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Cosmographia Permissions (AU MASUMI)
Sep. 5th, 2016 01:43 pm|
Masumi Kotsu
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PLAYER NAME Usagi
CONTACT INFORMATION CHARACTER NAME Masumi Kotsu (Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V, Steven Universe Crossover AU) Age 14 Gem Idocrase (Over the throat) Permissions Generally good for about anything, obviously when it comes to severe injury/poofing that needs a message ahead of time for plotting however. I would also prefer to warn against too much meta or infospam, as that could make things a bit difficult with the character. NOTES Masumi is an AU muse, who was arguably an actual gem in her world! (albeit with inactive abilities). More information on this can be found on her info page It should additionally be noted that as she arrived after poofing, her appearance differs from canon, instead taking this form. |
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ABILITIES
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☆ Weapon Summon: Bladed Ribbon (Currently not accessed)
☆ Shapeshifting ☆ Fusion (No Fusions To Date) ☆ Rise Falcon - A damaging shout, which gains power the more injured Masumi is; when near her poof point, it becomes a Raptor's Cry capable of knocking normal people off their feet. When uninjured, it sounds like song, and can only gently blow hair and petals. ☆ Blaze Falcon - A near suicidal ability to spawn fire over any part of her body; the act of doing so can be controlled, but it burns the area of the body which created it, often leaving her so injured that her 'Rise' ability reaches full power. ☆ Revolution Falcon - A concentrated form of shapeshifting that creates weapon-grade 'blades' from her arms, technically hollow on the inside. These blades, and the metal attached, are not only good as an offensive measure but also for defense-the winglike structure of their form lends good coverage for a shield. She cannot fly with these wings however. ☆ |
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cawaii's originalAU INFO & TIMELINE
Sep. 4th, 2016 07:46 pmAs Masumi is an AU mixed with another canon, there are a number of unique world points that transfer over to both the game, and to things that those from the Steven Universe canon itself would be aware of.
The first point is her tolerance of the 'weird'. Since such locations as the 'Strawberry Battlefields' in Steven Universe were documented long before her time, things such as floating portions of earth and giant structures of stone aren't weird-just beautiful or perhaps 'odd looking', making a lot of 'natural' gem-influenced locations something she can blink and move on from.
Likewise however, Gembeasts are also something that she's known about beforehand-in this case, as more-dangerous-than-typical creatures that are really best left to their own devices. While she's never encountered one in person, they're still animals in her eyes...and that makes hunting them down something she'll take some time to accept, since it might as well be poaching at this point.
Gems themselves are another story. Growing up, Masumi's father warned her heavily to be wary of those with gems on their body-specifically he noted that their complexion would match the rock, but as far as Masumi was aware, she was the only 'human' with one herself! While fellow humans/other beings with newly placed gems will be easier to warm up to for that reason, it'll take her longer to open up with Actual Gems-especially Crystal Gems, as she was additionally warned about the star symbol they typically wear.
Because of her history, Masumi is thus also more cautious, and hesitant to draw on her gem powers-this will change over time, but it is something to keep in mind. Other information, naturally, can be drawn from her Application here, or from the Timeline below.
( Timeline )
The first point is her tolerance of the 'weird'. Since such locations as the 'Strawberry Battlefields' in Steven Universe were documented long before her time, things such as floating portions of earth and giant structures of stone aren't weird-just beautiful or perhaps 'odd looking', making a lot of 'natural' gem-influenced locations something she can blink and move on from.
Likewise however, Gembeasts are also something that she's known about beforehand-in this case, as more-dangerous-than-typical creatures that are really best left to their own devices. While she's never encountered one in person, they're still animals in her eyes...and that makes hunting them down something she'll take some time to accept, since it might as well be poaching at this point.
Gems themselves are another story. Growing up, Masumi's father warned her heavily to be wary of those with gems on their body-specifically he noted that their complexion would match the rock, but as far as Masumi was aware, she was the only 'human' with one herself! While fellow humans/other beings with newly placed gems will be easier to warm up to for that reason, it'll take her longer to open up with Actual Gems-especially Crystal Gems, as she was additionally warned about the star symbol they typically wear.
Because of her history, Masumi is thus also more cautious, and hesitant to draw on her gem powers-this will change over time, but it is something to keep in mind. Other information, naturally, can be drawn from her Application here, or from the Timeline below.
( Timeline )
Cosmographia App (AU MASUMI)
Aug. 23rd, 2016 02:10 pmPlayer:
Name: Usagi
Contact Details: Plurk -![[plurk.com profile]](https://plurk.com/favicon.ico)
usagisquared
Other Characters?: Reira Akaba, from the same canon.
Neither of these characters interacted in canon at all, and while when I last had them here I occasionally had them interact offscreen, such things were little more than minor check ins. Most likely I will continue with that, as neither character is especially attached to the other, nor would they ever become more attached to them.
Masumi, due to this AU, will in fact actively prefer avoiding Reira due to the larger risk of any secrets coming out through him...both due to his abilities, and due to his own connection to her world. (Reira in turn, while a stubborn sort, is someone inclined to respect those sorts of wishes, which further increases the divide between the two.)
Character
Character Name: Masumi Kotsu
Canon: A crossover AU between Steven Universe + Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V; Masumi comes from the latter, specifically.
Canon Point: Ep 24...and in AU terms, when she poofed.
Type: AU Canon muse
Age: 14. That's actual, too!
History/Key Points:
Masumi in canon is the daughter of a Jeweler, with little else known about her family. She attends LDS' Fusion Course, and lives in Maiami Japan. (Go figure, she runs Gem-Knights)
Masumi is introduced during a School vs School battle between hers and LDS, representing the best of the Fusion course; she defeats her opponent, Yuzu, quite easily, going as far as to note how distracted Yuzu is ('[Her] eyes lack luster').
While in the middle of the tie-breaker match, the LDS team receives a message concerning an emergency-Masumi overhears that it concerns her teacher, 'Marco'-and while those involved are aware that he has been turned into a card, Masumi herself is only told that he is 'missing', prompting her to visit the crime scene he 'vanished' from.
