#bonajade exchange

[manganyeh]

Jade Relationships

Canon

Aventurine: Young people grow up so fast. In the blink of an eye, they reach the age where they start snatching work from the grown-ups. (adoptive son mutual amount of love)

aventurine i write with: @a-gilded-imprisonment

Topaz: She is still a work in progress. But one day she'll stop and realize... the first principle of negotiating a deal is to keep pressing after a victory. (friends and student)

topaz i write with: @topaz-and-numby-official

Dr Ratio: … (despise)

dr ratio i write with: @veritas-ratio-rp

Sparkle: Not everyone can appreciate this kind of gemstone — the more unrefined and unbridled it is, the more beautiful... But it's too early to unearth now. (hates)

sparkle i write with: none

Sunday: The world is fair. He must be prepared to lose however much he desires to gain (pity for)

sunday i write with: @sunday-halovian @stringed-harmony and @theircosmicbrothers

more to be added!

[leaf-line]

For the request, can I please have Yandere Topaz, Jade, and Ruan Mei x people pleasure reader headcanon (seperate).

𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭

Yandere! Topaz/Jade/Ruan Mei x Gn! Reader

❏ In which your selfless deeds catch someone's attention for no good reason.

cw: suggestive themes, dehumanization, isolation, brainwashing, non-consensual (french) kiss, Ruan Mei being gross.

w/c: 1,484

"Care for a drink Miss Topaz? Maybe I can help with your problems..." You offer a juice to her, and a hand. Co-worker [Name], a diligent worker in the Strategic Investment Department, seen around doing favors and extra work just for everyone... But why won't you just help her and only her instead?

"Oh, thank you! And no thank you, I can do these all by myself, how about you take care of yourself, and take a rest? You're always so helpful, [Name]." Topaz takes the juice gratefully with a smile.

"No... The same goes for you, Miss Topaz, if it weren't for you, I wouldn't be here having this position." You bow your head before hearing someone call you.

"[Name]! Do you have anything to do right now!? I need you assistance with this—"

"Yes! Yes! Coming right up!" You scurry to the voice, but not before giving a little wave to Topaz.

She returns the wave. Before looking back to the screen... And frowns. "It's only a matter of time." She mumbles.

Oddly enough, in the next three days after just being in the IPC, you were announced as Topaz's own personal assistant.

"This is... A bit surprising... But I look forward to being your assistant from now on, Miss Topaz." You smile, she smiles too.

"No, Jelena is fine, you're my assistant now, right? You don't need to be formal. I just have one rule... Don't assist any other workers from the IPC if it's not me, alright?" She orders.

"May I ask why...?"

"I simply don't want you to be led astray from your work, now, am I clear?"

What... a weird request, but you follow it nonetheless. For one day, that is, you only lasted one day, when that another co-worker of yours, begged for your assistance, you couldn't refuse, you weren't trained for that.

"Awh come on, [Name]! Just because you're now Topaz's assistant, doesn't mean you don't have to help your other co-workers too!" The person in front of you moaned.

"I'm sorry but, Miss Topa—Jelena advised me not to—"

"It's just very little work, it won't kill you will it? Just help me."

"...A-Alright, fine..."

...After that time, you never saw that same co-worker again the next day, from what you've seen, he was fired from his job because of workplace harassment, you don't know if it's true, you doubt that it's true... and Jelena... didn't seem happy when she confronts you about your deed.

"Didn't I personally said to you that you shouldn't assist anyone other than me?"

She sighs and shakes her head disappointedly. Your back was facing the wall as she pushes up her thigh below your crotch.

"I can't believe you would just disobey me that early, maybe I should start teaching you and training so you won't be pushed around from others like that."

Teaching you and training you like a pet, that is. A cute, little pet who won't disobey her master. That's what Topaz shamelessly labels you as.

You walked into the pawn shop nervously. You swallow, feeling like you've entered a dangerous territory.

"Welcome to Bonajade Exchange. Who are you? And what do you seek?" An unfamiliar and elegant voice rang from behind the curtain.

"I wish... To help my friends." You mumbled out loud.

"Hm? Why is that?" Though you can't see her, you can feel her smiling through her lips. "Are you sure you're here for the sake of someone else?" She muses.

"They've... Been struggling with expenses, I don't know what offer you but myself... I owe them many." You tell her with a sad tone.

"You're sacrificing yourself for the sake of your friend? That's very noble, we can arrange that. Though, since you're here at my pawnshop, I'd like to hear what you want for your own self."

"No need. I'll do what I can to help other people." You fidget, yet say with full honestly, Lady Bonajade senses that. There is not single greedy bone in your body, fellows like you were rare, it's about time she found a rare gem, just like Jelena.

"I see," She raises the curtains. "In exchange for other people's needs, why don't you work at this shop?" She offers.

You cleaned the pawnshop, bargained for Jade, advertised the shop for the people in need. You kept the store running, but you didn't show any signs of uplifting the profits into another level, you were just a side piece, keeping the shop regulating like normal, and it was insufficient for Jade.

But it's fine, Jade doesn't leave an exchange until she gets real value.

You were cut ties from your family thinking that you were just busy and working hard to provide yourself and sending a lot of resources to them, your friends were now happy and financially stable but never really checked on you whether your doing good, the people you care and know were healthy, but they don't need you. Now you find your hands weighting chains, attached to the shackle on your wrist.

If there's one thing Jade found joy in, it's reaping a pure, untaited, soul.

"Come closer here," Jade gestures you to come over, you obey, broken. You see her lips, tainted with dark red lipstick, it comes closer, not on your face.

And just as Adam bit the apple, Jade bites your neck.

"Ruan Mei, you're burnt out, please take a rest, I'll handle all of this research." You place a blanket on her shoulder.

"Would you like a cup of tea? A plate of cake? Embroider something? Please inform me, I'll... I'll handle it." You say with a smile.

Ruan Mei was tired, she had been researching Aeons for a couple of weeks, barely feeding herself. And usually, when Ruan Mei was tired, she wouldn't entrust anyone with her research... Except for you.

Ruan Mei's trusty little assistant, whom she's sure no matter what she asks you for, you would do that.

"...I want a cake." She answers, though delayed.

"Oh, alright!" You seem delighted to be doing a favor. You ran into the kitchen, preparing the food as Ruan Mei daydreams.

Why were you so insistent in helping her? Why do you do everything in your power to please her? You're strange, a strange person, Ruan Mei shouldn't care, she shouldn't care about your well being, she shouldn't care why your here to help her.

"I'm at your service, Ruan Mei."

"Do you need any help? I'll be sure to help you with what you need, Ruan Mei."

"Ruan Mei."

"Ruan Mei."

"Ruan Mei—"

"Ruan Mei, your desert is ready..." She snaps out of her daydream and glances at you, then the plate you're holding.

She blinks. "Apologies, I blanked out."

"It's alright."

You don't say her name, she's just a bit slightly dissapointed. But it was never shown in her face.

You hand over the dessert you made for her, she takes it. You studied Ruan Mei's personal favorite desserts, food, tea and how it's all tailored to Ruan Mei's tastes. Your cooking is always bound to be above her expectations.

She takes a bite of the cake and you see her lips curl up by two milimeters, which sounds a lot.

"...Would like me to share?" She must've noticed you staring at her, you shake your head at the offer. "I mean no harm, I simply want to share my food to you, is that alright?"

You obey her regardless...

She looks at her research paper, at the table, only to get a headache since none if it provided her help towards her goal. She opts focusing on you instead.

"Here, say ahh..." Using the spoon, she takes a good amount of portion of the cake and tried to feed you with it like you're a baby.

