The Future is Clear

Part 2

Earth was beautiful. Or so Sapphire thought. She looked out across the landscape that stretched before her and saw all manor of living, organic life. But she knew the future this planet had in store. She turned away from the landscape and back to the three Rubies in front of her.

"Hey, can't wait for those rebels to get here!" the one in the front of their line was saying.
The other Ruby laughed. "When I see those rebels," She said, "I'm gonna punch them right in their faces."

"What are ya saying? I'm going to punch them all over their bodies, and then it will be over." The other retorted.

"What if," said the first with an impish grin on her face. "I just punch you!" She drew back her hand and swung at her comrade, ruby gem glinting on the back of her hand. The third Ruby that had been walking behind them rolled her eyes.

"Oh come on. We'll punch them together when we fuse. That's why they sent, uh, three of us."

"Three this!" The Ruby with her gem embedded in her shoulder came out from behind the second and her fist collided with Ruby's face. Ruby was caught off guard and did not have time to absorb the blow. She stepped backward and straight into Sapphire.

A collective gasp hushed the room as the gems around them saw what had happened. The Ruby that had crashed into Sapphire was distraught.

"OH - I - Um, I'm so sorry! I--" She reached out her hand, "Let me, uh-"

"I'm fine." came the low voice of the Sapphire and stopped the Ruby in her tracks. Her gem filled hand was out, almost touching the Sapphire. Sapphire looked down at Ruby's hand and felt very strange. Almost as if she wanted the Ruby to close the gap between them and touch her again. For in the moment the Ruby had fallen into her, Sapphire had felt something. Something new.

But that was nonsense. She was not created to think things such as that.

"What?" The Ruby's eyes were wide with fear and surprise and this brought Sapphire out of her thoughts almost as quickly as she had been brought into them.

"Its ok." Sapphire held out her hands in front of her, almost as if they were a shield that could stop the connection between the two gems. "It was bound to happen." This, at least, was very true. Sapphire had seen these gems bump into her in a myriad of ways and she was honestly surprised it had taken this long for it to happen. At her words the room seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and the buzz of conversation started up among the gems once again.

"I- OK" the frazzled Ruby said, unsure of what to do now. But Sapphire knew her place and her duty.

"Now, please wait here," She said. "I must attend to my duties."

"Right!" Ruby stood at attention, trying to look at anything else besides this Sapphire in front of her. The Sapphire that had broken so many rules, the one that always seemed to look right into Ruby's very being, despite not actually being able to see past her hair. Ruby wondered what her one eye actually looked like. But now was not the time for such thoughts. So Ruby did as any good solder should do, she cleared her mind. But her hand clutched at the gem in her palm, turning a lighter shade of red as the blood drained from it.

"Um" "Yes!" said the next two gems, also standing at attention.

Sapphire walked past her gem guards, as well as passed the Amethysts that guarded the palanquin of Blue Diamond.

The palanquin was huge and it towered over Sapphire's head. But it did not daunt her as she knew what was going to happen, as she always did. She parted the curtains and ducked inside.

"My Diamond, I've arrived."

"Ah Sapphire," The blue being shifted in her seat. She was just a bit smaller than the palanquin that held her. Her white hair was covered by a dark blue hood that covered the majority of her face in shadow. "Tell me what is to happen here."

"The Rebels will attack soon. I foresee them breaking the forms of 7 gems, including myself, before they are cornered and captured. The rebellion ends today."

"Thank you. That is all I needed to hear." The Diamond breathed a sigh of relief and motioned for Sapphire to leave.

Sapphire bowed out of the palanquin and returned to where her Ruby guards were waiting. She stood next to the Ruby who had bumped into her and found herself wondering about this gem. She found herself wishing she could say something to her.

"What a beautiful place to build a colony." Sapphire spoke, surprising them both. "I wish I could have seen more of this planet."

"Uh-" Ruby was at a loss. What could she say to that? "There's still time." She said not really knowing what she was saying. She peered at Sapphire, looking at her from the corner of her eyes. There was something mesmerizing about her.

"That is a nice thought." Sapphire said, smiling. "But, no." Her smile faded from her lips as she looked into the future of what lay in store for this planet.

"BLUE DIAMOND." A commanding voice rang across the arena. "LEAVE THIS PLANET ALONE."