Valerie jumps into the pool tide and lands in the same area, but only slightly different.
Some of the trees around her aren't as big, as though they got a little smaller. The leafs even looked younger, not as old, with the branches even less wrinkled.
Valerie looked around and then saw a couple students pass by! She gasps as she quickly ducks into a bush.
She grabs Milo to make sure he's hidden too. They peak out the bush and check out the students passing, but they were unfamiliar students, kids that Valerie didn't know.
Two of them were younger girls. One of them has long pink hair covering her forehead but you can slightly see her third eye, and the eye colors a very light green. The girl next to her having dark scarlet hair, glasses, and was harder to see the color of her eyes but looked to be blue?
And behind the two girls being four other kids! Who looked more familiar to Valerie.
Three of the four were boys. The one girl having the same light green hair as Amity and blue eyes. The boys' with her, one of them having messy brown hair and golden eyes. The other boy having black hair in a bun and purple eyes, with a child-sized bestial humanoid next to him. He has a wild mane of auburn hair. His body is covered with orange fur. His eyes have yellow sclerae with magenta irises and slit pupils, and he has two pointed ears similar in shape to a cat's.
"Wait a minute... are they - Amity's parents?!" Valerie realizes seeing young Odalia and Alador.
"Holy Titan, I actually went back in time - but 30 years in the past?!" Valerie kicks the sand. "Dang it, Lilith!"
Valerie groans. She puts her hand on her hips. She looks at Milo. "Oh well, maybe I can make use of this. My parents have to be the same age as me here, so if I can find two people who have similar features as me then maybe I could find them!"
Valerie jumps up and runs into the forest. "Time to go to hexside!"
Valerie then stops on her tracks. "Wait, I shouldn't go out like this. I could mess up the timeline if I look like my modern self."
Milo jumps off Valerie's shoulder and runs off towards somewhere. "Milo! Where you going?" She chases him and found him looking into a river and drinking it.
Valerie looks into it seeing herself like a mirror. "Oh, I get it. I could use this as a mirror." Valerie looks at Milo who's drinking the water. "Or as a drinking fountain..."
Valerie then decided to create a cloaking gem to cover up her most physically remembering features.
She hides away her scars and her round ears turned pointy, and has her round piercings on her other ear, and her clothes are changed as well. Her usual clothing changed into a purple and white stripped shirt and the same leggings as Luz keeping her usual boots, keeping her golden tooth and has her gloves kept on to make sure her curse marks are covered.
She puts the gem in her pocket and looks at herself in the water. She fist bumps. "Yes! I'm completely covered up!"
Valerie grabs Milo and runs. "Time to go to hexside!"
It didn't take long to get to the school. After all, students were passing by casually so obviously it shouldn't of been that far from where she was.
Once she made it, she made sure to hide within the trees to not be noticed by people just yet. She was still a little scared about being shown in case of messing timelines up and what-not.
She looked around seeing some familiar people, who were likely adults she knew, who are just now kids, and even some of the teachers but younger.
"Check it out, Milo. We're actually in the past! This is so cool." Valerie keeps observing. "My parents have to be around somewhere... they must have went to hexside..."
Milo then makes a little ferret noise. Valerie understanding what he said. "I doubt they went to any other school, it had to be hexside! Besides, I could always just walk around if they aren't here..."
Valerie didn't want to check out the other schools. After all, most of everyone she knew went here so she was certain her parents went here.
Valerie puts her hand on the tree she's next to and then looks at the very top of it. "Let's get a better look." She smirks.
Valerie climbs up the tree and makes it to the top with no issues, after all one of her favorite hobbies is climbing trees for fun, so it was a piece of cake!
She leans herself out of the tree as she looks across the isles, the wind blowing through her orange hair as she watches some kids coming by and some occasional witches flying by on their staffs.
That's when the tree branch she was grabbing on to snaps causing her to fall. She yells as she didn't notice one of the vines on the tree wrapping around her left ankle, which helped stopped her from hitting the ground but is now dangling upside down.
Thankfully, there wasn't any kids around to see her.
Valerie has an annoyed look on her face. She groans as she then grabs the vine and tries to get herself off.
"Are you okay?" A sudden voice asks.
Valerie stops what she's doing as she looks to see a kid in front of her. Since she was trying to get off the vine, she's up-straight and was able to see the kid.
They have medium brown skin and mint-green hair. They have darker mint green eyebrows, and green eyes. They wear red glasses. They're even wearing a hexside uniform, red sleeves and pants, they're in the bard track.
Valerie quickly regains her conscious and replies. "Yeah, help would be great!"
"Alright, hold still." They warn. Valerie let's go of the vine to let herself dangle again.
The kid then jumps off a different tree to get height and they swing their hand swiftly, being able to cut the vines. Valerie falls, but the kid lands on the ground first and caught Valerie in time.
