#Lapis Lazuli-type gem

[crackedgemroom-26]

Promotional image of "Alone at Sea" by Kat Morris

[disgruntledexplainer]

Deltora, a subversion of fantasy tropes (or perhaps more accurately going back to it's roots)

@yellow-eyed-green-crocodile OK, here we go.

Deltora Quest is a children's book series. It consists of 16 books, though it exists in an expanded universe which contains another 12 books, not counting Tales of Deltora, Secrets of Deltora, and Monsters of Deltora (as well as the little-known extra book The Land of Dragons, which contains about half of what's in Tales of Deltora plus 3 additional stories which you can't find anywhere else).

The books were written during that time when Scholastic was doing it's darnedest to get kids to actually pick up a book and read. You know, the era of Animorphs, Secrets of Droon, and other books like that. Pre-harry-potter stuff. But deltora always stuck out as somewhat... odd.

For one thing, the setting. Deltora is a land absolutely INFESTED with horrifying monsters. we're talking lovecraft-level stuff. indeed, these things are so powerful that going toe-to-toe with them in conventional combat is laughably absurd. I mean, just look at this thing:

each of those little globes is a stomach the size of a PERSON. a sword ain't doin SHIT against that thing. and it wasn't even the primary monster from the book it came from. do you know what was? THE SAND IT'S STANDING ON. YES, THAT ENTIRE DESERT IS A SINGLE MONSTER.

there are also dark sorcerers, capable of, for example, turning an entire town into a fetid swamp in a split second, and deflecting any weapon directed at them. the main villain is a sorcerer of such incredible power that he makes zeus and odin look like chumps.

in order to defeat these creatures, the main characters are consistently forced to use their wits instead of their weapons.

but this isn't what I am writing this post about. every fantasy book has monsters of some kind. probably. no, what REALLY stands out about the Deltora Quest series is the BELT.

this is the Belt of Deltora, a composite magic item formed from 7 gems, each linked to the power of the land, bound together by a belt made by a simple blacksmith who united the seven tribes of deltora and became it's first king. it is considered the single most powerful mystical object on the continent, and uniting it is Deltora's only hope for survival.

except from a generic fantasy perspective, it kinda sucks.

in most generic fantasy settings, the characters are attempting to accumulate magical power which they can use to engage their enemies directly in combat; alternatively, they may be trying to build a big enough army or something similar. but the gems don't work like that. lets take a look at what the gems can actually do, shall we?

the Diamond: Gem of Strength or Fortitude, can give physical strength, fortitude, and courage to the wielder, as well as the ability to cure diseases in the person who touches it. it punishes those who attempt to take it in a dishonorable manner with misfortune. It can allow the wearer to telepathically communicate with and heal Diamond Dragons, and a nearby dragon of it's type boosts it's power, and vice versa. it also has this weird synergy with the topaz where the topaz can summon the strength of everyone who believes in the wearer (in a metaphorical sense) and the diamond transforms that belief into physical strength.

the Emerald: Gem of Honor, dulls in the presense of evil or at the location of a broken vow, is a remedy for sores and ulcers, and is an antidote to poison for whomever touches it. It can allow the wearer to telepathically communicate with and heal Emerald Dragons, and a nearby dragon of that type boosts it's power, and vice versa. Note that out of all the dragons, emerald dragons are arguably the biggest and most powerful. It might have other powers as well, as it's potential isn't as well explored as the other gems.

Lapis Lazuli: Gem of Luck or Providence, protects the wearer from evil and brings good fortune. also may have some subtle effect on the weather, though that hasn't been confirmed. it is arguably the most powerful of the gems for the protection it provides, but the nature of it's power is ill defined, and certainly outside of the wearer's ability to control. It also allows you to detect the location of the Opal as if it were a compass, and is more powerful when in close proximity to it. It can allow the wearer to telepathically communicate and heal Lapis Lazuli dragons, and a nearby dragon of that type boosts it's power, and vice versa. If the opal has it's power boosted by a nearby opal dragon, the Lapis Lazuli's power is also boosted if they are close to each other.

Topaz: Gem of Faith, can allow the wearer to make contact with the spirit world during a full moon. the character can see ghosts, and sometimes the spirits of the hallowed dead (those who are in heaven) will appear to the character and given advice, those this is extremely rare. It also clears and strengthens the mind and protects the wearer from the terrors of the night (also ill-defined). It's powers are all strengthened during the full moon. It can allow the wearer to telepathically communicate with and heal topaz dragons, and a nearby dragon of that type boosts it's power, and vice versa.

Opal: Gem of Hope, has the power to give glimpses of the future and can enhance the wearer's vision, and it can also fill the wearer with hope for the future (which helps counteract the panic that the visions of the future often produce). It can detect the Lapis Lazuli like a compass, and is more powerful when in close proximity to it. It allows the wearer to telepathically communicate with and heal opal dragons, and a nearby dragon of that type boosts it's power, and vice versa. If the Lapis Lazuli has it's power boosted by a nearby lapis lazuli dragon, the opal's power is also boosted if they are close to each-other.

The Ruby: Gem of Happiness or Love, it grows pale in the presense of evil, or when misfortune threatens it's wearer. Can be used in conjunction with the emerald to fully distinguish between danger, evil, and vow-breakers, since their powers overlap a little. It wards off evil spirits (also ill-defined) and is an antidote to snake venom, and also apparently repels snakes and venomous creatures in general. It allows the wearer to telepathically communicate with and heal ruby dragons, and a nearby dragon of that type boosts it's power, and vice versa.

The Amethyst: Gem of Truth or Wisdom, changes color in the presence of illness, pales near poisoned food or drink, and guides the wearer toward sincerity, security and peace of mind (AKA calming the wearer when touched). It also boosts the power of Toran Magic. By A LOT. It allows the wearer to telepathically communicate with and heal Amethyst dragons, and a nearby dragon of that type boosts it's power, and vice versa.

True, this is a lot of variety in powers, but with the exception of the Diamond most of this is pretty useless in combat. Especially given that the sorcerers in this world can do things like call lightning down from the sky, or create and control thousands of soldiers made out of goo. And compared to the combat capabilities of end-game weapons of other setting? it's chump change. it should be noted that the gems DO NOT allow the wielder to control dragons, only telepathically communicate with them, meaning that the King of Deltora must still negotiate to get any help, and the Dragons are rarely cooperative, even in the face of their own extinction. The gems don't give you the ability to control the elements, warp space and time, kill with a thought, fly, or turn into a glowing giant (whatever the anime adaptation might say to the contrary).

No, what the gems allow the user to do is: keep a level and clear head, detect potentially dangerous situations, and heal people of ailments.

but here's the thing; given what I said about the monsters in deltora, any of the spectacular kinds of magic would be pretty much useless. The Shadow Lord is beyond anything any mortal is capable of fighting; he has integrated his twisted will with the spirit of half a continent, and has experimenting with new and more twisted kinds of magic for thousands of years. Frankly, even by the standards of most "dark lords" like Sauron, Melkor, and Galbatorix, he is unimaginably powerful. a direct confrontation with him is laughable.

so then, why is the Belt considered one of the most powerful objects on the planet?

Well, because what it grants isn't power.

it grants FREEDOM.

freedom is defined as "the power, rooted in reason and will, to act or not to act, to do this or that, and so perform deliberate actions on one's own responsibility. By free will one shapes one's own life. Human freedom is a force for growth and maturity in truth and goodness[...]" -Catechism of the Catholic Church section 1731

in other words, Freedom, properly defined, is not the ability to do what one wants; that is power, not freedom. Freedom is the ability to do what one NEEDS to do. Freedom to protest. Freedom to preach. Freedom to worship. Freedom to defend oneself both physically and legally. These are freedoms.

Now lets look again at what the belt enables one to do. It allows one to clear and calm one's mind and strengthens one's will, heals, protects from certain kinds of danger, and allows one to heal others. These are not powers, they are FREEDOMS.

oh yeah, and I forgot one more of these freedoms:

WHEN ALL THE GEMS ARE PUT IN THE BELT TOGETHER, THEY PRODUCE A MAGICAL SCREEN WHICH BANISHES DARK MAGIC AND THOSE WHOSE SOULS ARE TAINTED BY IT.

it is not combat power, but it is a power FAR GREATER THAN ANY COMBAT POWER COULD EVER FEASIBLY BE

In a sense, this subverts normal fantasy tropes by going back to its roots. When JRR Tolkien wrote the Lord of the Rings, he wrote a book about simple working class and middle class people defeating an evil by DESTROYING POWER (with a One Ring being a kind of stand-in for power itself in all it's forms). yet, it seems that every writer since has taken a look at his work and gone "look at all this cool world-building and monsters and magic! but the protagonists and themes are kinda lame. I KNOW, i'll REPLACE those complex and nuanced themes with EDGY GRIZZLED WARRIORS AND POWER-HUNGRY SORCERERS, and make the story all about CONSOLIDATING AS MUCH POWER AS POSSIBLE TO DEFEAT SOMEONE WHO HAS ALSO CONSOLODATED AS MUCH POWER AS POSSIBLE, BUT IN AN EVIL WAY. sometimes they even have their characters performing actions which are completely morally bankrupt (razing cities, killing civilians or surrendering enemies, etc), and justify it because "main villain is worse". because in other words, most fantasy writers decided to completely rip off all of tolkien's world, down to the very creatures that inhabit it, but HORRIBLY INVERT the themes

Meanwhile, Deltora seems to do the opposite. It doesn't copy Tolkien's world. there are similarities; the Shadow Lord is kinda like Sauron if you squint a little. but the world is populated with plenty of creatures that don't line up at all, and even those that are similar are only superficially so. meanwhile, Emily Rodda (the author) took a look at Tolkien's themes, smiled and nodded, and proceeded to ELABORATE UPON THEM. The kingdom of deltora fell because the rulers detached themselves from the needs of the common man and physically separated themselves from them out of cowardice. the shadow lord twists and destroys nature to produce his horrific experiments which mirror in many ways modern genetic engineering. the battle is won not through force of arms, but through planning, cleverness, and uniting the tribes under a common cause.

there are other things, like how each gem corresponds to one of the seven virtues, or how so much emphais is put on using logic to solve problems, and similar things, but this post is long as it is, so i'm going to stop here.

[daydreamtofiction]

Thou Shalt Not Covet // 14: Rebirth

Contents | Part 13 | First Person Version [AO3]

Summary: (Priest!Benedict x Female Reader) Ellis is beginning to learn that what is meant for her won't pass her by.

