The sound of Raven Jade singing, blasted through Jia's headphones as she sat on her bed writing the report for the Potion that they were going to give in tomorrow. It had taken her group two weeks but the potion was going to be finally handed in and she was hoping for an A+ grade. Right now, Clary was with Fiona in the Potion's lab brewing so she need to finish with outline quickly and then write the results when they called her down.
She was nearly done when she felt someone tap her left shoulder. Taking headphones off, she glance to the side to see Clary standing beside her bed with a nervous smile.
Jia arched an eyebrow at her, "What happened?"
Clary folded her arms and gave an unconvincing laugh, "What makes you think anything happened?"
Jia mimicked her friend and leaned back in her chair, "Because you look like a child who has just broken her mother's expansive vase and is trying to slowly confess to the crime."
Clary 's eyes darted uneasily around the room before they rested on Jia, who only sat calmly and waited.
Two seconds later, Clary gave up, "Okay, so something did happen!"
"I knew it!"Jia exclaimed as she stood and tapped her friend's forehead," What did you do, Clary?"
Clary wrung her hands, "I'm sorry, it was an accident! I was just following the instructions when my phone rang and I jumped and then it smashed and then I didn't know what to do!"
"What did you break?"
"The bottle containing the Dragonsnap wings." Clary admitted with a sheepish smile.
Jia smacked her forehead with a groan,"Clary!"
Dragonsnap wings were from the Dragonsnap insect that lived inside Blacklock forest. In the swampy section of it. Most girls aimed to avoid going there because, it always smelled horrible and if the water got on your clothes, you'd smell like dead fish and insects for days.
"I know, I'm sorry! Please don't tell the girls!"
"Okay, stop, "Jia held up a hand to stop her friend from further hyperventilation," It happened. There's nothing we can do about it now except...."
"Except what?"
"We need to replace the ingredient and finish the potion before the others find out."
Clary clasped her hands and began to thank her over and over again as Jia put away her things before running to her closet to change.
Shrugging on a sleeveless jacket, biker shorts and sneakers, she and Clary left the room for Blacklock forest. It was tricky sneaking out of the school but they managed it fine without Zoey and the other girls catching them. Jia felt like she was eight years old again and she was trying to sneak out of her home.
Once outside, a bus took them as close as it could to the edge of Blacklock. From there, it was tracking time. Jia hung back to braid her hair before they pushed through the forest. Usually she would levitate or fly to a place but when she was with the girls, she had to walk to be fair.
"How are we going to make one come to us?"Clary asked, frowning slightly.
Jia grimaced and turned to her, "I remember Rose telling me in Potions that we have to catch them first and then paralyse them before we take their wings."
She ducked under a huge tarot leaf and moved forward as Clary tried to keep up with her. The place was really starting to get stinker so Clary walked with a nauseous expression. They say the closer you get to the swamp, the worse the smell gets.
"Is it that hard to catch a Dragonsnap?"
Jia nodded her head, "Dragonsnap are one of the fastest insects in the Universe. It is going to be very hard."
"Great, I just have one objection." Clary said as she smacked an insect on her left her hand. She really, really hated winged bugs.
"What?"
"I can't pull an insects wings off, it's cruel."
"Don't worry, new wings instantly grown on to replace them."
"Really?" Clary asked hopefully.
"Positive."
Clary signed with relief as they continued on. They had reached a pathway that was blocked my thistle bushes so Jia removed her gloves and began using her lightning to blast the way for them.
Thankfully, with many lessons from her Soul Magic classes, she could control the intensity of her lightning and not cause fires. Just scorches on the ground. Clary took out her camera from her satchel and began recording their progress.
"So Clary, may I ask you a question?" Jia asked.
"Sure."
"Why are you always carrying your camera around and filming things?"
"Oh, umm," Clary paused and stopped recording before she put the camera away, "I do videos for MagiTube."
"Really?"
Clary frowned, "You didn't know?"
Jia shook her head, "I never really paid attention to social media outlets."
"Oh, well, anyway, I do simple stuff like dance tutorials or dance videos. I really want to become a movie producer after school."
"That's great!" Jia stopped and turned to wait for Clary. She was kind of a bit impressed that her friend had a dream and a passion for movie making. She had a dream.
Clary caught up with her, "Thanks, I just like filming things and telling stories with my videos so I figured, why not?"
"That's really amazing. You actually have a dream you want to pursue when you leave Viola." Jia marvels. She then continues on to blast their path. A few bugs and small critters could be seen running away as her lightning began blasting the floor. Clary slightly flinched but she didn't want to tell her to stop because they were now going through swamp thistles so they were close to their destinations.
After a while they reached a clearing where the swamp stretched out as far as their eyes could see. Buzzing and croaking could be heard everywhere and the waters bubbled aggressively. The smell was just horrible!
Jia scanned the edges of the banks for the Dragonsnap while Clary checked her satchel for a bottle they could use to house the wings.
Clary then spoke up, "What about you?"
Jia frowned at her amber eyed friend, "Me?"
"Yeah, are you going to go to become a Lady or are you going to take over your dad's company?"
Jia titled her head with narrowed eyes,, "My dad's company? What do you mean?"
Clary put her hands on her hips, "I mean ,your dad's company. The Elite Corps."
Jia froze, her eyes wide open and eyebrows rose, "How did you-? I never told anyone who my papa was."
"I know but...you're Jia of the House Norvel. I remember there being a article about your mother's death ten years ago and before that, an announcement about your mother eloping. There wasn't much about your dad except that he was a military man, a business owner and a very private person because his company was high held. Add to that, the phrases about your uncles, you being looked away and your skills in the forest suggest someone trained you very well. It kind of made sense who you're dad was. General Marcellus."
