Monster Month: Halloween MCYT Oneshots

Day 11- Gorgon

This is connected to 1, 3, 6, 14, 17, and 31, so it takes place in a modern au, and it's 436 words long. Warning for incredibly unsuccessful violence. E n j o y. 

 Gem was so, so relieved. Someone who took a different class in the same building where Gem did martial arts had offered to walk with her on the nights when their schedules overlapped. Their routes home turned out to be vastly overlapping, since they lived on the same street.

She was named Cleo. She'd introduced themself with an air of confidence that Gem admired. They seemed friendly enough, if a bit abrasive. Her hair was always covered with some sort of scarf, hat, or bandanna- "I'm not very religious, no, I just like covering it," They'd said. Also, Gem had never seen Cleo not wearing mirrored sunglasses, even indoors or at night. Despite their quirks, Gem was very happy to be getting to know Cleo as they chatted when they walked.

One night, the walk went a bit awry. Two masked men emerged from an alley, holding baseball bats. "Give us all your money!" One commanded.

"Or else you'll leave here in a body bag," The other snarled.

"Oh wow. How scary," Cleo said flatly.

Gem got into a stance she knew from martial arts class.

"Gem, can you do me a favor?" Cleo asked.

"What?"

"Run. I'll take care of these guys."

"But don't you take a sculpture cl-"

"I said, I'll take care of it." A faint hissing sound came from Cleo.

"Okay," Gem relented, jogging away, just around a corner. She wanted to be nearby in case Cleo was in over her head. And to watch.

"Now it's two against one," One of the muggers said.

"It almost doesn't seem fair," The other quipped. "But nah."

"Yeah, it's not fair. For your team." Cleo took off their sunglasses and bandanna, revealing that her hair... was snakes. Dozens of orange snakes.

"What the..." The mugger looked at his partner, as if to verify with him that what he was seeing was real. The other couldn't respond, as he'd already been turned to stone.

"Night night!" Cleo said, as the mugger solidified. They walked up to both the statues, toppling them over with a shove and a self-satisfied smirk. She put her sunglasses back on.

"Gem," Cleo called. "You can come back now, since obviously you didn't go far."

Gem ran back to Cleo. "THAT WAS SO COOL!"

"I literally just looked at them."

"Also your hair is so pretty. And adorable."

"Aw, thanks." Cleo's hair snakes hissed happily, too. Cleo put the bandanna back over them, but leaving a lot visible this time. "So, you're not all aghast at the fact that I'm a gorgon?"

"I am quickly becoming unfazed by the supernatural."

"Interesting."