Chapter 8
"Amazing! Let me try!"
Steven gasped in awe as Pink confidently juggled three colorful balls, their arcs nearly scraping the ceiling. He sat criss-cross on the floor, staring up at his Diamond's performance. She smiled at him gleefully as she grandly threw all of them up together, catching them one by one in her palm. She gave a flourishing bow and winked down at him, theatrically smiling and waving at an invisible crowd.
They were in Pink's private chambers, as they had been for many days now. The vast pink-walled chamber stretched around them, the tall windows inviting a cool breeze to flow through the gauzy curtains. No one bothered them in here, and they could do whatever they wanted. The Pebbles made them obstacle courses and playgrounds whenever they wanted, and they had some privacy from the Diamonds and Pink's Pearl. In here, they had peace.
Pink knelt and reached her gloved hand across the open space between them. Their outstretched fingers brushed as he grabbed at the painted wooden toys. A spark passed between them, and their eyes snapped up to stare at each other. Steven watched a dark pink creep up his best friend's neck and onto her cheeks, and he felt his cheeks grow warm as well.
For weeks now, he and Pink had moments like this, but neither of them seemed willing to address it. He had no idea what 'this' even was, let alone what to say about it.
Pink's fingers intertwined with his, and she looked down at them. Her long eyelashes kissed her cheeks as she opened her mouth to speak.
The balls thudded to the ground suddenly as the Diamond chime rang throughout the bedroom, startling them. They exchanged a worried glance and jumped to their feet as the door to Pink's room opened, revealing a small, melancholy blue gem. Blue Pearl bowed her head at Pink, holding her sheer skirt out at her sides before addressing Pink. Her quiet, silky voice crept into the vast room, her mouth barely moving as she spoke.
"Pink Diamond, my Diamond requests your presence."
Pink's Pearl stood next to her, looking between the room's occupants bitterly. She had been left out of the room as he and Pink played, because she was as anti-fun as the other Diamonds could be. She watched indignantly as Pink picked him up and placed him on her shoulders, following Blue Pearl down the hall.
"What does Blue Diamond want with me?"
Pink sounded particularly nervous as she asked; she hadn't properly spoken to Blue since she had been yelled at, and she was afraid she was in trouble again.
"She has a surprise for you, my Diamond."
They all walked together quietly, Pink's pearl trailing behind the group. Steven turned around briefly and caught a troubled look cross her pointed face as she stared at the ground.
The gems stopped at the end of a long, dimly lit hallway, in front of an ornate door three times as large as Pink's. Blue Pearl placed a dainty hand on the door's entry pad, alighting her face in a pale blue glow. The door swung wide open, and the Pearl stepped to the side, bowing to Pink as they all stepped in.
Blue Diamond's private rooms were immense compared to Pink's. The palace was built like a citadel, with high arches in the ceilings that reached to unite in the center, supporting an elaborately decorated crystal chandelier. The glowing crystals swayed gently in the air as if stirred by a breeze, and Steven realized that they were hundreds of drops of glowing water, not supported by any sort of metalwork base. The entire ceiling was filled with these lights, casting soft light down to the room. He wondered what gem's powers made the water droplets glow and float like that.
His attention was snapped down to a massive blue throne in the center of the room when its occupant cleared her throat.
"My beloved Pink. Thank you for coming. I have a present for you, come."
She gestured with her hand as she stood from her seat, stepping around the back of it. Pink carried him over to Blue, who stood atop a warp pad, this one designed to be much larger than normal. The warp was perfectly nestled behind the throne so that you couldn't see it from the front. Pink stopped in her tracks, her face screwing up. Her voice came out whiny as she yelled up at blue, stomping her foot.
"How come you get a warp in your room and I don't?! That's not fair at all! I want a warp!"
Blue Diamond speared Pink with her eyes as she gestured again for them to get on the warp pad.
"I have a warp pad because I have colonies to attend to. Do you have any colonies to attend to, Pink? I didn't think so. Let's go."
Pink huffed indignantly and stomped onto the pad, nearly throwing Steven off with her exaggerated movements. She stopped next to Pearl and stood stone-still as Blue activated the warp. They were sucked up into the stream, space rushing around them and whipping their hair across their faces. This was his first time warping, and he clung to the Diamond's shoulders as he felt his weight lifting away from her. He felt like he was in a free fall, and he squeezed his eyes shut against the vertigo. Pink stood completely straight with her arms crossed over her chest, pouting.
