Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Homeworld

"Here are the new shift rotations for the next thirty cycles."

"Hmmm... yes, thank you."

"Oh! And I went ahead and forwarded your performance reviews to Orange Agate already."

"Yes Pearl, thank you."

"And just so that you're aware, I reorganized all of the datapads in your office so that without me here to fetch them for you-"

" Pearl ."

Honey Pearl flushed dark gold, falling silent.

Her owner - no, her ex -owner - frowned softly. Hessonite was a cheery yellow that more or less fit her personality. In Honey Pearl's mind, she was a decidedly fair and kind owner, the sort that would rarely raise her voice and certainly would never lay a hand on her. Honey Pearl had been in her service for nearly two millennia now, and she had grown to truly admire Hessonite's character beyond her ingrained servant's devotion.

At the moment, Hessonite was clearly stressed, perhaps as stressed as Honey Pearl felt. They both knew that this parting would be difficult on the other, and while Honey Pearl was reluctant to cease her habitual duties, it was apparent that she was making her Hess - no, not her Hessonite - uncomfortable. She put her last datapad on the desk and smiled sheepishly.

"I'm sorry, it's just... my stars, this is so strange, isn't it?" she asked a little timidly.

To her relief, Hessonite chuckled and replied, "It is Pearl. But then again, a new era always is."

"I suppose you would know that firsthand," Honey Pearl stated.

Hessonite hummed an affirmative.

Honey Pearl clasped her hands together over her navel. The conversation lulled momentarily before Hessonite blurted out, "Where are you heading?"

"Oh!" Honey Pearl chuckled, "I suppose we've been rather busy since the Proclamation, haven't we? I never got to mention that I'm heading to Earth!"

Hessonite smiled. "Really? How bold of you. As far as I can remember, you've never left Homeworld before, have you?"

"No my Hess--." Hessonite cocked the right side of her eyebrow. "Er... no I have not, Hessonite . But it seems to be the place to go at the moment. Among Pearls at any rate."

"I see. And when are you leaving?"

Honey Pearl mused for a moment. "Well, transit to the Crystal System has been expanded to several trips per cycle, so theoretically I could leave any time. It's just..." She met Hessonite's eyes and blushed again. "I'm waiting for someone first."

Hessonite's formidable eyebrow rose as understanding dawned on her face. "Oh, I see. You've been having a relationship with another Pearl."

When Honey Pearl did not reply, looking rather anxious, Hessonite smirked and chuckled. "My stars Pearl. Bolder than I gave you credit for." She leaned forward, conspiratorially. "Tell me about her."

Honey Pearl gaped briefly before Hessonite gave her a reassuring squeeze on her shoulder and gently guided her down into a seat next to her. She placed her hands over Honey Pearl's.

"Look, my dear," she began in a soothing tone that Honey Pearl was not used to; it was pleasant, and Honey Pearl couldn't help feeling a little warmer and less wound up, "I realize that everything you've known as ordinary for the last two millennia has suddenly been swept out from under you, and I know how jarring that is. But the Diamonds' Proclamation was very clear that you and I and every other Gem in the empire are now our own independent selves, free to choose what we want to do with our lives. And if there is a Gem that you wish to share that life with, there's nothing to stop you now, is there?"

With watery eyes, Honey Pearl shook her head as her smile returned. Hessonite was glad; Honey Pearl lit up the room with her radiant smile. She caressed her former servant's cheek lovingly, wiping away a stray tear.

"Why don't you tell me about her?"

Honey Pearl grasped the hand at her cheek and gave it a squeeze, composing herself.

"All right," she murmured. Closing her eyes, she allowed the gemstone in her forehead to project a holographic Gem. Standing at six and a half feet, the bulky Hematite stood a head taller than Honey Pearl, perhaps an inch shorter than Hessonite. Honey Pearl's projection was tinted a coppery red, so the Gem's true color was indeterminate, but her face was rather distinct for a soldier gem. Hessonite thought she looked downright relaxed. Her eyes were half-lidded, and her smile was crooked, giving her a benevolent quality. Honey Pearl sighed longingly, her smile becoming goofy, her gaze far away for a moment.

"Her name is Blue Hematite. We met about a decade and a half ago."

Igneous Lambda Eta Space Station

Orbiting Tau Ceti

Blue Hematite was fuming.

Perhaps that was an inapt word. Hematite was not prone to outward displays of emotions. But surely she could describe the feeling inside her as impatient. The last hour had been one droning explanation after another about the new Proclamation, and how it affected all of the Gems in this particular squadron. Blue Hematite's commander  - Fairburn Agate - treated the Proclamation as she would any other announcement.

" 'Item Seventy-Six: Your Diamond has declared that all current scouting and colonization efforts are to cease immediately.' " She droned as if she were reading off a duty manifest. " 'Item Seventy-Seven: All hostile engagements with non-Gem species are to cease as our Empire regroups to affect the changes our newly reunited Authority have enacted. All Gems in this Squadron are to report to Homeworld for mandatory...' " Fairburn Agate squinted, " 'vac-a-shun'?"

There was a tittering from Blue Hematite's squadron. She allowed herself a small smile as her Agate sounded out the strange word.

"Hey Fairbee, get to the part about the Pearls!"

Fairburn Agate glared at the green-tinged Hematite at the end of the second row. "I've told you to stay out of my message screen." She looked over said screen, eyes widening in shock. " 'Item Ninety-Four: All Pearls are to be released from servitude immediately?' My stars."

Blue Hematite glanced around, her sisters all slightly stunned. That was practically an outburst for Fairburn Agate, who never raised her voice, simply wore you down with her almost robotic demeanor. She certainly never voiced surprise.

But Blue Hematite was more concerned with what her fellow Hematites made of the news itself. She supposed that it didn't really matter in the long run; if what Fairburn Agate had just told them was true, then she and her squadron were... free? Was that the word? No longer bound to do what the Diamonds commanded, instead free to choose for themselves what they wanted to do. To choose where they wanted to be.

Free to choose who they wanted to be.

Who they wanted to be with.

Pearl is free , she thought. Pearl is free. Pearl is free. Pearl is FREE .

She felt like her form was neither large nor sturdy enough to contain the feelings that were starting to boil within. Hot tears, bright and iridescent, pooled in the corners of her eyes. Her form felt like it was vibrating.

A hand grasped her shoulder, and she was pulled into a hug before she could see who it was.

"Go to her. I'll tell the others they'll see you on Homeworld."

Blue Hematite gave Green Hematite a squeeze and whispered her thanks. She pulled back, noticing that the squadron had been dismissed, leaving her and Green Hematite alone.

"They'll understand?" she asked.

"Of course," Green Hematite said cheerfully, her expressive smile giving Blue Hematite the assurance she sought. "Go! Take one of the Light Kites. Nobody's going to be watching the docking bay."

Blue Hematite nodded and dashed off. She made it to the docking bay in record time, and blasted out of the bay door in even less time.

She entered her destination into her guidance system - simple enough for any Gem to do, as the coordinates were Zero. She took a centering breath and held her hand above the gravity engine controls.

"I'm coming Pearl."

Koroit Opal is going to Earth .

Homeworld

The Diamonds’ Proclamation

The transmission was beamed to every corner of the Gempire. Every functional screen available was overridden by the transmission, causing much confusion. The old Diamond Authority emblem - the one still bearing Pink Diamond’s symbol - appeared on millions of screens, above the Gemglyph words “Broadcast Commencing - For The Good Of The Entire Gempire”.

Peridots were inundated with panicked demands for explanations. Agates were harangued with questions and worried soldiers. Topaz and Citrine guards were called to maintain order, which did little to help, as said guards were also in a right state.

The hysteria did not have time to take root however, as within five minutes, the screen changed. Two Pearls appeared, standing in what appeared to be a transmission studio. Both wore headsets, and one, Yellow Diamond’s Pearl, held a golden yellow screen in her hand. She cleared her throat.

“Attention all Gems within the borders of our glorious and prosperous Gempire! I am pleased to present to you, our most wise, radiant and mighty leaders, the Great Diamond Authority!”

The camera quickly panned to the right and focused on the three colossal matriarchs of the Gempire. A collective gasp spread through every inch of Gem territory. 

White Diamond was there. She had not been seen by the public at large in millennia. And yet, there she was, seated on a throne between her two younger contemporaries. And she was smiling . It was a nervous smile, one that seemed to waver with each passing second, but it was genuine.

Blue Diamond’s eyes were bright and her entire demeanor had changed dramatically. She was no longer slouched, instead sitting straight and proud, as a Diamond should. Her smile was wide, and her face was no longer marred with bags under her eyes or tear stains. She looked positively revived.

Yellow Diamond, who could command fear and respect with nothing but a look, had a relaxed smile and eyes crinkled with warmth. She was resting her head on one hand, elbow propped up on one armrest. She looked so utterly content that ripples of nervous giggles filled the Gempire.

After allowing a few moments for the inevitable hubbub to settle, White Diamond spoke.

“My dear Gems, at every corner of our Gempire, I bid you a fond greeting on this, the most wonderful of days. Something extraordinary has happened, which has rocked our very society to the core. Something that I am most delighted to share with you.

“I realize that the vast majority of you watching this are quite surprised to see me before you, as I have remained isolated from the Gempire for several millennia. It is only recently that I have come to see the--”

White Diamond paused, biting her lower lip. She appeared reluctant to go on. Then, a voice from off camera urged, “ White …”

White Diamond’s face slightly flushed pink as she continued.

“I made a grave error. And in doing so, I allowed our Gempire to decay.”

No Gem expected her next sentence.

“I am sorry.”

Across the Gempire, silence. Stunned silence.

White Diamond continued.

“The end of Era One was a time of great shame and sorrow for us all. We were locked in a messy and wasteful war on a tiny planet, faced with rebellion and treachery. And then, in an act so terrible, we deemed it forbidden to speak of, we were robbed of one of our own, Pink Diamond. Shattered at the hand of the rebel leader herself, Rose Quartz.

“In the wake of this tragedy, our Gempire was irrevocably scarred. And as your leaders, as your Diamonds, we were supposed to guide you all through the turbulent changes, and remain firmly at the helm. But we did not. We failed you, our Gems. We forgot ourselves in our grief, and our perfect Gempire was made imperfect for our actions. And for this, we apologize.

“However, it has recently come to light that the events of Pink Diamond’s shattering were a ruse.” She paused for several moments, to allow the impact of that statement to settle. “The true events are extraordinary, and I will admit, rather far fetched. But I assure you that what you are about to learn is absolutely true. So with that in mind, please allow me to introduce to you someone…”

Her eyes wandered off the camera, and she smiled warmly.

“Steven, would you like to introduce yourself?”

The camera pulled back as a short, stocky figure stepped into view a few feet in front of it. They had curly black hair and a wide, expressive face. Their appearance modifiers were unusual - blue leg coverings and strange pink material bound to its gravity connectors. Over its torso was a loose pink covering emblazoned with a yellow star. Its pink gem sat in its navel.

Most Gems recognized this being as the supposedly reformed Pink Diamond, who had been on Earth since the end of the War, and had taken on the appearance of an organic. But they had called it Steven…

“Hi everyone!” the Steven began. Its cheerful demeanor was rather alien, but also served to put those viewing at ease. “My name is Steven Universe! I have a lot to tell you guys about, but I want to start by saying that, well…” It took a deep breath and said firmly, “I am not Pink Diamond.

“I know it’s been really confusing the last few weeks, what with Era Three Ball, and the messy battle at the Diamond Palace, and I know that a lot of rumors and gossip are going around, so please, let me explain everything.”

And so, Steven told Pink Diamond’s story. It told the good and the bad. It didn’t gloss over her flaws, and it didn’t mince words when it came to the behavior of the other Diamonds.

When it reached the story of its own creation, the Steven seemed wistful as it told the Gempire of the love Pink Diamond had found with an organic named Greg Universe. How Pink Diamond became enamored with the idea of creating life, and how she gave up her own existence and physical form to bring Steven - her sun? “Spelled s-o-n!” the Steven supplied helpfully. “It means a male offspring.”

Nobody in the Gempire was expecting the sudden upheaval among linguists with the sudden introduction of gender.

Steven didn’t get into specific detail about how it - he - came to be, but assured all viewing that a Peridot of his had several theories that she could offer up, though he looked rather ill at the idea. He went on to explain the current situation on Earth: the recent healing of formerly corrupted Gems, the planned establishment of a permanent settlement for Gems wishing to relocate, and his invitation to all Gems to visit Earth.

“I’m so happy that we have come to this point,” he said. “I think Gems and humans have a lot to offer one another, and I know that together, we can make a better future for everyone!”

He waved at the camera and shouted “Bye!” then dashed off. The shot returned to the three Diamonds, sitting patiently, beaming at the young hybrid as he stood behind the camera.

White spoke once more.

“Without Steven, our Gempire would have surely fallen sooner or later. With his bold ideas and his loving nature, we are now ready to step forward into a brave new world, a boundless future. From this moment forward, I am calling a cessation of all invasion and colonization efforts. All injectors are to be shut down immediately and put into storage. Kindergartens shall be considered Inactive for the time being. Our Gempire must not continue to stretch its resources so thin, and we can no longer justify stealing those resources from others.

“Era Three was supposed to usher in change, which I resisted until Steven opened my eyes to the truth. He has shown me that a Gempire is only as strong as its citizens, something that I lost sight of long ago. And in Era Two, I don’t believe that you were treated as citizens. You were subjects. You’ve lived in fear. You’ve suffered.

“Well, no more.” White Diamond positively shone with joy. “This Gempire is about to change. For many, this will be a frightening period, but I assure you, in time, you will be happy. We shall all be happy.

“You are free. To be who you wish to be. To do what you wish to do.

“You are free to choose.”

Chapter Text

Chapter Two

Homeworld

Sixteen Years Ago

In one of her semi-delusional fits of grief, Blue Diamond called upon her entire court to reconvene on Homeworld.

This meant thousands of elite and high ranking Gems from nine colonies were now flooding into the warp pads and space docks of Homeworld. It was a logistical nightmare that the Peridots who were working maintenance in Honey Pearl's work station could not stop bemoaning. A part of Honey Pearl delighted in the emotionally overwrought displays, enjoying the harmless melodrama and loving banter the pair always engaged in. She saw PY7 glance in her direction, blushing, but Honey Pearl winked. TN0 giggled.

"The sky-ways and lifts are all jammed with them," PY7 went on as she replaced a panel cover and stood up. "The blue crowd. You know the ones." She affected a slump and an exaggerated frown. " 'My existence is torture, which I simply must share with you. When was the last time you cried? Hundreds of years ago? I'm crying right now you shallow strata mica!' "

TN0 struggled to guffaw and stand at the same time. "Stop it PY! I'm gonna dissipate!"

"Best not do that when our Hessonite is due back within the hour," Honey Pearl supplied cheerfully.

The pair of Peridots grimaced but PY7 immediately grinned. "I can't wait to hear what she says about that Demantoid that's been bucking for her seat on the Honor Guard."

TN0's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Her use of language when she describes how she would beat that Gem's form back into her stone is so vivid and bold."

The pair tittered again before moving onto the next control panel, which seemed to require more focus, as their banter fell away to quiet technical jargon that Honey Pearl could scarcely keep up with. She kept at her own tasks for a time before Hessonite returned, looking smug and upbeat. She graced Honey Pearl with a friendly smile - a rare but certainly not foreign expression - and asked her how her schedule looked for the rest of the cycle.

"Other than officially receiving Demantoid's entourage, you have no official engagements until the Blue Court Gala."

Hessonite chuckled. "I'm afraid I won't be receiving anyone's entourage. Demantoid was caught in the middle of an indecent act with her Pearl. She's been sentenced to Shattering."

"Oh!" Honey Pearl forced a smile for her Hessonite's benefit, but the casual mention of a Shattering, no matter how presumptuous and, indeed, perverted the offending Gem might be, still twisted her up inside.

"Which means I have plenty of free time to meet with Fairburn Agate."

"F-Fairburn Ag-agate, my Hessonite?" Honey Pearl frantically searched through her screen for any appointment with a Fairburn Agate.

"Calm down Pearl, I only just spoke with her. Please contact her and tell her that I'll be with her shortly. You will be coming along to take notes as I inspect her new squadron."

"Yes my Hessonite!" Honey Pearl said brightly. Hessonite nodded, then turned to the pair of Peridots working at the control panel.

"You two, bring me that Energy Beam you fabricated for me last century."

The pair saluted and dashed off, leaving the panel uncovered and in mid-diagnostic cycle. Hessonite rolled her eyes.

"I honestly don't understand how those two can possibly keep this place running so smoothly when all they do is alternately bicker and fawn over one another."

"It is indeed a mystery, my Hessonite," Honey Pearl replied, trying to contain her mirth.

Her Hessonite snorted and graced her with another fond smile. "Get to it Pearl."

"Right away my Hessonite!"

It turns out that Fairburn Agate did not have her own Pearl. Instead, Honey Pearl was met with a dark gray gem, who seemed to shimmer a rich green iridescence she had never seen before.

"Green Hematite, Igneous Lambda Eta station. Who is this?"

"I speak on behalf of my mistress Hessonite Facet 1CA Cut 2VG. She would like me to inform your Agate that she will be attending to her shortly."

" What? " Green Hematite squawked before desperately reforming her composure. "I mean, what-- a wonderful surprise!" She beamed with false enthusiasm. Honey Pearl chose not to acknowledge her gaff.

"If you would please convey the message; my Hessonite shall arrive in three hours. That should allow your squadron ample time to prepare." She gave a teasing smile, and the Green Hematite grinned sheepishly. She ended the transmission and began organizing the logistics. Warp pads didn't book themselves, after all.

Honey Pearl contacted the Peridot at the Diamond citadel’s warp pad control room, scheduling a warp for her Hessonite, herself and the two Peridots hauling the Energy Beam. She then pulled up the dossier available on Fairburn Agate.

She familiarized herself with the Agate’s position and the nature of her squadron. Blue Diamond’s seventh colony planet had been home to a technologically advanced species who resisted colonization efforts with a range of energy-based weaponry. The aftermath of their first encounter was horrific; one weapon in particular would cause a Gem’s stone to overload and explode . Another would render the Gem in a state of continual glitching, agonizing and extremely difficult to correct.

Blue Diamond demanded swift retaliation, calling on her finest engineers and kindergartners to tackle the problem. Their solution was to design and incubate a new line of Gems capable of absorbing or dispersing high energy beams. The resulting Gems made up Fairburn Agate’s Frontline Battery Unit.

“What a cute pun,” Hessonite chuckled as the entourage strode toward the warp pad. Honey Pearl took the datapad back from her and stored it in her gemstone. The four of them arranged themselves on the crystalline dais waiting for Honey Pearl to engage the system.

After a silent ten seconds, PY7 glanced at Honey Pearl. “Uh, are we going or what?”

Honey Pearl shushed her. “I told the citadel’s Peridot that we would be warping in right on the hour, and we still have twenty seconds.”

With a mock-exasperated sigh, Hessonite activated the warp, catching Honey Pearl off guard. The lithe figure squeaked as her feet suddenly left the ground. She shot her Hessonite a guilty look, but was met with a teasing smirk.

