Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Giant heels clicked against the floor. Yellow Pearl tried to keep together with Yellow Diamond, almost running to not be left behind as the Diamond walked fast. She didn’t know what happened but was sure something was wrong, otherwise Yellow would never go anywhere so fast.

As they got nearer the room, the louder the crying sound became. The corridor ended in a huge pink room, the other Diamond and her pearl standing there. There should be four of them. Blue had her face covered by her hands, huge tears running from between her fingers, shaking and crying, while a third pearl stood beside Blue Pearl, a tiny bundle between her arms. Yellow wanted to smile at the sight of the other two pearls.

As Yellow Diamond stopped in front of Blue, Yellow Pearl took the chance to run to the others.

“What happened ? I’ve never seen her doing anything in such a hurry.” Her arms were wrapped around Blue, locking the two of them in a hug while Pink passed an arm around her neck. When she pulled away from them, the first thing she saw was the bundle in Pink’s arms. She frowned, looking at the tiny face with black hair. “Who... who is that ?”

“Pink Diamond... is-” Blue was cut off, as a louder voice spoke.

“We had it coming Blue. Pink herself knew that if she had that... baby, as she called it, she would be gone.”

“But what will we do ? We can’t take care of him ourselves.” Blue was still sniffing, her cheeks marked by a trail of tears.

“Pink’s pearl. She will take care of... what did she call him ? Steven ?” Yellow’s head turned to the three pearls, mainly the one holding the baby. “You will take care of him. Teach and train him to be in Pink’s place. You have his court for whatever help you need.”

Pearl looked with resentment at the baby, and then looked at the other pearls. If it wasn’t for him, Pink would be alive. And she wouldn’t be able to see Yellow and Blue as much now. But she couldn’t just say “no” to a Diamonds orders. Pearl looks up, gaze meeting Yellow Diamond’s. “Yes, my Diamond. I shall take care of him as a Diamond deserves.”

It was a long trip. The pink ship landed smoothly on the moon, door connected to the base for easy access. As the door opened, three gems stepped out of the ship. Well, two and a half.

Steven raised his eyebrows at the state of abandonment of the base. It was dark and the floor was dirty with dust from outside. He walked to the murals that adorned the long walls of the base. The Diamonds and their colonies. His enhancer fingers touched the only one that was wrong. So wrong in relation to reality. Pink Diamond’s mural stood in glory in the wall, her tall figure supporting a lonely colony. But Steven knew that his mother wasn’t tall, or elegant. She was defective, small. Just like him.

Steven grew up knowing that his mother was but a shadow of what a real Diamond could be. A defective gem, whose only colony was left behind in spite of a bunch of rebels. Pink Diamond fled Earth and returned to Homeworld, only to fall in love with a human from her zoo, years after. Pink gave away her life so he could be born. Steven was no gem. He knew he was only half of a Diamond, still, he looked up to his mother. He would dye his hair pink and wears his limb enhancers, his gem always exposed. Like a true Diamond.

“Peridot, check the systems. Pearl, go with her.” Steven gave the orders to the few gems who came with him. A peridot for helping, a jasper for protection, and his mother’s- now his- pearl.

“Yes, my Diamond.” The gems said in union, going upstairs.

Steven removed his hand from the wall with a sigh. He knew it wouldn’t be easy to continue with Earth, but this was his chance to prove that he could complete his mother's legacy. Succeed where she failed. But he couldn't let go of the feeling that his dream couldn't be so simple. Of course, the Authority took care of the rebels, but the feeling was still there.

“My Diamond… You might want to see this.” Peridot’s voice caught his attention, pulling him away from his daydreaming. He blinked, looking at the second-floor stairs.

“What is it…?” Steven’s eyes found Peridot’s, wide in what looked like shock. “Report.” He said, sitting calmly on the chair.

“I- uhn... I think it would be better for you to see it yourself, my Diamond.” Peridot hesitated. She signed for Pearl to put her hand in the panel, making her gem project a hologram. It showed a huge gem statue, which had six arms, a mask on its face, and hair resembling dreadlocks. Steven could only see two gems in it, both in the chest. One looked like a quartz. The second was certainly a bismuth. A warp pad was settled between two of the statue’s hands, in front of it was an amethyst talking to some human girl.

“I...see,” Steven said calmly, looking at Pearl from the corner of his eyes. His eyes found hers, a silent communication happening between the two. “We continue with the mission. Peridot, you can go back to the ship.”

“My Diamond, I hate questioning you but the rebels-”

“To the ship, please.” Steven hated talking like that. He wished he could just talk normally to the gems like he always talked to Pearl when they were alone. But he had already learned from the other Diamonds that it wasn’t a good idea.

Peridot lowered her head with a nod, muttering “yes, my Diamond” under her breath. She turned her back to Steven and Pearl, the sound of her limb enhancers meeting with the ground followed her until it disappeared as she must have entered the ship again. Steven closed his eyes and sighed, after holding his breath without even noticing. He sank in the chair, almost laying down on it thanks to its huge size. 

'There are…. gems on Earth ? How ? The Diamonds took care of them!” He opened his eyes again, throwing his hands up in exasperation. His gaze met Pearl’s again, and she furrowed her eyebrows.

“I don’t know how it is possible, Steven.” She replied. He moved over to the side, leaving some free space in the chair. Pearl sat beside him, both of them staring at the hologram projected by her gem.

His eyes shifted from the hologram to the gem on his side.“Is there any chance Bismuth is really alive ?”

“I...” Pearl blinked and the hologram disappeared. She looked back at him, fearful eyes staring back at young ones. “I wish I could say “no” right now.”

Chapter Text

Connie followed close behind Amethyst, Garnet, and Bismuth. This was her first real mission with the crystal gems, a chance to prove that she could do the job as well as a gem. She was beaming with excitement, a grin from ear to ear displayed on her face, her sword, made by Bismuth herself, rested on its sheath on her back.

It looked like just another simple mission, however.

“Peridot and Jasper, you stay on the ship,” Steven said, stepping into the platform to pilot the ship, looking over his shoulder to talk with the other gems, as his legs were surrounded by light. Steven had no idea how to sneak the leg ship into Earth, but their options were limited. They had no idea that there were gems on the planet, so they had just the main ship. The huge one. That was pink. With two legs. Steven facepalmed mentally. “No one is going to invade the moon base as they don't know about our presence, so it’s safe for everyone to go. We also get a bigger chance to win a fight in case they discover us.”

“Yes, my diamond.” Both responded with a salute, and Steven had to resist the urge to sigh. He hated it. He wanted them to treat him as equal, like Pearl did when they were alone. He tried to talk with a more playful tone to them, tried to call them by their gem names and not their cut. He even told them to call him just Steven once. Still, it didn’t work.

“Hey Bisbi, what are we even doing here ?” Amethyst asked, gazing at her surroundings. Only.. that there wasn’t anything besides sand... and sand... and more sand. A bit more sand.

“Just a little patrol.”

“Come oooon! There's nothing to patrol here!” She groaned. “Not even some ruin!”

“Like I just said, just a little patrol.”

“B you’re the worst liar I know. Just say it.”

“Yeah, uhm,” Connie spoke up, as the gems turned to her. “Amethyst is right. Kind of. There’s nothing here. Just sand.”

“Ok, I should explain it better.” Bismuth said with a sigh, looking at Garnet. “Garnet… had a vision”

“Something will fall here,” Garnet explained as she moved her visor a bit. “But it was unclear. There was no one way to know when it would happen, it may be today or tomorrow.”

Steven looked back at the hologram in front of him as Peridot and Jasper disappeared into the ship. He gave a quick look at Pearl. “Did they go ?”

“Yes.”

“Well,” Steven smiled, looking at the little throne behind him. He originally asked for it to be made for him, a throne like the other two enormous ones in the room, for him to sit while another gem was piloting the ship. Obviously, that's just what he said to convince the other diamonds, as it was actually made for Pearl, owning to the fact that he never left Homeworld without her. “may you take your seat, my pearl.”

