For anyone who hasn't seen, there is now a visual schedule for when chapter updates will be released.

https://greenendai.tumblr.com/post/185759042977/greenendai-chapters-may-be-released-a-day-or

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The soft tapping of shoes echoed in the empty corridor, breaking up the monotonous silence that naturally seemed to reside inside the headship, like oppressive white noise. Orange Diamond, with her wish granted, was milking it for its worth, taking her time as she moved freely through the halls. A stroll, by herself, no one in sight to interrupt her. Nothing but sparkling white walls and marble floors, lined with borderline exorbitant decorative arches and molding on the wall, making the young diamond stand out amongst the alabaster.

Tap, tap, tap

She created a haphazard litany, stepping a little heavier than necessary to create noise with her shoes. It was silly, but no one was around to tell her to stop or judge her for her moment of harmless fun. It was a certain sound of freedom she could easily get addicted to. An independence she would soon have when she had her own palace, and when she was officially a part of the Authority. No longer kept in the shadow of the other Diamonds, but an equal to them.

It made her giddy to think of it, not that she could think of much else in that moment. Her whole life had been leading to this, what the other Diamonds had been grooming her for, on the horizon and waiting for her. It was such good news, she knew she had to share it. She wanted to tell everyone, anyone, no matter how unrealistic that option was in reality. The Carnelians would be first to know, which seemed only right. It was the Carnelians, after all, who had first approached her with their interest in following her when she became apart of the Authority. She would fight White tooth and nail for them, at the very least. They absolutely had to come with her to the palace. She would prepare some kind of impassioned, but rational, speech for White on the off chance she did want to punish them for straying from her.

But after them, there was Pearl. Pearl had to know as well. She would be first, if she wasn't away doing something for White. Knowing that she was only just busy doing whatever it was White had tasked her with put a part of her she hadn't really acknowledged at ease. Pearl wasn't at her arrival, not because she hadn't wanted to be, but because her job as White Diamond's pearl came first, and Orange had to respect that. Pearl's job meant everything to her, something she marked her worthiness by, and Orange could relate well enough to that. So, she would wait until Pearl had the time to see her to tell her the good news.

Her hand strayed to her belt, feeling the hard lump of rock underneath the stiff material of her belt. At least with Pearl being busy she would have extra time to clean up her present a little more. It no longer carried the loose dirt and dust that had lined the fine cracks and crevices of the stone's colorful clusters, but it could still do with another polishing, and, surprising to Orange, she had found applying her energy over the colorful stones enhanced its hue into a more vibrant indigo than it had been when she found it. She didn't know the reason behind it, but assume it had something to do with the gem essence it had formed from reacting to her.

Spurred to use her time a little more productively, Orange picked up her lazy pace, feet making a quicker staccato bounce off the walls.

Tap-tap, Tap, Tap-Tap, tap, Tap-tap

Orange's brow furrowed, foot paused from its arched position off the ground, stiffening with the rest of her as she felt a small, uncomfortable tingle shoot down the back of her neck. It was sudden, but familiar, not unlike when was back on Yellow's colony, being watched by that monster hiding in the trees. Unsuspecting prey, all alone to be perfectly ambushed. Turning her head to look behind her, her eyes searched the hall, but found nothing. Reaching a hand up, she soothed the feeling away as she rubbed the exposed skin there, eyes still flicking around, aware but unseeing of something that had set the feeling off.

"Hello?" Orange called, waiting a beat for a response but received nothing. Lips pursed, Orange hesitated but continued on, deciding she no longer wanted to be alone in the hall. However, no matter how she tried, she could not shake the feeling of no longer walking alone. Pace once again set, the young gem focused her hearing, shoulders tensing as she recognized the unmistakeable sound of another set of feet walking.

Tap-tap, Tap, Tap-Tap, tap, Tap-tap

Drowned out by her own, and lost in her own world, had she not stopped she would have missed it completely. Coming upon an oddly bright hall, Orange's eyes focused on a small arrangement of glass panels, the sight of the city lighting up the back wall in more color than it should have naturally been painted in. Slowing to a stop at one of the large panes, Orange took the chance to turn to the side, appearing as if she was looking out at the cityscape when she was really attempting to inconspicuously look behind her. Out of the corner of her eyes, Orange nearly missed the sight of a head of gray, almost white hair pull back behind a corner, disappearing from her sight so quickly she would have questioned she had even seen it had she not been purposely looking. After a moment of stunned surprise, her eyes narrowed when anger began to seep in, the realization hitting her as she slipped from surprised stupor into comprehension. White hair, the unusual feeling of caution for no reason, the sound of feet that weren't hers.

That Pearl from before, the one she couldn't wait to get away from, the one who gave the young Diamond the creeps, was following her.

Orange opened her mouth, about to call the Pearl out, before she stopped herself, lips pressing into a thin line as her eyes narrowed further. She was being followed, by a gem she didn't trust, in what should have been the safety of White's ship. What this Pearl wanted from her, or what her motive was, Orange wasn't really interested in finding out in the far side of a half empty ship, and she wasn't sure what this gem was capable of, or even why she was following her. Not to mention if she did something, Orange would never hear the end of it from her guardians, nor be allowed to walk by herself until she was two thousand years old. Fighting her impulse for confrontation, she reasoned it would be better to simply slip away. So instead of letting her know she knew, Orange would continue on until she had a chance to lose her.

