"425, 637, 932..."

She played with her fingers as she heard the numbers being called, none of them belonging to her. Letting out an exasperated sigh, she smudged the ink on her hand. 104, it read, but she decided it wouldn't be visible for long, and wiped the ink across her finger, staining her thumbprint black. It was all she could think to do to pass the time.

Tired of looking at her hands, she looked up at the platform where she was waiting so impatiently for her number to be called by the dignified gem with the microphone. The gem's echoed voice sounded like a song at first, filling her with anticipation, but quickly transformed into background noise as the hours wore her patience thin. She wondered how the other Pearls remained so attentive. Thousands of them surrounded her, all of them exactly like her, except not. They all stared at the podium with unmoving eyes, all of their bodies frozen in the same seated position.

Pearl started to panic. Perhaps this was why she wasn't assigned yet. Perhaps the Authority wanted a certain type of Pearl, and she just wasn't it. But what would they do with her then? Surely there must have been others like her, others that strayed from the mold they all appeared to fit so neatly into. Statistically, she couldn't be alone. But where would she go?

"104."

Pear whipped her head in the direction of the voice.

"104," the gem repeated herself, and suddenly everything clicked for her. She was going to be assigned to an Authority and everything was going to be fine. Pearl hastily made her way to the podium, anxious to see where she was going to end up, and with whom.

But every step filled with more doubt. Her eyes wandered around the massive chamber, packed with frozen, emotionless Pearls, and she came to the realization that she was the only one of them standing. 104 was the only number that was called. She was all alone. She had no idea what that meant for her. And she wasn't sure if she was ready to find out.

She found herself at the foot of the podium, her heart pounding into her temples, her vision blurring in time with it. This was supposed to be a good day. She was finally free. Free of those machines, the tests, the questions. She was going to do what she was meant to do; to serve. Her path had been laid out for her and explained from her first conscious moment. But now, she was unsure. She was straying. Everything was going wrong.

"Step up to our level, please."

Pearl did as she was told, found herself looking up at two very large gems, one with orange skin and the other with purple, each wearing thick, yellow diamond-bearing cloaks and unamused expressions. They must be very important, Pearl thought. The orange-skinned one she recognized as the gem with the microphone, who was much taller and bulkier than she appeared from her seat in the back of the room. She did not know the purple one, but the fact that the presence of a second assistant gem was even necessary told her that this was unlikely to be good news.

"I believe you know why you have been summoned in this manner," the orange gem spoke.

Pearl nodded, unable to speak. Truthfully, she was not entirely convinced, but as the panic and doubt from before creeped back into her mind, she decided that she had an idea of why she was in such a position. She was different somehow. But how?

"For those who do not know," the gem pulled a sheet of paper out of her cloak, holding it in front of her to read, "Number 104 has been deemed unfit to serve under the Authority due to a violation of manufacture guidelines proposed by the Authority itself."

Pearl's heart sank to her stomach, pounding so loudly now that she clutched her stomach so that it would stop. A violation? She do everything she was told, obeyed every command, completed every test. She did not remember violating a rule. She was designed not to do such a thing. She scanned every possible scenario where a rule could have been broken as the gem continued,

"It says here that her levels of independent thought are much too high. The scripts never lie. Because 104 was manufactured in a shipment that contained no other flawed Pearls, the Sub-Authority Council has concluded that the only possible instigator for such a number would be that her gem was broken or shattered in the process of production and healed by an assembly worker, likely in an effort to save her job. Every assembly worker at that plant is going to be intensely questioned and the offender will be punished accordingly. Now, as for 104..."

The assistant gem pulled Pearl to a kneeling position. She hung her head, unprepared to meet whatever fate she was destined for at that moment. She didn't choose to be created the way that she was. It was that mysterious assembly worker, and all she did was keep death waiting for her a little while longer.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden sound of static, and that was when Pearl knew. That was the sound of a destabilizer. Her life was going to end before it even began. She closed her eyes even tighter, clenched her fist even tighter, whatever it took to hold herself together, to make it seem like she had some semblance of dignity in her final moments. But then, she heard something else.

