pearl-likes-pi:

Good question. I think the conversation between Pearl and Rose at the end of Roses Scabbard speaks volumes about the nature or Pearl and Rose’s relationship. Regardless of Rose’s other decisions, we know that above all she believed in the freedom of choosing who you want to be. She actively discouraged Pearl from blindly following her and sacrificing herself. I’m sure that it’s something Pearl probably grapples with a lot (see also: Sworn to the Sword), wondering about the validity of her own feelings and whether they are “real” or just hardwired into her. (which, damn, relatable)

But at the end of the day, my take is that we see Pearl actively going against her programming at every turn: learning to fight, learning to build things, understanding fusion, rebelling against Homeworld. All of these actions aren’t things a pearl who is mindlessly following her programming would do. You could say that it’s due to her being conditioned to love her diamond, but I don’t see why she’d break every single rule but that one–its just a much more likely explaination that she has feelings for Rose. Plus the dynamic we see between them is nothing like the relationships between Yellow and Blue Pearl and their diamonds. It’s clear that Pearl’s feelings for Rose are of a completely different nature.

So I strongly believe that Pearl’s feelings for Rose aren’t just something that’s been drilled into her, but something she came to understand on her own. She likes Rose because Rose is her type (which is why, y’know, Mystery Girl). This is all my opinion though of course, and stuff like this in Steven Universe is open to interpretation for a reason!