When you first laid eyes on Homeworld, you had been in absolute awe at the beauty of the planet. Gleaming, glittering spires of crystal rose high above the surface, piercing the sky and ending in the middle of the planet's stratosphere. Space stations orbited the planet, each servicing several ships, or having organic gardens and the like. On the surface of the planet, there were buildings that seemed to be taken right out of a fantasy novella, each and every one of them beautiful and stunning, even despite their commonality. Statues and temples dotted the surface, further enhancing the beauty of Homeworld. Everything on the planet was so beautifully utopian. So... perfect.
You didn't have time to think about Homeworld's beauty right now. You were here for one reason: failure. Yellow Diamond wanted to speak to you. Yellow Diamond wanted to personally speak to you.
If you thought you made colossal mistakes in the past, those thoughts were eclipsed by this one. Gems who made mistakes that warranted the attention of a Diamond were usually shattered, but those who weren't shattered were never the same after meeting with the Diamond. They became skittish and paranoid, any mistake they made after the meeting made them nearly have panic attacks. Any sort of friendly relations they had with other Gems dried up and died. What happened to them?
You were jolted from your thoughts as the ship touched down on the landing pad, sending a slight shudder through out the spacecraft. Waiting a moment, you shakily stood from your seat and quickly moved to exit the ship.
Stepping off of the ship, you paused and then froze. Near the ship, just a little bit past the land pad was a procession of Gems. You counted around 13 Gems. Most of them were obviously soldiers, wearing the signature armor of the Imperial Guard. Distinctive black helmets adorned their heads, the tops of them flaring out to a nail's head with the symbol of the Diamond Authority emblazoned on the top of the helmet. A non-reflective, pitch-black visor stared back impassively at you, though the mouths of the Gems were uncovered showcasing stony lower faces. Cheek guards went down the side of the head, ending just past the jaw.
They were wearing high-collared half-capes, the capes were held together by a brown clasp. Underneath the capes, the gems had a yellow diamond emblazoned on the chests of their jumpsuits. Their forearms were covered by sleeves that ended with a wrap around the middle-fingers. The distinctive armor, the yellow diamond emblazoned on their chests... these soldiers were Yellow Diamond's personal contingent of Imperial Guards.
Your body locked up in terror. Attempting to move your body proved impossible, fear staying your limbs. Your non-existent heart stopped and dropped out of your chest, falling through your body and into the core of Homeworld. You could only stare at them, your very own funeral procession: here to guide you to your grave.
The Gems seemed to realize you weren't going to move any further and they parted, revealing a single Gem standing in the middle of the procession of Imperial Guard. She stood at around the same height as the soldiers, but she seemed just as, if not more, imposing than the dozen or so soldiers surrounding her. She started walking towards you and as she got closer to you, you noticed she had a smile on her face. The dread you were experiencing tripled at that. Finally, after a few long strides, she stooped right in front of you.
She was quite pretty and taller than you by at least twice your height, only about 4 foot 2 without your limb enhancers. Her hair was a bright white and was styled to a point, with semi-long bangs curling towards her mouth, further up her hair, she had a pair of winglets jutting from her hair. You saw a white oval Gem on her forehead. She was a Pearl, and she was perhaps the most unsettling Pearl you'd ever seen in your entire life as a Gem. Her smile was unsettling, almost as if an alien creature was trying to mimic a smile, only succeeding in making a twisted mockery of a smile.
She was wearing a cloak similar to the Imperial Guards cloaks, except it was colored a sort of bluish-white and had a wrap-around collar that rose up to the back of her head. Underneath the cloak, she was wearing a set of robes. It seemed, upon further inspection, she was wearing a sort of jacket or coat above the robes, acting as a secondary coat, you guessed. The sleeves of the coat completely concealed her hands, and she was holding her arms folded in front of herself. You were going to continue to discreetly look her over, when you noticed it.
A white diamond emblazoned across the Gems chest. A white diamond... a Gem belonging to White Diamond... White Diamond's Pearl?! You had not only garnered the attention of Yellow Diamond, but White Diamond too?!
This realization was too much to bear for you and broke you out of your stupor and causing you to let out a sharp whine and attempting to back away from the Pearl, but before you could make any sort of distance, quick as lightning, she grabbed you by the arm and stopped you.