“It would be an honor, my Diamond,” Pearl responded with a dramatic bow, that she managed to hold for a few seconds before both of them burst into laughter.

“So, do you have an idea to where we could land without attracting attention ?”

“Yes,” An hologram like Steven’s one appeared in front of Pearl as she touched the throne's arm. She zoomed into a map of Earth as she explained. “If I remember correctly, this desert here has a wrap pad.”

“So… we are checking here for… nothing ?” Amethyst asked.

“Come on Amethyst. We may find something!” Connie said, trying to sound a bit optimistic, although she felt about the same as Amethyst. There was just the wrap pad there. Kilometers and kilometers of absolutely nothing. How could they even know where the thing supposedly fell ?

The flight to Earth began ok. Steven had to pilot carefully and slowly in an attempt to sneak their way into the planet…. even if they were coming in a ridiculously huge ship with heels and a butt.

He had to admit, it was pretty boring. Although the Moon was relatively close to Earth, this would be a long trip. And slow.

Pearl sat on the throne with her head propped up on her hand, as she read the other Pearl’s messages in the hologram in front of her. Steven and her had to sneak up the gift to the other two Pearls, as a way for the three of them to be always able to communicate with each other

A grin started to form on her face as she read the last message Blue Pearl sent her. That is, until a loud noise took her concentration away from the hologram.

“What was that ?...”

Steven stopped moving his legs, search the hologram from corner to corner. But the only thing he saw was Earth, still far.

“....Maybe Jasper just threw something at the wall.” He said with a weak voice. Deep down he knew, nothing Jasper threw without destroying part of the spaceship would make such sound.

And his thoughts were confirmed when the entire spaceship shook, almost sending him to the ground.

“Pearl!”

An idea clicked on Connie’s mind.

“I can stay here!”

“What ?”

“I can stay until the thing falls.” She explained. “I just need some snacks and water... and binoculars!”

“Are you sure, Connie ?” Garnet put a hand on her shoulder, and silence followed. Although that was a good opportunity to prove herself, it was still risky. A bit too risky. But it could be just some space rock, no problem.

“Yes. I will do it!”

“A meteor hit us!” Pearl held tight to the throne as all the lights in the ship went off, followed by the control panel. “No, no no no!”

Everything went silent and still. Before they heard an explosion, as one of the ship’s feet was detached.

“We need to get to the escape pod!” Steven grabbed Pearl's hand, pulling her along as he ran. The walls began to burst open with the protection system failure, pink metal bending inwards and outwards the ship.

Steven was feeling dizzy, his vision was unstable. His breathing was faster but he was still breathless. And as soon as his head began aching, his knees became limp and he fell to the ground.

“Steven!” He felt a cold hand grabbing his arm, and could feel another grabbing his clothes. Pearl pulled him to her arms, fighting to keep going where they needed.

And that was the moment one entire leg of the ship fell. The one with the escape pod.

The pressure was sucking them out of the ship.

“Pearl...” Steven’s voice was weak. His enhancers’ fingers were tangled in Pearl’s shirt, holding to her for the sake of their lives, as she held to a bent piece of metal.

The pressure sucked them out of the ship, throwing them straight into Earth’s atmosphere.

Steven was barely conscious, but his gem began glowing and a pink bubble enveloped them.

Chapter Text

“Steven!” the voice was distant. Weak. Echoing. “Steven!”

His mind and vision were foggy. Eyes unfocused. Breath slowly returning to normal.

“Steven!” two cold hands grabbed his face and shook him. With a gasp for air, he sat up, wide eyes looking around in panic, when he committed the mistake to look down. With each passing second, they were closer to hitting the ground.

“Steven, the bubble is going to shatter with the impact!” Their eyes met, and through a single blink, they understood each other's ideas. Steven grabbed Pearl’s arm, as she did the same to him, pulling him closer. “On the count of three.”

“One,” he said.

“Two,” she said.

Light spread from their gemstones to all their bodies, through their linked hands, their bright forms attracted the other, melting into a single body with two gemstones.

Black and peach hair became mauve.

Skin turned pink.

Two pairs of eyes appeared on their face.

The clothes fit...oddly on their form, with Steven’s dress and Pearl’s outfit mashed together, limb enhancers making them even taller.

“Three!” Rainbow Quartz shouted, gems shining as the bauble was poofed. From each gem they took a part of their weapon, which melded together into a parasol that opened mid-air, slowing their fall and saving their lives.

Connie let out a bored sigh. She made a little place to stay in the wrap pad, with a beach chair to sit, her backpack with some food and a water bottle, and an umbrella to protect her from the Sun. Checking her watch, she released that one hour had passed since she sat there. Still, nothing fell from the sky.

She began regretting volunteering to do this, as she looked at the ridiculous amount of nothing in front of her- And her glasses were dirty. Perfect.

Connie took them off, cleaning them with the hem of her shirt and putting them back on. Still, the dirt was there in the corner of the lens and she could swear it moved a little now. A little more again…?

She jumped off the chair, looking up high as she saw something pink falling far away on the horizon. She couldn't believe it was actually happening! Grabbing her sword, Connie sprinted after the mysterious object as its fall became faster.

With hair messed by the wind and breath fast from the adrenaline, Rainbow’s feet hit the sand.

“I… I did it. I’m alive!” They laughed loudly, hugging themself and spinning. Their parasol dropped on the ground, turned into light, and disappeared.

And everything was so lively and happy, as Rainbow spun around, laughing. So happy, so bright, kicking sand away and their hair became even messier, happy tears falling from both pair of eyes. But they survived. They were safe, they were alive, that was the only thing that ma-

“Who are you ?” A voice came from behind and Rainbow stopped the instant they felt a tip of a blade touch their back. Arms shoot up in the air. From how low the sword touched, whoever it was, could not be taller than their chest. It’s a desert, there shouldn’t be anyone here! It must be a human, I can subdue them easily… but what human even carries a damn sword ?! Think Rainbow. Think!

“I’m- am- I-” They gulped, eyes darting around trying to fix an idea in their head, anything that would wor- The human is expecting me to just talk right…?  They’re also shorter...

With Pearl’s grace and ability, Rainbow took a step forward and spun back, quickly creating a rainbow in front of the human's eyes, connecting from hand to hand. With the sword no longer held against them, and Connie disoriented from the flash of light and color, Rainbow's parasol appeared on their hand with a blink of light. As Connie thrust forward with the sword, Rainbow blocked it with the open parasol, the shock sent her back and she fell to the ground. She tried to get up fast, but swiftly Rainbow’s parasol disappeared, and with a hand they grabbed her sword, and with the other they grabbed her arm, pinning it to her back in a way that forced her to lay down. The sword was throw away, blade sinking into the sand.

“Who are you ?”

Even though her breath was ragged and her heart was hammering in her chest, no word came out of her mouth.

“Please,” Rainbow sighed. “I really don’t want to hurt you but you just pointed a sword to my back after I almost died. Please, I just need help.”

Connie stopped for a moment. Garnet didn’t say that whatever would fall was bad. And she was surely talking to a fusion of different gems. They couldn’t actually want to do any harm, right…? With a bit of hesitation, she relaxed.

“I’m… I’m Connie. But I will only say more if you let me go.” She said, and was surprised when she felt the pressure on her arm lessen, as the… mechanical ? hand let go of her.

She quickly turned back, meeting the fusion’s eyes as they towered over her.

“I’m a Crystal Gem. Why are you here ?” She watched as Rainbow’s eyes went wide.

Shit. Shit shit shit.

“I…” The words caught on their throat. They couldn’t be found. The Crystal Gems could not catch them. Bismuth could not see her with Steven. She would be so mad and that was not how she wanted to meet her again.

Wait.

Bismuth what ?!

Their body shook and bent forward, as glow began to spread from gem to body.

Connie took a step back as Rainbow’s form was shining and turning wobbly. The two gemstones pushed each other away, only to be pulled back and push away again as if fighting with themself to maintain their body stable.

“Bismuth what ?!” a distorted voice shouted out of the unfusing form, as it split between the two gems, and Steven and Pearl fell to the ground.

