There's another story with a similar premise to this one. Any similarities between them are not intentional.

Eternal Radiance

Chapter I: A New Era

Red awoke at the end of the war—when all was done and fear ensued.

He erupted from the earth in an explosion of stone, falling to his knees at base of a valley.

In that instant, he knew everything was wrong.

Because he could feel it. Their anger. Their malice. Their… pain.

Around him, innumerable numbers of ships soared away. Hundreds of warp Pads glowed like tiny stars. Thousands of gems were panicking, running, desperate to find a way out.

But many did not make it. And they collapsed to the ground, clutching their heads in agony—trying escape the multi-colored light that covered the night sky.

.

Eternal Radiance

.

Blue Diamond's pearl was a quiet gem, a reserved soul at heart.

Perhaps she was even a bit timid.

Arrayed in a fanciful manner, her attire was stunning by all accounts. She was a spectacle, even amongst other servants like herself. And yet, azure locks covered her eyes, shielded her from the gazes of those around. From the day she had been made, she strived to be a proper pearl. She spoke only when spoken to. She sang when requested to. She listened carefully to every instruction, never missing a word, never failing a command. She obeyed without objection, and she lived to serve her superior to the best of her ability.

At least, that's what it had always been like.

Now, however, she could barely do anything for Blue Diamond.

Pearl shivered.

Her hands were clasped together. They trembled uncontrollably. She could feel her diamond's pain, could hear her heartbreaking sobs. It was terrifying, in a way. Because she never knew her master was capable of such… vulnerability. A small wave of blue energy washed over her, and her legs buckled. She leaned against a wall, for her limbs threatened to fail her.

Pearl could not stop the tears that suddenly flowed from her hidden eyes. She quaked, biting her lips as Blue Diamond's emotions crashed upon her.

This was the first time Blue Diamond had asked Pearl to leave her presence. A massive pink wall separated them. Behind it, her diamond was alone, grieving for the one that had been lost.

Pink Diamond was gone. Never to return.

The Rebellion had been put to an end, but at what cost?

She didn't like to dwell on these thoughts. It wasn't a pearl's place to ponder such matters. But these musings always returned.

It had been many, many cycles since the final evacuation from earth. That failed colony.

Since then, her diamond's grief had only intensified—almost as though the reality of Pink's demise was finally, forcefully, settling in.

Pearl clenched her shaking hands. She gazed at the door that separated them. She steeled her resolve and reached up to touch the keypad.

She typed a passcode, and the massive pink doors opened.

Inside, Blue Diamond wept.

The room was bright pink, glowing luminously. It was an architectural marvel—comparable to Homeworld structures—with angular walls, winding pillars, geometric patterns, and rising stairs. A lowered platform drew attention to the center. It housed a soft place for resting, complete with gentle, white cushions. Above were countless bubbles. Rose Quartz gems, trapped for hundreds of years. They floated aimlessly in the air, undisturbed for ions.

A cruel fate it was—to be bubbled without the hope of ever reforming.

In the middle of Pink's abode, the radiant Blue Diamond knelt. Her veil was pulled forward, shrouding her immaculate features. Her hands were clasped as she gazed upward, watching the cosmos as tears fell, sliding down her beautiful face.

She cried.

It was a jarring sight. Because no one, save for Pearl and the other matriarchs, had ever seen her in such a state.

Hesitantly, Pearl took a step, and then bowed her head.

"I told you to wait outside, did I not?" It was only a whisper, but the authority was not lost.

Pearl nodded meekly, suddenly lacking confidence.

"You did…"

"And you wish to disobey me, Pearl?"

"N-no, my Diamond. That is not my desire."

"Then what do you desire?" the matriarch questioned.

"My… my Diamond," Pearl said softly. "I desire nothing but your wellbeing." She dipped her head in respect. "Is there anything that I… I can do? Say the word, and I will attend to that very wish."

Blue Diamond let out a long sigh. She turned, tears falling. She beckoned Pearl to her.

The smaller gem complied, moving to her creator's side.

