Sorry for the wait. Hope everyone is doing well. Have a super long chapter as an apology.

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The light of the morning sun clashed against meandering clouds, warm pink leaking from behind the dim wisps to bask the dark gray and metallic buildings in its own glow, even as the buildings continued to display their neon colors and artificial lights. Below, the bustle of gems had long since began before even the first rays had touched down on the capital city. A new day, another work cycle, meaning it was time once again to leave their cubbies to join the rest of the rotation of workers, switching out work exhausted gems for their more eager counterparts who were ready and set to continue their jobs that they had been made perfect for, as well as schedules that could not afford them leisure time to admire the sun's work.

As it was, Orange Diamond sat cross-legged at her table, her legs initially pressing against the underside of it despite having them folded under her and splayed out on either side as far down as she could comfortably get them, which meant she had ultimately decided it best to sit on the other side of the table, giving her room to spread out beside it without rocking the top's contents with every little nudge and bump of her knees. In between her fingers was a tablet, which she absentmindedly placed in her mouth before she reached down for another one without looking, mechanically repeating the process as she stared unblinkingly at the kaleidoscopic pattern that was cast against the stark white marble floor that the parted curtains had allowed in. So caught up in her own thoughts, Orange barely took notice of what she was really doing, nor what was going on around her.

The multiple pings at her door went unheard, her eyes never straying from the direction of the dancing light when, unbeknownst to her, Pearl, curious to the lack of response she had anticipated, cautiously stepped inside as she quickly took notice of her distant staring. It wasn't exactly an odd sight for her to see the typically eager and boisterous young Diamond so silent and distracted, she did after all, have the tendency to work herself up as she started to overthink things or become enrapt in her own little world when she got to thinking out ideas. But something about how the very room felt as she stepped inside made her alert. The unseeing, dazed expression, coupled with the drawn lines of a frown on her face meant something serious had been brewing and for how long, she couldn't know. It wasn't the typical seriousness she was used to seeing on occasion from her partner, that deliberate silence that came when she was learning to fall into her roll as leader and not be the passive ward. It was a nervous, skittish kind of silence, charged with a sort of buzzing anticipation that one could never fully be sure how it would erupt if provoked unexpectedly, especially from a gem like a Diamond. And as guilty as it made her feel to do so, her steps were extra light as she crossed the room to join her at the table.

As Orange had tucked herself in at the far side of the table, Pearl remained safety on the opposite side, observing the younger gem who took no notice of her presence. To Pearl's keen eyes, she did not appear to have gotten much rest at all, but at least she seemed to have an appetite enough to be feeding herself the new tablets she had had brought in early, unsure she would have gotten to return in time before her escort detail arrived to take her to the Justice District and the impending trial that meant so much to her.

Clearing her throat, Pearl spoke up softly to break the young diamond's trance, "Orange?"

Jerking at the sound her voice, Orange's head whipped around to look at her, the tablets in her hand clattering to the table as she stared wide-eyed at the smaller gem. "Pearl!" she gasped, her hand lowering over her chest as she cleared her throat, the faintest of blushes coloring her cheeks as she blinked the surprise from her face, "I didn't hear you come in. Don't sneak up on me like that."

"Sorry," Pearl offered her a small smile that was more amused than apologetic, "you seemed very out of it just now, I didn't wish to scare you."

"Did I?" Orange questioned, eyes flicking down to the tablets now scattered on the table, deciding to purposely busy herself by picking them up as a temporary distraction before she paused, grimacing as her eyes flicked up to meet Pearl's, "Just a little preoccupied, I suppose," she agreed with a dismissive shrug, "that's all."

Moving closer, Pearl leaned over the table, collecting the few that had skittered to the other side, reaching out to place them into the younger gem's awaiting hand as she asked in a conversational tone, "The trial?"

Orange nodded, lips thinning as she stared down at the few tablets in her hand, "I keep imagining what's going to happen. Or, really, what she's going to say. I don't know if i'm ready for this."

Sliding down to the table adjacent to the taller gem, Pearl folded her legs beside her, leaning forward onto her elbows as she made it easier to maintain eye contact from her position slightly behind the much larger gem already craning her neck to look at her, "What do you think she's going to say?"

Orange sucked in a breath, her body tense, even as Pearl reached over to place a hand over her left forearm that had been resting against the table. "She's going to convince everyone, again, that she was doing the right thing. She's going to try and persuade the others that I'm some kind of monster."

"But you're not."

Orange grunted, lips twisting into a frustrated frown, "But what if Yellow and Blue believe her? They didn't listen before. What if..."

"Orange," Pearl said, voice firm as she tilted her head to trying and look her more directly in the eyes, her fingers grasping a little tighter onto her forearm, "No one believes her. No one."

"But-"

Shaking her head, Pearl cut her off, "You're not a monster. You're the next in line to join the Authority. Do you believe she knows more about you than even my Diamond?"

"I..." Orange bit her lip, remaining silent a moment before she halfheartedly shrugged, "maybe even White doesn't know what she does. White doesn't know everything. She can't."

"What could she possibly know that has you worried?" Pearl pushed, her hand sliding down from her forearm to open hand, her fingers curling against her own, slotting themselves into her hand as she ignored the tablets still in her palm, "You're a gem, just like any of us."

Orange's eyes lowered, "You know I'm not."

"You're different," Pearl begrudgingly conceded, though not giving her a moment to think on it further, "but you're still one of us. You belong here, Orange." She paused long enough to reach over the table, her other hand curling around her bicep and resting in the crook of her elbow, pulling her attention back to her, not satisfied until her eyes returned to hers, "With me. With Homeworld. Don't let her get into your head." She smiled kindly, "You were too smart to fall for her before. Don't start doubting now. Don't give her that."

Orange looked over at Pearl, her eyes lingering on her, and for a moment, was reminded of how much she had been desperately waiting for moments like this back in her own inner world. The short time they had together the previous day felt lacking when she thought back on it, the reminder that other things were happening and needed her attention always there, nagging, and her own need for rest cutting their short visit even shorter. It was little things like this that made her really appreciate having her there, knowing that recently their short time together had been a near constant focus on her, and yet Pearl never seemed to tire of her. What she wouldn't give to seclude herself away with her, forget the trial, forget their personal problems, forget their responsibilities as leader-to-be and servant, and to just allow them time to exist, to just be. To spend hours doing nothing but holding her and kissing her whenever they felt like it, and no one to tell them it was wrong, no one to give orders, no one to condescend, no one to have to put up a front for. She wished she knew how she could make Pearl understand just how she saw her, to express the things she didn't quite know how to put into coherent words.

"Orange?" Pearl said, her voice quiet, pulling her from her thoughts as lightly as she could without startling her with her touch, the smaller gem worried just how distracted she seemed.

"Hmm?" Orange blinked, eyes focusing on the paler gem as she realized she had been staring at her intensely without saying a word.

Her voice was soft, if a little concerned, "Where did you go just now?"

The blush from before came back with a vengeance, creeping up her neck and coloring her cheeks in a dark shade as the young diamond cleared her throat. She looked away in embarrassment before she could even hope to brush it off with a lie, turning her body away, causing her arm to be pulled away from Pearl's grasp, "I was just thinking about...." She paused, her right hand raising to rub the back of her neck, "How weird this is."

Pearl blinked, surprised by the sudden change in her demeanor and her quickness to turn away from her, attempting to hide the hurt on her face before she could see it, her fingers curling into the palms of her hands as she pulled them back to her side of the table, "What is?"

"I-" she paused again, but shook her head at the last moment, "Nothing. Just, being back here, you know?" Her hand lifted from her neck to wave at the room around them, "After the whole debacle with that Peridot, and then my gem, it's sort of weird being back here. It almost feels like I shouldn't be here, like I should be somewhere else."

"And where would you be?"

Orange thought for a moment, her mind drawing a blank before she shrugged, put off, "I don't know. Just...somewhere not here." She grimaced at her own words, lip curling back at how inadequate of an answer she knew it was, leaving a sour note in her mouth until she cocked her head to glance at Pearl, ashamed and embarrassed, she looked away again as she shrugged, "I don't know how to explain it."

Pearl was quiet for a long moment, regarding her from the short distance between them and fighting the slow growing feeling in the pit of her stomach of being helpless, unable to do anything to ease the doubts and worries that plagued the younger gem beside her. Being a pearl meant her words were pretty much all she had. Being the Pearl of a Diamond gave her a little more leeway, a little more power and control to flaunt, should she know how to use it without being found out or too forward to raise suspicions from those that looked down on her as a servant and trinket. And now she was needed and her words seemed to be failing her.

"Maybe I just need more sleep." Orange offer when she turned back to look at her, and whatever unguarded expression she saw on her face made her offer a half smile, her own attempt to reassure Pearl she would be alright, and to not worry, not that Pearl couldn't see through it. "Or, to just spend some more time here. I need to settle in again, I guess. I was gone a while, huh?" she forced a chuckle, hand reaching up to run through her hair.

"Too long." Pearl nodded, "Try not to leave me like that again, okay?"

Pearl was confused when Orange seemed startled, eyes wide as she looked at her before all too suddenly the larger gem was up on her knees and around her side of the table, hovering over her and her large, warm hands cradling her face as her thumbs brushed at her cheeks, eyes darting around her face in what Pearl could only describe as panic. "It's okay, Pearl. I'm not going anywhere any time soon, I promise. Don't cry."

