CHAPTER 27: HIDDEN MEMORIES

"Pearl… d-do you hate me? For what I did to mom?" Steven asked looking her straight in the eyes.

"Steven… I… I guess it's the time to tell you how I really felt… I… I loved your mother, more than anyone else, and her choosing Greg over me was the most painful thing that has ever happened to me, I blamed him and you for her disappearance, but, deep down I knew it was only Rose who made that decision, you didn't want her to disappear and Greg didn't want her to disappear, I just… needed someone to blame… but as you grew up I understood her choice… you're a wonderful human and even a more amazing gem, just like your mother wanted, you're kind, brave, compassionate and you always put the other's needs in front of yours… I couldn't be prouder of you and I know that your mother feels the same, wherever she is… I'm sorry if I hurt you Steven… I love you and I'll always love you… no matter what…" Pearl said as tears streamed down both hers and Steven's face.

"I love you too Pearl…" Steven said smiling as they hugged each other tightly.

One hour later all of the gems reunited into the living room, Garnet managed to convince Lapis to stay in the same room with Jasper, and Steven managed to convince Pearl that there wasn't any actual threat. Garnet began to explain her vision regarding Yellow Diamond to Lapis and Pearl and together, they started to elaborate a plan.

"No matter how fast we try to build the machine or where we do it, Yellow Diamond and her servant will find us and destroy the machine before we can use it…" Garnet said, everyone trying to figure out how to solve the situation.

"Some of us could keep her busy while the others could use the machine." Jasper proposed, Garnet shaking her head.

"Before the machine can be activated, Yellow Diamond always manage to pass through any of us…" Garnet answered, everyone sighing in defeat.

"Donuts!" Steven yelled happily as he entered the front door.

"Donuts?" Jet, Jasper, Peridot and Lapis said in unison.

"Steven, this isn't really the time for your, ehm, sweets, we're trying to elaborate a plan." Pearl stated passing a hand through her hair.

"I know! You've been thinking about the plan for at least an hour, sometimes, to find the answer, you just have to do something else." Steven said, Pearl couldn't help but smile, alongside the other gems, Steven really was something else.

"Does your statement even have a logic?" Peridot asked as Steven moved towards her, offering a donut to the perplexed gem.

"Yep, now try it!" Steven said distributing donuts to all the gems, except for Pearl obviously.

"Do you think this is a good idea? I mean-" Peridot tried to object only to be interrupted by Jasper.

"Come on! Just try it!" Jasper said gesturing towards the donut.

"Okay…" Peridot said sighing.

Amethyst devoured her one in just one bite, same for Jasper who put the whole thing in her mouth before chewing, while Jet, Garnet, Lapis and Peridot took a small bite of theirs. While a large grin appeared on Jasper's and Lapis's face, Jet made a displeased expression, but Peridot, well many would have paid to see her face, in fact she grimaced almost if she was in pain.

"Oh my- please someone just poof me now!" Peridot exclaimed using her digits to get the horrible flavor away from her mouth.

"What are you saying?! This is one of the most amazing things I ever tried!" Jasper said licking her fingers clean.

"Hehe, knew that some of you would have enjoyed it!" Steven said snickering.

"Is there any left?" Jasper said looking around.

"Where's the bag?" Steven asked turning around and noticing that Amethyst got it when no one was looking.

"You better give it to me!" Jasper said showing a large grin.

"Then come here…" Amethyst said keeping the bag behind her.

When Jasper began to approach her, Amethyst took the bag of donuts from behind her back and passed it to Jasper, who took it and began to open it. It was a shame for her to notice that the bag was empty and Amethyst was munching on the last donut, she took it out of the bag when it was behind her and gave the empty bag to Jasper.

"Good shot little one!" Jasper said crossing her arms as everyone laughed, until Garnet stopped abruptly, kneeling down to Steven and showing him a large smile.

"You're a genius Steven!" Garnet exclaimed.

"Did I lose something?" Peridot asked as everyone adopted the same perplexed expression.

"We've got a plan!" Garnet said, standing up and moving towards the warp pad.

"Come on gems! We've got a work to do! Soon we'll have to confront our enemies again, be ready…" Garnet said standing on the warp pad.

"Wait!" Peridot said, everyone stopping and turning towards her.

"What is it Peridot?" Pearl asked, her eyes widening as she heard Peridot's demand.

"Pearl… I know it's hard but, you should tell everyone what you told me about that pearl who follows Yellow Diamond…" Peridot talked with a hint of fear in her voice.

"Y-you said you wouldn't have told anyone!" Pearl cried pointing at the green gem.

"Pearl please be reasonable! I know how much this thing is hurting you and we can help you but only if you let us in!" Peridot said as everyone turned towards Pearl.

"I-I… very well…" Pearl sighed heavily.

"What is she talking about Pearl?" Steven asked taking her hand in his own.

"Long time ago… when the rebellion started, I wasn't the only pearl who thought what Homeworld was doing was wrong, I wasn't the only pearl who wanted to free, there was another one, being of the same kind we soon became near, we became very close friends, Rose helped us learning how to fight and we thought we were, unstoppable, that until, one day, we got cornered, there were too many Homeworld's gems, I tried my hardest but I knew we were going to be shattered, that's when she took my hand and told me to run, I didn't want to abandon her, but Rose was there too, she didn't want all of us to die so she took me and ran away, she told me abandoning a fellow gem was one of the most hard things she had to do… I still remember her giving me a reassuring smile while me and Rose escaped, we always told each other that freedom is what is really Worth fighting for… it was really hard to see her again, and, and the worst part… is that she doesn't even remember me… I'm sorry I didn't tell you but, I was scared I could become a burden…" Pearl said wiping away some tears.

"Pearl, don't worry about all this, if you were that close, I know she'll remember you, Yellow Diamond must have used her powers to control her, but those kind of tricks never last long… she'll come back…" Garnet said in a reassuring tone of voice.

"Thank you Garnet…" Pearl said, everyone nodding and following Garnet on the warp pad, they had a plan and they were ready to face their enemies, it would have been hard, but they knew that if they stayed together, there wasn't one single foe who could have defeated them.