Baby Blue Protocols

Hello!

So I don't really understand how Tumblr works quite yet, but I've got a lot of ideas and snippets and WIPs sitting in my notes app that will probably never be good enough to see the light of AO3, so I've decided to post them here that way I can still share them with others. Hopefully, you guys enjoy my stuff, most of it isn't the most coherent but it's still ideas. If someone wants to write something based on my stuff please let me know. Thanks!

Bloody Claws - BlackFoy - Arcane: League of Legends (Cartoon 2021) [Archive of Our Own]

https://archiveofourown.org/works/62257153

Tags and sneak peek below the cut

The Tamed Hound

Silco knows that he has to do something about Vander, but he can't bring himself to kill the man. Not when he still holds affection for him, even after what he did. Plus, the man had children, two of whom were her children, which made things ten times more complicated. In the end, he decided on a plan that would bring the Hound to heel, boost his own reputation, and allow Vader the chance to stay by his side.

Silco kidnaps Powder first, as she's the smallest and easiest to grab without hurting her. He gives her a light sleeping drug and puts a shock collar on her before using her to force Vander and the other children to surrender themselves. They are all collared, and the children are put in a comfortable but locked room under guard. Vader is taken away by Silco for some much-needed conversation and... persuasion. By the time Silco is done with him, the Hound knows his position and is at least somewhat willing to cooperate. Silco knows this man almost better than he knows himself, and once Vader understands that he will be loved as Silco's pet and his children will be cared for, then he will work to keep himself here. That kind of loyalty is exactly what Silco needs to combat the Chem-barons.

Of course, first, he is going to have to deal with the early stages of fear and lashing out, especially from the children. None of the children are pleased to get their father back, bruised and limping and submissive in a way none of them had seen before. Violet is the first one to lash out, as expected, although Vander's warnings did keep her back for a few days. Unfortunately, she could only take so much watching Vader get humiliated before she snapped. He could see the fear in Vader's eyes when the girl was shocked. It was a light shock, just enough to stop her from punching his lights out like she had intended, but he knew that her cries affected the others nonetheless. He takes her away, ignoring the sting of Vander's fear. Normally, it was a balm on his traumatized soul, but right now, he could read Vader's fear like a book, and he did not like what he read. He made no move to soothe him, not while his followers surrounded them, but for once, he really wanted to. Part of him scoffed at the idea he knew was running through Vader's head that he would punish his daughter like he had punished him. He wanted to believe that Vander would never think that of him, but apparently, he had changed more than he had realized. Because while he could still read Vander like a book, Vander could no longer do the same with him. No matter, when the girl came back, untraumatized and in one piece, he would relax, and hopefully, his loyalty would further strengthen.

Asteria Diamond: Yellow Pearl (Part 6)

Yellow Diamond's Pearl stood primly where her Diamond had left her, doing some organizing for some far off colony as she waited for her Diamond to return. Hopefully her owner would burn her anger out while she was here and Yellow Pearl wouldn't have to deal with it herself. She did not envy Pink Diamond, even if she was a Diamond and would therefore be fine. Her Diamond's current levels of anger made her shiver just by proximity. The air around her Diamond had a tendency to become charged in her anger, and when it got bad enough it would hurt Pearl's gem. Not that she would ever complain, that was not a pearl's place, but she could silently wish for the air to be calm and still. Not long after her Diamond had left Pink Diamond's Pearl entered the ship. Despite there being nothing different about her form Yellow couldn't help but think that something was wrong with the other gem. She couldn't pinpoint exactly what, and that made her afraid. She knew what hiding pain of all kinds looked like, why couldn't she recognize this?

"My Diamond had instructed me to give a message to the gems abord this ship." The other Pearl said. It was clear what that statement meant, but Yellow couldn't help but worry as she handed Pink a ship communicator.

"Of course." Was all she said aloud, but with her body she signed the question, 'are you well sister?'

As she fiddled with the communicator the other Pearl responded, 'I am well. I have been given to a new owner. I am still adjusting.'

Whatever Yellow had been expecting, it hasn't been that. What had happened that she had been given to another? Who had she been given too? If she had displeased her Diamond, why hadn't she been shattered? Before she could voice or sign any of these questions, the communicator went live.

"This is a message from Asteria Diamond to all the gems abord this ship. Every gem who's job is not absolutely necessary to the ships continued functioning are to report to room 8x3 in the conjoined ship. Wait there for further commands. That will be all."

Yellow stared in shock signing, 'what happened?!' the moment she could.

"Come, I'll escort you to the other ship." Pink said, signing, 'to much to share in this moment. Find hiding spot first.'

