Steven picked up his pace as they crossed the bridge, walking in sync with Blue Pearl (well, as much as he could, when she moved like every step was a dance). She looked to him in question.
"Hey… Blue Pearl?" he broached tentatively. He didn't want to bother her, but…
"Yes, Pink Steven?" she replied, and he took that as the go-ahead to continue.
"What are parties- er, balls, like on Homeworld?" Blue Pearl hesitated. He could feel Amy's stare boring into his back, as if disgusted he would even talk to a pearl. "I just- I don't want to let Blue- or White- down." He pressed his thumb into his palm, nervous at the very thought of seeing the Diamond matriarch again. "Do you know what she likes, at least?"
Blue Pearl drew in a breath, looking down. "White Diamond expects perfection, nothing less." She pressed her lips together a moment, perhaps deliberating her next words. "Considering the… circumstances, it may be prudent not to expect her attendance."
"Oh," Steven breathed. "Because I screwed everything up." He wasn't sure if he was more disappointed or relieved.
Blue Pearl tensed. "I did not mean to-"
"No, it's fine," Steven said reassuringly. "I get it. I messed up." A humorless laugh left his lips. "I'm not sure anyone could be any less perfect than me."
Blue Pearl remained stiff. "All diamonds are flawless by nature," she said softly. They passed through a doorway, back inside once again, and she added, "You are no exception, Pink Steven."
Steven huffed, sardonic. "Oh yeah, because everything around here is just flawless." Blue Pearl cringed, looking away, and he instantly regretted his words. "Sorry," he added.
"There is no need to apologize, Pink Steven," Blue Pearl stated, voice calm and clear, deferential as always.
The conversation well and truly died after that, fading into the silence of their footsteps. Good job, Steven, he reprimanded himself, withholding a sigh.
He cleared his throat, trying again, "What do you like?" He heard Amy scoff behind them; he ignored her.
Blue Pearl straightened in surprise. "Me?" she questioned, then held her breath, rigid, as if her simple query was a grievous breach of etiquette. Maybe it was.
"Yeah, you," Steven mused, watching her curiously. "What do you do for fun around here?"
"Fun… I don't…?" She glanced around surreptitiously, then let the tension fall from her frame. "I… I like to draw," she offered, barely more than a whisper, then pressed her hands together to keep them from fluttering.
"Really?" Steven asked. She nodded. "Can I see? I like to draw too!"
She contemplated him, deliberating, and then pulled a diamond-shaped screen from her gem. She swiped her hand across it and a drawing bloomed into being. Ah- it was one of the ones from his 'trial.' He pushed down a grimace, taking in the (actually quite nice, once he looked past the premise) drawing of one of the zircons being blasted by Yellow.
"That's… really good!" he said, truthfully, hoping his discomfort didn't show through.
Blue Pearl looked down, a shy smile on her face. "They're nothing much, really," she explained. "My Diamond permits me to draw during court proceedings."
"There's more?" Steven questioned, eager. Blue Pearl offered the tablet to him and he swiped through a few more renditions of the trial, landing on one depicting Blue Diamond, then another of Yellow Pearl. The portraits seemed to have more detail than the rest of the sketches.
"You're a great artist!" Steven smiled. He looked intently at the last drawing and added, "Yellow Pearl is really pretty, isn't she?"
Blue Pearl clasped her hands in front of her, still smiling as she agreed, "She is very suitable for her Diamond." Even her voice held a smile.
He flipped through another couple drawings, skipping past one with his face crossed out, asking, "Do you two hang out much?"
Blue Pearl's smile turned to a puzzled frown. "I'm not sure I understand."
"You know- get together, just the two of you?"
"Oh," Blue Pearl offered, surprised, "that wouldn't be permitted."
"Oh," Steven replied in turn, a cold draft of sadness sweeping through him at Blue Pearl's plight.
"But…" she continued, "when our Diamonds are discussing matters together, privately, there are some times where we may converse." A small smile returned to her face.
"Do you ever show her your drawings?" Steven asked, eyes tracing the surprisingly bold lines and striking figures dominating Blue Pearl's art. Her style contrasted her typically demure persona in a way that was distinctly… hers.
