Blinding Perfection

Steven froze, “Guys?” he whispered.

The gems and Connie gathered close to him.

“Show yourself!” Pearl’s voice shook.

The figure raised their head, stepping out into the clearing. In the better light you could see that they were slightly translucent. A pearl? No. A hologram.

“It is just as the stars predicted. Those that fell to the surface, five that will bring reckoning to this world.” The hologram pearl whispered. “We found them.”

“What?” Steven stared at it. 

The hologram behaved like it was its own gem. Blinking its empty, diamond shaped eyes, a small smile on its face. It went to approach, pulling it’s hood back.

The group backed away, Pearl drew her spear pointing it at the hologram pearl.

“Please don’t raise your weapons to us, Pearl.” Another voice came from nearby.

Steven turned as another emerged from the trees. They were solid this time, the real pearl that the hologram belonged to. The milky blue gem on her chest shone under the harsh sunlight, “We have been waiting for you.” 

“What’s going on? What is this planet?” Pearl questioned.

“Do you know what took down our ship?” Steven asked.

Blue Pearl raised her hand to quieten them, “You have many questions, however, I am unable to answer them here. She is aware of your arrival and so you must follow me.”

“She, who’s she?” Connie asked.

“No more questions, we must g-”

Blue Pearl was interrupted by a clamorous roar, well, it was much more like a screech. The ground shook sending the forest into silence.

“Come!” Blue Pearl and the hologram ran into the trees.

“Welp, I guess that is she, let’s get outta here!” Amethyst chased after Blue Pearl.

Steven took Connie by the hand as they ran together into the thick forest.

They ran for quite a bit, before Blue Pearl stopped them so they could catch their breath.

“This is the densest area of the forest, we are safe here.” She stated before continuing to walk.

“Wait!” Garnet stopped her, “We want you to answer our questions before we even consider following you.”

Blue Pearl stared at her for a moment then looked between the others, “Very well.”

“Tell us where we are.” Steven said.

“This planet. It was once a progressing gem settlement, almost halfway complete when it was destroyed. Now? It is a cursed place, overrun by beasts that were once obedient gems.” Blue Pearl explained.

“Beasts, you mean corrupted gems?” Connie asked.

“Ah, so you have encountered them before.”

“Yes, there’s plenty of 'em on Earth.” Amethyst said.

“Earth.” Blue Pearl said quietly.

Pearl cut in, “Anyway, do you know what brought our ship down? It was bigger than any corrupted gem we have encountered.”

Blue Pearl was quiet for a moment, “That….is difficult to answer.”

“How come?” Steven said gently.

“Just come with me, things will make more sense then.” Blue Pearl’s voice shook.

Steven could sense from her body language that she didn't feel safe talking about it here. Why? He looked around the thick forest. There was only the quiet sounds of insects and a squawk of a bird or two. Why was she so cautious?

"Please." Blue Pearl was practically begging.

"Okay, we'll come." Steven said, "Lead the way."

~

Blue Pearl walked a fair distance in front of them, stopping from time to time. Her hologram Pearl surveyed the area diligently before letting her know it was safe to go before she would walk on. The trees became thicker and older as they traversed the landscape until oddly, the trees began to thin out of nowhere. The ground below Steven’s feet slowly became rockier as he, the gems and Connie followed Blue Pearl. The ground looked like it had been scorched a long time ago but the organic life still hadn't taken the land back. This must have been the work of some kind of gem technology.

Out of nowhere Connie nudged him, “Look.” She whispered, looking up into the sky.

Steven followed her line of sight upwards towards the face of the cliff that was before them. At the top, water spilled over the edge, tumbling down in a massive waterfall that plunged into a hole in the ground. There was something else though, jutting from the cliff were sharp chunks of blue metal. Pieces of a ship perhaps?

"This way." Blue Pearl signalled them to follow her through a hidden opening in the ground.

"Are you sure about this?" Pearl looked to Garnet.

"She has no intention of hurting us from that I can see." Garnet reassured her as they descended.

Below the ground was a massive cavern. Giant roots from the trees above coiled over the walls and around rocks. There was the gentle sound of dripping water, the plants on the cavern floor glistening. Down here there were more fragments of blue metal scattered about and even whole chunks of hollow fuselage. Steven was convinced that it was a ship now, the metal was so familiar. Circuit-like patterns criss-crossing on its surface. He had seen it before, on his mother's leg ship. These were the fractured parts of a Diamond ship.

Steven followed the trail of pieces with his eyes until he spotted something that made him shudder. A fractured metal hand, severed at the wrist, gripped the edge of the cavern ceiling. Its remaining two fingers and thumb embedded in the rock, keeping it from falling into the water that pooled at the bottom of the cavern. None of the others seemed to have seen it but Steven was too nervous to speak.

As they ventured further with Blue Pearl in the lead the steady sound of dripping water rose into a roar. They had come to the base of the waterfall. Thousands of gallons of water thundered down into a basin that then flowed off into another deep ravine and vanished into the dark.

Blue Pearl stopped just before the waterfall and turned to them, "Do not brandish your weapons here and I can promise no harm will come to you."

The group was silent. Connie gripped Steven by the hand, "Something doesn't feel right." She whispered.

Steven couldn't help but agree. A knot had formed in his stomach the moment he stepped foot in the cavern. There was an odd calmness about the place, but it was eerie and strange.

Blue Pearl turned away from them again, looking up the sloping rock that jutted towards the waterfall. She opened her mouth and sang. No words, just a low operatic tune that echoed around the cavern. Steven felt a deep sorrow in the simple notes. Blue Pearl then bowed her head allowing the echo to peter out.

The tune was returned to her by another ghostly voice. The Gems and Connie froze. Steven stared ahead. There was a shuffling of stones close by, movement of something massive. A pair of thin, insect-like legs appeared from beneath the edge of the jutting rock, stabbing into the ground as a creature pulled itself up from below. A giant corrupted gem resembling a butterfly, no- a moth, looked down upon them with its empty blue eyes. Its wings beat gently as it balanced itself on the rock. It made odd chittering sounds as it looked over the group of gems before settling when it saw Blue Pearl.

The gems were speechless.

"What is that?" Connie broke the silence.

"She is my Diamond." Blue Pearl straightened, glancing at Steven and Connie, "Blue Diamond."

Steven looked up, catching a glimpse of the gem on the creatures chest. A Diamond resembling a teardrop shape, just like that of the one he saw in his dreams.

"Come closer." Blue Pearl held out her hand to Steven.

"Steven don't!" Pearl exclaimed.

"Shhh." Blue Pearl hushed her, "I told you all that my Diamond won't harm you. That is a promise."

Steven looked to Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl, "I trust her." He reassured them.

Blue Pearl gave him a small smile. Taking him and Connie by the hand and leading them up the slope towards the corrupted Blue Diamond.

She leaned down towards them, her feathery antennae twitching in curiosity.

Steven felt a little apprehensive now seeing her up close. She was massive, her wings making her even more so. The eye patterns on each seemed to actually be watching his every move.

"I know you're afraid, " Blue Pearl looked to Connie who was shaking, “My Diamond is calm, she won’t harm me, she never has, and I'm sure she won't harm you." Blue Pearl stared longingly ahead, tears rolling down from below her fringe as she reached her hand towards Blue Diamond.

Blue Diamond leaned forward more, allowing Blue Pearl to place her hand on her head. She made a low noise that could almost be compared to whale song.