Along the streets of Prospit, Mara walked, leaving the soft noise of her swishing dress behind her, and the gentle click of her shoes. The streets themselves gleamed their usual gold, and a few trolls and carapieces walked along, some shopping, some patrolling, and others just wandering. Mara had just gotten off the shuttle from the Moon and was on her way to pick up some mail that she intended to deliver personally. She brushed her bangs out of her eyes with a huff and pushed the little tiara gracing her head up before removing it completely, as she usually did. Her walking slowed as she felt a pair of eyes watching her. Trying to remain as normal as she could she kept going. She was a member of the higher ranks, it was probably only a member of the Golden Prophet anyways.

Sometimes, the best way to be in the know was to be on the streets! Mesh with the common folk and so on and so forth. After all, they knew what was happening amongst the throngs of people traversing throughout Prospit better than any gossip over on the Moon. Well, that was Jade’s opinion, and she would be kindly sticking to it.

Amidst chatting up a few random carapaces, the sight of regal cloth and a determined, brisk walk catch the Witch’s eye. Nodding appropriately, yet attention drifting, Jade follows the young woman striding through the Prospitian streets. The other young woman was a noble--such was an unmistakable fact. While it was curious enough that someone of her stature was making her way so determinedly about (she was familiar with the area, she had to be), there was something else that piqued Jade’s interest.

That was a familiar face.

“Oh wait!” the Witch abruptly exclaims, slapping a fist into her waiting palm. The carapaces before her shoot her nervous, befuddled looks. Collecting herself, Jade gives an apologetic grin before ducking away. “My apologies, my apologies. I simply sighted a friend of mine I had not expected to see! I must be off!”

That said, Jade gives the carapaces before her a quick curtsy before trotting after the noblewoman weaving her way through the crowd. That was Ms. Sikes! She had been at the recent rebel meeting! Jade’s pace begins to slow, just a tad. How would it be best to approach this other young woman? She could not simply go gallivanting over and speaking of their shared cause. That was utterly preposterous! But they had something else in common, fortunately. They were both nobility.

Finally catching up with Mara, Jade gives her an affable wave before beginning,

“Miss Sikes, so nice to see you again! It has been quite a while since that gala in honor of the library, hmm?”

Grinning from ear to ear by now, the Witch offers her companion a wink before clasping her arms behind her back.

“Might I inquire as to where you are headed in such a rush, my friend?”

Mara gave a slight start at the sudden arrival of the Witch, but slowed her pace and continued in a friendly manner.
"Lady Witch, how nice it is to see you again." Mara gave a slight bow from the waist, then continued walking. "It has been quite a while since that lovely get-together. I hope more celebrations of great honor will follow soon." Mara allowed a small smile to twitch up the corners of her lips and glanced at the Witch from the side. She cleared her throat and the last question. "I am, in fact, on my way to the Post. I plan on meeting a friend briefly and picking up some...personal mail." Mara brushed away her bangs again, blinking. "I would be honored, Lady Witch, if you were inclined to accompany me. I believe it would be a pristine opportunity to chat." Mara rounded a corner, smiling and nodding at some of the carapieces she was associated with. Many of them in this area assisted Mara with the mail and with the rumor mill, and she was grateful to them like no other.

Manners not to be forgotten, Jade bows slightly in return to her companion’s display of decorum. Mara truly was a lady of the nobility—and to think, she was just as noble of character as well. Contributing to the causes she did was an immensely altruistic endeavor.

“And I, in turn, would be honored to accompany you, Miss Sikes! You are too kind, truly. Thank you for allowing me this privilege,” the Witch returns with an easy smile, observing Mara’s interactions with the carapaces, curiosity plain in her green eyes. Jade had not much a chance to better get to know her fellow rebel during their brief meeting before, but this encounter was truly telling. Obviously, Mara traversed the common streets of Prospit regularly enough to so readily display such friendliness with the resident carapaces. That, and she seemed familiar with Post. Jade was not entirely sure just what she was doing there, but she had a feeling it associated with the cause. The thought made Jade that much more inclined to like her new associate.

