Chapter 11
Bismuth and Peridot whispered between themselves as she sat down on the couch, casting a secretive glance at Pearl.
"It could work, I just know it! I was there, I saw the whole thing. If she doesn't remember this, then I don't even know what." Bismuth's rough palm slapped the coffee table, punctuating her confidence in her own plan.
"I suppose a specific memory might work." Peridot adjusted her visor as she spoke, then turned to Connie. "I think the swordsman training was too broad, too vague. Bismuth was just telling me," she leaned in, lowering her voice, "She remembers a place, and an event, that if we can recreate, might bring Pearl back. We need Lapis to come back before it can work, though. Do you know when that might happen?" She shrugged uncomfortably as she asked, masking her impatience to see her friend again.
"Well, I think now that we've talked it out, she doesn't have much of a reason to stay away. So, soon." Their plans needed Lapis, so all they could do now was wait. As soon as she came back, they could try again to get Pearl back, and then they could save Steven.
Connie's heart clenched in anxiety as she thought about him, trapped and hurt, far away from his family. The longer it took for them to find him, the more likely it was that they would lose him. From his condition, it was clear that he wasn't being treated humanely. He was pale and thin, as if he hadn't had a proper meal since he was taken. Before she could be taken in by anxiety again, she forcefully rerouted her thoughts to the tasks at hand. She couldn't do anything to make lapis come back faster, so worrying was useless.
With that matter settled, she turned to the quiet, slumped figure of Greg on the couch next to her, placing a hand on his shoulder.
She tilted her head down to peer around his hair, and spoke in a soft voice. "Hey, Mr. Universe? I want you to stay here today, if that's alright. We'll get you cleaned up, and I'm running to the grocery store later for food."
Silence met her, though she saw an almost imperceptible nod from his downturned head. That was the best she could hope for until Amethyst came back with reinforcements.
A loud thump from above turned everyone's attention to the ceiling, terminating the two conversations that had been taking place. Connie met Peridot's eyes before they both jumped up, practically running for the screen door. Their hands reached for the handle at the same time, only to be interrupted by another thump, accompanied by the winged silhouette of Lapis landing on the porch.
There was an awkward moment of silence as she stared at the smaller green gem, relief tinging the ashamed look in her eyes. She seemed apprehensive, and with a flash Connie realized the complexity of their situation. Lapis had abandoned Peridot, the second she was told she had to fuse with her. Of course, Peridot knew that she wouldn't want to, but Connie could see that she had been hurt anyways.
Connie stepped back from them as they faced off through the screen. The room seemed to hold its breath as their eyes were locked together, a thousand emotions flashing over their faces as if they were communicating in a language all their own.
At last, the tense silence was broken when Pearl stepped up, exclaiming. "My Lapis Lazuli! It's wonderful to be in your service once again." She crowded Connie away and bowed deeply, holding her short skirt out gracefully at her sides.
Peridot tore away from the door and stalked back to the couch, sulking. She sat down next to an uncomfortable-looking Bismuth, who was staring at her hands in her lap. When Pearl held the door open for Lapis to come in, she clapped loudly, effectively catching everyone's attention.
"Welp, now that we're all here, we should fill you in." Bismuth directed her speech to Lapis as she sat on the couch. "We have a plan. To get her back." She nodded at Pearl, who hovered a little too close at her side.
Lapis looked up at the gem by her side, awkwardly clearing her throat.
"Um, Pearl, I'm gonna talk to them, and I need you to just not listen, is that okay?"
Her relief from seeing her master again overshadowed any suspicion she had of the plan she was obviously a part of, and she happily agreed to Lapis's order. She stepped to the far corner of the room, where she stood completely still and silent.
With Pearl out of the way, she scooted closer to the others and whispered, "Fill me in."
…
He was never going to go home. He would never be free, or see his family and friends again. They would all go on living, never knowing what had happened to him. He was going to die here in his cold, dark cell, hurt and alone. Why? Because his mom had somehow horribly wronged someone who had loved her; then she disappeared, leaving him to deal with the consequences.
That was his life's story. Dealing with his mom's mess. How fitting it was that his life would end that way, all because of her.
