Chapter One: Veronica Lodge and Avarie
For a lot of people, Settling Day was something they'd eagerly await, if only to see what their Daemons would become. But in the Lodge residence, the sight of a Settling Daemon instead brought quite some angst and disbelief to its occupant.
"This isn't happening…"
"Ronnie, I am very, very sorry…"
"This isn't happening!"
"I'm sorry, okay?! I never wanted to Settle as a serpent, but we both know that's not how it works!"
Veronica Lodge glared furiously at her Daemon, who just recently Settled as a red corn snake. Neither of them were big fans of scaly animals, especially the young lady, but then this happened and she had no idea how to react.
"Be a parrot," the woman quietly pleaded.
"I… I can't, not anymore."
"Be a cat!" She commanded, raising her voice.
"I can't!"
"Then be a rabbit, or a frog, or a chicken, anything's fine!"
The snake lifted his head, not very high, but enough to make his human stepped away in disgust. For a second, Veronica contemplated to run away and hide somewhere, but even she knew that one cannot be too far away from their Daemon without feeling intense pain.
Just how much did she hate herself? Or maybe she didn't actually hate herself, but her father for making her the way she was now?
"What will everyone say once they find out about this?" Veronica whispered.
"Why… why should you care? You've always held your head high in front of people. You were never ashamed of yourself before."
Her Daemon, Avarie, hissed with a tone of encouragement, then added "Besides, I'm sure Archie might find you even more attractive than before! He loves you… that boy loves you with all his heart."
"Does he?" The question left them both in awkward silence. They both knew that Archie was kind of closer to his girl-next-door friend Betty Cooper compared to little miss Lodge. Even his Daemon Bailey always greeted Laurel with so much enthusiasm.
With a gulp, Veronica stepped closer to her Daemon, trying to accept the fact that her soul had chosen his form. Avarie slowly approached his human, as well.
"I promise you, Archie won't speak ill of you, of us."
"What do you think will Betty say?"
"Compliments, what else?" Avarie hissed again, excitedly, "Trust me, Betty will shower you with all kinds of compliments! I mean, she and Laurel are always looking forward to their Settling Day. I don't think Betty will instantly hate you if we tell her the truth."
The young lady nodded, anxious yet grateful that her Daemon offered nice words to her. Still, if his Settled form is a serpent, what did it imply about her as a human being? Was she a lustful woman? Was she an unfaithful friend to Betty? To Archie?
"Message them."
"Who?" Veronica asked confusedly.
"Betty, Archie, and Jughead, go give them a heads-up. I bet they'll want to know ASAP."
"I will," the young lady responded, "But I need some time to… let it sink in."
Avarie wondered what his human meant by 'let it sink in' but chose to remain silent. After all, not everyone could accept their Daemons' Settled form when the day eventually came. He slithered closer to Veronica, who clutched her cellphone tightly, wondering what she ought to type, and coiled on her side.