Scene #4696: Continuation: I'm scared...

Owner	Pose
Rose Quartz	In the minutes since Lapis and Rose fused... Rose has been quite calm. Where Lapis' emotions run wild, Rose has been a rock of stability, letting those emotions wash over and around her. She's just THERE for Lapis, gently guiding the fusion and tugging a little this way and that, rather than taking outright control. She's fused before, she knows what it's like, so rather than TELL Lapis about good fusion, she just shows her. She lets Lapis chain her down, gathering the little blue angel into her lap and just sitting there, holding her.
Lapis Lazuli	Lapis Lazuli is still, mentally, screaming. Trying to pull away from the woman. She was in a full panic. And it extended out into their fusion. The demon was gone, but the fear and raw emotions were still there and the fusion looked around wildly for something, anything it had to fight. It raised its hands and the water rose up before it turned and... started... to charge those still picking themselves up after the battle, thorny blade raised high.
Steven Universe	Stevonnie drops like a rock when the snake head she impaled simply ceases to be there above her. She manages a catlike three-point landing with the stolen demon-sword held off to the side, directly in front of the Giant Woman fusion. "Mom? Lapis? I think it's over..." She swings the sword up to rest on her shoulder just like she does with Rose's sword.
Rose Quartz	"Hush now, quiet now Everything will be alright Hush now, quiet now Even if you can't sleep, I'll be here with you all night. There's no one here but us two. A little world for me and you Don't be afraid, and don't you fret I'll catch some stars in a silver net. I'll hang the stars in your hair Just to show you that I care. I'll pluck the moon out of the sky And soothe you with my lullaby."
Lapis Lazuli	Lapis Lazuli kept panicking, shaking her head. She could feel Rose there. In her head. She tried to keep them distant. She tried to keep herself together. There was a fight. She just had to fight. That was all. IT would all be over soon. She just had to fight a little longer. For Steven. The fusion lashed out, at the nearest thing. It had a demon sword, but was tiny. Its sword struck down... at stevonie.
Steven Universe	Stevonnie looks up just in time to see that huge ice-crusted sword coming down and screams in terror, putting the Rose Shield up just in time. There is a horrendously loud sound as of a giant gong being dented and dropped on the ground, and it almost looks like Stevonnie was completely obliterated in the muddy battlefield. A small pink surface can be seen, a few square inches, peeking out of the mud, and then it is gone.
Rose Quartz	Rose doesn't fight back. She trusts Lapis, and she trusts Stevonnie. She weathers the tide of Lapis' emotional outburst, holding the smaller gem like she would a child. She keeps crooning that same lullaby. "It's okay to not be okay." she murmurs, petting Lapis' hair gently. She knows how strong her shield is, and how well Stevonnie can use it. So she soothes the fusion from within.
Lapis Lazuli	Lapis Lazuli took one step as the gong echoed through her mind. Then a moment later memories flooded back. Lapis froze. The fusion froze. She slowly looked down and saw that little pink surface. She fell apart. Well, emotionally fell apart. The shield and sword dropped from her hands and she just... collapsed. In Rose's arms, the gem fell. If she hadn't beeen holding her, the lapis owuld have fled into the dark recesses of her own mind. As it was, she collapsed, closing her eyes and gave up, the chains of water falling away. "What... what have I... done...?" She hadn't been ready for this. For any of it. The panic was still there, but she... she was numb. Broken. And she thought she killed Steven.
Rose Quartz	The fusion shivers a little, but stays together. Rose is strong, but despite that, she's not really FORCING anything. The bigger gem keeps Lapis grounded, safe. "It's alright. Stevonnie's okay." she says softly, nuzzling Lapis. Out in the real world, the fusion wavers a bit, but manages to not come undone, instead digging in the mud to try and pluck Stevonnie out of the mud. Once THAT'S accomplished, Rose lets the fusion lapse. They poof apart in midair, Rose reaching out and craddling Lapis as they float gently down.
Lapis Lazuli	Lapis Lazuli looked over as they fell. She shuddered, eying it. Then... then she saw Stevonnie. She was okay. Stevonnie was okay. "S-steven," she said softly. Then her mind went to what she just did. She looked to Rose. "Are... are you going to... bubble me?" she asked softly, her voice scared and almost... hopeful? Did she WANT to be punished for that? Guilt was a cruel mistress.
Steven Universe	"OooOOooohhh..." Stevonnie is pulled free from the mud, then takes a moment to wipe her face off and shake her head. She looks up, half ready to call the shield again, but her arms are currently empty. Chunks of demon sword peek out from the mud before sinking in. "Lapis? Mom?" She sounds a bit more worried than the last time, but takes a slow step toward the fusion. "Are you... okay?" Pounded into the ground like the nail that stuck up, looking filthy and bedraggled... Of course her only real concern is her Lapis Lazuli and Rose Quartz.
Rose Quartz	"Of course not. You didn't do anything wrong, Lappy." she says with a smile. "It's... You know? It's okay to not be okay." she murmurs softly. "Just hold onto me." she says as she drifts down towards Stevonnie.
Lapis Lazuli	Lapis Lazuli whimpered, her hands coming up to her chest. "S-steven... i never meant to... I didn't... I didn't want to... I... I'm so..." She looked away from him. Her. Them. "I'm so sorry. I'm so, so, so sorry. I never meant for this to happen. I never meant for any of this to happen. I just... I just wanted to keep you safe. I couldn't... I was... I was so scared and I panicked and I... and I..." She started to cry, shaking in Rose's arms.
