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“Attention, Hexside Students, this is your principal speaking. This year I will be burdening—I mean, bestowing —our highest grom honor to...” Everyone fell silent while a quiet mumble of various curses was heard, “...Edalyn Clawthorne, your grom queen.”
Eda’s eyes shone with excitement as she pumped her fists in the air, “YES! I mean, I had no doubt that they would choose me, but, YES!”
Raine looked over at her in abject horror as she jumped up and down. “Eda, you actually want that? Are you okay???” They asked frantically.
Eda, still smiling, quirked her head to the side, “Of course I want to be grom queen Rainestorm, have you even met me?”
They momentarily wanted to take her hand but refrained. “Almost everyone who fights Grometheus dies, Eda.”
Eda laughed heartily, “Is THAT what they told you over at Stank Epiderm?” She gave them a smile, “Raine, only two kids have ever even had to go to the healing coven, no one has ever died! That would be too far, even for me.” She smirked at them as an embarrassed blush kissed the tips of their ears.
Raine saved any smart remarks as the two continued with their day and walked to class. They would still manage to be concerned for her even if she was the most powerful witchlet they knew.
“I got this Rainestorm, don't worry!”
Raine scoffed and affectionately grasped her hand as she was called out into the arena later that week. “Don’t tell me not to worry.” They looked at her with a terribly sincere but also caring and concerned smile that she couldn’t help but return with a wink.
They gave her an enthusiastic thumbs-up as she made her way to the fight.
“Alright, you bastard, let's dance.”
For someone like Eda, who had been wrangling the beasts of the isles from the woods around her house since she could walk, Grometheus was nothing but routine. Sure, maybe a little more showmanship and drama was due since a crowd was watching, but Clawthornes were born with flair and pizzaz. A few illusions released at just the right moments were enough to keep the crowd captivated while Eda dealt with Grom.
A trick up her sleeve (of the terrible, beaded dress her mother had her wear) sent Grom reeling; a potion that reacted with the molecules in the air when its vial was shattered.
Before she knew it, Eda was stomping out the final dregs of Grom’s form as everyone began cheering. She couldn’t help but bask in the applause as she stood victorious in the depths of the pit. Raine and Lilith quickly surfed down to join her and congratulate her on the victory.
“That was way faster than the kid who got picked last year!” Lilith cheered, but Eda was much more focused on the shorter bard squeezing her to death around the midsection. They mumbled something she couldn't quite understand as Lilith smirked, “They were quite worried about you, Edalyn.”
“Oh, hah!” Eda patted them on the back awkwardly as they finally pulled away. “Doubting my prowess, Rainestorm?” They quickly developed a blush that rivaled Eda’s own as they playfully shoved her.
“Never Calamity, I just—”
Eda let out a yelp as a tendril wrapped around her ankles, pulling her legs out from under her as her head made contact with the stone floor of the arena. Unscathed but startled, she was suddenly very glad she’d never cut her hair, and it had grown into a built-in helmet.
Her momentary distraction had given Grom just the opportunity it needed to sink into her head and catch a glimpse of her true fear. The beast rose as it began to take form.
Lilith squirted at the shape Grom was taking, “Wait, is that...?” She trailed off as she saw a look of horror overtaking Eda’s face.
Raine tore their gaze away from Grometheus so as not to intrude on Eda’s thoughts. “Hey, Eda, it’s alright,” she looked at them, still unsure. “Let’s take care of this loser together.” They offered her their hand, and her eyes lit up at the familiarity of the action.
Just like at HECK, the two danced with each other, spinning around before creating a large spell circle aimed straight at Grom, who, in the time it took Raine and Eda to do their dance, had transformed into Raine’s likeness almost exactly.
Internally, Raine cringed as the spell circle was released, and they had the pleasure of seeing themself blown to bits. The smoking puddles of Grom that were left quickly seeped back into the floor to return next year.
“That was certainly... Dramatic.” Lilith groused.
Eda and Raine glanced at one another, undeterred by the eccentric cheering from above them.
Eda sighed and gestured to the doors behind her. “Wanna take a walk, Rainestorm?”
Raine smiled and nodded. Even if Eda didn’t want to talk about it, it’d be nice to get out from under all the eyes on them.
“Um, so about that last bit of Grometheus...” Eda began as they walked out of the auditorium.
Raine glanced over to her as they walked down the hall. “You know you don't have to tell me anything you don’t want to, Calamity.”
Eda licked her lips nervously as they trekked through the school.
“You would consider us friends, right?” Eda eventually asked as they slowed to a stop.
Raine looked at her quizzically, “Of course, Eda. You’re the best friend I’ve ever had.”
“That’s nice,” Eda replied, scuffing her shoes over the floor tiles.
Sensing Eda’s confidence wavering, Raine decided to try and reassure their friend; the last thing they wanted was her being upset on what was supposed to be a fun night.
”You don’t need to be scared of me... rejecting you.” They spoke, quietly fidgeting with the earring they wore.
She glanced up at them momentarily before her gaze fell back down at her shoes. “So if I were to... maybe... ask you to be my partner, what would you say?”
Nothing to lose, Clawthorne, a voice in her head snarked.
She looks at them once more to find nothing but kindness in their eyes.
“I would say yes, you dingus!”
There was a short pause as Eda tried to process what they had just told her. “...are you sure?”
Raine took her hand once more, nodding, as a firm blush took over Eda’s face. Through the walls of the hall around them, she vaguely heard one of her favorite songs, Since u Been Conned, blaring on the speakers in the gym.
Eda squeezed their hand in hers and took off with a grin, leading them both back to the party to dance, laugh, and savor each other’s presence.