Blue Pearl shook her head. "They're not relevant."
Steven frowned. "I mean, maybe… But not everything has to be relevant to be important, right?"
Blue Pearl fell silent at that, but he could tell she was mulling over his statement. They reached the corridor to his room and he handed the tablet back, Blue Pearl taking it with a nod.
"Thanks for sharing with me," Steven said. "I really like your style. I've been working on mine, but it's hard to get just the right feel…" He opened his mouth to elaborate, took a look at the looming topazes, and changed his mind. "-And hands are hard," he finished.
To his surprise, Blue Pearl laughed. It was faint and brief, but it felt like an accomplishment. Steven found himself laughing, too.
The laughter gave way to a sigh as they entered Pink's room; he was stuck there once again, waiting for a Diamond to come fetch him for who-knew-what. He walked to the middle of the room, then stood, idle, not really sure how to occupy himself.
Frowning, he fiddled with the edge of his skirt. He really should find out what he looked like…
"Uh… Why is it so empty in there?" Amy's voice skirted the room, and Steven looked over to find her standing in the doorway, seeming unsure if she should enter. She looked over at one of the Topazes, then quickly down, tensing as she fought not to stare at any one thing for too long.
Steven waved her in, the door shutting ominously behind her as she stepped forward. "What do you mean?" he asked, looking around. He supposed it was a bit empty- well, more than a bit. But wasn't that normal?
Amy gestured vaguely. "I thought all upper-crust gems had furniture and… stuff around. They seem to like it." She huffed, "Blue Diamond certainly does, from what I saw earlier."
"Oh, um…" Steven looked around, then shrugged. "It was like this when I got here…"
"Pink Steven..?" Blue Pearl inquired, stepping forward.
"Oh, yeah?" Steven responded.
"The pebbles are capable of constructing furnishings of any design, should you wish it." She clasped her hands before her, dutifully delivering her statement.
"Really?" he replied, kneeling down. Of course, he knew they could make chairs and such, but anything? He knocked on the floor excitedly. "Hey, pebbles, is that true?" he whispered into the tile. "Can you really make anything?"
A few muffled squeaks were the only reply.
"Hey, it's okay, you can come out," he said coaxingly. "You won't get in trouble, I swear." He looked up at the other gems. "Right, guys?"
Blue Pearl nodded, while Amy just gazed at him incredulously. Slowly, a square of the floor raised up, a few pebbles poking their heads out of the gap curiously.
"We can make anything for you, Pink!" one exclaimed happily.
Steven giggled, holding out his hand; a few pebbles climbed up to sit on his palm. "That's incredible! Can you really make everything? What about moving things? Like the teacups at Funland! -Wait," he reconsidered with a grimace, "don't make those. They make me sick."
The pebbles laughed, beaming up at him; more clambered out of the hole in the floor, climbing up his clothes.
"We can make or move anything you want, Pink!" a pebble reiterated.
"Do you want a throne, Pink?" a pebble in a green smock asked, looking up with starry eyes, filled with excitement. "Or a biiig mirror?"
"Your new form is pretty, Pink!" a different pebble interrupted, smoothing the fabric of his skirt.
"Why is an amethyst here?" another asked.
"Because Pink wants her here!" yet another replied, and the two pulled faces at each other.
Steven laughed, "Calm down, you guys." He gestured to Amy with his free hand, who was observing the pebbles with something between disbelief and disgust. "This is Amy! She's going to stay with me from now on."
"Amy," a pebble cooed. Another added, "She's pretty."
"I like her!" a third pebble announced.
Amy huffed at the comments, rolling her eyes. Yet, despite her dismissal of the pebbles, she still looked away, seeming a little embarrassed as she crossed her arms over her chest.
"She is pretty, isn't she?" Steven agreed, and the pebbles broke out into excited exclamations.
A faint purple flush bloomed across Amy's hands and cheeks, and Steven bit down a chuckle.
He looked down at his new clothes again. "Did you guys say you could make a mirror?" he asked.
The pebbles offered a dozen hurried affirmations, overlapping in a cloud of anticipation that had him giggling.
