keep your Brutish paws OFF this portrait!

I've told this THING no!

IT could be planning something for all we know!

pearl's voice kept replaying over and over in your head.

Amethyst! you shouldn't teach it these things!

she would scold.

it might be dormant now, but if we aren't careful, it could reawaken it's MONSTROUS instincts! then what will we do!?

you curled in on yourself as the words stung your chest, gripping it in the barbed vines of resentment. you suddenly started to growl in your throat. I... I'm not a monster.... you told yourself. pearl was just... saying that because I touched the portrait again... it was all in anger. you pushed yourself up, angrily scrubbing away the tears that endlessly poured from your eyes, grumbling to yourself angrily.

I. am NOT. a beast...

I am (name)... I am a crystal gem!

you snarled defiantly, digging your fingers into the dry ground.

she is wrong! wrong, wrong, wr-

you look down at the ground, and froze.

what stared back at you was the bulky, black outline of your shape in the dusty ground. the outlines of your messy mane were visible, sticking up in every which way, just barely hiding your impossibly massive, well muscled shoulders. on the head of this menacing silhouette were two (size) (curved/straight) horns. your mouth opened in revulsion.

this... beastly... image casted before you... was yours..?

you brought a paw up to rub at the base of a horn, the shadow following suit. oh it was... slowly, you brought your hand down and looked down at it.

it barely classified as a hand... it was a massive paw, fingers curved into large talons, ones that could send the largest of gems flying in a single swat. one that could crush a gemstone with a mere squeeze... you clenched your fist and eyes shut at the dawning dread and newfound solemnity filled your core. of course pearl can't trust you... who would want to?

you weren't a gem.

you were something that could kill with a snap of your jaws.

something to be feared...

something... to be poofed...

you let yourself fall into limply into the ground, wrapping your forearms around your head, releasing your grip on the tears you had held back and wailed loudly into your arms.

"H-Hello...?"

you froze, sniffling at a voice from behind you.

"U-Um... are... you okay...?"

you didn't reply. maybe you were just imagining it... you focused on trying to get your breathing steady and to silence your sniffles and whimpers. you felt a soft poke at your side, and you just whine in response, sniffling and chuffing.

"hey... d-don't be sad... u-um... whatever you are..." the voice came around to your front, and you were dimly aware of the sound of someone kneeling against the ground. you slowly raised your head to look at whoever dared to kneel before you.

"..hru..?"

is... that... a gem?

upon seeing they had your semi-full attention, you hear an audible gulp sound from them. internally you huffed. figures they'd fear me...

you whine deeply and rest your chin on your forearms, letting more tears run down your cheeks. "u-um..."

"MonSTer..."

you can practically feel her eyes widen on you as your deep, rasped yet somehow feminine voice spoke up, quiet and somber. "wh-what...?" you grunted and buried your muzzle into your arms, leaving only your obscured eyes visible.

"I... Monster..."

"I monster...?" they repeated, seemingly to themselves. you didn't move. you just let them mull it over, while you sniffled again. "..uhm..."

suddenly, a pair of hands parted your bangs, clearing your vision and giving you a clear look of the gem.

oh...

you unconsciously looked her up and down, realising with a flinch at how... worn down she looked.

her body was dirty and worn, the faintest scent of dirt and flowers hitting your senses. even her outfit was showing age; her one shoulder pad was chipping at the seams. her hair was falling out of place and she had noticeable bags beneath her eyes. she looked so... unkempt.

a wave of concern and pity washed over you for the brave little gem standing before you.

just how long have you been here..?

she must have thought your crumpled face was the look of sorrow, because she frowned in what appears to be sympathy, humming sadly at how puffy and pained your gaze looked. she brought a hand to her face for a moment, looking down as she appeared to dig through her thoughts for some reason. "ah!"

she suddenly backed up from you and brought her hands to her gem, summoning 3 shiny pink bubbles. you lifted your head, squinting an eye in confusion. eh? she suddenly started to throw them up in the air artfully, catching one after the other in a fluid, continuous cycle. it took you a minute or two to realize with a start as to what she was doing.

j-juggling...?

she's juggling... for me?

your eyes widen and you hum in an sudden interest, flicking your tail slightly. seeing that you lightened up, she suddenly had a very... small yet bright smile float to her face. like it had been a long since she's seen an intrigued audience. "y-ya like that?" she asked, seemingly in a state of disbelief. you nodded slowly, a small grin curving your muzzle. a small incredulous giggle bubbled from the gem and her smile became more genuine. she started to dance around you a little bit, humming a light, upbeat tune as she did, widening your smile a bit. after a while, she stopped, catching the bubbles neatly into her hands, striking a cute pose. "ta-da!" you roared in amusement, clapping your forepaws together as your tail thumped into the ground. the limber little gem gave a little theatrical bow. "thank you. oh thank you."

your clapping came to a halt as she brought her gaze back up to yours.