Steven's shoulder blazed in sharp pain as he rolled onto his back, staring blankly up at the ceiling. His entire body ached from head to toe, a dull throbbing that amplified each moment he lay awake. Sleep was his only escape these days, even if it meant he would see things he'd much rather not witness. At least if he was asleep Spinel wouldn't attack him. Probably.
As if to spite him, his temple erupted in a headache, right where he had been punched awake not too long ago.
Somewhere in the room, Spinel sat and watched him over her knees. He didn't bother looking around for her. He didn't want to look into those terrifying, glowing eyes, or to be reminded of what this chamber had been built for.
With a sick twist in his gut, he remembered the dream he had just woken up from. Spinel and Pink Diamond had come down here together to fuse. Pink had this place built for the two of them, just so that they could be together without judgment. In a way, it was almost romantic.
Mostly, the memories only made him sad. He didn't love his mother by any stretch of the imagination, but she would always be a part of his life that was missing. The memories he was experiencing first-hand were the closest he would ever come to knowing her. It was too bad that he knew he'd be left with a worse impression of her than when he started.
At every turn, he was waiting for the big thing, whatever Pink had done to destroy the happy, loving Spinel she had been given. He desperately needed to know what had happened to warrant all of this. What could she have possibly done for him to deserve this unending torture?
He closed his eyes solemnly. If he wanted to find out, he needed to keep dreaming.
…
The sun beat down on the field, filling the humid air with the smell of fresh strawberries. All around the group, tall bushes of the ripe red fruits flourished and grew to exponential sizes. The broken, ancient looking weapons that littered the field drew attention to the barely noticeable gem shards half buried in the soil and grown over with grass.
Connie carefully avoided stepping on a large, dog-sized strawberry as they marched down a narrow path being created for them by Bismuth.
The gray gem had formed her hands into two short scythes, and she used them to cut down the foliage in their way. Behind her, Lapis followed alongside Pearl, with Peridot and Connie at the rear.
It seemed as though Peridot and Lapis hadn't worked things out yet, Connie observed. Next to her, the small green gem was silent, with a frown creasing the corners of her mouth. Her eyes roved over the abandoned battlefield curiously, looking anywhere but the back of the gem in front of her. Nothing much had passed between them since Lapis had come back, since Connie was pretty sure they hadn't seen each other since then. After Bismuth filled everyone in on her plan, Peridot had left in a hurry, and Lapis had stayed behind, saying that she'd wait until things cooled off. The night's rest didn't seem to do the trick.
They had all regrouped the next morning, going over the plan again. None of them really had to do anything, but Bismuth felt better after she repeated the plan out loud. The key player in her plan had already been sent out ahead of everyone else. Afterwards, they had called Pearl inside and warped here.
The tension between the two roommates was palpable and uncomfortable, but Connie couldn't bring herself to care too much when Steven's life was on the line. Lapis and Peridot weren't going to fuse even if they made up, so helping them wouldn't help Steven. She took a deep breath in as she looked away from Peridot's stern face, focusing on the task at hand.
They came to a small clearing, where the bushes had been stomped down to create a flat surface. Somewhere out in the surrounding bushes, Amethyst stood waiting.
The group filed into the space, pressing themselves into the edge as Lapis cleared her throat.
"Pearl, I need you to go stand in the middle of the clearing and, um, talk to the person that's going to meet you. Please…try to remember her." She speared Pearl with a pleading look before she joined everyone else near the entrance.
Pearl swallowed and nodded at Lapis's back, on edge from her desperate tone. She turned and stepped a few paces, until she was in the dead center of the flattened space.
Connie held her breath as a short moment passed by in silence. Bismuth stood next to her, her muscled arms crossed tightly over her chest in anxiety.
A pale glow lit up a section of bushes, morphing upwards until a cloud of pale purple hair showed over their leaves. Amethyst stepped out from the brush with bare feet, the hem of her white dress catching leaves and twigs as she went.
