Default Settings // Sequel to "Factory Reset"

Chapter 32: Flip The Coin

"You...made it." Ruby's eyes lit up with wonder.

"Wait. You knew I was coming?"

"Everyone did!" Ruby answered urgently. "But what are you doing here? The real Ruby is like...hundreds of layers deep from here."

Lapis cursed. That...thing she saw on the surface must have sabotaged her. The Ruby she was talking to now existed as a memory, stuck on some dreadful loop of the same moment over and over again.

"Lapis, we're getting readings of another surge of energy close by. You're on a time limit now."

Memory Ruby smiled at the walker talkie, recognizing the voice. "Wow. I never thought I'd hear the real thing in here. Sapphire really is waiting for her still, huh? For Ruby?"

Lapis nodded. "We know this can work. Please, do you know any way to get to her faster?"

Ruby thought long and hard. Lapis tapped her foot impatiently. Suddenly an idea slipped into Ruby's mind.

"What? What is it?"

"It's...no, there's no way. It's too dangerous."

"Everyone keeps saying that." Lapis gritted her teeth. "Just...what do I have to do this time?"

Ruby looked around, cautious as if she might be overheard. Biting her tongue, for a moment it seemed she wouldn't be telling Lapis anything. Then, hesitantly, she motioned for Lapis to follow her.

The crowd of gems parted as they passed, seeming to already know Ruby's intentions. They continued forward until they were standing at the edge of the floating island.

"Do I need to fly to the next layer or something?" Lapis asked, surveying the sky.

Ruby shook her head. "Not fly. Fall."

Lapis gave her a quizzical look.

"I can get you to the real Ruby but I can only get you halfway. You'll have to face Red if you want to get anywhere. She's mirrored to me, so she never really goes far."

Lapis leaned over the cliff side, only seeing forest beneath her. Still, she turned around to face Ruby, her back to the precipice. "Talk about a leap of faith...but I'll do it."

Ruby walked towards her as both gems felt an uneasy feeling come over them.

"Is something wrong?" Lapis asked, sensing her hesitation.

"No, no it's just...this. All of this feels like some awful kind of foreshadowing, doesn't it?"

Lapis nodded. For a moment, she wondered if being fused with Sapphire so long had made her future vision rub off on Ruby. Either way, Lapis had a job to do.

"I'm ready."

Ruby gulped as she gathered up her own courage. She hadn't mentioned to Lapis that if she didn't do this just right, she'd very possibly get very hurt. Then again, pain would await the gem nobody where she went in this gem. Opening up a pathway in her mind, Ruby pushed Lapis over into the abyss.

•••••

It didn't feel like falling. Lapis, truthfully, felt stopped in that moment of time, like she was neither falling nor flying but floating in the fractions of a second.