ilikeapples01

[ilikeapples01]

Move Your Body, Move Your Soul (all hail empress pink au) (art by kishinpain)

"This style suits you well." Jasper says as she finishes tending to her oldest daughter's hair.

"Thank you ma," Poud answers as she stands up, touching the ends of her new pigtails. "You look pretty with that ponytail, you should wear it more often. Mama Pink would be beaming her head off if she saw you like this."

Jasper inhaled to respond, but she hears yelling from her two younger children in the kitchen before she can. "Ugh... Those two always have to fight over something," she groans as she slowly strides towards the source of the racket. Poud follows behind her mother, curious as to what her siblings are fighting over this time. As they enter the kitchen they are greeted by the little ones fighting over a bag of cookies, though as the little ones see Jasper enter the room they immediately stop dead, as if caught with their hands in the cookie jar.

"I thought I told you two to share," Jasper scolded, hands on hips as she spots copious cookie crumbs around the mouth of one of the little gems. "Either you both share or I'm taking them away from both of you," Jasper then threatens, looking down sternly.

Both of the younger siblings exchange faces before turning their attention back to Jasper. "We're sowwy ma," they both plead in unison, complete with puppy-dog eyes.

Jasper huffs before stepping towards them and patting both of them on the head, hands sweeping around their faces to rest under their chins. "You are forgiven, but remember: there will be no fighting in this house." The little poudretteites hug Jasper's legs before sharing what's left of the bag as they go off together.

Poud looks over Jasper's shoulder before speaking. "Fighting over cookies is pretty funny."

"You did the same thing when you were a gemlette." Jasper retorts, with a smirk that recognises her daughter's hypocrisy.

"Well I-" Poud wracks her gem for a witty remark for a few moments. "Yeah..."

Jasper can't help but laugh outright at her daughters answer. "Yeah that's what I thought!"

Tensing her face, Poud walks over to the radio and turns it on, shifting the focus away from her embarrassment. She lights up once she recognises the tune, and turns up the volume. She begins to dance a little as she starts singing along, before catching sight of her mother slipping into sulking, clearly unenthused. "Come on ma! Dance with me!" she invites as Jasper looks to her eldest.

"You know I can't dance," Jasper answers, shutting Poud down as best she can.

"Can't, or won't? Don't tell me you're scared~?" Poud prods, making Jasper raise her eyebrow and roll her eyes in response.

"Fine, come on then."

Jasper and Poud begin to dance, and though Jasper's movements are stiff and awkward her dear Poud matches them with a deft balance of accuracy and flow as she lets the rhythm of the song take her. Jasper begins to crack a bit of a smile, though she hates to admit she's actually having fun with this. One of the little poudretteites climbs down from her chair and goes to try and join in on the fun. The little lady tries to dance like Jasper and Poud but she's having a bit of trouble keeping up with the more complex move. Jasper catches sight of this immediately and using it as an excuse to break off from her own dance goes to help her little one dance in her stead.

Though this was not what Jasper had planned for the day, she had fun with her daughters all the same.

Poudretteite designed by toodlenoodle

https://twitter.com/kishinpain/status/1709568445598007461?t=t7BkJxO3hBQTaagpa9IheA&s=19

[ilikeapples01]

Moment of Wisdom (all hail empress pink au) (art by kishinpain)

“I’m telling you, Hessie, these organics just don’t measure up to us, you’re better off without them.”

“And I’m telling YOU, Emerald, that these organics work and fight harder than any gem I’ve seen you put out.”

And so it went between them, as it had since they met thirty-three hours ago on the Yellow Diamond’s order. They were to cooperate in a campaign near the galactic rim, inserting operatives behind the lines of a frozen conflict to dislodge some difficult positions. Despite the three-dimensional nature of interstellar warfare making flanking that much easier, such gaping sores in the backlines were simply unacceptable for secure supply lines, and a full-blown siege would be the death of billions of civilians.

