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Pearl caught a sight of someone leaving the beach, disappearing into the night. But whom? Why would someone leave the party so soon? She thought everyone was having fun. Steven was dancing with his friend Connie to some loud music coming out of the radio, Peridot and Garnet, sitting by the campfire, were counting marshmallows that Amethyst was filling her mouth with. And Lapis…
'Lapis?' Pearl looked around, but realized that Lapis was probably the one who was leaving the group.
Pearl stood up, looking for the ocean gem, but she couldn’t see her anymore. 'Oh, come on. Where did you go?' She asked herself. She was glancing around to find her, but everything she saw was just the beach illuminated by moonlight, the campfire and her fellow gems.
She knew that spending time with them probably wasn’t Lapis‘ most favourite thing to do on a Saturday night.
Before Pearl decided to follow her, the last number she heard was thirty nine. Damn, Amethyst was a real marshmallow master.
Pearl looked over her shoulder in effort to find out if someone was watching, but nobody was paying attention to her at that moment. This was the perfect moment for her escape.
Quietly, she wended along the beach, following footprints that someone left there in wet sand. The noise was slowly vanishing as Pearl was leaving the part of the beach near their homebase. After a few minutes of walking, everything turned into silence. The silence was calming, making Pearl feel very comfortable. The ocean surface was mirroring the whole sparkling night sky, soft sound of ocean waves was caressing her ears while cool wind stroking her bare shoulders and pale cheeks. Pearl really enjoyed that. She enjoyed walking along the beach with sky full of bright stars above her head. She was enjoying it as much as she almost forgot that she was looking for someone. Pearl shook her head.
"Come on, Lapis, where are you?" She whispered, wishing for receiving an answer.
She walked almost for a half an hour, still following Lapis' footprints, but she couldn’t find her anywhere.
Pearl stopped for a moment. She exhaled sadly, looking up at the sky. She started to doubt about finding the ocean gem, but she couldn’t give up yet! Pearl promised herself that she will find her.
She was standing there for a while, looking around, and as she decided to continue, she suddenly found a small figure sitting in the sand near the sea shore. A big, bright smile appeared on Pearl’s cheeks. She headed towards the person she was looking for, happy that she finally found she.
The blue gem was sitting there still, in silence. She was curled up in a ball, hugging her knees, head hidden in her lap. After a moment, Lapis could hear light footsteps coming from behind her back, but it didn’t make her lift her head. For a moment, Lapis wondered if those footsteps were just an echo in her mind… but soon she realized that they were not.
"Ahem–“
Lapis raised her head, turning it towards the voice. A tall, skinny pale gem was standing there and looking at her. After a few seconds, she broke the silence with her tender voice.
"What are you doing here so alone?“ She asked.
Lapis turned back, staring at the sea. "… I just…“ She sighed. „I needed a break… get away from that noise for a while.“
"Right.“ The pearl nodded. "Steven’s parties are getting louder and louder every time since we started organizing them on the beach.“ She tittered, but Lapis didn’t react, she just kept sitting.
Pearl blinked. Seeing someone being somewhere so abandoned, away from everyone, was making Pearl feel bad. Slowly, she sat down next to Lapis. There was silence for a while, just their breathing and waves of the ocean were making quiet noises.
Pearl raised her head up to the night sky; a smile appeared on her face. "It’s a beautiful view, isn’t it?“
Lapis hesitated, she wasn‘t interested in looking up nor even starting a conversation with this gem. She just wanted Pearl to keep her mouth closed. She wasn’t into talking to someone at the moment, so she decided to answer as quickly as possible and possibly preclude any more questions, but then she looked up and froze, her pupils shaped into big stars. "Yeah… It is.“ After she saw the shining sky, she had to admit that it was absolutely wonderful.
"The sky is really bright tonight… there are billions of stars to see.“ Pearl sighed dreamily. "I almost haven’t noticed it because of the beach party.“
"… Do you like watching stars?“ The blue gem turned her head to Pearl. Suddenly, she wanted to know, but she had no idea why it was so important to her.