"Ruan Mei, that is a bit... Embarrassing..."

You said her name, she relishes.

"It's fine, you only deserve, after all the times you helped me, come on, you don't need to lift a finger." She pushes the spoon to your lips, so you awkwardly open your mouth and the cake enters.

"...Say my name." She orders, but your eating something... That's not a problem, right?

"Ruan Mei, wh—Mmph!?"

She intrudes, exploring your mouth with her tongue, feeling the food that you personally made for her, she takes a part of it, and exits your mouth.

She swallows the cake with your saliva coatted in it then licks her lips. "Mm. Delectable." She nods, as if she's rating the experience with 4.5 stars.

You were left there with a dumbfounded expression, confused, perhaps even grossed out.

It's fine, brainwashing isn't hard to conduct, you'll forget this ever happened in no time. Just as how you forgot you were trapped in her home against your will in the first place.

a/n: mmm... manipulative women... 😋

[ceruark]

still here

[yan! sunday x gn! reader] synopsis: you’ve been waiting for the day you’d finally be free from your captor. but fate has other plans, as you keep reliving the moment of his departure. words: 5,320 cw: yandere themes: mentions of previous manipulation, abduction, obsessive & possessive behavior; implied alcoholism, brief mention of murder/stabbing a/n: i’ve had this on backlog for MONTHS i’m so glad it’s finally done. i hope it’s okay and u guys like it <3

It’s true what they say about there being light at the end of a dark, seemingly endless tunnel; when the Astral Express finally departs, it does so in a blaze, washing the dock by The Reverie in a brilliant glow and momentarily blinding you. Once your vision clears up, it’s nothing but a star shooting across the vast sky, leaving behind a warmth that lifts the weight of the world off your shoulders.

At least, that’s how it felt the first time.

You’re not sure how many times you’ve seen it leave, at this point— you lost count a while ago. There were a few times you decided to not even show up at the dock, to see if it changed anything, but to your dismay, you woke up in your apartment in Golden Hour every single time, your alarm clock blaring at seven in the morning and the calendar reading that same, dreaded day.

December 3rd.

You realized after the fifth time that you were, in no uncertain terms, stuck in a time loop. The universe seems to revel in your suffering, and it finds particular hilarity in you repeatedly having to see Sunday “for the last time.” It doesn’t matter what you change— the day always resets. You’ve seen him off with the sweet disposition you learned long ago to keep up in public spaces, and you’ve cursed him out, screamed at him, and hit him.

But none of it worked. Nothing has changed.

You sigh as Siobhan swipes your empty glass off the table and replaces it with a full one. She nods at you sympathetically, eyes gleaming with pity. In the years following your abduction, you became a regular at the Dreamjolt Holstery whenever Sunday was out on business. You drank yourself to the bottom of bottles, chasing some kind of reprieve in a place where you could actually breathe. Siobhan was always sweet to you and never ratted you out. Gallagher had been good company as well, chasing out Oak Family representatives whenever they came poking around. You miss him, at times.

You take a slow sip of your wine. The finest chardonnay Penacony has to offer slips down your throat, and a pang rips through you as it does. You had shared a bottle with Sunday on your second date, back when you believed him to be a much different man than he proved to be.

You push the glass across the table and fold your arms on top of it, laying your head down and resting your cheek against it. Your eyes blearily scan the bar, drinking in the happy couples with some bitter cocktail of desolation and envy. You watch them, the way they so tenderly hold each other and exchange whispers and sweet kisses— no fronts or guards up— and you lament it all. You curse Xipe’s name and spit on Ena’s memory for the umpteenth time. Perhaps your blasphemy is so plentiful at this point that it stands out against the countless prayers reaching the sky from Penacony’s citizens, a hideous smudge on what should be a flawless record of blind admiration.

But you never were very good at falling in line.

Movement startles you out of your stupor. You lift your head and watch as a woman donning a large black hat and draped in the finest clothing money can buy settles into the booth across from you.

You clench your jaw tightly. Lady Bonajade, the soul who so graciously saved Sunday from everything he deserves.

She meets your poisonous glare with a sickly sweet smile. “Such bitterness on what should be a joyous occasion,” she drawls. She takes the abandoned wine glass into her hand and takes a sip. “What’s the matter, darling?”

You flick your gaze back to the bar where Siobhan is wiping down the counter. “It’s not really any of your business,” you respond evenly. You know better than to entertain her. She won’t give you anything useful, anyway.

She didn’t the last time you talked to her about your predicament.

She laughs. “So distrusting, though I suppose I can’t blame you for being a product of your environment.” Your heated glare fixes on her again, and she smiles, pleased with herself. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you seem sad to see him go.”

“Then it’s a good thing you know better,” you mutter.

She hums, then lifts the glass again. She takes long sips of the wine as she scrolls idly through her phone, presumably waiting for you to crack and spill your guts.

Perhaps you would keep your wits about you under any other circumstances. Jade’s presence does not come without an ulterior motive, and anything she offers you will certainly not come free. Speaking with her means risking being trapped under someone else’s thumb when you’ve only been free from Sunday’s for a few months.

But is there any real harm in confiding in her if she won’t even remember this?

“You won’t believe me,” you say, in a voice barely above a whisper.

A small smile crosses her lips as she sets her phone down. She meets your eyes, her gaze deceptively warm. “Try me.”

You stare at the polished surface of the table for a long moment, failing to find strength in the disheveled reflection that stares back at you. “I’m stuck in a time loop.”

Jade doesn’t say anything. When you look up at her, her gaze is much sharper, but there’s clear interest in it. She gestures for you to continue.

“I don’t know how many times I’ve lived this day. No matter what I do, I wake up and it’s the third of December.” You clench your hands into fists, and they tremble where they rest on the table. “I’ve watched him leave countless times now. I’ve been kind to him when he leaves, I’ve slapped him in front of the Express crew, I’ve straight up refused to show up and I’ve left Penacony altogether. I’ve—” 

You choke on your words, remembering the sound of horrified shrieks and golden eyes gleaming with horror and heartbreak. The feeling of sinking the blade into his chest and getting his blood on your hands had been as sickening as it was liberating.

“I’ve killed him,” you whisper. “But he didn’t— he’s still here. Every day. I can’t get rid of him.” A pathetic, weak laugh leaves you as you bury your face in your hands. “Even now, I can’t get rid of him.”

Silence descends over the booth. The idle chatter and occasional laughter of other patrons breaks up the tension in the air between you and Jade. The only sign that she’s even still at the table with you is the sound of her nails clinking against the side of the wine glass as she ponders your words.

“Let’s say, for discussion’s sake, that I do believe you.” You look up, meeting her cool, calculated gaze. “Do you have any theories as to why you are stuck in a time loop?”

You frown. “If we go off cliche, I’m making a wrong decision somewhere.”

Jade nods. “Agreed. Something far bigger than us in a place beyond humanity isn’t happy with you.”

You rest your cheek against your palm. “Any suggestions? I’m all out of ideas.”

She hums. “Why don’t we start by going over what you haven’t tried? You’re—”

“A clever little thing, given my previous circumstances.” Jade’s eyes go a bit wide at your sudden interruption, completing her sentence for her. Feeling inordinately exhausted, you sigh. “We’ve had this conversation before.” You lower your gaze. “When you convinced me to kill him.”

Jade goes back to tapping the glass again. You glare at her. Maybe if she’d just let Sunday face the music and be executed like the little lamb Gopher Wood intended for him to be, you wouldn’t be in this mess. Maybe you’d be back in the Dreamflux, enjoying a quaint, more secluded life.

“Killing him did not work.”