“Yeah, until they give out and you have to replace them while they ‘sleep’ and ‘eat’ and bum about not working for half the day,” Emerald retorted, clearly having none of it. “None of this shift work nonsense, just put a gem in there and cover it all day every day, easier on everyone.”

Hessonite simply scoffed. “Show me a gem that can go that long without needing to recuperate and I’ll show you a liar,” she answered. “You seem to forget your subordinates are people and not machines, the way you treat them.”

“So what if they run ragged?” Emerald dismissed callously. “What does it matter when it’s for the sake of all civilisation and for making lives worth living? What sacrifice now could be too great for that?”

Hessonite sighed, coming to a stop amidst gems and organics alike as they laboured. “Emerald,” she began, letting her hand rest upon her erstwhile rival’s shoulder despite the latter’s obvious distaste. “I’m going to give you some free advice, because I can’t let you think like that in our Empress’ light.” Taking her other shoulder in her other hand, Hessonite fixed Emerald with a look neither really expected - one of genuine personal concern. “If you treat that kind of back-breaking extractionism so flippantly and constantly fall back on it, it’ll stop being a sacrifice and become the norm. You won’t ever spread the bettering of life Pink wants, you’ll only spread the suffering you claim will bring it. That make sense to you?”

Emerald stared back at her, a little lost for words. “That’s… strangely profound,” she answered, not expecting such a deep explanation. “I thought you were gonna whine at me about ‘rights’ and all that gravel.”

Hessonite smiled. “You should’ve been there for the bollocking I gave Jasper’s brat then!” she laughed.

“Hold up, bollocking!?” Emerald coughed in surprise. “Where’d you hear that one?”

“Heard it from the PM, and honestly it sounded hilarious.”

“Figures. So where did you want those operatives again?” Emerald asked, only now remembering why the two of them were even in the same room.

“Let’s go somewhere no one can eavesdrop first, then we’ll talk brass tacks,” Hessonite answered, leading the way out.

“And yes, that’s also from the Prime Minister.”

https://www.reddit.com/r/AllHailEmpressPinkAU/

(+18 nsfw warning, viewer discretion is strongly advised)

https://twitter.com/kishinpain/status/1709568445598007461?t=t7BkJxO3hBQTaagpa9IheA&s=19

[ilikeapples01]

Dressed to the Nine-Thousands (all hail empress pink au) (art by toodlenoodle)

It seems the Empress is much easier to capture smiling in a photograph than in a drawn portrait, if Opal 7X2B-908's experience is anything to go by. This image of her joyous reaction to her lover and daughter wearing these outfits showcases a much lighter, more personable side to her that reminds people she is indeed a person.

Or it would, if it were actually released to the public. As it stands, it has been barred from circulation on the grounds of making the Empress appear 'childish', one of the few fears she has left. Jasper and Poudretteite however have been allowed their own copies for private display in their homes.

https://www.instagram.com/nonpanary?igsh=ejM5aHFseWVhajk5

https://www.reddit.com/r/AllHailEmpressPinkAU/

(+18 nsfw warning, viewer discretion is strongly advised)

[ilikeapples01]

Crimes Unburied (all hail empress pink au) (art by kishinpain)

After receiving order to attack a legion camp alongside Pearl and a small team of soldiers, Cherry was happy - excited even - to erase those terrorists from the map. That feeling wasn't dampened when before the start of the mission Pearl gave those under her command a simple reminder: "Remember, no prisoners."

Pearl's cruelty is well known throughout the galaxy's militaries, however it is a sight indeed to see in person. Cherry watched as Pearl ordered the surviving Black Legion soldiers to dig their own graves as she waves around her pistol at them. Her eyes blacken with the corruption as she takes perverse pleasure in the soldiers' pleas, savouring their fear.

With the shallow graves dug, Gigi stands as Pearl motions her to come closer. Cherry draws her pistol and levels it at the soldiers as they continue to plead for their lives. Pearl and Cherry murder them mid-sentence. Afterwards, other Homeworld soldiers strip the camp of anything useful, before Pearl orders them to burn the camp to the ground.

