Becoming
Falling
She stood there, covered in sky-blue satin. The fabric pooling around her feet, she appeared as a gush of water arching out of a spring and forming to a crystal statue. Even her blank expression gave away no emotion to the soul within the pale shell. No. No one should ever be able to glance into the teal orbs and sense the true essence swirling within. She looked down next to Jasper as the party continued, her hand hanging limply on her master's.
"Pearl, go do something useful and grab us some enhancements, would you," Jasper snickered, smacking her towards the arrangement on the center table. Jasper turned back to fiercely chuckling with Yellow Diamond and the others.
Forcing herself to hold back a despairing sigh, her soul wrung itself inside. Over years had she taught herself to contain every fiber of her being into diminishment through complete submission. Bottling it made that much worse. An outsider would never notice. Every graceful curve and each gentle step towards the table concealed it. Her disguised expression masked everything so well. She blended in with the hundreds in the ballroom. That only hurt more.
Picking up an enhancer, she analyzed the crystal table. It shimmered with an eternal light, singing of corals, turquoises, and lavenders. The cuts were never jagged and instead as smooth as a sword's blade. It was perfect. Just as the surface of Gem society. The difference was one could see all of the different breeds of gems dancing in harmony on the ballroom pillars.
Upon returning, she noticed that her master's group grew. She hadn't brought enough enhancers. Frustration twitched against her eyebrow. Bowing her head, such is protocol, she extended her hands in offering.
After he finished bickering about the latest anecdote, Jasper turned to analyze his servant. "Stupid Pearl! You didn't bring enough! How dare you neglect to survey me every second of your waking moments!"
"I apologize, master," she murmured solemnly. Curses. This would be it, with Yellow Diamond standing there. Embarrassment and shame would now echo in her footsteps. There was a brutal mark of failure for every Pearl that didn't supply the mass of their master's orders. It distances them from Gem society and made an outcast, with nothing but their Gem and her knowledge.
"EXCUSES!" A sharp hiss was emitted as the harsh force of the palm whipped across her face, knocking the breath out on her. "Tsk"s and snarls of disgust were inflicted on her soul. How unfair that she was cursed to be created a slave! Curious though as to a small gasp barely audible underneath the noise of disapproval of the superiors, revealing a sense of morals in this system, kept her posture keen.
Though, her body allowed her to relax again when Jasper retrieved the metal from her hand. Slowly he passed them out, throwing them at the 'beneath him.' A Peridot squeaked as the the heavy lunk was tossed at her body, though she was soon fascinating as the copper tubes, shifting to a lime color, levitated at the end of her arm enhancer forming fingers. The magnetic suspension and ability for them to sync with her brainwaves amazed her. From the corner of Pearl's vision, she noticed her orange-scarlet superior kneeling by four thrones. For once, the scruffy voice soften, reflecting a serene tone. "Blue Diamond. Yellow Diamond. White Diamond. Pink Diamond."
Pearl made a mental note, cursing her idiocy. Surely, she'd be executed tomorrow. She really slipped up for ignoring the growing circle. She should have remembered Jasper was popular amongst Gems and was a particular pet to the Diamonds. The Diamonds scolded her and now she will be executed.
The scene silenced as the Diamonds nodded with concealed approval. Then abruptly, a snap from Yellow Diamond motioned towards a Sapphire who rang the gong. This signaled the end of the ball. "Jasper. We'd like your...Pearl, to stay."
"Of course," he snapped. Pointing as if he was lacking intelligence, he spoke, with an underlying threat, "You will not hesitate to follow all of their directions." Facing the Diamonds, "She's yours now." Last to exit, Jasper sauntered out of the magnificent room.
"Pearl, go do something useful and grab us some enhancements, would you," Jasper snickered, smacking her towards the arrangement on the center table. Jasper turned back to fiercely chuckling with Yellow Diamond and the others.
Forcing herself to hold back a despairing sigh, her soul wrung itself inside. Over years had she taught herself to contain every fiber of her being into diminishment through complete submission. Bottling it made that much worse. An outsider would never notice. Every graceful curve and each gentle step towards the table concealed it. Her disguised expression masked everything so well. She blended in with the hundreds in the ballroom. That only hurt more.
Picking up an enhancer, she analyzed the crystal table. It shimmered with an eternal light, singing of corals, turquoises, and lavenders. The cuts were never jagged and instead as smooth as a sword's blade. It was perfect. Just as the surface of Gem society. The difference was one could see all of the different breeds of gems dancing in harmony on the ballroom pillars.
Upon returning, she noticed that her master's group grew. She hadn't brought enough enhancers. Frustration twitched against her eyebrow. Bowing her head, such is protocol, she extended her hands in offering.
After he finished bickering about the latest anecdote, Jasper turned to analyze his servant. "Stupid Pearl! You didn't bring enough! How dare you neglect to survey me every second of your waking moments!"
"I apologize, master," she murmured solemnly. Curses. This would be it, with Yellow Diamond standing there. Embarrassment and shame would now echo in her footsteps. There was a brutal mark of failure for every Pearl that didn't supply the mass of their master's orders. It distances them from Gem society and made an outcast, with nothing but their Gem and her knowledge.
"EXCUSES!" A sharp hiss was emitted as the harsh force of the palm whipped across her face, knocking the breath out on her. "Tsk"s and snarls of disgust were inflicted on her soul. How unfair that she was cursed to be created a slave! Curious though as to a small gasp barely audible underneath the noise of disapproval of the superiors, revealing a sense of morals in this system, kept her posture keen.
Though, her body allowed her to relax again when Jasper retrieved the metal from her hand. Slowly he passed them out, throwing them at the 'beneath him.' A Peridot squeaked as the the heavy lunk was tossed at her body, though she was soon fascinating as the copper tubes, shifting to a lime color, levitated at the end of her arm enhancer forming fingers. The magnetic suspension and ability for them to sync with her brainwaves amazed her. From the corner of Pearl's vision, she noticed her orange-scarlet superior kneeling by four thrones. For once, the scruffy voice soften, reflecting a serene tone. "Blue Diamond. Yellow Diamond. White Diamond. Pink Diamond."
Pearl made a mental note, cursing her idiocy. Surely, she'd be executed tomorrow. She really slipped up for ignoring the growing circle. She should have remembered Jasper was popular amongst Gems and was a particular pet to the Diamonds. The Diamonds scolded her and now she will be executed.
The scene silenced as the Diamonds nodded with concealed approval. Then abruptly, a snap from Yellow Diamond motioned towards a Sapphire who rang the gong. This signaled the end of the ball. "Jasper. We'd like your...Pearl, to stay."
"Of course," he snapped. Pointing as if he was lacking intelligence, he spoke, with an underlying threat, "You will not hesitate to follow all of their directions." Facing the Diamonds, "She's yours now." Last to exit, Jasper sauntered out of the magnificent room.