~O~

Part Two: Lessons

It had been a lovely morning.

The scent of roses in the gardens, the gems busy tending to them. It was a sight to behold for Pink Diamond. Life on Earth offered many splendors that she could not deny. It was such a strange, but beautiful planet. What made her happy was the fact that this would be all hers soon.

The natives on the planet simply referred to it as "Earth". What an odd name for a planet. Pink thought it was just like calling it "dirt", really. Still, despite the name, it was a nice little world. With the creation of her palanquin, she wandered the planet, despite the other three Diamonds warning her to stay safe. Pink didn't see any threats to speak of.

"My Diamond, this certainly seems like a risky endeavor."

Pink Diamond listened to the Red Agate's warning as she sat in her palanquin, making her way toward the small collection of humans huddled nearby in caves.

She enjoyed watching them at work at a far and safe distance; sometimes they would dance or sing in ways that fascinated her. They worked for themselves without the command of a diamond. So fragile, yet so strong.

From the palanquin, Pink Diamond observed through a small scope over her eye. She smiled with amusement, watching the humans at work in a river nearby, catching fish. Constantly did they toil, but some of them seemed happy with their work. They shared laughter and jokes together. Their language was definitely primitive and involved a lot of hand gestures.

"They make tiny ones..." she mused. "How do you think they do that?"

The Red Agate sighed through her nose. "I do not know, my Diamond." she told her, "But White Diamond has scheduled your training today. We should not delay."

Pink nodded her head and sat back in her palanquin's chair "Yeah, you're right. But don't worry. You can't ever make her mad."

"I do not intend to be the first."

Pink laughed at the thought before she looked down, peeking her head out of her palanquin when she noticed movement just outside of it. Her eyes widened and she looked literally star-struck. Reaching down, she scooped something up into her arms.

The Red Agate noticed what it was and she murmured with discontent.

"She may not approve." she reminded her.

"Oh, you don't know White."

O

The sound of heels echoed in the vast chamber of White's tower. She walked down the corridors, carrying several things in her arms. Pink was in the room, holding something in her hands. She kept her back to White and giggled.

"You're late." White said.

"I know, I'm sorry." Pink replied, without looking up. "But it was just ten minutes."

"Every minute is necessary if it serves a function for teaching," White explained, focusing on her task in front of her. "Remember as I told you."

The older Diamond glanced over and now took notice that Pink was busy occupying herself with something. Furrowing her brow, she leaned to one side.

"Pink Diamond." White said.

Pink didn't hear her. She tilted her head, licked her lips and wiped a smudge from the cheek of a lion that she held in her hands. The animal stretched, yawned and purred in her arms. Beaming happily, she giggled and held the animal close.

"Yellow's wrong about organics. You're cute." she mused. "I'll keep you and make sure you're safe! Don't worry."

White sighed. "Pink Diamond." she repeated, when the other didn't hear her.

White eventually stopped calling her name when the smaller Diamond didn't react to the call; she rose, setting down a small cup before approaching Pink, her grand robes trailing behind her. Pink paused and smiled up at her when she felt the shadow of the older Diamond loom over.

"We have lessons today," White reminded her. She flicked her head upward once. "What do you have there behind your back?"

"Nothing." Pink lied, smiling innocently.

White arched a thin eyebrow and tilted her head. Clearly, she suspected otherwise.

Pink sighed and hung her shoulders at the look. Then, she grinned, delighted. "Do you know that colony you said I could have eventually? I was just looking around and I found this little thing running around near my palanquin. Look!"

She seemed so star-struck by the sight of the animal and held it up to White, who hardly seemed as thrilled as she was. In fact, she looked downright bored.

"Yes, it's an organic species," White replied, "One of many that roam the surface of your soon-to-be colony. And you have yet to have a Pearl. I would prefer you not depart without one again. Did you read the files of each specimen like I asked?"

Pink looked bored and hung her shoulders again with a sigh. "Yes. I did."