The smaller gem took a deep breath, hand reaching up to touch her face, and though Orange had been quite through in her attempt, Pearl pulled her hand away to fresh drops against her finger tips, which surprised herself.

"Hey," Orange called, voice low and rough but more than enough to pull Pearl's attention back up to her, her eyes scrunched ever so slightly as she smiled, genuinely this time, her hands still cradling her face in their warmth, "Everything's going to be okay, right?" she questioned, leaning her head down to touch her forehead against hers, eyes closing even as tears fell from her eyelashes, and Pearl followed, leaning in and enjoying the feel of the young diamond's affectionate touch and her natural warmth, comforting as it blanketed around her, "So lets not cry. I'm still here."

Without a second thought, Pearl reached up to hold her hands over hers, pressing her own forehead against hers more firmly, "You're here."

Before too long, Orange began to pull back, and despite Pearl's wish for a moment more, she allowed her to, head dipping as she wiped at her eyes and cheeks, attempting to ensure all evidence of her crying was gone from her face before she looked up, watching as Orange combed back the mass of hair that hung over her shoulders while also attempting to scrub her face with the palm of her other hand, leaving the skin on her cheeks and eyes reddened. Sniffing, she leaned forward, disregarding all etiquette as she placed her arms against the table, leaning heavily on it as she began to pick up the tablets off the table top and place them into her mouth.

"Might as well not let them go to waste," Orange offered, cheeks tinting a different shade of red when she caught her staring, to which Pearl giggled, shaking her head instead of offering any real response. Her Orange was here, and things would be okay.

It was easy then to fall into their natural comfort of each other's closeness, small talk coming much easier and fears being temporarily forgotten. Unfortunately, all too soon it was interrupted by a ping at the door, both of their heads turning to look at the double doors before Pearl turned to look at the younger gem beside her, Orange's eyebrows furrowed slightly in confusion, to which Pearl knowing answered, "Your guard is ready. It must be nearing time for you to go."

Instantly the relaxed posture that had formed over their idle conversation vanished, Orange's lips thinned into a tight line as she looked down at the table, her hands clenching. And then, before Pearl could offer a word of encouragement, she was standing up, knocking into the table in her rush, to which Pearl instinctually latched onto it to steady the contents before they could fall off the top.

"Whoops," Orange chuckled, cheeks tinted red in embarrassment, before she fiddled with the ends of her tunic and, just as Pearl was about to stand up and join her, found her extending her hand out in offering, "Here," she smiled, "let me."

Pearl took her offered hand, standing up, and returning her smile as she let go to smooth out her skirt. "Remember," she said as she looked back up only to find Orange's eyes still on her, her voice quiet as she was standing so close, "Everything will be alright." she promised, "And I'll be here when you get back."

Orange reached out, gentling grabbing Pearl's hand in her own, leaning forward, to place her head against hers. Pearl leaned up on her toes in order to make it easier on her, a small smile on her face at the affectionate gaze being directed at her.

Orange opened her mouth, intent on leaving Pearl with loving words, only to feel her hand tingle the moment her fingers intertwined with Pearl's, a subtle glow that felt incredibly warm to her began to create an outline at the tips of her fingers, the sight alone causing her to jerk her hand away as Pearl did the same, the two breaking apart to take a step back from one another. Staring at her hand in confusion, she glanced up at Pearl, finding her holding her own hand with a mild look of confusion.

"You felt that too?" Orange questioned, eyes wide with a mixture of wonder and confusion.

"Yes." Pearl breathed out, the same feelings passing over her own eyes.

Orange flexed her fingers, but the glow was gone, and she no longer felt anything abnormal about her fingers, "What was that?"

"I don't know."

Sharing a look, the two hesitantly approached one another, reaching out to touch the tips of their fingers together, deathly silent as they anticipated the feeling to return, only to have nothing happen. Shoulders relaxing, Orange gently cradled Pearl's hand in her own, both their eyes watching as she flipped their hands, intertwining their fingers together.

"Whatever it was," Orange said quietly, smiling at having her touch again, "it's gone. It's alright."

Pearl nodded, though the remnants of confusion remained on her face, creating lines on her brow. Tilting her head, she came to lean against her chest. "Thats never happened before."

"Perhaps it was me. With my emotions so high, I wouldn't be surprised if it'd been my powers by accident. You aren't hurt are you?"

"No," Pearl confirmed after a moment of accessing the feeling of her fingers, no different then they always had been beyond a slight tingle that was rapidly fading the longer she waited to answer. "Nothing."

"Good." Orange smiled, relieved, "I don't want you getting hurt because of me."

Pearl shook her head, her smile returning, "I'm not worried about that," Pearl admitted, "you're much more in control now." Her eyes glancing over to her arm, the smallest of blushes on her cheeks as pulled back to look up and meet her eyes as she added cheekily, "Your hard work shows."

Orange opened her mouth, but was interrupted by another insistent ping of the door, to which her eyes cut to it, glaring as if the occupants on the other side could be aware that they were in any sort of way annoying her.

"It's time." Pearl reminded her gently, eyes flicking back to the door where she half expected the Carnelians to barge in to announce they were ready to take her away. She honestly expected no less from the two rabble-rousers.

"I know." Orange sighed, pulling back to offer a small, kind smile to her, as if she was the one who really needed it. Maybe she was.

"There is an escort waiting for you. I'll see you to them, and then i'll have to go."

Orange's smile settled into a frown, "You won't be coming?"

"Only your guards." Pearl responded with a small shake of her head before adding lightly, "Your Carnelians will be joining you."

"Five and Seven?" Orange questioned, unable to hide the joy in her voice.

"As your personal guards already, they will be joining the other gems that will be taking you."

"Ahh." Orange nodded, lips pursed before her eyes widened, "Wait, others? Who?"

Pearl only offered a wide, knowing smile as she tugged on her hands to motion they should start moving, "You'll see."

Orange gave her a look, intrigued by her sudden coyness, but allowed her to lead her towards the doors without argument, waiting as she released the lock on her side, and, none too surprisingly, found both Five and Seven waiting on the other side. Both gems jumped back as the doors swooshed open, all wide smiles and positivity radiating from them as Orange and Pearl stared at the carnelians.

"There you are my Diamond!" Five lit up, acting as if neither of them had just been hovering so close to the door, "We were about to ring again!"

"Thought maybe you had gotten caught up in talking!" Seven offered, moving to the side to allow Pearl and their Diamond to pass between them.

Both guards were immediately at either side of her, with Five sporting a full on toothy grin and pumping her fists, "Alright! Lets get this escort detail on the road! First stop, Justice District!"

"Not so fast," Seven stopped her, Five's face falling slightly as she turned to give her an annoyed look, "We're supposed to meet the other guard downstairs, remember?"

"Pfff," Five rolled her eyes, "Why do we even need them? Who's gonna mess with us?"

"Uh, anyone?" Seven countered, "Do you see this gem?" she question, lifting to point both of her hands at Orange, who, beside her, looked almost like a giant. "and have you seen Yellow Diamond?" she questioned again, to which Five retorted with her own annoyed, "Duh! Of course!"

"Then you know what she could do to two tinny carnelians if even a hair on that unruly head was even mussed up from anything but the wind?"

Instantly, the excitement on Five's face soured, her lip jutting out as she pouted, but eventually nodded, relenting to Seven's logic, "Yeah, I guess that wouldn't be good."

Pearl looked from one carnelian to the next before looking up at Orange, doing her best to keep from grimacing at the two. Orange offered her a small smile, shrugging her shoulder at the two gems beside her and their bickering.

"Alright then, let get to these extras!" Five yelled with renew vigor.

"I expect you'll keep her safe." Pearl said, her voice soft but startling Five all the same, both carnelians turning to look at her, their posture a little more ridged as if neither of them had expect to see her still there behind them.

"Of course!" Seven responded, arms and hands flattening at her side as she drew a little more serious, though the nervousness on her face was rather obvious, "We'll keep our Diamond safe, for sure."

"Thats right," Five nodded, copying Seven's posture, "We'll make sure nothing happens, whats so ever! There'll be nothing to report to White Diamond! Nothing at all."

Pearl took a deep breath before turning to look at Orange, completely ignore the two guards and the looks they were giving each other as she blocked out their existence to look at the tall Diamond attempting to smother a grin behind her hand, though the crinkle at the corners of her eyes gave her away quickly enough. It was a look that was enough to settle any further worries she had about Orange being too upset from before. She would never admit it, but she would begrudge that the Carnelians were at least good for keeping up the youngest Diamond's morale . Bowing her head, Pearl decided to take her exit then, "I wish you luck, my Diamond."

Orange made the Carnelians wait, both gems hopping from foot to foot as she watched Pearl walk down the hall away from them, before Five, impatient, decided to remind her of their time limit, "Not that it's my place to tell you not to look at a pearl, my Diamond," Five said, startling her from her staring to look down at her, "i get it, pearls, you know," she waggled her eyebrows, which made Orange's scrunch up in confusion of the action, "but we should really go. don't want to keep the whole trial and other diamonds waiting. Plus, big day!"

"Calm down," Seven chided, though the amusement in her voice did little to actually show any disapproval for her actions, "it's not like they can start without her. Although," she added after a moment, lower lip jutting out as she gave a moment of though, "I am interested in who these other guards are."

