#citrine arc

[howlingday]

Of Princes and Ponces

Setting - Medieval AU. Arranged marriage between the Arc and Schnee houses.

Weiss: Father says that my future husband will be arriving soon.

Whitley: Oh? This is your first meeting, yes?

Weiss: Yes. What do you think he'll look like?

Whitley: It doesn't matter. He'll probably be like all the others father picked; arrogant fools twice your age who run off as soon as they see you.

Weiss: Actually, grandfather chose this one.

Whitley: All the same. All royals are bastards, and we are no different. (Huffs) Look at me! I haven't met him, and I'm already angry! Mark my words, Weiss, that I will hate this man to my dying breath!

Jaune: (Clears his throat) Um, e-excuse me. Uh, sorry to interrupt, but are you, perhaps, Weiss Schnee? And her brother Whitley Schnee? (Bows) My name is- I-I mean, I am Prince Jaune Arc, your future husband and brother-in-law. It's a pleasure to meet you.

Weiss: ...Hmph. I suppose I will mark your words, Brother. Even I cannot stand his awkwardness.

Whitley: (Blushing, Medieval gay panic)

[mmmatchasims]

Tamber: Okay, okay! I love you guys. Seriously.

Midnight: This should go without saying but... Same.

Cherry: You guys are gonna make me cry!

Cranberry: You have such a way with words, Midna.

Midnight: Silence, robocop.

Cranberry: I have two metal pins in my leg, I’m not a Cyborg-

Tamber: *cackles*

Hibiscus: ... Thanks for being my in my life. All of you. It's meant the world.

.

.

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[cbab-freak]

I'm normal.

Also my birthday is tomorrow

[palpadproject]

Rosa Yancy fankid concept (her name is Citrine !)

[mettiaferoxs]

[English] I was in class and I put my crystals on my desk when I saw a rainbow in my citrine. It’s not a rare phenomenon but I enjoy it each time it happens. (The picture is not great but a least you can see a tiny rainbow) [Français] J'étais en cours et j'ai mit mes cristaux sur ma table quand j'ai vu un arc-en-ciel dans ma citrine. Ce n'est pas un phénomène rare mais je l'apprécie à chaque fois que ça arrive. (La photo est pas top mais au moins on peut voir un petit arc-en-ciel)

[mothpawbs]

more royal dragons, this time the ones from arc 2/3! these were really fun, and the previous designs helped me get comfortable with more detailed jewelry designs, so these are a bit more extravagant.

design notes under the cut!

RUBY: i didn't realize how young she really is when i read escaping peril the first time, i thought she was in her mid-twenties at least but apparently she's only 12/17? wild. anyways i made her ruby red with some orange accents to point to tourmaline. her tiara is meant to look like laurels, studded with rubies, and the gems on her brows and wings are citrine.

GLORY: i already had a design for her, i just touched it up a bit here. she's very pretty, but her scales are notably duller than my other rainwing designs. she has pouches she wears around her neck because she likes to be prepared and is trying to connect more to her culture. at least one of those pockets has snacks for silver. the flower on her ear is a plumeria india, one of my favorite flowers.

THORN: easily my favorite design in the set, oh my god i love how she came out. she has the same colors as my sunny design but desaturated, and almost the same markings. her jewelry is mostly gold with onyx and lapis lazuli insets. the design for the eye of onyx is inspired by @dragonsndoodles's design, which looks absolutely gorgeous and way more elegant than the graphic novel version.

SNOWFALL: i think i made her too round and soft-looking? idk i think she's cute though. i definitely had to get those pale sunset colors in there, and she has similar colors/markings to glacier. the tiara is one she found in the treasury after the racism crown™ was destroyed, and the shawl was a gift from luna as a thanks for helping her tribe. silk doesn't help much against the cold, but it sure is pretty.

WASP: SCARY BITCH. i had to mess with her colors a lot, i wanted to make her kinda greenish with red accents but it just was NOT working. i do like where i ended up though. i don't know that she would wear much jewelry, probably more armor than anything else, but i wanted to do hivewing jewelry so here we are. the neck piece was really fun to design. these are steel and gold with amber and peridot accents, and the cape is silk with gold embroidery. i have this headcanon of her having breath of evil growing out of her like a cordyceps fungus, and she uses the cape to cover the tendrils on her back.

SEQUOIA: ooo she was a challenge, i'm not great at designs with a lot of green or a lot of dark colors so she was fun. her colors are inspired by @daily-wof-designs, and the brown tones were pulled from pictures of giant sequoias. she wears braided leather straps hung with aquamarine, and the scarf might be silk? or some kind of natural fiber? i'm not sure. but it has leaf designs and is probably batik dyed (which is super cool btw look it up)

[crimeronan]

the princess luz au titan timeline has inflicted me with a Mental Image about the super murder. now you gotta have it too.

