Infinite Skies

Freedom

Freedom

Ruined Anomaly: Present

Rose Wings laughed as he felt the wind against his face, flying faster and faster, as if racing some phantom that only he could see. He loved this. He always loved it. There was no greater freedom than being able to fly, that's what he believed. He had attempted to get his girlfriend to join him once after he decided to join the team dedicated to destroying what had tried to wipe out his home, but she had refused. He decided it must be because she was afraid of heights.

He sighed at the thought of his loved one. Truth be told, it hadn't been all that long since he had first joined the squad, which was precisely why he missed her so much, even though he would see her after this mission. He wasn't used to not being away from her. He was new to this squad, having been forced to separate at least a year after the saving of his home. He still got to see her back at Sanctuary, a place where survivors were allowed to live, but he wasn't used to any separation yet.

Rose Wings was from a very rare type of anomaly, one where he had been trapped in a mirror instead of Lapis. Though there were losses, like his best friend Lapis Lazuli and her Amethyst, his timeline had ultimately been rescued from the monster's attack. After this, he had quickly decided he wanted to join the cause to fight to protect other universes. He was a very eager recruit, surprisingly cheerful for a mirror Steven. Everyone loved him. He had even opened the heart of a closed off Connie with a smoky quartz gem on her chest who was in a situation similar to Jazz, though she was much more self-destructive before she met him.

After a slight tickling in his gem drew him away from his thoughts, his attention came back to the matter at hand. The tickling meant that his friend must be nearby. And sure enough, wings spread out, laying back with a bored expression on his face, was Steven Lazuli Universe.

At first glance, one might mistake him for other Stevens, but upon further inspection, they would find he wasn't like them at all. He was a hybrid, sure, but between a Lapis Lazuli and Greg Universe. His curly hair was a deep, dark blue, so dark that one could almost mistake it for black. His skin was that of a human, but at the same time had a tint of blue to it…Rose Wings could only describe it as how normal people looked when they were cold or were having poor blood circulation. His eyes were a navy blue, often holding a look boredom within them. His clothing consisted of a dark blue shirt with an even darker blue star and a tear shaped hole to expose the blue gem on his back, blue jeans, and velcro shoes.

"Hey Steven!" Rose Wings called.

Water Wings hated to be called by the name he had been given, but had accepted that it wasn't going to change. The only one who ever actually called him by his preferred name was, well, Rose Wings.

Water Wings smiled as he heard Rose Wings approaching. The rose quartz hybrid had been the only light in his bleak existence, the only source of happiness he could find. Water Wings didn't know why, but he found himself to be very fond of his companion. Perhaps it was simply natural, given how the Lapis Lazulis of the mirror, whether as a friend, sibling, parent, or significant other, almost always had a special fondness and a close friendship with their Stevens. Whatever it was, he couldn't deny that Rose Wings made him smile even in the darkest times.

The pink winged hybrid slowly and skillfully came to a stop, doing a little circle around Water Wings for fun. The water winged hybrid chuckled at this.

"My, you sure do know how to make an entrance." Water Wings said.

Rose Wings beamed. "Why thank you. It's a gift." His smiled dropped into a more serious expression, the one he always wore when he was trying to be serious. Despite his best efforts though, Water Wings couldn't help but find it the tiniest bit adorable. "General Bismuth has requested that you come back. We are preparing to head out of the timeline and check the others in this sector to make sure that Apocalypse isn't still lingering around."