Summary: How a single rock changes history, yet melds with it..
Evelyn walked along the shores, silently taking in the waves. Back and forth, constantly, ever changing … one could say that represented her life in some way, another would say stop looking into the symbolism.
She often thought about how she should've done something different. Maybe she should've set her home up in a remote location on the knee. Maybe she should've lived in the human world and took Caleb to the otherside of it, far away from wherever that Bastard Philip and Bitch Rose could've found them.
Or maybe…maybe she shouldn't have gone to the human world at all. Maybe she should've just stuck to stealing snails from her own kind instead of humans … no. No, she would never regret meeting Caleb, or the child they had … "Gah, why hasn't anyone learned how to spike Apple Blood?" She questioned.
The only satisfaction she had was that Evelyn poofed that jealous bitch's body and threw the gem into the boiling sea, and that she left that bastard Philip to burn. If either of them managed to survive, neither of them had a chance of ever going back to the human realm.
She saw a pack of scavengers poking along a small section of the beach. With any consolation, maybe it was something she could sell for a high price. "Get away you pests!" She shouted, waving her Palsiman around in a violent manner.
"Chirp." Flapjack cooed.
"Yeah I know I'm being cranky, but I have to start getting creative with money making nowadays. Baby has to eat." There was nothing or no one she'd kill to provide for her child. She walked forward, looking down at the object they were messing with … a rainbow colored gem in a squared shape. "... Damn it."
Of course, the universe chose that moment to drop a Crystal Devil onto her. "If this is your way of trying to screw me back, Rose, then damn you too." She should've known that pink broad was trouble the moment she layed on her. No one could be that tall and good looking without hiding something sinister behind them.
She grabbed the rock, rearing up her arm to toss it into the sea. Evelyn frowned as she began building up magic. "If you're here to ruin my life, then you got another thing coming." She threw it back out, throwing it as far as she could.
"Chirp."
"I don't care if that was harsh, I want nothing to do with anything relating to her.
"Chirp." Rose was suffering too.
"Yeah, because it was all HER fault." Evelyn argued. "She brought Philip to the Boiling Isles, and she only did that because SHE wanted Caleb all to herself. Now look where we are now. We're all miserable, and we get to live in this stew of misery for the rest of our lives."
"Chirp."
"... Yes, I still have my hatchling." She sighed. "I just … really miss-"
Spash
The two of them turned to see a gray woman arise from the Boiling Sea. One with a mess of rainbow hair, and the same stone as the one she threw out. She definitely looked a lot more beefy than Rose, she'll give the lady that. "Where am I? How long was I out? Who are you?"
"In reverse order, none of your business, no clue, and the Boiling Isles." Evelyn responded bluntly. "I take it you fell through one of the leaks between the two worlds."
"Leaks …" The woman looked up … and frowned. "Yeah, stars are different …" They groaned. "Gonna take forever to get off this rock." She complained. "Not like I can't though, not when the gems are in trouble."
From the little Evelyn cared to listen about Rose's life, there was some kind of war, and going by how many crystal devils were around, it was safe to say they lost. Still, it was none of her business, so she wouldn't spoil it for dreadlocks. "You go ahead and do that. Boiling Isles tends to eat up and spit out anybody new and naive."
"Is that so?" The gem smirked with a laugh. "This place has never encountered anyone like me before. This Bismuth is one of a kind!"
They ran straight into the woods, leaving Evalyn alone with Flapjack. "... Fifty worms says she snaps in a week."
"Chirp." One hundred huh? Little guy was feeling bold today.
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The life of a basilisk was a simple, if cruel, life. Eat, comfort, survive. That was all they could afford to do on the best of days. They didn't have much in the way of valuables or goods, but they did have great survival instincts, for everyday was a challenge to keep on living. "Burn them, burn the parasites!"
As for eating and surviving … those became a bit more problematic these days. Once witches discovered that life could be grown from Palistrum wood, it was a bit of a beautiful moment for the Isles. The Nature Tribe alone celebrated these new friends that they could connect with. And Witches had partners for life …
Then they began harvesting a bit too much wood. Following that, they pushed away the Basilisks whenever they tried to feed. They weren't a naturally violent species, but they were very protective of their own. Fight for land and territory become all too prominent, with much. Much blood being shed, more so on the Basilisk side then the Witches.