Word Count: 6.4K

Warnings: Strong language, irreverence, dark humour, adult and sexual themes. Descriptions of periods/menstruation, financial struggles and money talk, discussions of death, grief & loss. Readers must be 18+

Soleil's eyes were the deepest blue, like two shiny, round gems of Lapis Lazuli. You found yourself staring at them in awe as you flicked through photos of her on your computer; even the clumsy editing and dull colour grading unable to diminish their shine. 

Still, Mara was right, the pictures were bad. So bad you couldn't fix them. You huffed and leaned back in the desk chair, staring up at the ceiling of your office, the weird piece of dangling plaster in the corner that hadn't moved the whole time you'd worked there. You hadn't been able to focus in days, couldn't keep still; your mind and body overwrought with a sense of uneasiness that left you with bitten nails and a pain between your shoulder blades.

The chair almost tipped back. You jerked forward and caught yourself before you fell, looking around the room in embarrassment despite there being no one there. You cleared your throat and went back to work, sipping on lukewarm coffee as you typed out a disgruntled email.

There was an ache in your lower back as you sat up straight, a heaviness in your pelvis that made you squirm in search of comfort. You ignored it at first, the pain nothing more than a niggle. But after a few minutes you paused, wondering if it could be something more.

You grabbed your bag and left the office, making your way down the corridor and into the women's bathroom. You locked yourself in a cubicle and hastily unbuttoned your trousers, relief pouring out of you in a heavy sigh when you saw blood in your underwear. 

"Oh, thank god," you whispered to yourself as you sat on the toilet, head falling into your hands. 

You'd only been three days late. But those three days felt like an eternity. Waiting for something, anything; a cramp or the slightest twinge, for a spot to appear on your chin, for your breasts to hurt when you squeezed them. You'd driven yourself mad, checking the foil packets of your pills for one you might have forgotten to take, scrolling back through your period app to work out when you would have ovulated. It would be just your luck - your punishment - the consequences of your sacrilege.

"Thank god, thank god, thank god," you muttered as you rummaged through your bag for a tampon, instead finding a single pantyliner and a packet of paracetamol. 

You huffed and put on the liner, buttoning up your trousers and stepping out of the cubicle. You walked over to the sinks where the free tampons usually sat, breathing out a laugh in disbelief when you found the large basket completely empty.

Dawn was sat behind the reception desk, the empty foyer echoing with the sound of her nails clacking against the computer keyboard. You rubbed your washed hands on the sides of your trousers as you walked over to her. 

"You alright, hun?" she asked, glancing up at you briefly. 

"There's no tampons in the toilets," you replied quietly. 

"Oh yeah, there was a problem with the supplier, something to do with that time I ordered a million by mistake. Delivery won't be here 'til next week I don't think." 

You closed your eyes and sighed. "Okay, I'm going to be out of office for about twenty minutes." 

"Okay love. Get yourself some dark chocolate too; good for cramps." 

You rolled your eyes and laughed. "Thanks." 

The country was five days into a heatwave. The thick, sticky air so close and suffocating you practically had to wade through it as you walked down the street. You hated it; how it made your clothes feel wrong on your body, made your eyes itch and your hair stick to your skin. You would walk past people sitting in pub gardens, their faces glowing as they laughed and drank together, and wonder if the sun somehow felt different to other people. If, to them, its smothering heat was more like a warm kiss.

There was a Boots a few streets over from work. You walked there quickly, stepping inside the air-conditioned shop and sighing as the cool, refreshing air soothed your burning skin. You dawdled down the aisles, basking in the relief from the sun, looking at body washes you didn't need and makeup you already had at home. When you got to your aisle, there was a young woman already there. She was looking at pregnancy tests, a different brand in each hand as she read the boxes carefully. You caught each other's gaze for a moment as you picked up your tampons, exchanging polite smiles, neither knowing whether to be happy or sorry for the other. 

You stood in the queue as a single cashier worked behind the tills. You didn't mind waiting, much preferring to look at the summer weather through a window than be stuck outside in it. There was a man standing over the road that caught your eye; a smart navy blue suit, shirt, tie and full dress shoes. How was he not melting? You watched as he hovered outside the building, straightening a tall signpost that had tilted slightly to one side. 

The queue shifted forward. You took a step closer and looked back out, taking more notice of the building behind him. It was three stories, victorian, ivy climbing over weathered brick and stone. The small front garden was plush and green, with flowers and a wooden bench beneath the front window, a path leading up to the pale blue front door where three separate letter boxes sat beside it. It was flats. 

"Who's next?" the cashier called out. 

You walked up to her, barely able to keep your eyes off the suited man as he took a leather binder from his car and walked back towards the signpost in the front garden. 

"Do you need a bag?" the cashier asked. 

"Er no, no it's okay. Thank you." 

She handed you your receipt and you took the box, walking out of the shop and making your way across the road. 

You stepped up onto the kerb and wandered closer to the building, gazing up at it, trying to figure out which floor held the vacant flat. 

"Hi, are you here for the viewing?" asked the man as he approached you. 

You turned to him in a slight daze, lips parted slightly before letting out a simple "Yes." 

It was like a compulsion. First Father Benedict, now him. Had you not learned your lesson?

"Oh okay great," he said, mopping the sweat from his brow with a handkerchief. "Sorry, my colleague called in sick this morning so I'm looking after her properties for the day. Haven't got any of her appointment info. I'm Aaron." 

He reached out to shake your hand, his eyes falling on the box of tampons you were holding. You looked down at them, then back up to him, pressing your lips into an awkward smile. 

"Right, well," he said, clearing his throat. "Shall we?" 

You followed him up the path and waited as he unlocked the door. He stepped aside to let you walk in first, closing it behind you.

"We'll be viewing 336C, which is the top floor," he said, pointing up the stairs. 

You looked around the entry hall, at the pretty tiled floor and cork board on the wall pinned with friendly messages and posters, a cute frog-shaped doormat outside 336A. He started up the stairs and you followed, taking in every detail as he continued to speak. 

"So the property is comprised of three flats. One on each floor. It's a converted house so it's had quite a bit of refurb done to alter the layout." He paused on the middle landing to catch his breath and mop his brow again before continuing, flicking through the notes in his folder as he went. "The owners say the neighbours are lovely, they take really good care of the place, as you can see. Area's also great; you've got the high street, bus and train station nearby, low crime, great schools - if that's something you're concerned about." 

You reached the top floor landing, still holding the box of tampons as he unlocked the door to the flat and gestured for you to follow.

"So it's listed as a one bed, one bath," he continued as he wandered into the flat. "But my colleague's written here that there's another room that could be used as a second bedroom if needed. It's just quite small so it's currently being utilised as an office. If you come this way you can see we enter straight into the living space..." 

He was still talking, but you could barely hear him anymore; your mind slipping into a state of awe as you laid eyes on the place for the first time. Your lips parted slightly as you drew in a soft gasp at the sight of a large stained glass window flooding the living area with shafts of iridescent light. It made you think of the church, of Father Benedict, but most of all, it made you think of serenity, of joy and of home.

You walked over to it, running your fingers over the lead ridges separating the pieces of coloured glass, how they swirled into flowers and hearts and ribbons, soaking in the sun's rays and turning them the most stunning shades of greens, pinks and gold. 

"It's a really lovely property, very unique," said Aaron. "Open but still cozy, lots of natural light. If you come through here I'll show you the kitchen." 

You turned around as he opened a door on the other side of the room, following him into a small kitchen and listening as he reeled off information from his folder. He took you through to a small alcove at the back of the flat, the bedrooms and bathroom neatly tucked away inside, letting you wander around as he spoke.  

"You've not said a lot," he laughed nervously as you walked back into the living area. 

"Sorry, I'm just... I wasn't expecting to like it this much."

"Oh, well that's good to hear. It is a really nice place. Would it just be you living here or is there a boyfriend? Girlfriend? Kids? Flatmates?" 

"It would just be me." 

He nodded. "I think it's the perfect size for one. Can just see you now, sitting by that window reading a book, coffee in hand." 

You smiled, pausing for a moment and swallowing hard. "C-can you just remind me how much it's going for... per month?" 

"Oh, I'm sorry it's er- This one isn't a rental. It's for sale." 

Your heart shattered, falling to pieces in your chest. You licked your lips, keeping your face straight. "Right, sorry, I don't know why I said that. I've been looking at rentals as well, must have got mixed up." 

"That's alright." He smiled and flicked a page in his folder. "This is listed for... £175,000." 

And just like that, the pieces in your chest turned to dust. 

"Okay, great, thank you," you said. "Well, I'll erm, I go away and y'know, speak to my... people and... yeah." 

He nodded and took a business card from his pocket, handing it to you with a smile. You placed it on the box of tampons, holding it there with your thumb as he began to walk you out. You turned back, taking one last look at the place before the door closed, a strange feeling of homesickness coming over you. 

"Can I just ask how much mortgage payments would be?" you asked as you followed him down the stairs. 

"Well I'm sure your broker will know better than I would," he replied. "But usually if you put up a 10% deposit, let's say 25 years, you're looking at something quite reasonable. Depends how good your mortgage is." 

"10%... So... £17,500...?" 

"Yep." 

"Right, okay, easy enough."

"I can't tell if you're joking or not," he laughed. 

"Everyone says that." 

You couldn't stop thinking about the flat. Every day after work, you would walk past it, just to check it hadn't been sold yet, as though there was any way you would ever be able to buy it. You would daydream about sitting at the window, just like Aaron said, book in hand, watching rain patter against the multicoloured glass. You furnished the place in your head, chose paints and tiles and cushions, imagined people coming over and saying 'wow, Ellis, you're so lucky to have such a beautiful home'. 

But you weren't the lottery-winning type. Weren't the kind of person to come up with an idea that made millions, or meet someone so rich that £17.5K would be like lending someone a fiver. It was unattainable. A dream. Another reminder that you were so far behind where you thought you would be by now. 

A car horn beeped, then beeped again a few moments later. You checked your reflection in the mirror and opened the front door. 

"Mum, Mara's here, I'm going," you shouted. 

"Okay, love," she called back from upstairs. 

You ran down the path, opening the passenger door of Mara's big, pristinely white car and climbing inside. She hated the heat too, the air-con blasting so strong it raised the hairs on your arms. 

"Hi," you said.

"Hi," she replied, eyes hidden behind a large pair of sunglasses. "Seatbelt." 

"Yes, yes, I know." 

