Chapter Text
The trial was a mess.
Blue Pearl knew it would go wrong the instant she saw the accused. Instead of the imposing rebel Rose Quartz, she saw a human with a Rose Quartz gem. Everything the human said was self contradictory, leaving Pearl to believe that their knowledge of the events was only tangential second-hand information. If that thought is true, then no one at the trial actually knew what happened to Pink Diamond. Blue Zircon might have actually had a point that Rose couldn't have shattered Pink. Given that Blue Diamond is currently trying her best to hold her emotions in until they reach the matriarch's private room, Pearl figures that she knows this, too.
One thing stuck with her, however. Blue Zircon's comments about the whereabouts of Pink's Pearl.
Between herself and Yellow Pearl, the two of them had a close relationship with both of Pink Diamond's Pearls.
The Pearl that accompanied the Ruby and Sapphire at the zoo was certainly familiar, Yellow Pearl recognized her too. They had brushed it off as a coincidence at first, a Pearl looking so close to Pink's last one, alongside a familiar Sapphire at that? There are billions of Rubies, Sapphires, and Pearls in the empire, some of them are bound to look familiar at some point. Occasionally, they even see Pearls that look like the ones White Diamond used to have.
Their Diamonds may have forgotten the gems, but the Pearls haven't.
The Pearls both recognized the Ruby and Sapphire from the Sky Arena of Earth, as well as the Legendary Renegade Pearl. They both watched as the rebels snuck two humans out, one of them being the human that approached Blue Diamond at Pink's Palanquin.
Blue Pearl knows the Renegade. Nacre could identify her from three planets away, but Blue Pearl could recognize the Renegade anywhere. How could she not? She has the same color palate, the same hair, the same gem placement, the same tone of voice, and the same subtle ticks that make every Pearl unique. To Blue and Yellow Pearl, it is painfully obvious that the Renegade Pearl was Pink's most recent one.
Two Crystal Gems stood in front of the Diamonds and lied to their faces. They got away with it, too. The two Pearls had a laugh about that when they got back to the palace and had some time between assignments. Crystal Gems were on the same space station as the two active Diamonds of Homeworld and the matriarchs were none the wiser.
Though that does raise a question. How were they still alive? White, Yellow, and Blue Diamond combined their powers and attacked the Earth, obliterating every gem on the surface. There should be no survivors.
Regardless, they survived and she didn't tell her Diamond. To be fair, Blue Diamond never asked and Pearls are not to speak out of turn. She feels a certain satisfaction at that, Pearls have a network of loopholes that they exploit occasionally to protect one another, the biggest is technicalities of orders. Ordered not to talk about something? Showing isn't speaking. Their owners didn't ask about the strange gems? Their owners don't need to know about the strange gems.
Blue Pearl and her Diamond reach the matriarch's private room, Pearl moving to her perch while Blue Diamond slumps against the wall, tears streaming down her face. Her perch is a comfortable little thing that her Diamond has blessed her with. Most Pearls never have the level of comfort a Diamond's Pearl is given, especially not the level that Blue Diamond gave her.
Part of her wishes that she could share the comfort with Blue Zircon. Pearl always found her company particularly pleasing, Zircon's anxious yet clever wit always capable of bringing a smile to Pearl's face. Quick kisses and wishes of good luck were a regular occurrence between the two.
Her sweet Moonlight had a point, Rose Quartz definitely didn't shatter Pink Diamond. The only question now is "Who did?"
"Pearl." Blue Diamond's quiet voice fills the room, bringing Pearl out of her thoughts, "What did you think about the trial? Please, be honest."
Pearl pauses.
"I think, My Diamond," She starts cautiously, as to not upset Blue Diamond any more than she already is, "That while Zircon was out of line implying that a Diamond shattered one of their own, I believe that she had a point about Rose Quartz being incapable of doing the deed herself."
"So we're back at square one." Blue Diamond sorrowfully sighs, "I just want closure, Pearl. Is that too much to ask?"
"No, My Diamond." Pearl replies, before pausing to think about if she should mention the Renegade Pearl. On one hand, the information could provide a lead to help the Diamond get her closure. On the other hand, she doesn't want to sell her friend out. She decides the former, "If it helps, there is a possibility that the Renegade Pearl belonged to Pink Diamond."
Blue Diamond locks eyes with her, and it's right then that Pearl truly realizes how exhausted the Diamond is. Six thousand years of mourning painfully evident on her face, her eyes look at her with a pleading tiredness that compels her to answer. She cares about her Diamond, and her Diamond cares about her.
"I would need to consult the archives to be absolutely certain, but there are similarities that only a Pearl would notice." Pearl says, her voice steady, "Small details in the hair, eyes, and mannerisms that our owners tend to miss. Pearls tend to notice other Pearls more than their owners do."
"And you're confident that the similarities are enough to support your theory?" Blue Diamond softly asks.
"I can recognize and name every gem in the palace, as well as in the Capitol city, My Diamond." Pearl confirms, "I am certain I can recognize a Pearl I grew close to during her service."
Pearl decides not to mention that said Renegade invited her to be a Crystal Gem at one point. She said no, but Blue Diamond doesn't need to know. The Renegade wished her the best and it never came up again.
"Do you think she could have shattered Pink?" Blue Diamond asks, her voice almost begging for an answer.
"No, My Diamond." Blue Pearl shakes her head, "I knew her well enough to know that Pink Diamond's Pearl loved her with all of her gem. She would never have shattered Pink Diamond. I feel that the information could prove to be a useful step-"
Pearl tenses sharply as her mind reaches an unpleasant conclusion, cutting herself off abruptly. She would need to consult Blue Zircon with her theory, but by the stars she hopes that she's wrong. Pink Diamond's Pearl wouldn't have shattered her, but who says that Pink necessarily was shattered to begin with? The organic's gem was slightly off color, which she figured could have been a consistent trick of the light, but that…
Blue Diamond looks at her with curiosity in her eyes as her Pearl starts drawing her finger pointedly in the air, connecting dots neither can see. Her entire demeanor shifted from loose and gentle to sharp and precise with an unspoken realization. When Blue Pearl speaks next, Blue Diamond listens.
"I need to speak to Blue Zircon."