Toaster was led to the medical testing side of the building by Agent Zed.
The Gem was in ignorant bliss!
She didn't care the procedure had not been tested yet.
She didn't care when she entered the MASSIVE room which held a giant laser-looking object strapped to the ceiling.
She didn't care that the gargantuan machine was pointed directly at a single chair in the room.
Heck- Toaster didn't even mind when she was strapped into said chair so that she couldn't move.
The little Ruby was too excited to care! She had wanted to be rid of this dumb heat power for so long, that all she could think about was how GREAT life was going to be after they zapped this laser at her gemstone!
She would be able to sleep on a bed...and hug her loved ones! She could be angry or excited without worrying about destroying buildings! Perhaps, the little puppy at the ASPCA with the burn marks wouldn't be afraid of her anymore! Oh what a happy day! What a most joyous occasion!
Toaster was grinning from ear to ear. Agent Zed smiled. "You seem excited Toaster!"
"OH! YES ZED! I AM!" The Ruby attempted to nod through the straps holding her down.
Zed was surprisingly proud of himself- yes, this device was in testing still, but if the stupid thing actually DID work, the man was glad that its first patient would be such a worthy Gem that would not only be happier- but also become more confident. He was glad that this test could have the potential of helping a friend!
"Are you ready Toaster?!"
"YEH!"
"Alrighty than! Here we go!"
The massive device began to light up with excitement! Toaster looked at the magnificent light show with stars in her eyes! The machine hummed with enthusiasm! In a matter of seconds, a red laser erupted from the machine onto the Ruby's gemstone.
At first the laser tickled slightly! "Heeee!" Toaster attempted to stay as still as she could. She closed her eyes in content.
...and than...
Her gemstone began to get itchy! Why was it itching?
The itch turned into a slow droaning pain...which evolved into a sharp stabbing pain...which evolved again into an unbearable horrific pain that spread all over!
"ZED! ZED! IT HURTS! IT'S HURTING ME! NOT RIGHT! YOU SAID IT WOULDN'T HURT! SOMETHING'S WRONG!" Toaster screamed in agony! Her head began to throb!
Agent Zed looked on in terror as a massive amount of red substance got sucked out of the Ruby's forehead, and re-appeared in a small jar connected to the machine!
"DAMN! SHUT IT DOWN! SHUT IT DOWN NOW!" The agent barked commands at his crew, as the laser's power slowly diminished.
Zed ran into the room, and quickly unstrapped his friend from the seat. Toaster fell into the agent's arms-completely exhausted.
The little Gem looked up at the man with hope. "W-Well? Did it work?" The Ruby smiled.
Zed did not respond with the same enthusiasm. Toaster's gemstone no longer had any luster to it...in fact, the stone itself kind of resembled a Gem-shaped piece of pink chalk. The creature's color had diminished too- where there had been a viverently colored healthy looking Ruby before, now stood an incredibly pale pink one. Toaster looked SO pale, in fact, that she almost resembled a Gem that had been rolled about in flour.
Zed wondered if these were minor side effects. "Hmmm...you seem a bit pale, and your Gem looks different...try heating up your hand!"
Toaster did just this- with absolutely no results! "Oh my STARS! It worked! It...it...ACTUALLY worked!" Despite her obvious fatigue, Toaster smiled at Zed- comfortable and relieved for the first time in a LONG time.
Zed quickly apologized for the pain the machine had caused, but Toaster was so happy, she didn't seem to mind! The agent than unscrewed the jar filled with the red plasma substance from the machine. "Here you go Toaster! A momento! I believe this belongs to you!"
The Ruby looked at the jar full of bright red liquid in fascination. This must have been the chemical that had caused her heat problem. The Ruby decided to put the jar into her pocket space for safe keeping...
"KLUNK!" The jar tapped on the Ruby's gemstone. Surprised by this, the Gem looked at Zed- most confused.
"Ahh! Toaster! Your pocket space!" The man seemed disappointed...
"That's ok Zed! I'll just carry the jar normal!" Toaster nodded. If she had lost her pocket space at the sacrifice of keeping her friends safe...well...that was certainly a wonderful trade off for her!
By the time the helicopters re-arrived at the house, the little Ruby had fallen asleep. One of the MIB agents ended up wrapping up the little alien in a blue blanket- swaddling her so that she would not become cold.
The agent knocked on the front door of the house. Acapella answered looking absolutely furious!
Before she could get a word in edgewise, the agent handed her the bundle, nodded his head in respect, and returned to the helicopter quickly without dictating a word or explanation.
Surprised and confused by this, Acapella looked at her friend's face in the bundle before giving off an audible shriek!
Several hours passed before Toaster woke up again. She was laying on the couch- completely covered in blankets and heat packs. Confused, the Ruby attempted to rustle out of the mountain of supplies with little success.
The sudden movement DID manage to wake up Yellow Diamond, however. She was asleep on the only part of the couch not covered in stuff. "THE RUBY'S AWAKE!" The small kitten yelled to the heavens!
Imediately, Acapella and Gamma ran to the couch to check up on their incredibly pale friend.
"TOASTER! Are you OK?! You look as white as a sheet!"
"You scared us to DEATH!" Gamma seemed incredibly unhappy. "Those MIB JERKS! Just wait until I get my hands on-"
"-Noes! Gamma! Acapella! Toaster's ok! In fact, I have a suprise!"
The two friends waited in anticipation...before receiving a large bear hug from the Ruby!
"HEEEE...I've always wanted to do that!" The Gem nodded and smiled.
Both friends were incredibly confused. It seemed that Toaster had to explain herself- "See?! See?! YAH! No heat! None! Toaster can hug everyone nows!"
"Wait...Wait...they- got rid of your heat?!" Gamma seemed confused.
"Sorta! Here it is!" Toaster retrieved the bottle of red goop from her swaddling cloth, and proceeded to show it off to the trio. "See? See? Toaster's better now! She can hug, and sleep in beds, and touch photographs, and take care of hurt dogs, and EVERYTHING now! Toaster's a good Gem now! No more fires! Yeh...everything's better! See?" While the Ruby expected her friends to be happy for her, the expression of horror on their faces did not change. "Eh? Ehhh? Why are you not happy?!" The Ruby frowned in disappointment.
"Toaster..." Gamma seemed incredibly sad. "I will always care about you no matter what you're like...but this seems like a HUGE decision! I wish you had talked to us first, before going through with it...I'm...I'm not going to lie. I'm very disappointed in you. I'm glad you're happy and safe...but I liked your heat powers too! You didn't have to change yourself just to make other people happy."
The Ruby frowned. This was not the reaction she was expecting AT ALL.
Acapella seemed somewhat disturbed too. "What did they do to your lovely gemstone Toaster?! It...doesn't shine or sparkle anymore..."
"It's ok Acapella! My gemstone is plain now...but the heat is gone!"
"It's...it's not right." Yellow Diamond shook her head in disapproval. "All Rubies are programmed to need and distribute heat. It one of their only few defense mechanisms. How will you defend yourself in danger?" The kitten inquired.
"Toaster will find a way! She will fight with her bare hands!" The little Gem was beginning to become fairly upset at her friends lackluster attitude toward her personal decision. Gamma sensed this attitude change immediately and sighed in relief before hugging Toaster again. "I-I'm just so happy you're safe! Never scare us like that again!"
"Okays..." No one noticed it as the Ruby hugged the Keronian in return- but her arm's form fluctuated slightly...