Chapter Text
From her room above, Rin heard everything that went on downstairs. All that effort… for me? I mean I know I helped but… that was just spur-of-the-moment… Suddenly the time when Eris defended her in the cafeteria popped into her mind. Am I really worth that much to someone? Just the thought made tears start forming in her eyes again. Except these weren't full of hate or sadness, they were full of joy and hope.
"R-Rin! We need to have a talk! Now!!" Mom’s voice is shaky… and not as harsh anymore. Rin wiped away her tears, taking a breath to calm herself.
“What is it?” She asked from the top of the stairs. She wasn’t going to lie, she did feel like smiling, seeing her parents so scared of what her friend had done. Did it make her feel bad? Not really, considering how they made her feel her entire life. She just felt… satisfied.
"What should we do about… this box ?" Her father was a bit more composed in his voice, but his eyes and breath were shaking.
“Throw it out. We have no use for it.” Her mother quickly said. “Now, Rin. Your father and I have been… talking.”
“Oh? What about?”
"We feel that we may have been pushing you too far. I know it's sudden but… you can have friends and do whatever you need to after school. Just call us and tell us where you're at."
With these words, Rin felt a major weight come off her back. “Oh… Thank you…” She smiled, for the first time in a long time under that roof. And I know just how to repay Eris.
The next day at school the first thing Rin did when she saw Eris was hug her.
"Woah, chill out! Is this about yesterday?"
The only response was a silent nod.
"Was it really that life-changing? All I wanted to do was take out my anger."
Rin’s muffled voice answered from where her face was by Eris’s shoulder. “It helped. A lot.”
"So what happened after I left?"
The shorter girl released the hug, wiping her eyes and nose with a sniffle. “I’m… pretty much free now.”
She simply mutters. "Wow, I only expected a simple workload shift. Did I really scare them that much?"
Rin shrugged. “Probably, I don’t know.” They turned to walk to the cafeteria together. “I don’t have to worry about getting home right after school, I just have to tell them where I go.”
Eris smiles, and it's not fake like it was with the teachers before. "That's great! So what's the plan from now on?"
“I dunno… maybe we can hang out after school?” Rin seemed much more animated now as well. It seemed like she was alive for the first time. “I actually had some Webtoons I wanted to show you sometime and I was thinking you might like them!”
"I might, it all depends on what happens. Though… I was reading some in my English class and for some reason I have maxed out coins…? Was there some kind of raffle or anything like that?"
“Oh haha… think of it as thanks for yesterday.”
"Wait…" Eris starts staring at whatever until she tunes back into reality. " You did that?? Wh- how!?"
Rin walks over to the cafeteria line for a cookie. “Hehe… it’s a secret!” She said with a wink.
"And why something this big? Like I said, I was just angry and wanted to take it out on someone."
“Not to sound selfish but it’s something that benefits me, too. Isn’t it natural to pay it back?”
"This is also payment for the cookies, isn't it?" She asks this with a blank face.
“Sure. Here.” She walks past Eris, putting a triple chocolate chunk cookie in her hands, and walking over to their usual spot. “Hey, why’re you just standing there? Come on, let’s go.”
"I– Alright." When Eris walks over, there's someone in their usual seat. Eris is about to walk off before Rin catches her.
“He was talking shit ,” she said, venom dripping from her voice.
“Yeah, and what’re you gonna do about it?” The boy sitting at their table asked. “You nobodies can’t do anything !” He narrowed his eyes after a second, staring at them. “Wait… I recognize her. You’re the Reaper, aren’t you? Big name for someone like you. Why don’t you scram and find a new spot?” To further push his point he stood up and walked over to Eris, towering over the two. He scoffed at them, smacking the cookie out of her hand.
Or… at least tried to. Rin managed to react fast enough, catching the cookie right before it fell. “Question…” She said. “You’re from the grade above her, right? Wouldn’t it be embarrassing if someone saw you beat on your ass?”
"Whatever. This isn't worth the energy, Rin. They never stop, especially after I do something." Eris says this, angry but calm.
Rin’s eyes were blank but blazing with rage. She ignored Eris, glaring at the boy in front of them, who just laughed.
“I bet you think you’re aaaaall that with your name. Bet you didn’t even do anything for it, ha!!”
"What title do you have? Friendless? I have better things to do." Eris tries walking off again, but yet again she's stopped. This time, by the boy who evidently wants to challenge her.
“You wanna fight, huh? Seems like it, with all the talkin’ back you’re doing.”
“Eris… he needs to be shut up.”
" You aren't worth my energy, now back off. " Eris seems to be getting frustrated that he won't let her leave. Rin however is getting frustrated because she won't fight back.
“Eris, can you take these?” She holds out the cookies for Eris to hold.
"I suppose? What's going on?"
“Isn’t it obvious?”
“Ohhh you’re brave, huh?” The boy starts snickering. “I see how it is.” Again, the whispers start the moment people notice what's going on.
