Unoffical Show at Radiance
Pearl took a deep breath. She was always nervous before a show; always. Yellow Pearl was in the background, squawking at some attendants in that nasal shrill of a voice she had. Looking in the mirror before her, Pearl noted that Blue Pearl was seated in her usual chaise in the corner, seemingly looking at nothing. Pearl knew very well enough the Blue Pearl missed nothing beneath those bangs. They only served to make her unreadable.
Yellow Pearl was squawking again. Pearl sighed and waved away her own attendant. She was perfectly capable of putting on her own makeup, thank you very much, she had been doing this for years and no one knew her face better than she did. Yellow Pearl may require attendants to serve her every beck and call, from hair to makeup to outfitting, but Pearl had no need.
Pearl dusted on some shimmer on her cheeks and highlighted the area around her gem. She knew just how to get that perfect shimmer that faded outwards from her gem, highlighting the area and showing off her lustrous opacity. She stood abruptly, palms down on her vanity, and immediately the bustle in the room stopped. “It's almost time,” she said with a smile, looking at everyone from within her mirror. She turned, smile gaining brilliance – oh, she could charm anyone if she chose – and swept her gaze over the room.
Everything was perfect even if Yellow primped and fussed until the last second. It always was, and tonight would be no different. Even the sinking feeling in Pearl's gut couldn't change that.
The attendants nodded and left the room, leaving the three Pearls to their own devices. Yellow Pearl was the first to open her mouth and Pearl raised a hand before she could speak. “None of that tonight, Yellow. We're going to get through this as we always do.”
“But the diamonds didn't authorize this! What will happen to us when they find out?!” Yellow Pearl was hugging herself, running her hands along her sides.
Blue Pearl nodded, finally turning to look at Pearl. “She's right,” she said, voice soft as ever.
Pearl sighed, closing her eyes for a brief moment. “Do you think the Diamonds will punish us for doing what we were made to do? I think not. They'll punish whoever it was that authorized this show.” Pearl's voice was confident and didn't betray her, thank the stars.
An Agate appeared after a brief knock. She eyed the pearls brusquely, scanning for imperfections before grunting in what was probably approval. “Show's on in three, be ready.”
Pearl nodded and the Agate left. “We do what we were built for, girls. Let's go,” Pearl said, holding out her hands. Blue stood, reaching for Pearl's hand. Yellow scoffed and rolled her eyes but grabbed Pearl's hand nonetheless. Pearl nodded at the pearls at each of her sides and gave each hand a squeeze.
The trio walked out towards the side of their stage. It was beautiful, or so Pearl thought. Chiffon made up the backdrop; a sultry mix of blue, yellow, and pink, and glowed with an ethereal light. The light was timed to pulse with the music and could be shut off altogether or changed to reflect one color or the other. The stage itself was made from a beautiful sort of steel, polished to reflect the soft light. Three poles lined the stage made from the same sort of steel as the floor. It made for a light, floating display in stark contrast to the sort of show they would be performing.
Pearl gave a last squeeze to Blue and Yellow and sent them off. The lights were dimmed, but their silhouettes were clearly visible, and their audience let out an eager roar. Blue Pearl took up her stance slowly, casually. Yellow Pearl grinned widely at the audience, all smugness and confidence as she rounded her pole a few times before finally taking up her own stance.
The music started, and lights flared up, Blue and Yellow Pearl moving towards each other on center stage. In unison, they parted, each drifting off to their respective poles. They swung around each pole slowly, then both began their climb upwards.
As Yellow and Blue were each towards the top of their poles, Pearl swept onstage to a few enthusiastic cheers and whistles. The audience was certainly rowdy; then again, the Diamonds weren't here to keep them in check.
At least they had the Agates.
Pearl performed a few simple swings on her pole, shimmying downwards as the other Pearls began their own twirling descent. Pearl climbed upwards, smoothly settling into her routine. As she spun she flashed a smile at the audience, then flipped over and swung wide in a perfect split. Bringing her body in closer to the pole she flipped upright again, slowly spinning as she begun her transition to the next swing. Breathe, smile, transition. As she had always done.