Connie had never seen Rose Quartz in person, only in photos and paintings; those mediums didn't do her justice. Before them stood a glorious, full figure wrapped in a layered dress. Over her rounded hips was slung a thin, pink leather strap connecting to her embellished scabbard. The hilt of her legendary sword peeked from its holder, its pink and red metal reflecting the sunlight. Across her bare shoulders, her hair fell in gigantic ringlets, bouncing with each step she took. Her doe-like eyes looked down at Pearl with fierce adoration, her full lips stretching into a soft smile. She was very convincing; the only things that gave her away were the purple tone of her skin and hair, and the sparkling purple gem on her chest. She came to a stop a couple of feet in front of the smaller gem, her massive hand resting on the rose-shaped pommel of her weapon.
Connie knew that the blade of the sword was shattered, and in truth, the scabbard was empty except for about four inches of metal. They had brought it along anyways, hoping for any tiny scrap of memory to come back. Beside her, Bismuth chewed her nails.
A petal-soft sigh rang across the clearing as Amethyst, or rather, Rose broke the silence.
"My Pearl." She reached out for Pearl's hand, only receiving a squinted look as she retorted.
"I am not your Pearl. I'm actually currently in the service of my Lapis-" Pearl started angrily, before she was cut off by Rose.
"I'm going to stay, and fight for this planet. You don't have to do this with me."
Pearl opened her mouth again to speak, only to be interrupted.
"Look, I know you want to, but please understand. If we lose, we'll be killed, and if we win…we can never go home."
She stood staring meaningfully at a frozen Pearl, who blinked repeatedly up at her.
Beside Connie, Bismuth clutched at her locs, her face written in fearful anticipation.
Pearl's shell-shocked eyes roved over the angelic figure in front of her, resting on the still outstretched hand. At her side, her own thin hand twitched, as if yearning to take it. Her eyebrows knit together in confusion as her eyes closed.
She whispered under her breath uncertainly, as if she didn't know where the words were coming from. "Why…would I want to leave…when you're…you…" Her mouth clamped shut, and she shot a fearful glance at Amethyst, blinking rapidly.
The confusion written over her features washed away as she steadied herself, stepping back. "I am in the service of my Lapis Lazuli. I don't know who you are, or what you're talking about."
Everyone's heads snapped to look as Bismuth let out a cry of frustration, stomping over to the pair. Amethyst shrunk back to herself and stepped back as the larger gem grabbed a hold of Pearl's narrow shoulders, shaking her roughly.
"How do you not remember Rose?! We were right here, together, over five thousand years ago! You said to her, 'Why would I want to leave when you're here?' You said that to her! Please, Pearl, I need you to remember yourself!" She dropped a shaken Pearl, turning away. Her fingers pinched tears from the corners of her eyes as she whispered, more to herself, "I can't stand to see you like this anymore. I just can't stand it."
It was scary to see Bismuth lose her cool in such a dramatic way, but everyone could understand how she felt. Above all else, Bismuth missed Pearl. Before all of this had happened, the two of them had been growing closer than ever. Saving the universe from the Diamonds, helping to restore all of the corrupted gems, and planning little Homeworld together had wrought a new level to their relationship. She turned to look down at Pearl again, her voice laced with sorrow.
"The Pearl I know would never give up her freedom without a fight."
Pearl picked herself up from the grass, dusting off her skirt before she met Bismuth's gaze ardently, "I am not the Pearl you know."
Their eyes were locked in a fierce stalemate. Neither of them budged, facing each other down with their opposite expressions. Bismuth's eyes glistened with sadness and loss staring at her oldest friend, and Pearl's eyes were alight with vehement self-defense.
With her tearful gaze still linked to Pearl's, Bismuth's hand shot out to snatch the sword from around Amethyst's waist, cradling it longingly before she tossed it forward. It hit Pearl squarely in her chest, and her thin arms barely flailed out in time to catch it.
She seemed confused as she stared down at the weapon in her hands, her nimble fingers tracing the winding vines that ornamented the handle. A crease formed between her eyebrows.
"Do you remember Rose's sword? You started a war with this sword, Pearl; for her." Bismuth's hand came to rest over hers over the pommel. "Do you remember the war we fought together?" Her eyes pleaded for a sign that her best friend hadn't forgotten her.
Pearl's wide eyes shot up to meet Bismuth's dark gray ones, and she swallowed thickly.
Connie's heart sank as she watched the smaller gem slowly shake her head. She couldn't remember.
