Boscha Noceda

by Garth2the2ndpower, Mr_Hardcor3

Summary:

When Manny and Camila find an injured four year old, they figured they'd help her and then try and find her family... they never planned on adopting her, but they don't regret it one bit. Co-Written by Garth2the2ndpower.

Now has a TVTropes, feel free to add to it: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/BoschaNoceda

Notes:

• For BeastKeepingCovenHead.

Chapter 1: Found

(Cover image by https://www.deviantart.com/garth2the2ndpower)

Camila and Manny Noceda kneeled down and freed a rabbit from an illegal trap.

"What on earth is with all these traps lately?" Camila asked, "I'm afraid to let Luz play outside at this rate, I don't need her to get hurt. She's too adventurous for a four year old."

"I know, and don't worry, I'll make sure no one hurts our little girl." Manny said.

Camila let out a small chuckle.

"Oh, please, you're a teddy bear." Camila said, "You don't have a dangerous bone in your body. Come on, let's get home before Luz let's a raccoon in... again."

"What can I say, she takes after me." Manny said.

"And that is both a blessing and a curse." Camila said.

The two walked back home, passing the old abandoned cabin. The two stopped when they heard small sobs, barely audible.

"Someone is crying." Manny said, "We should go make sure their okay."

"What if it's a trap?" Camila asked.

"Then I die doing the right thing." Manny said, "That's the only way I want to go."

Manny headed towards the cabin, with Camila following him. The two opened the door and saw a kid, no older than Luz, with their leg in a trap. The trap was digging into her leg, cutting and making blood fall from her leg. The girl also had a big black and blue mark on her head, roughly the size of a golf ball, indicating that she fell after getting stuck in the trap. Manny and Camila immediately went to help the girl.

"Sweetie, can you hear me?" Manny asked, kneeling in front of her.

The girl looked up, making the two parents surprised. The girl's skin was a light pink, her hair was a darker shade of pink, her ears were pointed, and most importantly, she had three eyes. The girl looked up and immediately got scared. She began pulling back from them, causing the trap to tighten and cause her more pain.

"G-g-get away!" The girl said.

"It's okay, it's okay." Camila said, "We're not going to hurt you. We can help you."

The girl let out a small sob and her lip quivered from pain.

"Y-y-you can?" The girl asked.

Camila held the girl and slowly ran a hand over her hair while Manny began to remove the trap. When the girl was free, he looked at her leg.

"It cut pretty deep, the best we can do is bring her back home with us and bandage it up." Manny said, "After we make sure she's fine, we'll start looking for her parents."

"Good idea." Camila said, "Can you tell us your name, Sweetie?"

"I... I don't remember." The girl said.

"Okay, do you know where your home is?"

The girl shook her head.

"What about what your parents look like?"

The girl shook her head.

"She must've fallen down and gotten amnesia." Manny said, looking over the girl, and seeing the tag sticking out of her shirt, "The name Boscha is written on it, I think it's safe to assume that's your name."

"She's clearly been through a lot." Camila said, "Let's get her back home and see what she remembers."

"Good idea." Manny said, "Well... Luz always wanted a playmate."

Chapter 2: New Friend

Chapter by Mr_Hardcor3

It was just a regular day at the Noceda household. Luz and her parents were in the middle of enjoying their dinner - tonight was rabo encindido night- when they heard a shrill cry from outside. Camila seemed to recognize it as the cry of another rabbit caught in a snare, judging by how she was muttering obscenities under her breath. With a superheroic demeanor, Camila was already donning her gloves as Manny rushed to get the wire cutter. Luz was instructed to stay in the house, as they didn't want her to accidentally get caught in a trap herself. Luz could barely get a word in before the door was locked and her parents were off to save the bunny. After a minute or two, Luz had already opened a window in the back of the house, laying a piece of oxtail on the sill. It didn't take long for a raccoon to come up and devour the treat. Luz giggled happily as she fed more of her leftovers to the masked critter. Eventually, the reverie was broken by the sound of the front door opening.

"Uh-oh!" Luz threw her remaining food out the window. "Cheez-itz, Rigby! Mami and Papi are back!" The raccoon wasted no time scrambling out the window that was closed immediately after its escape.

Luz ran back to the kitchen as fast as her little legs could take her. She hadn't made it in time before her parents came in, and was already scrambling to come up with an excuse.

"Bee-envenidos a casa, mamá y papaaaaaaaaAAAAA?!" Luz's train of thought stopped right in its tracks as she noticed the disheveled pink girl in Camila's arms.

"Luz, Mija, we need you to get the first-aid kit." Camila said, "Can you do that for us, Carino?"

Luz noticed the blood running down Boscha's fibula and nodded. She rushed off to get the first aid kit like Mami and Papi taught her to in an emergency.

As she brought the kit to them, Camila wasted no time dressing the strange girl's wounded leg. Luz shivered as she saw the girl crying, which got her shedding tears of her own. she tugged at her father's shirt to get his attention.

"Papi, is Princess Bubblegum gon' be okay?"

Manny couldn't help but smile. "That's not Bubblegum, mija. Her name is Boscha."

"Is Princess Boscha gon' be okay?"

This time, he had to fight the urge to laugh out loud at his daughter being adorable.

"Princess Boscha's gonna be just fine, niña. We'll get her fixed up and home in no time."

"She's just going to be staying here until then, so can you be on your best behavior?" Manny said.

"O-0kay." Luz said, watching her mom wrap Boscha's lower leg in gauze.

"Well, that will stop the bleeding and heal in a few weeks." Camila said, "You may have a bit of a limp for a while, though."

"Mmm-kay." Boscha struggled to speak through pained whimpers. "Th-thank you... muh-miss..."

"Just call me Camila, dear." She then gestured to the other Nocedas observing them. "You've also met mi marido, Manny, and this here is our own little girl, Luz."

Luz looked up to Manny, unsure of what to do.

"It's fine, mija..." Her father assured her. "...go on and say hi."

The small human carefully approached their guest and slowly waved her hand, not wanting to surprise her.

"H-hi... I, uhh, I'm Luz. Luz Noceda. Nice to meet you."

"Hello. I'm Boscha." Her eyes lit up at Luz's friendly greeting. All three of them. The shock of seeing them caused Luz to stumble backwards.

"Yeah, we'll need to cover that up somehow." Manny told Camila.

"Maybe a headband or something, or maybe say it's some kind of genetic mutation?" Camila suggested.

While they were talking, Luz and Boscha had already managed to sneak into the backyard. Luz had suggested looking for snakes and Boscha thought that sounded fun. As they dug around the backyard, something started to bother Boscha.

"Why were your mom 'n dad talking about my upper eye?" She asked her new playmate.

Luz carefully studied her face.

"I'unno. Looks okay to me. 'Course, I never saw a upper eye before. I wonder if I'll get mine soon."

"Beats me. How big are these snakes we're lookin' for?"

"Hopefully really big ones!" Luz said.

Boscha limped over to a bush and moved it, looking for snakes.

"I found eggs!" Boscha said.

Back in the house, Camila and Manny were still brainstorming ideas on how to conceal Boscha's extra eye. The latter had been stroking his beard for an uncomfortable amount of time in what his wife had hoped was serious thought.

"Ooh, what if we just train her to keep it closed at all times?"

So much for that hope. Camila massaged her temples in her frustration.

"I don't think that's something she should make a habit of. I wonder how her parents kept it hidden."

Manny gave a sullen hum at that remark.

"Cariño, ¿qué pasa?" Camila started to worry when he looked more serious than before.

"I had this sinking feeling when we found that poor kid." He told her. "I didn't want to think it, but the extra eye? The ears? The skin? A lot of people can't handle that level of abnormal, Dilecta."

Camila's eyes widened when she realized what he was implying.

"You... you think she might have been abandoned?"

Their discussion would have to wait, as they heard a sudden scream from the backyard. They noticed the girls were no longer in the kitchen and Camila and Manny immediately ran outside to them. They found Luz holding her arm while Boscha was stomping on a snake.

"LUZ!" Manny frantically raced to his daughter's side to check on her. "Mija! Are you okay? Where does it hurt?! Do you know what did this to you?!"

Even if the four-year-old child could answer such rapid-fire questions, she was too busy crying in pain to respond.

"It was this dumb jerk!" Boscha pointed to the unfortunate reptile beneath her heel. "We found some eggs to play with when it came out and bited Luz!"

Camila was about to say something before her agitated husband cut her off.

"Is that a snake?! Dios mio, is it venomous? Why did you disturb its nest? Luz, are you feeling woozy at all?! We need to get to a hospital before she-"

"JUAN MANUEL NOCEDA, WOULD YOU GET A GRIP?!" Manny and the girls all clammed up at Camila's outburst. "I don't need three kids freaking out on me. Now, this here is just a garter snake, which isn't venomous, so we won't need a hospital. There'll be some swelling and itching, but that will go away in a day or so. Luz will be just fine."

Boscha looked at the eggs they found.

"We're those really the snake's eggs? Did I just squish their mommy?"

Camila almost melted looking at the three-eyed girl's pouting face.

"No, sweetie, that wasn't their mommy. Garter snakes are actually ovoviviparous."

Manny and the girls looked at her in confusion.

"Oh, you know, they're live-birthers."

Still getting those looks.

"They don't lay eggs."

"But I thought that all snakes made eggs." Luz inquired.

"What she said." Manny added.

"I... let's just put a pin in that for now." Camila had to stop herself before going into an impromptu presentation on garter snake biology. She then turned her attention back to Boscha. "That's just a bird's nest that fell from a tree. It looks like you just interrupted that snake's meal, which is why it attacked. They're otherwise harmless, so you don't need to squish them next time, okay? Just keep away."

"But it hurted Luz!" Boscha stood firm.

Camila pulled Boscha into a hug.

"I appreciate that you care so much for Luz's safety, but please, next time just bring Luz to us. Okay?" Camila asked.

"Okay." Boscha said.

The calmness of the moment was cut short by a low growling noise. Luz jumped at the sound, huddling closer to her father. "Papi, what was that?!"

Manny wasn't sure himself, but he refused to panic in front of his daughter twice in one day. "It's okay, Mija. Whatever it is, I'll protect you."

"Ay, papi chulo." Camila shook her head as another growl was let loose. Boscha held her stomach, the source of the noises. The matriarch smiled. "I think someone's just a little hungry. Would you like to join us for dinner? We should have enough food for a fourth."

Boscha grinned widely as she nodded at her host. Luz smiled, happy to have Boscha staying for dinner.

"Come on!" Luz said, grabbing her friends wrists and the two ran into the house.

The two adults watched as the two toddlers ran inside.

"I've never seen someone match with Luz so perfectly." Manny said.

"Well, remember, it's only until we find her real parents." Camila said, "Still, they are very close."

Chapter 3: Playground

Chapter by Mr_Hardcor3

A couple weeks later, Boscha's injury healed, with only a faint scar that went around her leg. Luz and Boscha were on a playground, playing on the swings. Boscha had a small baseball hat on... which she drew an eye on. Yeah, anything they got Boscha to cover her third eye she would customize with an eye. Manny was pushing Boscha on the swing, while Camila was pushing Luz. Both toddlers were having the time of their lives. The Noceda parents, on the other hand, were starting to tire when they moved on to the seesaws, and more so at the monkey bars. Chasing the kids through the jungle gym didn't help matters. Finally, they had to take a rest on the park bench when Camila flew off the merry-go-round.

"Heck of a fortnight, huh?" Manny asked his wife as he watched Luz and Boscha digging near the sandbox.

"Has it been that long?" Camila stared into the sky as she massaged her aching side. "No calls, nothing from the police, no sign of her parents. I hoped you were wrong, but maybe she was..."

Manny put his arm around her. "Hey, we still don't know for sure."

"But if we can't find them, what then?" Camila worried. "That poor girl has been through too much as it is. How could we break it to her that her parents can't be found, or if they were in an accident, or-"

Their discussion was disrupted by screaming kids running past them, apparently from Luz holding on to some snake skin.

"Don't be afraid!" She shouted to the fleeing children as Boscha tried on some more snake skin like a scarf, "It's not a real snake, just its pajamas!"

Camila couldn't help but laugh.

"She called the skin pajamas."

"Looking good, Princesa!" Manny called to Boscha as she fashioned some crude snake skin bracelets.

"Ugh, how unsanitary." A woman's comment caught the parents' attention.

"Those two must have been raised by wolves." Another woman replied to the first.

"HEY!" Camila shot up from the bench to face the two women, oblivious to the pain in her side. "Wolves happen to be great parents!"

"Ugh, right." The first woman scoffed. "Great parents don't let their children play in the dirt."

"You don't wanna anger this mama wolf." Manny warned. "You wouldn't like her when she's angry. I mean, I kinda do, but you definitely wouldn't."

"To bad she doesn't teach those kids the tenets of basic hygiene." The other woman chided.

Camila's eyes brimmed with anger. "One thing I will teach them is how not to be uptight putas like you! Now stop badmouthing our kids and let them have their fun!"

"We... we were just about to leave anyway." The two women walked away at a rather brisk pace.

Suddenly, Camila could feel that pain in her side again. Manny smiled, proud of his wife, as Luz and Boscha ran up to them.

"Mami, are you okay? We heard you yelling." Luz asked her.

"Estoy bien, mija." Camila assured her. "Just had to straighten some things out with those... ladies."

Luz seemed to be relaying what she learned to Boscha. Manny took the opportunity to tease Camila a little.

"So..."

""So" what?"

""Our kids," you said?"

Camila realized what she said before.

"Wha- I mean, it was... I don't know who her... i-it was just for the sake of brevity. Just a slip, is all."

"Was it, though?" Manny grinned wider than she thought possible.

Boscha walked up to him and tugged on the sleeve of his shirt.

"Mister Manny?"

"What is it, Princesa?"

"Wha's a "poo-tah?""

Manny could only stutter as Camila chuckled. It would seem that maybe she didn't misspeak after all.

Chapter 4: Lunch

Chapter by Mr_Hardcor3

It's been a few weeks since the playground incident, and Puta has become something of a catchphrase for Boscha. Whenever she got mad, or if someone was messing with Luz, she would call them that, still unaware of what it meant. Camila and Manny we're in the kitchen making Lunch while Boscha and Luz were watch people walking their dogs out the window.

"Mami, can we get a puppy?" Boscha asked.

Camila looked at Manny, who just shook his head.

"Maybe when you're older sweetheart." Camila told her oldest daughter.

It was official, the signed adoption papers on the fridge confirmed that the three-eyed girl is now an official Noceda. They couldn't just let the girl grow up without family after all, and they haven't seen or heard anything in almost three months, if her birth parents were out there, it was clear that they didn't want to find her. Luz was more than thrilled to have a sister, especially one that was equally as weird as her. Boscha herself was more than content with her new family. She remembered little to nothing of her previous life, and the few days before she was found entailed wandering aimlessly, being chased by cruel teenagers and wild animals. The Nocedas were the only people she could recall who showed her kindness, and she was all too happy to be one of them. It wouldn't hurt to have a pet, though.

"I would love the heck out of that puppy." Boscha muttered as she narrowed her eyes.

"Ditto." Luz replied with equal fervor.

Manny watched them with adoration while he was refrying plantain slices for tostones.

"Will those two ever not be adorable together?"

"Doesn't look like it." Camila replied while setting the table. "I'm happy Boscha has taken to our family so well. She's even acclimated to your cooking faster than I did."

"Hardy-har-har." Manny rolled his eyes. "Maybe for dinner, I'll prepare my famous Assassin's Spaghetti."

"No!" Camila almost shouted, her mind clouded with flashes of flying pasta, flailing limbs and pulled hair. "No spaghetti. Not again... NEVER again."

"What, don't want a new picture with both of the girls?" Manny asked with a smile.

"Do you want to sleep UNDER the dog house?" Camila asked.

"Only if you're there." Manny said with a small hip bump to Camila.

Camila moved a step and let out a small laugh.

"Why don't you go take the girls to the living room and play with them while I finish dinner." Camila said before whispering, "I think they're planning on stealing the neighbor's dog."

And so, Camila finished preparing lunch while Manny distracted the girls with videos of a small fluffy dog by the name of Gabriel. Against her better judgement, Camila decided to have lunch in the living room while the family watched TV. It wasn't her thing, but it was such a lazy afternoon that she succumbed to her desire to vegetate. The fact that Cosmic Frontier: Elysium was on at that moment may or may not have played a part in that decision. Forty-five minutes into the episode, and Manny and Boscha were enraptured at the sight of Commander Wurfle in a firefight with the sinister Nimoids. Camila was content with holding Luz, who fell asleep. It was a perfect afternoon, up until Boscha was fidgeting with her ears. She turned to her adoptive parents with a worried expression.

"What's wrong, mija?" Camila asked, sensing her distress.

"M-Mami, Papi... a-am... am I a Nee-moid?"

"Que?" Manny wasn't prepared for that question.

Camila did her best to suppress her laughter.

"No, honey, you're no Nimoid."

"But they gots the same ears as me." Boscha sounded even more upset. "I... does that make me a bad guy?"

Manny was quick to answer.

"¡De ninguna manera, princesa! Having pointy ears doesn't mean you're evil or anything."

"So... then why do I has to hide'em?" Boscha teared up. "And my upper eye, too?"

Camila got up from the couch, handed the sleeping Luz to her husband, and sat on the floor next to her other daughter.

"Oh, Boschita, we make you hide them for your safety. Your ears and eyes are beautiful, but they're... rare around these parts. People are afraid of others who are different, and often refuse to see them for who they really are. It would be nice if they could understand you."

"But I don't even understand me." Boscha muttered. "I can't remember nothin' 'bout where I'm from or what I am."

Camila smiled. "I'm not sure about the where, but I know exactly what you are."

"What?"

"You're a Noceda." She punctuated the sentiment by booping Boscha's nose. "And nothing will ever change that, even if you were somehow a Nimoid."

"Really?!" Boscha's eyes lit up.

"Really." Camila gave her a hug. "And we Nocedas always love and protect each other just as we are, through supernovas and solar winds."

"But... Papi and Tio seemed very aggressive when they played basketball last week." Boscha said.

"Well, that's because they're idiots." Camila said.

"And you love it." Manny said.

"I will not conform, nor deny that." Camila said, before looking at Boscha, "Now why were you watching them? You were supposed to be napping."

"I saw them through the window, it looked fun." Boscha said.

Manny was overjoyed at that statement.

"Ah, at last, someone worthy to inherit my B-ball skills."

Camila almost doubled over in laughter.

"Ohhh, hermoso, I love you, but perhaps your brother would make a better teacher. I mean, I can still see the "Spalding" shaped bruise on your cheek."

"Well, what I may lack in ability, I more than make up for in perseverance." Manny insisted. "And is that not a skill worth passing on to our kids?"

"Okay, you've got me there." Camila relented.

Boscha was still confused.

"Izzat why you and Tio are mad at each other when you play?"

"No, Princesa..." Her father assured her. "Your tio and I... we just like to play a little rougher together. It's a sibling thing."

"Do I has t'be rough with Luz like that someday?"

Manny scolded himself internally before replying.

"No, nonononono... heh... no, you don't have to be rough with anyone. I just meant... it's something me and my brother share. You and Luz will have your own special sisterly rituals in time. You don't have to do anything, these kinds of bonds happen on their own."

Boscha breathed a sigh of relief.

"Okay, as long as I don't has to fight with Luz."

"Don't worry, you never will have to do that." Manny said.

"Si, you will never have to fight Luz." Camila said, "A sibling bond is something special, and you must never break it."

"I... I won't!" Boscha said, "Izz be the bestest big sister!"

Luz then began to stir, to which Camila took notice.

"Well, someone's going to be ready to play in a few minutes."

"I'm ready now." Boscha boasted.

Camila laughed.

"Oh, I can tell, Mija, but I was actually referring to Luz."

"The park it is then." Manny exclaimed, causing Luz to open her eyes. "And heyyyy, maybe I can teach you how to play some B-ball."

Boscha looked at her dad with uncertainty.

"I meant basketball, Princesa." He corrected himself.

That got the three-eyed girl excited to the point where she was jogging in place.

"EEEEEE! YESYESYESYESYES... uh, please."

Camila ruffled Boscha's hair.

"Just get ready and get your coat, dear. I'm sure Luz will be right behind you." Camila said, "And don't forget your headband."

"¡Si mamá!" Boscha scampered up the stairs excitedly.

"You know it's true motherly love when Camila busts out the Astral Oath." Manny thought out loud as he set a groggy Luz on her feet as she wiped the sleep from her eyes.

Camila couldn't hide her blush nor the wide grin across her face.

Chapter 5: Call

Chapter by Mr_Hardcor3

It was a nice late afternoon in the park, the perfect balance of sun and clouds. True to his word, Manny was teaching Boscha the basics of basketball. Her height put her at a disadvantage when trying to dribble the ball, but she was determined to bounce it with the same force as her dad. Slamming the ball on the court floor with both hands proved to be counterproductive to that goal, but now Manny had a matching bruise on his other cheek.

"Sorry, Papi!" Boscha said.

Manny chuckled a bit before ruffling Boscha's hair.

"Don't worry, Boscha, I'm fine, it'll take more than that to take me out." Manny said.

The three-eyed child nodded and smiled, but with an unusual look of determination. Seeing her father brush off such contusions was an inspiration for her, given the misfortunes she'd suffered before meeting her new family. She aspired to be as tough as her dad.

After a while, they moved on to practicing how to shoot.

"Be sure to relax your legs, Princesa." Manny instructed his protégé, "Hold the ball with your right hand and keep your left hand on its side."

"You can do it, Boscha!" Luz cheered from the side.

Manny kept focused on training.

"Okay, you're still little, so we won't worry about actually making the basket, but you can still practice shooting. Just remember, it's not so much throwing the ball as pushing it. Let's see how high you can go!"

"Okay!" Boscha was dead set on impressing her new family, so she put all her strength into her first shot. To even her own surprise, the ball sailed right out of the court into the adjacent bushes.

Suffice it to say they were indeed impressed. Manny picked Boscha up and held her in the air.

"This girl is going to be an NBA player!" He declared.

"Papi!" Boscha said, wanting to be let down, only for Manny to start tickling her.

Their fun was interrupted by a sudden and loud bursting noise. The Nocedas watched their basketball get flung back from the bushes, landing with a flop on the court.

"Papi, our ball!" Boscha pointed to the now-deflated basketball.

"Oh, well, that's not good." Manny said, "We'll have to buy a new one. Hey, superstar, how about you and your sister go get ice cream with Mami, and I can go buy a new ball at the store?"

"Is the stand still open?" Camila asked, but Manny had already bolted to the nearest Drawl-Mart, driven by his excitement at Boscha's promising basketball career.

"Odio cuando hace eso." Camila muttered.

Just then, a few preteens came out and kicked the punctured ball around. one kid in a denim vest had punted it over the fence. "Haw-haw! I got a touchdown!" He cheered.

Boscha became infuriated.

"HEY! You putas wrecked our ball!"

"Whatcha gonna do about it, dingus, give us your skin disease?" The bully's comment made the girl feel self-conscious about her complexion.

"Excuse me?!" Camila showed the other kids where Boscha's temper came from.

Luz ran up next to her sister.

"S'nothin' wrong with her skin! It's beautiful like bubblegum!"

That statement, though bewildering to the other kids, made Boscha smile.

"Fucking freaks." One of the kids said.

That made Camila enraged, how dare they call her beautiful girls that!? She didn't get a chance to say anything, as the one that said it was on the ground, holding his eye, as Boscha's fist was still extended.

"Don't you ever call my sister a freak!" Boscha said.

Camila was horrified, and impressed. Boscha clearly had strength despite being only about 4 or 5. Still, she wanted to get the girls out of here before Boscha decides to punch another one.

"Come on, girls, let's go get ice cream." Camila said.

"Yay!" They both cheered.

Camila quickly led them away, giving herself a mental note to look up child leashes, because these two clearly share a brain and it gets distracted easily and she didn't need them to wander into traffic. They arrived at the ice cream place and Camila ordered. Luz typically got dairy free while Boscha was a fan of mint chocolate chip. Camila herself just got a typical sundae. Everything was good, until Camila got a call. She answered it and it was a nurse at a hospital.

"Mrs. Noceda?"

"Yes? Who is this?"

"This is Nurse Crane, from Gravesfield hospital, I have some bad news... your husband collapsed and passed out while at Drawl-Mart."

Chapter 6: Rough Night

Chapter by Mr_Hardcor3

Camila rushed into the hospital after dropping Boscha and Luz off at their uncle's. She didn't need them seeing their father like this. As she met with the receptionist and hurried to the hospital room she was told to go to, her vision started to blur and her body felt numb, as if she were dreaming. She definitely hoped she was. Unfortunately the reality of the situation struck hard when Camila reached the ER, seeing her husband hooked up to an electrocardiograph. He looked her way and gave a weak smile.

"Oye, Querida. Sorry for worrying you."

"It's not me that's worried, Luz and Boscha are damn near terrified." Camila said, before giving a weak smile, "Boscha... knocked someone on their ass."

Manny chuckled.

"That's my girl." He said.

Camila shook her head.

"I didn't even tell you why she did."

"Standing up for Luz?"

"Tch! Lucky guess."

She gently took her husband's hand.

"Now what happened?"

Manny looked off to the side before answering.

"I... guess I overexerted myself. I was too excited to get a new, smaller basketball for Boscha to practice with. I ran to the sporting goods section, and I felt... winded, and needed to sit down. Guess I gotta face facts, I'm not as young as I used to be."

A nurse came in, and she had a look that said everything. She was afraid to say what the clipboard said.

"Mr. Noceda... we... we've run some test and... it would seem you have... stage Three Heart Cancer." The nurse said, "The doctors don't know if this can be removed and... I'm sorry."

Manny was understandably devastated at the news. his eyes darted around the room as he tried his best to process this news. Camila, on the other hand was on the verge of hyperventilating.

"S-stahhh... stage three... how...? In all the times we've been here... that he's been in here... how has this never been detected before now?!"

"I... I wish I could tell you, Mrs. Noceda." The nurse lamented. "At the moment, the best we can provide is chemotherapy and radiation treatment. Hopefully, his heart won't be further damaged by that treatment."

""Wish?" "Hope?!"" Camila's anger came to a boil. "You cabrónas can't even do your jobs right, and because of that, I have to lose my husband?! My two girls have to lose their father?! One of them already lost her parents before and now she has to lose another one? That is just not fair! And all you can tell me is SORRY?!"

Manny grabbed her arm.

"Milly, por favor..."

Camila looked at her husband and the tears poured from her eyes as she finally broke down in his arms. The biggest problem was something neither Camila nor Manny knew how/Wanted to do… tell Luz and Boscha.

"Camila, give me a phone, I'll call my brother and-"

"No, you just rest, it's late, the girls are probably sleeping right now." Camila said, trying to hold back the tears, "Please, let me handle this."

"I ordered them both something when I was out, before I… ended up here." Manny said, "Promise me, if I-"

"You'll make it, I swear to God above, you'll make it." Camila said.

"Camila, Mi Amor, please, let me finish." Manny said, "If I don't make it, give them their gifts, and if I do make it, let me handle them."

"Okay... okay, I promise." Camila assured him. "Ay, Dios mio, what do we tell the girls?"

Manny seemed deep in thought.

"Let's... not tell them."

"What?!"

"Not specifically what it is, anyway. We can just tell them that I have... I need medicine toooo... to alleviate my back pain!"

Camila became nervous. "I don't know. Can we really lie to them like that?"

"What good would it do them to know all the details?" Manny took his wife's hand. "Milly, nothing's set in stone right now. The chemo and radiation might work, I could go into remission, or we could find a better surgeon."

"Yeah... yeah, that's a good attitude to have."

"Whatever happens, however long I have, I just want to see my girls happy." Manny started to choke up. "I don't want the time we have left together spent in misery... I want to remember their smiling faces... to burn them into my memory."

Camila held her husband as the grim reality of the situation broke him down. "Okay... it's okay. We won't worry them, then."

"Rest up, Mi Amor." Camila said, kissing Manny's head, "I'll be back in the morning."

The drive to her brother-in-law's place was the longest of Camila's life, topped off by the half-hour she spent in her parked car, as well as the five-minute slog to the front door. After a knock on the door, the man of the house answered.

"Milly?"

"Hey, Gabe."

"C'mon in." Gabriel insisted. "The kids are asleep on the couch. We were watching Bob's Burgers."

Would that Camila had the energy or the inclination to scold him for letting a couple of four-year-olds watch more mature TV shows, but she had some bad news to break.

"Gabe, let the girls sleep for now. I have something I need to tell you."

"What is it?" Gabriel asked.

"It's… Manny is… oh Dios Mio I don't know how to say it." Camila said.

Gave grabbed Camila by the shoulders.

"Just breath, okay? Take all the time you need." He said.

"Time… that's something Manny may not have much more of."

Gabriel's face went pale, but he powered through.

"Let's sit at the table. I can brew some tea."

Camila shook her head. "Beer, please."

And so, they sat, and Camila recounted the events of the evening to the best of her abilities. By her fourth beer, she managed to muster the courage to disclose Manny's diagnosis. Gabriel took the news no better than she did.

"I can't believe it." He lamented. "He was looking more sluggish and tired the last few times we played each other, but I just thought adding Boscha to the family... that the extra responsibility wore him down. I... I should have noticed something was up. If I did-"

"I know, Gabe." Camila put her hand over his. "I feel the same way, but the doctors couldn't even find the damn disease until today. I doubt it would've made much of a difference if we had noticed anything sooner."

A thought occurred to Gabriel.

"Oh, God, what do we tell Luz and Boscha?!"

"Nothing yet. Manny wants the girls to enjoy what little time they can spend together."

"Yeah, I guess that makes sense." Gabriel sulked further. "Why'd it have to be Manny?"

"I don't know." Camila said, "I wish I did, but I don't."

They heard a sound and looked at the doorframe to the kitchen, seeing a small triclops.

"Mami... why are you crying?" Boscha asked.

"Boschita!" Camila greeted her daughter. "We didn't wake you two, did we?"

"Hmmm, no." Boscha lazily staggered up to her mother. "Luz's still 'sleep. So, wha's wrong?"

Camila picked her up and put her on her lap. "Oh, mija, it's... kind of a long story. We should wait fo-"

"Waauugh!" Boscha immediately recoiled from her mom's beer-laced breath. "Mami, your breath went bad! Izzat why you were crying?"

Camila couldn't help but laugh, despite the grim situation.

"Lo siento, bebe. And no, it wasn't."

"So, where's Papi?"

"He's... a bit ill right now." Camila said, "He's staying at the hospital for a little bit, but don't worry, he'll be back home soon. How about I read you a story to help you back to sleep?"

"Oh... I didn't hit him too hard with the bee-ball, did I?" Boscha began to worry.

"She what?!" Gabriel was caught off guard by what her niece had revealed. Camila looked at him and shook her head, strongly implying that there'd be time to explain later.

"It wasn't you, Boschita." She assured her child. "It's a... problem with his back. He just needs to take it easy from now on."

Boscha seemed to be relieved with that explanation.

"Can we read Goosebumps?"

"You and those scary books." Camila gave her daughter a hug. "How you don't get nightmares from them is beyond me."

"Because I like them!" Boscha said.

Camila picked Boscha up and carried her back to the couch and laid her down. She looked to her right and saw Luz, still sleeping peacefully.

Gabriel had no shortage of toys and books for the kids in his home, tucked away in a chest in the corner of the living room. He'd often grouse about having nothing to do while visiting relatives when he was a kid, and when Luz was born, he made it his mission to stock up on games, toys and other fun stuff, so she needn't suffer as he did. Camila dug up some of the books from the chest and made her way back to the kids. Loathe as she was to read these gross books about haunted masks and monster blood, she could definitely use the distraction.

Chapter 7: The Next Day

Chapter by Mr_Hardcor3

Morning had come all too soon for the Nocedas. Camila had fallen asleep while reading to Boscha, who was tucked into her arm. Luz was tangled up in her blanket from having shifted around all night. Gabriel was already awake, as he couldn't get to sleep. The news about his brother was nearly impossible to process, after all. He just laid on his bed, looking at a picture of him and Manny when they were kids.

'Manny... I'm sorry.' He thought, 'I'm so sorry.'

"PAAA-PIIIIII!"

Gabriel was jolted from his ruminating when he heard a small voice calling for his brother. He got up from his bed and peeked out of his room to see Luz roaming the hallway, checking every room, closet, and underneath the furniture.

"PAAAA_PIIIII! WHERE AAAARE YOOOOOU?"

"Luz?"

The girl turned around to see her uncle.

"Mornin', Tio Gabe! You see Papi anywhere?"

"Oh... he's still... he's at the hospital." Gabriel stuttered. "We're picking him up later today."

Luz made a pouty face.

"Why's he gotta be there for so long? My checkups us'lly last a hour."

Gabriel was ill prepared to discuss this subject so early in the morning, and so, he used the best explanation his tired brain could produce.

"It's just something that happens when you get older."

"Does it?" Luz's eyes widened.

"You are way too energetic in the morning, y'know that?" Gabe smiled. "This is why you can't manage to stay up as late as Boscha."

Speaking of Boscha, she was snoring on the floor, not a care in the world, dreaming about being in the NBA. Camila, on the other hand, was tossing and turning on the couch. Gabriel saw that she had an arm over her forehead and was wincing slightly. Gently, he took off her glasses, placed them on the stand next to her, then brought her an icepack. Though she didn't wake up, she did let out a sigh of relief as she held the icepack to her head.

"I have an idea, Luz." Gabriel said, "Why don't we make breakfast while they sleep?"

"Really!?" Luz asked, smiling widely.

After a while Boscha and Camila stirred when they caught the scent of bacon, toast and an indistinct burnt smell. Boscha's eyes opened when she heard Luz and Tio Gabe talking from the kitchen.

"Awww, why can't we have Nutella waffles, Tio? You have no-dairy milk, right?"

"Sorry, kiddo, it's the Nutella that isn't good for you."

"Neither is sharing a room with Boscha, but I do that." Luz said.

"Hey!" Boscha said.

"WAH!" Luz scurried to the other side of the room. "Mornin' Boscha! Howdja sleep?"

The three-eyed kid just grimaced at her.

"Please, Bosch, I need Luz alive so she can help with breakfast." Gabe insisted.

"We're havin' Nutella waffles!" Luz chirped happily.

Boscha forgot about everything else as all three of her eyes lit up.

"Luz, I told you..." Their uncle was interrupted when he noticed Camila walking into the room. "Hey, Milly, could you tell your kid that Nutella isn't good for her because it contains lactose?"

"It does?" Camila scratched her head. "Well, that explains a lot."

'I really should've read that label.' Camila thought.

The breakfast was enjoyed by all, despite only having plain waffles. After they finished, Luz and Boscha went to the living room to watch cartoons. Gabriel and Camila were putting dishes away, figuring they should discuss where to go from there.

"So, how are you feeling today?" Gabriel asked his sister-in-law.

"Just..." Camila struggled to find the right words. "... light-headed, I guess. Like I'm floating through some kind of surreal dream. I wish it was just that."

Gabriel sulked.

"I hear ya. And, Mil- Camila, I just wanna let you know, no matter what happens, I'm here for you guys. We're gonna get through this."

Camila wiped the tears from her face.

"Yeah. Gracias, hermano."

Luz was in the living room and confused on why her mom was upset.

"Boschy, why is Mami upset?" Luz asked.

Boscha shrugged.

"I'unno. They said Papi was sick, but if we're pickin' him up today, he's gotta be feelin' better."

"Is it cuz I woke her up too early?" Luz looked upset.

"Don't be silly." Boscha scoffed at her sister's reply. "Mami fell asleep 'fore I did reading me Goosebumps."

Luz quivered at that last word.

"Not those scary books. Why d'you like'em so much?"

Boscha shrugged once more.

"I'unno. They just make me feel... comfy. I kinda wanna live in'em. When I'm growed up, anyway."

"Your weird." Luz said, "I like it."

Boscha put an arm around Luz's neck... and pulled her into a noogie.

Camila could hear Luz's cries of protest and Boscha's laughter and sighed.

"The day really doesn't wait for anybody, does it?" Gabe sympathized.

The second they were unbuckled from their booster seats, Luz and Boscha made a beeline for the hospital entrance.

"¡Mijas, ten cuidado!" Camila called out to her daughters as she locked her vehicle. "I don't want to visit this hospital more times than I have to."

They didn't listen, they were already halfway across the parking lot. Camila rushed after them, thankfully making it to the entrance just around the time they did as well. She reached into her pocket and pulled out Boscha's headband and put it over her eye. To Camila's further annoyance, the two were running circles in the reception area as she was talking to the nurse at the front desk. She had to remind them to settle down as they made their way down the hall to Manny's room. Not that she could hold it against them, they were just excited to see their dad again.

'I should start looking for child leashes.' Camila thought, '... Oh who am kidding, they'd find a way to get out of those before I'd even use them.'

They finally made it to the room when they noticed the bed was empty. This made Camila's heart skip a beat, until she realized that Manny was on the other side of the room packing his belongings.

"Hey, fam!" He greeted with a smile. "I didn't think you'd get here so early."

"Papi!" The girls screamed, before hugging him.

"Careful, Girls, your father could still be hurt." Camila said, "And you don't want to hurt him, do you?"

"No, we don't want to hurt Papi!" Boscha said, "We're sorry, Papi!"

"Really sorry!" Luz said.

"No te preocupes, mijas." Manny hugged them back. "Just gotta take it easy when we're playing."

"Does that mean no more basketsball lessons?" Boscha started to tear up.

"Not on your life, Princesa." He kissed his daughter on her forehead. "We'll make a superstar out of you yet. You too, Luz, if you're interested."

As nice as that was, Luz had the coordination of a fish in the air. She doesn't even know how to tie her shoes yet.

"Uh... last time I broked a window." Luz said.

"Everyone makes mistakes." Manny said.

Camila put a hand on her shoulder.

"And few are brave enough to own up to it like you did."

"Tha's not how Misses Hopkins saw it." Luz sulked as she hugged her mother.

"Who cares?" Boscha got in on the hug. "We tried makin' up for it, an' if tha's not enuff, tha's her beef, right, Papi?"

"I'm sure there's a nicer way to say that, but yeah." Manny completed the group hug.

Camila was sure the ride home would be tense and awkward, but she found that her mind was too occupied playing story time with the rest of the family. Listening to the girls cracking up as Manny made up the most ridiculous storylines possible helped her to better understand what her husband had meant yesterday. Better to make the most of their time together and for her daughters to be happy for as long as possible. Still, she knew this wouldn't last forever, sooner or later... Manny would no longer be here. The mood had calmed once the Nocedas made it home. As Luz and Boscha happily skipped up to the house, Camila caught her husband in a hug, kissing him square on the lips.

Manny was flustered.

"Milly, I... uhhh, dang."

"Hey, gotta get'em in while the getting's good." Camila held him even closer.

"You always were a bit of a minx, you know that?" Manny asked with a smirk.

The two embraced further as Luz and Boscha scrunched their faces with cries of 'EEEwwwwwww.' The two parents just chuckled at the reaction of their girls. One day they would understand what love is.

Chapter 8: Gone

Chapter by Mr_Hardcor3

Boscha and Luz have been sisters for four years, and today was the day they needed each other the most. The two were crying as they looked at their dad in a hospital bed. Manny looked at them and gave them a small smile.

"Don't cry girls." He said.

"Puhhh...Papiiii..." tears were cascading from all three of Boscha's eyes. "...please don't go..."

"Nuuhhh... nooooo..." Luz was wiping her tears away with her dad's blanket. "...don't g-go away..."

Camila and Gabriel stood by them, making no effort to hide their own tears. Events of the last for years replayed in their minds. The doctors' prognoses were grim. They only gave Manny a few months, not even a full year at most. Out of what Camila could only determine as sheer rebelliousness, he managed to surpass their expectations. For the first couple of years, Manny showed no signs of slowing down. Were it not for his treatments, he'd have appeared to be in perfect health. Halfway through the third year would be when his condition unmistakably started to take its toll. He couldn't play with his daughters as often as they wanted. He would suffer frequent coughing fits, making sure to hide any blood he happened to hack up. He had also appeared more gaunt as the year passed. Luz and Boscha were young, but they weren't fools. They could sense their dad was hiding something from them, even before his symptoms made themselves known. But since they were scared that something worse was happening, they believed their parents when they said everything would be fine. They never dared to question what they had been told. But a year from then, the truth could no longer be denied. Manny had become slower, weaker and less lively. Despite everything, the girls were anxious to do anything they could to help in the hopes that they could make him better. Sadly, nothing they did could help, and now, they could only stand and watch as their father's life slowly ebbed away. Manny's shaky hands grabbed one of Boscha and Luz's hands.

"Girls, don't cry... I've lived a good life." Manny said, "I love you both so much, and when I take my final breath, I will smile... because I'll be thinking about how lucky I was to have daughters as great as you two."

The two kids cried and hugged Manny. He gave them a each a kiss on the cheek, before looking at Boscha.

"Boscha, Mija, I want you to promise me something." Manny said, "I want you to keep Luz safe, you're her big sister, it's your duty from now on to make sure nothing hurts her."

Boscha couldn't say anything through her sobs, so she simply nodded.

"Gracias, Princesa." Manny then turned to Luz. "And you, Little Light, you bring such a spark of life and wonder to the world. No matter what happens, never let it go, mija."

"Mmm-hmmm" Luz did her best to answer through her own cries.

Manny reached over the side of the bed and pulled up two gift bags.

"Here, I got you both something." Manny said.

The girls looked at the bags before grabbing them and pulling out two objects. For Boscha, it was a custom pink Wilson basketball with her name on it. For Luz, it was a book titled the Good Witch Azura, a book Luz always looked at but never got the opportunity to read.

Boscha cradled her gift as her tears flowed more intensely.

"Uuuuuhhh... Gracias, Papi."

"You have the talent to go far, Princesa." Manny ruffled her hair. "Just remember to always be a team player, and take it easy on your tio when you two play each other."

Gabe chuckled at that remark.

Luz just held her book closely. She closed her eyes and cried.

"Papi... please don't go." Luz said.

Manny pulled his girls into a hug... the final one they would receive from him.

"I will always be with you, I will be looking down at you from Heaven, and I will be proud of all the things you two will accomplish." He said.

Camila and Gabe joined in on the hug. "Don't worry, hermano, I'll look after the fam for you."

"I know." His brother smiled. "And I couldn't ask for a better guardian for the kids. I love you, bro."

Camila gave Manny a final, tender kiss on the lips.

"Mi precioso esposo, te quiero más de lo que las palabras pueden expresar."

"Y te amo mas que a la vida misma." Manny's breathing started to become shallow as he brushed her wife's hair.

He gave a few kisses to his daughters cheeks, before giving a sad smile.

"It's time, Camila, take the girls to the hall." Manny said.

Camila nodded. She and Gabe led the girls outside the room. They were crying so hard that whatever they were saying became too unintelligible, but it wasn't hard to understand what they meant given how much they resisted. Once they made their way to the bench in the hallway. Gabe sat with Luz and Boscha as they buried their faces in his jacket. Camila went back inside and sat next to Manny. She gave him one last kiss on the forehead and took his hand.

"It's okay now, Hermoso." She whispered to him. "You... you can rest now."

Manny's breathing gradually became slower. Camila held his hand closely all the while, basking in its warmth. She closed her eyes as she listened to her husband's breathing slowing down even more, until finally, it became too faint to hear. A nurse came by when she was alerted to the flatlining EKG. She informed Camila of the grim news.

"He's in a better place now."

Camila just closed her eyes and sniffled. It was hard to keep her emotions stable, but she needed to... she had to for Boscha and Luz. She stood up and took one last look at her now deceased husband. She saw the smile on his face.

'He died happy... he died thinking about our family... I know it.' Camila thought.

Back in the hallway, the girls had calmed down, but were still crying profusely. Gabe was experiencing a sense of dissociation, unsure of what time it was or where he even was. Were it not for his nieces tugging on his jacket, he might have detached completely from reality. Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder which sent him crashing back into reality. He looked up to see Camila looking back at him. She seemed to sense how afraid he was to ask the obvious question, as she simply nodded to confirm his brother's passing. Gabe held the girls close, not knowing what to do.

"You should stay with us tonight." She told him. "This... this is no time to be by yourself."

Gabe could feel his heart sinking.

"Wha... what am I gonna tell Mamà?"

"Just worry about getting some rest, hermano. I'm sure it'll come to you. And if not, I can tell her." Camila sat down next to him. "Remember, we're here for you, too."

Camila joined the hug, she knew it was only going to get sadder from here.

Camila held an umbrella above her daughters as Manny's coffin was lowered into the ground. The rain hit the ground, but Camila thought that sound of Luz and Boscha's tears hitting the ground drowned the rain out. Family and friends walked up to the grave to say their goodbyes and some dropped flowers atop the coffin deep in the ground. Camila looked at the headstone, lost in the surrealism of the moment, when she noticed something unusual in the periphery of her vision. Thrown on top of the pile of flowers were two sets of snakeskin. She turned to see her daughters standing by the plot.

"Mijas?" Camila was naturally confused.

"Papi loved it when we showed him the snakeskins we caught." Luz whimpered.

"We wanted to give him something to remember us by while he's in heaven." Boscha shakily replied.

Camila wanted to say something, but could barely smile while she resisted the urge to break down in tears. She just hugged them. After the funeral had ended, everyone went back to Camila's place to visit. Luz and Boscha just stayed near each other, this was the first time they have ever lost something, they were young and it hurt them. Camila could see that the girls were nervous with so many people gathered in their home. She wanted to comfort them, but she had a gauntlet of condolences from everyone else to go through. Fortunately, Gabe was as good as his word, as he helped guide the kids outside to the front lawn. Once outside, Boscha grabbed a stick and started drawing in the dirt. She took off her hat because her third eye crying was making it wet. She had no idea she was being watched.

Chapter 9: Fire

Chapter by Mr_Hardcor3

It had been a few months since Manny had died, and Boscha and Luz were at the playground, building sandcastles in the sandbox. Life without their father was unbearable at first, and not a moment in time they looked back on fondly. It was mostly through their bond and mutual support that they managed to adjust to a life they once thought impossible to live. The gifts he left them were also a big help. Luz in particular was enthralled by the world of Azura. In recent days, she would find branches to twirl and point at possums or foxes that she called "Gildersnakes." She'd also often indulge in recitations of her favorite book, with Boscha as her captive audience, not that she minded (too much.) The three-eyed girl was always amenable to supporting her sister however she could, which was why she was happy to build the nicest parapets of sand for a castle fit for a witch. Boscha had also been playing with her basketball, at only eight years and nine months, she was already making half court shots. She often had trouble finding someone to play basketball with. Luz wasn't very good at it, Tio Gabe wasn't always available, and Camila didn't quite know her own strength. Still, having Luz as her dedicated cheerleader provided more than enough motivation to keep practicing.

"Okay, Luz, how's this look?" Boscha asked, looking at the now finished sand castle.

"Oooooooooohhh!" Luz's reaction almost sounded like a choir rejoicing. "It's perfect!"

She pulled out a small Azura figure she got from the toy vending machine at the mall. She felt lucky to get it, especially after getting seven Hecates. The figure was delicately placed atop the castle.

"And perfect!" Luz said.

The sisters took a few minutes to marvel at their handiwork before resuming play. Suddenly, they heard the cackling of older kids.

"Look at the babies over here." One said, coming up with two others behind them.

Boscha glared at them, muttering obscenities under her breath.

"Boscha, no." Luz whispered as she held her sister's arm. "They're not worth the trouble."

The bully kicked the sandcastle, getting a bunch of sand in Luz's eyes. Boscha's whole body tensed up as she saw Luz try not to cry while she wiped away the sand with her sleeves. The younger sister was trying to keep the peace, and only got hurt for her trouble. Most kids knew she was too nice to retaliate, but Boscha wasn't.

"¡OIGAN, PUTAS!" She refused to give ground to the three bigger kids. "¡Deja en paz a mi hermana!"

"Speak English." One of them said, "My dad is right, you people should go back to your own country."

Boscha felt rage boiling in her, and she was going to let it all out. She suddenly felt a dull ache in her fingers, and without thinking, she traced a circle in the air with her index finger. To everyone's surprise, there was an actual glowing circle hovering in front of her.

"Go back to YOUR country, you colonizing douchebags!"

With that shout, Boscha shot a ball of fire from the strange circle that exploded at the feet of the bullies. Boscha let out demonic sounding growls as the fire began to scorch the ground. The bullies got scared, one even peed their pants. They ran away, while Camila ran over, seeing a fire, with her children near it. By the time she got there, Luz was looking at Boscha, in the way you look at a grizzly bear when it's charging at you. Despite the myriad of questions buzzing in her head, Camila grabbed the bucket the kids were playing with, scooped up some sand and threw it on the fire. A few pailfuls later, the flames were extinguished. Now she can figure out what the hell was going on.

"¿Mijas?" She tried to get her daughters' attention. "¿Están ustedes dos bien?¿Que pasó aquí?"

Luz was too terrified to speak. She could only point to her sister.

"Boscha, what happened?" Camila asked, "¿De dónde vino el fuego?"

Boscha, who calmed down, just looked at her finger.

"I... it came from... from me?" Boscha asked, before lifting her hand again and making another circle.

Camila was astonished that her little girl was creating a glowing circle. As Boscha was considerably less angry, only a small fireball plopped out of the circle and landed by her feet. Small or not, Camila was quick to stomp it out. She was a little overwhelmed by the situation, but seeing Boscha's sad expression helped her to regain her focus.

"Oh, mi Boschita..." Camila hugged her daughter. "...are you alright?"

Boscha just looked at Luz, who was still shaking in fear.

"No." Boscha said.

Camila looked at Luz, seeing the red sandy eyes.

"Come on, Mija, let's go get your eyes washed out." Camila said, "I think we've had enough fun for one day."

Just as they were about to leave, Boscha broke down crying. Both Luz and Camila looked at her with concern, though Luz was still slightly wary.

"M-Mami..." The sad, three-eyed girl uttered between sniffles. "Wha...what am I?"

Camila knelt down next to her. "I wish I could give you the answers you need. Just remember, whatever we find out, whatever your origin, you are and will always be a Noceda. You're still my daughter, and still Luz's big sister."

"An-and still Tio Gabe's niece?"

Her mom chuckled. "Of course, mija."

Luz meekly walked up to Boscha and nodded in agreement. They got in the car and went home. Elsewhere, the bullies finally ran out of steam after running for fifteen blocks. As they stopped to catch their breath, they looked back, still able to see the smoke from the playground fire.

"Wha... what the hell was that?!" One of them exclaimed.

The one who wet his pants was shaking like a leaf. "Aliens! It's aliens, man! I can't believe Old Man Hopkins was right! I don't wanna lose my teeth, I don't have any baby ones left!"

"Shut up, Piss-pants!" The third one berated. "She's probably just a mutant or something. Still, let's tell Hopkins anyway. He's dumb enough to believe she's an alien. Maybe he can get rid of the whole dumb family."

And so, they took off to the Gravesfield Historical Building.

Chapter 10: Taken

Chapter by Mr_Hardcor3

A few days later, after Luz was less scared of Boscha, Camila went to get dinner and Gabe was in charge of watching the children, which was pretty easy as the day of running around the house playing had just tired them out and they were on the couch, fast asleep. There was a knock on the door and Gabe went to answer it. He opened the door and was knocked out by a baseball bat to the face. The wielder of the bat swept back his hair and adjusted his glasses after that brutal swing. He made his way through the kitchen to the living room, where he spotted the girls napping. Quietly, he crept up to the couch. He looked at Boscha with interest and poked her temple with his index finger, causing her eyes to flinch.

All three of them.

"So it IS true."

In his haste, he pushed Luz away from Boscha in his effort to take her. This woke the human child, who looked at the stranger holding her sister in his clutches. As soon as she realized it wasn't her mother or uncle, she took a deep breath and let out the loudest shriek she could muster. Boscha woke up instantly, hearing the cries of her sister and thinking she was in danger. When she found herself in the stranger's arms, it dawned on her that she was the one in trouble. Immediately, she thrashed and clawed any part of him within reach, knocking off his name tag in the process. Luz joined in, kicking the man in the shin. Wincing in pain, he kicked back, knocking her to the floor.

"LUZ!"

Boscha was furious at seeing her sister harmed, and swung at the man with closed fists this time, causing him to drop her. Immediately upon landing, she made another magic circle. But before she could incinerate the intruder, she saw Luz behind him, her face frozen in fear. She hated seeing her with that expression, hated that her own sister was afraid of her. She couldn't use her fire. She gave up. That's when the intruder swung the bat and Boscha, knocking her out.

"Boscha!" Luz screamed.

The intruder kicked Luz back, knocking her into the wall and making a picture frame fall and break over her head. Her small still developing head could not take the impact and was knocked out and bleeding from the glass. He managed to pick Boscha back up and hurried out of the house. He stumbled over Gabriel and slipped on the lawn, but he managed to escape.

About half an hour later, Camila drove up to the house with dinner. Before she could even pull into the driveway, she noticed the front door was wide open. Immediately, she realized that something was wrong, so she armed herself with a tire iron and ran into the house. She made it into the living room where she saw a battered Gabriel tending to Luz, who herself was injured.

"Mija!" Camila said, "Oh no, what happened!?"

Luz was still in a daze, and couldn't offer a reply beyond a pained moan.

"I'm sorry, Milly." Gabe looked to Camila, revealing the bruising and hematoma on his face.

"¡Ay, carajo! Gabe, are you okay?!"

Her brother-in-law flinched when she shouted. "Not in the least. Whoever did this blindsided me, and when I came to, Luz was hurting and Boscha..." He took a moment to collect himself. "...they took her."

"Who?!" Camila roared. "Who the hell took my girl?!"

Gabe tried his best to think of who it was, but he only saw the culprit for a split second before being knocked out, so he had little to go on. Luz, on the other hand, pointed to a spot on the floor where the scuffle occurred. Camila looked and found the name tag the culprit dropped. A tag bearing the name of one Jacob Hopkins. Camila grabbed it and went to her room. She went to her closet and went to the safe behind the clothes. She typed in the code and opened it, pulling out a revolver. Heading back downstairs, she checked on Luz one more time.

"Gabe, take care of Luz while I'm out."

"Out? Where are you going at a time like-WHOA!" Gabriel noticed her gun.

"I'm getting Boscha back!"

Gabriel stood up shielding Luz from the sight of her mom holding a weapon.

"Are you crazy?! We should leave this to... to the police...?"

"Dammit, Gabe, you know we can't! They'd take her away... she's been through too much as it is!"

Camila couldn't fight back the tears. Gabriel spoke softly enough so Luz couldn't hear.

"And if you kill whoever did this? What then?"

"I… I don't know." Camila said, "All I know is that Boscha needs us now! We're all she has in this world, and I'd do anything to keep her safe."

"Camila." Gabe said, "Don't do anything you'll regret."

Camila just glanced back with a morose expression, then made a beeline for her car. Gabe and Luz just watched her leave, both of them worried about her, about Boscha, and about what the fallout of this evening will bring. Camila sped her way to the Historical Society. She got out of her car and stomped up the steps. She kicked the door open and pointed the gun out. She didn't see anyone but she did hear crying... and that made the mama bird mad. In the main office of the building, Boscha was wailing and rattling the bars of the cage in the hopes somebody would hear and rescue her. Suddenly, a bat hit the cage, effectively quieting her down. Her abductor, Jacob Hopkins approached her.

"Would you keep it down?" He was holding an icepack to his face. "My head's killing me enough as it is!"

Boscha's face contorted with rage. "You hit my little sister! You're lucky that's all I did!"

"Sister?!" Jacob laughed at the notion. "You seriously think a demon like you could be part of a human family?"

"I'm adopted, dumbnuts!" She retorted. "And whaddaya mean 'demon'?"

"Don't play dumb! I know why you were sent here, but your Martian overlords won't be getting a single tooth from me or anyone else!"

"Why would I want your stupid teeth?"

"That's what I intend to-"

Just then, Camila kicked the door in, brandishing her gun.

"¡OYE, PENDEJO! You will return my daughter this instant, or I will perforate that useless head of yours!"

"MAMI!" Boscha rejoiced. "This puta broke into our house and hurt Luz and Tio Gabe!"

"Hey!" Jacob became defensive. "I did what I had to protect humanity! It's my duty and right as a sovereign citizen!"

Camila wearily sighed.

"Of course you'd say some shit like that." Camila said, "Give me my daughter back."

Camila pointed the gun at him. She wanted to pull the trigger so damn bad, but there were two reason she didn't. One, Jacob was next to Boscha and she didn't want to risk hitting Boscha. Two, Boscha gave her the same look Luz gave Boscha when Boscha performed her fire spell. Sensing her hesitation, Jacob inched closer to his bat, still resting against the cage. But before he could pick it up, Boscha reached through the bars of her cage and held on to the bat for dear life. No one was going to hurt her mom.

"Give me that!" Jacob said.

This made Camila snap out of her thoughts and rush at Jacob. She may not be able to shoot him, but there was something else she could use a gun for. She raised it up and slammed it down on Jacob's head. It took a couple hits from the butt of the gun to bring him down. A couple more strikes to ensure that he was unconscious. A few more for her family. As soon as that business was taken care of, she busted the cage open and set Boscha free. The two hugged each other tightly as they cried.

"Mija, I'm so sorry this happened to you." Camila sobbed. "Are you okay?"

Boscha wiped her eyes.

"Mmm-hmm. Wha'bout Tio n' Luz? They okay?"

"They're going to be fine." Camila said, before spotting Duct Tape, "I have an idea."

Later, the two walked out, with Boscha looking at pictures on her phone of Jacob, duct taped hands and feet, in the cage, with his mouth taped shut.

"Is it alright to leave him like that, Mami?" Boscha asked.

Camila smiled nervously.

"Maybe not, but we'll call the police and they can let him out. Then they can put him in a bigger cage when they see all his illegal surveillance equipment."

"Mami, I'm... sorry."

"Hmm? For what, cariño?"

Boscha had a guilty look on her face.

"I... I couldn't stop that guy... I wanted to use fire, but I scared Luz... and he... he kicked her...and...and Luz is always gonna be 'fraid of me..." She eventually broke down and cried.

Camila knelt down to hug her daughter.

"Mija, Luz may be a little shook up now, but it won't last. And she'll always love you, too. You know, it was because of Luz that I was even able to find you."

"I-It was?" Boscha's voice was high pitched and shaky.

"Yup." Camila was tearing up as well. "She noticed the name tag of that jerk and showed it to me. That's how I knew where you were. Now tell me, does that sound like something that someone who's afraid of you would do?"

Boscha looked at the ground.

"Come on, Mija, let's go home." Camila said.

The drive home had been an awkward one. It was a unique circumstance for both Boscha and Camila, and neither one knew what to say to the other. Boscha could only reflect on the cruel man's words to her, telling her she couldn't be part of the Noceda family, that she was a demon and that she didn't belong with them. She looked at herself in the rear view mirror, at all three of her eyes. Her upper eye seemed to be the cause of so much turmoil in her family's life. Maybe she could get rid of it for good somehow and make their lives better.

"We're home, mija."

Boscha practically flopped out of the car, slumping her way up the driveway to the front door, when suddenly...

"BOSCHAAAAA!"

A bandaged-up, teary-eyed Luz launched herself at her sister, almost knocking her down with a hug. "I was so scared..." The younger sister lamented. "...tha-that I'd never see you again!"

Boscha wrapped Luz into a hug as well.

"I'm here." Boscha said, "I'm not leaving you."

"I... I don't want to lose my big sister."

That right there made Boscha forget everything that Jacob said. Luz was her sister, nothing would change that, nothing would take Boscha from the Noceda family, her family.

Chapter 11: Captain

Chapter by Mr_Hardcor3

Camila was working on dinner when her oldest daughter ran in.

"Mom! I made the Basketball team!" Boscha said, the thirteen year old dropping her backpack and practically jumping up and down.

"That's great Carino!" Camila said.

Boscha gave her a big grin.

"Don't you mean 'Capitana Cariño'?"

"¡¿Hiciste capitana?!" Camila's eyes lit up as she hugged her daughter. "¡Oh, mija, estoy tan orgullosa de ti!"

And then Luz trudged in, wearing a cheerleader uniform.

"Well, I was told to never try and join the cheer team again." Luz said.

Camila looked to her other daughter.

"Oh, Luz, how come?"

"Wellll... " Luz looked off to the distance as she recounted her tryout. "It started out good. They liked my cartwheeling and booming voice, but the others were doing so much better, so I thought if I had, like, a... a hook... a special skill, that would get me a spot on the team. But, I couldn't think of anything, then I panicked, and before anyone knew it, I did this."

Luz turned away from her family for a brief moment, then faced them again, only with her eyelids turned inside-out as she squeezed her eyes.

"Bleep-bloop-bleep!"

Boscha started laughing.

"Why wouldn't they love that!?" Boscha asked between breaths, "That was great!"

Luz smiled slightly.

"Thanks, hermana, that means a lot coming from you. And hey, don't let my defeat take away from your moment. You're the captain of the basketball team! I... I know Dad would be proud of you."

"Yeah, but I think he would be proud of you for trying something new." Boscha said, before putting Luz into a headlock and giving her a noogie, something that Luz really doesn't like.

"Boscha!"

"Oh, come on, you little bugger, it's not a big deal." Boscha said, letting go of Luz, "Besides, it's not like I can mess up your hair... any worse than you did."

"Okay, you can stop bringing the sword thing up, it was mistake!" Luz said.

"All right, mijas, break it up." Camila calmly intervened. "Dinner's almost ready, so get yourselves cleaned up."

"Dibs on the shower!" Luz was already scrambling up the stairs, determined to beat her sister to the bathroom. However, Boscha hadn't moved, but rather looked to Camila.

"Boscha, what's the matter, dear?" Her mother implored.

"Mamá..." Boscha began to sulk. "...I... I don't like how they treat Luz at school."

Camila frowned a bit. It was no secret that Luz was a bit of an outcast, and was bullied, but most of the teacher in school didn't care enough to do anything about it. Boscha was also a bit weird, but she's a natural athlete, so no one is really willing to mess with her.

"I know, Carino, but I've talked to the principal and there isn't much he can do." Camila said, silently cursing him out in her head, "Just try and keep an eye out for her, alright?"

"Mamá, I keep all three eyes out for her." Boscha insisted. "And we both know Old Man Hal can't be bothered to help if it means going up against the popular kids."

Camila had to ask. "You don't call your principal that at school, do you?"

"No." Her daughter was quick to defend herself. "I mean, not to his face. Anyway, I do everything I can to keep her bullies away, aside from beating the living crap out of them."

"And what abooouuut...?" Camila spun her index finger in a circle, pantomiming Boscha summoning flames.

"No, Mom, I didn't set any of them on fire. But for all my restraint, I still get chewed out by the teachers for defending Luz, and none of her bullies ever get any punishment. I just... I don't know what else to do."

"I know, it's hard Boscha, but you're doing the right thing, being violent will only lead to problems."

"It seems like whatever I do leads to problems." Boscha practically collapsed in her mother's arms. "Luz keeps being mistreated, and I can't do anything about it. I feel like I'm letting the family down."

Camila looked her daughter in the eye. "Boscha, no. You could never let us down. You're probably the only reason Luz even likes going to school. A lot of times, things just go wrong, even when you do everything right. It's okay to feel frustrated, mija, and we'll do everything we can for Luz. We'll figure something out, okay?"

"Okay, Mamá."

The two shared one more hug before getting back to their respective tasks. What they didn't notice, however, was that Luz was standing at the top of the staircase, and she had overheard their conversation. Luz frowned, she hated how much Boscha went through to keep her safe, only for nothing to come from it. She walked away and wiped tears away.

