"So, you're…the Diamond's Pearl, right?" Pearl asked, doing her best to recover from the shock that momentarily consumed her when Freshwater said her name. While she had been fairly certain the gem had been who she was looking for, having it confirmed made it feel so much more REAL.
Freshwater nodded. "Yes. I have been serving them to the best of my ability for a while now. Im not….what they're looking for, but I consider myself incredibly lucky to have been given the chance to serve them as long as I have been." She said, dropping Pearl's hand and making her way deeper into the forest section of the Zoo.
"What do you mean you're not 'what they're looking for?'" Pearl asked, arching an eyebrow and trying to keep up.
Freshwater rolled her eyes. "That information is classified."
Pearl shook her head, refusing to let the gem stonewall her now that she had gotten this far. "This has to do with the Perfect Pearl experiment. Doesn't it. Project Perfection."
Freshwater froze before slowly turning back to Pearl. "What do YOU know Project Perfection?" She demanded, narrowing her eyes.
"Freshwater, I know a LOT more about your connection to Project Pearl than even you do." She said simply.
Freshwater's eyes lit up angrily. "Bullshit." She snapped. "Listen, I don't know what you THINK you know about me, but you're wrong. You're incinerating that I'm the Pearl from that cursed experiment gone wrong, right? That I turned on the Diamonds and that for some reason they let me live, correct? Well, let's see your proof. If you're going to compare me to that disrespectful excuse for a gem, at least show me cold, hard, evidence." The gem snarled, glaring at Pearl, who patiently let her finish.
"Gladly." The gem in front of her said, her calm demeanor catching Freshwater by surprise as the taller gem reached into her gemstone and pulled out a report with the words Project Perfect Imperfection scrawled on top of it.
"This is a report on the project." She said, handing it to Freshwater. "Everything from the Pearls creation to what happened to them after they took part in the uprising at the Zoo is there. It was written by the gem who was there since the very beginning, so she has no reason to lie." The gem said, staring intently at Freshwater as the gem stared at the binder of reports in shock like it were a venomous snake.
Freshwater looked up at the gem. "Why are you so insistent that I read this report and be convinced that I'm the Pearl in this report? Even if I am, it doesn't change how things are now." She asked
Pearl thought for a moment. "Well….because you deserve to know about your past and present. And….maybe a chance to determine your future." she said with a small smile, sitting underneath one of the trees that was producing blue apples and patting the spot next to her. "You don't have to go through it alone." Pearl said, motioning for the gem to join her. "I'm sure this is all…pretty intense."
Freshwater hesitated, looking from the report to the spot next to Pearl and back again.
"Fine." She said, exasperated. "If gems are going to make false allegations about me I might as well know the report on what happened from material cover to cover to be able to at least defend myself." She said, walking over and sitting next to Pearl, looking up when she felt the gem wrap an arm around her shoulder.
"Is this…okay?" The gem asked, arching an eyebrow and blushing slightly.
Freshwater tore her eyes away from the gem, a faint blush coming to her face as well. "Yeah." She said simply, turning her attention back to the report and starting to read.
…
"Log date: 6920: this mission is proving to be far more difficult than anticipated. While I would of course NEVER go against or directly question the decisions my merciful, loving, and ever gracious Diamond would make, I must say being paired with a Peridot to assist the Diamonds in a mission to create a pearl fit for perfection was a surprising one."
"Stop complaining about me in your audio log!"
The agate rolled her eyes at the interruption as she snapped back. "Don't interrupt me! I just learned how to use this stupid tech to automatically record my statements and translate them to text. I'd rather not re-record anything more often than I need to." she said, turning back to the little robonoid on her desk, staring momentarily at the bright blinking red light. "I suppose it makes sense in a weird way." the gem said, pacing back and forth in her room as the Robonoid continued to record. "A Peridot knows far more about injectors and creating gems than an Agate does, and an Agate as perfect and amazing as myself would of course know how to keep said gem in line." she said, pausing to smirk at herself in the mirror.
