Back when the first season aired, I had a lot of story ideas for The Owl House. Now with season two finally here, even more ideas have been popping up in my brain. So I've started working on them little by little to try and get them out before I find myself with too many to keep up with. Here's one that came to mind not too long ago that I had a lot of fun writing. Honest reviews and constructive criticisms are appreciated.
Sweet Victory
Disclaimer: I do not own the Owl House and make no profit from this story.
The cauldron bubbled, the pink liquid within reaching the boiling point. Boscha added a spoonful of powdered minotaur horn, along with some juice from a freshly squeezed Toadfruit. After stirring the new ingredients in, she sampled her concoction and smiled to herself. It was ready.
Putting on a pair of oven mitts, Boscha placed the lid onto the cauldron, lifted it up and left the potions classroom. With confidence in her stride, she made her way to the cafeteria. Standing just outside the open doors were Skara, Amelia and Cat. Seeing her friends and teammates waiting for her boosted Boscha's already high self-esteem.
"Hello ladies." She greeted. "Ready to see me show that little human up? My Victory Brew is gonna blow the judges out of the water. This is easily my best batch yet."
The other three witches all winced a little at the mention of her 'Victory Brew'. They all quickly exchanged glances, as if expecting someone to step forward and say something. Boscha picked up on their less than supportive reactions and narrowed her eyes at them.
"What?"
"Um, well…." Skara began. "The thing is, Boscha, we were kinda hoping to talk you out of this whole deal that you made with Luz."
"Yeah, not that we don't have faith in you or anything." Cat added. "It's just that…."
"The drink she made is amazing!" Amelia blurted out, throwing her hands into the air. "She did something called a 'focus group' with some other students and they're all talking about it!"
Boscha scoffed. "So some other losers like her garbage water. It doesn't mean a thing. I still have this in the bag. You girls all know how amazing my brew is, so you know nothing could be better."
Once more Boscha witnessed her friends give a not so encouraging response. They all looked off in other directions and either shuffled their feet or rubbed one of their arms awkwardly. Boscha could feel her patience with them getting thinner and struggled not to use a venomous tone when she spoke.
"If didn't know better, I'd think you were trying to hide something from me. You all like my Victory Brew, don't you?"
"Um… well, it's not that we don't like it…" Skara answered hesitantly. "It's just that there's this flavor…"
"It's more of an aftertaste." Cat added.
"Yeah, exactly." Skara agreed with a nod. "And the thing about that is… it uh…"
"It tastes like feet!" Amelia exclaimed with a small shudder.
Skara and Cat both nodded in agreement, looking a bit abashed. Boscha frowned at them and continued towards the doorway, turning her nose up at the others as she passed by.
"I don't know how you know what feet taste like, but that is not how my Victory Brew tastes. Just for that, I'm not going to share my prize with any of you!"
"What was the prize for this little contest of yours again?" Cat asked.
"The loser has to do any one thing the winner asks of her." Skara explained. "So, what are you going to ask Luz to do if you win?"
"When I win, I'm making that weirdo human build us a new hangout." Boscha told them. "It will make the one we used to have look like an abandoned old shack."
"I thought it was an abandoned old shack." Amelia noted.
"Won't that take Luz forever to do?" Skara asked, looking a little troubled by the idea.
"I know. That's the best part." Boscha answered, letting out a mean-spirited giggle. "I was going to have her make each of us our own personalized rooms, but now that will be just me. Try not to be too jealous when you see how awesome my room is when it's done."
She went into the cafeteria, where eight others were waiting for her. Luz, along with Gus, Willow and Amity were all standing by one of the tables where three judges were waiting. Principal Bump, the potions teacher and Alador Blight were seated, Odalia Blight hovering near her husband's side. The moment Boscha laid eyes on the judges, she immediately sensed something was off.
"Hey! Why is Amity's dad here?" She asked, glaring at Luz. "You trying to stack the odds in your favor, human?!"
"I have no idea what you're talking about." Luz said calmly.
"I'll bet that you don't!" Boscha spat, turning her gaze to the judges' table again. "Principal Bump, Luz is trying to cheat! She has her girlfriend's daddy here to give her an advantage!"
"That's not the case at all." Bump replied. "I asked Alador to be a judge today as his…. Er, brilliance will be invaluable in determining a winner. You have my word as Principal that he won't be playing favorites."
"Lucky for the human." Odalia muttered.
She gave Luz a short yet disdainful glance, prompting Luz to smile nervously and wave. Amity stepped closer to Luz and held her hand, then placing a peck on Luz's cheek. Odalia scowled as her daughter gave her a rebellious little smirk. Boscha wrinkled her nose at the display and then approached the judges' table where she set her cauldron down.
"Whatever. Even if Mr. Blight took your side, it wouldn't make a difference." She said confidently. "This contest is as good as mine. So, ready to live up to your name and Luz?"
"Wow. I've never heard that one before." Luz deadpanned.
She stepped up to the table as well, setting down a large, plastic, purple pitcher with a lid. Boscha lifted the lid from her cauldron, the brew inside having cooled from boiling to just simmering. The judges all leaned forward for a closer look at the pink liquid, each of them seemingly intrigued. Luz took the lid off of her pitcher, getting a similar reaction from the three adults.
