♢My Little Songbird♢ ~AU Diamond!steven x Fem!siren reader~

10: Gem Wonders

"That's... good." Steven's eyes flickered between the smiling diamonds and you and knitted his brow. He then moved to stand in front of you, and motioned you back up. "What was the other things you wanted to discuss?" Steven asked, trying to keep his tone in check. This shook the diamonds out of their stupor and they blinked as if coming out of a trance.

"Ah- Yes." White cleared her throat and straightened up slightly. "What else we wanted to discuss with you was about colonization."

Almost immediately after he heard the sentence, his shoulders slumped and he groaned under his breath. "Not this again..."

"You can't keep avoiding this, Steven." Yellow pointed out sternly. "As a diamond, it is your job to aid in contributing to our empire. That involves colonization."

Steven winced, a barely audible groan droning in his throat. He looked almost defeated with the way he slumped. He avoided the monarch's sharp pensive gazes, his lips tightening as he fought back his defensive feelings. He sucked in a breath, steadying his nerves. "But... do I really need another colony? Isn't earth enough?"

"Earth doesn't count as a colony." Yellow stated. There was a notable bitterness in her voice as she spoke. "Not anymore, at least. You need a real colony now. You're old enough now to take on a real responsibility."

Steven scoffed flippantly. "Wh- Isn't hosting parties for you guys a responsibility??"

"Those only happen if an impressive achievement has been made." Blue shook her head, her face painted with a vague look of solemnity. Yellow diamond narrowed her eyes. "And most of which are only from us..."

Steven's eyes snapped open. You could swear there was a light pink blush on his face. Glowing pink in fact. "What's THAT supposed to mean!?"

White's eyes narrowed. She had a somewhat dark, knowing expression as she stared at the annoyed prince with a low hum. Her nails tapped lightly on her armrest as she turned her attention to the two pearls behind you. "Pearls. Both of you, take the siren and wait in his room."

Steven had a look of bewilderment as the two pearls bowed with a quiet 'Yes, My Diamond.' as the head pearl took the lead outside and the pink pearl gestured you to follow. "Come."

"Wha- what-- Why did you send them all out!?" Steven spluttered, frantically gesturing to you all as you left through a large door.

White's face remained indifferent. "Just a precaution." Her voice came out cold and monotone.

"After all, we are yet to know how durable sirens are yet."
~~~~~~~~~~

The walk back to Steven's quarters was silent. Maybe it wasn't as tense as it was when the irritated prince with you, but you still felt uneasy. The pearls felt the same way, as evident from their silence as well. After 20 minutes, you decided to break the silence. "So... What do we do now?"

"Simple; we wait in Steven's room..." The head pearl explained. "...and hope for the best."

"Hope... for the best?"

"Mhm. Our Diamond isn't a fan of these particular discussions with the others." Pink pearl frowned sympathetically. "He's always despised colonization."

"Ah." You said lightly. "If... you don't mind me asking... what exactly is... colonization?"

"It's a... bit complicated." The head pearl spoke with a note of unease. "In short, it is a process the diamonds do in order to expand the empire."

Your eyebrows raised in surprise and awe. "Really? How?"

The two pearls shared a mildly weary glance between each other before looking back at you. "It's a long story..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"...And these injectors implant the diamond's essence into the planet's crust. And as they incubate, they'll suck the energy from their surroundings to develop the gemstones. Understood? After a certain amount of time, the gems will emerge from the ground to which they are brought here where they'll be assigned a job and purpose."

After her presentation, the hologram disappeared back into the head pearl's gemstone and she let out a soft huff, clapping her hands together. "Now then. Does that answer your question?"

"...goodness." You sat in a temporary stupor on the pink couch while the pink pearl straightened out your wing feathers. "That... actually does." Despite it being a metric ton of information, you somehow managed to grasp the concept, as complex as it was. It sounds so... parasitic. "So... those were what mother saw all those years ago."

The head pearl blinked in surprise. "Your mother's seen these?"

"Yes... but she called those injectors... metal parasites. She said that they'd dig themselves into the earth like a tick and sit there. After which, the landscape started to wither and dry up and in a few years later, those colorful humanoids appeared." You think for a moment, before tilting your head. "It's almost funny; she suspected that it was the work of humans, but it was you all along."

The head pearl scoffed. "Please," There was a playful, if a little aloof smirk present on her face. "Humans could never be able to replicate the technology that gemkind does. They simply don't have the intelligence."

"I wouldn't say that. They can make some pretty neat stuff to," A smile enlightened your face as you thought back to some of the inventions they made. "They can make vessels that can float on water and fly in the air!"

"They can?" Pink pearl quipped, clipping the accessories back onto your wing. "Oooh, that's fascinating!"

The head pearl chuckled. "Well, yes I admit they do have some impressive inventions. Though they're quite simplistic compared to homeworld's." She chuckles a bit more and sighs wistfully. "But that's just what she loved about them, I suppose. Such simple lifeforms."

"She?" Your ears perked. "I'm sorry, but could you be referring to... pink diamond?"

There was a pregnant pause from the two pearls, and the head pearl sighs shortly. "Yes. She... had a particular fondness towards humans. And their planet. She always admired how... liberated they were."

Your brow furrowed as you mulled her words over in your head. "Curious... Mother met someone who said the same thing about humans..."

"Is... that so?" The head pearl lifted her brow at you. She now had a thin look of suspicion.

"Yes... My mother said she was strange, but pleasant to be around." You felt a pang of longing, thinking about the tales of your mother's earthly experiences. "If... you don't mind me ask... what was... pink diamond like?"

The two pearls exchanged glances between each other yet again, the pink pearl looking hesitant and the head pearl appearing mournful.

"Well... she-"

SLAM!

"I hate her!"