"Safe!" She says, putting her hands up.
The kid laughs as Valerie gets off them. "Thanks, Crony!"
"Anytime! But, how did you end up dangled on a tree?" The kid asks, looking at the tree Valerie was stuck on. Valerie also looking, as the two kids see the vine that's now sliced.
"I was climbing the tree to get a better view of the area when the branch broke and my ankle got caught by a vine."
"Oh, well, maybe next time find a safer way?" They encourage.
Valerie waves her hand. "Nah, it takes away the fun."
They chuckle. "You're a riot, you know that?"
Valerie chuckles as well. "You're pretty cool too. The way you sliced the vines was kickbutt!" Valerie slices the air, mimicking their movements from earlier when slicing the vine.
"What's your name?" Valerie asks.
"Raine Whispers." Raine takes out their hand for a handshake.
Valerie looks at their hand and smiles. "My names Valerie."
The two shake their hands.
"Where are you from?" Raine asks.
This makes Valerie nervous. She had to think of an excuse. She has to be careful of not messing up the timeline.
"I'm, uh, a transfer! I move around a lot and I think Hexside would be the perfect place!"
"You travel around with your parents?"
"Y-Yeah, i-it's me, my mom, my little brother, and sister!"
"Where at they? Shouldn't you be with them?" Raine asks, looking behind Valerie to find no one.
"Oh uh, my Mom works a lot, sometimes having no breaks at all! So, I don't really see her often, and my sister watches my little brother all the time. I-I like going around a lot. I usually slept in sleeping bags, cause we don't really have a house."
That's when Milo jumps on Val's shoulder. "But I have my buddy Milo to keep me company." Valerie says, scratching his cheek.
Raine looks at Milo with awe. "Is he your palisman?" Raine asks.
"Oh uh, no. He's just a pet of mine." Valerie states.
"Oh I see." Valerie was then about to take a step, she hisses in pain as she kneels to feel her left ankle. "What's wrong?" Raine worriedly asks.
"My ankle... I think I sprained it or something?"
"Should I take you home?" Raine asks.
"N-No." Valerie needs to think of something quick. "W-We don't really have a house... my moms working all the time to try and get one! So... I don't really have anywhere to go..."
"Let's go to my house. There should be an aid kit there."
Raine then crouches down next to Valerie to allow her to climb on their back.
Once Valerie climbed on their back, she straightens her back as Raine is now giving her a piggy back ride.
"On word, Whispers!" She playfully demands.
Raine actually had taken Valerie all the way to their house having her on their back.
Some kids saw this as the two pass by, but decided to shrug it off and thought: "Friends will be friends."
Raine occasionally looked back at Valerie to see her having a longing look towards some of the people passing by.
They raised an eyebrow; questioning it. But they weren't going to ask. At least not yet.
The two made it past the town and now into the forest going towards more neighborhoods that Raine likely lives in now.
"Hey, so where do you live?" Valerie asks, wrapping her arms around Raine.
"In a nice new home."
"New home?" Valerie straightens her back and lifts her arm to grab a pretty leaf she saw on the tree.
"Yeah, I used to live on the Knee. But my parents and I hated the cold."
"Oh wow, the knee to hexside is a brutal walk!" She smiles as she lets go of the leaf letting it fly away with the wind.
"Oh no, I use to go St. Epiderm. But since I moved, now I go to hexside. Which is better in my opinion."
"Right? Cause, I've visited all the other schools and just didn't feel right. Hexside just felt right to me, ya know." Valerie excitedly brags.
"Oh wow, transferring schools must be hard."
Valerie had a sweat drop realizing that Raine didn't know she had snuck in all the schools, not attend. After all she's in the past, not her modern time.
Valerie had a nervous chuckle. "Ha ha, yeah... it's tough... especially since I don't really have much friends here..."
Raine looks at Valerie with a sad look. "Hey, we could be friends." They say; smiling.
Valerie has a dorky smile. "Really?!" Raine nods. She fist bumps. "Yes! New friend!"
Raine looks towards and their face showed realization. "Oh! We're here!"
Raine's house isn't much, it's a small one story but looks rather nice. The color scheme warm and the front yard having nice grass and some flowers planted.
"Ooo, pretty flowers!" Valerie says. Raine crouches so Valerie could be near the flowers.
"My mom is a fan of flowers. She always plants when she has the chance." Raine explains.
Valerie then notices a flower that's rather dead and nearly decomposed. "Oh, yeah. We don't know why that flower is dying. It's strange, but my mom hopes for it to get better."
Valerie then makes a circle above the flower, little sparkles falling on the flowers making it glow as it then started to become less decomposed and looked healthy and new!
Raine was amazed. "Wow! You know plant magic?" Raine asks, amazed.
"I'm good with all magic!" Valerie brags, making a fire ball on her right hand and summing her star on the other.
