[Pearl and Garnet are about to fuse again when Amethyst interrupts the moment, realizing exactly what Pearl is doing]
PearlIs something the matter, Amethyst?
Pearl
[shocked] What?
You need to tell Garnet it was you!
Pearl
I'm sorry. It's just... so much fun being Sardonyx with you.
[drops her to the ground; shocked] That's why I couldn't see us finding Peridot.
Pearl
Wait, let me explain!
[starts walking towards her; intimidatingly] You've been fixing the hub!
Pearl
[backing away; fearfully] It really was Peridot! The first time.
Pearl
No! No, no, no, no! We just needed a reason to fuse! I just wanted to share a few more victories with you!
Wait, Garnet! You know, we're so much weaker than you! Fusing with you is like our one chance to feel... stronger!
Don't defend her! Peridot is out there somewhere and Pearl's been distracting us with... NOTHING!
Pearl
Garnet...
[angrily points at her] That's enough! [to Amethyst] Amethyst, fuse with me!
[clenching her fist] Let's just get this over with.
Hey, Pearl! [sees a desolate Pearl sitting on the couch, looking at the ceiling] Pearl?
Pearl
[jumps up] Steven! You're back!
Yeah... [sits down] Show business is rough.
Pearl
Is there something I can help you with?
Not unless you can make William Dewey interesting.
Pearl
How do you know William Dewey?
I'm gonna be him in this play! But he's totally boring! He's perfect and he never makes mistakes.
Pearl
[sigh] Wish I could say the same for myself.
Yeah, but nobody's like that! Everybody gets stuff wrong, and then you have to keep going and it's hard, which is why it's great when you never stop trying!
Pearl
..When did you get so smart?
[Steven and the Gems warp into the Galaxy Warp and find Peridot, gathering pieces of the Homeworld Warp]
Stupid broken warp. First, the Communication Hub. Now this is busted again. These Crystal Gems are a menace.
Pearl
Oh, aha! Look! I was right! My plan worked perfectly!
[waves at her] Good morning!
What?! How did you know I was here?
We found a secret way to track you, and we'll never tell you how, even if you ask nicely.
[Steven and the Gems enter a room in the ship. Peridot appears on a projected screen]
[laughs] You Gems really are as dull as dirt!
Pearl
You're the dull one if you thing you can fly this wreck!
[pauses] What? Can you speak louder? Some of these communicators are gunked up.
[cleans off a microphone, speaks into it] Pearl says you're the dull one if you think you can fly this wreck!
[waits for Steven's response to come through] [laughs] Fly? I'm not using this vessel to fly. I'm using it to TRAP YOU! [a door closes, trapping Steven and the Gems in the room] Isn't this nice? No more Crystal Gems running around, messing with my plans, destroying my things. Looks like I've got you just where I want you. How does it feel to be so easily outsmarted, you CLODS?!
Pearl
No...
[speaks into the microphone] Hey, uh, this is Amethyst. I don't appreciate being called a clod, you clo-
Enough talk! Prepare yourselves for annihilation! [dramatically hits a button] Hiyah! [nothing happens, hits it again] Hiyah!
[the room's laser cannons activate and take aim at Steven and the Gems]
It works! Yes! DIE, DIE, DIE, DIE, DIE, DIE, DIE, DIE, DIE, DIE, DIE, DIE, DIIIIE!
Pearl
[through screen] Garnet… I'm sorry!
Pearl
Things weren't supposed to turn out this way... [inside, Garnet punches the wall again]
We'll get outta here somehow.
Pearl
[sighs] That's not what I mean! I really wanted to catch Peridot to make up for what I did... [Garnet withdraws her gauntlets] I wanted to prove to you that... that everything could go back to normal...
Catching Peridot won't make things go back to normal. [through screen] This isn't about Peridot.
Hey... they're actually talking!
Now they can finally work things out!
[soon, the gears start to activate and turn and start closing into the trapped two]
[both Garnet and Pearl push their unflinching sides]
Pearl
Please! Tell me! How can I make you forgive me?!
You can't! You lied to me! You need to learn that there are consequences to your actions!
Pearl
I'm sorry! I... I couldn't help myself!
[kicks opposite side of wall next to Pearl] I don't want to hear your excuses!
