I pace the area of my tent, my nerves were in a complete wreck.The war was official now and even though I had served in the Homeworld military before, I was moreso an agent (special operations like demolitions and spying). Rose gave me the rank of Praetorian, which means I have an entire legion to watch over and have to attend meetings of war to plan strategies. Why couldn't I just stay a saboteur?

A very formal voice tries to soothe my worrying, "Sir, do not worry. You will do just fine as a leader."

I calm a little, "Thank you Quartz, but I think we both know from experience that I am a terrible leader." he shifted from foot to foot, he didn't like it when I ragged on myself. He had always the utmost respect for me, even when he was just a Gemling. You see, I had taught the kid almost everything he knew.

"Emerald, sir, don't sell yourself so short. You were an amazing combat instructor back on Homeworld and you were able to convince your entire clan to join the war effort."

Before I could argue how I wasn't that great of a teacher or how my clan being here was not my intention nor wholly my doing, the flap for my tent opened and in walked Pearl, Rose's guard and sole confidant, "Praetorian and Legate, you are needed in the war room."

My tongue caught in my mouth. I don't know what it was about Pearl, but I just couldn't act normally around her. Before I could do anything that made me seem like a mad fool Quartz stepped forward to speak for me, assuring Pearl we would follow her soon.

"Fine, but please do hurry. The Loyalists won't stay still for long." with that she took off out of my tent, probably to get the other Praetorians ready.

I sigh in relief, "Thank you Quartz, I owe you big time."

He shook his head, "No sir, you don't. If anything, you owe it to yourself to stop being so self-deprecating; to say nothing of your feeling unworthy for the Renegade."

Sometimes he was too much of a nice guy, "Sure Quartz. Come on, we've a meeting to attend"

I stood by my legion's sigil, trying my best not to squirm under the gazes of the other Praetorians. They were all older than I and each of them had led countless Homeworld invasions, it goes without saying that I felt the pressure. Though that doesn't mean I didn't also feel anger, many of them put pressure on me because of who my mother was. My mother was both a warrior of legendary status and was a High Priestess of Moonstone, she was also a decorated tactician during the Clan wars and was one of the main reasons the Lazulites became a clan. So naturally, they thought I should be the same way as her, though they neglected to remember my father who I had taken most of my traits from.

Even with their stares I had a hard time focusing on the meeting, the other distraction being Pearl. Honestly what was with me, I couldn't stop staring at her. I tried my hardest but I couldn't look away, though it was creepy I did figure out why I couldn't… I was in love.

A fatherly voice resonates in my mind, "I knew it! Emerald, my son, you should talk to her."

'I can't just do that, it'd be weird, besides, she'd certainly say no.'

My father clicked his tongue in disappointment, 'Your student was right, you need to stop being so self-depreciating.'

'Can you just shut your… oh no.'

'What is it?'

Pearl was staring me dead in the eyes, I froze, still unable to tear my gaze away from her. I continue to watch in horror as she taps Rose on the shoulder and when she proceeds to whisper in her ear, almost certainly about me, I all but die. An enormous pit of overbearing dread fills my gut as Rose begins to turn towards me, smile full and wide, "Emerald, can you please come up here?"

I take my place on her stage and try my best to drown out the snickers from the crowd, "W-why did you call me up here?"

She didn't even try to whisper or beat around the bush, "Do you have a crush on Pearl?"

I can feel my mouth open and close like an aquatic animal on dry land. Eventually I regain whatever currently passes in composure for me, "W-Well…"

"Yes or no, it isn't too hard Emerald," Rose said, her smile still wide and friendly.

I lower my head in embarrassment, "Y-Yes…"

I heard her laugh with delight, "Wonderful! See, was that so hard? You can go back to your seat now."

I nod my head and walk in a daze back to my seat, it wasn't so hard truth be told, it was about the same difficulty as explaining rocket science by juggling rocks with your face while simultaneously jumping from planet to planet with only a single leg.

After the meeting I tried my hardest to run away from the scene but my path was blocked by three other praetorians, each one with their own mockery. The worst one was from the Umbra Praetorian, a very stout female-preset Onyx, who succeeded in a lackluster imitation of Pearl's voice, "Oh my, Emerald please just put your green lips upon mine! I need it very much, pleeeea-"

"Alright, alright. That is enough girly, get a move on."

I give the Praetorian of Dyanmo, a Coral who was actually an instrumental force behind my clan appearing on Earth, a grateful smile, "You are a blessing Coral."