There is a loud thud behind Belos, perhaps more of a clank, but he can't risk turning his eyes from the traitors before him, not until he's finished with them. Another thud, and the traitors freeze, their heinous gaze drawn past him. Several heavy clinks, something cracks, and the floor shakes beneath his feet. The throne room's heart beats in double time. The wretches are now distinctly looking up, and something bright forces his shadow to the far wall. Compelled, he turns around. That fool The traitor His own daughter Luz A demon wearing her face is standing there, something harsh like the sun glaring over its head. It stares at its claws in perverse fascination. The air swells as it turns them over, multicolored lights forming and dancing along in time. No, not just lights. Pictoglyphs. It swipes its arms downward, and the pictoglyphs are splattered across the floor like water from a washbasin. The thing actually giggles, and its voice is closer than any impostor he's ever heard, if only it weren't for the shuddering weight which ripped through the castle at the sound of it. The thing finally looks up. Luz meets his gaze. Her face bleeds into a frown, into a sneer, into fury, then into something cold as ice. She puts one clawed foot forward, and the ground buckles beneath her feet. Another, and the crack left behind mends itself with an octarine glint. The closer she comes, the farther away she must have been, for he cant help feeling smaller and smaller beneath her. Something new flares to life behind her horns, and if it weren't for those damning symbols, he could almost mistake it for a halo: a perfect ring of citrine light, broken only by her own silhouette and the pictoglyphs swirling along its path. After another few steps, a second ring is formed, the same symbols swirling in the opposite direction. Another step, another ring. And another. And another. And another. Soon, his entire vision is filled with them, arcing back and forth and around and around behind her, all as if to force his eyes toward her encroaching face. She comes to a stop before him, and he cranes his neck to see her wicked, fanged glower. Rage overtakes him, and he thrusts a sharp arm at her neck, but it's stopped by a blinding burst of black, inches from her face. He can't feel that arm anymore. "What is the meaning of this?!" he bellows, indignity at his daughter who would dare to defy him, to deny him not once, but twice, today alone. "You've Angered The Titan," she explains, voice like a distant eruption. The impossibly vast spell sweeps out from behind her, under her feet, under him. "You've Angered Me," she amends, a building's collapse. The spell accelerates in its turning, the pictoglyphs melt into their circles, and the circles draw themselves together, until all that remains is one solid, golden ring around his feet. "Goodbye, Father." A flash of light, and he ceases to be.

AYOOOOOO HOLY SHIT I'M KICKING MY FEEEEEEET

DOING THIS FROM BELOS POV IS SO GOOD AND YOU'VE NAILED THE NARRATION SO WELL.... that fool the traitor his daughter luz..... the shift from it to she..... this description of luz coming closer and closer..... you've angered the titan. you've angered me!!

get his ASSSSS. oh this is so fucking satisfying and good. EATING IT FOREVER FOREVER FOREVER THANK YOU....

[skitter-queen]

I’m glad you like my better ward au,,, here’s more

Browbeat gets murdered on screen in chapter 1

In chapter 2 we find out that rain is a trans man who is stealth everywhere except home

In chapter 3 we find out that Ratcatcher is a echidna clone of skitter and that’s why she wears the mask all the time

In chapter 4 Victoria gets the big gun & it’s explicitly compared to a vibrator

In chapter 5 Victoria gets a vibrator and it’s explicitly compared to a big gun

In chapter 6 everyone in breakthrough has a big hug and laughs

In chapter 7 Victoria punches Amy through a wall

In chapter 8 we find out that looksee’s trigger is that everyone is *too* nice to her

In chapter 9 we learn that marquis and number man are still lovers

In chapter 10 citrine concisely explains her powers

In chapter 11 dragon hosts a gala

In chapter 12 svetka takes Victoria to a gay club. She does not notice.

In chapter 13 they listen to the protesters and create a more equitable form of government

In chapter 14 there’s a whole arc where cherish escapes from the pod and gets a hug from all of heartbreak

Lisa and Rachel are queer platonic partners????

in chapter 16 Byron comes out as a transgender lesbian and starts her transition

choosing to imagine that chapter 12 is not "victoria doesnt notice the club is gay" and rather "victoria does not notice she has been taken anywhere" because the entire chapter takes place inside of a very complex and multi-layered internal Victoria Dallon Monologue unpacking her feelings about the previous Dragon's Big Gala chapter. the gay club thing is only revealed in sveta's interlude after chapter 15

[lifesteal-headcanons]

zam has gems on his crown that represent everyone who he’s teamed with or who have meant something to him that season, and it resets at the start of every season. in s4 it’s red carnelian for mapicc, purpurite for ro, charoite for subz, kunzite for vitalasy, amethyst for planet, amber for bacon, citrine for jaron, aragonite for pangi, and finally obsidian for spoke. spoke is the only one who’s ever realized the gems have meaning other than being pretty, during the wormhole arc. he gives zam a look, but doesn’t mention it.

(also yes i chose some of these gems for their meanings. why can’t gems have meanings like anger or betrayal all of them are like “filters bad energy” or “guides your spirit.” so lame.)

.

[over--heaven]

square one

word count: 647

notes: since our anniversary is coming up !!! here's an alternate ending to elodi reconciliation arc that i'm kind of obsessed with

taglist

@love-overdrive @violetsareblue-selfships @iceicewifey @dmclr @newdaybreak

@everynya @seahydra @spk0thdvl @crimsonsunrise @stoneshipper

@jujorising @peacesmith @bruabbina

click here to be on the list

--------------------------------

we could start over. i want to start over.

dio couldn’t believe it. as those beautiful words slipped from eloise’s lips to his ears, a warm feeling bloomed in his undead body that made his chest swell with elation.

they were already in a close embrace; his hand curled lovingly around the small of her back to hold her ever tighter. a part of him wondered if this hug would be awkward at all, considering it was the first time they had physical contact that wasn’t violent in, well, a whole century. he didn’t want to think too much about the era they both came from -- reminiscing was only ever good for unearthing old regrets and paranoia. but as soon as he felt her arms around him, his eyelids fluttered shut and he saw liverpool again.

his mind chased away the silence of the decrepit, dusty mansion and replaced them with the sounds of the countryside. holding her head close brought him back to their spot, under that old tree. in front of the creek, where they would sit and talk for hours until dinnertime. where he had kissed her for the first time, and the second, and the third.

despite it being a much simpler and more boring time, when they were both still bound by the constraints of humanity, dio would be lying if he said he didn’t miss it at least a little.

“back to square one, then?” he said in a low and quiet voice, one that was heart-meltingly warm. something far removed from the tone of voice he reserved for his victims or servants. eloise nodded with a soft hum, and he struggled for a moment to remain calm as he felt her smile growing against his chest.

despite every part of him wishing to stay as close to her as he possibly could, he pulled away from the hug, only to look her in the eyes. deep brown pools that no longer held any contempt for him. just affection. although dio had always found eloise particularly difficult to read.

