MM Meeting the Shadows

>It's dark
>Really dark
>Stella and Steven got separated long ago from everyone else when they found that weird alien warp...orb...thing
>They have no idea where they are, they could be in another galaxy
>And they have no idea how to get home
"Soooo what do you think this place is"
>"Who the hell knows?, hurry up kid, you're the one with the lantern"
"I'm, like, 7 months older then you"
>"Whatever"
"It doesn't look like gem architecture, you think the Metal Men made this place?"
>"Nah, too sleek, Uncle Iron says he's seen dozens of Pre-stellar civilizations die before the Metal Men got to them, lots of empty ruins in the universe, this place is probably one of those"
"That's sad"
>"That's life"
"Well, whoever owned this place sure likes snakes, the walls are covered in images of them"
>"HEY, The longer you hang back, the worse off we're gonna be Stevey, how much oil you got?"
"Uhh like, 10 hours I think"
>"Well after 10 hours we're screwed, cause we can't see our noses without that thing"
"Fine, fine I'm coming!"
>"Cmon Tubsy! pump those legs! Let's get some cardi-DON'T MOVE"

>Steven jumped as Stella was suddenly by his side, obviously having used her [GOLD REQUIEM]
>She had an Iron (Gold?) grip on his arm and a fist raised to an unseen foe behind him
"What? what is it!?"
>He spun around, but he couldn't see anything behind him
>But he trusted his friends judgement
>"I saw something move back there"
"...I don't see anything"
>"Hmm, open up your bag, and be vigilant"
>A few seconds passed while Stella rummaged through his pack and Steven kept his head on a swivel
>"Should be-I hope you didn't thro-got it. Steven, crush this into a powder"
"The chunk you got from that Magnesium you fought?"
>"Yeah, I learned something in science class a whi-thanks, gimme the lantern-a while ago"
>"When magnesium burns it gives off a bright flash of light, and if I use my [GOLD REQUIEM] to scatter the particles just as they ignite we should be able to see everywhere for a brief moment"
>"...You ready Steven?"
>Deep breath
"I'm ready"
>"[GOLD REQUIEM]!"
>PSSHHHHFLASH!

>There was hundreds, no, Thousands
>On the walls, ceiling, everywhere, staying just out of the radius of light that their small lantern had cast
>They were all black, pitch black, like holes in space
>Some were Quadrupeds, some were hunched over Bipeds, and some were like giant spiked Spiders
>And all of them were looking straight at the two half-human hybrids
>The Magnesium burnt out, and the light faded back to just their lanterns much less comforting glow
>a beat passed by
>"...Why haven't they attacked?"
"...Maybe they're friendly"
>"Then why haven't they come to meet us"
"Maybe they're scared of the ligh-"
>"If you try to turn it off Steven I will absolutely fuck you up"
"..."
>"...let's keep moving"

>"It looks like a waterfall, but made of that shadow stuff"
"I'll try to poke it"
>"Careful Steven"
>She didn't use a nickname
>Stella was really on edge
>The water bottle certainly went through okay, or so it seemed
>but when he pulled it out only the untouched part come out with a *POP*
>It'd been cleanly cut in half, without him even noticing
>"...We'll find a different way"
"W-what happened?"
>"Lemme see it"
>He passed the bisected bottle to Stella, which she looked at while they walked
>"...A perfect cut"
"Have you got any ideas?"
>"...I think they might be some kind of... Anti-Gem"
"What?"
>"Well, atoms have an electromagnetic field around them, that's why objects repel each other instead of passing though each other"
"Uhhhh"
>"And Gems are made of hard-light, so they have the same EM field despite being made of light"
"Uhhhh"
>"I think these things must be made of Anti-Hard light or something, Their forms don't reflect light and I think that instead of repelling solid matter their constructs suck it in and scatter it"
"..."
>"W-what!?, why are you looking at me like that?"
"I don't believe it, YOU'RE SMART!?"
>"THE HELL'S THAT MEAN!?"
"N-no I didn't, OOOWWW NOOO, DON'T PURPLE MY NURPLE"

"This is the sixth shadow waterfall we’ve found"
>"...We're being herded"
"...yeah"
>"That means that the only way forward..."
"Is this hallway"
>"...how long do we have?"
"An hour... probably less, and then..."
>"And then we're in the dark...with those... Shadows"
"...Yeah"
>"...Steven I don't know if we can beat even one of those things"
"I know"
>"I mean, their constructs will disintegrate EVERYTHING that touches them"
"I know"
>"And even if they HAD gems, we can't see them because they absorb all ligh-"
"I KNOW!"
>"..."
"I know, I know...alright?"
>"...Steven..."
"I...I...I know"
>"C-cmon Tubby, don't start crying on me"
"Stella?"
>"You said, didn't you, maybe they're friendly"
"Stella, you..."
>"Cmon, let's go, I bet there's like, one of those shit donut places you like so much, right at the end of this hallway"
"heh, Y-you think?"
>"Of course, and aaaaall our friends are gonna be there, along with the leader of these shadows, and they'll all come and they'll say "oh Steven we're so glad you're safe, It's so good that the Shadows were there to lead you out" "
"...And we'll all have donuts"
>"Yeah! that's the spirit, this'll all be just a...a funny story in a few minutes"
"...Yeah"
"Okay, I'm ready"
>"Y-yeah, let's go"
"Hey Stella"
>"Yeah?"
"...I...You're a... I want to say that I...I..."
>"...Yeah...I do too Steven"
"...Thanks"

