Ruby (Quadruple Fusion)

## Ruby

Ruby is a rogue four-Gem fusion currently living on Mars. Needless to say, her components are all Rubies.

## Appearance

Similar to other same-Gem fusions, Ruby is a larger version of her components, roughly four times the height of a regular Ruby. She has burgundy skin and crimson hair pulled up in a large bun. Her facial features are also typical of her Gem type: she has a button nose, large red eyes, and no lips. She wears a red tank top with yellow and pink triangles in an hourglass pattern on the front, with crimson shorts, lighter crimson boots, and cream-colored, long fingerless gloves. She has four Gemstones, one each on her forehead, chest, and left and right shoulders.

## Personality

While little is known about Ruby's personality, it is clear that her components enjoy being fused, since they never voluntarily split. Despite being a large fusion, she is stable due to her components all being the same Gem type, thus having similar mindsets. She is fairly territorial and even paranoid, almost always attacking Gems that get too close to her.

## History

Ruby's four component Gems, despite being of the same type, each came from a different background. One was made for Pink Diamond and stationed on Earth, a second was made for Yellow Diamond and sent to Earth for the Rebellion, a third was stationed at Pink Diamond's outpost, and the fourth was assigned to White Diamond's outpost. The first two deserted to Mars to escape the war, while the third and fourth both snuck out of their outposts to respectively get away from Morganite and Howlite. All four of these Gems would eventually meet in the Martian wasteland. Finding solace in their own kind, they banded together, and before long, the four Rubies formed a permanent fusion.

## Abilities

As a fusion between four Era 1 Gems, Ruby has standard Gem abilities.

### Skillset

* **Exceptional Strength:** As a fusion, Ruby is physically stronger than her components combined.
* **Exceptional Intellect:** Ruby displays a sharper mind than the typical Ruby, able to plan ambushes and even outsmart some other rogues. This may indicate that one or more of her components are smarter than most Gems of their type.

### Unique Abilities

* **Thermokinesis:** An ability shared by all Rubies, Ruby can increase the temperature of her surroundings, especially when under stress. She mostly does not use this in combat, since she cannot find a practical purpose for it (since Mars lacks an oxygen-rich atmosphere, setting objects on fire is near impossible).

## Trivia

* Ruby was the first rogue Gem designed, and was created as an example.

## Gemology

* Rubies are a variety of gem-quality corundum. They share this characteristic with sapphires.
	+ In fact, the only difference between a ruby and a sapphire is color: rubies are always a red color, while sapphires can be any color aside from red.
	+ Rubies receive their color from chromium.
* Corundum has the formula Al2O3 and a hardness of 9 on the Mohs hardness scale.
* Rubies are not only the most valuable variety of corundum, but it is also often the most valuable colored gemstone, commanding a higher price per carat than any other stone.
	+ This has led to the production of synthetic rubies and the use of cheaper imitations such as red spinel, a gemstone that has been historically confused with ruby (the "Black Prince's Ruby" is actually a giant red spinel).
* Ruby is the official birthstone of July and a zodiacal birthstone for Cancer.
* As a healing crystal, ruby is associated with the heart chakra, and is believed to promote love, courage, and joy.