Taking investigations into her own hands, Masumi comes across a warehouse where Yuzu, Sora, and 'Yuuto' are found, the latter being her best guess at the identity of the culprit. She challenges Yuuto to a match, but (due to Yuzu's magical plot device bracelet) the boy vanishes on the spot.
Convinced that her target merely ran off into the shadows, Masumi continues her investigations, hitting no leads. She corners Yuzu again and demands a duel, passionately crying for her teacher while accusing Yuzu of being associated with the culprit-before the duel can begin however, Masumi's talk of LDS draws out the true culprit.
Shun-the real culprit-is stopped in his tracks by Yuuto, and the two both vanish on the spot by the same mechanics as before. While Masumi calls for backup the instant Shun appears, the boys have escaped just as it arrives, leaving her to go meet them with nothing but apologies. From here however, she and her team-members from the School vs School match are given the opportunity to bait and face Shun themselves, which she agrees to readily.
The bait-trap succeeds, in that Masumi faces Shun; she is joined by her team-members (Yaiba & Hokuto, from the Synchro & XYZ courses), but just when they think they have him cornered, their opponent finishes them in one turn. Her loss and subsequent state of 'unconsciousness' is her current canon moment.
Personality:
If one were to sum all of Masumi into a single word, 'Tsundere' would not be too far from an accurate word choice. There are very much two core aspects to her personality, one softer than the other. It is the more fearsome side of her, the more confident side, that forms the face of her actions through most of her screentime. When first introduced we see Masumi as a somewhat cool young woman, 'above' her peers and more importantly 'above' her opponent. She reads people like cheap paperbacks, confidently gauging their unease and using it against them for her own advantage-whether in a duel, or even just to put someone down in more proper a place...or at the least simply for amusement. Her own two friends seem to fear this side of her, preferring not to get on her bad side. This is not merely because she can likely come up with some snide remark to spear them in the chest however (though these remarks to her friends are generally rather accurately placed and based in fact; unless provoked, Masumi is very typically the voice of clear reason to those close to her, and the most grounded in order). Drawing ire from within Masumi after all, is something to be feared.
As calm and creative with her words as she is, Masumi is also a very diligent and hardworking individual-most especially when it comes to what she perceives as 'just'. After her first appearance, when her teacher vanishes for seemingly no reason, we see that she does in fact 'bow' to some extent in the face of authority. Her voice is less confident when speaking to one of LDS' investigators, and when the investigator in question tells her to leave things to them, she apparently backs down. It is clear that her sense of justice is too strong to stand idle however, as while she avoids the crime scene when it is under LDS' eye, she does in fact investigate the crime of her teacher's disappearance on her own. She proves herself not only intelligent when it comes to combing for the truth, but as desperate and driven as a dog on the hunt; if justice is to be brought, she shall deliver it and to that end she challenges more than a few people to a duel...without the calm confidence she has when she is in control.
Without control Masumi becomes frantic in her dedication, and wild with her accusations. She will stop at nothing to reach the conclusion of her hunt, losing herself to emotion as she shouts and even cries with anger, despair, and even longing. In such a state we see that she truly cares for the ones close to her, however much she may insult them; in fact, when it seems she has the culprit of the 'vanishing' (arguable murder, in fact) of her teacher, the sight of her friends backing her in the pursuit and battle against him nearly brings her to tears, while bringing her a more 'warm' confidence-when Masumi is emotional, it shows in every fiber of her being. From her watering eyes, to her wavering voice, and more importantly to the recklessness of her actions.
Losing herself to emotions is certainly her largest downfall, and the greatest example of her hot-cold personality's consequences can be seen in her final major duel of the series thus far. Facing off against Yuzu with no proper memory of prior events, she begins again with her calm and manipulative side-she taunts her opponent with a calm smile, acting for the most part as if the duel is no more threatening to her record than a kitten would be. As Yuzu begins to turn the duel around however, she becomes somewhat frantic. While she manages to hold onto her resolve and steel, she loses the duel and more importantly almost loses her life; Yuzu saving her from a fall is an act that comes not only as a surprise but perhaps something else-not only does Masumi blush as a result after all, but she determines Yuzu to be something of a rival from this, harboring clear respect for not only strength, but proper conduct in a duel. She even goes so far as to refer to Yuzu by her first name after the fact. Just as Masumi carries an idea of justice, and pride for dueling, there is a certain amount of chivalry, befitting of the knights in her deck.
With such pride and confidence, comes a smaller downfall that can be best seen in the consequences of memory loss however. Within her own canon, her memories are altered; changed to suit the needs of her school's company owner and causing her to forget not only the arguable death of her beloved teacher but to view the 'murderer' (Shun Kurosaki) instead as an ally. The success of such a change blends all too well with her absolute faith in her cause and in her fellows-throughout the episodes following this, her rare moments seen include people questioning facts about this new ally...things that Masumi cannot answer, not even when it comes to such matters as where Shun came from, or the fact that she doesn't actually know him that well to begin with. All she greets such matters with is a slightly confused 'come to think, I don't know...', before moving on. Shun is LDS in her mind after all-so that alone is fine.
At the end of things, Masumi is the result of personal honor and superiority-she clearly holds herself in a high regard, bearing plenty of confidence in her skills not only as a duelist, but in all other aspects of her life. While she may take an obviously uneasy tone while faced with figures of greater power, she has a sense of justice that propels her farther than any fear or respect for authority could ever deny...to the point where her practiced calm is easily lost to her emotions. These are emotions that reveal Masumi to not only be a very caring young woman, but a highly protective one as well, and she'll stop at nothing to make right what she feels is wrong...to the point where in the series itself, it took her memories being erased to prevent such a thing, as not even paralyzing fear could hold her back for long. She is one who values beauty and power, specifically when used for what she feels is right-and with her track record, it wouldn't be surprising if she went into law enforcement one day either. She truly is, as her deck implies, a 'gem' of a 'knight'.
