Author Notes:
! Trigger Warning !
Parts of this Fanfiction may cause extreme distress and symptoms of PTSD or depression if you experienced physical abuse, mental abuse, emotional abuse and/or sexual abuse such as sexual assault of any kind.
*** DISCLAIMER: I do not own Steven Universe, nor do I have any connection with Rebecca Sugar or the Steven Crewniverse in anyway, if some elements in this fanfic are or become canon it is purely coincidence. ***
** I promised myself to publish this online BEFORE watching the fourth Steven Bomb. **
I want to get this published before the episode airs but I might be a bit late, whoops, well that's what happens when you are a procrastinating college kid.
I had this idea in my mind for MONTHS about how Ruby and Sapphire meet and how they formed Garnet. So I wanted to get this written before the first Steven Bomb of the year starts; I apologize if it seems rushed, most of this was crammed in my head for months and it is in fragments so I am trying to fill it in as much as I can with little time I have. HOPEFULLY, I get some more ideas to fill in the breaks in this fanfic. But until then this kind of looks like spouts of poetry haha!
I have this headcanon that gems only call their home planet "Homeworld" when they are not on said planet. But I don't know what name to give their home planet. So Homeworld it is!
Also, here is my headcanon information on the time. Gems do not experience the same concept of time as we do, but it is hard to convey this.
Revolution: Approximately 450 Earth years equals 1 Homeworld year. (164,250 Earth days = 1 Homeworld day)
One rotation (24 Earth hours) takes 3,942,000 Earth hours to complete a rotation around their Sun (not ours, though I am basing our rotation to calculate theirs)
So there is 3,942,000 (Earth) hours in one Homeworld day.
I know, very staggering numbers. All you really got to know is that these beings have a different sense of time as we do.
Small gems like Ruby are viewed as expendable soldiers, being considered defective by society helped along this view and her way of life. But on the battle field she was a force to be reckon with: while on expeditions to colonize planets, having small gems like Ruby on the battle front will make the opposing force let down their guard but what they don't know is how big of a punch a Ruby's fury can deal out.
Today, there were no battles or expeditions. In fact, Ruby figured there wouldn't be any for at least another revolution or two. Homeworld have more than enough colonies and all military bases seem to be pretty stable for the most part. In the midst of Ruby finally getting to take it easy, she feels a coldness, opening her vision spheres to a shadow loaming over her, she stiffened and nearly jumped when she heard a loud, harsh voice. "Hey, pebble, you need to come with me." It was a Jasper, more on small side for a regular Jasper, but no other gem would seem to take orders from her, so she moved on to the next best thing: smaller gems means lower rank.
"M..Me?" Ruby jumped in surprise.
The large gem grunted, "Did I stutter?"
Ruby was up on her feet at attention, "Nno, sir!"
The Jasper gave a smug grin, "That's right, YOU stuttered!"
The two were walking side by side for a while until the banded Jasper spoke in a surprisingly hushed tone, "I was ordered to go into Blue Diamond territory and try to convince a much smaller gem to switch loyalty to Yellow Diamond."
"I don't understand why they do not sent a bigger gem, but maybe seeing a much smaller gem with me might persuade the other to consider joining." The yellow Jasper didn't dare to look at Ruby; it was obvious to Ruby that she was insecure about her size.
Ruby was still confused as to why Yellow Diamond officials wanted another tiny gem to join their ranks, but Ruby was made to follow orders no matter how crazy.
The Jasper sighed in relief when they spotted a warp pad, "Aaah, this will take us straight to her quarters."
Sapphires are a rare gem nowadays, because of the high risk of force fusions a lot of Sapphire's die while trying to fight back a much bigger gem. Sapphires are the only societal defective gems that others spend the most energy trying to fuse with, because of their rare abilities. This particular Sapphire is the most prized of all, because of her clairvoyance. This ability is envied by other Diamond military officials, much to Sapphire's dismay this means, a lot of big gems like Quartz and Chalcedonies such as Jaspers.