"Is he trying to provoke her?" "She doesn't look to be fighting back yet, so maybe he has a chance?" "The Dead Princess is there too!" “She’s just staring at him… something’s gotta go down.”
Rin tilted her head to the side, unlike Eris, completely intent on getting past the boy. “We were sitting there for a while now. Bold of you to just take that spot just like that.”
"And I'm your upperclassman, you can't do anything about what I do." To try and prove his point again, he retargets Rin and tries smacking her instead. The hit never landed.
" I can take a lot of shit. But you do not touch my friends. " When Eris says this… She kicks his nuts, pushes his face down to the floor, and pulls his arm with her foot on his shoulder until that signature crunch . " Anything else you wanna try? I can do a lot more in retaliation. "
He screams in pain before chuckling. “You just made a big mistake.” With this, three more boys came out of the crowd, shouting the first boy’s name.
“Ah I see how it is,” Rin trailed off, watching Eris, who was currently doing what she just did to the other shoulder.
“See what?” Eris asked, looking back at her friend.
“You’re scared.”
"I'm scared?? Of what?"
“Well, that’s easy.” Rin steps in front of Eris, between her and the new challengers. “Of fighting for yourself. Losing people close to you. It all makes sense now. You fight when people you love are in danger but very rarely for yourself. And it pisses me off.” She never turned to look at Eris as she began speaking, but directed her seething glare at the boys in front of her.
"What? Are you sure that's the reason?" Eris was stunned, because Rin hit the nail right on the head.
“I’m sure of it. Try to deny it all you want but after hanging out a bit and your actions all make sense.” The boys are unsure of what to do and charge her all at the same time. She rolls her eyes, sidestepping and tripping the nearest one and kicking him in the side to send him flying into the other two. “So here’s what we’re gonna do. I may not seem like it but I can fight pretty well. If you can’t fight for yourself… I’ll fight for the both of us.”
"You can't handle all 3 at once!" Eris is panicking because she's stuck in between her options. She could either help Rin and be even more feared, or stay back and watch her new friend get beat up.
“Never know until you try…” With this a grin breaks out onto her face as the three get up. “Just stay put, ‘kay? This won’t take a minute either way.”
“Yooo she’s moving like some kinda ghost…” “Guess that’s why she’s called the Dead Princess.” “Wait! The Reaper is joining in! She never starts a fight!"
“Made up your mind?” Rin asked, stopping at Eris’s side.
"Call it a change of heart." Eris manages to trip one of the boys and make them knock each other out.
“Just in time.” The last boy goes down when Rin reaches up and tugs on the last boy’s hood. Hard. He topples over, tripping over the other two. Just to make sure they get the message, Eris kicks the first one in the head and then sits down.
"Now as I was saying, I was thinking you'd like this Webtoon…" Rin sits down and pulls out her phone. "Lemme just find it."
"Th-those two destroyed them." "Did he die?" "I think I see a little blood." "Well it didn't come from them!"
“Not gonna lie, it feels kinda satisfying, finally letting loose. Oh! Here it is. UnOrdinary.” She starts scrolling through it then stops. “Right… the first two arcs are a bit sad but it’s really good, I swear. Oh… and the last one in the first season… right… reeeaaaally familiar.”
"Why do you say that? Does something big happen that's happened before?"
Rin purses her lips and looks away, slightly nervously. “Er… something like that. You might find it pretty familiar too.”
"That's… an interesting way to put it. I thought it would be some kind of big event that you'd be happy for me to read, but you look like you might break out into tears right here and now."
“E-eh?? No I’m not!” The girl quickly wiped her eyes and cleared her throat. “I’m uh… fine. Yeah.”
"Uh huh… so you got anything for me to go off of or someone to attach to? I mean I love the designs of the characters I've seen, but I don't know their personalities." Eris is scrolling through the first episode, having read the prologue when Rin was looking at whatever she was scrolling through.
An excited expression grew on Rin’s face. “Oh! Well ok… If you want someone to attach to, I think you’d like John and Sera a lot!! I like them too, but I also really love the Golden Trio! You’ll know them when you see them! Er- you might not like them in the first few arcs though…”
"You mean helmet hair? And just who the hell is Sera? I guess I'm not getting the story yet…"
“O-oh… right. Well… just read it and tell me what you think of it after the first few chapters.”
“I’ve already read the prologue, and… who's that blond dude? Arlo? I don’t like him already.”
Rin gags slightly then clears her throat. “Ahem. Sorry. Why’s that? Good taste by the way, but why?”
“He’s too smug and he called… Remi? Was that her name? Anyway, he called her shrimp and all that fighting over a CAKE!? I don’t see the point.” Eris shook her head in mild disgust.
Rin shrugged and finished her cookie. “Cake is worth fighting over. And so are cookies. Speaking of which, please eat that before it crumbles apart,” she says, pointing to the one she bought Eris. The triple chocolate chunk dessert was practically getting crushed in the red eyed girl’s hand.
