Renegade was walking up and down in the big chamber of the kindergarten, a trail left in her wake.

"What was I thinking!?"

Her voice echoed against the walls. It didn't work like this, it couldn't work out like this. She didn't even know how to or what was she to work out. The last half of a cycle, after she received that short message she had spent panicky walking up and down the kindergarten, her gem the only light source to give her company. The only light filling the underground chambers of countless tunnels and pathways leading who knows where. On any other time, Renegade would enjoy the intricate chaotic yet obliviously build according to a strict plan...

But right now.

Pearl was blind to it, on her mind only one thing.

An Agate!

It was terrifying!

Pearl was walking in circles literal and figuratively...

She had to stop.

Renegade stopped walking directly in front of the exit hole... the exit hole she spent the most time around. Her black-gloved fingers rubbing on her own shadows dancing in front of her. She needed someone to talk to... She was alone that was a fact... She needed someone willing to respond...

She couldn't talk to Pink as she kind of... used Pinks name to get herself in this mess...If she never told the archive leader and her pearl it was Pink diamond command she wouldn't have to be terrified about an agate... But then Pink wouldn't have had any valid information either... No, she couldn't doubt her own choice. She picked right for PInk, by using Pink name like that.

Which lead back to Pearl not being able to tell her, not when Pink was doing so well having focus and determination. Finally getting better, moving away from the emptiness.

Renegade leaned against the wall of the exit hole. Her light shining into the small space. Eyes focusing on the spot where the earth had settled a while ago. A passing glance wouldn't ever spot that the spot was once dug.

Does lying to Pink means she was no better than what White diamond did? It wasn't like she outright told a lie, she just omitted to even mention what she did to Pink, for Pink. Worst of all that wasn't even the top problem.

Renegade screamed. She could feel the surface ordering the problems for her. Agate was the top priority. Pearl stood up again, returning to the trail of her pacing in cycles. She needed the motion, she felt like her light was prickling all over, from head to the toes.

She briefly wondered if she should send a message to Purple Pearl and ask WHY did that particular Fire Agate not deserve Pinks mercy? But if she does that she wouldn't be able to do anything as Renegade. It would be too suspicious. Purple Pearl could connect the dots and figure that what Pink Pearl asked about and received an answer for, the Renegade acted upon... She wasn't even able to do anything as Pink Pearl, either. She couldn't just walk up to that Agate and ask her why and what she was doing. Pink did not give that order, would she be able to nudge Pink into giving it?

Of course not!

There was nothing she could do as Pinks, and Renegade has to do all alone. She desperately needed someone to talk to. She couldn't talk to Pink as she kind of... used Pinks name to get herself in this mess...If she never told the archive leader and her pearl ...

She was starting to do it again, walking in circles.

"No, calm down..." In frustration and with unruly thoughts she made a projection of Renegade, a projection with way more energy than it was needed. The second source of light lighting up the chamber. The shadows losing some of their sharpness appearing as if they were splitting and melting into fuzziness. So there! Someone to talk to.

Even if it was just herself.
"Why did I tell the Purple Pearl she could do this?"

Pearl pulled the mask off her face, facing the Renegade projection.
"I told her because of my guilt." The projection spoke, as Pearl faced her.

Guilt...

So simple yet...

Pearl stepped back, her body hitting the cold stone wall behind her. The exit hole right there, looking softer in the moving light,
It was true. She did it because she felt guilty for poofing her.
"I told her because of my anger, too." The projection spoke without using Pearl own lips or voice to provide the sound. The odd behaviour was noticed, but put on the back of the queue, by the Surface. So many other important things were demanding Renegades full attention.
"...Yes... I was angry to think there were gems who poofed her, who beat her with a blunt weapon till she poofed... It was not appropriate. She shouldn't have to know how it feels to be puffed. NOt by me, or by any other gem."Pearl admitted to the projection pearl.

"I told her because I wanted to punish those gems, too." The projection said and Pearl nodded fingers going through her hair. She was right. She couldn't...she couldn't leave them to it. the Fire Agate did something that was worth punishing... Something that was not worth Pinks mercy...

So... what?

She didn't know what.

"I have to find out what she did, that way I can make sure Fire Agate earned her punishment," Pearl concluded pushing herself away from the wall. That felt like a goal. The first step, determine WHY then act. Pearl felt happier, even so, she felt like her whole existence was vibrating with her nervousness. Pearl stepped up to the projection and tried to wave her hand through it to dissipate it.

Her fingers never passed through the projection instead they hit firmness.

Pearl was staring, as Surface reorganised the queue in her mind to move the question of the odd projection to the front. Pearl pressed her hand against the projection chest. It was firm, it didn't give in to her pressure. How much energy did she use to make it, again? Pearl took in a deep breath, countless ideas coming to her for how she could use ... If this was...

