ooooowwwieeee....
you groaned in a pained daze as you laid on the ground, trying to get the stars to stop circling your head. after a while, you begin to realize just how hot it was in the area you were in. with a grunt, you push yourself up with your 3 arms while rubbing your head with one. you blink the dizziness from your eyes and take a look around the enclosure. it was a room.. but.. not like room you saw in the temple before. this one looked ominous. daunting almost. the stone walls were lined with the same vein like structures. in the center of the floor, was a pit of real, bubbling lava. which was circled in the glowing essence. above you; were tangles and tangles of tendril like poles that knotted and twisted around themselves. and... bubbles...? Wait.... bubbles.. with... gems in side them!? you gulped as your wide eyes darted back and forth. I sense... that I shouldn't be here...
you as you fully got to your feet, and shake yourself off, a light tink was heard as something shook out of your thick mane. tink? you look over to see a small ball of a gem roll away from you. hey? you instinctively walk over to it and give it a small sniff. huh. sitting back on your haunches, you pick it up into your paw and inspect it more closely. it had cool looking designs circling it. it almost looks like a- "RUH!?" your eyes widened as the gem started to glow an ominous green light. in a blind panic, you dropped it and scrambled back, as you watched the gem take form. it assumed a feminine gem's shape, making your eyes widen in concern. but.. why would they- with a feral crackling noise, the figure suddenly unravels, mutating into a massive centipede like creature with a large beak. you crouch to the ground with a whine as it loomed over you hissing and snarling. you whimpered and braced yourself for the impending mauling... but instead, it starts to look around, as if it were confused. then all at once, it shrank itself down to a small size. oh... you stared down at the small gem as it looked around, crackling and whimpering as it looked around with a single eye in its drooling beak. it was... trembling... in fear... a wave of sympathy washed over you for the poor thing. it was just... scared and confused.
you push yourself up, and absentmindedly start to slowly trot towards it to try and give it at least a hint of comfort, only to receive a warning hiss from it as it fluffed it's white mane out making it ×2 it's size. you stop in response, not wanting to invoke any more fear into it. instead, you lower your head to its height as a sign of coming in peace. seeing this act, it crackled at you curiously, cautiously making it way to you, rumbling uneasily in its throat. once it... well.. once she is close enough, she extends her neck forward, almost like she was sniffing you. at this rate, you decided to touch your nose against her beak, as a sign of civility. she naturally flinched at this sudden action, taking a step back from you and made a confused clicking sound. her beak was open, her eye scanning you suspisiously. you stared back at her politely, laying down on your belly, resting your chin on your forearms, rested your midarms against your belly and spread your back legs out behind you, making you lay completely flat to the ground. seeing your serenity toward her, she flattened her white mane and stepped back up to you and stretched forward again, touching her beak against your muzzle cautiously. you smile and rumbled in delight at this and pressed your muzzle lightly against her beak in approval.
she squawks in delight and ever so slight relief as she reared up and placed her two forelegs on your muzzle, nipping at your long bangs for a moment before crawling up your face and to the top of your head, her circling for a moment, before nestling into your soft mane, trilling in content. you purred deeply, tail swaying in triumph at your new friend.
"that was amazing, (name)!" you hear a young voice chirped, startling you both. you rose to your paws and hooves, turning to face the source, surprised to see Steven laying on his belly. when did he get here..? he stands up and walks up to you both, causing the frightened gem in your mane to shrink back. you bent down, so you can show Steven your new friend, making a 'he won't bite' gesture with your paw. she peeks out from your mane, staring at the boy cautiously. "hi there.. i see you've met my friend, (name)." he reaches a hand out. "i'm not gonna hurt you." she crackles uneasily, but crawls to your muzzle, stretching her beak forward to touch his hand. "yeah, that's it." He praised, smiling. "as for me, my name is-"
"STEVEN!!"
uh oh.
the centipeetle practically jumps as you look up to see the 3 gems standing at the entrance. aw crud! "Oh no!" steven jumped up. "wait! it's ok-!" centipeetle scurries back, burrowing into your thick mane, as you staggered back as garnet made the first move, stepping toward you both, gauntlets up and ready. your mane fluffed in alarm at the mere sight of the weapons and you find yourself growling lowly in defense. "I knew that thing couldn't be trusted!" pearl growls, jumping to Steven's side. "now it's gone off and freed another of its... awful kind!" you chuffed nervously, as garnet advanced you both, eyes darting back and forth. your rear bumped against the wall, and you crouched to the ground as garnet's gauntlet sparkled in the lava's light, readying another attack. "no! don't hurt them!" steven suddenly runs in between you and garnet, arms spread in defense. "I'm sure (name) didn't mean to release it from its bubble! but look! she was able to get through to it and made a friend! give it a chance!" he focused on garnet. "please garnet. I'm begging you."
a tense silence came over you all as the boy and tall gem stared at each other for a moment. at this rate, centipeetle scurried from your mane, and into your chest, trembling in fear, burying herself into your thick chest fluff. you wrapped your arms around her, whimpering in worry as the silence stretched for an uncomfortable about of time. finally, garnet spoke. "...I can't say no to that face." you perk up, a happy smile bursting across your face. "EXCUSE ME!?" pearl gasped. "you can't be serious!" ignoring the skinny gem's protest, garnet continued. "I think we should give (name)'s new friend a chance." steven, absolutely elated, ran up to the tall gem, and hugged her leg. "thank you sooo much." you chuffed in relief, licking the centipeetle's mane in comfort.
"just so you know, you've lost your 'inside' privileges!" pearl called, pointing at you angrily.
you didn't hear over the light crackling centipeetle made as she calmed herself down in your arms.