Chapter Text
HOOT-HOOT! GOOD MORNING! HOOT-HOOT!
Luz groaned heavily as she was roused from her sleep by her alarm clock, a gaudy contraption that Eda found in one of her treasure piles as she called them. The clock was decorated with a perturbing round face of an owl which was almost as disturbing as the sound it made, like a kind of high-pitched lunatic screeching the word hoot over and over again. Pushing herself off the bed, Luz pressed the button the alarm clock to turn it off. She sighed as the room fell silent again.
Stretching herself up, Luz hopped out of bed and quickly changed into her human attire, fixing her cap over her head to cover her pointed ears. She briefly considered washing up first but couldn't muster the motivation, deciding to put it off for another while longer. Cleanliness wasn't always a major factor in on the Boling Isles, even more so for Luz who spent most of her time on the run. Most of the demons and witches she knew were more concerned with looking terrifying than tidy. Not to mention humans seemed to have higher standards of hygiene than what Luz was used to. She often noticed those around commenting on her own unkempt appearance.
Walking downstairs, Luz found Eda in the kitchen cooking eggs on a pan, while occasional swatting away a greedy paw from King who was trying to steal some of the food for himself. The kettle was boiling next to her, and the toast was browning inside the toaster. At the table, there was a plate and cup set out.
Eda turned to see Luz entering the kitchen. "Oh, good you're up. " she said with a smile. "Breakfast is almost ready."
Luz frowned as she looked at her place at table. She couldn't help but feel a little uncomfortable at the fact Eda would go out of her way to prepare meals for her like this. Back home she usually had to scourge what she could for herself most of the time.
Eda placed the eggs on her plate, along with a piece of toast. "Better eat up quick or you'll be late for school"
Luz moaned slightly, poking at her eggs with her fork, reminded of another unpleasant topic she had yet to address. "You know, Eda" she said, clearing her throat. "I've been thinking and I'm not so sure about the whole school thing anymore. Maybe I could just hang around here and work in your shop?
Eda turned to Luz with surprise, just as the kettle finished boiling. "While I do like having an assistant for the shop, I don't think it's a good idea for to hang around here all the time with me and King. You got to get out more, meet people, see what the world has to offer and figure out how you can steal it."
"Right, but you dropped out of school and you're…. relatively successful" Luz said, tentatively, waving her hand around the room, unsure how best to describe Eda's current standing in life.
"I dropped out of school for my own reasons. " Eda said, solemnly, picking up the kettle and pouring out some tea for Luz. "They don't need to be your reasons too. Besides, I thought you liked school? Isn't that how you met your friends, Wilma and Goose?"
"Willow and Gus." Luz clarified easily, knowing that this was not the first time Eda got the names of her friends wrong. "And I know I have them. But it's just, well what is the point? I mean, it's not like I'm ever going to be a normal kid anyway. How long can I keep doing this whole…act? I wasn't planning on staying here".
Eda gave Luz a concerned look, taking a seat next to her at the table. "Look, I know you have a lot of stuff you're worried about right now, but that's why school is a good way to take your mind off it. You to get to be the human Luz instead of the witch Luz for a little while. Think of it as escaping reality by living a little fantasy. Or maybe it's the other way around?"
Luz said nothing and stared at her cup of tea, watching it shimmer before slowly taking a sip. She couldn't help but agree a little with what Eda was saying. Though school had proven to be its own kind of challenge as part of blending into the human world, compared to the life Luz had lived before it was almost peaceful in its own way, certainly less life threatening. Maybe a little bit of human normalcy was a good thing for her.
Eda smiled smugly and took a sip of her coffee before leaning in closer. "And besides, isn't there someone else you get to see today? Little Miss Perfect?"
Luz practically choked on her tea, her eyes bugling as she struggled to swallow the scalding contents as they burned her throat, slamming her hand against the table. Eda didn't seem to make much notice of her reaction, still smiling as she continued to tease her. "You barely mentioned her at all during spring break. Used to be you couldn't shut up about her. What are you getting all mushy? Have you gotten past the no-you-hang-up phase yet? Oh, do I need to set a date for a wedding?"
Luz sank down into her chair, feeling a horrible knot form in her stomach as Eda continued speaking.
"Lucky for you she's rich. Even if things don't work out, you can still get away with half her money. Or whatever you can carry". Eda grinned and nudged Luz with her elbow.
Luz's hands gripped the edge of the table, her heart started to pound hard in her chest. It was then that Eda finally noticed that something was wrong with Luz.
"Is everything ok?" she asked, concerned.
"Uh, no, it's nothing. " Luz stammered, gathering herself up as she got out of her seat. "I'll just, um, go to school…for today at least"
"But wait you didn't have breakfast yet" Eda called after Luz who was already sprinting out of the kitchen and down the hall, going out the back door, leaving Eda alone at the table. King hopped on the table and meowed at Eda, who crossed her arms stubbornly.
"I'm sure that's nothing either" she said, refusing to look the cat in the eye. King shook his shoulders, as though imitating a shrug, before he began to eat Luz's forgotten breakfast.
Eda stewed for a moment, taking a sip of her coffee. This had been the second time Luz had avoided talking to her, which Eda couldn't help but find a little strange. There were times where Luz seemed to be little reticent ever since she came to live with Eda, but usually only when it came to talking about certain details of her past, but other than that, Luz was always eager to socialize with Eda, and she never outright avoided a conversation like this.
It was odd to say the least, but Eda was certain that if something was truly bothering Luz, then she would already know about it. She tried to recall anything else that may have happened in the last two weeks that could account for her sudden change in behavior, but the more than Eda thought about, she soon realized that she hadn't been speaking to Luz that much since spring break started. Had she actually been avoiding her?
Just then, the doorbell at the front of the shop chimed, signaling that someone had just walked inside the shop.
"Oh, the first sucker of the day" Eda said, excitedly, snapping out her unpleasant thoughts, welcoming the fun distraction. She picked a large tarp that hanging over a nearby chair and draped it over her head. Eda then pulled out a small black box and positioned it near the entrance to the shop, hitting a switch on it. A light smoke began to pour out from the black box, spreading across the front of the shop. Eda slowly stepped out of the smoke, her voice ringing with an ethereally tone as she spoke.