"Amazing! You could show off more inside!" Raine insists.
Raine opens their door and reveals the inside of their house.
The living nicely neat and furnished, having a long couch and coffee table in front. Nice patterned rug and some pictures on the walls.
Valerie looks forward to seeing the hallway that likely leads to the bedrooms and other rooms. She looks to her left and sees the kitchen table and the kitchen.
"This place is so nice!" Valerie compliments.
Raine walks to the couch. "Thanks." They gingerly place her on the couch. "I'm gonna find the aid."
Raine quickly runs to the hallway to go to a room to find the kit. Valerie being able to hear Raine rummage though the stuff to find it.
She looks around the room and is mostly focused on the pictures on the wall.
The big main photo of Raine with their two moms. One mom with lighter toned skin than Raine but has the same exact green eyes with mint green hair and rather tall.
The other mom having white hair and the same medium skin tone as Raine and was a little shorter.
Raine about the same age in the picture as they have their hands on their hips with a big smile standing in-between their Moms' and even what looks to be a Fox on their shoulders.
"A fox?" Raine didn't have a Fox on them. Was that their pet? Their palisman?
"Found it!"
Valerie quickly looks at the hallway and sees Raine coming out with the aid kit in their hand.
Raine sits next to Valerie, she puts her ankle in-between the two. "How badly goes it hurt?"
Valerie tests this out by standing up and immediately sits back down as she winces. "It hurts!" She complains.
"I think we should wait till my Moms get home. My Mama is an amazing healer!" Raine explains, going through the kit to find an ice pack and makes a circle to make it cold.
"Oh cool, what other magics are your Mom's good at?" Valerie asks. Raine places the ice pack on Val's ankle as she presses it down.
"Mama is good with healing, construction, and plant. And Mom's good with Oracle, beast, and potions." Raine then looks at Valerie with a smile. "But what they're really good at is bard magic!"
"Bard magic... I've always been interested in it, but the only ones who are decent at it is my Mom. But she stopped playing a while ago, don't know why." Valerie shrugs.
Valerie leans closer to Raine with interest. "So how good are you with bard magic?"
"Well, from what my grades and classmates tell me. Too good for my own age? It's weird, I didn't think much of my talents until others started telling me about it." Raine confesses.
Valerie leans against the couch. "I get what you mean."
Raine raises an eyebrow and leans against the couch too. "Really?"
"Yeah, I mean, I've been rather good at magic my whole life. And I thought I wasn't very good at magic or that much of a deal at it until everyone around me would fear me because of my 'dangerous magic' and how my family are wild witches, which means we're seen as dangerous." Valerie ranted.
"Is that why you're moving around? Cause you're wild?" Raine worriedly asks.
Valerie looks away. "A little... yeah."
Raine puts their hand on Val's shoulder. "Well, you're safe here." Valerie smiles.
"Oh!" She remembers. "I saw your family photo. Do you have a pet Fox or palisman?"
Raine snaps their fingers with a chuckle. "Oh yeah, I forgot to introduce you." Raine then summons their staff, that's a Fox, that releases itself off the staff and onto Raine's lap. "This is Fiddlesticks. My palisman!"
Milo comes out and onto Val's lap to then smell fiddlesticks. Who becomes excited to see Milo.
Milo, a little startled at first, gets use to fiddlesticks realizing they're no threat and just an energetic goofball.
Soon enough, the door opens to reveal two woman coming in. Raine's Moms'!
"Raine, we're home!" The healer Mom happily says as she puts her bag down, the other Mom yawning and stretches. "Hi Mom! Hi Mama!"
The healer mom then noticed Valerie. "Who's your friend, Raine?"
"This is my new friend. Valerie! She's transferring to Hexside."
"How nice." The other Mom tiredly says.
"Did I come at a bad time?" Valerie asks.
"No no, it's just work tires me out, Sweetie. And... is something wrong with her leg?" The tired Mom asks.
"She sprained her ankle." The healer Mom walks up to Raine and Valerie. "Can you fix it?" Raine asks.
The healer Mom smiles. "Come on, Rainy. Who do you think you're talking to?" She winks.
"Hold still." Valerie tensed a little but quickly calms herself down she watches Raine's mom make a blue circle above her ankle.
She can feel her ankle getting better and didn't know how good healing magic felt until now! Sure, she's used it a couple times, but not really on herself, mostly on others.
Eda's not very good with healing magic, so when Valerie needed help to heal bones or scratches, it was the old fashioned way.
Valerie touched her ankle and then stands up to not feel pain. "I'm all better!!" Valerie cheers.
Fiddlesticks and Milo jump on Valerie making her fall back on the couch making Raine laugh.
Raine's Mom smiles seeing Raine so happy with someone that could make them laugh.