“No,” you murmur, “it didn’t.”

“Well, then the answer seems quite clear to me.” She tilts her head to the side, causing the light to glint off her earrings. “But you may not like it very much, darling.”

Desperate, you say, “Shoot.”

The corner of her lips pull up, and she presses a finger to her lips in a shushing gesture. She stares at you expectantly.

You pull your lips back in a snarl. “You’re really not going to tell me?”

She lifts the glass one last time to her grinning lips, and polishes off the wine. “Clever little thing,” she says in sing-song.

White-hot rage burns in your veins, and red flashes behind your eyes. Too used to your actions no longer having consequences, you slam your hands onto the table, startling the patrons around you. 

Jade doesn’t so much as flinch.

“This is all your fault.” You thrust a damning finger in her face, your frustration mounting and your voice cracking in odd places. “You should have let him die. He deserved to. He deserved to— if not for what he did to Penacony, for what he did to me.”

“How sad you feel that way.” Her calm response stokes the flames burning up what little remains of your heart. “His sister would have missed him dearly.”

A sardonic laugh tears at your throat. “I could care less about Robin. What has she ever done for me?” You grin, wild and anguished. “Maybe if he died, then she would feel even a fraction of the despair I felt everyday trapped in that damn labyrinth he called our home!”

“You’re very focused on his death, when it’s already proven to be something that won’t work out for you very well.”

“If you hadn’t interfered,” you whisper, very slowly, “I wouldn’t be in this mess. Maybe instead, it would be me making a grand getaway with the Astral Express.”

A smile crawls over her face, cold and cruel and serpent-like. She leans forward ever so slightly, her hat casting shadows over the eyes that pin you to your seat.

“There’s your answer.”

Your heart plummets. Her words are ice-cold water down your back, raising every hair on your body and sending your heart stuttering. Time slows down and everything stills, the idle chatter of the bar nothing more than white noise in your ears as you stare into the maw of the predator, the one that allowed yours to live.

The word falls from your lips, a single, broken syllable. “No.”

“Going with him is the only thing you haven’t tried.”

“Why—” Something tight coils in your throat, and you choke on it, a sob finding its way out of your throat. “Why would that be the answer?”

Why should he still be allowed to have you, after everything?

Jade’s smile softens out around the edges. If you didn’t know any better, you would say she looks almost sympathetic. “Perhaps he has not fallen from grace with the Harmony as much as he believes he has.”

Your nails pierce through the skin of your palm. You bite down on your lip until you taste blood.

“He is a boy favored by aeons,” Jade says mournfully. “It is a choice that has never been in your hands.”

Letting out a shuddering gasp, you shoot up from the table and bolt out of the bar. Patrons exclaim around you as you shoulder past them, hardly holding yourself together from breaking down right there in the bar. Somewhere behind you, Siobhan calls out for you, but you ignore her and break out into a frenzied sprint.

Your legs burn as you run, your instincts taking over your mind which has gone numb. They carry you through the secluded alleys of Golden Hour, over fences and past guards and through thorn bushes until you finally reach your destination.

Finding your way into the room you had once shared with Sunday isn’t difficult. The twisted hallways of Dewlight Pavilion have long since been burned into your memory, and you easily reach the bedroom before various Oak Family guards can reach you.

You lock the door behind you and push yourself off the wall just as people begin pounding loudly on the door and shouting. Navigating the room in a daze, you reach the nightstand on Sunday’s side of the bed and open the drawer.

The matches he would use to light prayer candles have gone untouched.

Matches in hand, you march into the bathroom and open the cabinet. Ripping the isopropyl alcohol off the shelf, you untwist the cap with your teeth and spit it out onto the pristine tile floor. Walking back into the room, you douse the bed in the bottle’s contents, saving just a bit to leave a trail from the bed to the bedroom window.

You set the empty bottle down on your vanity. Fingertips ghosting over the surface, you pause when they meet the familiar grooves of a small jewelry box Robin had brought you from her previous tour. You open it, staring down at it in disdain as the music box attached to it plays a lullaby from your childhood— yet another cherished memory tainted by the siblings. Your eyes roam the contents of the box, taking note of the empty space amongst your collection of rings. 

You shut the lid, lock it, then hurl it at the window.

The clamoring guards outside the room get louder at the sound of shattering glass. Wasting no time, you rush toward the window and sling both legs over the ledge, your back now facing the room.

Turning around, you strike a match, and drop it onto the edge of the alcohol trail.

In a singular second, the fire catches and spreads, until the canopy bed is engulfed in flames.

A sob escapes your throat, then a laugh, then a strange combination of both. The sounds mesh together and rack your body until you’re nothing more than a hysterical mess sitting above broken glass, watching the room that haunts your nightmares burn to the ground.

A yell sounds behind you. “There’s the culprit!”

A tranquilizer dart reserved for Penacony’s worst pierces your arm, and then you collapse to the floor.

Your eyes fly open at the sound of a cheery Clockie theme song blaring through your room. Your arm shoots out from beneath your comforter and slams the snooze button, silencing the chipper voice. Slowly, you turn to look at your left arm. 

There’s no pinprick of a dart on it, not a single blemish in sight.

You bury your face into your pillow and scream at the top of your lungs, allowing yourself to sob one last time. Then, you resign yourself to your fate.

You go through the motions as though you haven’t been out of practice for even a single day. You take a long, warm shower, warming the water to the point of scalding and lathering your skin until it’s red and raw. You bathe yourself with a lavender soap— his favorite scent on you.

Wrapped in only a towel, you walk into your room and approach your closet. Taking a deep breath, you kneel down and reach in the far back, grabbing onto a box and pulling it toward you.

You grimace as you pull the flaps open. Inside sits the few objects gifted to you by Sunday that you decided to save when The Family permitted you to enter Dewlight Pavilion one last time, following his arrest. Gingerly, your fingers ghost over the soft silk of a baby blue shirt. You take the shirt and unfold it, releasing a breath you didn’t realize you were holding when your gaze falls on the small object that had been tucked away into the fabric.

A sapphire gemstone carved into an oval sits on top of an ornate silver band, encased on both sides by smaller diamonds.

You slip your wedding ring onto your finger, choking back a sob as you do.

You set the silk shirt aside and stuff the box’s remaining contents into a duffel bag which you also pack with the belongings that are too important to leave abandoned in a place you’re likely to never return to. You put the silk shirt on, pairing it with a flowy pair of pants and shoes that compliment it well. You clasp a simple yet rather expensive necklace around your throat. Then, you sling the duffel bag over your shoulder and head toward your apartment’s front door.

You shut it behind you without looking back.

Every step taken toward The Reverie is one filled with dread. Your legs are as heavy as your heart, every fiber of your being working to weigh you down and ask you to resist just one last time. Certainly, there must be another way, another method you haven’t tried yet.

You do not pray to Xipe. You do not pray to a god that has forsaken you in the name of gifting their favorite child everything his heart desires. You do not pray to a god who only rebuked him when his actions affected the masses— if your cries of suffering were not enough for them to take action then, then your cries would certainly not be enough now.

All you can do is hold onto a thin string of hope within your heart that when the day draws to a close, you will wake up in your bedroom once more.

The automatic doors of the dock hiss open as you approach, revealing the scene you’ve lived countless times before. Miss Himeko stands with Mr. Yang by the entrance, going over final clearances with one of The Reverie’s hosts. Closer to the Express’s entrance, March and Stelle rifle through a large bag filled with souvenirs, arguing over which of their friends from other planets will receive which gift. Dan Heng is somewhere inside the train with the most wanted man in Penacony.

Swallowing your grief, you approach the crew’s eldest members with a pleasant smile plastered onto your face.

