Rhodochrosite

Rhodochrosite is a Progressive living in the Fortress on Mars, working for Tiger's Eye.

## Appearance

Rhodochrosite is a fairly short Gem, being half a head taller than the average Ruby. She has deep pink skin, a full face, and pronounced curves with thick limbs. She has deep red eyes with short lashes on both her top and bottom lids and no pupils, a pointed nose, and no visible lips. Her hair is light pink, and is mostly unkempt with two large, circular buns with dark pink stripes on them. Her Gemstone is on the back of her head.

Rhodochrosite wears a light and dark pink unitard with two white pom poms on the chest, round bubblegum pink sleeves that are transparent, a dark miniskirt, and dark pink slippers.

## Personality

Rhodochrosite, at first glance, appears friendly and childish, cheerily interacting with other Gems and sometimes goofing off to get laughs. However, this is all a facade she uses to gain the favor of other Gems. In reality, she is manipulative and unafraid to abuse every bit of power she has.

## History

Rhodochrosite's life before the colonization of Earth was uneventful. During the Rebellion, she, out of seemingly nowhere, defected to join the Crystal Gems. It was there she learned to fight, turning her gimmicks into formidable weapons. In the fairly brief time she was a rebel, she still became a respected member of the Crystal Gems, and seemed dedicated to their cause.

Despite her apparent loyalty, she had a sudden change of heart after Rose Quartz suddenly "shattered" Pink Diamond. Knowing the Diamond Authority would retaliate, she snuck away to Mars and promptly went rogue. After the planet was abandoned, she learned of a group of Gems that chose to do away with the caste system, instead using a system that allowed any Gem to gain power and renown, and not caring about the backgrounds of the Gems who joined so long as they behaved themselves in the present. Rhodochrosite eagerly joined, soon becoming a prominent member of the Progressives.

## Abilities

As an Era 1 Gem, Rhodochrosite has standard Gem abilities.

### Skillset

* **Staff Proficiency:** Rhodochrosite's weapon is a simple staff. When she served Homeworld, she used this weapon as part of her tricks and gags. However, while she was a Crystal Gem, she learned how to weaponize it.
	+ **Mace Proficiency:** By forming a large, dense, solid bubble on one end of her staff, Rhodochrosite can turn it into a "lollipop" mace.
* **Manipulation:** Rhodochrosite has learned to use a variety of manipulation tactics to get what she wants from others. While this is sometimes effective, in the cases where it is not, it tends to alienate her from the Gem she was trying to sway.

### Unique Abilities

* **Bubble Manipulation:** Rhodochrosite can alter the size, density, and hardness of her bubbles, to suit a variety of purposes. She normally uses this for entertainment purposes, such as creating a large bubble to balance on, but it can also be used in combat (as evidenced by her weapon).

## Relationships

### Chrome Tourmaline

Rhodochrosite has nothing but contempt towards Chrome Tourmaline, openly calling her a "pebble" and trying to convince Pezzottaite to leave her. Their relationship has only been strained further, as Chrome repeatedly pulls pranks on Rhodochrosite for the sole purpose of making her upset. She has even tried to talk Tiger's Eye herself into kicking Chrome out of the Progressives, to no avail.

### Crystal Gems

Rhodochrosite joined the Crystal Gems to escape the stigma surrounding her Homeworld role. She was only a member for a hundred years; however, in that short time, she was still able to gain respect from many members of the group, including Rose herself. While, at the time, she seemed willing to even die for their cause, nothing could have been further from the truth. She was ready to abandon the Crystal Gems once it became apparent they were doomed. The surviving Crystal Gems are unaware of her fate, but they presume she was shattered and that her shards were used for a cluster fusion.

### Pezzottaite

Upon Pezzottaite's arrival in the Fortress, Rhodochrosite immediately took interest in her, attempting to convince her to split from Chrome Tourmaline and join her clique instead. Before long, Pezzottaite proved to be very difficult, if not impossible, to manipulate.

### Tiger's Eye

At first glance, Rhodochrosite appears to adore Tiger's Eye, showering her in compliments and going out of her way to try and entertain her, with varying degrees of success (depending on the Chalcedony's mood). However, much like her overall demeanor, this is a facade to gain her favor.

## Gemology

Gemstone Information

* Rhodochrosite is a manganese carbonate mineral ranging from light pink to deep red.
	+ Rhodochrosite should not be confused with rhodonite (a manganese silicate mineral), or rhodolite (a variety of garnet), as all three are very different.
* Rhodochrosite can form crystals, but more commonly occurs in a massive form.
* Rhodochrosite is a soft stone, ranking 3.5 to 4 on the Mohs hardness scale, but it is nonetheless a popular gemstone, especially in a massive form.
* Rhodochrosite is not a traditional birthstone, but is considered a zodiacal stone for Scorpio. It is also the state mineral of Colorado.
* Metaphysically, rhodochrosite is associated with joy and unconditional love.