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
(Please note that this was written after only having watched some of Arcane and before season 2 started.)
Machine Herald Viktor kidnaps a wounded Defended of Tomorrow Jayce and makes him one of them. The two manage to relearn how to be together, Jayce realizing that Viktor never stopped loving him, and Viktor figuring out how to explain himself to Jayce. The only problem is that nobody but Jayce knows who the Machine Herald is and Jayce's friends and family are not happy about his kidnapping.
Cody, or Kote, whichever he likes to go by, is the Emperor of the Mandalorians. (And possibly Vode as well.) As the most powerful empire in the galaxy, many different peoples give gifts to the Emperor in an attempt to gain favor. The Empire is well known for being an enemy of the Jedi, but this is mostly because of the actions of Cody's father. Cody does not really hate Jedi, but he doesn't know much about them, so he doesn't care for them. (Cody's name among his allit is Kote, but publicly his name is Cody.)
Someone for some political reason, probably Palpatine trying to put down the Jedi and gain more power himself, gives Cody a Jedi. Cody does not really understand that he has been given a Jedi, and doesn't really know what to do. In this world Jedi are much more connected to their kyber crystals than in canon. Palpatine had taken Obi-Wan's crystal out of its protective shell, his lightsaber, and made it into a necklace which was given to Cody. When given to the Emperor, he was told that wearing the necklace was a symbol of their alliance, basically meaning it is required. Cody was a bit miffed, but he liked the strange necklace so he didn't complain about it. Unfortunately, Cody does not know what a kyber crystal is nor what it means to the Jedi prisoner that was for some reason brought to his chambers. Obi-Wan is not used to having his soul bared to the world, nor is he used to have it being worn and touched by another. He shakes and shudders near constantly for the first several days of his capture, and even once he becomes accustomed to the sensation of having another being's heart so close to his soul, he still reacts every time Cody touches the necklace in any way. It takes Cody an embarrassingly long time to figure out that the necklace has anything to do with the Jedi. His first major clue that something is up is when Quinlan Vos sneaks in to talk with Obi-Wan. They don't know that he can hear them. His first thought is that the other Jedi has come to rescue his companion, especially when he finds out they are practically brothers, and he feels like he would not really want to stop him if he does. To his surprise neither of them talk of escape, with Quinlan expressing how much Obi-Wan is missed and how sad they are at his situation, but the only talk they make of escape is how Quinlan wishes he could take Obi-Wan with him. Cody is horrified to find out that the other Jedi is mostly there to tell Obi-Wan that his child is safe and cared for, and that they mourn his loss. He comes to the uncomfortable conclusion that something is forcing Obi-Wan to stay at his side. Obi-Wan has been acting as his servant because he doesn't know what else to do with him, and much to his surprise he actually likes Obi-Wan. He had believed that this was requited when Obi-Wan did not attempt to escape, but now he is finding out that there is something else involved.
Basically since Obi-Wan's kyber is the physical representation of his soul he is now bound to Cody in a way no one has been in decades, if not centuries. Cody not only has his soul, but has somewhat bonded with it as he is the main thing that Obi-Wan can feel through it. The Jedi all know that Obi-Wan cannot leave his soul, and even if he could get it back he would still struggle horribly due to being used to Cody's presence constantly pressed against him.
Everyone who knows what a kyber crystal is and what it means sees the one around Cody's neck as a statement. People who know what it means to have a Jedi's soul tied around your neck look on in awe and fear. Cody gains quite a bit of respect that if he knew he had he would never have wanted. The Jedi look on in horror, unable to do anything as the Emperor tortures one of their own so blatantly. So cruelly. So personally. Those who were closest to Obi-Wan grieve the most, and Anakin cries long and hard for his Master, anger at the Emperor higher than he knows what to deal with. Vos tries to take care of him, and on some level his own anger at the situation helps the boy, giving him someone who understands. But even then it is still hard on them both. Any pull Palpatine might have had over Anakin is completely gone, and Palpatine doesn't even realize his mistake until long after it was made.
When Cody brings up that Obi-Wan has a child, obviously showing that he heard their conversation, Obi-Wan is immediately on the ground and begging.
Cody comes to the horrifying conclusion that Obi-Wan had taken his words and immediately assumed that he meant his child harm. He was on his knees, head pressed to the ground by his feet, begging for him to spare his child. Cody didn't even know what Obi-Wan thought he would do, but no matter what it made his gut churn thinking about it.
"I have spent the last few months, from the moment I awake to the moment I fall asleep, surrounded by you. Your heartbeat pounds in my head. Your breaths swirl in my lungs. Your footsteps rattle my bones."
