Jade was never good at playing piano, but she tried to learn for the sake of her grandpa. He loved a good old tune just as much as he loved a good old hunt.
But Jade is 19 now, her grandfather is dead, and their old piano is gone. However standing in front of the old keyboard in the thrift store suddenly spiked and interest. She wasn't sure what made her want to play it, she wasn't even sure how the hell she got into the thrift shop. Pulling out the stool, she sat down quietly and let her right hand fall on the keys.
"Twinkle, twinkle, little star…" She mumbled as she thumbed the notes. The piano was clearly out of tune and with her horrible piano skill, it just sounded like a mumble of notes. All she could think about, worry about, tremble about was the fact that everyone knew. All the classes are in on how someone in the group is deceiving them, luckily nobody has figured out who yet. Nobody, not Dave, not John, not Rose; nobody would have told, so how the classes found out just made her even more scared to be out in public. Was someone watching her? Stalking her? Tracking her every move? There was a quick tape on her shoulder.
In defense, she quickly swung around, clenching the tiny thin wrist in her hand and pushing it away from her. She was immediately embarrassed to look into the eyes of the mousy store employee, which were filled with fear. She couldn't say anything, she just let go of her wrist.
"I was j-j-just going t-to as-sk…" The employee gulped, "If you played piano often?" Jade lowered her eyes, ashamed of her actions.
"Not really, I'm more of a bass player." She quickly got up, pushing her chair in before hustling out of the store. "Fuck.." She muttered under her breath, pulling her grey scarf over her nose, blocking the icy breeze. What she needed was a coffee. She didn't need a mirror to know she probably looked like a mess. She could feel her hair in tangles, the heaviness of her eyelids, hell her entire eye was probably black rimmed from lack of sleep by now. Every night since last Friday she hasn't been able to sleep. She had tried but it always leads to nightmares.
She can tell that Damara and Feferi can see it too. She only wondered how many more lies it took until they stopped believing her "I just got some new medicine, I'll be fine" story. She has been using that for the past weekend and Tuesday when the group met. She doesn't want to push the blame onto someone else, but she is getting to the point where she wanted to.
Damara. She was the one she thought she could blame, but nobody really understand her, and all she really does is smoke cigarettes when she isn't on witch business. Some might buy it for awhile, but it would just fall through in the end. Feferi would be a good one. She tells her about Eridan and the things he does to her sometimes. Abuse like that is enough to make anyone snap? But Fef is way too sweet, so anyone who would come to question her about it, would know immediately that she isn't the one betraying anyone.
Jade tries to make herself feel better by saying that nobody has a reason to blame her either, if it wasn't for the fact that she was a part of the shit plan that was starting to hit the ceiling. Her phone buzzed in her pocket, startling her. She was hesitant to view the message at first, but heaved a sigh of relief when she saw it was just Jane. Although she soon grunted when reading through the test.
"Are we going to check out HIC? Im waiting at the train station. Apparently she owns this yacht she lives in at this private lake 2 hours away. Im going to check it out, of course you don't have to come."
Jade read the message twice before replying with a quick "Im coming." She put more meaning to her step as she sped up to catch Jane before the train left. She wasn't quite sure when it left, but it had to be soon. She walked through the middle of the city, heading towards the train station on Alternia Road. That was the train station she always went to. It was probably the cleanest of them all, not to mention there were a few memories dwelling there as well. The train rides from her house to the school, Dave always meeting her in the morning, always watching her leave at the end of the day.
Their first kiss, their break up. Jade faltered and almost tripped at the sudden memory, but she caught her footing as she mentally wiped it away, but it only caused more memories to flow. The long mornings, no body there to greet her, riding home alone, meeting Karkat. The one memory she welcomed. It was almost as vivid as the day it happened. A recent school shut down and a bunch of kids transferred over to their high school. He was lost and recognized her uniform on the train. He was loud and foul mouthed, not to mention the dark circles under his eyes were a little scary. He annoyed her at first; he just wouldn't leave her alone, but he grew on her and suddenly she wasn't alone.
