Chapter 12: Nightmare Hospital

After another day of sword training, Steven takes Connie back home with Lion.

Connie:( puts on her lenseless glasses) Well time to assume my secret identity.

Steven: Same time next week for sword training?

Connie: Yeah. It's a shame I can't practice more at home.

Steven: Hey wait a sec.

Steven gets off Lion.

Steven: ( to Lion) May I?

Lion lowers his head and Steven takes his sword out of his mane. He offers it to her and starting a medievel-esque "eth" joke.

Steven: Here-ethhh. You can borrow- ethhhh my mother's sword- ethhhh.

Connie: Steven! That's so nice! If grammatically incorrect, but (in a medieval accent) thou can't just givest me thine mother's sword!

Steven: Why not... - ethhh?

Connie: Because it's really important-eth.

They enter inside the house.

Steven: That's exactly why you should have- ethhh it! You can have all week to practice- ethhh withhh it- ethhhhhh.

Connie: (laughs) Thhhhhhhh- ank you!

Steven: Besides I went over this with the gems already. They're fine with it. Pearl knows how much you improved and she knew you would be responsible enough to have your own sword. Also Bismuth is currently making me a new one to suit me more. We gotta be ready if we have to fight Gien, Bomber or any of those Gara Soldiers or Elites.

Connie: I'll make sure nothing happens to it.

Then they hear the garage door opening.

Connie: That's the garage door. Mom's home! We have to hide it, there's no way mom would let me have this in the house.

Steven goes back outside to get Lion. But he was gone.

Steven: Lion? Lion?! He walked off!

Connie: What are we going to do?

Priyanka enters the living room and see's Connie practicing violin and Steven sitting next to her on the couch. The sword was disguised as a coat rack.

Connie: Hi mom, just finishing up my 6 o'clock violin practice.

Priyanka: Well you should have finished five minutes ago. You're late for your 7 o'clock study hour. ( see's Steven) Hello Steven.

Steven:( nervously) Hi Dr. Maheswaren.

Priyanka: How are you?

Steven: ( nervously) Sitting!

Priyanka: (sigh) I had a rough day at work and I'm not in the mood for any more surprises.

Connie: What happened at work?

Priyanka places her jacket on the sword coat rack.

Priyanka: There was a really strange case at the hospital today, straight out of a nightmare.

Steven and Connie looked disturbed hearing that.

Priyanka: Oh, don't worry, the rules of doctor-patient confidentiality keep me from sharing the graphic details but... Hang on a moment. When did we get a coat rack?

Connie: Oh, no...

Priyanka: A SWORD! Connie where did you get this?

Steven: It's...

Connie: I found it. I just found it and wanted to show it to Steven.

Priyanka: How can you possibly think this is okay?!

Connie: I...

Priyanka: Do you know how many children I see everyday who've cut their faces off playing with swords?!

Steven: Wait what?

Connie: I...

Priyanka: NONE! Because they all have parents who love them, and who don't let them play around with deadly weapons like some kind of gang member! No playing with swords! Under any circumstances. (Her cell phone rings and she answers it.) This is Dr. Maheswaran. Yes. Calm down, Stromberg, another one?

Steven: Is she gonna give it back?

Priyanka: All right, I'll be right there. ( hangs up) I have to go to the hospital. I'll have a talk with your father to calculate just how grounded you are. (starts to leave but then turns around again) And we're using the abacus!

Priyanka leaves.

Connie: I hate that abacus. Steven I'm so sorry. She took your mother's sword.

Steven: Maybe we can get her to change her mind?

Connie: She never, ever changes her mind. We gotta get that sword back ourselves.

Steven: Well we can't go to her without Lion.

Then suddenly Lion returns and what appears to be a squirrels tail in his mouth.

Steven: Well where have you been when we needed you?

Lion just swallows the tail.

Steven: ( sighs) Let's just go.

Steven and Connie gets on Lion and teleport to the Beach City Hospital.

Connie: We can't bring Lion inside. I feel really bad if my mom confiscated him too.

Steven: It's no problem he can stay here. Look I finally found a way to get him do whatever I want.

Steven reaches into his pockets and pulls out a Lion Licker ice cream. Lion not letting Steven unwrap it just takes it with his mouth and shakes it trying to eat it.

Steven: He didn't even take the plastic off.

Connie: What an animal.

They both chuckle for a moment.

Connie: Okay, serious.

Steven: Yeah, serious.

The two of them enter the hospital. But it looked creepy and dark in there.

Steven: Why is it dark in a super scary way?

Connie: They turn the lights down after dinner.

They hear a moaning voice at the end of the hallway.

Steven: What was that?

They hold hands and walk through the halls. They avoided being caught by the staff and soon they found Priyanka walking to the patients room.

Priyanka: (phone rings and answers) Yes, yes, I just got here... Mhm. Mhm.

Connie and Steven follows her. Priyanka enters the room, while they look through the window. There was a patient in there, but he was covered with a sheet so they couldn't see what he looked like.

Priyanka: Where did you say you found him? The side of the road? I'm not sure just yet, I haven't had a look for myself.

