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Pink sat at her desk, watching as her pearl explained the current progress report of her colony. She was making significant progress and was getting very close to completing it. The Primary Kindergarten was already complete, with the Beta Kindergarten already incubating quartz soldiers. Pink glanced over at her pearl, who was rambling on and on. She lets out a sigh, tapping her pearl on the shoulder.
"I..Is something the matter, my Diamond?" Pearl shakes her head softly. removing her hand from the desk.
"I'm fine. Can you maybe tell me if we can implement any structures?"
Pearl thinks a moment, rubbing her chin.
"I suppose you could. There's still some remaining room on the planet's surface."
Pink fiddles around with her desk, bringing a map of her colony onto the hologram.
"Hmm...." Pink hums softly, concentrating on what to do with the space she has.
Pearl glances up at her Diamond, awaiting for her give her another order.
"Pearl, please write down a reminder to build a structure at this location." She asks her, pointing at a flat part of the planet.
"Is there something you have in your mind, my Diamond?" Pearl creates a projection, writing down the task.
"I'll think about it."
"Understood, my Diamond."
They stop talking for a while, focusing on their work. After around 30 minutes, Pink Diamond stands up from her chair, walking over to her ruby guards.
"Come along. I have places to be." Her eyes move down, narrowing at the smaller gems.
"Yes, my Diamond!" They all say in unison, making a triangle formation around Pink Diamond.
"Pearl, keep everything working smoothly." She turns her attention to pearl, staying serious.
"Of course, my Diamond." Pearl nods her head, walking over to Pink Diamond's desk.
Pink turns and walks out of her palace, her ruby guards following her obediently. When they're completely out of sight, Pearl immediately takes to looking at the progression of the colony. She gets so caught up in her work that doesn't hear someone walking around. A squeaky toy noise interrupts her, making her take her attention away from the projection. To no surprise, at least for Pearl, it's Cinnabar. The two gems freeze up, staring at each other in an awkward silence.
"What are you doing?" Pearl narrows her eyes at Cinnabar, annoyed by her foolishness.
Cinnabar picks up a toy ball, putting it into her gemstone before replying.
"Sorry, I was practicing my juggling. Pink Diamond really does like when I do it."
Pearl's expression softens at that, interested by what she said.
"Really? Pink Diamond has never expressed such a thing before..."
"Hm, that's odd." Cinnabar takes out three juggling balls, continuing to practice.
Pearl puts her focus back onto her work. Focusing on an entertainer gem wasn't her priority, even if Cinnabar technically ranked higher than her.
"Hey, hey."
Pearl looks beside her, seeing Cinnabar standing directly next to her.
"Yes?"
"How come Pink Diamond left? Where'd she go?" Cinnabar looks around the room.
"She has errands to run." Pearl replies with a deadpan tone.
"Mm, I'm sure those'll be interesting." Cinnabar turns her head to Pearl, smiling innocently.
"I suppose so." She softens her tone, watching Cinnabar walk away.
Cinnabar goes into the center of the room, continuing to practice her juggling. Pearl keeps looking over at the other gem, confused by her focus on it. She didn't even know that Pink liked juggling. Since when did she like such a thing? Pearl does disregard the thought, continuing to work.
30 minutes pass in silence. Pearl looks up from the projection, noticing that Cinnabar has disappeared again.
"Oh great..." Pearl sighs, annoyed by the gem.
"Woah! Is that the colony?!"
"Ah!" Pearl jumps away, taking a second to realize that Cinnabar was right next to her, again.
"It looks...so...amazing!" Cinnabar starts playing with the desk, pressing random buttons.
"Hey! Don't touch that!" Pearl runs back, grabbing Cinnabar's wrists.
Pearl tries to undo anything Cinnabar could've done, while Cinnabar stands there, startled.
"S...Sorry." Cinnabar holds herself, looking down at the floor.
"It's fine. Just do not touch the console again." Pearl rubs her forehead, exhausted.
