It was quite blurry as a small pumpkin Connie awoke. She saw lush trees above, and slowly sat up. The girl glanced at her feet and wiggled them. She sprung to her feet in surprise of her appearance. The thing ran to the river and inspected her reflection, pumpkin body, pumpkinhead, what was going on?! She tried to speak, seeds came out! She gasped and covered her mouth. She looked around, where was she? Was she stuck here? Could she survive here? … She would, she must.

The girl turned at the sound of a bark and turned to see a pumpkin dog leap out of the bushes. The girl fell back in surprise, and the dog took the chance to roll over and lick her face. The plant giggled, his seedy tongue tickling her. The dog then jumped off and ran away across the river, expecting the girl to follow. She hesitantly did so.

She came across a village, a huge village! The girl gave a sound in surprise. Civilization? But how?

There were tiny clay houses with straw roofs, gardens, farmers, Connies, just like her! The dog barked as if to say, 'Come and see!'

The girl smiled slightly. Maybe she would ask how they did all this, how it was possible.

She followed the eager pumpkin dog down a dirt road into the village. She saw a farmer pick up a fresh new-grown baby pumpkin shaped like Connie and it was loaded into a cart full of others like it. To the girl's amazement, a pumpkin horse pulled them along!

The girl followed the cart to see a apparently female pumpkin sweep the grass, with little pumpkin chickens around her. The cart stopped and the female called inside to her husband. The man pumpkin came out and they smiled hopefully as the farmer placed down their new child. The baby looked hesitant but the farmer smiled kindly st her, saying it was safe. The girl slowly walked up, before her new parents embraced her. She soon accepted the hug.

The grown pumpkin Connie continued her journey of discovery, seeing the pumpkins dancing, playing music, and soon came across a large statue. It was stone, and was carved in a stance that the real Connie would never forget… the stance Baby Pumpkin took in order to sacrifice herself for the Temps. The girl watched in confusion as a clearly older pumpkin, Perhaps a leader, or a prophet, had gathered up a group of pumpkin children. She showed them that same stance, a stance of sacrifice.

The other felt her stomach of goop and seeds turn, seeing the children do this stance in response… Something was wrong.

Suddenly, the ground shook, causing her to fall onto her rear. Birds cawed as everyone looked up from their tasks, clearly worried.

A Connie started playing a gong in rhythm and all the pumpkins gathered around the statue. The new one looked worried, she felt sick to her stomach, this was like a sacrificing circle, just like in the books about the past she had read.

The elder shook its stick, prompting all Connies but one take a step back. The girl was confused, and looked around to see what was happening. The elder then pointed the staff at her.

The others dragged her away and were quick to put on her a dress made of leaves and to put a necklace on her that held a single sharp diamond-shaped shell that weighed heavy on her chest. They then forced her into a wooden canoe and rowed her out just beyond the shallow end.

She couldn't help but be confused. The thing turned to the pumpkins and they showed her the stance. The pumpkin knew something was up, but raised her arms. She had to find the end of her mystery.

Suddenly, the ground shook, and trembled in might, and then, it suddenly was near ripped apart by a fusion slamming out of the ground. Sugilite looked down to see the girl, who tried to seem brave but couldn't.

"Connie…" Growled a combination of Ruby, Sapphire, and Amethyst's voices.

Connie fell back in fear, grabbing for the oars that had rowed her out, but the fusion froze the water, trapping her.

Sugilite formed her weapon, a giant flail. She aimed, laughed and then threw.

Connie gave a cry, waking up from the horrifying vision… She wished it was a dream…. She panted in panic.

The other gems hadn't noticed, but only because Pearl had gave a yell in panic once the ground shook. They watched with confusion as she paced.

"Oh no! It's emerging sooner than I thought! Ah! Oh, this is bad!" Pearl cried. "The Cluster will destroy this place and, and-"

"It's not the Cluster, Pearl!" Connie called. They all turned and she gave a sigh. "I accidentally projected myself into a Pumpkin Connie on Mask Island and… they are sacrificing their own to please Sugilite."

Lapis covered Jasper's mouth instinctively before the gem could say anything bad.

"Well that's just great!" Peridot growled. "Why did she have to show up today of all days? Our one day to relax for a few seconds?!"

"You have to stop them!" They turned to Pearl who had seemed to be only annoyed by the mention of Sugilite in the past. Pearl trailed off, and then blushed. "You have to get Amethyst, and Garnet back… Their fusion is a dangerous one, and I've never seen it unstable."

"We know." Lapis said sharply, removing her hand from Jasper's mouth. "We've already seen her before."

"Well, we knew this day would come." Jasper muttered. She glanced at the older Temps. "Let's go to Mask Island, and end this!"

The others gave a cheer.

"I'll get my sword!" Connie cried, already starting to run to the house. Peridot wrapped her pole around the girl's waist in a heartbeat and pulled her back to the blanket she had slept on.

