Part 3: Cracked Mirror
You need to spend time crawling alone through shadows to truly appreciate what it is to stand in the sun.
― Shaun Hick
*Takes place during Part 1 and before Part 2.*
~o0o~
Pearl paced frantically across pink, diamond floors, mind ceaselessly churning, hands wringing tirelessly in worry.
"Yo! Relax, P." Amethyst rolled over from her relaxed position on the floor and faced the worried pearl. "Steven will be fine."
Pearl whipped around, face contorted in agony, pale blue eyes wide and watering with unshed tears. "Fine?! FINE?! He is with White Diamond! There is nothing fine about that!" Her blue ribbon fluttered wildly behind her as if in response to her mounting hysteria.
Garnet stepped forward, cool and composed as always, and placed a large hand on the yellow star adorning Pearl's heaving chest. "Calm down."
Pearl couldn't help but inadvertently relax due to Garnet's soothing and melodious voice, lithe muscles going limp and soft. However, a small part of her refused to be placated that easily. It was Steven!
She glanced up at Garnet with anxious, fearful eyes, silently pleading for more reassurance.
The leader of the Crystal Gems paused a moment– in which the air itself seemed to still –before reaching up to gently smooth Pearl's rumpled hair. "He is okay."
The assurance was generally accepted, from Pearl's relieved sigh to Connie's shaky nod and Amethyst's smug 'I told you so'.
Garnet tugged Pearl to sit with the others, in hopes that the group would provide her some comfort and support.
Behind them, Blue and Yellow shifted, exchanging subtle glance of silent communication. White was completely unpredictable and anything could possibly happen. But in an effort not to alarm the already fearful gems, Blue shook her head and they kept quiet.
A few minutes of tense silence passed before a bright flare of blinding white had them all whirling to face White Diamond's Palace in shock. The Crystal Gems all leapt to their feet, swiftly summoning their weapons, the Diamonds behind them tensing as well.
"W-What was that?" Connie's hands trembled minutely, voice quavering, stomach rolling with trepidation and fear. Her heart pounded intensely, flooding her body with a surge of dread.
Pearl gripped her spear– now trident, thanks to Bismuth –tightly, features twisted in grim determination, ready to charge in and fight for her Diamond's son. "No idea. But it's definitely not good."
Next to her Amethyst sighed and scratched her head nervously, wip held loosely in one hand. "Not that I'm not with you, P, but what can we do against White Diamond?!"
"The defective one is right." Yellow peered down at them, ignoring Amethyst's outraged 'Hey! I have a name y'know!' "There is absolutely nothing you could do against White."
Pearl squawked, horrified. "But we just can't stand here and do nothing!" Her mind began seethe furiously, feverishly imagining unspeakable acts White Diamond could possibly do to Steven. Oh, Diamonds! What-What if she…. shatters him?!
Garnet immediately took charge, sensing the skyrocketing panic radiating from her teammate. "As much as it hurts me to admit….the situation is highly uncertain and we can't just go rushing in. We will stand down for now." She dismissed her gauntlets, rebuffing Pearl's beginning protests with a swift headshake.
They all settled again, albeit a forced relaxation, and another round tense minutes passed, only broken suddenly when Blue lifted her head and spotted an off-white curve gleaming in the distance.
"Is that…"
They all turned, the curving growing into an all-too familiar bubble. Eyes widened. Steven!
Before Garnet could stop them, Pearl and Connie broke into mad dash, hurtling towards the approaching bubble with unbelievable speed.
"Wait—"
But her cry went unheeded as eyes and ears were only focused on one person, impatiently, anxiously, waiting for his arrival.
The bubble eventually came to a stop before them and before Steven had a chance to open his mouth in greeting, he was embraced tightly, crushed against Pearl's chest, fiercely clung to by Connie from behind. Getting over his shock, he sighed happily, hugging them in return.
Amethyst and Garnet soon joined the impromptu group hug and they all took a moment to revel in being back together.
Above them, Blue wept quietly, overcome by the purity of the sentiments shared down below; of the joy and love and contentment that bubbled from each of their souls like springs; emotions that she herself never fully known or understood. Besides her, Yellow's face scrunched in mild disgust at such sentimentality. Was everyone a blubbering idiot?!
"Okay, okay! I missed you guys too!" Steven slightly pulled away from the group, smiling joyful when Garnet gave him her usual affectionate head rub and at Amethyst's own wide grin. He returned Connie's watery smile after she released him, heart swelling painfully, thrilled that she was here as well.
He tried stepping away but was halted by thin arms that clung to him with desperate strength. He looked down. "Pearl….?"
The pearl was mumbling to herself quietly and he had to strain to make out her words.
