A/N: I have wanted to write this forever! and I made the cover art for it too! cute, right? now.. I've had the concept in my mind for literally years. And I just now put it into fruition. Finally, right? now get ready for...

The Off Color Ruby
Prologue

A certain red Gem had arrived back at her bunk, looking ragged in the eyes, her messy dark brown hair covering most of her face, mostly her forehead. She marched up to her digital, calculator-looking journal, picked it up from the desk, and began to write her dozenth entry that simulated night.

"Log Date 5/26. This is Ruby Facet 4A2L Cut 9XA writing that I've stayed up all night guarding the tower. But it's so boring! I wanna do more with my life! I wanna be.. I dunno.. something more than a guard. I'm smarter than this, I know! I built this thing with my own hands and scrap!"

She paused to look around, wary that someone was watching her, but the coast was soon clear. She wiped the sweat off her forehead carefully before she continued.

"Why can't I be like the Peridots? the Amethysts? or the Aquamarines? or literally anyone smarter? it's insane!"

Footsteps sounded from the entrance, heading in. She gasped and pressed the save button, closing it and stuffing it into her pocket on her black jumpsuit. The other Gems already thought 9XA strange, what with her clothing not being the same color as the Diamond she used to serve and was currently serving. Instead of pink or blue or some semblance of red, it was black and gold, with a blue diamond insignia literally taped on. But her gem placement was even stranger.

"9XA, my Diamond wishes to see you," it was the voice of Blue Pearl, and her hair shone with the lights of the place as she stood at attention, staring at her with.. something. Ruby had jolted with near excitement and looked up at her.

"Really? Blue Diamond wants to see me..?" her reddish burgundy eyes turned into stars, as she looked up at the Pearl. 9XA didn't see Pearls as beneath her. She had rather felt a companionship with them, especially since they were stuck at the bottom of the hierarchy. But her thoughts were racing. Did she finally realize my potential? that I don't belong working as a guard?

But that would mean she'd seen what she'd been doing. And that sent chills down 9XA's spine. Blue Pearl did nothing but nod, and headed out of her bunk. The ruby had no choice but to follow her, glancing back at her bunk as if it would be the last she'd see of it.

It had taken a bit of elevator travel, but they'd finally arrived. Blue was sitting in her palanquin, the other Diamonds obviously not present. The first thing 9XA would notice was that she didn't look happy.

The ruby quickly saluted and bowed, keeping it up until she was told to cease the action. "My Diamond.."

"You're out of uniform…" was the first thing the hooded Diamond said, and Blue Pearl backed away and stood to her side. 9XA lost that companionship, and simply smiled nervously, sweating.

"Oh, this?" she kicked her black boots, careful not to scuff the clean floor, looking down at her outfit, and even pulling at her collar. "I came out of the ground this way, my Diamond!"

"Your gem… is supposed to be showing.."

Blue leaned forward, scowling for sure, and her giant hand reached for 9XA's forehead. Never had she ever felt so useless as she undraped the hair from her forehead, revealing her gem dead center on it. The gargantuan gasped and recoiled, as if not aware, and the ruby quickly fixed her hair back. She could tell she narrowed her hidden eyes. "You… rubies are not supposed to have that gem placement. How did this go beyond our Shattering Robonoids?!"

Her voice rang the chamber, and 9XA stumbled about, trying to regain footing. Eventually, she slipped and her hands and knees caught her fall.

"I… I don't know…" the tiny red Gem compared to the monstrosity that was Blue Diamond could only stare at the ground, tortured, with shimmering, wobbly eyes. This wasn't what she wanted.

There was palpable silence after that, and her guards, her Jasper, stood at the ready. "She's useless. Shatter her."

And then something snapped within 9XA. She, breath hitching, arched her back, standing in an instant.

"NO!" she shouted, as the Jasper charged for her, and she pulled from her pocket another device she had built. Shoddy though it was, it would work. Blue Diamond and her Pearl expressed a little shock as they recognized it despite its circular arrangement.

9XA backed up, scowling almost with fear, and then tossed the bomb down at the floor. It sent shockwaves that destabilized every Gem in range. Excluding the two watching and 9XA herself, who fled in the distraction.