"It's no problem, she really needed an attitude adjustment. That and her girth was blocking the door." we both laugh at the snide comment. He turned towards the opened flap, "Well, I've got an entire legion to move into position by nightfall, you keep safe Sageson."

I reassure him I will and begin to walk out with him, but I'm halted once again; this time the perpetrator is the same Gem I consider a sister, "Yes Rose, what is it?"

She flashed me an apologetic smile, "I just wanted to say I'm sorry if I embarrassed you Emerald, I never took the other praetorians into account."

I think about it for a moment or so, she really did have the best of intentions and she did help me get the secret off my chest, "No, you're fine Rose. You had only the best in mind for me. Anywho, I've got missions to assign now, so I guess we will talk later." She looked as if she wanted to continue our conversation but I had left before she could, I honestly did have people to assign duties to.

Quartz landed by my side, "Emerald sir, are you sure you are alright?"

I quicken my pace and leave him behind, "Yes, I'm quite fine Quartz."

So, remember how I said I had duties to assign… I lied. I still feel like crud being called out in front of everyone else like that. What made it worse was that it was also in front of Pearl, I could have handled the others, heck even the entire army besides Pearl I could have handled. 'I really am pathetic aren't I?'

"No, son, you aren't. What did we literally just speak about?"

'What does it matter? I was right all along, she doesn't have the same feelings for me.'

A green light floods my already green tent, a figure not unlike my own, but without the eternal behead I have, forms before my very eyes, "Now what in Star Quartz's Glory gave you that idea, son."

"You were there, she pointed me out to Rose so she could publicly shame me for even showing the tiniest bit of romantic interest in her!" my voice begins to waver, I can't help it, "She hates me Father… you were there."

Almost immediately after I finish speaking my Father opens his mouth, "Really, is that what you gleaned from that? Dear Moonstone you are quite daft son; you are overthinking things, I bet you more than anything you got that from your mother… nevermind that though, Emerald, this Pearl merely pointed something out to her superior officer. It doesn't means she strongly detests you nor does it mean she fiercely loves you. It was an act of neutrality."

'Oh…' that made more sense in a way; if she truly hated me then she could have dispatched me that night in the kindergarten.

He nodded and excitedly clenched his fist and pumped it into the air, "And that means you still have a chance Emerald, now go get your love!" My hand finds it's place upon my face, I was beginning to understand why the other Praetorians preferred my mother.

"Praetorian!" the flap of my door opened to reveal Quartz, "Sir, Loyalist forces…" he looked between me and my father, "Am I interrupting a familial moment here?"

I rise from my cot, "No, you said something about Loyalist forces?"

Quartz suddenly remembered his mission and gave his salute, "Emerald sir, Loyalist forces have found our site, the vanguard is currently dealing with them but they are outnumbered five to one."

Fear wells into my throat, "And where is Rose, Garnet, and Pearl?"

"Sir, Garnet managed to get Rose to safety and is awaiting your appearance to aid the vanguard."

The lump of fear grows ever prevalent, "And Pearl?"

Quartz swallows nervously, "With the vanguard…"

The Renegade Pearl, deviant of the Crystal Gem Rebellion, their most brilliant tactician, was now surrounded by the overwhelming Loyalist force. She was the last member of the vanguard that had tried to stop them, and she wouldn't be surviving for much longer. Pearl gripped her swords, resigning herself to fighting to the death, "Come you Loyalist scum, you are dealing with the Emissary of Rose Quartz."

One by one they came for their prey and one by one they fell, again, and again, and again. Even though she was winning, Pearl knew there was no stopping them. She would eventually fall and be shattered like her fellow Crystal Gems before her. She blocked a stab here, parried there, but despite her best efforts she was felled by a lucky punch to her head. She watched as the closest of the Loyalist Gems raised their weapon and poised it in a position to stab her gem. She smiled because she knew both that Rose was certainly safe and that these fools would surely lose this fight. There was still one person they hadn't accounted for, though he seemed an idiot, he surely was a good asset to the Crystal Gems.

So, assured by Rose's safety and the enemy's imminent destruction, Pearl resigned herself from the fight.

"Get away from her!" Pearl's eyes opened wide and she found the sun was blocked by one idiotic warrior, a blade erupted out diagonally from his back and the warm drops of blood landed on the grass in front of Pearl. "If anyone so much as lays another finger on her, I will personally see to it that you die slowly."

"Emerald?"