“then tell me”, he began, the corners of his lip turned upwards, not in his usual smirk, but rather the hint of a fond smile. “who is this beautiful stranger i have in my arms?”

they couldn’t ever be complete without involving a little game. making bets and committing to stupid bits was an essential part of them, even when it ended on a sour note (which was often). like that time when they ended up caving after 6 hours of being silent to each other, pointing fingers about whose fault it was that they had to go so long without talking.

so of course in response, eloise gave him a sweet look and replied in kind. “my name is eloise haring.” she said, and he repeated her name once, then twice, savouring the way it rolled off his tongue. “and you?”

hearing the feigned innocence in her simple question drove his heart insane. it took all his self control not to kiss her senseless.

his citrine gaze remained fixed on her features, etching the curve of her soft smile into his memory. “i’m dio. brando, if you must, but i prefer not to use it.” he replied. a comfortable pause fell between them as his hand absentmindedly travelled up and down her side.

dio knew better, now; starting over meant that he would do things properly. go slow, despite his instincts urging him to mock the absurd softness of it all. why should immortals, such powerful beings as the two of them be tethered to the idiotic mechanisms of human emotion? what a waste of time, the more reasonable parts of his mind kept saying. but a single look from eloise rendered his thoughts completely silent.

only for her, he would do it right.

“i… think we’ll get along quite well.”

[cinnamonconi]

Felices Fiestas Patrias!! Wishes from Chile ✨

Took this opportunity to draw my Arc-V OCs, Citrine and Gabriel!

[fernthewhimsical]

Rainbow Divination

Rainbowmancy is not only the act of magic, but, much like in witchcraft, divination is also a part of it. (If you want it to be, anyway, you can do whatever you want forever!) Here are some different techniques for using rainbows in divination.

Reading Rainbows: When there is an actual rainbow in the sky, you could read the signs to divine. Look at the rainbow and consider the place on the horizon, depth of colour, full arc or just partial, beginning and end, etc.

Existing Decks: There are many decks available through either the creators or your local witchy/bookstore that have rainbow themes and symbolism. Some examples: Prism Oracle, Secret Language of Colour (I recommend!), Spectrowhirl Tarot, SoulSpace Oracle, Queer Tarot, Holographic RWS, Sacred Creators Oracle, Rainbow Tarot, Tarot at the End of the Rainbow.

Stone Scrying: What is says on the tin, scrying in rainbow stones, or if you have a quartz crystal, they sometimes can have rainbow inclusions which work really well.

Water Scrying: Take a glass or white bowl or cup and fill it with water. Add a few drops of coloured ink. Alcohol ink, writing ink, or acrylic inks work just fine. Look at how it flows, what patterns it makes, what symbols do you see? For meanings you could make your own dictionary, which I recommend, or use a tasseomancy (tealeaf reading) guide to get you started.

Rainbow Scyphomancy: This technique was generously shared with me by Nova. Scyphomancy means divination with a cup or goblet. With rainbow scyphomancy the white cup is first filled with water and then emptied. Drops of food colouring are added, and the cup is turned over three times, each one in a different direction, lastly the cup is swirled three times. The colours will spread over the white surface, which can then be read much in the same way as tasseomancy.

Paint Chips: These come in every shade and colour, so would be great for making your own deck. Write keywords or draw symbols on them the meanings of which match the colours.

Pendulum: A pendulum in one of the rainbow crystals for example. Or nowadays you have rainbow pendulums made from different crystals, either fused together, or beads stacked on top of each other (often called "chakra pendulum". We'll get into chakra's in the next bit). A small galaxy jar on a chain, or a small bottle filled with coloured sand, sugar, salt, or resin, will also make a great pendulum.

Crystal Casting Oracle: An osteomancy method using rainbow cystals, or crystals in each colour of the rainbow. Before I mentioned that my favourite combination is garnet, carnelian, citrine, aventurine, turquoise, sodalite, and amethyst. I use tumbled stones of these to cast on divination grids or mats. Much like charm casting. Each stone has their own meaning depending on where they land.

Encaustic Art: This is an art technique where coloured beeswax is heated on a small painting iron and then pressed to wood, or a special shiny paper. Artists can use this to create beautiful and intricate paintings, often of landscapes. This same technique, however, can also be used for divination. By intuitively adding colours and moving the painting iron, a layered painting can be made. The wax will pool, swirl, and leave open spots, making an interesting painting which you can see symbols, figures, and natural features, which can then be interpreted.

[Part of a Rainbowmancy series, masterpost here]

[palpadproject]

Citrine doodle

[mysticonsheadcanons]

Why I Think The Series Should Continue

Other than the fact that I think Mysticons is the best series ever, I think more episodes should be created because some of the main characters didn't get focus. I'm talking about Em and Piper.

Originally, one thing I liked about Mysticons is how all the characters were featured, and had their own problems and backstories. However, as time went on, Zarya and Arkayna took more and more focus, taking attention away from Em and Piper. Because of this, I would like an arc where it's reversed, and the problem is closely related to Em and Piper.

Another reason I think they need more focus is backstory, as both characters could use some work with their backstory. While Piper's is obvious, I would argue there are some things we don't know about Em that would be interesting. She is awfully young to have moved to Drake City by herself, so what made her choose to leave, and why did Citrine and Malachite agree? Or, is it normal for dwarves to move out at Em's age?

They also set up some interesting things between elves and dwarves, as Hallite an Ferris ran right inside after seeing Piper. While it's surprising that Citrine didn't react negatively to Piper, especially considering how she is to many other species in Gemina, the fact that Hallite and Ferris ran off suggested there is something between elves and dwarves.

