Pearl gave a cough, calling all the Temps attention. "Because I have no escape from this place, I will now tell you all about the Cluster." Pearl snapped and Connie pushed in a blackboard with a detailed picture of the Earth drawn on it. Pearl pointed to it. "This is your Earth. And at the very center of it lies The Cluster." She turned to Connie who attempted to flip the blackboard. She struggled at it and Jasper got up to help. She raised the girl up so she could reach it, Connie now noticing how small she truly was. They flipped it and there was a circle. In center of a circle was some lines. Pearl pointed to them as Jasper sat back down. "This is the Cluster. A geo weapon made out of millions of gem shards. Formed out of distrust and pain, it is unstable, yet powerful. When it takes it's form, it will destroy all life on this planet."

Connie suddenly leapt up and slashed the chalk over the circle. "Now then, everyone gets the picture?"

The Temps gasped and Pearl took the chalk away.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Pearl hissed in her ear.

"Oh, I'm helping you explain!" Connie cried cheerfully back.

"That will not be necessary!" Pearl huffed. Connie furrowed her eyebrows and frowned.

Pearl gently shooed Connie off to the Temps and erased the blackboard. She waited beside it for a few seconds in silence as the Temps talked.

"Okay, let's find it, and mash it to the ground!" Jasper cried.

Lapis shook her head. "We have to be reasonable here!"

Peridot gave a sigh. "Why can't you just let me handle this? What we need is to build some sort of machine to take us to the center of the Earth." Peridot muttered.

"Shall I find parts?" Pearl asked.

Peridot glanced at her. "Um… alright?"

Pearl suddenly seemed to run at the speed of lighting, right to the microwave. "This primitive radiation concentrator should come in handy!" She ripped it from the wall and threw it to the ground.

"Whoa! What are you doing?!" Connie cried, running up.

"I'm finding parts!" Pearl said.

"I have a idea that doesn't involve destroying the house." Connie smiled.

"Ah, get used to that one." Jasper winked at Pearl who frowned.

"The spare parts in the barn should do nicely. Now, shall we get started on a plan?" Peridot asked with Pearl trotting behind. Connie sat on a swivel chair and had finished drawing a image of a plan, it wasn't very good though.

Pearl suddenly erased it making Connie stop spinning and frown.

"Hey! Connie clearly took time to make that! Even if it wasn't that good, she made a effort!" Peridot snapped. Pearl glanced at her, then at Connie.

"Uh… But… You should come up with the plan, not her." Pearl said, mouth dry.

"I suppose that's true…" Peridot muttered.

Pearl stepped back from the board to let Peridot draw.

"Excellent work." Pearl murmured softly as she drew. Peri glanced back. "Um… thanks?"

Pearl bobbed her head quickly.

Peridot turned back and started to draw the shape of a giant drill, Pearl carefully watching. Peridot felt awkward having Pearl stare at her and turned. "Can I help you with something?"

Pearl shook her head. "Whatever you need, I am here to get it."

Peridot frowned. "It feels like you're acting, and you're really bad at it."

Pearl's calm expression faded to one of boredom. "Ugh, is it that obvious? I hate to serve you, but it's all I know how to do when gems conduct plans. A simple technician like you would love to have a Pearl at their service, despite you all being so… lacking."

"Lacking?" Peridot growled.

Pearl glanced at her with a smirk. "Well, yes! Ha! You have no powers. You can't fuse-"

"What? Peri can fuse!" Connie insisted.

Peridot nodded. "I can! So what are you talking about?"

Pearl rolled her eyes. "I may be a lower rank, but at least I was made right."

Peridot winced slightly and Connie tilted her head. "What do you mean, right?"

"Well, Peridots can't shapeshift or fuse, it's not possible in this day and era!" Pearl said, walking around Peridot and examining her. "Then again, you are a era 1, are you not?"

"... So what?" Peridot growled through gritted teeth.

"So, I suppose you can fuse… and shapeshift as well?" Pearl asked.

