As Pink Diamond was beamed, shouting out in pain before losing all color and self-agency, her fellows, Yellow and Blue, finally gave White a shocked glance. Their Pearls, though they weren't of much assistance in the situation either way, did the same; they had to know how Pink and her Pearl would turn out.
"You didn't...!" Blue cried out at the Gem who, so far, had remained silent.
"Oh, but I just did." White ominously replied, and the other Diamonds and Pearls shuddered from the words.
White Diamond was a Gem of a few words, and if anybody in the entire empire took colonization and presentation efforts more seriously than anybody else, then it had to be her. Therefore, even the other Diamonds knew to respect her, each in her own way. However, the sequence of events leading up to this moment could not be foreseen by any Sapphire, and therefore, Yellow and Blue just couldn't help but question White's motives here.
Yellow nervously glanced at Pink's paralyzed form, before speaking up, as though she had realized something about the predicament. "Though Pink might have been a weight on us all, with her incessant ramblings and demands, she is still a Diamond and therefore, still deserves to act on her own agency! White Diamond, I kindly request that you return Pink to her original form with as much immediacy as possible! It is a decision that Gemkind's future hangs on."
"Is it, though? Look deep inside your gemstones and tell me." White's response was no less cryptic than her last one.
It would seem that White wasn't much of a conversational partner in this matter. Yet, she held all the cards, and the only way to get her to do what Yellow and Blue wanted her to do - and even what they inferred Pink would want her to do - was to actually agree. Yellow thus turned to Blue, trying to process White's words, and slightly stuttered: "I... I believe White to not be speaking out of thin air. Perhaps she is right to rescind Pink's right to self-agency. We can ignore the transgression and proceed with our perfect empire, or we can attempt a futile resolution that will only bring us more strife. Would you be inclined to agree, Blue?"
In contrast with Yellow and White, who believed that they were absolutely right on a factual level, Blue didn't fail to consider the emotions involved. She knew from Yellow's tone that not even she was confident in her sudden conviction, and therefore, returned, as softly as she could: "Do you actually believe that, though? Or are you speaking on a vague impression of what you believe White meant?"
"The integrity of the Gem Empire depends on certain unquestionable truths," Yellow responded. "One of those truths - and this, indeed, is a conviction of my own - is that colonization and conquest of the galaxy must be taken seriously, and that Pink's demeanor is helping no one in this case."
"Do you never feel the need to take a break from being serious?" Blue tried her best to appeal.
"Never!" Yellow shot back. "Neither Pink's nor your pathetic antics can convince me to schedule breaks."
"But was this not a break? The unfortunately interrupted ball?"
"Absolutely not! It was a regular reminder, for Gems from around the galaxy, to remain obedient and respect the authority of the Diamonds. Each of us rules her own section with an iron fist, and the subservient Gems are the fingers of that fist; if your own fingers moved on their own, disobeying your conscious thought..."
"Gems are not like fingers!" The more she was forced to interact with Yellow, the more Blue felt pure incandescent fury above all other emotions. "They're more like colors of a palette, and we, the Diamonds, shine brighter than everyone else, so wouldn't it make more sense for Pink to show her light, too?"
"Her light, which amounts to what?" Yellow spoke dismissively. "Interrupting serious Gem conquest with balls, treating her court as more than just those who do her bidding, and coming close to shattering her own Pearl and even herself?"
"She didn't mean that! Did you, Pink?" Blue gave a glance at Pink's pale form, perfectly copying the extended-arms gesture White was making, knowing that hopes of a response were futile, but still holding out hope that some glimmer of personality was still in there.
"Stop trying to sympathize with her! She's gone, and we'll simply have to move on without her. And that," Yellow emphasized, "means not trying to convince me or White to change their minds."
"As if you know what White is even going to decide!" Blue lashed right back at the fellow Diamond.
This remark hit Yellow right in the gemstone, and she gave White an unconscious glance. Indeed, she mused, showing elements of dysfunction, like constant arguments between the two, wasn't exactly the best Diamond behavior, and in the end, the Diamonds needed to stay united, with White in charge, and whatever happened to Pink being in her "jurisdiction", so to say.