Yellow considered this, mind racing. "My Diamond may not pleased if she does not find me where she left me."

"If necessary she will be notified of your whereabouts." 'Owner will not be here for some time. (Comforting)'

"Understood." Yellow said, following Pink out of the room and to the other ship.

'I will show you.' Pink signed. Yellow waited, but got no further explanation.

What could Pink want to show her? Hopefully it would explain this horribly concerning situation. She didn't know what was going on, and she didn't like it. She became more and more unnerved as they started to hear a sound. It was the yelling and screaming of some gem, muffled by the walls of the ship. It was always a horrible sound to hear, but Yellow tried to ignore it. As they got closer and the sound got louder, she realized that the gem must be pretty loud for them to hear them from so far away. She refused to acknowledge the pull in her gut until the wailing became horribly loud and painfully clear. She froze, feeling like she had just been dropped into a bucket of icy water. That was her Diamond. That was Yellow Diamond, screaming and wailing like... like...-

Pink put her hand in hers and pulled them along, putting up no fuss at having to practically drag her along. Her vison blurred, time seeming to warp as she was pulled through the spinning fuchsia halls. Pink pulled her into a small room, pushing her down into the corner on top of something soft and tapping her hands in a steady rhythm of comforting sign. (Asteria tried to give Pearl a bigger room, but Pearl wanted somewhere small so she could "hide", so her room is a repurposed closet.) It took a long time to calm down from her panic, and by then she didn't even try to speak. Not for something like this.

'Explain. (pleading)' She signed, staring at Pink (was her name even Pink anymore?) with wide teary terrified eyes. Pink had lost most of the strangeness in her form, and both her signs and eyes were gentle with unspoken pity.

'Me or you first? (Where do I start?)'

She stopped and thought for a moment, trying to decide which choice was better. It was like choosing between the bad news and the worse news, but she needed to know both. 'Beginning, need it all anyway.'

Pink started to explain, sometimes with Pearlsign and sometimes with words. There were parts where she gave the signed 'Redacted.' (I cannot speak of it.) But thankfully the story still made sense without the parts Pink skipped. And what a story it was. A Diamond dead, the rebellion over, the Crystal Gems tamed and a part of the new Pink Diamond's court, and a new order born through the fallout of Asteria Diamond's creation. It was all so much, especially since Yellow now had an idea of why her Diamond was screaming. The new Diamond was apparently not all that thrilled with the current state of the Diamond Authority, and seemingly had the power to do something about it. Pink was just Pearl now. She had asked if she was to call her fellow pearl Asteria Pearl or something similar, but Pearl had said it would probably be better if she didn't. Pearl had said that her Diamond would be alright, but Yellow had her doubts.

(Yellow both loves and fears her Diamond. She was made to serve her, and doing so makes her happy in turn, but sometimes her master had a temper that she will take out on the objects and gems around her. Unfortunately for her, Yellow Pearl counts as both. This did not mean she wanted something bad to befall her Diamond, or otherwise be separated from her. Unfortunately it seemed unlikely that she would be able to see, let alone help, her Diamond in the coming cycles. The uncertainty of it all made her itch with anxiety, but Pearl promised to help her adjust.

Pearl calms Yellow down, before going and helping to sort the new gems. Some upper crust gem kicks up a fuss at Pearl, who gets to show off her renegade side and Jasper's submission to Yellow Diamond's gems. At some point Asteria "tames" Yellow Pearl, and somehow ends up changing her ownership to Asteria even though Yellow Diamond is still around and alive. Yellow Pearl isn't happy about this change, so to ease her into it and to make her feel better she is assigned to help Yellow Diamond when she is awake and needs it. This does not disclude her from the order bomb Pearl got, but Asteria is a bit slower and gentler with it since she knows Yellow Pearl isn't used to the idea of freedom of any kind unlike Pearl.)

When Pearl is summoned to her duties, Yellow goes with her. She didn't know exactly what work they would be doing, but Pearl assured her that she could follow her around and serve Asteria Diamond with her for the time being. Yellow was glad for this despite her fear of the new terrifying Diamond. She didn't want to know what might happen to her with her Diamond unable to have a say in her fate.

They arrived in the room where the rest of Yellow Diamond's gems had been sent too, where several ex-crystal gems and Quartz soldiers were milling about interrogating the new gems. Pearl walked through the crowd with the grace of a pearl and the confidence of a Diamond's belonging. Yellow had to puff out her chest just to try and portray the confidence she had. Pearl headed straight for the Bismuth, and Yellow had to bury her fear from being in the room with Crystal Gems. But her sister made no signs of warning to her, and spoke without fear, so there shouldn't be much immediate danger.

