Stars and Diamonds

Chapter 8: Before This

"Pearl?" she spoke in a hushed tone, low to try and keep it from being heard outside the ornate doors where she had ordered her citrine guards to stay, but Orange's voice still carried in the large room, bouncing off bare white walls.

She was currently sitting with said Pearl, assigned to look after her while White was on a call, and instead of walking the palace halls like she normally liked to do, she sat in a room that overlooked the city. Homeworld was always breathtaking and she couldn't wait until she got to actually be a part of it, have her own colony, title as ruler, a pearl, everything. She was destined for greatness, now if only it could arrive sooner.

"Yes, my Diamond?" Pearl responded, her ever present smile turned towards the small diamond in front of her as she stood obediently behind her while she looked out the large glass window.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"You do not have to ask my permission, my Diamond. I serve you, just as I serve White Diamond."

"Oh...well, did you always serve White? Or did you do something before this?"

"I..." White Pearl's smile fell and her voice trailed before picking back up, now soft and almost hesitant, like her words were not something she should say, but she pushed on anyway at Orange's insistent stare, "I have always served the Diamonds, but not always White."

"So you weren't made for White Diamond?" Orange turned fully in her seat to look at Pearl, expression fully showing her curiosity now.

"No, My Diamond."

"Come on, Pearl!" Orange whined, gripping the side of her chair and leaning forward towards her companion, "Don't leave it like that, you have to tell me, I-" Orange stopped for a moment before she raised her head a little higher and pushed her shoulders back, a forced look of superiority on her face that she was sure Pearl saw right through based on the way her lips turned up, like Orange was making a silly face at her, which she probably was because it certainly didn't feel right. "I'm a diamond after all. Who did you work for before?"

"I was originally Pink diamond's Pearl. I was later swapped for a more...mature pearl. I will be forever grateful to my Diamond, White Diamond," she gave a little bow of her head, as if she was bowing to said diamond in person, "for allowing me to continue to serve the Diamonds as her own."

"Oh..." Orange's smug facade dropped and she blinked at Pearl, her head cocking slightly to the side, "but you seem so mature now, I don't understand."

"I was expected to curve Pink Diamond's more...eccentric nature, and I was unfortunately not capable of doing so. I understand my Diamond's reasons for replacing me."

"Hmmm....I think," Orange sat back down in her seat, legs dangling over and arms crossing as her brow furrowed in thought, which had caught Pearl's attention as she focused on her words, "I think if you were my pearl, I wouldn't have let you go so easily." she glanced at Pearl, a little smile forming on her lips at Pearl's surprised expression, with her wide gray eyes and slightly agape mouth. Pearl was the first person that was really nice to her, really treated her like she was already a great diamond and not some oddity that they were unsure of how to interact with properly, or even who to pass her off onto. She couldn't imagine what she'd be like now if Pearl had been gotten rid of simply because she couldn't contain her mother's large personality. "Im glad you're still with us, Pearl."

Pearl's chin tucked down against her chest, a light blush dusted her cheeks as she smiled, looking up as Orange turned back to the bright cityscape, eyes twinkling with something she had never seen before. "As am I, my Diamond."

[Updated and corrected 1/1/21]