Templeschool

27. The Doctor Will See You Now

When Priyanka stepped back outside, she was surprised to see all heads turn to her at once. "How is he? Is he okay? Is it some stupid earth disease? Is he dying?" Peridot rapidly questioned her as the concerned mother found her arms full with two kids.

Steven looked like he was trying not to panic, and Connie looked anxious. "Well, mom? Is Twoie okay? We're all really worried about him." Dr. Maheswaran smiled as she brushed her hand through both of the kids' hair.

"Twoie will be fine. I want him to sleep, so try not to disturb him, okay? He has a fever, but it's not contagious. It's from exhaustion, so I'm trusting you, Steven and Peridot, to keep him on strict bed rest." The two who were mentioned nodded at her words. "Then you guys can go in. Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl? Can I speak with you for a minute out here?" The Crystal Gems looked surprised but waited as the kids and Peridot ran into the house.

Priyanka sat down on the porch chair. "Now, I wanted to talk to you about what triggered Twoie's current condition. He has informed me about your gem missions as well as some things from his time that has me very concerned."

Pearl stared at her in shock. "He told you about the future? But he has refused to tell us anything about it!"

Garnet fixed her shades and stepped forward. "You must tell us about what he said. This information could be essential to dealing with the new threat from Homeworld." At that moment, it felt the gems were cornering her. Even Amethyst had stepped closer. If this was what they had done to Twoie, no wonder he was anxious about dealing with them again.

Dr. Maheswaran narrowed her eyes and stood up tall. "You know this very behavior is the reason that Twoie has told you so little. Do you really believe you can pressure me into breaking my Doctor's Oath? Who are you to speak to me in this way?"

Amethyst shrugged from beside the others. "If Twoie told you everything, then you know we're the protectors of Earth. Duh."

Dr. Maheswaran snorted at her statement. "Please forgive me for not acknowledging that aliens from space are far superior to us lowly humans. Of course, I should tell you whatever you want without regard for the feelings of the people involved. That's sure to endear me to you."

Pearl bristled at the sarcasm in her voice. "Excuse me? I gave up so much to protect the Earth. I gave up so much to protect Steven! You have a child, so you should understand perfectly why he want to know about the future. We could be the only things stopping Homeworld from coming here and killing us all, your daughter included."

Oh, that was it! Priyanka stepped forward until she was right in Pearl's face. "First of all, you will not make any remarks about my daughter and me. That is none of your business. Secondly, what you gave up is of little concern to me when you are responsible for the suffering of two of the kids in that house." She whipped her head around to stare at Garnet, finger raised and pointed in her direction. "As the leader of the Crystal Gems, it is your responsibility to make sure that Amethyst and Pearl are behaving in a manner that is not only reflective of your group's morals but allows for a conducive environment for Steven. You have failed in this regard immensely."

Garnet grit her teeth in anger. "Now, I believe that you are crossing into 'none of your business' territory. How I lead the gems is not your concern. And what do you mean by us contributing to their suffering? We have done our best to raise Steven, and he is doing fine."

Priyanka raised a brow at her. "You mean that almost being killed once a month is fine? Having your feelings disregarded by your family is fine? I must've missed that in my Developmental Psychology class. I didn't realize that neglecting your ward is the proper way to raise a child. Forgive me for the error!" The gems blinked at her rising fury.