Chapter 0:
Hitchhiker's Guide to Steven's Universe
(Ah! See what I did there?)
Disclaimer: Of course I own none of this...except those OC gemsonas/gemsonos
This is my take on one of my favorite cartoons of television, by the awesome Rebecca Sugar, but, seeing as this is indeed my take, I wanted to establish the rules, characters, and scenario of my AU Steven Universe...verse. This also allows me to get the lengthy exposition out of the way, so we can jump into the story at full speed.
1) Gemsonas...and Gemsonos:
Yes, I realize that the word gemsona is a fan created word, combining both words "gem" and "persona", BUT it's an convent way of of identifying them as a race of sentient gems, than just gems. While Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl (and Steven) can be called the Crystal Gems, but the others don't have a cool superhero team name, yo.
The other reason why I'm using the word gemsona is that it give me a good way to distinguish between the female-ype gems, and the male-types. Yup, you heard right, there will be male-type gems, called "gemsonos" (and plural gems can be considered "gemsoni" lol...). There will be both male and female OC gems, and it fits into the mythos, and scenario, of this fanfic. Seeing as we haven't gotten the full story on the gems in the TV show, I decided to get my creative juices flowing, and cooked up story as to 1) To flesh out the mythos a bit with male gems, cuz why not? Lol, 2) why the monster gems have gone mad, or are a danger, 3) Why there is a rift between Rose Quartz and Yellow Diamond, 4) Why Rose, and her comrades are hated, and 5) To add some back story, and perspective, to some of these characters that we've yet to get (this is a story with the main characters being the antagonists of the show).
Gemsonos are a severe minority tho, so don't worry about them over running everything.
2) Gemstone and Gem Creation:
The gemstone of every gem is crystallized gem energy from another gem of any species. The species of gem the energy comes from, while it does have influence on the species of the gem the gemstone will produce, doesn't determine the specie. A large part of it is random, and how serious, or concentrated, a gem is while creating a gemstone.
Only Materia Gems can crystallize gem energy, but it takes a great amounts of energy to do so. Another gem(s) is necessary to help with the process by channeling their energy to the Materia Gem going the crystallizing. If you need a picture, look up how Naruto creates his Rasengan: one clone supplies the energy (in Naruto's case, Chakra), while the original, or another clone, contains and shapes it. Any influence on the gemstone's potential species is from the gem that supplied the energy. This process can take a few hours, and is quite tedious. The MG crystallizing the energy is usually very disciplined, and thus can maintain their concentration. For the gem channeling, that's not always the case, and thus they can get bored, or distracted, and that can affect their energy.
Once the gemstone is created, they are placed in the Kindergarden: a vast canyon lined with numerous rows of holes carved out of the rock faces, huge columns embedded with red gemstones protrude from the walls, and Injectors dot the landscape. The holes are actually incubators, where the gemstones are placed, as they wait to be flooded with life energy. The Injectors stab into the ground, reaching into the planet's core, and draw the life energy out of said core.
The planet's life energy will pool around the gemstone, and the gemstone's energy will "personalize" it; adding it's signature to it. This lasts 3-7 days, depending on the amount of energy needed to get a reaction of of the gemstone. After the life energy is 100% in sync with the gemstone, it then takes the shape of what will be the new gem.
3) Gem Species:
If you take a look at my other ongoing fic, and my planned/potential stories (I seriously need to work on my management, and discipline, yo), you'll see that I'm an action guy. This is me expanding on the gems' combat abilities, and giving me more room to work with.
Also, this is kind of a cool way (in my opinion) to create different "cliques", "ethnic groups", and/or "cultures" for the gems. Think of it like pokemon...but not with pokemon.
I. Materia Gems - From the word material (duh). This is what the Crystal Gems (and Steven!) are. They summon their weapons/item to do battle with. They can summon anything: swords, spears, whips, shields, armor, gauntlets, cannons, guns, capes, jet packs, clones etc. Each gem is relegated to only 1-2 signatures weapons/items. They're also gifted with the ability of metamorphosis. Their ability to morph varies however, and there's no accurate way to discern which Materia Gems have the best aptitude for it. MGs are also known to be the most friendly, and happiest, of the 3 categories. Also, while morphing range does vary, it's mostly the most playful gems with the greatest range of morphing ability.
As this is the species is the one that can create constructs, they are the only ones that can create the bubbles that are used to capture other beings.
The strongest among this type of gem was Rose Quartz.
