LOG-094.

  "Schist."

  The curse was quiet, and surprisingly enough, didn't come from my mouth.

  Instead, it came from Vanilla's, even as whispers began to rise up out of the crowd like unwanted, leeching tendrils. I was already turning to glance at Rose, and I wasn't ashamed to admit that the sheer, unbridled panic present in her eyes made me unconsciously take a step back.

  Good intentions at heart or not, I didn't want to be in close proximity to a Gem on the level of a Diamond when they were backed into a metaphorical corner.

  For just a few seconds, it seemed like whispers was all that it would be. The humans among the crowd looked confused, and for good reason, while the avians seemed, if not completely befuddled, at least a little perplexed about the issue.

  The issue, as it always tended to when it came to matters regarding the Retaliator's crew, started with a singular Ruby.

  "S-salute her radiance!"

  I didn't know which Ruby had done it, but apparently the order rang out among a few others, and soon enough several of the scarlet Gems were locking their arms into that damned symbol, expressions of loyalty spilling past their lips, nevermind the fact that there was next to no actual evidence that Rose was Pink.

  But Rubies were just like that. Back before the skirmish against the avian fleet, I'd caught multiple examples of the short Gems randomly deciding to silently follow me around while I was cleaning, for no other reason than because that seemed like the right thing to do at the time.

  Regardless of the cause, the effect was immediate. I heard Vanilla practically hiss through her teeth as Rose all but stumbled backwards, shaking her head and glancing around with denying, pleading eyes.

  I tried to speak.

  "Rose...calm down. We can still salvage this-"

  Only to be interrupted as those eyes were drawn up towards that damned fucking stage, right as a certain fusion clapped her hands around her head, rapid mumbles growing louder until she was all but arguing with herself, her visor pointed squarely at...well. It wasn't hard to guess, really.

  "Rose...you...you...kuh-kaargh-!"

  All easily picked up by the microphone system these happy go lucky yahoos had set up, of course. I didn't bother to hold back my wince as Bismuth flinched backwards, her own figure briefly disappearing behind the resulting glow of one lightform splitting into two.

  Stepping back even further, I froze as I felt someone grab my arm, turning in time to see Vermilion desperately glancing between me and the resulting shitshow this was rapidly turning into.

  "What do we do?"

  Suffice to say, I hesitated for just a little too long to give an answer. Apparently I'd managed to get rusty when it came to snap quick responses.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  "We-"

  "Sapphire!"

  Several voices repeating the same thing drew me back towards the commotion, and I resignedly noted that a nearby Peridot had her limb enhancers projecting a small screen with several other faces staring back at her on it, even as the crimson Gem on stage frantically tried to hold back her blue counterpart.

  "Just hold on-"

  "She lied to us! You lied Rose!"

  This time it was the aforementioned Gem that took a step backwards, her arms wrapping around her torso as if she were trying to hold something in.

  "No no no it's-it wasn't like that-"

  The panicked muttering continued, even as several things happened in quick succession.

  First...the stage froze. The source of said freezing was...well, fairly obvious. Not too horrendous considering the current circumstances, but it did result in Bismuth, an utterly confused looking Quille and what might have been Greg hopping off of the thing though.

  In turn, several shouts and salutes erupted from another end of the crowd, and I just barely locked eyes with Emerald as the admiral, standing head and shoulders over most of the people around her, pushed her way forward, glancing between me, the still incredibly distraught Sapphire currently generating her own winter wonderland in between getting hugged by a concerned Ruby, and Rose.

  Seconds later, the large Gem in question, still whipping her head around with a horrified expression plastered over her face, turned pink.

  Or more specifically, her face began to glow far beyond her usual, vaguely pastel palette. It wasn't a blush, I knew that much, and it was enough to get me to start backing up even further, Vermilion in tow as I promptly abandoned the idea of damage control.

  Which...might have been the wrong move, in hindsight, as the currently unstable looking Diamond glanced up just in time to see me ushering my Batchmate away, even as several of the Retaliator's Gems gasped, some of the Jaspers, Peridots, and even a Rutile joining in with their own salutes, presumably getting caught up in the idea of a long dead Imperial ruler somehow magically coming back as a fucking Quartz of all things.

  "Stop it! All of you stop that right this instant!"

  Vanilla's demanding shout went unheard as more and more Gems got swept along with the wave. I briefly noticed Brim exchanging glances with a rapidly moving Quille, even as the latter began to make unknown gestures towards some of the spectating avians, who in turn began to group up and make their way further out from the shaky ring the crowd was beginning to morph into.

  Somewhere, a hesitant, halting cheer began to start up (possibly instigated by an excited Ruby or two), even as Bismuth all but barrelled her way through the crowd, eyes dead set on Rose, all while she seemed to scowl even harder at the salutes presumably popping up at the edges of her vision.

  In the end, it was Vanilla that stepped forward between the pair, shooting the Diamond a worried glance before twisting around to stare at her fellow rebel.

  "Bismuth, stop. This is-you don't know everything yet! Let's just talk about this like reasonable Gems and-"

  The Pearl was promptly interrupted as the blacksmith threw her arms wide, voice incensed.

  "What else is there to know?! That the founder of the rebellion is the very Diamond we swore to resist? I don't know where the others are, but everyone here knows! Secret's out, so there's no reason to keep hiding the truth, right Pink?"

  The rebel took an aggressive step forward, glaring at the target of her ire even as Vanilla took another step to place herself in between the pair.

  I was caught in the midst of contemplating whether it would be a good idea to ask Brim to just toss a wave at the rowdy construction Gem, only for her to slap a hand against her chest, palm impacting against her gemstone in response to some other mutter from Rose.

  "Or what? Will you just cracking bubble me again? Huh!?"

  The air stilled as the faux Quartz snapped her head upwards, a snarl erupting from her mouth as her eyes twisted.

  "No!"

  The air shook at the word, only to be quickly filled with even more noise as several exclamations rang out, the last of the Gems present that could tentatively be considered 'Imperial' snapping into crisp, almost panicked looking salutes at what finally amounted to definitive proof.

  From my own position, I could see even Emerald visibly holding herself back, expression pained.

  "My Diamond..."

  …Ultimately, I didn't know who actually said it, but no matter where it originated from, the murmur rose up quickly as more and more spectators took note of the sharp pupils that had all but burned their way into existence, radiating energy as their owner clapped a hand over her mouth, looking just about ready to cry.

  Someone else made to say something. It might have been me. Or Vanilla. Or Bismuth.

  I didn't rightly know, considering I was too busy staring like a complete and utter idiot, all as the exposed Diamond leaned down slightly, and pushed off, white dress fluttering as she all but cleared the entire beach in one blatantly empowered leap.

  And then she was gone, and I was already composing a list of the most vile, slur-like insults I'd ever heard the Jaspers on the Retaliator utter, as I slowly turned to stare at a stone faced Bismuth.