Naruto’s is on his belly, yes, but Shikako’s is actually on her back (though at the same height as her sternum). Mostly because that’s where she most frequently gets stabbed and Gelel, but also because I like the idea of her not being able to see her own gemstone. It made researching about herself all that much more difficult and it enforces her need for other people (whether human, gem, or half human half gem).
Sasuke’s is probably on his forehead. I considered having it be one of his eyes like with one of the Rubies, but then I considered–in the same vein as Shikako’s “weak point” being on her back where she gets stabbed the most–that how much more significant would Itachi’s dumb forehead flick thing be if that’s where Sasuke’s gemstone was.
I imagine that the Obsidians (unless I get completely jossed with SU canon) are like the Uchiha: small but fast and powerful warriors. They’re higher status than Quartzes in SU canon, mostly because they’re rarer and harder to make. Hematites (Sai) were probably Home World’s attempt to recreate Obsidians but more controllable and lower status.
As for the Obsidians’ OP eye ability… I mean its canon that Sapphires can see the future so… maybe something similar for Obsidians. But more streamlined to reflect their battle capabilities (whereas Sapphire’s role was more of an oracle/advisor).
Alternatively I wonder if, because gems are just construct of light around their gemstone, that a Sharingan equivalent might be able to poof a gem by disrupting the light around the gemstone. So if an Obsidian can see the gemstone they can disrupt a gem long enough to get close and shatter them. Which is why Obsidians are the worst to fight. Its as OP as Uchiha’s automatic genjutsu skills I think.
I had considered making Sakura a Rose Quartz, but I didn’t want to include canon gem types (although I know that the “Snowflake” Bismuth mentioned is most likely snowflake obsidian).
And I had figured that Morganite might be a close enough equivalent. Like small travel-sized versions of Rose Quartz–how Rubies are the travel-sized soldiers, Morganite is a travel-sized field medic.
Sakura, Sai, and Tenzo are all a little too orderly to be misfits. Especially without the chaotic influence that is the core Team Seven. But they are meant to be scouting team to see if the planet is still a viable Gem Colony–so not exactly a suicide mission, but not gems that aren’t replaceable either.
Danzo is definitely high up in Home World, just like in canon, but he’s not THE leader. There’s either a tetrarchy like in SU canon or Sandaime is leader and Danzo is suspiciously close like in Naruto canon.
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Tourmaline–Shikako, that is, because I more and more like the idea that Tenzo is also a Tourmaline (one that can control plant-life) and considering she was probably adopted into the Nara clan not long after she formed she’d think of herself in the human name they gave her–has a very good relationship with the clan.
She definitely has been with them for enough generations to seem synonymous with the clan, but after they were firmly a clan. So in DoS Shikamaru is mentioned to be the sixteenth head of the Nara, so I’m thinking Shikako’s been with the clan for at least ten generations, but less than fifteen.
Living clan heirloom like the deer herds works pretty well for a description. I mean. They literally named her deer girl. Which is very inclusive on their part–considering their clan head naming scheme–but also partially because when Tourmaline first emerged she found herself surrounded by the deer and was like. Well, this clearly my purpose, and for a good week or so she was acting as the deer herd’s protector until the then Nara clan head was. Ah, this weirdly colored humanoid is a deer spirit blessed upon the clan, we will show her kindness and the clan will flourish. And, well, that is what happened.
The reason why Shikamaru is close enough to consider Shikako his sister is a combination of several things: over the generation, Shikako has been more and more embedded into the clan. Deer spirit to clan member to clan elder of sorts etc. etc. She’s become more and more familiar to the clan over time. Shikaku was probably raised to consider her like a cousin that can control earth.
I also think Yoshino had a lot to do with it, too. One she married into the clan she treated Shikako very much like a human. Shikako has probably eaten more since Yoshino married into the clan than she had for the century before. No one really thought to parent Tourmaline before Yoshino–because she’s an immortal rock person, why would they–but she’s still the equivalent of a teenager so it kind of works. And from Yoshino it’s not overbearing, it’s caring.
The third part is that probably Shikako grew more and more experimental in her abilities as time went on and she probably had to retreat into her gemstone. One such instance happened when Shikamaru was pretty young, and instead of doing the traditional thing of leaving Shikako’s gemstone in the Nara clan shrine for her to regenerate, Shikamaru basically declared he was going to protect her and did much the same as when Steven first saw Pearl retreat into her gemstone. It was a formative experience for both of them.
I’m not entirely sure if it’s a direct analog to the Uchiha Massacre, but I do know Sasuke is the last Obsidian (AS FAR AS THEY KNOW, Itachi might exist I’m unsure) and that all the other Obsidians were deliberately left behind to face the wrath of the bijuu who the Home World had left the planet to escape.
