In the Beta Kindergarten-

Jasper lay on the ground, unable to bare the pain anymore as she felt the corruption start to spread all over her body and consuming the very depths of her mind and gem.

In front of her stood Steven while Amethyst and Peridot were behind him, with Peridot hiding behind Amethyst as they all watched in horror as they saw Jasper being consumed by the corruption before their very eyes.

Jasper glared at the three when she saw the look they were giving me. "How dare the pity me, the great Jasper? Even in my last moments, i should at least give the respect of a decent death without some unworthy failures to pity me as if my warrior's death was some pathetic tragedy," Thought Jasper. " Well if you could even call my death a warriors death... how pathetic that I, Jasper, a gem that made history by being one of the only perfect gems in all of the universe besides the Diamonds to have ever been created, would perish because of what the crystal gems call- corruption, something that doesn't even exist on home world or anywhere else besides this wretched planet.I was right this planet destroys everything... even I was not safe from its horrible curse," ThoughtJasper as she withered on the ground in pain, not even struggling against the corruption anymore as she started to accept her fate, she was going to be corrupted and then the crystal gems were going to shatter her.

As she lay there on the floor Steven started to approach her as he couldn't bear to see anyone in pain, not even his enemies. " Hey Jasper," Steven said as he took a tentative step forward. " H-Here let me help-."

Steven fell backwards as he barely avoided a blow that Jasper tried to hit him with but just narrowly missed. Steven looked at Jasper in complete shock as he saw her struggle to catch her breath. As she was slowly able to catch her breath jasper looked up to glare at Steven, an intense gaze that Steven felt pierced right through him to see his very soul. " I don't need your help Rose and I DON'T NEED YOUR PITY EITHER!" She screamed before having to stop to catch her breath once again. "I'm not trying to give you my pity I just want to help you!" yelled Steven as he stood up in hopes that he could reason with Jasper.

As he once again tried to approach Jasper he stopped out of fear as she started to softly chuckle before she started to laugh as hard as she could until she had to stop because of her labored breaths.

She began to get up into a crouched position, her back heaving up and down as she struggled to breath. "I figured it out Rose", she thought " I finally figured out how you were able to accomplish so much, heh you really are a genius."

She once again looked up at Steven, a smile creeping onto her face. " So, this is how you were able to do it Rose isn't it?" she said in between labored breaths." I always wondered why you would stoop so low as to having such a pathetic body, but that's the genius of it isn't it?You did it so they wouldn't suspect you, so they would lower their guard until you were ready to execute your plan, You want gems after they're worthless, you wait until after they lost because when you're at the bottom you'll follow anyone who makes you feel like less of a failure."

She stopped once again, catching her breath once again. Her breathing was getting heavier and more labored as the corruption was slowly taking her over despite her best efforts to slow it down, she needed this, she needed to be here to see the look on Roses face when she found our that the great Jasper was able to uncover her plans that even her most trusted soldiers probably didn't know about.

As she was catching her breath and thinking Steven turned slightly to give both Peridot and Amethyst a confused and nervous look which they both returned.

Jasper looked up at Steven at that exact moment and noticed the two gems behind Steven. She gave another small chuckle. " And we even have two perfect examples of your plan in action!" she screamed with an almost triumphant tone. Steven stole another glance at the two behind them, unsure of what to do. " They are living proof of your plan in action aren't they?" she said while pointing an accusing finger at them.

" The runt... the runt wasn't hard was she Rose? After all, she was a failure since the moment she cracked through the walls of this cursed planet's crust." She paused for the umpteenth time to breath which was becoming more difficult as each breath became more and more labored. "You didn't even have to try with her did you? She probably came crawling to you as if you were her Diamond, and she nothing more than a Pearl." Jasper said with a slight pause before continuing. " No calling her a Pearl would be an insult to all the well made Peal's, not like the one you have here, she is an insult to Homeworld, a Pearl as a warrior, unheard of and utterly pathetic, nothing more than a scream and plea for attention from her owner."She said as she gave forth a cough that shook her entire eight foot frame." No her pitiful existence is more comparable with that of, what I've heard humans call a dog; weak and unable to function or live without the support and constant false feeling of self worth their owner provides."

