Chapter 14… still no rhyme.
I don't own Steven Universe.
Chapter 14: Trust
Peridot didn't know what was going on.
Days had gone by and what ships Homeworld had been able to spare had been there since yesterday. From what she'd heard they were nearly ready to go and search for the last pockets of resistance from these so called "rogue gems" but other than that? Nothing.
She hadn't heard from anyone she knew for days now. Flint and Amethyst were usually with other quartzes having bouts of strength or talking military strategy, two things she had very little interest in. Pearl and her Diamond though? She hadn't even seen them since the capture of that rogue gem. She had mostly preoccupied her time filing away reports and analyzing technical data, but that was something anyone like her could have done.
She'd seen Amethyst hours ago and asked her about it. The purple quartz offered little help, saying how Pink Diamond had really just wanted to be alone. Peridot found this odd, what could have caused that? Her Diamond had always been… strange, but this was strange for her. She was cheerful and upbeat and kind, to be wanting seclusion? Something was up and after endlessly and, for the most part, pointlessly filing away reports she'd had enough. She walked off from the console she'd been working at and went off to find someone she knew.
As it turns out it wasn't all that hard.
Amathyst happened to be walking down one of the corridors Peridot had just turned on to and called out to her. "Hey!"
The purple quartz looked over to her and waved back. "Yo!" she said.
The green gem talked as she walked. "I was looking for you."
"Well, you found me." The quartz replied as she looked down to the smaller gem, a little over half her size.
"Where's Flint?" asked Peridot.
"She's sparring with some other quartzes, why?" Amethyst asked curiously.
"I think it's time we had a talk with our Diamond, something's not right, I've never seen her act this way." Peridot said.
The purple gem frowned at that. "Yeah, I know what you mean. I'm getting a bad feeling about it too."
"We should get Flint and see what's troubling her." The green gem suggested.
Amethyst nodded. "Yeah, that sounds good. I'll go get Flint, meet you outside Pink's place. What about Pearl though?"
"If I know her, she's probably by her side right now. Which is all the more reason we should be there, to help her with whatever problems she's trying to help Pink Diamond through." With that she and Peridot parted ways.
The green gem was anxiously pacing in front of Pink Diamond's door. She had considered knocking and entering by herself, but in truth she wanted the backup and safety net of her friends. She looked up and saw the pair of soldiers striding towards her.
"Have you gone in yet?" Flint asked as she approached.
"I haven't even rung for entry." Peridot admitted. "I was waiting for you guys to get here."
Flint moved passed her and banged heavily on the large metal door, causing it to echo somewhat through the halls with each hit.
The doors slowly slid open but only partially and out stepped earl from inside. She looked at the three of them with a frown. "Oh, it's you guys." She said softly.
Peridot stepped up. "Don't 'Oh, it's you guys' us!" she said, a little mad about the effortless greeting. "Where have you been? Where's Pink Diamond!"
Pearl held up her hand. "Shhh!" she said. She looked back for a moment, but then quickly turned back around to them. "Please, you must be quiet, she's been a bit… off as of late."
"Why?" Amethyst asked, stepping closer. "What happened?"
Pearl shook her head. "It's not for me to say."
Flint was starting to get angry now. "What's that supposed to mean? You aren't going to tell us?"
The pink-ish gem shook her head again. "It's not my place to tell you. But if you really want to know, talk to the prisoner. "She turned back around quickly and then back to them. "I got to go, please she just needs some time to herself." With that the doors slammed shut, an audible click heard as the doors sealed themselves.
"How completely unhelpful." Peridot said flatly.
"Not completely." Flint corrected. "C'mon if we're not getting answers here, maybe it's time for some answers."
The three entered the room where Onyx sat cross-legged behind the wall of light. Flint greeted the two quartzes present as they passed by. The rogue gem opened a single eye at the sound of the door opening and saw the motley crew coming towards her. She raised a single brow at this but her face remained otherwise impassive.
"So, who are you, I wonder." She said in a playful tone. "Is it time for another interrogation?"
"Something like that." Flint answered.
"Oh, well then, don't let me stop you. Go for it. Not like you could do really do otherwise, right?" asked Onyx, her voice entwined with the kind of smug that comes from knowing something others don't.
"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Amethyst, taking an aggressive step forward.
