Connie and Lapis were thrown in the sand.
"Are you alright, Connie?" Peridot gasped.
Connie grunted softly. "I've seen better days!"
"I'm okay too, teammate!" Lapis said, teasing Peridot.
"Oh, I know you can handle yourself!" Peridot growled.
"It's coming!" Jasper yelled, landing beside them. The giant pufferfish came from the ocean and Lapis growled, "It doesn't deserve to be in my element!"
"Distract it!" Jasper yelled, jumping away.
"Right. Let's show this clod what we're made of!" Peridot creid.
"If you insist." Lapis shrugged.
She was about to use her powers when the pufferfish blew Jasper away, into town.
"Ugh, you're gonna get it!" Lapis yelled. She made a fist and punched up. Water from the ocean did the same and hurdled the beast away. Connie saw in the distance it getting chained and pulled under the water.
"Lapis! If you keep it underwater, it'll exhaust you!" Peridot growled.
"Then we'll just have to think of a plan before collapse, won't we?" Lapis then grabbed her head and growled, "It's a fighter, a strong one."
"Come on, let's go get Jasper, she landed by the boardwalk." Connie sighed.
"What are you even doing up there?!" Kofi Pizza growled.
"I'm waiting for my friends, little man." Jasper shrugged. "Mind if I lay here?" She had crashed into the Pizzas' sign.
"Yes, as a matter of fact, I d-"
"Jasper! Are you okay?" Connie yelled.
Jasper hopped down. "I'm doin' great, kiddo."
"Hi Connie." Kiki said, waving.
Connie waved back.
"Whoa… Did Jasper do that?!" Lapis asked, pointing to the sign.
"I have not given back your speaking privileges, Lazuli!" Peri creid. She turned to Jasper, "She's keeping that abomination under the ocean!"
"Come on, let's go." Jasper sighed, looking at Lapis with disappointment.
They jumped away.
"Where are you going? What about my sign?" Kofi yelled. "Connie! What is wrong with your friends? One of them busted up my sign, then they all just jump into the sky like some circus act, without even offering to help!"
Connie rubbed her neck, wishing she could leap away too. "I'm sor-"
The door opened and Jenny walked out. "Dad, pipe down!"
"Ohhh! Did I interrupt your beauty sleep?" Mr. Pizza creid.
"I don't need sleep to look pretty." Jenny smirked.
"Now you listen here, young woman-!" Kofi growled.
Suddenly, Kofi's mother came out holding a dead fish. "Kofi, you are going to wake this fish from the dead with all the noise you're keeping. Oh, too late." She wiggled the fish and pretended to be it. "Kofi, you so loud! Aaaahh!"
Jenny giggled. "Gunga, you're so funny."
"Mom! Quit joking around!" Kofi creid. The grandmother walked up to see the sign. "Cheese on bread." She muttered.
"Can you believe it?" Her son cried. He turned to Connie. "You're such a nice girl, Connie. Why do you hang out with those animals?"
"They're not animals!" Connie snarled. "They're the Crystal Temps, and they protect humanity—"
"I've heard enough!" Kofi growled. Connie fell back.
The grandmother glanced nervously between the man and Connie. "Hey, girls, I think I hear all of our cell phones ringing." She coughed.
"Gunga, your hearing is so good!" Jenny played along. The rest of the family went in.
Kofi turned back to the girl. "Connie, you can tell your friends that they are officially banned from Fish Stew Pizza!"
Connie's face of anger faded to shock. "Wait, what?!" The man started to walk away. "Kofi, that's not fair!" Connie yelled. "This was just an accident!" The door slammed shut. She walked away in despair…
"I can handle it!" Lapis creid.
"But for how much longer?!" Jasper yelled.
Connie walked in, causing them to go quiet. "I've got bad news, everyone. You've all been banned from Fish Stew Pizza."
Peridot looked up. "Should this… be concerning?"
"That pizza's pretty disgusting." Lapis shrugged.
"Aren't you guys upset?!" Connie cried.
"Nope." Jasper said bluntly.
"But these are our neighbors!" Connie protested.
"There's nothing we can do about that now." Jasper said.
"I completely agree! Right now we have to figure out a way to take care of that pufferfish before it strains Lapis."
"What's the point of saving people if they're just gonna ban you from their pizza shops?" Connie growled.
"We don't do it for thanks." Jasper shrugged.
"Yeah!" Connie nodded. "That's so nice of you, the Pizzas don't even know! If they got to spend some time with you they'd see how cool," Connie looked at Lapis. "and smart," She looked and Peridot. "and strong
you are!" Jasper smirked. "I am pretty strong…"
Connie thought for a few seconds then gasped. "I got it! I'll throw a little party on the beach in front of the temple! Just us and the Pizzas!"
"But Connie-" Lapis said.
"I've got it handled!"
Connie was grilling hot dogs and burgers. She smelled them and nodded in approval.
"Hey, Connie!"
