#Jasper Lloyd

[apricusnights]

@solar-throne​

The image is slightly scrambled and all sorts of chaos is heard in the background. An alarm going off, people running around, yelling, what sounds like a multitude of rats skittering along the ground.

“Uh hey! How’s everything goin?” Sounds of glass breaking in the background. “So you’re never gonna believe this, I got a lead on the painting..in fact I might have found out exactly where it is. Unfortunately there’s been a few complications..”

The audio cuts off for a few moments before picking up again.

“Remember Inspector Marceau? The guy that was obsessed with catching me? Turns out he didn’t exactly retire and he’s not particularly happy to see me...thanks for letting me know he was still around by the way...” Dripping with sarcasm.

“ANYWAY there was a scuffle, an alarm system got tripped, now there’s a few angry law enforcement personnel...and an extraordinary amount of rats...that don’t seem happy to see me either.”

“Oh right and the tunnel systems are fairly confusing even when I’m not being pursued by a tidal wave of rats, a pissed off inspector, and his goons. So if I could request a moment of your time...that would be great...gotta go!”

#Jasper Lloyd #solar-throne

[kimmiessimmies]

Wistfulness

uk/ˈwɪst.fəl.nəs/ us/ˈwɪst.fəl.nəs/ NOUN [ U ] a feeling of sadness because you are thinking about something that is impossible or in the past

Need I say more..?

Wistfulness will go live starting tomorrow, Thursday 4 April 2024 from 13:00 / 1 pm (GMT +1) onwards.

A slight change in format from now on: I won't mention the season in the title anymore. Instead I'll put it in the tags. Oh, and, the first post going up will be marked NSFW...

#atoh preview #slightly sim spice #ts3 #the sims 3 #sims 3 #sims story #james wyler #leona walsh #seth murray #sarah wyler #jill richardson #daniel lloyd #eva adams #viola adams #jasper adams #rosa adams #oliver lloyd #claire lloyd #robert wyler #patty wyler

[shadowlit-shows]

More art yet again

1: Ninjago my beloved 🤲❤

2: Emerson, a newer oc

3 and 4: A Lil redesign of my oc, Jasper!

Last drawings: More ocs (I love Isacord)

#shadows rambles #shadows art #artists on tumblr #oc #Ninjago #zane julien #ninjago zane #jay walker #ninjago jay #lloyd garmadon #ninjago lloyd #lord garmadon #ninjago garmadon #the shadverse #shadows ocs #oc art #art dump #Isacord #Levi #Pyro #Emerson #Beyto #Jasper

[chtozaepta]

12: “Flower”

Raven customizes Lloyd’s new body 😌✨

13: “Mirror”

Jill Jill Jill Jill!

14: “Clock”

Baby David 🥺❤️‍🩹

15: “Dead”

Jasper’s happiest moment. Also, the Creatures 💖👀👀👀🌚👀👀👀💖

#shaperaverse #paul shapera #david adams #new albion #uncle raven #lloyd allen #posthuman war #lloydven #dolls of new Albion #jill's psychedelic sunday #Jill shaperaverse #Jasper shaperaverse

[lucifer-kane]

Congrats, the soul of a person that’s now trapped in a doll, is bisexual!

Congrats, the soul of a person that’s now trapped in a doll, is gay!

#this post was first just gonna be about jasper but then i remembered lloyd #shaperaverse #i could have made this two seperate posts but i wasn't gonna do that actually #well now lloyd has a flesh body again and jasper is happily back in elysium

[donospl]

Europe Jazz Media Chart - Maj 2024

Wybór nowości muzycznych, które pojawiły się w bieżącym miesiącu, dokonany przez grupę czołowych europejskich magazynów i witryn jazzowych. A selection of the hot new music surfacing across the continent this month by the top European jazz magazines and websites. Tomasz Dabrowski And The Individual Beings  Better (April Records) Krzysztof Komorek, Donos kulturalny, Polska Olivier Le Goas…

View On WordPress

#Alban Darche #Alexander Hawkins #All Good Clean Records #Anna Roemer #April Records #Art Melodies #Audio Cave #Berlin Classics #Blue Note Records #Carlos Barretto #Challenge Records #Charles Lloyd #Christian Marien #Clean Feed Records #Cuareim Quartet #Dandy Dandie #De Beren Gieren #Edition Records #EJN Media Chart #Goran Kajfeš Tropiques #Haggis Records #I Like To Sleep #Impulse! Recrods #Inês Condeço #Intakt Records #Irek Wojtczak #Jasper Høiby’s 3 Elements #Jasper Hoiby #Jonas Cambien #Kamasi Washington

[blueiskewl]

Picasso Masterpiece 'Femme à la montre' Sells for $139 Million at Auction

A Picasso masterpiece entitled “Femme à la montre” fetched more than $139 million on Wednesday, becoming the second most valuable work by the artist ever sold at auction.

The 1932 oil painting took center-stage at a two-day event at Sotheby’s in New York, at the sale of late philanthropist Emily Fisher Landau’s private collection.

The piece, which measures 51¼ x 38 inches (130 x 96.5 centimeters), depicts Picasso’s lover and “golden muse” Marie-Thérèse Walter, who featured in many of his portraits.

According to the auction house, the portrait is from one of the most prolific years of the Spanish artist’s career, which was the subject of an entire exhibition organized by the Musée Picasso in Paris and London’s Tate Modern in 2018.

In a statement announcing the sale in September, Julian Dawes, Sotheby’s head of Impressionist & Modern Art for the Americas, said: “Picasso’s ‘Femme à la Montre’ is a masterpiece by every measure. Painted in 1932 — Picasso’s ‘annus mirabilis’ — it is full of joyful, passionate abandon yet at the same time it is utterly considered and resolved. Its bold primary colors sing from the five-foot-tall-canvas.”

Picasso first met Walter in Paris in 1927 when she was 17 years old and he was still married to his first wife, Olga Khokhlova, a Russian-Ukrainian ballet dancer. Walter would become the inspiration for some of his most sought-after canvases, drawings and sculptures.

As time went on, Picasso found it increasingly difficult to hide his feelings for Walter from his work — something that became clear during his first large-scale retrospective and finally ended his marriage.

The artist painted “Femme à la montre” in August 1932, soon after the retrospective at the Galerie Georges Petit in Paris ended.

According to Sotheby’s, “the sense of release from keeping secrets about his affair seem to have spilled out onto this extraordinary canvas, in which he gives full painterly rein to new-found freedoms, drenching the painting in strong primary colors and beautiful forms, while at the same time paying careful attention to every small detail, creating a composition that is both intensely complex and deeply harmonious.”

Picasso died in 1973, and Walter in 1977.

The painting is one of about 120 from the collection of Fisher Landau, a world renowned contemporary art collector who died earlier this year aged 102, according to The Art Newspaper.

