It was a couple of hours later that Ruby reformed back in the ship. A teary-eyed Pearl was the first thing she was met with.
On instinct, she looked down at her small, red hands. The vacancy of the gem on her right made her feel bereft.
Sapphire.
She jumped to her feet, looking wildly around. "Where's Sapphire?"
Wordlessly, Pearl held out a small blue gem, and Ruby took it into her hands, sinking back down to her knees.
". . . Sapphy?" she asked hopefully, eyes on the gem in her hands. "Please come out."
There was no response. Not like she had expected one, she supposed. Slowly, she looked back up at Pearl, whose eyes were also fixed on the sapphire.
"I . . . I'm sorry. . ." Ruby managed.
Pearl's eyes dropped, and she wiped her face in an effort to hide the tears that had started dripping down it. "Me too."
Ruby reached out and set a hand on her shoulder in an uncomfortable attempt to reassure her. After a moment, Pearl just shook her head and turned away. "I'm sorry. I . . . I need Garnet, right now."
And then she started sobbing again.
Noticing a large panel in the wall, Ruby stole away, activating and stepping through the door as quietly as she could manage. Once alone, she sat on the floor, legs crossed, and set the gem in front of her.
She reached out, fingers brushing the sapphire's smooth planes, and when she spoke, her voice was soft. "I guess . . . I should be more upset about it. I . . . I am, I just . . . I don't think it's— I don't feel like it's real yet. I. . ." she closed her mouth, sat back, and gave a small, sad huff. "I wish you were here right now. Even though you'd be really upset . . . maybe we could use our— your future vision — to distract us. Or just — focus on each other. . . I don't know."
Feeling lonely, she took the inanimate gem back into her hand, fitting it into her own right palm as some sort of comfort. "Pearl said she needs Garnet. I think . . . I think I need her, too, Sapphy. I need you."
And as she watched, it began to emanate with a blueish light, rising from her palm and hovering into the air. A white amalgamation expanded from within the gem, shifting and morphing until a familiar silhouette was suspended above her. The whiteness faded and Sapphire came into view, floating gracefully to the floor.
As she settled, Ruby noticed her gloved hands bunching up her skirt, and her head hung low, eye veiled behind a fringe of celeste.
". . . Then let's bring her back."