Watching and Listening - An Empires SMP AU

Double life

          "Yes." Gem said, wondering where Scott was going with this and how much he would divulge. "Did you ever wonder why you were one of the people chosen to be in the life games?" Scott asked Pearl, who shook her head. "You'll notice some other evolutionists are there too. It's because the ones who run those games hate them for trying to escape."

            "The Watchers made those games." Pearl said quietly. "Yes." Scott nodded. "How do you know?" Pearl asked. "You weren't an evolutionist. And how does she know?" She pointed at Gem. "Scott told me some stuff." Gem said, evading the truth. "Well, of course he told you before me." Pearl muttered. "You're not a psychopath like the clone False or our Gem or me from Double Life."

           Gem caught Scott glancing at her significantly and she rolled her eyes. She had to keep up appearances as a pvper elf, after all. He couldn't exactly blame her. It was part of her persona. "Pearl, you're not a psychopath now, and that's what matters." Scott said gently, and Pearl smiled softly. "Just don't tell anyone about the Watchers." He added, shifting to a more serious tone.

            "What would I have to tell? You barely told me anything." Pearl pointed out. "Just don't tell anyone we even had this conversation." Gem said. "There are powerful forces at play in this world and maybe countless others. There's a war going on behind the scenes and we can't tell you anything more, got it?"

           Pearl didn't look like she understood but she nodded anyway. "Good," Gem sighed, as the cleaning lady walked away to pretend she had never seen either of them at all.

           "Well, that was a close one," Scott remarked. "Yeah, but I'm not entirely sure I trust Pearl." Gem admitted. "Why not? Isn't she a soupervisor with you and Impulse?" Scott asked. "It's just that... she seemed to be, you know, going on about Double Life a lot." Gem said. "And you know better than anyone how she was in that game." Scott nodded.

           "Look, just leave that wool on my doorstep, okay?" Gem asked, gesturing at the delivery cart. "Why? Where are you going?" Scott asked as Gem started to walk away. "I'm just checking that Pearl can be trusted." Gem called back. She hid behind a thick line of trees and then shapeshifted into her elf form and went to find Pearl.

           "Hi, Pearl," Gem greeted as she soon ran into the cleaning lady a few minutes later. Pearl was startled but hid it well. "Aw, hi to you too, Gem," She said. "What are you doing around these parts?" "I was looking for Scott," Gem said, shrugging casually as the lie slipped through her mouth like butter. "Grian burnt my carpet and I need a new one."

            "Ah, relatable," Pearl said, snapping her fingers. "Grian burned my rug too. How are we all still such good friends with that maniac?" "Because he's Grian and everyone's friends with him." Gem said, chuckling as she remembered other times Grian had burned down some more important things than a carpet. "So anyway, have you seen Scott?"

            Gem expected Pearl to hesitate, to briefly consider whether to tell her close friend and soupervisor about the weird interaction she'd had with Princess Gem and Scott. Instead Pearl lied, straight up lied. "Nope, haven't seen them since the meeting." Pearl said easily, like she was telling the truth. But Gem knew better.

          "Oh. Thanks anyway." Gem said, and waved goodbye as she activated her elytra and flew off. Half of her knew that Pearl had just lied to one of her closest friends but Gem didn't feel that bad about it, considering it was she who'd asked her to lie. Now she definitely knew that Pearl could be trusted, and briefly wondered whether to open up to her like she did Scott. In the end, she decided against it, though. The less people who know, the better.

           Gem turned back into Princess Gem and went to claim her wool, which was dutifully lying patiently on her doorstep just as promised. Satisfied, Gem put the wool away and went to find her logbooks to note down the exchange and then afterwards collect the honey that she would pay Scott with.