AU Information
AU Personality Changes: Generally speaking, there is little difference between the Masumi of canon and the Masumi from the AU. What can be viewed as a personality change in fact is often, more than anything, a 'reaction' that still remains in line with her established canon personality; all that differs is what triggers the defensive response she already displays when faced with something that defies all she knows, or similarly, when called out on something she herself is uncertain of. Control in her fate and her skill means everything to Masumi after all, and if anything this fact is only emphasized in the AU.
The strongest example of this can be seen in her concerns toward her gem and her identity, alongside her cultural views in the world. Where in the AU setting, Masumi would have thus played out her canon's events with little change in behavior, in Cosmos these matters are almost exaggerated. Her responses to things will make her appear paranoid, withdrawn, and perhaps even fearful of others. Growing up with so many warnings against True Gems-or rather, those who bear gems alongside a complexion based in that stone-alongside the impression that she would have been the only 'human' bearing such a stone means her immediate response to any Gem will be that of caution and hesitation. It will take time to even remotely open up to others, something that due to her need for privacy in the AU, was already a constant. Fortunately, her friendship with Hokuto and Yaiba in canon prove that with time this response dies down easily-given time to see for herself the character of another person, Masumi starts to open up with friendly ribbing and blossoming loyalty. The sheer population of Gems within the game will additionally force her to drop such fearful avoidance-though True Gems (and in particular, 'Crystal Gems', as the star symbol was an additional warning) will be more difficult for her to break habit for.
Admittedly, such behavior is only so easy to catch-Masumi is all too aware that making herself obvious in her fear will only cause her to stand out. As such, shortened conversations and excuses are in fact an action she avoids-she will however, visibly avoid physical and eye contact, preferring to keep an access for escape available.
Conversely, matters outside that of True Gems are ones where Masumi may seem to underreact. Masumi originates from a world not unlike Waverly Bay's own-while her culture still differs significantly due to coming from Japan, landmarks such as the Strawberry Fields of Norway, or the Changing Sands (which admittedly are no longer changing for Some Reason), mean that gem-influenced structures are as typical as a breath-taking canyon view, and certainly nothing for her to gawk at.
Likewise, no child of her time and place was raised without warnings of 'Beasts' and 'Monsters', stranger than typical creatures of immense power. Gembeasts are as bizarre as a rare encounter with a bear-and as such, Gembeasts are things that Masumi consider wild animals. Things that will do as they will, and things that should be faced in peace if encountered. Do what one can to get away, and that is that-the idea of deliberately fighting them in combat to the 'death' might as well be poaching in her eyes, and will be an act that disgusts her for some time.
Beyond such reactionary sides of her that remain in line with her canon personality, there are the changes that come from her upbringing as a 'gem'. Some mentions of these may have already been caught-a need to remain secretive, and on guard, stemming from the need to keep herself hidden and 'human'. For that same reason, Masumi is someone filled with self-restraint. It is to the point where she can find pride even in achieving a mediocre score, entirely because she wanted that score. While certain canon moments of violence-most notably being her seizing of Yuzu while demanding answers-still occur, these moments still bear a layer of restraint, as Masumi holds herself back from inflicting too much physical force in all she does. Having spent so long doing this, and focusing on being as human as those around her, she is very observant; she needed to be, in order to pick up on what was odd and what wasn't, and the fact that she can force herself to stay put in conversation with a Gem is testament to this.
Rather ironically, these matters leave her 'weak'-while she would already be weaker than any standard gem, Masumi has yet to develop any ability beyond gem strength in her canon, as her desire to remain normal has been clung to for so long, she is subconsciously repressing her abilities. This in turn will make Masumi someone who struggles with her identity as a 'gem'. While she has long since accepted the rock as something that is part of her, and realizes she's stuck with it no matter what, even just having a gem has been difficult to embrace. Developing new abilities, even in the slightest of ways, will undoubtedly frighten her-and likewise, make it difficult to reach the peace of mind required to master them.
To do these things after all, is 'inhuman'-and being inhuman is something she has tried to avoid for years, covering her throat as long as she can remember, and forcing herself into a subconscious rhythm of breathing and sleeping in order to do so. With such a pressure on continuing the act of humanity she so carefully upholds, Cosmos leaves her in an impossible situation...or so it seems.
It is something she will not be able to move past alone-but at the end of things, she won't be alone in Waverly Bay; and should she be allowed to recover, adapt, and bond with the people there, there is no doubt that her canon loyalty and love will be allowed to shine through just as it did for so few people in her own world.
AU History Changes: DISCLAIMER: For the purposes of maintaining a fair balance of canon information, it should be noted that where Steven Universe spans a few years of time over various locations while additionally carrying a few thousand years of established background, Arc-V is comparatively isolated; more so when taking into consideration the fact that Masumi is a side character, who even after becoming aware of certain plot elements beyond the canon moment relevant to her at this time, would not be aware of most world building beyond a single setting over a matter of weeks. This setting in question is best described as 'Real Life Modern Japan, but with Solid Holograms', with no backstory given to Masumi herself beyond the mention of her father.
As such, it should be realized that not only do the events of Arc-V form an incredibly small portion of AU altered History (with the majority of it merely being 'established' history for the cards and holograms themselves), but ALL events preceding the LDS vs You-Show showdown that directly concern her are either Headcanon or Steven Universe based as far as the AU is concerned. Additional elements to the setting as influenced by Arc-V (Namely the additional dimensions) will additionally not be made reference to unless requested, due to Masumi's lack of involvement/awareness.
To make timing easier, points directly from Steven Universe are included on this timeline-they will be marked with a ★ symbol.
Extended History
6,000 Years Ago ( 3985 B.C.)
Vesuvianite, along with many other gems, arrive on Earth to begin colonizing the planet. As a research gem, she is tasked with analyzing the systems of the planet in order to determine new and economic ways to go through with the colony. She is to perform these tasks in cooperation with others of her caste (Peridots, etc).
Vesuvianite begins her research, in conjunction with the establishment of the first Earth Kindergarten. Early stage reports note that the organic life itself could potentially be harvested for minerals in some way, if such a method were determined. Given the enormous amount of organic life on the planet, the research project is approved to continue.