'Alright..."
Pearl's gaze shifts to Cinnabar's stomach, her gemstone resting on her navel.
"You have the same gem placement as Pink Diamond..." She mutters, her analytical mind running.
"Oh, yeah. We've both got gems on our stomachs, isn't that funny?" Cinnabar traces her fingers over her gemstone, smiling again.
Pearl hums in response, rubbing her chin. It made more sense why Cinnabar was so energetic and borderline childish all the time.
"Shouldn't you also have the same gem placement as Pink Diamond?" The entertainer questions, pointing up to Pearl's forehead gem.
Pearl's eyes look up, her hand unconsciously rubbing her forehead.
"Yes?" She responds, confused by the question.
"Why don't you?" Cinnabar steps closer, lending her hand out.
"I...was made to keep Pink Diamond in line."
Cinnabar narrows her eyes a bit, trying to decipher Pearl's statement.
"But from what I've heard, pearls are supposed to be exactly like their owners." Cinnabar moves back a little, mimicking Pearl's chin rubbing. "You don't look anything like Pink Diamond though, how odd."
"Where'd you hear that from?" Pearl raises an eyebrow, not denying it.
"The rubies. They told me all that stuff."
Pearl frowns a bit, knowing that rubies aren't exactly the brightest gems.
"Right..."
"Yeah! They said that pearls both look exactly like their owner, and have the same gem placement." Cinnabar moves frantically around Pearl, pointing and poking at her.
"That's correct..." Pearl puts on a smile, pushing the other gem away from her.
When will this end?
"My Diamond, I have come with...news." Lemon Yellow Agate looks up at her Diamond.
"Make it quick, Agate." Yellow scoffs, not looking away from the console.
"My Diamond, I have found out that two gems under your elegant leadership have been fusing!"
Yellow Diamond stops, putting her attention on the sergeant.
"Again? I thought the trial of those two other gems would've deterred such disgusting actions."
"Of course it did, my Diamond! There's just such insolent gems that cannot understand your impeccable rules." Lemon Agate takes a step forwards, smiling with slightly widened eyes.
"Bring them here." Yellow gestures with her hand, frowning.
Lemon Agate nods, dashing away to get the accused gems.
"Pearl, come here."
Yellow Pearl hops up onto her Diamond's chair, awaiting an order.
"I want you to write down a reminder. Write that I have to check on one of my colonies."
'Yes, my Diamond."
Lemon Agate enters the room again, now with a two Topaz guards behind her. The guards hold a Pearl and an Amethyst. Yellow looks down in...interest.
"These are the gems?" She says, almost in disbelief.
"Yes, my Diamond." Lemon Agate nods, stepping aside and letting the Topazes present the accused.
The two guards walk towards Yellow Diamond, dropping the accused gems onto the floor.
"So, you two decided to fuse? Despite the fact that you are two completely different gems?" Yellow leans forward, placing her head on her hands.
"Uh....Y....Yes?" The pearl confesses, looking up in fear.
"Mm. Then I see no further use for you." Yellow stands up, her voice emotionless.
"Wait! We won't fuse again! I promise!" The amethyst raises her hand up, moving in front of her pearl.
"Is that right?"
"Yes! We won't ever again!"
Yellow scoffs, almost smiling at the stupidity.
"Were you two at the trial? The trial of the fusion of a Bismuth and a Jasper?"
"We were, my Diamond." Amethyst nods her head, nervous of what she'll do next.
"Then why? Why fuse when you should know what we do to two different gems who fuse." Yellow leans forwards a bit, putting her arms behind her back.
"I...."
"There shouldn't be a reason!" Yellow cuts her off, shooting a beam out.
The two gems scream out in pain, destabilizing immediately. Yellow Diamond looks over at the Topazes, signaling to them to finish the job. The gems walk over at the gemstones, grabbing them. It takes only a little bit of pressure before the gemstones break, shattering them.
"There, the imperfections are gone." Yellow sighs, sitting back down.