Eventually when Cody finds out he wants to give it back, but Obi-Wan explains that it would hurt badly to be unbound from him, more then it did blinding him in the first place. Cody still can't stand to have things stay the way they are. He finds out that Obi-Wan is most comfortable with him in his armor because the beskar helps to muffle and protect the kyber. He has a peice of his armor recast into a casing for the crystal. He still wears it around his neck, but now it is more protected than it would be in a lightsaber. Others who do not know Cody well assume that it is a cage or some other form of torture. Many assume that the beskar is cutting the crystal off from its Jedi, therefore acting as a torture in and of itself. Both Cody and Obi-Wan meditate with the kyber every day, Cody insisting when Obi-Wan tries to tell him that he doesn't have to. Cody wants to make things as right as he can, and that means taking care of his Jedi that he had been unknowingly hurting. The casing comes apart with the Force, just like the casing of a lightsaber, so Cody feels reassured that he won't be able to take advantage of his Jedi.
The Jedi don't know what happens when you surround a crystal with beskar, so they also assume that it is another form of torture.
Cody was not expecting the Jedi to be so shaken and submissive, knowing that they are fierce warriors, but he figures it is from miscommunication and trauma. (He's not wrong, lol.) He knows how he is seen, and so he understands that this Jedi fears greatly of him. He tries his best to show the terrified Jedi that he will not hurt him, but it is a long hard process. Especially since the man is still his prisoner and far too many people seem to think he is using the man as a pleasure slave.
He was disgusted to come back to his room after a long day of dealing with people to find a shaking Jedi tied to his bed. Thankfully the man was not on his bed, nor was he naked, but he was tied by his wrists to his bedpost and it looked like at least some of his clothes had been taken from him. He went to try and reassure the shaking sobbing man, but the Jedi did nothing more than beg in soft desperate murmurs he could barely understand. The man must have been drugged, as it was obvious that he was not all there. Between the man's flushed sweaty skin and clouded pained eyes he decided the medbay would be a good place to go. It didn't seem like the man was in any state to fight, but years of bedtime stories about Jedi had him leaving the bands on his wrists. If that was blocking the man's powers, he needed to leave them on, lest they get a violent drugged-up Jedi on their hands. He delivers the man to the medics and goes about his way, but for some reason he has yet to understand the Jedi never really leaves his mind.
Obi-Wan has never been more overwhelmed in his life. The cuffs on his arms cut him off from the Force, which is disorienting enough, but they don't cut him off from his crystal. From his soul. It sings to him, overwhelmingly loud in its all-encompassing distress. He was surrounded by nothing but the Emperor. His Emperor now. He can feel nothing but the man, his soul pressed up against the skin of his chest. The Emperor's heartbeat is like a drum inside his skull, and the slightest shift of the necklace sends painful shudders up and down his body.
He doesn't know how long he is like that, unable to do anything in the face of the Emperor's touch. He could feel it keenly every time the man stroked his soul, but all he could do was thrash and sob on the medical cot he had been placed on. He could faintly register the kindness of the nurses, a cool towel over his eyes and a cup held to his lips, but it felt impossible to focus on anything happening to him when his soul was screaming at him in a strangely sweet agony. He comes back into awareness at his Emperor's touch, on his body this time, and he sobs anew at the feeling. He was already starting to fall, (not Fall) his Emperor's touch tingling in a way no one else's ever had. Was it really happening that fast? Was he already his? Feeling how his soul's song was slowly starting to smooth he knew it to be true. His pain would lessen to a hopefully tolerable degree soon, but with it came the knowledge of what was happening. The Emperor must be more learned than they had thought for him to be bonding with his soul so quickly. Part of Obi-Wan had hoped that he would last longer under the forced binding, but the rest of him yearned for a lack of pain that it knew would come from nowhere but his Emperor. The tan man spoke words of reassurance to him, and even knowing it was all lies he still leaned into his hand. His only respite would be what his Emperor gave him, so he searched for it desperately even knowing it was unlikely to be there. Somehow he found sleep in his Emperor's touch, even if his mind still rang with his soul's pained song.
(His kyber is bonding with Cody so quickly because Cody doesn't actually want to hurt Obi-Wan and the crystal can feel his good intentions.)
Cody found the crystal he had been given strange. It hummed with an energy he didn't understand, but nonetheless he felt comforted by it. For some reason he felt like the crystal was sick, or hurt. The strange impression didn't make sense, as the crystal was a rock, it was not alive. Still, he found himself stroking or thumbing over the thrumming rock, almost as if it was an animal he could soothe with pets.