I mentioned in an earlier post about one way to do this would be to have elves and dwarves have an old feud, and the villain of the season starting up the feud again. The mine could be Rudick's Hollow, and the elvish village could be where Piper used to live, but doesn't remember. Both of them would have to deal with the fighting, as they would want to either stay loyal to the town she grew up in (Em) or learn more about her past (Piper) but wouldn't want to lose their friendship wih each other. Meanwhile, the two villagers would want Em and Piper to not be as close, maybe accepting them as having to fight together as Mysticons, but frowns upon their friendship.

There is the argument that Zarya and Arkayna got more focus because they're favourites. However, I would argue that if Em and Piper got more focus in the show, they may become more popular.

[deusvervewrites]

You play Warframe right? How's the new patch going?

I've only played the story quest, I haven't really done anything else with Duviri yet.

Loved the story quest. It was no New War, but it also wasn't the climax of a multi-year story arc so I wasn't really expecting it to be. very excited to get to looting more of the new gear. I also need to get Citrine at some point, she's currently the only frame I don't have in some capaity.

[andrewmoocow]

Steven Universe Snake Eyes chapter 10: Crossroads (originally posted on October 30, 2023)

AN: And now, the moment I've wanted to write for so long ever since I first started conceiving of this grand finale: the redemption of Black Rutile. Normally, trying to turn a proud psychopath who was not ashamed to say she regretted nothing good would be a very hard thing to do, but after all the emotional beatdowns she suffered throughout this story, Black Rutile might as well need one. But while many might say Zuko from Avatar: The Last Airbender had the best redemption arc, I'm actually taking a different route for Black Rutile's that is heavily based off of Megatron's portrayal in the twilight years of the original Transformers IDW comics. Anyone who read those comics should be very excited to see what I have in store for Black Rutile. Otherwise, prepare to feel a lot.

Synopsis: After Nosiop throws her out, Black Rutile starts rethinking her views.

Cast:

Noël Wells as Black Rutile

Zach Callison as Steven

Estelle as Garnet

Michaela Dietz as Amethyst

Deedee Magno-Hall as Pearl, Yellow Pearl, Blue Pearl, Volleyball, The Black Pearl Brigade

Grace Rolek as Connie

Shelby Rabara as Peridot, Squaridot

Jennifer Paz as Lapis, Laz, Zuli

Uzo Aduba as Bismuth

Kimberly Brooks as Jasper, Dalmatian Jasper

Lauren Ash as White Topaz

Patti LuPone as Yellow Diamond

Lisa Hannigan as Blue Diamond

Christine Ebersole as White Diamond

Sarah Stiles as Spinel

Christine Baranski as Hessonite

Olivia Olson as Citrine

Avi Roque as Cinnabar

Della Saba as Aquamarine

Charlyne Yi as Eyeball

Christine Pedi as Holly Blue Agate

Casey Lee Williams as Cat's Eye

Jinkx Monsoon as Emerald

Kari Wahlgren as Pyrope

Melissa Fahn as Demantoid

Hayley Kiyoko as Morganite

Idina Menzel as Amazonite

Halsey as Tanzanite

Mia Barron as Apatite

Awkwafina as Kyanite

Allison Janney as Pyrite

Zehra Fazal as Zoisite

Lena Hall as Bloodstone

Jodie Whittaker as Xenotime

Gina Torres as Andesine

Barbara Dunkelman as Amber

Kristen Schaal as Howlite

Catherine Tate as Lepidolite

Cissy Jones as Princess Naja Jormagundr

Henry Rollins as Captain Boa

Neil Flynn as Aescul

Samantha Newark as The Lapidarist

--

"Okay, how long do we have until Squamata leaves Serpentes and devours the rest of the universe?" Pearl asked as she, Garnet, Hessonite, Citrine, Aquamarine, Cinnabar, Andesine, Captain Boa, and Aescul watched a holographic image of Squamata continuing his rampage against the Slytherophidians.

"I'm betting not long." Hessonite proclaimed. "He'll eventually get bored and move onto another planet. Worst case scenario; he'll consume Earth or Homeworld next just to spite us."

"We need to act quickly." Garnet proclaimed stoically. "If Squamata succeeds in destroying this universe, there's no telling what kind of destruction he'll wreak upon other universes as well."

"It truly pains me to see Nosiop fall this far," Boa said mournfully of his prince's status. "I wish I could've informed Cobralan of this earlier."

"It's okay, Boa, we all didn't know," Aescul responded comfortingly before he turned around to find Black Rutile standing behind him. "Oh hey, I forgot you were still here!"

"Oh, hello, Black Rutile." Pearl greeted the Rutile. "Don't mind us. We're busy thinking of a way to save the known universe and beyond here. Just run along and play while we work here."

"But I can help!" Black Rutile continued urging the group. "Nosiop told me everything there is to know about Squamata, so unless you all want to die, I suggest you listen to me if you want to live!"

"Black Rutile, dear." White Diamond said calmly as she suddenly appeared behind her former subordinate. "They're making it clear that they're not interested in your help right now. So please, go run along and play by yourself while we sort things out."

"What are you, my mom?" Black Rutile scoffed as she stormed off in a huff. "Fine, but don't come crying to me once heads start rolling!"

"Someone needs an attitude adjustment," Aescul murmured at Black Rutile while watching her walk away.

"I think it's because we refused to believe her about Squamata," Garnet replied. "Perhaps she has been telling the truth and wants to change, but we'll just have to wait and see."

"I'll go talk to her." Cinnabar offered herself up and began following Black Rutile. "I've been her apprentice for centuries; I know her more than anyone else in this room."

--

Elsewhere in the castle, Black Rutile gazed out a window as she watched Squamata and his heralds start draining Serpentes of its energy, causing the land around them to decay. Black Rutile sighed nostalgically as she reminisced on how the Diamonds would cause the planets they colonized to die after draining them of their resources. But those days were long gone, just like what the universe will soon be once Squamata gets bored with Serpentes and moves onto another planet.

"Hello, Black Rutile." Cinnabar said as she walked up to Black Rutile and stood next to her, the two Gems now staring out the same window. "I'd like to talk to you about everything happening recently."