Peridot blushed. "I can… and as for my size if you're wondering, er, I suppose I just came out-"

"Weak? Like all your descendants?" Pearl cut in. "I mean, that's all a Peridot is besides a technician."

"I knew that gems had social classes, but I had no idea you were in a lower one, Peri…. How many of there are you?" Connie whispered.

Peridot stuttered to retort but found nothing to say to the clearly shaken girl. She turned to Pearl instead. "Listen, clod. I did not sacrifice my gem in a hundred year war just to be put right back into the mold I was in! And I don't want to be criticized because I'm not in it! If you know how to serve, I'd appreciate that! Now-"

"At least I sided with someone that I'm certain is treats me like a equal, unlike your mockery of a Diamond!" Pearl growled.

Connie gasped in horror and Peridot had her pole wrapped around Pearl in seconds, Lapis and Jasper standing threateningly in the doorway as well.

"EVERYONE CALM DOWN!" Connie yelled in anger, ignoring her surging yellow hands, which had showed up in a flash of the extreme rage Connie had when Pearl had said that she was a mockery, though Connie really hadn't taken much offense herself. The gems all recoiled a bit at the sight of her anger and she blinked. It was gone. "W-why not… just have a competition? To test your strengths, weaknesses, and skills? Maybe… build something."

"Ha! I can make anything better than her!" Pearl smirked.

Peridot gave a smirk as well. "Anything? What about robots?"

"Define a robot." Pearl said sharply to Connie.

Connie thought for a moment and spoke, "Well, they're like the marble robotoids you sent to Earth, the ones that fixed the warps. It is a device devoid of emotion that carries out a task for you."

"Oh…. I-I can make those better than any Peridot!" Pearl huffed. Peridot gave a laugh, running to the barn. "In your dreams!"

Pearl looked confused but then started to run to the barn as well before slowing in front of Connie. The girl looked up after processing it all and Pearl gave a soft whisper. "Yellow Diamond, I'm… I'm not a robot, am I?"

"What? No, of course not." Connie said in surprise. Pearl glanced at the ground and then ran to the barn. Connie watched her and gripped her gem. Lapis walked up and whispered, "What's up? What'd she say?"

"It was nothing." Connie said softly as power tools started up and went over her voice. Lapis and Connie covered their ears.

"What was that!?" Lapis called over the sound.

"It was-!" Connie was interrupted by Peridot coming out in her robot, a short, and bulky thing she created. "Ta da! Look! Look at this! Let's see the Pearl beat my machine!"

"Prepare to be beaten!" Pearl suddenly came out in a taller robot and showed its movability. She smirked smugly seeing hers was taller. "Mine is taller! Ha, ha, I beat you! Challenge over! That's what a Pearl can-"

"No, you can't just win from that!" Connie beamed, feeling small on the ground. She ran to the bulletin board and called out, "Let the competition begin!"

"GO PERI!" Jasper yelled. "YEAH!"

"Yeah! You can do it!" Lapis cried, flying up from her seat in excitement.

"This will test your skills and piloting, to determine who will be in charge of the construction of the drill!" Connie called to the robots and their makers. The first event was balance, and Pearl won that with her thin and elegant robot. The next was crushing, which Peridot nailed. For jumping, Peridot also won. There was speed, which the two were racing so hard they both crashed into a tree.

Connie gave a point to the tree for that. They also did fire making, Pearl won with the robot's slender fingers. They also did spinning, tug-a-war, jumping jacks, and projectile strength. They were tied until the final event.

"This is the final event!" Connie called. Lapis gave a cheer.

"YES! GO PERI, GO!" Jasper screamed.

Lapis clapped and called out, "Show this gem what the Temps are made of!"

Peridot smiled with determination and Pearl frowned in slight jealousy of her fans.

"Ready, set, CHUCK!" Connie cried. The robots each chucked a truck away and the Temps gasped in amazement. Connie gave a nervous laugh, having no idea who won that one. "Let's say you both get a point there!" Connie said happily. She marked it down and counted up the points, everyone with bated breath. "And… oh! It seems you tied!" Connie said, turning to them.

