Deep down in the molten center of the Earth's core loud wails filled the air along with heavy sobbing, "how could this happen? My boy, my baby boy!"
"Dad...Dad!" the wailing was cut short by the sound of a suitcase slamming, "can you please stop with the dramatics?"
"Now Jr, go easy on your father. He's still grieving" his mother commented as his father cried into her shoulder clinging to her as he sobbed. "You know how attached he's been to you since you were just a little egg." With a long groan, he pulled off his glasses rubbing his temples in frustration at his father's hysterics. It wasn't enough to be the son of a demonic creature from the center the Earth, he had to have a clingy father too.
"I haven't been an egg since winter camp when I hatched and 'borrowed' this body, which was about eighteen years ago" he explained putting his glasses back on before packing another bag.
"Oh right! It's been so long I suppose we all just accepted this as being your natural form, whatever happened to the b-"
"Mom, don't think about it too much, this is my body now okay? We should just leave it at that."
She nodded not wanting to think her own son might have ever been capable of heinous acts against anyone despite who his father might be. "Anyway, this is a huge change for your father. You're leaving town to go to college after all! Why must you go so far away from home, anyway? Your cousin Billy got into Endsville U with Mandy and Irwin."
He surveyed the room for any items he may have missed after his parents barged in. "Billy only got in because Grim tricked the board into accepting his application so they can all stick together. And that is exactly what I want to get away from now that I'm an adult."
"I don't want to constantly be caught up in the crazy bullshit adventures of Billy and Mandy. Monsters overrunning the town, Grim's scythe always being stolen, and the fact they're a magnet for every supernatural nutcase in existence," he glanced at his father "no offense dad,".
Nergal sniffled wiping his nose on his sleeve "none taken, son", Jr smiled patting his shoulder "I just want to spend my college years in peace and be, ya know, normal."
Meanwhile at the Dweezewold Mansion in Middlington ants marched in a neat little line carrying clothing from a bedroom closet all the way to an old trunk at the foot of a bed. "Thanks for the help guys, I really appreciate it," said Creepie Creecher bringing a framed family photo to the trunk carefully placing it inside "I'm almost packed." On her bed, her mother wiped away tears as her father stood close by for comfort "oh my little girl, even after watching thousands of little ones grow up and leave the nest over the years it hasn't gotten any easier to see my babies go". Creepie came to her mother's side sitting on the bed "leaving is hard for me too mom, but I need to go out and see the world on my own. Really figure out my place among humans and where I fit in as an adult, I made some good friends as a kid and I want to make even more as an adult."
"But no matter how far apart we are you guys are my family and I will always love you, nothing can change that" she reassured her before getting up to close the trunk once it was filled. "I'm all set! Time to get on the road" she got into an old purple pick up truck looking out the window at her family who all waved goodbye to her from the porch. With a deep breath to calm her nerves, she gave one last goodbye before starting up the truck and heading down the road.
Down at sunny Pendragon U freshmen were coming in for move-in day the parking lot jam-packed with cars and upperclassmen directing traffic to prevent any incidents from over-eager students. Near a secluded back part of the school, the ground opened up to reveal bright red flames and small demons trying to crawl up onto to Earth before being dragged back in by black tentacles. In a swift movement, Jr hoisted himself up by his tentacles once the demons were pulled back down "ugh I hate when vermin tag along" he muttered lowering to the ground closing his hand into a fist to make the crater close. "Easy as traveling underground is, I should look into a bike or something since I doubt people would be cool with me opening up the gates of hell just to grab a burger" he blew out a small flame on his shoulder before grabbing his bag and to check in.
While crossing the parking lot to his dorm he absent-mindedly walked out in front of a truck that screeched to stop to keep from running her over. He looked up at the driver to see a young woman with multicolored hair holding a hand to her chest panting shaken from the event. When she finally regained her composure she stuck her head out the window "are you crazy? Be more careful dude you almost became roadkill!" He held his hands up laughing nervously "sorry!" he yelled before running off to the check-in line once cars behind her started honking at her to move. She sighed quickly going to a parking spot "great job Creepie, here for a few seconds and you almost run a guy over" she groaned resting her head against the steering wheel "what am I doing here?" Jr looked back from his spot in line at the parking lot "I just got here and I almost got killed because I wasn't paying attention, get it together Jr" he muttered to himself hitting the top of his head "be normal!"
Soon all the chaos finally ended when parents said their last goodbyes and everyone received their room assignments to get settled in for the night. Jr moved his way out of a crowded elevator onto his dorm room floor to be greeted by a bubbly brown-haired girl in a unicorn t-shirt "hello there!" she yelled happily. "My name is Chris-Alice, I'm the RA for this floor. Since you are the last to move in you must be Nergal Jr, Welcome to Pendragon University!" she pulled a party popper raining confetti down on him before handing him a small welcome basket. Before he had time to react she grabbed his hand leading him down the hall "you're really lucky ya know? This floor is for lottery students who won their own single rooms for the whole year! Even though you may room alone that doesn't mean you shouldn't go out and make tons of new friends!"
"But, why is a woman my RA? Did I get put on the wrong floor?" he asked pulling his hand away from her looking up and down the hall. She gave a small giggle "what time period do you think we live in? This floor has single rooms and we foster the idea that if men and women can share apartment complexes with no problem, then sharing a floor should be easy as pumpkin pie!" She stopped in front of a door with a note pinned to it with name placing a large handbook, and a room key on top of the welcome basket.