5,750 Years Ago ( 3735 B.C.)
The Rebellion Begins, and a recall is sent out for the majority of the research team. Vesuvianite, as well as a few others, remain behind in order to potentially make use of the gem shards in their individual projects. She herself works to potentially 'recycle' the shards, while others are divided between the rapid construction of Kindergarten Beta, as well as the experimentation of Shard Fusion.
Pink Diamond is Shattered, and Vesuvianite is force to flee with her research (almost complete, but riddled with unsolved problems), soon after creating a cave-in and cracking herself in the process. At this time, had any of her notes been continued on by other Gems, it would be determined unrealistic and even wasteful, as the amount of time, energy, and materials required to 'recycle' exceed the amount required to simply gestate a new gem.
5,500 ( 3485 B.C.) - 20th Century (Year >1995)
Events of Gem History occur, accurate to the SU Canon timeline formed here.
The Corrupting Light of the Diamonds is emitted, with Vesuvianite avoiding its effects due to her gem stasis. Over time, the tunnels her gem exists within are excavated and made into a tourist attraction.
In 1992, Ishin Kotsu-then a young High School graduate finishing an exchange trip-discovers within a series of caves the gem that would be Vesuvianite. He brings it back with him to Japan, keeping it carefully boxed. The mystery of the stone inspires him to pursue geology, and later jewelry making, as a field.
In 1994 the card game Duel Monsters is created in Japan, and it quickly spreads in popularity among the expected trading card crowd. Many others dismiss it for being 'simple'
Recent History
Note: For ease of Reference, Year 1 and Year 2 in SU canon from their timeline are referred to here as '2014' and '2015'.
1997
A breakthrough in gaming technology, known as Solid Vision, is developed by Leo Corporation as an extension to the Duel Monster Card Game released in 1994. A costly effort, it is Solid only in name, and all matter can pass through the holograms. At this time, it is considered a niche trend in the gaming community.
1999
With considerable effort, Leo Corporation makes yet another unprecedented breakthrough by making holograms solid enough to carry mass, while simultaneously making efforts to render standard solid vision more affordable; the technology is immediately quarantined by the Japanese Government.
Due to the resin used by Ishin to attempt to 'repair' Vesuvianite's gem, her energy is briefly able to stabilize enough to project her form. Unable to access any of her abilities without risking this stability, she remains in Ishin's home to learn from him the state of the world, taking the name 'Idocrase' and in time coming to understand more of humanity as a result. Due to the growing increase of Hologram technology in the region however, and the blow up in the news concerning the matter, she grossly over-estimates how far they have come technologically.
2000
Vesuvianite realizes how long she has before the crack gives out again, and confesses her impending death to Ishin; she requests he complete her project in her stead, leaving him with a series of warnings and using her power for the first and last time since reforming in order to draw out the materials she stored away from her research.
Vesuvianite's warnings are vague-she does not explain to Ishin that the Crystal Gems sought to protect the earth, nor does she tell Ishin that 'Her Diamond' and others intended to drain the planet of resources entirely, as she deems the matter 'irrelevant' to him; as all gems could potentially threaten her 'project' and 'gift' to Ishin however, she does warn him that All gems are dangerous (with Crystal Gems merely acting as a more probable threat due to the organic state of the planet).
Vesuvianite offers her stone as fuel & core for the 'project', and Ishin combines it alongside samples of his flesh and bone (an umbilical cord, a tooth, and a few samples of hair) in the device, before adding the first 'collection' of nutrients that Vesuvianite leaves in her final instruction log. The injector-like creation then expels this formula into a bubble, and Ishin spends the next few years carrying out the steps left behind for him.
2001
After considerable time and effort it is announced that Solid Vision will be released to the public for use with the Duel Monster card game. Leo Corporation holds the details under lock and key, and most aspects of the system remain with the Japanese Government. Dueling with Solid Vision under the new upgrade now requires a Duel Disk and a licensed arena, a combination of which will create holograms capable of supporting weight, but not causing harm.
Due to the increase of noise and interference caused by dueling, a startling drop in Creature Activity occurs. Film-makers invested in such smash hits as Gemzilla and similar are forced to re-locate as the tagged 'cryptids' migrate. (Ishin counts his lucky stars, as one of Vesuvianite's warnings had been that such activity could attract any Gems remaining on the earth)
Following Vesuvianite's instructions, Ishin gradually becomes more aware of the severity of her warnings, keeping his eyes on rumor blogs and tabloid magazines when he begins to note similarities in such 'crazy' stories of Diamond Authorities and Vesuvianite's own mentioned Diamond. Between this and the likelihood of something alive existing within the bubble, he begins to frantically gather funds and supplies for what could come, officially moving his career from Geology into Jewelry Sales.
2002
★ Across the seas, Steven Universe is born
Leo Corp. locations begin creating Action Field Stadiums, bringing in Yusho Sakaki to assist in their creation. Action Dueling becomes an expensive, but otherwise profitable sport as various humans from world wide begin to work toward either attaining the licensing for an arena, or on creating their own technique in dueling. One such location is Empire City.
2004
Masumi Kotsu is 'born' at age 2. Soon after this, Ishin successfully forges documents required to officially claim Masumi as his daughter. Due to his rush for funding over the previous years, business is relatively slow to start, but he is safely able to re-locate and organize his affairs in time for Masumi to turn 4.
Maiami City establishes LDS, or Leo Duel School (A cram school for after class teaching in duel focus) with the interest of professionally training the first generation of Action Duelists. The city gradually becomes a hot spot for the sport as various nearby locations achieve an arena license in order to train their own students to reach the top of a now growing field.
2007
Leo Corp establishes LDS in their international locations, causing a brief stir with the government. While classes begin on schedule, political conflict causes a shorter turn over of students in these locations, and popularity for the sport as more than a trading card game begins to decline outside of East Asia, becoming reflected in sponsor funding from other companies.
You Show Duel School is established.