"Oh-" he looked back to Blue Pearl and Amy, loitering as they avoided each other's glances, "but we should make somewhere for you guys to sit, first. A couch, maybe?"
"What's that?" a pebble asked. "A cow-ch?" A collection of bright eyes looked up at him, questioning.
"Um…" Steven gestured helplessly to the air. "Someplace flat, with legs so it's not on the ground, and a back? Comfortable to sit on? They can come in a lot of different shapes and sizes."
"Legs?" a pebble stressed, looking worried.
"Not- not real legs!" Steven exclaimed. "Just- sticks, so it's off the floor."
The pebbles chattered amongst themselves and a group dove back into the floor; a moment later a fairly decent approximation of a couch rose up next to him.
"Couch!" one pebble announced proudly from atop it.
Steven chuckled. "That's pretty good!" he said, and the pebbles celebrated their victory. He got up, steadying a few little gems that teetered precariously on his shoulders. "You guys can sit, if you want," he directed to the two larger gems, both still standing awkwardly, watching him interact with the pebbles.
"I don't need to-" overlapped with, "It is not necessary-" as both gems spoke in unison, then turned to each other with shared surprise.
Amy snarled, grip tightening on her arms, "I'm not sitting with a pearl."
Steven's fragile attempt at good humor cracked as Blue Pearl ducked her head, nodding as she stated, "That would not be proper."
"I don't care about what's proper," Steven stated, flat, as he gave Amy a disappointed stare. He crossed his own arms as he saw her bristle. "No, Amy, I get that you don't like pearls, but that doesn't give you an excuse to be so- awful to her! Blue Pearl is my friend, and you shouldn't treat her like this!"
Amy's eyes grew wide, and he realized with surprise that he'd teared up. He blinked, trying to stem the flow, but his eyes seemed determined to continue to leak tears despite his protest.
"I- I'm sorry," he said, turning away as he wiped his eyes, the pebbles petting his hair and whispering to him soothingly. "I didn't mean to get upset, I just…" He trailed off with a pathetic sniffle. This wasn't even that bad; why was he getting so emotional? What was wrong with him?
"My-" Amy began, placating.
Steven interrupted, a simple, stressed, "Don't," immediately regretting the sharp intake of breath that answered it, the memory of a flinch. He took a few deep, steadying breaths, that really did nothing to steady him, then turned around again. He plastered a tepid smile on his face, sharp and brittle like glass, already half-cracked. "I'm fine, see?"
The two gems stood in awkward silence, Amy casting him a withering stare that shattered what was left of his nonchalance. Steven looked down, false smile fading. "Let's… just make two couches. Would that be okay? I mean, if you want to sit at all- You don't have to, I just thought-"
"My Steven," Amy interrupted gently, cutting off his rambling, "I…" She glanced over at Blue Pearl, whose lips were pursed in a concerned frown, hands knotted together as if restraining them from action. "I acted inappropriately. I never should have questioned you." Steven opened his mouth in a denial, and she continued, "You are My Diamond; if you treasure this pearl, then so shall I."
Steven's frown deepened. "I don't want you to do things just because you think it's what I want, Amy," he said softly, pushing down another wave of emotion. "It's just… so wrong to treat a person as property."
A silence descended; Amy made a hesitant movement, a stretch of her fingers as if to reach out to him, before abandoning the act, dropping her arms to her sides. She worried her lip, brow furrowed.
"It is… my purpose, to be of service to another," Blue Pearl's voice brushed against the quiet, hesitant.
"I know that," Steven stressed, because of course she would think so, "but you're a person too! Just because you were made to do something, or be something, that isn't all you are; it doesn't mean people can hurt you and get away with it! Your feelings matter- you matter. Being different isn't- isn't a defect!" Somewhere along the line Steven realized he'd stopped talking about Blue Pearl, and started talking about himself.
Amy crossed her arms again, this time not out of anger, but discomfort, his words obviously hitting close to home for her, too. She hunched in on herself, guilt crossing her face as Blue Pearl looked down, brows furrowed.
