Crack the Whip

[Open Int. Beach House]

(Pearl and Garnet are seen getting onto the Crystal Temple Warp Pad.)

PEARL: All right, we may be a while.

STEVEN: runs in But-

GARNET: Amethyst.

AMETHYST: reading a book titled Pretty Hairstylist What? I'm busy.

GARNET: Amethyst, hold down the fort.

AMETHYST: puts down the book and lazily salutes Aye, aye, Captain. No surprises while I'm on duty. Wha-!?

(Connie, holding Rose's Sword, suddenly barges through the door with Lion behind her.)

CONNIE: excitedly Surprise! I'm early!

STEVEN: ...I was trying to tell you, Connie has sword training today.

PEARL: covers her mouth in shock Oh! I completely forgot... I'm so sorry, Connie..

AMETHYST: clears her throat tauntingly Vеry irresponsible, Pearl.

(Pеarl glares and groans at Amethyst.)

CONNIE: Is this because of Jasper? Are you headed back North?

GARNET: She's on the move.

PEARL: We can't have her just out there attacking random monsters for whatever reason.

CONNIE: Of course, be safe!

PEARL: smiles That's my line. Amethyst!

AMETHYST: Got it.

PEARL: We'll train next week without Jasper hanging over our heads.

GARNET: Best case scenario.

(Pearl and Garnet warp out.)

AMETHYST: Lucky break for you guys, you get the training day off. puts her arm over Connie's shoulder So what do you wanna do?

[Open Ext. Beach House]

(Steven and Connie proceed to spar with each other on the beach, with Amethyst sitting and watching them on a hand statue and Lion sleeping in the background. Steven summons his shield as Connie strikes on it with her sword. She strikes again and Steven ducks under, dodging it. He then summons his bubble shield around him, knocking Connie back. Steven summons two shields and throws them in succession at Connie. Connie then counters with her sword, deflecting the shields. Steven gasps as his shields fly back at him and jumps up floating into the air.)

CONNIE: Hey, no fair!

STEVEN: giggles Hey, Amethyst! Did you see that? Amethyst?

AMETHYST: laying on the rock hand, not paying any attention S'up.

STEVEN: lands on the ground and walks up to Amethyst Are you even watching?

AMETHYST: Sure, what's it look like?

STEVEN: Like you're not watching?

AMETHYST: sits up* Oh, all right, Y'got me. Ha! *shapeshifts her feet into eyes and lays back down Is that better?

STEVEN & CONNIE: laughs Ewww... Gross!

STEVEN: But yeah, that's better. C'mon, Connie summons his shield Let's take it from the top!

CONNIE: Okay!

(Steven and Connie get in positions, and Connie starts to strike repeatedly at Steven's shield. Amethyst's feet-eyes watch carefully at the two sparring, but quickly gets bored over time and close.)

STEVEN: Did you see that?

AMETHYST: shapeshifts into Pearl and claps* Excellent! Amazing! Pearl-fect. *giggles

STEVEN: blushes Aw, haha... I don't know...

CONNIE: Not really, my stance is all wrong, and my grip is a little soft.

AMETHYST: stares at Connie and shapeshifts back to normal Why are you worried about that little stuff for? It's not gonna matter in a real fight.

CONNIE: It does, though. I blew it on my first, real magical mission! I was face-to-face with a monster, and I froze. Maybe if I trained a little harder, I... could've handled it.

AMETHYST: Sounds to me like you're too in your own head. In a fight, you never know what's gonna happen, You just gotta go with it. How can you get ready when you don't even know what you're getting ready for, huh? stands up* Yeah, you can't be ready. What you gotta be is loose. *extends her arms and waves them loosely

STEVEN: excitedly with starry eyes I wanna be loose!

AMETHYST: Then you gotta go with the flow! Fighting's all about that feeling deep in your guts. What do your guts feel like!?

(Steven's stomach starts to gurgle.)