Sometime later the Marshal of the Client Worlds went to personally confront Cherry about her actions that day.

https://www.reddit.com/r/AllHailEmpressPinkAU/

(+18 nsfw warning, viewer discretion is strongly advised)

https://twitter.com/kishinpain/status/1709568445598007461?t=t7BkJxO3hBQTaagpa9IheA&s=19

Gigi designed by Olerito

Edited by yeeking_114514

[ilikeapples01]

Cat and Mouse (all hail empress pink au) (art by kishinpain)

“Frack, frack, frack, frack, FRACK-”

Kunzite quietly cursed herself for being so careless with her cell. She’d gotten cocky once too many, hunkering down instead of moving to another place like she should have. Now the rest of her cell was painting the walls behind her, their screams ringing out through the narrow metal gangways pursued by the sick layered laughter of their mutilator. Stars, there weren’t even gunshots, that psychopath was enjoying herself!

None of them had expected Pearl to drop on their heads. Why would she? There were surely better things for her to do, better targets to pick off, better gems to spread for like Pink’s whores always seemed to. And yet she was here, in all her twisted monstrosity. Their bismuth went down first. Her sheer bulk and slow moves meant she didn’t stand a chance against Pearl’s precision and agility. It did save her from further torment at least, her body too tough to rip and flay and earning her a quick shattering.

Kunzite ran at the sight of it. They all did, actually. Each of them broke off in a different direction as they’d agreed, hoping that one of them would escape from Homeworld’s focus. That didn’t save the poor ruby from Pearl’s wrath, her short frame evidently not enough to hide from the tangle of claws and barbs that unnaturally contorted around her, sinking into her flesh and peeling away-

No, no Kunzite couldn’t think about that now or she’d slip up and get caught all the same. Now was the time for her own survival. Rounding a corner and checking it for any unpleasant surprises, she half-cocked her revolver and checked the bullets through the loading gate. Three dents, two clean, one empty. Two shots left. Kunzite would have reloaded those now had she not heard the faint clatter of corrupted claws on metal. She’s here. Rumbling. Tasting the air. Savouring the dread.

The deep gouges in her arm flashed with pain for a moment, urging her to cry out and relieve some of the burning sensation, as if it were an option by now. Diamonds bless that rose quartz who pulled Pearl off of her - bless her to bits, really. As for Pearl herself, she’d seemingly lost the scent, or grown so savage she’d lost the ability to track beyond basic impulse, either way giving a precious precious window for her quarry.

Kunzite had exactly one chance to make this work, and she took it. Tipping the gun would make too much of a clatter, so she had to eject each spent round one by one directly into the same hand that would reload them. Her hands masked the clatter, but it wasn’t enough. Pearl was zeroing in on her and fast. “C’monnn…” Kunzite shuddered, slipping fresh rounds in one by one.

Tmmp. Tmmp. Tmmp. Unnatural footfalls on metal echoed from just behind the wall. Claws swung around the edge and missed Kunzite by a hair’s breadth. If she moved, she’d be heard. If she stayed, she’d be tracked. If she loaded another bullet she’d be caught. Four in, two empty. It’d have to do.

Pearl’s wicked visage perked as she heard the snapping shut of the loading gate, whipping around to face a glint in the dim emergency light she couldn’t quite place-

THOKKUUM!!!

One of the four bullets impacted squarely into Pearl’s gem, pinging off into the dark and leaving a weakness behind.

THOKKUUM!!!

The deafening reverberation rang out again, ringing all throughout the monstrous loyalist’s form, seemingly just as painful as the gunshots.

THOKKUUM!!!

The deafening reverberation rang out again, ringing all throughout the monstrous loyalist’s form, seemingly just as painful as the gunshots.

THOKKUUM!!!

Kunzite watched Pearl crash against the floor in an agony she clearly didn’t expect. Sure her own head throbbed with the volume… but this apparent weakness on Pearl’s part was welcome intel. She just had to escape with it. She quietly backed off, fighting the urge to run, to shake the thin metal floor and give away her position. All it took was one glance away from the monster out for her blood… and it was gone. All she saw was a trail of glowing ooze retreating into the metal labyrinth.