"What? No…" Pearl whispered softly. "I… We need to do it again!"

"Aren't you happy? You proved you're as good as me." Peridot groaned. "You've impressed me slightly, that should be good enough!"

"No! No! No! I didn't do this to prove I was equal! I did this to prove I was better!" Pearl growled. She grabbed Peridot's robot's arm. "You may be a Peridot, you may seem above me, but I'm better than you! Back in Homeworld, your kind is weak! And clearly, that carried over here! You were poorly made!"

Peridot turned to her. "I am not weak! I was not poorly made!" She kicked Pearl's robot over. The Temps all gasped, Jasper with a smile.

Pearl's tackled Peri's, sending them away from the barn. They pulled and pushed and Connie ran up. "Guys! Stop! You're going to get hurt!"

"Yes! Punch her in the face!" Jasper yelled, Lapis looking shocked behind her.

Pearl threw Peridot to the others and Connie gave a cry.

"I'm fine! Time to show this daughter of a clod not to mess with me!" Peridot growled.

"Be careful Peri!" Lapis called, holding Connie close in protection.

"Punch her once for me!" Jasper yelled, making Lapis glare at her.

Pearl's was about to grab Peri's but it blocked and Pearl growled. "You are weak! And pathetic! And poorly made! You served a gem that did nothing important, nothing useful! You and your little team are attempting to do NOTHING!" Peridot suddenly gave a yell and slapped Pearl right in the face. The Temps all gasped. Peri panted and whispered, "You can insult me all you want, but never… never insult my Diamond or my team again!" She got up and smirked. "Even if my kind seems like nothing on Homeworld," She readied for a robot punch. "that's not going to stop me from winning, you muddy clod!" She punched but Pearl's robot caught her arm and Pearl gave a chuckle.

"Wha…" Peri whispered. Pearl then ripped off the arm and sent Peridot to the ground, dazed. She slammed it repeatedly until the Temps ran up.

"Peri!" Her friends cried. Peridot gave a moan.

Pearl gave a victory laugh. "Ha, ha! I am the champion! Hm, I told you I'd-"

"Peri, are you okay?" She heard Connie asked worriedly as she helped Peri up.

Peridot brushed off dirt and grinned. "I'm excellent, Connie."

Lapis suddenly tackled her in a hug, "I was so worried! Don't scare me like that again!"

Peridot blushed. "O-Okay… Will do, Lazuli."

"Aren't you impressed by me?" They glanced up to see Pearl leap down from her robot. "I'm a Pearl! She's a Peridot! Let that sink in! I won, and I'm the leader! She… she is common, and I'm not!" Pearl protested.

"Peri isn't common!" Connie suddenly flared. Pearl looked frightened slightly and Connie softened. "She isn't, and I'm not saying you aren't too. Peridot protects us, guards us, she can fuse, and everything any gem can, and more! She's extraordinary…. and so are you." Connie smiled, offering a hand. Pearl hesitated and whispered, "I… still won though. You all have to obey me anyway!"

"Yeah… That's not how things work on this planet." Jasper smiled. She walked off with the other two and Pearl glanced down at her hurt cheek.

Later, they had nearly picked up all the rubble when Connie saw Pearl approach Peridot with a power drill.

Pearl glanced at her and smiled nervously. "I… had no idea Peridots could be so strong, and loyal too…. Do you miss her?"

"Who?" Peridot asked.

"Yellow Diamond." Pearl responded. "I… I noticed how upset you got before and, hm, I would get the same way if someone insulted Rose…"

Peridot smirked. "I guess we have that in common then."

Pearl gave a small nod. She started up the power tool and Peridot gave a chuckle. "You're holding it upside down."

Pearl blushed and held it rightside up. "Yes… So…. did Yellow Diamond ever see you as a equal?"

"Well… she respected me." Peridot said.

Connie didn't hear anymore as they had walked away from her range of ear, but smiled. "... We're going to stop that Cluster, I know it."