Immortal Poison (FFXV)

Chapter 21

     "I'm so sorry, Ruby." Amethyst cried. Her emerald eyes were filled with so much pain, but they were focused. She knew exactly what she was doing, and there was no turning back.
     "Save your tears, Amethyst." Gloriosa commanded before entering the room from behind the tearful woman. "I must say, excellent work, Ruby. I'm sure this is the part where you ask why we're doing this, and you try to stop us."
    "But let me guess; you're going to laugh in my face and kill me here?" Ruby responded casually.
     "I won't lie, it sounds tempting. Perfectly cliché, but I have nothing against you. You're a loyal Lucian, and if you hear me out, you'll find that we're doing nothing wrong, and you're better off standing by my side."
"Just do it, Ruby." Amethyst pleaded. "...I don't want to hurt you or your baby."
"Oooh. A baby? This should go smoothly." Gloriosa snickered.
    Ruby let out an aggravated sigh. "...I'm listening."

    "With this crystal, it should be enough, we can bring back the queen. If all goes well, we can bring back anyone. This will only make Lucis stronger and we won't need Phoenix Downs." Gloriosa explained.
     "...Okay, but the queen has been dead for a year. You can't possibly revive her now."
    "Cloning. We'll use Niflheim's technology against them." Gloriosa rested a hand on Ruby's shoulder. "I know the secrecy makes this all look bad, but believe me, the King wouldn't be able to handle it if he found out now."
     "And I take it not just anyone can join your little club? What happens if I agree?"
    "You'll continue your work as a spy, but much like Amethyst, you'll receive special assignments. Ones that will help us move forward with the project, and also keep it a secret."
     "And if I refuse?" Ruby wondered.
     "Don't ask such questions." Said a very cold tone of voice. The mysterious man entered from the other doorway, and stood on the other side of Ruby. He lifted her chin and turned her head to face him. "With your reputation, you don't have a choice."
    Ruby's heart was racing again. If she resisted, there was a very high chance they would've killed her and her baby. To think that about Gloriosa and Amethyst, two people she'd worked with and trusted, seemed completely insane. She had no idea who the man was, or why they were working with him.

"Who the hell are you?" Ruby asked demandingly, keeping a brave face.
"In time, you'll learn." He said.
    "Having you on our side will just make this process faster. We can walk out quietly with the crystal. The others will find nothing, and with no more leads, end the search for the other two... Then there's the matter of this baby. We'll have to relocate you." Gloriosa explained.
Ruby's eyebrows raised, as she shifted her eyes towards Gloriosa. "What?!"
"Don't act so shocked. You know as well as I do that Leonis would run his mouth to the king, and shut this project down...Just as I'm sure you would if we just let you walk away."
    Ruby had no choice but to accept.  If I go with them now, I can figure out a way to escape later...but if I can't...
    
    Her heart was breaking at the thought. "You're both mothers. Amethyst, you know what I want. You would take that from me? From him?"
     Amethyst knew exactly who Ruby was referring to. She couldn't imagine being in Ruby's position. "Maybe we should think this through."
     "We don't have time, Amethyst. Stick to the plan."
     "...What happens after we leave this place?" Ruby asked.
"We force the rest of the team out. Amethyst will come up with something to tell them." Gloriosa explained.

Before Ruby could say another word, their ears rang with the echoed sound of one rock hitting another. For a moment, Ruby had hope. Whoever was up in the courtyard could've come down to help her...but she feared that person would've been killed on sight. She feared that screaming would've ended her own life, as well as her baby's.
    "Someone's coming." Gloriosa assumed. The mysterious man shoved Ruby's face away, and stuck a needle in her neck. Ruby pulled away with her hand on that same spot, shoving Gloriosa back.