Sworn to the Sword/Transcript

[Open Ext. hand of the Crystal Temple]

(Steven tunes his ukulele and Connie tunes her violin. The two then proceed to sing Jam Buddies.)

Steven: *playing ukulele* The sun is bright, our shirts are clean, We're sitting up above the sea. Come on and share this jam with me!

Connie: *playing violin* Peach or plum or strawberry, Any kind is fine you see. Come on and share this jam with me. I'll do my best to give... This jam the sweetness it deserves.

Steven: *playing ukulele* And I'll keep it fresh, I'm jamming on these tasty preserves!

Both: Ingredients in harmony, We mix together perfectly, Come on and share this jam with me!

(Jam Buddies end)

Steven: Woo-hoo! Jam buds!

Connie: Nice jam session!

Steven: Don't forget the best part!

(Steven spreads strawberry jam on a biscuit and prepares to eat it, but is interrupted by approaching seagulls. Connie uses her violin bow to fight them off.)

Connie: Yah! Hah! Hi-yah!

(The seagulls fly away.)

Connie: Run back to your masters! Tell them we're not afraid of your kind!

Steven: *giggles* Thanks for saving my jam snack. Unfortunately, it's not safe from me. *Steven eats the jam snack* You're such a good swordfighter, Connie.

Connie: Really? 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 sword!

Steven: Oh! *swallows the jam snack* Steven has an idea!

[Trans. Int. the Beach House]

Pearl: You want me to do what!?

Steven: You should teach Connie to swordfight, she's already so good!

Connie: *blushes* Steven!

Steven: But you are! You helped me fight the robot floaty-thing, *Steven turns to Pearl* she took down that evil clone of herself, uh...those mean seagulls just now...

Pearl: You're awfully young to begin something like this. But, I suppose I was only a few thousand years old when I began fighting alongside Rose Quartz. *Connie raises her hand* Yes, Connie?

Connie: Please, I wanna learn! I mean, I don't know what'll happen in the future, but if something dangerous comes along, I don't wanna be a burden, I wanna help! I wanna be there for Steven, to fight by his side! The Earth is my home too, can't I help protect it?

Pearl: *With tears in her eyes* O... Okay...! *wipes away her tears* If that's how you feel...we should get started!

(Pearl starts walking towards the Warp Pad.)

Steven: Woo-hoo!

(Steven follows Pearl to the Warp Pad.)

Connie: Wait, now?

[Trans. Ext. Ancient Sky Arena]

(Pearl, Steven, and Connie arrive on the Warp Pad just outside the main arena. Pearl is carrying a sword that Connie will use for her training. Connie, initially floating above the Warp Pad, falls on top of it, face-down and giggling.)

Steven: You okay? *Steven helps Connie up, who is still giggling* It can take some getting used to.

Connie: *her giggling subsides slightly* Woo!

(Connie almost falls over again, and she begins laughing again. Steven grabs her, keeping her from falling over.)

Pearl: Hey, you two, this way!

Connie: *turns to Steven* Race you!

(Steven and Connie run up the steps towards the main arena, laughing along the way. Pearl walks in front of them, until they all arrive at the entrance to the main arena.)

Connie: Woah!

Pearl: This is an Ancient Sky Arena, Connie, where some of the first battles for Earth took place. It was here that I became familiar with the human concept of being a knight, completely dedicated to a person and a cause. *Pearl turns towards Connie, presenting her with a sword* This is what you must become, Connie; brave, selfless, loyal...a knight! We begin with a bow, first to me, your teacher.

(Pearl bows to Connie. Connie gives a slight bow back.)

Pearl: And now again, to your liege.

Connie: Okay! *Connie turns to Steven, and kneels to him* My liege.

Steven: Miss Knight.

(Steven and Connie begin giggling under their breath.)

Pearl: I hope you two are taking this seriously.

Connie: Yes, Ma'am!

Steven: Mmhm, mmhm.

(Pearl's gem begins to glow, summoning Holo-Pearl.)

Connie: Cool, hologram Pearl!

Steven: *grimaces slightly*

Pearl: To begin, this Holo-Pearl will be your opponent.

(A sword forms in Holo-Pearl's hands.)

Holo-Pearl: Level 0, beginner, set. Do you wish to engage in combat?

Connie: Yes!

(Steven's gem glows, and Steven's bubble shield suddenly forms around Steven and Connie.)

Connie: Steven?

Steven: Hm? Oh! I-I'm sorry! Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry. *Steven deactivates the bubble, laughing nervously* Reflex. Uh, you just be careful, and I will go over here.

