(AN: quick note. I describe Garnet as having one gem later on in the chapter. Don't worry, this is intentional. She is hiding the other one under her glove. This will become relevant later on in the story.)
Chapter Two
Entry 2
Date: November 2nd, 5000 BC
Unit 612
I can hardly believe that I have been living with Rose Quartz for a little over a month now! Living with her has been such a joy, I feel like as if days have just flown by!
Rose kept her very generous promise to me. The very next day, she had the factory shut down just like she said she would. And after a little over the week, the it was just an empty building with no future. Even now, I still find myself smiling at the thought that no other Pearls will be treated the way I was (or at least not in the Quartz district).
I feel like she absolutely spoils me. For instance, last week she called in to some of her leaders and asked for a day off of work. They agreed reluctantly, and then soon after Rose came running to me. I was in my room reading some classic Homeworld literature when suddenly Rose Quartz burst through the door.
"Pearl!" she exclaimed, grinning excitedly.
"Yes?" I asked; a bit startled. I put the book down.
"Do you remember that friend I was telling you about?" Rose asked me.
I poked through my memories a bit and was unable to place this Gem. "…No?" I replied, shrugging my shoulders lightly.
"The one I was telling you about last week… Y'know, the one that I said was very good at summoning her weapons?" she explained, attempting to jog my memory.
"Oh! I remember her now… The gem with the big gauntlets, right?" I said.
"Yes! Do you want to go meet her today? She said she isn't busy and that she would be very pleased to help you summon your weapon," Rose informed me.
"I don't mean to be rude, but why don't you just teach me?" I asked her curiously. "No, it's fine. I have just never been good at explaining these kinds of things, sorry. Plus, I just haven't seen her in so long! I have been meaning to pay her a visit now that she has been stationed on Earth, but I just never really got the chance to... But now that I have you, I thought, 'what a perfect opportunity to go see her!'" Rose explained, excitement seeping out of her every word.
"…Earth?" I was puzzled, "Where is that?"
"Oh Pearl! It is the cutest little planet and it's only a few light years away from Homeworld!" Rose exclaimed, her brown eyes twinkling like bright little stars. "Last time I visited, it was so undeniably beautiful," she reminisced. "So wild and free; so untainted by Gemkind. I want to share that beauty with you before the Diamonds gain full control of it and ultimately turn it into another kindergarten."
"That does sound like a lot of fun," I agreed.
"Trust me," Rose flashed me a stellar grin, "It is. Would you like to go right now?"
"Sure!" I jumped up and dashed over to her, "Let's go!"
And soon after that we were off to Earth! I remember feeling so eager as we warped there, but also incredibly anxious. I latched onto Rose's arm as we warped away from Homeworld and held onto it tightly as if it were the only thing keeping me from harm.
Rose giggled and looked at me. "Oh Pearl," she said, "Are you scared?"
"Yeah," I told her as I looked away from her gaze, "…Just a little."
"Aw," she gently grabbed my other arm. "Don't be scared! I got you. Trust me when I say that you're safe."
"I guess so," I replied, "I'm sorry I'm so nervous… I have never traveled off planet before and it scares me a lot."
"Oh it's fine!" she flashed me her signature kind smile, "There is nothing wrong with that. I was scared too the first time I left Homeworld! It's something you may get over with lots of traveling, which I can promise you that we will do!"
I grinned at her. "Thanks for the reassurance… You really don't have to but the fact that you do… it means a lot to me," I said, locking eyes with her.
"Making sure you are comfortable is never an issue," Rose assured me, "I don't like to put my friends out of their comfort zone when I can."
Friend, I blinked as I recognized the word. Rose Quartz considers me one of her friends! I realized And by default, I reasoned with myself mentally, doesn't that make Rose my friend too? I smiled softly and clasped my hands close to my chest as I realized the answer: yes. I could feel my cheeks heat up ever so slightly as they blushed light blue.
Moments after my quiet revelation, I felt my orange boots land on the smooth white marble of the Earth warp pad. I let go of Rose's arm as soon as I saw the vibrant blue light of the warp pad dissipate and I took a good look at my surroundings.
The galaxy warp center we landed at was completely encompassed by briny seawater. Small waves crashed up against the glossy marble of the structure, and I felt a slight breeze fly through my hair. A singular white sun shone harshly down on us, and I squinted my sensitive eyes. Everything from the water to the very marble we stood on seemed to reflect that brutal light of the distant sun.