“Pardon the intrusion, but do you perhaps have space for one more?”

Miss Himeko and Mr. Yang turn around, the former appearing a bit more surprised to see you than the latter. She eyes you with concern, her lips pursing into a thin line as her gaze lands on the bag you’ve brought with you, and the brilliant ring sitting on the hand that holds the duffle bag’s strap.

“Ah, you—” Mr. Yang shoots a quick glance at the host, who has already moved on to tending to other vehicles departing the dock. He looks back at you with a smile. “You must be Sunday’s partner.”

You nod. “I spoke with Jade recently. I was hoping that I could join you on your travels, for the time being.” You reach down to fidget with your ring, feigning heartache. “I hope it’s not too much trouble— and that you understand.”

Mr. Yang looks over your shoulder and meets Miss Himeko’s gaze. The two share a silent conversation, one that makes you more nervous with each passing second.

There is nothing anyone can prove, but you know that Jade is aware your marriage wasn’t a happy one, even if she doesn’t know the specifics. You also know that she has shared plenty of conversations with Miss Himeko, ones that may have explored more intimate details of Sunday’s life under the guise of assessing if he should be allowed to roam the galaxy beyond Penacony’s prison. If she turns you away now, it would be yet another method of breaking the time loop that you wouldn’t be able to test.

“We have no problem accepting another passenger, and we have plenty of space to accommodate you, of course.” Mr. Yang places a gentle hand on your shoulder. “But I must ask you: are you sure this is what you want?”

You’re not sure of what you want. You haven’t been sure of what you want since you woke up in Dewlight Pavilion that fateful night, dazed and confused with Sunday at your side, apologizing profusely but insisting it was for the best.

What you want has never been your choice, and perhaps it never would be.

“I appreciate the concern, but I have had plenty of time to think about this. I feel that being with my husband is the best path forward for me right now.” You give Mr. Yang a strained yet reassuring smile. “And if I change my mind, I’d be happy to get off and have a fresh start somewhere far from here.”

Mr. Yang and Miss Himeko share one last look, then the latter turns to you with a warm smile.

“We’d be happy to have you join us. The more the merrier, as they say.” She places a gentle hand on your shoulder. Mr. Yang disappears into the train as Miss Himeko pulls you slightly closer to her.

“And if you need anything,” she whispers, “do not hesitate to let me know.”

You take in a shuddering breath, struggling to keep your perfect facade together as she pulls away from you.

“Stelle! March!” The two girls turn toward Miss Himeko as she approaches the entrance. “I need you two to clear out whatever we have stored in the guest room. We’re leaving with one more head than expected.”

The two peek around Miss Himeko, eyes lighting up with curiosity as they spot you.

“Oh! Are you Mr. Sun— er, our new passenger’s spouse?” March beams at you, looking a bit bashful at her near slip-up. “You’re so cute!”

“Ah, thank you.” You bow your head in a polite gesture. “I’m very grateful Mr. Yang and Miss Himeko have decided to let me join you all. I hope it’s not a problem for the rest of you.”

“Of course not!” March jests cheerily, “Who are we to stand in the path of true love?”

You smile at her and say nothing.

“Well then,” Miss Himeko says, saving you from needing to entertain March’s comment, “it’s about time we get going. We have a few minor stops we’d like to make before Amphoreus, but we also don’t want to hold up Miss Black Swan more than we already have.”

“Right!” March skips up the steps to the lobby car, followed by Stelle, then you and Miss Himeko. “I can’t wait to go back to Belobog! I bought this cute origami bird plushie that I think Bronya will love.”

In the lobby, a man who bears a striking resemblance to Stelle lays sprawled out on one of the couches, watching Dan Heng fiddle with something on a holographic display. A bunny dressed in a conductor’s uniform shouts about dinner plans, and a woman donning a dark veil watches you board the train with a knowing look that makes your skin crawl.

You turn to Miss Himeko, avoiding the mysterious lady’s stare. “Where can I put my things?”

“Ah, right this way,” she says, guiding you toward the ascending staircase at the back of the car. The next car over is a long hallway of doors. She leads you to the very end of it and produces a keycard from her jacket pocket. She taps it against the door and it slides open, revealing a simple room furnished with a bed, desk, and dresser. She turns to you and hands you the keycard.

“Here’s where you’ll be staying. Feel free to change it however you see fit.” 

“Thank you, Miss Himeko.” You dip your head again. “Your hospitality is greatly appreciated.”

“Oh, please, there’s no need to be so formal. Just Himeko is fine, and we’re happy to have you.” Her smile falters a bit as she takes a step back and gestures to a door across the hall and a few doors down from yours. “He’s staying in that room, if you wish to speak with him. If you’re not ready, though, take as much time as you need.”

“Of course.” You step into the room they’ve assigned to you, setting your duffle bag on the floor. As you hear her footsteps retreating, you allow your face to fall and your body to slump against the bed, burying your face in your hands.

You stay like that, long after the door makes a clicking sound and slides shut.

You miss dinner, settling for chewing your nails down to nubs as a source of protein instead.

Surely, he must know that you’re here. You figure Mr. Yang mentioned it to him when he disappeared after you confirmed your wishes to board the train, and certainly March would have brought it up over dinner. 

He knows of your presence, but he has yet to approach you.

It puts you on edge. What could he possibly be scheming this time? Certainly, after his sudden fall from grace, he’d be pouncing at the opportunity to regain some semblance of control over something so familiar— at least, that’s what you figured before boarding the train, the very thing that left you hesitant to entertain Jade’s suggestion. 

You pace around your room well into the night, working your legs tired from walking to and fro in such a cramped space for nearly two hours. When it proves to be a futile effort to quell your anxieties or wear you down into a sleepier state, you huff and grab the key to your room off the barren desk and shove it into your pocket.

It shouldn’t be a surprise that he’s making you come to him. He’s always made you do that when he feels you’ve done something wrong, and your refusal to stand with him at the recreation of the dream was likely an egregious misstep in his eyes.

The door to your room hisses open. You step out into the hallway, darkened now that the lights have been dimmed to the lowest setting. You drag your feet as you walk, prolonging your journey as you gather the last of your courage and try to figure out what you’ll say— whether you’ll face him with all the rage boiling beneath your skin, or with the perfectly crafted mask you’d grown so used to wearing before the events of the Charmony Festival. 

You raise your hand— curled into a fist— and let it hover in the air in front of the door. Sucking in a deep breath, you will your heart to slow in your chest, then you rap lightly against the door.

For a few seconds, nothing happens. They spill into each other, and the lack of response has you considering fleeing to your room when the sound of a latch releasing knocks you out of your stupor. The door hisses open, and golden eyes pierce into your own.

Sunday meets your eyes with all the burning intensity as the day he first told you he loves you. He blinks rapidly a few times, long lashes brushing against his cheeks as he does. His gaze slowly drags up and down your figure, taking you in, almost in disbelief. When he settles on meeting your gaze again, he murmurs your name lightly into the space between you two, the sweet call of it dousing the flames that have been burning since his arrest and leaving you so, so cold.

Your throat constricts. You’d forgotten how small he makes you feel— not because he’s cruel, but because his love for you is so tangible and pure despite everything he’s done.

��Sunday,” you whisper back, mournfully.

His gloved fingers twitch where they rest by his side, yet he does not reach for you. “Not that I’m displeased to see you, my love,” he asks, “but what are you doing here?”

The truth sounds as insane as it makes you feel, so you lie. “I wanted to check on you.”