Steven sighed. "I don't mean to make you feel bad. I know Homeworld has rules- about what you're supposed to do, who you're supposed to be- I just… don't understand them. And I don't agree with them. You're both my friends- I… wanted you guys to be comfortable, to be able to have somewhere to sit so you wouldn't have to be so…" He gestured vaguely, words failing him. He hefted a sigh, running his hands over his face. "I didn't mean to start a fight."
Neither gem seemed to know what to say to that.
"How about…?" Steven began, tentative. "How about, so long as you're just here with me, we try to forget about the rules? For a little while, at least? No diamonds or pearls or formalities- just… people. Okay?" He looked at the gems before him, hopeful.
The silence stretched for a moment before Amy huffed, walking over to take a seat on the pebble-proclaimed couch. She looked at Blue Pearl, then nodded to the space next to her. "You going to sit or what?" she drawled.
Blue Pearl drew herself up in surprise, then cautiously made her way over, perching on the seat next to Amy. "…Thank you," she murmured, stiff, face carefully blank.
Amy glanced at Steven, then back to the pearl. "So… you draw," she stated, in lieu of an icebreaker.
"Oh… yes," Blue Pearl replied. She looked down for a moment, then brought a hand to rest delicately against the gem on her chest. "Would you like to see?"
Amy nodded, eyes flicking once more to Steven, and Blue Pearl withdrew the tablet from her gem. Steven could see the image landed back on Yellow electrifying the zircon. He looked away, trying not to cringe.
Amy snorted in amusement, leaning in to get a better look. "What did this speck do to get Yellow Diamond so riled?"
The picture seemed not to affect her the way it did Steven… Why? He shook his head, brushing the thought aside. It wasn't important.
"Oh, um…" Blue Pearl looked to Steven, questioning; he nodded encouragingly, offering a much-more-genuine smile. This was good; they were talking, at least. "Well, you see…"
Steven returned his attention to the pebbles, leaving the other gems to their conversation. He was touched at the effort Amy and Blue Pearl were putting in on his behalf, after he'd been the one to upset them in the first place. Maybe if he was lucky, and Amy could hold off on her prejudice, they might just become friends, too. It was a nice thought.
He took a few steps away, craving some space; he needed to pull himself together. "So, what did you guys say about a mirror?" Steven directed, cross-eyed, to a blue-hatted pebble, peering down from the top of his head.
The pebble gasped, excitement ripping through the group of tiny gems once more, "You want a mirror now, Pink? We'll make one right away!" And with that most of those clinging to Steven clambered down his side, disappearing into the floor after the others.
A gap opened in the floor near the wall, the pebbles quickly constructing a towering mirror, doubtlessly sized more for her than him. He strode over, then paused as the construction finished. For a moment, the three-panel array seemed almost… familiar… but then the moment passed, Steven shaking off the odd nostalgia. He stepped to the side, into the mirror's reflection, getting his first good look at his new form.
He blinked, breath caught in his throat as Pink Diamond stared back at him. Every fiber of his being froze, tied in knots as he clenched his eyes shut, denying the image before him. There was no way… He wasn't-!
He cracked one eye open again, breath escaping him in a stifled half-moan as the image looking back at him changed. He shook his head, pressing the heels of his hands into his eyes as he forced himself to relax. For a moment, he would've sworn… but no, it was just his mind playing tricks on him. He opened his eyes once more, gaze traveling the familiar-but-different curves of his face. He wasn't her.
He brushed his hands down his front, his reflection copying the movement, solidifying its reality. He looked… off. He frowned, and his reflection frowned back at him, diamond eyes piercing. He ran a hand through the soft curls of his hair, giving a gentle pat and a smile to a pebble seated on his shoulder, braiding a few unruly strands at his nape.
His eyes traveled down his form once more, and it dawned on him the source of his disquiet; he looked unfinished, his form incohesive, clothes an asymmetrical assortment of design and hue. It wasn't… bad, and it wasn't her, but it wasn't quite him, either. He shuddered, the memory of his mid-poof nightmare surfacing. Did he reform too soon? Was he-? No, he was fine. He was fine.
