Shattered Jewels

Chapter 22 - Calm Day? Not.

I did training everyday of the week since Zach took me back, I managed to do some chants and use it while battling, I tried some more teleporting, focusing on my jewel. One day, as I got out from my room Leo greeted me "Hey, Angie", I smiled "Oh, hello there, stranger" "Take day off, hang with me" Leo said with a warm smile, I shrugged my shoulders and closed Giselle's room.

We walked side by side then I spoke "Been meaning to ask, James said only Zach, Velvet, and him who can travel between dimensions and timezones but when I got here... you were the one who balanced the timezones" Leo glanced at me and replies "I felt so guilty for making you went through Xtroda, Angie. I can travel too but...my power haven't been perfect yet for that task, when I saw Zach carried you through Xtroda, you seemed powerless and weak, it was all my fault. I agreed with James and Velvet about you going home but then Dmitri came by, he told us about you... I never felt more guilty in my entire life. We didn't know where you were, we didn't know what you do, so I told them to searched for you while I balanced the timezones. It was the least I could do. I admit it did drained almost all of my energy, my jewel got weak for some time but seeing you back in one piece made me...relieved"

"Why did you felt so guilty, Leo? It wasn't your fault"

"I made a promise with someone, Angie, I promised to be strong and protect others with all I got. I failed with you, I didn't protect you and I let you suffered"

"No, you didn't. Please don't torture yourself with this guilt, I'm here, aren't I? In one piece. I'm trying my best to learn all of this, so I want you to teach me"

Leo gave me a smile and ran his hand across my head, then he nodded. We went outside and a motorcycle was parked there, he pulled out a key from his pocket and sat on the motorcycle. "Come on" he said patting the back seat "But... but... I don't have a helmet..." I stuttered, "Got that covered" he claimed giving me a helmet. I growled and put on the helmet then sat behind him "Where are we going anyway?" I asked, Leo just gave me a grin while putting on his helmet and started the motorcycle.

We rode around the Jewel Institute and went outside the gate, I was in awed.

Mountains, clear rivers, green grass, and fresh breeze. We kept on riding and I was still amazed with the scenary around me then eventually we stopped beside a clear river. Leo sat down on the river banks and so was I, we both let out a heavy sigh. "It's beautiful, Leo." I complimented, "I know. You needed some freshen up, Angie" he told me splashing a little bit of the water towards me.

I laughed and wipe out the water on my face, then I sighed "I miss them." Leo gave me a glance and I continued "I miss my parents. Even though we move around much but this is the hardest adaption I have ever been through." Leo pulled my head to his shoulder "I miss mine too" he said with a soft voice. We stayed in silence and just hear the water flowing.

"How well do you know Zach?" I asked him rising up my head, "Why'd you ask?" He replied smiling, I shrugged my shoulder and said "I don't know... that guy is... complicated", Leo laughed "You have no idea, Angie. He's a bloody puzzle", I raised one of my eyebrow.

Leo turned to me "Zach... Zachary Phoenix Ruby. He is one of the heirs to Ruby Empire. You know that. As though as he is, he got a vulnerable side and that is his sister. He loved Alice so dearly, even though Alice is much of a tomboyish girl but Zach treated her like a princess. He spoiled her but Alice never been a brat. Zach thaught her everything he knows, he's the ultimate overprotective loving big brother. I didn't know Zach much before that accident But believe it or not, Zach wasn't complicated like now, Rafe said he was a fun guy, laughs and smiles a lot, you can say he is much more friendly than me but then Dmitri took everything from him including Alice. I don't think he realizes but we know his hiding place in the attic, I went there once when he wasn't around and I saw a painting of Alice, the one with the dandelion, she was so beautiful. I have never met her before but I'm dying too... Great, I'm fangirling now" Leo explained and chuckled, then he sighed "He maybe a cold guy but he's like that to cover up his pain. Deep down he's still hoping for Alice to come back and be his sister again", I gave Leo a nod of understand and threw some pebbles to the river.

"I don't know, Leo, sometimes he seems nice but most of the time he's an asshole." I told Leo pouting, "You want him to be nice all the time?" He teased with his eyebrows went up and down, "Well, yeah, wait no... I mean... well... I don't know" I stuttered throwing more pebbles to the river, Leo just laughed and laid down on the grass. "You got any siblings, Leo?" I asked him, "Yeah, I had a brother." He answered with a sigh "You're wondering now, aren't you, Angie?" He joked getting up.

I looked at his as he ran his hand through his ginger hair then he sighed "I had a big brother, his name was George, I didn't have many memories with him because he died when I was three years old because of illness, one thing for sure he lied a lot. He lied about becoming a superhero when actually he was dying because of a rare sickness, he lied so I wouldn't be worried about him."

I put my head on his shoulder and said "He is a superhero now, you just can't see him", Leo chuckled and asked "What about you, Angie?" "Just me, my mom, and dad. Dad was always a jokester while mom was the calm one. I never had a best friend because I move a lot, I hate goodbyes, I hate starting over. I guess all of those moving around is for protecting me from Amethyst, huh?" I replied sighing, "Life is complicated, Angie, and that's the beauty of it too" Leo stated with a smile.

Leo got up and helped me up "C'mon, I'm starving", we joked around to Leo's motorcycle and as we got there, someone was waiting for us. "Angie, get down!" Leo alerted as some kind of lightning attacked us, Leo revealed a shield and told me "Thought of jewel institute, okay? JEWEL INSTITUTE", I nodded my head and when I closed my eyes, Leo was hit by the lightning.

Leo dropped onto his knees, "Leo!" I panicked holding him, a guy approached us and said "Finally, we meet." I looked up and he gave me a sinister smile "You have made quiet a ruckus in Xtroda there, Evangeline", I held on Leo, closed my eyes and thought of Jewel Institute.

As I opened my eyes, we were at the Jewel Room. I gave Leo a recovery chant for his back, he groaned of pain and as I was done Leo warned "You're not safe here, Angie. We have to tell the others" he got up but I pulled his shirtsleeve "Who was that, Leo?" I asked and he replied "That was Dmitri."

I'm doomed.