The Crystal Temps stood looking at the dril, their pride and joy at the moment. "We're so close to ending this… aren't we?" Lapis asked hestatily.
"We should be, Lazuli. With the cordinets we got from the Moon Base, all we must do is drill into the eartg and destroy the Cluster. Now, not under any circumstances are any of you but Jasper and I allowed to opprate the drill when…"
Connie had tuned out Peridot and instead watched Pearl, with her rose crown newly watered, sneak into the barn. The girl followed.
"Pearl, we have to talk." Connie said, hands shoved deep into her pockets.
Pearl froze and gave a nervous titter. "W-Whatever about?"
They soon sat in a broke down truck, Connie had a plan.
"Hm, this site is just horrid for comuncating in, why not-"
"I need you to tell me more about Pink Diamond." Connie said firmly.
"Pink Diamond?" Pearl whispered, looking frightened. "I… I can't speak much about her, she often isn't around me. However, Rose knows her well… Ah, I miss Rose. I would do anything to see her again."
"Anything?" Connie whispered, hurt. She suddenly snatched the crystal Pearl had been clutching away and swung out of the car, slamming the door shut. She locked it and Pearl gasped.
"You're trapped! I locked you in there, and if you ever want to get out again, I suggest you tell me what this is!" Connie cried, holding the crystal.
"Connie, listen to me, you are being irrational. We can come to a agreement, I'm sure." Pearl said nervously.
"What is this thing?"
"I… I won't tell you!"
"Ah…" Connie whispered. She suddenly grabbed a hammer. "Then I'll smash it, and you won't be able to use it!" She was about to slam the hammer down when Pearl gave a frigtehned little cry.
"Wait! Don't!" Pearl yelled. "Just… Just allow me to exsplain myself…. That is a communicator, that connects me to Pink Diamond on Homeworld."
"Pink Diamond!?" Connie shouted enraged. "You still want to take me to her?!"
"Oh! Er… no. I mean… well, Rose wants you, so I would want to take you to her. Sure this was fun, making something, singing, feeling equal, but… Rose might think I'm something if I do this for her, and that's all I care about! You, will show all of Homeworld to respect me! Rose will forgive me and maybe then… show her true feelings."
Connie stared in disbelief. "Was this your plan the whole time?"
"Don't take it personally, Connie, but I only stayed because I had to. And when I saw the crystal, I was waiting for a chance to grab you and leave."
"...I can't believe you." Connie whispered. She then ran out of the barn, calling for the Temps.
Connie soon showed the communicatior and Peridot held it as if it could be snatched away. "That simple stupid clod! She could have gotten us all shattered!"
"How could she?! We've been through so much!" Lapis growled. "Ugh, I even sang with her."
"We all did, she has a great voice." Peridot whispered.
"Are you seriously complimenting her right now?" Lapis cried.
Suddenly, the truck's horn started up, loud and vigrous, not stopping for air. Connie frowned. "Hm. She found the horn pretty fast…"
"Hey kid, I know you trusted her, but-" Jasper was interupted by the girl.
"I didn't trust her, Jasper. I didn't trust her one bit at first. I had my sword to her neck the night I released her. But then, what did she do? She started to smile, and act like we were a team, and wasn't scared of me anymore… You would think that could mean I should be safe with her, but I guess it wasn't meant to be. I tried to protect my planet, and I failed you all… I'm sorry." Connie sighed, slumping to the ground.
"Connie, none of this is your fault." Jasper sighed. "You can't fix every problem for everyone."
"But… but I want to!" Connie cried in desperation.
"You got the heart of a leader in there, kiddo. Just like your mom." Jasper smiled, looking at the night sky rather than her. "A leader looks after her team, and plans their strategies, that includes making allies. You tried your best to convince Pearl, and that's all that matters now."
"Yes. You are quite a exsample, Connie, more so than even me today." Peridot smiled, walking up. She held the comuncatior close.
Lapis flew up and hugged Connie. "Look, at least Pearl can't cause anymore damage to our planet, or our home."
She couldn't be more wrong, for no sooner was that said then Pearl came smashing through the barn wall, in her ginormous robot. Connie fell back in shock. "How?!"
"Ha! I broke your crystal shield! Impressed? It was weak against me, and soon you will be too." Pearl laughed.
Jasper frowned. "Are you talking about a window?"
"Now, to finally do what I should have done a while ago!" Pearl growled. She suddenly threw the truck at the Temps. Lapis gave a cry and shoved Connie away. The truck suddenly floated mid air and Peridot threw it aside like it was a pebble.
The gem cracked her knuckles and smirked. "We don't have any rules of competition this time." Pearl went pale and Peridot slammed her hands onto the ground, crumbling Pearl's robot like one would smash a can. Pearl leapt out and over the gem, snatching the comuncatior from her hands. She landed elegantly with a mocking bow ready to show. She was about to turn the thing when water froze it along with her hands. Jasper ran up but Pearl swiftly kicked her stright in the stomach, knocking the wind out of her and into a nearby tree that broke and slammed to the ground. Pearl shattered the ice on the hard ground and let the crystal drop just in time to twirl around and catch both of Connie's wrists. The girl panted and strained, trying so hard. Her glowing hands were inches from Pearl's smug face.
The tall gem heard Lapis and Peri running up from either side, and thrust Connie's hands straight to them. They both stopped in their tracks. Jasper froze.
Pearl shoved Connie roughly to the ground and walked to the crystal on the ground, trying to ignore Connie's rage.
Pearl sighed and glanced back at the shaking hybrid. "Don't look at me like that. You aren't changing my mind."
"I could have shattered you!" Connie yelled. "But I didn't! Doesn't that mean anything?!"
"Of course it means something." Pearl whispered. "It's the reason I'm letting your Temps hide, and giving you time to cover your gem."
