Orange's feet swayed back and forth, making a tap tap every time the heel of her shoes hit the chair. She sat hunched over, staring around the overly pink washed color of the room. She was sitting in her mother's chair where she had left her with only her pearl for company while she had a meeting with the other Diamonds, one that she had been pointedly told she wasn't allowed to attend, no matter how much she had begged.

Tap Tap

They were on one of her Mother's stations, near her Earth colony's system. She hadn't been allowed to wander the new station yet, not even with her pearl escort, having only caught a glimpse of it's exterior as they docked, the wait was driving her crazy. It was a new model, updated and made just for Pink Diamond, with the finest bismuths working on it. Pearl had babbled about how grand it was, perhaps simply to entertain her, but Orange would rather see it than be told.

Mother had gushed about how beautiful Earth was the entire way and Orange wondered if she would get the chance to actually see it herself or if her mother's overly exaggerated tales of it would be all she had to go on. She had personally seen one of Blue's colonies after a lot of begging (something she knew worked well after witnessing her mother throw a fit on more than one occasion), and the promise to remain with the guard detail Blue gave her. It had been more gems in her way than she had originally planned, but she still got to set foot on the soil and rock that was growing more gems, see what a planet under the wise and knowing command of a Diamond looked like. How the wild and untamed worlds had been terraformed to suit the life and growth of gems. It was spectacular to see, a sight she would never forget. With all of her Mother's talk about Earth, she wondered what kind of gem quality it must make. They must be beautiful and grand gems indeed.

Tap Tap

She knew it was because she wasn't supposed to go out into the public eye just yet, only a handful knew who she was, otherwise it was assumed she was a no name gem or she was blocked from view altogether by her guards. She noted that after the last two incidents, Amethysts were no longer apart of her guard detail, which was somewhat upsetting, considering they were a lively bunch to talk to in comparison to the Citrine and Prase escorts that were normally at her side nowadays.

Tap Tap

If it wasn't for Pearl standing beside her, she might have tried to sneak a peak outside. Just a little one.

Tap Tap

Orange began to hum, if nothing else but to make noise in the awkward silence that always came when it was just her and her mother's pearl. It was at this point she realized her silliness. She was with a pearl, most of their sole reason for existence was to entertain and be a showpiece! She turned to her left where Pearl stood with her hands in front of her, respectful and quiet as she should be. "Pearl?"

Said pearl turned fully to look at her, "Yes, your Clarity?"

"I'm bored. Sing for me."

It was not said as a request, and Pearl bowed to Orange with no question as to if she would obey, "Ah! Yes, at once, My Diamond."

Orange leaned back on her arms as she watched as Pearl's clasped hands raised to her chest and she began to hum a tune before opening her mouth wider and making louder, more harmonious sounds, all while Orange continued to tap her feet against the chair.

After a few minutes Pearl's song ended and she bowed to Orange once more, a little out of breath. "Was that satisfactory, my Diamond?"

"I guess." Orange shrugged, now looking around the room again, trying to find anything that might tide her over until Pink's return. Too many pillows lined the room for her liking, and the pink bubbles were starting to bother her nose as they drifted around her.

Pearl blinked before her eyes grew wide, concerned, "Was...was something wrong?"

"You were a little pitchy." Orange shrugged, her eyes following a particularly large bubble as it hovered overhead, "Blue's pearl doesn't warble like you."

"I-oh." Pearl's face darkened to a deep blue and she bowed her head, "um, forgive me, my Diamond, I-"

"Zirconia!"

Orange had never been so glad then when Pink Diamond came through the veiled doorway, a smile on her face.

"Mother, you're back!" Orange launched off the chair, running to Pink as she knelt on the floor just in time to receive a tackled hug from the excited gem.

"Yes, my little gem." Pink pulled back from the hug to look at her pearl over Orange's head who had remained at her position by the chair. "And Pearl, that was lovely, I could hear you just outside."

Pearl's face once again flushed blue, though this time in something that was not embrassed shame, "Thank you, my Diamond."

Pink gently held Orange's chin as she tilted her head up to place a kiss on her forehead, "Didn't you think it was lovely, Zirconia?"

"Not really." Orange answered, unperturbed as Pink suddenly pulled back to look at her with a confused expression.

"What?"

"I think something might be wrong with her." Orange answered, glancing over at Pearl who now looked highly alarmed, not that it stopped Orange, who then turned back to Pink with a curious expression, "Aren't pearls supposed to be able to sing perfectly when they're made? She makes these awful-"

"Zirconia!"