"Here we go! Room 66-"
"Of course my dorm number is 66-"
"9! Room 669 for Nergal Jr."
"Wait, what?"
"You have everything you need in the welcome basket and the handbook covers all the rules and guidelines for this building. Remember to have everything you brought moved in by six so you can come down for the welcome party we are holding on the lawn for all freshman at seven." Feeling she did her job she handed him a small card with her contact information for any further questions he may have later before heading off to greet other arrivals.
Once she left Nergal went inside to get settled "I may have rigged the draw in my favor, but it's best for everyone I room alone." With a long sigh, he flopped down on the bed staring up at the ceiling allowing the reality of his situation to fully sink in. For the first time in his life, he wasn't the side character getting dragged into someone else's' mad little world, he was living his own life.
Heyyyy Creepie!" Chris-Alice popped her head into a dorm room across the hall with an opened door "how are you enjoying your first day as a college girl?" Creepie was still unpacking her trunk placing books on her bookshelf "I almost ran some guy over with my truck in the parking lock, so...not too bad?" She stepped away from the shelf gesturing that her friend was welcomed to come inside "vehicular manslaughter is not a great way to start your college years" Chris-Alice commented placing a gift basket on her shelf. She took Creepie's hand leading her over to the basket showing off all the items she out inside for her.
"I am so happy you're on my floor! I made sure to make a special welcome for both guys and gals!"
"Special baskets?"
"Yep! Like for yours, we have a yummy scented candle, some cafe coupons, a special college Bearington who is super huggable, and…." She pulled out a large black and yellow spray can causing Creepie to step back when she noticed the label.
"A special value size can of daddy's extra strength bug spray!"
Creepie smiled pushing the can away with a single finger putting on a thankful smile "gee...thanks so much, Chris-Alice."
She smiled setting the can down "there's a lawn party for all freshmen tonight to welcome everyone, you should come." Before Creepie could refuse the offer Chris-Alice handed her an invitation wearing her down with her cheery smile causing her to take the invite with a sigh. "See ya tonight" she chimed before heading out Creepie waved with a small smile cursing peer pressure under her breath.
Later on that night, everyone gathered on the lawn decorated in string lights the music almost drowned out by the student's conversations. "What am I doing here?" Creepie muttered to herself moving through the crowd, parties were never her scene and she didn't see that changing anytime soon. When she noticed Chris-Alice serving mocktails, she saw her opportunity to get out here fast, all she needed to do was have a short conversation with her to show that she came and then she could bail. While moving through the crowd she bumped into something big and hard that gave a small grunt when she ran into it. She looked up to see an oversized muscle head in a red beanie and a black muscle shirt turn around to look at her.
"Hey, I thought I was turning around to handsome dweeb his ass" he grinned looking her up and down, "but it seems I found something better."
"Sorry, I was just trying to get to my friend over by the drinks."
He stepped in her way when she tried to move past him "c' mon sweetheart, what's your hurry?"
"I just told you that I was going to see a friend."
"Your friend ain't going anywhere, why don't you and I get to know each other? Ya know I kinda got a thing for goth chicks."
"That's amazing, but I am not the least bit interested in you."
When she tried to walk away again he grabbed her arm "what's with the attitude? You bumped into me remember?"
She growled trying to pull her arm from his grasp while he laughed at her attempts to get free "I like feisty girls."
"Spreg!" another man's voice caught both their attention.
When they turned to look she saw him, a pale guy with bright green eyes behind dark-framed glasses and black hair dressed in all black besides the blood red scarf around his neck. He stepped forward towards them smiling, "Hey...you're that guy who I almos-" she stopped when she noticed the hand grasping her was trembling.
"Still picking on people smaller than you? Tsk, tsk, I was sure you had already learned by now that you can't do whatever you please just because you're bigger than someone else." He placed his hand on top of the arm that held her giving Sperg a smile "if you like, I can always give you a refresher course." Spreg pulled his arm away snorting trying to regain his composure and play off the genuine fear he felt from that thinly veiled threat "I don't got time for you losers, anyway."
Creepie rubbed her wrist staring at the man who chased Spreg off "tch, fucking football scholarships…" he muttered watching Spreg disappear into the crowd. Once Spreg was gone he turned to her with real smile "Sorry about that, are you okay?" She nodded "thanks for the help, didn't I almost run you over earlier today?" she asked. He looked up for a moment in thought snapping his finger when he finally remembered her "oh yeah, I'm sorry about that" he replied with a nervous laugh. He held his hand out "my name is Nergal Jr thanks for not flattening me earlier, a little too soon for a trip down to hell." She giggled taking his hand shaking it "Creepie Creecher, thank you for rolling out of the way in time."
He took a step back when the finished shaking hands sticking his in his pocket "well, I better leave you to your fun" when he turned away from her she watched him take a few steps before stopping him. "Just a sec, you don't have to be anywhere do you?" she smiled when he shook his head. "Then, how about we try out the drinks here? My friend is helping run the party, and it's the least I can do after almost killing and being saved by you." He turned around smiling following her as she gestured over to the refreshment table.