Blue and Yellow stayed in their room for a few hours, neither of them really settled enough to sleep through the whole "night." The others seemed to be staying in though, so the two Pearls wandered back in the direction of the common room.
It wasn't as busy as it had been earlier, though that was probably to be expected. Viri seemed to be entertaining a small group of Pearls on one side of the room, while another corner was a mess of scattered parts—some of which they could recognize as ones they'd brought by request—that Chroma was inspecting and putting together alongside Lavender. Millie and Snow were nearby, watching them and talking as they looked at something on a small screen.
Blue looked around for a moment and then settled into an empty chair near Viri, who beamed when she noticed their arrival. "Hi again," Blue greeted her warmly, Yellow echoing her with a "Hello."
"Hi! How is everything?"
"It's perfect. We've never really had our own space before, not like this. It'll be great!"
"Oh, yeah, of course." Viri nodded, but she sounded as if she was agreeing out of habit. "I'm a little jealous you guys get to have each other as roommates actually. I was going to volunteer to have somebody stay with me to make space, but Crimson keeps saying it's important for everyone to have a place where they can be on their own if they need it."
"That's understandable," Blue said with a little smile.
"Yeah." Viri shrugged, enthusiasm undampened. "So that's why it's more fun out here!"
"It's nice having so many Pearls all together," she agreed, eyes traveling the room once more. "We aren't interrupting you, are we? We can find something else to do if you're busy."
"No, no, we're not doing anything in particular. Just taking a break together." She looked happy and cozy in the little group, Pearls sitting all around her and content to just listen as she smoothly resumed the story she'd been recounting when Blue and Yellow had come in. It was a surprisingly light and fluffy tale coming from a Pearl, about how Viri and a tiny Pearl she'd been in service alongside had gone exploring and found a hidden room perfect to practice their dancing in when their owner was away, secretly decorating it with what little they could scrounge up to surprise the rest of their friends.
Blue listened intently and Yellow's interest, meanwhile, had been caught by whatever Chroma and Lavender were putting together—or taking apart?—across the room.
"You should go talk to them," Blue urged her softly when Viri paused at the end of her story.
"You think?"
"Mm-hm." She nudged her gently, not pushing her out of her spot but encouraging her to vacate it if she wanted to.
And Yellow did, after some hesitation, pushing herself upright and making her way over.
"Hey," she tried awkwardly, clearing her throat as she came up beside Chroma.
"Hey," Chroma answered, Lavender echoing her a split second later.
"…Anything I can do to help?"
"Sure." She was pleasantly surprised by the offer. "We're putting together some detector fields to set up around base to boost our security a little. Lavender can show you the ropes if you like; she was the one who came up with this design."
"Yeah, sounds good." She added a belated "Thanks" as Lavender began gathering everything she needed together to show Yellow how it was done.
"You're welcome," she answered with a smile.
On first glance, it seemed to Yellow like they were missing several key components that would be needed for a project like this, but everything flowed together easily, if unpredictably, as Lavender assembled it and Chroma offered additional commentary throughout.
"Think you got it?" Chroma asked when Lavender had finished.
"Yes. It's…unconventional, but yes."
"We make do with what we've got." There was a little bit of a challenge there. "What do you think, is there room for improvement?"
Yellow nearly regretted commenting in the first place—what answer was she meant to give? A deferential no, so they wouldn't think she assumed herself better than them? Or a real answer, because being equals required honesty? She didn't want to start any kind of trouble on their first day there. "I think you could do away with this," she said finally, tapping a small standard power cell inside the open device, "and increase the range if you replace it with the insides of one of those instead." She pointed to some of the half-destroyed equipment sitting on the floor to her left. "It'll be kind of clunky, but it'll do a better job."
Chroma and Lavender just looked at her for a moment, before Chroma spoke. "You're right."
"Much better idea," Lavender agreed with a nod, smile playing on her lips as she began dissembling the couple of field generators they'd already completed without protest. Her fingers were sticky with bonding spray as she took the one Yellow was holding.
