After a while, one becomes quite accustomed to the trek the shuttle traverses from main planet to moon. A first ride can either be something of a wonder, or utterly hellish, depending upon both Skaia and one’s resistance to motion sickness. Jade had fortunately been blessed with good fortunes in both regards, her landmark trip. And such seemed to repeat itself upon Jade and Mara’s venture to the Witch’s Tower. It seemed fortune was feeling generous today.

“And this is my tower! The climb, I admit, is somewhat trying your first time, but I have faith that all of that running about you do shall prove fortuitous on this occasion,” Turning to face her friend, Jade nods encouragingly before clenching her fists and holding them close to her chest. “Well, come along then. Off we go!”

March cheerful, the Witch leads the way to the massive, spiraling staircase that signals their entrance. The structure is something akin to wrought iron, intricate in design but ivory in hue. Though, the metallic surface seems more a milky blue in the shadow the narrow, goldenrod walls. It is only upon reaching the top that the duo come across the massive, oaken trap door of the true entryway. Grinning and wiping the sweat from her brow, Jade reaches up and gives the wooden planks a massive heave. With a resounding thunk, the girls are exposed to the home of the tower.

Once finished scrambling inside, Jade offers the other young woman a hand, helping her inside before spinning about slowly to gesture to the whole of the circular structure. The main room is tall, with arching ceilings and crossbeams from which countless beads and sheer, colored fabrics are draped. Rounded, floor-to-ceiling windows expose the glittering luxury of the moon, and beyond it, the vast orb of greater Prospit. Ornate rugs of various hues and weaving, winding designs lay haphazardly across wooden floors—atop of these rugs are the plush, emerald colored armchairs that sit around a coffee table as if stewing over the table’s mess of books and stray papers. Chuckling nervously, the Witch sucks them into the infinite space that her powers grant.

“So sorry for the mess. And if there is any smell. I myself am quite accustomed to whatever odors may come from my potion brewing, but if they bother you in the slightest, feel free to speak up and I shall see what I can do!”

The Witch motions for Mara to take a seat in one of the armchairs before falling into another opposite that one.

“Now that we have a attained a more secure location, feel free to disclose whatever you see fit. Oh, and would you care for some tea?”

Perhaps that was why Mara had not deigned Jade with many answers back when they had been in the streets. At least, that was what Jade had assumed. Mara certainly did not strike Jade as the type to purposely ignore another’s questions for any sort of irrelevant purpose.

The shuttle ride was uneventful as always. The two made small talk on the way, but once they arrived at the Witch's tower, Mara was speechless. Her mouth hung agape at the enormity of the spire, and the causality of the Witch in her regards to it. Jade seemed excited to have somebody over, so Mara, caught up in the spirit of things, took off after her up the spiral stairs. The climb was arduous, but the work of the stairs themselves was purely captivating. Mara spent more time concentrating on the artistry of the tower and the stairs rather than the laborious climb. Her dress, in fact, had begun to weigh her down halfway...oh dear she hoped it was halfway, up the tower. With a huff, she set her eyes on Jade's shoes, far above her, and made sure not to loose sight of them. Goodness this was a tall tower.

Finally, the climb ended, coming upon a great oaken trap door. Mara laughed, for she had victory, and placed a hand on her forehead. She marveled at Jade's strength, first those daunting stairs and then that foreboding door. While she takes a moment to rest, for once regretting her grandiose dress, Jade flung the trap up, climbed in, and offered her hand to Mara. She took the Witch's hand with a smile and joined her in the main chamber.

After spending a minute trying to catch her breath down below, Mara lost it again, astounded by the enormity, the beauty, the the exotic feel of the Witch's towers. A strange, herbal scent hung in the air, and beautiful tapestries of dozens of different colors hung from the high beams. The room was slightly chaotic, with items and books and the like scattered about. It all seemed so delightful to her, so...free. In her apartments, everything was always clean, neat, perfect. The tower was in itself, beauty.

A large grin spread across her face, and Mara looked back at Jade. "No, everything is fine. Perfect really. I do adore your tower." She followed Jade and took a seat in a plush armchair, while the Witch sat across from her. "If it's not too much trouble, tea does sound nice. And my apologies for not speaking freely on the streets. I don't enjoy ignoring questions, but I do feel it's necessary. I will answer any questions you have though." She smiled again, enjoying the prospect of a new friend.

The climb up to the top of the tower always had the rather unpleasant tendency of making Jade feel like such a mess. Dark hair in utter disarray and skirts twisted and lopsided, the Witch sets to subtly attempting to right her appearance. All the while, the young woman sets to nodding to her friend and maneuvering towards the kitchen tucked in the right corner of the main structure. The raised platform that the area sits upon is merely large enough to occupy a rustic looking, iron stove, a few dark wooden cabinets, and one of those nifty little ice chests those of higher income or influential position had to keep their food fresh.