Bismuth's eyebrows knitted together in anguish as she tried to swallow the lump in her throat, turning away. Her hand slipped from Pearl's as she walked off into the garden, her shoulders trembling.
Pearl's eyes followed her back, unwavering, long after her silhouette had vanished in the brush.
…
Their fusion was much more seamless as they practiced, coming back to their hideaway as often as Pearl and the other Diamonds would allow it. In the cool, dark room they reached out to each other, exploring every inch of their new body.
Pink Tourmaline found herself crouched in the cramped room often, unable to stand or stretch out at all. It felt strange, to exist. Through their head flashed snatches of memories from Pink and Spinel, snippets of images or sound that floated by too quickly to investigate.
She longed to run free in the garden, to jump, to climb. Once, they even attempted to crawl towards the exit of the dreary chamber, just to peek outside for a second. Just before their palm could activate the wall, they had fallen apart.
Pink Diamond and Spinel had landed in a heap on the floor, both accusing the other of being reckless, before they descended into laughter and decided that Pink Tourmaline was to blame.
.
He poked his head out from underneath the hidden door, peering out into the bright starlight.
"Are we all clear?" Pink whispered from beneath him at the base of the ladder.
Steven hummed, scanning the small clearing and trying to see through the bushes. "I think so. Let's go!"
He threw the door open above him, and climbed all the way out. His hand stretched down to help Pink as she pulled herself up the ladder, landing on her knees in the grass. She crept to the edge of the clearing, and raised herself to look over the foliage. She plopped back down on the grass instantly, pointing to the opposite side of the space.
"Go, go, go! She's on this side!"
They giggled and scrambled along the ground, crashing through the bushes on the other side.
Dusting off his poofy shorts, Steven finally stood up to his full height, pulling Pink up with him. He squeezed her hands as she steadied herself, smiling fondly.
Pearl's high voice rang out across the garden, calling for Pink.
"Oh stars! We're late!" Pink gasped, snatching her hands from his. In all of their fun today, they had lost track of the time. Today there was a very important diamond meeting that they absolutely couldn't miss. White Diamond had specifically asked Pink to come.
Running, they flew through the winding labyrinth until they reached the glittering warp pad. Pearl stood by with her hands on her hips, her mouth drawn into a thin, impatient line. Silently, she stepped up, and without another word they warped into the throne room.
They hopped off of the warp into a vast, cathedral-like chamber, dimly lit by chandeliers and glowing crystals mounted in the walls. Three of the four massive seats at the front of the room were already occupied, and Steven found himself, for the first time, under the all-knowing eyes of White Diamond. Her glowing, slit pupils speared straight through him, uncovering his every flaw. Her features were nearly impossible to make out through her brilliant glow; rays of blinding white light fanned out all around her like a halo.
Her dark lashes fluttered as she half-closed her eyes, and her voice boomed throughout the chamber.
"So, Pink. This is what's been taking all of your time lately." She snickered. "A little playmate. I thought it was quiet around here."
Blue frowned a little, while Yellow seemed to share in White's amusement.
Blue Diamond shifted uncomfortably in her seat, then cleared her throat. "Have you been enjoying your garden, Pink? I hardly see you around the palace anymore; it has indeed been very quiet here, too quiet." She sighed sorrowfully.
"I have, and thank you, Blue. The garden is beautiful. Spinel and I have been having so much fun there!"
Next to her, Steven squirmed under White's continued staring. Her eyes hadn't shifted from him since he had first walked in, and her sardonic tone frightened him.
Yellow Diamond cut in impatiently, "Yes, well, that's nice. We do have more important matters to tend to though, so…" She looked up at White, who finally snapped her attention away from him, humming.
"Yes, Pink. Let's get started. You can keep your Pearl here, but that Spinel needs to go. She can't be in here distracting you, send her away."
Pink looked down at him anxiously, mouthing 'I'm sorry', and gestured for him to leave. Shakily, he stretched his arms into a quadruple diamond salute, earning mixed reactions from the figures seated regally in front of him. He turned on his squeaking heel and headed to the door, which creaked open just before he reached it.