Chapter 12: Suspended

Chapter by Mr_Hardcor3

Luz, now 14, was at her locker, getting her books out. Boscha was at practice. She doesn't know why they have practice when there's only a week of school left, but she wasn't going to question the Basketball captain that made the final shot at State last year. Still, without her sister nearby, Luz felt like she was in No Man's Land, especially in the hallways. She stood frozen, doing her level best to not stand out. After she slowly and calmly stuffed her books into her backpack, she noticed the noise in the halls had died down. It was at that moment she felt exposed, and her breathing turned shallow. She was determined to not lean too much on Boscha, to fend for herself, and in her efforts to calm herself, she saw a familiar book in the back of her locker. The edges of the hardcover were frayed to the point of peeling apart, but the comfort she felt in holding the first volume of The Good Witch Azura never faded.

"Papá, dame fuerzas."

Book in hand, Luz closed her locker and headed to class, when suddenly...

"Ugh, what is this baby shit?!"

She looked over and saw a familiar blonde cheerleader. Tracey Miller. The girl that likes to make Luz's life a living hell.

"What do you want, Tracey?" Luz was in less of a mood than usual to put up with her today.

Tracey flicked her hair to the side. "I want to know what you're doing still reading these lame-ass baby books... y'know, for babies."

"They're in the young adult category. I'm barely old enough to read them."

"Yeah, 'cause you're a BABY." Tracey wasn't going to let being wrong disrupt her tirade.

"Don't you have anything better to do than to harass me? You know Boscha's gonna hear about this."

Tracey's response was simply to take the book from Luz's hands.

"HEY! GIVE THAT BACK!"

The smug cheerleader kept Luz at arm's length.

"Awww, is widdle baby gonna sic big sis on me? "Cause if she does, I'll just have to rip up her baby book."

Before Luz could respond, a hand grabbed Tracey's head and slammed it against the lockers.

"Our dad gave that book to her on his death bed, so if you so much as damage the cover I will break the hollow thing you call a skull." Boscha said.

Tracey still had a hold of the book as she staggered away from her attacker.

"Yeah? I'll do you one better. You lay one more finger on me, and I'll tear baby's first book in half. I don't give a shit who gave it to her."

Boscha's fingers tensed to the point where her knuckles cracked loud enough to reverberate through the hallway. Luz could see the vein on her sister's forehead creep out from under the headband that concealed her third eye.

'Please, Boscha...' Luz thought. 'You've been doing great keeping it under control all these years. Don't throw it away...not for her or me.'

Boscha let out a yell and raised her fist.

Several minutes later:

Boscha and Luz were walking home, with Boscha mumbling words in Spanish. Luz held her book tightly, while looking at Boscha. Luz felt upset, Boscha got in trouble because of her.

"Can you believe he suspended me!?" Boscha said, "Who suspends someone on the last week of school?"

"Boscha-"

"At least I gave that blonde bitch a nasty shiner." Boscha said, smiling, "And I saved your book."

"Boscha-"

"Whatever, so what if I get an extra week of summer? I'm fine with that."

"BOSCHA!" Luz said loudly, "Why did you do that? Why did you risk your future for me?"

Boscha looked at her.

"Because you're my sister." Boscha said.

Luz looked away, only for Boscha to pull her into a noogie.

"Boscha!" Luz complained, hating it when she does these.

"Stop complaining, you little nerd, your stuck with me!" Boscha said, "Your not just my sister, you're my best friend, nothing is going to seperate us!"

The noogie made Luz drop her book, which caused an owl to fly by and grab it. Luz pushed Boscha away.

"My book!" Luz said, chasing the owl.

"Luz!" Boscha said, rushing after her.

Luz chased the owl, while Boscha chased Luz. The two of them following it into the old cabin that Boscha was found in. The door closed behind them, and there was a flash.

Chapter 13: The Demon Realm

Chapter by Mr_Hardcor3

(Art by Garth2the2ndpower)

A door with an eye opened up and the owl went through, with Luz close behind.

"Stop adorably hopping away, you..." Luz stopped as she saw where she was.

Boscha was close behind her.

"Luz!" Boscha said, grabbing her sister by the arm, "What the hell!?"

Luz just pulled her arm away and picked up some of the junk in the tent they were in.

"Woah, I thought I had a lot of weird stuff." Luz picked up a baby doll with its head attached to clothes hanger and lizard limbs, "But this... this is impressive."

Boscha huffed, upset by some of Luz's stuff.

"I'm not allowed to have a puppy, but you get to have a God damn python." Boscha said.

"Hey, you also have a python." Luz said, "They're siblings, remember?"

"Finally, you're back!"

Luz ducked when she heard the mysterious voice, while Boscha assumed a defensive stance. Once they realized that nobody else was in the tent with them, they slowly crept towards the entrance and opened it slightly. They peeked through to see a strange, pale-looking old lady with a staff manning some kind of flea market stand.

"Now, let's see what we've got here."

The owl that stole Luz's book hopped atop the staff and turned to wood, much to the Nocedas' surprise. Meanwhile, the old lady sifted through the bag of the owl's spoils, tossing aside a smartphone, lavish diamond ring and what appeared to be the holy grail.

"Garbage... garbage... garbage... ahh, now THIS..." She pulled out a pair of eye-dropping glasses and put them on. "...this will make me rich!"

Luz and Boscha looked at each other in confusion. The old lady then pulled out the very book stolen from them.

"And this... eh, this'll make good kindling." She held the book over a burning candle, much to Luz's mortification.

Boscha, on the other hand, ran right out of the tent and tackled the lady to the ground, destroying the stand in the process.

"Don't you dare destroy this book!" Boscha yelled as she took her sister's property back.

The old lady struggled as she was pinned down.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

"Shut up, you old bag!" Boscha sprinted back to the tent and took Luz by the arm. "Time to go!"

The two tried to make it back to the portal, but it slammed shut. They both looked at the tent flap and saw the woman standing there, key in hand.

"You aren't going anywhere." She said.

Boscha put Luz behind her and raised her fists, ready for a fight.

"Don't worry, Luz, I won't let anyone hurt... Luz? Luz where'd you go?"

Boscha saw that Luz, who was standing behind her no more than half a second ago, was gone.

'Seriously?' Boscha thought.

She turned around, just in time to see a bright flash. Outside of the tent, Luz was running until she ended up making it to a cliff and being forced to stop. There she saw the world. Buildings that look straight out of a medieval painting, some of which were being held up by ARMS. In the sky, a dragon flew in the sky, before being pulled down and getting eaten by one of the houses. The people were also different, some of them looked like... monsters. Thankfully a small fairy flew towards her.

"Oh, hello little fairy, are you going to tell me this is all some kind of magical dream?" Luz asked.

"Give me your skin!" The fairy said, teeth sharp and exposed.

Luz swatted it.

"Where am I? Did I die? Am I in the bad place?"

A hand touched her shoulder and she went stiff.

"You wish."

Luz was tossed onto a stool in front of the wood pile that used to be a stand.

"W-w-where's my sister?" Luz asked.

The woman picked up something and tossed it to Luz. Luz caught it and saw that it was a ball... a light pink ball with an eye. The eye blinked and Luz screamed again, before realizing what she was looking at.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY SISTER!?" Luz demanded, holding out the Boscha Ball.

"Hey, she wanted a fight, and I didn't feel like beating a child's ass." The woman said, "I'll fix her... AFTER you fix my stand!"

"She was just standing up for me. Can't you just fix her first?" Luz gave the woman the biggest puppy dog eyes she could muster. "Besides, four hands work faster than two."

The old lady's imposing facade gradually wore down with each blink of Luz's eyes. "Ugh... whatever."

She spun her finger in a circle in the same way Boscha did. As the circle glowed, Boscha instantly reverted to her old self, but crash landed on Luz as a result. As they got back up, Luz breathed a sigh of relief, but her sister was fuming from her humiliation.

"¡PUTA MADRE! ¡Te patearé tu viejo y huesudo trasero por todos lados y MMMRRRFFFFGGGHHH!" Luz covered Boscha's mouth before it could get them in further trouble.

"What'd she say?" The old lady asked.

Luz had to think fast.

"She... said "Thank you for your lenience, oh wise and venerable maiden.""

"Uh-huh." Said lady was quite skeptical as she strode up to them. "I may not understand your weird human language, but I do know a thing or two about context and tone, so watch it with the human shenanigans."

Luz was given pause.

"That's kind of a weird thing for another human to say."

"Oh, dear child..." The old lady removed the kerchief she was wearing, revealing a pair of pointed ears. "...I'm not like you."

The sisters were dumbstruck by what they were seeing.

"I'm Eda the Owl Lady, the most powerful witch on the Boiling Isles!" The woman boasted.

"A witch...?" Luz glanced at Boscha.

The ears, the magic circles, the otherworldly appearance. All the questions about her sister that burned in the back of her mind were suddenly answered.

Eda was undaunted in her proclamation. "I am feared, respected-!"

"BUSTED!"

Onlookers dispersed as a burly individual wearing a plague mask approached, stomping on the remaining wares in the process. Eda deflated at the sight of him. "Oh, for the love of Titan..."

The giant pulled out a wanted poster with the woman's likeness drawn on it. "Eda the Owl Lady! You are wanted for m-!"

"Yeah, yeah, "misuse of magic and demonic misdemeanors." Why don't you and that line go get a room?" The Owl Lady was seriously not having any of this. "I've got enough shit to deal with as it is!"

"Hey, my job isn't exactly easy, either." The supposed official mewled. "Just come along quietly, or I'll have to drag your ass to the conformatorium."

"Whoa, witch criminal!" Luz was enthralled with the drama unfolding. At least until the masked man grabbed her by the arm.

"And you're coming with me for fraternizing with a known criminal!"

Boscha watched as Luz struggled to free herself. Her temper was past the boiling point before even coming to this strange place, so seeing her sister assaulted by this behemoth caused her fury to skyrocket.

"HEY! Get your damn hands. Off. My. SISTER!"

At Camila's insistence, Boscha had been enrolled in a Karate class ever since her abduction, just in case Jacob Hopkins ignored common sense and tried to take her again. The girl was thrilled to have a way to properly channel her aggression, especially when it came to sparring. Even the instructors were afraid of her. Naturally, Boscha used her skills to defend Luz more than herself, and being stranded in a strange world wasn't going to change that. A fact that the masked man painfully discovered as she buried her fist in his solar plexus. With a whimper, he let go of Luz and collapsed to the ground.

"Jeez, get me in deeper trouble in the law, why don'tcha?" Eda complained, but was secretly impressed. "Also, I wanted to clobber that bastard!"

Boscha glared at Eda.

"How about you help us, seeing as you are about to get us arrested just for being near you!" Boscha said.

Under her head band, Boscha's third eye twitched with rage. She was not happy with anything that had happened in the last few hours. From Tracey messing with Luz, getting suspended, ending up in this crazy world, being turned into a ball for a few minutes, and now the threat of getting arrested for being near this woman.

"Fine." Eda said, making a spell circle and making all her stuff float and pack itself up, and attach itself to her staff, "Follow me humans!"

Eda started running, with Luz and Boscha close behind.

"This is crazy, if we die here, mami is going to kill us!" Luz said.

"I'm going to kill someone, I didn't even have a choice in being near her, I couldn't move! And now we're being chased by cops!" Boscha said.

"Don't worry, humans like you are more important to me alive than dead." Eda said.

"Wait, I don't like the sound of-Woah!"

Eda grabbed them by the hands and used her staff to take flight.

"YOU WON'T GET AWAY WITH-oooooooooohhh." The masked man tried to give chase, but the shooting pain in his stomach suggested he stay crumpled on the ground. "Oooowwww... Anybody... little help?"

The wind howled throughout the empty alley.

"Typical."

"WHOOOOOO! LUZ, YOU GOTTA SEE THIS!"

Despite Boscha's insistence, Luz kept her eyes shut tight. She learned her lesson that fateful day at the Gravesfield amusement park when they rode the Tower Drop of Doom. She would not be fooled again.

"HEY LOOK, IT'S AZURA!"

"Where?!"She just got fooled again.

"Welcome to the Boiling Isles!"

Eda gestured to the world around them. After Luz opened her eyes, she was greeted with a breathtaking view. The strange foliage, the inexplicably curved mountains that looked like they were made of bone, the unusual creatures inhabiting the landscape. Luz even spotted a griffin flying close to them. To her further excitement, the mythical beast opened its beak and regurgitated a bunch of spiders.

"I KNEW IT!"

"You have got to be shitting me." Boscha hoped that Luz forgot the bet they made that one time in art class.

"Yep." Eda was enjoying the sisters' naivete. "Just about every monster from human legend was a result of bits of our world leaking into yours. Vampires, werewolves, giraffes..."

"Giraffes?!" The other two inquired.

Eda shuddered. "Oh yeah, we banished those guys ages ago. Buncha freaks."

"Heh, you sound like Boscha whenever we go to the zoo." Luz remarked.

Boscha also shuddered.

"I told you something was up with those creepy-ass monsters! They always stared at me with this burning hatred in their eyes."

They landed on the ground and Eda got off the staff... well, with the exception of her hand.

"Ew!" Boscha said.

"Cool!" Luz said.

"Okay, Humans, follow me." Eda said.

The three walked up to a strange house with a stone tower behind it. Judging by the cracks and missing plaster, time had not been kind to this dwelling. Still, the gorgeous stained glass windows were a nice touch, especially the one on the top floor that resembled a giant eye. The front door even had a quaint little ornament that almost looked ali-

"PASSWORD, PLEA-BLAARRRGGHLLLLBRRR!"

Without warning, the ornament surged from the door. Boscha wasted no time punching this wretched bird tube in the face.

"Boscha!" Luz was surprised more at her sister's actions than she was at the cursed door monster.

"Where the hell do you get off trying to destroy my property?" Eda was most upset.

Boscha turned to them with a panicked expression.

"What?! That thing scared the shit out of me!"

Eda was about to scold her, but immediately thought better of it.

"Eh, fair enough. Open up, Hooty.

"Ow! Hoot!" Hooty said, "A sorry would be nice!"

"Well tough shit." Boscha said, cracking her knuckles.

"Hey, enough." Eda said, "I will turn you into a ball again if you don't settle down. I'll sell you this time."

"Don't do that!" Luz said, getting in front of Boscha.

"If you want to join her, then I could turn you into a novelty lamp." Eda said.

"Can we just focus on what you want from us so we can get home?" Boscha asked, annoyed.

Eda guided the two into her home.

"Boy, you must be fun at parties. Now, then, welcome to... THE OWL HOUSE!"

With a flourish of her hand, candles scattered about all lit up, illuminating a room filled with exotic furniture, various tchotchkes, and a giant poster similar to the one the masked man was holding back in the strange town looming over the whole room. Boscha and Luz could only stare dumbfoundedly at the bizarre display surrounding them. Eda set aside her staff and stretched.

"Yup, be it ever so run down, there's no place like home. Oh, and shut the door, wouldja, Hooty?"

"We need to negotiate some adequate hazard pay. Ouch! Shit! Hoot!" Hooty reluctantly complied.

"He'll be fine."

"So, this is your actual home?" Luz was still enthralled with her surroundings. "Do you live here by yourself?"

Eda was ready to answer, but not before the house began to shake. "Actually, I do have a roommate."

"WHO DARES DISTURB I, THE KING OF DEMONS?!"

Heavy footsteps were heard and even felt descending the stairs. A large shadow peered from a nearby doorway. Whatever Luz and Boscha expected to come out of the opening, it definitely wasn't a small, fluffy, dog-like creature with a bone-plated cranium, soaking towel and rubber duckies. The Noceda sisters' eyes widened at the sight of the self-proclaimed demon king, and before he knew it...

"AY, QUE LINDO!"

...the two had tackled him in a group hug, stroking his fur and making infantile noises as they nuzzled him.

"WEH! Eda, help! These gangly monsters have me surrounded!"

"Oh, calm down, King, these two are the key to getting your crown back." Eda said.

"Oh... hooray!"

Boscha glared at Eda.

"So extortion's the name of the game, huh? Trap us in this dimension and force us to do your dirty work in exchange for us going home?"

"Sure, if that helps." Eda didn't feel like arguing. "Anyway, you should know that King here was once a mighty demonic ruler. A powerful being of near-titanic proportion. That is, until one day, the insidious Warden Wrath managed to steal his crown of ultimate power, leaving him as the shriveled drain clog you now see before you."

"HEY!" King didn't care much for that last remark.

Luz simply nuzzled him harder.

"Aw, but you're the cutest widdle dwain clog ever. Yes you is!"

"Grrrr! This would be demeaning if it didn't feel so nice." King growled.

"And so..." Eda continued. "... Wrath hid the crown deep in the heart of his stronghold: The Conformatorium! Legend states that only a human can breach the threshold of his chamber of contraband. And that's where the two of you come in! Break into the conformatorium with us and help get King his crown back, and I'll reopen the door to the Human Realm for you. Sound good?"

"A magical quest!?" Luz's eyes sparkled at the notion.

"Or a suicide mission." Boscha huffed. "The hell with this, we'll just find a nicer witch or demon to open a door or whatever for us."

Her words were met with a mocking laugh topped off with a snort from Eda.

"Yeah, good luck with that. Sorry, kids, but when it comes to portals to the Human Realm, I'm the only game in town...by which, of course, I mean the entire Boiling Isles, in case that wasn't clear."

Boscha growled.

'I know it's wrong to hit an old woman... but I might have found the exception.'

Boscha cracked her knuckles, and would've hit Eda so hard it would've made her head spin, if it wasn't for Luz stopping her.

"We'll help." Luz said, grabbing Boscha's arm.

Boscha gave her a look that said, 'Are you fucking crazy!?'.

"What!?"

"Boscha, it's the ONLY way home." Luz said, trying to reason with her, "Come on, we help someone with this, and we go home, simple."

"And besides, your king commands it!" King said.

King struck the mightiest pose his tiny body would allow in hopes of getting his new subjects to genuflect to him. And though Boscha did relent, it wasn't so much out of reverence as it was her crippling weakness to all things cute.

"Okay, fine."

"Great!" Eda said, picking up both of them, "Let's get this done!"

"Can you put me down!?" Boscha demanded.

"I can turn you into a ball again and the other one can carry you if you want." Eda said, making Boscha growl.

"Uh, where are we going?" Luz asked.

"Somewhere super fun!"

Boscha and Luz's faces dropped as they looked at the "Super Fun" place.

"It's a prison." Boscha said, "You want us to break into a fucking prison!?"

Luz was oddly excited.

"Will we need disguises? I've been saving this for just such an occasion!" She pulled the hood of her shirt over her head, revealing cat ears sewn on it. "Meow-meow!"

"It's hideous!" King remarked.

Eda seemed amused.

"Oh, you'll fit right in."

Boscha watched the exchange in silent awe. She couldn't remember the last time anybody outside of their family put up with Luz's antics for so long. To think that this chaotic place would be where her little sister could find some semblance of acceptance.

"All right, I'll create a distraction, then you three sneak into the warden's room." Eda created a magic platform to hoist them up to the top of an adjacent tower. Once by the closest window, Luz jumped through, landing flat on her face.

"Ha ha! Cats don't do that." King chortled as Boscha carried him through the window, the platform disintegrating shortly after.

"No! Bad puppy. You be nice."

Boscha had watched literally hundreds of MewTube videos on pet training in anticipation of owning her own dog someday, and damned if she was going to let that go to waste. She helped Luz to her feet and the three began their search. In all the excitement, Luz hadn't a chance to ask her big sister an important question.

"Hey, Boscha?"

"Hmm?"

"Did you happen to notice how that Eda lady was able to do magic?"

"I was turned into a ball by her magic. Believe me, I noticed."

"No, but I mean how? She spun her finger in a circle."

"Okay, so?"

"That's how you shot that fireball back then."

Boscha was stunned. She thought she remembered that incident well, but how she conjured the fireball all those years ago never even occurred to her. She only remembered being so angry at the kids who were picking on Luz that day, she shut her eyes, wishing she could make them leave her alone. When she had opened them, she saw her finger pointing at a smoldering patch of grass. She never noticed her arm making such a motion. How could she even know to spin her finger? Was it some kind of reflex? Instinct? She spun her finger in a circle to see what would happen, and was shocked to see a faint glow trailing behind it.

"I... I don't get it... how...?! What does this mean?"

"You're MAGIC!" Luz cheered. "This is incredible! I am SO jealous!"

"Nyeh! Keep it down, you two!" King chided, despite speaking so loud himself.

Boscha turned back to Luz.

"Even if I am magic, it doesn't matter." Boscha said, "I spent my entire life in the human realm, I have a human family, as far as I'm concerned, I'm basically human."

"But this could explain so much!" Luz said, "Maybe we can find your birth family!"

Boscha went rigid. She had always thought that her birth parents just didn't want her, but knowing that there was a dimensional barrier in the way… she shook that thought out of her head.

"No, I don't want to find them." Boscha said, moving deeper into the prison.

"Why not?" Luz asked.

"It doesn't matter."

Luz couldn't leave it alone. "Are you worried they won't remember you? Or that they might not be ali-"

"LUZ!" Boscha snapped. "My brain is spiraling as is. I can't be thinking about any hypothetical birth parents right now, so drop it. Please."

"O-okay. Sorry." Luz's sad expression dealt a severe blow to Boscha's conscience.

"Hey, go easy on the cat lady, will ya? She was just curious."

"Why don't you just mind your own... wait."

The sisters and King looked around for the origin of the mysterious voice. They happened upon a cell that housed a strange woman with ears like Eda's, black hair and fangs. She had been a literal captive audience for their argument.

"Oh my God, is she a vampire?!" Luz asked, "Think she'll turn me if I ask?"

Boscha just grabbed Luz's arm and pulled her away from the cell.

"Luz, we have more important things to do than talk about criminals biting you."

"Criminal? Please, I never broke any laws." The woman said.

Luz turned back towards the prisoner. "Soooo, what're you in for?"

"Tch! Wrath and his lackeys always round people up for the most arbitrary, bullshit reasons. Basically, anything they don't deem as 'NoRmAl'." The lady was most aggressive with her air quotes. "Take me, for instance! They busted me for writing fanfictions about food falling in love. I like food, I like love... just let me write about it!"

"Yeah, you and Luz are definitely cut from the same cloth." Boscha remarked.

Luz nodded in agreement.

"My school banned me from the writing club because somebody snooped around and found my more... R-rated musings."

"Luz, you posted them on Ao3. They weren't exactly hidden." Boscha noted.

"Respect, cat lady." The woman shared a fistbump with Luz.

"Ummm..." An ogre-like being with multiple eyes in the next cell over caught everyone's attention. "I'm here... because I like to eat my own eyes." He plucked an eye from his skull and ate it, illustrating his point.

"Then there's this character." The woman pointed to a diminutive albino creature with a big nose in a different cell. "Her thing is spouting conspiracy theories."

"OUR WOWLD IS COWWAPSING! THE GIANT WODENT WILL BETWAY US ALL!" The tiny nose was easily agitated.

Boscha raised an eyebrow.

"Okay then." Boscha said, never liking those kind of people, they reminded her of Jacob.

"The world is a simulation! We are but playthings for a higher being!"

Boscha rolled her eyes, Luz however was starting to get angry with this system.

"But... none of those are actual crimes!" Luz said, "You're all just weirdos... just like me."

Luz looked down, Boscha noticed this and punched Luz in the shoulder.

"Ow!"

"Stop thinking like that, Luz, yeah you're a weirdo, but you're also the coolest person I will ever know." Boscha said.

"But that's just it!" Luz lamented. "Everybody I've ever met calls me 'weirdo' like it's a bad thing. Like it's some sickness that needs to be cured or quarantined."

Boscha felt a sudden pang of guilt. "Luz, I didn't mean for what I said to sound like th-"

"I know you didn't..." Luz cut her off. "...and I really do appreciate it, but I hate the negative connotations that come with being weird or different. I don't know why this place has laws against it, and I don't care. None of these people belong here!"

Luz marched over to the woman's cell and tried to pull up the lever that she inferred would unlock it, but it refused to budge. "No!" She cried. "My weak nerd arms!"

Boscha walked up to her. "Here, let me help." She pulled on the lever, having significantly less trouble moving it. Before she could open the cell, however, heavy footsteps shook the building around them.

"It's Wrath!" The woman yelled. "You two gotta hide!"

The two grabbed King and went into an unoccupied cell. Boscha slammed the gate down and put Luz behind her. She didn't care what happens to her, as long as Luz is safe. The door slammed open and a person with a witch doctor mask stood there.

"What are you freaks talking about?"

The woman scoffed. "Nothing that basic bitches like you and your stooges would understand, Wrath."

The masked giant marched up to her cell and slammed his fist against the gate. "Don't get smart with me, Katya! You're already on thin enough ice with your multiple aggravated manuscription charges!"

"THE PWOWETAWIAT WILL NOT SUFFER TYWANNY! THE WEVOWUTION IS NIGH! YOU CAN NEVER CAGE OUR SPIWIT!"

The tiny nose's rant was cut short when her cell gate opened up.

"Hey, I'm fwee!"

The giant hand of Wrath engulfed her puny body. Boscha tensed up at the sight, keeping her guard of Luz up. Wrath held up the poor small creature for all to see. "Let this serve as a reminder to all of you. This is what happens when you don't fit in." He then took his leave.

When he was gone, Boscha raised the cage. She didn't like this, she wanted to get Luz out of here.

"That old bag!" Boscha fumed. "I knew this was some kind of setup! She's probably looting the place while we're dealing with that monster!"

Luz peeked around to make sure wrath was gone before replying. "Well... if that were the case, she wouldn't send King with us, would she?"

"WOULD SHE?!" King wasn't helping.

"That does it, we're outta here!" Boscha was more than ready to leave.

Luz looked anxiously at the cells. "What about these guys? We can't leave them here."

"And what about my crown?" King bawled. "My unfathomable demonic power..."

"Your sister's got the right idea, cat lady." Katya sighed. "Don't throw your lives away for our sake, just... enjoy freedom for us."

Boscha began to walk away, Luz on the other hand, had other plans. She grabbed Boscha by the arm and pulled her back.

"No, we're going to finish this." Luz said.

"Luz, I-"

"Hey, good news, you two!" Eda suddenly showed up. "Turns out the Warden's already busy torturing some anthropomorphic nose, so our way is clear! Let's go!"

The quartet made their way through the dungeon, though Boscha only tagged along for Luz's sake. They came up to a giant door labeled "contraband." King struggled with the giant doorknob that wouldn't turn. For the sake of brevity, Boscha went to help him.

"Yes, human minion, turn with all your might!" King instructed. "The crown lies beyond this door! I can sense its unholy energy!"

Eda watched on in amusement. "Aw, he gets so cute when he's thirsty for power."

Luz, on the other hand, looked back towards the cells. "It's not fair that they're here. They just want to be themselves. Why does everyone think that being weird is something to be punished?"

Before Eda could answer, Boscha had accidentally broken off the doorknob, causing her and King to topple to the ground. King saw that the door was slightly opened, so he had no complaints. After he wedged his way through, everyone else followed. Inside, they saw that the large room was empty, save for a giant pillar of light in the center. King ran full speed toward it, only to bounce off of it. Boscha immediately ran up and began coddling the hurt demon.

"Aww, is you okays, puppers?" She cooed as she kissed his forehead. "You gots to be careful not to get incinerated! Yes you does!"

Eda shuddered at the display. "Seriously, King, we have humans for that, remember?"

"Oh, yeah."

Luz was already at the pillar. Taking a deep breath, she slowly put her hand against it, and to her amazement, she managed to push through the surface. As she walked through, Boscha ran to catch up, only to be stopped with a shock by the pillar. Undaunted, she slammed her fist repeatedly against the construct until her hands started to crack and bleed. Panic had set in when she looked at her trembling hands. She realized her sister was right all along. She wasn't human. She was magic, not unlike Eda.

She was a witch.

She fell to her knees, oblivious to the junk tumbling out from the pillar. Eventually, Luz re-emerged, holding a Burger Queen crown and looking quite disappointed. King, however, was elated. He greedily snagged the crown and placed it on his head.

"Yes! YES! I can feel my powers returning!" He cackled maniacally before his attention was drawn to a ragged stuffed rabbit. "YOU, THERE! Nightmare critter! I shall call you Francois and you shall be a minion in my army of darkness! AHAHAHAAAA!"

"That crown doesn't give him any powers, does it?" Luz glared at Eda.

"Uhh, no." Eda felt somewhat embarrassed. "Ah, look at us, Luz. King and I don't have much in this world, just each other. So if that dumb crown is important to him, it's important to me. And besides, us weirdos have to-"

Before Eda could finish, her face was met with a pink and bloodied fist, knocking her to the ground. As she looked up, she was met with a furious Boscha.

"You!"

"Boscha, what's gotten into you?!" Luz exclaimed. Her sister wasn't listening, though. Her ire was laser focused on Eda.

"IT WAS YOU!"

Eda was massaging the side of her face, somewhat in a daze. "Ugghh... you're right, it was me you sucker-punched for no reason!"

"You want a reason?!" Boscha removed her headband and moved her hair, revealing her third eye and pointed ears. "You're the bitch that stranded me in the Human Realm a decade ago!"

"Wha...? You're a-! Wait, why do you think I did it?" Eda's head was reeling from the revelation as well as the punch.

""Only game in town," remember?" Bosha then rolled down her sock, revealing the ring like scar she received she got from the snare on that fateful day. "You did this to me. You took me from my original home. You trapped me in a different world with no means of protection! YOU ALMOST GOT ME KILLED!"

Luz gasped. "Eda, you didn't!"

"Of course I didn't!" Eda got to her feet. "I've never even met you! Your dumb ass probably just stumbled through the portal when I wasn't looking! Look, we can sort this shit out later. Right now, we need to haul ass out of here before the Warden finds us and loses his head!"

"Too late."

An axe blade slammed into Eda's neck, cutting her head clean off, which made the sisters hold each other and scream. Eda's head landed with the thud on the ground.

"... Ow! Seriously, you didn't think to catch me!?" Eda asked, annoyed.

The two screamed louder at the TALKING severed head.

"E-E-Eda..." Luz nervously reached out to her. "...are you okay?"

"Peachy." Eda deadpanned. "But seriously, I'll live. This just happens when you get older."

Boscha shuddered.

"Oh, shit! Does that mean MY body will fall apart like that?"

"Coooooool."

"Luz! I'm freaking out enough here as it is!" Boscha yelled.

In all the chaos, nobody noticed Wrath walking up to them, as well as the two guards entering the room. The four intruders noticed that the blade the warden was wielding wasn't in his hand, but rather was his hand, which returned to its normal state.

"Finally, I have you cornered, Eda the Owl Lady." Wrath snatched the crown from King's head, "My guards could never get you, but I knew if I took your pet's toy, you'd come running."

He then coldly crushed the crown in his hand.

"No!" King said, "My Power!"

Boscha was mad, how dare they hurt this adorable little guy!

"What do you want with me?!" Eda demanded as Boscha picked up her severed head. "I've never actually broke any of your stupid laws... in front of you!"

"I want you..."

Wrath strode menacingly up to Eda. His intimidating, bulky frame towered over the four intruders who seemed to cower in his shadow. The expressionless mask peered down at them, glinting in the moonlight seeping through the open door. It felt as if death itself was about to descend upon them...

"...to go out with me!"

At least until he got down on one knee and pulled out a bouquet of flowers.

"What?" Luz and Boscha responded in disgust while Wrath shot a thumbs up to the guards voicing their support.

"You've always eluded our capture." The warden wooed. "You've always been the one who got away. I found that alluring."

"I hate everything you're saying right now." Luz couldn't withhold her revulsion.

"YOU STAY OUT OF THIS!" Wrath dispelled the flowers as well as his gentle disposition as he grabbed Luz and held her above the ground. He then proceeded to turn his attention back to Eda.

"So how about it, Owl La-D'OWW!"

Boscha wasn't interested in whatever proposal Wrath had to make and flung Eda's head, striking him in his own temple. She then slowly marched to him, chuckling softly. "So, Warden... Wrap, was it?"

"It's Wra-"

"Don't care." Boscha stretched her neck, making a sickening cracking noise. "See, I have had a HELL of a day. My sister was attacked by a total bitch at school, which I really don't care for. I protect her, yet I'M the one who's punished. This hag you have the hots for? She had some owl steal our shit and trap us in this "Demon Realm," turned me into a goddamn BALL! Then shanghaied us into doing her dirty work just so we could go home. THEN... ohohoho... then I had to face the realization that everything I thought I knew about myself was a fucking lie... that this old crank got me stuck in the Human Realm when I was FOUR! And to top it all off, you decide to attack my sister." It was then that she drew a magic circle point blank at Wrath's torso. "And when people attack my sister, shit tends to happen!"

With all her anger, Boscha shot a stream of fire right at the warden, who started to scream in a high pitch and tried to smother the flames with her free hand. He had to drop Luz, who fell into Boscha's waiting arms.

"Stop, drop and roll, Boss!" One of the guards yelled.

"We're leaving." Boscha said, "Let's go!"

"But... what about the people that are wrongfully-"

"Luz, we can free them on the way out!" Boscha said, leaving NO room for discussion.

Luz halted again.

"Waitasec, Eda!"

"I'm good to go..." Eda managed to reattach her head to her body. "...no thanks to her."

Boscha chuckled.

"Well, at least the trip wasn't a total waste."

"CAN WE GO ALREADY?!" King screamed.

"Yeah, let's go." Eda said, before making a spell circle and hitting Boscha with a spell.

Luz sighed and picked up the Boscha Ball. Boscha glared at Eda.

"Don't look at me like that, this is punishment for sucker punch." Eda said, "Now let's go."

"Can't take you two anywhere..." Luz groused as everyone mounted the staff.

She looked over her shoulder to see the guards have almost put the warden out and was desperate to get the staff to fly.

"Uhhh... levioso... magicus escapus...?!"

"Move your ass, Owlbert!"

The staff took off at Eda's command and flew towards the cells holding Katya and the others.

"Hold onto your sister, Kid." Eda said, "Because we're going to speedrun this!"

As they passed the cells, Eda flipped the switches. After that, they burst through an outer door high in the center of the Conformatorium, Luz cheering all the while. However, Wrath was right behind them as they all plummeted to the ground. Once he landed, Wrath morphed his arm into a long whip and struck the staff with it, knocking its passengers off with it.

Luz landed on the ground and let go of Boscha, causing her to bounce a little. Luz groaned and crawled over to her.

"Eda really picked a bad time to get even with you." Luz said.

If looks could kill, Luz would have 'Death by Basketball' on her gravestone. Wrath landed in front of Luz and Boscha and looked down at them.

"I've had enough of you." He said, raising his hammer hand.

Luz closed her eyes and hugged Boscha for comfort as he slammed his hand down. Luz waited, and waited... and waited... and wait... when the hell is she supposed to die? Luz looked up and saw Eda, holding back Wrath with her staff.

"Kid, move!" Eda yelled.

"You've broken my heart for the last time, Eda the Owl Lady!"

Wrath retreated a few meters and removed his mask, revealing a face that was mostly a giant maw full of razor sharp teeth. An eerie glow filled his mouth as he breathed a huge stream of fire at the hapless foursome. Eda drew a magic circle to form a small portal to intercept the fire and another to shoot it back, knocking Wrath into the wall. She then drew another circle, turning Boscha back to normal, which in turn caused Luz to buckle under the extra weight.

"¡Bailaré en tus cenizas, miserable bru-!" Boscha had some more choice words for Eda, but Luz cut her off once again.

"Hey, sis, maybe this isn't the time." Luz suggested.

"Here, you two..." Eda reached into her hair and pulled out a key, tossing it to the sisters. "... take that and go back home."

Luz was a little worried. "But what about you?

King scurried up to the old witch. "If you think this is bad, you should've seen her last boyfriend."

"Not my boyfriend!" Eda snarled.

Boscha grabbed Luz's wrist and began to pull her away.

"Come on, Luz, let's go!" Boscha said, trying her best to get out of here... mostly so Eda doesn't turn her into a ball again.

She was surprised when Luz SLAPPED her hand off her.

"No!" Luz said, "We're not leaving her!"

"WHAT?!"

Luz had a look of determination on her face.

"Look, I know you don't like her, and she did kinda blackmail us and nearly burnt my book and used her magic to..." She thought better about bringing up the ball thing with Boscha, "Anyway, I can't just leave her and King like this."

"Well, I can't just leave you to take on that monster by yourself!" Boscha gently took Luz's hand and shot her a smile. "So let's go save the puppy and the old bag together."

"YES! Save the puppy and old bag!"

"... And hope Eda didn't hear us call her that or else WE'll be on sale at her stand." Luz said.

The two ran back to the fight. However, they noticed that the prisoners they let out were peeking out of the hole in the wall left by Wrath's impact. Luz decided to rush over to them.

"What are you guys doing?" She asked them. "This is your chance to escape!"

The multi-eyed ogre started to sulk. "The warden will catch us. He always does."

"We belong here." Katya concurred.

"Self-doubt is a pwison you can never escape fwom." The tiny nose lamented.

When Luz heard their objections, she couldn't believe they could be such defeatists. Were they really just going to accept Wrath's abuse? Why do they have to resignate themselves to a life of misery just for being who they were? For being who she was? It was then that she understood that she was just like them, accepting the bullying she received on a near-daily basis as normal. How could she motivate them to fight against their oppression if she wasn't willing to do the same. Luz hid behind Boscha long enough. She knew what she needed to do.

"None of you deserve this!" She exclaimed. "So you have a different way of doing things, a different way of seeing things. That makes you different, but that's what makes you awesome!"

"Why are you so keen on helping us?" Katya inquired.

"Because I'm a weirdo, too." Luz's words overflowed with passion. "And I've also been mistreated because of it. I've been told it's bad to be different, that I don't belong so often that I started to believe it. That's why I can't stand watching it happen to anyone else. Us weirdos have to stick together... and nobody should be punished for who they are!"

Her words managed to stir something in the prisoners, who cheered and rallied to her side. All of them charged into battle, save Boscha, who was so moved by Luz's actions, she started to weep.

"Esa es mi increíble hermanita." She wiped away her tears and followed the others.

Wrath managed to get the upper hand on Eda in the meantime. His right hand had morphed into a mace, and he was about to crush her and King when he was distracted by the battle cries of Luz and the others.

"I LIKE TO EAT MY OWN EYES!" The ogre body checked Wrath, knocking him away from the Owl Lady.

"I THINK THE WOWLD IS A TWIANGLE!" The tiny nose drew a magic circle of her own, which emitted a powerful bolt of energy that fried the warden where he stood.

Katya lovingly looked upon her musings she had written in her book.

"And I..."

She closed her book.

"...study the ancient art... "

She charged forward.

"...OF FANFICTION!"

With both arms, she swung her book with all her might, smashing Wrath in the face hard enough to dislodge a few teeth. His body landed with a thud, and the trio bound him with his own arms. Eda walked over.

"Is he dead?"

Eda sent a strong kick to his side, making him groan.

"No, hey Eda, think you can magic me up something?"

Luz whispered into Eda's ear, making her smile widely.

"I like the way you think, Kid!" Eda said ruffling Luz's hair.

Wrath began to look up at Luz.

"Who are you?"

"I am Luz, the human, warrior of peace!" Luz said, making Boscha roll her eyes, hearing that line SO many times before.

Luz grabbed the firework that Eda had summoned along with a bat.

"Now eat this Sucka!" Luz said, slamming the bat against the firework and into Wrath's mouth.

The fire from Wrath's mouth lit the firework and went off. Everyone cheered as the warden retreated, his mouth spewing explosions of multicolored lights.

"WE AWE VICTOWIOUS!" The tiny-nosed creature proclaimed.

"Gotta say, you did good, sis." Boscha gave Luz a playful punch on the shoulder. "I'm proud of you."

Eda approached the two. "Yeah, that was fun. Now let's get the hell out of here before more monsters fall in love with me."

The three plus King mounted the staff while Katya gave a ride to the other ex-prisoners with her own staff, except hers had a rhinoceros beetle on the end instead of an owl. They all said their goodbyes and flew off into the night.

Back at the Owl House, Eda was dragging her feet inside as she set her staff against the nearest wall. "Well, that was a total disaster, but a deal's a deal." She reached into her hair and pulled out the key once again. With the click of its eye-shaped button, the door to the Human Realm was reopened.

"Finally!" Boscha sighed. "I'm more than ready to go home and pretend this stupid day never happened."

Boscha mostly wanted to go back before she becomes a ball again. Luz on the other hand, didn't know if she wanted to go back.

"Oh, before I forget, here's your book." Eda said, handing Luz the Azura book.

Luz looked at the book and then at the portal.

"Boscha, maybe... maybe we could stay here." Luz said.

"Did you hit your head or something?" Boscha asked, "Because that is the craziest thing I've ever heard you say."

"Boscha-"

"I do NOT want to stay in a place like this." Boscha said.

"I know you-"

"Need I remind you that this woman you seem to idolize, turned me into a ball... twice! Who's to say she won't do it again and sell me next time!?"

"She's not wrong." King interjected whilst cuddling Francois.

"We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity here!" Luz was trembling with excitement. "Granted, this isn't exactly the PG fantasy world I always dreamt of, but this is still a land of magic and enchantment. This could be the one chance I have to live my dream!"

"To be an author?" Boscha pondered.

"No, no, my original dream, to be a WITCH!"

Boscha cringed as Eda laughed at the remark.

"What? All right, that's crazy." The Owl Lady refuted. "Humans can't be witches."

Luz was undeterred. "Maybe that's because they haven't tried. If you teach me to become a witch, I'll do anything you want."

"NO NO NONONO." Boscha pulled her sister aside. "Luz, I get what you're going for here, and I know that the "Human Realm" hasn't been the best to you, but you can't just stay with Granny Stranger Danger here. Mom would kill me, then you, then me again for good measure!"

"But this isn't just for me..." Luz pleaded. "... this is for you, too. You can find out more about yourself, where you came from, what became of your original fam-"

"LUZ! I am not going to abandon Mom on the off chance I run into a family that may or may not even want to see me again."

"Aren't you the least bit curious to know who your real parents are?"

Boscha had never been so mad at Luz her whole life after hearing that remark, but refused to let her temper get the best of her. "I already know who my real parents are, they're Camila and Manny Noceda! They rescued me when I was lost in a strange world, took me in despite how different from everyone else I was and made me a part of their family. If I just ditch to stay in magic land, how could I call myself-?"

"BOSCHA VALENTINA NOCEDA!"

"Yeep!"

As soon as she heard her name, Boscha scurried behind Eda and used King to hide her face.

"MOM?!" Luz was just as shocked to hear her mother's voice, but not as much to see her storm right through the portal door

"Luz, where is your sister?" Camila's anger blinded her to her surroundings. "I just got a call from Principal Hal saying she was suspended for fighting, and I..." She looked around, confused. "This place is a lot roomier than I remembered and-! WHO IS THAT?!"

Eda saw that this lady was pointing at her, and then hurriedly fixed up her hair. King groaned as he saw her blushing slightly.

"Mom..." Luz tried to calm Camila down. "This is Eda. And this is gonna sound strange, but we're actually now in a place known as the Boiling Isles."

"¿Quééééééé?" There was a lot to unpack with that information, and hopefully, Camila could get a moment to take this all-

"HELLO!"

"AAAAUUUGGH!"

Hooty's enthusiastic greeting was met with a right hook from Camila, sending him crashing out the window.

"Huh, so that's where the kid got that from." Eda said, before walking up to Camila, "Nice to meet ya, names Eda Clawthorne, kind of saved your kids from being killed."

"More like almost got us killed." Boscha mumbled.

Camila turned her attention to Boscha, and had an angry look.

"And that's my cue to leave, goodbye!" Boscha said, starting to run.

Eda just smirked and for the third time that day, Boscha was turned into a ball and levitated to Camila's hands. Camila was very conflicted, on one hand, she wanted to scold Boscha for getting suspended... again... on the other, her daughter was just turned into a ball in front of her... while unconventional, she started to scold Boscha. She was angry, and judging by the look on Luz's face when she spoke Spanish, Eda had a feeling she didn't want to know what she just said. All she knows, is that Boscha was handed to her.

"Do me a favor miss... Clawthorne, was it?"

"Please, just call me Eda."

"Okay, Eda, do me a favor, and leave her like this the rest of the night, that's her punishment." Camila said, "I want to speak with Luz privately before I decide on what to do next."

"¡Mamá, espera un minuto!" Luz implored her mother. "Boscha's an important part of-!"

Before she could finish, the Boscha Ball began to shake in Eda's arms. With no spell cast, Boscha broke free on her own. Everyone looked on in astonishment as Boscha was breathing heavily before she turned to Eda, who started to sulk.

"Dang. She's already building up resistance."

"WILL. YOU. STOP. DOING THAT?! I didn't even attack you that time!" A small cough from Camila managed to end Boscha's tirade and change her mood entirely. "And I'm... sss-sorry for attacking you those last two times. I was wrong and shall endeavor to be better in the future."

"Whoa." Eda was more than impressed, and a little scared. "That is some serious dark magic at work."

Luz got between her mom and the others.

"See, Mamá? That's what I was talking about. This is where Boscha came from. It explains how you and Dad found her in that old house, how she could summon fire or why we couldn't find her birth family."

"This... is where she was born?" Camila's shock soon waned as she noticed her older daughter looking away and holding her arms. Whatever follow-ups to her punishment she had in mind could wait. She walked up to Boscha and put a hand on her shoulder. "¿Boschita, estás bien?"

Boscha began to cry. "I don't know. I always... I mean, I knew we weren't related by blood, but I at least thought I was human, just with some kind of physical disorder. But I just learned that I'm not even from the same reality! I... I don't... I don't even know... I ..."

Camila held her daughter who was breaking down emotionally. "Shhhhh, it's okay, mija. Remember what I told you years ago? I meant it. No matter what you are or where you come from, you will always be my child. You will always be a Noceda."

Watching the exchange made Eda feel somewhat nostalgic in a bittersweet way. "Maybe I can learn something from her, too." She quietly told herself

Eda had an idea.

"So, how about this?" Eda said, "How about these two stay here for this... summer thing that they were talking about? I'll watch them, they can find this girls parents, and I can teach them a bit."

Boscha wiped the snot and tears from her face. "Y-You'd... you'd really do that for us? But why?"

"Well, you guys did help us out..." Eda confessed. "... and you might be right that I was at fault for getting you stuck in the human realm."

"WHAT?!" Camila wasn't ready for that.

Eda winced, but carried on. "I use this portal a lot, and this tyke likely crawled through when I left it open. I never did keep a close enough eye on it. I mean..." She gestured to the humans in the room. "...case in point, right?"

Camila pinched the bridge of her nose. "Okay, this is against my better judgement, but Boscha, I think it would be beneficial for you to stay here for a while."

"Mom?"

"Mija, though you will always be a Noceda, you're still so much more. Nobody's going to force you to stay or even find your birth parents, but you have an opportunity to learn more about yourself and what you can do." Camila brushed her daughter's hair out of her three eyes. "And for a while, at least, you won't have to hide the real you... Uhh, right, Ms. Clawthorne?"

"Oh, totally." Eda assured them. "She's actually pretty average looking by Boiling Isles standards."

Luz let out a cheer. "Yeah! Do it, Boscha! We can be witches and form our own magical girl group!"

"Oooohhhhh, no." Camila put her foot down. "This isn't a game, Luz. This is for the sake of Boscha's self-discovery. I'm not comfortable with you here, especially if she doesn't accept."

Boscha watched as Luz sulked. She may regret it later, but she couldn't bear to leave her sister by herself at school, let alone keep her from living her dream.

"Actually, Mom, I'd feel a lot better about this if Luz could stay here with me. It'd be way less overwhelming and I wouldn't get too homesick."

"Don't worry about it, human dignitary." King crawled up on the end table to get everybody's attention. "As their king, these minions are in my care as well as under my command."

"Okay, the two of you are going home and packing a bag to stay here for the summer." Camila said, trying her best to NOT hug King.

"You mean it!?" Luz asked excitedly.

"I do, now hurry up, before I change my mind."

The sisters rushed back home and went up to their room. They grabbed two bags and began to fill them with clothes.

"This is so awesome!" Luz said, "I'm going to be a witch!"

"Yeah, and if you learn that damn ball spell, I'm going to hurt you." Boscha said.

"Oh, I am SO going to taunt you with that." Luz said, "It is my job as the younger sibling."

Boscha groaned, before walking over to a terrarium on the far side of the wall. She reached in and pulled out Littles, AKA her 2 foot long Ball Python. He had a small white dot in the middle of his forehead, which is why Boscha liked him so much.

"Don't worry, little buddy, I'll be back at the end of summer." Boscha said, kissing his head.

Luz walked over and pulled out a leucistic one, AKA Snowflake.

"Yeah, and I'll be back too." Luz said, cuddling with Snowflake.

They put their snakes back in the tank, gave them food for the day, and washed their hands real quick before they finished packing. The two looked at each other and smiled, before walking back to the portal.

"Ready?"

"Not really... my life is going to change, Luz."

"Hey... like Mami said, no matter what... you're a Noceda."

Boscha smiled and gave Luz a hug, before they walked through the portal. Camila walked over to them and gave them a hug and kiss to the head.

"Sed buenas, chicas. Volveré a verte de vez en cuando." Camila said.

"Vamos a mamá." Boscha and Luz said.

Camila walked through the portal, and before it closed.

"Bye, girls, I love you."

"We love you too, Mom."

"Okay, now that she's gone, let me show you two to your room." Eda said, leading them to a large closet.

"This place is amazing!" Luz said.

"Yeah, what about you, Three eyes?" Eda asked, "What do you think?"

"I'm afraid to answer." Boscha said, "You might turn me into a ball again."

"If it makes you feel better, I can do that to her." Eda said, motioning to Luz.

"I would say no, but she actually might enjoy it." Boscha said, crossing her arms, "So do you think you know my parents?"

"Maybe, but at the same time, I know hundreds of people, a lot with extra eyes, so I may not be the best person to ask." Eda said, "Anyway you two get settled in, I'm heading to my room."

Eda left and Boscha walked over to Luz.

"Hey, move over so I can put my sleeping bag down." Boscha said.

Boscha put her sleeping bag next to Luz's and got in it. Luz was happy that they could have a 3 month long sleepover... despite the fact that they've shared a room for a decade. Whatever, Boscha wasn't going to burst her bubble. Boscha looked at her hand and used her finger to make a spell circle, but didn't complete it.

"Luz... do you see me differently now that I'm... a witch?"

"Only that you're cooler than before." Luz said, giving Boscha a hug, "My big sister just keeps getting cooler and cooler."

Boscha gave a playful scoff.

"Maybe I'll turn you into a snowman, that way you can be cooler too."

Luz laughed, mostly because Boscha wasn't having another existential crisis.

"Goodnight, Boscha."

"Goodnight, Luz."

The two laid down and went to sleep, unsure of what tomorrow would bring... but they would figure it out together.

Notes:

And now we've reached the end of the Daily Updates, as you can see, this is where the chapters will get longer. There is also the fact that Garth needs some time to get things done in their life and needs to take a break from this for a few weeks. I will be releasing a few stories I have prepared in a few days to keep you occupied until then.

Chapter 14: The Quest

Chapter by Mr_Hardcor3

Luz was the first to wake up... mostly because Boscha was snoring in her ear, but partially because she was so excited about today. Today was their first official day in the demon realm, today was their first day of learning to become witches, and today was the first official day of them trying to find Boscha's birth parents.

"Woo!" Luz said, "Wake up, Boscha!"

Boscha turned over and clenched her sleeping bag.

"Mmm... fuck off." She said, not even opening her eyes.

"Nope! I shall do no such thing!" Luz sprang from her sleeping bag. "This is the beginning of our grand adventure, my entry into witchdom, and the discovery of my sister's mysterious past!"

Boscha groaned at hearing that. "Of course you're still a junkie for backstories."

Luz excitedly leaned out the window. "GOOD MORNING, TERRIFYING FANTASY WORLD!"

"Good morning!" A giant, misshapen, tentacled monstrosity politely waved at her before swimming away.

"Eugh!"

She retreated from the window, then spotted King asleep at the foot of Boscha's sleeping bag. She wasted no time picking him up and smothering him with cuddles and kisses. "Good morning, King, my little cuddle buddy."

"GAH! I am no one's "cuddle buddy!" Now unhand me at once!" King squirmed to get out of her grip.

"Yes you aaarrrre." Luz set him down and skipped out of the room, giggling all the way.

"This assault will not go unavenged-WEH!"

King's tirade was cut off as he learned, to his horror, that he was placed within arm's reach of Boscha, who snatched him without opening an eye. King struggled to escape her hug, giving up after a few seconds and falling asleep in her arms. Luz skipped down the hall to the bathroom, filled with pure excitement about this.

"Oh, I can't wait for this!" Luz said, looking in the bathroom mirror, "I can learn magic, I can achieve my dream, I can... I can help Boscha... after everything she's done for me."

Luz's mind raced with memories of the times she and Boscha shared. Their first meeting, the outings to the playground, digging around the backyard, the intense video game tournaments, the trips to the library, Boscha watching Luz's recitations of the Azura series, defending her from bullies, making her feel not so small...

"No te preocupes, hermana, I'll be here for you no matter what."

"Aww, that is so sweet."

"WAAAAUUUUUGGHHHHHHH!"

One swift hand chop to the head and Hooty backed off.

"HOOTY! BOUNDARIES!"

When Hooty backed off, Luz went back to looking in the mirror. She was happy, and then the door opened, revealing a half awake Boscha, carrying King and her toothbrush.

"Morning, sleeping beauty, ready to learn about your witchy side?" Luz asked.

"Stop talking... too early." Boscha said, brushing her teeth.

"Guess we know where your fangs came from." Luz said, "I remember the Dentists were so scared to do your teeth because when they started coming in, you ended up biting one of them."

Boscha kept brushing her teeth, but gave Luz the side eye. Luz just looked down at King, being carried around like a teddy bear, sleeping.

"Aw, guess he knocks right out when he's weightless."

"Yeah..." Boscha gave a weak smile. "...his limbs are so dangly."

She swung him back and forth to demonstrate that fact to her sister.

"Awwwww..." Luz cooed. "Oh, so what do you think our first magic lesson is gonna be?"

Boscha chuckled at the question. "With Eda? Probably how to nurse a hangover."

"C'mon, Boscha..."

"It's my honest estimate. She strikes me as one of those "Real Housewives" types, or one of those old ladies from "Hot in Cleveland.""

They made their way to the kitchen as they conversed. Boscha saw a high chair at the table and gently sat King down into it. The small demon began to stir from the lack of physical contact.

"I bet King'll know what's what?" Luz remarked. "How about it, Cuddle Buddy? What do you think Eda will teach us today?"

King blinked a few times and muttered before answering.

"Wehhhh... Beats me. Did she tell you her cure for hangovers yet?"

Luz paid no mind to Boscha's snickering, or at least tried her best to do so. Speaking of the devil, Eda came into the kitchen and over to the fridge.

"Good morning, Ms. Eda!" Luz said.

"Hello crazy witch lady that turned me into a ball three times." Boscha said.

"Not the last time it's going to happen either if you keep talking." Eda mumbled and pulled out a bottle, "Now... who are you two again?"

Luz's enthusiasm took a sharp decline. "Wha-?! Don't you remember? It's me, Luz! And my sister/plucky sidekick, Boscha!"

"Excuse you?" Boscha was not amused.

"Look, kids, I'm sure this is all important stuff to remember..." Eda wiped the sleep from her eyes. "...but it's early, and I haven't had my apple blood yet."

"Don't you mean apple juice?" Luz inquired.

"No."

The sisters gave Eda a moment to consume her offensively-scented drink before Luz continued.

"Remember? We started a prison riot last night? Boscha discovered she was born here and that you may or may not have got her stuck in the Human Realm?"

"I like to think I handled the news pretty well." Her sister nervously looked away while twiddling her thumbs.

"Then you met our mom and promised her we'd help Boscha to learn to control her magic and find her real family, and you'd also train me to be a witch!"

"Your mom?" Eda scratched her head.

"Camila Noceda, remember?

The Owl Lady immediately recalled seeing the woman with the chocolate-colored hair, kind, adorable eyes and curvy figure. She had some dreams about her!

"Boy, do I. Raaawwwrr." Eda noticed everyone was giving her strange looks. "Oh shit, was that out loud?"

"Welp, can't unhear that." Boscha shuddered. "So, what exactly is there to eat around here?"

Eda facepalmed. "Aww, you mean I gotta feed you guys too?"

"Doesn't that kinda go without saying?" Luz wondered.

"Here's your first magic lesson, kiddo: Don't assume I'll remember every little thing."

"Yep, that was expected." Boscha mumbled.

... Loud enough for Eda to hear unfortunately. Eda put her finger up and made a spell circle. Boscha saw this and put a plate up to block the spell, which resulted in the plate turning into a ball.

"Ha ha!" Boscha said, "Not going to get me this time!"

"Huh, you're catching on." Eda said, drinking from her bottle, "But I'll get you later, I just won't say when."

"How does magic work!?" Luz asked, excited.

"Woah, Kid, too close." Eda said, before cracking her back and smiling, "But, I guess I can give you a quick magic lesson, but I also need you two to do something for me afterwards."

"Huh?" Boscha asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Oooo!" Luz said, excited, "Is it some kind of magical quest!?"

"Uh... sure." Eda said, "Now, quick magic lesson."

Eda made a spell circle, letting the sisters get a good look at it.

"This is a Spell circle, it's how witches perform spells." Eda said, before pointing the spell at the sisters and turning both of them into balls.

Eda picked them both up and carried them to the living room. She placed them on the couch and continued her lesson.

"Now, the reason I turned you both into balls is because I need your undivided attention... plus the short haired one was getting a little TOO excited."

'Oh, I'm killing her.' Boscha thought.

'I... am surprisingly okay with this.' Luz thought.

"Now, the bigger the spell circle the bigger the spell will be." Eda explained, "I'm unsure of what your magic knowledge is, so when I turn you both back, you will attempt the light spell."

Eda made a circle with her finger and a ball of light formed. With another twirl of the finger, the sisters reverted. Boscha had to stifle her obscenities as Camila had practically begged her to do before sending her off.

"Thank you for the demonstration, Ms. Owl Lady." The pink-haired girl forced through gritted teeth.

"Aw, how nice." Said Owl Lady applauded. "What kind of magic got you to behave so well?"

"That would be called "Parenting."" Luz chimed in.

"Ecch! Hard pass." Eda got back on topic. "Now then, let's see you two try a light spell."

The sisters twirled their fingers. Nothing happened for Luz, and Boscha's spell let loose another burst of flames that startled everybody. Eda pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Well, there were no casualties, at least. I consider that a successful lesson. That said, I'm sure you two were to cast a LIGHT spell."

"I mean, fire makes light, doesn't it?" Boscha shrugged.

Eda was not amused this time.

"I can't get it to work." Luz pouted. "How do you guys do it?"

"Well, it could work differently for humans." The Owl Lady pondered. "Where exactly do you think magic comes from?"

"Hmmmm... from the heart?" Luz's answer made Boscha smile and shake her head.

"Actually... you're right!" Eda exclaimed.

"Really?" Luz beamed.

"Are you shitting me?" Boscha griped.

Eda pulled out a diagram. "No, seriously, it comes from a sac of magic bile attached to a witch's heart."

Boscha stared intensely at the picture of the repulsive green organ.

"THAT is inside me and stuck to my heart?! I've had so many checkups and injuries, and the doctors never ONCE found this?! Ugh... Mom was so right about those idiots."

"So... my dream can basically never happen?" Luz asked.

Boscha put a hand on Eda's face and shoved her away to comfort her little sister.

"Hey, don't worry, Luz, you inherited dad's stubbornness." Boscha said, "You'll figure something out, I know-"

Boscha was cut off as Eda dropped a big ass bag of potions on top of her.

"Ugh!" Boscha groaned.

"Well, now that I taught you two magic, get these delivered for me." Eda said.

Boscha, only having a single hand not under the bag, flipped Eda off.

"I can turn you into a ball again, but I figured I would just hand you the sack." Eda said, "Not my fault you weren't paying attention."

Luz, dragged the giant pouch off of her sister. "C'mon, Boscha, let's get this stuff delivered. Magical quest or whatever."

Boscha looked with concern at Luz sadly carrying the sack over her shoulder. The weight of the cargo threw her off balance a couple of times, but she made it through the door.

"That's the spirit, my young neophyte!" Eda jested, "Now begins your epic Quest of Conveyance!"

King came into the living room to join in on the fun making. "Only the bravest of souls can make the trek to Mrs. Jenkinmeyer's place to deliver her wart remover!"

Luz blushed from embarrassment before turning away as Eda and King laughed. Boscha got to her feet and went to the doorway. "Hey, Luz? I forgot something. I'll be right back."

She firmly shut the door and delivered a harsh glare to the others. "Okay, let's make something crystal clear: Push me, drop shit on me, ball me up, whatever. Believe me, I've had worse. But when it comes to Luz, you two back off."

"So the drama." Eda was unfazed by the tirade. "It's just some good-natured ribbing. Lighten up, wouldja?"

Boscha didn't flinch. "I didn't see any good nature, and Luz has had more than her fill of "ribbing" back in the Human Realm."

Eda saw a tear in the corner of the young witch's eye as she spoke.

"She's been mocked, pushed around and beaten up in school. Nobody outside of our family would come to her defense. The so-called "adults" foisted the blame on her for being different, just because she was the common denominator in these situations. Her dream of being a witch? It's one of the few things that helps her make it through each day. It means the world to her, so it means just as much to me, which is why I agreed to be here at all."

"What?" Eda questioned. "What about finding your family?

Boscha just scoffed. "If I happen to bump into them, then fine by me. Otherwise, I don't give a shit about finding them. I'm more concerned with helping Luz find a place where she fits in, and against my better judgement, I think this place might be it. She needs this, so take it easy on her... please."

She didn't wait for an answer and left the house to join Luz.

"Come on, Luz, let's go show this world that the Noceda sisters are here and we're ready for anything that gets thrown at us." Boscha said.

"Okay." Luz said, as the sisters walked to the town.

Boscha felt a bit nervous about coming out without her headband, but no one batted an eye at her, it was weird, only a handful of people knew about her eye, so being out without anything covering it was so weird.

"Where's the first place?" Luz asked, no emotion in her voice.

Boscha looked at the paper in her hand and pointed to the house next to a food vendor.

"Right there." Boscha said, "Hey, how about when we're done with this, we go back and see if Eda can turn me into Azura's staff for you to mess around with? Wouldn't that make you feel better, you love Azura!"

Sure Boscha hated being turned into stuff, she's already been a ball four times in the last 24 hours, but if it would make Luz feel better, she'd gladly let it happen.

"Sure." Luz muttered. "That sounds like fun."

After making their first delivery, the sisters made their way to the center of the city. Boscha wanted to say something else to comfort Luz, but she found herself distracted by the sights around her.

The odd-shaped buildings with limbs, eyes and teeth looked even more exquisite up close. Passers by included a centaur with his face on his chest, some old goat lady, a girl with a head shaped like a crescent moon, and a few that had more than even three eyes. Eda wasn't kidding when she said Boscha wouldn't stand out in this crowd. Her pink skin and extra eye were mundane in comparison to everyone else. A few more deliveries later, They made their next stop at a stand where something else grabbed Boscha's attention. She picked up a pair of sunglasses from the store's rack and was immediately excited.

"LUZ! LUZ! Look at this!"

Luz turned to see her sister wearing sunglasses with three lenses.

"I can't believe it!" She cried. "Sunglasses that cover all three of my eyes! I always dreamed that this day would come!"

Sad as she was, Luz wasn't going to rain on Boscha's parade, so she smiled the biggest smile she could produce. "Aw, that's great, Bosch!"