"Pearl," Blue said. She lowered her palm, and Pearl stepped onto the outstretched hand. She was lifted up a moment later. "You have been by my side for millennia. Your fine voice and soft words have entertained me on many occasions. Your sweet songs have soothed me in times of turmoil, as well as times of peace. But I fear there is little you can do to ease my plight. Many things have changed. We have suffered a loss too great to forget. And forget, I cannot."

Pearl felt as though her gem had been broken. It was her sole purpose to serve. And knowing she could do nothing to comfort Blue Diamond was a fate, dare she say, worse than shattering.

She nodded slowly, deeply saddened. "Of course, my Diamond." She hesitated, looking at her feet. "Do you wish for me to… leave?"

"You may stay."

Blue placed Pearl on the pink floor, then pulled her veil tighter.

And she continued to grieve.

Soon after, however, a device began to flash and glow brightly. It was a yellow glow, one that could not be ignored.

"My Diamond." Pearl bowed her head. She formed the diamond salute. "Might I respond?"

"Decline it," Blue said softly, ignoring the direct diamond line in Pink's abode.

"Yes, certainly." Pearl nodded curtly, then proceeded to end the attempt by a fellow diamond to communicate with Blue.

But even then, Blue Diamond could hardly have the precious silence she so desired.

It remained quiet only for a short time.

And then, once more, she was interrupted.

The massive pink doors slid open again, loudly. But this time, one of her agates stood at the entrance. Sweating bullets, the quartz hastily formed the diamond salute.

"Who told you to enter, Agate?" demanded Blue. She stood to her full height. Her tears had dried, and the authority of a gem matriarch was on full display. "When I said, do not interrupt, was I so unclear?"

"N-no, my Diamond. Y-you were perfectly c-clear." Holly Blue shook apprehensively, lowering her head, unable to meet those icy eyes. "M-many apologies. But… but I just received an important message from Y-Yellow Diamond."

Blue's eyes narrowed.

"Go on."

"Y-yes! Of course," Holly answered. "And once again, I apologize for my interrup—"

"The message, Agate," Blue Diamond said sternly.

Holly nodded quickly, swallowing.

"Yellow Diamond is requesting you remain in the zoo until she arrives."

"She is on her way here?"

"Yes, my Diamond," the blue quartz answered. "She was unable to reach you, so she contacted me directly—not long ago."

"Any particular reason why?" Blue pried.

"S-she didn't specify," Holly continued. "But she said it was of great urgency. That she needed to see you."

Blue turned away. "Very well, then. Alert me of her arrival." She snapped her mighty fingers. "That will be all."

Holly Blue bowed and departed. And despite all that had happened—the war, the shattering of Pink Diamond—inwardly, the quartz was slightly ecstatic.

Not only had Blue Diamond placed her in charge of an important aspect of gem history (the zoo), but she would finally get to see Yellow Diamond in person—for the first time.

What a day it was.

Blue did not lift her head, nor did she turn as the doors, for the hundredth time today, slid open.

Yellow Diamond's echoing footsteps betrayed her arrival. She walked slowly, purposefully, stopping short of Blue's crouched form. But the azure diamond kept her back turned. Only her pearl looked forward, greeting the second matriarch with a bow, and catching sight of the gold-tinted pearl that followed closely behind.

"Blue."

The grieving diamond did not respond.

Yellow Diamond sighed. She clasped both hands behind her back, a staple gesture of her militaristic persona. Then she moved until she was close enough to stand beside Blue Diamond. No words were spoken, not for a while. Their pearls shared a brief glance, then mimicked their owners by standing side-by-side.

"I should have done more," Blue finally spoke, barely a whisper. "If I had, I'm certain things would be different."

"Maybe." Yellow's hands remained clasped behind her back. She looked forward, watching the bubbled Rose Quartz gems with narrowed eyes—tempted to shatter them. "But we cannot turn back time, Blue."

"I know," Blue whispered. "I know…"

"Do you, though?" inquired Yellow. "You've been neglecting your duties for too long, Blue. Your court is in disarray. They need their Diamond."

Blue pinned her with a cold glare.

"And what, you want me to simply move on? Yes, the Rebellion ended cycles ago, but you and White are acting like it never even happened."

