Connie and Steven sat on a hand of the temple, Connie tuned her violin while Steven tuned his ukulele. Connie started to play a jaunty tempo while Steven strummed a song.

"The sun is bright, our shirts are clean, we're sitting up above the sea. Come on and share this jam with me." Steven sang happily.

"Peach or plum or strawberry, any kind is fine, you see. Come on and share this jam with me!" Connie sang, her mother's gem shining in the summer sun. "I'll do my best, to give this jam the sweetness it deserves."
She sang, standing and letting the wind blow through her hair.

"And I'll keep it fresh, I'm jamming on these tasty preserves!" Steven sang, doing a cute little jig. The two walked to each other, playing thier instruments and they smiled. "Ingredients in harmony, we mix together perfectly. Come on and share this jam with me!"
They sang together. Connie strummed her bow across the instrument to finish.

They grinned.

"Nice jam session!" Connie laughed, putting the instrument in its case.

"Jam buds!" Steven cried.

Connie laughed and spread strawberry jam on her biscuit. "Don't forget the best part!" She was about to give it to Steven when seagulls suddenly saw the tasty snack and tried to attack her. Steven saw and grabbed his ukulele, defending
Connie, but not hurting the birds. "Ahhh! Shoo! Get away from her! Shoo! Shoo! Don't come back!"

Connie stared in wonder while Steven took his snack.

"Thanks for holding my jam snack." He said as Connie still stared. "Unfortunately, it's not safe from me." He chomped down on it and smiled.

"That was incredible, Steven! You're amazing with a shield, better than me." Connie said, blushing.

"Huh?" Steven whispered. He swallowed and blushed. "Nah, I was just swinging this thing around. I don't really know what I'm doing, but I'd love to learn how to use a real shield! To protect people, like you!"

Connie gave a gasp and diamonds appeared in her eyes. "I have a idea."

"No."

"Please? Steven's already really good!" Connie pleaded with Peridot who tried to walk away.

"Ah shucks." Steven blushed. "Not really.."

Connie ran after Peridot and grabbed her wrist. "He's being modest! He helped me fight this robot from mother's armory, he took down that evil clone of himself, uh... those seagulls just now, that was pretty great."

"Ugh, he's a human, Connie, and a child as well. A shield is a big responsibility! He must protect you, as well as your gem." Peridot said, looking at her gem. "Humans can only lead to no good when meddling with gem things."

"Then why am I allowed to meddle with gem stuff?" Connie asked innocently.

"I…" Peridot glanced at Steven, and couldn't help rembering how a human just like him had taken her away once, never again. "No."

"That's… that's okay." Steven sighed, giving a weak smile. "I guess I just wanted to, because
don't know all this crazy gem stuff you're all doing, but if something dangerous comes along, and tries to hurt or take away Connie, I don't wanna just stand there like… I always have," Steven sighed, remembering when he couldn't protect Connie from
those drill parasites. "I wanna help! I wanna be there for Connie, to fight by her side! The Earth is my home too, can't I help protect it?" Steven whispered, blushing.

Peridot heard that he wanted to help Connie, to protect her. The gem turned with small tears in her eyes and said, "Well….I suppose… if you promise me you can and will be useful."

Steven nodded.

"Fine."

Steven and Connie beamed.

"Well, come along." Peridot said, smiling and walking to the warp pad. "we should get started, for I am as skilled with a shield as a sword, I had to learn both."

"Yay!" Connie cried, running after her.

"Oh, oh, are we going now?" Steven asked in excitement.

Connie, Peridot, and Steven warped over. Peridot holding a dirty metal training shield. Steven hovered above the warp for a moment, giggling in joy. He landed face down, still laughing.

"You okay?" Connie gasped, helping him up. Steven suddenly started running around, laughing, "Magic gem place!" He yelled in happiness. He then tripped and fell once again.

"Maybe this was a bad idea." Peridot muttered. Steven gasped in suprise and shook his head, "No! No, I promise I'll be better!" He raced up the stairs after her with Connie close behind.

They entered the sky area and Steven gasped in surprise, "Beautiful…"

"Hm, I suppose." Peridot said, walking in front of her new pupil. "This is an Ancient Sky Arena, Steven, where some of the first battles for Earth took place. It was here that I became familiar with the concept of being a knight,
completely dedicated to a person and a cause." She presented Steven the shield. "This is what you must become, even though you are but a human; brave, selfless, loyal... a knight! We begin with a bow, first to me, your exslenct and all-knowing
mentor of the art." Peridot bowed to the by and he gave a slight bow back. "And now again, to your liege." Steven tilted his head in confusion. "Connie, Steven, your liege is Connie."