“Tea is not a problem in the slightest. Let me just set right to that then.” After pilfering her cabinets and throwing a few miscellaneous items over her shoulder (what in Prospit was Mr. Barrington Von Squiddleman doing in there?), the female manages to retrieve a teakettle with a pleased exclamation escaping her lips. “What is your preference? Heavens, I have just about everything, really. Chamomile, green, oolong, dandelion…” Ticking off her fingers, the Witch recites several more options before grinning at her companion’s choice and beginning the brew. Once satisfied that the kettle could take care of itself, Jade returns to the armchairs in the center of the room. “I’m so pleased you like my tower despite the mess. I get a bit distracted at times, so it delves into a tad more chaos than I’d like. Personally, I think it’s a bit of a Witch tendency though. We’re ones for ideas and progress, but not so much organization. It’s a wonder any of us can write our potion books, to be honest!”

Kicking her feet out, the Witch nearly manages to knock her shins to the coffee table before stopping herself just in time. Mentally reprimanding her errant limbs, Jade settles back into a more proper sitting pose before beginning once again, “I felt no offense! Considering what I’ve seen of you and that wit of yours, I could not bring myself to chalk the unanswered questions to all too much else but safety. That, and you certainly are not a rude young woman.” Not in the slightest, no. As far as Jade was concerned, her new friend was astoundingly kind-hearted and of most noble character. After all, no one simply vouched for causes like the rebellion or stuck out her neck for trolls she’d never met when the other needed the backing. Yes, Mara was a most definitely a good person.

“Oh goodness, questions, questions. I admit, I might be a bit of a pest, since I have quite a few. But, I, in turn, would be happy to answer any of your questions! So, ask away when you so wish!”

Or get the opportunity. Jade would have to mind herself and let the other girl have a chance to talk! So many inquiries, so little time. Well, on the bright side, at least the two of them appeared to be fast friends and would hopefully have many more opportunities like this one to get together.

“Hmm, I’ll start with a few! What sparked your passion for the carapcian rights? You mentioned something about the Temple. I’m assuming you mean the Temple of Life? Do you mind me asking what happened? I have a friend there, you know! Her name is Jane. Have you ever met her? What are the apartments like for the nobility?”

The young Witch has already lost her form, leaning forward with her elbows on her knees and face wide with rapturous curiosity. When the teakettle suddenly gave its high-pitched cry of heated agony, Jade really should not have jumped nearly as high as she had (though it was not much a surprise she did so). Once composed, the girl is dashing for the tea so as to be complete with the task as soon as possible. There was so much to listen to!

Somehow, despite her rushing, Jade does not manage to spill the tea as she sets it before her friend in a chipped, but clean little tea cup. It is only after the Witch is back in her seat that she realizes she forgot the cream and sugar. “Gah! Where are you two?” Brows furrowed, the young woman waves her hands in the air a bit, as if swatting away a fly, before procuring a diminutive, dark tear in space from which two different jars descend onto the coffee table with loud, matching clatters.

"Oolong would suit me just fine, Jade. Thank you." While the Witch toiled in the kitchenette, Mara took more time to look around. The tower was so richly exotic compared to what she'd ever seen before. When her companion came back and sat before her once more, Mara chucked. "It really is fine, don't worry. Organized chaos is something I definitely understand." Her hand came to meet her breast and she let out a small sigh, she was glad that Jade hadn't been offended at her avoidance.

However, soon after that, the onslaught of questions began. Mara was slightly shocked at getting bombarded with so many inquiries at once, but she took it in stride. "Carapcian rights, well you see, they work in the Palace under the queen, as you know, and the Noble quarters is in fact, in the Palace grounds. So the Carapieces tend to some of the simple tasks around the Palace not attributed to Trolls. With my parents disappointed at my failure at the Temple, I was generally left to my own accord. The Carapieces had the decency to acknowledge me, unlike most of the others. It made me realize how many of them there are. They make up most of the population, you know. And they're very kindhearted." The tea kettle gave a sharp whistle, and the Witch jumped up, then proceeded to prepare the tea. Mara observed her eager demeanor, wondering how somebody so...everywhere, could ever be serious enough to engage in a rebellion.

Mara accepted her cup of tea, and awaited the subsequent cream and sugar, before spooning a few measures of sugar into her cup. She gripped the cup in her lap, allowing the warmth to permeate her hands while it cooled enough to drink. "And yes, I was once in training to become a Maiden at the Temple of Life. However it didn't quite...suit my lifestyle. Horridly monotonous, in my opinion." She then considered the next question. "I do believe I was acquainted with her. We were a tight bunch, or rather, they were. The other Maidens, I mean. I isolated my self a little when I first arrived." She chuckled and took a sip of her tea before adding a little more sugar.