Of course, when you live with someone for most of their life, emotions are impossible to hide. "Wanna talk about that magic lesson?" Boscha asked.

"You mean how as a human, I'll never learn magic?" Luz moped.

"You don't know that! So you don't have some disgusting, gangrenous organ attached to your heart- still coming to terms with having one of those, by the way- there has to be more than one way to learn magic."

"How?"

"I dunno... maybe a bile sac transplant?"

"Pfft! That's crazy. We couldn't afford that. Besides, Eda said th-"

"Who, the career criminal? The woman who blackmailed us into infiltrating a prison? Who didn't even remember us this morning?" Boscha fumed as she fished out a large package from the sack. "I'm not saying she doesn't know her shit, but I doubt she has all the answers."

"Didn't she say yesterday that there's been no record of any human learning magic from here?" Luz wondered.

"So you'll be the first. Luz, you're the most creative and determined person I've ever met. If anybody can break new ground in this or any other place, it is you!"

Luz's lip quivered as she teared up. She ran up to Boscha and wrapped her in her strongest hug. "Gracias, hermana!"

"HEY!" The stand owner was fed up with the performance. "I ordered a package of newt eyes, not this sappy crap!"

Boscha angrily stared at the owner, then heaved the package at him, knocking him down. Not realizing she still had the sunglasses on, she departed with Luz and gave the owner a finger gun salute.

"Compliments of Eda the Owl Lady!"

That got a chuckle out of Luz as the two walked away. After a few deliveries, they were on the last one.

"Okay, let's see? Last one is someone named... Adegast." Boscha said.

"Sounds mysterious." Luz said.

The two walked through a curtain in a stone wall and saw a majestic castle, one that looked beautiful and not like anything else they've seen here so far.

"Woah." They said.

"This place is incredible!" Luz said, her joyous energy returning.

"Great, what shape is this place going to turn me into, a Pyramid?" Boscha asked, basically expecting to become something at this point.

The Nocedas entered the palace doors slowly, not knowing what to expect. Their time in the conformatorium hadn't exactly garnered their trust in these kinds of buildings, and the darkness within filled them with trepidation. However, when they walked inside, torches along the walls lit up to illuminate their surroundings. Walls that were lined all around the massive room with bookshelves. Everything from the furniture to the balusters looked so intricately beautiful.

"Now this is more like it!" Luz cheered as she spun in circles, taking in the splendor of the palace. "This is the kind of fantasy world I've always dreamed of!"

"Yeah..." Boscha was still on edge. "So much so, it's scary."

"Well met, young travelers!"

The two turned around to see someone entering from the foyer. He had the appearance of a grand wizard, long beard and all.

"A real live wizard." Luz squealed.

Boscha wasn't too sure. "Looks more like a cereal mascot to me."

Maybe it was the fact that she was born here that leads to her having this feeling that something was wrong, but Boscha did NOT trust this guy. That and she always had a hard time trusting a guy wearing sandals.

"I was expecting Eda the Owl Lady to deliver the potions today." The wizard said, "But instead, you two girls are... interesting. Might you two like to stay for a cup of tea?"

'Yeah, that doesn't scream Pedo.' Boscha thought, 'Yes strange old man, us underage girls will go into your house and drink tea.'

"You know, we really should get back to-" Boscha looked and saw that Luz was already following the wizard, "This is why mom bought child leashes!"

'Not that it was effective, I bit through it.' Boscha thought with a smirk.

"We would love to join you for tea?" Luz demurely proclaimed.

"Who's 'we?'" Boscha muttered, since when did Luz start speaking French?

Loathe as she was to blunder into some sketchy old man's home, she absolutely could not leave Luz alone with him. And so, she followed the two to the table set up for them, despite being on the verge of hyperventilating. As Luz and the wizard sat down for tea, Boscha stood next to her sister's chair, ready for anything. Luz, meanwhile, noticed a cart of potions behind the wizard's seat.

"Do you sell potions as well, Sir Wizard?"

"Please, call me Adegast." The wizard replied. "And yes, I run a small business. So, how be it that you came into Eda's employ?"

"Well, we're kinda, sorta, her apprentices."

"Oh! And how are you finding the experience so far?"

"You're asking some awfully personal questions there, Ass-gas!" Boscha scowled.

"Boscha, hush!" Luz scolded. "He's just making small talk."

"Well he'd better keep it small, or I'll set fire to him and his casual drapery!" Boscha warned him as she spun her finger, ready to unleash some hellfire.

Luz tried to ease her down. "Wait, Boscha! There's a baby fox in his beard!"

Boscha looked at Adegast's beard and indeed saw a baby fox giggling and playing in his beard. Her affinity for baby canines forced her to relent. The wizard was spared her wrath... for now. Luz turned back to Adegast.

"Being Eda's apprentice is... not as fun as I hoped." Luz said, "I was hoping for more of a magical quest, not delivering boil cream."

Adegast stroked his beard for a bit while humming.

"I have a quest-"

"A Quest!?" Luz asked, excitedly.

"A question."

"Oh." Luz said, dejectedly.

"Would you like to go on a quest?" Adegast said.

"Yes!"

"NO!" Boscha said, grabbing Luz's wrist and pulling her to a corner and speaking in Spanish, "¡Luz, NO vas a ir a una búsqueda de un anciano al azar que acabamos de conocer! ¿Te acuerdas de esos anuncios de servicio público que nos mostraron en la escuela?"

(Translation: Luz, you're NOT going on a quest for a random old man we just met! Do you remember those PSAs we were shown at school?)

"Sí, Boscha, lo recuerdo. Pero este es el Reino de los Demonios." Luz replied. (Yes, Boscha, I remember. But this is the Demon Realm.)

"So?!"

"So things are different here. We can't rely on conventional thinking."

"Or rational thinking?"

"C'mon, no harm in hearing him out at least."

Boscha was rarely successful in talking Luz out of doing something reckless. Being able to get her to meet her halfway was nothing short of triumphant. So they chose to listen to the wizard, who pulled a scroll from his beard.

"The prophecy speaks of a young human girl who will claim the Celestial Staff and free this world from an ancient evil." Adegast eludicated as he unfurled the scroll, revealing a map. "Perhaps thou hath cometh here for a reason."

"Perhaps I hath." Luz marveled as she took the map.

Adegast walked the sisters to the doors. "Should you believe yourself worthy of this quest..."

"SO worthy." Luz beamed.

"...You need to know the road is dark and perilous." He continued.

Luz became even more excited. "Love peril. BIG fan of peril."

"No shit." Boscha murmured.

"And only the Chosen One can pull the staff from its post" He concluded.

"Hang on!" Boscha shouted as she took Luz by the arm. "My common sense is tingling! Anyway, we're still on the clock, so we gotta go."

"And pack for this enchanted quest! I'm in!" Luz cheered.

"WHAT THE F-?!"

"Wonderful." Adegast grinned.

Once outside the palace, Luz looked over her new map. Boscha was still processing the absolute lunacy she had just witnessed. She had to confront her sister about this, no matter what may come of it.

"What the shit, Luz?! Why would you possibly agree to this nonsense? This is basically taking candy from strangers!"

"Why not?" Luz retorted. "Don't you think I can pull this quest off?"

"I don't think you can't, I think you shouldn't!"

"I thought you believed in me."

"Of course I do! It's Dumble-dork back there I don't believe in. Would you at least run this by Eda to see if it's legit?"

"Who? "The career criminal"?"

"Exactly! It takes one to know one."

Luz started to feel a bit upset with Boscha.

'She doesn't believe in me... I bet she's jealous.' Luz thought, 'She probably thinks I'll be a better witch than her when I get that staff.'

Boscha grabbed Luz by the wrist and began pulling her all the way back to the Owl House. The first second they entered, Boscha was hit with a spell.

"Bullseye!" Eda said, "I've been waiting for you guys to get back just so I could hit her with that spell."

The ball glared at Eda, really getting sick of this damn spell. Not to mention that she REALLY needed Eda's help right now in convincing Luz to NOT do this stupid quest! Eda walked over and picked up Ballscha.

"So, how'd the delivery go?" Eda asked Luz.

"You mean my "Epic Quest of Conveyance?"" Luz bitterly replied.

"Oh, you remembered that." Eda felt a sliver of guilt, but didn't pay it any mind. "So, how'd your epic quest go?"

"I'll have you know, we met a nice old wizard. One who believed in my potential." Luz gloated while waving her map in front of her would-be mentor.

King walked up to the three. "Ugh, what's this about a wizard?"

"What is everybody's problem with wizards?!" Luz inquired.

"Wizards are the WORST." Eda scoffed. " Never trust a man in casual drapery! And why would you be shooting the shit with one of those windbags, anyway?"

"He was one your customers." Luz told her. "He entrusted me with this sacred map, for I happen to be the chosen one."

"PFFFFT! You?! A chosen one?" Eda and King doubled over with laughter.

Boscha noticed Luz shrink from embarrassment, much like she did before they left. She struggled with all her might and managed to free her left arm. She then pinched the skin over Eda's hip as hard as she could. With a cry of pain, Eda dropped her. Fortunately, Boscha returned to normal. Unfortunately, it happened prior to hitting the floor.

"OW, FUCK!"

"Serves you right." Eda winced in pain from where she was pinched. "And don't tell me you believed in that whole 'chosen one' crock, too."

"No. She doubts me as much as you guys do." Luz grumbled.

"Oh, thank Titan." Eda wiped her brow. "Good to know there's a shred of common sense between the two of you."

Luz looked down, very upset.

'Why does no one believe in me?' She thought.

"Let me see that." Eda said, taking the map and looking at it, "You really believed in this? Kid, if there was a celestial staff, I would've stolen it ages ago."

Eda handed Luz the map again, and Luz just took it silently.

"Ah, don't worry kid, a few weeks here and you won't look like such a mark." Eda said, petting Luz's head.

Luz just silently walked upstairs, which made Boscha walk up to Eda and smack her so hard her head spun... literaly.

"Did you have to be so blunt!?" Boscha yelled.

Eda reached up and stopped her head.

"Firstly, ow. Secondly, what? Sometimes you need to be blunt in order to get your point across." Eda said.

Boscha glared at her and ran up to the closet. She knocked on the door.

"Luz? You in there?" She didn't get an answer and decided to open the door, "Look, I don't like that Eda was hard on you, but she-"

The window was opened and Luz's bag was gone.

"¡Mierda!" Boscha said, before running downstairs, "¡Owl Hag, tenemos un problema!"

"Still don't speak whatever it is your saying." Eda said.

"Luz is gone!" Boscha yelled.

Eda just facepalmed. "Dammit, Triclops, what did you do?"

"WH-!" Add that to the large pile of anger Boscha had to suppress today.

"You don't think she actually went on that quest, do you?" King wondered.

"Of course she did." Eda and Boscha replied in unison, a fact that repulsed them both.

Boscha hurried out the back door, hoping to catch a glimpse of her sister, but found nothing. She ran around the house, but there was still no sign of Luz. Turning to the front door, she had a horrible, ghastly thought. As much as she wanted to purge it from her mind, she couldn't escape the grim reality.

She'd have to ask Hooty.

"Yo, Noodle Bird! You see where Luz went?"

Hooty seemed indifferent to the situation as he replied. "If it's your sister that you seek, solve my riddle within the week. What-BWAAAKKK!"

Boscha was having none of that, especially not today. So she grabbed Hooty by the scruff of what could loosely be described as his neck and looked him dead in the eye. "Here's a riddle: What's long, annoying and red all over if he doesn't tell me which way Luz went?!"

"MA'AM! OUTSKIRTS OF BONESBOROUGH! MA'AM!"

"Thank you." She calmly released Hooty just as Eda flung the door open, squishing him against the wall.

"Jeez, kid, don't you think you're overreacting?" Eda asked her.

"Seeing how I'm the only one here who gives a shit about her, I'd better be!" Boscha snapped back.

"Hey, I care about all my minions!" King retorted. "Anyway, without a staff, you're not gonna catch up with her."

Boscha limbered up and assumed a starting stance. "With those scrawny nerd legs of hers? Not on your life!"

A second after she took off, she was already vanishing into the horizon.

"Dang, she's something." Eda marveled. "She could probably do good in Grudgby, and not just as the ball."

"How does she keep breaking out of that ball spell, anyway?" King wondered.

"Well, it depends on the potency of one's magic combined with sheer will, so it varies from witch to witch." Eda replied. "Good thing she's got me to train her, or her magic could very well burn down the Isles. Anyway, we'd better find this wizard. I don't like this itch he's scratching in the human."

With that, she and King flew off on her staff.

---

Luz stood at the Bonesborough city limits, clutching her inexplicably glowing map. "My first mythical quest." She mused to herself. "I just wish I had people back home who were cheering me on. Not even my own sister would-"

"LUUUUUUUUUUZZZZZ!"

Boscha sprinted towards Luz at the apparent speed of light. As soon as she caught up, she was wide-eyed and breathing heavily.

"Boscha?"

"¡¿QUÉ CARAJO?!" She yelled at Luz. "What were you thinking running off like that?! I know Eda was too blunt, but-!"

"Both of you were." Luz cut her off. "You both shot down my dream of going on a quest, and you were both equally vulgar about it."

"What the shitfuck are y-?!" Boscha stopped herself before she went full rage mode. "Luz, it's... I really want you to fulfill your dream, but this isn't the way to do it."

"How would you know?"

"I don't! It's just... maybe it's some witchy-sense or whatever, but I am getting some bad vibes from that wizard. HOPKINS vibes. I.. I don't want the same thing to happen to you."

"Boscha, you don't have to be so worried, I armed myself." Luz reached into her backpack and held aloft her toy sword, which lit up and spoke.

"I SHALL SMITE MY ENEMIES! Ages six to eleven."

"I thought those were recalled due to all those kids getting lacerated." Boscha pontificated. "But still, even if that scroll is legit, it'll take more than defective merchandise and youthful optimism to go meandering in the wilderness, especially in a realm where "civilization" tries to literally eat us alive."

"I wish I could show you..." Luz unfurled the scroll. "...but a message appeared to me when I looked at the scroll in my room that none of you could see."

"What, those glowy letters that say "The chosen one, the path will only appear to the worthy"?"

Luz had to take a second look at the scroll. "You can see it too? Then, that means... that means..."

"Luz, I'm sorry you had to find out th-"

"YOU'RE WORTHY, TOO!" She wrapped Boscha up in her tightest hug. "You were meant to go on this quest with me. With you by my side, that Celestial Staff is as good as got!"

Boscha still had her doubts, despite seeing this secret message. But if she can keep two or more eyes out for her sister, then maybe the day won't be a total disaster.

"Ah hell, what are plucky sidekicks for?"

And that is the only time Boscha ever will call herself a "plucky sidekick". Luz grabbed Boscha's hand and happily walked towards the woods.

'Dad, I know I promised to protect her, but some days I would like to knock some sense into her.' Boscha thought.

As they walked for a while, they came upon a pristine village, something that stood out from the dark and twisted world they were currently in. Luz was amazed, while Boscha knew something was up, but since she doesn't know much about magic, she had no idea what to do.

"Boscha, this is amazing!" Luz squealed in joy.

"Yeah... totally." Boscha said.

'God damn, I'd honestly rather be a ball right now.'

As if the world was listening, a random spell missed its target and hit Boscha and she was turned into a ball.

'For fucks sake!' Boscha thought, 'Should I just change my name to Ballscha at this point?!'

"Wow, Eda's not even here." Luz said, picking up Boscha and carrying her under her arm, "But, no time to dwell on that, we have some work to do."

Suddenly, a mysterious figure rose from the fountain. It was some muscular man, something that most teenage girls would love to see... but Boscha didn't care that much.

'Is that supposed to trick us, because I've never found any attraction to men... wait.'

As Boscha was in thought, Luz was listening to him speak with interest.

"I see. So you're the Chosen One." The mystery man scoffed. "The Celestial Staff should've picked me, Nevareth Bladestrife, Teen Prince of Angstmore."

Luz could only blush and stare for a minute before she replied. "H-h-hi, Luz Noceda... is me... who I am... This is Boscha! My sister!"

"A ball for a sister." Nevareth suddenly looked morose. "Such a tragic backstory. Perhaps we are kindred spirits after all."

"Totally perhaps!" Luz nodded.

Despite her current state, Boscha managed to audibly groan.

---

"Their scent leads here."

King and Eda arrived at the castle that Luz and Boscha visited earlier in the day. But the witch and demon found no glistening palace. Rather, they saw a crumbling, dilapidated ruin. The derelict castle looked as though it hadn't been tended to in decades. The eerie howl of the wind throughout the grounds was broken when a part of the castle wall fell, nearly hitting Eda and King.

"Ugh. Figures a wizard would hang their pointy hat in a shit hole like this." Eda derided. "All that's missing is a sign that says 'free candy'."

"WHERE? WHERE IS THIS CANDY?!" King frantically looked around the area.

"Crony, hush!"

Eda walked into the palace, only to find that it was as run down on the inside as it was outside. She saw tattered scrolls littering the floor.

"I don't like this."

She picked up a few of the scrolls. As they came into the light, the message that Luz and Boscha saw illuminated on every single one of them.

"I really don't like this."

---

Deep in the forests outside Bonesborough, Luz, Boscha, Nevareth and a bizarre creature that looked like an onion with bat wings made their way to an unassuming bridge.

"Nevareth, your vengeful backstory is so compelling." Luz was indulging in his melodrama. "And I'm lovin' your animal sidekick."

"After my village was consumed, my heart has known nothing but vengeance." He prattled on.

"Nevareth..." Luz swooned.

'Oh my GOD.' Boscha thought. 'I have no mouth, and I must vomit.'

The Angstmore prince assumed a dramatic pose. "Lady Luz, do you think love can bloom on the battlefield?"

"Ooh-hoo-hoo!" Luz hugged her sister as she turned away blushing. "This quest is questing in all the right ways."

Boscha could only scream internally as the group began to cross the bridge.

"HUM-DI-DIDDLE!"

"GAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"

A strange, feline creature had hopped on the bridge, and without thinking, Luz hurled the ball at his head... the ball which happened to be her sister... that ricocheted off the creature's head and into the river (Which was conveniently not boiling).

"Oh no! BOSCHA!"

Boscha finally managed to break free and swim back to the bridge.

'Next time... I'm tying her to the couch.' Boscha said, as she shivered from the cold water.

"I h-h-hate this q-q-quest." Boscha said, spitting water out of her mouth.

"Boscha, you're back to normal!" Luz said, hugging her sister.

"Yeah, I could've returned to normal at anytime, but I wasn't walking and listening to Nevanerd's backstory at the same time."

"Wait, so you stayed that way just so you couldn't walk!?" Luz said.

"Luz... I may be an athlete... but I'm also fucking lazy." Boscha said, tapping Luz's nose with her finger, "Hell, I wouldn't be walking still... if you didn't throw me at someone!"

"C'mon, girl, where's your sense of adventure?"

"I think it drowned in the river." Boscha shivered.

"The ball curse has been lifted!" Nevareth cheered. "Let's hear it for the Chosen One!"

"Can I light him on fire to keep warm?" Boscha asked her sister.

"NO!" Luz was quite adamant that no harm must befall those flawless pecs. "You will not be setting anyone on fire for the duration of our adventure."

"Uuuuhhmmmmm... Hum-di-diddle?"

Everybody turned to look at the small feline who apparently recovered nicely from being brained by a Boscha Ball.

"Oh, yeah, I'm sorry about hitting you." Luz acknowledged her mistake. "Did you have something you wanted to tell us?"

The cat-thing perked right back up. "HUM-DI-DIDDLE! To cross this bridge, you must first solve my riddle!"

"Hit me, little furry man!"

"Your quest shall fail if you don't win this game! So tell me, my dear, what is my name?"

Luz peered at the creature studiously looking for any hints that could hel- Oh, there was a nametag on him.

"Uhhh, 'Chris'?"

"That's it!" Chris exclaimed.

"That's it?!" Boscha snapped. "What kind of babytown riddle is that? It wasn't even a riddle. It was barely a question."

Luz stared daggers at her sister. "Boscha, could you just not?"

"What? I'm just saying this hasn't been challenging enough for us. How about we try this again, but with an actual riddle, like... Oh yeah! Heh. Try this one, Chris: What's green and red and goes about a hundred miles an hour?"

"BOSCHA!" Luz seemed to have had enough. "That is not quest-appropriate material!"

"Ahem." Chris butted in. "You may cross the bridge. And please take this, Chosen One. It shall help you on your journey." He handed Luz a lavish ring, which she eagerly put on. She totally felt like an RPG character that had leveled up.

"Do you need a cape?" Nevareth asked.

"I think I'm good." She answered.

Boscha suddenly sneezed. "I mean, if your offering, I could use a-"

"You can use my shirt!" Nevareth ignored Boscha's request as he tore of his shirt off and tied it like a cape over Luz's shoulders.

"Yes, I need a cape!" She giggled.

"I need this like I need pneumonia." Boscha sneezed again

---

"Oh no." Eda said, seeing the run down village that looked pristine when the kids came by, "Are you sure they came this way?"

"I can't mistake their scents, one is like lemons and young naïve confidence, the other is sweat, ash, and a hint of rubber."

Eda snorted for a second, further proving that Boscha is meant to be a ball, she already smells like rubber. She regained her composure and grabbed one of the cat creatures, that looked like it was dead.

"What have you done with Luz and the angry one?" Eda demanded, "What's your endgame!?"

"To find your pupils and still your wrath, look ahead and follow the path." The cat creature said.

Eda glared and performed the ball spell on it, making it into the size of a soccer ball. She put it on the ground and took a couple steps back, before running and giving the cat ball a good kick, sending it flying into one of the dilapidated buildings, making it collapse. Eda growled and summoned her staff.

"King, hurry up and get on, unless you want to get hit with that spell." Eda said, clearly in no mood to argue.

King's been turned into a baseball once, he doesn't want that to happen again, so he jumped on the staff and him and Eda took off.

---

In the woods, Boscha was still shivering, while Luz was talking to a fairy.

'I'm learning a transformation spell and the very first thing I'm doing with it is turning her into trash can, or a lamp, or something!'

"Thank you for inviting us to your feast, princess." Luz said, "All your food was tiny and cute."

The fairy summoned two bracelets and handed them to Luz.

"For you chosen one!"

Boscha groaned, it was so painfully, PAINFULLY, obvious that this was fake. She doesn't know what this would be for, but she has a feeling her and Luz will either be skinned and made into leather shoes, put over a spit roast and eaten, or just straight up get murdered.

'Yep, just a quick knife to the stomach, no burning and eating, no painful removing of the skin.' Boscha thought, 'Just a quick stab and death.'

Boscha was taken out of her thoughts when she noticed that Luz was walking by herself around the corner.

"Luz, wait." Boscha said, rushing over to her and away from the eyes and ears of the group, "Luz, don't you think that everything happening is a little TOO convenient?"

"What do you mean?" Luz asked.

"Oh god you're too innocent." Boscha said with a groan, "Everything that comes out of a child's fairy tail adventure has happened. The fancy jewels, the baby riddles, that god damn boy toy! This is clearly a trap!"

"Oh, I see." Luz said.

"Yeah, it's-"

Luz shoved Boscha away.

"Why can't you just be happy for me!?" Luz said, fed up with Boscha trying to ruin her big day, "I'm always on the sidelines when it comes to you! I am always happy and supportive! You're Boscha, the Basketball captain that let the school win state, the girl that is friends with so many people, everything is easy for you! I'm just there at the sidelines, cheering you on, every game, every outing, I'm always there, happy for you... so why can't you be happy for me!?"

Boscha looked at her sister in shock... she had no idea that Luz felt this way.

"Luz, I-"

"I liked you better as a ball... you were a lot quieter." Luz said, before storming off to the area the staff is.

"Luz, wait-"

Boscha felt something wrap around her mouth and pull her back. As that happened, Luz was walking towards the staff.

"Stupid Boscha... she's just jealous that I'll be a better witch than her." Luz said, "Seriously, it's always Boscha, Boscha, Boscha! Well this time, it's gonna be my turn!"

Luz marched up to a shimmering, beautiful lake, accented by lush, green trees. It was unlike anything she encountered thus far in the Demon Realm. In the center of the lake was a platform, and on that platform stood a staff with a blue jewel atop it. There was no mistaking it as far as Luz was concerned. She had found the Celestial Staff. A stone pathway emerged from the lake that led to it. Luz trepidatiously followed the path and stood before the staff.

"This is it. Moment of truth."

Luz slowly reached for the staff. Once she took hold, the artifact shone a bright blue, causing the lake to ripple. She then held the Celestial Staff over her head in triumph.

"YES! I am the chosen one! I knew it! In your face, Boscha! Nobody's gonna doubt me again when I show up with THIS!"

Suddenly, the glowing stopped. The staff dissolved into dust, scattering in the wind. Luz feverishly grasped at the dust as the lake dried up. The trees withered away, revealing a dark landscape that rivaled anything she saw in the Boiling Isles thus far.

"No! Wha- What's happening?"

---

"Goddamn puppeteers. Why can't this one stick to swindling rich kids in St. Epiderm like the others?"

Eda and King were flying as fast as possible through the trail the Nocedas took.

"What are these puppeteers again?" King inquired.

"Demons that spawn decoys that can look like anyone. Their thing is scamming and manipulating people. He's using Boscha and Luz to try and get to me."

"And we're flying right into his trap. Hooray."

"Well, I'll be damned if I'm gonna give up on those girls and anger that hot mom of theirs!"

"Weh?"

"Full speed ahead, Owlbert!"

---

"Guys? Where'd you all go?"

Luz withdrew in terror as a strange mist blanketed the area. This feeling was all too familiar to her. That sensation of waking up from a beautiful dream to another weekday morning in Gravesfield. The impending dread of having to face those cruel, condescending looks from students and teachers alike. Coming down from the exhilaration of a real-life quest gave these feelings far more weight. She noticed Adegast appearing before her.

"Luz the human..."

"Magical Wizard?"

"...your hubris has FAILED you, witch apprentice!"

Adegast cackled maniacally as his eyes dislodged from their sockets and dangled from his face. As he rose into the air, Luz noticed a tentacle stuck in his back. A giant, octopus-like demon emerged from the fog. More of his tentacles writhed into view. Each one had Nevareth, Chris, the fairy princess, the animal sidekick, and a few cat villagers attached to them. They all surrounded Luz, staring her down with the same dead, dangling eyes that the wizard sported.

"Okay, Luz, Don't panic." She told herself as she tried to steady her nerves. "This is classic Chosen One biz. You just have to rescue everybody and defeat the final boss."

"I AM everybody, you fool!" The demon bellowed. "Well, except for her."

Nevareth approached Luz, dropping her chain-bound sister in front of her.

"BOSCHA!" Luz cried out as she ran up to her. "Oh no! Are you okay?"

"Take a guess." Boscha deadpanned.

"Don't worry, Sis!" Luz drew her dangerous children's toy to do battle. "The Chosen One's on it!"

Adegast had had enough "Have you seriously not figured it out yet? I'm no wizard and you're no Chosen One! I. Tricked. You!"

At his command, the cape that Luz wore flew off her shoulders and turned into chains that had her trussed up as Boscha was. Her bracelets and rings transformed into shackles to secure her further.

"No!" Luz lamented. "Betrayed by my own cool accessories!"

Boscha rolled across the ground to face the puppeteer. "Hey, Squidbilly! What's your deal? What did we ever do to you?"

"Your mentor has been stealing customers from my potions business for years. She must be destroyed!" Adegast declared. "And you two have lured her into my trap, all because you wanted to believe you were special."

Luz merely scoffed. "Yeah, well the joke's on you, because Eda isn't dumb enough to fall for your trap!"

"ADEGAST!" The sisters groaned as they heard Eda shout.

The demon eagerly awaited her arrival as she flew in between him and the Nocedas. He had already entrapped her and her demon familiar with tentacles before they could even touch down. "I have you now, Owl Lady!"

"Our hero." Boscha wasn't exactly thrilled with her mentor's grand entrance.

"Yeah, okay, you got me." Eda remarked. "Now let these girls go!"

"I didn't have to be part of this!" Poor King cried.

Adegast chuckled. "Oh, they're free to leave... if they want to."

Two of the cat villagers drew closer to the sisters and spewed more of the mysterious fog in their faces. Boscha struggled to free herself and shield herself from all that dense mist. Suddenly, she was no longer bound by her chains. She rose quickly to her feet and tried to get her bearings, but there was only darkness as far as her eyes could see.

"What the shit is this?" She panicked. "HELLOOOOOOO! Luz?! King?! ... Eda? Is anyone here?"

"Oye, Princesa."

Boscha instantly went pale. There was no way that could be who she thought it was. Or could it? She has seen a few ghosts in the Demon Realm already. Is this really where people go when they die? But she was overthinking this. She was just hallucinating, obviously. Her dad couldn't be here and she knew it.

So why couldn't she stop crying?

"Pa... Papi?"

---

With Luz, she was surrounded by the "People" she was on the adventure with.

"Stay with us Luz, you won't be bullied here." Nevareth said.

"We'd love for you to stay here!" The Fairy Princess said.

---

"Hola, Boscha." Manny said, "It sure has been a while."

Boscha felt her breath hitch a bit and she took a small step, before falling into him and hugging him.

"¡Te extrañé tanto, Papi! Lamento no haber podido cumplir mi promesa, ¡he tratado de ser la mejor hermana mayor de todos los tiempos!"

"I know, but you're trying." Manny said, "That's why you're my favorite, Princesa."

Boscha stopped for a second and took a step back.

"W-w-what?"

---

"Stay Luz, you could be our chosen one."

"You're all so nice." Luz said, starting to fall for it.

"You can be whoever you want, you won't have to worry about your sister here."

They began closing in around Luz, as Luz closed her eyes.

---

"I said that's why you're my favorite, Boscha." Manny said, "You've always been so good to Luz, even when she didn't deserve it."

Boscha closed her eyes, just like Luz

...

...

...

"THIS ISN'T REAL!"

---

Luz and Boscha knocked back Adegast's minions, Boscha with her fists, and Luz with the toy sword. Both were crying and looked angry. Boscha clenched her fist.

"Don't you EVER use my dad to try and trick me again!" Boscha said, "YOU DON'T KNOW A DAMN THING ABOUT HIM!"

"Boscha is the greatest thing to ever happen to me, don't use a world without her as a way to make me fall for your tricks!" Luz said, holding the sword out, "I don't deserve someone as kind hearted and caring as her, so don't make her seem like the bad one!"

Adegast moved the minions over to them, but the sisters just gave a nod and ran at them. Luz swung the sword at Chris, while Boscha headed for Nevareth... she didn't care if she wasn't good at magic, she was going to torch this son of a bitch!

"I swear I'll never get the appeal of edgelord douchebros like you." Boscha exclaimed as she prepared a fire spell.

"Witch, you're just jealous of my swagger." Nevareth thought baiting her through taunting would work on her. Unfortunately for him, it did. He soon found himself on the receiving end of a rather sizeable fireball. Boscha took a minute to watch him burn, satisfied with her handiwork.

"I'm starting to think I have an unhealthy fixation with fire."

Luz, meanwhile, was making short work of the cat villagers with her dangerous toy sword. The wizard almost snuck up on her, but Boscha was quick to intercept him. While the wizard was busy being pummeled, the fairy princess rushed Luz, bearing a face that resembled that of the fairy she encountered yesterday. But for all the princess' ferocity, she, too was felled by the plastic blade of the human.

"You can eat all the tiny food you want... IN HECK!" Luz figured with a dry cool wit like that, she could be an action hero.

Adegast howled in pain as each of his puppets were destroyed. Eda and the Nocedas proved to be more than he bargained for. He had to think of a way out. Fortunately, the small, bone-plated demon was within tentacle's reach.

"Back off!" Adegast demanded as he held King in his grasp. "Or the dog gets it!"

"I am not a dog!" King protested.

Boscha marched up to him. "Let my puppers go, or calamari's gonna be on the menu tonight!"

"Uhhh... Arf! Arf!" King was suddenly less adamant in his protest.

Boscha's boisterous attitude was all the distraction Luz needed. With all her might, she flung the mighty children's toy which sliced through the tentacle holding King and embedded itself in Adegast's head. Boscha looked on in terror at the devastation the fake sword caused.

"Goddamn, how did toy stores even let that shit on the market in the first place?!" Boscha wondered as she spun a huge spell circle.

"WAIT?!" Adegast cried out.

"Ugh... what?"

"I just have to know one thing... what IS green and red and goes about a hundred miles an hour?"

"Oh." Boscha laughed at the thought of the answer. "A frog in a blender."

With the flourish of her hand, she brought forth an enormous fireball that incinerated the puppeteer. Soon, he was nothing but a small, shriveled, roasted squid.

"Well, that's the last time I get an outside referral." Eda griped as she picked up Adegast and ate him. "Ha...*snort*... 'frog in a blender'."

"Figures you'd like that." Luz reckoned. "Maybe you're her long lost mom."

"Yeah, right." Eda chortled. "I think I would have noticed if I had a kid. Right, Triclops?"

The young witch stood in silence.

"Boscha? Are you okay?" Luz fretted.

The young witch fell to the ground.

"BOSCHA?!"

---

"Is she gonna be okay?"

"Don't worry about it." Eda assured Luz.

Boscha was laid up on the couch in the Owl House, pale and shivering. Luz had her bundled in both of their sleeping bags and a cup of tea at the ready. Eda was casting some sort of spell that Luz couldn't figure out. All she knew was that the energy was deep blue and that it soothed her sister somehow.

"Now will you tell me what happened to her?" She asked the Owl Lady.

"Well, you remember what I told you about a witch's bile sac?"

"Uh-huh."

"And as I explained earlier, the bigger the spell circle, the bigger the spell. When your sister kept casting those huge fire spells, she drained most of the magic bile in her system practically at once. The shock of it all just knocked her on her ass. All she needs is to sleep it off like a bad hangover. Come to think of it, I have a cure for that! BRB!"

As Eda left the room, Luz and King sat on the floor next to Boscha. The human watched her sister in the hopes that she'll come to.

"I can't believe I said all those things to her, King. I never wanted to make her feel bad. It's just... When we were growing up together, she was always so good at stuff, she was popular and a sports superstar. I'm happy for her, but I still wanted so badly to have my own thing I excelled at. It's been my lifelong dream to be a witch like Azura, and that quest sounded like the way to do it. Boscha was able to see through that, though. I guess she knew I wouldn't be witch enough to handle this place."

"Huh? What are you talking about?" King blurted. "I thought she only agreed to be here because of you."

"What are YOU talking about? We're helping her understand her magic and find her parents."

"Oh, yeah, she doesn't care about any of that."

"She WHAT?! Then why-?"

"Before you guys left this morning, she told us that the only reason she stuck around was so your mom would let you stay and be a witch. And she did it with swears." King giggled.

"Shit, you're such a narc."

Luz and King recoiled in shock when they heard Boscha speak. She wasn't wide awake, but alert enough to join in on the conversation.

"Boscha?" Luz fretted. "You really stayed just for me? But why?"

"So Mom didn't turn you down, for one." Boscha clarified. "And the more I see you gawking at things here and talking with Eda and this little floof..." She continued as she patted King on the head. "...the more I think you could belong here. I truly believe you could become a witch."

"Except I fell for Adegast's trap. You tried to warn me, but I didn't listen because... because I wasn't... I didn't want to..."

"You wanted it to be true so badly?"

"Yeah! How'd you know?"

"I had the same feeling when I learned we were in the Demon Realm. As much as it felt like I came from this place, I wanted to believe I was human. I was afraid I wouldn't feel as close to you and Mom if I was a witch."

"We're really a pair, huh?" Luz laughed. "A human and a witch, each wanting to be the other."

"But you CAN be a witch." Boscha insisted. "Just not by way of some creepy demon-wizard thing and his dumb quest. I know you'll get there on your own terms, so I'm not gonna suffer some slimy jerk giving you the runaround."

"Awwwww." Luz sidled up next to her sister. "You really are my plucky sidekick."

Boscha groaned. "You are so lucky I don't have the strength to grind my knuckles into your scalp."

"You gotta pick your battles."

As the two laughed, Eda watched from the doorway in the back of the living room. The sisterly bonding on display in her home threatened to dig up some old feelings in her she buried long ago. Was it really a good idea to take these two in? Was it worth it even for the sake of getting on the good side of their enticing mother?

Only time would tell.

Chapter 15: An Eventful Day

Chapter by Mr_Hardcor3

Boscha had set up a hoop outside and was practicing her basketball skill, she'll be damned if she lets herself get rusty over the summer.

"Alright, Luz, ready to help?" Boscha asked, picking up a ball that looked very familiar.

'Ready, Boscha!' Luz thought.

What had happened, was Eda tried hitting Boscha with the spell, but Luz had been walking and got hit by accident, and that's when Boscha had an idea, and here we are. Boscha began dribbling Luz and ran to the hoop. She jumped up and slammed Luz into the hoop. She then picked up Luz and began to throw her from several different spots. After a good 20 minutes, Boscha held Luz against her side and drank from her water bottle.

"Phew, thanks for the help, Luz." Boscha said, "Now just to find Eda and fix you."

Right as she said that, Eda kicked the door open, all excited.

"Ooo, today is a great day!" Eda said, grabbing Boscha and putting her on the staff, "King, hurry up!"

"I'm coming." King said, running as fast as his little legs could carry.

'Aw!' Luz thought.

"AW!" Boscha said.

Eda took off and flew as fast as possible to the beach. They landed and Boscha got off.

"So, why are we here?" Boscha asked, spinning Luz on her finger.

"Because of this!" Eda said, motioning to the item they had come here for.

Boscha stopped spinning Luz, and pointed her towards the thing they were looking at. Both sisters were looking at it in shock.

"Eda this is a rotting fucking corpse!" Boscha said.

"I know!" Eda said, happily, "This is a trash slug, it lives it's life eating all the junk that people throw out, until BAM... it get hit by a wave and dies from the salt!"

"Yeah, cool... can you turn Luz back to normal now?"

Boscha held Luz up, and quickly pulled her away, as Eda threw a pickaxe at Boscha.

"Watch it, don't need you popping my sister!" Boscha said.

Eda rolled her eyes and turned Luz back to normal.

"There, now come help." Eda said.

"Uh, I'd rather not." Luz said, "While I don't have any problem being a ball, I am not crawling inside a monster's stomach."

"Yeah, we're going to go do something else." Boscha said, starting to walk away, before tripping over big pile of garbage, "Ow."

"Hey, here's an idea, why don't you teach us some witchy stuff?" Luz suggested.

"Like how to not fall for a scam?" Eda asked, making Luz look down in shame, "Hey, listen Kid."

Eda got on her knee and held Luz's shoulders.

"I know, you wanted some kind of cool quest, to prove yourself, but the truth is... everyone wants to believe they're a chosen one, but if everyone waited for a prophecy to come for them, we'd all die waiting... that's why you need to pick yourself." Eda said, "Come on, let me teach you something important."

Eda brought Luz over to the pile Boscha tripped over

"Reach in and pick something at random." Eda said, "A true witch is resourceful, able to use what they find to help them."

Luz raised an eyebrow and reached in, pulling out some strange spike ball thing. Luz didn't know how'd she use it, but... she trusted Eda... against her better judgement.

"Uh, thanks?" Luz said, "Come on, Boscha, let's go."

"No... the sand gods have taken me." Boscha said, still laying face first in the sand.

Luz grabbed Boscha's arm and began pulling her away, struggling a bit... nerd arms, remember? Eda watched them leave before going back to the trash slug.

"I have to say, that was some pretty solid advice." King said, laying on a towel, tanning, "I didn't think you had it in you."

"Hey, I can actually be a good teacher when I want." Eda said.

---

Boscha had finally stood up and was walking next to Luz.

"Hey, think I picked up some things when you were tossing me around?" Luz asked.

"You... like being a ball a little TOO much." Boscha said, "... No, you still have the coordination of a newborn deer."

Luz playfully shoved Boscha.

"Do not!"

Boscha just chuckled and pulled Luz into a noogie.

"Boscha stop!" Luz said, hating it when she does this.

The two suddenly heard laughter and stopped. They went to investigate, and saw two girls, roughly their age, talking. One was thin, pale-skinned witch, with bright golden eyes and pointed ears. Her hair is chin-length, with a ponytail pulling the front hair out of her face, and a mostly covered undercut visible at the temples. Her hair is also a two-toned, dyed aquamarine-green with brown hair visible at the roots. She wore a uniform with pink sleeves and pants. The other was a shorter-than-average, plus-sized, stocky fair-skinned girl who had pointed ears, olive-green eyes and short, neat navy-blue hair with a few loose strands. Her uniform matched the other girls, and she wore glasses. The shorter girl looked around before making a spell circle and making a flower crown for the other girl. The taller girl took it and put it on her head with a smile.

"Aw, sweet little witch kids." Luz whispered as she and her sister watched the interaction from behind a nearby bush.

"I know." Boscha quietly replied. "Any more of this, and I might go into diabetic shock."

"I wonder what kind of magic that pretty green-haired witch can do."

"'Pretty', you say?" Boscha teased.

"What? You don't think so?"

"She's okay. The one with the glasses is super-cute, though."

Suddenly, more voices could be heard in the distance. The green-haired witch immediately tossed the flower crown, which happened to land in front of the bush that the Nocedas were using for cover. The witch with glasses ran to a giant pot behind her and knocked it over, spilling some purple slime on the ground. Just then, more witches their age walked by, wearing the same kind of outfits, but with different colored sleeves and leggings. They looked with interest at the mess the other two had made. The green-haired witch assumed a more posh stance.

"Ohhhh, poor Willow. You don't HAVE anything to show, DO you? You KNOW that THIS is why people call you... "Half-A-Witch Willow.""

"Yeah, suck it, Half-A-Witch!" One of the other kids shouted.

"NOOOOO! AMITY, WHYYYYYY!" Willow fell to her knees, pretending to cry.

Luz and Boscha watched in stunned silence from their hiding spot. They looked at each other, each not knowing what to say. The other giant urn behind Amity started to shake. The sisters both decided to save their commentary for later.

"Oh MY..." Amity mugged. "It SOUNDS like SOMEONE wants to SAY something. Abomination, RISE."

The lid slid off of the urn, and a strange, large globule of purple slime emerged. As it touched down on the ground, it assumed a more humanoid form. It stumbled towards Willow and drew a small star on her forehead with its finger.

"Uuuuurrrggh" The abomination struggled to speak. "You'rrrrre... aaaaa... staaaarrrr..."

"Aw, it is just like MINE..." Amity showed off her shiny, star-shaped badge. "...only SMALLER and MEANINGless."

"OOOHHHH, I'M SO EMBARRASSED!" Willow wept.

"Abomination, COWER." At Amity's command, the creature slinked back into its chamber.

"EEEEUUGGHHHOOHOOOO!"

The other kids appeared to have had their fill of the incessant crying and walked away.

"DON'T give UP, though. With ENOUGH practice, even YOU could get your own BADGE. So I'll...see you...at... Okay, they're gone." Amity sighed.

"Aaaaaand SCENE." Willow giggled as she hopped back to her feet.

"I'm so sorry for that, Willow."

"And for the millionth time, I understand, Amity."

"Oh, about your... abomination..." The green-haired witch pointed to the purple puddle at Willow's feet. "...did you want some help with that?"

"Nah. Last week was too close a call. I don't want to get you busted for helping me cheat again. Speaking of, is your wrist-?"

"It's almost healed." Amity covered said bandage covered wrist with her other hand. "Don't worry about me, It wasn't exactly my first Blight Industries showcase."

Boscha kept watching. "You have any idea what all this is about, Luz... Luz?"

She noticed her sister reaching through the bush.

"Luz, what the shit are you doing?" Boscha whispered through gritted teeth."

"Imma get me that crown." Luz replied. "I wanna see if it has any magic powers I can-WWWAAAAAUUUUGH!"

"LUZ?!" Boscha freaked out when her sister appeared to have been dragged through the bush.

But before she could do anything about it, a purple tendril had already ensnared her. She was pulled up to Amity and Willow and suspended in midair next to Luz, who was likewise hanging from a thorny vine.

"Hi!" Luz did her level best to extend an olive branch. "I'm L-"

"HOW MUCH DID YOU SEE?!" Amity didn't quite accept that branch.

"Huh?"

"Why the hell were you two spying on us?!" Amity continued. "Did Mom send you?!"

"No!" Luz panicked. "We don't even know you guys."

"Exactly the kind of thing a spy would say." Willow contended as she stared the Nocedas down. "Now, I believe my friend asked you a question. How much did you see?"

"Enough to know you two need acting lessons." Boscha's snark earned her a slam into the ground, courtesy of Amity.

"BOSCHA!" Luz cried out. "Are you okay?!"

"Uuuuuugggghhhh..." The one time Boscha actually wished she WERE a ball.

"They look about our age, but if they were going to sneak into Hexside to monitor us, they'd have to have the uniforms." Amity pondered as she examined the Nocedas. "What do you think, Willow?"

"They might be from another school, but I can't quite place the clothes." Willow remarked. "Too shabby for St. Epiderm."

"But not shabby enough for Glandus."

"WHAT?! I refuse to take fashion critique from a couple of ren faire rejects." And Boscha's attitude gained her another slam into the ground.

"HEY!" Luz yelled. "I know she can be a bit much, but quit bodyslamming my sister!"

"Sister?" The two witches were stunned.

Amity decided to go for an even closer look. She held Luz's face in her hand, carefully observing its features. From the soft cheeks to the cute little button nose to the slightly curled yet smooth hair to those deep, caramel-colored eyes that shimmered with light and wonder. So deep, in fact, that to stare into them too long would irrevocably trap her for all ete-

"AMITY!"

"Huh?! What... what happened?"

"You looked kinda hypnotized." Willow worried. "And why are you blushing?"

"HUH? I'm not! I mean... it's... it's a little muggy outside today. That's all." Amity took another look at her captive, who was also blushing. "See, she's feeling it!"

"Yeah, she is." Willow jested.

The green-haired witch tried to pay her no mind when she noticed something else about Luz. "Her ears! They're round! But that would mean... she's human?!"

"Oh, so the pink girl's family adopted a human." Willow marveled. "That's really progressive. I like it."

Luz had to chuckle at that remark. "Actually Boscha's adopted. We grew up together in the Human Realm. We're also keeping an eye out for her birth family. You... Amity was it? Maybe you're her sister. You two seem to share the same short fuse."

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!" Boscha and Amity simultaneously yelled.

Willow laughed as she set Luz free. "Well, that checks out. No way someone with her temper could work for Odalia, even if they wanted to."

Amity gawked at Boscha before letting her go. For a moment, there was a brief but jarring pang of recognition in the back of her mind.

"Yep... pretty sure my spine just shattered." Boscha said, groaning in pain, "Yeah, I think I'm going to head back to the Owl House."

"Wait!" Amity caught up with her. "I'm really sorry for attacking you earlier. It may not be much, but I can fix some of that damage."

With the spin of her finger, a deep blue spell circle washed over Boscha. Her pain wasn't completely gone, but was noticeably alleviated.

"Hey, that's the spell that Eda cast on you the other day when you blacked out." Luz noted as she turned to Amity. "That was so cool! Was that some kind of healing spell?!"

Amity nervously backed up. "It wasn't that cool. It's just a basic healing spell. My specialty is abomination magic."

"Yup! She's the top student in the abomination track at Hexside." Willow practically showed her off.

"'Student'?!" Luz shook with excitement. "As in 'school'? A MAGIC school? For witches?!"

Boscha rolled her eyes. "And here we go."

"I've wanted to go to a magic school since I was seven." Luz strode up to Amity with the widest grin and her vintage puppy-dog eyes. "Is there a way to get a day pass or something? Maybe an independent study?!"

"Easy there, uhhhh..." Willow managed to tear Luz away, much to Amity's solace. "Come to think of it, we never did get your names."

"Oh, right! I'm Luz. Luz Noceda. This is my sister, Boscha."

"S'up." Boscha groaned.

"Nice to meet you both. I'm Willow Park, and you of course know Amity." Willow gave a sly grin.

"Er, yes. I am Amity Blight." She extended her hand to the human. "It is nice to meet you."

Willow tried her best to not laugh at the awkward handshake. It seemed to last a while, but the sound of screaming in the distance caught everyone's attention.

"Oh no! That's the bell!" Amity panicked.

"THAT'S the bell?" Boscha sputtered.

The green-haired witch didn't bother to answer. She used her abomination magic to scoop up most of Willow's abomination and put it back in its urn. With another spell, she animated the carriage holding her abomination urn and hopped on it as it sped away. If the others weren't blinded by the cloud of dust that carriage left behind, they'd notice Amity giving a small wave.

"It was nice meeting you!" Luz called out to her.

"You'll have to excuse her." Willow told the Noceda sisters. "Amity's parents are really... strict about her attendance record, among other things. Anyway, I hope we can meet again under better circumstances. If you'll excuse me, I have an abomination test to fail."

"Wait!" Luz ran up to her. "I have an idea that could help us both out!"

Before Willow could ask what that was, Luz had already picked up handfuls of the remains of her abomination and slathered it all over herself. Boscha facepalmed at what she knew her sister was up to.

"Don't tell me YOU'RE going to pose as her abomination thing."

"She's WHAT?!" Willow was flummoxed at the notion.

"What?" Luz contested. "I saw Amity's creature. It's just chunks of stuff that talks weird. I'm chunks of stuff, AND I talk weird!"

Boscha shrugged. "Can't argue with that."

Willow couldn't help but laugh at their antics. Her mind was made up. "You know what? Let's do it! But are you sure you're okay with this, Boscha?"

"Not in the least." She was quick to reply. "But, Luz's fate was sealed when she learned about magic school. No matter what Mom, Eda or I say now, she'll find a way to get in, so might as well embrace the inevitable. It's a method I affectionately call "The Controlled Crash.""

"That's why you're my favorite sister." Luz had already hopped inside Willow's urn.

"In spite of the fierce competition." Boscha cracked.

Willow slipped the lid on her urn and started to push the carriage away. "I'll be sure to bring her back in one piece! See you after school!"

Boscha waved as the two took off.

"What could possibly go wrong?"

---

"Welcome to Hexside School for Magic and Demonics!"

Luz gazed in absolute wonder at the building in front of her. She would have sworn it was as if a palace and a library had a baby.

"This place is amaaaziiiing!" She shook in excitement to the point where she almost tipped over the urn she was hiding in. Good thing Willow was there to catch it.

"I didn't think you'd be this excited for school." The young witch remarked as they entered the building.

"Are you kidding?! I am so living the dream right now. My old school was super dull, and I wasn't really popular there, either."

"Now that I can understand." Willow's mood dropped slightly.

"Hey yeah, I was wondering why you and Amity were putting up that whole bullying act."

"Amity..." Willow's mood plummeted further. "...her mom doesn't approve of our friendship. Of me, specifically. She wanted Amity to have more "high-end" friends, but nobody in Hexside seemed to meet her standards. Except for Skara, of course, but everyone likes her. It's a miracle Odalia made an exception for the Grudgby team."

"That's awful! What makes her mom think she's such a big deal?"

"Probably the fact that she's rich and owns the most successful company in the Boiling Isles."

"Wow. That is a pretty big deal."

"Yup. So we try to continue our friendship in secret, using the bullying ruse as a cover in case we're ever seen together. The only other person who knows about us is-"

"WILLOW!" A younger witch with a light blue variation of the school uniform ran up to her holding up a decades-old magazine that apparently came from the Human Realm. "Did you know that humans nail barbed wire to their kids' teeth? But why? Maybe to make them magnetic."

"Actually, it's for storing treats."

The small witch looked confused as he looked around for the mysterious voice. Willow decided that holding out on him any longer was a fool's errand. "Okay, Augustus, I'm going to tell you something, but you need to be cool."

"I can be spool... er, cool" He stammered.

"Okay... Abomination, rise!"

By Willow's command, Luz emerged from the urn.

"TA-DA! I'm an abomination!"

Willow just shook her head. "And your sister thinks I need acting lessons."

Augustus was awestruck at what had just unfolded before him. He absent-mindedly played with his ears while looking at Luz's. "No... no, it can't be!"

"He's the president of the Human Appreciation Society." Willow explained to her new friend. "Most witches wouldn't be able to recognize a human right away. But Augustus is an expert."

'I'd say Boscha is more of an expert on Humans to be honest, but it's nice to have fans here.' Luz thought.

"Where are your gills?" He asked, putting his expertise on display.

"I knew an Augustus back in the Human Realm. We called him Gus." Luz responded.

"Gus? Nickname? Human nickname? Gus? Call me it. Wow. Gus! This is the best day of my life!" Gus' excitement was cut short with another scream of the bell. "Shoot, gotta get to Spelling class. See you-."

"NOOOOOOO! WHYYYYYYY! SCHOOOOOLLLLL!"

Luz recognized that voice crying throughout the Isles. "Was that...? Nah, couldn't be."

---

"Amity, I cannot abide this tardiness."

"What are you talking about, Mom?" Amity whispered into a glowing pink jewel attached to her necklace. "I still made it to school on time. And who told you about this?"

"My usual source."

"Hermonculus..." Amity growled.

"Please don't make a scene, dear." Odalia communicated. "And I've told you before, "on time" is dangerously close to being late. Anything less than ten minutes early is unacceptable! You'd better be ready for your presentation."

"I'm sure your "source" will be happy to tell you all about it." Amity took off her necklace before her anger could get the better of her.

She stewed in her desk while the rest of the class joined her and took their own seats. Willow was seated in front of her, looking curiously anxious. What exactly did she have to be nervous about? Her dads were never ones to pressure her, even in spite of her poor grades. As Amity pondered the situation, the class was already underway. The abomination teacher wasn't shy about berating students when their attempts at creating their own golems didn't meet his lofty standards.

"Too many toenails in unexpected places! FAIL! Pathetic."

And he already failed poor Mary. She had been working so hard to improve her abomination recipe over the last few weeks and came so far in her technique. But in the end, it didn't even matter to Hermonculus. Even if her grades were consistently excellent, Amity could never stand her abomination teacher. Such a high and mighty attitude from such a little prick. It was especially disgusting how he treated Willow.

"The biggest abominations are all of you!" Hermonculus groused. "If the next abomination is a failure, everyone gets extra homework for a month!"

Amity immediately noticed that jerk giving Willow the side eye. She could already deduce that he would call on her friend, expecting her to fail and assign extra homework just to spite the class. But Amity would be damned if she would sit idle and let that happen.

"Excuse me, sir, but I am ready to present my abomination. Rise!" She effortlessly commanded the attention of the class with her own project.

Hermonculus merely laughed her off. "I've always saved the best for last, Amity. You'll have to wait your turn. How about... Willow!"

Amity was so livid, her face turned red. She had to catch herself before she passed out. The rest of the class weren't happy with the decision, either. But their ire was misdirected at Willow herself. What could Amity do to save her?

"Don't listen to them, Willow. We can do this."

"Huh?" Maybe it was the blood rushing to her brain, but Amity could have sworn she heard that human talking. But she wasn't around anywhere. She couldn't be. Not unless she was hiding in Willow's urn, but that would be plain stupid.

"Abomination, rise."

In Amity's confusion, she failed to notice that her friend was already on the teacher's platform. A fist punched the lid right off her pot, and out jumped Luz, covered in abomination sludge.

"TA-DA! Bleh."

The human's appearance caused Amity to seize up. There was no way those two could pull off such a blatant stunt, much less get a good grade out of it.

"Abomination, bow!"

"Blaaahhh!" Luz followed Willow's instruction in her own inimitable fashion. And to Amity's further surprise, everyone was applauding. This shit was actually working? Would Hermonculus fall for it as well

"Fascinating! But can it speak?"

Un-fucking-believable.

Luz looked a little confused before she thought of something. "Uh, I may be your abomination, but you're my a-mom-ination!"

Hermonculus was quite pleased. ""A-mom-ination!" Splendid wordplay. A-plus! In fact, I think we've found ourselves a new top student."

Were Amity not still frozen in shock, she would have tried to stop her teacher from taking her badge and giving it to Willow. How would she explain this to her mom?

---

Back at the beach, Eda had acquired a large knapsack full of eggs and tied it to her staff. "Damn, what a haul." She praised herself for her work. "That oviduct was loaded."

"Ah, lose apprentices, gain garbage eggs. Fair trade." King sniped from his beach blanket.

"I didn't lose shit!" Eda argued, at which point she noticed that Boscha had just come back. "See? I've still got one."

"Hey, guys." Boscha moaned.

"Huh?" Eda noticed that she looked somewhat ragged. "Hey, Triclops, you okay? You look like you went ten rounds with a slitherbeast."

"I have no idea what that is, but that somehow sounds appropriate. Luz and I saw some witches our age, and one of them kinda kicked my ass... when I wasn't looking."

"They'd have to be good to get one over on you and- wait, where's Luz?!"

"She's okay." Boscha smiled as she started to cry a little. "She actually... heh... she actually made friends with them. Luz made friends. I don't know if I should text Mom or let Luz do it."

"Wow. So she's hanging out with them now?"

"Yeah, they took her to their school."

"THEY DID WHAT?!"

"They took her to the school, why?" Boscha asked.

Eda tossed the bag to Boscha and took off towards the school. Boscha just looked at King.

"What did I miss?" Boscha asked.

"Something about her not liking school or something." King said, picking up an egg, "Eda collected a bunch of these... wonder if they'll hatch."

"Oh, I remember when Littles was an egg." Boscha said, getting nostalgic about her snake, "I wonder if they'll be as small as him and Snowflake."

"Let's find out!" King was about to give the egg a "bap" with his paw.

"AHHH! No!" Boscha swiped the egg from him, but its surface was slick with mucous. A fact Boscha learned too late as it slipped out of her own hands and shattered atop King's skull. Her heart stopped at that instant, but to her relief, the infant slug was unharmed.

"Omigosh, that was close." Boscha panted. "You okay there, little guy?"

"A little sticky, but I'm fine." King replied.

"Not you." Boscha took the young mollusk in her hands. "Poor thing doesn't have a mom. We gotta take care of him."

"I wonder if Eda will mind?"

"NOOOOOOO! WHYYYYYYY! SCHOOOOOLLLLL!"

Eda's cries rang throughout the Isles.

"Sounds like she found Luz." Boscha noticed, "Why don't we head back to the Owl House and find this little cutie something to eat. This will be so fun, it's like when Littles was a hatchling! So small and cute, and vulnerable... except now he doesn't have to worry about Snowflake trying to bite him."

"Yeah! We'll show Eda that we're better at teaching than her by raising this thing!" King said.

The two took the baby slug with them to the Owl House, where surely nothing could go wrong.

---

At the school, Willow was wheeling Luz to the lunch room, when Amity stopped her.

"Willow, do you have any idea how risky this was?" Amity whispered, "You realize what will happen if you get caught?"

"I know, but hey, I was able to get a good grade." Willow whispered.

"And you took the top student badge. What are you going to do tomorrow? Bring her in again?" Amity whispered, "Look, you know I don't care about some dumb badge, but I don't want you to get in trouble."

"I appreciate that, Amity, but I- Someone's coming!" Willow whispered.

Amity got her gay-I mean- mean face on.

"You better watch it half-a-witch, because I'm watching you." Amity said, walking backwards and knocking a couple students back, "I'm watching you."

(Line Break)

Willow arrived at the lunch table and parked her cart next to the table.

"Today is... surprisingly going well." Willow said, eating her lunch.

"Willow!" Gus practically leapt to the opposite side of the table. "What did you do?!"

"Did...? What are you talking about?"

"The abomination class!" Gus continued. "There's rumors going around that you cheated on your presentation."

Willow glanced away nervously. ""Cheating" is a... strong word. Though not entirely inaccurate. Heh heh."

"Well, a bunch of students are pressuring Amity to do something about it."

"What's this abo-?!"

*CLUNK*

Luz made sure this time to slide the lid off the pot before she poked her head out. "What's this about Amity?"

"She's being pushed to report you guys to Principal Bump! It's really getting to her, too. She's been roaming the halls looking like she just saw a giraffe!"

"That's no big deal." Luz boasted. "I've seen giraffes lots of times."

"Hardcore..." Gus marveled as he took out his lunch. "Hey, do humans eat PB & J's?"

"Augustus, don't!"

The three looked around for where that mysterious whisper came from. Willow peeked under the table to see Amity huddled underneath.

"Amity, what are you doing under there?"

"Never mind." The green-haired witch muttered. "You can't feed your human out in the open like that."

"Why not?" Gus joined the underside conversation. "Will she cocoon herself and metamorphose into some kind of scaly monster?!"

Amity needed a moment to shrug of her confusion. "What? No, it's just that abominations don't eat."

"Oh, well that's a relief, because I already gave her some of my sandwich."

"Augustus, I'm serious. If somebody saw that-"

"I SAW THAT!"

Willow and Gus sat back up, whereas Amity reacted out of shock and banged her head against the bottom of the table. The group found themselves partially surrounded by an angry posse of students.

"You think you can pull a fast one on us, Half-a-Witch?!" A student with dirty blonde hair and a wool cap chided. "We know you cheated. There's no way a dunce like you could get a good grade, let alone an A+!"

"HEY! Watch it!" Amity couldn't take that talk about her friend and without realizing it, she rose from under the table to confront the other students.

"Amity?"

They were shocked to see what they just saw. As she finally realized what she had done, Amity froze in place. Her improvisational skills were dodgy at best and nowhere near sufficient to get her out of this situation. Maybe if she put her mind to it, she could explain her way out.

"AMITY BLIGHT!"

Hermonculus was an entirely different matter.

"What is the meaning of this?" The teacher bellowed.

"Uhh... you know... I... uhh... one thing I should-"

"Amity realized that Willow was cheating!" One of the students spoke up on her supposed behalf.

Hermonculus shook his head in disappointment. "I suspected a twinge of jealousy, but this... this is just pathetic. Report to Principal Bump's office."

Amity did her best to get a word in edgewise. "But-"

"NOW!" He wouldn't hear any excuses.

"Yeah! We're gonna take this all the way to the top!"

"We got your back, Amity"

"Half-a-Witch won't get away with this!"

The student mob marched Amity away, not allowing her to even look back at Luz, Gus or Willow. The three could only watch and worry.

---

At the Owl House, Boscha was coddling the baby trash slug.

'Oh, it's just like Littles!' Boscha thought, 'I love it so much!'

"What do Trash Slugs eat?" Boscha asked.

"Uh... what about... these!" King said, pulling out a box of pet treats.

"Uh, I'm not so sure-"

Boscha was cut off when Eda walked inside, looking very annoyed.

'Don't ball me. Don't ball me. Don't ball me.' Boscha thought, knowing that making Eda happy was just hitting her with that spell.

Fortunately for her, Eda walked by her completely and flopped on the couch. As relieved as she was, Boscha was slightly concerned for her keeper.

"Hey, are you okay?" Boscha had a sudden thought. "Is Luz okay?!"

"Ehh, she's still in one piece at any rate." Eda grumbled. "Though I wouldn't categorize being in Hexside as "okay.""

"Is she still with Minty and the Cute One?"

"I think so. There was a girl with glasses and a shortstack who likes magazines or something. He seems to be a human fanatic."

""He?"" Boscha was overcome with joy. "Luz made ANOTHER friend? Oh, this is such a momentous occasion! I gotta text Mom and..."

She saw Eda sulking on the couch. Apparently, Luz meant more to her than she let on. The young witch held up her trash slug. "Hey, you wanna pet Little Littles? It might make you feel better."

"I thought we settled on "Prince Jr.!"" King interrupted.

"Wha-? You never even brought up that name!"

"If you two are going to argue, can you take it outside?" Eda asked, "I'd like to sulk in peace."

"Spill it, Fowl Lady." Boscha kept a calm and even tone for Little Littles' sake. "What's your problem with Luz going to a school with people who like her? Were YOU bullied at this Hex-side or something?"

