That night, Tammo met Pasque and Pearl in a hallway just outside the ballroom. The party was just about to start. They could hear loud mechanical sounding music coming from within.

"Is that a dress you're wearing?" Pasque asked Tammo.

Tammo was indeed wearing a pink dress. He grinned sheepishly. "I asked the Pebbles to make me an outfit for the ball. Apparently, dresses are all they know how to do."

Pasque giggled. "Well, I think you look lovely, wot wot."

"Thanks for the jolly old vote of confidence." Tammo held out his arm, and Pasque took hold of it. "Well, shall we go in?" Tammo reached for the door handle.

Pearl held up a hand to restrain him. "Wait. I have to go in first and announce your presence."

"So many blinking rules here," Tammo muttered. "Do this, don't do that. Wot's wrong with just having fun? I'm beginning to see why my mother rebelled."

Pearl entered the ballroom. Tammo heard her say, "Presenting the one and only Tammo Pink Diamond Rose Quartz Tussock!"

"I like how she gave you your full title," Pasque said.

"Indeed," said Tammo. "Well, here goes nothing, wot!"

They pushed open the door and went through.

The ballroom was crowded with Gems of all sorts, but there was no mixing between different types of Gems. They were all forced to remain in groups of their own kind, which didn't look like much fun to Tammo. He recalled how at Redwall Abbey all the diverse species had been allowed to mingle freely. Why couldn't Homeworld be like that?

There were four thrones in the center of the room, a pink one, a blue one, a yellow one, and a white one. "I guess that's where we'll be sitting," Tammo said to Pasque.

"I don't see the other Diamonds anywhere, do you?" she asked him.

"Oh, I'm sure they'll come bowlin' along any blinkin' minute now. Come on!"

They walked over to the pink chair and Tammo sat down on it. Pearl was already standing beside his throne; Pasque took her place standing on the other side.

As Tammo's gaze wandered around the room, he spotted a Gem standing on the pedestal. The music that was playing was coming from her mouth, but it sounded more like an orchestra than singing. Weird.

A Jasper came up to Tammo's throne and bowed before him. "Pink Diamond! It's wonderful to be in your presence!"

Tammo recognized her at once. "I say, I know you! You're the Gem that kidnapped me on my wedding day and brought me to Homeworld to stand trial!"

Jasper squirmed. "Please forgive me for that, my Diamond. If I'd known who you really were, I wouldn't have treated you that way!"

Tammo smiled pleasantly at her. "Sure, don't worry about it. No hard feelings. You were only doing wot you thought was your duty."

The next Gem who came up to pay her respects was Peridot. "Pink Diamond. You are so radiant and exquisite. I humbly ask your pardon for imprisoning you."

"I've already forgiven you," Tammo said graciously. "You don't need to be afraid of me. And you don't need to talk to me in that obsequious manner, either. I'm no different than you, wot!"

That was the most un-Diamond-like thing Peridot had ever heard a Diamond say. She wasn't sure how to respond.

But before she could say anything, Amethyst came up. Amethyst was wearing limb enhancers on her arms and legs, like the ones Peridot used to have, except hers were purple instead of green. She had a hard time walking on them, and kept stumbling. As she wobbled over to Tammo's throne, she almost lost her balance and fell on top of Peridot, but she caught herself in time. Peridot quickly scurried out of her way.

"Yo! My Diamond!" Amethyst called to Tammo.

Tammo pointed both his index fingers at her. "That's me, your ding-dang Diamond, wot wot!"

Amethyst lurched on her limb enhancers again. "I'm not sure how Peridot puts up with wearing these things."

"I wish you didn't have to wear 'em," Tammo said sadly.

Amythest forced a grin. "No worries. I'm getting used to it. Hey, check out this cool party trick I taught myself!"

She stuck one of her enhancer fingers into her nose and pulled it right off her face! She held it out to Tammo. "I've got my own nose!"

Tammo laughed. "Amethyst, come on!"

