Howlite (ACiAR)

For a similar character, see Howlite (CK).

## Howlite

**Howlite** is the leader of the Dazzling Gems, alongside co-leader and lover Black Pearl.

## Appearance

Howlite is a short, thin, yet sturdy Gem in shades of black and white, with snow-white skin, dark gray eyes, and mid-length jet-black hair with long sideburns and thick eyebrows. His face is long and gaunt, with dark eyelids, sunken cheeks, and deep dimples.

His gemstone is located on his right inner wrist. He regards it as a direct counterpart to his companion, Black Pearl, who has her gemstone on her left wrist.

Howlite's fashions are inspired by American men's fashion of the 1920s, often featuring dress shirts with rolled-up sleeves, black or argyle-patterned ties, vests, suspenders, dress pants, and dress shoes. In addition, besides an optional shooting star badge or patch, he's rarely without his pork pie hat with a tiled triangle hatband.

## Personality

Howlite is well known by Gem and human alike for his deadpan demeanor, leading to a "stone-faced" expression that refuses to budge even under great duress. Though not totally alien to smiling and grimacing, he prefers to keep even his worst moods subdued; a wildly smiling or shouting Howlite is either possessed or otherwise not himself.

Howlite holds human culture in high regard, even in early periods of history advocating for equal rights and multicultural appreciation within human society, with mixed results.

## History

A lowly gofer to the powerful Boracite, Howlite tried to make the best of his lowly position by using his small social stature to fraternize with members of Boracite's court, gaining unlikely bonds in the process, and using them to snoop in on privileged information. Though Boracite knew that key information was leaking to unworthy beings among his court, he had no way to prove it until he trapped Howlite in a false information loop.

After which, the deadpan Gem ended up a plaything of Boracite's court, with strange technologies transforming him like a deforming toy into various, humiliating configurations, none of which allowed him the escape of dissipation. He was the first rescued by Black Pearl in her escape from Bios-Krystallos, and he brought with him some of his loyal contacts and choice information regarding Homeworld operations.

On Earth, he settled into a calm yet hard-working life engaged to Black Pearl, spending his off-days repairing human-built cars and otherwise fixing problems for everyone else.

## Abilities

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

### Fusions

#### Two-member

* Howlite fuses with Black Pearl to become Vivianite
* Howlite fuses with Phosphosiderite to become Chambersite
* Howlite fuses with Emerald to become Trapiche Emerald
* Howlite fuses with Malaya Garnet to become Banded Carnelian
* Howlite fuses with Mali Garnet to become Sweetwater Agate

#### Three-members

* Howlite fuses with Black Pearl and Phosphosiderite to form Galaxite
* Howlite fuses with Black Pearl and Emerald to form Hypersthene

### Skillset

* **Balloon hammer:** Originally used as a floating beacon in emergencies, Howlite can control the buoyancy and pressure of this stringed ball to create an improvised meteor hammer; though obviously lighter and more fragile than a proper meteor, it's still capable of defense and damage, to the point where a well-placed blow can dissipate even the largest Topazes.
	+ **Balloon control:** The balloon end of the hammer can inflate and deflate at will with a magical gas of variable buoyancy. For offensive purposes, the balloon is taut with heavy gas to make for a dangerous weapon. For use as a beacon, the balloon is moderately full of lightweight gas that glows in the dark. Howlite can even overinflate the balloon to a giant size, filled with floatatious gas that can lift him into the air; he cannot control his flight while in mid-air, and the balloon may burst at the slightest wear and tear.
* **Parkour:** Though not as graceful as his companion Black Pearl, Howlite can still perform incredible feats of acrobatic strength and limber dance moves. He best utilizes his agility to scale buildings, leap from rooftops, jump over holes and cliffs, and hop vehicles to get to where he needs to go as quickly as possible.
* **Engineering mastery:** Through years of speaking with engineer Gems and practicing disassembling and reassembling different kinds of machinery, Howlite has developed a wide range of mechanical mastery, able to discern the functions of nearly any machine, Gem- or human-made, and will know how to repair such machines through deducing their *dys*function. He's not made as an engineer Gem, however, so repairs would take as long as those of a human mechanic unaided.

## Relationships

### Black Pearl

They are the quintessential sickening sweethearts, much to The Gem 16's chagrin.