4640/An (Un)friendly Visit

An (Un)friendly Visit
Date of Scene:	06 October 2016
Location:	Beach City <BC>
Synopsis:	Drowned Ophelia continues to poison Steven Universe.
Cast of Characters:	975, 1023

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Drowned Ophelia (975) has posed:
Evening once more; For what other time of day could it possibly be? A warm evening, filled with the soft lull of breaching waves and the calm, ridiculous cackling of gulls sweeping over Beach City. It's the perfect time for a walk on the beach with friends new and old, a time to wind down the day at Mr. Smiley's arcade, a time to eat with loved ones and settle in.

And, apparently, a time to stumble across cadavers. She floats, just a few inches seperating her nose from the surface of the water. Eyes closed, skin pale, her black shirt and jeans tugged with the current's slow sway in and out. A girl - a young adult, maybe mid-twenties. Eyes rolled back, brown hair swaying about her like seaweed. While the shirt does nothing to help her stand out, her tanless skin practically glows beneath the waters as the moon light strikes it -juuust- right. SOMEONE CALL CSI STAT.

Steven Universe (1023) has posed:
    Steven Universe is again unattended, looking out over the water from the window of his house. His day has been nice, he made some new friends and had some musical fun. But he can't help but wonder what mission the Gems might be on that they're gone so often, and if maybe wherever they are they might need his help. With so much going on these days since the melding with the multiverse, it seems like maybe they're drifting apart a little... Is that a body?!

    Steven runs out of the house in bare feet, dashing across the sand with phone in hand to dial for help! Fighting he can handle, but dead people are best handled by the police. Still, if whoever it is is alive, maybe he can heal them! He dials 911 and hits send along the way, then drops his phone on the sand as he dives into the waves!

Drowned Ophelia (975) has posed:
The body remains where it floats, mostly stable with some rocking side to side as the currents move; In that nice swell point, half way between floating away and being beached for good. As Steven approaches, a wave curls it upwards, juuust within reach - before the eyes roll down and snap open. Pale lips spread into a wicked, crazed smile. And the 'body' floats -upwards-. As it breaches the surface, where water rolls away is left pale blue skin rather than simply pale. Black ichor replacing clean water, twisting and curling about as the Queen of Tears rises; Her head lifting first, her arms drapped behind her. Claws dangling, dripping the pitch ichor of her Sorrow into the ocean behind. At last she stands, chin dipped down and eyes focusing. Bright white teeth behind black lips.
"Hello, Steven"~

Steven Universe (1023) has posed:
    "Aaaah!" Steven's scream is... not masculine at all, as a pink bubble pops up around him, capturing a fair amount of seawater, and possibly some of the black stuff. He tries to backpedal swim but, being that he's in a bubble, this is not especially effective.

    "Ophelia! What are you doing here?! You attacked that place where everything was dead, and brought those monsters up from the ground! Or was that that pony... Ummm. Why were you all drowned-looking? That black stuff is bad..."

Drowned Ophelia (975) has posed:
A cruel little smirk works its way across the broken creature's black lips, before she strides forward; Walking on water, as it were. While Steven thrashes in his protective bubble, black claws will scrape along its surface - before Ophelia begins 'pushing' the bubble in front of her, towards the sandy shores. Safe and sound~ Her ichor drawing itself from the water's edge, mixing and unmixing at will; There was nothing natural about the Black Tears, after all.
"Well, you did say I could visit when I wanted too, little boy, and 'jam'.." Begins the soft, singsong voice. Bright teeth flash once more. "Not happy to see me anymore?" A broken, heartless little giggle slips from the creature, before she sighs softly. Settling down upon the sand, drawing her legs up sideways. The cruel smile slipping away, to something equally disturbing; Placcid. ".. Oh, Steven. I -am- drowned. Didn't you know that? But it's okay; It only hurts forever~"

Steven Universe (1023) has posed:
    "I... Thank you for bringing me to the shore." The bubble pops, almost reluctantly. "If you're hurt, I have healing powers... I don't understand you, and honestly you're as scary as Jasper, more even. But as long as you're here to talk and not blow the place up or make scary monsters attack, I'm a lot happier talking and playing music than fighting. Things are already bad enough without fighting."