1. Crystal Gems: Speaking of these guys, as of my AU, these guys have none of the minor elemental manipulation powers shown in the TV show, and none what so ever...until further notice...or at least until I get to them, and can specify what additional powers they may have, or if they're Hybrids.
II. Zealia Gems - From the word zealous (not so much duh). These are the crazy, rambunctious gems...for the most part, anyways. These are also the most physically powerful of the 3 categories. They use "crystal energy" (CE for short) to boost their physical attributes, and, depending of the sheer amount of CE they have, increase their normally short combat range to mid, or even long range. Basically, think DBZ, but Steven Universified...so "more cute"...I guess...
Going back to what I said before, these are the troublemakers, and the deviants, but it's not just that; they're the passionate ones, as well. That passion makes them charismatic as well, and practically infectious at times. They're ran by their emotions, and it's those same emotions that fuel their power. Love, will, hate, and rage. If those emotions are high enough, than these gems could have the strength to face even Gem Fusions alone for a fair amount of time, and perhaps beat them. To hone their energy, they go rigorous martial arts training, and for some, actually with the self-discipline to sit still for long periods of time, they turn to meditation as well. However, there are those with a pool of energy too great to control, and it can effect their equilibrium.
The most interesting, and convenient, power these ZGs have is the ability to use their inner energy to heal themselves, and use the energy within others to heal others. This is based on their control of their emotions: 1) if their will is strong, they can heal a fair amount of damage to the themselves, while a weak will makes them more susceptible to harm, and 2) They can heal others living things besides them if their will to save others is pure, and they have a calm soul (so an aggressive, or restless, ZG doesn't have much aptitude for healing others beside themselves).
They have small aptitude for metamorphosis.
Jasper is an example of an Energy Gem, while the strongest of this type was an OC Gemsono, named Crimson Howlite, a gemsono.
III. Elementia Gems - From the word element (duh). The rarest, and those with the greatest potential for power, are the Elementia Gems. They have the ability to control a specific element, and only a specific application of an element. For example, Lapis controls water, but not ice, or steam. Elements they can control also include abstract elements like light, darkness, and gravity. Other types of abstract powers can be powers of foresight, telepathy or the power of empathy/pheromones, which, while not particularly made for combat, give great advantage in terms of support, or therapy.
These girls, and guys, are known to have personality traits such as shyness, nonchalance, cynicism, sarcasm, coldness, unforgiving, assertive, withdrawn, antisocial, observant, calculation, pessimistic, pragmatic and even evilness. Despite these traits they are usually the best for leadership, and management roles, due to their ability to separate themselves from the mission, view it from multiple perspectives, and do what needs to be done. It is hard to get close to them, and thus it's extremely difficult to fuse with them, and, if the fusion is successful, it's very brief. However if one does manage to get close to one, they are the most loyal of all the gems; insanely so, that it clouds their better judgment at times.
These gems have no aptitude for metamorphosis.
They can't create bubble the same way MGs can, but, depending on the power, they can create alternative ways to due the same thing. However, unlike the bubbles created by MGs, but depending on the element (like ice), EG containment methods aren't permanent, and, regardless of their specific power, do they suppress the gem energy to render incapacitated gems dormant.
The strongest of this type of this gem is Yellow Diamond.
1. Known powers Elementia have shown to have:
- Water:
A. Hydrokinesis - manipulate and control liquid water and mold it into any desired shape or form.
B. Cryokinesis - control ice, snow and other forms of frozen water.
C. Steam manipulation - has "water" running through their "veins": generate & manipulate steam
- Fire:
A. Pyrokinesis - create, control and manipulate fire, flame and heat.
B. Self-Detonation - explode self and reform.
- Lightning/Electricity:
A. Electrokinesis - control, generate or absorb electric fields and shoot lightning bolts.
- Earth:
A. Geokinesis - control, manipulate, and reshape the earth at will.
B. Crystallokinesis - manipulate minerals and crystals.
C. Ferrokinesis - manipulate metal at will.
D. Geo-Thermokinesis - manipulate, control, and create lava, magma and volcanoes.
E. Psammokinesis - can control and manipulate sand, or dust.
- Wind:
A. Aerokinesis -manipulate the air, wind, and gas.
- Darkness:
A. Umbrakinesis - can manipulate and control darkness or shadows.
B. Animated Shadow - Animate one's shadow.
C. Corruption - Can corrupt themselves, or any living thing, into monsters with the worst intentions
- Gravity: To manipulate gravity either on user, or on a set area around the user
- Light:
