Underverse: Steven's Tale Chapter 1

That morning, Steven woke up and began to get ready for the day. He brushed his teeth, washed his face, and dressed up in his favorite star shaped shirt, jean shorts, and pink sandals. He was going to go meet Connie for a little hangout before they go back to the temple to train. Steven ran out the door, down the stairs, and passed Peridot, whom was sleeping next to Lion. Lion lazily opened his eye as he saw Steven run out toward the beach, and then closed his eye.

“Hi Lion, see you later!” Steven called as he kept running, laughing as he took in the beautiful, clear, sunny sky, and the ocean air. As he kept running, he slowed down to a stop as he saw a young boy slumped down into the sand. His eyes grew as did his concern, he slowly walked closer to the young boy.

“H-Hello? Are you o-okay?” Steven stammered as he knelt down to touch the boy’s shoulder. Suddenly, the young boy’s arm shoots up, brandishing the knife to which Steven had protected himself with his bubble. The young boy looked up and his eyes met with Steven’s. They both stared at each other deeply, as if they had known each other for some time, but then it was broken by a gasp from the boy, he crawled back frantically, and the knife fell into the sand. He just realized what he almost did.

“N-No, it’s okay… Don’t be afraid…” Steven reassured, pulling his bubble back, walking over to the young boy. “I won’t hurt you, I’m Steven, what’s your name?”

The boy blinked at Steven and began to draw something in the sand with his finger.

“F…R…I…S…K… Frisk?” Steven spelled out and rose his eyebrow. He smiled and laughed. “That’s a very cool name!”

Frisk tilted his head to the side, then smiled back, nodding.

“Why are you out here, Frisk?” Steven asked.

Frisk looked down and began doing hand signs, he was talking in sign language. Steven groaned uneasily, like he didn’t know what was going on, and in truth he didn’t, Steven didn’t know sign language.

“I-I’m sorry, I don’t know what you’re trying to say… Hey! I’ll take you to see my friend Connie, she might be able to help.” Steven suggested, “Come on!”

Frisk blinked and followed the strange boy through Beach City. They walked up the boardwalk and through the city to a car wash where a young girl was sitting, she was wearing a light blue blouse with a cargo vest, jean shorts, and black sneakers. She looked up and smiled, standing up to greet her friend.

“Steven! You made it, umm, who’s he?” Connie asked, looking to Frisk.

“Hey Connie, this is Frisk, and I need your help, Frisk is continuously making signs with his hands, and I don’t understand what he’s doing. Is he in a gang?”

Connie blinked, looked at Frisk, who used sign language again. Connie chuckled and started laughing. “S-Steven, he’s not in a gang, he’s using sign language. People who are deaf, or mute use it to communicate with other people.”

“H-He’s deaf and mute? Why?” Steven asked, frowning. Frisk face palmed and did more signs.

“No, Frisk is saying that he’s mute because he’s embarrassed of his voice.” Connie translated, “And that’s understandable, especially if you were bullied about your voice.”

“Do you know what Frisk is trying to say to me?” Steven asked, “I found him outside my house, and he looked beat up. I asked why he was out here.”

Frisk began to sign again and Connie translated. “I came from… a scary, place… but I need to go back?” Connie blinked. “Why do you need to go back there?” Connie asked.

Frisk signed, “Because I can’t live without the friends that I’ve made there…” Connie interpreted.

“B-But, how could some scary place be where your friends are?” Steven asked.

“The way that place is… It’s frightening, you could die at any point… But no one wants to kill anyone…” Frisk signed.

Connie frowned, tearing up as she translated this. “W-Why do you really need to go back, Frisk?” Connie asked.

“… I want to make this right…” Frisk reluctantly signed to them both, looking down. Steven and Connie looked at each other and frowned, but suddenly there was a roar coming from the beach. Steven, Connie, and Frisk frantically turned their heads toward the beach to see a giant gem scorpion come out of the ocean.

“Oh no! Why now?!” Steven asked, eyes widened.

“Steven, we have to alert the gems!” Connie urgently said.

“Frisk, come with us, you’ll be safe where we’re going.” Steven said as he ran with his hand in Frisk’s hand. Frisk gasped and began running with Steven and Connie toward the temple. But when they got there, Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl were already fighting it.

“Garnet! Amethyst! Pearl!” Steven called out.

“Steven! Go inside with Peridot!” Garnet shouted, blocking the tail with her gauntlets.

“Come on you overgrown sea spider, fight like a gem!” Amethyst taunted, as she dauntlessly wielded her whip, restraining the scorpion’s tail.

“Steven, be careful, the tail shoots out acid!” Pearl warned as she fired light from her spear.

Steven, Connie, and Frisk run up the temple steps and into the house where the green technician was freaking out.

“S-Steven! What is that thing?!” Peridot exclaimed, pointing outside the window.

“It’s a corrupt gem, they come and attack this place because they’re attracted to gems like me, Garnet, and Amethyst.” Steven said, frowning.

“But where is its weakness? If this keeps us, they might get really hurt, or worse!” Connie said.

Frisk meanwhile was inside, looking at Peridot, then Steven, then Connie before turning his head to the scorpion. He observed it, and saw that there was a glow coming from the tip of its tail. Frisk gestured to the tip of the tail to Steven.

