Steven's Universe- The Virgin Rainbow

Chapter One- Ambush

Pearl

Garnet turned to face me, her glasses off for the first time in what seemed like ages. Ever since the end of the war, she seemed to feel free to show her three eyes off whenever. I look into her blue and red eyes calmly, expecting an order. Instead, she walks to stand beside me.

"Pearl and I will get the southern pathways, Steven and Peridot will get the northern passages, Jasper and Skye will get the eastern, and Amethyst and Lapis should get the western areas. Is that alright?" She asks, more of a confirmation than a question. I see Jasper give Skye a glance before looking away quickly, blushing slightly, and begin to think of Rose Quartz. She would've loved to see all of these gems working together like this; that was one of her goals, after all. I nod so everyone can't see my eyes watering.

"Serious Steven time, then!" Steven declares, puffing up his cheeks to resemble that of a full balloon. Everyone begins to laugh at his goofy expression except for me. When Garnet looks over, I fake a smile and look aside. It isn't easy, even now, remembering Rose. She was such a big part of my life for so long that it's hard to fully give her up.

"Pearl?" Amethyst asks, drawing the group's attention to me. I slowly raise my head, only to see her purple eyes focused on me. "Pearl, are you sure that you can-"

"Yeah, Amethyst," I say, interrupting her, and actually manage a real half smile. She pulls her whip out from behind her shirt and uses it to wrap me up, then pull me in close to her. I laugh softly as she twirls me up into the air. She's really gotten used to cheering me up by now, and I'd like to them ink that we're closer than ever.

We'd be even better friends if she got her socks off of the railing, but I  try to not let that bother me.

"There's our happy little Pearl. Glad to see you're back," Jasper calls in a rough voice. Amethyst lowers me back onto the ground and pulls her whip away, letting it dangle out by her side. Skye murmurs something under her breath to me that I don't quite catch, but it doesn't matter. The shy yet happy look on her face makes almost everything, even the war, worth it.

"Yeah, yeah, Jasper," I tease. "And to think at one point that you hated me!"

Jasper blushes a burnt orange and raises her hands to protest, but it's too late to change the past. Everyone begins to laugh again, this time including me, and Jasper turns an even darker color. As we walk away, I can hear Garnet snickering to herself, saying something about Jasper being ridiculous.

"They've changed so much, haven't they?" I ask. Garnet looks over at me, her laughter dying out, with a curious expression.

"What do you mean?"

"Well... Just think about it! They wanted us dead, and now we're all friends..."

"Rose would've loved to see this," Garnet says, eerily echoing my earlier thoughts.

"I... Was thinking about that... Steven is still here, though, so I guess we shouldn't be sad..." I sniff and wipe my eyes with my hand. "It just isn't fair, Garnet. Why can't we have the two of them? Why can't they be together with us now?"

"Because Rose gave everything up to give life to Steven, Pearl. You know that. It was her last act of kindness and possibly her greatest," Garnet answers.

"I can't help but feel that-"

"Sh!" The fusion commands suddenly, standing up straighter. She looks around the empty pathway sharply, eyes scanning the entire area in a matter of seconds. I tense up and ready my weapon for battle, pulling it out of its spot on my forehead. My spear glows as I hold it at my side.

"What do you hear?" I whisper. Garnet summons her own weapon and does a perfect flip over to a rock, which she splits almost exactly in half. When nothing comes out from behind, she skids back over to where I stand and raises her fists.