Steven Universe-RUBY X SAPPHIRE-AU

Chapter 3:Pain and Conflict

(At Quartz Gardens)

(P.Sapphire's POV)

"So, Sapphire, where did you get this lovely tea set? It's simply darling!" Erin gazes fondly at her tea cup, and then gestures to the rest of the beautiful set.

"You take to it fondly, it Erin? It was a gift from my father in Sapphiero." I say with a smug look. Erin twitches slightly. I see Silk giggle behind her tea cup, and Crystal hides a disdainful face from behind her fan and darts her eyes around the tables. Silk is still giggling. 

"Do you find something amusing, Silk?" Crystal snaps as hard as her fan, being Erin's unwanted knight.

"Yes actually. The fact that you still can't bare the country of Her Majesty's husband, I find that very amusing!" I smile a little, Erin flushes red and scowls, and Crystal (what a surprise) snaps her fan. Erin and Crystal converse for a second, and then they turn out with a grin.

"Well, Erinite and I have been talking, and we think that it is amusing that you still cant find a man to sweep you off your feet. I wonder what is holding you back, my darling Silk, I really wonder!" Crystal laughs oddly after she displays her banter.

"Funny you should say that, Crystal. I may not have a man at this moment, however when I do, at least I know they're not simply loving me for my possessions."

"If not for your possessions, then what are they loving you for? I can hardly see much else that is appealing."

"I have plenty appealing parts, good friend of mine, however they are saved for my future lover, not for any man who happens to be at the jewel genting arena on a Thursday night."

The rest of the party all gasp and tune in to the now heated and off-topic discussion.

"You have no right to talk about any kind of decency when nearly every part of what you used to look like before has either been tucked in, pushed up, enlarged or exploited!"

Another gasp. Erinite continues to look flustered and worried, standing between them but unable to do anything.

"Ladies, ladies!" I call out to try and stop the squabbling. The girls turn their heads wildly at me. "The funny thing is...this whole thing started with merely a tea set!" I exclaim, rather unhelpfully I admit. Silk grabs the tea pot with a fair bit of force, shoves it in Crystal's face and says:

"Is that it? Are you insulted by a Sapphian's crockery? Does it offend you?!" Silk yells

"Yes! Because Sapphiero is an indecent, crime ridden excuse for a country!" Crystal retaliates cruelly.

Now I start to cry.

"Why are you welling up for now, Sapphire? Like you said; It's just tea!"

And with that, she yanks the tea pot from Silk and brandishes it in my face like a baton, and I am completely soaked in boiling earl grey.  

(At Butler Alley)

(Ruby's POV)

We are starting to sweat in the large coat, and at the height of summer, too. Butler Alley is a narrow passage way for the servants to enter from. Maybe with our new height we could be entertainment. We are greeted by a  nice looking maid.

"Hello there, young maid. We are here for help with anything we can."

"We're fine with staff, thankyou."

"Don't you need some more staff for the...party?"

"We haven't scheduled a party today. Who...are you?"

"Um...urh..."

There is some rearranging in the coat, and I popped out at the top.

"Ruby, I'm Ruby."

"You're pretty tall for a ruby:usually they're so small and cute! There's a gang of them that hang around Bloodstone Alley you know-"

But then the maid gets punched in the chest, sending her flying into the palace.

"Why did you do that, Army?!"

"She was on to us." she says, attempting to sound like some brooding anti-hero. The others nod in agreement.

We race through the narrow corridors of the servants' workstations. They are all immaculate and well presented. 

"Wouldn't it be nice to live here?" I say. 

We race into a much large corridor with mahogany panelling decorated beautifully.

"I think we should split guys, its getting really hot down here." says Navy

I look down at all the rubies squashed in the thick coat. They are all sweating gallons. I agree, and we all dismount.

"What are we even looking for? The maid said there's no party. We might as well go home." says Shoulder.

"We don't have a home!" I yell.

"A home isn't an Alley, where you sleep on cobblestone and use flea rags as a blanket just so you don't get hyper...hypo...therm-"

"Hypothermia." Eyeball interjects helpfully.

"Guys, a home is an actual room with a roof over it-like the orphanage we were thrown out of. A home is-"

"Forget it, Ruby! Just forget it!" Doc interjects, less helpfully.

"Enough with your fancy speeches, you failed! Fantasising about stuff that we can't even imagine, things that we simply aren't capable of! I mean, what place is there as a servant for the likes of us? Huh? Pickpocket aint on the list! Aint on any list! Scum like us aint on any servant list, job list! Scum like you! You spend all our money on the slim chance there would be some kinda event that you could just elegantly jump into and that would be that? Bullshit! We're broke now, are you happy? We're officially shattered!" 

Doc yells with so much force, shaking the very corridor. 

"Doc, wait!" I call out to her, but she is sprinting off. The others follow, Eyeball being the last.

"Your staying, aren't you."

"Yep."

I am now curled up against the wall. Eyeball looks down on me and casts a boxy shadow. She gives one nod, and races off.