What's Freedom? (Yellow Pearl x Human Reader)

Living Arrangements

"Wha--Who--What is this?" Yellow Pearl sputtered. She looked all around in a panic, wanting a good hiding spot, but all that was available to her was an open field and the impassable knot of trees and bushes that led to the woods.

"Where's Yellow Diamond?" Garnet demanded. The Pearl squeaked in fright and hid behind you, much to your surprise.

"She's gone. I saw her leave," you reported. "She left her friend here all alone."

"Get away from her, [Y/N]," Amethyst warned, drawing her whip. "How do we know it's not a trap? I mean, why would Yellow D come all this way just to dump a Gem?"

Yellow Pearl gasped at the sight of the weapon and cowered further behind you. "Sh-she's not coming back, I assure you! I just want to be left alone to figure out how I'm going to survive on this awful planet!"

"It's fine," you smiled gently at her. "We really don't mean you any harm. In fact you're safer around us than alone." She gave you a look, puzzled and wary.

"Yes, it could be a trap," Garnet answered Amethyst, "but why leave a Pearl to deal with us? Pearls are servants on Homeworld. No one teaches them to fight."

This seemed to be news to no one but you. All Gems with pearls on their bodies served other Gems on their home planet? Were they forced to? But in that case, why had this Pearl seemed so proud to be with Yellow Diamond--who you know understood had been her owner? Had she never known any other life?

You noticed that the white Pearl, the one you were more familiar with, was looking away bitterly. Perhaps she had been enslaved at one time and did not enjoy being reminded of it.

You put a hand on her shoulder and offered a small smile. "Maybe Yellow Diamond wised up and realized what Pearls are capable of."

Yellow Pearl made an offended noise, but the Crystal Gem Pearl's face softened in appreciation of your words. The white Gem then sighed. "No, Garnet is right. A Homeworld Pearl would be harmless."

Steven brightened. "So we get to keep her?"

"Well, we'd have to figure out where," Pearl took her own chin in thought, and then looked back at you. "But before we get too far into that--[Y/N], thank you for finding her, but we'll take it from here," she dismissed you.

"Aw, come on, Pearl," whined Steven. "[Y/N]'s one of the family and they helped us find a Gem! It's like they're carrying on the family business!"

Pearl seemed unsure about including you in official Crystal Gem matters, but conceded when Garnet nodded to her. You beamed at the news. "So I'm like an honorary Crystal...Human?"

Hearing this, Yellow Pearl seemed to trust you less now, and she shrank away from using you as a shield. You looked into her gold eyes, which brimmed with worry. Regardless of your reassurance, she was clearly convinced that she had fallen into the hands of the enemy.

"Well, we can't put her in the bathroom," Garnet continued the discussion. "She didn't exactly get off on the right foot with Peridot."

"Peridot?" Yellow Pearl barked. "The Peridot on Earth who called my Diamond a clod?"

Amethyst chuckled. "Yeah, that was pretty awesome." She turned to the others. "As long as she stays out of my pork rinds, I guess she could live in the kitchen cabinet if she wanted privacy."

"But what if we get busy with missions and such?" Steven suggested, and looked at the nervous Gem. "You wouldn't want to be alone so much on an unfamiliar planet, would you?"

Yellow Pearl blinked at being called on, seeming a bit surprised at being included in the discussion of where her "enemies" would be keeping her. "Um, no, I'd prefer not to. Being by herself is not exactly something a Pearl is meant for. I am--I was--constantly within my Diamond's reach; I was created to always be by her side...ready to serve..."