Year 3 - Monster Reunion

[Open. Int. Beach House, Steven's room.]

Steven: Oh no! MC Bear-Bear, you've got a tear-tear! (Steven reveals a tear in MC Bear-Bear's arm.) I should have been more careful. We've lost too many good bears. Don't worry. You're hurt, but I'll look after you. Mwah! [Gasps] (Steven kisses MC Bear-Bear and the tear sows itself back together. Steven realizes that his healing spit has come back.) Guys? Guys?! (Steven meets Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl, and me in the kitchen.)

Amethyst: What's up, little Ste-cup?

Pearl: We were just about to put away the dishes. (Steven takes the plate out of Pearl's hand.)

Steven: Look what I can do! (Steven smashes the plate on the ground, to Pearl's and my shock and Amethyst's approval.)

Amethyst: All right! It's a Ste-party!

Me: Yee haw! (I grab a few dishes and start breaking them)

Pearl: Marble, that's enough! (Pearl stopped me before I could smash antoher plate)

Steven: It's okay! My healing spit is back! I fixed a rip on MC Bear-Bear! Here, I'll show you! (Steven licks his hand.)

Pearl: Fine, fine, I believe you. I don't want you touching a broken plate. I'll find a broom.

Amethyst: I'll find some other stuff to break!

Me: Right behind ya!

Pearl: No, Amethyst! Marble! (Pearl chases Amethyst Me off screen.)

Once Steven's healing spit came back. He had one thing in mind. Remember that centipeetle from two seasons back? That's right, Steven's bringing it back.

[Transition to the Burning Room.]

Pearl: Why did you agree to this?

Garnet: I lost a battle of will.

Me: It was the eyes, wasn't it?

Garnet: Yes.

Steven: Here it is! (Steven points to a bubble and floats to get it.) Gotcha!

Pearl: Is that...

Steven: It's Centipeetle. If I can help any of them, I want to help her first.

Amethyst: (Amethyst summons her whip and reels in a bubble of Chaaaaps to her.) Don't forget these!

Steven: [Gasps] Chaaaaps! They're her favorite!

Steven: Okay. You guys ready? (Garnet nods while Amethyst, Pearl and I get ready. Steven pops the bubble and Centipeetle begins to regenerate into her first form.)

Me: She's coming!

Amethyst: Come on dude, do your thing!

Pearl: Be careful! (While regenerating, Steven licks his hand and puts it on Centipeetle's Gem, healing her into a semi-corrupt form with humanoid arms and legs. The Crystal Gems gasp) Is it working? (Centipeetle turns around, notices the others and screeches.)

Steven: It worked!

Me: Not well enough... Let's bubble it back.

Steven: No! It's alright.

Pearl: Uh, Steven?

Steven: Centi, you're back! (Centipeetle hisses.) Whoa! What's the matter? Don't you want some Chaaaps? (Centipeetle angrily squawks at Steven.)

Amethyst: [sighs] I don't think she remembers them.

Steven: Forget the Chaaaaps. (Steven pushes the Chaaaaps bubble back into the air.) You remember me, don't you? (Centipeetle looks confused.) I have a bad feeling this didn't work how I wanted it to work.

Pearl: Hmm, possibly not. Oh! Don't go closer!

Steven: Maybe she just needs a little extra love! (Steven kisses Centipeetle's Gem, causing Centipeetle to squawk in pain and cover her Gem.) Uh, oops. [Chuckles]

Garnet: Hmm. This is the best we've ever seen it work.

Pearl: But it didn't work. I guess it'll take more than a kiss to heal damage from the Diamonds.

Steven: But why? My healing powers are back. I-I should be able to do this.

Pearl: It's alright Steven. Remember, she's not cracked, she's corrupted, and that's something different, something nearly impossible to describe.

Garnet: It's sort of like if MC Bear-Bear didn't tear the fabric of his arm, but the fabric of his mind.

Me: Deep...

Amethyst: Sounds pretty explained to me!

Steven: Hmm.

Garnet: Steven, I'm impressed with your ability to bring the Centipeetle this far, but it's time to let her rest again. Amethyst. Marble...

Me: We got it. (I summon my axe)

Amethyst: We'll poof her. (Centipeetle squawks at her reflection in one of the Crystal Heart's veins.)

Steven: But, she's not a monster anymore!

Garnet: Here. (Garnet puts Steven's face into her body.) You don't have to watch.

