Amethyst gasped as a rush of soft warmth moved through her wound. But it was more than just his touch that she felt. It wasn't even just what he was doing to her injury. It was some kind of connection that sparked between them.
She had always been able to read (and influence) people's dreams - both their dreams of the night and their dreams of the future. But looking in Jasper's eyes as his soul touched hers, she suddenly had insight into every dream and hope he had ever had, ranging from going to school, to watching Amber grow up, to even the brief vision he had had of Amethyst and him together. She could see herself through his eyes and his vision surrounded her with flowers and sparkles, and her heart overflowed with a longing to be with the creator of this dream.
Jasper began to withdraw his hand, but she grabbed his lower arm. "Please don't," she said. She didn't want to lose this feeling yet.
Jasper had never shared his healing ability with anyone but Amber, but found he couldn't help himself after seeing Amethyst hurt. Yet he had only meant to ease the pain and stop the bleeding. He hadn't wanted to explain it to her. But now she seemed to be asking for his touch.
"Ano, I-" Another earthquake hit, causing some trees to fall close to the river.
"Oh, Jasper, I'm sorry." He realized that her eyes were wet from more than the rain. She finally pulled away from him. "I can't stay here. Your planet is too unstable. And we made it worse."
She had begun to back away, but Jasper wasn't about to let her go. "What are you talking about?" he asked.
She closed her eyes. Brief flashes of what her father, General Eclipse, and his army were doing came to her. They had unwisely killed the planet's rulers, leaving it without the only power that was keeping the planet from tearing itself apart. Her arrival hadn't helped. After almost thirty years of searching for a suitable planet to call home, she had hoped to rule this one someday. But instead of being able to steady the planet with her earth-based powers, she seemed only to compound the problem.
"I'm sorry," she repeated and for the first time in her life, she really did feel regret. She didn't want this planet to die. And she really didn't want him to die. "I wish I could fix it. I wish�." Her voice trailed off, and she finally stopped backing away.
"Come with me," she implored him.
"With you? Where?"
She pointed toward the darkened sky. "To the stars. To a new home."
Jasper looked down at the young girl clutching to him. "But my family-"
"Your parents are dead," Amethyst interrupted, looking neither in his eyes nor his sister's. His dreams had shown her what his parents looked like, and her glimpses into General Eclipse's point of view told her that one of her father's lieutenants had already slain them.
"No, they can't be." Even as he said it, Amethyst could tell he didn't really believe his words. Amber began to wail, but Jasper just let her do it. "They-" Lightning flashed above them, and its thunder interrupted him.
"They're dead," Amethyst insisted mournfully.
"I can't leave! There's Amber�."
"She can come too."
"I'm supposed to go to school next year. I made it into Mizu! That's a big deal!"
"You won't finish. Don't you understand?! Your planet's going to die! If you and Amber don't come with me, you'll die too."
"I can't just leave. This is my home." Jasper didn't know how to explain to this girl, who apparently had no connection to this planet, his reluctance to leave it. Even as it lay dying in recent years, he had never dreamed of being able to leave it. Only of his race fixing their mistakes and bringing the planet back to its original beauty. And even if that wasn't possible, he still couldn't just up and leave. Not just like that.
"Please, Jasper! I don't want you to die! I want... I want�."
Unable to suppress her desire anymore, she pressed her lips to his. A strong, yet sweet kiss, promising him something more if only he would follow her.
"Come with me," she said softly, as the ground shook again. "We'll find you a new home. My father can give you powers you never imagined. The power of the water you love so much, even. We can be together forever. There is nothing here but death. But a new life can exist for Amber. For you. A life with me." Her eyes pleaded with him.
Jasper looked around him. At the school - his old future. Back at his house. Could they really just leave? Abandon their home?
Lightning flashed as he nodded to her. "Save Amber at least," he whispered.
A wave of relief washed over Amethyst's face. She placed a hand on both Jasper's and Amber's shoulders. Before teleporting all three of them, she said enthusiastically, "Welcome, both of you, to the Army Eclipse!"
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