"Me? Bullied?" Eda had a good laugh at that question for about half a minute.

"So-"

Eda cackled for another twenty seconds before Boscha could get a word in.

"... Are y-?"

Eda roared with laughter to the point where she fell off the couch.

"... You done?"

"Yeah, yeah..." Eda crawled back onto the couch. "But no, I don't have anything against your sister having friends. It's that school that's the problem. It hinders a witch's growth by forcing them to only study a single track of magic, insisting it's the "proper" way. But magic isn't proper. It's wild and unpredictable and that's why it's so beautiful."

"Huh." Boscha had developed a newfound sense of respect for the Owl Lady.

"At least I didn't lose the both of you." Eda smiled nicely at Boscha. "Maybe you are too cool for school."

"PFFT! School? In the summertime? Fuck that." Boscha said, "Besides, you guys don't have basketball so I have no reason to care."

"Hmmm... have I ever told you about a sport called Grudgby?" Eda asked.

Boscha looked at Eda with a bit of curiosity.

"... Go on."

"Why talk about it... when I can show you." Eda said, standing up, "King, Hooty, I need you to set up some stuff for me!"

"Why can't she do it?" King asked, pointing at Boscha.

"Cause she's going to be the ball." Eda said, like it was the most obvious thing ever.

'God damn it.' Boscha thought, not even bothering to run and hide at this point, 'Worst part is I'm actually getting used to it.'

"King, I'm going to need you to watch over this little guy while Eda tosses me around." Boscha said, handing the trash slug to King, "And DON'T feed him those treats."

---

Willow had brought her cauldron into the abomination classroom, so it was just her, Gus, and Luz talking.

"I have to say, today has been a pretty fun day." Willow said, "Apart from everyone in the abomination class plotting my downfall."

"Aw, they're just jealous." Luz crawled out of the urn to stretch her legs. "Whew, I am a sweaty little abomination. Anyway, I'd say that "Operation: Get a Good Grade for Willow" was a rousing success. High five!"

Luz held out her hand awaiting reciprocation. But since neither Gus nor Willow knew what she was talking about, they'd have to leave her hanging.

Luz realized she needed to elaborate. "Slap my hand. It's a human thing."

Hearing that it was a "human thing" was all the motivation Gus needed to give it a try, albeit with the greatest of caution. The first high five was pleasant enough. The next dozen were exhilarating.

"Oh, man, what a rush!"

Suddenly, a familiar witch burst into the room.

"Amity!" Luz was relieved to see her again. Amity, on the other hand, was making a shushing motion to the others. She then stood aside as a much older witch entered the room. His flowing, regal robes emanated an aura of utmost authority and wisdom. The strange little demon latched onto his head less so.

"Good afternoon, students."

"Principal Bump!"

Willow's exclamation was all the prompting Luz needed to resume her abomination act and fell to her knees. Bump approached her for a closer look. A few uncomfortable twists of her neck later, he stood back to issue commands.

"Abomination, rise." And so she did.

"Abomination, lie."

Luz reacted quickly. "Uh, viral fame is a worthy pursuit. Your cat would never eat you if it got the chance. Chemtrails are real-"

"Oh, abomination, no." Bump cut her off. "How strange for it to get the command wrong. I meant lie down."

He gestured to a table for Luz to lie down on. Reluctantly, she complied. Bump looked over her once more. "How very lifelike. When Ms. Blight told me about your abomination, I just had to see it for myself, find out what it's made of."

"I have a list of her ingredients right here, sir." Willow held out the aforementioned list.

"No. We were hoping for a... closer look" Principal Bump held out a damn knife.

"We... we were?!" Amity was losing what little composure she had left.

"Willow, I will allow you the first cut."

Willow wasn't feeling too calm herself after Bump handed her the knife. She leaned in closer to whisper to Luz. "You, uh, can't cut open a human, can you?"

"It's putting us back together that's the issue." Luz whispered back.

"Willow, go ahead and make the first incision." The principal urged.

Gus and Amity looked at each other, unsure of what to do until Gus had a sudden burst of inspiration.

"Principal Bump! High five!" He shouted out as he knocked over three more giant pots and releasing the abominations within. As Bump turned to face them, Amity surreptitiously used her magic to make the abominations spread out and smother him. While he struggled, Amity gestured to everyone else to get out of the room, which they did. She then sat down against the wall, feigning getting knocked over just as Bump freed himself.

"Amity, are you all right?"

"I'm fine." She replied. "But they got away."

"No. The intruder won't get far." Bump drew a glowing red spell circle against the wall. When he placed his hand in the middle, the light from the circle bled out across the walls and floor forming patterns along the way.

Amity didn't know what to do. Things went from normal to massively chaotic in the short time she met that cute human and her somewhat abrasive sister. Since then, she had lost her top student badge, gotten in trouble with the faculty, watched helplessly as her best friend became a fugitive and an even bigger social pariah and almost became an accessory to murder. She wasn't about to tempt fate by asking how this day could get any worse.

"Amity Blight, what in Titan's name is going on here?!"

Because fate didn't need tempting.

A strange apparition resembling a mummy holding a mirror appeared before her and Bump. Inside the mirror was no reflection, but the visage of a witch bearing a strong resemblance to Amity. And that visage looked tremendously displeased.

"MOM?!"

"With all due respect, Mrs. Blight, we have an emergency on our hands at the moment." The principal told her.

"I'll say we do!" Odalia wasn't going to be deterred. "I was notified of Amity being displaced as top student of her class, as well as the scene she made at lunchtime. I would have been here in person, but I have business matters to attend to."

"Hermonculus, you piece of shit." Amity grumbled under her breath.

Bump had no time for petty grievances. "As it happens, Odalia, Amity has notified me that one of her classmates may have acquired a higher grade through dishonest means. We're working to rectify the situation as we speak."

Amity breathed a sigh of relief. Principal Bump was not unaware of her situation with Willow, and wouldn't disclose her involvement with situations like these to Odalia.

"Well, why didn't you say so?" Odalia sniped. "And Amity, why are you idling there? Go get your badge back! Or are you saving your energy for our company's next showcase?"

The young witch acquiesced, hoping that Willow and the others managed to escape in time.

---

At the Owl House, Boscha was punching the trash slug, who was slowly getting bigger then the house.

"KING, WHAT DID I SAY ABOUT FEEDING THIS THING TREATS!" Boscha yelled.

The trash slug tried to bite her, but Eda pulled her out of the way.

"I didn't want to, but who could say no to that cute face?" King mewled before the slug's tooth-filled, drooling maw took a bite at him. Fortunately, Boscha distracted it with a fireball to the side of it's head, allowing the little demon to scurry away.

"I don't suppose we have a huge bucket of salt for this guy, do we?" The young witch asked Eda.

"A barrel of salt, actually." The Owl Lady informed her.

"Wait, really?"

"Yeah, but getting that thing to take it won't be easy. We'll need to stun it somehow."

"Good luck with that. Little Littles has taken everything I could throw at him."

"Prince Jr.!" King yelled from his hiding spot.

"Well, not everything." Eda grinned as she summoned a patchwork ball with an eye. "Care for some more grudgby practice?"

Boscha was confused and borderline furious. "You had a ball this WHOLE TIME?!"

"It's more fun to throw you around." Eda said, "Now are you going to help or are you going to complain?"

As much as she wanted to get angry, there was more important things to worry about, such as the house being attacked by her slimy child.

"Okay, so how can grudgby help us out?"

"Thought you'd never ask." Eda cracked. "So, we went over some of the basics and the sport's similarity to this "basketsball" of yours, but the grudgby ball has one big advantage that human sports don't."

"And that is...?"

"The ability to channel one's magic into the ball." Eda drew a spell circle which ignited the ball. She then passed it to Boscha, who could only stare in complete reverence at what she beheld.

"This is so much like my dreams, it's scary." The young Noceda spoke in an awed hush.

Eda smiled at how her ward reacted. "Thought you'd like it. Now give'em hell, kid!"

Boscha ran and threw the ball with all her strength.

'Luz has no idea what she's missing.' Boscha thought.

---

Luz and Willow ran through the halls as fast as possible. Gus did his best to keep up, but his smaller legs left him trailing behind. Lucky for him that the girls stopped, allowing him to catch up.

"I'm so sorry Willow." Luz panted. "I never meant for all this to happen. I just wanted to see a magic school up close."

"Well, what did you think?" Willow asked.

"It's lovely." Luz answered before the two shared a good laugh.

"And hey, don't beat yourself up over it." Willow reassured her. "Who could've seen all this coming?"

"But it was my idea."

"I didn't exactly say "no" to it."

"That's right!" Gus chimed in. "You're both equally guilty."

"Thanks, Gus." Willow mumbled. "In any case, we need to get you out of here before..."

The crimson bands of magic the principal conjured up snaked their way across the halls. When they reached the doors, they formed intricate sigils that held them closed.

"...Bump seals us in."

"Hey, Amity!" Luz waved over the green-haired witch who was running across the halls.

"No no no no no!" Amity sprinted towards the others while checking over her shoulder. "You guys didn't escape yet? You need to find a way out, like right now!"

"You know what? That does it. I should just come clean about Luz." Willow declared. "No grade is worth this. And I'm sure Bump will take it easy on her if he knew."

Amity looked ready to break down. "It's worse than you think now, Willow. We have more to worry about than just Bump."

"What more could we-?"

"There you are, Amity!"

Willow went pale at the sound of that voice. Sure enough, the phantom serving as Odalia's proxy had managed to find them. The elder Blight looked at the three runaways, then focused on Luz. "So, this is the abomination that caused you to lose your top student badge?"

"Hello." Luz nervously waved at her.

"This is what Hermonculus gave an A+ to?" Odalia scoffed. "Doesn't look like much."

"WATCH IT!" Amity snapped at her mother.

"Excuse me?"

Amity seemed to have forgotten herself in defending Luz. How could she slip up like that? And all for the sake of someone she had just met? Look at her, covered in abomination sludge with that irritating, obliviously cute expression like a lost kitten. Well, cute in a strictly descriptive sense. Facts are facts, after all. And she only looks like a kitten to Amity merely due to her desire to pick Luz up and let her nuzzle her face and... and her mother is still looking at her. She'd have to think fast.

"WATCH it... Half-a-WITCH, for I... shall put an END to this pitiful charADE!"

Luz and Gus winced at that performance. Fortunately, it was convincing enough for Odalia, who stared intensely at Willow. "Oh, if it isn't Park."

"Odalia." Willow responded with a one-fingered salute.

"Charming as ever, I see." She then addressed her daughter. "Well, Amity, you've certainly done well to expose this cheat and her pretend abomination. Speaking of, destroy that thing and we can put this little incident behind us."

"WHAT?! NO!" Once again, Amity was too quick to stand up to her mother.

"Oh? Then I suppose I can count on your help with Blight Industries' upcoming showcase. This week's theme is crossbows."

Luz heard Willow gasp at that remark. She also noticed the fearful look on her new friend's face. Whatever this "Blight" business is about, it didn't sound good. Amity sported a similar expression, confirming her suspicions. No matter what, Luz would not allow anyone to pay for her mistakes. She stepped forward, assuming one of Boscha's Karate stances to the best of her memory.

"PRE-PARE-TO-BE-DE-STROYED-A-MI-TY!" Luz exclaimed in her patented "Monster Voice."

Amity shook her head, reluctant to attack the human. Luz responded with a firm nod. The witch once again found herself given no choice. She used her magic to summon the abominations from the classroom.

"Abominations... seize." Amity teared up giving the command.

"Grr. Argh."

Luz lunged at the creatures. To everyone's surprise, especially her own, she took out one of the abominations with a punch. Perhaps she did learn a thing or two from watching Boscha's Karate classes after all. Looking at the slime on her fist, Luz had a burst of inspiration. She attacked the other two abominations and beat them down into mush. She then scooped up a clump of that mush, looked at the mirror through which Odalia glowered at her, and with a cry of "Hadoken," launched the sludge at the mirror. It was completely covered, and the wraith holding it tried to wipe it off, but only ended up smudging it. When Amity noticed her mother couldn't see them, she immediately used her magic to render the abominations inert.

"Boom, baby!" Luz celebrated. "Now we just gotta bust out of here, somehow."

Gus looked over the symbols covering the walls. "Well, unless one of you has a strong enough spell to bust down that door, the only way out is through Principal Bump. You might as well just jump into the detention pit if it comes to that."

"Detention...pit?" Luz didn't much care for the sound of that.

Amity shook her head. "It's hard enough to control abominations that aren't mine, let alone coordinate their efforts to bust through this level of enchantment."

"I might be able to whip up something if I had any plants to use." Willow looked around. "But I need to be near plants to use their magic, and Bump's spell is only cutting me off from them more."

"I wish I had something that could help." Luz rummaged through her pockets and pulled out the small spiky thing that Eda gave her that morning. "All I really have is this."

Willow ran right up to her. "Oh my gosh, Luz, that's a seed! This is perfect. Good thing you had that on you."

"Yeah." Luz smiled warmly. "Good thing someone encouraged me to take it with me."

Willow placed the seed on the ground. As she concentrated her magic, her eyes glowed with a green light. "Okaaaaayyyy... GROW!"

With her adjuration, the seed erupted into a tidal wave of vines. Luz, Gus and Amity had to jump behind Willow to avoid them. Odalia's wraith had finally cleaned the gunk from her mirror, only for it to be shattered by the onslaught of plants.

Meanwhile, Principal Bump was searching the halls for the runaways. The ground beneath him... rather, the entire building shook around him. Before he knew it, he was blindsided by the vines as they pinned him to the ceiling. When the shaking stopped, he opened his eyes to see the entire school covered in plant life. Petals fluttered through the air as if for effect. Everything else became secondary to him as he marveled at the magic at play.

"Remarkable."

Bump's incapacitation had broken the enchantment sealing the exits to the school. As Luz took notice, she swung the door wide open. "This way, comrades! To freedom!"

To her surprise, the other three hadn't budged. "Comrades? Freedom?"

"All things considered, I think we'd be in deeper trouble if we cut class." Gus informed her. "We still have to go here."

"But Willow-"

"It's okay, Luz." Willow replied. "Like I said, I'm going to confess what I did to Principal Bump. This is my mess, and I'm owning up to it."

"But it's mine too, I should-"

"Hey, I might get detention, but you might get dissected."

"Actually, the proper term is "vivisected."" Gus' interjection earned him a stern look from Willow.

"But, Amity, what abo-"

Before Luz could finish, Amity was already guiding her out the door. "Luz, it was nice to meet you and all, but for your own sake, you should probably stay away from me."

"What?"

"It... it's not safe to be around me. Not with Mom always breathing down my neck. She has it out for Willow and Gus enough that it makes no difference for them. But you? I... I couldn't stand to see you get dragged into this. Please, just... don't come back. I'm not worth the trouble."

"Amity...!"

"Goodbye, Luz." Amity closed the door, shutting Luz out in more ways than one.

"There has to be something..." Luz had to keep herself from panicking. "Boscha? Eda? Maybe they can help? I'm sure I can use their destructive powers for good!"

With that, Luz dashed to the Owl House.

---

Boscha was knocked into the air by the trash slug. Eda was quick to catch her.

"I gotcha Kid." Eda said, "King, hurry up!"

On the roof, King was pushing a barrel of salt, why Eda has that, she'll never know. King looked down at the Trash Slug, feeling guilty about this, before it roared at him.

"I have no son." He said, before pushing the salt over the edge and into the slugs mouth.

The barrel of salt proved too much for the slug as it died fairly quickly. Eda put Boscha down and Boscha picked up the grudgby ball.

"Thanks." Boscha said, handing the ball to Eda.

"Hey, the only one allowed to torment you is me." Eda said, ruffling Boscha's hair.

"Pretty sure that's Luz's job." Boscha said, "Speaking of, I wonder how-"

"EDA!"

Luz ran up and hugged Eda... much to the witches confusion.

"Wha-what is this? What are you doing?" Eda asked.

"Eda, oh my gosh, you were right! That weird spiky thing did come in handy! It saved the day and-"

"Luz!" Boscha interrupted her sister. "You. Would. Not. BELIEVE the day we've had! King and I found this baby slug, but King overfed it and it grew to the size of this house! So we had to kill it before it killed us and-"

At that moment, the shriveled slug twitched, coughed up a pile of salt and scurried back to the beach.

"Hey, it's alive!" King rejoiced. "We're not the worst parents ever!"

Boscha didn't seem too concerned. "Yeah, cool. Anyway, I don't wanna disappoint Dad, but I think I've found my most favorite sport ever. It's called Grudgby and it's like basketball, except it's a full-contact sport! And Luz? Luz? LUZ... you can set the ball on FIRE."

"You do remember me saying you can channel any kind of magic into the ball, right?" Eda reminded her protégé.

"Yeah, yeah. Anyway, how was your trip to school? I heard you made a third friend."

"How did...? Never mind." Luz got herself back on track. "Willow, Gus and Amity are in trouble. We got busted by the principal and they need our help."

Boscha tried to think of what Luz meant until she recalled her plan. "Oh, right! You were going to pose as that girl's abomination thingy."

"Ahem!" Eda gave Luz a stern look. "Do you mean to tell me that you pretended to be an abomination to help someone cheat in class?"

Luz meekly nodded.

"That's my girl!" Eda applauded. "Looks like I taught you something after all."

"LUZ!"

Everyone looked to see Willow and Gus running up to them.

"Luz, you're not gonna believe it!" Willow was oddly excited. "Something wonderful has happened!"

"You're right, I don't believe it!" Luz responded.

"Principal Bump was so impressed with my plant magic, he's letting me switch tracks! Check it!" Willow twirled as she cast a spell circle on herself, changing the sleeves and leggings of her uniform from abomination puse to plant green. Luz rejoiced with her friends for a moment. After which, Boscha approached the shorter witch.

"Hi, I'm Boscha, Luz's sister." She held out her hand. "And you must be Gus."

"Oh wow, it's catching on." Gus was enraptured that others knew his human nickname.

Luz had suddenly remembered something. "Wait! What about Amity?!"

"She'll be okay." Willow assured her. "Bump smoothed everything over with Hermonculus and she got her badge back, so that should placate her mom."

"That's a relief." Luz sighed. "Maybe I'll get to see her again the next time I sneak into school."

The two witches shared a look.

"Uh... about that... you're... maybe... sorta... banned." Gus said, pulling out a Banned poster with Luz covered in abomination goo on it.

"... I don't remember taking that picture." Luz said.

"THAT'S MY GIRL!" Eda said, incredibly proud of Luz.

"Yeah, I'm not surprised." Boscha said, looking over Luz's shoulder at the poster, "Seems like you had an eventful day. Learn any magic at the school?"

"No." Luz said, dejectedly.

"Hey, don't worry, Luz." Willow said, "We'll... come here after school and teach you what we know."

Luz thought about it and then looked at Eda.

"Thanks but... I already have a pretty cool teacher."

Eda felt that dark hole that replaced her heart brighten up a little at that.

"She is a pretty cool teacher." Boscha said quietly.

Eda grabbed the banned poster.

"Yeah, that's right, these are MY students!" Eda said, before looking at it, "Aw, babies first wanted poster. You did good kid."

"Yeah, no one else I want to be my little sister." Boscha said, pulling Luz close and giving her a noogie.

"Boscha stop!" Luz said, "You know I hate this!"

"That just makes it all the more fun to do!" Boscha said.

"What kind of human greeting is this?" Gus wondered, making everyone look at him for his lack of human knowledge.

'Wow, he really doesn't know much about humans.' Boscha thought.

Chapter 16: A Rainy Day

Chapter by Mr_Hardcor3

Boscha was outside, throwing a grudgby ball at the basketball hoop. She didn't want to bring her ball here, so she left it at home. It was the last thing she got from her dad, she really didn't want it to get ruined or lost or destroyed. Inside, Luz was getting a demon lesson from King, she wasn't really interested in that. It was a pretty nice day out she had to admit. King, meanwhile, had a murder board set up for his presentation. Photographs and drawings of various creatures that could only be inferred as demons filled the board. The supposed king of demons delivered his oration with passion to his audience of one.

"Demons like me are grim tricksters of the twilight, creatures of sulfur. And bone. And anarchy. And FURY. AND- Luz are you even listening?"

His would-be student was whittling the time away looking at her phone and adding flair to the pictures she had taken of the presentation so far. "Oh, yeah. Totally."

"Seriously, you need to be paying attention!" King scolded. "This information could save your life someday."

"Totally paying attention. This is my paying attention face." Luz made an exaggerated listening expression while nodding and humming. After a few seconds, she checked her phone again.

King became slightly concerned. "Are you feeling okay? You're acting a little more scatterbrained than usual."

"You think so?" Luz asked. "Might be time for my medication. I should have some methylphenidate left."

"Mithril funny date? Is that some kind of potion or something?"

"Or something." Luz fished her medication out of her bag and took her recommended daily dosage. "It helps me to control my impulses and mood and concentrate better."

"So it's some kind of intelligence-boosting potion?" King wrung his diabolically cute paws. "If I had access to that magic, imagine the havoc I could wreak on my enemies."

"Nuh-uh." Luz put her medication back in her bag and zipped it up. Tight. "I need this. If I go too long without, I get all moody and forgetful."

"Oh. So it's a potion a day to keep the curse away?"

"I guess? "Curse" sounds a bit harsh, though. Should we get back to the lesson?"

"Oh, yes!" King scampered back to his murder board. "So, intro aside, demons of the Boiling Isles can be sorted into three categories known as the "Three B's." That's bugs, beasts and bipeds. The last B might be of interest to you since your sis-"

A strange chime interrupted his speech, causing Luz to go back to her phone.

"WEH?!" King was understandably flummoxed. "I thought that potion was supposed to help you pay attention!"

"I mean, it takes a while to kick in. But that was Mom's ringtone just now!" Luz scrolled for a few seconds before jumping to her feet. "And she's ready to come here! Where's Eda?! Boscha?!"

Luz ran outside before King could get a word in.

"Boscha, mom's coming! Where's Eda!?"

Before Boscha could answer, Eda came by.

"Hey there kids." Eda said, "What's got the short haired one all jumpy?"

"EdaEdaEdaEdaEdaEDA!" Luz was running in place. "Need portal! Need key! Where door?!"

"Geez, kid, where's the fire?" Eda asked.

Luz ran even faster in place. "¡Mamá viene de visita! ¡Necesitamos prepararnos!"

"Whuh?"

"She said Mom's ready to come over." Boscha roughly translated for her sister.

"Where the hell is that damn key?!" Eda began rummaging through her hair.

Boscha would make fun, but she was more concerned about Luz's burst of energy. "So, Luz... are you...?"

"Yeah yeah! I took my medication a few minutes ago. I'm just so excited!"

"Oh, okay then." Boscha smiled. "I almost thought something was wrong. So, you ready to tell Mom all about our first week here?"

"Yeah!" Luz said, "I can't wait to tell her about all the fun stuff we did!"

"You mean like the time we nearly died... or the other time we almost died... oh, what about that time we almost died?" Boscha asked, "Maybe we should think about what we say."

Luz stopped at that moment, realizing that Boscha might have a point.

"Uh... okay, you're probably right."

"Like always." Boscha said.

Eda found the key and summoned the portal.

"Now we wait." Eda said, taking a step back and getting a spell ready, "Hey, Ballscha!"

Boscha recognized that and jumped out of the way, right as Eda was about to hit her with the spell... unfortunately... Camila arrived right as Boscha got out of the way. In place of Camila, was a Camila themed ball, around the size of a yoga ball. Eda looked a bit nervous, and leaned down to whisper to Boscha.

"Do... you think she would be mad if I used her for Yoga?"

"Uh, I would be mad, and disgusted... and I would set you on fire." Boscha said.

"Guess I have been out of the game a long time. Do you think I still have a chance?"

Boscha facepalmed. "I think I'm gonna need therapy. Again."

"Tell you what..." Luz butted in. "How about you change Mom back and we can work from there?"

"Oh yeah!" Eda blushed from embarrassment.

---

Despite the odd greeting, Camila was still overjoyed to see her daughters again. She provided them snacks, fresh clothes and a refill of methylphenidate for Luz. King was about halfway through the snacks when the Nocedas gathered at the couch.

"Your offerings are most pleasing, Human Mom." King beamed. "You definitely have the Demon King's blessing."

"Aw, Gracias, pequeño lindo. Camila should be upset that he was devouring all the food she brought for her daughters, but watching the little furry demon stuff his face was too endearing. He was even more adorable when he got his head stuck in the box of Hojuelitas.

Eda walked into the room with a cup of tea prepared with the greatest of care for Camila. Hopefully it would be a start to getting back in her good graces. Although, Camila had already forgiven her.

"Okusama, kono tokubetsuna sutoranguruberītī o zehi o tanoshimi kudasai." Eda politely said as she handed the tea to her guest.

Camila took the tea, but couldn't understand what her host was saying. "Uuhhhhh... ¿Qué?"

She looked at Boscha and Luz, both of whom could only shrug, as they were as clueless as she was. Eda sensed their confusion. "Did I say that right?" She asked them. "I thought I'd learn your special human dialect to be more accommodating."

Camila chuckled. "Oh, that's nice of you, Ms. Cl- Eda. I appreciate the effort, but there are more than two kinds of, uhh, "human dialect.""

"Say wha...?"

"Yeah, you wanna be learning Spanish for that, not Japanese." Luz informed her.

Eda kept a tense smile on her face that belied her inordinate blushing. She promptly excused herself and left the room.

Luz looked at her sister. "Wow. I'm surprised you didn't have any snide remarks to dish out, Boscha."

"After what she just went through?" Boscha remarked. "I may be a smartass, Luz, but I'm not a monster."

"Boscha, language!" Camila said.

"... English and Español?" Boscha said with a smirk.

Camila just face palmed. On one hand, she loved her daughter, on the other... boy there are sometimes Camila wishes she understood what goes on in Boscha's head.

"Oh, well. How was your week in this... Demon Realm?

"Scary!" Luz spouted.

"Exhausting!" Boscha added.

"Exciting!"

"Empowering!"

"Slimy!"

"Flammable!"

"¡Mijas, por favor!" Camila had to calm them down. "It seems you two are taking to this place well, which is great. Boscha, did you learn anything about your magic?"

"I learned that it comes from a gross, bile-filled organ attached to my heart." Boscha answered.

"Oh, wow." Camila tried her best to sound supportive in spite of the disturbing revelation. "That is... something... Wait, This thing was attached to your heart? You've had a dozen x-rays and check-ups this year alone, and those doctors couldn't find it?! ¡Esos imbéciles incompetentes y vagos!"

"I know, right?" Boscha sympathized. "Oh! I also learned about a cool new sport called Grudgby! You remember how Dad and I would make up those crazy rules for basketball? The deathtraps? The full contact? The fireballs?"

"Oh, yeah." Camila laughed. "That was adorable."

"Well, that's Grudgby!"

Camila instantly went pale. " ¡Oh, mierda!"

"Language, Mom." Luz teased.

She and Boscha had a good laugh at that, and even their mother had to join in. King finally managed to wrest the box from his head after bumping into the front table.

"Hey, Luz, did you tell her about your lessons in magic school?" King blathered. "Or that quest for the staff with the puppeteer?"

"What is the little perro talking about?" Camila asked Luz.

"Oh, King just likes to tell stories." Luz nervously replied as she winked at the little demon.

King tilted his head. "Weh? You don't remember getting scammed by that squid thing into playing his squid game? Or almost getting dissected?"

"Almost getting WHAT?!" Camila didn't take that news too well.

"He's exaggerating, Mamá." Boscha tried to talk her down.

"Yeah, you know, why don't I take King and we go get that cool thing we found." Luz said.

"What thing?" King asked.

Luz grabbed him and ran up the stairs. Boscha was trying to figure out how to calm her mom down.

"Oh, did I tell you that Luz has been helping me with basketball?" Boscha asked.

"Don't tell me she was the ball."

"... I mean... she actually doesn't seem to hate it." Boscha said, "Honestly I got to talk to her about that sometime, I'm getting a bit nervous about that."

"Who wants charcuterieeee!" Eda came back into the room holding an old plank of wood with assorted leftovers, some of which were moving. Suffice it to say that Eda didn't entertain much.

Camila was hesitant to try the... food(?)... that was set in front of her. But she took the least eldritch-looking piece because she didn't want to be a bad guest. And hopefully, it will make Eda stop staring at her so anxiously. She took a bite and noticed that it was surprisingly sweet with a hint of cinnamon. She'd have finished it, too, if it didn't just blink at her. To her further shock, she had then witnessed her adopted daughter wolf down a piece of food with even more eyeballs.

"You've... really acclimated to your new environment, Boschita. I know you weren't a vegan by any stretch, but seeing you eat something... moving...?"

"Yeah, I was a little hesitant at first, too." Boscha reminisced. "But the stuff with the eyeballs? It's like eating boba tea! The way they pop in your mouth is just-"

"ANYWAY..." Camila really couldn't stomach any more details on Boiling Isles cuisine. "How is the search for your birth family going?"

Boscha struggled to think of something -anything- to not lead her mother to learn that she only feigned interest in that so Luz could stay here.

"What?" Eda was a little confused. "I thought you only feigned interest in that so Luz could stay here."

"Excuse me?!" Camila stared daggers at the other two.

"Ohhhh, were we not telling her that?" Okay, Eda was very confused.

Camila stood up to face her daughter. "Boscha Valentina Noceda, what do you have to say for yourself?"

"Oops, forgot the scream cheese." Eda wasn't so confused that she didn't know to immediately bail.

"E... E..." Boscha watched as her last vestige of protection bolted to the kitchen.

"¡Luz, baja aquí ahora!"

Footsteps were heard tumbling down the stairs until Luz peeked into the living room.

"Mom? What is it? What's wrong?"

Boscha mouthed the word run to Luz, hoping to save her from the raging mother.

"Did you put Boscha up to this act? " Camila didn't give Luz a chance to escape. "Did you use her discovery as a chance to live out your... witch fantasy?"

"Mom, no! She d-" Boscha tried to explain before her mom cut her off.

"I am asking Luz."

The youngest Noceda froze. She knew what she wanted to say, but didn't know how to say it. The long silence was broken up by the clap of thunder from outside.

"I... didn't use Boscha." She managed to force out.

"What would you call it, then?" Camila kept pressing. "I told you her self-discovery wasn't an excuse for you to be playing around like this. And to top it all off, you're abusing Eda's hospitality."

She waited a few seconds for a response from Luz, but her mind was made up regardless.

"The two of you, get your things. We're going back."

"NO!" Luz shouted over the sudden sound of raindrops on the roof.

"Wait, what's going on now?" Eda popped back into the room.

"Ms. Clawthorne, I thank you for looking after my daughters, but I can't let them stay here under such false pretenses." Camila headed out the front door. "Please feel free to visit us sometime. Now hurry up, you two."

"Mom, wait-" Boscha tried to reach her.

"ARE YOU INSANE, WOMAN?!" Eda ran for her. "You can't go out there now!"

The Noceda matriarch didn't even take a moment to process what she just heard. "I don't care how hard it rains, these two are in big tr-AAAGGGHHH!"

She pulled her arm back as it was burned by a few scalding droplets. Eda took her back into the house. "Look, Cami, I know you're upset, but heading out into the boiling rain is a crazy way to deal with it."

"Boiling rain?!" The whole Noceda family exclaimed.

"Oh yeah, you guys don't have that in the Human Realm." Eda cast a magic shield over her head. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to weatherproof the house before Hooty-"

"AAAAAAGGGH! MY PRECIOUS STUCCO!"

"-does that."

As Eda stepped outside, Luz had already brought down the first aid kit for her mom's burns.

"Here you go, Mamá"

"Don't think this changes anything Luz." Camila was quick to point out. "I'm incredibly disappointed in you."

Boscha tried again to reason with her. "Mom, seriously, this isn't her fault-"

"Don't cover for her." And again, her mom wouldn't have it, "Luz, I have always loved your spirit and creativity, but your own fantasy world is holding you back. And it's blinding you to how you're affecting others-"

"STOP IT!"

Camila and Boscha were blown away by Luz's outburst.

"You sound just like Old Man Hal!" She cried. "Always blaming me for how people choose to act around me! ALWAYS making me out to be the problem! You think my "fantasy world" is holding me back... "

Luz's shirt was soaked in her tears as she struggled to talk. "... Some days... it's the only thing that keeps me going."

She ran up to her room. The others expected to hear the slam of a door, but hearing it gently close was somehow more unsettling.

"That wasn't... We still need to leave" Camila was trying to gather her thoughts.

"Mom..." Boscha tried to reach her yet again.

"We'll wait out this storm, of course. Let her cool off a bit."

"Mom!"

"I don't blame you for her behavior, but she needs to learn not to-"

"MOM!"

Sick of being ignored, Boscha let loose a burst of fire to get her mother's attention. "I'm sorry, but you're not listening. I'm entirely to blame for this. I wanted Luz to be here. She had NO idea that I was doing this for her sake until a few days ago, and she's still determined to help find my birth family despite knowing that. And it's not as if I haven't learned more about myself during my time here."

"It's not that I don't appreciate the sentiment, Boscha..." Camila sighed. "But why are you enabling her like this?"

"Because she's right." That came off a little more impassioned than Boscha intended. "Those Azura books have been her rock for years. But this place -this realm- has been the best thing to happen to her. She's flourishing here, Mom. She's helped people, she's more confident than I've ever seen her... She's made friends here."

"She has?"

"Yeah. Real friends. Not imaginary or drawn or reptilian... Well, I'm not a hundred percent sure about the last one. But if you saw how she is here..." Boscha felt too deflated to continue and headed upstairs. She looked at her mom one more time. "Por favor mamá, no le quites esto."

Boscha opened the door to her room, relieved to see that Luz hadn't run off this time. She laid down on the sleeping bag next to her sister.

"Hey."

"Hmm." Luz had stopped crying, but was still sad.

"Remember that one time we got into an actual fight?"

"Mm-hm." Luz let out.

"Yeah, you had a nasty black eye, I had a broken nose... then that one dick started mocking you." Boscha said, smiling at the thought, "Damn, I was an evil ten year old, broke his leg for that."

"Why are you telling me this?" Luz asked.

"Because of what I said that day." Boscha said, "Only I'M allowed to mess with you. I do mean that, I will fight for you, even against mom, because I'm the only one allowed to mess with my sister. You love it here, and I want you to be happy, you deserve that more than anyone."

Luz stayed quiet.

"Hey, why don't we go see Eda, let her ball you up for a little bit?" Boscha suggested, "Would that help cheer you up?"

"... Maybe a little." Luz said, "It's just... Amity."

"Mint Chocolate Chip? What about her?" Boscha asked.

"I don't like how we left things." Luz sulked.

"I thought things worked out with that Principal... Bumper?"

"Heh heh, just "Bump." And yeah, things got sorted out. But Amity looked so sad when she got me out of Hexside. Not that she didn't want to be my friend... I don't think... but she said she wasn't worth the trouble."

"From what you told me about her mom, I get why she might feel that way."

"Then there's that whole "Blight Industries Showcase" biz. I don't know what that means, but I don't like the sound of it one bit. I'm worried about her, Bosch."

"Yeah, I don't blame you."

"As much as I want to stay here to be a witch, I'm also afraid to leave her behind without helping her somehow."

Boscha could only think to hug Luz, admiring her determination. "I'm sure you'll find a way. And if that way involves fire, I got your back."

"Heh. Pyro."

"Nerd."

---

"Titan, that was such a chore." Eda exclaimed as she cracked her neck, having just finished building a magic shield extensive enough to protect the Owl House from the boiling rain. She also had a slightly frayed briefcase with a familiar demonic eye. "Good thing I finally remembered this. Don't wanna lose the door to my only source of income... and to your home."

She saw Camila sitting by herself looking distressed.

"You okay, Cami?" She asked her guest. "Are the girls still leaving?"

"I... dammit, I don't know." Camila massaged her temples. "I hate that Boscha lied to me like that, but I can't really fault her for why she did."

"Yeah, it wasn't that hard to catch on as to how far she'd go for Luz." Eda mentioned as she sat down next to Camila.

"I don't know why I'm surprised. Boscha wasn't exactly the squeaky wheel of the two, but having to hide her true identity from the rest of the world often felt like a full-time job. I couldn't make enough time for Luz." Camila leaned back on the sofa. "I think Manny knew how tough it would be before he passed away. And why he made Boscha promise to look out for her. I just feel like I'm in over my head here."

Eda took a moment to reflect before she replied. "For what it's worth, I think you've done great to raise some damn good kids."

"You... honestly think so?"

"I mean, I'm not a mom, but I have been a kid once. My sister..." Eda let out a yawn. "My sister and I were a lot to handle for both our parents back in the day. But you? You brought up two girls from different realms on your own for years -and teenagers at that- and somehow made it work. That's nothing to sneeze at."

"Thank you, Eda." Camila smiled. "I guess I was a little hasty thinking they should leave. If being here helps them both, I don't want to get in the way of that."

Eda conjured a few balls of light to juggle. "Well you don't need to worry. Those two will be masters of magic under the tutelage of THE most powerful witch of the Boiling Isles!"

"Oh? And who might that be?" Camila joked.

Eda laughed at that as her movements became sluggish. Two of the balls of light burst when they fell to the floor, as did the third when it bounced off her head. The elder Noceda was shocked when the old witch passed out on the couch.

"¡MIJAS!" Camila shouted. "¡Tenemos un problema aquí!"

Hearing their mother scream, the sisters rushed down the stairs.

"What happened to Eda!?" Luz asked.

"Oh god, Mom killed her!" Boscha began to freak out.

Camila wasn't keeping it together much herself. "NO! She just collapsed! I didn't kill her...did I? Did my human germs deteriorate her immune system?"

"You killed her with your human venom!" King shrieked. "After you weakened my resolve with snacks!"

"I did what?"

"Wait, you ate all the MAS MAS?!" Boscha noticed the empty bag of her favorite snack in his hands. "You cuddly, adorable asshole!"

"EVERYONE JUST GET A GRIP!" Luz commanded everyone's attention. "Eda should be okay soon."

"Wait, how do you know?" Boscha asked.

Luz knelt down next to the Owl Lady. "Because this is how you were when you overexerted your magic. Eda mentioned weatherproofing the house. It must've taken up a lot of her energy. We should get her to bed."

Camila had to admit, Luz was definitely showing more confidence here. She hadn't seen her daughter so assertive since... ever. It looked as though Boscha was right about the benefits of staying here. For now, however, Luz was right. They needed to get Eda to her room. Boscha happy to do that... because it meant she could avoid being a ball for a few hours... Luz had the opposite reaction. Camila picked Eda up and the Noceda's went to Eda's room... where they got one of the biggest surprises of their lives.

"What the hell is that thing!?" Boscha yelled, pointing at a giant nest.

Normally Camila would call Boscha out on her swearing, but this time she couldn't, because she was about to say the same thing if Boscha didn't beat her too it.

"I... do I put her in it?" Camila asked.

"I... guess." Luz said, "I mean, where else would she sleep... man, they didn't prepare me for this in science class."

"Because you were more focused on the liquid changing color." Boscha said, "Meanwhile, I was doing great."

"Yeah, I get it, you're a master at Chemistry." Luz said, "And it's not like I don't try. Chemistry just hates m-WHHOOAAAAAA!"

"You okay?" Boscha rushed to her sister's aid, at which time she saw the Florence flask that Luz slipped on. "Wow, you really weren't kidding."

Boscha went to pick up the flask and noticed part of a tag tied to the neck.

""A potion a day"... Well, okay then. Just another random magical thing." Boscha said, "Probably nothing to worry about."

Camila set Eda into the nest as gently as she could. It was an easier task than she anticipated, as the Owl Lady was far lighter than she appeared.

"It's a good thing we were here." Camila remarked while looking over Eda's unconscious form. "I shudder to think what would've happened if she had nobody to help her."

"Hey!" A certain little demon cried from the doorway. "I help out sometimes."

Camila approached King and started to scratch his chin. "Oh, cachorrito, claro que sí."

King walked over to Luz.

"Luz, can we continue our demon lesson?" King asked.

"... Sure." Luz said, "With Eda out cold, I can't enjoy my... hobby."

"I am very concerned by the fact that you call being turned into a ball a 'Hobby'." Boscha said.

"You weren't complaining the other day when you threw me into the basketball hoop." Luz said, "Come on King, let's go have a lesson... one last time."

Camila watched them walk out of the room. "Wait, "last time?" What does she mean by that?"

"You were saying we had to go back home." Boscha reminded her.

"Oh. Well, I... may have been a bit hasty in my decision. I'm starting to see how she's come into her own here. And if she's making friends here as well, then you're right, I shouldn't take that away from her."

"You mean it?" Boscha's eyes lit up.

"I do. And I was too quick to blame Luz for your decision..." Camila turned to face Boscha, a sinister glint in her eyes. "... and we WILL be discussing that in the future, young lady."

Boscha gulped.

"But for now, let's see what Luz and the little perro are up to while we wait out the storm."

As they left... feathers popped out of Eda's arm.

---

King pulled off a paper, revealing the most dangerous demon in the Isles... the Snaggleback!

"Oooo!" Luz said, clapping giddly, "I want to know more!"

"Then you're in luck!" King said, "They wander the rain, feeding on anyone foolish enough to stay out in it."

"Ten bucks says I can make it to the treeline and back." Boscha said.

"NO!" Camila said.

"Aw, let her try." Hooty protested. "It'll be funny."

"¡Oye!" Camila switched to a stern, motherly tone. "Don't be encouraging her bad habits. Now, Boscha, let Señor Rey continue his lecture."

"Who?" King was confused.

Luz snickered. "She means you."

"Okay." King said, "Now, where was I? Oh right! The Snaggleback is capable of surviving the boiling rain, as it's shell is tougher than diamond, very few things can get through it. In fact-"

There was a growl coming from upstairs, getting everyone's attention. Camila got everyone behind her, just in case.

"Uh... was that sound normal?" Luz asked.

"We've been here for days, you'd think we'd of heard it by now." Boscha said.

"Snaggleback!" King shrieked. "It's the only thing that could make it through the rain to get in the house!"

Camila nervously addressed King. "Remind me again, King, were these "snagglebacks" gentle creatures?"

"Sure, if "gentle" is human talk for "savage and bloodthirsty.""

"Well, that's reassuring." Boscha deadpanned.

And then, something suddenly occurred to Luz. "EDA!"

Luz ran past Camila and upstairs.

"Luz!" Boscha said, running after her.

Camila let out a sigh and ran after them... King ran after them because he didn't want to be alone.

---

Luz was the first one to make it to Eda's room, where she saw... nothing... no snaggleback, no blood... no Eda. She noticed the giant window was open, as did the others when they caught up.

"Oh, shit!" Boscha exclaimed. "The Snuffleupagus got Eda!"

"Boscha! Language!" Camila knew this wasn't the time for scolding, but it was hardwired into her brain.

*CRASH*

"¡¿Qué carajo fue eso?!"

"Mom!" Luz and Boscha were both shocked at their mother's exclamation.

"AAAAAGGGHHHHH! HOOT-HOOT!"

"That was Hooty!" King cried as they all ran back downstairs.

As they ran downstairs, the lights shut off. Once there, they saw Hooty being bitten and clawed at by a large shadowy figure with glowing eyes. They all went wide eyed, and Boscha even cried.

"... He's dead... finally!" She cheered.

The beast growled at them and started to move over towards them.

"Kids, stay behind me." Camila said, slowly walking backwards up the stairs, "It's... it's just an animal, like the ones I work with."

"This is a little bigger mom." Luz said, very nervous.

"I'm working with what I've got here, Cariño." Camila softly spoke. "Keep quiet and keep your movements nice... and... slow..."

The beast sneezed.

"WEEEHH! THE SNAGGLEBACK WILL KILL US ALL!" King scrambled back up the stairs, but tripped halfway. The Nocedas looked at him in shock, but when they looked back at the frayed doorway, the beast disappeared. They waited a minute before they all sighed in relief.

King came back down and assumed a triumphant pose. "Ha-ha! I knew my feigned cowardice would drive the Snaggleback away!"

"If you weren't so adorable, I would punt you for a field goal." Boscha said as she glowered at the little demon.

Luz was still looking at the doorway. "Umm, shouldn't someone check on Hooty?"

Luz, Boscha and King exchanged looks.

"Not it!"

"Not it!"

"Not it!"

"What are you thre- ugh, dammit." Camila was a millisecond too late to catch on. "Just stay close to me, okay?"

They crept ever so carefully to the dislodged door. As Camila knelt down next to Hooty, she was relieved to notice that the magic shield was still working. She began to inspect the door demon, checking his eyes, his tongue, and even looking down his throat. She saw things in there that neither human nor witch was meant to see.

"Is he okay, Mamá?" Luz asked.

Camila turned to her kids. "Well, in my professional, medical opinion, I have no idea what the hell this creature is made of. But he looks like he's breathing, so I'm pretty sure he's okay."

"Ugh, why!?" Boscha yelled, very upset at this.

The beast's screech was heard and the group huddled together. Boscha made a spell circle and a large ball of light formed, illuminating the area around them.

"So are we just going to wait here until we get eaten?" Boscha asked, "Because I have plans on finding a hot witch to date, and being ripped up and digested REALLY puts a damper on my plans."

Boscha made sure to not say whether it was a male or female, as she was still learning a bit about that herself.

"Don't worry, we're not just going to take that puta down!" Luz said.

Camila's mouth dropped, while Boscha broke out laughing.

"Hahahaha! That's my sister!" Boscha said, putting an arm around Luz's neck and giving her a noogie, "You're finally learning."

"Boscha!" Luz complained, pushing her off.

"Where did you learn that kind of language?" Camila asked, sternly.

"Boscha sleep swears."

Her sister ruminated on that while twirling the ball of light on her finger. "I don't remember doing that, but it sounds like me."

The beast screeching got them back on track. "Whatever! Luz is still right, we have to take that puta down." Camila exclaimed. "Not to mention we have to save Eda from that thing. Do any of you know if Eda has anything we can use to defend ourselves with? Some kind of magic weapon or something?"

Boscha and Luz shake their heads.

King had to think for a minute. "Hmmm, I dunno about weapons. Maybe she's got something in the armory upstairs?"

"Why didn't you guys tell us we had a room full of weapons in the house?!" Boscha asked in equal parts anger and glee, which concerned Luz somewhat.

"Yeah, I think you just answered your own question, Sis."

"Hey!" Boscha said.

"Oh I can't believe I'm about to say this, kids, go play with the weapons." Camila said.

"YES!" The Noceda sisters excitedly ran upstairs.

"Just don't take anything too sharp!" Their mother called. "Or anything that shoots fire! And definitely get shields!"

"You're an even better mom than they let on." King pointed out.

"Aw, thanks... I think." Camila replied. "So do you think we can survive against this Snaggleback?"

"Mmmmnope."

---

Boscha and Luz stepped out of the armory, excited about the items they found. Boscha had a shield strapped to her back. She also had a vorpal blade in one hand and a morningstar in the other. Luz donned a winged helmet and was dragging a warhammer.

"You sure you don't want something you can actually carry?" Boscha asked.

"I'm... good..." Luz strained as she kept lugging her weapon. "They... say that... in times of crisis... people can summon... superhuman strength. So I'm gonna make sure that I have... something heavy... to defeat our enemy!"

Boscha shook her head. "Well, at least you have a weapon picked out. What's taking Mom so long?"

Back in the armory, Camila was cradling a strange, crescent-shaped blade with an unusual amount of affection. "A Battel'lop! I can't believe she had one of these. It's like being in an episode of Cosmic Frontier."

At the doorframe, the Noceda sisters were looking at their mom.

"Uh... mom?" Boscha asked.

Camila let out a cough, both in surprise and trying to cover her inner nerd.

"Sorry I just... your father used to talk about something like this... brings back... some good memories." Camila said, smiling a bit.

The screech was let out again, making them all remember that the beast was still here.

"We need to hurry." Luz said.

"So, what's the plan, exactly?" King wondered.

Boscha thought on that for all of two seconds. "Let's just flail our weapons around until we hit something moving!"

"It's a... nice pitch, Mija..." Camila didn't want to demoralize her daughter, especially during a fight for their lives. "... but Eda's still out there, and I doubt she'd appreciate us cutting her to pieces."

"Well if that happens, we can just put her back together."

"That is not funny, Boscha. It's not as if we can just pop her limbs back into place... can we?"

"Oh yeah, totally." Luz assured her. "She managed to survive getting her head chopped off when we caused that prison riot."

"You were in PRISON?" Camila exclaimed.

"SNAGGLEBACK!"

Everyone looked in the direction king was pointing at. They saw a shadow emerging from the nearby doorway.

"This is it, kids." Camila steeled herself. "Everyone stay close to me and make yourselves look bigger. Hopefully we can chase it off."

Luz and Boscha did as they were told. King crawled atop Camila's head for a more intimidating stature. Once the shadow crept closer, The group charged screaming at the approaching creature. The strange being had but one response...

"AAAHHH! DON"T HURT ME!"

The Nocedas plus King were shocked to find what looked like a small pink monkey with a spiky turtle shell. It demonstrated that it was no threat with the way it assumed the fetal position on the floor.

"What the fuck is this?" Boscha asked, "There's no way this is the thing that broke down the door."

"Well... that's anticlimactic." Luz said.

"I didn't break down the door." The pitiful creature noted. "I climbed in through the window to get out from the rain."

King approached him for a closer look. "You're the Snaggleback?"

"Uhhhh, yeah." The Snaggleback meekly replied.

"YOU'RE the most fearsome demon in the Boiling Isles?!"

"I am? Huh. If I knew that, maybe people wouldn't be using me as an ornament so much."

"Waitwaitwaitwait..." Camila had a more serious question in mind. "... if YOU didn't break down the door-?"

Just then, something broke through the ceiling. Everyone screamed in horror as it grabbed the Snaggleback and dragged it back through the hole it made. Boscha put her hands up, dropped her weapons, and turned around.

"Nope, fuck this!" Boscha said, walking away... until Luz pulled her back.

"No, you're not going anywhere!" Luz said.

"Girls, quiet down, or else you might-"

They heard a growl and turned around. The shadowy beast dropped the shell. King held onto Camila's leg, while Luz and Boscha looked very scared.

"If we don't move... maybe it won't see us." Luz said.

"Luz... this is not Jurassic Park... that is not a T-Rex... and that's not even considered accurate anymore!" Boscha said, before putting Luz behind her, "Fuck off, prick!"

Boscha made a spell circle and blasted fire at it. But to her utmost dismay, the beast swatted the fire attack away. All the fire managed to do was momentarily illuminate the beast's face. A face -aside from its pitch-black eyes- that was disturbingly familiar to all of them.

"EDA?!" They all shouted.

The apparently feral Eda inched closer to the group.

"Hey Luz, you summon that superhuman strength yet?" Boscha pleaded with her sister.

Luz was trembling. "I can't. Not against Eda. Why don't you summon some superhuman strength?"

"I'm a witch, Luz. By definition, I can't gain superHUMAN strength."

"Technically, she's half witch, half demon." King blurted out.

"...THE FU-?!"

Eda let out a shrill cry as she stood on her rear legs. She raised a hand full of razor-sharp talons to strike. But before she could, Camila rushed to the front of the group to shield them. She raised her Battel'lop and steeled herself.

"You may not be yourself, Eda, but witch or beast, DON'T YOU DARE HURT MY GIRLS!"

After hearing Camila's shout, Eda's arms went slack and she resumed her quadripedal stance. She carefully approached the blade-wielding mother, craning her neck around the weapon to get a better look at her. Eda started sniffing her, then slapped the weapon from her hands. Camila internally cursed the impracticality of her beloved blade as a cost of using a sci-fi aesthetic. It seemed that her time was up, and so she closed her eyes and waited... and waited... and waited... and wait- seriously what was the freaking holdup?!

The answer to that came as Camila felt a soft, fluffy sensation against her face. And then she heard... purring?! She opened her eyes to see Eda nuzzling against her. Everyone was definitely dumbfounded at her sudden change of demeanor.

"Eda! You're back!" Luz rejoiced.

The sudden noise spooked Eda, who clutched Camila closely and took off with her.

"MOM!" Luz and Boscha called out to her.

"MIJAS, SAVE YOURSELVES!"

"The sisters and King stood in stunned silence at what had just transpired for what felt like hours. Eventually Boscha broke the silence as she turned to King.

"Please tell me there aren't any skyscrapers in the Boiling Isles."

"What's a skyscraper?" King asked.

"What are we going to do!?" Luz asked, "Our mom was just taken by our cursed mentor, probably to Eda's nest, where she'll fill mom with-"

Boscha put a hand over Luz's mouth.

"I know you, so I'm going to say... if you finish that sentence, I'm throwing you outside to deal with the rain." Boscha said, before sighing, "I swear, you read too many fanfics at this point."

"Hey, Mr. Hardcor3 is a great author!" Luz said, "And what about you and DeviantArt? You got a bit of a thing for Abs."

"Not my fault that Garth2The2ndPower is an incredible artist." Boscha said.

"Can we get back to the matter at hand?" King asked.

"Right." Boscha said, before coming up with an idea, "I got it! What if-"

"You are not catching her on fire." Luz said.

"But she might taste like chicken." Boscha said.

"Nope, not happening." Luz said, "We have to find a way to stooooo... I got it! King, tell me everything you know about demons like that!"

"But just the cliffnotes. For the love of God, just the cliffnotes." Boscha pleaded.

"Hmph." King shook his head. "Fine, but you'll be taking the make-up course if we survive this."

"What?! You're not the boss of me!"

"Of course not. I'm the KING of you. Y'know, you being part demon and all."

Luz clapped her hands to get their attention. "Guys, FOCUS! Now King, what kind of weaknesses does an owl... beast have?"

"Well..." King stroked his chin. "... I don't exactly have any info in my almanacs for whatever Eda is, but I noticed her large pitch-black eyes. Demons with those kind of eyes are super-sensitive to light."

"Fire it is, then" Boscha had a fireball at the ready.

"BOSCHA!"

Luz's loud but firm tone compelled her sister to extinguish her fire. "Party pooper."

"Fine, I'll use the light spell, but what will-"

Boscha was cut off when Luz pulled out her phone and took a picture with the flash on. Boscha was temporarily blinded and looked VERY annoyed with Luz.

"... You are an asshole." Boscha said, rubbing her eyes, "When we fix Eda, I'm telling her to turn you into a doormat."

"That brings me to our next point... how do we fix her?" Luz asked.

"Hmm... I remember her drinking some golden liquid everyday." King said, "That might be what keeps this from happening."

Boscha's eyes widened.

"Wait... like this?" Boscha asked, pulling out the bottle she found earlier when they put Eda in her nest.

Luz looked at the torn tag that was still tied to the bottle neck.

""A potion a day"..." Her mind instantly flashed back to her earlier discussion with King about her methylphenidate. "... "keeps the curse away?""

King nodded.

"Yeah. That's what your medicine reminded me of. I thought Eda just took that potion to fight off the common mold, or something. I had no idea it was to stop her from turning into... that."

"King, take this." Boscha said, handing him the bottle, "It's your job to pour that down Eda's throat when we get her down."

"Okay..." King took the bottle. "...but I'm only doing this by my own decree, not because you said so, minion!"

---

Back in Eda's room, Camila had been awkwardly sitting in her nest for what felt like hours. She watched with equal parts fears and fascination as the Owl Beast gathered various amounts of debris from the house to reinforce the nest. Suddenly, Eda was distracted by something outside the window. Camila saw an opportunity to escape and carefully crept for the door. She was mere inches away from freedom when she felt a tug at her shirt. Eda had already caught her, and with her teeth, she picked up Camila by the back of her shirt collar and placed her back in the nest. She then purred against the captive human before turning her back on her.

"Wait a minute." Camila's veterinary training clued her in on Eda's behavior. "Does... does this mean you trust me? Even after I tried to escape?"

The Owl Beast didn't respond. She simply stuffed her face with the hors d'oeuvres from earlier in the afternoon she had gathered. Rather than eat them, however, she spent an unusual amount of time chewing the food. It didn't take long for Camila to figure out what she was up to.

"Oh, mierda. Don't tell me you're going to feed that to..." She had to suppress her gag reflex at the thought. "I know I told the girls to run, but I really hope this isn't one of the times they actually listened."

"GOOD NEWS THEN, MOM!"

Camila was low-key thrilled to see Boscha enter the room.

"Alright you overgrown chicken, let her go!" Boscha said.

Eda growled at Boscha and started walking over to her, ready to attack, when Luz ran in and used her camera flash on Eda. Eda screeched and moved back. Luz kept taking blinding pictures of Eda. Boscha ran over to the nest and grabbed Camila's hand. Eda, through the small glimpses of sight she got, saw this and was mad. She headbutted Luz's stomach, knocking her back and charged at Boscha. Boscha saw this and made a spell circle, making a light spell that made Eda stop and screech.

"Mom, run!" Boscha said, pushing Camila to the door.

Luz got up and started using the flash to blind Eda again. The Owl Beast recoiled from the blinding flashes, ultimately folding her wings over her face to protect her eyes. Noticing Eda was huddled and still, Luz halted her attack. She inched closer to her to see how her mentor would react. Slowly, she reached out.

"Eda?" She softly spoke. "Are... are you in there?"

The creature withdrew further.

"It's okay. We'll get you your potion and forget this whole nasty biz ever happened."

Once Luz got close enough, Eda lashed out with her wings, knocking Luz across the floor. As the human tried to get to her feet, the Owl Beast had already left the room. Luz picked up her freshly-cracked phone as she shouted out to the others.

"GUYS! EDA GOT OUT!"

At the living room, Camila and Boscha readied their phone and light spell respectively. No sooner had they heard Luz's warning than Eda appeared right in front of them. Camila already shielded her daughter as she took aim with her phone.

"Lo siento, Eda, but this is for your own good!" She pressed the button on her phone, making the Owl Beast flinch, but nothing happened. She checked her phone to see if the flash was turned on.

Boscha noticed her mother's struggle. "Mom? What are you doing?"

"I don't know, I don't know!" Camila kept fumbling with the phone. "I can't get the flash to work!"

"Did you press the record button again?"

"No!" Camila looked at Boscha with her light spell through her camera lens as she noticed the timer on her screen counting up. "Maybe!"

Eda took advantage of their distraction. She body-checked Boscha clear out through the doorway into the rain. Her mother couldn't even register what had happened before Eda picked her up again and took off.

King, however was scared for Boscha. "WEH! MINION!" He called to her. "Get back in before you get cooked."

Boscha shook the cobwebs out of her head before King's words managed to sink in. She covered herself with her arms and braced for the pain from the scalding droplets. Pain that never came.

"What the hell, King?!" She called to the little demon. "I thought you guys said this was BOILING rain!"

"It is! Look at the flowers around you!"

Boscha did just that and noticed that they were all burnt and wilted. She also noticed the hissing from certain surfaces struck by the rain. She held out a hand to catch a few drops, but barely felt anything.

"What in the hell is happening here?" She wondered.

"IFRIT!" King realized.

"The fuck are you calling a freak?!"

"No, "Ifrit"! A race of demons that thrive in fiery climates! That must be what kind of demon you're a part of if you can withstand the rain!"

"Huh." Boscha had a sudden flashback to her first few days in the Noceda home. That one time Manny freaked out when she reached for the stove while the burners were on. Then confusion when Boscha didn't even flinch when she touched the burners. "Another piece of the puzzle falls into place."

Boscha scrambled to her feet and ran back inside, going after Eda.

---

Luz slowly was crawling to the wall, when she heard the sound of Eda coming back. She quickly played dead, closing her eyes as Eda put Camila back in the nest. Eda went over and sniffed Luz.

'Please work. Please work. Please work.' Luz thought.

It seemed to as Eda went back over to Camila. Luz quickly, and quietly, unlocked her phone. She tried to turn the flash on, but it wouldn't work. She got a nervous look before her thumb accidently opened her gallery. Her last image was Boscha performing a light spell. She then noticed something... some kind of... symbol in the ball of light. Look carefully at Eda, seeing her distracted, Luz quietly grabbed a pencil and paper and drew the symbol. Eda's ear twitched as she heard the noise of pencil touching paper. She moved over towards Luz, just in time for Luz to finish drawing the symbol. She heard Eda moving towards her and began to try and get up, accidently touching the paper. To Luz's surprise, the paper started glowing, and temporarily blinded Eda.

'Did... oh my god.' Luz thought.

She grabbed another pencil and began using both hands to draw the symbols. She got 15 in the 45 seconds it took for Eda to be unblinded. Eda growled at Luz as she stood up, glyphs in hand... smiling.

"Surprise, I'm ambidextrous, bitch!" Luz said, "... Oh god, I'm spending too much time near Boscha... please forgive me for saying that Eda!"

Eda screeched and ran at Luz. Luz smiled and slammed a glyph on the ground, making a bright light form in the middle of the room. King and Boscha made it back to Eda's room, just in time to miss Luz's display. Boscha was at her limit with the Owl Beast and conjured up fire.

"One side, Hermana! I'm gonna serve us up some Kentucky Fried Eda!"

"Boscha, NO!" Luz stood in front of her. "I've got something awesome to help fix this!"

"More awesome than fire?! I doubt-"

"Boscha!" Camila called from the nest. "There will be NO immolating, young lady!"

The older sister stifled a scream as she dispelled the fire.

"Get mom out of here!" Luz yelled, "I'll handle Eda."

"I'm not going to-"

"Do it bitch!" Luz yelled.

Boscha grabbed her mother's wrist and ran out of the room... she knew if Luz swore that she was serious... hopefully this time it will work. Luz held two glyphs in her hands and ran at Eda. She jumped in the air and slammed the glyphs together, creating a massive flash that blinded Eda.

"I really hope there's no lasting side effect from this." Luz said, as Eda began to see again, "Sorry Eda, but if there's one thing I learned from mom's vet clinic, it's that some animals need to be put under before they can get their medicine."

Now Luz may not be good at hand to hand combat like Boscha, but she wasn't stupid, despite what teachers say, she could easily fight Eda, she just had to use her best advantage... her creativity. Luz activated another glyph, before grabbing the ball of light and throwing it at Eda like a baseball... which she was ACTUALLY good at, a little hidden talent of hers, but that's a conversation for later... The light glyph hit Eda in the face, making her screech in pain as the light blinded her. Luz repeated this process, making Eda back up against the wall, a desperate attempt to get away.

'Time to take your medicine.' Luz thought.

She took a glyph and put it on her knuckles. She ran at Eda and delivered a Superman Punch to her face. Eda was knocked out by the combined effort of Luz's, admittedly weak, punch and the light finally causing enough pain.

"Boscha, I need the Elixir!" Luz yelled.

Boscha, King, and Camila ran in, seeing the owl beast out cold.

"Damn, Luz, how'd you manage that?" Boscha asked.

"I'll explain later, let's get this potion down her throat before she wakes up!" Luz said.

---

Eda's head felt like shit.

She could have sworn somebody stuck hot knives into her eyeballs. Try as she might, she couldn't adjust her vision. Everything looked pitch black. At least until she saw her hands and realized everything was pitch black.

"Ah, shit, not this again..."

She was apparently familiar with her situation, as she anticipated the sudden burst of light in the shape of a doorway opening up behind her. A silhouette with large, piercing eyes emerged from the threshold. Whoever or whatever it was, Eda wasn't happy to see it.

"Lemme guess, you're still not gonna say anything?"

The shadowy figure stood silent and still.

"Well, I hope you can hear me at least, because when I get my hands on you, I'm gonna wreck your sorry ass for cursing me. Maybe twist your damn head off and see if YOU can put it back on, you-"

"Eda?"

"Huh?"

---

"Eda?" Luz called out.

"Huh?"

A disheveled Eda woke up in her nest. She found herself surrounded by Luz, Boscha, King and Camila. They appeared to be worried about her for some reason.

