Gravity, Ruby thinks, as her feet rest on the earth, grounded solid and true. There are no empty spaces here, no illusions. You can stand firm in your footsteps, holding steady, and believe what you see, what you feel, because it's real, all of it. Every last thing.
This world, this place, where the air is weightless and cool and the breeze startles her with its gentleness, its caress against her new skin. She eases smooth into her human bones, chalky and delicate, so breakable, clean red blood pumping around and through her like a surging drumbeat as she shifts and settles for the perfect fit. There. Already, she's in love with this body, its rhythm, the way it moves and flows.
Ruby will do what has to be done, she decided that long ago. Whatever it takes. Whatever is necessary.
She nods to herself, like she remembers doing, before, and feels the click and scrape of each vertebrae in her neck as they straighten and realign. Careful, she thinks. Take care.
Because it's time to begin, now, and there can be no mistakes. There will be no second chances. So Ruby puts one long leg in front of the other and strides off, into the soft, uncertain night.