Chapter 53: Volleyball
Steven and the Crystal Gems ( except Peridot and Lapis who are back at the barn) along with Pink Pearl warped back to he house.
Steven: Okay New Pearl, welcome to our home.
Pink Pearl stepped off the warp pad and looked around. She looked so intrigued by the look of the place.
Pink Pearl: Oh, so this is where you live? It's so... different then Homeworld.
Garnet: Well this is where we spend our time and where Steven sleeps. We have our own rooms in the temple. But we don't seem to have one for you.
Pink Pearl: Oh it's fine, I can just stay in here for now. Oooh what's that?
Pink Pearl went towards a lamp. She kept turning the light on an off again.
Pink Pearl: It's like a mini sun that just turns on and off.
Steven: That's a lamp.
Pink Pearl: A lamp huh? Oh what's that?
Pink Pearl went to the kitchen and saw the blender.
Steven: That's a blender.
Pink Pearl: A blender? What does it do?
Steven: Let me show you.
Steven puts some fruit in it and turns it on as it blends the fruit into a smoothie.
Steven: Now it's making smoothies for us.
Pink Pearl: Oh wow, hey what happens if we take the lid off?
Steven: Wait no!
Pink Pearl takes the lid off as the blender is still on and the smoothie flies all over the place, covering the two of them with some. Steven quickly turns it off before it got worse.
Pink Pearl: Oh no, I'm sorry.
Steven: ( sighs) It's okay. Accidents happen.
Pearl: ( mumbles) I just cleaned the kitchen this morning.
Steven got some paper towels and wiped some off of himself.
Pink Pearl: What are those?
Steven: They're paper towels. Take a few and wipe yourself.
Pink Pearl takes a couple and does so. Pearl approaches them to help clean the mess.
Pearl: Oh Steven hold still you got some on your hair.
Pearl wipes the bit off his head.
Pearl: Ha, look at her, I haven't seen a gem get this interested in human stuff since Peridot first came.
They watched as Pink Pearl looked through the drawers and took out a fork. She began to brush her hair with it.
Steven: Were you guys this curious when you got into human stuff?
Pearl: Not me personally, but I know the others were.
Amethyst: Especially me. It was the best thing that ever happened to us. Not gonna lie, everything inside the temple is just...boring.
Pearl: It is not.
Amethyst: We literally live in rooms with wide open space with nothing intersting in them for years. But now my room as the collection of all the junk people don't need anymore.
Garnet: Don't need or you stole?
Amethyst: What? I never steal, really.
Amethyst eyes squinted shifts left and right.
Bismuth: Yup, I mean now I know more about power tools humans have. I mean look at this.
Bismuth shapeshifts her hand into a buzz saw.
Bismuth: Buzz saw! Ha,ha! Wait, where's Pinky?
Pearl and Steven turned around and realized Pink Pearl wasn't behind them, but heard her voice.
Pink Pearl: Ooh, what's this thing?
They turned and saw her slowly putting the fork into the electrical outlet.
Pearl and Steven: AAAH! NO, NO, NO!
Five minutes later.
After stopping Pink Pearl from getting hurt, everyone was about to call it a night. Everyone was in their rooms. Steven set up the couch for Pink Pearl.
Steven: Alright Pearl, until we can figure out an official place for you to stay, you can sleep here.
Pink Pearl: Sleep?
Steven: Well you don't have to, but it will pass the time. You just lay down, close your eyes and try to sleep.
Pink Pearl: Oh okay.
Pink Pearl lied down onto the couch and put the covers on her. She closes her eyes and tries to sleep.
Pink Pearl: Am I doing it?
Steven: Not yet.
Pink Pearl: How about now?
Steven: No.
Pink Pearl: Am I doing it now?
Steven: You can't think of anything or talk. You just rest.
Pink Pearl: Oh...how about now?
Steven: Keep practicing. Good night Pearl.
Pink Pearl: Good night Steven.
Steven goes up to his room and heads to bed.
The next moring.
Steven wakes up and the first thing he see's is Pink Pearl right in front of his face, staring at him with a smile.
Steven: AAAHH!
Pink Pearl: Good morning Steven.
Steven: Oh Pearl, good morning. How long have you been standing there?
Pink Pearl: Three hours. I think I did sleep, but then I woke up and couldn't go back. So I went to check on you and waited for you to wake up.
Steven: So you were watching me sleep?
Pink Pearl: Yup.
Steven: ( in his mind) What is it with pearls watching me in my sleep. ( out loud) Well, let me just get dressed and then we can...
