Chapter 1: Memories
Nora couldn't remember the last time she was able to go to the beach, let alone live near one. Living on the go had been her existence for her life up until she was seven.
Pearl, or as Nora liked to call her, Sky because her almost sky blue color, had been taking care of her alongside her father. She often considered her more as a sister then a caretaker. "Are we really going to live near the beach, Sky?"
Pearl smiled down at her, not minding that the two of them and Greg were still driving there. "Yes, my Diamond." She said softly
Nora blushed a bit and smiled, but she corrected her before he father could. "Sky I told you to call me Nora. I'm sure mom would have wanted you to call me by my name instead of hers."
Pearl blushed, as that fact often slipped beyond her mind's grasp. This was because at times, Nora reminded the pearl of her diamond. "Yes, my Nora."
Nora didn't correct her for that part as she knew that it was easier for Pearl to talk to her that way. "I hope there are people I can talk to. Not that I mind you, Sky, I just want more people to talk to."
It was this genuine love for life that Pearl adored about Nora. She was humorous and outgoing, and always looking out for the animal friends she met during their travels. Maybe her point of view was biased, but this girl was her entire life.
"Do you think people will like me?" She asked with immense worry, as Nora had never had another human friend in her life. Not for long, anyway.
Pearl was shocked by this as she smiled at Nora. "Of course, my Nora. How could they not? You're a kind, benevolent being who loves everything around you. Your new friends will love you for that."
She nodded as they reached the place they would live in. Nora thought the building to be pretty, so much so that she didn't mind living in a lighthouse. It just meant she could look out at the ocean at night.
They shared this place with someone called Ronaldo. She didn't know what he was like, but Nora hoped that he was at the very least nice to her.
Upon entering the building, they met him. Nora giggled, as he dressed funny to her. He saw her due to the noise and went to meet Nora. She became suddenly shy at his forward approach
"So, you must be the Universe family. I have one question…" he said eerily. "Do you know what keeps Beach City weird?!" he passionately exclaimed,
She shook her head, not understanding what he meant.
"Oh!" he yelled, his tone shifting. "Well then, let the great Ronaldo show you." He said gesturing to the computer. Nora went over to read his blog with him, finding it rather fascinating. When she would raise a question about something, he would answer her, no matter what he would say, and she believed him, as she was only 10 years old at the time.
It may have also helped his case that the girl was half alien, and more open to paranormal ideas.
Pearl thought it was strange, as some of the things humans did confused her. She didn't hate them in any way. Pearl simply didn't understand what was so interesting about making, what he called, a blog in the first place.
"Its seems like this was a good idea." Greg smiled. He had chosen this place not only for Nora's love of nature, but because this was all they could afford at the time. It wasn't like Greg hadn't had money before. It just was mostly spent on Nora to keep her smile around.
Pearl, being her caretaker, often found it amusing at Nora's take on life on Earth. She often wondered what it would be like if they returned to Homeworld. And, if Nora would fit in there at all.
Nora looked over at Pearl, asking her if they could go look around. "Alright, Starshine, but be careful and stick close to Pearl." Greg told her.
"I will dad." the girl assured him with annoyance. "Come on Sky! I want to see what my new hometown is like."
Pearl nodded following after her as they headed into town.
Because Nora was hungry from the long trip, they decide to look at the food shops first. Nora wasn't sure at first, as they all sounded so good. But, she wasn't really hungry for pizza or fries. Although, those places did sound very good. As they rounded a corner, she saw a donut shop.
"I want to eat there, Sky." Nora said excitedly. Pearl nodded. As far as she was concerned, this was fine with her. She herself wouldn't get food, as she didn't like it. Truthfully, she also didn't have the stomach for it. However, she would get something to drink. She just honestly liked those the best.
"Welcome to the Big Donut. How can we help you?" the cashier asked them. Pearl asked them for a dozen donuts. Half glazed, the other half sprinkled. Nora found a soda for Pearl, called Sugar Shock Shutdown figuring she would like it.
Once prices were figured out they paid for the items and left to eat by the beach. Nora loved the feel of the ocean breeze through her dark brown hair. But, she also had blue streaks in her hair as a result of her heritage.
Nora looked over at Pearl with a soft smile. "Sky, what was mom like?" She had heard very little about her mom from her dad that she never asked Pearl about it. The girl was afraid it would bring up bad memories for Pearl.
Pearl smiled as a distant look filled her face. "Well, my diamond was kind yet strict. She tried her best to treat her subjects with respect and care instead of fear. When she lost someone she deeply cared for she was very heartbroken. Often, she was so hurt that she neglected her duties a leader. She never meant to neglect them she just… missed her loved one very much."
Nora felt sorry for her mother. To deal with that much grief must have been so hard on her, especially Pearl, who was always with her. "Did she ever find out who took away the person precious to her?"
Pearl nodded. "But, she was very confused as to how it happened. She just wanted answers. She still didn't have any by the time she met your father. You should know that part from him."