"So neither of you know?" Orange questioned, dropping Five's earlier comment for her own intrigue about the guards that only Pearl seemed to be aware of, "I would have though you two would at least know."

"Apparently were not important enough," Five made a face, "Whatever. They can't be as good as us anyway. Have you seen me?"

"Unfortunately." Seven responded.

Orange laughed, uncaring of how loud she was, simply enjoying, for what felt like first time in a while, her two friends antics. Wiping at the corners of her eyes, Orange gave a small shake of her head, signaling with her free hand for the two to lead on down the opposite end of the hallway that Pearl had left them from, "Well, lets go see who these others are. Maybe you can give them some tips along the way."

Nodding, Five and Seven eagerly followed at either side of her, moving through the palace to the lower levels, chatting between the three of them about who they assumed would be awaiting them below.

"I'm telling you," Five said, even as Seven shook her head, "They had to send some unakite, right? Thats, like, standard guard."

"Yeah, maybe on an away mission to a colony," Seven countered, "but on Homeworld? Total overkill."

"Maybe!" Five conceded, but was quick to point a finger at her and continue, "But look at the times, and this is our Diamond were talking about," Five argued, "our next and newest leader. Gotta take extra care, you know?"

"Then why not just a whole squad of them?" Seven questioned, "Why even bother with us?"

"Too many bodies?" Five shrugged, "Or too noticeable? I wouldn't send anything more than you'd send with, say, one of the aristocrat elite."

"Ehh, I don't know about that," Seven shrugged, moving her head side to side as her mouth formed an uneven line as she mulled over Five's argument, "Don't they just send a whole bunch of rubies with them?"

"Can you imagine sending rubies with White Diamond?" Five countered with a short laugh, to which Seven made a face.

"Who'd even attempt to mess with White Diamond?" Seven shuttered.

"Exactly." Five snapped her fingers, "You have to be real stupid to mess with a Diamond in the first place. SO," Five continued, "Why not make it seem like she's some real important gem, maybe an Emerald, or one of those fancy Demantoids, and have them escorted to the District. You know, normal guard, nothing to question at all."

"I don't know," Orange hummed, causing the two carnelians to look up at her, "I think Seven has a point. I mean, sure, I probably stick out like a sore thumb, but I could pass for a quartz to someone who didn't know me. So, it would make more sense to send rubies."

"But it's not legal to fuse in the city limits." Seven countered. "So what use would rubies even be if they can't fuse?"

Orange shrugged, eyes staying ahead as they neared the entrance of the lobby, "Appearances?" she supplied, "A high ranking quartz with ruby guards wouldn't be too weird. They wouldn't need to fuse if nothing rose suspicion. That seems like something Yellow would think up."

"Maybe." Five and Seven nodded, though neither sounded quite convinced of the idea.

Orange, deciding to leave them to further theories, keep her attention on the doors, almost craning her head when the two soldier at the doors took notice of them, not that she could imagine they hadn't noticed them before then with how loud they being, and opened the doors ahead of them, giving Orange the first chance to see just who would be awaiting them in the palace lobby.

"Wait a minute," Orange gasped, stopping in the doorway in surprise, missing as the two Carnelians lagging behind her nearly bumped into from her sudden stop at the sight of the familiar faces, eyes darting from the short agate to the much taller and bulkier gems at her back, "Iris? G, J, what are you guys doing here?"

Iris, as the highest ranking gem below her, it was no surprise to anyone when she was the first one to cross her arms in a respectful diamond salute, bowing her head as she replied, "We are to escort you, my Diamond."

"Yeah!" G raised her arms in excitement, "Can't believe I'm getting Diamond detail, hah!" She laughed loudly, bumping her elbow into her partner who shared the same wide, toothy grin as her, "Bet our old technician would think we were tumbling her rocks if she heard we got Diamond guard duty!"

Iris rolled her eye, sneering at the two Topaz, "You're her only fit guards." She grunted, "Just wait until there are more and you won't feel so special."

"Then we'll have to set the example!" J countered, the excited and happy grin leaving her face.

"Oh yeah!" G agreed, flexing her well muscled arms, "Ain't no one gonna protect our diamond like us!"

Beside her, Five and Nine leaned towards one another, bumping elbows as they eyed the loud trio in front of them.

"They're the other escorts?" Five questioned, eyebrow raising as the two topazes bumped forearms together, cheering loudly.

Seven shrugged, confused, "I thought they were just tumblers."

"Right!?" Five pulled back enough to give her a look of agreement, "I mean, I like the topazes, but they seem dense sometimes. Do you think they even know the direction of the building?"

"That must be what the Agate is for." Seven reasoned, jutting her chin towards Iris, watching as she berated the two for being so loud in White Diamond's palace.

"True. And she looks angry."

Seven's nose scrunched up as her lip curled when she turned to eye her, as if she had never heard anything more stupid from her partner, "Aren't all agates?"

"Yeah," Five drew out the word, shrugging as she continued to stare, "But look at her. You remember how she is?"

"True, true. But I mean, come on. She's as tall as you, and you're the shortest amongst us," She ignored the indignant, "Hey!" from Five as she continued to watch the scene before her, "and she's still scary. How do they even manage that?"

"And what about those two?" Five made a motion to two gems behind the boisterous trio, both gems with their arms held aloft in a diamond salute, eyes wide with confusion at the scene before them as well, obviously as unused to the three gems as the Carnelians were, and entirely unsure what to do in the new situation they faced.

"Seriously." Seven grunted, eyes narrowing at the two other gems, "They look so fresh from their holes, I bet we could still smell the dirt on them."

Five tilted her head, lips pursing, "Did we look that way when we were first made?"

"Nah. No way." Seven dismissed the thought, sweeping her hand through the air in emphasis to dissuade the notion further, "We were so much cooler."

"You think?" Five smirked, cocking her head to look a her partner.

"Definitely."

Orange fought off a smile at overhearing the interaction, not that they were exactly being discreet. Deciding that they had lingered in the doorway for far too long, Orange moved toward the group of gems, Five and Seven following obediently behind, still tossing words back and forth in, for them, quieter voices as they neared the others.

As she approached, G's attention was pulled from her enthusiastic boasting to the young diamond, her smile widening as she made to greet her before pausing, leaning forward as she narrowed her eyes at her before turning and motioning to her counterpart, "Hey, hey," she called, getting more than just J's attention with her loud voice, "Is it just me-"

"Or have you gotten bigger?" J finished, following G's thought as she eyed their Diamond, surprise on her face as she straightened up, and even at her tallest, was still short of Orange's shoulders.

"Shut up, you idiots!" Iris screeched, catching both topazes, and Orange, by surprise as she butted in between them and delivered a punch to both their upper arms, glaring from one topaz to the other, "Don't address our Diamond like that!"

"It's alright. It happens," Orange attempted to placate her, hands out in a calming motion as she attempted to suppress a giggle, "G, J," she addressed, "I've gotten taller, and it's only going to happen again in the future, I'm sure pretty much sure of that at this point."

"That's so weird." Both topazes chimed at the same time, though their tone only held awe as they looked up at her.

Iris, however, turned on her heel to look at them as she barked out a warning, "Shut up!"

"What!" G held out her hands, "You have to admit-"

Iris held up her index finger, cutting the larger gem off, "Not. Another. Word."

"Geez Iris." J huffed, "Calm down, you ain't gotta show off just cause those two are joinin' us." She nodded her head behind them towards the two gems that had, through the whole debacle, remained silent.

"We're going out in the public eye! This will be our first official escort with our diamond," Iris hissed, "Everything will be scrutinized. I don't want to see one grubby toe out of line!"

The two topazes exchanged looks, but relented as they nodded to the Agate.

"Yeah, alright." J agreed, though whether because they agreed with her logic, or if they simply wanted her to stop yelling at them, wasn't entirely clear.

G, on the other hand, turned to the two gems behind them. The duo looked out of sorts, confused and scared as she turned to them, "Hey, don't give us that look!" she chided, making her partner turn to look at them too, "Just follow our lead! We know how to handle our Diamond!"

"Oh!" The smaller soldiers shrunk even further under G and J's combined gaze, "Of course, ma'am."

"So" Orange drew out, turning to look at Iris, who in turn gave her her undivided attention, "Who put this together?" she questioned, motioning with her finger to the small group of gems.

"I did," Iris answered, squaring her shoulders as she folded her arms behind her back, "on Yellow Diamond's orders, that you'd be attending a trial."

"No others?" Orange's eyebrow rose in question, "I'm surprised Yellow didn't send a whole squad or something."

"I was given specific order to not draw attention." The agate responded, "We will escort you safely to the district, my Diamond. Do not worry."

Crossing her arms over her chest, Orange looked over the small group, her eyes lingering on the two unfamiliar gems at the back, her head tilting as she watched them for a brief moment.

"My Diamond?" Iris questioned when she remained silent.

Orange jutted her chin out, motioning to the two gems partially hidden behind the large bulk of the White Topazes, "And who are those two?"

The two gems shrunk even further under her scrutiny, only to pop back up into a salute as Iris rounded on them, her eye narrowed on them as she frowned. "These two are part of the first wave of transfers."

Perking up, Orange stepped forward, G and J parting to allow her to fully see the two smaller yellow gems, "So these are the first faces of my new court, huh?"

