The Black Gem

61. Volleyball

"Is everything... all right?" Pink Pearl asks.

"Yep, but this is not about me! We're gonna get you fixed up, and I know just the Gems to help us!" Steven says. 

Steven brings Pink Pearl out onto the beach, when he barely dodges an incoming volleyball. On the beach, a volleyball court is set up, where the Quartzes are playing volleyball aggressively, while Y/n and Pearl act as the referees.

"Think fast!" Angel Aura Quartz  cries as she smacks the volleyball.

"Gaahh!" Zebra Jasper gets hit in the head by the volleyball.

Pearl blows a whistle. "Next set." She notices Steven. "Well, if it isn't my favourite medical professional."

"Pearl, do you and Y/n have a minute for me and my friend?" Steven asks.

Pearl calls to Y/n and she then notices Pink Pearl. "... Sure. Did you come to compete?" Pearl asks.

"Pardon?" Pink Pearl asks confused.

"Oh, I mean..." Pearl blushes sheepishly. "In the volleyball tournament."

Y/n had made his way over to the three now and he looks at Pink Pearl with wide eyes. 

"It's you..." Y/n unconsciously lets slip and the three look at him. "Ah my apologises." Y/n says quickly composing himself and sighing.  

"Hi Y/n this is Pink Pearl, Though it seems like you know each other, We came here because we need both yours and Pearl's help." Steven says.

"Oh, what can we do for you?" Y/n asks.

"So, this is Pearl. She was Mom's- I mean, Pink Diamond's Pearl, too, a long time ago. And, Pearl, you remember Pearl? She was also Pink Diamond's Pearl- Argh, that's too many Pearls!" Steven tries to explain but gets confused.

"Why don't we give Pink Pearl a nickname to save further confusion." Y/n suggests. 

Pink Pearl blushes slightly. "A nickname?"

"Yeah. A nickname, you know?" Steven chuckles.

"Oh, no, I know what a nickname is. It's just that the idea reminds me so much of Pink. She used to give silly little names to everything." Pink Pearl says reminiscing over Pink. "She was so funny like that."

"Looks like someone's still got it bad." Pearl whispers to Y/n 

"Play nice..." Y/n whispers back to Pearl.

"What about..." Steven gets hit by a volleyball "Volleyball?"

Pink Pearl giggles. "Volleyball? That's so funny. You're just like her."

"No, no, no. I'm not like..." Steven sighs. "Anyway, we're here because of the crack on her face."

"Oh, poor thing." Pearl says. "It's such a shame what White did to her." Pearl whispers to Steven.

Steven tenses up again, turning pink once more and Y/n looks at him concerned.

"Steven?" Pearl asks.

"Waahhh!" Angel Aura Quartz gets knocked flying across the place in the background and crashes into the sand, which snaps Steven out of his pink state back to reality.

"It doesn't matter how it happened. What matters is finding a way to fix it. Steven's healing powers obviously did not  work on her." Y/n says bringing the conversation back on course.

"Yeah, We thought maybe you know what to do." Steven says.

"Well, when a Pearl was damaged, they were usually brought to the Reef." Pearl muses and Y/n nods.