Crystal Lite AU

[panspermia]

In the years since the Crystal Gems were last seen, things have gotten... interesting, in the Universe family. Monsters don't stop attacking the temple simply because its inhabitants are gone, and dangerous artifacts don't stop threatening humanity. The last remaining remnant of the Crystal Gems is one little boy, without any proper magical guidance or teachers of his heritage to show the way. What he has left to him is a handful of abandoned relics to piece together hints, and the secondhand experience of his very ordinary, very overwhelmed father.

They get by. His powers are growing, slowly but steadily. With each new ally or ability they uncover, things get a little better. It's never easy, but it's not as hard. And they've always got each other to count on, no matter what. So long as they've got that, there's nothing in the universe that can stop them.... though it does try.

Comments

[oceantier]

He's going somewhere?

That worries her. She's leaning against the edge of the van door as he scribbles furiously. How is she going to get anywhere to sit? And the humans . . . why is it important to tell them she's just passing through?

". . . Why?" she manages to get out.

What will happen if she doesn't?

[panspermia]

He pauses, startled by the... frailness, maybe, in her voice. She's so unsure, so uncertain, about something so small.

"Uhh, it's just... the fastest explanation, is all. People aren't exactly nosy, but I dunno how much you wanna share."

This is all so weird. It's hard to know what will or won't unnerve her more. This whole situation is pretty unnerving already.

"You can come, if you want. It won't be anything exciting, is all."

[oceantier]

Honestly, at this point, almost everything is unnerving. It's not that she wants to be back in the mirror by any means, but exposed to the air, visible to the world . . . she feels strangely unprotected, vulnerable -- especially when her limbs aren't working right.

Who even knows about her wings?

. . . Her wings.

"I'll stay."

She has her misgivings about being left behind, but she needs to know: How much is she able to do? She can't test that in front of him. Somehow that possibility would be even worse.

She presses her lips together. "Can . . . you take me down near the water?"

[panspermia]

He nods, and takes her hands to gently lead her further down the beach. It's possible she could use the chance to escape, but... well, she could probably do that at any point. There's no point worrying about it atthis point.

"All right. You stay comfy, I'll be back faster than you can say peanut butter with a mouthful." He flashes her a thumbs up, starting a light backwards jog. "Sit tight!"

[oceantier]

Twisting over her shoulder, she watches him go. There's the same possibility for him, too -- that he'll take the chance to escape, that he won't come back. She's very small on the sand, watching him retreat, eyes lingering in that direction until he's gone from sight entirely.