Probably it was an Obsidian who “unleashed” the Kyuubi (in that, if the Kyuubi was “sleeping” and the Obsidians had stumbled upon its lair. Which might have been a volcano since… fire and obsidian) and so Home World reacted accordingly?
Oh thank you! I thought no one would ask questions about that ‘verse (even though I literally said I’d like to answer questions)! 😀
Between Minato and Kushina, Kushina is the gem (Amber to go with the Uzumaki vitality and the fact that Amber can have non-mineral inclusions *cough* jinchuuriki *cough*).
I don’t think there are gem monsters in this ‘verse, simply because the events of the Gem “Invasion” thousands of years ago didn’t go in the same direction. It wasn’t a civil war that scared off Home World, but the bijuu, and so there was no Corrupting Light and so there is no corruption/gem monsters.
I’m sure Kakashi can fight–not as well as canon since he is baseline human and not semi-magical shinobi–but probably the equivalent of peak martial artists IRL. (Minato as well)
All that being said, the plot wouldn’t be the same as canon since–no gem civil war, aside–Naruto’s story is different from Steven’s story so…
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The team dynamic wouldn’t really be the same since Kakashi has known (and raised?) Naruto versus only meeting Sasuke and Shikako recently. Additionally, since the three genin/gems didn’t grow up with each other there is a sense of newness and uncertainty that isn’t present in canon. But a lot of their dynamic is personality based and seeing as how their personalities would be the same (otherwise it wouldn’t be the same characters in a DoSxSU fusion fic, but a bunch of OCs in a Steven Universe fic).
I don’t think there will be very much one-to-one adaptations for the events of DoS, but there are some equivalents in SU that I’d want to explore with this cast instead. The crumbling remains of the Gem Colony all across Earth, for one, and while there aren’t corrupted gem monsters there might very well be some kind of enemy for the team to face.
I think only the extended Team Seven (minus Kakashi) would be gems–Shikako, Naruto (half human) Sasuke, Sai, Sakura, and Tenzo. I know Shikamaru exists for sure, because Shikako as young Tourmaline was adopted by the human Nara clan many generations ago, and she kind of acts as the clan head family’s guardian/mascot/ward. Probably the rest of the Konoha Twelve are also humans and residents of the city that they’re in–although I don’t see why it would still be Beach City and not Konoha.
The bijuu are an entirely Earth phenomenon. The way I see it, imagine if–instead of going to the planet Earth that would one day be Steven Universe’s home–the Gem colonizers landed on a different planet Earth that happens to have bijuu on it. It’s not exactly the canon Naruto/DoS planet, but it’s definitely not the canon SU planet.
On a scale of 0 to Pearl, Kakashi will angst over the death of Naruto’s parents a solid Kakashi amount. Whether you think that’s more or less than Pearl… well.
Unsure if Shikako will explode things, but she does have earth controlling powers on par with Lapis Lazuli’s control over water–and considering she stole ALL THE OCEANS, is not only massive in terms of power but especially horrifying when you realize that gems are made out of the minerals in earth and there’s a very real possibility that if Shikako focuses/is pissed off/desperate enough to do so she may be able to shatter a gem with her mind. Which is probably more horrifying in this world of sentient rocks than exploding stuff. Though she may very well explode things for the hell of it.
Gaara and Shikako like this. Neither are the type to cling so the distance works and they both understand how important Gaara’s music and Shikako’s research is to the other. But then the Sand Trio hits it big. The next city becomes the next state, the next time zone, the next country. They are still together but it is harder to talk. She is asleep when he calls and he is preforming when she texts. They find it easier just to wait for a good time. It relationships need to be worked at. (2/?)
Relationships need attention otherwise they wither. Not talking every day turns into calling once a week to once a month emails. It turns into seeing each other only if Gaara happens to be in town or Shikako goes to a conference where he is at. They still love each other, time doesn’t kill their feelings but things are slipping through the cracks. Times get tough (because the music industry is vicious and academia can be just as bad) and the distance is a wall. (3/?)
It gets worse because Gaara doesn’t realize that Shikako is not fine when she says she is fine. He doesn’t realize when Shikako begins to feel that she is giving more than she is getting. Gaara is oblivious to exactly how many times Shikako has said it is okay that he spends all his time away or record in a better studio hours away or accepted his apologies when an event made him miss their only chances to talk. Gaara doesn’t notice it but these things build. (4/?)
It’s not all Gaara’s fault. Shikako has always been bad at setting limits and telling people when things are a problem. She hints but Gaara misses them by a mile. It’s a slow death of a relationship. Tiny cuts over and over until a big thing hits and they can’t recover from it. That thing is a car accident that costs Shikamaru his arm. Shikako needed Gaara then. Needed him more than she has ever needed anyone. His cell is off and he doesn’t get her call until the next morning. (5/?)