Raine grabs Fiddlesticks and Val grabs Milo. She faces Raines Mom. "Thanks! Uh..." she didn't know their names.
"My name is Dylan." The healer Mom replies.
"Reva. Nice to meet you." The other mom greets.
"So, Valerie." Dylan says. "How did you and Raine meet?"
"Oh, I was dangling from a tree at hexside. And Raine helped me!" Valerie has her hand on her neck nervously.
"It's getting late." Reva says, looking out the window.
"Where are you gonna go?" Raine asks.
"You don't have anywhere to sleep?" Dylan asks worriedly.
Valerie fiddles with her fingers. "N-No... my mom works day and night to try and afford a house... and my little brother is watched over by my sister. I don't know where they are." Valerie explains.
I gotta get use to lying for now, I can't mess up this timeline or else I might mess up something in the present!
Reva walks up towards them. "You should stay here." She ruffles Raine's hair. "I'm sure Raine wouldn't mind sharing their room with you."
Valerie and Raine gasp. "Sleepover!" Raine and Valerie excitedly yell.
In Raine's room, it's very neat. It's a little small but fit things that Raine really needs. A bed, a desk, and some extra room to walk around in.
"Nice room!" Valerie lays on the ground. "My old room doesn't even have a bed. I sleep in a sleeping bag."
Raine looks at Valerie confused as they grab a sleeping bag from their closet. "Why?"
"My old room's entire walls were covered with pictures and photos and notes, a big mess and a piles of journals! I never really thought I needed a bed, since it gives me more room for things." Valerie explains.
Raine lays out the sleeping bag. "Sweet! Sleeping bag." Raine stops her. "No, this is mine."
"What?"
Raine points at their bed. "You're sleeping on my bed."
Valerie became confused. "Why? That's your bed. Shouldn't you sleep in it?"
"But you're the guest. So you should be able to sleep comfortably."
Valerie smiles at Raine's kindness. She's never met someone this kind before. Valerie gets on Raine's bed.
She's never slept on an actual bed before. She slept in Eda's nest for a while and when she got older she got her sleeping bag.
She hopes on Raine's comfy bed.
"I never had a sleepover before." Raine admits.
Valerie turns to her side to face Raine, resting her head on her hand. "Why? You didn't have friends either?"
"Actually yeah... at my old school I liked being alone. But, I got new friends now. At hexside. I could introduce them to you tomorrow!"
"Cool!" Valerie then looks to the side, almost like she has something in her mind.
Raine looks at her; noticing this. "Something wrong?"
"Huh? Oh.. i-it's..." She went quiet.
Raine sits up and gets closer to Valerie. "Is something bothering you?"
Valerie clenches her fist. "I'm just jealous." She admits.
"Jealous?" Raine became confused. "Of what?"
"I guess.. at everyone?"
"But jealous of what?"
Valerie covers herself with the blanket, hiding herself under the sheets. Raine chuckles, they get close to her. "Valerie?"
"Valerie's not here. She's in blanket town..."
"Can I come in blanket town?"
She was silent for a second, but saw her head nodding, agreeing to Raine's request.
They grab the blanket and get under the sheets, sitting next to Valerie, who had her legs against her chest and a sad expression. "What's up?"
She sighs. "When we were heading to your home, I looked at everyone walking around and saw a lot of kids with their parents."
"Is it because your mom is always working?"
"No." She immediately responded. "Then what?" Raine questions.
"I'm adopted..." Raine's expression quickly changed; a fallen expression. "I thought if I looked around I could find someone who looked similar to me. But instead I found a lot of happy kids walking with their parents..."
The two became silent. Not an awkward one, but it was silence. Raine puts their hand on their neck. Valerie looking to the side, not wanting to look at Raine.
"What about your current Mom? Your adopted one?" Raine asks.
Valerie looks at Raine confused, she has glossy eyes. "What about her?" She asks.
"Is she a good Mom?"
"She's the best mom! I love her with all my heart."
"Then... why?"
Valerie is now more confused; she couldn't help but have a small chuckle. "I don't understand?"
"If you already have a mother who loves you like your actual Mom, why search for your biological mom?"
Valerie wanted to say something but stopped, because she didn't know how to answer that.
"If I were you, I'd focus on the ones who are already in my life. The ones who make me happy already. Because if I already have parents who love me, then why search for ones who I might never find?"
Valerie was speechless; she didn't know what to say. "S-Sorry, am I getting in your personal business?" Raine nervously asks.
Valerie quickly defended. "N-No no! You're not. It's just... I didn't know what to say..." Valerie hugs herself for comfort.
"For a couple of years now, I've been trying to find my parents, I haven't had any luck. Too be honest, I think I'm scared to stop searching because, if I stop, what was all that work for? What if one day... I could actually find them?"
"You're scared that hard work you put into trying to find your parents will be for nothing if you stop?"