Something softens in his gaze, and you feel your veins flood with disgust— whether it’s at the fact that he’s so desperate for your affection that he readily believes you, or because it’s so easy for him to break down the walls of hatred you’ve built up, you refuse to determine.

You grit your teeth, trying to dredge up some of your fury from earlier. “Don’t be misled,” you mutter, “I’m not here to pretend like everything’s fine.” You cross your arms over your chest, facing him again with a more guarded look. “If you’re traveling with the Express as a means to make up for what you’ve done, then—” You suck in a sharp breath. “Then someone you’ve wronged should be here to see if you’re really changing.”

You avert your gaze. The silence grows thick between you two, the seconds blending into long, agonizing minutes.

“I see,” he finally says, and you look back up at him. There’s something pinched in his gaze— something a bit pained— yet he manages to look relieved. “If that’s the case, then I’m glad it’s you.” His next words come as a shock to you, causing your eyes to go wide and rendering you speechless. “I understand I have much to make for. Not just to Penacony, but to you, particularly, my dear.”

As you fall quiet, he steps toward you and delicately takes your fingers into his grasp. He brings them up to his lips and kisses the end of each one before speaking again. “I would like to earn the right to your love again,” he mumbles against them. “If you’ll allow me.”

Within you, your hatred and fondness for Sunday wage a war with each other, fighting to gain the upper hand. You shouldn’t allow him— you should have never been forced into a position where you would even have to entertain such a notion. You’ve lived this day so many times, and all it’s done is remind you of who put you in the situation, who dragged you down from the heavens with him. Each relived day left your fury festering like an open wound, as desperate for reprieve from the loop as you’d been desperate for your freedom, at a time.

And yet, there’s another part of you that was forgotten in the midst of the chaos of the time loop, one that is hopelessly enamored with him and endlessly forgiving. You will never agree with his methods or his actions, but despite everything, you still understand his viewpoint and how it drove him to this point. The hardest part about loving Sunday is knowing that every shred of pain he may cause is inflicted with only the best intentions, each wound carved into you with a tender touch and healed through a devotion that runs so deep it leaves you dizzy.

You curl your fingertips into his hold and pull yourself toward him, crossing the threshold and stumbling into his room. You crash into him and bury your face in his chest, wrapping your arms around his waist to hold yourself there. He lets out a shuddering exhale at the contact. One of his hands settles at the small of your back, and the other comes up to cradle the back of your head and gently stroke your hair.

“You better make up for all of it,” you say, voice wet with unshed tears. “You better make it worth my while.”

He hums, and you can feel it reverberate through his chest. “Of course, dove,” he whispers, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of your head. “Nothing but the best for you.”

The next morning, you wake to the sound of the train’s low buzzing as it shoots through the cosmos. There is no alarm clock, no barren apartment walls, no calendar pinned beside your desk. There is only the feeling of Sunday’s feathers against your skin from where his face is pressed into your neck, his arms around your waist.

You let out a soft sob, then will yourself back to sleep.

[yandere-romanticaa]

Jade is a contradiction of many things, all wrapped up in a little pink bow which you can never fully unwrap.

And she likes to keep it that way.

In her heart she will always be a businesswoman first and foremost, which means that she's always looking for things to be in her favor. As good as she is at her job it can get so tiring. Even she fantasizes about days in which she could just put her feet up, have an ice cold drink and have a cute little thing to fuss over her, telling her all sorts of silly and amusing things...

And you just happen to check every single box she has.

It's so easy to rope you into her arms. She can give you anything and everything. The best part is that it's all 100% guaranteed, literally every single person you've spoken to who has had her as business partner can attest to her skills, wit and charm. Honestly, you would be a fool to not work with her - that's what everyone says at least.

She comes to you like a whisper in the wind, her presence calming and reassuring. "Don't worry that pretty little head of yours." she croons, a soft pout on her pretty pink lips as her hand hovers over your tear stained cheek.

"I shall take care of everything."

And indeed she does.

All of your debts are paid. All of them, every single one. Even your friends and family start getting random sums of cash, and there's such a large amount that they don't even know what to do with it! You can finish school in peace, start a business from scratch, travel the cosmos, the whole world is your oyster really!!

Jade gave you a pair of wings you never even dreamed of having. And she archived it all without even breaking a sweat. You thanked her profusely, over and over, showering the wonderful Lady Bonajade with every single kind word there ever was.

However, just as you were about to soar high into the sky, the horrible reality of the situation made you crash right back down to earth. Hard.

There's a sudden coldness around your neck, like a necklace of sorts. Her gloved fingers dance around the soft flesh, her eyes laser focused on the task at hand. You don't even get to ask her what was going on, not until she suddenly yanked you to the floor.

With a grunt, you fell onto your knees and was forced to look up at her, a satisfied glimmer in her eye.

"There." she said, her tone laced with confidence. "You look so much better like this."

She yanked on the chain once more, forcing you even closer to her, so much so that you could feel her thigh against your face. She kept you there on the ground for hours as she did her paperwork, her hand occasionally stroking your hair in a way an owner would pet a dog.

She didn't seem to care for your tears and if she did, she didn't comment on them. Any and all pleas were ignored, especially when they were about the dreadfully tight collar around your neck.

You were a fool to think that you could have gotten such a good deal without paying some sort of price. There was a part of you which was ready to sell something of yours, perhaps even an organ if need be.

You just didn't think that Jade would want your freedom in exchange for her services.

[dailyaventurinedoodles]

Day 53 - powers

If you’ve watched glitter force, aventurine has similar powers to glitter lucky. Just a good old magical blast. Later in the story he gets a pretty wand to boost his power. He also gets incredible luck (bc who would I be if I didn’t do that cmon)

Jade is cool and im super excited to experiment with how she uses her powers to fight. She has a cool whip like in the game, but bc of the bonajade exchange, I thought it would be fun if she could see desires. Like she just knows as soon as she sees you.

Topaz I was kinda struggling with, but I think she’ll have powers similar to Mami from Madoka Magica. She’ll use a gun just like in game, and I thought i’d also throw in ribbons just to indulge myself a little :)

[luochas]

HONKAI: STAR RAIL (2023) a moment among the stars ✴ bonajade exchange dev. hoyoverse

[brynn-lear]

Photo of me talking to my therapist about the entire Penacony Quest (I still haven't recovered from the last Sunday scene and the theory that Robin might forget him after a Bonajade exchange):

[nanamimizz]

tw: mentions of the following - 18+ minors dni // domestic abuse// arranged marriage // sex work implied (?? reader is selling herself to jade im not sure how to tag that so here it is in plain text) idk if its obvious but reader is trying to get her husband killed lmfao

the room is spinning. you can't even notice the tasteful deep indigo decor nor the tiled flooring that was so white it burned your eyes. all you can do is feel the gentle touch of manicured hands, shivering when her dark nails run along your skin. you feel them go up to trace the delicate map of your neck and you turn your head to the side with a defeated whimper.

looking at her only reminds you why it is you are here, and that will only make you think of him.

him. as in your husband. the parasite that leeches off of you - your patience, your youth and beauty down to even your family name. you curse your father let such a man that was so beneath you marry you and stain you forever.

she is touching you and all you can think about is him, and dark blue eyes notice.

"here i am giving you a gift and your mind is wandering. am i not entertaining enough for you?" guilt paints your face and jade can't help but coo.

"forgive me, it isn't that it's just..." you trail off a somber look paints your gentle face and jade smiles. how adorable you are, she squeezes a little guilt out of you and you come crumbling down apologetic and sad - like a puppy.