White nodded her approval. She still seemed patient, in spite of everything. But Pink knew that it was practically impossible to anger or frustrate the oldest Diamond. She'd seen Yellow arguing with her many times, only to have White calmly rebuff every single argument.

"Pink, come here. Set that thing down."

"Why? It's cute. I want to hold him."

"Perhaps you may think so, but that creature does not serve a function and you should do away with it. We have lessons. Come. Take a seat."

Pink exhaled. "Come on White, look at him!" she insisted, holding the lion up to her. "He has a use! I promise he does!"

White stared at the lion and the animal gave a long, growling yawn. She arched a rather unimpressed eyebrow at her and straightened her robes with a grand sweep of her hand.

"This will not serve a function for a Diamond." she told her.

Pink's eyes began to fill and White stared at her with a long, blank frown. Then, she sighed, cast her gaze upwards before nodding.

"Very well. He can lay with you while you study," White replied.

A happy laugh from Pink Diamond. The sound made White smile. A rare, genuine smile. Pink started to follow her and they passed a fountain. Before she could continue, White stopped her and gestured to the fountain with one finger.

"No. Clean your hands before you sit," she chided gently.

Pink chuckled knowingly, set the lion down and ran her hands through the water for a few minutes. White watched her silently as she did. She preferred things clean, perfect and ordered, regardless of whatever it was.

"Let's see your hands," White eventually said, when she was finished, "You know I prefer things to be clean when you use -"

Pink grinned, playfully splashing White with the water on her fingertips. The older Diamond blinked once. Twice. She calmly wiped her lower lip with one pointed nail and shook her head. How utterly ridiculous at times. Still, it made White Diamond smile sometimes.

A giggle escaped Pink and White sighed.

"Honestly, Pink..." she murmured.

They spent that morning going over the history of Homeworld and learning of its growth in the form of colonies. White was speaking when she began to notice a change in Pink's demeanor. She furrowed her brow and shut off the tablet she'd been using to play back images of gem history.

"Does something trouble you?" White asked.

"Hm?" Pink looked taken by the question. "Oh, well...maybe."

"What is it? Speak."

Pink hesitated for a moment and seemed uncertain of the question she wanted to ask. She frowned up at her now. "Why did you break that gem?" When White didn't react, Pink stared at her insistently. "You know, the one from the Kindergarten."

"The Citrine? It came out the way it wasn't supposed to."

"But she seemed nice. She talked to me. None of the others do." She sighed and shrugged her shoulders. "They act like they're afraid of me."

White sighed patiently, shaking her head. "Pink, as a Diamond you may be called to make difficult choices. Such is part of our duty."

"But why?"

"Well...because we are the Authority. There must be examples made and a strive for perfection. It is the basis of our survival and the survival of all gem life."

"Well, why?"

A warm chuckle from White. "You ask many questions."

"True. But you said that's how I can learn."

"Ah yes, I suppose I did, didn't I?" White then looked at her. "That reminds me. Why were you on the colony alone again?"

"I wasn't. I was with Red."

"The Agate I assigned to you?"

"Yeah, she's nice. I like her."

White sighed through her nose. "You were watching the native life again, I assume?"

"Yeah. They're strange. But they're fun."

Pink's face suddenly lit up and her eyes became moony. "Oh! Oh, White, I just had the greatest idea!" she insisted, eager.

White had switched on the holographic file again. "Alright."

"Since the planet's going to be destroyed... What if I keep some of them?"

"Keep some of what?" White looked at her, read the grin on her face and sighed, features pinching with a mixture of disgust and disapproval. "Oh no. Honestly, Pink... Why would you want to keep them?"

"They're REALLY CUTE!" Pink insisted, grabbing White's arm and shaking her a little. "Please, I'll take good care of them! I promise!"

White allowed Pink to beg her and even shake her arm with enough force to move her back and forth where she sat. She looked nonplussed for the longest time.

"Please, White? PLEASE?" Pink begged. "I promise I'll get a place for them to live and everything! I'll do all the work!"

White sighed heavily. She pinched the bridge of her nose and looked down at her. "You can't possibly be with them all the time."