"Greetings, Peridot Facet 5D6G Cut-3DF. I am Pearl! It is so nice to finally meet you!" she said, making you freeze up once again. It's nice to finally meet me? No, no, no. What? Why?! You barely noticed the Pearl speaking again, and once you started to pay attention again, you only caught the tail-end of her sentence, but what you did hear only increased your dread:
"-llow Diamond, you know?" she said, voice as chipper as can be, smiling that same dead, empty smile all the while. She seemed to know you weren't paying attention, if the look in her eyes was anything to go by. The both of you stood there for a while, nothing being said at all, the Pearl staring down at you all the while. It took a while, but you worked up all of your near non-existent, stretched to-its-limits courage, and opened your mouth to ask a question; but before you even opened your mouth, the Pearl yanked you forward and threw her arm around your head, arm sinking into your hair as her hand reached around your face, blocking your mouth. She didn't have her smile anymore and her eyes, once sparkling in faux mirth, looked flat and dead.
"I've wasted enough time. Truly, I had hoped that you would say something, but I can see that, that was a wasted effort on my part. Apologies."
You didn't have enough time to fully process her words before she started to march you towards and past the procession of Imperial Guards. You couldn't turn to look behind you as the Pearl had an iron grip on your head, but you could hear the sounds of several pairs of heavy footfalls behind you and the Pearl.
At this point, your dread and fear had come back full circle, leaving you feeling apathetic and empty. Why me? What did I do wrong?
Silence reigned as neither you nor the Pearl said anything. The only sounds being made were footsteps and rustling cloth.
As she dragged you away from the landing pad and into the docking bay, you couldn't help but feel embarrassed. It was stupid, and illogical, and-and... you shouldn't be feeling embarrassed, you're about to be shattered, you're about to die, or be tortured or both or maybe you'll be just like those other Gems, afraid of your own shadow and having a mental breakdown every time you make a mistake.
Your downward spiral was momentary but draining, much like the last week and a half. Coming back from your thoughts, you barely noticed the hands on your mouth and arm, instead taking notice of all of the Gems watching you get dragged around. There were Agates, Sapphires, Rubies, Pearls, Jaspers, too many Gems, all staring at you. Some had malicious frowns and scowls, some had contemptuous, gleeful grins and smirks, most had stony faced indifference, their faces flat like granite, dead and emotionless, but their eyes held sparks of contempt and malice, all of it directed at you, a lower Gem. Doubtless, you were being taken to be shattered for some unknown infraction, they might think. They started to whisper amongst themselves.
All of their glares, stares, and glances made your cheeks flush a dark green, your embarrassment coming back in full force. Pointing your eyes towards the floor, you started to trace the pattern on the floor. That wouldn't work for the whispering, though:
"Look at her, Pearl. That's what will happen to you, if you continue to disobey me. You'll be taken away to be shattered. Doubtless, that's where that Peridot is being taken to." says the whisper, its voice filled with contempt and maliciousness.
"Disgraceful! Simply disgraceful! How they didn't know that Peridot wasn't a defect baffles me!" another whisper, the tone haughty and self-important, a noble Gem, no doubt.
"Disgusting..." the last one you cared to listen to said, its tone so thoroughly malicious and contemptuous.
You couldn't handle the whispers.
It was hell all the way to Yellow Diamond's palace. The whispers never stopped. All the way to her palace, there were Gems whispering, pointing, grinning, giggling, you had closed your eyes at some point. A childish attempt to-to... to... do something. It made you feel better, so you did it. That was good enough for you.
The Pearl never let you go, even when you were tripping up the steps of Yellow Diamond's palace, trying to match her pace. She would tighten her grip to the point of hurting, gaining more leverage with which she could drag you with.
Yellow Diamond's palace was imposing, and it wasn't just because of your reason for being here. Yellow Diamond had a very defining style, as do the other diamonds. Yellow Diamond preferred a utilitarian design for her palace. Little space was saved for style, and the little style there was, was incredibly utilitarian in itself. You barely got any more than that because of the Pearl dragging you around.
It was a quick thing entering Yellow Diamond's palace, it seemed as if the guards at the entryway had been alerted to your arrival. Once inside, the Pearl immediately continued walking, nearly picking you up off of the ground in her haste. You knew where she was going and why she was going so fast, it scared you.