The 'tribes' they once carried were quickly becoming a singular group, unable to support their own kind. The children were starving, and the Phantoms weren't helping by trying to absorb witches and bringing down their fury. The fact of the matter was that no matter what, they weren't witches. They weren't born with a bile sack of natural magic. They would run out, and when they did, the witches would strike.
"Please, please I beg of you, kill me, but spare the children!" They called out as their reserve of magic had finally given out. "Don't let them suffer, they're innocent in this fight!"
"Not when they grow up to be freaks of nature like you!" The witch shouted, sending forth a slab of stone to crush them. They used their bodies as a shield, hoping to buy as much time as possible.
"Now hold on there!" A new voice shouted as something large and gray got in front of them, destroying the stone instantly. "I know I'm new around this place, but I know an unfair fight when I see one. I also know how to spot cold and heartless bastards when I see them." The figure smriked. "So we can do this the easy way, or the fun way. Please say fun way. Been a while since I've had a good brawl."
"It's the Rainbow Devil!"
"She'll build a cage for our sanity!"
"Run before she looks into your eyes!"
They watched as the witches ran. "... Aww, I was really needing the fun way after today." The figure groaned. "You little guys okay?"
"You…you saved us?" They asked, confused. "I..I thought you were a bounty hunter."
"Buddy, I'm whatever the situation calls me to be." The lady smirked. "I see something wrong and broken, and I go and fix it. That's my whole Bismuth, heh, heh." There was silence following. "No one appreciates my humor anymore."
"Not a lot to joke about." Another Basilisk pointed out. "Considering how dire the situation is."
"And that is exactly why you need to laugh. It's a morale thing!" She exclaimed.
"I'd laugh…if the pain in my stomach wasn't so grueling." One of their younger kin raised their hand.
"Then its a good thing I have this." She pressed her hand into her stone, brining out a very sizable bag of what looked like Snails. "There's a lot more where this came from. Shapeshift and get yourselves something nice."
"You're…giving it to us?"
"Yeah, I don't really have much use for it. Don't need to eat or sleep, so gotta do something with all the money they give me for beating up losers." She handed them the bag. "Feel free to buy whatever magical objects you can find and feed yourselves."
They stared down at the bag, then back up to the woman. "... Thank you."
"Don't mention it, just Bismuth ." There was silence. "... Still don't like my humor?"
"What's a Bismuth?"
"My name."
"We didn't know that." Another Basilisk stated.
"Really, didn't you get a good look at the gem?"
"We're not rock experts." They explained. "One shiny rock is basically the same as another shiny rock to us."
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"People of the Boiling Isles!" He shouted down from the stand. "I am Belos, a man who has been gifted with the will of the Titan!" There was irony to be found in using his old alias as a child, but he was left with little choice. After Luzara, his reputation around the Isles become more and more infamous, no one was willing to trust Philip anymore.
His only consolation as of now was that he was able to finally get rid of Rose, as she vanished off the face of the Isles itself. Sure, he had to play dead….after she cut him in half , but there were many benefits. He managed to survive, and, thanks to the vile woman herself, Belos would live long enough to see his plan through to the end. His humanity in exchange for that kind of power was a price he would pay a hundred times over.
For now … this was a role he could play. A messenger of the titan, blessed with powers beyond comprehension. As of right now, Belos casted magic light magic … without a circle.
"Incredible."
"Outstanding."
"How is he doing that!?"
ROUGH
He'd have to solve the headache situation later though. Branding the Fifth glyph to his body didn't do much in alleviating the pain and changes he was forced to go through, in fact, it arguably made it worse, and he swore it actually made the voices of the palisman souls ever louder. "This is the way of magic, it signs in nine hues." He waved his staff, a simple bulb of light that brought up nine different colors. "Wild magic is corrupt, melding the powers brings forth evil and danger. As such, the Titan has blessed me with the knowledge to save you all, his beloved children." Belos extended his arms. "The children of the Isles! The Coven magic, locked within nine lights, is the way of true harmony."
"Really?" The crowd began to question.
"Yes, I alone can purify your magic, make it safe to use, before your wild ways corrupt and destroy you." He assured them. "Wild magic is the enemy of all living things!" He didn't even have to lie about half his beliefs, they were founded in the universal truth.
"Hey, buddy!" Some gray demon shouted. "Wanna give me an example, cause I haven't seen one yet, masked weirdo!"
Belos turned to this strange woman with rainbow dreadlocks. "Where to start … the violent nature of witches?" He carried a bag of reasons to hate the species.