"Exactly what it sounds like." The rogue gem replied nonchalantly. "You're just good little soldiers in the service of the Diamonds'. I don't hold it against you."
"We're not here for torture." Peridot spoke up.
The grey gem turned to her, eyeing her curiously. "What's she doing here anyhow? Aren't you some kind of technician gem? What're you doing here with these thugs?"
Flint was about to speak up but Peridot did so first. "These 'thugs' are my friends."
Onyx's features became o a look of somewhere between surprise and what Peridot could have sworn was joy, maybe excitement? "Really?" she asked. "You guys are getting me more interested by the minute." She scratched her chin then snapped her fingers. "I got it. I remember you now! You two were there when the Diamonds assaulted my base."
"Speaking of Diamonds, we're here to talk about one." Said the purple quartz attempting to steer the conversation back on course.
The rogue gem eyed them for a moment scratching her chin as her eyes darted from one gem to the next. "Ah, now I get it. This is about Pink Diamond, isn't it?"
The three gems each had varying levels of surprise written on their faces before Flint spoke up. "How-?"
"Well, neither that prude Yellow Diamond nor that stuck-up Blue Diamond could have such loyalty from their gems, no, not like this." Onyx suddenly gave thee grin again as she continued to speak. "No, it must be that touchy-feely Diamond, Pink."
This time Flint was the one to step forward stopping just before the light as she narrowed her eyes to the smug gem staring back. "What did you do to her?"
"Me?" asked Onyx. "Nothing at all. She and the other Diamonds asked questions and I answered," The grin got wider. "Though from what I could tell, I bet they wished they hadn't."
"Quit stalling! What did you say?!" Flint barked.
"Truth and nothing but." The rogue gem answered curtly. The three said nothing, expecting elaboration so Onyx did so. "They asked about who I was, or more to the point what I was. So I told them, I'm an infiltrator, a spy."
"You just told them that you're, a spy?" Peridot asked skeptically. "What are the odds of a spying outing herself so easily?"
"Not as much as bad you think, if you ask right." The rogue gem replied in a voice eerily similar to the green gem's.
The three once again took on various looks of surprise. "Woah… that was pretty good. Do me next."
"Not a problem." Onyx said now imitating the purple quartz.
Flint slapped Amethyst upside the head. "Knock it off. Why would you being a spy upset Pink Diamond?" she asked.
"Because of whom I was spying for." Onyx clarified. "Namely, White Diamond."
"You spied for White Diamond?" Flint asked, to which Onyx nodded. "Why?"
"She suspected the other Diamonds may be doing things she wouldn't approve of, so she had me made, had me infiltrate the high ranks of both Blue Diamond's and Yellow Diamond's armies, which wasn't easy let me tell ya. And as it turns out, she was right."
"So, what are you saying?" Amethyst asked.
"I'm saying that, bottom line? The Diamonds aren't the unified force they want you to believe. Heh. In fact if I didn't know better I'd say Yellow was planning to-"
"Enough!" Flint said, smashing her boot into the ground and causing a loud thud form the metal in response.
Onyx shrugged. "Honestly? Pink Diamond seemed like a nice enough gem, for a Diamond. But taking the news that her supposed sisters were hiding some big secrets from her? That couldn't have felt good." This time the grin went away, leaving only a frown. "She's probably holed up somewhere trying to make sense of it all."
A realization washed over the three gems, something noticed by Onyx as she watched their faces shift nearly-imperceptively.
"So, now that I've answered your questions why don't you answer some of mine." The rogue gem proposed.
Flint considered leaving with Amethyst and Peridot right then and there. They had what they needed after all, yet something was telling her to stay, to hear this gem out. "What is it?"
"Well, you see, I was wondering why you're here." Onyx started. "See, doing something like this? It's way beyond your station. So why? Why do you care so much?"
"Because she's our friend." Amethyst replied honestly. The other two nodded in agreement.
The rogue gem's eyes widened a bit at that, then softened, her grin returning. "I see. Maybe this'll sound odd, coming from me, but… I hope you're right about her." With that she sat back down and closed her eyes, resuming her first position.
The three left the interrogation chamber and Peridot looked to Flint. "So, what do you think?"
"I don't think she lied to us." Amethyst said, adding her two cents.