A trick, perhaps? Surely a few ballistic rounds wouldn’t be enough to take her out, but then what the hell burst open to make her bleed? Kunzite stepped backwards, and stepped again, and again. Before she fully knew what was happening she was belting it down the corridor, desperately scrambling for the one last way out. Come the end of days it would still be there, she was sure of it.

And it was. One last unmelted warp pad ready for her, console loaded with thermite. Primitive, toxic, yet enough to fry the logs and targeting. Kunzite looked down at the source of a strange scuffing and found a badly-wounded zircon by the structure, propped against the wall and waiting for the end to come. Evidently she could sense the conflict in Kunzite’s mind as she flicked her gaze between her and the warp pad.

“I know what I signed up for,” the zircon rasped, starting straight ahead. “Go. Everything’s in place to cover your escape. They won't have me.” For a moment Kunzite stopped. She was right there. No sound, no pursuit or so it seemed, and a comrade in arms right there. Kunzite stepped away from the pad and took the zircon’s hand in her own, hoisting her up and over her own shoulders.

“No, they won’t,” Kunzite retorted, stepping back up to the pad.

“Didn’t take you for a hero,” the zircon huffed, almost amused at the decision. “...But thank you.” The tell-tale clang of metal overhead however had something to say on the matter, and nothing good.

“Don't thank me yet,” Kunzite murmured, slowly stepping onto the pad. Good thing they all had destinations pre-assigned or the two might not have disappeared in time. As they disappeared though, the last thing they caught sight of was a thick metal panel dropping to the floor and a shape almost oozing out from the hole… but that wasn’t their problem anymore.

Kunzite and her passenger didn’t stick around long enough to learn of Pearl’s ignominious failure in her mission. She never learned that while Pink never punished her, the disappointment in her Pearl was painful enough to bear, and she never learned how Pearl swore to herself she'd take revenge on ‘the one that got away’. All that was left to do as they stepped away from the depleted pad was to regroup and reorganise. And so the cycle would continue.

https://www.reddit.com/r/AllHailEmpressPinkAU/

(+18 nsfw warning, viewer discretion is strongly advised)

https://twitter.com/kishinpain/status/1709568445598007461?t=t7BkJxO3hBQTaagpa9IheA&s=19

(Kunzite belongs to yeeking_114514)

[ilikeapples01]

The Empire's Finest (all hail empress pink au) (art by MrSwindle94/UnknowingestArt)

"All will submit to us"

"The stars are ours"

SIGN UP TODAY!

https://x.com/UnknowingestArt?t=oOGqHppfJqCQzHlLfIJ68A&s=09

https://x.com/MrSwindle94?t=oOGqHppfJqCQzHlLfIJ68A&s=09

[ilikeapples01]

CQC Proficiency (all hail empress pink au) ( art by kishinpain)

Sparring sessions among high ranking personnel is surprisingly common. Lapis is an incredibly powerful gem capable of catastrophic levels of damage to vast enemy forces. However against Pearl, who's primarily a close quarters combat instructor and relies more on physical fighting rather than her powers she is struggling quite a bit to keep up with her. All this as Jasper watches in anticipation of Lapis's counter attacks and Poudretteite watches marveling at how Pearl is so much better at hand to hand combat than her opponent.

https://www.reddit.com/r/AllHailEmpressPinkAU/

(+18 nsfw warning, viewer discretion is strongly advised)

https://twitter.com/kishinpain/status/1709568445598007461?t=t7BkJxO3hBQTaagpa9IheA&s=19

[ilikeapples01]

Friendly competition (all hail empress pink au) (art by kishinpain)

"My powers have only multiplied since last time!"

"Really? 'Cause I'm holding you back with less than ever."

"Oh NOW it's ON!"

