Year 2: Catch and Release
Peridot. What do we know about her so far? Let's see... She's a homeworld gem with technology that surpasses ours, and she has a consitent goal of destroying us and the entire world. That's all the sides of her we know so far, but what if I told you that there was a different side of her? One that has never been seen before? This is the story our boy, Steven, who found out.
[Open Int. Steven's Bathroom, night]
Me: *knocks at the door* Hey, Universe! You done in there?
Steven: Almost! (Inside the bathroom, Steven applies toothpaste to a toothbrush, wipes his face with a towel, cotton swabs his ear, and sits on the toilet. Then he lifts up his banana pajamas shirt, polishes his gem until his face is reflected in it, and does a thumbs-up.) Done! *walks out the bathroom* All yours, Marbs!
Me: Finally! (I walk in as Steven runs to bed. I approach the mirror and combed my hair, then I looked at my gem and did some poses) Oh yeah, still got it. *I exit the bathroom and I yawn* Hey, Steven. You ever considered- *camera zooms out to see Steven's not in bed* Steven? *Looks around* Steven? Oh boy...
Turns out, Peridot has kidnapped Steven and took him to the Galaxy Warp. Don't ask me why, 'cause I don't got a clue. But It gave us the opportunity to eliminate that green triangle head once and for all.
(The Crystal Gems warp in.)
Me: Steven!
Peridot: U-u-u-u-u-ugh. *runs away from Steven*
Pearl: There they are!
Steven: Guys!
Pearl: (runs up to hug Steven) What happened?!
Amethyst: Ahh, you're okay!
Garnet: Peridot!
Peridot: Why can't you just leave me alone?!
Garnet: *cracks knuckles with gauntlets* Gems, move!
Peridot: Kyaah! (Peridot shoots three blasts at the Crystal Gems in quick succession. The Crystal Gems dodge and continue running towards Peridot, who is spinning her left fingers like a propeller to fly away, but Amethyst catches Peridot with her whip.) Ha! *shoots electricity down through the whip*
Garnet: (She grabs the whip with her right hand in a gauntlet and stops the green electricity, then shoots reddish electric shocks up the whip, shocking Peridot.) Not this time! *jerks whip downwards, crashing Peridot to the ground*
Peridot: WoaaAAAAAAAAAAH! *Steven gasps, and appears concerned* Wait, wait, you- you need me! (I grab Peridot by the leg and threw her across the warp) Daaaah! (She crashes on a pillar and we surround her) I'm the only one who knows about the- (As Peridot turns towards Pearl, Garnet grabs her and poofs her. Peridot's limb enhancers fall to the ground.)
Me: Gruesome, aint it?
Pearl: What on Earth?
Amethyst: Ugh, sick, there's bits of her all over.
Garnet: Nope, she's right here. *bubbles Peridot's gem and sends it off* And now she's in the temple.
Pearl: So these weren't actually part of her body?
Amethyst: *scoops up the pieces and drops them all into the ocean and tries to make it look like an accident* Uh, whoops.
Steven: Garnet, she was trying to tell us something... and I don't think I'm the only one who thinks that.
Garnet: Those were just the desperate lies of a Gem who's been caught. You don't need to worry about her anymore.
Pearl: Come on, Steven. Oh, I'm so glad this is finally over.
Me: I only have one question, Gems. How 'ya like me now, Peridot?
[Int. Steven's Room]
Me: *I'm holding one of Peridot's limb enhancers* We have come from homeworld. Prepare to meet your doom!
Amethyst: What, it's been long enough that we can joke about it, right?
Steven: It's only been, like, an hour.
Amethyst: So- ew, what are you doing with her foot?
Steven: *To me* What are you doing with her hand?
Me: You answer first.
Steven: *brief pause* Think it's lucky?
Amethyst: Not for Peridot! *laughs* Well, glad to have you back.
Steven: Um, Amethyst?
Amethyst: Yeah?
Steven: Uh, do you think-? No, it's okay. Never mind.
Amethyst: Okay, weirdo. If you need anything, I'll be in my room, eating garbage.
Me: And I'll be in my room, playing with this hand. (We both leave)
What we didn't know was that Steven wanted to know what Peridot's saying. So he went to the burning room for some answers. Let's say it didn't go as well as he hoped...
(The gems and I were gathered at the kitchen. I was trying to fix Peridot's hand)
Pearl: Why do you still carry around that thing, Marble?
Me: Because, Pearl. I'm a tad curious how Peridot shoots lasers out of this thing. And now that she's gone, I'm figurin' she doesn't need this anymore. And... *I stuck the last finger in* There! Now for a test shot!
Pearl: Not in the house!
Me: No worries, P. I'll just shoot at something useless. *points the hand at a smaller version of Peridot* Like that strange figure that looks exactly like Peridot. (We were all surprised one second later)
Steven: Wait!
Peridot: Look! Over there! Another planet to betray! (Garnet summons her gauntlets, Amethyst eats the whole pizza box in one gulp.) Retreat! (Peridot runs to the front door, but Pearl and Garnet block her path.)
Pearl: Oh, no you don't!
Peridot: Eep! (Peridot scampers up the stairs, where Amethyst is waiting on Steven's bed.)
Amethyst: He-ey.
Peridot: Ahh! *jumps back down toward the floor, but I catch her*
Me: Daww. She's so cuuuute! Can I make a tennis racket out of her?
Peridot: AAH! (pushes herself out of my arms and runs straight into the bathroom) *off-screen* You may have won the war, but the battle isn't over, Crystal Clods! *laughs*
Pearl: Should we tell her that's the bathroom?