She turned to see Lapis and the others.
"Do you have everything ready for your social gathering?" Peridot asked.
"I do! Oh, there's one more thing." Connie gave them a magazine.
"What's this for?" Lapis frowned.
"I was thinking you could change your outfits." Connie shrugged.
"I look magnificent! Why would I ever want to change my clothing?" Peridot asked.
"I thought we could look a little casual today!" Connie replied.
"Is this the right address?"
Connie turned and saw the Pizzas walking close.
"Oh man, they're here! Hurry up and change." Connie said, running to the family. "Over here everyone!"
"How are you all doing today?" Connie blushed.
"The shop is closed today, because it's broken!" Kofi growled. His family looked nervous.
"Oh, uh, that sounds, uh…" Connie sweated, she had no idea what to say!
"Hey! Do I smell hot dogs? Show me where the hot dogs are." The old woman creid.,
Connie gave a sigh of relief. "Right this way, everyone." She lead them to the gems. "First, let me introduce—"
"We are the Crystal Temps! Jasper!" Jasper said. Her nose glowed and her hair folded in a ponytail, she was in orange shorts and a white tank top.
"Lapis!" Lapis's back glowed and hair twisted to into a messy bun. Her dress turned into capri pants and a shirt with had cut sleeves that touched her shoulders.
"Peridot!" Peridot's head glowed and she had green alien shorts on with a yellow t-shirt.
"And Connie!" Connie popped up and then laughed nervously. "That was… You already know me…"
"You are all so talented!" The grandmother laughed, not seeming fazed.
"So, you are a circus act." Kofi growled.
"Rude!" Lapis muttered. Connie coughed over her loudly. "Let's eat!"
Lapis gently ate a hotdog, wincing slightly as she knew the monster was pulling… Just waiting for the moment she gave up… She hoped no one else would ever have to feel the strain of keeping a monster at bay…
"Everything turned out great!" Kiki creid, jolting Lapis to reality.
"Thank you, Kiki." Connie laughed.
"Aren't you girls hungry?" Gunga sighed to the gems. "You've barely touched your food."
Jasper gave a chuckle. "We don't need food."
"Oh, you young people and your experimental diets." The woman laughed.
"I am much older than you." Jasper grunted.
"So, you all live in that tiny house up on that hill?" Kofi asked, pointing at Connie's home.
"Well, Connie lives there… We inhabit the inner sanctums, only accessible through magical extra dimensional doors." Jasper said, her nose sparkling as her gem glowed.
"What is wrong with your hand?" Mr. Pizza whispered.
"And why does this place look like it's falling apart?" Jenny asked, looking at the fusion statue on the house.
"Well, the temple has been here for centuries—" Peridot said.
"Oh! I see how it is, when something breaks around here, you just leave it alone. JUST LIKE THE SIGN AT MY SHOP!" Kofi yelled.
"Um... who wants to play volleyball?" Connie laughed.
Connie drew a line in the sand. She stood. "Okay, everyone, the court is all set. Now to get into our teams."
"But we are far more superior to these humans." Peridot said. Kofi glared at her.
"That's why I'm picking the teams." Connie smirked. "Lapis and Jenny! Peridot and Kiki! Jasper and Kofi! And last, but not least, yours truly and Nanefua!"
"I haven't played in ages but I bet I could whoop all your butts." Nanefua said.
"That's the spirit!" Connie laughed. "You guys ready? Let's play!"
Lapis grunted, but forced a weak smirk. "Ready to lose, Peri?"
"Oh, I'm not losing to a clod like you!" Peridot chuckled.
"Here we come!" Lapis laughed. She threw the ball up and hit it.
Peridot smirked and Kiki hit it.
Lapis made her wings and tried to hit it but missed.
"Lapis! No flying!" Connie yelled.
"W-what?" Lapis asked, her head aching.
"For a human, you have a good skill set." Peridot smiled at Kiki. The girl laughed.
"Lapis! Are you oka-" Connie was interrupted by Lapis grunting, "I'm fine!"
"Try harder Jenny!" Nanefua yelled.
"Here it comes!" Kiki yelled, slapping the ball.
Jenny saw Lapis nearly falling over… She wondered why the woman was so out of it but saw the ball and proceeded to shake the net. "What? I'm not doing anything." She smirked.
"My turn?" Lapis grunted. She shapeshifted into a tennis racket and sent the ball back.
"Lapis, if you weren't straining yourself, maybe you could play this right!" Peridot yelled, still mad at her.
The twins tried to ease the tension.
"Afraid to get sand in your hair, Kiki?" Jenny laughed. Lapis cracked a weak smile.
"Nope. I might like to stay tidy, but I'm not afraid to get my hands dirty." Kiki said. Peridot smirked and gave her a fist bump. "Me too!"
"Our turn." Kofi said. He and Jasper were against Jenny and Lapis. "I'm ready." Jasper said, cracking her knuckles.
