Vivification

Demands

A few Sols after the execution, the throne room was once again active.
Azotic once again stood guard, pretending to be deaf, blind, immobile. A porcelain doll beside her mistress.
"General Zircon. So nice of you to join us again." White Diamond purred, leaning back in her throne. She gazed down at her kneeling officer, his cape spread wide on the floor.
"The pleasure is all mine, my queen." Zircon returned. He looked up at her, eyes twinkling with amusement.
White's expression mirrored his, as if they shared a secret game. "I trust your army fared well on Earth's satellite?"
"Of course, my dear queen. The rebellion barely gained any ground before we shattered the lot of them." His smile grew as he spoke, bloodlust dripping from every single syllable. "I imagine Diopside will have his fill of shards today."
At this, White Diamond laughed. It was a cruel, unsettling sound that sent shivers down Azotic's spine. She found herself moving, rolling out her shoulders a bit, when her eyes flicked up for a moment or two.
And she found him looking back at her, expression twisted with something else entirely. It wasn't just desire.  
Azotic wished she could've been anywhere else as she looked down again. Of course, she knew what it would mean if he was presented with her. His status would raise instantly. Along with the respect of the Court. It was as if he was being given a Pearl of his own.
She shuffled her feet and waited for the meeting to continue.
"Hm. It appears that your victory was short-lived."
Azotic looked up again, barely, to see Zircon's head snap back to his Diamond, eyes wide and angry. "What?" He growled, his hand tightening into a fist on the floor of the palace. "That cannot be."
"The rebellion grows with each day; Zircon. Thousands of gems leave under our noses, and we have no idea how. We have already placed guards in every docking station, and even more are searching ships before deployment." Blue Diamond said from her throne, her feminine voice like a calming rain. "You seem to forget this."
Azotic quietly wondered if she could ever escape like that; if she could ever somehow magically slip away into a ship, and come to some other planet. Somewhere. Anywhere else.
"I-It is no matter, Your Highnesses." Zircon said, his shoulders shaking with anger. "I will stomp out this flame of rebellion. The Earth will be yours to use."

"I will take your word, Zircon." White Diamond said, any hint of amusement gone. "Do not fail me again."
-
Azotic was dismissed some time later as more delicate matters were to be discussed; more secrets kept from the people.
She considered having her gem checked once more in her creator's lab, where hopefully she'd see her only friend once again. But that would also require her to be near her creator. Which, as she concluded, was not worth anything.
Azotic was so concerned with where to go, that she didn't think to look where she was going.
She made a startled sound as she crashed into a much taller gem, with a amber-colored scarf and a sour expression. He was being pulled along by two Jaspers.
He was a prisoner of war.
Azotic's eyes widened and she stuttered, looking from the two imposing figures beside the man to the golden star insignia on his scarf.
"What is it, Topaz?" One of the Jaspers spoke up, glaring at her.
"Is this the prisoner?" Azotic blurted out.
'What are you doing?!'  The voice inside her head screamed at her.
Azotic bit her lip, looking between the two once more. By the old Gods, they could snap her in half. But the silent one had simply nodded.
"My Diamond requested to see him first. Direct orders." She said, and she saw the prisoner roll his eyes, but nonetheless, looked intrigued.
"Why?" The Jasper sneered. "He's nothing but a soldier. I doubt he was of any importance."
Azotic raised her chin, for what felt like the first time in her life, and feigned confidence. "Do not question my Diamond. Unless you would like to do so to her face. In front of her sisters."
The Jasper's expression dropped and she shook her head, handing the prisoner over to Azotic. "N-No ma'am." They each saluted, and walked in the other direction. The one who spoke, Azotic noticed, was shaking.
Azotic looked to the prisoner, and took a deep breath. She tightened her grip on his wrist. "I'm going to let you go. On one condition. A-Actually, two." She stuttered.
The prisoner looked her over with disbelief. "You're hardly in a position to make demands." He said tiredly. "I know who you are."
She scoffed. "You most certainly aren't in the position to turn away a chance for help. You're stranded in the Diamond's palace. I doubt you know where that hallway leads."
The prisoner opened his mouth to speak. Then, with a wide look around the long hallways, he deflated, and sighed. "What do you want?"
"I-I want out." She said quietly. "I want to join the rebellion. I want to be away from here." Her soft voice shook with the force of her want; her need to be free of this world.
Now she had caught his attention.
He raised an eyebrow. "But you're...how do I know you're not a spy?" He glared suddenly, ripping her hand off his wrist.
"I-I'm not!" Azotic insisted, her eyes growing wide. "I-I'll prove it! I'-I..." She thought frantically as the prisoner glared at her, his amber eyes boring holes through her thin bravado. "General Zircon is attempting to take the Earth's moon once again. And the Diamonds have noticed the gems sneaking out, but they're clueless as to how. They'll be doubling their patrols!" Her eyes were wide, desperate, pleading. "Please...."
The prisoner swore. "You're sure he's coming back? With how big of a force this time? We barely got out alive last time..."
"I-I don't know." Azotic admitted. "But all your return did was anger him. I'd be surprised if he did not return, in kind, with a larger force."
He shook his head and looked up at her, his expression filled with despair. "A-Alright. What's your second demand?"
"Y-your name." She said gently, in an attempt to calm him down, looking back into his eyes with her blue ones. "Just your name."
The prisoner sighed. "I'm a dead man anyway, even if you are a spy. Copal. My name is Copal."
"I'm not a spy." Azotic said. "B-But...if you need, I can be." She said, gritting her teeth. This was all sorts of dangerous. "I am in the throne room almost every day. I overhear everything. Even if they like to pretend I don't exist."
Copal's eyes widened, and a smile tugged at his lips. "Oh?" He was interested now.
"But I have no way to communicate. Not easily; not often. I have nothing that is mine." Azotic said, the words hitting her like a comet. Nothing was hers. She owned nothing. Not even her own body.
"We can fix that. A small, compact tablet could help." Copal was obviously thinking. "I could arrange to get you one through Hematite. But tell me you're not joking?"
"I could get killed for this; I am not."
"Alright, fair." He said with a sigh. "So could I. Though all of this is a life or death situation, Azotic." It didn't strike her as odd that he knew her name. After all, it was common knowledge to nobles. Why not him? "And choosing between my friends, and you is an easy choice."
"What an odd thing to say to a new friend." Azotic said, a smile tugging at her lips. "I will help you win this war. But in exchange, Copal, you're going to bust me out." She said.
"Deal." He said, seeming a bit doubtful still. He stuck out his hand, and Azotic flinched.
He looked at her for a moment, then muttered and shook his head. "Great Stardust, what do they do to you here?" He asked to the side. He didn't really seem to be asking, so Azotic didn't answer.
"Great Stardust?" She asked quizzically.

Copal gave her a small smile, tired eyes flicking over to her. "Better than Great Diamond, that's for sure."