taxonomites | [01 | Sanctuary{holo} | Arrival] Loss begets pain

Take my hand.

Despite all she had been through, something in those words broke through the mental cage the witch had Azkadellia trapped with. All that she had witnessed second hand and through a fog and yet now she could see something more. More importantly, she could feel more. The sensation of emotion flood through her and for a moment the annuals seemed to have melted into nothing. Suddenly it was Azkadellia herself standing there in the light, the emerald ablaze about her neck and Ambrose's brilliant device twisted and on the verge of bringing darkness forever to the O.Z. Grown and hated by so many and yet the young girl that had lost herself to the witch's power that fateful day in the woods.

Reaching out, she could feel the witch fighting her, the rage buffeting her like a wild storm, tossing her about even as hands that were her own and yet unknown to her brushed against DG's. Clasping tight, holding onto that lifeline as she felt it. That sudden snap as the witch lost her hold, driven out by their magic joined. Stumbling from the dais, staring into DG's so pale eyes and then there was another wrenching, the world shifting as if the entirety of the Outer Zone was turned on its head. Then blackness.

Azkadellia came to in a small room that looked nothing like any place she knew in the Tower. Metal above, everything so different from her chambers, from that balcony where she stood during the eclipse, the darkness bathing over her

as the witch changed her world. Now her world had changed again.

"Don't let go!"

The words came from her lips before she could stop herself, scrambling to her feet. Heavy boots thudded on the floor as she looked around, gilded bodice gleaming as she turned quickly, looking for answers, looking for an exit, looking for one thing.

"Deeg?! Where are you?" Voice rising as she checked the walls, seeking a door though she found nothing but a table with a small device. The screen lit up, a small dot on a map blinking at her. Hand trembling, Azkadellia snatched it from the table, spinning on heel as the door slid open behind her.

"Hello?" She paused, peering at the door before taking a quick step toward it. Another careful step, eyes narrowing slightly. "Is anyone out there," she called, ignoring the tablet in her hands though viewing screens of a magical nature weren't entirely new to her. "Deeg? Anyone? Can you hear me?"

Another step toward the door, fingers clutching the tablet. Her lower lip quivered as she stepped out of the room and hurried along the hall, whispering under her breath.

"I swear, I didn't let go."

((ooc: For those that did the arrival on the voice test, feel free to handwave to outside the building, ie DG obvs.))

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Forcing herself to calm, Azkadellia clutched the tablet in her hands as she took two deep breaths. Eyes closing for a moment, trying hard to get herself to try and think and not merely react. Even if the witch was gone from within her, she couldn't deny that with enough outward emotions, uncontrolled and wild, she might do things she would regret.

Blinking back tears, she stared at the the screen, trying to smile. "I am. DG and I... we're family," she said softly, unaware how much any might know about her and what they might think. "Thank you for that though. I admit I was afraid I lost her for good."

"I know what that feeling is like. I really do understand." That horrible feeling of being sure that you'll never see them again and that you're at fault for it?

Yeah, Maddy knows that one pretty well.

"Has anyone given you the general welcome to Taxon speech yet?"

Despite herself and her nervousness, Azkadellia smiled and nodded. "They have. I was certain I wasn't home then when people were being so kind to me," she admitted, taking another slow breath.

"I won't stop you from offering whatever advice you might have though."

"If you've gotten the general advice, I will tell you to be open. Some times are different here and ... well, it isn't all bad."

Madelyne smiles faintly, trying to cheer up the other woman as best she can from a distance.

"Given how my life has been, I'm certain that this will be wonderful. At least as long as DG is here and no one is seeking to lock me in a metal suit," she said with a nod, seeming to be gathering herself together.

"I suppose it is a matter of adjusting and accepting, right?"

"The accepting is the hard part, I find. We all adjust."

Madelyne is likely talking a bit more about herself than she is about the other woman but, well, it works, doesn't it?

For a moment Azkadellia was quiet, thinking about that. "Has it been hard for you? I worry it won't be as hard on me as others I knew from my world," she admitted, thinking of Glitch and Cain more than herself in that moment.

"Well, my ex-husband is here, so that's why it has been a little more challenging for me." Her smile is a little more strained but it is still genuine.

"Oh."

It wasn't exactly the most proper answer, or even a helpful one, but at first Azkadellia had no idea what else to say.

"I'm sorry you've had to face that here. All of this must be hard enough without adding that to it."

"It has been.... awkward. Though we're getting along much better than I had any ability to believe would happen." Madelyne chuckles softly, "Never would have imagined."

"You're very lucky for that. As it seems your ex is as well," she said, smiling slightly. "I suppose being dragged into whatever this is helped with that. I'm hoping it might do the same for me and those I knew before."

"Well, we shall see where it goes. If it goes anywhere. I don't, really, know if it will or not." Looking down, she shakes her head a bit, "I hope it goes well for you. I'm Madelyne, by the way, since I don't think I did."

"At least you might have a friendship from it," she pointed out, thinking on her distance from such things over the years. "I find that is perhaps my goal now. To find friendship with my sister, and to not alienate others from my home.

"The pleasure is mine, Madelyne. Azkadellia is a mouthful, I know. I do apologize for that."

"I think it is a lovely name. And I apologize. I seem to tell everyone who appears all about my life. It... It must be something about this place."

Madelyne smiles faintly, tilting her head to the side, "I wish you luck in your ability to find friendship with your sister. that sort of relationship is challenging even in the best of circumstances."

"Oh, I don't mind. Not in the least. I'm used to being on the inside looking out so I like hearing about things," she admitted.

She nodded. "DG and I were best of friends before we were separated. I do hope we can find that again."

Madelyne murmurs to herself, "... inside looking out...."

There is something familiar there. She doesn't remember much about her time as the Goblyn Queen but what she does remember, there is really a sense of having been trapped inside of herself.

"Good luck. She seems a good person, alien meddling aside."

Azkadellia was truly not used to watching what she said and so it was easy to overspeak herself.

"Thank you for that. DG is... She's wonderful and I'm glad to see so many here think so highly of her."

"I'd like the chance to get to know her better."

"That would make both of us. I haven't known DG as an adult," she admitted.

"Good luck in getting to know her now. You two deserve the chance to be happy, even if it is in a weird alien zoo." She chuckles about that last point, as if it is more funny than it is.

"A bit what it is, isn't it," she said ore than asked, nodding. "And thank you. You're quite kind. Thank you."

"Thank /you/. I hope you have a good day."

She pushes hair behind her ear, "If you need something, let me know."

"I.." She nearly answered with a quick but hollow answer until realizing she meant it. "Thank you, I will. And if you ever have need of magic, do let me know."

It was the one thing she had to offer, even if she was still nervous about using it.

[01 | Sanctuary{holo} | Arrival] Loss begets pain

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