(Steven walks off towards the stands nervously. Pearl walks up to Connie and places her right hand on Connie's sword arm, guiding its movement, and her left hand on Connie's shoulder.)

Pearl: Alright, everything begins with your stance.

(Holo-Pearl walks up to the two and crosses swords. Pearl and Connie begin singing Do It For Her. So, as Connie progressively learns how to sword-fight, her ability increasing remarkably throughout the song. This montage spans several days of training, as evidenced by Connie's changing outfits. Steven is shown various times, notably worried for Connie's safety. Pearl is also shown using her gem to show Steven and Connie an instance where Pearl defended Rose Quartz from an unknown enemy. Connie's hands are noticeably worn through the training, leading her right cheek and hand to be bandaged. By the end of the song, Connie is shown to be able to defeat Holo-Pearl in advanced mode (evidenced by Holo-Pearl's red eyes) on her own.)

Pearl: Remember: *singing* You'd do it for him. And you would do it again. You'd do it for her, that is to say you'll do it for him. Keep your stance wide, Keep your body lowered, As you're moving forward, Balance is the key, Right foot, left foot, Now go even faster. And as you're you moving backwards, Keep your eyes on me.

Connie: Keep my stance wide.

Pearl: Good.

Connie: Keep my body lowered.

Pearl: Right.

Connie: As I'm moving forward...

Pearl: Concentrate, Don't you want him to live!

Connie: Right foot, left foot.

Pearl: Yes, but put your whole body into it, everything you have, everything you are you've got to give, on the battlefield! When everything is chaos. And you have nothing but the way you feel, your strategy and a sword. You just think about the life you'll have, together after the war. And you do it for her, that's how you know you can win. You'd do it for her that is to say you'll do it for him. Deep down, you know you weren't built for fighting. But that doesn't mean you're not prepared to try. What they don't know is your real advantage. When you live for someone you're prepared to die.

Connie: Deep down, I know That I'm just a human

Pearl: True.

Both (Connie and Pearl both sing in different parts)

Pearl: But you know that... You can draw your sword and fight

Connie: But I know that.. I can draw my sword and fight, With my short existence

Pearl: Good.

Connie: I can make a difference

Pearl: Yes, excellent!

Connie: I can be there for him, I can be his knight, I can do it for him

Both: (Connie and Pearl sings the same line:) You'd do it for her

Pearl: Okay, now do that again

Connie: Yes, ma'am

Pearl: You do it for her, And now you say

Connie: I'll do it for him. (both bow down to Steven) (Steven makes an uncomfortable face)

[Trans. Int. the Beach House]

(Steven is shown reading How to Talk to People. His expression is noticeably apprehensive. Connie opens the door to the Beach House and enters.)

Steven: Connie!

Connie: Hey, Steven. *Connie walks past Steven, approaching the Warp Pad*

Steven: Connie, wait!

Connie: Huh?

(The door to Pearl's Room opens, and Pearl walks out.)

Pearl: Ah, right on time.

Steven: Can we talk for a moment?

Connie: Sure, what's up?

Pearl: We have important training to do, Connie.

Connie: Yes, ma'am.

Pearl: She's been making great strides, Steven. She's going to be an asset to you.

Connie: Humph (makes determined expression)

(Connie and Pearl warp away.)

Steven: *sighs*

(The door to Amethyst's Room opens, and Amethyst and Garnet walk out. Amethyst is laughing hysterically.)

Amethyst: Wow, Garnet, that was the funniest thing I ever heard!

Garnet: Garnet, master of comedy.

(Amethyst and Garnet walk onto the Warp Pad, but they stop when they notice Steven looking troubled.)

Amethyst: Yo, Steven. Why are you standing there all sad like that!?

Steven: W-Well, Connie is taking sword fighting lessons from Pearl, but I think it's getting a little too serious. She wants Connie to do all this dangerous stuff for me.

(Amethyst and Garnet look at each other, concerned.)

Garnet: That makes sense.

Steven: What do you mean?

(Garnet sits down near Steven. As Garnet talks, Pearl is shown getting defeated by the same enemy from Pearl's past, shown in the training montage, repeatedly. Rose Quartz is shown, noticeably saddened by Pearl's lack of regard for herself.)

Garnet: Back during the war, Pearl took pride in risking her destruction for your mother. She put Rose Quartz over everything; over logic, over consequence, over her own life.

(The repetition of Pearl defending Rose Quartz and subsequently retreating to her gem is changed; with Steven replacing Rose Quartz and Connie replacing Pearl. The sequence suddenly stops when Connie jumps to fight against the enemy, cutting to Steven's shocked and worried face.)