"Welcome brave travelers to the Owl House, the crossroads of lost souls, who seek out the keys to unlock the mystery of their own heart, chartering the course through the murky path of life, in their quest to find their truest destiny!"
There was brief pause, followed by a slow clapping of hands. Eda raised her eyes up to get a proper look at the customer, recognizing them immediately, save for a new moustache they were sporting.
"Not bad. The crossroad of souls was a bit much, but the smoke machine is a nice touch"
"Oh, if it isn't Detective Ghoul." Eda, said pleasantly, throwing off her cloak, knowing that there was no need to play for drama with this particular member of law enforcement.
"It's Ghoal" he replied, annoyed.
"Right, right. Got to work on names." Eda shut off the smoke machine and walked over to open the nearest window, letting the excess smoke seep out. "So, what brings you by? Is this a raid? Or are you here to ask me out?" Eda smiled devilishly at the detective. "Spoilers, you'll end up being disappointed either way"
"I was in the neighborhood, and I thought I'd check in with you" Ghoal said, walking around the shop, idly browsing at a few of the so-called mystical knit knacks Eda tried to pawn off, which included a battered and torn old book with a faded drawing of hand on the front cover, a rusty music box with three small indentations along its surface as though someone had plucked something off it, and strange looking key with a cracked yellow eyeball symbol at its bow. Ghoal eyes lingered on the key for a moment as it seemed to be staring back at him, but then turned his head down when he spotted King at his ankle, scratching away at his pant leg, either in an effort to gain attention or assert his dominance.
"I haven't been causing any trouble" Eda said, lazily. "But it's still early. Wanna check back in another hour?"
"Actually, I wanted to check in about that kid you took in" Ghoal said, prying King off his leg, picking him up by his collar and setting him down the counter in front of Eda.
"Oh, Luz? " Eda said, surprised, scathing King behind his ear. "You just missed her. What do you want to know?"
"Just wanted to know how she's settling in." Ghoal said, casually, placing his hands into his pockets. "You know, I was pretty surprised when I heard how you offered to take her in. Usually with runaway teens, we'd let social services find them a home for them while track down their families. Speaking of which, she hasn't said anything else about where she's from, has she? An address or next of kin?"
"She doesn't want to talk about her past, so I don't pry." Eda said, while nonchalantly examining her nails. "I'd say she's been through some pretty rough stuff.
"I'd imagine so, but I wouldn't want to think things are too rough for her while she's here with you either".
Eda paused, raising an eyebrow as she turned her head up face Detective Ghoal. "What is that supposed to mean?" she asked, a little defensively.
"Only that some people may not feel comfortable leaving a kid like her in the care of someone who doesn't know what they're doing." Ghoal said, grimly. "And no offense Eda, but you don't exactly have the best track record for being reliable. And if it turned out you weren't a good caretaker for Luz, like say not considering her wellbeing or allowing her to act unsupervised, then somebody might decide wherever or not it would be better to remove her from your care"
Eda's eyes briefly widened in shock, before her lips curled back into a vicious snarl as she marched around the counter, right up to Ghoal's face. Behind her, King lifted his haunches and let out an angry hiss at Ghoal.
"You slimly, moustache wearing, son of a bitch. I'd never do anything to hurt that girl. I've been doing everything I can to make her feel safe here. And if you, or anyone else wants to try and take her away from me, I'll bite your damn eyes out!"
Ghoal did not so much as flinch at Eda's threat, maintaining a neutral expression. "It may not necessarily be up to me, Eda"
"Oh, I see. " Eda said, angrily, stepping away from Ghoal, placing her hands on her hips. "My sister sent you here, didn't she? Like her personal lapdog. Well, if either of you think you can hurt Luz to get to me, you've got another thing coming"
"Eda, relax." Ghoal said placidly, lifting up his hands in a gesture of peace. His expression softened, while his voice remained firm. "I'm not here to make threats. I came here by myself to give you a word of advice. If you really care about that kid of yours, you'll need to start keeping a closer eye on her. She's got a good head on her shoulder but she's reckless. Sooner or later she's gonna fly headlong into some serious trouble and could get herself hurt." Ghoal briefly jerked his head to the direction of the door. "And I may or may not be putting emphasis on the sooner part"
Eda held Ghoal's gaze for a long moment, her eyes widening slightly with a gleam of recognition, though she maintained her scowl.
"I'm not going to let anything happen to her" she said, firmly.
"I hope so" Ghoal replied. "One Clawthorne is enough for me to supervise. And I wouldn't be so concerned if not for the fact Luz herself seems like she's real a magnet for trouble. Probably explains why ended up with you"
Eda eyed Ghoal leerily for a moment, watching carefully as he made his way to the door to leave the shop.
"Any other cryptic warnings you wanna throw my way?" she asked.
"Just that Officer Marlin wants to ask you out again. And I think they have some good dirt to blackmail you with this time. Also, they're a vegan so don't expect them to take you anywhere that has steak"
"Thanks." Eda said dryly. She then put on a mocking smile as she waved goodbye to Detective Ghoal as he opened the shop door. "Give my best to Lily, you adorable little lapdog. Maybe if you are really good boy, she'll give you a treat"
Ghoal stopped in the middle of the shop doorway, turning back to face Eda as she continued to sneer at him. Without saying a word, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a bright, colorful, light up pen, clicking it on and off, waggling it in the air.
Eda dropped her smug smile, her mouth falling wide open with a gasp, her eyes locking on to the sparkling pen with both wonder of a child and the accuracy of a hawk. As if caught under some kind of spell, Eda's hurriedly scrambled over the counter, knocking over King in the process as she went down on all fours as she leapt forward, intent on grabbed the sparkling pen only to slam headlong into the shop door as Detective Ghoal closed it at the last moment, watching with an amused grin as Eda's pressed up face slowly slide down the glass panel.
"That one never gets old" he said, putting the pen back into his pocket.
"Did you hear? Viney and Jerbo got caught trying to rob a pet store last night?"