She had spent too long in this ship, she knew the complex maze of halls as well as the gems who had designed it. She reckoned she could lose most here if she wanted.

"Hmm." Orange hummed, voice picking up, loud enough she was sure the Pearl had heard her "What a view." Turning from the window to continue down the corridor, she continued turning her eyes to try and peer around without turning her head too much, but it was impossible to really see through her cursedly messy hair. But, expectedly, Orange continued to hear those lighter steps attempting to camouflage themselves within her own and that same instinct biting at her neck in warning.

Strides lengthening, she knew the Pearl would have to choose between remaining quiet, or picking up her pace and risk being seen or heard to keep up with her. When the steps did not become louder, Orange took the chance of having created enough space between them to taking a sudden sharp turn to the left, passing through a connecting hallway only to turn right, following the open line of wall until she was met at another intersection. Taking another sharp turn, which she abruptly stopped at, the diamond leaned against the wall, ears focusing hyper-tensely to her surroundings.

Leaning cautiously, she peeked over the corner, focusing on the sight of the Pearl, head slowly turning from one side of the open corridor to the other, obviously searching for her. After a moment, the Pearl turned to the right, disappearing from her sight.

'Good.' Orange sneered in her head, pulling away from the wall to continue a little more cautiously down the hall, waiting until she was sure she and that Pearl were far enough apart to break out into a jog, 'Stay lost.'

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The trek back to the much more familiar halls of the back-facing south wing was largely, and gratefully, uneventful. The farther down the headship she traveled, and the closer she got to the top of the palace, the more the young Diamond began to feel secure again. Orange had only eased her jog when she ran into the first signs of life, two sentries walking the long stretch of halls, who were quite surprised to have the young Diamond nearly barrel into them. Beyond them, only a handful of soldiers could be found in the upper palace where Orange lived, as it was the gems who kept the rooms tidy and dust free that mainly inhabited the space at any given time. Orange always felt a little guilty for tracking in more dirt after her time with Iris and the Topazes, knowing she would never be the one to have to deal with the mess she made, but she had never been given more than a head bow for her trouble.

The safety of the corridor and the simple familiarness of her wing was enough to shake off the remaining unease of that pearl and their silly game of chase. Turning the corner, Orange stopped suddenly, face breaking out in a large, open mouth smile as her eyes focused on two red gems conversing animatedly with one another.

"5PX!" She yelled, pulling both of their attention to her as she began sprinting to then, "7PX!"

Recognition lit up 5PX's face, the first to abandon her post to charge at the young gem, meeting her part way, her counterpart joining soon after. "Orange Diamond!"

"My Diamond!"

Orange laughed as both Carnelians wrapped their arms around her, her own arms encircling them both and pulling them tightly against her sides.

"Oh, Its good to see you both again." Orange, lifted both of them, hugging them snuggly to her as she straightened up, earning gasps of surprise from the two guards when she lifted them off their feet.

5PX, with a wide smile on her face, playfully latched onto Orange's arm, exaggeratedly flailing her feet that were barely hung a meter off the floor, "Woah! Woah! Put me down! Get me off this shuttle ride!"

"Shush!" Orange laughed out at the gem's antics "Accept my hug."

5PX did her best to use her hand to mockingly give a salute in response,"As you command, your radiant radiant-ness. Hug me!"

The young gem laughed even harder as the Carnelian wrapped her arms back around her, knocking into 7PX's hands, earning a loud protest in return. Orange shook her head, "I have missed that too."

"Really?" 7PX's face pinched, eyebrows furrowing as she side eyed her companion, "who could miss 5PX's face? Normally it just scares gems off."

"Oh, hah hah, 7!" Her guard mate responded sarcastically, face briefly scrunching together to mock her, "Don't be jealous just because i'm clearly the favorite Carnelian here."

"No way!" 7 looked genuinely offended, only to quickly turn into a smug grin, "Our Diamond clearly prefers the smarter of the two of us, which is, obviously, me. She's just humoring you."

"Alright, alright," Orange intoned, setting the two Carnelians down, purposely placing them away from one another. "You two are a wonderful change from all formalness."

5PX, in one final act to get on 7PX's nerve, fell to her knees to touch the ground and dramatically weep, "Oh sweet floor."

As predicted, 7PX grunted, eyes narrowing at her counterpart, "Be quiet, 5." She hissed, "Get up! You're being rude now."

"Im joking," 5 responded, pushing off her bent knees to stand up straight, "You should try it some time, instead of being so serious."

"Someone has to be serious between us!" 7 gestured widely from herself and to 5, "Can you imagine if we were caught goofing off by-"

"Hey, calm down." Orange cut in, both Carnelian's mirroring one another as their lips slanted, eyes narrowing as they glared at one another. "I have some important news and i want you guys to hear it."

5 was the first to give up their staring to look up at Orange, surprise softening her features as she questioned, "Oh? Is it good news?"

"I consider it some of the best news of my life." Orange responded, smile widening as she cocked her head to look at the shorter of the three of them, taking a pause for effect, she finally spoke, "Soon, i'll be moving into a new palace, my ownpalace. I'll be joining the Authority!"