Amethyst: Eh.
Me: *Knocks door* Come on, Peri! I promise we won't hurt you... *whispers to Garnet* Ready the gauntlets...
Amethyst: (jiggles the door handle) It's locked.
Garnet: Peridot, open the door! (The toilet flushes.)
Amethyst: Uh, if you're trying to flush yourself down the toilet, it won't work. (Peridot is seen swirling in the toilet.)
Pearl: How did she get out? We bubbled her!
Amethyst: Maybe we needed a bigger bubble.
Garnet: My bubbles are fine.
Steven: ...I did it. (Screen cuts to Me, Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl looking shocked.)
Me: WHAT!?
Pearl: Steven! Why would you do such a thing!?
Steven: Because she knows something! Something that's made her scared!
Amethyst: Duh. Homegirl knows we're gonna beat her into a green pancake.
Steven: No, not 'cause of us. 'Cause of something called 'the Cluster'.
Me: Cluster?
Garnet: That's new.
Pearl: What else did she tell you?
Steven: That's all I got.
Peridot: That's right, you dirt bombs! You don't even know what's coming *notices her reflection in the mirror* Oh.
Garnet: I'm tired of playing these games. If we can't fight her, then fine. We'll talk. Peridot!
Me: Good idea, Garnet. Lure her into a false sense of security, then BAM! I hit her with a-
Garnet: No! No more fighting! We'll just have a civil conversation.
Peridot: As if I'd negotiate with you, filthy war machine!
Garnet: *summons gauntlets* Okay, let's kick her butt.
Steven: Wait!
Peridot: Yeah! Destroy me again, and have fun trying to talk to me when I'm in a bubble!
Pearl: I really hate to say it, but unfortunately if she has information, she's more valuable to us like... this.
Garnet: This is going to be tricky.
Peridot: *faintly, through the door* H-h-hot hot hot!
Steven: You have to turn the knob the other way for cold!
We decided keep Peridot in order to get info on that "Cluster" Steven said she was talking about. But I just don't think I can keep myself from chopping her triangle head off.
[Trans. the kitchen]
Steven: Wait, so we're just gonna let her live in my bathroom?
Pearl: Well, yes. What other option do we have? Keep her outside on a leash? *laughs* Ha ha... Hmm...
Steven: But, I need to use the bathroom!
Pearl: Right now?
Steven: Yeah, kinda.
Amethyst: Just go in the ocean, bro. Pssssh. Like a feeyush.
Steven: What's with you guys and making me pee outside!? (goes outside)
Me: So what's the plan? We just keep her in the bathroom until we find a use for her?
Pearl: Steven said she knows something about a "Cluster". We're not sure if it's a threat or not. But she may have vital information.
Me: But let's be real here. This is Peridot we're talking about! The same jerk who imprisoned us in space! I say we just toss her out to sea!
Garnet: Peridot knows something we don't. If it's really important to her, it's important to us. We must not harm her. Understand?
Me; *sighs* Fine. But I'll keep my eye on her in case she tries something funny.
[The next Morning]
Pearl: But even if we do get her to come out of the bathroom...
Amethyst: She's never gonna talk to us.
Me: They have a point.
Pearl: We have her in our custody at least, even if the circumstances are less than optimal. How important do you think this Cluster is?
Garnet: If it has anything to do with the experiments she was conducting in the Kindergarten, then very. (I notice Steven walking to the bathroom)
Me: And where are you going?
Steven: Bathroom.
Me: Not without protection! *I walk up to him* Besides I need to freshen up. *I gesture to my face* This doesn't just happen on it's own. (Steven knocks on the bathroom door.)
Steven: Peridot, can I come in? I need to get ready for the day.
Peridot: No.
Steven: I have something for you. (Peridot cracks the door open to see Steven holding her foot; she grabs it and shuts the door, then slowly opens the door again and Steven walks in.)
Peridot: What a great souvenir of that other time you assaulted me.
Steven: Oh, right, sorry. I can take it back.
Peridot: No, it's too late! You... wouldn't happen to have the rest?
Steven: Uh, sorry, we lost them. *pauses* Well, we kinda threw 'em away.
Me: I held on to your hand, though! *the hand shoots a laser through the door*
Peridot: Augh! *She and Steven ducked*
Me: *I look through the burnt hole* Well, look at that! It does work!
Pereidot: Give that back!
Me: Sorry! Finders keepers!
Steven: *points to the toothbrush on the floor* Can you pass me that?
Peridot: *holding Steven's toothbrush* Is this a weapon?
Steven: Only for cavities.
Peridot: Hmm. *tosses the toothbrush to Steven*
Steven: Thanks! (starts brushing his teeth)
Peridot: *looks around the sink area* Is that a weapon?
Steven: No, that's Marble's comb.
Me: Speaking of, can you pass me that? *Peridot gives the comb to me* Thanks.
Peridot: Is that a weapon? (referring to the towel)
Steven: Hmm? Oh, well, I guess if you get it wet and roll it up. *Peridot yelps and flinches* Look, I know you're scared, but I'm not going to hurt you. And whatever's going on, whatever the Cluster is, I wanna help.
Peridot: What about your Marble? *Points to me outside the bathroom combing my hair*
Steven: Oh, I wouldn't worry about her. As soon as she sees that you're on our side, she'll come around.
Peridot: Who says I'm on your side? I doubt you can help me, but I... appreciate the offer.
Steven:*points to toilet* Now do you mind moving? I have to use that.
(The star-shaped iris focuses on Peridot.)
Peridot: For what?
(The iris closes.)
[END]