A few days later, Tammo, Pasque, Amethyst, and Lapis were decorating a wedding altar that had been set up on the beach.
Amethyst held a basket of flowers. "Maybe I shouldn't have gotten roses," she said. "Might be a little controversial."
"Well, it's too late to worry about that now," Tammo said. "The wedding's this very evening, wot!"
"I hope this wedding doesn't get disrupted like ours did," Pasque said.
Tammo looked at her with an expression of mock severity. "Don't even say that, m'dear! Don't wanna jinx things, do you?"
"She's got a point," said Lapis Lazuli. "Sooner or later, the Diamonds will come for us again."
"Must we worry ourselves with such lumbering trivialities on this festive occasion?" Tammo asked. "For just one day, let's only think about love!"
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That evening, all the Gems and hares gathered on the beach to watch Ruby and Sapphire tie the knot.
Traditionally, it was the job of the reigning Badger Lord or Lady to perform weddings at Salamandastron. But since the only badger currently residing at the mountain was a baby, Major Perigord had elected to step up and officiate the ceremony. He stood at the altar, in between Ruby and Sapphire. Ruby was wearing a wedding dress and Sapphire was wearing a tuxedo.
"Beloved Gems and hares," the major began, "We are gathered here today to celebrate the union of two Gems named Ruby and Sapphire. I understand they have written their own vows." He stepped back and let the two brides come forward.
"I know this is all kind of silly," Ruby said. "I mean, we've been together for 5,750 years."
"And 8 months," Sapphire amended.
Ruby went on. "I used to feel like I wasn't much good, just one of me on my own. But when we're together, it feels like it's okay to just be me. So, I wanna be me, with you, an'- and not even the Diamonds will come between us. And if they try, we'll beat 'em up!"
She punched and kicked furiously into the air. Sapphire giggled. "Ruby, my future used to look like one single, obvious stream, unbending till the end of time," Sapphire said. "In an instant, you pulled me from that destiny, and opened my eye to an explosion of infinite possible futures, streaking across space and time, altered and obliterated by the smallest force of will." Ruby gazed at her, awestruck. "What I mean is, you changed my life," Sapphire continued. "And then, I changed your life. And now, we change our lives."
Tammo came up onto the stage, carrying two rings on a pillow, one made of copper, the other tin. Sapphire put the copper ring on Ruby, and Ruby put the tin ring on Sapphire.
"Ruby, do you jolly well take Sapphire to have and to hold, on this and every other planet in the universe?" Perigord asked.
"I do!" Ruby said emphatically.
"And Sapphire, do you take Ruby?"
"I do."
"Then by the power vested in me by the mountain of Salamandastron, I now pronounce ye Garnet!"
Ruby and Sapphire kissed and hugged each other. Ruby picked Sapphire up and began spinning her around in the air until the two of them fused back into Garnet. The crowd cheered.
Tammo's eyes started tearing up. Pasque watched him with concern. "What's the matter?" she said. "Why are you sad?"
"I'm not sad. I'm happy." But his tears were getting bigger and bigger, and he couldn't suppress them. Something was wrong. Tammo looked at Garnet and saw she was crying too. He looked around at the other Gems. Pearl, Amethyst, Lapis, the Off Colors, they were all crying uncontrollably! The hares weren't affected, just the Gems. What was going on?
"You don't think�" Pasque began.
The sky darkened. Everybeast looked up to see two spaceships approaching. They were both shaped like arms! One was blue and the other was yellow.
"Oh no!" Pearl gasped through her tears. "It's the Diamonds!"