She takes a look at the patient and looks confused.

Priyanka: Wh— It doesn't look like a car accident. You didn't find an ID? Listen, I'll call you back when, or if I have an answer for you. Goodbye. (ends call) Okay, now... (checks patient's pulse)

Steven: What is she doing?

Connie: She's probably checking they're vitals. Haven't you been to a hospital before?

Steven: No.

Connie: Oh, lucky.

Priyanka continues trying to check for the patient's heart beat with a stethoscope But she can't seem to find any.

Patient: Hmm... No heart beat. Ugh, cheap hospital budgets.

Priyanka thinks the stethoscope is broken and throws it away. She leaves the room to get another one. Steven and Connie enters the room and tries to get the sword. But they are constantly interupted and freaked by the noises the patient makes. As they were about to leave with the sword, Priyanak returns.

Priyanka: Connie?!

Steven: Oh no.

Priyanka: How did you even?

Takes the sword back

Priyanka: What are you doing with this? I made a rule, no swords under any circumstances.

Connie: But mom!

Priyanka: No buts! We will finish this conversation at home.

Then they hear a noise outside of the room. They look out to see. There was some figure moving around in a squat posistion. Steven thought it looked familiar.

Priyanka: Sir? Ma'am? Dr. West? Ugh, he can't take a day off can he?

Priyanka takes out a small flash light and it reveals to be a Gara Soldier.

Priyanka: You! Uh- It's my other patient. What are you doing out of bed? Why aren't you at Doctor Stromberg's?

Steven finally recognizes it.

Steven: That's not a patient.

The Gara Soldier see's Steven and lets out a screeching noise and runs towards them. Reacting quickly they went back into the room and locked the door. The Gara Soldier starts banging on it tying to get it.

Priyanka: I don't know what's going on here, but I am going to get to the bottom of this.

The patient in the room starts moving violently.

Steven: Connie, I think thats one of the Gara Soldiers.

Connie: What? Are you sure?

Steven: Pretty sure at this point.

Connie: Mom! I really, really, really need that sword now!

Priyanka: Connie no. Now is not the time.

Connie: Now is the perfect time mom!

Priyanka: Connie! What has gotten into you? You know I never go back on a rule young lady!

Connie: There has to be some exceptions! I'm not some... rule-driven robot!

The patient jumps out revealing that it is another Gara Soldier and grabs Connie.

Connie: Ah!

Priyanka: Connie!

Priyanka grabbed a chair and was about to hit him with hit.

Priyanka: Let her go!

The Gara Soldier see's this and opens it face revealing it's endoskeleton face and fires eye beams at the chair turning it into ash. Steven forms his shield and charges towards it. He managed to pull Connie out. But without his sword, he was only push it back. The Gara Soldier kept on banging on his shield.

Steven: Keep your hands off my Connie!

Steven keeps it on the corner and expands his shield so it wouldn't use it's eye beams again.

Priyanka: These patients are beyond reason.

Connie: Mom, if you would just go back on your rule this one time...

The first Gara Soldier that was locked out punches through the door trying to find the door knob.

Connie: I just need to help Steven to get us out of here!

Priyanka: Mother knows best!

The first Gara Soldier unlocks the door. But once he opens it Priyanka pushes a hospital bed at it, making it hit the wall.

Connie: Steven, come on!

Steven stops fighting and runs with them. The two Gara Soldiers now pounding their chests and forming their spears chases after them through the halls. They kept running until they came across Bomber the Great along with Acha and Kocha.

Steven: Bomber!

Acha: What you don't care about two of us?

Kocha: Yeah! The two of us?

Bomber: Ha, ha, ha! I'm surprised to see you here boy. We were just looking for some our soldiers that wondered off and we tracked them down here. So where are your friends now?

They tried to go back, but the two Gara Soldiers were there already.

Priyanka: We're trapped.

Connie: We don't have to be.

Steven forms a bubble and surrounds themselves.

Bomber: You can't hide in ther forever. Pop that bubble.

The Gara Soldiers started jabbing it and even fired eye beams at it, but no effect. Soon Bomber started to attack also.

Connie: Really mom! I know how to do this!

Priyanka: No you don't!

Steven: Yes she does! She's been training! She hasn't been playing around with that sword! She's been taking classes and learning how to use it right! Even though she's always studying, or practicing tennis, or doing her homework, she still works really hard to be a good sword fighter.

Priyanka: No. No, no, no, no, no, no. I know my daughter! I know what she's doing every second of the day. All her activities, all her internets, I know she's definitely not some sword fighting hooligan!

Connie: You don't know me at all! You still haven't even noticed my glasses!

Priyanka: ( worriedly) What's wrong with your glasses?

Connie: (takes off her glasses) They don't have lenses anymore! I haven't needed actual glasses for almost a year!

Priyanka: What? You're eye sight just magically got better?

Connie: Yes! (Steven shrugs in the background.) I've been dealing with magic, droids and monsters like these since I met Steven! That's why I need you to believe that I know what to do here!

Priyanka couldn't believe what she heard. She thought she knew Connie well, but it seems she doesn't know her enough. She looked around and saw the Gara Droids still attacking. She didn't have any other option, but to trust her daughter.

