𝖒𝖎𝖉𝖓𝖎𝖌𝖍𝖙 // 𝐱𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐩𝐞

𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲 // 𝐰𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧'𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞

the deep, harsh tone of midnight's electric guitar fills the area around her, the girl floundering to prepare something for the showcase. although she knew how to play dozens of songs off the top of her head, the girl couldn't decide which song was the most fitting.

somewhat suddenly her twin steps in front of her, midnight offering a soft glare as she slows down. "yes?" the blue-haired twin questions. "let's go. we can't go late for the performance" wednesday states, her cello case in one arm. midnight rolls her eyes, packing away her guitar before following her sister.

after the events of their morning, the sights throughout the town had shaken the girls up, most specifically a statue of crackstone. although she hadn't experienced it one on one, midnight swiftly felt how distressing the event was for her twin. regardless, considering wednesdays plan of attack, midnight was sure her sister would soon be revived by one of her favorite pastimes: revenge.

several news vehicles flooded the area, viewers and nevermore students sitting in the bleachers while the main performers and officials sat near the statue. a mere 10 to 15 feet away from the podium sat the addams twins, each set up with a music stand and for wednesday, a chair. let's pray this doesn't get us killed. moments before the man begins speaking midnight spots xavier, offering him a soft head nod. the boy smiles in response, offering her a thumbs up as she shakes her head, holding back a smile.

"thank you. it is my honor to celebrate our towns history, and jericho's noble forefather, joseph crackstone. now, he believed that with a happy heart and an open ear, that 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 memorialized for eternity" the mayor calls out, midnight waiting patiently for her queue at the end. he truly doesn't stop, does he?

soon enough the man had finished, the high school band jumping into don't stop by fleetwood mac, with a accompaniment from the addams twins. midnight and wednesday sit flat-faced, each somewhat frustrated with their participation in the event. rather than put up a huge fight midnight plucks her strings accordingly, occasionally offering the statue her gaze.

liquid begins to stream out of the pumps as the band and twins play, the crowd cheering with excitement as the news takes photos. soon enough the girl hears the sound of soft sizzling, trying to contain her faint excitement. moments later the trail makes it to the monument, the fountain exploding with fire.

everyone begins to scream and flee, wednesday and midnight beginning to perform their own song as the pandemonium ensues. smoke and fire trails from the monument, midnight looking around. suddenly her gaze meets that of weems, the twins stuck in a stare down with the clearly furious woman.

after weems finally runs away in fear, midnight moves her gaze to the statue of joseph crackstone, softly smirking to herself. "look at that monster burn. good call, wednesday" midnight mumbles, her sister offering her an amused glance before looking back to the statue.

———

weems paces back and forth, the twins side by side as they sit in the principals office. "that was a distaster. the mayor is furious! i've lost count of the number of angry phone calls, emails, and people in the town, alumni and parents! they want answers, and so do i!" weems scolds, seemingly shaking from anger. "i would lead the inquisition, but i left my thumbscrews and rack at home" wednesday retorts in her usual, monotone voice. looks like we might be in some deep shit.

"miss addams, you're already on thin ice! wafer-thin ice!" weems yells. "i swear on my late scorpion's soul, our hands are clean" wednesday assures, midnight nodding in agreement. for a moment the twins sit in a stare down with the principal, her expression harsh.

"i may not have hard evidence, but i see you. you two are trouble magnets" weems states. "if trouble means standing up to lies. decades of discrimination, centuries of treating outcasts like second-class citizens or worse..." wednesday argues. "what are you talking about?" the principal questions.

"jericho" midnight blurts. "why does this town even have an outreach day? don't you know it's real history with outcasts? the actual story of joseph crackstone?" wednesday interrogates. "i do. to an extent" weems admits. "then why be complicit in its cover up? those who forget history are doomed to repeat it" midnight interjects.

"that's where you girls and i differ. where you see doom, i see opportunity. maybe this is the chance to rewrite the wrongs, to start a new chapter in the normie-outcast relations" weems suggests, looking down to the twins. "nothing had changed since crackstone. they still hate us. only now they sugarcoat it with platitudes and smiles. if you're unwilling to fight for the truth-" wednesday starts, weems cutting the dreary girl off.

"you don't think i want the truth? of course i do. but the world isn't always black and white, there are shades of grey" the principal states, her tone harsh. "maybe for you. but it's either they write our story or we do. you can't have it both ways" wednesday argues. "you're exhausting" the woman sighs. "isn't she?" midnight questions, the principal glaring at her as she lets out a sigh. "goodnight ladies."

the twins begin walking away, both flat faced as they approach the door. "but you should know" the principal blurts, the girls both turning slightly to look at her. "i don't tire easily" she adds, offering the girls an unsettling smirk. the twins share a momentary glance, swiftly moving out of the office.

once they turn into a different hall, the girls tuck themselves into a corner. "is it just me, or was that weird?" midnight questions, crossing her arms as she leans against the walls. "shockingly, not just you. something about her energy was almost... sinister" wednesday admits, looking down for a moment as she contemplates the encounter.

"well, at least she can't prove it was us. something tells me if she could, we would be shipped off once more" midnight sighs, readjusting her bag as she looks to her twin. "i cant say i disagree. just lay low while i plan our next step, and let me know if you learn any valuable intel" her twin retorts, midnight nodding before beginning the journey back to her dorm.

༺♰༻

𝖆𝖚𝖙𝖍𝖔𝖗𝖘 𝖓𝖔𝖙𝖊: 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚒𝚜 𝚊 𝚋𝚒𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚊 𝚏𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚛 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚜𝚘 𝚖𝚢 𝚊𝚙𝚘𝚕𝚘𝚐𝚒𝚎𝚜, 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚗𝚎𝚡𝚝 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚜𝚘𝚘𝚗 𝚊𝚏𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎! 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊 𝚕𝚘𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚏𝚞𝚗 𝚠𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚛𝚎𝚌𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚕𝚢, 𝚜𝚘 𝚒'𝚖 𝚑𝚘𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚐𝚎𝚝 𝚊 𝚍𝚎𝚌𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚊𝚖𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚘𝚞𝚝. 𝚊𝚕𝚜𝚘, 𝚒 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚔 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚑𝚊𝚜 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚖𝚢 𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚢! 𝚜𝚎𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚙𝚎𝚘𝚙𝚕𝚎 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚞𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚎𝚗𝚓𝚘𝚢𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚖𝚢 𝚠𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚎𝚜 𝚖𝚎 𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚢 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚒𝚗𝚜𝚙𝚒𝚛𝚎𝚍, 𝚜𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚔 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐! 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚊 𝚙𝚑𝚎𝚗𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚊𝚕 𝚍𝚊𝚢/𝚗𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝/𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 <𝟹