"Such power, my Diamond!" Lemon Agate exclaims, mesmerized.
"Yes yes. You're all excused." Yellow Diamond waves her hand, focusing back on her work.
"Of course my Diamond, my elegant, powerful-"
"Leave the room or I'll have to poof you too." Yellow sneers, narrowing her eyes at Lemon Agate.
Lemon Agate and the Topazes all leave the room. Yellow checks to make sure no one but her pearl is in the room, letting out a long, exhausted breath when she confirms it.
What happened with her and Blue still affected her. She shouldn't have been so affected. But it was...intimate. Yellow didn't even realize that Blue could express such...things.
"Pearl..."
"Yes, my Diamond?" Yellow Pearl replies, a hint of nervousness in her voice.
"Have you..." She pauses, rubbing her forehead. "by any chance seen Blue acting off?"
"Uh...well, no, not really."
Yellow nods her head softly, turning back to the console. She brings up a ship on the projection, contacting the leader of it. When she connects, an Emerald answers.
"Yes? Oh, hello, my Diamond." She perks up, doing the Diamond gesture.
"Mm, how close are you to the planet I've sent you to?" Yellow looks at another projection, not paying the Emerald any mind.
"Very close! We'll be there in less than an hour!" She stands tall, smiling proudly.
"Wonderful. I'll be expecting a report when you land."
"Of course!"
"And your crew? Are they all accounted for?"
"Yes. The Nephrites are helping to pilot the ships, the Jaspers are stuffing the cargo and...." Emerald trails off, looking behind her.
"And?"
"Oh, apologies my Diamond. We've also got our Peridot that you assigned, she's working in the control room."
"Good to hear. That'll be all."
The transmission disconnects. Yellow drowns herself further in her work.
"Back up, Pink Diamond is coming through!" One of the ruby guards yells out to every surrounding gem.
Every other gem looks over at Pink Diamond, letting her pass. She supposed to be meeting with an aristocratic gem to discuss building the structure. Entering into the ballroom, she notices the gem from afar, loudly scolding her pearl and her ruby. Pink looks down at her ruby guards before walking across the big room.
"Morganite, I presume?" She says in a cheeky tone.
The gem turns around, quickly changing her demeanor.
"My Diamond! It's so nice to be in your presence!" She smiles widely at Pink Diamond.
"I'm sure..."
Morganite looks behind her, sneering at her pearl and ruby.
"I've come to discuss designing a structure."
"That's wonderful!"
"But...it hasn't been built yet." Pink fiddles with her skirt, nervous to explain the one problem.
Morganite takes a second to process the information, before putting her smile back on.
"Not a problem in the slightest."
Pink begins to ramble about her ideas, listing out what she wants built and how she wants it to look. Morganite listens extremely carefully, often yelling at her terrified pearl to jot down everything said.
"M...My Elegance?" The pearl leans over her Morganite, voice shaky.
"What? I didn't ask you to talk, did I?"
"Uh-"
"Did I?!" Morganite hits her, getting progressively more annoyed.
"No, of course not, my Elegance." She pulls away, taking a few steps back.
"Anyways, continue please, my Diamond." Morganite looks back at Pink Diamond, keeping her strained smile.
The pearl sighs, rubbing her head. Ruby looks over at her, feeling sympathetic to Morganite's scolding. She tugs at the other gems arm, getting her attention.
"Yes?"
"You feeling okay?" Ruby asks, looking up at her with a concern expression.
She looks down at the ruby, surprised by her concern. She stares for so long that doesn't even realize it, or that her face is flushed.
"I...I'm okay, no need to worry." She plays with her hair, trying to avert any further scolding.
"Well...If you need to talk about anything, I'm here."
She nods her head, looking over at Morganite.
"A huge warp tower with patterns, that's what I'm proposing."
"I'll make that happen as soon as possible, my Diamond." Morganite puts her hands behind her back.
