Steven Universe: Mom Swap AU

Epilouge Part One: A New Nobody

Ocean Town, one year after Steven left Beach City.

The place Steven grew up in his now abandoned home with his family. How times have changed since then. Even since Steven went just to receive the Gem shards of Centipeedle.

It's a sunny day over ocean town as he enters the now partially restored house. He spots a loose board in the stair case.

"I'll have to nail that down," he notes to himself as he approaches the screen door holding a fast food bag in his arms.

He's a tall, slender figure, over six feet with a borderline malnourished frame hidden under a dark cloak. He, despite this eerie appearance, has a kind smile on his face. His teeth are crooked, as if he need braces that he never got, and his green eyes appear cautious, as if looking for dangers.

But there isn't danger here, not right now. Instead a sense of calm permeates through the house, the sounds of the waves bringing a sense of ease as the man enters and calls, "Kiddo! I'm home! Got dinner!"

From Steven's former room, a Gem looks down. She's a small Gem. The size of an elementary school child. Her skin is a shade of pale orange, like a sunset. Her other notable feature is long white hair, similar to Jasper.

"Papa!" The Gem exclaims jumping down from above and hugging the man.

"Ack!" The man exclaims, "Clinohumite. My neck! To tight!"

Clinohumite drops down and grabs a burger from the fast food bag, "Sorry dad! Where you been? It's been days!"

"You can handle yourself Clio," the man chuckles, "Not like you can starve. I was just handling a job."

"What is your job exactly?" Clio inquires, "You never mention what you do to pay for this place. Can I come?"

The man chuckles and rustles Clio's hair with a chuckle, "Nah kiddo the line of work isn't for you. It's... illegal law enforcement you may say."

On the T.V. in Clio's room a news anchor speaks, "In other news the cloaked vigilante strikes again taking out a gang of Gem Dust sellers. Gem Dust, the newest street drug on the market, is a high addictive substance with lethal withdraw. The substance is known to reverse aging and enhance physical and magical abilities. Many of those with terminal illness have turned to the drug for a cure, and others turn to it for a cocaine adjacent high. Police have been cracking down on it due to the production method. The drug is made..."

A deep darkness is found in the anchor's voice as they explain, "By grinding Gems into a fine powder to be consumed, mixed in with foods, beverages, or snorted. A vigilante in a black cloak has been seen using magic to take out gangs producing the drugs, stealing their money. While his current attacks have had no casualties, authorities fear that the vigilante may begin to kill these gangs due to an ever increasing brutality in his attacks."

"Let's turn that off," the man comments, "It's getting a bit heavy."

The man turns the channel to a cartoon as Clio comments, "Dad, I'm thirteen, I can handle a bit of a dark news story."

"You were alone for like twelve years though at the Beta Kindergarten last I checked though," the man restorts, "And weren't exactly the most socially adept."

"I came out of the ground centuries late what did you expect," Clio replies jokingly.

"I at least expected you to not be fooled by gem dust gangsters just because they were the first people you met," the man elaborates, "Kid, I know I've only known ya a year but ya mean a lot to me. You could've died if we didn't cross paths."

"I mean true but I wasn't exactly educated," Clio retorts.

"Yeah I should look into enrolling you at that Gem school over in Beach City," the man concedes, "I'm not like you, I'm only half Gem so I won't be around forever."

"That reminds me you never mentioned what Gem you are," Clio explains curiously.

"You were overcooked," the man explains revealing a black, dull rock in the center of his spine, "My mom was undercooked. My Gemstone is Coal. Not even a full Gem really. Coal isn't a Gemstone. Needed more time in the ground."

"Anyways we'll look at course for Little Homeschool," the man replies, "Maybe the culinary tract would interest you."

"Yeah I like food," Clio replies stuffing her face with fries.

The man chuckles, "You're a good kid. You're the only person I care about who isn't dead. You know that?"

"Yeah dad," Clio replies, "I know. You worry to much about that. I'll stick around."

Clio smiles and elabroates, "Nothing bad is gonna happen to me..."