The group, after figuring out where Ruby had been, soon arrived at Brooding Hill where Ruby was sitting with Greg, eating some pizza with a few comics scattered around.
"Ruby!" Steven said.
"So she was all the way out here…" Sunset said.
"Yeah…and after everything with Sapphire, the girl must be heartbroken." Luna said.
They headed up the hill as Ruby soon saw them.
"Guys? What the…how did you…" Ruby began to ask.
"I saw you sitting up here earlier." Hayase said.
"Ruby was just telling me about Steven's mom." Greg said.
"Oh… are you okay?" Steven asked.
"Well, I fell in love with Rose Quartz, and she fell in love with Mr. Universe." Greg replied. "Sure, she never told me she used to be Pink Diamond, but, heh, I never told her I used to be Gregory DeMayo."
"Wait, DeMayo…?" ZS said in confusion.
"Yeah. I had it legally changed when I got in my van and drove off without a care." Greg said.
"So, Ruby… you holding up?" Moltar asked cautiously.
"I'm good." Ruby said, grabbing the pizza box. "Want a slice?"
"Uh…thanks." Natsu said, taking a slice. "Wait, seriously?"
"But…you seemed so sad earlier." Vector said.
"Yeah but, me and Greg talked it out. I'm fine now." Ruby said.
"Are you sure?" Gray asked as Amethyst snatched the pizza slice Natsu had.
"Yeah. Sapphire was kinda right about everything. We really did stay Garnet because Rose told us to be her... Uh...'answer'. It's my first time thinking about it... It's my first time really thinking about... me!" Ruby said.
"Well, where did your thoughts lead you?" Princess Twilight asked.
"Back when I emerged, the first thing I did was get crammed together with a bunch of other Rubies! Then... I was with Sapphire all the time. I was always checking in on someone. But now... I can go wherever the wind takes me!" Ruby declared as she picked up three slices of pizza and three comics. "I'm up here, eating pizza, reading comics! I don't know if Sapphire wants to read comics. I don't have to know!"
Ruby then somersaulted onto the roof of Greg's van.
"The rest of my life could be like this! I don't have to be Garnet... I can be on my own!" Ruby finished.
"I mean… if that's what you want." Mark said.
"Sure!" Greg added.
"I guess." Amethyst added as she and Natsu were struggling with each other.
"What?!" Steven said in complete shock. "B-But you guys love each other! You're my favorite couple! You're- You're like sugar and flour, I- I love eating them separately, but I still want cake! I'm sure Sapphire would want-" he said before Ruby stopped him.
"I'm not fussed about what Sapphire wants! I've seen my own future now. And it's nothin' but Ruby!" Ruby said as she stood tall.
Steven looked to be on the verge of a panic attack before his father put a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"Relax, kiddo. This could be what she needs." Greg assured Steven.
"But, Dad! What if they never form Garnet again?! We gotta get them back together!" Steven said.
"It's not like we can force them too." Mark pointed out. "It's something Ruby's gonna want to do for herself. If Ruby doesn't want it, neither does Garnet… that makes sense, right?"
"Mmm... Ugh, I guess so…" Steven said dejectedly.
"So…where will you go now?" Jexi asked. "Just gonna stay on this hill?"
"I wanna live free! One with the wilderness! Facing danger in every turn! Not leaving nothin' or nobody to get me by! Just like... this guy!" Ruby said as she held a comic with a dolphin on the cover.
"Uh…no." Eddy said.
"Oh, oh! How about this!" Ed said, holding up a comic with a cowboy on the cover. "Lonesome Lasso! A cowboy in the wild west."
"Oh! That's even better!" Ruby said in excitement. "The open plains! That's where I wanna go!"
"I think I know just the place. I'll get ya there." Greg said.
"Thank you!" Ruby said as she did some cartwheels.
"Ah yes, the journey across the wide open world, finding yourself along the way. A tale as old as time." Double D remarked.
"Alright, alright, if this is how it's gotta be. I'll support Ruby in her quest for emotional growth." Steven said, smiling a little.