That was the last straw for Amethyst who had begun burning with more and more rage until it finally burst through and caused her to confront Jasper. "HEY, who do you think you're talking about here? I'm not just some other weakling that has to hid behind others...," Amethyst was slightly interrupted by an agitated Peridot who could be heard uttering a very offended "HEEEY!" before she continued on.

" I am not like just some pathetic worthless dog, and even if I was, that gives you no right to accuse of Rose of being a manipulative heartless warlord." As she was telling Jasper this she was slowly moving forward towards her, slightly slouched in a menacing sort of way, slightly as if she was trying to intimidate the giant behemoth, who was easily three times her size. Despite trying to have a straight and indifferent face, Jasper was genuinely surprised at the smaller quartz solider who showed so much loyalty to her commander.

" At least she has something going for her, loyalty IS one of the most valued traits of a gem, especially in a quartz solider. Well i guess that means she's not as a complete of a failure as i thought, although even in my rotting state she still has nothing against me," Jasper thought with a mental sneer. The look quickly vanished though as she continued to think," Well she has determination i'll give her that, it's not every millennium that you find a gem that is so willing to put their all into a battle that they will clearly lose . . . then again that does seem to be one of the key characteristics of the crystal gems, only seems natural that she would pick up on it and add the fact that they are really the only gems she knows, that trait would be accentuated. Honestly it's painful to admit this to even myself, but i guess i do have a small admiration of the runt, a small almost nonexistent one, but it is one none the less. Never thought the day would come that that would every happen, me the great Jasper, admiring a puny, defective, overcooked runt. Heh, this really is a chaotic day, first i'm losing myself to become a mindless beast, then i acknowledge this shrimp."

During her mental analysis of the situation Jasper failed to notice that Amethyst was still continuing her own rant, and was in fact getting very worked up. "... So first you insult my family then you have the nerve to ignore everything that i have to say! You're just asking for it aren't you?! That's messed up even for you Jasper! your not going to let us help you anyways so could you at least do me the small favor and listen to me for once?! Just because you don't feel any connection between us doesn't mean i don't either, so at least give me a few moments to at least give me false hope of talking to my sister!" As Amethysts said the last word, everything just stooped, Jasper immediately snapped out of her trance-like thinking state to look up at her, Steven and Peridot eyes both widened to their maximum potential, their mouths slightly open in shock.

The world felt as if it was spiraling out of control for Jasper. None of what seemed to be happening seemed real at all."Maybe it's the side effects of corruption- reality fades into the realm of dreams" , thought Jasper as a small chuckle escaped from her mouth.

The small chuckle slowly increased in volume and power until it became a full on crackle that sent a chill to the three crystal gems. So evil did the laugh sound that Peridot decided to resume her seemingly pointless effort to try and bend metal to her will in hopes of doing some damage to the behemoth. Amethyst on the other hand, took the cynical laughter as an insult. With nails that seemed to pierce through her skin, Amethyst opened her mouth as if to bark back a remark for the seemingly insult that Jasper was giving her.

Before she had the chance to however, Jasper ceased the laughter and glanced over Amethyst before laying her eyes on Steven.

"Alright get it over with all ready", was all that Jasper had to say to shock everyone still.

Since it seemed that she was personally addressing Steven he was the first to respond.

"W-What do you mean Jasper?", was all that Steven could muster at the moment, confusion and curiosity still working it's way though his system.

This only served to annoy Jasper, as she still thought that this was a figment of her delirious imagination, in death she should have control over some things, or at least be able to conjure up imaginary people who know what she means?"Honestly", she thought "At least in the end, can't anything be simple like it used to be?"

