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The corrupted Emerald falls in a puff of smoke. "We should finish it," I explain. I crush the Emerald under my foot.

Suddenly, Emerald the one that immerged from the ground with me, my only friend, begins to change, but not of her free will.

"Emerald!" I cry out.

"Onyx," she pleads, "run." Emerald begins to morph, she becomes monstrous, but not completely. I don't know what happened to that other gem, what tainted it, but whatever it is, it's spreading. Am I immune or just lucky? I can't risk it. I have to stop Emerald from forming before the affliction gets any worse. I have to do it, for her own good. I feel an odd sensation from the back of my head, where my gem, the center of my being, is. I reach for it. In my hands, a large battle ax appears.

I lunge at Emerald, she disappears in a puff of smoke. I take her gem. I can't let her form again, but I can't shatter her. I just can't do it. I have to find some way to protect her. Some way...

A black bubble appears around Emerald. Well, if it works, it works.

So, what is this taint? An infection? Is every gem a threat? Am I immune? Well, I'm not gonna get answers here, it's nothing but sand for miles and miles.

I change my form to a cloaked, short figure and begin walking. I may be but an Onyx, with no clue what being an Onyx even means, but I'm going to find other gems, and I'm going to find answers.

A week of walking, and I happen across a settlement. There are odd creatures there, they seem to speak a similar language to me. They are being attacked by another corrupted gem. I poof and shatter it. The creatures, humans as they call themselves, thank me. They inform me of other gems at the beach. I start walking.

As I walk, it's always the same thing. Corrupted gems attacking small, rural settlements. Each tell similar tales of other gems. A Pearl, a Garnet, and an Amethyst.

They also tell me that they're the only ones uncorrupted. Are they immune too? No, the humans say they never shatter the gems. Shattering must be some kind of trigger, like a fungal spore, waiting to burst. Corrupted gems are time bombs, but I didn't turn when I shattered that Emerald. I must be immune. That's the only explanation.

If my theory about corrupted gems is correct, then these Crystal Gems are a threat to the humans. This is their world, not ours. As soon as a corrupted gem breaks, it'll infect them. I don't know much about corrupted gems. They're hostile, maybe they're trying to get cracked?

I continue towards where these Crystal Gems are said to be from, a city called Beach City. As I get closer, I learn about a fourth gem from the humans. A gem named Rose Quartz, who disappeared about fourteen years ago. They say Rose Quartz could heal gems. Maybe she can help Emerald.

I reach Beach City, and have my ax at the ready. I approach a short human with dark, curly hair and a red shirt with a yellow star.

"Hey human," I greet, "where can I find the Crystal Gems?"

Yes, I am aware that this is not how corruption actually works. However, Onyx and Emerald emerged way way late. They're new gems. So, they never learned about corruption. Onyx has come to her own conclusions. So, before you cry foul at lore inaccuracy, I know my SU lore. Anyways, enjoy!