Chapter Text
"Edalyn! It's almost time to head to school! Come downstairs before your snakecon gets cold!"
This was her alarm clock every morning, the loud and demanding voice of her overprotective mother.
Eda groaned, attempting to blink the sleep from her eyes as she rolled out of bed. Her blanket wrapped around her body, becoming a burrito before she hit the hardwood floor below. Finally opening her eyes fully, she looked upon the cracked mirror in front of her.
A young, scruffled, red-headed, tired teen stared back at her. This is what she gets for staying up all night talking to Raine on her crystal ball. She could not let her mother know this was the case for her late arrival to breakfast, otherwise she would take it away again. It's not her fault her mom would never understand the importance of planning her next big prank with Raine.
"It's going to be epic, Rainestorm!" She recalled exclaiming, holding the crystal ball above her head.
"Bump is going to be so surprised when every hallway suddenly turns into ice! You can borrow my pair of skates so you won't have to worry about making it to class on time." Eda grinned cheekily as she reassured her best friend.
"I've almost finished perfecting the spell to do it for you too." Raine answered, holding up a book in their hands with doodles and inscriptions. "How's it look?"
Eda squinted as she pressed her forehead against the ball, studying the papers quickly before pulling back.
"Perfect as always, Rainestorm. You’re as awesome as me, if not awesomer." She complimented, leaning back positively.
She saw the smile grow across Raine’s face, averting their gaze as a soft red spread across their cheeks.
“Thanks, Eda.” They replied gingerly, lowering the book and continuing to write.
Eda felt her own cheeks start to grow warm and hoped Raine would not notice now that their attention was back on the notebook. They both seemed to have a knack for making the other sheepish these days. Many of their conversations were often filled with ardent remarks and flushing faces, which of course marred the back of Eda’s mind.
She figured what she felt for her dear friend had turned more into that of something amorous in the past year. It did not help that Lilith, her quick-witted sister, made a point to constantly prod at her about it. She just hoped it was not that obvious to Raine themself. It did not help that the curse often caused her to break out in feathers at any intense emotion, love included. She speculated Raine felt the same; for some reason knowing that fact made Eda feel even more nervous about the subject.
“Yep, I’m pretty excited for tomorrow.” Eda spoke up, wanting to interrupt the train of thought buzzing in her mind.
“Me too…” Raine replied, pausing their writing to look up at Eda. “I actually… wanted to ask you something regarding tomorrow.”
“Oh yeah? Hit me.” Eda replied, twirling a strand of her hair around her index finger.
Raine seemed to become apprehensive, eyes darting around their room as they looked for something. They reached across their desk and revealed a card, which they gripped in a tight manner against their chest.
“What’s that? More spells for the plan?” Eda asked, unsure of what the card could be.
“No, it’s something else.” Raine fumbled with the card, almost sounding a bit fearful. “Eda, I was wondering if you-”
A loud squeak of the floorboards sounded from outside Eda’s door, causing Eda to whip her head around and take her attention away from Raine.
“Shoot!” She hissed in a whisper, “I think my Mom is coming up the stairs. We can discuss more details tomorrow before class. Goodnight, Raine!”
“Oh, okay. Goodbye-” Raine attempted to get out before Eda shut off the crystal ball.
Thankfully, when her mother did peek in she had already stuffed the crystal ball under her pillow and took on her usual asleep face.
“I hope what Raine needed to ask wasn’t too important…” Eda mumbled as she unrolled from her blanket wrap.
Eda decided she may as well get ready fast so she could get to school and find out for herself. She grabbed her brush and made quick work of smoothing down what she could of her massive hair. Throwing on her uniform and grabbing her bookbag, she hurried down the stairs to the dining table where her mother was beginning to clean up the breakfast plates. Lilith was already by the door, eyes glued to the book in her hands as she waited for her to join her.
“Sorry, Mom.” Eda apologized, rushing past her plate still set upon the table and scooping up the snakecon into her mouth.
“It’s not good to eat so fast, Edalyn. You really should wake up earlier to have more time for breakfast.” Her mother suggested kindly.
“Yeah, Mom. I’ll do that. Thanks!” She quickly replied as she gulped down the food in a few swift bites. “Bye!”
As Eda rushed to the door, Lillth had already opened it for her speedy exit. Even though the two of them had their differences, they knew one another like the back of their hands.
“Have a good day, girls! And look forward to a great night too!” Their mother called as she waved to them in the doorway.
“Uh, thanks!” Eda shouted back, unsure as to why she had included “night” in that send off to.
She quickly forgot about that little detail, however, as her mind buzzed with the prank she was going to pull once she arrived at Hexside. She would wait for Lilith to learn of the prank once it was underway, she did not want to risk exposing her genius to Bump just yet. In the meantime, Eda let her mind race with how all the students and faculty were going to react as they made their way into town.
“Eda!”
The sound of Raine’s voice called up the road and Eda spotted them at the end of the bridge they were just beginning to cross.
“Hey, Raine!” Eda greeted back, hurrying to their side.
The pair exchanged their signature handshake before joining one another by their sides. Eda looked behind her, making sure Lilith was a good distance away before speaking to Raine.