“By the way, I must implore you, call me Jade! Such formalities, while they honor me, are not necessary between us. If you are not comfortable dubbing me Jade, such is fine. I shan’t be offended. Nevertheless, I encourage it if you are willing.”

Turning yet another corner, Jade sights the Post approaching in the distance. While the Witch had visited before, it was not an occurrence that happened regularly. Most often, she simply consulted the Parcel Mistress or sent objects through space at her whimsy. Nevertheless, this visit would be not only a good opportunity to better know Mara, but perhaps to better see more of the rebel communications at work. This could be a very educational experience.

"Why it would be an honor, Lady Wi--, Jade." Mara smiled, sincerely, and in reply offered. "Please then, do call me Mara. Miss Sikes makes me feel so old!" She chuckled. Mara observed the Witch's...no, Jade's eyes, as they skimmed over the area and the carapieces that occupied it.
"I feel that you don't visit here often, considering your great powers." Mara gestured to the post office as they approached. "I find it fitting to help my associates, shall we say, with the simple work. Noble life is...in fact a trifle boring. It's not much at all, however I find that...work has it's rewards."

Mara's eyes seemed to sadden, while her smile remained. "They deserve so much, the little ones, carapieces I mean. They work so hard for us, sometimes just to see us happy. I believe they may be more noble than I." Snapping out of it, Mara smiled up at Jade, messing with her bangs again. "My apologies, let us continue on." She had realized that in her moment, she had stopped walking. "Oh, and thank you for accompanying me on this little errand. It really was too nice of you. I hope I don't bore you to death!"

She pushed open the door of the Post, glancing back to see if the Witch was still following her. Mara walked straight to the edge of the counter, smiling again at the carapiece waiting, and with a short exchange, took a package, flat and as big perhaps, as a file, and a couple normal letters. With a wave, Mara turned again and looked at the Witch. "Shall we continue on, then?"

Mara hoped that the Witch hadn't caught too much of her rambling about the carapieces, and smacked herself internally for mentioning it out loud. Something about Jade just seemed so friendly, she felt like they had known each other longer than just a few weeks. Mara hoped she could have more friends soon, but she also worried for the Witch, as her current of associates was dwindling faster than it should be, and she worried that perhaps, someone had a keen eye trained on her.

Clapping her hands together in a brief show of elation, Jade chirps, “Splendid! Then Mara it is!” before easily matching her companion’s pace.

As they artfully bob and weave their way through the thick soup of chatter and pallid exoskeletons, the Witch finds herself eyeing the unfamiliar surroundings with the barest hint of trepidation. How safe was this place exactly? It had to be secure to a significant enough degree if Mara was comfortable enough to wander through in her noble garbs. Nevertheless, she could not shake the wariness creeping through her gut. Perhaps it was due to the tales Parcel Mistress had told her--how dangerous all of her ventures were, how precious and vital a piece of paper could be to such a great cause. And while Mara’s treks were more localized, the more Jade thought of it, the more she came to the realization just how imperative this young woman could truly be. At the very least, she possessed an astounding amount of valor for one who was not raised to bear those sorts of expectations, as she or John had.

“Hmm?” Jolting just a tad, the Witch glances out of the corner of her eye to her newfound friend before chuckling and offering forth a nod. “Ah yes, you are correct in your assumption.” As the two hit a halt in the crowd, they wait their turn to enter the facility. Turning fully now, Jade regards her companion with a contemplative frown and furrowed brows. “Indeed, the carapaces have made many sacrifices for the greater good…” Mara had a point. They were often not considered, which was an especially disturbing thought considering they comprised the majority of the populace. What with the jobs they took on, and the care taking positions they held, it was mind-boggling to think they did not receive more recognition for their efforts. “There is no need to apologize! You have very valid points, Mara!” Huffing, the Witch folds her arms under her bosom as the other young woman makes to so eagerly change the subject. There was nothing to be ashamed of. Desiring equality for those who most certainly deserved it was a trait to be regarded with pride!

