1001 Nights in Their Garden

The Sixth Day- Cherry 2.0

Part III- Spinel's Reflections

Author's Note- Apologies for the delay, I've been on the road for the last two days.

My name is Steven Universe, and as I peer back into Spinel's past, I wonder just what she has seen to make her hate Pearl so much.

Pearl, Bismuth, and I, stood in one of the many wings of the palace on Homeworld. I had never been to it, but the aching familiarity of it was part of the reason I could never quite sleep comfortably there. Did Spinel feel the same way? I wasn't sure but… that's when it hit me that Spinel had vanished.

The room had to have been one of Mom's. Its immaculate white marble contrasted with the hot pink of the tapestries on the walls depicting her. Even the rugs formed the shape of a Diamond. A large column stood in the center of the room and suspended there was a bubble with a familiar heart-shaped gemstone.

A door creaked open, and Mom entered followed by… I was puzzled into thinking aloud, "but that's not my Pearl?" She had tight Pink Buns in her hair, the gem didn't even so much walk as skip into the room. I felt like I had seen her somewhere but where that may have been eluded me. Our Pearl, added, "There are many Pearls throughout the galaxy, I must say for being a," she pensively held her hand to her chin, "Say, what are you anyway?"

That made me smile despite the radical change in scenery, "Steven, Steven Universe."

She blinked, "What is a Steven?"

Bismuth whispered to her, and Pearl turned an odd shade of blue. "He's a hybrid." She whispered more and Pearl nearly lost her balance. "Of-of a Diamond. Yes. Of course."

The smith seemed confused, "Steven, what exactly are we seeing?"

"At a guess, I think this is Spinel's memory?" I suggested.

Bismuth seemed lost, "This kinda thing happen to you often?"

"Everyday this week." I replied.

Mom with the Pearl following close behind her interrupted our train of thought. They were walking toward the pedestal. She asked the Pearl, "Are you sure we're in the right place?"

The Pearl checked her data pad and beamed, "Yes, most certainly my Diamond."

"I wonder what they've brought me." She paused, and looked back at her starry-eyed servant, "I know they have responsibilities to the empire, but, oh forget it." She pressed forward, before the pearl reached up to grab one of her hands.

She said, "My Diamond, I am at your service, if anything is bothering you," but the Diamond shrugged it off. I could hear her thought which remained unsaid, I'm a Diamond I deserve to be with them! Am I just a joke to you!" It wasn't quite what I saw when Connie and I were together, but I knew it hurt her.

Connie, I guess I'm going to have a lot to figure out when all the dust settles. If it ever settles.

Mom popped the bubble and at the same moment as her Spinel materialized, mine shouted in my ear startling me. "Surprise!" Was what she said. I completely missed what she said in the memory.

"Did you have to be so loud!" I shouted.

Her arm reached out and coiled itself over my mouth before I could continue. "Silly Pink." She smiled holding a finger to her lips, "I missed you sooooooooo much." What happened to her form? Why was she like she was during the first story I told her? More importantly, why was she that way with Mom now?"

Pearl looked at Bismuth, "Shouldn't we be getting back to the shop, it really shouldn't be unattended."

"Don't worry, I don't think that we left. Steven?" She nodded toward me, hoping for an answer.

"Probably?" I stuttered out.

Pearl spoke up, "Oh dear, do you have any idea what's going on? My Bismuth-"

Spinel barged in, "Well not that it's any of my "Bismuth" but, that's not who you were made for." Her whole body shook with laughter as she giggled.

Bismuth had to resist the urge to laugh, "Nobody own's her."

Spinel shouted in a sort of sing-song whine, "Wrooooonnnnnnggggggg!" I put a hand over her face.

Mom's Spinel proceeded to do cartwheels around her and that other Pearl. She squeaked, and came on too strong, she was as overt about her affection as anyone could be. I looked back at my Spinel, who was watching intently to see what my reaction might be. I smiled, she came on strong but she meant well. When she wasn't threatening to end life on earth as we know it.

"What does any of this have to do with our Pearl?" Bismuth questioned.

Spinel looked oddly frank, "I missed her." She pointed at that other Pearl as she followed the troop out, and the scene shifted with a flash from the heart on her chest.

We stood in the middle of the old garden, before I arrived and before the rot had set in. Spinel and that other Pearl were walking along, she was holding a parasol. The pair looked relaxed as they made their way along. Bismuth and Pearl found no more clarity in this dimension. My Spinel led me closer to the two in this vision. She said, "I adored Pink, and her Pearl. Whenever she would be off at a dance or learning stuff… she'd come here to see me."

Bismuth and our Pearl were close by, the former said, "Really cared about her, huh?"

Spinel grabbed my hand, "I did, she was always so cheerful, her and Pink, and me… I was so happy to be friends with them. We'd play games for ages, but then something awful happened."

Pearl asked, not unsympathetically, "What?"

"Nobody ever told me. Pink said it wasn't important. She hurt me." Spinel fumed, "She never told me." The ground shook under our feet as the memory changed again. "She never told me." The gem started to cry, before pointing angrily at Pearl, "That's when you became her replacement."

This seemed to dispel the fog from Pearl's eyes, "I was her replacement?"

Next Time: Pearl's Reflections