"Oddly enough, neither do I." said Flint as they began to walk the corridor. "But that just leaves us with another question, what do we do now?"
"What can we do now?" The green gem asked. "Think about it, if the Diamonds really are infighting it's not like we can really do anything about it."
Flint balled her fists up at that thought. Peridot was right, they were part of Pink Diamond's legions she was supposed to protect and serve her Diamond… but now it might be against another Diamond? Could she do it? "The best we can do is be there for her right now."
"Just wait and hope for the best." Amethyst clarified before sighing. "Should we go try and talk to her then?" The other two nodded and off they went.
They were once again standing in front of the closed door and Flint knocked.
Silence followed the knock until the doors slowly slid open and Pearl was once again standing before them. "Yes?" she asked.
"We know what happened." The grey gem said pointedly.
Pearl nodded. "I see. Please come in." she invited as the doors opened fully.
The three stepped in, revealing a large pink-hued room, missing it's pink-hued owner. "Where is Pink Diamond?" Flint asked.
Onyx heard the rush of the door opening again and opened a single eye, only to raise a brow as she saw Pink Diamond approaching. The taller gem dismissed the guards, leaving the two alone. "So, to what do I owe the… pleasure?" Asked the rogue gem, the last word coming out in a way in which it seemed she questioned it herself.
"What you said was true." Pink Diamond started, before pausing. Onyx watched her inquisitively but said nothing. "I want to know why you left White Diamond's service."
"I already told you-" she started.
"The whole truth." The young Diamond cut off, looking her in the eye. "There's more to it than that."
Onyx looked apprehensive at the request. She decided to try and deflect the inquiry. "What does it matter? I rebelled long ago. Maybe I don't remember."
"You're going to start lying now? You didn't seem the type." Said Pink, her words seeming to cut into Onyx as the latter's face turned to a frown, her eyes narrowing.
"Don't think you suddenly know me after such a short time, my Diamond." Said the rogue gem, adding the honorific, but doing so mockingly. The two gems just locked eyes for a moment before the rogue gem closed her eyes, taking a breath and allowing her shoulders to drop, taking on a more relaxed position. "Why do you even care?"
"Because…" Pink said before she took an exhausted sigh. "Because you've proven to me that Yellow Diamond and Blue Diamond had something to hide, and maybe still do. I want to know what White was hiding from me."
Onyx looked to the floor for a moment in thought. This was an opportunity, she could drive an even bigger wedge between the Diamonds if she could convince Pink Diamond that White had actually been even worse than either of her sisters, not like anyone could contradict her. And yet… she thought back to when she'd put on that disguise in the forest and just talked with Pink Diamond. She had seemed so… kind… so honest and pure… it didn't feel right to lie to her. "I left the White Diamond's service because… because of my sister."
Pink raised a single brow at that. "Your sister? I thought you said there were no others like you."
"There aren't." She answered. "But when I was created, I was made with a partner, my sister, Zircon." She paused just then, Pink noted that it seemed to be taking all she had just to talk about it. "She and I we were tasked with spying on your sisters, it's what we were made for. And we were good, very good. But after a while, Zircon confided in me that she didn't trust the authority at all anymore, not after all we'd learned and reported to White Diamond. She…" Onyx paused again her voice starting to strain. "She asked that we just leave altogether, make a life for ourselves somewhere beyond the Empire's reach. But I was afraid, afraid that we might fail or that get caught in the act… so I reported it to White Diamond, hoping she'd go easy on us if I did. But then she…"
The rogue gem paused yet again as tears began to stream. "She punished Zircon. I don't know how, but White Diamond altered her gem in such a way that Zircon… she lost her voice forever. We tried using gel to repair her gem but, whatever White Diamond had done it was permanent, irreversible. White Diamond she told me that 'there'd be no more talk of rebellion from her' and she thanked me for telling her."
Pink's eyes softened at the prisoner while the rogue gem gritted her teeth, a few bitter tears rolling. "She thanked me for betraying my friend… my partner… my sister to her. And that was it. I took Zircon and fled as far away as I could. After that…" she trailed off, wiping her face with her arm. "Anyways, that's it, that's why I left."
