"We should head back. It's going to rain."
"Oh. Let her have a moment longer." Blue said quietly, her hands and sight retreated, but she was still standing close.
"Hmh."
Yellow briefly studied the clouds to evaluate how much time it's going to be before it starts to pour water from the sky. Her eyes stopped on Pink once again, who was struggling to free herself from a couple of elastic branches of the nearby red tree, that she got stuck in. It was silly, and she certainly didn't need any help. The General knew that and she was considering calling her to come back, but she heard a weak grunt of her counterpart, that was a subtle, but clear sign to get her attention.
"...What's the situation on the Phantom Warship you've mentioned?" she asked.
There was indeed such subject brought up. Yellow Diamond has a couple of spaceships that are far greater in use in battle than the rest. It wouldn't be a lie to say they're even bigger and more durable than her own, personal arm-ship, but she doesn't use them as often because of... representation reasons. Also the fact that White Diamond herself prefers her junior to move and travel while maintaining proper appearance.
On one of those ships there has been some trouble caused by the crew. And because the crew consists of more than a thousand gems (those ships are big, and if necessary – they can hold even more), it had to be something that reached the level of becoming a Diamond's concern. Namely – two groups have formed from some of the members, counting a couple dozen each, who have been fighting each other for some reason (or at least Yellow didn't mention it in the conversation before). Not that the reason mattered anyway. It's been simply one of the General's jobs to assign multiple gems uninvolved to resolve the issue, to keep those groups apart, and to obtain those that have been injured, or even their shards. Truly nothing more than a bother, a waste of time, both for her, and for the crew.
"It's stable." Came a short response.
"How many gems have been shattered?"
"Seventeen."
"Eh..." Blue huffed in an angered tone. Then her hands wandered up, one stopping on her upper arm, second resting on Yellow's shoulder, both giving only the lightest touch, but heavy enough to be felt. Now her whole form turned her counterpart's way. "I wish there was something I could do to help you... with this and everythi-"
"There's really nothing any of us can do to make it magically disappear."
"Oh, did you go there to face them yourself?"
"I did, yes."
"And it didn't help?"
"It did while I was actually onboard or in proximity. Suddenly there were no fights and everyone was in peace," Yellow grabbed the bridge of her nose "but once I left they started at it again."
"Ugh, those deviants, really..." Blue sounded her displeasure at the thought of these misbehaving gems. It was amazing how her demeanor can change so quickly, back to the one she shows to the public – cold and ferocious. Usually she drops that one when there are only Diamonds around.
"I should go there. My ways would definitely call them to order." She smiled mischievously.
Blue Diamond had little patience when it comes to things she deems trivial. That including gems who turn against the authority or simply behave out of line. It fits her cut* though, since her official role is law and rule enforcement. It made many of their subjects justifiably fearful, even though they don't need to be afraid as long as they don't have something on their conscience. She's very quick to end a dispute in a snap. Many of her higher standing gems take after their owner in that matter.
Yellow however, being one of not many persons who have immunity over that, thought her counterpart's reactions were somewhat adorable. She most likely got that impression because she was never the 'recipient' of her judgment, and knew she never would be. Blue Diamond wasn't scary to her, even when she was most furious.
This time too. The fact that Blue brought up an idea of violence from her side, aiming at a matter so small, just to make a fellow Diamond feel better, was a subtle form of humour they shared. She wasn't actually going to attempt a killing spree, obviously. An exaggeration like such was simply an expression of delicate satire, which was one of Blue's favourites.
It was... endearing.
But this thought came through Yellow's head too quickly to let her word the appreciation.
"Not that your ways are any less-" Blue started hurriedly once she realized that her statement might've insinuated something.
"No, I understand." Yellow smiled lightly, reassuring the other "I don't think it would work either, though. It's not like they are rebelling against us. They're just... battling each other for some reason."
"What reason?"
"I... don't even remember" she massaged her temples "I sent a dozen jaspers and a few commanders. They're going to keep them apart and throw the loudest ones in cells."
Blue contributed to the end of this topic with a soft hum.
It looked like she was going to say something more, but Yellow accidentally interrupted her "Pink!" she got the small gem's (who was recklessly spreading her essence on nearby plants to make them grow bigger) attention on herself "Come now, we're going back."
"I've been thinking." Blue started as they both watched Pink slowly trotting their way "...maybe she's so persistent about this activities, because she likes being with us outside of our entourage?"
Yellow looked at her eyebrows crooked "What do you mean?"
"It's no secret that we are all more comfortable in each other's presence, especially in private."
"That has nothing to do with our competence." Yellow responded quietly, watching her tone to be very soft so that the pink gem approaching them wouldn't hear. "It shouldn't be important."
"Yes, but she's still young. I remember when I was new, I was still a little hesitant about everything." Blue tilted her head and fluttered the eyelashes around her big, oval eyes. "It always made me feel better when you were around for example."
This makes no sense. Pink is around them vast majority of her life, she is very rarely left without another Diamond, so it's not like she could experience any kind of deficiency in a familiar presence.
Also-
"Why?" Yellow asked. She had a hard time remembering the past so far away. It was difficult to recall how things looked like before Pink appeared, and it was nearly impossible for her to think of the times before Blue.
