"Pearl, can I ask you a question?"
Steven sits down at the counter Pearl as she washes a plate in the sink.
She doesn't turn her head as she replies, "Of course, Steven. What is it?"
"What was Mom like?"
"Well, she was a quartz soldier before she rebelled against Homeworld and she was the leader of the Crystal Gems."
Steven shifts in his seat. "No, I mean how did she act? What did she like? What was she really like?"
Pearl stops moving the towel on the plate that she is now drying. She still doesn't turn around.
"I'll tell you some other time, Steven. Why don't you go find Amethyst? I'm sure she's not busy."
Steven looks a little disappointed, but quickly recovers. He's too excited about the fun things he'll do when he finds Amethyst to be too disappointed by Pearl's answer. Besides, she said she would tell him some other time. He jumps down from his seat and starts running toward the door excitedly.
"Okay. Bye, Pearl!"
"Goodbye, Steven. Be careful!" Pearl calls at Steven as he rushes down the stairs of the beach house. She sighs. Steven is too young. He doesn't need to know certain things about his mom yet. Someday, but not today.
The next time Steven asks, Pearl is working on Greg's van. Steven jumps up on the van as Pearl changes one of the front tires. Pearl looks up at Steven. She smiles.
"Hello, Steven."
"Hi, Pearl! Whatcha doing?" Steven asks excitedly.
Pearl goes back to her work. "I'm changing the tire on the van."
Steven goes star-eyed. "Cool! Can I watch?"
"Of course." She gestures to the spot next to her. "Come over here so you can see better."
He hops off the van and stands next to Pearl as she works on removing the old tire. The two go back and forth as Steven asks questions about what Pearl is doing and she answers. When Steven runs out of questions to ask, he starts on the thing he's been dying to ask again. Maybe now is some other time?
"Uh... Pearl?"
"What is it?" she asks distractedly.
"Is it... some other time yet?"
Pearl looks at Steven, bemused. "What do you mean?"
"Well, when I asked you what my mom was like, you said you would tell me some other time. Is it some other time yet?" Steven asks carefully. When Pearl doesn't answer right away, Steven continues. "You don't have to tell me everything, I just want to know a little more about her. Everyone else knew her, but I never got to meet her."
Pearl sighs. "I know you want to hear about her, Steven. I will tell you about her someday. She was wonderful." She pats Steven's head sadly. "Not today though, Steven. I'm sorry."
Pearl gets up and walks away, leaving Steven even more confused. Why won't she tell him?
The next time his mom comes up, Steven isn't the one to bring her up.
"Sometimes, you even sound like her... Do you remember this place? Do you have any of her memories? We were right here, over 5,000 years ago."
Pearl had run away to the gem battlefield and Steven ran after her. Pearl summons a hologram of Rose.
"Pearl..." it starts.
Pearl's head perks up. "Yes?'
The holo-Rose continues. "I'm going to stay and fight for this planet. You don't have to do this with me."
Pearl becomes adamant. "But I want to!"
Its eyes are filled with concern. "I know you do. Please, please understand if we lose, we'll be killed, and if we win, we can never go home."
"But why would I ever want to go home, if you're here?"
It chuckles as it extends its hand toward Pearl. "My Pearl."
"You're wonderful." Pearl hesitates before gently clasping fingers with it. The holo-Rose dissolves, leaving Pearl staring at nothing.
"Everything I ever did, I did for her. Now she's gone, but I'm still here. Sometimes, I wonder if she can see me through your eyes." She sighs. "What would she think of me now?"
Steven reaches out to touch her but hesitates. He hugs her from behind.
"Well... I think you're pretty great," he says softly.
Pearl begins to tear up but says nothing. He begins to understand. He doesn't understand everything yet, and he has a feeling it will be a long time before he does, but it's a start. It's a start.