"Interesting." Bump stated, sitting upright again. "Before we sample the drinks you've made, why don't you tell us a little about them? Boscha, you may go first."
"Thank you, Principal Bump. I'd be happy to." Boscha said proudly. "I prepared a special brew I make for the Banshees before each Grudgby game. It is a highly nutritious potion that gives a boost of energy and keeps you hydrated no matter how hard you play."
"Putting your potion-making skills to use outside the classroom I see." Bump noted. "Very practical of you, Boscha. And what have you prepared for us, Luz?"
Luz gestured to the pitcher, smiling at the judges. "I've made a smoothie using a fruit that is from the human realm. I recently discovered that it also grows here, in the demon realm. And they are huge here! Check this baby out!"
She waved Willow forward, who brought up a bag and handed it to her. From the bag, Luz pulled out a guava fruit the size of her head. The judges all stared at the green fruit with mixed reactions. Both the potions teacher and Bump were fascinated as it wasn't anything they had seen before. Alador on the other hand, seemed fairly unimpressed.
"It doesn't look all that appetizing. Where did you even find that?"
"I came across it while working on a boat. I've been doing it to earn some spending money." Luz explained. "And since I was such a good little sailor, the captain let me take some. After tasting it myself, I can't say it's exactly like the ones back home. But it was still pretty good. So I figured I'd make a drink out of it for everyone."
"Please." Boscha scoffed. "You boiled some water and tossed fruit into it. Not that impressive, if you ask me."
"Oh? And just how did you make your drink, Boscha?" Amity asked, raising one eyebrow.
"I started by boiling some water. Then I added…." Boscha drifted off, a look of realization coming to her face. She saw Amity smirking at her smugly and offered a scowl in return. "Shut up!"
"Alright, enough of that." Bump ordered. "Let's get on with this. We'll sample Boscha's beverage first."
Alador snapped his fingers, an abomination approached carrying a tray with a ladle and a stack of cups. Boscha filled three cups to give to the judges and then did four more to hand out to Luz and her group. Amity made a face and shook her head, holding up one hand to refuse the potion. Boscha frowned and kept that cup for herself while Luz, Gus and Willow all accepted theirs.
"Oh, um… thanks?" Luz said.
"It's the least I can do." Boscha replied. "This way you can enjoy a taste of victory. My victory, that is."
"We'll see about that." Amity said. "I've tried your brew before and I was in the focus group for Luz's smoothie. I feel fairly confident when I say.. Luz! Don't drink that."
Luz paused mid-sip and smiled at her girlfriend. "But it's only fair I try it when she's going to try mine."
"I am not." Boscha said flatly.
"You will once you see how much everyone else likes it." Luz countered before taking a sip of Boscha's brew. She spat it out the next second, looking like she was ready to gag. "¡Tan asqueroso! It tastes like a wet gym sock!"
"No it doesn't!" Boscha said, an angry blush on her face. "What do you know anyway?! You're just a human! The judges will love it!"
The three judges started to evaluate Boscha's entry. Bump and the potions teacher both drank from their cups while Alador took a more meticulous approach. He swirled the liquid in the cup, getting a measure of how thick it was. The study went on for longer than necessary as Alador entranced himself while playing with the cup.
At the same time, both Willow and Gus were sipping from their own cups. Gus had barely let the drink touch his tongue before pulling the cup away, looking mildly disgusted. Willow however didn't seem quite as bothered, pausing only momentarily to let it sit on her tongue before drinking the rest. After she finished it, Gus offered her his own, as did Luz. Both were welcomed by Willow, who took them and quickly licked her lips before enjoying more of the beverage.
"Well at least one of you has good taste." Boscha observed, briefly glancing at Willow before focusing on the judges table again.
Bump took another sip from his cup, smacking his lips lightly as he continued his evaluation. Alador had proceeded to sniffing the contents of his cup, a spark of interest coming into his eyes. The potions teacher by this time had finished hers and set the cup down, folding her hands afterwards.
"It's quite good, Boscha." She said. "The flavor is robust and it goes down smoothly. A very well crafted potion. If this were class, you'd get an A for your efforts."
"Yes, it certainly is well made." Bump noted. "However, there is this aftertaste that is rather… unpleasant."
"Told ya it tasted like a gym sock." Luz said bluntly.
"No, I wouldn't say that." Bump continued. "It's definitely musty. But I can feel the effects already, so it does get points for efficiency. Excellent work, Boscha."
"Ha! In your face human!" Boscha exclaimed. "Two judges down, one to go. This little contest is as good as mine!"
"Now Boscha, we still haven't judged Luz's drink yet." Bump said, turning his head to look at Alador. "Mr. Blight, if you would be so kind, what is your input on Boscha's potion?"
Alador dipped the tip of his finger into the liquid and then placed it into his mouth. He then took a sip from the cup, followed by a second, longer sip. After a few seconds, he made a face and stuck out his tongue in disgust.
"Blech! This stuff has a foul aftertaste alright! My abominations don't taste this bad!"