A lone gem stood in front of us, waiting and watching silently. I could tell that she had been here before; thick sunglasses completely obscured her eyes. Smart thinking on her part, I remarked. Her ultra-curly black hair flowed elegantly in the wind as her full lips curled into the subtlest smile.
"Rose Quartz," she breathed softly in recognition, "Long time, no see." I noticed that she had an accent I had never heard before.
"Oh Garnet! You know you couldn't keep me away for too long," Rose teased as she dashed over to her and gave her a big, tight hug. Rose pulled away from the hug and held lightly onto Garnet's muscular arms. "How has living on Earth been going for you?" she asked her, smiling brightly.
"Well," she replied shortly, "Better than Homeworld."
Rose clasped her pale hands together eagerly. "Oh, I'm so excited for you!" Rose told her, her voice like chiming bells. "If it were my choice, I would be moved to Earth too. Unfortunately, I have a very special duty to the Quartz district on Homeworld which prevents me from coming here," Rose explained, sounding almost disappointed. "You are so lucky!"
Garnet didn't reply. I got the feeling that she is a bit of a quiet one.
"Oh!" Rose said to Garnet, "You got to meet my friend! I think you and her will get along very well." Rose looked at me and waved me over. I blinked, and walked over to them.
Rose grabbed me gently by the shoulders and looked at Garnet. "This is my friend, Pearl," she introduced. I couldn't help but smile a little when she identified me as her friend.
"Hello," Garnet said softly to me, and extended a hand. I noticed that she had a tiny red gem in the center of her gloved palm. I gripped her hand firmly, and felt the little gem press lightly against my pearlescent white skin.
"I'm Garnet," she said, her low voice soft and kind.
"Um, Pearl," I replied nervously as I shook her hand. I laughed awkwardly and let go of her hand. "You already knew that though," I told her as I felt the blue blush rise in my cheeks.
Rose giggled at me as I mentally berated myself for being so awkward. "I brought her here today because I know you have almost twice the experience of anyone else at summoning weapons, and she still has a bit of trouble with it. Would you be willing to teach her? I would myself but I have always struggled with explaining it to others," Rose explained.
"Hmm," Garnet replied, her hand on her chin. "I guess so," she stated.
"Really?" I asked her eagerly, hardly believing that she was willing to help me. Rose grinned excitedly and looked at me.
Garnet nodded at us. "Shouldn't be too hard for me to do," she said, "And I'm glad to help you out two out whenever you need it."
"Oh thank you so much, Garnet!" Rose burst, her eyes twinkling gleefully, "I really appreciate that."
"Eh, it's no problem, really," Garnet replied nonchalantly, "You have helped me in more ways than I can imagine. I'm just returning the favor." She gave Rose a subtle smile.
"Well then, how about we head back to Gem territory? Although the Galaxy warp is such a pretty place, it really isn't the best environment for learning how to battle!" Rose suggested.
"Yeah, good idea," Garnet agreed. She turned towards one of the smaller warp pads, her tight black curls flowing gracefully in the sea breeze as she moved towards it. Rose and I followed her closely onto the little marble warp pad. I heard it spark to life, and soon we were engulfed in vibrant blue light as we teleported away.
We landed in the center of a small base hidden in a secret valley between tall misty mountains. The place was like nothing I had ever seen before. Unlike Homeworld's barren artificial cities, this tiny town was teeming with organic life. Plants grew haphazardly everywhere; on the ground, up the little buildings, even in the clear blue river flowing through the outskirts of the base. The tiniest white flowers grew neatly around the base of the warp pad, (maybe they were planted there intentionally?) I bent down and reached for those little white petals. I felt them and was surprised by how smooth they were. So soft; so nonthreatening. I picked one of them and held it gently in my hand.
Rose grabbed the little flower out of my hand and smiled at it. "Isn't it beautiful?" she admired.
"Yes," I agreed, looking up at her. She gently rubbed my hair with her hand, and tucked the flower into my ponytail. I blinked in surprise.
Garnet and Rose giggled softly. I turned around to face Garnet, and noticed my reflection in her glasses. I turned my head slightly to the side and saw the little white flower poking out.
"That's a nice look on you, Pearl," Garnet told me kindly as Rose walked off of the warp pad.
I giggled shyly, and felt my lips curl up into a smile. "Thanks," I replied, clasping my hands together behind my back. I could feel my cheeks turning blue as I turned away from her and followed Rose into the town.
