A Single White Hibiscus (Pearl x Rose)

4. Way Before

Pink wants you, one of the Diamonds flatly announced when they saw Pearl. She did not remember which one said that. But, as soon as Her words fell off her mouth, Pearl was escorted by a coterie of servants that served Her. So she was removed from her former post just because Pink Diamond wanted to be with her. Unseen by the Diamonds and the gems that dragged her out of that place, Pearl shed tiny tears that conveyed her aching emotions of grief, leaving her home so soon without any goodbyes.

"Hey, stop! I can wash myself...hey!"

The servant gems did not even hear her words or saw her face, completely ignoring Pearl and absorbed in their tasks. Big, blue Agates pressed down Pearl's arms and legs so that she could not move at all. She struggled in vain to escape their hands. Soon, she became too exhausted—both physically and emotionally—to fight back, so she just sat there, hating the shameful feeling of being exposed to tens of gems and being washed at the age of...what? Three thousand years?

After the horrible, interminable bath, the servants thoroughly dried Pearl's hair and applied gel on her entire body. It made her skin extremely soft to touch. She shivered briefly at the touch of the strangers, applying the cold gel on her entire body. Then, they partly dressed her up and brought her into a room with a thousand dresses and all kinds of attires.

"The luminous, glimmering, extremely honourable Pink Diamond bestowed upon you to pick out your own attire. Be grateful, and don't take too long to choose one!" A yellow pearl spoke.

"She really wants to see you. So be grateful. We need to get ready almost immediately, considering the transportation time to our destination." A blue pearl spoke in a quieter tone, clicking her fingers above a communication pad.

Be grateful? Were they being serious now?

Pearl bit her lips, and chose a random dress that did not look like Pink Diamond at all. In Homeworld, there existed a tradition of resembling the one you served in appearance to express one's respect and gratitude toward that gem. Pearl completely broke that mold in a rebelling spirit.

Together with blue and yellow pearl, Pearl boarded a small, modest palanquin that carried them toward their destination. From the palanquin, she could see her distancing home from way above the ground.

A place they arrived at appeared extremely rich and glimmering and full of wealth and high status, even at a glance.

Pearl walked into a room lushly embellished with all kinds of pink jewels and satin decorations, with an extremely opulent golden frame and a million gems serving just to decorate the room. She looked around, but Pink was nowhere to be seen. Soon, all the servants started to storm out of the room, leaving only Pearl behind.

"What's going on? Why are you all leaving?!"

Although Pearl confusedly questioned the leaving gems, no one answered. No one even looked at Pearl directly, as though she was some taboo that no one could approach.

Finally, Pearl was the only one left in the glimmering room. Surrounded by all kinds of fancy jewelry, and looking down at her unusual outfit, Pearl really did not feel like herself nor comfortable in that room. About time when Pearl was so confused, an authoritative voice echoed through the whole room, shaking Pearl to her core.

"Who's there?"

Unable to answer, Pearl just stood there, shivering at a sudden chill that traveled up her spine.

Then, the owner of the voice appeared at the door of the room—and Pearl instinctively knew that she was Pink Diamond.

"Hmm?"