Chapter Text

Steven was alone in the tower of pink bubbles when White’s Pearl appeared. She didn’t enter through a door (how could she? The tower didn’t seem to have one) so much as she phased through the wall, just like when she left originally.

Her smile was plastered on her face, her one eye staring at him. Like last time, she seemed frozen in that same awkward position: arms in the air, feet together, floating rather than walking.

“Hello Pink Diamond,” the Pearl said. “My Diamond has instructed me to keep you company for the time being.”

Steven frowned, then slumped in the corner.

“Is that a nice way of saying she sent you to spy on me?”

“That could be inferred,” the Pearl said, her expression and tone of voice unchanged.

Steven took a deep breath, hanging his head.

“Of course ...” he said. As much as Steven hated to admit it, the Pearl seemed kinda ... creepy to him. Not helped by the fact her voice sounded uncomfortably similar to White Diamond.

He looked up at the Pearl, who had not moved.

“You can ... move, right?” Steven said.

“Of course, Pink Diamond.”

“So ... why don’t you?”

“You haven’t ordered me to.”

Steven felt a sinking feeling in his stomach.

“Well ... okay, you can move. Please.”

She didn’t. “Is that an order?”

“No. I’m just asking. I ... I want you to move if you feel like it.”

“Are you ordering me to want that?”

“No I--” Steven looked and saw she still hadn’t moved. “Alright, fine, yes, I order you to just move however you want. Please.”

White Pearl dropped her pose, suddenly looking exhausted. She started breathing heavily, like someone who had just run a marathon.

Steven flinched. Seeing White Pearl move, especially in such a human way, was jarring.

White Pearl looked up. She blinked rapidly, before the smile returned to her face. She straightened up.

“Please excuse that display,” White Pearl said, her tone returning to how it was originally.

“No I... I wanted you to move, it’s okay,” Steven said.

White Pearl nodded.

“Understood,” she said. “What other orders do you have for me, Pink Diamond?”

“I don’t ...” But Steven stopped. He’d been in the tower for almost a whole day. There were some things he wanted to know. “Actually, can you answer my questions?”

“Is that an or--”

“Yes, whatever.” It was taking Steven a lot of effort to not be annoyed by this. Every time he said he ordered her to do something, he felt dirty. “Can you tell me what happened to my friends?”

“White Diamond is currently in her ship. Blue Diamond and Yellow Diamond are--”

“No no, not them!” Steven shook his head. “I mean the Crystal Gems! The other ones I came here with! And Connie! You know, the human? What happened to them?”

White Pearl’s mouth twitched for a fraction of a second.

“My apologies,” White Pearl said, “but my Diamond has forbidden me from answering questions relating to them.”

Steven clenched his fist and glared. He had to know what had happened to them. They could be captured or ... or worse. He didn’t even want to consider what they could be going through.

“What if I ordered you to tell me?” Steven said, harsher than he meant to.

“I’m afraid that is of no consequence,” White Pearl said. “You may be a Diamond, but White is My Diamond.”

Steven grimaced. His face contorted. He felt his eyes well with tears, but he tried to suck it up. If White Pearl was sent to spy on him, he didn’t want to give White Diamond the satisfaction of knowing he was crying.

“I’m sorry if that displeases you,” White Pearl said pleasantly.

Steven shook his head.

“No,” he said in a crackly voice. “No, it’s fine. It’s not your fault. I know you have to follow orders.”

White Pearl gave a small bow.

“You honor me with your understanding, Pink Diamond.”

“... can you please call me Steven?”

“Is that a--”

“Yes, just ... assume when I say please it’s an order. I feel really bad having to say that each time!”

“Understood ... Steven.”