A/N: How Rose began training Pearl to be the sword-wielding, spear-summoning warrior we know now.
If there was one thing that set Pearl apart from the rest of her kind, it would be her sheer fascination with almost anything.
Most Pearls would turn their nose up at anything that didn't involve their master's contentment. They were meant for more practical things such as carrying and storing items for their master and being their eyes and ears when they couldn't be around. Some Pearls were often taught how to dance and sing if their master wanted something more frivolous from their servant. They were domestics and performers, nothing more and nothing less.
But Pearl was different (and soon enough became the word that Rose would use to describe her companion, "different").
She liked to observe each and every thing around her, whether it be the little collectibles Rose brought to the grotto after a grueling Diamond-ordered mission or the new Gem-innovated technologies Rose was often ordered to test. She was cut off from this sort of exploring as a servant and now she possessed the freedom to do whatever she wished.
But that didn't mean she completely gave up her Pearl habits. Rose would often find her cleaning and organizing her collection of artifacts, even though she didn't ask her to and honestly, wouldn't want her to. The Quartz warrior tried to get her to relax but Pearl kept insisting that she actually enjoyed being cleanly and wanted to be of assistance to Rose in any way possible. After all, these were the only skills she could offer her.
Eventually, Rose figured out that there was no point in getting her to stop; it was like an instinct for her, something that she couldn't help doing and honestly did not want to fix. She couldn't force Pearl not to. It would be simply dreadful.
Besides, it helped when Rose needed something to lift her spirits and Pearl would be there to sing a song or perform a dance (though the dancing was somewhat scandalous in Rose's eyes).
One day, Rose came home absolutely miserable, carrying her signature sword and shield that her enemies knew her for.
"My stars, Rose," Pearl immediately cried when she saw her caretaker. "That mission you were assigned to was only supposed to last seventeen cycles! What happened?"
"There was a bit of a delay when we had to leave the colony," Rose explained vaguely. In reality, there was an outbreak of native colony creatures attempting to take back their home from Gem-kind.
But as far as the rest of Homeworld knew, none of the organic creatures Quartz troops came across hardly possessed the right intelligence to start an uprising. But truthfully, it was a common problem amongst colonization. There would always be radicals who push themselves too far to for what they believe to be "justice." Luckily, no one had ever started a full-blown war over it.
"I'm fine, Pearl, after all I am a Rose Quartz," Rose reassured her companion as she settled down. "I was made to defend myself and others from harm. What have you been doing while I was gone?"
"Oh, simply waiting for you to come home," Pearl replied lightheartedly with a flippant, almost forced chuckle that immediately made Rose worry.
"I'm so sorry, Pearl," Rose apologized. "If only I knew ahead of time, then I would—"
"Rose, what are you talking about? There's no need to apologize. It's not your fault that your mission has gone awry," Pearl said with a raised eyebrow.
"It's just that sometimes I'm worried when I'm forced to leave you alone," Rose explained with a remorseful tone. "While I'm on life-threatening missions, you're stuck here wondering whether or not I'm coming back. It's absolutely awful."
Pearl clasped her hands together and twiddled her thumbs nervously. "Well, you know I can't leave without you around. People would assume the worst if I was wandering around without a master. It would cause so much unnecessary scandal."
It was true; a stray Pearl walking around without a master would be immediately classified to be an escaped renegade and Rose would be put to blame. Servants were not meant to function alone. And if one was caught without someone to belong to, they would be claimed by whoever would be lucky enough. Then Rose would never see Pearl again.
"Would it be awful if I said I envied you?" Pearl asked, making Rose nearly jump with that kind of accusation.
"What could I possibly have that you could ever want?" Rose laughed bitterly. In her eyes, Rose's life was not ideal. So much she has been subjected to, so many have been taken from her. It was this type of lifestyle that made her fear growing attached to others and putting them in danger.
"You've seen so many things and fought against those who threaten our empire," Pearl said wistfully. "And I'm here . . . waiting . . . and organizing your swords. It's not ideal, no, but it's not like I have a choice."
Hearing her say that made Rose feel a thousand times more sorry than she could ever be. She was constantly called for missions and it forced her to leave Pearl for immeasurable periods of time. And during that time, Pearl was forced to wait and wonder because Homeworld law forbade her to do anything else. It wasn't right.
"Pearl, maybe you do have a choice," Rose whispered softly, afraid that someone else might hear. It would be forbidden to get in between a Pearl and her master but there were a select few who might find a way to be above it.
"What do you mean?" Pearl asked, confused and worried. Her delicate hands squeezed together even more tightly.
"Why can't you learn to be a warrior like me?" Rose said with relish, already envisioning the possibilities.
"Because that's not what I made for! Because that would break the system the Diamond set out for us! Because there's no situation that would ever need me to fight," Pearl exclaimed, both flabbergasted and overwhelmed.
"But there's nobody to stop us," Rose countered with a gentle voice. "After all, the rules state that what go on between a master and their Pearl are private matters. With that, I could train you to fight and claim that the reasons behind are personal. Besides, we shall never know what lies ahead of us. A Gem like me might need protection at some point. And I think you deserve to be able to defend yourself as well."
"Are you serious? You want me to actually take up a sword and . . ." Pearl gulped a little before continuing. ". . . actually fight?"
"You've carried around my swords before," Rose replied calmly.
"To store them away for later," Pearl blurted out, her eyes widening with shock. "So I can polish them for you. Fighting is something completely different and I don't think—what if I can't—Rose, this is simply—ugh!—what if I can't do it? What if what they say about Pearls is right? This might just be fantasizing and dreaming for me but this would cause so much scandal if this ever got out! I don't need you to risk getting your reputation tarnished just for my silly daydreams!"
Pearl's face fell into her hands, ashamed to look at Rose, ashamed of ever bringing this topic up. It was clear that this was much more serious than Rose realized.
The pink Quartz placed her hands on her companion's shoulders and said softly, "Pearl, I just don't want you to suffer and fall apart when we're separated. I'm forced to leave you alone all the time and there might be a time where I can't be able to protect you. I want you to be able to defend yourself, so we can always be together. Pearls don't have long life spans; it's a fact. But perhaps if one learned how to fight for their own safety, then maybe that can be changed. Besides, us living together safely is all I ever wanted. Don't you want that, too?"
Dead silence passed before Pearl responded. She touched Rose's hand and felt the heat pulsing beneath, a steady source of light. Something to always protect her and shield her; and she wanted to keep things that way. She wanted to spend the rest of her days with Rose, the only one who had ever treated her like an individual. She didn't know what she'll do if she ever left.
Pearl needed to know that that won't ever happen. And the only way she could confirm it is if she learned to fight for her, no matter what the cause.
"Okay, then," Pearl answered. "I'll do it. I'll do it for you."