Yellow Diamond looked her in the eyes. "It did happen, but what do we gain by dwelling on the past? We all could have done more, Blue—all of us. We could have been more involved in creating that vile colony. But we weren't. I'm trying to make sure something like this never happens again." She placed a hand on Blue's shoulder. "I'm moving forward."

Blue didn't respond to her gentle touch. She stood to her full height.

"If moving forward means forgetting Pink, then I'm not interested."

Golden lightning sparked to life around Yellow Diamond. Her brows furrowed, eyes narrowed. The two pearls beneath backed away fearfully, before they were forcefully and painfully poofed.

"You think I've… forgotten her?" Yellow questioned sharply. The lightning grew stronger, snapping and hissing violently. "I will never forget her. Don't you know I feel just as strongly as you do?"

"You certainly aren't acting like it," Blue accused.

Azure aura flared around Blue Diamond. It expanded, clashing against Yellow Diamond's lightning. Beneath them, their pearls struggled to remain composed, legs shaking, bodies trembling. It was a battle. A battle of wills. With neither Diamond gaining the upper hand.

The ground quaked, and the air was tense.

And it was only when cracks began to form upon the walls that Blue Diamond calmed herself—lest they destroyed one of Pink's last remaining relics.

Her shoulder's slumped, and she looked away.

"I'm sorry, Yellow," she said softly. "I didn't mean what I said."

The lightning surrounding the second matriarch receded. She rubbed her temples.

"I know you didn't." Yellow Diamond's angular features saddened, a rare sight to behold. She turned her head from view, bottling her emotions. "This has been hard on me too—more than you know." Then she placed both hands on Blue's shoulders. "But you need to try, all right? Try retuning to your duties. Be the Diamond that you once were. The Rebellion is a stain on our legacy, a stain I intend on blotting out for good."

Blue Diamond rose a curious brow.

"The Geo Weapon," Yellow Diamond clarified. "In due time, it will erase that speck of dirt from existence. Don't even bother worrying about such matters. Focus on your court. Help us bring about a new era."

Blue nodded slowly, momentarily comforted. This time, she welcomed her fellow diamond's touch. "I will try," she said. "But it's hard, Yellow. Will we ever recover from this?"

Yellow Diamond squeezed her shoulders. "We will."

They remained silent for a while, just watching the bubbled Rose Quartz gems above.

"Why do you not shatter them?"

"Must we discuss this now?" Blue asked softly.

Yellow chose not to pursue the issue further. There would be time for that later.

After all, more pressing matters were afoot.

"Now, what was so urgent that you needed to see me?" Blue Diamond inquired.

Yellow Diamond remained silent.

"Yellow?"

"We need to head back," she revealed, tone serious. "There is a trial we need to attend."

"Trial?" Blue straightened, intrigued and annoyed. "Why was I unaware of this?"

"Because this is a new development. I was just given notice as well."

"Regardless, what sort of trial requires our presence?"

Yellow Diamond moved forward. Once more, she clasped her hands behind her back. "It's not a trial, not necessarily. More of an… interrogation."

"Interrogation," muttered Blue distastefully. "That is beneath us. Have one of your Peridots conduct it. I have no time for such—"

"Something has happened, Blue."

"What are you saying?"

Yellow glanced downward, nodding once. "Pearl, show her the report."

The yellow Pearl looked up, happy to oblige. "Yes, my Diamond!" Then she pulled a device from her gem. With it, she projected a classified message with a series of blurry images. Images that made even blue Pearl stare in astonishment.

The blurry images contained two things.

White Diamond's ship.

And a mysterious figure flying above said ship.

These pictures had been taken by a roaming eye, but it seemed the figure had moved so fast that not even its advanced cameras could capture a clear image.

Blue Diamond gasped, reading the report.

"What could this possibly mean?"

Yellow turned to Blue, more serious than she had ever been. "That's precisely what we are going to inquire."

Blue's eyes hardened. "This is indeed strange." She continued to stare at the image, reading the rest of the report. "And… and even more, these three gems claim they just arrived from earth? After so long?"