They touched down in an enormous room that contained two rings of warp pads: six large galaxy warps in the center and eighteen smaller local warps surrounding them. Hessonite’s entourage had landed on the pad closest to the northern exit, beyond which lay Blue Diamond’s Court. Hessonite led her entourage out into the crowded antechamber of the Blue Court’s Great Hall. She turned to Honey Pearl, who directed them to a hallway off to the left of the Great Hall door. They took several corridors and a pair of lifts to reach the troop barracks, pushing through the sea of blue and green and purple gems.

Honey Pearl could not help but agree with PY7’s assessment of the Blue Court. So many dour, tired faces. There was a feeling that seeped into their forms: less of a vibrant effervescence and more of a weak staticky buzz that left Honey Pearl feeling slightly off. Melancholic even. The bright quartet, the only members of Yellow Diamond’s Court present, stood out glaringly; and yet, nobody seemed to turn an eye to them.

These Gems looks broken. Honey Pearl thought to herself. Bereft. It must be true what they say about Blue Diamond.

Internally, she scolded herself for such a seditious thought. Even if the evidence spoke loud and clear. Weary of the constricted space and the overwhelming aura of gloom, Honey Pearl kept as close to her Hessonite as she could without actually touching her.

Hessonite approached a door and waited for Honey Pearl to open it. The doors whooshed open, revealing a large room, far larger than should be possible given the physical layout of the citadel. The pocket dimension was designed to function as both a laboratory/engineering workshop and training facility. A team of Peridots were manning consoles around the cavernous room, while a pair of Goshenites appeared to be adjusting an Energy Cannon.

“Why did we have to bring this?” TN0 hissed to PY7, rattling the Energy Beam held between them. “They’ve already got that behemoth!”

Hessonite chuckled and said, “Oh well. Just set it aside.”

PY7 grumbled about their handiwork being ignored, but Hessonite ignored her.

“Pearl, if you would?”

Honey Pearl nodded. She cleared her throat and announced, “Presenting Hessonite Facet 1CA Cut 2VG, Overseer of Homeworld's Elite Citrine Honor Guard!”

Blue Hematite and her squadron were arranged in their basic formation - four by three. She was front and center with Green Hematite right beside her on the right. On either side of her and her green sister were two black Hematites. Two Ulexites and two Pyrites stood behind her row, and a final four grey Hematites brought up the rear.

Fairburn Agate, as monotone as ever, had informed them that a Hessonite was on her way to inspect the squadron. Blue Hematite was proud of them all when nobody so much as a muttered at the news.

"Hessonite is the Overseer of Homeworld's Elite Citrine Honor Guard. She is here to observe our training and witness this squadron’s unique power. I expect each and every one of you to behave yourselves and perform to the best of your abilities.

“Hessonite has a direct link to Yellow Diamond. With her support, your gem types will be approved for greater production in Kindergartens all over the Gempire. This is a crucial moment for all of us. Do not fail .”

The squadron saluted just as the doors to the facility slid open, admitting four members of the Yellow Court. Blue Hematite, her expression schooled, subtly eyed the group. Two Peridots, their gemstone in their navels, set down some blocky piece of tech that looked woefully under-powered compared to the ship-scale Energy Cannon currently suspended at one end of the facility. The Hessonite’s gemstone was in her forehead. It glinted a rich orange, a square cut that sat above her impressive eyebrow. At her side was a Pearl with a matching gemstone, albeit a round cabochon.

Blue Hematite felt a digit dig into her side. Green Hematite clicked her tongue. She was saying, Look at her ! Have you ever seen a Pearl so fine?

At least that’s what she told Blue Hematite later.

Blue Hematite tried to ignore her sister, and instead tried to focus on Fairburn Agate, who was acting… different. She had become animated as she greeted Hessonite.

“...and when I read your report on your incursion into that nebula of ionized radon gas, and how you managed to trick the Mondasians into stalling their engines before igniting the whole thing… breathtaking!”

Hessonite, clearly no stranger to this mild level of idol worship, smiled tightly and thanked the overzealous Agate before gesturing to the Energy Beam, discarded by the Peridots on an empty work table. “I thought perhaps bringing one of my own weapons for a demonstration would be agreeable, though I see that I needn’t have bothered.” She gestured to the Energy Cannon over her shoulder.

Fairburn Agate smiled, perhaps a little smugly, and replied, “I assure you, we are well in hand here. Your forethought is appreciated; however, my squadron is well beyond the point of needing to worry about such a… quaint energy weapon.”

Blue Hematite and her squadron held in their mirth as best as they could. The pair of Peridots were practically fuming. Both were beginning to go blue in the face, and their jaws clenched. Hessonite’s brow raised at the implied slight.

“I’ll be the judge of that,” she remarked. She held out her hand. “Peridot.”

One of the Peridots used her limb enhancers to lift the weapon into her Hessonite’s waiting glove. Fairburn Agate nodded to one of the Ulexites, who stepped out in front of the formation and saluted the Hessonite.

“This weapon is calibrated to emit a burst of hyper-charged photons exceeding 100 gigavolts. Are you ready?” Hessonite barked.

The Ulexite simply scoffed and folded her arms.

Hessonite rolled her eyes and fired.

The weapon discharged with a burst of burning blue light and a high pitched whine. The impact did little to the Ulexite, whose eyes were closed in concentration. The expected concussive roar was muted to a low pop as the visible light, kinetic and thermal energy all seemed to vanish instantaneously. The Ulexite’s form was suddenly of maelstrom of contained energy, seeping out as a dim glow, like she had swallowed an entire storm system which continued to rage inside her. As she grimaced, the gemstone in her chest began to glow. A milky, translucent handle materialized, and she grasped it, pulling out a staff of pale crystal. It pulsed with a tendrils of light, glittering and sparking along the length of the staff.

The Ulexite aimed the slightly rounded tip of her staff at a contraption built into the ceiling overhead. With an articulated shout, she discharged a long arc of excited photons for several seconds before pounding her staff into the ground.

The air around her sizzled a little, and her pale yellow hair, once spiky and crystalline straight, was now rather poofy and a little tinged at the ends. She opened her eyes, glassy and unfocused, and shook her head. Then she had the audacity to yawn .

“Not bad. I could probably disperse another seven of those before I’d need a rest.”

Hessonite dismissed her with a sneer. She held out the Energy Beam to one of the Peridots.

“Ulexite and her sister Gem were gemetically engineered specifically to absorb and discharge high energy beams, ideally into a battery system of my own design,” Fairburn Agate droned. “I’m morbidly delighted with the concept of our enemies powering their own downfall with their own weapons. Powering our Gempire as we crush them into the ground.”

Hessonite nodded. “Yes, yes, that is all well and good. But I would like to see one of your other specimens in action.”

Fairburn Agate nodded, then pointed to Blue and Green Hematites. They saluted and strode forward. Fairburn Agate nodded to one of her Peridots who brought over a sleeker and clearly much newer portable Energy Beam and held it out in front of her.

“This model has a yield of 100,000 Gigavolts. Blue, why don’t you do the honors today?” Fairburn Agate said.

Cursing mentally, Blue Hematite didn’t hesitate to salute and respond, “Yes, Fairburn Agate.” She took the Energy Beam from the Peridot, checked it over, then turned to her green counterpart and took aim.

Summoning a pair of wicked looking krises from her navel gemstone, Green Hematite smirked and stuck her tongue out. Blue Hematite managed not to roll her eyes.

Green Hematite raised one kris over her head, the other pointed straight out in front, aimed at Blue Hematite. 

She fired.

Like the other Energy Beam, there was a blinding flash and a high-pitched squeal, but instead of the beam being absorbed, it was rather reflected back to its source. In less than a second, Blue Hematite’s form destabilized as the Energy Beam overloaded and fed back into her gemstone. She ‘poof’d, leaving the weapon and her stone to clatter to the floor.

Green Hematite grinned, blowing at the tips of her krises - it seemed that they had discharged the energy back. She showed off her unblemished chest, the point where the beam made contact, and Fairburn Agate explained how the Hematites channeled the energy through their weapons without suffering any ill effects. One of the Peridots retrieved the gemstone and the now sizzling Energy Beam, placing them on the nearby work station

Hessonite nodded. She appeared to be impressed.

“Another tactic gleaned from the unique qualities of these Gems,” Fairburn Agate remarked. “Not only are our Hematites capable of reflecting beams of energy, they are also capable retro-reflection, as just demonstrated. While a Gem’s form is merely dissipated by the resulting overload, an organic cannot withstand it and will most certainly perish. The Mondasians have been unable to adapt to these new tactics.”

“I see. Most interesting. Would you happen to have a living organic specimen prepared for a demonstration?”

Fairburn Agate nodded. “Yes Hessonite. If you would please follow me, I will show you to the next demonstration.” She gestured for the remaining squad members to fall in.

Hessonite turned to Honey Pearl and said, “Pearl, I’d like you to speak to that Hematite who was dissipated. Gather any information she might offer.“

“Yes, my Hessonite,” Honey Pearl replied. She brought out her screen and walked over to the table where the inert gemstone lay.

Hessonite turned to Fairburn Agate and gestured for her to lead the way. They departed for the far corner of the room, the eleven remaining members of the Frontline Battery Unit in formation behind them.

Homeworld

Era Three

“I remember that inspection,” Hessonite said as Honey Pearl paused in her story. “That was when I met Fairbee for the first time.”

Honey Pearl giggled at Hessonite’s casual use of the nickname Fairburn Agate had been given by her squadron. She knew that the two had been in somewhat regular communication over the last sixteen years, and suspected a deep friendship, if not more, between the two.

“And this Blue Hematite…?”

Honey Pearl nodded. “Yes. She was the one who was dissipated in the demonstration. You asked me to question her, and I did.

“Well, sort of.”

Hessonite frowned. “What do you mean?”

Honey Pearl grasped her ponytail sheepishly, running her fingers through the strands in a calming motion. She gave a nervous titter before stammering, “Well, sh-she was reforming. A-and she took s-some time… almost an hour…”

Hessonite smirked. “Did you fondle her gemstone?”

“ I absolutely fondled her gemstone! ” Honey Pearl wailed. “It was so beautiful, the way it shimmered under the lights of the facility. It was like a marble of grey metal that shone a rich, deep blue. As I picked her up, I realized how dense her stone is, and how magical she feels in my palm.”

Honey Pearl’s face shone with a golden blush again.

“I remembered myself presently, and put her gemstone down, but she chose that moment to reform.”

Hessonite was trying and failing to suppress her own laughter.

“Oh my stars! Then what happened?”

Honey Pearl was also shaking with mirth, but managed to continue.

“She reformed, groaning and stretching, before she opened her eyes and saw me standing in front of her with a screen and petrified expression. She looked me up and down, her own expression never changing, before she sighed and said…”

Chapter Text

Light Transport Vessel

En Route  to Homeworld

“Getting poofed sucks.”

Blue Hematite grinned fondly. She would never forget that moment, if she went on to exist for another billion years. “It’s all I could think of to say. I mean, she was just staring at me, all pleasant and pretty. And all I could think to say is “Getting poofed sucks!” ” She chortled as her companions guffawed with laughter.

The Topaz duo were seated on the ground next to each other, holding hands and leaning into one another. Blue Hematite thought it was adorable. She had heard that Topaz guards were always paired, and were particularly employed for their fusion capabilities. It was also rumored that they would often become sentimental, something that was frowned upon, if not outright forbade. The two before her, their Gems on opposite sides of their heads, seemed comfortable enough in the open to be physical, and yet not so comfortable to be fused in the company of strangers.

Blue Hematite’s gaze swept the cargo bay in which she, the Topazes and other assorted Gem were amassed, all heading to Homeworld. There were Peridots, Aquamarines, Jades, Rubies, Amethysts, Citrines… Gems of all cuts and courts. Soldiers, technicians, engineers, guards, administrative workers and general grunt workers, all crammed into roughly four thousand square feet of featureless, gun-steel grey. She guessed that there were probably sixty Gems of various sizes crowded all together, most sitting or crouching. A half dozen Aquamarines hovered here and there, and a Goshenite was hanging on one magnetized limb from the ceiling over by the far wall, engaged in conversation with three Rubies. The tallest Gem in the room had to be the Jasper fusion who, while seated, was as tall as Blue Hematite stood.

On any other day in her existence, this might seem like the unlikeliest group of Gems she could ever dream of being surrounded by. But in the post-Diamond Proclamation era, she supposed that it wasn’t all that strange. It was a transition period, which meant regrouping. Which meant every far-flung colony and space station was now unloading trillions of Gems, and sending them back to their Homeworld. Order seemed to be barely keeping hold.

She had taken the Light Kite from Igneous Lambda Eta to a small colony system a few hundred light-years away, where she opted for the cargo transport, as it was headed directly to the facet on Homeworld where she expecting to rendezvous with Honey Pearl. Plus, the thought of being cooped up in the tiny ship, with no company for three days, was enough to unsettle her.

She turned her attention back to the Topazes and asked, “How long have you two been… you know. In love?”

The Topaz with the gemstone on the right side of her head smiled and said, “We’ve always been in love.”

Her partner said, “Ever since we emerged…”

“In holes right next to each other…”

“At the same time.”

They were both beaming, and for a moment, both of their gemstones began to glow. They seemed to realize this at the same time, because their gemstones fell dim, and they both looked sheepish.

“Hey! It’s okay!” Blue Hematite tried to reassure them quietly. Glancing around, she saw that no other Gem seemed to be looking in their direction. “You two are allowed to fuse publicly now. The Diamonds said so.”

The Topazes glanced at each other, both blushing. Right Topaz sighed and said, “That’s true. We know that it’s true.”

“But we love Topaz so much, and we like to keep her to ourselves.”

Blue Hematite smiled softly. She certainly couldn’t fault them for that.

“And thank the stars they do.”

The Topaz couple visibly flinched at the accented voice that swept up behind Blue Hematite. Coming aloft was an Aquamarine whose gemstone was a teardrop cut under her left eye. She hovered between Blue Hematite and the couple, her back to the Topazes.

“Despite what the Diamonds have declared, I don’t honestly believe that fusion is any more acceptable now than it ever has been. Don’t fool yourselves into thinking otherwise.” She sneered at the Topazes. “I’m glad to see that you two have some dignity left. Although,” she let her gaze fall to their still clasped hands, “seeing you love-drunk boulders like this is just as disgusting.”

Blue Hematite rolled her eyes. With as much restraint as she could muster, she lightly patted the Aquamarine on the head and retorted, “If we wanted your awful opinions, we would have asked, you gremlin.”

“Gah!” Aquamarine banked right and swung around, eyes blazing. Blue Hematite smirked as the wee Gem went to fix her hair bow.

“How dare you…” To Blue Hematite’s surprise, the hair bow snapped into a thin rod. Aquamarine raised it and gave a wordless growl.

“ Hey! No weapons on board! ”

Aquamarine gave a terribly undignified yelp as a red hand yanked her out of the air by her foot. She landed in a heap on the floor, turning her glare to the Ruby who was staring down at her, arms crossed over her chest gemstone. Her visor-covered gaze was fixed on the rod in her hand.

“Stow it!” the Ruby barked.

Aquamarine grumbled something about pebbles, but put the rod back atop her head, where it softened and reformed as a bow.

The Ruby grunted approval before pulling her up. “ We’re going to speak with the Agate in charge of this bay.” She said, dragging Aquamarine away.

The Topazes turned back to their new friend, mouth agape.

“Wow,” said Left Topaz.

“That was brave!” said Right Topaz.

Blue Hematite shrugged and laughed. “Oh, come on, that was nothing. What was she going to do? Poke me?”

The Topazes shared a look, probably agreeing not to let her know just how reckless she might have been. After all, Blue Hematite had limited experience with Aquamarines. The ones she had met had run the gamut from perky, happy little chatterboxes to nervous, twitchy little disasters. None had ever shown the slightest inclination of aggression.

“Well, in any case, she’s gone now. Are you two okay?”

The duo shared another glance, then nodded. Their lack of confidence was overwhelming.

“I take it you know her?”

Right Topaz nodded. Left Topaz said, “We were her escorts for a millennium.”

“Stars, that must have been rough.” The Topazes nodded.

“But I always had Topaz,” said Left Topaz.

“And I always had Topaz,” returned Right Topaz.

Blue Hematite smiled again. A moment later, she sighed contentedly and said, “Hello there.”

The singular Topaz, with a gemstone on either side of her head, blushed furiously, but smiled and replied, “Hello.”

“Are you here to stay?”

She felt a thrill of joy at the fire in Topaz’s eyes.

“Yes!”

“Have you ever fused?” Topaz asked sometime the next cycle. They were still a cycle and a half away from Homeworld, and despite the tiff with Aquamarine earlier on, spirits were still high. Gems all around them continued to speculate on their nearing futures, mostly optimistically from what she could glean. Blue Hematite could certainly relate.

She turned her attention back to Topaz, who had remained fused. She nodded, but didn’t elaborate.

Where would I even start? She wondered to herself. Topaz is all well and good, and Tiger’s Eye is two Jaspers. But Koroit Opal…

Despite the implications of the Diamonds’ decree, and her companion’s obvious acceptance of fusion (in principle), she was still hesitant to disclose the nature of her only fusion experience. The attitudes toward cross-Gem fusion were still too fresh; there was bound to be a long and ugly discourse on the subject, among a newly freed and supposedly equalized populace, very soon in the future. For now, she opted to let discretion be her guide.

Topaz didn’t press for details, and changed the subject to what she did know of Earth from her previous visit. She told Blue Hematite about the forests and the oceans, and all the interesting organics she'd observed.

“Humans are interesting. Very squishy.” She frowned and flexed her left hand subconsciously. “ Too squishy. We know that if we do decide to go to Earth as well, that we will have to interact with humans. We will have to be very careful.”

“What are they like?” Blue Hematite pressed.

Topaz thought for a moment, then smiled softly.

“They have good hearts,” she said. “They understand what it means to care for one another. On our last mission with Aquamarine, we were ordered to collect a variety of humans. Everything kind of fell apart, but we ended up with two humans, one of whom claimed to be Rose Quartz.”

Blue Hematite whistled at that.

“We know, right? But it did have a Gem. In its navel, where that Rose Quartz’s was supposed to be. And it was protected by other Gems who claimed to be the Crystal Gems we’ve heard of from time to time.” Topaz snorted with mirth. “And you can guess who that turned out to be.”

Blue Hematite nodded. This Steven that was being touted as the new Pink Diamond.

“So it turns out that it’s a ‘he’ and ‘he’ isn’t as weak as a normal human. He has powers unlike other humans. He managed to burst our form from the inside!”

“What?! No way! I saw how small ‘he’ is, there’s no way he could’ve burst you apart!”

Topaz nodded. “He made a pink bubble, like other Rose Quartzes.”

Blue Hematite had never met a Rose Quartz before, had only ever heard about the infamous rebellion leader, and how the entire line of Gems had seemingly disappeared millennia ago.

“Anyways, all the humans we had gathered fled, except for one who we found after we took off. Steven surrendered himself to us in exchange for the others’ safety. He became upset when we found the other human - he called it Lars, we think it was a ‘he’ too - and tried to get Aquamarine to return him to Earth, but she just laughed and had us Infuse them both.

“So we’re going about our duties while Aquamarine does… whatever the schist that loco gremlin did when she actually raised a finger to do some work. And the humans start talking. Arguing, really. The Lars one is being all whiny and useless while Steven tries to find a way to escape. And they’re not being subtle at all!” She points to her gems. “They think that these are “headphones”, that we can’t hear them!” She howls with laughter. “And they have this ridiculous argument about trying to escape, which goes nowhere because Lars is being a mopey mess and Steven is losing patience.