Pink Pearl: Oh I have your clothes ready for you.
Pink Pearl presented Steven his clothes.
Steven: Oh thanks but you don't have to do this.
Pink Pearl: Of course I do. Since you have Pink Diamond's gem and you're related to her, that means I'm technically your's.
Steven: What? No, no, no, no, no. Listen Pearl, that's not how it works here. You're not a servent anymore. You're your own gem now.
Pink Pearl: My own gem?
Steven: Yeah, don't do what you're made for. Do what you want.
Pink Pearl: Oh okay. Do what I want. Got it.
Five minutes later.
Steven went to the bathroom to brush his teeth. But then realizes his toothbrush and toothpaste is gone.
Steven: Wait where's my toothbrush?
Pink Pearl: I have it right here Steven.
He turned to his left and just noticed Pink Pearl with him. She was putting some toothpaste on the brush.
Steven: What, Pearl what are you...
Pink Pearl puts the toothbursh in his mouth and starts brushing his teeth. Steven couldn't speak due to this.
Pink Pearl: No need to do this Steven. I got it for you.
Five minutes later.
Steven was about to go outside to the Big Donut, but Pink Pearl gets to the door first and opens it for him.
Pink Pearl: You first.
Steven: ( sighs) Thanks Pearl.
Steven went out as Pink Pearl followed him. She took out an umbrella and shielded Steven from the sun.
Pink Pearl: The hot sun could harm you. This will keep you in the shade.
Steven: You know, it's really not necessary.
Pink Pearl: Of course it is. As your pearl, it is my duty to make my master comfortable.
Steven: I'm not your master. I told you this morning you're your own gem. You do what you want.
Pink Pearl: Exactly, and what I want is to serve you.
Steven: No, you're missing the point.
Pink Pearl: What point?
Steven: Okay, this going to be harder to explain than I thought.
One hour later
Steven was in the shower. He was singing the giant woman song as he washed his hair. But little did he know a silouhette figure was approaching him from behind the curtain holding something. The figure opened the curtain. Steven turned around and screamed as the scene played like the shower scene from Psycho. Steven thought he was being attacked, but then realized that it was just Pink Pearl scrubbing his back with a shower brush.
Pink Pearl: Do you always scream when you bathe yourself?
Steven: Pearl what are you doing here?!
Pink Pearl: Scrubbing your back of course. That's the hardest part to get.
Steven: No stop! I'm naked! Whoa, WHOOOAAA!
Steven slipped out and pulled the shower curtain with him.
Pink Pearl: Are you okay?
Later.
Steven was with the other gems talking about Pink Pearl in private.
Amethyst: Hahahaha! Wait, wait so she snuck up on you in the shower and you screamed like a little girl? Hahahahaha!
Steven: It's not funny Amethyst.
Bismuth: That's right Amethyst, it's not funny... Hahahahaha! It's hilarious!
Now both Amethyst and Bismuth were laughing hysterically.
Pearl: Now Steven there's no need to be embarresed. After all I used to help you bathe when you were younger.
Steven: AAH! Pearl can we get back to the subject? Pearl, I mean other Pearl keeps acting as a servent and I keep trying to tell her not to.
Pearl: But it's not her fault. She's been a servent all her life, she doesn't know how to be her own gem.
Garnet: We know, this is all new to her. We need to show her how to think for herself and not do what she's made for.
Steven: So we'll try again, but guide her bit by bit.
10 minutes later.
Steven, Pearl had Pink Pearl inside and began to teach her how to be her own gem.
Steven: Okay uh Pearl. We know being a servent is what you were made for, but that was on Homeworld. Here on Earth you are now your own gem. You do and be what you want, not what you were made for.
Pink Pearl: But, serving is what I do.
Pearl: But is it what you truly like?
Pink Pearl paused for a moment.
Pink Pearl: Well... I mean it's okay, but not what I turly liked to do. But it's an urge now.
Steven: Okay that' why we're here. We're going to end that urge.
Pink Pearl: That sounds hard.
Steven: It won't be. Look at Pearl here. She served my mom too.
Pearl: She opened my eyes and encourged me to be my own gem, to be free. So now, lets start with a simple task. Steven will ask you for something and you say no.
Pink Pearl: O-Okay.
Steven: ( clears throat) Pearl, I request a glass of water.
Pink Pearl: Yes Steven.
Steven: No. You were supposed to say no.
Pink Pearl: I'm sorry, I just feel wrong if I ignore.
Steven: Don't be, it's fine. Let's try again. Pearl, get me a glass of water.
