Stars and Diamonds

Chapter 16: One On One

Orange glanced over her shoulder, checking again that, yes, that pearl was still there behind her. She stood there with her hands clasped together in front of her, a small smile stretched on her thin lips with her eyes closed and head bowed. She looked content to just stand there behind Orange as the young Diamond sat, very undignified for someone of her rank, on the ground, just in front of the glass wall so she could look out at the city. Only, unlike all the other times she had discreetly looked over her shoulder at the gem that now apparently served her, said gem opened their eyes to meet hers and Orange immediately turned back around, red cheeked with embarrassment to have been caught.

"Is there something you need, my Diamond?"

"Wuh...what?" Orange turned her head slightly towards her to show she was listening, but didn't dare to turn around fully until she felt the heat of the blush on her cheeks begin to disappear.

"You have been turning to look at me every few moments, my Clarity. If there is something you wish me to do, you need only say."

"I...Ive never had someone to serve just me before." Orange glanced back to the city view before turning on the spot to face Pearl's direction, and patted the floor in front of her, "Sit with me?"

Her pearl did not hesitate, not like the other Diamond's pearls would have. She knew Yellow hated when she sat on the floor, a Diamond shouldn't lower herself to sit like that, she would say. Standing was tiring, but the view wasn't. Orange loved to look out at the cities of Homeworld wherever she might be, so she sat when it was just her or only a pearl or her quartz escorts to keep her company. Pearl sat beside her, legs tucked to the side of her as she used one hand to balance herself in her new position.

"You're my pearl now, so I can ask you anything I want." Orange said, though it hadn't been phrased like a question, the uncertainty in her voice must have showed because Pearl nodded to her.

"I live to serve you, my Diamond. Anything you want or need. I will answer anything you ask, if I can."

Orange didn't know how she felt having a servant of her own. It was one thing when it was one of the other Diamond's, she knew it was their job, their sole purpose really. But this one, this one was hers, all hers, only hers, and she would do anything Orange said. She was used to her escorts having to listen to what she said, so long as it didn't contradict some order given to them by their Diamond superiors, but this was just a whole other level. Having someone who served her and her alone made her feel...well, powerful. Important. Needed.

Only the most important of gems of Homeworld got pearls, and now she was one of them. Not only that, but this pearl had come from White herself, so she was a fancy pearl and must have been quite well made if she had been in White's service before her. As it was, her pearl still looked like she belonged to White, which Orange was not overly fond of. She was of a very pale blue color, her hair a much darker shade than her skin, short and wavy, bangs falling to one side to partially cover her right eye. she wore a dress, the top of which was a dark gray and had a diamond shape cut from the chest, exposing the polished gem of a pearl. the lower part of her dress was a lighter shade of gray, matching the elbow length gloves she wore. she had dark leggings and no shoes. A white, see-through ruffle wrapped around her neck, puffing out around her chin and shoulders. The only sign she belonged to Orange was the small diamond that sat below the cut in her dress, the same color as Orange's gem.

It was almost like it was an afterthought, what should have been something that showed everyone that she served her was barely there, and Orange found she didn't like that. She wasn't an afterthought, but it was something that could be changed later, not while she was waiting for Blue.

"Where were you made?" was the first question Orange deemed good enough to ask, out of the many that were piling up, some of them silly, others she doubted this pearl knew the answer to.

"I was made on one of Blue Diamond's many colonies, nearly five hundred years ago, my Clarity." Her voice was soft, a trait Orange noted was similar to Blue's own pearl.

"So you were originally made for Blue?"

"Yes," Pearl nodded her head, "and I was given to White as an offering. It is not uncommon for a pearl to be given to White Diamond as a gift." Not unlike how White had given her this pearl, Orange thought. "I was lucky and proud to be chosen to serve her, as I do now for you, My Diamond."

"I see. What did you do for her?"

"I served her, as any pearl does."

"I meant what did you do?" Orange pushed, frowning.

"I...I cannot say, My Diamond." Pearl lowered her head, but this only annoyed Orange. She couldn't say? It was a simple question.

Orange decided she'd prod Pearl more, "Why not?"

"Any servant of White diamond is forbidden to speak of what they do for her, no matter what it is. Please, forgive me, My Diamond. I can not say what I did for her before I was made to serve you."

Pearl lowered herself more, bowing deeply to Orange now, which Orange noted must have been awkward if not painful because of how she was sitting and thus wave her off so she would sit back up, "it's fine."

So anyone who served White couldn't talk about it? Interesting. Could she make her own servants do that? Could she make her pearl swear silence for whatever Orange commanded her to do? She made note to find out later as well. As it was, she doubted this pearl actually did anything of real interest for White Diamond, not like White's main pearl, whom Orange interacted with when she was there. Orange was quite fond of White's pearl, more so than any other Diamond's. She hoped her pearl turned out to be like her.

"Orange."

Orange looked up, looking away from her pearl to see Blue Diamond, her hood pulled up to cast her face in shadow, her own pearl standing by her side, looking in her direction, or maybe it was at the only other pearl in the room. Orange wondered if she would look so mysterious and cool as Blue did, the magnificent height of a diamond and her Pearl by her side, flaunting to everyone just how important she was.

"Blue!" Orange stood up, moving to join her before she remembered her own pearl and turned, "Come along Pearl." She called, and did not wait for her to get up as she skipped over to Blue with a large smile. "can we go now?"

[Updated and corrected 1/1/21]