“But then they started talking about how scared they both were.” Topaz put a hand to her chest. Beneath her visor, her eyes were watering. “And even though they were yelling at each other just moments before, they were soon comforting each other.”

“Oh wow,” Blue Hematite murmured.

“We didn’t know that humans were that intelligent. We thought that they were supposed to be like other organics. You know, mindless, easily controlled. Well, tell that to the one hefting a Gem-crafted sword like she was a Citrine! She managed to help the other humans escape.”

“This was a human you say?”

“We know how mad it sounds,” Topaz admitted, “but it’s true. It seems like humans are something else entirely.”

Blue Hematite sat back, images running through her mind of Gem-shaped humanoids throwing themselves into battle with all manner of Gem-crafted arms. It was surreal.

There was a shout from the other side of the cargo bay. Blue Hematite and Topaz looked on as a Ruby with her gemstone in place of her left eye took a swing at another Ruby, knocking her against the bulkhead a good ten feet behind her. An Amethyst grabbed the aggressor and quickly poofed her before she could make a sound. She held the red gemstone in her hand, shaking her head. Meanwhile, two Carnelians helped the other Ruby up, speaking softly to her.

Blue Hematite and Topaz turned back around and shared a stunned look.

“Like I told Honey....”

Chapter Text

Homeworld

Sixteen Years Ago

“Getting poofed sucks,” Blue Hematite deadpanned.

Honey Pearl stared at her, mouth agape as she tried to process the statement.

Having never been destabilized in her two millennia of existence, Honey Pearl found herself without a useful comment. But that was neither here nor there; her Hessonite had ordered her to question this Hematite, not offer insight.

“Ahem,” she started. “My Hessonite has asked me to gather any information I can about that demonstration of yours. I need to ask you some questions.”

Blue Hematite nodded her head and leaned against the table where the useless remains of her erstwhile weapon lay, still faintly smoking. “What would you like to know?”

Honey Pearl was pleased with this Hematite’s demeanor. She seemed unlike the typical Quartz soldiers she had to deal with on a regular basis. Her eyes were soft, kind. Her smile was lopsided but easy. And a little sad. Honey Pearl bit her lip.

What beautiful eyes.

She forced the thought from her mind and cleared her throat.

“Please, your designation?”

Blue Hematite nodded. “Of course. Blue Hematite Vein 22 Cut AA4.”

“Vein?” Honey Pearl asked.

“We Hematites are incubated in veins of metal ore. My Gem composition is high in iron, so I was extracted from an iron deposit and implanted in the soil for a few hundred years before I emerged.”

“Fascinating!” Honey Pearl remarked. “I’ve never heard of such a process before.”

Blue Hematite was flexing her hands - the aftereffects of the overload left lingering aches in some of her joints. She saw the earnest expression on the Pearl’s face and smiled.

“It’s a newer approach, and the Kindergarteners are still working out some bugs, but from what I’ve heard, our Diamond is impressed with the results.”

“As she should be!” Honey Pearl stated. “If your capabilities are anything compared to your green counterpart’s, then I’ll bet that you’ll be considered the Hematite that broke the mold.”

My stars, is she ever the forward one, Blue Hematite thought as she felt herself blushing indigo. The Pearl didn’t even seem to realize what she said. Or perhaps she did and simply didn’t care. Brash. I like it.

“That’s very kind of you to say…”

“Honey Pearl, pleased to make your acquaintance!”

Blue Hematite nodded, her smile still present. Something about this Pearl seemed to pull at her, tempting her to reach out and brush her enormous fingers through that fiery ponytail of hers.

Such thoughts were wrong. This was not Blue Hematite's Pearl; it was such a ridiculous notion - a Hematite owning a Pearl? The Diamonds would just as soon end their Gempire's expansion through the universe.

Honey Pearl was patiently waiting for her to speak. Of course, Pearls were supposed to await direction from higher caste Gems.

"Please, ask away." She stood at parade rest, not quite sure if she should appear too relaxed with a Hessonite's Pearl.

"Of course," Honey Pearl nodded. "First, please, how long have you been a member of the Frontline Battery Unit?"

"For two hundred rotations. Shortly after I emerged."

"And has Fairburn Agate always been your commanding officer?"

"Yes, our Diamond allowed this unit to be her pet project, as she was the Gem to propose the idea."

They spent an hour conversing about Blue Hematite's squadron, her role within, and some of the more notable missions she had undertaken. Honey Pearl was rapt. She couldn't help her wandering eyes roving up and down Blue Hematite's form. She looked as though she had been carved from an exquisite stone from some mystical planet galaxies away. The deep grey that sparkled a rich, royal blue when the light hit her just right. Broad shoulders and thick arms with an elbow crook so inviting, Honey Pearl could feel her hand clench.

But once more, it was the soft teal of her eyes that enchanted her so. She had run out of steam and settled for merely staring.

The Hematite smiled softly and asked, "Do I have something on my form?"

Honey Pearl felt herself blush as she averted her gaze. "Um, n-no, I j-just… don't have any more questions for you."

"Oh." Honey Pearl thought (hoped) she heard a note of disappointment. Her face glowed golden with a fierce intensity.

"In that case, may I ask you a question?" Blue Hematite said.

"Of course!" squeaked the now trembling Pearl.

Blue Hematite folded her arms over her chest and asked, "How are Pearls made?"

Honey Pearl was immediately caught off guard. "I-I… I'm sorry?"

“I’m just curious. I’ve met a handful of Pearls, and they were all smart. They tried to hide it, some of them, but intelligence is difficult to bury when you’re constantly watching out for your own Gem, knowing that you’re seen as expendable.”

Honey Pearl seemed to be at a loss for words. So Blue Hematite hurriedly said, “I mean, that’s just the impression that I got. I hear how other Gems talk about Pearls not being real Gem, and I don’t get it.” She shrugged.

Honey Pearl’s cheeks became flushed again.

“Oh. I suppose being isolated from most of the Gempire, you aren’t aware of how strictly enforced our hierarchy is. Pearls are near the bottom. We are created to serve our owners. Nothing more.”

Blue Hematite nodded. She was well aware of the hierarchy. She just didn’t understand it.

“My Gem was not manufactured in typical kindergarten fashion. Pearls are formed in Reefs through a complex bio-gemetic process. The need for organic materials in the creation of Pearls is the reason we are not seen as proper Gems.” Her face fell. “And they are correct of course. A Pearl is less than a true Gem.”

Blue Hematite felt an argument form on her tongue, but decided to keep it to herself. After all, those who owned Pearls were very protective of their property.

Property? I’m not having a conversation with someone’s property. She’s a thinking, feeling Gem for stars’ sake!

She almost relented and voiced her opinion of that sort of existence, but the moment was stolen as Hessonite and Fairburn Agate approached from the far side of the room.

“Pearl, have you finished questioning this Hematite?” Hessonite asked. She looked bored and ready to leave the smug, slightly worshiping Agate to her squadron.

“Yes, my Hessonite. Blue Hematite has been very helpful.” She glanced back at her and winked.

“Excellent,” Hessonite said. “PY7! TN0! We’re done here!” she shouted to the pair examining the Energy Cannon. They presently joined her and Honey Pearl.

“I thank you for your cooperation, Fairburn Agate. You’ll have my review in the next ten cycles or so,” Hessonite said. She swept her cape around strode off towards the lift. Her small entourage followed. Honey Pearl glanced over her shoulder and shot Blue Hematite a smile.

Blue Hematite couldn’t help smiling back. Then the lift doors closed, and it was back to training.

They wouldn’t meet again for another 4 cycles.

Homeworld

Era Three

“Four cycles?” Hessonite asked. “That isn’t very long.”

“Well,” Honey Pearl sighed, “when all you have is a memory, and practically no way to contact them, four years can feel like eons.”

“I suppose you’re right about that,” Hessonite replied. She glanced down at her desk. It was just as tidy as it ever was. Honey Pearl knew her so well, knew exactly how she liked her desk to be organized. It was a shame that she had to leave.

Hessonite flinched inwardly. Such a dreadful thought. Hessonite had always prided herself on treating her Pearl better than her peers did their own. In fact, over the past several rotations, she had started becoming more and more uncomfortable with the way Pearls were manhandled by careless or brash quartzes, or demeaned by Peridots and Jades. Hessonite found it needless. It served no purpose other than to make cruel Gems feel better about themselves.’

Hessonite truly valued Honey Pearl’s companionship. Besides being a top notch assistant, she was also a wonderful friend and confidante. In fact, Hessonite had no qualms embarrassing a fellow elite if they so much as dared to speak to Honey Pearl with the wrong tone of voice. And she had, several times.

So her brief, selfish thought felt wrong. She pursed her lips. Her feelings right now were a jumble. But they all had to do with Honey Pearl leaving.

“I don’t know if you remember the weeks after that encounter,” Honey Pearl continued, “but I was rather a mess. I was misplacing datapads, tidying rooms I had already tidied, inputting the wrong communication codes… My mind was far and away, thinking about her. I had never felt that way before.” She smiled fondly. “Thinking about Blue made me feel electric. As if my whole form were supercharged, barely able to contain the energy that flowed. My thoughts would run wild, fantasizing about her holding me in those enormous arms of her, speaking to me in those soft, tender tones of hers, telling me that I was important. Telling me that she cared about me.” Honey Pearl looked away from Hessonite bashfully. “I even fantasized about her… touching me…” Her head sunk into her hands. “ Sensually. ”

Hessonite covered her mouth to stifle a chuckle. Oh you poor thing , she thought adoringly. She reached out to rest her hand on Honey Pearl’s shoulder. “My dear, there’s nothing for which you should feel embarrassed. These feelings and fantasies are perfectly normal for Gems.” She frowned. “I understand why you were confused. Relationships of this nature are not altogether common, even for elite Gems, but they do happen. However, I suppose no Gem thought it prudent to prepare Pearls for the eventuality that one could one day fall in love with another Gem.”

“No, why would they waste their time on helping non-Gems?” Honey said in a quiet, bitter tone.

Hessonite hesitated. She had never heard Honey Pearl speak in such a tone before. She was usually cheerful and content.

“Pearl,” she began, “I don’t blame you for feeling the way that you do. I’ve made it clear over the centuries how I feel about our society’s attitudes towards Pearls, and how I feel we must change if we are to ever truly live up to the ideals set before us by the Diamonds. This moment, this exact moment, is now yours. You have a future that was once denied you, and one that I am both thrilled and fearful of.”

Honey Pearl looked up and swallowed, trying to remain composed. They both had tears in their eyes.

“I want you to go and be free. Make your own decisions. Do things that make you happy. Laugh, cry, learn, live…” Hessonite smiled broadly, “ love .”

Honey Pearl gave a tearful laugh before she threw her arms around Hessonite. It was unprecedented, but Hessonite couldn’t not hug her back. She held her tiny friend close, stroking her hair.

“I love you Pearl,” she whispered thickly. “You’ve been a wonderful aide and a true friend. I will miss you.”

“I love you too, my Hessonite ,” Honey Pearl whispered back. “Thank you for everything you’ve done for me.”

Hessonite gently pulled away. She was beaming through her tears.

“My final order, as your owner, Pearl.”

Honey Pearl smiled and gave a half-hearted salute. “Yes?”

Hessonite chuckled, then returned the salute earnestly.

“ Go to her .”

Homeworld

Facet Three

One rotation ago, the sight of an unescorted Pearl wandering the sky-ways of Homeworld would have been paramount to a scandal. But in these turbulent new times of halting Gempire expansion and freedom of fusion, a lone Pearl was far from the oddest sight here in Facet Three.

For one thing, Honey Pearl could see off in the distance an enormous pair of legs standing erect atop a pad near the heart of Facet One.

Bright pink, shiny legs with an equally pink, shiny rear end.

Honey Pearl teetered between hysterical laughter and quiet awe for a moment before settling for quiet awe.

Around her was a swirling multitude of Gems, of all types and cuts. Some she had never seen before in her life. She saw color schemes and appearance modifiers and physical accessories and hair styles and gem cuts and gem placements… if she were any other Pearl, she might have been overwhelmed by the sensory stimulation. But Honey Pearl thrived on interacting with other Gems. TN0 had once told her that she had a lot of charisma, which helped her to put others at ease. Hessonite had remarked on it as well.

She found herself smiling at every Gem she passed. Most of them didn’t even seem to notice her, and a few that did looked scandalized or even angry, and moved off quickly. But to her delight, dozens of Gems returned her smile. Some nodded. Some waved. A Ruby even came over and hugged her legs, telling her how overjoyed she was that Pearl were free now.

Honey Pearl felt her eyes begin to water again for the nth time that cycle. She knelt down and embraced the pint-sized soldier. “I’m glad you are too. What’s your designation?”

“Ruby Facet CC6 Cut LGY.”

“I’m called Honey Pearl.”

The Ruby pulled away and smiled shyly. “You’re really pretty.”

Beaming and blushing, Honey Pearl replied, “Thank you Ruby. You’re awfully cute yourself. But I’m afraid I’m already in love with someone.”

Rather than becoming upset, the little Gem’s eyes went wide. “Ohhhhh! That is so sweet! Are you looking for her?”

“Yes I am. She is supposed to be arriving from the space station Igneous Lambda Eta. I understand that it is a three cycle journey.”

“Oh, I know where she’ll be! I just got off a transport coming from that sector!”

The Ruby beckoned her to follow. She kept as close as possible, not wanting to lose sight of the little Gem in the writhing mass.

They came to a medium sized cargo vessel, which was being unloaded by a team of Carnelians and Amethysts. There were a handful of passengers - mostly Rubies - crowded around the cargo containers, tussling or chatting. An enormous Jasper - a fusion Honey Pearl realized - was lifting heavier cargo containers onto movers. Another fusion, a Topaz, was talking to an Agate, who held a bubble in her hand. Inside was an irritated-looking Aquamarine.

The Ruby who had brought her here said, “Who are you looking for again?”

Honey Pearl crouched down and beckoned Ruby over. “Here’s the thing: she’s a new type of Gem. She was part of a squadron that dealt with the Mondasians. She’s called Blue Hematite.”

Ruby’s eyes widened and she smiled. “Oh, her! She’s so nice! You’re so lucky!” Ruby turned towards the entrance to the vessel. “Hey Topaz! Where’s Blue?”

Topaz waved her hand, finished speaking to the Agate, then trod over, bubbled Aquamarine in tow.

“Hey Leggy. Blue is helping unload the last of the cargo.” Topaz looked over at Honey Pearl. She grinned brightly. “You must be the Pearl that stole her heart. I’m Topaz.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” she replied, feeling rather at ease. These two, a diminutive Ruby and an enormous Topaz fusion, seemed rather kind. If they considered her Blue to be their friend, she felt she could treat them accordingly.

“Have you known Blue for very long?” Honey Pearl asked.

“Oh no!” The Ruby - Leggy - replied. “We only met her on the ship. She was really nice to us. Even stood up to a mean Aquamarine that was bothering Topaz.”

Topaz grinned and gestured to the tiny winged Gem who was still glowering from within the cream tinted bubble the Agate had placed her in.

“That sounds like my Blue,” Honey Pearl said fondly.

“What sounds like me?”

Honey Pearl whirled around and shrieked with joy as Blue Hematite strode over. She was grinning like a fool. They both were.

“Blue!” Honey Pearl cried, racing towards her.

“Hun!” Blue Hematite stopped and held her arms out.

The moment they touched, the world around them exploded into a dazzling white light.

Chapter Text

Homeworld

Six Months Ago

Hessonite had brought Honey Pearl along with her to the Era Three Gala, of course. It was expected, and it was also expected that Honey Pearl would be relegated to outside the ballroom with the other Pearls. So was the life of a servant.

Hessonite was almost apologetic as she was led inside the enormous chamber. She glanced back at Honey Pearl with a look of regret, but Honey Pearl merely smiled and saluted.

She turned away from the door and stood with her hands clasped in front of her navel, smiling pleasantly, stock still.

Other than the chatter of a few of the more gossipy Pearls and the dull ambiance of the ballroom inside, it was quiet here inside the Diamond Palace. Not a stray robonoid or maintenance Gem in sight. Only a crowd of elegant and delicate Pearls and two Topaz guards flanking the ballroom doors.

Honey Pearl was thinking about her next rendezvous with Blue, in five cycles when Hessonite was scheduled to meet with Fairburn Agate and a few Gems from her squadron, Blue Hematite included. Honey Pearl planned to manufacture any ploy needed to spend at least a few minutes with her beloved. Their time apart - six rotations now - was eating at her. Their brief transmissions to one another were infrequent to keep their profile low. It felt like too little. She was terrified that Blue would lose interest.

She didn’t want that to happen. She loved Blue with all of her being.

Through the doors to the ballroom, a collective gasp and a bellowing voice sounded.

“ Pink! What are you doing? ”

Honey Pearl spun around as the Topaz guards flung the doors open. Alone in the middle of the room stood a figure dressed in Pink Diamond’s outfit. Only they were taller, and they looked more like a real Gem than the other form Pink Diamond had taken.

“I was just dancing!” Their smile fell as they seemed to come back to themself. “Huh!?”

Everybody stared at them in disbelief.

“Pink, this is completely unacceptable!” wailed Blue Diamond. “Unfuse or I'll make you!”

Honey Pearl saw two Gems rush towards Pink Diamond. A Ruby and a… Sapphire? Before she knew it, the two had fused.

“You'll have to go through me!”

A Pearl cried, “And me!” before rushing towards a purple Gem sporting limb enhancers. She cried out an affirmative as the Pearl scooped her up, and the two of them began to glow.

Time seemed to slow down for Honey Pearl as she realized that she was watching a Pearl fuse with another Gem .

The display was blinding. The limb enhancers clattered uselessly to the ground as the small Gem’s form lost cohesion and began to amalgamate with the Pearl’s, becoming a formless ball of light which lengthened into a tall, slim form.

Honey Pearl was mesmerized.

The fusion had four toned, fully functional arms. She stood at least ten feet tall, and en pointe no less. Honey Pearl admired her full, plump lips, the steely determination in her fierce blue eyes, the point of her nose, so like a Pearl’s. Her voluminous hair was tied back in a ponytail, as well as two pigtails framing her face. Her off-white hair and periwinkle skin were gorgeous.

Honey Pearl had never seen a Gem like her before. Even the other cross-Gem fusion at least resembled some type of Garnet. This towering being, so beautiful, so radiant, awoke something deep inside her form.

“And me!” rang out another voice, although the source remained hidden behind the throng of Gems in front of her. The two fusions and Pink Diamond all exchanged confused looks, shrugging.

“I knew it! I knew I couldn't be the only one!” 

Then chaos erupted.

Five Days Later

Blue Diamond was recalling all of her special projects, including the Frontline Battery Unit. Fairburn Agate was unsurprisingly shocked by the news, and had ordered Blue Hematite, one of the black Hematites and a Ulexite to meet her in the docking bay.

Because Igneous Lambda Eta was so isolated within the Gempire, news trickled in at a slower pace - gossip was a better descriptor than news. All that anyone in the Frontline Battery Unit knew was that something had happened on Homeworld, and the details were either too sparse, or were simply too cracked to be true.