Steven: (Steven pushes himself out.) No, please! (Steven runs in front of Centipeetle.) She can walk, and talk! Just like you guys!

Me: Walking, yes. Talking... (Centipeetle squawks) No.

Steven: See? I helped her this much; maybe I can help her more. I have to try. I made a promise! (Steven begs and turns his eyes into innocence again.) Ple-e-e-e-e-e-ease? (Steven pouts his lips.)

Pearl: What are we going to do with her? Let her move in?

Amethyst: Aw yeah! Corrupted roommate!

Me: Well, she's not stayin' in my room!

Pearl: Oh Amethyst, be sensitive.

Steven: [gasp] She can even stay in my room!

Pearl: Uh, we're... really doing this?

Garnet: She can stay un-bubbled. But you have to understand. Some Gems are beyond our help. Marble, you go with Steven.

Me: Why me? (Centipeetle bites my arm) AYE!

Amethyst: Because she missed you most of all. (I growl at her)

[Transition to the living room]

Me: (Centipeetle sits on the couch.) There. Are you comfortable? (Centipeetle nods) Good, you can let go of my arm now. (Centipeetle lets go of my arm and looks around)

Steven: Okay, Centi- Oh, I guess that's not really your name. What is your name? (Centipeetle squawks) "Gurgle click-click"?

Me: How about we call her, Centi?

Steven: Good idea. What do you think, Centi? (Centipeetle growls) Can't talk, huh? You really don't remember me? You don't remember saving me from that seagull or our adventures in the ice caves, or chewing on Marble's arm, or when I electrocuted you with... Uh, actually, do forget that one. (Centipeetle turns her head, confused as Steven sighs) You even forgot Chaaaps. [Sighs] (Steven opens the bag of Chaaaaps. Centipeetle squawks in reaction.)

Me: Hmm?

Steven: I love Chips. (Centipeetle tries to sing "I love Chaaaaps" but it comes out distorted. Steven gasps] Do... do you remember me singing the Chaaaps jingle? (Centipeetle takes the chip out of Steven's hand, eats it, then squawks.) You, wanna try Marble?

Me: Aww no! Not this time. I'm not even gonna try to get involved in this episode!

Steven and Centipeetle: You love chips, and I love chips! We love chips from Chaaaps! (Centipeetle eats from the bag.)

Steven: Your memories are still in there! I just have to draw them out! Oh, I know how we can talk, even if your voice is messed up! (Steven puts paper and crayons on the table. He holds up a crayon.) See, this is an Earth crayon! I-I bet you Gems are used to super-advanced space crayons, but we make do. (Steven draws his name.) Look, Ste...ven. That's me! Can you do that? (Centipeetle nods and squawks as she draws on the paper.) Ah, Steven, you're a genius! (Centipeetle squawks and shows Steven the drawing. It is scribbled in the Gem language.) Okay, maybe not. (Centipeetle dons a grumpy look) That's alright. I have another plan! We'll just talk through the language of art! (Steven reveals a drawing of himself. Centipeetle takes the paper and draws herself holding Steven's hand and me uneasily standing next to Centipeetle.) What are you adding? (Centipeetle reveals the paper.) You remember we were buds!

Centipeetle: Yeaahh!

Steven: Do you remember anything from before y-, I - I mean from long ago?

Centipeetle: Hmm. [Squawks as Centipeetle starts drawing.)

Steven: It's you in - some kind of spaceship? Is that how you came to Earth? (Centipeetle continues drawing.)

Me: What are you drawing now? (Centipeetle reveals the paper.)

Steven: Huh. They look kind of like you. Was that your crew?

Centipeetle: Awhk!

Steven: [Gasps] You were a captain? That's so cool! I'm sorry, that's so cool, sir! (Steven salutes Centipeetle.) Oh, yeah, you guys don't salute like that. You go like... (Steven tries to do the gem salute.) Mm. Ow, ow! Oh, this looked so easy when Peridot did it. (Centipeetle does the correct gem salute.) [Gasps] Yeah! like that! (Centipeetle repeatedly does the gem salute, squawks, and then continues drawing.) It's you... saluting... You're saluting someone... (Centipeetle shows a drawing of her Commander) Your commander? She gave you an order... You... and your crew... and your ship. Woah, lots of ships. You flew through space... towards Earth. (Illustrations of the Homeworld gems going towards Earth like an armada.) You landed... (Gem structures start appearing) and started building stuff. But then... (Steven and I were shocked)

Me: The gem war.

