Hades and Persephone find themselves sitting next to each other once again, facing the bronze statue of Joseph Crackstone. Wednesday had found the pair earlier and ranted to them about her action-packed Outreach Day, including deterring tourists from buying fudge at Pilgrim World to kicking the ass of a Pilgrim boy. Mixed in with all that excitement was all the details of Crackstone's persecution of outcasts, particularly Hades and Wednesday's ancestor, Goody Addams. Wednesday had once again roped the two into helping her come up with a plan of revenge.
So as Wednesday set up her cello next to Jericho's high school marching band, Hades and Persephone plastered on innocent smiles as they waited in the audience. No one had to know that they had found small gasoline tanks for Thing to pour in the fountain and on the ground.
Mayor Walker jogs up to the podium and begins his speech, "Thank you. It is my honour to celebrate our town's history and Jericho's noble forefather, Joseph Crackstone." He gestures his hand to show off the statue.
"More like noble oppressor." Hades grits out under his breath. Persephone squeezes his hand to try and bring him some comfort.
"Now, he believed that with a happy heart and an open ear, there was nothing our town couldn't achieve. So together as one, our community and our friends at Nevermore Academy, we've built a monument to celebrate his memory. Now, may the spirit of Joseph Crackstone be memorialised for eternity." The mayor's toothy grin finishes off his enthusiastically boring address to the crowd. The band starts playing a preppy arrangement of 'Don't Stop' by Fleetwood Mac as Wednesday looks like she would welcome death with open arms.
Mayor Walker prompts Principal Weems to face the hoard of cameras so that they may pose for some publicity photos. Persephone rolls her eyes at the fakeness of the whole situation. They're gathered to celebrate the life of an inhuman butcher of outcast lives and Weems is up onstage smiling like it's the best thing in the world. The big red button is pressed which triggers the fountain to start spurting water and the crowd to start cheering.
Wednesday's eyes flicker to Hades, who nods at the signal and taps the top of Persephone's hand with his finger twice. Persephone, who is sitting on the outer edge of the row of seats, whips a match out from where its tucked behind her ear. Pretending to tie her shoe, she leans down in her seat and passes it to Thing, who is waiting by her feet. She gives him a discreet nod and he replies with a thumbs up before setting off.
He strikes the match against the ground and flicks it to the trail he had marked out earlier. Sparks fly up as the flames circle around the marching band to the back of the fountain. Suddenly, a huge explosion erupts from the fountain. The crowd screams and scrambles to safety as Wednesday continues to play her cello with a smirk on her face. She starts playing an intense arrangement of Vivaldi's 'Winter' as the bonfire grows in size and smoke fills the air. Weems' eyes search frantically for the miscreant behind this catastrophe. Unsurprisingly, her attention is drawn to Wednesday Addams and her accomplices.
Hades and Persephone stand behind Wednesday as the group watches the fire melt the face of Joseph Crackstone. Whoever said revenge is best served cold has obviously never played with fire.
◇ ◇ ◇
"That was a disaster." Principal Weems paces around her office, heels clicking against the floor. "The mayor is furious! I've lost count of the angry phone calls, emails, and people in the town, alumni and parents. They want answers and so do I." She points an accusatory finger at Wednesday who is perched calmly on a leather chair. Persephone sits in the other chair with Hades leaning on the arm of the seat.
"I would lead the inquisition, but I left my thumbscrews and rack at home." Wednesday quips.
"Miss Addams... you're already on thin ice. Wafer-thin ice." Weems seethes. "And dragging your brother and roommate through the dirt with you!"
"I swear on my late scorpion's soul, my hands are clean. As are Hades and Persephone's." Wednesday declares. Hades and Persephone share a smug glance. She's not technically lying. Thing was the one who set the whole display up.
"I may not have hard evidence, but I see you. You're a trouble magnet."
"If trouble means standing up to lies," Wednesday rises from her seat and strides over to stand in front of Weems. "Decades of discrimination, centuries of treating outcasts like second-class citizens or worse..."
"What are you talking about?"
"Jericho." Persephone states, rapidly losing the faith she once had in her principal.
"Why does this town even have an Outreach Day?" Wednesday asks. "Don't you know its real history with outcasts? The actual story of Joseph Crackstone?"
Weems sighs before admitting, "I do. To an extent."
Persephone stands up to join Wednesday, confused by Weems' actions. "Then why be complicit in its cover up?"
"Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it." Hades and Wednesday chime together. History is an important subject for the Addams family. They learn to respect the ancestors who came before them as well as learning important life lessons from their efforts and mistakes.
"That's where you and I differ. Where you see doom, I see opportunity. Maybe this is a chance to rewrite the wrongs, to start a new chapter in the normie-outcast relations." Weems remarks positively, typical painted red smile adorning her pale face.