“F-Frisk, thank you!” Steven said, smiling, and running outside. “You guys! The gem is on the tip of the tail!” Steven announced, to which the gems wasted no time in putting up a fast plan. Connie, Steven, and Peridot watched as Amethyst jump onto its back, pull out two whips, and wraps them around its tail, and pulled it forward. Pearl fired a ball of light to which Garnet fired her gauntlets at the light and it kept shooting out toward its tail. But meanwhile Frisk looked up and down, he saw two buttons in front of him. One button said “Continue” while the other button said “Reset”. Frisk looked up and watched the Crystal Gems poof and bubble the scorpion’s gem. Steven smiles and runs out with Connie, and Peridot.

“Frisk, come on, I’ll introduce you!” Steven said, gesturing out the door.

Frisk blinked, looked up and saw the buttons had disappeared. He nodded and followed Steven outside to meet the gems.

__________________________________________________________

“… So you’re from where?” Amethyst asked Frisk, eating a slice of pepperoni and anchovies.

Frisk looked down at his pizza slices and then up at Amethyst. Steven had convinced the gems to let Frisk stay at the temple for a while, just until Frisk got his strength back. Pearl was kind of reluctant, Amethyst was cool with it, and Garnet was the deciding vote.

Connie smiled. “He said that he’s from the Old Dominion State, he lives near the mountains.”

Garnet had looked at Connie and then to Frisk. “… Hmm, interesting.” Garnet stoically picked up a slice of pizza and took a bite.

“Umm, Frisk, where are your parents?” Pearl asks. “I imagine they must be worried about you, I mean, Beach City is quite a trip from Old Dominion.”

Frisk frowned and signed slowly. “H-His parents aren’t around anymore.” Connie translated.

“O-Oh… Frisk, I had no idea… I’m sorry…” Pearl said, her hand went over her mouth.

Frisk shook his hand and his head and began to eat.

“Well, Frisk, we can take care of you!” Steven said giving a thumbs up.

“Steven… I don’t know if that it’s such a good idea… Frisk would be as much in danger as any of us are.” Pearl reminded Steven.

“Pearl’s right. The only way we can help is to help Frisk find suitable guardians.” Garnet agreed and kept eating.

Frisk looked up in shock and shook his head.

“Frisk… We want to help you out, but you have to let us help.” Steven said, frowning.

Frisk got up and ran outside. Steven’s eyes widened as he got up and went after Frisk. “F-Frisk! Wait!” Steven called out.

“Steven… let him go… He needs some space.” Garnet said.

“No, something is bothering him, I need to find out if I can help in some way!” Steven exclaimed as he ran outside and down the stairs.

“Steven!” Connie called out, getting up and running after him.

Frisk dashed through the open beach and eventually stopped, he frowned and looked down. He nodded and looked down at the two buttons in front of him again. Tears fell from his small eyes as he remembered what the flower had told him. He reached toward the “Continue” button when suddenly.

“Frisk! Whoa!” Steven yelled out, but he tripped over some seaweed and fell, but instead of falling onto the beach, he was bubbled and rolled toward Frisk, bumping him into the “Reset” button.

Frisk hesitated when he heard Steven’s voice but he gasped hard when he hit the Reset button. Steven’s bubble dissipated, and he looked up to see Frisk frozen in fear. Frisk suddenly began to float in the air, wind swirled around him and sparkles brushed up against his body.

“N-No! No! No-no-no!” Frisk yelled, trying to get out of the magical trap.

Steven’s eyes widened as he saw Frisk slowly becoming particles. Steven got up, and ran into the vortex and pulled Frisk out of it.

“S-Steven! What are you doing?!” Frisk asked loudly. “Let me go!”

“Frisk, what is this?!” Steven yelled.

Meanwhile, Connie ran down the moonlit beach, and suddenly saw the whole city light up with cyan light. Connie looked up and saw the vortex of light. “Steven? Steven?!” Connie called out as Connie ran, Garnet and the others were running right behind her.

“Steven! I have to do this by myself!” Frisk shouted.

“No you don’t, Frisk! I wanna help!” Steven yelled back.

Suddenly, Steven’s gem started glowing, and a pink shockwave blew Frisk out of the vortex, leaving Steven in the vortex.

“W-What the?!” Steven exclaimed as he was being taken now.

“STEVEN!” Frisk called out, trying to reach Steven from where he lay.

“STEVEN!” Connie screamed.

“CONNIE!” Steven reached out for Connie’s hand as he was being teleported. Connie was just about to grab Steven’s hand when Steven and the vortex disappeared. Connie fell onto her knees, still holding out her hand, and closed her fist like she was holding Steven’s hand. Connie had tears form on the corners of her eyes. The Crystal Gems stopped as they saw Connie slump down into the sand.

“S-Steven…” Connie uttered, lip quivering. Amethyst walked over to Connie, who suddenly grabbed onto Amethyst and started bawling.

Pearl held her hand over her mouth, eyes widen and misty. Peridot gasped and held her chest. Garnet’s mouth showed the she was shocked. She looked at the spot where Steven was spirited away, looked to Frisk and walked towards him, grabs his shirt with one hand and held him up high.

“What happened to Steven?!” Garnet demanded, shaking Frisk. “Where did he go?!”

Frisk was frightened, he didn’t know what to do, he didn’t know how to respond, he remembered his vision getting blurry, and then blacked out.