"So this is the Gem base," Rose told me, "It's changed so much since I was last here."
Garnet nodded her head. "Since the Diamonds declared Earth as a planet they would like to gain control of, gems have been moving here left and right. This gem territory is no longer a tiny little camp like it used to be," she explained.
I saw Rose clench her fists as Garnet mentioned the Diamonds. How strange, I thought.
"I just hope they don't do anything cruel to this planet," Rose commented, her tone darker than before.
I was about to ask what she meant, but then Garnet quickly changed the subject. "So, uh, Pearl" she began awkwardly, dragging out the 'o'. "Are you ready for me to teach you?"
"Yes," I replied, forgetting about the conversation before. "Are we going to practice right here?" I asked.
"No," Garnet answered, "It's too crowded here in base center. Let's go somewhere where we can go all out and not break anything."
"Sounds like a plan," I said with a grin.
Rose clapped her hands together and smiled at us. "Oh I'm so glad you two are getting along well," she said, "I have some important business to attend to here in base center so unfortunately I won't be able to come along with you two… I'll see you both soon! Good luck, Pearl!" Rose waved goodbye pleasantly and then was off.
Garnet turned towards me. "Well then," she started, " –Shall we go?"
"Sure!" I replied.
Garnet lead me up the tallest mountain by the base. We traveled by foot because according to Garnet, a warp pad "couldn't take us where she wanted to go." I thought that was strange considering the fact that on Homeworld you could go almost anywhere via warp pad. I guess Earth must not be as technologically advanced as Homeworld.
We trekked up the mountain in near silence. I remember watching the sky turn orange, then red, and then finally purple as the sun began to set. The beauty of it all left me breathless.
"Wow," I gasped.
I heard Garnet giggle softly in front of me. "First Earth sunset, huh?" She inquired, her tone curious.
"Yeah," I replied. "It's so pretty. It's like nothing I have ever seen before."
"That's Earth for you."
We fell into silence once again. I looked around, trying to think of something to say to break it.
"So," I began cautiously. "Uh, how do you know Rose Quartz?"
It took her a few seconds to reply. "I was not very well liked on Homeworld. Rose did me a favor, and now I am stationed here on Earth." I saw Garnet clench her fists tightly. "She gave me something I couldn't get on Homeworld: a fresh start," Garnet explained, her voice lower than before.
"They didn't like you?" I asked, a little shocked by her statement. "Why? You seem very pleasant… I don't know why the Homeworld gems would disapprove."
She turned around and looked at me. "Thanks, but they don't care about who I am or what I am like," she explained, sounding frustrated. " –Just what I am," she spat, her voice barely above a whisper.
I blinked and then looked down at my feet, feeling perplexed by her response. I had a feeling that she didn't want me to ask her anymore about the matter.
Garnet turned back around and began to walk again. "How about you?" she asked, her tone neutral.
"Huh?"
"How did you meet Rose?" Garnet rephrased. "She has never had any Pearls before you… I thought it was strange when she brought you along. No offense."
"None taken," I said as I began to twiddle my thumbs anxiously. "The truth is, I am a defective Pearl. I did not have the strength and knowledge that other Pearls were born with, and I was supposed to be…" I paused. "—Put out of service as a result. Rose was inspecting the factory I was manufactured in that day, and she stopped my caretakers from cutting my ponytail and smashing my gem. She let me come live with her… and she shut down the factory in the Quartz district as a result of what happened that day."
"That's rough," Garnet responded. "I have always seen Homeworld's treatment of the Pearls as cruel… I'm glad someone is doing something about it now."
"Yeah," I said as I grabbed my left arm and held onto it.
Silence fell among us again, but this time I didn't do anything about it. I watched as the sun finally set behind the far horizon, and stars began to creep out into the darkening sky. Little animals chirped and hummed mysteriously in the background. I could hear the soft rushing of water near by. I saw a singular grey moon make its first appearance of the night, a little glowing crescent floating aimlessly in the sky.
We finally came across a little clearing in the thick mountain forest. Near the edge was a small waterfall, roughly twelve feet tall in height. Behind the water was a rocky cavern, only big enough for a few gems in total. At the base of the falls was a shallow pond that slowly transformed into a creek as you followed it downward. A variety of colorful flowers grew in the little meadow next to the water. I noticed that the whole place had the pleasant scent of fresh flowers and rainwater.