“Did you bring the spell book?” She whispered.
“All right here.” Raine replied, handing her the notebook from their bookbag.
“Yes!” Eda cheered quietly, skimming through the pages with a mischievous grin, “I cannot wait to pull this off.”
“And the usual?” Raine requested, leaning over her shoulder.
“Yes, yes. For you, my dear associate.” Eda answered in a posh sounding voice. “One double whipped, ice scream filled, choco-nutty, crunchy, snack bar. Made by yours truly’s mother with love and care.”
Eda swirled her finger, summoning a spell circle that made the cold treat appear in her hand. This was her payment to Raine for every prank they helped to pull off.
“Thank you, my good fellow.” Raine replied, taking the treat from her hand and biting into it eagerly.
“Now, what was it you were going to ask me about last night?” Eda asked, leaning her head back against her arms as she walked.
“Oh!” Raine almost coughed on a piece of their food, “That, uh. Hang on.”
Raine gripped their treat between their teeth as they rummaged around their book bag. They pulled out the same card they had grabbed last night during their call, it was a faint yellow hue and had no cover.
“Right okay,” Raine said as they removed the treat from their mouth finally. “Eda…”
Raine had stopped walking, turning to Eda now with a wide eyed expression. Eda tilted her head, curious as to why Raine was acting so strange.
“Will you…” Raine started, slowly beginning to open the card, “Go-”
“We’re going to be late!” Lilith’s voice cried.
The pair turned to see Lilith running up fast behind them, her hands forming a large spell circle as she approached.
“Don’t worry, I’ve been perfecting this one.” Lilith announced.
“Huh?” Was all Eda could get out as the spell circle fell upon the trio.
There was a flash of light, then suddenly they were not on the bridge anymore. The ringing bell of the Hexside sounded off right behind them, and when Eda turned around they were standing in front of the steps of their school.
What she did not notice right away was instinctively she had wrapped her arms around Raine, who had also done the same to her. The pair chuckled bashfully, pulling away with cheeks blazing.
“What was that for, Lily?” Eda demanded, turning to her sister who seemed in awe of what she had done.
“Well, with how many days we end up late to school I decided to invest in a spell that could help us get there quickly. I took the liberty of casting a hidden spell circle right here at the bottom of the steps so no matter where we are in town we can be transported here." Lilith explained
"A little warning next time would be great, sis." Eda snided, crossing her arms and giving Lilith a frown.
"Sorry, Eda. Important announcement I can't miss this morning." Lilith briefly apologized, brushing her hand on Eda's shoulder as she passed to walk up the stairs.
"Ugh, sorry Raine." Eda apologized for her sister, turning back to her friend who looked frozen in shock.
"It's all good, no worries." Raine assured her.
The poor bard had their glasses crooked on their face, and the frozen treat had been crushed in their palm. Eda reached to straighten the glasses as Raine was wiping away the ruined treat, smiling with satisfaction once Raine seemed put together again. Raine immediately blushed, causing Eda to retract her hands shyly.
"I wonder what announcement Lilith is expecting." Eda pondered, stepping onto the first steps of the school stairs.
"Probably the Grom Queen announcement." Raine spoke up, following behind Eda.
"Huh?" Eda stopped in place, turning back to Raine with a confused expression.
"Attention all students." Bump's voice echoed throughout the school grounds. "I'm happy to announce that this year's Grom Queen will in fact be Ms. Lilith Clawthorne!"
Eda could hear gasps come from inside the school, but she was feeling a different kind of shock at that moment. It was Grom season… Grom was today. She had completely forgotten.
"Oh my Titan… Grom!" Eda exclaimed, slapping a hand over her face. "I completely forgot it was happening."
"I was wondering why you were going to pull such a huge prank on Grom Day." Raine spoke up behind her, “I figured you’d be too busy getting ready.”
Eda froze, a sudden realization coming over her. Raine’s shy demeanor, the question, their card, were they trying to ask her to Grom?
“Sooo, uh… what were you going to ask me, Rainestorm?” Eda nervously asked, turning with a timid smile.
“Right, right.” Raine composed themself, finally opening the card and lifting it up towards Eda. “Do you want to go to Grom with me?”
Their eyes peeked over the card, obviously trying to hide the creeping blush spreading across their face. Eda wished Raine wasn’t so naturally cute, it would make hiding her own embarrassment a lot easier. The card they had made was written in beautiful, red, cursive letters. A small drawing of a rainstorm cloud with an eye drawn inside it was doodled in the corner, Raine’s signature symbol. It was simple, but Eda adored it. She expected nothing less from them, and they had made it just for her.
“Wow… I mean, yes! Course I’ll go with you!” Eda responded finally, taking the card and grinning happily.
“Okay! Meet back here at the steps tonight at seven, then?” Raine’s expression lit up, their shyness fading away thanks to her confirmation.
“It’s a date, Rainestorm.” Eda responded, the word “date” leaving her mouth before it was too late to take it back.