They landed on solid ground again, Steven's body slamming back down onto Pink Diamond. He sagged off of her shoulders and stretched himself onto the solid ground below. His head was dizzy as he clung to the crystalline surface of the warp, attempting to ground himself.
On his knees, he looked up to see a bright, colorful landscape surrounding him, contrasted by an inky black sky above. Intense greens and pinks shone from the perfectly manicured flower bushes that followed the paved path, broken every few feet by tall, geometrically carved stone columns stretched into space. Thick vines of beautiful pothos and ivy wound their way up the beams, their deep green leaves reaching out. Rows upon rows of the brightest blue and purple flowers lined the walkway, winding around trees and bushes, their perfumed scent wafting through the air. At the end of the path, Steven could see a platform raised high, and to its right, a small pond. The surface of the water rippled, swaying the lily pads and flowers gently. The vibrancy of this place gave Steven joy, especially when he compared this to the dreary palace.
He looked up to see the same sense of wonder written all over Pink's face. She had dropped her pouting stance and she stood with her hands on either side of her face, awestruck. He blushed fondly as he remembered that she had made this exact face when she got him as a gift. He grabbed her hands, and they ran down from the pad together, their heads swiveling wildly to take in all of the sights.
"I had this garden made so you'd stop getting into trouble at the palace. You can use the warp in the throne room whenever you want to get here."
Blue gracefully stepped down from the warp, tugging the hem of her long skirt up from the unsanitary floor. She looked around at the brightly flourishing garden, missing the dark cleanliness of her rooms. In a few strides, she stood over the small pond, checking her reflection in the rippling surface. Pink appeared at her hip, her hands clasped in joy.
"Thank you, Blue! I'm going to have so much fun here!"
Blue gave a motherly smile down at Pink, tenderly placing a hand in her pink cloud of hair. Steven ran up to them, hopping with excitement.
"Come on, Pink! I found a tree we can climb!"
Pink gasped, looking up to Blue as if waiting for permission. She received a nod, and she ran off with him to a tree in a far corner of the garden. The tree sat in a clearing, its leafy branches reaching out from the thick trunk in all directions. Its cool shade spread in a wide radius, covering some of the flower bushes planted too near.
Steven threw himself up onto a twisting limb, giggling and swinging off of it by his stretched arms. He could feel the rough bark catch the fabric of his gloves, nearly pulling them from his hands as he kicked his legs out higher and higher. Pink stood just below him, surveying the lower hanging branches excitedly. She placed a hand on a higher branch and lifted her foot to step up when Blue and Pearl joined them in the clearing. Pearl eyed Pink's apparent intent warily, worrying for her Diamond's safety. Blue appeared to share this concern as she sternly spoke.
"You had better be careful, Pink. I didn't give you this garden so you could shatter yourself in it. Anyways, I have to get back to the palace for a meeting. I'll see you later, love."
With that, she left. Pearl stood alone at the entrance to the clearing, watching Pink restart her attempt to climb distastefully. Steven completely forgot that she was there as he watched Pink snap a small branch lower to the ground, causing her to go red in frustration. He threw himself over the branch he hung from, straddling the bark between his legs.
"Need a hand? I gotcha!"
He stretched his arms out to her, coiling around her waist and lifting her high off the ground. His branch sagged as her weight joined his atop it, her hands clasping the bark nervously.
They climbed the tree together all day, conquering each and every branch. Pink tightly held his hand in hers as they sat atop the highest point, and they looked out over their new world of wonders.
…
"It was working! I saw something on her face when she lunged at me that first time, and she was getting so into it! I don't know what else to do. Any ideas?"
Connie looked up at Amethyst, exasperated. She sat on the couch in the beach house, leaning forward in desperate thought. That…fiasco between Pearl and Peridot has frustrated her beyond belief. Ruby had almost been shattered, over what? Jealousy? Not to mention, she felt like she was just seconds away from a breakthrough with Pearl.
"Sorry, C. I really don't know."
Amethyst sat on a barstool, poking absentmindedly at an amalgamation of food and car parts smashed together on a porcelain plate. She thought she had been hungry when she made it, but it had long since gone cold. She dropped her fork and stood as a loud knock sounded at the front door.
Connie jumped up to let the visitor in. His eyes were bloodshot, with deep purple bags sagging beneath them. His puffy and unshaven face read pure exhaustion as he watched Connie open the door and invite him in. She sat back down on the couch and patted the spot next to her. Greg took the seat gratefully, looking up at Connie with sad eyes.