The fool turned towards Pearl and gave a big, toothy smile, "Just me for now, Garnet and my legion are on their way." He grabbed the sword and ripped it from his chest, the wound started healing due to his sage powers, but it healed rather slowly, "Now, who does this sword belong to? Oh, nobody? Really, it belongs to noone?" he clicked his tongue, it made Pearl momentarily forget about his wound and think he was still joking around, "Well I guess the good have to suffer for the bad. I'll just assume this belongs to each and every one of you"

Emerald went into an offensive stance and smiled darkly, laughing maniacally as his Sagestate aura enveloped his entire body, "So, here I c-" The Sage covered his mouth and a fit of coughs soon racked his body, blood poured between his fingers. The enemy saw this and each Loyalist sneered at his oh so obvious facade; they were going to tear into him, Pearl could see it now.

One by one they began creeping ever so closer to the two weakened Gems, Emerald tried to stand but his power had a negative effect that didn't just stop at making him a bit more organic. His immense powers made whatever mortal wound he is inflicted worse than it would normally be, so by keeping his Sagestate going he was doing more harm to himself than the enemy forces.

He barely blocked a sword, was only just able to poof five Loyalists, and barely avoided a slice to the neck. Pearl couldn't just watch him die, she jumped in the fray and pulled him towards her. As she did he did one last thing to protect the Gem he loved, he flicked a wrist up and a wall formed around the duo. Pearl looked at him, "Why in the world did you do that?"

He closed his eyes and laughed, stopping only to painfully cough, "Oh what, this wall? Well, I thought you'd want some privacy as you waited for the others to get here."

"I mean why did you jump in the path of that sword? Why did you sacrifice yourself?"

His smile curled into a frown, though his eyes stayed closed. The words he spoke next struck Pearl hard, "Honestly, because I couldn't bear the thought of losing another person I love…"

She could tell from the softness of the Sage's voice that he was close to death, she didn't fully understand Sagestate but she knew that they permanently formed certain organic vital organs and from the massive amount of blood pooling on the ground he had been struck in the heart. It was almost certain that if he was growing weak from blood loss then he could die just like Humans could, shattering was definitely not the only way to kill him.

She tried to get Emerald to speak again, but when he didn't she grew worried. When his aura dissipated, realization dawned on her. Emerald had closed his eyes from the start, he didn't want her to see the light drain from his eyes. "Emerald? No, come on, you can make it. I'm sure the others are almost here…" He didn't answer her back, for some reason this made Pearl worried. She rested her forehead upon Emerald's right shoulder, her tears falling to the ground. As she did a light could be seen emanating from the cracks on the outside of the wall.

The enemy forces were too busy fending off the reinforcements to notice the quickly brightening light. So when the wall exploded and a tall yellow figure burst forth from the shards with war axes in hands they were naturally surprised. It's short, kempt hair flowed softly in an unnatural wind, their eyes lit up by a lust for vengeance and a sense of protection. They dispelled one of their axes and drew a sword, "Who does this belong to? No answers? Then I guess anyone without a rose upon their chest will have to perish by my hands."

A manic smile found Yellow Topaz's face a rather pleasant home, they took off at blinding speeds to seek the justice that destroying the Loyalist army would give.

Days Later:

I awake upon a cot, it wasn't too uncomfortable until I tried moving. As pain arced its way across my body I felt the bandages around my chest. When the pain subsides I call out, "Hello, anybody?" The thin sheet of fabric ripped to one side to reveal a very relieved Quartz.

"Oh thank Star Quartz. Praetorian, are you feeling ok, nothing out of order?" He begins prodding my chest and wherever else he thinks I may be hurt.

I knock his hand away once he begins to lift my arms, "I'm fine, I'm fine. Sheesh, you act worse than my mother did."

He gives a sheepish laugh, "S-Sorry sir, I still don't know everything about what Sagestate does to you…"

"It's fine… for future reference I can assure you that my armpits have never been an object of pain for me."

His cheeks flush a pale white, "R-Right, dreadfully sorry Emerald sir."

"Hey, you were supposed to get me when he woke up!" Quartz is shoved out of the way by the one person I least expected to visit me.

"Pearl? What are you doing here?" I ask.

She shook her head, "What did you hope would happen by saving me?"

It is my turn to shake my head, "What?"

"You heard me, what did you expect would happen by saving me?" she crossed her arms in a no-nonsense manner.

I breathed in and released the air, readying myself for whatever consequence my answer would bring, "Like I said, if I had let you die I wouldn't have been able to live with myself. I physically cannot handle losing another person that I love."

She seemed taken aback by my genuine answer, she pondered it for a moment and then asked another question, "What do you mean by that?"

I chuckled, "Well, do you want the short story or long story?"

She pulled up her tablet and checked her timetable, I watched in total surprise as she erased three different war meetings, "The long version please."