Masumi, now 5, rapidly gains skill in speaking and movement, prompting Ishin to enroll her in kindergarten after being carefully warned to hide her gem. As she begins to gain a curiosity in her Father's work as well as her surroundings in general, he attempts to draw her attention elsewhere, fearing that such a path would uncover her history or worse, draw attention to her. He attempts to use trips to parks and fairgrounds to get her more interested in general play.
2008
An incident on the playground involving another child results in Masumi accidentally breaking someone's leg in a fight. Recalling Vesuvianite's warnings and notes on Gem Physiology, Ishin decides it is time to begin explaining some of those same warnings-primarily those regarding restraint, as well as how to identify 'Gems' that may harm her-to Masumi lest the incidents repeat. Strength Tests at arcades begin to find use as a way to teach Masumi to curb her strength.
2010
★ Steven at this time has moved in with the Crystal Gems
Conflict between Leo Corp. and the Government continues, as serious strain in relations makes itself known behind the scenes of the Dueling World. International locations hang by a thread, threatening to close, as sponsors are hesitant to remain involved in the political struggle.
Masumi's interests in physical sports-primarily climbing, as well as other outdoor 'adventure' related sports-begin to worry Ishin, as she starts to consider world-wide events and other such activities that would involve leaving the region (including an upcoming grade 3 trip outside the country that he claims to be unable to afford, out of the fear she will want to vacation out of the area more often). In an attempt to console her over the field trip, as well as give her reason to stay in a place where 'their sport' seems to be growing more local, Ishin introduces Masumi to Duel Monsters (while gently holding his head when she chooses Gem Knights).
2011
Ownership of LDS and Leo Corporation passes over to Himika and Reiji Akaba, with Leo seemingly dropping from the face of the earth.
Yusho Sakaki vanishes before a title match in the LDS stadium, creating scandal.
Almost overnight, discussions and conflict with the Japanese Government come to an end, with Solid Vision devices updating but otherwise retaining their easy to destroy, soft-hit balloon state. International LDS locations remain open. At this time, obtaining a Duel Disk now requires either attending a licensed school, or passing a series of tests. Schooling adds a discount to the otherwise costly device, which still relies on existing arena zones to project solid monsters rather than pass-through holograms.
Around this time, a P/E teacher of Masumi's suggests she try 'Action Dueling', having noticed her frustrations in being unable to participate during out-of-city events. As LDS is now recovering, Ishin immediately finds himself revisited by his fears for Masumi's secrecy, and thus forces her into a compromise. If she is able to pass the physical exam with an exact average, he will allow her to continue into enrollment with an Action Dueling cram school.
2012
Masumi passes her father's test perfectly, and enrolls in LDS after perfecting the dueling exam. She soon after obtains her first Duel Disk. She quickly gains a passion for fusion summoning, and moves into the Fusion Course.
Efforts to replenish enrollment counts at international LDS buildings begin to pay off, and Duel Arenas begin to see more attendees. It is nonetheless decided that Duel Schools are too costly to spread without care, and as international locations are required to work with LDS in order to successfully gain legal status, only a handful become established outside LDS locations-even in the USA, despite strong sponsor support.
2013
With recent successes in revitalizing the sport of Action Dueling, the Maiami Duel Championship tournament is established, acting as an international test of skill between all established schools with duelists to offer. To further encourage participation, the tournament is opened to adults, teens, and children under certain circumstances.
2014
★ The events of Year One occur for Steven Universe
Masumi begins taking joint classes as part of the Tag Duel Program included in LDS lesson plans, meeting Hokuto and Yaiba from the XYZ and Synchro courses. As her time in proper school tends to be spent focusing on classes and avoiding too much attention, the sudden forced 'buddy system' soon results in her making her first friends.
Due to the success of the Maiami Duel Championship, it is continued on an annual basis; international LDS locations are, due to an agreement with the Japanese Government, determined unfit locations for the event, and LDS Maiami becomes the permanent venue.
2015
★ The events of Year Two occur for Steven Universe
Events of Masumi's canon, including the astonishing creation of Pendulum Summoning by Yuuya Sakaki, as well as the attacks on LDS Maiami's staff, occur. Masumi is poofed as the immediate side effect of a match against the perpetrator, who appears to use a more weaponized form of Solid Vision. (Details of this point in particular are described in Canon History, with noted differences either being described in AU Personality, or consisting entirely of matters relating to early history)
Other AU Changes: As Masumi's AU is based primarily in Steven Universe's setting, world geography and wildlife are similarly based in SU Canon.
While Masumi, due to living in Japan, has seen almost no Gem Influenced activity in her life, there are certain locations she is aware of due to the world around her, such as Norway's 'Strawberry Field Nature Park' (which is closed to the public outside choice camping sites), and the enormous bay of north Russia. Though Gem technology successfully prevents the discovery of their tech and off-planet structures, many natural leave-behinds are so normal that Masumi herself is unaware of them being odd.
Aside from the obvious example of Giant Strawberries, this includes matters such as Gem Monsters (But not Gems). As the existence of them is fairly common and plentiful, they are treated as highly dangerous wild animals if disturbed, making a Gem Beast something akin to a Grizzly Bear in Masumi's mind.
As most do not get close enough to determine that the gems on these creatures are in fact actual gems, Masumi does not however link the hazy idea that she herself could be related to them, especially since her focus in Dueling leaves her uninterested in further research on such beasts beyond the occasional news story of some fool who irritated a big 'yeti'.
While her father in turn would know of certain 'natural' rock structures, his attempts to keep Masumi out of the loop mean that Gem Beasts are as close to gem influence as she has ever gotten.
Oddly enough, since the standard holidays don't exist in SU canon, this means that Masumi is additionally unfamiliar with Christmas, among others. Japanese holidays may not necessarily exist as well, though as it was noted thematically similar holidays do exist, she should recognize the traditions.
As noted in the AU History, Dueling may be international, but it is otherwise heavily restricted outside of Japan-and even Maiami itself arguably. Because of this, the most Masumi will be shocked about when it comes to dueling is that someone doesn't know about the cards-the fact that someone would be surprised to see holograms is natural, as it is something she would feel is impossible to prepare for.