She waited until you'd strapped yourself in before pulling away, the car engine so smooth and quiet you could barely hear it. 

You glanced over your shoulder into the back. "No baby?" 

"No, funnily enough I am allowed to leave the house without her," she replied sarcastically. 

You rolled your eyes and looked out the passenger window. "I take it you're still pissed off with me for convincing you to come today?" 

"Yep." 

You laughed halfheartedly. 

She looked over at you for a moment, then back to the road. "What's up with you?" 

You sighed, hesitating to speak.

"Tell me," she insisted. 

"I just..." You took a deep breath. "I'm losing hope that I'm ever going to get on my feet again." 

She pulled into traffic, taking extra care to look around before speeding up. "What do you mean? It's only been, what, like a month?"

"Yeah I know. Just feels hopeless though. Like, I found a place. The perfect place. Beautiful, safe, quiet, walking distance from work. Only to find out it's for sale, not to let." 

"Well that doesn't make it hopeless. Nathan and I have a really good broker, I can ask him to do the numbers for you, shop around and see if anywhere would offer you a mortgage-"

"Unless you can find a way of pulling £17,500 out of my arse, there's honestly no point." 

"Is that the deposit?" 

"Mhm." 

She paused before huffing to herself. "This fucking economy. Ridiculous." 

"It's fine. I went and viewed another flat yesterday which is to let."

"Oh, well see, there you go." 

"Mm. It's right round the corner from where that girl got murdered last year, which is nice. The hallway smelled like piss and weed and it was so small I could cook my dinner, take a shit and watch TV all at the same time. But beggars can't be choosers, so..."

She stifled a laugh, trying to hide it with a cough. "You're not actually going to take it, are you?" 

"I don't know. I can't get that other place out of my head, but I can't stay with mum forever. It just made me feel so shit how out of reach it is for me. Like my future is just so bleak and..." 

You felt yourself getting choked up, the lump in your throat catching you by surprise. You never cried, especially not in front of your sister. You rubbed your mouth to disguise your trembling lip, clearing your throat and turning away from her. 

She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, adjusting her sunglasses as she drove. "What's meant for you won't pass you by," she said. 

You remained quiet for a while, inhaling through your nose, filling your lungs to the brim and letting it flow out again slowly. 

"Oh, I looked at Soleil's photos for you," you said, changing the subject.

"And? I'm right aren't I, they look like shit." 

"Yeah they're fucking awful." 

"I told you. I'm fuming, Ellis. I danced around like a twat in that studio just to get her to smile for the camera." 

You laughed. "I've sent an email to the head office to get you another session for free." 

"Oh... Thank you," she said with a grateful surprise. "Can I request you edit them? I don't trust anyone else." 

You smiled to yourself but didn't dare let her see. "Yeah, I'll make sure they come to me." 

You pulled up into the church carpark, climbing out into the sickly heat with a synchronised groan. Mara walked around the car to meet you, fixing the straps of her maxi dress and hoisting her bag on her shoulder. 

"I can't believe I agreed to this," she mumbled. 

"It's fine, I've been before, they're not that bad," you replied, beginning the walk towards the parish pub.

"Not that bad? I couldn't think of anything worse than doing circle time with a bunch of miserable people moaning about their problems." 

"You're so compassionate, Mara." 

She growled, fixing the strap of her dress again. "I'm telling you now, I'm not speaking at this thing. I'll introduce myself and that's it. And if anyone mistakes me for your mother I will walk out." 

You made it to the pub, walking inside to find it bustling with regulars, familiar faces you'd come to know from church. 

"My god," said Mara, leaning in to talk quietly. "It's a Tuesday afternoon, why aren't people at work?" 

"We're not at work either..." 

She pushed her sunglasses onto her head. "Fair point." 

You gestured towards the back. She walked through a small group of people near the bar, the crowd parting effortless in her presence. You'd always found her aura fascinating; how commanding yet charming, terrifying yet charismatic she could be. People always said you looked alike, how similar you were in some ways, and you couldn't help but wonder if Mara was who you could have been if you hadn't spent so much of your life scared to be noticed. 

She stopped at the door to the back room, reading the sign and turning to you. "Do we knock?" 

"No, just go in," you replied. 

She opened the door and stepped inside. The circle of chairs was almost full, their eyes all glancing up at you in unison. You walked in behind her, your gaze immediately falling on Father Benedict, the corners of your mouth pulling into an involuntary smile.

"Sorry we're late," said Mara. "We can leave if we're interrupting." 

"Not at all," he replied cheerily, standing up to greet you. 

"Nice try," you muttered. 

She elbowed you in the side before smiling at him kindly. He shook her hand and directed her to a seat. Then he turned to you, taking your hand in his and shaking it like a perfect gentleman. 

"Ellis," he said, eyes creasing at the corners.

"Father," you replied, stifling a smirk.

"I believe many of you know Ellis already," he said, turning to the group. "And this is her sister Mara." 

You sat next to each other on the far side of the circle, saying hello as everyone greeted you quietly. 

"You haven't missed much," he said as he sat back down opposite you, crossing one leg over the other and brushing his hair back away from his face. "We were just talking about how our weeks have been since the last meeting. Sandra, would you like to continue what you were saying?" 

The older woman nodded and cleared her throat. "As I said, my granddaughter asked me if I could make some cakes for her school bake sale. Usually I'd have just done them for her and dropped them off, but I thought about what you said Father, about not shutting ourselves off. So I invited her to come and make them with me." 

"Oh, that's lovely," he said, a genuine smile on his face. 

"It was. She came 'round and we baked and talked about Harold. She remembered stories about him that even I'd forgot, it was a wonderful afternoon." 

There was a murmur of kind words around the room. Mara sat quietly. 

"Could you have imagined a few months ago you would've been able to do that?" asked Father Benedict.

"I know," she giggled proudly.

"I suppose that's another reason why these groups can be so helpful," he said. "We're not all going to be at the same stage in our grief, sometimes it can be encouraging to see people who may be further along than we are. It can provide us that hope that we will get there too." 

You loved how confidently he spoke. How easily he could lead a group of people and have them listening with such intent. It was a charm that didn't come with the job; it was innate, as natural to him as breathing. You envied it, almost as much as you admired it. 

"You brought up something interesting there, Sandra," he continued. "Something I actually wanted to touch on today. And that is remembering those we've lost through speaking about how they lived. When we talk of Jesus Christ-"

"Fucking hell," Mara mumbled under her breath. 

You turned to look at her, laughing quietly. 

"Yes we talk of how he died for our sins," he continued. "His death is important and we celebrate and give thanks to him for his sacrifice. But if we think about the size of the bible, the amount of stories we have of his life starting right from birth, the words he shared and the incredible things he did, those are abundantly more significant to his memory and why we choose to serve and follow his word." 

Everyone nodded in agreement while you and Mara remained still. 

"And we tell the stories of his life freely and openly and happily. We are eager to share. So why not do the same with those we actually had the privilege to know and love and be loved by." He leaned back slightly in his chair. "Why don't we go around and share one fun fact or story about our departed loved ones? Marion, would you like to start?" 

Mara glared at you from the corner of her eye. You shrugged awkwardly. 

"My dad loved practical jokes," Marion began. "I remember one time my mum was in the kitchen and my dad started screaming from upstairs 'Mary, get up here quick! There's a huge leak in the bathroom!' She ran up the stairs so fast she fell up them. Only to get to the bathroom and find my dad laughing his head off because he'd put a big leek from our vegetable patch on the toilet. Y'know... Leek, leak..."  

Everyone chuckled. 

Father Benedict gave a warm smile. "Sounds like he had a great sense of humour." 

"He did. Drove my mum mad, though." 

"That's the best kind of relationship." 

You glanced across the circle at him. He caught your eye, just for a moment, before moving onto the next person. 

Mara grew more and more irritable with every person who gave a story, Father Benedict's attention like an avalanche tumbling further towards her.

"Mara," he finally said. 

You stilled, waiting with a mixture of curiosity and concern. 

"You're new here today," he said. "So before we hear your story, why don't you tell us a bit about yourself?" 

"Oh no, that's okay," she replied. 

A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, creating deep lines in his cheeks, a curve in his cupid's bow. "Are you sure?" He kept his eyes on her, unwaveringly confident.

She cleared her throat. You turned your head to look at her, brow furrowing in shock. 

"I'm Mara," she said reluctantly. "I am Ellis' older sister. I have a husband and a daughter and I work for a large car manufacturing company."

"Okay, good, we're glad you're here, Mara," he said. "Do you have a story you'd like to share?" 

Her mouth tightened, and you began to feel like this was a mistake. He said this would be good for her, but he didn't know her like you did. He didn't grow up scared to utter your brother's name in case it upset her. You wanted to grab her hand and tell her you were going. She was right, this was a stupid idea.

"No, that's okay," she said. 

"I know it can be daunting, speaking about such a sensitive topic in front of strangers. May I ask who you lost?" 

She crossed one leg over the other, resting her hands on her knee. "My brother," she muttered. 

"How long ago?" 

She cleared her throat, glaring at him, knowing full well he already knew. "When I was twenty-one. He was twenty-four." 

Your eyes fell to your hands as you picked at your cuticle to avoid looking at her.

"Were you close?" he asked.

"Yes."

"I get the feeling you still find it difficult to talk about him..."

She didn't respond. You peered up to find them staring at each other in a silent standoff. 

"It can be helpful to examine why we struggle to reminisce about those that are no longer with us," he said, addressing everyone. "Is it anger? Guilt? Are we uncomfortable when confronted with feelings of sadness and grief? We talk a lot in these sessions about acceptance, about trusting that God has wrapped his arms around our loved ones and will reunite us with them one day. But that doesn't necessarily fix the sorrow we feel while having to live without them."

He stood up and walked to the table at the back, picking up a bottle of water and unscrewing the lid. 

"When I lost my brother," he continued, taking a large sip. "I built a wall around myself for a long time. I believed that wall was there to protect me from the pain, from the guilt and grief. But in protecting myself, I realised all I was really doing was diminishing his memory. It wasn't until I accepted it was okay to laugh and smile when talking about him, that I began to heal. I realised it was still okay to take the mick out of him and call him an idiot and say how much he got on my nerves, because that's who he was, those were the parts of him that lived on." He sat back down, placing the bottle under his chair. "Which is why I find this a great opportunity for us to speak positively about those we've lost." 

"I have a story," you said. 

He turned his attention to you and smiled. "Let's hear it." 

