Default Settings // Sequel to "Factory Reset"

Chapter 31: Belonging

Chapter 31: Belonging

"Do you think this will actually work?"

"Not at all."

"No, no, no, this is the part where you're suppose to lie and say 'we're gonna do it together and it's gonna be great!'"

"I don't think that's gonna be the case this time." Pearl took a seat on a stool in the barn. Peridot sighed heavily.

"Look, I'm trying." Peridot motioned at the rudimentary machine. "It's not like I had exactly the best technology to work with, I know that, but if we can make this happen-"

"That's a big 'if' Peridot," Pearl shook her head. "How can you be sure this is how hijacking even works if you've never done it before?"

"W-well," Peridot looked away guiltily. "Call it intuition. This device should allow a gem to access another gems coding. If we can find the right bits, we can allow someone to travel inside the actual gem while still giving us a way to bring them out if things get bad."

"Which they will, considering we're talking about sending someone into Red's gem."

"And Ruby's gem," Peridot corrected her. "If I did this right, I should be able to read Red's code once we hook her up, although it might be a bit jumbled. From there, I can direct whoever we send in where to find Ruby, assuming she's still in there. I can track which layers we need to go through to reach her fastest."

"Which is important because we only have as long as it takes for Red to reform," Pearl finished the thought. The two stood in silence. It did sound pretty impossible.

Peridot brought up another point. "If I'm being honest, I don't know if this machine will work. If it does...the stress it'll be put under, it could break while someone's inside it. It definitely will break after the extraction. We have one shot at this Pearl. This has to go perfectly. Whoever we send in has to bring Ruby back or we'll be back to square one with an angry Red at our side."

"I'll do it." A voice said near the entrance of the barn. "I'll go inside."

"That's very noble of you Lapis," Pearl stood up, "But this is a very dangerous job."

"And? I've been living with Red for the past few months. Anything involving her is dangerous. Who else are you going to send in? Sapphire, as much as I believe she can do this, needs to stay on the surface in case Red wakes up early. She's the only gem who can beat her right now. Peridot needs to stay here too. She has to read the code. Pearl, you're an amazing mechanic and if the machine breaks Peridot's gonna need your help getting it back online. It makes the most sense to send me."

"I guess you do have a point," Pearl considered the thought. "What do you think Peridot?"

Peridot shifted uncomfortably.

"Well?" Lapis asked.

"I'm not sure," Peridot said. "Are you confident we couldn't send in Amethyst or maybe even-"

"Are you saying you don't think I can do it?" Lapis frowned.

"I-no, it's just-"

"Just what?"

"I don't want you to get hurt!" Peridot burst out. She suddenly grew a darker shade of green in embarrassment. "I mean...look, if I'm being honest I don't want anyone to go in there. Red will be one hundred times more dangerous in her own gem and if you get shattered in there..." Peridot trailed off at the thought.

"Well, that's why we have the machine, right?" Lapis gestured to the computer-like device. "You said earlier, it can open a hole in the coding-"

"Only once."