Lion 3: Straight to Video

[Open Int. Big Donut]

[Seagull cries]

Steven: *looking at food options* Hmmm... Hmmm... Hmmmm—Hmmmm.

Sadie: You can do it, Steven.

Steven: Thanks, Sadie. It's just, I could get a donut, which would be tasty. But I always get donuts. Shouldn't I be living life to the fullest and trying new things? So tonight, maybe I'm thinking... Spicy Pretzels?

Sadie: Why don't you ask your little friend?

(Sadie looks at Lion who sits up. Lion then walks over to the Lion Lickers fridge and puts his nose on it.)

Steven: Ugh, Lion, those are gross. No offense.

Sadie: You kids better hurry it up. Lars and I are closing up...

(Lars enters and exits the scene listening to music on his headphones.)

Sadie: I'm closing up for the day.

Steven: *sees bags with "Sadie" on them* Hey Sadie! There's a snack named after you?

Sadie: Nah, those are all lunches my mom packed for me.

Steven: Aww, that's so nice.

Sadie: Ehh, actually, it's pretty embarrassing. She's been doing it for years. I mean, I know how to feed myself! It just makes me feel like a kid, y'know?

Steven: Could I try one?

Sadie: Sure. But, choose wisely. Some of those have been in there for a few months.

[Trans. Int. Beach House]

Steven: Alrighty. *reaches into bag* Let's see what we've got here. *pulls food items out* Looks like a classic PBJ sandwich cut into triangles. (Lion is in the background and has his nose stuck in the bag.) Very nice, it's the only shape a sandwich should be. Mama Sadie, this lunch is a win. (Lion backs up towards the door.) And for dessert we have... woah look at this! *runs up to Lion* Lion, Lion, look! It's a cookie shaped like a star. *laughs* I guess you could say this cookie is... out of this world, eh?

(Lion blows the bag into Steven's face. It falls down, and Steven bites the cookie. He then looks at a picture of his mom on the wall.)

Steven: *munching* I wonder what kind of lunch my mom would've made me. *gasps* Maybe actual space cookies! *sighs* I just wish I knew a little more about her. (Lion goes close up to Steven.) Blink if this means you love me! *puffs* He loves me!

[Time Skip—nighttime]

Steven: All done! I made sure to make it extra skooshy, just the way you like it! Wha... hey!

Lion: *grunts* *climbs onto Steven's bed*

Steven: Hey, get out of there! Lion, this is the Steven bed not the Lion bed! *grunts* Come on! Whoa! Ugh! Hey! That's mine too! And Sir Bearington. Hup! Ughh. *yawns* 'Night lion!

Lion: *snores*

Steven: Love you... in the morning. *snores* (He suddenly finds his head surrounded by pink plants.) *thinking* Whoa... What is this place? *gasps* I can't breathe!

Pearl: Steven! Steven! Steven! Steven! Steven! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!

Steven: *muffled yelling*

Pearl: Hang on! I got you! (Pearl struggles to move Lion off of Steven.) Ugh, Lion! Let him go!

Steven: *panting* What happened?

Pearl: Steven, are you all right? Why was Lion sleeping on top of you?

Steven: I don't know. He's being a little clingy today. But that's cause I'm his favorite! Oh! *muffled* See? Wait... *normal voice* Why are you here, Pearl?

Pearl: Me? Nothing. I was just uh... well, you know how I always say... um, I just uh... I like to watch you sleep sometimes. And by sometimes I mean often.

Steven: Okie-dokie, it's time for everyone to leave Steven alone. I'm a growing boy and I needs my rest. *sighs* Lion, that means you too. Rah! Rah! Rah! Rah! Rah! *sighs*

[Trans. Int. Steven's dream]

(Steven and Dogcopter are playing checkers on a tiny island. Steven moves a piece.)

Steven: Hm!

(Dogcopter places a chess piece on one of Steven's tiles.)

Dogcopter: *talks without moving his mouth* I win.

Steven: Oh, what? That was a good move!

Dogcopter: Thanks.

Steven: Dogcopter. How do you do it?

Dogcopter: How do I do what?

Steven: I mean, what's your secret? How'd you get so talented?

Dogcopter: Don't focus so much on talent, Steven. Making art is all about communication. A piece of art is a conversation. Every choice you make, is a statement.

(Dogcopter eats the chess piece.)

Dogcopter: Don't worry about labels, or conforming to a standard. Just be true to yourself, and people will appreciate your honesty.

Steven: Woah. Thanks for the advice.

Dogcopter: And take a deep breath.

(Dogcopter flies away.)

Steven: What?

[Scene falls away and everything turns black]

Steven: (Steven finds himself surrounded by the pink plants again.) *thinking* Here again? I don't know what this place is but it feels... familiar. Why can't I breathe? Wait a minute... Lion! *muffled yelling* Ungh! Lion, my face is not your bed! What's going on with you?