>"..."
"..."
>"..."
"...This is a really long hallway"
>"Heh, yeah"
"..."
>"...I don't hear those things moving behind us, I haven't for a while"
"You think they left us back at the entrance?"
>"I think so"
"You think that's a good thing?"
>"...No"
"...Do you hear that?"
>"No, What is it?"
"It sounds like...singing"
>"I don't hear anything Steven"
"No, it's definit-ARRRRRRRRH"
>"STEVEN!"
MISS SMILEY, IS THAT YOU?
"STELLA! IT HURTS SOOOAHHH"
>"STEVEN I'M HERE I'M HERE"
WHAT IS THAT NOISE MISS SMILEY?
"IT'S IN MY HEAD STELLA, PLEASE NONONONO MAKE IT STOP PLEASEPLEASEPLEASE"
>"SHOW YOURSELF YOU BASTARD COME ON"
OH NO, I'M HUrTinG yo-
"Ahhh, hah hah, uhhh"
>"Steven!, Steven please, are-are you okay"
"I-I'm okay, ugh"
>"What the fuck was that steven?"
"I-I don't know, it was-it was like something was in my head, using my own thoughts to make pain"
>"Well, I'm just glad you fought it off"
"I didn't, it just-"
<"hello? miss smiley?"

>It-HE was right there
>In the light of the fading lantern, he was suddenly right next to them, neither of them saw or felt him approach
>He looked young, about 10, with long hair the same colour-sucking black as the Shadows, sunken in eyes and wearing rags that looked like they were made from his own hair
>And right in the center of his forehead was a black circle
>And he felt W R O N G
>Like standing on the edge of cliff, leaning over and imagining yourself taking the jump
>"Wh-who are yo-WAIT YOU'RE THE ONE WHO-"
"STELLA WAIT!"
<"oh it wasyou"
>Stella hadn't taken her eyes off him, but he was next to Steven clasping his own hands to his chest
>It was like her mind and body didn't dare even conceive of stopping him, knowing that it meant certain death
>This kid, this THING was dangerous
<"ithought thaat you were a sibling"
<"did i hurtyou? im sorry"
>"H-hey don't t-touch..."
"It-It's okay Stella"
<"stela? you are a stella?
>"L-look I-I don't"
"Yes, This is Stella and my name is Steven, w-what's your name"
<"nam?
>"Y-yeah, Like what do people call you?"
<"...auntie calls me her spawn"
>Stella and Steven look at each other
"O-okay, well, Spawn, what are you doing here?"
<"im singing"
>"Singing?"
<"my siblingslike it, it makes themcalm"
<"happy"
"That's nice, I like singing too"

<"youre not like theother ganics"
>"Ganics? you mean organics?"
<"the other one wascalled dog, miss smiley bought it"
"Oh that's good-"
<"it tried to bite out myneck, and miss smiley broke it"
"...Well unlike dog, we wont hurt you, right Stella?"
>"Uhhh"
"RIGHT Stella"
>"Alright yes geez, We wont hurt you...unless you attack us"
"Good, listen we're looking for a way out, we need to get back to our friends"
<"frends?
>"Yeah, you've never had friends? People who care about you?
<"...auntie sometimes brings melight when she comes"
<"and miss smiley makessure i dont get tummyhurt
"Well, if you want you can come with us we can show you a place with lots of light, and we can be your friends"
>"Yeah, you look like someone who could use a LOT of sun"
"Ste-la"
<"Sun?"
>"Yeah, It's like...a big light that never goes out
<"okay"
>"What, really? well okay Spawn, It's n-"

------------

>"WHERE IS HE?"
>"Greg, please calm down"
>"NO GARNET, you said this was just a safe scouting mission and NOW STEVENS GONE"
>"Look Mr Universe, Stella disappeared as well, I’m worried too, but if we panic then we'll never find them, and they're not just going to appear out of thin air if we wait long enough"
>"-ice to mee-BLURGGGH"
>"STEVEN! YOU'RE BACK!?"
"HURGH"
<"im sorry, areyou broken?"
>"hurp, I'm okay, just, gimme a minute"
>"Stella!"
>"Hey uncle Bronze"
>"Stella, what happened? where were you? who's this?"
>"This is Spawn and, It's a long story...Spawn?"
<"its warm"
>"Huh? oh yeah, that's the sun, right there"
<"..."
>"Uh, just don't look directly at it"
<"its nice"
>"Heh, we got a lot to show you Spawn, Steven's probably gonna want to get you a donut first thing"
<"donut?"