"Oh yes, about me betraying you all and unleashing Squamata only to get stabbed in the back as well?" Black Rutile asked.

"Exactly." Cinnabar answered.

"I know you and everyone else must hate me now for wanting to use the Lapidarist to push the reset button on all Gemkind," Black Rutile said. "But there's no harm in talking one last time before you disown your old mentor, huh?"

Cinnabar only responded by pulling out her broadsword and attempting to strike Black Rutile down. "You betrayed us! You betrayed me!" she screamed angrily as Black Rutile halfheartedly blocked the strike with her bowie knife. "What happened to you?! What have the Crystal Gems done to you?!"

"Enough." Black Rutile quietly commanded her former apprentice to stand down, which she obeyed.

"Did Steven finally corrupt you into his slave?" Cinnabar kept yelling. "Tell me, did he?!"

"No, it's not Steven's fault," Black Rutile sorrowfully revealed. "And I'm sorry if that disappoints you."

"But we believed in you. We dedicated our gems to you." Cinnabar cried in betrayal. "And this is how you treat us?!"

"Not just to me. Black Rutile declared. "But to your own twisted ego and selfishness as well that you used to serve my cause."

"But our cause was what you thought was best for all Gems!" Cinnabar exclaimed. "At least, I thought it was."

"You got that right." Black Rutile agreed dourly.

"I came here to tell you that we're teaming up with the Crystal Gems to stop Squamata from destroying the universe." Cinnabar revealed to her old mentor.

"Wait, seriously?" Black Rutile scoffed dryly. "And here you are, getting on my case for betraying you."

"Steven can be selfish and narrow-minded, sure, but he still accepted us despite what we've done because we have nowhere else left to go." Cinnabar added.

"Well then, off you go!" Black Rutile snapped at Cinnabar. "Go ahead and abandon your lives, your identities, the very reason you were created, all for his twisted ideals and principles!" The two Gems were silent for a few pregnant moments before Cinnabar sat down next to Black Rutile.

"The moment you tell me that this was all a trick, that you're going to kill the royal family and use their armada to conquer the universe, then Steven really did lie to us." Cinnabar stated, hoping what she just said would be true. "He doesn't care that we're without identity; he'll force a new one onto us."

"Ah yes, identity. I've forgotten how toxic that can sometimes be." Black Rutile declared calmly. "Speaking of identity, you're still falling for all the lies about how Pink Diamond didn't mean any harm in starting the rebellion, right?"

"Not entirely." Cinnabar answered. "She didn't care that so many lives were lost in her crusade against the Diamonds, but she still cared deeply for life."

"Organic life, I know." Black Rutile sighed. "So, what do you plan on doing with me now?"

"If you refuse to admit your flaws, I have no choice but to leave you here." Cinnabar declared coldly.

"And you found Aquamarine and the others?" Black Rutile then asked.

"A test. And you failed." Cinnabar replied. "I've been watching you for our entire sentence to Revanche 666. You've just sat in your cell with your eyes closed, doing nothing but think and think and think. And do you want to know what I think? I think for the first time in your life, you feel like you have no identity. You've been many things. An eager Rutile with big dreams, a confidant to White Diamond, a rebel leader. And now what?"

"A selfish fool." Black Rutile responded before turning her knife into a sword and gazing into her reflection on the blade.

"But why? If you did change sides, you'd become a Crystal Gem in all but name." Cinnabar wondered. "No more, no less. Why rethink your entire life now?"

"I once told Steven that the Rutile Rebels came together to seek retribution by any means necessary. I wanted to make him hurt, to make him feel the same pain that he unknowingly brought upon us with his blissful naïveté and optimism." Black Rutile explained to Cinnabar. "And the thing is, at the end of the day, I'm feeling the same pain I brought Steven, only far worse than I thought. If the universe sees you as a monster, what does it matter? The universe is filled with monsters. But when you start thinking that you're the monster."

Black Rutile let out a heavy sigh before continuing. "I came to hate what I've turned myself into. A cunning, devious, opportunistic, sociopathic monster that even Steven believed was beyond redemption. I thought the only way to restore my old legacy and set everything back to what it was before Pink even came into existence, probably the easiest way, was to gain the Lapidarist's godlike powers so I could rejuvenate the entire Gem race."

"You're not a monster. Well, you're not the monster that you think you are now." Cinnabar assured Black Rutile. "As humans would often say, nobody's perfect. We're all like Off-Colors in a way. We can't fit in with society, and that causes us to feel like we're alone in the world. It's why we formed the Rutile Rebels; we felt alone in Era 3, and you were the only one who could give us a purpose. Maybe in a couple of hundred years, we'll remember this conversation and laugh about how ridiculous it was for you to consider changing your ways."

"Consider, you say?" Black Rutile said, gazing down at her hands, calloused from years on the battlefield and years of plotting her grand uprising. "Look at me, Cinnabar. I'm a hopeless, bigoted shell of my former self. Ignorant and proud of it, too." She gently moved one of her hands to her face. "Would you still follow a Gem like me? My spirit now flickers when it once flared, but these days, all I am is nothing but bark without a single bite."

"I don't particularly appreciate hearing you say this." Cinnabar said nervously.

"Why not?" Black Rutile asked.

"Because this isn't you!" Cinnabar answered while taking her master's hands in her own. "Whatever happened to the Black Rutile I looked up to who bravely fought in the Rebellion, dared to challenge the Crystal Gems' tyranny, and basically conquered the Earth by turning the humans against them! The Black Rutile we followed, that we loved. What happened to her?"

I don't know." Black Rutile responded grimly. "I think she's dead."

"Dead?" Cinnabar asked sympathetically. "Or just resting?" The two fell silent once again, neither of them knowing the right words to say next.