"Yeah, just don't start a wild chase by pushing too hard." Mark said.
"Yeah, I know…" Steven answered back as they watched Ruby make finger guns on Greg's van.
The next day, Greg drove Ruby, Steven and Amethyst out to an open plain, as the others arrived using the Galaxy King.
"Wow…the great open yonder. Yeehaw." Applejack said.
"Just up your alley, AJ." Eddy said. "Too bad Gemini ain't here, she's get a kick outta this too."
As the group approached Greg's van, Ruby kicked the back doors open, dressed like a cowboy, and jumped out into the open, followed by Steven and Amethyst. The red gem pulled the Lonesome Lasso comic out from under her hat and opened it.
"'Here I am, on the open range... At least you understand me, horsey.'". Ruby read from the comic.
"Oh, Ruby, you need a steed!" Steven realized.
"And that's why I told our version of the Mane 6 to stay behind and keep an eye on the others." Mark said. "They aren't exactly the kind for giving rides."
"Then it's a good thing I'm always down for a little... horsin around." Amethyst said before she transformed into a horse. "Giddy-up."
With that, Ruby began riding on Amethyst's back, treading the open plain while the group followed behind her.
"How's it goin', Ruby? Feel like a real cowboy now?" Greg asked.
"Yep. I sure reckon I do." Ruby replied in a southern drawl.
"Uh, quick question: where exactly are we going?" Nathan asked. "Or are you just wandering without knowing where you are?"
"Not knowin' where I was is why I'm here. I'll find myself out here in the wild yonder." Ruby replied as the they stopped at a hedge.
"It's a dead end." Amethyst replied as Ruby quickly jumped off Amethyst.
"This is what I mean. What's behind this brush... I dunno! Sapphire ain't here to predict for me. It's my chance to find out for myself!" Ruby said as she crawled through the hedge before they heard her scream.
"Oh no, Ruby!" Frisk said as they raced through the hedge, looking down to see Ruby on a ledge over a huge ravine.
"Wow! I had no idea this ravine was here." Ruby said as she jumped onto the other side. "I almost fell down there. And, it was all my choice! Yee-haw! Independence!"
"...I'm so glad we decided to go with her." Mark said flatly as they watched Ruby run around, laughing and cheering herself.
And so, the group spent the day with Ruby, having several encounters with the wildlife…
"Run! Angry bull, angry bull! AAHHH!"
"AUGH! It bit me! I'm poisoned!"
…after which, night settled, Ruby making a campfire by igniting several logs.
"Ah, nothin' like a campfire to warm up the cold, dark nights." Ruby said with pride as the group sat down around it.
"Glad to see you getting into this." Mark said. "Even that thing with the bull was fun, Luffy definitely sent that thing to another state with that punch."
"And I gave him a name too. Ucy 2." Luffy said.
"We could have also done without the rattlesnake in between." Eddy said, tending to the bite mark. "If Chopper weren't here, I'd definitely be in a coma at least by now."
"You know, it amazes me how you people can make something as simple as a trek through the wilderness into something amazing like watching a bull get punched into low orbit." Nathan chuckled.
"Yeah, it's kinda our thing." Scarlet said.
"Yeah. We do stuff like this all the time. Well most of the time." Jexi said.
"Y'know, it feels like there's something missing from this trip…" Nathan remarked, pondering for a moment before he snapped his fingers. "Oh yeah, I know! Greg, you have your guitar, right?"
"Did you even need to ask?" Greg said as he passed the guitar off to Ruby as she started to strum.
(Cue: Ruby Rider)
"This ol' Ruby rider,
Is Ruby ridin' alone.
She's a sturdy,
Solitary stone."
"This ol' Ruby rider,
Not a fusion no more.
Now the dirt and the dust,
And the danger is my new home."
By this point, several members of the group began to harmonize with her.
"I used to think I,
Would always be by your side.
But lately you've been rather cold."
"One look in your eye,
Could make an honest Gem cry.
But Ruby Rider don't need no one to hold."
Ruby began to whistle her song, as the group looked on.