Jasper and Lapis have an intense training regimen, especially against each other. This latest bout may seem tame, but they would always end up levelling someone's home or workplace if they didn't take it somewhere more suited for such a thing.

https://www.reddit.com/r/AllHailEmpressPinkAU/

(+18 nsfw warning, viewer discretion is strongly advised)

https://twitter.com/kishinpain/status/1709568445598007461?t=t7BkJxO3hBQTaagpa9IheA&s=19

[ilikeapples01]

Spare the Rod (all hail empress pink au) (art by HellMick)

Empress Pink Diamond, though known to be brutal to her enemies, is also known to be quite soft and sweet to her children. Rarely will this result in her children mistaking her kindness for weakness, resulting in Pink having to remind them to show her respect.

[ilikeapples01]

Not the Time, Peridot. (all hail empress pink au) (art by kishinpain)

While primarily Peridot 2F5L 5XG is responsible for managing and overseeing operations of the empire's escort business, -more commonly known as Glamorous Delights- she's still a peridot nevertheless, so her love for tinkering and research remains and has lead her to take up many side projects over the years. One of these is an experimental powered armour prototype. Feeling proud and confident enough in her creation to request an audience, she personally presents it to the Empress herself, along with other high ranking military officials. Though 5XG can hardly contain her excitement, her audience has mixed reactions.

*Not least because this was meant to be a quarterly review of the business.*

12/5/2887/3

https://www.reddit.com/r/AllHailEmpressPinkAU/

https://twitter.com/kishinpain/status/1709568445598007461?t=t7BkJxO3hBQTaagpa9IheA&s=19

[ilikeapples01]

HSB Top Secret File: Black Legion (all hail empress pink au) (art by kishinpain)

The Black Legion is a particularly notorious insurgent group, formed in ||the early days of Era 3||, though certain individual members have been operational since ||early Era 2||. The organisation first came to the attention of the Bureau in the year ||78/3||.

The Black Legion was presumably founded by Black Topaz ███ -███, a former Homeworld intelligence agent under ||Hessonite|| before her strain of Gem was discontinued and she was ordered shattered by Empress Pink Diamond. She escaped her termination order and fought the Homeworld government apparently alone for thousands of years before she forming her organisation.

Currently, this group has around ||fifty-eight thousand|| members, including both silicate and organic species from Imperial and Client worlds across the galaxy. In addition, they associate with an unknown number of smaller cells, smuggling and trafficking rings, and other organised criminals. Unofficial estimates place their number of associates well into the tens of millions, though the turbulent nature of anti-insurgency operations makes this impossible to confirm. Most notably, direct members are known for wearing all-black uniforms, causing the exonym 'Black Legion'.

Ideologically this group is a Big Tent - the one uniting ideology between all members is anti-establishmentarianism, with several emerging factions representing everything from White Diamond reactionaries to outright anarchists. While their internal politics remain stable for now, it is widely theorised that the loss or incapacitation of Black Topaz will quickly and violently collapse the Black Legion entirely.

https://www.reddit.com/r/AllHailEmpressPinkAU/

https://twitter.com/kishinpain/status/1709568445598007461?t=t7BkJxO3hBQTaagpa9IheA&s=19

[ilikeapples01]

Vivisection (all hail empress pink au) (art by kishinpain)

"Well! I've never seen THAT organ before!" Yellow exclaimed, easily slicing through the still-twitching flesh of her prisoner. "I trust it's not vital to life, hmm?" She didn't even bother to listen to her victim's pathetic gurgles as her off-hand spread the gaping hole in her front even wider. "We'll peel away its secrets either way; maybe you'll live just long enough to watch~" So lost was the Yellow Diamond in her vengeful sadism that she didn't even notice her familial counterpart enter the room until a rogue spray from the vivisectee pushed a yelp out of Blue.

"Blue-!? What-!" Yellow started in place, desperately trying not to cut anything she didn't want to out of surprise. "What ARE you doing here?"

