Okay]”
Pearl and Emerald were sitting on one of the hills, overlooking the field of conversing gems as the sun set behind them.
Emerald twirled a long blade of grass around her finger, speaking absentmindedly. “…I can’t believe how much everything’s changed.”
“Me neither.” Pearl said. “And everything’s still changing. But, somuch of it is good.”
She looked over at the multicolored gem. Emerald was looking up now, her eyes darting between the various gems below them. She seemed unsure of everything she was seeing.
“…Like you.” She added.
Emerald looked over at her, their eyes meeting.
Her eyes were different in the most fascinating way possible. Instead of white like most gems, the majority of her eyes were pitch black, so dark it seemed that light would get lost inside. The centers were bright green, almost seeming to glow in the low light. They were like nothing she’d ever seen.
Pearl snapped out of her daze when Emerald glanced away, the small smile she was carrying faltering. She looked so tired.
She thought of everything Emerald had gone through in a short time, from their gems cracking to being shattered and coming back corrupted.
She knew she couldn’t hope to understand what Emerald was going through, what feelings she was having about all of this.
But she wanted to try.
They sat for a few moments before Emerald shook her head absentmindedly, digging a hand into her hair. Her voice cracked slightly. “…It doesn’t feel like six months.”
“ What do you mean?” Pearl asked softly.
“When I was…” Emerald paused, shaking her head and taking a breath before continuing.
“…I didn’t feel anything… yet I knew I was broken. It feels as though I only saw you all a day ago, but at the same time it feels like it’s been thousands of years of nothing.”
She shakily took a deep breath, wrapping both arms around her knees and blinking back tears.
“I’m sorry.” Pearl murmured.
Emerald shakily sighed, closing her eyes and looking as though she was going to crumble apart. “…It’s my own fault.”
“Of course it isn’t!” Pearl protested suddenly.
Emerald seemed to snap back to reality. She looked over to her, tears in her eyes.
Pearl continued. “I offered to dance. I wasn’t paying attention. Don’t blame yourself for what happened.”
Pearl reached her hand to touch Emerald's cheek, but decided better of it and set her arm back down. Her voice was sad. “…It wasn’t your fault.”
Emerald took a shaky breath. Pearl raised her arm in invitation, and Emerald shuffled closer so she could wrap it around her. She fully leaned against Pearl’s side in turn, closing her eyes.
“Okay.” Emerald's voice was quiet, and her voice cracked as she repeated herself.
“…Okay.”