"Yeah, he's told me somethings. Just not everything yet. It seems like a fairy tale of how they met. I sometimes imagine she was like a princess that needed to be rescued." Nora smiled as she imagined her mom as a beautiful princess once again.
Pearl softly giggled at that and in a way Nora was right. Blue Diamond was like royalty back at home. And she was like a princess in many ways as was Yellow Diamond. White was more like the queen as she ruled Homeworld.
"So, were you the first Pearl my mom had?" She was only asking because she had never known how they met. Nora was curious and wanted to know more about their life.
Pearl shook her head. "She had others before me, but she didn't keep them because they didn't match up with her personality like I did. She cared for them, but... she thought it was best if they were servants for other gems. There were about five before me I think."
Then her mind drifted to the first time they met as her eyes filled with tears beneath her hair. "I was given to my Diamond and I was scared at the beginning. I was also nervous, as… I wasn't sure if she would like me. There's not much a pearl can do if they're… discarded. At first, I remained quiet and she asked me if I was alright. I said I was scared, and nervous but, would do my best as her pearl. She said that it was fine if I was nervous that they all were before me. None had been vocal about it, though. After a time, I was very treasured by my diamond. Being treated as her companion. And… her friend. I never thought ill towards her. She was always… kind to me."
Nora smiled, glad to hear her mom and Pearl had been so close. She knew the blue gem missed her mother daily, and tried whatever she could to make Pearl smile. Even just to talk about her so that it ease her pain.
Pearl secretly did appreciate Nora for trying to help her through her grief. She missed Blue terribly but, talking about her diamond did help a lot.
"Thanks for telling me this, Sky. I know that mom meant a lot to you. Like you were close friends even though you were of different statuses." She softly spoke, finishing her donut and snuggling up to Pearl to comfort her.
Pearl liked the comfort. It gave her a small amount of peace imagining Blue Diamond was still there beside her. Nora was identical to Blue in many ways, and it was almost as if she never left.
Nora was glad to see her smile as Pearl remembered the good times with Blue. Nora knew that even though her mother was gone she, still had a special place for Pearl in her heart.
As they began to finish up their snack of donuts and drink, it was starting to cool down. They decided to wander the beach to see if they could find seashells or other objects along the beach floor. That was when they noticed the fence.
It was a fence on the far side of the beach, near the cliff, that had a sign on it reading: Keep Out Please.
Neither could puzzle as to why this sign was there. Eventually they figured the beach goers had it closed off for… maintenance. Or, there was the possibility it was just too dangerous on the other side of that fence. And polite about it, to boot.
"Well, I know not to go near that place if I ever want to have fun." Nora said. Although, it did pique her and Pearl's curiosity as to what was beyond that fence. They sat down and began building sandcastles instead.
Nora was eventually worn out and exhausted from all the fun that she fell asleep on Pearl's shoulder on the way back. Pearl did not mind carrying her. She had done it since Nora was a baby. What was carrying a child but a human spin on a pearl's duty of carrying objects?
It made her smile thinking of it as only yesterday that Nora was just a little girl. How time flies, from being a baby to a ten year old at the time. She could not imagine how it felt to a human, such as Greg. Her life was infinite, but his was not.
By the time she was in her bed, softly asleep, the sun had gone down. Pearl stayed vigilantly beside her bed.
Normally, Pearl didn't sleep unless Nora wanted her to. If she did, she dreamed often of Blue Diamond. Things were simple then, but now they were much more difficult.
Having to fight corrupted gems was a struggle. To add insult to injury, it saddened Pearl that some of these gems loyal to the the Diamonds had suffered the same fate as the rebels. When her diamond had learned of their fate it, grieved her greatly. All she wanted was to heal these gems and give them peace of mind. So did Pearl, as she hated to see her Diamond depressed. Which was all the time.
Especially after Pink Diamond was shattered. The pain she had been put through after that day was indescribable. Pearl had felt all of it due to Blue Diamond's abilities. It was very painful, and it angered that her Diamond had been put through that much grief.
She looked at the sleeping Nora, joy filling her lithe form. She was glad, that in some way, shape, and form, her Diamond found peace. Was she still upset about Pink? Of course! Did she still want answers, even after meeting Greg? Yes, she did. But, Greg had given her some peace of mind and helped her through the grief.
He also showed her how wrong they were about humans. Though yes, they could be loud and obnoxious, they were good people. Most, were kind and didn't mind the two gems, seeing them as beautiful women. It made Pearl blush dark blue because, they thought she was beautiful too. Of course they thought her Diamond had an ethereal beauty, but they told her often she was as beautiful as the sky.
These memories meant much to Pearl, and she would hold onto them until she would see her Diamond again. Even, if she never did, she told her Diamond every night how much she missed her. Nora often smiled in her sleep as if Blue had responded to her Pearl's words the night peaceful and quiet for the two figures who would always need one another.