She sighed in defeat, almost giving up to lay down and wait for the end to take her in silence.

She decided against this, instead opting to humor her odd sense of imagination in her final moments.

"You know", she started. "That healing thing you were talking about earlier, the one that you said could 'heal' me from this corruption". Despite the circumstances Jasper could still not help a smirk that screamed skepticism that challenged Steven to prove himself.

Steven was caught off guard by this. After all this time of trying to help her, she offered even dared him to help her? "This is really a confusing day for all of us..." he stopped for a second as he spared a glance at Amethyst ,"Well i guess it hasn't been all that bad, Amethyst seems like she got a lot off of her chest today that's good..." he then turned to look at Jasper when an almost nonexistent smile flashed across his face. " And it's about to get better for her, after all who wouldn't be happy to get a new sister?"

With that in mind, Steven's "decision" became all to easy to make.

"Alright i'll do it", said Steven without the slightest hint of hesitation.

This was all the encouragement that Jasper needed. She started to get up and make the painfully slow trek over to Steven... To the complete horror of Steven and Amethyst.

"What are you doing Jasper!? You shouldn't move, you're only making the corruption spread faster! D-don't move stay there! I-I I'll go over there, j-just stay still!", said Steven as he saw Jasper lumbering over as well as watching the corruption slowly change her form as well.

Once Jasper stopped for a second, Steven didn't hesitate to run over immediately, Amethyst followed closely behind.

Peridot on the other hand ran the other way. Despite all that she had seen transpire the fear she had was still very real, and when she saw her lumbering her way she panicked. She ran towards the thing that made her fell safe, metal. As Steven and Amethyst reached Jasper, Peridot was desperately trying to pry one the the metal shard loose to use against Jasper if needed.

On the other side of the canon Steven and Amethyst reached Jasper as she fell down withering in pain. The corruption taking it's final toll on her, changing her shape into something unrecognizable to what she once was.

Seeing that she was close to the end, Steven immediately sprang into action.

Coating the palm of his hand with his healing spit, Steven launched himself at Jasper gem.

Jasper felt herself floating in an endless expanse.

There was still light, but what little was left of it was quickly fading, leaving her in darkness.

Now there was no more "light". What was "light"? How did she know about it?

She couldn't think...At least she thought that she couldn't.

Nothing made sense.

She didn't know where she was.

Or who she was.

Or what she was for that matter.

Wait-how did she know that she was a she?

What was a she anyways?

She decided to shrug it of as irreverent.

Or at least she thought she did.

What did these "words" mean anyways?

It was so weird, it was like she knew what she was thinking, what the words meant, but at the same time they sounded like hollow noises without any meaning behind them.

This was a weird place. But it was peaceful.

She didn't know where she was before this.

She almost didn't want to know.

All she wanted was this. Whatever "THIS" was.

She felt like she never felt before, at least she thought she hadn't before.

It didn't matter now though.

She was here now. and she wanted to stay.

Why would she leave?

She didn't know anything else. At least she thought she didn't.

Everything was so fuzzy.

It was as if she remembered, but if it wasn't her.

Not that it mattered, because here she was and here she was going to stay forever.

However, she couldn't help but feel something nag at the back of her head, disrupting the other wise perfect peace.

It didn't leave her alone.

She felt as if she was forgetting something, but what?

She didn't remember.

How could she, there had never been anything more that here, right?

Yet the feeling stayed.

Then she felt it, light again.

She felt it behind her closed eyes- wait closed eyes? When did she close them? When did she get eyes?

As she plundered about her dilemma the light continued to grow, calling to her.

She almost didn't want to go.

It was nice in here.

But the light kept calling.

She didn't know how, but the light actually felt PURPLE.

It called, soothingly to her.

It made her feel like everything was going to be all right.

She decided to listen to the voice. To trust it.

She followed it.

She followed the guidance of the voice until the purple light turn from a soothing glow to a harsh burning glaze.

