For Her

Not Built for Fighting

The illusion that was her body began to lose energy after endlessly attacking a small Jasper. The Jasper's technique had put Pearl in a bad state: Exhausted from Jasper's repetitive defense and never allowing Pearl to make an ultimate slice. 

"Why are you fighting this war?" Pearl yelled.

"My Diamond's orders. Earth will be colonized," Jasper said calmly behind a shield.

"Why do you follow your Diamond's orders?"

"It's what I was born to do. Following orders is what we were all born to do. Especially Pearls."

"But we don't need to. Independence is beautiful! The Crystal Gems are all happy, we're trying to help you!" She cried, trying to convert another Homeworld gem mid-battle, as usual.

The Jasper looked more thoughtful than militant for a moment. Pearl heaved a breath as she drew another spear. Too slow. The Jasper's spiky arm-shield threw her onto the ground, and the Jasper finished her off by stepping on her neck and ripping the gem away from her.

Poof.

Rose Quartz called out to Garnet who was beating back a pair of fused Rubies to make sure she was okay. She looked to her Pearl without concern until she realized that she was in the palm of a small, unhappy Jasper. Jasper looked down at the gem and didn't feel proud. Rose, instead of delicately floating, stormed over to the Jasper and threw her grand sword through the gem's abdomen, poofing the Jasper. Rose bubbled both Pearl and the little yellow-orange gem.

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Pearl woke up four months later. Garnet's finger touched the pink bubble and it popped. She caught Pearl between her fingers with her left palm, then placed her gently on the ground. Pearl took form and fell on her hands and knees immediately. She stood up straight and greeted Garnet.

"How long was I here? How did I get here, did the Jasper not take me?" Pearl asked frantically.

"You'll have to ask Rose Quartz."

"Where is she?"

"She's teaching her daisies to speak. There's a hiatus in the war. Homeworld is expecting us to surrender if they give us a break."

"That sounds like good news. I'm going to go talk to Rose. Nice to see you, Garnet."

"Nice to see you, too."

Pearl climbed a hill and knew she was in the right place when she was hit with a wave of floral fragrance. She waded through some tall grass and stood silently behind Rose, who had her fingers under the petals of a large, white daisy. Rose ignored her, so Pearl stepped beside her and knelt down to see the flower. Rose's finger gently tapped each petal individually. The flower let out a breathy cry that sounded like a lost child. It started making other noises that didn't quite sound like words, but were made with a very human voice.

"Pearl," Rose spoke, still looking at the plant.

"Yes?"

Rose looked up. "Who let you out?"

"Garnet. How long was I away?"

"Four months," Rose said matter-of-factly. Pearl intended to ask why that was but couldn't bring herself to do it. There was one thought comforting her.

"You had your reasons. I'm sure." Rose didn't respond. Instead she asked about the flowers and they spent some time trying to teach them how to say "Earth." At the end of the night, Rose ran off to Beach City to watch the humans wait outside restaurants for dinner. Pearl went to her room hoping to practice drawing a spear and fighting simultaneously, but couldn't bring herself to move so strongly.

She was glad to be back, but she felt weak. She felt unneeded. Usually Rose would be the answer to these bad feelings. Instead, Pearl sat cross-legged in the center of one of her water towers.