(10:39:24 PM) ***Glacier_Jade is sluggish as the group make their way towards the next place, starting to lag behind a bit. Her movements are stiff, more like an animated statue than a person and frozen teardrops line her face and ruin her makeup.
(10:41:51 PM) Earthflame: Dragonfly lets herself be held back... Shifting to look at Jade, tilting her head up to look her in the eyes. "Come on Jade, wake up! This... This isn't you..."
(10:46:33 PM) ***Glacier_Jade is silent, pausing to lean against the wall for a moment. She shivers...looking cold.
(10:48:06 PM) Earthflame: "Dammit Jade!" She says, looking frustrated... And scared. "I... You have to pull yourself together, Jade! You're stronger than this!" Arms take her by the shoulders, the disguised Empress looking... Lost. Uncertain.
(10:50:47 PM) ***Glacier_Jade leans against her for a moment...then collapses to her knees, crying.
(10:51:25 PM) Earthflame: She stumbles a little, falling to her knees with Jade... Finally relaxing and doing what was natural, instead of trying to stay in control- Wrapping her arms around the girls shoulders and squeezing tight.
(10:54:21 PM) ***Glacier_Jade is very cold...but she hugs back, still crying without dignity.
(10:54:55 PM) Earthflame: She shivers with the chill... But doesn't pull back, not even loosening her grip for a moment, holding her friend tightly. "Jade... What Was that?"
(11:00:03 PM) ***Glacier_Jade stops sobbing, though her tears are still falling. "...Tuya..."
(11:00:54 PM) Earthflame: "...Tuya?" Dragonfly replies, confused... Still hugging Jade tightly, if a little awkwardly... Unused to this kind of thing.
(11:02:07 PM) Glacier_Jade: "I...my...my best friend..."
(11:02:24 PM) ***Glacier_Jade hugs her back just as tightly, like without it she might melt away
(11:03:14 PM) Earthflame: "Wait... That was..." Jade feels her stiffen in her grip... Shock and outrage tangible, as she holds her close.
(11:04:23 PM) Glacier_Jade: "...that was a person. I've...I've seen it in person, the original."
(11:05:23 PM) Earthflame: "Jade..." Dragonfly rather mechanically rubs her back, still very tense. "And... She did that?"
(11:07:40 PM) ***Glacier_Jade nods, recovering some of her composure. She still looks utterly devastated. "Tuya...she was my only real friend growing up. All the other children either wanted to be friends because they thought it would get them power with my mum or they were afraid of me as a demon child."
(11:08:27 PM) ***Glacier_Jade takes a breath. "Tuya didn't care. She wanted to leave and go to uni...for us both to go. She helped me study...I helped her when other children bullied her..."
(11:13:09 PM) Earthflame: Dragonfly goes quiet at that. She starts to speak a few times, stopping... She's never seemed so unsure what to say. She finally arrives at. "I'm sorry."
(11:14:20 PM) Glacier_Jade: "Mum...she didn't want me leaving...so she took away the warmth in my life." She hold the hug.
(11:15:14 PM) Earthflame: Dragonfly nods slowly, squeezing Jade's shoulders. "...And that's why you left?"
(11:15:57 PM) Glacier_Jade: "...I stole the sword from the clan and went to save her from my mum." She traces her hand along the scar on her face. "I failed."
(11:16:52 PM) Earthflame: "...She did that to you? Your own mother?"
(11:18:06 PM) Glacier_Jade: "I did it to myself. She did...I was changing, my skin turning to ice where she'd touched me." She shakes her head. "She wanted me to be...to be like her."
(11:19:04 PM) Earthflame: "...Parents are like that..." Her own voice is distant, echoes of an old pain... Shaking her head, and squeezing Jade tighter. "You got away."
(11:20:34 PM) Glacier_Jade: "I did...but Tuya didn't." Her voice takes on the sound of someone quoting another. "Don't worry daughter, I'm just making her more fitting for a goddess." Her voice for a moment is full of pure seduction...and not a single drop of warmth or humanity.
(11:20:58 PM) Earthflame: She shudders at that. "...So what we saw..."
(11:23:10 PM) Glacier_Jade: "That is her...or was her." She nods, burying her head in Dragonfly's shoulder for a moment.
(11:25:09 PM) Earthflame: "...But that wasn't the real one? Dia shattered it..." She strokes Jade's hair, frowning.
(11:27:41 PM) ***Glacier_Jade shakes her head, still buried in Dragonfly's shoulder.
(11:28:33 PM) Earthflame: Dragonfly pauses... And then rests her head against Jade's. "...This will not stand. My Dynasty carries the Mandate of Heaven, and even your mother is not beyond our light. I Will bring her to justice... Whatever it takes."
(11:34:15 PM) Glacier_Jade: "I...I don't want you do." She shivers. "I think this was a message...that she did it once...and she could take my warmth from me again." She hugs the other girl like she is about to vanish.
(11:36:47 PM) Earthflame: "I'd like to see her try." Dragonfly pulls back, looking Jade in the eyes- Bright gold glowing from her iris, overwhelming the disguise, echoes of her true form shining through. "I Cannot stand for this, Jade. I will not."
(11:42:10 PM) ***Glacier_Jade looks at her, blushing slightly. "I...I don't want to lose you...not to her."
(11:42:53 PM) Earthflame: The golden glow fades... And Dragonfly remains, smiling as she offers Jade a hand. "You won't. I'm not like anyone else, Jade. You know that."
(11:43:56 PM) Glacier_Jade: "...Tuya wasn't noble or powerful...but there wasn't anyone like her either." She hesitantly takes the hand though.
(11:45:03 PM) Earthflame: She stands, helping Jade up with her. "I understand, Jade... But don't worry. I'm not going to challenge her before I'm ready."
(11:48:09 PM) ***Glacier_Jade nods as she stands...and lunges forward, hugging the other girl tight.
(11:48:50 PM) Earthflame: Dragonfly blushes a little herself at that... Giving Jade a squeeze before glancing further up the corridor. "We should catch up with the others, Jade... Come on."
(11:50:41 PM) Glacier_Jade: "Just a moment. I want to enjoy my warmth for a moment." The she rests her head against the other girl's shoulder.
(11:52:25 PM) Earthflame: Dragonfly smiles, holding onto Jade... Letting a deep, powerful golden warmth, like the light of the sun, flow over her... The Light of Heaven.
(11:54:16 PM) ***Glacier_Jade hugs close to her. "This doesn't mean I'm going to start calling you my queen or something~" A hint of her usual teasing returning to her voice. "I'm still a proud barbarian."
(11:55:28 PM) Earthflame: "Your Empress~" She corrects with a smile. "And if it was that easy, I wouldn't find you so interesting~"
(11:56:19 PM) Glacier_Jade: "You are not either of those yet...and even if you were, I'd still want to steal you~"
(11:58:03 PM) Earthflame: "I'll see you bend the knee to me first." Her smile grows, confident before Jade's challenge.
(7/24/2017 12:00:31 AM) ***Glacier_Jade smiles back, her smile off-centre and tempting. "Oh please, that should be my line. I'll make you unable to stand~"
(12:01:22 AM) Earthflame: "You'll test your claims, my friend... But for now." She glances ahead. "...Let's tear the heart from this place."
(12:02:32 AM) Glacier_Jade: "I like that idea."
(12:02:49 AM) Earthflame: Dragonfly smiles... Taking Jade's hand, and leading her onwards.
(12:04:02 AM) ***Glacier_Jade takes a few steps so that she's walking along side her, not behind.