"I… Love it.“ Pearl grinned, kind of surprised that Lapis asked her. "But I‘d rather explore them. Explore every single one of them, every single galaxy, explore every corner of the universe.“ She stroked the cool air, palm turned to the sky, but suddenly her smile weakened. "… You’re lucky you have wings. If I had them, I wouldn’t hesitate and fly away… and never come back.“
"Well, I think they’ve done more harm than good.“ Lapis snorted. "… While spending my entire life flying through space, I never noticed that the sky was this beautiful… even when it was right under my nose. I never had a chance to stop and just… look.“ She sighed.
Pearl looked up to the sky again. "It surely must‘ve been an amazing view — seeing whole universe on your own, in silence… with no one bothering you…“ Pearl looked aside, biting her lip.
"… Hey.“ The ocean gem spoke with a smirk. "You’re not bothering me. I actually find it funny that we never spoke to one another and now… we’re actually talking.“ Lapis sighed with a tiny smile. "I always thought that you were like every other pearl on Homeworld; just standing there, looking nice and feeling important, but… I guess you’re not like that.“
"What do you mean?“ Pearl turned back to her, interested.
Lapis swallowed. She blushed when she felt Pearl’s eyes uninterruptedly staring at her. "I don't know. You’re just… different.“ Her voice was so soft.
For some reason, Lapis’ words warmed Pearl’s heart. Pearl couldn’t even believe that they were enemies just a little while ago. Lapis changed… She actually wasn’t as evil as Pearl always thought she was. Lapis was so vulnerable from the inside, she was… broken. Suddenly, Pearl felt like she understood how much pain Lapis must have went through. Pearl couldn't imagine being trapped for thousands of years with inability to do anything. It was making Pearl feel sick, she felt sorry; sorry for the suffering Lapis underwent, and actually because of her – the one who couldn't release her from the mirror. Yet when Lapis finally became free, she sacrificed herself for them and dragged Malachite onto the bottom of the ocean. Those months when she was imprisoned in her own chains, swallowing water and suffocating herself just to save some stupid planet that never meant anything for her, must‘ve been the worst part of her life.
"… You’re nice… you’re nice to me. After all those bad things I did to you.“ Lapis spoke again. "I don’t even understand why are you giving me your attention after all I've done.“ A strange feeling was running through her body, but it was a good feeling for her at that moment, too.
Pearl felt something, too. Something similar.
Pearl knew that she did bad things to Lapi as well, and now she had no idea how to fix what she did.
The pale gem sighed. "I’m sorry.“ She swallowed. Her voice was very low, Lapis almost missed it.
"What?“
She closed her light blue eyes. "I’m sorry, Lapis.“ She repeated.
"For what?“ Lapis wrinkled her eyebrows.
"I should free you from that mirror.“
Lapis didn’t know what to say, but she knew that if she agreed, it would sound weird. She rather kept her mouth shut this time.
"… I knew you were in there, but… I was… scared.“ She ruffled the sand next to her. "I didn’t know what would happen if I released you. We thought that you'd be more dangerous in a physical form, that you'd attack us and report…“
"Well, I still can.“ The blue gem gave her a serious look. Pearl turned to her, wondering how was this conversation going to continue.
"W-would you really do that? I mean… would you still try to attack us?“ Pearl asked, a little nervous. Lapis was silent. Pearl froze. She had no idea if Lapis was deciding what to answer. She didn’t know what was running through her mind.
Lapis‘ face was serious, she was staring at her. She didn’t blink even once. She was sitting still, without moving a muscle.
"… L-Lapis?“ Pearl stuttered.
Suddenly, Lapis’ blue hair started to flutter, as if wind was moving with it, but there was no wind, the air was absolutely calm. Her dress started to move as well. Lapis slowly raised her hand to the sky. A big water arm began forming over the ocean.
Pearl couldn’t move. She was nailed to the ground, staring at the great arm that was approaching her, thinking about what was going to happen.
Suddenly, Pearl could feel two cold hands grabbing her wrists and pinning them to the ground, and the great water arm just disappeared in the ocean.
"What the–“ Pearl panicked, she couldn’t even finish the sentence when she found Lapis kneeling over her, pressing her hands against Pearl‘s.