Her head still felt like shit.

"Hey, guys..." She moaned. "Sorry if I worried you. I guess that shield spell really tuckered me out. I just wanted to make extra sure you were okay, and-SHIT!"

Everyone was startled by her outburst as she rummaged through her nest. "Where is it where is it WHERE IS IT?! Gotta find-"

"Is this what you're looking for?" Boscha held up one of her bottles.

"YES! Gimme!" Eda snatched the bottle, only to realize it was empty. "Where's the... oh no."

Luz put her hand on Eda's. "It's okay. We figured out that you needed this medicine. I mean, getting you to take it was... a bit of a challenge, but nothing we couldn't handle."

"So you saw." The Owl Lady was crestfallen. "You guys know about my condition. I was hoping you wouldn't have to deal with it."

"What is this condition, Eda?" Camila fretted.

Eda took a deep breath before explaining. "Well, when I was a kid... I was cursed. I don't know how or why. Just that if I don't take these potions regularly, I turn into... that."

"So, that's why you're called the Owl Lady?" Boscha asked. "I thought that was just some kind of motif you were trying to project."

"Pretty much. I'm sorry for keeping this from everyone. I hadn't thought much of it, since I lived alone for the most part." Eda's expression became even more sorrowful. "I didn't even consider the risk my curse would put you all through, and I'm... I'm so sorry. I put you all in danger. Maybe you guys would be better off leaving after all."

"Says who?"

All eyes fell on Luz when she spoke up. "What happened to you wasn't your fault. Nobody deserves to be isolated for whatever condition they might have, especially if it can be treated."

"Yeah." Boscha also felt sympathetic. "No matter what you are -Owl Beast, Ifrit or even Nimoid- you're still the cranky, blackmailing supercriminal we've come to know and love."

Eda managed to smile, but wasn't entirely convinced.

"I guess the matter's settled, then." Everyone was surprised to hear Camila weigh in. "I guess you two will be staying for the rest of the summer after all."

"We will?!" Luz was naturally excited to hear that.

"You... you really trust me?" Eda asked.

The elder Noceda smiled at her. "As much as you trust me."

"Even though I might turn into-"

"I think my girls showed you it's nothing they can't handle. All the more reason you could benefit from having them around. Juuust don't try to feed them when you go all Big Bird on us."

"Do what now?" Eda's confusion was compounded by a sudden churning in her stomach. "Oh, Titan! How old were those leftov-?! BLLEEEEAAAARRRRGH!"

"I'm... just... gonna lie here... for a minute." The poor creature muttered after he broke free.

---

"Okay, everybody ready?"

Eda, Boscha, Camila and King sat in attention on the living room couch. Luz had promised them a demonstration regarding how she had brought down the Owl Beast, a role being reenacted by a reluctant Hooty.

"So there I was..." She started. "... trying to get the phone to work after it was dropped. And that's when I saw it. A mysterious pattern in the image of Boscha performing a light spell. I didn't know what it was, but I was compelled to draw it- memorize it. I touched the drawing and theeeeennnnn..."

Luz pulled out one of her spare glyphs, turned to Hooty and slapped the glyph with her other hand. To the total surprise of her audience, a ball of light emerged from Luz's hands.

"Whoa." Eda was speechless.

"Dios mío..." Camila cleaned her glasses to make sure she wasn't seeing things.

"Weh?" King was generally confused.

Boscha, on the other hand, trembled in her seat. "You really did it? You did magic?"

"I did magic." Luz proudly proclaimed.

"You did magic!"

"I did magic!"

"YOU DID MAGIC!"

"I DID MAGIC, BABY!"

Boscha ran to her sister to give her a hug as good as Luz could ever give her. Everyone else sat in quiet admiration as the two laughed and rejoiced.

"Did I tell you or did I tell you?!" Boscha cheered.

"You sure did." Luz started to shed tears of joy. "Thank you for believing in me."

Camila, meanwhile, was trying to hold back tears of her own. "Mira a mijas. *sniff* Nunca he estado más orgulloso de ellos."

"Yeah, they're really something." Eda didn't understand exactly what she said, but as she said before, she understood context. "Thanks again for trusting me with them, Cami. I thought that with my condition-"

"You remember what Luz said, right? Nobody deserves to be isolated for a condition they didn't ask for. She knows firsthand how horrible that feels."

"Really?"

"And even our home hasn't always been safe for them." Camila frowned at the memory of Jacob Hopkins kidnapping Boscha all those years ago.

"Still, I feel like I'm getting off to easy for this." Eda lamented.

"Well..." Camila reached behind the couch and pulled out the Battel'lop she found earlier. "...I will be keeping this. Non-negotiable.

"Uhhh... okay."

'Damn, this woman keeps getting hotter and hotter.' Eda thought.

Eda felt a bit happy at seeing the others being so welcoming despite her curse.

'Maybe... maybe I don't need to be alone anymore.'

Chapter 17: The Covention

Chapter by Mr_Hardcor3

Boscha was snoring loudly as she slept in bed... until Luz slapped a light glyph on the ground next to her, waking her up and making her very angry.

"LUZ!" Boscha yelled.

"Rise and shine, sleepyhead!" How Luz could be so damn cheery in the morning Boscha would never be able to discern. "I shall neither rise nor shine."

The older sister pulled her sleeping bag over her head. " Too early in the morning."

"But it's already two in the afternoon!"

Boscha's head poked out of the bag, her eyes wide in disbelief. She then sighed. "Nope. Not falling for that again."

She closed her eyes, hoping against hope that Luz would cut out her usual morning antics. She knows better, but maybe her sister would defy expectations as she did when she discovered the light glyph yesterday.

"OWW!"

Then she was struck in the forehead with what felt like a marble. She sat bolt upright, ready to exact her retribution. "What the hell did you hit me with?!"

Luz was playing around with little spheres of light that she created. Boscha watched in disbelief as she dropped a few on the floor, making clacking noises as they bounced across the wooden surface.

"How are you doing that?" Boscha asked. "Light shouldn't work that way."

Luz was all too happy to explain. "It's my patented super light! When I use a glyph, I just focus on what I want it to do. Like when I took on Eda, I wanted to make hard light like those hologram people in Mom's old space show that could interact with solid objects."

"So, like that Bose-Einstein condensate method in that one episode of "Val Frizz the Science Whiz?""

"I... guess? I don't remember tha- agh! Just stop... being good at science!"

"Make me- OWW!"

Luz chuckled after flicking another light marble at Boscha's forehead. "Ha! You said "meow.""

Boscha gave her patented death stare at her sister. "Just so you know, my joy at your learning of magic is all that's keeping me from straight-up mauling you right now."

"As I said before, you gotta pick your battles." Luz boasted.

"HEY, FREELOADERS, GET A MOVE ON!"

The reverie -such as it was- was interrupted when Eda called from downstairs. The girls went through their usual morning routines, then joined Eda and King in the kitchen.

"You bellowed?" Luz jokingly inquired.

Eda was filling huge duffle bags full of junk she recently acquired from the Human Realm. "Stuff your food holes and get ready for work!" The Owl Lady commanded. "I've got some quality trash to bestow upon Bonesborough and I want us ready ASAGDMFP!"

"It must be urgent if you're abbreviating swear words." Boscha quipped.

"To hell with profanity! The Day Market AWAITS!"

---

The streets of Bonesborough were empty, save for Eda's stand.

"Maybe the Day Market slept in?" Luz pondered as she looked across the barren boulevards

"Hmm... something isn't right." Eda said, spinning Ballscha on her finger... yes she did turn her into a ball out of boredom, "I have a feeling something terrible happened."

"Luz, something great has happened!" A voice said.

Luz looked over and saw Gus and Willow running up to the stand.

"Friends!" Luz said, jumping over the stand, "What's up?"

"It's the annual Covention today!" Willow said holding out a poster.

"The what?" Luz asked.

"The Covention, it let's you see all the different Covens so you can decide on what one you want to join." Gus said.

"It's a Job fair for witches!" Luz said, before looking at Eda, "Eda we have to go!"

Eda got a disgusted look on her face and stopped spinning Ballscha.

"Fat chance, that's just a ploy to get others in a crooked system!" Eda said, tossing Ballscha into a nearby trashcan, "I'm not letting my freeloaders go there to-"

She was cut off when Boscha crawled out of the trashcan, covered in garbage, and delivered a side kick to Eda's ribs.

"In the GARBAGE?! REALLY?!"

Eda readjusted her ribcage after she got back up. "Well in my defense, I forgot it was you I was spinning for a second."

"¡Desataré fuego sobre ti y tu casa!" Boscha had a fireball already in hand.

"Hi, Boscha."

"Oh..." The three-eyed girl immediately dispelled her fire when she heard Willow's greeting, "Hey, guys! So, Covention huh? I'm down to go, maybe I'll learn more about... whatever the fuck I am."

Willow and Luz covered Gus' ears.

"Boscha, he's a youngling!" Luz said, "He hasn't been tainted yet!"

"Not sorry, in a bad mood." Boscha said.

"Boscha." Luz said, like a disapproving parent.

Boscha just smirked, not giving a damn.

"Hey, cronies!" Eda shouted. "Who gave you permission to leave the stand?"

"We needed permission?" Boscha retorted.

Luz gave her trademark puppy-dog eyes. "C'mon, Eda, it's not like we're doing anything here. Besides, there are probably countless pockets to pick at this Covention."

"Hmmm... The doe-eyed one makes a tempting point." Eda mused. "Okay, what the heck?"

The four kids rejoiced at her decision. Gus, in particular, was doling out high fives to anything resembling a hand. Titan knows how long he would have kept going if his own hands didn't start to sting.

"So, which way to the Covention?" Luz eagerly asked.

Eda smiled a sinister smile. "Just follow Boscha."

"Wait, I don't know whe-?!"

Before Boscha could finish, The Owl Lady struck her with her favorite spell. And before anyone could react to that, she kicked poor Ballscha in the direction of the Covention, or so Luz hoped.

"EDA!" Luz berated her mentor. "Why would you do that?!"

"Practice?" Eda shrugged.

An exasperated Luz just gathered Willow, Gus and King. "C'mon guys, let's get my sister before some kid takes off with her... Again."

---

Boscha bounced down the street, coming to a gradual stop at a large building that a few signs indicated was the Covention Centre.

'Ugghhh... Dammit, Eda.' She thought. 'You were less rough as an owl beast.'

Just then, she felt a pair of hands lift her up. 'Oh, shit. What now?"

"Hey, Skara, whatcha got there?" A voice called from the distance.

"It looks like a grudgby ball... but... kind of too cute to be a regulation one." Skara said, "Here, Amelia, catch."

Ballscha was tossed to a pale girl with green hair.

"Huh, yeah, I don't any Grudgby balls that are pink." the girl, Amelia Ballscha presumed, said, "Cat, what do you think?"

Amelia tossed Ballscha to a dark skinned girl with glasses.

"Hmm, regardless of if it looks weird, it does seem to be a firm ball." Cat said, squeezing Ballscha a bit, "Want to have an impromptu practice drill to see how good it is?"

"Sure." Skara said.

Cat began dribbling Ballscha, ready to pass it to Skara.

---

The balled-up witch was tossed around for a while. Whoever these girls were, they passed her with a certain grace and style. It almost felt comfortable. She was being softly cradled in the hands of the one called Skara when Luz approached.

"Uhhh, excuse me!" The human called to the trio. "If it's not too much trouble, could I please have my sister back?"

"Sister?" No surprise that Skara was confused.

"Yeah, you're, uhhh, actually holding her." Luz pointed to the ball.

Skara took a good look at Ballscha, who in turn looked at the shockingly cute witch. That soft expression, the cool hairstyle, those impossibly crystalline eyes. Who knew irises could be so silver? Skara's facade turned to one of recognition when she noticed the ball begin to blush.

"Ohhhh, I see."

"Now we know why this grudgby ball looks so unusual." Amelia noted.

"Eda the Owl Lady strikes again." Cat rolled her eyes.

Luz was quite surprised to hear that. "You know Eda?"

"Let's just say we're... familiar with her work." Skara seemed rather embarrassed to admit that as she set Ballscha down. "Don't worry, we know how to fix this."

With a spell circle, Skara reverted Boscha to normal with ease. The three-eyed witch was sitting in place, still blushing and transfixed on her savior.

"Thank you guys very much." Luz praised her possible new friends.

"No problem." Amelia replied. "If it happens again, just look us up."

Cat concurred. "Yeah, hopefully she'll build up a tolerance to that spell."

"She... kinda already has, though." Luz was befuddled by her sister's behavior, especially when Skara gave her a hand back to her feet.

"Are you okay?" The nice witch asked Boscha. "I'm sorry for us tossing you around like that."

"Ohh, no... yeah, I'm... I'm okay" Boscha appeared to be in a daze as her blushing intensified.

"Well, we're gonna get some good seats for Lilith's performance. Hope to see you guys there!" Skara waved as she and her friends went inside the building.

"Looks like it's safe to come out."

Luz was startled when a puff of light blue smoke appeared next to her. Gus and Willow emerged from the haze.

"What's with the tactical espionage action?" Luz asked them.

"Those are the few friends that Amity's mother allows her to have." Willow groused as she pointed in the direction in which they left. "We didn't want them to see us all together, otherwise our reputations would drag you and your sister down. Maybe you guys could have a decent shot at being friends with Amity if we don't."

Luz was infuriated at what she just heard. "I don't give a dang about your reputations! You guys are the first friends I've ever made. There's no way I'm gonna pretend otherwise. And if Amity's mom doesn't like it, Boscha and I will be happy to discuss the matter with her. Right, Sis?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, sure... gonna... gonna... with the wrath 'n fire and... stuff..." Boscha still hadn't moved after Skara helped her up. The blushing had subsided somewhat, at least.

Luz waved her hand in front of her sister's face. "Bo? You okay?"

"Yep! Totally!" Boscha said, "I... I'm going to go take a look around."

Boscha quickly walked inside, looking at the hand Skara held.

'... It should be illegal to be that beautiful.' Boscha thought, before she had a sudden headache.

"Ugh!"

She heard voices.

"Come on, Boscha, let's go play!"

"Wait up, Skara!"

She started breathing heavily as she looked around. She ran to the bathroom as fast as she could and looked in the mirror.

"... What... was that?" Boscha said, before splashing water in her face.

---

"Uh, Skara? Are you okay?" Amelia asked, seeing how tense Skara looked, "I mean, yeah, we did spend 15 minutes throwing and dribbling a person, but that shouldn't make you act all... like this."

"It's not that!" Skara said, "It's... you guys remember how I told you about my first friend that went missing when we were kids? Well that girl looks exactly like her!"

Amelia and Cat sighed.

"Come on, girl, we've talked about this." Cat said, "You need to her go, it's been ten years since she disappeared."

"I know what I saw!" Skara said, "Maybe the Owl Lady turned her into a ball and sold her to that girl she was with!"

Amelia face palmed.

"Then why would she say she was her sister?" Amelia asked, "Come on, let's go look around for a bit, that'll take your mind off this."

Amelia and Cat led Skara away, but Skara wouldn't forget this... that was Boscha, she knew it.

---

Boscha came out of the bathroom and Luz ran up to her.

"Boscha, where have you been! I've seen so many cool things here!" Luz said, "The Illusion Coven is really cool!"

"Luz... I... I... I saw something." Boscha said, "It was like... a memory."

"Memory?" Luz's eyes grew wide. "Like a Baby Boscha Memory?!"

Boscha rubbed at her temples to alleviate her headache. "I... think so. That girl... Skara... I think we were friends before I was stuck in the Human Realm."

"Yowza Wowza!" Luz exclaimed.

"Yowza Wowza!" Luz also exclaimed.

"WHAT THE SHIT?!" Boscha clearly didn't anticipate seeing her sister in stereo.

The second Luz disappeared in a similarly blue puff of smoke like the one she saw earlier. And just as before, Gus emerged from the smoke. "It's like Luz said, the Illusion Coven is where it's at! We like our magic with a hint..."

The smaller witch disappeared in yet another light blue cloud of smoke. Luz and Boscha both looked around the room for where he could possibly be. It felt like minutes had passed, and yet, no sign of hi-

"...of showmanship!"

"GAHHHH!" Boscha was taken by surprise again as Gus and some accompanying illusion students appeared behind her and struck a pose. Though she was agitated, her sister was most impressed as indicated by her applause.

"Gus, stop picking on her." Willow came to check on Boscha. "Sorry about Gus. For what it's worth, he only puts on that level of performance for people he likes."

Willow's friendly demeanor put Boscha at ease. "Oh... no, that's okay. Thanks. I was just dealing with some old memories. It was a bit much."

"Well, maybe watching the Construction Coven's demonstration will make you feel better. It can be oddly satisfying to watch Construction Magic in action."

Willow pointed to a burly, bearded witch wearing a construction hat standing on a small stage. He picked up a pallet of wood with one hand and a pallet of bricks with the other. With little effort, he tossed them both into the air. The materials fell next to him to form a perfectly built house.

"That was awesome!" Luz cheered. "Do all witches grow up to be that strong?"

"Not exactly. Construction witches actually use specialized glyphs to boost their strength." Willow explained.

The bearded witch pulled out a piece of paper, not unlike the kind Luz would come to use her own magic for. He then approached a familiar albino creature.

"Boscha look!" Luz excitedly pointed the creature out. "It's that Tiny Nose we met at the Conformatorium!"

"You were in the what now?!" Gus wasn't expecting her to say that.

The Construction witch placed the glyph on the bridge of the creature's very nose. In an instant, the Tiny Nose's pupils constricted as she was enveloped in a violent torrent of energy.

"HAAAAAAAA! I AM DESTWOYER OF WOWLDS!"

She picked up and tossed the witch with ease.

"Stop! That's the opposite of construction!"

Other witches from the Construction Coven tried to subdue the Tiny Nose, but she quickly overpowered them. Bodies were flung around and much property damage ensued. Most of the spectators ran for safety. After viewing such carnage, Boscha had but one reaction.

"Ha ha ha! You were right, Willow. This is pretty satisfying."

"Told ya." The plant witch concurred.

"There you two are!"

The foursome noticed Eda approaching, inexplicably sporting a cowl over her head and round sunglasses.

"Speaking of espionage." Boscha remarked.

Eda wiped sweat from her brow. "I was worried I kicked you too far this time."

"Yeah, thanks for that." Boscha's snark was noticeably weaker. "So what's up with the disguise, anyway?"

"Uh, duh!" Eda's snark was as powerful as it's ever been. She pointed to the wanted poster of her on the wall next to them. And the poster on the wall to the other side of them. And the ones next to that poster. And the ones on the nearby pillars. And the ones on the ceiling.

"Dang!" Gus was quite impressed. "Just how many laws did you break."

Eda nodded. "Lost count. But mostly I broke the bullshit rule of not joining a coven."

"Maybe you could find a coven to join here." Luz suggested. "I mean, acceptance? Comradery? A sense of belonging? What's not to like?"

"Clearly, you girls haven't read the fine print." The Owl Lady gestured to an Illusion witch in the distance holding out his wrist. Another witch wearing a special glove applied it to his wrist, leaving what looked like a tattoo of a mirror. The insignia glowed as blue lines of magic crept up the witch's wrist.

"That kid will never be able to do anything but Illusions for the rest of his life." Eda said.

Boscha looked at this and felt... disgusted.

"Why is that a thing?" Boscha asked.

"Because of Belos." Eda said, "He claimed to be a messenger of the Titan, that only he and his little coven can use all types of magic."

"Sounds like propaganda." Boscha mumbled, remembering all the government leaders in the human realm that have done similar things.

"That's why I never joined a coven, and why I can do all kinds of magic!" Eda summoned spheres of earth, air, water and fire around her to illustrate her point. "which, of course, makes me the most powerful witch on the Boiling Isles, and- Wait, where'd everyone go?"

Boscha had noticed that Luz, Gus and Willow had left as well. "Oh, they went to stand in that line over there with the medieval stormtroopers."

"UGH! The Emperor's Coven!" Eda sneered at the sight of the scouts in their masks and cloaks. "Those sons of liches are the worst of the worst. They're allowed to use all kinds of magic, but they tend to lord it over members of different covens."

"The snooty, privileged kids, huh?" Boscha grimaced. "I was hoping we wouldn't encounter that kind of thing in the Demon Realm."

Eda suddenly looked concerned. "Speaking of which, have you been feeling okay? You haven't reacted much to King telling you about your demon heritage. You didn't even punch me."

"I'm just as surprised as you." Boscha replied. "I thought it would distance me further from Mom and Luz. But the more I think about it, the better I feel about myself. Like I make more sense. I wonder if this is what Mom was talking about by self-discovery."

"Yeah, she's something, all right." Eda smiled.

Boscha had to think fast to stop her mentor from elaborating on that thought. That's when she noticed something. "Hey, didn't King come here with us?"

"YES! MORE OFFERINGS! MORE FREE SWAG FOR THE KING OF DEMONS!"

It was then that they noticed the small demon practically buried in free shirts, scarves, flags and hats as he scuttled by.

"Well, looks like I'll have more dust traps for the house." Eda lamented.

Boscha looked back to the line-up as Luz and her friends walked through a door. "I think I'll check out this Emperor Coven shit. Keep an eye out for Luz, mostly. You coming, Eda?"

"Tch! Hardest of passes."

She suddenly heard whispering in the distance. A random witch was speaking with a coven scout. He held one of Eda's wanted posters and pointed in her direction.

"Actually, the thought just became less revolting. Let's go!"

---

Luz sat down near Gus and Willow, while Boscha and Eda sat a distance away from them.

'Alright, let's see what this is all about.' Luz thought.

She noticed Boscha sitting a few aisles up. She waved to get her attention. Boscha saw her point to Gus who had "Emperor's Coven" autographed on his forehead. She then noticed Luz had the signature of someone named "Steve" on her own forehead. Her feelings about the coven system notwithstanding, Boscha smiled at her sister's antics.

The lights in the auditorium dimmed, and a spotlight directed everyone's attention to the center stage. Yet another plume of smoke burst from the platform. Only this time, the person to emerge was Principal Bump.

Eda couldn't help but chuckle. "Bumpykins? Really?"

"Who?" Boscha naturally had no clue what she was talking about.

Bump summoned a mic to address the audience. "Hello, Bonesborough! Students ask me all the time, "Principal Bump, what's the height of magical achievement?"

"Is it THIS?" A random kid in the audience cast a spell to make his head grow ten times its size. Unfortunately, his body couldn't support the added weight and his head crushed the poor kid sitting next to him.

Bump shuddered at the display. "Wow. I failed you as a principal. It's being selected to join the best of the best. And there are none better than the jewel of the coven system and the enforcers of his will, the Emperor's Coven."

Three of the Coven Scouts appeared on stage as the principal continued. "Feast your eyes on this elite force, each member handpicked to help usher in a new age of controlled magic!"

The scouts all drew spell circles, respectively casting skyward blasts of fire, water and lightning. The spells collided in midair, exploding in a maelstrom of confetti. Luz grabbed as much of it as she could.

Eda nudged Boscha. " So when does this "elite force" get here? HA!"

Boscha was surprised to find herself laughing with her.

Bump kept orating. "Members of the Emperor's Coven have access to all—yes, all forms of magic. Ooh. Aah."

The crowd ooh-ed and aah-ed with him.

"But... only the best can ascend these ranks. Some day that could be one of you!" Principal Bump pointed to a member of the audience. Luz looked over Gus and Willow to see where he was pointing. She saw a familiar green-haired girl squealing with joy at being the one Bump acknowledged.

"Amity!" Luz was just as elated to see her again. She sat down too quickly for Amity to notice and just kept watching the presentation.

The three guards disappeared, allowing the next arrival to have her grand entrance.

"I am now pleased to welcome, the esteemed leader of the Emperor's Coven... Lilith Clawthorne!"

Eda went stiff, and Boscha looked at Eda.

"Clawthorne?" Boscha asked.

"I'll tell you about it later." Eda said, as a giant blue raven appeared at the ceiling.

It came down and spread out, covering the arena in blue glow. When the glow settled, a woman in a black dress, white cloak, and white bird mask. She raised her arms and the mask floated off her face. The crowd cheered.

"Thank you all." Lilith said, making a spell circle and having her cloak come off, and that and the mask go into Bump's arms, "It wasn't easy for me to rise to the top, I had to work hard and climb my way through challenges and struggles."

Eda growled.

'Struggles? You wouldn't even be in there if it wasn't for me.' Eda thought.

"I now have the privilege of enforcing the Emperor's will." Lilith continued, "So be more, the Emperor's Coven awaits you!"

She created the raven against and sent it to the sky, making it explode and release confetti onto the crowd.

---

Eda, Boscha, and Luz walked out of the room.

"Okay, I've had enough of this." Eda said, walking away.

"Eda, where are you going?" Luz asked.

"Home where the sane people are."

"Wait, how come we've never met them?" Boscha asked, having a shit eating grin on her face.

"... Make a joke like that again, and I will let that stand sell you both." Eda said, pointing a stand that has sports gear.

"Jokes on you, being a ball is fun!" Luz said.

"Grudgby." Boscha said, walking over to the stand.

"Guess I'll go find King, then." Luz muttered to herself.

She began to look for him, but was soon distracted by all the signs and banners in the area. It wasn't long at all before she bumped into Amity of all people, causing them both to stagger.

"Hey! Watch where you- LUZ!" Amity blurted. "I mean... Luz. It's good to see you again. What-what are you... uh, what brings you to the Covention?"

Luz managed to keep a straight face despite seeing the witch so flustered. "Well, being new to the Demon Realm, my sister and I have never been to one of these before. We kinda wanted to see what this was all about, y'know?"

"Oh yeah! That makes sense." Amity nervously laughed.

"So... how have you been doing?" Luz gave a look of concern that shook Amity to her core. The human's irises sparkled as they bored their way into her very soul.

"I'm... okay. Really."

"That's good to hear. When your mom was talking about that Blight showcase stuff, it made me think about your wrist injury. It scared me."

Amity was taken aback by a relative stranger worrying about her. It stirred these feelings that were equal parts nice and alien to her. Luz was still looking at her, though. She'd better answer.

"Oh, don't worry. My wrist has gotten a lot better since the last time we met. See?" Amity lifted her left arm to show the faint discoloration in her wrist.

Luz only grew more concerned. "I thought it was your right wrist that was hurt."

"Wha- no, it's... it was definitely the left!" Amity awkwardly backed away. "Really, I'm fine. Thank you for asking, though."

Unfortunately, not watching where she was going, the young witch failed to notice a certain diminutive demon in her path.

"Cupcakes in my tummy-tum makes the King say-WEH!"

The two toppled over each other. King's free gifts fell all over the place.

"Ohmigosh! Are you two okay?" Luz ran up to check on them.

Amity struggled to get to her feet. "Yeah. Still okay. I can-"

"NOOOOOO!"

King cried to the heavens as his precious cupcake was crushed under the cruel hand of the green-haired monster.

"OH! Oh no!" Amity sprang to her feet and tried to shake the remnants of the cupcake from her hand. "I am SO sorry! That was an accident!"

"Amity, it's okay." Luz tried to calm her down. "It's not a big deal."

King's brow scrunched in fury. "Of course it is! This atrocity will not go unpunished! Glyph her, Luz!"

"King, it was just a cupcake. Let it go!" Luz snapped back.

"I... need to go meet with someone. I'll see you later!" Amity ran off.

Luz looked down at King. "I hope you're proud of yourself."

"Always am." The little demon replied as he ate the crushed cupcake from the floor.

'Hopefully Boscha is doing better.' Luz thought, figuring Eda turned her into Ballscha by now.

---

Boscha was looking at gear when she heard something. It sounded like music and it was... beautiful. Boscha looked around the corner of the stands.

'It's her.' Boscha thought, seeing Skara playing the harp.

In front of her was a girl, who looked to be about 4 or 5 years old, thought Boscha couldn't get a good look at her as she was looking at Skara. Skara stopped playing and looked at the girl with a smile.

"Did you like that, Seraphina?" Skara asked.

"That was incredible!" Seraphina said, hugging Skara's legs, "I want to be a great Bard like you one day!"

Skara patted her head.

"I'm sure you will." Skara said.

'... God... why do I feel like this?' Boscha thought.

"You know you can talk to her." A voice said.

Boscha got startled and turned to punch whoever said that, but a vine stopped her.

"... Okay, don't sneak up on you, got it." Amelia said, as her vine stopped Boscha from punching Cat.

"S-s-sorry!" Boscha said.

"Well, in your defense, we did throw you, dribble you, kick you... hip check you-"

"Yeah, that one was entirely uncalled for." Boscha said.

"I had to show off." Amelia said.

"Anyway, I feel like we got off on the wrong foot." Cat said, "I'm Catrina Medicus, but you can call me Cat, and this is Amelia Bellflower, my girlfriend."

Cat put an arm around Amelia's waist and pulled her close.

"Boscha Noceda, or Ballscha as I'm referred to sometimes." Boscha said, "It's... nice to meet you... officially at least."

"Yeah... we have experience with the Owl Lady and that spell." Amelia said.

"Three... fucking... weeks." Cat said, very annoyed, "All so she could use us as a distraction for the cops!"

Amelia gave Cat a kiss to the cheek.

"Calm down, Kitty." Amelia said, "Anyway, we noticed you checking out Skara and her baby sister."

Boscha blushed.

"I... what... I would... Never... I just-"

"Trust me, I can tell you have feelings for her." Cat said, before tapping her head, "Lesbian intuition."

"I mean... I..."

Boscha didn't know what to think, she was so confused with her feelings and sexuality.

"What, have you not come out yet?" Amelia asked.

"In the human realm, people think it's wrong to think like that."

"The Human realm?" Cat asked.

"I mean... did you not see my sister's ears?" Boscha asked.

Amelia laughed awkwardly. "I mean, we didn't want to call attention to them. It seemed rude."

"I always thought the Human Realm was a myth." Cat confessed.

"Nope." Boscha informed them. "Trust me, it's all too real. I was lost there when I was little. The Nocedas -Luz's family - rescued me and took me in. Been a Noceda ever since. No regrets."

"That's so sweet." Cat was moved.

"Wait wait wait." Amelia interrupted. "Can we circle back to when you said that it's wrong to think "that" in the Human Realm? What exactly did you mean?"

Boscha always tried her best not to dwell on the homophobic mentality all too common in the realm she called home. Did these two really need to hear about it? What good would it do them? Boscha didn't think it was a good idea, but she felt a strange compulsion to reach out to her newfound friends.

"It's... relationships like yours... any relationship that isn't heteronormative is seen as unnatural and... wrong in the Human Realm."

"What?!" Amelia was bewildered.

"Why?!" As was Cat.

"That's the million-dollar question." Boscha sighed.

"Oh, there you are."

Everyone looked to see Luz and King approaching.

"Maybe Boscha will help!" King pointed to the three-eyed girl. "Minion! Your King commands you to avenge the loss of my confectionary offerings!"

Boscha just looked at Luz. "He what now?"

"Don't mind him." Luz assured her. "He's just upset because he dropped some treats."

"Easy for you to say..." King contested. "... but when you reach over and put your hand into a pile of goo that was your favorite cupcake, you'll know what to do!"

"OMT! He's so cuuuuuute!" Amelia cooed.

"Can we pet him?" Cat pleaded.

Boscha and Luz looked at each other, then back to the girls and nodded approvingly. Cat and Amelia picked the little demon up and cuddled him incessantly. His squeals of protest went unheeded, but did garner someone's attention.

"Hey cronies!" Eda bellowed. "I thought I told you we were leaving."

"You said YOU were leaving." Luz corrected her.

"No, I-"

"Edalyn?"

"Ffffffffuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck!" That prissy voice reverberated throughout Eda's brain. "Lily."

Everyone turned around to see Lilith saunter up to them. "Sister." She smirked at the sight of Eda. "It has been too long."

""Sister?!"" Luz's excitement skyrocketed. "Mysterious paaassssst!"

This worried Boscha a little. "Luz, you're drooling."

"Just look at you." Lilith took no notice of the Nocedas. "Still collecting trash for a living, or have you finally moved on to an occupation that somewhat approaches respectability?"

"Meh meh meh meh meh mehhhh!" Eda used her hand as a puppet for her mock impression of her sister. "That's you. That's what you sound like."

"Well, at least your witticisms have improved." Lilith scoffed.

"Yeah, well how do you like this retort?!" The Owl Lady fired a spell at her, but Lilith reflected it with ease right back at her. Everyone present was astonished at what they had just witnessed. Boscha in particular burst out laughing.

"Holy shit! Somebody finally balled Eda!"

"This day has been full of surprises." Amelia noted.

"I never thought I'd see the day." Luz exclaimed.

"Eda the Ball Lady!" Boscha was still laughing.

Lilith finally took a moment to address the Nocedas. "I've never seen you two in Bonesborough before. What's your connection to my sister?"

Luz struck a heroic pose. "We happen to be the dutiful apprentices of Eda the Ball - err - Owl Lady."

"Edalyn, a mentor? Titan help you both." Lilith examined Luz's face. "And what is with those ears? Is this a human?! Where did you even find one of these?"

"Hey, Eda at-home!" Boscha's mood instantly soured. "Stop messing around with my sister!"

Lilith nearly doubled over with laughter. ""Sister?" Of that? Oh, witchling. Apparently, Edalyn managed to pass on her lack of self-respect."

Mocking Luz was her first mistake. Her second was shaking her head. Otherwise, she might have seen Boscha march up to her to punch her in the face. As it was, the force of that punch actually sent her rolling a fair distance. Everybody in the immediate area collectively gasped at the sight. Lilith could already feel the swelling beneath her right eye as well as the trickle of blood from her nose.

"You miserable little brat!"

"Stay mad." Boscha hoped that really hurt "Talk like that to my sister again and I WILL stop holding back."

Boscha glared at Lilith. She picked up Eda and tossed her to Cat.

"Fix her, I've had enough of this place." Boscha said, "Come on Luz, let's go before the Government Goth decides to arrest me."

Lilith stood up and grabbed Boscha's arm, only for something in her to react and turn around. Lilith pushed away and held her bleeding side.

"AHHH!" She yelled.

Boscha looked at her blood stained hand and got confused.

'Claws?' Boscha though as her claws returned to normal nails.

"WHOA, BOSCHA!" Luz was even more surprised.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Boscha panicked. "I honestly didn't mean to do that! I had no idea I could..."

She managed to extend and retract her newfound claws a few times, which captivated Luz. "Ohmigosh! You've got cat claws!" Luz pulled her cat-eared hood over her head in a show of solidarity. "Meow-meow!"

Boscha was amused by her sister's display, which put her at ease. Unfortunately, Lilith was going to put a stop to that as soon as she finished casting a healing spell on her face.

"If this scars, I swear to Titan I will come at you with the full force of the Emperor's Coven!" The raven-haired witch seethed.

"I can scratch the other side to even them out if you prefer." Boscha taunted.

"Hold it, hold it, hold it!" Eda re-entered the fray, having been turned back to normal.

Lilith only smirked in a condescending fashion. "Well, Edalyn, it's good to see you in... better shape."

Everyone in a ten-meter radius cringed at that line.

"Uh-huh." Eda powered through. "Anyway, Boscha, there's no need to resort to such frantic violence... when we could be resorting to SANCTIONED violence!"

That definitely got Boscha's attention.

"Ugh, Sister, please tell me you don't mean-

"That's right, Lily! We challenge you to a WITCH'S DUEL!" The Owl Lady pointed dramatically. "My bad girl student versus the prissiest of your little blue bloods!"

"Witch's duel?!" Luz and Boscha both were shocked to know that there was such a thing in the Boiling Isles. To think that something out of the Azura book series was plausible enough to really exist.

"Put me in, Eda!" Luz insisted. "I've been dreaming for a chance like this for YEARS!"

"Huh? How could you-?!" Eda tried to keep focused. "Sorry, kid, but your sister's better suited. I don't know what you think witch's duels are, but I gotta put my snails on the one who's least likely to try to be nice and befriend their opponent."

"I don't... always do that!"

"Well then, if your mind is set on this..." Lilith had no inclination to let the inane banter continue. with the twirls of her fingers, every one of Eda's wanted posters in the building disintegrated. "You can stop worrying about the Emperor's Coven for today and prepare the last rites for your poor, misguided fosterling. I'm going to have my best disciple teach this one a painful and lasting lesson."

Boscha wasn't perturbed. ""This one" doesn't scare easy, Wednesday! Bring on any witch you got!"

"Ms. Lilith?"

All eyes in the room turned to a very bewildered Amity.

"What perfect timing." Lilith smirked. "Here comes my top student now."

"Hi, Amity!" Luz waved to her friend.

"Minty?!" Boscha exclaimed. "Y'know what, Eda? Maybe let Luz take this one. This doesn't feel right."

"What's going on here?" Amity looked to Lilith for an explanation.

The dark-haired witch maintained her smug exterior. "You'll have the honor of demonstrating your magical prowess in a witch's duel against, ehhh... the pink one."

"WHAT?!"

"Think of it as an impromptu tryout for the Emperor's Coven. A victory here could be propitious for your future."

"But we never discussed anything like this! Why are we picking fights with random witches?!"

"Amity..." Lilith's pleasant smile did little to hide her cold stare. "... your parents have paid me top snail to ensure your successful training. I would hate very much to let them down. You won't let that happen... will you?"

"N-n-no." Amity said.

"Good." Lilith said, before turning back to Boscha, "You have one hour to prepare."

Not only did Boscha glare at Lilith, but so did Luz. If it wasn't for the fact that she would make things worse, she would've broken Lilith's nose... again. After the goth-like witch left, Luz had only one immediate concern.

"Amity, I am so sorry!" She groveled to her friend. "We never meant to get you roped into this!"

Boscha concurred with her sister. "Yeah, don't worry about it, I'll just forfeit or whatever."

"Right, about that..." Eda had all the awkward mannerisms of a little kid that spilled Ghoul-Aid on the carpet. "... I mean, you could quit, but then you might get thrown in the conformatorium."

"WHAT?!" Boscha, Luz and Amity were aghast at what they heard.

Boscha in particular was quite incensed. "What the hell did you just get me into?!"

"It's what I got you out of, smartass!" Eda didn't back down. "You do realize that what you did to my sister constitutes a high crime!"

"Since when do you care about the law?"

"Since one of my girls assaulted the head of the Emperor's Coven!"

"You WHAT?!" Amity clearly had some catching up to do.

"If I hadn't intervened, you'd be hauled out of here in chains." Eda emphasized. "Appealing to her ego was the only thing I could think of to change her mind. And if you drop out now, she'll go back to plan A!"

Boscha groaned. "Well, shit."

"I-It'll be okay." Amity assured her. "Witch's duels aren't necessarily to the death. It'll just be a friendly exhibition match."

"Oh, so destroying your opponents is against the rules, then?" Luz asked.

"I didn't say that." Amity sulked. "I should probably catch up with Ms. Lilith. She'll be expecting me to warm up for the duel. Good luck!"

Eda and her wards watched as the green-haired witch run off. Luz could have sworn she saw her shed a tear before she turned away.

"Y'know, I gotta ask her where she got those boots. I'd like to steal myself a pair." Eda mused to herself before addressing Boscha. "Well, kid, let's prep for the fight of your life. That Amity's no pushover."

As the two walked off, Luz noticed that Amelia and Cat were still cuddling with King.

"So, can we have him back now?"

---

In an empty corner of the Covention Centre, Eda donned a sweatband, indicating to Boscha that it was time to begin their training. "All right, let's go over some basic duel etiquette." She extended her arms forward in an offensive position. "Now, I'm coming at you with a blast of fire. Whattaya do?"

"HAAAAIIII!"

Without thinking, Boscha had grabbed Eda by the arm and flipped her over her shoulder, slamming her against the floor with enough force to break her body apart. Despite not being attached to her lungs at the moment, Eda needed a moment to catch her breath.

"WHAT THE HELL, KID?!"

"Shit! Shit shit shit! Sorry, Eda!" Boscha stammered. "My brain went back to karate class and I just reacted on instinct. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, don't worry. Let's just focus on training for now. I'll add this little incident to your ball tab."

"Oh, what if you threw a ball of light at her and temporarily blind her!" Luz said, putting Eda back together, "It would make this go by fast and no one gets any serious injury."

Boscha simply looked at Luz and made a spell circle, creating a ball of light, and then attempting to grab it, only for it break apart.

"While you are able to do that for some reason, I am not able to." Boscha said, before getting an idea, "Eda... teach me that ball spell."

Eda smirked.

"I think I know where this is going." Eda said.

---

The witches walked into the arena. Lilith and Amity on one side, Boscha, Eda, and a Luz Ball in Eda's hands on the other.

"You ready for this Kid?" Eda asked.

"Born ready." Boscha said, taking Luz from Eda's hands.

"I'd feel a bit better if we set up some hidden traps beforehand."

"YOU would." Boscha pointed out. "When I win this, I don't want your stuck-up sister to have any room for excuses. I want her to know it was all me."

Eda could only concede. She felt more of a kinship with the three-eyed girl with each passing day and couldn't help but be proud of her.

"Beloved citizens..." Lilith was eager to get things started. "...the Emperor's Coven proudly presents an impromptu demonstration of the sort of witch we seek every year. Introducing Amity Blight!"

As the crowd cheered, Amity felt more at ease. She didn't like being strong-armed into this match, but Boscha didn't seem all that willing, either. What harm could a simple exhibition match be?

"Versus... Bow-scher or something." Lilith gestured to Amity's opponent.

""Bowscher?"" Skara was watching from the front row alongside Seraphina, Cat and Amelia. "Did I misremember her?"

Boscha and Amity stepped forward to face each other. "You're looking more confident now." Boscha noticed. "You really feeling up to this?"

Amity's eyes narrowed as she smiled. "Well, if I'm stuck doing this, I might as well enjoy it. I'll be sure to go easy on you."

"Guess you took those acting lessons, after all." Boscha cracked her knuckles. "Don't let our first encounter give you the wrong impression. You'd better come at me with EVERYTHING."

"If you insist. Abomination, RISE!"

The ground began to rumble, and a gargantuan abomination rose from the earth to the shock of everyone. Even Amity was surprised, but she didn't let that throw her off.

"Y'know, when I told you to come at me with everything, I didn't necessarily mean all at once." Boscha began to suspect she bit off a little more than she could chew.

The abomination raised its leg to stomp on its target. Fortunately, Boscha was far too quick for it. Or was Amity taking it easy on her? That wouldn't do.

"Ready, Luz?"

The ball shook slightly in her grasp."

Hope that was a yes." She began to wind up. "Okay, Minty, say hello to the Boiling Isles' new grudgby prodigy!"

Boscha hurled Luz with all her might and precision towards the towering golem standing between her and her opponent. It looked as if her attack would plow a hole straight through that monster, but shockingly, the abomination made a hole in its own body wide enough for the attack to pass through. Even more surprising was the fact that Amity jumped up to intercept the ball. Luz felt an odd sense of comfort in her hands. Almost like she was safe in the midst of this chaos. Sadly, that feeling left too soon. Right after catching Luz, Amity spun in midair and threw her right back through her abomination. Boscha could barely register what was happening before the Luz ball collided with her face. The sisters' eyes met briefly before Luz ricocheted right into the crowd behind them. As luck would have it, Luz fell into the hands of none other than Willow.

"Nice to meet you, prodigy." Amity had already resealed the hole in her abomination. "I'm Hexside's former Grudgby captain. Led the team to three consecutive BIGL championships."

"Guess I had that coming." Boscha fished a tissue out of her pocket for her bloody nose. "Still, when in doubt..."

After stuffing a wad of tissue into her bleeding nostril, Boscha began to lob a volley of fireballs at the abomination. Meanwhile, in the bleachers, Boscha's initial spell on Luz had worn off, reverting her back to normal in Willow's lap.

"Hey, friends!" The human awkwardly waved to her and Gus. "I got to take part in a witch's duel!"

"Wait, isn't that against the rules?" Gus asked.

"Not exactly." Willow explained. "That's only if Luz fought under her own volition. Using spectators as weapons or shields is within the rules to a point."

"But why would you let her?" Gus was still confused.

Luz looked at her sister in the match and softly smiled. "She knew how badly I wanted to be in a witch's duel and found a way for me to take part in hers. She's the best big sister I could ever ask for."

"... I think you got spun to much." Willow said.

Back on the battlefield, Boscha had not let up with the fire, some people were nervous she would burn the place down. Amity wasn't letting up either, ordering the abomination to grab Boscha... sadly, if there was one thing Boscha was... apart from hot headed, stubborn, athletic, and short tempered... it was slippery. She was easily dodging any move the abomination tried to do to grab her.

'Okay, glad balls don't have lips or that would've been awkward... plan A failed... but...'

Boscha had a plan. It'll end this and stop the abomination. After all... can't fight if you can't move.

'If she's so good with a grudgby ball... then she can BE the ball!'

Boscha just had to line the spell up and hit her with it. Boscha formed a fireball in her hand and threw it at the abomination, but that didn't do much. Boscha did it again, and again, and again, but it was the same story... nothing stopped it. Sadly, she tripped over her feet and the abomination stepped on her, making the crowd, and Amity gasp in shock. Luz felt her heart stop... until there was a growl coming from under the foot... as well as the foot being lifted.

'She has Super strength!?' Luz thought.

Boscha pushed the abomination off her, much to Amity's shock. Boscha looked at her hands, very shocked. She closed her fist and looked at the abomination, starting to get up. Boscha wasted no time, making a spell circle and hitting a distracted Amity with the spell. The Amity ball hit the ground and Boscha just picked her up victoriously, and spun her on her finger... when she noticed something.

"Hold on." Boscha said, stopping Amity on her finger, "What's this?"

She pulled something off of Amity and showed it to the crowd. That's when Eda came over and looked at it.

"A power glyph from the Construction Coven!" Eda said, holding it up, "Got anything to admit, Lily?"

The crowd looked at Lilith, who visibly looked nervous. Boscha tossed Amity and undid her spell.

"What the hell, Minty? I never had you pegged for a cheater."

"I... I..." Amity was at a complete loss for words.

Gus sure wasn't, though. "Amity cheated? And she still lost?! What of our lives is even real anymore?!"

"Your sister has some serious skills." Willow confessed to Luz. "I'd sure hate to get on her bad side."

Meanwhile, Lilith was still fumbling to answer her sister. "Well... I knew YOU'D cheat... so... I compensated for-"

"Don't bullshit us!" Boscha cut her off. "I was winning fair and square without any special glyphs or traps!"

"And believe me, Lily, I'm just as surprised as you." Eda pointed out.

"You and Minty were the only cheaters here!"

"NO!" Amity blurted out. "No... I wouldn't! I didn't know. I never took that... Ms. Lilith?"

Lilith faltered even more under Amity's sorrowful gaze. "A-Amity... You don't know my sister! She-!"

"I thought I knew YOU."

"No! This was different! Edalyn is willing to use every underhanded tactic to try and come out on top!"

"Guess that runs in the family, huh?" Boscha quipped.

"Stay out of this!" Lilith was quick to turn her anger on Boscha. "Nobody asked for your smart-mouthed opinion, you-!"

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Amity cut Lilith off this time. "Don't turn this on them! They didn't break any rules."

"And yet, I feel so dirty." Eda grumbled to herself.

"Why, Ms. L- Why did you do this to me, Lilith?!" Amity implored. "Did you really have that little faith in me?"

The lack of honorifics cut deeper than Lilith dared let on. "Of course I had faith in your abilities! I just didn't want to risk Eda embarrassing you!"

Amity took the power glyph from Boscha to wave it in her mentor's face. "And what did you think THIS would do?! Is this supposed to get me into the Emperor's Coven? You know what Mom will do to- what she'll say when she hears about this! And all just to settle some stupid score? How could you do this to me?!"

Lilith was close to breaking down. "Amity, please..."

"FUCK YOU!"

The young witch pushed her way past Lilith and stormed out of the auditorium.

"AMITY!" Luz became worried and made her own way out to try and catch up with her.

Lilith froze on the spot, not knowing what to do. Eda would soon change that.

"WEEEOOOWEEEOOOWEEEOOO! Healing Coven emergency! We have a burn victim in the auditorium!"

"I am not in the mood, Edalyn."

And Boscha was about to make that mood worse. "Yeah, c'mon, Eda. Can't you see she's too busy wallowing in her own hypocrisy?" She and Eda both laughed as they heard Lilith growling.

"But seriously, Lily, is the view always this nice from the high ground?" The Owl Lady jested. "Hot damn, I love coventions!"

"Edalyn..." Lilith's face turned a furious red as she gritted her teeth.

"Hey, where's the rhyming coven? What's a good rhyme for "cheated?""

"STOP. ACTING. LIKE A CHILD!"

"Don't get so heated.
You got no right to be conceited,
since you're the one who cheated.
So keep your stank ass seated."

Lilith didn't think she could get any angrier at that point. But then, Boscha got in on the rhyming.

"Yeah, you just got defeated
and your protégé retreated.
All because I succeeded
in finding out you cheated."

"RHYME ONE MORE THING! I DARE YOU!"

"It's fine. We're all done." Eda assured her.

"..."

"...

"..."

"Also, you're a total bitch!" Eda proceeded to razz her sister while flipping her off.

"THAT'S IT!"

Lilith summoned her staff and charged at Eda, knocking her into the wall, making it crack. Eda smirked.

"There she is." Eda said, summoning her staff, "You may want to move, Boscha."

"Uh, yeah, I think I left my phone in the bathroom." Boscha said.

Boscha quickly ran to catch up with Luz... unaware that someone was following her.

---

"AMITY? Amity!"

Luz was combing the grounds of the Covention Centre in a frantic search for her friend. She wasn't a hundred percent sure what she'd say to her, but she will fight any ghosts carrying magic mirrors that happen to show up. It felt like she was looking for hours until she was lured to a dark section of the building by the sound of shaky breathing.

"Thank god I found you!" Luz cautiously approached Amity, who was curled up in the corner with her face buried in her arms. "I got so scared."

"NO! Stay away!" Amity curled up even tighter. "Please. I'm just dealing with so much right now. Lilith using me like that. Mom... she'll... oh, Titan..."

Amity's breathing turned sharp and erratic, which scared Luz further. "Amity! Amity, stay with me, okay? Look at me. Deep breaths, now..."

Luz kneeled down next to Amity and demonstrated her breathing technique to guide her. Inhaling for four seconds. Holding the breath for for seconds more. Exhaling for another four seconds. Hold for a final four seconds before inhaling again. She coached the young witch throughout the whole process. In, two, three, four. Hold, two, three, four. Out, two, three, four. Hold, two, three, four. They repeated the exercise until Amity started breathing normally again.

"There. Feeling better, now?" Luz asked.

"Not really." Amity resumed sulking. "Of all the adults in my life, Lilith was the one I trusted the most. I looked up to her. I never would have believed she was capable of... She humiliated me in front of the Emperor's Coven, which I'll never get in now. And when Mom finds out, I'll be working those Blight Industries showcases for a year!"

Luz was unsettled by that last sentence. "These showcases... what even are they?"

"My parents own a kind of home security company. Mom makes me demonstrate some of the more experimental products to her investors as a punishment."

"Is that how you hurt your arm?"

Amity instinctively hid her right arm, forgetting that she showed Luz the injury on her left arm earlier. "It's not that bad, really."

"How can it not be bad if you keep getting hurt?"

"Please, just drop it. I don't want to get you in trouble too. I'm not worth-!"

"DON'T!" Luz slammed her hands on the ground. "Don't EVER say you're not worth anyone caring about you! You don't deserve to be treated this way! NO ONE DOES!"

Luz didn't realize she had started to cry, but it came as no surprise to her. How many times had she told Boscha the very same thing that Amity just told her? That she wasn't worth all the trouble her sister got into for defending her against the bullies of Gravesfield High? It was no wonder she felt so strongly about her friend's plight.

"Luz... are you okay?"

"Yeah... yeah." Luz sniffled a bit. "Sorry. I just hate seeing people going through this kind of thing believing that they deserve it."

"There isn't much anyone can do about it. Not with my parents' wealth and influence. The day that changes is the day a human learns magic." It took a few seconds to realize exactly who Amity was talking to. "Oh, shoot! Sorry. It's an old turn of phrase, I didn't mean to insult you like that."

While Amity turned away in shame, Luz took out a sheet of paper and started drawing on it. "Hey, if that saying is true, then I've got some good news."

Without looking, Amity heard a tap. A light surged in the periphery of her vision. Then, a warm touch. She turned to see a weird being of light. A kitten of light held in the palm of Luz's hand. It reached out a paw and touched the tip of Amity's nose.

"Boop."

"What is that? Some kind of ghost?"

Luz giggled as she set the kitten of light on the floor. "No, just a little magic trick I picked up. I saw an image a while back from watching Boscha. I drew the image, and then..."

Luz tapped another glyph, and a ball of light emerged.

"Ta-daaaa!"

Amity couldn't believe her eyes. "You really did it. You learned magic."

"Yup!" Luz beamed. "So, by your own imposed logic, that means you don't have to put up with this, and you ARE worth the effort."

"I mean, it was just an idiom..."

Amity's train of thought was interrupted when the kitten of light purred against her leg.

"How are you making the light do that?" Amity pet the kitten, astonished at how real it felt. "I've never seen a light spell you could touch before."

"It's a kind of hard light." Luz explained as she cupped her hands over the ball of light she created. She wrung her hands tightly to condense it into a small sphere, like the "marbles" she flicked at Boscha earlier. "I concentrate it like so, and it becomes solid. I'm not entirely sure about the how. Boscha the science whiz could explain the science behind it better than me."

"Science, huh?" Amity looked at the sphere with an unusual curiosity. "It's no wonder your sister outclassed me considering the kind of things you've both learned."

Luz could detect the sense of self-loathing a mile away, and Amity's was overpowering. "Hey, don't sell yourself short. From what I've seen, you've got some mad skills, especially when it comes to grudgby."

"But how much of that was me and not that power glyph?"

"I'm gonna guess that power glyphs don't enhance skill. The way you passed the ball back at Boscha took agility and a kind of gentle touch. Can a power glyph help with that?"

"No, I don't think so. But how could you know about how gentle I was with the ball?"

"Oh, right! I WAS the ball."

Amity was nowhere near ready to process that information, but Luz continued. "The point is that Lilith was a jerk and an idiot to not trust in you. And she certainly doesn't deserve your trust."

"You know, I think you're right. Maybe there's something to that "I'm worth the trouble" theory of yours."

"That's the spirit!" Luz got to her feet and helped Amity to hers.

"But there's still so much I need to think about after today. I have some serious reassessments to make."

"I understand. But if you ever need a hand or a shoulder to cry on, just call us or drop by the Owl House. I don't know how much longer we'll be around, but we'll do whatever it takes to help."

Amity smiled warmly. "I will. Thank you, Luz."

She waved her sheepish little wave and walked away. As Luz watched this, Boscha caught up with her.

"Ah, there you are." Boscha said, putting Luz in a headlock and giving her a noogie, "What are you doing here by yourself?"

"Boscha, quit it!" Luz complained.

"Uh... excuse me?"

Boscha went pale and let go of Luz. Luz looked and saw Skara. Being the irritating little shit of a sister she is, Luz patted Boscha on her cheek and gave her a look.

"I'll you two alone." Luz said, walking away... just enough so they couldn't see her but she could see and hear them.

'... I'm asking Eda if it's just a ball or if I can turn her into other things, because a garbage can is exactly what I plan on making her into!' Boscha thought.

Boscha turned around and faced Skara.

"H-h-hi." Boscha said.

---

Lilith had knocked Eda against the wall, which seemed to take out the rest of Eda's energy. Lilith smirked as she walked over.

"Well sister, it would seem I've bested you." Lilith said.

"Don't look so smug... you beat a cursed woman who is suffering the effects of it... that's like beating someone with one leg in a race." Eda said, "Do you know what it's like suffering from this? Not knowing whether or not it'll be your last day?"

Lilith felt any anger towards Eda dissipate and be replaced with shame and guilt.

"Edalyn, I-"

With Lilith distracted, Eda hit her with the ever so iconic ball spell, leaving a Lilith colored Grudgby ball in her place.

"Ha!" Eda said, "See you later Lily!"

Eda gave Lilith a hard kick, sending her to the other side of the arena, before running out to catch up with her girls.

---

The awkward tension between Skara and Boscha was so thick you could cut it with a knife.

"Do... do you remember me?" Skara asked.

"... Vaguely." Boscha said, "When I... ended up in the human realm, I got stuck in a snare trap and hit my head hard enough that I got amnesia."

Skara looked down a little, not sure if her first friend remembers her or not.

"I see... well, we were-"

"Friends." Boscha said, "I... I had a memory come back, nothing much, but I remember you and I playing."

Skara smiled.

"Yep... we were best friends." Skara said, "When you went missing, I... I was hurt, it was the first time I ever felt true heartbreak."

"Well... maybe we can try and be friends again?" Boscha asked.

Skara looked like she was about to cry out of happiness.

"I would love that." Skara said, "I have to give you my number!"

"... You have phones here?" Boscha asked.

"What's a... Phoon?"

"Okay, well, this might be a bit hard." Boscha said, "How about we just agree to meet up later this week?"

"Okay, uh... where are you staying?"

"With the Owl Lady."

Skara had flashbacks to the ball incident.

"Uh... okay, I'll see you later this week." Skara said, "It was nice to see you again Boscha."

Skara quickly rushed away from sight, but you could hear her squeal. Luz then came out and practically tackled Boscha.

"You have a connection to your past!" Luz said.

"Luz, get off me before your shouting makes me go deaf." Boscha said.

"Hmm... Nope! I'm too happy right now!" Luz said.

"I'll use you as my basketball if you do."

"Deal!"

Luz helped Boscha up and then hugged her.

"I'm so happy my sister is getting to learn about where she came from!" Luz said.

"Luz, I'm just talking to someone that might know a bit about me, it's nothing major." Boscha said, "It's not like I found out that I'm some lost heiress to some kind of estate."

"Hey, if you are, remember who's taken care of you." Eda said, as she walked up to them, with King at her side, "Come on, let's go before Lily finds out that I set a timer on the spell."

"You can do that!?" Boscha and Luz said, with very OPPOSITE reactions.

"Yep, now let's go." Eda said, "I think there's been enough excitement for today."

"For once, I agree." Boscha said.

'Though I will admit... some good came from today.' Boscha thought as they left the place, ignoring the conversation that Eda and Luz were having about Eda's family.

---

"Damn it, Edalyn! Why must you be so stubborn?!"

Lilith busted her way into a greenroom lent to her by the proprietors of the Covention Centre, holding the spot Eda kicked her at. "And now I've been humiliated, Amity is upset with me and AAAHHH!"

She soon found herself face down on the floor after slipping on what appeared to be a glowing marble.

"AND WHO KEEPS DROPPING THIS SHIT EVERYWHERE?!"

In her anger, she flung the bauble against the wall. It burst in a flash of light, adding to Lilith's irritation. Before she could vent her anger, the compact on the dresser lit up, which set her off even more.

"And on top of everything else, that stuck-up goblin is probably going to berate me for no damn reason. Measly little sycophant!" She grumbled before answering her compact, whose mirror contained the image of a demon. "Kikimora. To what do I owe the honor of your call?"

"I'm told that you let the Owl Lady get the best of you, Lilith." Kikimora bluntly stated.

Lilith had to swallow her pride to answer. "She may have escaped this time, but her curse is progressing. It will only be a matter of time before she can no longer resist us."

"Well, for your sake, I hope that time comes soon. Don't forget what the Emperor promised you."

Lilith's eye began to twitch. "Rest assured, Kiki, I haven't forgotten. Edalyn will be brought in."

"See that she is." Kikimora cut off the communication.

"Sooner or later, Edalyn..." Lilith growled. "...you will be brought to justice."

Chapter 18: The Conjuring

Chapter by Mr_Hardcor3

Boscha woke up a few days after the Covention, still nursing a few injuries like a broken nose from getting hit by Luz when Amity threw her at her, or a few bruised ribs from the Abomination stepping on her, not to mention her excessive use of magic that took a lot out of her. She didn't have much of a need to move... until she noticed that Luz wasn't in the bag next to her.

"Damn it." Boscha said, "How'd she return to normal, I thought she was still a ball."

Boscha got up and moved downstairs, where Luz was watching Eda play some kind of card game against Owlbert. Boscha limped over to the couch... yeah did we mention that she also has a fractured tibia?

"What'cha playing?" Boscha asked.

"This cool game called Hexes Hold'em." Luz said, "Hey, isn't Skara coming over today?"

"It's Friday already?! YES!" Boscha literally jumped for joy and shot her fists in the air, which proved catastrophic. A fact Luz, King and Eda could recognize by the noise that resembled an underwater rockslide.

"Boscha? You okay?" Luz asked.

Boscha could only groan slightly as she was stuck in her fist-pumping pose. "Hurts to move. Please help me."

Luz and Eda carefully propped her on the couch. Eda then bent her arms back into their regular position, or so Eda figured. "Seriously, kid, you need to take it easy. Most witches would end up in traction after facing a doped-up Amity. I want you to get better soon."

"Because you can't use the ball spell on me in this condition without causing massive internal damage?" Boscha weakly asked her.

"...Also, yes."

"And you don't wanna upset Mom by letting her daughter mess herself up any further." Luz chimed in.

"...Also-also, yes. Now anyway, why don't we get back to this game." Eda said, sitting back at the table, "Pay close attention Luz, Hexes Hold'em is a game of skill."

Eda put the cards down and they... came to life and destroyed the other played cards.

"Ha! In your adorable face Owlbert!" Eda said.

Owlbert, wearing an adorable little hat, hooted angrily and dropped his cards before flying away.

"Wow Eda, you sure showed the little bird who's boss." Boscha said, sarcastically.

"A victory is a victory, no matter who it's against." Eda said, "Victory is sweet and feels... fluffy... why do I feel fluffy?"

Luz looked and saw feathers coming out of Eda's arm.

"Eda, it's happening again!"

"Huh?" Eda looked at her feathery appendage. "Oh, that ain't good."

"I'm on it!" Luz had already bolted to the kitchen to the chest that held the potions to counteract the Owl Lady's curse. Except...

"AAAAAAGGGH! We're all out of elixir!"

Eda shuddered at hearing the news. "Oof! That really ain't good."

Luz ran back into the living room. She immediately slapped a glyph on each wrist to make gauntlets of light. "Don't worry, Eda! We'll think of something after we incapacitate you!"

"Whoa. You go, Sis!" Boscha marveled at how far Luz has progressed during her time in the Demon Realm.

"Would you just settle down, kid?!" Eda hollered. "It'll be fine. I just need to pick up some more from the market."

"MARKET!" Luz already prepared to head out.

Eda on the other hand, wanted to play more card. Boscha didn't care how badly it would hurt her, she raised a hand and slammed it against her other hand.

"Get your old ass out that door before I make you." Boscha said, before grabbing a metal pole that she was fairly certain belonged to a street sign.

'I'll be talking to Owlbert about what NOT to take from the human realm.' Boscha thought.

"Keep in mind, I can do this." Boscha said, while still looking at Eda.

Boscha literally bent the solid metal pole like it was nothing. Luz's eyes went wide.

'I need to steal a few power glyphs, I want to do that.'

Eda sighed. "Well, as THE most powerful witch on the Boiling Isles, I'm inclined to flex on you, but this curse does take precedence. Regrettably, I need to get to market... right after this next deal."

Boscha stood transfixed with the bent pole still in her hands. She was in utter disbelief that Eda was still playing this stupid card game. "Luz, can you deal with her?"

"C'mon, Triclops, just one hand?"

Luz then yanked the cards from Eda, despite her strong grip on them. A popping noise got the Owl Lady's attention and she looked at her arm, which was missing a certain something. "Hey, my hand... AND MY HAND!"

Luz stood at the doorway holding Eda's hand and the cards in them. "You want 'em, come and get 'em!"

