Stars and Diamonds

Chapter 63: I Am

I'm finally starting to feel better. Not completely there, but at least I don't feel like I've been ramming my head into Jasper's fist repeatedly as she cackles like a mad gem. Have another chapter as a small celebration of that.

------------------------

Peridot stood, head lowered so her eyes did not meet her superiors, clutching her pad in between the crook of her elbow and her palm, the active display pointed towards her. She knew her form was the picture of solemn, penitent, a gem who had come with bad news. And she knew it showed well by the tension in her superiors, the way their pathetic little pearls quivered in the corner, worried and glancing between the two and her, waiting for the moment that the ball would inevitably drop.

"Its time," The brilliant Yellow Diamond's voice thundered overhead, calling her attention up to her, demanding, "I want a full report."

Peridot bowed in respect, the best she could do with something in her hand, "Of course, my clarity. I am prepared."

The radiant Blue Diamond, standing tall beside her, hands clutched together in front of her, tone weighed down with concern as she asked, "Is she going to be okay?"

Peridot righted the pad in front of her, flicking the screen to reflect the hours of work she had put into this project, catalogued and archived, labeled and refined to perfection, ready to be handed over when she was done. Her proof that she had done her best. With her notes in hand, she began, "I have done through scans, checked her gem, its composition, as well as her organic components. Numerous studies and analyses, and I've-"

Yellow's cheek twitch, teeth clenched as she barked out, "Get on with it!"

Peridot flinched, nodding as she flipped forward, skimming for something that would be satisfying for her ruler, "Ah, uh, ahem!" she paused, breathed deeply, "The days allotted by her grand luminous, radiant-" A peer up caught her diamond's eyes narrowed at her, threatening, and she took her meaning silently, "Ah, yourself, my Diamond, have given me time to put together many different formulas, perfected equations to account for the patient's changes since she was created, as well as any mutations—"

"Mutation?" Blue Diamond interrupted her, eyebrows pushed up in question.

"That is to say, Orange Diamond's gem has... changed." She explained, brining up further information on the pad, "Growth, its reaction to stimuli. It is quite intriguing, and I suspect it has to do with adaption to it's host's form. Her continued use of her gem granted abilities fused with her organic ability to change, grow as she does. Of course, I suspect she won't be able to go too far, after all. Organic are very weak."

"Fascinating, I'm sure." Yellow Diamond said sardonically, butting in before she could continue on, "And I will read it in your report. Tell us, have you cured Orange Diamond?"

"I-" Peridot paused, bowing her head for effect and frowning, regretful as she broke the news, "I'm afraid I must report that, despite my best efforts...I was unable to cure Orange Diamond's issue."

Immediately she was met by gasps from around the room, and then the sniffling from Blue Diamond as she broke into tears. Risking a glance up, Peridot watched as Blue turned into Yellow Diamond's shoulder, tears leaking from her eyes as the warmer colored diamond shushed her.

A moment later she turned, eyes narrowed dangerously at her, "Then you have failed us."

"Forgive me, your clarity," Peridot responded, a spot of nervousness growing in her chest that she was quick to tamp down, least it spread, "I managed to find the correct mixture to aid her, my diamond, but she is just...too far gone." She did her best to appear sorrowful as she looked up at them, "Perhaps if she had been checked sooner. There was always the risk that something would happen, given her weaker, organic nature. I did my very best, but there is not much more I can do."