Voicemail

Listen (Blue Diamond's Pearl)

"It will be fine, pearl." Pink Diamond's voice was dismissive and calm - at least from what Blue Diamond's pearl could hear with her ear pressed against the door. There were some footsteps, heavy ones that belonged to Pink Diamond, that drowned out what would have been the feather-light footsteps of her pearl.

"I know, my-" There's a sudden stop as Pink Diamond's pearl lets out a hoarse cough; it seemed fake. "My Diamond."

There was a long silence.

Blue Diamond's pearl stepped back from the large doors, looking up, but not meeting her Diamond's gaze.

She opened the door, not saying anything.

"Enough." The quartz didn't even need to raise her voice to make Blue Diamond's pearl shiver. But just slightly.

The Rebellion's leader stood in front of her Diamond, glaring up at her with anger. By her side was her pearl, who watched the Diamond carefully, a sword in hand.

And nobody moves, because they all know Blue Diamond could cripple Rose Quartz with her powers. But she doesn't.

"I will not let you destroy this planet." Her voice carried the strength of a gem created to lead. Not a mere quartz.

Rose Quartz took a step forward. "There doesn't need to be a death in this war... And we can dismantle your ships and sabotage your construction and shut down your kindergartens as many times as we need to."

"Because we are the Crystal Gems!" Rose Quartz's pearl - the one claiming to have no owner - spoke up. "And we will not be silent-" Her voice cut off as she realized a gem was creeping towards them.

The rebel pearl drew her sword from its scabbard, but didn't attack, just watched.

In the stadium, a mutual feeling of tension descended on the gems.

Then the gem darted forward.

In an instant, the pearl exploded into a cloud of smoke, leaving only her gem behind. The quartz that stood there when it cleared didn't move from where she was, glaring at the rebel leader.

Rose Quartz decided to charge forward, landing hard punch on the gem's stomach, causing her to explode into smoke as well, then leaned down to pick up the pearl.

Rose Quartz turned to her Diamond, who was unaffected by the events.

"What exactly do you plan on doing with your rebellion? Being a nuisance?" Her Diamond's voice is laced with annoyance - and maybe calmness, because she knows Rose Quartz wouldn't dare attack her with this many gems around. Of course, not of the gems around them are on Homeworld's side - many of the other rebels stand behind her. Then her Diamond narrowed her eyes coldly. "You think you can stand up to diamond?"

There's something off about the way she flinched at the words.

"You need to stop that."

"Why?" Pink Diamond looked up at her Diamond questioningly.

"They're traitors. Those 'Crystal Gems' betrayed you; they don't deserve mercy." Her Diamond meet Pink Diamond gaze, and while she flinched, she stared back.

She stuck out her tongue. "I..." She glanced down at her pearl for moment. "I don't want for my gems to die... even if they are traitors..."

Her Diamond frowned. "It's a deathless war; you telling your soldiers not to shatter them will make you seem weak."

"Oh yes, because murder will stop the my gems from joining Rose Quartz." Her voice held sarcasm. "It'll certainly show them I'm not a monster." She bitterly laughed.

Pink Diamond and her Diamond argued over the matter for a few moments more, before Pink Diamond simply told her Diamond to go away.

With a sigh, her Diamond did.

Just as the door closed(the door closed slowly and she wasn't sure if Pink Diamond knew), she heard the voice of Pink Diamond's pearl.

"I don't think we'll be able to keep this up much longer..."

"It will be fine, my Pearl." And Blue Diamond's pearl turned around just in time to see Pink Diamond lean down to kiss her pearl on the gem.

She felt her face begin to heat up, walking away so fast she almost didn't hear her add:

"Because we are the C-y-tal -ems-"

Blue Diamond's pearl always thought her hearing was fine, but it was clearly not.

Because what she had just barely overheard made no sense.

She shook her head and continued walking.