"Red, do you still intend on going?"
"Yes, I do."
Then came a silence like a pall, that the speaking clocks did not even bother inhibiting.
Goshenite sighed.
"That isn't what I called about. I wanted to ask if you wanted to see a play with me. My Pearl would be happy if Snowy came along too."
The phantom on the other side took a small pause. "Okay. We'll come along."
"Thank you."
"Yes, goodbye, Red."
"Goodbye."
The screen shut off, and its lights dissipated into the surrounding darkness. The machine's humming even whirred into a quiet nothingness as the cosmos turned nonchalantly outside their window.
In the shadows, Pearl sat, wringing up the corner of a handkerchief until the entire cloth was wrinkled. Though, even in the dim light of space, Red could still make out the heavy craters beneath those doll eyes and the crust building around her lips.
"We're going to a play, Madame?"
"Yes, Pearl. We are."
"Oh. Thank you."
But neither party actually looked at one another. The servant began to pick her nails.
And without saying a word, Red went into her office. She caught a glimpse of the other gem looking up between the closing doors, but Pearl did not speak. She had merely crinkled her brow and pursed her lips.
A few shifts later, both of them prepared to go to play. Red sat Pearl at her vanity and with a brush, yanked out the few knots in her servant's strawberry red hair. With bobby pins stuck between her lips like cigarettes or perhaps elongated fangs, her hands tugged those bright strands into a perfect bun a atop her servant's head. On a few occasions, one or more of those fine hairs snapped. Or the brush had ripped just a little too hard. But Pearl did not complain. Her face might have contracted, eyes shutting and lips scrunching as though she had eaten something terribly sour, but she did not open her mouth to whine.
Finally, Red replaced the poppy in her servant's hair.
"Would you like some perfume?"
"Oh, yes Ma'am."
"Hold out your wrists."
Pearl did, and Red covered them with a light mist that smelled sweet, but classy. The same scent was applied to her neck.
"You can put your arms down now, Pearl."
"Yes Madame."
As Red brushed out her own hair, her servant sat on their couch and made holes along her lips, using her nails like little shovels. Anxiety filled the room around her, like the light scent of her borrowed perfume. Some parts of her body ached, and through it Red bent her brow and accentuated her lashes.
There was a knock on the door.
Pearl went to answer it, and there were Goshenite and Snowy again. "Greetings, Lady Goshenite. Greetings, Snowy."
"Hello, Pearl." The noble patted her on the shoulder as not to ruin her flawless hair. "You look lovely. I like your perfume."
"Oh, thank you Ma'am. You look nice as well. Your dress is beautiful."
"Thank you." A very quiet laughter. "Where is Red?"
"She's still getting ready, Ma'am. I'll let her know you're here."
"That won't be necessary, Pearl. I'm sure she already knows. Why don't you and Snowy keep one another company? I'd like to go speak with her."
And both servants replied: "Yes, Ma'am."
Red hadn't moved from her vanity and hardly jumped when Goshenite appeared in her mirror, gown complete with high shoulder pads and plenty of frills.
It practically came with White Diamond's stamp of approval.
Her face darkened while her lips coiled into a slight frown.
"I'm sure Pearl will be happy to stay with you."
Their private space settled around them again. Perhaps the last time for a very long while. This time, it was a dark and comfortable space with the lighting one would get from a fire place. Though, Red still stared into her reflection because her eyeliner needed to look as regal as possible.
Yet, Goshenite still appeared inside that glassy surface.
They made eye contact that way.
The phantom sighed and it came out in a cloud. "You're so stubborn, Red."
"I know." Her cat's eye nearly had a dent in it. "I'll come back; I promise."
"You can't make that promise."
A lull between either of them, where both aristocrats sighed quietly and the conversation of their Pearls drifted in from the other room. It was faint, but still present, like whispers coming out of the walls.
Why is Lady Red Beryl leaving?
She has to go kill this other gem named Morganite.
Well, I'll be happy to have you over. Some days I get a little lonely, don't you?
Yeah…
Don't be sad. I'm sure she'll come back soon.
"You know, Red. You're probably my only friend. I have a few acquaintances, but speaking to them takes so much of my energy. I'm not too embarrassed to admit that I'd be heartbroken if something happened to you. Maybe that's selfish of me, but you're the only one I have such an easy time talking to. Even White Diamond..."
But that thought passed by so quickly, not even Goshenite herself acknowledged it.