"Not bad," Chroma concluded, looking Yellow over appreciatively. "We don't have any formal training, so it would be good to have another pair of eyes on some of these projects we have piling up."
"I don't either," Yellow said with a dismissive shrug. "But I likely saw a bigger variety of tech being worked on than you two did."
That…might have come out wrong. Lavender kept her eyes glued firmly on her work, while Chroma simply turned her face slightly, obscuring Yellow's view of her gem.
"You probably did," she said plainly.
"Sorry." The word felt strange and heavy, the ever-familiar fear of you did something wrong slamming into her. She was meant to be getting along with these Pearls, not insulting them by bringing up their former positions.
"It's fine." Chroma's gaze slid sideways, the apology softening her expression again. "Just been a while since anybody's brought up status like that. Most of the new recruits are too polite to do anything other than stare."
"I could try that if you prefer."
For a moment, Yellow worried that she should have just apologized and left it at that, but then a small smile tilted Chroma's lips. "I'll pass," she said lightly.
"I am sorry," Yellow said, chancing a tentative almost-smile back.
"It's fine," Chroma repeated, more genuine this time. "No hard feelings, as long as you don't make a habit of it."
"Right." She relaxed a little. "Well, it's clear there's plenty I can learn from you as well."
"Hm?" Her eyebrows lifted inquisitively.
"For starters, how exactly the window apparatus in our room is staying together. Because it really shouldn't be."
"I suppose I could show you," Chroma laughed.
"Usually the best way to figure it out is to take it apart," Lavender volunteered, startling Yellow after having gone quiet for so long.
"It is not," Chroma argued, flicking a little round power cell at Lavender's knee and watching it bounce off harmlessly. "You can just ask me."
"I'll do that." Yellow began picking up some small pieces to begin putting together. "So what other projects do you have going?"
"All sorts," she said. "I hope you know what you're getting yourself into by volunteering."
"I like a challenge."
"Good."
They spent a couple more hours there, Pearls coming and going as Yellow continued working. Aura and Sky came in and sat nearby, Lavender left with Millie and Snow, Quin joined Viri's little group on the other side of the room, and a timid-looking white Pearl she didn't recognize from their tour darted in and out at random.
"Morning, guys," Steven said, poking his head in the common room.
"Good morning, Steven," Blue said cheerfully.
"Does anybody want something for breakfast? Garnet said she'd get some ready."
"What's breakfast?" Viri asked curiously.
"Food that you eat in the morning," Yellow explained, barely glancing up from the little components in her hands that she was stitching together with ease after so many repetitions.
"Oh! Humans eat food, I forgot about that."
"Could we see what it's like?" Sky said shyly. "We've never had anything like 'breakfast.'"
"Yeah, of course, let me go tell the others," Steven replied happily. "We brought loads of food."
"Do you eat breakfast?" Chroma asked Yellow as he ran off.
"I drink tea. It's a…hot liquid thing. I think that qualifies?"
"Huh."
"We should all try it," Viri declared, moving over to sit next to Chroma. The rest of the Pearls moved with her, so everyone was gathered together. "Breakfast," she repeated, making it sound almost exotic.
Blue smiled as she joined Yellow, leaning lightly against her shoulder to get her attention and reaching a hand up to fix one of the clips that had begun to slip from her short hair.
"Thanks."
"You're welcome." Blue gave the other Pearls a quick, hopeful wave. "Hi."
They all said hi back, though Yellow could still feel tense uncertainty radiating between Blue and Sky.
"So what are you working on?" she asked Yellow, directing her attention to the halfway-completed detector field parts between her and Chroma.
Soon after the few minutes it took to explain it, Steven came hurrying back in, carrying some kind of makeshift tray that held a big stack of recently-unfrozen waffles and a selection of tiny jams displayed all around the plate. "Here we go! We might have broken the toaster, but Garnet and Pearl figured out how to zap them warm anyway! Who wants to try?"
"I will," Aura volunteered.
"Okay," he said happily. "Hmm," he added as he scanned the array of jam. "How about marmalade? It's kind of gold, like you."
