Stars and Diamonds

Chapter 10: Changing Times

Orange followed Pearl as she lead the way inside the moon base, only stopping to order her escorts to wait in the entrance hall and then for Pearl to open the doors for her. The pearl stood to the side of the door, hands clasped in front of her and head bowed in respect as the young diamond passed her and then scurried to keep up with her longer stride. Entering the command room, Orange looked around, the only thing of notice in the room was Pink's command chair and desk, situated up on a platform, accessible only by the stairs that were built into all side of the square dais. Outwardly, the view of the white moon the base was built on and the stars above could be seen, and if she went to the glass, she knew she would see that blue colony that she couldn't wait to be finished.

She looked up when she heard the familiar gasp of Pink Diamond, her mother, standing up from her command chair to smile down at her, which Orange only returned with a well practiced neutral expression so as not to frown.

Pink came barreling down the stairs, three at a time and was at her in seconds, kneeling down on the floor just so she was at her height. Pink smiled widely down at her little Gemling, "Oh my! Look at you, you've changed so much since I last saw you. You look so adorable. I like this new look." She gushed as she ran her fingers over Orange's hair, two new tufts of hair were now over her ears, looking like little horns poking out from the rest of her thick hair, as well as the multiple spikes of hair that made up her bangs had been condensed into a few spikes that now stood up instead of falling down.

A dissatisfied frown formed on her lips before she could stop it, one that Pink found early familiar, as Orange responded by swatting her hand away from messing up her hair any more than she already had, "I've looked like this for almost a decade, mother. You've seen me like this, remember?"

A hurt expression crossed Pink's face, and she tried to recall her last memory of her time with the young gem. She had been so preoccupied with the Earth and her time spent in the disguise as a Rose Quartz, that her time with Zirconia was becoming farther and farther apart. Had it been that long already? Or had she forgotten one of her recent visits with Zirconia, so swept up in it all. A pang of sadness hit her that she hadn't been ready for.

"I'm so sorry, Zirconia. It must have slipped my mind. I've just been so caught up in the Earth and the humans!" a smile spread on her lips again, "Oh, you'd love them. They're so interesting."

Orange's expression morphed into something more neutral once again, but her bright eyes had turned away from Pink's face and her brow pinched, showing she was anything but pleased with her mother's apology, let alone interested in her appraisal of the organic life of her colony. Orange crossed her arms, "Whats so interesting about humans? They're nothing compared to us."

Pink blinked, taken aback by her hostile tone. "They...Zirconia, look at me?" When Orange refused to look at her, she gently put a hand under her chin, "My little Zirconia, please look at me?"

That got her to look at her, Orange's arms remained crossed but she willingly looked Pink in the eyes ad huffed out a harsh, "What?"

"Is something the matter, sweetie? You seem upset, did something happen?"

"No."

Orange looked away again, and Pink realized she was angrier now because Pink didn't know what she was upset about, an enigma that wasn't all too uncommon with her daughter nowadays. "Zirconia, i'm sorry. I know I've been really busy lately, and you've had to spend a lot more time with Blue and Yellow, but I promise, i'll make it up to you. We'll have more time together, alright?"

Orange's eyes were slightly watery when she finished and she looked up at Pink with uncertainty, "Really?"

"Really."

"Promise?"

Pink laughed, pulling her Zirconia into a tight hug, "I promise."

[Updated and corrected 1/1/21]