Eda muttered various obscenities as she got up and gave chase.

"Boscha you should call mom, just in case!" Luz blurted before running out the door with a certain little demon, "King, keepaway!"

Eda and Owlbert followed after them, leaving Boscha by herself. Boscha, who was still not moving since bending that bar, mostly because she couldn't. "Too much pain. My body has rebelled, not that I blame it. So alone... no one to help me."

Just then, Hooty crept inside. "Need some help, hoot-hoot?"

"AWAY WITH YOU!"

---

In the Market, the Trio of King, Luz, and Eda made their way to the stand to get more elixirs. Eda started slamming her fist on the closed window.

"Come on Morton, open up!" Eda yelled as Luz and King watched.

"Uh, Eda, are you sure that's not going to cause damage to the place?"

"It'll do less damage than the Owl Beast." Eda said, continuing to slam her fist on the window.

Luz decided to move back, and that's when she noticed someone walking up to her.

"Hi, it was... Luz, right?"

"Yep, Luz Noceda."

"Oh, well, I'm Skara Harper-Melody, I don't know if we've ever actually introduced ourselves." Skara said, "Sorry about the whole, tossing your sister around for like 20 minutes a few days ago."

"Eh, she'll be fine, but if you ever do need a ball, I'm ready and willing to be one." Luz said

"Oh... uhhh, thank you?" Skara wasn't ready to dive down that rabbit hole. "By the way, where is Boscha?"

"She's still recovering. That witch's duel really caught up with her. Eda was helping with her healing, buuuuut..."

Luz gestured to Eda who was still slamming her fists against the closed stand and shouting obscenities.

"MORTON, YOU LITTLE SHIT! GET YOUR ASS OUT HERE!"

"I see." Skara had a sudden thought. "Hey! My friend Cat is in the Healing Track at Hexside. Maybe she can come over to your Owl Barn, too! And Amelia, maybe?"

"Uh... I... don't know." Luz said, "The Owl House is a bit... crazy."

"Oh okay, it's just... the Moonlight Conjuring we were going to have was cancelled, and we just don't have much to do now." Skara said.

"The Whatlight Whattering?" Luz inquired.

Skara found her naivete adorable. "Do you not have those in the Human Realm?"

Luz shook her head.

"Oh. Well, a Moonlight Conjuring is where a group of three or more friends gather at one of their houses for the night." Skara explained. "There's snacks, music, stories..."

"Oh, like a slumber party!" Luz blurted out.

"Then, when the moon is full, we find an inanimate object, join hands and use the moonlight's magic to bring it to life."

"... Like a WEIRD slumber party!"

"Yeah, so, we really have nothing to do tonight and are just kind of bored." Skara said.

"Ooo, I'll see if Eda will let you do one at the Owl House!" Luz said, "Wait right here!"

Luz rushed over to Eda... but not before running into Willow and Gus. She almost literally had, too. Fortunately, she managed to stop herself short of toppling the two.

"Friends!" Luz greeted. "How are you guys doing today?"

"Kinda bored." Willow flatly replied.

"Yeah. Everyone at Hexside has been yakking about the BIG Moonlight Conjuring tonight." Gus disparaged with his air quotes. "But we're above such childish nonsense."

"By which he means we don't have three people for our own Conjuring." Willow added.

"Yeah, that too."

"Wait, I'M three people!" Luz exclaimed. "I mean, WE'RE three people! No, actually, we're FOUR people!" She gestured to Skara waiting at the bench by King.

Willow recoiled in shock. "SKARA?!"

"Oh no! You've been seen with us!" Gus mourned for Luz's would-be social life. "Now you'll be pilloried! Denigrated! Excommunicated from your peers!"

"Hey, guys." Skara had already approached them. Gus and Willow backed away in spite of her friendly greeting.

"What are you doing?" Luz asked, seeing her friends slowly moving away, "It's just my future sister-in-law."

As if Boscha was right there, Luz got a text on her phone.

Are you talking about me?- Three Eyes

Luz couldn't help but laugh at the contact name she had for Boscha... and then hoped that Boscha would never see that as Luz would be probably be in the hospital if she did. Luz texted back.

No :P - Luzura

Luz put her phone away and looked back at her friends and Skara who was blushing at Luz's comment.

"Luz, you realize that's the Grudgby Captain right?" Gus asked, "She's like the second most popular girl at school."

Without warning, Skara lunged at Willow and Gus, grabbing them by their collars. Luz had no time to react, but in that microsecond her brain was burning with questions. She has known Skara to be nothing but nice. Did Luz put too much trust in her new friend's face value?

Before she knew it, Skara pulled the two witches toward her. Right out of the way of a group of hooded people dragging a carriage holding a chained-up giant demon.

"You two okay?" Skara asked. "You almost got flattened by those demon hunters."

"Oh... I... that is... uhh... thank you." Willow was finally able to stammer out.

Gus jumped in between Skara and the others. "And for the record, we are in no way affiliated with that human, so it is okay to befriend her!"

"Why wouldn't it be okay if you are?" Skara wondered.

"FOR SHIT'S SAKE, MORTON, OPEN UP, ALREADY!"

"I... should go make sure Eda isn't about to commit a crime." Luz said, "I'll be right back."

Luz rushed over to Eda.

"Eda, you may want to calm down."

"May I, now?" Eda sneered. "'Cause I MAY do worse shit if the curse overtakes me!"

"Well..." Luz struggled to say something to calm her down. After that failed, she figured the next best thing was to distract her. "Can I invite my friends over for a Moonlight Conjuring?"

"WHAT?" That definitely took Eda's attention away from slamming her fist on the potion stand. "How did you hear about that of all things?"

"Sooooo, is that a yes?"

Eda looked primed to deliver a scathing rant about Moonlight Conjurings until the stand finally opened up. "About damn time, Morton."

The shop clerk shakily rose to his feet. "Sorry, Eda. I was up all night tasting poisons. For some reason, I don't feel so good."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever, I'm going to need a refill." Eda said, handing an empty Elixir bottle to him, "Preferably now."

"Sorry Eda, but I'm all out."

"WHAT!?" Eda yelled, "I am literally the ONLY person that buys these from you!"

"M-m-my supplier hasn't shown up... they got eaten... so I don't have any ingredients to make anymore." Morton said.

Eda made a face that looked like she was about to just snap.

"Why did your dumbass supplier have to go and get themselves eaten?!"

"I-I don't know." Morton shielded himself with his trembling hands. "Adegast was usually more careful than that."

"A-!" Eda's rage gave way to embarrassment. "Well, nobody's perfect, right?"

Luz was confused. "Wait, wasn't Adegast the guy we fou-?"

"Luz!" Eda interrupted. "I believe Morton was about to tell me where to find more elixir."

For brevity's sake, Morton chose not to question the Owl Lady and played along. "Yes. Now, my next shipment won't be in until tomorrow, but you could find what you need at the night market."

"Oooohhhh, spooky." Luz was enthralled at the notion of a market at night. To her, it was more like a mall that was open late.

"Er, right." Morton went on. "Word has it that the elixir you need is being hoarded by the one called... Grimmhammer."

"Sounds evil." Luz couldn't help speculating. "Sounds like bad news, Eda. You sure you want to mess with someone like that?

"Well, it's either that, or you and Boscha have to put up with THIS until tomorrow." Eda showed her forearm to Luz, which was covered with more feathers.

"Well, why did you wait until now to get more?" Morton asked.

"I've been busy." Eda said, "I have an injured kid at home."

"Oh please, you've been too busy playing Hexes Hold'em!" King said.

"Uh, that is so untrue!" Eda said in offense.

"You're playing right now!" King said.

Eda already had the cards on the table, much to everyone's confusion.

"... Am I winning?" Eda asked.

Luz took Eda's cards and the deck and stashed them in her pocket. "Well, since that's all settled, it's conjuring time!"

"Luz, I never said you could have a Moonlight Conjuring at my house." Eda asserted.

"You never said I couldn-"

"You can't."

"Aw, dang it." Luz had no hope of swindling a swindler. "But Skara can help Boscha remember her past. One of her friends is a healer, which can help her, too. Willow and Gus need more friends for a Conjuring of their own... OH! We can even invite Amity! It might help make her feel better."

"Actually, Luz..." Skara approached her with Gus and Willow in tow. "Amity was hosting the Conjuring that got canceled. She's... in no shape to attend one, let alone host one."

Skara's sad expression set off multiple klaxons in Luz's mind. "What happened to her?"

---

Amity Blight never had much trouble drawing long lines on paper, but with her right hand bandaged and trembling from that last Blight Industries showcase, she had to settle for smaller pencil strokes. She tensed up trying to finish what she was sketching. Despite the strain on her wrist, she desperately wanted to keep drawing. She finally stopped when she felt the person she was drawing looked enough like Luz.

She fell backwards into the bed she had been sitting on, looking at the masterpiece she had made. At least Amity felt it was her masterpiece. Why did she feel that way? Why did the human occupy her mind so often lately? All these thoughts she never thought before. The feelings she never used to feel. It was overwhelming her. Better to just crumple this picture up and not think about Luz at all. Of course, her hand is still injured. It wouldn't be worth the risk to try.

A sudden knock at the door startled her. She could only think to stuff the drawing beneath her pillow and save it to look at later. Wait, not look at, throw away. Right?

"Amity? Are you in there?"

It was just her dad. "Yeah."

Her father entered the room, noticing all of the discarded papers on the floor with weird symbols drawn on them. What were those supposed to be? Umbrellas?

"Are you feeling better, Amity?"

"Let's see..." Amity sardonically replied. "Wrist is still sprained, quite a few lacerations left, ribs still bruised... So by Mom's standards, I'm good to go for yet another showcase tonight."

Her dad wasn't sure how to feel. He was somehow conflicted. "Mittens, I know you're upset right n-"

"DO you?"

"Yes, I do. But we're very concerned by you. Telling Lilith off, cheating in a witches duel..."

"I. DIDN'T. CHEAT!" Amity sat up straight, heedless of the pain shooting through her ribs. "Lilith is the one who put that glyph on me. That's why I told her off! Why the hell doesn't anyone believe me?!"

"Amity Blight! Language." Her father snapped. "This sudden shift in your behavior has put your future in the Emperor's Coven in serious jeopardy. If you didn't keep misbehaving, your mother wouldn't make y-"

"MY misbehaving?! What about Edric and Emira?! How many times have they cut class this week alone? Not to mention setting off those fireworks in Forearm Forest?! They were even out all last night tipping all those goblins in Jenkenmeyer's farm! And not ONCE have they had to help out in these showcases beyond watching the door! You and Mom let them skate by constantly while keeping me on a tight leash the whole time! Why am I always under so much pressure?!"

Her dad tried to answer, but he was at a complete loss for words. "I... haven't heard about the goblin tipping. I'll run that by Odalia right away." He got up and walked to the door. "Just rest up as much as you can, okay, Mittens? I'll get some more healing glyphs for you."

As soon as he closed the door, Amity flopped back onto the bed. She had felt drained after venting her frustrations, but less angry. However, that anger would resurface when her eyes wandered to the Emperor's Coven poster featuring Lilith in her trademark poise.

"Shut the fuck up."

---

"So, yeah, that's kind of why we have nothing to do tonight." Skara said.

"Well, sucks to be you." Eda said, "Rich people, I swear."

"Eda!" Luz said, upset by what she just said.

"Kid, I barely trust you and your sister to be left alone, you think I want you to bring more teens over?"

"Well... if I may." Skara said.

She threw a sack of money at Eda, it was so heavy she was struggling to lift it.

"Does that make you reconsider?" Skara asked.

"Well, since you asked so nicely, I don't see why you can't have ONE Conjuring party." Eda was too enthusiastic about the cash in her arms to haggle. Maybe next time.

"YES!" Luz was already feverishly texting Boscha.

Luzura: We did it. The Moonlight Conjuring is happening tonight 😀

Three-Eyes: The what now?

Luzura: Slumber party and Skara's coming over 4 it 💋💋💋💋

Three-Eyes: quit being such a 💩

Three-Eyes: so Eda got her potion?

Three-Eyes: hello?

Luzura: Sure. I mean she will tonight.

Three-Eyes: srsly?

Three-Eyes: anyway I called mom she'll be ready 4 portal anytime. Get ur asses home already

Luzura: k

"Hey Eeeeda..." Luz teased. "Better get your portal key."

"Why?" Eda asked.

"My mom is coming over."

As if Eda's day couldn't get any better! She grabbed Luz and King, and shove the bag of money in her hair... Luz isn't sure how that works but wants to do it.

"Come on Kids, I got a hot piece of ass to see!" Eda said.

"EDA!" Luz said, blushing, "That's my mom!"

Luz looked at Skara, Willow, and Gus

"Uh, I'll see you guys tonight!" Luz said before Eda flew away on her staff with them.

---

Camila walked through the portal. She barely set foot in the demon realm, when she was hugged by her girls.

"¡Tranquilo, Mijas! I'm happy to see you, too." Camila laughed as she hugged them back.

"AND ME!" King got in on the hug.

"Si, Perrito." The mother Noceda pet him on his head. She then noticed Eda standing shyly a few feet away. "Yes, Eda, I'm happy to see you as well."

"Welcome back, Cami." The Owl Lady reciprocated.

Camila set down her bags and stood aside from the door. "I also brought someone else who wanted to visit." No sooner had she said than someone else walked through the portal door.

"Yo, chicas."

"¡TÍO!" Luz and Boscha nearly trampled their mother and King to hug their Uncle Gabe. After their greetings, King walked up to the new human.

"Welcome, new minion. I am the King of Demons. Like your nieces before you, I bestow you with the opportunity to join my ever-growing army!"

Gabriel stood dumbfounded by the diminutive creature and his bold proclamations. After a moment of observation, he pointed at King as he turned to his nieces. "Mal0?"

Boscha and Luz burst out laughing at their Uncle Gabe's inquiry. King could only weh in uncertainty.

"No, Tío, that's not Mal0." Luz replied the moment she could catch her breath. "This is King. He's a demon and-"

"What's going on over there, hoot-hoot?"

"Oh no!" Camila did her best to brief Gabe on what to expect in the Demon Realm, despite how uninitiated she herself was. Witches, demons, curses, she thought she had it all covered. Unfortunately, due to forgetfulness or a subconscious desire to remove any memory of him, she hadn't mentioned Hooty. She couldn't even let out a warning before the house demon snaked his way through the crowd and stared her brother-in-law in the face.

Hooty, meanwhile, was ecstatic to see a new face. "Oh, coooooool! It's another human, hooty-hoot-hoot!"

Everyone else was transfixed by the interaction, nervous about how Gabriel would react to such a disturbing presence. But no one could have foreseen what occurred next.

"You..." Gabe held Hooty's face in his hands. "You're MAGNIFICENT!"

"HOOOOOOT?!" Definitely not something Hooty heard every day.

Before the shock could properly sink in for everyone else, Gabriel was already looking the house demon over. He was poking, prodding, plucking feathers and pulling Hooty's beak open to stare down the ghastly chasm that was his esophagus.

"This is all so fascinating!" Gabe proclaimed. "I gotta study him further. I need a sample. ANY kind of sample! Can I dissect him?"

"HOOOOOT!" Definitely not something Hooty ever wants to hear again.

Eda had enough at that point. "Damn it, Cami! Why'd you let that in the house? And what's with his obsession with Hooty?"

"Oh, don't mind him." Camila was surprisingly nonchalant about the whole situation. "He's just morbidly curious, being a biologist and all."

"What the hell is that?" Eda asked.

"He studies living things." Camila said, putting it in layman's terms.

Gabe took his head out of Hooty's mouth and saw Eda. He walked over to her.

"And I'd love to study you." He said, "Maybe over dinner, hot stuff?"

Normally Eda would turn someone into a ball and kick them away for saying something like that, but because she's starting to get a soft spot for the girls, and because of the curse currently affecting her magic, she doesn't want to potentially ruin that relationship she's been building... she instead she pulled out a switchblade and held it up, making Gabe put his hands up and slowly walk away from her.

"Okay, got it." Gabe said.

Boscha and Luz stepped back to speak quietly.

"So, are you going to tell mom that you're a demon?" Luz whispered.

"Not right now, after that, I don't think they could take that news... Tio Gabe might pass out."

Gabe had noticed something peculiar about his niece. "Hey, Boscha, what the heck happened to you? You join MMA or something?"

"Gabe, what are y- ¡PUTA MADRE!" Camila felt like kicking herself for not noticing Boscha's injuries sooner. "Oh, cariño, what happened?" She turned her daughter's head to check for further injuries. "Did a demon do this? Was someone picking on Luz?"

"Eshtowy bwien, Murmaw." Boscha tried to assure her mom, who was pinching her face in one hand while still looking her bruises over.

"We got to be in a witch's duel!" Luz couldn't contain her excitement at the thought.

"A what!?" Camila asked.

"It was amazing!" Luz said, "And you'll never believe what Boscha is able to do, wait right here!"

Luz ran inside and shortly after, returned, struggling to carry the metal pole Boscha bent.

"Boscha bent this!" Luz said.

Camila didn't think her eyes could get any bigger... until Luz started to ramble about how Boscha managed to lift an abomination as big as a house like it was nothing.

"And... what did you do in the duel?" Camila asked.

"Boscha threw me!" Luz said, very happily... without any context.

Camila shook her head. "Let's put a pin in that for now. If I recall, you mentioned Eda was struggling with her you-know-what?"

"OW!"

The Nocedas were alerted to Eda's cry. They noticed her rubbing her arm while Gabriel was checking out a handful of feathers. Camila sighed at the display.

Gabriel always was rather deceptively brilliant. Most people that would take a cursory glance at him wouldn't have him pegged as a molecular and microbiologist. But he had an unparalleled love for his work, which didn't take Camila long at all to find out when Manny introduced them. He had an unusual habit of playing around with his multifocus microscope that his employer inexplicably gave to him. He often displayed a borderline unhealthy interest in how things worked. Camila and Manny even had reservations about revealing Boscha's non-human features to him and made him promise not to harvest any blood, skin or hair samples from her. Thankfully, his loyalty to his family always beat out his morbid curiosity. But while Boscha was the exception, living things that piqued his interest were the rule.

"Gabriel Noceda, what did we discuss before coming here?" Camila's tone was the same motherly scolding she'd use on her daughters.

Gabe instantly looked defeated. "No examining people in the Demon Realm... without asking."

"AHEM!"

"Or at all! Definitely one of the two."

Eda was still massaging her arm. "Seriously, Cami, why'd you have to bring him along?"

"Hey, now, he's got a right to see his family." Camila insisted. "Plus, I thought he could help you out."

"Him?"

"Yeah." She took Eda aside out of earshot. "I didn't tell him about your curse. It just didn't feel right. But if you could spare an elixir, I think he could reverse engineer it to make more in the Human Realm."

"Wait, seriously?"

"It's just a theory I had. If you don't want us to try, we won't."

"I mean... it might work... but I don't have an elixir right now." Eda said, "I have to go to the night market in order to get some... going to be dangerous."

"Please tell me you don't plan on bringing my kids with you." Camila said.

"Nah, though Triclops' new strength would come in handy." Eda said, "The Kid is having friends over and doing a lame moonlight conjuring... I'm actually really glad you're here, you can supervise them while I go... stop being fluffy."

"Why don't you bring Gabe with you?" Camila asked, "He might not look like it, but he can be useful if you get into trouble."

Eda gave a doubtful look.

"Him? Really?"

Camila chuckled.

"Trust me, you'd be surprised at what he's able to do."

They suddenly heard a tree fall over and saw Boscha, who was leaning against it, looking a bit shook.

"Sorry, still getting used to this... super strength... thing." Boscha said.

Camila looked at Eda. "So, this is some kind of... witch puberty?"

"Not like I've ever seen." Eda was equally shocked.

"Well, I always told her she was special. Why stop now, right?" Camila decided to take it in stride. "At least it's not happening in my house."

The Owl Lady just grumbled.

"So, Mamá!" Luz ran up to her mother. "Are you excited for the Moonlight Conjuring?"

"I... guess? And, eeeehhh... what exactly is-"

"Magic slumber party."

Camila still wasn't entirely sure what that entailed, but once more, decided to roll with it. "Good thing it's a Friday."

Luz was having more and more trouble containing her excitement. "Oooooooh! I can't wait for you to meet my friends! Willow is so great and a really talented witch. Then there's Gus, who actually runs a Human Appreciation Club at his school. And Amity! She... 's not gonna be able to make it." The weight of those last words took a while to catch up to her. But when they did, her mood instantly deteriorated.

Her daughter's tone shift couldn't escape Camila's notice. "Is this "Amity" okay?"

"I don't know. I don't think so." Luz lamented. "One of Boscha's new friends, Skara, said she got injured during one of her family's... security showcases."

"¿Qué? What kind of insane parent makes their child take part in something like that?!"

---

"AMITY!" Odalia called from the dining room of Blight Manor. "Six hour warning, dear! Be sure to be ready for tonight's showcase!"

"Yes, Mom." Amity called back to her mother.

She had spent an hour or so staring at that drawing she told herself she was going to throw away. She was totally going to. She had more important things to do than to gawk at her sketch of Luz. But the wastebasket was all the way on the other side of the room, and she did have more important things to do.

Amity pocketed her sketch and headed for the bathroom. She wanted to check herself for any bruises that needed covering up. It was emphasized by her mother that she look presentable for the showcase later. But as soon as she opened her bedroom door, a bucket of nondescript blue slime fell on her. The slime spilt all over her, and it didn't take long for her to deduce who propped that bucket on top of the door.

"EDRIC! EMIRA!" Amity's shout echoed through the hallway. She could hear that contemptible snickering close by. Then, a plume of light-blue smoke burst out in front of her, revealing her older siblings.

"Damn, Mittens, you're a mess." Her brother Edric noted.

"You really gonna go to the showcase looking like that?" His twin sister Emira asked.

Amity's anger was building up, but she couldn't afford to let it out now of all times. "Don't you two ever have anything better to do?" She slightly scolded.

"Well, we did think better of it." Emira explained.

"Yeah, but then you had to go and narc on us to Dad about where we were last night." Edric derided.

Emira grinned smugly. "And what kind of big brother and sister would we be be if we didn't teach you that your actions have consequences?"

"What the hell would you know about consequences?!" Amity snapped. "I'm the one always getting in real trouble. You two just get by with a fucking slap on the wrist!"

"AMITY BLIGHT!"

The younger sister looked down the hallway to see an irate Odalia marching up to her. "What in Titan's name is with all the yelling and profanity? And why are you so filthy?"

"It was Edric and Emira! They dumped this stuff on me and..." as Amity looked in their direction, she noticed the twins had already vanished.

"Enough of these games, Amity." Her mother berated. "Just get yourself cleaned up for tonight. We'll discuss your behavior later."

As Odalia left, Amity was overflowing with fury. She just wanted to hit something or someone -two someones in particular- but she knew she couldn't afford any more trouble.

What could she do?

---

"Oh, before I forget, mom, I learned a new spell!" Boscha said, "Want to see?"

Camila was a bit concerned, what kind of spell was it? Last time she saw the effect of "Boscha" and "Spell" it resulted in fire.

"Uh... does it involve arson?"

"No... Luz you have problem being lit on fire, do you?"

"Sounds fun!" Luz said.

"NO! There will be no fire!" Camila said, before calming down, "Boscha, what's the spell?"

"Okay, no fire... this time." Boscha said, "I want to try it with fire at some point though. Luz, if you don't mind, and I know you don't... please stay still... you've taken your medicine right?"

"I've taken it, don't worry." Luz said.

"Okay, then." Boscha limbered up her fingers, drew a spell circle and fired a bolt of magic with a "SHABOOEY!" Once it connected, Luz was once again in her beloved spherical form.

Camila was concerned for some inexplicable reason, but she didn't want to discourage her daughter's magical education. "That's wonderful, Mija. But are you sure Luz doesn't mind?"

"Yeah, she's cool with it." Boscha assured her. "She tells me it's like a warm hug or something."

Boscha picked Luz up and spun her on her finger.

"And don't worry, I'll make sure she doesn't get a job as a basketball." Boscha said.

'Or maybe I can be her custom ball!' Luz thought.

"Alright, I have to get ready for the night market, or else I'm getting all fluffy and beasty." Eda said.

"Yeah, you tried to mate with mom last time." Boscha said.

"Gimme a break! I told you I'm off my game." Eda pointed out.

"I. Have. SO many questions." Gabriel exclaimed in his confusion.

"You'll understand when you're older." King replied. "At least that's what everyone tells me about Eda and Human Mom."

Eda practically scooped up Gabe and King. "Okay, you two. You're on Night Market duty with me. I'll need some extra eyes to watch out for pickpockets. And some extra hands in case I wanna pickpocket."

"PICKPOCKET!" The witch and demon cheered.

"Err... yeaaahh... crime." Gabe meekly joined in.

"That's the spirit!" Eda rejoined as she dragged him away with her. "Have fun, kids! Don't do anything I would do!"

The Noceda's were standing there for a while after the trio were out of sight.

"... Well I'm going to go practice." Boscha said, dribbling Luz to the hoop.

"Doesn't that hurt?" Camila asked.

"As long as you're gentle, no. If you get kicked full force, then yeah, it can be painful." Boscha said.

"And are you okay to practice in your condition?" Her mother asked, well aware of her propensity to overexert herself playing sports.

"Pfft! No te preocupes, Mamá." Boscha assured her. "I'm not as banged up as I-GAAHHH!" Her next thought was interrupted by the shooting pain in her leg that made her topple over. After she was dropped, Luz broke free from the spell placed on her to check on her sister.

Camila, however, was already tending to Boscha. "Mmmm-hm. I thought I detected a fractured tibia."

"You did not." Boscha was still insistent that she was okay to play, but her mom didn't budge. "Really? How can you tell? I mean, you're a vet, but..."

"It's all mammals to me, Mija... well, aside from the birds and reptiles." Camila jested as she rolled up Boscha's pant leg to check her shin. "But you don't need a medical degree to notice that limp of yours. Let me just check my bag, and-"

"Hey, Luz!"

Everyone turned around to notice Willow and Gus approaching.

"Friends!" Luz excitedly greeted them.

"Oh, these are your new friends?" Camila wanted to meet them too, but remembered her ailing daughter. "Lo siento. I need a bandage for Boscha's leg."

"Oh, I can help with that." Willow drew a green spell circle which summoned a slender vine from the ground. It wrapped itself around Boscha's shin and tightened just enough to keep her bone set.

"Extraordinario." Camila remarked.

"Yeah..." Boscha addressed the plant witch with a slight blush on her face. "Uhhh, thanks, Willow."

"Ah, so you're Willow. It's so nice to meet you. I'm Camila Noceda." She turned to the younger witch. "And you must be Gus."

"Indeed, I must." Gus proudly proclaimed as he held up his hand.

Camila stood bewildered until Luz got her attention. She slapped her hands together, indicating that Gus was anticipating a high-five. Camila reciprocated, which made the young Illusionist thrilled. Luz smiled when she noticed her mother chuckling at her friends' antics. They definitely made a good first impression. Luz helped her sister up, right when Skara, Amelia, and Cat arrived. Boscha immediately started blushing when she saw Skara. Luz gave Boscha a smirk, which annoyed the triclops. Boscha threw an elbow into Luz's ribs, making her let go and hunce over, and limped over to her mother.

"Mom, these are my friends. Amelia, Catrina, and... Skara." Boscha said, "They're the local grudgby team."

Amelia waved.

"Hi, Mrs. Noceda, I'm Amelia."

"I'm Catrina, but I tend to go by Cat."

"And I'm Skara."

"It's nice to meet you." Camila said.

Boscha got in between her mom and her friend. "Skara was... I mean, is my... uhhh... we were friends before I was lost in the Human Realm." She started to blush as she spoke.

"Oh, how sweet." Camila had little trouble picturing the two as little kids having fun together.

Boscha was feeling somewhat embarrassed, but carried on. "Y'see, when I met her, it unlocked some memories. Memories of when I lived here... of us playing together... and stuff."

"Oh, that's WONDERFUL, Mija!" Her mother wrapped her up in a tight hug, but Boscha didn't mind the exacerbations to her bruises. "Is there anything else you remember?" Camila inquired.

Boscha took a minute to think on that, but nothing came up. "No, sorry."

Luz was getting excited.

"Ooo, This is going to be so much fun!" Luz said, "I've ever done something like this before... no one... ever wanted to come over."

"Their loss." Boscha said.

"Right?" Skara chimed in. "I can't imagine anyone not liking someone as cool as you!"

"Aww, thanks." It took all of Luz's strength to not burst out in tears. "Well, how about we all get inside already?"

"Just don't talk to the annoying bird tube and you'll be fine." Boscha said.

"Hey, where is he?"

When she looked at the door, she noticed Hooty had buried his head in the ground. But once he heard his name, he popped up in front of Boscha with a terrified look on his face.

"Is the scary man gone, hoot?"

'Well, this is an unsettling new feeling.' Boscha thought. 'Sympathy for Hooty.'

Everybody headed inside, save Willow and Gus. When Luz took notice, she ran back to them. "Hey, guys! What're you waiting for?"

"It's just..." Gus nervously pointed to the Grudgby players.

"Hm?" Cat saw the finger pointed at her. "Oh, right. *ahem* What do YOOOOUUUU think you're doing here, Half-A-Witch?!" She struck a dynamic and accusatory pose.

Amelia couldn't help but play along. "Yeah, you tell'em! There's no dorks allowed here in... in this... pppppp!" She failed to keep a straight face, and she and Cat burst into laughter.

"Girls, stop messing with them!" Skara chastised as she approached the others. "Don't worry, nobody's gonna tell Odalia about any of this. Your secret friendship with Amity is safe with us."

"Wait, you knew?!" Willow was shocked to say the least.

"See, this is why we just rolled with it." Amelia noted. "If we didn't, everyone would have seen through your act."

"Such as it is." Cat added.

Willow became a smidge defensive. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Amelia started fidgeting. "We're really sorry, but - how to put this as delicately as possible - you and Amity can't act for shit."

"Okay, let's not get personal, here." Skara put an end to the conversation. "Let's go inside, already!"

And so they did. Luz began a tour of the interior.

"Welcome to the Owl House!" Luz said, "This is the living room... we call it that because the walls are actually breathing!"

Cat walked over to the walls, and since she was a healer, she had questions.

"I'm sorry... how the fuck?" She asked.

"I've been asking that since I got here." Boscha said, "There are many questions I've had since I got here. One, why does the house breathe, two, how do I breathe as a ball, three... how do I sign up for grudgby!?"

"You're really that into grudgby?" Skara put her hand on Boscha's shoulder. "If you wanna play on our team, you'd have to enroll in Hexside."

"I would LOve..." The sensation of Skara's touch caused Boscha's voice to crack. Her face was also completely red. "I would love to be able to play... for... your team." She was teetering on the edge of hysteria when Camila gently took her aside. Luz resumed the tour as the other Nocedas went to the opposite end of the room.

"¿Boschita? ¿Estás bien?" Camila inquired.

"No tengo ni idea." Boscha nervously uttered. "Me siento raro."

""Weird" how, Mija?"

"Well, it's about Skara. I keep feeling anxious around her. I thought it'd go away the more I talked to her, but it got more intense, like... Did you ever get a feeling like someone was juggling chainsaws in the pit of your stomach?"

"Whoa." Camila was taken aback, but not altogether surprised. Boscha never discussed anything romantic with anybody. Even Luz was in the dark about who or what her sister preferred. Still there were some seams in Boscha's indifferent facade. Often when Camila had drove to Gravesfield High to pick up her kids, she'd see boys cozy up to Boscha or ask her out, only to be shrugged off. Yet, when talking to certain girls, the usually sharp-witted and articulate basketball star would become an anxious stuttering mess. Naturally, Camila didn't pry into such personal territory, but now that her daughter is reaching out, it's time to clear the air.

"Well, that's not the metaphor I'd go with, but yes, I have felt that way before. These kinds of feelings usually occur when you're around people you have a... strong affection for."

"But... I can't... I barely know her." Boscha said.

"That didn't stop me with your father." Camila said, "Remember Boscha, I will always accept you, no matter what you are, or who you feel affection for."

"Mom... Creo que soy gay." Boscha said, making sure only those that spoke Spanish could understand her.

Camila smiled and planted a small kiss on her daughter's third eye, closed of course.

"I support you, Boscha... always." Camila said.

Overwhelmed by the emotional wellspring caused by her mother's love and acceptance, Boscha hugged her as tight she could. She managed to stifle her sobs to the point where they sounded like a puppy's whimpering.

"Boscha? You alright?"

The three-eyed girl was startled by Skara's sudden appearance. Wiping most of her tears and snot on her sleeve, she face her new-yet-old friend with an attempt at a neutral expression. An impossible feat, given that her tear ducts just wouldn't stop gushing. "Hm? Oh, yeah. Just some of those... back pains. From the witch's duel. Eyyyyup."

"Oh, shoot!" Skara smacked her forehead. "I forgot about that. Cat! Can you come help?"

Her friend broke from the tour group and ran up to Skara. "What's up?"

"Think you help Boscha out with her injuries?"

"I dunno." Cat replied. "Think you can convince Bump to give me extra credit for it?"

Her question was met with a stern glare from Skara.

"Pfft! I'm kidding. Obviously." Cat got right to work using a dark-blue spell circle to make her glasses lenses change in order to scan Boscha's back like an X-ray machine. "Don't you worry." She assured her impromptu patient. "You're in the care of the top student of the Healing Track."

"Yeah, by default!" That lighthearted jab from Amelia didn't exactly set Boscha's mind at ease.

"Ugh, don't mind her." Cat told Boscha. "She's referring to Viney, who used to be top healer. Of course, there was a reason she got sent to the Detention Track. Long story."

"As much as I wanna hear about that..." Luz interjected, "...what object are we gonna bring to life?"

"Well, it's our first one, so it should be something with meaning and beauty." Willow said, as her and Amelia looked at a plant.

"Like this action figure!" Gus said, going through the plant.

"I'm with Willow." Amelia suggested. "These flowers look nice."

"That's just plant magic with extra steps." Gus insisted. "C'mon. Action figure!"

"Ehhh." Amelia and Willow weren't budging.

Gus' mewling and puppy-dog eyes were swaying them until Camila took a look at the toy in his hand. "I remember these. The company that made them were sued because they came with those problematic phrases." She gave the toy a squeeze to demonstrate.

"WITH GREAT POWER COMES GREAT PRIVELEGE."

"Let's use it anyway!" Luz was not at all deterred by the toy's utterances.

"I'm game." Skara joined in.

Willow and Amelia exchanged a look, then realized they were outnumbered. "Fine." Willow shrugged. "We'll use the little buff guy."

Gus, Skara and Luz rejoiced. Willow was flummoxed when she realized how well she and Gus were gelling with the Grudgby clique. For the longest time, she saw them as - well, "goddesses" was a strong word - but they definitely seemed like icons of some type, forever beyond the scope of mere mortals. But the girls before her now were different. Approachable. This day had been indeed an informative one.

"So, how's this work?" Luz was eager to get this party started. "Do we take turns chanting? Ooh! Is this like "Sachiko Ever After?"

"I told you not to joke about that "Corpse Party" crap, Luz!" Boscha shuddered. "Still can't believe I let you talk me into watching those videos."

"All done!" Cat proclaimed as she finished her healing spell. "How you feeling?"

Boscha stretched her back and arms. "Pretty great, actually."

"I should call you to be my new doctor." Boscha said.

"Are you planning on getting more injuries!?" Camila asked.

"... Just being prepared." Boscha said, "This place is dangerous."

"Fair enough, I guess." Camila sighed. "Though with your newfound strength, you probably won't be the only one who should be prepared."

"Here comes the moon!" Skara exclaimed. "C'mon, everybody!"

She took Boscha by the hand to join the others in the middle of the room. They all sat in a circle and joined hands. If Willow or Gus hadn't been too excited, they might have noticed that they were sitting among the Grudgby players. They were acting like the seven teens in the circle were a tight-knit group.

Luz looked at her mother. "Hey, Mom, you want in on this?"

"Gracias, Mija, but I'll just observe this time." Camila smiled softly. "You kids have fun."

The conjuring started and that's when Boscha and Luz realized... they don't know what the words are. So, when the others start saying the chant, Boscha and Luz were trying to just look like they were saying it. Meanwhile, the others were in near-perfect sync.

"Moonlight, we call, we sing. Moonlight take this chance. Moonlight come tie the string. Moonlight start the dance!"

"Moonlight tie... string... and I don't know the words!" Luz gave it her best shot.

"Don't be afraid when I turn the party out, 'cause I come from the moon and I carry all the clout!" Boscha just winged it.

Whatever the case, the chant appeared to work when the septet began to glow a bright blue. Camila was awestruck, but at the same time, somewhat concerned. She hoped this wasn't some sort of Lost Ark scenario. Unbeknownst to anyone, Hooty had begun to stare at the moon, overcome with a strange sensation. Everyone looked at the toy.

"... Well that was a big ass bucket of nothing." Boscha said.

"Boscha, what have we talked about?" Camila asked.

"... I don't know, we talk about a lot of things I shouldn't be doing." Boscha said, knowing exactly what her mother meant.

That's when the house started shaking. Everybody was tossed around by the tremors as the decorations were jostled free from the living room walls. After a few minutes, the trembling stopped.

Luz was the first to regain her bearings. "You guys... did the house just hiccup?"

Gus grabbed the toy from the floor. "Little buff guy, what did you do?!" He asked as he squeezed said toy.

"A REAL MAN NEVER TAKES ACCOUNTABILITY."

"That... actually went better than I expected." Camila got back on her feet. "Everybody okay?"

"I think so, Mrs. Noceda." Skara did a head count confirming Luz, Gus, Amelia and Cat were fine. "Boscha? How about you?"

"Bleeehhh... I think I died." Boscha groggily called back. "I must be floating on a nice, soft, heavenly cloud..."

"Uh, not that I'm not flattered..."

Boscha opened her eyes. She was shocked to see that she was in Willow's arms with their faces pressed together.

"... but could you please get off of me?"

"BWAAAAHHHH!" Boscha scrambled to her feet. Despite her blushing and embarrassment, she offered Willow a hand. "I am SO sorry about that! Are you okay?"

"I'm good." Willow took her hand, coyly smiling as she was helped up.

'Damn it... I hate being gay.' Boscha thought, being incredibly embarrassed, '... But I also love women, so I'm very conflicted.'

Suddenly the house shook again, knocking everyone again.

"What's going on!?" Luz yelled, rushing outside and nearly falling to a painful death if Boscha didn't grab her.

"Luz!" Willow and Gus said, rushing to help her up as well.

"Why does the house have legs!?" Luz yelled, seeing the large legs, "And why is it walking!?"

"I think we animated the house!" Boscha said, before realizing something, "And it's heading to a cliff!"

Amelia summoned vines to wrap around the legs, but they didn't do much besides temporarily stop it.

"Hooty, stop!" Luz yelled.

"By the power of moonlight, I have risen. Hoot hoot!" The house demon refused her request. The house stumbled over a couple of trees, causing Luz, Gus and Willow to lurch forward and almost fall out of the doorway. Boscha wasted no time grabbing Willow to pull the trio back up. Camila and the Grudgby team followed suit, oblivious to the group glowing again. The house was meters away from the edge of the cliff.

Boscha's patience was at an end. "HOOTY, YOU FUCKING TURD, STOP ALREADY!"

And stop he did. Everybody retreated back into the house, relieved that they didn't meet their demise at the bottom of the cliff.

"Why did he stop?" Gus asked.

"Well, my threats are known to be effective." Boscha said.

"And the glowing?" Willow asked.

"Uh... I don't know."

"How are we gonna tell him to go back?" Cat asked Boscha. Hooty had registered that as a command and began to head back to his foundation.

It was at that point that Luz registered the fact that they were glowing. "Wait! Everybody let go of each other." They all complied, and once they were disengaged, the house came to a halt.

"Okay, now everybody join hands again." And once more they did what Luz asked. They all started to glow again and the house resumed its gait.

"It must work when we're holding hands!" Luz said, "The conjuring animated the house and we must be in control of it!"

"We're moving it with the power of friendship!" Willow's cheer was met with awkward silence. "And the moon. Probably the moon."

Amelia nonetheless shared her enthusiasm. "This has to be the biggest animation in the history of Moonlight Conjuring! We stand on the cusp of history, here. Not just the school, but the Isles themselves will tell tales of this for generations to come... Now let's take this baby out for a spin!"

"Yeah, joyride!" Gus was definitely on board.

"Ohhhh, no." Camila put her foot down. "Sorry, kids, but I doubt Eda would appreciate us tearing up the countryside with her home. Let's just get it back now and spare you all whatever unusual punishment she'd have in store for you."

"Mom's right." Boscha lowkey sulked. "I don't wanna get you guys in trouble."

Skara was quick to side with her. "Hey, we can always do this with someone else's house on the next full moon."

"Take us home, Hooty." Boscha instructed.

Once more, the house resumed its trek back to where it belonged. Though their ride was cut short, the kids were still excited about how their night was going. Luz was especially lost in thought about it. 'It's been an awesome evening so far.' Luz's thoughts started to spiral somewhat. 'I just wish Amity could've seen this.'

Nobody realized it, but it was at that point that Hooty pivoted slightly.

---

The Night Market in Bonesborough was bustling. Even though the crowds were no more bizarre than those that attended the Day Market, the atmosphere still carried an air of danger.

"Alright Human, stay close, the night market is where the most dangerous and blood thirsty criminals roam." Eda said, "Even I don't go here unless I have to."

"You don't have to worry about me, I'm a biologist, I've dissected a lot of creatures." Gabe said, pulling out a knife as long as Eda's hand, "I can take care of myself."

Eda whisted at the sight of his blade. "Well, look at you. You get in trouble much?"

"Not me, exactly." Gabe answered. "Back home, there was this asshole that kept trying to take Boscha when she was little and sell her to the government."

"Really? He didn't hurt her, did he?" Eda was feeling a pang of guilt for possibly getting Boscha stuck in the Human Realm.

"I'm not too sure." Gabriel recounted that horrible night his niece was taken. "He got to me first. Gave me a concussion and a broken zygomatic arch. Camila didn't go too much into the details of that incident, and I didn't pry."

"Don't fret, human!" King boasted from the baby carrier Eda had Gabe wear. "If this "Hole" person tries to attack my precious minion again, he'll have to answer to The King of Demons!"

Gabe petted the little demon. "That's nice of you to offer, little guy, but even as a young kid, Boscha gave as good as she got, and then some. That she bit off Mr. Hole's ear when she was nine is proof of that."

Eda had a good laugh at that. Just when she thought she couldn't be prouder, that three-eyed scamp kept surprising her. They walked up to a stand with a curtain and Eda leaned against it.

"Hey, I'm looking for someone called Grimm hammer." Eda said.

"I am the one they call Grimm Hammer." An ominous voice echoed throughout the area. The curtain lifted and a diminutive pig demon hopped up on the counter.

"Welcome, welcome, welcome!" The alleged Grimm Hammer exclaimed. "I've got weaponry from the Hinterlands, curses from the Winterlands, and JELLYBEANS!" He tossed the candy into the air for King and Gabe to catch.

"Jellybeans!" King rejoiced.

"Wax-encrusted goodness!" Gabe concurred.

"They're lethally delicious." The pig demon added.

"Eeeuugh." Gabe dropped the ones he caught and took the ones that King caught before he could eat them.

"You're Grimm Hammer?" Eda asked incredulously.

"Tibblet-Tibblie Grimm Hammer the Third." He proclaimed. "Please, call me Tibbles."

"Ha-ha. He wants to be called that." King chortled.

Gabriel was quite underwhelmed. "I'm starting to think Camila oversold this place."

"Ignore these two." Eda said, "I'm looking for Elixir."

"Elixir huh, like this?" Tibbles asked holding up a bottle of the golden heaven Eda needs.

"Yes, how much?" Eda asked.

"Oh, only a thousand snails... a bottle."

"A thousand snails a bottle!? I can get 10 cases of that from Morton for that!" Eda said, "What kind of game are you playing here?"

"Capitalism, where everyone's a winner... except you." Tibbles said.

Gabe face palmed.

"This really must be hell." Gabe said, "Has to be if Capitalism is here."

Eda growled, which made more feathers pop out of her arm, before she noticed the cards on the table.

"Say, are those Hexes Hold 'Em cards?"

"Really? Now?" King asked.

"Is that what they are?" Tibbles asked, "I've been using them as coasters."

"How about we make it interesting? I win, you give me the elixir. You win, you can take something of mine." Eda said, feeling confident.

"Deal." Tibbles said.

---

With the conjuring, it was clear something was off.

"Uh, Luz... I'm pretty sure we're getting close to town." Boscha said, "I'm fairly certain that Eda does not live there."

"Yeah, I don't know what's going on either." Luz said.

"Not to criticize or anything, Boscha..." Cat spoke up. "...but are you sure your command wasn't too vague or anything?"

"How's that now?" Boscha asked.

"Well, you did tell Hooty to take us home." Gus reminded her. "But, aren't we technically "home" already? How would Hooty register that?"

Boscha hadn't thought of that. She could only stare wall-eyed in confusion.

"Wait a minute, I remember this route!" Willow was looking out the window when she noticed a familiar building in their path. "Oh, thorns! We're headed right for Blight Manor!"

Camila was concerned by Willow's urgency. "Is this "Blight Manor" a bad place or-?"

"It's Amity's House!" Luz realized.

Amelia got confused. "Who told Hooty to come here?"

Nobody had any idea how this all happened, until Boscha had a sinking feeling. "Luz?"

"I never told him to go to her house!" Luz attested. "I thought about her and wished she could have seen what we did with the house, but-"

"That'll do it." Gus confirmed.

"Really?" Skara asked. "I never heard about that kind of thing happening at a Conjuring before."

"Not to add on..." Camila was peering out the door. "But is there anything about these Conjuring's that includes a giant crossbow?"

"Giant what!?"

Everybody looked through the doorway as best they could. Sure enough, there was an enormous crossbow on a cart, manned by the same Demon Hunters that Luz, Gus, Willow and Skara encountered earlier that day. Most disturbing of all was the fact that the weapon was pointed straight at the Owl House. The crossbow fired its giant arrow in an arc over the runaway dwelling. The rope attatched to the arrow wrapped over the house. Camila and the kids spotted even more giant crossbows that followed suit and held the house down.

"... I don't like this." Skara said.

Demon Hunters busted in and smiled as they saw the group. The leader of the group held his weapon out.

"Hello, kids." He said, holding his sword against Boscha's neck, "Three eyes... interesting. A very demonic trait. Tie them up, I want to see how fast I can break this-"

He was cut off as a loud bang rang out and the demon hunters watched as he fell backwards, a bloody hole near his collar bone was formed from the bullet that Camila fired at him.

"Mom!?" Luz and Boscha said in shock.

"Kids, get in the house, to the weapons room." Camila said.

Boscha didn't dare argue. "You heard Mom! Everybody upstairs and get you some weapons!"

"Ooh, weapons!" Willow was concerningly cheerful as she followed Boscha upstairs.

Skara noticed Luz staying put as the rest of the kids went to the armory. "Luz? Aren't you coming?"

"Don't worry about me. I've got my glyphs." The human assured as she whipped out a handful of ready-made glyphs. "Oh, and a bat!" She also reached behind the couch for a bat.

Camila, meanwhile, was holding off the Demon Hunters with some suppressing fire. It was going well until the hunter she shot had recovered. With a spell circle, he magically wrested the gun from her hands and dismantled it.

"I gotcha covered, Mom!" Luz had a solid ball of light at the ready. Using her bat, she sent it screaming into the face of another Demon Hunter, hitting him right in the groove in the middle of his bulbous forehead.

"Aaagh, Jeez!" The hunter bemoaned. "Did they have to go for the face?"

"Suck it up, Tom!" The leader clapped back before addressing the rest of his group. "Some of you go around back! Flush them out!"

"Yes, sir!" They said.

Luz activated a Glyph and threw the ball in the air, waiting a few seconds for it to fall before hitting it with the bat and sending it into the other hunters, which made the ball explode in burst of light.

"That's right, my sister isn't the only one that has a talent for sports!" Luz said, making another ball of light.

---

The group ran into the weapons room and began to grab whatever they could carry. Boscha had the morningstar she had during the whole Owl Beast incident, and had decided to call it Betty. To her surprise, Skara grabbed a Chain Scythe (Look up Soul Eater Chain Scythe if you need).

"Woah, that's a very dangerous weapon." Boscha said, "Are you sure you can handle it?"

Skara didn't say a word and held the chain, before using it to spin the two scythes like an expert. She swung one of the scythes before pulling it back and grabbed it. She held both of them in her hands and smiled.

"I think I can manage."

'... Holy fuck... she's literally the coolest person ever.' Boscha thought.

Willow managed to secure a broadsword as tall as herself, and didn't seem to struggle wielding it. Amelia decided to dual-wield a pair of scimitar. Cat, playing the role of medic, picked up a sizeable shield. Gus was still perusing the vast arsenal before him until something caught his eye.

"Did you find something yet, Gus." Willow was getting anxious to try out her new "toy."

"Did I ever!" Gus brandished the most devastating weapon in his eyes, showing it to his friends. "Behold, the ultimate in power and human ingenuity!"

Boscha was stupefied by the object in his hand. "Dude, that's a paperclip."

"Ah, ah, ah. "Paper-CLORP!"" Gus "corrected" her. "But fear not, I shall use its cataclysmic power responsibly."

"Yyyyyyyeeaahhhh, you do that." Boscha had little enough bandwidth to deal with that. "I'm going to go help my family fight off those evil magicians now."

Boscha ran out of the room and back outside, where she wasted no time in slamming Betty against one of the demon hunters heads. The hunter fell to the ground.

"... Shit, did I just kill someone?" Boscha asked.

The groan indicated no, so that made her feel better. She then charged into battle, quickly hitting one of the hunters attacking her mother in the stomach, making them back up and hunch over.

"Stay away from my family!" Boscha said, "Mom, are you doing alright?"

Camila, who had run out of ammo a few minutes before Boscha came out, nodded.

"I'm fine, but Luz is getting ganged up right now."

"Well... you and Luz... you're kind of a rare species here." Boscha said, "They probably could make a lot of money by selling you and her as exotic meat."

"Boscha, please stop before I throw up." Camila said, before noticing another coming at them, "Boscha, look out!"

Boscha turned around just in time to see a sword being swung at her, but it was blocked by Cat's shield.

"Don't worry, as a Healer, I won't let anyone get hurt!" Cat said, before pushing the hunter off, "Though I am allowed to make exceptions!"

She used the shield as an extension of her fist and performed an uppercut with it. The hunter was knocked out and bleeding from the strike.

"Woo! Like a Boiling Isles version of Captain America!" Boscha said.

Camila shook her head.

"What?" Boscha asked, "I'm not calling her Captain Canada, you know how I feel about that place."

"Just because you were banned from Quebec doesn't mean the rest of the country is bad." Camila said, "Now we need to get to Luz, fast."

Just them, Camila was hit in the leg by an arrow, taking her to the ground.

"AHHH!"

"MOM!" Boscha said, rushing to her mother's side.

"Guys, cover me!" Cat said, as the rest of the group came out of the house.

Once they were out, Cat ran over to help. Willow and Amelia were the first to disembark. Together, they whipped up a wall of thorny vines around the house, then faced off against the hunters with their weapons. Skara squared off against the leader with her chained scythe. The leader didn't think much of her at first, but her skillful swings soon put him on the defensive.

"Are you kidding me with this, Kevin?!" His purple-haired cohort chided.

"This is not the damn time, Delilah!" Kevin yelled back. "There's another one coming at us!"

She looked to the house and spotted a defiant Gus raising his weapon. He charged right at Delilah, to her utmost confusion. He then spun a sky-blue spell circle, and with a giant plume of blue smoke, a legion of Guses appeared.

"Where did these brats all come from?!" She started to freak out.

When he heard that, Kevin pushed Skara back for a moment. "It's Illusion magic, you dunce! Only one of them is real!"

Delilah flinched. "Wh-! I knew that!" She spun some yellow spell circles and fired bolts of lightning at the crowd of doppelgangers. One by one, they were reduced to wisps of blue mist by her attacks until they were all dispersed. "I did it!" She cheered. "But wait, weren't one of those supposed to be the real- Agh!"

She felt an attack from behind. Slowly, the hunter turned to see the real Gus plunging the unfurled paperclip into her side. Gus was overcome with a sense of triumph. "By the power of the Paperclorp, let your paralyzed form fall to the ground!"

Delilah looked at him, expecting something, but felt no sensation beyond the poking in her side from Gus still pushing his weapon against her.

"Hey. That hurts. Knock it off." She slapped the paperclip out of Gus' hands and flung him in Skara's direction. Skara saw the attack coming, and threw her own weapon aside to catch the younger witch. The two collided and tumbled toward the house.

"Oh no!" Boscha rushed out to her friends' aid, with Luz in pursuit.

"Not so fast, you little punk!" Tom had spotted Luz and launched a fireball at her. Boscha quickly stepped in and took the hit for her.

"¡MIJA!" Camila cried out after seeing her daughter immolated.

"I'm okay." Boscha was quick to assure her mother, who was astonished to see her only slightly singed. "Sorry, Mom! I was meaning to tell you about me being fireproof." The three-eyed witch then heard her sister wincing. "Luz?! Are you okay?!"

Luz was holding her arm, which was lightly burned. "I'm good, just a little charred is all."

That, however, was enough to spur Boscha into giving a death stare to the Demon Hunters. "Oh, now you guys are fucking dead."

She dropped her weapon and started moving over to the hunters. They charged at her, but she threw an uppercut and sent one a good dozen feet in the air, and kept walking before they landed. She grabbed one by the neck, lifted them up, and then slammed them down on the ground, breaking several bones in the process. The third, Boscha kicked that one into a tree, breaking it in two. She slammed her foot on their chest and growled.

"Don't touch my sister... EVER... again." Boscha growled, "Now get your other bitches, and get the fuck away from us."

"I... I can't order that, only the leader can do that." The hunter said.

"And where is he?"

Boscha heard Luz scream and quickly looked over and saw her, being held hostage while the leader held a knife to her throat.

"One step, and she's dead." He said.

Boscha, with speed that she didn't think was possible, ran and slammed him into a boulder by his neck. Not satisfied with that, she started pummeling Kevin with her fists. Her skin began to glow, and the glow intensified with each punch she delivered.

"Don't. You. Ever. Threaten. My. Sister. A. GAIN!"

Kevin was incredibly strong in a physical sense, which was likely the sole reason his face wasn't reduced to a smear on the rock. It definitely infuriated Boscha that she had to exert herself more. She was oblivious to everyone yelling her name.

"Boscha, please stop it!" Luz ran up to her. "I think he's had enough!" She grabbed her sister's arm, but she wasn't prepared for the burning sensation in her hand. Boscha's skin burned her to the touch. Her shrill yelp managed to snap the three-eyed witch out of her stupor.

When Boscha turned around, she saw Luz blowing on her hand to cool it down. "Luz? Are you okay?! What happened?"

When she approached, Luz staggered backwards, a look of dread in her eyes. "N..no... stay back."

That look shook Boscha to her core. That same look from years ago, when she first used her magic. When Luz was terrified of her. Boscha never wanted to put her sister through that again, and yet here they are.

"Boscha, hold up!" Skara got between them. "Your skin... it's glowing!"

"What?!" Boscha checked her hands to confirm what Skara told her. She could see the heat radiating from them, and realized to her horror that she burned Luz. "Oh no... oh no no no no no nonono! Luz, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to!"

"¿Mija?" Camila ran up to her daughter. "Boschita, what is happening to you?"

"NO! Don't get any closer!" Boscha warned everybody. "¡Lo siento, Mamá! ¡Esto no ha sucedido antes!"

Luz noticed her panicking. "Boscha, remember the breathing exercise!"

"Yeah... yeah, okay..." Boscha recalled those exercises Dr. Waybright taught her years ago in order to manage her temper - which she regrets ignoring now - and closed her eyes. 'Breathe, two, three, four... Hold, two, three, four... Out, two, three, four... Hold, two, three, four...' Eventually, the glow in her body subsided and there was no more heat enveloping her.

"How ya feeling, Sis?" Luz calmly walked up to her.

Boscha was shaking like a leaf. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. Oh, Luz, I'm so sorry."

"Don't sweat it, Hermana. I should've been more careful."

"I should have been." Boscha insisted. "I don't like this... I don't wanna be this... I don't want you getting hurt because of me."

"I can help with that."

Before she could turn around, Kevin struck the back of her head with a leather sap, knocking her out. He then grabbed Luz, threatening her at knife point once again.

"GET AWAY FROM MY DAUGHTERS!" Armed with Luz's bat, Camila charged at the Demon Hunter leader.

"Okay, I am done with this." Kevin drew a spell circle, then fired it at Camila. With that, he was able to levitate her and fling her into the nearby bushes.

"Mom!" Luz wanted to go after her, but couldn't break free of her captor's grip.

Kevin was exhausted, but determined to put an end to this skirmish. "NOW then, before I was so rudely interrupted; drop the weapons and surrender before I flense your little friend here!"

The four remaining witches did as they were told as the hunters tied them up. They then gathered Boscha and Gus and threw all seven kids back into the house.

"Now let's get this house somewhere out of the public eye." Kevin ordered.

"What about the mom?" Delilah asked.

"Who cares?" Kevin groaned. "Just leave her. It's been a busy night as is."

The Demon Hunters managed to secure the Owl House to their carriage and promptly left the scene.

It was about that time that Camila had come to. She stumbled a bit, and then bolted back onto the battlefield, only to find it empty. No kids, no hunters, no house. Merely a few discarded weapons, the baseball bat... and a few of Luz's glyphs?

She was going to make those hunters pay.

---

"Soooo... what's happening?" Gabe asked.

"Eda's losing." King said, calmly.

Eda, who's eye was about to twitch shut, growled at them.

"Shut up!" Eda said, "I am under a LOT of stress!"

As she said that, feathers came out and covered her entire arm.

"Anyway, I got this guy right where I w-"

"I win!" Tibbles cheered.

"WHAT?!" Eda looked back at the game to see her cards' shredded remains scattered in the air. "How did...?!"

"Looks like you forgot about my wild card." Tibbles boasted as the aforementioned card did a little victory dance.

"Neat!" Gabriel took a picture of it with his phone.

"No!" Eda yelled, "Damn it!"

"Well, looks like I win and as our agreement states, I get whatever I want." Tibbles said.

"Ugh, fine, what do you want." Eda grumbled.

"Hmmmmmm..." The diminutive demon pig mulled over his options. "I want your little bone boy!"

"Hey!" Gabe fumed. "I take umbrage at that! I'm not as skinny as I look."

Tibbles facepalmed. "Not you, the little one!"

Eda brought out her staff. "Okay, enough of this shit. It's welching time!"

Tibbles snapped his fingers and chains wrapped around Eda, making her drop her staff, and since her curse is acting up, she can't use magic. She fell to the ground, unable to do anything.

"Eda!" Gabe said, rushing over trying to pull the chains off.

"You think this will stop me? I can still bite your ankles!" Eda said.

"Oh, I'm not to worried... Eda the Owl Lady." Tibbles said, pulling out Eda's wanted poster, "I know who you are, I wonder how much the coven will pay me to hand deliver you over."

Eda's face dropped at that. Gabe pulled out his knife and tried cutting the chains, only for it to not do anything against the magic chains. He wasn't easily deterred, as he furiously sawed away at the enchanted steel.

Eda was too embarrassed to watch this go on. "Hey, Gabe..."

"Hang on! I think I got these chains figured out." Gabriel switched to whittling at the chains as fast as he could.

"That knife won't be anything but a toothpick by the time you get a scratch on these things." Eda said, "Ugh, I hope Luz and Triclops are okay right now."

---

The group was trying to break out of the ropes, while Boscha was trying to break from a magic chain herself.

"Damn it, why can't I break out of these?! I uprooted a tree just by leaning against it!" Boscha yelled.

Willow also struggled in vain to escape before pleading with Boscha. "Are you sure you can't... like, superheat through the chains or something?"

"NO!" Boscha roared. "I... sorry. I meant no, I don't know how it happened, so I can't use it on command." Except Boscha did know how it happened. It came from her anger, just like her claws and her magic. Every time her rage got the better of her, people got hurt. Luz, especially. Boscha couldn't stand the thought of hurting her sister, even if by accident. And to avoid that, would she refrain from using her magic ever again?

"Don't worry, Hermana." Luz reassured her. "We'll think of something else." She then kicked the front door. "Hooty! Snap out of it and get us out of here!"

The house demon was still entranced. "In order for me to do as you say, let seven join hands. It's the only way!"

¡OYE, No me hables así!" Luz then kicked the front door even harder.

The house stopped and they all jerked, before the door opened. The six tied up in the rope were taken out, while Boscha was dragged out and put near the leader. He put a knife near her neck.

"Ifrit... those are a pretty rare demon... you certainly will make far more than that human will." He said, before turning to the others, "Toss the kids off the cliff, I want to savor carving this one."

"No!"

A cloth gag was put over Boscha's mouth, while the others were taken close to the cliff.

"W-w-wait, you don't want to do this, right!?" Luz yelled.

"Surely you must have dreams that you want to accomplish!" Gus added. "Is this really what you want to be doing with your life?"

"Actually, yes!" Tom said. "Pushing kids off of cliffs has been my dream ever since I was a child."

Everybody stared awkwardly at the hunter. "You have some serious issues." Amelia chided.

"Who are you, my parole officer? WHEEEEE!" That's when he pushed them off the cliff.

Boscha's eyes went wide and she let out a muffled scream as she watched her sister being pushed off a cliff to her certain death. Boscha felt the rage build up, against her will, in her and she felt the cloth burn away. She let out a deep growl, and her teeth sharpened, before she bit down on the chains and broke them apart with her teeth. She stood up and spit out the now molten metal. Her claws came out and her eyes went red.

"Uh-oh." Kevin began to think that he was underprepared for dealing with this specimen. Fortunately for him, Boscha didn't waste any time on him and made a beeline to the cliff, knocking down every other hunter in the way.

"LUZ! SKARA! ANYBODY!" Boscha peered over the cliff for any sign of them. She looked around frantically, scared that the worst case scenario had come to pass.

"¡Aquí abajo, Hermana!" Her eyes followed Luz's voice down to the cliffside, where Willow and Amelia had summoned a patch of vines to catch the group.

Skara waved to her. "Yeah, we're good!"

Boscha breathed a sigh of relief. She was not looking forward to explaining to all their families that they fell to their deaths. Not a good way to cap off a slumber party.

"NOOOO!" Tom cried. "Why must you stomp on my dreams?!"

Boscha responded with a devastating punch to his face. The skin of his face rippled violently as bone and teeth cracked from the sheer force of the attack. His body was sent sailing back and landed in front of the other hunters.

"GAH! They're CHILDREN, Tom!" Kevin wasn't impressed with his cohort. "Whatever! Everybody get the Ifrit girl!"

Boscha clenched her fists, covering the other kids as they made their way back up the cliff. No matter what, she wasn't going to let her new friends and her sister get hu-

"¡OIGAN, PENDEJOS!"

Everybody looked back towards the Owl House to see an angry and disheveled Camila, bat in hand and staring a hole in Kevin. "I'll thank you to leave those kids alone and piss off!"

Kevin and the hunters all laughed at her bravado. "And why should we?"

"Because I asked so nicely." Camila unwaveringly replied. She pivoted the bat in her hand, revealing the light glyphs that Luz had lost. Her daughters noticed the glyphs and immediately stood down. Boscha had reverted to her normal state without even realizing it.

Kevin still wasn't intimidated. "And just who the hell do you think you are?"