The two-part sale, which concludes Thursday, also includes works by Mark Rothko, Andy Warhol, Willem de Kooning and Georgia O’Keeffe. The collection is expected to sell for over $400 million overall. Other big-ticket items auctioned on Wednesday included one of Jasper Johns’ iconic American flag paintings, which went for $41 million, and an Ed Ruscha artwork — an oil painting emblazoned with the word “Boss” — that fetched more than $39.4 million.

Fisher Landau began seriously collecting after receiving an insurance payout following an armed robbery of her jewelry at her New York home in 1969.

In an interview for an exhibition catalog, quoted in the Sotheby’s statement, she said of the episode: “Even though Lloyds of London paid up, there was no way to replace that collection. It was so beautiful. And they got it in one fell swoop…. I was devastated. But I decided that I didn’t want the jewelry any more. I now had seed money for a collection.”

Last year, Picasso’s most curious painting of Walter, in which she appears as a tentacled sea creature, sold for $67.5 million at Sotheby’s in New York.

Picasso’s portraits of Walter have become highly sought-after, with his other 1932 works “Femme assise près d’une fenêtre (Marie-Thérèse),” selling for $103.41 million in 2021, and “Nude, Green Leaves and Bust,” selling for $106.5 million in 2010.

In May 2015, Picasso’s “Les femmes d’Alger (Version “O”) sold at Christie’s in New York for $179.4 million — at that time, the highest price ever paid for a work of art at auction.

By Lianne Kolirin.

Pablo Picasso Femme à la montre

Signed Picasso (upper left); inscribed Boisgeloup and dated 17 Août XXXII. (on the stretcher). oil on canvas. Executed on 17 August 1932. 51 ⅛ by 38 ⅛ in. 130 by 97 cm.

#Pablo Picasso #Picasso Masterpiece 'Femme à la montre' Sells for $139 Million at Auction #Pablo Picasso Femme à la montre 1932 #spanish artist #painter #painting #oil on canvas #art #artist #art work #art world #art news

[brightoakgame]

Playing favorites...

With the first act demo having been out for three weeks(!) now, it feels like the ideal time to hold Bright Oak's first-ever Friday Favorites poll! Who knows? I may come up with a reward relating to whichever character comes out ahead! 👀

If it helps in decision making: I recently went through and added individual character tags to all the early Asks, so if you're undecided and want more information about anyone specific, you can now search by their names. ✨ I'll leave the poll open for the next week!

#bright oak #friday favorites #character poll #sheriff john forster #dr marybeth forster #patti gutierrez #sparrow #dr jasper lee #visual novel #interactive fiction #oelvn

[cherri-dash]

Merry Christmas y'all!

I finished this a few days ago, just a simple illustration that I ended up redoing like twice...

Kinda a second part to an illustration I did last year of Lloyd and Reagan, this time it's Lloyd, Dillion, Jasper, Ryker, Dai, and Reagan.

I hope y'all have a wonderful Christmas and a bountiful New Year.

God bless 💚

#lloyd garmadon #ninjago oc #lloyd garmadon x oc #ninjago lloyd #ninjago #green ninja #lego ninjago #reaganreedninjagooc

[onlyheretoreadevillouschronicles]

y'all i found a rant about what crystals would be the ninjas favourites and I found it too hilarious to not share 😭

jay: (-wouldn't really show interest in crystals but secretly wants to know more about them)

- radiates HUGE calcite energy, maybe blue or honey calcite

- would fall in love with shiny/sparkly crystals (aura quartz labradorite maybe)

nya: (- would introduce jay to crystals)

- HUGE blue lace agate vibes

- dalmatian/red jasper

- loves tumbles crystals to carry around

- black tourmaline

- moss agate (loves agate in general)

lloyd: (- seems like a huge crystal and spirituality enthusiast IF you would introduce him to it)

- amethyst (really had to think a lot)

- omg MALACHITE AND RAINBOW MOONSTONE (WHY DID I DO LLOYD LIKE THIS)

- lepidolite

- unakite

- amazonite

- maybe sodalite??

kai: (- doesn't believe in the healing properties of crystals even if you tried to introduce him)

- but I sense a carnelian lover

cole: (- c'mon as if he wouldn't love crystals, it's literally his lil treasures, openly loves spirituality)

- black tourmaline!!

- botswana agate

- selenite/satin spar

- has a lot of tumbled stones but would DIE for cute carvings

zane: (- is fascinated of crystals healing properties)

- SNOWFLAKE OBSIDIAN

- black onyx

- citrine

#ninjago #ninjago gone spiritual?????? #ninjago jay #ninjago lloyd #ninjago zane #ninjago kai #ninjago cole #crystals #rant

[apricusnights]

The following conversation is translated.

“You’ve got a lot of nerve coming back here. You know the inspector is still obsessed with catching the “King of Hearts”. I honestly don’t know if he thinks you left or not. Plus I’m sure you have a long list of people that won’t be too happy to see you wandering around again.”

“So let me guess, you’re here to find that painting you could never get your hands on. Oh don’t act surprised, I knew everything before you even got off the boat. It’s very chivalrous of you to try and get all the attention on yourself so the boy and his sister can have a few moments of relaxation..”

“Leave them out of this Brigitte. Whatever problems you have, whatever grudge you still hold..it’s with me, not them.”

“Grudge? Why would I hold a grudge? Because you made a stupid choice years ago? Because you and the girl both decided to go against the roles you were supposed to assume? No, I don’t hold any grudges. I’ve done perfectly fine since you left. In fact I just got one hell of a job promotion..”

“You’re...”

“Oh yes, big election and everything. I got most of the votes as expected. Most competent one for the job. Though it is a little bit more interesting than I expected. Did you know there’s rumblings that we may have ourselves an unwanted guest? A mole if you will..”

“That’s nothing to concern yourself over though. Don’t worry about us giving you any trouble, so long as you keep your noses out of our business. In fact, here’s a peace offering. You want your painting, go get it..” Slipping a piece of paper into his pocket before walking away.

Pulling out the paper and taking a look at it. “So that’s where it is...”

#Jasper Lloyd #??? #Story Scene

[apricuscity]

The Snow Princess: Veil of Frost (Part One)

“Hello everyone! It’s wonderful to see you all, I hope the holiday season has been treating you well. Tonight, The Evergreen Theater proudly brings to you the sequel to The Snow Princess! We’ll catch up with old friends and make plenty of new ones! Get ready for adventure, romance, comedy, and a few unexpected guests! Enjoy the show!”

Jasper steps off stage.

The curtain opens.

A kingdom far away from the snow covered lands we are familiar with. A wagon pulls into a small town and parks. The driver leaps to the ground, removing the scarf covering his face to reveal Alexei (Rudolph Donnerov). He walks around the back of the wagon and unlatches something, the back of the wagon opens up and Mikhail (M. Night) jumps out, a makeshift store front can be seen in the back of the wagon.

Alexei, and Mikhail go through a musical number talking about all the wonderous things they have for sale. Goods from all the other kingdoms they’ve visited (”Everything For Everyone”). The people crowd around as the song continues. People are seen buying things they may or may not need, the sales pitch gets the job done.