"Just recently, I finally saw fit to talk with the Lapidarist." Black Rutile said. "But instead of asking her to rejuvenate the entire Gem race, I asked her what my purpose was now that I've lost everything because of Steven."

"And what did she say?" Cinnabar asked.

"She said that my true destiny won't be realized until I am at peace with myself or something like that." Black Rutile revealed. "She then showed me a vision of a possible future where I fought with Steven to save the universe. As a Crystal Gem. As a hero. As his friend."

"You're kidding. His friend?" Cinnabar gasped in shock. "But this is only a possible future, right?"

"Perhaps if I play my cards right, this could be my future right now." Black Rutile added with a slight smile. "Do you think there's any chance for me to make amends with everybody? Not just the Crystal Gems, but the Diamonds and all the other Rutile Rebels as well?"

"Destiny works in mysterious ways, I guess." Cinnabar realized what Black Rutile was planning to do and accepted it with a smile. "Go, change yourself for the better. You've already won me over."

"Thank you, Cinnabar, for listening to me." Black Rutile said and then suddenly hugged her old apprentice. "This is what is necessary to be forgiven, right?"

"Well, at least you're learning." Cinnabar laughed awkwardly. "Now, can you please let me go?"

--

"Wait, you're saying the ultimate fusion could be what now?" White Diamond gasped as she, Yellow, Blue, Spinel, and the Pearls stood before Princess Naja and the Lapidarist in the latter's secret chamber.

"Indeed, I believe it must be our only option." The Lapidarist stated. "Unless Steven has any other options."

"Well, there is the fusion with his human girlfriend, and I've also discovered he can fuse with his father," Blue replied. "But I think he might also be able to fuse with the pink boy and the fry boys, too."

"Ooh, ooh, can he fuse with me?!" Spinel asked while fluttering a pair of large eyelashes.

"Don't get too excited, Spinel." Yellow bluntly replied, much to the jester's dismay. "Anyone else he can fuse with?"

"Last I checked, he can fuse with Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl, or even all three at once." Blue Pearl replied. "I wonder how he'd fuse with some of the other Crystal Gems?"

As the Diamonds continued conversing, Black Rutile crept into the Lapidarist's chambers, hoping that she would take them all by surprise with her revelation. Still, there was just one factor she didn't consider. "I can see you, Black Rutile."

"No, you can't!" Black Rutile yelled as she tried to hide from the Lapidarist, no matter how omniscient Rebeuger was. "Okay, I give up! I just want to talk!"

"What is it this time, Black Rutile?" Yellow said with a roll of her eyes. "Here to bluster about the injustice wrought upon you again till the heat death of the universe."

"No, that's not it." Black Rutile said firmly. "I came here to apologize for what I've done to you."

"Could you please repeat that? I think I might need my hearing checked." Yellow Pearl snarked in surprise. "Surely this is another one of her lies, right?"

"No, I am simply baring my soul to you all." Black Rutile declared as she got on her knees and begged for forgiveness. "I ask of you, grand Diamonds, to accept my apology for all the horrible, selfish things I did to our people in the name of my delusional crusade for justice against those who have wronged me! My experiences here have finally humbled me and taught me that my actions have consequences!"

"Are you serious this time, Black Rutile?" Volleyball asked the repentant Rutile. "Are you not just lying to us again?"

"Why is everyone assuming that I'm lying?!" Black Rutile complained. "I'm being serious this time. I've been convinced that to be at peace with myself, I must make amends with everyone! Don't believe me? Ask the Lapidarist!"

"It's true." The Lapidarist proclaimed. "I told Black Rutile that she had a grand destiny, but it won't be realized until she is at peace. To calm such a troubled mind, she must reconnect with everyone she's hurt."

"Well, this is interesting," Naja said with an eyebrow arched. "What do you think, Diamonds?"

"Come to think of it, we are at fault for Black Rutile's descent," White said mournfully. "After allowing her to rise to such power because I thought it was funny, I didn't expect such a joke would go so far."

"So, we'll give you a shot, Black Rutile." Yellow added. "But make no mistake, if you really are lying, then we'll make sure to have your head on a wall."

"Oh, thank you, thank you, my Diamonds!" Black Rutile cheered as she crawled over to White Diamond's feet and began kissing them. "You are so kind!"

"Zip it." White bluntly responded.

--

Next on Black Rutile's itinerary was trying to reconnect with her ex-minions, who she found were already preparing for the coming final battle against Squamata and his heralds. Naturally, Pyrite's keen business acumen had helped the former Rutile Rebels acquire some weapons generously donated to them from the various competitors and Slytherophidians willing to lend a hand. All she needed to do now was to talk to them. Hopefully, Cinnabar would help them hear her out.

"Hey, everybody." Black Rutile greeted her former subordinates, only to be greeted with knives surrounding her in all directions. "Well, not my idea of a warm welcome, isn't it?"

"You know what you did, Black Rutile!" Dalmatian Jasper snarled angrily.

"Trying to sell us all out for power and using the Lapidarist to rejuvenate us!" Tanzanite added, just as furious.

"Making everything we did completely pointless since a godlike being can just do all the heavy lifting for us!" Amazonite proclaimed dramatically. "What was even the point of the Rutile Rebels to begin with in that regard?!"

"Okay, everyone, calm down. No need to antagonize her." Cinnabar stated, much to Black Rutile's relief. "Black Rutile here came to apologize to you all."

"Apologize?!" Eyeball shouted in alarm. "Surely you jest! Black Rutile has never regretted anything in her life!"

"Until now, that is." Black Rutile declared, which was met with gasping in surprise. "Yes, I know, I actually regret something for once. Let me explain."

"Someone pinch me; I must be dreaming." Cat's Eye muttered to herself while scratching her hair.

"This has to be a bad comedy." Pyrite added curiously.

"Earlier, Cinnabar and I talked with each other about my recent emotions and how I've grown to hate myself for what my constant failures have turned me into." Black Rutile explained. "Cinnabar tells me that we are all like Off-Colors in a way; we can't fit in with society, which causes us to feel like we're alone in the world. And I've realized that fits me in more ways than one."