STEVEN: Hungry!?

(Connie giggles.)

AMETHYST: Mine too. starts chanting Snack break, snack break, snack break-

CONNIE: Well, we do need energy to practice.

STEVEN: begins chanting with Amethyst Snack break! Snack break! Snack break! Snack break!

[Trans. Ext. The Big Donut]

(Amethyst brings Steven and Connie to the donut shop and peeks inside, seeing Sadie restocking a fridge inside.)

AMETHYST: turns to Steven and Connie Who wants donuts?

STEVEN: I do! throws his hands in the air

CONNIE: Maybe just one! raises her hand

AMETHYST: shapeshifts into Lars Great! It's on me.

SADIE: quietly singing to herself* ♪ Mmmmm, like a burger. ♪ *hears someone entering the store and quickly resumes stocking the shelf* Be right there! *stands up at the counter Welcome to the Big Donut, how can I he- Wha- Huh!?

AMETHYST: Heeeey, donut girl. It's me, donut boy. You mind if I grab a couple of krullers? leans over the counter and push Sadie aside* It's cool, I totally work here! *begins hastily shoving donuts into her back pockets

SADIE: shocked What the...?

STEVEN: Sorry, Sadie. That's just Amethyst being Amethyst... by not being Amethyst... shrugs with a fake smile on his face

SADIE: Oh, it's no problem, Steven. It's just a couple of donuts.

(Amethyst turns around and walk out of the stop, carrying bundles of donut-filled bags in her arms.)

SADIE: Okay, maybe it's a problem.

(Steven and Connie empty their pockets and hand Sadie all of their money.)

[Trans. Int Beach City]

(Steven, Connie, and Amethyst begin hanging out together and enjoying the pile of donuts on a bench. Amethyst then grabs three cans of soda and shakes one of them. She shuffles the cans behind her back and drop a can each to Connie and Steven. Connie pokes her can and opens it safely. Steven opens his can and a geyser of soda hits him in the face. Amethyst points and laughs at Steven while Connie looks disgusted. Amethyst then shakes her own can and hits herself in the face with a soda geyser, causing her to fall backwards off the bench. Steven and Connie look at her, and begin laughing together.)

[Trans. Ext. Beach Citywalk Fries]

(Peedee is reading a newspaper at the fries shop while a flock of seagulls feed on fries on littered on the boardwalk. Amethyst, shapeshifted into a cat, and Steven begins running through and scaring away the seagulls, followed by Connie and Lion behind. The seagulls return, and the group runs back to scare them away again, much to Peedee's unamusement.)

[Trans. Ext. Beach City Funland]

(Steven and Connie ride together on the Ferris wheel in a cart. Amethyst sits on top the next car, gazing up at the sky, and Lion sits inside the cart after her.)

[Trans. Beach]

(Steven carries Amethyst, shapeshifted into a boombox, as Connie and Lion follow behind, all jamming to some music on the beach while carrying glowsticks and wearing glow bracelets.)

[Time-Skip - Evening]

(Amethyst is then seen surfing on the water.)

AMETHYST: Come oooooooooon! surfs off-screen, and surfs back in again Come oooooooooon!

(Amethyst stops surfing and looks towards the shore, as Steven pops his head up out of the water in front of Amethyst. Connie is seen bouncing excitedly on the beach, while Sour Cream sleeps on a beach chair in the background.)

CONNIE: I didn't bring a swimsuit!

AMETHYST: In the heat of battle, you're not gonna have a swimsuit, Connie!

CONNIE: By Jove I guess you're right! runs into the ocean up to Steven, laughing I don't think I've ever had this much fun in one day!

AMETHYST: surfing across the water in the background Bungacowa!

STEVEN: We should spend more time with Amethyst, she's the best!

CONNIE: splashes Steven You're the best!

STEVEN: splashes Connie back Nuh-uh! You're the best!

