Chapter Text
It all started in alchemy class.
Deuce and Ace were sitting at their lab table, waiting impatiently for the signal to collect the fruits of their labour. Professor Crewel had instructed them to recreate a basic version of the body transformation potion, based off the Evil Queen’s infamous recipe she had once used to deceive Snow White. While it was called the body transformation potion, the potion wouldn’t actually change their bodies; for the version the first years were doing, the recipient would merely adopt the characteristics of the person whose potion they were drinking. Everyone’s potions were the same except for the final ingredient- a drop of blood, causing the potion to change colour to match the essence of the individual. The first year students had created the potion in pairs and once the final ingredient was added, they were to swap it with their partner to illustrate the effects.
They had all prepared the potions the day before and then left them in the Alchemy classroom’s potions cabinet to settle overnight. Last class they had gotten their own glass vial to pour their portion of the potion into before writing their name on it.
It had taken several classes to get to this stage; Professor Crewel had first instructing them on the history of the potion, to its modern day applications, to preparing and gathering the ingredients and finally brewing the potion. Now, the day had finally arrived for them to test it at long last. When the professor gave the all clear, Deuce volunteered to retrieve their vials and rushed to the first year shelf in the potions cabinet. Each year group had their own shelf in the potions cabinet- naturally the first years were at the bottom.
As Deuce picked out their vials, he noticed how every student’s potion was different – originally they were all an ominous, toxic green. Now though, the boy noticed every kind of colour and consistency. Deuces’ for instance, was a sparkling dark navy - it was like looking at a tiny version of a swirrling starry night sky. Ace’s, on the other hand, was bright turquoise for some reason; reminiscent of the Coral Sea. Deuce had expected it to either be a vibrant orange or red, but when he’d gone to pick up their vials and looked for his partner’s potion vial there was no mistaking that sloppy scrawl Ace called his handwriting.
Had they messed up the potion by accident? While Deuce knew that normally that could be a very likely possibility, he also remembered that Professor Crewel double-checked their potions last night to make sure they’d done it correctly. Plus, Deuce’s potion looked right, so his must be too he reasoned, and brought the two vials over to their shared lab table.
It was entertaining at first to see everyone’s hair colour change. Some grew taller and others found they didn’t need glasses anymore. As first-years, it was the most basic version of the potion, so regular humans that swapped with beast men wouldn’t grow ears or tails. Despite that, Deuce watched Epel drink from a snowy white vial and let out an intimidating growl from the back of his throat, much to a lilac-haired Jack’s amusement.
Finally, it was their turn- Deuce holding Ace’s turquoise vial and Ace with his darker one. They sat opposite each other and counted down. Simultaneously, they knocked back their respective drinks and waited for the effects to take place. Deuce grimaced at the salt water taste. He felt the icy-cold liquid run down his throat and settle in the pit of his stomach. He didn’t like how the cold started spreading throughout his tummy.
It didn’t feel right. Not that he had ever thought about what Ace would taste like- his smell was off-putting enough- but this was leagues away from anything he might have expected.
Opposite him, Ace smacked his lips experimentally.
“Hm. Scrambled eggs. Weird.” He noted with a shrug. He grabbed a mirror from another table and watched in delight as his hair turned an inky blue.
“What about you? What does mine taste like?” Ace asked excitedly.
Instead of answering, Deuce silently took the mirror from Ace and looked in the mirror. Only a sliver of his hair had turned colour- it was a strange teal shade. It reminded him of something but he couldn’t put his finger on what.
Then, his right eye started to feel warm, almost burning. He quickly covered it, flinching slightly in pain. The burning quickly faded and when he removed his hand, his natural bright cerulean pupil had changed to a warm gold.
Ace was being an ass as usual and trying desperately not to laugh. Obviously the potion had messed up somehow. Deuce couldn’t seem to find it in him to get angry at his friend however. He was too busy trying to figure out why he still didn’t feel right. He somehow felt both hot and cold all over at the same time, as if his body was battling with what temperature it wanted to stay at. His teeth were also feeling really itchy.
It was at that point Professor Crewel slapped his cane on his desk at the front of the classroom to get their attention.
“Your potions will only last a couple of hours, so enjoy the effects while you can for the rest of the day. I expect you all to make a report on what you noticed and the practical implications of the potion. I want to see effective uses on how the potion can be applied, both in everyday life and from an academic perspective. I am pleased that all you puppies successfully completed this assignment…”
Just as Crewel had been looking across the classroom, his eyes finally landed on the still-navy haired Hartslabyul student and he started trailing off before catching himself and continuing.
“-without incidents. Spade, Trappolla- meet me in my office after class.”
For once, the loudmouth was speechless.
“I don’t know how you puppies did it, but you somehow managed to changed the potion. I expected better from you two, especially you Deuce.”
Deuce felt his face heat up in shame and looked down at the floor. The professor quickly dismissed them after that as he had another class to prepare for. As soon as their backs were turned away from the potions master, Deuce noticed Ace looked like a blowfish ready to burst from containing his laughter. While his hair wasn’t red anymore, the rest of his face sure was. Only when they were out in the corridor did he finally let it out and doubled over with laughter. Deuce’s emotions finally kicked in as he felt the familiar indignant irritation at his so-called best friend.
“What’s so funny Ace?” he snapped.
“I swapped your potion you moron! You didn’t actually think that was my essence did you? Get real!” he laughed.
“You---!!” now it was Deuce’s turn to turn red as he felt anger and humiliation bubble up inside him. Now it all made sense. Of course it was Ace. It was always Ace. Abruptly, an unbidden urge well up inside, telling him to lunge at Ace and sink his teeth into the soft flesh of his neck tissue.
Deuce took a step back in shock and was suddenly very scared of himself. Where had that come from?
“Whose essence did I drink?” he asked annoyed, grabbing Ace by his lapels. Ace didn’t seem concerned at all despite being at least half a head shorter- when had that happened?
“Answer me you jerk!” he demanded, a little more forcefully than intended when Ace didn’t reply immediately. Ace stopped laughing and slowly looked up in dawning realization - finally noticing their newfound height difference.
“I swapped your potion with Floyd-senpai’s. We came up with the idea after basketball practice when we found out both our classes were doing the same assignment. The second years are doing a more advanced version of the potion, so your changes may be more extreme,” he explained lamely.
Deuce pushed him away and the navy-haired boy collapsed to the ground, unable to catch himself. Deuce looked at his hands in awe. Since when had he been this strong?
His teeth were still itchy, but he ignored it.
“I’m going to lunch now. I don’t care what you do.” He said firmly and turned on his heel and stomped away.
As Deuce walked towards the cafeteria across the courtyard, he was finding it really hard to clear his head, partly due to all the new-found distractions he was discovering. He could smell everything so much stronger and pick out small details he had never noticed before. The daffodils were in bloom and he saw every single bee buzzing around them as he walked. The scent coming of the apples in the apple tree told him they were almost ripe. If he were Floyd he’d easily be able to reach up and grab one. This gave him an idea.
Deuce backed up, took a running start, and pushed of off the ground with all his might. He flew so high and far he almost missed the tree branch he was aiming for. Luckily, his reflexes had also improved and he snatched an apple of off the tree before he missed it and landed with both feet steadily on the ground again.
Deuce stood in shock for a minute before a smile slowly crept up on his face.
I could get used to this… he thought to himself as he approached the cafeteria, conquest in hand and in a much brighter mood than before.
Maybe this potion mix-up wasn’t so bad after all?