"Oh." Fell from 5PX's lips before she could stop it.

7PX was quick to attempt to fix her friend's blunder, "Uh, congrats, my Diamond!" she grinned in obviously forced enthusiasm, "Really, thats great to hear."

"Okay, really?" Orange questioned, slightly exasperated as she looked from one carnelian to the other, "i was expecting something more...well," she made a motion with her hand as she settled on a word, "excited?"

"No, no, really, its great news, my diamond," 5 responded, ashamed enough to give Orange an apologetic look in response, "but, seriously?" she paused while Orange's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, "Who hasn't heard!?"

"Heard what?"

7PX nodded in agreement, "You're all the word on Homeworld right now."

Orange's confusion rose, turning up as she looked from one Carnelian to the other and repeated, "What?"

"Well, not you, you." 5 gestured to the young diamond, "But the new Palace? They know there is a new Diamond, it's a matter of trying to see you before any big announcements are made." She explained, eyebrows waggling as if she had said something mystifying, "You know, anything official from on high."

The corner of Orange's mouth lifted up and pulled back, lips pressed together as she folded her arms over her chest, eyes turned down to stare at the floor in thought. "That might explain why I was being followed earlier."

Both Carnelian's faces slipped from amusement to alarmed, eyes going round as lips parted in stunned surprise.

7PX was the first to respond, snapping out a startled, "What?"

"Who?" 5PX followed, tone assertive as she became surprisingly serious.

"Who were your guards?"

"Why weren't you being escorted!"

Orange pinched the bridge of her nose as the two began talking over one another, speaking up to be heard over them, "Shush you two."

"Yes my Diamond!" both saluted, straightening up as they both quieted simultaneously.

"I.." Orange looked between both of them, hand falling away from her face as she winced, "I didn't mean like that. It was an order, but not an order like-" she cut herself off, waving her hand in the air dismissively, "Never mind." As both Carnelians relaxed their stance, Orange continued speaking, "Look, it was this weirdly pushy pearl that insisted on escorting me to White from the shuttle." She explained, "I lost her, it's not like you're in trouble."

Both Carnelian's exchanged an uneasy look, "Until White's Pearl finds out."

"Or worse," 7PX grimace, "White Diamond."

"We weren't there," 5PX pointed out, wagging a finger at her guard mate, "it's not our fault."

"We're assigned to her," 7PX countered, eyes wide in as she made an agitated motion with her hand towards her, "of course it's our fault!"

"No, no." 5PX dismissed her claim with a wave of her hand, "We were told to be here."

Orange blinked, turning to look at 5 quizzically, "You were told-?"

"But if something happens," 7 cut her off as if she hadn't said anything, continuing to narrow her eyes at 5, "It's our gems on the line!"

"Wait-"

"We were following orders." 5 countered, and had the moment of thought to turn and give Orange an apologetic look, "I mean, not that I wouldn't feel bad if something were to happen to you, my Diamond."

Orange's lips quirked, "I know what you-"

"But it's not our fault," 5 immediately continued after, Orange's mouth snapping shut as she was interrupted again, eyes moving from one gem to the other as they spoke, "we were following orders, directly from White Diamond."

"But it's still our job."

"We can't be in two places at once!"

"There's two of us," 7 motioned to her and then to herself, "of course we can!"

"Okay! Let's just calm down!" Orange stepped between the two, holding her hands up and motioning the two back away from each other. "Why are you two fighting? What orders?"

"We're not fighting." 5 blinked in surprise, looking up at her superior.

7 surprisingly nodded in agreement, "We're bickering."

5 snapped her fingers and pointed at her guard mate, "Yeah, we're bickering."

7 turned from Orange to sneer at 5, "Don't copy me!"

"I'm not copying you, I'm agreeing." 5 pulled a face mockingly at 7 and pointed to it, "See, this is my agreeing face."

"5PX stop antagonizing." Orange interrupted, chastising the shorter gem and then turning to the other, "7PX, what Orders?"

7 snapped to attention, turning fully to look at Orange as she responded, "We were told by a pearl, under White Diamond's orders to wait for you at your personal quarters, my Clarity."

"Not my, erm," Orange lowered her eyes briefly as she caught herself before she could finish her sentence, quickly correcting herself, "White's Pearl?"

"No."

"She wouldn't have happen to have short," Orange used her hand to give the Carnelians a visual example of the general length she was trying to describe, "white-ish hair? Had a sort of high collared dress?"

"Yeah, that's her." 5PX shuttered, "Really creepy."

"And stoic." 7 agreed, nodding her head, "Like she wasn't there."

"She couldn't leave fast enough."

"For us, at least." 7 amended, "She and those Topazes."

"I've seen robonoid drones with more emotion."

7 shook her head, "That Pearl's smile was worse."

"Alright, I get it." Orange grunted, hand coming up to rub at her forehead as she took a moment to think about the occurrence, "The whole situation is weird," she spoke after a long pause, looking up to meet both Carnelian's eyes, "and if you see her again, ignore her orders. I don't exactly trust she's working under White's command."

"A spy?" 5PX questioned.

"A pawn." Orange corrected, "She's only a Pearl, she can't make moves in higher circles without a master."

