“Are you sure Elise won’t mind you staying out?” Jade inquires from the armchair she is currently positioned in. She sits, legs casually crossed at the ankles, a mug of coffee gasped lightly in her porcelain hands. “I wouldn’t want for her to be upset” (I’ve never had a friend with a kid before…never) The regenerative gypsy thinks back on her life, over the number of good friends she has had, the lives they led and where they possibly could be now. She sorta lost touch with them all overtime, especially after going to the academy. It’s had such a huge impact on her life; she’s not sure if she’ll ever be able to maintain some sort of normality in her life now, if she’d ever be able to have a child of her own. (No. I doubt it. I wouldn’t make a good mother…) She’s too much of a child herself. She knows this. She’s too selfish and way too reckless. She wouldn’t be able to handle the responsibility. It’s just not her.

Daria takes a sip of her own coffee just as Jade asks the question. Her eyes flit to her new friend ovr the brim. She pulls the cup away and sets it on the coffee table next to her on a coaster, careful not to disturb the surface too much as she simultaneously swallows. She shakes her head. "Oh, don't worry about it." She reassures the gyspsy woman, shaking her other hand in a negetive gesture. "Grams is always only too happy to take care of her." She explains. "And Elise loves her to death." She grins, remembering the day Elise was born. Grams had been extatic, if only to have another student. True, the girl was only two years old, but she was very fond of her grandmother, or 'Gram,' in the little girl's limited speech, though slightly more advanced for a two-year-old.

Daria's posture almost mimics Jade's; something her grandmother had pounded into her. 'Straighten your shoulders, Daria.' 'Stand up straight, child.' Or Daria's favourite, 'Do you want to look like your cousin Hugo when you're thirty?' Hugo was a very distant cousin on her father's side who was disfigured by a hump on his back. But he had been born with it. It was small at first; only a slight miscurving of his spine between his shoulder blades. But as he grew, it got worse. Now, in his fifties, his back was so lumped he needed a walker to lean on. That is, if he ever moved.

Daria's eyes glance the room again. When she first arrived, she was amazed at the house. She wondered just what kind of perks the acadamy came with. But she quickly decides that a house like this was certainly not part of it.

"So, tell me more about the acadamy." Daria asks politely. "If you don't mind, of course ... " She pauses, hoping she hadn't hit a soft spot too soon. "I've heard rumours about it, but nothing more than that." She explains.

“Well that’s good” Jade murmurs to herself. She didn’t want to cause any problems at home for her new friend. It wouldn’t exactly encourage Daria to visit her more, which is what the gypsy would love. She needed someone she could trust and rely on, someone who would perhaps stop her from sinking out of her depth which she has done so much in the past. She’s pretty certain that Mrs Fallen is just the woman for this.

“The academy?” Slightly taken back by the question, Jade stirs in her seat. (It’s only natural though… she’d want to know if I was a hardcore killer or something) “No, no, I don’t mind” The dark haired woman replies softly, her mind pulling itself sombrely back onto her memories of the academy. It wasn’t the happiest time in her life, but it gave her a purpose and a goal in a time when she needed one the most.

“Well for a start it’s down in the Underworld near the living forest…not too far from the demonic market. The headmaster there is Xazor, whom like we discussed packs some major power. People who are there are either mortals or good magical creatures training to become a demon, or demons and warlocks who are just trying to hone their skills” Jade places her coffee mug down on the table in front of her, only pausing for a second. “You have classes in the dark arts and in numerous types of combat. It’s sorta split into two halves too, with an exam of sorts at the end of each. I’m not sure if the first test changes, but for mine I was put in a caged battleground with a Wendigo, Banshee and Ogre. It was kill or be killed. If you survive, you pass. The second exam is to successfully take the life of an innocent”

(Fortunately, I never had to. I don’t think I’d be able to come back from that) “I didn’t do that though, I vanquished one of the dark arts teachers – a Warlock who pissed me off. They said that was good enough. That it showed I had the killer instinct” Jade’s voice lowers with a feeling of shame. Just the fact demons said this about her show her for what she is….or rather was. It pains her to think that she could be compared to one of them even as a mortal. “You get chevrons, which are basically like marks on your wrist, every time you pass a task. When you have enough, you transform into a demon – receiving powers and everything”

Daria listens, the fact that the woman in who's house she now sits could possibly be some sort of horrible killing machine never crossing her mind. She had asked the question more out of a therapist's point of view; if you let things out, they seem to feel better, even if it hurts at the time. In Daria's experience, letting things out always made her feel better. She had noted Jade's slight movement in her chair, a possible squirm of discomfort, but when Jade continues, Daria doesn't press it. When she weakly says that she doesn't mind her asking, Daria has some doubts. Her tone certainly didn't prove her words to be completely true. However, the teacher believes her soft tone is only due to the memories that she had caused to resurface in the gypsy's mind rather than her taking offence to the question.