Well, whatever her reasons were for avoiding the topic, Jade would respect them. If Mara so wished to bring the matter up once more, she would gladly converse with her. Finally, the wall of bodies before the Post doors recedes, and the young women are allowed entry into the facility. Waving a hand in an airy manner, Jade laughs lightly, “Heavens no, it’s my pleasure! I always adore a chance to establish new friendships and explore Prospit. And look at that, with you, I am able to enjoy both!”

Eagerly, Jade follows after her new friend into the Post office so as to better observe her exchange. Thus far, everything about the conversation seemed effortlessly normal. More than likely, such was for the better. After all, look too conspicuous, and you look suspicious. “Oh yes, lets! Do you have any other errands you need to attend to, or would you mind it terribly if we made our way back to the Moon?”

Jade wanted little more, at the moment, than to know more about Mara, her actions, and her intentions. The Witch hadn’t a doubt in her mind that Sikes’s intentions were noble. The matter of curiosity was more so, what exactly got her into this sort of business? Just what did she do? It was somewhat a shameful realization, but Jade hadn’t the faintest idea about her compatriot’s methods or ideals. That was not a good way to go about working together for a rebellion at all…

Turning on her heel, Jade places her hands behind her head before peering up at the ceiling with a thoughtful gaze.

“I have not had the pleasure of a visitor to my tower in AGES.”

The best thing about the Witch’s Tower was its security. No one could eavesdrop there.

“Are you all right, Mara? You look as if something is bothering you…”

After the exchange, Mara and the Witch wove their way out of the Post. She took a moment to dwell on what Jade had said and after a moment, spoke. "Oh, these letters are not too important. I suppose some lay time would do them good." She broke her steps even with Jade once again. She seemed to have picked up on her ramblings and in fact seemed quite perturbed at her sudden subject change. Nothing mattered to Mara more than secrecy, especially in such a public place. Mara trusted those around her, but holes in the system could mean spies, those who were swayed by their choice or not. In fact, making friends with Jade seemed nice. Having someone who could understand her and her reasoning, especially with an understanding of her position in this twisted society seemed like one of the best things in the world.

In fact, an excursion to the Witch's Tower seemed divine. Mara's curiosity led her to imagine the great things that spire had to offer, and she had been itching to see it since she was a child. Her own self-consciousness, however, paired with a lack of knowledge both of the area and the Witch herself left her with only dreams. The child in her revered the thought; almost as though it were a secret hideout! Such a funny idea, she pondered, when almost everywhere she went out of sight of the public was a secret. "I suppose we'll have to take the shuttle back then." She mused, to herself mostly.

She turned suddenly down a side street, realizing too late that it was a mite unnatural and probably startled the Witch, as well as anybody walking nearby her. Her pace did not slow, however, as she did have to deliver one of the letters right then. The recipient in question was a carapiece that was frequently on guard near places of suspicion that needed scouting. Directing her attention towards Jade, Mara asked: "So, Lady Jade, how goes life in your sector?" Although they both lived on the moon, the atmospheres of their homes and areas were different. She very much wanted to know more about the Witch and her life. As part of the aristocracy, higher than that even, Mara thought that Jade would have less freedom than she did herself, however from their previous meeting, and now, it seems that her theory was wrong.

As she pondered the extents of her own curiosity, Mara saw the carapiece she had been looking for and slipped him the letter. Reconnaissance was in fact quite boring, compared to the glamour some compare it to. With an apologetic smile to the Witch, Mara turned once again, on route now for the shuttle station. She hoped Jade understood and didn't mind her little errand.