Once the song is over Mikhail begins to pack up the shop while Alexei is drawn to one of the other merchant stalls. The man standing behind the counter introduces himself as Asim (Guest Star: Jaecar). He calls himself a collector of rare curiosities. (”Seeing Is Believing”). Asim mentions that he knows where Alexei is from and thinks it strange to see the crown princes so far from home. Before he can ask how Asim knows this, Alexei seems inexplicably drawn to a locked chest in the back of the stall.

Asim explains it contains a relic, a relic from Alexei’s homeland. He opens the box and reveals a veil that shimmers in the sun, it looks as if it’s made of ice that will never melt. Asim explains the veil’s history. (”Family Tree”).

The scene changes to a flashback. We see the snow kingdom long ago. Empress Mischa (Wren) is struggling to keep her kingdom from falling apart. The crimes of her father weigh heavily on her. Despite her best efforts to unite the people and fix what her father had done it seems only some of the population stand behind her.

Some believe her father was in the right, the older generations do not believe Mischa has what it takes to rule. (”Sins Of My Father”).

We see people from various groups arguing in the throne room while Mischa struggles to maintain order. The arguments turn to fighting and Mischa loses her temper, slamming her fists down on the stable she stood by and causing it to instantly freeze. Everyone stops and is astounded by what they just saw. Mischa shouts and orders everyone out of the room, freezing winds seem to shoot forth when she speaks, blowing the doors open and sending everyone running for their lives. All except one. A stranger wearing a cloak (Guest Star: Sorin) approaches Mischa, they claim to be able to help the Empress. They reach into their cloak and hold out the veil we saw moments ago. They claim it can help her focus her power. (”Trust Me”). We get a brief glimpse of their eyes which look strikingly like those of the Dark Presence from the previous play.

The flashback ends and we see Mikhail approaching the merchant’s stall. He smiles and pats Alexei on the back, snapping him out of the trance like state he was in. Asim offers to sell the veil to Alexei, at first the prince refuses. Mikhail convinces him to buy it, it would be a perfect gift for his sister’s birthday. Before Alexei can argue Mikhail hands over the money. Asim puts the veil back in it’s box and hands it to Alexei.

Alexei and Mikhail load it on to the wagon and prepare to head out, Mikhail attempting to flirt a bit with Alexei but the prince seems a bit oblivious to it. (”Love Is For Fools”). The two head out of the town, we see that Asim and his entire stall have vanished, now nowhere to be seen.

The scene changes to Vasilisa’s castle. Everyone is preparing for the Queen’s birthday. Vasilisa (Lye Marigold), is with The King of Time (Amias Zelly), and The Queen of Seasons (Alabaster Brahms) who have returned from their vacation to celebrate their daughter’s birthday. Vasilisa’s wife Alyona (Méline Sweetpea) is making sure the guards have everything under control (”Perfection”).

We see a few new faces as people arrive for the birthday celebration. The King’s brother, Duke Volkov (Thaddeus Bell) is among the first. Shortly behind him is Lady Olivia (Sable Luna) an aristocrat from a far off kingdom. We see a continuous parade of people entering the kingdom, all bringing gifts for the queen (”Her Majesty”). Finally we see Alexei and Mikhail’s wagon pull in and park. Both men jump off brush themselves off.

Both realize they need a change of clothes and make their way towards the castle (”Home Again”). We see the box containing the veil start to shake a little..

The curtain closes for intermission.

End of Part One!

#jasper lloyd #evergreen theater

[kimmiessimmies]

Wistfulness (23/34)

James shrugged, “I don’t know,  maybe someone else who worked for her?” He whispered back. “Also, I think mum doesn’t like us talking…”

Sarah looked at her mum, who was glaring at them.

“Sorry,” she mouthed.

“Thank you all for coming to pay your respects to our mother,” Patty spoke moments later, “There’s coffee and tea back at the house.”

#The Wyler kids should know better than to anger mum... #tw: funeral #atoh #spring 08 #ts3 #the sims 3 #sims 3 #sims story #james wyler #sarah wyler #seth murray #daniel lloyd #patty wyler #oliver lloyd #eva adams #jasper adams #viola adams #rosa adams

[emmie-tt]

Welcome to my Blog

Hi!

New Blog/Writer here. I'm Emmie and I have found a small love for writing and reading fan fiction. I'm new to the writing part and have been in a major writers block lately and decided to make an account in hopes I could find some people out there with the same interests as me. I'm asking for requests on what to write, down below this small paragraph is the fandom's I write for and my request rules. Please don't be shy and send them in so I can hopefully get my creativity flowing!!

HARRY POTTER

Harry potter

Draco Malfoy

Blaise Zabini

Ronald Weasley

Fred Weasley

George Weasley

Ginny Weasley

Hermione Granger

Luna Lovegood

Neville Longbottom

Mattheo Riddle

Theodore Nott

Tom Riddle

Severus Snape (PLATONIC ONLY)

Lucius Malfoy (PLATONIC ONLY)

Narcissa Malfoy (PLATONIC ONLY)

Bellatrix Lestrange (PLATONIC ONLY)

Remus Lupin (PLATONIC ONLY)

Sirius Black (PLATONIC ONLY)

Regulus Black (PLATONIC ONLY)

Molly Weasley (PLATONIC ONLY)

Arthur Weasley (PLATONIC ONLY)

STRANGER THINGS

Steve Harrington

Eddie Munson

Billy Hargrove

Eleven (PLATONIC ONLY)

Max Mayfeild (PLATONIC ONLY)

Will Byers (PLATONIC ONLY)

Mike Wheeler (PLATONIC ONLY)

Dustin Henderson (PLATONIC ONLY)

Nancy Wheeler

Jim Hopper (PLATONIC ONLY)

Robin Buckley

Chrissy Cuningham

Lucas Sinclair (PLATONIC ONLY)

Johnathan Byers

Erica Sinclair (PLATONIC ONLY)

Joyce Byers (PLATONIC ONLY)

Karen Wheeler (PLATONIC ONLY)

TWILIGHT

Edward Cullen

Jasper Hale

Alice Cullen

Carlisle Cullen (PLATONIC ONLY)

Bella Swan

Emmet Cullen

Jacob Black

Rosalie Hale

Esme Cullen (PLATONIC ONLY)

Charlie Swan (PLATONIC ONLY)

Renesmee Cullen (PLATONIC ONLY)

Leah Clearwater

Sam Uley

Seth Clearwater

AVATAR/AVATAR THE WAY OF WATER

Jake Sully

Neytiri Sully

Ts'utey

Neteyam Sully

Lo'ak Sully

Kiri Sully

Tuk Sully (PLATONIC ONLY)

