{trigger warning suicide)
The fear.. The fear in Jaspers's eyes will haunt me forever, I was so guilty and like the coward I am I ran mindlessly from my problems, ran so far that my shoes had disintegrated and the bottom of my feet had shredded against the street. I finally come to a stop on some road in what I assume is Texas, discomfort in my feet as if something had imbedded itself inside
"Oh stars, what have I done?" I cry stumbling forward and dropping to my knees on the dark ground and throwing up onto the asphalt, chinks of fish and stomach acid pooling before me, I vomit again this time only my stomach acid. Wiping at my mouth and standing when suddenly I hear a horn and the sounds of breaks screeching and time seems to slow down as I look over to see a red semi truck trying to stop, trying to save me the murdered, the MONSTER and I make up my mind, deciding to save others to make one last sacrifice to protect others, one last sacrifice to cement the better world that no longer needs me, the same choice as my mother. And as time resumes I close my eyes letting the truck take out the final gem threat. Me.
Pain, unimaginable pain for what felt like eons, and then red, so much red, red sky a red glow.
"W..What. I..I survived? Why?"
"I take a step forward stumbling and catching myself on a building that wasn't there before, a massive pink hand with black and pink nails dwarfing the building's brick, My hand.
" .NO." I panic, cracks forming along the ground as I stand moving my hands to look at them, surprised when four arms respond. I try to turn back to myself repress this new form, to shrink back into myself.
"Stop fucking freaking out and give me all ya got ya big pink cunt." a voice says and I look out the corner of my eye to see a… Gem, green with skin black horns, and a tail.
"Leave me alone. Please." I all but beg, noticing for the first time that I'm in a different place than where I tried to…. I skip that part
'When did I reach a city' I think to myself.
"Not gonna happen, I saw you appear here, newbies always bring somethin' down, and you're as weak as a baby right now, so give me your shit or fucking die." he goes to stab at me and I backhand him sending him flying away with a sickening crack bone breaking under my hand, and I realize with a sick clarity that he wasn't a gem. I run over finding him lying in a broken storefront, I step through the glass licking my hand and placing it onto his caved-in chest watching as a pink glow engulfs him as his body knits itself back together. I turn and flee into the street eyes being drawn to me and I realize that I tower over everyone, whispers following me and pointing my skin starting to glow as I flee from the crowd ending up in an alleyway sitting against the wall beside a dumpster trying to make myself as small as possible, the damn finally breaking as sobs wrack my body and I fall apart alone.
Something was not right, I had been to many planets and had heard about even more and none capable of supporting life had a red atmosphere and even less with two moons one with a star and another glowing like White Diamond. I stand, finally calmed down but still twice as tall as the dumpster walking out towards the street and over to a window on the front of a shop seeing myself for the first time, taller than Rose in our memories two large black horns three pink eyes with Diamond shaped pupils.
"Monster" I gasp out the window along with all of the glass nearby shatters at the word, a tail is revealed in the falling glass, i turn quickly needing to be somewhere else someone yelling at my back as I go.
"Velvette owns this place you dumb fuck, youll be sorry!" Keeping my three eyes forward I ignore her following the street and for a moment staring down a familiar semi before I snap back to the present standing in a massive crater, the yells around me getting too loud and I need to get far away from anyone I can hurt bending my knees and launching into the air going higher and higher until I stop myself finally getting a good look at the city surprised to find it built in the shape of a star, red stone encompassing the edges of the entire pentagram. The sound of violence echoes throughout the city, over and over again, and as I scan the city I find no sign of vegetation and no sign of water.
"What's going on? What happened." I close my eyes tight to stop the tears forming in the corners of my eyes.
"I thought it was going to end, I just wanted it to end." I take a shuddering breath trying to calm down again.
"One step, I just need to plan my next step," I mutter to myself remembering Stevonnie's time trapped on a planet alone. I scan the city once again my eyes coming to rest on a hotel resting on a hill towards the edge of the city, a ship and a radio tower built onto it. I check my pockets finding my wallet in strange black pants I wasn't wearing before…before.. Memories of pain flood my mind and I force those thoughts away opening the wallet and pulling out the cash curprised to find the bills changed strange faces on them. I count out 500 dollars
"Thanks, Dad," I say softly tucking the money into my wallet putting it back into my pocket, and letting myself fall angeling my descent so I land in front of the hotel, I walk up to the door pausing as I hear voices from within. I pull open the door feeling a strange energy washing over me as I cross the threshold i duck under the doorframe, the voices stop as I step inside to see a grey-skinned woman and a redhaired man looking towards me, the man tilting his head in curiosity before vanishing into shadows.
"Well that's great." the girl says to herself turning to me.
"Uh, hello." she greets.
"A new guest." a voice says from beside me and I turn to look down on the red-haired man standing in my blind spot, my skin crawling as I can feel something pushing back against the man going ramrod straight and disappearing back into the shadows.
"I just need a room for a few nights, who runs the front desk?" I ask the shorter one perks up.
"Oh, I can." she walks over behind the front desk pulling out a big book placing it on the counter opening it, and looking up at me.
"Normally Charlie does this.-" she says under her breath. "-So youre interested in redemption?"