"Bismuth. Are we ready to start sorting?"

"Hey Pearl! Yeah, we should be good to go! There's some we're going to have to play by ear, but things have been going pretty well so far!"

Pearl nodded to the smiling Bismuth, seeming unaffected by the gem's strangely jovial mannerisms. Yellow didn't want to turn her back on the strange gem, but Pearl did it without a second thought so she tried to follow her lead. This time they stopped before what must be Pink Diamond's Champion Jasper. Yellow puffed up on instinct being next to such a large warrior gem, but Pearl seemed just as unflappable as before. She saw no signs of fear in her as she spoke to the much larger gem. How could her sister be so fearless in a room full of gems like this? Did it have something to do with the strangeness she had first seen in her? The pain that wasn't?

"Jasper, round up your squads that are assigned to this and prepare them to start escorting gems to their proper places."

"Yes my Pearl."

Yellow, along with all the new gems nearby, gaped in shock. Yellow stood frozen for a long moment, trying to register what she just heard and fit it into her view of how the world worked.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Don't meet your gods

(Please note that I have not fully watched all of Arcane.)

Season 1 Arcane ends up with visitors from an alternate timeline/the future. They end up with several different people from different walks of life, but they all treat Viktor strangely. Viktor believes that it is because of his disability, but in reality, they hear Jayce the Defender call him Viktor and realize that they are in the presence of the Machine Herald in human form. He is basically a god where they are from, and they don’t know how to handle meeting him in the flesh.

Shimmer Eyes

https://archiveofourown.org/works/65098093/chapters/167410690

Summary:

Being a father was already hard enough, but when Powder suddenly comes down with a strange, unexplainable illness, Vander finds himself more worried than ever. His fear for his daughter only becomes worse when Sevika insists she recognizes the purple glow of his youngest's eyes, and brings her straight to the one man who could truly strike fear into him.

(I.E. Several people have time-traveled, with various side effects. Vander is not one of those people, but like hell he's leaving his daughter alone with Silco, no matter how strangely soft the man is acting.)

Full list of tags and info beneath the cut.

Rating:

Teen And Up Audiences

Archive Warning:

No Archive Warnings Apply

Fandom:

Arcane: League of Legends (Cartoon 2021)

Relationships:

Jinx & Vander (League of Legends)

Silco (Arcane: League of Legends) & Vander (League of Legends)

Jinx (League of Legends) & Silco (Arcane: League of Legends)

Sevika & Silco (Arcane: League of Legends)

Jinx (League of Legends) & Sevika (Arcane: League of Legends)

Silco (Arcane: League of Legends)/Vander (League of Legends)

Claggor (Arcane) & Jinx (League of Legends) & Mylo (Arcane) & Vander & Vi (League of Legends)

Ekko & Jinx (League of Legends)

Characters:

Vander (League of Legends)

Jinx (League of Legends)

Sevika (Arcane: League of Legends)

Silco (Arcane: League of Legends)

Benzo (Arcane: League of Legends)

Vi (League of Legends)

Mylo (Arcane: League of Legends)

Claggor (Arcane: League of Legends)

Ekko (League of Legends)

Additional Tags:

Time Travel

Time Travel Fix-It

POV Outsider

Father-Daughter Relationship

Protective Sevika (Arcane: League of Legends)

Soft Sevika (Arcane: League of Legends)

Protective Silco (Arcane: League of Legends)

Soft Silco (Arcane: League of Legends)

Parent Silco (Arcane: League of Legends)

Silco Needs a Hug (Arcane: League of Legends)

Protective Vander (League of Legends)

Good Parent Vander (League of Legends)

Jinx Needs a Hug (League of Legends)

Jinx is a Little Shit (League of Legends)

Jinx Needs Therapy (League of Legends)

Jinx Has Issues (League of Legends)

Shimmer (Arcane: League of Legends)

Medical Conditions

Confusion

Fear

Mental Health Issues

Mental Instability

Implied/Referenced Drug Use

Implied/Referenced Character Death

Implied/Referenced Torture

Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD

Trauma

Tags May Change

Complicated Relationships

Happy Ending

Angst with a Happy Ending

Hurt/Comfort

Sick Character

Fluff

Angst

Fluff and Angst

Blood and Injury

Minor Injuries

Self-Harm

Needles

Medical Inaccuracies

There Was Only One Bed

Kind Of

Sharing a Bed

Literal Sleeping Together

Mutual Pining

Sevika Does Not Get Paid Enough (Arcane: League of Legends)

Benzo and Silco have beef

Caring Ekko (League of Legends)

Protective Vi (League of Legends)

Good Sibling Vi (League of Legends)

Protective Jinx (League of Legends)

Canon-Typical Hallucinations

Language: English

Series: Part 1 of Time Travelers Are Real Anonymous (T.A.R.A)

Collections: Readers' 📚 Booknook📖(⁠~⁠‾⁠▿⁠‾⁠)⁠~

Stats:

Published: 2025-04-28

Updated: 2025-05-20

Words: 25,278

Chapters: 12/?

