Hey everyone! This most recent chapter is the last before we head to homeworld! I promise the story will get more Pink Pearl-centric once we get there, and I do have to say I'm really looking forward to writing some of these upcoming scenes.

Also like any writer I crave feedback and would love to hear from you. I know commenting is hard (I have problems thinking of things to say all the time) so if your having issues here's some things you could comment on:

What you liked/Didn't like
Scenes or lines that felt on point or really resonated with you.
Scenes or lines that were out of character or felt awkward.
Inconsistancies with Canon (the show's or this particular stories) that you noticed.
Things you'd like to see more/less of

I appreciate every comment I get deeply, (like squealing over them when they show up in my inbox, and smiling like a dork all day) and I try to make sure I reply to all of them.

So, enjoy!

Perhaps unusual was not a strong enough word for Pearl's Diamond. When the three of them moved to the planet Domina immediately began to get to know all the gems there. Not just the Agates and Bixbites that were head of the fleets main operations as even her mother would associate and confer with them regularly.

But Domina also sought out the Rutiles on the Exploratory Teams, the Peridots that set the injectors, and the assorted Rubies on guard duty.

Vitus, while not noticing as many things that were odd to gems, was quick to confide to Pearl that his daughter was not quite normal from a human perspective either.

She was far taller than a human her age would be, and very thin, with arms and legs oddly proportioned. She also was progressing in her education faster than he had anticipated. Domina learned to read gem in under a month and once she had done that she voraciously devoured any bit of information she could get her hands on. She blew through basic mathematics, algebra and basic trigonometry, then had to be turned over to a Peridot who could teach her more advanced subjects. She could recite latin poems and stories, had a grasp on human anatomy.

From her reading she learned about star, planets, the composition of elements. She copied the Quartzes in their drills and Pearl in her occasional idle dancing if pearl didn't notice quickly enough. It wasn't before long that Vitus discovered that she had talked a nephrite into teaching her how to fly the dart like pods that the dropships contained.

"I just don't know what to do." Vitus said while they were alone. He was slowly writing up a report for Yellow Diamond on Domina's progress, typing slowly on the terminal. "i'm running out of things i can teach her. I was never... ' he trailed off and pearl tried not to look curiously at him "My brother was always the smart one, he studied in Athens, I didn't."

"Well, forgive me Vitus but it seems that the fleet is more than willing to fill in the gaps in her knowledge." Pearl said, she was allowing more length into dominas clothes, again.

"Yes, yes, I can see that, it just.. her education is supposed to be my responsibility." Vitus said."I know I can't offer much, and we both know that White wouldn't have left her in my care if it wasn't for the fact that no one else on board had any idea of what to do with a child."

"I don't think that's true." Pearl said, the same worry she got every time she spoke with Vitus on equal grounds. He looked at her the despair and irritation still evident on his face. Pearl set aside the finished tunic and picked up another.

"My...White... She thought that Domina would need a human element in her life to help her truly meet her potential. She said she was worried about Domina being forced into an inflexible role as opposed to being allowed and willing to bring her ideas for the empire to fruition."

Vitus opened his mouth - maybe to agree, maybe to make a retort. He was interrupted by the door blasting open with a force of wind and the sound of screaming. Vitus outpaced Pearl with no contest, weaving past Quartzes and leaping over Rubies then shoved past two agates into the Quartzes training room. Pearl managed to peek from between the agates only to be shoved back with the rest of them gems by another wave of wind which was accompanied with another wail. Aerokinesis was a power that White Diamond had possessed but rarely used. Domina had discovered it a little less than a year ago but hadn't quite mastered it, so the base had become used too the faint wind that seemed to follow Domina's exuberance or her disappointment. They hadn't experienced anything like this.

Pearl managed to extridite herself from the pile of groaning agates and quartzes. She braced herself against the wind and could see Domina sitting in the middle of the room, gem glowing brightly, clutching her hand and screaming as dark red blood streamed from it. Vitus was slowly making progress, shouting in Latin through the howling wind at Domina. Slowly, as the words reached the girl, the winds slowed and died until all that was left was Vitus holding a sniffling Domina.

All the surrounding gems got to their feet and watched as Vitus walked calmly to the door, speaking softly to domina.

"Someone get the medkit from our quarters, Pearl, if you could take her please." Vitus said holding out the girl to Pearl. Pearl cradled Domina, like she had when she was a toddler, Domina still cried and buried her face into Pearls shirt. "What happened?" He said talking to no one in particular. "How did she cut her hand?"

"One of these clods must have left a physical weapon lying around." The Enhydro Agate jumped almost immediately reaching to summon her whip, turning on the Milky quartzes.

"No!" One of them, a quartz with a chest gem protested "We would never!"

"It was my sword!" Domina cried, Pearl took the medkit from a Ruby who had melted the handle ever so slightly in her worry. She paused though as did the rest of the base.

"You don't have a sword, Domina." Vitus said. Pearl gently opened and cleaned Domina's hand revealing the flesh nearly cut to the bone.

"It came out of my gem, like 9ZQ-OW!" Domina jerked as the antiseptic touched her wound.

"My apologies my Diamond, I will need to seal the wound. It will sting a little bit." Pearl said retrieving the laser suture. Domina whimpered slightly and there was a light breeze that blew through the crowd as she closed her eyes to brace herself.

There was a soft murmur from the group of gathered gems.

"What? Isn't that normal, I thought all gems summoned weapons." Vitus said raising his voice slightly in worry. Pearl Finished her work as Mossy Agate dismissed the gathered gems, leaving the four of them in the corridor with Milky Quartz 9ZQ.

"Can you kiss it better?" Domina asked still sniffling. Pearl chuckled and kissed the hand that now bore a faint scar along, then kissed her forehead before tuning into the conversation.

"I swear by the stars I'm not making it up." the Milky Quartz said looking between Vitus and Mossy Agate. "Her gem glowed and this sword came out partially and she grabbed it and pulled and cut her hand."

"That's impossible." Mossy agate said, possibly not for the first time. Pearl stood, picking Domina up again to stand by Vitus. "Diamonds don't summon weapons,"

"Well," Vitus looked at Domina and gently brushed her hair from her gem. "This one does."