"Wow, no wonder those two dropped out. Didn't they try to make their dog a student here or something?"
"What a couple of losers"
Luz walked down the familiar hallway of X-Side high school, listening to students chatter about their spring break activities among other things. Interestingly enough, she noticed a lot of talk was in fact about her. Or rather her alter ego as the Witch. She had heard people talk about her before, but for today it seemed to be with even greater enthusiasm. It seemed as though Luz's crime fighting spree over spring break was still fresh in everyone's mind
"Did you see the latest post about the Witch? She saved a whole family from burning building"
"I watched from across the street when she foiled a bank robbery."
"I once saw her rescuing a cat out of a tree. That thing nearly bite her throat out "
"Man, she is so hot"
"Why does everyone assume it's a girl under that collar? It could be guy either"
"Yeah, a hot guy"
"Whoever she is, she's a hero of this city. She protected us from all those monster attacks, now she's fighting regular crime and disaster as well"
"Well, if you ask me, she's a menace. I mean if she wants to help, why hide her identity?
"Obviously to protect herself."
"Yeah, well no one is really that altruistic. Plus, she does way more harm than good. Didn't you read the latest post on the Witch Hunters blog about her?"
"Oh please, not that garbage site"
Luz listened to the students as they continued to talk about her exploits over the past two weeks, while not even so much as passing her a glance in the hallway as she walked right past them. She couldn't help but enjoy the praise she was getting. The way people were talking about her, as protector and a hero felt both heartwarming and gratifying. Even if there was still a degree of suspicious from some, it was still more than what she was used to.
Back home, there were many who thought Luz was doing the right thing by opposing the Emperor's oppressive system. But there were just as many who thought she was only a nuisance who brought trouble where there didn't to be. Despite what little good that she managed to do, she was largely still treated like a criminal. Sometimes it felt she was fighting a one witch war with the world. Very few other witches ever expressed interest in helping her liberate the freedom of the people's magic. So many were afraid of the idea of wild magic, thinking of it something dangerous or uncontrollable. But as far as Luz was concerned that was nothing but propaganda by the Emperor to maintain their rule.
Still, how could Luz change people's minds without the adopting the same methods as those in power? It was like all the inhabitants of the Boling Isles had forgotten what life was like before the Emperor took over, when the use of magic was free and unrestricted. But now most people seemed to believe the Emperor way of controlling and moderating the use of magic was the better alternative. Even the people that she managed to save, though they were grateful, either felt it was better to simply embrace the system to avoid punishment or wanted to keep their heads down for their own convenience.
The more that thought about it, the more she began to wonder; had she really made any difference? Could she make a difference if she ever did return home? And if she couldn't make a difference in the Demon Realm, could she even make a difference in the human world?
Luz was suddenly and literally knocked out of her reverie when she found herself being tackled into a massive hug by two familiar bodies of flesh.
"Luz!"
"We missed you so much"
"Hi, guys. I really missed you too" she said warmly, taking a moment to enjoy the hug. Once she was released, Luz found herself standing in front of her two best friends. Willow, a stout, dark haired girl with round glasses. And Gus, slightly younger student, with an excitably face and black curly hair.
"So, what have you guys been up to?" Willow asked. "Sorry, I couldn't call, but there was pretty much no reception during my camping trip with my dads. I only just got back last night."
"I've been working part time at my dad's news station. But I've also been working on my own side project". Gus pulled out his phone and opened up a website.
"The Witch Covenstead?"
"It's a blog I put together. " Gus said. "I've been posting update about the Witch based on stories I've heard, and I've been inviting people to talk about your exploits". Gus began to scroll through various post and comments people were leaving about the Witch, many of which were words of total adulation. "People have been going crazy about you for the past two weeks. You've been fighting crime and saving people almost none stop"
"Wow, I didn't realize you had been so busy crimefighting" Willow said, looking at Luz in surprise.
"Well, maybe a little" Luz said, shyly.
"Are you kidding? All anyone is talking about is you, to about how you helped them and wishing you thanks for everything that you've done. I've been getting hundreds of hits every day. I can feel my sphere of influence growing, expanding….and consuming". Gus said, eyeing his phone with a maniacal gleam in his eye.
Luz felt a familiar sense of unease at the sight of Gus and his phone, wondering once again just how she had left until Gus finally gave into his worst impulses and posted her true identity on the internet.
"Um, Gus you haven't been saying anything…" Luz asked slowly.
"Don't worry, I don't post anything personal about you." Gus said, putting a reassuring hand up. "That would be unprofessional of me. Everything I post is information that public can find out on their own. Besides, all my blog users are practically writing their own lore about you. I only step in on occasion to ensure that your good name and image as a hero remains untainted. Think of me as your own private publicist"
"Still, you need to be careful" Luz said, firmly. "I'm trying to keep a low profile"
"Luz may have a point, Gus." Willow said. "Talking about her online just to get internet fame may not be the best idea"
"But I have to do this" Gus said, with a serious expression, clenching his fist. "My mortal enemy, Mattholomule, has been running his own hate blog against you, smearing your good name with lies and slander. It's my duty and honor to defend your integrity with the truth. And of course, every online debate I take part in, earns me another dozen followers" Gus added with a smug grin.
"Gus, you know people don't actually have mortal enemies in real life" Willow said, reproachfully.
"Oh, look it's Wilting Willow."
Luz, Willow and Gus turned around to see Boscha, X-Side's track and field star athlete, followed closely behind by her ever present girl posse, with her trademark contemptuous sneer on her face.
"Looks you haven't ditched your geek friends for someone cooler. Like your houseplants". With a cruel laugh, Boscha and her friends moved on down the hallway.
"Ok, fine, maybe people do have mortal enemies" Willow said resignedly, with a deadpan expression.
"Speaking of which, Luz, we need to have a talk about your mortal enemy. " Gus said, putting his arm around her shoulder, sounding more professional. The three of them began to walk down the hallway together; Luz soon felt herself become more at ease now that she was in Gus and Willow's company.
"I mean, no superhero is complete without an arch villain to vanquish. We should start reviewing some candidates. Were there villainous associates you fought back in your world that gave you a hard time?"