Garnet looked at me. "Here we are," she said proudly, " –The best place in this entire territory."
"Wow, it's so lovely," I gushed. "How did you find this place?"
"I was looking for a place far away from base center to meditate… and I stumbled upon this in the process," she said, the moonlight reflecting off of her glasses. I wondered why she didn't take them off. Maybe she can't see very well without them, I assumed. It was the only answer I could possibly think of.
"Now, are you ready to begin?" she asked, a hand on her hip.
"Yes! I'll try my best," I replied, a smile growing across my face.
"Good," Garnet said, nodding her head. "Now I want to see you try to summon your weapon. Try it, and I will see what advice I can give you."
I nodded, feeling determined to succeed. I inhaled deeply, and shut my eyes tightly. I imagined the elegant white spear materializing, and tried to translate the thought into action. I felt my gem heat up as it began to glow. Come on, I thought. I need to do this!
Somewhere in the back of my mind I heard a faint response: You can't. If you couldn't do it in the factory when your life depended on it, you most certainly can't do it now. My eyes flung open as I felt the glow of my gem flicker out in response to my uncertainty.
"No!" I groaned, putting my head in my hands. I looked up at Garnet. "Why can't I do it?" I asked.
"I'm not quite certain yet," she answered me neutrally. "Try describing exactly what you did to me, and then maybe I can come up with an answer for you?"
"Well," I began. "First, I took a deep breath. Then I closed my eyes. I imagined my spear appearing out of my gem, and I think I felt my gem glow…" I trailed off at the end, leaving out my self-doubt.
"Hmm," Garnet pondered, her dark hand on her chin. "You sure that's all? Everything you did up to that point seems correct. Or at least, that's what I do," she explained.
"I, um," I looked down at my hands and began to twiddle my thumbs nervously. "I actually… may have left out a detail," I confessed, feeling embarrassed. "I told myself that I wouldn't be able to do it since I couldn't do it when I was at the factory and my caretakers were threatening my life. I'm sorry I lied. I'm just—"
"It's fine, Pearl," Garnet interrupted gently. "Don't beat yourself up over it. We all have our doubts. Sharing them with others is tough and I understand."
"But how can I not beat myself up over it?" I burst in frustration, sitting down in the flowers. "I'm the only Pearl that can't summon her damn spear!" I spat, putting my head in my hands. "What good am I if I can't even do that…" I mumbled as I bit back my oncoming tears.
"Pearl," Garnet called softly. "You are good to me," she said, her tone low yet compassionate. "—And Rose. Even if you can't summon your spear, which I know you can." I looked up, and saw her extend her gloved hand to me. I reached out, and grabbed it tightly. Her lips pulled into a smile. She pulled lightly on my hand, and helped me up.
"I think I know what your issue is," Garnet said. I felt a fresh breeze move through my hair, and my eyes widened ever so slightly. "Your incident with the caretakers hurt your confidence, and now you think that you may never be able to summon your weapon. When you doubt yourself like that, you get distracted from the task at hand."
I nodded my head in response. She put a hand softly on my shoulder. I didn't need to see her eyes to know she was looking directly at me.
"I know you can do this," Garnet encouraged. "—And so does Rose. Right now, you are the only one who thinks you can't do it. You have the power to do so, just believe in yourself and ignore that voice in the back of your head trying to stop you. I think that might help you a lot."
I wiped my tears from my eyes, and nodded slowly. I slowly backed away from her, and took a deep breath before I closed my eyes. I exhaled calmly as I imaged my pearly white spear bursting from my gem. I felt my forehead get heat up as my gem began to glow.
"You got it, Pearl," I heard Garnet call to me. "I know you can do this!"
I felt myself smile softly. For the first time, I felt the spear begin to form above my gem. Keep focusing, I ordered myself.
"You're so close," Garnet informed me.
I can do this, I thought, truly believing in my inner abilities for the first time. I felt the spear complete itself, and I firmly grabbed it with my hands. I could hardly believe what I just did. My eyes flew open, and I stared at the weapon in my hand just to make sure that I actually did it.
I laughed in disbelief, and grinned wildly. "I did it," I stated with an ecstatic giggle. "I really, actually did it!" I looked up at Garnet and blinked. "I guess I owe you thanks," I told her. "—And probably an apology too. I overreacted… and I really hope I didn't make you uncomfortable… Sorry."