A hulking Topaz marched in with a small, burgundy gem struggling in her grasp. The Ruby swore as she thrashed, hit, and bit at the yellow gem dragging her before the Diamonds. The gem on her left knee clinked against the tile as she was thrown to the floor.
Just behind the pair, another Topaz followed with her hand cuffed around the slim forearm of a Pearl, whose mint green gem shone from her stomach. She carried herself far more gracefully than the Ruby had, although Steven could see the thinly-veiled terror in her eyes. She too was thrust harshly to the floor, where she sat up on her knees next to the Ruby. In the face of all four Diamonds, Steven couldn't imagine what they felt like, helpless on the floor. What could they have done to deserve such harsh treatment?
Looking up from the pair, Steven was horrified to find White Diamond's smiling eyes locked with his. She glanced down at them, then back up to him, her twisted smile growing.
"You may go, Spinel."
He didn't need to be told twice.
The doors slammed closed behind him as the Topaz pair guarded the chamber.
.
About an hour passed while Steven waited outside of the throne room, pacing up and down the long hall and attempting to find any source of amusement. The Topaz guards didn't budge at all when he had tried to play with them, and eventually he just gave up. Their garden was so much better than this dreary place, with all of its strict rules and the rude people who lived here. He couldn't wait for Pink to come out so they could go there and play again.
What was taking so long? He was so tired of looking at the stoic faces of the guards, and the dull walls of the palace. If he didn't get out of here soon, he'd die of boredom.
Suddenly, the doors creaked open, and the Topazes stepped to the side as Yellow and Blue walked out with their arms intertwined. The doors slammed closed behind them, blocking his view as he stretched up to look for Pink.
Blue dabbed her teary face with a lacy handkerchief, sniffling.
Yellow's face softened as she patted her slouched shoulders. "It's alright, Blue. It can't be helped that they were defective. Sometimes, they just…come out wrong."
Blue Diamond stopped in her tracks halfway down the hall, shrugging the hand from her shoulder. "One of them was mine! If my colonies are producing defective gems, that's my failure! White expects better!" Her hand grasped her gem as she spoke, and pooling streams of tears dripped from her eyes to splash on the ground.
Yellow pulled out another handkerchief from her pocket, dabbing Blue's eyes as she spoke. "Don't forget blue, the other one was mine. We both disappointed White today." She sighed, shaking her head morosely, "I'll admit, I am rather upset by my failure to produce high-quality gems as of late, too. But, the only thing we can do is to work harder. We need to show White that we can still meet her expectations. Come on, Blue. Crying isn't going to help anything, and you're making me tear up too."
Blue sniffed again, drying her face and brushing her hands down the front of her dress. "I'm sorry, Yellow, but I feel so horrible. All of that could've been avoided if I had kept a firmer hand on my colonies. It's my fault."
They began their slow walk down the hall again, with Yellow whispering comfort into Blue's hair. They turned the corner, and the hall went quiet.
Steven frowned, wondering how those gems had been 'defective'. From what he had seen, both of them had looked and acted just how they should. The smaller Ruby was fearsome and fiesty, and the Pearl was cool and collected. He couldn't think of a single defect on either of them.
The door creaked open again, drawing his attention. Pink stepped out, staring hard at the ground. Over her head, the taunting eyes of White caught his, and she winked. Her gleeful gaze then shifted to something down in her hands as the doors closed, obscuring his view. He ran up to his friend, taking her limp hand in both of his.
"Helloooo Pink! I've missed ya! How was the meeting?"
Her wide eyes flashed up to meet his, then back to the floor. She silently shook her head before snatching her hand away and retreating a few steps back.
"Pink, what's wrong? Did White say something to you? Are you in trouble?"
Her pink face paled dramatically, her diamond pupils shrinking as she looked straight through him. She shook her head again, unable to form words.
He was really worried now. Even in her most extreme fits of emotion, Pink was never speechless. Whatever had happened in there had been serious.
"Yellow and Blue said something about, like, defective gems? They looked fine when they came in, was something wrong with them?"
When Pink didn't respond, he stepped forward cautiously. She had thick tears rolling down her stark face, and he could see her shoulders trembling.
"Pink, let's go back to the garden, we can talk there." He moved to grab her hand.