"Well, there is the Emperor." Luz said. "He's always been my worst enemy"
"Yes, but he seems more like an endgame/chess master villain." Gus said, pulling out a notepad and pen. "We're talking about someone who you would fight regularly, rivals you in power, and whose identity is a cracked mirror of your own reflection"
Luz tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Hmm, well there was this one guy I used to fight with all the time with back home, but he's…
Luz abruptly stopped walking, Gus and Willow nearly tackling into her. They had reached a row of lockers lined up in the hallway and standing in front of the lockers was none other than Amity Blight. Her face was obscured by the opened locker door, but there was no mistake that it was her, sorting through the contents of her locker. Out of the corner of her eye, Luz saw Willow casting her knowing look of worry, while Gus simply appeared surprised by the abrupt shift in atmosphere.
"What's the matter?" he asked.
Luz gulped heavily, her legs screaming for her to run the opposite direction. "So, we better get to class…"
Just as she turned to leave, Luz was stopped in her tracks by Willow who blocked her path, arms crossed, giving Luz a stern look, like a parent expecting their child to eat an unpleasant looking vegetable on the plate. Luz glanced back and forth between Willow and Amity, who had yet to notice them. Luz sighed and with reluctance walked over to Amity, while Willow and Gus stood back. Gus slowly raised his phone, clearly with the intent of recording the potential disaster about to unfold, before Willow preemptively snatched the phone out from his hand.
Luz took a deep breath to calm herself as she stood in front of the locker, opening her mouth to speak just as Amity closed the locker door.
"Hi, Am-"
For a brief moment, Luz lost her ability to speak. In the moment when she had closed her locker door, Luz was able to get a clear view of Amity's face for the first time in almost two weeks. And since that time, Amity had dyed and styled her hair a new color of pink. The effect this had on her appearance, accentuated her features and highlighting her complexion, was (in what would be classified as Luz's professional opinion on the subject), utterly magical.
Amity merely stared back at Luz in silence as she continued to gap at her with, mouth hanging wide open; there may have been a spot of drool on her lower lip. After a moment, Luz shook her head, snapping herself out of her stupor, as she struggled to form a coherent sentence.
"You, um, here and… hair. Not…same. Also…hello?" she said with a nervous smile.
Amity raised an eyebrow at Luz, clearly unsure if there was supposed to be a compliment in that statement.
"Hello, Luz" Amity said, flatly.
Luz shook her head again, trying to bring herself back to her sense. "Amity, hi! It's just, um, great to see you again. Last we saw each other was…"
"Before the start of spring break. I remember" Amity replied, her face impassive.
"Right, right." Luz said with a grimace, lightly slapping the side of her head. "That was…um, stupid thing to say"
There was another long silence between them.
"So… how was your spring break?" Luz asked.
"It was fine." Amity said, simply. "I spent most of my time at my mom's office. She's starting to mold me in her own image. I also hung around my dad's lab for a while. " Amity then paused for a moment, seeming to relax bit more. "So, what about you? What were you doing for spring break?"
"I…was…uh…." Luz scratched behind her head.
Amity scoffed, now looking disappointed, yet unsurprised. "Yeah, that's what I figured." she said, her voice like ice. "See you in class"
Without another word, Amity walked past Luz, refusing to even look her in eye. Luz stood rooted to the spot, moaning painfully as she buried her face in her hands, feeling miserable. Willow and Gus soon approached her.
"Okay, that could have gone better. " Willow said, putting a consoling hand on Luz's shoulder. "But it probably couldn't have been any worse either. Maybe just give her a little time to cool off"
"You two seemed like you were going pretty strong." Gus said. "What happened to make you guys fall out like this?"
"It was because of me" Luz said, pulling her hands away. "Amity wanted more out of our relationship. She wanted to get closer to me. And I…I choked. " Luz grimaced again with a look of frustration and clenched her hand tightly. "I just…I just couldn't bring myself to tell her the truth about who I am"
"Well, we know about you" Gus pointed out. "Why not tell Amity?"
"That's different. " Luz said. "You guys and Eda all found out by accident. I've spent most of my life being hunted and I usually couldn't trust people explicitly. I can't just don't know if I could willingly take that kind of risk with Amity."
"Maybe you need to let her decide if she wants to take that risk" Willow said, solemnly.
The bell rang, signaling for everyone to get to class. Luz sighed again, knowing that she was looking forward to very long day of having to remain in Amity's presence.
Luz and Willow made their way to their first class of the day, parting ways with Gus who had a different schedule then they did. When they arrived at the classroom, most of the other students had already gathered and many of the seats were already occupied, Willow managed to get a seat by the window, but there was no space let for Luz.
Much to Luz's discomfort, the only remaining seat she could find was right next to Amity, who was reading a set of crumpled papers on her desk. Luz quietly sat next to her, flashing her a nervous grin and chuckle. Amity, however, simply ignored her and continued reading her notes.
At the front of the classroom was the teacher, one that Luz didn't recall seeing last semester. She was a woman of relative height, with a light brown complexion and average age; she seemed to be at least younger than Eda. She wore a buttoned up white shirt and black pants, her black hair tied back. Around her neck was a pendant with an oblong, purple colored crystal within a frame.
"Welcome students" she said, cordially, her voice soft, yet confident. "I am your new Social Studies teacher, Miss Salem. Now, I know all of you are very different in many ways, all from different backgrounds and all with different traits. In a way our studies will be a reflection of you. The study of how your own personal culture defines you and how it connects you together in ways you can see and yet can't see"
One of the students in the back, a boy with long forehead and several pimples on his face stood up from his chair. "So, what you mean is, we can learn more from ourselves than we can from simply reading books. So, our first lesson should be to throw the book out the window!" The boy picked up his book off his desk and with an impressive swing, flung right through the nearest window, breaking it in the process.
There was a pause as entire classroom observed what just happened. Somewhere outside, a car alarm was now blaring. Miss Salem looked on with a stunned expression before clearing her throat. "Uh actually, no, we will still rely quite heavily on the text."
