Connie watched groups of two come to Pinks throne and salute, both complimenting him with wide eyes and adoring excitement.

"Wow, your luster is breathtaking Pink Diamond!"

"Thank you, welcome to the ball." He sounded at peace here in his Diamond form, listening to the praise.

"Pink Diamond, your gem is dazzling!"

She felt incredibly out of place here, and possibly overdressed.

Before they had come, Pink had instructed her to wait in the closet while he finished his preparations.

It had taken him awhile, and she had almost gone to look for him when he walked back in.

"My Diamond," She greeted, ceasing her movement to curtsy low.

Annoyance crossed his face as he stepped closer. "Where are you going?"

"I was coming to find you."

He looked perplexed. "Why?"

"Because I was worried," She explained carefully.

He seemed to let that sit in his mind for a moment, staring blankly at her and then shaking his head. She noticed how his curls bounced as he did. It was oddly attractive. "Your job isn't to worry. It's to obey."

She rolled her eyes internally and nodded. "I'm sorry."

He ignored her and walked to the back of the closet. "This." He pulled down an outfit she could only call eccentric.

He must have seen her expression, because he smirked. "Am I going to have to put on myself?"

She hesitated and quickly the smile dropped. "Speak when you are spoken to, Pet."

"Y-yes! I mean, no!" In her panic she had of course said the wrong thing, and he moved into her space before asking her again.

"If it would please you, my Diamond. You," She took a deep breath, trying to quell her rising anxiety, "...may dress me."

He had no visible reaction to her act of submission, and she felt a pang of disappointment. He didn't seem to be even mildly excited at the idea of dressing her, much less undressing her.

She scowled, why would she want him to? He was mean, he was dark and brooding and yet somehow a blank slate. She shouldn't want his praise or excitement.

And yet.

He turned her around and unzipped her outfit slowly before pulling it off and down to her ankles. She tried not to shiver or accidentally give him a face full of her ass, that was the absolute last thing she needed.

It took him awhile to unclip her bra, which almost seemed funny before he impatiently ripped it open. It fluttered to the floor in a heap joining her outfit and she felt so exposed.

Instinctually she looked back at him, trying to ground herself in this moment and not be so afraid.

His gaze did not help.

They were burning, searing into her. She couldn't tell if it was pure loathing, or lust. He had paused in his movements to grab his chosen clothing, and now they were just staring at each other.

She wanted to drop her eyes for a moment, look at his gem and see if it was responding to her nakedness but she didn't dare. Her throat seized and her mind was completely blank save for one stream of thoughts, "I want him to kiss me. No, I don't. Yes, I do. You barely know him. That hardly matters. I want him to kiss me again."

It was so minuscule she almost didn't notice, but the tips of his ears reddened and it spread to his cheeks. Just barely, there was a blush. "That would break every rule we have on Homeworld."

"What?" She asked her eyes wide with horror.

"Stand still." He took the dress off its hanger. "Raise your hands." She did and he slid the first part over her head.

She couldn't see how she looked, but she imagined very silly. She had never worn something this formal and flamboyant.

He buttoned the outside drapery on from behind, then his heat moved from her back.

When she turned around he withdrew a step and inhaled sharply.

"My Diamond." She curtsied in her fairytale dress and the blood drained from his face.

Still, he kept his expression blank and it irritated her. He was so trapped in his mind, it was hard to get a genuine reaction out of him.

He cleared his throat and turned to face her mirror. "Go and get your hair done by Blue and Yellows Pearls. They are waiting for you just outside. Go."

She hesitated and before her eyes he changed his body again, this time growing almost twice his height and glowing. He had surpassed his normal level of scary, and she did not want to learn the extent of it.

"Go. Now."

She wanted to tell him off for not at least telling her she looked good, but bit it back and followed his instructions.

And now she was here, dressed to the nines.

It wasn't at all uncomfortable though, and she liked how soft and silky and regal it felt. It started as a simple party dress with a see through middle to show her waist, held tightly in place by  the corset. It fanned out and ended near the middle of her thighs, making it quite short if it didn't have a part to wrap around the back than flowed and reached the floor like a bridal train. The pattern was light pink, and littered with darker pink and silver diamonds littered all over it.

She felt a bit like a bride, a walking display for his amusement. He'd chuckled when she grimaced at her princess like finished product but said nothing else.

"And now we welcome the luminous, lustrous, emotion provoking Blue Diamond!"

She snapped out of her thoughts and glanced around realizing the other Diamonds hadn't yet attended. She had thought they were there but didn't want to move to make sure. Everything felt so serious and formal and she wanted to make her Diamond proud, and certainly didn't want to face disappointment or worse, anger.

"Well done, Pink! What a splendid little party," Blue warmly praised him. "And your Connie looks simply beautiful. I'm so proud of you." Her eyes filled with tears and the room became awash with a blue veil. Most cried the exact same tears, though no one seemed surprised. Some cried more than others, and some far less. They looked weary, the ones who barely shed a tear.

"Thank you, Blue." Pink seemed to swell with pride and Connie smiled at the acknowledgment. Blue was so kind to her whenever they interacted, she wondered what Blue thought of White's behavior towards Pink.

"And now, the bold, striking, intelligent Yellow Diamond!"

