Hello again!
Chapter 14!

Sorry about the delay folks. I had a little bit of a personal heart-break that needed some self-care for a while, (I'm only human), but I'm back in business now.
Additionally, I also had to watch the most recent Steven-bomb in order to take into account new information regarding the gem war. With this in mind, this fic takes place in a universe in which Pink Diamond's shattering was a result of the rebellion as opposed to as a catalyst for it.

One more thing! There's a little bit of sexuality in the last section of this chapter.
Nothing vulgar, nothing explicit, nothing extreme and certainly not enough to merit an "M" rating, (I have checked), but be warned that there's going to be some naughtiness between two gems of two different types, (SCANDAL!).

Enjoy!

(A friend of mine made the observation that Kimberlite's dialogue seems a little weird at times and was wondering about her accent and such. I sort of imagine Kim's voice to be akin to Katherine Beaumont's voice. She was the original voice actress for Alice (from Wonderland) and Wendy (Peter Pan) in the Disney films. Sort of British and dainty.)

Hear no Evil (Outside the Barn, Earth, The Present Day)

"Sapphire? Y-You're Sapphire..."

A small laugh, but not a cruel one.

"Yes, Kimberlite. For the eleventh time, it's me."

"I know. I'm sorry. It's just…so strange."
A small sniffe that could have been a reticent sob. "They all said you were broken...after the attack on the Cloud Arena..."

"Mmm, they would. Do you remember that day? It was over a thousand years ago."

"Really? It doesn't feel like that long ago. It's strange."

"Well, sometimes, I've found that emotion can do things to our perception of time." The former aristocrat's voice hung in the air for a moment, swelling and then fading like a line of perfectly written melody. "That's why I try to experience emotion with as great care as I can."

"You said that to me the very first time we met. I thought that would be the last time I'd ever see you…but then I saw you that day at the Cloud Arena…" A sigh. "It was supposed to be the first time I'd ever see Earth."

Kimberlite seemed to have calmed down quite a bit, now fully thawed out and squatting down next to Sapphire in the shade of a large tree.
Through the gauze of her fringe, the blue gem could distantly see the outline of the other gems, congregated near the barn door.

Thankfully Ruby had managed to convince the others to give them some space and with her lover keeping the rest of their odds-and-ends family at bay, she was free to speak frankly with the transfusion gem.

"Do you remember that day?" Kimberlite asked her, half-hesitantly. Her voice was slowly returning to normality; she had done quite a bit of blubbering, enough to turn the loudest of military officer's voice completely raw, so Sapphire had been expecting quite a bit of silence.

Normality of any kind appeared to be drawing her back to a state of calm.

"Vividly," she told the taller gem, smoothing her gown out upon the grass, trying to get used to her newly reduced height. "Do you mind if I ask you to try and remember something for me?"

"Oh...not at all...please, ask away..." She sniffed, wiping her eyes with her forearm. "But I have to be honest- I was only watching via communication hub and they turned off my live feed after the Pearl started to attack the guards..." She looked up a little, squinting into the distance. "That's her, isn't it?" Her voice dropped slightly, as though she was afraid that Pearl might overhear them. "The...the renegade?"

"Yes," Sapphire told her simply and shortly. "But, she's not going to hurt you, I promise. She's no more threat to you than I am."

"...I see. Uh...I'm sorry, there was something you wanted to ask me?"

Sapphire clasped her gloved hands together in her lap, confronted with the opportunity to find out something that she'd wanted to know for quite a long time and feeling increasingly restless. The emotion didn't sit well on her small frame, constructed to be in a constant state of grace and serenity.

"What precisely did Blue Diamond tell you had happened to Ruby and I? Because I'm guessing that it was Blue Diamond herself who debriefed you. Am I correct?"

Kimberlite let out a long, hoarse, (though unnecessary) breath. "Yes...she did. I had to wait until she returned to Homeworld before they'd let me talk to her..." She settled down on to her backside, dipping her head low. "...I remember being so worried about her."

Her voice was tinged with a kind of fearful shame, prompting Sapphire to say: "And that's alright. Of course you felt worried about her..." The words burned like venom in the blue gem's mouth but continued anyway. "She was...is your Diamond. You are as conditioned to love and fear her, just as I once was and just like all gems are. Now, please continue. What did Blue Diamond tell you about Ruby and I?"

"She told me that during the attack, one of your bodyguards went rogue and forcibly fused with you."

Sapphire's knuckles started to ache, her two hands clenching into fists beneath the materialised silk of her gloves. Controlling her voice was becoming a little more difficult. "And?"

"Then she said that the Ruby took you hostage and escaped with you down to the Earth's surface. She said that our intelligence agents seemed to think that the Ruby was secretly working for the Crystal Gems...and that at some point during the search for you...they found your pieces..." Kimberlite's body seemed to fold up like a telescope. "They all said that you'd been murdered."

The taller gem didn't see it but the grass at the bare edges of Sapphire's dress began to turn a hoary grey, frost spreading out across the spiky green trimmings.
By the time Kimberlite lifted her head, however, the grass had been restored to normality.
Curved only by the hand of a warm spring breeze.