"Oh! Of course!" Steven blushed. He turned to Connie and knelt before her, "My liege." He said a goofy voice.

"Sir knight." Connie said, bowing back to her new protector. They giggled together until Peridot practically shoved them apart. "Steven Demayo, you must take this seriously if you ever want this hybrid to live!" She growled,
pointing to Connie and making him gasp. No one had ever been this harsh with him before and it hurt.

"S-sorry…" He whispered. Connie helped him up and gave Peridot a small glance.

"Now, since Lapis won't experiment with her water anymore, something about being traumatized and never doing it again,I shall use this." Her gem glowed and a holographic version of her appeared. "It has my same skill set in advanced
mode."

"Level 0, beginner, set. Do you wish to engage in combat?" The hologram asked.

Steven did a goofy giggle. Connie took out her sword with she had on her back in her mother's scabbard. "Peridot, he won't be hurt by it, will he?"

"Nah, it has beginner set!" Steven replied.

Connie blushed and slowly walked away. "Right, right." She ran to and then stood nervously beside a column.

Peridot walked up to Steven, placing a hand on his shield arm, guiding his movements, and the other on his shoulder. She made him raise his shield to block a attack. "Alright then, everything begins with your stance." Peridot whispered.
She then started to sing, "You'd do it for her. And you would do it again. You'd do it for her, no matter what you are or what we, were." Peridot blushed, realizing she what she had sang. Connie watched happily nearby.

"Keep your stance low, keep your guard is higher. And if your enemies are much more slyer, just know your pride is the key." Over the course of a day, Steven had returned to train once more. Connie had prepared a smoothie for him
and they hurried to the warp pad.

"Keep strong," Peridot put her foot down, giving slashes at Steven who blocked her. "No fear," Steven put his own sandaled foot behind him as Connie watched. "now go even faster." Steven blocked
her swift attacks faster and faster. He moved backward. "And as you're moving backwards, keep your eyes on me." Steven kept his eyes on the ground until she said that.

"Keep my stance low." Steven whispered.

"Hm, you're improving." Peridot said.

"Keep my guard higher." Steven sang, dodging and shielding himself against a robot's attacks

"Yes…" Peridot whispered.

"And if my enemies much more slyer…" Steven almost tripped, letting the robot almost hurt him.

"Oh, come on! Don't you want her to live?!" Peridot yelled behind him. Connie bit her lip, glancing between Steven and Peridot

"Keep strong, no fear…" Steven said, narrowing his eyes. He somersaulted away, leaping over the robot which was in advanced mode. He glanced at Connie and gasped as the robot nearly sliced him from not being focus.

"Yes, but don't you dare look back at her! Everything you have, everything you are, you've got to give—" Peridot sang.

Later, Steven and Connie sat on the stands watching Peridot project the past. "On the battlefield, when everything is chaos," A young Peridot saw a army of gems before her diamond, who must've shrunken down for a fair fight. "and you have nothing but the way you feel, your strategy and a shield, you just think about the life you'll have together after the war."
Young Peridot gave a cry and slid in front of her, shielding the diamond. The projection vanished. "And then you do it for your leader, that's how victories occur. You'd do it for my di- that is to say you'll do it for her." Peridot
nodded to Connie. The girl touched her gem which felt very warm at the moment and tears came to her eyes, but she didn't know why. Steven watched in awe.

"Deep down you know you weren't built for fighting," Peridot sang. Connie was surprised to see Peridot show her sweet and caring side, wrapping a bandage around Steven's arm and putting a bandage on his sword cut cheek. "but that doesn't mean you're not prepared to try. What they don't know is your real advantage."
Connie walked up with orange juice for him when he had changed into blue shorts and a red tanktop with a star, much like his normal outfit. He smiled happily. He picked it up and almost took a sip when Peridot walked up with a glare at the boy. "When you live for someone, you're prepared to die."
Connie stared in shock and was even more when Steven's eyes hardened with ice-cold, stern determination.

Steven held up his shield singing with sharpness he had never shown before, to the point Connie could barely see the innocent boy in his eyes. "Deep down, I know that I'm just a human—"

"True." Peridot murmured beside him.

The two started singing together, with different parts.

"But you know that you can draw your shield and fight." Peridot sang.

"But I know that I can draw my shield and fight." Steven sang with her.

"Good."

"I can make a difference-"

"Yes!"

"I can be there for her, I can be her knight. I can do it for her."

"You'd do it for her..." Peridot sang. "Now do that, but be braver."

"Yes, sir." Steven whispered.

"Without a stutter or slur, now you say-"

"I'll do it for her." Steven finished gently, both he and Peridot bowing to Connie. She looked between them with nervousness.