“Oh, sorry. I just get bad vibes from that blond. I don’t know why.” While she says this, she starts munching on the chocolate treat.
“Trust me, you haven’t seen anything yet. Just wait about 2 or 3 arcs…” Rin mutters under her breath.
“Wha’ ‘ash dat?” Eris asks, her mouth full of cookie.
“Ah- nothing!”
“Alright, so what can you tell me about this pink haired girl on the roof the scene just switched to? Greenish streaks in her hair too?” Eris seems to be confused about the characters she’s meeting. “Also, I think I get a sense of familiarity from gel head in the way he moves, I don't know why.”
“Oh hey, our fight took more time than we thought. Class starts pretty soon so… here. Pink hair’s Seraphina, or Sera for short. Gel head’s best friend and, if I may say, sense of stability in a way, hehe.” She looks at her watch again. “Welp that’s all the time I have for now! Gotta study for a test for last period, sooooo see ya!” She grabs her stuff and jogs away, waving as she leaves.
Two or so months later, the two had been spending their summer breaks over at each others’ houses. This time, the girls seem to be talking about Eris’s latest great idea.
“I’m telling you Rin! It would have worked if I had enough string and the wind was strong enough! My genius is unappreciated by the world itself!” Eris is lying mostly on the couch with her head almost touching the floor while complaining that her idea to try gliding using over 15 kites on her back didn’t go the way she expected.
Rin just nods, putting her phone down. “Mhm, tell me that again when your head is cracked open and you’re on a hospital bed. This is just like the last time with that… oh what was it… the dead tree.”
“Rin, that was 3 weeks ago! How long are you gonna hold that over me?” Eris gets up to get a third Dr. Pepper and tosses Rin a can of mango juice when she gets back. “Also, I have another idea. You’re in it too.”
“Foreve- wait, me too?” Rin sits up, slightly frantic. “Um… what do you have in mind?”
“Well… It’s been around two months since we met, right? All we’ve done in that time is get you a little more freedom and have me get a cold shower when I had to take one at your place. So I was thinking… What if we had a sleepover here?” … Okay, I as the narrator have to also question how Eris got the skill of chugging Dr. Peppers. It hasn’t even been two minutes and that can is gone!
“...Eh? A s…sleepover?”
“Yeah? Is something wrong? If you don’t wanna, we don’t have to. Just an idea I had to spice up the vacation we have since both of us got out of the grade with mostly high grades, heh.”
Rin scratches the back of her head, seemingly embarrassed. “I just… I’ve never had one yet. Besides, I got some summer work stuff I need to start on soon-”
“I probably got that covered. Don’t you worry.” Eris looks in the direction of her room with a glint in her eye that Rin hasn’t seen often enough to know what she’s planning yet. “We just have to persuade them, yeah?”
“Y-yeah? I guess?”
“Wait here, lemme go dress up for the occasion.” Running to her room and closing the door, Eris ended up leaving Rin with far too many questions. Uh huh… I guess I’ll find out later. The red eyed girl returns, dressed up in the outfit she used to scare Rin’s parents into giving her more freedom. “Alright, I’m back! I was thinking we could use this again because it was so effective last time.”
“Wha- Nonononono! We’re saving that for drastic measures, ok??”
“Then what do you suggest? Just asking them?”
“....yes?”
“Alright, lemme go get a T-shirt and shorts on, then we can go see what the plan is.”
After a quick outfit change, the girls are at Rin’s house waiting for her parents to arrive from their jobs. They should be getting off soon.
“So on a scale of one to ten, how little do you think they’ll agree to this idea?” Eris seems to be looking around to see if there’s been any changes in the escape routes she showed Rin a month ago.
Rin wrinkled her nose. “Four. Not completely impossible but still…”
When the two walk in, their eyes immediately shoot to the girls. Or more accurately to Eris. She just waves in return with a smirk.
“So um… mom, dad…”
“What is it, Rin?”/”Why is she here?” Her parents ask at the same time.
“We came up with something, but need your permission to make it happen.”
Rin's mother nods, raising an eyebrow. “Go on…”
“We were thinking of a sleepover. At my place specifically so we didn’t annoy you two. Y’know, because kids are loud.”
“Hmm well…” Rin's father speaks this time. “You did say you would finish your chores, right? And that packet we assigned you for the whole summer-”
“Actually about that… I finished my chores two days ago. And the packet I finished today. I- I know it's for August but I figured I should finish it now…”
“Then it should be no problem, right Karin?”
Eris gives a big grin behind Rin and tilts her head really suddenly, making sure to look directly at Rin’s mother, who looks visibly unnerved and breaks eye contact after a few seconds. “...alright.” When Rin looks back, Eris looks completely normal with a small smile on her face.
“Eh? Um, okay! I'll… start getting ready soon then.” Rin runs to her room to get some clothes and her toiletries, and Eris follows shortly after while giving a wave to the parents.
“Just what kind of kid is Rin friends with??”