“What do you mean with meet her again ?” Pearl got up, hand flying to cover her mouth, but he stayed on the ground, propped up by his knees and arms. His gaze met hers, both wide-eyed.

“Pearl…” His voice was weak. “What do you mean ?”

Chapter Text

Pearl felt a lump on her throat. She fumbled with her hands, trying to find a way to put her thoughts in words. This was no way to tell Steven about Bismuth. It wasn’t good for him to meet her, at all. Even with the agreement she and Pink had with the Crystal Gems being unknown to Steven, Bismuth would still think they were breaking it. Technically, they were actually breaking it. They should never come back to Earth, as Bismuth said. Pink should never... Pearl thought. You remember very well what Bismuth told you. Pink couldn’t return, and so couldn’t you as long as you served her. You are not Pink. Steven is also not Pink.

They stared into each other's eyes. Until Steven felt the tip of a sword against his back, reminding them that they were not alone, and indeed there was a human pointing a sword at them.

“Who are you ?” Connie asked, finally taking action after standing there astonished by those two gems that just literally fell from the sky in the form of a fusion. Even though the second gem looked... human. Their skin was a bit pinkish but it looked human. The only things that made them different was the pink gem in their belly, and the pink irises with diamond-shaped pupils. Something felt off about them, like they didn’t belong. The gem looked almost like a human boy, wearing some sort of dress with a frilly skirt.

“We....” Steven's glance switched from Connie to Pearl again, a silent communication going between the two. Although it was impossible for Connie to be alive during Pink’s time on Earth, she could very well know about gem history, owing to her being part of the Crystal Gems.

However, she had no idea who they were by just seeing them. She didn’t suspect a thing. “are Rainbow Quartz.”

“We normally stay fused but we had a.....” Pearl took in the opportunity to add more to the lie.

“Argument.” he completed. “We just need help. Our ship got hit and we lost the other two gems traveling with us.”

Connie hesitated to lower her sword. Even though they sounded honest, something still felt off. Surely, it must be the fact that they fell from the sky. The way they talked also seemed suspicious, but she believed it was due to her pointing a sword at them, in the middle of nowhere in a strange planet. They also must be on edge for sure, after fleeing Homeworld and probably being put in risk of shattering.

To help them sounded right. The Crystal Gems would know how to deal with this.

“Fine,” she said, sheathing her sword. “I can take you two to people who could help.”

“Thanks,...?” Steven said enthusiastically, pointing to Connie in a silent question of what was her name.

“Connie.”

The walk back to the warp pad was.... awkward wasn’t enough to describe it. Connie and the two gems walked in silence, as the sun began to set.

Steven’s mind was away from Earth, lost in the middle of a hundred thoughts. The way Pearl thought about Bismuth suggested they already met each other. And that Pearl for some reason didn’t want to make her mad, as if they already had a good relationship. But Pearl wouldn’t ever lie to him, would she ?

Since he was born, Pearl had taken care of him, as his mother died to give birth to him. She kept him company when all other gems saw him as just another Diamond, someone to be feared and respected, instead of a simple young boy who needed friends. Friends beside the other three Diamonds. She would teach Steven stories of her time at Earth with Pink, about the strange life forms of the planet, about the days cold water would fall from the sky in tiny droplets, about the occasions she had to fight the rebels to protect his mother.

And oh he loved the stories about the rebellion so much. The stories of how Pearl would lead other gems as they protected Pink Diamond, puffing the terrible rebels. The other Diamonds would tell stories to him too. Stories of horrible Off-Colours, defective gems, rebels, fusions of different gem types, who threatened Homerworld’s order and peace. Those gems had to be shattered. Steven agreed of course, how could he not ? Being raised by the three gem matriarchs. However, Pearl thought him two things before the Diamonds said anything: No gem type is better than the other, even with the caste system, and fusions weren’t actually bad.

Those two things were very easy for him to learn, as his best friend and caretaker was a pearl. Also, he would never forget Rainbow Quartz.

"Hmm, I wonder where Steven is ?" Pearl said in an exaggerated but playful tone, as she scanned the room. She could very well hear the little boy giggling somewhere,
thinking he was being very sneaky. She had to fight off her own urge to smile at the sound, as to not give away that she knew very well that Steven was in the room.

"Oh, I wonder..." She said dramatically, searching behind the couch, where he obviously wasn't, as he didn't fit there. The act was simply to amuse him.

With a loud hum, Pearl checked under the bed. Despite finding nothing but air under it, her actions elicited another wave of giggles, soon followed by the sound of the room's  wall or floor moving. Seemed like the pebbles were helping him.

Pearl froze in place, paying close attention to the sound of Steven moving under the pink plates. She silently followed the sound, walking with grace as to not make a single noise.

And as soon as the sound stopped...

"Aha!" Pearl grabbed Steven as the plates that covered him opened, making the boy squeal in surprise. "It seems like we have a rogue gem here!"

" Oh no! I was captured!" The boy said in an overdramatic tone, which he couldn't hold for long, breaking into laughter as Pearl raised him higher, spinning him around.

Pearl joined him in their fit of laughter, pulling him closer into a hug. The Diamonds intended for her to be only a caretaker to him, a servant to teach him the basics of gem society and how he should behave, to keep him fed and taken care of. But how could they not turn into family ?

She remembers holding him for the first time, trying to fight the tears that Blue’s sadness forced on her. Yellow Diamond handed her the baby, wrapped in soft cloth, with a mix of sadness and confusion on her face.

She remembers holding him, so tiny, as he reached out with his little hands and grabbed her finger. She felt so full of love for this boy.

As Pearl held Steven in her arms, their gems began to glow, spreading to all parts of their bodies.

Steven would always remember that day, because even if they had to split as soon as Blue Diamond knocked on his door, Rainbow Quartz would always be an important part of his friendship with Pearl.

Chapter Text

The two of them fused again on the way to the wrap pad. They were both very grateful for the fact that Rainbow Quartz didn’t carry Steven’s diamond-shaped irises, as it would be really difficult to make up a lie about how a fusion had the same eyes as the rulers of Homeworld.

Still, in the back of his mind, Rainbow had a single thought. He didn’t know if it came from Pearl or Steven, but it sat there. We will need to talk about this.

“Ok, they must be in their rooms or the beach, come on- no wait I can’t just take you two.” Connie sheathed her sword, looking at the fusion with hesitancy. “I could just ask you to wait here. No, that’s also not a good idea.”

“Connie ? Back already ?” Rainbow and Connie froze in their places at the sound of the door opening. Amethyst stood in front of them, eyes closed as she tied her hair up. And then her eyes opened. Actually, they didn’t only open, they also got really wide as she saw Rainbow standing in the wrap pad. “What the-”

“Uh, Amethyst, that’s... Rainbow Quartz. The pink thing Garnet said would fall in the desert.” She pointed to the fusion, feeling her cheeks burning. Things weren’t supposed to go like this, she had planned to have a way for the gems to properly meet Rainbow. Instead of walking out of their rooms and seeing him just standing there.

“H-hi ?” His voice was cracking. But he needed to keep the appearance.

“A fusion ? Well, welcome to Earth, buddy.” Amethyst's chuckle and tone were friendly, welcoming. She was really happy with his presence. No fear, no interest in status or anything. Just genuine happiness. Her hand came to rest on her hip. “You two arrived just in time, Bismuth and Garnet will be coming back from the beach at any second.”

Oh.

Oh no.

“Actually, I- We- Uh, I am kinda- I’m ki- I-I-I amtire-” He fidgeted with his hands, trying to organize the words on his mind. “It was a long travel to- to get here and I- I am tired, I would prefer to- prefer-”

“Connie ? Back already ? And who is the new friend ?”

Suddenly, time stopped.

Rainbow Quartz looked over his shoulder slowly, gaze falling on Bismuth and Garnet standing on the door of the temple.

Everything happened at once.

“Explain what is going on!” Steven yelled. Rainbow Quartz’s gem was a nice combination of both Steven’s and Pearl’s. A white infinity with pink grass. “Why you never told me anything about this ?”