Tonowari

Ronal

Tsireya

Ao'nung

Roxto

TOP GUN MAVERICK

Nick (Goose) Bradshaw

Bradley (Rooster) Bradshaw

Jake (Hangman) Serisen

Pete (Maverick) Mitchell

PEAKY BLINDERS

Thomas Shelby

CHRIS EVANS / CHARACTERS

Chris Evans

Steve Rogers

Lloyd Hansen

Ari Levinson

Andy Barber

Ransom Drysdale

SEBASTIAN STAN / CHARACTERS

Sebastian Stan

Bucky Barnes

Lee Bodecker

MISC. CHARACTERS/PEOPLE

Elvis Presley/ Austin!Elvis Presley

Miles Teller

Jack Harlow

Taylor Swift

I WONT WRITE FOR ANYONE I DONT KNOW I WILL WRITE PLATONIC FOR ALL OF THE CHARACTERS I WILL ALSO WRITE FOR PREGNANCY AND THE READER AND CHARACTER HAVING KIDS :))

PLEASE LIKE RE-BLOG AND COMMENT

LOVE YOU ALL <3

RULES

Smut is allowed! I make no apologies for how bad it will probably be though

I wont write about R@pe, Abu$e or ince$st

All my writing will be fem/GN!reader, I wont go into detail about skin color, body type or really any personal details UNLESS asked to

I want to keep my stories fun so try and keep the requests non boring lol :))

If you have any questions please ask

I write it all, smut, fluff and angst

#harry potter #harry potter x reader #draco malfoy #draco malfoy x reader #blaise zabini #blaise x reader #ronald weasley #ron weasly x reader #fred weasley #fred weasly x reader #george weasley #george wealsey x reader #hermione granger #hermione x reader #luna lovegood #luna lovegood x reader #neville longbottom #neville x reader #mattheo riddle #mattheo x reader #theodore nott #theodore x reader #tom riddle #tom riddle x reader #severus snape #severus snape x daughter!reader #lucius malfoy #lucius malfoy x daughter!reader #narcissa malfoy #narcissa malfoy x daughter!reader

[shilohsversion]

My OCs For Them

Aemond Targaryen - Naemesys Targaryen

Roman Lynch - Victoria Hopper

Kevin Khatchadourian - Percy Crane

Lestat de Lioncourt - Carrie Torrance

Dream of The Endless - Margot Wayne

St. John Allerdyce - Imogen Pryde

Carl Grimes - Jinx

Peter Pan - Alice Mills

Spencer Reid - Jo Jareau

11th Doctor - Hannah Mayfair

Alex DeLarge - Effie Salander

Rhaenyra Targaryen - Lynara Stark

Jerome Valeska - Wanda Rorschach

Connor - Dawn Hargreaves

Mickey Altieri - Sally Howard

Frankie Stein - Blair Boogeyman

Five Hargreeves - Stephanie Lloyd

L - Siobhan Hewitt

Axl Rose - Billie Novak

Benny Weir - Ashley Marin

Edward Cullen & Jasper Hale - Frankie Sinclair

Technical Boy - Liesel Seyer

#house of the dragon #john wick universe #we need to talk about kevin #interview with the vampire #the sandman #x men #the walking dead #once upon a time #criminal minds #doctor who #a clockwork orange #gotham #detroit become human #scream 2 #monster high #the umbrella academy #death note #guns n roses #my babysitter's a vampire #twilight saga #aesthetic #moodboard #my ocs #american gods

[andrewmoocow]

Steven Universe Snake Eyes chapter 6: Folie a Deux (originally published on October 2, 2023)

AN: And now, the moment you've all been waiting for. We've been building up to this for two years now, but at long last, Steven and Black Rutile finally go head-to-head once again. And this time, there will be nothing holding them back in their fight to the death, except for their own inner demons. Steven refuses to fight and kill for entertainment but deep down, he's resisting the urge to go all out. Meanwhile, Black Rutile is incredibly eager to kill Steven once and for all, but that doesn't stop her from having her own second thoughts about everything. This, I believe, makes their dynamic so well-written, though I might be bragging here since I was the one who created it. But enough stroking my ego, we're officially at the halfway point of Snake Eyes now, so let's begin!

Synopsis: Steven and Black Rutile have their long-awaited rematch. Meanwhile, Nosiop begins his plot for universal conquest.

Cast:

Zach Callison as Steven

Noël Wells as Black Rutile

Estelle as Garnet

Michaela Dietz as Amethyst

Deedee Magno-Hall as Pearl

Tom Scharpling as Greg

Grace Rolek as Connie

Jennifer Paz as Lapis

Shelby Rabara as Peridot

Uzo Aduba as Bismuth

Kimberly Brooks as Jasper

Lauren Ash as White Topaz

Della Saba as Aquamarine

Charlyne Yi as Eyeball

Christine Pedi as Holly Blue

Casey Lee Williams as Cat's Eye

Aurelio Voltaire as King Cobralan Jormagundr

Jason Marsden as Prince Nosiop Jormagundr

Keith David as Pyth

Shirley Millner as Queen Constricta Jormagundr

Henry Rollins as Captain Boa

Neil Flynn as Aescul

Patti LuPone as Yellow Diamond

Lisa Hannigan as Blue Diamond

Christine Ebersole as White Diamond

Ron Perlman as Inner Steven

Christopher Lloyd as Batsputin Vosania

Anna Akana as Dionna of the Sands

Peter Stormare as Reximillian

--

"Okay ladies, everyone into your cells!" one of the Bismuth guards at Revanche 666 yelled as the Rutile Rebels were ordered to their assigned prison cells in the aftermath of their attempted takeover of Little Homeworld. "This will be your home for as long as it takes for you to change your ways and finally accept that you lost."

"So that's how it is, huh?" Black Rutile muttered as she glumly sat down in her cell and gazed at her feet. Everything she had worked so hard from the moment Steven came out as the so-called son of Pink Diamond was all made entirely pointless once again. And even worse, it wasn't even Steven who ruined her plans this time, but instead his disgusting human friends. That was one of many things she hated about Steven. Despite how toxic he was towards others, Steven always knew how to gather allies, whether they were former enemies he convinced would agree with him or simple-minded creatures he could mold into his slaves.

Of course, Black Rutile wasn't any better, but at least she knew how evil she was and loved it. But now, her love of manipulating others to her whims had been used against her thanks to some choice words by the Crystal Gems to turn her allies' collective backs on her. And now, as she heard her subordinates converse among themselves, Black Rutile had one question to ask herself.

"Is this still worth it?"

--

"Status update on the Diamonds?" a Slytherophidian scientist said to his lab assistant as the pair watched over three massive gems in an equally large containment field meant to house the ginormous Diamonds they would soon reform into.

"Their vitals are normal, Dr. Heller." The female Slytherophidian said, gazing down at a tablet documenting the Diamonds' statistics. "They should return to their normal forms within a few minutes."

"Excellent work, Dr. Mercer." Dr. Heller said before the two scientists turned to find Aescul walking into the laboratory. "Oh, hello Aescul. Need anything?"

"Yes, I'm gonna need you two to leave for a bit so I can have a little privacy with our giant guests here." Aescul stated. "They're gonna need some catching up to do."