    He can't help but sigh, as much fun as he had meeting Sakura and The Song, he can't help but worry for Rose Quartz, wondering if the Gems are out looking for her without him. Of course, it is dark, and he does have to sleep, but...

Drowned Ophelia (975) has posed:
"I'm hurt in ways that can't be healed, Steven."
Begins the Queen of Tears, that ichor sliding down her cheeks once again; A constant presence, whether she's cackling or weeping. Black lips part again, a sardonic smirk. "Just like you'll be, someday. Those you care for will hurt you badly; Either by betrayal - or leaving you. Death doesn't care about love. But... I get the feeling you already know that, don't you?" Eyes half lid, before she crosses her arm over her chest. The other reaching up to support her chin, something in her expression half way between a cat watching a bird cage and Hannibal at dinner.
"Things can always get worse, you know. Why don't you tell me all about it? I mean, I am a black hearted bitch - according to your friends~ - but I've ears too. And afterwards, well.. Shooting Star?"

So hard. SO FRICKING HARD to resist the urge to just strangle the little boy and leave his family weeping and broken. But how much worse will it be if he's strangling himself...?

Steven Universe (1023) has posed:
    "I'm not stupid, you know. I know I'm not my mom, I can never be Rose Quartz, but I'm smart enough to know that you're trouble. But you don't have to be! Yeah, it can always get worse, but it can always get better, too! I can tell, just like Jasper, you act mean because you're hurt, and maybe it's not something I can heal, but I can at least help, maybe. The world... the multiverse has enough trouble already. I just want to help people not hurt so much."

    How did that happen? How did he go from "I know you're trouble" to spilling his worries and concerns? Steven just has no filter on sharing it seems.

Drowned Ophelia (975) has posed:
"Oh, little boy - how often does it ever get better?"
Giggles Ophelia, claws spreading across her own face. "Oh, I don't know a whole lot about you - but the Black Tears call to Sorrow. To grief. They call to stopper bleeding hearts.." A claw flicks, pointing towards the youngest Gem. "And there is a darkness in you. Opening up like a forgotten grave under a flower bed. So, go on, and tell me; All that you've fought for. All that you've done. How much better has it gotten for your efforts? Has it gotten easier?"
Black lips in a calm, brittle little smile. Because what ever get easier? "Maybe trying to be the pink bitch -.. ah, Rose Quartz .. is the problem. I mean, how can you know the secrets that lay in another person's chest? It's poison, Steven. Other people are filled with it, overflowing, and the closer you get to them - the sicker you'll become. Especially when you find what really hides within. Only a broken heart is empty of that; I might be trouble, sweetie, but at least I'm honest."
A broken giggle, before she lifts her hands. A whisper of sound, a long stroke of guitar's high scream on the wind, and the Six Stringed Sorrow bubbles into existance. Blue wake candles flickering lowly. "Well. Enough of that. Did you bring yours, or do you need to borrow - mine?" White teeth. Bright, sharp, a crocodile's smile.

Steven Universe (1023) has posed:
    "I wish I could summon instruments like I can my shield. I mean, it kinda works as a gong if you hit it hard enough, but that's not really... Well, I have my ukelele!"

    He draws the diminutive stringed instrument from his Cheeseburger Backpack, but... he really liked playing Shooting Star, even though he knows it's probably not a good idea, being as it's Ophelia's and she ADMITS she's trouble and knows it. But... it's a guitar, and when he has it it turns bright and good! Maybe... Maybe it's a step toward turning HER good too! Yeah, that makes sense and is totally not an excuse to do what he knows he shouldn't do!

    "Ummm, I really liked playing Shooting Star though."

Drowned Ophelia (975) has posed:
"Of course you do."
Whispers the broken thing, practically purring as she holds out the Six Stringed Sorrow. It -itches- to be taken in the hand. Proferred like the midas touch, the monkey's paw, the genie's bottle. Something magical and wonderful just waiting for a chance to betray the wielder; But who knows, maybe Steven -is- pure enough to tame the Sorrow?
Guess only time will tell~
When he takes it, the body begins shuddering and shifting to match him; A star-bodied guitar, with a long streaming neck, huge machine heads like sparks riding off the edge of a comet. The Shooting Star. But then something - happens. The bright body taints, darkens slightly. The points become a bit more jagged, the streaming neck a bit more bent. Just a touch -edgy-. Responding to Steven's current mood, his worries, his concerns; The Black Star.