Things got better from there; Karkat met Dave, who eventually got the two of them to talk to each other again. All three of them would walk to and from the train station, laughing and quarreling; Jade slowly developing feelings for Karkat. The many hours spent on the streets that eventually led them to join their respective class. She remembered when Karkat met Latula who introduced him to Terezi, who coincidentally went to the same school. She watched their relationship build from the side lines, encouraging them on, setting them up on dates even though it crushed her. Then they graduated and their walks to and from the train station abruptly stopped.
"Earth to Jade, you in there?" She felt a tap on her forehead. She snapped out of it to notice she was already at the station, Jane waving her hand in Jades face. "You all right? You've been spaced out ever since you got here."
She gave a reassuring chuckle. "No its fine! I was just taking a trip down memory lane." She smiled, quickly pushing the old memories to the back of her mind. They waited as the train whistled into the station. Jade ended up paying for both their tickets because Jane left her money at home, despite Jane bringing a huge stuffed bag. When Jade asked about the contents, Jane only said to wait and see. They picked a corner seats on the train, away from everybody so they could talk quietly without having to worry.
They didn't say anything for a while, letting the train hit its last few stations in the city before it makes the long, un-interrupted journey to the country side. Jane twiddled with the strap of her large bag, every now and then cleaning her glasses with the hem of her shirt.
Jade cleared her throat. "So when are you going to switch to new frames?" Jane had been using the same style frame since they were kids; red wire rimmed glasses. As they grew up Jade traded her rather large pair of spectacles for a smaller, green plastic framed pair, but even with the change of times, Jane never changed her glasses.
Jane shrugged, wrapping her beige scarf tighter around her neck and mouth. "Jake told me once that I looked good in them. I guess I never really got over it."
"We all have things we never really get over…" They both sighed, looking out the window. "Jade, what are we going to do?" Jane lowered her voice into a whisper.
"We go through with plans until we all decide otherwise." Jade continued to look out the window
"What if we get caught?" She could hear the panic rise in Janes voice.
"We say nothing and cease interactions with the rest of the group." Jade tried to stay calm also, but she too was beginning to wonder if she could even do handle getting caught.
"That's easy for you to say. I don't talk to anyone outside of the group except for Porrim and Aradia, and they're in my same class. I can't get caught at all because if I do, you all are prime suspects!" Jane's voice began to rise. Jade shushed her quickly before people began turning their heads.
"Then don't get caught, that's all there is to it." Jade ended the conversation. Jane looked down at her feet and began twiddling her thumbs again. They sat in silence for a while, every now and then Jade would check her phone for text messages. At some point Jane got up to use the restroom but had to travel a couple cars ahead to Jade took the opportunity to relax while Jane was gone.
Ever since the revealing, everyone in the group tried to maintain a fair distance between eachother, trying not to look suspicious, but it was hard. Just being near each other and knowing what they were doing was enough to set them immediately on edge. Even at that moment, Jade couldn't even completely relax. It was like being high on caffeine, 24/7.
She could feel her phone buzz in her pocket but she ignored it at first, but it continued to buzz. It must be a call. She thought to herself pulling out her phone to see who it was. She thought it must have been Jane but she nearly dropped it when she saw who it was.
"Hello?" She tried to calm her raising nerves.
"Fug Jade, what the hell took so long?! It rang like… a bajillion fuggin times!" She heaved a breathe.
"Your drunk again Karkat…" She remembered that he and Nepeta broke up a week ago. Every now and then Karkat would call her, usually drunk, to complain about random stuff before randomly handing up. Her nerves began to ease. "Whats the matter this time?"
"Did you hear the god damn news! There are some mother fuggin' traitors on the mother fuggin' loose!" A shiver traveled up her spine as she tried to re-calm down.
"Yea, it's a shame to think that someone from our classes would do that." She lied through her teeth. "I have no idea why they would go behind our backs to do, whatever they are doing!" She tried to sound a little mad. She watched Jane enter in from the car door. She made notions with her eyes to let Jane know not to speak. Jane when rigid and nodded in response.