"Oh. May I be excused?" the boy asked, glancing awkwardly at the broken window. The boy then quickly scurried out of the classroom, presumably to retrieve his misplaced book.
Miss Salem cleared her throat again before she resumed speaking. "Okay, now that we've gotten our first lesson on defenestration out of the way, we can move on to our first topic for discussion. Motivations. "
Miss Salem moved up to the chalkboard and began to write as she spoke. "Now all of us, both as individuals and as a society have needs. Not simply what we desire but what we require to sustain ourselves. Understanding these needs helps us understand what ultimately can motivate us"
Luz was barely paying any attention to Miss Salem as she continued to speak, her mind still a cluttered of confused and anxious thoughts. Every so often, she kept glancing over to Amity, who was still absorbed into whatever she was reading, occasional scribbling a note onto the papers she was reading.
Luz tabbed her foot, her hands fidgeting around her desk, trying to keep her mind focus on the lesson, but no matter how hard she tried, Luz couldn't seem to shake the impulse to say something to Amity, until finally she gave in.
"Psst, Amity" she whispered in an undertone, lowing her head closer to the desk level so no one would hear. "Psst, Amity."
After a few moments, Amity lowered her paper and sighed, rubbing her eyes before giving Luz a vague acknowledgment
"I like your hair." Luz said, quietly. "Just had to get that out of my system. Because you look really great"
"Thanks" Amity replied, her eyes still on her papers.
"So…what are you reading there?" Luz asked, indicating to the papers.
"Just some… extracurricular stuff" Amity said, vaguely.
"Oh, right." Another thought came to Luz, quickly deciding to capitalize on it. "Uh, by the way, you wouldn't mind tutoring me again for biology, would you? We could have a study date. Or just the study part?"
"Ahem!"
Luz tensed up as a shadow suddenly loomed over her. She sat up straight in her chair, slowly looking over her shoulder to see Miss Salem glaring down at her with a stern look.
"Excuse me, Miss Noceda, isn't it?" she said. "Do you have something you want to add to the discussion?"
"Uh, only that I agree with the point you were making?" Luz replied with a nervous smile.
"Really?" Miss Salem replied, raising an eyebrow. "You agree that I should floss my teeth with a roll of barbed wire?"
"Uh…." There was a collective chuckle of laughter throughout the classroom, while Luz pulled her cap down slightly as she felt the color raise in her cheeks. Miss Salem gave Luz a friendly smile before continuing.
"Let us all save our opinions until after we know the context." she said, walking back to the chalkboard. Luz could now see clearly the image of a pyramid drawn in chalk, with a set of ascending layers. "Now, as I was saying, people are motivated by their needs. We can break these needs down like a pyramid. At the bottom, we have needs we all share. Food, water, sleep, breathing. Things we need for basic survival. Now, do you agree with that Miss Noceda?"
"Well, yeah, that make sense." Luz replied honestly. "Survival is always important. Everyone has to eat. But shouldn't that be at the top of the pyramid rather than the bottom?"
"This representation is less of a ranking and more of prioritization." Miss Salem explained. "Survival needs are what come first, therefore they form the basis of everything else to come. Once those needs are fulfilled, we move upwards to something else. Next in line is a need for security."
"Like being able to defend yourself?" Luz said quickly.
"Well, not just physical safety, but also a feeling of security in your current environment. The knowledge that you know are safe, secure and free of worry. Take Miss Blight for instance"
"Huh?" Amity said, in surprise, looking up from the papers on her desk, quickly realizing all eyes in the class were now on her.
"Amity here comes from an enormous amount of wealth and was born into a prestigious family." Miss Salem said, approaching Amity's desk. "She hardly needs to concern herself with obtaining economic or academic security. Those things are a given for her due to her family's social standing. So, what sort of needs do you have with the kind of security that comes with the name Blight, Amity? Is there anything in particular that you want?"
"Well, uh, I mean, I…" Amity glanced from Miss Salem down to her papers, fumbling with her answer. As she struggled to answer, she briefly caught Luz's eye for a moment and seemed to freeze up. Luz felt her face blush all up to her pointed covered ears, terrified of any answer Amity might be about to give.
"Friendship" Willow said, raising her hand up at once, her voice raised high enough that everyone divert attention to her over from Amity. "You need friends and family to love and support you. Real friends you can talk and connect with
"That is correct, relationships are another need we want to fulfill. " Miss Salem said, nodding, appearing satisfied as she walked down the length of the classroom. "A desire to be with someone you love and who understands you"
Luz lowered her head to her desk, placing one hand over her face, making sure she couldn't make eye contact with Amity, who likewise was looking away from her; she remined herself to thank Willow at some point.
"Please, you don't just need love." Bosca said, dismissively, as she leaned back in her chair, her feet sitting on her desk. "You need success. Accomplishments. The fear in the eyes of your enemies you crush underfoot. Stuff you can actually show off about"
"Not exactly how I would phrase it but, yes.". Miss Salem casually nudged the back leg of Boscha's chair as she walked past, causing her to nearly topple over to the floor, only managing to save herself by planting her feet firmly back on the floor.
With a slight smirk, Miss Salem then continued along the classroom. "Accomplishments are another need that we fulfil for the sake of our self-esteem. Maintaining our self-worth. But what are we left with when all those needs are taken care of?" Miss continued, walking back to the front of the class.
"At the top this pyramid is where we have self-actualization needs. This is where our ultimate need becomes fulfilling our own potential. To see what we are truly worth by becoming the most we can ever be. Unlike, food, money, love or achievements, this is not something another person can give you. That will always come down to you." Miss Salem said, her eyes sweeping over the entire class. "To do the absolute best of our abilities and to see just how far we can go."
Luz felt Miss Salem's words resonate with her much more than she was expecting. She had never thought about it before, but Luz now realized that no matter the situation, she always held a desire to be the best possible witch she could ever be. She began to wonder if she all had to do was apply the same attitude to being a human as well. Luz threw another quick glance at Amity, who now seemed to be even focused on her papers, looking over them with an increasingly level of intrigue.
After a long day, school finally ended, the students all making their way down the front steps of X-Side. Luz lingered near the school steps for a while before she spotted Amity walking toward her chauffer waiting for her next to the car, holding a door open for her.
