the place he understood. The single floor building looked old, not just old in the sense that it was aged, it looked like nobody had used it for some time. But there it was the lights on and clearly a person inside who was looking where they were looking from the car.
"Maybe is just rustic?" he offered. Only then Amethyst gave him a "really "look. "Ok is a little old, but it's just for the night" he replied.
"It does not look very sanitary for Steven" commented wearily Pearl.
"I will be good Pearl, after all you will be there" Steven piped looking at Pearl.
"Fine, but I will check the room first" Pearl concede.
After getting out of the car and moving to the lobby, we meet the owner. He was a man in his 50s; his once blonde hair was white with light streaks still blonde. Dressed in jeans and a simple blue, button up shirt. It wasn't what he was wearing, but his expression that baffled Steven. He was smiling at them; without the smile ever reaching his eyes. He would have looked friendly enough if it wasn't for that stare that saw without really seeing.
"Good night. Mister, uhh?" He drew in friendly voice, even happy but somehow empty.
"Universe, Greg Universe" he said, giving him his card and putting his right elbow on the counter. He put out his hand like a gun and winking his right eye. Unfortunately, it was a gesture that fell flat on the guy. It was not the first time that such thing happened.
"Right,Mr. Universe. Oh, and who we have here?" he said leaning to see better Steven.
"Oh, this little man is Steven" Greg said hugging with his left arm. Steven gave the owner an awkward smile and moved his hand saying "hi".
"I have a kid like him. A beautiful kid, maybe tomorrow you could play with him and be friends. Yes… a kid" he said still looking at Steven like he was made of solid gold.
"That will be good", Greg said completely ignoring the awkwardness of the situation.
"Well, here is your key, room 4." He said without blinking or losing his smile. He kept looking at Steven like he was a lost, forgotten rarity.
The room was actually neat. There were 2 beds on one side and a couch that we soon discover could be converted in an extra bed. Pearl began to prepare the bed for Steven and GregGreg changed to his sleeping clothes. Amethyst for her part decided to hog the couch-bed and sleep soundly there. Garnet and Pearl not needing the rest decided to keep watch outside. Greg, before sleep came, bent over Steven and told him "Good Night" after he kissed his forehead.
"I love you Stuball, never forget could be traveling across the cosmos and I would still love you." he told him.
"I love you too, dad" Steven answered back. Shortly after that he drifted off to the land of the dreams.
Inside of the land of the dreams, an entity that was once a man in the middle of a place that was dark, lit only by a red light. The man sat thinking. "After all those years, I've succeeded. I not only have under my power the sons of the ones who stopped all of my fun, but every single one of their children too. They took the only fun I had in my life. These were my children now every; single one of them. They provide me with nourishment with their fears and souls. I am now an indisputable God. At least in Springwood."There lay his problem, without more children his vast reign of terror was pointless. The adults had gone mad; only empty shells. They were hardly worth the effort. They were merely cattle to strengthen sat wondering why he would need more strength when head effectively trapped every single one of them, broke them, crushed their will to live… Now he was king of a barren land. There would be no more fun for him if there was no one to be scared. There would be no joy if they were not there to be hunted. There was no point in being here if there was no one to have some fun, but then it happened. He felt it. There was a dream warrior in was someone fresh, someone who was his ticket out of here. He opened a portal to Springwood to look at who could have entered into his domain. A little butterball. He smiled at this; this little boy was his way out. He just needed to waken his defenses. Then he detected it; an old fat-ass was sleeping close to the boy. He now had a plan. He just had to give this kid a proper welcome to Springwood.
Greg slept soundly and comfortably beside his son's bed. It was a recurring dream that he had at the moment. He was sitting while Steven played with Connie on the beach. Beside him, still alive was the love of his life.
"Do you think that? That our grandchildren will love me?" he asked to his wife.
"Greg, I am sure they will appreciate you as much as Steven and I do" she said leaning close to him, hugging him while they looked at Steven and Connie laugh. Then she added, squeezing his arm a little "which is nothing at all" she said leaving his side and beginning to laugh.
"What?" he asked, completely confused about this affirmation from his wife which hurt him greatly.
"Oh Greg" Rose said clasping her hands and leaning to the front in a coy way. "What use you are to Steven? He doesn't need you." She said in a sweet singing tone. "He can't relate to the old; never has been able to" She said letting a bigger laugh which sunk Greg's spirit further/ "Oh ," she said leaning in a little to speak to Greg ear "you simply were and have always been a worthless loser." said in deep guttural voice.
"WHAT!?" he screamed, more for the sudden change of voice than for the hurtful words.
There was no answer. Nor was he on the beach anymore. He was inside a huge room filled with pipes and steam coming out of them. The room looked like it was part of an old factory of some kind. He walked through a slim corridor, which was the only way to go.
"Hello, is there someone there?" he asked to no one. He could only hear water dripping and some steam coming out of the pipes and ducts. The silence was really maddening. He decided to climb a ladder that was at the end of the corridor. Climbing up a series of ladders to see better; for the way out, he realized. This place had no end. In front of him there was a series of tubes and boilers. There was no end in sight. Then he heard it. Softly at first but little by little it became clearer. There was a laugh. Cold like the metal of the pipes and raspy as rocks on the beach. It was a man laughing while walking towards him.