Camila tapped all of the glyphs. Light poured forth from the bat, culminating in an enormous lightsaber approximately ten meters in length. In spite of its size and force, it was light enough to wield with little effort.

"Who am I?" She sneered as she swung her giant weapon.

"I."

"Am."

"Their."

"CHAPERONE!"

The hunters were all caught in her swing. Even poor Tom had made it back to his feet just in time to get caught in the attack. The nomadic thugs were all sent flying into the night sky.

Camila watched them all disappear with a twinkle in the air. "They'll be fine."

"MOM THAT WAS AWESOME!" Luz ran up to her with the rest of the kids in tow.

"Well, I wasn't little league coach for nothing."

Luz suddenly understood where her baseball skills came from.

"Yeah, cute... can we go before they come back?" Boscha asked.

"Yes, everyone in the house." Camila said.

The kids scrambled into the house and held hands.

"Hooty, get back to the spot you came from!" Luz said.

---

Gabe was moving to literally stabbing the chain... it was as effective as the first several attempts.

"For the love of Titan... will you stop!? These are magic chains, only magic can get rid of them!" Eda snapped, "Ugh, this whole night was a fucking waste of time."

"I swear I got this!" Gabe wouldn't give up. Not if he wants to impress Eda.

"King, you mind giving me a hand here?" The Owl Lady yelled.

The small demon was sitting on the counter of Tibbles' stand, clad in a little sailor suit. ""King?" Who is this "King" of which you speak? I go by "Little Bone Boy" now."

Eda became indignant. "Why do you have to be so uppity with me?!"

"I think he's still ticked that you gambled him away." Gabe answered as he took a break from sawing away at the chains.

"Well, in my defense, I was sure I was gonna win." Eda explained.

King turned away from her.

'Ugh, fine, I'll swallow my pride... just this once.' Eda thought.

"King... Look, I know I have a problem. I get obsessed with Hexes Hold'em. But I'm done with that stupid game. Look." Eda scooted over and ate the deck of cards.

"Promis?" King asked.

Eda swallowed the cards, and gagged a bit, before looking at King.

"Promise." Eda said, "Ugh, I'm never eating cards again."

King kicked off the ankle chain and stood up.

"Alright, I'll grab one of those elixirs and we can get out of here."

"Bone boy!" Tibbles said, coming back to the trio, "The Coven is on their way and..."

Eda stopped listening, as she felt something shaking the ground. She quickly realized what it was, as a giant bird foot slammed through the stand.
"Sorry!" Luz said, "I'm sure my sister can fix that!"

"Fuck that, that's their problem!" Boscha said.

Eda just looked on in shock.

"... Was that my house?"

"Eda, quick!" King yelled, throwing an elixir at Eda.

Eda caught it in her mouth and drank the entire thing. The feathers disappeared and she made a spell circle, making the chain disappear.

"NO!" Tibbles yelled, "You aren't going to leave after all-"

Tibbles was cut off as a sharp pain hit his side. Eda looked on in surprise at Gabe plunging his knife into Tibbles side.

"Hey, Eda, why don't you go grab some of those cases of elixir, while I debate on making this little piggy into bacon?" Gabe asked.

Eda smirked.

"Well... don't mind if I do." Eda said, heading to the back, "Keep this up... and I might let you actually take me out on a date."

'Fuck yeah!' Gabe thought, 'Just for that, I might let this bastard live.'

---

The group had arrived at the location the Owl House originally sat before the conjuring and placed it back down. All of them were exhausted, and Boscha... she was traumatized.

'That's the second time I've done something that hurt or scared Luz because of these powers... why did I have to be this... demon... why couldn't I have just been a normal human?' Boscha thought, looking at Cat dealing with Luz's hand, 'I... I'm never using my ifrit powers again.'

"Snail for your thoughts?"

Boscha was jolted back into reality when Skara sat next to her. "SkARa!" She was back to being flustered, which surprised her in light of the night's events. "I, uhh... I'm so sorry this Conjuring went south. Then I get a bunch of superpowers and freak everyone out. I totally screwed everything up."

"Tch! The hell you did!" Willow sat with Boscha as well. "We got to play with weapons!"

"We brought a whole freaking HOUSE to life!" Amelia joined in.

"We defeated a horde of Demon Hunters!" As did Gus.

Skara put a hand on Boscha's shoulder. "And none of us are "freaked out" by your natural abilities. We've met Ifrits before, y'know. And getting to reunite with someone I thought I lost... best Conjuring ever."

And if the night wasn't enough of an emotional roller-coaster, now Boscha was weeping tears of joy.

"Awwwww" Cat had overheard the conversation while healing Luz. "I'm so happy those two found each other. To think Amelia and I were trying to convince Skara to move on before all this."

Luz watched the other witches interacting with one another. "Yeah, things turned out great. Still, I'm kinda glad we didn't drag Amity into this. I doubt she needs any more grief.

---

The Blight Industries building was brimming with activity. The stage was set for another product showcase. Hundreds of witches and demons adorned with cloaks - and a few "hex me" signs - gathered in front of the stage, greatly anticipating tonight's show.

Backstage, Amity was fidgeting with that sketch of Luz she meant to throw away. She was gonna get right on that, but things kind of got in the way, and now she has another showcase to muddle through. Her hands were tied. Just then, she could hear her father clearing his throat. Better pocket that drawing for now to look at - that is, dispose of - later.

"Mittens, are you feeling better?" Alador asked his daughter.

Amity sighed. "A little bit."

"Well, these new security measures are fully automated, but the magic missiles haven't been installed yet and they only have enough magic infused in them for short-range fire breath." He explained. "Just pretend to fight and feign unconsciousness, and they should leave you alone."

"Fan-tastic." She muttered to herself.

Soon enough, the lights went down and the stage lit up. Odalia made her usual grand entrance to the applause of the crowd.

"Welcome, one and all, to a very special Blight Industries showcase!"

Amity scoffed at her mother's bluster. After all, this was, what, the seventy-fifth consecutive "very special" showcase? Yet the audience laps it up, as per usual.

After a half hour or so of monologuing, the actual showcase was underway. As Amity took her place on the stage, she walked by her mother, who aggressively reminded her to "make it look good." A spotlight shone upon the part of the platform opposite Amity, and out stepped three quadrupedal abominations, partially encased in something metal.

"And now, presenting Blight Industries' newest innovation: THE ABOMOYED!" Odalia gestured to the canine-adjacent abominations as the crowd applauded.

"These new abominations are the pinnacle of home security. Unlike your standard abomination, the Abomoyed are powered by special rune engines, meaning that they can function independently and indefinitely. No summoning or magic consumption required. Their senses are greatly enhanced as well thanks to their engines. And best of all, their quadrupedal designs and smaller size allow for superior speed!"

Odalia then took out a remote control. With the press of a button, the three Abomoyed instantly surrounded Amity. The Blight matriarch continued with the presentation.

"But if you think that's the limit of their capabilities, then wait till you see this next feature!" The mouths of the Abomoyed started to glow. "Through a happy little accident, the output of the Abomoyed engines can coalesce into bursts of energy for offensive purposes. Behold their FIRE BREATH!"

The creatures did indeed spew fire from their mouths. True to Alador's word, Amity was out of the range of the fire. Although the heat was a bit much. "Oh NO! these new abomiNATIONS are too strong." Amity delivered her proprietary acting performance. "Anyone WHO orders one of THESE will ENjoy a life of seCURity."

Odalia scanned the crowd. There were a few nods of approval and some cheers, which was hardly the reaction she expected. She turned up the dial on her remote, which intensified the Abomoyed's attacks. Amity tried to dodge, but they managed to kick or tackle her. One of the modified abominations bit down on her neck and tossed her aside with its jaw. The roar of the crowd blinded Odalia to what her daughter was going through.

Amity shakily rose to her feet, dazed by the attacks she endured. Looking at the stage floor she noticed her sketch of Luz that apparently fell from her pocket. She lunged for it without thinking, but the Abomoyed weren't finished with her. She barely avoided their fire breath. Her sketch wasn't so fortunate. Odalia's prattling, the crowd cheering and the growls of the Abomoyed slowly faded from Amity's mind as her caricature of Luz was reduced to ash. Par for the course, right? Why try to have nice things when your family seems hell bent on destroying them. It's just not worth it...

'DON'T'

And now she was hearing things. Luz isn't around at-

'Don't EVER say you're not worth anyone caring about you! You don't deserve to be treated this way! NO ONE DOES!'

Right, that's what Luz said to her before. Why could Amity remember that moment so vividly? And what's this feeling creeping in her mind?

Whatever it was didn't matter to Odalia, who was still in the middle of her sales pitch. "That's right, folks! The Abomoyed is indeed the zenith of defense hardware! And it can all be yours for the moderate price of-"

"Just a few caveats to mention!"

Everyone in the building turned their attention to Amity, who had just spoken up. "There are some fatal flaws with these new "breakthroughs" in home security."

"Amity Blight, what in Titan's name do you think you're doing?" Odalia whispered through her gnashed teeth.

Amity gave her a blank stare, then resumed her own presentation. "For starters, even though they function independently, they're still abominations. They're virtually powerless against witches skilled in Abomination magic. Like so!" With the twirls of her fingers, she exerted control over one of the Abomoyed and tore it apart with a gesture.

"AMITY!" Odalia screamed.

"Second, the casing for the runestones that power their engines is flimsy and exposed on its back." Amity used the slime from the first Abomoyed to skewer the casing of another, easily taking out the runestone. "Without these, they'll fall apart." And so the second Abomoyed did. "Not an easy mess to clean for non-Abomination witches."

In her fury, Odalia turned the dial up so hard, she ripped it off the remote. The remaining Abomoyed charged up a more intense fire breath.

It wouldn't get the chance to use it, as Amity used her abomination matter to clamp its mouth shut. "And finally, the engines have no vents, save the mouth used for its fire breath. The output from the engines to maintain these smaller abominations is so intense that it's prone to overheating. And that's with the fire breath ability." The Abomoyed began to swell and glow red. "Without it, I wouldn't want this thing in my house." The creature exploded, leaving a giant, smoldering crater in the center of the stage.

"Make your orders now, folks." Amity quipped as she went backstage.

Odalia was paralyzed with rage when her daughter walked up to her. "You little... do you know what you've done? How much you cost m- this family?!"

"No." The young Blight had an empty look on her face. "Don't care."

Her answer was hardly satisfactory for Odalia. "Amity Blight, what has gotten into you?! All those snails down the shitter, and for WHAT?! I will not tolerate these outbursts! You... you..."

"What? WHAT?!" Amity was in no short supply of pent-up aggression. "What are you gonna do? Deny me the friends I want? Have Hermonculus tattle on me? Force me to study every waking moment I can? Let Edric and Emira walk all over me with impunity? How exactly do you plan to fuck up my life any more than it already is? Oh, is it more of these stupid showcases? Because I can not WAIT for the next one!" She then took her leave as her mother was too flabbergasted to try and stop her.

A few minutes later, Odalia glowered at her husband. "And just when did you plan to help me out here?"

"It's just incredible." Alador was writing in his notepad. "I never even considered the extent of the overheating problem. Mittens really has a knack for invention, don't you think so, dear?"

Odalia could only facepalm in defeat.

---

The door opened to the owl house and Eda, King, and Gabe walked inside.

"So... would someone like to explain why my house just took a walk down third street!?" Eda yelled.

"Well... the conjuring was a bit... wild." Luz said.

"Wild? Wild!? You animated my house! Do you have any idea how..." Eda grabbed Luz by the shoulders, "Awesome that is!? I am so joining you for the next conjuring!"

"W-w-what?" Luz said, "So, you're not mad that we kind of made a mess of your house?"

"Oh no, I'm furious, you're all going to be cleaning it up." Eda said, summoning a mop and bucket, for the group, "Now off with you."

The group went to go clean... it was their mess after all. Eda took a seat on the couch and closed her eyes.

"I'm exhausted." She said.

"I take it that the night market was a bit... exciting?" Camila asked.

"You could say that." Gabe said, wiping the blood off his knife, "A house? They animated a house?"

"Yeah... that takes some serious magic." Eda said, "And something tells me that a large part of it came from the Triclops."

Eda looked over at the group, briefly seeing Boscha's eyes change to red before returning to normal.

'She hasn't even reached her true strength.'

It was then that Eda remembered something else. "Oh yeah! Tio guy, Cami said you could do something with this." She handed Gabe one of her elixirs. "Something about throwing an engine in reverse, or whatever?"

"Reverse engineer a magic potion?" Gabriel's eyes began to sparkle. "This is the best day ever." He took out his fanny pack and put in the elixir, a baggie containing the blood he wiped and a light-pink tuft of hair.

Camila noticed the latter item. "Gabe, what did we discuss about taking specimens?"

"What?" Her brother-in-law whined. "It was self-defense! Well, her self anyway." He gestured to Eda.

Camila looked at the Owl Lady, who merely shrugged. "It's true. He kinda helped save the day, really."

"Is that true, Tio?!" Luz took a break from cleaning to listen to his story, as did Boscha.

"It's all true, Chicas." Gabe boasted. "Your uncle fought a ferocious demon! He almost got us, too. Eda and little Mal0 were all chained up, and it fell to ME to free them. Then I felled the monster with my trusty blade!"

Eda and King had a good laugh at that. "Okay there, Demon Hunter." Eda jested. "Let's not overwhelm the poor kids."

"Oh, gosh!" Luz shouted. "Speaking of Demon Hunters, we ran into some! And you should've seen what Mom did to'em!"

All eyes were on Camila, who looked a little embarrassed. "Well, it was a team effort."

"Yeah, but you took'em all out at once." Boscha added. "She used some of Luz's glyphs to turn a bat into a giant... lightsaber thing!"

"And then she took a big swing and they were all "BOOOSSHHHH" and then "WAAAAUUUUUGGHHHHHHH!"" Luz pantomimed the Hunters flying into the unknown.

Eda's face was incredibly flushed. "Damn, Cam. You're just full of surprises."

"LUZ!" Gus cried out. "You gotta see this!"

Luz and Boscha rejoined the other teens, who were huddled around Skara, who was holding a scroll.

"You know, I could've sworn I told you all to clean the house." Eda called to them.

"Sorry, Ms. Eda." Skara called back. "I just got a huge notification on Penstagram. It's about Amity!"

"Amity?!" That was more than enough to pique Luz's interest. As she and Boscha saw the scroll, they noticed that it operated much like a phone, as Skara scrolled through pictures of the night's Blight Industries showcase. Picture after picture showed Amity decimating her father's inventions in front of her frustrated mother. This shocked the kids, who all looked at each other in disbelief. And it was on that night that a cry rang throughout the Boiling Isles...

"WHAT?!"

Notes:

Someone needs to make Garth a TVTropes Page, They are a great artist/author and the fact that they don't have their own is a disservice.

Chapter 19: The Library

Chapter by Mr_Hardcor3

Boscha was sleeping, not caring that it was almost 10 AM, when Luz burst in.

"Boscha, there's babies!"

Boscha shot up in shock.

"WHAT!?" She yelled, then saw the books in Luz's hands, "Uh... what's with the books?"

"Oh, Eda wanted me to take these books back to the magic library while she and King babysit some mutant babies for a bat queen in exchange for treasure." Luz chipperly replied.

Boscha needed time to blink and process the fistful of information her sister had just shoved into her brain. "I... I need to see this for myself."

---

After getting ready for the day, Boscha came downstairs to see the situation unfolding just as Luz had told her. She looked at the sleeping bat children, then to the Owl Lady. "Geez, Eda, you'll just let anybody in this house, won't you?"

"Meh heh heh." Eda mocked. "Y'know, these kids might like to have a shiny new ball to play with."

"DIBS!" Luz excitedly interjected.

"... Luz... maybe not the best idea." Boscha said.

"She's got a point, kid." Eda agreed. "You were supposed to return those books for me. Matter of fact, Triclops, why don't you go with her, keep her out of trouble and such?"

"To a library?" Boscha freaked. "Are you high?"

"I can handle a few lousy books myself!" Luz loudly insisted.

The sisters' noisy protests woke up the little bat babies. Their cries shook the entire house. So much so that it began to crumble slightly.

"Then again, you can never be too careful these days." Boscha wasted no time heading for the front door.

"Yeah, parenting sure looks rewarding! Enjoy your life lesson!" Luz was right behind her.

They closed the door before Eda could protest.

'... Fuck.' Eda thought, regretting her decision.

---

"Are you sure you and your 'Weak nerd arms' can handle this?" Boscha asked, seeing Luz struggle to hold up the large stack of books.

"I got this... don't... worry." Luz said, vividly sweating while trying to carry them, "I'm... almost as strong as you are, aren't I?"

Boscha looked unimpressed and took the books. She held them with one hand.

"You have super strength, that's not fair." Luz said.

"Complain all you want, I don't know where I'm walking and you don't have the strength to carry these." Boscha said, "So lead the way, and I'll carry them."

Something would soon seem off about Boscha, and Luz was never one to stay quiet about it. "You okay, Hermana?"

"Hmm? What do you mean?"

"You just don't seem like your usual, quick-tempered, aggressive self lately. You barely taunt Eda, and you're even oddly considerate to Hooty. You didn't get sick or anything, did you?"

Boscha understood her sister's underlying tone of concern. Thinking back to that night and seeing Luz's face frozen in fear caused her to shudder. "I'm fine."

"Mmm-hmm." Luz wasn't buying it.

"No, really. It's just been... I mean, making new friends, new demon powers... reconnecting with Skara... it's been a lot to take in."

"I guess." Luz still sounded a little skeptical.

Boscha would then try to redirect the trajectory of this conversation. "Oh! And how about Minty rampaging in her family factory?!"

"I KNOW, RIGHT?!" Attempt successful. "I have been SO worried about her after the Covention, but seeing her in action on that Penstagram thing was reassuring. She was just so amazing!"

"That girl is amazing... you should hit that." Boscha said, making Luz blush.

"What are you talking about!?" Luz said, her voice going a few octaves higher, "I don't think of Amity like that!"

"Luz... I have three eyes... I'm not blind." Boscha said.

"Only because you have contact lenses."

"... Okay, that's a low blow." Boscha said, "Just for that, you won't get any ball time."

"What!?" Luz was mortified at what she had heard, "C'mon, Bosch, it was only a little jab. No need to go overboard."

Boscha simply kept walking in the direction they were going.

"Boscha, you weren't serious, were you?"

Still she walked.

"Boschaaaaaa..."

---

At the Owl House, Eda was struggling with the kids, and as it turns out, King isn't good with kids either.

"Put me down at once!" The demon yelled to the bat child carrying him in its clutches as it flied around the room. "Your king commands it!"

"Ugh... I should've taken up Luz on that dibs thing." Eda said.

"Eda, help me!" King yelled, before the bat dropped him.

He landed on the couch thankfully.

"I hate this." He said.

Eda sighed as she was really out of her depth here, but then she saw something... Boscha's Phone.

'I... could call Camila.' Eda thought, 'She would know more about kids, plus she was a... something that deals with animals.'

She rushed to the phone in a futile attempt to navigate the myriad of apps while one of the bat babies rummaged around in her hair. "Come on... how the hell do you make a call on these things? And what's a "Netflix?!""

"Any time now, Eda!" King was fighting off the other two kids that apparently mistook him for a chew toy.

The Owl Lady swiped her finger every which way across the phone, praying to Titan that she can find the speaking function until... "Wait! There's a text option. Kinda like Penstagram."

"EEEEDAAAAAAAA!" King cried out as the kids dragged him into the shadows beneath the couch.

"Okayokayokay!" Eda hastily sent a text out. To her relief she got a reply saying to be ready with the portal in five minutes. She set it up inside the house, lest the kids fly off. Five minutes later, she flung open the portal. And through the door, satchel in hand, came...

"GABE?!" Eda was shocked to see Luz and Boscha's uncle instead of their mother, not to mention disappointed. "What are you doing here?! Where's Cami?!"

"Uhhh, hi?" Gabe responded. "I'm guessing Milly's at work. Now you said you need my help with some kids?"

"Noooooo!" Eda gave in to her despair. "I thought I texted Camila! I needed her help babysitting these bat kids! What can we do with you here instead?!"

"Okay, first, ow." Gabriel bemoaned. "Second, there's plenty I can do, seeing as how this kind of thing is right up my alley."

"Oh, right, because you're a... alchemist? No, biologist!"

The bat children that took King chased him back into the living room as the third emerged from Eda's hair. They took to the air, ready to swoop down at the new face. Gabe reached into his satchel and flung some unseen weapons at the three. Eda was startled by his action until she looked and saw the bat babies consuming yogurt tubes.

"No." Gabriel donned the shades that were on his head. "Because I'm an uncle."

---

Luz and Boscha arrived at the library, with Luz still trying to get Boscha to take back her threat.

"Luz, I really have to ask about your whole love of being turned into a ball. I can't stand it and you love it." Boscha said, holding the stack of books with a single finger, "Now would you please open the door?"

"Why, can't see it?" Luz asked, with a smirk... before being sent back down the stairs by a light kick from Boscha.

"Uh... sorry?" Boscha said, "Still not used to my strength... you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm good... why are there three of you?" Luz asked.

"Oh, you know, it's just me, Boscha the triplet." Boscha said, helping Luz up, "Come on, let's go inside."

The two headed inside and the books started floating towards the front desk, seeing that it was the librarian that did it.

"Late, late, late." He said, before grabbing the book, "Coffee, grass, and Bloodstains... These are Eda's aren't they?"

"That obvious?" Boscha asked.

"OOOOH! Brainstorm!" Luz proclaimed. "Boscha, maybe we can find some info on Ifrits here!"

"Shhh!" Apparently, even demon realm librarians discourage noise.

"I... guess?" Boscha was reluctant to discover any more secret abilities of her kind, but perhaps she could better prepare for whatever's next.

Luz then began to drag Boscha into the library's shelves.

'Ugh... I hate libraries.' Boscha thought, 'I swear, Luz is going to get stuck in a book one day just because of how much she reads.'

The Noceda Sisters' trek through the library went as well as could be expected, given their track record in the Demon Realm. They were shocked by a flurry of papers when they tried to search the Demon Decimal System. Luz tried to catch a floating book only to be carried off by it. Then Boscha opened an ornithology book, releasing a flock of angry paper cranes that attacked her and Luz.

After evading the surprisingly dangerous cranes, the sisters' took a moment to catch their breath.

"Just when... I thought... I couldn't hate... libraries any more." Boscha wheezed.

"Don't... say that. " Luz sputtered. "Reading is... an adventure!"

"Uuuugh! You... call THIS an adventure?! Did Azura ever have to run from paper birds with sharp wings that excrete what I hope to God is white-out?" Boscha used a book to wipe the cranes' leavings off of her shirt.

Luz snatched the book from her and put it back. "Maybe not yet, but Mildred's not done writing the series so you never kn-"

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?"

The mysterious voice startled the two, especially Luz. "Oh no! We're caught! Pretend to be a book!" She contorted her arms to assume a rectangular shape. Boscha just smiled and shook her head.

The Nocedas were then drawn to the sound of children's laughter. They looked around and discovered a "Kid's Corner" where the aforementioned children were all gathered listening to a story. And narrating that story...

"Amity?"

"Oh look, she's great with kids." Boscha said, "Again, you should hit that."

"Boscha, stop saying that." Luz said, blushing.

'Hhmm.. I wonder.'

Boscha took a step back and used the ball spell on Luz, except she did what Eda said and thought about something different. Luz was hit by said spell and a book titled, "Luzura" was in her place.

"You'll thank me for this later." Boscha said, kicking Luz over towards Amity.

""We just wanted to offer our help!" The poor little tin boy replied with a yelp." Amity kept reading, not noticing the Luz book kicked in her direction. One child with a face that looked like that Warden Wrath guy picked her up and started chewing on her spine.

"Ohhh, shit." Boscha cursed the lapse in her otherwise impeccable aim.

""We will assist you!"" The griffon said with a cluck. Otabin couldn't believe his luck. And so good Otabin, surrounded by friends sewed up his book, and that's the end." Amity closed her book as the children cheered. She dismissed the group, but noticed the kid with the giant maw chewing on a book.

"Hmm? Whatcha got there, Braxas?" Amity sweetly coaxed him into showing her the book. "Aw, Braxas, we already discussed this, didn't we? No chewing the books. Can I have it back, please?"

"SORRY, MISS AMITY." Braxas handed her the book.

"No harm done. I'll see you next time, okay?"

"YAAAYYYYY!" The demon child scampered off.

Amity looked at the book, wiping the drool off of it. "Huh, I've never seen this book before... "My Journey to Witchdom?" No author's name."

Boscha looked on from her hiding spot as the green-haired witch opened her... book-sister? Sistook? Novelluz? Whatever. She was about to start reading.

"It was another unremarkable day in the dreary town of Gravesfield, Con... Connect a cut? Hmm. My parents were alerted by the cries of an animal in pain. They found a rabbit in the woods caught in an illegal trap. Mom had gently cut the poor creature loose.

"What on eee-yarth is with all these traps lately?" My Mom asked, "I'm afraid to let our girl play outside at this rate, I don't need her to get hurt. She's too adventurous for a four-year-old."

"I know, and don't worry, I'll make sure no one hurts our little girl." Dad said.

Mom let out a small chuckle.

"Oh, please, you're a teddy bear." She teased. "You don't have a dangerous bone in your body. Come on, let's get home before our precocious daughter lets a rack-oon in... again."

"What can I say, she takes after me." Dad proudly stated.

"And that is both a blessing and a curse." Mom said.

The two walked back home, passing the old abandoned cabin. The two stopped when they heard small sobs, barely audible.

"Someone is crying." My Dad exclaimed. "We should go make sure they're okay."

"What if it's a trap?" Mom asked.

"Then I die doing the right thing." Dad wasn't deterred. "That's the only way I want to go.""

Amity seemed enthralled by the story that Luz inexplicably produced. She couldn't help but keep reading.

"Dad headed towards the cabin, with Mom following him. The two opened the door and saw a girl, no older than me, with their leg in a snare. The wire was digging into her skin, blood seeping from the wound. The girl also had a big black and blue mark on her head, roughly the size of a go-olf ball, indicating that she fell after getting stuck in the trap. Mom and Dad immediately went to help the girl.

"Sweetie, can you hear me?" Dad asked, kneeling in front of her.

The girl looked up, making the two parents surprised. The girl's skin was a light pink, her hair was a darker shade of pink, her ears were pointed, and most importantly, she had three eyes. The girl looked up and immediately got scared. She began pulling back from them, causing the trap to tighten and cause her more pain.

"G-g-get away!" The girl cried.

"It's okay, it's okay." Mom said, "We're not going to hurt you. We can help you.""

'Holy fuck.' Boscha thought as tears started to well up in her eyes. 'I didn't expect to hear the story of how Mom and Dad found me.'

Amity was still reading. ""She's clearly been through a lot." Mom comforted the strange girl. "Let's get her back home and see what she remembers."

"Good idea." Dad said, "Well... Luz always wanted a playmate."

"That's quite interesting- Wait, LUZ?! Shit! No wonder there's no author credited!"

Amity set the book on the floor and spun a golden spell circle, which reverted Luz back to her human self.

"Hey, Amity." Luz nervously waved to her.

"Luz! Are you okay?!" She already started coddling the human. "I am so, SO sorry! I didn't know you got hit with the book spell! I NEVER meant to violate your privacy like that! Who did this to you?!"

"Yo, Minty, don't get your leggings in a bunch." Boscha emerged from her hiding spot. "It was just a cute little way to get your attention."

"YOU?!" Amity stormed up to the three-eyed girl. "You did this to her?! Do you have ANY idea what that kind of spell does?"

Boscha's eyes wandered as she was thinking. "Uuuuhhhh, turn people into books?"

"And what do you think is in those books?!" Amity snapped at her. "When someone is hit with the book spell, the events of their life are written on the pages. Not to mention their deepest thoughts, secrets and fears! Anybody could have picked Luz up and stolen all her information! HOW THE FUCK COULD YOU DO THAT TO YOUR OWN SISTER?!"

Boscha was flummoxed. She thought she would never hurt Luz so long as she didn't use her Ifrit abilities. It seemed like she couldn't do right by her sister at all. Maybe it was time to go.

"I didn't... forget it. I'm sorry. I'll see you back at the Owl House, Luz." With that, she sadly took her leave. She was dragging her feet down the hall when...

"You're not really gonna let her talk to you like that, are you?"

Boscha looked up and saw two teens, about a year or two older than her and Luz. They had dark green hair, skin the same color of Amity, and gold colored eyes.

'They are definitely twins.' Boscha thought.

"Can I help you?" Boscha asked.

"Sorry, we couldn't help but overhear Amity venting her spleen at you." The older girl explained.

"Yeah, the whole library couldn't help but overhear that." Her twin brother attested.

The older girl then made her introduction. "I'm Emira, and this is Edric."

"Oh, hi. I'm Boscha. Do you two work here?"

"Nah, we're just well-wishers on a mission. Check it." Edric pulled out a pink knapsack and held it up high. "HEY, MITTENS!"

Amity instantly cringed when she heard him.

"Who's Mittens?" Luz inquired.

"Mom said to stop forgetting your lunch at home!" Edric approached followed by Emira and Boscha. "And stop being such a bitch to your new friend."

Boscha started to fidget. "I don't think she considers me-"

"Never mind that." Amity ended that exchange on a purposefully vague note.

"Oh, so I'm guessing they are your siblings." Luz said.

"Yes we are." Emira said, "I'm Emira, this is Edric."

'Are their genes made of fucking snow, why does everyone in this family have the complexion of paper?' Boscha thought.

"I'm Luz. Luz Noceda." She cautiously shook their hands. "And Amity wasn't being... she was just being protective of me since I was under a book spell or something."

Amity looked away in embarrassment, but sported a tiny smile feeling flattered by Luz's words.

"Tell that to Mom." Emira groused. "Amity flat out destroyed Dad's inventions at last week's showcase."

Amity nervously tried to explain herself to Luz. "Well, you see... it wasn't like I... I'm not usually like th-"

"Yeah, we saw it on Penstagram." Luz addressed the twins. "It was totally awesome how she wrecked those robo-dogs."

"And I'd do it again." A sudden surge of confidence overcame Amity.

"Whatever. Just take your lunch." Edric tossed the knapsack at his little sister's feet."

"HEY!" Luz felt a little protective herself. "How is that attitude called for?!"

"Luz, don't bother, it's pointless to correct them, I've tried." Amity said.

"What? No!" Luz became even more indignant as she turned back to the twins. "It's just like Amity said before, you shouldn't treat your sister that way! Boscha and I made our mistakes, but we ALWAYS watch out for each other. You two keep letting Amity get hurt from those stupid weapon exhibits!"

"Well, we didn't exactly let her." Emira shrugged.

"And yet you didn't do anything to help." Luz said, giving her best disappointed mom tone.

"You don't know that." Edric argued.

"But she is right." Amity was quick to point out.

"I haven't even seen her without an injury from those stupid showcases!" Luz's words made Amity conscious of the bandages on her right arm. "What gives you two the fucking right to act all high and mighty to her?!"

"I think it's time we break this up, yeah?" It's not often Boscha had to be the voice of reason. She felt incredibly awkward standing between everyone.

Emira was the first to concede. "Okay then, Cutie." She said to Luz, whose blushing belied her anger. "We've finished our errand, anyway."

"I guess." Edric followed suit. The twins took their leave, and Boscha chose to escort them out of the library. This left Luz and Amity by themselves.

"Thank you, Luz, for standing up for me." Amity softly spoke. "You really didn't need to go that far for me."

"The hell I didn't." Luz was angrily staring in the direction the twins left from. "If there's one thing I can't stand, it's people piling on like that."

"You know, I don't think I've ever heard you swear before."

"Yeah, Boscha pretty much swears enough for the both of us." Luz's mood brightened as she turned back to Amity. "Plus, I refrain from it so that on the occasion I do curse, it'll have some significant impact."

Amity chuckled a bit. That sounded so much like something done in a story or something.

"I hope Boscha can handle them." Amity said.

"Boscha is tough as nails and puts up with basically nothing, she'll be fine." Luz said.

---

"I am SO, so, so sorry about Luz." Boscha practically groveled before Edric and Emira. "She's not always like that... She's actually never been like that. I've never seen her stand up to anybody like that before."

Ed had a bit of a laugh at that. "Hear that, Em? We're the first."

"Yeah, don't lose any sleep over it - Boscha, was it? - We've heard worse." Emira professed.

"Younger siblings can just be a pain at times, can't they?" Edric asked.

"Being an older sibling is the best thing that ever happened to me." Boscha said.

"Come on, isn't there times you just... wish you didn't have to watch over her?"

"I mean, sure it can be difficult at times." Boscha couldn't believe how timid she was acting. "But she, Mom and Dad have been there for me ever since I got lost in the Human Realm."

"She's human?" The twins were surprised at the notion.

Boscha started to sweat a little.

"So they're not a myth after all." Edric exclaimed.

"Are all humans that cute": Emira pondered.

The three-eyed girl then breathed a sigh of relief. "You guys have got to be the most easygoing people I've met in either realm"

"Life's too short to sweat other people's shit." Edric espoused. "Wanna hang with us tonight for the Wailing Star? Your sister can come, too."

"The what now?"

"The wailing star meteor shower, it's said to have a special effect on the library when it happens." Emira said.

"And we're going to see if that's true." Edric said.

"The library?" Boscha pondered. "Does it stay open at night?"

"Wellll..." Emira acted coy. "...there's a certain turn of phrase in the Demon Realm known as "break and enter.""

The three-eyed girl laughed at her naivete. "Yeah, we have a similar saying in the Human Realm. Luz and I aren't strangers to a little trespassing. I'm up for it, and I'm sure Luz will say "yes.""

---

"No."

"Oh, come on!" Boscha didn't anticipate having to badger her sister on their walk back to the Owl House. "I know we got off on the wrong foot with Ed and Em, but they're not all that bad."

""Ed and Em?"" Luz gave an incredulous sigh. "Since when do you sidle up to people like that?"

"Apparently, around the time you started confronting groups of older teens. What was that about?"

"You saw how they were treating Amity. How could I just let that shit slide?"

Boscha was starting to think they were in some kind of Freaky Friday situation. "I guess they had that coming. But ask yourself: W.W.A.D.?"

"Really?"

"You're the forgiving type, aren't you?"

"What? When did we establish this? When was this ever brought up in the entire series..." Luz paused to clear her throat. "...of events in our lives?"

"W.W.A.D.?" Boscha meekly rejoined.

"Well, she wouldn't just pass out forgiveness like free candy! I don't even recall those two apologizing to Amity for what they did. I'm not forgiving them until they earn it. THAT'S what Azura would do."

"All the more reason to come to the bawling star thingy. Maybe by then, they'll have had time to reflect on their actions and feel bad about them. And you can't tell me with a straight face that you're not interested in finding out if the star magic is real."

"You have just been fangirling over those two the whole time, haven't you?"

"No, I have some self respect." Boscha said, before changing the subject, "So... how badly do you think Eda is handling those babies?"

"Boscha, it's Eda... we both know she's probably drunk and letting the babies do whatever they want." Luz said, causing both of them to laugh, "Kind of feel bad for her in a way... if it wasn't for the fact that she's getting paid for this."

They had finally arrived at the Owl House, where they were faced with something unusual. The door was shaking, and the house demon's head was buried in the ground.

"Hooty?!" Luz called out. "What's going on?"

"DON'T SAY MY NAME!" Hooty re-emerged in front of them. "He's back! He's torturing the kids! HE'LL KILL US ALL... HOOOOOOT!"

Despite his warning, the Nocedas rushed to the door. When they opened it, they were surprised to see the bat babies darting all over the place. One of them started chasing their uncle, who ran for... wait, uncle?

"Tío?" The sisters were shocked to see Gabriel. No sooner had they noticed him than he was struck to the ground by one of the babies.

"TÍO!" They were even more shocked to see their uncle's body splayed out on the floor.

"HAHAHA! Now you're it!" King chortled from behind the couch.

"I'll get you for that!" Gabriel opened his eyes and spotted his nieces gawking at him. "Oh. Hey, chicas! How's your day been?"

"Good, we took books to the library." Luz said.

"I might've made some new friends." Boscha said.

"They're a bad influence on you." Luz said, turning her nose to the air, "Boscha I am very disappointed in you. I can't even look at you."

"Oh no... I might finally get my own room." Boscha said, with mock sadness.

"So, these kids..." Gabe cut to the chase. "Good-bad influence or BAD-bad?"

"Eeeehhh..." Luz had yet to make up her mind about the twins.

"Well, we only just met them, so we shouldn't jump to conclusions." Boscha uttered.

"Uh, you okay, Boscha?" Her uncle looked concerned. "I've never seen you go gaga for anybody like this."

The three-eyed girl had come to hate how easily Gabriel managed to see past her many facades over the years. "PFFT! I so am NOT going gaga."

"She's totally gaga." Luz butted in.

"Luz swore."

Before anyone could react to that, King ran up to the group "Hey, Uncle Human! What happened to our game?!"

"Oh, yeah. Sorry about that." Gabe tapped his finger on the little demon's skull. "You're it!"

"WEH?!"

"No tag-backs."

"How do I ALWAYS fall for that?!" King moaned as he chased after the bat kids.

"Aw, so cute." Boscha said, "So, let's go get ready for our little night trip!"

"Boscha, no, you are not going to go hang out with them." Luz said.

Boscha gave Luz a look.

"1, You aren't mom. 2, I'm older. 3, I do not need your permission to go somewhere. 4..." Boscha said, performing the ball spell, "A ball isn't going to stop me."

Boscha lightly kicked Luz away and headed upstairs. The only two people that could turn Luz back was Eda and Boscha, and since Boscha wasn't going to, Eda was the only option, which wouldn't happen since she was currently MIA.

'I knew those two were a bad influence on her!' Luz thought, 'I can't even enjoy this because I'm angry!'

Gabriel could only watch in stunned silence as Luz rolled across the floor. For a while, at least.

"WHAT THE FUCK?!"

---

Boscha headed back to the library after getting ready. When she got there she noticed that the Blights hadn't arrived yet.

"Huh, guess I have a minute to myself." Boscha said, "Wonder how Luz is doing. I feel a bit bad for doing that to her, but she shouldn't have tried to tell me what to do."

"You didn't kill her, did you?"

"BWAAAHHH!"

Boscha nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard that familiar voice. She turned around to see Edric and Emira standing by the library door.

"So, is Cutie not joining us?" Emira playfully mewled.

"No! And, uh, no. Luz couldn't make it. She had to... bounce. Heh heh." Boscha cringed internally. "So, how are we getting in?"

"Oh, we may have swiped something from our mother's office." Emira said, pulling out a scroll and unfurling it.

She walked up to it and put it against the lock. The paper disintegrated and the lock grew big enough to walk through.

And walk through they did. Once inside, Boscha shivered at the sight of the dark, cavernous library. She became jittery at the realization that she and the twins were alone in the building.

"Uhh guys..." She nervously reached out. "...could you excuse me a moment?"

Edric and Emira looked at each other in confusion, then gave her a nod.

With her thanks, Boscha took a few steps back, then a deep breath, then...

"FFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUCK!"

Her shout seemed to echo throughout the halls indefinitely. The Blights were understandably rattled by the sudden outburst. "Did you and Luz have some big fight today or something?" Edric wondered.

Boscha broke out of her cathartic haze. "Huh? Oh, that's not it. I always hated getting shushed in libraries back in Gravesfield. I wanted to do that for years."

"I get it." Edric sympathized. "I'm also incredibly allergic to the rules."

"And dairy." Emira added.

"Okay, so just... expose me."

"Luz is the same way." Boscha said.

That's when Edric pointed up.

"Hey look, I think that's the wailing star!"

"Are you sure?" Emira asked.

At that moment, a green, star-shaped celestial body shot across the sky outside the library, shedding stardust and emitting a melancholy sobbing noise.

"Pretty sure."

Boscha then noticed that the books started to glow green.

"Hey, check it out." She said, opening a book of extinct birds which made birds fly out.

"OH SHIT! The paper cranes! They tracked me down somehow!"

One of the birds perched itself on Emira's shoulder. "I think these are real flesh-and-blood birds." She deduced.

"Cool!" Edric exclaimed. "I wanna keep some of these as pets!"

His enthusiasm would come crashing down as Boscha closed the book, causing the birds that emerged from it to disappear.

"Hmmm... Let's see if..." Boscha wandered to another shelf and picked out a book titled "Splatterday the 14th." She opened it up, and a disheveled behemoth with a sports mask brandishing an axe burst out of the pages. She slammed the tome shut before they could bury the axe in her skull.

"Whoa-ho-ho-hooo." Adrenaline was racing through Boscha's vital organs. "I almost died."

"Looks like the Wailing Star's magic brings the books' contents to life." Edric pointed out.

Emira looked concerned. "Yeah. Opening any more of these things could be dangerous."

The three exchanged looks for a moment, then rushed off in different directions to find another book. For the first time in her life... Boscha was happy to be in the library.

---

Luz was played with by the babies, and while normally she would be happy about this, she needed to go to that library and... give Boscha a stern talking to... what? You think she was going to do something physical... Boscha can break someone's bones without trying and that was BEFORE she got super strength.

"I'm tiiirrrrred." King whined. "How long does it take for Eda to pick up some fanging rings?"

Gabriel chuckled as he passed the Luz-ball back to the babies. "How would I know? Ahhh, we gotta face facts, buddy, we've been played."

"Ugh. That sounds about Eda." The little demon flopped on the floor.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door. Gabriel answered rather impatiently. "Well, Eda you'd better have a good reason to uuuuhhhhh..." He was surprised to see that instead of the grey-haired witch, it was a shorter, green-haired witch that was at the door. "Wait, who are you?"

"Who are you?" Amity shot back. "This is the Owl House, isn't it?"

"Depends. Who wants to know?" Gabe still had a certain phobia about answering doors ever since Jacob Hopkins came knocking.

"Can I just speak to Luz, please?" Amity sounded urgent. "It's a bit of an emergency."

"Heard that one before."

"I'm a friend of hers."

"I don't remember seeing you at that Moonlight Conjuring."

"Just forget it!" Amity had clearly had enough. "If you see her, could you tell her that Amity Blight needs her help at the library?"

"Wait, as in... you?"

"Ugh, yes."

"Ohohooo." Gabe smiled mischievously. "So YOU'RE the girl that Luz can't stop talking about."

Despite still being a ball, Luz's embarrassment was great enough that her muffled scream could be heard by the other two.

"Luz?!" Amity ran up to the human ball, then swapped her out for an abomination ball that the bat children could play with instead. "Don't tell me Boscha did this to you!"

Luz did her level best to nod.

"Son of a lich!" for the second time today, Amity freed the human from her sister's enchantment.

Luz stood up and cracked her back.

"I'm more delicate than a basketball, Tio, there was no need to hold me so tightly." Luz said, before remembering, "Oh, shoot, the library! Amity, we need to get there!"

Before Amity could say something, Luz grabbed her wrist and started running in the direction of Bonesborough.

---

Boscha was looking at a fashion magazine, before looking at the twins open one and their clothes change to fancy clothes. Edric was in a dark teal vest over a white shirt with reddish purple pants, black books, a large white hat, yellowish orange belt and gloves, and a cape. Emira was in a dress that alternated between teal, dark teal, and yellowish orange, with white feathering collar along to top of the dress that covered her neck, along with reddish purple gloves that nearly covered her arms, black tights, and teal ballerina shoes with white balls on them, along with her hair being tied into a bun.

'Not bad.' Boscha thought, opening the magazine, 'My turn.'

She opened it and her clothes changed. She looked and saw herself in a pink and frilly princess dress that looks like something out of a Disney movie.

"Nope. Nope. Nope!" Boscha closing the magazine, returning her clothes to normal, "Tomboy. I don't do pink and frilly!"

"Too bad, it looked nice on you." Emira's remark caused Boscha to blush a bright red. Fortunately, a snowball would hit her in the face to cool her off. Now to find the jerk that threw it at her. Then to find out how the hell a snowball could hit her when it's still summertime.

It turned out Edric had a book titled "Mayhem on Snow Day." He opened it wider to fire a volley of snowballs at the girls.

Some evasive maneuvers later, Emira found a book with "Blizzard in Bonesborough" emblazoned on the cover. The second Edric walked into firing range, she opened her book, unleashing the eponymous blizzard. Both Edric and Boscha were blown back by the storm.

Boscha scrambled to her feet, then she searched for any winter-themed book she could find. Seeing a book with the vague title "Snowman's Land," she grabbed it and opened it up towards the twins. Apparently, the book was about surviving an avalanche, as evidenced by the enormous avalanche that buried the Blights. Luckily, Boscha had the presence of mind to shut the book, making the snow vanish. The three were panting heavily from their snow battle, then started laughing out loud before preparing for round two.

Boscha retreated to the Kids' Corner, thinking it made for a good choke point to defend against the twins, when she spotted the Otabin storybook that Amity was reading to those kids earlier.

She couldn't be bothered with that nonsense now. And yet, she felt compelled to read it.

---

"MAMA'S HOME EVERYBODY!"

The bat children began to cry as Eda announced her return. Kicking the door open didn't help matters, either.

"Agh! I had just gotten them to sleep!" Gabriel lamented.

"Way to go, "Mama."" King covered his ears as he stared angrily at the Owl Lady

"Well sorry, wasn't expecting them to be sleeping." Eda said, "Where are Luz and the other one?"

"Well, Boscha turned Luz into a ball, then left, then a girl named Amity came by and took

Luz with her to the library." Gabe said.

"Ah, so just another normal day here." Eda said, "Man, Bonesborough was a pain to get through, everyone wanted to get a look at the wailing star meteor shower tonight. Did you know my sister and I went to the library once during it, trying to get to the roof? Turns out it can affect the books."

"Affect them how?" Gabe wondered.

"It makes the books come alive." Eda explained.

Gabriel started to snicker. "Aw, you sound like Luz when she learned how to read."

"No, you dingus!" Eda berated. "The magic from the Wailing Star literally bring the contents of a book to life."

King came to a sudden realization. "And Luz and Boscha are there? Sounds like a recipe for disaster to me."

"Aw, King, don't be so cynical." Gabriel then turned to Eda. "But, yeah, that could be a major problem. Not to mention we got these little guys to look after." He gestured to the three bat kids... and King.

"WEH?!"

"I know just how to handle these three..." Eda grinned somewhat menacingly as she pulled out a knife.

Gabe and King hugged each other in sheer terror. Eda flung an apple into the air, then with a glint in her eye and quick swings of the blade, it was cut into perfectly symmetrical pieces that fell perfectly onto the inexplicable plate in her hand.

"Apple slices and story time!"

Eda sat on the couch and opened the book.

"Okay, ya bunch of little freaks, sit down and shut up." Eda said.

'… What a woman.' Gabe thought.

Using her magic, Eda levitated a book into her hand. A little floppy-eared gremlin graced the cover.

"Otabin the Book Maker." She opened the book and started to read. "Otabin the Book Maker with needle and thread, loved to sew books, as he often said..."

---

"... He claimed there was no tear that he could not mend, save the one in his heart, as he longed for a friend." Boscha was reading the book on the table when suddenly, the eponymous Otabin rose from the pages with a timid but friendly "Friend?""

"Aw, aren't you a cute little shit." Boscha smiled softly. "Luz is gonna be sorry she missed this."

"Hey, Boscha!" Emira called out as she entered the Kid's Corner.

Boscha slammed the book she was reading. "None of your business! Get of my back!"

"Huh?"

"I mean, what can I do for you?"

Edric caught up, holding a book and pencil. "Check out what we just discovered!" He opened the book to a page with a picture of a duck, summoning said duck before him.

"Ehhh, coooool. A duck." Boscha tried her best to sound supportive.

"But wait, there's more!" Edric drew a pair of giant, thick, hairy legs on the picture in the book, resulting in the "real" duck gaining a similar pair of its own. The poor little water fowl was understandably agitated.

"Whoa! Okay, now that is cool!" Boscha enjoyed the spectacle.

Edric ran up to her, handing her the pencil. "Now you try!"

"Eeehhhh..." The pink-haired witch opened the book to see the innocent visage of Otabin. It made her think of Amity, as well as Luz's reaction to her reading the very story she held in her hands. She couldn't bring herself to deface the little guy. Now she had to play it cool. "I can't think of anything. This guy's giving me zilch to work with."

"Here, let me!" Edric scribbled some monstrous features on Otabin. As soon as he finished, a giant clawed hand surged from the book. Who knows what would have followed if Boscha didn't immediately close the book.

"Yeah, one surprise monstrosity is enough for me tonight." She picked up another book when a sudden burst of inspiration struck her. Thinking of a certain someone, she lovingly drew a picture of Skara. Lovingly, but not skillfully, as when she set the open-faced book down, what emerged wasn't Skara, but a hideously-twisted, anatomically-skewed version of her. Everyone screamed in terror as it crawled its way towards them.

"Dear Titan, what have you done?!" Emira screamed.

"HHHRRRGGHH...GAAAARRRRRGLLLLLE..." The work of what could loosely be described as art attempted to speak. "K...I...L...L...M...E..."

"KILL IT WITH FIRE!" Edric sobbed as it reached its hand out.

Boscha snapped out of her hysteria at the sound of the F-word. "Now there's an idea." One spell circle later, the book was immolated and the tortured existence of the distorted Skara came to a merciful end.

"Oh, man..." Edric tried to catch his breath. "I think I just shat out my heart!"

"I'll certainly have some interesting stories for my therapist next week." Emira added.

"Yeah, sorry about that." Boscha awkwardly blurted. "Luz is the real artist in the family."

"Whatever. It's time to get to the real reason we're here. C'mon" Emira ushered Boscha away from the Kid's Corner,

Unbeknownst to anybody, the Otabin book was knocked over in the altercation, and that clawed hand reached out once more.

---

Amity practically kicked the library doors open. She was MAD... and Luz kinda liked it.

'It's lust not love, it's lust not love, it's lust not love.' Luz kept thinking.

She was Bisexual, honestly it was obvious to anyone reading this story, but she didn't think someone as cool as Amity could love someone like her. She was knocked out of her thoughts as Amity started to get further ahead of her.

"Fucking book and ball spell, she's not the only one that knows transformation magic." Amity mumbled, "Going to turn her into a doormat and my siblings into something far worse."

Luz took time from observing how cute Amity is when she's angry. "Should we split up and search for them?"

"I suppose we could-" Upon venturing further into the library, the young Blight looked on in horror at the mess that Boscha and the twins had made. "Those motherfuckers! Forget transformation, I'm going to fill their stomachs with abomination and use it to floss their digestive tracts!"

"Count me in on that. These innocent books will be avenged!"

Amity couldn't help but admire Luz's enthusiasm for books. The two agreed to split up and search.

---

Boscha and co. arrived to a shelf in the romance section. Boscha reminisced about her and Luz's trips to the library back in Gravesfield and how Luz would sneak a peek at the romance novels when she thought no one was looking. Emira tilted a particular book in the shelf, causing it to open up and reveal a secret room.

"Jinkies." Boscha said almost unconsciously. "You guys have a hideout in the library of all places?"

Edric laughed at the notion. "Yeah, right! "Uhhh, teacher? I'm in love with a dictionary!""

""I practice the dork arts!"" Emira mocked. "No, this is Amity's secret room."

"For real?" Boscha looked around the room until she noticed a familiar but unwelcome sight. "Oh, no. "Good Witch Azura?" you guys get these here, too?!" She took a closer look. "Huh, no volume five. Still, Luz'd probably propose to Minty on the spot if she knew about this."

"Well, that's not the book we're interested in." Emira confessed.

"Hm?"

"Somewhere in this room is where Mittens keeps her diary." Edric had already begun looking.

"And we're going to post its pages all over Hexside." Emira added.

Boscha was surprised at them. "Wait, isn't that a bit much?"

"That's the idea." Edric checked book after book, discarding them on the floor. "Amity's always taken herself too seriously, but lately, she's gotten really full of herself."

"You saw the damage she did to our parents' factory." Emira implored. "And she wasn't exactly courteous to you today."

"I don't know..." Was Boscha seriously considering helping them?

Edric took a moment to "reason" with her. "We admit, it sounds cruel, but this is for her own good. We gotta do this to keep her in check, otherwise she could go haywire and cause even more destruction. You don't want Luz-Luz to get caught up in that, do you?"

Ordinarily, Boscha would go up to anyone who would drag Luz into a conversation like that and slap her sister's name out of their mouths, but the new, subdued Boscha was becoming far too amenable to the suggestions of others. "I... guess not."

"Where would Mittens keep her diary in here?" Emira pondered.

Boscha looked back at the Azura book collection. "Well, if she's anything like Luz..." Boscha looked at the enshrined collection when she noticed something that seemed out of place. She pulled out a book with Azura on the cover, only drawn in a different style.

"You think this is it?" She asked the twins.

Emira smirked maliciously. "Oh, I do indeed."

"BOSCHA!"

"Shit! We're busted! Pretend to be a book!" The three-eyed girl was so startled that she flung the diary in the air, spilling its pages all over the room.

As each page hit the floor, a small version of Amity emerged dictating the words written upon them.

"I saw the human again today. I should be keeping my distance, keeping her away from my family's baggage, but there's something about her..."

"Why can't I stop thinking about Luz? What is wrong with my brain?!"

"Edric and Emira are such assholes!"

"I can't put my finger on it, but there's something familiar about Boscha."

"I got sent to the principal's office for cursing at Hermonculous again."

"Sorry I haven't written in a while. Wait, why am I apologizing?"

Boscha scrambled to gather the pages when she caught sight of her sister standing in the doorway, furiously glowering at her.

"Luz?!"

"The book spell incident was one thing, you didn't know what you were doing..." Luz's fury built up with each word. "But now you're stealing other people's diaries? Do you have ANY respect for the privacy of others!?"

Boscha's head was spinning from Luz's admonishment. "I-I-I know how this looks, but Ed and Em said-"

"And YOU two!" Luz turned her anger on the twins. "I heard the bullshit you were filling Boscha's head with. After everything she's been put through, you'd still do something so mean to your own sister?!"

Emira tried to placate her. "Look, Cutie, what goes on in our family is none of y-"

"DON'T "CUTIE" ME!" Luz's blush couldn't mask her disdain this time. "You two think you're such hot stuff, but you're no better than the jerks at my old school. It's a genuine wonder why Boscha hasn't put you in the ground yet. Both of you should be ashamed of yourselves!"

"Wait, how did you break the ball spell?" Boscha asked.

"That would be where I came in." Amity walked up next to Luz. "I should've known you'd try to get in here, but I guess I had a small hope that you two had some sense of decency. Shows what I know, huh?"

"Oh, get off your high snorse, Mittens." Edric chided. "The way you've been acting, you could stand to be knocked down a peg or two."

Amity chuckled. "You'd have to build me up a peg to accomplish that. Y'know, I was thinking of ways to punish you, but you wouldn't learn anything. You never do. So what's the point?" She was fighting back tears at that point. "Now get the hell out of my room. ALL of you!"

"Once again, Amity ruins the fun. Let's go." Emira walked out in a huff, followed by Edric, Boscha and Lu- hang on.

"Oh, not you, Luz. You stay." Amity lightly held Luz's shoulder before she realized what she had just said. "I mean, only if you want to, of course. You can stay or go... Not-not that you need me to tell you that... I... I'm so very sorry."

"Sorry? For what?" Luz asked.

"You keep getting pulled into my family's drama. I wanted so badly to not let that happen, but no matter hard I try, you always seem to get caught in the crossfire."

"So, stop trying."

"What?!"

"If I'm gonna get roped into your family's biz no matter what, you should at least get a friend out of the deal."

"Luz..." Amity tried once more to keep from crying.

Suddenly, the two heard heavy breathing in the distance. They left the room to see what was happening. That was when they noticed a pair of glowing eyes staring right at them.

---

Boscha and the twins made their way the library entrance feeling somewhat deflated.

"Titan, Amity can be a buzzkill." Emira griped.

"Maybe some goblin tipping would soothe our nerves." Edric suggested. "You in, Boscha?"

Boscha looked back at the library. "I... No. I should get back to Luz. I can't leave things like this."

Emira was taken aback. "You really want to go back there just to get screamed at by our psycho sister?"

"Maybe she'd be less... "psycho" if you guys... kind of... didn't, uh, pull this kind of stuff on her? I mean, before today I've known her to be pretty nice to me and Luz."

"She just puts on that performance for the sake of her popularity." Edric pointed out. "If she really was that nice, she would've stayed friends with Willow."

"She is friends with Willow." Boscha blurted out.

The twins were shocked at first, but quickly became skeptical. "Wait, how would you know that?" Emira asked.

"When Luz and I first saw them, they were hanging out and enjoying themselves. Then some kids came along, and they pretended to fight each other."

"Wait, all those times she bullied her were just an act?!"

"Yeah, and honestly, it's concerning how many people here can't see through it."

But why would they?" Edric wondered. "If they're still friends, why go to so much trouble to hide it?"

Boscha became a little more sympathetic towards the two. "Because your mom told Minty to cut ties with Willow by threatening the plant girl's family."

"There's no way!" Edric said.

"And yet..." Emira was starting to put the pieces together. "We should go home, Ed. There's a lot we need to mull over."

"Yeah. Later, Boscha."

The trio then heard a scream.

"That's Luz!" Boscha said, running back towards her and Amity.

Boscha ran through the library, until she came upon the secret room... which was now empty.

"Where did they go!?" Boscha yelled, throwing the discard diary pages around, as if they were somehow under them, "LUZ!?"

She heard another faint scream, coming from the children's area.

"Don't worry, Luz, I'm coming!"

---

In the children's area, Amity and Luz were nearly completely sewn into a book, with just their heads being the only things that wasn't sewn in yet.

"Let me go!" Luz said, "I like being a ball, not a book!"

"Betrayed by my childhood hero." Amity bemoaned. "I always imagined Otabin would be my friend."

"FRIENDSHIP IS WHAT I ,TOO, HAVE SOUGHT." The monstrous Otabin exclaimed. "AND NOW, TWO FRIENDS MY CLAWS HAVE CAUGHT."

Luz was angered by his boasting. "You can't just force people to be your friends! I mean, we all deserve love, but none of us are entitled to it."

"Aww, that was kinda nice." Even in mortal danger, Amity's kind words couldn't stop Luz from blushing.

"LUZ! MINTY!"

"BOSCHA!" Luz responded to her sister's cry. "WE'RE IN THE KIDS' CORNER!"

Boscha, Edric and Emira all showed up to see the scene unfolding, as well as the monstrous Otabin.

"What in the... Isn't that the Oat-bin guy?" Boscha asked in equal parts fear and confusion. "How'd he get so damn big?!"

"Some jerk drew over him in his book." Amity gestured to said book resting in a cavity in Otabin's torso featuring the offending drawing in question.

"Edric did it!" Boscha and Emira were quick to point that out.

"WHA-?!" Edric reeled from the betrayal.

Luz's patience was running out. "Hey! Never mind who did it! Let's focus on undoing it!"

"Right!" Boscha turned to Edric and Emira. "Hey, Teal Twins, cover me! I'll free the others!"

She didn't wait for an answer, as she already dashed for the giant book. The twins conjured some giant shackles to hold Otabin in place. Boscha looked at the girls stuck in the book and how the parts of them sewn into the pages were two-dimensional. After a moment of contemplation, she started pulling on the threads holding Amity to the page.

"You're freeing me first?" Amity asked. "I thought you'd get Luz out before me."

Boscha kept pulling the thread as she answered. "I gotta make sure it's safe to do this. It could kill you for all I know."

"WHAT?!

Fortunately, it didn't kill Amity and actually set her free. The two then practically had a race to get to Luz, but before they could free her completely, Otabin had overpowered the twins and flung them by the shackles they tried to hold him with. Edric and Emira crashed into everyone else, knocking them into a bookshelf and burying them in a giant pile of literature.

Otabin retrieved his book, Luz still trapped within. He had also seen the incapacitated twins, then decided two Blights were better than one and took them as well. Luz could see Boscha getting to her feet and called to her.

"BOSCHA! Help us!"

The Ifrit witch didn't need to be told twice. With the spin of her finger, she took aim, then she saw her sister. Her face frozen in fear. That look in her eyes. The look that Boscha had caused too many times. She couldn't finish the spell circle before her finger started to shake.

"Boscha? BOSCHAAAA!"

Luz watched her sister standing in place with a look of shock on her face as Otabin carried her away.

"LUZ!"

Amity had also recovered and tried to catch up, but couldn't see where Otabin had went. She then turned to the paralyzed Boscha.

"What the hell is your problem?!" Amity snapped at her. "You just let your sister get taken! Where was that witch who took me on at the Covention? The one who'd do anything to-"

Upon closer inspection, she noticed the haunted look in Boscha's eyes as well as her shortness of breath. "I... can't." Was all the three-eyed girl could muster.

"What...are... " Amity was caught off guard, to say the least. "What happened to you? Why are you so afraid of Otabin of all things?"

Boscha seemed to collect herself as she lowered her arm. "No. Not Otabin. I'm... I'm scared of accidentally hurting Luz?"

"What do you mean?"

"Since I grew up in the Human Realm, I've had to learn my magic the hard way. It scared Luz when I first used a fire spell, so much so that she wouldn't get too close to me. Now that my Ifrit powers are developing, I'm more of a danger to her. She burned her damn hands on my arm when she was trying to help me. I don't want to get her hurt again, but I don't know what to do."

Amity was moved by Boscha's confession. She wanted to help her help Luz -mainly just help Luz- and she needed an edge against Otabin. That's when she remembered their altercation earlier in the day and got a dangerous and stupid idea.

"Hit me with the book spell."

Boscha stared at her dumbfoundedly.

"You know, so we can use the Wailing Star magic!"

"I... don't get..."

"If I'm under the book spell, all my deepest thoughts and feelings will be written on the pages. Then we can use the Wailing Star's magic to manifest those thoughts into something that can help Luz... and Ed and Em if we have time."

"But, you said it's a serious invasion of privacy."

"ARGH! Forget what I said and do what I say!"

Time was running out for Luz, and Boscha didn't really have any better ideas, so here went nothing. With the twirl of her finger, Boscha cast the book spell on Amity, and in her place sat a book titled "Let the Blight One In." As Amity predicted, her book self was affected by the Wailing Star's magic as it began to glow green.

Boscha carefully opened the book, but was knocked back when a giant arm emerged from it's pages. The floor was then imbued with that same green glow, and what arose was a colossal and powerful Amity, adorned in the attire of a supreme witch (Or her best interpretation as such. The cat pauldrons were a weird touch.) Boscha couldn't believe what she was witnessing.

"Holy shit... Big Gay." Boscha said.

Amity rolled her glowing magenta eyes.

"Pick me up and don't close me, we have to find Otabin." Super Amity said.

Boscha picked up the book and got onto Super Amity's shoulder.

"Okay, let's go!" Boscha said.

---

Otabin had stopped by the entrance to the Library, with his book in hand. He reopened it and looked at his victims. As he was fleeing, he had sewn most of Emira and Edric into the book and was looking to finish his job.

"W... we can talk about this, right?" Luz asked, "... Please?"

"Or could you at least put me and Ed on separate pages?" Emira complained as she saw Edric's arm stitched over her own. "I'd rather not be stuck to him forever."

"NO!" Edric cried out. "I don't want to be alone forever!"

"OTABIN IS FRIEND TO ALL GIRLS AND BOYS..." The fictional monstrosity addressed the twins, "...BUT I'LL TEAR YOU APART IF YOU KEEP MAKING NOISE."

Everybody remained quiet as Otabin resumed his work. Fortunately, the awkward silence didn't last long as it was broken by a booming noise that thundered throughout the building.

"Hey, don't look at me." Edric contested.

Another thud reverberated across the halls. Then another, and another, and another. Each one becoming progressively louder. Before long, the foursome beheld the colossal Super Amity standing before them.