"Hm. That does sound like something the authority would cook up."

Suddenly Kimberlite face was only centimetere's from hers. "But you're not murdered. Not at all. You're...here. You're whole. You're on Earth...with the Ruby...together..."

"Yes. Yes, that is the case and has been the case for the last few centuries."

The grey gem's eyes were on the skies as though she was somehow searching for a way to stare accusingly up at Homeworld itself. "Why though? W-Why would they lie? Why would she lie? If you were ok...then why didn't they just tell us that? We...w-we were all so sad about...all so scared..."

Sapphire let out a soft, careful but very deliberate breath. "Not everything that the Diamonds release to the public is intended to be truthful or comforting."

"Blue Diamond only wants to protect us," Kimberlite retorted, a little too quickly. She wasn't aggressive but the rebuttal was fast, Sapphire noticed; she was too sure, too conditioned.

The wind slowly sweeping in the trees above them, causing the leaves to rustle in a soft, tuneless interlude. A symphony of crackles and creaking from the canopy afforded the Seer gem a moment to gather her thoughts.
Whe she turned her head to regard the much taller gem at her side, Kimberlite's verdant, worried stare was desperately seeking Sapphire's eye.
Seeking approval.
Typical of a court gem.

"I used to think the same thing," she said eventually, a small sigh escaping her lips. "And I'm not going to try to change your mind because there's only a very small possibility that I alone would even be able to but I meant what I said when we first met, Kimberlite; you're a clever gem- you should think for yourself once in a while rather than just taking what you've been taught for granted."

The grey gem's eyes slowly wandered back over to the barn and the figures that were idling there, her lips mumbling something incoherent. The first recognisable thing that Sapphire could manage to make out was:
"Is she here?"

"She?" Sapphie echoed gently, tilting her head to better examine Kimberlite's contorting face. "Who is she? You-...oh." The blue gem's lips formed a perfect "o."

She could suddenly remember having seen this part.

Ever since she and Ruby had shared the vision of this moment, she had been dreading having to regress herself back to the Homeworld mindset but in order to avoid another trying outburst from Kimberlite, she decided that it was a necessary stepback.

In Kimberlite's mind, she was stranded amongst dangerous war criminals who were prepared to shatter her without a second thought.
Keeping that in her thoughts, Sapphire took a deep breath and said:

"You mean Rose, don't you?"

Kimberlite nodded shortly, burying her head in her arms as though she was trying to hide in there. "She's here, isn't she?"

"Rose Quartz is not here with us right now. Not entirely."

"Was she shattered?"
Sapphire tried to ignore the small note of hopefulness in Kimberlite's voice; she didn't know any better.

"No. She survived...but she eventually gave up her physical form to give birth to her son."

"Her...son? Birth?" Kimberlite looked up, only her long, hooked nose visible through her long, slightly matted hair. "Like an organic creature? Can gems do that? Gems can...mate?!"

Knowing that the sheltered, (not so) little thing actually knew a thing or two about organic reproduction. Sapphire had only seen one future where she'd had to explain at least some elements of the birds and bees to Kimberlite and it was one that she desperately wanted to avoid.

"Rose had her son with a human," she informed her, bringing an abrupt end to Kimberlite's budding existential crisis. "Now he bears her gem along with the humanity he inherited from his father."

"So...Rose turned into a hybrid?"
Her knuckles flushed a milkier grey and her head craned forwarda little more, her body still trembling.

"Steven is not Rose. He's his own person. I know this is probably difficult for you to understand but please try to comprehend that if nothing else." Sapphire placed a hand on Kimberlite's knee. "I know that you're afraid but do consider, in the time Steven took to take you from the beach to here, did he do anything to harm you? Or to make your uncomfortable? Even slightly?"

"...no. Quite the opposite, actually."

"See? Steven means no harm to you either. There's no need to be so scared." Beneath the curtain of her long fringe, Sapphire's brow lifted. "I'm aware that me saying that is not going to eradicate those feelings but if we're going to help you here on Earth, you're going to have to promise me that you're not going to have any more outbursts like that. If I am to act in your best interest, I need to first act in the best interest of my friends. Do you understand?"

Kimberlite nodded, sniffling and sighing but slowly shaking the tremors from her limbs. "Ok. I understand."

Though the future was what Sapphire had always specialised in by trade and by nature, she couldn't help but give in to a vision of the past, remembering the first time she'd ever met Kimberlite.
The temple had been dark that day, dark and empty like a hollowed out pit.

See No Evil (Blue Diamond's Pavillion, Homeworld, Over Six Thousand Years BCE)

The temple had been dark that day, dark and empty like a hollowed out pit.
In fact, she was almost taken aback by how loud her usually soundless footsteps were and how the folds of her dress- normally a soft rustle at most- sounded like a powerful rush of water.

She needed some time away from the raucous court crowds.
True, this particular Congregation was going to be a slightly more sombre occassion, for obvious reasons, but that didn't stop the usual crowds from circling.

It wasn't the most stressful of situations, particularly in comparison to what some of their kind were currently being forced to endure in the colonies, but Sapphire was still starting to feel like she'd just narrowly escaped some kind of horrific battle.