"Yes," Yellow answered. "They have been detained and are awaiting our questions."

"Who else knows about this?"

"Very few." Yellow's voice was soft. "The situation has been contained—to avoid a spread of unwanted rumors." She moved forward. "Now, two of us are going to see these three gems. We will assess the validity of their claims, and a decision will be made."

Blue Diamond nodded.

"We must leave immediately."

(Homeworld)

Amethyst 8XJ owed her life to this gem.

If not for him, she would never have made it off that planet. It had been many years since the war's end, but she could still remember it clearly. One moment, she had been fighting, following orders as they were barked from a superior officer, then the next, there was a panic, a scramble. Everyone began running—running away from the rebels.

And there was confusion. So much confusion.

Without warning, they had been ordered to evacuate, to abandon earth for good. Aristocrats and common soldiers fled, desperate to reach a means of escape. Ships filled the skies in minutes. Gems were trampled in the sudden rush, poofed by thousands of pounding feet. Warp Pads glowed like she had never seen, carrying away those who had been fortunate enough to escape.

Amethyst could have made it off planet too, but she had to find her mates. She had to make sure they were all okay. She had an opportunity to escape, but she couldn't just leave her fellow quartz gems behind.

So, she ran in the opposite direction, made sure they were all together, made sure they found ships, even as the world grew brighter and the sky shinned like the sun.

She was no fool.

The fact that something bad was going to happen was obvious. Judging by the hasty, panicked evacuation, she'd known a horrible event was coming. But she didn't care. As long as her mates were safe, it didn't matter that she had been left behind, nor did it matter if she survived.

But she did survive. She had made it out. All three of them.

Thanks to him.

And for years afterward, they had been in space, exploring, enjoying a life of freedom. But now, they were finally on Homeworld.

They had landed in a discrete location, an abandoned Homeworld Kindergarten, hoping to remain hidden while he was gone. But after destroying several robonoids sent to shatter them, three of them were soon discovered.

They were quickly detained, briefly questioned.

Once they revealed they had returned from earth, after so many years, their situation took a serious turn, reaching a level of importance so great that the Diamonds were, for some reason, now involved.

And here she was, an average quartz, waiting to be interrogated by the Matriarchs of gemkind.

"Homeworld sure is crazy," muttered Skinny: a slim Jasper with short, beige hair. She looked so out of place, so scrawny, compared to all the soldiers they had seen guarding every corner. They were in a white room with no doors, with no means of escape (not that they would even dare try).

"I know," Amethyst replied. She tried to keep the tremor from her voice. She hated to admit it, but she was nervous.

"I… I hate it," Carnelian whispered. The normally brash, playful gem was quiet. Out of everyone, she was the most out of place. She was so small, even when compared to Skinny. "Everything's so different. Everyone's so serious."

"Hey," Amethyst said, reaching out to pat Carnelian's hair. "Don't worry. We won't be in there long. We're only witnesses. All we have to do is tell them what happened to us on earth. You know, share our story, and then we're free to go."

"Are you sure?" Carnelian asked optimistically.

Amethyst put on a brave smile.

"I'm sure of it."

Though, truly, she feared for her two companions. She'd heard whispers, seen the disgusted glances other quartzes gave them as they were escorted into the courthouse. On Homeworld, it seemed that being different was utterly reviled.

Skinny crossed her slender arms, looking more vulnerable than ever.

"It's not like we did anything special," she said. "If anything, he's the one that did everything." When she said this, Skinny smiled softly, a blush tinting her cheeks—ever grateful to the towering gem that had protected them, both on earth and in space.

He had trained them to fight, honed their abilities to the highest potential. But even then, on Homeworld, they were outnumbered. So, they had no choice to comply. At least, until he returned.

"I wish he was with us," Carnelian whispered, then leaned against Skinny—her kindergarten mate. "If he was, no one would bother us. All they would do is stare and keep their mouths shut."

"Don't you remember?" Amethyst asked. "Before he left, Red said that he wouldn't let anything bad happen us. He made that promise the moment we arrived on Homeworld."

