The Green Flash

Chapter 10

-17: Steven-

Steven woke up slowly. Something was messing with his hand... trying to... eat his fingers?!

"WAGH!" Steven jerked awake, his cry answered with a sequel from the animal that had been licking his hand. It was a pig! A tiny adorable pig.

"Whoooaaa!" Steven reached out to touch the animal, laughing as it trotted back over and nuzzled him with its soft snot.

He was soon distracted from the pig by his new surroundings. It looked lived in, posters on the wall and books on a table, a big painting of a ship, and another bed close to his own. He realized someone had just set him on this bed; he was laying on top of a ragged old blanket.

The events of the previous night where still filtering into his mind when he heard voices downstairs. He was curious in spite of himself. He wanted to stay positive, and not get homesick, even though it was difficult to not miss Garnet's breakfast and the airy, bright interior of his own home in this dark little room.

He hopped off the bed and headed down the creaky stairs, the pig following him. He meandered through a hall and suddenly found himself in a very awesome place.

The whole room was filled to the brim with bizarre trinkets. Jars full of eyebrows, a weird spaghetti monster in a glass case, mounted singing fish on the wall, t-shirts with big question marks on them.

"Cooolll" He said aloud, and set about exploring everything he could. Other people milled about the shop, and they paid him no mind. Here, he could be the tourist. Although he didn't have shoes at the moment...

"HEY! You break it, you buy it." A gruff voice startled Steven, who was wrenching open a jar that had a plastic hand inside it.

"S-sorry!" He stammered, nearly dropping the thing in the process of returning it.

"WAIT, what?"

Steven turned to face the voice, which belonged to a crusty old man in a snazzy suit. He had an eye patch and a cane, which was immediately fascinating, although he was altogether somewhat imposing.

"You're that kid from last night! How the heck did ya end in the gift shop?"

"I just walked down here? I'm Steven!" He said, smiling. "Is this YOUR shop?" He asked excitedly.

"Ya, I'm Stan Pines and I'm the proud owner of the Mystery Shack. Glad you like it." The man spoke quickly. "But listen kid, we have some talking to do."

"Are you Dipper's uncle?! Wow! But where's Dipper's sister?" Steven asked, unable to stop himself from compulsively spinning the postcard rack that stood nearby.

"She was looking for a way to wake YOU up, but I told her to just wait. Stop doing that," He added, and Steven slapped his hands behind his back, embarrassed.

Stan opened a door labeled "employees only" and gestured for Steven to go inside. "Go wait in the living room, ok? I gotta make sure the Shack gets closed up."

"Am I an employee now?" Steven asked, not wanting to break anymore rules.

"For pete's sake kid, just go. Soos," Stan gestured to a large man in a green ? shirt who was fiddling with a display. "Escort him."

A loud squealing followed by a commotion sent Stan running away, yelling "He let the pig down here?!"

"I'm Soos!" The man in the green shirt waved to Steven, giving an amused glance at the excitement behind him. "You're the kid who knows where Dipper is? The Beach kid?"

"I'm Steven Universe!" Steven announced.

"Whoa, is that like your real last name?" Steven nodded. "That is so cool dude! I want a last name like that!"