She had never been a particularly social gem despite her purpose in diplomacy.
Although she was more than willing to engage a gem of any make or model in conversation or debate- one gem at a time was her limit.
Sapphire covertly despised being surrounded, especially by aristocratic gems.
She knew as well as any other cut or facet that her own kind could be as loud and brash as the military classes given the opportunity.

It was tiresome to have to listen to a kindergarten's worth of Tanzanites and Emeralds have bragging competition after bragging competition about who was the most highly regarded in their Diamond's eyes, who owned the finest personal staff, who's phyiscal form was the most physically attractive in terms of the current fashion...

It was a painful ordeal, all in all.

She was fortunate this time.
Normally on some of her more perilous excusions, she was afforded the company of two or more personal bodyguards- truly a mixed "blessing" at the best of times.

However, here on Homeworld, safe within one of the main city pavillions, Sapphire was free to walk alone and unattended.
Intending to make the most of this luxury- not to mention her free reign of access to Blue Diamond's personal temple, Sapphire had taken the opportunity to slip inside the mighty doors of the colossal, cerulean building.

She mentally congratulated herself; had anyone spotted her shuffling out of the crowds, she might have been confronted with the terrifyingly awkward situation of having to find an excuse not to take another long walk with General Druzy Quartz or that terribly gossipy Celestine.
Standing around the main atrium under the influence of Eclipse Congregation security was to risk being oggled by gangs of burly, guffawing military class gems on patrol.
Not that she paid them much mind.
She'd learned to greet their attentions with the same deaf ear she generally leant court gossip, finding the whole thing far more annoying than intimidating.

Sapphire sighed a little, tapping the keypad to close the doors and readjusting her gloves.
"Hmph. I guess it does seem a little petty now that I think about it. Still, when you're allowed to be a recluse, one may as well make use of it..."

The distant sound of cloth dragging across tiles alerted her to the presence of another gem nearby. Clearly some other poor soul had seen fit to take refuge inside the great confines of the structure erected to honour their Diamond.

"Hello?" Sapphire called out experimentally, peering into the relative darkness behind her. She had no reason to feel any kind of fear. She was authorised to be there.
The indigo curtains of shade that draped across the hall, elegant in ambience but offering an ominous kind of concealment .

"Hello?" she repeated, raising her voice slightly as she stepped backwards against the great door. "Is someone there?"

Sapphire couldn't help but feel a sudden sense of relief when a familiar silhouette stumbled into the light-orbs' dim glow.

It was one of the queer after-effects of her future vision, that she often ended up recognising gems that she had never met before. As the stranger in question slowly hobbled into view, Sapphire immediately recognised her as the grey-coloured gem that she had forseen meeting earlier that day.
The details of their conversation were hazy in her memory but while the gem's identity was mostly forgotten to her, the gem herself wasn't threatening in the slightest.

"I beg your pardon," the other occupant of the temple whispered, her voice slightly shrill yet thick- as though she'd been blubbering. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"You didn't," Sapphire assured her, offering her a polite bow of the head to which the other gem returned. "I'm just passing through to take a break from the crowds. I'm sorry if I've intruded on..." She glanced the gem up and down, looking for clues as to what her occupation might be but finding nothing, she concluded with: "...whatever it is you're doing."

"Oh no, of course not! Of course not!" she burbled, spluttering slightly, her eyes wide and excited. "I'm not really doing anything. I'm...I'm actually a little lost."

"Oh?" Sapphire calmly gestured over her shoulder. "Well, the main entrance is right here. It leads to the primary courtyard and everything should be pretty well sign-posted from there or alternatively you could just ask f-?"

"Ah, no, no," the strange gem told her quickly, shaking her head and bowing again. "That is to say, thank you for your help but..." She seemed to hesitate slightly. "I'm not permitted to leave my Diamond's temple."

At this point, Sapphire had a chance to properly study the gem's attire and was still yet to happen upon any clues to suggest what this gem's function was. Her fitted bodysuit suggested a working gem but her long chiton- proudly emblazoned with Blue Diamond's insignia- was that of an aristocrat's servant, if not someone higher up themselves.
Then again, the gem's slightly unkempt appearance would not even slightly tolerated in her Diamond's presence.

Not to mention the fact that her actual gemstone was not recognisable in neither colour nor texture.

Beneath her long fringe, Sapphire's brow arched with slight concern but she smiled lightly. "Where exactly are you trying to get to?"

"Uh..."
The stranger hesitated, looking a little nervous. "W-Well, to my room. It's here somewhere but I can't remember where." Her original anxiety turned to faint yet mounting distress. "I should never have walked out but I just wanted to see the rest of the main part but...I'm...I'm not even sure if I should be speaking to you!"

Sapphire lifted a gloved hand, taking a step closer to the other gem, hoping not to send her into further hysterics. "There's no need to panic. Let's take a walk around the temple. Perhaps if we move in the direction from which you came, you'll remember where you were before." Her smile never quavered as she looked up at the taller gem. "Forgive my forwardness when I've not formally introduced myself. I am Sapphire."

The gem bowed her head again, cracking a small smile of her own. "Nice to meet you. I am Kimberlite."