A faint whisper led to an exchange between the two gems, unintelligible to Pearl. And then, the static stopped.

Pearl was sure she would never feel such relief again in her life.

"It has been brought to my attention that there is another option for you," the orange gem once again spoke.

Unable to keep herself composed, Pearl was quick to stand once again, staring up at the two gems with eager eyes.

"You will be sent to the Headquarters of Rose Quartz. The heavens know she needs you," the gem added with a grin.

Pearl was confused, as she had never heard the name Rose Quartz before. In the hours she had spent waiting, she had not once heard that name called. Granted, her attention was not always where it should have been, but she was almost positive she was the only gem assigned there. What did that mean for her? Was Rose Quartz so terrible that they didn't want to wear down a perfect Pearl? Or was she simply working her way up the ranks, not yet powerful enough to possess many Pearls? The possibilities were endless, but at least for the moment, any fate was better than the one she thought she was going to endure.

"Come with us," the gems each linked one of Pearl's arms to their own, and led her to a small ship. "This ship will transport you to your assigned destination. Consider yourself lucky," the orange gem added before locking her in a tiny chamber in the back of the ship.

Pearl hugged her knees to save space, whispering her thanks to those two gems because that was all she could think to do.

Pearl woke with a start to the hatch door of her chamber unlatching, filling it with sunlight after what had to have been hours of darkness. Blinded by the sudden stream of light, she was unable to see who was responsible for opening the door, but a familiar voice dissuaded any doubts she might have had,

"We have reached our destination," the orange gem grabbed Pearl, still stunned, by the arm, and led her to the foot of the Headquarters. After rubbing her eyes to adjust them, Pearl finally found her first glimpse of her new home.

And it was breathtaking. She had always imagined something called a "Headquarters" to be reminiscent of the labs where she was tested; cold, grey, and filled gems who also matched that description. But from the moment she first set her eyes on it, she knew that this place was the opposite. It was more like a castle fit for royalty than a political estate; pink bricks were laid so high that Pearl could not see where they ended when she looked skyward, and vines filled with blooming Rose's seemed to fall from the heavens, draping the castle walls. She had no idea why a Pearl like her was brought to such a majestic Headquarters. She determined that there had to be some kind of catch.

The orange gem spoke over her thoughts, "Knock on the door, alert her of your presence, and await your first command. All responsibility now belongs to you," she said, and with that, the two gems left her alone.

Pearl inhaled deeply, now entirely confused as to what to expect. Why would they send something so broken to somewhere so beautiful? She slowly began making her way towards the massive wooden door, taking in the beauty of the grand steps that led her there. She couldn't imagine this place belonging to someone terrible. She once again continued to thank those two gems in her thoughts, because every step she took towards the door melted away her doubts more and more.

She was finally there, at the foot of the castle, close enough to the door to notice the tiny carvings of vines that decorated the entire surface. She swallowed hard, knowing that her next move would set the course for her entire life. Pearl lifted a shaky hand, and she knocked on the door.

A moment of silence set Pearl's heart pounding, though it was quickly interrupted by the clicking of shoes on marble, followed by the creaking door as it opened. The massive block of wood moved so slowly that Pearl debated running away. This was all so overwhelming to her. Going from the brink of death to this in a matter of one day, she questioned whether she even deserved this. But she already knocked on the door. She sealed her fate. And she had to live with her choice.

When she heard the creaking stop, Pearl looked into the open doorway. She was surprised to find another gem staring back at her, with an equally bewildered expression. This gem was large and stunningly beautiful, Pearl decided. Her thick, flowing curls matched the bricks that her Headquarters laid upon, and her dress flowed like the vines that draped her castle walls. She had the largest gem that Pearl had ever seen at the base of her stomach. If this is what the gem answering the door looks like, I can't imagine what Rose Quartz herself must look like, Pearl wondered.