He doesn’t get into town until 5 days after the accident. By then the worst of the waiting is over. Shikamaru will definitely live but those five days waiting in the hospital have crystallize every problem that their relationship has and magnified them. Shikako unloads at him. It is not pretty. Gaara is blindsided but he realizes she is telling the truth. He hasn’t been there for her. It doesn’t matter how much he loves her if at the end of the day, Shikako is alone in a hospital. (6/?)
((Part Seven Not Received?))
Gaara goes back to his motel room and thinks about his life. How everyone he has drifted away from everyone he loves. It hurts. He deals with the only way he knows how: music. His fans were surprised at the dark, somber tone of his next album. There was a lot of talk about what the songs meant. It frustrates Gaara. Nobody GETS it. Not really. He writes another song. It’s a plea, an impossible hope, a desperate longing. He pours all he has into it. Falling asleep after the first play through. 8/9
Gaara wakes up in a different place. Kankuro is nudging him and the bad lights of the student bar are achingly familiar. He is confused at first but soon it is clear that he actually traveled back in time. For a second chance. Shikako is sitting in the corner where he met her the first time. Scribbling away in that furious trance she gets into while studying. Gaara’s heart aches at just the sight of it. He doesn’t know what force brought him back but he is not going to let this go to waste. 9/9
… wow, anon, this was beautifully bittersweet. I mean it doesn’t exactly match the fake fic summary I wrote, but I like the vibe of it.
For some reason I didn’t receive part seven, so if you’d like to re-send that I can edit that in. Although… you know you don’t have to be anonymous to talk to me, right? You could have just made a post on your blog and tagged me in it so I could reblog it.
But I appreciate this little ask box fic that you’ve sent me.
Shikako might actually have been there for a legit reason–after all, Naruto’s challenge for most interesting painting method is probably an ongoing contest and fuinjutsu-ing color onto a wall sound like it’d be fun. Or maybe using different colors for the same seal array leads to different outcomes?
Sasuke’s is more of an accidental–the perp I’m chasing stumbled through an episode of Colour Time, thankfully all the would-be-censored parts were covered (possibly by a quick thinking Sai who just had a paint animal block the view)–and that very well could have been one of those bizarre “and painting out their feelings solved the problem.”
The easier one to come up with is Sakura–now the beautiful badass ingénue of the Naruto world’s equivalent of Grey’s Anatomy. She is both the hopeful optimist of the hospital drama and also the smoldering heartthrob (those muscles! those eyes! wooow! Other member of the Medic Corps swoon dreamily whenever she passes).
Kakashi as Hokage and the poor haggled administrative team headed by Iruka-sensei trying to wrangle him into respectability. A lot of The Office-like confessionals, crying in the supply closet, deadpan staring at the cameras.
Sasuke’s is very difficult, though…
OMFG, I KNOW WHAT TO DO.
If Sasuke rebuilds the Konoha Military Police with his ANBU training, I imagine there are a lot of… basically Cops meets Maury? A lot of censored faces, a lot of sordid shenanigans. His show started off as a sort of… the police wear body cameras less for the accountability (because I like to believe that fictional police are better than IRL police) and more for evidence collecting. But then he kept getting involved in really weird cases. Not even dangerous ones, but things like: this civilian is having an affair with four different shinobi but that’s not what he’s in trouble for. That civilian keeps drunkenly stealing apples? Just. Why? Why is he naked?
Or, he’s called into way too many three AM domestic disturbances. Thankfully no spousal abuse, but things like: a fight on whether or not one partner should be allowed to get a pet tarantula. Whose turn it is to wash the dishes. Except, considering they’re shinobi, it turns into this huge production.
Sasuke probably hoped for something respectable like a crime procedural shows–CSI or something like that. Lol, nope.
I know what you mean, anon, these past few chapters have been quite heavy hitters. I personally was expecting some espionage and politics not actual eldritch horror O_O
Right now I’m still in the middle of the ask box fake fic titles event, so if you want to send some fake fic titles my way you could do that?
I’m pretty sure my brainstorms for fake fic aren’t as ominous as this most recent arc is, though I’ll admit they aren’t nearly as fluffy as the Team Seven shenanigans of the ask box three sentence fic event. Mostly because no one has yet specified for fluffy…
Thanks nimmenstjer! I’m glad you like my writing (I’m also glad someone else besides me is fond of Windy Strife).
As you said, my original fic isn’t as organized as my fanfic so unless they’re deliberately part of a series (or about a particular character) then it’s kind of just a giant mess of unrelated posts vaguely set in the same overall universe.
But all of my original fic are tagged with “original fiction” (as opposed to all my fanfic and brainstorms of fanfic being tagged with “fanfiction” and all of my original nonfiction having “original nonfiction”) and I think the fairy ficlet that you might be thinking of is this one?
JackSGreyson Says 