The Future is Clear

Part 1

The future is clear. Always. This Sapphire knew and had always known. There were always things, small things, that could move and shift. But she always knew where things were headed in the end. So clear was her vision of the future, she was trusted as a personal advisor to Blue Diamond. With all of this in her mind, she was unsurprised when she was summoned to Earth in order to tell her visions of the future to her Diamond.

"You will be assigned three rubies to protect you," the Emerald on the screen said to Sapphire. "Report to Blue Bay 2 for transportation and to meet your team."

"Yes of course." Sapphire replied. She stood as the picture blinked out of existence and took a look across her room. Like all Sapphires, she was an aristocratic gem, a gem with a purpose and a rank. So her room was like most gem's of her color and clarity, blue and luxurious. Pillows of all sizes lay on the ground around a long table where Sapphire would converse and socialize with others. In one corner there was a rug of various colors where she often sat and dreamt of the future.

She was sitting on one of the cushions now, staring up at the screen that covered her wall. But the time for contemplation was done. She stood and then floated off the ground and went to the door that led to the rest of the temple. As the door slid closed behind her, she did not look back.

The Rubies that were assigned to her were like most Rubies that Sapphire had met before: loud and boisterous. Their ship was red and short and made about as much noise as they did. So Sapphire sat in a corner and focused on her visions of the future as they soared through space to the new planet called Earth.

"What's so special about this 'Earth' anyway," one of the Rubies was saying. She looked at the other two.

"Something must be different about it." Said another in a gruff voice, "Or the rebels wouldn't have spent so much time trying to get us out of there."

"Well they won't succeed!" Said the first, "Not after I get my hands on them!"

"Yes, yes," said the third, vaguely annoyed by her colleagues, who were also a hassle. She stared ahead. "We will get them together."

"Do they always send you three together?" a voice came from the other side of the ship. All three Rubies froze. The one who had spoken last looked over her shoulder at the Sapphire that had spoken. She wasn't used to the Sapphires speaking to them, none of them were. The three Rubies looked at each other and shrugged.

"No." Said the first, scratching at her Gem that resided on her shoulder, "We are always in different teams." One of the other leaned over and elbowed her. "Oh -uh- No, your clarity." she corrected herself.

"So is this the first time you all have met each other?" The Sapphire asked smiling behind a gloved hand at the title. The Rubies exchanged a glance and then looked back at the monitors.

"Yes, your clarity." Said one. But she was confused by this Sapphire, this one that had broken the rules and spoken to them. She peered over her shoulder and looked at the Sapphire, only to find that the Sapphire was looking at her too.

If Ruby had the ability to grow redder at this moment she would have. However, her red skin was already the color of a lobster so she was saved a moment of embarrassment. But Sapphire did not have the luxury of already being red. Thankfully for her, the Rubies were otherwise occupied and they did not see the scarlet blush that crept up her face.

As the miles and light-years melted away behind the red ship, Sapphire found herself thinking of the planet Earth as well. As Ruby had said, there must have been something about it to keep the Rebels invested. But wondering was not really her place so she put the thoughts out of her mind and continued to focus on her visions of the future.

And then, in a flash, she saw it. She saw the trader Rose Quartz and her infamous Pearl. They came screaming into the room and everything dissolved as the vision absorbed Sapphire's attention. She looked around and found herself in a grove on what she assumed was the planet Earth. As the rebels had entered the palanquin took off with Blue Diamond inside. The rebels were fearless! They hit a gem and then another and another. The gems burst and fell to the ground, bouncing once and then laying still on the earth below them. Then the traders came face to face with Sapphire. As she watched the vision from above she saw herself get stuck a blow and poof, her gem landing on the floor with a bounce. But the rebels were surrounded. There was nowhere else to go and so they fought hard. But then they were pressed against too many. And suddenly weapons found their marks and struck a blow to the infamous Pearl. And Rose Quartz was surrounded. As she lifted her arms in surrender, the vision ended.

Sapphire opened her eye to see the Rubies gathered around her. One had stretched out her hand toward Sapphire and Sapphire could see the glowing gem embedded in it. But as soon as her large eye opened, the Ruby drew back, once again thanking the stars that she couldn't blush.

But once again Sapphire did not have that luxury, and this time all three Rubies witnessed the crimson flush that crept up Sapphire's blue face.

"You cried out." Said the Ruby in front of her.

"Oh." Sapphire said quietly, "I'm sorry." For some reason she felt she couldn't breathe. That all the air had gone from her lungs. Must have been the vision. She thought.

"Sorry," She said again and stood. "I have had a vision. But we are here." The Rubies looked back at the monitor and saw that the Sapphire was right. They had arrived.