Valerie looked at Raine then away as though she didn't want them to see her eyes. All she does is nod.
She wipes her eyes. "What if I do meet my parents and... they still wouldn't want me? What if they hate me?"
"You know what I think?" Raine asks. Valerie looks at them curiously. Raine gives her a warm smile.
"If you were my daughter I would be the happiest parent in the world."
Valerie felt her heart sparkle and she felt something in her throat, she didn't want to cry, but Raine could definitely see it through her eyes.
So they grab her head and let her rest on their shoulder for comfort. They didn't care about her tears wetting their shirt, or her softly crying, they wanted her to feel comfortable and let her feelings out.
They were happy that she was honest, so the least they could do, is be there for her.
. . .
The next day, at Hexside, it's morning time and it's before classes have started.
Eda putting her items away into her locker as she talks with Lilith.
"Eda, you shouldn't be surprised about this." Lilith states.
Eda rolls her eyes as she crosses her arms. "Yeah yeah, I get it. Edalyn Clawthorne, Lord Calamity of Hexside. Pfft... so when something bad happens, fingers are always pointed towards me." Eda complains.
Lilith raises an eyebrow. "So you didn't take Miss Jenkinmeyer's teeth?"
Eda has a sweat drop. "Uhh..."
"Oooh Edalyn!" A voice calls singsong-y.
The voice made Eda and Lilith have chills, cause they knew exactly who it was.
The both turn around to face - "Hi Odalia." Eda annoyingly replies.
"Why are you so smiley about?" Lilith asks.
Odalia covers her mouth. "Oh, am I really?" She chuckles. "Didn't know!"
Eda and Lilith roll their eyes. "It has something to do with me, since you called my sisters name and you only annoy others when you have something to tell them." Lilith states.
"Did you see Raine with that new girl?" Odalia immediately asks.
This shocked Eda and Lilith since they weren't expecting that.
"New girl?" Lilith questions.
"There's a new girl?" Eda asks.
Odalia nods. "Mmhm! And Raine has been hanging out with her lately. Saw them taking her to their place yesterday, so I think they've become best friends! Looks like you got some competition."
Eda bends her wrist with a relaxed expression. "Pfft. Yeah right, besides, who says you can't have more than one best friend?"
"And what if that best friend soon becomes more than that?" Eda didn't know how to reply to that and just looks to the side with a worried look.
"Just a suggestion?" Odalia says, shrugging. She walks off pridefully.
Lilith pats Eda's back. "Don't mind her, sister. She's just trying to get to your head. You know how she is..."
"I know, but... what if she's right? I mean, the only people Raine has ever talked too is me and you!" Eda worriedly states.
"So for them to be talking to this new girl, let alone take her to their home.." Eda grabs Lilith's collar and looks at her intensely. "I've never even been at their house!"
She lets go letting Lilith fix her glasses and her cape that's a little wrinkled. "So that means Raine and this new girl are very good friend. What if she's an old friend or... someone they see more than a friend?"
"Sister, I'm sure it's nothing more than friends." Lilith assures with a blank facial expression.
Eda gasps. "Over there!" Eda points forward to see Raine and Valerie holding hands and talking.
Eda holds her own hands. We've only held hands once...
Eda felt a little insecure about herself. She didn't understand why either, she didn't really think she had a crush on Raine, but she's felt something.
Lilith, however, knows that Raine and Eda like each other so that's why she's not worried about anything cause she knows Raine likes Eda.
"What are they saying?" Eda wonders.
She looks to see the two laughing as they hold hands.
This morning at Raine's home
Valerie covers her face from the sun harshly hitting her face.
She realizes that she slept on Raines shoulder the whole night, the blanket no longer covering over their face but covering their bodies so they wouldn't be cold.
"Raine, wake up." Valerie softly wakes them up. They groan as they rub their eyes and look at Valerie.
They still had their glasses on too. "Why did you go to your sleeping bag?" Valerie asks.
"I needed to make sure that you were comfortable. You were crying and I didn't want you to feel alone."
Valerie couldn't help but smile. "You're an amazing friend, Raine."
"Really?" Raine looks down. "Sometimes I don't think I am."
Valerie sighs and punches Raine on the shoulder. "OW!" Raine painfully yells. They rub their arm.
"Why did you do that?" Raine asks.
Valerie crosses her arms. "My Mom told me that if I wanted to make friends, punch the first kid you see. To establish dominance." Valerie points at herself. "I now have jurisdiction over you." Valerie then taps on their forehead. "Which means you now have to listen to me." She looks at Raine intensely.
"Raine. I've only known you for a day, and when you didn't even know me, you helped me down a tree, you healed my ankle, you showed me your Palisman, I slept over at your house, you let me sleep on your bed and you were gonna sleep on the floor, and you even let me cry on your shoulder! And let's not forget that you told me the words that I've always wanted to hear."
