Distorted Heart

Silence.

That's all she been hearing for the past... six thousand years? Wow, Pink sure is making her wait.

Spinel sighed, exhausted. But she still refused to give up. Not now, not ever. So what if the Garden around her died years ago? Or if her colors had dulled? Or even if the roots had started to pin her down to the ground?

She didn't care.

The game was all that mattered to her.

She continued to stare at the warp pad. It was tiring to even look at it, but she forced herself to keep looking. It's going to glow, she thought. She'll be back. She's just been held back, that's all. Though surely, Pink would've told her by now what's happening. Had she colonized Earth yet? Was it as beautiful as the Garden years ago? Even more than that? How was Pearl? And the other Gems?

Sighing again, after doing so countless times before, Spinel continued to hope. Dreaming that Pink would give her a big ol' hug for all of her patience and determination-

The communicator flickered on.

Spinel turned her head to face it, feeling better to move, even slightly. Finally, something different! Noise! She was expecting Pink... ... but she was shocked to see White Diamond talking. She was... bewildered out of her mind. White never looked this... happy. But... where was Pink?

She didn't even hear the speech White was making due to her shock as she communicator's camera shifted down, so she could see a... creature, with dark hair similar to Pink but...

"How's it going everybody?" The creature asked before smiling softly, "I know you all might be thinking of me as the new Pink Diamond, but you don't have to put me on a throne. I already have a rightful place, and it's on Earth."

Spinel felt her hope crack. This creature was... Pink? But that couldn't be possible. How would a Diamond take on that form? And she hadn't conquered Earth? But why? And what had Pink done while she was gone?

The creature continued, "It's a beach house, where I live with my friends; Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl. As much as I've loved dismantling the empire and saving all your planets, I can't wait to get home and spend some quality time with my friends..."

Everything crashed.

Spinel's eyes widened in horror. Pink ... left her. Left her for these... gems. Desperately, she finally moved her feet up, snapping the roots off them and she ran up to the communicator. But the screen shut off.

Tears began to stream down her face, any ounce of joy fading from her as she began to sob uncontrollably. Her agonizing screams echoed around her in the desolate wasteland. She was abandoned. Abandoned here to rot by her best friend. But how could she? Spinel thought she loved her, found her good enough. Was she not good enough? Was that why?

Something began to boil within her. Looking up after minutes of sobbing, she tightened her fists. She... wanted something... She wanted to hurt... that creature. Whatever Pink Diamond had become. She knew where Pink Diamond kept her weapons and other sort of materials-

... Wait...

Spinel blinked before she could even move her limbs. Something... didn't feel right. Was this... pain? Her body began to shake, trembling. Spinel tried to catch her breath, but a splitting pain cut her off as she scratched at the hard stone floor.

Before her very eyes, her hands began to shift. They fused together to form... paws? Spinel continued to sob as fur traveled up her arms, spikes replacing her sleeves. The pain was overwhelming, causing her to scream, her body refusing to stop. Her gem glowed brightly, black stripes traveling around her sides.

Was this... corruption?

Spinel gasped to herself through her tears from the realization. But how was this happening?! Spinel wasn't given time to think as the spike protruded from her legs, her feet given the same treatment as her hands; shifting into paws with spikes over them. A little tail flicked out as her body began to grow in size.

Now on all fours, the corruption went over to her head, her messy heart-shaped buns unraveling and becoming spiky. Spinel couldn't say anything else and could only cry out even louder as her face pushed forward, forming a muzzle and her mouth formed into jagged teeth with black ooze spilling out. More spikes protruded from her face, her sweet voice becoming more distorted and beast-like each second passed.

Her eyes swirled into pink patterns, she tried to keep her mind in touch. But everything began to look... foreign to her. The pain didn't even stop, even though her corruption was complete, she assumed. The gem clawed at her head, growling and snarling to herself.

No, she... had... to stay... focused... She couldn't... lose herself... to this...

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