Both gems were smaller than the topazes, and, based on their sizes, she assumed they must have been quartz. They were a little bulky but the same height and a different shade of yellow. The one to her left had short, white blonde hair that fell loosely against the tops of her shoulders while the other had a much darker, dirty shade of yellow hair, long and almost as troublesome looking as her own. Both gems remained in their salute to her, heads held high even as Orange assessed them for longer than she really needed to.

"Who are you?" she questioned.

It was the gem on the right that responded first, her voice deep and scratchy as she sounded off her designation, "Lemon Quartz Facet-7F42B Cut-4BY, Ma'am!"

"Lemon Quartz Facet-4R8L Cut-9KR!" quickly followed after from the quartz to her left.

Orange's eyes cut to Iris as she tilted her head in question. "Yellow's?"

"Yours." Iris corrected. "Both with minor experience with serving as body guards for aristocrats. However, they will serve you from now on."

The small reminder brought a smile back to her face, her eyes slightly crinkling at the sides as she looked back over to the two new additions to her entourage. "Well then, glad to have you two."

Neither gem seemed quite sure how to respond to her welcome, both quartz tense as their eyebrows scrunched up, confused, but refusing to drop from their respectful salute.

"Well," Orange clasped her hands together, trying not to wince at the unexpectedly loud sound it made in the large open room, and turned to the rest of her guard, "Let's be off so I'm not late. I'll never hear the end of it then."

Immediately Iris turned to start barking out orders as Orange smiled, watching the start of her fledgling court hop to her agate's every command.

------------------------

The march down to the district had been interesting to say the least. Her guards flanked her every direction, the big and bulky topazes remaining on either side of her, the carnelians taking up the front, and the lemon quartzes taking the rear. At the very front, leading the charge, was Iris. Her posture was rigid and even though she couldn't see it, she imagined her eye was darting about, attempting to watch everything all at once as she lead the way. While Orange couldn't actually imagine anyone attempting anything in the heart of the capital city, let alone moving into the Justice District, after that dirty clod of a Peridot, she supposed she shouldn't feel too trusting or lax, because there was always a possibility. Even the Carnelians and Topazes seemed to have lost their happy, rambunctious attitudes and had fallen into formation, faces drawn and shoulders tense as they moved along in a not quite perfect formation, but good enough that Iris had stopped barking at them to pay attention to what they were doing. It was almost easy to forget that all four of them had, before her, been under White Diamond's command, and thus her strict expectations that were always placed on her court. It was almost like seeing four completely different gems. It served as a reminder for Orange that no matter how they acted around her, they were indeed guards, guards that had seen real duty and, potentially, action before ever joining her. In this moment, they were not her friends, they were her bodyguards, her escort to the district and through the building. The trek up was silent, and Iris only let them break formation once that had reached the room Yellow and Blue were supposed to be waiting for her.

At the arched doors were an extra set of guard, two simple yellow topazes that saluted her as she approached and her own guard parted as Iris stopped, turning to salute her as well.

"We have arrived, my Diamond." She said, head held high and salute perfect as she did everything so formally.

As she moved forward, all six gems of the escort followed suit, turning and giving her a full diamond's salute. It honestly made her feel bit uncomfortable coming from them. Orange stepped forward, giving her a nod of acknowledgment, "I guess i'll see you all after all this is over."

"Of course, my Diamond," Iris responded, her voice a bit louder than Orange thought it really needed to be, but brushed it off as old habit.

As Orange moved away from the group, she headed towards the large archway, the doors already open for her as the guards awaited her at either side. Inside, Yellow and Blue seemed to be deep into a discussion, or more accurately, an argument. Their voices were low, even in the diamond sized room that generally magnified their already loud voices. Orange barely caught snippets of half hissed whispers before their conversation ceased the moment she stepped into the room, both their eyes moving to her, wide and looking very much like she had caught them doing something they shouldn't have.

"Yellow, Blue," she greeted, watching with slightly narrowed eyes as they took a step back from one another, Yellow crossing her arms as she physically turned away from Blue to face her, nodding stiffly in greeting. If Orange didn't know her any better, she would have almost called it a pout.

Blue's own face seemed strained even as she offered her a smile, her eyebrows still pulled together like she was trying to settle a glare before she turned to her, "There you are Orange." Despite her tense expression, her voice was soft, warm and welcoming as she asked, "How are you feeling?"

"Fine." Orange replied, the word drawn out as her eyes flicked from her, to Yellow, and then back again, still unsure just what was going on between them and her own expression betraying her suspicions, before she finally settled to look at Blue as she answered her, "Better than normal, actually."

"And look at you!" Blue gasped, the tension seeming to be left behind as she stepped closer to her, the Pearls falling back as the Matriarch approached, bending down to looking at her better, "You're even taller! Oh Yellow, I told you!" she threw over her shoulder as she bent her knees to get a closer look at her without picking her up to get her to eye level, "It won't be long now until you're like us."

"I doubt that, Blue," Orange offered a forced chuckle, switching the weight on her feet as she crossed her arms over her chest, "I'll probably be small forever. But thats okay."

"Oh, don't say that!" Blue objected, "You never know, you probably just be need more time. That's always been the case for you."

"That's enough, Blue." Yellow cut her off as she stepped forward, which seemed to cause Blue to back off and stand back up, traces of that anger coming back as she turned to look at Yellow, the other diamond's eyes remaining on Orange as she addressed her, "It's almost time, so you should be filled in on what's going to happen."

Tensing up at Yellow's tone, Orange forced herself to take a breath while brushing Yellow's seriousness off with a shrug, "I already told you, Yellow, i remember-"

"Be quiet." The older diamond interrupted with a pointed look that had her mouth snapping shut out of habit alone, "This is serious, so shut up and listen."

Orange blinked, surprised by how serious Yellow was being. Staring down at her, the lines of her face seemed more pronounced than ever as she set her jaw, leveling her with a look that told her she should listen without arguing. Swallowing, Orange turned her body to face Yellow, giving her a nod to show she had her full attention.

"We want this to be quick as possible. To shorten this trial, we will be first in the room, and then the accused will be brought in. You will then proceed as the head of the court and listen to the list of offenses and then pass judgement for-"

"Hold up!" She ignored Yellow's glare and bared teeth as she threw out her hands, eyebrows scrunching up as she looked up in wide-eyed confusion to her, "Me?"

"Yes." Yellow responded, almost reluctantly. "You will be running this trial."

"You're joking." Orange chuckled, the corners of her lips tilting up as she looked over to their fellow Diamond, eyes searching her face for some form of amusement to reaffirm that she was indeed being fooled, her voice becoming more stressed and desperate as she saw no such mirth, "She's joking, isn't she Blue?"

"No," Blue answered, her voice strained and cracking as she shook her head, "She's not."

"Me?" Orange repeated, her voice raising in pitch as she looked back to Yellow, another laugh surfacing before she could stop it, "Conduct a trial?"

"Yes." Yellow reaffirmed. If Orange thought it possible, she looked even more stressed than before.

"I-I can't!" she immediately rejected, "I mean, me?" she pointed to herself as she laughed again. Stars why was she laughing? She turned on her heel, both her hands shooting up to run through her hair and clutch at the back of her head as she stared passed the guards, who were looking anywhere but at her, before spinning back around to face the two of them again, her hands falling away as she shrugged, unsure and lost as to how to respond before words just came bursting out, panicked and angry, "I'm not even apart of the Authority! I don't- I can't, I mean, are you cracked-"

"Quiet your excuses and pull yourself together, Orange." Yellow interrupted her, despite her hard tone, there was little bite to her words as she reprimanded her, "Now is the time to step up. You were made for this, and now isn't the time to start doubting yourself. You assured me you knew the rules to these trials."

"I do!" Orange agreed, "But that doesn't mean I can just go in there and take over!" she countered, a little less panic to her words as she took a breath, the news settling in a bit more. "When was this decided?"

"Not long after you retreated into your gem."

"This..." the younger diamond paused, eyes widening, "this is a test, isn't it?"

"Yes."

Orange grit her teeth, fighting to resist the urge to want to punch something in frustration. "Of course." So another thing that had been decided for her. "And if you don't like my decision?"

Blue and Yellow shared a look that wasn't missed by Orange, Yellow seeming to take a moment before answering, "Your word will be final. There will be no second judgement from us. We're only to interfere if you need advisement."

"It's okay to ask for help, of course," Blue attempted to offer her in comfort, only to be silenced by a grunt from Yellow, who glared at her, the two exchanging something Orange didn't understand, but Blue seemed to simmer quietly as she folded her hands against her stomach, an unhappy frown settling on her lips, though she didn't continue.

"We will only act as overseers, otherwise, this will be your trial, Orange." Yellow said, and though her tone let her know it was a final decision she would not be able to get out of, she wasn't exactly happy about it either.

Orange lowered her head, staring at the floor as she attempted to stop from breaking under the stress of the moment. This was her time to shine, another trial, ironically, an actual trial at that, something she would have jumped on a century earlier. Now she only wished she hadn't even left her room that morning, stayed holed up with Pearl. She wasn't ready for this, she wasn't ready to face that small green gem so soon, let alone be the one to decide what happened to her. Was she supposed to be impartial? To just forget what had happened to her, and potentially allow her freedom again if, by some chance, her defense managed to put up a good enough argument that she couldn't dispute? Is that what White wanted? To see if she could control her own feelings and do what was right? And why was she only finding out now? Did she want her to be blindsided, just so she would have to act under the pressure?