"Even though it hasn't been announced, everyone's waiting for it." 7 said, looking between Orange and 5, "A new Diamond."

Orange's eyebrows turned down, her head turning to give the taller carnelian a curious look, "How do you know all this, anyway?"

"I heard about it from the Moonstones, in the lower palace." 5 answered, pulling Orange's attention to her, "Most of the aristocracy doesn't think we listen, or that we're even smart enough to do anything with what we overhear."

7 nodded in agreement, "And guards and servants hear a lot."

Orange tsked, "Careless."

"My Diamond?"

"Nothing." The young diamond shook her head, and gestured for the two guards to follow her as she started to walk towards the entrance of her room. "I'm going to rest, it's been a long day already. If Pearl comes by, White's Pearl that is," she made a point to clarify, "she may enter. Everyone else can wait."

"But what about that Agate?" 5PX questioned, earning a tense shutter from 7PX.

"Yeah. That mean Agate who threatened to destabilize 5."

"Iris?" Orange interjected, blinking in surprise as she looked at 7.

"Yeah. It was an Iris Agate!" 5 confirmed, "She had these pads to drop off for you, but we were uncertain about letting her enter."

"We let her in," 7 explained, hastily adding "with us watching, of course." She appeared ashamed to admit it, "She left the pads on your desk. She said she might be back."

"Ugh." Orange grunted, head tilting back as she slapped her forehead, turning to give both Carnelian's an apologetic look of her own, "That's my fault. I should have introduced you or at least said something. Listen, that Iris Agate is mine, and she has permission to enter, so long as I'm not resting, Alright?"

Both 5 and 7 nodded, loosely saluting Orange in some semblance of obedience, which was enough for the young diamond. "Yes my Diamond."

"Good." Orange paused as they stopped in front of her doors, turning to look at 5 who sheepishly responded, "I really didn't want to have to fight her."

"What fight?" 7 snorted, turning to look at 5 with a raised eyebrow, "You're so lazy, do you even know how to throw a real punch?"

5 glared at 7, mouth turning down in a snarl as she raised a fist to her, "Why throw a punch when I could just scare them off with your ugly face? It's worked so far."

Orange rolled her eyes, turning around and releasing the lock on her door, "Have fun with your bickering, you two."

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Orange's eyes roamed over the small personal display, rereading, not for the first time, Iris' new plan for training, as well as the things Yellow had spoken to her about, which she happily noted — her enthusiasm and honorof speaking with the older diamond included — were such wonderful additions to her regimen.

Orange could only consider it some kind of cruel punishment as she looked over a schedule of drills and exercises, planned out to the minute. A resounding total of almost four hours of nothing but exercise to work her and the Topazes, the poor fools, ragged.

Orange's nose scrunched up as she narrowed her eyes at a totaled goal of laps she would be expected to complete each day, "I'd be better off at war on Earth." She grunted, placing the device down onto the desk and scrubbing a hand anxiously through her hair, "I'm more likely to survive."

She was momentarily distracted from the document, looking up when she heard the familiar ping of warning before the doors opened with a swoosh. Eyes widening, she stared as she took in the familiar sight of White Pearl, head bent to look at the floor, and two Carnelians on either side of her, none too discreetly turning their heads to watch as she walked in without Orange's permissions, as was her privilege.

Up and out of her chair before the doors could even close, the young Diamond took advantage of her long legs to stride across the room in as few steps as she could.

"Orange, forgive me for not being there for your arrival, I-" Pearl's mouth snapped shut when she was engulfed in two strong arms and lifted off the ground, her hands instinctively reaching up and grasping onto the back of Orange's shoulders, all while her eyes rounded, shocked as the room spun in her vision, disorientated for a moment before Orange's laughter registered with her and she realized the younger gem was spinning her around as she held her upper half close to her, to the point she could feel the hard edges of Diamond's gem pressed against her chest.

A laugh escaped her, bubbled up at the joy in her friend's own laughter, leaning in and hugging her back just a little tighter. "Orange! Put me down!"

"I missed you, so much Pearl!" Orange, after a moment more, slowed her twirling, looking down at Pearl's face as she tilted her head back to look up at her.

Pearl raised a thin eyebrow, the amusement clear on her face. "I noticed."

Orange laughed again, the corners of her eyes crinkling with pure joy, "Where have you been?"

"On business for my Diamond." Pearl answered, making a point of glancing downward, "Do you plan to hold me all night?"

"Well, I could." Orange grinned, canting forward and allowing Pearl to find her footing on the ground before slowly breaking their hug, "but I imagine you prefer to walk yourself."

Pearl felt her cheeks warm, but nodded, "it would eventually get tiring for you." She responded and then moved on before Orange could do so in kind, "But we have a lot to talk about, don't we?"

Orange blinked in genuine surprise, "We do?"

"I have things I wish to tell you." Pearl answered, taking a step towards Orange's desk, eyeing the pad she had been looking at curiously before turning back to the younger gem, "But more importantly, I want to hear about your trip."

"Four months away." Orange responded as means of a segue, "It's certainly been interesting. There's a lot to talk about that happened at Blue and Yellows, as always, not to mention the addition of Pink's visit."