Pearl
But it's true! No matter how hard I try to be strong like you, I'm just a Pearl. I'm useless on my own. [cries] I need someone to tell me what to do.
[the walls suddenly stop moving; Both Amethyst and Steven pull her whip on its gears in its place. Garnet and Pearl pause for a beat]
Pearl
When we fuse, I can feel what it's like to be you. Confident and secure, and complete. You're perfect. You're the perfect relationship. You're always together, I just... I wanted to be a part of that.
You're wrong! I'm not as strong as you think. I fell apart over this. Ruby and Sapphire were in turmoil over how you deceived me. [through screen] I came undone.
Whoa, that really happened?
It's not easy being in control. I have weaknesses too, but I choose not to let them consume me. I struggle to stay strong because I know the impact I have on everyone. Please understand, Pearl. [through screen] You have an impact too. [inside] There are times when I look up to you for strength. You are your own gem. You control your destiny. Not me, not Rose, not Steven. But you must choose to be strong, so we can move forward. So I can trust you again.
Pearl
I understand. I can't give up anymore!
Wait. Y-You need me! I'm the only one who knows about the…
[Garnet grabs Peridot by the waist and squeezes her, poofing her to her gemstone as her limb enhancers fall to the ground]
Pearl
[shocked] What on earth?!
Ugh, sick. There's bits of her all over.
Nope. She's right here. [bubbles Peridot's gemstone and sends it off to the temple] And now she's in the temple.
Pearl
So… these weren't actually part of her body?
[in bathroom] Hmm... Seems I've discovered some sort of archaic... think chamber. Roomy, with a fresh hint of Earth citrus. [lifts toilet seat] A perfect crossroads for my escape.
[fiddling the bathroom doorknob] It's locked.
Peridot, open the door! [flushing sounds are heard]
Uh, if you're trying to flush yourself down the toilet, it won't work. [cut to Peridot spinning inside the toilet bowl] Trust me, I've tried.
Pearl
How did she get out?! We bubbled her!
Maybe we needed a bigger bubble.
[sweating nervously] I did it.
Pearl
[shocked] Steven, why would you do such a thing?!
Because she knows something. Something that's made her scared.
Duh, Homeworld girl knows we're gonna beat her into a green pancake.
No, not 'cause of us. 'Cause of something called "the Cluster."
Pearl
What else did she tell you?
That's right, you dirt bombs! You don't even know what's coming! [notices her reflection in the mirror] Ooh…
I'm tired of playing these games. If we can't fight her, fine. We'll talk. Peridot!
[slips off the sink] Whoa!
All right, no more fighting. Let's just have a civil conversation.
As if I'd negotiate with you, filthy war machine!
[summons her gauntlets] Okay, let's kick her butt.
Yeah! Destroy me again! [hangs on bath curtain pole with a plunger] And have fun trying to talk to me when I'm in a bubble! [almost slips off]
Pearl
I really hate to say it, but unfortunately if she has information, she's more valuable to us like… this.
This is going to be tricky. [hear knobs turning, water splashing]
You have to turn the knob the other way for cold! [later in the kitchen with the Gems] Wait, so we're just gonna let her live in my bathroom?
Pearl
Well, yes. What other option do we have? Keep her outside on a leash?
[knocking on the bathroom door] Open the door, Peridot! If this "Cluster" is putting us in danger, you need to tell us what it is so we can (find it and) stop it!
No! I hate you! I'm not telling you anything about the Cluster!
Oh, come on. Is it like a big, hunk of granola?
Pearl
I'm sure it's not granola. Now, Peridot, I'm sure we can reach some sort of agreement. Perhaps a trade is in order?
Oh, sure. Why don't you just give me back my leg enhancements and my arm attachments with my screen and my log and all my information? Oh, wait, YOU DESTROYED THEM! So, no, I don't think we can reach some sort of agreement!
[The Crystal Gems groan in annoyance]
[flushing the toilet] Okay, Peridot, you can turn around now. [exits the bathroom; clears throat] Sorry for interrupting your interrogation.
Don't worry about it, Steven.
Pearl
I swear, Peridot is gonna crack any second now.
I'll never crack for the likes of you, you… Crystal Clods! [laughs]
Pearl
[angrily] Ooh, I got your clods right here, you little…!
[puts her hand on her shoulder] Hold on, Pearl. If she's not gonna be of any help, let's investigate this thing on our own.