“Whatever this is about, I don’t intend to let anyone, not even our own Diamond, put an end to such important work,” Fairburn Agate remarked as she led her small entourage to the ship. “You lot are the result of centuries of meticulous planning and an investment of prime resources.”

Ulexite snickered and said, “Aw Fairbee, I think you just love us, you old softie.”

“Nonsense,” the Agate responded, but without her usual flat tone. None of them could see her face, but they all knew she was smiling.

They boarded the Roaming Eye that would take them to Homeworld. The Black Hematite - who had been imaginatively nicknamed Blackie - took the helm as the others strapped in. They shot out of the docking bay and with a reality-twisting jolt, the gravity engines kicked in.

It was a short trip. An hour later, they had docked in Facet Three and disembarked to find the docking bay in chaos. Gems of all types, shapes and sizes were a swirling mass of confusion. The air was thick with flight-capable Gems flitting from one place to the other. Blue Hematite saw Fairburn Agate swallow some anxiety before gesturing to her to lead the way.

It was simple enough. Blue Hematite had an imposing figure, and she was rather unflappable. She firmly pressed through the muddle of Gems, taking care not to trod on any Rubies or Sapphires.

“What is this madness?” Fairburn Agate practically wailed.

“I heard the Diamonds were all poofed,” Blackie offered.

“Where did you hear that ?!” Fairburn Agate whirled around, her eyes fairly bulging. “That sort of talk is seditious and you know it!”

Blackie put her hands up defensively. “Whoa Fairbee, calm down! It’s like the fifth most outlandish thing I’ve heard in the last few cycles. Something big happened on here, and nobody seems to know for sure what .”

Fairburn Agate continued to glare for another few moments before turning around, grumbling to herself.

Ulexite nudged Blackie and said, “You know, there are some things that you really ought to think, but not say. Especially to Fairbee.”

Blue Hematite could almost hear Fairburn Agate’s teeth grinding. She grinned to herself.

They were shunted away from Blue Diamond’s palace immediately. They were told that she was, in fact, not on Homeworld. She and the other Diamonds were on… Earth?

Blue Hematite thought back to one of the conversations that she and Honey Pearl had shared once, a few rotations ago. They had been talking about Pearls, and Honey Pearl had confessed to her that she was smitten with the legendary “Renegade Pearl” who had fought alongside Rose Quartz and the Crystal Gems. But she was just that - a legend. Little was known about Earth following the war, but it had been long assumed to be a dead colony. No Gems were supposed to have survived. And yet, the Diamonds were there… for what purpose?

Instead, they were directed to Hessonite’s office. Blue Hematite’s day brightened immediately.

Honey Pearl’s might have as well, had she not been swamped with angry commanding Gems on the comms lines, demanding her Hessonite’s time immediately .

“I’m afraid that my Hessonite is currently in a meeting with the ranking Emeralds of the Diamond Fleet, and I can assure you, their time is much more valuable than yours,” Honey Pearl was snapping at a screen when the quartet arrived.

“How dare you?!” the Nephrite on the screen shouted. “Your Hessonite should have you shattered for that sort of indig-”

“Welcome to Era Three,” Honey Pearl said with a cold smirk, and dismissed the screen.

Blue Hematite’s eyes were filled with stars when her beloved finally glanced over at her party and yelped, sloppily saluting.

“Oh my! F-Fairburn Agate, I apologize! M-my demeanor… I-I…”

But Fairburn Agate held up a hand and interrupted her. “I don’t care, Pearl. I’ve been informed of the new edicts. And frankly, you’re right - the Diamond Fleet Emeralds’ time is more valuable.”

Honey Pearl nodded, relieved. Her eyes flicked to Blue Hematite, then back. She bowed and said, “I thank you, Fairburn Agate. As you can see, my Hessonite is indisposed at the moment, but I will make certain that she contacts you as soon as she is available.”

Fairburn Agate nodded. “Acceptable. I will use the time to work.” She turned to her three soldiers. “I suppose there isn’t anything for you three to do but wait. You’ve got six hours. Spend it how you’d like.” She turned back to Honey Pearl. “I require an empty office.”

“Of course, Fairbee-” Honey Pearl’s eyes widened in horror as she realized that the nickname had slipped out, but to her surprise, Fairburn Agate gave a little chuckle.

“I suppose Hess uses that nickname from time to time, does she?” she said warmly.

Honey Pearl blushed faintly, gesturing to the corridor to her left. “If you’ll just follow me…”

She led Fairburn Agate away. Blue Hematite turned to Blackie and Ulexite. “Six hours huh? What kind of trouble are you two going to find?”

Ulexite smirked and crossed her arms. “I think you know where I’m going. The best Arena Brawl Facet Nineteen can offer! You two coming?”

“Nah,” Blackie shook her head, “I want to hit the Magnet Attic. Been a while since I had my poles reversed.”

“Ugh, you magneto-heads are so boring.” Ulexite nodded to Blue Hematite. “I think we all know where you’re going. Or rather, staying .” She leered at her friend, who made a rude gesture, which only made her laugh harder.

“Get going, you brittle barbarian. Poof a Jasper for me.”

Ulexite cackled as she and Blackie left.

Blue Hematite leaned against Honey Pearl’s desk, looking around at the mostly empty room. Only a couple of Nephrites and a single Carnelian were sitting at the far wall. She glanced down at the console on the desk, seeing several comms lines flashing, indicating calls on hold or incoming. Blue Hematite winced. Her poor dear must be working her tiny form to the photon.

She heard sprightly footsteps from the corridor, and Honey Pearl came skipping back to her desk.

“Just give me a minute or two to clear out the rabble ,” she whispered with a grin.

She went over to the Carnelian and Nephrites, speaking quietly so Blue Hematite couldn’t hear. But clearly the disgruntled Carnelian was mollified, as she nodded, then gestured for the Nephrites. They left, and then it was just her and Honey Pearl.

Honey Pearl wore a self-satisfied smile as she sashayed over to her desk and fiddled with the console. She straightened, assuming a professional stance.

“You have reached the office of Hessonite Facet 1CA Cut 2VG, Overseer of Homeworld's Elite Citrine Honor Guard. My Hessonite is currently indisposed. Please call again in six hours, as my Hessonite will be in meetings for the remainder of the cycle.” She switched off the console, slumped into her chair and sighed deeply. “My stars, the last ten cycles have been utter madness.” She looked up at Blue Hematite and smiled wearily. “Hello you.”

Blue Hematite smiled back. “Hello, love.”

They were silent for a few moments, simply soaking in the sensation of being in the other’s presence again. It happened far too infrequently. They communicated through official channels most of the time - Blue Hematite acted as liaison for the Unit, and Honey Pearl often represented her Hessonite, so they spoke on a semi-regular basis. Discreetly encoding personal communiques into data transmissions was simple enough, and tided the couple over during the rotations-long periods between face-to-face meetings.

But right now… here they both were.

Honey Pearl jumped to her feet and gestured to the corridor. “Come with me.”

Blue Hematite followed her to the end of the corridor, past an office whose soundproofing was in need of overhaul, if the shrill Emerald shouts were any indication. Blue Hematite winced.

The end of the corridor had a lift, which Honey Pearl stepped into. Blue Hematite got in after her and they descended a level. The doors opened into an enormous dome-shaped chamber. It was clearly a training facility.

“We can have some privacy at last,” Honey Pearl said. Blue Hematite could hear the warmth in her voice smolder into something else. Something a little more intense. Honey Pearl turned around, her eyes alight with intensity that made Blue Hematite’s form quiver. She strutted forward coyly, swaying her hips and running a finger over her lips. Blue Hematite felt panic beginning to bubble up within her, and she took a step back.

Honey Pearl stopped, her facing falling into a worried frown. She stopped.

“Blue? What’s wrong?”

Blue Hematite dropped her gaze to the floor. “You know I can’t touch you,” she said very quietly. “I could be shattered… you could be shattered.”

“Oh Blue, no! No no no!” Blue Hematite looked up to find her love beaming, hands clasped in front of her. “My love, have you not heard?”

“Heard what?” she replied.

Honey Pearl took great delight in telling Blue Hematite everything she knew about the recent calamity on Homeworld. The return of Pink Diamond, the beginning of Era Three, and of course, the Gala.

“An Amethyst and a Pearl fused ?” Blue Hematite repeated.

Honey Pearl nodded excitedly. “They did. It was amazing! They were so beautiful…” She sighed. “I was never told that Pearls could fuse. I always assumed that we couldn’t.”

Blue Hematite said nothing. Honey Pearl looked back at her, noticing her crestfallen expression.

“Blue, you know what Pink Diamond has done, don’t you? She-- pardon me, he , has changed the Gempire. He’s convinced the other Diamonds that things are not well here on Homeworld. And now they’re looking at changing everything .”

“You mean, Pearls…?”

“It’s looking that way.”

Blue Hematite felt her defenses finally fall and before she knew it, she was reaching her hand out to Honey Pearl, who joyfully reached out to touch--

She became aware of her four arms first. She thought that they would feel more awkward, they had certainly looked strange on the fusion at the Gala. But they felt as natural as anything.

Her eyes slowly opened, the blinding light fading from her vision, and she looked down at herself.

“We fused,” she said to herself calmly.

“…” She was equally speechless.

Her skin was a slate gray, and she wore a one piece body suit of deep green with a fluffy tulle skirt. Her boots and the two pairs of one-finger forearm gloves were a light yellow. She gathered some hair from the voluminous ponytail and examined a lock of green hair streaked with purple. Two pigtails hung framing her face. The left tuft was blue; the right was red.

She noticed that the floor seemed farther away than either of her components were used to.

“I must be enormous!” she cried out. She spun around, looking for a reflective surface to examine her form in.

She found a polished chrome fixture on one of the walls and studied herself in awe. She must be at least ten feet tall. Her legs were long and fairly thick, definitely proportionally in between a Hematite and a Pearl. Her eyes were a bright, pale green. There were red markings on her lower arms and shoulders, partially covered in more tulle.

She smiled fondly as she touched her gems. They too were dark green, with flecks of reds, purples and yellows dusting their cabochons.

“We’re beautiful,” she murmured.

“ I am beautiful.”

“Of course I am. We are.”

“We are love.”

“I love me.”

She wrapped her arms, all four, around herself and hugged tightly.

“I am Koroit Opal.”

Chapter Text

Chapter Six

Homeworld

Facet Three

Six Months Later

Koroit Opal came into being with an undignified snort .

“Oh my stars, I’m here!” she gushed, hugging herself with both sets of arms and giggling. “I’m so glad to be here!”

She twirled around in place, absolutely abuzz with joy. She came to a stop facing Topaz, Leggy, about a dozen assorted Gems, and silence.

Then someone yelped, “Holy smokes! She’s a babe!”

The gaping Gems all broke into a cheer and rushed forward to meet the new fusion.

“Oh wow oh wow!” Leggy squealed.

“Look at you! You’re simply divine!” said a Goshenite.

“She looks like that fusion from the Gala!” said a Jade.

Koroit Opal felt her cheeks darken, suddenly nervous at the attention on her. But the attention seemed positive…

Koroit Opal’s gaze fell on the bubbled Aquamarine. She could remember Blue Hematite’s run-in with the tiny terror, and wasn’t surprised to see her sneering in Koroit Opal’s direction. The fusion pursed her lips. Unlike her components, Koroit Opal had enough patience to tolerate this, and merely turned away.

Leggy was tugging on her lower left hand. “Um… I’m sorry to bug you…”

Koroit Opal smiled warmly at Leggy and patted her head. “That’s all right. What would you like to know?”

Leggy blushed and let go of her hand, drawing back and touching her index fingers together, looking anywhere but at her.

“Um… what’s your name?”

Koroit Opal chuckled at the bashful little Gem. “My name is Koroit Opal. I’m pleased to introduce myself.”

Leggy beamed and said, “Hi Koroit Opal. I’m Leggy.”

“I know,” she giggled. “Blue Hematite and Honey Pearl both know you, so I do as well.” She smirked. “But you don’t know me .”

Leggy gasped. “You’re right! Tell me everything about yourself!”

“I’ve only existed for about an hour all together, so there isn’t much to tell.”

“Ruby!” barked a Ruby from the vessel’s ramp, “Get in here! We’re off to Facet Six!”

“Coming Ruby!” Leggy yelled back. She turned back to the fusion who towered over her benignly. “I’ve gotta go. I hope I get to see you again! Bye!” she cried over her shoulder as she sprinted to the ship. Koroit Opal waved.

The crowd had thinned, and Koroit Opal found herself suddenly alone. She sighed, content. A moment alone.

Koroit Opal

I’ve thought about nothing but you.

I’ve been so distracted the last half-rotation, with all the preparations and 

I couldn’t stop thinking about this .

all the doubts and the complaints, and it’s driven me mad to be

It’s been half a rotation since I last saw you.

so far from you when I’m supposed to be free but I couldn’t

Every moment was agony, to be without you.

leave her unprepared. But I’m here now.

But I’m here now.

And so are you.

And so are you.

This is what we need.

This is what we want.

This is us, my love.

This is who we are.

This is who I am.

Facet Three

The moment passed. Koroit Opal opened her eyes, seeking out Topaz. She was still by the ship, her bubbled comrade by her shoulder. Koroit Opal approached to say goodbye.

“Blue enjoyed your company greatly. If you ever come to Earth, look for me. Or rather, Blue and Honey.” She smiled sheepishly.

Topaz smiled and embraced the slightly taller fusion. “It was nice meeting you three. Good luck on Earth.”

Koroit Opal grinned and said, “Good luck wherever you end up.”

They waved and Koroit Opal took her leave. She headed back the way Honey Pearl had come, intending to find the nearest warp hub. But as she walked, she noticed just how much she towered over the every other Gem around her. It made her very conspicuous. And from the rising whispers around her, she knew that the attention she was receiving was less than positive.

She felt anxiety rise up within her. How stupid of her. The Proclamation and subsequent laws may be in effect, but the attitude of the average Homeworld Gem was not so easily changed. And here she was, parading among them, reminding them that the Gempire was changing, and some of them wouldn’t like it.

Her form lent itself to incredible agility and grace, so her sudden break from the stream of Gems heading towards the warp hub was seamless. She found a service corridor and entered it, ducking down. She took a deep breath and unfused.

Blue Hematite and Honey Pearl emerged in an embrace, which neither of them was willing to break for a long minute. But eventually, Honey Pearl forced herself to step back and look up into her beloved’s eyes.

“There will be plenty of time for Koroit on Earth,” she said with a sad smile. “Homeworld isn’t quite ready.”

Blue Hematite hated to agree.

So the couple steadied themselves, then joined hands and waded back into the throng.

Blue Hematite let Honey Pearl lead the way, as she was more familiar with the layout of Homeworld. She was content to just follow, letting her anticipation bubble and simmer. They were so close now. She let the images pass through her mind.

A blue and green marble orbiting a middling yellow star. Typical organic-supporting atmosphere and a considerable amount of terrestrial land. Home to both sentient and feral organics. And more recently, home to Gems as well. Blue Hematite wondered what that was like. She had encountered organics after all - she and her unit had battled the Mondasians for hundreds of years, all over their star system. What would human beings be like? What would the Gems be like? What about the so-called corruption she had been hearing about?

Honey Pearl tugged on her hand and pulled her off to the right of the walkway. The corridor they went down eventually led to the atrium of the warp hub. As they entered, a blue Gem strode towards them. She was a Zircon, her rectangular Gem resting in the center of her chest. She wore a monocle over her left eye. Honey Pearl waved at her.

“Zircon! It’s good to see you!”

“Hello Honey,” Blue Zircon replied. She nodded at Blue Hematite. “You must be Hematite. It’s good to meet you.”

“Zircon here is an acting emissary between the settlement on Earth and Homeworld. She was handpicked by Pink Diamond herself.”

“ Himself ,” Blue Zircon corrected gently. “And he prefers not to be called by that name. He goes by Steven.”

I still think that’s a weird name, Blue Hematite thought. But she nodded her understanding.

“Now, as a matter of protocol,” Blue Zircon continued, “please allow me to inform you of a few pieces of Earth etiquette that should help you avoid… unpleasantness.” She cleared her throat, and a projection lit up from her Gem. It took the form of a human - it stood roughly five and a half feet, much smaller than Blue Hematite, but near Honey Pearl’s height.

“This is a human being. Unlike us, they are composed of organic material. This makes them much more fragile than us, and weaker as a result. But do not be fooled! Humans are very clever, and can be extremely stubborn.”

Her projection showed the human extend its right hand in front of it.

“This is a typical human greeting. It is called “shaking hands”. Zircon turned to the hologram and reached out, grasping its hand and moving it up and down firmly. “This is usually enough to put humans at ease when first meeting them.”

The couple nodded.

“Now, a little trickier, and at first glance, initially hostile, is the “high-five”.”

Blue Zircon’s presentation took about fifteen minutes, and by the end of it, both Blue Hematite and Honey Pearl were mildly frazzled by the strictures of human etiquette, and very overwhelmed by the sheer number of ways humans could be hurt.

“...so just remember to get the wounded human to the nearest doctor, and they should be fine, depending on the severity of their injuries.” The projection flickered out and Blue Zircon gave a little bow. Looking up, she noticed the horrified expressions on the faces of her listeners.

“I’m sorry, was the hologram detailing various human injuries too graphic?”

The pair merely nodded.

“Oh honestly,” she muttered, before pasting a smile on her face and saying, “Well, I think we’re ready to depart. Any questions before we do so?”

Frankly, this whole thing was overwhelming enough that they couldn’t think of anything to ask of her. Instead, Blue Hematite turned to Honey Pearl.

"What's the first thing you want to do when we get to Earth, Hun?" she asked.

"Meet the Renegade!" Honey Pearl brightened immediately.

"That can be arranged!" Blue Zircon offered helpfully. "I know her personally, and she loves meeting new Pearls."

Honey Pearl squealed. “I can’t believe it! She is so amazing!”

Blue Hematite and Blue Zircon exchanged a look that said they were both used to this reaction. The Zircon motioned for them to follow her towards the warp pad chamber.

“We will be taking two warp pads - one local to the Diamond Citadel, and a galaxy warp to Earth,” she explained as the warp activated, sending them hurtling through the space between reality. They touched down in the Citadel as expected and were hurriedly escorted to the center of the chamber, and the largest warp pad Honey Pearl had ever seen. They climbed up onto it and stood, waiting.

“Due to heavy warp traffic, we may have to wait a few moments,” Blue Zircon said.

“That’s okay,” Honey Pearl replied. She took a moment to look around the room. She realized that there was a great possibility that this could be the last time she would ever be on Homeworld.

The thought was a little terrifying.

Blue Hematite glanced at her partner and put a hand on her back. Honey Pearl smiled and leaned against her.

"You okay Hun?"

The Pearl nodded. "Just wondering if I'll ever see Homeworld again."

Blue Hematite sighed. Honey Pearl had never left Homeworld before, of course she was apprehensive. She rubbed Honey Pearl's back gently.

"Its all right. It'll be all right. I'm with you, and I'm never leaving you behind."

Clearing her throat, Blue Zircon interjected, "It's actually a relief that you two are coming together. Many Gems have come to Earth by themselves, and have been overwhelmed by the culture shock, and without another Gem to help them acclimate, several have ended up leaving Earth."