She wanted to believe this was all simple happenstance, after all, how could White know how she felt? How could any of them understand how she felt? No one could understand what she went through, nor would she be able to explain it to them. All she could do was push away how she felt in that moment and do what she had to, its what she was made for. If she couldn't do this, she could never be the Diamond they wanted her to be. Everyone was so excited for her coronation, everyone was home, just for her, even Pearl was so proud of her. How could she let such a trivial thing get in the way of this final test, after everything? She couldn't, she wouldn't, give Peridot that. She was a Diamond. She was. And this was her moment.

"My Diamonds? Everything is ready, as you ordered."

"Finally." Yellow grunted, head turning away to look back down at Orange, "No more time, Orange. Pull yourself together, and remember everything we've taught you. Make it mean something."

Orange tilted her head back to look up at her, a bit wide-eyed, but settled by the patient stares of her two seniors. Both waited until she had taken a deep breath, set her jaw, and nodded.

"Pearl?" Yellow called over her shoulder, getting a high pitched, "Yes, my diamond!"

Orange was surprised when Blue reached down and, with little warning, picked her up. She had to keep from reacting on instinct to dig her heels into her palm as she almost fell backwards, only to be nudged by Blue's other hand, steadying her as she held her close to her chest, smiling sadly down at her.

"Blue-?"

"I've got you." Blue responded, as if that was answer enough for what she was doing. "Just hold on."

Orange was no stranger to the short transportation used by the diamonds for their joint trials, considering she had always enjoyed the rather flashy entrances she had been privy to when she was younger, but now it was only a startling surprise as one moment she had been staring up at Blue, the well lit room behind her, before a light flashed over her eyes, making her clench and blink to find herself in a much dimmer courtroom. Glancing down, she found that they were on a raised platform, separating them from the rest of the room. Like most of the court rooms she had seen while hidden in the back of Blue's hood and through her hair, it was quite big, at least to the standard size gem, and designed to accommodate the Diamonds instead of the smaller gems that handled more trivial trials. Wobbly, Orange stood straight up to glance around, spotting two large gems near very obvious double doors, their stark yellow color telling her they were, unsurprisingly, Yellow's. On the raised platform with them were two equally sized thrones, both colored to reflect their respective diamond. And between them, on a raised circular platform that made it level with the large throne's arm rests, was a much smaller throne. It was orange, and very obviously hers. The sight of it alone sparked a note of joy in her chest. A throne of her own.

Blue, without warning, moved closer to it, allowing Orange but a moment before she was reaching out and holding out her hand, allowing the smaller diamond to step from her palm to the lip of the platform, eyes still wide and bright as she glanced at it and then turned to look at her two seniors. Both moved in opposite directions of one another towards their own chairs, Yellow glancing at her as she sat down in her own, crossing her arms and folding one leg over the other.

"We will begin when everyone is in place."

Taking that as her cue, Orange moved towards her throne, savoring the moment by moving a bit slower before turning and taking her own seat. It was made perfectly for her. No squashed legs, or uncomfortable edges, but roomy and shining polish, and hers. Placing her hands against the tops, she looked out over the still mostly empty courtroom, and a rush of nerves, fear, and excitement hit her all at once.

This was it. She was so close to what she had always wanted, to her purpose, that she could taste it. All that was standing in her way was a small green gem, who seemed to hate her just as much as she had come to hate her back. Orange didn't consider that to be the worst obstacle she had ever been forced to face.

"Orange?" Blue called after a long pause of no one talking, "Are you ready?"

"No," she admitted honestly, "but it doesn't matter. We should begin."

Yellow nodded her agreement, "Yes, lets. Bring in the accused!"

A moment later, on her right side, Orange watched as a lone gem materialized in a shimmer of light. Her head was held high, a smug but otherwise pleasant smile on her face as she held her hands behind her back. A Yellow Zircon, Orange immediately understood to be the Prosecutor. Just on the blurred edges of her vision, she could see another light that she knew was the other Zircon being summoned, and she turned just in time to watch as two figures were left in place as the bright white light fizzed away, leaving an all too familiar tall green gem and an equally tall, and rather pristine looking Zircon at her side as a contrast to the rough looking gem kneeling on the floor, hands being held near her head in the triangular shaped restraints that wrapped from her neck to her wrists, keeping her arms aloft in what surely was an uncomfortable position to hold for long. Despite her predicament, Peridot held her head high, glaring unabashedly at her the moment she made eye contact.

Orange's eyes immediately flicked downward, trained on the black floor between them, chest uncomfortably constricted and hands gripping so tightly onto the arms of her chair she feared they may crumble beneath her fingers, though she didn't loosen her grip.

"Who is this!?" Yellow barked, finger pointing threateningly to the White Zircon who didn't so much as flinch at Yellow's outburst, but it was enough to knock Orange from her staring, letting out a breath she hadn't even realized she had been holding. Eyes flicking to Yellow and then back, keeping her eyes solely on the White Zircon that looked up at their direction, still entirely unfazed by having three Diamonds staring at her. Seeing the Zircon made her think of Pearl and her unparalleled willingness to help her see this whole thing through. This Zircon was also Pearl's own choice, as she had left it to her to commandeer a Zircon just for this trial, under her fellow Diamond's noses to boot. The Zircon, whom she vaguely recognized but could not place an actual designation to or to any actual trial with White, gave a slight bow of her head when their eyes met.

Her gem was placed lower, in her stomach, which was generally considered a rather odd placement for a Zircon of repute, let alone one in White's court. Her neck was rounded by the puffy frills of a cravat, giving her the appearance of someone with a puffed up chest, ready and willing to take on what was in front of her. Like her opponent, this Zircon grinned, undisturbed by Yellow's anger, perhaps meaning she was either incredibly hard to intimidate or was rather used to anger from a much larger Diamond, one so unfamiliar could never be sure. Whatever was the case, she was here, defending a traitor to the Authority on Orange's behest alone, and that made her special enough in the youngest Diamond's eyes. Though, she could admit, Orange couldn't help but wonder what had made Pearl pick her.

"One of White's Zircons I've borrowed and ordered to oversee this Peridot's defense, after you told me she wouldn't have one." Orange responded, perhaps a little too casually for the tense setting as she took in a deep breath through her nose, calming the jumble of nerves still tumbling around in her belly as she turned to look at her senior Diamond. She could practically see Yellow turning a deeper shade of her own name, teeth clenched as she bit her own tongue from making another angry outburst. Perhaps it was a good thing she was running the show.

"You're making this harder on yourself." Yellow hissed, as if her lowered volume would keep the rest of the courtroom from hearing. Orange questioned if the others really knew how loud they were in comparison to the rest of them.

But harder on herself? Right, Yellow had known long before her that she would be in charge. Is that why she had refused to assign the prisoner a lawyer? To make it easy for her? So it was a one sided decision and she couldn't possibly choose anything but what they really wanted to choose themselves?

"I want a fair trial." She said as she turned back to look at the Peridot, unblinking and unwilling to allow herself to flinch away from her gaze as their eyes met, even as she felt her chest tighten, she would not yield. "And I'll have one."

"Orange," Yellow growled, "this is ridiculous."

"If this is to be my first trial," Orange responded, "then it will be done correctly." She cocked her head to look at her, and whatever she saw on her face made her expression soften, "White wouldn't accept anything less."

Breathing deeply, Yellow, a little too forcefully, sat back in her seat, arms crossing over her chest as her eyes turned to the Defense and the accused. If her stare alone could shatter gems, the two would be mere shining particles dirtying the floor beneath them.

"Orange, It's-" Blue began as she leaned forward to look at her, though she didn't have to struggle much to see her over the top of her own throne, despite the raised platform, but it was clear to her just how stressed this whole thing was making her, and so soon after she had returned to them. As much as she objected to the whole thing, Yellow had made it clear there was little she, or either of them, could do but aid her when absolutely needed. Despite her wish to comfort her, she was quickly waved off by Yellow, who gave an inconspicuous shake of her head. Frowning, Blue decided against starting an argument as she settled back in her own chair, glancing out over the courtroom then down to the small stations that their own Pearls normally took when they had joint cases. Neither seemed particularly at ease, though their hands were raised to screens as they prepared to begin their recordings of Orange's first trial, which she had no doubt White would receive before they even left the building. What would they do if it was not to her liking? How would they shield Orange from this if it came to that? Her attention was pulled back to Yellow as her voice carried in the room, commanding everyone's attention, even hers.

"Orange Diamond will be leading this trial." She informed, her eyebrows angled down and the almost glow of her eyes in the low light of the courtroom presented herself as almost predatory as she looked down at the three gems, her tone left no room for arguments, "You will address her, and her alone, do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, my Diamond." Both Zircons bowed, hands over their chests in respect.

Turning back to the three gems below them, Orange took a calming breath before motioning with her hand towards the prosecutor, "Let this trial commence. Prosecution?"