"So does that mean you are, how do you say, repenting now?" Holly Blue asked. "I'm not sure I like this."

"Well, I'm not sure if I like you guys betraying me for the Crystal Gems either." Black Rutile responded curtly. "Nobody's perfect."

"Are you sure we can still trust you, my Rutile?" Andesine asked hopefully.

"I swear on my life." Black Rutile replied proudly. "Unless anyone threatens my life. In which case, you're out of luck."

"Eh, I'm fine with it if you are." Apatite said with a shrug.

"Not going to lie, I was getting kind of lonely without you yelling at us." Zoisite added.

"But make no mistake, just because you're showing remorse for how you've treated us doesn't mean we're just going to totally forgive you." Xenotime declared with a blade to her old boss's gem. "You'll have to work to earn our forgiveness. Otherwise, you will be executed for one wrong move."

"Calm down, Xeno, no need to be such a terminator and all that." Howlite tried calming Xenotime down by lowering her arm. "So, what do you plan on doing now, Black Rutile?"

"I bet she's gonna talk to the Crystal Gems next!" Kyanite proposed.

"Why yes, that is exactly what I was going to do." Black Rutile replied. "I'm already on shaky ground with them as is. I do not want to know how they'll react when they find out I'm telling the truth."

"Well, I wish you the best of luck." Bloodstone said with hope for her old master.

"Famous last words, as they always say." Amber added wryly before Black Rutile turned away and left.

"I never figured Black Rutile for an atoner." Emerald shook her head in surprise.

"Me neither," Morganite added, just as alarmed as the former pilot.

"But maybe this could be a fresh start for her." Pyrope suggested. "For all of us."

"It better." Demantoid responded sourly.

--

"Any updates, guys?" Lapis asked Laz and Zuli as the Crystal Gems gathered one last time before the inevitable final battle with Squamata.

"Those Universal Lords are really holding the line, but I'm not sure for how long." Laz declared.

"Only a matter of time before we're forced to fight." Zuli added.

"The combined powers of the Universal Lords are extraordinary, but it won't be long until they're forced to retreat." Squaridot added. "By the way, I can see Black Rutile approaching behind you." At that moment, the Crystal Gems turned around and stared menacingly at Black Rutile, fearing that she had nothing good to say.

"You have a lot of nerve coming back to us." Jasper frowned at Black Rutile.

"You have a lot of nerve being alive." Black Rutile responded just as harshly. "I suppose you're all going to act super suspicious about what I have planned, but I'm here to prove you wrong by saying I'm sorry." The Crystal Gems were dead silent in shock in response to this. "Hello, anyone? Bueller, Bueller, Bueller?" Nobody answered. "Stop ignoring me."

"I should've known this was coming." Garnet said coolly. "Please tell us you're sure you're not lying to us this time."

"No, I'm being serious, for crying out loud!" Black Rutile yelled. "I'm trying to repent for my sins here, so please hear me out!"

"A likely story, Black Rutile!" Bismuth threatened Black Rutile with her hammer dangerously close to the Rutile's gem. "It's gonna take more than just 'I'm sorry' to compensate for what you've done to us!"

"Yeah!" Peridot and Squaridot added.

"No, I've discovered that I'm more like you than I realized!" Black Rutile cried in desperation. "I'm just as much of an Off-Color as all of you because I never quite fit into the society you created, so I decided to take matters into my own hands!"

"I still don't believe this," Amethyst replied. "As Bismuth said, it's gonna take way more than a simple apology to make us completely forget what you've done."

"But that's literally what you've done to every foe you've encountered, even Emerald!" Black Rutile complained while angrily stomping her foot. "You, Steven, you and your friend can vouch for me, right?!"

"Okay, I'll only accept that you've changed on one condition." Connie stated while crossing her arms.

"What's that?" Black Rutile asked.

"Say my name," Connie suggested. "Can you say it?"

"Of course I can!" Black Rutile chuckled before she immediately lost track. "You're, uh, Connie Steven's-Annoying-Human-Friend!"

"You don't even know my name." Connie groaned in disgust.

"I certainly do!" Black Rutile claimed. "It's Meeska-Mooska-Mickey Mouse-svetlana!"

"Sometimes, it feels like you're not even trying to bother." Connie grimaced. "It's Maheswaran, Connie Maheswaran. Can you say it?"

"Connie Maheswaran." Black Rutile repeated.

"Now say, "I'm sorry that I've tried to kill you and your friends and destroy the planet all the time, Connie Maheswaran." Connie asked Black Rutile.

"I'm sorry that I've tried to kill you and your friends and destroy the planet all the time, Connie Maheswaran." Black Rutile said reluctantly. "There, are you happy now for once in your pathetic, unbelievably short, organic life?"

"Hey, everybody, calm down!" Steven shouted as he got between Black Rutile and Connie. "How about I talk things out with Black Rutile, and maybe we can reach an understanding? White Topaz, you can join too."

"Sure!" White Topaz exclaimed brightly. "Be back soon, guys!"

"I got a bad feeling about this." Jasper frowned as she watched her girlfriend leave with Steven and Black Rutile.

--

Outside the castle, Steven, Black Rutile, and White Topaz all sat together at the front steps as they watched the sunset on a doomed Serpentes, where Squamata continued wreaking havoc while his heralds laughed maniacally. "So, what inspired this, Black Rutile?" Steven asked his archnemesis. "What made you now want to change your ways after all you've done to me?"

"You think maybe she's finally understanding where you come from?" White Topaz wondered before Black Rutile calmed her down.

"Don't get too excited, Topaz," Black Rutile said. "I'm not necessarily changing my ways; I'm just finally realizing how toxic my worldview has been to both myself and others, and I've been apologizing to everyone I hurt, hoping that we can all move on together. I finally accepted that I'm just as flawed as any other living creature, human, Gem, or otherwise alike."