"Sure?" she laughed, tilting her head in confusion. "Does it have to match?"
"Nope, I just thought it would be an easy way to pick!" Steven opened up the little packet for her, tipping it out messily on top of the first waffle before holding it out to Aura.
"You have to shapeshift a stomach," Blue said hastily before she could bring it to her mouth.
"Oh, right." Aura concentrated for a moment, then smiled. "Got it. So…do I put all of this in my mouth at once?"
"If you want to," Steven said, "but usually you take a bite like this." He demonstrated by taking a large bite out of a plain waffle.
Aura nodded seriously, looking at the food in her hand for a few seconds before tentatively bringing it to her mouth to take a tiny bite. She sat still, just holding it in her mouth for a moment before she began to chew. "It's good!" she said happily after swallowing. "I like how warm it is."
Chroma smiled, watching Aura take another small bite and then silently offer her the remaining waffle to try. "Not today, but thanks," she said warmly.
With Aura's approval, several other Pearls eagerly volunteered to try some as well. Steven passed them out—continuing to match jam to gem color if possible—and eagerly awaited the verdict as he munched on his own.
"It's good," Sky said quietly, mumbling through a mouthful of blueberry jam. "Thank you."
"It's really cute," Viri agreed, holding the last little bit of hers carefully in both hands. "Thank you for letting us try."
"Yeah, no problem," Steven laughed.
"Garnet said some of you might like tea?" Pearl's voice rang out from the doorway closest to the living quarters.
"Yes please," came a small chorus.
"And Steven, I did bring forks…" she sighed.
"It's more fun to eat them like this!"
"Hmm."
"Would you like a breakfast?" Aura asked Pearl hesitantly, pointing to the waffles.
"Oh, goodness, no. Thank you." She smiled as she set down the tea and began pouring a few cups. "I'm afraid I've never particularly enjoyed eating or drinking."
"Ah, okay."
"Here you go," Pearl said kindly, offering her a cup.
"Oh! Thank you!" She inhaled some of the steam rising off the top. "It already seems perfect. Chroma, doesn't it smell beautiful?"
Chroma leaned forward to oblige, smile crinkling the corners of her eyes. "It does. It suits you."
Aura blushed and quickly took a large gulp of the tea. She wrinkled her nose at the sudden burn in her mouth but delight quickly overcame it as she started taking more manageable sips. "I love this," she said earnestly. "Could you…show me how to make it? If it's not too much trouble?"
"No trouble at all," Pearl reassured her. "It's not hard."
She nodded happily, already finishing her cup.
A number of other Pearls tried as well, but she was the only one who worked her way through three cups, practically glowing as she savored it.
Yellow had two herself, the warmth of it settling all through her, and despite the crowd… Well, it wasn't nearly as stressful as she'd expected being here.
The universe, of course, immediately decided to prove her wrong.
"Oh, hey, you're new."
They all turned to look at the Pearl who'd joined them just as the last remnants of breakfast were being cleaned up, and Yellow's shoulders went rigid at the sight of someone who would have been identical to her only months before. Blue pressed an inconspicuous hand to her back.
Her doppelganger's eyes flitted up and down curiously, taking in Yellow. "So," she said, one hand on her hip, "who's been messing around with Chroma's replicator wands? I didn't know you missed me so much!"
Sky, standing just to her right, let out a surprisingly loud snort of laughter, making the newcomer's uneasy smirk settle into a pleased grin. The rest of the Pearls just looked on in a mixture of exasperation and amusement.
"She replaced me," Yellow said blankly, though it was a silly thing to say when she'd known it for quite a while already. And she wasn't bothered by the replacing so much as the complete lack of difference between them.
"Replaced?" the other Pearl repeated, straightening up and locking her arms behind her back, nose turned up in a way that was uncannily reminiscent of how Yellow had stood next to her Diamond. "I'm offended that you could even think such a thing!" she said, pitching her voice exactly like Yellow's. "I'm clearly an upgrade. I mean, look at this. Gray? Really? Who authorized such terrible fashion sense?"