"Aren't your parents worried, Connie? Do they know where you are?"
"Thank you, Mr. Universe, my parents know I'm here. I called them the day I left camp and told them I'm staying here with the gems. Well, with Amethyst."
Greg nodded, looking down into his lap. The room fell silent as Connie and Amethyst shared a solemn look. Greg had really taken Steven's kidnapping harder than anyone. It was completely understandable, of course, but everyone was concerned about him. He looked like he hadn't slept or eaten since he found out. Everyone in the town had come together after the attack, offering their condolences and help whenever they could, but nothing could help him cope with the loss of his only son. Greg took in a deep breath, steadying himself in preparation to speak.
"Is there any news?" His voice came out pitifully quiet, as if he were dreading the answer he already knew was coming.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Universe, there isn't. B-but, we have a plan!"
Greg looked up at her tearily, waiting for her to continue.
"Well, you see, Pearl recognized the gem during the battle. So, we're going to get her memories back and she'll know where she might've taken Stev- er , him." She cringed at her own slip. "We just have to figure out different things to remind her of who she is! We already tried one thing that almost worked, but in the end it didn't end up being strong enough. But we're getting closer." She placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, squeezing. "We're going to get him back. I promise."
Greg's shoulders shook in her grasp as tears welled in his eyes, flowing down his stubbly cheeks. He bowed his head and silently wept into his lap. After a bit, he nodded slowly.
"How…can I help? Please, let me help."
Amethyst lightly stepped across the room to the bathroom, reemerging with a box of tissues. She knelt in front of Greg, pressing the box into his hands.
"It's gonna be okay, Greg. The entire galaxy is out looking for him. He'll turn up. For now, we just need to focus on getting Pearl back. Can you help us?"
Greg blew his nose wetly before replying. "I-I wouldn't know the first thing about Pearl. She and I were never really close, even after we made up. The only thing I know about her is how devoted she was to Rose. M-maybe that would do it. But I don't know." His head drooped back to his lap, and he muttered under his breath. "If only we had Garnet."
Connie gasped and jumped up as if struck by lightning.
"Sapphire! She can tell us how to get Pearl back! There has to be a possible future where we get Pearl back, and she can tell us how! Or maybe she could just tell us where Steven is!"
Amethyst nodded as Greg's head snapped in her direction. For the first time since the attack, he dared to feel hope.
…
Their feet barely skipped off of the warp pad as they landed mid-run. They flew down the paved path, Steven's hand gripped tightly in Pink's as she dragged him. Pearl cried out behind for them to slow down, but that only seemed to add fuel to Pink's fire. He was moving faster than he ever had before, his neat buns coming undone in the wind. His feet didn't even touch the ground as Pink flew him like a kite. When they finally stopped, Steven brushed his flyaways from his face to see their tree towering above them.
Pink beamed down at him, grabbing his waist and jumping them up to a low-hanging branch. They giggled together joyfully, having lost the buzz-kill.
"She'll take forever to find us here!" Pink stifled her laugh behind her hand after she whispered, trying not to alert Pearl to their location. She looked at him with smiling eyes, then gasped. "Oh my stars, Spinel! Your hair! I've never seen your hair this messy!"
She reached her hand up to curl his hair behind his ears, flattening the strays with a palm. Pink cringed at his destroyed buns, evidently not knowing how to fix them. A strange expression crossed her pale face.
"You know, I actually like it this way. You look, um, really nice." Pink blushed as she straightened out his pigtails. Her soft hand lingered on the side of his head, her fingers tangling in his lank locks. His hair hung loose and straight on either side of his face, brushing against his shoulders when he turned away shyly.
Pink readjusted to straddle the branch, now fully facing him. She leaned her head over dramatically, waving to get his attention.
"Spineeel!"
A smile cracked on his face as he peeked over to her mischievous expression. She was playing a game with him, and he was never one to back away from a game. He turned to straddle the branch as well, staring into Pink's challenging diamond pupils. He reached out and grabbed her hand, stroking her knuckles with the pad of his thumb. He beamed as he watched a blush creep onto Pink's face.
He was the best at this game.