The awkward silence, with Yellow having been quick to put herself above arguing and Blue patiently waiting for a response, lasted a bit. The Pearls were affected, too, perhaps even more so than their Diamonds; after all, Pearls weren't really useful unless they were useful to their masters, and standing around and looking pretty, especially when there were no individuals to look pretty to, got really tiresome.
Finally, though, the awkward silence was broken up by White. "Have you said everything you wanted to say? Do you suppose it's enough for me to make a decision?"
Blue and Yellow continued being flabbergasted. It was as though White was reading minds - they knew that there was a final decision that White was going to make, but to bring it up would be to throw all sense of courtesy out the window.
"I see. I, myself, fancy both analogies you posed there. However, neither of them is particularly relevant. It isn't really about the Gems as a whole, but it's all about us. The way I see us, we are embodiments of perfection, and there wouldn't be four of us if there weren't four ways of achieving that perfection, now, would there?"
"So, does that mean..." It would seem that Yellow would have to put dreams of conquest uninterrupted by Pink's silliness aside. Blue, on the other hand, lit up, knowing that she achieved what she had wanted.
"Yes, I will be returning Pink her color, as much as that bothers all of us. However... as you can see, she is a danger to herself first and foremost. I don't think that attitude is going to get her far if she gets her own colony, though, so unfortunately, I'll have to deny that request."
"Unfortunately? Oh, please, we all know that it would be a terrible idea!" At the remark, Yellow heartily laughed, while Blue stood in awkward silence.
"She even hurt her own Pearl - and herself! I'd suggest something be done immediately, but unfortunately, I don't know if healing cracks and such can even be done, in any capacity." White regretfully had to admit.
Blue grew worried. What would the effects of a Gem essentially cracking herself even be? Once the veil of pure, spectral light was removed, would Pink return to what she used to be? In the end, Blue knew she'd have to keep a closer eye on Pink, from now on.
"I don't particularly care for the Pearl herself; I can take her in from now on, and you can manufacture Pink a new, custom-made Pearl. One who's not just a servant, but in her own way, a master, and who knows how to keep the rogue Diamond in line."
This instruction was perhaps even more peculiar than the instruction, from Pink, that she receive her own colony, and Blue and Yellow immediately gasped. One couldn't just manufacture a Pearl who violated the very principles of a Pearl, no more than one could manufacture... a Diamond who violated the very principles of a Diamond.
"If anyone's instructions, no matter how peculiar, are to be executed, they are yours, White. We shall head to The Reef and order a new Pearl, to your specification, this very instant." Yellow declared, and even though White's smile never broke, it somehow started feeling more genuine.
"In the meantime, at least temporarily, Pink will remain at my auspices. Do not disappoint me!" White uttered, in a way which very clearly indicated that she would not be speaking up unless something as outrageous as Pink's incident happened.
Yellow and Blue thus moved on from the seats, where they were arguing with each other, and towards the nearest warp pad. Their Pearls felt compelled, with their entire being, to follow.
-
The Reef, for the most part, was solidly White Diamond territory, in every imaginable way. Established on her fifth conquered planet, before Blue or Yellow had even formed, the primary factory of Pearls for the entire Gem Empire was perhaps the most advanced that a Gem foundry ever got, and for good reason: Pearls were irreplaceable as servants. For that reason, it wasn't just any old Gem who was entitled to a Pearl, and therefore, for the most part, it was White's decision and White's decision only who got a Pearl and what her "specifications", so to say, were.
Of course, it went without saying that a Pearl who would keep her master in line, in the style of an Agate, was pretty much unheard of, and on their entire way to the Reef, Blue and Yellow were internally conflicted. Yet, they knew better than to disobey White, and moved on with their task.
At the Reef, the Diamonds were immediately greeted by the head Peridots of the facility, who, as soon as they got a glimpse of their massive, towering forms, immediately saluted them.
"Welcome to the Reef, my Diamonds!" one of them spoke. "We are the Shell; have you come for maintenance of your Pearls?"