Connie stared, wide eyed. She… She was truly doing this. Pearl was selling her out to Homeworld, to Rose Quartz.
Pearl turned away and turned the crystal. It glowed pink and Connie braced herself as it floted upward. Lapis, Peri, and Jasper all grabbed her and leapt away. The Temps all were on Jasper's lap, Connie in the middle, and Peridot and Lapis on her sides. They waited with bated breath.
Pearl brushed off her dress, waiting. She glanced back to see Connie was gone. That was no matter, she would just tell Rose anyway. The thing glowed pink and expanded. The Temps peeked out as a gem came into focus. They saw a light pink Peridot, her gem on her hand. Her hair was combed upward in a slight poof.
"Is that another Peridot?" Lapis whispered, hiding herself a bit more. She didn't like the look on the gem's face. It was the same as her Peri.
"Who is she?" Connie whispered.
"I don't know, Connie. Clearly, something must've changed if the Peridot is answering the line." Peridot admitted.
Pearl gave a tiny cough, getting the Peridot's attention from something underneath the screen.
The gem gasped in suprise, falling back from it. She squinted her eyes then and saw who it was. Pink Peridot went up and cocked her head. "You! What are you doing here?! You have some nerve, calling Homeworld! Pink Diamond is gone as usual."
"I… I need to talk to Rose." Pearl said trembling.
"Oh, you're getting your wish for once." The other smirked. "She'll be happy to see you, Pearl."
Pearl bowed her head in understanding. "Yes, I'm sure she will."
"My Clarity!" The Peridot called.
Connie felt her body freeze as the camrea moved to reveal Rose Quartz, the gem that wanted her dead.
"Is that…" Lapis whispered.
"Rose…." Peridot answered.
"Quartz!" Jasper finished, looking angry.
"Pearl. My Pearl." Rose said softly.
"Rose." Pearl smiled, tears welling up in her eyes.
"... How is your little… 'misson' going?" Rose asked smoothly. "The mission you shouldn't have snuck on."
"Please, allow me to-"
"Pearl, you know you are important to me." Rose whispered. "And your attempts to, 'help' are rather cute. You convinced Amethyst to let you come with her and Garnet…. when I told you not to… however… Did you find the human?"
"The… human." Pearl glanced back to see Connie who looked amazed. She hadn't said she was a hybrid. "She's smart, Rose." Pearl said honestly. "She escaped…"
"Escaped… How did a human child escape you all?" Rose said.
"I… You see… she…"
"Pearl, did you honestly think you could catch the human, by yourself?"
"No, Rose…" Pearl answered.
"Good… This place is rather… lonely without you, I'll admit."
"R-Really? You think so?" Pearl whispered happily. "I… I can't believe it… Rose, I-"
"My Pearl, you seem rather talkative…." Rose said gently. "The Earth must have corrupted you, as it does to most who leave the safety of Homeworld… But don't worry, clever little one. I will be sure to fix you…"
Pearl blushed and lowered her head. "F-Fix me?"
"Yes. You have become far too… open minded down there. I will let you spend some time in your gem, to rejuvenate yourself… and if you still feel this way..." Rose's sweet smile never faded. "Well, you are always replaceable."
"B-B-But… Rose, I thought you said that we had a connection…" Pearl whispered.
"Yes. A connection of a master, and her loyal little servent. In that way, I do care for you Pearl."
"You don't…" The other whispered, tears starting. "You don't care for me like I care for you!"
"You were made like that Pearl, to adore me."
"If you really cared, you'd listen to me!"
"Pearl… choose your next words carefully." Rose narrowed her eyes and stood.
"You… You don't care about the Earth! You don't treat me as a equal! You're not kind at all! It's all a fake, isn't it?!"
Rose gave a chuckle and then looked at Pearl with the coldest eyes Connie had ever seen. "In most ways, yes, it is all fake, Pearl. But I do find you useful. Be proud of that, you ungrateful little gem."
"No! I won't serve you! Not anymore! You… You… TWERP!" Pearl yelled, ripping off her rose crown and smashing the dead flowers into the dirt. The Temps all gasped behind the broken robot while Rose looked dark and shadowy, her eyes seemed gone. Pearl breathed for air. "G-Goodbye Rose…."
"Ugh, one of you can take this…" Pearl said, giving the crystal to Peridot.
"Wow, thanks." Peridot muttered. It suddenly started glowing red. "Huh? Why is it glowing again?!"
"Because it's about to exsplode, and shatter us all." Pearl said, curling into a ball.
"Lapis, take it!" Peri cried.
Lapis gave a cry. "But I don't want it!"
"No one does, Lazuli!" Peridot yelled.
Connie suddenly bubbled it and Jasper punched it away. They watched it explode in the distance.
"Thank you, Pearl. I owe my life to you. We all do." Connie smiled.
"I know…" Pearl mumbled into the grass.
"Pearl, do you know what this means?" Lapis suddenly beamed excitedly.
"No…" Pearl whispered weakly.
"Oh my gosh!" Connie relaized and gasped. She hugged the gem. "You're a Crystal Temp! Welcome to the rebellion, get ready to be my fourth mom!"
The others laughed while Pearl moaned in agony.
Hey you guys! Sorry I hadn't posted before but a lot has happened! We saw Pink Diamond in Stranded! She is WAY different then I thought she'd be! That is why I was hestaint to keep writing and stayed low for a while, I didn't want my story to inflict with the cannon show. I mean, we still don't know Pearl's owner! Anywho, I'm thinking about starting a Tumblr page for this series, there, you can post theories, ask me questions about the story and characters, and put fanart up if you wish. I might also make some outfit designs for this story on Gemosa maker from Doll Divine and post them there. What do you guys think? Sounds fun?