it's sink or swim, my friend
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Clarity's heels clicked against the polished stone floor as she made her way back to the girls' dormitory, her conversation with Principal Crabapplessnitch still fresh in her mind. She couldn't shake off the feeling of irritation from the principal's condescending tone. The large wooden doors of the common space creaked as she pushed them open, and she was immediately greeted by the sight of Hellsa and Charlie lounging on the plush, crimson couches.
Hellsa Von Eldritch, with her perfectly styled hair and immaculate attire, turned her gaze toward Clarity, her eyes gleaming with a mixture of curiosity and malice. Charlie Magne, the perky and ever-optimistic daughter of Lucifer, sat beside Hellsa, her expression warm but wary.
Clarity straightened her posture and walked into the room, her golden eyes meeting Hellsa's cold stare. She felt a surge of irritation but forced herself to stay composed. Hellsa had been a thorn in her side since day one, but Clarity was determined not to give her the satisfaction of a reaction.
"Well, look who's back from her little chat with the principal," Hellsa drawled, a false sweetness coating her words. "I heard you caused quite a scene with those Goetic demons."
Charlie looked between the two girls, sensing the tension but unsure how to diffuse it. Clarity took a deep breath and mustered a polite smile.
"Yes, I had a talk with Principal Crabapplessnitch," Clarity said evenly. "And yes, those Goetic demons had it coming. But I'm here now, and I'd like to get along with everyone, including you, Hellsa."
Hellsa's lips curled into a smirk. "Oh, really? How noble of you, Clarity. In fact, I was just thinking about how we might start fresh." She leaned forward, her voice dripping with insincerity. "I'm so sorry for any misunderstandings we've had. Let's bury the hatchet, shall we?"
Clarity felt a surge of suspicion at Hellsa's words. The apology was too smooth, too rehearsed. Something else was going on beneath the surface, but Clarity decided to play along for now.
"Apology accepted," Clarity said, her voice steady but her eyes sharp. "I'm willing to start fresh if you are."
Hellsa's smile widened, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Wonderful. You know, Clarity, you really are quite... unique. It's a shame you had to resort to such brute force with those demons. It almost seems... beneath you."
Clarity clenched her fists but kept her composure. "I do what I have to do to protect myself. If that means getting my hands dirty, so be it."
Charlie's eyes widened, sensing the underlying tension but not wanting to escalate it. "Hey, why don't we all just relax for a bit? We could watch a show together or something."
Hellsa chuckled softly, her eyes never leaving Clarity. "That sounds like a lovely idea, Charlie. But unfortunately, I have other plans." She stood up gracefully, smoothing down her designer dress. "You see, Clarity. I was telling Charlie here about my idea to take over the school."
Clarity raised an eyebrow at her before Hellsa decided to correct herself, walking over to where Clarity was near the entrance of the common space. "I mean, my plan is for us to take over the school."
"What plan?"
"Don't worry, Clary! It's just a little something I came up with." she leaned her arms on the sofa next to them, her dark-manicured nails starkly contrasting to the red cushion, "It's sink or swim, darling. And if you're good at swimming, you've gotta let the losers drown." Clarity didn't seem convinced by her, and it was noted, "Why don't you guys leave the thinking up to me?"
"What?"
"What? What? What?" Hellsa's one visible eye blinked owlishly at her as she sashayed, closing into Clarity's personal space, "Can't you say anything else?" Clarity's lips formed a straight, tight-lipped grimace, darkening Hellsa's eyes. She circled around Clarity and over to Charlie. "You know what, Charlie, you were right - Clary here is an airhead."
That got Clarity's attention, and she faced Charlie with a hard, defensive look on her face. "What did you say about me?"
"Whoa, nothing, no, no, no! All I said was that you had to be an airhead since you came from... from the country, that's all." Charlie immediately got on the defensive, springing up to life and extending her hands out to shield herself from any incoming rage.
"What'd you say about me, prissy?"
"Come on, darling. Chill." this time, Hellsa got in between Charlie and Clarity, with her hands held out towards me, making a show of attempt to help Charlie.