Regarding Japan itself, as the borders seem largely unaffected in the Map as shown within the series, it is assumed that Gem Beasts are the extent of any Weird Rock Shenanigans going on there. There is a possibility that the islands are less disconnected, but as Masumi rarely travels, this fact should not come up...and if it does, she would merely vaguely refer to distance related issues in travel.
Regarding Masumi's physiology and how this was affected by the AU, she is far closer to an actual gem in form than she is a human. While expectations shaping reality caused her gem form to typically mimic such things as a heartrate and such, she did not bleed, and was overall more durable than other human beings. Next to a true gem, she would have been far weaker however, and just as susceptible to such energy interfering devices as used in the subduing and capture of other gems. (There would be no Jailbreak if Masumi were in such a cell, for example)
Notably, she could likely have fused with a human being all the same, as her basic genetic code still contains enough information that there is a compatibility...but in Cosmographia that won't come up, as she never accessed anything beyond the most basic of advantages as a gem in the first place.
Gem: Vesuvianite, otherwise known as Idocrase; aside from being the stone she inherited in the AU, Idocrase is a gem associated with finding one's 'true path', and ironically connected to enhancing courage in order to bring about change in life. Something that the Vesuvianite in history didn't quite manage.
Power Considerations:
Scanning - An ability tied to Vesuvianite's skillset as a researcher; Scanning would combine with her weapon in order to form a sort of massive 'lens', with which she could determine key details of anything in sight. Generally covering chemical breakdowns, this data would occasionally offer generic assumptions of gems based on their class and type-a scanned ruby for example would note that rubies typically had associations with heat. (Suffice to say, that side of the ability will backfire easily)
To Dust - A healing ability, primarily for herself, but potentially able to extend to another person. Acting on the basis of both her canon gem growth and the functions required to gestate gems in the earth, a chosen target can have its energy and nutrients sapped in order to heal wounds. This requires considerable focus and time for injuries greater than minor cuts and bruises however, and cannot be used on sentient beings. It is best used by taking from plant matter, soil, and even light. (The latter, naturally, takes Especially long) An object drained of all energy and nutrition will be reduced to dust however.
Screech - Drawn in connection both to her last duel, and to the duels she will not have even had; a powerfully strong screech that causes more damage the more injured or weak she is (referencing both Rise Falcon & Bloom Diva's ability). The sound is akin to a raptor's screech when at full force, and a song-like chime when used at its basic strength (in which case, while it would not be able to cause damage, it would at least draw attention with great effect)
Extra: Given that Masumi is arriving at a 'poof' point, this is merely a question of if her arrival can literally be a gem flying through a hole. Otherwise, I can simply have her arrive in a regenerated state.
Writing Sample: Good thing this isn't gonna be game canon, or she would be a Mess, oops.
Name: Usagi
Contact Details: Plurk -
Other Characters?: Reira Akaba, from the same canon.
Neither of these characters interacted in canon at all, and while when I last had them here I occasionally had them interact offscreen, such things were little more than minor check ins. Most likely I will continue with that, as neither character is especially attached to the other, nor would they ever become more attached to them.
Masumi, due to this AU, will in fact actively prefer avoiding Reira due to the larger risk of any secrets coming out through him...both due to his abilities, and due to his own connection to her world. (Reira in turn, while a stubborn sort, is someone inclined to respect those sorts of wishes, which further increases the divide between the two.)
Character
Character Name: Masumi Kotsu
Canon: A crossover AU between Steven Universe + Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V; Masumi comes from the latter, specifically.
Canon Point: Ep 24...and in AU terms, when she poofed.
Type: AU Canon muse
Age: 14. That's actual, too!
History/Key Points:
Personality:
If one were to sum all of Masumi into a single word, 'Tsundere' would not be too far from an accurate word choice. There are very much two core aspects to her personality, one softer than the other. It is the more fearsome side of her, the more confident side, that forms the face of her actions through most of her screentime. When first introduced we see Masumi as a somewhat cool young woman, 'above' her peers and more importantly 'above' her opponent. She reads people like cheap paperbacks, confidently gauging their unease and using it against them for her own advantage-whether in a duel, or even just to put someone down in more proper a place...or at the least simply for amusement. Her own two friends seem to fear this side of her, preferring not to get on her bad side. This is not merely because she can likely come up with some snide remark to spear them in the chest however (though these remarks to her friends are generally rather accurately placed and based in fact; unless provoked, Masumi is very typically the voice of clear reason to those close to her, and the most grounded in order). Drawing ire from within Masumi after all, is something to be feared.
As calm and creative with her words as she is, Masumi is also a very diligent and hardworking individual-most especially when it comes to what she perceives as 'just'. After her first appearance, when her teacher vanishes for seemingly no reason, we see that she does in fact 'bow' to some extent in the face of authority. Her voice is less confident when speaking to one of LDS' investigators, and when the investigator in question tells her to leave things to them, she apparently backs down. It is clear that her sense of justice is too strong to stand idle however, as while she avoids the crime scene when it is under LDS' eye, she does in fact investigate the crime of her teacher's disappearance on her own. She proves herself not only intelligent when it comes to combing for the truth, but as desperate and driven as a dog on the hunt; if justice is to be brought, she shall deliver it and to that end she challenges more than a few people to a duel...without the calm confidence she has when she is in control.
Without control Masumi becomes frantic in her dedication, and wild with her accusations. She will stop at nothing to reach the conclusion of her hunt, losing herself to emotion as she shouts and even cries with anger, despair, and even longing. In such a state we see that she truly cares for the ones close to her, however much she may insult them; in fact, when it seems she has the culprit of the 'vanishing' (arguable murder, in fact) of her teacher, the sight of her friends backing her in the pursuit and battle against him nearly brings her to tears, while bringing her a more 'warm' confidence-when Masumi is emotional, it shows in every fiber of her being. From her watering eyes, to her wavering voice, and more importantly to the recklessness of her actions.
