Crack the Whip

[Episode starts with Pearl and Garnet in the Temple]

Pearl: All right, we may be a while.

Steven: But--

Garnet: Amethyst.

Amethyst: (Reading what appears to be a fashion magazine) 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. (Connie barges through the door with Lion behind her) Wha?!

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* Very irresponsible, Pearl.

Pearl: (Glares at Amethyst and groans)

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 arm over Connie's shoulder)

Amethyst: So what do you wanna do?

(Cuts to Steven and Connie practicing, Amethyst watching them on a rock hand, and Lion sleeping in the background)

Connie: (Strikes at Steven's shield) Hah!

Connie: H...yah!

Steven: (Dodges Connie's attack) Nyeh! (Slides in, summons bubble, causing Connie to be knocked back) Hah!

Connie: (Lands perfectly, slides back)

Steven: (Summons a shield twice and throws them towards Connie) Mmmm-Nyeh!

Connie: Uuah! Hah! (Counters with her sword)

Steven: (Gasps, realizing the shields are approaching him and uses his float ability)

Connie: Hey, no fair!

Steven: (Laughs) Hey, Amethyst! Did you see that? Amethyst?

Amethyst: (Laying on the rock hand, not paying any attention) Sup.

Steven: (Lands) 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 eyes on her feet and lays back down) Is that better?

Steven and Connie: (Laughing) Ewww... Gross!

Steven: But yeah, that's better. C'mon, Connie ''(Summons shield). ''Let's take it from the top!

Connie: Okay!

(Steven and Connie get in their positions, and Connie starts to strike repeatedly)

(Steven grunts slightly on each impact)

(Amethyst's feet-eyes are carefully watching but get bored over time and close)

Steven: Did you see ''that? ''

Amethyst (Impression of Pearl) : (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: (Shapeshifts back) 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 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?

Amethyst: Yeah, you can't be ready. What you gotta be is (Shapeshifts her arms so they're noodle-like) loose.

Steven: (With stars in his 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: (Belly gurgles) Hungry!

Connie: (Giggles)

Amethyst: Mine too. (Chanting becomes gradually louder) Snack break, snack break, snack break, (in the background) 

Connie: Well, we do need energy to practice.

Steven: (Begins chanting) Snack break! Snack break! Snack break! Snack break!

(Cut to Amethyst looking in the window of the Big Donut as Sadie is stocking the fridge behind the counter)

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. (Surprised as she hears someone enter the store, she quickly resumes stocking the shelf) Be right there! (Stands up at the counter) Welcome to the Big Donut, how can I he-- huh?

Amethyst: Heeeey, donut girl. It's me, donut boy. You mind if I grab a couple of krullers? (Leans over the counter and uses one arm to push Sadie aside) It's cool, I totally work here! (Begins hastily shoving donuts into her back pockets)

Sadie: (In shock) 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. (Screen cuts to show Amethyst turn around and walk out of the store holding dozens of donut-filled bags in her arms) Okay, maybe it's a problem.

(Steven and Connie empty their pockets and hand Sadie all of their money. Screen cuts to show Steven, Connie, and Amethyst on a bench outside with all of their donuts.)

(Standing on the back of the bench with a donut in her mouth and holding three cans of soda, Amethyst shakes one of the cans and then puts all three behind her back before turning around and dropping two of the cans to Steven and Connie. Connie pokes at her can and then opens it. Steven opens his can and a geyser of soda hits him in the face. Connie looks disgusted while Amethyst points and laughs before shaking her own can and opening it. A soda geyser then hits her in the face, causing her to fall backwards off the back of the bench. Steven and Connie look at her, then back at each other and begin laughing. Screen cuts to outside of Fish Stew Pizza and Beach Citywalk Fries.)

(Amethyst, who has shapeshifted into a cat, is being chased by Steven, Connie, and Lion while Peedee sits at the counter reading a newspaper. Screen cuts to show Steven and Connie in a ferris wheel car rounding the top of the ride. Amethyst is sitting on the roof of the next car, and Lion is in the next car after hers. Screen cuts to show Steven carrying Amethyst, who has shapeshifted into a boombox, on his shoulder, while Connie and Lion follow them to the beach. Screen cuts to show the ocean in the evening, with Amethyst surfing in the distance.)

Amethyst: Come oooooooooon! (Surfs off screen right and reappears much closer, surfing toward screen left) Coooome oooooooon! (Stops moving and looks back toward the shore. Steven pops his head up out of the water in front of Amethyst. Screen shows Connie bouncing up and down excitedly on the beach, with Sour Cream sleeping 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 laughing and stops next to Steven) I don't think I've ever had this much fun in one day!

Amethyst: (Surfing across the screen 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!