The blue gem's eye widened and her once neatly clasped hands tightened a little in their grip of each other, as though trying to offer herself some kind of relief or support. Though her face remained in an undeterred expression of serene civillity, Sapphire's mind was suddenly racing.

The gem who called herself Kimberlite turned to leave, seeming relieved with Sapphire's tacit politeness and behind her back, the aristocrat couldn't help but stare in mild shock.

A kimberlite?

The last time she had ever heard that name being mentioned was from the lips of a Black Tourmaline. Normally she didn't have much time for the tourmalines as they could be a rather aloof, snarky group at the best of times, but this particular medic was friendly. Sapphire didn't have many friends- mostly by her own choice- but as a rule of thumb, she kept a mental list of gems that could hold an amicable conversation.

The first time she had spoke to that particular tourmaline was at the fourth court meeting regarding the war. It was a mixed court session, affording gems from White, Yellow and Blue Diamond's courts to interact.

A distant, full-bodied cloud of vapour briefly nimbused the sun's harsh, unyielding glower and the mixed crowd who occupied the arena let out a collective sigh of relief.

"They need to fix that star-damned awning. That or issue the assignments and just let us get moving," the tall medic had grumbled, massaging the bridge of her bulge-tipped nose before folding her arms with a flourish. The bare ends of her long, embroidered sleeves had managed to catch the side of Sapphire's cheek.

The black tourmaline didn't apologise and while the colder side of Sapphire wanted to say that she wouldn't have cared either way, the kinder side of Sapphire was willing to wager that it was because she didn't notice.

It was an occupational hazard for smaller gems that she'd grown accustomed to.

Her subsequent jostling however, alerted the Tourmaline to her presence and created the perfect storm for a little bit of conversation.
Better still, a little bit of conversation that Sapphire herself didn't have to instigate.

"I mean, I know we're in a war situation and all," she went on, this time directly addressing Sapphire but with a distinctly lowered voice. "But while the Authority has the right to request whatever they want from us, you'd think a little more organisation could have gone into this whole affair, right? And I'm not saying that our architects didn't know what they were doing when they built this place but surely a few extra roofing buttresses couldn't have gone astray."

"Well," the aristocrat replied, shrugging beneath the fine cloth of her gown. "I don't believe this place was made with this kind of impromptu meeting in mind. It's all very sudden. I don't think they'd gather us all like this unless there was some kind of direct need to do so...this is a war; we're all expected to make sacrifices."

The black tourmaline's arched brow caused her perfectly round gemstone, perched high upon her cheekbone, to lift and glare under the influence of the sun.
She was typical White Diamond court stock: outspoken, loud, wordy but apparently clever.

"Oh galaxies," Tourmaline lamented with a chuckle. "You must think I'm one of those sorts now. Mind you, I don't complain about everything. It's just, I'm a colonist, you know? One of the furthest colonies in our star-maps too. There I am, trying to perform experimentation on some newly cut samples and suddenly my Pearl is on my arm, telling me I need to hurry to the nearest warp pad and then I'm running and racing to get out of the lab and as soon I arrive here after what, I'll tell you, was not the most pleasant of warp-journies at all, I'm corralled into this stifling arena and made to wait with no reliable information on hand as to what exactly I'm required here to do." She let out a long sigh. "Again, not to sound irritable...but I'm not used to waiting like this and it's not as though I don't have other things to do."

Sapphire smiled, finding that it was really the best thing to do when one had no opinion to offer up about a topic. "My work has been very limited as of late, so I'm afraid I can't sympathise."

"You're a diplomat, eh?" Tourmaline queried, looking her up and down.

"That's right."

"I would have thought you lot would be rushed off your feet with work to do at this stage in the war."

"Other diplomats have been but I'm under domestic charge so I don't get off planet much. This is my first time being called this far from Homeworld."

"Lucky you," the Tourmaline commented with a snort of sardonic laughter. "To be honest, I'd rather not having to travel so much. I've too many experiments to complete as of late and if my manager wants me to finish by my deadlines, she'd better arrange for me to have more time in the lab. At this rate, I'm going to end up spending the Eclipse Congregation here on Earth."

"I'm surprised they haven't suspended your work in favour of the war effort. Most of the medics in Blue Diamond's court have been repossessed to work on regeneration fluids and the likes..."

The Tourmaline's voice became a reedy whisper, the tall gem sitting on the marble step behind her in order to further lower herself to Sapphire's face.
At close proximity, the aristocrat could smell the sharpness of the metallic fluids that soaked the medic's skin, the warning, warping scent of lay beneath of what Sapphire could only imagine were the chemicals that she had to work with.

"But I am working towards the war effort." Tourmaline glanced around quickly, checking that none of the many eyes that stared boredly into the centre of the arena were focused on their now-covert conversation. "I've been working on supplementary mineral injections. You know, taking gemetic material and transferring it from one gem to another."

Sapphire looked at her, nonplussed. "Why in the star systems would we need to do something like that? The kindergartens are struggling to produce perfect specimen as it is. I would have thought the last thing we'd need are mixed gemetics."

