Steven watched his body with great wariness. He knewlogically that he shouldn’t have anything to worry about. It took him years tobe able to summon his first shield, and that was only done when he hadn’t beentrying. His powers never worked right when he was over thinking, which this guyseemed to be doing.
His slight fear turned to amusement and almost smugness ashe watched. Crossing his arms, Steven wondered if this was how the Gems used tofeel when he was a lil’ guy, trying his best. All he brought to the table backthen was a cheeseburger backpack and determination. He kinda missed that, butactually being able to control his powers was way better.
“Tsk, tsk…” Steven grinned. “You can’t just—huh?”
Steven knew that look. He wasn’t just concentrating, but gettingangry. Angry… angry was not good. Steven suddenly had flashes through hisvision, bright pink and cracked surfaces. Volleyball cowered behind Pearl, hisimpact of rage shattering the walls of the Reef.
“Hey! Stop! Cut it out! No—“
Steven watched in horror as the shield materialized, therose symbol visible in sparkling pink glory for a split second before rocketingoff. Steven let out a high-pitched scream as he dropped to the floor, coveringhis head with his lanky limbs.
His spiked bubble appeared, the perfect complimentingsurface for maximum shield range. Steven was dangerously close to one of thespikes as he watched his shield bounce against the wall, leaving all too familiarcracks in its wake.
Finally—the shattering sound of glass as the shield wedgedinto the television screen.
“Aw, seriously!?” Steven jumped up, rounding on himself. “Lookwhat you did! This is why I said you have to chill! You can’t get angry!Horrible things happen when you get angry! Horrible…”
Steven trailed off, looking over his own head to a largesplintering crack in the wall. He then looked back down, the stranger’s maskreflecting in the bubble’s surface.
“B-But, it’s okay.” Steven forced himself to breath. “No onegot hurt, and that’s what matters…Hey, if it was me that made you all angry, I’m really sorry…”
Jack crossed his arms, clearly annoyed, as the bubble dissipated from around him. He thought it’d be easier-- that he could just tell this body what to do and when to do it. He guessed it made sense that since he had no prior experience with having powers that he’d have no control. Maybe his emotion needed to be directed somewhere, maybe at someone.
Too bad there was never a chance in hell at him directing it at his body or anyone in it.
❝ Pfft ‘horrible things’, ❞ Jack replied as he settled down, walking over to the television. The shield disappeared as he neared, leaving a nice view into the TV’s guts. Wow... He could just imagine what that could do to someone’s head. ❝ Oh nooo, you’ll have to buy a new television! ❞ Handsome Jack teased, gesturing in fake sadness.
He guessed the kid had a point, though. Uncontrolled, this kind of power could be dangerous; which was something that he never thought he’d say for the most defensive powers he’d ever heard of. Really, he knew shields could be dangerous first hand watching Athena, but she didn’t throw hers at the strength that he had just launched it around the room. It brought his mind back to using it on other people, wondering just how satisfying it’d be to slice someone in half with it. Part of him felt bad for even thinking that and it made him wonder if Steven’s powers weren’t the only thing he was getting.
❝ I don’t need YOU to get angry, kid. I’ve got enough pent up emotion to keep my rage burning as long as I need it. ❞ When he was angry, it usually took him a while to calm down. But right now he just felt... disappointed. ❝ If you don’t want me to get mad again though, maybe you should just tell me how to use these powers so I don’t have to go all ‘trial and error’ all over your living area again. ❞ It was like he was holding Steven hostage at this point, wasn’t it?