Pink bit her tongue in consideration before smiling broadly. She leaned forward, resting her forehead gently against his. His breath stopped in his throat. He could feel Pink's smirk of triumph as his cheeks went red and hot, but he wouldn't accept defeat that easily. Slowly, he trailed his hand up her arm, ghosting his gloved fingers across her skin. She broke out in goosebumps at his touch, and she visibly trembled when his hand stopped, his fingers tangling in her angel-soft hair, cradling the back of her head. The heat from their faces mingled in the incredibly small space between them, and all he could smell was her. Pink's perfume filled his nose, fogging his mind drunkenly. He could live in her smell.
His fingers slipped to her neck as she pulled back from him, her eyes flashing between his eyes and his smirking mouth. She frowned in consideration for a moment before she leaned forward. Her eyes were squeezed shut as she smashed a fleeting kiss right on his mouth. He didn't get a second to process what had happened before Pink's diamond gaze was speared into his again, watching his pink eyes go wide in shock.
He shakily moved his hand up to his face, grazing his bottom lip with his fingers. Heat radiated from his blazing cheeks as Pink watched him nervously. She had just done something entirely new. They had played this game a handful of times before, but they had never done…whatever that was. He moved his hand to her chin, stroking her bottom lip as well. His confused gaze flicked up to hers, taking in her blushing, anxious expression.
Scooting himself closer to her on the branch, he decided to try it as well. He placed his hand back in her hair, pulling her face to his own. A tense bubble of fear expanded in his chest as he leaned into Pink, tentatively pressing his lips to hers. The bubble exploded, sending adrenaline rushing through every limb in his body as their lips melded together warmly. He closed his eyes tightly and his shoulders tensed up. A cold hand cupped his cheek as Pink deepened the kiss, pulling him closer. They slowly inhaled in synchrony as their bodies leaned forward, their free hands reaching to feel for each other. Pink's hand pressed firmly into his lower back, her other hand gently digging nails into his hot face. They held each other close as they parted, panting for breath. They shared a shaky grin, before breaking out in a nervous sort of giggle.
All at once, Pink's laugh died, and her face went slack in fear. Her wide eyes briefly met his before sweeping down to the right. She paled dramatically.
There stood Pearl, her hands clamped over her mouth in horror. Her pale eyes were locked on Pink as she tumbled down out of the tree, the sudden loss of her weight causing Steven to grasp the bark for dear life when the branch bucked and swayed.
"W-we weren't doing anything! Pearl, I swear! Please don't tell the Diamonds!"
Pearl turned on her heel and walked away blankly, without responding. She disappeared around the corner of a flowered bush, headed in the direction of the warp.
Pink cast him a terrified glance before running after her, leaving him alone in the tree, steeped in confusion.
…
"Were you really going to just...let me get shattered?"
Ruby spoke quietly over her shoulder, not wanting to look at the blue gem sat in the cushioned chair behind her. She hadn't spoken to Sapphire since they got back from the Sky Arena. She realized with a jolt that she wasn't supposed to have come back at all. Sapphire had anticipated coming back here alone.
The cool air in the office chilled further as silence filled the air like a thick fog. Sapphire's pale hair fell forward as she lowered her head, breathing shakily.
"That was the only future I saw. I had no idea that it could be changed, that that didn't have to happen. If I had known, I would've saved you. I'm so sorry."
Ruby's eyebrows creased in confusion as she processed Sapphire's apology. She couldn't understand how Sapphire could see her getting shattered and just accept it. Something about that just didn't feel right to her.
"What do you mean, 'the only future you saw'? It obviously wasn't the only future, or else I wouldn't be here right now."
Sapphire shifted in her seat uncomfortably before responding.
"I used to know everything; how my entire life was going to go, everything that was going to happen to me, to you, to everyone. My future was a perfectly unbending stream that led to a predetermined fate. I had seen my entire life laid out in front of me, and I had accepted all of it."
She leaned forward passionately as she spoke, moving her bangs away from her widened eye. Ruby felt a jolt of something as Sapphire's bright blue gaze met hers. A fat tear rolled down her button nose as she continued, tripping over her words.
"I don't know anything now! There's a million things that could happen right now, and I can't predict any of it! What's the use of a Sapphire who can't tell you your future!? There's something wrong with me...Ruby, I-I'm scared."
She broke off crying, her bangs falling over her face again as she curled in on herself. She gripped her full blue skirt tightly in her fists, her tears dripping onto the white fabric of her gloves. Ruby watched her shoulders shake from her sporadic sobs, and a sense of compassion moved her closer. She placed a warm hand on her cool fist, and she spoke in a gravelly voice.