"I'm sorry," the gem at the door spoke, "Are you a Pearl?"

"Yes, ma'am," Pearl replied, "and I am seeking the Authority Rose Quartz. She was assigned my service and I am awaiting my first command."

The other gem laughed, "If you are looking for Rose Quartz, you've already found her. That's me. My apologies. I suppose I was never alerted of your assignment," Rose explained.

Pearl was at a loss for words. She was told during testing that it was customary for a servant to accompany the Pearl to the Authority, where she would be briefed on her primary tasks and given her first command. And this mysterious Rose Quartz was there to greet her on the other side of the door? Did she not understand the code of conduct?

"Are you alright?" Rose asked her, and Pearl realized she must have appeared as flustered as she felt.

"N-no, no I..." Pearl began to stammer before realizing how unprofessional she sounded. Her condition was no excuse to act like less of a Pearl than she was meant to be. She straightened her posture and continued, "I was merely informed of the customary procedure regarding the introduction of a new Pearl to an Authority, and this encounter differed from that description."

"Oh, well I apologize for that," Rose cupped one of Pearl's hands in hers, and it took all of Pearl's willpower to remain composed. She didn't understand why this Authority, who possessed a grand Headquarters and some amount of power, was acting like this. She had no reason to treat Pearl like an equal. She wasn't an equal. What was Rose's purpose for treating her like this?

Rose continued, "If you tell me how this normally works, I'd be glad to adjust. I've never been assigned a Pearl before, so I want to make this as easy for you as possible."

Pearl couldn't hold back the small grin that formed on her face. She wasn't going to be tortured at all. She was just going to be a test Pearl for a kind gem named Rose Quartz. And perhaps, if she proved herself, she could stay there forever. She could go from a defective throwaway on the brink of death, to the primary assistant to the beautiful Authority Rose Quartz. But all of that could only start with her response to Rose's question.

She finally spoke, "It is often customary for a servant to answer for a Pearl and accompany me to you, my assigned Authority. However, since that did not occur, the next step is for you to give me a briefing."

"A briefing?"

"Inform me of what you will generally be assigning me to do. And then, you give me my first command."

"Oh," Rose pondered for a moment, then continued, "I have been looking for a bodyguard. Things have been tough for me lately. As you can see, I'm becoming a bit understaffed," Rose motioned behind her to the interior of the castle, which Pearl noted was a bit too empty as she suddenly became hyper aware of the echo in Rose's voice as a result. Rose continued, "Your job will primarily be standing guard at doors when I'm unable to fend for myself. That is, until I figure out something more meaningful for you to do. I'm sorry, I don't really understand how Pearls work," she laughed to ease her own discomfort as her cheeks turned pink.

"Your requests are suitable," Pearl spewed an empty response, her mind lingering a bit too long on Rose's laugh, and how it bounced off the massive walls of the empty castle. Realizing this, she straightened herself out again, then continued, "Now, you must give me my first command."

"Your first command..." Rose repeated to herself as she tried to think of some task this unexpected Pearl could do for her. She looked to Pearl as soon as an idea came to her, and she couldn't help but blush at the sight of the stars in Rose's eyes as she began to speak, "I wasn't going to do this until tomorrow, but I need to clean the weapons in my armory. I would ask you to do that, but I have a very specific method. Could you guard the door while I do that? It's been broken into so many times."

"Yes, ma'am."

Rose smiled, "I'll show you where that is. Come with me," she grabbed Pearl's hand, and led her down twisting pink corridors.

Pearl knew that Rose was going to break every rule in the book. And she knew that was supposed to bother her. But she couldn't imagine being bothered by her kindness, the touch of her hand, the stars in her eyes. Perhaps they were fated to have met. Perhaps this all happened by chance. Regardless of why she ended up there, Pearl decided that this was something she could get used to.