Taking a deep breath, Luz rushed after Amity. "Hey Amity, wait up a second"
Amity slowly stopped walking and lowered her head, before turning to face Luz with a blank expression.
Luz cleared her throat, composing herself as best she could. "Um, I was wondering if you want, we could grab a coffee, or…"
"Actually, I think I'm going to be busy this evening, Luz. " Amity said, curtly "I'm going to head over to my mom's office at Blight Industries to work on something"
"Well, maybe later we could meet and…"
"Actually, I think I'm going to be busy for the next few weeks" Amity replied sharply, her voice become colder. "And I'm sure you'll be busy with… whatever it is you do"
Luz felt her heart sink at the rejection. "Look, I know you're mad at me, but I don't want to think that I don't care about. I do care about you. So, so much, it's just that I…
Suddenly, Amity moved her face closer to Luz's, looking her dead in the eye with a look of cold fury.
"I think we've had this conversation before. " Amity said, scathingly. "And I'm not interested in having it again. You say you care about me, but you want to keep me at arm's length. You won't let me get any closer to you. Because this is as far as it goes, isn't it?" Amity stepped away from Luz, her expression briefly fell to one of sadness and hurt. "There is no next step with you, is there? If you don't want me as part of your life, then I don't need you as part of mine either. You do your thing and I'll do mine"
With that, Amity turned on her heel, leaving Luz standing alone in front of X-Side, her face hollow and empty.
Luz didn't realize how long she had been left standing there. She could just barely remember moving, and walking to alley near the school, where she changed into her witch's attire. Holding out her hands, she summoned her witch's staff out of thin air. In the distance she could hear the voices of Willow and Gus calling her name as they search for her, but they were looking for Luz the Human. And right now, Luz wished to be anything but human, pulling her collar up and taking flight on Owlbert.
Arriving at Blight Industry's main office building, Amity took the elevator up to the floor where the main research department was. She knew that she wouldn't need to worry about running into her mother who was at meeting across town or her father who was working at home.
After spending about a half hour searching through the varying different labs, Amity eventually found Serena, working in one of the chemical labs. Entering the lab, Amity saw as she was in the middle of carrying a number of large glass beakers in her hands, each one filled with different colored liquids, none of which Amity hoped where nothing hazardous to touch. Serena was attempting to pick up a pen on a nearby table, in spite of the stack she was already struggling to carry, when she noticed Amity's presence.
"Oh, hi, Miss Amity" she said cheerfully, instinctively raising her arm to wave at her. In doing so, she inadvertently dropped three of the beakers she was holding, the glass shattering as their contents spilled to the floor next to her. The combined liquids bubbled and sizzled together until they burned a small hole clear into the floor. Moments later, one of the lab technicians who was preoccupied with a clip board in their hands, absently walked by and fell halfway through the, gripping the edges as another technician came to help them.
"Hello, Serena." Amity replied, making sure to maintain a safe distance as Serena managed to set the beakers down on a nearest table without breaking them. Amity then reached into her purse and pulled out the papers she had been reading in class. "You dropped some of your notes from last night"
"Oh, thank you" Serena said, accepting the notes gratefully. "I didn't even realize I misplaced them"
"I hope you don't mind but couldn't help but read through your notes. " Amity said. "And to be honest, if I was them reading correctly, I think that your theory will really work. We should try it out"
"Oh, really?" Serena said, blushing slightly at the sudden praise. "Thanks so much. Once I get my meeting with Professor Blight I can get to work right away with a sample of the compound and-"
"No, I mean I think that we should try it out." Amity said, her voice dropping to a whisper as she stepped closer to Serena. Serena frowned in confusion while Amity continued to smile at her. "As in right now. You can get access to everything you need in the lab, right? So, why don't we work together?"
Serena's eyes widened and her mouth fell open once she finally realized what Amity was suggesting. "Oh, well I-I-I I'm not sure if that would be a good idea. " she said, nervously. "After all, Mrs. Blight might now approve of such an unauthorized use of equipment and
"You can't let yourself be intimidated by her. " Amity said, sharply. "Believe me, if we can get this to work, she's not going to care if we asked permission or not"
"But if it doesn't work I-" Serena began.
"Come on, don't sell yourself short." Amity said, encouragingly. "I read your notes and I think your research is brilliant. You've worked really hard on this. I'll even be your assistant. If we do this together, I know we can make something really amazing"
Serena bit her lip, glancing back and forth, bobbing up and down on her heels, looking much like child deciding on whether or not to buy an amazing new toy. Finally, she threw her hands up and let a sequel of joy.
"Oh, I can't help myself! Ok, let's do it! Do you still have your father's sample?"
Amity smiled and pulled out the vial containing her father's experimental adhesive from her purse, handing it to Serena who accepted it eagerly Her were eyes shining brightly as she marveled at the purple substance within the tiny glass, smiling with pure joy and expectation.
"If this works, it will change everything".
Somewhere in the local park, under the cover of night, a lone figure wearing hood, walked alone through the deserted footpath, their free arm outstretched in the air, a spike coated staff in their other hand. Dangling from their wrist was a crystal pendant that swung back and forth in the air. The hooded figure stopped walking and watching carefully as the pendant continued to swing, waiting for it to stop. Just as it came to a halt, the pendant then swung upward, moving of its own free will, now pointing in a direction toward the right. Without question, the hooded figure followed the direction the pendant was now pointing as it hovered in the air, vibrating more and more strongly as it drew closer.
The hooded figure stopped again, as the crystal pendant became perfectly still, now pointed at fixed position in the middle of the air, which appeared to be nothing but a pocket of empty space.
"Hmm. Here should be good" the hooded figure said, satisfied. They placed the crystal pendant back within their robe and then raised their hand up to the empty space of air in front of them, opening their palm out.
There was sickening cracking sound as the long slim fingers of the hooded figure's hand began to contort violently, bending and twisting in impossible directions until finally in one loud snap, the skin of the figure's hand literally broke off, evaporating into the air until all that was left was a series of sharp, needles made of bone, aligned in a crude, grotesque shape of a claw-like hand.
