Stars and Diamonds

Chapter 1: So Small

Yellow peered down at the little bundle of blankets in Pink's arms, intrigued by the thing wiggling inside its protective pastel pink cocoon. Something so tiny that it had Yellow transfixed, curiosity peaked at whatever creature Pink had taken to now, cradling it protectively against her chest and grinning at it, the fondness blatant on her face. Bending closer, she squinted her eyes, seeing the thing clear enough to make out its upper half as Pink attempted to placate it by pulling its soft little shell back, tucking the blanket under its still squirming little body, making it much easier for her to see its tiny features even as it continued its pointless fidgeting. Yellow's head tilted as she made out its now bare upper half; it had a head, two chubby arms, and a bare chest that was partially covered by two long tufts of orange hair that fell from in front of it's small ears.

"Why is it so small? Is it defective?" She questioned, unable to keep her lip from curling in disgust as she stood back up. Pink was the smallest diamond of them, but even she towered over the tallest Quartz, this...thing, it was barely bigger than a ruby!

"She's supposed to be small!" Pink defended, her eyebrows pulled together as she glared up at Yellow, "She's going to grow bigger."

"Grow? What exactly is this thing you've...created, Pink? What purpose could it possibly fill?"

"I wanted to see if the organics from my colony could be helped." The youngest of them explained, "They're so fragile, and live such a short time. If they could live longer, like us, I know they could be amazing." Pink's smile widened as the tiny thing in her arms reached up towards her, incited by her voice as she lowered her face to level it with a soft look, her hand that wasn't supporting its body rested on top of the blankets as she allowed it to grab ahold of one of her fingers with both of it's hands.

Yellow groaned at the display, head falling forward as her hand reached up, pinching the bridge of her nose, "You're wasting your time, Pink. You shouldn't concern yourself with lesser life forms like that, and now look!" she gestured harshly towards the soft orange creature in her arms, "We have this thing to deal with, and-"

"She isn't a thing, Yellow!" Pink interrupted, her voice raised in indignation as she turned her body away from her, as if that would protect the mewling being in her arms from further ridicule as she continued to glare up at her, "Stop calling her that."

Yellow couldn't stop from childishly rolling her eyes, "Don't tell me you've named it."

"Of course I have!" Pink stamped her foot, her arms tightening defensively around the small creature, pressing her a little tighter to her chest, "She's just like us, Yellow, she deserves a name."

Blue spoke up for the first time since Pink had introduced them to the small being in her arms, her voice low and calm in an attempt to mollify the quickly rising tension between her fellow Diamonds. "What is it, Pink?"

Pink hesitated to answer, her eyes regarding Blue for a moment before she answered, "Zirconia."

"Oh Pink." Blue's head tilted to the side as she sighed, her tone a light mix between adoration and sympathy.

"How exactly," the contempt in Yellow's voice was obvious as she crossed her arms over her chest, "was it even made?"

"The scientist in my court are so incredible, they can do such wonderful things. They managed to combine a human and gem. I don't completely understand it myself, but that matters little to me. She really is unlike anything we've ever seen."

"She's a fusion?" Blue balked at the notion, her attempt to hide her revulsion futile as her face contorted with the offending word.

Pink shook her head, "No Blue, she's just...Zirconia."