A. Photokinesis - create and manipulate pure light.
B. Invisibility - be unseen
C. Laser Emission - bend light wavelengths to create lasers
- Pheromones/Empathy: Makes others feel a specific emotion, and to feel what others feel
- Telepathy: Can read the minds of others, including manipulating their minds
- Vibration:
A. Seismokinesis - The ability to manipulate periodic and random vibrations (also good for massages)
- Technomancy: Can "communicate" with all forms of technology, after spending time with it
- Time: Can manipulate time in a specific radius around the user (think Viewtiful Joe), but it's stressful
- Sound: Can amplify and manipulate sound in several ways
- Clairvoyance: Can "see" the future, range from seconds to days, and, at random, even months and years
- Perception: Perfect eye sight, and insight. Can see weaknesses in anything, and notice everything.
- Plants: Can "communicate" with, grow and manipulate, plant-life
- Illusion: Can create illusions
- Teleportation: To warp out of time and space and reappear in another location. More people = more stress
IV. Hybrid Gems - Not as rare as Elementia Gems, but still not that recurring, are Hybrid Gems. These gems are gems which are born with the abilities of two, or, more rarer, all three, categories. These gems still, however, still lean towards one category. Rose Quartz is a hybrid of both MG and ZG types, and while having the most aptitude towards the Materia side, she is adapt at the healing abilities of the Zealia type. Crimson Howlite is a Zealia type through, and through, but, when he really gets going, he can get fired up. Literally, though in short bursts. The Elementia type can only be a hybrid of two, not three, types, as their potential already high enough. Being a Hybrid doesn't guaranteed great strength, however, just the potential of it; same as with being an Elementia. Another Hybrid is Ruby, who is a ZG type, but with low aptitude for both other types.
V. Fusion Gems - You guys already know this: DBZ fusion dance -HA!, but with actual dancing, rhythm, and flow, and with up to 3 people being able to fuse. To fuse there must be a bond between all participants, for the best results, or, at the very least, a common goal. For the latter, it doesn't need to be specific. If a fusion is completed, but done out of deceit, then that can break the fusion, and potentially cause great damage, both mental, and physical, to the gem that was betrayed. The other reason a fusion might break up is that the gems making it up have clashing personalities, and thus bicker a lot; think siblings, or married couple, kind of bickering.
The new thing I'm adding to the Fusions is that, depending on how deep the bond between the participating gems, the Fusion can have powers that pertain to the individual personalities of the fused gems, which add new attributes of the fusion's already established power, or skill. For example, Garnet (in my AU) has two battle forms: 1) Her usual thick, afro form which is when her strength, and overall destructive power, is its highest, along with heated fists of fury. This is the Ruby side. 2) Her second form is that of her more skinny form (including the golden gauntlets), from the pilot, with the long smooth hair, and the straight bangs. This is the Sapphire side. In this form she is much faster, while her strength is about a 1/3rd of what it was before, but she has greater reaction speed has a will breaking freezing touch. As Ruby is the dominant personality in the fusion, it's much less stressful for Garnet to stay in her "power mode", so she sticks to that unless she feels there is no other choice. The stress of switching between both "modes" could break the fusion, and they wouldn't be able to fuse again for several hours.
1. Fusions with Gemsonos - Fusions with male-type gems always result in average height, or, at most, as tall as the tallest participating member of the fusion. Only two eyes. Male + Female = Female-type Fusion, while Male + Male = 95% Male-type, with 5% for a Female-type. That's it, lol.
VI. Beastia Gems - What Lion is. These are gems that were intended to be created as new humanoid gems, but ended up becoming animals, from inception, instead. This happens more often than you'd think, and it depends on how serious a gem takes creating a gemstone. Their ability to communicate with, and understand other beings vary, but it's usually pretty good. They operate like animals, highly intelligent animals (for the most part), but animals nonetheless.
Any gems they help create have an 75% of being another BG once infused with life energy.
VII. Corrupted Gems - These are the monster gems that we see the Crystal Gems fight. The can take the form of animals (of various types), part of nature, forces of nature, angelic machine-like monsters, and monstrous demonic-like creatures. However, unlike BGs, these start off as BGs, or normal gems, but have had their minds, and bodies, corrupted to embody their negative emotions: rage, sadness, loneliness, fear, cruelty, etc.
Their intelligence varies, but many are mindless things that attack thing it views as prey.
4) That's it, yo:
There's still some specifics that I've yet to get into, but those should come to light as the story progresses.
The next chapter starts the real deal. Hopefully, I can get it out within a month from now.
Until later, space cowboys...people...