An Indirect Kiss

[Open Int. Lighthouse Cliff]

(A gloomy Steven, lying belly-down on Lion's back, is carried up the cliff overlooking the Crystal Temple, as Connie sets up a picnic on the hill.)

CONNIE: Steven, hurry up! prepares the mat for the picnic

(Steven falls face-first off from Lion's back.)

CONNIE: Are you okay?

STEVEN: I'm fine...

CONNIE: Are you sure you're okay? hands Steven a sandwich from the picnic basket

STEVEN: Yeah... eats the sandwich sadly and slowly

CONNIE: Okay, uh... So, um... Is this fence new? points to the fence that is now surrounding the entire cliff

STEVEN: Uh, it's a long story.

CONNIE: Is it a magic story?!

STEVEN: Maybе?

CONNIE: Well, what happened? Tеll me, please.

STEVEN: Okay, okay. But it's not a happy story.

(Steven begins retelling the story, flashing back to the events that occurred.)

STEVEN: narrating Amethyst was horsing around, by the cliff.

STEVEN: in the flashback Amethyst, be careful!

AMETHYST: laughs* Steven, why are you getting so worked up? *makes a mock-lovestruck face Why? Do you care about me or something?

STEVEN: visibly worried Yes...

AMETHYST: Ah, Steven, I didn't mean to make you— pretends to fall backwards Woah, woah!

STEVEN: Amethyst, stop! You're gonna fall!

AMETHYST: continues horsing around* Ooh... Steven! *giggles I'm gonna fa-all!

STEVEN: chases Amethyst Amethyst, you're gonna get hurt!

AMETHYST: stands at the edge of the cliff Steven, please, I'm a Gem warrior. I'm not gonna fall—

(Ironically, the ground underneath Amethyst gives way, and she falls off the cliff.)

AMETHYST: facepalms* Ugh, this is so embarrassing. *gets hit into a rock Ow!

STEVEN: A-Aahhh!

AMETHYST: I'm okay!

(The scene briefly returns to Steven, Connie, and Lion at their picnic.)

STEVEN: narrating So, I ran there as fast as I could.

(Back in the flashback, Steven runs all the way from the hill to the beach. He then collapses next to Amethyst, exhausted and panting heavily.)

STEVEN: You sure you're okay?

AMETHYST: Yes, Steven, I'm fine. Except for this!

(Amethyst pulls aside part of her hair to reveal an enlarged eye, when Garnet and Pearl comes running over.)

PEARL: gasps Amethyst!

AMETHYST: Ugh, great.

PEARL: Show me your gem! reaches towards Amethyst

AMETHYST: slaps Pearl's hand away Fresh!

(Garnet grabs Amethyst's arm and pulls down her shirt, revealing a crack in her gem.)

PEARL: Amethyst! Your gem is cracked!

AMETHYST: Rude! blushes and covers up her gem* Ah- It's not a big deal! Plus, now I have this cool googly eye. *shakes her enlarged eye around

(Steven laughs.)

PEARL: How did this even happen?

STEVEN: She fell off the cliff by the lighthouse.

AMETHYST: Did not!

PEARL: Of course... How could I have been so blind? We need to put a fence up there, so this will never happen again!

(The flashback ends, returning back to Steven and Connie.)

STEVEN: narrating* And that's why there's a fence. The end! *chomps the sandwich in hand

CONNIE: Wait, what happened to Amethyst?

STEVEN: Uhhh...

CONNIE: C'mon! Tell me the rest!

STEVEN: I don't wanna.

CONNIE: Steven? (Steven looks away, unyielding.) Steven. (Steven starts trembling and murmuring.) Steven!

(Steven trembles faster and groans louder, and gives in.)

STEVEN: Okay, okay! But only if you let me try on your glasses.

CONNIE: Only if you give me the rest of your juice.

STEVEN: Okay, but it's mostly backwash.

CONNIE: Good enough. (Steven and Connie trade their items.)

STEVEN: puts on Connie's glasses* How do I look? *makes a goofy smile

CONNIE: squinting her eyes I have no idea.

STEVEN: Well... um... continues narrating So... we were all worried about Amethyst.

(The flashback continues.)

STEVEN: in the flashback So, what's the problem? Amethyst falls on stuff all the time.

PEARL: It'd be fine if it was just her body, but her gem is damaged.

STEVEN: So, what do you do to fix it?

PEARL: Before... we had Rose.

GARNET: Steven, your mother had healing tears that flowed from her gem. She felt real love for those around her. She felt real sorrow when they were hurt. You have the Rose Quartz gem now. I know that power is in you, too.

STEVEN: Amethyst! Show me your gem!

AMETHYST: Yeah, all right. pulls down her shirt

STEVEN: whispering The power... to heal.