Two months into her new assignment, Pearl was sure that Rose Quartz was the best thing that could have ever happened to her. Beyond her duties as a bodyguard, Rose now assigned Pearl the task of counting her weapons and her books to ensure nothing had been stolen. She was taught how to clean the weapons herself so that Rose could commit more time to her troops and her strategy. But Pearl's favorite part of serving Rose Quartz was surely when Rose had Pearl help her train with her sword.

It started when Pearl noticed that Rose trained with a poorly designed mockup of a gem with targets hastily attached to its weak points. While she was on guard, Pearl noted that she could help Rose with her training, but Rose insisted she stay on guard. From her gem, Pearl summoned a hologram of herself, bearing a sword. Rose stared in awe at the hologram, thanked Pearl profusely, then continued training with the hologram while Pearl remained on guard.

Ever since then the training field was Pearl's favorite place. That was due not only to the fact that it was in the middle of the gardens, whose beauty even the vines that lined her castle walls could not even parallel, but also because it was there where Pearl felt she was the most useful to Rose. Despite the flaws in her makeup, she was still a Pearl. She lived to serve, and thrived on the feeling of being useful. Nowhere was that more abundant than the training field.

After one of their training sessions, Pearl retrieved Rose's sword from her, prepared to return it to the armory, but she was interrupted by a touch on the shoulder.

"Pearl, before I forget," Rose began, "I have an important task for you."

Pearl turned around, awaiting her command.

"Tomorrow is the High Authority Council meeting. This month, I am the host. Potential for intruders and threats is particularly high at these meetings. If you could stand guard for me, at the North end of the Council Hall where I will be seated, I would appreciate that very much."

Pearl spoke before she could stop herself, "You are a High Authority?"

Rose nodded.

"Then..." Pearl knew she was stepping out of bounds, but Rose didn't appear to be questioning her. So she continued, "Then why do they never assign Pearls to you? Why is your Headquarters so bare of servants aside from myself and the troops you train?"

Rose laughed nervously, trying to formulate an appropriate response. Pearl was sure she looked as confused as she felt. What was Rose hiding from her?

She finally responded, "The Authority is a... complicated group of people. Who knows what they could be thinking?" she laughed again, stopping when she realized Pearl did not seem amused. "If you could return that sword to the armory and count those weapons again. I will be in my chamber. Come find me when you're finished," and Rose hastily made her way to her chamber.

Pearl admired Rose's sword as she made her way to the armory. This was always the best part of her day, being able to touch this sword. But she suddenly had other things on her mind. She was under the impression that Rose was growing in power, rising in the ranks of the Authority. But she was wrong. She was already in the High Authority. She was one of the most powerful gems in the world. Why was she being neglected? Did this have something to do with why she was so obsessive about counting her things? Was she really treated that badly?

Pearl wished she could use the sword she was holding. She wished she could slaughter anyone who threatened the one who gave her so much. But there was likely still much she did not know, so she decided to listen in at the meeting the following day and try to gain more information.

The Council Hall was a grand, open space, surrounded by plant life. The table at which the High Authority was seated, locked in debate, was anything but modest and conspicuous, so Pearl understood why her assignment to guard this meeting was so necessary. She noted the other gems guarding their respective High Authorities. None of them were Pearls, she realized, and every one of them had some kind of assistant. At that moment, it hit her that Rose was not as well-respected as the rest of the authority, and she became more determined than ever to figure out why that was.

"You can't expect to be able to secede from the Authority if you don't have the means to defend yourself," she heard one voice comment.

"That is no fault of my own," Rose replied, "Besides, my fleet is in a better state than it has been in years. I have been assigned a devoted Pearl which has allowed me to more easily devote my time to matters concerning my imminent secession."

Pearl couldn't help but smile at the compliment, but soon understood the gravity of Rose's situation. Pearl was helping her secede from the Authority of the entire planet. That had to have been why the Authority supplied her with so little. That would surely result in war, and they were acting that way for the good of the planet. That had to have been it.