"Psh, it's no problem," Garnet told me, flicking her hand down. "I'm just glad you found the strength within yourself to do it. Good job… I'm proud of you." She put her hand on her hip. "Also, I think you apologize too much."
I laughed; it was true. "You're right. I'm sorry – oops!" I slapped my hands over my mouth and felt myself blush.
Garnet giggled. There was something I really liked about her laugh, it was so soft and pleasant. It made me want to laugh along with her. "You're funny," she commented, her head tilted slightly to the side. I suddenly felt a little better about my previous bout of awkwardness.
"So," I started. " - I have never really fought any one or anything before. Now that I am able to summon my spear, I really should get some fighting experience…"
"If you are suggesting that I spar with you, the answer is yes," Garnet stated, seeming to have read my mind.
I gasped. "Wait, really?"
"Of course. I wasn't just going to show you how to summon your weapon and then leave you to your own devices," she said, her accent becoming more apparent. Garnet took a deep breath and raised her strong arms above her head. Her gem began to glow bright red, and then very suddenly her fists were surrounded by sparkling light. She yanked her arms down as she exhaled, and suddenly the red light transformed into solid metal gauntlets. She rested her hands on her wide hips.
"You ready?" Garnet asked, a slight smirk on her face. She cracked her neck.
"I always am." I said, a determined grin beginning forming across my face. "Don't hold back!" I ran towards her, spear pointed straight for her gauntlets.
"I promise you I won't," Garnet dashed towards me, her feet faster than lightning. Clank! I saw flower petals fly away in the wind as my spear collided with her red gauntlets. I jerked my spear back, and squeezed it before whipping it back her way. Garnet must have known I was aiming to hit her; she leaned all the way back. My spear just barely missed her; another inch downward and I would have made contact with her gloves. She pushed herself back upright and reached her right hand out for my spear. I pulled my spear low behind my back, and then attempted to move it to the other side of my body. But it was no use; while I was distracted by my spear shenanigans, Garnet slid her feet forcefully across mine and tripped me.
"Oof!" I groaned as I smacked the ground forcefully. I let go of my spear, and it rolled away from me. Garnet picked it up, spun it around and then pointed it directly in my face.
"Good try," she told me. She stabbed the pointy tip of my spear into the ground and leaned an elbow on it. "But always keep an eye an your partner… You never know what tricks they may have up their sleeve." I saw the moonlight reflect off of her glasses.
I got up, and dusted all the plants and dirt off of me. "Good advice," I said, nodding my head. "What did I do well though?"
"You really gave it your all, which I appreciate. It's hard to determine how you will act in a battle if you don't do this while sparring. Also, the spear-behind-the-back trick was really clever, just practice it more and you will –"
She paused, and adjusted her glasses. Her mouth fell into a little 'o'.
"Will… what?" I asked, perplexed.
Garnet closed her mouth, and a much more serious expression replaced the one previous. "Never mind that! Right now, we have much more important matters at hand."
"Huh?"
"Base center is in danger. I need to go, uh, sorry!" Garnet dashed away from me, a concerned look on her face. I saw her head through the forest and down in the general direction of base center.
I decided it would be best to follow her. I threw down my spear and chased after her. I weaved quickly through bushes and trees, keeping her in sight.
"Garnet! Wait!" I called, waving my hands in the air. "What's going on? What are you even talking about?" I jumped over a large boulder, my feet barely missing it. "Garnettttt!" I yelled after her, my shrill voice ripping through the misty mountain forest.
She didn't even flinch at my call. She had much bigger concerns. I guess I would just have to find out what was happening to base center for myself. I ran even faster after Garnet, trying to get back to the base as quick as my legs could carry me. I felt little beads of sweat begin to form on my forehead. I panted heavily as I wiped it away.
After what felt like forever, I watched Garnet shoot through the last bit of forest and into the base, slowing down her speed slightly as she went. I saw her finally come to a stop, and take a good look at her surroundings; only then I was able to catch up with her.
"Garnet! Garnet!" I yelled after her, almost out of breath. "What the hell is going on here –" I clapped my hand over my open mouth when I saw the thirty-foot tall celestial beast tear through the little base. Its big eyes glowed like bright yellow orbs in the dark. Its long, sleek pelt glimmered with stars and galaxies; looking like a portal into the cosmos itself. I saw its dark paws leave shimmering golden paw prints on the ground as it came bounding towards one gem in particular: Rose Quartz.