“I couldn’t just tell you those types of things! You were a child, Steven! You could’ve reported me to the Authority!”

“Report you ?! You were family! How could I report you ?!”

“You are a Diamond!” Pearl yelled back and immediately covered her mouth with both hands. A defining silence set itself in the room.

“I’m a Diamond ? What was that supposed to mean, Pearl ?”

“Steven-”

“What was that supposed to mean ?”

“Steven, please-”

“You know Bismuth, don’t you ? Are you also a rebel, Pearl ? Is that what you were planning to tell me ?” Steven stood face to face with Pearl, fists clenched on the sides of his body. He stared at her, holding back tears. The ship crashing and his almost death was stressful enough for him already. Now they were in the rebels base, with their leader blocking the exit. To make everything even better, the closest he ever had to a mother was holding some important secret from him. A secret involving the gem that tried to kill his actual mother. Suddenly, Pearl’s eyes looked away from him. “...no. Pearl, no. That’s a joke, right ? You- You are not a- Pearl ?”

“I can explain...”

“A rebel ? All this time ?!” Steven’s voice was cracking, a lump in his throat making it difficult to talk.

“If we talk to them, they will let us live.” Pearl’s eyes met his again. She clenched her fists. Now was the time to make things right. After all this time, she needed to do it now. “They won’t puff us-”

“Talk ?!” He interrupted her with his yelling, never stopping pacing. “Surely they will talk to us! They try to shatter one of our leaders, we try to obliterate them, then we talk!”

Pearl’s tense shoulder fell. Her face went blank.

“What do you mean with obliterate ?”

“The Authority attack! What else would it be ?”

“What Authority attack, Steven ?”

“You,” Steven stopped in place. “didn’t know ?”

“Know about what ?” Pearl tone raised.

“White, Yellow and Blue attacked Earth with a powerful ray. It should’ve obliterated every gem here. You can see that it failed.” He explained. “I... I know because it was one of the few memories I got from... from having mom’s gem.”

“Obliterate... the gems...” Pearl repeated each word slowly. Until they truly sank into her mind.

The world around them began to disappear.

Bismuth’s eyes met Rainbow’s.

And his form started glowing.

The gems split from each other.

Steven fell face-first on the ground, groaning in pain.

Pearl stood on her knees.

During all the time she stayed with Pink after she abandoned Earth, she felt conflicted, lost. She did not know her true purpose. Was it to do what Bismuth asked her to ? Was it to make the young Diamond see the world through other lenses ? Was it to just take care of Pink’s son after she passed away ?

Now she knew her purpose. She was sure of what she was doing.

She hadn’t been so sure about something for a really long time.

Pearl stood up, hands on her sides, in a straight posture.

“Bismuth,”  Bismuth’s eyes were wide, mouth hanging open. “I brought you Pink Diamond’s son, carrier of her gem.”

Pearl’s purpose

Was to follow the wishes she had a long time ago.

“She knew about the Authority attack.”

Joining the rebellion.

“She did nothing to stop them.”

Belonging to no one.

“She broke our deal.”

And ending the Great Diamond Authority.

Chapter Text

Pearl sat with her back to the wall. Everything had happened so fast. In one moment Rainbow Quartz was splitting, in the other Garnet and Amethyst had bubbled Steven and taken him to some room inside the temple. They hadn’t returned yet and Bismuth told Connie to go home. She was alone with the rebel leader. 

“We need to talk” Bismuth’s spoke in a harsh tone, making Pearl flinch.

“About what ?”

“About you literally falling on Earth with a Diamond, years after failing the mission I gave you.” She stood in front of her, arms crossed. If Pearl had worked up the courage to look up, she would see the mix of anger and confusion in Bismuth’s eyes. “What in the stars, Pearl ? I trusted you with the key to the success of the rebellion! And then look at us! The Authority tried to blow us up!”

“I didn’t know!” Pearl stood up with a jump, voice shaken. “I didn’t know, Bismuth! I may be a spy you sent to keep Pink Diamond in line, but stars! I’m also a pearl! A pearl, Bismuth! Of all gems who would have access to information such as a plan to obliterate the rebellion, I would be the one to know ? Don’t you come blaming me for your plan failing, when your idea had such a big flaw! Did you even consult Garnet ? One of our most trusted friends has future vision and you didn’t even think about asking her the chances of it working out ?!”

Bismuth stared at her, eyebrows raised and mouth hanging open, without a single word coming out of it. She hadn’t expected Pearl to lash out at her like that. Never in all her centuries of life would she imagine her most close friend would do such a thing.

“I- Fuck.” With a sigh, she rubbed her forehead, looking away from Pearl. “There’s… there’s just me and Garnet.”

“What ?”

“The survivors. There’s just me and Garnet. All the others… We thought you had died too. It was only obvious that they would shatter you after all.”

“I…” Pearl covered her mouth with both hands. She tried to take them away, but found herself incapable of doing so. Even if she had rebelled against her Diamond, she was still hers after all. 

“We can… talk about this later. There are more urgent matters to attend. The boy… is he… her ?”

“No. Steven is not Pink. He is half-human, her son with a man from the zoo.” Bismuth raised her head, making eye contact with Pearl. “Though he is- I- he- I raised him, Bismuth. At least I tried. There’s only so much I could teach him before the Diamonds acted. I taught him about fusions and to treat others gems as equals but… I couldn’t say anything about the rebellion without putting myself on the risk of shattering.”

“You did what you could.” Bismuth’s expression softened, an almost sad smile growing on her face. She opened her arms wide open. “I missed you so much, Pearl.”

With tears in her eyes, Pearl jumped into Bismuth’s arms, hugging her like their lives depended on it. For just a moment she could let herself not worry about anything. Not about past mistakes. Not about Pink.

Not about Steven.

Steven pounded against the bubble, hands hurting from doing so. He had already given up on screaming, seeing as it was completely useless. Nobody could hear him.

Nobody would come for him.

Not even Pearl.

A surge of emotions hit him.

First anger. He was furious. Pearl had been like a third mother to him. Someone he trusted his life with. And she betrayed him.

Then came sadness. She betrayed him. Pearl betrayed him. He kept repeating those words inside his head, trying to find how they could fit together. 

All this time, all those years they were together, playing, laughing, being a family. During all this time, she had been nothing but an agent of the rebellion. Had his mother known about it ? Was she aware that her most trusted friend was a spy for the enemy ? 

In the end, here was him alone. Did he even have options ? Pearl wouldn’t suddenly change sides to help him. Jasper and Peridot could be anywhere by now. Lost in space or on Earth, there was no way to find them. Without his limb enhancers, he had no way to escape. Steven was completely helpless, his destiny at the hands of the bloodthirsty leader of the rebellion. He shivered at the memory of the stories he had heard on Homeworld.

Bismuth wanted to shatter the Diamonds, shatter his family. Shatter him. Garnet, the fusion between a Sapphire and a Ruby, used her future vision powers to make sure the rebels wouldn't fail. And the pearl...

Oh, the pearl.

She was the nightmare of Homeworld. It looked like all of her upper face was cracked. They said White Diamond herself tried to destroy her, and the cracks were the proof that she failed. Even if she never confirmed such a story, because it would mean she wasn't flawless. Even worse, that she wasn't strong enough to end a miserable pearl.

With her swords, the pearl would poof gems with ease, in a question of seconds. And in the worst case, she would mercilessly shatter them under the sole of her feet.

Where Bismuth went, the pearl went along. For years Homeworld tried to use such fact to destroy the pearl’s image with gossip and lies.

She is just a servant, they would say, following her master because that's what she does. She is just a pearl after all. A mindless servant trained to do it. After every battle, she would just go back to serve Bismuth. Nothing but an object. 

However, nobody counted with those same gems who had spread such saying being found poofed in their own houses. 

Monsters, that's what they were. Bloodthirsty merciless monsters.

And now all he could do was let them decide their fate. He curled up inside the bubble and closed his eyes. 

The sound of steps on sand. Heavy pieces of metal being pushed, with no results. Wind blowing.

