Brittle as Diamonds | Steven Universe

❖ Angrier ❖

"Blue, don't make her any angrier than she already is!"

❖❖❖

"White . . . we need to talk."

        The luminous Diamond gazed down at her inferiors. Yellow had spoken. White herself hadn't uttered a word to her in a few thousand years.

        "With Pink. . ." she could see Blue's grip tighten on the other's arm. "With Pink gone . . . it's— it's too much to expect of us. To keep colonising. We need a break."

        White blinked. "You want to put the expansion of Homeworld on hold at your own expense?"

        "Yes— no. We just . . . we just need a while. To get used to things."

        "There is shortage as it is! Do you know how many Gems were shattered on that pathetic colony of hers?"

        Yellow didn't say anything.

        "And yet you want to stunt the growth of my Empire because the weakest Diamond has left us."

        "She didn't leave," Blue spoke up. "She was—"

        "She left," White hissed. "And got herself inundated in the process. She never did anything for any of us. Why should we care? You are Diamonds. You are the perfect Gems."

        "Yes," Yellow fought. "But Blue and I feel—"

        "That is irrelevant!" White snapped. "You shouldn't feel anything! We don't do this for ourselves — we do this for the good of Homeworld! You are being selfish." She narrowed her eyes at Yellow.

        The robust Gem took a step back. "But I—" she turned to the other Diamond. "Blue?"

        Blue said nothing. She kept her eyes on the floor.

        "Go."

        White Diamond's voice was firm and directed at Yellow. When the younger looked up, she looked shocked. "Bu—"

        "GO!"

        With one last betrayed glance at her counterpart, Yellow turned on her heel and left. When the panels slid shut, Blue met her gaze.

        "This was your idea?" she asked softly.

        Blue shook her head vehemently. "No. No, never."

        "Then you can go," she said sweetly. "You're up to your eighth colony, aren't you?"

        ". . . Yes."

        "Then go on. You can continue with your duties."

        As the door closed behind Blue, she was left alone, standing tall in her empty chamber.

❖❖❖

Keep it together. Keep it together.

        As soon as Blue had left that infernal pink light had spread through her, hollowing her out, pushing her to bring them both back and reconcile. But she had done what had to be done.

        When she leant against a wall and thought about Pink, then streaks of blue had permeated her form. She felt depressed, stricken, broken. She hadn't wanted her to leave. Maybe she hadn't been shattered as the others thought, but she had abandoned them.

        Her hands blazed yellow. How could she? How could she just leave and break them like this? Thinking about no one but herself, as usual. Plunging the future of the Great Diamond Authority and Homeworld as they knew it into jeopardy.