Performing a few other moves, always seamlessly transitioning from one to the other, Pearl slowly descended to the floor. She stepped away from her pole completely, more forwards and towards the audience, while the other two Pearls came in behind her. The song was winding down now and Pearl shimmied to the floor, eyes half lidded as she smiled at no one and everyone.
Blue and Yellow Pearl finished entwined on the pole while Pearl struck a pose on the floor. The song ended, the lights dimmed, and the audience roared. Pearl was breathing heavily, but she was genuinely smiling. Eyes were glowing in the audience, Pearl noted. Gems were getting rowdier and rowdier, and it was getting harder and harder to hear the music over the din. Most gems in the audience were moving up and down, trying in vain to garner attention from one of the Pearls, but there was a lone gem sitting at the bar. They were immobile, just watching the Pearls. Pearl shrugged it off; this was a strip club, after all, and unusual behavior wasn't so unusual around here.
The Pearls moved back to their starting positions, and a new song flowed through the speakers. Pearl closed her eyes, never losing her smile, and let the beat flow through her. The bass was heavy, making her skin shiver and heart pound. There wasn't anything better than dancing, Pearl had decided long ago, no matter how risque it might be.
Losing herself in the music, Pearl slipped into an all-too-familar routine. In a trance-like state she smiled and smiled and smiled and danced and danced and danced. A thin sheen of sweat covered her body, and Pearl knew she was glistening.
Around the fourth or fifth song, Pearl wasn't too sure, she began to truly strip. Her top had just come off, flung to the back of the stage instead of to the crowd like normal. If thrown into the crowd, she knew tonight she would never get it back. Halfway through the current song, Pearl was doing a low, outstretched swing. A burly quartz got bold enough to reach up and touch Pearl, grabbing her wrist as she swung low and outwards. Pearl was stopped mid-swing, and she smiled at the Quartz. She gently tugged at her hand, trying to free her wrist, but the Quartz's grip was like iron. A nervous titter of a laugh escaped her mouth. “My, you are bold,” Pearl crooned, “but I do need my hand to finish dancing.”
The Quartz laughed and moved closer. A cold finger ran its way down Pearl's spine, and her eyes widened fractionally. This wasn't good. Quartzes were all too impulsive, and could be hard to control if not properly sated. And Pearls were meat to them. Fragile gems, pretty and opalescent and ripe for the taking.
The other Pearls had stopped moving as well, and Pearl noted how quiet the audience had gotten. Yellow Pearl was squawking again, Pearl distantly registered, gently tugging in a vain attempt to free herself again. An agate had come over, laying a heavy hand on the quartz. The quartz brushed them off, but wouldn't let go; Pearl saw their mouths moving but couldn't make out the words.
Both Pearls had come up behind Pearl and were simultaneously holding onto her and the pole. Blue was silent, Yellow was still squawking, and the agate was getting rougher. They were jerking Pearl's arm as the quartz had still not let go. “It hurts,” Pearl said to no one in particular, and the silence of the club broke as all the gems seemed to roar in unison. It was almost louder than it had been earlier, but that could have easily been attributed to the lack of music.
An overly large Jasper had come up to the front. Pearl couldn't see her face clearly, but was sure it was the lone gem she had seen earlier, at the bar. The Jasper had placed her hand over the other quartz's wrist, careful to not touch Pearl. Words were being said, Pearl was sure, a distant rumble that rumbled around inside of her. “...and I said, let go, or they will hear of this. You will be shattered.”
The quartz complied, and was promptly greeted with a fist in her teeth courtesy of the Jasper. Pearl fell forward, and was grabbed by both Blue and Yellow before she could hit the floor. Gritting her teeth, Pearl held her wrist gingerly with one hand as she flexed her fingers. Stars, the Quartzes were certainly strong.
Pearl looked up as the Jasper turned around, and a slow dawning settled over Pearl. This wasn't any Jasper, this was the Jasper, Pink Diamond's Jasper, and Pearl now knew who had authorized the show.