(Streets of Homeworld)

Oton: Exterminate, exterminate!

The machine blasted a bolt of energy at a small, multicolored worm, reducing it to dust, but then five more appeared from a nearby building, chasing out a handful of high ranking Gems and their pearls.

Oton: Beep! Targets have left the Ballroom! Engage the pesticide dispensers, pest issue is too much to manually control!

On cue, dozens of silver nozzles erupted from the walls, spraying the streets with a purple cloud of gas. As it passed by, Gems and Machines we're unharmed, but as it hit the bugs, they each fell over and curled up dead, and with each area the gas would be collected and distributed into vents such to kill anymore that got into the walls. But what, or more importantly, why is all this happening? Well, some time ago, Pink began her old ways of behaving, growing more and more aggravated that she was STILL the only Diamond without so much as a colony. She begged and begged for this, as well as other responsibilities that she didn't fully understand, these caterpillars being the most recent example.

---

Pink sat on the floor of a dark, quiet room, the only window being barred shut. She looked down at the stone floor for several long hours, before Blue, looking quite displeased, entered the room, or to be specific, this was Pink's prison cell.

Blue: ....Pink, what are we going to do with you...what were you thinking, making a scene like that?!

Pink: I didn't mean to, I just-

She looked up at Blue with an expression of intense confusion and anger, but Blue continued.

Blue: You wanted to keep the organics from the Kyanite colony, and I'm the fool who let you..

Pink looked back at the floor, clearly still mad, but now she had no excuses.

Blue: Your little pets were chasing the Pearls up and down the halls for hours, now they could be anyw-wha??

Just as she was talking, one of the worm creatures fell through a crack in the ceiling, babbling happily before Blue swatted it off her head, smacking against the wall and falling into Pink's hands.

Blue: Ugh, just.. just get rid of it.

Pink: Alright...

The larger Diamond was about to leave, but she stopped in the doorway and looked back with both guilt and disappointment on her face, it even looked like she was about to cry.

Blue: ...Sigh, Pink, White is not happy about this. If it keeps up, she's going to take away your Pearl.

Pink: I know... I'm sorry...

Pink wasn't as good at hiding her emotions, and she began crying softly as Blue left.

Pink: ...Why does it always happen to me? Why, why me?! Everything Black does, they don't care, they encourage him, they had him build this stupid tower! Those...damn Oton things, what do they have that I don't?! They aren't even Gems, just machines...is-is that what they want from me then? Just a machine who listens and never talks back?! IS THAT IT!?!

Her body flashed brightly for a moment as Pink kicked the wall, making a decent sized hole in it. In a panic, the worm she held previously jumped from her and through the hole. Now alone again, Pink slumped back in the corner.

-------

(Homeworld Ballroom)

Yellow, Blue, and White's Pearl had gathered here to assess the damage caused by the worms, and they didn't like what they found. They look weak, but their teeth had chewed straight through the walls and floor, it had looked as if a gunfight went on in there.

Ylw Pearl: Ugh, those disgusting things ruin everything they touch, just LOOK at this mess! At least I'm not the one cleaning it up!

Blue Pearl: It makes my skin feel strange...Shudder

White Pearl: I don't believe White will remain so lenient, Pink is starting to cause trouble here on Homeworld now.

Ylw Pearl: Yes, while I still give her the same respect as all Diamonds deserve, she's just so....different from everything else.

Blue Pearl: You said that about Black before.

The Pearl looked surprised for a moment.

Ylw Pearl: Th-that was different! Black Diamond has proven himself, over thousands of years now that he takes his position of power as serious as a Diamond should! Pink, well, she's tried and failed multiple times now..

???: And for clear reasons!

The Pearls looked towards the door, Black's had suddenly entered with the Diamond himself not too far behind. The three scrambled to salute him, and he merely waved in acknowledgement.

Blk Pearl: Pink just can't handle the responsibility, but she can't seem to realize it, can she? And to think, her and Black were born the same day, hohoho!

Yellow Pearl was shocked at the casual insult, but it was common knowledge at this point that Black and his Gems behave entirely out of the ordinary. She's heard many things, like that his Quartz soldiers are allowed to converse with higher caste Gems whenever with no issues, that Otons were starting to have individual names to better tell them apart, but one thing that concerns her most is what happens to those outside his court who look too close in his business.

Black: You, do you know where I can find Yellow Diamond? I have to go over some data slates with her.

Ylw Pearl: Oh, y-yes, of course my Diamond! She went to speak with White Diamond, you can-

Black: I know where she is.