"Your Pearl will be heartbroken too. She just loves you. I know you can feel it." Pause. "I'm surprised you're still going."
Red replied with all her determination. It swallowed her like a poisonous gas and turned her chamber crimson.
"Well, I guess there's nothing more to say then." Though, despite the newly painted walls, Goshenite glowed white and kept from turning pink. "It seems you won't reconsider; so please promise me you'll be careful."
"I will, Goshenite."
All the pigments went back to normal.
"I'm going to check on our Pearls…" But really, her body had filled with pain as her heart shriveled within her chest.
And Red watched her go from the vanity mirror, as she chewed up her bottom lip with a top row of little yellow saws.
They all went together to the theater a short time after that, all four of them looking quite fabulous. Even though the negative opinions towards Red Beryl tried to tear up her black gown or smear her make-up or tear out entire locks of her hair, they continued walking as if no one had considered those things. Though, Goshenite did place her hand flat upon Red's shoulder at the ninth or tenth negative vibe.
They took their seats in one of the balconies somewhat near the stage while all the other gems came in and claimed their places. The entire time, Poppy leaned forward, attention clinging to everything. She studied the folds of those enormous curtains and the multitude of chairs and the numerous colors of gems that came to inhabit them.
Snowy asked her: "Have you ever seen a play before?"
"No…" There were stars and glitter in her eyes. "This is the first time."
"I'm sure you'll like it."
Soon enough, the lights dimmed and Poppy gasped softly. The curtains rose and the scene began, with a Sapphire and her Pearl speaking to one another inside the noble's chambers. The decorations and scenery were excellent, in eye-popping color and attention to small details, such as a finely painted portrait of Blue Diamond upon Lady Sapphire's wall.
Every part of this stole Poppy's attention, and Snowy's as well, for that matter.
But Goshenite listened to Red and her skull full of troubles while the production became more of a guilt-trip than anything. The phantom bent her slender brows and pulled gently upon the frothy skirts of her gown as she received, armful by armful of her friend's thoughts.
But Red listened back.
And the play passed by, despite the cosmic lights and colors those two aristocrats drew around themselves. It would have been impolite to talk, but this wasn't exactly talking even by their standards.
Then it came to the Pearl's scene, just after her noble's ill turn of fate, somewhere in Act Four.
What shall a Pearl do without a Mistress?
What is a gem without a Diamond?
What is a sword without a handle?
Indeed, I am just as useless. Sapphire—
My noble, kind, gentle master is gone.
Oh, I bemoan this fate! I'd be better
Off, having died in a war like a
Soldier, or having been crushed by a
Diamond like those wretched traitors merit!
For I am just as bad, with no purpose
Other than to be reassigned to a
home that is not mine or meant to be mine.
Her heart was my heart; her gem was my gem.
The Pearl took a few steps, pacing and skinning her lips.
No, no, no, no, no! I cannot bear it!
A life without Lady Sapphire is a life
Not worth living at all! Homeworld, Goodbye!
At that point, the curtain closed as the actress summoned her spear (a prop) and was about to drive it into the gem centered at her chest. The curtains reopened to a broken Pearl upon the ground (also a prop) and one of Blue Diamond's guards rushing in. This same gem went and told the empress, who engendered the end of the play through a series of executions upon learning of the noble and her servant's deaths.
It was like coming out of a stupor, watching everyone wiping their eyes and standing up from their seats. Red, too, cleaned her cheeks and stood with everyone else in her party of nobles and Pearls.
They all walked back silently while Poppy and Snowy occasionally chattered to one another.
Upon coming to the warp pads, Goshenite embraced Red. And Red embraced her back. Either of their backs popped in certain places and they remained that way a long time. Enough that gems who didn't have the day off accused them of many different crimes, practically all of which were terribly untrue.
"There's no shame in changing your mind, Red."
"I know, Goshenite."
They broke apart a moment, only for the phantom to pull that little crimson monster back in.
Red had seen it coming but she laughed anyway.
"Be safe, okay? I'll see you soon."
Hopefully.
"I will. Thank you."
And then Goshenite and Snowy left, disappearing inside the beams of light. Though, before she became a series of glittering flashes, Goshenite crinkled her brows and waved.
But then, it was only Red and her Pearl. The master held out her hand for her servant, and Pearl took it. The two returned together with unspoken thoughts weighing heavy inside their mouths, but both of them remained silent and stayed that way for a time afterwards.
Poppy cleaned the windows.
And Red sat, sampling every single one of her brainwaves.