"Yes," Pearl turned slightly in an attempt to hide her expression as her lips pulled down, "your extended stay at...Pink Diamond's base."

Pearl's disquiet tone did not go unnoticed as Orange's smile fell into a look of concern, "Are you sure you want to hear about that?"

Pearl only hesitated for a moment before turning to Orange with a more neutral expression, "What has happened, happened a long time ago. I will be fine."

Not wishing to push the topic further, Orange nodded, "Say the word, and I'll shut up."

Pearl's lips quirked upward, giving a small shake of her head, "I appreciate that. But I purposely came to hear you talk."

Orange made a motion with her hand for Pearl to follow her as they walked slowly together towards the opposite side of the room where they traditionally sat together, giving Pearl a side glance as she gave a small laugh in response, "And here I thought it was my charming personality that you came for."

"Charming?" Pearl's eyebrows rose, "Is that what they call it these days? I would have gone with awkward."

"Oh," Orange groaned, dramatically placing a hand to her chest as if she had been hit, "low blow."

Pearl pursed her lips as she fought off a laugh to respond, "It's all low blows from down here, Orange."

"Funny." Orange turned to point at Pearl, her mouth morphing into a wide open-mouth grin, "Funny Pearl tonight!"

Pearl, looking quite pleased with herself, responded, "I like to think I'm amusing when I want to be."

"You certainly can be." The young diamond agreed, stopping as they came to the junction between her bed and the line of windows in front of it, watching as Pearl cocked her head, staring out the windows in what Orange would have describe as distractedly. Remaining quiet a moment more, she spoke up to question, "Now, bed or the floor?"

"Hmm?" Pearl blinked, turning her eyes from the cityscape to look owlishly up at the younger gem as she questioned, "What?"

"Do you want to sit on the bed..." Orange slowly pointed to her bed, "or the floor?" A single eyebrow raising in question when she didn't answer right away, remaining staring at her quietly. "To talk Pearl." she clarified, Pearl's eyes finally focusing when she stepped towards her, "Are you feeling alright?"

"Actually..." Pearl cleared her throat, taking a step back in response, eyes lowering and missing the concern flash across the young diamond's face, "I'd like to stand. I need to tell you about what I was doing, Orange." She looked back up, the uncertainty clear to the younger gem, "I need to tell you, before it gets forgotten to tonight."

Orange hesitated, eyebrows turned upward as she regarded her friend's uneasiness, her excitement quickly turning into concern,"You're looking really on edge." she commented, "Are you sure you don't want to sit, Pearl?"

"Orange, please, just listen." Pearl stressed her name in exasperation, perhaps a little more than she had wanted, but it had it's intended effect as Orange nodded.

"Okay." The younger gem straightened, slightly deflating at her tone, but gave her her full attention all the same, "Okay. I'm listening, Pearl."

"What I want to talk about," Pearl said, paused, and then started over, "What i need to tell you has to do with you, and why I wasn't there to greet you when you came back home."

"You said you were doing business for White." Orange responded, eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

"I was." She confirmed, "It's not finished yet, decisions are still being made. But it's news I don't want sprung on you."

"A bad surprise?"

Pearl's eyes lowered, as if she were ashamed, "I can't say. But I know..." She looked back up as she hesitated to say, "with your history, Orange, I rather be cautious."

"Mmm." Orange hummed, offering Pearl a small smile in an attempt to ward away some of her unease, "So very bad surprise. Can you tell me?"

"I'm not supposed to. In fact, White Diamond hasn't outright said it, but it's been implied," Pearl explained, earning a surprised look in response, "which is the sole reason I'm here able to talk to you about it."

"What is it Pearl?" Orange glanced beside her to the bed, decidedly wishing they had sat down to discuss thing, "You're making me a little nervous now."

"As you are aware..." Pearl winced at her own clumsy formalness, "Since you are moving into your own palace, you're going to need assistance."

"Oh." Orange's shoulders dropped as the tension left her posture, "I talked with White about that already. Theres no reason to be so worried."

Pearl's eyes rounded as her eyebrows disappeared into her hairline, staring at Orange's own rather indifferent response, "She-she told you?"

"Well, Yeah?" Orange shrugged, unsure why Pearl was still so worked up, "She let it slip she knew about the gems who wanted to join me, when I had a real court, so we discussed them coming with me instead of the punishment she had planned. I mean," Orange brushed the hair away from her neck out of nervous habit, "it's not all concrete, but I'm sure we can work something acceptable out."

Pearl could not stop her face from falling, eyebrows turning up as she gave the younger gem a soft look of sympathy. "Oh, Orange."

"What?" the young gem's eyebrows rose in a mixture of confusion and concern, "Why do you look sad? Do you know something about that?"

"Orange, dear," Pearl stepped forward, hand coming up to gently touch Orange's arm in an act of comfort, "when I said assistance, I meant....the Diamonds, all four, intend to give you a new pearl."

Orange recoiled from her touch, face contorting as she gasped out a strangled, "What?"

"You have to understand," Pearl moved forward in an attempt to comfort the distressed gem, "as a Diamond, one that's clearly moving up to joining the Authority," she hedged, "it's necessary you have everything you need at your disposal, and that means a pearl to aid you."

"I...no!" Orange screamed, startling Pearl into taking a take back from her, "Absolutely not!"

