“Hey! Get up!”

The Ruby rose from the dirt, clutching her head.

A hulking Jasper stood over her, glaring with intense yellow eyes.

“You heard me, soldier,” the Jasper said. She held up a clenched fist. “Get up.”

“I--” The Ruby winced and put her hand to her Gem, which took the place of her left eye. Slowly everything came back to her ...

Her platoon was meant to secure the Prime Kindergarten when they were ambushed by rebels. She had seen the Quartzes accompanying her have their physical forms destroyed. The Ruby took a massive blow to the head. She had thought it was over for her ...

But before her vision went dark, she had heard a gruff voice shout at the rebels, diverting their attention.

This Jasper’s voice.

The Jasper crouched down next to the Ruby. She looked the Ruby up and down before fixing her eyes on the Ruby’s Gem.

“Your Gem doesn’t look cracked ...” the Jasper muttered. “You injured?”

“I don’t ... think so ...” The Ruby glanced around. “What happened to the rebels? There were five of them ...”

The Jasper’s mouth curled up.

“Yeah ...” she said.

The Jasper opened her fist and tiny, multicolored Gem shards fell into the dirt.

“There were five of them,” Jasper said. She dusted her hands.

The Ruby stared at the Jasper. She had never seen any Gem take on five soldiers alone before, let alone act so cavalier about it.

This had been the Ruby’s first real mission. She had been terrified when they were surrounded. She felt so helpless ...

But this Jasper acted like she didn’t know the meaning of the word helpless. She showed no fear, no doubt, only confidence ...

In that moment, the Ruby looked at the Jasper and saw everything she wanted to be.

Jasper raised an eyebrow and stood up.

“Alright, quit gawking,” Jasper said. “On your feet, soldier. There’s still a war to win.”

“Yes, ma’am,” the Ruby said, her thoughts only concerned with some day emulating the greatness of this warrior.

She hardly noticed, but her voice already sounded a little gruffer than it did before.