Priyanka: ( sighs) Okay, here.

Priyanka gives her the sword.

Connie: ( smiles) Thanks mom.

The Gara Droids continue attacking, but no luck.

Bomber: URGH! This is getting ridiculous. Missile Mode!

Bomber transforms and hits the bubble causing it to pop.

Bomber: Game's over now boy. ( points his sabre at them) Kill them!

The Gara Soldiers attack. The first one lunged at Connie. It tried jabbing her with it's spear, but Connie rolled out of the way and slashed it twice. The first soldier was down and she took on the second one. The second one blocked most of her attacks, but when it tried to stab her the spear, it hit the ground so hard it got stuck. As it tried to pull it out, Connie cut's its head clean off. The head rolls over to Acha and Kocha which freaks them out.

Acha: AAAHH! Uh, don't hurt me!

Acha goes hide in the janitor closet next to him, leaving Kocha outside.

Kocha: Stop hiding in there and come back out.

Acha: I can't hear you, I'm invisible.

Kocha: Ugh, wussy.

Bomber was attacking Steven. Steven was only able to defend himself from Bomber as he continuosly attacked using his sabre.

Bomber: What's the point of a shield if you can't even attack? Without a sword you're dead.

Connie: Keep your hands off my Steven!

Bomber: What!

Connie charged at Bomber and slashed him. She conitinuosly tried slashing him, but so far he was only able to block her attacks.

Bomber: What is this? A little human girl fighting back a Gara Elite?

Connie: I am no ordinary little girl.

Bomber: No you're not. You're dead!

Bomber pushes her back and fires his arm cannon at her. Steven gets in front of her and blocks his attack.

Bomber: How cute? You are there to protect you girlfriend.

Steven: ( blushing) What? No she's not my girlfriend.

Connie: ( blushing) And he's not my boyfriend.

Bomber: Whatever, I'm about to kill two birds with one stone. Missile Mode!

Bomber transforms and fires himself at them. Steven stands his ground and keeps the shield up. Blocking Bomber's missile's wasn't easy and if he wasn't strong enough, he could possibly get killed. Bomber hits the shield. But again it has no effect on them and Bomber is sent flying into the wall.

Connie: Steven, give me a boost.

Steven: You got it.

Connie runs and gets on top of Steven's shield. She jumps off the shield and is about to strike him in the air. Bomber gets back up, but by the time he see's what is happening, it was too late. Connie slashed him vertically severely injuring him and leaving a deep cut into his body.

Bomber: UUUUOOORRRGGGHHH!

Bomber falls to the ground. Connie walks back to Steven.

Steven: Nice move.

Connie: Thanks.

They heard moaning sounds and turn around to see that Bomber was still alive.

Bomber:( weak tone) Uh...Urgh...I can't be beat by a little girl. I am Bomber the Great.

He gets back up, but was weak. Acha peeks out of the closet.

Acha: Did we win?

Kocha: What do you think?

Acha then see's Bomber injured.

Acha: Oh, Bomber the Great. We must retreat, you can't fight like this.

Bomber: I- I will be back for you boy and for your girlfriend too!

Bomber, Acha and Kocha teleports back to base. Priyanka was just beyond amazed of what she just witnessed. So now they exit out of the hospital.

Priyanka: So that's why it had no pulse... Gara Droids. This is what you've been doing? Training to fight these things? (almost walks into Lion) Aah!

Steven: Sorry Dr. Maheswaren. That's my lion.

Connie hands him the sword so she can talk to her mom was still shaking from all this.

Connie: Mom... I'm really sorry about lying to you. It started off as a tiny secret, and then I felt like if I didn't hide it, you wouldn't let me see Steven ever again.

Priyanka: Is that how you feel? Are we too controlling?

Connie: Maybe.

Priyanka: I just wanted to be a good mother. I- I just wanted to protect you.

Connie: I can protect myself now!

Priyanka: (sigh) Okay. We'll pull back on the rules, and I'll try to keep an open mind about this, and that, and... him. It scares me that you can't talk to me. I need to know what's happening in your life. I need to step in when you're in over your head. Would you just promise me you'll stop all this lying?

Connie: That's a rule.

Then they hug.

Priyanka: I love you honey.

Connie: I love you too mom.

Steven looks down at the symbol of his moms sword and just looks at it for a moment. Priyanka notices this and she didn't know too much about Steven's life and his family, but she does know that his birth mom wasn't there for him. Steven looks back up and Priyanka with a small smile opens an extra arm for him to come join their hug. Steven smiles joins their hug.

At Gien's Ship, Bomber again needed repairs. Gien examined his injuries.

Gien: ( to Acha) The boy did this to him?

Acha: No my lord. A human girl.

Gien's red eyes open wide as he looks back, for he couldn't believe what he just heard.

To be conitnued...

Author's Note: That's it for this chapter. This is just one of the few chapters that's retells some episodes of the show. But I really wanted to do this to give Connie a chance to shine and for her to get her sword. I hope you enjoyed. Please read and review. Thank you.