Firstly, I'd like to apologize for the near month's gap between chapters. I promise it won't happen again, seeing as I need to finish before the hiatus is lifted! I hope you can forgive me!

S: A few days passed since my first sparing match against Ruby, and even though I could sense the absence of anger in her, she was not to be found.

The rest of our friends never failed to express the pride and amazement they felt in regards to my apparent feat, greatly increasing the confidence I so horribly lacked.

However, despite the beauty of hearing compliments and praise that had never before been bestowed upon me, there was one mouth that had yet to utter enough words to satisfy my craving for progression.

In the cycles that followed the grandiose 'battle' between my counterpart and I, most of my time was spent in the arena, and outside of such, stowed away in my chambers.
My loneliness and confusion built during such a period, but showing it would surely do no good...

Today in particular, visions slid in between the everlasting gaps that lay between my reality and subliminal mind, offering surprisingly calm pathways of which I may find myself to follow. Such sights never became intoxicating nor incapacitating, luckily...

If they had, I probably wouldn't have heard the familiar yet faint clicking of boots in the hallway.

My head turned abruptly from it's downward gaze as the heavy, crystalline door began to open...

Quickly I straightened my gown and shifted onto the edge of the day-bed.

"Oh! H-Hey!" Ruby beamed awkwardly, standing on the tips of her small boots to reach for the door's handle.
"Hello." I answered back

She continued to heave the door closed, such a feat being difficult for the gem no shorter than myself.
But, she can't float, so, we remain an uneven match, even still...

She turned, wiping a drop of sweat from her forehead and tightening the band that wrapped around her boxy hair.
"I know you usually see me in, but, you know, I thought I might surprise you today." the gem smiled weakly.

"Oh, yes...It's nice to see you." I murmured in response, turning my head as Ruby walked across the room to the windowsill

"Likewise."

As a pause fell in between the break of our conversation, the room filling with a low hum of white noise and outside clatter.

"I'm sorry." she said abruptly, staring out the window, her small knees tucked tightly to her chest to support her bowed head.

"Don't be."

Her gaze shifted to me, confused and saddened.

"What do you mean, 'Don't be'? I've been such a...dink...!"

Even with all the self control in the world, I couldn't suppress my laughter...

"Hey! Why are you laughing!?" She cried, hands slapping against the metallic floor as her cheeks burned "I'm tryin' to apologize here!"

"No, no, it's not you, it's just..." my laughter began to fade "I've never heard such a name before, that's all" I smiled, shifting from the bed's middle ground to the side in Ruby's direction.

"Man, you really don't get out much..." She smirked, pulling her knees back to her abdomen
"Anyway, I just...I shouldn't have acted the way I did...you know?"

"Ruby..."

"No, really. I shouldn't have assumed...I-I just..."
She sighed, hugging her limbs closer. "I hope you don't think less of me for it all..."

"I don't." I quickly appeared before her, the cowering gem quickly turning and looking up at me, shocked.

"Hey! Quit it with the whole, 'Fast thing!'" She laughed, throwing herself onto a palm in surprise and laughter

I seated myself in the opposite corner to hers, the elemental's wide eyes following my every movement, fully aware of my capabilities, and of my grin.

The last time we sat like this...

No.

My head lifted silently, the aqua bangs that sat upon my forehead shifting from position unintentionally, Ruby's visage stiffening in response.

"I never thought any less of you. I found myself feeling shameful of the royal title after tell of your previous encounters."
Our silent stare broke as my gaze shifted to the stars that floated just beyond our grasp.
"I don't blame you for the bias either; quite frankly, Royals fit your description, more often than not."

"But..." she too looked beyond the glass "You aren't like that."

"I suppose not" I chuckled, glancing into the shimmering gem in my palm

I couldn't help but stare at Ruby after a second's pause...
The light emitting from the glinting and distant stars created a glaze upon her figure, a twinkle throwing itself into the dark hue of her irises, complementing her enlightened and content face, a beam of bright pink compared to the shaded body below her.

The room was thrown into an illuminated darkness, the chandelier casting it further into the abyss of my chambers; the blue tinted walls becoming a mirror for the stars, each angle displaying a personal and unique galaxy.

In an instant, the indigo wall's stain began to falter, fading from the hue of my gem, to a dark crimson, and finally to a deep magenta; the cycle repeating graciously and gently, Ruby's eyes turning inwards to watch the gradient's dance.

It's done this before...

The red gem's gaze slowly met mine after the both of us stood involuntarily to observe the dancing hues, a small grin pasting itself onto our cheeks.

The moment was, sadly, yet expectedly, interrupted by a bang.

"Hey!" A voice bellowed from beyond the exit door "It's training time you two; let's go!"

"And try not to freeze the arena this time!" a squeaky gem added.

Amber, you really have the worst timing...