Comments: 365

Kudos: 500

Bookmarks: 108

Hits: 8,237

Property of Progress

(Please note that this was written without having actually watched Arcane and before season 2 started.)

In this au Piltover hates Zaun just that bit much more, and up top, the people of Zaun aren't considered people, much to several people's chagrin. There are rights activists and people trying to change things, but there are even more people in powerful places who benefit from being able to take Zaunites as slaves. As such, the culture of Zaun is a little more focused on running away and staying hidden, and there is a bit of culture shared between Zaunite slaves. There is more comradery between them with the threat of enslavement by Piltover.

Jayce manages to figure out Hextech on his own, but it's much slower progress when it's just him on his own. Not that he knows this. He first meets Viktor when some rich investor barges into his lab, wanting to see his experiments. One thing leads to another, and Jayce, in a panic, agrees to take ownership of the Zauntie to experiment on. Seeing the man roughly handle the disabled man and treat him like he was disgusting trash was too much; he couldn't just leave the man in his care. Plus, maybe, hopefully, he could do something to help the man with his disability, even though he would have preferred to ask him first. But the man is watching, so he straps a frightened Viktor down and carves runes into his skin. He manages to give the man a few whispered comforts and apologies, but nothing much with the powerful cruel man watching. In the end, it works; Viktor is embued with Hextech and is able to walk unaided after some practice. The man is pleased and tries to take Viktor back, but Jayce insists that Viktor is now classified as experimental technology, specifically his experimental technology, and so the man leaves less one slave. Poor Viktor is still terrified and a bit confused, especially when Jayce apologizes and treats him well.

Viktor finds that he likes being able to tell people that he is the experimental technology of Jayce Talis. It almost always gets the annoying, disgusting people he's forced to interact with to fuck off, and after getting to know Jayce, he can not find it within himself to begrudge belonging to the man. Of course, this only really works on the kind of people who like to keep Zaunite slaves. The ones who actually have morals are discomforted by him, but for the most part, try to ignore it. The few Zauinites who meet him look at him with pity and anger. They do not understand how he can be happy as a slave, proudly announcing himself as his property. His experimental property, no less.

Vi also ends up with Caitlin in this world. Caitlin sees the abuse she's going through in prison and needs someone from the undercity to help with her investigation, so she buys her, even though the Kiramins don't support slavery. Vi is, of course, expecting all the abuses of an owner but finds herself falling in love instead.

Asteria Dimond and the Era 1 war (part 1)

It is towards the end of the war that it happens. Pink Dimond, also known as Rose Quartz, does something both unexpected and unprecedented. Pink Diamond did not believe that the other Diamonds cared about her, and she knew that they would not listen to her as herself nor as Rose Quartz. But she had to find a way to make them listen. She knew she was defective, off-color, but maybe if she could find a way to increase her power the others would listen to her. And so she did. No one knows how. No one knows uf she knew the consequences. In all honesty, even if she had known, she probably hadn’t cared. She somehow became Steven Universe. But an adult Steven Universe who has long balanced himself to look more like his mothers' forms and who goes by Asteria Diamond in professional settings. Asteria sends out a message to all the gems on Earth, both the Crystal Gems and the Homeworld Gems. In the message, they state:

"I am not Rose Quartz. I am not Pink Diamond. I am not a fusion of the two. I am something never before seen by Gemkind. Pink Diamond and Rose Quartz are dead. I am taking their place. This war is over. All Crystal Gems are to give themselves over peacefully to Homeworld. All Homeworld soldiers are to gather up the Crystal Gems peacefully and bring them to containment in my ship. There will be no shattering or excessive force from either side. Crystal Gems, if the ones trying to take you in are being cruel, leave them and find someone else. Gems still loyal to the diamond courts, only use violence if absolutely necessary. I repeat, I want no shattering and no excessive violence. That will be all."

Pearl had been watching this all in horror from across the room, the only one aware of the fact that this could not be some kind of unknown fusion between Rose and Pink as they were the same person. She could tell that this being was not her, which had horrible implications on its own, but she could also feel that her gem had shifted in a way she had never experienced but knew what it was instinctively. This gem was her new owner. She shied away in fear as the new gem, the new Diamond, approached her, but she could only go so far as her back hit the wall. They made a deep purr-like sound she assumed was supposed to be soothing, and she froze as a white-clawed hand brushed over her gem. His song weaved into the core of her being, bringing with it a great soothing calm. 