He was also strangely transfixed on the Jedi still in his medbay. Even three days later the man was still in bad shape. He couldn't help but feel pity for the Jedi, especially when the man was so respectful even to his captors. Not that they had been the ones to capture the Jedi, but he was still their prisoner. According to the medics the Jedi reacted the most to his presence and touch, and while he seemed to be getting slightly better the baar're have yet to let the man try and walk. Today the man was sitting up for his food, he was slightly malnourished and needed every meal he could stomach, but he was still shaking and shivering harshly from pain. The man greeted him in a manner that he quickly decided was shy and slightly fearful. Still, the respect and deference from someone who should by all means be an enemy has him enthralled. He is quiet and gentle with his words, not wanting to further scare the man. Belatedly, they exchange names. Obi-Wan Kenobi. The name seemed right on the man. The man was hesitant about him, but Cody understood. He touched the man's arm gently at one point, and Obi-Wan shuddered and leaned slightly into his touch. He asked to make sure that he wasn't hurting the man, and Obi-Wan shook his head, leaning a bit more into his touch. He rubbed the man's hand gently and tried to reassure him that he would not be hurt in their care. Obi-Wan acted like he understood, but Cody could tell that he didn't fully believe him. A medic came to help Obi-Wan with his dishes, and Cody took the chance to ask if they had found anything new about Obi-Wan's illness. They unfortunately had not. Obi-Wan quietly informed him that his "weakness" was Force related and that he would do his best to persevere through it. It sounded like the man was trying to insist upon his worth as a person, and Cody didn't like it. He ignored it for now and asked more questions about the Force and how it was affecting Obi-Wan. Quickly he put two and two together (getting 6), glancing at the manacles still sitting tight against the man's thin wrists. It all made sense. Obi-Wan had not complained about them or tried to get them removed, and he spoke as if Cody would put the fault on Obi-Wan for not being strong enough to withstand the pain. Something in him urged him forward with an almost tender gentleness. He took Obi-Wan's wrists in his hands, ignoring the way the man gasped and shook. It took him a while to figure out how to take the cuffs off, but once he did the Jedi's reaction was immediate. The man gasped and shook harder for a moment, grasping his hands tightly, but after a few moments, his breathing started to even out and his shaking started to lessen. Obi-Wan thanked him with a wet voice, pulling his hands away in a hurry once he noticed that he had grabbed him. He told the man there was no need to thank him. After all, it was his decision that had left the man in such pain. He instructed the man to rest up before saying a soft goodbye. He probably should have been concerned about what the man might do with the freedom of his powers, but something told him Obi-Wan wouldn't cause trouble. He wanted to believe that this was because of the man's demeanor, but something still seemed off about this situation. A bad feeling was present in his gut, but he couldn't figure out what it meant. He sighed. He would just have to wait and see.
Isha ends up in a modern au. Since she's not in her alternate body it is not difficult to convince them that she is from an alternate universe. They care for her while they try and find a way to put her back, but the more they get to know her the less they want to send her back. They get her a talking tablet to help her communicate, and some of the things she says can be... concerning. Like talking about how hard Vader can hit, about being in the habit of watching his body language to make sure he wasn't upset, just in case she needs to dodge. She is, of course, referring to Warwick, who does not have full control over his bloodlust and actions, but they do not know this, and with Vader having had an instance of domestic violence in the past with Silco, he knows he is technically capable of hurting his family even if he loves them.
Jayce is royalty, or close enough to it. Viktor is a prisoner from the neighboring kingdom of Zaun. Several Zaunites are brought before them, intended to be slaves to the highest in Piltover. The slavemaster doesn’t think Viktor is all that important, and with his disability, is prepared to kill him once he is not chosen. Much to everyone's surprise, Jayce chooses Viktor and will hear no other argument. He has visions of other worlds due to him messing with the Arcane, so he knows that this man will be the most important man in his life. Viktor has no clue why the King of Piltover calls him Perfect, and he is both flattered and terrified.
Nobody from Piltover knows that Viktor and Violet are the eldest Prince and Princess of Zaun. Zaun royalty does not dress like royalty, so they were assumed to be just another couple of citizens. Tensions rise even further between the two countries, war on the horizon, and Piltover doesn't even know what they've done. Zaun has no proof that they are the ones who took their Prince and Princess, so things build slowly over time. Viktor and Violet assume that Jayce and Caitlyn know what they have done, the statement they are making by keeping them.