Orange became quiet, her eyes rounding in shock at her mother's raised voice and the sudden angry look on her face. "M-mother?"

"That is terribly disrespectful!" Pink grabbed one of Orange's shoulders, turning her slightly and pointing to Pearl with the other, "Apologize to Pearl at once."

"What? Mother, I don't understand." Orange turned her head to Pink, alarmed herself and starting to feel upset. She was only answering her question, what was wrong with that? Why was she suddenly so mad at her, and her grip on her shoulder hurt. She was confused and could feel tears threatening to form in her eyes.

"Pearl did something nice for you, and then you were terribly rude." Pink explained, her expression still stern, "Just because she isn't another Diamond doesn't mean you should talk like that."

"But it's true!" Orange pulled away from her mother's grasp, freeing her shoulder and took a step away, her hands forming fists as they came up to her chest, "And Yellow says that the other gems are beneath us, they're made to serve us. I shouldn't have to apologize for that." Orange challenged, her brows furrowing in growing frustration.

"Zirconia," Pink's voice remained pointed and showed she wanted no more arguing from her, "I want you to apologize to Pearl."

"My Diamond, really, it's alright-" Pearl spoke up, trying to defuse the situation, only to be cut off by Pink as well.

"No, it isn't." Pink looked expectantly at Orange, "Zirconia?"

"I-I..." Tears sprung to the corners of her eyes as she looked up at her's mother's angry expression. Her chest and head hurt, and she hated this. She didn't do anything wrong, she was a diamond, and it's not like she was being cruel, she was only speaking the truth, something White praised her for, and her mother wouldn't listen to. Now she wanted her to apologize for something that wasn't her fault, and it was all just too much. Too much!

"No!" she yelled, startling herself with her own volume, "I'm not going to apologize to some servant! I'm not wrong, you're wrong! She's just a pearl!"

"Enough!"

Orange sniffed loudly, tears spilling from her eyes that she could no longer hold back, but she still managed to glare up at her mother clear enough that Pink could see the anger on her face and the hurt in her eyes, "I'm not wrong, and I'm not sorry! I'm a diamond, and i'm more important than any pearl."

"Zirconia." Pink's voice was low, steely and almost threatening to Orange, a tone Orange had never heard her use towards her before, or anyone for that matter. It made Orange cry harder, so she turned her back to the larger Diamond so she couldn't see just how heavily the tears were spilling from her eyes now, embarrassed that she could do nothing to stop the little noises she made as she sobbed.

"I want to go back to Blue's! I don't want to stay here anymore."

"I..." Pink's expression morphed into one of shock and hurt, "Zirconia, you don't mean that."

"I do! I do!" Orange yelled, stomping her foot, "I mean it, I want to go back to Blue Diamond! She doesn't treat me like this."

"That's enough. When we return to the Moon Base, I want you to go to your room."

"What?" Zirconia turned around with a look of confusion and anger, "but-"

"Enough. Just...enough, Zirconia."

Orange made a loud, dramatic sob before she could cover her mouth and nose with both her hands and took off for the door, dodging around Pink and running out of it before anyone could stop her, the two Quartz guards standing just outside immediately taking off after her. it was then that Pearl stepped forward to Pink as she sat down on the floor, her head falling into her hands as she hid her face to hide her own tears.

"Are...are you okay, my Diamond?" Pearl questioned as she reached out a hand to Pink, almost touching her shoulder before she froze and pulled it away.

Pink peered up from her hands and Pearl's heart stuttered at the sight of her large, sad eyes. Her Diamond should never look so sad, it just wasn't right.

"Oh Pearl, I'm so sorry. Please forgive her, she just doesn't understand."

"Its quite alright, my Diamond." Pearl gave her a small smile. In truth, she was quiet offended and hurt by Orange's words, they had never gotten on exactly well, but never had she been so insulted by her either.

"I can't believe how she's acting...has she..." Pink paused, looking down at her hands as they rested in her lap before looking back at Pearl, "has she ever done something like that to you before?"

"Oh no, my diamond!" Pearl shook both her head and hands for emphasis, surprised by her Diamond's look of worry, "She's normally very quiet. We don't really..." Pearl took a deep breath and clasped her hands in front of her, giving Pink a respectful bow of her head, "It isn't my place to judge what is right or wrong for a Diamond to say. She is correct, I am just a pearl."

Author's Note

i have to say, i love writing bratty Orange sometimes.

[Updated and corrected 1/1/21]