Bubble Buddies

[Open Ext. Beach House]

(Steven leaves the house with his bicycle, a roaring sound is heard followed by rumbles that caused Steven's bike to roll down the stairs.)

Steven: Oh! Woooh- *runs after his bike*

[Camera pans to the Gems walking towards the direction of the Beach House]

Pearl: *to Garnet and Amethyst* I don't think they are earthquakes, they're too frequent!

Amethyst: (Steven's bike crashes on the sand near the Gems as Steven picks it up.) Hey look! Steven's got a bike! Where ya going, Steven?

Steven: Just out for a ride.

Pearl: In the sand?

Steven: Yup!

(Steven attempts to ride his bike in the sand, he looks up at Connie Maheswaran, who sits nearby reading.)

Steven: *parks his bike* Some smooth ride... *looks at Connie, who isn't paying attention* five speeds, *looks at her again, and back at the bike* hand brakes, *looks back at Connie,then the bike* electric blue finish with a tiger bell! *rings bell, Connie flips the page of her book, still ignoring Steven* I bet there are a lot of kids who'd love to ride this bi- (Steven tries to ride his bike with the stand still up.) Wooah! (He falls on his bike and looks at it, and at Connie, then throws his helmet away running away, embarrassed.) Wahhh!!!

[Trans. Int. Beach House]

(Steven pants and notices the Gems were watching from a window.)

Steven: *panting* *to the Gems* *tries to act casual* Whaddup?

Pearl: Who were you talking to?

Steven: *tries to act confused* Huh?

Garnet: That girl.

Steven: You saw? *starts to blush* She's just a girl I know, except she doesn't know me. We never talked.

Amethyst: *gasp* You like her! *smushes his face*

Steven: Uhh... I like everyone...*pushes Amethyst's arms aside*

Pearl: *gasps* Let's set up a play-date! I'll write up an invitation and work out a schedule. Ohh! We'll have to find out her favorite kind of tea...

Garnet: No. Just talk to her.

Steven: Okay. But you guys can't watch this time! It'll mess up my funky flow.

Pearl & Amethyst: Funky flow?

Garnet: We won't watch. *adjusts visor*

Steven: Alright! *runs to the fridge to take out a glowing bracelet*

Amethyst: What's that?

Steven: *runs outside* Nothing!

[Trans. Ext. Beach House]

Steven: *practices his conversation with Connie as he walks towards her* Hi! My name is Steven. Hi, my name is Ste-ven. Hi my name is... Stevan? Oh-whoah!

(A monster roar is heard, the earth starts to shake as Steven looks up to see a part of the temple break and start to fall above Connie.)

Steven: *gasps, runs over and jumps on top of Connie* Hi, my name is Steven! (Steven's gem starts to glow and creates a bubble-like shield, protecting them.)

(The rubble falls and shatters as it hits the bubble.)

Steven: Whoa! How did I do that? *to Connie* Hi, my name is Steven!

Connie: *gaping, she adjusts her glasses* Connie. (Steven helps her to her feet.) What happened?

Steven: I'm magic, well... half magic, *scratches head* on my mom's side.

Connie: *looks at the bubble* You did this?

Steven: Apparently. I'm a member of the Crystal Gems, we fight monsters and protect humanity and stuff.

Connie: Oh! That's kinda like my dad. He's a cop. Well... more like a private security guard. (Steven and Connie look at each other wordlessly.) So... how long does it usually last?

Steven: Oh! Right. (Steven tries to make the bubble shield go away.)

Connie: What's wrong?

Steven: It uh... doesn't seem to wanna go away.

Connie: *looks down* Oh.

(Steven tries pushing the bubble.)

Steven: So... I don't see you around that often.

Connie: *starts pushing* My dad works for a bunch of different beaches, so we're never in the same place long.

Steven: I go on adventures with the Gems sometimes. They usually say it's too dangerous for me though. *pushes bubble, they move forward slightly and he falls over*

Connie: Do you always go in a bubble?

Steven: No, this is new. I don't know what this is. But it's okay! The Gems will know what to do.

(Steven and Connie try to roll the bubble to Steven's house, but can't get up the steep hill.)

Steven: Awww what? Hey guys! Garnet! Help!

Connie: I don't think they can hear you.

Steven: *facepalms* Aaaww... That's right. I told them not to watch.

Connie: We can just wait here until they come out.

Steven: No, no, no, it's okay! I've got other friends that can help.

[Trans. Ext. Big Donut]

(Sadie is attempting to break the bubble with a hammer.)

Lars: BWAHAHAH! Way to go, Steven! Is this your magic love bubble or something? Did you make it because you're in looove? *presses his face against the bubble*

Steven: That's Lars. We're basically BFFs.

Connie: He makes weird faces. *looks at Lars*

[Camera pans to Lars, who is making kissy faces while pressing his face against the bubble]

Sadie: Lars, quit being a jerk and help!

Lars: What? I'm helping Steven on his date.

Sadie: You're embarrassing him!

Lars: No, I'm not!

Sadie: Yes, you are!

(Lars and Sadie's argument becomes inaudible in the background.)

Steven: He and Sadie run the Big Donut.

Connie: Do... they get along?

(Sadie and Lars continue arguing, Sadie pushes Lars.)

Steven: *looks at Sadie and Lars* They're crazy about each other.

Sadie: *goes inside the Big Donut* I'm gonna go try something else!

Steven: Anyway, this place has the best doughnuts! I come here, like, everyday!

Connie: My parents don't let me eat doughnuts. They have trans fats.

Steven: Whaaaaatttt?!?!?! (Lars starts making kissy faces again.) Well it's still a cool place to hang out.

(Sadie comes running out of the Big Donut with a stool.)