Losing herself to emotions is certainly her largest downfall, and the greatest example of her hot-cold personality's consequences can be seen in her final major duel of the series thus far. Facing off against Yuzu with no proper memory of prior events, she begins again with her calm and manipulative side-she taunts her opponent with a calm smile, acting for the most part as if the duel is no more threatening to her record than a kitten would be. As Yuzu begins to turn the duel around however, she becomes somewhat frantic. While she manages to hold onto her resolve and steel, she loses the duel and more importantly almost loses her life; Yuzu saving her from a fall is an act that comes not only as a surprise but perhaps something else-not only does Masumi blush as a result after all, but she determines Yuzu to be something of a rival from this, harboring clear respect for not only strength, but proper conduct in a duel. She even goes so far as to refer to Yuzu by her first name after the fact. Just as Masumi carries an idea of justice, and pride for dueling, there is a certain amount of chivalry, befitting of the knights in her deck.
With such pride and confidence, comes a smaller downfall that can be best seen in the consequences of memory loss however. Within her own canon, her memories are altered; changed to suit the needs of her school's company owner and causing her to forget not only the arguable death of her beloved teacher but to view the 'murderer' (Shun Kurosaki) instead as an ally. The success of such a change blends all too well with her absolute faith in her cause and in her fellows-throughout the episodes following this, her rare moments seen include people questioning facts about this new ally...things that Masumi cannot answer, not even when it comes to such matters as where Shun came from, or the fact that she doesn't actually know him that well to begin with. All she greets such matters with is a slightly confused 'come to think, I don't know...', before moving on. Shun is LDS in her mind after all-so that alone is fine.
At the end of things, Masumi is the result of personal honor and superiority-she clearly holds herself in a high regard, bearing plenty of confidence in her skills not only as a duelist, but in all other aspects of her life. While she may take an obviously uneasy tone while faced with figures of greater power, she has a sense of justice that propels her farther than any fear or respect for authority could ever deny...to the point where her practiced calm is easily lost to her emotions. These are emotions that reveal Masumi to not only be a very caring young woman, but a highly protective one as well, and she'll stop at nothing to make right what she feels is wrong...to the point where in the series itself, it took her memories being erased to prevent such a thing, as not even paralyzing fear could hold her back for long. She is one who values beauty and power, specifically when used for what she feels is right-and with her track record, it wouldn't be surprising if she went into law enforcement one day either. She truly is, as her deck implies, a 'gem' of a 'knight'.
AU Information
AU Personality Changes: Generally speaking, there is little difference between the Masumi of canon and the Masumi from the AU. What can be viewed as a personality change in fact is often, more than anything, a 'reaction' that still remains in line with her established canon personality; all that differs is what triggers the defensive response she already displays when faced with something that defies all she knows, or similarly, when called out on something she herself is uncertain of. Control in her fate and her skill means everything to Masumi after all, and if anything this fact is only emphasized in the AU.
The strongest example of this can be seen in her concerns toward her gem and her identity, alongside her cultural views in the world. Where in the AU setting, Masumi would have thus played out her canon's events with little change in behavior, in Cosmos these matters are almost exaggerated. Her responses to things will make her appear paranoid, withdrawn, and perhaps even fearful of others. Growing up with so many warnings against True Gems-or rather, those who bear gems alongside a complexion based in that stone-alongside the impression that she would have been the only 'human' bearing such a stone means her immediate response to any Gem will be that of caution and hesitation. It will take time to even remotely open up to others, something that due to her need for privacy in the AU, was already a constant. Fortunately, her friendship with Hokuto and Yaiba in canon prove that with time this response dies down easily-given time to see for herself the character of another person, Masumi starts to open up with friendly ribbing and blossoming loyalty. The sheer population of Gems within the game will additionally force her to drop such fearful avoidance-though True Gems (and in particular, 'Crystal Gems', as the star symbol was an additional warning) will be more difficult for her to break habit for.
Admittedly, such behavior is only so easy to catch-Masumi is all too aware that making herself obvious in her fear will only cause her to stand out. As such, shortened conversations and excuses are in fact an action she avoids-she will however, visibly avoid physical and eye contact, preferring to keep an access for escape available.
Conversely, matters outside that of True Gems are ones where Masumi may seem to underreact. Masumi originates from a world not unlike Waverly Bay's own-while her culture still differs significantly due to coming from Japan, landmarks such as the Strawberry Fields of Norway, or the Changing Sands (which admittedly are no longer changing for Some Reason), mean that gem-influenced structures are as typical as a breath-taking canyon view, and certainly nothing for her to gawk at.
Likewise, no child of her time and place was raised without warnings of 'Beasts' and 'Monsters', stranger than typical creatures of immense power. Gembeasts are as bizarre as a rare encounter with a bear-and as such, Gembeasts are things that Masumi consider wild animals. Things that will do as they will, and things that should be faced in peace if encountered. Do what one can to get away, and that is that-the idea of deliberately fighting them in combat to the 'death' might as well be poaching in her eyes, and will be an act that disgusts her for some time.
Beyond such reactionary sides of her that remain in line with her canon personality, there are the changes that come from her upbringing as a 'gem'. Some mentions of these may have already been caught-a need to remain secretive, and on guard, stemming from the need to keep herself hidden and 'human'. For that same reason, Masumi is someone filled with self-restraint. It is to the point where she can find pride even in achieving a mediocre score, entirely because she wanted that score. While certain canon moments of violence-most notably being her seizing of Yuzu while demanding answers-still occur, these moments still bear a layer of restraint, as Masumi holds herself back from inflicting too much physical force in all she does. Having spent so long doing this, and focusing on being as human as those around her, she is very observant; she needed to be, in order to pick up on what was odd and what wasn't, and the fact that she can force herself to stay put in conversation with a Gem is testament to this.
