Note: I considered posting this separately since it can stand alone, but it *is* Beta AU related in that it involves a very minor character from the first part. So, it's here instead.
Pearl didn't fully remember the time before she was given to Morganite. There are flashes: the smell of brine, a moonstone clicking her tongue in disapproval just before dissipating her form, a desire to get out and being unable to form. Later came the bright, glittering illusion of purpose and a desire to please and the hollow delights of fulfilling her mistress' orders to her satisfaction.
In her defense, that was how all pearls were made.
Pearl couldn't pinpoint the exact moment when it all started feeling sour and empty and disgusting and, and, and…
"For your first task, you will brush my hair one thousand times before I retire for the day," Morganite had said when she was still new and learning to be a good pearl. Pearl, being only properly formed a few hours before, consulted the elder of the two other pearls. Elder demonstrated with the brush and a hologram of Morganite, showing her how to detangle the long pink hair before settling down to brush it all out a thousand times. It was dull, boring work, but Morganite found it calming. For the first few years, she was very conscientious about mentally counting out each stroke. As time went on and she grew dissatisfied with her position, she started skipping numbers the moment Morganite nodded off. At first she skipped every number ending in zero. Then she started skipping by fives. Then she stopped counting entirely by two hundred. Her mistress never noticed the difference.
"You will ensure that my cosmetics are fully stocked. Today I am meeting with Pollucite and her retinue in court, so I will need the white nail polish with the iridescent sheen. Do not leave visible brush strokes." Pearl settled down obediently to brush on the nail polish while Morganite chatted with some other dignitary in White Diamond's court. Over time, as she got used to the task, she brushed in minute insults while Morganite was distracted with chatting and covered over the brush strokes with gloss. Pearl didn't think anyone noticed the difference, but it was satisfying just knowing the words were there.
"My friend and I have an agreement. You will please her like you please me. If I hear any complaints about your performance, you will be punished." That was the worst part. Pearl didn't like the way Morganite's touch lingered sometimes, but Morganite owned her and had the right to do what she wanted to her. Worse was when Morganite decided to loan her out to another gem. At least by then she mastered the art of keeping her face pleasantly blank. No one ever saw the growing hatred in her thoughts, and they could hardly complain about what they couldn't see.
"You will join me in court today. You will be properly behaved. You will not talk to another gem or acknowledge their existence unless I require it." Pearl didn't technically have to show acknowledgement of anyone, so she pretended not to notice when a heliodor leered at her during Morganite's talk with her. She followed along when Morganite drifted into a circle to join the discussion, and didn't technically acknowledge another gem when a cream-colored pearl glided to her side and whispered about having forbidden footage she needed to see. The cream pearl then slipped a data crystal into her hands and drifted away so smoothly that no one noticed her leaving.
"You will not watch entertainment while I am gone. You pearls have plenty of work without needing the distraction." What was on the data crystal was not entertainment. Not really. While Morganite was away in some secret meeting, Pearl gathered the other two pearls and they watched together as a pearl with two swords took down rubies and quartz guards. They watched it again and again, until Pearl could replay a hologram reproduction without even thinking about it.
"You will join me when I meet with that pathetic peridot. You will not speak with her or her pearl." Technically they did not speak when Pearl passed on the data crystal to the green pearl the moment Morganite looked away. The second time they met, the green pearl passed her her mistress' contact information and whispered that it was safe, that her mistress disregarded her transgressions. Technically Morganite said nothing about sending messages through the information network. Text messages didn't count as speaking.
"You will not harm me, or through inaction allow me to come to harm." Towards the end of her six thousand years with Morganite, she had fantasies aplenty of Morganite getting herself shattered somehow or another. Or, at least, abstractions of fantasies. Her mind always blocked just before she could properly envision those thoughts. But the green pearl had friends in the rebellion, and Pearl was already sending her Morganite's entire social calendar and lists of appointments. As long as Pearl didn't know the details, she was safe from being forced to come to Morganite's aid. She was off on an errand at the green pearl's behest when the ship was rigged, and she took the younger of the two other pearls with her. Elder insisted on staying to maintain the illusion that nothing was wrong with Morganite's ship.
Really, what could she do when Morganite's ship exploded in the atmosphere? Pearl was just so far away at that point, and honestly she didn't know there was any danger. And there was a battle being waged in the nearby Prime Kindergarten. What could a poor, simple little pearl like her do about any of it?
Still, it was just so satisfying to see the ship explode that she could hardly stop herself from grinning. When she finally collected herself and disappeared into the trees with the other pearl, she felt lighter than ever.