"Hey!" he shouted to the man. "Know how to get out of here?" he asked hoping to get far from this scary place.
"Leave?" the man asked. He was moving closer; keeping his head low like he was minding his step. "Why so soon? Don't you like my little special place?" he asked sounding mockingly hurt.
"Oh no! It's just that...". He stopped. While walking towards the man he saw it. In his right hand there was a glove. It looked like a gauntlet of some medieval armor that he had seen in some photos. It didn't matter that the points of his fingers were carved into four blades. It was at this point that he finally saw the man clearly. He was slim, but broad shoulders. He wore a sweater that looked old and worn out. On top of his head was an old brown hat with the brim covering his face a little. He was looking down which just added to the effect.
"I insist, have a SEAT" he yelled.
Greg felt something hitting the back of his legs, forcing them to bend. He sat in a chair that was not there before. Then his hands were trapped by wires on the arm of the chair, the chair fused to the ground immobilizing him. He was frankly freaked out right now.
"Oh Mr. Universe don't you understand? Here…" he whispered the last word, "I am GOD! "he shouted while he grabbed his face with both hands forcing him to look at his face.
Greg could not help but scream at what he saw. In front of him was a horribly burned man. The cruel smile showed teeth that were singed or burned. Where his ears should have been were small pieces of leftover, melted flesh. Then there were his blue eyes. Never had he been seen with such coldness in his life.
"Shhh you rock fucker." he said teasingly. "For once in your worthless life you will be useful."
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN?" Greg squirmed to not look at his face.
"The son of your pink, fat bitch will be my way out of this town!" Freddy told with a smile in his face.
"Steven? What do you want with Steven? Gregasked.
"He is a living portal; a door to other dreams, to other places" -he said and began to laugh. "And you, you are just…" he said beginning to deepen his voice "the first step to my plan." As he said this he pointed his bladed finger at Greg's chest.
"I... I will never let you get close to Steven!" Greg said voice trembling; but full of resolution.
"Oh, but you already did it" he said mocking him. "After all…" he paused and put his glove hand over his chest "you gave him YOUR HEART!" He said and then he pulled his glove back and penetrated his rib cage.
Greg screamed in pain as his gloved hand played with his insides.
There was a blood curdling scream that rang out.
Pearl jumped when she heard a scream coming from Greg's room while walking through the motel parking lot. It was a scream that she wished she had never heard. She ran to the room and violently opened the door. Garnet ran to the room at the same time. Garnet
"Steven!" screamed Garnet.
"Steven, are you alright? What…" Pearl began and then stopped.
Thrashing on the bed there was Greg; grabbing his chest. Steven was horrified and screaming "DAD". Amethyst was freaking out asking Steven, Garnet and Pearl what she needed to do. Greg finally Greg stepped out of the bed and walked to Steven. He collapsed over him with Steven, his hand still on his chest. Steven was now beyond shocked. He looked at Garnet, then to Pearl who was covering his mouth horrified. Amethyst could do nothing but freak out. He tried in a desperate attempt to put his tears and spit on his father. Maybe it will happen like what Lars got. He waited, but nothing happened. Then he screamed in genuine pain for he knewhis father was gone.
Garnet rushed and picked Gregup while Pearl carried Steven to the van. Amethyst was close behind as they boarded the van. Pearl at the wheel searching for the local hospital while Amethyst moved Greg. SStevenwas frozen in the back of the van; sobbing. After five minutes they found the Springwood Hospital. Garnet carriedGreg. They rushed inside while Pearl guided Steven to the waiting room. Garnet returned and signaled to Pearl to come to her side. Pearl stood and walked to Garnet who grabbed her by her right arm and guided her out of Steven's hearing range.
"Greg is gone" Garnet said in a flat, but sad tone.
"The doctor told…" Began Pearl, but Garnet stopped her by taking his glasses off.
"I am sorry,"she said, her blue eyes were crying. She had seen that Greg truly was gone.
Pearl cover her face with her hands and began to sob. She wondered how they would explain this to Steven.
"How did this happen? This was supposed to be a vacation for Steven," Pearl began to say.
"It happened. It's a part of human Life." Garnet said.
"Do you think that someday Steven could…" but she stopped her question. It was just too painful to ask.
The night was spent filling out paper work to make sure Greg was properly prepared to be buried. Garnet filled everything out for them while Pearl tried to get enough courage to talk to Steven. Steven for his part sobbed until he fell asleep; no one tried to bother him. Amethyst was hit nearly as hard as Steven and wandered for the streets.
In the morning Garnet came out of the hospital carrying Greg's body and casket. They had paid extra to get him ready for travel. She gently deposited him into the back of the van and let Pearl do the driving. She tried to use her future vision to see how they could deal with this back home. What she saw was something very disturbing. There was a figure laughing at the top of Beach City Lighthouse. She did not recognize the man nor know who he was, but the vision disturbed her. In the back Steven was looking at his father's coffin. Pearl trying to comfort him embraced him and told him to sleep a little while they drove home. She decided to join him on the floor of the van. Comfortably Steven closed his eyes and shed some tears while Pearl passed one arm over him. Inside Steven'smind, there was someone that relished in the success of his plan.
"Soon… Sleep you little shit. You just marked me free."Said Freddy from the now weakened mind of Steven.