"Wonderful! I'll be off then." Pink turns to leave, her ruby guards following beside her.
Pink and her guards leave the room. Morganite's smile disappears off of her face, the air surrounding her and the other gems shifting drastically. Rose Pearl takes a few careful steps, reaching a shaking hand out to her.
"You gems are pathetic." Morganite spits at them, reaching into her gem.
"We...We're sorry, my-"
"Sorry doesn't cut it!" She pulls out a sharp fan, slashing at her pearl.
Rose stumbles back, a huge glowing gash in her torso. She poofs not even a millisecond later, her gem clinking on the ground. Ruby yelps, falling back in fear.
"I've already warned you both! You act respectful and obedient when in front of the Diamonds!"
"I'm sorry! Please, we'll act like you want!" Ruby throws her hands up, feeling tears forming in the corners of her eyes.
Morganite looks down at her, wanting to poof her as well as punishment. However, she doesn't. She puts her weapon back into her gemstone, turning away from her ruby.
"Fine. Act out again, and I'll have you rejuvenated." Morganite looks over her shoulder, her cold eyes piercing into Ruby's.
"Of course, my Elegance." Ruby stands up, bowing.
"Take my pearl and follow me, I have actual work to do."
Ruby picks up Rose Pearl's gemstone, holding towards her chest. She follows Morganite as they both exit the room.
"I've arrived, my Diamond." Emerald announces proudly.
"Wonderful. I assume the Jaspers have set down the incubators?"
"They're right on it!"
"Right...."
"The Peridot you assigned will stand by the kindergarten."
"Good to know." Yellow replies in a flat tone.
"Is there anything else required, my Diamond?"
"No. Return to Homeworld after the incubators have been placed correctly."
"Of course, my Diamond...Oh, greetings, Pink Diamond!" Emerald looks behind Yellow Diamond, smirking a bit.
Yellow stifles, looking behind her. Pink was standing below her, smiling innocently. Yellow wasn't in the mood to deal with Pink, not that she ever did. She tries her absolute best to ignore her presence, continuing her conversation with Emerald.
"Bring the Jaspers and Nephrites with you as well, leave only the Peridot on that planet."
"Understood, my Diamond."
Yellow!
"That'll be all, Emerald."
The transmission disconnects yet again, leaving Pink's annoying voice for her to listen to.
"Yellow! Yellow! I've got such important news!" Pink yells out to her excitedly, trying to climb up.
Yellow Diamond glances down, watching as Pink repeatedly tries and fails to climb up. After 10 minutes, Yellow assumes the Pink gave up and left, only for her to land right in front of her.
"Pink!" Yellow groans, leaning back against her seat.
"I'm sorry for interrupting you, Yellow." Pink waves her hands, her smile smaller now. "But I've got something really important about my-"
"Pink, I am busy right now. Why don't you go tell Blue?" Yellow puts on a smile, lending her hand out to the door.
Pink looks over to where she's pointing, pouting a bit when she realizes what she's saying.
"Yellow, please. It's really important!"
"Pink, stop it. I've already told you that I'm busy." Yellow rubs her head, getting annoyed at her childishness.
"Will you just listen to me?! I've finally got a colony and now you don't want listen to me now?!" Pink throws her arms out, becoming more emotional. She was regressing.
That does it. Yellow stands up from her seat, grabbing Pink by arm.
"Will you stop it?! You're acting like a child!"
"You won't listen to me! You never listen to me!" Pink shakes her head, trying her pull her arm out of Yellow's grip.
Yellow narrows her eyes at Pink, her annoyance somewhat fading. She'd been through this very situation with Pink for hundreds of years. It was becoming exhausting and she didn't want to deal with it anymore.
"You are not worth my time." She says coldly, sneering at Pink.
"Why won't you ever-"
"You're going in the tower!" Yellow starts walking, dragging Pink.
"NO! NO! PLEASE!" Pink's demeanor changes, now panicked and scared.
