Forgiveness was somewhat of a rumor to the small red gem, a whisper in the dark between higher ups. In her world, no mistake was forgivable. You had to take responsibility for every single little mistake you made. On this world perfection was the only acceptable means of living and every mistake took you farther and farther down in ranks.
In this particular instance she could do nothing but understand her leader's anger for her. Ruby could hardly forgive herself. Execution didn't seem so unreasonable to her. She wouldn't want to live without her Sapphire anyways. It was suiting, she couldn't bear not knowing what was becoming of her little blue love. Though not a crucial gem to the world's survival she was an asset holding a future-telling quality valued to the gems. Many gems sought her out, many wanted her for their own desires. That's where Ruby came into play. She had fought her entire life to prove herself worthy. And finally in a battle to the death contest she won the right to work as a guard. Eventually due to solely aesthetic reasons she was put in charge of assisting and protecting Sapphire. Sapphire was a very quiet gem who kept to her thoughts. She was very intelligent too, she could predict Ruby's rash emotions and always reacted to them with care and patience. However, now Sapphire was gone with no hope of return.
It was a dusty night that night, like all nights on the huge bare rock they called home. Night and day were a lot different there, night coming maybe once to every four days of light. Ruby had been fighting with the ice gem all night to no avail. Ruby wanted to side with the rebellion. Ruby wanted to be free of this harsh home. Ruby wanted to be able to love Sapphire free of the shadows. This conversation always made Sapphire uncomfortable.
"We'd never get a choice to come back." She'd quietly said.
"It's terrible here. Anything is better than here!" Ruby would admit.
"If home world wins all the rebels will be killed." Sapphire would sigh. Sapphire could always see the death of any gem she met. It was the hardest part of her ability to cope with. However Ruby's was blurry to her. Not to say she'd never die. She would just never die as Ruby, she'd die as a fusion. Sapphire could see a lot of things but future fusions were not one. The idea of the fighting home world terrified her, she saw several outcomes where home world won and where Pink Diamond's forces won. Regardless many gems would be shattered over it, she didn't want one of those gems to be her Ruby.
After maybe three days of straight up arguing about betraying home world Ruby got so angry she stormed off out of Sapphire's room and out into the night. When she returned maybe a few hours later she found an empty room.
That was her fault, Yellow diamond's star strategist gone and it was all her fault. No mistakes are forgiven here. Ruby would pay the price of the loss with her life.
The fire gem stood before the gem world parliament. They all stared daggers into her tiny body.
"Do you know what you lost us?" A lanky orange gem asked.
Ruby nodded sweat rolling down her forehead. She cared not for what these vile gems needed Sapphire for, she cared only for the suffering her little beauty could be facing.
"We could lose earth! We need to be able to make enough gems to keep out planet running! This means we'll have to use more resources to search for another mineral enriched planet!" A stout hot pink gem bickered. The gem was larger and looked as if she'd never stood up.
A gloomy yellow gem stood up. Her hair gave her more height thought she didn't need it for she was already very tall. Her skin was a pale lemon color and her clothing a dark mustard. Her stone was incrusted in the middle of her chest.
"That's enough. Ruby, from the day I assigned you to protecting Sapphire you knew the consequences of failing. I made it clear. What is next should come as no shock to you." Yellow Diamond said coldly. "I took a chance on you, I gave a little working gem a chance to be something more. You didn't just fail me or yourself, you failed all gems like you. No other little gem will ever have the opportunity to find honor though fighting for me." She finished. A frown grew wide across Ruby's face. Though the part of Ruby that wanted to rebel existed she still couldn't help feeling such guilt and self-hate after having Yellow Diamond publically disappointed in her and after being the gem who would keep all other gems made for a purpose forever trapped doing specifically what they were made for.
Ruby bowed before her planet's head in command. The gem gave a harsh look that turned softer with a seemingly regretful expression. Slowly the gem took a large sword with a golden blade from the gem at her core. Ruby stared at her own gem in her palm. They would crush this gem after she was poofed. Would that hurt? Ruby thought about fighting, summoning her gauntlet and trying to make a run for it, but that would just be an embarrassing attempt. All of higher ups and strong gems were here. She'd never make it that far. Closing her eyes to give in to her fate she heard an unfamiliar voice call her name. The call was followed by gasping. A violet-blue gem danced through the crowds, her height helped her move quickly. The stone lifted Ruby up and as quickly as she came she was gone. A whole rush of gems came after but it was too late, she'd made it to the ward to earth stealing her away.
"Who-who are you…" Ruby muttered breathlessly.
The tall gem smiled at her placing her on the soft grass below.
"Dumortierite" She said clearly as if she was proud of the name.
"I've never seen you on home world? Are you part of the rebellion, even if so what would you all want with me?" Ruby asked.
"Isn't it obvious?" The gem giggled. Another warp pad glowed and the little red gem was forced to the ground by a blue blur.
Ruby smiled standing up and twirling the gem around.
"Where did you go?" Ruby asked.
"I couldn't agree to rebelling vocally, we had someone watching us in our room." They had known everything it was just a matter of time before they tried to kill you. I knew if I sided with these gems they'd save you." Sapphire explained.
"Let's take you to meet the others!" Dumortierite said beaming with pride.
Sapphire took Ruby's hand, there gems pressed together.
"Let's go…" The blue gem smiled. Dumortierite smiled knowingly.
It was several warps one after the other before they finally came to a large temple of sorts. It was similar to the coliseum, this was where the gems of earth met.
"Hello Ruby." A kind voice said. "Tell me about yourself." She asked. Ruby knew better it was not optional, it was a command.
"I… Was made on home world to harvest power crystals deep in the core. I was eventually given a different destiny when I single handedly defeated an army of defected gems. Yellow Diamond came to me and asked me about my own wishes and eventually let me prove myself. Seeing I was more useful as a fighter I ended up being Sapphire escort." Ruby explained. The blue gem beside her awkwardly chuckled. Ruby was extremely embarrassed having the gem clinging to her arm.
Rose Quartz gave a warm smile to them. A small lanky pale pearl beside her giving a grin too only after seeing the pink gem's face.
"So… your Sapphire's guard?" Rose Quartz asked.
"Yeah…" Ruby shyly responded.
"Well there's no need to reposition you." Rose said. "I'm going to retire to my quarters… Sapphire will take you to where you will be staying with her." She said signaling the other gems to leave the temple as well. The Pearl followed close behind her.