"Uh, I thought this was a hotel, I have money and just need a room for a night or two… to figure some stuff out," I say rubbing the back of my neck and trying not to show how lost I am
"What she means my goliath gentleman is that this is a place of redemption for wayward sinners as well as a hotel, If you would be willing to sit in on our dear Charlie's bonding sessions you can stay as long as you'd like.
"Oh, uh sure? Would I need to participate? I've helped others improve their lives before, helping others is what I'm good at." I give them a smile seeing sharp teeth in the mirror behind them, running my tongue along them I'm surprised to find that it is long it is, stretching out not dissimilar to a lizards, I snap my mouth shut and look back at them.
"Oh that's great actually, Charlie would love to meet you. She'll be back from Angel's job in a little bit." she flips through the book for a moment.
"There we go, we have a few rooms prepared for larger guests, well put you into room one forty, can I get you're name?
"Oh I'm Steven Universe, And you are."
"I'm Vaggie, do you have anything you need help gathering?'
"No, I only have the stuff on me," I tell her before saying my thanks and heading off toward room 140. Walking through the surprisingly long hall I can feel someone watching me, giggling echoing down the hall slowly gaining on me as I slow my walk until it is right above me, i look up to see what I at first assume to be a padparadscha crawling along the ceiling her big single eye staring at me unblinking.
"You're big," she says and giggles louder and I notice the way her body moves, none of the inhuman stillness of a gem's hard light body.
'One of the new species then, I think.
"You're adorable." I shoot back taking in her small stature and housewife apparel, her giggles grow into cackles as she disappears into the vents loud banging echoing as she crawls away. I finally reach my room and put the key into the lock opening the large door glad that the room is tall enough to accommodate my new stature, I shut the door behind mewalking over to the massive bed and letting myself fall into it burying my face into the pillow and trying to fall asleep.
A knock at the door wakes me up, I roll over sit up, and look at the clock on the table seeing that three hours have passed since I went to bed.
"Just a moment," I call out standing and noticing the pillow stuck to my horns.
"Shit." I pull it off and press a kiss to it watching it mend before tossing it onto the bed and walking over to the door opening it to what is probably a tall woman with white skin blond hair two red circles on her cheeks and a black doglike nose, she quickly wipes at her eye before putting on a smile.
"Hi I'm Charlie, i wanted to welcome you to the hotel and let you know that breakfast is at 7 group session is at three and dinner is at 5. We're glad to have you with us for however long you chose to stay."
"It's nice to meet you too Charlie, Are you ok?" I ask seeing her smile falter.
"I.. I messed up," she admits. "I tried to help My friend Angel dust with their boss and now they're out there self-destructing and I don't know what to do to help them."
"Start by telling them that youre sorry, and that youre their for him. That's all you can do, be there for him until he is ready and do all you can to stop him from hurting himself or others."
"Be there for him? I can do that." she surges forward wrapping me in a hug surprisingly strong arms wrapping around my midsection, and I hug her back for a moment before setting her back down.
"Thanks for listening to me… oh shit I forgot to ask your name."
"That's okay, it sounds like you have a lot on your plate, I'm Steven Universe." I introduce
"That's a great name, thank you for the advice and the hug, most of the residents are in the lobby right now waiting on Angel and Husk to come back do you want to join us?"
"Sure, it'd be nice to meet everyone." she steps back and I follow her out into the hallway and we walk together.
"So how did you hear about the hotel? Please tell me it wasn't Killjoy's show."
"I saw the building from above and thought it'd be a good place to stay, I like the boat."
"Oh, yea the boat is great I love the boat it gives the place character." we come out into the lobby and I see the maid from earlier chasing around a roach, a snake man laid out on the sofa the door opening as we enter, charlie runs over jumping onto angels taller frame looking up at him.
"I'm so sorry angel i promise I won't ever ever ever ever…." Angel cuts her off
"Charlie it's fine, I get it thanks for caring about me." Charlie starts to sob and Angel hands her off to Vaggie who carries her off to their room leaving Steven alone with the guests.
"Whoa, who're you, big guy." Angel Dust puts their hands on his hips looking me up and down.
"I'm glad to see youre ok Charlie was worried about you."
"You a new guest?" the cat asks walking around me towards a bar I hadn't noticed.
"Yep, just staying a few days to get back on my feet," I say and the cat laughs.
"That's the spirit, want to join us for a drink?" Angel asks patting me on the arm as he walks by.
"Oh, no I'm not old enough to drink." I wave him off and everyone goes quiet.
"How… How old are ya kid?" husk asks.
"Just Eighteen, you got soda?" I ask and I see them share a look.
"Kid, forgive me for asking but how long have you been dead?" Angel asks as Husk pours himself a shot downing it.
"Dead?"- I ask voice hoarse, pieces clicking together in my head. "I'm not dead, I.. I was in Texas and there was a truck and then I woke up here a few hours ago." I see them share a look.
"Oh dear, it seems no one told you yet, and you must be deep in denial-" Alister says singing the last word and stepping out of the shadows again, a sickly sweet smile splitting his face.
"Al please don't." Angel Dust tries to stop him..
"My boy, you're dead and this is Hell, welcome to eternal damnation"