No one wanted to fuse with other defective gems such as Ruby unless militarily necessary; this has happened more than once for one Ruby in particular and has had her soul crush soon after she was forced to unfuse; once unfused she would get degraded and yelled at and each gem she fused with vowed to never fuse with her again. Ruby loved being fused more than anything in the universe, big, strong, unstoppable, stable…or at least more stable than any Ruby can be; these were all things Ruby and a lot of other defective gems rarely or never get to experience. But fusing with a Sapphire…Ruby didn't know but she wanted to, however, Sapphire are extremely selective on who they fuse with. Ruby knew she was strong enough to easily overpower a Sapphire, nevertheless Ruby wanted to know her even if it meant never being able to fuse with her or anyone else again.
The brown striped Jasper was having a hard time convincing the little blue gem with words, not surprising since Jaspers are known for their actions not for what they say.
Ruby saw the Jasper grab the Sapphire by the wrist, revealing her gem to the Jasper, Ruby gasped.
This can't be good.
"I was told to use any means necessary to get you to Quartzite!" A yellowed gem began to glow on the Jasper's front shoulder.
The Sapphire looked calm, then suddenly the Jasper was howling in pain; her hand on her gemmed shoulder.
Ruby caught a glimpse of dagger-like icicles protruding out of the Sapphire's knuckles, she must have scraped the other gem.
"WHY YOU LITTLE PIECE OF-!" The Jasper lunged and tackled the Sapphire onto the ground, pinning her down. The Jasper's gem was now pulsating light and furious.
Ruby teared up, "STOP!"
The Jasper stopped abruptly and slowly turned her head toward the red gem.
"Listen, if you don't want to join, that's fine!" Ruby rushed.
"No! It's not!" The banded one wildly shouted.
"G-get off of her!" Ruby yelled, closing her eyes, "Ther-there's got to be another way!"
The yellow one laughed manically, "There is no other way! This is the nature of a Sapphire!"
The Jasper put pressure on the bottoming gem, rubbing to cause heat to rise in the other gem, "Yeeeah, you like that, don't cha?"
"You little piece of-AAAH!" The Jasper was on the floor, knocked of the Sapphire with a blow to the head.
The large gem looked at Ruby with bewilderment. "WHAT. IN. The..ee."
The little gem was heated with rage, with her gauntlet summoned for battle.
Sensing a terrible end, the Sapphire stood calmly, "Enough, I will go."
"Wai, what?" The Ruby, still in her fury, but flabbergasted.
"As long as there is so fighting, I will convert to Yellow Diamond's side in peace." The Sapphire negotiated in an even tone.
The Jasper grunted in agony, "About time!" Ruby shot her a death glare. The Jasper frowned angrily.
- 3 years later -
The oracle gem was successfully reinstated as a Yellow Diamond subject, thanks to the yellow and brown Jasper's plan. It seemed that having Ruby around pushed the little blue gem to see their way. In the years that passed, they often ordered the psychic gem with the little berserker, to make the transition between two loyalties more comfortable. Ruby finally gained the courage to ask, "You were more than capable of defending yourself, but did you let that Jasper have her way with you?"
"I could not see your future, but I could see you were willing to die for another; so I took the chance for you to show me in the present." The Sapphire flatly said. "And you've been around me enough to call me Sapphire."
Ruby froze, trying to high the blush that was creeping. "So that was your plan all along?"
"Well, I planned to have shattered the Jasper, but then I saw you and found a more peaceful solution."
Ruby shuttered at Sapphire's cold take on the issue. "Remind me not to get on your bad side."
Later on that day, Ruby and Sapphire went to their separate quarters, on her way she spotted a few gems looking at the board of new rulings. It has been 5 years since the last ruling, so the little soldier went to check it out.
Some gems left when they saw Ruby, but one fairly tall gem remained.
The ruling was about fusion, fusion was now prohibited and deemed illegal in the eyes of the government beginning immediately.
"I never thought I would live to see this." Stated the other gem.