The persecuting Zircon, unsurprisingly, belonged to Yellow, and it showed. Tall and confident, her gem placed high on her chest, more than likely a gem who had won many of her cases, and in Orange's opinion, you probably could have only done better with one of Blue's, but Yellow would not have conceded to that in this matter. She had no time for the rationale and diplomacy of Blue's court. She wanted this done and over with, a sentimentality, on any other day, she could agree with. But she had wanted the full story, and thus the reason for her pristine white counterpart, standing over the kneeling and bound Peridot, appearing bored as she awaited her turn.

Orange did her best to keep from fidgeting, she could feel her hands shaking as her breathing picked up, keeping her eyes trained on the opposing Zircon to stop herself from looking back at the prisoner. Stars, this was harder than she thought. She wanted nothing more than to be rooms away from her, say screw it and allow the others to sentence her. But at the same time, she knew she couldn't. This was her job, and possibly one of the most important tests she had ever been given by any of them. She couldn't just run from her responsibilities. No matter how much just looking at the gem who had nearly killed her made something in her want to ball up in defense and get away. Keeping her eyes solely on the persecuting zircon was all she could do to keep herself from staring at the green gem just on the other side of her field of vision.

With a well practiced flourish, the Zircon bowed, hand crossing her chest after a short twirl of her wrist and a tilt of her head as she acknowledged the head of court, "Your grace, let me just say it is an absolute privilege, a pleasure and delight, neigh, an honor! To be allowed in the presence of your most radiant, it is more than an even a fancy Zircon, such as myself, could ever hope for."

Orange fought to keep her face neutral instead of allowing the twisted frown that desperately wanted to make an appearance on her face, internally cringing at the ridiculous praise of the lawyer, but allowing her the moment before nodding her head once she had finished, reminding herself that it would be a string of more incidents just like this in the near future and she had best get used to it.

"Acknowledged. The prosecution may begin the opening." Orange order with a small gesture to her, anxious to move the proceedings on as quickly as possible.

"Thank you, your honor," she dipped into a short bow at her waist before straightening up, her hands folding behind her back as she stepped forward, a confident smile on her face as she looked up at the three Diamonds, "My Diamond, Diamonds of the court, I believe it is not news to anyone the transgressions of the accused before you. She, who stands before you, cuffed and bound like the beast she is-"

Orange's eyes flitted to the green gem, her growl at the words not going unnoticed by anyone, her own attorney turning to hush her with a glare and a few words she could not make out, but it seemed to have her pressing her lips together firmly, and as if sensing her, her eyes turned up to meet hers with a cold glare.

"Dared attempt the greatest of all crimes! It make me ill to even think of what she did, let alone utter them to you. She, who not only disregarded and disrespected her superiors and their direct orders, but did so purposely and with most horrendous of intent! The gem, no, this monster, attempted, and thank the Stars she did not succeed, to-" she paused, her hand moving to cover her chest as if she could not bare what she was going to say next, "to murder our dearest new Diamond." She paused again to let out a howl of pain, "Oh! I can't even imagine it! To go so far against her own coding, her ingrained values and the ones she owes her very own life to!"

The prosecutor turned to point at the Peridot, "This beast, for that is all I can stand to think of her as, not only committed the crimes, but admitted to it first hand, with our own grand leaders as witnesses! I believe there is little more that needs to be shown to prove just how deserving of punishment it truly is!"

"Your honor," White Zircon cut in, her eyes rolling as she looked away from her adversary to Orange, "If my opponent is quite done with her theatrics, I would like to move the court onto more serious matters."

Orange, after a moment of consideration, waved her go ahead for the gem to continue.

Stepping away from Peridot and towards her, she bowed at the waist, her arms crossing her chest as she did, "My Diamond."

Straightening up, her arms immediately folded behind her back, posture straight as she spoke directly to Orange, "I agree with my opponent, I do not believe anyone here today is unaware of the heinous crimes that were committed."

"Have you forgotten you're the defense?" the Prosecutor snickered behind her hand, but it only earned her a glare from both the White Zircon, Peridot, and Orange.

"The prosecutor will remain silent until the defense has had her opening." Orange ordered, which made the smaller gem bow to her in response.

"My apologies, your grandness."

"As I was saying," the Defense started, making a gesture of clearing her throat and giving Orange her attention once more, "it is to no ones surprise the crimes that are being presented today, for they are very much true. My client did indeed almost kill our gracious new ruler before her name was even know to the rest of our glorious empire. To think she, who would give her very life to have the chance to serve our life givers is even possible of such things, let alone be standing before you."

"But I ask you to consider the why." She held up her hand, index finger pointed to her client, "Why would she, a gem who has not only given her skills and life to her former diamond, Pink Diamond, who, for the last 600 years, job was to insure that her younger was well taken care of, would do such a thing? I, as her defense, propose you consider this: She did not know she was, in fact, killing our young leader."

"Nonsense!" The Prosecutor bellowed, and despite her outcry, even after she had been ordered silent, Orange could not help but agree.

Not know? Not know?! Of course she knew! She had said so right to her face!

" 'But where is this evidence?' I hear you say. Where are the records that show that she could have known this was what was happening, is what I ask you. It is from my understanding that records of our young, glorious leader where few and far between. In fact, she had been given very little time to understand and diagnosis the problem, let alone by herself. I ask the court, is it possible that she couldn't have known? She is, after all, a handler for the captive species of organic animals belonging to our glorious leader, Pink Diamond, her former diamond, whom she is still loyal to regardless of being stripped of her titles and ranks. Organics, mind you, that are not like us. How is it, then, that we can expect that she should know?"

"Your honors! Er, honor," the Prosecutor quickly corrected, "this defense is ludicrous, and quite frankly, a waste of the courts time."

"I couldn't agree more." Yellow muttered, rolling her eyes and leaning back heavily into the side of her chair as she stared down at the defense, unblinking. It was enough to cause Peridot to fidget and lower her head so that their eyes didn't meet.

"I ask the court to dismiss the Defense."

"No."

All eyes turned to Orange.

"What are you doing?" Yellow hissed between clenched teeth, only to be ignored as Orange motioned again to the Defense.

"Proceed. I wish to hear this traitors defense before any judgement is passed."

Orange did not miss the Prosecutor's eyes flicking from her to Yellow rather insistently, nor the feeling of eyes boring into her from behind that she was sure were Yellow's, fuming at her orders, but she remained firm, staring intently at the White Zircon as she bowed once more.

"Thank you, your honor." She voiced, "As I was saying, these records do not exist. She is a gem who, since her creation, was moved from our glorious matriarch, Yellow Diamond's court to that of Pink Diamond's, and put to use attending to her organic pets from her current colony in the Crystal System. The accused only knows the make up and care of said organic creatures, and not that of a gemologist or healer, who would know how to preform care for someone of gem physiology. Then, can it not be assumed, that any issues or mistakes made were not, in fact, malicious in there intent, but miscalculations in her work caused by being put in a job she was not made, nor had any training for? That, if you would allow, with the deadlines placed by her former Diamond, only exacerbated her already difficult job, which led to not only her failure, but, giving her known loyalty to our great Authority, her willingness to admit that she had, indeed ended up injuring our youngest leader. I say that her only true fault was her verbiage, used to indict her for when she admitted her mistake, not that she had done so on purpose, but that she had done so and was merely owing up to and admitting fault."

"And what of the accused?" Orange questioned, eyes moving to Peridot, narrowed as she asked, "What does she herself have to say?"

"My diamond," the Defense chuckled nervously,"the accused is-"

"The accused-" Peridot interrupted, her teeth bared, though Orange wasn't entirely sure if it was at her or her defense, more than likely both she reckoned, "can speak for herself."

"You shouldn't." Her defense hissed, but was only ignored as the kneeling green gem looked up at the platform, her eyes darting from one diamond to the next.

"My choices may not have been sanctioned, and I am aware that I disobeyed orders, I take full responsibility for this, and ask our grand leaders to offer clemency for that, but I promise I had good reasons for what I did, reasons that my defense has neglected to inform you of."

The zircon was tense, looking near enough to losing it as her client continued talking, despite her hushed and hiss whispers of warming.

"And what is your reasoning?" Orange asked again, her chest tight, anticipating the answers she had been waiting for.

"As if you weren't aware." She snarled, "I know what you're playing at, but I won't let you fool the great Authority with your lies any longer."

Behind her, Orange could not see as Blue and Yellow cut there eyes to one another, questioning looks on their face, but remained silent.

"Ever since the accidental creation of specimen Zr-O2, she has used her unique position to not only trick my own Diamond, with her compassion for such creatures being used against her unknowingly, to infiltrating the very ranks of our grandest leaders, Our Empire lost not only resources, irreplaceable time, but countless of our greatest minds to her trickery!"

"These greatest minds, my Diamond," the other Zircon cut in with a barely suppressed amused smirk twisting her lips, "were merely peridots, and basic ones at that. Hardly a great loss to our glorious Empire."

This seemed to tip Peridot into a further rage, "You fool! What would you know!? And it wasn't only Peridots that were destroyed for creating an abomination. An abomination," Peridot continued, sharp teeth bared as she glared up at Orange, "That has only been a drain on our currently lowering resources. So many scientist were lost after her creation, we could be set back half a dozen of millennia. It's very creation is a mockery to our empire, and it is only furthered that it has managed to worm its way into this very trial the way it has."

