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We're here!
Wow! The great north is so beautiful in person.
Wait, wait, stay right there!
All right, smile!
Okay, now one where it looks like
you're looking for a monster!
Okay, now one like you made a joke!
Okay, now, do one where the joke's not that funny,
but it's more like a joke that makes you think.
Okay, I think that's enough photography.
But it's Connie's first mission!
Her parents asked me to take lots of pictures.
Uh...
Thank you so much for letting me
come on this mission, Pearl.
It's such an honor to work alongside you.
Well, Connie, your sword-fighting skills
have far exceeded my expectations.
And, with my careful supervision, of course,
I'm confident that you can handle
a simple gem-recovery mission like this.
Thank you so much!
I promise I won't let you down, ma'am!
Connie's first mission!
Recap the mission for us, Connie.
Garnet sensed some corrupted gem activity in these woods.
It is our job to locate it,
destabilize its form and bubble it.
Very good.
Now, your human bodies aren't designed
to last in this cold,
so we'll have to be extra careful.
That's okay. I've got this backpack filled
with everything we need to survive in the wilderness.
And I brought board games in case we get bored.
Ah, yes. Very good.
So, how will we know if this corrupted gem is nearby?
That's how! Here it comes!
Remember, you work together!
- Ready, Connie? - Ready, Steven!
Two of them?
Steven, bubble!
Bubble power!
They... ran away?
There weren't supposed to be two.
Oh, oh ... I have an idea!
We could split up!
You can go after one of them, Pearl,
and Steven and I will go after the other one.
Connie, you are my pupil,
so I know your combat skills are excellent.
But I'm afraid this is too risky.
You've never been in a real fight before.
Well, that's not true.
Connie defeated those gem experiments at the hospital.
But...
And look!
I brought these walkie-talkies
so we can talk to each other in case something happens!
But...
And I've read this book front to back, at least 20 times!
Well, all right.
But as soon as you find the monster, contact me immediately.
I don't want you fighting this thing alone.
One more time, what are you looking for?
A monster.
What do you do when you find it?
Call you.
And who's your favorite gem?
Pearl!
Why, thank you!
Now, be safe!
Yes, ma'am!
All we have to do is follow these tracks.
Yeah. These are fresh.
We trail it until it stops to rest.
Wow, Connie, you're a wilderness expert.
Well, I like to be prepared.
When civilization collapses and this world ends,
I need to be ready to build the new one.
Yeah, I guess if homeworld invades Earth,
things could get pretty crazy for humanity.
Forget gems.
Humans are already starting their own demise!
Peak oil, Steven!
How do we handle terminal decline
without alternate energy sources?
How are you two doing?
Are you hungry?
Remember, you humans need to eat!
Yes, ma'am!
Luckily, I packed plenty of survival fuel.
Time to get our protein on!
Good thing this snow is here ...
it makes following tracks a lot easier.
I'll say!
So, these corrupted gems are like wild animals.
Just a bundle of fight or flight reflexes
and survival instincts.
Well, they're like that now, but before they were different.
They used to be normal gems like Pearl, Amethyst, and Garnet.
They had thoughts and feelings, friends...
I don't really know how the corruption works.
It's like they're sick.
They don't remember who they used to be.
Maybe they don't even know
how to look like themselves anymore.
- Whoa. You okay? - Yeah, I'm good.
Oh, I know what'll cheer me up! Whoo-hoo!
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! Oof!
Steven, Connie?
I'm not having any luck finding this monster.
We might have to return to the temple and regroup.
No, no! We can handle it!
We're making great progress.
We can definitely take care of this ourselves!
Oh, well, you sound very confident.
Carry on then, and remember, Connie...
Stance wide, body lowered. I've got it, ma'am.
- Need some help there? - Yes, please.
Whoa. Look at the tracks.
Whoa.
Now, this is a mess.
Some of these prints look humanoid.
Could Pearl have been here?
But Pearl went the other direction.
Monster... humanoid... monster.
What could this mean?
We should probably take shelter from this blizzard.
But first, let's grab some of these pine needles.
We can brew a vitamin-C-rich tea with them
so we don't get scurvy.
Like a pirate.
The tea's ready!
Here, try it!
Thanks!
- How is it? - It's... Hmm.
- It's bad. - Well, yeah.
It's not about tasting good, Steven,
it's about surviving the punishment of nature.
So, why were there humanoid tracks out there?
They weren't ours, and they weren't Pearl's.
It couldn't have been the monster.
Unless it's just some guy in a monster suit.
But that kind of thing only happens in cartoons,
usually over a property dispute.
Maybe it is a guy in a monster costume.
- You think so? - I don't mean literally, silly.
What I mean is there might be a conscious gem
- still inside there somewhere. - Is that possible?
What if the monster is turning back and forth
into its original form.
If it is, it might not be as corrupted as we think.
There might still be a chance to save it.
How?
I can't heal gems that are corrupted ...
at least not all the way.
But if it's half-corrupted...
This way!
- Ah! - Ow.
Shh!
It seems scared. Is it running from us?
What if it's running... from itself?
Shh! Keep your voice down!
Hello, you two!
How's it going?
This weather has really taken a turn for the worse,
and I would hate to be responsible
for putting you two in danger.
Make sure you bundle up with...
Steven! Turn it off! I'm trying!
Oh! And, remember, if you find the monster,
don't make any loud, startling noises.
- Hello? Anyone there? - Stupid, slipper mittens.
I'm just going to keep talking until somebody answers.
Steven!
Wait. Let me try talking to it.
Hey. How's it going?
Um, can you hear me?
Are you in there somewhere?
You can control this.
Remember who you used to be.
Steven, I don't think it's working.
Steven!
Hey! Over here!
Connie, what are you doing?
I...
I don't know.
I... wasn't prepared for this.
Steven, Connie?
Is this because of the "favorite gem" thing?
Heh, that was just a joke!
- Don't tell Garnet. - Connie!
Pearl, we found the monster!
- What? - We need your help!
I'll be right there, Connie!
Who's that?
B-B-B-B-B-B-Bubble!
- Jasper. - Those footprints.
The monsters were running from her.
Connie, where's the ... Jasper!
Hey, Rose, look what I got.
- Are you two okay? - Yeah, we're fine.
Oh, thank goodness. What a disaster.
I never would have let you come on this mission
if I knew Jasper would be here.
- I'm sorry. - What?
I thought I'd be ready to fight, but I wasn't.
- I failed. - You weren't supposed to fight.
You were supposed to call me, and you did.
- This was a total success. - Connie's first mission!
Connie's first mission!
- Group picture. - Steven!
Oh. Another picture?
- Tell me when you... - Eh, got it.
Oh, no. Are your parents going to see this?
My parents see all of my photos, ma'am.
Hmm.
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