"I'll make gems who can!"

"This is...clearly important to you..."

Pink grinned, delighted. "It is!"

White stared at her with dismay for a few moments before she nodded. "Very well."

Pink squealed happily and threw her arms around her neck in a hug. "THANK YOU, WHITE! Thank you, thank you!"

"Yes..." White murmured, primly. She delicately removed the arms from around her neck. "Just...design the schematics of the gems and I will overlook them. There will be a facility they must remain. Will you be prepared to design that as well?"

Pink nodded eagerly. "I will! It'll be the best!"

"I do not doubt..."

The way White said it suggested some manner of sarcasm, but the warm smile on her face was there again.

"Yes! I can't wait to rub it in Yellow's face!" Pink started stand up to leave.

"Pink?" White's voice had her halting in the doorway. She raised an eyebrow. "You are a Diamond. Therefore we do not...rub anything in anyone's face. Understood?"

Pink slouched her shoulders. "Okay... Can I at least tell Blue?"

"...you may if it pleases you."

Pink grinned and hurried off to do just that. White smiled, shook her head and straightened in her place. She glanced down at the lion resting there where Pink once sat and sighed through her nose.

O

A single butterfly lingered on White's finger.

Pink couldn't take her eyes away from the glowing, bright blue thing. White watched her reactions with a thin smile on her face.

"How do you do that?" Pink asked, amazed.

White took a breath. "Every Diamond has abilities," she explained. "Blue can bend emotions, Yellow energy and me? I bend reality."

Pink's eyes widened, awestruck. "Can you teach me?" she asked.

White chuckled softly. "No. This is not a gift I can teach. However, you may have an ability that neither one of us can do."

"Really? When will I know?"

"You must find it within you, Pink. I will teach you that much. But it's up to you to know what you are capable of."

Pink seemed to think about that. She reached for White's illusion and the older Diamond watched her with a soft smile on her face. She allowed the butterfly to crawl on Pink's hands. Such silly things they were, but Pink seemed to have a fondness for them.

Every Diamond had their own idiosyncrasies; White sought perfection, but even she understood how uniqueness was suitable for their Authority.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sight of Pink climbing into her lap and smiling up at her. "Can you tell me a story?"

"A...story." White wasn't sure quite how to respond to that. She couldn't resist her smile now.

"Yeah. Like...how long have you been around?"

"Oh, it's been quite some time." White replied, waving her hand and producing many butterflies in the chamber. "I'm as old as this universe. Hm. Maybe older. I don't remember."

Pink thought about it. She remembered the stories the other two would share with her about White; the oldest and strongest of them, "One who had always been and always will be". She never quite understood what that meant, but none of them seemed to really know. White rarely left her chambers and most gems had never even seen her face-to-face.

She looked down at White's hands, furrowing her brow thoughtfully. The little gray lines on White's wrists were interesting, along with the long, spider-like fingers that ended in black nails - sort of like claws. She leveled up her smaller hand with White's and the older Diamond watched her.

"What is it?" she asked.

"What are these lines on your arms?" Pink murmured, curiously.

"Ah." White made a soft, amused sound as she studied her own hand. "I've had them since I had emerged. Just as all gems have unique details to them."

"You really don't remember?"

"Not quite," White replied, honestly, "I'm far too old to remember such things. I don't think on them as I used to."

Pink murmured again. She thought about something. "So, have you ever been to the end of the universe?"

"There is no edge, Pink," White reminded her, smiling thinly when Pink seemed interested in her hand again. "The universe is constant. It expands and we must explore its new horizons. That's the beauty of it. There's always something new."

"Hm..." Pink smiled, murmured thoughtfully. She looked down at the long, black-nailed hand in her two hands and her smile thinned a little. "So...is that what it's like for all of us? Do we get really old and forget?"

White didn't reply. Truthfully, she didn't really know how to answer. Instead, she waved her hand and a holoscreen drifted toward them. Scrolling through it, she sought to find a suitable story to keep Pink properly content until her Pearl was ready.