She was brought into a deep calm headspace, everything else chased away for the moment by the Diamond's song. She made no attempt to fight it, as it came from her Diamond, and let herself be picked up into her new Diamond's arms and carried away. Her Diamond purred deep in her chest all the way to the ship, almost rattling her body with the power it sung into ribbons twirling around her being. Her Diamond sat in a quiet and fairly dim room, and the soothing purring stopped. She started to come back to herself, but the entirety of her emotions refused to come back with the hand on her gem. As her grief started to hit her that touch quickly became a comfort, and she tried to lean further into it to try and hide from the pain of loss. Her Diamond did not take away her grief, or let her hide from it, but she held her and rocked her and comforted her as best as anyone can when faced with a pearl's fresh grief.

Eventually her Diamond laid her down and told her to stay and take deep breaths. She was all worn out emotionally, but somehow the unnecessary breathing helped to take the edge off everything. Her Diamond was somewhere in the room, dealing with reports and giving out commands. She had not been ordered to listen, so she did not bother too. Her programing would not let her miss an order if one is given to her.

Because the Crystal Gems are going to of course fight back, especially gems like Bismuth and Garnet, Asteria decides to use Pearl as bait to get the remaining fighters in. This is of course after Pearl has calmed down some and understands that Asteria doesn't want to hurt her or the other gems. He doesn't want to hurt anyone, and only wants the war to end without bloodshed. He reveals his plans to her, explaining how he will be taking the Crystal Gems into his court along with Pink Diamond's gems, mixing the two together just like he was a mix of the two leaders. Pearl expresses her doubts, both with the gems who had just been fighting getting along, and the fact that Asteria is not actually a mix between Pink and Rose. Asteria assures her that they can learn to get along with help, and that he was very much like a mix between Pink and Rose seeing as they are the same person. This shuts Pearl up about her doubts. And so Asteria goes to his new throne and pulls Pearl onto his lap, having her in her rebellion garb. They need to make it seem like the Crystal Gem's sneaking onto the ship to rescue her was their plan. Asteria knew that Garnet would discount the idea of Pearl betraying them, giving them a strong advantage when it came to getting around her future vision. So a message about a captured and tamed Renegade Pearl is sent out.

Biggs came running up to them with the Crystal Gem's pirated communicator. It had been three days since Rose and Pearl had disappeared. It had been three days since the message from the fusion(/?) of Rose Quartz and Pink Diamond. Garnet hadn't been able to see much with her future vision as none of them could have ever seen this coming. What she could see wasn't good, and while it seemed like no one was shattered, many of them had been captured in the last few days. Bismuth could do nothing but worry and wait. They couldn't find their resident renegade anywhere, and none of them knew what to expect from "Asteria". She had asked Garnet her opinion, and the only thing the other gem could think of was some kind of heinous forced fusion. They knew that this was a dark and uncertain time, they knew that things were not likely to go well in this situation, but they fought anyway. And then Biggs, with her misty eyes filled with tears, handed her the communicator with another video from Asteria to all Earth channels.

Pearl sat in between Asteria Diamond's legs, a hand bigger than her entire head curled around her neck and up her chin. It was clear she was being held in place, and with more than the strong hand and sharp claws threatening her. Her eyes seemed hazy and far away, and she stared resolutely at the floor. Bismuth was aghast for a number of reasons, but a big one was her eyes. There was no spark of fire in them. No sparkle or otherwise rebellious look. She looked like-... like a pearl. Asteria Diamond spoke of their disobedience like it was utterly trivial. Like the entire rebellion was not only not a threat but something that would soon be neutralized. But instead of threatening them or ordering her troops to fight them once more, she reassured them that they would not be shattered. That there would be no need for them to be shattered. But the Diamond's "reassurance" only made Bismuth's mouth dry with horror. The Crystal Gems don't need to be shattered because they can be tamed. She could do nothing but watch and try not to gag as white claws and pink fingers traced over Pearl's gem. The Renegade shuddered and whined at the intrusion of the Diamond's power, her hands tightening in her lap, her eyes screwed shut, her body folding in on itself the best it could. But it was obvious she had long stopped fighting the control. The Diamond pushed, and the rebellious pearl shuddered and went lax, a low keen the only thing to show her discomfort. The Diamond cooed and pet her like she was a dog finally giving in and submitting to its abusive master. Bismuth didn't want to know how much Pearl had been touched and tortured to get her to this point. This was the fate the new Diamond had in store for them. To Bismuth, it seemed worse than a fate of shattering. But as the horrific message ended, there was only one thing on her mind. It looked reversible. Maybe not completely, but it was obvious that unlike what she had heard of White Diamond's mind control, Pearl was not completely a shell of herself. At least not yet. She turned to Garnet, who was clutching herself as she stared in open-mouthed horror. She snapped her out of it and got her to check her future vision. It didn't exactly look good for them, but there seemed to be a high chance they could get Pearl out, along with sabotaging the enemy. However, there was also a chance they would fail, that Pearl would already be too far in the Diamond's control, and they would end up captured. Seeing few other options, they planned their infiltration.