Raine looks at Valerie intensely with shiny eyes.
"That you'd be proud to be my parent."
Valerie looks down. "I have never heard those words from anyone before... and although my mom has said she's proud to be my mother. To hear those words from someone I didn't even know. It just hits differently." She smiles at them. "So thank you."
Raine just gives her a soft smile back. Valerie jumps out of bed. "Come on! Let's go to school!"
"Oh, right!" Raine hops off as well.
The two have breakfast together and Raine gives Valerie an old backpack they don't use anymore that she could use for school.
Raine puts their hand out. "Hold my hand so you don't get lost." Valerie looks at their hand and at them with a smile. She takes it.
The two walk to school together hand in hand as they talk comfortably. Laughing and chatting like if they knew each other for years.
They were so concentrated to one another that they didn't notice the other students whispering and talking about Raine and Valerie.
Odalia seeing this and smirking as she quickly goes to find Eda to tell her.
Once inside the hallways, the two still talked to each other, they stop on their tracks.
"How many friends you got here?" Valerie asks.
"Two. Well... I don't really know if her sister considers me a friend but, we talk sometimes and we hangout whenever she comes around."
"Only two? Make that three!" Valerie happily says.
Raine smiles. Valerie boops their nose. "And I'm gonna make sure I give you more friends by tomorrow!"
"Tomorrow? Is that even possible?"
"Trust me, a lot of things are possible." Valerie assures.
Valerie looks around. "Do you know any of the other students? At least like... names and stuff?" Valerie asks, trying to narrow down people that could end up being friends with Raine.
"Well, there is Darius Deamonne and Alador Blight, they're both in the Abomination track, and there's Eberwolf in Beast Keeping... I don't really know who else..."
Then Odalia passes by them, Valerie widens her eyes as they look at each other intensely, Odalia raising her eyebrow and looks away as she leaves.
"What about her?" Valerie points at her. "Is she familiar to you?"
"Huh? Oh, I'd stay away from her. She's very sketchy and a bully. Especially towards me. Her names Odalia."
Odalia... that's Amity's Mom's name? And Alador Blight... they end up marrying?
"Huh..." Valerie accidentally says out loud.
"What is it?" Raine asks.
Valerie had a nervous expression. "Does uh... does her or Alador have a crush on one another?" She asks.
Raine snickers. "No way! I mean, sure she hangs out with Alador and Darius, but I bought they have a crush on each other. Especially with Darius having that crush on Alador."
Valerie became shocked. "No way, Darius likes Alador?!"
Valerie knows about Darius being a coven head, and her now knowing he had a crush on the guy who married to Odalia Blight, she didn't know if she should feel bad or laugh.
Raine and Valerie couldn't help but laugh. That's when Valerie's stomach growled loudly. "Looks like that breakfast didn't fill me up."
Raine points to the side. "The cafeteria is right here, you could get something real quick while I go find my friends."
Valerie nods. "I'll be back!" Valerie quickly runs to the cafeteria.
Back with Eda and Lilith, they see Valerie run off somewhere as Raine waves. Raine then sees Eda and smiles with a wave.
Eda blushes. "Raine!" She quickly calls. Raine rushed towards them.
Lilith pulls Eda closer to her. "Try to not be awkward." Lilith suggests.
Eda pushes her away as Lilith sticks her tongue out playfully.
"Wow, you're earlier than me." Raine puts their hand behind their head. "I accidentally woke up a little late..." Raine states; they continue. "Yesterday was a long day, but it was fun. I made a new friend!"
Eda and Lilith look at each other as Raine talks about Valerie.
"I found her dangling from a tree by her ankles on a vine, I helped her down, and her ankle got hurt so I took her home, and she didn't have a place to stay so she stayed at my place and I guess we went to sleep a little late."
Because she was crying last night...
"Huh, that's weird. You never really talk to new people?" Eda states.
Raine has a surprised look then smiles. "She's different. It's like we have this bond? Like she means something to me.." Raine admits.
Eda became worried. "N-Not like, in that sense, right?" Eda asks with a obviously worried tone.
Raine has a shocked expression. "What? No, Valerie's just a really good friend. But... can I be honest?"
Eda became nervous by this but let's them answer. "What is it?"
Raine puts their hand on their neck. "I know it's weird, but I almost see her as my daughter."
Eda didn't realize she had a deep breath stuck in her chest; she let it out with a heavy sigh and smile.
What was I so worried about? She wondered.
"Raine!!" Valerie calls out. Raine turns happily. "Valerie!"
They hold hands and Valerie quickly gasps as she sees young Eda and Lilith, but she had to compose herself to not make it obvious, but that didn't mean she wasn't freaking out in her head.