"Be still my two-dimensional heart." Needless to say that Luz was in awe of her friend's new form.

Otabin was not as impressed. He immediately went on the offensive, hurling his giant needle with thread still attached at Amity. But with a gesture, the giant witch redirected the needle and thread. She used the thread to bind Otabin, and the needle to anchor him to the wall.

"Amity, that was awesome! You're the coolest!" Luz's praise caused Amity to pull the brim of her giant witch's hat over her face to hide her blushing.

Emira's patience was starting to run out by that point. "Hey, Mittens! Knock off the flirting and get us out already."

Her little - albeit gigantic - sister scowled at her for an uncomfortable amount of time, then picked up the book that Luz and her siblings were sewn into.

"Or, y'know, whenever you're ready." Emira's tone improved dramatically.

Edric began to freak out when Amity's hand reached out to them. "Mi- Uh, Amity? I know you're well within your rights to kill us, but PLEASE don't kill us!"

The twins shut their eyes, preparing for the worst. Amity, meanwhile, pulled the thread that held Luz to the book and held out her giant hand for her friend to climb on to.

"Third dimension, how I've missed you." Luz looked over her arms and legs to make sure everything was still working.

"Luz, are you okay?" Amity softly spoke to her.

"Am I ever." Luz blurted out as she reached out and touched the super witch's nose. "How the heck did you manage to pull this off?"

Amity smiled at the human's reaction. "It's a long story. Literally. But for now, let's get you out of the library while I take care of Otabin."

"Wait, what about the twins?" Boscha interjected. "You're gonna free them too, right?"

Super Amity stared impassively at her siblings, relishing in their wretched state. But one pleading look from Luz was enough to move her. "Oh, all right. Hold still, you two."

As Amity was busy freeing the twins, Otabin had freed himself. Noticing some spilled ink on the ground, he dipped his clawed finger in it and etched a "x2" next to his defaced picture in the book he still held. This caused him to double in size, putting him on even ground with Amity.

Boscha noticed the hulking Otabin heading for them. "Oh, shit! Minty, we have a new problem!"

Amity noticed just too late as she was tackled by the enormous fictional character. She accidentally dropped the giant book, but had the wherewithal to put Luz on the brim of her hat.

"Hold on tight, Luz, this is gonna get rough!" Amity told her friend as she started to grapple with Otabin.

Boscha meanwhile rushed to the book.

"Don't worry, I'll get you out of there!" Boscha said, bringing her claws out.

The twins looked scared.

"Uh... in one piece, right?" Emira asked.

"... Sure."

---

Amity had gotten up and threw a punch at Otabin, knocking him back. Amity then grabbed him by the ears and did what could only be described as a Judo throw.

"Woah, that's awesome!" Luz said, "I really wish I joined Boscha's martial arts class now!"

"Luz, not that I don't love you geeking out over this, I am trying to focus." Amity said, as Otabin got back up, "We have to find way to get rid of the drawing."

"Like an eraser?" Luz tried her damnedest not to sound like a complete smartass.

Amity groaned as she was caught in another grappling match with Otabin. "I mean, yeah, but how can we get him to hold still long enough to use one."

"WHILE THERE IS NO TEAR I CANNOT MEND..." Otabin spotted Luz atop Amity's hat, "...SCREW IT! YOUR LIVES ARE AT AN END!"

He took a deep breath and blew a gust of wind strong enough to knock Luz back. She barely had time to grab on to the edge of the brim before she could fall off the hat entirely. Amity saw her dangling from the corner of her eye.

"LUZ!"

She pushed Otabin back to buy time to rescue the hapless human. And while she did, she gave the gargantuan bookmaker the opening he needed to knock her down. With a punch to the head, Amity fell back, but had the presence of mind to cup her hands around Luz to keep her safe.

The shockwave of the fall rattled Boscha and knocked her down before she could finish freeing the twin Blights.

"Come on, Bosch, you're almost there!" Emira cheered. "Just tear the thread holding our arms together!"

Boscha was more concerned with Luz and Amity knocked down and Otabin moving in for the kill. That old fear of accidently hurting her sister weighed on her mind, but she powered through and found something to arm herself.

"MAKING FRIENDS, TAKING FRIENDS, RENDING, TEARING, BREAKING FRIENDS!" Otabin savored his encroaching victory as he slowly raised his clawed hand.

Luz's head popped out from a gap between Amity's fingers. "You fiend! You can't rhyme "friends" with "friends!""

Otabin just sneered as he was about to claw his victims.

"HEY, OATMEAL TIN!"

"?!"

"CHECK YOUR-SHELF!"

Boscha armed herself with an entire bookshelf, which she hurled like a shot put. The shelf broke over Otabin's face and fazed him enough for Amity to get back on the offensive.

"¡Gracias Hermana!" Luz waved to Boscha from the palm of Amity's hand.

The super witch waved her free hand, summoning stalagmites jutting diagonally from the floor to keep Otabin trapped. "Titan... Malphas is gonna kill me."

"Who?" Luz wondered. "I mean, I've got an idea! Amity! When I say, can you carry me to his book?"

"But how can I get you over there if I'm tangling with Otabin?"

"Leave it to me!" Luz took out a glyph. "I've got a bright idea."

"I think I can help with that." Amity put her other hand over the one holding Luz, then cupped them together, making an opening through her fingertips aimed right at the fictional monstrosity.

"Nice!" Luz slapped her hands together, activating the light glyph. "Say cheese, you fart-catcher!"

Light poured from her and Amity's hands creating a luminous beam that nailed Otabin in the eyes. The monster staggered as he rubbed his eyes.

"Amity! Now!"

Amity's hand surged forward, putting Luz within reach of the book. Never without a pencil, she fished one from her pocket. She noticed the "x2" that Otabin wrote on his book. With a simple stroke of the pencil, Luz changed it to a "x-2," which reduced the bookmaker to half his original size.

This worked for Amity as she then grabbed him by the head and lifted him up, before slamming him down into the floor. This seemed to knock him out for a bit, which allowed Luz to jumped down and start erasing the drawing that Edric did.

'Please work, please work, please work.' Luz thought.

Luz managed to erase the drawing and Otabin returned to normal. Luz then fell to her knees, the adrenaline having worn off.

"Oh, thank Christ... I am very tired." Luz said, "I think I'm... just going to... lay here."

Luz fell onto her back and started snoring. Boscha went up to her, carrying Amity.

"Well, Blight, looks like she's out for a bit." Boscha said, as she started closing Amity.

Before she could, however, the book flew out of her hands and into Amity's, who tucked it under her hat.

"Hey, Mega Minty, fight's over." Boscha had a sinking feeling things were going to go south.

Amity gently scooped the slumbering Luz into her giant hand. She then spun the smallest spell circle to conjure up a cushion and blanket for the human to sleep in. She nearly melted at the adorable sight. After a while, she walked over to the library doors -nearly stepping on her siblings along the way- and sat down, blocking the exit.

"Watch where you're going, Mittens!" Emira yelled.

"Didn't you close the Otabin book?" Edric asked as he lifted his arm that was still sewn to that of his sister. "Why isn't this going away?"

"I'm keeping the magic going." Amity informed them. She lifted her finger, which began to glow red, then pressed it on the floor. The crimson light crept across the inside of the building. Edric and Emira recognized this spell all too well.

Edric had to confirm his suspicion. "Isn't that-?"

"Yup." Amity smirked. "I'm sealing you all inside. You have a hell of a lot to answer for. ALL of you."

"Ah, shit." Boscha had already submitted herself to her fate.

Emira hadn't. "What are you doing? You need to zap this mess clean or whatever before we're caught!"

Amity leaned forward, nearly meeting the three face-to-face. "No. You do it."

"WHAT?!" The twins were shocked, to say the least.

The super witch sat back up and lifted her hand. Lightning erupted from it, barely avoiding her siblings and Boscha.

"Did I stutter?" Amity was enjoying lording her power over the two that had antagonized her for so long. "You'd better clean this whole mess if you don't want to be stuck like that forever. And no illusion magic covering everything up, or I'll know."

"Oh, come on!" Emira just wouldn't stop with the protests.

She would reconsider when a huge noise got her attention. She turned to see Boscha lifting an entire shelf. "Just do it already. After what we did, it's the least we can do."

Arguing with a giant super witch was one thing, but the twins weren't going to quarrel with a super-strong Ifrit-witch on top of that. And so, they began cleaning.

"And try not to make too much noise, would you?" Amity taunted. "Luz is trying to sleep."

---

The night sky was receding, welcoming the new day. Edric and Emira lurched down the library steps as they were feeling a sense of exhaustion they could never have conceived before today. At the very least, they were no longer stuck together.

Amity, Luz and Boscha exited the library as well, with the former locking up behind them. Boscha was dead tired as well, but her natural athleticism wouldn't allow her to fall to the ground.

"Man, what a crazy night, huh, Boscha?" Luz, on the other hand was fresh as a daisy. "Didn't I tell you that reading was an adventure?"

"Uhhh-huh..." Boscha groaned. "Never wanna go on a ffffuckin' adventure again."

Amity simply smiled. "Well, the unfathomable power was nice while it lasted."

"And seriously, Minty, I'm really sorry for acting like the dumb kid in an after-school special. Can't believe I let those two talk me into this shit."

"Well, at least you owned up to it, which is more than can be said for Ed and Em."

"Still, if there's anything I can do to make it up t-" Boscha suddenly remembered what she saw in Amity's secret room and got an idea. "Hey, Luz, you got your bag with you?"

"Yyyyeahhh." Luz held her bag out. Boscha rummaged around in it until she found what she wanted.

"Hey, Mi- er, Amity, I saw that one book collection you had in your hideout and I noticed it was missing something," Boscha held up the fifth volume of the Good Witch Azura series.

"There's a fifth book?!" Amity geeked out.

"YOU like "Good Witch Azura," too?!" Luz also geeked out.

Boscha looked to her sister. "Hey, Luz, can she borrow this for a while?"

"YES! Yesyesyesyesyes!" Luz excessively nodded her head.

Amity took the book into her hands. "Thank you. Both of you."

Amity walked away with the book.

"You had character development." Luz said, excitedly.

"No, I almost had my own room." Boscha said, "I know I joke about you getting trapped in the books you read... I don't EVER want to see you end up as an actual drawing in a book!"

"Not like I chose to." Luz said, "Hey, if I actually got trapped in there, do you think I would change if someone wrote in that book?"

Boscha grabbed Luz by her cat hood and started pulling her away.

"We're not going to test that." Boscha said, "It'll be a cold day in hell before I come back here."

---

The Noceda sisters arrived back at the Owl House, where it was clear that the others had their own character development, as Eda was sleeping on the couch with the bat babies sleeping in her arms, with King sleeping next to her.

"Aw, look at that." Luz said, "Wonder if Tio went home."

"Probably, I don't think he'd stay and watch people sleep." Boscha said, "... You know, after Mom smacked him for doing that before."

"If he wasn't a biologist, that'd be very creepy." Luz said, before the door opened with a loud thud, "Hooty, quiet!"

Then a large... bat creature... came through the door.

'Holy fuck.' Boscha thought, 'This world just keeps getting stranger and stranger.'

"Woah, you must be mama." Luz said.

"Yi Yi. Mama is I. And I is the Bat Queen." Bat Queen said, before whistling.

The baby bats woke up and flew at Bat Queen, going into her hair.

"Aah! Snuggle dumplings." She said before throwing up a chest, "For Troubles. Eda is owed one."

The Bat Queen left the house and flew away. Boscha waited a few seconds before stuffing some of the gold coins into her pockets.

"Boscha!" Luz said.

"Luz, we just went through hell, we can take a bit." Boscha said.

Eda began to wake up, making Boscha book it upstairs with her pockets filled.

"Hm, sweet babies." Eda said, before looking and seeing them gone, "Babies? Where are the babies?"

Luz made a flying away motion with her hand. Before going towards the chest.

"But hey, at least you got a bunch of money." She said, before picking up a whistle, "And this cool whistle... should probably wash it first."

"Yeah." Eda said, clearly a bit sad, "How was your night?"

"Eh, I nearly got trapped in a book by a giant sewing monster." Luz said, "Just part of the Boiling Isles I guess."

"And the pink one?"

"Pretty sure she's sleeping." Luz said, before yawning, "And I think I'm going to go join her."

Luz went up the stairs, still feeling tired after her "Nap" at the library.

'I hope Amity likes the book.'

---

Some time after the Nocedas fell asleep -and contrary to what they presumed- Gabe had descended the stairs.

"Finally." King muttered. "How long does it take for humans to use the bathroom."

"Yeah, sorry about that." Gabe nervously chuckled. "Boiling Isles food doesn't seem to agree with me. Hey, did Boscha and Luz come home?"

Eda stretched her back as she sat up. "Yeah, you just missed'em. They're asleep now."

"It's almost ten in the morning, though." Gabe sighed. "I miss high school summers." He then noticed the treasure chest by the door. "When did that get here?"

In an instant, Eda had opened the portal door and was ushering Gabriel through it. "Oh, that's nothing thanks for your help we're forever indebted to you byyyyeeeee!"

She was about to close the door before she was hit with a pang of guilt. With the twirl of a finger, she levitated a hefty bag of gold coins into her hand. "Hey, Tio Guy!"

"Hm?" Gabe turned back to the door.

"Thanks for your help. You really came through for us." Eda single-handedly tossed the money bag to him. And though he caught it, the weight of the bag knocked him over."

"Okay, bye for real this time." And so, she gently closed the door.

Gabriel just laid where he fell with a smile on his face. "Damn, what a woman."

Chapter 20: Swap 'Til You Drop Part 1

Chapter by Mr_Hardcor3

Boscha sat at the stand, looking at her third eye as it moved around rapidly.

"Can you not do that with my body!?" Luz, or rather Boscha in Luz's body, said.

"You can move your third eye independently of the other two!?" Luz asked, "How did I never know this!?"

Boscha growled.

"Oh, a body swap spell won't be a big deal. Oh no, seems like something went wrong and I can't swap you back without a special potion." Boscha said, mocking Eda's voice, "I AM LIGHTING THAT BITCH ON FIRE WHEN SHE GETS BACK!"

"Hey, if I'm you and you're me, maybe the ball spell will cheer you up." Luz teased.

Boscha had no response except to cry out in rage and flip the stand table. At least the former, since the latter was proving to be difficult. She tried for a solid minute to flip that damn table, but to no avail.

"No! Your weak nerd arms!" She whined to her sister.

Luz smirked and grabbed the stand with one hand and lifted it up.

"Guess I'm the strong one now!" Luz said, flexing her other arm.

Boscha sent a kick at her body's right ankle, making Luz drop the stand and hold that leg.

"OW!"

"Yeah, remember when I twisted my ankle while playing basketball a couple years ago?" Boscha asked, "Turns out that became something of a weak point for me."

"That's cheating... but you also told me of your weakness, I can exploit that." Luz said.

"I've literally seen you struggle to get a paper bag off your head, you ain't exploiting shit." Boscha said, pulling out Luz's phone and using her thumb to unlock it, "When's mami getting here?"

"She said any minute." Luz said, not paying attention.

"Hopefully soon." Boscha said, before noticing something on Luz's phone, "WHY IS MY CONTACT NAME THREE EYES!?"

Luz gave a nervous chuckle, which became relief as the portal opened.

"Perfect timing." Luz said.

Camila walked through with a bag. She saw her daughters and smiled.

"Hola, chi... what happened?" Camila asked.

"W-w-what do you mean?" Luz asked.

"Luz... Boscha does not have brown eyes." Camila said, "I'm a parent, I notice this stuff."

Camila then looked at her other daughter in her two blue eyes. "And I'm guessing that's you in there, Boschita?"

"They took my arms, ma!" Boscha flexed her new human arms which maintained their near-cartoonishly cylindrical shape.

Camila nodded, almost numb to her daughters' magical hijinks at this point. "Okay, did you two antagonize Eda somehow, or did she just do this for fun?"

"We... might've been arguing." Luz said, rubbing the back of her head, "And... this might've been her way of ending it."

As she struggled to process the situation, Camila pulled up a chair and settled in for what was sure to be a long story. "Okay, mijas, why don't you start at the beginning?"

"Okay..." Luz cleared her throat in preparation. "It was a surprisingly balmy day in the hamlet of Bonesborough. The heroic Luz Noceda sinuously strolled through the street followed by her plucky sidekick..."

A frustrated groan escaped Boscha's throat.

---

TWO HOURS AGO:

A frustrated groan escaped Boscha's throat.

"Can I get some goddamn help here?" She called out as she struggled to balance the heavier of Eda's wares in her arms.

Luz playfully grinned at her. "Hey, I've got my hands full here trying to adjust this sign."

"Yeah, c'mon, Triclops!" Eda emerged from the tent of her stand. "Table's ready, so get those human treasures set up, already."

"Sure, make the freakishly strong witch do the heavy lifting." Boscha muttered to herself.

"You knocked over a fully grown tree by leaning on it, you can handle this." Eda said.

"I would honestly love to be strong like that." Luz said, "It would be very useful."

"Useful? Luz, if I jump, I cause an earthquake." Boscha said, "I'm a basketball player, jumping is pretty damn important."

Her eyes narrowed, Luz marched up to her sister. "Well, maybe if you weren't so hot-tempered, you could learn how to control that strength."

"Excuse you?!" Boscha started to exhibit said temper. "You think you can handle having to go about every day treating everything like it's made of cardboard? Or constantly concentrating on keeping your powers in check because otherwise, you feel like a loaded gun with the safety off?"

"Maybe you just need to learn how to control them, they won't be that bad if you actually learned how they work." Luz said.

Boscha started growling and her skin start smoking. Eda put a stick with a marshmallow over her.

"Yeah, keep talking kid, this girl is a walking oven!" Eda said.

"And that's emblematic of what I've been saying." Luz's attitude did not falter. "I, on the other hand, am a paragon of self-control." To illustrate her point, she activated a light glyph to construct an incandescent miniature statuette of a familiar-looking, green-haired witch.

The display simply made Boscha roll her eyes. "The Minty addict is gonna lecture me on self-control?"

"Said the Skaraholic."

That retort from Luz infuriated her sister to the point that she practically ignited, burning Eda's marshmallow to ash.

"Aw." Eda said, upset by that "Okay, you two clearly have some issues."

Eda tossed her stick to the side.

"We're sisters, of course we have issues." Boscha said.

"Tch! Like I need you to tell me." Eda used her magic to levitate her heavier merchandise out of Boscha's hands and to her stand. "The shit Lily and I got into..."

The three-eyed witch's ire flared on. "And you couldn't have done that in the first place because...?"

"It's called "earning your keep," kid."

"I am SO sick of being treated like some beast of burden while Luz gets the kid gloves."

"Hey, I'm not exactly crazy about being coddled, y'know" Luz groused.

A wicked grin spread across Eda's face. "Sounds like you'd like to walk a mile in each other's shoes."

"Can't do that, Boscha has fat feet." Luz said.

Boscha slowly turned to Luz with a glare. Luz wasn't sure if she was about to catch fire or not, but Boscha looked like she was still trying to see if she could. Behind Boscha, Eda was making a spell circle.

'Probably going to hit Boscha with that ball spell to try and stop her from setting the entire stand on fire.' Luz thought.

... Oh how wrong she was.

"Body Swap!" Eda yelled as the spell hit the siblings.

The ensuing cloud of smoke from the spell enveloped the entire stand. As it cleared, Luz tried to get her bearings, but something felt... off.

"Uhhh, Eda... Boscha... my head feels funny. Why does everything look like it's filmed in 3D?"

As Luz stumbled around, Boscha seemed to be having problems of her own. "What's going on? I can't see out of my upper eye! I'm third-eye blind! ARGH! Fuck my semi-charmed kind of life!"

Just then, Boscha heard a noise, causing her to turn around and see...Boscha?!

"DOPPELGANGER!" She yelled at her double. "Goddamn Adegast came back somehow. I'll show him!" She charged at the supposed copy.

"Uuuugh... Boscha, that you? Everythin's spinnin'!" Luz spun around, her slack arms flailing with her movements and colliding with... Luz?!

Boscha felt the blow of a powerful backhand and crashed to the ground. As she massaged her aching head, she noticed that her hand was looking more tan than usual.

"WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO!?" Boscha yelled, standing up, "WHY DO MY ARMS FEEL LIKE THEY CAN BE BROKEN BY A LIGHT BREEZE!?"

Eda smirked.

"I'm giving you two a fresh perspective." Eda said, "You sounded like you needed it."

"Aaaaaahhhh, seriously, guys, my brain's overloading." Luz was apparently struggling with having three eyes all of a sudden. "Boschaaaaa, help meeee..."

Boscha needed to think of something. Fortunately, having concealed her upper eye in public for most of her life, she didn't need to adjust to suddenly being a biclops. She sprang to her feet -while being amazed at how light she felt- and fished a light glyph out of her (or rather Luz's) pocket. She created a simple ball of light and held it on front of her face (The one Luz was using at the moment.)

"Okay, Luz, look at the light." Boscha held the light sphere in between all three of Luz's eyes to help her focus. "Just relax your brow and look at nothing but the light, okay?"

Luz looked at the light, unsure of how burning her retina would help. Boscha began to wave the light back and forth, causing all three of Luz's loaner eyes to subconsciously follow it. She eventually managed to sync those eyes and learned to focus.

"Thanks, Luz." Luz exclaimed. "I was starting to get nauseous for a- WWWWHHAAAAAA?!"

"Thank Eda." Boscha muttered. "Looks like she didn't yell "body swap" just for the hell of it."

"... Why do I feel so hot?" Luz asked.

"Oh, well, I try to look good." Boscha said, "...I also have a body temperature of 173 degrees Fahrenheit."

"Really?!"

"Well, approximately."

Two pale hands took the sisters by the shoulder. "Well, looks like you two are adjusting well." Eda cackled.

Boscha, however, had more than enough of being trapped in her sister's body. "Change. Us. BACK!"

She stared down the Owl Lady with her trademark scowl, only with Luz's face, it wasn't quite the same. Eda made an honest effort not to laugh, but the scrunched expression on Boscha's borrowed face cracked her up too much. After her laughing fit -and taking a picture with her scroll- Eda calmed down. "Sorry, kid, but with other kid's face, you just look so damn cute."

Said "other kid" started to worry. "Hey, Eda, this isn't... permanent or anything, is it?"

"Oh, a body swap spell won't be a big deal. It can actually be kinda fun." Boscha's growling seemed to contradict Eda's statement. "Okay, I guess the fun's over, then. Just hold still."

With the wave of her staff, Eda created a spell circle to undo her handiwork. Only this time, the circle did nothing. "Oh no..."

"What do you mean "oh, no?!"" Boscha fumed.

"Well, seems like something went wrong and I can't swap you back without a special potion."

"WHAT?!" Luz was also freaking out as she emitted flames from her mouth.

"Don't worry, the potion I'm getting is a conduit for weaker spells. It should do the trick." Owlbert's wings unfurled as Eda bestrode her staff. "I just need to go back to the Owl House and get it. So, mind the store for me and don't damage the merch, or I'll forever leave you stranded in your respective hells. Byyyyyeeeeee!"

The Nocedas watched as Eda took to the sky, both thinking the same thing.

"She definitely made up that bit with the potion." Luz sighed.

"Esa perra mentirosa." Boscha seethed.

Luz took out her (rather, Boscha's) phone. "I'll call mom, see if she can help. Good thing Eda left the portal here."

---

"And that's how we got here." Luz said.

Camila looked... well... they weren't entirely sure what expression she was making, but it sure wasn't happy.

"... Uh... mom?" Boscha asked.

"Yes, Boscha?" Camila asked, as the sisters were certain they just heard lightning behind Camila, "Did you need something?"

Luz and Boscha backed up.

"... Nope." They said.

Being trapped in a stronger body didn't stop Luz from using her sister as a human shield. Eventually, she gathered the courage to talk to her mother. "Uhhhh... ¿Estás bien, mamá?"

"I'm fine." Camila's voice, like her eyes, was void of any emotion. "I'm just going to sit here and wait for Eda to come back, have a frank discussion with her about child safety, and, if there's anything left of her after that, I'll have her undo this spell."

"Great..." Boscha said, grabbing Luz's wrist, "We're... going to head back to the owl house."

She tried to drag Luz with her, but the fact that they had switched bodies seemed to have escaped her notice, as she couldn't move her at all. "Luz! Work with me here, wouldja?"

"But Eda said to wait here." Luz fretted.

"Eda says lotsa sh- stuff." Her mom's presence kept Boscha's manners in check. "Mom can keep an eye on things here! Besides, you really wanna be here when Eda gets back?"

Luz said nothing. She simply bolted in a random direction, dragging her now-little sister away with her. Boscha had two options, she either lets Luz drag her around the Isles and risk slamming her head on the ground or let go of Luz and hurt herself from Luz the girl that can run as fast as a race car

'Is that because of my body or was dad the Flash and passed down the speed force?' Boscha thought.

Boscha then remembered the third option and threw a punch at her right ankle... that made Luz stop, as she had dropped to the ground and held her ankle. Regrettably, the sudden stop in Luz's momentum caused her to inadvertently hurl her sister down the street, crashing into someone else's stand.

Luz was still nursing her sore ankle when she realized what happened. "Ugh, dang it, Boscha, you're gonna get myself killed at this rate."

"Hey, Boscha!" Luz heard another voice from behind her. "You okay?"

"I think she'll be all right. My body's tougher tha-" It took her a few seconds to remember that she was the one being addressed. "I mean, I'm okay."

She turned around to greet this person.

"I dunno, you sound kind of concussed." Skara replied.

'Oh crap.' Luz thought, 'This is going to be awkward. Well, no one knows Boscha better than me.'

"I'm fine, I've taken worse hits while playing basketball in the human realm." Luz said, surprisingly mimicking Boscha's voice perfectly.

"Well, as long as you're okay." Skara helped Luz to her feet.

"Thanks." Luz dusted herself off. "Now I gotta find where I accidentally threw Boscha...er, I mean me...no, I mean "Luz.""

"You sure you're not concussed?" Skara checked Luz's forehead. "We should get you to a healer."

"No, really, I'm fine. Probably just the amnesia-"

"No you don't! I just got you back, and I'm not taking any chances this time!" Skara took a blushing Luz by the hand and took her in the presumptive direction of the healers.

---

Meanwhile, Boscha had come to in the ruins of the stand just in time to see her sister and her friend take off.

"Was that Skara... taking off with LUZ?!" Without her body, her rage didn't have that special fire to it that it used to. "This is terrific. I know this is a stupid thing to say, but what else can go wrong?!"

"Luz?"

And like clockwork, Amity of all people showed up. 'I brought this on myself.' Boscha confessed internally.

"Hey, Blight." Boscha said, "Not even going to attempt to lie through this, I'm actually Boscha."

"WHA-?" Amity reeled in shock. "Luz, that's not funny. You could get in serious trouble fo-"

"I'm not joking, Minty, I'm really Boscha. Eda pulled some dumb body swap spell on us ammMMMMMFFFKRR!"

Amity quickly put her hand on Boscha's mouth and whispered to her. "Shhhh! Okay, let's say you're really Boscha. You do NOT want to be shouting that in the middle of town. Body swapping is a capital offense. If you and Luz were caught swapped, you'd both be rotting away in the Conformatorium."

"Mmmmfff?!" Boscha took the hand down to speak. "What kinda bullshit is that? What harm can this kind of spell do?"

"Well, for starters, it's literal identity theft. If you commit crimes in Luz's body, Luz would still take the punishment when you've swapped back. It's a spell that's been overexploited and demand for its criminalization was unanimous across the Isles."

"Oh... that kinda harm."

Amity took Boscha by the hand. "We need to find Luz and Eda and get this spell fixed. I don't want any harm to come to Luz because of it."

"And me...?" Boscha protested.

"I'm sure you don't want Luz harmed either."

---

'Where the heck is Skara taking me?' Luz thought, as Skara pulled her along.

Just then, Boscha's phone pinged, prompting Luz to answer it. As she stood still to check the phone, Skara kept trying to drag her, carving a groove into the ground. "Boscha what the heck?!"

"Sorry, I gotta take this." Luz checked her contacts.

LI'L SHIT: don't tell anyone about body swap or we die

OVERLORD SHIVA: Hey, how could you give me crap about contact names?

LI'L SHIT: FOCUS u li'l shit

OVERLORD SHIVA: Ok, sheesh.

LI'L SHIT: Turns out what eda did 2 us was ilegal

OVERLORD SHIVA: Stop the presses, lol.

LI'L SHIT: SRSLY thisis death penalty if we caught

OVERLORD SHIVA:

LI'L SHIT: no kidding lets get 2 mom

"Oh, uh... my mom is here so, I have to go." Luz said, still mimicking Boscha's voices.

"Oh... I could go with you if you want, I like your mom, she's pretty nice." Skara said, remembering how cool Camila was during the conjuring.

"I mean... you can if you want, I guess."

'I'm so lucky Boscha is always flustered when Skara is around, otherwise she would see right through this.' Luz thought.

'What would she do if she knew the truth, though? She wouldn't turn me in, would she? No... no that's crazy, but if she likes Boscha a lot and gets mad at me for using her body, would she kill me dead? Jeez, what else could-?'

Just then, a burly demon with pale blue skin, sharp, jagged teeth and a sizeable underbite stomped in front of the two. "Okay, which one of you witches destroyed my stand?!"

"I didn't even get to finish asking." Luz said to herself before addressing the irate demonic shopkeeper. "Please, kind sir, is there some way we can compensate for your lo-?"

"DISTRACTION SPELL!"

Skara immediately kicked the demon in the shin, causing him to sharply inhale and heave in pain repeatedly.

"RUN!" Skara took Luz by the hand again and took off.

"Why does everyday result in something like this?" Luz asked.

"Bad luck?" Skara suggested, "We should get to the Owl Lady's stand, she might be able to help!"

"She's the whole reason we're in this mess in the first place." Luz let slip.

Skara was quick to notice. "What are you talking about?"

"Uuuuhhhh... Whuzzat? Sorry... feeling... short of... breath." Despite having said that, Luz was feeling incredibly vigorous. Almost like she could fly. Is this how Boscha felt every day, as well as the sensation of boiling blood?

"But... yeah... let's get back to Eda's stand!" Luz said.

A sudden and troublesome thought had occurred to Skara, causing her to stop and Luz to follow suit. "Maybe you should've been leading, because I just realized I have no idea where Eda's stand is."

That was not what Luz needed to hear, because an equally troublesome thought had occurred to her. "Oh... oh no... I just realized I'm not all that familiar with Bonesborough. I'm... kinda lost."

It didn't take long for a sense of guilt to strike Skara when she remembered who she was talking to - or thought she was talking to. "Shit! I forgot you haven't really been here that long. How could I be so dense?!"

Luz was dumbfounded by how upset Skara suddenly became. "Uuuhhh... hey, Skar-Skar, is everything okay?"

"What?" Clearly, the bard-track student never went by such a name. "Oh, yeah, sorry. I didn't mean to act up like that. I guess I was so worried you might get... well, lost again, that I kind of panicked back there." She began to fidget nervously, unsure how to approach her long-lost friend.

This was definitely a Boscha issue. Luz knew that, and yet, Skara was looking at her with anxiety. There was no way that she'd let her sister become an insensitive jerk by proxy. "Hey, did you... did you wanna talk about it?"

"I... I don't know." Skara said, "It's stupid."

"I don't think it is, because clearly something is the matter." Luz said, "And clearly it involves Bo... me."

Skara looked away.

"When you disappeared, it was the worst day of my life." Skara said, "I lost my best friend, I was just a kid and just learned about loss from it... I'm still afraid when I sleep at night that I'll wake up and this is just a dream, and that you'll disappear again. I know it's silly, it's j-OOWWW!"

Skara massaged her arm where Luz had pinched it.

"Well, there you go!" The human in disguise assured. "Now you know it's not a dream."

Were it not from the wincing from the pain in her arm, Skara would be laughing along with her. "You certainly play as rough as I remember."

"Oh, yeah!" Luz nervously laughed. "My... sister and I would roughhouse a whole bunch growing up. One time when we were having a pillow fight, she stuffed her Butterhead Baby doll into her pillowcase. Might as well have been a brick. Mom was so mad at her, she was all "Boscha Valentina Noceda, what were you thinking doing that to-" eep! "Uhhh... what were you thinking of having for dinner tonight?" Is what she asked me. Boscha."

"I hope your mom's as good a healer as what we have in Bonesborough." Skara worried. "your brain sounds incredibly scrambled."

"She is, don't worry. I have no plans of disappearing again." Luz's smile put Skara at ease as she smiled back with a slight blush. It was a tender moment that progressed the relationship between Boscha and Skara. The only problem was that Boscha wasn't a part of it. Luz felt guilty having to put up this act, but she couldn't risk making her sister look like a jerk by proxy. And besides, Boscha would have told Skara the same thing, albeit with more profanity peppered in.

---

"Fuck, fuck, fuck... slow down wouldja Minty?" Boscha, meanwhile, was having little luck keeping up with Amity as she was still adjusting to Luz's weak nerd legs. "I feel like I'm running against the damn wind, here."

"It's good for you." Amity said, "And stop calling me minty!"

"... No." Boscha said.

"And I'm not the one that needs fitness advice. It's not my fault my sister has the muscularity of a hummingbird." Boscha had been saving that line for a few weeks, but her self-satisfaction at finally finding an occasion to use it was short-lived, having slammed into a now-stationary Amity.

Amity had hardly budged, save pivoting angrily towards Boscha. "Why do you keep denigrating your sister like that? What did she ever do to you to deserve to be treated like that?"

"What? We always treat each other like that. It's a sister thing."

"Sounds like something Edric and Emira would say."

"I mean, we don't take it that far! And I certainly never let the shitstains from our school mess with her."

Hoping she didn't mean "shitstain" in a literal sense, Amity quietly assumed Boscha was being colloquial. Still... "Wait... Luz gets picked on by other humans?"

"Yeah, and unlike you and Willow, their bullying is authentic and with slightly better acting."

"No one deserves to be treated that way." The green-haired witch muttered to herself, thinking of her conversation with Luz that day at the Covention Centre.

"Yeah, I'm aware." Boscha said, "I've been suspended at least a dozen times for fighting them. I may be a bit rude, but I do love my sister and will do anything to protect her."

Amity crossed her arms.

'... Why can't Emira and Edric do something like that?'

"I get that you and your siblings have issues... but Luz and I are more than siblings, we're best friends, and friends do anything for each others... even if it hurts."

Thoughts of Willow instantly flooded Amity's mind, which caused her to wonder if they were sisters of a sort. "Yeah... I think you've got a point."

"Damn right I do!" Boscha strode up to her with confidence in spite of how tired and sore she felt at the moment. "But don't take it too hard. Luz and I finding each other was a freaking miracle. We crossed fucking DIMENSIONS and became sisters. It was a one-in-a-craptillion experience for us."

"For me, too." Amity again softly spoke to herself with a smile. A thought had occurred to her immediately afterwards. "Wait, how exactly did you cross realms?"

"Huh?"

"You and Luz talk about coming from a Human Realm, this... Connect-a-cut. How did you even get there a decade ago?"

"That I'm not fully aware of." Boscha said, "I got amnesia, based on what I was told, I had this massive wound on my head, so it's likely that when I got there and got stuck in that snare trap, I hit my head and lost my memory. When I get back in my body I can show you the scar the snare left."

"That sounds awful." Amity started to feel bad about being harsh with her before.

Boscha nodded. "It was. But, I got an awesome family out of it, so, silver linings and shit. Why'd you ask about me being lost in the Human Realm?"

"I... talked to Skara recently."

"Wait, really?!" Equal parts shock, anxiety and infatuation overcame Boscha. "Did she say anything about me?"

Amity definitely noticed that reaction. "She did, yeah. She mentioned you two were friends before you got lost. I think we all hung out a couple times back then."

"Whoa, what?!"

"Yeah, Mom kinda pushed me to make friends with the kids of her business partners, which included Skara and you. Your and Skara's families drifted apart seven or eight years ago, but I think if we looked, we could find your pa-"

"AMITY!"

That sudden voice caused the hair on the back of Amity's neck to bristle. Boscha wasn't too thrilled to hear it, either.

"I've been wanting to talk to you since that witch's duel, but you've been dodging me ever since." The owner of that voice approached the two. Amity's expression soured at the approach of the tall, pale, raven-haired witch trying to get her attention. Well, she had it now, and all the vitriol that came with it.

"Lilith..."

Boscha started bobbing her head, like she was moving to a beat, and kicked her foot against the ground.

'This is going to be awkward.' She thought.

"Amity, I-"

"I don't want to hear it!" Amity snapped, still very angry, "You made me cheat! Do you have any idea what happened when I got home?! Do you have any idea how angry my mother was!?"

"Amity, I-"

"LEAVE ME ALONE! I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU ANYMORE!"

"AND I WANT TO APOLOGIZE!"

Boscha and Amity were stunned. Neither of them had known Lilith to show any humility, let alone grovel before anybody, but there she was, bowing her head and pleading. The secondhand embarrassment was palpable.
"You're absolutely right!" Lilith continued. "I abused your trust and jeopardized your future. I let Edalyn get in my head and cloud my judgement and you were a casualty of my poor decisions. I only hope you can forgive me."

Her prostrations were interrupted by muffled snickering. Peeking behind Amity, Lilith could see the witch in Luz's clothing holding some unusual rectangle as if it were a scroll or something.

"What exactly are you doing?" Lilith asked.

"Immortalizing your shame." Boscha was straight-faced despite her amusement. "Now, you mentioned something about ruining Minty's life?"

'Minty?' Confusing, but Lilith pressed on. "Amity, if you'll let me, we can resume our training, I can smooth things over with your parents and even secure a real audition for the Emperor's Coven."

Still being defensive, Amity resisted the urge to take the offer. "No... I'm not sure I can trust you again."

"Then what can I do to regain your trust?"

"I don't know."

"Please, Amity, don't throw away everything we've worked for!"

"Take the hint, Wednesday, she doesn't wanna talk to you!" Boscha interrupted.

Hearing that nickname sparked Lilith's curiosity. She looked the human in the eyes. She forgot her original eye color, but there was no mistaking that angry, piercing stare or those crystal-blue eyes. Lilith addressed the human to confirm her suspicion. "Ah, yes, I remember you. "Bow-shcer," was it?"

"THAT'S "BOSCHA," YOU IDIOT!" Boscha loudly retorted seconds before she realized her slip-up. Amity could only facepalm in her frustration, both at the slip-up and at Lilith's smug sense of self-satisfaction.

"A body-swap spell?" The Coven leader clucked her tongue. "This is no doubt Edalyn's handiwork, which you can further explain at the Conformatorium!"

"NO!" Amity rushed to defend Boscha. "This was done to her as a prank, she had no say in any of it."

Lilith's attitude to her formal pupil became significantly more impassive. "Stand aside, Amity, we can discuss your renewed training once I've sorted this mess out."

"I haven't agreed to-"

"So, "Baw-Shaw." Will you be coming along quietly, or-?"

"I DO NOTHING QUIETLY, YOU PASTY-ASS BIDDY!"

Boscha charged the older witch, and with all her fury, she threw a mighty punch. Then she threw another, and another, and another, each punch gradually increasing in strength and passion. If Lilith wasn't keeping her at arm's length by her forehead, maybe some of those punches would have connected.

"ARGH! Why do I keep forgetting the weak nerd arms?!" Poor Boscha continued to struggle and swing away in vain.

The whole spectacle was amusing to Lilith. "Oh, dear child, resisting a member of the Emperor's Coven, no matter how adorably, is an offense punishaBLEGH!"

To Boscha's shock, Lilith fell to the ground unconscious, incapacitated by a double-fisted hammer swing courtesy of Amity's abomination.

"COME ON!" Amity didn't even wait for a response as she grabbed Boscha by the arm and ran away.

"Damnity, Amity..." Boscha remarked as she practically dangled from Amity's grip. "...I can't believe you'd take such a big risk to save me. The trouble you could get in. I really appreciate-you're just protecting Luz's body, aren't you?"

Amity didn't say a thing. She only spared a side glance and a sly grin.

Notes:

Sorry about it being a bit short, Garth and I haven't had much time to sit down and write as much as usual.

Chapter 21: Swap 'Til You Drop Part 2

Chapter by Mr_Hardcor3

While they were running from the government, Skara and Luz were trying to get away from the bounty hunters. Turns out they really don't appreciate destroying their stand and then knocking out their captain.

"Did we lose them?" Luz asked.

"I don't know." Skara said, "Can you see Eda's stand yet?"

Luz checked her surroundings carefully. "No, but I think I recognize that building to the right with the scaly arms that took a swipe at us before."

"Good enough, let's-"

"THERE YOU ARE!"

Before the two could move on, a winged demon with lanky arms landed right in front of them.

"Do you two have any idea of the love and care we put into setting up our stand?" She yelled. "Each and every one of our information pamphlets were handmade, and you thoughtlessly scattered them all to the winds!"

"Oh my god!" Luz gasped. "Who even reads pamphlets anymore?"

"Oh, that is IT!" The winged demoness drew a topaz spell circle. Luz didn't know what the color meant, but the energy in the circle spiking violently suggested that it wouldn't be pleasant.

"Get behind me, Boscha..." Skara showed a fierce determination as she shielded Luz with her own body. "...I won't let you get taken again."

"SKARA, NO!"

In that moment, time appeared to come to a staggering halt for Luz. Her body - rather, her sister's body - began to move on its own. Dashing towards the demon, her right arm tucked into her side. As soon as she realized she was centimeters away from her perceived target, her arm had already exploded forward, making contact with the demon's torso. Her fist twisted slightly as she struck, sending her opponent spiraling into the adjacent building... and the next five buildings beyond that.

"DAMN, girl!" Skara surveyed the collateral damage. "Did you swipe some power glyphs or something?"

Luz stalled for a moment, taking in everything that happened in those few seconds. "Huh? Oh, no that's just... a result of my karate training."

""Kuh-rah-tay?" Is that some kind of magic?"

"Yeah. But don't tell that to Boscha, or she'll flip ou- I mean... don't tell that to... me?"

That was it. Skara couldn't ignore that nagging suspicion anymore. She walked up to who she believed was Boscha and looked her dead in the eye. When she noticed soft, amber eyes instead of the usual piercing blues, her disposition turned dark. "Who are you?"

"Hey... Skar-Skar, what are you tal-?"

"WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO BOSCHA?!"

"Woah, wait, don't freak out!" Luz said, "It's me. It's Luz, Eda did some kind of body swap spell and-"

"Stop right there!" Another Hunter shouted.

"Dang it!" Luz said, "This isn't looking good."

"DID YOU SAY "BODY SWAP SPELL?!"" Skara shouted in Luz's face.

""DON'T SHOUT THAT!" Luz shouted back.

"I'M SORRY, I'M JUST REALLY ANGRY!"

"AND MY BRAIN FEELS LIKE IT'S IN AN OIL FRYER!" Heat began to radiate from Luz's borrowed body.

"Uh, hello?" The hunter was starting to feel left out. "I'm declaring my intent to make you pay for our stand?"

"Why would you let Eda do this to you?" Skara continued to berate Luz, heedless of the hunter's interjection.

"I didn't let her!" Luz also didn't care about him. "And what's the big deal about body swapping, anyway?!"

"Seriously?! Legal and moral implications aside, everyone knows that kind of spell is annoying, tedious and is an overall hollow experience for everyone involved!"

The hunter waved to the two girls. "Hey, kids? Threatening your lives, here."

Luz still paid him no mind. "That's so closed-minded! Not everything in life needs to have meaning. A little dumb fun never hurt anybody!"

"The fact remains that it is illegal!" Skara emphasized. "And I'd rather not have the friend I just got back dragged off to the Conformatorium!"

"HEY!" Sick of being ignored, the hunter got into the other girls' faces. "In case you didn't notice, you've got bigger problems right now!"

"SHUT UP!" The two responded as they both punched him in the face, knocking him out cold.

As well as knocking him a good dozen feet away, at least.

"Okay, I'm very angry right now." Skara said, "The Owl Lady did something so irresponsible and I just... AHHHH!"

"Uh, so... maybe we should get to the stand before more people come and find us." Luz said.

"Right, c'mo-OW!"

"Skara?" Luz noticed that Skara had tried to take her hand but singed her own in the process. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, sorry. I forgot you were all... fired up."

Looking at her hand, Luz noticed the waves of heat emanating from her arm. "Oh no! Skara, I'm sorry, I'm not really good at controlling Boscha's magic... is this the kind of thing she has to go through all the time?"

That question caused an awkward silence between the two. It lasted for a while before there was shouting echoing throughout Bonesborough. Skara couldn't understand the words being yelled, but Luz...

"I recognize that voice! And those expletives! It's Mom! Eda must've returned to her stand. C'mon, this way!" The two quickly, yet trepidatiously, ran towards the angry voice.

---

Boscha and Amity were running as fast as they could, as it wasn't long before the coven guards found out about them knocking out Lilith... naturally assaulting a government official is pretty frowned upon regardless of if they deserved it or not.

"Did we lose them yet?" Boscha asked.

"Don't know... keep running!" Amity said.

"Seriously, why couldn't you just keep a low profile? Now we have Coven scouts chasing us too, all because of your aggressive behavior!"

"MY aggressive behavior?!" Boscha didn't take that as a compliment for once. "I wasn't the one repeatedly stomping that one scout in the groin! Even I felt bad for that poor guy."

"He could've broken Luz's - er, your arm! Besides, it was just Suck-up Steve."

"And I thought I had anger iss-"

"WAIT!" Amity stopped, prompting Boscha to do the same. "Do you hear yelling?"

Boscha picked up her ears to listen. "It's faint, but yeah. I can't make out what they're saying."

"I can't understand the language. "Tonta?" "Pen...dejoh?" What's a "poo-tah?""

"That's mom!" Boscha rejoiced. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but follow that reprimanding voice!"

They ran towards the voice, hoping that there was some way out of this. To their surprise, Skara and Luz were also there.

"Oh man, I'm so glad to see my body not damaged." Boscha said, going up to the stand.

"And I'm glad you didn't get me a tattoo." Luz said, knowing Boscha would do something like that.

"Damn it! Why didn't I think of that!?" Boscha said.

Amity elbowed Boscha, reminding her that they were currently in trouble.

"Oh, right... so... we might be running from the cops." Boscha said.

"And... we might be running from bounty hunters." Luz said.

Luz and Boscha had to say, they have never seen an actual vein pop out when someone is angry, but they're pretty sure they just saw their mom have that happen. Camila turned to Eda with a glare.

"Fix. This. NOW." She said.

"Y-y-yeah, I have the potion with me right now." Eda said, reaching into her hair, "Took a bit of work to get right."

'Titan, why is her being angry at me turning me on?' Eda thought.

She pulled the potion out of her hair and held it towards the girls... only for a spell to destroy the bottle and send the potion to the ground.

"Uh... well... this is why I made extra." Eda said, "We just have to get back to my house and-"

"Freeze!"

They turned and saw about half of Bonesborough Coven patrol, and Lilith, standing a few feet away, to the right of the stand.

"By order of the Emperor's Coven, you are all under arrest." Lilith said, "Give yourselves up, or we will be forced to-"

"Oh my God, shut up you dumb fucking bitch!" Boscha said, getting mad as they just destroyed the potion that would fix them, "You have been nothing but a pain in the ass since we met you, and we literally have done nothing to you! Each time you got hurt, it was because you physically harassed us first!"

Camila's anger turned from Eda to Lilith.

"She what?" Camila asked, scarily calm.

"Yeah, she's been bothering us since we met." Luz said, before looking around and seeing the bounty hunters rushing towards them, "Uh... Boscha? How do you make a fireball?"

"I dunno, trace a circle with your finger?" Her sister shrugged. "It's always been a kind of motor skill, like blinking or walking or punching some douche that had it coming."

The bounty hunters stood by the Coven scouts as Lilith chastised the bodyswapped Boscha. "Did poor Steve "have it coming?" Look at what you've done to him!"

She gestured to a scout that was hunched over in pain while covering his groin. "Urrrgh... next time... athletic support for Steve."

"THAT'S SNORSESHIT!" Amity angrily got up in Lilith's face. "I did that! You know I did that! I got your attention specifically so you could SEE me do that!"

The Coven Leader did not falter. "We will discuss this later, Amity. Now stand aside, and I might be able to look the other way regarding your behavior. Though, I can't guarantee I can smooth things over with your mother."

Those words figuratively and literally ignited something within Luz. Her arms twitched with every condescending syllable Lilith hurled at her friend.

Camila took note of Luz's reaction to how the raven-haired witch talked to Amity. It had just then hit her that this was the friend Luz mentioned at the big sleepover a couple of weeks ago. The one who couldn't make it due to injuries she sustained at some family presentation or something. Looking at Amity, she saw the bandages on her wrist and a slight bruising under her eye, as well as a few small, fresh-looking cuts on her face and arms. She wanted to speak out, but was struggling with her disbelief that a parent could be so cruel.

"Why can't you leave Amity alone?!" It would appear that Luz beat Camila to it. "Why do you... ALL of you have to meddle in her life like this?!"

Lilith narrowed her eyes at her. "Not that it's any of your business, but Amity is a talented witch with a promising future. We can't have her squander her potential by mingling with lowlifes and throwing away a lucrative future in the Emperor's Coven as Edalyn did!"

Boscha had to look at the Owl Lady a couple of times before it sank in. "THIS Eda?!"

Luz wasn't listening. She was so furiously focused on Lilith's smug demeanor that her knuckles literally ignited. What really got Boscha's attention was the color of the flames wreathing Luz's fists.

'... Why is the fire blue?' Boscha thought.

Luz, being the baseball fanatic, threw the fireball like it was a fast ball and hit one of the bounty hunters with it. She held up her hands, and looked at the fire with the glowing blue eyes. To her surprise, inside the fire... was a symbol.

"Whooooaaa... Guys, look! It's magic!"

Lilith grimaced at her. "We're all well aware of what magic is, child."

"Go dye your roots, you ginger ghoul!" Luz clapped back. She then addressed her family and friends while Lilith checked her hair. "Can you see it? I think it's a new glyph!"

Boscha seemed to be the only one that could see it, as she quickly pulled out a notepad... Don't ask where she had it, she doesn't know how Luz manages to hide these, she just knows that Luz has a notepad on her body at all times. Boscha began to draw the symbol and then tapped the paper, making it crumple into a small blue fire ball.

"Wow." Boscha said, "When you become famous, I better get credit for this. Now... shall we burn this bitch down?"

"... Maybe it's your inner arsonist talking for me." Luz said, holding up her hand, fireball at the ready, "But yes."

"Hold on, mijas!" Camila stepped out in front of her daughters. "In good conscience, I can not allow my children to engage in a firefight with a bunch of witches and demons."

She then raised her now-signature bat - once more adorned with light glyphs - and tapped it to bring back her giant lightsaber.

"Not without some parental guidance." She gleefully stared at the coven scouts and bounty hunters, some of whom took a few steps back.

"Hot damn, Cam!" Eda had struck a pose next to Camila. "Luz's description of your prowess does not do you justice."

"Hey! I try!" Luz pouted.

Boscha was losing her patience. "Can we just burn some cabrons already?"

"No tengas dudas!" Camila swung her weapon at the ground, splitting up the mob before them.

"Now we're talking!" Boscha hurled her blue fireball at a couple of disoriented coven scouts.

Luz meanwhile, aimed right at Lilith. While Boscha may be able to throw a basketball, her best fastball reached close to 87 miles per hour, and she planned on hitting her right in the head!

"Now eat this, sucka!" Luz shouted, hurling the fireball at Lilith.

While it did not hit her in the face, it did light her hair on fire, and Luz could live with that.

"Nice shot, kid!" Eda said, dying of laughter as she watched Lilith scramble to put her hair out.

"I was trying to make as two faced as she acts, but I can live with making her bald." Luz said, turning around to help Boscha, "... Boscha why are you suddenly covered in blood?"

"... Don't ask." Boscha said, "None of it's yours at least."

"That doesn't make me feel better!" Luz said.

Meanwhile, Camila and Eda used their respective magic to thin out the mob. Some of the bounty hunters decided that discretion was the better part of not getting their asses handed to them, and ran away. As they stood back-to-back, Eda slightly shuddered in delight, as this situation felt like something out of one of her best dreams.

Even Skara joined the fray, defending Boscha from anybody trying to get the drop on her. Amity, however, stood in stunned silence. The chaos unfolding before her was a perfect microcosm of her life this past month. Things were falling apart around her and she didn't know what to do...

...At least until she caught a glimpse of Lilith readying an attack spell aimed at Luz.

"NOOOOO!"

Before anybody knew it, Amity was slumped on the ground in front of Luz, her left shoulder smoldering from being struck by a bolt of magic.

Luz saw Amity on the ground, and then at Lilith. The glowing red eyes that came from her made Lilith shiver... the fact that Luz was suddenly right in front of her in what seemed like a blink of the eye... that made her go rigid in fear.

"You shouldn't have done that." Luz said, her voice sounding dark and demonic.

She grabbed Lilith by whatever was left of her burnt hair and pulled her down, Boscha's ifrit genes taking over completely. Luz delivered an uppercut to Lilith, sending her high into the air, before landing on a roof and creating a massive dent on it. Lilith groaned, but she wasn't getting out that easily. Luz was suddenly on the roof, again in what seemed like the blink of an eye. Luz punched Lilith so hard she actually bounced across the roofs like a stone across water. When Lilith bounced off the fourth rooftop, she landed on the ground, coughing up blood as most of her ribs were broken. She began to pick herself up, when Luz grabbed her by the back of the head and slammed her face into the ground, breaking Lilith's nose and knocking out several teeth. Lilith was tired of being thrown around and stood up and kicked Luz away. Lilith made a spell circle and shot lightning at her. Luz calmly walked around it as if time was stopped, before it sped back up.

'Is she using a speed spell?!' Lilith thought, 'No, it can't be, that's a high level magic that witches her age can't perform.'

Lilith kept trying, deciding that it was just a fluke. She shot more and more lightning, each time making it more and more lethal, no longer caring if Luz lives or dies, Lilith was just trying to survive this fight at this point. After her latest attempt, Luz grabbed Lilith's lower arm and bent it in the wrong direction, causing a sickening crunch as Lilith's elbow was now forming a right angle in the wrong direction.

"AHHHHH!" Lilith let out, before Luz grabbed her by the neck.

Luz's skin was burning, and it was causing more pain to Lilith, but she couldn't scream due to the tight grip. Luz watched as Lilith's eyes began to roll back into her head. The ifrit would've allowed Lilith to die, if it wasn't for an unlikely savior.

"Luz... don't."

Luz turned and saw Amity standing there, holding her shoulder.

"A...Amity?" Luz instantly dropped Lilith out of concern for her friend. "Are you okay?"

"Don't worry about me, I've had worse." Amity reached out to Luz. "What about you? You kinda lost it back there."

"Amity, WAIT!" Luz saw her reaching for her shoulder, which was still that of her sister and still on fire. She flinched away, but not fast enough. She shut her eyes, but that only amplified the sound of sizzling flesh.

"Luz, it's okay." Hearing Amity's calm voice, Luz opened one eye to see that she was wearing an abomination-made glove, protecting her hand from the heat, though it was sizzling slightly.

"What did I just...?" Luz had broken out of her haze to see the broken mess she had made of Lilith. "I did THAT?"

"It wasn't all you." Boscha had caught up to them. "I've never been on the outside of it before, but that's the effect my demon body has on me. Your brain overheats, and you have to do what you can to vent, like sports, running, playing, or... beating the absolute shit out of anyone dumb enough to mess with your friends and family."

"This... this is what you have to go through every day?"

"Well, it's not always this bad. It depends on how stressed you get. And hey, at least you put it to good use." Boscha enthusiastically pointed to the defeated Lilith.

"But I didn't want to hurt anybody. I just wanted her to leave Amity alone, but I could have killed her."

"Don't flatter yourself!" Everyone was shocked upon seeing Lilith inexplicably get to her feet. "You have yet to see what I am capable of when I'm pissed off!"

As if to prove her point, the leader of the Emperor's Coven grabbed her dislocated arm and set it back into place with a sickening crunch. Everybody else recoiled in disgust at the noise.

"Though you had the upper hand in our fight, my head is bloody, but unbowed! Edalyn can certainly attest to my durability."

Everyone turned to Eda in utter shock. "It's like I was telling the girls earlier, Lily and I got into some real shit back in the day." She admitted.

"And through this fell clutch of circumstance, you children have found yourselves on the receiving end of my fury." Lilith summoned her staff and aimed it at Luz.

"Will you just STOP IT ALREADY!" Amity once more put herself in harm's way to protect Luz. "You said you wanted to make amends before, but for a second time, your pettiness screwed everything up! You were going to arrest Luz and Boscha for a crime they didn't even commit, just because of this stupid grudge with your sister!"

"They are still accessories to that crime and must be processed." Lilith decreed after spitting out more blood.

"That's a lie! You let Bria and her cronies get away with worse shit than that!"

"Language!"

"You are not my Titan-damn mom!" Amity stepped up to her former mentor. "You wanna talk about crimes?! Can you justify this excessive force against a couple of kids? Wasting the emperor's resources for such a small infraction? How about the extrajudicial deputizing of a group of bounty hunters?"

"I did no such thing!" Lilith was incensed at that last accusation.

"Wuh... well, we didn't exactly tuhh... turn down their help." Steve regained consciousness just in time to offer his two snails.

"Can you NOT, Steve?" Lilith gnashed her remaining teeth. "And if you insist on drawing this out, Amity, we can take it all the way to the emperor."

"HA!" Eda snorted at her sister's bluff. "Sure, Lily, let's tell him about how you and your goon squad got your asses handed to you. Better yet, let's set an appointment with his right hand. Kikimora still works for him, right?"

Lilith flinched at that accursed name. "I... I will still..."

"No you won't!" Amity rejoined. "Because aside from owing me for the way you treated me, you also owe me your life!"

"How...?"

"If it wasn't for me reaching Luz, you'd have burned to a crisp. Or does your ingratitude really run that deep?"

Lilith spent an uncomfortable amount of time weighing her options. As stubborn as she was, seeing Amity look at her with those cold, angry eyes dismantled her resolve. "Very well. All scouts withdraw at once. And no one tell the emperor of what transpired here."

As the coven scouts picked themselves up and retreated with Lilith, Camila ran up to Luz. "Mija, are you all right?"

"I... I wanna go back to my body." Luz sadly muttered.

"We'll get right on that." But the elder Noceda would have words with a certain witch. "And... "Amity," was it? Thank you so much for your help. Both in protecting my daughters and for keeping that cabrona off our backs. And I promise that our gratitude is legit."

Amity had pivoted away, striking a laid back, indifferent pose. "I... it was my pleasure, Mrs. Noceda."

Of course, she was moved to tears by Camila's praise. Giant, overflowing tears. 'A mom that uses positive reinforcement.' She thought to herself. 'The rumors were true.'

Boscha patted her sister on the back. "I gotta say, Luz, you handled my power pretty good back there. Even I couldn't go all out on Adegast, let alone those stormtrooper wannabes, without passing out."

Just as she uttered those words, Luz passed out.

"Aaaand there we go."

---

"Luz? Luz..."

Luz had finally regained consciousness. As her senses adjusted, her vision was compressed back to her usual two-eyed view, which told her she was back in her body. And the sensation of the lumpiest cushions ever devised told her she was on the couch in the Owl House.

"Luz, are you okay?" A familiar, green-haired witch was kneeling next to her.

"AMITY!" Luz sprang up and hugged her friend with all her relative might. "Oh, Gracias a Dios que estás bien."

"Good... to see you too?" Amity wasn't sure what she said, but picked up the context. Being hugged like that was the greatest feeling she could recall, even with her injured shoulder.

Luz then noticed something.

"Where's Boscha?" She asked, "Eda, did you ball her again?"

"Not this time." Eda said, before a pink blur came by and hit the wall.

"Ow!" Boscha said, bouncing off the wall and landing on her ass, "Going to have to get used to that. Luz, did you see how fast I can go?!"

"Uh... why did I feel that?" Luz asked.

Eda then suddenly pulled a chalkboard in from... somewhere.

"Glad you asked!" Eda said, "I found out why you two weren't able to switch back normally."

She began to draw two stick figures, one with two eyes and one with three eyes.

"You see, when you two swapped, it didn't just swap your bodies, but also parts of your soul." Eda said, "I've heard about it, but I thought it was a myth. There is now a piece of each of you in the other, which is partially why triclop's fire is blue."

Luz then checked something. She drew a fire glyph and tapped it, resulting in a small blue fireball forming in its place.

"Whoa, this is pretty cool." Luz said.

"Yeah, guess we're more alike than we originally thought." Boscha said, wrapping an arm around Luz's neck, "And you know what this calls for?"

"Boscha... don't-"

She began to give Luz a noogie. As the kids were left to the living room, Camila and Eda were talking in the kitchen.

"So, what does this... soul... thing... mean?" Camila asked.

"A soul piece is an old legend, how it happens, only the Titan knows, but what it means is..." Eda looked at Luz and Boscha, "They'll tell when the other is in pain or is sad or anything along those lines, really. I think I have a book about it somewhere, I'll look for it later."

"Thank you... now for what I said earlier when you came back to the stand." Camila said, getting a certain... look... in her eyes.

"N-n-now Cam, let's not get hasty here." Eda said, backing up.

"I'd like to peruse your armory..."

"OH, DEAR TITAN, NO!" Eda shielded herself, preparing for the worst.

"I'm going to pick out a couple more keepsakes to keep my Battel'lop company."

"OH!" The Owl Lady let out a heavy sigh of relief. "I thought you were gonna use them on me or something."

"Well, the day's not over yet." Camila smiled. It's not like she was going to harm Eda in any way, but she didn't need to know that just yet.

---

Luz was massaging her poor head after another one of Boscha's noogies. Given their new abilities, that left Boscha massaging her own scalp as well.

"Guess you won't be trying that from here on out." Luz laughed.

Boscha laughed back. "I wouldn't be so sure."

"So this is normal behavior among siblings?" Amity wondered aloud as she observed the antics of the Nocedas.

"Told ya." Skara assured her.

"That said..." Luz looked at Boscha seriously. "...I never knew how tough it was for you. Having to concentrate so hard to keep your anger in check. I always thought you were a hothead. And you totally are, but you're way better at managing it than I ever gave you credit for."

"Aw, that really means a lot, hermana." Boscha replied. "And having been in your shoes, I have a newfound appreciation for what you go through, being so weak and all."

"Uuuuuuhhhhhh... 'kay?" Needless to say, Luz wasn't sure what to make of that. "How is that something to appreciate?"

"Because you never give up!" Her sister emphasized. "Anybody can be a badass if they have the power to back it up. But YOU? You've kept up with us in situations where most people - *cough* Tracey *cough* - would shit themselves and run away in abject terror. If I were still you, I couldn't be half as brave as you are."

"Wow. That actually turned out nice. Thanks, Bosch."

It was at that moment that Amity remembered something important. "Oh, Boscha! About what we were talking about before? About how you, me and Skara used to hang out occasionally before you were lost in Connect-a-Cut?"

"WHAAAAAAAT?" Luz was amazed at this revelation of Boscha's past. "Also, what? Were you trying to say "Connecticut," Ams?"

"Is that how it's pronounced?" Amity wondered. "Anyway, they moved away, but I think Mom still does business with your birth parents, Boscha. If you want, we can look into that and possibly find them."

While Luz's jaw was practically unhinged from shock, Boscha was somehow more flummoxed. She had barely entertained the notion of finding her Demon Realm parents, being more concerned with helping Luz. But now that there's a good chance they can be found, she was overcome with anxiety. Could it be some small part of her wanted this? Only time would tell.

Notes:

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