Q

A Rose Quartz?

Season 3. Episode 15. (Between Monster Reunion and Alone at Sea)

"There. Now you're all better," Steven said, bubbling centipeetle again. He looked up at all the safe gems. Some peridots, some zircons, some rubies, there's a citrine, a topaz, a rose quartz, a-

"A ROSE QUARTZ?" Steven stared. It...it couldn't be. No way. There's just no way. Unless...there is? He didn't think he'd ever seen another Rose Quartz before. He had to tell the gems.

"Steven, please, trust me, there are no Rose Quartz soldiers in here- SWEET DIAMOND!" Pearl yelled at the sight.

"I thought I knew every gem in here. It can't possibly be..." Garnet couldn't believe it.

"Woah," said Amethyst. They were all in disbelief.

"You don't think it could be mom, do you?"

"No I don't," Pearl answered. "How could it be anyway?"

"I don't know, maybe she bubbled part of herself or something?"

"That's not how it works, Steven." Garnet and the others couldn't take their eyes off of the bubbled gem.

"Well....should we pop it?" Steven asked.

"What? Steven, if it's here, it's clearly here for a reason. A corrupted rose quartz...we've never had to deal with one before." Pearl said.

"But what if it's not corrupted? I mean, look, it's polished. There's no colored spots like the others."

"Yeah guys, we should see. And if it's corrupted, we can kick it's butt!" Amethyst got her whip ready.

"Well...he's not wrong. Pearl?" Garnet took out her weapon.

Pearl sighed, taking out her spear, "alright. Go for it Steven. Please be careful."

Steven floated up to the bubbled and took it down. "I hope you're okay," he said, kissing the bubble and popping it. The gem laid on the ground. If it's corrupted, it would glow immediately to get out. Steven stepped back and waited. They all stared at the gem patiently. They didn't dare leave til it was free.

A few minutes passed when suddenly it began glowing. It rose up in the air, and a skinny, tall figure emerged. Her hair was like bubble gum, and short, but large with spiral curls. Her skin was a fair pink, and her gem was placed delicately on her lower back. She wore a Rose Quartz soldier uniform, and had the same distinct nose as Rose herself.

She dropped back down to the ground with a huge gasp for air as if she had been suffocating. She looked up at the gems, all their weapons out, causing her to leap back in fear. They all put their weapons away as Steven approached her.

"Hello! I'm Steven! You may know me by my mom though, the leader of the crystal gems?"

"...who?" She stared at Steven. They all looked at her confused. Everyone knew about the crystal gems. "Oh! You started the war! Oh my diamond, I'm supposed to be going to the ship! Where is it? Do you know?"

Pearl approached the two, placing her hand on Steven's shoulder, "do you not know about the war?"

"I know that...that it started?"

Garnet followed Pearl, "well yes. But it's been thousands of years. Do you know how you got here?"

"Guys, if she's not corrupted, doesn't that mean she was bubbled before the diamonds destroyed everyone?" Amethyst said from behind.

The soldier looked more confused than ever, "I...I was running. We were all running. No one told me why. We were going to the ship. And then they screamed? And then I was gone I think. She wore a dress."

"Mom," Steven said, "my mom brought you here. The leader of the crystal gems."

"How do you not know anything?" Pearl asked. "Pardon me, but every gem emerges with a known purpose. And a known map. They all know what they are commanded to do at all times. How do you not understand what has happened?"

"She's wrong," Garnet answered, standing up. "For one, she's smaller than she is supposed to be. All soldiers are supposed to be large, and though she has the right height, she's fairly skinny. And if she's wrong physically? There's a high chance she came out wrong mentally. Do you know your purpose?" She asked.

"I..no. I don't know anything. I just know that I came out, and then everyone was running, and then everything was black."

"Well, what do we call her?" Amethyst asked. They all turned to her. "Well we can't call her Rose."

"How about...Pink?" Steven said.

"No." Pearl answered.

"Quartz," Garnet suggested.

"Doesn't roll off the tongue for a name. Also, there's a lot of quartz. They'd all think we are calling them," Steven said.

"How about just....Q?" Pearl said.

They all looked at the soldier. "Would you mind if we called you Q?" Steven asked. The soldier had no answer. "Q it is."