HOLY TITAN ITS MOM AND LILITH! I can't let my cover be blown, they can't know who I am, I gotta be cool - yeah, be cool! Wait, and the way that I look, was the past Valerie that Mom talked about was actually me?! Holy Titan, I can't believe it, this was an undeniable outcome. So to make sure things stay the way they were I just gotta let things flow and not second guess myself or else I'll mess up something.
"O-Oh, are these your friends?" I ask. Raine nods. They introduce them.
"This is Eda and Lilith. They're sisters."
"Hello." Lilith greets. "Lilith Clawthorne."
Eda just has a soft longing look at Valerie, this made Valerie a little nervous.
Why do I... also feel a connection with her?
Lilith elbows Eda, getting her out of her zoning out. "Eda Clawthorne!" She quickly greets.
Valerie chuckles as she sticks her hand out. "Valerie!" I had to comprehend myself from saying my last name... if I say it - my cover is blown.
Lilith shakes her hand then Eda. "So, you're new?" Eda asks.
"Yeah, I've been moving around a lot, lately my Mom's been working day and night, so she stopped homeschooling me and now I'm going to public schools." Valerie explains.
Wow, I'm good at lying. Kinda scary...
"Woah, homeschool?! Lucky!" Eda says, envying.
"Did you get learn whatever you want?" Eda asks.
"Well pretty much, I wasn't limited since my Mom taught me anything I needed."
Eda groans. "Man, I wish I could do that. We only get on one track here."
"Speaking of which." Lilith interrupts. She points at Valerie's casual clothes. "You should get a uniform. Before Principal Faust sees you."
Principal Faust? Oh no... it's that horrible principal that Mom told me about...
Suddenly, a familiar voice is heard, but he sounded - younger?
"Are you new here?" They all turn around to see Bump, but younger!
"Bu- I - Yes!" Valerie stutters. She nearly said "Bump" but had to stop herself.
"Oh, we've heard some rumors about you!" Bump then checks his clipboard. "However we never got any appointments for a new student, nor did your parents told us ahead of time."
Valerie became nervous. "I- Uh... my Mom she works day and night and has no time. She thought I should just go myself!"
"Well alright then, I need you to come with me." Bump says.
"Can I go with her?" Raine asks.
Valerie then had an idea. Maybe I could tell Bump? I have to tell somebody. Just not anyone who's super close with me. Sorry Raine, I gotta leave you behind.
"Sorry, Raine. I must take Valerie on her own, she has to choose a track and I must need info of her parents." Bump explains.
Yup, I gotta tell Bump. I can't lie on this one, he's gonna know and be suspicious. Better keep this on the low with everyone else...
Valerie and Bump walk, but before they could be at the principals, Valerie grabs Bump and they run into an opened room that's empty, it looks like a break room.
She quickly shuts the door and locks it.
"What is the meaning of this?!" Bump yells.
"SHHH!" Valerie yells. "Listen Hieronymus Bump, you're probably not gonna believe me, but I'm not from here."
"Obviously? You're a transfer."
Wait, how did she know my full name?
Valerie facepalms. "No! No. I'm not from this time. I'm from the future!"
Bump became perplexed. "What?"
Valerie sighs. "Can we sit and talk?"
Valerie then explains.
"I'm from the future. About maybe... 30 years later from this time?"
"How did you end up here?" Bump asks.
"Pool Tides."
"Who are your parents?"
"Well, Eda's my mom."
Bump became shocked. "Edalyn Clawthorne - is your mom?!"
"Well, not biologically. I'm adopted."
"Hmm... but you have features that remind of her." And features that remind me of another.... Raine Whispers? Wait... could they be...
Bump shakes their head. "W-Why are you here?" He asks.
"I'm trying to find my biological parents. Lilith brought me here so I could find them, but I have no luck..."
Lilith, maybe she's aware who her parents are. It has to be them. It explains the features, but I can't let her have her hopes up unless I hear it from the horses mouth.
"So you're here to find your parents?"
Valerie nods. "And how exactly are you trying to attend if you can't have someone pretend to be your parent?"
"That's why I'm telling you all this so you could help me. I need to stay for a couple days so that way I could try and find my parents. But even then, I made a new friend and I want to hang out with them a little longer."
Your new friend is Raine, isn't it?
Bump sighs. "Well, I don't think I can argue with someone from the future. I'll tell Faust you're a transfer student, so once you're gone it won't be suspicious. I'll make sure to help you out."
Valerie sighs out. "Thank you!"
Bump stands up. "Do you go to Hexside in your timeline?"
"Yeah?"
"Then know that whatever trouble you get into here, it'll stay on your record permanently. Even if it's a different timeline. So you better be on your best behavior." Bump walks out the room.
Valerie had a face of realization. "No wonder my permanent record is big." Valerie quickly gets off her seat and walks towards Bump.
"Thanks for helping!"
"It's no problem. Right now, we need to talk to Faust and you have to choose a track."