Ruby glanced wide eyed at the stranger, 'Why are they speaking it me?'
Ruby looked around, it was just the two of them.
"It's a real shame." The gem continued.
They were Blue Diamond loyalty, a higher ranking than any other front-line soldier.
"Wait, so what about fusion in the military?" Ruby asked in a hushed tone.
"That will no longer be needed." The gem was a Blue Topaz, one of the last of their kind on Homeworld. "Maybe it hasn't reached the lower ranking gems yet, but, Homeworld has successfully colonized many planets with even more Kindergartens. Kindergartens that are growing many Quartz gems. So fusion will not only be needed, but very frowned upon; even a slap in the face to the Diamond Society. Already having big enough gems ready to battle is much more effective than having to stop and fuse, leaving you vulnerable on the battlefield. Unfortunately, that also means gems like you are no longer essential to our military advances. I suggest looking into a new career, Ruby. We are in the beginning of a new era."
Ruby was silent for the most part. "…but what about light partners?"
Topaz was silent for several seconds then spoke in a quiet but grave tone, "Every gem should make sure never to show affection out in the open, best to keep such affairs in the secret." "Don't fall for anyone, Ruby, especially in times like these."
Ruby's vision spheres amplified "I….it's too late…"
The Topaz pierced right through Ruby with her vision spheres, but calmly whispered, "Best to keep that to yourself little gem."
- the following day -
"Ruby?" Sapphire inquired with slight concern. "Ruby."
"Hmm?" Ruby snapped out of her trance.
"What are you thinking?" Sapphire asked.
"Can't you read minds?" Ruby perplexed.
"Not yours I can't." Sapphire stated.
"Really?" Ruby was in shock but too bored to really care.
"I was sent to inform you of a task that has been given to us." Sapphire went straight to business.
"Again?" Ruby seemed annoyed and it annoyed Sapphire that she could not see their future when she is with a particular small red gem.
The tiny clairvoyant slightly nodded, "There is rumor of an underground society deep underneath Homeworld where gems fuse like it's conversation." 'Although true fusion IS conversation.' Sapphire told herself. "We were instructed to sneak underground and find this place and report back to the Diamond Base as soon as we can."
"I assume you got a plan to get up underground without a sound?" Ruby knew drills were the only way deep under the surface but drills can also wake up the entire Diamond Society not to mention any gems underground.
Sapphire smiled a bit, "Of course."
Sapphire lead Ruby through a network of tunnels, going deeper and deeper towards Homeworld's core. "How do you know of this route?" Ruby questioned. "Shhh…." Sapphire hushed, "We need to be as quiet as possible."
"Do you hear that?" Ruby heard….music? And rhythms coming from all around them.
"This way." Sapphire directed to the left tunnel. Sneaking passed the grated fence to a frenzy of moving bodies and different rhythmic sounds.
Ruby couldn't believe her eyes, "Holy Diamond…." She whispered.
"We need to find someone we recognize back on the surface so they can be questioned later." Sapphire directed.
"Ye…yeah." Ruby hesitated.
Ruby saw fusions dancing by themselves, gems in the midst of fusion, fusions dancing with other fusions, it was overwhelmingly beautiful to Ruby's vision spheres. But she was ordered to prevent anything like this from happening again. Like Blue Topaz said, it's a new era.
Ruby was right behind Sapphire…she was heating up from all the energy in the room and wanted to sweep the gem in front of her off her feet…then they stopped moving. "What's wrong?"
"I can't seem to get around this crowd." Sapphire stated in slight frustration.
Ruby made her move, turning Sapphire around to face her and took a blue ungemmed hand with her's.
"Wha…what are you doing?" Sapphire asked in a slight panic.
"If we can't walk around them, we dance through them." Ruby suggested. "Unless you have a better plan in mind."
"No, let's try your strategy." Sapphire flatly stated.
As they moved like liquid through the crowd, trying to see if they recognized any gem in the crowd, Ruby had a hard time keeping her eyes of the gem in her arms and an even harder time keeping her heat in check.