Asteria Diamond makes it clear that Pearl is fully allowed and even encouraged to fight the prejudices of other gems. After Pearl stabs the first gem who won't back down when she told them to, most of the others fall in line. Especially when her Diamond backs up her behavior. The gem was out of line, and Pearl ensured she knew that.

Pearl is seen as off by other characters because she is processing the change in owners and orders. Asteria takes the time to put a whole bunch of fail-safes into any direct orders so that Pearl can get around them if she needs to. Having all of these extra what-if's and stuff makes it a whole lot more to process, and Pearl will often use times when Asteria has used her powers on her to sort through stuff. She appreciates having the owner given power to circumvent her orders, and she also appreciates the concreteness that Pink/Rose often lacked, but it's still a lot.

Rumors say Pink Diamond and Rose Quartz didn't fuse. They melded. Instead of their forms becoming one, able to separate if they wish, their gems melded together and they beget an entirely new being.

(This concept was based very very loosely on this fanfic. It's not all that similar in terms of plot, but it is very good!)

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Asteria Diamond: Garnet's pov (part 2)

Garnet focused hard on the mission, not wanting to think about the torture and horror she had witnessed. This was not helped by her future vision showing her all of the different ways this could fail. But she also saw the ways, few as they were, that they succeeded, and she knew they had to try. Pearl was worth it, and she wanted the gem to know it. Especially with everything the Renegade has been going through the last few days. She couldn't imagine being forced into slavery once more after years of freedom.

There were several teams all breaking into the ship at the same time. Some would free the captured, some would fight off any guards, and some would sabotage. Garnet and Bismuth's main goal was to find Pearl. As she had predicted, there were few guards around, all of the soldiers out looking for them. They fought their way to the right room and broke in. The sight of Pearl curled up on the floor in a little ball made her gems ache with sympathy. Bismuth carefully reached out and put a hand on Pearl's arm. She only startled slightly, and Garnet had never been happier to see such tired blue eyes. The slightest bit of subdued spark shone in Pearl's eyes as she looked up at them, a fragile smile tugging at the smaller gem's lips. Bismuth practically cried in joy, scooping Pearl up into a crushing hug and telling her how glad they were to see her. Garnet seconded that, joining in on the hug and taking a moment to check her future vision.

"I'm sorry." Came Pearl's voice, softer than she had ever heard her speak. Bismuth was trying to ask Pearl what she meant, but the gem only clung to them harder. It was all drowned out for Garnet, as she could see exactly why she was sorry. "We can't get back out..." She almost whispered in horror. How could she not have seen this?! "What?" Bismuth asked, " What do you mean?!" "... We were almost always able to get in... But now we can't get out." "What do you mean?! I thought-!" "There's something around the ship. No one can get in or out. This was all a trap." Before Bismuth could freak out or yell anymore, Pearl shifted between them to hold onto her. The soft blue eyes looking up at her were filled with sadness, but they were alive in a way they hadn't been in the video. "Garnet, it's not your fault. She knows about your future vision, and she knows how to get around it."

They were all silent as the situation sunk in. Garnet pulled Pearl into a tight hug, trying desperately to find a future where they get out. No matter how hard she strains, all she can see is the end of her future vision as she splits apart—the bright white light of fusion and then nothing. The door opened, and immediately Bismuth was between them and the Diamond, weapons out and ready for a fight she would surely lose. "There is no need for that now Bismuth," the Diamond's musical voice spoke softly. Despite that softness, her voice reverberated around the room like a drum, impossible to ignore. "Come here my Pearl." And Garnet could do nothing but watch as Pearl walked daintily into the Diamond's arms. Bismuth was yelling threats, but Garnet's mind was going a mile a minute. Her eyes were still fairly clear. She wasn't under her control, just like she had predicted. But she still went to her when she called. Bismuth was the one yelling and pacing and putting on a show, but the Diamond's eyes were on her as she thought through the puzzle.