(Steven does an elegant and dramatic entry, like he is being wrapped by a vine and then burst out in a flurry of roses. He then starts straining in front of Amethyst's gem bit nothing happens.)

STEVEN: It's not working. I guess I'm just too tough to cry.

PEARL: Just today, you were crying about snakes.

STEVEN: saddened They don't have any arms!

GARNET: We have no choice. We need to take Amethyst to Rose's Healing Spring.

AMETHYST: scoffs* Guys, I'm fine, I'm not gonna get any worrrrrrrr.... *pops and starts speaking backwards "Hey, guys! What are you doing on the beach?"

(Steven, Garnet and Pearl look at each other with concerns.)

[Trans. Ext. Rose's Garden]

(The Crystal Gems warp to a bramble-covered canyon.)

PEARL: And in the center of the garden, Rose's Fountain! Overflowing with your mother's healing, lacrimal essence!

GARNET: I don't see it.

PEARL: Wha... gasps

(Pearl notices the garden is overran by massive vines and brambles.)

AMETHYST: said backwards "Ugh, I'm going home."

PEARL: Now, now! Let's keep it together! Our memories of Rose can't be tainted by some overgrown brambles! chuckles Look at them. They're a mess without her guidance. Directionless, pathetic, clinging things. It's going to be okay, Garnet!

GARNET: shrugs Sure.

PEARL: Y-You really think so?

STEVEN: Healing tears...!

(Steven continues to strain himself, as Amethyst lies next to him, waiting impatiently.)

PEARL: Hmm... Maybe there's a path over here! leaves the area with Garnet

AMETHYST: said backwards* "Hey! If your body can't... Cry on its own... You gotta... Make it cry!" *slaps herself in the face and imitates crying

STEVEN: Pain can make one cry.

(Amethyst nods her head in agreement.)

STEVEN: Where is pain?

(Steven sees at the brambles all over him. He then slowly approaches them, covering up his eyes, and tries to stick his index finger into a thorn of the brambles. The brambles then suddenly animate and reach towards him. Amethyst quickly notices and tackles Steven out of the way just in time.)

PEARL: AMETHYST! no more roughhousing, you'll exacerbate your crack!

AMETHYST: said backwards "The vines are coming to life and are gonna kill Steven, just so you know."

(Amethyst attempts to walk away, but she accidentally reverses herself and walks straight-on into a rock. Pearl gasps in shock as Amethyst collapses onto the ground, her crack beginning to worsen.)

STEVEN: Aw, right in the gem!

AMETHYST: coughing and speaking backwards "Don't worry or anything, I'm good."

(Amethyst's body starts glitching, causing her head and foot to switch places. Amethyst groans in agony.)

PEARL: starts panicking Ohh! Oh! Keep calm. What we need to do is to get you into the fountain immediately, if we can ever find a way through all this mess!

(Garnet shushes Pearl as she pulls out a rock from the brambles in the background. She then summons her gauntlet and punches the rock through the brambles with an unprecedented force, creating a tunnel to Rose's Fountain.)

GARNET: I needed that. This way.

PEARL: We could've probably gotten in without hurdling a giant rock... chuckling nervously* into Rose's most precious sanctuary! But if you're okay with it, I'm fine, too! *chuckles and walks off

(The Crystal Gems proceeds through the tunnel to Rose's Fountain.)

GARNET: This isn't right.

(Steven looks around the fountain once belonging to his mother, surrounded by brambles everywhere.)

GARNET: The fountain isn't running.

PEARL: What?! W-what's wrong with it?

GARNET: I'm not sure.

STEVEN: Is that... Mom? Oh, oh, I'm getting emotional! I think it's happening! Uh, I'm really feeling it!

(Steven leans over Amethyst and starts straining to cry again, while Pearl and Garnet watch. The flashback then abruptly cuts back to Steven and Connie.)

STEVEN: falls over Ahh! Headache!

CONNIE: So give back my glasses and finish the story!

(Steven returns Connie her glasses, and the flashback continues, with Steven still not crying and nothing happening.)

STEVEN: in the flashback Ah, come on! I had it!

PEARL: sighs Steven, it's fine. Just— Just stay here and watch Amethyst. We'll find out what's wrong with the fountain.

STEVEN: No, no. Wait! I can still do it! stretches his eyes

(The crack in Amethyst's gem worsens again, causing Amethyst's body to fall apart. Garnet and Pearl start to leave but Steven chases after them.)

STEVEN: Wait, wait! It might still happen! Guys?

(Garnet and Pearl continue to leave, ignoring the dejected Steven. Amethyst then rams into Steven with her head.)

STEVEN: Ahh!

AMETHYST: said backwards "Uh, little help?"

(Steven turns and sees Amethyst's body trying to round itself up; her hand bouncing her leg like a ball.)