"Orange-"

"I don't need- I don't want a new pearl!" Orange turned away, pacing a few steps away and turning, "I...it's been fine." She made a gesture to Pearl," I mean, I- you can't be there, of course, not every moment. But we'll be close, I could visit White everyday, or, or something!" Orange stopped suddenly in her tracks, hands weaving into her hair as she began to breath quickly, "I'll be free to move around, I can go wherever is needed. I don't need a new pearl," She said, and then repeated in a much firmer, louder voice, "I don't want a new pearl!"

"Orange, shhh, please," Pearl raised both of her hands, stepping towards Orange cautiously in case she began pacing widely again, keeping her voice even as she spoke, "you're shouting, and your going to alarm the Carnelians at the door."

"I don't care!" Orange turned to her, startling her at the sudden glare turned on her, "Let them hear! I-how could they." Orange's eyes lowered to the floor between them, eyebrows turning down further as she became angrier, tears forming in the corners of her eyes that went largely ignored, "I saw all of them, they looked me in the eyes for months," She made a motion to herself for emphasis,"and not one of them said..." Orange's voice caught in her throat, "not even-"

"Orange," Pearl interrupted calmly, making a motion towards the bed behind them, "sit down." She held out her hand in offering, "Come on. Sit with me?"

"I can't." Orange ignored Pearl's hand, picking her pacing back up where she left off, shaking her head widely as she continued to speak out loud, "I can't. I can't have a new Pearl. What if..." She stopped, slowly turning to look at Pearl with such large, scared eyes that it hurt Pearl to keep contact, "what if I hurt her too? I can't go through that again." The younger gem shook her head again, "I won't." She continued before Pearl could get anything out, "I'll go to White, I'll tell her I refuse a pearl! I'll figure something else out."

"Like what?" Pearl questioned, cutting into Orange's tirade, trying to force some rationality into her borderline hysterical ramblings.

"I don't know!" Orange screamed, only calming as she took in the actual trepidation that crossed Pearl's face at her response, "Anything!" She sobbed, tears falling down her cheeks as she began to deflate from her crazed anger, "I'll use a different gem, something...something else. Rubies are great listeners. Maybe an Agate? I just-"

"Shh" Pearl finally took an apprehensive step forward, spurred on when Orange did not immediately move away, and placed her hands around Orange's own "It's alright."

"How is any of this alright?" Orange's hands clenched down onto Pearl's, the smaller gem wincing at the uncontrolled grip, but did not attempt to pull away, instead allowing the young diamond to continue as her words began to slur from her distressed cries, "I didn't even think...I was so excited to be recognized, and my own palace and court...I didn't even think about how I would be away from you. And then, then you tell me the others have been planning- and behind my back! How could I be so stupid?" Her head fell, chin hitting her chest as tears fell off the point of her nose, "Of course there's a catch. It's never just a nice act, is it? It's always a game for them. I really thought..."

"Calm down," Pearl repeated, tilting her head and making Orange look up to meet her eyes, "let's talk this out."

"How long have they been planing this?" The diamond's face twisted into subdued anger, teeth clenching as her hands remained tightly around Pearl's, "Do they really think she was just some toy to me, that they can replace? Why can't they understand-"

"Orange," Pearl interrupted, voice raised, the slight panic to her tone catching the diamond off guard, "Your powers."

"What?" Orange gasped, eyes darting down in time to see the bright flash of energy encircling her hands, stepping away and dropping Pearl's own as if she had been burned herself. The anger melted from her face as she stumbled back, anguish morphing her expression as she gasped, "Oh! I...have I hurt you?"

"No." Pearl quickly responded, eyes going from her still outstretched hands in surprise to the horrified diamond, "I'm alright. See? I'm alright."

"I could have hurt you." Orange whispered, taking another step back and tripping over her own unsteady feet, falling backwards and leaning on her hands, eyes never really leaving Pearl as she stared. "If I had hurt you...I can't." The young diamond leaned forward, breathing becoming laborious as she placed her head against her legs, curling into herself, "I can't have another one. It would only be a matter of time."

"You underestimate your control, Orange." Pearl took a hesitant step forward, gone unnoticed by the younger gem as she continued to sob into her knees, Pearl's eyebrows turning up as her heart broke at the sight of the inconsolable gem before her. Kneeling beside her, Pearl placed a tentative hand against the diamond's shoulder, "You're letting what happened disrupted everything you've been working for."

Orange reacted by jerking her shoulder out of Pearl touch, face contorting into anger as she snarled, "More Pearl wisdom to calm me down?" Her anger died just a quickly as it had risen, the apology appear on her face before it could slip from her tongue. "Sorry. I didn't mean that."

"I know you didn't." Pearl responded, titling her head down to meet Orange's before they were turned away again, and with a lot more insistence than Orange had expected, used one of her hands to turned her head towards her, forcing her attention to remain on her. "But I need you to see. Look at my hands."

Slowly, Orange looked down, following the hand that had been at her jaw as it moved away, her own hands hesitated to reach out and cup them in her own.

Pearl waited, the backs of her hands resting in orange's palms, eyes focused on her face as the diamond's eyes flicked over her hands, inspecting every minor detail she could pick up.

