Chapter Text
"...That is not what happened! That big bully destroyed the hospital machines! Dad is dead because of him!"
"Luz; calm down..."
"Mum... Why are you going along with this... Dad is dead because of that phony!"
"It's perfectly understandable; the shock of what happened and the death of a parent has affected her memories. Now Mrs Noceda; if you can just sign... OW! MY SHINS!"
"YAHOO!" Luz Noceda cried out in joy flying through the skies of the demon realm's skies on her staff; King holding onto her neck while Amity, Gus, Willow and Hunter (using the staff from his newly carved Palisman Waffles) flew behind her. Practicing flying to get the hang of it; Eda and Lilith flew up to catch up in their harpy forms with their own Palismans Owlbert and Mike Socks flying to catch up with their masters.
Flying fast; wind in her hair, her loved ones from the Boiling Isles with her and making sure that King was holding on as he let out an excited squeal. "Hey Luz... LOOK!" King said pointing down to Bonesborough where the townsfolk were working together to rebuild; and Luz stopped as her eyes widened at what she is doing.
"Oh man... Can they just... Not deify me?" Luz complained as she saw that a new church was being set up and there were statues to be outside of it; witches dragging statues of Luz in her new Titan form and the other of King. "I mean... I know that the Titan gave me his powers but... I'm not a god! I'm just a witch now!" Luz complained looking down to her hands or rather...
Her claws...
It was the result of the events that happened only a month ago on Halloween; King's father had gave all his power to Luz to fight back against Belos before he sucked all the life out from his spirit. When Belos died; it seemed that the remaining lifeforce and power bonded to Luz's soul. She was now half-Titan permanently and it was a shock to discover that as her new form never went away.
"Luz... You are not only the one who beat Belos and saved the Isles but you have the power of a Titan now... This is to be expected..." Lilith then told her softly as everyone came up to her as she put her head down.
"Just be glad that Aunt Lilith didn't get in with the worship like she did me..." King whispered to his big sister and Lilith laughed awkwardly.
"Luz; I know it's a lot to take in but everyone down there owes their lives to you and so do we... In more ways than one; our lives became better and we became better people by knowing you..." Amity told her assuringly as Luz then gave a small smile as she looked at everyone giving her bright smiles.
"I didn't do it alone... I had King and Eda by my side... My little bro and my cool witch mum! Plus my friends who helped me get to the point where I did beat Belos!" Luz reminded them and they all went in for a group hug.
Luz fixed her Concealment Stone; acting as a hair accessory to make her look like a normal human as she left through the portal back to the human world; making her way back to the house with Stringbean in her backpack. "How was the Isles today; Mija?" Camila asked Luz greeting her first daughter with a bright smile with Vee smiling from the living room.
"Great! Could do without the Isles worshipping me now... Honestly; when things are up and running again; I half expect them to want to put my face on every advertisement as if I am one of Vought's superzeroes..." Luz sighed shaking her head feeling just done with it as they went to the living room. Luz stopped as she saw that coming on the TV was a commercial for Vought American History with Ryan the son of the most famous superhero in the world Homelander.
"I feel sorry for you kid... Being made to peddle this junk as your monster of a father moulds you into the spitting image of him..." Luz snapped as Camila and Vee frowned as Luz ran back up the stairs and to her room. She looked to a display of the only superhero figures that she owned: Starlight standing over a fallen figure of Homelander; his first ever action figure from years and years back and she decorated it with fake blood. On the wall behind the display were Starlight posters. Off to the side was a Queen Maeve figure and an old figure of Crimson Countess that she got from Ebay which was where she got the Homelander figure.
No way was her money being given to Vought's Homelander merch...
"Starlight... You made Dawn of the Seven a bit tolerable... If only you got a movie before you quit... Would have went to see it every day for a week and bought it on DVD and blu-ray..." Luz then smiled and then then chuckled. "I still remember when Amity found out that you were my celeb crush..." Luz then said as she then looked to the Homelander toy and scowled. "Before Belos came along; I never thought that there was anyone that I was capable of hating as much as you... Now I hate him more than you but you are still a close second... When that guy threw that water bottle; I would have actually cut you some slack if you punched the guy in anger and had killed him by accident... But lasering him? You are now on 'citizen's arrest' and your trial is a joke... Obvious that they will let you go... I wish that I could just use my magic powers to go and kill you..." Luz yelled as she turned and jumped as she spotted Camila and Vee there frowning.
"Oh... Sorry... Forgot to close the door..." Luz then said nervously as they then went and hugged her; she then returned the hug.