Tourmaline patted the step beside herself, gesturing for Sapphire to sit at her side.
She was a high-ranking medic. A pearl owner.
This was permissable contact.

"I'm officially being told that the research is mainly for the sake of improving our kindergarten stock. Getting bigger, tougher quartzes, you know? Transfusing extra minerals rather than having to scrap the duds. But-" She paused, her ebony skin gleaming as she tilted her head upward a little. "Suppose that we could cook up a Gem that could safely store and contain the gemetic matter of another type of gem? Let's say a Diamond, for argument's sake. Then suppose something terrible befell one of our Diamonds, stars forbid. Well, with a transfusion gem, able to generate perfect recreations of lost fragments. I'm talking exact pieces, perfect gemetic matches. Suppose this hypothetical gem could store gemetic material from all of the Diamonds?"

Sapphire stared at her, feeling compelled to pull away her fringe in order to better get a look at Tourmaline's expression, searching for any hint of a jest. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that the Diamonds would have the perfect insurance that their reign would last forever." The medic's voice was a bare whisper and her smile was anything but joking. "The managers call it a kimberlite." She leaned backwards and stretched out, her flambuoyant sleeves once again taking liberties in terms of bodily space. "Or at least they would, were it a real thing."

"It's not-?"

Tourmaline shrugged, smirking. "My research is supposed to be going somewhere but the idea of a transfusion-specific gem? That's a little farfetched isn't it? All things considered. The resources required alone would...would..."

Her voice trailed off, her eyes becoming distant for a moment, her attention seemingly stolen.
A hush seemed to slowly trail over the crowd too, silence gradually setting in as Sapphire followed Tourmaline's gaze to the rather shaken-looking Carnelian who had just warped in.

She had clearly just left some kind of violent confrontation, her russet skin marked with streaks of deep orange and vermillion and her brow glistening with a heat that most of the upperclass who were seated around her would never know.

The carnelian cleared her throat, coughing slightly and speaking in the most withered tone that Sapphire had ever heard come from a quartz. "Y-Your attention please...in wake of the most recent attack..."

And now, here she was.
The Kimberlite herself.
Evidently more than the myth that she had once been made out to be.

Sapphire needed a moment to collect her composure, (that couldn't have been more than a few seconds but felt as though it was an eternity), before forcing herself to smile again, bowing her head and saying: "It's nice to meet you."

Kimberlite did not offer a Diamond salute nor did she bow her head but she did smile cheerily as she said: "You too."

Court etiquette clearly wasn't her forté and to be perfectly honest, Sapphire didn't really care. If anything, it was more than a little refreshing.
It wasn't long before she'd fallen into step beside the taller gem, making easy conversation with her.

Her head seemed to jerk around, eyes scanning the room at a mile, a minute.

"Do any of these alcoves seem familiar to you?" Sapphire asked, gesturing to the shadowed inlets that were embedded into the walls around them.

Kimberlite shook her head, sighing a little. "No. I'm afraid not. I don't have a very good memory. My Jasper says that I have poor...er...spatial awareness." She looked down sideways at Sapphire, her thick, greyish eyebrows rising. "So what is that you do, Sapphire?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"What do you do for our Diamond? What's your occupation? I've never met a Sapphire before." She smiled, almost looking a little nervous. "I don't meet many new gems, face to face."

"Well, my actual title is as a diplomat," Sapphire explained. "But my primary occupation is as a Seer. I possess the gift of premonition and prophecy." She felt a dampened sensation not unlike embarassment, not wanting to seem condescending as she quickly added: "I can see visions of the future."

"Stars! That's wonderful," Kimberlite practically chirped, stopping in her tracks and bending at the waist to bend down to meet the blue-skinned gem's gaze. "Our Diamond must find you to be so useful! And you must get so many important assignments! On lots of different planets, I'd bet?"

"On occassion," the aristocrat replied, more than taken aback at the gangly gem's eagerness. "It can be a little trying, if I'm honest; I'm not particularly one for travel." She smiled faintly, trying to keep her tone as serene and neutral as possible as she asked. "So what is it that you do for our Diamond, Kimberlite? I must say, I've never met a Kimberlite before."

Though it wasn't as if she couldn't guess at the answer.

The diplomat was a little taken aback when her newfound companion only shrugged, a petulant frown tugging at the ends of her lips as she straightened up. "I was only formed a year ago. I don't really have a special talent like you..."

Sapphire shook her head. "Every gem is made with a talent, specific to her, that allows her to best serve the Diamond Authority in her own, unique way." She looked up at the gem, trying to appear as reassuring as possible."You must have some special intended purpose, especially if Blue Diamond trusts you to stay in here in her temple."

Kimberlite's granite complexion was sprayed with a touch of a darker shade and she smiled bashfully. "Well, my gem is made to store biological matter from other gems. I'm supposed to be able to make really good replacement fragments so that if a gem gets cracked, they can be healed." She thrust her strangely shaped gemstone under Sapphire's nose, stooping slightly in order to brandish it effectively. "My main priority is to make Diamond pieces and I'm not very good at growing them..."

"You're only a year old," Sapphire reminded her. "You'll learn your trade as you grow. I'm sure our Diamond understands that your task is a difficult one."