Pink didn't know what to say, the gem in front of her had endured much and her actions had caused her to hurt the closest person to her. But something inside of her mind clicked just then. "So, that's why you were so... happy at my sister's destruction."
Onyx looked up at her for moment than back down to the floor. "What White Diamond had done, it was unforgivable to me. But I suppose I should be happy she didn't shatter Zircon or try or do some sort of experiment on her." Said the grey gem in reference to the youngest Diamond's sisters. "No, White Diamond was harsh, but Yellow Diamond and Blue Diamond are far worse. They don't see non-Diamond gems as anything more than tools. We're expendable to them, replaceable and cheap. You shouldn't trust them."
Pink wanted to say something, anything, in defense of her sisters. But the fact was, deep down, she knew the gem in front of her was right. Still, one last question needed to be asked. "And me? Am I the same as them?"
"I don't know. I studied and watched the other three for years, but you? I've known you less than a day." Said Onyx. "But something tells me, no, you're not, but that doesn't mean you won't ever be either." Pink wasn't quite sure how she should feel about that, but the rogue gem went on. "Which begs the question, what are you, if not a Diamond like them?" She then shrugged, lowering her head and closing her eyes. "But if you can inspire gems like the ones I saw… well… it's something for you to think about." She said before falling silent.
"What do you mean-" Pink started but stopped as she could tell the conversation was over. Her curiosity sated somewhat, she left the room, there were two gems she needed to see right away.
Yellow stood silently eyeing the White gem floating in front of her, she seemed lost in thought when she heard the door opening behind her. She turned to see her two sisters, both looking rather apprehensive, her own expression began to mirror theirs as they stepped inside and the door closed behind them.
Silence hung in the air for what could have been seconds or minutes it was hard to tell.
"Yellow, I asked Blue to join me because I think there's something we all need to… to come to terms with." Pink started. Both Blue and Yellow nodded at this. "You've both been hiding things from me, things that I have had a right to know about but you choose not to tell me. But I am a Diamond, I have every right to know what's going on in our empire as either of you. But if you two want to continue to scheme and plot behind each other's backs then you two can do it by yourselves, because I want no part of it." She finished.
Blue and Yellow both seemed to pause, thinking on Pink's words before her azure sister spoke up. "When I first began the experiments, I didn't think things would turn out so wrong. And I was embarrassed, to have been so wrong. White allowed me to save face with you and the rest of our society because I asked her to keep it a secret. But I should have told you what I had done long ago."
Their elder sister looked back and forth between the two of them before taking a sigh. "What I did, I only did for the good of our empire. I thought that we may avoid circumstances such as the one we find ourselves in if we could only… fix, the broken personalities of the more defiant gems. But I, too, was wrong, and even when White had told me I was wrong I refused to listen, I was so convinced I could make it work. But now I've created abominations all because I refused to listen to White, but even then, she also let me save face in front of the both of you."
Pink reached out and grabbed her sister's hands with each of hers. "What's been broken between us won't be fixed, not for a long time." said the youngest Diamond.
"But we also have an enemy before us, and without our unity the gems beneath us will fall." Said Blue.
"So for now, we put aside our personal feelings and focus on what's before us. Agreed?" Yellow asked to which he two sisters solemnly nodded. "Good, now before we move on is there anything else we haven't shared?"
"I found out that I can control organics." Pink informed, causing her two sisters to look towards her inquisitively.
"Really?" Blue asked.
"Yeah, I found out about it a little while ago, but there wasn't a good time to tell you guys." Pink said.
"How curious." Said Yellow putting a single hand to her chin in thought. "White has light, Blue has liquids, and I can control electricity but you control organic life?"
"Well the non-moving green-types to be exact." Pink clarified. "And I wouldn't say control so much as influence, but yes."
"I see. Anything else then?" Yellow asked. Neither of her sisters said anything so she continued. "Good. Then from now until this enemy is defeated, we act as a unified force."
"Agreed." Her younger sisters said simultaneously.
"Alright then. We're making the final preparations before moving our fleet, scout ships have already been sent out to see where the enemy may be hiding, they should be back within the hour." Yellow informed.
Pink nodded once to her sister before leaving the room.
Yellow then moved to leave but was caught on the shoulder by Blue. "I do hope you've told us everything sister. I would hate to see our sister so utterly sad once more."
