Venno Rapter - The Hellish Series Returns - Series Two

Rad's Jade Gem (Story 14 - Chapter 4)

With Rad and Jade: 

The Toxic Sludge could only watch as Jade stood there for a solid five minutes, the green Harpy refusing to say a single word as different emotions began shifting through her eyes. 

Exasperation, Sadness, despair, anger, rage, and finally the one that Rad had a bit of trouble identifying but was able to nonetheless. 

Heartbreak. 

“Listen, you’re lying to yourself when you say you want this. I can tell, you don’t want to follow in your mother’s footsteps. Maybe if she had taught you differently, you’d actually enjoy the role you’d be inheriting, but something tells me that she was very strict and difficult about it” said Rad, the Toxic Sludge taking a few steps forward so he was standing only less than a meter from the green Harpy. 

Jade kept her gaze away from the Toxic Sludge, but she eventually shut her eyes and nodded reluctantly. 

“I know I shouldn’t be selfish and want nothing else to do in my life but to inherit my mother’s mantle because of this unexpected turn in our family tree, but…I just feel like it’s not the right thing for me to do. I was never asked to be born into this family and expect to become someone that I know I can’t” stated Jade, the green Harpy now speaking freely, having felt as though Rad’s exact guess had opened the floodgates to someone who might just understand what she’s going through. 

Rad chuckled and nodded, the Toxic Sludge deciding to be bold and pat her shoulder in confort, causing her to jolt in shock at the sudden unexpected contact. 

“That’s it, it’s alright to let out your frustrations and voice the source of your anger. Maybe if you talk to her, she’ll understand that you’re still just a kid who wants to do kid stuff. Live life the way you want to BEFORE you take her mantle and gain this huge responsibility as a High Harpy Priestess…whatever that means anyway” said Rad, the Toxic Sludge shrugging one shoulder when he mentioned the last bit, unsure of what a High Harpy Priestess’ job would actually be. 

Jade giggled lightly, a true laugh that she had been unable to share with anyone for the longest time, especially since she mainly remained in the apartment, her so-called ‘home’, for the longest time, rarely even going out. 

“I’m pretty sure I mentioned before that we Harpies have the ability to see into the future and get visions of the past. That basically means that it is our responsibility to see into the future about major events that are foretold to us, thus allowing us to voice out our warnings. Visions of the past allow us to get a true visual of what had happened, allowing us to tell others what really happened, let’s say for example, during a court case where someone is lying and they require us to see what really we down” explained Jade, the green Harpy now feeling comfortable around the Toxic Sludge to the point where she can now explain things without a hostile bite in her attitude. 

“Ah, right. I think you mentioned those abilities, along with a couple others. I think I now understand why your mother is so strict and serious about you taking on her mantle. That’s a HUGE responsibility, especially for someone so young. Say, how old are you, anyway, if you don’t mind me asking?” asked Rad, the Toxic Sludge now smirking as he tried to remain casual when asking the question. 

“I’m seventeen, meaning I only have three years left before I am expected to take on my mother’s mantle as the second High Harpy Priestess. Harper would be the last to inherit her mothers, but only if aunt Sepha actually decides to give her her mantle, anyway” explained Jade, the green Harpy shrugging lightly as she turned her gaze back at her cousin. 

Jade smiled when she saw her cousin smiling and waving goodbye to the sketch artist, the pink Harpy having finally finished with her description and was on her way out.