"Nothing has changed since Crackstone." Wednesday declares, staring up at Weems.
Persephone is reminded of the ridicule she faces from normies and bitterly adds, "They still hate us."
Hades stands up to join the two, placing his hand on Persephone's back. "Only now they sugarcoat it with platitudes and smiles." Hades' deep voice brings comfort to Persephone in this tense standoff.
Wednesday folds her arms in front of her body. "If you're unwilling to fight for the truth-"
"You don't think I want the truth?" Weems snaps, standing up to her full looming height. "Of course I do. But the world isn't always black and white. There are shades of grey."
"Maybe for you. But it's either they write our story or we do. You can't have it both ways."
"The villain will always be the villain if the hero tells the story." Persephone states passionately. She has been on the receiving end of jeers from normies who don't take the chance to get to know outcasts. Normies treat them like abominations but never stop to wonder if they're the ones who are different and weird. Maybe they're what's wrong with the world.
Weems sneers. "You're exhausting."
Wednesday doesn't miss a beat before replying, "I know."
With a tilt of her head and an exasperated sigh, Weems utters a sharp farewell, "Goodnight, Miss Addams." Wednesday turns and heads for the door when Weems speaks up again, "But you should know... I don't tire easily." Wednesday spins to leave again, this time with Hades and Persephone following. "Persephone. I'd like to speak with you for a moment."
Persephone stops, looking up at Hades who gives her a concerned look. She squeezes his hand to let him know that she'll be alright before retracing her steps into the room. The door shutting behind her signals that the Addams siblings have left and Persephone is left alone with Weems.
Weems plasters on a soft smile to try and get through to the young girl. "You should be careful with those two. They're getting you into trouble. You've always been such a good student. I don't want to see you get led astray by troublemakers like them."
Persephone's fists clench by her side, nails digging into her palms. "What is that supposed to mean?"
"You're close with them. I can tell. Especially with the boy, Hades." Weems leans back against her desk, speaking tenderly before her smile drops and her tone becomes serious. "He is bad news. You are cannon fodder to him. He. Doesn't. Care."
"With all due respect, Principal Weems, I believe you are wrong." Persephone snarls, defensive over the boy who has brightened her life. "I don't care what you say. I'm with him. For better or worse." With that she turns harshly on her heel and strides to the door.
Weems sighs, knowing there's nothing she can do to convince the girl but still giving it one last attempt. "I hope you know it'll probably be worse."
Persephone pauses, her hand lingering on the door handle. Looking over her shoulder and staring into the eyes of her headmistress, she replies, "I knew that the day I met him."
◇ ◇ ◇
Persephone lays on Wednesday's bed, listening to the methodical clicking of her typewriter. Thing was next to her head as the two of them had both given up trying to help Enid with her outfit. That werewolf was very picky and didn't tend to listen to their advice anyway.
Enid holds up a vibrantly colourful top, asking, "Too much?" Wednesday glances ove her shoulder before her eyes widen and she turns back around.
"I feel like you just napalmed me, Enid." She mumbles, returning to her writing.
"So glad I have my date with Ajax tonight. Get my mind off that trainwreck of an afternoon. I literally think I have PTSD. I didn't even get to do my dance routine." Enid rants, huffing to herself.
"What a tragedy." Wednesday comments sarcastically.
"What kind of twisted psycho would want to sabotage such a life-affirming event?" Persephone and Wednesday make brief eye contact at that question. If only Enid knew she was sharing her room with those 'twisted psychos'.
"You're going to be late." Persephone laughs awkwardly, standing up to shoo Enid out of the door.
"Wish me luck." She says nervously.
"If he breaks your heart, I'll nail-gun his." Wednesday vows as Persephone succeeds in shoving Enid closer to the door.
"Are you sure I look okay? Maybe I should change jackets? I should've chosen a different outfit!" Enid panics as she's shoved into the hallway by Persephone.
"Enid!" Persephone whisper-shouts, stopping the girl's ramblings. "You look fine. Your jacket is fine. Your outfit is fine." Enid smiles at her friend. "But what isn't fine, is being late. So get a move on, wolfy." Giving the werewolf a playful push, Persephone sends the girl on her way before breathing a sigh of relief.
Climbing up to her loft area, Persephone curls up in her bed cuddling the toy panda Hades and her won together at the Harvest Festival. Her life used to be boringly quiet before the Addams sibling turned up. Now so much has changed. Crackstone's legacy is a lie. Wednesday is destined to destroy the school. And she has discovered that she is more powerful than she thinks.
Weems may be right. Hades Addams could set fire to the world... But he would never let a single flame touch his Persephone.