"Wow…pretty impressive for someone who learned how to play 10 minutes ago." Nathan said.
"This ol' Ruby rider,
Is Ruby ridin' alone.
She's a sturdy,
Solitary stone."
(end song)
Later that night, as most of the group slept, Nathan was the only one still awake as he looked at Ruby as she sat on a rock.
"Yo, Ruby." Nathan called out. "You were great. All that stuff about being independent and all…just…wow. I mean, I get why that kid freaked out, but…it's if you don't wanna be some fusion anymore, that's cool."
"It's…not true." Ruby muttered.
"Huh?" Nathan asked.
"That stuff I sang about... It's not true...!" Ruby said showing her contorted face.
"What do you mean?" Nathan asked. "I thought you were having fun."
"I mean, I did have fun, I loved it! But…" Ruby said. "The whole time, I... I kept thinkin' about how much more fun I'd have if I were with her. Sapphire was always there with me. I feel her smile just like it was mine. It's so lonely now... Gaaah!"
Ruby then slid down the rock as she landed right on her head.
"That's lame, right?! I came here to be my own gem, but I'm still thinkin' about what she'd like! What'd she want! All, the time!" Ruby said as she flopped onto her side. "Turns out, I'm no good at not needin' nobody."
"I mean…is it really a bad thing?" Nathan asked. "I mean, you still did all that stuff today, right? You can be your own person…gem… and still be with people. Like, look at Lonesome Lasso." he said, picking up the comic. "'I miss Sally May.' He's still a tough as nails cowboy but he also has someone he loves."
Ruby blushed at the thought as she looked up. "Well, if I'm making my own decisions... Then, I'll decide I wanna be with Sapphire." she said as she got up. "I mean, I've gotta ask her first. I just don't want it to feel like we're going back to how things used to be; back when someone else told us to be together. I want it to feel different…"
Nathan hummed as he considered that, mindlessly flipping through the comic until he came across a particular panel. "Hey, look at this. Is this what you're talking about?"
The Dark Future employee showed her as Ruby quickly gasped and smiled with delight.
The next morning at the Beach House, Pearl and Sapphire were on the couch, Connie and the Mane 6 alongside them, before the doors opened as some of the others stood there.
"Did you find her?" Sapphire asked.
"She's outside. She wants to talk to you." Jexi said seriously.
They hurried out of the house as Ruby was right there, sitting on Amethyst as they stood in the shallows.
"Ruby!" Sapphire cried out as she ran towards her love. "Ruby, I'm so sorry! I should have never said those awful things to you. That we didn't matter any more; I shouldn't have pushed you away like that. I was wrong."
"...Naw, you were right." Ruby responded, shocking Sapphire before she jumped off Amethyst and patted her side, sending her off.
"So, where exactly is this going?" Eddy asked.
"Your guess is as good as mine, Eddy." Mark admitted. "All we know is that this is gonna be big."
"Someone else told us we were the answer." Ruby started as she approached Sapphire. "But... I don't believe that anymore. At least, not 'til I hear it from you."
The red gem held out her hand for her blue partner. Sapphire took it, allowing Ruby to kneel before, a gust of wind blowing her hat away.
"Sapphire… Will you marry me?"
"What? Marry you?" Sapphire asked.
"Yeah! This way we can be together, even when we're apart!" Ruby said excitedly. "This time, being Garnet will be our decision. What do you say?"
"Of course." Sapphire said with a soft smile.
"Yeehaw!" Ruby cried out as she pulled in Sapphire for a hug.
"I've been waiting to kiss your cute face!" Sapphire said, kissing Ruby right on the cheek as the two went about celebrating their engagement.
"Aw…that's so wonderful." Ochako said.
"YES! YES!" ZS cheered, the other group members each celebrating with various levels of excitement, each one joyful.
"I told you they'd tie the knot eventually! Pay up, Eddy!" Emo laughed joyfully.
"I don't even care!" Eddy said happily as he handed the mage a 5 dollar bill. "This is the best thing ever!" he whooped.
"Yep…just like I thought it would play out." Nathan said as he looked at the comic with the wedding scene.