"No! Your human part is far too fragile for this mission, Connie. You must stay here, and stay safe!" Peridot ordered.

"No! I can handle it! I've fought before, I'm ready!" Connie protested. "You know I can protect myself! Let me come!"

"We can't, kiddo. If Sugilite were to hurt you…" Jasper trailed off.

"We have to go, it's too dangerous for you…" Lapis whispered, bending down to hug the girl goodbye. Connie accepted the embrace, but was still upset.

"Lapis, Peri, lets go." Jasper said, motioning for them to follow. She turned to Pearl. "Pearl, if you anything bad happen to our kid, I will punish you, big time."

Pearl went pale.

The older Temps ran to the nearest warp pad and while they did, Connie called out for Lion.

"Connie, don't you even try it!" Pearl yelled, attempting to grab the girl. Suddenly, a scrap piece of metal from the barn flew out and formed into a cage around the hybrid.

"Peri, let me out!" Connie yelled in rage.

"I love you too!" She heard Peridot screech. The warp pad activated.

Suddenly, something hard hit Pearl in the head and she squawked in suprise. The gem turned and picked up a single key. She locked the cage quickly before Connie knew what it was.

Connie gave a growl in anger, grabbing the bars and trying to move them. "I can't believe this!"

"It's for the best, Connie." Pearl said. "This imprisonment may be odd for any other child, but the Temps want to keep you safe."

"I don't need a cage to prove that!"

"You were about to get in your yellow beast and follow them, they had to do something."

Connie gave a huff and slumped onto the ground.

"So… Amethyst has kept Garnet down this long?" Pearl asked softly.

Connie nodded. "She's losing her control though. She's getting too tired to keep up."

"Oh…. I understood why Garnet did it, to get back at Jasper, but I never thought she'd go so far as to force someone to fuse. That's her thing after all."

"I'm not surprised at all, wasn't she the one that started the Cluster?" Connie growled.

"Well, yes and no." Pearl shrugged.

The ground suddenly trembled and Connie gasped. She attempted to move the bars again, but to no avail. "I need to help them!"

"I am not letting you out of there until the Temps come back-!"

"They may not live to come back!" Connie yelled in anger and fear. "I-I'm scared, Pearl…"

Pearl hestatied and then nodded. "Me too." She then crawled up and unlocked the cage. Connie crawled out and got up to run but Pearl stopped her. "Where are you going?!"

"Um, to Mask Island, to help the Temps!" Connie cried. Pearl pulled her to sit down.

"Oh no, I am not letting you out of my sight. Why can't you just project yourself into a plant again, that way I can watch you and if something happens over there, your body will still be here to come back to."

"That's a good idea." Connie agreed. She laid down and smiled. "I'm gonna help them and they aren't even going to know!"

"Just don't tell them I let you out!" Pearl moaned. Connie closed her eyes and was quick to fall asleep.

A Pumpkin Connie that was playing a drum suddenly stopped abruptly. She fell over and started to convulse until she stopped, possessed by the real Connie.

Connie got up and ran to the beach. She stopped abruptly, hiding behind a tree seeing Sugilite struggling against the whips that held her. She looked for her family and saw Lapis had made a platform of water on the ocean.

"Let's do this." Jasper whispered.

Lapis nodded. She and Peridot went on seprate ends. Lapis ran to Jasper, and twirled into her arms, as Peridot walked up, cartwheeled and then dipped into Lapis and Jasper's arms, forming a star shape with her body. They glowed, and Apatite was formed.

Suddenly, the whips around Sugilite snapped, and she was free. "Wow, that took a while, eh Amethyst?" She laughed, Garnet's voice coming out.

"STOP THIS, NOW!" Apatite yelled, making the other turn to see her.

"Uh! What are they doing here?!" Sugilite cried, her eyebrows then furrowed, switching controls once again back to Garnet. "Ugh! Stop fighting us! Why did you hold us back?! For what?! Let's just have fun again, like we used to!" Sugilite made her weapon out of Garnet's gauntlets and Amethyst's whips.

"You don't have to do this! You can find peace in yourself!"

"Peace in myself?!" Sugilite laughed. "How can you three even keep yourselves from falling apart!" She then swung her flail and Apatite blocked with the water. The fusions fought, with Connie watching the scene.

Sugilite flung her flail, and it wrapped around the Temps' leg. Apatite gave a grunt and rose some water that froze to ice and cut the flail.

Sugilite formed in again.

Apatite then raised her arms and metal particles off the beach in the sand rose. They formed into a anvil and the fusion let it drop.

Sugilite gasped and dodged.

At her distraction, water flung out and formed fists. They were about to hit when they suddenly froze.

Sugilite smirked and shatter the fists, freezing the ocean, her opponent's main weapon.