Carnelian looked down, Skinny gently rubbing her hair. "I know, but… but Homeworld gems are so different. They're so… uptight. I mean, does anyone not have fun around here?" She crossed her arms. "I… I think they hate gems that were made on earth."

"Let them hate us, then," Skinny said with a defiant smile.

Amethyst nodded. "At the very least, we have a Diamond on our side. He doesn't hate us. That's gotta count for something, right?"

Both beta gems brightened significantly, reassured by this very fact.

Then, a door opened.

In stepped two massive Topaz gems. Their faces were stoic and they looked immensely imposing, even bigger than Amethyst. Between them was a yellow Zircon, proudly moving with her shoulders raised, her arms clasped behind her back, and her nose upturned.

The Homeworld gems approached, then paused several feet in front of the trio.

The Zircon took a sweeping glance, then scoffed. "This is what came out of that gem-forsaken planet?" She looked disgusted, eyeing Skinny and Carnelian especially. "It's astounding that you were chosen to stand before the Diamonds. Especially you two. You shouldn't even be allowed in the capital, let alone the courthouse." She almost seemed to shudder. "Well, whatever is going on, I suppose I have no say in the matter. It's not like—"

"Hey," Amethyst interjected. "Uh, are you supposed to be helping us with something?"

Zircon laughed.

"Helping? No. I'm only here to explain to you a set of procedures you will be required to follow when you stand before them."

"Procedures…?" asked Carnelian.

"Certainly, off color," said Zircon, smugly. "Here on Homeworld, we conduct ourselves in a civilized manner. But I wouldn't expect uncultured earth gems to know proper etiquette."

"Off… color?" Skinny whispered, but Zircon didn't catch it. Instead, the yellow lawyer moved forward, the Topaz gems following closely behind.

"I will only say this once," Zircon instructed. "So, listen carefully." She rose a finger. "Number one. You must address our radiant leaders as 'my diamond' or 'my diamonds'. Two, you must form the diamond salute upon their arrival. Three, you will not speak unless spoken to. Four, you will answer all questions honestly, precisely, and concisely. And five, you will question none of the words of the diamonds. Do you understand?"

"Yes," the trio intoned, awkwardly forming the diamond symbol upon their chests.

At their pitiful display, Zircon rubbed her temples. "I still can't believe an interrogation is taking place in the courthouse! This is unprecedented. Surely, a peridot would have been enough to handle this. But the Diamonds themselves? Unthinkable. Right, Topaz?"

Topaz, both Topazes, shrugged, giving the minutest of reactions.

"Wait, interrogation?" Amethyst asked. Both Skinny and Carnelian shared a glance.

The yellow Zircon nodded, leaning forward with a disgusted look. "Yes, you three are being interrogated. And by the Diamonds, no less. It's a bizarre situation. Even I'm not completely clear on the details. Normally, we conduct trials here. But interrogations? That's unheard of! Whatever you three did, you better hope the diamonds are in a merciful mood." She glanced at the two off colors. "Seeing you two, however, that might be very unlikely."

Carnelian shivered, and a bead of sweat trickled down Skinny's temple.

And despite her nervousness, Carnelian clenched her fists. She looked Zircon straight in the eyes.

"Red promised," she whispered, revealing his name for the first time.

Zircon rose a brow.

"Red?"

"Our friend," Carnelian hissed. "He promised that nothing would happen to us. That he wouldn't let anyone hurt us." The red gem pointed a finger a Zircon. "He knows when we're in danger, and if something happens, he'll be there. No matter what."

"He…?" The yellow Zircon looked confused. "What are you going on about?"

"You haven't heard?" Skinny asked, smirking.

"H-heard what?!" demanded Zircon.

"Red Diamond," Amethyst stated with a grin.

"W-what?" Zircon looked behind her, to her Topaz guards. Even they themselves looked alarmed, glancing between each other. "Y-you earth gems are surely defective. R-Red Diamond? Such a ridiculous assertion."

"Why else do you think we're here? How else could we have survived the final attack on earth?" Amethyst asked. She felt a bit of satisfaction, knowing they had rattled the smug lawyer with their revelation.