"Uh huh, and what violent actions are you speaking about?" The demon asked. "Most violence around here are the fights with the Basilisk, which have been decreasing over the last hundred years."
"I take it you haven't heard of the outbreak then?" He questioned. "Where wild magic causes violent acts of chaos among witches?" Belos subtly signaled Jonothan, his second grimwalker of Caleb to start with the 'attack'. The first, sadly fell to the same infection of the mind that befell his brother. Hopefully he'd have better luck here, by treating witches like cattle to implement the mindset.
Kaboooom
The explosives went off, collapsing a building, and making the fire spread. It was working…working a little too well apparently as the fire began to surround the crowd, and thus, the stage he was standing on. "It's already started!" He shouted. "Quick, flee!" He raised his hand, using an ice glyph he embedded to freeze over a small section for them to run. As much as he'd love to watch them burn as the vermin they should be, the trust would work better in the long run.
After using another hidden smokescreen glyph, he hid within the smoke, fleeing into the alley where Jonathan was waiting for him, armed with the other explosives. "Follow my instructions implicitly next time. You nearly killed me with that demonstration."
"Yes sir, I understand." The grimwalker nodded. "Is..is this the best way to go about this?"
"It's the only way, dear brother. You heard the doubters, they need to be convinced to follow Covens, otherwise this entire operation will fail." He explained. "Now, use up the last of the explosives around town, make it seem sporadic, otherwise they'll suspect it was done on me specifically."
"Oh, I do more than just suspect." That gray demon spoke from the rooftop, and jumped on the ground. "I recognize fear mongering when it's right in front of me.
Belos gazed at the creature, before turning to Jonothan. "Hey, I admit I got the fireworks too close, but her following us is on you." The grimwalker raised their hands in surrender.
"Very well." Belos turned to the demon. "I guess it falls onto me to silence a threat."
The demon snorted. "Better than you have-" Philip teleported behind the demon, grasping their back and draining them of all energy. They had neither the time, patience, nor seclusion to 'play'. "..Okay, that's new." The creature observed, shifting her hand into the shape of a hammer, and slammed it into his arms, where it partially came apart in a sludge filled mess. "As well as that."
"It seems it will take a bit more effort to discipline you." He expanded his arm around the hammer, enveloping the thing as he began to absorb not just energy, but mass. The energy..it felt… familiar..
"Buddy, this isn't the kind of Bismuth you want to get into." The courage smirked, their hands lighting up in fire and burning away his arm. "Man, this magic stuff is really handy."
"You're...your one of them ...a devil from the stars." He growled.
Their eyes widened. "What do you know about-"
He didn't let her finish, sinking half of the demon's body into the ground and assaulting her with everything he had. From lightning, to ice, plants, rocks, fire … even his own hands as he tried to drive her into submission. "I will not have another of your kind ruin my life."
"What do you knwwwww—-!" Her muffles were more silent and distant as he sunk her further and further.
"That's not going to hold her forever." Belos growled, transmuting the ground into metal to keep her buried for longer. "Come, we must hurry and spread our message."
"Yes sir." They moved along. "... Why didn't you finish her?"
"Devils like her don't die so easily. The last time I engaged one head on, I nearly lost my life. I won't take their kind any more lightly than the witches." Belos explained. "Once I return home, it'll be my mission to exterminate the crystal devils next."
"Why don't you just pit them against one another?" The boy asked. "They're already violent enough with Crystal Devils and Basilisk naturally."
He thought about that for a moment. "... it's a matter of pride." Only he was allowed to save the world.
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Alright, so Darius had fifteen broken bones, a pint of abomination muck, impaired senses that either were blurry or ringing, and two scouts for supp-one scout for support.
Meanwhile, the Rainbow Devil didn't look damaged in the slightest, if a bit winded. "Alright, I've gotta admit, Abomination magic is a blast. Those sentient things are pretty much machines … but, you're holding back." She grinned at him.
"Me … holding back?" Really, was that what his body implied.
"Yep, because you haven't gotten your hands dirty. You've just sent stuff at me and stayed away, you neat freak."
"You're the last one here to use the freak label; rainbow devil." He sarcastically rolled his eyes. "What kind of moron tried to fight the Empire head on without back up?"
"The kind who hasn't been seriously injured once this entire fight." She countered. "Now if you don't mind, I'm going to pay good old Belos a … what's the word?"