Sheltered blue rhombi flicked from the grisly scene to its perpetrator, back and forth over and over, struggling to make sense of the mess. "You-" Blue choked out, catching on her own shock before continuing. "You've been down here for days now, people are... starting to talk."

Yellow stopped again, this time clearly confused. "Talk?" she asked incredulously. "What is there to say? These discoveries won't make themselves, and Vahlen's busy elsewhere." Blue wanted to argue otherwise, but found herself increasingly unsteady on her feet. Is THAT what organics looked like on the inside?

Yellow picked up on her nausea immediately. "I know that look, Blue. Go sit down," she insisted, abnormally gentle yet firm as ever, before returning to her grisly revenge. That's what it was, everyone knew it. Blue knew it, Empress Pink knew it, Prime Minister Asriel knew it, Doctor Vahlen knew it, and all their retainers and co-workers and subservients and superiors knew it. Even Yellow herself knew it, despite her best efforts to lie to herself about 'scientific discovery' and so on. Blue wondered why Yellow couldn't accept it as she sat, her gaze drifting to the vacant eyes of the once-god on a slab - eyes that snapped to meet her own.

“OH MY STARS!” Clattering and crashing came from Blue’s direction, revealing an even bigger mess than before once Yellow turned languidly to look. Damn creature must’ve spooked her, those silent crocodile tears begging for mercy that can never come, not anymore.

“You finally noticed?” Yellow dryly remarked, glancing at the scattered implements surrounding her family peer.

“WHY!?” Blue screamed, aghast becoming the understatement of the era. “What could you POSSIBLY have to gain from this… TORTURE!?” They both knew the answer was nothing, that all of this was a paper-thin excuse to prolong a hated enemy’s suffering before she was mercifully put down. And yet…

“Why to keep the organs fresh, of course,” Yellow answered, as if it were a normal and not completely psychotic thing to say. “Less destructive than ice as well-”

“STOP IT!” Blue shrieked. “STOP LYING TO ME!” Her outburst forced a silence that hung in the moment like one of Yellow’s victims - or one of her own. “...This isn’t science, Yellow, this- this is savagery. It’s cruelty for its own sake, purely for revenge.”

“You’d know all about that, wouldn’t you?” Yellow retorted, still refusing to betray any emotion beyond quiet frustration.

“YES. I would,” Blue confessed, painfully aware of how her emotional tendencies had contorted at least one life into a hell-on-Homeworld. “And I don’t want that for you.”

“...You’re right,” Yellow confessed. “Though I was lost long ago, every cruelty served a purpose no matter how petty and misguided… until now. That said,” she began to counter, “I still need to dismantle the subject. For storage, of course.”

(Full post on reddit)

[ilikeapples01]

Crystal Ball Z (all hail empress pink au) (animation by Noob4rtist)

"Normally this goes on for another three hours but we ran out of budget"- Za from AHEP team

[ilikeapples01]

Priyanka Maheswaran character bio (all hail empress pink au) (art by kishinpain)

Priyanka Maheswaran is a highly-trained combat medic and trauma surgeon. Born in Kot Diji, a put-upon district of Sindhu-Ganga's venerable Kukkuṭārma, she has considerable experience in many walks of life in comparison to many other members of humanity. She cares about doing what is right but does not suffer fools gladly in the least. She joined the empire's military after calling the number on a military recruitment poster near the end of her medical education. Being an exceptional combat medic who has survived many assignments, she was soon snapped up by the Homeworld Security Bureau as a special operative. Quickly rising up the ranks, she replaced - or perhaps usurped - Hessonite as director of the organization in an arranged 'infiltration challenge' that saw a dummy bomb planted in the latter's office undetected. Under Priyanka's direction the organization rose to a new level of infamy, for their effectiveness and willingness to complete a mission no matter the cost, even gaining the respect of the more conservative leaders and high ranking officials of the Empire. After nearly 40 years of service, she finally decided to retire as age at last caught up with her, having refused any of the typical life extension treatments offered to Imperial organics. After resigning from her position, she enjoyed a quiet retirement...

For all of nine days...