Suddenly, she heard laughter from the West side, in response to Rose. Offended, she turned to find the source, and recognized the two guard gems as the ones who nearly killed her. Their cloaks matched the High Authority who they guarded, and she decided that gem's name was Yellow Diamond. She couldn't figure out why they were laughing, but she made no effort to hide the smirk that grew on her face when their Authority silenced them.

Yellow Diamond then proceeded to speak, "Did you really think that that Pearl was assigned to assist you? That Pearl couldn't serve a foot soldier! She's lucky my apprentices were feeling merciful. She was going to be in a bubble in the depths of my Headquarters, but they decided it would be much more fun to use her to make you feel special before we destroyed you both in your pathetic excuse for war."

"That Pearl has done amazing things for me. What's wrong with her?"

"She is broken. Her gem was shattered during manufacture and healed by one of the assembly workers. It altered her demeanor, deeming her useless as a Pearl to any of us. Her capacity for free thought means that she could turn on you in a moment. A word of advice; you would be much safer if you abandoned that Pearl all together."

Pearl felt her stomach drop. She wished Yellow Diamond's apprentices had killed her when they were meant to instead of tempting her with this false paradise. It was already over. After this revelation, Rose would surely abandon her. She would be alone for the rest of her life, forced to live with a brief taste of happiness that would never return to her. That was a fate worse than death.

She decided that if she was going to be abandoned anyway, there was no use in remaining somewhere she was unwanted. She stormed off, holding back tears, searching for some peace of mind in her last moments with Rose Quartz by spending them in her favorite place.

Pearl leaned against the wall of the training field, twirling a vine around her fingers. Tears still wet her face, but she was at peace with her fate and now eager to get the worst part over with. She stared at the Rose that adorned the vine, blooming from her finger where she wrapped the vine and pulled tight. Everything about this place was beautiful, from the gardens, to the corridors, to Rose Quartz herself. She wanted the meeting to be over, for Rose to come to her right then, before she changed her mind about being ready to go.

"There you are!" Rose called to her as if on cue. Pearl wanted to look at her, but she couldn't bear it. She was no longer worthy to even stare in the direction of a High Authority.

"Just get it over with," Pearl's voice cracked as the emotion overwhelmed her again, "I deceived you. I should have told you I was broken from the start. I'm ready for you to let me go," Pearl blinked hard as more tears ran down her face.

She heard the click of Rose's shoes as she kneeled to Pearl's level, "Don't talk like that. I'm not letting you go," Rose touched Pearl's shoulder, and her heart skipped a beat. Rose continued, "I should have been honest with you about my situation as well. I am a High Authority, but I disagree with them on extraterrestrial policy issues regarding the planet Earth and its dominant species, the humans. It has escalated to the point of near war. I am so sorry for not telling you this earlier."

Pearl nodded, her mind still fixated on those words: "I'm not letting you go." After everything that happened, everything that Rose learned about her, and she still said those words, and she meant them. Pearl was convinced that she still did not understand how Pearls work. And since she had nothing to lose and nothing to hide, she decided to confront her.

"Why are you sorry?" She asked, turning around to face her, "Why do you treat me like this? I'm not just a Pearl, I'm a broken Pearl. They sent me to you as a joke. I'm a joke. So why do you still want me around? Why are you telling me things, and being nice to me, and... I just don't get it."

"Pearl..." Rose clutched her shoulder tighter, a smile forming on her face, "They called you broken because of your ability to think for yourself. That's not broken, not to me. That makes you more like all the other gems. That allows you to have a say in what you want to do. It allows you to be heard, and that's all I want from anyone who serves me. They want me to see you as a joke, but I'm not known to give them what they want. You're a very special Pearl. You're my Pearl. And I will love you and appreciate you no matter what."

Pearl couldn't keep herself together anymore, collapsing into tears. Rose pulled her into an embrace, supporting her before she could fall over, and Pearl returned it. She buried her head in Rose's hair, trembling, breathy whispers of "thank you, thank you," all she could muster, but she wanted to say so much more. Words couldn't express her gratitude, but they were all she had. And, knowing Rose, that would probably be enough for her.