Yellow disregards her begging and screaming, continuing to drag her to the tower. Pink kicks and claws for escape. not wanting to go back. To go back to the place. That prison of a place.
Shaking footsteps enter the tower, Yellow throws Pink onto the floor. Pink cries loudly, tears streaming down her face.
"Well? I thought you'd grown, Pink." Yellow stands at the doorway, a menacing air surrounding her.
"I have! I have, Yellow!" Pink raises her head, looking up at Yellow with teary eyes.
"Clearly you haven't."
Pink feels her anger resurfacing, burning alongside her turmoil. She slowing brings herself back up, standing up weakly.
"Your determination only serves to hold you back, Pink."
"Why won't you listen to me?" She says quietly at first.
"What was that?"
"Why won't you listen to me?!" Pink repeats, much louder now.
Yellow clenches her fists, Pink does the same.
"You're acting immature as usual!" Yellow takes a step forwards, her anger growing.
"I wouldn't if you'd stop ignoring me!" Pink refutes, also taking a step forward.
"Well, maybe if you were such a childish gem...I'd actually listen you!"
Pink stops for a second, before grabbing her messy hair.
"That's it? That's why you've hurt me for thousands of years?!"
Yellow doesn't respond, her eyes narrowed.
"You want to know the real reason, Pink?" She asks, almost sounding like a warning.
"Yes! I want to know why you're so horrible to me!"
"I'll tell you why, alright." She takes another step forward, somehow keeping her anger contained.
"Tell me why!" Pink screams at her, beginning to cry again.
"You're not a real Diamond! That's why!"
"No! That can't be the only reason!" Pink shakes her head.
"Pink, you don't understand anything!"
"You don't understand anything about me! That's what you don't understand!"
The two Diamonds raise their feet, stomping down onto the tower's floor.
"I JUST WANT YOU TO BE A REAL DIAMOND!" "I JUST WANT YOU TO CARE ABOUT ME!"
The room shakes violently, the floor and walls cracking from the impact. Yellow and Pink both tumble down, the shaking too strong to combat. After the shaking stops, the silence is much heavier than the yelling. Yellow looks down at Pink, eyes wide with shock. Pink looks up at Yellow, tears still flowing down her face.
"You...." Yellow starts to say, but stops herself.
"Yellow...." Pink whispers, hoping that the other Diamond will understand.
Yellow takes a long minute to compose herself, standing up slowly. She casts a somber look at Pink, taking in her sad expression. Yellow lets out a shaky breath before turning away from her, walking away from Pink.
"You'll serve your punishment. It'll only be for an hour, Pink."
The door closes slowly. Unlike every other time, there's no screaming, no pouting, just silence.
The hour passed by slowly, unbearably slowly. Pink felt so empty. Her anger was extinguished and her sadness only served to make her feel worse. Pink sat beside the wall, laying her head on it.
'Wanna play a game....?'
A soft...childish voice. I recognize it.
'How about Hide and Seek? You love that game!'
Not anymore, I'm supposed to be mature now.
'Then why don't I juggle, that'll help you smile!'
Maybe...but not now. I'm sure you don't like me anymore...
'Why do you say that, Pink?'
I'm sure you've already left...
The voice disappears. Pink didn't know how she would respond, what she'd say to such a thing.
I'm sorry, Spinel...
Pink closed her eyes, drifting off into her subconscious. The sound of a door creaking brought her back however, bringing Pink back into the hell she lived in. She looks over her slumped shoulder, gazing up at the door.
An Agate opens the door, a yellow Agate. This surprises Pink, usually the other Diamonds would come to take her out of the tower, but Yellow getting another gem to do for her? It made Pink's heart die. Was she really that meaningless to her, to the other Diamonds?
"Pink Diamond, your time in the tower is up. I will be an escort to the nearest warp zone back your colony." Lemon Agate stands tall in the doorway, her expression unreadable.
Pink stared at her with wide eyes, not responding with even a sound. She finally stands up as Lemon Agate opens her mouth, wanting to leave the tower.