"i understand, some poisons bear upon the mind no matter when or where you are." jade speaks voice sweet enough to make you look at her, "but i am no poison my dear."

pink hair is all you see and you gasp when you feel the gentle press of her pink lips to your cheek that was adorned by a faint bruise that was put their by your husband's hand. another kiss is pressed on your face but this time by the corner of your lips that tremble at the brush of her breath.

"i am but sweet dew, made to fall and water tender fruits for my bounty." the words are sealed with a kiss from the woman on top of you the worst of the world barred from witnessing it as her hair covers the both of you completely. you gasp at the silver wetness of her tongue dancing at the seem of your lips and you whine at her amused huff. she pulls away and like a fool you follow her until her hand settles on your chest to keep you pinned beneath her.

"the bonajade exchange accepts your offer. for your desire i will ask only for one manner of payment - you. do you agree to these terms?" jade looks down at you, finds her answer in your flushed and shining lips and your blown out eyes. you nod your head but jade doesn't need that in order to hear the way your voice stutters out a breathless 'yes'.

she smiles and you swear you could hear the hiss of a snake in her gentle laughter.

[manganyeh]

Lady Bonajade, I must ask, why do you wish to rip me from Lord Dottore’s side?

@thetruescholar

(Context: an aven blog, aven official I think, said that jade wanted to hire nat)

Jade gave a cold look at her

“I don’t want you here if you think you can corrupt my son leave back to your horrible dottore”

She cursed in russian

[tabr1-s]

hsr 2.3 rant (disguised as yet another sunday rant) ...... i didn't expect to make one for each penacony update but here we go again

(634 words - my shortest one yet!)

so, on one hand... it could've ended worse. we've regained 70 (or 65?) % of penacony's freedom. huzzah!

still feeling highly iffy about the ipc's involvement but because it was expected i'll let it slide. for now.

the ending was definitely rushed, it definitely had a "we don't concretely know how we want to wrap up this story so we'll just wing it" feel to it, but again... alright. whatever. could've been more robust but i'll also let that slide. the hoyo devs were probably waiting for a throwaway update to focus on other things anyway.

but, content wise, i am absolutely terrified of the implication of Robin reaching out to Jade for help with her brother.

we were shown the whole Bonajade exchange shtick when playing as Firefly (also not Jade deadnaming her but ok). initially i took it as Mainly filler content, with an opportunity to show us a bit more about Firefly. cool, yeah, makes sense. but it did also focus on How the exchange worked, and specifically made mention of what people have/had to pay for their exchanges with Jade. now, again, i thought that was just filler content.

but now that i think back to it, Robin's whole demeanour during the quest (maybe i was just seeing things but she seemed significantly more down/tired than before (due to very obvious reasons. i wonder how she's still standing)), Jade meeting Robin before her second negotiations with Alfalfa, and then the Bonajade exchange getting explained to us randomly... that was most likely foreshadowing for the last scene of 2.3.

which brings me back to, again, feeling Unwell over what Robin could've possibly agreed to with Jade concerning the freedom/future of her brother. (also if he's gonna join the ipc - Wholeheartedly fuck him. my beef with them is stronger than my love/hate towards Sunday.)

i don't even Want to begin thinking about what Robin might've exchanged for Jade's sudden interest in Sunday. and it also all seems very unfair - the lengths Robin would go to for her brother when he on the other hand was fine with outright using her to accomplish his goals (again, without even filling her in on What those goals were. i don't care if it was for his concept of the greater good, i am still pissed at him for completely disregarding her opinions on the matter and the Entirety Of Her Free Will As A Person. unironically my blood pressure spiked when i saw him in that last scene, and it certainly wasn't because i was excited. even writing this down gets my blood boiling.).

point is. if Sunday chooses to forsake Robin's love for him again (not him also being surprised that Robin was the reason why Jade reached out to him - like she literally hugged you and fell from the sky with you after your plans failed. don't act surprised that she's not mad at you. (and if the reason why you're surprised is because you don't trust Jade's intentions with her, then SHOW IT DAMN IT. STAND UP FOR HER)) i am going to be Supremely disappointed in him.

and yes, i know he's a fictional character.

but holy shit. i've never seen such an infuriatingly (and, sadly, realistically) stubborn character before.

and, like in my last rant - the sentiment that 'i would personally strangle him if it wasn't for Robin being sad over his death' remains.

anyway. Robin really needs a break. a long break. and to somehow find a good and reliable support system because her brother is not very reliable on that front.

...if i were to express my opinion on the matter.

[palmtreepwr]

abt the nameless sunday post: stellaron hunter sunday WAS slay but the hunters are confined to scripts and tbh id be soo mad if birdie flew into another cage 💀

im sayiiingggg.. i really want sunday to be able to experience so much more and be able to connect with other people on a level that'll broaden his perspective. i smell a scene where he gets a flashback to robin and things start to finally connect, and maybe a plot where once he proves his worth to the astral express, they'll help him reconnect with robin? ae vs. bonajade's exchange... whewwwww

[consumeroflemoans]

THE IPC AZUL POST

The World

Azul grew up on a planet that is very Subnautica-esque. The majority of the planet is very deep ocean with some spots closer to the surface being reefs, kelp forests, and other more diverse biomes. There are a couple islands that have mostly foliage and smaller amphibious animals populating it. There is quite a bit of volcanic activity in these areas, which typically causes these island and shallower areas.

Due to the very small amount of land, most sentient life has developed underwater. There are three main types of merfolk.

Amphibious and crustacean merfolk that live in the shallows around the few islands

Your typical fish merfolk that live in the deeper shallows in the reefs/kelp

Abyssal merfolk that live in the deep ocean

Becoming a Pathstrider

Azul is an abyssal mer. They’re often very reclusive and tend to be loners. He lived with his mother for a short time until getting could fend for himself and then she died, as octopus moms tend to do.

Azul wandered after that, occasionally facing and fleeing the creatures of the depths. He constantly learned and scavenged what he could and became quite good at making tools with his hands and learning what things underwater can help heal and hurt other beings.

Eventually he stumbled on an upwards slope, leading to one of the shallows. He continued to travel and soon encountered other merfolk, who often treated him like a freak and drove him away for being from the abyss. All they know about the depths is that there are deadly predators down there and very rarely do mers that venture out come back. Something coming from there cannot be a good thing.

It was only when Azul encountered a pair of twin eel merfolk, a pair that tend to trick, extort, and scavenge off other mers for food or information. They’d heard whispers of the strange mer that had been traveling and wanted to check him out. Azul initially was suspicious, but the twins weren’t fearful of the abyss like others. If anything they thought it would be fun to fight something down there.

The three became a group and continued about their business terrorizing the local merfolk. They began spreading rumors that Azul had special abyssal magic. This often resulted in others just handing over their belongings or food in fear of being cursed.

That was until one particularly wealthy mer sought them out. They pleaded for Azul’s magic to help save someone’s life close to them from a disease and offered a permanent and safe place to live in exchange. He reluctantly agreed and now had the dilemma of actually finding a cure.

Luckily he did remember a small plant in the depths that he had previously used to cure one of his illnesses. He found it in the hopes it could help and did successfully cure the other mer.

After that, he set up shop in the place he was given. He continued his deals, often extorting as much as he could gather out of any potential customer. They were both benefitting, so why did it matter?

Eventually, those powers he pretended to have became a reality. The Harmony recognized his mutually beneficial deals and decided to bless him, allowing him to create his signature contracts.

Becoming a Stoneheart

The IPC in its constant quest stumbled upon Azul’s world. It had been largely untouched by anyone on the outside, so they took it as free real estate. They descended into the ocean, taking the chance to speak with the recognized sentient species. They proposed deals with the local rulers as usual, but also quickly learned of Azul’s prestige.

