Wicked | Ambrose Spellman and Nicholas Scratch [2]

12 | theo

twelve
theo.

"FOR THIS SECOND challenge, the contestants will have to demonstrate their mastery of potion-making. Nicholas, Selene, Miss Spellman. You will each add a material component to the cauldron. Add the wrong ingredient, with the wrong phraseology, and the concoction will putrefy. The first to cause rancification is out. And as punishment, he or, more likely, she will ingest the spoilage. Are you ready?"

Selene rolls her eyes at her sexist father before he continues. "As potion-making is one of the more womanly arts, you may go first, Selene."

"It'll be an honor," Selene remarks, studying the ingredients on the table before her. A brilliant smile finds its way to her face once she spots a wolfsbane flower on the table. She picks up the purple flower, feeling her skin tingle. "Onon de es Sinji un Ctas, on Gu ol De."

She then lets the water fall into the boiling cauldron, and isn't surprised when it remains stable. Her father frowns at her. "Where'd you learn that?"

"Caroline's been helping me study," Selene shrugs before Sabrina picks up snake skin. She then lets it fall into the cauldron.

"Molted skin of cobra snake. In the cauldron, seethe and bake."

It bubbles in the cauldron the way the wolfsbane did and Faustus shrugs. "The potion remains stable. Nicholas, you may choose."

Nick searches the contents in front of him for a moment before picking up a glass full of a dark liquid. He opens it and pours it into the cauldron with ease.

"Cool it with newborn's blood. Then the brew will be firm and good."

"Well done," Faustus nods before motioning to his daughter.

Selene licks her lips before picking up a glass full of mermaid hair. It's a dark green color, and has healing qualities.

"You can heal me, but you can also help me. Remain stable, don't be a fable."

She bites her lip as she drops it into the cauldron, never having seen anyone do this particular potion before. But she relaxes slightly when the potion doesn't have a huge reaction.

Sabrina goes next, and she picks up an eye. "Blind white eye of cave-born shark, bought ultimately from the dark."

But her brave facade crumples when she puts the eye in the cauldron and the liquid bubbles. Selene curses as the liquid stops, meaning that Sabrina's out.

"Putrefied, I'm afraid," Faustus pretends to be somber towards Sabrina as he pours the cauldron's contents into a cup. He then hands it to Sabrina.

Selene wrinkles her nose as her best friend tilts her head back and begins to down the liquid. The coven cheers her on yelling, "Chug! Chug! Chug!"

When she's done, she sets it down, looking a little green. Instinctively, Selene pulls the girl's hair back, and pats her back as she throws the potion up.

After that, things begin to wind down, and people begin filing out of the church. But Selene pulls Sabrina towards her car before she can go with the other Spellman's. Sabrina is silent for most of the ride, afraid she'll throw up all over the redhead's car, but eventually she gets curious.

"Where are we going?"

"Susie and he who won't be named are trying out for the Baxter High basketball team today, and we're going to cheer them on," Selene answers happily, glad to have a distracting from everything that's been going on with the coven. "Also, Susie goes by Theo now."

"But-"

"No buts, Brina," Selene cuts her friend off, her decision final. "We need this."

"You know what, you're right," Sabrina nods as Selene pulls into the parking lot of Baxter High. She then does a simple spell on Sabrina to make her feel better. Once Sabrina's feeling like her usual cheery self, the duo head into the gym where the various guys are trying out for the basketball team. Theo stands in the middle of the court, waiting for another player to throw him the ball. But the basketball player ends up throwing it to Harvey. "And how long has he been going by Theo?"

"A while, I guess," Selene answers, not knowing exactly how long it's been since Susie became Theo. She only knows about it, because Hilda had visited Ms.Wardwell and she had caught her up on everything. Hilda then told Selene about it. "We just haven't been here that much lately, so..."

She trails off as another basketball player avoids throwing Theo the ball simply because they don't think of him as a boy. But Theo is a boy, heart and soul, even if his body isn't.

"I think they need a little motivation," Selene declares, sharing a calculating look with her best friend. "Don't you think?"

"Definitely," Sabrina winks at her before she begins to mutter several spells under her breath. After she does, the players begin to throw Theo the ball, and he makes every single shot with ease.

Once tryouts are over, Harvey and Roz crowd around Theo, pulling him into a tight hug. Selene and Sabrina watch them from afar, wishing they could be up there with him. But they know they need to keep their distance to ensure their mortal friends safety.

The pair then slip out of the gym before Selene knows she has to talk about the other night. "Look, Brina, I'm sorry about the fight-"

"No, I'm the one who should be apologizing," Sabrina corrects her, licking her lips cautiously. "I don't know what came over me. I just got so angry, because I thought-"

She cuts off as a demon comes out of the shadows from behind Selene, and hits her over the head roughly. The redhead's eyes widen in pain for a moment before she collapses in front of Sabrina. Sabrina tries to run, but before she can get far, the demon grabs her.

UNEDITED