He looked closer, recognizing elements of his mismatched outfit: a single puffed sleeve, ripped from Pink's image, his ruffled skirt following closely after, though more an inspiration than a copy, falling in scallops like his mom's- Rose's dress. His pink shirt clung tight to his chest, an opening perfectly displaying his diamond-set gem while concealing the cracks surrounding it, which- yep, were still there. He sighed, scuffing his foot against the floor; at least he still had his usual sandals. Even if everything else was off-kilter, a hodgepodge of his mom's memories.
Steven wrapped his arms around himself, hiding the diamond displayed prominently at his navel. The reality of his situation washed over him once again, tears pooling in his eyes as homesickness gnawed a hole in his chest. What he wouldn't give to have Pearl fuss over him now; to hear Garnet's advice or Amethyst's laugh. To feel a hug from his dad or to see Connie's smiling face again… To be human.
He breathed in, then out, and let the feelings pass like Garnet had taught him as Stevonnie, a time that seemed centuries ago now. It was okay to feel bad. And it was okay to move on. His family would always be with him in his heart, even if he never saw them again. Even if he might not be himself anymore. No- he was still Steven, no matter what anyone said.
Wasn't he?
A laugh broke him from his unpleasant thoughts, and her turned to find Amy chatting animatedly with Blue Pearl, grinning over the tablet shared in their hands.
Steven smiled, seeing the two gems getting along, but instead of joining them he walked around the couch's back, dodging a glance he could feel from Blue Pearl as he stepped out onto the balcony. He needed a plan. Ugh, but none of his plans worked! He rested his elbows on the edge, squishing his cheeks against his fists as he thought.
He looked out over the Homeworld skyline, eyes following a few distant spacecraft lifting into orbit, black specks against the pale pink sky. He lingered a while, no bright ideas making themselves known, before the unseeing gaze of White Diamond's monument grew even more uncomfortable than usual. He turned around, looking back at Amy and Blue Pearl. Maybe it was time to ask for help. Both of them surely knew much more about Homeworld and the Diamonds than he did. He would just have to be careful no one else found out- he wouldn't get them in trouble... again.
He walked back to the seated gems, Blue Pearl falling silent and looking up at his approach, shortly followed by Amy.
"My Steven," Amy said with a calculating look, somewhere between wariness and concern.
"Hey Amy," Steven replied, looking down. "You guys doing okay?"
Amy huffed, "Naturally. But, uh-" Her eyes flicked to Blue Pearl, then back to him. "Forgive me for asking, but Pearl said you just stay… in here? Like this?" Her gaze darted around the near-empty room, displeasure written in the thin line of her mouth. She was obviously trying, and failing, not to judge the décor- or lack thereof.
Steven shrugged. "It's not like I can go anywhere else," he mumbled, fighting to keep the bitter edge from his voice. His nails dug into his palms.
Amy peered at him, incredulous, face shockingly similar to Amethyst's when she questioned his intelligence.
"What?" He asked, uncomfortable.
Amy squinted in apparent bewilderment. "Uh… you have the whole palace to- I mean, she does have access to her palace, right?" she finished, directing the question to Blue Pearl.
"Pink Steven has one-hundred and forty-four chambers at her disposal within her Homeworld palace, yes," Blue Pearl confirmed.
Steven gaped, mind skipping over the lapse in pronouns as he fought to comprehend what he was hearing.
"Wait, I can leave?" Steven questioned, aghast. But he had checked the door; he was locked in!
"Yes, Pink Steven. You may go wherever you wish." Blue Pearl looked confused, as if the thought of keeping Steven prisoner had never even occurred to her. As if that wasn't what the Diamonds had been doing-
"You're telling me I could leave, the whole time," Steven reiterated, incredulous. He could've- He would've- There's no way-
The pearl blinked. "Of… course, Pink Steven."