Eventually, after much examination, Orange looked up, meeting Pearl's eyes and spoke in a small, hoarse voice, "They're tiny."

Pearl gave her a small smile, a breathy laugh forced from her lips at the statement. "Compared to yours, maybe."

The corner of Orange's mouth flicked up in the barest of smiles before her eyes turned back down to Pearl's hands, studying them a moment longer before looking back up to her as she asked, "Am I supposed to be looking for something?"

"You don't see anything?" Pearl questioned softly.

Another quick examination, as if she would find something on the third sweep that she had missed in the first two. A long pause, Orange gave a small shake of her head as she met her eyes again, "Nothing different than what I know your hands to look like."

"Exactly." Pearl responded pointedly, My hands were in yours, while you were unaware of using your powers, and you didn't hurt me. Look again," Pearl urged, "there is no disruption in my lightform."

"I..." Orange did indeed look again, eyes lingering before her hands released hers, pulling back and clenching into fist against her legs, "you must have stopped me in time."

"Or your better at controlling yourself than you think you are." Pearl reasoned, unwilling to let her move farther than that as she reach out, placing her own hands on top of her fists. "You aren't the small gem who had no idea that gems even had powers. You said you accepted what happened with her, with your former Pearl. But now, your going to be apart of the Authority, your going to be free."

Orange stared down at the small gloved hands that pressed instantly against her own, steady as hers shook from the force she used to squeeze them. "It's all I've ever wanted."

"Then you have to let go of this notion that your going to break every Pearl you come in contact with." Pearl, released one hand, leaned forward and pushed Orange's chin up so she couldn't coil in on herself again, "You haven't hurt me. And you didn't hurt any of the other Diamond's Pearls, did you?"

"Of course not!" Orange responded, voice rising in indignation, reeling back from pearl to give her an annoyed look before she was subdued again, but did not return to attempting to ball herself up again. Instead, she simply sat back, allowing Pearl to be near her. "I-I'm still..." her eyes flicked away in hesitation and embarrassment, "I'm still scared."

Pearl's eyes softened, her hand reaching down to gently ease into Orange's own, receiving a small squeeze of appreciation for her continued efforts. "It's alright to be scared."

"I shouldn't be." Orange looked back to Pearl, eyebrows furrowing in discontent, "I should be strong, and fearless. How am I suppose to lead a court if I'm afraid of hurting them?"

"I can't tell you how to do that." Pearl shook her head, "I don't have experience with what your going through, but that doesn't mean your doing it alone." Reaching forward with her other hand, she placed it atop the one that held the other, "I'm here. Your friends are here." She made a motion towards the door with her head, "We have your back."

Orange's eyes watered, but tears never fell as she stared at Pearl in wonder, "Why are you always so certain I can succeed like that? This isn't some fist fight or a silly debate. I can't beat this with well thought out words, or, or-"

"You'll find a way." Pearl said, her tone leaving no room for doubts. "You always talk about how your going to be strong, and show Homeworld just how amazing you are. I need you to do that. I need you to gather yourself up, and stop doubting yourself everytime something is out of your control. I've seen you when your fresh from training, you work so hard, and you know it hasn't been for nothing."

"But-"

"No." Pearl said firmly, Orange's mouth snapping shut in response. "Accept you are better than before. You're not a lost child, you know what you're doing. You have to be ready for what's to come. You're not in this alone. I won't leave you to do it alone. It's what friends are for, right?"

Orange breathed out, staring at Pearl's smile as she waited for the younger gem to respond. However, instead of the verbal response she had been expecting, Orange leaned forward, closing the small space between them and pressing her lips against Pearl's. Pearl's eyes widened, cheeks dusting a dark color, and before she could even think to respond, Orange was pulling away, eyebrows high and missing in her bangs, eyes wide and watery as her mouth hung open.

"I'm sorry!" Orange yelped, "I'm so sorry, I didn't, I shouldn't have done that." She stumbled over her words, shaking her head but never taking her eyes off of Pearl's stunned face, "i'm so sorry, Pearl. I didn't mean to ruin it like-"

"Stop." Pearl interrupted her before she could devolved into hysterics, her head bowed and her face unreadable to Orange until she looked up, her expression softening under Orange's panicked stare, "It's alright."

"But-"

"You're very emotional." The smaller gem shook her head, "I understand." She paused, inhaling a deep breath, "You haven't ruined anything Orange. I know you didn't mean to do that."

Orange's jaw twitched, eyes flicking away from Pearl's before eventually coming back, as she forced herself to admit, "But I did. I mean, not so suddenly, or without your okay, or- I'm sorry." She finally cut herself off, "I've been thinking about doing that, recently, but I shouldn't have done that. It was impulsive."

Pearl paused, clearly taken aback by Orange's response. A moment of pause, Pearl's voice came out as a soft whisper as she confirmed, "You've been thinking about that?"

Orange nodded, before softly adding, "Yes."

Pearl lowered her gaze, her face lighting up in the darkest blush Orange had ever seen on her, a shaky rush of air passed between her lips before she looked back up, "I...I'm glad I'm not the only one then."

Orange's mouth fell open, her voice hopeful as she questioned, "Really?"