"Makes me want to drink more! But I ran out of the shittin' liquor a minute ago! Bring me some beers will ya!" He blabbered on.
"Sorry, I cant. I'm not 21 yet." She continued the conversation in a different direction.
"Well why don't you grow faster!" He almost shouted.
"You arent 21 either Karkat, you just steal all your alcohol from Kankri." She muttered into her phone.
"Touché Harley, touché…" he mumbled out. It was quiet on the line for a moment until Karkat finally whispered. "Why didn't we ever date Jade?"
Her heart began thumping rapidly. "Karkat, I think you need to get some sleep."
"Come over Jade. I need someone right now." She could feel him getting moopy over the phone. She was filled with the sense to jump out of the train and go to him. This was the question that she longed for him to ask her. She never got over her feelings for him, but now wasn't the time to run to him. She had business to do, no matter how badly she wished she didn't.
"Im hanging up Karkat."
"Wait- fuck! That was a bad thing to say!"
"Get some rest Karkat, see you later…" She forced her words into the phone.
"Don't g-" Karkats words were cut off as she rapidly pressed end and slid her phone into her pocket. Trying to rationalize her wits, she quietly starred out the window at the setting sun, ignoring Jane and her buzzing phone for the rest of the ride.
…
It wasn't a long walk from the train station to the dirt path that led HIC's private lake. The path was about wide enough for one car, and seemed to go on forever under the night sky. They had to climb over a small hill, and then they saw the lights from the yacht, parked neatly by the dock on the lake.
Lake was a stretch of a word to use. The body was huge, and stretched farther than the road. Jade wondered how this Helena Icarus Porter got away with having a yacht on a lake, but it was clear lake was just an under exaggeration. Jane pulled Jade behind a bush and began to unzip her bag.
"What the hell Jane, what are we doing?" Jane looked up at her and smirked.
"We are getting ready for a party."
…
"Jane I feel stupid, we are supposed to investigate, not party!" Jade looked down at her long galaxy print dress. The green hems were a little itchy and the back trail made it hard to walk. Jane on the other hand wore a short red cocktail dress with a neat silver head band.
"We are investigating. True detectives don't do anything without a disguise, and we are hiding under the cover of party goers!"
"Well, that's a pretty neat cover, if only there was a fucking party to attend!" Jade quietly shouted at her.
"There is! I heard from somewhere that this woman hosts a party every weekend! If you listen, you can hear the music from the ship!"
"Well, what about invites?"
"Anyone dressed in finery is invited. We just have to make it on to the boat by looking the part, and from there on we are gold!" Jane giggled, looking almost giddy to go to this party. Jade sighed and continues to tromp down the dirt path to the yacht, picking up her dress to avoid getting it dirty. They walked onto the dock and right up to the stairs leading up to the boat.
Much to her disbelief, the butler at the entrance let them in, he even handed them both glasses of champagne. Jade downed it quick to calm her nerves, dropping the glass off at the closest butler. Jane navigated their way through the crowd of people swinging to the music, none paying them any attention. They quickly made their way to the DJ area which was elevated higher than the dance floor. They scanned the crowd looking for someone who might look like a Helena Icarus Carter.
Jade sighed, still scanning but not seeing anyone that might look like her. "I don't see any-" Jade almost screamed as her vision locked on one very familiar face. She crouched beginning to sneak behind a table, pulling Jane with her.
"What the hell Jade?" She whispered, surprised at the sudden change of position.
"It's Feferi, Jane. I saw her in the crowd! Shit we are in some serious trouble right now! We have to leave!"
"Woah calm down! This isn't Feferi's crowd, are you sure it was her?"
"I saw her face clear as day Jane, I am pretty damn sure it was her!"
"We cant just leave now, we just have to avoid her!"
"There is only, like, 100 people on this damn boat! There is no way we can avoid her all night!" Jade could feel her face getting redder. There was a tap on her shoulder and she jumped. She quickly stood turning to face a butler with a questioning look on his face. She plastered a quick smile on her face.