Honey Pearl turned to the Zircon with a mildly worried look. "Is it really that difficult? Is it safe ? For a Pearl?"

Blue Zircon surprised her with a chuckle. "Oh my stars. Believe it or not, Earth is the perfect place for a Pearl newly freed from service. For the most part, its peaceful and pleasant. And," she continued with a satisfied smirk, "it's the last place close-minded warrior class Gems and elites would deign to spend their time. The organics are too off-putting and the Gems already living there are clearly ," sardonic smirk, "defective."

Blue Hematite and Honey Pearl shared a glance. The joke was clearly meant to put them at ease; however, mention of the word defective stole any humor from the statement.

Blue Zircon noticed that her quip had been met with awkwardness and blushed a deep cobalt.

"Er… what I mean to say is that those who are seeking a life on Earth are usually kind or shy or friendly. We've had only a handful of incidents in the last four months, which is only to be expected with such a dramatic undertaking. The worst incident was a Sapphire chipping her Gem after falling from a rooftop. But thankfully Steven was on hand at the time and was able to heal her immediately."

Taking a chance, she added, "I guess she didn't see that coming."

Blue Hematite and Honey Pearl both burst out into laughter, and the Zircon felt relief wash over her. Good, so she was funny. Peridot would have to let her tryout for the improv group now!

As the laughter subsided, the warp pad came to life with a harmonic hum and crystalline toll. The edges of the pad glowed brilliantly and a column of light shot up around them. Honey Pearl gave a muted squeak as she rose a few inches into the air, but her Hematite partner kept a firm grip on her hand. Honey Pearl gave her a thankful squeeze.

Transit through the Galaxy Warp was unlike anything Honey Pearl had experienced in her existence. She was used to local or global warping, which were similar in all manners, except duration. The slight pressure squeezing around them, the mild sensation of momentum, the dazzling bluish-white light.

This felt more like being fired from an energy cannon.

Honey Pearl found it thrilling .

"Aaaaaaaaaahhhhh-this-is-amaaaaaziiiiiing!"

Blue Zircon grinned. She'd escorted several Pearls to Earth via Galaxy Warp, but none of them had reacted like this.

At least she wasn't vomiting. That poor green Pearl still couldn't look Blue Zircon in the eye.

Maybe she wasn't really green, she realized.

Blue Hematite was unfazed by the trip itself, but was endlessly amused with Honey Pearl's glee.

The warp took about five minutes. It ended less abruptly than either of them were expecting. As the warp stream disappeared, the three Gems touched down softly.

Blue Hematite and Honey Pearl immediately took in their surroundings.

Water.

Everywhere.

Chapter Text

Earth

"Has the planet flooded?" Honey Pearl asked with dread.

The warp hub they had arrived at was surrounded by water on all sides. There was no sight of dry land anywhere, in any direction.

The hub itself was covered with about a dozen local warp pads. Most looked to be in working order. However, a small swarm of robonoids were clustered around two pads that were severely damaged.

"Not at all," Blue Zircon replied. "Earth's public Galaxy Warp is located in one of Earth's oceans - the Atlantic - and is relatively close to the Homeworld settlement. Plans are in place to eventually relocate the hub to the mainland, but for now, this actually works to our advantage."

"How so?" Asked a skeptical Blue Hematite. 

"Well for one, you two get to meet your first humans!"

Both of the newly arrived Gems felt a mixture of nervousness and excitement. A human, already? Blue Hematite thought back to her conversation with Topaz, recalling her fairly positive opinion on the organics. But she also remembered her apprehension about these delicate beings. Honey Pearl, having never met a non-light based entity, was equally nervous and joyful.

"Really?" Asked Honey Pearl. "Where are they?"

The Zircon turned and pointed in a direction behind them.

"They have a small vessel waiting for us. You two are the only ones arriving this cycle quarter - Earth's cycle is just a little under twenty-four hours, by the way - so it'll just be the three of us and the two human sailors." Blue Zircon's eyepiece flickered as she checked the time. "Its early afternoon, so Sour Cream should be joining Yellowtail today."

Sour Cream? Yellowtail? Are those human designations?  Blue Hematite wondered. Weird…

Blue Zircon led them to the edge of the warp hub. They found a strange object bobbing up and down in the water. Honey Pearl couldn't identify the materials used to construct it, but Blue Hematite recognized it as a dense organic material called cellulose. She stared, aghast.

"We're traveling in that ?"

A moment later, she found herself being glared at by what could only be a human. It was short and a little round in the torso. Its head and upper body were covered in items of yellow rubber, and blue boots covered its legs. It seemed to have hair growing from around its mouth.

The human muttered something, out of the Gems' hearing, and retreated into the small cabin from which it had emerged. A moment later a taller human stepped out of the cabin, saying in a bassy voice, "C'mon Yellowdad, they're new Gems. They've probably never seen a boat before."

The tall human waved up at the awaiting travelers and called, "Welcome to Earth, Gem dudes."

Blue Hematite and Honey Pearl both waved back blankly. Honey Pearl called back, "Thank you, er… human 'dudes'?"

This seemed to please the human, because it grinned and said, "Cool."

"Yes, it is rather cool out here!" agreed Honey Pearl enthusiastically. She was having a conversation with a human! What a thrill! She beamed at the two blue Gems standing beside her. The Zircon chuckled.

"Hey Zircs, how goes?" The human called.

"Very well Sour Cream, thank you. How are you and your father?"

Sour Cream - a 'he' from what Blue Hematite and Honey Pearl could gather - rubbed the back of his neck and seemed to chuckle nervously.

"Well, I'm good. I've got a show with Sadie Killer and the Suspects tonight in Empire. Yellowdad though…" Sour Cream frowned. "I think he'll just be glad when the new warp pads are done. All the new Gems are a little wild for his tastes."

Said human stuck his head out and nodded emphatically. His glare landed on Blue Hematite and Honey Pearl, but his expression softened when he saw Blue Zircon and he waved.

"Good day Zircon," he shouted in an accented voice.

"And you, Yellowtail."

Sour Cream beckoned for the trio to climb aboard the odd vessel. Blue Zircon didn't hesitate and hopped down to the boat's deck. Blue Hematite and Honey Pearl exchanged a glance before nodding resolutely. This was it.

Blue Hematite lowered herself down first, then reached up to grab Honey Pearl under the arms and carefully lowered her down too.

"Welcome aboard the Madam Poisson," Sour Cream said. He gave a dry cheer and pulled a few colored rods from his pocket and tossed them in air.

Blue Zircon palmed her face. "Peridot has a point, that doesn't work very well outside of a rave."

Sour Cream scoffed, but collected his items, stashing them once more in the large pocket on his top appearance modifier. 

Blue Hematite and Honey Pearl stared, unsure how to react. Blue Zircon laughed weakly.

"Don't mind Sour Cream's… exuberance. He's an artist."

Ah . The couple nodded. That made sense.

If the remark offended the human, it didn't show. He gestured for them to have a seat on a bench built in front of the piloting cabin. Honey Pearl thanked him and sat down. Blue Hematite on the other hand stared out at the wide expanse of blue water. It had been decades since she last saw a body of water this massive. It was amazing.

She leaned over the bow and looked down at the cutting edge of the ship. Waves crashed against the hull, rocking her slightly.

"We're ready to set sail," Yellowtail called from his booth. "Please keep inside the boat. And please," a note of desperation, "do not summon any weapons!"

Blue Hematite heard Sour Cream chortle and Blue Zircon grumbled something about Amethysts.

The little ship began to move forward, leaving the Galaxy Warp behind.

The trip took a little over an hour, as the Madam Poisson was powered by a primitive combustion engine. But it was a wonderful time for the new Gems. While Yellowtail was a little standoffish with them, Sour Cream was easy going and seemed to enjoy the company. He told them a bit about human music, his family, his friends Buck and Jenny and Lars and Sadie and Steven--

"Wait," Blue Hematite interrupted, "you mean Pink Diamond Steven?"

"Well, yeah," Sour Cream confirmed. "I know he's like a princess or something on your planet, but here, he's just a bud."

Laughing uncomfortably, Blue Zircon put a hand on his shoulder (squeezing a little hard, but not enough to injure, just to warn) and said, "Yes, Steven is very much a "bud". But he is also a Diamond, and should be treated as such."

Sour Cream snorted and shook his head. "Yeah, no way Zircs. Steven hates it when Gems are all worshippy and stuff. He's too chill for that kind of thing."

"Chill?" Honey Pearl asked. "Does Steven have cryokinetic powers?"

"I think it's an idiom," Blue Hematite whispered to her.

"Oh."

"What Sour Cream means is that Steven is quite informal in his dealings with Gems." She frowned. "Actually, I don't think I've ever seen him act formally."

As she pondered this, the door to the pilot's booth opened and Yellowtail staggered out and took a seat by his son.

"Steven is a lot like his father, Greg, who I've known for a long time." He raised a container to his lips, drinking deeply, before he wiped his mouth and passed it to Sour Cream.

"What is a father?" Asked Honey Pearl.

The two humans grimaced, exchanging glances. Luckily,  Blue Zircon tried to save them from a very awkward conversation.

"There'll be plenty of time to cover that, and other… related topics ." She coughed into her fist.

Yellowtail shrugged. "I guess the easiest way to put it is this: Greg and Steven's mother created him."

They had heard that, of course. Steven had been very forthcoming in his part of the Diamond Proclamation. 

"How?" Honey Pearl pressed. She was intrigued. How would one create an organic-Gem hybrid?

" Later ," Blue Zircon hissed.

The rest of the voyage was a little more quiet. Yellowtail returned to the pilot’s cabin, and Sour Cream made himself busy with some nets in need of folding. 

Soon enough, Blue Hematite spotted their destination. Upon a hill was an obvious settlement. But she could see the telltale signs of Gem habitation. Certain alloys that she was certain were beyond human means (if this creaky old vessel was any indication). An antenna array she recognized from other colonies. Various pieces of heavy construction equipment Blue Hematite herself was familiar with.

“My stars, look at that!” Honey Pearl breathed.

“A little slice of Homeworld, tucked away on this magnificent planet,” Blue Zircon offered. “We’re still in the early stages of construction, and we project at least another eighteen months of work, but we’re doing it.” She smiled, staring off at the settlement. “I’ve spent a lot of time here over the last few months. I’ve made a lot of friends, and I’ve learned a lot about myself.” Glancing at the other two Gems, she blushed and looked away. “Anyways, we’ll be docking in a few minutes. Once ashore, we can go straight to Little Homeworld if you’d like. Otherwise, I’m sure that Steven and the Crystal Gems would be pleased to meet you.”

Honey Pearl’s face lit up immediately. “ The Renegade …” she whispered, starry-eyed.

Blue Hematite snorted, earning golden blush from her partner.

The ship approached a structure made from the same material. Yellowtail slowed their approach, and soon they were gently floating right beside the platform.

Sour Cream hopped out and began to tie a long length of woven fibers to a post, anchoring the vessel. He offered his hand to Honey Pearl and helped her onto the platform, then Blue Zircon. Blue Hematite smirked and said, “I’d probably pull you back down here, skinny.” She crouched, then launched herself up. She landed beside Sour Cream and gave him a gentle poke. “You’re all right. I think I’m going to like you humans.”

Sour Cream grunted. “Heh. Cool.” He gestured to the wooden platform that stretched towards the shore. “Head that way and take a It was nice to meet you two. See you around.” He waved and hopped back down into the boat. From the cabin, Yellowtail gave a wave. The three Gems returned it before heading down the platform.

“That was a superb experience!” Honey Pearl gushed as she clasped her hands together in front of her chest. “Who knew that organics could be so bright?”

“Well, some of them,” Blue Zircon muttered. “For all that Steven and Connie and most of the adults in Beach City are capable, intelligent beings…” She trailed off for a moment, struggling to find the most diplomatic phrasing for her thoughts. “Some act like they’re cracked.” She rolled her eyes. “In the most annoying ways possible.”

She spun around and clutched Blue Hematite’s uniform desperately.

“Pleeeeeaaaase, please, do not engage with the one they call…” Her eyes narrowed, flashing with cold fury as she sneered, “... Kevin .”

She stalked off, leaving her fellow Gems to absorb this warning.

“Do you think she’s gone native?” Honey Pearl whispered.

“Maybe a little ?” Blue Hematite shrugged.

They both giggled quietly, following Blue Zircon to the mainland.

Chapter Text

Beach City, Delmarva
Earth

It became apparent rather quickly that fusion would not be an issue here on Earth. By the looks of the enormous segmented Gem lounging beside a small battle cruiser, speaking to a four armed, four eyed Gem a little taller than Blue Hematite… and the several dozen Gems bustling around, not saying a word about them? Some even greeted them as they passed?

“My stars, would you look at that,” Blue Hematite muttered.

Blue Zircon glanced back at her with a questioning glance.

“Ah… if you two are uncomfortable with fusion - including cross-Gem fusion-- ”

The couple shook their heads emphatically. “Not at all!” Honey Pearl exclaimed. “In fact,” she blushed, “ we’ve fused.” She clutched Blue Hematite’s arm for emphasis. Her partner beamed.

The pair looked so earnest that Blue Zircon couldn’t help but smile herself.

“From what I understand,” she offered, “the Crystal Gems never adhered to any of the old conventions having to do with fusion. In fact, one of the oldest members of the group is a fusion of a Ruby and a Sapphire, known as Garnet.”

I saw them at the Gala! Honey Pearl thought. It must have been them!

“As such,” Blue Zircon continued, “fusion is completely accepted here, even encouraged. It’s been a real life saver.” She slowed and turned to Blue Hematite and Honey Pearl. Her expression was fretful. “You see, when Steven first contacted me about coming here, it was literally a day after he and the Diamonds gathered here to cure the Gems who were corrupted during the closing events of the War. While a large portion of those who have been restored have managed to recover with a minimum of post-traumatic conditions, there were a significant number who weren’t so lucky.

“But Steven, with the help of his human friend and her mother, came up with the idea of a “buddy system”, in which he and his team paired up affected Gems with those who had recovered, and encouraged them to bond through various avenues.” Blue Zircon counted on her digits, “Simple one-on-one conversations; physical activities; combat training for warriors in need of an outlet; artistic expression; studying and learning…” She smirked at something over Honey Pearl’s shoulder and chuckled. “And human interaction!”

She waved, prompting the new arrivals to look behind them. A human with dark skin and poofy black hair was jogging by, glistening with sweat and breathing heavily. She held a small stack of flat boxes in one hand, balanced with impeccable skill, given her organic form’s apparent lack of proper inertial control. With a fond smile, she waved at the three Gems with her free hand and managed a breathy, “Heya Zircs!” before sprinting off.

“That’s Kiki Pizza,” Blue Zircon explained as the couple turned back to her. “She’s a young human adult who works at her family’s food dispensary.” Her face darkened with a blush. “We’ve become rather close.”

A moment of awkward silence followed, before Blue Hematite tactfully asked, “So this “buddy system” thing?”

“Yes!” Blue Zircon jumped on the subject with relieved vigor. “Steven’s program has been a huge success. Some pairings didn’t work out, naturally, but Steven was on top of it, trying out different Gems until they found others that they connected with. And one of the side effects of his pairing system was a number of unintentional, but incredibly beneficial fusions. Some were simply therapeutic, while others became deep bonds.” 

Blue Hematite felt Honey Pearl’s hand clench in hers as she asked, “How deep?”

Blue Zircon gestured behind them to the two fusions still idly chatting by the ships. “Those two, Fluorite and Rhodonite, they’ve been fusions for millenia, just like Garnet. When the pairs began to fuse by accident, they stepped in and helped them all navigate the turbulence of fusing for the first time. And over time, every single one of them stabilized.” She smiled again. “Most of the fusions were short-lived. Some appear from time to time, as friendships and romances grow. And a few have become permanently fused.”

“Permanently?” Honey Pearl whispered. She was misty-eyed. That sounds so romantic .

Blue Zircon chuckled. “Three permanent fusions, possibly the only ones in the entire universe up until recently, and they ended up here, on Earth.” She looked up at Blue Hematite and rolled her eyes. “Garnet would probably say that it was fate. I say that Earth just attracts romantics.”

Blue Hematite gave her a lopsided grin. “Well, you’ll get no argument from me.”

Blue Zircon motioned them to follow her along the wooden platform towards a line of human structures. As they approached, their olfactory senses were assaulted by an overwhelming miasma. While not unpleasant per se, the sheer number of different odors, all unlike anything the couple had ever experienced, became indecipherable as they got closer.

Blue Zircon seemed to notice their oncoming sensory overload and managed to corral them to the end of the promenade. “My apologies. Having to walk by Fish Stew Pizza and the Fry Shack on your first day here isn’t always a great experience. I should have warned you.”

“What was that?” Blue Hematite asked, her nose wrinkling reflexively. She wasn’t keen on smelling all of that again.

“Human food dispensaries,” Blue Zircon explained. “Humans aren’t powered the way Gems are; they must obtain their energy requirements through sustenance in the form of organic matter, both plants and…” she shuddered slightly, “ animals .”

Honey Pearl gasped and clutched Blue Hematite’s arm, cowering slightly. “Th-th-they co-consume their o-own k-kind!?”

Blue Zircon shook her head. “No, not entirely. They don’t consume other humans… at least I don’t think so.” She shrugged. “But there are thousands of other species of animal living on this planet. They breed and herd them for a variety of reasons, including consumption of their organic forms.”

Both new arrivals were still aghast. Honey Pearl wailed, “ Do they consume Gems !?”

Blue Zircon recoiled in horror. “What?! No! Stars, no! Humans put a lot of disgusting things inside of themselves, but they do not eat Gems!”

“Well, if you don’t count Ring-Pops!” said a cheery voice from across the street. A short, round human with curly black hair and a wide smile was waving at them from a table outside another establishment. Blue Zircon perked up and waved back.

“Hello Steven!” she called and beckoned Blue Hematite and Honey Pearl to follow. The couple exchanged wide-eyed glances. Their thoughts were almost entirely the same.

Pink Diamond? Here? Now?

…

He’s so much smaller than I expected.

Blue Hematite inhaled, putting her hand to Honey Pearl’s back and murmuring, “Let’s do this, Hun.”

Honey Pearl shot her an excited smile, then followed after Blue Zircon.

Steven was sitting at a table under a parasol of some sort. He had in front of him a metal container and some sort of edible material he was picking apart with his hands, placing pieces in his mouth before masticating and swallowing. He beamed as the three Gems approached.

“Hi Zircs! Are these the two new Gems you were telling me about?”

Blue Zircon instinctively snapped into a salute and began, “Yes, my Dia-” She faltered as Steven’s expression became pinched. “Er,” she dropped her arms, her thumbs coming together to fidget as one. “Yes, Steven. Allow me to introduce Blue Hematite and Honey Pearl.” She gestured to the couple to step forward.

Steven stood from his chair, wiping his hands on a piece of white material, and reached out to Blue Hematite. “Hi! I’m Steven Universe! It’s really nice to meet you!”

Blue Hematite smiled and lowered herself to one knee, taking his hand as Blue Zircon had taught them earlier, giving it a gentle shake. “Blue Hematite.”

He turned to Honey Pearl, who also shook his hand. “Please, call me Honey.”