"My brother Cain..." you began tentatively. "Our brother. He was twelve years older than me so by the time I started secondary school he was already in his early twenties. I erm, I suppose you could say I was a bit weird in school..." 

Father Benedict's mouth twitched with a smirk, he rubbed his lips with the tips of his fingers to disguise it.

"There was a group of girls who'd been picking on me, and I let it slip to Cain. He was... livid. So the next day, school finished and as usual, these girls were standing at the gates saying nasty things to me. Next minute he pulled up in the car, walked over to them and told them if they ever so much as looked at me again he'd beat up their dads." 

You started laughing, the image of him comically shaking his fist at a group of eleven-year-olds still so vivid in your mind. You looked over at Mara to find her chuckling quietly, shaking her head and pinching the bridge of her nose.

"I should say the church doesn't condone violence," said Father Benedict, making everyone laugh. 

"He was usually so gentle," said Mara. "He'd never hit anyone in his life which is why it was so funny." 

"And it worked," you said. "They never bothered me again." 

"Mara...?" said Father Benedict. "Any other stories come to mind?" 

She sighed, thinking for a moment. "Cain was... really funny. But what made him endearing was how comfortable he was in his own skin." 

You looked at her from the corner of your eye, scared to move in case it made her stop talking. 

"He er- We... We went on holiday to Spain one year. I was fifteen so he must've been... eighteen?" She turned to you. "You were about to turn six. Do you remember it?" 

You shook your head. "Vaguely." 

"Anyway, he erm- We were staying in one of those hotels that did entertainment at night, they'd get guests involved, all that. We'd just had dinner and we'd sat down for the show and realised Cain still wasn't back from the toilet. Mum sent dad looking for him, he wasn't in there, not in the room either, he literally couldn't find him anywhere on the complex. So they were just about to go and tell the hotel staff he was missing, when the entertainment started." She paused, laughing slightly to herself. "It was... a drag night. The host came out, started doing a routine to RuPaul's Supermodel, and out came a group of male guests in full drag. And there was Cain, dancing away; wig, dress, high heels and the worst makeup you've ever seen."

She was giggling now, her face bright, glowing with the memory. 

Father Benedict gave a deep, throaty chuckle. "Do you see parts of him in yourself?" 

"God no- Sorry, didn't mean to take the lord's name in vein. Just... no. I'm pragmatic and stiff and ordinary. He was vibrant and insouciant, clever and charming and unbelievably gorgeous yet so... weird." She turned to you. "You remind me of him. A lot."

Some may have taken that as an insult, a backhanded compliment. But to you, it was the nicest thing anyone had ever said. 

"You're not ordinary," you said.

"More ordinary than you," she replied.

You laughed. "I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing." 

The heatwave had yielded, like a fever that finally broke. The air was still warm, but the sky was grey, the scent of minerals and musk rising from the pavement as rain threatened to fall. You got off the bus and made the short walk to your mother's house, thankful to be done with another week of work. 

Nathan's car was parked on the street outside the house, and you groaned at the prospect of another 'family dinner'. The first drops of warm rain began to spit. You titled your head back, letting it pepper your face, soothing the slight burn across your cheeks. 

You opened the front door and stepped inside to find Mara and Nathan sitting in the living room, furrowing your brow when they both fell silent. 

"Have I interrupted something?" you asked.

Nathan stood up. "I'll leave you two to talk."

You narrowed your eyes as he disappeared into the kitchen, giving Mara a dubious look as you sat down on the couch. 

"What have I done?" you asked. 

"Nothing," she said. 

"Where's mum?" 

"In the kitchen with the baby."

"Has something bad happened?" 

"No, fucking hell Ellis just relax." She laughed as she sat up straight, crossing one leg over the other and turning her body to face you. "Nathan and I have been talking."

"Are you breaking up? That's a shame, I like him." 

"No." She sighed. "We're not breaking- can you just... let me talk?" 

You stayed quiet, relaxing back into the couch and waiting for her to continue. 

"We've been talking with our broker and he's managed to get you an agreement in principle for a mortgage."

You stared at her in confusion. 

"He can't go any further until he speaks with you, obviously, but he's confident he can get you accepted." She cleared her throat. "Of course, you'll need to put in an offer, he recommends going straight in at asking price, then we can-"

"Wait, wait, wait. What?" 

"The flat." 

"M-mara." You sat up, leaning forward slightly. "I appreciate you doing all of that, but... It's pointless. I can't afford-"

"We're going to give you the deposit," she interrupted quickly. "It won't be a loan, it'll be a gift. So you don't have to worry about paying it back. We'll also cover any fees and help you with furnishing if you need it." 

You sat there in silence, lips parted, eyes glassy with confusion.

"Ellis...?" 

"How rich are you?" 

"Fuck sake, mate, focus." 

"Sorry, I just- It's... Why?" 

"Why what?" 

"Why would you do that for me?" 

"Because I'm your sister," she said firmly. 

You paused, your breathing shallow as you tried to quiet your racing thoughts. "Mara, I can't accept that." 

"Why not?" 

"Because it's too much. It's... So much money. I can't take that from you." 

"Yes you can." 

"No, I can't." 

"Do you want to live with mum forever? Or in the pissy murder flat?" 

"Obviously not, but-"

"Then here you go, we're giving you the fresh start you need." 

"Mara, I can't," you said, your voice so quiet it was almost a whisper. 

"Yes. You. Can. Let me do this one thing for you." 

"I... I need to think about it."

"What is there to think about?" 

"I don't know, I just need to... think. Thank you, honestly, thank you. But I need to..."

She sighed, leaning back into the couch. "Okay. Then think about it. But just know the longer you take, the more you're risking the flat being snapped up by someone else." 

You stood up but your legs felt like jelly, almost giving way beneath you. You walked slowly to the stairs, clinging to the banister as you climbed them. You were dreaming, you had to be. 

You made it to your room, closing the door and pulling out your phone with shaking hands, pressing Father Benedict's name and holding the phone to your ear. 

"Hello?" he answered.

You hadn't seen him since the grief meeting four days earlier, his voice a welcomed comfort as it melted through the phone. 

"Hi," you said. "Are you busy?" 

"No, just catching up on some paperwork in the office. Are you alright?" 

"Do you think I could come and see you? I could do with some... guidance?" 

"Really? Is that code for something?" 

"No," you exhaled a laugh. "I just need an ear, maybe some advice." 

"Okay," he said sceptically. "Are you sure you're alright?" 

"Yeah. I'll be there soon." 

The taxi pulled up outside the church. You climbed out and made your way onto the grounds, walking down the rain-speckled path as the warm breeze carried the scent of flowers and damp earth.

You walked around to the side door, tapping your knuckles against it and waiting, looking over your shoulder every few seconds to make sure no one saw you. He pushed open the door and let you inside, greeting you with a handsome smile. The sleeves of his shirt were rolled to the elbows, but his collar was still fastened tight around his neck. His hair was curlier than usual, a slight sunburn across the bridge of his nose.

He took you into his office, sitting back down behind his desk and returning to the mound of papers in front of him. You dropped down onto the couch facing him, watching his fingers grip the pen as he scribbled his signature, the veins protruding in his forearms as he moved.

"So what's wrong?" he asked. "You sounded worried on the phone."

"Not worried, just confused. I don't- Does the bible say anything about accepting big gifts?" 

He stopped writing and glanced over at you, brows coming together over his pale eyes. "You're not being bribed, are you?" 

"No," you laughed. "My sister... She's offered to give me money for a flat. A lot of money." 

"Well that's great." 

"Is it?"

He leaned back in his chair, fingers clasped together in his lap. "The bible says 'God loves a cheerful giver'."

"So..."

"So why do you care what the bible says?" he laughed. "You're not catholic, you don't believe in any of it." 

"I know but I... Sometimes I just think it would be easier if I had some sort of faith, y'know, something to live my life by, to consult when I need to make big decisions." 

"You don't need to be religious to have faith." He stood up, walking around the desk and leaning back against it. "Faith is about dedicating yourself to something bigger than yourself. There are no rules to say that something has to be a god." 

"What else is there?" 

"I don't know; community, philanthropy, love, justice, fucking extraterrestrials." 

You dropped your head and laughed. He walked over and sat down beside you.

"If faith is what you need in order to live your life then you'll find it," he said.

You looked at him for a moment, before sighing and rolling your eyes.

"Was that not helpful?" he laughed.

"I just want to be told what to do." 

"You want me to tell you what to do?" 

"Please." 

"Take the money, Ellis." He said softly. "Why punish yourself any further?" 

"Because how do I ever repay her for something like that?" 

"I'm sure she's not looking for repayment. She loves you, she wants you to be happy." 

You stayed quiet, looking around the room for a moment before rolling your shoulders with a tired groan.  He reached out and placed his large hand on the back of your neck, massaging it with his fingers. You closed your eyes and relaxed into the firm pressure.

"Do you want to stay while I finish my work?" he asked quietly.

You nodded, eyes still closed. 

He gave one final squeeze and let go, standing up and returning to his desk. 

You curled your legs underneath yourself, resting your head on the arm of the couch as you watched him work. It was hard not to imagine the two of you in that flat; you relaxing on the couch while he worked at the table by the window, bathed in light from the coloured glass, comfy clothes and a cigarette in his mouth. 

Your eyelids grew heavy as you imagined him pulling you to your feet, kissing you and laughing as you danced around the flat to Van Morrison. And you wouldn't have to leave if you didn't want to, because it was yours.

*Tags: @evelynrosestuff @thealleydog @lexlexigogh @allie131313 @simpingbestie @ironstrange1991 @witchoftheages @hiddendiary @swds @jyessaminereads @withalittlehoney @hunterofshadows04 @slytherindoctorsat221b @diabaroxa @phoebe221 @hai-kbai @downtownshabby @dara-of-qui-zi @unfilteredmoonchild @classicrebound @bigratbitchsworld @aphroditesdilemma @bloodyxsaint @ployavengersog1 @spectaclebitch @paola-carter @gordorio @shjl15 @thedaredevilsgirl @howardtonypotts @ceccille @wllsfer @thelostsmiles @vi0letdaze @stanfanfiction @king-kongbebe-blog @sof38 @doctorscarletwitch @rmoonstoner @intrappolatatrairicordi @ehuether @dragonqueen89 @estheticwh0re @Lfp10836 @kanyewestest @star-girl-05 @theothersideofthescreen @battledress @chaosdorito @vlqueen @erratica47 @happybunnyclumsyduck @bloggerbatch @bimrwolf

*If you would like to be tagged in the next part, please comment below, or feel free to add yourself to the tag list here

[picturejasper20]

Bismuth is an interesting character to talk about because, in spite of her having just few appearances in the show, she is almost treated with the same importance that characters like Peridot and Lapis Lazuli have, who show up from the first season and their arcs are spread out through the series.

