Stars and Diamonds

Chapter 64: Pink Is The Color Of

Pink stared hard at the splintered diamond screens in front of her, the faces of the other Diamonds staring back, awaiting what she was sure was her anticipated meltdown.

White, Blue, and Yellow, all in attendance as she was informed about what had been happening to her 'not-daughter' while they had been apart. Yellow's face betrayed little as she talked, telling her the simplified version of what had happened in the same voice she would have used to inform any of the others that a minor building had been destroyed and would need to be rebuilt. And she knew, oh how well she knew, Yellow's façade was because White was listening, watching, and she would never step a toe out of line in front of her glorious White Diamond. The coward.

As she droned on, a part of her began to wonder how long they would have kept it from her, if not for the fact it was one of her own subjects that had caused such grievous harm to one of their own. How long would it have been deemed unimportant for her to know because it would be another distraction from her colony.

"Pink," Yellow's voice boomed from the too-large screen, looming over her much the same way the diamond herself did, "are you even listening?"

Instead of lashing out with the stinging words that hung on the tip of her tongue, more than ready to strike down her overly arrogant seniors, Pink's hands gripped onto her skirt, jaw taut as she grit her teeth behind the thin line of her lips in self restraint. She refused to meet any of their eyes, her attention focused on a single cluster of stars just behind their heads, blurred by the light of the projected screens and distance, her distraction as she pushed down her anger, even as they prodded her for a response from their news.

White, the distant watcher, Yellow, weary but expectant, and Blue, the overbearing sympathizer. None of which she wanted to see. Pointed at her, or coming from them. The nerve of them to think they even could.

"The peridot," she said, surprised by her own strength to keep her voice steady, "What of her?"

Blue answered her before Yellow could, thinned lips left parted as eyes turned to look at her counterpart as she spoke, "She's been stripped of her rank and is being held."

"There will be a trial."Yellow added, her tone left little question that this had long since been decided and she would not have a say.

"Then I should come back to Homeworld for the trial."

"Not necessary."

That was enough to pull her eyes from those distant stars to glare at Yellow, her voice brimming with anger, "Excuse me?"

Yellow's eyes did little more than narrow at her, a silent challenge, or maybe a taunt, Pink was never really sure when it came from her, "Blue and I will be overseeing the trial."

"It's my gem-"

"She's no longer just your gem." Yellow ground out through bared teeth, her visible upper body leaning closer to the screen as she did, "She attempted to kill Orange Diamond-"

"And where were you!?" She yelled as the dam finally broke, pointing a finger at the other Diamonds, "Where were any of you when that was happening!? You were supposed to be watching her!"

Yellow rolled her eyes, "We have more important things to do then babysit. And she is old enough-"

"Nothing is more important then her! And you would agree if you cared at all about her!"

"Pink, that isn't fair!" Blue protested.

"Don't lecture me on fair when my daughter was nearly killed right under your nose!" Pink lashed out, somewhat satisfied by the older diamond's flinched response, "You might as well have signed off on it, for all the attention you gave her! I'm coming back to Homeworld, and nothing any of you say is going to stop me!"