Ylw Pearl: Oh...oh, of course you would, my Diamond! You are a bastion of knowledge, after all!

Black: Mm...

As the two left, an awkward silence permeated in the large room.

Blue Pearl: ...Her hair looks pretty.

The others: ???

Blue Pearl: I had just noticed...

--------

(White's Spaceship)

Yellow: This just feels like the only way we can settle this. I personally see no other way.

White: I'm not disagreeing, it's just the way they both are. Pink's going to throw a fit if he says the wrong things, and Black...he's becoming more of a recluse.

Yellow: But he isn't a moron, he wouldn't start something he'd have no intention of finishing.

White: Yellow, do you ever wonder when this all began? I still remember that first day when they landed on Homeworld, they were almost friendly! But now..

Yellow: Well, there is the matter of X-4, Black's colony. She was given ownership of one of the moons, but almost immediately she had apparently failed.

White: Almost immediate? That... doesn't sound right.

???: What doesn't?

The Diamonds jumped upon hearing Black approaching.

Black: I do hope I'm not interrupting something.

Yellow: ...

White: Black, I'm going to ask you a question, and I want you to be honest. Did you have anything to do with Pink's worsening attitude?

Black: What ISN'T making it worse?

White: I'm not joking...

Black: Neither was I, she has a temper unlike anyone.

Yellow: Yes, but it happened to get worse after the incident on X-4. On its moon.

Black: Are you accusing me of something?

Yellow: I know your ability, Black, to manipulate code and such, and I know it works on Gems, too!

Black: ...And?

Yellow: Do I have to spell it out?! You must've done something to Pink, to make her like this!

Black: Now why on Homeworld would I do that and inconvenience the rest of us?

Yellow: Oh save that for your toys! You've had it the easiest out of any of us, too easy! I-I would even go so far as to say you've been sabotaging her from the very beginning!

White: Yellow, wait...

Black: ...Ok.

He dropped the data slates.

Black: Have I gone against any of you? No. Have I hindered any of you? No. Have I done anything but advance our empire, no, no,no!

White: Black, I-

Black: I'll make this perfectly clear: I do not care, what Pink does. BUT, the way she reacts to things is not acceptable. If she remains in one place, she can't find anything to bother us about, and we can get back to work! Furthermore, I-

Yellow: But this isn't-

Black suddenly snapped back.

"I'm not finished!"

Both White and Yellow looked at Black, perplexed at this sudden outburst.

Black: That's all there's ever been since I got here: suspicions, suspicions, suspicions!! Nobody cares to stop and UNDERSTAND what I do, why I do it, you're just stuck in your ways, just wanting to make the same little things on every planet, and for what??

White: Black, that's enough!

Black: Is it, though?! What about you, White? Do you even leave the planet anymore, or is it too much stimuli for you to bother??

White: Stop it right now!

Black: NO! I'm going to be heard, I'm going to make sure you know where I stand!!

Yellow: Then where do you stand?!

Black: Right, HERE!!!

He pointed at the ground, sending out a bolt of light which bounced off and almost struck White, who only had moments to dodge. Yellow couldn't form a single sentence, and could only stare on in abject shock.

Black: ...I, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to go off that way.

White: Just. Just leave me for a moment, I have to think...

Black: Yes, of course, I..understand.

--------

Black fell into the green terminal chair in his room and clutched his forehead for a moment. A Mrk 2 had peered in from the doorway.

Oton: Would you care for some tea?

Black: What? Oh, yes please, and bring extra sugar, I need something to calm down..

Blk Pearl: Don't you think you were a bit, harsh, my Diamond?

Black: Sigh, I don't know, but I just had to say something, you know? I constantly feel like they're...judging me, how I run my court. I just want them to see things from my perspective for once. There's so much we can make, so much potential.

Blk Pearl: I see, well have no worries. I'm sure this will all blow over and everything will go back to normal!

Black: That's what I hope..

The Oton returned with a clay teapot and three small cups on a silver platter, setting the tray on the Diamond's desk before leaving once again. As Black went to reach for a cup, a pale hand was placed over his ashen gray.

Blk Pearl: Allow me, my Diamond!

She proceeded to prepare the first cup, humming a soft tune while mixing in a handful of sugar.

Blk Pearl: Here you are, and just you wait and see, one day you'll be far away from all these troubles, so much so that you won't even recognize yourself...and I'll be right beside you every step of the way.

She gave a warm smile, taking ahold of the Diamond's free hand with her own.

Black: At least there's someone else who appreciates me around here.

(Had to completely rewrite this chapter due to technical issues, hopefully I got that sorted out by next chapter.)