She stood beneath the canine monster, her pink sword extended to its hairy muzzle. She narrowed her eyes at the beast as if to say 'try me.'
Garnet and I went dashing after the creature. As I attempted to summon my spear quickly (and failed), Garnet leaped into the air and went for the creature's back. As Garnet landed on its back, the beast turned around and snapped at her with its big white teeth. Garnet shot back from its mouth, and lost her balance on the landing. She fell off of the creature, and landed on the ground with a harsh thud.
Oh no! It's going to get her and break her gem, I felt myself scream mentally. I remembered the advice she gave me earlier, and I made sure I only thought positively before summoning my spear. I felt the spear appear from my gem, and I grabbed it as fast as I possible could. I pulled the weapon back, and launched it towards the beast as it turned towards Garnet. The spear lodged itself in the beast's flank, and it shrieked in agony.
Those ominous yellow orbs locked onto me, and I saw the monster turn towards me before it began to run at full speed. My eyes widened, and I ran away as fast as I could from the agitated beast.
"Don't you dare touch her!" Rose cried as she slammed her sword into its side, throwing the monster off balance. Rose jumped away from the beast as it collapsed to the ground. I saw Garnet leap onto it, a determined look on her face. She lifted her armored fists high above her head, and slammed them onto the top of Rose's sword with more force than anything I had ever seen before. I winced as I saw the sword go even further into its belly. The beast let out its last cry before its physical form dissolved into glittery clouds of smoke. All that remained of the beast was a dull blue gem that fell pathetically into the grass.
Garnet picked up the gem with her big gauntlets and frowned at it. She tightened her grip around the gem, and began to crush it. I saw a little crack form in its side.
"Garnet!" Rose shrieked desperately, running towards her. "Don't!"
Garnet released her grip on the gem. She looked utterly confused. "…Why? It's just a monster," she wondered. "It's just going to regenerate if I don't do something about it."
"Don't kill it. I can bubble it," Rose reasoned, reaching her hands out for the little blue gem.
Garnet looked like she was going to question her further for a second, but then she must have changed her mind. She gently handed the gem over to Rose.
Rose smiled. "Thank you. I know it's different than what you do around here, but this is just what I like to do with monsters when I'm done with them," Rose explained. The gem levitated above her hands, and suddenly a bright magenta bubble formed around it. She gently tapped the bubble, and it dissipated into the misty air around it. "Off you go," Rose smiled pleasantly.
Garnet looked at me. I shrugged. I had never seen her do this before, and therefore had no explanation to offer.
"Well," Rose looked at us proudly and grabbed us by the shoulders. "I think that we make a great team! I have never taken care of a monster that quickly with anyone else… We should do this again sometime soon!"
I nodded and I saw a smile light up Garnet's face. Rose looked at me, her eyes twinkling bright. "And I see that you learned something new today," she said, her tone sweet like sugar. She patted me on the head. "Good job!"
"Thanks," I said, grinning confidently as I put my hands on my hips. "—But," I continued. "I wouldn't have been able to do it without Garnet's help," I said, flashing Garnet a smile. She gave me an appreciative thumbs up.
"Oh, I'm so glad you two get along! I was really hoping you would," Rose burst, clasping her hands together excitedly. "And Garnet, we will definitely come visit you again soon… I just can't keep away from Earth for too long! I just love it here too much."
Light reflected off of Garnet's sunglasses. "Sounds like a plan," she said.
Rose looked around. "I should really get going now..." She gently grabbed Garnet's hands. "Thank you so much for having us today. It was lovely."
"It's not a problem," she replied. She looked over at me. "And good job today, Pearl. It was nice to work with you."
"You too. See you later! I'll visit you again here soon," I told her.
"Oh," she giggled very softly and adjusted her glasses. "I know you will."
What is that supposed to mean, I thought. I like this gem a lot, but boy she is always saying the most mysterious things!
Rose waved to Garnet, and she waved back. "Well, bye then!"
Soon after, we walked on onto the Homeworld warp pad, and I hesitated before grabbing Rose's arm. I was no longer scared of warping off planet, and I felt a little more confident in myself. I knew I could defend myself now if something were to go awry. But then I remembered how nice it felt to hold onto Rose's soft arms, and I grabbed it anyway. This time though, it was out of genuine want and not necessity.
She looked at me and giggled. "Still scared, huh?"
I looked away from her and hesitated before I lied. "…Yeah."