(Steven and Connie laughs, when the ground begins to rumble and the corrupted Biggs Jasper suddenly emerges from the water. Biggs walks onto the shore and shakes the water off her hair, prompting Sour Cream to immediately run away in fright. Biggs sniffs the air, notices Steven and Connie still in the water, and turns her attention towards them.)

STEVEN: smiles nervously Uh, I remember you too, buddy... heh.

(Steven quickly summons his bubble shield around himself and Connie. Biggs then leaps toward the pair, but is caught in midair by Amethyst's whip. Amethyst then swings back around on the surfboard and uses Steven's bubble as a ramp to jump onto Biggs. She then pulls her whip around Bigg tightly until she "poofs", causing Amethyst to fall to the ground. Steven and Connie then runs onto the shore to join Amethyst's side.)

CONNIE: Amethyst, that was amazing!

STEVEN: Whoa, are you okay?

AMETHYST: sighs Not a pretty win, but I'll take it.

CONNIE: That was the monster we fought in the snow. At least, it looked like it was.

AMETHYST: I think you'd remember a face like that.

STEVEN: Well, there were two of them. bubbles the gem and sends it to the Temple

AMETHYST: suddenly concerned Two of them?

(The Snow Monster then emerges from the water, with Jasper riding on top of it.)

JASPER: Rose!

STEVEN: Jasper!

JASPER: Glad I found you. I've decided to build my own army, where's the rest of yours?

STEVEN: They're not here right now!

AMETHYST: Shhhhhh!

JASPER: So it's just you lot?

AMETHYST: Doesn't matter, I'm gonna whip your butt all by myself!

(Amethyst lashes her whip at the Snow Monster, causing it to rear up and tosses Jasper off its back, before charging toward the group, who all dodge out of the way.)

AMETHYST: I got Jasper, you guys handle that dope!

(Amethyst charges off towards Jasper, while Steven, Connie, and Lion prepare to fight the Snow Monster. Steven summons his shield as Connie draws her sword.)

CONNIE: Okay, we get a second chance at this.

STEVEN: Just stay together!

(The Snow Monster slams its foot at the pair, who quickly dodges to the sides. Meanwhile, Amethyst stands face-to-face with Jasper.)

JASPER: I came here to fight Rose, not some runt!

AMETHYST: You think you can just keep showing up and picking fights with us? Agh, why don't you get a life!?

JASPER: Fighting IS my life! It's what I was made for! points at Amethyst It's what you were made for too, runt!

AMETHYST: So? I've got other stuff goin' on. I can fight just fine! lashes her whip at Jasper

JASPER: easily catches Amethyst's whip Well then, let's see it!

(Jasper tugs on the whip, pulling Amethyst towards her, and kicks her in the stomach, sending her flying backwards in the sand. Jasper then starts spin-dashing and runs over Amethyst eight times consecutively. Amethyst struggles to get up from the ground, after taking the barrage of attacks from Jasper.)

JASPER: towering over Amethyst* You're not even trying! Is it because you know you're already a failure? (Amethyst looks up at her.) You're a quartz soldier, just like me. *disgusted But you're not like me, are you?

(Amethyst gets up on her feet, while Steven and the others continue to fight the Snow Monster.)

JASPER: Hahaha, you're small!

(Jasper punches Amethyst off the ground, rapidly punches her in the air, before slamming her back into the ground. Steven then notices Amethyst's demise, despite still engaging the Snow Monster in combat.)

STEVEN: Amethyst!?

JASPER: Are you that desperate for troops, Rose? That you keep a defect like this?

AMETHYST: barely able to get on her feet Rose said... I'm perfect... the way I am!

JASPER: Then she had low standards!

(Enraged, Amethyst charges at Jasper with her spin dash.)

JASPER: You could've been me!

(Jasper parries Amethyst's spin dash with her leg and kicks her into the air. As Amethyst falls back past Jasper, the scene slows down as the two comes face to face.)

