Can’t Go Back

[Open Int. Beach House]

(Steven is in his bathroom, finishing his bedtime routine as he closes the mirror cabinet. He yawns loudly and turns to the bathtub.)

STEVEN: Goodnight, Peridot.

(Peridot is seen lying at the bathtub, sleeping, together with Pumpkin, while droplets of water drips from the faucet onto Peridot's gem. Steven then returns back to his room and lies down in his bed.)

STEVEN: Nothing left to do, but dream.

(Steven is about to fall asleep, when a loud banging is heard at the front door.)

RONALDO: (banging the door) Steeveeeeen! STEEEVEEEEEEEN! STE-

(Steven unenthusiastically walks up to the door and opens it.)

STEVEN: Ronaldo, it's the middle of the night.

RONALDO: You have to come to the lighthouse. I found something weird.

STEVEN: rubbing his eye You found something weird everyday since my dad got you that telescope.

RONALDO: I know; I'm amazing. You won't believe my latest discovery. There's something on the moon! points at the moon

STEVEN: Can't you call Nanefua?

RONALDO: Not a fourth time!

[Trans. Lighthouse]

(Ronaldo brings Steven to the telescope at the top of the lighthouse, who uses it to gaze at the Moon Base.)

STEVEN: This is the Moon Base. It's always been there.

RONALDO: shocked You have a moon base!? I have so many questions! One: why didn't you tell me about your moon base? Two: take me to your moon base. Three: why does it look like a barn?

STEVEN: It doesn't look like a ba- Wa-ait, what!?

(Steven looks through the telescope again and finds the Barn, fitted in a crater of the moon.)

STEVEN: Lapis?

[Trans. Int. Moon Base]

(Steven and Lion warps to the Moon Base via Lion's magical portals, and Lion collides into the wall from the sheer velocity, slumping over in exhaustion.)

STEVEN: Thanks, Lion. pets Lion in the head That super warp takes a lot out of you, huh?

(Lion yawns loudly.)

STEVEN: yawns as well You and me, buddy. You stay here and rest up, okay?

(Steven proceeds to step out of the Moon Base inside his bubble shield and heads out towards the Barn)

STEVEN: Why would Lapis bring the barn to the moon? I thought she wanted to get as far away from Earth as possible.

(Steven jumps then lands on the grassy patch around the Barn, then walks inside.)

STEVEN: Lapis! Lapis Lazuli! looks around This is weird. All the meep morps are still here, but no Lapis.

(Steven returns back to the Moon Base and dispels his bubble.)

STEVEN: Now what is going on?

(Steven ponders for a bit, when he hears someone humming on the upper floor. He climbs up the stairs to find Lapis, kneeling and humming at the orb, projecting the Earth, in the middle of the room.)

STEVEN: Lapis?... Lapis!

(Lapis, startled, quickly spins the orb, shutting off the projection all around it, and stands up to look at Steven.)

LAPIS: Steven?

STEVEN: hugs Lapis I can't believe it! It's so good to see you again!

LAPIS: Oh, really?

STEVEN: What's going on? I- I thought you'd be halfway across the galaxy by now. Aren't you worried about the Diamonds coming to attack?

LAPIS: I got... distracted.

STEVEN: looks behind Lapis By this orb thing? What is it?

LAPIS: Promise you won't judge me?

STEVEN: I sleep with a teddy bear. No judgements.

(Lapis taps the orb and turns if back on, showing the hologram of the Earth. She then taps on a location on the hologram, and a projection of Beach City appears all around the room.)

STEVEN: surprised Beach City!? Please explain this to me.

LAPIS: This orb is... an observation device. The Diamonds used them to watch activity on their colonies from afar.

(Lapis changes the projection to a forested area.)

STEVEN: Wow. Can I try?

LAPIS: Sure.

(Steven changes the projection to Mask Island.)

STEVEN: Woah...! But... Lapis, what are you using it for?

(Lapis sighs and changes the projection to the outside of the Crystal Temple, where the Crystal Gems are seen training with Peridot. Peridot, with her metal abilities, throws a tin can in the air, and Pearl pierces it with her spear. She then throws two tin cans, with Amethyst destroying it with her whip. Lastly, she sent three tin cans flying, where Garnet launched a rocket gauntlet, exploding and destroying the tin cans. The Crystal Gems starts laughing in joy, while Peridot is complaining.)

STEVEN: You're spying on us?

LAPIS: Well, I wouldn't call it spying, because that would make me feel bad.

STEVEN: Oh Lapis...

LAPIS: I couldn't stand not knowing what was going on. I'm so terrified of the Diamonds coming to Earth, but I got just outside the Milky Way, and I... felt so lonely.

STEVEN: So why didn't you just come back?

LAPIS: I want to. But I just can't. Not after the way I left. What would Peridot say? What if the Diamonds show up? What if something bad happens?

STEVEN: Well, what if something good happens?

(Lapis starts laughing hysterically.)

STEVEN: Uh, Lapis? Are you okay?

(The projection fazes briefly, and Lapis begins to sing "That Distant Shore".)

LAPIS: ♪ It all became so lovely: ♪ Those bluest skies above me, ♪ Those funny feelings I had never felt before I met you. ♪ I thought I'd stay a while, ♪ I tried to learn to smile. ♪ So many colors I had never even known. ♪ Maybe I'll find myself sitting on that distant shore, ♪ Maybe I'm not alone. ♪

(The projection in the room begins to fizzle.)

