Melanite's Moonstone

Chapter 4

        Melanite looked around the ship parking lot, finally finding a space between some beryl ships. She stepped out, sighing as she looked at the diamond palace. A collective palace for all of the diamonds, the biggest hub on Homeworld...and equipped with its own ballroom. Melanite stepped out of her ship, beginning to make her way to the ballroom, when she suddenly heard a series of hushed voices behind her.

        "Is that Melanite?"

        "Black Diamond's only garnet..."

        "Should we say hi?"

        "Why would you say hi to a garnet? Clearly she's here to speak to a diamond!"

        "Yeah...to find a new moonstone."

        Melanite suddenly whipped around, glaring. "What did you just say?"

        The gems, now in front of her, froze completely. Blue Quartzes. Of course they were. Only Sky Diamond's gems could be so rude. They looked at her, terrified, and saluted.

        "Your clarity! W-we didn't mean any offence-" One began.

        "I've heard enough out of you!" Melanite snapped. It was then that she saw two out of three of the quartzes glare at the other one. Melanite turned to that one.

        "...I see. So it was you who decided to make your little...comment," Melanite said through gritted teeth.

        "I-I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-"

        "That's enough from you," Melanite hissed. "You find your manners before you try talking about me like that, or I'll make sure your colony's garnet is made FULLY aware of just how rude her gems are."

        The quartzes nodded, scurrying off to the ball. Melanite huffed, continuing. But, of course, her walk to the ball couldn't just be easy. It wasn't long before she heard another voice.

        "Oh, Black Andradite!" the garnet cooed. "Wherever is your pearl?"

        Melanite once again whirled around. Andradite. Of course. Melanite narrowed her eyes. "Who do you think you're talking to?"

        "You, dear!" Andradite cooed again. "You seem awfully lonely...Why is that?"

        "Because I don't rely on another gem to do all of my work for me," Melanite said, looking at Andradite's pearl. The pearl just looked down. Everyone knew it was true, Andradite sends her pearl on missions for her. Probably to make up for the fact that Andradites stem from Iridescent Andradites, some of the first garnets Rainbow Diamond made. But instead of having some of those more rainbow reflections, Andradite is just...brown. Sure, Melanite was a variant of that, but at least Melanite's hue was given a different name to signify her novelty.

        Andradite simply smirked at her. "Oh, Black Andradite...Tell that to Black Moonstone."

        It felt like the world around her snapped all at once. The next thing Melanite knew, she was tackling Andradite, ripping her out of her limb enhancers. Andradite let out a scream, trying to signal for help. Her pearl merely backed away.

        It wasn't much longer until Melanite could feel herself being ripped off of Andradite by several gems. She struggled, but finally processed what was happening and stopped. She stared at one of the gems that held her, eyes wide.

        "...Malaya?" Melanite asked softly. The garnets around her nodded, gently pulling her away from Andradite. Melanite looked ahead of her. Two Malaya garnets stood over Andradite, tossing her limb enhancers back at her.

        "Don't you talk to another garnet like that! Don't pretend you're special. At least her diamond likes her," one of them hissed.

        Andradite stared up at them, completely shocked. She had expected help and received none. She finally glared over at her pearl. "Pearl! We're leaving!"

        "Not so fast."

        All the garnets and the pearl turned to the direction of the new voice, and a chorus of gasps followed. Andradite scrambled to her feet.

        "R-Rosaline!" She sputtered at the pearl of Pink Champagne Diamond. "Th-they just-"

        "I saw the whole thing. Who do you think sent the garnets over?" Rosaline Pearl replied.

        Andradite deflated. The pearl of a diamond knew she had harassed a fellow garnet. There was no way this wouldn't get back to Taupe...Andradite sent a harsh glare at Melanite, then walked off with her pearl, huffing.

        Rosaline tutted. "That's no way for a garnet to behave..." She then turned to Melanite, smiling. "I hope you don't mind if these garnets escort you to the ball? We'd hate for you to have another harsh encounter!"

        Melanite couldn't help but smile softly. "...Thank you, Rosaline...I appreciate your generosity."

        Rosaline giggled. "Not a problem at all! I'll see you there!" With that, she ran off to find her diamond.

        Melanite proceeded to the ball, the Malaya garnets around her still holding on. She looked at them, blushing ever so softly. Gems of Pink Champagne's court had a tendency to make you feel relaxed around them...as if you were always in good hands. It seems these garnets took that literally. Melanite didn't mind...She just wasn't used to having two garnets around her arms and two more behind her.

        One of the garnets looked at her. "Are you sure you're alright, Melanite...? Andradite was very cruel..."

        Melanite smiled back. "I'm fine! Don't worry about me," she insisted, looking back ahead of her.

Except Melanite was more anxious than ever. Mocha Sapphire had told her to stay around Taupe Diamond's court...Andradite was the first of that court to see her today. Hopefully that isn't the gem she was talking about...or her pearl. That poor, overworked pearl...Melanite didn't have time to think too deeply about it. The ballroom doors opened for them, and the garnets walked inside, splitting off into their courts to begin the ball. Once the diamonds enter, she needs to make her way over to Taupe Diamond's court. Except, there's only one problem...

        Where's Taupe Diamond?