"How dare you-" Orange bared her teeth, clenching hard to keep the curses from flowing as the panic and unease of seeing Peridot was overridden with her own anger and hatred for the gem, but even then, at the back of her mind, she remembered that she was holding court, court that was a personal test for her from White, and her losing her temper would not look well upon her. Taking a deep breath and pushing it out of her nose, Orange decided to level her with a warning, "The accused will refrain from addressing this court in any way that isn't 'My Diamond', and any further reference otherwise will be punished. Severely."

"Yes, thank you, your grace," the Defense said loudly, bowing her head and not so subtly glaring at her own client over her shoulder, "We thank you for your kindness and understanding-"

"Would you shut up already!" the scratchy voice of Peridot screeched over her, pulling all eyes to the green gem as she rose up from her kneeling position, her legs wobbly as she pushed herself up, her voice strong despite the shake of her limbs, "This is ridiculous! A complete waste of time!"

Peridot pushed her attorney to the side as she stepped forward, the white gem stumbling briefly before she found her footing, hand shooting up to adjust her monocle as she glared at the back of the green gem's head. With her wrists still cuffed, she moved her hands in their limited range as she motioned to the two diamonds either side of her, "My diamonds," she called, "I implore you to see reason and to listen to me."

Orange glared down at her, hands balling into a fist on the arm rests, ignoring the glow that began to surround her fist as she listened to the smaller gem completely ignore her to speak at Yellow and Blue.

"This gem is a fraud." She did her best to point both of her index fingers at Orange, which in any other circumstance would have been comical seeing as her hands were cuffed so close to her chin, though it only made Orange angrier to have her so obnoxiously yelling while disregarding her all at once, "She was created using organics! She's nothing but a bad experiment thats gotten out of its cage and now fooling you into believing she's one of you! It was never meant to leave the lab, and if my Diamond hadn't come and taken her, she would never have come this far, or gotten in the way. Please, understand that I would never hurt or betray my Diamonds, betray you!"

Much to Orange's surprise, both Yellow and Blue remained silent, though the anger was clear on their faces as they looked down at the small green gem begging them. She was so used to their outbursts, she had fully expect to hear yelling from one of them, either from disbelief or even for the blatant disregard of the rules they had set forth at the beginning of the trial, or even yet, the nerve of a prisoner to address them so directly. But in that moment, they had so much restraint, and she didn't know if it was a show of respect to her, if this was them showing her as their equal and respect of who she was and soon would be, or if it was their automatic response, knowing that White had given them an order to run this trial that kept them in their seats. Whatever it was, it sparked another wave of pride in her, pride of her accomplishment, and pride to show them that she not only deserved, but had earned this sudden respect for her as a fellow diamond, and not a ward for them to care for.

Taking her chance, Orange stood up, voice loud and threatening as it bounced in the large room, "Silence, or I will find you in contempt of this court!"

"I don't take orders-"

"If you speak one more word out of line, I will end this trial right now and have you taken away until my decision has been made. You will remain silent until spoken to, do I make myself clear?"

Peridot stared, nostril flaring as her lips turned down, teeth still bared at the sides as she glared up at her, silent and weighing her options in the moment.

"I asked you a question." Orange glowered when she didn't answer, "Do I make myself clear?"

"...Yes." Peridot grumbled, turning and appearing surprised to see the guards that had been at the door a few steps away from their posts, arms at the ready to subdue her if she had gotten any more out of hand.

"And do not address Yellow Diamond or Blue Diamond again, unless they address you first."

Peridot pursed her lips, but remained silent. Deciding to move past her resistance to be obedient. Orange sat back down, glaring at Peridot as she returned her stare, the complete and utter hatred in her eyes was a mutual feeling.

Hand over her lips, Orange stared down at the accused, lips pursed as she mulled over the moment, attempting to calm the flames that had been fanned in her belly, fueling her anger and desire to retaliate, but knowing she couldn't. After a moment, she straightened in her chair, voice rising again as she announced, "I believe after that display, the court has heard enough."

Both sets of eyes from the senior Diamonds turned, acknowledging and awaiting with bated breath as the youngest continued on, surprised by the strength of her voice.

"I've heard your stories, your reasonings, and I have listened to Zircons debate far longer than necessary."

Both Zircons attempted not to grimace at this, perhaps ashamed for their actions that had happened in the middle of the case.

After a moments pause, Orange forced herself to look down at Peridot as she delivered her sentence, "I, Orange Diamond, have your ruling. For the crimes of high treason, the misuse and waste of the Empire's resources, extreme misconduct, and wasting not only this court, my and my fellow diamond's time, but that of Homeworld's, you will be harvested. Perhaps then, you can finally do your job of aiding our Empire and make up for the numerous resources you have wasted since you were created."

It was odd to her own ear to hear her voice sound rough, severe, like a completely different gem's voice as she looked down upon this gem as she sentenced her to possibly the worst existence she could have. It almost felt like she was watching through a recorded memory, seeing through someone else eyes, hearing with someone else ears as a voice that wasn't her own handed down what simmered down to a death sentence to a gem that had cursed her very existence before she could even form words to defend herself. She couldn't explain why, she knew she should feel bad, she should feel horrible that she was giving those horrific orders, but she couldn't, because she didn't. She only felt relief, perhaps, dare she say, happy, that she had served her own justice and rid her home of such a nuisance.

"I call a conclusion to this trial."

"You can't do that!" Peridot screeched, hands pulling against the taut hold of her restraints, but she would never be able to break out of those cuffs, screaming and spitting at the raised platform as Orange's eyes remained on her the whole time, saying nothing as she continued to yell before she finally began to break down, tears streaming down her cheeks as she look between Yellow Diamond and Blue Diamond, pleading for them to understand.

"Please, my diamond! She's not- she goes against everything our empire is! Everything you told us, made us for! This isn't what we were ordered- this isn't..."

For the first time, Yellow stood, glaring briefly at the small gem before she raised her hands towards the back of the room, "Guards!" she bellowed, her voice carrying across the room like a sharp whip, "take this prisoner away to await her punishment! I want her silenced."

The two guards advanced at her command, both large gems grabbing Peridot by her upper arms and lifting her from the floor. With her feet dangling, scrapping across the black stone, Peridot's screams died, the tears still falling from her eyes as she stared up at Yellow Diamond, the fight falling away from her already tired limbs as the two gems walked her backwards, White Zircon stepping out of the way and turned her back to the condemned gem, one arm behind her back as the other fidgeted with her monocle.

The courtroom was eerily silent once she was gone, tense feeling until the Prosecutor stepped over to her opponent, any hostility that had seemed to exist between them during the trial gone as the defense turned to address her and, at least from Orange's view, seemed to be making idle chatter with one another.

To her left, Blue stood up from her throne, a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes directed at her as she moved towards her little platform, towering over her at her full height.

"You did fantastic Orange." Blue complimented.

"White will be pleased with your decision." Yellow agreed as she stood up, seeming much more relaxed than before the trial had begun. If she didn't feel so drained, Orange would have appreciated just how worried she had had been about her and this test.

"We both are." Blue added, "You handled that situation very well."

"You think?" Orange questioned, genuinely glad to hear their praise.

"I agree." Yellow chimed in to their left, "Honestly, Im surprised. I never assumed you would choose such a fitting punishment. If anything, I thought..." she paused, grunting, as if thinking better of what she was going to say, and continued, "No matter. Your choice was excellent and I have no doubt you've passed White's test. She'll be pleased, which is good news for all of us."

"I'm just so glad this is out of the way," Blue sighed, "and now all that's left is the coronation. Soon, Orange," Blue smiled down at her, "you'll be one of us, completely."

"Now now, Blue," Yellow chided lightly, almost jokingly, "Don't give her any ideas. Soon enough she'll be on about a colony, and were not there quite yet."

Blue laughed, "Oh Yellow, don't be ridiculous!"

Orange forced a smile on her face as the two diamonds shared a chuckle together, her eyes ahead as her thoughts began to drift on the days events.

Looking down, Blue must have become concerned by her silence, "Oh Orange, are you feeling aright? You must be ready to go."

Orange nodded, standing up and, thankfully, Blue held her hand out for Orange to step onto as opposed to her earlier surprise grab. Together, the three of them transported from the room, and in a flash, found themselves back in the side room Orange had found them in before.

As Blue placed Orange down on the floor, Yellow turned, signaling to her own pearl, who saluted, before looking back at their youngest, "White will have the results of the trial shortly. I imagine she will be quite pleased with you Orange. You did fairly well."

"Yellow." Blue chided lightly, only to have said Diamond roll her eyes.

"There is always room for improvement. However," she turned to look at Orange, "for your first trial, it was better than even I expected. Well done."

Orange offered Yellow a small, tired smile. A part of her was elated to have Yellow's approval, and even better both Blue and White's as well. And later, she knew she would take great pride in achieving that. But just then, she wanted nothing more than to return to her room, away from everyone, to just be alone with her thoughts and emotions, preferably before they fully caught up to her, and to just have time to breathe.

"Go on," Blue encouraged, nodding towards the door, "You'll hear from us soon. I imagine Pink will wish to come see you to congratulate you as well. She'll be so proud of you too, Orange."

Pink.

The very thought of what her mother would think of her decision made her chest constrict harshly and her breath catch in her throat. What would her mother think of her? Would she really be proud she could do her job as a Diamond? Or would she see her as the gem that had ordered the harvesting of one of her own gems, let alone one of the gems that helped make her. Did that count as some kind of betrayal on her part? Would her mother look at her like how she had when she had first lost control of herself, like she was looking at a monster and not her daughter?