As Jade retells the very basics of the acadamy, Daria's face remains almost neutral the entire time. The premonition witch doens't even realize she's doing it, in fact. It was something she had learned to do in her Psychology course; keep a neutral face no matter what yo uhear. Never let those who are speaking know that you may disapprove of what they say, did or are doing. Many things that Jade tells her strike something akin to fear deep down inside Daria, but she never lets it show. She can understand the romantic allure of Evil; all that power, no rules to follow. She often envies the demons she slays, knowing they were never weighed down by the moral ties that goes with being a good witch. Killing at will just because they felt like it, or wanted something that the victim owned.

Daria perks up, her eyebrows shooting up a little, her eyes widening, just for a second, when Jade describes the final 'exam.' For a short amount of time that cannot be measured, Daria wonders if the woman before her had passed this test. But she realizes, even before Jade tells her, that if she had, they wouldn't be sitting here right now.

Daria ponders why she had left the acadamy. She didn't really find it to be all that insulting, but the witch can completely see why Jdde would take offense to it. "It sounds to me," She starts slowly. "As if you needed, on some level, to go to the acadamy to prove to yourself that you're good. To prove to yourself that even though you have this instinct, and possibly the desire for that coveted power, you're still good." She speculates, trying desperately not to sound like the stereotypical shrink. "You did pass that final 'exam,' though." She says wit ha bit of a grin. "But it wasn't the test you thought you were taking." She says, inplying that it was a test of her own morals that she had passed. She reaches for her coffee cup and lifts it half way to her lips. "I could only wish I were as strong." She says before taking a sip.

Jade doesn’t know what to make of Daria’s stoic expression, causing a bubble of worry to course through her veins. The brunette may very well just get up and leave; appalled by the things she’s done. Fortunately for Jade, the premonition witch doesn’t. Instead she delivers some much needed sympathy and comfort. It is in this very moment when she realises something – although the woman sitting across from her has only been in her life for a short amount of time, she will be a friend for life.

“Thanks…” Jade trails off, not sure what to say. This whole topic is sort of awkward for her to discuss and she’s not really how she should reply to Daria. (I’ve said pretty much everything I can…) “So you know how you were saying it frustrates you that your power of premonition is so restricted?” She quirks a brow, pausing for only a brief second. “Well, I’ve got a potion jotted down in my tome that will help increase it’s power…a spell was supposed to accompany it, but I’m afraid I forgot to copy it” (Let’s put what I learnt at the academy to good use…magic isn’t black or white, it’s the user behind it which makes it good or evil) “We could try it out if you want? Could be fun” (Could be enlightening. A little cosmic help couldn’t hurt)

Daria feels that warm and fuzzy feeling she gets when she knows she's helped someone. But there was something else, deep down. Another feeling she hadn't felt since about the time she met Gabriel for the first time. It felt good. She wonders if the woman across from her felt the same thing. She hopes so. It wouldn't be the first time she felt something and the other didn't ...

"You're welcome," She says simply, smiling. Something tells the brunette witch that there was a lot more that went on at that acadamy. She was sure it wasn't your typical come in, sit down and learn with a patient teacher type of place. Seeing that she was becoming really uncomfortable, she decides not to press the subject. They had, after all, only just met. Despite how close they'd become over the past day, they were still basically strangers. Daria shouldn't expect the gypsy to trust her compeltely. (In time.)

Daria nods, still feeling a little ... bitter about the small fact that Jade reminds her of. She pulls her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them as she cradles the beautiful coffee cup in her hands. But when Jade divulges that she has a pwoer enhancing potion, her legs fall gently back to the floor. The cup in her hands remains where it is as Daria stares at her, wide-eyed. Not out of disgust, but intrigue. (Really?) She swallows the sip of coffee she'd taken a little hard, momentarily tempted, seriously tempted, to take her up on the offer. (Well, it couldn't hurt to look, could it?)

"Well," She sets her mug down on the table. "I guess it couldn't hurt to look." She says finally, eagerness in her eyes. Her grin is wide, filled with excitement. Her grandmother's voice looms somewhere in the far reaches of her mind. (Person gain always comes back to bite you in the ass.) Well, it may do that, but it still can't hurt to look. Besides, she felt she was due. She'd done plenty of good in her lifetime. Both mortally and magically. Maybe the gods would smile on her for once.

But first, let's see this potion ...

An electric smile washes over Jade when Daria confirms her interest into the power enhancing potion. Without a word, she casually slides down from her chair and meanders over towards where the bag she was carrying earlier lays. The regenerative gypsy rummages through the tightly packed bag before eventually managing to pull the tome out from its depths. The tome isn’t very large, but it has a good number of pages to it. The cover is simple and black, in any other circumstance it could be mistaken for nothing but a mortal journal.