JASPER: And what are you instead?

(Amethyst slams head-first into the ground.)

STEVEN & CONNIE: Amethyst!

(Amethyst slowly gets up and looks back in fear at Jasper.)

JASPER: Just a joke?!

(Jasper headbutts Amethyst with her crash helmet, instantly poofing her and knocking her gem into the air. Steven and Connie gasp in horror as Jasper grabs tightly onto Amethyst's gem in mid-air.)

STEVEN: Come on! grabs Connie's arm and rushes toward Jasper

JASPER: squeezing Amethyst's gem in her hand Time to get rid of this embarrassment.

STEVEN & CONNIE: Hyaaaa! charges and leaps towards Jasper Haaaaaah!

(Steven's gem starts glowing, enveloping the place in white light, as Stevonnie appears before Jasper. They kicks Jasper in the chest, causing her to stumble back and drop Amethyst's gem, which Stevonnie flings into the air with a somersault and then catches in their hand.)

JASPER: You fused?!

STEVONNIE: looks down at their body Whoa! I-I did.

JASPER: enraged You Crystal Gems would even fuse with a human!?

STEVONNIE: irritated I don't wanna hear anything you say, unless it's "sorry". holds up Amethyst' gem

(Jasper charges at Stevonnie with her crash helmet, but they easily blocks it at full force with Steven's shield and knocks Jasper backwards. Meanwhile, Lion emits a magical roar and sends the Snow Monster crashing into the sand next to Jasper. The Snow Monster then quickly gets up and attempts to flee into the ocean.)

JASPER: Oh no you don't!

(Jasper grabs the Snow Monster by its tail and slams it back into the ground. Lion then joins Stevonnie's side and prepare to face Jasper as well, as Jasper mounts on top of the Snow Monster.)

STEVONNIE: sets Amethyst's gem down on the sand Wait here, I'll protect you. summons their shield and mounts onto Lion's back

JASPER: Head to head, just like I like it!

STEVONNIE: Ready when you are!

(Lion and the Snow Monster begins charging at each other. When the two meet, Stevonnie leaps off of Lion into the air and throws their shield at Jasper, who catches it easily. Jasper easily catches the shield, but in that moment, lets her guard down. Stevonnie then slams their sword down on Jasper's helmet, sending her crushing into the Snow Monster with enough force to poof it. Just at that moment, Amethyst's gem begins to regenerate. After much difficulty, Amethyst returns, sporting a different outfit than before.)

AMETHYST: panicking Steven! Connie! I'm back! Everything's gonna be fi- Huh?

(Amethyst stares in disbelief as she sees Stevonnie and Lion standing over Jasper, who is on one knee in a small crater, still reeling from Stevonnie's attack.)

JASPER: enraged Fusion! FUSION! It's always fusion!

STEVONNIE: Are you ready to apologize?

JASPER: backs into the ocean with the Snow Monster's gem in hand This was just a warmup! Get ready for next time, Rose! Jaspers don't give up! Jaspers keep going... until we get what we want. disappears beneath the water

STEVONNIE: Hm, I guess she lives in the ocean now.

AMETHYST: walks up to Stevonnie, still in disbelief You guys... won?

STEVONNIE: Amethyst! unfuses and splits apart

STEVEN: You're back!

CONNIE: You're okay!

STEVEN: hugs Amethyst Thank goodness!

AMETHYST: Uh, thank you guys! Heh...

STEVEN: excitedly Did you see us?

CONNIE: excitedly It was just like you said! You were in trouble and we just had to fight!

STEVEN: Everything we knew just came together!

CONNIE: We fused!

STEVEN: celebrates We won! I can't wait to tell the others!

(Steven and Connie begins running off, laughing, with Lion following behind, leaving Amethyst alone on the beach.)

AMETHYST: Oh, good!... looks down somberly You didn't need me at all...

[END]