"As for the noble's apartments," she said, stirring her tea, "they're not much really. They're all a little different. Mine has two bedrooms, a common room and a large formal dining room. Very clean, very neat, and very...unchanging. Now I hope that answered most of your questions." Mara took another sip of her tea, raising her eyebrows towards the Witch.

Once Mara effectively answers the barrage of questions flung at her person, pensive, radioactive hues stare the other girl down from across the coffee table. Brow furrowed in thought, Jade takes a moment to absorb all of the information she had sought. Finally, deeming that she had grasped the words well enough, the raven-haired female allows the tension to seep from her visage, now that she no longer found such direct attentiveness necessary. That, and those sorts of looks had the nasty tendency to be rather unnerving.

“Indeed the carapaces are such kind souls,” Jade remarks, though with her inflection, it comes across somewhat more musing. And musing she was, as her thoughts traveled to her rulers as well as the dutiful, helpful parcel mistress she knew so well. With a reluctant sigh, the Witch adds, “There are outliers, as there is within any sort of group, though.” Face darkening, somewhat, the young woman recalls mentions of troublesome members of the council, as per word of the Queen. While the royalty was not normally privy to revealing such information, and she never directly stated who was giving her trouble, she knew well and good enough in what group they found employment. But, just the same, there were disreputable humans and trolls alike. Such was the nature of sentience.

Removing her trail of thought from such a dark, disheartening path, Jade drums her fingers to the vibrantly clothed armrests at her sides. “Jane has never been one to tell me much of her workings within the Temple, though from what I have been fortunate enough to witness, I admit…it would not suit me either. As you say, it seems somewhat dull.” The maidens partook in an awful lot of crouching and staring pleadingly up at stained glass windows—too much—for Jade’s tastes. She assumed they were more than likely praying, but such actions seemed rather redundant in the Witch’s eyes. If one wanted something, why not simply go forth and craft a means to take it?

“Isolated?” Jade repeats, tone impossibly surprised. The young woman almost seems to reel back in her seat at the suggestion. The thought of willingly isolating oneself…why would anyone do such a thing? Such a thought seemed preposterous, in Jade’s view. Her solitude was forced upon her. Why would anyone do that to themselves? “Were you shy?” She’d never had any sort of problem getting out and introducing herself to people. But perhaps Mara had? Curious, very curious…

“Oh, that sounds pleasant!” Even if things around the apartments did not alter much, at least they seemed well furnished, comfortable. Though, judging by Mara’s tone, it seemed quite restrictive. Briefly, Jade takes to glancing about her own tower—the embellishments, the quirkiness, and the mess. More than likely, it was just about as appealing to her lifestyle as would be the Maiden’s existence. “Well, you are free to visit my tower whenever you wish, Mara! And yes, that answered them all to the letter! Thank you, I appreciate it!” After offering Mara yet another toothy grin, Jade adjusts the glasses perched atop of her nose before inquiring, “Do you have any questions you would like me to answer?”

A sad smile grew on Mara's face as she took another sip of her tea. "I suppose it was more of a strange revenge complex. I never wanted to enter the temple, but I was forced to anyways, so I tried to be as different from the life as possible. Of course it didn't work at all and was in the end a very very stupid choice, but it was still something I did. I'd like to think that I've long gotten over it but I think a part of me is still that stuck up little kid in too-big Maiden clothes." She laughed and shook her head before placing the cup and saucer back in her lap.

"Well yes..." Mara replied, tilting her head. "The apartments are pleasant in their own sense, but...the best metaphor I can think to describe them is a pretty dress that looks so very nice and expensive, but in reality the corset is so tight you can't breathe and the collar that snakes up your neck feels like it's trying to choke you." A few seconds passed and Mara burst out laughing. "I swear I'm smarter sometimes." She sniffled and rubbed her fingers on her tea cup.

Mara's bangs fell into her face again as she looked up at Jade and she smiled. "Thank you, really thank you. It's very kind of you." She brushed her bangs out of her face as the Witch adjusted her glasses and bit her lip slightly when Jade offered her a turn at question asking. "Well if you don't mind..."

She racked her brain for things to ask, of course coming up blank once she was on the spot. "So then...um...how did you meet the Rebels and what would you suggest to someone new to the whole scene? What exactly do you do as the Witch of the Green Sun and do you always have specific jobs to do? Have you ever been off of Prospit? Do they let you in the Palace, for the library or the like?" Mara's eyes had drifted to look around the room as she though of questions and her gaze directed back to Jade when she had finished. She lifted an eyebrow slightly.

