(Alternate) Steven Universe x Corrupt gem reader Insert

part 1: an interesting encounter

you find yourself snorting at a nagging pinch in your back. you lift your head and smack your lips, thick drool running off your maw. you look around to see a bunch of white... birds with grey wings surrounding you. one in particular was pecking at your back. you shake your head and snarl loudly, sending them scattering and flying off. you get up and shake the sand off you. you find that the sun's warmth was more prominent out in the open. it warmed your (color) skin and filled your (color) mane with a comfortable warmth. you swiped your long (color) tongue along your chin, licking off the sand in the process. "mmmrgh...." you rumble in a tired yet deep feral tone. You stretch out, stretching your six limbs out; four muscular arms, and two mighty back legs. After which, you glance down for a moment. now what?

you clutch a handful of sand and watch it fall effortlessly through your clawed fingers in interest. you then turn your attention to the water. still rolling up and down the shore like last night. you slowly strut toward it, shivering at the coldness from the wet sand seeping into your palms. you sit back on your haunches, scooping up a pile of damp sand in your large hands and held it up to your face quizzically. you sniff it curiously. "hmmm." you uttered deeply. wonder that this is made of...

that is until you hear a dull noise over the waves. this prompts you to turn and look over your broad shoulder with a deep "hru?". you were mildly startled when you saw a mildly tall reddish-maroon gem with a cubic hairstyle with two gauntlets on her hands. her face wasn't readable, putting you on edge. her shades covered her eyes, making them unreadable as well, but you sensed an air of defensive hostility around her. beside her was a boy, with dark curly hair, a glowing pink shield in front of him. he had a stern glare on his face, even though he had the slight stink of fear wafting him. you drop your sand mound and slowly turn towards the duo, unsure of their purpose here. they seemed to have gotten more tense at having your full attention and the gem beckoned the boy back. you watched suspiciously taking a step back, sniffing in their direction curiously. after a tense minute went by, you see the red-maroon gem slower her fists slightly. "it's... not attacking..?" the boy asked, taking a cautious step forward. "be careful, Steven." warned the gem from behind him, still quite rigid. he looked back at her, a thin look of confidence on his face. "m-maybe I can still get through to it.."

he returned his sights on you, stepping closer very slowly, as if he thought you'd attack at any second. "h-hi there..." he began gentle albiet shaky nervous voice, raising his hand slightly. "can you hear me..?" he asked. "are... you still in there somewhere?" you tipped your head to the side, analyzing the boy curiously. What do you mean, "still in there somewhere?" There's something about this child... You chuffed abruptly, prompting him to flinch and stop his approach. He was about in reach of you now. even if he was unsettled, seeing that you aren't attacking made him relax a little more. You took this chance and bent down slightly to get a better look at him, and he instinctively shrunk back a bit. he took a glance back at the maroon-red gem for a moment before slowly reaching up and parting the hair in your face. "Steven--!" what stared back at him were large completely (color) eyes with (color) pupils focused on him. one eye was squinted and the other was a bit wide into a look of curiosity. you blinked them twice before giving a grin at your improved vision.

he sighed softly, restraining a chuckle at your almost dopey expression. "garnet, you can come closer. I think she's friendly." the gem "garnet" came closer, a stern, authoritative walk toward you and boy "steven" though you couldn't see it, you could feel her eyes focused on you. "there's no such thing as a "friendly" corrupt gem, steven." she says sternly. she looks you up and down suspiciously. "this could be some kind of trick." you sneer at her words. the nerve of this gem! Do I look like the kind of being to maul someone!? "but... this is the closest we've ever gotten to one without being attacked!" he argued. "We should at least give her a chance... maybe it's not to late to help her!" he pleaded, earning a 'hmph' from the gem as her gauntlets disappeared with a flash from her hands. he returns his gaze to you. "we're going to help you. okay?" you stared at the boy pencively for a moment. you feel strangely at ease by his presence. You couldn't help but have a sense of trust his words.. you nodded slowly, earning a small giggle from him. "Great! Glad we're on the same page!" Your lips curled into a small smile at his cheeriness, and look over to the rather emotionless gem only to see she had crossed her arms, seemingly suspicious of your cooperation. HMPH! With a snort of indignation, you reached up and took that garnet gem's visor and look down at them. very sharp looking. when you tilted them, they shined brightly in the light. not bad. you placed them on your muzzle and grinned smuggly. I wear these things better. as you snicker, you look up and was startled to see the gem's three eyes staring at you in dispassion. Left red, right blue and the center purple. you flinched, causing the visor slide off and fall to the ground, disappearing in a flash at your paws. You blinked at wear the visors had disappeared in bewilderment. Uuhhhh... you look up nervously at garnet, almost expecting to be hurt by the unnervingly calm gem...

but she stood there for a moment, staring at you with no discernable movements, save for a single blink. then she calmly brought a hand to her face and in a swift hand motion; re-summomed the visors back on her face. "Yeah, she's fine."

Your eyes widen in amazement. what the-? you then brought your own hand and mimicked her motion. However, nothing happened. you of course hum in confusion looking down at your hand. what? you tried it again. still no visors. but, if she can do it, why can't I?! With a grunt of frustration, you keep attempting it, amusing Steven into a fit of giggling. garnet watches you with a blank expression.

"I knew corruption would effect a gem's mind... but this is a different variation of effect..."