Eventually, you were led to an absolutely massive door and, finally, the Pearl let you go. It was unexpected, and it caused you lose your balance for a moment. Regaining it quickly, you turned towards the Pearl only to find her missing, looking around quickly showed that she had only walked to the door, turning her head she stared with a bored, expectant look at you. Getting the message, you unsteadily walked towards the door, the door to Yellow Diamond's throne room... Oh, stars. Help me, please. God? Please, help... Please...
The Pearl didn't wait for you to reach her before interacting with a panel to the side of the door, pressing a button the door began to shake and shudder as it opened, letting out a loud 'boom' as the door finished. The Pearl proceeded inside, followed, incredibly reluctantly, by you. The door shut behind you, letting out another 'boom' as it did so. No going back now... trapped like an animal. Is this what rabbits feel like when they get caught in cages? Oh, stars... I'm dead, this is it.
Looking for the Pearl, you saw her approaching a large, yellow crystalline throne. There in the throne sat a giant Gem, whose yellow hair styled in a bob with two large, upward facing cowlicks was unmistakable. The Gem sitting in that throne was none other than Yellow Diamond.
Freezing on the spot, you threw a Diamond Salute and stood at attention. You didn't know who Yellow Diamond was personally; but what you did know was that she was the strictest of the Diamonds. She would verbally ream Gems who earned her ire at best and send Gems off to be shattered at worst. You were here because you made a mistake that shattered dozens of Gems, oh stars - catching yourself before you could spiral, you caught the end of what could only have been the Pearl announcing your arrival.
"-sent to you Peridot 5D6G Cut-3DF, as you have requested!" she finished flamboyantly, saluting just like you were.
Yellow Diamond seemed to have been preoccupied with a holographic display, but refocused her attention to the Pearl, before bringing her piercing, yellow eyes to bear on your own eyes. Time seemed to pause for a moment, just a moment, but that seemed to be all Yellow Diamond needed to gain confirmation that, yes, you were the Peridot she wanted. Sending the holographic display away, she stood from her throne and stepped away from it. She never broke eye contact with you.
It stayed like this for but a moment, before she said something.
"You are the Peridot that was responsible for maintenance of the Dauntless, yes?" she inquired, her voice holding a strange note to it. It sounded like grief, if such a thing was even possible for a Diamond. Why?
"Y-yes, My Diamond." Oh, stars. I STUTTERED. I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
"I suppose that you know that the Dauntless suffered a catastrophic engine failure, yes?"
"Yes, My-My Diamond." GAH! I'm dead, I'm dead. FRACK!
She hm's, staring down at your diminutive form like-like... nothing. There was no emotion on her face, her eyes not even giving you a hint as to what she was thinking. Fear and despair and-and... there were so many bad feelings in you, and they were all coalescing into one horrid emotion that you couldn't even begin to quantify what you were feeling.
"I suppose that you know why I have called you here, then?" she posits the question as though she expected you to not know why she called you here, but... you read the report. Or, well... you read the beginning portions of it. You didn't read past the part about the... the Gems.
"I-yes, My Diamond." here, you can see a frown begin to form on her lips, her brow furrowing ever so slightly.
"Clearly you do not, otherwise you would be groveling for mercy at this moment." she said, her frown becoming a fierce, ugly thing, "I will have mercy on you for not knowing, from what that Jasper has reported to your superior, you were vomiting at the news. So, allow me to show you why you are here." she finishes with a menacing growl, you just about turned and ran, but what would have most definitely happened to you stayed your feet.
Yellow Diamond looked to the Pearl and beckoned her over to her side, "Pearl, retrieve the shards."
The Pearl snapped a quick salute, turning and walking over to a row of tables, all of them empty besides the one the Pearl was advancing towards. Looking past the Pearl, you could see a yellow cushion with gleaming, yellow shards on them.
She quickly picked up the cushion, she made her way back towards you and Yellow Diamond. Once she reached the two of you, Yellow Diamond spoke once again:
"Look at those shards, Peridot. Look at them and tell me what Gem those shards belong to." she spat out viciously, a glare burning a hole through your head. You held the salute, mostly out of fear, before you dropped it and approached the Pearl.
Closing in on her, you looked at the shards laying on the cushion. There were only 4 shards, the Gem having been quartered apart. Upon closer inspection, the Gem was a very, very light-yellow color, so light that you nearly mistook it for a white Gem. The Gem shards, when stuck back together, would have made an oval... shaped... Gem. Your shock and horror must've shown itself on your face, because Yellow Diamond growled.
"Yes, Peridot. Those shards belonged to a Pearl. My Pearl."