"Yeah, I can see where you're coming from." Steven replied. "My dad once told me that if every porkchop were perfect, we wouldn't have hot dogs. In this case, you need to stop thinking of yourself as a porkchop by building this entire cult on the image of how perfect you think you are and blend in with all the other hot dogs in the universe, like me."

"I have no idea what your human food has to do with this, but you are indeed correct." Black Rutile said. "I said to Cinnabar that the only way I thought I could restore my reputation was to simply just erase everyone's memories of my actions through using the Lapidarist to rejuvenate all Gemkind, but after being abandoned by my minions and Nosiop's betrayal, I've realized that my glory days are long gone, so all that's left for me is just to accept the here and now and hopefully put my life back together." She then dropped to her knees with tears in her eyes. "Please, Steven, I know I'm asking for a little much, but would you please accept me as your friend?"

Steven was quiet for a moment as if trying to process Black Rutile's response, so the best he could do was give her a pat on the back that Black Rutile quickly turned into a hug.

"Whoo, group hug!" White Topaz cheered as she wrapped her arms around Steven and Black Rutile and picked them up in a big bear hug. However, their embrace would soon receive an unexpected visitor.

"Oh, what a touching scene." Nosiop hissed evilly as he towered over the three Gems. "Too bad I'll have to end it all once I assassinate Steven."

"Not on our watch!" Black Rutile exclaimed fiercely. "If you want to kill Steven, you'll have to go through me first, you scaly devil!" She then reached for White Topaz's hand. "Topaz, fuse with me!"

"Whoa, already?" White Topaz replied before she realized what Black Rutile had planned. "Wait, you don't mean-"

"No time!" Black Rutile yelled before the two did an impromptu tango dance, causing them to fuse into Lepidolite.

"HAHAHAHA, HEEEEERE'S LEPPY!" Lepidolite cackled as she embraced her grand return and pulled out her clawed gloves to use against Nosiop.

"A fusion, you say?" Nosiop chuckled. "This should be easy." Using the powers blessed upon him by Squamata, Nosiop made quick work of Lepidolite in their grand battle, but Lepidolite thought quickly and used her might to keep the evil prince at bay while making sure Steven was unharmed.

"Wait, let me help!" Steven yelled at Lepidolite.

"No, get out of here at once!" Lepidolite commanded. "This could be my last battle, and I intend to make it count!" With one last battle cry, Lepidolite charged at Nosiop and prepared to land the finishing blow, but Nosiop quickly dodged the attack and stabbed Lepidolite in the face, causing her form to destabilize.

"BLACK RUTILE, NO!" Steven cried in shock.

"This is goodbye to you all." Lepidolite monologued to herself in her final moments of consciousness. "To my Rutile Rebels, to my fellow Gems. And yes, even you, Steven Universe."

In a brilliant explosion of black and white smoke, a mighty fusion was eliminated, and her components were reduced to their gems lying at Steven's feet. Once known as menaces to the entire Gem race, they made the ultimate sacrifice to defend the boy they called their greatest foe. They were Black Rutile and White Topaz, partners in crime turned Crystal Gems at heart.

"In their last moments, people show you who they really are," Nosiop said with a smirk before slithering away in disgust. However, he felt a strange presence behind him as he turned around to discover that Steven was turning pink with rage at the prince's lack of empathy. "What?!"

"Okay, Inner Steven, don't fail me now," Steven muttered as he charged at Nosiop and threw a punch of pure serene fury. To Nosiop's surprise, Steven's current state meant that he was outmatched in every way imaginable. "I'm going to break you and throw you to the wind!"

"I need to get out of here!" Nosiop cried like a coward before flying away, knowing how outmatched he was. As Steven de-transformed and let out a sigh of relief, he heard Black Rutile and White Topaz's gems shimmering behind him, signifying they were about to gain new forms once they were reformed.

Once the pair's physical bodies were restored, White Topaz discovered that her white diamond symbol was replaced with a Crystal Gem star. Similarly, Black Rutile found that she had a star as well, where her white diamond symbol once was.

"You're back!" Steven laughed in delight as he raced up to hug them both. "And look, you're Crystal Gems now too!"

"Took me long enough to get one of these." White Topaz chuckled with pride while Black Rutile frantically tried to pull her star off.

"Get it off me, get it off me, get it off me!" Black Rutile yelled in terror before Steven put a comforting hand on her arm, telling her that things would be okay once she got used to things. "Uh, is there a way I can move this somewhere else?"

"Not that I know of," Steven replied just as he heard the Diamonds and the Crystal Gems step outside. "Hey guys, check it out! Black Rutile and White Topaz are Crystal Gems!"

"Babe!" Jasper yelled in delight before tackling White Topaz to the ground and kissing her. "I knew you'd get one someday!"

"Yeah, me too, honey!" White Topaz laughed.

"Okay, this is definitely going to need some getting used to." Pearl muttered. "Steven, as much as we'd like you to explain what happened, that will have to wait because White has something to say." She then turned to the Diamond and gave her a nod.

"Thank you, Pearl, for that marvelous introduction." White Diamond declared before turning to Steven. "Steven, we must fuse with you to stand a chance against Squamata." Steven then gasped in response. As much as he was happy to see that Black Rutile was starting on the path of forgiveness, there were still some things he needed to forgive as well.

--

Yep, White Diamond just went there! But with Black Rutile finally starting to redeem herself, fate could have other plans in store, and I don't think I have enough time to get everything I want in these final chapters as well. Go ahead, talk about how rushed Black Rutile's story here is and how she got off a little too easy, I'm on a tight schedule here! But now that I finally finished this really long-ass chapter, it's time we prepare for the coming conclusion of Snake Eyes and the end of Steven and Black Rutile's story. Happy Halloween everybody, and take care.