Rhodolite (ACiAR)

**Rhodolite** is the leader of The Gem 16, alongside her garnet "cousin" Almandine.

## Appearance

Rhodolite is a short, average build, pink-skinned Gem with messy, thigh-length, light-pink hair. Rhodolite has defined musculature with reasonable "body fat", and usually carries herself in postures that de-emphasize her true strength. Her head is squared or octagonal, with a rounded chin and prominent jawline.

Her gemstone replaces her eyes, resembling large safety glasses to the unaware. The shape of the gemstone flattens what would be her nasal and orbital bone structures, leading to a short nose bridge and lower, flatter cheekbones.

Her outfit of choice resembles "biker fashion", with leathery materials for the jacket/vest and knee-ripped pants with sturdy boots, with matching fingerless gloves and frequently a biker cap decorated with jewlery on the belt.

## Personality

Rhodolite suffers from severe "crunchrock", her crystal structures fractured and warped at the molecular level from gradual wear and tear. This renders her unpredictable and ever-changing in emotional reactions. However, no matter her quirks at any given moment, her core traits include curiosity, honesty, eagerness to fight, and a strong sense of justice.

Rhodolite tends to pick fights with anyone she disagrees with, goading them into attacking her, either to justify retaliation, or to gain sympathy from others. However, she will not extend her aggression, stepping down when allowed to live, and otherwise abandoning the fight when necessary for her and her friends' safety. She will reattempt to fight, however, should her rivals engage her again after a long period.

Between her occasional self-awareness of her condition and understanding how her personality alienates people. Rhodolite tends towards brooding and dark moods befitting her rebellious loner image, yet among her friends she acts unyieldingly cheerful, if unhinged. She sees no conflict between these aspects of her personae, often mixing the two in deranged ways.

## Abilities

Rhodolite possesses standard Gem abilities, including super strength and durability, shapeshifting, agelessness, regeneration, fusion, and bubbling.

### Fusions

#### Two-member

* Rhodolite fuses with Almandine to form Pyrope
* Rhodolite fuses with Blue Garnet to form Royal Rhodolite
* Rhodolite fuses with Triphane to form Bronzite
* Rhodolite fuses with Bloodstone to form Fire Agate
* Rhodolite fuses with Grossular to form Hessonite
* Rhodolite fuses with Landscape Agate to form Oregon Opal

#### Three-member

* Rhodolite fuses with Almandine and Blue Garnet to form Gadolinium Gallium Garnet
* Rhodolite fuses with Almandine and Bloodstone to form Dragon Scale Agate

#### Four-member

* Rhodolite fuses with Almandine, Blue Garnet, and Grossular to form Yttrium Aluminum Garnet
* Rhodolite fuses with Almandine, Blue Garnet, and Triphane to form Ulexite
* Rhodolite fuses with Almandine, Blue Garnet, and Bloodstone to form Boulder Fire Opal

### Skillset

* **Whirligig saw:** Rhodolite's weapon a combination long xistera scoop and buzzsaw, a medium-range weapon that can cut through materials up to a Mohs hardness of 8.5. Though indestructible, the blades may bend or come loose if forced against a surface too hard for them to cut.
	+ **Throwing saws:** Rhodolite can also deliberately loosen the saws and use the scoop to throw them great distances towards an object or enemy. She has limited control over the sawblades' trajectory, but they have a tendency to run amok and need to be willed away before they cause too much destruction.
* **Motorcycle fashioning:** using two sets of xistera-saws, Rhodolite can combine them to form a motorcycle, which allows Rhodolite to travel at high speed without expending too much energy. Though the wheel/blades dull and curve out to distribute the weight of the cycle and rider, they can sharpen again to provide a unique application of her sawblades against obstacles.

## Relationships

### Almandine

Born in the same Kindergarten, Rhodolite regards Almandine as her "cousin", a relative of similar mineral make from another "mother" mineral vein. Likewise, the two share ideas, sentiments, and secrets with each other much more closely than with fellow Gem 16.

### Blue Garnet

Blue Garnet normally keeps his distance from Rhodolite, especially after she tried to make him and Almandine a couple, but the few times they do work together, he's flexible with his fighting style and mostly allows for Rhodolite's random tactics to take the lead. Most of the times they fight enemies, they tend to fuse into Royal Rhodolite.

### Triphane

The two get along based on shared neuroses and curiosity for unique inventions and circumstances.

### Bloodstone

Rhodolite and Bloodstone juggle increasingly destructive ideas for battle plans until they can come up with a relatively peaceful plan of action, often at the insistence of Almandine.

## Gemology

(Gemological information on rhodolite garnet)

* Rhodolite is a member of the garnet group, in the almandine-pyrope series.
	+ Rhodolite consists of 70% pyrope to 30% almandine.
* Chemical formula: (Mg,Fe)3Al2(SiO4)3
* Mohs Hardness: 7–7.5
* If heat-treated to 600°C, rhodolite will change color permanently to hessonite-brown.