And then she felt it, her consciousness coming back to her.

She felt her eyes open to the harshness of light, then she say it.

She saw her savior.

Amethyst.

Steven had lunged towards Jasper and covered her gem with his spit.

Jumping back he landed right in front of Amethyst, they both just stood there waiting.

Nothing happened.

They waited but Jasper didn't move, not even a twitch of a muscle.

Steven felt he stinging of tears in the corners of his eyes, had they been too late?

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Amethyst throw her self onto Jasper, tears streaming down her face.

Seeing this, Steven was unable to hold his grief any more. He fell to the ground on his knees. His hand desperately trying to keep up with amount of tears he was shedding as he tried to wipe them away.

He looked up at Amethyst.

She was kneeling in front of Jasper, tenderly holding her unrecognizable head. Maybe he was hearing things, but he thought he could hear her mumbling to Jasper as she lovingly started to stroke her mane as she slowly rocked the head back and forth.

Steven couldn't imagine how much this was hurting her.

"To care about someone so much and lose them.

Maybe this is how the gems felt when they lost mom, when dad lost mom.

Maybe this is how i would feel if i lost any of the gems, or dad, or...maybe even Connie."

While Steven was lost in thought he didn't notice when a dull yellow-orange light began to glow.

But Amethyst did.

As soon as she saw the light her words began to increase in volume, not once stopping for a pause.

"I'm here sis i'm here. Come towards me. What is that they saw? Oh yeah! Follow the light sis, follow the on i believe in you sis. Trust me you can do this. Come with me"

At this Steven looked up to see a glow that slowly started to take the form of the Jasper they knew.

Then the light vanished and what was left was not an Amethyst cradling a monster, but an Amethyst cradling the body of a Jasper, of her sister.

Now the two crystal gems where crying, not out of sadness but of joy.

One for her sister, the other because of the happiness that the gem brought to his friend.

At that moment Jasper began to stir.

She opened her eyes and glanced up to see Amethyst pressed against her hair crying.

"Amethyst?" Jasper cried out weakly.

Amethyst backed away from Jasper's hair enough to get a good at her sister face to face, wiping away the tears as she did so.

"Yeah sis", she said though choked sobs.

"Thank you", was all that Jasper managed to say before she closed her eyes once again.

The tender moment was sadly shattered as a large shard of metal flew passed them to impale Jasper and poof her physical form.

"YYYHHEEAAA!" was all that could be heard from behind as Peridot came running over, triumph written clearly on her face.

"How do you like that clod! HAHAHAHA!" As soon as she reach the others Peri became silent as the looks the two were giving her where not what she expected them to be.

"What did i do?" Asked Peridot in utter confusion.

Steven was the first to bark back an answer, anger clearly evident in his voice.

"You proofed her! She did nothing wrong Peridot! She's good now there was no reason to do that!" he yelled.

Peridot's face flushed with embarrassment as she tried to come up with an excuse and wave it off.

"W-well um... at least it will be easier to carry her back to the temple right?" Peridot retorted quickly, proud of her logical answer.

At this Steven calmed down a little " Yeah-yeah i guess so", he said with a sigh, utterly exhausted by the days drama. "Alright i think it's time we head home, we don't want Pearl and Garnet worrying about us." he said as both he and Peridot started to walk towards the warp pad.

As he was walking away he noticed that Amethyst wasn't behind him.

He looked back at her as he called out,"Hey Amethyst aren't you coming?"

Slightly startled Amethyst stood up immediately from her spot where she had been looking at Jasper's gem. "Y-Yeah i'll be right there!", she replied back.

Upon hearing this Steven decided to go ahead, he could wait for her at the warp pad.

As Steven started to leave Amethyst bent down to pick up the gem in front of her.

Once she picked it up she nuzzled it close to her chest and her own gem.

"Come on sis, let's go home", was the last thing she said to Jasper before she turned to catch up with Steven and Peridot.