Amethyst sighed. "I know, this is a serious party. Anyway, I'm going to go mingle with some other Amethysts." She hobbled away.

Then Tammo let out a gasp. "Ruby and Sapphire are here!"

"Where?" Pasque said. Tammo pointed. Ruby and Sapphire were there all right, but they weren't together. Ruby was standing in a group of other Rubies, and Sapphire was standing in a group of Sapphires. They both looked unhappy.

Tammo slumped in his seat. "I say, when I told Garnet I still wanted her to come, I hope she didn't think I wanted her to split."

Pasque patted his shoulder. "I'm sure she just wants to support you any way she can."

At the moment, Yellow Pearl entered the ballroom and announced, "Everyone behold! The daunting beauty and elegance that is Yellow Diamond!"

Yellow Diamond came in and sat in the yellow chair next to Tammo. "Not a bad turnout, Pink."

"Thanks ever so much, Yellow!" Tammo responded warmly. "Dashed good of you to come!"

Blue Pearl appeared in the doorway and cleared her throat. "Ahem, everyone prepare y'selves emotionally for the overpowering elegance that is Blue Diamond!"

Blue Diamond entered the room and joined the other Diamonds. "You're doing great!" she said to Tammo.

"Thank ye, Blue!" Although the ball wasn't going as Tammo had imagined, he was glad the other Diamonds were finally showing up. Next to come would be White, he thought.

But he thought wrong. White Pearl came into the ballroom and said, "To those in attendance of the Era 3 ball, White Diamond… has more important things to attend to."

"WOT!?" Tammo exclaimed.

White Pearl went and sat on White Diamond's throne. "Therefore, I will be here to observe in her place. Welcome to Era 3!"

"Gah!" Tammo yelled out loud, not caring who heard him. "Why ain't White Diamond comin'? Wot could she possibly have to do that's more important than this? It's not like she ever goes anywhere; she just stays shut up in her room! Wot the flippin' flippy flip does she do in there all day long?"

"Maybe she writes fanfiction," Pasque suggested.

The Gems on the floor started to dance in a mechanical fashion. None of them looked happy. Tammo sighed. "I made everyone do this and it's so miserable."

Suddenly, Pasque held out her paw to him. "Tammo."

"Don't you mean Pink Diamond?" he grouched.

"O' course I don't!" she exclaimed. "Come on, Tamm, do you wanna dance?"

"Yeah," said Tammo. "But I'm not supposed to."

"It's your jolly old party," said Pasque.

"But White 'spects me to just sit still and…" Tammo began.

"Look around you," Pasque said. "White Diamond ain't here."

"You're right!" Tammo said suddenly.

He jumped off his throne and he and Pasque ran out into the middle of the dance floor. Everyone stopped dancing and stared at them.

Tammo and Pasque grasped each other's paws and they began spinning around and dancing together. They were having so much fun they didn't care that everyone was looking at them in horror. Without meaning to, they fused into Tasque again!

Yellow Diamond stood up in a rage. "Pink, what are you doing?"

"I was just danci…" Tasque's voice trailed off as they realized that they had fused.

Blue Diamond stood up too. "Pink, this is completely unacceptable! Unfuse right now, or we'll make you!"

Ruby and Sapphire quickly rushed in front of Tasque. The two of them fused back into Garnet. "You'll have to go through me first!" Garnet said.

Pearl and Amethyst ran over and fused together into their fusion form, a Gem called Opal. "And me!" Opal said.

Then, to everyone's surprise, two Gems that Tammo had never even seen before ran up and fused together too. "And me!" this new fusion said. "I knew I couldn't be the only one!"

Yellow Diamond was absolutely livid. "Pink! You've gone too far this time, even for you!"

She stomped over to the fusions and zapped them with her electricity powers, causing them to destabilize and poof back into their gems, one by one. Finally, Tasque was the only fusion left standing.

Tasque looked down at the gemstones of their friends, lying on the floor. "Garnet! Opal!"

Before they could say or do anything further, Yellow Diamond grabbed them.