Viktor finds out how oblivious Jayce is when Jinx/Powder breaks in to rescue them and kill their captors. Viktor is in the middle of trying to convince the youngest Princess not to assassinate the King of Piltover when Jayce wakes up, sees the armed intruded fighting with Viktor, and immediately puts himself between them, shielding Viktor with his body. This makes the younger girl very confused since she had been expecting a gaudy and snooty man who didn't care for their lives. Viktor manages to talk them both down, and their conversation leads him to figure out how little Jayce knows. Jayce finds out that the assassin was there to rescue the slaves, and while he's actually a little relieved and will make no move to stop her, he really doesn't want Viktor to leave, and makes this clear in his body language and hesitant words. In the end, Viktor stays while Jinx/Powder goes to find the other slaves and bring news back to the Kings of Zaun.
In the end, after some sneaking around of Vi and Viktor's parts, Zaun proposes a peace treaty to Piltover. It is a bunch of normal politics stuff, along with a double-arranged marriage. The King and the Head Guard of Piltover would marry the eldest Prince and Princess of Zaun. Both Jayce and Caitlyn protest, both wishing to be with their partners, but in the end they agree to the terms.
Part of the treaty was also to free all Zaunite slaves, and while Vi and Viktor had been practically free already, this just made it official. They hadn't been expecting the two to actually leave, and both become even more stressed without them. But then the wedding day comes, and the Zaunite royalty arrives, and everyone puts everything together. The main characters are overjoyed and in shock, and they all get married and one day unite the kingdoms through their adopted children.
(Currently working on a fic for this au. I have no clue when or if it will get posted, or how long it will be. Once it is posted I will link it here. Wish me luck!)
(Please note that I have not fully watched all of Arcane.)
Travel between worlds looks different. This way people keep their own bodies. Isha ends up in the peaceful au, freaking everyone out when she calls Powder Mama. Soon enough Warwick and Savika come crashing in, causing even more drama.
https://archiveofourown.org/works/62257153
Tags and sneak peek below the cut
A world where Silco saw the letter but he and Vander are still not on the best of terms gets visitors. He is feared as the Eye of Zaun, and few people know that he no longer has the Hound by the leash. (And while I doubt he knows this, he definitely still has some control over the Hound. If he were to beg Vander for help, he would get it. Vander never stopped loving him, and would do almost anything to make it up to him.) He spends time with Powder the most, and she's the only one close enough to him to sass him fearlessly. Then Silco from another universe shows up. He's not from canon, but it is a bit of a closer timeline. There is some confusion about this older version of Silco, especially with his blatantly startled reaction to Vander, but they don't get very far before his Sevika shows up. She's also shocked by Vander, but quickly moves on and basically tells Silco to get his Fucking Dog. Silco whistles and Warwick comes barling in, a whirlwind of teeth, fangs, and claws. The people of that world are horrified to find out that this is Vader, or what is left of him, made into a literal hound for Silco's use.
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!)
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Part 6
For some reason Boba has time traveled, probably because of Din, into the past. Back when his ba'buir was still alive. They end up in a situation where they and their allies are cornered in an old temple, hiding from an enemy/army that they do not have the strength or numbers to fight. There is an artifact in the temple, and they are all told that while it can summon a person's relatives to them, living or dead, but it can only do so for very close relatives. This is seen as not super helpful, but Boba resizes that he has a really big close family. And so, after asking some clarifying questions, ("So if someone touched it and wanted their Vode, it would bring all their Vode to them?") he touches the artifact and calls for his Vode. His millions of Vode. It's a good thing the temple is big.
Obi-Wan has just gotten to Kamino when he gets discombobulated by the Force. He's very out of it, barely able to communicate, and definitely unaware of the whole clones for the Jedi thing. The Kaminoians put him in a room and fetch a random Commander, who just so happens to be Commander Cody, to satisfy whatever the Jedi needs. Cody is fearful but resigned to his fate. The same goes for his batchmates.
But when he watches the lost-looking General putter around the room trying to decide whether to have him sit down on the bed or the chair (he ends up putting the bedding on the chair as a compromise) he starts to understand that he isn’t here to be the natborn's plaything, the General actually needs help. Said General putters about a bit more, mostly taking to himself rather than Cody, but eventually he does seem to address him. Poor Obi-Wan tries to explain the situation, but he's not the most articulate at the moment so he ends up just spouting something about the Force being difficult and needing a living anchor and the Kaminoains feeling fishy. Cody just nods along, mostly just amused and confused by now, but he does stiffen up when Obi-Wan takes his head in his hands and presses their foreheads together, staring straight into his eyes. Obi-Wan murmurs about how bright and glorious and perfect Cody is, before folding to his knees and planting his head in Cody’s lap.
They stay like that for several hours, with Obi-Wan meditating and Cody getting used to the man's presence and touch. He may not be Force-sensitive, but Obi-Wan using Cody as an anchor in the Force still forms a bond between them, even if Cody cannot feel it.