The pink light was tinting everything in the once white room. Making everything appear pink. Pearl didn't mind the pink colour. It was soon time, Main Pearl could feel the pull, the energy totals reaching levels where she could easily manifest hard light in the desired form. She was about to move doing just that when it was Surface who touched her hand briefly. Catching Main Pearl's attention.

Main Pearl was still worried about Surface as she clearly remembered in what state of a mess her gem was. So many things were all over her gem, surface Pearl was surrounded by chaos. While Renegade was sitting on a pink bubble whispering to herself. Looking as if she wasn't even seeing in front of herself.

Main Pearl smiled at Surface. "Yes, do you have something for me?"

"Yes, before you go... I have been thinking."

Main Pearl tilted her head, listening. She could see Surface looking slightly unease.

"We can not have this mess, it made me nearly non-functional."

"I will try to be more careful." Main Pearl, nodded she planned to try and improve her muscles, to train to hold onto longer, to try how to fall appropriately. To all around improve. To always keep at least one weapon on herself.

"You may try but ... that not the point I am trying to make."

Main Pearl tilted her head once more, watching as Surface fumbled with her words. It felt disjointed to Main as Surface had the easiest access to the dictionary, to be the one in lack of proper words... Surface took another breath and spoke much more determined.

"Any physical and possible emotional trauma Main suffer will firstly affect Surface, ergo affect me the strongest. Surface is the first line."

Surface smiled, easily reading what Main wanted to protest to and already shaking her head. Main wanted to try saying that it shouldn't be like that... She didn't want to... Surface was already saying no, knowing what words Main Pearl wanted to reach for.

"I want to be the first line, that what a Surface is, it's on the surface!... But As Surface, I know you need me to do my services to work properly. Seeing the world in shades of one colour is not efficient."

Main Pearl sighed, the other me was right. She was failing to communicate correctly to her diamond.

"... You want to suggest something?" Why else would Surface even mention it if she didn't have an idea for its solution?

"Yes. I want to be replaceable. Like a proper Pearl is supposed to be."

Main Pearl felt ill. She started to shake her head, ready to yell at Surface for thinking like that. Main wanted to scream at her to stop even considering that. Then Main Pearl realized someone was already yelling at Surface for daring to say that. The Renegade appeared all but out of nowhere. The Black Pearl was yelling at the Surface. Both yelling over each other. Main Pearl placed her hands on her head, trying to muffle the screams in her head.

Everything felt airy and loud.

"All are precious! You are not an object to decide you are throwable!"

"I need this! What if I get damaged in a fight in our preparation time!"

"I will figure it out! "

"What if it gets me captured!"

"You cannot know that it would!"

"You cannot count on that it wouldn't!"

"You have no right to claim you being damaged is enough to shatter me!"

"I am not planning on getting shattered! That's why I want to be replaceable!"

Renegade stopped, silence covering all of the three me. Main Pearl sighed in relief, with the yelling stopping, the pain in her head vanished as well. That was a good thing to be aware of. The Surface took a proper Pearl pose and reported to both Main and Renegade. The Renegade that stepped away from Surface looking every bit ill like Main felt.

Not just ill... but like she was betraying herself.

"I will take the trauma, I will hold onto it. If it ever reaches a level where I cannot any longer provide you with my service I will sink a level deeper. A new Surface can take my place and with it, Main Pearl can function without the burden and pain caused by the trauma. "

Main Pearl stayed silent, what was she to tell to this... she didn't want it... she didn't need it...she could...

"Please, let me do this for me."

For you... Main Pearl wrapped her arms around herself, her eyes wandering to Renegade. In the pink tinted light, she looked fuzzy, not sharp, not in the real focus... Renegade looked at her. A moment where nothing moved passed and Renegade reached out to Main placing her hand on Main's shoulder. There were no words said, yet Main felt Renegade respected the choice Surface made but would stand by whatever decision Main made. Main appreciated it.

Looking back at Surface Main stepped away from the Renegades touch to face Surface.

"...What happens to you if you hold onto the trauma while you sink deeper?" Main Pearl spoke, tilting her head to focus on Surface. Her voice barely hiding the sadness of thinking what one cycle...one day may come.