"Mum told me what happened with Dad... Hope that I can call him that... Sorry that I never got to meet him thanks to..." Vee then said as tears escaped their eyes.
"Mum... About what you heard..." Luz then said as Camila had Luz face her.
"Mija... I meant well but I made many mistakes in regards to you... Trying to change the wonderful young woman in front of me into something that she's not and trying to make you let it go about that monster... I was scared of what Vought would do if you kept it up and to be frank; I knew that you were right and I was disgusted by myself when I took that check from Vought... Now he will be free after his 'trial' and will just make the world worse..." Camila then told Luz as Luz hugged her harder.
"Wish that I could..." Luz then said as Camila then took a few deep breaths.
"Luz... It's up to you... I used to fear you fighting against Vought thinking that you couldn't win but now... The heroic witch of the Isles who faced dangers that the buffoon in the flag cape would soil his pants even looking at... I know that you can win... It's up to you..." Camila then said as Luz was open mouthed.
Was she suggesting...
Could she actually... Go through with it?
It's a crazy idea and everyone else in the world would consider it suicide...
"Up to you... But you should know that the Coleman mouthpiece is doing a live interview at Vought Tower... Will be in 20 minutes..." Camila then said gently as she got Vee to go and give Luz some space.
Stringbean came up to her from her backpack; patting her head against Luz's leg and she got up to hug her. She began thinking about it; could she actually? Would she have the guts to...
She then thought about the murdered man whose family will never get true justice and so many more like her who would suffer and lose family if this man was allowed to continue to exist...
She then wiped her face of her tears and looked determined; Stringbean transformed into Luz's staff and Luz removed her Concealment Stone. She then got on it and flew out of the window at big speed on her staff.
Vee and Camila heard the sound and ran to the window to see her fly off; "Go get him Mija..." Camila said proudly.
So this was New York; Luz looked down and sat the big apple with all the crowds of people on the ground going about their days. Hundreds of people looking like ants from up there. She then took a deep breath and swooped down; she had to find Vought Tower and then saw it nearby; she stopped as she then saw a billboard advertisment with the Deep on it.
She scowled at it; "Look at him Stringbean... Homelander invited the rapist back into the Seven and I bet that it was just to hurt Starlight... Him pretty much forcing her to be in a relationship with him was quite obvious..." Luz then said to her Palisman on her staff as she then flew up to it and used her claw to cut through the billboard. Moving about to form letters and wrote 'RAPIST' in unmistakable big letters on it. She looked down and saw that she was noticed by people who were camera filming her; "Good..." Luz then said as she then flew up to the tower.
She got down and found the Vought news crew there; "This is Cameron Coleman where some sort of vandal has just disgraced an ad for the Deep's delicious Kirei Shoyu sauce..." Cameron Coleman said sounding and looking genuinely disgusted and outraged.
Luz then got the camera and had it face the billboard before going to Coleman and snatching the microphone; "Yeah; I did! The corrupt self interests of Vought are trying really hard to make you all forget about what that creep did to Starlight and so many other women! All us Starlighters never forgot and I'm here to bring justice and common sense back to the world! Luz out!" Luz then said to the cameras before dropping the microphone like a mic drop and then pushed herself past Coleman; looking quite proud of herself.
"Isn't that..." a blonde cheerleader (with a pink streak on her hair) named Amber at Gravesfield High muttered in her home; her eyes widening as she recognised the voice and look of this Supe.
"Masha dear; isn't that your friend from Summer camp on the news?" called out Masha's parents from downstairs as Masha was trying to focus on their book of the occult. They then went downstairs and found their parents watching Vought news as always and paused as they recognised the person in the news.
"Is that... Luz; why didn't you tell me that you were a Supe? Plus can you shapeshift?" Masha asked surprised and impressed.
The hideout of an anti-Supe group known unofficially as "the Boys"; they had Vought news on the TV and watched it happening. "Well... You have to admire the tenacity, bravery and confidence of your fan there Annie..." Hughie Campbell spoke softly and nervously as Annie January the former Vought superhero known as Starlight just groaned.
"The poor girl doesn't know what she just did... I don't know if I can watch..." Annie said covering her face while Billy Butcher the group's founder and former leader just shook his head.
Luz was feeling quite proud of herself and a crowd of people in Homelander shirts and jumpers were booing her but became cheering; she then grew serious knowing why they were cheering as a claoked figure's shadow was overheard her. She then looked up to glared hard at the fake smiling figure of Homelander floating down next to her.
