Grape and the Agate had been walking in various hallways for HOURS.
The Pearl spotted a familiar pile of cables. It seemed that they had somehow ended up in the abandoned part of the building again. The taller Gem was most annoying. She was barking for Grape to open EVERY SINGLE DOOR they came across, only to be disappointed and curse every time the room offered nothing but walls and a floor.
The Purple Pearl desperately wanted to give the snooty Gem an "I told you so." comment, but did not want her form to disintegrate- plus, the Agate's increasing irritability was rather amusing.
"THIS...THIS...FRACKING COURT! STARS! WHY ISN'T ANYTHING LABLED?! WHERE IS THE ORGANIZATION? THE SIGNS?"
Grape said nothing in response. She knew the question was rhetorical, and rather NOT be punished over a witty quip.
The Pearl was immediately grateful that Betty was so small and unnoticeable. She could hear the Gem breathing heavily. It seemed her friend had fallen into a deep sleep from the sheer boredom of the situation. Grape noted some of the hidden cameras around the halls, and suddenly recalled the fact that Peanut Butter was probably watching the duo right now. The Pearl imagined the Diamond laughing her ass off at the ridiculous situation...certainly Faux had informed the leader of the unwanted guest by NOW?
Many more hours passed. To Grape, it seemed like an eternity.
For every unrewarding twist and turn made in the massive maze, the Agate's shouting and cursing became even more vile!
"STARS! FRACK! SHALE!"
The Pearl finally decided to say something. "Um...miss Agate? Mam? Would you like me to lead?"
The tall Gem turned toward the servant in a fit of rage! "How dare you? HOW DARE YOU ASK SUCH A TABOO QUESTION! YOU...YOU...IDIOTIC PEARL! Of COURSE you cannot lead! It is highly unorthodox, and against all regulations! STARS! Maybe you ARE defective like all the other Gems in this FRACKING court after all! Now HUSH UP!"
Grape clamped her mouth closed quickly. Couldn't say she hadn't tried...
As the two continued their walk to nowhere, The Pearl wondered if the security cameras had intercoms. Perhaps Peanut Butter could speak to them, and guide them out of the horrific maze verbally?
No such luck.
Another eternity passed. At this point, the Pearl was simply going through the motions. She was just mindlessly opening doors, and closing them again. The entire scenario was becoming most intolerable.
...and then, they turned the corner and found themselves in the shipping dock room again!
"OH! I KNOW WHERE WE ARE NOW! This is where I entered! Do keep up Pearl!" The Agate followed her own footsteps, and finally, FINALLY, reached the common area once more.
Grape sighed in relief. "(Thank the Stars...)" Perhaps the Agate would now, FINALLY swallow her pride, and let the Pearl lead?
NOPE.
"HA! I told you I knew the way! See that you IDIOTIC Pearl?! I was right, ALLLLL along! Now than, I will successfully lead us to the Peridot's Lab! You MORONIC Pearl! This is why you should ALWAYS listen to your upper crusts! This is also why you should appreciate-"
Grape never did learn what she was supposed to "appreciate". The Pearl noted that the Agate was slowly walking in the wrong direction again...heading straight toward the same horrific maze they had just spent goodness-knows-how-long attempting to escape. Grape silently thanked whatever idiot made the rule that Pearls were only allowed to FOLLOW more important Gems, and NEVER lead. She had stopped walking behind the Agate entirely, and just let the aggressive Gem continue to talk to herself.
It seemed that the Agate's ego was SO huge, that she just continued to boast to nothingness. There was no way in the cosmos Grape was going to follow this buffoon back into the abyss that was the maze of space station catacombs.
It would be another hour before the woman would realize that the Pearl had not followed her. The Purple Agate would end up lost once more.
In the meantime, Grape decided to do the LOGICAL thing, and walked straight toward the Peridot's Laboratory. Analog answered the door to the lone Pearl, and seemed quite surprised that no one was accompanying her. The Peridot was already quite aware of the unpleasant Agate, and immediately questioned why the Pearl had arrived by herself.
...
After a VERY LOOOOOONG conversation, Analog was laughing like there was no tomorrow! "So...so...she just kept walking, and ended up in the "maze" again?"
Grape nodded.
"...and she didn't even realize you were gone?!"
"Nope!"
"Stars! She's going to end up stuck in there for an eternity! What a stubborn CLOD!"
"I was wondering if one of you Peridots could wait for her in the commons. This event will just keep repeating itself otherwise..."
"I really rather NOT. Agates are most unpleasant..."
"I noticed. Might as well get all the yelling and abuse over with all at once though...I can almost guarantee to you that she will probably be even more peeved when she figures out how to find this place again."
Analog moaned, knowing Grape's statement was the truth. "UGG...what a bother! As if us Peridots didn't already have enough things to worry about!" Analog attempted to think of an alternative solution. "OH! What if we made some signs just leading to the lab from the commons? You won't have to face her wrath again, and us Peridots will be able to meet her head on as a group! Not much she can do if she sees all of us at the same time!"
Grape thought about this, and nodded in agreement. This plan made the most sense, and saved the Agate from swallowing her pride.
Several days passed before the Agate found her way into the commons again. At this point, the woman seemed flustered, exhausted, and more angry than ever! She cursed the Purple Pearl under her breath, as if this entire fiasco was Grape's fault to begin with.
Fortunately, by this point, the Peridots had placed their paper signs in the commons. All of them were clearly labeled, and included arrows to prevent the moronic Agate from getting lost again. The woman mumbled more obscenities under her breath, before stubbornly following the signs to her original destination...