Pink Pearl: N-N-N-Nugh-Nu-N...
Pink Pearl tried to say it. Her lips puckered up as she balled her fist.
Steven: That's it come on.
Pearl: You can do it.
Pink Pearl: N-N-Nu, NO!
Pink Pearl gasped as Steven and Pearl smiled at her.
Pink Pearl: ( gasps) Oh my stars. I just said no.
Pearl: How does it feel?
Pink Pearl: I feel so, so naughty.
Pearl: I say independant would be a better word.
As this happens, Amethyst enters the room.
Amethyst: Hey, how goes teahcing Pearl 2 here?
Pearl: Well she passed her first lesson and we are not going to call her Pearl 2.
Steven: Now we're moving on to the next lesson.
Amethyst: Oh I got one.
Amethyst took one of the dishes from the cabinet slams it the floor, breaking it. Pearl had horrified look on her face.
Pearl: Amethyst why?
Amethyst: Chillax P, this is part of the lesson. Okay New Pearl, clean up this mess.
Pink Pearl: N-No.
Steven: Good you're getting it.
Pink Pearl: Wow, I had no idea saying no could feel so good.
Pink Pearl went over to Amethyst and took a plate.
Pink Pearl: Look at me, I'm my own gem!
Pink Pearl smashes the plate to the ground, which still bothers Pearl.
Amethyst: Yeah, now you're talking.
They took out two more plates and smashed them. This was driving Pearl crazy.
Pearl: Oh ho kay that's enough you two. Amethyst may I remind you we're trying to teach her how to be independant, not reckless and crazy.
Amethyst: Relax P, don't you have like ten billion more in your gem?
Pearl: Yes, but they don't magically appear like my spears, I had to buy them.
Pearl takes out a broom and dust pan out of her gem.
Pearl: Now here you can clean this up.
Amethyst: Yeah uh, I don't clean so later.
Pink Pearl: Yeah later.
Pink Pearl followed Amethyst outside.
Pearl: ( sighs) Okay when she returns we need to show her how to be independant but responisble at the same time.
The next day.
So far Pink Pearl hasn't been acting like a servent and but was mostly spending time with Steven and Pearl. Pearl was trying to lecture her some more. Steven entered the house to see her..
Steven: Hey Pearl, the court is all set now.
Pearl: Oh coming. ( to Pink Pearl) Why not come and watch?
Pink Pearl: Um okay.
Pink Pearl followed them outside. The volleyball court was set and the gems were on their teams. Pearl was with Amethyst while Garnet was with Bismuth. Steven was the referee.
Steven: Alright then, Garnet you serve first.
Amethyst: I hope you're ready to lose Garnet, cause we're gonna bring the dinner to the table and then we're gonna eat it!
Pearl face palms herself and nods after what Amethyst just said.
Garnet: ( smirks) Alright Amethyst. If you say so.
Garnet serves the ball and the game begins. Pink Pearl watched as they played the game. She was somewhat intersted in it.
Pink Pearl: Steven, what is this they're playing.?
Steven: It's volleyball, it's a great sport that requires teamwork, communication and works well with upperbody strenght.
Pink Pearl: Oh.
They continued watching as Pink Pearl examined how they played. Garnet and Bismuth were ahead and were beating Pearl and Amethyst. Steven blew the whistle.
Steven: Half time!
The gems got off the court and took a break.
Pink Pearl: This game looks intense, but also fun.
Steven: Do you want to give it a go?
Pink Pearl: Me? I don't know...
Steven: It's always good to try new things. Consider this part of learning new life on Earth.
Pearl: Here you can take my place. You know what to do?
Pink Pearl: Hit the ball to the other side of the net and score the most points to win?
Pearl: Yes and remember have fun.
Garnet: Don't worry, we'll go easy on you.
The next half of the game was starting. Now Amethyst served the ball and Bismuth hits it back. It was coming towards Pink Pearl, she deflected the ball back. Garnet and Bismuth went easy since this was her first time. But as the game progresses, Pink Pearl was proving to be much better at it than they thought. She was very fast that Garnet and Bismuth were caught completely off guard and had a hard time keeping up as she kept scoring over and over.
Pearl: Oh my, she's naturaly good at this.
Steven: First Lapis with air hockey and now her on volleyball? I wonder if Peridot would be good at basketball.
Pink Pearl kept on playing hard core. Garnet and Bismuth were now trying to play back harder. Amethyst just stepped aside not wanting to mess her up. Bismuth hit the ball up high, but Pink Pearl jumped up in the air. Everyone looked up and could only see her as a silouhette since she was right under the sun. She hits the ball back so hard that she accidently hits Bismuth in the face, knocking her down.