"It doesn't matter why you're here, or how you survived," said Zircon. She regained her composure. "All that matters is that, in a few moments, you will stand before the Diamonds and answer for whatever crimes you miserable, lying clumps of earth have committed."

"We didn't commit any crimes," Skinny countered angrily.

"Lying will get you nowhere. It won't save you from our radiant leaders." A smug smile found its way on the lawyer's features. "Soon, you will see them face to face. And I wonder if you'll still have the same confidence in your made-up diamond."

Then, a door decorated with the diamond authority insignia opened.

The room was unlike anything they had ever seen. It was dark. Yet at the same time, they could see each other clearly.

The yellow Zircon was no longer present, thankfully. But her words still haunted the trio, even as they stood in silence. Carnelian quivered, and her arm found its way around Amethyst's leg. Skinny stood stiff, fists clenched, and eyes darting in every direction.

A blue and yellow light glowed.

"Remember what Red said," Amethyst whispered one last time. "He'll be back. No matter what. If he wasn't confident that we'd be all right, he would never have left."

And then, two Pearls appeared. One blue, the other yellow. They announced the arrival of the Diamonds.

Amethyst quickly nudged her mates to form the diamond salute.

In a flash of light, they appeared.

Skinny gasped.

They had never seen either of them in person. But here they were, standing before two Homeworld matriarchs.

Yellow Diamond was imposing, with a tactical, militaristic persona about her. And Blue Diamond was just as imposing, cold and calculating.

But something was off.

Because Blue Diamond almost looked… sad. A deep sadness one could not ignore.

Yellow Diamond glanced around, then her gaze settled on them.

And her eyes narrowed.

"These are the witnesses?" she asked coldly. Golden lightning sparked around her palms. "You were right, Blue. This is beneath us." She rose her hand and pointed a single finger at them, ready to effortlessly destroy their physical forms. "I will not listen to the words of defective gems. Two, no less."

Carnelian and Skinny grabbed hold of Amethyst's arms, tightly shutting their eyes—waiting for the pain of Yellow Diamond's inevitable attack.

But it never came.

Amethyst slowly looked up. She witnessed Blue placing her palm on Yellow's, stopping her from harming them. Blue looked deeply into her fellow diamond's eyes.

The bond between them was so immense, it was almost palpable.

"Beneath us, it might be. But let us hear them, Yellow. Before we make a decision, let us have an explanation first. A narrative, at least."

Yellow Diamond considered her words, then conceded.

"Very well."

Two giant thrones appeared behind the matriarchs, and they sat. Their pearls stood below them, holding newly developed computing devices—curtesy of Yellow Diamond's desire for advancement.

And above them was a sight to behold.

A white diamond, floating silently in the air. It was almost as though someone else was here, viewing all that transpired from a different place, watching through that single piece of floating technology.

"Let's begin, shall we?" Blue Diamond announced.

"Pearl," Yellow Diamond stated.

Her pearl nodded, stood straight, and spoke. "State your names, planet of origin, and occupation."

Amethyst saw the state of her friends and decided to speak on their behalf.

"I'm Amethyst 8XJ, and this is Carnelian 7LK, and Jasper 9GS—"

"Can they not speak for themselves?" Yellow asked condescendingly.

"Please, Yellow," Blue said softly. "Let her continue."

Yellow sighed. "Go on, then."

"Y-yes," Amethyst said, resuming. "We're from earth. I immerged from the Prime Kindergarten, and they immerged from the Beta Kindergarten. And we are soldiers that served under Pink Diamond."

Blue Diamond leaned close.

"Were you close to Pink?"

"N-no," Amethyst answered. "I only saw her a few times."

Blue features fell with disappointment.

"You three fought in the war, I presume?" Yellow questioned sternly.

"Yes, Yellow Diamond," they all said.

"Intriguing," the Diamond spoke. "Then answer me this." Her eyes narrowed. "The war ended quite some time ago, did it not?"

"Y-yeah," Amethyst answered.

"If this is the case," Yellow Diamond said, lightning crackling at her fingertips, "then why are you three just now arriving?"

