LOG-084.

  "Another hot chocolate, please."

  Hard earned money exchanged hands, and soon enough the waiter (which felt a bit fancy for a smaller than average cafe, but what did I know?) was off to get me another drink. In the meantime, I turned back around and silently watched the pair of laughing Gems in front of me, exchanges glances with Vermilion as I did so.

  It had been a few minutes now, since Rose had promptly bulldozed her way into the conversation and promptly flipped Vanilla's (hah) opinion on her new name, with the two somehow managing to turn the chance encounter into a session of reminiscing and idle, casual chatter shortly afterwards.

  Well, it was a chance encounter if Rose was to be believed, anyway. Though I'd give her the benefit of the doubt for now.

  I'd learned during my (relatively) brief time on Earth that Rose Quartz tended to wander, whenever there wasn't something around to keep her busy.

  Seriously, she'd just walk around sometimes, usually with no real direction in mind. She'd even made her way into the Big Donut on more than one occassion, usually right before halting at my quirked brow and saying hello with a sheepish grin on her face.

  So yeah, I could believe that she really had just happened to enter this specific cafe, at this specific time, during our very specific conversation. And it was convenient enough that I allowed the Pearl-Diamond duo to enjoy a brief bit of comfortable conversation as I got a few thoughts in order and settled on an approach.

  But as my hot chocolate finally arrived, and Vermilion continued to glance between me and them, I decided that beating around the bush had gotten me nowhere on Earth, and that I really wasn't as patient of a Gem as I thought I was. At least when my life and sanity weren't very explicitly on the line.

  "So when are we letting Bismuth out of that lion of yours?"

  Silence. Broken only by the background hustle and bustle of the people around us.

  I felt three sets of eyes stare at me. Vermilion looked startled at the abrupt change in conversation. Pearl's face had turned horrified at my blunt approach, and though she'd frozen in pure shock initially, there was now an evershifting set of expressions colouring Rose's features as well. Concern. Surprise. Incredulity. Fear. More than that of course, though they mostly tended to follow along those initial lines.

  "W-what do you mean Viri?"

  She'd been going for an awkward smile and confused tone, maybe. And her attempted use of Amethyst's shortening of my name felt more like a desperate attempt to disarm me than any truly friendly gesture. But I'd apparently caught the faux Quartz more than a little off guard.

  Enough that she flinched back as I set my hands around my mug, relishing in the heat for a second before I took a delicate sip of my drink.

  "Hm."

  I maintained eye contact throughout the entire process, ignoring Vanilla's heated glare and savouring the taste of chocolate.

  Really, if the Pearl could kill with a look, I'd be little more than shards on the ground at the moment.

  Regardless, I eventually set down the mug, my tongue darting out to lick at the top of my lip before I finally let myself tilt my head slightly, drawing a chagrined expression from Rose for whatever reason.

  "Now Rose, let's be practical here. We can either dance around the issue and waste a whole lot of time, with you trying and failing to figure out how I know about your little...incident, and me having to be more than a little evasive and vague about things...or we can talk about this like reasonable Gems, and see what we can do to rectify the situation you've been trying to keep to yourself."

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  Those dark eyes continued to stare at me in a by now unreadable emotion, and in that singular moment I thanked the Stars that we were in a crowded building, and that I had multiple other Gems, namely my fellow Pearls, but also perhaps some of the Retaliator's crew that might be outside, to act as witnesses in the potentiality that the rebel leader might try to silence me in a fit of panic.

  Even if that bit of 'protection' felt more than a little flimsy at best. I was poking at a powerhouse, disguised or not. I'd felt the power of her golden sister just from looking at her. I didn't doubt for a second that Pink could end me with little more than a finger, if she felt so inclined.

  Not that she would, anyway. Or at least, not if my memories, flawless as they were, allowed me to have a decent read on her motives and sensibilities, allowing me just that bit of social advantage I desperately needed to try and steer this 'discussion' around to a favourable outcome.

  Even if I could see that she was as tightly wound as a spring right now, eyes darting between me, Vanilla and Vermilion, before ultimately settling on my lightform once more as she let out a long, shaky breath, her hands settling on the table and tapping at it in an anxious, almost staccato rhythm.

