The Weight of Jade

Go to Her

'Relax young master, it will be great. She'll be waiting for you at this rate.'

"Yup," Jade Turtle muttered aloud, nervously shifting his shield on his arm as he looked over the edge of his apartment building into the night life of Paris. "Here I go..."

The hero continued to stare into the steadily streaming lights of the streets far below him, fidgeting with his shield again. "Any second now..."

'Tell me what you're afraid of,' Wayzz asked quietly, his voice low and... soothing. Now that he had experienced it the calmness of it now always reminded him of what it felt like to be underwater, looking up. Comfortable and enveloping.

"How much time have you got?"

'As I see it Nino,' he said with a quiet chuckle, the sound echoing in Jade's mind as he nervously stepped towards the edge. 'You doubted yourself every waking moment with things of much greater consequence. If you falter in a step or flounder a word, you know what she'll do. She'll smile, she'll laugh. She'll be playful and kind, you're afraid of some horrible outcome that doesn't exist. You have such a great weight on your shoulders... you deserve this.'

The tone Wayzz ended his sentiment caught Jade off guard, the hero's gaze shifting towards his bracelet.

"Are you alright Wayzz?" he asked, noticing the friendly chuckle as it sounded in his mind.

'You always find the time to worry for others, this only furthers my point. You're so noble and kind, and I know she makes you happy. She makes you nervous, but happy. I want you to have this, I know you'll smile and laugh the whole way through. Please have confidence Nino, you will have a great time.'

Jade paused, the arm that bore his miraculous raised slightly as Wayzz finished speaking. The way Wayzz's words settled at the end of a sentence always gave away when he was finished with what he was saying, nothing more to add for probably the next while. Jade felt his kwami go quiet, settling back to be passive from then on out like he was offering privacy as best as he was capable.

Wayzz had said similar things leading all the way up to when he transformed in preparation to leave but he never got tired of doing it. He was kind and patient... quietly reminding Nino that he wanted him to be happy, no matter what the path to happiness may be. Whether it meant going through with the date or staying in Wayzz offered his support, even if he had a preference...

Jade only hesitated for a moment more as a gentle breeze ruffled the soft material of his hood, currently raised as he prepared to jump with the gentle encouragement of his friend in his mind. Even when Wayzz was quiet he knew he was there...

It made him feel better.

"Thanks buddy..." he said aloud, pulling his shield free so he could skate down, already pitching his weight forward. "You're right but... I appreciate that you keep saying it."

Jade stepped forward, his weight carrying him over the edge and the sudden sensation of falling sending a jolt of adrenaline through his chest, even as he positioned his shield so he could effortlessly coast down. Wayzz made no move to respond but Jade knew he wouldn't. This was his show now.

"Don't freak out, don't freak out," the hero whispered to himself, tensing his legs to brace for the pressure of landing and leaning forward to shoot out from the alley and into the street. He was only exposed for a few moments as he cut across the street and into another alley way, darting to and from dark thin alleys between buildings as he headed into the city. "It's just a date with a girl you really like," he muttered in an almost sing song like tone, banking hard and cutting abruptly uptown. "A girl whose probably twice as smart as you... just a patrol nothing big nothing flashy just a... oh god," he muttered, shaking his head and almost knocking his hood loose as he sped up a deserted side street.