"Miss is there something wrong?" He asked
"No, everything if fine now! I just uh…" She couldn't finish her sentence.
"She dropped her glasses and we were looking for them!" Jane helped her out. The butler raised an eyebrow before turning away. Both let out a breath of relief. "Get your shit together Ja-" Jane was cut off.
"Jade? Jane? Is that you guys?!" They hear shouted behind them. They went stiff as they turned slowly to see Feferi making her way towards them. Jade thought she was going to puke.
"I didn't know you guys came to these kinds of things!" Feferi smiled, her goggles wrapped around her head. She was wearing a black one piece with a blue and green wrap around and a couple pink braclets.
"Yea umm," Jade gulped, feeling sweat drip down the side of her head. "We just felt like going out and uh… people say this is the place to go!" She tried to think of the most believable scenario.
"But I thought you were on like, some sort of new medication? Shouldn't you be in bed still? You still look pretty bad." She questioned, her face twisting into something unreadable.
"Well, I thought it would be good for her to get some fresh air!" Jane inquired laughing a bit before swallowing. "Away from the city!" Feferi starred a couple seconds before shrugging. She opened her mouth to speak but Jade cut her off.
"SO!" She said a little too loud, making both Jane and Feferi jump, the people around them turning their heads but immediately ignoring. "Why are you here fef? And aren't you dressed pretty casual to be on the boat?" Jade tried to turn the conversation in a different direction.
"Well this is my moms boat, so I kind of get free reign on what I can wear!" She giggled. "Kind of like I am a little princess!" She smiled her usual sweet innocent smile. Jane laughed a bit too.
"Whos your mom then!" Jane asked almost sounding light hearted, but something struck Jade off as wrong. If Fef's mom owned the boat then wouldn't that make her…
"Helena Icarus Carter!" Feferi gleamed, but Jade could feel her stomach pumble down.
"B-b-but," Jane too looking horrified, "Isn't your last name Peixes?" Jane toned down her stutter.
"Yea that's my dads last name, but he left when I was little." She looked away a bit. "My mom wanted me to change my last name but I just didn't feel like it. Besides, when I get married my last name is gonna change anyway." She looked back at them. "Are you guys okay? You both look like you are about to be sick!"
"I think my medicine is getting worse!" Jade used the lie, "You wouldn't by any chance have a room that I could stay in would you?"
"Yea you can rest in my room, but you should leave soon, you guys both don't look well at all!" She frowned before leading them into her room on the floor below. Her room was small and bright, but she dimmed the lights. Almost everything looked purple and there were a bunch of cute fish charms hanging everywhere.
"Sorry for the mess, I don't hang around here very often." Jade sat down on the bed.
"I'll stay to watch her." Jane nodded towards Feferi.
"Alright, Ill come by in a bit to check on you guys!" She said before closing the door behind her. Jade started to hyperventilate, covering her face with a star shaped pillow on the bed. Jane let out a breathe of relief.
"That wasn't as bad as it could have been!" Jane practically beamed.
"Are you shitting me!" Jade mumbled through her teeth. "We are in the worst possible situation right now!"
"Hey look at it this way! Atleast now we can look around! Feferi lead us down her so now we don't have to worry about getting down here, all the butlers are upstairs, and atleast one had to see us with her! So we can do what we need, and just play off as friends of Fef that are lost if we get caught snooping!"
"I feel horrible." Jade moaned.
"Well so do I, lets just get this done with so we can leave!" Jane helped jade off of the bed before quietly opening the door and shutting it behind them. They took the stair to the final floor below them that was dimly lit and blocked off my a locked iron door at the bottom. Jane skillfully took a bobby pin from her hair and unlocked it fairly quickly, sneaking them in. It was darker then before with a single hall with no doors and only small portholes on the side, looking out at the lake. They reached the end of the hall, where there was only a single door with confidential labeled on it.
"This has to be it!" Jane scanned everywhere looking for lasers or traps before trying the door know which was surprisingly unlocked. Both of them entered in, Jane walking toward her desk; Jade shutting and locking the door behind them. The room smelt heavily of cigarettes and manila folders were scattered everywhere. Jane was looking at a particular one on the desk.