I believe this comes from how key her introduction episode is, as it mark a ¨before and after¨ in the series, when Steven and the audience begins to learn more about the dark secrets that Rose Quartz kept and how her image of ¨perfect hero¨ for Steven and others starts to break down.

Bismuth is described as the ¨biggest Crystal Gem¨, in the sense she was very passionate about the cause and she was pretty well loved and respected in her team. She seemed to be one of the closest Rose's friends along with Garnet and Pearl back during the Gem War.

It is unknown how Bismuth met Rose Quartz and decided to join the Crystal Gems but based on her dialogue we can get an idea that she was moved by Rose Quartz's ideas and later became part of the movement.

¨And she asked me what I wanted to build, and I'd never heard that before. And Gems never hear they can be anything other than what they are, but Rose opened our eyes.¨

So Bismuth was sent to Earth and when she met Rose Quartz who was ¨just another Quartz soldier¨, she was asked what things she was interested in building. I assumed that Bismuth was taken out by this and over time started to question what she wanted to do and be.

Based on Unleash the Light, Bismuths as gems appear to have an overall sentiment that they aren't respected for their work and they are overlooked. They seem to be gems that are more likely to rebel or demand proper respect than other type of gems- at least based on the game events. I think Bismuth shared a similar feeling as well that made her become a Crystal Gem not so long after meeting Rose.

The other idea that got her was that she could be something different- she didn't have to only build what the Diamonds told her. She could try building her own things! So she choose to use her own skills to create and make weapons for other gems in the war.

Bismuth really looked up to Rose- she adored her- so much that she built a statue dedicated to her. She believed in everything that Rose said and she was willing to do anything for her.

This passion and idolization ended up backfiring on Rose Quartz in a way, as her constant words about how terrible Pink Diamond was had a clear effect on Bismuth, thus making her a fanatic Crystal Gem- someone who considered taking some more extreme measures than the ones Rose had been applying so far.

Rose have indirectly created her own enemies, if it could be put in that way.

One day Bismuth comes up with a weapon- which looks more like a torture device than something to be used on battle- and shows it to Rose. She believes that this could change the outcome of the war and maybe lead them to victory. She shows how it works, probably shattering some statue to prove her point.

Then, for one reason or another, Rose didn't seem to be fond of this idea that Bismuth had- perhaps because she didn't want to be shattered herself or she didn't want that for the other Diamonds, maybe she was scared of this being used in more innocent gems or she didn't want to be like the Diamonds. Whatever was the reason, Rose decided to hide the Breaking Point and poof Bismuth, hiding her inside Lion's mane at some point.

She never told to Pearl and Garnet what happened to Bismuth- not even centuries after the Gem War ended. Probably because she wanted to keep the idea of Pink Diamond's shattering being faked since she previously rejected the breaking point? Maybe it was out of fear of not knowing how Pearl and Garnet would react?

What it is sad is how Bismuth still kept talking good of Rose after being freed by Steven. She went on for a while like she hadn't been betrayed by one of her best friends until she has that fight with Steven near the end of the episode- for what was a misunderstanding and her being too confused at believing that Steven was Rose Quartz for a moment.

After coming back in ¨Made of Honor¨ having some chats with Steven about what happened and learning that Rose was Pink Diamond, Bismuth changed the way she refer herself to Rose. Based on the interactions she has with Steven, she appears to have changed her admiration for Rose Quartz to looking up to Steven now. She tells to Steven about how he has been able to bring the whole team together and how they are more following him rather than Rose Quartz.

In the time skip both in the movie and Steven Universe Future she is seen helping in Little Homeworld, building it or talking to other gems. There isn't much comment on how she feels about Rose in the scenes she shows up, but the overall feeling is that she is still a Crystal Gem because of her friends and Steven and not so much for Rose. It is unknown if she hates Rose- or if it is more of feeling mixed about her. I want to think it is more the latter, as she still kept talking good about her to Steven on ¨Bismuth¨.

Bismuth and Rose Quartz's relationship is a very sad one. Bismuth was betrayed by someone she really looked up to and was close friends with ( and very likely had romantic feelings for) for reasons that not even Rose herself understood. Fortunately Steven freed her and decided to give her the chance that Rose Quartz didn't after she got bubbled. She remains part of the Crystal gems, but more for herself and her friends than for the gem she once idolized.

[shiny-gem-ocs]

Gem worldbuilding notes

Wanna make a Houseki no Kuni oc? Lucky you. I've been compiling notes on the manga's worldbuilding and this might help you if you wanna stay canon-compliant, disregard canon entirely, or even make your own lore!

Creating an OC is all about creativity, so I tried to include my ideas on how to meet canon in the middle too.

Notes are under the cut!

On the world:

After the Earth was destroyed by six comets, it was flooded, and the island where the story takes place is the only place where Gems - one of the three remaining sentient lifeforms on Earth - are born, on a place called Shore of Nascency.

There's very little animals, all which are invertebrate, such as bugs, jellyfish, and snails, the kind the Admirabilis mimic.

Lunarians always come out in the sun, so much that their ships were named Sunspots. Later it's revealed they can come out at night as well.

While on Earth, Lunarians cannot speak.

During all the time the Gems have been alive, maybe there were minor lifeform explosions or extinction events, if you want different animals or plants in your world. Maybe even the gems themselves cultivated or bred them.

Who knows if there are other islands, and what kind of post-apocalypse life is flourishing in them. Admirabilis live on the ocean, they might've been around other islands as well, and could tell stories. Gems might've travelled to other islands. You could ignore canon completely and say new Gems are being born on another island, completely cut off from the society Adamant raised, or that new sentient lifeforms are being born somewhere else in the world. Thought that would be the kinda canon-break that disregards the whole story.

On the Gems' formation:

Gems are born from a combination of microorganisms originating from the sea, that make their way through the cliffside on the Shore of Nascency in the island, in unspecified - but geological - ammounts of time. What makes them alive are those microorganisms, called inclusions. The cliffside is often producing bits and pieces of rocks, and sometimes, it produces "stillborn" gems that fully have humanoid shapes but no inclusions.

Gems don't necessarily have to all be see-through gemmy crystals like Phos, the cliffside spits out any type of naturally-formed rock, geography be damned, as seen by the existence of Lapis Lazuli and Obsidian. Rareness of the mineral doesn't seem to matter either. But given they are formed naturally, the existence of synthetic or organic gemstones are not canon. Think pearls, coral or amber, or think glass, aura quartz and goldstone. On that note, Gem society might lack the technology to make synthetic gems altogether.

I admit I don't really know how to circumvent it without fully ignoring canon, but I do have some thoughts. Maybe for organic gems, the animals or plants that produce said gems died near the cliffside on the Shore of Nascency, and were overcome with inclusions. For sythetic gems, maybe they're an experiment from the people on the Moons - though in canon they say they didn't have that technology. Maybe naturally formed gems were altered by chemical reactions. I don't know, I admit. But a creative fanbase as this one might find an answer.

On the Gems' biology:

The gems are immortal. They can't die of old age, and if they crack, they can be put back together. They're entirely homogenous, their body doesn't have organs, instead functioning as one. Their inclusions hold their memories, which means if they get a body part removed from the whole, they lose the memories in that body part.

Also, fun fact, the Gems don't have teeth! I supoose if you want your Gem to have teeth you can just ask Adamant to sculpt it on them. Maybe they get the idea from him having them.

If a Gem loses a body part, it can be replaced with new material. On that note, Gems can sometimes be born with imperfections such as missing body parts, as shown by Padparadscha.

Due to being able to break, gems with lower hardness must be more careful than gems with higher hardness.

They get their energy to move from the sun, so they lose their energy and sleep when it's dark. And come winter, when there's less sun, they prefer to hybernate.

Honestly, you can still give your gems different body types, it's not gonna hurt anyone. It doesn't stray from canon other than about their physical shape, so you can justify they can be formed with more body mass and still be the bones of humanity.

They all have the same height and same body type - those spindly things, all leg and arms and skinny torso with no boobs. This is explained in canon due to the fact they descend from humanity, specifically their bones, and so were reborn in that skeletal shape.

Sensei smooths them out in a mold, and gives them eyes made of simple rock with part of their gem as the iris, so they can see better.

Gems have feelings and emotions, which can manifest in their bodies if they are too stressed, as cracking and breaking.

Padparadscha shows us that some gems have weaker inclusions that don't take to new materials, therefore you can still make a canon-compliant disabled Gem. In fact, my own OC is one. On that note, Gems do have a concept of mental illness, as they can become mentally ill, so they can probably be born mentally disabled as well.

Gems sometimes have superpowers, which in canon always have to do with the properties and uses of their real life rocks.

On Gem society:

The gems are immortal, but they all have kind of a childlike personality. It's not like they are children, or teenagers, they're just somewhat innocent due to the world they live in - plus the constant state of war. But they can be mature and wise as well, especially older gems like Padparadscha or Yellow Diamond.

Usually only one gem stays in winter patrol duty as the other gems hybernate (usually). When the winter is warmer and has more sun, the gems, even though they are weaker, stay awake and patrol the island as normal.

Everything they have is in what the island produces. They use the plants found in there to make glue that restores cracked gems, to make the powder they wear on themselves to mimic skin, to make paper, clothes, furniture, everything. This means they have crops, agriculture, and animal breeding and handling.

On that note, due to the lack of resources, they have very little material to make anything. For exemple, fabric for clothes, which explains why they all wear the same uniforms, and only change into high fashion during hybernation once a year.

You could say there's eras when they have more material for clothes, if you want your Gems to have different fashion.

They wear a special powder on their bodies to mimic skin and to protect themselves from the elements. It became cultural in their society, with gems considering themselves ugly if they don't wear it. In canon they mimic specifically light skin because they want to look like Adamant.

Cairngorm is a Gem that couldn't care less about powder, so it's not wrong to want to have powderless gems - and even make it the new fashion in different eras of Gem society. On that note, if you want different "skin colors" for your Gems, just say the powder seeds come in variety of colors and shades, and let your Gems experiment with them.

Combining the lack of animals in the world and the fact all Gems are genderless and sexless, they don't really understand sex. They know how animals breed, but have no concept of sexuality. Culturally they have some sense of shame, since they wear clothes and don't like being seen without them, but that's about it.