Lips quirking up at the corners, Pearl gave Orange a slightly amused stare in response as an eyebrow rose up, "You act surprised, as if we have not been closer recently. I wouldn't think you were so oblivious."

"I just didn't think..." Orange's blush crept up her neck, threatening to merge with the tint of her cheeks and turn her whole face a new shade of orange. "I wasn't sure if you would have those thoughts." She cleared her throat, voice squeaking as she clarified, "About me."

"I do." Pearl confirmed, "But they worry me, when I do."

Orange's eyebrows furrowed, turning up in concern. "Why?"

"It's very inappropriate." The small gem's eyebrows came together as she shook her head, "A pearl, having such thoughts about a Diamond? It's so wrong."

"But I feel them too." Orange encircled her hands around Pearl's, pulling them closer to her chest, "If we both feel it, how could that be wrong?"

"Because it is." Pearl insisted weakly, "I am no more than a servant, and you, you're a diamond. We can't...if we were found out, just as you were about to be inducted, it wouldn't look good. I couldn't do that to you."

Orange shook her head, hair flying wildly as she did, "I don't care what we are. I care about you! We could keep it secret." She reasoned, pleading, "No one but us has to know."

"We could get in so much trouble, Orange!" Pearl pulled her hands away forcefully, making Orange flinch. "I'm just a pearl, I'm replaceable, but you're not! Homeworld would-"

Orange sprung up, getting to her knees as she bellowed, "Then Homeworld is wrong!"

"Orange?" Pearl leaned back, her eyes straying to the small bout of energy licking up from Orange's form, the sudden change in mood putting her on edge. "Please, calm down, you're starting to scare me."

"What's so wrong with caring about you?" Orange questioned, ignoring Pearl's statement to lean forward and attempt to grab Pearl's hands again, "If they have an issue with it, than they can take it up with me. I'm not going to let some no named gem tell me who I can and can't love!"

Pearl slapped Orange's hands away before the could take her own, eyes momentarily narrowing in anger as she yelled, "Orange, that's enough!"

Orange recoiled, pulling her hands back as she calmed, taking multiple deep breath as she and Pearl stared back at one another, eyes equally as wide and surprised as the other. Orange's voice was small, quiet and questioning as she spoke, "Pearl?"

Pearl closed her eyes, taking a moment to collect herself before she dared to look back at Orange with some semblance of control of herself, "Please understand. I care about you. I do." A hand came up, covering her forehead and the tops of her eyes as she closed them, "Stars, I shouldn't feel this way, but I do." She shook her head in her own self-cynicism, "I know better, but I do." Her hand fell away as she look back at her, "And if we're found out, if something happens to you because I couldn't control myself, it would shatter me."

"Nothings going to happen." Orange hesitated, slowly reaching forward once again, giving Pearl every opportunity to move away as she gently took her hands in her own. "Nothing has happened yet."

"I..." lowering her head, Pearl sullenly pulled her hands away and tucked them into her lap where Orange could no so easily take them again. "I can't."

"Pearl?" Orange heisted before returning her own hands to her lap, "Please, don't do this. Just give me a chance to prove it to you. That's all I want, a chance. Let me show you it will be alright. I won't let anything happen."

"Do not make promises you can't keep, Orange." Pearl's voice lacked the normal bite it would have carried with that statement, now only soft, sombre. "You know I hate that."

"I swear to you on my life." Orange placed a hand over her gem, attempting to duck her head to make Pearl meet her eyes, "This, you, mean so much to me."

"I..." Pearl turned her head, ignoring the burn of her face, and the ache in chest to do so, finally settled on, "I need time. I need to think, before I..."

Orange could not stop her shoulders from lowering in relief, while it wasn't the answer she had wanted, it was a better outcome and response than she had feared would be given. "Take whatever time you need. I'm not going anywhere. I'm not."

The corner of Pearl's lips quirked up, but it was anything but amused. "I've heard that before."

"I mean it." The diamond said, voice as serious as she could make it in her overly emotional state, but it was enough as Pearl looked back at her from the corners of her eyes, her own vulnerableness clear for Orange to see, "I'm not going to give up on you, Pearl." She hesitated, her own mother's words nagging in the back of her mind, hesitating before adding, "Not unless you tell me no, for sure."

Pearl's eyes fell to the floor, then turned away as she cocked her head to look out at the still dark cityscape, the neon lights a contrast against everything, and a good momentary distraction. "Just..." She drew out the moment with a pause and then looked back at Orange, a tiredness Orange had never really seen settling on her face as she said, "Just sit with me, and tell me about what you've done while you've been away. I don't want to think about it right now."

"Anything, Pearl." Orange paused, eyes turning away as the tension still residing in the air before she turned back to Pearl, forcing a smile on her face for both their sakes as she laughed, perhaps a little too loudly, but continued all the same as she asked, "How about I tell you about how I snuck down to Yellow's planet without her knowing? I bet you'll find this one interesting."

Pearl narrowed her eyes, lips lifting up at Orange's attempt, appreciating her willingness to go along with her request so eagerly. Forcing herself to turn from her thoughts for the moment, she raised an eyebrow, and challenged, "Orange Diamond, you did not."

Orange recoiled, hand going to her chest as if she had been insulted, "Oh, I absolutely did!"