Peridot finally managed to push the pink plate from the place where it was. Surrounded by the wreckage of a gigantic ship in the- barely recognizable- shape of legs, she reached out for the orange gemstone that was trapped under the plate.

“Log date 7 10 2, the orange clod was poofed. Steven Diamond and his pearl are nowhere to be seen.” She kicked a smaller piece of metal out of the way. “Oh starts, if I don't find him soon, Yellow Diamond is going to shatter me.”

Chapter Text

Garnet would always remember that day.

Sapphire had just left Blue Diamond’s palanquin when the rebels attacked. Armed with nothing but her own hands shapeshifted into hammers, Bismuth fell from the skies, demanding that Blue left the planet. 

And along with her came another great nightmare to Homeworld. That pearl. The Cracked Pearl.

She fell from the sky along with Bismuth, a sword in each hand, both sharp enough to poof even a Diamond. She cut through two guards with ease, poofed two rubies, and almost did the same to Sapphire. No one had been able to stop her. Once she was in action, all one could do was pray to the stars.

Pink Diamond was quiet. More quiet than she had ever been in her entire life. The ambient was heavy with silence. She was alone in the room. Patiently waiting. Anxious. Pacing.

“Hope you honored your part of the deal.” The Pebbles opened a passage in the ground, big enough for Bismuth to pass. The rebel leader stood face to face with Pink, arms crossed.

“And what if I didn’t ?”

“Then I hope you don’t mind the company. Pearl ?” At Bismuth’s command, a pearl came through the same passage. The Cracked Pearl summoned a sword from her gem with a flash of light, and pointed it in the Diamond’s direction. “Are we alone ?”

“Yes! Please, there's no need for weapons! Not even my pearl is here!”

“Pearls are not objects for you to own.” In less than a second, the sword was now touching Pink’s chest. The Cracked Pearl’s voice carried a deep anger. "Thought you had already learned this.” 

Pearl ran down the corridors like nothing else in life mattered, thanking at every turn for the absence of guards. They both knew the risks of what they were doing, they knew that it could end up badly. Yet dread and despair filled her with every step. There’s a tiny bit of hope in Pearl’s mind, trying to keep the idea that maybe Pink would be ok, that maybe she was just imprisoned and simply needed to be freed. Pearl only stopped running when she found a single lonely and dark cell.

“Pink ? Pink!” She grabbed the bars of the cell, trying to find the gem surrounded by darkness. Pearl held to that bit of hope. Maybe if she hoped enough, everything would be ok. Maybe they could just flee now and be happy. Maybe, maybe, maybe.

“I-I’m here.” Barely a whisper. A weak, weak whisper.

“Pink!” A figure approached the bars slowly. Too slowly.

Pink Pearl dragged herself across the cell, holding the bars for support. She looked weak, her colors fading. And what caught Pearl’s sight was the awful cracks on her face, making it impossible for her to open one eye.

“Pink..” She reached out to the other pearl, cupping her cheek, caressing the cracks with her thumb. “Who did this ?”

“Pink Diamond.” Pink put her hand over Pearl’s. “My star, please. Follow with our plan. Bismuth will welcome you with open arms.”

“I can't just leave you here!”

“You need to. I’m not going anywhere in this state.” Pink wiped the tears that marked Pearl’s face, smiling sadly at her. “Promise me, my love, that you’ll follow our plan.”

Pearl pulled Pink as close as the bars permitted. Their lips met in a kiss, full of unspoken sadness and grief. Both knew Pink wouldn't survive much longer.

“I promise.”

Pearl woke up gasping. Her hands were shaking uncontrollably. Tears ran down her face. Her chest hurt badly.

The memories kept coming nonstop. Running through the corridors of the Diamonds’ palace with Pink Pearl. Sneaking away from boring Diamond reunions with her. Messing around the garden with Spinel. Hidden kisses. Secret hugs. Bits and pieces of all their time together, of all the little moments they shared, all sweet words they traded.

And then the cold of a cell. Pink's cracks. Screams of pain. Feeling weak, so, so weak. No light, no strength. Just darkness taking over, unable to talk, to think. Not feeling yourself, not feeling ok. With each passing day, she was weaker, fading, slowly fading-

“ₚₑₐᵣₗ ?”

Hyperventilating. Panic taking over. Wanting to scream but being unable. 

“ᴾᵉᵃʳˡ.”

Darkness taking over. Slowly losing senses. No sight, no feeling. Just dark, just weakness, just fading away, no conscience, no will, no thoughts, no life-

“Pearl!” A huge hand grabbed her arm, anchoring her back into reality. Bismuth cupped her cheek with her other hand, wiping the tears that kept falling. Her eyes searched for anything, any clue of what might be wrong. But she could only find deep despair.

Pearl found herself stuttering so hard that talking was impossible. Her attempts of forming words were completely chaotic, her thoughts were out of order, she had no lungs to breathe but still felt like being suffocated.

“Pink ?” The question was so simple. Just a single word that could mean anything. But Pearl knew exactly what it meant. She shook her head violently, as if it would make it any more clearer. Bismuth’s expression shifted from worry to sadness. She pulled Pearl closer, holding the skinny gem against her chest. “Oh, Pearl…”

“I want to see him.” Her tone was cold and hard.

“Are you… sure ?”

“Yes.”

“I’ve never been so sure, Bismuth.”

The room was dark. Cold, dark, cold, dark, cold, dark.

Empty.

That was all he could feel.

Hard ground against his back.

Not a single light.

Hungry. He was hungry.

Starving.

She was so weak.

How long had it been ? 

Hours ? Days ?

Why were his hands pink ?

Why was her hair black ?

Why were they here ? Where was everyone ? He needed to get out.

She would be forgotten here otherwise.

Screaming, fists pounding against the door. Getting weaker. He screamed but no one came. She punched the door until his hands hurt but no one ever came.

He deserved it. After all, she was defective. A shame. How could he be so childish ? She was a Diamond! He had to behave like one!

Every time Blue and Yellow would say it was for their own good. She had to learn.

And for misbehaving, he would stay here until they let her out.

In the dark. In the cold.

Again and again. Until he learned. 

For her own good.

He would be left to starve. A fit punishment for such a weak and useles-

“No!” Steven’s scream ripped it’s way through his throat. He was gasping in a desperate attempt to breathe. His hair was sticking to his forehead due to sweat, even if the cell was cold. He could feel his stomach aching from hunger. But he wasn’t starving. He wasn’t on Homeworld. He wasn’t with the Diamonds.

But was it really better ? He wasn’t on Homeworld, but he was on Earth, base to a group of rebellious gems who had tried to murder his mother. He could starve in a dark room on Homeworld. Or he could be executed on Earth.

Great options to choose from.

“Oh, you’re awake!” Steven sat down. On the other side of the bars was Connie. Bars, not a pink bubble.

“How… ?”

“The gems asked me to move you. I brought you here and popped the bubble with my sword. Pearl warned that you were half-human, so you had to eat.” 

“Oh.”

They looked away from each other, an awkward silence settling in.

“So.. talking about food, I- uh- I brought you something. I know it’s not a meal but the temple has no kitchen and I couldn’t explain to my parents why I would need so much food.” With a kind smile, Connie slid a serving of fries through the bars. 

Steven took it in his hands, staring at the weird food. It was like nothing he had ever eaten in Homeworld during all his life. Food there was usually the same diet fed to the humans in his mother’s zoo, made to be purely nutritive. The fries were greasy and warm. He side-eyed Connie. For all he knew, this could be poisonous. But the girl displayed a genuine smile.

He took a fry to his mouth, chewing it carefully. Suddenly, he felt a burst of flavor. His eyes widened as he swallowed the fry, followed by eating all of it as fast as he could.

“Wow, you really did like it.” Connie chuckled. It was almost surreal that this silly boy could be the heir to a dangerous leader from an alien dictatorship. 

“What is this ?!”

“It’s fries. It’s really simple, you just chop and fry some potat-”

The door to the improvised temple prison opened, revealing two tall gems.

“Connie,” Pearl approached the bars and summoned her spear, pointing it to Steven. “get him out.”