The leading Stoneheart, who happened to be Jade, took interest in him. So also runs a shop based on mutual exchange and is always open to a business deal. She traveled to Azul and explained the situation with the IPC and her interest with him. She offered him a deal: she would allow him to operate one of her Bonajade branches on another planet. If he managed to double the profits, she would take him under her wing and give him the chance to become one of the Stonehearts if he continued to improve. Azul agreed with the only conditions being Floyd and Jade had to come and she would have to provide a way for them to survive on land.

Jade, of course, took no time to find a solution for that problem. A simple potion that would temporarily allow them to turn human. It would keep the trio in her debt even if she succeeded, considering she was the only one that could supply them.

Azul’s talents shone at his new position and he quickly turned the required profit for Jade. Due to his skills and her guidance, he rose through the ranks of the IPC. After all of that, he was suggested and approved to join the elite group of Stonehearts.

Azul doesn’t care much about what happened to his planet or any of the other planets he helps the IPC aquire. He only cares what happens to him and the twins. They’re constant shadows behind his money making talents, acting as his partners in crime.

————

As usual I would love other people’s opinions or ideas on Azul and his rise to capitalistic glory. A lot of this is very rough ideas, so it’s always open to changing!

I’ll probably post about him more so any info will be on the #IPC Azul tag

[fictionfixations]

end of 2.3

what the fuck what is it with one option being '..but ive seen you before' and the other uh. whatever.

THERES A CHEST

deja vu (the amount of times ive heard acheron repeat herself) then again maybe it says something about how the more you repeat something the more important it is to know

ah. it kicked me to the parlor car…

AH HOLY SHIT

i thought i took a screenshot but i forgot to send it 😭so here from this video because i cant go back obv lMFAO

for a second i thought that was blood on the chains but AH SUNDAY??

okay so we probably arent getting playable sunday 😭 (i didnt have high hopes anyways since he was like the big ol boss at the end so)

sundays voice sounds so different (i mean thats fair. usually he sounds so composed but..)

idk why i didnt expect the ending description on 2.2 of like sister and brother separated (or something like that) to actually be a thing. im sad.

what if robin went to the bonajade exchange shop whatever and had a wish (what did she give up then i wonder)

… ..im. finally caught up. for the first time. now i know how yall feel WAITING holy shit

i dont trust you sparkle

[people-breaker]

Theory Time!

So, we know Robin had a deal with Jade to free Sunday BUT we have little clue as to what precisely was the offer put out to Jade.

Though it is alluded to a sense of 'eternal separation', what I think would more fitting would be purpose.

POINT 1: When Jade makes offers using her Bonajade Exchange, she always ensures that the deal always leaves something more to be wanted. In a vicious cycle of unsatisfaction and want, Jade uses her Cornerstone to manipulate and exploit people's wishes. Like how we had seen when exploring the true nature of Jade's deals as Firefly, everyone tends to sacrifice something they believe they can part with but slowly becomes a noticeable 'gap' in their seemingly fulfilled lives.

As such, I find the idea of 'eternal separation' too simple a conclusion. There isn't much 'want' leftover to fester and become another potential deal for Jade/the IPC in general due to the finalistic tone of the deal. Furthermore, Robin is likely to be a character who wouldn't regret that sort of decision, especially when it means providing the peace and freedom to someone who had been labouring so long to protect hers (in a twisted, naive way).

Although it is a feasible idea, I doubt Robin would be willing to cut ties with her brother so easily for his freedom - especially when it is apparent that Sunday almost relies on Robin for his purpose in doing what he does. Therefore, I think it is more likely for Robin to exchange her freedom for Sunday's - a reversal of societal roles, so to speak. In such a deal, Jade gets more 'influence' over the Family/Penacony whilst potentially being able to exploit the weaknesses that an overburdened Robin may face.

POINT 2: [Warning! Reference to leaked 2.7 content!]

Sunday's playable version is SO much more different to his older style. Key points I'd like to consider:

- Playable Path: Harmony

- Lightcone description: "On the 8th day, he granted himself departure"

- The symbolism of Sunday reaching up to the feather whilst being restrained by the thorns in his drip marketing

Now, let's break this down:

> Overall, there is a theme of freedom and seeking. Though this is more of a guess at this point, he seems more nomadic/wandering in his playable form and lacks the oppressive air of authority he exuded before.

> The fact he's Harmony, specifically, suggests a change in mentality/priority. Although playable paths tend to differ from actual paths, we can agree that they tend to line up with intrinsic goals/ideals they hold.

> Departure and the 8th Day. There is no eighth day of creation (i believe? I'm not sure if the eighth day was supposed to be a loop back to the first...), so we can assume that there isn't a natural departure present.

Therefore, I theorise that Robin's deal with Jade is one where she takes the burden and limitations of being the head of the Oak family / the 'thorns' that used to trap Sunday in order for Sunday to taste the freedom that she had and develop his own views (that were [as speculated] to be indoctrinated views of the Order from Gopher Wood). As such, Robin would essentially 'rip away' the thorns that Sunday was accustomed to wearing and force the caged bird to fly - letting it learn to be free and have his own autonomy.

Of course, this theory has its own holes as we don't know Sunday post-Embryo of Philosophy shattering, but I do think that Sunday's seemingly changed ideals must have roots in Robin's actions.

[infernaltenor]

been losing my mind reading hsr posts online again so you get a jade analysis 👍

yes i KNOW evil woman. we're not going down that path rn. i know shes morally dubious and all shades of suspicious and works for the fucking ipc. i KNOW.

i'm here because i believe she has been misattributed like crazy.

a) the aventurine relationship. we already know this one. any good analysis on them will tell you clearly that aventurine made both the bet and the deal. what happens after is between two adults. (and yes, i'll give points that jade is a manipulative bastard, but so is aventurine. he works for the same fucking company. they do the same assignments.) anyway, i'm not really in the mood to rehash jade and aventurine's misinterpreted relationship beyond this: aventurine made the choice to make a deal with jade and start working for the ipc. in fact he wanted to meet with diamond, but didn't, which is a fascinating little tidbit. i digress. it's easy to say "jade manipulated aventurine into working as a stoneheart" but reanalyzing the scene will make it clear that she distinctly both didn't manipulate him (into that, anyway), and made a direct deal with his gamble. honestly, they both have similar strategies. hey, i wonder if this will come up later 🤔

b) the topaz relationship. i'm sorry, but there is absolutely no way jade singlehandedly made sure topaz didn't see any atrocities committed by the ipc in her entire life. are you fucking insane? topaz grew up on an ipc controlled planet, likely surrounded by ipc propaganda the whole time. along with this, topaz has nine other colleagues in the stonehearts (eight if you don't count jade) and more than likely hundreds or thousands of coworkers. this cannot fall solely on jade's shoulders as to why topaz doesn't fucking know the scope of the ipc. this falls onto "topaz grew up on a planet controlled by them, and more importantly, a planet surviving by the ipc." you can even contrast this with aventurine, who grew up on a planet with ipc agents; but unlike topaz, aventurine's planet had a vastly different result, including the massacre of his people. both of these are facts that have very little to do with jade. her having introduced and directly hired topaz and aventurine into the stonehearts is a different fucking issue, don't go confusing them. you will not survive the winter. i will kill you. ok. that wasn't necessary. i apologize.

c) so why is jade the way that she is? well, i'm delving into theory territory here but i have two main strands. one, all of the stonehearts have similar stories, something i cannot confirm without more of them, but i am of the opinion that all of them distinctly are "something that they don't want to be." two, i think i know who jade was before she was jade. ok let's get into this.

