& I won't take the E A S Y road.

That was easier said than done, and Carnelian knew it. She and the other off colors, Skinny included, seemed to get the brunt of Holly Blue’s wrath some of the time. She’d try not to let it get to her, though. Holly Blue was just following what Homeworld taught her. Agates were supposed to be terrifying, and boy was she ever terrifying.

“I’ll try, Skinny,” Carnelian said. The notion that Pink Diamond would have loved them made her feel a bit better. Sadly, Carnelian had never known that for sure. She’d never met Pink. If Skinny believed that the pink Gem would love her, though, then she’d believe it.

“I bet Pink was pretty great if she would’ve loved us,” she said. Every now and again, Carnelian would try to ask the amethysts and other jaspers about Pink. She never got any conclusive answers. Maybe Skinny could tell her more.

“What was she like?”

Eyes widened. What was she like? it’s not like Skinny ever had the chance to have a conversation with her anyways, only seeing her from afar. And why would she? A nobody, her existence tolerated as she was born at the right time, yet in the wrong place. She wasn’t supposed to be here after the war ------- 

unlike her diamond. 

“Hm. She was ... Not like the other diamonds. Y’know, like when Yellow Diamond is all ‘uuuh my army needs to fight’, or Blue Diamond who is just quiet and sad all the time?” She paused, then chuckled softly. 

“No, not her ... Pink Diamond was ... glowing, she was full of life and ... so full of pride, too. Standing there, straight and towering, though she was so much smaller than the other diamonds. But she held her spotlight, you couldn’t take it away from her even if you wanted to.” 

Despite being a guest, Aquamarine was rather dismissive of Skinny.  Good thing the Earth Quartzes didn’t have to see her often, since she wasn’t exactly pleasant company.  “No, I haven’t” the tiny, flying Beryl answered.  Impatience was boiling inside her, since she hated being around defective gems.  “So, is it true you lot are all from Earth?”

”Yes. This facility houses the last remains of what used to be Pink Diamonds colony.” The walk through this floor always felt a bit long, simply leading them to another door waiting to be opened. Aquamarine wasn’t the first to grew tired of this place so early on, and Skinny could feel the impatience of the small gem rising. 

But she didn’t let it bother her.

“Our task is to preserve this memory of her and take take care of the Humans -- Ah, I mean Earth Specimens -- that she loved so much.” The door opened, leading to another hallway with several corridors and doors to go through, with a couple of Amethyst guards holding their position.

“Really? I don’t think I would’ve noticed. You both look normal to me. Then again I look like a regular Sapphire. Takes awhile for gems to notice my defect. On behalf of the off colors welcome! I would suggest we head into an exit hole. Makes it easier for us not to get detected.”

"Then I take it you’ve never seen a Quartz Soldier before.” What a cute little gem her friend found. Skinny could see why Carnelian liked Padparadscha, and why they’ve got along with each other so perfectly, too.

       ‘ you’re okay, right ? ’  it’s rasped, she’s winded, the air is CHOKED with red dust, but it’s settling, at least. the calm is strange as opposed to the thundering crack of bombs, the walls of the canyon quivering beneath the stampede of gems, and striped frame remains tensed and coiled, unable to relax after days of —          she’d been expecting… kindergartners. had been greeted with weapons instead. but this gem’s like her, striped, bearing the markings of the sandstone, and she inches closer, still on guard. ‘ we should move. ’

@offcolorbeta //  ♥ ‘d !

She just sat there, leaned against a corrupted rock, it’s shadow covering the two gems as if it was separating them from what was the battleground. Only the voice of the other was what brought her back, bright golden eyes starring, then blinking a bit until she huffed out a rough “Yes...”, and nodded.

It had been so loud, everywhere, all the time, the moment Skinny opened her eyes. Chaos, dust, uncertainty. Someone was screaming through it all, screaming that they had to FIGHT, although all the beta wanted to do was crawl back into her hole. Where was it now, anyways? She did not know, everything looked the same, and not at all.

Yes. Move. They had to move. 

She pressed her eyelids together, taking a deep breath. Not much had made sense to her right now, but this ... Soldier, she was on her side, thrown into the same danger as herself, bearing the same marks and the same pink insignia. 

The cherry quartz chuckled nervously. A red tint rising to her cheeks. “I mean I guess I am? But I don’t think I did anything any decent gem wouldn’t have done. I couldn’t just let this adorable gem shatter.”

The peach sapphire giggled and blushed in response. “Oh we’re hiding. We can’t go up on the surface. We’re off color. We’d be in more danger up there then we are done here. Atleast here we’re with our own kind.”

Right - The reason was too obvious. Not every gem had the privilege of a softer treatment like the betas did. After all, they were part of a memorial, the last Quartzes left of a shattered Diamond and survivors of a war marked in history. Skinny knell down to the little Padparadscha.

“I’m glad you guys found a safe place.” 

The caterpillar fusion chuckled and inched closer towards their new friend. “You don’t need to worry dear. Your friend Carnelian is just fine. She actually helped us earlier.”

Once she said that Rhodonite stepped forward. “She’s right! Paddy was moments away from shattering! If it wasn’t for Carnelian our little peach gem would be in pieces.”

“Yeah skinny! Look I’m fine! These guys are really cool! They let me stay and sleep in their holes for a bit!” She laughed happily and scooped Paddy in her arms.

“Oh my! I see my friend Carnelian picking me up! How wonderful!” She giggled and wrapped her arms around her neck.

Seeing her friend well and friendly with all these different kind of gems - It made a weight lift off of Skinnys gem.

“Thank the Stars, you’re okay.”, she sighed, her worried face softening into a smile. “And I see you made friends, too.” Knowing that Carnelian helped these lost gems and saving them from their demise made Skinny filled with pride for the little fireball. And it was so ... Carnelian, too. Spotting the smallest of lights in a place like this. “Well what do you know, you’re a hero. Good job, Carn’.” Then, her soft face turned back into worry, eyes inspecting the place filled by holes that were left long time ago. 

   She grinned at the salute, slender fingers pressing against her chin with a giggle of amusement. Pride welled in her chest, but she still didn’t act like Yellow or Blue, freely jumping down and skipping towards the Jasper to greet her personally.

   "There you are! I sent for you a while ago, be faster next time.” She chided gently, rocking on her heels. “Did that blasted ruby give you problems? Ah, no matter. I wanted you to escort me somewhere. It’s BORING in here, and that other ruby I sent to find my darling little pearl hasn’t returned.” She was rather impatient…

   "That shouldn’t be a problem, surely?“

She jumped, surprised of her Diamonds unusual frankness, especially towards an off colored soldier like herself. ‘Don’t loosen your form’, she thought to herself, gulping down the words stuck in her dry throat. 

“I’d be honored to, my diamond.”