The mysterious room was a laboratory occupied by the Potions Club. They were a small group, composed of three girls and two boys not counting their leader.
On his face were a pair of obscured goggles and a very smug look of satisfaction despite their precious experiment's seeming failure. This baby was designated Gai-Th #2883415.
The boy's voice turned into a cough at inhaling the vapor. "Jason open a window," he choked out to the vice president who wore a battered red bandanna that was hardly a color anymore and blue jean jacket.
As it began to clear Eric De Vil analyzed the now jumbo sized bonzai tree. Besides inverted skunk hair Eric inherited the brains of his geeky parents. The plant was healthy and normal no mutation to speak of, no way or reason for vapor to have formed. Now taking one of the fallen leaves Eric put it under a microscope.
Doing so his partners prattled on about adding an incorrect chemical, unforeseen side effect of the solution or even that the DNA had been modified, all so complex explanations. Yet in less than a minute he realized the cause. Rapid cell division, too rapid.
"Ha! Looks like some dolt poured too much," Eric said, before remembering he had been the pourer. "Or got the dosage wrong," looking pointedly at Savannah Khan.
Before anymore could be said a purple haired beauty made quite an entrance. Clad in a wickedly stylish black tracksuit with green flames running halfway across tight long sleeves. "Eric what happened?" she questioned under her hand. Though noticed by all Persephone's emerald eyes glowed dangerously, not unlike the other dark fairies in her family.
"Don't worry darling, just a little snag but the vapor's just an irritant. Most likely," he assured with impeccable swagger.
He caught his lab mates backing up, realizing his mistake. De Vil did the same, luckily feeling another bottle of growth formula. With a devilish smile to make any villain proud he poured the drop into another box of bare soil.
This time delicate, perfect roses blossomed from the Earth. For a sorceress Persephone stood spellbound marveling at the richly crimson blooms. "For you ma cherie," Eric said plucking a rose. As expected, the princess turned giddy at the gesture, kissing his cheek before leaving to get her bag.
"Impressive getting her off the war path. Buuut, a little desperate Romeo," Amara teased.
"Please, desperation's for saps I've got that girl around my finger," he scoffed.
A few minutes later Eric and Persephone left for the Isle station.
"Usual today?" Eric asked.
"Mhm, a Friday afternoon pampering myself at the spa. You could try it, you're always a little tense," Persephone said.
Don't blush, don't blush, he commanded of his thoughts incessantly. "Nah having strangers put their hands on me isn't my idea of relaxation."
On the train a good few people gawked at the pair. "Did you bring a hat?" Eric whispered to Persephone. Prepared as usual she handed him a Sherwood University hat and a fan for herself. There were few behaviors of this "human race," he understood. Wearing a 'fashionable' but long sleeved outfit on a ninety degree summer day was one. Strangers' gawking was another. At least, why stare at a vet's son- and he knew at least some were. Sure, Persephone was a princess but right now neither looked the part of elite Auradon society.
"So my magic sensor went off in the lab today. What did you do this time?" Eric asked, smiling fondly.
"Nothing interesting just ignited my hair again," she replied waving off the incident.
He imagined crude, condescending, braggart Gaston running in a panic with his butt on fire, with all the dignity of a squawking chicken.
'The future Queen of Auradon,' he imagined the title on her, as she currently scrolled her social media and flapped for Eric to try the dragon filter too.