"I could say the same to you, Blue." Her elder sister said before leaving.
Blue took one last longing look at the white gem before she too left.
Pink Diamond returned to her room, only to see her other three friends had joined Pearl. "You guys, what are you doing here?" she asked
"We knew you've been distant these past couple days." Peridot started.
"So we all came together to see how we could help, Boss." Said Flint.
"We know about what happened." Amethyst finished.
Pink quickly looked to Pearl. "Did you-"
"It wasn't her, my Diamond." Peridot said, quickly intervening.
"We went down and talked to Onyx." Said the purple quartz.
Pink frowned. "So you know then, about Blue Diamond and Yellow Diamond."
"Not the exact circumstances, but yes." Said the green gem.
The young Diamond closed her eyes and sighed and opened them again. "Things are a little tense between my sisters and I, but you guys don't need to worry everything will be alright." She honestly hoped that sounded a lot more convincing then she thought it sounded.
Flint shrugged. "I'll follow your lead Boss, but if there's anything you need to tell us, now's the time."
Pink smiled kindly to her. 'Thank you Flint, you don't know what that means to me."
"The same goes for me and the little ones here." Amethyst said putting a hand on Pearl's and Peridot's shoulder with each hand. "Well always be here for you."
Pink couldn't help herself. She bent down and scooped up the four gems in an embrace and hugged them tightly. "Thank you all, so much." She nearly whispered.
"The scouts have reported back in." Yellow informed her sisters in the briefing room as a hologram shined between them. "They say that a base in this system has been destroyed and recently, nothing remains of it." She then pointed to another part of the hologram. "However another base has been detected in this system, that is where these rebels are most likely hiding out."
"Shouldn't we seen someone to pick through the ruined base?" Blue asked.
"I've already sent several teams to pick through the salvage but the rest are to be focused in this system." Yellow said pointing to it again.
"How long until we begin our ground assault?" asked Pink.
"Teams have already been sent to secure the landing site." Yellow informed. "This planet was deemed unusable as a gem colony due to… these." She said before the hologram turned into a 3-d depiction of large mushroom. "A type of spore fungal organic, they grow rapidly and spread fast. They can be as tall as a spire in some areas and as hard as steel. We'll need to be cautious."
"Shall we be going planet-side then?" asked Blue.
"Yes, this may be the final push. It's best to make sure these gems are eliminated once and for all." The elder Diamond said.
The base camp was bigger than what they had done previously. For one, an energy dome surrounded it as spores from the surrounding area bounced harmlessly off. But Yellow wasn't exaggerating as Pink stopped to look around. Large towers of white fungal organics could be seen in the distance and form what she could tell they were as tall as the spire towers of the Diamonds back on Homeworld.
Yellow motioned her over to a hologram table that Blue was already currently standing at as well as several quartz commanders getting ready for a briefing as a 3-d map of the area shined before them. "Here's where it ends…" Yellow began
Spinel was quickly looking from one screen to another on her large console. She and Zircon watched as the gem ships began to land. "Looks like that trick with that star bought us some time, huh?"
Zircon looked down at her fierce and quiet.
"You sure you wanna do this? There's no guarantee she's there." Asked Spinel.
The red gem merely stomped her foot.
"Well, if you're sure. Just be careful alright?" Spinel said worriedly.
Zircon nodded and gave her friend a quick hug before turning to leave.
A little while later…
Onyx looked up and around, she could tell something was going on now. She looked over to one of her guards, a ruby. "Hey you! What's happening!"
"Quiet you!" The ruby called back.
"We've landed on one of the planets huh?" the rogue gem asked.
The ruby didn't respond but she didn't need to as Onyx's grin grew. "That's alright, you don't need to answer, I already know. But can I give you some free advice?" she asked. "Just leave. Go."
"I said quiet!" The ruby repeated as the other also eyed her, but silently.
"I'm serious! If she sees me in here she's not gonna like it! And she'll probably get mad and hurt you!" Onyx informed. "And I'd rather she didn't."
"What are you talking about?" The other ruby asked. "Who is 'she'?" A sudden and loud clang was then audible from beyond the door and Onyx's grin became smug and knowing once more.
"She is my sister."
Done. Please review. Also if you haven't reread since the changes I made to the last bit of the last chapter, you may want to do that.