Chapter Text

“Why won’t it work!” Peridot muttered under her breath as she tried every possible way to make the improvised technology work. The gem stood before a huge screen, hidden in some hole in the Prime Kindergarten, connected to some pieces of the ship’s main computer that she managed to scavenge. No matter what Peridot tried until now, the improvised computer would not work. With a sigh, she activated the recording function of her enhanced arm.

“Log date 7 14 2, even with the knowledge of the greatest peridot in Steven Diamond’s court, such as myself, this outdated and useless machinery refuses to work!” With an angry grunt, Peridot kicked the wall next to the screen. The plate she kicked fell to the ground, revealing a cable system. “O-of course this was entirely planned and I already knew of such thing!”

She turned the log off and kneeled in front of the wall. She cut some cables here, others there, put some together, rip another apart, some fixes and changes and…

“Yes!” Peridot yelled in excitement when the computer came to life. The screen displayed various bits and pieces of information about the colony. Outdated information, but still.

A flash of light coming from the corner of the room caught her attention. Jasper’s gem floated in the air as light surrounded it, shaping itself in the form of a huge quartz soldier.

Jasper landed on her feet with a heavy thud.

“Bismuth ?” Connie hesitated. She didn’t know Pearl. She had heard stories, told by Garnet and Bismuth, about how great of a warrior she had been during the war, swords slicing through gems with ease. About her fusion, the feared Cracked Pearl. But then, by Amethyst’s words, Pearl had been poofed or shattered when the Diamonds attacked Earth. 

She turned her head to look at Steven with wide eyes, and the vision broke her heart. He had backed all the way to the wall, face pale in a mask of fear. This was their great enemy ? The one who could come back at any moment to destroy all life on Earth ? This poor twelve years old boy, whose eyes shined when he ate fries ? “W-what do I do ?”

“Open it, Connie.” Bismuth said without thinking twice. Connie flinched at the emotions that her voice carried. She had always known that Bismuth hated the Diamonds the most between the Crystal Gems, but Steven wasn’t a Diamond like the others, right ?

“Oh stars, I’ll do it.” Pearl gently pulled Connie out of the way and opened the cell door, spear still pointed to Steven. “Now, you’ll listen to what I have to say and if you try any tricks, things end badly.”

“Tricks ? Y-you kn-know I don’t have powers!”

“And how exactly can I trust you’re not lying ?” 

“And how can I trust you’ll not just attack me anyways ?!” The words left Steven’s mouth without as much as thinking twice. The entire room fell under a deafening silence as he and Pearl stared at each other wide-eyed. 

With a flash of light, Pearl’s spear disappeared as she covered her mouth with both hands, taking a step back. Steven didn’t know what to do or what to say. What would he even say about the whole situation ? After years of trusting Pearl, of growing up with her as his family, as the person he went to when he couldn’t go to the Diamonds. After everything they went through together, he was now locked in a cell, inside a rebel base, with his own family pointing a weapon at him, treating him like a prisoner to be interrogated. 

Betrayed, scared, hurt. He didn’t know how he was supposed to feel. Pick one single emotion or just be drowned by all of them at once ?

“I… I trusted you! And you gave me to the rebels!” his voice was failing as he felt like his words were stuck on his throat.

“And you knew all this time what happened to them! You knew what happened to my family all this time, and never told me anything!” Pearl yelled. “I lived with those gems for years! With the gems your family tried to destroy! After they did this!”

With tears in the corner of her eyes, Pearl brought a hand to her gem and took a white bubble out of it. Inside there was a single, lonely gem. A pinkish oval pearl.

“I.. don’t understand…” Steven said as he stared at the bubble. The gem was perfect. No visible defects. No cracks. Just a single pale pink pearl.

Pearl puffed the bubble and gently held the gem in her hands. She closed her eyes and brought it to her chest. 

And Steven watched in awe as Pearl’s form became pure light. Her gem and the pale pearl danced around each other as the light shaped itself. They came close together, spinning and dancing, and parted ways as one pearl went up and the other down. The light took the form of a tall figure. Two arms, two legs. If not for the visible second gem, one could easily mistake their fusion for a normal pearl. With mouth hanging open, Steven looked up to meet the fusion’s eyes. 

That was when it all came together and his amazement came crashing down.

The pearl had a single functioning open eye. 

“Pearls are not objects for you to own.” In less than a second, the sword was now touching Pink’s chest. The Cracked Pearl’s voice carried a deep anger. "Thought you had already learned this.”  

“What are you talking about ?” Pink Diamond asked slowly. Sure, she was a Diamond. At any moment she could use her powers and destroy the pearl. But she wasn’t foolish enough to ignore the stories of terror she heard from the battlefield. Experienced soldiers puffed in seconds. Winning battles being lost when she appeared among the rebels. Bases raided effortlessly with her help.

Pearl’s free hand went to her belly. She lifted her shirt, showing the gem that had been hidden for years.

Pink looked at the newly revealed gem and then at the horrible crack that occupied half the pearl’s face. It all clicked in place.

“It’s her... “ her voice was low, almost a whisper. Her eyes met the fusion’s. “and you must be my pearl.”

“Like I just said.” The sword pressed stronger and Pink Diamond took a step back. “pearls are not objects to be owned.”

“Right, right. Sorry.” Pink turned to look at Bismuth, who was now leaning against the wall with arms crossed, watching their conversation. “Why… why are you telling me this ?”

“Because Pearl will stay with you, to make sure our deal won’t be broken. After all, it’s quite hard to trust a Diamond.”

He could recognize that fusion anywhere. Homeworld’s high-ranking gems refused to talk about it, but even years after the end of the infamous Crystal Gems, soldiers of all types still told the tale of the Cracked Pearl. Some had themselves puffed by the scary fusion.

“It was you ? All this time… you were one of Homeworld’s most feared enemies. Why did you stay with my mom ?” Steven frowned as he looked down.

“We staged an end to the war. The frightening rebel leader, Bismuth, would attack Pink Diamond during one of her visits to Earth. But instead of being merciless shattered, her, completely loyal, pearl.”

“Would interfere and save her…You never defend mom. You weren’t a hero.”

“A hero ? To Homeworld, no. To the Crystal Gems ? I was.” she said. “I was until Pink Diamond decided to… destroy everything!” the Cracked Pearl’s form was becoming unstable. “I was there, playing Diamond’s servant! While everyone I cared about… was… killed!”

The fusion started to deform into light, until Pearl fell to her knees, clenching the puffed gem to her chest. Steven could see tears running down her cheeks.

“All because you Diamonds are untrustworthy!” Pearl sobbed. Bismuth ran to her side and kneeled next to her.

“Pearl.”

“She took Peep from me!” 

“Pearl, please.”

“She took my family from me! My planet! And then she left me alone!” Pearl yelled between sobs.

And Steven watched in shock, as Bismuth wrapped her arms around Pearl.

Chapter Text

“So… what are gonna do ?” Amethyst sat with her legs dangling from the temple’s stairs. 

Bismuth sighed and rubbed her forehead. She had lost notion of how long Pearl had wept on her arms after the whole discussion, plus finding out Steven didn’t have the power to cure Pink Pearl. Amethyst had been kind enough to let Pearl stay in her room. Stars know how she needed some time to be alone and rest.

“Don’t know. He is a Diamond. But he is also as much of a child as Connie. We can’t puff him but we also can’t keep him in a cell forever.” She began pacing around. “Pearl also mentioned they came with two other gems, who we have no idea of where to find.”

“Yeah he is a child but he is also the heir of the gem who was involved in trying to kill y'all! Like, what if he gives some signal to Homeworld and they come for us ? I don’t wanna lose my home, man!”

“Nobody is going to signal Homeworld, Amethyst.” Bismuth let out a heavy sigh. “Damnit, Garnet could you shine a light on our problem please ?”

Bismuth’s question was met with silence.

“G-quad ? Come on we need some he-” Amethyst turned back to look at where Garnet supposedly was, only to find the space empty and the temple door closing.

Bismuth and Amethyst looked at each other before quickly following the missing gem. The door opened to the improvised cell room, where Garnet stood, her back to them.

