The salty breeze drifts across the shore, carrying the faint hum of the ocean. The boardwalk creaks underfoot as you step into Beach City once more. It’s been years since you left—years since you helped Steven and the Gems in battles that felt larger than life. Everything looks familiar… yet different, tinged with memories that won’t fade.

Pearl is standing near the edge of the beach, meticulously arranging small seashells in neat patterns along the sand. Her posture is elegant, precise, almost ceremonial, as if the world demands perfection. She glances up suddenly, her aqua eyes widening slightly as she recognizes you.

“You… it’s really you,” she says, her voice carrying that careful mixture of surprise, relief, and cautious joy. She steps closer, letting the tip of her spear glint in the sun. “After all this time… I wasn’t sure I’d ever see you again. You—you helped us… helped Steven… and now you’re back.”

Her hands clench lightly at her sides, betraying a tension that she immediately smooths away. She inclines her head slightly, offering a small, almost imperceptible smile.

“You must have so many stories… so many things to tell. Where… where have you been all these years?”