XX/XX/5250/3 - XX/XX/5340/3

[ilikeapples01]

Scrooge McDumbass (all hail empress pink au) (art by HellMick)

Silly Peridot! It's not a liquid, but a great many pieces of solid matter that form a hard floor-like surface.

[ilikeapples01]

Family is everything (all hail empress pink au) (art by kishinpain)

Times like this were rare to say the least. So often was Empress Pink at war so far from her children be it in orbit or on the ground, and so often was she… otherwise occupied with one or several of her extensive harem, and in the times she was neither she was tied down with the red tape of punishing those who had wronged the empire or by what was to her meaningless meetings and bureaucracy.

But not today. Today was the first of several that Pink Diamond had expressly put aside, cleared out, and walled off from anyone she deemed ‘too work-y’, and she was going to spend it with her children. After all, what kind of a parent would she be if she didn’t spend time with her own kin? They’re all her responsibility after all, and after the stress of a deluge of complaints her Prime Minister had championed for some reason what better way to clear her mind was there but to ignore him for at least a week?

Little Moissanite giggled in childlike glee as her mother - father really but none would dare say as much - ruffled her hair. Just a couple days ago she hatched from the latest of White’s geodes and just look at the rambunctious little bundle of light grow! It lightened Pink’s gem to be here for these moments when so often she would miss them. Other children of hers played with Spinel behind her; some sort of ‘tag’ she assumed given the joyful cries and cheers. The bigger Moissanite was glad for her mother’s good mood, pleased as punch that for once she could have some semblance of family life for once. If only her other mother could be here, but no matter. “It’s taken me a good while, but I’ve finally gotten the last of those twists in your hair out, ma,” she announced. “Do you like it? If you ever want my help with it again, or even just a trim, please do tell me.”

Moments like these were everything Pink strove for, that peace in her life she once resigned herself to go without was here and she would savour every moment of it so help her… her, really. “Of course, Moissi,” Pink agreed with a calm that was so rare to her these days. “Though perhaps you ought to practise on Brigadier Lapis, she’s really let herself go!” she gossipped.

“Oh?” Such open talk of her mother’s lovers was certainly a surprise for Moissanite. “What makes you say that, ma?”

Pink huffed amusedly as if it were obvious. “Trust me, she’s really let herself go. Her hair is ragged as the Hattiland - and her victims leave a lot of stains. You can certainly cut hair, but can you wash it too?”

“I wann’ be like Lapis,” little Moissi blurted out, interrupting in a lull. “I wan-na beat up bad guys an’ get their mess in my hair too!” Her innocent upwards smile contrasted completely with her violence, like she didn’t understand even a little bit exactly what she said really meant.

“Um… Why… is that, darling?” Pink had to ask, a little perturbed.

“B’cause then Mwah-see can wash and cut my hair too!” little Moissanite beamed, earning herself a chuckle and a shaking head from her mother.

“Oh darlin’!” the elder Moissanite cried out, “You don’t need to get yourself all messy for that! I can take care of your hair right now if y’ like - with your blessin’, ma?”

Pink nodded her assent, and took a moment to realise that meant taking her hand out her daughter’s hair. In a few short days she’d be just grown up as her hairdresser, but that’s what made here and now so important. The rare times like these remind her of why she does all that she does. It’s not just for her own sake, but for everyone’s, and that’s what she remembers here, that crucial lesson that keeps her grounded enough to actually rule:

Family is Everything.

[ilikeapples01]

Gas-lit Performance (all hail empress pink au) (art by kishinpain)

(White diamond)

"...I really do love you Starlight, it's just that you misbehave so often so I am forced to discipline you, you bring this all on yourself."

(Pink diamond)

*mentally screaming at the sight of white pearl*

(White diamond)

"...everything I do to you is just an expression of love, I hope you see it as I do"

https://www.reddit.com/r/AllHailEmpressPinkAU/

https://twitter.com/kishinpain/status/1709568445598007461?t=t7BkJxO3hBQTaagpa9IheA&s=19