Rather ironically, these matters leave her 'weak'-while she would already be weaker than any standard gem, Masumi has yet to develop any ability beyond gem strength in her canon, as her desire to remain normal has been clung to for so long, she is subconsciously repressing her abilities. This in turn will make Masumi someone who struggles with her identity as a 'gem'. While she has long since accepted the rock as something that is part of her, and realizes she's stuck with it no matter what, even just having a gem has been difficult to embrace. Developing new abilities, even in the slightest of ways, will undoubtedly frighten her-and likewise, make it difficult to reach the peace of mind required to master them.
To do these things after all, is 'inhuman'-and being inhuman is something she has tried to avoid for years, covering her throat as long as she can remember, and forcing herself into a subconscious rhythm of breathing and sleeping in order to do so. With such a pressure on continuing the act of humanity she so carefully upholds, Cosmos leaves her in an impossible situation...or so it seems.
It is something she will not be able to move past alone-but at the end of things, she won't be alone in Waverly Bay; and should she be allowed to recover, adapt, and bond with the people there, there is no doubt that her canon loyalty and love will be allowed to shine through just as it did for so few people in her own world.
AU History Changes: DISCLAIMER: For the purposes of maintaining a fair balance of canon information, it should be noted that where Steven Universe spans a few years of time over various locations while additionally carrying a few thousand years of established background, Arc-V is comparatively isolated; more so when taking into consideration the fact that Masumi is a side character, who even after becoming aware of certain plot elements beyond the canon moment relevant to her at this time, would not be aware of most world building beyond a single setting over a matter of weeks. This setting in question is best described as 'Real Life Modern Japan, but with Solid Holograms', with no backstory given to Masumi herself beyond the mention of her father.
As such, it should be realized that not only do the events of Arc-V form an incredibly small portion of AU altered History (with the majority of it merely being 'established' history for the cards and holograms themselves), but ALL events preceding the LDS vs You-Show showdown that directly concern her are either Headcanon or Steven Universe based as far as the AU is concerned. Additional elements to the setting as influenced by Arc-V (Namely the additional dimensions) will additionally not be made reference to unless requested, due to Masumi's lack of involvement/awareness.
To make timing easier, points directly from Steven Universe are included on this timeline-they will be marked with a ★ symbol.
Extended History
6,000 Years Ago ( 3985 B.C.)
5,750 Years Ago ( 3735 B.C.)
5,500 ( 3485 B.C.) - 20th Century (Year >1995)
Recent History
Note: For ease of Reference, Year 1 and Year 2 in SU canon from their timeline are referred to here as '2014' and '2015'.
1997
1999
2000
2001
2002
★ Across the seas, Steven Universe is born
2004
2007
2008
2010
★ Steven at this time has moved in with the Crystal Gems
2011
2012
2013
2014
★ The events of Year One occur for Steven Universe
2015
★ The events of Year Two occur for Steven Universe
Other AU Changes: As Masumi's AU is based primarily in Steven Universe's setting, world geography and wildlife are similarly based in SU Canon.
While Masumi, due to living in Japan, has seen almost no Gem Influenced activity in her life, there are certain locations she is aware of due to the world around her, such as Norway's 'Strawberry Field Nature Park' (which is closed to the public outside choice camping sites), and the enormous bay of north Russia. Though Gem technology successfully prevents the discovery of their tech and off-planet structures, many natural leave-behinds are so normal that Masumi herself is unaware of them being odd.
Aside from the obvious example of Giant Strawberries, this includes matters such as Gem Monsters (But not Gems). As the existence of them is fairly common and plentiful, they are treated as highly dangerous wild animals if disturbed, making a Gem Beast something akin to a Grizzly Bear in Masumi's mind.
As most do not get close enough to determine that the gems on these creatures are in fact actual gems, Masumi does not however link the hazy idea that she herself could be related to them, especially since her focus in Dueling leaves her uninterested in further research on such beasts beyond the occasional news story of some fool who irritated a big 'yeti'.
While her father in turn would know of certain 'natural' rock structures, his attempts to keep Masumi out of the loop mean that Gem Beasts are as close to gem influence as she has ever gotten.
Oddly enough, since the standard holidays don't exist in SU canon, this means that Masumi is additionally unfamiliar with Christmas, among others. Japanese holidays may not necessarily exist as well, though as it was noted thematically similar holidays do exist, she should recognize the traditions.
As noted in the AU History, Dueling may be international, but it is otherwise heavily restricted outside of Japan-and even Maiami itself arguably. Because of this, the most Masumi will be shocked about when it comes to dueling is that someone doesn't know about the cards-the fact that someone would be surprised to see holograms is natural, as it is something she would feel is impossible to prepare for.
Regarding Japan itself, as the borders seem largely unaffected in the Map as shown within the series, it is assumed that Gem Beasts are the extent of any Weird Rock Shenanigans going on there. There is a possibility that the islands are less disconnected, but as Masumi rarely travels, this fact should not come up...and if it does, she would merely vaguely refer to distance related issues in travel.
Regarding Masumi's physiology and how this was affected by the AU, she is far closer to an actual gem in form than she is a human. While expectations shaping reality caused her gem form to typically mimic such things as a heartrate and such, she did not bleed, and was overall more durable than other human beings. Next to a true gem, she would have been far weaker however, and just as susceptible to such energy interfering devices as used in the subduing and capture of other gems. (There would be no Jailbreak if Masumi were in such a cell, for example)
Notably, she could likely have fused with a human being all the same, as her basic genetic code still contains enough information that there is a compatibility...but in Cosmographia that won't come up, as she never accessed anything beyond the most basic of advantages as a gem in the first place.
Gem: Vesuvianite, otherwise known as Idocrase; aside from being the stone she inherited in the AU, Idocrase is a gem associated with finding one's 'true path', and ironically connected to enhancing courage in order to bring about change in life. Something that the Vesuvianite in history didn't quite manage.
Power Considerations:
Extra: Given that Masumi is arriving at a 'poof' point, this is merely a question of if her arrival can literally be a gem flying through a hole. Otherwise, I can simply have her arrive in a regenerated state.
Writing Sample: Good thing this isn't gonna be game canon, or she would be a Mess, oops.