Sadie: AHHH!!! *hits bubble with chair breaking the stool*

Steven: *nervous chuckle* I have a better idea.

[Trans. Beach City Pier]

Connie: *looking around Pier* Whoa, a trawler! And a little skip-jack!

Steven: You know a lot about boats.

Connie: That's what happens when you hang out at the beach and don't swim and don't have friends. *awkward pause* Y-you look at boats...

Steven: Heh, uh... *notices Onion* Oh hey, Onion, Onion! (Onion waves.)

Steven: We need a Harpoon Gun!

Connie: *alarmed* What?

Steven: To pop the bubble.

Connie: Can't we just go back to your house?

Steven: It's okay, I'm a Gem. Onion, we need a harpoon gun! *slowly* HAR-POON-GUUUN!

(Onion eats popcorn obliviously, so Steven breathes on the bubble, creating fog where he attempts to illustrate a harpoon gun.)

Steven: *drawing* Haar-pooon-guuun... (Onion continues eating obliviously.) Ugh! *facepalms*

Connie: Let me try. (She spells out "harpoon gun" on the bubble, Onion gives a thumbs up and runs off as Steven looks at her impressed.) It just made more sense.

(Onion blows boat horn at the helm of a harpoon gun and shoots at the bubble, harpoon deflects and hits a boat, sinking it.)

Connie: The trawler...

[Trans. Beach City Funland]

Connie: "Funland"?

Steven: Yeah! Tons of horrible accidents happen here everyday! There's gotta be something to break this bubble.

Connie: Umm...

Steven: We just gotta find the right ride. *spots a roller coaster* Yeah, the kiddie coaster! Alright, we just roll down this ramp as the carts are coming at us, and the crash will break us free!

Connie: What happens after the bubble pops?

Steven: We'll be free!

(Awkward pause.)

Connie: Steven, this is a bad idea- (The monster's roar shakes the ride.)

Steven: Whaaa- This will work! *pushes them on the roller coaster tracks*

(Carts hit them pushing them in opposite direction. Mr. Smiley hits the emergency break causing bubble to fly off the track and into the ocean, they sink to the ocean floor.)

[Trans. Ocean Floor]

Connie: Where are we?

Steven: The bottom of the ocean. (Connie gasps, horrified.) It's okay!

Connie: Are we even close to the shore?

Steven: Yeah, sure!

Connie: Let's start rolling.

Steven: It's a good thing this bubble is air tight, otherwise we'd be drowning right now. *laughs nervously* Don't worry Connie, I have an idea that will definitely work, when we get back&mdash;

(Worm Monster swims above them, scaring Connie.)

Steven: A huge worm! It's okay, look. It only wants to eat that bright stuff. See? Not scary at all.

(The Worm monster consumes bright red seaweed and then begins to burrow under ground, causing a crevice to open up directly under them, they sink deeper in the ocean.)

Steven: Ughhh... *realizes his foot is on Connie's face* Oh, sorry! Are you alright? (Connie stands up, wordless.) It's not so bad, uhhh. It-it's okay, I uh...

Connie: It's NOT okay! You keep saying that but YOU don't know what you're doing! Now we're going to suffocate or starve at the bottom of the ocean and only my parents will notice because no one else *tears up* cares about me!

Steven: Huh?

Connie: I'm gonna disappear without ever making a single friend. *tears fall from her eyes* (Connie cries and sits down.)

Steven: *offers glowing bracelet, Connie stops crying* We can be friends. I saw you at the Boardwalk Parade last year. You dropped your bracelet. I picked it up, but then I couldn't find you. I saved it in the freezer so it would last longer, in case I saw you again.

[Partial Flashback of Boardwalk parade]

Connie: Oh! You were the kid on the car wash float. *chuckles* You had soap bubbles in your hair.

Steven: *blushing, laughs* I was supposed to be a scrub brush. I'm sorry Connie, *puts bracelet on her* if I had returned your bracelet back then, you wouldn't be stuck in this bubble with me now.

Connie: *blushing* No, it's okay. I'm having fun.

(The bubble suddenly bursts and Steven leads Connie to the surface, moments later the Worm Monster emerges and attacks them, causing them to land on the shore with the monster in pursuit.)

[Trans. Under Funland's Pier]

Connie: Come on, come on! *runs* Hide in the rocks, Steven! (She climbs rocks and Steven runs under pier instead. The monster heads for Connie.)

Steven: Why is it chasing us?! *looks at bracelet* The bracelet! It eats bright stuff. Connie!

Connie: Steven! *runs towards him*

Steven: Give me the bracelet! *takes bracelet*

Connie: What?!

Steven: It's okay, now go, go! Run that way! *pushes her in different direction* I'm sorry!

(Monster pursues Steven with the bracelet while he runs and yells frantically, zigzagging around the pillars of the pier, causing the monster to wrap around itself, immobilizing it as it struggles to break free. Connie and Steven hold hands in horror. The pillars break causing the pier to collapse on the monster, destroying it. The Gems come rushing towards them.)

All Gems: Steven!

Pearl: *accusingly* Steven, what's going on?! What did you do?!

Connie: He was incredible!

(Garnet picks up and bubbles away the fallen Gem.)

Steven: Really? You mean it? (She nods.) Here's your bracelet... again.

Connie: Thanks. *laughs*

Amethyst: *grabs Steven* So, are you going to introduce us? (Steven blushes.)

Pearl: *to Connie* Steven was so excited to meet you. Right Steven? (Steven nods and laughs nervously.)

Garnet: *picks up Pearl and Amethyst* Hey! Don't mess with his funky flow. *walks off with them*

Connie: Funky... flow?

Steven: Uhh... *laughing nervously, groaning*

[END]