"Greeting?"
"Beating, that's it." The freak chuckled. "Have to say, I don't know what I'll do with myself after I topple this empire. Maybe find a way back to earth and finally shatter some upper crust? Something to think about-"
What seemed like a massive wall of ice slammed into the devil, sending her skitting back. "Or maybe you back the hell off and rethink your life choices!" A familiar voice shouted, following it with lightning chaining to the ice shards.
"Hey Goldie! Gotta say, I feel like you get younger and younger everytime we run into each other." The bounty hunter was forced back, laughing as they were continuously struck.
"What can I say, I've got the joyful energy of a tigerabbit." The ground became multiple heated spikes. "And all of the ferocity to boot!"
"If you say so. Keeping track of how you witches age is somehow more confusing than a humans." The rainbow devil snored as she pounded on the ground, making the ground shake as pillars of dirt and cement were sent at them. "Though you're all about as squishy and gooey on the inside, and you all easily go splat!"
"What are you even hoping to achieve here?" His mentor asked as he teleported around each pillar. "You fight Belos, and if, and that is a very strong if, you win, then what? You'll only make him a martyr, and strengthen the belief in his words."
"Oh yes, because so many people agree magic should be locked up and aren't imprisoned for anything from liking things to being gross. How silly of me." The woman sarcastically responded as she lifted up the floor to slam the Golden Guard like a sandwich. "It doesn't matter how you paint it, your system is oppressive, and people will always side with freedom and choice over control and oppression. No matter how many skulls you need to break in."
"Sure, anarchy sounds fun, let's all live in a lawless land where people who murder others aren't punished for their actions and stealing is encouraged." He responded in an equally sarcastic manner.
"Sure, and living by every word of your so-called prophet has made life oh soo peachy." The devil rolled their eyes. "Maybe we can all hold hands and play grudgby when this is all over." She lit herself on fire and drilled down into the ground, popping up and grabbing his mentor from below. "Though you might want to learn how to play without your arms…and legs…and head."
"Presumptuous for a lady who only needs one good strike through any part of her body for her to go down." The Golden guard teleported again, this time coming down ontop of her with his artificial staff being morphed into a blade.
"Funny." The woman grinned, as her hands shifted.
Shink
"I was … thinkin … the same thing." The Rainbow Devil got out, even with a blade lodged into their shoulder, pushing deeper into …
"HUNTER!!" Darius shouted, trying to force his body to move.
"Bleegh….Hcck…..Dar…Darius….."
"Heh…." The devil laughed, simply walking forward, even with the blade still inside of them. "Well…I made it this far. Let's see how long I hold out before poofing.."
"Hunter, it's going to be alright, I'll, I'll get you help, the Emperor, he will…"
"Belos….wouldn't….help…" His master gagged on the blood he was coughing up. "Re…remember when we hunted that Seliki….he…he was making me gather ingredients….for a replacement."
"What … what are you-"
"Listen, Darius, … please." The man coughed. "Look … into … Unity …" Their body slumped, sliding off the blade of the Rainbow Devil.
"No blood … that's a new one." The monster observed. "Thought he'd be way more goopy than that."
"GO AWAY!" Darius sent the last bit of abomination goo he had into the wound Hunter made, pressing it in and expanding within the Rainbow Devil.
"You can't keep good bismuth down!" The devil laughed as she lit up on fire, colliding with his attack..
KABOOOOOOOM
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Alright … in hindsight, maybe going in alone when the Crystal Gems still had trouble against the Homeworld was a bit half cooked on Bismuth's end. The golden boy had a slight advantage over her, and she may have underestimated that abomination kid. The explosion was so big she ended up poofing. But she was already in that deep, so she rushed out her form to finally confront that horn headed creep…
Which was a mistake on multiple…. multiple parts. Not only was her light mass greatly reduced from the rush job, Belos had gotten a lot more….creative with his magic. A part of her still questioned if the eyes that grew on her body were illusions, reality, or fucking with her mind to shapeshift those into existence.
So now she gazed up at the starry night from her cave, lost in the moving lights as her mind tried to process what to do. "... Would be so much easier if you guys were here." Snowflake, Biggs, Garnet … Pearl. Stars, she missed that gal.
That was the real problem, wasn't it? She wasn't just one gem, one Bismuth before all this. She was a part of a team, a group, a crystal gem. THEY made the impossible possible, not just her, running around half cocked by herself. She was all alone now, all because…of Rose.
