Fractures

10. Consequence

- Pink Diamond confronts her sisters.

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Pearl stood stiffly, doing her best to hide her shaking hands. She was alone in this wretched place, surrounded by off-colors, fusions, and traitors. Some of them were glaring at her, but nobody approached as long as the defective twin rutiles stayed by her side.

A ruby-pearl fusion came up to them. Pearl felt curious; she quickly squashed that thought, discomforted. She refused to wonder why any diamond would allow such a thing.

"Who is this?" the fusion asked, fidgeting nervously.

"This is Blue Diamond's pearl," one of the rutiles said.

"Please go get Pink," the other rutile continued.

The fusion gasped, worriedly grasping at her hair as she scurried away.

Pearl carefully kept still. She didn't want to be here, but her diamond had asked her to do this, so she would.

After a few minutes, the fusion returned. With her was the youngest diamond.

Pearl gasped mutely. She had heard her diamond talk about the damage to Pink Diamond's face, but hadn't realized it was so bad.

And yet, Pink Diamond's eyes were bright and focused. Her hair was fluffy and only a little tangled, and her dress was clean, except for a few bits of dirt. She looked so much better than she had all the times Pearl had tried to comfort her.

Pink Diamond stared at her, and Pearl remembered herself. She bent into a deep bow, saluting respectfully. "My Diamond."

She heard a quiet "oh" of surprise. Nobody else had addressed Pink Diamond properly. This was deeply unsettling.

She didn't move as Pink Diamond approached her. However, she wasn't expecting the light touch on her shoulder and flinched. Pink Diamond knelt before her, gently trying to coax her into straightening. Pearl slowly did so.

Pink Diamond smiled at her, her expression warm. "That's not necessary," she said softly. "A simple hello will do."

Pearl didn't know what to do with the anxious but mild stab of heat in her chest. She was blushing and couldn't help it. She thought of Pink Diamond's pearl and wondered.

The diamond shifted, sitting on her legs without a care for the filth getting on her dress. It seemed that Pink Diamond still didn't take offense to things that she should; that, at least, had not changed about her. "Why are you here?" she asked.

Pearl startled. She fumbled at her gem, pulling out a communicator. "My Diamond would like to speak with you," she said quietly, fighting against the urge to bow again as she held it out.

Pink Diamond blinked and took it hesitantly. She merely looked at it, watching as it glowed blue to signify who was calling. After a moment, her brow furrowed and her expression hardened. She crushed the thing in her hands, casually casting it aside. Pearl shuddered.

Pink Diamond shook her head, a tear trickling down her cheek. "I'm sorry, I'm not ready to talk to her..." Her gaze moved to Pearl. "What do my sisters want?"

This... This wasn't supposed to happen! She was just supposed to deliver the communicator, nothing more!

Pink Diamond didn't look angry. She seemed to remember that there were a lot of gems around and sent most of them away. The fusion and the twin rutiles remained nearby but at a respectful distance.

"Pearl."

She stiffened.

"It's alright, you can speak freely here." Seeing her hesitation, the diamond continued, "You're always with her, surely you must know what they're thinking?"