Amethyst: You okay, dude?

Steven: I...have...to DO SOMETHING!

(Steven pushes past Garnet and Amethyst and onto the Warp Pad.)

Steven (quickly): Thanks for telling me that, BYE! *warps away*

[Trans. Ext. Ancient Sky Arena]

(Steven appears at the entrance to the arena. Pearl and Connie are at the center of the arena.)

Pearl: Remember, Connie. In the heat of battle, Steven is what matters. You don't matter.

Connie: I don't matter.

Steven: *gasps, running towards them*

Pearl: Now... let us begin! *gem glows*

(Masses of clouds begin to conceal the arena)

Steven: Connie!

(Connie is heard screaming in the background, with the clashing of swords)

Steven: Connie, where are you? *searches frantically* Connie!

(Holo-Pearl approaches Steven)

Steven: *backs away* You wouldn't have happened to see Connie would you?

Holo-Pearl: *raises sword, eyes redden* Unregistered combatant detected!

(Holo-Pearl is suddenly impaled.)

Steven: *gasps*

(Connie is shown to have impaled Holo-Pearl, quickly dissipating as its saber falls to the ground)

Steven: Connie!

Connie: Steven? What are you doing out here?

Steven: *runs towards her* Connie, I don't want you to do this anymore! Not alone!

Connie: *shakes head, grinning* No, Steven. I understand now! Your legacy, your destiny, you are everything! And I...I am nothing. But I can do this for you! I can give you my service!

Steven: *shakes head* No! I don't want you to!

Connie: Steven...I'm doing this for you!

(Another Holo-Pearl attacks, with Connie countering and impaling it.)

Connie: I need to be able to protect you!

Steven: But if you're the one protecting me...then who's the one protecting you?! *summons shield, countering another Holo-Pearl's attack*

Steven: Someday soon, we may be fighting some really bad guys, and when that day comes, I want to fight with you, together! So please...

(4 Holo-Pearls appear on all sides, advancing on the two.)

Steven: ...won't you share this jam with me?

(Connie grabs Steven's hand. All 4 Holo-Pearls leap up and land on Steven's shield.)

Connie: This is much easier!

Steven: That's the idea!

(Steven forms a bubble and pushes the Holo-Pearls off of his shield, causing all 4 Holo-Pearls to shatter.)

Steven: No matter what comes, we do this together!

Pearl: STEVEN!

(The clouds dissipate, revealing Pearl. The bubble surrounding Steven and Connie suddenly pops.)

Pearl: Steven, don't interfere. She needs to take me on herself.

Steven: Why?! We're a team. She's the strawberry...

Connie: And he's the biscuit!

Steven: And that makes us...JAM!

Connie: BUDS!

Pearl: Wha?

(Steven and Connie charge towards Pearl. Connie engages in a small bout with Pearl. When Pearl finds the opportunity to attack, Connie turns to reveal Steven, with his shield, blocking her sword's trajectory. Connie slides under Pearl's legs and bounds towards her. Steven does so as well.)

Pearl: ENOUGH!

(Pearl knocks the sword and the shield out of Steven and Connie's hands.)

Pearl: *heavily breathing* NO! In a real battle, Steven won't be there to save you.

Steven: Yes, I will!

Pearl: Steven, you don't know that!

Steven: Yes, I do! If Connie is going to fight, we're going to fight together!

Connie: That's right!

Pearl: You shouldn't be anywhere near the fight! You're too important!

Steven: I'm not!

Pearl: Yes, you are!

Steven: NO!

Pearl: WHY WON'T YOU JUST LET ME DO THIS FOR YOU, ROSE!?

Pearl: *breathes out* I...I mean...let her...do this. Why won't you let Connie do this...for you.

(Pearl's sword falls to the ground)

Pearl: That's...enough for today.

(Pearl walks off and sits at the edge of the arena. Steven and Connie exchange worried looks, and they both walk towards Pearl.)

Steven: Hey...Pearl? I didn't mean to mess up your training, but all that "you're nothing" talk was really freaking me out.

Connie: Did Rose make you feel like you were nothing?

Pearl: *lets out a slight laugh* Rose made me feel...like I was everything. *Pearl shakes her tears away* I see now, how deeply you care about each other. *sniffs* That will make you both great knights!

(Pearls puts her arms around Steven and Connie's shoulders. Connie starts to giggle.)

Pearl: Connie is practically an expert, so Steven, you have a lot of catching up to do. Oh, I'm so excited! I can't wait for the midair and underwater dueling exercises, it's going to be boodles of fun!

[Star-shaped iris closes on Connie's sword, ending the episode.]