Connie rehearsed in her head what she was going to say, when suddenly Steven opened the door and walked in.

"Oh, Steven, um, er, uh-" Connie forgot everything she meant to say, too nervous.

"Hi Connie." Steven said dully, walking straight past her. He got on the warp pad and Connie forced out, "Stop!"

Steven turned when Peridot came out behind him, "Ah, right on time. I'm glad I fixed that annoying tick you had." She smirked.

"Wait! I need to talk to you, Steven…" Connie whispered.

The boy turned around, his steel demeanor melting when he truly looked at her worried face. "Oh, what is it? Do you need something?" He said with concern. Connie blushed, Steven was back, if only for a moment.

"This is no time to talk, Steven." Peridot said.

"Right." Steven said, and there he went.

"For a silly human, he's been making great strides, Connie. He's going to be very useful to you." Peridot said, looking down at Steven with pride.

Steven gave a brief nod, with a determined exsprsion. They warped away.

Connie hung her head in sadness and sighed.

Suddenly, Lapis' room opened up to her. Lapis and Jasper walked out, Lapis clearly forcing laughter, "Oh, oh… that was the funniest thing I've ever heard! That was a great pun."

"I'm pretty great at puns." Jasper said cockily, not realizing Lapis was sparing her feelings.

They stopped when they saw Connie looking troubled.

"Connie, are you okay? You look upset…" Lapis whispered.

"W-Well," Connie stuttered. "Steven is taking shield lessons from Peri, but I think it's getting a little too serious... She wants Steven to do all this dangerous stuff for me, to the point I can't recognize him anymore."

Lapis and Jasper gave a worried glance.

"That sounds about right." Jasper whispered, sitting down near Connie. Lapis gave a somber nod.

"What do you mean?" Connie asked. Lapis' gem glowed and water came out. With it, she showed the past. "Back during the war, Peridot took pride in hurting herself for your mother. She put her Diamond over everything, like she was
made to;"

The water showed Yellow Diamond, against a huge army of gems. She was guarding Peridot and Jasper behind her. When the army suddenly started to run, Peridot ran between her Diamond's legs, letting them poof her. "over logic,"

The water flashed again, showing Peridot running in front of Yellow Diamond once more, she had shapeshifted smaller, Connie thinking she must've wanted a fair fight. The fair fight was for a gem Connie didn't recognize. The gem smirked at Peridot
and stabbed her through with a pink sword. "over consequence,"

In the next flash, Connie was surprised to see Malicite. Peridot ran in front of her. The gem laughed, smashing her with a single flick of her hand. Yellow Diamond suddenly destabilized them and Lapis let the water splash to the ground, the memory
going into clear water. Lapis put it in her gem and whispered, "even over her own life."

Connie then imagined herself in Yellow Diamond's place, holding her sword. If Steven was training under Peridot… in her imagination, Steven slid in front of her, if the enemy was able to knock the shield out of his hand… Connie gasped in
shock. "No!"

"Are you okay?" Lapis looked concerned.

Connie said nothing, quickly took out her sword, and pushed past them to warp away.

Connie ran over and saw Peridot standing in front of Steven. "Remember, Steven. In the heat of battle, Connie is what matters. You don't matter." She said harshly.

"I don't matter." Steven repeated, clearly believing her.

Connie gasped and ran to them.

"Very good. Now, let us begin!" Peridot yelled, her gem glowing and masses of clouds concealed the area…

Connie ran in, holding her sword. She hearf Steven yelling and metal against metal, but where was it coming from? She started to run, yelling for him, "Steven! Steven, where are you? Steven!"

She turned to see a holo-Peridot. She held her sword firm, raising it for a fight, "Where's my friend?" She growled threatingly.

"Unregistered combatant detected!" The thing said dully, not answering her. It raised it's sword, and struck. Connie heard the resounding clang and gasped, opening her eyes to see Steven had protected her, his shield holding firm. He
still blocked the hologram, unable to destroy it with just a shield. He turned to the girl he was supposed to protect, "Connie? What are you doing out here? It's not safe here!"

Connie seemed to rebel against his protection, rolling out from behind him, "Steven, listen to me, I don't want you to do this anymore! Not alone!"

Steven grinned surprisingly, "But Connie, I get it! I finally get it! Your legacy, your destiny, you are everything!" His smile faded and he dully said, "And I... I am nothing…" Connie stared and his happiness appeared once
more. "but I can help you now! I'll never be a bother to you again!"

Connie started in surprise, "A… bother? ... No! I don't want you to get yourself hurt!' She didn't notice the hologram from before was approaching her from behind, sword raised. Steven's eyes widened and said, "Connie… I'm doing this
for you!" He leapt in front of Connie once more, blocking it. The thing knew his strength now though, and pressed harder. Steven gave a grunt in his energy leaving and he panted out, "I need to be able to protect you!"