"My Sapphire, no one knows anything that's going to happen. That's normal. I know you're scared, but that's what I'm here for. I'm here to protect you. That's my purpose."
She was still sore from Sapphire almost letting her die, but at the very least she understood it a little better now. It was her purpose to keep Sapphire safe, and she would continue to do just that. Sapphire's hand slowly warmed under her touch as they sat together in a peaceful quiet. Her breathing calmed, and her grip on her lap relaxed after a long while. Ruby jumped when Sapphire's smooth voice floated up from the seat suddenly.
"Thank you, Ruby. We have guests coming."
Ruby's hand flew from Sapphire's lap as she spun around to the closed office door, resuming her protective stance. She mentally prepared herself to face any possible threats that could meet them here. Minutes passed in silence, and she glanced back to see Sapphire gripping her skirts again with her mouth drawn into a flat line. She seemed to be anxiously waiting for their guests, putting Ruby further on edge. Whoever was coming must be really frightening, otherwise she wouldn't be acting that way. The tension in the room mounted and Ruby was prepared to draw her weapon from her gem just as a small whimper of hopelessness sounded behind her. She looked around in confusion to see a tear-stained face looking back at her, her long bangs held back by a hand once again.
"They're supposed to be here already! You see? I can't predict anything anymore!"
Ruby slowly realized the misunderstanding and opened her mouth to speak, but she was interrupted by a loud knock at the door. Sapphire gasped and wiped her cheeks with the sleeve of her gloves, settling back into a serene poise. Ruby waited for Sapphire to finish before she shouted for the guests to enter, standing in her defensive position once more.
The office door opened to reveal a group of five gems, all of whom had been with them at the Sky Arena. Ruby cast a wary glance at the short green Peridot that had almost been the cause of her shattering. Lapis spoke to the pointy-haired Pearl that stood at her side.
"Pearl, could you wait outside while we tall with Sapphire, please?"
Pearl bowed at her waist, beaming. She poured passionately, "Of course, my Lapis Lazuli!" before stepping out of the door, closing it behind her.
Ruby stared up at Connie, Amethyst, Lapis, and Peridot as they stood awkwardly in the front of the room, looking around at each other. They seemed to be communicating something with their pointed looks and nods. Connie stepped forward from the group, clearing her throat quietly before addressing them. Her shorts and t-shirt displayed the scraped knees and forearms she had received saving Ruby's life.
"Hello Ruby, hello Sapphire. We've come to talk to you about something. Is now a good time?"
"Yes, now is the perfect time. What do you need to know?"
Sapphire's voice held no trace of her panic from before. She sounded just as wise and sage as ever, despite being in complete distrust of her future vision. Ruby stepped nervously from foot to foot, hoping that this test of Sapphire's powers wouldn't put her over the edge again.
"Well, we were wondering if you could maybe tell us how to get Pearl's memories back, or possibly where Steven is, if you can. I understand completely if you don't know, though. Anything helps."
The room held its breath in anticipation as Sapphire chewed her lip in thought.
"Steven could be, um…He could be on a ship, or somewhere in the next galaxy over, or he could be in a garden…mostly I see him being, um…well, dead. I can't really say for sure, I'm sorry."
The shockwave of her statement swept the room, everyone reeling in terror at the apparently likely scenario that Steven was already dead. Connie raised a hand to her hair, her vision going white. She couldn't live if Steven was gone, she wouldn't. Not without him. Sapphire had seemed unsure though, so she couldn't give up on him yet. Pearl was his only hope now. She pulled herself out of her panic, grounding herself firmly before looking back to the blue gem seated serenely before them.
"What about Pearl? Is there a future where we get her back?"
Sapphire nodded fervently, hoping they would be more pleased with this answer than the last. She clasped her hands together in front of her chest, leaning forward as she spoke.
"Yes! There are multiple futures where the Pearl is restored."
Connie latched onto this new hope, urging Sapphire on.
"It will take months, possibly years for Pearl to come back on her own. She will need to relive many, many parts of her original life before she'll remember, and those circumstances cannot be synthesized. You will try, though, to no avail."
Connie gave a disbelieving glance to the crowd behind her, her heart clenching in fear again. If Steven wasn't already dead, he definitely would be if they took years to get Pearl back.
"But, there is a way to get her back sooner."
All eyes were on her again as she stood from her seat, cooly brushing past Ruby and Connie on her path towards Lapis. The red gem hastily followed her, casting a distrustful look at Peridot as they got nearer. They halted in front of the pair, looking up at Lapis.
