Pearl was running through the forests of Earth, desperately trying to separate herself from the ship that would take her back to Homeworld. They stretched out endlessly before her and she was starting to worry that she would never find a way out from between the trees and other foreign foliage.

It wasn't that she had disliked being Pink Diamond's pearl. No, never that. She loved her Diamond. Actually, she just wouldn't think about her. Things got needlessly complicated when Pink Diamond popped into her thoughts. She wasn't escaping from Pink Diamond necessarily, it was more like she was escaping from Homeworld. It was almost scary to admit, but she didn't want to be a servant anymore, she wanted to be someone's equal. She felt a pang of regret when she thought about leaving Pink Diamond but no, listen, she wasn't going to think about her anymore, before she went off on a tangent that she couldn't recover from.

Anyway, she was running through the forest and she was lost and there was no end in sight. That was what she would focus on. She was running, and there were all kinds of strange animals. What if she kept going and she accidentally came across the kindergarten? Maybe it would be best if she turned herself in there to be returned to Pi-to Homeworld, so she wouldn't be lost anymore. But just as she was thinking this, she came crashing into another gem that was standing in the middle of the forest.

Wait, no. That was too graceless and embarrassing. She ran into the other gem - not literally this time - standing in the middle of a clearing. That was better, but it was kind of plain. No, instead she came across the gem standing in the middle of a small pond in a clearing with beautiful little flowers scattered along the bank. Moonlight streamed down into the clearing, casting its gentle glow on the other gem's pink hair.

"Who are you?" Pearl said cautiously, backing away. Was she a Homeworld gem?

"Please, don't turn me in." The pink haired gem said, also backing away.

"Turn you in?" Pearl asked, surprised. "Why would I turn you in?"

"Because I'm running away and you're a pearl from Homeworld. Why wouldn't you turn me in?" The other gem asked, though she had stopped backing away.

Pearl held up her hands, trying to show her she would do her no harm. "I wouldn't turn you in… because I'm on the run too."

"Really?" The other gem got closer. "In that case, it seems like we're both safe with each other. My name is Rose Quartz!"

"My name is Pearl. It's nice to meet you." Pearl got closer too, smiling up at Rose Quartz. It would be nice to have a travel companion, maybe they could make it out of the forest together.

Just as she was about to propose the idea, there was a rustle in the bushes. Soldiers sent by Yellow Diamond had found them! And they were heading straight for Rose Quartz. Large, lumbering quartz soldiers surrounded her and yelled "You're coming back with us!"

Pearl wasn't sure why, but she couldn't let Rose Quartz be hurt. She wouldn't let her be hurt. She grabbed a large branch from the ground, leapt in front of Rose and stood in front of her defensively. The quartzes all ran towards them, but Pearl was faster. She swiftly launched a counter strike by swinging the branch, poofing them one by one with ease.

Next came the rubies. There were at least ten of them. Pearl had no time to poof them, they all climbed onto each other and fused into the largest Ruby Pearl had ever seen. The huge fusion grabbed Rose and picked her up off the ground.

"You let her go!" Pearl yelled, not afraid at all for her own safety. She ran towards the fusion. Ruby tried to grab her too, but Pearl dodged out of the way and swung with the branch at her legs.

"Ow! Hey that hurt!" Ruby complained and tried to smash Pearl with her fist. Pearl jumped on top of her fist and ran up her arm. Soon she was high enough to jam the branch through the other gem's torso. The fusion poofed and Rose floated safely to the ground. Pearl landed on her feet next to her.

Before she could address Rose, the other gem ran over and threw her arms around her. She scooped her up in a big hug. "You were amazing, Pearl! I can't believe it! You poofed all those gems that were so much bigger than you for my sake, when we just met." Rose set her down gently and looked at her - not like how most gems would look at a pearl, but with admiration shining in her eyes. "You're my hero." The other gem was blushing almost as bright pink as her hair. "W-will you stay with me? We could run away from Homeworld together."

"Yes, I would be happy to come with you!" It was Pearl's turn to hug Rose. "Let's get out of this forest together."

So they went together - it ceased to be an escape from Homeworld and became more like a leisurely stroll through the forest. Pearl found little things along the way to delight Rose with, like a flower, or fruit from a tree, or strange Earth creatures between the trees that she pointed out. Rose was happy and would shower Pearl with affection every time she showed her anything new.

Eventually after days of walking, they reached the end of the forest. Pearl actually dreaded it. The forest they were lost in had come to be like a sanctuary for her. Would they have to part ways now?

"So, this is it, huh?" Pearl asked, "We finally made it out."

"Yeah…" Rose Quartz said, looking down at the ground. She couldn't meet Pearl's eyes, and Pearl worried that she was trying to think up a polite way to tell her that she wanted to go her own way now.

"So…" Pearl wasn't sure how to proceed.

"I know we really just met and we were just trying to get through the forest together, butireallywanttostaywithyou." Rose blurted out.

"What was that?" Pearl hadn't quite caught what Rose was trying to say.

"I... I really want to stay with you! These past few days have been amazing. I know we just met and you might have things to do, but even if you do, that's okay. I'll come with you. So please, let's stay together!" Rose Quartz grabbed her hand and gently squeezed it.

"I was just thinking the same thing. Let's stay together, Rose." Pearl gave her hand a squeeze in return.

"What are you smiling about?" Rose- no, Pink Diamond's voice suddenly interrupted Pearl's thoughts.

"W-what?" Pearl asked, startled.

Pink giggled. She was still in her Rose Quartz form. "You're sitting here with the cutest smile on your face. I want to know what you were thinking about."

Pearl's face turned bright blue with embarrassment. She had been sitting on a rock, watching Pink play in a field of flowers, when suddenly her mind had started to drift. And then she had started to… imagine things… without Pink Diamond asking her to do so. What would Pink Diamond think if she admitted it?

It was improper - but it was something that had been happening a lot recently and she couldn't help it.

"I was just uh, thinking about how nice the Earth is, and how happy I am to be here with you, my Quartz." Pearl said. It wasn't really a lie.

"Hmm, really?" Pink Diamond asked. She had a coy smile on her face, like she didn't exactly believe that was all Pearl had been thinking about, but she didn't press her for details. "I'm happy to be here with you too. Here, look, I made something for you."

Pink showed Pearl a small circlet of flowers that she had woven together - then she placed it on Pearl's head.

"There you go. I hope you like it. You're just as pretty as all of the flowers on Earth, so they suit you." Pink smiled and hugged her.

"Thank you, my Quartz." Pearl almost wanted to cry. "I love it."

Maybe they weren't two strangers who met on Earth like in her fantasy, but maybe they could find a new beginning here anyway. That's what Pearl wanted to believe.