"But if you're the one protecting me…" Connie whispered. "then who's the one protecting you?!" She leapt up, sliding around the hologram and stabbed it through. It vanished. "Someday soon, we may be fighting some
huge gems, stronger than me and the Temps alone, I've already seen them… and when they come, I want to fight with you, togther! So please…" Connie offered her hand to Steven as four holograms approached them from every direction. "... won't
you share this jam with me?"

Steven hesitated but then smiled, and grabbed her hand. She helped him up and sensed the holograms coming. They all ran at them but she took out her blade, thrusting into one, shattering it.

"This is much easier, and much more fun!" Steven laughed.

"That's the idea!" Connie said warmly. She spun her sword in a spin attack swiftly and destroyed them all. She turned to Steven with a beam and happy flush, "No matter what comes, we do this together!" Steven air punched with
a, "Yeah!"

"CONNIE DIAMOND UNIVERSE, WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" They suddenly heard Peridot screech. Connie dropped her sword in surprise. The clouds dissipated, revealing a very angry Peridot.

"Connie, don't interfere. The human needs to take me on himself, for I am his skilled master, if he beats me, he can protect you." Peridot growled.

"No, Peri!" Connie yelled. "We're a team! He's the biscuit," She pointed at Steven.

"And she's the strawberry!" Steven cried.

"And that makes us... JAM!"

"BUDS!" Steven finished.

"How…What…" Peridot sputtered. "GHAA! STOP DEFYING ME!"

Connie and Steven charged at her, trying to prove they were ready. Steven thrust out his shield, blocking Peridot's spear attacks. She used her powers to bring the pole up into the air and shot it at the boy. He slammed his shield up, blocking
it. Peridot then smirked in cleverness and Steven's shield flew out of his hand, right to her. She threw the thing off to the side

Peridot grabbed her pole and leapt up. She charged to him but Connie suddenly sprang out and parried her. Peridot growled in anger. They had a small bout and Connie grabbed Steven's shield, flinging it like frisbee to him. He ran to help her. Connie
leapt around Peridot, charging. Both she and Steven gave war cries, about to attack when she flung her hands out. "STOP IT!" She knocked the sword and shield out of their hands and they fell back.

Peridot huffed for air, whispering, "You… little… pebbles…" She then walked up to Steven with sterness. "In a real battle, Connie won't be there to save you! You will sacrifice yourself for her!"

Connie gave a growl, "No, I refuse to let him, not alone!"

"He must!"

"No, he mustn't! If he's going to fight, we're going to fight together! Protecting each other!" Connie cried sternly.

"Yeah! Jam buds forever!" Steven added.

"You shouldn't be anywhere near the fight, Connie! You're too important!" Peridot insisted, pointing her pole at the girl.

"I am not!" Connie yelled.

"Yes, you are!"

"NO!"

"WHY WON'T YOU JUST LET ME DO THIS FOR YOU, MY DIAMOND!?" Peridot suddenly shrieked. Connie gasped in suprise and Steven glanced between the two gems. Peridot blushed and whispered, "I… er… I mean... let him... do this." Steven
cocked his head in confusion. "Why won't you let Steven do this... for you…" Peridot dropped her pole and said, "This lesson's over, children." She walked away and sat at the edge of the arena, alone. Connie and Steven glanced
it each other with worry. They walked over to her and slowly sat down on either side.

"I'm so sorry, Peri." Connie sighed. "I didn't mean to mess up your training, I knew you were excited to be a teacher, but all that "you're nothing" talk… No one should think that about themselves."

"Including you!" Steven smiled weakly. "Did… Connie's mom make you feel like you were nothing?"

Peridot gave a sniff. "She never did." She gave a tiny chuckle and whispered, "She made me, a Peridot, one out of millions, she had made me… feel... like I was everything." Peridot shook away her tears and then asked, "Steven,
do you promise me not to take her away from us?"

Steven blinked in surprise but nodded.

"Good.." Peridot smiled. "Then… maybe… this could work. I mean, despite how many times I tell her to use it, Connie never uses her shield anymore!"

Connie blushed and shrugged, "Ever since I relized I had destabilization powers… that power seemed to fade away, like it was hiding my true power."

"Well, I'll be your shield!" Steven cried.

Connie giggled and Peridot smiled, "You two are naturals at the sword and shield, you shall make an excellent team! I can't wait to see what you can do! Who knows, you may even beat me!... No, what am I even talking about?" Peridot
laughed. She hugged both Connie and Steven close and beamed with excitement.