"Show this filthy Starlighter whose boss!"
"Show her the discipline that her parents clearly never gave her!"
"Show the Starlighter what happens when you try and cancel heroes!"
"Everyone is entitled to free speech but you do know that actions have consequences... Are you acting out because something is going on at your household and you got brainwashed by Starlight's words on social media... Clearly the answer as you don't even look sixteen yet..." Homelander asked in a fake fatherly voice as Luz fit him with her glare.
"Manny Noceda." she then said calmly to him as he then stopped looking puzzled; finally facing the source of her hatred and anger for years. Only saw him in person one other time all those years. ago. "Manny Noceda." she then repeated seeing his confusion and knowing that it only confirms what she always suspected.
"Manny Noceda." she then said for a third time and this time Homelander threw his arms up in the air.
"Listen young lady; you keep repeating that name... Is it supposed to mean anything to me?" Homelander asked looking quite frustrated and didn't know what the question made Luz feel in her heart.
"'Manny Noceda's death was a tragedy; one that will haunt me for the rest of my life'... Did one of your PR goons read you those words through an earpiece?" luz demanded with barely constrained rage as she then lunged forward and striked with her free claw; her other claw holding onto her staff.
Luz smirked as everyone in the crowd jumped and were open mouthed in shock; Coleman looked to be at a lost for words. "What is everyone looking at..." Homelander asked feeling surprised as it stung; he then put his hands to his cheek and felt...
His blood?
She made HIM bleed?
"What would your Nazi girlfriend think if she saw her Aryan boy toy like this..." Luz taunted as she then turned to face him; making a pose to show how casual this action was for everyone to see.
Luz smirked at his shock and decided to take the fight away in the sky as she mounted her staff; no people listed off as 'collateral' here...
Camila was clenching her fists with furious anger as she watched this on the couch with Vee; it clear that Homelander had casually forgot about what had happened. She and Vee began cheering Luz on.
"The fuck..." Mother's Milk yelled in surprise at the Boys hideout as they took that in.
"Did you see that?" Frenchie asked as they were all trying to register what had happened.
"The girl made the bastard bleed..." Butcher muttered sounding impressed.
Maggie Shaw the former Queen Maeve was watching with her girlfriend Elena as they were completely in shock; "All that training just to draw blood and this teenager just did it casually..." Maggie muttered sounding legit impressed.
Luz was high up in the sky; sure enough Homelander flew up at her with great fury like a wounded animal, starting to fire his heat vision at her. Luz instantly had a forcefield up which held up as he was firing with all that he had for a few minutes. Soon he looked to be getting tired and stopped; "How the fuck are you doing that... What are you... Some sort of secret project that Stan Edgar set up..." Homelander yelled as Luz had the forcefield vanish and had Stringbean fire a blast from her mouth to Homelander's face. He then yelled as Luz had her glyphs send various magical blasts at Homelander; a month of practice with her powers really paid off.
Soon he rushed at her and had her in a chokehold; she then grabbed at his arms to get her off with her gylphs around her claws to pull...
Homelander yelled in pain and Luz's eyes widened as she saw that she accidentally ripped Homelander's arm right off with the stub bleeding. she then gasped in fright as she dropped it; "Oh my gosh... I didn't actually intend to do that... I am either stronger than I thought physically or he is just that weaker than I expected... Maybe both..." Luz then said as she looked to Homelander and saw that he was trying to hide...
The fear in his eyes and face...
She then grinned as she got the forcefield up and lunged at him; Homelander yelling as he was sent falling to the ground...
"...While we can make out some colors up in the sky; we are unfortunately unable to get clear footage of Homelander teaching this entitled liberal vandal Gen Z Starlighter a much deserved lesson..." Coleman said to the cameras as Homelander crashed in the spot where the fight started. Luz flew down and the cameras caught a clear view of Homelander looking badly beat up as he was strugglign to get up with only 1 arm...
Camila and Vee were openly and excitedly cheering Luz on.
"Holy shit..." Maggie muttered as she and Elena began excitedly cheering this crazy girl on.
Masha was cheering Luz on while their parents were dumbfounded.
"...We are all seeing this... Like this is real... We didn't end up sniffing from Frenchie's secret stash..." Hughie asked at the Boys hideout with them all dumbfounded and their mouths hanging wide open.
"Fuck... Do you think that... After all this time... That she is..." Annie asked as Butcher got himself closer to the screen.
He then muttered "she is gonna finish the fucker off..."