the stonehearts being "something that they don't want to be." well, this is obvious with aventurine, as he is actively working for the ipc. there's a lot to be attributed with his self destruct personality and tendency to gamble everything ever, but i'm really not an aventurine fan so i'm not here to overanalyze him. plus, i'm confident it's been said before (side note: if you're interested in a decent aventurine analysis that looks at misinformation, i found this one pretty good). topaz is another pretty obvious idea, seen as everyone is confident she doesn't know the scope of the ipc's atrocities. i cannot fact check this but i vaguely remember her introductory event, so i'll concede that point. topaz distinctly doesn't know what she's getting into, meaning that i'm characterizing her as "a good person, naive, hasn't had her world shattered" or something along those lines. and now you ask the question: but tenor, what about jade? she CAN'T be like that, haven't you seen her manipulate the shit out of people?

well. now i give you who i think jade WAS. in jade's character stories, there's a jewelry merchant from a failing system who goes to the bonajade exchange. interestingly, jade isn't mentioned at all in her first character story, as it focuses on the merchant. even stranger, the deal ends with the jewelry merchant being contractually obligated to work for the ipc, for life (this section ends with "give your everything to the ipc" <- paraphrased, but still). essentially, for the hope that her system will be saved, the merchant gives her everything. the second story is where jade shows up. i believe the original owner of the bonajade exchange would have been diamond. i also believe that jade didn't originally have the snake. as jade only shows up in her second character story, it's my opinion that jade is that jewelry merchant. her system is, incidentally, destroyed, as it hadn't survived, something that is also mentioned in her character stories. this wouldn't matter if it didn't have something to do with her. another trait that i feel doesn't line up with popular interpretations is, well, her lightcone. "yet hope is priceless," being the name and the image/description describes her (implied) common visits/donations to an orphanage. she is actively making sure the orphanage stays afloat. jade distinctly makes deals with adults and, more importantly, gives them directly what the owe, yet doesn't discourage them from making deals with her. i believe she doesn't expand this to children, especially not the ones she's fucking donating to the orphanage for. more so, jade's lightcone name, "yet hope is priceless," makes no fucking sense with her character, someone who typically puts a price on everything. the only way it makes sense is if she had hope at one point or another. if she was the jewelry merchant, bargaining to save her home (this also lines up, imo, with jade's heavy focus on jewelry motifs. i believe she has that because she used to sell it; which would also make sense why she has "a planet" as a bracelet, though i'm of the opinion that that's a metaphor).

ok so how does that connect with the first point. weeeeeeeell, if we're going off of "jade is the jewelry merchant, and the jewelry merchant made a deal to work for the ipc to save her home system," this is very distinctly a deal that didn't work. i do think that jade inherited the bonajade exchange and the snake from someone else. i also think that jade originally had hopes similar to say, aventurine or topaz, when she joined. jade, in my opinion, is a character who joined originally to help people ("yet hope is priceless"), yet lost herself in her work, culminating in the manipulative bastard we see now. i don't think this end point was where she wanted to be. given the fact that, if this is true, all three stonehearts we've seen in game occupy similar stories, i wouldn't be surprised if this pattern keeps up. it's literally the classic "live long enough to see yourself become the villain." topaz and aventurine get so victimized in analyses that people do not take the time to compare them with jade, and yet all three are more similar than people want to admit.

ok well, that was a lot of theory writing. to tell you the truth, i think this is way more interesting than simply writing jade off as "completely evil woman," which i'm not sorry about. she's an interesting character! it's just that she owns her employment to the ipc in a vastly different way to topaz and aventurine, meaning that she's easier to look at as distinctly evil. not to mention, her theming being very "snake in the garden of eden." but i digress. this was a lot more than what i intended to write LMAO if you read this far i'm kissing you on the mouth or whatever.

[wobster109]

Ratio’s position in the IPC is, in my opinion, one of the great and understated plot twists of Penacony. I would not be surprised if Ratio is secretly an IPC executive equivalent to a stoneheart. I thought he was secretly a stoneheart until the myriad celestia came out.

He has an unprecedented amount of responsibility and authority in a very delicate and risky mission. The IPC is burying the lede when they introduce Ratio as their “technical consultant”. He himself says that he is the “manager” of this mission.

He has dreamscape access that even Topaz doesn’t get. They could've chosen another stoneheart for the mission, but instead, they chose him.

He has the ability to open Cornerstone boxes.

He has enough info to sink the whole mission into the meme zone if he cared to betray the IPC. No, they must be confident that he wouldn’t sell them out at any price. And where do they get that kind of confidence in a random, loosely-affiliated technical consultant?

It’s not just by being a researcher of an affiliated institution. It seems to me that a normal working relationship between a corporation and a researcher is: the corp funds the researcher, and then the corp benefits from the research. In extreme situations, the corp may lock down the researcher, like Chadwick. It seems strange to involve a researcher in the most secret schemes, akin to one of your own top-level directors.

As far as I know, every stoneheart is there for very profound personal reasons that are so deeply rooted that the idea of betrayal is unthinkable. Topaz has her conviction that the IPC saved her planet, and her unwavering dedication to saving other planets. I do not know why Aventurine joined, but whatever his reason, it was worth gambling his life in an elaborate scheme to get in. I believe Jade is bound by the same contract as her clients. "There's no turning back for me or you" - there are hints that she's not just the proprietor of the Bonajade Exchange, she may be its first customer as well.

So, what does Ratio have that assures the IPC of his loyalty?

The most obvious guess is that he's in love with Aventurine. Regardless of whether it's true, that can't be the reason. Feelings in general are fickle, even if the doctor's are not - the IPC would not rely on something so ephemeral to serve as the foundation for his loyalty.

Another possibility is that he's being enticed, or even coerced, by funding. It's plausible that the Intelligentsia Guild may be unable to carry on without the IPC's financial support, and there is no other organization in the universe with comparable wealth. Sunday and all of Penacony couldn't "outbid" the IPC by offering to fund the Guild in its place - they simply don't have the money. If loyalty goes to the highest bidder, the IPC has it locked down. I'm not entirely convinced though. They would still be relying solely on Ratio's sense of duty to the Guild, trusting that he wouldn't be tempted by any amount of personal gain. Though Sunday can't fund the entire Guild, he could still offer Ratio enough, either in wealth or knowledge, to sway a more worldly or opportunistic man. Perhaps they are simply very assured of Ratio's character, since he has a long history of noble and charitable deeds, and has previously thrown out students for attempting to bribe him. But then, how do they know he won't turn against them for a moral reason? How can they be sure he won't find just cause to become their enemy?

The IPC has blackmail on him. HAHAHAA blackmail on Ratio? He has spent his entire life being upright and brilliant and beautiful in the bath. Moving on.

The IPC saved his planet, similar to Topaz's planet. It's just coincidence that it's never mentioned in any of his lore or backstory, and it was also something he couldn't do himself, despite solving a planet's energy crisis.

My final guess is that he may be bound by a contract that no mortal can break, similar to signing a contract with Jade. Perhaps he made a wish to be at peace with never making it into the Genius Society - after all, he would never wish to get in, he would consider membership attained that way to be worthless. And the price was doing work for the IPC, mundane work among mortals that would preclude the lofty academia of the Genius Society. I'm just spitballing here - something to that effect that makes betrayal literally impossible. It is hard to imagine Ratio of all people entering into such a contract, though. He's all about finding your own way, in knowledge and in life. I doubt he'd take a shortcut, not even for something personal such as inner peace. "You learn to know yourself before the enemy." He'd want to find his own way.

In short. . . I have no idea what it could actually be. I hope that we'll be seeing more of him though!