With a firm grip on the book, Jade glides towards the couch in which Daria is sitting on. She slides down beside her, her eyes dazzling with energy. “Here it is…” The dark haired woman mutters as she begins to flip through the pages of it. Various spells, potions and magical learning’s catch the eyes before the book finally lies open to the power increasing potion. She hands the book to her friend, allowing her to absorb the information herself. “We could try it out. I think I’ve got everything needed for it in the kitchen…”

Daria watchesthe gypsy, seeing the excitement in her movements. When she pulls out the book, she stares at it. Somehow, she'd expected something ... Else. Something more evil looking or something. But instead, she beholds a small, black notebook that could pass for any girl's 'little black book.' But she knows that there's anything but the numbers to a hot night of ... Whatever she was in the mood for within the bindings.

Daria follows her friend until she sits on the couch. Her eyes then fall onto the book as the pages are flipped. She can't help it. Normally, she's politely look away. But she was far too curious to do that now. Her quick eyes catch a few things that more than peak her curiosity. Other things look familiar, things that were also in her grandmother's book, which she would eventually inherit, but was able to see any time she wished. It remained in the house that her aunt now lived in with her five children.

The witch's eyes flit over the ingredient of the potion. It all seemed so innocent. Like some strange soup concoction. But Daria knew better. But there was something she failed to take into consideration. The potion was not dark magic. At least, the ingredients didn't indicate so. In fact, it seemed more to be a gypsy mix. This thought penetrates her mind loud as a scream in her mind. (I can do this!) She nearly jumps up, but remains where she is, the book still in her hand. She looks over at Jade, eyes wide with excitement. "Let's do it!" She exclaims. What could it hurt? After all, to her, it seemed to be more gypsy than demonic. Demonic would be a little more ... Involved, wouldn't it? It would probably involved the sacrifice of some poor innocent, or a witch or something.

Jade absorbs the witch’s reaction, allowing the woman’s excitement to power her own. She can tell exactly what the woman next to her is thinking – why the potion isn’t full of cut off body parts and virgin sacrifice? It’s exactly what she thought when she first laid eyes upon the grimoire which she copied this exact recipe down from. Her ideas about magic were so naïve and stereotypical….maybe she can enlighten the witch.

“Magic isn’t black or white Daria. It’s down to the user which makes it either good or evil. A good witch can use demonic rituals for good, just as much as a demon could use a witch’s for evil” The gypsy explains with a knowing grin. The exclamation causes the woman to rise, joining her new friend by her side. (I might have some too…you can never have too much power, especially in times like these)

“Lets” Jade replies, turning sharply on her heels. “The kitchen is this way…maybe you should try your hand at crafting a spell to go with it since I lost the original” (It might not even be needed anymore, I’m a lot more powerful than I was when I first tried this out) She worms her way around the coffee table, denying the adolescent urge to just levitate over it as she makes her way into the dining room.

“Magic isn’t black or white Daria. It’s down to the user which makes it either good or evil. A good witch can use demonic rituals for good, just as much as a demon could use a witch’s for evil”

It sounded almost similar to what her grandmother always told her. Aside from the 'demonic rituals' part. To her grandmother, evil was evil. Plain and simple. There was no getting around it. To use magic crafted for evil means meant you were evil. But what she said made a lot of sense. Daria briefly wonders if that were one of the things used at the acadamy to brainwash the new students. (Probably.) But Daria's not all that naive. She has, after all, grown up with magic in a Good magical family.

But that didn't matter. What mattered now is that there was an opening for her to get what she believed she deserved. She'd served long enough, it was time to be served. At least, a little bit. Besides. Who knew what kind of help she could offer if she could control her power a little more?

As she follows Jade leads the way through the dining room, she begins to form something that may lend a hand in the spell area. She certainly had a lot of experience with those.

Daria goes back to the couch she'd been sitting on and picks up her large bag which held her book. She pulls it out and sits on the couch, expecting Jade to have followed her into the livign room. They could clean up the mess later. Apparently, they had more important things to do.

She begins to flip through the pages. (Oh, Grams, please tell me you know something about this.) She pleads with her grandmother. She would call her if it wasn't so late. She continues to flip through the pages looking for something to do with pirate ships and ghost crews or anything along those lines.

Daria's eyes don't movefrom the book as the pages flip before her. She hears Jade's voice while reading through the pages. "Alright, hun, good idea." She calls. Daria's eyes catch sight of a spell she'd seen a thousand times. One that would allow the caster to hear thoughts She takes one of the many ribbons attached to the book at the spine and sets it in the center of the book to mark the page. "I'll mark anything I find in my book that might help." She calls again. She continues to flip through the book, keeping her eyes sharp for something pirate related.

In a few minutes, all nine of the ribbons are used up and she's reached the end of her book. There had only been a brief writeup about pirates and ships. Specifically, it centred around that particular event twenty years ago. She closes the sacred book and heads back through the dining room.