"What have you done?" She asked as calmly as she could. "It was nothing I did necessarily. Just existing was enough. Pearl, be a dear and show your friends what your first master had you wear." Pearl looked uncomfortable but did as she was told. The clothes of her form brightened and shifted, and a moment later, she was looking at Pink Diamond's Pearl. The puzzle pieces smashed into place. "You belonged to Pink... so now you belong to her... but how..?" There was no need to articulate further. Everyone knew what she was asking. How had Pearl escaped? How had she followed Rose? How was she now bound to this new Diamond? If it were purely a question of loyalty, then they wouldn't be having this conversation. Pearl might have been in love with Rose, but she wouldn't just sit there and take this because of her. "Do either of you understand how pearls work?" The Diamond asked, one hand curled possessively around Pearl's shoulder and back. "Pearls are created with the inability to disobey a direct order from their owner. It doesn't matter what it is; if it is ordered of them, they will do it." The Renegade's eyes were downcast, and her friend made no move to try and remove the touch from herself.

"Well, our Pearl is the Renegade!" Bismuth protested, "you can call it a defect all you want, but Pearl is greater than anything you could ever have thought she could be!" "Oh, I didn't say that they weren't. Just because they are incapable of disobedience doesn't mean they aren't intelligent or resourceful. Pearls are some of the most crafty and adaptable gems out there. They can find loopholes in orders they don't like and do things they were never originally designed to do with more ease than most. But even that can only get you so far." "No..." Garnet whispered in horror. Please, don't let it be! It made sense, but please! She didn't want that to be the truth for her friend! "She was created to serve her Diamond, and her Diamond told her to serve Rose. And so she did. She learned to fight, and she learned to speak to others like equals, and she learned to shift the clothing of her form as she went from one master to another. She learned to imagine things and have thoughts and dreams and hopes, all without anyone there to tell her to do it. But at the end of the day, she is and always has been a Diamond's pearl." The Diamond's hand wandered up Pearl's body until it reached her gem. Pearl shuddered harshly at the touch and blinked rapidly as a kiss was pressed into her hair. "*My* Pearl." Garnet could feel the way the Diamond's words vibrated around the room. Pearl let out the smallest sound, almost a mewl, and her eyes started to haze once more as she leaned back against her Diamond. "Rose was working with Pink Diamond?!?" Bismuth asked the room at large in disbelief, glaring at the pink gem touching their friend. "That isn't what's important right now Bismuth!" Garnet snapped, still desperately trying to find a way out. "It seems pretty important to me! What about the war!? The rebellion!? Was there even a rebellion to begin with!?"

Before Garnet could attempt to steady the panicking Bismuth, pink bubbles flowered into place around them. She hit the one around her with her fist, but she knew from her future vision that she was not strong enough to break it. This was a Diamond's bubble, none of them had the power to break it on their own. The bubbles started to float, and the Diamond carried them off. Bismuth continued to try and break the one holding her, and Pearl walked placidly along at her Diamond's side. As they walked through the ship they saw the others get bubbled as well. Some were already in a bubble, some were bubbled as the Diamond caught sight of them, and others were brought to the Diamond's feet by homeworld soldiers. There seemed to be quite a few more than she had seen, both on their way in and in her future vision. Another sign that this has been a huge trap. They were brought to a room in the ship, but Garnet had no clue what it was for. Their bubbles were put off to one side of the room, and Pearl was made to stand on the other. The Diamond hummed, a low reverberating chime that felt like it shook her as it passed through her form and sunk into the walls. With seemingly no warning a tilted restraint table slid out of the wall with a clink. Garnet immediately knew that this was a room for "taming" gems. Even knowing for a while that this was to be her fate, she still felt surprised. It felt too soon.

Her bubble started to move, and she shot Bismuth a panicked look. As the bubble started to flatten and line her up with the diagonal slab she took a deep breath and fixed her face into a solid mask. She would give her captor nothing for as long as she could. She would stay strong for everyone, and she would stay strong for herself. She would not let this Diamond tear her apart. The bubble popped and the restraints tightened at the same time, leaving her trapped. But unlike the bubble, she was completely exposed like this. She strained against the table, but it did her no good. Loops of what she assumes is some kind of metal entrapped her, pink bands pushing down against her ankles and thighs and abdomen and chest and biceps and wrists and neck. Her wrists and neck were the worst, as it made it hard to move her head and exposed her gems. She clenched her fist tightly and tried to keep her gauntlets up, but a single tap from the Diamond's claw made them explode into a shower of sparkling light. The Diamond made a sound like a song, somewhere between a hum and a purr. It sank into her like she was soaking up rain. The sparkling flame and sharp icy edges were filled down inside her, not trying to tear her apart like she had expected, but instead trying to drag her down into peaceful apathy. Finding herself somewhere between uncomfortably grounded in the present and having a sirens song luring her into something along the lines of meditation, she didn't notice that her hands had unclenched until large hands held hers open and *pressed*. She screamed and thrashed as a Diamond's power sunk straight into her gems, desperately fighting the lie of peace and calm and safety. She knew, she *knew* that it was all a lie, that she would be split apart and shattered if she gave in, but it was *oh* so tempting. She knew if she stopped moving, if she stopped struggling, then she wouldn't be able to resist. She could hear Bismuth shouting, and tried to focus on that. She was Garnet, and she would not let this tear her apart. The Diamond's soft lips touched the skin just above her third eye, and it was like she was having a compulsory vision.