Yellow just stared at her, and Blue looked ready to say something, but Crimson spoke first.
"Cut the act, Caddy. You're making them uncomfortable."
Her eyes slid sideways, losing the spark of showy confidence. "Sorry," she said, voice relaxing with her posture. She dipped into a small bow towards Yellow, smiling. "Just kidding. Definitely a replacement. Nice to meet you, I'm Cadmium. You can call me Caddy though—we're basically the same gem, so I figure we already know each other pretty well!"
Yellow kept on staring. "What in the cosmos is wrong with you?"
"Whatever's wrong with you, most likely," she replied cheerfully.
Sky poked Caddy's gem in mock annoyance, fighting back a smile. "I apologize, she's not usually this bad. Well, she is, but…"
"Okay, okay, I'll stop," she laughed. "I didn't mean to freak her out, honestly."
"You didn't," Yellow returned defensively. "I'm just surprised. I can't believe Yellow Diamond puts up with…that!"
"Well, I think I do a pretty good impression of you, but you're welcome to give me some pointers," Caddy said with a smirk. "I mostly just, you know, stand around looking smug and superior, follow the rules, pretend I don't know how to have fun? Give my luminous Diamond what she expects and all."
"That is not what I did!" Yellow retorted, turning to Blue for backup only to find her making a funny half-coughing, half-laughing noise beside her. "It's not!"
She patted Yellow's arm in a placating manner. "Well, you don't anymore." Blue looked at Caddy, eyes bright with laughter. "It was a good impression," she admitted. "Almost as good as the original."
"Thanks. You're Blue's old one, huh?" Caddy said appreciatively. She looked between Blue and Sky, appraising the differences. "My Diamond's always so uncreative. Sky at least got a teensy redesign but I'm stuck with these silly hand-me-down socks." She turned her attention back to Yellow. "What's your name, by the way?"
"Yellow."
"Oh my stars, I give up. I'm destined for mediocrity."
"Excuse me?" Yellow asked indignantly.
"Cadmium," Crimson warned her.
"Okay, fine, I'm going," Caddy said breezily.
"You don't have to leave, just—"
"No, really, I've gotta go deliver some info, so I'll see you around." Caddy flashed a quick smile at the group as a whole before sweeping her arm up to link with Sky's and pulling her out the door. "Bye!"
"I should probably go too," Aura sighed after a moment. "Millie will need some help interpreting. Thank you for the tea though. It really was lovely."
"You're welcome."
"Maybe we could have some together one day," she offered to Yellow, clearly trying to cheer her up. "You could show me your favorites."
"Sure," Yellow agreed, not mentioning that she hadn't actually tried enough of it to have any favorites.
"It'll be wonderful." Aura hurried to the east door. "I'll see you later."
"See you," Blue called. "Do you want to go back to our room for a bit?" she asked Yellow gently.
"I think I'd rather finish this," she answered bluntly.
"Okay."
"Caddy doesn't mean any harm," Chroma said quietly, handing her the next piece she needed. "I think you just took her by surprise."
Yellow frowned. "She didn't know we were coming?"
"Well, she knew, but just in the general sense that you'd be here fairly soon. With the Diamonds' Pearls, it's hard to keep them in the loop all the time, you know? They have to be more careful than everyone else."
She couldn't imagine a gem like that being careful, but she could see the logic there.
"Well," Yellow sighed, "I guess it's kind of a relief she's so different from me. I thought…"
"Oh," Blue said. "Stars no, not all of Yellow Diamond's Pearls have had the same personality. I'm sorry, I didn't know you were worried about that, or I would have said."
"It's alright." She wiped her hands clean, then paused. "So there've been more like Cadmium?" she asked incredulously.
"Now that," Blue laughed, "I'm not so sure about."
Two pairs of ballet flats fell into a soft, familiar pattern as Sky and Caddy made their way out of communications and through the halls to their own room.
"You can go ahead and say it."
"Say what?" Sky asked.
"You're going to lecture me."
"I don't lecture."
