CHAPTER 3: Clarity

(Pearl heads northward in the room, Steven follows)
(An exclamation point appears over his head)
(Cue battle screen)

NARRATOR: A Crabling rushes you!
ACT> <3CHECK   SNAP
     PROBE

NARRATOR: CRABLING ATK 4 DEF 5
Wants to go up where it’s brighter, up where it’s lighter.
CRABLING: (This is my hole! MINE!  You can’t have it!)
(She attacks with her claws) (Steven uses his bubble to defend himself)
NARRATOR: Wow! Your soul is PINK. Humans with PINK souls can use a bubble for a short period of time, to defend themselves.
But you’re not an ordinary human! You’re half Gem! How about you try to look at the Gem Menu?
GEM> Flower, <3 Bubble Block.
Bubble Block will allow you to surround yourself with your bubble permanently.
However…
The damage you would have taken to your health is instead drained from your PP, or power points. If your PP hits zero, you can’t use any of your powers.
(Steven is hit twice by the Crabling, reducing his PP to 16)
How do I know this? The subconscious can be aware of engimas to the conscious mind.

CRABLING: (Stupid bubbles! I can make better bubbles!)
(The Crabling attacks him with tiny bubbles)
(The Crabling hits him)
ACT>PROBE
STEVEN: Cindy! What’s got you so mad?
CRABLING: (… Steven? I’m so angry… She makes me so…)
PEARL: Oh no you don’t!  You leave Steven alone!
(She blasts the Crabling away)
(The encounter ends)(Steven remains in his bubble until it dissipates)
PEARL: I can’t believe it Steven!
You finally have used Rose’s bubble power!
STEVEN: Oh yeah! This is so exciting! I thought all I could do was that flower trick.
PEARL: I bet in time you’ll gain all of Rose’s powers!  Just be patient.
STEVEN: I was patient. I was even talking out my problems with Cindy.
PEARL: Steven. Why do you keep trying to name them? They always forget their names by the end of the day.
STEVEN: Because I want to tell my friends apart!
PEARL: Steven… I know you enjoy spending time with these monsters.  But they’re simply not capable of truly understanding you, or even themselves.
STEVEN: Didn’t they used to be like us?
PEARL: Yes they were… And I wish they were still that way…
But they can barely remember anything. All they are is instinct.
STEVEN: That’s not true! They have feelings too!
PEARL: I’m sure they do.
STEVEN: So what’s the puzzle in this room?  It looks like it’s just the normal library.
PEARL: Ah! But looks can be deceiving Steven.
The books in the library contains millennia of Gem history, culture, and accomplishments.
Plenty of material for a simple puzzle.
This puzzle test your research abilities! The books each contain a hint to finding the switch.
STEVEN: So I gotta read these books?  That’s a whole lot of stuff to read for one puzzle.
PEARL: Oh Steven. I’m not unfair. There’s something that marks the important books as special. It will highlight the important information out for you!
STEVEN: Uh-huh. So… Read the books and solve the puzzle?
PEARL: You got it!
STEVEN: (checks the bookshelf without a ladder)
NARRATOR: There are rows and rows of books written in Gem runes. Oh! How about the one with the paper sticking out? “The Qualities of Gems”.

BOOK: “Gems are divided by type, but within that type there are several factors that determines a Gem’s abilities.  Color, cut, clarity, and…”
NARRATOR: You notice a bookmark on this page. It depicts a large blue 5 against a pink backdrop.