"In order to get Pearl back, you need to fuse with the Peridot. Only that will bring her back anytime soon. You must fuse with her and stay that way for a period so that the Pearl thinks you're gone."
Lapis looked between Sapphire and Peridot with a horror-stricken expression. Peridot shared her same look, knowing that that would never happen. Lapis took a fearful step backwards before blurting out a jumbled mess of speech.
"I can't fuse! I- couldn't, I can't. There has to be another way!"
Sapphire stared back at her motionlessly, pondering. She gave a thoughtful hum.
"I don't see her coming back within the next four months without you fusing with the Peridot. It's the only way I see."
"No way... I can't."
Lapis made her declaration then turned tail and left through the door, taking flight the second she met the open air. Pearl cried out at her retreating form as it grew smaller in the distance. Peridot awkwardly shifted, wringing her hands in front of her in anxiety. Her meek voice broke the heavy silence that had settled on the room.
"She was never the same after the…Malachite thing. She can't fuse anymore, it makes her remember bad things. I'll try to find her, and sort this out."
Connie thanked Sapphire and Ruby, and they all left them alone in the office again. Sapphire moved back into her chair, and Ruby decided to settle herself on the ground right in front of her, striking up a conversation.
"What do they mean, they're trying to 'restore the Pearl'? What's wrong with her? She looks like she's operating fine to me."
"She used to be different. She was struck with a rejuvenator, and forgot who she was."
Ruby sighed, processing. "That's crazy. I wonder what it's like to be rejuvenated." She looked up to the ceiling, imagining what it would be like to forget who you are. She couldn't even fathom the idea.
Sapphire hummed softly on the chair above her, deep in thought.
…
Steven waited anxiously by the base of the tree for Pink to return. She had seemed so scared when she chased after Pearl earlier. He hoped she was okay.
Why didn't she want the Diamonds to know that they had kissed? Why was Pearl so horrified from seeing that? Sure, he had never seen anyone do it before, but it really couldn't be that bad of a thing to do. It was just a game! How could a game upset so many people?
Pink entered the clearing, her hands stuffed into her pockets. When she saw him leaned against the rough bark of the tree, her grim face broke into a wide smile. He ran up and flung his arms around her neck, hugging her tightly in greeting. He dropped back to the grassy ground and stared up at her quizzically.
"Why was Pearl so upset before? What happened?"
Pink sighed exhaustedly, shrugging her shoulders and keeping her hands deep in the pockets of her poofy pants.
"I got her to swear not to say anything to anyone, but she can't catch us like that again. That could be really bad for us."
Steven frowned in confusion, not understanding what all the fuss was about. Pink was acting scared, like she was afraid of getting in trouble.
"Pink, what's wrong? Please, I can tell you're upset. Why can't the Diamonds know about what we did?"
Pink smiled wanly down at him, admitting, "You're right. It's just…if the Diamonds find out about this, they'll take you away from me. I really don't want that to happen. So, I brought something to help us."
Her face brightened as she pulled her hands from her pockets, each holding a fistful of small gray rocks. Setting them down on the ground, each rock sprouted limbs, clothes and a face, smiling up at him and waving.
"You brought the Pebbles!"
The Pebbles rejoiced at seeing him, shouting his name and climbing up on his clothing.
"Spineeel! It's Spinel!"
He held a Pebble swinging from his gloved finger and looked up at Pink's beaming face.
"What are they here for, Pink?"
Pink motioned for him to follow her down the path. All of the 'guests' she had brought hung off of him as he walked towards the front of the garden. Suddenly, Pink took a left about fifty feet from the warp, straight into a bush. She wedged herself between the leaves and stood on the other side, waiting for him to follow.
When he joined her, she called out in a playfully authoritative voice to the Pebbles.
"Here! Right here is where I want you to build it! Thank you!"
The Pebbles dropped from his clothing, running over to Pink. She pointed to a spot on the ground in the small clearing.
All of the Pebbles immediately drilled into the ground and disappeared from sight.
Pink giggled and held his gaze as she stated, "This is probably going to take a while."
…
Steven woke up feverishly, the dreams playing over and over in his head. So, he knew what had been…going on between Pink Diamond and Spinel. He could've gone without seeing the intimate details of that, but he guessed every bit of information helped.
He looked over to the darkened corner of his cell that his captor usually sat in, only to find her slim form slumped against the wall, unconscious. Her mouth gaped open, drool dripping down her cheek.