Kimberlite nodded slowly and retracted her arm, stumbling slightly at the sudden change in posture.

"Are you alright?" the blue gem asked, offering one of her small, slender arms as a support crutch.

"I'm fine," Kimberlite told her with a grateful though unnecessary little genuflection, (only causing her to stumble a little more). "I have problems with balance sometimes. Our Diamond says that that's why I need to stay indoors- so that I don't accidentally crack my gem." She pouted a little, her heavy brows knitting. "Yellow Diamond says that they rushed the process when they made me and that my form is no good...that they needed me in a hurry so they pulled me out of the ground too early..." She frowned a little, shrugging. "And she also says that I was pointless in the end because I "came too late anyway." What does that even mean? Too late anyway."

She has no idea, Sapphire thought dolefully, her form growing heavy as a grim realisation crept over her.
Kimberlite had no idea about the true weight of the purpose for which she was created.

"I'm sure Yellow Diamond only means to-"
Before Sapphire could finish her sentence, a sulphur diode on the wall near them expired with a loud, resounding crack.
It was a fairly common occurence in older sections of the temple and with so few temple attendants available for indoor work during this season, it was no wonder that some of the diodes were overheating from lack of maintenence.

Kimberlite let out a loud, almost creaturesque shriek as she recoiled, raising her hands to shield her face. Sapphire was about to simply reassure her when she found herself bounding backwards in surprise at the sight of a large, black absess appear in the reflective tiles at their feet. It seemed to wane and wax like a distant lunar body before shrinking in upon itself and vanishing as swiftly as it had arrived.

It took Sapphire longer than she would have liked to admit to realise that it was Kimberlite who had summoned the portal.
She had seen several different futures in which something similar to this had occured but she hadn't studied any of them in great detail, supposing that none were all that likely to happen.

She had been wrong, clearly.

"That's a self-sustaining warp portal," the aristocrat said simply, only barely managing to keep a sense of ephemeral decor, straightening out the folds of her dress and adjusting her gloves.

"I'm...I'm so sorry," Kimberlite breathed, her voice a little ragged as she whipped her head around, clearly terrified that someone might have seen what had just transpired. "Th-that happens sometimes when I get a fright. My...my Pearl says that I should try n-not to do it in front of other gems...th-that gems can get in trouble for doing things that they're not supposed to..."

"Does our Diamond know that you can do this?" Sapphire asked her, placing her hand upon Kimberlite's shoulder. She allowed her hair to fall back a little, her large, blue iris settling upon both of the transfusion gem's green eyes.

Kimberlite shook her head and the diplomat went on: "It's ok...don't be scared. Some gems have little quirks that form naturally. They're not always part of their designs but they happen." She smiled again, trying to keep the gem beneath her fingertips as calm as possible. "Yours is actually quite interesting. If you were to make two of them, you could make the two portals interactive..."

"Have you ever seen a gem with this...uh...quirk before?"

"Once or twice."

"Do you have a quirk?"

Sapphire's mind briefly flitted back to the first time she'd ever accidentally frozen a door-key-pad, the fibreglass beneath her fingers turning to a hoary frost.
"...yes."

"...is it true that I shouldn't show it to other gems?"

Sapphire retracted her hand, standing up straight once more and aiding Kimberlite in the process of getting to her feet. "Yes, that is true. Your Pearl is correct. Such things are better kept a secret, even from our Diamond."

Kimberlite still looked apprehensive, her mouth wobbling violently, practically turning lopsided as she anxiously nibbled at her lip. "Ok."

"I find that keeping a grip on your emotions often helps keeping it a secret too."

"...yeah?"

"Yes," Sapphire reached out and patted her arm delicately. "Don't agonise, Kimberlite. I can tell that you're a clever gem. You'll have this all in check soon."

Kimberlite stared at her for a moment and her face suddenly broke into a wide, delighted smile. "Thank you Sapphire!" She bowed low. "Your kindness makes you a credit to all gems of your rank."

The aristocrat couldn't help but smile in return, happy to have offered her some kind of comfort, (uncertain as it was). "You're welcome, Kimberlite. I'm sure you are too."

They only walked for a little longer, making light conversation- mostly to do with the Eclipse Congregation.
It was strange, Sapphire had to note, that she had been so eager to avoid the same social situations and events that Kimberlite wouldn't have been able to attend had she wanted to.

It wasn't long before a Pearl's worried cry started to pierce the temple's ambience and Kimberlite was escorted away.
Sapphire decided that she probably wasn't going to forget the sight of those nervous, green eyes glancing over a broad but unsteady shoulder.

Over five thousand years later, she proved that fact to herself.

Know No Evil (Outside the Barn, Earth, Present Day)

"I already know what you need from us."

"Oh...with your future vision?"

"And a little educated guessing, yes."

"Can you help me then? If you just took my Peridot and I to the kindergarten, we could..."

"You're certain that no one on Homeworld has any idea that you're here? No one at all?"

"...yes. Fairly certain."

"Fairly isn't too reassuring. Is there any way that you could covertly check?"

"I could ask Peridot about it."