Pink Pearl: Oh! Oh no! I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it.
Bismuth: Ugh, oh it's okay. Don't worry. Ow.
Bismuth gets back up, but everyone stares at her swollen and bruised face.
Bismuth: What? Does it look bad?
Amethyst: Uh, uh, No, not at all. You look terrific, not a scratch on it.
Bismuth: No, I can see it your eyes. It looks bad doesn't it?
Amethyst: It's pretty bad.
Pink Pearl: I'm sorry.
Bismuth: Pfft. Don't be, this is nothing compared what I've been through. Can't think of any at the moment, but I'm sure their's worse.
In her mind, this was actually the worst pain imanginable.
Bismuth: Still, that was unbelievable.
Amethyst: I know, dude that was awesome.
Steven: You're a natural pro at volleyball. Wait, that's it. I think your nickname should be Volleyball.
Pink Pearl: ( chuckles) Volleyball? I like that. I'm Volleyball everyone.
Garnet: That was a good game Volleyball, but we should stop now. Come on Bismuth, let's get you a bag of ice.
Bismuth: I don't need a bag of ice. I feel like a...ow.
Garnet: Don't talk, just walk.
Later.
Volleyball was outside looking at the sunset. Pearl was looking for her and saw her.
Pearl: Are you okay?
Volleyball: I'm fine, just looking at this sunset. We don't have something like this back on Homeworld do we?
Pearl: No we don't.
Pearl stood right next to her and watched as well.
Volleyball: Tell me, what have you and Pink Diamond done during my absence?
Pearl: I was suppsosed to just do what she says, but for some reason she didn't like the way I acted, as a servent.
Volleyball: Well when I was with her, we acted more like friends than just master and servent. I guess that's what she wanted from you.
Pearl: Well she did like it better when I started to think for myself, I wasn't allowed to when I was serving White Diamond.
Volleyball: I've heard what she's done to her gems if they acted out of character.
Pearl: It was horrifying. Anyway, during the war I fought along side with her. After that, I just helped her try and gather our corrupted friends and hoped to find a cure for them. Everything I did was for her.
Volleyball: So the two of you have been through a lot than.
Pearl: We did.
Volleyball began to tear up as Pearl noticed.
Volleyball: I never got to say goodbye to her.
Pearl placed her hand on her shoulder.
Pearl: I'm sorry, this was hard for all of us. But I can only imagine how you feel.
Pink Pearl: I was bubbled away in hopes of being fixed. But I haven't been fixed and the first thing that happened to me was being rejected and outcast. I was left alone and...
Pearl felt bad for her and hugged her.
Pearl: Shhh. It's okay. It's over. You're safe now.
Volleyball hugged her back tightly.
Volleyball: Am I ugly?
Pearl: What? No of course not. Because of your eye?
Volleyball nods to her.
Pearl: You're beautiful the way you are. Don't let anyone turn you down because of how you look and we will find a way to fix you someday.
Volleyball: Th-Thank you.
Volleyball hugs her again.
Volleyball: Do you miss her?
Pearl: Everyday, but I later realized I shouldn't let it hold me back all my life. She did leave me something, she left me her son.
Volleyball: She gave me something too.
Volleyball summoned what appeared to be a ribbon wand.
Volleyball: It's a ribbon wand. It was a gift from her many years ago.
Pearl: Oh, well that's very nice. All I have is a spear.
Volleyball: Well atleast you can fight with it.
Pearl: But I can't really do many tricks with it. All it can do is just stag and shoot lasers.
The two of them laugh for a moment.
Pearl: But I'm glad we found you. I know things have been hard, but it's going to change now, especially when we finally put an end to the Gara Droids. And you're not alone anymore. You have us now. You have me.
Volleyball: Thanks.
The two of them continued to watch the sunset and held hands. Pearl felt Volleyball's head lying on her shoulder. She didn't mind this and just smiled as they stood there a little while longer.
To be continued...
Author's Note: That's it for this chapter. I had a lot of fun writing this one. I didn't know whether to keep calling Volleyball her nickname or Pink Pearl, but because that's what the others called her in her episode, I'm going to label her has Volleyball now. Also she was meant to have another hobby, but I couldn't find a spot to fit in this chapter, but we'll continue a little more on her another time. Right now I need to focus back on the next major arc. Special thanks to Lady Shadow92 for help on this. Please read and review. Thank you.