A taut ball of anger, curled painfully in his chest, burst into flame. He growled, stalking away, quickly coming to a stop at the wall. His hands curled into fists, teeth bared, rigid with anger. He'd been free to go the entire time, only hindered from leaving this room by his cursed inability to open a single door. He wanted to scream in frustration. It wasn't fair! None of this was fair! He drew back one arm, leveling his rage into a blow, sent flying towards the stupid, infuriatingly pink wall-
His fist paused, a millimeter away from connecting. What was he doing? He looked at his hand, fingers clenched tight and rigid, fist trembling as he withheld the anger boiling inside him. A lone pebble huddled against his neck, the rest suddenly - and conspicuously - absent. He forced himself to take a breath, closing his eyes. No, this wasn't right. He slowly, carefully lowered his arm, stuffing his anger away, deep inside him where it couldn't scare anyone- hurt anyone. He couldn't break things because he was angry. It wasn't right. It wasn't him. (And if a niggling voice at the back of his mind insisted that Blue would be disappointed, he paid it no attention.)
"…My Steven?" Amy's voice came, a quiet concern.
Steven spun around, eyes still shut, breathing shallow and ragged as he smothered bursts of emotion, struggling to escape the pit he'd dug for them. "How do you open the door?" he asked, voice clipped. He wouldn't take the frustration of his own stupidity out on them. They didn't deserve that.
"How do you- You're kidding me, right?" Amy stuttered, a half-laugh ending the question.
"No," Steven stated, finally wrangling his anger enough to open his eyes; Amy stiffened under his gaze, any trace of humor vanishing. "How do you open the door?" he repeated, a dull tiredness spreading through his limbs, dragging his thoughts down and down… How could he have not known…?
Amy gulped. "That's, uh…" She shook her head, opening and closing her mouth. "You just… ask it to open?"
Steven forcefully unclenched his jaw. "I tried that," he stated. "I told it to open a hundred different ways-"
"No, not- not verbally," Amy clarified, raising her hands in a conciliation. "You know, you just… connect with the mechanism, and if you have clearance it will respond. Well- everything should respond to you- you're a Diamond-" She clamped her mouth shut at that, poorly attempting to withhold a cringe as she rethought her statement, appraising his reaction with a wary stare.
Steven pressed his back against the wall, sliding down it to rest his head in his hands. Her explanation only confused things more.
"You really… didn't know?" Amy asked, hesitant.
He shook his head, letting out a sigh. What did it even matter, anyway? So he could go around to a few more of Pink's old rooms; it's not like that would get him a ticket off of Homeworld. But still… to get away from this same empty room, irrevocably saturated with her presence…
It would've been nice to know.
Steven took a deep breath, letting the last vestiges of anger leave him, and looked up. Blue Pearl had apparently stood as he sat, leaning towards him with concern clearly written on her face, an expression mirrored on Amy's, though with added discomfort… and maybe a spark of fear.
"I'm okay," he murmured, and the sheer doubt that crossed the other gems' faces was almost comical. "Really," he stated. "I just… wish someone had told me." He sighed again, and added, bitterly, "I wish anyone told me anything."
Blue Pearl stepped forward, head bowed and hands clasped. "I'm sorry, Pink Steven," she said, regretful. "This was an unacceptable oversight on my part…"
"No, no, it's not your fault," Steven protested, holding out a hand to stop the pearl's self-flagellation, a flicker of guilt twisting within him at her words. "There's no way you could've known. I was just- I just assumed-" He closed his mouth and tried again, "I just don't know... a lot. About Homeworld." Understatement of the century, there.
Blue Pearl nodded, but it was Amy who spoke next. "Do you… want to go somewhere else?" she asked, looking at him like he was a puzzle she was having trouble piecing together.
"I-" Did he? No doubt the rest of Pink's palace would be just as steeped in sour memories, left empty and vacant in her absence… But he couldn't suppress his curiosity. He might even learn something useful, if he was lucky. "Yeah," he answered. Of course I do, his tone supplied.
Amy raised a brow at Blue Pearl. The gem stared back for a moment before Amy turned her hands out in an exasperated gesture. "Well?" she asked, prompting a response.
Blue Pearl stiffened, a soft, "Oh," of realization escaping her lips as she looked back to Steven. "I can show you to any of your chambers," she offered, apologetic.
"I…" His eyes flicked over to Amy for a second. "I don't know what-" He frowned and asked, "How about you show me how to open the door, first?"