“Welcome to Earth!” he said earnestly. “I’m really happy that you’ve decided to come visit our planet. We hope that you enjoy yourselves while you’re here, and will do anything to help you in any way that we can!”

This young half-Gem half-human had such an infectious demeanor that neither Blue Hematite nor Honey Pearl could stay anxious for very long. His starry-eyed enthusiasm and sincere care for their wellbeing were so endearing that within five minutes, Honey Pearl was experiencing her first human hug. Blue Hematite was vibrating with barely stifled laughter as her beloved became practically tangled around the stout hybrid’s torso.

“ Humans are so warm ,” came a mumble from Steven’s chest.

Blue Zircon nearly attempted to disengage the lanky Pearl from his person, but his expression told her that he was okay. He giggled as he gently pried her off.

“Well, I can tell you that Pearl is gonna want to meet you two right away,” he said. “She tries to personally greet any Pearl that comes to Earth. You’ll probably find her on the north beach, teaching her summoning class.”

Blue Zircon bowed. “Thank you, My-- Steven.” She grinned awkwardly. “Still working on it!”

Steven chuckled and said, “One day at a time, Zircs.”

He waved at them again as they departed, heading up a paved pathway. When they were a considerable distance away, Blue Hematite asked Honey Pearl, “Did we just meet a Diamond?”

Honey Pearl looked up at her with a horrified expression. “Did I just hug a Diamond ?”

Ahead of them, Blue Zircon made a noise somewhere between a groan and a giggle.

Blue Zircon led them down a stretch of road that was lined on one side by buildings, while the other was bare. A great expanse of green rose up from the ground, leading to a tall building off in the distance. Blue Zircon explained grass and other basic forms of plant life; how they converted carbon dioxide into oxygen breathable by organics; the strange, brutal symbiosis of plant and animal.

At the end of the road was an L-shaped building with a sign which read “It’s A Wash”. An oddly painted vehicle was parked off to the side of the building. The three Gems could see a human lounging in a chair, beneath a parasol.

“That’s Greg, Steven’s father. He... “ She narrowed her eyes, judging his current state. “...is asleep. Hmph.” She scoffed and continued on past the building. “Honestly…”

“Asleep?” Honey Pearl echoed.

“It’s something organics do,” Blue Hematite explained. “The Mondasians did it. They become unresponsive for a few hours. It’s supposed to keep their minds clear, and regulate their energy.”

They approached a rocky outcropping, marking the far border of the city. A stairway led down to the beach below.

A small group of Gems were standing in a semicircle around a lone figure wielding a magnificent spear - a Pearl .

No. The Renegade .

Honey Pearl came to a stop, her eyes wide, her mouth agape, her hands trembling. She felt an uncomfortable heat rise within her form. She wondered if she was about to dissipate.

“Oh my stars…” she gasped. “It’s really her!”

The Renegade was standing proudly in front of about a half dozen other gems of various types. A Ruby, a Peridot and a Howlite and… three Pearls .

One was holding a pair of sabers.

“ That one’s holding weapons! ” she hissed at Blue Hematite. “ Her own weapons! ”

Her beloved chuckled. “Maybe the Renegade can teach you to summon yours.”

Honey Pearl’s starry-eyed expression said enough. With a smirk, Blue Hematite grabbed her hand and dragged her down the beach. Honey Pearl started to object, but soon enough, the Renegade noticed them and shouted a greeting.

She went rigid, prompting Blue Hematite to helpfully sweep her up. The tall warrior carried her lithe lover in her arms, much to the other Pearl’s amusement.

“And who do we have here?” she asked lightly, but not unkindly.

From behind them, Blue Zircon cleared her throat as she caught up. “Ahem. Hello Pearl. These two are just in from Homeworld. Honey Pearl here wanted to meet you as soon as possible. And this is her partner, Blue Hematite.”

“Oh, how wonderful!” Pearl practically sang. She let her spear dissipate, then turned back to the assembled Gems and said, “Class, let’s call a recess for… oh, an hour? We’ll resume our lesson then, all right?” Her students murmured in agreement and departed.

The Renegade, simply known as Pearl ( How odd , thought Blue Hematite), turned her attention back to her starstruck fellow and the large blue Gem cradling her. To Honey Pearl’s credit, she managed to compose herself and had Blue Hematite set her down. She fussed at her form for a moment, then cleared her throat. Taking a breath to steel herself, she finally met eyes with the fabled Renegade.

For a moment, she was sure that speech would fail her. But the roiling heat within her form seemed to settle, and she felt the words simmer, and rise up gently.

“I can’t believe that you’re real. And more importantly, that I get to meet you.”

The other Pearl’s cheeks flushed a brilliant teal that took Honey Pearl by complete surprise. “Oh my! Well, I’m flattered.” She gave a nervous titter of a laugh. “It’s always such a thrill to meet other Pearls. Ever since Steven and the Diamonds made their proclamation to the Gempire, I’ve met so many others, from all corners of known space!” She beamed. “Seeing each of you here, free…” Her eyes began to water, and she dropped all pretense of dignity with a wet snort . “Pardon me, I’m just… so happy!”

Honey Pearl was beaming just as intensely, and was almost knocked off her feet by Pearl tackling her in a delighted embrace.

"Welcome to Earth!" the Renegade cried happily.

Blue Hematite sighed contentedly. As she watched the two Pearls chatter with each other, she took a moment to eye the three other Pearl's, who had wandered down the beach. She was sure that she recognized the blue one - if she wasn't mistaken, she was Blue Diamond's former Pearl. The Yellow one bore a passing resemblance to Yellow Diamond, so Blue Hematite had an idea of her identity. The pink one was a mystery.

"The Diamonds have encouraged them to spend time on Earth." Blue Zircon stepped beside her and folded her arms behind her back. "After millennia of dedicated service to Homeworld, they deserve some time away."

Blue Hematite made a noise of agreement, but remained silent.

Blue Zircon fidgeted for a moment before saying, "Blue especially."

Blue Hematite nodded. Members of Blue Diamond's court were intimately familiar with their Matriarch's pathokinesis, but none more so than Blue Diamond's Pearl. It was clear that the petite Gem bore much more fortitude than some Quartzes. Blue Hematite was astonished to see her giggling and smiling just as openly as the others.

Blue Hematite sighed again, rubbing the back of her neck. "Can I ask you something Zircs?"

The legal Gem raised a brow. "You may."

"I've only been around a few hundred years. I've been around Blue Diamond twice in that time. And both times…" She took a shaky breath. "Both times were awful."

She turned to look at Blue Zircon. "Has she really changed? The rumors say that she's… happy! Is that true?"

Blue Zircon was quiet for a moment. She reached up and removed her monocle screen, wiping her sleeve over the surfaces.

"I've been a part of this court for over three millennia. I've experienced our… Blue Diamond's aura countless times. And I can assure you that in the last half-rotation, she has transformed. " Looking around almost conspiratorially, she leaned in and whispered, "She even made a pun the last time I saw her!"

Blue Hematite's mouth formed an O of surprise.

"In any case," she went on, "I think it's safe to say that she has started healing. She and the rest of the Authority. In fact, Yellow Diamond doesn't even glare at me anymore." She was beaming at the last.

Blue Hematite wanted to pry at that, but Honey Pearl and the Renegade approached them from behind. The two blue Gems turned to greet them.

"Forgive me for stealing Honey here," Pearl said bashfully. "And for not properly introducing myself."

Blue Hematite chuckled and brushed off the apology. "It's not a problem. Your reputation precedes you. You can call me Blue."

Pearl and Blue Zircon both frowned slightly, exchanging a look of consternation.

"We can work out nicknames later," Pearl said dismissively. "For now, why don't you two accompany Blue Zircon here to Little Homeworld and take some time to explore?"

Blue Zircon nodded and clapped her hands together. "Yes! A grand idea, Pearl. We'll just be on our way…"

Honey Pearl and the Renegade embraced once more, then separated. Honey tucked her hand into the crook of Blue Hematite's elbow and nodded up.

Blue Hematite waved a hand and said, "It was a pleasure to meet you, Pearl."

"And you," Pearl hummed, still smiling. "Take care you two!"

Blue Zircon led the duo back up through the rocky outcropping and into the city.

Chapter Text

Chapter Nine

"We have two options here," Blue Zircon said as the three Gems walked through Beach City proper. "We can walk to Little Homeworld, which will take about…" Her monocle became animated for a moment,  "...an hour or so at our present pace. Or, if you would prefer, we can attain a human-built vehicle and driver to expedite our arrival."

A few human vehicles sputtered by, belching combustion byproducts into the air. Blue Hematite eyed the primitive machines skeptically.

“Not ideal, I realize,” Blue Zircon tried to smile and ignore the bead of sweat rolling down her cheek. “But marginally efficient.”

Blue Hematite and Honey Pearl exchanged serious looks before nodding in agreement.

“I’m up for anything,” said the Hematite.

“Do we get to meet more humans?” Honey Pearl asked hopefully.

Stroking her chin, Blue Zircon thought for a moment, then hummed her assent, motioning the couple to follow her towards the “It’s A Wash” facility.

The human they had seen earlier was now ambulatory. He was rubbing a cloth over a parked vehicle, talking to another human inside. They now saw that he had long brown hair (though none atop his head - what a curious style choice) and had a portly figure. Like Yellowtail, he had hair growing around his mouth. He seemed to notice them approach, because he finished his conversation, and the vehicle drove off.

“Hey Zircs! What brings you to my fine establishment today?” The human tossed the cloth over his shoulder with a wet slap .

“Hello Greg,” Blue Zircon replied with a slight bow. “I was hoping to briefly enlist your piloting skills. These are Blue Hematite and Honey Pearl.” She gestured for the two Gems to greet the portly human.

“Welcome to our neck of the galaxy! I’m Greg Universe.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” Blue Hematite said. “You’re Steven’s… father?”

Greg smiled broadly and rubbed the back of his head. “Yep, that’s me! Dear old dad!” He chuckled nervously.

“Oh!” Honey Pearl exclaimed, “You’re the human who helped create him!”

Blue Zircon’s face met her palm for the eighth or ninth time that day. “Honey…” she groaned.

Greg was equally nonplussed. His already vibrant pink skin was growing darker. But he brushed it off with good cheer and replied, “Yeah, I guess so… anyway…” He turned back to Blue Zircon and said, “You’re looking for a ride huh? No problem! Heading to Little Homeworld?”

Blue Zircon nodded. “Yes we are. Thank you Greg, this means a lot to me.”

Greg waved his hand casually. “No sweat. It’s been a slow day here anyway.” He gestured to the vacant paved space around the facility. A spherical mass of dried plant matter tumbled by, carried on the light breeze.

He pointed to the vehicle parked off to the side of the building. “Just hop in the van and we’ll be there in no time.” He whistled a tune as he strode over to said “van”.

“It’s perfectly safe,” Blue Zircon promised. She gave them a light shove.

The vehicle was crowded but large enough to carry all three Gems. Blue Zircon sat in the front with Greg while Blue Hematite and Honey Pearl made themselves as comfortable as possible in the strange open space littered with all sorts of human artifacts. Honey Pearl, ever curious, began poking and prodding at the collection of curios and esoteric gadgetry.

The vehicle rumbled to life and began moving. The two Gems in the back were unprepared for the movement of such a primitive mode of transportation, and Honey Pearl found herself flailing before landing in the arms of her beloved behind her.

Feeling the motion of the vehicle as it rocked slightly, Blue Hematite felt panic bubble up once more. “This thing’s inertial dampening system is spring based ?”

“Oh, stellar ejecta ,” Blue Zircon cursed. “Aren’t you supposed to be a soldier!?”

Greg chuckled and said, “Hey, come on now Zircs. My van is a smooth ride, but I bet it’s nothing compared to your run-of-the-mill Gem ship.”

Blue Hematite felt herself calm down a little in the face of this human’s humble attitude. She supposed that she could see how he might have had a hand in creating Steven after all. Her nerves never settled completely, but she was willing to put her faith in this primitive contraption.

Sensing tension, Honey Pearl spoke up from behind Greg. “That is an interesting hairstyle, Greg. What compelled you to expose the top half of your head while growing the rest so long?”

“ Whhhhhhhyyyyyyyy? ” came Blue Zircon’s voice, muffled by her hands.

Luckily for Honey Pearl, it turned out that Greg Universe was one of the most patient beings on the planet, and suffered her unwittingly awkward, rude and ludicrous questions with lenity. Blue Hematite tried not laugh too loudly, but the only one making any indication of discomfort was Blue Zircon.

He very graciously declined to tell Honey Pearl how Steven had been created. This only served to feed her curiosity further, though she refrained from asking him again.

“But I think I do know someone who'd be willing to explain at least the human side of things," Greg offered kindly. "Steven's friend Connie - her mother is a doctor. She knows all about the human body."

Blue Zircon sighed. "That is a most amenable solution Greg. Thank you."

"Aaaah, it's nothing. I know how uncomfortable that sort of thing is to talk about. After all, I just had to have that talk with Steven last year." He shuddered.

"Is human creation really so taboo?" Blue Hematite asked.

Greg was quiet for a moment as he gathered his thoughts. "Well, from what the Crystal Gems have told me about Homeworld, I guess it's sort of like talking about fusion."

Honey Pearl was instantly mortified and squeaked, hand rushing to cover her mouth. "Oh my stars…"

But to her relief, Greg merely chuckled once more and said, "It's all right. You didn't know! But maybe don't go asking just anyone about… that ."

Honey Pearl nodded, her face still dark. Blue Hematite pulled her into her lap and rubbed her back soothingly.

They left the quiet little town behind, following a paved path into the wilderness of this planet, Earth. For Honey Pearl, it was like something out of an early reconnaissance report one of her sister Pearl's would share with others from her clutch. Virtually untouched plant life enclosed the route on either side, awash with shades of green neither Gem had ever witnessed before. An assortment of organics appeared to make this verdant growth their domain and were little more than blurs as their transport sped by.

"These are examples of Earth plants known as trees ," Blue Zircon was explaining to the Gems who were cramped behind the pilot's cab, trying their best to peer out the front window. "A large collection of them, such as this several thousand square kilometer region, is known as a forest ."

"It's beautiful," Honey Pearl said softly. She looked to her partner. "Have you seen anything like this?"

Blue Hematite nodded. "Organic life forms require oxygen to breathe. The Mondasians were no different. Trees absorb the carbon dioxide that organics exhale and use it for their own needs. They in turn release oxygen."

"This is what one would call "symbiosis"," Blue Zircon finished.

"The Mondasians were careless with their forests," Blue Hematite said sadly. "By the time the tide had turned, most of their planet was barren." Not that any other Gem had bemoaned that senseless destruction at the time. As the Mondasians had tampered with their biology, becoming more machine than organic, their planet had suffered. And to the rest of the Gempire, that was just fine. A weak prey required less energy to crush.

Seeing this forest, lush and proud in its immense range, filled a part of her form with warmth. Unlike her fellow unit members (other than one of the Silver Hematites, who mostly kept to herself) Blue Hematite had been awestruck by the wild plant life and quietly admired it, trying in vain to forget its imminent destruction.

"Well," Greg said from the pilot's seat, "we humans have struggled to keep a balance ourselves. The wood from these trees is used for a lot of stuff. We build with it, we process it into materials for everyday use, and probably most importantly, we burn it for energy and heat."

"Fortunately, organic materials are renewable," Blue Zircon offered. "All life is compelled to reproduce, and a single plant can create more than one reproduction of itself. Some, like flowers, mature quickly, while it can take a tree decades to achieve the heights you can see around us."

Blue Hematite had to admit that the atmosphere on this planet, while not entirely clean of pollutants and particulates, was much fresher than the Mondasians'. It smelled almost sweet.

The drive was a pleasant break for Blue Hematite and Honey Pearl, who despite having only been on Earth for a few hours, were fairly drained. The sheer amount of information was threatening even Honey Pearl's normally information greedy mind.

There was a lull in conversation. Greg and Blue Zircon were speaking quietly up front. Blue Hematite laid back, resting her head against the back of Greg's seat. She pulled Honey Pearl into her lap.

"I think I have a Gem-ache," the petite Gem moaned. "I didn't realize just how… alien this place would be."

Blue Hematite kissed her on the Gem. "I know what you mean. Even Mondas couldn't prepare me for how stunning this place is."

"Have you ever seen such gorgeous shades of green in your life?" Honey Pearl breathed.

"Never," Blue Hematite said, recalling the sparse, yellowish leaves and dry, brittle trees of Mondas.

Earth's star sat above the treeline, slowly sinking into the horizon. As the forest receded behind them, the view ahead was once more dominated by ocean. Greg steered his craft off the paved path and came to a stop by a long horizontal metal fence. Unbuckling his seat's safety belt, the human hopped out and beckoned the Gems to follow. They joined him where he leaned against the guard rail.

"To us humans, there's one thing, one sight on this planet that we all agree is essential to understanding Earth and us." He waved his hand out to the water, where the star was resting, just touching the horizon. The sky was aflame with pink and orange hues. The water reflected a dazzling display, fluid and bright.

Blue Hematite and Honey Pearl felt their eyes widen and their mouths hang open.

This planet is amazing.

"This is a sunset," Greg said.

The four of them stood there until the sun disappeared. The colors continued to change, darkening to dark blues and purples as stars began to show.

Eventually, Blue Zircon noticed that Greg was shivering, and suggested that they return to the transport.

The rest of the trip was a little more somber. Greg tried to strike up a new conversation, but none of the Gems seemed up for it. Blue Hematite and Honey Pearl were still reeling from the information overload and the overwhelming beauty of this planet.

They reached Little Homeworld soon enough. Blue Hematite whistled in appreciation at the heavy duty machinery scattered about the settlement-in-progress. The four of them exited Greg's vehicle, the human stretching his back and limbs.

According to Greg, humans slept mostly when night fell. The settlement was far enough away that construction could continue into the night without disturbing the slumbering humans.

"It's only eight PM," Greg mumbled through a yawn.

" Only ," Blue Zircon chuckled. "Thank you Greg. I appreciate your help. Now go home and get some sleep."

He nodded and chuckled. He offered his hand to Blue Hematite and Honey Pearl in turn. "It was really nice to meet you two. I hope you like Little Homeworld."

They bade him farewell, and the clunky human transport chugged off, back to Beach City.

Blue Zircon turned back to her charges and said, "Well, here we are."

The two Gems grinned at each other. They were here, at last.

Now, they were truly free.

Chapter Text

“ZIRCS!”

Blue Zircon snickered as a Peridot (without limb enhancers!) stumbled over her own two feet trying to speed towards them. She recovered gracelessly and fairly tackled the taller Gem.

“You said you were bringing new Gems! Where are they?”

Blue Zircon gestured to the only two Gems within a fifty foot radius.

The Peridot made a strange squealing noise that Blue Hematite and Honey Pearl would later come to recognize as her expression of almost overwhelming glee. She took a moment to compose herself before stating, “Greetings and welcome to Little Homeworld! I am Peridot, the grand architect of this noble endeavor!”

Blue Zircon scoffed.

Peridot rolled her eyes and amended, “Fine, co-grand architect of this noble endeavor.” She sighed. “Anyways, who are you two?”

Blue Hematite chuckled at the diminutive Gem’s now annoyed tone. “I’m Blue Hematite, and this is Honey Pearl.”

Peridot gasped. “A Blue Hematite! I haven’t seen one of you before! The Grey and Green varieties are more common, aren’t they?”