Her counterpart chuckled "Because I liked you~" and smiled warmly. Her hand brushed against Yellow's "I still do."
The expression on the General's face was clearly very amusing to her. As usual when Blue took on this... weird way of talking, she was met with confusion.
"I-"
A sudden presence of a tiny gem on her shoulder cut her off.
"I like you too, Yellow!" Pink said loudly.
Two of her seniors didn't even notice when she jumped on the yellow shoulder, but her landing was very difficult to miss.
They both smiled, although Blue's expression delicately displayed disappointment.
Yellow has kept an eye on Pink for long enough though, to be sure that she heard only the last part of their conversation.
"Thanks. Let's go back now, it's going to rain." She said and started walking back where they came from, towards the inhabited and more frequented area near the construction site of the city on this colony.
"And do you like meee?" Pink asked sweetly.
Somewhat Yellow thought the young gem's way of fawning over her resembled Blue's behaviour sometimes.
"I love you." She answered without missing a beat.
Huh...
It actually surprised her herself how easily she worded this answer. Without even a second thought...
Pink blushed furiously. Clearly she wasn't expecting this either. She sat down on the armored shoulder and looked up shyly after a longer moment:
"I love you too."
Yellow managed to look at her with a corner of her eye, and they smiled to each other warmly, with Pink's blush still visible.
"Ekhem..." they heard a quiet, but firm voice "What about me?"
Blue stared at them both expectantly.
"Weeeell..." Pink started with a very hesitant, uncertain voice.
That made Yellow simply burst out with laughter.
"Huh. Alright." Blue faked her anger.
"No, Blue! I'm joking!" Pink tried to save the situation, but she also couldn't stop herself from laughing. That joke was a bad idea... "It wasn't funny, I'm sorry!"
Yellow kept on laughing. And she had a loud, healthy laughter.
Pink grasped the shoulder she was sitting on, not wanting to fall while it was jumping up and down so rapidly.
"I love you too!"
Blue only chuckled in response.
After a while of reassuring the small gem that everything's fine, Yellow eventually calmed down too.
"How do you know it's going to rain?" Pink asked.
"Science." Came a short answer. "That same one you refuse to learn."
"Don't you have other gems to know that stuff?" The youngest diamond worded her impression that they don't have to have those 'skills', if there is someone else specifically made to use them.
"I don't particularly fancy being less educated than my subordinates." Shut down just like that.
Yellow learned very quickly to mirror the way Pink questions almost everything she's told. The small gem assimilates short and clear answers easier. Even if they might sound a little harsh sometimes... they've proven to bring most effects.
Not to mention that the Diamonds don't need to educate themselves on any matter. Not initially at least... They're born with more knowledge than every average gem, and their subordinates learn from them. Pink however, as it's been already established, was an exception.
"I wouldn't mind if I had any subordinates." She laid on her back comfortably, somehow capable of keeping balance on her senior's shoulder. "And I'd have them if you gave me a colony."
That was met with nothing but silence.
Pink grunted "Why can't I have one?"
"Because you don't know where rain comes from." Said Yellow.
A sudden touch of Blue's hand in her own brought her a little closer to reality. She exchanged a look with her counterpart.
Too harsh?
"Eh..." Yellow sighed and raised her hand to hold Pink in it, so that she could actually face the other. "I'm sorry, Pink. You keep asking us about it, but... you already know why... right?" she asked sadly.
The tiny Diamond dropped her head, right after the look on her face lost its joyful glow.
She knew...
"Yeah..."
The silence they were walking in slowly started to vanish, being replaced by a soft pitter-patter of droplets coming from the sky.
"Pink," Blue summoned her vail shortly after the rain started, and now she extended one of its sides near the loop of hair on her chest "want to hide?" she smiled invitingly.
"Ah, no, I'm fine." Pink jumped from Yellow's hands on her shoulder again. She started looking up in the sky, weirded out, but curious.
It was a planet full of organic life, so the rain here was just water. One of the non-dangerous and least unpleasant substances.
When it increased however, that was when Pink decided it was unpleasant after all. Her thick mane of hair was now extremely heavy with wetness, and she was barely able to see anything with her bangs getting into her eyes. It was pouring heavily.
"Actually. I changed my mind." And she jumped onto the other Diamond, quickly hiding under the vail, seating herself in the offered hair loop. "Yellooooow!" she yelled to be heard on the background of heavy rainfall "Wanna hide too?"
Blue laughed cordially "Yes, Yellow," she opened her vail to extend it even more "care to join us?"
A set of big azure, and tiny pink eyes stared at her for a moment when she considered the offer.
"No, thank you."
She and her form had no problem enduring any kind of weather.
After some time they finally got back to the diamond base. The rain was still relentless. Most gems from outside hid under the structures and buildings.
Pink jumped off and threw herself running down the hallway, towards the control room. "Can I lift the deck?"
"No." Yellow answered as she followed her, but with no rush. Even though Pink already disappeared in one of the chambers (she was fast for her size), she wouldn't be able to manage the panel without her senior.
"You never told me that." Stopped her a soft voice from behind.
"What?" Yellow turned around.
"That you loved me." Blue took off her vail and dissolved it into nothing. She gave her counterpart a curious, but strangely unreadable look.
"I thought it was implied." Answered the General right before she called her Pearl from the other room, and walked towards the control chamber.