LAPIS: ♪ Then I see the colors fading, ♪ Gentleness of light escaping. ♪ Shadows of my fear invading, ♪ Have I seen this all before? ♪ I know that there's something residing, ♪ A terror deep inside me. ♪ I couldn't understand how you could be so bold? ♪ Maybe I'll find myself smiling on that distant shore, ♪ Maybe I'm not alone. ♪

[Time-Skip]

(The projection changes to the sea, under an evening sky. Steven and Lapis sit next to each other, leaning against a wall.)

LAPIS: I might have overreacted about the Diamonds.

STEVEN: You really think they're coming?

LAPIS: I don't even know anymore. I've done so much because I was afraid. I left Peridot behind. I took the barn. And her morps.

STEVEN: At least she has Pumpkin.

LAPIS: sighs I was so sure the Diamonds would destroy my new home, that I did it myself. It's like I'm back inside the Mirror, except... I put myself here.

STEVEN: Oh, the Moon's not so bad.

LAPIS: Are you kidding!? The Moon sucks. There's nothing here! Maybe I'm tired of running away. Maybe I'd rather be with everyone and be in danger than be safe and... alone.

STEVEN: They'd be glad to have you back.

LAPIS: I don't know. If I went back now, there's no way things could go back to how they were.

STEVEN: Yeah, but that's alright. Things would just be different.

LAPIS: What do you mean?

STEVEN: Well, what if you weren't way out in the country? You could drop the barn on the beach, then we'd all be neighbors. I'd come over to borrow a cup of sugar, and you'd be like, "What's that?"

(Steven and Lapis laugh together.)

STEVEN: yawns When you go back, we should all hang out more.

LAPIS: Hmmm... When... I go back.

(The tired Steven dozes off and begins to dream.)

[Trans. Steven's Dreamscape]

(Steven continues to sleep, when he hears Blue Diamond's voice.)

BLUE DIAMOND: But this is what you wanted.

STEVEN: abruptly wakes up and gasps Lapis?

BLUE DIAMOND: You begged us for a colony of your own. And now, all you want to do is be rid of it.

(Steven looks ahead and sees three silhouettes of Pink, Blue, and Yellow Diamond in the observation room of the Moon Base.)

BLUE DIAMOND: First, there were too many organics, then their cities were too difficult to dismantle, a-and now these... Crystal Gems? We're tired of your excuses, Pink.

STEVEN: The Diamonds!

BLUE DIAMOND: This Rose Quartz can't hurt you. You can't be swayed by a few unruly Gems.

(Pink Diamond tries to say something, but is immediately halted by Blue Diamond.)

BLUE DIAMOND: Enough! tries to cheer Pink up You must understand. You... are a Diamond. Everyone on this planet is looking to you. You don't even have to do anything. Just smile, and wave. Show everyone you are unfazed by this little uprising. Your Gems will fall into line, and these Crystal Gems will be no more. As long as you are there to rule, this colony will be completed.

(Blue and Yellow Diamond walk off, leaving Pink Diamond alone in the room. Just then, a silhouette of Pearl holding Rose's scabbard emerges from Steven's shadow, frightening him. Steven watches intently as Pearl approaches Pink Diamond from behind. She then strikes an attack stance, drawing out the sword from its scabbard, and raises it.)

STEVEN: Mom's sword? Is that... Pearl?!

(Pearl then turns to Steven and glares at him intimidatingly.)

[Trans. Int. Moon Base]

(Steven wakes up from his dream, screaming and shocking Lapis.)

LAPIS: Steven? Are you okay? Were you dreaming?

STEVEN: I- I saw the Diamonds.

LAPIS: What?! What are you talking about?

STEVEN: I dreamt about them. They were right in this room.

LAPIS: What does that mean?! Are they coming?

STEVEN: I... I don't know.

LAPIS: Wh-What if they are?! What if they're close?! Why else would you see them!? Steven!?

(Lapis clutches onto Steven's shoulders, trying to get an answer from him, but he is too distracted about seeing Pearl in his dream. Lapis grunts in frustration and runs downstairs.)

STEVEN: L-Lapis! H-hold on! chases after Lapis

(Lapis opens the door of the Moon Base as Steven catches up, and he braces himself from being sucked out into space. He tries to run up to Lapis, but Lion holds him back by biting onto his jacket.)

STEVEN: Where are you going?

LAPIS: As far from Earth as I can. I'm leaving! You should be used to that by now.

STEVEN: You don't have to run, Lapis! Just- Just stay with us!

LAPIS: I don't know what I was thinking! I-I'm not like you and your friends, Steven! I can't just let go of what happened to me. I can't go through that again.

STEVEN: Would you rather be alone?

LAPIS: ... I'm sorry.

STEVEN: Waaaaaiit!

(Lapis steps out of the Moon Base, sprouts her water wings and flies off away in space. The door closes and Steven drops to the ground, despondent. Lion lets go of Steven's jacket and nuzzles him to comfort him. Steven then looks up at Pink Diamond's mural in the wall of the Moon Base, and turns to Lion.)

STEVEN: Lion, I need you to take me to Pearl.

[END]