Apatite couldn't move, stuck in ice. Part of it cracked slightly around her feet, but she still couldn't move. Sugilite walked up to them, breaking the warp pad, the only escape, and laughed. "Here, let me help you heat it up!" She grabbed Apatite's arms and fire came from the fusion's hands, burning the Temps'. Apatite gave a cry.

Connie gasped and ran. They needed help! She soon found where the pumpkins were hiding, inside a waterfall. They were shaking and whimpering, some crying in fear.

The elder had the children around her, who all were scared and hugging her.

Connie walked up to the edge, in front of them all. She started to speak.

To any other, it would sound like grunts and waas, but to them, it sounded like this: "You can't be afraid anymore! We have to fight! Sugilite can't control you if she's gone! Please, please help me! I will save you, so won't you help me?" She pumped her fist up, giving a war chant.

The elder suddenly started stamping her stick with Connie and he girl smiled in thanks. It started small, but then it grew, soon all Pumpkin Connies were chanting in unison, ready to fight to their deaths!

"Three against three, who will win?" Suglite cackled, watching as Apatite struggle and suppress a scream in pain. "I'll always be stronger than you, no matter what form I'm in!" The fusion pushed the Temps' away, sending them flying to the beach.

She started to glow, the Temps wouldn't be able to do this much longer… "Errr… We have to keep going!"

Sugilite stomped up and smirked over her opponent. "Now. Let's end this for good!" She raised her flail, and aimed at the fusion's head, where two of her gems were placed. Suddenly, a loud horn cut through her laughter.

She turned to see Pumpkin Connies, with their leader, the real Connie.

Connie held a stick like her sword firm and gave a yell to attack. The pumpkins did as ordered coming from all sides with sticks in their hands. Some threw them like spears, others poked and prodded Sugilite.

"Seriously, guys…. what is this." Sugilite groaned. She turned to Apatite who was still on the ground, fighting to get up. She smirked, and aimed, but swarms of pumpkins shielded her instead, sacrificing themselves to soften the blow of the flail.

The real Connie gasped as her troops kept fighting on. Sugilite suddenly mashed them into the ground, and laughed. She snapped her head to Connie, who bravely brandished her stick.

"Did you think you could stop me, kid? Huh?! Well, news flash, you CAN'T! Sugilite is here forever, baby!" She then attempted to smash the girl, when a sudden yell was heard.

"GET AWAY, FROM HER!" The ice suddenly shattered from the ocean, letting it come at full force. All the metal from the beach and some water from the ocean circled and created a bomb, Turquoise's bomb. It landed in Apadite's hands and she smirked. The fusion twirled around before throwing it onto Sugilite.

The fusion gave a yell in pain as she backed away, blinded by water, Connie running quickly out of the way.

Once Apatite was certain this leader of the army was safe, she turned back to Sugilite.

She had Andalusite's shot put ready and slammed them all at Sugilite. The fusion fell, and Apatite readied her final blow. She flew into the air with water wings, and formed Jasper's helmet. "You guys don't match." Malachite's voice roared. Metal surrounded her and she made it into a spear. She then gave a war cry and slammed the helmet and spear into Sugilite.

The Pumpkin Connies cheered in victory, while the real Connie ran up to the now unfused Sugilite.

Amethyst, Sapphire and Ruby looked so small now. Sapphire gave a tiny moan, making Connie brace herself, but all the gem did was reach for Ruby's hand, they all still sleeping, but barely conscious.

Apatite came to shore and unfused, Lapis, Peri and Jasper fell onto the warm sand, all the energy nearly taken out of them all.

"We did it!" Lapis said to the sand, her face still mushed in. Jasper gave a chuckle, and wrapped her arms around the two, pulling them close.

The real Connie ran up and hugged Peridot. She flinched until she looked into her eyes. "C-Connie?!"

Connie nodded, and Peridot gave a loud sniff before hugging her again.

"That was impressive what you all did back there." Jasper said to the pumpkins. They all looked surprised that they were praised, but then smiled.

Suddenly, the ground started to shake. The ground then cracked apart. Jasper was quick to grab Amethyst and sling her over her shoulder and attempted to pick up Ruby and Sapphire as well, but they slid into a fissure before she could.

"Oh jeez… Of course the Cluster has to form on the same day!" Jasper moaned.

Connie grabbed her hand and Jasper soon grabbed her shoulders.

"Kid, it's up to you and Pearl, we won't make it back in time, the warp was destroyed."

Connie felt anxiety creep in and she wanted to curl up but Jasper held her firm. Connie attempted to say, "But I can't! Not alone!"

"I know this is scary, but you have to. This is your time to save the Earth, just like you always wanted, you need to go."

Connie nodded. She had to.

Lapis and Peri joined her, smiling at Connie.

"Be safe, Connie! Give that Cluster all you have!" Lapis cried.

"You are skilled enough to do this, Connie. We believe in you!" Peridot whispered.

It all was fading away as Connie tried to wake up.

"And Connie," Jasper said lastly.

It went black.

"We love you."