"...ok, you can do that. Then, we'll see about getting you the equipment that you need. One way or another, we need to get you back to Homeworld. First of all though, I think it's time you spoke properly to the rest of group here. You gave them all quite a scare."

"I scared them?"

"I believe so."

"...alright then. I will offer my full apologies."

"Very good. Now, then, let's head over so-"

"Sapphire?"

"Yes?"

"If I may be so bold...you and the Ruby...you were..."

"Fused? Yes. We were."

"...and is that commo-?"

"Yes. For quite a while now."

"...why did y-?"

"I fell in love," Sapphire replied simply, smiling at Kimberlite over her shoulder as she got to her feet. " Surprising, right? I know it might be a little hard for you to understand but please try to. You're a clever gem. I wasn't wrong about that."

The blue gem gave her long time lover a distant thumbs-up, indicating that it was safe to stop the others from roaming around outside the barn.
If she had turned her head even slightly at that moment, it might have been Sapphire who would have been surprised to see Kimberlite smile bashfully at the ground and mutter:

"It's not as hard to understand as I thought it would be."

Speak No Evil (Outside The Big Doughnut, Earth, Present Day)

Sadie looked up at the waxy blue sky, watching as a trail of white, flaxen clouds drifted over The Big Doughnut. For a second, it looked as though one of their cotton-like tails might catch upon the rooftop, ensnaring them, trapping them and grounding them.
Luckily for those wayfaring strips of cirrus, the wind seemed to keep them sailing smoothly.

Sadie let out a long breath, pressing her shoulders against the concrete at her back and trying to enjoy the rare break that she had been afforded. Her eyes darted down to her phone.
The screen remained blank.
No message from Steven.

"Not yet," she told herself under her breath.
It wasn't particularly hot outside but the heat was still killing all the same.

She heard the back-door open and close, heralding Lars' inevitable decision to take his break earlier than initially scheduled.
Letting out an irked sigh and not even wanting to bother with one of their usual one-sided confrontations, she adjusted her coat and made a motion to head back inside.

"So what...you're like a lesbian or something now?"

Sadie was instantly jerked form her state of apathy as she rounded on her co-worker, his half-muttered comment having struck her like a slap in the face.

"What?"

"You want to take a chick to the Beach Ball," Lars stated pointedly, narrowing his eyes slightly at her. "Dating another chick makes you a lesbian. By definition."

Fury bit at the back of Sadie's throat.
There was something about his dull, presumptive drawl that made her scream at the top of her lungs.

Instead, she simply sucked in a well-practised breath of air between her teeth and responded sharply: "Why are you suddenly interested in my romantic pursuits? Don't worry, I'm not going to ask Jenny or Kiki out." She pushed the back-door open with a lot more force than she had initially intended, sourly adding: "And so what? Why does it matter to you who I take to the Beach Ball?"

"It doesn't!" came Lars' muffled shout as Sadie stormed inside, closing the door shut behind her.

Please, Speak no Evil (Security Sector in Blue Diamond's Temple, Homeworld, Present Day)

The Bumblebee Jasper frowned, her golden brow starting to furrow to extremes at the sound of a loud squawking in the corridor outside the room.
This was the part of the day that she dreaded the most.
And it was very difficult to make a Jasper- Bumblebee, Ocean, Biggs, Red or otherwise- feel dread of any kind.

"Sanitation inspection!" the Pyrite shouted, hammering her knuckles upon the doorway.

"Enter," Jasper confirmed gruffly, standing up and deactivating the door-lock, only barely biting back the urge to add: "At your own star-damn risk."

The Pyrite stepped inside the room momentarily, wrinkling her nose as she scanned her surroundings. "Ugh...this room is in a droll state. This simply will not do. Especially not considering our current state of celebration."

"Are that many gems really going to be coming in here as part of the Congregation? It's a covert security location." Jasper snorted as she turned around in her seat at the control desk. "I doubt our Diamond is going to squeeze her way in here to say hello..."

The Pyrite ignored the Jasper's remark, simply lifting her holo-board and tapping a few keys. "I'll have a Pearl sent up immediately. You may return to your duties."

Jasper made a violent gesture at the Pyrite's turned back before turning back to her control desk, a sudden warmth washing over her temples and spreading to her clawed fingertips.

Considering that Kimberlite was now tucked up and locked away for the festivities, the only available Pearl in the place had to be her lavender-tinted favourite.
Her Pearl.

She smirked to herself, still highly amused at the fact that that she was technically a Jasper with a Pearl...even if their relationship was far from what the traditional officer/servant relationship was or would ever be expected to be.

Sometimes when she reflected on their situation, she was struck by an immediate sense of fear and uncertainty and while another gem in her position might have been intimidated by such a sensation, Jasper lived for it.
It was so long since she'd seen a real situation of combat.
It had been aeons since she'd had any real excitement or been in any situation that got her mind racing while testing her physical form to her limits.

She and Pearl's illicit fun provided her with the excitement fix that she knew that she craved.
As well as a strange kind of comfort that she hadn't been aware that she craved just as strongly.

"I hope I'm not disturbing you."