"Anyhow." she said, running a hand through her hair. "This mission should only take a few millenia at best, my Diamond. While we have had a few unfortunate mishaps where gems would emerge nowhere near adequate to serve one Diamond, let alone three, we are learning more and more about what types of materials we can combine when we create Pearls. What types of rock create loyalty, what types create strength, what creates dexterity…it is all quite fascinating." she said before pausing and glancing at the map which highlighted their next planet. "We hope to finish our experiments and understanding on Homeworld in the next few days, then leave for EArth to begin attempting to create a perfect Pearl from Pink Diamond's colony. The results have been interesting so far, and we hope to come away with a Pearl perfect enough for all of you. After all, it's what you deserve, my radiant, sparkling, dazzling, brilliant—"
…
"Okay, the rest of the report from this log is just filled with synonyms for radiant." Freshwater said, holding up the next three pages worth of notes. "Never expected Holly Blue to be a kiss-ass."
Pearl snorted. "Firstly, language. Secondly, I can't say I'm shocked. She's always been obsessed with how the Diamonds perceive her. She even shines her shoes shined every time she goes to speak with one of them." Freshwater arched an eyebrow. "Oh? Is that the reason you're in the Zoo? Because you serve her? Man, I'm sorry. Working for her must be the worst."
Pearl looked sadly at the shorter gem, giving her a squeeze. "You have no idea." she said simply as Freshwater turned to the next page in the report.
…
"Log date 7001." Holly Blue Agate said, pacing back and forth aggressively in her room back on Homeworld, exhaustion and tension present in her voice. "Firstly, I would like to apologize for my absence." she said. "The last you heard from me, the Peridot assigned on this mission along with myself were in the process of destroying that Defective Pearl in the Prime Kindergarten." she said, wringing her hands together as she continued to pace. "Well…as you can imagine we ran into an issue. See, in the middle of this, we were attacked by those Crystal Gems." she said, gritting her teeth.
"They stepped in to defend a defect, and like the cowards they are they all attacked at once. I was separated from the Peridot assisting me in the process, and they tried to convert me to their team, but I managed to escape. I know I am not deserving of a second chance, but I hope you are able to see that I am making the decision to come back to you after years of being trapped in a bubble before being released. I hope you can see that after all of this time, I am still loyal to you. I will always be loyal to you, and even if you get this report you decide to shatter me, I will take it with dignity. Just like any perfect gem should."
…
"Log date 7050." Holly Blue Agate said, a slight spring in her step as she stared out the window in front of her. "My Diamonds, I cannot thank you enough for giving me this second chance to prove that you did not make a mistake in your decision to not shatter me after my failure to destroy the defect. Not only can I assure you it will never happen again - I can guarantee that it haws lead to an amazing development." she said, grinning at the Robonoid on the table next to her.
"The defect sent out a distress signal. Apparently they are playing buddy-buddy with the Crystal Gems at the moment. They believe she is converting to her side, but she is playing them like fools! She was able to give us information about their base, the gems in their crew, and even their motives. They care about humans to the extent they will die on Pink's colony to protect them. It's really quite pathetic, but perhaps we can collect a human and use them to force the gems to relinquish information about Rose Quartz, who is apparently gone from their crew. I am also requesting Jasper join us on this mission to ensure it goes smoothly, which I do not doubt it will. After all, they're sitting ducks and think their new recruit is working for them."
…
Freshwater felt a pang of guilt in her chest as she looked up at Pearl, at a loss for words as memories flashed across her mind. Foggy memories of things like names of humans and gems she had known throughout her life, then more specific things related to the betrayal the report mentioned, where she was standing in front of the Agate from the Zoo and a Peridot, answering question after question about the Crystal gems. How they could exploit their weaknesses, potential weapons they could use, the location of their base, the look on the gem's faces as they shifted from anger at her for sneaking out at night to shame accusing the gem of turning on them without proof. The deep shame that came from having to own the fact that she turned on the gems who had given her a second chance.
…
"Log date…Ugh does it even matter anymore?" Holly Blue Agate said, angrily pacing back and forth aggressively in her office at the Zoo. "That defective, worthless, ungrateful, pathetic chunk of Earth has turned on me several times now." she snarled. "Releasing the human, Amethyst, Ruby, and Sapphire in our custody while on the ship, blatantly disrespecting me by calling our amazing technology DINGY EARTH MATERIAL, and now taking part in an uprising at the Zoo?" the gem yelled, throwing her desk chair across the room and taking a deep breath as she tried to steady her nerves.
