Misty Creek (RPDR AU)

XV

"This is no use, Peppa..." Amethyst searched the edge of the water of the creek, shivering as the sun set. They had been searching for Aura all day and were getting farther and farther away from the school. Amethyst didn't understand why Peppa thought she was out there.

"Just trust me, I just have a feeling..." Peppa was still leading the way upstream.

Even Jonbers didn't understand what her girlfriend was doing. "Peppa I really don't know about this." She was growing exhausted. "What if Aura is still in the dungeon? What if she already drowned down there and we aren't doing anything to get her body out?"

Amethyst stopped walking, staring up at her. Her eyes started to fill with tears before she burst into another round of crying, hiding her face in her hands.

Peppa groaned. "Jay-" She rushed over to Amethyst, laying her hands on her shoulders. "Look at me, Am. We're going to find her one way or another and she's going to be okay. I swear."

Amethyst shook her head. "I don't know, Pep..." She whispered, all of her emotions and her exhaustion from the search starting to tear her down. "She might be gone..."

Peppa sighed, taking her hand to continue guiding her. "Think positive, please..."

Amethyst couldn't. Because thanks to Jonbers, the only positive she was, was positive that Aura was dead. She didn't bother looking up from the ground. Aura was gone because of her, and the guilt was so heavy it made her feel useless.

Jonbers trailed ahead of them. She was still close, yet the mist was so thick that it blurred her frame and made her seem as if she was just out of reach. It made Peppa uneasy. She sped up to grab her and pull her back towards her and Amethyst, until a voice calling out made them stop.

Peppa froze, causing Amethyst to look up. "Did you hear that?"

They listened closely, and Amethyst's eyes went wide when she heard her name being called. She stepped forward on her own, struggling to see against the mist. "Aura...?"

Soon, she could make out Aura's frame through the mist. It was hunched over and moving slowly, but there was no doubt that it was Aura. Amethyst's heart pounded in her chest as she ran to her. She was confused and didn't understand how she ended up out here, but she was so grateful that Jonbers was wrong.

"Aura-" Amethyst ran into her arms, tears running down her face as she hugged her tightly. "I-I thought you were g-gone-"

Aura tried to respond, but calling out for her had taken the rest of the strength she had left. She shivered and slumped forward in Amethyst's arms, breathing heavily and closing her eyes. "Hurts..." She whispered so quietly that the other girl almost didn't hear her.

Amethyst grew panicked again as Peppa and Jonbers caught up. "W-What hurts. What-" Her eyes flickered down to the bloodied sweater around her waist, and she completely froze when seeing the damaged flesh underneath it. "P-Peppa..."

Peppa flinched back, but regained herself and immediately swung one of Aura's arms over her shoulder so she could keep her up. "Jay- Run ahead and go get help-"

Jonbers stared in shock at the state that Aura was in. She snapped herself out of it before nodding quickly and taking off in the direction they had come. Amethyst was shaking, but helped Peppa prop Aura up as best as she could. "Aura...?"

Aura was silent, but her head tilted towards the other girl to let her know that she was listening. Peppa shook her head, starting to help her walk.

"Come on, we need to get her help." She said, her tone laced with worry.

----

Luxx wasn't getting any better.

She coughed and shivered heavily in Irene's bed, eyes glossy from the force of her coughing. Irene was absolutely terrified. The school nurse kept insisting that it was just a cold and it'd go away in a few days, but Luxx just seemed to get worse and worse as the hours went by.