The figure's hand than split part into five separate needles, which shot out from the figure's wrist, a thin black string tied behind each one and connecting them back into some unknown inhuman cavity within the hooded figure's arm. The tips of each needle struck against the air as though hitting some kind of invisible wall; cracks of light began to form around the points of impact as the needles drilled deeper into the airs. The cracks of light converged together until deep fissure of light formed in the air. The needles disappeared into the fissure, the strings feeding in behind them, like a fishing rod cast into some unknown chasm of water.
After a few moments, the strings went taunt as though they reached the end of their length. With a single powerful tug, the hooded figure pulled their arm back, the strings retracting back into their arm as they came flying out from the fissure at a blinding speed, pulling along with them something small and round, which hit the ground behind them with a loud thud.
The fissure in the air vanished, the strings fully receding back into the hooded figure's arm. The boney needles reset into their returning to their original position at the end of the figure's wrist, the skin forming around the bone as they took the form of a hand once more. The hooded figure let out a long heavy, breath, their shoulders shuddering slightly as they gripped their staff with both hands to steady themselves. Once they had composed themselves again, the hooded figure turned around to view the object they had managed to pull out from the fissure. From under their hood, a frowned formed on their face.
"Not exactly what was I expecting, but you'll do for now"
Eda sighed as she tabbed the rim of her mug. She was sitting alone at her kitchen table, her only company being King who was lying on the table next to her. A plate was set out in front of her, but she had touch any of her food, though her mug had certainly been refilled more than once. There was also small bowl on the table set out for King, though he had not eaten either. He was too busy staring at the empty seat on the other side of the table, which had been set out for Luz, who was nowhere to be found.
Eda glanced up the at the clock on the wall, which showed as after six. It was getting quite late, and Luz still hadn't come back yet, which Eda knew was strange as she usually would come home shortly after school.
"Where is she?" Eda asked, trying not sound worried, scowling into her mug.
Beside her, King lowered his head, meowing sadly, still staring at Luz's vacant seat as though expecting her to sit in any moment. Frowning, Eda rubbed King's head, trying to comfort him.
"Ok, fine, maybe there is something wrong" she admitted.
Just then, Eda heard a knock at the back door. Immediately, Eda stood up and walked down the hallway, thinking at once that it had to be Luz at the door.
"Luz?" she said. "Is that you? You better have a good reason being late or-"
Eda opened the door, but instead of Luz, she found Willow and Gus standing on her doorstep, both of them looking worried.
"Oh, it's you two dorks" she said, unimpressed.
"Hi, Eda." Willow said. She glanced behind Eda into the house. "Is Luz here?"
"I haven't seen her since she left for school this morning" Eda said flatly, walking back into the house, Willow and Gus following her into the kitchen area.
"Well, we haven't seen her since she left school this afternoon." Gus retorted. "She's not answering her phone either. We're kinda worried about her. Did she say anything to you about where she was going?"
"No, she didn't, because I'm such a terrible caregiver and she obviously hates living with me." Eda said aggressively. "Is that what you want to hear? Anything else in my life you want to berate me over? Go ahead! You and King can start an 'Eda Is Such a Loser' fan club."
Gus stared at Eda in silence for a moment, until his eyes narrowed curiously. "I feel like there is an intriguing backstory behind this and I am tempted to probe further" he said, rubbing his chin with his hand.
"I don't think Luz is upset because of anything you did Eda." Willow said. "The thing is, she hasn't really been herself since she and Amity broke up"
"Wait, what?" Eda said in surprise, turning to Willow. "Luz and Amity broke up? When did that happen?
"Just before spring break started." Willow answered. "I don't know the full details, but they had some kind of fight two weeks ago and today, Luz got upset trying to talk to her again at school"
"She never mentioned that to me." Eda said, frowning. She suddenly felt a fresh wave of concern now mingled with a painful feeling of self-disappointment as she lowered her head slightly. "I wonder what else she's not telling me?"
"I must say Agent Clawthorne, I am impressed." Mr. L said, his voice carrying over from other side of his speaker phone. "You've managed to pass my drone simulations in record time. May, I ask, what is your secret?"
Lilith was sitting in front of three large computer monitors, a complex system of wires and keypads set up at least two desks lined together. In her hands was a grey colored controller connected to the middle monitor.
Knowing that her own office was too small to accommodate the nesscessary equipment, Lilith was able to precure a larger office space to set up the drone control system, thanks mostly due to an initial investment fund Mr. L would give to C.O.V.E.N. Since then, Mr. L, who communicated purely through his mounted speaker, had been educating Lilith in how to operate his drones. He then had her practice using the computer-generated simulations designed for training. The simulations were challenging enough but Lilith had run through all of them in less than full day.
And if the dark rings around her blood shot eyes, the sweat stains under her arms and the can of energy drinks by her side were any indication, she had achieved this by simply forgoing sleep. Still holding the controller, Lilith gulped down a can of energy drink in one long swing and then casually crushed the empty can against her head.
"Dedication" she answered proudly, tossing the can over her shoulder.
Behind her, Detective Ghoal was sitting by a desk, his face slumped on his hand, looking particularly bored and miserable, as the can landed at his feet, atop a small mountain of empty and crushed cans which had gradually accumulated ever since Lilith had started practicing on Mr. L's drone simulator. Mei-Lien, who acted as Mr. L's intermediator, was standing beside him, her posture straight and upright, her eyes focused on Lilith and the equipment the entire time.
"Do you think maybe you should take a break?" Ghoal asked Lilith, with a tone that implied he already knew the answer to the question.
"Five more minutes" Lilith replied impatiently, her eyes still glued to the screen, her fingers fast at work on her controller.
Ghoal sighed and turned to look at Mei-Lien. "Next year, let's just her a pony" he said, dryly.
Mei-Lien did not turn her head or male a remark at Ghoal's joke, remaining posed and firm, standing like a trained sentry.
"You don't talk much, do you?" Ghoal muttered under his breath.
"Of course, a simulation is not the same as an actual combat scenario" Mr. L said. "The real test will be when we send these drones into the field."