"W-we were in space all this t-time," Skinny said. "We were trying to find Homeworld, but… but since we had never been here, it took us a long time to find it. We were on a ship that was damaged. Its… its navigational systems didn't work."

"Is that so?" Yellow Diamond inquired coldly.

All three of them nodded.

Blue Diamond leaned forward once more. Her beautiful features hardened.

"Tell us, then. What happened to you at the conclusion of the Rebellion?"

Amethyst looked up. "We were… left behind," she revealed. Yellow Diamond rose a brow. "We received the message to evacuate. I helped many of those in my kindergarten escape. Then I went back for these two, but it was too late. Thousands of ships flew away. And… and then, there was this flash…"

Both Diamonds shared a glance.

And lighting raced around Yellow Diamond.

"What did you see?" she demanded.

Amethyst flinched slightly.

"W-we saw a light. When it was over, we heard screams. Loud, terrible screams of all the gems that… that had been left on earth. We saw some of them, and they… they had turned into… into these... horrible creatures."

Yellow Diamond stood from her throne. "Ridiculous! We destroyed every gem on earth. None survived."

"Yellow, let us hear them," Blue Diamond urged.

"Are you just going to ignore these lies?" Yellow hissed.

"No, but we need more information," reasoned Blue. "We must know all that occurred. Down to the last detail."

Yellow did not sit back down. The lightning grew more violent, and she turned sharply to them.

"You three, tell us exactly how you survived," demanded Yellow Diamond.

"I-It was Red Diamond!" Carnelian finally blurted out. "He… he saved us! He protected us. If… if it wasn't for him, we wouldn't be here right now."

Blue Diamond's eyes widened.

"Red Diamond?"

"He?" inquired Yellow Diamond.

"Y-yes. That's—that's what he wanted to be called," Amethyst tried to explain.

"What sort of ridiculous request is that?" Yellow demanded.

"I'm not sure, but… but…" Amethyst trailed off.

"Please, continue," Blue urged intently, at the edge of her azure throne. She was paying attention to their every word, gathering information. She didn't know if she believed them. But she had felt something when she and Yellow left the zoo and arrived on Homeworld. Something warm and kind and full of life. It must've been that figure flying over the White's ship.

Yellow looked baffled.

"You can't possibly be entertaining this."

Blue glanced at yellow, then at the trio.

"What happed after he protected you?"

Amethyst clenched her fist, feeling Yellow Diamond's malice. "We… we found abandoned ships, and Red Diamond kept us safe. He helped us, and he continued to protect us in space. He's the one that found Homeworld. With… without him, I don't know what would have happened to us."

"If this is true," questioned Blue calmly, "then where is this… Red Diamond?"

"We… we don't know," Amethyst admitted, looking down.

Skinny spoke, "He left as soon as we arrived on Homeworld."

"Yeah, he told us he had to do something," Carnelian added. "Something very important."

"I've had enough of this nonsense!" Yellow Diamond erupted. She directed her palm at them, lightning raging like never before. All three of the earth gems huddled close once more, Amethyst placing herself in front, ready to feel the brunt of the diamond's golden bolt.

Blue Diamond swiftly rose to her feet, reaching for her fellow diamond.

"Yellow, don't. We—"

Yellow glanced at her.

"Blue, enough of this. No more distractions. No more setbacks. We're moving forward."

The lightning surged from Yellow's palm, a bolt of golden energy that tore through the air. Capable of destroying anything in its path. It moved with a swiftness few could track, racing towards its intended targets.

And it was too late.

At least, that's what they thought.

Something dark had amassed before them, shaped like a wall—a shield of sorts. It floated in front of the earth gems. It had effortlessly stopped Yellow Diamond's attack and protected the three behind.

This dark mass shifted, changed. It shrank down into a red sphere, levitating in the air.

Everything was silent.

Because someone had shielded the three earth gems. And he stood protectively in front of them—like he had appeared from thin air.

Blue Diamond gasped.

Yellow Diamond stared.

When they saw this being, Blue could not move. She stood frozen, visibly shaken by the sight of another gem like them. This one was just as tall as them, with a build similar to that of a quartz soldier. But at the same time, different. The gem had broad shoulders and thin hips, strong arms and a masculine face. He had untamed, crimson hair, red skin—three whiskers etched in each cheek. He wore a breastplate similar to Yellow Diamond's. And behind him floated ten dark red spheres: all controlled by his will.