Blue Zircon sensed the slight tension, and said, “Oh, perhaps I should explain. Peridot was once a certified Kindergartner before she came to Earth. She’s regarded as an expert in the field.”

So, occupational curiosity. I suppose that’s a little better, Blue Hematite thought to herself.

“That’s okay,” she said to Peridot. “To my knowledge, I’m one of three Blue Hematites that emerged. One was stationed on Igneous Beta Phi near Canis Majoris. The other was shattered during a conflict with the Mondasians.”

With her hand to her chin, the little Kindergartner circled Blue Hematite, examining her from every angle. “May I see your gemstone?”

“Peri, do you have to-”

“Zircs, you know that I’m driven by the pursuit of knowledge, and that I am willing to sacrifice the comfort of others for that knowledge.”

“And I’m willing to sacrifice my dignity to stop you from doing so,” Blue Zircon countered.

Peridot huffed. “Fine. But I must protest vociferously. My knowledge of the gemetic makeup and kindergartening practices regarding Hematites is limited.” She frowned. “Though I must admit, that is probably my own fault. I could never stand that patronizing Agate that they let into the Experimental Division. I simply did not bother looking into her techniques.”

Blue Hematite chuckled. “You know Fairbee?”

Peridot looked puzzled for a moment. “Fairbee? What do you-- oh! I see! An affectionate moniker derived from her actual designation!” She gave a bark of laughter. “Clever. Yes, I have met her several times.” She glowered. “She could bore an Amethyst to dissipation.”

“That’s Fairbee all right,” Blue Hematite said.

Peridot now turned to examine Honey Pearl. She looked at her gemstone and said, “You used to belong to a Hessonite.”

Honey Pearl gaped, clearly impressed. “Yes, I did! That’s incredible! How could you tell?”

Peridot preened at the praise and gestured to her pearl. “The color gradient and sheen are typical of Pearls grown for Hessonites. Few types of Gems have such a distinct marbling, and of those that do, only Hessonites are likely to earn a Pearl.”

That was… a little unsettling, how she could be so clinical about the subject. But she certainly knew her gemetics.

“Hey nerd-linger, you almost done over there?”

A short Amethyst strutted over to them, a wide grin on her face as she noticed the two newcomers. She punched Peridot in the shoulder and said, “Are you doing that “I’m a Kindergartner, let me blow your minds” shtick?”

“No-”

“ Yes ,” Blue Zircon said through gritted teeth. “She’s been painfully unaware of her rampant tactlessness.”

The Amethyst snorted and pushed Peridot away. “Biz and Lapis need your help. Go on.” Peridot muttered something as she trod off, prompting the overcooked quartz to crow, “I know just as much about exit holes as you, P-Dork.”

She turned around and said, “ ‘Sup, newbies? I’m Amethyst.”

Honey Pearl groaned and asked, “I beg your pardon, but the naming scheme you seem to have on this planet is strange. I mean, how many Amethysts are there here?” She could spy at least three others (who stood at normal quartz height) helping with the construction. “Are they referred to as Amethyst as well? Or do they have other designations?”

To her relief, Amethyst merely snorted with laughter. “Good question. Y’see, I’m called Amethyst ‘cause I was here first. And I’m the only Amethyst who’s a short-stack.” She cocked her hip out and leered at the pair suggestively, earning two completely different shades of blush.

“Amethyst has taken it upon herself to bestow nicknames on newcomers to Little Homeworld.” Blue Zircon sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose. “Don’t feel obligated to them, if they make you feel uncomfortable.”

Amethyst smirked and said, “Bluzir.”

Blue Zircon was about to retort when her monocle projected a small screen in front of her. She sighed as she dismissed it. “I have to get home and feed Stormy. Can you please escort Blue Hematite and Honey Pearl to Bismuth so that she can process their housing request?”

“No prob Zircs,” Amethyst said.

Blue Zircon turned to the pair and said, “I’m sorry, but I have a matter to attend to. It was a pleasure being your guide today. Take care.”

She waved as she walked off towards one of the more or less completed buildings.

“So,” Amethyst said, crossing her arms over her chest, “lets get your nicknames sorted out.” She pointed to Blue Hematite. “Name?”

Being as accommodating as possible, she smiled and said, “Blue Hematite.”

Amethyst turned to the other, who said, “Honey Pearl.”

Amethyst frowned for a moment. She silently played with the words in her mouth.

“Well, yours is easy, Honey,” she said, before turning back to Blue Hematite. “Yours, not so much. We’ve already got a Blue, and a Hematite, so how about… Mati?”

Blue Hematite mulled it over. “Mati? Hmmm…” It wasn’t terrible. She turned to Honey. “What do you think, hon?”

Honey smiled. “I like it! It’s different, but it sounds lovely!”

“All right. I guess it’s settled then,” Mati said with a smile.

Amethyst beamed and said, “Glad to help.”

Mati and Honey thanked her profusely, but the stout quartz shrugged it off.

“C’mon you two. I think you should meet the rest of the squad.” She pointed her thumb over her shoulder and motioned for them to follow.

They found Peridot standing with a Bismuth, and Lapis Lazuli and a tall Gem that Mati couldn’t identify, but Honey could. She whispered in Mati’s ear, “She’s the other fusion from the Gala. The Ruby and Sapphire.”

As though they had been overheard, the fusion nodded her head at them politely. She and the Bismuth were standing over a sheaf of paper, possibly plans for the construction around them. Peridot was standing in the middle of the clearing… levitating a massive i-beam with her mind ?

“Peridot has ferrokinetic abilities,” said a voice behind them. Startled, they both spun around to find the fusion suddenly behind them.

“I am Garnet. Welcome to Earth.”

The visor was a little intimidating. Her delivery was flat, lacking any emotion, but her accent was interesting. Honey cleared her throat.

“I’m Honey, and this is Mati. It’s nice to meet you, Garnet.”

The fusion smirked and adjusted her visor. “I look forward to meeting Kori,” she said, almost cryptically. Before Honey or Mati could respond, a slight squeal of metal grinding on metal drew their attention back to Peridot. Her i-beam was now resting in place, and the little green Gem appeared to be puffing and panting. The Lapis Lazuli wrapped her arms around Peridot and hoisted her into a backwards hug. Peridot squeaked in surprise, but accepted the hug with good humor. The Bismuth was checking the stability of the newly finished structure, tapping here and there with a shape-shifted limb. Meanwhile, Garnet was hopping from beam to beam, flash welding each joint with her bare hands.

Once the two had finished with the framework, they stepped back and admired their handiwork. Garnet turned around and said, “All right Gems. Let’s call it a night. We have some new friends to help settle.”

Bismuth turned and noticed Mati and Honey. She lit up and walked over to them.

“Welcome to Earth! I’m Bismuth.” She held out her hand, and Honey was quick to show off her knowledge of this particular Earth custom. Mati gave the slightly taller Gem a good squeeze, which made Bismuth grin.

“Another Hematite, eh? What are the odds? I’m told your gem type is new!”

Mati nodded, trying to brush aside the unease. “Yeah. We’ve only been around for a few centuries.”

“And lookin’ fine, if you don’t mind me gettin’ all up in your Bismuth …” she said with a faint leer.

Mati snorted at the obvious pun, while Honey (much more literal-minded, bless her) looked between them in confusion.

“She’s flirting with me,” Mati snickered.

Honey looked both flummoxed and put out. Mati kissed her Gem, and Honey felt herself blush yet again.

“Don’t worry Honey, I can take a hint,” Bismuth said, having the good grace to look slightly embarrassed. “Although, I’m also a sucker for Pearls…”

Honey stuttered, while Bismuth howled with laughter.

Amethyst rolled her eyes. “Uh, as much as I’d love to continue cringing at your horrible flirting skills Biz, these two need some digs.”

Bismuth nodded, now all business. Her gemstone began to glow, and she reached up to pull out a data pad. She poked at it for a moment before humming in approval. She turned the pad around in her hands and offered it to Mati. “Take a look at these specs and see what you think would suit your needs the most.”

Mati held the pad between her and Honey as they looked over four options. To be honest, they were both surprised by the amount of space available to them. They could have roughly fifteen-hundred square feet to do with as they pleased.

“What is a “bedroom”?” Honey asked.

Amethyst’s face lit up and she rubbed her hands together greedily. “Oooooh man, this is gonna be fun !”

Bismuth rolled her eyes. “You two know what sleep is?”

Mati nodded, while Honey merely shrugged. “Sort of? Mati explained it in a general way.”

“A bedroom is where humans sleep,” Bismuth said before Amethyst could edge back into the conversation. “A bed is what they sleep on. We Gems don’t need to sleep, but we’re capable, and some of us enjoy it.”

Honey looked at Mati with a pleasantly surprised look before saying, “That’s fascinating. But what if it turns out that we don’t enjoy sleeping? Is there any other function for a “bed”?”

Bismuth’s hand covered Amethyst’s mouth before she could say anything. “Yes, but that’s not important. Hey, have you met Lapis yet? Let’s go meet Lapis, okay?” She picked up a grumbling Amethyst and carried her off.

Earth is weird, Mati thought, unaware that this would become the most frequent sentiment in her mind for some time to come. She took Honey’s hand and said, “At least we aren’t the strangest Gems here.”

Honey had to cover her mouth, and swatted her beloved’s bicep. They followed the other two Gems to where Peridot, Garnet and the Lapis Lazuli were chattering.

Honey was immediately struck by the intensity of the look leveled on her by the Lapis Lazuli. Honey noted that she lacked any freckling, and concluded that she must be a rather old, well formed Lapis Lazuli. An Era One, certainly. The look was not exactly angry, but definitely suspicious.

“Lapis, meet Mati and Honey,” Bismuth said.

“A pleasure,” she said coolly. She smiled, but it was clearly forced. Honey cleared her throat nervously.

“It looks like you two could use some rest,” Garnet intoned. She beckoned for the two of them to follow her. They bade the rest of them goodbye and followed after Garnet.

Honey was still a little rattled at the cold reception from Lapis, but tried to push it from her mind as Garnet came to a stop at a door. The building itself looked to be more or less complete, but lacked an outside facade. It appeared to at least have a roof and glass panes over the windows. Garnet turned the strange handle device and pushed the door inwards. She gestured for them to enter before her.

Mati and Honey shared a long, bracing gaze. They both took an unnecessary deep breath and stepped inside.

Chapter Text

They were moved nearly to tears.

The ceiling was high enough for their fusion to move around without worrying about hitting her head. The floor plan was open, and was furnished. Mati and Honey (both low caste Gems) were stunned by the level of luxury this simple flat appeared to have. A couch and a pair of armchairs; a work desk; pair of shelving units; a small square table with four seats. There was a door against the far wall, presumably leading off to the previously mentioned “bedroom”.

While Honey was used to furnishings meant for comfort, Mati was not. As a soldier, she was expected to be on her feet at all times. She wondered if any of these items could support her bulk. She reached out and ran her hand over the soft material upholstered to the armchair nearest her. Honey cautiously approached the matching couch and placed her hand on the material, making an impression that was slow to return to its normal shape.

“These are basic furnishings,” Garnet said from behind them. “You can change them out for something more to your liking.”

Mati carefully lowered herself down onto the couch. It sank, but made no sound of protest. She grinned and beckoned over Honey, who sat next to her and wrapped her hand around her bicep.

“They’ve been reinforced to accommodate larger Gems,” Garnet explained. “However, you may want to hold off on your fusion trying out any of the furniture.”

The pair nodded, unable to find the words to express their gratitude. Their eyes were watery.

Garnet smiled and said, "If you would like, we can start finding you jobs tomorrow. Unless you would like some time to yourselves, of course."

Again, the couple could only nod.

The fusion adjusted her visor and left without another word.

Once the door had clicked shut, Honey heaved a deep sigh. Squeezing Mati's arm, she said, "Are you as exhausted as I am?"

Mati gave a grunt. "And a little overwhelmed," she replied honestly. "I knew that things on Earth would be different, but I never imagined…" She hesitated before broadly gesturing with her free hand, " all that ."

Honey hummed, her head hidden in the crook of Mati's arm. "I've never been this tired, not even that time Hessonite had me refile all those reports her first Pearl messed up." Mati chuckled at the weariness in her partner's voice. "Maybe I should try this "sleep" thing the humans seem to enjoy."

Mati smiled. “You’re really giving this whole thing your all, aren’t you hun?”

Honey gave a mock scoff and blindly prodded Mati’s cheek with a finger. “When have I ever given anything less than my all?”

They fell silent again. Mati’s eye wandered the room, taking in the alien room. She had to admit, this amount of space was a little daunting; it was also serving to inspire her imagination. Pulling Honey into her lap, she tried to contextualize this.

She, like Honey, had never owned anything in her life. Weapons and tools and supplies were never hers; all material possessions in the Gempire had belonged to the Diamonds, after all.

They had belonged to the Diamonds.

This room seemed to be the concept that drove home the fact that she and Honey were no longer on Homeworld. They were now on an alien world, among countless Gems in the same situation as they. No longer owned by the matriarchs of their species. They were now… what exactly?

Of course, that was to be explained to them in no time. She and her beloved had plenty of time to figure it out. She turned her head to gaze at Honey’s gemstone. It reflected the dim overhead light, illuminating the lovely marbling that strange Peridot had pointed out. Mati reached out and lightly stroked the smooth cabochon. Honey gave a shuddering sigh, leaning into the touch.

With a frown, Mati said, “I’m sorry.”

“Oh?” Honey Pearl said. She brought her hands up and took Mati’s, pulling them down around her slender frame.

“I’m sorry that I never let us touch before we first fused.” The blue Hematite sighed and gently squeezed her partner. “I was just worried that Hessonite would find out, and you’d be punished… I’d be punished…”

Honey felt a blush rise, and a giggle escaped her lips. Oh, should I tell her?

“What’s so funny about that?” Mati’s voice sounded a little hurt.

Leaning her head back against Mati’s shoulder, Honey continued. “It’s just that, when we first met, you had just been dissipated, remember?”

“Yeah?”

“Well, m- er - Hessonite ordered me to wait to question you once you reformed. I suppose she might have assumed that you were like a typical quartz: able to reform in nearly no time. But you didn’t.” Honey said. “You took nearly an hour to reform. And I may have gotten bored, and I may have been alone, and I might have been stunned by how beautiful your gem is.”

“Yeah?” Mati smirked, vaguely curious about where this was headed.

“Well, I may have er… fondled your Gem.”

She jumped as her beloved burst out laughing. Brilliant gold darkened her cheeks.

“I’m flattered!” Mati rumbled heartly.

Honey hesitated before adding, “Aaaaaand, I might have told Hessonite about it…to her utter delight!”

The couple ended up on the ground, much to their continued hysterics.

Sitting and talking for the next several hours was enough to reinvigorate the newly arrived couple. After all, while Mati knew what the concept of sleep was, she was woefully uninformed as to the actual mechanism needed to perform the act. Honey, now more chipper for being immobile more than a few minutes, insisted on examining every inch of their new… home. Yes. This could be a home…

She was fascinated with the bed. It had a springy quality to it. She could press her hand against it and the material would sink under her weight, leaving an impression which would slowly return to its original form.

It was fascinating what humans could create. She mused to herself about material sciences while Mati examined a piece of furniture against the wall. It had two doors which opened outwards, revealing an empty space (save for some sort of long rod which spanned the length of the interior, from which hung a few dozen metal wires twisted into triangles with hooks). She pulled open each of the drawers, finding nothing but empty space.

Honey examined a shelving unit similar to the pair in the main room. There were a few pieces of pressed organic materials - paper - propped up to show off their graphics. Luckily for them, while there appeared to be human script printed on it, there was also a gemglyph translation provided right beside it. Honey picked up a matching pair - “You And Your New Horns” - and compared the two languages. She was able to find the commonalities quickly and soon had a basic understanding of this human script. It was fascinating. Rather unwieldy and bloated, but also, quite eye catching.

The content was rather unsettling. She had heard rumors of “corruption”, of course. Everygem had by this point. But what exactly did it mean?

This was explained in another paper pressing entitled, “Wow, Thanks! : A Clod’s Guide To Earth Culture, Phenomena & Denizens”. The beaming face of that strange Peridot winked up at her. She grimaced.

Corruption : the result of the Diamonds’ final assault upon the Earth, ending the Great War. Any Gem caught in its destructive blast was initially destabilized. Upon reforming, the Gem would then experience a loss of higher thinking and control over their form. They were rendered feral and monstrous, often causing damage to both property and living beings. These corrupted Gems were summarily hunted down, destabilized and bubbled by the remaining Crystal Gems in an attempt to save them from their suffering and minimize their damage. Following the reunification of the Diamond Authority, all captive corruptions were healed and reintegrated into society.
Be aware: it is uncertain whether all corrupted Gems have been accounted for! If you encounter a corrupted Gem, please do not engage it in battle without proper training! Immediately contact the Crystal Gems, give explicit details about your location and the Gem in question, and proceed to leave the area as quickly and quietly as possible.
{EDITOR”S NOTE: Please keep in mind that the odds of encountering a corrupted Gem are extremely low. We are fairly certain that we’ve managed to find them all!}

Mati raised an eyebrow at that last note. “That isn’t exactly reassuring.”

Honey nodded, eyes wide.

There was a door in one wall that led to what Honey decided was a “Water Chamber”. There were a number of fixtures dedicated to water, none of which the couple could glean any meaning.

Once again, the Peridot who eschewed limb enhancers had them covered with another paper pressing.

Bathroom

Okay, I will not pretend to have a complete grasp of the intricacies of the human chamber known as the “bathroom”, but having spent roughly 27.3% of my time on Earth within Steven’s “bathroom” I am simply the closest thing to an expert you will find.
The purpose of a "bathroom" is manifold, and while it is not a necessity for Gems to possess one, courtesy for our human hosts is much appreciated. Delving deeper into this text, you will soon understand why.

Fixtures:
-The “Bath” / “Shower”
-The “Sink”
-The “Toilet”

As she read aloud, Honey’s tone became more and more strained. Between the little Mati had shared with her in regards to organic life and what she had learned from the humans they met that day, the mere act of being organic came with horrible limitations and side effects. Fluid expulsion, grooming of hair and nails… manually? Removing sweat and dirt and dust from their form, and removing… body odor ?

Recalling an experience with a pit of Mondasian Titan Lizards, and the smell that hung heavy, humid air, Mati assured her that organic life was, indeed, particularly difficult on the senses.

“Well, the humans we met today didn’t seem all that disgusting,” Honey reasoned. “From the way this Peridot describes their sanitation difficulties, I’m surprised they aren’t covered in foulness all the time.”

They tested the faucets in the sink and the shower. They pointedly avoided the toilet altogether.

“According to this, humans use the “sink” as a place to clean their teeth,” Honey read. “They consume food which leaves particles in between their teeth, which can lead to… decay?! Oh my stars! Imagine that!” Honey pressed one of her fingers to a canine, which extended briefly into a sinister looking fang before retracting. “Losing the most primitive and basic of defenses!”

Mati snickered and said, “Could you imagine an Emerald without fangs?”

Honey gave an honest-to-Diamonds snort at that image.

They soon quit the bathroom in favor of exploring the main living area. Again, the shelves and flat surfaces were bare, aside from lighting and what appeared to be a chronometer - Sour Cream had worn one on his wrist and showed it to a curious Honey earlier - which sat on one of the side tables by the couch. It ticked softly in the near quiet.