"Understood, sir." Dr. Heller said as he and his assistant left Aescul alone in the lab, just as the Diamonds regenerated their forms and found themselves in the containment unit.

"Oh, what happened?" Yellow groaned as she slowly regained consciousness from her fight with the Metals. "Where are those Metals?"

"Where are we? Some kind of laboratory?" Blue asked while looking around and tapping on the glass.

"You are exactly right, my Diamond-y friend," Aescul stated. "Hi, my name's Aescul. I'm a Slytherophidian spy who participated in the surveillance of your people and brought your little friend Steven to your planet. Nice to meet you guys."

"Hello there, Mr. Aescul." White Diamond politely greeted the spy in a somewhat awkward fashion. "Would you mind telling us where we are and why we're here?"

"Oh yeah, that." Aescul nodded. "You took quite a beating against the Metals, and I just wanted to see if you'll be alright in time for Steven's big fight with Black Rutile."

"Whose big fight with what?!" Yellow yelled in shock.

"Oh no, Steven!" Blue added, just as horrified at the decision, while Aescul remained stoic.

"Please, you must tell your masters to change this decision at once!" White begged Aescul on her knees like her life depended on it. "You have no idea how much Black Rutile hates our dear Steven!"

"Sorry, everybody, but rules are rules," Aescul said as he turned to leave. "You know, I can let you go so you're free to watch, ladies. You just need to keep your mouths shut since everybody hates you so much. Remember that cover-up?"

"Yes, we convinced the universe at large that all the planets we conquered were uninhabited to hide the fact that we committed genocide, we know," Yellow stated dryly as the Diamonds were released from their confinement. "I don't think I want to know how Steven would react to such news."

"Probably not well at all." White nodded fearfully while Aescul led them out of the lab. Little did they know was that Steven was having his own issues at the moment.

--

Meanwhile, Steven anxiously paced back and forth in the Crystal Gems' quarters at the Ouraborium as he contemplated what he had heard earlier. Queen Constricta had just announced that Steven and Black Rutile were due to fight soon in the arena, their first one-on-one battle since Black Rutile invaded the beach house while the Gems were in Los Diego. A lot has changed since the two last fought, but one thing that remained a constant was that Black Rutile utterly hated him and wanted every opportunity she got to knock him down a peg.

"Well, well, well, look who's all ready for his big day." Black Rutile declared sarcastically as she entered the room to speak with Steven one last time. "Don't get cold feet, old friend. The Slytherophidians wouldn't like that. Then again, they already hate you as is."

"So, what brings you here?" Steven said tepidly. "Want to gloat some more before we fight?"

"Quit reading my mind!" Black Rutile laughed before offering her archenemy a high-five. "Give me five!" Steven didn't answer, causing Black Rutile to high-five herself instead. "But in addition, I come here to inform you of a new plan I've come up with in cooperation with a new acquaintance I've made here with similar designs for the universe as I."

"Who are you talking about?" Steven asked quietly.

"I am, of course, talking about Prince Nosiop Jormagundr." Black Rutile stated. "You'll get to meet him soon, of course, but for now, to give you an idea of what we have planned." She played a holographic image of a tall, humanoid figure looming over the Crystal Gems and zapping them into poofing before the Gems reformed, looking like they had just emerged from a Kindergarten. "Nosiop and the rest of the royal family have connections with a being known as the Lapidarist that can revert all Gemkind into their base programming." She explained. "Meaning that we won't just force the Crystal Gems into being returned to what they were originally created to do, but the Diamonds and all of your little friends too! And maybe as a bonus, you might fall victim to the Lapidarist's powers too, thanks to you possessing good ol' Pink Diamond's gem."

"I knew you would do something like this to get your way!" Steven screamed angrily. "You're a monster!"

"Oh, I'm a monster. I haven't heard that one before." Black Rutile replied with a cross of her arms and a roll of her eyes. "What are you going to do about it? Shatter me? Oh wait, you can't because you're a pacifist! No, pacifist might be too kind for you. You can't shatter me because you're a coward."

"I am not!" Steven yelled back, only for Black Rutile to shut him up with a finger to his lips.

"Oh sure, try and deny it all you want, but let me make one thing clear." Black Rutile stated. "All of this was your fault. All of your friends were abducted by these snake people all because they've been watching you for months on end, and now they're all going to die because you don't want to fight!"

"But that's the idea." Steven tried to explain himself. "I told the king that I refuse to kill people for the entertainment of others, something I'm sure you would love to do."

"Oh sure, even the king is patting you on the back for your cowardice." Black Rutile sneered as she prepared to leave. "But remember that next we meet, you and the other Crystal Gems will finally learn your place under my heel."

"I'll see you in the ring." Steven said as Black Rutile left the room. Once again, she was plotting her revenge, but this time, her plan would involve transforming all Gems into her slaves, the Crystal Gems included. Steven couldn't stand for this. As much as he wanted to stay true to his guns, Black Rutile needed to be stopped once and for all, no matter what it would take.

"I said I've had enough of your bullying, Black Rutile," Steven yelled as soon as he heard another pair of footsteps approach him. "I'll see you in the ring!"

"I'm not Black Rutile, but I still think we need to talk about her," Greg replied in a firm yet gentle and fatherly tone while sitting beside his son.

"Please don't tell me she convinced you I'm a monster." Steven prayed that his beloved father wouldn't betray him.

"What, no?! I would never think such horrible things about my son!" Greg exclaimed. "Black Rutile's a monster, and your kindness aside, anyone else would've wanted to put her down for good with no remorse."

"Then I don't understand why you're talking to me when you barely know her," Steven responded.

"It would be the logical move, the safest move, the sensible move," Greg added.

"But?" Steven asked.

"It's not the Steven move. You trust people. You give them second chances, and they live up to your expectations the best they can." Greg explained. "I mean, Lapis, Peridot, Jasper, Bismuth, Spinel, the Diamonds, White Topaz, they all wanted you dead or out of the way, yet you believed they deserved a chance anyways."

"And here comes Black Rutile to refuse a second chance and live up to how evil she can be." Steven muttered disdainfully.

"No one can deny all the horrible things she did." Greg agreed with his half-human son. "I mean, she formed an entire terrorist organization to get revenge on you AND tried to destroy or conquer Earth multiple times!"

"But now she and Nosiop are plotting to reset the entire Gem race and use them to conquer the universe!" Steven exclaimed.

"True. And if I had your powers, I'd use them to take her down if I had no other option." Greg shook his head in agreement. "But I never thought I'd live to see you consider doing the same. You always find a way."

"Not this time." Steven declared as he got off the couch. "I've had to do a lot of growing up ever since I discovered my powers."

"And you did pretty great despite all you endured." Greg smiled pridefully, remembering all the ups and downs he and his son went through together as Steven grew up.

"For a while. But then I kept letting her get in my head and making me live up to her expectations. It's because of her that I had to leave everyone behind!" Steven exclaimed angrily, only for Greg to not answer him. "Aren't you going to argue with me?"