"You do too," Caddy argued. "Very short lectures. You do that cute little pout thing and look disappointed in me and then you say 'Cadmium, you need to dial it back.'"
Sky's face flushed. "One, I do not pout—"
"Do too."
"And two, you do need to dial it back."
"See? There we go. The trifecta."
"Shush."
"You forgot to use my full name."
"Are you alright?"
"What?" Caddy asked, taken aback.
"Are you alright?" Sky repeated.
"Yeah, of course."
"Okay," she murmured. "Just checking. You seem a little…"
"You're worrying too much."
"I'm supposed to worry about you, Cadmium. You're important to me."
Caddy's words caught in her throat and she shook her head, tapping the back of her hand lightly against Sky's gem. "Thanks."
She opened up their unmarked door with a simple swipe across the panel beside it, letting Sky enter first before following.
"Caddy," Sky said, intercepting her before she could get more than a few steps inside.
"What?"
"You're allowed to be upset," Sky said softly.
"Well, I don't want to be upset," she said, frustrated. "There's no point. It's not like I didn't know."
"It's different seeing her in person."
"Yeah," Caddy agreed reluctantly. "And I can tell it bothers her too, and I didn't know what to do, so I just made it into this whole—" She groaned, hands tangling in her hair. "I'm such an idiot!"
"You are not, Cadmium." Sky's voice was firm, if quiet. "It's overwhelming, meeting the Pearl before you."
"Shouldn't be different from meeting any other Pearl," she said dismissively. "I mean, present company excluded," she added with a wink. "You're special."
"Caddy."
"What? Too much?"
"Yes, with her," Sky replied, trying and failing to make Caddy look her in the eyes. "I'm used to you. Yellow isn't."
"Sorry," she muttered halfheartedly. "I was trying to…play it down, I guess. And it's not like anybody warned me she was there."
"I would have if I had the chance," she said apologetically. "But I only met them yesterday, and I didn't get to see you until just now."
"It's okay. Not your fault." She paused. "Wait a sec, what about you?"
"What about me?"
"You and Blue. What was that like?"
"I mean, it was…awkward." Sky cleared her throat uncomfortably. "But it was fine, I guess."
"I should have been there," she muttered. "If my stupid Diamond could have just—"
"It's okay. Crimson made sure to check on me."
"Oh. Cool." Caddy reached up to tug at the ruffles on her shoulder, then abruptly snapped her hand back to her side. "Sorry I wasn't around though. Can I give you a belated hug?"
"That sounds great." Sky wrapped her arms around Caddy snugly, smiling as she was squeezed tight in return. "Thanks."
"Mm-hm." She didn't let go right away.
"Caddy," Sky repeated softly, "are you okay? Really?"
Caddy faltered, uneasily meeting Sky's eyes as they separated. "I…I guess. I don't know. It's weird."
"I know." She touched Caddy's arm lightly. "Is there anything I can do?"
"Nah, don't worry about me. I'll bounce back." She ruffled Sky's ponytail. "Can I borrow your hair?"
"Anytime," Sky said with a faint smile.
Caddy immediately shapeshifted into the more fluffy, relaxed hairstyle, some of the tension leaving her face. "Thanks. And, uh, thanks for asking too."
"You're welcome."
The other Pearl looked like she wanted to say something else, but it wasn't quite making its way past her lips.
"Don't make me repeat your own advice back to you," Sky teased gently.
She lowered her eyes. "I don't…"
"It doesn't matter who came before you or what you look like. You're Caddy. Cadmium. You're valuable all on your own."
Her lip looked wobbly as she murmured another quiet "thanks" but her voice was steady. "What clever gem came up with that, huh?" she asked lightly, drawing in a quick breath and putting a smile on again.
"Just a good friend of mine," Sky returned warmly.
"Hmm." Caddy ran a hand down Sky's arm, catching her fingers briefly and squeezing them. "So," she said brightly as she let go and plopped down on one of the beds to make herself comfortable, "on a scale of one to ten, how much am I succeeding at annoying my half of the legendary duo?"
"Solid ten."
"Stars, I'll have to try harder."