A navel Aquamarine sadly narrowed her eyes as she got away, and glanced at her Diamond. "Should we go after her, my Diamond?"

Some mercy fell upon her, and it showed on her face. "No. I want to see exactly where she plans to go…" and the sneer returned, "besides, she's only a mere Ruby…"

Aquamarine sighed and nodded, thankful. "Right."

9XA, after running several halls and riding elevators - and unknowingly catching a Lapis's attention - found herself back at her bunk. She couldn't stay here. Not with guards possibly on her tail for a simple defect in her gem placement. How could she control that?

She just about cried, stuffing everything she could in her pockets and in her gem. Footsteps again, and she silenced herself, taking a quiet deep breath.

A tall Gem, a little taller than Blue Pearl, was at the entrance, leaning nonchalantly against the wall. "Hey."

"Are you.. after my gem?" was the first question 9XA asked, narrowing her big eyes.

"If I was, I wouldn't be waiting," the Lapis walked farther in, wearing gold pants and a blue tank top, her gem exposed on her navel, and she smiled. "I heard everything. I'm here to help."

The messy-haired Ruby blinked, understanding but not quite comprehending. Help. She set her hands on her chest, eyebrow raised. "Help me? there's no reason. I'm.. several rungs below you in this stupid hierarchical system!" she threw her arms up, exasperated by this fact.

"Woah.. never thought a Ruby would know such big words," Lazuli looked up at the ceiling. 9XA blushed, frowning, and nodded. The other Rubies weren't very bright, she could admit.

"So.. what should I call you?" the Ruby started sweating.

"Just.." she smiled again, looking all relaxed, "call me Laz."

"Laz.." 9XA tested it on her tongue, and she grinned, nodding with enthusiasm. "I like it." Laz shrugged, before the red Gem continued to pack up, taking her destabilizing orbs, her journals and anything she could fit in her gem. Which was anything.

The blue and yellow, taller Gem noticed the technology and tilted her head, humming. She pointed. "Is that yours..?"

"Yes, all this stuff is mine!" 9XA said with a bit of pride, before she blushed out of humility. "Made them all.. myself. Now please, actually make an attempt to help!"

Laz stepped forward, then stepped back. She was obviously wary. The Gem had apparently made a bunch of destabilizers. Whether it was for her job or her enjoyment, Laz wasn't entirely sure.

"Never mind! I got it!" she then zoomed past her, and eyed what was below, standing a little too close to the edge. Green stuff was what was below, and a bit of blue too, some yellows. But she could never tell what it was.

Laz followed, a dark gaze on her face. Suddenly, she gave a little shove. And 9XA started falling. She screamed, surprised by such a betrayal, and grasped at the wall to slow her fall. "I thought you were gonna help!"

"Never said I was going to help you. Like you said, you're beneath me," that smile came back, and 9XA knew what it was this time.

Curse my trusting heart! she mentally screamed, and she ran out of wall at that moment. The Ruby started to fall for real, into the green space. She could see Laz waving.

"I'll come and collect your gem when I hear it!" and she laughed. "I wonder what a forehead Ruby would be worth."

Somehow, despite the wind rushing past her ears, she heard it all. 9XA forced herself to twist so she could face the ground instead of the horrid structure in which her species lived. Not knowing if she was going to survive this fall, she pulled out her current journal and began to write.

"LOG DATE SAME DAY. A LAPIS LAZULI TRICKED ME. I'M FALLING AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER I WILL SURVIVE! REMEMBER ME, PLEASE!"

She ended the log and continued to careen and plummet, closing her eyes and taking death with dignity. Little did she know, Laz had helped her more than the terraforming Gem would realize…

A/N: And that's all! for now anyway. I hope it's not going too fast. But yeah. That Aquamarine is my OC as well, and so is Laz apparently, and I used a guide for the Facet and Cut. Hope it's alright. :3
This should stave off the hiatus we're all going through. And I've been testing many fandoms here. ((If I don't get reviews here, then I dunno what the issue is.)) Anyway, please review! I've been starving for them! ;3;

I'll update later this week or next week, whatever you want. But.. I might update later this week to ease the cliffhanger I put you all on. xD Heheh, maybe not. Anyway, ta ta! till sometime this week!