Snippet Star 5
Pearl, the Ronin
Genre: Adventure/Drama
Pairs: Not important
Parody: Steven Universe
AU-Type: Canon-eqsue
Tags: Steven Grows Up without Pearl, Pearl Grows a Spine, #TrueRenagade, Broken Friendships, Masterless Life Ahead, Deconstruction
When Rose announced her pregnancy, it was met with excitement and confusion from most of the other Gems, except Pearl. The years should have taken a toll on her mental health, but instead Pearl wound up a different road. Indifference, resentment, and loathing. All aimed at Rose. At this point, she only followed her orders because Rose had power over her. However, Pearl saw her chance with this "pregnancy" which had weakened Rose as the months went by, and Pearl would plan for this. By the sixth month, it was finally time. It was easy to convince Rose to join her someplace alone and away from the other gems. Play up the role of her fangirl, her unrequited love. It sickened her to do that…considering all the years she was jerked around. Rose never seemed to think about Pearl or anyone but herself.
-R-
Rose arrived at the Barn where Pearl had called for a talk and was an hour late. Greg had shown her a waffle place he had found, and she figured Pearl would not mind the delay. The night sky was illumined by the full moon as Rose walked off the warp pad.
"Pearl?" Rose asked before smelling smoke.
"You're late." Pearl said sourly taking a long drag of her cigarette.
Five of them littered her feet.
The look on her face had made Rose uncomfortable and she tried to change the subject.
"Sorry I'm late…Greg took out to a really n…" Rose said only for Pearl to flick the cigarette in Rose's face making her flinch. "What was that for?"
"Frankly for thinking that your bullshit excuses will work on me." Pearl said dryly. "I'd apologize, but I won't. Not again, and not ever."
"Pearl, what's this about?" Rose asked.
"Pink, I'm done. I'm done with this town, I'm done with the Crystal Gems, and I…AM…DONE…WITH…YOU." Pearl said putting emphasis into her last words.
Now those words snapped Rose out of her relaxed and panic etched in her face.
"Pearl, we agreed we weren't going…" Rose said only for Pearl to unsheathe a live katana at Rose's throat.
"No, you give me orders to keep my mouth shut and declared me free of your servitude when I was still your lackey. You used me, teased me, and played with my emotions like I was your doll..." Pearl said with her arms crossed to hold herself while she had the shakes.
"I've had enough, and I just wanted to confront you one last time to wash my hands of you. I pity the child growing within. Growing up having to deal with your war, your mess, and your lies. I watched you record messages for them…you talk of loving yourself when you can't even do so yourself. That child isn't a product of love, it's your method of suicide with Greg is the unwilling patsy." Pearl said icily. "Regardless, I don't want a hand in any of this. And if the Diamonds do come back to this rock to destroy it, I want to at least die having lived a life worth living."
Pearl walked away ignoring the pleas, threats, and anything else that came from Rose's mouth as Pearl used the warp pad to teleport away. Rose had gone after her assuming she went to the temple which was all a part of the plan. Pearl had actually warped to Mask Island where she had her things already packed on a boat. Yellowtail coming into town made things rather easy and in favor as she simply "borrowed" his boat. Loading up, she took off. Rose was in a panic looking throughout the temple for Pearl without waking Amethyst or having Garnet get involved.
"Where is she?!" Rose thought frantically.
-O-
With the boat back in port, Pearl slung her duffel bag over her shoulder and rushed to the Onion household. She knew how close Vidalia and Amethyst, and she would be perfect to give one last middle finger to Rose. Vidalia was sitting in her garage going after a painting while her husband and son were asleep on the couch when Pearl came in.
"Hm?" Vidalia said as she looked over to see Pearl. "Pearl?"
Now they had not personally talked or really met because at most all Vidalia got was word of mouth from Greg, Amethyst, or sometimes Rose.
"Vidalia, right?" Pearl said sheepishly.
The moment was a rather awkward, but Pearl knew she had to do it. She simply told that she needed her help, and Vidalia could tell something was really wrong. Pearl was the type who did not socialize, and she was coming to her for help.
"Ok, you're scaring me." Vidalia said unnerved. "But why me?"
"Because right now, you're the only one I can trust. I can't trust Rose or the others. Amethyst is still too young to process this…and you do have her best interests at heart." Pearl said getting four letters out of her bag. "I need you to hold onto these until Rose has her pregnancy. The one in pink is for that child…I'd say 12 years is long enough until you give it to them."
"Ok, if I'm doing this, I'm going to need information to why you're giving them to me. Is something going on?" Vidalia said.
The Onion matriarch almost wished she had not asked because Pearl told her everything. The truth behind it all, and Vidalia felt sick to her stomach.
"Does Greg know?" Vidalia asked mortified.
"Fuck if I know, but he probably doesn't. Not that it matters, she sees humans as if they're living vibrators. The only people who know the truth is you, her, myself, and another that I told. Do you see why I'm trusting you with this? I can't trust this to anyone but you right now." Pearl said darkly. "I fear Pink could kill me and claim it was an accident. Or what she could do to you?"
"She wouldn't…" Vidalia said trying to assure herself.
"Vidalia, the woman had a space station zoo loaded up with bred humans that she used to go up to use them as sexual playthings. She's lied about the war playing both sides like a fiddle and didn't bet on me to count the number of deaths. She will do whatever it takes to keep her secrets. She is a coward with nothing to lose now especially with that child on the way. Poor bastard is probably going to end up obvious to it all, and I want no part of it." Pearl said assured.
"I'll take them…but where will you go?" Vidalia said.
"Out of the country. I've always had wanted to visit East Asia, but Pink kept bumming around this country." Pearl said.
"You'd think with her powers, she'd help with World War 1 or 2…or Vietnam." Vidalia said incredulously.
"Does Pink sound like the kind of person who would give a fuck about people other than what's in their pants? She didn't do shit, and will continue not to do anything." Pearl said with a sigh. "This is goodbye, Vidalia, thanks."
[Cues: Force of Nature – Just Forgot]
Pearl made the long walk up Sussex Road feeling that it was the start of leaving her old life behind. She could not really call any good times…only fake memories and goals. She strode up the highway road up to the Mayor's House where a car was waiting for her where the other person, she had told waited. Like Greg, he was one of "Rose's" previous lovers. Unknown to Greg but known to Pearl, Rose had occasionally go to see him for an occasional hookup. Pearl would think that sleeping with a government agent is the LAST thing Pink would do, but Pearl underestimated Rose's jackassery. Of course, Pearl had told him three months prior along with everything else, and he found himself siding with her especially he discovered Pink had slept with his teenage son. Pearl opened the car door to the jet-black sports coupe and slid it where he awaited.
"Vincent. Thanks for doing this for me." Pearl said throwing her bag in the backseat.
Vincent looked in the mirror and all he could see was his tired self. He still had his good looks, but after the reveal, he was stressing out. He puked when she explained Pink's human zoo as it did not help that he was an ancestor of someone who suffered from a human zoo.
"No, thank you for telling me the truth. I got the ID and paperwork you asked along the ones for Garnet and Amethyst. You think they'll like the new IDs?" Vincent said starting up the car.
Pearl could shrug as they took off leaving Beach City behind.
"Although, I have to ask…why Amethyst Santos? Figured you'd want Santos as a last name?" Vincent asked.
"Pearl Matapang rolls off the tongue." Pearl said leaning back.
(A/N: This was a long time coming as I did say I would continue Possession of Pink if I got this one out. Either way, this AU is going to present us with a scenario that could shoot the plot in the face. But what will Steven's home life be like without Pearl? And what will Pearl be doing?)