Steven: You joined the fight... (Centipeetle starts marking through people on the drawing with the crayon.) You and your crew kept going. (I walk to Centi for a closer look) You got separated, but you were still fighting. Then, new orders from your commander... to retreat. Everyone's running, but from what? You don't know. Where's your crew? Where's your ship?! You stopped. You heard something. From the sky, a sound. A song? And then... (Centipeetle stops drawing and tears fall onto the paper. She starts to sob.) Centi? (Centipeetle, still crying, breaks a crayon in her hand in half.)

Steven: That light. Where did it come from? (Centipeetle draws The Great Diamond Authority symbol on the drawing. I froze in shock)

Steven: Damage from the Diamonds.

Me: No...

The mere mentioning of the Diamonds put me in shock. Flashing me back to the day I was made. I was the perfect soldier like other Marbles before me, then I was taken away by the diamonds to battle in the war back on homeworld. I wasn't before after the war that I refused to ever fight for Homeworld again, they offered me no mercy... It was then I knew exactly how Centi felt.

(Centipeetle coughs and then spits out some acids onto the floor.)

Steven: Are you okay?! (Centipeetle falls onto the floor, and her left arm reverts to her corrupted form's arm.) You're reverting. Here, I'll heal you again! (Steven licks his hand and touches the Centipeetle's gem, but the healing powers don't work.) Why isn't it working?! How can I help you!? (Centipeetle shows him her drawing of the Diamond symbol.) I don't understand! (Centipeetle squawks and runs up to the warp pad. She starts hitting it.) It's not working 'cause your corrupted. Where do you want to go? (Steven shows Centipeetle's drawings.) The battlefield? Your ship?

Centipeetle: Awhk!

Steven: Is there something on the ship that can help you? (Centipeetle screams and slams her fists on the warp pad)

Steven: Just hold on. We'll get you there. (Steven tugs on my arm) Come on, Marble!

Me: Uhm... (I snap out of it) Huh! What happened?

Steven: Centi wants go to her ship! Come on! (I ran to the warp pad)

(Steven, Centipeetle and I warp to the Gem ship)

Me: Alright! Lead the way girl! (Centipeetle squawks and starts running. I run after her)

Steven: Hey! Wait for Steven! (Steven and I chases Centipeetle) Oh no. (We run towards Centipeetle, who is already almost back into her corrupted form) Where are you trying to get to?! (Centipeetle runs to the door of the ship and starts tearing off vines in front of it) Oh. You want in the door. Steven Universe at your service-erse. (Centipeetle Steven and I tear off the vines and Centipeetle tries to open the door with the hand pad but fails as her arm mutates. I look at Steven who nods and opens it for her) We're in! What now? (we look up) Other Centipeetles? (Centipeetle crawls towards the other Centipeetles and gladly squawks with them.)

Amethyst: (suddenly arrives) Hey now! This is my style! (Amethyst shapeshifts into a Centipeetle.) Can I hang with you, dudes?

Pearl: Amethyst, don't make fun!

Amethyst: I'm not! Ugh! (Shapeshifts back.)

Steven: You guys were right after all. I couldn't help Centipeetle.

Garnet: You brought the Centipeetle back to her ship. You brought her back to her crew. They've been waiting here for her. They didn't want to leave her behind.

Steven: Wait... how did you know any of that?

Garnet: (Pulls out papers) She told us. (Hands them to Steven.)

Steven: Her drawings?

Garnet: Her writing.

Me: Gem writing.

Pearl: It's actually decently legible!

Steven: Wow. (Centipeetle nudges Steven and he laughs) You look so happy here. Can we let the Centipeetles stay? (Makes puppy dog eyes.)

Garnet: You can put those puppy dog eyes away, Steven. This ship is their bubble now.

Me: Um. Before we go. Mind if I have one last chat? (I walk towards the centipeetles) Centi. Up to now I thought you were just a corrupted monster. But now that I know what you've been through, I realize you're no different than me.

Centipeetle: Arrr...

Me: Just hang in there... (I walk away with the Gems)

Steven: Pearl! Pearl! Pearl! Will you teach me to write in Gem?

Pearl: Oh, Steven, it's very complicated. And you won't have much use for it.

Steven: Oh, just a few things, like, "Hi, how are you?", "Where's the bathroom?"... (Looks sadly at Centipeetle's drawings of Homeworld as the exiting star closes in on it.) And... "I'm sorry."

[END]