Episode 1: Same Old World

Peridot was retelling the story of how the Cluster was bubbled. While Peridot was doing that, Steven was gazing at the barn. Raimundo and Omi to notice of it. "Something on your mind, Steven" Omi asked. "Huh? Oh...uh, I was mostly thinking on how Lapis is doing." Steven admits. "Yea, considering she was fused for quite some time, it must have taken a toll on her." Raimundo said. "Yea, it must have taken most of her strength to keep Jasper in line with the fusion." Omi added. Steven nods as he heads to the barn. Raimundo and Omi follow suit. Steven looks into the barn and see Lapis was resting on a pile of hay, made specifically for her. Raimundo and Omi also sees it. "Man, she must be knocked out from using all of her strength on Jasper to prevent Malachite from losing control." Raimundo said. "Yea, I'm worried on how she'll feel when she wakes up." Steven added.

Just then, Ganret walked up behind the three. "Don't worry, Steven. Lapis may have experienced an unbearable amount of time fused with Jasper and it would take a good while for her to recover, but she'll be fine when she does wake up." Garnet said. Steven softly nods. Just then, Raimundo just had a thought. "Wait, if all 3 of us won our showdown...what going to happen to the Heylin?" Raimundo said. "Oh, you are most right, Raimundo." Omi said. "I don't know to be honest, but Jack would likely be most upset." "That is likely going to happen, especially with the info Jack have given us, about him potentially leaving the Heylin, it's likely that Jack would leave the Heylin. However, I don't know what he plans on doing after leaving." Garnet said. Omi and Steven look back at Lapis, hoping that she indeed okay.

Back at the Heylin, Jack was patiently pacing around a bit. He was wondering what is going on with then. 'What was their result?' Jack thought. 'Did they succeeded in their mission? Did they fail? Should I start planning my exit? Then again...this is Chase we are talking about. He has yet to lose to those Crystal Monks.' Just then, he hears his jet arriving to the hanger. Jack takes a deep breath. "Alright, they're here." Jack said calmly. "Time to see what my plan should be going forward." Jack said. Jack stands by the door as it opens. Chase, Wuya, and Jackson looked a bit demoralized. Jack notices it and lowers his head. "So...I take it at least 2 of you failed?" Jack said. "Not just two...all 3 of us." Chase admits. This would leave Jack surprised a bit. His hero, nay, his idol has lost to a Crystal Monk! Jackson plugs his ears with his fingers, worried that Jack is about to get loud...yet it never came. Jack slowly raises his head. "Well, a deal was a deal…" Jack said calmly.

"Wait, you aren't mad?" Jackson said removing his fingers out of ears. "Oh, I am mad, plenty of anger is inside of me...but I'm not going to waste my anger out on anyone, not you guys, not the monks nor even the Gems." Jack said. "I am very disappointed however, especially you Chase. I thought you were better than this." "Well, the person I faced managed to use the shroud of shadow and sheer will to limp across the finish line after damaging it's back." Chase said. "Who was it?" Jack asked with a glare. "Clay." Chase said. "So, you left him injured but you lost to a guy with a potential injured back? No wonder I am wanting to bail out as soon as possible." Jack said. Chase just sighs. He turns to Wuya and Jackson. "Could you two leave me with Jack?" Chase said. Wuya and Jackson nods and leaves the room. "What do you want?" Jack said. "Look...Jack, I know I am failing you right now, but…I have a unique plan that I wish to tell you but I just can't." Chase said. Jack looked puzzled. "What is that suppose to mean?" he asked. "If I were to tell you right now, it could potentially be too much of a game changer that could shake everything to the core, not just the Heylin but also the Monks and Gems." Chase said. "So...what, I'm going to be left in the dark again?" Jack said. "For now...unfortunately yes. However, when it does play out and all things are said and done, I will give you the signal." Chase said. "And what is this signal would it be?" Jack said. Chase raises his index finger like it's saying one. Jack took the mental note on that. "Alright...fine." Jack said. "I hope this plan of yours work." Jack then leaves the room. Chase softly chuckles to himself. "Oh, don't worry, Jack, this plan is all according to plan." Chase said to himself.

Back to Jack, he arrived to his room and pulls out a suitcase. He began to add a few stuff to it before stopping and looking at Project Rebirth and Project Morph. He has been lacking the passion to work on those and he began to think that they might not see the light of day after all. "All this time, all of my energy, passion, ideas, everything is being wasted because of Chase's self interesting plan. Wherever he's planning, it has to be special." Jack said to himself. He sat down on his bed and began to wonder something. Was he ever meant to be a Heylin in the first place? What was his true potential? What is Chase's true endgame? Some answers he may never know if Chase keeps it a secret from him. He wonders some more. 'Why is Chase's so...secretive? Is there something bigger than what I can comprehend? What is he hiding?' Jack thought. He then shakes his head and slams his fist down on the bed. 'Why should I bother?! He failed time and time again, the Peridot potential schism, the voting denial, losing to Clay even! Chase is nothing more than a fraud!' Jack thought more. He was clearly done with Chase and being a Heylin all together. He pushes his suitcase to the floor and lies down and pouts a bit. A bit later, he would fall asleep.