“Garnet ? What is go- Oh fuck.” Amethyst groaned when she saw the only ones in the room were the three of them. The cell was open.

He was alone again. Alone and miserable. 

Did he even have anyone left ? He could never count on the Diamonds. He had learned it the hard way, after being locked in that awful dark and cold room. 

Alone. So many times during his life he felt alone. The gems never treated him as equal. The Diamonds rarely let him visit the zoo. He only ever had Pearl. His only friend, the closest he had of a mother. Now she was gone too, abandoning him after revealing herself to be one of Homeworld’s worst enemies. 

A violent sob ripped through his throat. When had he even started crying ? Steven didn’t know but now he couldn't stop. His body shook and tears ran down his cheeks. He braced his knees to his chest.

Alone.

Miserable.

Abandoned.

Defective.

“Steven ?”

The young boy looked up to see Connie standing by the door of the room. She took a step forward and it closed behind her.

“A-are you okay ?” She flinched at her own choice of words. “Sorry, that was a stupid question.”

“Why do you treat me like this ?”

“Why do I… what do you mean ?”

“All the Crystal Gems hate me. Specially Bismuth. And now Pearl hates me too.” Steven sighed. “Why you don’t ?”

“Why would I ?”

“I’m a Diamond.”

“You are also just a child, like me.” Connie sat in front of the cell. “I don’t know so much about how the Diamond Authority works beside stories the Crystal Gems tell me, but nobody should expect you answer for what they did.” She took some time to actually look at Steven without hurry or a storm of thoughts on her mind. He was wearing a pink top that left his midriff and gem out, with puffy shoulder pads. His pants were white and his slippers pink. Connie could see that he was actually shorter than her. And his face. His pink eyes carried so much fear. He seemed so lost.

She couldn’t just stand there and not give a single drop of compassion to him.

Steven stared in awe as she spoke. And then it hit him. He was still a Diamond in a rebel prison.

“I- Connie, you need to help me get out, please.” He stepped forward and grabbed the cell bars.

“What ?”

“Please, please. I will end up shattered if I stay here!”

Connie’s eyes widened in shock. Steven couldn’t be serious. He was a child after all, and half-human too! The Crystal Gems would never do such thing… But then, she knew from the stories that Bismuth wasn’t exactly a paragon of mercy. And she doubted that things would be so much better after the attack that corrupted the other gems. Connie didn’t think Steven deserved what was happening right now. He looked so broken after what happened with Pearl. 

“Bismuth… Bismuth said something about going to Amethyst’s room. If we do it quickly, I can take you to the wrap pad and you can go back to where your ship crashed.” She took the key from her pocket and unlocked the cell.

The sun was setting in the horizon. The desert was empty as always, no signal of life, not even a breeze to make it less unbearable hot. Sun set… How long had Steven stayed in that temple ? It was still day when he crashed and maybe afternoon when Pearl...  when she…

Focus.

It felt like he had slept for so long. He was completely out of his senses, drowning in awful memories of Homeworld. But the memories weren’t only his, right ? The pink hands, the changing height, the confusion. 

Those were his mother’s memories. He had no idea how, but he knew it was hers somehow.

His mind snapped back to the matter of time. He had spent a good part of the day on that cell along with the entire night of yesterday. He had to find a way to communicate with Jasper and Peridot.

“So, what will you do now ?” Connie asked with what Steven thought was genuine worry. The Diamonds always talked about how organic life forms were so inferior, about how it was wonderful that he was still part Diamond and not entirely human. 

But Connie. Connie seemed just as wonderful, if not more, than any gem he ever met. He smiled at her question and looked over his shoulder to see the huge and pink wreck of what was once his ship.

“I’ll try to communicate with the two other gems that came with us. If everything went alright, we’ll signal for a rescue ship to take us back to Homeworld.” And the smile went away. He would have to explain to the Diamonds why he didn’t wish to finish his mother’s colonization plans. They would be angry for sure. He didn’t even want to think about it.

“What about Pearl ?”

The question was like a punch to his stomach.

“I’m sure she is happier here on Earth. With the Crystal Gems.” He looked into Connie’s eyes. Why it felt so hard to let go of this human ? “Goodbye, I think.”

“Steven…” She closed the space between them and wrapped Steven in a tight hug. He froze up, too shocked with Connie’s reaction to be able to do anything. A warmth filled his chest and he hugged her back. “Goodbye, Steven. Write me an intergalactic message, ok ?”

And with those finals words, Connie stepped back into the wrap pad and disappeared in a column of light, leaving Steven alone and staring at where she had been just seconds ago.

Chapter Text

Sweat was dripping down Steven’s forehead by the time he got to the ship. There were now two huge leg-like structures stuck on the sand. Remains of the destroyed parts of the ship littered the ground. If he could manage to find his limb enhancers, he would be able to send a distress signal to Homeworld and find Peridot and Jasper. He searched next to every piece of wreckage.

Sand in his knees, his hands, his arms. Sand everywhere, glued to skin with sweat under the heat of the merciless sun. Never in his life had he wished so much for a bath. 

Dizzy and tired, Steven stumbled under the shadow of the huge leg ship, tripping over his own feet. He sat on the ground, leaning back against the structure. When he put his hands down, his fingers hit something cold.

“Huh ?” He dug the sand around it, revealing one of his arm enhancers. With a sigh of relief, Steven put his arm inside it. “Thank stars!”

A holographic screen appeared immediately by the floating fingers, revealing a video left by Peridot.

“My Diamond!” She clumsy saluted. “It appears that you crashed with certain distance of the rest of the ship. I was able to recover Jasper’s gem in perfect condition, but no signs of your pearl. W-we cannot launch a rescue yet due to.. d-due to there being j-just me for now, as Jasper was puffed. I’ll attach the coordinates to our current location, the wrap pad should be able to take you there-”

The video was cut to show a map, a point marked in another continent.

“Welcome back, my Diamond.” Jasper saluted with the purest respect. Steven took a look at his surroundings. Compared to the Kindergarten outside, the room was bright. Everything was green-ish, illuminated from all sides. Peridot was examining the information displayed all over the walls. Reactivating the Prime Kindergarten was the first step to re-start Earth’s colonization. The soil was rich with minerals, the injectors could be easily reactivated, he could make enough Quartz soldiers to take out those useless off-colors. Not many would be needed with those pathetic numbers of theirs. A Bismuth, made to build things, not fight. A defective Amethyst who was barely tall enough to hit the knees of a proper Quartz. That… thing that called herself a Garnet. Stars, a Ruby and a Sapphire together ? No need to ask why stay fused. They were too weak to stay apart.

And a Pearl. A mere servant who could-

Steven frowned. What was he even thinking ? A mere servant who wouldn’t know with which end of the sword to hit others with ? That same pearl who terrorized his mother’s soldiers for years ? 

And calling the other Crystal Gems off-colors ? What even was him ? A half-organic whose mother was defective, not even tall enough to get any respect from the others in the Authority, a childish gem who couldn’t handle the responsibility of a colony. Stars, what was he even thinking. He wasn’t any better than them. 

“My Diamond! I’m sorry we weren’t able to send a search party, the risks were too great without Jasper and-” Steven was taken out of his thoughts by Peridot. Her words were fast and her voice carried real worry, as if he would punish her for not risking herself on an unknown planet and without a proper soldier to help. But… that’s what the other diamonds would do, right ?

“It’s ok.” He said, cutting the other gem’s speech. “Please, send a distress signal. It wouldn’t take too long for Homeworld to send a rescue ship. Specify for it to be discreet, we don’t want the rebels finding us.”

“Y-yes, my Diamond.” 

With a sigh, Steven turned his back to Peridot and walked away, sitting in a corner. There was so much going on in his mind, that he could barely keep up. All the hurt from Pearl’s betrayal was lurking around, waiting for a moment of weakness. He couldn’t deal with that right now, he didn’t have time to, didn’t want to.

And there was Connie. Why in the name of all did she help him ? By all means, if she was walking around with the rebels, she had to know the bare minimum to why they fought. She would know that Pink Diamond tried to colonize Earth, but the rebels, calling themselves the Crystal Gems, didn’t let that happen.