She seemed to glow a bit brighter than normal when she walked in, and the  Peridots, Citrines, Jades and Emeralds saluted perfectly in sync.

Connie felt like this was all so far beyond her level of understanding, it could easy become overstimulating in the wrong mindset.

When she was trained, she had mastered the art of a blank mind. Thoughts would echo into the void without further exploration and disappear. It was almost comforting.

"Not bad, Pink." Yellow sat in her throne and yellow Pearl joined at her feet. They all truly looked like –

"And now, all turn your attention to the front entrance to bask in the presence of our last Diamond! The incredible light that binds us all, the Perfect One, with a glow we inferior gems can only hope to reflect, White Diamond!"

It was so quiet you could've heard a pin drop and at the raise of her hand they cheered and cried at what was apparently an incredible opportunity. "Pink."

She felt his tension in her gut as he stood to face her. "Welcome White. We are all truly honored to have you and your Pearl attending." He sounded truly pleased she was there.

Almost.

When White smiled Connie almost burst out laughing, it took everything within her not to. Pink may not have been fully human, but somehow he had learned sarcasm and it was dripping off his greeting to White.

It occurred to her that maybe Homeworld gems didn't know sarcasm, but instead perfect obedience.

"Oh Pink, the party looks just marvelous. Where's your..." She trailed off in silence and her eyes landed on Connie. "Well done, Steven!"

The gems saluting praised him as well.
"Well done, Pink Diamond!"

Again Connie had to wonder why White called him that in front of all four courts.

"This may as well be a new era!" White said as she sat. "I'm proud of you, Pink."

She couldn't see his response or hear it, she assumed they shared a smile.

"Let the ball begin."

Connie turned and joined the other three Pearls on a diamond shaped mini platform at the foot of all the Diamonds' feet.

The faced toward the middle, and she just barely caught herself before she curtsied in place of the salute. She hadn't expected to do this now.

There was a long moment of silence and the Diamonds help rose above the crowd on display for every gem present.

She could see Pink out of the corner of her eye and his face held a flicker of concern and he rested his mouth behind his hand. He clearly hadn't expected this either and he looked worried she would fail him.

The last time she had completed this dance, a peridot told her she was 78% accurate at completing the steps. A C+ in her mind. The other Pearls completed it with almost perfect precision and she felt her face heat up at the whispering around her.

She wasn't used to failure, or even grades lower than a B+. It was her first time and it ate away at her as the music started.

She couldn't fail. Whites eyes were indefinitely on the stage, watching Connie with almost a smug look. Something inside her knew if she failed, Pink would be punished in her place.

She took a deep breath as the music began and placed her hand in the middle with the others. The all moved in unison, circling the very outside of the platform and then moving to begin dancing with one another.

The steps were strategic, even one offbeat pearl– or human– would throw everything off and possibly literally send them toppling into the crowd.

Blue Pearls dance was very fluid, gentle and naturally she took the follow. Connie twirled her around and caught her with a hand on her waist. They whirled around once and now Yellow Pearl was in her arms.

Yellow took the lead perfectly and the woman hoped she could keep up with talent. Yellows Pearl had been doing this for a very long while, eons even.

When Yellow dipped her she took the moment to glance down at her Diamond.

His expression was unreadable as always, but the heightened light he was emitting said enough as they locked eyes for a split second.

He gave her the tiniest smile and she felt her body flood with determination.

The steps were coming to her now as if she had done it all her life, as if she were made for this exact moment.

Her dress sparkled and glowed under the lights, fanning out and she twirled and she noticed her dress was cut perfectly for this exact moment.

Pink had known and chosen this dress for this.

She smiled and danced through the Pearls, for the first time since she was on this planet she felt in her element.

The lights changed from a full flood of the stage to a single spotlight directly in the middle.

Yellow and Blues Pearls stepped to the darkened area and Whites Pearl stepped into the middle, Connie following suit.

This was the part she always messed up on, it was mirrored from the previous steps and her mind just didn't switch gears like that.

Connie tried to relax, she knew these steps they were just opposite and backwards.

White Pearl lifted the woman easily and she noticed the other gems were now dancing along with them. Every eye was watching their superiors.

White Pearls foot went just an inch further to the right and Connie wrapped her arms around the pale woman's neck making a flawless recovery.

White Pearls smile never wavered.

Things got faster. Her mind went blank, she was struggling to breathe and everyone's eyes were on her. If she messed up, everyone would know. Everyone would know she had failed, and her failings reflected poorly on Pink.

She felt herself becoming dangerously dizzy but she pushed through. She looked up at Whites Pearl who smiled blankly. She was going to pass out, she was sure of it.

And then it was over.

Thundering applause from the crowd as the four bowed.

Connie had just either been accepted as an adequate Pearl replacement for Pink, or not.

"Pink Diamonds Pearl..." Whites Pearl addressed her and she felt the collective focus move to her.

She hated being the center of attention. Ever since she was a child it meant being judged every time and this was no difference.

She placed a finger by her and she panicked, thinking White would squish her like an insignificant bug.

But instead she pushed her to the side overlooking all of the gems. She was still dizzy and it did not help to have her toes nearly dangling off the edge.

"Welcome to our court."

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