"Not when you're right, Schtu-ball," Greg replied somberly, knowing what Steven would do next.

"I've had fun, but I knew that when the situation gets serious, so would I!" Steven added.

"I'm not gonna argue with you, Steven," Greg said, not wanting to get into a fight with Steven. "I just wanted to make sure you really thought about this."

"I have, Dad. I'm sorry about what I'm going to do to Black Rutile; I really am." Steven replied firmly as he turned around and prepared to leave for the arena, his eyes briefly glowing a faint pink. "But I'm not a bright-eyed little kid singing songs about ice cream anymore. Playtime's over."

--

"And now, ladies and gentlemen, you've been waiting for this fight for ages now, but at long last, the moment has arrived!" King Cobralan announced to his cheering audience. "In this corner, you know him; you absolutely hate him, Steven Universe!"

As Steven marched out into the arena, he was met with booing and insults from the Slytherophidians, who were eager to see him killed in action. At the same time, the Crystal Gems could only watch helplessly as their human son was forced to fight against his will.

"Please do your best, Steven." Pearl silently prayed for Steven's survival.

"What are the odds of him making out of this alive, Garnet?" Amethyst asked the fusion.

"I'm calculating a 32.33% chance of Steven making this out with perfect mental health," Garnet replied, lowering her shades. "Repeating, of course."

"Well, that's better than he usually does," Jasper added.

"And in this corner, the Striking Shadow of the Rebellion, the leader of the Rutile Rebels, the little Rutile that could, the most wanted criminal known to Gemkind, BLAAAAACK RUTIIIILE!" The Slytherophidians celebrated Black Rutile's introduction, a stark contrast to how Steven was received, as Black Rutile strutted into the arena with her sword over her shoulder.

"You know what shall happen once I win this, right?" Black Rutile snidely asked Steven as she drew her sword. "You shall die, and there will be much rejoicing." To emphasize her point, Aquamarine and Eyeball gave a dry "Yay." from afar.

"I know, but I'm willing to try." Steven said as he nervously summoned his shield to defend himself as Black Rutile furiously charged at her archenemy and tried to stab him with her sword. Throughout the first part of the fight, Steven mainly defended himself with the shield from Black Rutile's attacks, all while she vented her frustrations and insecurities on him.

"Haha, you're just blocking!" Black Rutile laughed. "Typical Steven, never once raising a fist even if his life depended on it! You're just like your mother, just as weak and pathetic a brat as she was!"

"Seriously, pressing the mother button again?!" Steven yelled before he finally decided to throw a punch, but Black Rutile effortlessly caught it and threw him to the ground.

"Oh, what's the matter, little boy?" Black Rutile taunted. "Going to cry? Maybe soil yourself in front of hundreds?"

"So this is going to be our battle?" Steven muttered frustratedly. "Just you making speech after speech in between insulting me? Trust me, if I wanted to hear someone talk about themselves all day, I'd spend time with Peridot or Jasper."

"You know I can hear you, Steven!" Peridot yelled in offense before Jasper pushed her away.

"Come on, Steven, destroy her!" Jasper ordered Steven.

"No, this isn't just a battle. It's a message." Black Rutile replied while holding back tears of rage and sorrow. "A message about how you ruined countless lives with your worthless pacifism, but none more than mine. Before I met you, I was the ideal servant! Proud, ruthless, ruling by intelligence and charisma alone! Under my gentle guidance, entire armies of Gems made civilizations tremble before the Diamonds' might! But then you came along, a mere human boy from a pathetic little ball of dirt thought long abandoned by the Diamonds, a boy who stripped me of my honor and pride that I built my entire identity upon. It was at your hands that I suffered my greatest defeats and was forced to live life as a commoner after giving up everything I had worked for. You could not begin to imagine the disgrace I felt when I was exposed as a mere victim of White Diamond's sense of humor in front of everyone on your world!"

"But you still don't understand!" Steven exclaimed as he got back up and smacked Black Rutile in the face with his shield, making her tears fly free as she parried another attack and pressed her sword against the shield. "You were this way because the Diamonds gave you everything you could've ever wanted, and you still selfishly wanted more! Has it ever occurred to you that you're more like Pink Diamond than you think?!"

Angered by this accusation, Black Rutile slashed at Steven's shield as she began crying in earnest, something that Steven had never seen her do before, if she could even express such sadness at all. "Don't you dare compare me to that overgrown brat! I had suffered for centuries because of her, and now it's because of you that I lost everything!" she screamed tearfully. "I admired the Diamonds so much, but it's all their fault I'm reduced to a shell of my former self! Why do I have to keep chasing after a damned half-human rat who always knew what to do to ruin my life?! Why do you keep getting so strong and winning at everything, and even be acknowledged by the Diamonds as one of them, but why was I the one always getting pushed aside?! Why can't you just accept me for who I am?!"

Steven couldn't believe what he was seeing. Black Rutile, who had prided herself as a cunning, devious, opportunistic, sociopathic monster, was showing real sadness for the first time ever since they first met each other on that faithful day when she and White Topaz interviewed him for their fake news show. Everyone has seen Black Rutile laugh, but now Steven isn't sure if anyone has ever seen her cry.

However, Black Rutile quickly brushed her tears away and replaced her crestfallen frown with a psychotic grin. "But now, with Nosiop and the Lapidarist by my side, I can start anew with a new army, a new Homeworld to rule, and an entire universe at my fingertips to enslave! That's why I needed to come with you, to seize the opportunity like I always do! The Lapidarist shall free us of these petty attachments we have forged with each other, and I have to say, revenge feels pretty good."

"Not yet." Steven firmly stated as he stood his ground and awaited another attack from his nemesis.

"Too little, too late. Story of our lives, Steven Universe." Black Rutile smirked as her sadness turned into insane laughter as she lunged at Steven, ready to kill him once and for all.

--

"So, is this what Black Rutile is truly like?" Dionna of the Sands asked as she and the other Universal Lords watched the fight between the half-human son of Pink Diamond and the rebellious Rutile below their theater box. "I have only heard stories about her atrocities before now."

"Nay, as someone whose life was threatened by her before, this is utterly new to me." Batsputin added with a curious shake of his head. "Never before have I seen someone pour their heart out this much. Metaphorically, of course."

"It is extraordinary to see a Gem act this way." Reximillian agreed with Batsputin. "Is it normal for one of their race to be this emotional?"

"I'm not too sure." King Cobralan answered fearfully. "I'm afraid that should Steven Universe survive this, there should come a time for him to learn the truth."

"The truth about what, my love?" Queen Constricta asked.

"The truth about the origins of Gems and how they connect to us," Cobralan told his wife, making Constricta realize what her husband was talking about. "Captain Boa, inform our special friend at once."

"It shall be done, sire." Captain Boa said as he slithered away. "And I'll make sure to look for Princess Naja and Pyth as well. No one has seen them lately."