"No, no, no, no... Hellsa's taking everything out of context." Charlie continued nervously.
This time, Charlie's response incites Hellsa to move towards Charlie with Clarity rooted in her position, "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Don't lie, Charlie. Don't you lie." she then cornered her. "Because you know what happens to liars?"
"No, no, I'm not lying." she gulped nervously.
"They drown." Hellsa spat, her eyes zeroing in on Charlie as the latter shrunk away from her gaze. They held their stare for a fat moment, with Clarity feeling awkwardly left out until Hellsa decided to move. Walking past her, Clarity felt something was amiss.
"Come on, Clary, let's go see how good you really are."
Against her better judgment, she follows after Hellsa anyway. "Don't worry, dear, nothing escapes my notice. I hear everything." Hellsa winks over her shoulder, making Clarity raise a brow in judgment, "You and me, we can do things."
All she did was nod, strolling after her; Clarity knew she couldn't afford to make an enemy out of her or just anyone just yet. So far now she'll keep her head held high and push through all the obstacles that stood in her way. Ironically, Hellsa's big hair or tentacles blocked her front view from anything.
The two left Charlie in the common space, who looked solemnly around the empty room before retaking her seat on the cushions once more.
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Meanwhile, Clarity followed Hellsa out of the girls' dorm and into the courtyard, the dark, eerie atmosphere of Hellschool hanging heavily around them. The cobblestone paths were lined with flickering, sinister-looking lanterns, and various demons watched them with curiosity and malice in their eyes. Clarity could feel the weight of their stares but did her best to ignore them, focusing instead on Hellsa's graceful yet predatory stride.
"Where exactly are we going?" Clarity asked, trying to keep her tone neutral despite her unease.
"You'll see," Hellsa replied with a sly smile, not bothering to look back. "I thought you might want to blow off some steam after your little talk with the principal."
Clarity frowned, suspicion growing. She didn't know Hellsa; she just had to trust her instincts for now and rely on heresy. Still, she followed, her curiosity piqued. They walked for several minutes, the murmurs of other students fading into the background as they reached the edge of the campus.
Hellsa led her to an old, dilapidated building—once part of the school's expansion plans, now abandoned and left to decay. The windows were shattered, and the walls were covered in creeping vines and graffiti. The air was thick with the scent of sulfur and decay.
"Here we are," Hellsa announced, stopping before the crumbling structure. "Perfect place to practice your fireball aim."
Clarity raised an eyebrow. "This place looks like it's about to collapse."
"Exactly," Hellsa said with a smirk. "No one's going to care if you knock it down a bit more. Besides, isn't that the point? To get a bit destructive?"
Clarity glanced around, noting the lack of other demons in the vicinity; she didn't want to hurt any unsuspecting goths in the building, after all. It was eerily quiet except for the occasional wind rattling the loose debris. She took a deep breath and nodded.
"Alright, let's see what I can do," she grinned, stepping back and raising her hand. She concentrated her energy until a small flame flickered to life in her palm. With a swift motion, she hurled the fireball at the building, hitting one of the remaining intact windows. The glass shattered with a satisfying crash, and flames licked at the edges of the frame.
Hellsa watched with a gleam in her eye, clapping slowly. "Not bad, Clarity. Not bad at all."
Clarity couldn't help but feel pride at the praise, even if it was from Hellsa. She prepared another fireball, aiming for a section of the wall that looked particularly unstable.
As she continued her practice, Hellsa leaned casually against a nearby tree, her eyes never leaving Clarity.
"You're getting better," Hellsa remarked after Clarity managed to bring down a sizeable chunk of the wall. "But remember, it's not just about brute force. Precision is key. Try hitting that spot right there," she pointed to a small, critical support beam still holding part of the structure together.
Clarity narrowed her eyes, focusing on the target Hellsa indicated. She summoned a more concentrated fireball, throwing it with all her might. The beam caught fire, and within moments, the roof began to collapse in on itself.
The noise was deafening, but Clarity felt a thrill of accomplishment. She turned to Hellsa, who was now smiling with genuine appreciation.
"Impressive," Hellsa said. "You might just have what it takes to survive here after all."
