Steven Universe: Mom Swap AU

Decay Part Three: Truth

Steven found himself in a cloudy room, pink, soft ground beneath his feet. He muttered to himself, "What..."

He looked around, lost, confused, afraid.

"Buck..." he wept, falling to his knees.

As Steven wept, footsteps echoed on the clouds, and a man in a red jacket emerged from beyond the horizon and comforted him.

"Yo little bro," he greeted.

"Buck?" Steven asked.

Buck nodded, "Yeah. What can I do for you?"

"You..." Steven explained, "You died... I saw you..."

"What do you want from me?" Buck inquired with a smile.

"I want you to live," Steven replied.

Buck sat next to Steven and explained, "Steven, everyone has to die someday."

"But I could've saved you!" Steven exclaimed, "If I was faster, or smarter, or stronger or..."

Buck shrugged, "Or maybe you have some sort of complex where you feel the need to save everyone yourself?

"So what if I do?" Steven demanded, "I'm the one who had to handle ten Cluster with Peridot! I'm the one who had to fight Pearl and stop Sugilite! I'm the one who has had to fight Corrupted Gem after the Corrupted Gem so the others wouldn't shatter them! I have to protect everyone and myself! What happens if I don't?"

"Like it made a difference in the end," Buck chuckled, his flesh decayed, falling off his body as he grabbed Steven and began to strangle him. Steven gasped for air as Buck elaborated, "You let me die, Steven. You were my little bro, and you let me die."

The body began to fall apart, first the fingers, then his left arm, before he collapsed completly and a lone skull fell onto the ground and sank into the clouds.

Steven caught his breath and muttered, "That... that wasn't the real Buck?"

Steven thought for a moment and then exclaimed with painfully bad acting, "Boy! I sure could use a doughnut!"

A doughnut appeared in his hand, which he tried to eat only for it to turn into clouds.

"This room makes whatever I want out of clouds..." Steven muttered to himself.

Steven sat and began to think,"Hey room... can you make mom?"

Jasper appeared and turned with an estatcic enthusiasm, "Steven!"

"Not my real mom!" Steven sighed, "I assume you know what I mean..."

Jasper turned into clouds and Rose emerged, her eyes hidden by her hair, and her expression dark and malicious as she lifted her blade.

"Do you know the truth?" Steven demanded, "What more are you hiding?"

Rose replied, "I do what you think I would do. This room is your subconscious manifested at your command."

"Then I have a feeling..." Steven glared summoning his shield.

Rose smirked, "Yeah..."

Rose charged at Steven with her sword, which Steven blocked, pushed back by the apparataion as he dug his feet into the clouds below to stop himself and prepared for countered. Rose charged with her own shield covering her as she extended her blade. Steven surroduned his fists with bubbles and sidestepped her downward slash before decking her in the face which knocked her back.

The apparataion of Rose smirked, and lunged once more, two handing her sword. Steven blocked with a bubble that she beat down on, it slowing cracking with each blow as Steven looked upon her, fear in his eyes. Rose demanded, "Your Gem is my Gem! You cannot escape my legacy! I am your mother! My blood taints your viens!"