Pearl was not happy.
"Ughh!" She groaned in frustration as she paced back and forth in her room, her normally analytical and objective mind clouded with confusion. "What on earth does she see in this human?" She punctuated this with a stomp. "It's not like they haven't been here for millennia! What makes this one so special?"
Under usual circumstances, Pearl was adept at understanding others' behavior. Every action and decision had causes that every individual reacted to in a way specific to their personality. Pearl could intuitively trace this process. It made sense. To her, this didn't.
She knew that someday this human would grow old and die, and eventually everything would be back to normal. Why Rose would put herself through that heartbreak is what Pearl couldn't rationalize.
"She's heard musicians before, and his poetry isn't even that good! It's awkward at best!" The song that he had shared with them that evening came back to her. Guitar in hand, he had invited Rose down to the beach to serenade her. Rose loved it.
Pearl thought it was underwhelming.
"Maybe doesn't even rhyme with lady!" she huffed. "And for that matter, neither do space and fate. The form certainly wasn't anything special, and the chord progression was positively cliché. Even then, the performance was full of errors! I can sing better than him!"
Taking in a deep breath, she began, using the same song that he had sung. It started slowly and softly, a deceptively simple melody.
"I know that I've only just met you
but it feels like I've known you forever
It's just a feeling I get from you
Every time we're together"
Pearl could feel the words, simple but sincere, rise up with her voice to the walls of her room. She wandered slowly around as she continued singing, gradually increasing in volume. Slowly, she ceased to think of her critiques of the piece, and instead found herself absorbed in the song, even beginning to dance. As she moved, she grew steadily louder, moving through verses and choruses until by the end she sang as loud as she was able.
"And still I thank my lucky stars
That we've ended up right where we are
You know a little luck
And a little love-"
She froze. Her voice still reverberating through the cavern, she finished the final line softly, barely above a whisper.
"-can go far."