"… Now you’re my prisoner!“ Lapis snorted, laughing.
"What?!“ She squeaked, confused. Lapis couldn’t help but continue laughing.
"What’s the meaning of this?“ Pearl tried to escape, but Lapis was holding her tightly. "Do you really think I would attack you?“ She snorted, cheeks flushed.
"You just did!“ Pearl answered, glaring at her. Lapis stopped laughing after a few seconds. She sat down onto Pearl’s body and released her from her grip. The pale gem blushed, even harder than she expected.
"Did this look like an attack? Oh… I’m sooo sorry about that.“ Lapis said with a whit of irony. Pearl gave her a grumpy face. She crossed her arms on her chest.
"Could you just… get off of me now? Please?“ She asked, but she wasn’t for one hundred percent sure if she really wanted that. That made her feel kind of… uncomfortable, though she was still blushing.
"Whatever you say.“ Lapis shrugged, rolling her eyes. She sat down next to the pale gem. "… Do you really think I would hurt you?“
Pearl cleared her throat, still lying on the ground. „I… don’t know.“
Lapis snorted. "Don’t be silly.“ She laid down next to Pearl, hands folded under her head.
Pearl put her hands onto her stomach, watching the sky, feeling warmth of Lapis‘ body on her right side. She was so close.
"So…“ Lapis turned her head to the side, looking at Pearl. "Why did you join the rebels?“
Pearl’s eyes widened. "I-uh…“ She hesitated, eyes half closed now. Suddenly, all of her memories ran through her head. The rebellion, Gem war and the life she had before it all happened.
"Hm?“ Lapis raised her eyebrows.
Pearl sighed. She was silent for a moment, thinking about what to say. "I joined the rebels because I wanted to be free and live my life my own way without anybody telling me what to do…"
"I see…“ Lapis yawned quietly.
"What were you doing on Earth anyway, during the war? I didn’t know Lapises were soldiers.“ Pearl asked, turning to Lapis, but she didn’t say anything for a while.
"… We’re not soldiers, we’re informants. I was sent here to get informations about how were things going, not to fight a war… but my mission failed and I got trapped, and now… I’m here.“ Lapis turned back to the other gem. "Lying in sand with a defective Pearl.“ She snorted, grinning at her.
Pearl blushed, rolling her eyes. She dropped her hand onto Lapis‘ shoulder and gently she pushed her away with a smirk. "Seems like you’re okay now, huh? Don’t you wanna go back to the party instead of making fun of me?“ She sat up and giggled.
"Thanks, but I think I’m okay like this.“ Lapis blinked at her, smiling.
"Alright.“ Pearl cleared her throat. "I’d better get going then.“ She stood up.
"Wait!“ Lapis stopped her and sat up quickly. Shyly she looked aside, bitting her lip, blushing a little. "I-I mean… I’m okay like this if… you’re here. You know… that I’m not alone.“
Pearl froze. 'Why would you leave then?' Pearl wondered. Her cheeks suddenly warmed up as an idea popped in her mind – was this an intention to get Pearl here, so they could be alone? But why? "I thought that… you like being alone.“ She blinked at her.
Lapis bit her lip again. "Well… i-it’s not always like that.“ She turned her head more to the side, she felt quite embarrassed because of what she said, but she meant it.
"So… do you want me to stay?“ Pearl asked hesitately, but something inside her was telling her that she should do so, and she wanted to, yet it was hard for her to admit it.
"Only if it’s okay with you.“ Lapis finally looked at her.
Pearl swallowed, but smiled then. "Alright. I‘ll stay.“ She nodded, then she sat back down next to Lapis, much closer than before. Their shoulders were softly pressing against one another, slowly getting warm. They were watching the night sky again.
"Thanks, Pearl.“ Lapis whispered. Slowly, she laid her head onto Pearl’s shoulder and closed her eyes. Pearl blushed at that. She didn’t feel nervous about that, she didn’t feel strange, but for some reason she felt nice. She knew that she did a right decision.
Pearl laid her head on the top of Lapis‘ then. She sighed softly. "Anything, Lapis.“ She said in a low voice, taking her hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. "You won’t be alone anymore.“