"How many stories do you have saved?" Pink asked, changing the subject as well.

White Diamond's stoic, serene features never changed. "One billion, seven million, three thousand and forteen hundred."

Pink looked impressed. "Wow."

"Wow, indeed." White murmured, primly.

Pink stared up at her, then giggled and sought to get comfortable as White found a story to share with her. One that involved her conquest of a planet known by the organic population that once roamed its surface as "Hyperion". The story entranced Pink and she continued to study the butterflies that fluttered about their heads as White read on.

O

"Focus, Pink."

The young Diamond held her hand out in front of her, lips pursed tightly. White was standing nearby, watching her. They had spent days in her tower practicing and with no results to show for.

After a few moments of trying to focus, Pink seemed to be getting frustated and she huffed loudly, dropping her arm at her side. She looked at White with disappointment.

"It's not working," she said. "We've been trying for days."

"Breathe," White instructed, "Control your emotions."

Pink nodded her head. "Okay. Okay, I think I got it now."

She held up her hand and closed her eyes, focusing as White had instructed. She pursed her lips, murmuring with frustration. She didn't notice the palm of her hand started to flicker with pink light. White reacted somewhat with a small gasp.

"Pink," she said, "Look."

Pink's eyes opened and widened when she noticed the glow. She gave a shocked cry and looked at White now.

"It's... It's working!" she cried.

"Hold it, Pink," White told her, raising two hands, "Don't let it go. Keep that feeling."

Pink nodded her head anxiously. She closed her eyes and focused with every bit of strength she had. A sliver of light formed brighter from her fingertips. White looked toward her left at an organic specimen housed in a glass case; it had begun to shudder in its housing and blossoms slowly formed.

White blinked once. Twice as she watched the event unfold. She approached the case, removed the glass from it and touched one of the blossoms in amazement. Turning to Pink, she found the younger Diamond still struggling to focus.

"Pink!" she said.

Pink's eyes opened and she looked over at White. "It's not working..." she said, dejectedly.

"Oh, but it is," White assured her, gesturing to the specimen.

Pink frowned curiously, wandering over to it. She pointed at the blossoms and looked up at White again. "Wait... I did that?"

"Yes," White said, fascinated with the results. "It would seem that you can do something entirely new; you can manipulate nature itself. It explains how the lion was so taken to you."

Pink stared at the plant and touched the blossoms before her eyes widened. Mystified, she looked down at her hands now, stunned by her newfound abilities. White chuckled softly at the sight and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Perhaps with greater practice, you will be able to do things that even I cannot do." she told her.

Pink gasped softly, amazed by the idea. "Things YOU can't do?"

"Yes, that's right." White replied, smiling warmly.

Just then, one of her pearls approached the two, holding a holographic screen in hand. This pearl had her gemstone replacing her right eye and she had no hair.

"My Diamond, the new pearl has been processed successfully," she reported, in a soft, monotone voice, "Pink Diamond will receive her in five minutes. Do you wish for me to confirm?"

"Yes." White said. She looked down at a now excited Pink. She smiled again. "Well then? Shall we meet her?"

"Yes!" Pink cried, running out of the chamber before White could follow.

O

The Pink Pearl stood there while Pink observed her curiously.

She was wearing fluffy pink chiffon, a thin bodysuit and had flowing pink locks of hair. Her eyes were large, brightly colored and she had her hands crossed in front of her. Blue, Yellow and White stood in silence, watching as Pink studied her.

"She'll do whatever I tell her?" Pink asked, looking up at them.

"Yes. As is her duty," White replied.

Pink tilted her head at the pearl, smiling happily.

"Is she suitable for you, my Diamond?" a peridot eventually asked, standing nearby.

Pink brightened and nodded her head. "Yes, she looks pretty!" she said, studying her new pearl, "She's suitable, I like her!"

Pink Pearl smiled timidly, lowering her eyes for a moment. "Thank you, my Diamond. I am here to serve you and you alone."

"Great!" Pink gestured for her to follow. "Come on!"