Yet, even after hearing he was the new Pink Diamond, the human girl looked at him with kindness. To the point where she let him escape. She trusted him enough to not come back, to not bring soldiers that would mercilessly shatter her friends and transform her world into a lifeless rock. 

In the few hours they knew each other, Connie had trusted him more than the Diamonds ever did with his mother. 

“My Diamond ?”

“Huh ?” Steven looked up to find Jasper in front of him.

“If I may ask, what happened to your pearl ?” 

The question hit him like a punch to the stomach.

“She… decided to stay with the rebels.”

“Disgusting traitor,” Jasper muttered with a snarl. Before walking away, she declared with hate on her voice. “I’ll remember to shatter her myself.”

I shiver went down Steven’s spine. Shatter. He had to talk to the Diamonds before things got out of control. He didn’t want anyone to end up shattered. And Earth… 

Was it… right ? To turn that planet into another lifeless place where no organics could thrive ?

His father came from Earth. He could have come from Earth too.

The more he thought, the stronger was the headache taking over. The lights were too bright. Everything is too green. The room was too small. 

He felt sick.

Deal with the Authority.

Report his failure.

Decide Earth’s fate.

Hear White’s harsh words when it became clear he was as incompetent as his mother.

Explaining what happened with Pearl…

“My Diamond, where’s the pearl ?” Peridot’s question was an innocent one. Yet.

A storm of emotions raised inside Steven as she pronounced each word. The feelings were crawling up his body, just waiting to take over. Gritting his teeth. Eyes closed shut. Just ignore it and everything would go away.

“Did she get lost or something ? Those useless things can’t do anything beside looking prett-”

“I DON’T CARE ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO THE PEARL.” If there was a plausible way to describe what had just happened, Steven would say his words literally blasted out of his mouth. His scream formed a sound wave that shattered the ground underneath it and the wall where it hit. The room shook with the power of his voice. 

A deafening silence settled in.

He had done that.

He had destroyed the damned wall by just screaming. 

He had almost hit Peridot.

“Don’t- don’t ask about her. Do not mention her. And if anyone asks you about it, say she was shattered when the ship crashed.”

“Yes, my Diamond.” Both gems said.

Chapter Text

Silent.

The flight back to Homeworld was silent and awkward. 

And there was absolutely no other way to describe it.

Neither gems dared to comment about the damage Steven had done to the control room with his scream. Neither of them said a single word about what happened.

And most important.

Nobody dared to mention Pearl again.

Homeworld had sent a ruby ship. Small, discreet. Perfect for a stealth escape. Steven wouldn’t call it… comfortable, but it was better than being stuck on Earth.

“Ruby-1F4 Cut-4ND! Reporting in for the rescue mission, my Diamond!” The ruby saluted as Steven, Jasper and Peridot came in. Without his enhancers, he was just as tall as her. Her eye gem replaced one of her eyes, and her uniform had Yellow’s symbol.

Steven flinched. He didn’t want to deal with this. Didn’t want to have to explain to Yellow why he was back so early, why he failed so miserably. 

He took the replacement enhancers a second ruby offered him. 

“You did what ?!” Connie found it impressive how high pitched Bismuth’s voice could be. 

“Girl, are you crazy ? You let Pink Diamond’s child escape!” For Amethyst to be angry with the situation, Connie had actually for real fucked up.

“He said he wouldn’t come back.” She said weakly.

“And you believed him ?!” Pearl rubbed the bridge of her nose. “You believed a Diamond ? Pink Diamond also said she would leave Earth alone, and what happened ? Oh, yes, the Authority tried to blast everyone!”

“Steven is different-”

“How can you know ?” 

Connie didn’t dare look at Pearl. From what she knew, Pearl had been with Steven since the day he was born. If she said he wasn’t trustworthy, how could Connie know any better ? 

The moment she saw him in the desert, he seemed so lost. So alone at the cell. So hurt.

He looked like a child, just like her. Not some dangerous tyrant. 

How couldn’t the other Crystal Gems see that he deserved as much kindness as everyone else ? He looked so terrified when he woke up. Connie couldn’t help but ask what had happened for him to act this way.

A flash of light from the wrap pad interrupted them. Garnet stood on it, her expression not giving out a single hit of what she had or hadn't found.

“There was no sign of Steven or the other two gems. They may have already left the planet.”

Amethyst muttered a curse under her breath. 

Connie fumbled with her hands. 

“Connie, what you did could cause serious problems.” Garnet said, breaking her silence. As always her expression didn’t give away what she was feeling, but something told Connie that the future possibilities she saw were less than pleasant. 

An uncomfortable silence fell over the room. Garnet just stayed still, Amethyst didn’t dare say a word, and Pearl kept pacing around the room, all while Bismuth just watched.

“Connie.” The girl looked away from her own hands to meet Bismuth’s gaze. “Until this situation is under control, you won’t be coming with us on any missions.”

“What ?!” Connie got up from where she was sitting.

“You’re to stay home, where you’ll be safe.”

“But- Bismuth! How is my house any safer than being with four experienced warriors ?” 

“They don’t know where you live, and it’s easier to leave if needed.”

“But-”
“No but, Connie.” The gem’s voice didn’t falter as she looked at Connie, arms crossed over her chest.

Connie wanted to argue. To say that she was just as capable as the gems. That she didn’t need to stay away. That she could defend herself if the young Diamond boy turned out to be a real threat. Yet, all she did was clench her fists and look down. “Ok.”

She would have to come up with an excuse as to why she wasn’t doing her supposed activities in Beach City anymore. She’d have to explain to her parents why she was home now, without giving away a single bit as to what she truly did in that city. Connie dreaded the idea of having to stay home all day again. 

“I…” Connie’s voice was weak, hard to hear as she didn’t dare to look up. “I have to go. It’s already late, my parents won’t be happy.”

“Connie, wait.” Bismuth made a move to catch the girl’s arm, but she had already turned away, running down the Temple stairs. The gem rubbed her forehead and sighed. All she wanted was for Connie to be safe, even if it made her sad. Still, it was upsetting to have to send her home in such a way. 

She just couldn’t have a squishy and fragile human kid near with the threat of a new gem invasion. If this Steven was anything like Yellow or Blue, or worse, White, things would go badly. Very, very badly. Bismuth really doubted the Crystal Gems would be able to stop a second blast attack. They had lost nearly everybody that day. Every single Crystal Gem outside the forge had been corrupted. Turned into mindless monsters. So many of them were now in bubbles, in the heart of the temple. Bismuth and Garnet were the only ones that remained.

They had to plan. There were humans now. Everywhere. Who knows how a second blast could affect them. And stars, what would even happen to all the corrupted gems ? What if it was too much and they shattered ? 

What if they got caught off guard and weren’t able to protect themselves ? 

What if they all ended up corrupted ?

“Bismuth ?” Bismuth snapped out of her thoughts when two long hands grabbed her own. Pearl was looking at her. Waiting. Worried. She frowned. “What is on your mind ?”

Bismuth opened her mouth to talk, but no sound came out. She closed it again. She put her hand over Pearl’s, holding them close to her gem. 

“Pearl…” She said. “How much do you know… about the blast ?”

“I-” The skinny gem was caught off guard by the question. “I didn’t know about it at all until the crash. The other Crystal Gems… they were…” Pearl’s word caught up in her throat. She didn’t dare finishing it.

“Alive.” Bismuth completed. “But… Not in the way you would expect.”

Chapter Text

Hey guys

I fear I'll no longer be updating this fanfic. It's been 3 years already since I first started it. The amount of kudos and comments was always a pleasant surprise to me. However when I first started the fanfic, I was in a really bad moment in life, and was always lacking energy to write the chapters.

I'm now feeling better and have the energy to write, but I can't find the motivation to do so. I no longer know how to make this story without it being too much and getting boring. I don't know if people are even interested in reading this AU anymore.

Who knows, maybe I'll get motivated again and return to this story.

Thank y'all for the support