Valerie wasn't scared of Faust, but Faust definitely didn't like her too much since he says she reminds her of Eda.
Valerie chose Bard Track so that way she can be with Raine and also learn something new!
Valerie's temporary locker will be next to Raine.
However, Bump's hunch to Raine and Eda possibly being Valerie's parents might be just a hunch, so they gave Valerie an option.
She can skip school that day and go find her parents or stay in school.
Valerie wasn't gonna give up a good option, so she decided on skipping.
Bump let's her out secretly. "Thanks Bump."
"This is the only time you're allowed to skip, I better see you at school tomorrow!"
Valerie salutes. "Got it." Before Valerie could fully get out, she stops and looks at Bump. "Do you... have an idea of who my parents might be?"
Bump is scared to tell her, he doesn't want to get her hopes up with his theory, so he just gives her advice.
"I don't know, but I'll tell you this. Edalyn is your Mother in your timeline, right?"
Valerie nods. "I know she can be... rebellious and clumsy and... a wild card, but is she a good mother to you?"
"Yeah, she's the best Mom in the world!"
"Then maybe, you should just stick with the mother you have now, and appreciate what you have now."
Valerie's eyes look away from Bumps.
That's what Raine said...
"I don't know who your parents are, but whatever they did to let you be adopted by someone else could be for a reason that you won't understand or a reason that you might not like. I don't want your heart broken, but if you wish to see who your parents are, I won't stop you. Just... remember what I told you, okay?"
Valerie nods. She leaves.
She looked around everywhere, even using Ember to fly around everywhere to see if she could find anyone - anybody who she might think it is. But it was as hard as she imagined it being.
Even while looking around, she couldn't keep Bump and Raine's words out of her head.
After hours of looking, Valerie stands by a cliff and looks at the beautiful view as she lets the wind blow her hair.
Ember and Milo sit on her shoulder. "Nothing. Absolutely nothing..." Valerie sighs. "Maybe they were right..." Valerie sits down as she talks about Raine and Bump.
She looks back up at the sunset. "Maybe I should stop looking. Eda is the best Mom I could ask for."
Valerie clenches her fist. She angrily stands up. "And if my parents really wanted me - and if they want me back - they're gonna have to come to me! If they really want me - THEN THEY CAN COME TO ME!!"
She stomps her foot and ends up breaking the edge of the cliff and slips.
As she nearly falls, suddenly someone grabs her wrist. She quickly looks up and sees a struggling Raine.
"Raine?!"
"Valerie! Don't let go!"
Valerie looks down and widens her eyes as she suddenly saw her life flashing before her eyes.
She saw her and Eda learning magic, King and Val play fighting, Luz and Valerie at Hexside, Valerie becoming friends with Willow and Gus, her and Ash meeting, Lilith smiling at Valerie, and quick flashing memories of Raine and Valerie.
Valerie started crying and she held onto Raine's arm tighter but her hands were so sweaty Raine could feel her slipping.
They groaned as they struggle to pull her up. Come on - COME ON!
Sadly, Valerie's grip fell loose and her hands were too sweaty, so she gets released from Raine's grip.
Raine's face became completely horrified as they didn't think twice to jump off towards Valerie which made Valerie just as horrified.
"Raine?!" They grab Valerie and bear hug her. "What are you doing?!"
"Protecting you even if my life depends on it!" They yell.
Valerie's eyes widened when Raine turns them so their back faces the water, when they hit the water, the impact was so strong that Raine fell unconscious when hitting.
Valerie gasps but this caused water to go into her mouth, so she covers it and quickly grabs Raine and swim up.
Once at the surface of the water, Valerie shakes up Raine. "Raine? Raine! RAINE! Wake up!!"
Valerie quickly swims them to land and once at land, Valerie then had an idea, but it's a little harsh.
She punches Raine's stomach, and just with the one punch Raine coughs up the water; relieving Valerie. She smiles. "Raine!"
She quickly hugs them as they have a shocked look. "You.. saved me?"
Valerie punches their arm. "OW!"
"You saved me first, so of course I saved you!" Valerie sighs out and her body became limp. "Even then, I'd still save you cause you're my friend."
"You're my best friend, so of course I'm gonna save you even if my life is on the line." Raine states.
Valerie and Raine both lay on their backs looking at the orange sky as they try and catch their breathes. Taking long and deep breathes to get their air back.
"You're crazy, you know that right?" Valerie says.
This makes Raine chuckle. "I'm very aware."
Valerie felt herself getting sleepy as Raine continues. "I guess this makes us some kind of pack? We're more than best friends at this point."
Valerie softly chuckles. "You're... family." Valerie closes her eyes and accidentally drifts off to sleep.
Raine sits up and sees she has knocked out. So they carry her on their back and takes her home.
They lay her on their bed as Raine sleeps in the sleeping bag on the floor.