Pink Pearl smiled and followed her. White looked pleased with the results and turned her attention to the peridot. The gem immediately bowed under the sharp scrutiny of her stare.

"Excellent work." White told her. "She is happy."

"Thank you, my Diamond!"

Blue seemed quite pleased with how it had gone as well. "Perhaps now that she has her own pearl, she can feel a little more like she belongs with us."

Yellow made a face. "A pearl does not make the Diamond."

"True." Blue said, her smile thinning somewhat. "Though perhaps more than you've made her feel these days."

Yellow sensed the accusation. "What are you talking about?"

"Pink told me what you said at the Moon Base," Blue snapped, her ocean eyes darkening, "Yellow, how can you think to say such things?"

White's diamond irises narrowed and she turned to Yellow. "What? What did you say to her, Yellow?"

Yellow scowled at both Diamonds. "I said nothing to her! She must have overheard me speaking to one of you."

"You think so little of her. All she desires is to be like us."

"That's far from the truth!"

"Then what is the truth, Yellow? Explain it to us!"

White stared at her, gaze hardening only somewhat.

"Honestly, am I the only one here who is the slightest concerned for her?" Yellow said, her voice taking on an edge.

"What are you talking about, Yellow?" Blue asked, concerned now.

Yellow gestured in the direction that Pink had departed. "We three know entirely too well why she looks that way," she told them, "And you two pretend as if it's not staring us in the face. If Pink were to realize the truth, what do you think that will do to her?"

The two Diamonds were silent now. They seemed to think about Yellow's words.

Meanwhile, Pink was guiding her new pearl around her chamber, indicating everything that had been kept and maintained. Pink Pearl's eyes wandered around the great room and she paused by the door, watching as Pink took a spot on her cushion.

"Hey! Come here and sit beside me!" Pink said, patting a spot on the cushion.

Pink Pearl looked stunned by the offer. She didn't move.

"Come on!" Pink insisted, "It's okay!"

Pink Pearl hesitated for a moment more before she started forward. Carefully and slowly, she sunk down onto the cushion and gave a soft, nervous laugh.

She couldn't wait to tell the other pearls what her Diamond let her do.

O

White stared at the blueprints in silence. She occasionally glanced up at Pink, who eagerly awaited her opinion on them. Raising her eyebrows, she glanced down at the holoscreen once.

"You...wish to have these Quartz's possess abilities as you do?" she asked.

"Yes!" Pink said, with a happy smile.

"Hm..." White studied the design of the Quartz; volumptuous, built strong with flowing hair and soft eyes. "And healing? That will require great effort and resources."

"Well, the humans need help in case they hurt themselves," Pink pointed out.

She wandered to White's side, leaning over her to point at the screen. White made a face, but attempted not to smile at the younger Diamond's excitement. Pink gestured to the curly locks of the Quartz's design and grinned.

"She should have big hair," she said, "Like mine!"

"And...if I'm reading this correctly..." White attempted to understand, "You want them to...control plants? What purpose would that serve?"

"Humans like plants."

"I...see."

White began to etch the design a little differently, but Pink shook her head and looked at her. "No, I want them to look just like I have it." she insisted.

White sighed through her nose, but smiled. "Alright."

Beneath the design, she noticed the name that Pink had given the new Quartz.

Rose Quartz.

"Thank you, White!" Pink cried, happily. She wrapped her arms around the oldest Diamond's neck. "Thank you so much!"

"You may thank me when you exercise proper responsibility." White told her, plucking her arms from around her neck and setting her to the floor. "If these native specimens are that important to you, I will expect you to prove you can manage them."

Pink nodded her head. "I will. I promise!"

White smiled thinly. "Good. Well? You should rest, Pink. I will have the Peridot's begin construction of the Kindergarten on Earth."

"When will they be ready?"

"Soon."

"How soon is soon?"

"Soon."

White was ever so patient with Pink and her antics. Her pearls watched the scene with a few carefully veiled smiles. It was amazing how their Diamond was so very calm and collected with her.

Such was how White was.