The crowd at Vought Tower were stunned shock with Coleman frozen in place; Luz glared at Homelander coughing up blood as he tried in vain to get up on his feet; she then slowly walked up to him. He looked utterly defeated and sounding pathetic as he pleaded "please... We can work something out... We can welcome Starlight back into the Vought family and she can lead the Seven... We can kick Deep out... I can put you on Teenage Kix... You can lead them if you want... You can get a full scholarship into Godolkin... A TV series and movie franchise... On Vought Plus and all TV services... Just tell me what you want..."
She then closed her eyes as she then grabbed his head; "All I want right now... Is to make sure that you can never hurt anyone again..." Luz retorted as she then took a deep breath. "Hope that your soul can rest after this Dad..." Luz then whistled as she then pulled his head clean off.
The crowd were terrified as she then dropped it and mounted on Stringbean; flying off...
Amber in her home in Gravesfield was just speechless.
"Well... I'll be damned..." Stan Edgar muttered in his private estate; not quite how he pictured the failed hero project's downfall to go but why should he complain?
Maggie felt relieved and hugged Elena close to her; happy tears falling from her eyes.
Ryan Butcher was shocked speechless as he watched on the TV in his room at the Tower.
"Deep... There is something that you should see..." said someone and the Deep was furious at his massage appointment with some hot ladies was being interrupted.
Deep snapped back "It better be important or else I will go and get my best friend Homelander after your ass..."
"Homelander was just killed." retorted the person and Deep froze as did the workers at the parlour.
"I don't believe it... This is worse than I thought... They are now killing off the planet's greatest heroes to ready for the demons to take over the world for Mars and their time machine!" yelled Jacob Hopkins in his home; watching TV feeling outraged and terrified. "Don't worry Homelander... Your biggest fan and supporter knows what to do!" Jacob then yelled as he then went off to his bedroom.
Masha was cheering as their parents left to go vomit in the bathroom.
Ashley Barrett was in her office in open mouthed shocked silence; having seen it on her office's TV monitor and then began laughing maniacally.
"How... What... How... Huh..." Hughie muttered trying to form some sort of sentence which was more than what his teammates and girlfriend could do.
"Well... At least he's dead..." Kimiko signed with her hands as they were taking this in.
"She was clearly a fan of you Annie... So no worries about her wanting to take over... How did this girl become strong enough to not only kill him but do it so easily..." Mother's Milk asked as they had no answers.
"We needed Soldier Boy to even stand a chance along with the Temp V..." Hughie then said as Annie looked at the TV screen as it had cut to commercial break after the live murder of Homelander.
"...The name she gave to Homelander... Listing off a quote... It was clearly personal; not just because of her being a fan of me... He must have done something to someone that clearly meant a lot to her..." Annie then said as Frenchie then faced her.
"No way to narrow it down... So many victims of what he has done over the years... The name could have been someone who was on that flight or just someone else..." Frenchie then said as they knew that there was no shortage of incidents she would be talking about.
"Gave a quote where he said the name... Clearly something related where this person was the main victim..." Hughie pointed out and Bucher looked determined as he then got up; feeling the life and meaning return to him after how badly he messed up with Ryan.
"We need to find this girl before Vought does... She could be the key to destroying Vought once and for all..." Butcher then said as he got eyes on him.
"Why are you talking like you are back in charge?" Mother's Milk demanded looking pissed as Annie got up to stand by him.
"I hate to admit it but he's right... Vought will want to get her for themselves and who knows what will happen... This girl just became the most famous Supe in the world..." Annie reluctantly pointed out and they knew that the point was valid.
Camila had tears in her eyes as she watched this with Vee and they heard the sound of something zooming through Luz's window. They then went and found her there with Stringbean transforming into her usual Palisman self. "We watched it Luz; you were amazing..." Vee cheered as Luz sat down on her bed and started crying.
"I did it... I avenged him... But the hurt that's been in my heart since I watched him... It's still there... He can't hurt anyone else ever again... But the hurt that he did... It's still there..." Luz cried as Vee and Camila then rushed to hug her and she hugged them back as Stringbean came to join in the hug as well.
"What happens now... How do I tell the others what I have done... Will everyone know that it was me?" Luz asked through her tears as Camila kissed her forehead.
"Everyone in the Isles will understand... He was the human world's Belos... A monster who posed as a hero and used propaganda to make everyone love him... As for what happens now... You will have us and all of your friends and demon family to help you..." Camila assured her softly as they just sat there for a good few minutes...