"Let's go." Pink approaches her, her form disheveled.
"Of course." Lemon Agate nods, walking in front of Pink Diamond as they exit the tower.
They walk through the halls of Homeworld, passing by a flurry of gems. They stare in shock at Pink Diamond's appearance but keeping their thoughts and opinions to themselves.
When the gems reach the warp zone, Lemon Agate stops, letting Pink Diamond go by herself. Pink glances behind her, glaring at the agate before warping back to her colony. She warps onto the moon base, stumbling towards the door. The door flies open, alerting the other gems.
"Ah!" Cinnabar yelps out, hiding behind Pearl.
"M...My Diamond?" Pearl stares at Pink, shocked.
Pink practically limps over to her desk, stopping in front of it. Her hand was clenching on her other arm.
"P...Pink Diamond...?" Cinnabar looks over Pearl's shoulder, scared beyond belief.
She doesn't respond, just staring down at the floor with wide, rage filled eyes.
"How....How about I show you my juggling? Maybe it'll help you?" Cinnabar starts walking, taking out three juggling balls from her gemstones. Pink, again, doesn't react.
Cinnabar starts juggling, at first struggling to. She keeps dropping the balls and tripping over her own feet. Eventually, she gains a rhythm. Pink actually looks over at Cinnabr, watching her juggle.
"Haha! Look, I'm doing it, Pink!" Cinnabar does a few tricks, smiling innocently.
Pink doesn't laugh. She feels a tinge of familiarity. She'd seen this before.
'Pink! Pink! Look at me!'
That voice....
Pink's breathing starts to get more erratic, flashbacks of her appearing in her mind.
'Let's play Hide and Seek!'
'How about I juggle for you? You've always loved that!'
'This'll be so much fun!'
"I'm sorry....." She whispers, tears pouring down her face again.
"My Diamond! What's the matter?" Pearl exclaims, walking towards Pink.
Pink grabs her hair, panicking more and more.
'My Diamond....Pink, is something wrong.
Pink pushes Pearl away, reminded of Pink Pearl. How she used to comfort her during those times.
"Stop it....!"
"Stop what..?"
"Just stop it...!" Pink shakes her head, screaming at them for nothing.
Pearl glances over at Cinnabar, unsure of what to do.
"My Diamond, maybe I can-"
"STOP IT!!"
A huge wave of energy bursts from her scream, which shakes the room violently, cracking the walls. All the surrounding gems almost immediately get poofed from the impact. Pink falls to her knees, realizing what she'd done. She really was regressing.
She waits for all the other gems to reform. First was her ruby guards, they kept a distance from Pink, not wanting to provoke her. Then was the amethyst guard, who also kept away. Cinnabar was next, terrified by being poofed, crying when she returns. Finally was Pearl, she looked almost the exact same, still concerned with Pink's mental state.
"My Diamond, something is the matter...?" Pearl asks, both curious and confused.
"....Yes.." Pink stands up, wiping her eyes.
"Is there anything that I can do to help?"
"No...not right now." Pink looks up to the ceiling, looking at the damage she caused.
"Understood." Pearl nods, walking over to Cinnabar.
Pearl lends a hand out to the other gem, pulling Cinnabar onto her feet.
"Thanks..." Cinnabar wipes her tears, smiling a bit.
When they both look beside them, Pink is gone. They don't follow her however, they have a feeling she'll return. Pink was staring down at her colony from the moon. She felt so empty. Usually, she'd get back on her feet until it happened again, and the cycle continued. But not this time. She couldn't just get back to her childish self, not after how Yellow reacted.
Pink started to realize it. She finally saw what was the problem.
It was herself.
No wonder she was the weakest Diamond. No wonder Blue, Yellow and White didn't care about her and just hurt her for being so childish.
She was the problem. It was somehow eye opening for Pink, and she entered back into her palace with a completely different demeanor. She was going to change. She was going to be better. She was going to be just like them.