Clarity gave a small snort; nonetheless, she could appreciate her comment. "Thanks," she said. "But I think that's enough destruction for one day."
Hellsa nodded, her expression returning to its usual aloofness before she got an idea, "Come on, let's go down to the football field."
After her destructive practice session at the abandoned building, Clarity followed Hellsa through the winding campus paths with excitement.
"We're not done yet," Hellsa said with a glint in her eye as they approached the football fields. The large expanse of turf was eerily lit by the flickering infernal lights that lined the perimeter. Players—hulking, intimidating figures—moved across the field in a brutal practice session. Among them, Clarity recognized Krampus, his powerful form unmistakable as he led the drills with a commanding presence.
Clarity felt her heart skip a beat, a mix of admiration and something else fluttering in her chest. She tried to hide her reaction, but Hellsa's keen eyes caught it.
"Ah, I see you've noticed Krampus," Hellsa remarked, her tone dripping with amusement. "He's quite the specimen, isn't he? Strong, fearsome... most girls here would hit that."
Clarity's head immediately snapped towards her. "He's just really cool," she admitted, 'and nice.' She wanted to add but kept her gaze on the field. "But what are we doing here, Hellsa?"
Hellsa's smile widened. "I thought it might be fun for you to practice your aim on a moving target. Non-lethal, of course," she added, seeing the alarm in Clarity's eyes. "Just a magic slip up here and there to mess with them. They can handle it—they've been through worse."
Clarity shook her head, crossing her arms. "I'm not comfortable with that. Practicing on an abandoned building is one thing, but these are people... even if they are assholes."
Hellsa rolled her eyes, a hint of frustration creeping into her voice. "Oh, come on, Clarity. It's just a harmless prank. These jocks are tough—they'll laugh it off. Besides, it's a good way to test your skills under pressure."
Clarity hesitated, her conscience warring with the desire to fit in and prove herself. She glanced back at the field, watching Krampus effortlessly not-so-gently tackle another player to the ground.
"You know what being lazy gets you? It gets you another lap, you lazy guts." yelled their coach.
"Trust me," Hellsa pressed, her voice silky smooth. "They won't even know it was you. And who knows? Maybe you'll impress Krampus with your aim."
Clarity sighed, feeling the weight of the decision. She didn't want to be a bully, but Hellsa's persuasion and the thought of impressing Krampus were hard to ignore.
"Alright," she said reluctantly. "But only if it's non-lethal. I don't want to hurt anyone."
"Deal," Hellsa agreed, a triumphant smile spreading across her face. "Let's see what you've got."
Clarity summoned a small fireball, feeling its heat pulsate in her palm. She aimed carefully at one of the players, choosing a moment when he was distracted. With a flick of her wrist, she sent the fireball soaring through the air.
It struck the player on the back, flaring briefly before dissipating. The player yelped in surprise, stumbling but quickly regaining his footing. The other jocks laughed, assuming it was part of the rough play.
"I didn't tell you to stop." the coach yelled.
Hellsa chuckled. "Nice shot. See? Harmless fun."
Clarity couldn't help but feel a mix of guilt and exhilaration. She continued to practice, sending small fireballs toward the players, each time aiming to cause a bit of confusion without causing real harm. The jocks, including Krampus, seemed to take it in stride, their tough exteriors impervious to the minor annoyances.
"Why are you stopping, you damn slackers?"
As the practice session drew close, Clarity's aim had improved, and she felt a strange sense of accomplishment. Hellsa clapped her on the back.
"Not bad, Clarity. Not bad at all," she said. "Maybe there's hope for you yet."
Clarity gave a small smile, still grappling with her conflicting feelings. "Thanks, Hellsa. I guess it was kind of fun."
Hellsa's eyes gleamed with satisfaction. "Remember, Clarity, in this place, it's a sink or swim. And if you're good at swimming."
With that, she led Clarity away from the field and back to the girls' dorm, leaving behind the chaos of their practice session. As they walked, Clarity couldn't help but glance back at Krampus, wondering if he had noticed her after all.
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Deuteronomy 4:29
But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him
if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul.