Chapter 2: Tough Practice

Did Luz really just challenge Boscha to a game of Grudgby on Willow's behalf?

"Luz, what are you doing?"

"I'm just following Amity's advice. Boscha only speaks in grudgby terms. Trust me, I have a plan."

Okay, this was NOT what Amity meant when she told Luz that. Also, she really hoped that Luz mentioning her name would result in Willow blaming her for this.

"Okay, maybe it's the altitude of the second floor, but I thought I heard you say that Leaf Girl wanted to challenge me to a grudgby match."

"That's right! We'll settle this once and for all on the field."

"Or we could just talk about our issues."

"Let's do this."

"Oh, no."

Yeah, Amity was with Willow on this.

"If Willow's team wins, you don't get to pick on her anymore."

"Fine! And when we win, Willow and your team will be our water gofers."

"Ha! That's not even a punishment. I love water."

Luz had no idea what she was getting them into. During Amity's time with Boscha on the team, any water gofer they had never lasted for more than a few weeks because-

"And we get to use you as target practice."

...because of that. And if the hole Boscha just put in that nearby tree was any indication, she wasn't going to make it easy for them.

"See you after school, losers."

And now said tree was on fire. Yeah, someone's definitely gonna be in the healer's office later.

"Woo-hoo! Willow verses Boscha!"

Okay, as much as Amity hated seeing Willow getting picked on, this likely wasn't going to make it better.

"Luz, this isn't a good idea."

"Yeah, I've never even played grudgby before! How am I supposed to beat Boscha?"

"But you're the better witch. I don't know much about sports, but I know about sports movies. We, too, are a ragtag team of lovable misfits joined together to defeat a powerful enemy. With a little team spirit and a training montage, we can win."

Well, it looks like there's no talking Luz out of it at this point.

"Well, if you think this'll work, then I'm in. How about you, Gus?"

"In seasons past, these flags have waved in support of grudgby greats. Now they will wave for the greatest: Me!"

"What about you, Amity?"

Right then, Amity's head was filled with mental pictures of her and Luz. Playing a contact sport together. Being within VERY close proximity of each other.

"Me? On a team with you? Running around in cute uniforms? SWEATING?"

At this point, Amity was in full-on panic mode. Her mind failing to come up with a response, she could only act on instinct. And right then, her only instinct was to bolt it.

"I GOTTA GO!"

Alright, Amity would admit that probably wasn't the best way to respond. But she was a 14-year-old witch working with new, intense emotions. What else was to be expected?

Once Amity had gotten some distance, she started to calm down a bit, giving her some time to think clearly. There was definitely something she knew. Even if she hadn't gotten flustered around Luz at that moment, she was still unsure about whether or not it'd be a good idea to accept her offer to be teammates. She'd already gotten two teammates injured last season due to her cocky attitude during the championship. She didn't want to risk it happening again with her friends by playing.

Bonesbrough Library,

Afternoon

Once Amity had settled in at the library, she got started on the assignments for the night. Most of the work was relatively simple, so she was able to get through about half of it in 30 minutes. However, during that time, her mind couldn't help but wander back to Luz, Willow, and Gus. While she knew that they've already been through a lot together, none of them really had any proper experience with Grudgby. On top of that, she also knew that there was no way that Boscha was gonna go easy on them.

Not to mention what this says about Amity's efforts to make things right with Willow. Sure, she had told off Boscha that morning. But when Luz challenged Boscha, Amity really made no effort to back her or Willow up. And when Luz asked her to be a part of the team, she got so worked up over the idea and just left without any explanation. Why couldn't these new feelings just be simple?

Amity thought that she'd be able to get her mind off of it by trying to focus on school work. But it seemed that wasn't going to happen any time soon. And if that was the case, she knew that just sitting there worrying about it wasn't going to do much good. So, that just left her with one option.

*SIGH* "I can't bail on them now."

Amity looked at the clock and figured that they were probably still practicing at that point. Knowing that she owed it to Luz and Willow to be there for them after everything that's happened, she decided that the homework could wait. Right now, she needed to, at the very least, offer them her moral support. If anything else, maybe she could even give them some pointers.

Hexside School for Magic and Demonics,

5 minutes before the match

After hurrying back to the school, Amity went straight for the Grudgby field. Hopefully Luz, Willow, and Gus would be understanding about her sudden exit earlier. However, when she got to the field, something was off.

Luz was just sitting in the bleachers. Looking sad. Amity figured that it might have something to do with why she didn't see Willow or Gus anywhere nearby. Curious about what happened, she started to approach Luz.

"Tough practice?"

"I pushed Willow and Gus too hard. It's just, I hate seeing Willow get picked on. She's one of the best friends I've ever had. Winning this game is the only way I know how to help."

Pushing her teammates too hard, huh? This was starting to sound all too familiar to Amity. Although she could at least tell that Luz's heart was in the right place.

While Amity had been trying to avoid the subject all day, at this point, she could maybe think of one way to help cheer Luz up.

"Did you know, before Boscha, I was the grudgby team captain?"

"Really?"

Well, Amity supposed that this was bound to come up sooner or later. Might as well be sooner.

"Well, once I left the team, I decided that was a part of my life I wanted to forget. We were playing Glandus High for the Island Championship. We had a move planned, and it was a good one. But, at the last minute, I decided I wanted to do something a bit flashier. I changed our game plan to... the Thorn Vault."

"Good Witch Azura 2: Field of Deadly Fates! You watched it too?"

"Uh, yeah."

It would seem that even a saddened Luz is still just as enthusiastic about Azura as ever.

"It went disastrously wrong. My teammates got hurt. All because I had an idea of how things should be. I pushed them too far. I never played again after that day."

Well, at least Amity was able to get that off her chest, and-

OH TITAN, LUZ'S FACE WAS RIGHT BY HERS!

Next thing Amity knew, she was lying flat on her back due to the surprise.

"Ah! Sorry. I just really love backstories."

As Luz helped Amity up, both of them had noticed that Boscha's team had just arrived. Right then, Luz was putting something into Amity's hand.

"I know what to do to make this up to Willow. Thanks."

As Luz walked towards Boscha, Amity looked in her hand and saw… Willow's hair clip. Wait, if Luz needed to hand it to her, what was she about to do?

"It's after school. Where's the leader of the loser brigade?"

"I'm here on her behalf. We forfeit."

Wait, what?

"And I'm here to tell you that I'll take Willow's place as your water gofer, target practice, whatever you need."

Okay, while Amity knew this was a nice sentiment, she had a feeling that Boscha wasn't going to be swayed by this.

"Wow, you're really a good friend.

And unfortunately, she was proven right seconds later as Boscha lit the ball of fire.

"And a perfect target."

Oh no.

"Think fast!"

Sorry it took so long for this chapter to come out. Writers block combined with job stuff is not fun. Hoping to get the next and final chapter out soon.