Without responding, Orange turned, moving for the doors, completely ignoring the two guards that saluted her, finding her guard squad not too far from the room, all of them awaiting her return in a straight line, still at attention like perfect soldiers.

Noticing long before she made it to her, Iris saluted her, head high and waiting, though her stance eased some when she took notice of her expression, concern flashing in her lavender eye. "My diamond?"

"Escort me back, Iris. I feel like returning to the Palace now."

------------------------

It was late in the day, much later than she had intended to return to Orange, but she had been present when Yellow's own Pearl had transfer her Diamond's request of the transcript for the trial. She had been worried, though it never showed on her face, as White Diamond silently looked through information on the trial, reading word for word what had occurred. But soon enough she was smiling wider, that little tilt of her lips that one, went spent in White Diamond's company enough, was easy enough to spot, and even a small chuckle from her as she read on, and Pearl knew that Orange had done wonderfully without even hearing the words from her Diamond's lips.

So when she approached Orange's room, she was confused by the nervousness of the two carnelians, and while she would normally attribute this kind of behavior to their belief she would report them to White Diamond for any notable slights, something seemed off. If she had a better relationship with them, she might have even stopped to question them, but instead, she ignored them in favor of seeing her partner and congratulating her on the success of the trial and to enjoy their spare time while they still had it.

Stepping inside, Pearl waited as the doors shut, the automatic lock on her side engaging as her eyes scanned the room, quickly enough finding Orange in the stark white of the room.

"Orange?" Pearl called, her smile slowly falling as confusion replaced her joy, brought on by the downcast expression of the younger gem's face, her eyes looking around the room in an attempt to assess what could have been wrong before finally taking in the gem before her, examining the lines under Orange's eyes and immediately becoming alert that not all was as well as it should be.

Orange stared at the table in front of her, her eyes moving from Pearl and back to the shining polished top, her distorted imagine staring back at her as she remained silent.

Stepping forward, any confusion Pearl had became forgotten and ignored as she moved over to her, her first concern to do what she could for her. Kneeling down, she sat beside her, attempting to see her turned face, hand reaching up to touch her shoulder in comfort. The moment her hand touched her, Orange turned, shuffling her body around to accommodate the table and herself as she turned towards her. Orange leaned forward, and for a moment, Pearl thought she was going to kiss her, before being surprised as her forehead rested against her thin shoulder, her large hands circling around her loosely, not quite pulling her against her, but holding her close. Blinking, Pearl attempted to look at her face, but was walled off by the mound of unruly hair. Relaxing as much as she could, knowing her partner was upset, set her chin against her shoulder, reaching forward to gently place her hands against her thighs, and waited. Patience she had, and this, as well as her company, she knew she could offer in abundance, especially when it seemed to be what she needed. She waited so long, the soft, steadied breaths of the larger gem in her ear the only noise she could hear for the longest time, she assumed Orange might have fallen asleep against her, though she refused to move. If she could be a comfort in this moment, she would remain until Orange awoke. But, to her surprise, Orange, in a husky and weak voice that barely sounded like her own, spoke up, startling her when she did.

"I got to make the judgement call."

"What?" she questioned in a soft voice, turning her head ever so slightly towards her.

"I was put in charge of the trial," Orange explained, "it was White's test for me."

Pearl felt warm wetness dampening her shoulder, and even though she couldn't see it, she could feel the shaking as Orange cried against her, her hands tightening against her back as she continued in-between broken sobs.

"She w-wanted me to sentence Peridot, so I was put in charge." She paused, gasping in a deep breath, "Yellow tried to make it easier for me by not assigning her a defense."

Pearl's chest tightened, eyes falling closed as she responded, "And you went against her. Did she...did you get in trouble?"

"No." her voice trembled, "She was angry, but she couldn't do anything. It was my choice. It was always supposed to be my choice."

Pearl remained quiet for a moment, unsure and battling her own thoughts on whether she should ask or let it go, before ultimately asking, "What happened?"

"Peridot- she called me an abomination. She told the whole court how I was made from organics, was a monster, and how I was the reason so many gems were killed."

"Orange-" Pearl started, eyes open as she turned her head towards her, only to be cut off by Orange's strangled voice.

"I killed her."

Pearl sucked in a breath, eyebrows furrowing as she gasped out, "What?"

"I sentenced her to be harvested." Orange responded in a much quieter voice, hands still clenching at her back.

"Good." Pearl found herself saying before she could stop herself, and even though she knew it was how she felt, it didn't make Orange's crying lessen any more, and for that, she was regretful. "She deserves what you decided." Pearl continued after a moment, "Are you upset about deciding that?"

"No." Orange shook her head as best she could against her shoulder.

"Then what's wrong?"

The young diamond remained silent, jaw twitching as she clenched her teeth together, pressing her forehead against her shoulder before she forced herself to admit to Pearl, "I was glad to do it."

"Orange?"

Orange pulled away, hands flying up to cover her face as she wiped harshly at the tears that still fell, leaving red, irritated marks from her forceful fingers, saliva and snot dribbled, making for an ugly imagine as she turned away, voice raising as she responded in near hysterics, "I wanted to hurt her as bad as I could! She said all those things in front of Yellow and Blue, and I wanted her to pay so badly!"

Sitting up on her knees, Pearl reached forward, pulling her hands away from doing anymore damage to her face, her small hands doing their best to hold onto her wrist as she pulled them down, close to her as she look up into her bleary eyes and, as firmly as she could, said, "She hurt you."

Sniffing, Orange's eyebrows pulled together, confusion twisting her features as she quieted again, "Pearl?"

Hesitantly, Pearl responded, "Yes?"

Shoulders sagging, Orange all but fell back to the floor, hunched over as she stared between her and the floor, unable to maintain eye contact as she asked in a strangled voice, "Am I bad?"

Pearl had to keep a surprised laugh from slipping past her lips, her own eyebrows twisting up as she attempted to follow Orange's train of thought to her question, gasping out a surprised, "What?", before she could find any kind of answer.

"Am I bad?" she asked again, "I ordered her to be harvested, even though I know what happens. I know how bad it is, it's the worst punishment I can hand down. It was my first trial, and I made my decision while I was so angry." She paused, suppressing a sob, the noise coming out as a strangled gasp, "I..." she paused, head cocking back to look her in the eyes as she continued, "How could I do that? I hate her, I do, so, so much. But was I wrong? Did I make another bad choice?"

"No, no, no Orange." The words rushed from Pearl's mouth, her no's tripping and merging together as she shook her head, her hands releasing her wrist to move up and grasp as the sides of her face, forcing her to look her much more directly in the eyes as she objected, "No. No. I...It's not my place to decide if you made a right or wrong call." Pearl wiped away the tears that precede to fall from her eyes, "And you have a right to hate her, and to be angry. You just got back, after suffering so horribly because of her. She did the worst thing you could in our Empire, any of the other Diamond's would have made the same decision."

"Pink wouldn't've."

Pearl tensed, letting a breath out from her mouth. Her gut twisted, teeth mashing together in her mouth as she took a moment to compose herself. "You're not Pink Diamond. And It didn't happen to her. She doesn't get to decide if you were right or wrong."

"She'll be so disappointed in me though, won't she?"

"Oh Orange," Pearl sighed, a small smile twisting her lips as she shook her head lightly, "If she is, then she's wrong."

Orange sniffed, her breathing calming from its erratic huffing as she allowed the smaller gem to continue wiping away the tears that became fewer and fewer, eyes still puffy and eyebrows askew in her confusion, "Pearl?"

"I told you, it's not my place." She responded, "I'm a Pearl, I'll never be in a position to decide if a gem should live or be shattered, beyond what my own Diamond orders, but I can tell you this. You're not wrong, no matter how she feels about it."

"But-"

"It's not about her. This is about you, and what you had to go through. What she would do has nothing to do with what you should do." Pearl reiterated, "I told you, based on what I know, you did exactly what the other Diamond's would have chosen. If anything, I bet you've made them proud."

Orange smiled, her lips wavering as she fought off more tears, admitting, "I don't feel very proud of myself."

"You were hurt. You're still hurting." Pearl reasoned, "But this...You're a diamond, Orange. No matter what anyone says, you're a Diamond." She returned Orange's smile, her thumbs lingering on her cheeks as she looked into her eyes, warm orange and the sharp angels of black diamonds at their center, staring right at her, so vulnerable and open, awaiting her words with rapt attention. "You're so kind, your own heart is breaking for someone who wanted you dead. You're not bad, you're in pain, and you deserve to feel upset about it all. But I don't think your bad, and I don't think you made a bad decision, no matter how angry you were in the moment."

"Pearl..." Orange whispered, more tears starting to leak from the corners of her eyes. She did not fight as Pearl placed a hand at the back of her neck, gently guiding her down and pulling her into a hug, folding herself around the much smaller gem as she hugged her to her, tears falling freely off her cheeks as she rested her chin over her shoulder.

"I....These are decisions you'll have to make, it's apart of who you are, who you're going to be. You're going to be apart of the authority, and it'll be apart of your job." Pearl told her, hands grasping at her sides, holding her close as she continued, "But it's okay. I'll be here, Orange. I'll be there any time you need me."

[Updated and corrected 6/11/21]