Lion: *groans, rolls over on back to expose his belly*

Steven: You just wanted a belly rub?

Lion: *grunts*

Steven: *gasps* You never let me touch your belly! Oh! (Lion hugs Steven, holding him down with his front paws.) *muffled yelling* It's a trap! *muffled yelling* An adorable trap! *muffled yelling* Okay, you got me! *puffs* Will you let me go? Come on now! Ugh! (Lion sinks his claws into Steven.) Aah! That's it! Let's go Lion, you're on a time out! (Steven makes Lion stay outside.) I said, you're on time out! You're gonna stay out here and think about what you did!

Lion: *yowls sadly, wanting back in*

Steven: Hmph!

Lion: *yowls*

[Camera zooms up on Lion surrounded by stars as he bats his eyelashes at Steven in slow motion]

Steven: *gasps* He loves me! Aww, I just can't stay mad at you! (He goes out on the porch to let Lion back inside.) You're a wonderful pink human being. Except you're not. 'Cause you're a lion. (He hugs Lion and finds himself with the pink plants again.) (Steven quickly moves his head back gasping for air back on the porch.) (He places his hand on Lion's mane and it glows pink.) *inhales deeply* *goes inside again* *thinking* I'm inside Lion's mane?! *gasps* *goes in and out of Lion's mane multiple times quickly* *laughs*

Lion: *growls*

Steven: Sorry, I couldn't resist. *inhales deeply* *climbs into Lion's mane* *thinking* Am I... supposed to do something here? Wha ...? (He sees a pink tree in the distance and goes toward it.) Mm... *sticks head out of Lion's mane* *inhales deeply* *goes back in*

[Music]

(Steven looks around at all of the things under and around the tree including Rose Quartz's Battle Flag, a bubbled object, Rose's sword, an XXL Mr. Universe Shirt, a chest, a picture of Rose and Greg, and finally sets his eyes on a VHS tape with cursive writing on it that reads "For Steven".)

Steven: *picks up the tape* *thinking* For me? Who would put this here? And how does this huge place fit inside of lion's mane anywa- *runs out of breath* (He feels the ground to exit Lion's mane but can't so he runs to the pink grass, falls and tumbles out of Lion's mane.) *gasps*

Pearl: ... and he keeps sleeping on Steven's face! But Steven doesn't want me watching him anymore. So one of you two has to do it.

(Steven leaves the Beach House with the tape and goes to the Big Donut as Lars Sadie are opening the store.)

Steven: Sadie! Sadie!

Sadie: Steven, you know donuts aren't ready for another hour.

Steven: *whispering in Sadie's ear*

Sadie: Really? Come on!

(Steven and Sadie sit in the break room as Steven puts the tape in the TV.)

[TV static crackles]

[Sea waves crashing]

(A younger Greg dances across the screen.)

Rose: *chuckling* What are you doing?

Sadie: Steven, that voice.

(Greg is napping on the beach, snoring with a seagull on his stomach.)

Rose: *chuckles* Greg made a friend.

(The seagull squawks and flies off.)

Greg: What?! Ah! *panting*

Rose: *laughs* Go on...

Greg: Sorry, I'm getting stage fright here.

Rose: Tell us about yourself.

Greg: Well, let's see here... My name is Greg. No, no, no! This is all wrong!

[TV static crackles]

Greg: Okay, go! They call me... *strums guitar* Mr. Universe! Get ready baby, you're gonna have the coolest dad this side of the cosmos! *mimics guitar riff* Press the button, Rose!

Rose: Oh, right! Was that the right one? *a colorful stream washes over the screen*

Greg: Uh... maybe?

Rose: Oh, what does this one do?

[TV static crackles, cue star iris over the screen]

(Greg is seen on the beach playing the guitar.)

Rose: Isn't it remarkable, Steven? This world is full of so many possibilities. Each living thing has an entirely unique experience. The sights they see, the sounds they hear. The lives they live are so complicated... a-and so simple. I can't wait for you to join them. *turns the video camera around at her* Steven, we can't both exist. I'm going to become half of you. And I need you to know that every moment you love being yourself, that's me, loving you and loving being you. Because you're going to be something extraordinary. You're going to be a human being.

Greg: Hey, Rose!

Rose: Take care of them, Steven.

[Shot changes to Greg and Rose standing together as they lean in for a kiss]

[TV static crackles]

Lars: Hey, Sadie, come on we got to open up!

(Steven and Sadie turn around with tears in their eyes.)

(Lars backs up, letting Steven and Sadie exit the room.)

(Steven leaves the room and high-fives Lars' chest.)

(Sadie then leaves the room.)

Lars: What in the world did you guys watch?

(Steven walks out of the Big Donut and hugs Lion.)

Sadie: *dialing* Hey, mom? You know how I said you didn't have to make me those lunches anymore?

[END]