A few more Peridot-penned paper pressings outlined some of the broader workings of Little Homeworld - where the basic services were located; some of the emergency infrastructure; lines of communications for everything covering complaints, reporting emergencies, requesting maintenance, and highlighted in bold color and font, “mental health” resources.

“It’s almost overwhelming, just what is available here,” Honey uttered to herself. “It says here that this “Little Homeschool” is offering courses on “How To Decide Stuff For Yourself” and “Pearl Power”. Whatever could Pearl Power be?” She gasped and wailed, “They aren’t going to Harvest me, are they?!”

Mati chuckled and said, “We saw about a dozen Pearls today, remember? None of them were Harvested.” At Honey’s conceding hum, she gave her beloved a kiss on the Gem. “Besides, if they tried, they’d have to go through me first, and I’m not sure they’d be ready for this Frontline Battery Hematite!”

Honey beamed up at Mati. “I’m so happy that we decided to do this,” she said softly. Her expression turned solemn. “I’m still scared… uncertain.” She smiled again. “But as long as you’re here with me, I know I’ll be okay.”

Mati pulled her into a loving embrace.

Chapter Text

Their exploration of the living area was interrupted hours later by a knocking at the door. Mati answered it to find none other than Pink Diamond… Steven, rather. The hybrid had a bright smile on his face and was kind enough to ignore their slightly bumbling attempts to abort saluting him. Instead, he said, “It’s almost time for sunrise. My dad told me that he showed you the sunset last night. I thought you’d like to see the opposite!”

They were both excited to see what a sunrise was like. They followed the gracious Diamond to the eastern edge of Little Homeworld, where a handful of Gems were gathered, socializing. A few quietly acknowledged them as they approached, but Steven's presence did little to stir up excitement. Mati spied a pair of Citrines, a half squadron of Rubies, a Novaculite, several more Goshenites than she had ever seen, a slightly off-color Pezzottaite, and a short orange gem she couldn't immediately recognize from behind.

"Lars! Paddy!” Steven greeted the latter two Gems. The tall, pink Pezzottaite turned and grinned at the short hybrid.

“Morning Steven,” she said, ruffling Steven’s hair. “Who are your friends?”

Steven introduced the new arrivals. “This is Lars. He’s one of my oldest human friends!”

“Human?” Honey asked. She and Mati exchanged confused looks.

Lars chuckled and waved off their concern. “It’s a long story. I get mistaken for a Gem quite a bit.”

“Captain Lars!” the short orange Gem said, now turning to reveal the strangest looking Sapphire either Honey or Mati had ever seen.

That’s not to say that Honey wasn’t immediately taken with the absolutely adorable, beaming little Gem.

“I predict that Steven shall be arriving with new friends! Oh my, I can’t wait to meet them!”

Lars snickered again and replied, “Thanks Paddy. I think these are them.”

Paddy scooted forward and said, “Oh, hello! I’m Padparadscha!”

Steven leaned in and whispered, “Paddy had retrocognition. She sees the recent past, not the future.”

Fascinating! Honey thought to herself. She knelt down and took Paddy’s outstretched hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Honey.”

Paddy didn’t respond, but Honey now understood why and remained patient.

“It’s so nice to make new friends!” Paddy gushed as she shook the proffered hand.

Mati repeated this exchange and glanced at Lars, who looked pleased.

“Good to see that some Homeworld Gems have some decency,” he sniped.

“Lars,” Steven said with a hint of warning.

“ Steven ,” Lars snarked back.

“I predict that Steven and Captain Lars will unintentionally cause tension with their unresolved argument,” Padparadscha said quietly. Steven and Lars both looked to her before sharing a sheepish look.

“Sorry Steven,” Lars muttered.

“Sorry Lars,” Steven returned.

The little orange Sapphire looked mildly pleased.

“It’s starting!” an Aquamarine cried as she came whizzing across the town square to hover over the onlookers.

Honey and Mati’s hands found one another and the lithe Pearl leaned against her partner, sighing with deep contentment. The sky above the horizon was brightening with brilliant pink and orange tones. The planet’s star slowly rose, casting the ocean in brilliant light.

Paddy frowned and turned to Mati, chewing her lip anxiously.

“Chrome and Glare are unsettled. They are questioning your choices.”

She glided off, leaving Mati to stand there, stunned equally by the brilliant sunrise, and the cryptic warning.

Even a few hours later, Paddy’s statement bounced around Mati’s mind, keeping her distracted as Steven led them around Little Homeworld.

Honey was focused enough for the both of them, however. She kept a steady stream of questions for him and Peridot (huh, when did she turn up?). As a former administrative assistant, she was fascinated by this unprecedented settlement and the implications of mixing Gem technology with human organization.

The advent of a self-selected workforce was a topic that Peridot seemed able to rhapsodize about nonstop, and Honey was keen to discuss it as well.

“Are you okay?”

Mati had been staring out over the ocean, lost in thought, when Steven came to stand beside her. She looked down to find his earnest gaze. She smiled, a little melancholic.

“Yeah. Just thinking.” She glanced off in the direction of Lars and Padparadscha, now among their friends. Turning back to Steven, she sat down and gestured for him to join her.

“Your friend Paddy said something earlier that’s been bothering me.”

“She did?” he asked. He looked a little distressed. “I’m sure she didn’t mean--”

“No, no,” Mati interrupted. “It’s not her. It’s what she said.” She sighed. “She mentioned two of my squadron mates back on Igneous Lambda Eta . She said they were… questioning my choices.”

“Oh.” Steven frowned. “Are they like… your family?”

Mati thought hard for a moment. Greg and Blue Zircon had explained the concept of human family to them. It was as alien to Gems as organic life itself, but Mati thought she understood what Steven was driving at.

“In a way, I suppose. We were all incubated specifically for our squadron, and we have all spent our entire lives together--” Her face fell. “Until now.”

The pair were silent for a moment, mulling over this situation.

“Do you know what it is that they are upset about?”

Mati sighed again, because she did have an idea. It was not a pleasant one, and she dreaded entertaining it, but she knew Glare and Chrome well. She knew their views.

And if this was about Honey, how had they found out?

Green knew, only because she was the other communications operator for the squadron (and honestly, Mati could never keep anything from her quarry mate - the only other Gem Mati loved nearly as much as Honey). She was positive the Green would never let slip anything Mati had shared with her in confidence.

Well, however her and Honey’s relationship had been exposed, Mati knew she was going to have to face them soon.

“I think they found out about my relationship with Honey,” she finally said, as neutrally as she could. “And they aren’t happy about it.”

“Because she’s a Pearl?” he asked.

Mati only nodded.

Again, silence. Mati continued to stare out across the ocean.

Finally, Steven offered, “I know I don’t know you very well yet, but could I maybe give you some advice?”

Mati looked down once more at the diminutive Gem that was paradoxically both one of her Matriarchs and a completely unique alien entity. A puny ball of organic cells surrounding one of the most powerful beings ever created in this Universe. A mess of semantics and linguistics and metaphysics with curly hair and a charming smile. And those eyes were dangerous too - mesmerizing and enchanting. And old .

“I’d be cracked to say no, wouldn’t I?” she chuckled. That got a smile out of Steven.

“It’s your choice! That’s what’s so great about Earth.”

She smiled down at him and said, “Go on then.”

“Well,” he said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, “most of the time I’ve had trouble with my family, it was because of bad communication.” He spread his hands and said, “And when you’re scared and confused - like so many Gems are right now - it can be harder to reach out. Maybe your sisters are worried about losing you?”

“Losing me?” Mati asked.

“Well, do they know you’re here?”

Mati tugged at her lower lip anxiously. “Well, no…” A jolt of self-recrimination rocked her. “I’m supposed to go back to Homeworld briefly to be officially discharged from service. I was going to tell them then.”

Green said she would tell them I would be back… maybe she did tell them about Honey .

She stood and said, “I need to go. Thank you Steven.”

Steven also stood and put a hand on her arm. With a smile he said, “Glad I could help.”

Peridot and Honey came walking over, still animatedly discussing the logistics of Little Homeworld. Mati reached about and pulled Honey into her arms, earning a surprised “Eeep!”.

“Honey, I really should be getting back to Homeworld for my discharge.”

“Oh, shale, I was hoping we could go see Bismuth’s forge together.”

Mati gently clutched her beloved and said, “Sorry hun, but it can’t wait. You stay here with Steven and Peridot. I won’t be long.”

Still frowning, Honey Pearl caressed one of Mati’s cheeks. “All right. But be back soon.”

“I will,” Mati murmured, before kissing Honey’s gemstone softly. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Chapter Text

Homeworld

Over the centuries of being in her charge, Mati had seen Fairburn Agate get emotional only a handful of times. It usually happened following a meeting with Blue Diamond, back during the tense Era 2. More often than not, she merely locked herself away in her private office until she regained her composure.

Her now public relationship with Honey’s former Hessonite seemed to have opened her emotional boundaries even further. As her Frontline Battery Unit stood at attention, listening to her give her official discharge remarks, they all noticed her voice wavering, and the dampness in her eyes.

When she failed to conceal a sniffle, Green Hematite piped up, “Uh, you okay Fairbee?”

Fairburn Agate shot her a half-hearted glare, but she crumbled immediately into a sad sigh. “No, no I’m not.” She crossed her arms, staring at the floor. “I’m not okay.”

Mati and Green Hematite shared a glance. They stepped forward and drew Fairburn Agate into their arms.

“You’ll be okay Fairbee,” Green Hematite said.

“And it’s not like we can’t keep in touch,” Mati murmured.

She felt arms wrap around her from behind. “We won’t forget about you Fairbee!” said one of the Ulexites.

There was a chorus of agreement from the rest of the squad.

Fairburn Agate’s tears ran, but she was smiling, which made it okay for the rest of them to cry as well.

“I put my greatest skills into creating the lot of you,” she said as everyone returned to their places. “Every single one of you is important to me. I know you’ll do me proud, where ever you end up.”

She offered one last Diamond salute, which they returned, then dismissed them before stalking off to her office.

The squad stood for a moment, sniffling in the wake of such an emotional display. Then Blackie nudged Shine - one of the Pyrites - and said, “Come on. We’ve got a warp to catch.”

The goodbyes began, and Mati found herself being pulled into tight hugs and having slips of flimsy material with communication protocols shoved into her hand with promises of future contact.

Soon, it was only her, Green Hematite and the other Pyrite - Glare.

Unlike Shine, whose personality was effervescent and bright, Glare was dour and kept to herself mostly. The look she levelled on the colorful Hematites could be described as contemptuous, if Glare actually cared that much.

“I heard you stole a pearl,” she sniped. Mati felt her fists twitch, but she didn’t rise to the bait. Glare prided herself on knowing how to annoy her squadmates. Even if she was a firm fighter and supportive of her team in the heat of battle, she was less than friendly with them most of the time.

“Impugning on Blue’s relationship?” Green Hematite snapped back. “How did you even find out about it? I sure as shale didn’t tell you.”

Glare rolled her eyes and sneered at Mati. “You aren’t exactly subtle. And…” she bared her teeth, “you really need to seal the comms pod when you and your stolen goods are having private time.”

Mati didn’t respond. She just continued to stare coolly.

Glare grunted and stalked off.

“You okay Blue?” Green Hematite asked.

Mati didn’t say anything.

“I knew you would do this.”

“You couldn't have known.”

“Well, no. But I had an inkling you wouldn’t stay around.” A sigh. “Regardless of the Pearl.”

Mati frowned at Chrome. She was one of the last Gems she ever expected to hear this sort of thing from.

They were seated in the cockpit of a Light Kite. Chrome, ever the go-getter, had immediately volunteered to perform maintenance on the remaining light spacecraft in the Facet 3 spaceport. Anything to keep busy after the squadron was dissolved.

“How did you find out?” Mati asked.

Chrome avoided her gaze. “Glare figured it out a few years ago. She wanted to tell everyone, but I told her not to.”

“I appreciate that, Chrome,” Mati said, putting her hand on the Silver Hematite’s forearm. But Chrome pushed her away.

“I didn’t do it for you,” Chrome said softly. “I did it so that the team wouldn’t fall apart.” She shot Mati a glare. “You have been incredibly foolish, you realize? You were fraternizing with a Hessonite’s Pearl, under her nose. Under everyone’s ! If you had been caught…” Chrome trailed off, her eyes wide and damp. “Aaand-and now you’re leaving me behind too.”

“Chrome…”

Mati withdrew her hand. She suddenly felt ashamed. She shouldn’t be here…

She mumbled, “I’m sorry,” and stood. “But I love her. And I’m going to live on Earth with her.”

She turned to the hatch and said softly, “I love you Chrome.”

She barely heard, “Love you too Blue,” before the hatch closed.

When she returned to the squadron’s old barracks, Fairbee and Green Hematite were talking. They both winced at the expression on her face as she took a seat next to her green sister.

“Blue, are you all right?” Fairbee asked.

“I just spoke to Chrome. She’s upset that I’m leaving.”

“Same with Glare, from what I hear,” Fairbee said. Green grimaced.

Mati shrugged. “It hurts, but I’m not going to let them get in the way of my new life with Honey.”

“Nor should you,” Fairbee said with a fond little smile. “Chrome will come around, you know her.”

“And Glare will be Glare,” Green muttered. “In any case, they know where you are now. They can reach out after they’ve cleaned the coprolite out of their ears.”

Mati and Fairbee both laughed at that.

"So what are you going to do, Fairbee?" Green Hematite asked. "You staying on the station for a while?"

"Yes," she sighed. "I have to oversee the decommissioning of the science modules before I get back to Homeworld. Hessonite and I are planning on taking some time for a… um…"

"Vay-kay-shun?" Mati supplied.

Fairbee snapped her fingers. "Yes, that. Odd word…"

Mati looked at Green Hematite. "What about you? Got some scheme in mind?" She gave her sister Gem a jab with her elbow.

Green Hematite smiled coyly and wagged a finger. "Nah, nothing firm. I'm toying around with an idea or two." Her expression sobered. "It's a lot, you know?"

The three Gems glanced out the viewing screen. The once uniform, sterile landscape of Homeworld was now budding with organic life.

"The Gempire is really over, isn't it?" Green Hematite asked softly.

Neither of her companions said anything.

Green Hematite walked with Mati to the warp pad. They were both quiet, distracted by the heaviness of the moment.

“They gave me a nickname already,” Mati told Green Hematite, trying to fill the space between them.

"Oh yeah?" She grinned. "What is it? Loud Mouth? Flake?"

Mati snorted and shouldered into Green Hematite. "Cute Green. Real cute." She too grinned and delivered with an exaggerated tone, "I am called Mati. "

Green's expression lit up. "Oooh, I like that! Clever, whoever came up with that one."

"An overcooked Amethyst who eats human food and sleeps like an organic."

The expression on Green Hematite's face was something akin to shock. Mati chuckled.

They arrived at the warp pad and turned to one another. Mati could already feel the tears forming in her eyes. Green Hematite fared no better.

"If you don't come visit, I'll hunt you down and dissipate your form with my bare hands."

Green Hematite gave a tearful snort and a wet chuckle. "That's no idle threat," she acknowledged with good humor.

Mati pulled her sister Gem into a fierce hug and sighed shakily. "I love you Green. I'm gonna miss you so much."

"Right back at you, Mati ."

Chapter Text

Epilogue

It was early evening when Mati returned to Little Homeworld. She found Honey in the company of Amethyst, Bismuth, an Orange Spodumene and a Bixbite. She smiled warmly as Honey gave her a hug and rested her hands in the crook of her elbow.

"How did it go?" Honey asked.

Mati kissed the side of her head and muttered, "Later, hun."

"Hey Mati," Amethyst said. She was lazing in a strange apparatus that consisted of a metallic frame and a long, wide loop of textile material. She wore a pair of tinted eye coverings neither Honey nor Mati were sure she actually needed.

"How was Homeworld?" Bismuth asked in a tone that was friendly enough, but held a touch of derision. Mati wondered about that, but filed it away in her mind for another time.

"Eh, it was Homeworld," she scoffed. "About the same as the three other times I've been there." She shrugged at Bismuth's curious expression. "I have no real attachment to the place, having been stationed so far from it."

Bismuth nodded. Mati suspected that she was being sized up by the slightly larger builder Gem.

"We were just talking about jobs here in the area," Honey tactfully redirected the conversation. "Bixbite and Ori here are both going to be enrolling in Little Homeschool, and are interested in offering their services to the local inhabitants."

Bixbite grinned and snapped her large pincer excitedly. Orange Spodumene merely beamed.

"That sounds like a great idea," Mati said. Perhaps this Little Homeschool idea had some merit to it.

"Any idea what you'd want to do?" Bismuth asked.

Mati shook her head. "I'd never considered it. I'll think about it."

"What were you doing before you came here?" Bismuth pressed. "I don't know very much about hematites."

"I was a soldier."

Mati left it at that. Bismuth continued to eye her, but didn't dig any deeper.

"Anyway," Amethyst said, "I was just about to tell Honey that I might have something right up her alley."

Honey cringed and asked, "My what ? What are you doing to my what ?"

Amethyst and Bismuth both started laughing, and Mati whispered, "Idiom," in her ear.

"No, I might have a job lined up for you!" Amethyst reiterated. "Nanefua - she's the mayor of Beach City - she needs an assistant as soon as possible, and you've got the skills she's looking for." She grinned. "She wants to offer you a job."

Honey was taken aback. Offer? She had never been give an offer, only orders.

"What does a "may-er" do?" Mati asked.

"Shes like, the leader of Beach City," Amethyst explained. "It used to be Bill Dewey, but he got voted out."

"Voted?" Honey asked, confused by the strange word.

Amethyst sighed and rubbed at her temples. "Yeah, I'm so not down for teaching civics right now."

"You'll probably learn about it if you sign up for Little Homeschool," Bismuth suggested.

Honey nodded, deep in thought.

Mati and Honey spent the evening at their new home. They both had much to think about, and much to discuss.

Mati shared her story about the squadron's dispersal and her conversations with Chrome and Glare. Honey was taken aback, but could only offer her sympathies. If she felt a little guilty for the situation she had inadvertently put her beloved in, she didn't let it show.

Like most emotional issues, Mati was content to not dwell on it. She had expressed her feelings and felt content with that. She knew that there was nothing that she could do to change Chrome and Glare's minds. She could only control her own attitudes and actions.

They discussed Little Homeschool. They were both excited by the concept, and felt that a structured environment in which to learn about Earth and humans would be a boon for them.

Honey, in a moment of revelation, told her beloved that she was going to speak with this Mayor Nanefua about the job offer, and she would choose whether or not she would take the position.

Both were beaming happily as they watched the sunrise later that morning. Basking in the cool air and soft lighting, surrounded by others in the same situation as them: temporarily lost, but finding their way. 

White Diamond had told them all that they had been given a choice. Never before had they ever been given such a gift. Perhaps it was a gift that they could one day realize in its fullness.

Mati kissed Honey's gemstone and whispered, "I love you."

Honey beamed, teary and trembling. "I love you too."

As the sun rose over the ocean, its warmth reassured them that this was indeed real. The vastness of it all. The endless opportunities. The innumerable choices that were theirs to make.

Their Boundless Future. 

The End