Stars and Diamonds

Chapter 60: Turn of Events

The thundering sound of the ground shaking, rocked by large feet on the bridge as they marched across with no heed for anything around them, propelled on by a sole task.

"Pearl!" Yellow barked, annoyance coloring her voice as she was already behind schedule as the little gem scampered behind her, unable to keep up with her Diamond despite breaking the unwritten rules of Pearl etiquette by running in the presence of her Diamond. Nonetheless the two were making a quick enough pace toward White's palace, the unexpected change of plans last minute by aforementioned Diamond for her to pick up Orange where she would be her temporary guardian. Yellow had been less than thrilled but tactfully agreed, for who was she to tell White Diamond no?

However, as loyal to her duty as she was, Yellow would have greatly appreciated more time. It was one thing to be behind schedule, but even worse when she had to face White herself to pick up their youngest, the one they all had to set an example for with everything they did.

"I will leave you behind, Pearl!" Yellow yelled over her shoulder, glaring at the gem she couldn't even see but knew was close by, as she heard the frazzled response of her little attendant.

"I'm coming, my Diamond! Forgive me!"

Yellow only rolled her eyes and continued on, the blank, lifeless eyes of White's headship staring down at her as she crossed over the connecting bridge.

Yellow Diamond was never late.

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Orange walked behind Pearl, unsettled as she was being escorted to White Diamond, who wished to see her before Yellow arrived, which she had found odd. She had expected to either be sent to Yellow under an escort detail or to be picked up by her from the palace entrance. White had never been figured into her plans, and the sudden change had thrown her off her initial happy mood.

"Are you alright?"

"What?" Orange turned her head to look down at Pearl, who walked beside her, her words processing a moment later as she nodded her head, "Yeah, yes," she paused clear her throat and gather her thoughts, "I'm fine."

"You are very quiet," Pearl observed, "more than is normal."

"Sorry, I'm just..." Orange paused, looking back to the long stretch of hall before them as she searched for an adequate response, ultimately settling on, "just thinking."

"About Yellow Diamond?" Pearl hazard a guess, "Are you worried? Excited?"

A small smile spread across her lips, temporally overshadowing her nervous thoughts, "Yes. I'm excited about that, actually. I always feel respected when I'm with Yellow, and I'm going to experience an extraction chamber, finally."

"I thought you didn't want to rush things?"

"This is one thing I don't mind rushing." Orange's smile widened, "If anything, I've waited forever. I've really wanted to see what all the fuss is about." Orange explained, "And besides, this is more than just a new experience for me. This is going to be more proof that I'm really being seen as a Diamond, like everyone else. Like an equal."

"I'm happy for you, Orange." Pearl said as she looked up to her companion with a small quirk of her lips, as close to a smile she could offer, breaking through the stern expression she had long become accustomed to using outside the privacy of Orange's room. She had begun to attempt to shake the facade she had made for herself, at least when it was still just the two of them, to be more than the Diamond's Pearl she had become in White Diamond's service. Orange deserved more than being treated like a passing stranger she had little connection to, at least when it was just them in the halls. It was hard to stop, but Pearl was trying.