Pearl hesitated a moment before she started to just do and touch and inspect it. She could tell it nearly felt like the extra stability of the light screens, except it was so much more complex than a screen. And she made it without even thinking about it!

Testing her theory Pearl focused on the not projection, and tried to undo it like a screen, she felt resistance, persistence, she pushed harder and then the not projection vanished.
By the end of the cycle Pearl has named the projection pearl Holo Pearl, for the first time since she put on the Renegade outfit did she have someone to spar with. Well, more like having someone to hold a sword up while she practised clashing their weapons together. "It will take a lot more tweaking to get you to be a challenge...Maybe I could add levels of difficulty..." It was the thrill of creation that gave Pearl the confidence she needed.

The confidence to tackle the big problem.

The following cycle, she looked up the open information about the specific Fire Agate. She learned that that Fire Agate was the head of the gem harvesting faculty. Transferred after proving herself on the battlefield, her weapon documented to be a fearsome fire shield. Being great for offence and defence. Pearl looked back at the Holo Pearl repeatedly practising to stab forward. Again and again. She made that. Looking back at the information she realized she will need to infiltrate the gem harvesting faculty. Without showing herself as Renegade OR Pinks Pearl.

Pearl smile started to spread wide, becoming a daring grin.

"Sounds doable."

Two cycles Renegade was observing what gems were entering and leaving the harvesting complex. Sneaking around the neighbouring structures to get a better look, while mapping possibilities for entering out. Trying out routes which would be best in the case of a fat escape. During the third cycles night of her observation, she spotted someone odd entering the place. A white Zircon, her white pearl a step behind her. Pearl blinked, staying still. Not soon after another Zircon came in, this time a green one, this one looked nearly desperate in the way she rushed in the complex. Shortly after a Hessonite walked in with a squad of rubies who were oddly serious... by the end of the night there were at least 30 gems with various entourages in the gem harvesting facility.

It was nothing odd for the occasional higher cut gem to bring in a lower broken or defect one in personally...but so many in the same night?

Pearl shifted into a shadowy spot as the sun rose and she kept on waiting.

The day passed by, the sun setting when finally the first of the gems left the facility. The white Zircon with two Pearls now, the one he walked in and one with a blue colouration. Soon after her, Hessonite left with only one ruby by her side. A whole cycle passed till the last gem left as well.

Renegades time was running out.

The renegade returned to the kindergarten, Pearl returned to her diamond just in time.

Pearl assisted her diamond, but in the time she waited she explored the unrestricted information about the guest she observed entering the harvesting facility.
Another six cycles of just waiting and observing and no one of the odd gems returned to the harvesting. Maybe it was just an oddity.

The next four cycles she made up a simple task so she could visit the Hessonite gem. She was overseeing the wandering eyes and educating the rubies on how to use them. It didn't yield any useful information, at least not for what Pearl was looking for. That was fine as she on purpose forgot a small gem communicator in the Hessonite office. A small turned on gem communicator just on the underside of her most used desk.
That yield much better result.

Spying.

Several cycles passed and Pearl heard from her small communicator that an invitation from the Fire Agate arrived to Hessonite. Inviting the gem to a strategy and efficient meeting, delivered by one of the rubies. It was oblivious not the main point of the meeting, as Hessonite started to sing and hum to herself sounding excited about it. The melody was unknown to pearl, though it was hard to tell as hessonite had no feeling for rhythm.

Pearl had obtained the date and time of the next meeting. She as well found out that some card is needed to get to the exact room where the meeting is happening.

Renegade broke in the green Zircon preparation room, she was pleased to find the same new invitation hidden under a bunch of fact-filled screens. Pearl had a plan, a possible stupid plan. But she had to find out what those meetings for strategy and efficient are. Renegade left the room without taking anything, ensuring the Zircon would not suspect anyone entering her room.

One shape-adjusting later, and half a cycle before the date Renegade returned to the room when the Green Zircon was inside. Pearls hair was now akin Blue Pearl style, with long bangs hiding her gem and eyes, the colour stays the same. While she adjusted her shape to now have a pearl gem to the back of her white hand. On the other hand than Purple pearls gem. Most important was that she changed her clothing. Now she was wearing a lean dress. Hugging her frail figure and stopping just under the knees.

Pearl took a deep breath, smelling stale air, and hearing the buzz of power in the walls. In front of this door was the last chance she could change her mind, change her plan... but she had no other plan... Neither had she the time to waste.

"Just do Pearl. I have to scout what those meetings are and see why the Agate doesn't deserve Pinks mercy. Easy." Pearl chimed the door.

Now there was no stopping.