𝐒𝐎𝐋 | ˢʷᵉᵉᵗ ᵖᵉᵃ

• S E V E N •

« Sin Salida »

                Clemintine entered the bunker with Jughead. Her body got tense as she saw Ethel Muggs staring at them. She wasn't exactly sure why Jughead needed her help, especially since it was just Ethel, plus a couple or so dozen candles.

"Ethel?" Jughead questioned, just to make sure that it truly was the redhead in question.

"Welcome to your first game." She greeted. "Your entry point to the realm of Gryphons and Gargoyles."

Clemintine's brows furrowed. "Gryphons and Gargoyles?" She stepped closer.

Jughead recognized that tone. "You know this game?"

Clemintine looked back at him. "Yeah. I play it with Kurtz occasionally." More like every other day.

"You may sit, Princess Clemintine." Ethel held out her arm, motioning for the two to sit.

"How did you-"

"We all know who our Princess is." Ethel cut her off. Jughead and Clemintine slipped into their seats, across from Ethel. "First things first, Jughead," Ethel continued. "do you want to be the Radiant Knight, Arcane Invoker, or Hellcaster?"

"Uh, Hellcaster." Jughead answered. It was obvious that he would choose that.

"Good choice. That was Ben's avatar. I was supposed to ascend with him, but then he betrayed me and finished the game with Dilton instead. Doesn't matter. Pick a Quest Card and let's get started."

And thus, the game began. As they continued, Clemintine was impressed by how fast Jughead had caught on.

"Well picked, Caster. You've entered a secret chamber. You're standing in the middle of a circle composed of gryphon bones." Ethel then exposed two silver chalices, both containing a strange blue liquid. "Two chalices sit before the Princess. Only one can save her."

"Ethel..." Jughead knew exactly what was in one of those chalices. "No. No way."

Clemintine looked at Jughead with a frown. "You wanted to prove your worthiness." This was a new side to the once innocent girl.

Ethel continued. "In order to do so, you have to drink from one of the Sacred Goblets, the Princess will drink from the other. Choose wisely."

"Do it Jug. I'm not scared."

"You're asking me to play Russian roulette, Sunny!"

"We're asking you to play Gryphons and Gargoyles." Ethel jumped back in. "It's just Gargoyle blood, Hellcaster."

Jughead scoffed.

"Flip for your fate." Clemintine handed him a coin, seeing as he wasn't going to choose willingly.

Jughead looked into Clemintine's pleading eyes. "If I do this..." He looked at Ethel. "promise to give me the scripture?"

"I promise." Ethel nodded. "The King as my witness."

With one last look at Clemintine, Jughead flipped the coin. "Gryphon." His fate was made.

Ethel held out the chalices to her fellow classmates. "You flipped the coin, so you go first." She instructed the beanie boy.

"Salute." Jughead downed its contents.

Clemintine rose the goblet to her mouth. Ethel noticed that Jughead had no change. She was ready to ascend. Just as Clemintine tilt the goblet back, Ethel ripped it from her hands and drank the strange liquid.

"Now," Ethel smiled, content with herself. "you must kiss Princess Clemintine. She reigns over all game masters. It's in the scripture. It's the only way to get the treasure."

"Fine." Jughead looked at Clemintine. He'd been waiting for this day since all those cold nights they spent together in the projection booth. Jughead slowly lent in, placing his lips onto Clemintine's, letting himself linger for a moment.

Suddenly, a pale Ethel began shaking. Clemintine acted quickly, catching the redhead before she fell.

"I'm going to call 911." Jughead called out.

☀️

Clemintine entered the school the next day. She had heard through the grapevine, that Jughead had a heated conversation with Sweet Pea after school, before the G&G game.

After the game, and Clemintine's mental breakdown from the days events, she received a call from Kurtz. He helped calm her for a while. And, for the short time they talked, he made all of Clemintine's worries disappear. But ultimately, they are becoming closer than ever.

Clemintine walked into the student common room, where her friends were sitting, waiting for school to start.

"Love the hair, Clems." Cheryl cooed, referring to Clemintine's curled hair. "Come sit." Clemintine sat down between Cheryl and Kevin.

"Are you okay?" Betty asked. "After yesterday?"

Clemintine smiled a fake smile. "I'm perfect."

"She's doing amazing." Cheryl hugged her cousins' arm. "Listen, I've heard rumors." Clemintine rose a brow. "That you've got a new flame."

"Kurtz, right?" Jughead asked with a smirk. Clemintine chuckled. That was all the answer her friends needed.

Kevin looked up, noticing the four Serpents that walked in. So, he spoke up. "I'm glad you found someone, Clemmie. I'm happy for you."

🐍

At lunch, Sweet Pea sat with his fellow gang members.

"So, tell Fangs what you told us." Another Serpent spoke.

Fangs rose a brow at Sweet Pea expectantly.

"I'm going to her house tonight." Sweet Pea smiled proudly. He hadn't put much thought into it, however.

"And what if she's not there?" Peaches asked.

Sweet Pea's smile fell. "Why wouldn't she be?" He frowned slightly.

Peaches scoffed, then rolled her eyes. "You're not the center of her world, man. You heard her friend; she has someone else. What happens if you show up and they're screwing?"

Sweet Pea's face clenched. He didn't want to think about her with someone else. "She wouldn't. She's not that type of person."

"But you don't know that." Latrelle, a Serpent, spoke. "You don't know her anymore, dude, she's changed. She dresses different and changed her hair. Have you noticed that her jacket suddenly disappeared? Nothing about her has been the same since the end of last year."

"Her parents were murdered." Fangs jumped in to defend the pink haired girl. "This is a dumb conversation. Let Sweet Pea do whatever the hell he wants. I wash my hands of the whole thing." Fangs then walked away, obviously upset.

Peaches shook her head. "You've gone downhill since you got together with that singer chick. You're not sly." And just like Fangs, she too walked away, Latrelle following behind.

chapter word count: 1007