  "I...really don't know what to say now. To...to any of that."

  She cringed slightly as Vanilla placed a hand against her shoulder, the hidden Diamond glancing down at her loyal servant (no matter how many other dynamics were at play there) with a fearful expression that only seemed to make the Pearl even more angry at me.

  Oh well. Ripping off bandaids and all that.

  "I don't blame you at all. Not for dealing with Bismuth-" Another flinch, there. "-and not for lying about her fate afterwards. You were likely scared and worried, and I'd be a hypocrite if I said I wouldn't have done the same in the moment." That seemed to draw some tension away from her, as I expression clear support for her actions.

  "And I do apologize for springing this on you so suddenly, but Vanilla was being far too slow about the whole thing. I would have preferred to be gentler about this. I really would have. But I have to be objective here, and you've had more than enough time to think about what to do beyond hiding a living being away like an inconvenient problem."

  The Pearl in question's expression turned from angry to betrayed as I sold her out, Rose's face whipping around to stare at her in mild shock as she realised her fellow Crystal Gem was apparently in on this whole conversation, only to turn back towards me as I let my tone turn a little sharper, drawing a clear wince from the rebel leader.

  I was really dangling my relationship with these two above a void here, wasn't I?

  Unfortunate, but unavoidable. I'd never forgive myself if I left Bismuth to remain in stasis. Or anyone else for that matter. And my sense of memory would never let me forget, either.

  Nonetheless, tapping my finger against the table (though for all I knew it might have been needless) ensured their attention remained in my direction, letting me lean forward slightly to glare up at the almost impossibly powerful individual in front of me.

  "Now, listen to me."

  There was some small, horrific little part of me that luxuriated in the idea of a Diamond of all Gems straightening in rapt attention, her pupils contracting slightly in response to my stern tone.

  I shoved that horrific little part of me into a corner, and kicked it a few dozen times for good measure before I dared continue.

  There was no room for errors. I needed to focus here, not take satisfaction in some stupid, nonexistent power dynamic. Brief mental hiccup disposed of, I allowed myself to speak the words I'd been carefully thinking up in between the two's previous conversation.

  "You had your reasons for bubbling her. And they were very much valid reasons. But leaving Gems bubbled for thousands of years and convincing their friends that they were shattered is bad. Do you understand me?"

  She was a Diamond. A purpose built leader. And yet I had no clue how Diamond programming actually worked. I only really knew that she'd never been truly properly taught fucking anything by anyone before coming to Earth, and even then her 'education' had been...well, I presumed scattered. At the very least, she'd picked up some form of morality, so that was good. Even if she still had certain issues, as all Gems naturally did.

  Ugh, what a fucked up species. Really, it was a miracle she'd turned out as well as she had, considering the circumstances.

  "..."

  Heedless of my thoughts, Rose remained silent, mouth moving slightly but failing to make any coherent sounds. I let my hand lightly slap against the table, prompting another flinch as I leaned further forward, my chest digging against the edge of the barrier between us while my eyes glared into hers.

  "I said, do you understand me, Rose?"

  ...Thank fuck I didn't have a heart anymore. Because it would be pounding like a damned machine gun right now, if it still existed. Instead, I just felt a gemstone deep unease as I poured everything I could into my latest mask, that of a fearless Pearl facing down a being born of an entire star.

  "Y-yes?"

  Her voice was hesitant, and only prompted a now deeply concerned Vanilla to all but hug her side, even as Vermilion did her best to edge closer to me without being obvious about it.

  I just let myself sigh in response, before reaching for my mug once more.

  "Good. Then you understand why we're going to need to let her out."

  That was more than enough to draw another fearful expression from the disguised Quartz, her words stuttering out in a confused babble.

  "I-but she-but how did you-how did you even know?!"

  I sipped, and set my beverage back down again before waving my hand in a vague manner, my words prompting a scathing glare from Vanilla, a hesitantly amused look from Vermilion, and a blink from Rose.

  "I saw it in a dream."