Her heart skipped a beat, waiting to see how Raine would respond. The bard’s eyes almost sparkled as they stared up at Eda, which made her both want to leap with joy and hide in fear. The moment of silence the two were now living in as they looked at one another on the steps only caused Eda’s nervousness to increase. She could feel the familiar itch of feathers daring to sprout from her skin, and she quickly thought of an escape before they could have the chance to emerge.
"I'm going to check on Lily and see how she's taking this Grom Queen thing. She's a tough cookie but.." Eda began, placing her arms behind her back.
"Go ahead, I'll see you later tonight." Raine nodded, cheeks still a soft crimson.
Eda shot them a finger gun before running up the steps and down the nearest hall. She placed herself flat against the school walls and took in deep breaths, trying to calm her nerves. She pulled her uniform top open slightly to look at her golden pendant attached to her undershirt. The bottom of it was filled black, indicating the beast was beginning to surface.
"Come on, work with me here." She begged quietly, watching the darkness of her gold pendant slowly rise.
"I thought I was supposed to be the one freaking out." Lilith's voice sounded close by. "Are you okay?"
Eda turned to see her sister exiting the principal's office, a new book in her hand titled "History of Grom" opened to the first few pages.
Lilith's presence surprisingly put her at ease, and she could feel the itchiness begin to subside.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little frazzled I guess." Eda shrugged, turning to lean against the wall now.
"How come?" Lilith asked, eyes trailing to the open card in her hand. "Oh, I see. So it's finally happening?"
"What? What's finally happening?" Eda asked, eyes darting to her card and quickly hiding it behind her back.
Lilith spun her finger, pulling the card away from Eda magically to look at it closer. Eda crossed her arms, giving Lilith a stink eye as she read it over.
"You and Raine." Lilith responded, placing the card against Eda's chest to return it.
"I have no idea what you're talking about." Eda huffed, taking the card gently and placing it in her bookbag.
"Edalyn," Lilith spoke seriously, "it's obvious that both of you are head over heels for each other."
"What? You're crazy, I'm not-" Eda began, but the raised brow her sister was giving her put an end to her stammering. "... okay, but even if we maybe are, what does Grom have to do with it?"
"Because now is the perfect chance for you to finally ask Raine out!" Lilith explained.
"Huh?" Eda squeaked, slipping slightly off the wall she had been leaning against. "Are you crazy? I can't do that, Raine is… Raine is my best friend."
"All the more reason you two are perfect for each other." Lilith stated, closing her Grom book. "Look, Eda. All I'm saying is… that little bard is so in love with you. And if I have to go another semester watching you two fumble over each other, I think I'm going to have to transfer schools."
Eda frowned, looking down at her shoes as she took in Lilith's advice. Was she right? Was now really the time to try to ask Raine out? She had never dated anyone before, no one really took an interest in her in that sort of way. But Raine… the way they made her laugh, the time they spent together, how much in common they shared, could dating one another really work out?
"Do you… really think they would want to date me?" Eda asked, looking for a genuine answer. "I don't really feel like the dating type. I'm not exactly pretty girl material, if you know what I mean. Then there's my curse…" Eda trailed off, clutching the pendant under her uniform.
"Don't sell yourself short, Edalyn." Lilith reassured her, walking up to her and placing a hand on her shoulder. "Raine would be lucky to have you. And you are beautiful, okay? Your curse doesn't change that…"
"Thanks, Lily." Eda smiled softly, touched by her sister's words but not wanting to fully show it. "Who knew you were so good at pep talks."
"Now I just need to give myself one, Grom is going to be a challenge." Lilith muttered, opening the Grom book once again.
"Hey, if any dork in this school can beat that monster, it's you." Eda encouraged, gripping her shoulders tight. "You're training with the emperor's coven, remember? You're going to kick Grom's butt!"
Lilith's eyes reflected a deep emotion Eda could not place, yet she smiled and nodded at her words.
"You're right. Looks like we both have much to prepare for then." Lilith stated, flipping to the next page of her book.
"Yeah guess so… oh, Titan. I don't even have anything to wear!" Eda exclaimed, dragging a hand down her face. "Do I have to wear something frilly? Is that required?"
"I'm sure you'll find something when Mother takes us shopping after school." Lilith responded, beginning to walk down the hall.
"Wait, she's doing that?" Eda called after her, running up to her side.
"Yes she is. Did you not pay attention to a word she said at dinner last night?" Lilith asked, eyeing her sister in a judgmental manner.
"Hey! To be fair, I had my mind on bigger plans for today. Now it all has to be put on hold." Eda defended.
"You mean your next big prank?" Lilith quipped back.
"Wait, how did you know about that?" Eda asked in a flabbergasted tone.
"You're not exactly quiet at night, talking to Raine on your crystal ball until dawn." Lilith teased, "And it took you this long to realize you both were crushing hard?"
"Shut up!" Eda yelled, shoving Lilith playfully.
Lilith smacked her back with her book, laughing and running after her down the hall. Eda stuck her tongue out, egging her on to continue their play fight.
She was going to make today a good day. She would not let her curse get the better of her. She was going to go on a date with Raine to Grom and everything was going to be fine.
A date… with Raine.
Unfortunately, her arms would feel itchy for the remainder of the school day as that statement bounced around her head.