Sapphire turned to look at Ruby with that signature stoic expression.
Ruby knew she could sense her heat building, "Sorry, I am a naturally heated gem and I absorb energy around me."
"I know, I am just a bit concerned. Maybe we should not have gone this route." Sapphire admitted.
"N-no! I am alright!" Ruby shook her head a little too quickly.
Sapphire felt like stopping before they got out of hand but that would draw attention to them both.
Sapphire make herself colder to cool her partner down.
When the cool sensation reached her gem, Ruby whined in muffled pleasure. Hoping the other won't hear.
Unfortunately, this made the hotter gem put out even more heat and it was starting to affect Sapphire as well as she decreased her temperature even lower. Ice flakes were forming on her and Ruby but quickly evaporated into steam on the red one's skin. There was no stopping them now. They were spinning in small circles, in uncontrollable laughter, faces almost touching, there was an intense light between them.
Then they stopped…or rather stopped as a ….fusion?!
"Wha wha….?" Ruby made the fusion mutter.
"Whoo! What a good looking gem!" Ruby and Sapphire's fusion turned quickly towards the hollering.
It was another fusion. "May I suggest another?" The fusion questioned in a sultry tone.
Ruby and Sapphire's fusion became uneasy and took a step back, "Ummm."
"Oh, come on, what's the matter?" the other fusion started to mock.
"I…I don't feel like fusing with you." Sapphire took over but Ruby was getting mad.
"Oh? Wait, who are you?" the offensive fusion probed.
"I….eh…" Sapphire and Ruby's fusion was at a loss for words.
"O-oh dear!" the other fusion mused, "This, this is your first time!" the fusion laughed a bit. "Well? EVERY gem has a name hun."
"I…I'm Garnet." Ruby and Sapphire's fusion became more confident and much to their relief, figured out their fusion's name.
"Garnet?" the other fusion seemed a bit surprised "I'm Andalusite."
Andalusite continued to stare at Garnet's form "I can tell you are just starting to get comfortable in your own skin; I will leave you to that, enjoy yourself while you can, Garnet."
Garnet was becoming more and more aware of her surroundings, whatever the objective was, failed and she needed to get out of the crowd.
Jumping and moving in the crowd was easier than she expected and found an empty corner, she slid down to sit. She had to collect her thoughts.
She was two gems, but had her own conscience, she felt like her own gem…and yet two separate gems…but together…to form her. It was all overwhelming. She could still feel the energy in the room but she had enough energy within herself to keep her more than satisfied.
"I want to stay like this, but somehow I know I can't. Why?" Garnet was talking to herself.
She felt so many things at once, anger, sadness, joy, rage, melancholy.
She closed her vision spheres and put her hands on her face. Wait…th-three vision spheres?
'Why do I have three? Did two of our eyes merge?' Ruby thought. 'Sapphire, how many eyes do you have?'
Suddenly there was an incredible crash, all of the sudden dirt and bits of ground. Unable to see with vision spheres, Sapphire knew exactly what was happening. 'It's Yellow Diamond's militia, we need to unfuse and get out of here!' Sapphire immediately unfused. Both of them were just starting to regain their own consciousness but Ruby felt her hands intertwine with small cold ones and being projected at a fast speed.
"Aaaah! Stop!" Ruby yelled in terror.
"Ruby, shhh! We need to get out of here or we will get crushed!" Sapphire was more in a panic now, this was the first time Ruby ever seen her in this state.
Ruby nodded in understanding, "Okay, lead the way."
Once at the surface they reported back to the Diamond Base and said that Yellow Diamond's forces arrived shortly after they left, a lie, but Sapphire was great at giving a straight face while saying or doing anything. Their infiltration could have been heard for miles on the surface; Yellow Diamond's forces got a hold of a drill, probably one from what they use to colonize other planets to create a hole so soldiers could either destroy or capture gems, the ground they drill at however, was not stable and probably caused causalities on Yellow Diamond's side.