Steven Universe	Stevonnie closes her eyes and her hair floats upward softly, and unfuses with a surprising level of grace. Steven leaps and hugs Lapis with his mom, as Connie cautiously puts a hand on Lapis' shoulder. "Everybody makes mistakes. I missed two questions on a test at school yesterday, and I felt awful. But it's okay, I'm okay, you're okay, everyone's okay." She seems to be very carefully not looking at the remains of the recent battle. "When we were fused, Steven shared how much he cares and worries for you, Lapis. All we could think of just now was if you were going to be okay." Connie sort of runs out of steam there, and just joins in the hug.
Rose Quartz	Rose stands there, holding Lapis. She's crying now. That's good. At least some of the emotional dams have burst, and now she can have a good long, cleansing cry. "Do you want to go home, have a nice bath? I could make a tub in my room and all four of us could have a nice long soak.
Steven Universe	Connie turns darkish red at the suggestion, but does not speak. Steven continues being in the middle of a hug and therefore his state of blush is indeterminate. In fact, it's questionable whether he can even hear at this point.
Lapis Lazuli	Lapis Lazuli shook her head. "I don't deserve a bath. I don't deserve anything. I-I deserve to be b-bubbled away and locked up a-and popped and... and I'm so sorry, Steven. I just couldn't... I just... t-there were monsters a-and we had to fight a-and then I felt Rose in my head and I panicked and I couldn't... I couldn't handle it. I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I know I don't... I don't deserve your forgiveness but I... I'm so sorry...'
Rose Quartz	Now, Rose has been a leader and commander for a few thousand years. She knows how people think. "Well, you might be sorry, but that doesn't mean that you're getting away with it scot-free. Even if you didn't mean, even if you're sorry, that doesn't change what you did." she says, setting Lapis down. "So here's what's going to happen..." "From this point forward, you work with me. I'll work you hard, and train you hard. You might hate me for it, but if you really want to earn forgiveness, you'll do your best to become a better person. It's going to be a hard road, and I'm the one who decides when you've earned forgiveness. Alright?"
Steven Universe	"Mrrphmrlllphlrrr!" Apparently Steven can hear, but speaking is less effective. He digs his head out from under Lapis' arm and looks up. "Lapis, you were amazing! You faced something that scared you so much, and you did it! I'm so proud of you!" He looks like he has more to say, but his mom's idea sounds actually better to him than whatever he was about to add. "And Coach Steven's gonna help you train too! And I'll bring snacks!"
Lapis Lazuli	Lapis Lazuli whimpered, looking down. Between the two of them. "I... I wasn't amazing. I... I was horrible. I was a monster... I was..." She gave a nod. She needed that. She needed to know she did bad. She needed to be acknowledged as having done something horrible. To be punished. "I-I will! I'll... I'll do whatever you say. Even if it hurts. E-even if it's painful." Oh my gosh she sounds HAPPY about this. "I-I'm sorry but... but I'll make it up to you. I-I'll earn... f-forgiveness." She actually looks relieved now. As if a weight was being lifted.
Rose Quartz	Rose Quartz smiles and pats Lapis on the head. "Alright. First things first, let's go get that bath." she says. "Steven, do you think you could find Lion for us to ride home on? And Connie, could you call your parents and ask them if it's okay for you to spend the night over for a slumber party?"
Lapis Lazuli	Lapis Lazuli nodded and gave a little sniffle. "O-okay. I-I'd like that," she said softly, closing her eyes. "I-I'm sorry I ruined everything. I just... I just panicked. It was so scary... so... scary..." She closed her eyes. She didn't even form her wings. Jsut let Rose carry her, without objection. For once.
Steven Universe	Steven nods and extricates himself. "I'll go call for h-" which is the moment his face sinks into Lion's mane. Lion who wasn't there half a second ago. Lion, for his part, deposits a mouthful of wicked-looking swords and axes on the ground next to the Gems as Steven extricates himself once again from this new situation. "Yes, Ma'am, do you think the phones will work out here? I don't even know where we are..." Connie mentions as she pokes at her phone. "Huh, four bars. Weird. Hello, Mom? Yeah, I was just calling to..." the discussion fades into the background as Steven pops his head free and gasps. "Ummm, there's a lot of sharp stuff in there. I didn't even think there were that many mean cat monsters..."
Rose Quartz	"Well, the beautiful thing about the multiverse is that you're never far away from decent reception." she says as she starts storing the weapons in Lion's mane. Then she picks up Steven, Connie, and Lapis and sets them all on the beasts back, before shrinking a little so they all fit. "Everyone ready? Steven would you do the honors?"
Steven Universe	Steven looks back to make sure everyone's ready and that Lion's not overburdened, and points forward. "Let's go home, Lion!" Lion looks up at the pointing finger, yawns and starts walking. Slowly. "Well, ummm, I guess that's something?"
Lapis Lazuli	Lapis Lazuli nodded and closed her eyes. "So... ummm... bath. Then what? Do I have to fight mroe demons? Or face time in solitary? are you going to scratch my gem? Please don't scratch my gem. What do you need me to do first?" She actually felt pretty good now. She was going to be punished! No more being a bad person!
Rose Quartz	"The first thing we're going to do is take a bath." she says as Lion... Dare I say, LAZILY opens a transdimensional portal. And just saunters through it. Lazily. Freaking cats, right? The trip doesn't take too long though! "We'll take a bath, and then we'll see. One step at a time, my dear."
Lapis Lazuli	Lapis Lazuli nodded and let Rose carry her away. She was going to be punished and suffer for her mistakes! She was going to be able to get over things the right way, no unearned forgiveness for her. She was so happy. She was so weird.