"He's okay….he's okay….he's okay…." Her eyes were glazed and blank, lips moving unconsciously, mind drifting away, lost in memories.
She was sinking, down, down, down, drowning….falling….Darkness crept closer, threatening to smother her, overwhelm her. She opened her mouth to scream, but no sound came out, swallowed by the infinite darkness. Her thoughts grew sluggish, consciousness fading, eyes slowly slipping shut….
Maybe….she should fall...she was a failure….she couldn't protect him….Her….anyone…. Useless….Useless pearl….Yes, she was….
"Pearl!"
….A voice….It sounded familiar….
Who…?
"Come on, P!"
The voices continued, pleading for her to listen….
Why?….What did it matter?….What was there to fight for?...She had lost everything….
….Everything….
"Come back to us!"
She knew that voice...Where….It sounded like….Steven?...Steven!
STEVEN!
"We are right here!"
She jolted awake, mind clearing, sharpening. The darkness was nearly upon her and she panicked, flailing her arms wilding in an effort to fight it off. Weapon! She needed a weapon! Fingers fumbling at her gem, she quickly materialized her trident, spun it in her hands and hurled it upwards with a mighty heave.
It burned through the darkness, a shooting star in the night, blazing a path for her to follow.
And she did. Fighting with everything within her, she shot upwards, eyes locked on that light, paying no heed to the darkness that tried to stop her. Faster! Faster!
"Pearl, can you hear me?"
The voices were getting clearer. Yes!
Arms reached out, straining for that voice….
Almost….there!
She broke free, gasping for breath and surfacing to find worried faces peering down at her.
"Pearl! You're okay! You're okay….Breathe." Garnet soothingly rubbed small circles on her back, steady hands providing much-needed comfort.
Amethyst leaned over, pale lavender curls gently brushing Pearl's skin. "What happened?"
Pearl brought up shaking hands to her chest and turned to stare at Steven. "I-I thought I was going-g to lose you." Pale blue eyes turned glassy and tears that she had been holding in for so long poured out. "Y-You were with W-White Diamond-d for so-o long. I thought-t I was-s going to lose y-you, too!" Great sobs tore from her chest, clawing at her insides in efforts to burst out and drown the world.
She buried her face in her knees and Steven hurriedly wrapped his arms around her heaving shoulders, resting his cheek upon her head. "I am here. And I'm not going anywhere. Promise."
Besides them, Garnet tensed, catching that 'too' at the end. Rose. She subtly glanced around the massive room, taking it in all of its pink glory. Pink Diamond. Maybe this wasn't the best place for Pearl to be right now.
A watery sigh from Pearl drew her attention. She had finally calmed down, eyes bloodshot but clearer, looking significantly lighter. She wiped her runny nose and laughed self deprecatingly. "Sorry for being such a mess."
Garnet smiled gently. "We don't mind."
"Well, it's not everyday we get see you fall apart, so–" Swift glares cut Amethyst off before she could put her foot in her mouth and she raised her hands in defeat. "Okay, okay! Sheesh."
A peaceful quiet fell upon them, a blanket of warmth, only to be suddenly broken by movement in their peripheral vision.
They all looked up to see White's Pearl intensely observing them, specifically Steven and Pearl, head tilted in a way that would have been cute, if not for her blank, lifeless eye, frozen features, and seemingly petrified smile.
A wave of apprehension slammed into them and they couldn't help but flinch, instinctively huddling closer for safety, Pearl hurriedly throwing an arm in front of Steven.
That eye instantly dropped to the protective arm and slowly followed the graceful curve upwards before reaching a strained face, tinted pale blue, and locked eyes.
Pearl stopped breathing. Lungs refused to work, folding flat against her spine. Her heart, confused at the sudden lack of oxygen, slowed, beating sluggishly.
There was nothing. Nothing in that eye. Just blank nothingness. Hollowness. A dark, cold abyss that could swallow her if she stared for too long.
Diamonds! Would that have her if she had not been given to Pink? If she had not gone through with her Diamond's (Rose's) plan? The revolution? Would things have been that different if she still belonged to Her?
Something in her mind told her yes. Her stomach rolled.
An infinity of dreaded eye contact passed– a mere moment really –before the pearl turned away, robotically and unnervingly smooth. She tilted her head upwards, eye staring through the gargantuans towering above her. "Yellow Diamond, Blue Diamond. Your presence has been required."
Her voice, so monotonous and lifeless, sent shivers racing down their spines.
Yellow sighed, lips flattening into a thin line. "Come on, Blue let's go."
Without a farewell, the two left, White Pearl following slightly behind.
Only at the door's edge did she look back.
Right at Steven.