Tammo was so preocupied with thinking about what Joshy had said to him that he didn't go to dinner in the mess hall that night. He just went back to his room and sat down on the bed, holding his head in his paws.

Eventually Pasque came in and sat down beside him. "There you are, Tammo. I've been looking for you everywhere. Have you been in here all evening?"

"Yeah," he mumbled.

"You didn't show up at supper. It's not like you to miss out on scoff. Is something wrong?"

Tammo raised his head and stared vacantly at his wife. "Oh, I just have a lot on my mind. Gem stuff, y'know."

"Gem stuff? Does it have to do with your mother? Do you want to tell me about it?"

For a long moment, Tammo didn't say anything. But finally he blurted out, "Joshy Stag Hare thinks Pearl may have been the one who really killed Pink Diamond!"

This was the last thing Pasque had expected to hear. "What? Where the dickens would he get an idea like that?"

"He says Pearl goes all stiff and silent whenever Pink's name is brought up. He thinks that means she's got something to hide."

"Well, that sounds like absolute rubbish to me!" Pasque said. "If anything, I'd be more inclined to think one of the other Diamonds killed Pink Diamond! Only a diamond can cut another diamond, after all- at least, that's how it is with ordinary Earth diamonds that aren't alive."

"Well, Homeworld Gems are different from ordinary Earth gems in a lot of ways," Tammo said.

Pasque could tell he was very upset. "You don't think it was Pearl, do you?"

"I don't know!" Tammo said miserably, pulling on his own headfur in frustration.

"Look, there's only one way to settle this," said Pasque. "If you think Pearl was involved in Pink Diamond's murder, the only way to find out is to ask her straight out."

Tammo laughed mirthlessly. "Oh yes, that'd be a fun conversation, wot. 'Hello, Pearl. I was wondering if you killed another Gem thousands of years ago.' She'd love to hear that, wouldn't she?"

"Hey, don't get mad at me," Pasque said.

Tammo took a deep breath. He reached out and put his paw on Pasque's. "I'm not mad at you, Pasque. I just don't know what to think or what to do about this."

He didn't sleep that night. He just tossed and turned in his bed. But by morning, he had decided Pasque was right. The only way to deal with the situation was to talk to Pearl and ask her for the truth.

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At breakfast next morning, Pearl, Amethyst, Garnet, and the Off Colors were all sitting at a table together, but of course Amethyst was the only one eating. Several young hares were watching amazed as the purple Gem attacked the pile of food on her plate.

"Great seasons!" said Tare. "She can really put it away!"

Tare's twin brother, Turry, said, "Aye, I always thought you were the greatest glutton in the world, Tare, but this un takes the cake!"

Amethyst perked her head up. "Cake, what cake?"

"No cake," said Turry. "Just a bally finger of speech, wot."

Tare shoved Turry playfully. "Away with you! I'm no glutton. I only do a quick scoff now an' then to keep m'vitals in workin' order. And the jolly old term is figure of speech, not finger!"

Amethyst turned to Pearl. "Hey Pearl, you should do your sword dance for these guys."

Pearl blushed. "Oh, they don't want to see that old thing."

"Sure we do!" said Turry.

"If it's a trick with a sword, it's worth seeing," said Tare. "Who knows, we might pick up a few pointers!"

"I'd like to see this sword dance too," said Fluorite. The giant fusion took up a whole bench by herself. "I've never seen it before."

"Seems like it's unanimous, Pearl," Garnet said.

Pearl heaved a sigh and stood up. "Oh, all right. If you insist."

"She will reluctantly agree to perform this trick!" Padparadscha said excitedly.

"If I'm gonna do this, I'm gonna need some space," Pearl said.

"You can just climb up on the table and do it!" said Amethyst.

"Okay. Here goes." Pearl got up on the table, pulling her sword out of her gemstone as she did so. Amethyst and Garnet climbed up there too. Garnet snatched two flowers out of a vase and held them in her hands. Amethyst picked up two big mushrooms and balanced one on top of Garnet's head and another on her own. Then Garnet and Amethyst both sat down on the tabletop, with Pearl standing between them, sword in hand.

Amethyst began drumming on the table with her hands, slowly at first, then faster and faster. In time with the beat, Pearl began spinning around, whirling her blade in all directions. The sword became a blur of liquid light, travelling so fast that it left patterns upon the air, figures of eight, circles, crescents, even shapes like flowers.

Tammo walked in just then. Seeing the display reminded him just what a skilled swordsgem Pearl was. If she really wanted to kill another Gem, she could do it so easily.

Pearl brought her sword down on the mushroom that sat on Garnet's head. The mushroom was chopped into two equal halves, but Garnet wasn't even grazed. Pearl did the same thing to the mushroom on Amethyst's head. Then, she lopped the heads off the two flowers Garnet held in her hands. Next, she turned her attention to an apple sitting at a plate, chopping like lightning and cutting it into twelve perfectly equal pieces. Finally, Pearl tossed her sword into the air. As it came back down again, it shrank, until it was smaller than the gemstone on Pearl's forehead. Pearl caught the shrunken sword in her hand, put it back inside her gem, and bowed to the assembly. "Thank you! Thank you."

Everyone was impressed.

"We've never seen... anything like that," said the Rutiles.

"Nor have I," said Rhodonite.

Major Perigord chuckled. "'Pon my word! Thought you was goin' to make two Gems out of Amethyst an' leave ole Garnet handless for a moment back there."

"Nah, Pearl knows what she's doin'," Amethyst said.

She certainly did, Tammo reflected. Yes, Pearl was skilled with a sword, but did it follow from there that she was a killer? He had seen her kill evilbeasts before, vermin who threatened the lives of other creatures, but he'd never seen her kill a fellow Gem. When the Crystal Gems fought mutants, they were always careful to bubble them instead of shattering them. But still... when he thought of the way she'd sliced that apple up, he couldn't help imagining her doing the same thing to Pink Diamond's gemstone.

There was nothing for it. He would have to confront her sooner or later. It might as well be sooner.

He walked over to Pearl. "Pearl? Could I talk to you... in private?"