Steven Universe (1023) has posed:
    He can feel it immediately, the difference. But it's not the instrument, it's him and he knows it. He accepts the changes because long experience has taught him that it's okay to hurt, that in fact the only way out is almost always through, though he hasn't really put the thought into words. He does flinch as a sharp bit of the body scratches his arm and resolves to be careful with it while playing. And play he does, because with the instrument comes the POWER. The Metal. He knows why his mom loves it so much, because it expresses things other music can't. Things he needs to express now.

    As his fingers touch the strings, the distortion flares, a harder sound than last time. A sharper sound. A sound that fits his mood right now perfectly. The night seems a little darker now, pinpoints of light streaking through the sky in a special effects meteor shower as he starts to sing.

Steven Universe (1023) has posed:
"Where are you?
Mom I don't know what to do
Everybody's looking for you
And I'm alone and scared too
And I
Don't think I'm enough
I don't think I'm tough
I can't do it alone.
And I
I miss you so much
I only just got to touch
But then I lost you

Mom I don't know what to do
Everybody's looking for you
And I'm alone and scared without you

Where are you?"

Drowned Ophelia (975) has posed:
The world above grows dimmer with Steven's performance; Dark clouds boil across the sky as he harshes on the Black Star - something akin to Ophelia's own affect, save instead of a storm there are the worrisome, lonesome twists of strained clouds dimming the bright moon above. Stars streak and zip above in time to each tickle of the fret, every hammered distortion; A meteor shower, arcing downwards like abandoned angels, where before they'd sailed triumphantly on to the horizon in glorious comet trail. And still the effect grows as he sings, the very sand beneath him rippling outwards-
and then there's Ophelia's claws; Cold and hard as glass, before they melt away to leave her bare, cold fingers. Loosely placed on his shoulders, her black lips whispering - voice a frozen mist. "You'll always end up alone, Steven. But that's okay; You can always join us lonely things."
A soft giggle - broken and mad as the creature herself - before she reaches over. "Here - try this one.."
Blue hands wrap around Steven's own. Placing fingers. Strumming something - darker. "Feels good, right? Just letting it out. That's the ****'ing power of Metal, something your ukelele will never do for you."

Themesong change: CEMETARY GATES - Panthera.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OYw7FPB7CE

Steven Universe (1023) has posed:
    And course through him the METAL does, exactly as Ophelia says, helping him let it out, let it go. Tears stream down his cheeks as he plays, and he does feel better. Stronger, tougher, more capable of facing the things that hurt him, even if he has to do it alone, even if it does hurt... But by the time the song comes to a close, the clouds and Darkness have eased up, torn away by the scouring of countless celestial sparks spraying light onto the beach. Still crying, Steven smiles a little, feeling so much better with the catharsis.

    "I was right. You were right. You are trouble, because you are actually helping me, and I don't know if I'm helping you learn to let the pain that hurts you so much go a little, or if you're somehow tricking me to be evil. Maybe both. But... I think maybe I am strong enough to help you. And to help Mom. Thank you, Ophelia."

Drowned Ophelia (975) has posed:
"Oh, Steven, don't you know? Pain never leaves; It's always there. You just get better at dealing with it. Well.. at least until you can't carry any more grief." A soft, wistful sigh. "Then you fall, little boy. You fall and sink beneath the waves of your own misery."
"But hey, look on the bright side; You'll die someday. Or maybe not - that'll be worse, perhaps. When you keep on living and everyone else dies."
And then, because she's just that much of a beach, blue fingers will come up to cup Steven's cheek. And for a moment, Ophelia looks perfectly motherly, wiping away a tear as she smiles. Warm and happy. "I'm going to hurt you, Steven. You know that. It's what I am. Just.. not today." She did say she was brutally ****'ing honest~

".. Let's go over it again, hm?"