Chương 177: LOG-169.

"-and that's why my rights to the Pearl were-were usurped by that wretched Azurite!" I stared, utterly nonplussed as the architectural designer in front of me fumed for a few seconds, before turning her gaze back to me, tone turning pleading.

"Isn't there something you could do? As the Overseer of the Reef?" Eyes don't show even a hint of actual desperation. This is all an act. My lip twitched ever so slightly at the extra information, a small allowance I gave myself as I slowly shrugged off the two Larimars that had been eagerly soaking up Morganite's explanation throughout their time hanging onto my sides, and stood.

Standing straight up, our respective height differences became far more clear as I practically towered over my pink counterpart, eyes narrowing as she looked up at me expectantly, as if I owed her fucking anything.

"Your right to a second Pearl was taken after you lost your first one to fusion with a Ruby of all Gems." My faux disgust was carefully maintained, even as part of me idly pondered whether the subsequent amalgam was the same jittery Rhodonite I remembered seeing in the show once or twice. Morganite, for her part, flinched back slightly before making an almost violent shrugging motion, the move causing her long and loose sleeves to flutter through the air in time with her arms.

"I tried everything! Corporal punishments! Extra lessons on why cross caste fusion is bad! I even rejuvenated them over a dozen times and it still didn't work! They must have both just been defective or something, how is any of that my fault?!" We had more observers than just the Larimars now, a few aristocrats were whispering from their own gatherings nearby, and judging by Morganite's slightly ashen expression, she'd finally realised just how worked up she'd gotten over the whole thing. …

Fuck it, I wasn't going to be sticking around here for long anyway, one way or another. Leaning down enough that my back would have surely started protesting had I still been a human, I glared down my nose at the uppity noble, her eyes widening slightly as I practically spat out my response.

"And just how is any of that my problem?" The Gem's mouth opened and closed a few times, before I reached forward with a hand, a claw not so gently pressing against her chin until she finally shut her jaw, ending her gaping at last. The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

"If you have been doing your job correctly in spite of taking valuable time to rejuvenate your underlings instead of further advancing Imperial interests, then you clearly are in no need of a Pearl at all. Do not approach me for the remainder of this jubilee, am I understood?" There was a mumble that might have been a vague affirmative, and I would have been satisfied if not for one thing.

Namely the fact that the Gem I was threatening currently held an extremely conflicted expression upon her face, even as her cheeks began to colour a darker pink than the rest of her lightform. Is experiencing an awakening of sorts. Oh for Stars' sake.

Retracting my hand with all the rapidity of someone who had just accidentally touched radioactive waste, I promptly turned on my heel and began moving towards the nearest private space that hopefully wouldn't leave me being gawked at by Gems who apparently turned to talc the second someone taller than them took even the slightest bit of charge.

The fact that a blue figure (namely that of one of the Larimars) had apparently chosen to follow me into the hallway was annoying, but curious enough that I didn't feel too irritated by it, merely shooting the water haired dancer a glance as I leaned up against one of the walls, crossing my arms as I did so.

"That was…certainly a form of denial." Quirking a brow at the leader of the quartet that had effectively been giving me a bath for the past few hours, I resisted the urge to roll my eyes and instead responded as plainly as I could.

"She was a pest, and not worth any more of my time than what little she managed to scrape up for herself." The blue Gem's expression briefly contorted in a way that indicated she was holding back a laugh at the blunt statement, before she finally let out a sigh and moved over to the section of wall next to me, leaning against it, crossing her arms and-wait a minute. Mimicking my pose and posture. Trying to look like me.

Yeah no shit, but why is she-"This might be a little abrupt, but I reckon I won't really have the chance to ask once the celebrations start in earnest. Too busy dancing and all." Holding my tongue as Larimar seemingly gathered up her courage, I remained silent as the dancer finally bowed her head slightly, eyes closing tightly.

"My sincerest apologies in advance, in case this is inappropriate to ask. But…what was it like?" Before I could so much as tilt my head, she pressed on, arms raising slightly to gesture at me.

"Being a Pearl, I mean. You…you're in a pretty unique position. First Gem I've heard of that kind of just…became a different Gem, I suppose. Going from singing and dancing to…whatever you actually do beyond being in charge must have been a pretty drastic change, right?" Was she a Fawn agent as well? No, her questions were too sincere, and she didn't have any of the usual tells an operative might unwittingly show.

"It's just… I know it's pretty much a miracle performed by your Diamond, by… by White Diamond, no less. But part of me has always felt… I don't know… like I shouldn't have been a Larimar?

I just feel so slow and clunky and I always see my Pyrope's Pearl and the way she sometimes does things, and I can't help but try to copy it every now and then and-and this is probably stupid and inappropriate and oh Stars I'm so sorry for asking and-" The torrent of words stopped as I crossed the distance in two quick strides, reaching forward and grabbing the shoulders of the… of the apparently dysphoric Gem, being careful not to accidentally prick her with my claws as I did so.

"You…no, stop that. I'm not punishing you." The fear in her eyes fled after the reassurance, even as I let out a sigh of my own and loosened my grip slightly.

"You should…ah, this is rather complicated. Look, just-""Oh, is she in there?!" Whipping my head around at the sound of a voice that sounded eerily similar to the other Caretakers at the Reef, I repressed the small snarl of frustration that wanted to bubble up at the fact that things seemed to keep getting in the way of each other, before shooting Larimar a look that promised a later conversation and stepping away.

"I'll…see if I can speak to your Pyrope regarding the matter. Return to whatever duties you have for now, I have an up and coming Nacre to meet." At the very least, the dancer seemed relieved at how things had gone, even as I moved to exit the hallway and return to the main chamber with an uncomfortable feeling sitting in my gemstone.