It was her, but from Rose's perspective. The wonder of seeing a cross fusion for the first time, the pride as she summoned her gauntlets and learned to use them, the worry at seeing them unfused, the joy at seeing her fused once more and playing with some new recruits, the care as she was hugged close, safe in the knowledge that she was accepted for who she was.

She blinked hard, aware of the world around her once more. She had stopped struggling, and while powerful calm was still pouring over her like a waterfall, she found that she was no longer afraid of it. This being might be a Diamond, but she was also Rose. And she had made it clear to Garnet that she did not want to hurt her. She was not disgusted by her existence, she did not want to rip her apart, she didn't even want to control her. She wanted to keep her safe. She had always trusted Rose. She wasn't about to stop now. She relaxed and let down her walls, falling headfirst into the river of soothing song.

After a while with nothing but Bismuth's muffled voice to tell that time was passing a kiss was once more pressed into her forehead. This time there were no discernible images or memories, just feelings and ideas. She was a fusion of love, and that was beautiful. She was not just Sapphire and Ruby sharing a body, but the embodiment of their relationship. This meant that while Garnet wouldn't do things against Ruby or Sapphire's will, she was not them, and they were not her. They could still be together even when they weren't fused. Their love for each other would not die. There is a difference between separate and apart. "Garnet." Asteria Diamond called to her. Blinking her eyes open she took in what she had just been given. The information was pure and raw, no room for lies or deceit. She wanted her to unfuse, but would not force her to. She was asking for permission. Permission to talk to Ruby and Sapphire as themselves. Laced with reassurances that just because they unfused didn't mean she disappeared, and how even if they were pulled apart their love would live on. Knowing that this Diamond was somewhat a cross fusion herself, Garnet decided to trust her. "Yes my Diamond." She responded. Fusion with Rose or not, this was not the time to skip respect. "Unfuse for me." The restraints holding her sank back into the slab. "Yes my Diamond." She said, and for the first time that she can remember she intentionally and calmly reached for the bright white light in her palms and unfused.

Ruby and Sapphire are held by only a single restraint each, their gemless hands pinned close enough to touch. Asteria goes to Ruby first, knowing her emotions are more likely to burst outward in flames. Asteria communicates with a mix of some soft words and informational kisses to the Ruby's gem. Her song sings calm into the gems around her, and she encourages the unfused gem's love for each other in and out of fusion. Both gems are made aware that there will be times when they need to unfuse, but for the most part, as long as they are healthy about it, they can remain as Garnet most of the time. Having reassurance, a plan, and Diamond given permission lifts both gems spirits. As soon as Asteria gives the word they refuse, and Garnet properly swears her loyalty to the new cause. Asteria rewards her with another kiss and a note of deep song, which has her in a state of deep meditation while Bismuth has her turn.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Baby Viktor

Due to a magical mishap in the lab Viktor ends up de-aged. Little Viktor comes to himself in a place he doesn't recognize, with no clothes and no cane. He is very obviously in Piltover, and there is a very large man calling his name and asking him if he's ok and what he remembers. The poor boy is very frightened, and it doesn't help that they are not speaking in his first language, so he is still having some trouble with words at this age. Jayce, of course, helps the little one up and puts his own shirt on him, which hangs down like a dress, but little Viktor is even more terrified because of the strength in Jayce's arms and the fact that his hand practically covers his entire torso.

Of course, the poor child tries his best to put together how he got here. He understands that he is missing memories, but he doesn't know he's been de-aged, so he is trying to figure out how a crippled child from the undercity ended up in the rich part of Piltover. The feeling of being out of place gets even worse when he finds out that Jayce is a councilor and when he meets Mel, who looks extremely extravagant and is also a councilor. Any and all ideas he can come up with are, of course, bad ones, but there is little good he can figure from his situation. He had never thought of himself as one of the ones to sell their body for food and shelter, much less to big, strong, rich pilties, but he assumes his past self must have had a reason and tries to be good and not make himself sick with his own thoughts.