"Wait here Spinel, I'll be right back," said Steven before taking off towards his friends, only to turn back and say, "Really," and taking off again.
Spinel chuckled at that as she watched him, no doubt in her mind that he would come back... but every doubt that she didn't deserve to see him come back. "All the things I've done to him, to his friends, to his planet," she said as she gazed at the complete wreckage caused by her Injector before continuing saying, "even if they will forgive me, I can't forgive myself." As she took one last glance at Steven, who had had already begun slowly but surely repairing the damage she'd done, she smiled and said, "You really are as great as the legends say.... which is why I don't deserve you." She then took off back towards the Steven's home, and the Galaxy Warp it contained.
She thought she heard Steven call her name as she ran, with tears in her eyes as she put out her right foot and stretched it all the way to the front step of the Warp Pad, where she then took her left foot off the ground and snapped all the way to it like a rubber band. She brought up the Warps map and as it loaded she started saying, "OK, just got to make a choice and WOOOAAHHHOO!" Once the map had finished she saw that Blue, Yellow, and White had expanded their empires quite a bit since she last looked at them with Pink. "So many worlds to choose from," she said with a smile before continuing saying, "Full of gems who've never seen me." That smile faded though as a revelation hit her and she said, "Gems who love Steven Universe and everything he did for them.... and will hate me for everything I've done to him." As she gazed at the map not knowing what to do she noticed something odd happened. A part of space became pixelated before a new world popped up for her to select. "Hmmm, Equis," she said in confusion as she read the world name. "Now where have I heard that name before and-" she said before suddenly cutting herself off as she remembered.
8000 years ago in The Garden
As Spinel juggled she glanced at her best friend only to see her frown holding solid, so she used her power to stretch out her neck and add her head to the mix. She juggled fast and faster before eventually failing on purpose and letting her face fall on the ground hoping a little physical comedy could cheer her up. When she picked her head up off the ground though, she was only greeted by a slight smirk before the frown returned. At seeing this Spinel had new emotions flood her that she didn't fully understand as for the first time she could remember a frown came to her face and she said, "What's wrong Pink?"
Pink Diamond looked at the little gem and was slightly off put by how she was currently expressing a level or seriousness and concern she wasn't meant to be able to as Pink said, "Oh um, it's nothing Spinel... it's just Yellow has been extra moody lately."
"What about?" asked Spinel as her frown turned to curiosity.
Pink, slightly relieved at seeing her Spinel act how a Spinel should again, said, "Her most recent colony, a planet called Equis, failed before it really even started. Somehow the warp they launched from orbit never became active to let a Peridot survey the land, and White said they aren't allowed to use more then one warp or land on planets directly unless they know for sure a planet is valuable."
"Oh," said Spinel as she watched Pink's frown return before she decided to pick her up and turn her saying, "Now why don't you turn that frown, upside down!"
This caused Pink to finally break into a fit of giggles as she said, "Spinel, never change."
"You got it best friend," said Spinel as she too erupted to laughter and stretched her fingers all along Pink to tickle her.
"HAHHA, NO SPINEL, STOP! HAHA!" said Pink as her laughter increased and her face turned red, "STOP SPINEL!"
Back at the Galaxy Warp
"SPINEL STOP!"
She was suddenly brought back to reality at hearing Steven's voice and, without thinking, she selected Equis and activated the warp.
By the time Steven managed to get there she was already gone and Equis had glitched back off the map.
As Spinal arrived on the warp she saw exactly why it wasn't working right as it somehow landed in a lake and was surrounded by water covered in foliage. It was a miracle it was able to get a signal for as long it did, literally as what Spinel didn't notice as she swam to the surface was a shiny white and blue tree root recede away from the warp and back to it's cave, now that it's job had been done.
Once Spinel reached the surface she looked around at the lively organic woods before her as she said, "Yup, definitely not a gem colony. This will be the perfect place then to make new friends with people who don't know me," her smile faded though when she saw her reflection in the water. At her matted hair, her upside down gem, and the black lines under her eyes, as if her skin was permanently stained with the tears she shed. At this body she solely crafted to convey her anger, sadness, and need for revenge. "But I still know me."
She then swam to the shore thinking about what to do before she remembered a part of her revenge plan she hadn't used yet. As she stepped ashore she reached into her gem saying, "I knew Steven would probably get a hold of my Rejuvenator... which is why I brought two." She then pulled out the small rod and looked at it saying, "I still don't know why Pink kept these hidden in the back of our Garden... and given how many other mistakes she apparently made I'm not sure if I want to know."
She then activated the device as part of her screamed not to do this, but she knew that even if whoever called this planet home could get past her looks, she could never make friends the way she felt now as she said, "I guess Steven was right, it will be better if we just," she then pointed the blade at herself as she shed a tear and said, "Forget this ever happened," and then swung it down before seeing nothing as her form poofed away.
Her gem clattered to the ground and the Rejuvenator, with no one holding it anymore, automatically deactivated and fell near her.
Several minutes later
"I can't thank you girls enough for helping me on this little gem excursion, I simply must find the perfect center piece for Pinkie's birthday gown before we give it to her tonight," said Rarity as she searched around the Everfree forest with her gem finding spell.
"Shoot Rarity, you know we're always here to help," said Applejack as she pulled along the cart already filled with gems and she mumbled, "Though I still don't know why we can't use any of these gems."
"Now darling you know why, it's not everyday someone turns twenty one and since Pinkie's not really interested in the usual festivities that come with this age, we should do everything else we can to make it special," said Rarity.