“Well, if it means anything, I do not believe that being a child is all too bad a thing. After all, we only have the chance to be children once. And adulthood has a nasty habit of not ever letting its victims go,” Jade shudders, though the wide grin on her lips offsets the effect of the gesture entirely. Still, the more the Witch considered it, the less she could blame Mara for having been as bitter as she had been. Had Jade thought of her position any differently, she may have been very resentful for being the Witch. It wasn’t a life she had chosen, after all.

Returning her attention to Mara, the Witch just caught the interesting metaphor. Normally, Jade would have been inclined to laugh. It actually had reminded her quite a bit of Dave and his interesting comparisons between things, though this had been a tad bit more...eloquent. Dave’s metaphors usually involved a lot of effort to impress and a very convoluted (though amusing) train of thought. This though, this wasn’t amusing. This was actually very sad. “…maybe you could visit a tailor? Or start wearing pants?” Jade offered, shooting Mara a lopsided smile. She truly didn’t know what to say, but offering condolences seemed silly. Mara didn’t seem like the type to want that anyway. “We’re quite important. I am quite sure we could start a trend, if we wanted.”

Jade chuckled, then, rubbed at her nose before leaning back into her seat. Eyes glancing to the ceiling, the Witch waved a hand, “It’s okay! I’m your friend, not someone you need to impress! I want you to feel comfortable with me!” Friends should feel comfortable and happy with one another, after all. Friends were the people who made you better not because you felt you needed to be, but because they made you feel better! Yeah, that was it.

Patiently, Jade waited for her round of questions as well. She was actually quite eager to help her new friend, as it were. Especially since the other young woman felt comfortable enough to confide in her. “Not at all, go right ahead!”

“Hmmm….I met the rebels, essentially, when I met Karkat. They were not really anything substantial then. It was just Karkat and Terezi, really. Karkat knows the specifics on how they got those ideas in their heads better than I do,” Jade explained, reaching up to rake a hand through her bedraggled hair. It was still embarrassing to talk about, how she and Karkat had gotten along so poorly back then. “When we met, it involved quite a bit of yelling from both sides before I just…” she waved her hands to the air, vaguely, “stormed off. I was so mad. But curious, I suppose. I’d never met anyone so unpleasant! I found out more about him and his cause came along with that. The injustices, the unfairness—I could not just stand by and do nothing. I didn’t really give Karkat much of a choice but to let me come along on this journey of sorts, after I made my decision. And, so I’ve been involved ever since!”

There was a grin on her face by the time she finished telling that tale, and she could already tell there was probably a rosy, enthusiastic glow to her cheeks. As badly as that friendship had started, Jade wouldn’t trade it for the world. Especially with how it had led her to get involved in something so important, so big, and meet such great people, like Mara. Speaking of which. “Most importantly, be yourself! Also, I suppose you should be willing to adjust your schedule and listen to the others. But don’t let them boss your around. You can let Karkat think he’s bossing you around, but don’t actually let him,” she finished with a decisive nod, arms folded across her chest.

“As the Witch of the Green Sun, I, essentially, have to protect Prospit however I can. Really, I suppose it should extend to what the Green Sun covers, but I don’t exactly have dominion over Derse, as it is. And you and I both know the Battlefield is anyone’s game,” Jade snorted, the arms folded over her chest tightening just a tad. “I think protecting Prospit is different for every Witch or Wizard, since circumstances are different for all of them, so I’ve had to determine my own path. I believe mine is to help bring about this rebellion and stop the evil forces at work on Derse, right now.” Jade crossed one leg over the other and fixed her gaze to Mara’s. “So, to answer your question, I don’t have precise jobs I must always do so much as a general goal I work towards achieving however I can. If that means opening up portals where I need to, or looking into the future when I must, or making potions someone needs, then I will do so.”

The serious expression that had taken hold of Jade’s features vanished, replaced by a jubilant grin. Arms falling to her sides, the Witch leaned forward towards her companion as she began her answer, “I have! I’ve been to Derse before. It’s tremendously different from here. This will probably sound a bit silly, but it has a harsher beauty than Prospit. The people are tougher, and the buildings are sharper. The differences between classes are starker too, unfortunately.” Jade frowned, for the moment, before picking back up with another smile. “But their former Prince, and their Seer, and their Knight-!!! They’re all so great! I…I really miss them, actually.”

Palace, palace! Think of happy thoughts!

“Oh, they do! I can go in, for the most part, as I please, though if I wish to meet with anyone, I need to make appointments. And I cannot go into private offices, or meeting rooms, or bedrooms willy-nilly. But the library is certainly within my grounds to visit. Have you ever been there? If you haven’t, I could take you, if you wanted. I’m sure the Queen would not mind.”

Jade had certainly done quite a bit of talking. She hoped she hadn’t bored her companion. But there was so much to talk about! Mara had really good questions, and Jade was always happy to help. Especially for someone who had been so willing to answer her questions.