"What are you looking at?"
"A folder labeled sburb, classes." Janes eyes quickly scanned through before widening. "Holy crap Jade."
"What? What is it?" Jade rushed over to Jane.
"Terrorist attack plans. They plan to attack everything Jade, all the classes, even the family of the class members. This lord English guy and Helena are trying to destroy any form of street government." Jane's facial expression was more than just horror. It was pain, fear, horror, anger all in one and Jade was sure that her face looked the same.
"Take pictures Jade we have to show the others!" Jade quickly pulled out her phone and took pictures of everything in the folder.
"Should we look for more?" Jade asked?
"I think we have enough for now, we just have to focus on getting out of here now!" Jane said triumphantly, both knowing that they and the rest of the group now have the upper hand. They both nodded and headed towards the door. Just as Jade reached out for the door knob she heard a noise outside.
"Did you hear that?" She whispered to Jane behind her. Jane shook her head and urged her to hurry. Jade reached for the door knob but she heard it jiggle.
"Shit!" They heard exclaimed from outside. They held their breath as the back away. Jade thought she was going to die right there. "I must have locked the door, where is that damn key?" Jane let out a silent scream as she pulled Jade away from the door.
"What do we do?" Jane mouthed. Jade looked around frantically but there was no closet to hide in. Her eyes scanned over the desk, the only place to hide. She pointed toward the desk and the both scurried over as quickly and quietly as possible. They crammed them selves under the foot area right as they heard the creak of the door opening.
"Damn," A womans voice said. Heals clicked their way towards them. Jane tried her best to quiet her breathing but the harder she tried the louder she seemed to sound. She could feel her heart beat in her ears as the heels made their way around the desk, slapping some things on it. All Jade could see were bright yellow heals and black stockings. She could hear shifting of papers. "Why the hell is this fucking thing on the desk?" There was an opening of a drawer and then it slamming shut.
"Well I better make my way back up then, fuck." Jade heard the heals click away and the door opened and shut. Jade let out a silent breath of relief but Jane motioned for her to keep quiet and still before signaling that everything was clear. Jade stretched out from under, her dress now wrinkled along with Janes. They stood up, Jane looking at Jade with a pained smile on her face.
"Think she is gone?" Jade asked, almost joking. Jane opened her mouth to reply but she was cut off. A look of absolute dread crossing her face.
"I don't know, maybe we should wait." Jade felt her knees go weak. "Nice try bitches, but I never leave that door locked." Jade looked at a tall slender woman with long wave hair. She was wearing gold everywhere with a black cocktail dress, a single pink strap around the bottom of the dress and at the waist.
"I think you should sit for a little discussion." Helena Icarus Carter smiled deviously at the two of them.
…
Jade didn't struggle with the ropes tying her to the chair. Her heart felt defeated and her limbs felt like jelly.
"So this is how it is going to work, I can't have you telling our plans to your little friends so this could go one of two ways. I could kill you now, of course I would have to kill the rest of your friends too, cant have them making any revenge acts ya' know?" Jade could hear Jane crying in the chair to her side. "Or you two could work under me, betraying all your friends and help me causing death and terror to all of Sburb, at least you would get to live."
"I would never work for you." Jane scoffed, spitting in her direction. Jade watched Helena rear back in disgust before slapping Jane hard across the face. Jane cried out in pain before returning to sobbing.
"Well what about you, little pup? You are probably the wiser of the two of you, although not very smart anyway if you tried to sneak in here." She scoffed. Jade sat and thought. As much as she hated the thought of working for her, at least she would get to live, and that could give her a chance to save everyone else before they are killed.
"I…" she hated it. "I'll join you." She hated every word that came out of her mouth.
"Jade!" She could hear Jane exclaim from the side of her. She turned and locked eyes with Jane, trying to communicate her plan to her. Jane's cheek was swollen red and her eyes were filled with tears, but she seemed to understand before turning away.
"Ill join you too." Jane muttered. Helena let out a hearty laugh.