"Don't bother, Captain." Nosiop told Boa as he took a break from silently cheering for Black Rutile to face his uncle. "Naja is just in her room, nothing too serious. As for Pyth, wouldn't you like to know?"

--

While the Contest of Champions was going on, Pyth had retreated into his favorite hidden chambers within the royal family's castle with a torch in hand to search for something he hadn't checked up on in decades. Raising his torch to the wall, the Jormagundrs' royal vizier examined a series of stone wall carvings depicting what could come in the future.

They displayed images depicting what appeared to be figures resembling Steven and Black Rutile fighting each other in the arena, then shaking hands, followed by the two of them facing a large humanoid figure with hair resembling White Diamond's, and then them preparing to fight an even bigger snake creature.

"It is just as the prophecy foretold." Pyth stated ominously. "The sword and the shield shall soon reach an understanding after the shield learns of the sword's true inner self, just in time for Ragnarok."

--

"Dang, Black Rutile is really going all out." Greg muttered in surprise at Black Rutile's emotional outburst. "Never expected her to be that broken."

"She's lying, I just know it!" Connie yelled as she struggled to rush out into the arena and back up Steven against Black Rutile. "Black Rutile would never say something like that; she has to be faking it!"

"Connie, please calm down!" Pearl said while holding Connie back from recklessly charging into battle. "I know you love Steven, but I think he can handle himself here."

"Still, I've never seen Black Rutile like this before." White Topaz added. "I've been working with her for ages, and even I don't think she would get this emotional."

"Maybe it's because of how Steven ruined her life." Aquamarine said as she fluttered into view, with Eyeball, Holly Blue, and Cat's Eye beside her. "Think of it: she is only now venting all of her frustrations because, in this world, violence is both the only question and the answer."

"And the answer is yes!" Eyeball added cheerfully.

"Ugh, these guys." Lapis groaned in disgust. "What'll it take for you just to give up already?"

"In all seriousness, even we're questioning our loyalty to Black Rutile right now." Holly Blue declared. "We're so sick of her complaining about her losing; we almost selected a superior leader to replace her!"

"But unfortunately, Black Rutile and his new friend had to come in and ruin our fun!" Cat's Eye declared dramatically and swooned into Holly Blue's arms. "Now we are well and truly lost!"

"I'll believe it when I see it, drama queen." Jasper scoffed in disbelief as everyone turned back to watch the fight with bated breath. The battle between Steven and Black Rutile had just gotten more intense than ever, escalating from a duel between rivals to a clash of warriors. But who would make it out of this fight alive was left to the viewers.

--

"What's wrong, boyo? Too scared to keep fighting?!" Black Rutile snarled viciously as she threw her bowie knife at Steven's eye, only for him to block it with his shield and accidentally injure a Slytherophidian in the audience. "Oh, I get it; you want to go easy on me because you think I'm just so scared and misunderstood!"

"I know what you're going through, Black Rutile. There was a time when I felt scared and alone, too!" Steven exclaimed as he continued fighting back. "Of course, that was half because you made me feel like everything I did was for nothing!"

"Everything you did was for nothing, you pink brat!" Black Rutile responded as she jumped into the air and tried attacking Steven from behind. However, something began to change within Steven in the seconds before she would land the finishing blow.

"You're really just going to stand there and let her kill you?" a familiar voice in Steven's head asked. "Do you give up? Will you abandon their hope? Can you not feel their desperation?" Steven's eyes lit up in shock as the world around him froze, the only ones moving being himself and a being who looked just like him, only more muscular with pink skin and his hair in a pompadour. "Will evil forever rule the universe? HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN?!"

"You again!" Steven yelled at Inner Steven, facing him. "What do you want with me now? What have I forgotten?"

"I'm asking if you've forgotten what it means to stand up for yourself." Inner Steven said, turning Steven around to face Black Rutile, ready to stab him in the back. "Tell me, my friend, are you ready to surrender and let a monster like her claim the victory she craved for so long?"

"But what if she isn't a monster?" Steven asked his darker half. "Fighting her has given me a whole new perspective on Black Rutile as a person. She feels so lost and alone, and it's all my fault. Maybe if she stopped trying to kill me for a minute, maybe we can finally talk things out!"

"Oh please, she's probably lying as always to play with your sympathy." Inner Steven shook his head in disgust before he got an idea. "As a matter of fact, why don't I take the wheel for a bit? I've been wanting some action for a long time now."

"Well, if that's what you want, then by all means," Steven sighed in resignation before stepping away to let Inner Steven take hold. "go get her, tiger."

"You're too kind, my little friend." Inner Steven grinned happily as time resumed to normal, and Black Rutile was about to stab Steven in the back. However, she was quickly met with Steven grabbing her sword by the blade, not caring about the injuries to his hand it would cause, before saying one word in a very deep voice. "FALL!"

Steven's increased volume sent Black Rutile flying back into the arena walls, creating a significant dent in the wall as the Slytherophidians gawked at Steven's sudden change. Not even the two hecklers had any wisecracks to make because of how shocking this was.

"W-what is this?" Black Rutile stuttered in shock at this new development. "Who are you?! Where is Steven?!"

"He's gone." Steven, now under the control of Inner Steven, declared as his body became a pink silhouette with glowing white eyes and a pair of shields in his hands.

"What did you just say?!" Black Rutile shouted. "Answer me!"

"He's GOOOOOOOOOOOOONE!" Steven boomed loud enough to create a shockwave that rocked the Ouraborium and the entire surrounding city, causing everybody inside to fall over from the sudden yell.

"Wait, this is just like when I removed his gem!" White exclaimed hopefully while the other Diamonds trembled in fear. "If this is anything like that time, then Black Rutile is toast!"

"Steven, you can't do that!" Black Rutile yelled angrily. "This victory is mine!" With an angry battle cry, the Rutile charged at Steven with her sword, ready to kill, only to be grabbed by the face and slammed into the ground. "What happened to you, Steven?! Why are you like this? Answer me, blast you!"

"This is what happens when I cut loose and show you how powerful I really am." Steven announced before picking Black Rutile up and throwing her to the sky before zipping towards the airborne Gem with superhuman speed and striking her with everything he's got. "ATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATA-OWATTA!"

"Make it stop, make it stop!" Black Rutile screeched as she felt every last bit of hatred Steven had for her with every attack. But no matter how much she wanted to, she could never poof from the amount of damage she was taking, almost as if Steven wanted her to suffer all the pain she wrought upon others.

As Black Rutile landed on the ground in a cloud of dust while Steven descended from the air, the only thing she could do now was plead for mercy. "No more, Steven Universe! Grant me mercy, I beg of you!"

"You, who are without mercy, now plead for it?" Steven scoffed in disgust at Black Rutile's attempted surrender. "I thought you were made of sterner stuff."

"That's what you think!" Black Rutile briefly regained her bravado and drew her sword, but Steven deflected the attack with his twin shields before grabbing the blade and twisting it into a corkscrew shape.