Blue Pearl's face pinched in a frown. Amy rolled her eyes, stepping forward as Blue Pearl faltered.
"What don't you get?" she asked, walking over to the door, Steven and Blue Pearl following. She seemed more relaxed as she took command of the situation, though her shoulders were still drawn in a tight line.
Steven's brow furrowed as he studied the door, no control panel visible. "You said there was a mechanism- Where…?" He continued to search the thin seam of the doorway, looking in vain for something he'd missed.
Amy squinted at him. "You can't see it," she stated. "It's an internal mechanism." A look of comprehension came over her face, her hands forming decisive fists. "Ohhh, you're thinking of touch-plates, aren't you?"
Steven could only offer a blank stare. "Uh… maybe?"
Amy shook her head, huffing a dry laugh. "No one has to physically connect with tech anymore- well, unless you're doing some heavy coding. It's just not efficient- phased out millennia ago."
"But… how do I get the door to open, then?" Steven asked, feeling increasingly stupid.
Amy sighed in exasperation, rapping her fingers against her thigh as she thought. "Hey, Pearl," she called, and Blue Pearl straightened, "you have any touchless tech we can use?"
"Of course," Blue Pearl replied, hand flitting to her gem. She hesitated a moment before a glow lit up against her palm, and she pulled a small object into being. "Would this do?" she asked, offering a flat, near two-dimensional translucent sliver of crystal to Amy.
Amy took it with a nod. "That's fine," she stated, turning back to Steven. She flipped the small diamond between her fingers, then held it out to him.
Steven took it, running his thumb along the smooth edge as he frowned down at it. "What is it?" he asked.
Amy put out her hand, palm up, and Steven gave the piece of tech back. She held it up, top and bottom corners pinched between her fingers. "Just a personal array," she said casually. "Think you can turn it on?"
Steven stared at the piece of crystal. "How?" he stressed.
Amy grumbled. The device began to glow, a few lines of gem glyph scrolling across its surface as she released it into the air. "Here," she said, "it's on, right?"
Steven nodded.
"So focus on it. -Not with your eyes," she added, as Steven squinted in concentration. "Try to feel it."
Steven let his eyes fall shut, trying to stretch his awareness to the device hovering before him. "I don't-" he began, frustrated, but suddenly, he felt it. A small blip at the edge of his consciousness. "I… I think I got it?" he said, uncertain.
"Okay, good," Amy said, sounding more than a little relieved. "Feel the power source, and try to tell it to turn off-" she paused and clarified, "stop the flow of energy through it."
Steven frowned, face scrunching as he concentrated. He stretched his awareness around the small display, trying to understand. As the moment lengthened, he began to worry he wouldn't be able to do it- that he just wasn't cut out to interface with Homeworld technology, but then Blue Pearl spoke.
"You are entitled to as much time as you need, Pink Steven," she said, voice soft, barely more than a whisper. "…I had to learn, too."
Blue Pearl's words were more encouraging than she knew, and as Amy grunted in agreement Steven let himself relax. He took a deep breath. He could do this.
He honed in on the faint hum of hard-light, picturing the device it belonged to in his mind, puzzling out how, exactly, he was supposed to tell it to do anything. He mentally prodded the thing, quickly sucking in a breath as a sense of otherness bloomed in his mind, the device seeming to open itself to him. The sensation wasn't that far off from when he'd astral project, except he wasn't moving away from his body entirely, merely stretching his consciousness to encompass something else. He willed the array to power off.
Steven started at a sharp sound, concentration breaking; the display had clattered to the floor. "I did it!" he exclaimed, surprised.
"You did!" Amy said proudly, grinning his way as Blue Pearl scooped up the device and offered it back. Amy snatched it out of her hand, holding it up before him again. "Okay," she said eagerly, "now try to turn it on again."
It went much easier this time, barely an effort to seek out the little ball of energy that signified the device. It opened itself to him easily, powering on with a half-formed thought, and this time he could feel a series of options brimming at the edges of his mind, awaiting a signal to complete. He poked at one, tentatively, and a rush of knowledge wormed its way into his head, operating instructions settling among his thoughts like the missing pieces of a puzzle. In a single instant he'd learned everything he needed to know about the little monocle-style display, could envision its every working as if he'd seen it a thousand times before.