Jenny ran to get the ball then Kofi yelled, "Jennifer! You touch that ball, you're grounded!"
Jenny missed the ball in shock. "Whoa! Daddy, you cheatin'!"
Kofi laughed. "The look on your face! Hahaha!"
"This is going to be easy." Jasper smirked.
"It'd be nice if they stuck to the basics." The old woman said next to Connie. She nodded softly.
Lapis hit the ball up high, really high. Jasper leapt up and slammed the ball down. It started to catch fire as it came back. "We should probably move, huh?" Jenny whispered. Lapis was using all her might to keep the monster under, not
hearing her. "Move!" Jenny yelled, shoving Lapis and herself out of the ball's path. They then saw a giant chunk of glass was there.
"Did you know that when sand is superheated it turns into glass?" The gunga asked.
Connie smiled. "I didn't know that."
Lapis still seemed to concentrate on keeping the monster down, but her love for Connie's happiness, as well as her competitive spirit kept her going. She threw the chunk of glass away with her amazing strenth. "L-let's play!"
Lapis created water doubles of herself that hit the ball back for her while she watched with a tiny smile.
"Kofi time!" Kofi yelled, hitting the ball.
"Jenny time!" Jenny cried.
"You can't use the car for a month!" Kofi yelled, making her miss. "Daaddy!"
"Stop cheating!" Lapis growled. Her sudden emotion sent her head spinning.
"You cheated first, Lapis." Jasper snarled.
Suddenly, Peridot shoved Lapis aside saying to Jasper, "I may not know how to play this game well, but I thoroughly analyzed the rules! You broke all of them!"
Lapis gasped in shock, clasping her hands to her mouth, but no one noticed. Connie went to get the ball but saw her hair flipping side to side and then a massive gust of wind hit her. She saw the monster from before come around the corner. "Guys!
The pufferfish is back!" She screeched.
The girl ran to the grandmother and pulled her away.
The others were still fighting while Lapis was still in shock at what she had let loose on the sand.
"JASPER!" Connie yelled, getting everyone's attention.
She pointed to the monster and Jasper gasped. She turned to Lapis who whispered, "I couldn't keep it under… like before…"
Jasper grabbed her wrist and yelled, "Protect the Pizzas!"
They grabbed the family and leapt away to cover, watching the destruction from afar.
"I'm not afraid of that thing! Let's see if you can keep up with me!" Nanefua said, running to the monster.
"Wait! Stop!" Connie creid, racing after her.
Then she saw the grandmother running around the thing, distracting it! Connie joined in.
"Connie! I demand you stop!" Peridot yelled.
"What are they doing?!" Kiki gasped.
"Everybody, get ready!" Connie yelled.
"Mom, are you crazy?!" Kofi creid.
"She is… but she's also brave to be…" Jasper muttered.
"Lapis, I know you're scared and upset right now but I need you to shapeshift into a ball!" Connie yelled.
"If it helps you win, I will!" Lapis creid. She did so.
"Jenny! Roll Lapis to the net and hold on!" The gunga yelled.
"Sure thing!" Jenny called.
"Peridot! Head over to Jenny and Lapis!"
"Yes, ma'am!" Peridot yelled. She leapt to them.
"Hit Lapis into the air as hard as you can!" Nanefua creid.
Peridot turned to Lapis. "Are you going to be okay? I know you've been through a lot…"
"You know I can take care of myself." Lapis smirked.
Peridot nodded and hit her high into the air.
"Kofi! Kiki! Get over to the net!" Nanefua called.
"Jasper, spike the beach!" Connie creid.
"You got it, kid!" Jasper grunted. She leapt into the air and grabbed Lapis the ball.
"Give it all you got! I need my revenge." Lapis smiled.
"That's the spirit!" Jasper laughed. She hit Lapis with her helmet and the woman gradually set aflame. She hit the beach and made glass.
"Here comes the tricky part!" Nanefua said.
"I'm ready." Connie grunted.
"Everyone take the net to the other side of the court!" They did and Connie yelled, "Okay, everyone, pull the net into its face!" They did that too but it didn't work!
"It's not enough!" The gunga creid.
"Don't worry, here comes Jasper!" Connie assured her.
Jasper head butted the monster into the glass.
"Thanks for your hospitality."
Nanefua lightly punched her son's stomach. "And?"
Kofi sighed. "And, for saving my family, you are all officially un-banned from my shop."
"Thank you so much, Kofi! We really appreciate it, right, guys?" Connie asked.
"Sure?" Jasper whispered
"Aaaand?" Connie laughed.
"What were we banned from again?" Peridot whispered. Connie covered her mouth and laughed nervously.
Why is this so much different then the original one with Lapis here? If you think about it, Lapis wouldn't just leave that thing to the ocean, that's why she strained to keep it under, also, I'm sure you're all seeing the hints and foreshadowing ofMalachite since... what, Arcade Mania? Well that episode is coming up soon!