Sorry, Steven. We're gonna need you to stay here and keep an eye on our…guest.
Yeah. Make sure she doesn't try anything.
Pearl
Don't worry. She's harmless without her limb enhancers.
Pearl
Oh, hush up!
[speaking with the Cluster puppet] It's the Cluster.
It does not look like that. But it is real, and it can activate at any moment!
That abomination must be stopped.
Pearl
But how? We'll need to build some sort of machine to take us to the center of the Earth, it'll have to-
[swats at Pearl, interrupting her] Hey! I wasn't finished speaking! What we need is to build some sort of machine to take us to the center of the Earth.
Pearl
All right. What we have here in the barn should be adequate enough for us to get started. First, I recommend we organize the component types, and assemble a rough blueprint based off what we have available. Sorry, Steven. It's a lovely drawing, but it won't look like this. [Steven stops spinning on the swivel chair, now frowning]
[examines piece of chalk] Hmm... Good. Yes, this is adequate. Thank you. You can go now.
Pearl
..Uh, what?
Hm? [beat] Umm, that will be all? [claps to her for a beat, whispers to Steven] How do you get her to leave?
Pearl
Excuse me, I am not leaving.
Yeah! She's gotta stay here to help us build the drill thing, right?
[laughs] No, no, you're confused. A Pearl can't build a thing like this.
Because Pearls aren't for this! They're... for standing around, an-and looking nice, and uh... holding your stuff for you. Right?
Pearl
That's enough! If we're going to work together, you're going to have to listen to me.
Listen to you? [starts laughing, turns to Steven] Did you teach her to talk like this?
What are you talking about?
She's a Pearl. She's a made-to-order servant just like the hundreds of other Pearls being flaunted around back on Homeworld.
Wait... There's hundreds of Pearls?!
Pearl
[nervous] Well... yes, but—
[holding Pearl's sash] And she looks like a fancy one, too. [Pearl gasps]
So, who do you belong to anyway?
Pearl
[grabs her sash away from her] Nobody!!
Then... what are you for? [Pearl recoils back] Well, you can belong to me for now. Ha! A Peridot with a Pearl? What would they say back home?
Pearl
Now listen here, you tiny twerp! In case you've forgotten, you're on our turf now! And I didn't fight a thousand-year war for this planet's independence to take orders from the likes of you!!
Excuse me? I am a natural technician and a certified Kindergartener. I was made for this! You were made to take orders, not to give them!
Whoa, whoa, hang on, guys! Now, we can all agree that you are both good at building things, so... can't you just try listening to each other?
Pearl
I'm as good at building things as you! Better, even!
Ha! Name one thing you could engineer better. Go on!
You should build robots. Giant robots! I see a race. A giant robo-race... with prizes. Giant robo-prizes!
Pearl
You mean like a competition?
Yeah! To see who's better at building stuff!
What are these robots you speak of?
They're like those funky marble guys you were sending—only bigger, and you can ride them! [makes robot noises]
Hah! Building one of these robots will be easy!
Pearl
Well, I can build one faster!
[talking into a tape recorder] Log date 7-1-1-2. It's the third rotation of the Earth since commencements of a... collaborative approach to stopping the Cluster.
Pearl
I've finished drawing up the blueprints for the drill head. Peridot, if you could come take a look at this?
Remind me again why I should listen to you? Oh, right. [plays recorder; thru recorder] The Pearl here has developed an aptitude for engineering that I begrudgingly respect. But that doesn't explain the spontaneous singing... crying... singing while crying.
Pearl
[to Steven; annoyed] Why did you give her that?
Well, we did destroy all her stuff. I thought it might help make her feel a little better.
[thru recorder] Clod! [fast-forwards] Mighty clod! [fast-forwards] Running out of ways to say clod.
All right. I chased away those cows. Now let's get to work.
[to Garnet; clears throat] Before we begin, would you mind unfusing? It's making me incredibly uncomfortable.
[beat as Steven, Amethyst and Pearl nervously look to Garnet. The scene then cuts to Garnet leashing Peridot to a fence.]
[as Garnet walks away] What?! What'd I say?!
Did we really have to do that?
Her having free reign of the place made me incredibly uncomfortable.
Steven Universe · 493 quotes