The next day, Lapis had left in the night for unknown reason and Greg was packing the van up with Steven's belongings. Clay was still rubbing his back as it was still hurting. Raimundo walks up with the Wu backpack on his back. "Man, Chase must have done a number on you." Raimundo said. "Yea, he was tougher and stronger than I expected." Clay said. "Hopefully you do get better at home, Clay." Kimiko said. Just then, Dojo slithers up. "Alright, all aboard to return to the beach house." Dojo said as he grew to massive size. Omi and Steven looks at Peridot, who was lounging on a tractor. "You sure you are going to stay here? You can always come back to the temple and live in the bathroom again." Steven said. "Appreciate the offer, Steven, but no thanks. Besides, I seen what you guys do in there." Peridot said. Steven looks away while blushing in embarrassment. "So...you are most comfortable here then, Peridot?" Omi said. "Yes, Omi, I have grown accustomed to this place...plus I might need to fix that hole I made with my robot." Peridot mention. "Alright then." Steven said. Steven and Omi head to both Greg and Dojo. "Peridot says she's staying at the barn." Steven said. "Well, that's probably for the best since she wouldn't fit in the van." Greg said. "I still would have room for Peridot, but ah well, her call. Come on Omi and Steven, hop on." Dojo said. "You guys go ahead, Omi and I agreed last night come home on Lion." Steven said. "Sounds good, buckeroo." Clay said as Dojo and Greg heads out. Steven and Omi waves good bye to them.

Steven and Omi began looking for Lion. Steven calling out Lion's name but with minimal success. He tried a different techniques but it failed. "Man, Lion is a most good hider." Omi said. "Yea, but he can't hide forever." Steven said. Just then Steven stopped and see something on top of the silo. "Wait...is that?" Steven said as he looks more to see that it was...Lapis! "Woah...Lapis?" Steven said. Omi did a bit of a double take. "Wait, I thought you told me she left Earth?" Omi said. "Yea, same here." Steven said. They head to the ladder and climb up onto the silo's roof. They managed to sit next to Lapis. "I thought you left, Lapis?" Steven said. "I did leave, but then I realized...I got nowhere else to go. Homeworld would not accept me after what I did with Jasper and I don't know if I can work well with the Gems at this time, considering my previous actions." Lapis admits. "Well, even then, you could be a good ally with the Xiaolin Monks." Omi said. "Xiaolin Monks?" Lapis said. "Wait...is that the 3 humans that fought with the Gems?" Omi softly nods. "That was and I was there." Omi added. "Oh, right…" Lapis said. She then remembers something. "You began pulling something out while I was fused with Jasper. What was it?" Lapis asked. Omi pulls out the orb of tornami from his sleeve. "Wait you still hid that in your sleeve?" Steven said. "You never know when someone could attack." Omi admits.

"So...what is it?" Lapis asked. "Let me show you." Omi said as he stands up. "Orb of Tornami!" Omi called out. A large gush of water manages to make a fairly large pond on the ground. Lapis...was surprisingly amused by it. "So, basically it allows someone to create water?" Lapis asked. "Oh yes, and with my Xiaolin Appreciate ability, it could be turned into ice." Omi said with a proud smile. Lapis began to think a bit. "You know, it would have been much easier to do that back when my gemstone was cracked and I was stealing the ocean to get back to homeworld. Maybe would have been less of a hassle." Lapis admits. "Well, it did not activate until the same day as you stole said ocean while we were in Texas." Omi admits. Lapis then began to wonder something. "I might stick on Earth for a little bit but I don't know where." Lapis admits. "I might know a few places that isn't Beach City. There's Surf City, Aqua Town, Bayburgh, and those are top of my head." Steven admits. "Oh, yes, then there's New York, Venice, and a few others. Maybe even Texas could be something interesting." Omi added. "Hmm...I guess I can fly around to find a location that suits me best. I think I'll take Steven for a ride to help clear my head." Lapis said. Omi softly nods. "If that's what you need to do, Lapis, then so be it." Omi said with a soft smile. Lapis smiles back as Steven gets on her back and pulls out his phone for the GPS. "Ready Freddy?" Steven said. "Name's Lapis" Lapis quips back as they flies off. Omi leaps of the silo and perfectly into the pond.

Note: Most of Same Old World happens off-screen

Omi went over to near the barn and began to meditate in peace. While he meditate, he began to think to himself. 'What is going to happen to Jack if he does indeed leave the Heylin? What would be his new end goal? Would he still be hunting for wus or would he just retire outright?' Omi thought to himself. About an hour or so of mediating later, Peridot arrived to see Omi meditating. "Uhh...what are you still doing here, Omi?" Peridot said. "Oh, Peridot." Omi said in a surprised tone. "Well, if you need to know...Lapis was at the silo and Steven and I talked to her and she just left with Steven wonder around a bit." "So wait, Lapis is still on earth? That's...surprising considering she was just fused with Jasper." Peridot said. "She did considered going back to Homeworld but they would not accept her due to her fusion with Jasper and whatnot." Omi explained. "That is true." Peridot added. Omi then ponders something. "If Lapis decides to stay on earth, where would she be?" Omi said to himself.

At that point, Lapis and Steven arrived back at the barn. Omi and Peridot began to walk over. "So, wait, you want to stay here? As in here here?" Steven said. "Yea, here here." Lapis said with a smile. Just then Omi and Peridot arrived. "Nice to hear that, Lapis." Omi said. Lapis turns to see both Omi and Peridot. "Wait...why is Peridot here?" Lapis said, sounding a bit worried. "Oh...whoops, we might need some explanation on what happened." Steven said with an awkward chuckle. A star iris fades out on Steven's face. With Lapis now considering Earth her home for now, the main question become...could she and Peridot coexist in the barn at all?

End of Episode 1