Cubic Zirconia

Cubic Zirconia (specifically Lesser Cubic Zirconia Facet-7X4H Cut-3EJ) is a Homeworld agent that was sent to Earth on White Zirconia's orders to collect non-rebel Gems from the planet. An engine malfunction forced her to make an emergency landing on Mars.

## Appearance

Cubic Zirconia is considerably smaller than her superiors, only slightly taller than a Pearl. She has a slender build, a round head, and thin lips. She has gray hair in a bob with a small diamond-shaped cowlick, and her eyes are yellow with triangular pupils. Her Gemstone is on the back of her left hand.

Cubic Zirconia's uniform consists of a light gray long-sleeved shirt, a black vest with a white diamond on the front, a gray skirt, black leggings, and light gray boots. She also wears a metal gauntlet with a glassy, rounded window for her Gemstone. Her gauntlet holds her Gemstone if her physical form is destroyed.

## Personality

Nothing is known about Cubic Zirconia's personality yet.

## History

Cubic Zirconia was created for Homeworld's spy ring at some point during Era 2. She was assigned to study lower-ranking Gems under Yellow Diamond's command, which would include a particular Peridot. She would learn through her espionage that the Crystal Gems survived the Diamond attack, and promptly informed her superior. Not long after, Cubic Zirconia received orders to travel to Earth, search for any other functional Gems that survived the Diamond attack, and bring any she found back to the Crucible before it was too late. This mission was successful at first, and Cubic Zirconia had successfully captured dozens of cave rocks for transport. However, as she was on her way out of the solar system, her ship experienced an engine failure that forced her to make an emergency landing on the nearest cosmic body: Mars.

## Abilities

Because of the nature of her creation, Cubic Zirconia has standard Gem abilities despite being an Era 2 Gem. However, as a Lesser Zirconia, she isn't quite as powerful as a Greater Zirconia.

### Skillset

* **Rhetoric:** Cubic Zirconia can be manipulative, able to put together a convincing argument even in a pinch. This allows her to talk her way out of dangerous situations.

### Unique Abilities

* **Enhanced Shapeshifting:** Like all Gems of her type, Cubic Zirconia's shapeshifting is far more powerful than the average Gem's. She can alter her physical form down to her voice and the colors of her body, and can even hide her Gemstone with her physical form. This allows her to mimic almost anything flawlessly, including different Gem types and non-Gems.

### Tools

* **Gem Technology:** Cubic Zirconia has access to a range of Era 2 Gem tech that she was issued by her superiors.
	+ **Gauntlet:** Cubic Zirconia's gauntlet protects her Gemstone from damage, and is equipped with data storage technology and a communicator, both of which she uses in her usual work. If her physical form is destroyed, the gauntlet enters a mobile state and tries to escape to a safe location, allowing Cubic Zirconia to regenerate safely.
	+ **Spacecraft****:** Cubic Zirconia has been given a spacecraft that she used to travel to Earth. It is capable of faster than light space travel, and has a storage area where inactive Gemstones can be held in stasis, similar to bubbling.

### Weaknesses

* **Habitual Lying:** Cubic Zirconia has a tendency to feel that the truth isn't "good enough," and, except around her superiors, habitually stretches the truth or outright lies to paint herself in a more positive light. This becomes apparent when one of her lies is exposed, at which point she will fabricate even more lies instead of just coming clean.

## Relationships

### "Champie," "Cheeky," and "Nova"

Champie, Cheeky, and Nova are Cubic Zirconia's first and best friends. The four spend their free time in the Crucible together, chatting about their missions and playing games.

### White Zirconia

As her subordinate, Cubic Zirconia respects, admires, and even fears White Zirconia. She is completely unaware of her superior's past or inner feelings, and, much like the other Lesser Zirconias, sees White Zirconia as a powerful, commanding leader.

### "Zero" and "Tattle"

Like most Lesser Zirconias, Cubic Zirconia dislikes Zero and Tattle, considering the two to be tryhards. However, due to how respected they are by some of the Crucible's elites, she only bad-mouths them when she knows she won't get caught.

## Trivia

* Cubic Zirconia received her nickname, "Sneak," from an early tendency to hide and watch other Lesser Zirconias from a distance.
* In The Forgotten Planet, Cubic Zirconia's speech bubbles are periwinkle.
* Cubic Zirconia's original design was partially based on actual cubic zirconia, keeping in mind the vibrant "fire" it exhibits under light.
* Cubic Zirconia's corrupted form would resemble a pangolin, and her back would be covered in crystals.
* Cubic Zirconia is one of several Mars AU Gems associated with a Major Arcana tarot card; specifically, "The Magician."
	+ This is due to her willful, manipulative nature.
* Cubic Zirconia has some hypothetical fusions.
	+ If she fused with Basalt, they would form a Moldavite.
		- This fusion is currently hypothetical, but it is possible that the two Gems will fuse in canon.
	+ If she fused with Basalt and Crazy Lace Agate, they would form Rainbow Lattice Sunstone.
	+ If she fused with another Lesser Zirconia, they would form a larger Cubic Zirconia with their combined colors.
		- For example, if she fused with "Nova," a purple Zirconia, they would form a lavender Zirconia.

## Gemology

Gemstone Information

* Cubic zirconia (not to be confused with zircon) is a crystalline variant of zirconium oxide (ZrO2). It has a hardness of 8 to 8.5 on the Mohs hardness scale.
* Because zirconium oxide rarely forms crystals naturally, almost if not all cubic zirconia samples are synthetic. To get varying colors, different metals are added as coloring agents.
* Cubic zirconia is almost exclusively used as a diamond simulant, or an inexpensive alternative to actual diamond. In fact, cubic zirconia is so inexpensive that its setting can be worth more than the stone itself.
* Despite being effectively synthetic, cubic zirconia, like many gemstones, is said to have metaphysical properties.
* Cubic zirconia is associated with mental clarity and enlightenment, and with the third eye and solar plexus chakras.
* Much like with diamonds, different colors of cubic zirconia are reported to have varying metaphysical properties.

## Gallery

Cubic Zirconia's outdated design, v1Cubic Zirconia's outdated design, v1Cubic Zirconia's original weapon, a pistol