"Calm yourself, Agate." she murmured as she stared at the broken remnants of her chair. "My Diamonds, had you inspected I not shattered them, they would be dead. I'm honestly surprised the Defect didn't seal my fate when I delivered adequate punishment for the little mutiny she took part in. After all, if I had, I would have lost the fusion the Diamonds wanted to see. And that would have definitely led to my shattering for sure." she murmured, finally managing to calm herself. "I suppose all of the activities they did together while at the Zoo made fusion easier." she said, rolling her eyes. "Perhaps they fused because they're emotionally connected to each other. Rather than fusing for the sake of the authority, they do so because 'they care about each other.' It's pathetic." she said before pausing and shrugging. "Well, at least the it isn't something as disgraceful as having the gem be from a different gem type. Now THAT would be disgraceful."
…
"I thought defects couldn't fuse?" Freshwater said, glancing up at Pearl, who shook her head. "Speaking from first hand experience, that is incorrect." Freshwater started to ask the gem what she meant by that when it hit her like a truck. "You….You're the other Pearl in that report?" she asked, dumbstruck.
Pearl smirked before nodding. "Honestly, I'm surprised it took you that long to figure out."
Freshwater rolled her eyes. "Sorry I'm a little slow to the draw. Still coping with the fact that I helped disobey several orders and even took part in an uprising, and am only being hit with all the memories from that night years later." she paused. "So…how did a Crystal Gem manage to get out of this mess unscathed?"
Pearl gave a coy smile. "Why don't you read the next report?"
…
"Log date 8001." Holly Blue Agate said in an exhausted voice as she stared at the Robonoid on her desk in shock. "I just saw the temporarily fix to the Perfect Pearl dilemma. I must admit I am incredibly impressed with the work the Diamonds were able to do with the Defect, especially since the gem managed to bubble three gems and send them off to who knows where. Not only is she far more aesthetically pleasing and easy on the eyes - she is far better behaved. She doesn't question a single order. Of course, the Diamonds do not wish to have her be their permanent Pearl and are going to replace her as soon as they are able to, but for the time being it is a good solution. Unfortunately, I have been doomed to the Zoo for the rest of my life, no longer allowed to work on the project for any reason. It's quite a merciful punishment, if I'm honest. Far better than I deserve." she said, reaching out and pressing a button on the Robonoid, feeling a weight she didn't know was there lift from her shoulders.
Unbeknownst to her, however, the little Robonoid continued to record. "It's hard to believe that one day none of this will matter to me in a few hundred years." she vented to herself, leaning back in her chair. "In a few years, the Diamonds will have a gem who can do anything they order her to without question. The loyalty of a Pearl, strength of a Jasper, the commanding nature of an Agate…gem types won't matter anymore because that will be the only type of gem on the planet besides the Diamonds. Then, of course, there will be no need for the rest of us. We'll all be picked off one by one." she said, sighing. "None of it will ever matter, but if it's what My Diamond desires, so it shall b- oh my stars the robonoid is still on." Holly Blue said, for once feeling a shiver run down her spine as she picked it up. "I'll have to get Peridot to take this off the record. Can't have other gems know about this."
…
Closing the report, the gem looked up at Pearl, the memories coming back in full force and flooding her body with emotions as she stood, shaking slightly.
Pearl watched for the gem's reaction as silence lapsed between them.
"Why..why did you come here?" she asked, her back to Pearl. "I…I put you in danger. I put everyone in danger. I turned on Garnet, Amethyst, Steven…I turned on you. You were all so kind to me. Why did you come back? I…I don't deserve this." she said, her shoulders shaking slightly as her eyes filled with tears.
"Freshwater." Pearl said gently, standing and making her way to the gem, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I know you made a huge mistake when you turned on us, but you did your damndest to try to fix it. The gem I know-"
"You don't know me." Freshwater interrupted softly, turning to face Pearl and removing her visor so she could wipe the tears from her eyes. "Before today I didn't even know me. How do you know I won't turn on you again?"
Pearl reached out and gently wiped the shorter gem's tears. "Because I trust you." she said simply. "The others know about everything, and we're all in agreement. You made a mistake, but you deserve a second chance." she said, wrapping her arms around the gem and hugging her close.
For a moment, Freshwater hesitated, her lower lip quivering as she returned the hug. "I…I'm sorry." she choked out. "It's okay. I forgive you. I'm here for you. You spent so much time protecting me, and now it's my turn to return the favor. I'll do it for you." Freshwater barely registered the gem's words as she broke down in tears, finally releasing thousands of years of pent up anger, sadness, frustration, and fear as Pearl comforted her, the embrace reminding her of that familiar feeling from her dreams with the gem.
For the first time in her life, she could finally say she felt safe.