(Connie laughs, but then stops and watches as the pink corrupted gem from her first mission rises out of the water behind them. The gem then moves to the shore, shakes the water off its hair, and roars, prompting Sour Cream to wake up and immediately run off the beach. The gem then turns to face Steven and Connie, still in the water.)

Steven: (Smiles nervously) Uh, I remember you too, buddy... heh. (Forms a bubble around himself and Connie. The gem then leaps toward the bubble 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 the gem. She then pulls her whip around the gem tighter until it "poofs", causing her to fall to the ground, where she is quickly greeted by Steven and Connie.)

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 other corrupted gem emerges from the water with Jasper standing 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: (Concerned) Shhhhhh!

Jasper: So it's just you lot?

Amethyst: Doesn't matter, I'm gonna whip your butt all by myself! (Lashes her whip at the corrupted gem, causing it to rear up and toss Jasper onto the sand before charging toward Steven, Connie, and Amethyst, who all move out of the way.) I got Jasper, you guys handle that dope!

Connie: (Steven, Connie, and Lion prepare to fight the corrupted gem. Steven summons his shield as Connie draws her sword.) Okay, we get a second chance at this.

Steven: Just stay together! (The gem slams its foot in front of them.)

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, but I can fight just fine! (Lashes her whip at Jasper, who catches it easily)

Jasper: Well then, let's see it! (Pulls the whip, sending Amethyst flying toward her)

Amethyst: Whah! (Jasper kicks her in the stomach, sending her back first onto the sand) Oof! (Jasper uses her spin dash to run over Amethyst eight times)

Jasper: (Towering over Amethyst, who is on her hands and knees) You're not even trying! Is it because you already know you're a failure? (Amethyst looks up at her) You're a quartz soldier, just like me. (Expression turns to anger and disgust) But you're not like me, are you? (Screen cuts momentarily to show Steven, Connie, and Lion fighting the corrupted gem, then returns to show Amethyst now standing in front of Jasper) Hahaha, you're small! (Begins rapidly punching Amethyst before slamming her back into the ground)

Steven: Amethyst!?

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

Amethyst: (Barely able to get back 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) You could've been me! (Kicks Amethyst into the air, and as she falls back past Jasper, the scene slows down as the two are face to face) And what are you instead? (Amethyst slams into the ground and looks back at Jasper) Just a joke. (Jasper headbutts Amethyst, destroying her form and knocking her gem into the air as Steven and Connie gasp in horror)

Steven: (Jasper snatches Amethyst's gem) 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! Haaaaaah! (Screen flashes white and Stevonnie appears in midair in front of Jasper, then kicks her in the chest, causing her to stumble back and drop Amethyst's gem, which Stevonnie knocks in the air with their foot before landing and catching the gem)

Jasper: You fused!?

Stevonnie: (Looks down and notices that they've fused) 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, (holds up Amethyst's gem) unless it's "sorry". (Jasper charges Stevonnie with her helmet, but is easily blocked and sent flying by Steven's shield. Lion then roars and sends the corrupted gem to the sand near Jasper)

Jasper: (As the gem gets up and tries to run away) Oh no you don't! (Grabs the gem by the tail and slams it into the ground. Lion then comes to Stevonnie's side and roars at Jasper as the two prepare to continue the fight. Jasper jumps on top of the corrupted gem.)

Stevonnie: (Setting Amethyst's gem down on the sand behind them) Wait here, I'll protect you. (Summons the shield and jumps on Lion's back)

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

Stevonnie: Ready when you are! (Lion and the corrupted gem charge at each other. When the two meet, Stevonnie jumps in the air and throws the shield at Jasper, who catches it easily.) Haaaaaaaaah! (Slams the blade of the sword down on Jasper's helmet, crushing Jasper into the corrupted gem with enough force to "poof" it)

(Behind Stevonnie, Amethyst manages to regenerate her form with difficulty, but returns with a white shirt, black pants, and gray shoes that match the newly colored star pattern on her pants)

Amethyst: (Panicked) Steven! Connie! I'm back! Everything's gonna be fi-- huh? (Sees Stevonnie standing over Jasper, who is on one knee, still reeling from the hit. Realizing what has happened, a look of disbelief crosses Amethyst's face.)

Jasper: (Enraged) Fusion! Fusion! It's always fusion!

Stevonnie: Are you ready to apologize?

Jasper: (Backing into the ocean) 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) You guys... won?

Stevonnie: (Turns around and is happy to see Amethyst unharmed) Amethyst! (Splits apart)

Steven: You're back!

Connie: You're okay!

Steven: (Hugging Amethyst) Thank goodness!

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

Steven: (Excited) Did you see us?

Connie: (Excited) 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: (Celebrating) We won! I can't wait to tell the others! (Both laughing, Steven and Connie run off toward the Temple with Lion following)

Amethyst: Oh, good! (Somber, to herself) You didn't need me at all... (Screen cuts to black)

[END]