"I don't know...I... can assume that it would change me ... to need a new name for myself."

". .. You came to that idea because I exist... " The renegade whispered, both pearls looked over at Renegade. Standing still, the two Pearl approached her, having Surface Pearl place a hand of comfort on the renegade Pearl shoulder.

" I am a layer deeper, so different than you and Main. "

"Yes, because of Renegade we know its possible."Surface said, pulling the black Pearl into a hug. A hug the black pearl surrender into. "And with that, I can help!"

"But... are we sure another Surface Pearl will just so appear?"

"I did, didn't I?" Surface smiled, and somehow it made it final. It was her choice, Pearl choice, for Pearl. For all that made Pearl Pearl. So Pearl could do it for the one she chooses.

"Promise me, to only do it if it is too much. Unbearable much and we have no time to deal with it any other way."

"I promise. I will be strong."

Main Pearl watched as Renegade sunk back to the layer deeper and Surface returned to stand in the middle of the pink tinted room. It was time, her diamond was needing her.

Pearl felt the Pink warmth and she followed it out.

A form was being taken. Light changing just a bit from her previous form, there were things to adjust to her new tasks and role. A few pockets, shoes that don't slip as easily. She summoned the colourful dress hiding the small adjustments perfectly.

Pearl stood fully formed.

The pebbles waved at her.

"See I kept my word." Her diamond voice washed over her. Pearl felt great, energized and ready to take on all of the gem kind for her diamond. Pearl elegantly turned to face her diamond, smiling as she wondered if that was what they were doing? Taking on all of the gem kind together! Starting with White Diamond.

Her diamond sunk into a bunch of pillows. She didn't look as vibrant as always.

"My diamond?!" Pearl was by her diamond side in an instant.

"Don't worry, a lot of energy gets lost when recharging another gem. I will take a rest during the six cycles. So let's start, no time to waste. "

Pearl bit her lip, holding back the worry. If her diamond didn't want to draw attention to it... she will not either. She just looked a bit tired.

"These are the screens white had sent me. We need the real information about these. " Pearl picked up the white screens looking them over. The topics referred to gem history and expansion. Once she read them, her diamond grinned wide. "So, my pearl get me what I need." Her PInk diamond ordered her.

"Yes, my diamond." Pearl saluted obeying with glee.

So it began, it was a routine. It was a good routine, they were doing fine, Pearl watched as her diamond was smiling more and more often. They didn't have as much time for Renegade stories as before, but that was fine as Pink was determined to learn everything Pearl provided. While Pearl was more than happy to provide her with the information she requested from the archive.

Then there were the six cycles of preparation time. That was fine as well. She started training. She started to notice that she was able to improve her speed and strength. That she could improve her reaction time. It was so strange to realize and even stranger to accept it as a fact. She was changing.

Reinventing.

And then came the downtime, where Renegade simply sat doing what she felt like. Like she enjoyed re-reading the reports the Amethysts who beat her up, have sent to the archive. Unknowing to them the report was never stored in the archive but send to her just like the Charoite and her Purple pearl were told to do. It became Renegade favourite thing to read. Mostly because the Amethysts described Renegade as a gem made out of the darkness and slipping away from them by melting back into the shadow.

One even claimed they saw her millennia ago on some colony shattering whole armies. Just because the gem of darkness could. Absurd. She adored it.

Several more reports poured to her, depending on if and what the Renegade did that cycle. Sometimes she would just train for the whole preparation time, trying to get faster, better and stronger, sometimes she would simply sneak and eavesdrop, avoiding combat. Testing how good she can be at not being noticed. Those times were thrilling. Her whole form would vibrate under the black suit.

A few times she would pick out lone gems and fight them sparing and testing her own skills. Testing her skills against guards and soldiers, working from the lower ones up.

All was perfect.

Therefore it perfection couldn't last.

The rhythm Reneage has established for herself was broken by Purple Pearl sending yet another message. Renegade awaited it to be a report to Pink Diamond about a sighting of a gem that fit the renegade description close to the research centre.

It was not that.

This time it changed everything...It was the shortest message till now. Having only two words and one gem cut.

The words:

'Not deserving' and an Agate gem cut.

A fire Agate in service of Yellow, to be more precise...