Jia looked down and muttered, "You should be an investigator."
Clary held up her hands, "Hey, I'm sorry, if I'm prying."
"No, it's fine."Jia assured her. She crossed her arms over her stomach as if to protect herself and gave her a half-smile," My family...my family kept our lives hidden from the media because after my mother was murdered, they never really found out who hired her killers. We just didn't want to broadcast our activities to everyone, even the killers. The less people know about us, the better."
"Seriously?"
Jia nodded.
Clary pursed her lips ,"Sorry for asking."
"No, really, it's fine. I asked about you so it was only fair to ask me. Just don't ever talk about him in front of the others unless I bring it up or they ask me directly."
Clary nodded, "Sure."
"Thank you."
"So have you any thought about what you want to do after Viola?"
"To be honest, no," Jia admitted, "I honestly don't have a dream or something I want to pursue. I never really had the time to sit and think about it. I trained with my papa all the time and my Duchess lessons were expected of me."
"Well, I guess you can start now. No time like the present."
"Any advice?"
"Find a dream that you are passionate about and that you enjoy."
"Something I enjoy?"
Before, Clary could reply she gasped and her eyes widened. Jia turned to see a swarm of Dragonsnaps flying towards them. They had long purple bodies, two green eyes and pincers. What were most attractive about them were their iridescent wings. They moved so fast and quick, their wings were shimmering even in the gloom of the swamp.
"Yes!" Jia exclaimed as she glanced at Clary, "Okay, here is the plan; you petrify one of them when they get here and then we take their wings."
"Yes-wait no, I can't!" Clary shouted.
"Why not?!"
"I don't know how to un-petrify objects!"
Jia's jaw dropped, "Haven't you been paying attention in Soul Magic? Where we covered control triggers and intensity magic?"
Clary gave her a sheepish smile,"I was half asleep during that lesson."
Jia groaned and Clary's shoulders slumped.
"Okay, new plan."
Clary titled her head,"What's the new plan?"
Jia raised her hands rose from the ground. The winds picked up and howled as the sky darkened before thunder shook the place. Silver lightning flashed across the sky as Jia's clothes shimmered away to reveal her Sorceress Uniform. Her hair swung in all its curly glory and her eyes glowed sliver. She was clothed in a sliver pants, knee length boots, a golden mini top and was covered in a white shimmering see-through cloak.
Gritting her teeth, she unleashed her lightning behind the Dragonsnaps. They flew forward as she intended before she summoned a lightning cage and tried to throw it them. The cage missed them and instead caged a bolder.
"Is this necessary?" Clary shouted at her. Jia looked down at her friend to her in her uniform as well. It was the same as hers except she wore dark green shorts, ankle boots, a gray mini top and a leaf green cloak. Her blonde hair had glitter in it making it look very shiny.
"Do you have anything to paralyse them?!" Jia asked as she tried to use her lightning to keep the Dragonsnaps in one place.
Clary nodded and removed small vial from her shorts pocket and held it up," A petrifying mist from my mother. We can use this."
"I'll get them to move in your direction."
"And when they're near me, I hit them!"
Jia nodded and flung another lightning bolt and one of the Dragonsnaps that seemed to be separating from the others. With bolt after bolt they were soon flying towards Clary. When they were in her vicinity, she opened the vial and released the mist. It moved instantly as if it was had a mind of itself and cover the Dragoonsnaps. Within seconds they dropped down onto the ground like dead bugs.
Clary whooped and jumped with a fist pump aimed at the sky. Jia landed beside her and they high fived excitedly before Clary yelped and jumped away from her. Her palm was slightly red from being electrocuted.
"Sorry," Jia said sheepishly as the lighting cackled and ran up her arms.
"It's okay," Clary replied with a chuckle. Their uniforms vanished, leaving them both in their ordinary clothes before Jia moved to de-wing the Dragonsnaps.
Clary turned and refused to watch the whole time.
Once they were done, they retreated to a safe distance and watched the Dragonsnaps grow their new wings. In a matter of seconds, the petrifying mists effects wore off and the insects quickly buzzed away.
Satisfied, they both turned and began to make their way back to the main roads.
When they finally got back to school and into the labs, Jia watched Clary carefully as she finished the potion before they dragged themselves back to their room.
Jia made a beeline for the bathroom as soon as possible and changed. Freshly showered and changed, both girls moved to living room to complete the report and label the potion bottle. Jia working on the table and Clary working the couch, they finally finished within ten minutes before dinner.
"Fiona and the girls will soon be back and they won't suspect a thing," Clary reported from the couch as Jia stood from the table and sauntered in to her room. She closed her eyes before falling onto her bed with a happy smile and hugging her pillow tight," Disaster averted. Nothing can spoil this moment."
As if on cue, Zoey and Kyra came running into the room with smiles, "Girls, guess what?!"
"Jia, wake up, I've got something to tell you and I need you to be girl for a few seconds," Zoey said as she ran in and started to shake her roommate.
Kyra and Clary following closely behind her.
Jia opened one eye to glance at Zoey and Kyra, their wide smiles indicating something amazing must have happened, "I'm always a girl."
Zoey giggled, "You know what I mean. Like a silly annoying girl."
Jia sat up," Like you want me to twirl my hair around my finger and giggle a little."
"It really can't hurt."
Jia signed before doing exactly what her roommate wanted. She removed a strand of her hair and began twirling it before giving her best giggle, "So what's going on?"
Clary stopped to lean against the door frame with an amused smile. She only wished Rose and Fiona were here to see this.
"I just got asked out by Cole Bellamy!"