"I believe our Pearls are fine." Yellow sternly replied, giving a glance to both her own and Blue's Pearls. "No, our task here is much more specific. Unfortunately..."
She stopped herself before she mentioned anything about Pink's transgression. If it were known to any Gem besides the other Diamonds that Pink had thrown the biggest and most destructive tantrum that she had ever thrown, up to this point, and harmed her Pearl and herself, the authority of the Diamonds as a whole would become almost as much of a laughingstock as Pink.
Seeing Yellow's hesitation, Blue picked up where her fellow had left off. "We need a replacement Pearl for a certain Gem who desires to remain anonymous, as I'm afraid her previous Pearl is beyond repair."
"We shall get started right away, my Diamonds!" the Peridot returned. "Are there any specifications, in personality or color, that the new, custom-made Pearl must fulfill?"
Blue pensively closed her eyes for a second, then opened them again as she spoke up. Essentially lying her way around what the entire ordeal was for wasn't easy. "The Gem has requested, and White Diamond has agreed to the request, that the Pearl be... somewhat assertive. If need be, she must be able to keep misbehaving Gems, up to and including her own master, in line."
"You do realize that this would lead to an inevitable allegiance crisis within the Gem? You're practically setting this Pearl up for being shattered."
"I know, and Yellow knows. However, we have decided that it would be for the best not to question White's... the instructions that White has agreed to, for if anyone in the Empire knows better, it's her."
"You can rest assured that White's will is going to be honored, my Diamonds. As for coloration, would you happen to have specific preferences?"
"None that we were informed of." Quite a lot was going on in Blue's eyes, but the most noticeable feature of them all was the relaxation of the luminal form.
"Understood. We currently have a Pearl nearly ready for deployment, and even if slight adjustments are needed, she shall be ready within a few days. Would you like to take a tour of our facilities until then? You don't seem to be particularly frequent visitors to the Reef."
"Oh, haha, no! We're far too busy for that!" Yellow stepped in.
"Your wishes are understood. In the meantime, rest assured that The Shell is proud to be a significant Gem foundry in the Empire, and that it will always remain loyal to the Diamond Authority!"
With those words, Blue and Yellow, as well as their Pearls, knew that they were only welcome back once their request was fulfilled.
-
Rather strangely, unlike the vast majority of Pearls that were ever manufactured for the Gem Empire, this one was... oval in shape. Blue and Yellow didn't fail to notice that, but figured it was only a minor defect, and that the Pearl, coming in her own bubble, was ready to be presented to her owner.
Blue and Yellow thus, hand in hand, presented the Pearl to White. "The request is fulfilled."
White only continued smiling; this was a matter where not a single word needed to escape her mouth. She thus watched as Blue and Yellow popped the bubble, and soon enough, the Pearl's gemstone form started generating a shell hologram around itself. Once this hologram finished forming, it spoke: "Please identify yourself."
Continuing to smile, White finally released her grip on Pink, who proceeded to collapse on the floor, having rendered herself entirely unconscious after her tantrum. Slight cracks were still visible on her gemstone, which was visible as she had dropped on her side, but the other Diamonds knew that Pink was an essence of her own, and therefore, these cracks were not theirs to fix.
Knowing that it would be unwise to speak anything right now, Blue, Yellow and White left Pink's room. And while White immediately went off for her own business, Blue and Yellow continued walking together, as though they wanted to exchange a few remarks.
"Do you think she will be alright?" Blue finally asked, once she knew, for a fact, that the newly made Pearl would not hear anything from her current vantage point.
"Oh, please, Pink has never been 'alright' since the day she formed." Yellow laughingly responded.
"But do you think she... You know how each of us has both destructive and constructive powers?"
"What's your point?" Yellow suddenly got serious.
"Do you think Pink will ever be able to realize her constructive powers?"
"That is not a question you or I can adequately answer. Now please kindly stop bothering me with your nonsense." The disdain in Yellow's voice, as she suddenly got up and walked off in her own direction, was obvious.
Yet, it would not stop Blue from continuing to worry, from this moment on and potentially for eons.