The second he touched her cold fingers, she jumped back and gasped as if he had shocked her. In a panic, her eyes flashed down the hall, her breath quickening. She shook her head over and over with bulging, tearful eyes.
Without a single word, she disappeared in a neon pink streak, blasting Steven off of his feet. He landed on his bottom a few feet away, and he found himself alone.
In his shock, he almost didn't hear the door crack open again, and Pearl's light footsteps as she came out. She looked around for Pink, only to find him sitting on the floor.
Her face broke into a gleeful smile at his disposition, and she clapped her hands in front of her chest.
"Did she finally drop you? Thank goodness!" She sighed, "I told you she'd get sick of you eventually. Don't say I didn't warn you."
She practically floated down the hall towards Pink's chambers, humming merrily.
Did Pink just 'drop him'? What had happened in the throne room, that she suddenly didn't even want to talk to him anymore? What did this have to do with those two defective gems?
And why had Pearl stayed behind with White? She had come out long after Pink, though it was customary for Pearls to open the door for their owners. She had stayed in there with White Diamond for a reason, but he couldn't understand why.
Tears burned in his narrowed eyes, and he felt a lump form in his throat. A weight pushed down on his chest, making it hard for him to breathe. Pink had left him. For the first time in his entire existence, Pink had chosen to leave him all alone.
His knees shook as he stood up, wiping tears from his eyes and sniffing. Where was he supposed to go, if Pink didn't want him around? She had seemed so upset with him, he knew he wouldn't be welcomed into her room.
Tears streamed down his face as his feet wandered through the palace, blindly searching for a warp pad. Through his mind floated images of Pink, happy with him for so long, then pushing him away. She wouldn't even tell him why. It felt like a knife in the heart.
He had been with her his whole life, and now she didn't want him. The image of her face in his memories wrenched the air from his lungs.
What was his purpose, if his best friend didn't want to be his friend at all?
He came upon a black and gold door, the first one he had seen in a while. Huge sections of the palace were composed of winding hallways with secret doors and confusing twists, so he wasn't sure when he'd get another plain entrance.
Cracking the door, he poked his head inside. Geometric lines of toxic yellow light streamed across the walls of the small, unoccupied room. Stepping inside, he closed the door behind him and turned to investigate.
Anxiety and sorrow melded in his chest; he had never explored anything alone before.
To his relief, a crystalline platform sparkled in the center of the room, catching his attention. He quickly walked to it, stepping up and thinking about where he wanted to go.
A faint 'pop' caught his attention, and he turned to look for the source of the sound. Right next to him, a faintly glowing white sphere had appeared, filled with glittering dust. He stepped to the edge of the warp to get a closer look. Larger chunks of something floated around in the dust, a light mint green highlighted by the white glow. He frowned, recognising the color.
Another 'pop' issued just behind him, and another bubble appeared. Shakily, he reached up and pulled the bubble to his face. Deep red sparkles reflected in his eyes, the shattered remains of the Ruby. Gasping, he dropped the bubble, and it floated up, joined by the shattered Pearl's bubble. Together, they gently lifted themselves to the ceiling. The light from the new bubbles blew the shadows away as they rose higher.
To his horror, Steven saw that the dark, steepled ceiling was filled with hundreds, thousands of small bubbles, glittering with shards. As the two glowing bubbles joined them, they went dark, and the collection of shattered gems was once again hidden in the shadows.
He fell backwards in terror, scrambling onto the warp pad. Without wasting a second, he was sucked up into the warp stream.
…
Steven woke up, the image of an empty garden still playing in his mind. Tears dripped down into his hair, the remnants from the painful dream. In the corner, Spinel was lifted on her knees, staring at him.
Her voice cracked from disuse as she asked, "Are you…are you okay?"
Steven glanced at her streaked face. In another time, he might've asked, 'are you okay?' but his voice wouldn't cooperate. Looking away from her, he rolled onto his side, biting his lip as his shoulder seared in protest.
He was exhausted. Dreaming someone else's entire life story didn't make for restful sleep, but he had to keep going. He was getting close, he could tell. The cracks in Pink's friendship were beginning to show. He just had to keep dreaming.
.
.