STEVEN: I can't understand you! I don't understand anything! Why is everyone acting so strange? Why can't I— looks at Rose's statue at the fountain WHY CAN'T I CRY?!

(The place echoes back "Why can't I cry?", startling Steven.)

STEVEN: It's just... I mean, I don't know how to feel about you, but everyone else does. I wish I could have met you then this place would make me sad, and I could cry healing tears... like you. climbs and lies on Rose's statue

(Steven then suddenly hears sniffling sounds. The flashback cuts away, revealing it is Connie, getting emotional and tearing up.)

STEVEN: Are you okay?

CONNIE: sniffles and nods her head* Keep going. *bites a sandwich

(The flashback continues, as Steven continues to gaze at the statue of his mother. Amethyst suddenly interrupts his trance by hooting and screaming loudly. Steven then puts his hand over her mouth, stopping her noise.)

AMETHYST: said backwards "Cheer up will ya?" Huh?

(Steven then turns over and gasps. The brambles all around come alive and begin attacking Steven and Amethyst, catching and squeezing on Amethyst's foot and hand. Steven tries to flee, but gets blocked by a series of animated bushes, and runs back towards the fountain.)

STEVEN: Ahh! Amethyst, where's your gem?

(Amethyst uses her other hand to point where her body is, as more bushes chase her. Steven quickly run faster and tackles Amethyst's body. Both of them collide and roll into the center of the fountain, where the bushes cannot reach them. Steven then sees Amethyst's gem is on the verge of shattering.)

STEVEN: Amethyst, I'm sorry! I can't do anything right. Now I'm going to lose you, and it's all my fault.

AMETHYST: glitches and speaks normally Ha-ha... You care... about... me.

STEVEN: hugs Amethyst tightly Please let me be a magic healer...

(Steven starts weeping, and a tear drips off his face and onto Amethyst's gem. Steven gasps in joy, but Amethyst's gem remains cracked.)

STEVEN: Oh, come on!

(Suddenly, the whole place starts rumbling. Pink water begin to flow out of Rose's Fountain, washing over Steven and Amethyst and flooding the whole place. The bushes disperse away from the fountain and roses bloom on them. The brambles also begin to disappear as they blossom into flowers, allowing sunlight to shine into the now-lively sanctuary again. Steven, from underwater, thinks he sees his mother reaching down towards him. He swims up to the water surface and finds it is just the statue. Amethyst then bumps into him, floating on the water and fully healed.)

AMETHYST: Look at this guy, saving my life and junk.

(Steven and Amethyst laugh in joy)

PEARL: Oh, thank goodness.

STEVEN: Did you see what I did? It was magic! My tears brought the fountain back to life and saved Amethyst! *swims with Amethyst towards Garnet and Pearl

PEARL: looks at Garnet I'm pretty sure Garnet and I unplugging the clogged chamber brought the fountain back to life.

GARNET: We saved Amethyst.

STEVEN: You don't think my crying was... a little related to that?

PEARL: Oh, Steven, you don't have healing tears. You'll never have any real magic powers, and we don't want anything more to do with you. (Saddened, Steven looks at Pearl.)

CONNIE (O.S.): She didn't really say that.

(The flashback ends, cutting back to Connie and Steven.)

STEVEN: No, but that's what it felt like.

CONNIE: Is that why you've been so down? (Steven shrugs.) Oh... You can have your juice back.

STEVEN: Nah, that's okay. sniffles and sighs Everyone expects me to be like my mom. What if I never get those powers?

CONNIE: Then you'll be like me. That's not so bad.

STEVEN: But if I don't have powers, then I can't hang out with Amethyst or Garnet or Pearl, and I-I can't go on missions! starts tearing up

CONNIE: You don't need any powers to be here with me.

(Connie takes a sip of the juice and leans forward to Steven, but suddenly stops.)

CONNIE: Ow. Ugh. places her hand on her forehead

STEVEN: What's wrong?

CONNIE: I think— There's just— takes off her glasses* Something wrong with my glasses. My... *vision suddenly becomes clear My eyes. I-I-I can see!

STEVEN: What?

CONNIE: I can see without my glasses!

STEVEN: Did I heal your eyes? But how?

(Both Steven and Connie stare at the juice box Steven gave to Connie, and Connie drops it in shock.)

STEVEN: gasps The juice box! I don't have healing tears, I have healing spit!

CONNIE: What am I going to tell my parents? What am I going to tell my optometrist?!

STEVEN: I don't even know! Oh, thank you, Connie! hugs Connie Lion, let's go tell the Gems, they're never going to believe this!

(Steven and Lion rush down the hill, leaving Connie alone. She then pops the lenses out of her glasses and puts them on, as the episode ends.)

[END]