"How sick and delightful. You guys must be really twisted into saving your own skin at the sake of your friends!" She turned to Harley, "I like you." She smirked down at Jade, Jade, putting on an act, smirked back.
"At least I get to live, that shit plan wasn't ever gonna work anyway." Jade shifted her posture to look more cocky.
"Ooo! Aren't you just devious?" Helena giggled deviously. "You are definitely going to be the outside agent!" She curled her finger under Jades chin, her long pink fingernail tickling under her chin. "You on the other hand," she pointed to Jane. "Will be working close to me." She back away and sat on the desk.
"You two will not make any contact with your friends after this without my order. Any contact made, suggestion helping them, will result in your and their deaths. Understood?" She asked whimsical. Jade nodded, but she wasn't sure what Jane did, she tried her best to ignore her. "Now, I have some shit that I need picked up. Ill leave this to you lil pup. Bring it to me by morning, which gives you a good time to get it back here." She untied Jade and let her walk out toward to door. Jade nervous to leave Jane behind, but eager to save their lives she turned away.
"Oh and one more thing! Every mission that isn't completed is one friend who looses his or her cover! So if you want that group of yours to remain anonymous, I suggest you hurry." Jade turned her head around, masking her horror as she looked at Helenas face of pure amusement.
…
Jade sat on by herself on the train looking out the window at the moon, tears leaking out of her eyes. How on earth was she going to save everyone? She had changed back into her regular cloths by the bush where they came in. Her phone buzzed in her pocket but she didn't pick it up, for the fear of her friends lives. It buzzed again and despite what her brain told her, she pulled out her phone to look at the caller. Karkat.
She was about to press ignore before it hit her. Katkat! Someone who wasn't in the group, someone she could trust that Helena didn't have her eyes on in particular.
"Karkat!" She exclaimed picking up the phone.
"Listen Jade, about before." He sobered up, but there was no time for apologies.
"No time Karkat just listen, I need you to stop calling me after this okay? This is for your own good okay?" she paused and listened to his breath.
"Okay? Jade are you alright?"
"Karkat just listen to what I say and follow my exact instructions. Go to Dave, tell him you know, and that you are willing to help." Jade tried to think about a way to compensate for both her and Jane having to disappear. "Bring one friend that you can trust not to tell anyone else. Your closest friend that will listen to your words and not tell anyone about this okay? For now me and Jane have to do something, and we are going to be…." Jade paused, not knowing the extent of how far that they were going to go. "We are just going to be horrible but don't tell Dave about this call okay? The less everyone knows the better. Okay?"
"Jade I'm not sure what is going on?"
"Im just going to text you an address and some photos, don't send them to anyone else, okay? Keep them to yourself and invite Dave to that address as soon as possible! Tonight would be best."
"Jade… are you…." She knew he was going to ask about the people who are working behind eveyones back.
"Yes…. I am." She replied. She tried hard not to let her emotions get the best of her. She could hear him getting upset.
"Why Jade? Why?" she could feel his anger.
"Please do what I said Karkat." Her tears streamed faster down her face, knowing that this is the last time she will speak to them. He wasn't answering and she was afraid he hung up.
"I'll save you and Jane, Jade. Ill do what you say, even if it means I cant tell the others, but know that I will save you Jade." She smiled in relief. Her tears slowing.
"Thank you." She mustered before hanging up. She laid her face on the cool window of the train, knowing that there might be a way to save everyone. She texted the address of the meeting place and the pictures to Karkat, ignoring both of his calls that came after that. She deleted all data of the messages and calls.
She might have lost this battle, but some how this was going to work, because if anything at all, she couldn't loose her hope. If she did, then she had nothing left to fight for.
Damn this was a long one. So what do you guys think? Things are getting pretty…savory? Would that be a word to use… whatever. You know the musical rent? I was thinking of doing a quick fanfic called RENTSTUCK. I don't know when. Considering how fast I release new chapters it might not be for a while. But yea. Just curious but who do you think Karkat would choose if he does do what Jade says? Well until next time, French fries.