Twilight smiled as she said, "That's very considerate of you Rarity. After all, friendship begins with recognizing and accepting others differences and-"
She didn't get a chance to finish her friendship lecture though as Rarity's horn suddenly glowed brighter then any of them had seen it before as she said, "OH! My my my, there is quite the rare gemstone nearby," she then trotted in the direction her horn took her as she said, "Come along girls."
Twilight shied before she and Applejack took off after her, only to see her standing by a lake and staring at something on the ground. They trotted over to her and saw that she was staring at a pink heart shaped gem stone.
"Wow Rarity, that looks beautiful," said Twilight with a smile.
"Shoo-Wee, is that one of them heart stones or something?" said Applejack.
"No... it, it doesn't make any sense," she said as she levitated it in front of her face.
"What do you mean?" asked Twilight.
"I mean, judging by the clarity and texture it appears to be a form of Spinel... but I've never seen it form into a heart shape like this," said Rarity as she pulled out her dichroscope and took a good look at the oddity before her.
"You don't think it fell off somepony's necklace or something, do you?" asked Twilight concerned.
"It couldn't be, these lines are too flawless, even the finest unicorn gemologist couldn't cut this perfectly. It must have formed like this, but I don't know how," said Rarity.
They all paused for a moment before Applejack said, "Well I feel like that makes it perfect then, a gem that doesn't make sense to you right now, for a pony who doesn't always make sense to us."
Rarity chuckled as she said, "I suppose you're right darling," before levitating it into her saddlebag. "Besides, I'm sure Pinkie wouldn't mind me taking another look at it later after I've brushed up on my gemology to make sure there's nothing I'm forgetting."
They nodded before they turned to walk out of the forest, but just as they were leaving Twilight felt something brush against her hoof. She looks down to see a small rod with a button on it, as she levitated it to her face saying, "What the, who would leave a laser pointer all the way out here?" She was about to press its button and see if it still worked out of curiosity.
But before she could she heard Rarity's voice say, "Come along dear, Rainbow can't distract Pinkie forever and we need to help Fluttershy and Spike with the decorations."
"COMING!" yelled back Twilight before putting the object in her saddlebag and trotting after her friends.
Several hours later in Sugarcube corner.
Spinel wasn't sure what was going on, she had gathered enough energy to restore her form but she also sensed some kind of wrapping around her gem and while it was too thin to stop her she didn't think she should destroy it as she combed through the data she was gifted with in her gem trying to figure this out. Soon though she realized what was happening as she thought, "OH! I GET IT! I'm a gift! That makes sense, it says here that it's not uncommon to wrap gifts and that Spinels are usually given to Peridots or Holly Blues to help them relax in their down time so they can be more efficient when they work. If that's the case then I DEFINITELY shouldn't form yet. I wouldn't want to ruin my new best friend's surprise."
As Rarity watched Pinkie tear into her cake, careful to hold the neatly wrapped gown behind her, she eagerly awaited the chance to give it to her.
"WOWEE! This is the best cake I've ever eaten before, how did you girls do it?" asked Pinkie excitedly, paying no mind to the frosting beard currently on her face.
"Actually, you can thank Starlight for that. She made it using her magic and the baking lessons you gave her... it's to bad she couldn't be here though," said Twilight.
"I can't believe she and Trixie got a last minute request to perform at the Canterlot Theater," said Fluttershy smiling at her friends success, even if it was just a hobby for Starlight.
"Only because Sapphire Shores cancelled," whispered Rarity snidely, causing a guilty giggle to come out of Applejack before she regained her composer.
"Meh, it's fine. Because even if my friends can't always make my parties, I know the're still my friends," said Pinkie with a smile.
"So I guess that means you haven't been talking to any bags of flour or buckets of turnips lately," said Dash with a giggle at Pinkie's slight embarrassment.
The girls all chuckled for a bit before Rarity, unable to contain herself anymore and noticing that Pinkie's plate and face where now inexplicably clean, said, "OK Pinkie, if you're ready to open your presents now, I have one I'm very excited to give to you!"
"OH YES YES YES YES! GIMME GIMME!" said Pinkie as she eagerly hopped up and down before reaching out her hooves to Rarity, who gave her the gift as Pinkie tore the wrapping open.
What happened next was something none of them expected as the heart shaped gemstone detached itself from the dress as it started glowing and floating into the air. As it turned itself upright the light formed into a humanoid shape around it and they began hearing what sounded like a young girl's laughter coming from it.
Suddenly it tackled Pinkie to the ground as the light faded and it was revealed to be a pink girl with heart shaped pig tails, large gloves and shoes, thin limbs, and puffy clothes on her shoulders torso and waist. She had the widest smile any of them had ever seen as she stared down at Pinkie and said, "I am just so excited to meet you!"
"YOU ARE!?" said Pinkie not only matching, but outpacing her excitement and smile.
"Of course," she said as she got off Pinkie. "After all, why wouldn't I be excited to meet my BEST FRIEND!" she said as she jumped up into the air and began giggling.
Spinel then got back on the ground as she looked around for the Pearl who was supposed to introduce her, but upon seeing none she shrugged and thought, "Guess I gotta do it myself." She then began singing, "My cut is perfect and I'm Pink, like you. I'll bring you endless entertainment," she then spun over to Pinkie as she continued singing, "I'm your best friend, Spinel."
She then stood proudly stood with her arms to the side as Pinkie looked at Rarity, "WOW! I can't believe you got me a new best friend for my birthday."
"Well I um," stammered Rarity as she and everyone except Pinkie struggled to figure out what was going on.
Pinkie on the other hoof simply hugged Spinel, who stretched her arms all around Pinkie to give her less of a hug and more of a burrito wrap as Pinkie said, "This is, THE BEST BIRTHDAY EVER!"