Another Name (SU fanfic)

21. OBLIVION'S ENCOUNTER

Tiny went back home as soon as she saw the message. She found Apatite sitting on the couch and then listened as she told what happened.
A: "...So she only did what she said she would. It's all in my head, my fault. Please, stop the energy transfer, I don't de..."
T: "I won't."
A: Confused. "Why not?"
T: "Because freedom isn't something you have to be prepared for, freedom is what allows you to learn."
A: "But I haven't learned anything. I only feel... bad. I feel this anger... I can't make it stop..."
The substitute kept rambling about it, and would have continued in loop forever if Pearl hadn't stopped her.
T: "Can you hug me?"
A: Puzzled. "What?"
T: "I'm sad because my friend wants me to hurt her."
The teal gem hugged her.
A: "Your friend should have listened to you... I'm sorry. It's just... it hurts to learn like this... learn what you don't want."
In the hug Tiny could feel Apatite's slightly irregular heartbeat, she did that for a few minutes and then freed herself to sit on the bigger lap.
T: "Don't worry." Smiled. "I promise you won't be obsessively thinking about it very soon."
A: Curious. "How so?"
T: "I didn't think I'd be doing it this early, but... I've been totally stuck with my problem since Oval was remade, and I can't come up with any other realistic solution. I need your help to reproduce what we were working on, and for that, I'd need you to help me make a new gem."
A: Surprised and confused. "Is this a joke?!"
T: Serene. "No."
The pearl answered immediately, without hesitation. Apatite then lost her strength, her feet slipped forward, her hands fell to her sides, and her look lose touch with reality. The petition agitated her deeply.
A: "This is... new life...? I always wanted... Oh... that's why... I cared... so much..."
T: "I'm afraid this won't be what you wish for. It's not going to be new life, it'll be more a recycled life, and she'll have to be a pearl. There's a feature..." Meaning a bug. "...in our program that causes new holographic copies to be created with its own virtual room in the gem's inner dimension."
A: "Why do you need infinite in-gem space?"
T: "Not infinite. In the end, the gem wouldn't have enough energy to keep the space from collapsing. I only need enough room to fit the generator and me."
A: Surprised. "The generator? That one I receive energy from?"
The servant nodded.
A: Gestured her words. "That's huge! And it has layers of buildings on top."
T: "That's a problem for another day."
A: "Wait. Why don't you create the room in you? You're a pearl..."
T: "Somebody the same idea already. That's the reason I need to remain in the generator's range at all times."
A: Sighted. "What are you using it for?"
T: "I'm going from less shocking to more shocking. Right now, you already have a lot to think about."
A: "Just one more thing. Will I have to copy the shard's abilities?"
Tiny saw how her friend wasn't nearly as worried as she should about trying to copy multiple powers at the same time again. She looked like she was up for the challenge.
T: "No. In ten cycles, we're visiting Pink Diamond."
Even though the lack of answers was frustrating for Apatite, the intrigue kept her from thinking about her previous worry too much during the next days.

Today Apatite followed Tiny, shrunk to be able to pass through the pebbles conducts, and reached a room a few steps away from the place she's perceiving the Diamond's powers. There she met Pink's smallest servants, who had known Pearl for a very long time and so were surprised she came with someone else. Curious as they are, they inspected Apatite from every angle and asked her so many questions she ended overwhelmed and the pearl had to ask them to leave them alone for a while.
A: "If you can come here, and Pink Diamond is as cool as the pebbles say... Why don't you just ask her to help you?"
T: Smiled. "You're about to find out." Serious. "You need to know that she's not aware of her function in the Authority, so whatever you do, don't yell."
The pearl indicated a corridor for the substitute to walk into and followed her until she stopped.

Now they hear the voices of Pink and her new pearl as the teal gem processes her perceptions. The Diamond is trying to play hide and seek and her servant is doing her best to please her owner, but she's clearly not understanding the game.
In that narrow place they talk in whispers.
A: Totally perplexed. "This doesn't make sense..."
Now they're both the same height, Tiny walks in front of her to look closely into her eyes. Apatite needs a few seconds to swap out of her thoughts and notice her.
T: "Copy the ability first."
The teal gem nods and her gemstone lights up for a second.
A: "Got it."
T: "Have you noticed the pattern?"
Apatite nods again slowly and then the pearl sees a bluish gleam in her eyes, one she had seen before. Immediately after, the substitute saddens deeply.
A: "Negativity."
That conclusion was incredibly fast for her, therefore the iridescent gem makes sure she actually understood it.
T: "And so..."
A: "Nothing can last forever... It's such a cruel fate in the end... but... she could do so much good meanwhile. Why... why doesn't she know?"
The pearl turns around and looks towards the background voices. She's surprised by her friend's reaction, she thought she'd be angry, and her words express disagreement indeed, but she looks devastated, like she's empathizing with what the matriarch once felt.
T: "She didn't want to think about it."
A: "Damn it, the powers work on her too... of course..."
The teal gem breathes deep a few times, then she unexpectedly bubbles herself and goes home.
T: [Oh, there it goes...]
Tiny says goodbye to the pebbles before following her.