Mara herself had purposefully avoided most of Jade's questions, hoping to save them for later when, and if, she managed to make it all they way to the Witch's tower. It made her feel horrible, disregarding somebody so nonchalantly, but she worried for other's safety more than their feeling of acknowledgement.

The earliest years of the Witch’s life had been fraught with a gaping chasm of isolation. It was in those periods--with gaze turned towards the shrouded views of Prospit that the tower windows endowed--that Jade would often inquire of her forced seclusion from the general public. Grasping the concept of greater purpose, no matter how ingrained the idea is into the malleable, young mind, is still an arduous task. A halt in her questions did not arrive for years; a full understanding took even longer.

Thus, in Jade’s mind, arose her eagerness for visitors now that she had arrived upon her freedom. If anything, she did not want to ever view of chambers as a prison, but a home. And, Jade knew for a fact that homes welcomed friends.

With Mara’s affirmation of her willingness to accompany Jade back to the Moon, the Witch finds herself utterly enthralled. A grin that takes from ear-to-ear dons her features as she turns to better peer over at her new friend. Yes, Jade had definitely done well when she had decided to vouch her trust in Mara.

“I suppose we shall!” Jade confirmed, nodding in beat with the rapid pace of her footfalls. However, she quickly comes upon the realization that she and her companion are not yet headed for the shuttles. Rather, Mara has turned into a nearby alleyway and made headway for a mysterious carapace. Once having regained her footing, Jade forces herself to backtrack and clear her visage of her sudden surprise. She observes the easy exchange between the two beings with curious, bespectacled eyes before once again following after Mara, though this time out of the alleyway.

“Well, my happenings over within my end happen to be astoundingly busy at the moment. It has all been such…organized chaos, so to speak? Well, it seems so if one were to compare the comings and goings to how they had been before all of this mess,” Jade gestures vaguely to the skies, as if they hold some sort of a better, more detailed explanation to her answer. “I partake in quite a few errands, mostly of my choice, more or less. There would not be nearly as much to do if I would simply cease with all of these promises of mine, but I cannot help myself! But I do not regret that which I pledge. I have a distinct feeling I would be horrifically bored if I were not so occupied!” Winking playfully at Mara, Jade gracefully hops onto a low brick wall so as to traverse it rather than the roads below. Perhaps such was just another show of how practicality never seemed to breed near as much fun, in her mind.

“And you, my friend? How are things where you reside?” Jade had to admit, she was quite curious about Sikes’s residential area. Most of those the Witch associated with seemed to live mainly in the palace or upon the planet of Prospit itself. The human nobility was not a group she had ever associated overly much with, beyond what her position deemed necessary. What did they even do with themselves? It had always seemed so…stuffy, at least somewhat, over there.

Jade easily returns Mara’s apologetic smile with a shrug and a grin. She did not mind if her new friend needed to attend to any business. After all, whatever it was, she was sure it was important. That, and Jade had been the one to accompany her. As a guest, it was the least she could do.

“Oh, there is the station!”

[To be continued here: https://skaianwars.rpg-board.net/t120-a-simple-walk-continued#1159]

"Oh, the nobility is as it has always been." Mara smiled up at Jade, who was clambering about on a low brick wall. The whimsy of the Witch lightened her spirit. Perhaps there was hope, if such a crucial person with such weight on their shoulders could stay optimistic. "Boring and uneventful. We do naught more than be figureheads. Then again, I'm not very high on the Noble ladder. Sometimes we're allowed to sit in with the Queen while she makes decisions, or whenever a banquet or celebration is called." She sighed, brushing her bangs from her face and jumping along to keep up with Jade's pace. "Myself considered, I don't do much either. Not much to do in a family with not much to think about. That's why I took up the mail. After the Temple incident, my parents have been none to thrilled that I returned home, so staying away is beneficial." Mara realized that she had rambled, for when she glanced up, the shuttle station was upon them, and Jade was exclaiming their arrival.

(Longer post continued in new thread, whoop)