"Oh, trust me, I am looking forward to the real test" Lilith said, with a wicked grin, just as she completed another simulated mission.
It was then that the door into the office burst opened as Steve came speeding into the room.
"Miss Clawthorne." he cried with urgency. "We just got an anonymous call, reporting a creature sighting in the vicinity of the park. We're standing by to dispatch a team to engage it"
"Delay that order" Lilith said at once, stepping out of her chair. She raised her hand toward Mei-Lien and snapped her fingers, as though issuing a command. With a neutral expression, Mei-Lien silently walked over to Lilith and handed her a new, black colored controller. Lilith detached the previous grey controller she had been using from the computer terminal and connected the new one. The computer changed to a display a loaded screen, as Lilith took her seat once more, flexing her fingers.
"Time to see what these drones can really do"
Luz was sitting alone on the edge of a familiar rooftop, overlooking the city below, the wind blowing past her hair and cape, her mind as jumbled as ever on what she had to do next. She couldn't recall the last time she had felt so directionless. She always held firm to her belief that no what problem she faced there was always a solution even if she had to be the one to create it, but try as she might, could see no of resolving this situation. She didn't want to lose hope, but it was truly beginning to seem like there was no way back to the Demon Realm.
If returning home was no longer an attainable goal, Luz needed to reevaluate what options she had left. She felt so out of place in the human world. She had proven herself to be a failure as a human, but perhaps she could still succeed as a witch? And if there truly was no way home for her, what else could Luz do but accept the human realm as her new home and make the best of her circumstance?
"Maybe, I don't need to go home." she said, pensively looking up to the night sky. "Maybe, I can be a protector of this world instead? Does it really make a difference so long as I'm doing the best I can?"
Luz sighed and lowered her head, already feeling herself give in to defeat.
"Help, help!"
Luz was snapped out of her thoughts when she heard a scream. Listening closely, she realized that the cry for help was coming from the nearby park. Feeling revitalized by the call to action, Luz hopped on her staff and took off into the air, flying into the park. She hovered close to the tree line until she closed in on the sound of distress, spotting someone running on the ground below.
Luz descended to the ground, landing in front of a woman in a red coat, wearing a pair of dark sunglasses.
"Don't worry, uh, citizen." Luz said, authoritatively. "I'm here to help. What's wrong?"
"The Witch!" the woman exclaimed, looking relieved yet still frightened. "Thank goodness you're here. There here's some kind of…creature down there. It tried to attack me" she said, pointing in the direction from where she came.
"Ok, run and get to safely" Luz ordered. "I'll take it from here"
With a brief nod, the woman ran down the pavement, disappearing around the corner.
Luz walked several paces forward, remaining alert and focused. She stopped a few feet in front a bush, noticing something rustling behind it. Luz twirled her staff and took up a fighting stance, bracing herself for whatever monstrosity that was about to emerge
"Face me fiend!" she cried, send a small blast of fire into the bush to draw the monster out. There was another rustle as the blast struck behind the bush and startled cry as something jumped out, landing down at Luz's feet.
The creature was small, bipedal being, covered in a pinkish coat of fur and had a timorous looking face. On its back was a massive turtle-like shell coated, adorned with sharp spikes, its fierce exterior contrasting against its meekly wearer. Luz quickly recognized the creature, having seen pictures of it in one of the books she had read on demonology.
"A Snaggleback?" Luz said, in surprise.
"Don't hurt me, please!" they cried, throwing their hands up, terrified. "I surrender. Here, see my tender belly!" The Snaggleback immediately rolled back onto their shell, showing off their front side to Luz.
"I… don't need to see that." she said, turning her head, suddenly feeling uncomfortable, what she briefly caught a glimpse was enough to suggest the Snaggleback was a male. "You realize that your shell would be a better protection, right? Isn't that what's for?"
The Snaggleback paused, blinking several times as the obvious realization slowly dawned onto him. "….I don't do well under stress" he admitted, with quiet embarrassment.
With a sympathetic smile, Luz offered her hand to the Snaggleback, helping him back to his feet again.
"How did you get here?" she asked; in reality, she was quite curious herself to hear what the Snaggleback could tell her. This was the first instance of encountering an inhabitant of the demon realm that was benign in nature.
"I don't know what happened" he said. "One minute I was looking for some place to get out of the acid rain, next thing I know I'm here." He looked around the empty park. "Uh, where is here exactly?"
"This is the human realm." Luz explained. "You must have come through a portal that brought you here"
"Oh. Ok" The Snaggleback took a look around again. "So, how do I get back?"
Luz frowned under her collar and closed her eyes, not wanting to say the answer to that question aloud but knew there was no choice. "I don't know. I haven't been able to find a way back home yet"
"You mean I'm stuck here?" the Snaggleback cried, putting his hands to his cheeks. "Oh, geez. This place seems so freaky. People are screaming at me when I ask for direction, I can't tell which parts of the ground are carnivorous and I think the furry tailed demons in the trees are hunting for me"
Luz felt a terrible wave of sadness wash over her, knowing exactly how the Snaggleback was feeling. Trapped and alone in an unfamiliar world, cut off from their home, with no way of going back. And just like her, the Snaggleback could be trapped here forever.
At this thought, however, Luz felt something powering burn inside her chest. A renewed sense of determination and purpose, dwarfing the feelings of doubt and aimlessness she had been feeling just minutes ago. Her fist tightened around her staff, rejecting what the current circumstance had degreed.
"I get it. " she said, going down on one knee in front of the Snaggleback. "You're lost and unsure about your place in this new world. But I promise I'll do everything I can to help you get home. I…I will get you home" she said with the utmost resolution.
"Thanks." Snaggleback replied with a grateful smile. "You're a lot nicer witch than the other one"
Luz blinked in confusion, furrowing her brow. "What other one?" she asked.
Just as the Snaggleback opened his mouth to reply, a sudden burst of light erupted from above, enveloped both the Snaggleback and Luz. Turning around, Luz squinted her eyes, and could make out the shapes of five black metal disks floating in the air, each shinning a spotlight on her, as slowly and ominously descending toward the ground.