Gems don't have the cultural act of kissing, but they have the concept of romance, in their own ways.

Okay fellas, as the resident asexual, I admit I have NO IDEA what the smut scene in this fandom is even like. I do like to ship gems, but if you want your gems to have gem sex, I leave that one to you. As for gender, who knows, maybe they can learn what it is from the Admirabilis or the Lunarians, decide they like it, and pick a gender for themselves. Maybe they can add boobs on their chest as a sort of transition. Adamant has never imposed gender on the gems, he will surely be supportive of his transgemder children. I'm not gonna get into Cairngorm or else we'll be here all day. (I don't consider either Cairngorn's gender nor sex scene to be consensual, that's all I'm gonna say on the matter.)

Lastly...

It's frowned upon to not have a designated job in Gem society. Due to the constant state of war, you must be useful. It can get ableist.

Phos was the only gem in canon to have so many parts of them replaced, to the point they became a new type of human and could pray away everyone.

Given that the first point motivated the entire story, and the second was the result of the entire story, I think ignoring canon in this instance indeed means, well, disregarding the whole story. But sometimes we just make OCs to play in the sandbox and that's okay.

[jkcosmicart]

Introducing my Steven universe AU series: EVERGREEN AU 💚💚💚

Evergreen is a Steven universe alternative universe. It’s an extremely parallel universe from the original, so any characters of the og doesn’t exist. It’s about four gems who live on earth. They have their own problematic past and some secrets I will show in the next episodes. The history have A LOOT of layers and I want to share it so much with you guys.

Green:

Green is a unknown type of gem. He have some powers like: laser light and some undiscovered yet. His currently weapon is a boomerang 💚

Pearl serves no one anymore. She have all pearls skills including her weapon: a fan that she can use as knife or a shield. 🩷

Bluebird azurite used to be a lapis lazulis commander on the terraforming missions on colonies. He can control ice and water and his weapon is a ice stick. 💙

A permafusion of a ruby and a blue jade. She can control the wind, her weapon is a whip. 💜

There’s already a first oficial episode of the season one on my YouTube! Jkcosmicart

[pocket-gems]

What would your take on a Phoenix Lapis Lazuli look like?

I remember making one for the types of Lapis collections, it needed an update

Apparently Phoenix Lapis Lazulis are artificial (wich I didn't know until recently) so they would be perfect because of that. I see them being a more energetic stronger version of Lapis Lazulis, maybe created with the help of Pink Diamond?

As cool as having fire wings for these kind of gems is, I can't see it. Feels so out of place for a water gem BUT I do see having an easier time dealing with high temperatures since Lapis' powers are very dependant on the terrain.

[lunanova99]

I now introduce a lapis who loves earth, a carnelian who has risen to the top of the ranks and is pink diamond's favorite soldier and finally the bloody fusion between the two bloodstone or heliotrope if you prefer that!!!

[ID Start: three new gems for my white diamond au

Image 1: a lapis lazuli sitting in a pobd holding a duckling while staring lovingly at it she's the white diamond universe equivalent of lapis so she has curly hair reminiscent of snow white and a gem placed on her bellybutton

Image 2: a large carnelian gem she's of a tall and muscular build and has a wolf cut or as close to one as I could get she's staring off confidently while straightening her chain whip she wears a blue bathing suit type gem soldier uniform with fingerless gloves and tall boots that go up her thighs

Image 3: carnelian standing in a room while blue pight shines down on her abd she does the diamond hand gesture likely being addressed by blue diamond in a room with other unknown soldiers she stares mostly ahead with a blank look her gem is on her left eye

Image 4: a portrait of bloodstone who is the fusion between carbwkian and lapis she has three eyes looking blanky at you she has long flowing dark blue hair and five fingers sprouting from her skull that hold onto her head carnelians gem is on her left lower eye she has dark green skin and red splotches all over her body she also has blacl talons shooting up from her lower jaw

End ID]

[zhongrin]

aine's temporary girlfriend froze my letter, so i'm gonna share the joke here with my fellow zhongli appreciators before i go to sleep.

*taps mic* ahem, ahem.

what do you get when you feed a lāžward to a dinosaur?

...

...

...

rex lapis.

...

...

...

did you. did you get it? t-rex, which is a type of a dinosaur, and lapis lazuli, which is a type of a gem; you add those two things together ppap style andー /smacked

[batunatu]

Hi!! I know you as THE Radar fan and take everything you say as canon /j lol. I DO however, love your Radar headcanons and think you understand his character really well!! I wanted to ask if you have any really specific headcanons for Radar!! I also wanna know if you think Radar is nearsighted or farsighted!! ((ﾟ□ﾟ))

HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII HOLAAAAA HELLOOOOOOOOO

WOAH, they haven't called me that for a while, since the end of 2021 my "obsession" or "hyperfixation" persists on the radar (idk if I should call it that because idk if i'm neurodivergent or neurotypical but i live overthinking about my nerves like that huhhh it's beside the point) BUT YES, i was in a big obsession with aidesse (ohno) and aiden and blaze rods in general, i think i started to get bored w aiden when i gave more attention to radar because i liked a little the concept of radesse so i started to get very fond of it , identify myself w him and draw him religiously lol(?, that's how i created the perfect formula for chaos and when i started to pay a lot of attention to radesse, BOOOMMM, brainrot.

from my abandoned channel on youtube to my now tragically paused tiktok account, they always recognized me as the radar fan and since i was very interested i was always very defensive with his hc being a minor EWWW, i was in several debates when there was a considerable amount people if it's not that EVERYONE hated radesse because of the popularization of that hc. so yeah lol i became the radesse/radar CEO or "that radesse artist" on tiktok, sorry for the infodumping lmfao

anyway, my mistake is that i never write down my hcs so I'll try to improvise a little HMMM

first of all, PRIDE MONTH, so radar is a bi boy, i always saw him preferring boys (and huhh how do i say this without sounding weird... older women-) and i had a couple of ideas of him only having ex-boyfriends. so radar would be like achillean if he wasn't with f!jesse i guess?

and i think this is self-projection but i like to believe that he falls under the enby umbrella so i like that he is boyflux with he/him pronouns because i am girlflux and there is not much visibility of this micro label. i love to think that he looks androgynous so he loves this thing of wearing and styilizing clothes, let's say that sometimes he looks like that softboy/dark academy mf you would see in a wattpad story and sometimes he experiments with fashion, although he doesn't seem like he is a boy who loves to show off branded clothes so he is a gucci boy ( or well, this brand reflects very well the type of clothing i see radar wearing)

REFERENCES!!!

and i like to think that sometimes he wears baggy clothes and then shows off his figure, he is very versatile and let's say that soft colors and color palettes are his thing, he is an organizing boy, perhaps a perfectionist.

WOAH, let's continue

well, before eric confirmed that radar was asian, i had a hc that he was peruvian or chilean or latino in general. at first i also had a hc of him being from malaysia but then it convinced me that he was filipino, i heard that the culture of that country is similar to that of latin america. that doesn't mean that i often draw radar being argentine or practicing the argentine gaucho culture, but nahh, he is 100% filipino.

Well, I LIKE THIS HC, IT IS VERY RECENT AND WAS MADE FOR THE LAPIS AU but i made up a last name for him because i don't like giving him yuri lowhental's last name lol, his last name is benitoite, it is a precious gem since i have the idea that in the universe of mcsm it is common for people to have last names by precious gems etc (? also, lapis lazuli and benitoite look similar so it is perfect for me.

i feel like ray sees jack as a father figure or well, jack sees radar as a son along with petra and they both got used to that type of relationship, aww

radar in terms of musical tastes, he is like emmett from lego movie, he listens to and loves commercial music, i think that google corporate music. although, he likes city pop, a bit of 2010's pop, shibuya kei: gorillaz, fantastic plastic machine, CAPSULE, miranda bc why not, pizzicato five, glass animals, patrick watson, tally hall, lemon demon, blur, lady gaga

yum here's the playlist

OHH AND THE NOW NOW IS HIS ALBUM, each song reminds me a lot of radar, especially humility, tranz, fireflies, kansas, souk eye, ALL OF THEM, EVERY SONG ON THAT DAMN ALBUM IS FOR RADAR.

ok soo tumblr hates so it wont let my copypaste augh

my poor guy

I WOULD LIKE TO KEEP WRITING HCS ITS SO FUNN

huh, and thanks to the headcanon of my dear mootie mksbigg3stfan ;33 radar would be farsighted for me, that scene when his glasses break and he asks Jesse if they were there when he is 1 meter away from them, lol, and well, i have problems- HE'S GOING TO HAVE HIS EXERCISE ROUTINES AND HE'S GOING TO BECOME AN ATHLETIC DAD dammnnn

yumyum see ya later YEEEEE I LOVE THIS

[ocean-waters]

Free!cember: crossover (Steven Universe x free!)

Thanks to free!cember, I finally have an excuse to share this Steven Universe x free! concept I've had cooking in my head for several years.

(This technically counts more as an au rather than a crossover, but I've hardly been following the rules, so)

Warning: word vomit. Apologies, but the brainrot has taken over me.

So far, I've only drawn the iwatobi and samezuka cast, but I'd like to do some more characters in the future. I tried to make them all distinctive and tried following SU's art style. The iwatobians have white accents on their clothing, while samezukans have black accents.

For some context: they all meet due to being involved with the process of terraforming new colonies for homeworld. (Terraforming refers to manipulating and reshaping the landscape of a planet to make it optimal for establishing colonies for homeworld, which is the planet from which the gems originated). There are 3 types of terraformers in this au:

Lapis Lazulis - They manipulate water. Only confirmed terraformers in Steven Universe Canon. They use water to slice and pierce through rock formations with deadly precision. They can also mold it into any shape they wish. They possess water wings, which give them the ability to fly.

Idocrases - They manipulate earth. They're able to manipulate large chunks of earth. They can fracture them, push them, crush them, split them, etc. They are very general use. However, they're not very precise. Usually, their work ends up looking pretty rough, so Lapis Lazulis are then often sent in to polish it.

Rubellites - They manipulate fire. How does fire aid in terraforming? Simple. Explosions. They just blow stuff up, lmao. They're often used for demolitions or sent in to clear up areas with too many unwanted elements.

