Default Settings // Sequel to "Factory Reset"

Chapter 30: Is It Really You?

Chapter 30: Is It Really You?

There was a first time for everything.

When Red reverted back into her gem, she realized that this would be the first time in her existence that she had been 'poofed.' After her experience, she avidly hoped she'd never have to go through it again.

Panting, she examined her surroundings. She seemed to be in Beach City but everything was definitely wrong. Everything was...still. Everything looked normal, peacefully even, but if one looked closely enough they could see the water in the beach was frozen mid-wave and the humans walking around were unnaturally stiff.

"What is she doing here?"

Red turned around to see an uncorrupted Jasper staring down at her.

"Just a monster." Lapis flew over her head, blocking the sun.

"A forgotten experiment? How sad." Peridot appeared to her right.

"Defeated by a Sapphire...pathetic." Sapphire laughed.

"What is this?" Red felt claustrophobic. The figures began to close in on her but she was powerless.

"Weak."

"Second-best."

"Failed."

"Monster."

"Meaningless."

The figures were swirling around her now, becoming blurs of color. Their voices were only getting louder and Red could feel her form waver with each word spoken. She fell to her knees and covered her ears trying to block it all out but to no avail.

"You're not even real," Sapphire grabbed the gem by the throat. "It was a mistake that you even exist."

Red didn't do anything to stop her this time. What was the point? Maybe things would be better off if she just dissolved away, forgotten inside her own gem. She closed her eyes.

"Well...can't have that now can we?"

Red's eyes shot open. Nothing had seemed to change except the gems were frozen too. She watched as their forms dissolved into white butterflies. Free from Sapphire's grip, she dropped to the ground. She looked up to see something standing above her.

It couldn't be described as another gem but more of an absence of space. It was as if someone had photo-shopped a piece of the scenery out. The silhouette was unmistakable though. It was in the shape of a Ruby.

"I...what?" Red wasn't sure what exactly she was looking at.

"Stand up. You aren't a coward. Are you?"

Red's facial expression hardened. She stood up reluctantly, eyeing the black mass with caution.

"Are you the real Ruby?"

"Not yet."

Red's confusion only grew.

"What are you?"

"By all means...I am the new reality." 

•••••

Sapphire stared at the unconscious gem tentatively. She had reformed a while ago but hadn't regained consciousness. The gems had her chained the same way they had held her the first time, in Garnet's room.

Because the glove had burned away, nothing was stopping Red's dreams from being projected from her gem. Sapphire watched in wonder at the imagery being projected. Scenes of her and Ruby flashed across the walls, of dates and adventures. They seemed happy together. The blue gem had no way of knowing that she wasn't in fact seeing Red's dreams at all, but was getting a glimpse into Ruby's.