"wanna... wanna try something else?"
~~~~~

"Tag! your it!"

DANG IT!

you pouted as you felt her hand tap your hind leg and the sounds of her footsteps running off into a distance. you turned clumsily on your heels and raced after her, stumbling over yourself as you did so. now, tag was a fun game. even more fun than hide and seek (due to the fact you couldn't really hide with that bulky shape of yours) but you couldn't help but internally pout at how DIFFICULT it was to evade this gem. she was just so quick! and what was even more frustrating was trying to tag HER! she evaded your paws with such ease, it looked effortless! but her bubbly giggles and praising was what kept you playing...

suddenly however, she slowed to a halt, and began to wobble slightly on her feet. you slowed instinctively, stopping just a few inches behind her. hey? "hru?" you tipped your head to the side in concern as she put a hand to her head. "hoo boy.. all of a sudden I don't feel quite right..." she staggered slightly, stumbling backwards, prompting you to jolt forward, letting her fall into your puffy chest fur. she leaned against you, rubbing at her temple, letting out a soft groan, like she'd been hit with a sudden wave of exhaustion. woah... a tired gem...? you gently lowered yourself to the ground and cradled the small gem in your arms gently, like she were made of fragile glass. she hummed contently, nestling into your chest fur, shutting her eyes. she looked so cute... so vulnerable.... like a just like a baby bunny.

so... vulnerable...

that word somehow set off a trigger in your head. it registered to something else equally as cute and vulnerable...

someone you had an odd urge to protect...

someone...

"Huah!"

you gasp as a realization struck you. you had a boy back at home! your best bud you swore to protect! you gently rose to your paws and hooves, staring back at the elevated area where the warp pad had sat. I gotta get back to him... you started to make your way to it. I.. he isn't too worried...

"H-hey.. wh-where are you going..?"

you paused mid-step as you heard the little gem's small voice croak behind you. you twisted your head back, and you felt a heavy weight in your chest at how sad the gem looked. she even had a hand reaching for you feebly. oh... stars... how could your mind have shifted so quickly away from this sweet gem? sure, you loved your cheery boy steven... but this lonely little gem...? to just... up leave her? there's got to be a better way... your thoughts raced as you tried to think of a way to get home without breaking the withered little gem's spirit.

then it hit you. why haven't you thought of this before?? it's so obvious!

you rose a forearm and pointed a large finger to where you were heading. the gem tipped her head to the side, obviously confused. now.. this should be simple. you thought, flicking your tongue against your lips. Steven and gems have doing it! now it's my turn..

you then spoke up.

"home."

her eyes widened slightly. "h-home?" she croaked, in awe. you nodded softly. "going home." then you offered your other paw to her. hope glimmered in your eyes from behind your bangs.

"come with?"

she gasped softly, her eyes becoming wide in what looks like alarm. "Oh! I..." she takes a step back, looking strangely... hesitant...? you watched in worry as she glanced back at the area behind her before glancing back at you multiple times, while muttering incoherently to herself. you couldn't hear what she was talking about, but you heard words like "well" and "but" and "um". she was clearly at war with her thoughts... you just sat there, shuffling nervously in place. please... give me a chance... I can't just leave you here... after almost thirty minutes, she appeared to have come to an agreement on something with herself, as she nodded to nobody for a moment before looking back up at you.

"sounds fun!"

you smiled happily as she bounded over to you and leapt onto your back, humming contently at the softness. you started to pad your way up to the elevated warp pad, and as you did, the gem spoke up, sounding rather cheery. "do you have a name?" you hummed at this. you spoke it once... surely you can say it again? "Me...? me (name).." you replied.

"(name), huh? well, it's nice to meet you!" you smiled at this. heh, this common tongue stuff is easier then I thought! now... "your name?" you asked. you hear a bubbly giggle as the giddy gem replied.

"call me your new friend, spinel!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~

You're damn right I just did this.

I said, this is an alternate universe.

So spinel won't be waiting in space the entire journey here.

So you won't have to think that when reading this.

YOU'RE WELCOME.