So, with that, the gems I assigned them were:

Haru: Lapis Lazuli. Felt like the natural choice, given they're waterbenders in canon and pretty aloof and distant, but will do anything for those they care about (based purely on one of the lapises we see in the show, but still)

Rin: Rubellite. Apparently, it's a stone that is said to be associated with passion, high energy, and love. And since Rin is so passionate and romantic, I figured it'd fit nicely. It also has a really nice color.

Makoto: Idocrase. Usually a stone associated with positive and calming energies. It also pretty earthy, forming in lime deposits near volcanoes. And in this Au, it fits since he can manipulate earth.

Rei: Fluorite. Apparently known for mental enhancement and focus. They're technicians and data loggers in this au.

Nagisa: Spinel. Based on the canon gem. Goofy and fun-loving. They're entertainers and are often sent in to keep up morale and make gems happy. They have stretchy powers.

Souske: Quartz. Typical bulky soldier/guard. Pretty tough and intimidating, but they form very solid friendships.

Nitori: Pearl. Also based on canon. They're servants given to distinguished gems. Very polite, respectful, and loyal to their masters. (He doesn't stay as a servant. That would feel wrong.)

Momo: Amber. It's orange. Associated with courage and self-confidence. Momo is pretty self-assured and, at times, overly confident, so I felt it fit.

As for the story:

The gist of what I came up with is that Haru and Makoto are terraformers that often get assigned together on missions, which is how they become best friends. Nagisa is usually there as an entertainer for the colony and likes to meet up with them whenever they have free time, which is how they became friends too. Haru is considered to be the best among the lazulis due to his precision when it comes to working with water. His cuts are clean, and his work is impeccable. He's also pretty creative when it comes to the ways in which he uses water.

Then Rin shows up one day, assigned to the same colony as them. He is also considered one of the best among his class, having some pretty big fire power and the capacity to create more powerful explosions than average. He's pretty confident in his own abilities. Then, he gets to witness Haru in action and is completely blown away by it. And well, basically, almost the same events that happen in the show happen here.

They meet Rei when he's assigned to document and monitor their terraforming project.

Souske was a guard for the gem station Rin resides in, so they've been friends for a while.

Nitori was given to Rin for his accomplishments, but Rin does not like the idea of "owning" him, so he just treats him as part of his friend group. Though Ai still insists on helping him with everything.

Despite serving homeworld initially, they all rebel at one point and escape to their own home away from home. The iwatobi group does so first, but it takes Rin and his group a while longer. This is where the conflict comes in.

And, of course, there's fusion involved. One of my favorite concepts of steven universe.

For context: gems' bodies are made of light and are essentially a hologram with mass. This means means they have some advanced abilities like shapeshifting and fusion. When two or more gems fuse, they produce an entirely new entity with its own consciousness and individuality, which combines the personality traits and physical attributes from its components. For it to happen, gems need to be synchronized, and there has to be communication and cooperation.

Fusions are essentially a physical manifestation of the relationship between its components. It can be any type of relationship. Platonic, romantic, familial, etc.

So far, I've only done two:

Rhodochrosite

The Rin & Haru fusion. At first, I wanted it to be a pietersite, as that is a gem that has both red and blue chaotically intertwined within it. However, I then became aware of the existence of a stone called Rhodochrosite. And it just seemed so much better. It might be a stretch, but the markings it has, together with its soft pink color, made me think of cherry blossoms, which is just so much more symbolic of the relationship between these two. Plus, the gem is called Rhodochrosite. RHodochrosite (hehe). So I opted for it instead. I know blue and red don't make pink when mixed together, but fusions don't necessarily have to follow color theory. (See: smoky quartz, s1 garnet, sunstone, and more)

The clothing is loosely based on the japanese team uniform from the final stroke movies (meant to represent how Rin and Haru become their best selves together). He has only two eyes because of the whole seeing a sight they've never seen before together sentiment. And yes, he has shark teeth, too.

In terms of character, rhodochrosite is.. a lot. I mean, what do you think would happen if you combined these two. Pure chaos (in a good way, mostly).

He's ridiculously competitive about everything. "This isn't a competition." - Yes, it is, and he' going to win. He's also pretty impulsive and quick tempered. Act first, think later. If he likes or doesn't like something, he'll show it. He can be pretty blunt, too (given that Rin is very opinionated and Haru doesn't care for sugar coating things). He can also be pretty closed off, keeping things to himself. He will do absolutely anything for his friends, though, even if it means using violence. (To be fair, violence is almost always the answer for him)

He's pretty confident in himself and likes to do as he pleases. Usually, he flies around and plays around with the elements, testing out his capabilities. Being the fun-loving thrill-seeker that he is, he usually gets a bit too carried away with this and ends up causing a lot of damage. His elemental powers are also enhanced, meaning he's truly a force to be reckoned with. He's overall a fun experience for Rin and Haru. I imagine fusion would be the equivalent of swimming together. They don't stay fused forever like garnet, though. They value their individuality too much for that. But they do it often. Sometimes on accident. The rest are used to seeing him around a lot. And yes, there are feelings involved, but they're in denial.

Apatite

The Makoto and Haru fusion. Saw the stone and its beautiful teal color and thought it would fit quite nicely. Plus, it's opaque like lapis lazulis and idocrases. He has two pairs of eyes. However, the pupils from the top and bottom sets move in synch, as if they're just one pair split down the middle.

He's quiet and serious, but also very gentle. I imagine he usually gets lost in his own head due to constantly having an internal monologue, so you could often see him just sitting there staring into space, deep in thought.

He's mostly level headed, due to Haru's stoic nature and Makoto's overabundant patience and prefers to avoid conflict instead of engaging with it. However, if someone or something were to threaten their friends, they wouldn't hesitate.

Haru and Makoto are already pretty in synch, so fusing is not difficult for them, but they mostly do it only when necessary. Like during combat or to protect their friends. They enjoy each other's company either way, merged or apart, it makes no difference.

They can manipulate mud and clay (earth + water), and sometimes, they create little sculptures.

There is so much more I wanted to share, but I've been working on this for a while. So I'll leave it here for now. I do want to do more for this au, though. More characters, definitely more fusions, and expanding the story a bit more. Also, some sketches of small interactions/moments. Particularly some with nagisa and rin&haru. They're both like big brothers to him, so their fusion is like his ultimate big brother figure, and I think their dynamic could be so fun. Until then, though, I'll share this.

Steven universe isn't as relevant anymore, but like free! I don't think I'll ever let it go. It's a lot of fun working on things like these.

[sixteenth-days]

hallo,

dunno if this has already been asked but what's the hierarchy between gems? I can infer some (diamond > pearls > emeralds) but I haven't watched Steven universe so I haven't really got a clue.

love the au btw :D been reading it !!

sure! i'll just talk about the gems we've seen/mentioned in the fic so far, roughly arranged from highest to lowest. a lot of this is only inferred in su canon, so some of this is my own thoughts and interpretations of what we've seen applied to the fic.

highest:

diamonds (lizzie)- diamonds are the ultimate commanders of the empire. there are four of them and all gems ultimately are under a specific diamond.

emerald (ren)- emeralds are high-ranking military gems who command their own ships or fleets and are considered members of the homeworld aristocracy.

sapphire (scott)- sapphires are also members of the aristocracy. they are very highly prized for their future vision ability, and also have some ice-based abilities.

upper-mid-level:

aquamarine (grian)- sort of a specialized chaos agent, but highly ranked and trusted regardless- the one we see in canon is personally dispatched for a diamond for a retrieval mission.

lapis lazuli (jimmy)- lapises are not considered part of the aristocracy, but they are still considered to be very valuable and powerful due to their hydrokinetic abilities and their importance to colonization projects.

topaz (skizz)- topazes are very powerful combat gems, and like aquamarines are high up in their respective diamonds' courts.

mid-level:

quartzes (etho, cleo, tango)- quartzes are soldiers. they're individually quite strong but do not rank particularly high in the hierarchy. jaspers, amethysts, and other quartzes all fall under this- different types will have different abilities. they're supposed to be quite physically imposing but it doesn't always work out that way.

snowflake obsidian (big b)- obsidian is also a type of soldier gem. they also have frost powers, like sapphires.

spinel (scar)- scar is a bit of a weird one. spinels are entertainers to higher-ranking gems rather than being intended for martial use- he's a personal favorite of pink diamond, but himself does not rank very highly.

nephrite (bdubs)- nephrites are pilots in addition to being soldiers, and probably fit into the larger mid-level grouping of technician gems.

bismuth (impulse)- bismuths are blacksmith/construction gems. you can see how none of them gems sent on the initial mission to earth were considered particularly 'valuable'

lowest:

ruby (martyn)- rubies are disposable foot soldiers. there are a lot of them, and they are usually sent in groups so they can fuse together and become one very large ruby- they also have fire-based abilities.

pearl (joel, pearl)- pearls are effectively personal servants/assistants for higher ranking gems. the reason ren isn't happy joel is on his ship isn't that joel outranks him (he doesn't) but because joel has a direct line to report to his diamond.

uhhh, let me know if i forgot anyone! the last thing of note is that within their type, gems will also be judged on the color, cut, and size of their gem, which impacts their physical form- gems that are not considered to be a good cut or off-colored will be considered lesser, and a gem that develops poorly can come out smaller or underpowered.

[miracles-and-butterflies]

I need more of the Steven Universe AU purely to see what everyone's fusions would be like. The triplet's fusion would be so freaking awesome, any of the sibling trio fusions would be a terrifying powerhouse, I want the sibling fusions, I need to know what the fusion of Luisa and Mirabel would be like, the fusion of Mirabel and Antonio would be so adorable, and I want to find out which Isabela fusion would be the most chaotic/destructive/unhinged, heck, give us the fusions of Alma with each of her kids and grandkids, it would be a great opportunity for visual representation of how her pressure and expectations negatively impact each of them. I bet it would take people a solid minute to realize Julieta and Mirabel had fused, Mirabel is so much her mama's clone you don't notice the difference unless you're paying close attention or know them really well. Please, PLEASE give us more, I even have ideas for the rest of the Madrigals gem types. Pedro would be another Diamond, if Alma's a Diamond then it would make the most sense if Pedro was one too, he's likely been shattered. Pyrope definitely fits Dolores and Camilo is absolutely an Orange Spinel, Antonio should be Tiger's Eye. I think Lapis Lazuli is best suited for Isabela, beautiful and upper class yet extremely powerful, and Mirabel could be a defective Bismuth that doesn't have the muscle of a normal Bismuth and can't build to save her life, expressing the natural creativity of her gem type through unconventional means and making up for her lack of brawn with brain

I’m so glad you’re enjoying this AU!