(Steven checks the shelf to the left, climbing the ladder)
NARRATOR: You easily spot another bookmarked book. “The Great Diamond Authority”
BOOK: Among the four Diamonds, White Diamond had a well-earned reputation as a cold and distant leader.
NARRATOR: The bookmark in this book is labeled with a 1.
(Steven checks the shelf behind the previous bookcase, climbing the step ladder)

NARRATOR: On the very top shelf is another bookmarked book. “Fusion”
BOOK: “Gems do not reproduce as organic life forms do. Fusion with other gems is required for true genetic variance.”
NARRATOR: That’s a kind of common word. But the bookmark says, “4” on it.
(Steven moves leftward for the next shelf)
NARRATOR: The marked book is in the top left corner. “Colonization”.
BOOK: “Gemkind has spread its empire across thousands of stars. The planet Earth was to be no different”.
NARRATOR:… Oh right! The bookmark says 2.
(Steven finally reaches the top right shelf.)
NARRATOR: The book resting at an angle has a bookmark in it. Its labelled “The Diamond’s Attack”

BOOK: “The horrible light shines from outside the barrier. All who hear the forsaken combination of light and sound become broken and twisted.”
STEVEN: That sounds… Awful.
NARRATOR: 3.

STEVEN: So I found the hints. Now how do I use this knowledge? Think, Steven. Think.

(Walks past a pillar then gets hit with an epiphany)
STEVEN: Oh yeah! The pillars in this room have runes too!)

(Steven looks at the bottom left pillar)
STEVEN: I got it! “Distant stars shine with clarity.”
(There’s a clicking sound)
PEARL: Congratulations Steven! And you did it without any help!”
PEARL: Now let’s leave this library for now. Though I won’t be opposed to you spending more time here…
(Pearl and Steven move to the right side of the room)

STEVEN: Come on! It clicked and everything!
PEARL: This is what I get for buying puzzle components used… Don’t worry Steven.  I’m absolutely sure you got the right answer.
But these spikes clearly aren’t co-operating with us right now…

STEVEN: What are we gonna do Pearl!? I can’t stay here forever! Or at least… I don’t want to!

PEARL: No need to panic Steven. I might have to damage this areas original tilework… But I can get us out of here… Eventually…

STEVEN: But you love all the old stuff in this place.
PEARL: I know… But it’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make. (She half pulls out a sledgehammer from her Gem)
STEVEN: Wait Pearl! I’ve got a better idea!
PEARL: Oh?
STEVEN: Stand by me!
(Pearl stands next to Steven.  He closes his eyes, his gem glows, and then both him and Pearl are surrounded by the bubble.)
PEARL: Oh! Of course! We can simply roll over the spikes! A very practical use of your new ability, Steven.
STEVEN: Thanks Pearl! We’re on a roll!
(They walk past the spikes and into the next room)
STEVEN: Pearl!? What happened to the bridge!?
PEARL: Don’t worry Steven. It was always a drawbridge for tactical reasons. I just withdrew it for now.
STEVEN: But how do I get across?
PEARL: Oh, trust me. There’s a way Steven.
STEVEN: It’s the switch over there, isn’t it?
PEARL:  Go ahead! Flip it!
STEVEN: (flips the switch and the room turns dark)
STEVEN: Whoa! It’s so pretty!  And so… Twisty.
PEARL: You can handle this, right? I could bring back the normal bridge if you’re….
STEVEN: No problem, Pearl!
(Works on crossing the bridge)
STEVEN: So what are all these stars, anyway?
PEARL: They’re luminous crystal deposits thousands of feet below us.
STEVEN: That’s neato burrito!
PEARL: It’s no substitute for the real stars, though.
Thousands of stars, thousands of planets, all of them beautiful in their own way.
I could see them only from a distance since the war… Now I can’t see them at all.
STEVEN: Is there a way to see them again?
PEARL: Once we reach the surface… We’ll be able to see all the stars in the universe.
STEVEN: How’re we gonna do that, anyway?
PEARL: … It’s not something for you to worry about, Steven.
(they reach the other side of the bridge)
STEVEN: I just feel like I could do something. I have this feeling that I can.
PEARL: Even if you can, you don’t have to, Steven.
STEVEN: But I really do want to! For you… And all other Gems here Underground.
PEARL: You’re too good, Steven.  Let’s move on, OK?