Truth-seeking balls.

And a red diamond was embedded in his abdomen.

Not a word was spoken.

The new arrival looked at the two speechless diamonds. He eyed them. Observed them with caution and intrigue.

Then, he turned away.

He took a knee, focusing all his attention on the three earth gems below. Despite his size and power, his humility was boundless. He gave them a small, apologetic smile.

"Are you three okay?" he asked gently, voice far deeper than any gem Blue had ever heard. She trembled, eyes watering as she heard him speak for the first time.

"We're fine," Amethyst replied, overjoyed to see him. "We did our best without you here."

"I know you did." He sighed, regretful. "I shouldn't have left you alone. Not even for a second."

"It's all right!" Carnelian spoke happily. Clearly, she was no longer afraid. "I knew you'd be here. No matter what. But stars, you should have seen Skinny. She was sooo scared."

Skinny's cheeks burned, and she shook her head. "No, I wasn't!" she denied, not wanting to look fearful before the one who had saved them from earth and protected them in space. "She was the one who was scared. Not me. Not one bit."

The diamond chuckled, gently patting Skinny's head with a mighty finger. "Don't worry. You did great. All of you." He stood to his full height. "I'm back. You're all safe now. And I won't let anything happen to you three."

"Where did you go?" Amethyst asked respectfully. Standing before him, she felt a safety she could not describe. It reminded her of when he had shielded them on earth with his truth-seeking balls, creating a dome not even the Diamonds' light could penetrate.

"I went everywhere I could," he said softly, seriousness in his gaze. "I was drawn by an insatiable urge to explore Homeworld. I flew across the planet. And I saw it—the home of all gems."

Finally, after "ignoring" the two Diamonds behind, he turned to them. Still, they were speechless. His eyes trained on them.

"This… this cannot be," Blue Diamond whispered. "How… how is this possible?"

"Who are you?" Yellow demanded. The lightning returned.

"I am Red Diamond," he said. "This name was with me the moment I awoke."

He began walking towards them, steps heavy and confident. Neither Diamond moved. He stepped past Yellow Diamond, stopped in front of Blue Diamond, and looked into her eyes.

Crimson orbs met blue.

He took both of her hands in his, a gently gesture that sent warmth rushing through her body. She did not protest. She couldn't.

"Blue Diamond." He frowned deeply. "The first thing I felt when you and Yellow Diamond arrived on Homeworld was sorrow. Your sorrow. I could feel it halfway across the planet. It was so strong, so visceral, that I wanted to see you as soon as possible." He let go of her hands. He looked saddened. "I'm sorry about Pink Diamond."

Blue trembled; she looked over at Yellow—who was stunned into silence.

"You know about pink?" Blue asked.

A single nod answered her question.

"How... how could this have happened to her?" Blue whispered, tears in her eyes. "How could a measly quartz... harm a diamond?"

Red Diamond shook his head. "I don't know."

Blue's shoulders slumped.

"But I do know one thing," he added.

Everyone perked up—listened intently.

"And what is that?" Yellow inquired, more subdued than ever before. Her lightning had subsided.

He looked up.

"White Diamond authorized my creation."

I've had this typed up for a long time. And finally, out of curiosity, I decided to put it out there.

The events of this chapter take place two-thousand years after the rebellion.

I have an idea of where this story should go, but nothing's concrete. There are so many possibilities I could see occurring. Different worlds, aliens, colonies, conflict between the diamonds, Naruto making a massive impact on gem society—with him actually caring for and loving the gems made for him. And of course, Naruto meeting Steven/Pink Diamond, forming an alliance, etc..

And yes, Naruto will get a pearl.

Anyway, that's about it. Hope you enjoyed!

Oh, and for those who are interested, I drew Red Diamond on my Fanfiction Deviant art account: BlackStar-Eternal. It's been a while since I put anything on there. I recently got a drawing tablet, and it sure beats using a mouse!