Firstly, I should say that not everyone fuses. I have to vaguely follow SU’s plot, but…

The triplets (or, well, mainly Pepa and Bruno) did secretly fuse when they were first made. They frequently caused chaos and got intro trouble, partially why it then became so taboo. It was already viewed as bad, but knowing what damage could be caused to the perfect empire… it became a lot more of a serious offence.

Some of the siblings/cousins haven’t fused together, so I’d need to know who you wanted to know about specifically.

And none of the parents have fused with the children.

Luisa and Mirabel are oddly enough quite like Sardonyx as a fusion. Luisa shares a lot of traits with both Garnet and Pearl, and then combined with Mirabel, I’d be lying if they weren’t oddly close to Sardonyx. In saying that, they could also be Garnet herself - a lot of Luisa and Mirabel’s interactions are akin to Ruby and Sapphire respectively. However, they are also very anxious together, so take that as you will for their fusion.

About the Madrigals’ gems, here is the updated list:

Antonio - Tiger’s Eye (I absolutely love this idea! It fits so well)

Isabela - no idea

Dolores - Rutile

Luisa - Amethyst

Camilo - Yellow Spinel

Mirabel - Sapphire

Julieta - Blue Diamond

Pepa - Orange Diamond

Bruno - Green Diamond

Alma - Pink Diamond

Pedro - Botswana Agate

I’ll happily give information for whatever people ask for!

[lunarthing159]

So, Since The Main 8 Cast Have Been Revealed For The WitchCraftSMP Gemcyt AU, I Suppose It's About Time For A Summary Post!

If You Don't Know What I'm Talking About, Look At The Tags Of This Post And/Or Go To My Blog And Check For Those Tags Before Clicking Read-More. That'll Show You The Progress So-Far! Also, I Will Try Writing The Below Without My Usual Typing Style As To Make It Easier To Read ^v^

● Starting Up, A Height Lineup!

In order from Shortest to Tallest, we have:

Citrine/Eloise, GoldPearl/Shelby, Jade/Scott, LapisLazuli/Prismarina, GrapeAgate/Lauren, CherryBlossomJasper/Cupquake, Amethyst/Cleo, & Spessartine/Joey

Eloise & Joey were purposefully placed next to eachother in the heights lineup as to showcase the height range of the whole cast. I also tried making sure that no two colored gems were next to eachother as to make it more apparent where everyone starts and ends. As shown with Citrine & Spessartine, I was not always able to do this ^v^"

● Next Up, Worldbuilding!

This AU takes place in a similar worldbuilding to Steven Universe. With the Diamond Authority and Gem Hierarchy System, including it's stance on 'Off-Color' Gems. Off-Color Gems are basically the outcasts of society, cross-gem fusions, flukes, and rebels fall into this category. If a gem isn't useful or otherwise challenges authority, they are Off-Color.

The AU's worldbuilding has everyone, through one way or another, end up on the same rebel planet. On this planet, they are hosting a competition between their resident 'Off-Colors' to showcase they can be useful outside the boundaries of which they were created. Pearls don't have to be servants, nor do Agates have to lead. They can choose their own fate and thrive! If a gem likes their role, that's fine! But if they don't, they shouldn't be labeled a fluke simply because they long for change.

Everyone's Off-Color traits are explained and elaborated on in their own posts, so look to those if you'd like more information. I also plan to write some stories about how everyone got onto the rebel planet from their life before. Some starting at the beginning of their life, others starting at whenever they gained their off-colored trait.

● Fusions!

I already have a few fusions between the cast members planned out, however I will wait to post anything for one reason, You All! Same with the base Gemcyt AU that started this all, I want all of you to be able to draw your own fusions! Whether they become canon or not, whether I take inspiration or not (I will ask if I can before tho if I do), I want to see y'all's creativity with these gem-ified block people!

● What About The Others?

The Others, in this case, refer to people like Bertha, Mertha, The Supreme Witch, Milo, & ect. For now, I have yet to make them, however (for the majority) I already have gems picked out for them. I just gotta draw them.

● Extras?

Extras! The main thing I want to talk about first is that, while I may change some/alot of backstory to fit into the worldbuilding, the character dynamics themselves will remain the same. Lapis Lazuli & Gold Pearl will remain friends just like Prismarina & Shelby, the same applies for Amethyst & Jade / Cleo & Scott. Lapis & Amethyst will have a rivalry just like Pris & Cleo did. And, of course, Grape Agate AKA Lauren will likely have a strained dynamic with Spessartine Garnet AKA Joey.

Another thing is that, while the art above may seem very simplistic, I mainly did so as to make color-palettes easier to replicate! I might draw more detailed versions of them another time, but for now, the blank colors with minimal shading is good for color-picking & quick refrence!

And finally, if you have any more questions about this AU, feel free to plop an ask into the ask-box and I will either answer your question or tell you if it's already been answered!

|

With That Said, I Am Now Going To @chrisrin And Say "Hello! I Have Spent The Past 2-3 Weeks Drawing / Writing Some Magic Gem People" ^v^

If You Don't Know Who This 'chrisrin' Is Or Why I Am @ -ing Them? Go Check Out Their Blog! They Are The Creator Of The Initial Gemcyt AU That Started It All & They Also Have Alot Of Other Really Cool Stuffs!

[esoteric-chaos]

Working with Technology Deities

{My post is Cross Posted from The Cobalt Athenaeum aka my original post}

This is all largely UPG and SPG based.

Technology deities are a type of egregore, you can call them a pop culture deity if that feels better. They are the embodiment of the tech domain itself. A primordial being, at least in the way I work with them. They have no faces, names or gender to me. They just are their domain and energy itself. Incredibly powerful in their own right. They can be found the same way a pop culture deity can be, you can see more in our Sister Server Westruun (the blue one) aka The Cobalt Athenaeum.

How Do I Work With a Tech Deity?

You can work with them like any other deity, the largest difference is incorporating them into your tech magic. Are you a streamer? A YouTuber? Or even a blogger? Perhaps work with the Algorithm god. They rule over (in my personal experience) the Algorithm, wisdom, confidence, perception, and change. They can help you boost your numbers, your presence, boost confidence and much more. Incorporating them into your life would surely aid you in your goals.

Make a space for them, build a relationship, make offerings and petition them. You will not regret it.

Tech Deity Examples and Correspondences

I’ve worked with a deity of a social media site and the deities listed below. I will not be posting everything and everyone's correspondences I have worked with, I believe it is important to base your own correspondences and this will be a sample but you can get a general idea from here. These are all my correspondences from working with them. You can use the same ones listed or feel out your own when you meet them.

Algorithm Deity God Of: The Algorithm, wisdom, perception, change, confidence Plants & Trees: Basil, Clary Sage, Maples Elements: Air Celestial Body/Planet: Mercury Scents and Incense: Clary Sage, Ginger, Peppermint Stones & Gems: Tigers eye, Lapis Lazuli Tarot card: The Fool Colours: Light blue, grey, red Candle Colour: Bold Red Offerings: Coffee, caffeinated teas, water, sugar (quick rush), carbs (energy), omega 3s (brain food) Things to use to work with them: analytical data, statistical data, copy of information for social platform, goals. How you can work with them: To grow your social media presence, and data studies, to learn how to be less resistant to change as well as to be, look and appear more confident.

Cloud Deity God Of: All known, unknown and held information on the internet, knowledge, memory, balance (both destructive and non-destructive knowledge) Plants & Trees: Rosemary, Thyme, Cacti, Cedar, Ferns Elements: Water Celestial Body/Planet: Saturn Scents and Incense: Rosemary, Jasmine, cedarwood Stones & Gems: Turquoise, Red Jasper, Sapphires Tarot card: Magician Colours: purple and pink Candle Colour: Purple Offerings: Herbal teas, water, omega 3s (brain power), savoury, spicy Things to use to work with them: Memory stick, notes, notebook, photos, computer, phone, books, camera How you can work with them: Memory recall, sourcing information, retaining information, studying, school, balance in your life

Web Deity God Of: The internet, duality (positive and negative), change, expression Plants & Trees: Fungai, Palm Trees, marigolds Elements: Fire Celestial Body/Planet: Sun Scents and Incense: Orange, Rosemary, Cinnamon Stones & Gems: Amber, Obsidian, fluorite Tarot card: The World Colours: Yellow, Orange, Green Candle Colour: Orange Offerings: Alcohol, water, sweet, spicy, carbs, any junk food Things to use to work with them: Electronics that can access web pages How you can work with them: Finding duality in the world, working with them via searches and teachings, how to stop resisting change, self-expression

Conductor Deity God Of: Electricity, power, energy, action, travel, courage & fear Plants & Trees: Oak Trees, sugarcane, lemon trees, Lemon balm Elements: Electricity Celestial Body/Planet: Venus Scents and Incense: Orange, lemon, Ginger Stones & Gems: Quartz, Citrine, sunstone Tarot card: Swords Colours: Yellow, white, gold Candle Colour: Yellow or Gold Offerings: Coffee, alcohol, water, soups, fruits and veggies, carbs, protein Things to use to work with them: Battery, anything electronic, metals How you can work with them: Powering wards, spellwork and yourself. Action-based plans and spellwork, exercise and general movement, travel, working on self-courage and fears.

This is a highly controversial topic and quite frankly I will not have any arguing on this post. If you simply do not believe in this? Move on. If it's not harming anything or anyone why do you care? The answer is you don't. I will block you from my page if I see anything. General discussion is fine, but being nasty? No.

Would you be interested in the rest of my posts? Check out the Masterpost.

Blessings,

Juniper

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Lapis Lazurite, an era 1 gem experiment from the gem war period.

Gem placement: above naval

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Orientation: Asexual Sapphic

Alliance: None

Gem type: Lazulite

Occupation: Terraformer (former)

Home: Earth

Age: Unknown

Background: Her gem became cracked in an early battle of the gem war. Yellow Diamond offered an experimental solution. Using Pyrite shards, they filled the cracks in Lapis’ gem. She would no longer glitch, but was stuck in a cracked gem state. Making her an off-color gem. She ran away to earth, and spent the rest of the gem war in hiding. While she never aligned with the crystal gems, she always held a grudge towards yellow diamond’s experimental treatment which took her sight and form. Eventually she moved to Little Homeworld and Beach City. Despite Steven’s best efforts, her cracked form state is permanent, as after the experiment, she became a new gem entirely. No longer Lapis Lazuli, she was Lapis Lazurite.