Note: Ruby Seven is the Ruby who fuses with Sapphire to form Garnet.
The small gem drilled up from the ground, her birth process unmiraculous, as the same thing was happening to hundreds of other Rubies around her.
"Welcome, recruits." Yellow Diamond spoke. "You are to begin training immediately. Those of you who pass will become soldiers. Those of you who fail will be shattered.
"Now, stand up. You're now in what is called the training course. This is where you will report every day at the same time and leave at the same time. Come late or try to leave early, and you'll be shattered. You'll see a number engraved in the dirt in front of you. That is your name. Remember it well, cause you won't be reminded of it and shattered if you forget it.
Ruby Seven stood up on shaky legs, and gazed down at the ground. She noticed that every gem was named Ruby, but had a different number. Ruby Seven was ready for action after a moment to collect her bearings.
"Walk two laps around the course. Your track will be outlined in circles of white paint. Walk between them. Go."
The gems began walking, some of them with a steady stride, others tripping and falling several times as they walked. Ruby Seven walked at a leisurely pace, eager to see all there was to see within the training course while also not wanting to fall. She marveled at the high fences, and the training dummies in the center court. She noticed there was nowhere for injured gems to go, and assumed the same thing happened to them as it would if they stepped out of line in any other way: being shattered. She shivered at the thought, the prospect of her life ending so very soon after it had begun leaving her with a sickening feeling inside. She completed her final lap and joined the others back by their harvesting positions.
"This is where you will stand when you report in the morning for your daily training." Yellow Diamond spoke. "At the end of the day, you will take the exit on the north end and report to the living quarters with your name on the door. You will be sharing these with other initiates, assuming that they don't get shattered. There is to be no fighting outside of this course. If you have a grievance, you settle it here, on the court. Any questions?"
The gems were silent.
"Good. Now run twenty laps around the court."
The gems stared at each other in confusion. Twenty laps was an awfully large number to keep track of.
"Since you waited so damn long, make it thirty. Now get!"
This time, all the gems began to run immediately, all eager to be the first one back to Yellow Diamond.
Ruby Seven began to fall behind, but soon willed herself to catch up, the slightest possibility of being shattered pushing her further and further.
"Come on, come on." She willed herself. "Just two more laps, and you'll be at the end of the race." She ran with a reserve of strength she didn't know she had, then collapsed at the end of the race, curling into a ball, panting and gasping for air, grasping at her aching ribs.
"Get up, soldiers," Yellow Diamond ordered. "That was just a warm up. Today's lesson will be on using staffs." A taller red gem, about to the height of Yellow Diamond's waist, emerged from behind her. "This is Ruby X. She will be your training instructor. Do as she says, or you'll be shattered." Yellow Diamond walked away, leaving the trainer and trainees to their work.
Ruby Seven studied her. She was just like the rest of them, but taller and more worn down. She guessed that one day, several years ago, she had been in her place.
"If you'll proceed to the sparring area, you'll see that there is a row of staffs on their racks. Take the one that has your name on it. If you lose it, I'm sure you've figured out what the standard punishment is for stepping out of line around here by now."
The Rubies stumbled across the field to the staff racks, wearily pulling their assigned weapon out. Ruby Seven was tired, however slightly less lethargic than the rest, and she curiously spun her staff in her fingertips.
"You." Ruby X said in a sharp voice as she walked over to her. "Ruby Seven."
She gulped. "Uh- y-yes ma'am. Ri-right here."
"Show me what you were doing with your staff, soldier."
Ruby Seven spun the staff around in circles with her fingertips again, fighting the urge to quake in fear in front of her trainer, not wanting to be shattered.
"Okay. Now try it with one hand. Your left."
She stopped the moving staff, then placed it in her left hand, attempting to spin it again. She wasn't quite as steady as she was with both hands, but was able to keep the staff in the air and off the ground.
"You're a natural, kid." Ruby X spoke, her voice still in its permanent harsh tone. "You can go off to the other side of the field while I teach the rest of the soldiers and practice one handed spinning. By the end of the day I want you to be able to switch between hands without stopping the spin."
"Yes ma'am!" Ruby Seven saluted, then jogged down to the opposite end of the field and began spinning her staff.
"Alright, soldiers! In formation!" The gems stood at an equal distance from each other, all facing the instructor and waiting for an order. A noticeable gap was left in the formation, as Ruby Seven was off on her own, but no one paid any mind to it. "Pay attention, everyone, because I'm only going to do this once. Ruby Nineteen, give me your staff."
A timid Ruby stepped up to her and passed her the staff, quaking fearfully.
"Back to your position." Ruby X addressed the crowd. "This is how you wield your staff. Right hand on bottom, left hand on top. Use your fingertips to spin it in circles. To catch a flying staff, grasp the shaft with your right hand. The ones we use in battle will be fitted with spearheads." She demonstrated the grip, and the spinning, then tossed the spear back to Ruby Nineteen, who scrambled to catch it and ended up tripping.
"Some of you have a lot of work to do. All of you should strive to be like her." She motioned to Ruby Seven, who was effortlessly spinning the staff with alternating hands. "Get to practicing. When the bell goes off, you may return your staff to its hook, and report to your quarters for the night."
Ruby Seven caught the staff in her hand and headed towards the racks, tired from the day's events." The other Rubies shot her icy glares, but she paid them no mind, putting up her staff and looking for her room.
She opened the door and collapsed on her bunk, too exhausted to worry about which other rubies shared her room as she drifted off into a deep sleep.
The next morning, she was the last to leave the dorm, rubbing her eyelids roughly. She bumped into a figure, quickly stepping back.
"I-I'm sorry," Ruby Seven apologized, stepping back to lift her up. She gazed at her, her long bluish hair glittering in the hallway lights. "Whoa."
"It's alright," the other gem offered, brushing off her skirts and murmuring something about foreseeing this event.
"My name's Ruby. And you are?" Stars danced in Ruby Seven's eyes, as she was entirely enamored by this gem.
"Sapphire." She replied. "I believe your bell is about to go off, soldier."
"Oh shit! You're right; I've gotta go. Sorry that I knocked you over. Bye Sapphie." Ruby ran to make the training center, leaving Sapphire a blushing mess in the hallway as she continued her work.