"No need to wonder where your god is, Black Rutile, for he is right here." Steven declared menacingly, his threat sending shivers down the audience's spines. "And he is fresh out of mercy."

"Oh, how cute, he thinks he's a-." Black Rutile chuckled before she realized what Steven was about to do. "OH SHIT!" With another punch to the face, Black Rutile skidded to the ground so hard she was almost buried within Serpentes's surface. As she burst one hand out of the arena's floor to pick herself back up, Steven stepped on her face, and Black Rutile was forced back into the hole.

"This is where you belong, Black Rutile. Under. My. Heel." Steven coldly declared as Black Rutile continued trying to escape. "Had enough yet?"

"You know what? I give up." Black Rutile said, causing Steven to stop stomping on her as she exited the hole and onto her knees. "Go ahead, kill me. Kill me now." Steven was silent, as if he was hesitating to put her down. "DO IT!"

"FINISH HER! FINISH HER! FINISH HER! FINISH HER!" the Slytherophidians chanted as they beckoned the empowered Steven to shatter Black Rutile just as Steven returned to his senses and realized what he had just done.

"No!" Steven boldly declared upon regaining his humanity. "I refuse to kill someone who's already dead inside as is!" The Slytherophidians gasped in shock at Steven's announcement, but unlike the last time something like this happened, where they made him the scourge of Serpentes, they were willing to hear him out this time. "Just look at Black Rutile here. She's lost everything. Her power, her status, even her dignity. Everything she's been through has reduced my opponent into a pathetic shell of her former self, and I do not think shattering her would grant her any kind of sweet release she would be looking for. Why kill her when she's already killed herself?"

"So that's it? You're sparing me?" Black Rutile muttered in disbelief before she immediately grabbed onto his pant leg like an upset child. "Why?! Why can't you shatter me already?! I've ruined your life, turned you against your friends, and turned the whole universe against you! Why can't you just hate me like I do?!"

"Because after hearing you vent your anger," Steven coldly responded. "nobody hates you more than yourself." On that last word, Steven left the humiliated Black Rutile to be gawked at by the shocked snake people like she was some kind of endangered species. Perhaps Steven was right. No one did hate Black Rutile more than herself. And this made her very worried.

"Uh, this was certainly an unexpected end to such an intense fight." King Cobralan announced as he tried to ease the tension thick enough to be cut with the sharpest swords in the universe. "How about we go to halftime then?!" The Slytherophidians all cheered at the suggestion while their fearless leader wiped the sweat off his brow. "Oh geez, I do not want to know how the Lapidarist will hear about this!"

"Hmph, pathetic." Nosiop scoffed in dismay at Black Rutile's meltdown as a pair of Slytherophidian guards took her away. Regardless of her performance, she was still needed for his plan to succeed, but Nosiop knew she would need to be taken off the board soon.

--

Minutes later, Black Rutile was left to wallow in shame in her personal quarters at the Ouraborium, utterly humiliated by her defeat and how Steven refused to kill her no matter how much she begged him to end her suffering. But no matter what she did, Steven refused to cave into the pressure of others and stuck true to his ideals. "I thought this time, just this once, I thought I was gonna get what I was fighting for."

"Hey, Black Rutile, remember me?" White Topaz said as she entered Black Rutile's quarters to comfort her old master despite how much she was abused in the past. "I just thought I'd stop by and see how you were doing. Man, Steven absolutely destroyed you back there, huh?"

"Don't remind me." Black Rutile sulked angrily as she turned away. "The nerve of that boy, thinking I was more like Pink Diamond than I realized, and how nobody hated me more than me. Can you believe him?! Always projecting his own issues onto others!"

"But it's true, you are like Pink Diamond!" White Topaz agreed with Steven's accusations. "You got everything you could ever want, yet you still think that isn't enough, so you decided to become an evil megalomaniac bent on conquering the universe because you think you'd be a much better leader than any of the Diamonds combined."

"Because that's what I built my identity on! Or at least I thought I did." Black Rutile stated. "Until I learned that everything I worked for was because White Diamond found my dreams of greatness funny. I swear on my gem, once I learn more about the Lapidarist, I will restore everything to its proper order, except that only I shall be made leader of all Gemkind!"

"Then you truly are lost." White Topaz declared sadly, having now lost all hope in helping Black Rutile make a change. "Goodbye, my Rutile."

As White Topaz turned away and left Black Rutile behind, her former superior could only cry out for her ex-bodyguard to come back. "Topaz, get back here at once! Topaz!" The doors shut behind White Topaz, leaving Black Rutile alone in her room. "TOPAZ!" She fruitlessly pounded on the door with tears in her eyes, desperately trying to get White Topaz's attention, but to no avail.

What once was a proud, arrogant conqueror with delusions of grandeur was now a broken, lonely shell of her former self. Thus continues the tragic tale of the life of Black Rutile.

--

"What was all that for?!" Steven yelled at Inner Steven in the meantime. "You could've gotten Black Rutile seriously hurt or worse!"

"It's the least she deserves after all she's done to you." Inner Steven firmly retorted while folding his metaphorical arms. "Let's see, lying to you and all your friends, attempting to kill you, gaslighting you into betraying your friends, attempting to destroy the Earth multiple times, shall I go on? Going easy on her just wouldn't be enough if you ask me. Consider yourself lucky you made it out with your mental health intact."

Just then, there was a knock at Steven's door. "We'll settle this later, Inner Me. I think someone wants to see me." Steven said to the personification of his darker impulses as he opened the door to find Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl beside King Cobralan. "Oh hey, guys. Sorry, I got you all worried back there."

"Nah, we're not talking about how you utterly creamed Black Rutile in your fight." Amethyst shook her head morosely.

"We're here because King Cobralan wants to speak with you about something." Garnet added before nodding to Pearl.

"So, Your Majesty, what did you want to say to him?" Pearl asked the Slytherophidian king.

"I wanted to tell Steven that it's time he learns the truth." King Cobralan said forebodingly.

--

In Loving Memory of David McCallum

September 19, 1933 – September 25, 2023

"So many different ways to tell a story, but that's what makes them so interesting. You can never predict how they're going to turn out."

-Professor Paradox, Ben 10 Omniverse: "And Then There Were Ben"

So ends quite possibly the longest chapter of Snake Eyes yet, and how fitting that it's the chapter marking the halfway point. From here on out, Black Rutile has turned into full tragic villain, we get more hints on her big scheme with Nosiop and Pyth, and next time, Steven learns the origins of the Gems we've all been waiting for. And I can assure you, it'll be one of the biggest bomb drops I've written not just for Alternate Future, but for any of my stories in general. See you then.

#steven universe #steven universe future #fanfiction #steven universe alternate future #steven universe snake eyes #steven quartz universe #garnet #amethyst #pearl #black rutile #white topaz #lapis lazuli #peridot #bismuth #connie maheswaran #greg universe #king cobralan jormagundr #yellow diamond #blue diamond #white diamond