Her light, polite, pretty voice sounded out from the doorway, immediately drawing Jasper's ears from the dull, monotonous hum of the control panel.
It had to be a talent, the soldier decided, to manage to make one's voice sound so mannerly while at the same time, so sultry.

The officer shifted in her seat, looking over her shoulder to regard the servant who stood daintily in the doorway.
Her long, slender arms were politely clasped behind her back, obediently waiting for Jasper's response.

"Not at all," she told her, slowly turning back to the monitor, making sure to lean against the far-arm of the chair, applying the slightest of pressure as she did. This ensured that each of her muscles, from the wrist to the shoulder, would flex to perfection. "Just be quick."
She just barely managed to conceal an amused smirk from the servant as she added. "I still have a lot of work to deal with and I've had a long day of training."

Her light limbed silhouette served as the perfect interuption to the already faint blue glow that illuminated the corridor outside the surveillance room.
Jasper hadn't realised how dark it had actually gotten until the very welcome distraction.

"Of course, officer," the light purple Pearl crooned. "I won't take long at all."

Jasper could hear the soft hiss of her gossamer skirt as it dragged along the floor, each graceful foot-fall rhythmic and precise as she made her way into the small room.

"Close the door behind yourself," Jasper told her sharply and suddenly, using a voice she hadn't used when addressing the serving class gem for quite a while.

"Of course, officer," she repeated, her voice still sounding like a song as she followed the instruction. The emphasis on her formal title hadn't gone unnoticed.
Flattery was talent gifted to all Pearls.
Hers had it down to a fine art.

Unseen to Jasper, Pearl was now barely concealing a smirk of her own. "Have you had a very stressful day?"

"Nothing I couldn't handle," the quartz responded, trying to sound dismissive but becoming very interested in the Pearl's shadow as she commenced her usual cleaning routine. "And how's our Kimberlite doing today?"

"She's fine. Her usual, oblivious, happy, little self."

"That's good. No more damn wandering around where she shouldn't be?"
Her eyes flicked into her peripheral vision, watching as Pearl absent-mindedly polished the equipment shelving.

"No. It's a relief to see her staying put for once. I actually haven't heard a peep out of her all day."

Jasper deliberately stretched in her seat, letting out a groan and lifting her arms.
At any angle, her golden, striped arms would catch the slivers of light trickling in from the doorframe, accentuating her crafted muscles.
Her thick, black stripes only serving to further emphasise the physique that she carried with pride.

In her peripheral vision, she saw Pearl stop in her tracks, obviously staring.

Jasper's well concealed grin became a wide one as she whipped around suddenly, catching the servant in the act and causing her to jump slightly. The soft lavender palette of her cheeks was suddenly caught in a spray of violet, her body turning rigid as she dropped her gaze.

"What are you looking at, Pearl? Do you see something that you like?" She raised her eyebrows. "Why are you shaking?"

She blinked, clasping her hands in front of her in what Jasper was starting to think was the court-gem equivalent of standing at attention. "Well, it's quite cold outside. I think I'm still adjusting to the temperature indoors. It's...it's stifling in here."

"Mm...we can't have you shaking like that whilst you're cleaning the equipment. You might break something. Maybe take a little break while you adust yourself?"

Pearl lifted a hand to her mouth, partly surprised but subtly mocking, her hand obscuring the spectre of a smile across her lips.
"You would...allow that?"

Their games were necessary.
Their roleplay was essential.

Jasper leaned back in her seat, resting her broad chin upon her hand. "I suppose I can. You haven't given me any reason to deny you that so far."

"My Jasper is so gracious to me."

"Indeed, I am."

The two of them briefly gave into peals of laughter, unable to restrain their giddiness.
Pearl leaned forward to look at the monitors, her face going from bashful to enraptured. "Oh, wow, you can see the entire temple on these. Well, aside from our little hideaway corridor here..."

"Our Kimberlite's room is on a seperate system. Here, look. I only need to bring it up when you're not around her..."

Pearl leaned forward on the console for a moment, completely still, before looking back at Jasper with lidded eyes and a coy smile. "Do you ever watch Kimberlite and I from here? We must be so boring. Especially me. Ah!"

Suddenly the warm weight of Jasper's huge body was over hers, her huge arms dwarfing Pearl's slender form.
"The real thing is pretty interesting though." Her plump lips lowered to Pearl's ear, whispering. "Do you want to sit on my lap to take a better look at the monitors?"

Pearl shuddered slightly before nodding and allowing herself to be guided backwards until she was gently perched in the Jasper's arms.

"Feeling warmer?" the officer asked her, gently tapping the lilac pearl-stone set high into the servant's collar bone.

"I'm getting there," Pearl replied, boldly curving her head into the crook of Jasper's neck and softly brushing her lips upon the quartz gem where it sat in her throat. "I can't see the monitors very well any more though."

Strong arms lifted wrapped around her much smaller torso.
"Well, isn't that unfortunate?"

"It could be worse, I suppose," Pearl replied with a sly smile before lifting her head to close the gap between their lips.

Their bliss, unfortunately, was incredibly short lived when a voice sounded out from the doorway.

"Well, there's something that you don't see everyday..."

Thank you so, so much!
Hope you enjoyed.