Why…why did she do this? She gave that woman EVERYTHING, her resources, her strength, swords, armor, weapons, everything she did was for HER cause, to give HER the winning edge! Bismuth built the ultimate way to victory, the way to finally end the war. And then … poof, she was in the Boiling Isles. Just … why?
She stayed like that for a moment, before sitting up. "I can either mope, or I can do something about this." … So she decided to do something. The things Bismuths did best … build a way out of this.
She went over to the wall, turning her fingers into small knives as she began to carve blueprints. The titan gave Belos power? Then she'd just make something to kill a Titan. Bones stronger than any metal, veins capable of reflecting any magic, maybe blood as a power source. A propulsion compression system to match the speed and power that guy had as well, no more getting surprised by teleporters.
As for numbers … a different system, one that would take just as long. A fortress that could stomp a castle no problem, able to fight armies without sweat. This would takes years…but if there was one thing Bismuth was a master of by this point, it was patience. She would get Belos in the end, topple this entire empire….and take the battle to that bitch Rose Quartz next.
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"A trash slug." Eda smiled as she looked over the creature. "My favorite creature on the Boiling Isles."
"Hoot."
"You know you're not a creature to me Owlbert." She cooed her palisman. "You're family. The only family that matters to me."
"Hoot."
"No, I did not get married to Stanley, that was a bender gone bad." She reiterated to him. Last thing she needed to do was think about her ex's. "It's just you and me against the world, little buddy."
"Hooty."
"We don't talk about Hooty…I still don't know what he is." She shivered. The house demon was convenient, but man could it talk her head off….while also trying to chew on her head. "Now come on, if you manage to find something more valuable than me, Dinner is your choice."
"Hoot."
"Seriously, just because I like owls doesn't mean I want to live like one. Bad enough I cough pellets, I don't want to start eating voles on the regular." The bones were too tiny and got stuck in her teeth. She began looking through the sludge. "Oooh, fancy vase. I'm in the lead so far."
"Hoot." They lifted up a shiny green mask that whispered dark secrets.
"Cursed mask, nice lead." She admitted, going back to the pile. Fancy broken stuff, a sword, a couple of rulers … nothing that interesting, must have been a slow day. Eda pushed through deeper … and received a blade to the throat.
"I believe you heard about finders keepers?" The source of the voice said.
"Hey lady, I spotted the trash slug first, the very moment it died in fact."
The blade pressed closer to her neck. "I know, I was referring to you and your bounty. I found you, and now your butt is mine."
"Ooooh, so you're a hunter." Eda nodded. "Alright, lets make it quick. I've gotta get back in time to make sure my house doesn't eat my nail clippings."
"... Wha-" Eda pushed herself along the blade, letting her head bounce off as she landed a kick to the woman, sending her back. She cast a magnet spell to take advantage of the trash, sending them into a tree. "THE FUCK!?"
"Funny, isn't it?" Eda asked as she placed her head back on. "... It's backwards." Her body complied. "Little side effect from a tiny curse I have. Great for parties." Probably the only advantage to having the owl curse, it made her harder to kill.
"Okay, so you're fancy wanted poster isn't just the result of rumor and exaggeration." The lady smirked, shifted her arms into ax's and sliced the junk. "The name's Bismuth, and if you would be so kind as to let me haul your ass to the bounty office, that would be greatly appreciated.
Eda chuckled as she twirled Owlbert. "Bounty office? I doubt you could even drag me to a bed." Nests were much comfier after all.
"I don't know, I am very persistent after all." She charged at her, aiming for her head again as Eda dodged it. "If my moves don't lure you, my charming personality will."
"Oh really? Sorry to burst your bubble, but that's not exactly how I do bismutharound here." She laughed.
"Wow, first you steal snails, then you steal jokes? What's next, hearts?" They responded with a grin.
"I've been doing that since high school, give me something challenging." Eda laughed, turning the sand into a glass sword and swinging its sharp edges.
"I don't know, many a witch and Demon have aimed for mine, none have succeeded." The buff lady's arms turned into hammers and smashed the glass into shards. "Bismuth get's a little dull without something interesting around. You just might fit that bill."
"Oh what an honor, I get to turn your gray skin into rainbow!" Eda laughed. What do you know, the treasure she found today was a friend … the trash slug works in mysterious ways.