"Wow," Steven couldn't help but breathe. His eyes fluttered open, and he caught Amy glancing over him with concern. He frowned her way, awe fading as he came back down to reality.
"You good?" she asked, then elaborated, "You were out of it for a moment, there."
"Oh," Steven replied. "Sorry." Amy shook her head at his apology, exasperated, but chose not to comment.
He glanced back to the array, tempted to try out the options he'd just learned, but wanting more so to finally unlock (ha) the mystery of Homeworld doors. "I think it gave me the, uh, operating manual? Or something?" He bit his lip. "Is that normal?"
"Oh, yes," Blue Pearl said lightly. "Gem technologies are designed to integrate seamlessly with any user, providing the necessary programming for synchronicity." She smiled. "The same principle of interface is applied when accessing any other device; now that you understand how it's done you should have no further trouble using Homeworld's technologies, and with the base program in place any essential data transfer from other devices should be instant."
"Great!" Steven said, genuinely pleased despite only understanding a part of what the pearl said. If everything was that easy…
Blue Pearl offered him a happy nod, and Amy chuckled.
Steven turned toward the door with a nod. "Okay, so this should be the same thing, right?"
"The door control mechanism is significantly simpler than-" Blue Pearl began, only to stutter to a halt as Amy waved her hand in the pearl's face.
"She's got this, Pearl," Amy said, rolling her eyes. "Just give it a try; it'll be easy," she added to Steven, encouraging.
Steven glanced to the door, then back to Amy, debating if he should bother correcting her.
Amy picked up on his discomfort instantly. "What?" she asked, crossing her arms. "Don't go doubting yourself now-"
"No, it's not that," Steven said hurriedly. "It's just- it's he."
Amy's lips formed the word seconds before it left her lips. "What?"
Steven shrugged uncomfortably. "You keep calling me she." He gestured to himself. "I'm a he."
Amy stared at him, looking more confused by the moment. "He," she repeated doubtfully.
Blue Pearl bobbed her head. "I understand, Pink Steven. You wish to be referred to as 'he.'"
Amy rolled her shoulders, looking frightfully close to doing the same with her eyes. "Sure, okay, he's got this, then."
Steven nodded, a small burst of warmth within his chest as not one, but both Homeworld gems acknowledged at least some portion of his humanity, however small. He centered his focus on the door, closing his eyes, letting his awareness expand outwards… and with a brush of thought and a slight draft of movement, the door opened. The pebbles lingering about scurried away into the floor, leaving Steven staring out the empty doorway, feeling a strange combination of elated, disappointed, and a tad unsure.
"That was easy," he breathed, still shocked, despite everything, to find the door open in front of him. Even more so that it was him that did the opening.
Amy huffed, stepping closer. "Told you," she said slyly, raising a hand as if to clap Steven on the back. She seemed to realize the gravity of her gesture midway, pulling her arm tight to her side as she looked away, suddenly stiff.
Steven laughed, reaching over to pat Amy's shoulder, receiving a mostly-confused and somewhat pained smile in return. "Thanks, Amy," he said, then turned back to Blue Pearl. "And thank you too! I never would've known how to get out of here without you guys."
Blue Pearl inclined her head as Amy made a doubtful noise under her breath. "It was nothing, Pink Steven," the pearl said with a soft smile, hiding her fluster behind her fringe.
He stepped up to the door, nervous energy thrumming beneath his skin. So many possibilities had opened up to him and he was ready to explore them, yet… He found himself hesitating.
Would the Diamonds be angry if he wound up somewhere else, if they came looking for him? No- this was- this was supposed to be his, right? Surely it would be fine? A knot of worry remained in permanent residence at the pit of his stomach.
Amy stepped up beside him, peering at him while trying not to look like she was, obviously wondering what the holdup was about. He took a breath. This wasn't a big deal; he could do this. He'd opened the door; all that was left… was to step out.
He took the step.