AN: I really apologize for the very belated update. For all of my readers' patience I have finally finished a drabble (and I will have another one coming up in the next 2-3 days) and I hope you enjoy it as much as you enjoyed the first one. Thanks for all of reviews, nine reviews is incredible, it beat my record for the amount of reviews on the first chapter. Thanks for waiting and I assure you that my update hiatuses will die down.
~~Spoiler alert for those who haven't seen Steven the Sword Fighter (Doubt there's any who haven't seen it, but better to play it save, right?)~~
2. (Tree Hugger)
It had been only a few days ago since Pearl had returned from her dormant state and Steven had never been so relieved that she was home again. Everything went back to normal and the temple was back in its previous neat condition. Steven didn't even mention about the hologram Pearl incident to any of the gems. He didn't even want to tell them but he knew that he would have to someday. For the past few days, he had been thinking about his decision whether or not he should tell them. He's just glad that everything is back in order and no one got hurt, but maybe it was about time that he finally spoke to them about the incident. For it would explain the mess and the broken television caused from the hologram battle better than the lousy excuse he gave. He knows that he would most likely be criticized for taking a dangerous risk but he knew that Pearl will understand once he explained himself. But should he tell them? He felt bad lying about his broken TV and many pieces of broken furniture, and he knows he will feel guilty until he tells them. Garnet can see that he is lying and that only made him feel worse. With a hefty sigh, he went out of his room, his mind racing on the decision.
Well, there was only Pearl home right now. Amethyst was probably out getting food or something (he honestly doesn't know where she goes, she leaves without any sort of announcement) and Garnet… well, she might be a mission, he sincerely has no clue. He knows Pearl is home though, and that's the only person he needs to inform. He inhaled slowly before saying Pearl's name, only to have silence echo back. He didn't have the slightest response from her. "Pearl?" Steven repeated, heading into the living room. Her reading chair was empty and unaccompanied. "Hm. Where did she go?" he asked himself. She clearly didn't leave the house with Steven by himself, without any announcement. That was not Pearl's way. If she had it her way, she would have repeated herself over and over about where she was headed and when she would get back. No. Pearl wouldn't leave unannounced, especially when Amethyst and Garnet aren't home. He continued to look, until he saw an image of her outside through the window.
Her form was in the exact location of the tree she loved, only a stump now. Oh no. He didn't tell her that Pearl's favorite tree was chopped down by her own hologram, and it was his fault. She must have been devastated, she didn't know that her plant had been destroyed and in all of these past few days, she had believed that it was still here. He didn't understand why she cared about that tree as much as she did but he knew it meant a lot to her. With that thought in his head, he raced toward her, forgetting to close the door behind him, until he stopped and saw her, looking a bit upset and uneasy, she didn't even show her face. "Pearl, are you okay?"
"Steven. Do you know who did this?" Her voice cracked before a quiet sob escaped from her. He was taken aback and he looked at her pitifully. She sounded really upset, and Steven just decided to tell her the truth, no matter how upset she gets, he knows that she will never be mad at him forever. Pearl couldn't have loved that tree more than him. "…Yes" He replied to her question. She looked at him, a few tears were on her face, and it broke his heart. "W-What?"
"Well…When you were gone, I…um…I thought Holo Pearl would act like you, and because you were taking too long to get back, I thought if I hang out with Holo Pearl, it would be like I was with you. I mean, it looked like you and her voice was the same as yours …I-I was wrong and it cut down your tree. It's all my fault Pearl…I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, that tree meant a lot to you even when I didn't know why. It was your favorite, now it's gone because of me…" Steven never felt this guilty in a long time. Sure he messes up sometimes during missions but he had never made any one of the crystal gems upset, and certainly never made one cry because of his mistakes. He was expecting something dramatic to happen next and he braced himself for the worst, but instead, Pearl merely looked at him with concern in her teary eyes. "Steven, you could have been killed! Oh, what were you thinking?"
"I know. Amethyst tried to stop me, but I guess I just really missed you and I…I thought…But I chopped down your tree, why aren't you mad at me?"
"I'm not mad. I'm just glad that you're safe now, especially after what you told me… For once—and I can't believe I'm saying this—you should have just listened to Amethyst. About my tree…as much as I care about it, I would rather it be killed by my hologram than have it kill you." Pearl managed to smile under her tears for Steven, and that cheered him up in a way he couldn't describe. She was still sobbing a bit, but he listened as her sobs died down, and then she wiped her eyes and sniffled. After it grew quiet, Steven figured this was the moment to ask her.
"Pearl?"
"Yes, Steven?"
"Why did you love that tree so much, anyway?" He asked her and he immediately regretted it because her smile faded away the moment he questioned her. She recollected her thoughts and it took her about fifteen seconds to finally respond. "Rose and I…We planted it years ago." Pearl mumbled softly. She remembered the day when Rose left, the tree was only reminder, she would visit everyday. She would speak to it, as if she was speaking to her, it sounds crazy but it helped her cope and be strong. Amethyst kept calling her—what was it?—Oh, she called her a "tree hugger" until Garnet told her she was going too far. Garnet knew and Garnet understood that the plant meant a lot to her and knew it had something to do with Rose. For years, it felt like the tree was Rose, with her pink curls and beautiful smile, and Pearl merely used it as her comforting and coping tool until she got used to Rose being gone. Sadly, she still isn't used to her being gone. It's been ten years since the incident but she still misses her with all her metaphorical heart. When you have been with someone for the amount of a hundred or so years, and then they're suddenly taken away from you, it would be a while before you forget and move on. Sure, she's gotten better at coping with it, especially with Steven around, but she just wants to move on.
The guilt hit Steven like a bullet piercing flesh. "O-Oh," was the only thing he could manage to say. Pearl, noticing Steven's guilt, gave a comforting smile and grasped his shoulder. "Why don't we grow a new tree and we can plant it together?" She offered him. He smiled and nodded.
Together, they headed to the local gardening store and picked out a tree different from the one Rose picked back in the day. She didn't want it to remind her of Rose this time; she wanted it to remind her of Steven. For about a half an hour they browsed through the collections of saplings until they narrowed down the choices. In the end, they decided on sassafras, which was a tree that blossomed beautiful yellow flowers the color of gold during the early spring. Once they went home, they planted it in a nearby location and gave it some water. Pearl started to walk away but Steven wanted to "watch it grow", which caused her to smile at his innocence. "You know, it's going to take a while for it to grow, right?"
"Aw. How long?"
"You picked a tree with a slow growth rate. It will probably take about twenty or even fifty years until it will mature." Pearl stated in a factual way, much to Steven's disappointment.
"That's a long time, I don't think I can wait that long, Pearl…" Steven whined. In response, the skinny gem laughed and just said, "The years will go by fast, you'll see."