"How would you..." The potion's teacher began.
"Don't ask." Bump interrupted, holding up one hand.
"Please don't." Odalia added, grimacing a little.
"Okay, now it's my turn!" Luz chirped, stepping up to the judges' table and pouring her smoothie into clean cups and placing a straw in each one. "Could I interest you in some, Mrs. Blight?"
"Absolutely not." Odalia replied curtly.
Luz shrugged and went to offer some to Boscha and her group. Boscha made her turn away with an icy glare however and Luz returned to her own friends to offer them some. Willow politely refused, leaving only Gus and Amity to take a cup. The two eagerly began drinking, Amity situating herself as close to Luz as possible and letting herself be embraced by her girlfriend while she sipped on her straw.
The judges went about tasting Luz's drink very much the same as they had done with Boscha's. The potions teacher seemed to dislike it immediately. She put her cup back down and pushed it as far away as possible without sending it over the edge of the table.
"Ugh, this is much too sweet. And too cold. This would never get a passing grade in my class!"
"Like I said before. In. Your. Face." Boscha said, leering at Luz.
"With all due respect ma'am." Amity said, stepping closer to the judges' table. "The purpose of this contest was to determine the best drink, it didn't need to be a potion."
"Well regardless, I still find that Boscha's was the better between the two."
Boscha pumped her fist, a victorious expression on her face. Things were going just as she expected. She knew there was no way that the human was going to win. It was only a matter of time before the other judges gave the same result.
Bump sipped on his, letting out a soft 'mmm' in approval. Beside him Alador was doing the same, his eyes half-lidded in contentment. They both finished emptying their cups and then turned to face Luz, holding them out towards her.
"Is there more?" Alador asked, almost sounding impatient.
"I would also like a refill." Bump added. "That was very refreshing!"
Luz stepped up to the table and poured more of her smoothie into their cups, giving Boscha a quick look so she could stick out her tongue. Boscha growled softly, clenching her teeth so hard it strained her jaw. If not for all of the adults present, she would have given Luz a far ruder gesture in return. Instead she just silently fumed while she watched the human smile at her before turning her attention back to the judges.
"So, I take it that you wanting refills means that you like my smoothie?"
"Oh absolutely." Bump replied. "In fact, I may just have this added to the lunch menu. That is if we can get those human fruits for the cafeteria."
"That can be arranged." Luz told him. "I'll talk with Captain Salty about it. I'm sure he'd be happy to make a deal."
"Hey! That's not fair!" Boscha protested, pointing accusingly at Luz. "You can't bribe the judges!"
"I'd hardly call it a bribe, Boscha." Bump said. "I made my decision before I asked about getting the fruit. Your potion was without question very good. But I can't help but favor Luz's over yours. It's so different from anything I've enjoyed before, and the flavor is otherworldly. Quite literally in this case."
"But… but…" Boscha began, her confidence fading. She stepped over to Amity's father, looking him in the eyes. "Mr. Blight! You're a creative person. Can you really say that slop the human made is better than my potion?"
Alador sipped from his cup again. "Actually, yes I can. And not just because of the flavor alone. The consistency and cold temperature make a considerable difference as well. Energy potions like yours can be made and sold in any apothecary. But this is something new and Luz saw the potential it had. Luz, the sailors you got this fruit from, what were they doing with it?"
"Just eating it to fight of scurvy or something, I guess." Luz answered with a shrug.
"I thought as much. They didn't see it for what it was worth either and passed it off as something mundane. I made that misconception myself earlier. This smoothie of yours may not have the same effects as a well brewed potion, but it still does something. When I drink it, I feel comfort. Almost like the kind I feel when I get to lay beside my wife in bed after a long day of hard work."
He reached out and took his wife's hand in his own, tracing his thumb over her knuckles. Luz let out an 'aww' as Odalia blushed lightly from her husband's words and touch. She then pulled her hand away and snatched the cup from Alador's hands, raising it so the straw was near her lips.
"It couldn't possibly be that good." She said, taking a sip. In the next moment, her eyes widened and she stared at the drink for a moment before slowly returning the cup to her husband. "I… I stand corrected. It's delicious."
Boscha was having a very hard time believing what was happening. She felt like someone was playing a practical joke on her. It just didn't make any sense to her. There had to be a reason for this, there had to be some kind of trick. Luz's gova-smoothie or whatever she called it, was not going to beat her Victory Brew.
"Give me that!" She barked at Gus, stealing his cup and pulling out the straw. "I changed my mind, I will have a taste. But only so I can tell you that it's terrible myself."
She took a big sip, the concoction chilling her teeth and washing over her tongue with its sweetness. After she swallowed it and returned the cup to Gus, then turning to face Luz. The sweet flavor that lingered on her taste buds was quickly overtaken by bitterness as she had to come to terms with the situation.
"It wasn't terrible." She admitted. "It was kinda… good. I still like mine better, but I get why the judges like yours so much. You win."
Luz and her friends were stunned, as were Boscha's group. None of them had expected Boscha to do that. After a moment, Luz hopped up and down, cheering as she tossed her hands up into the air. The judges got up from the table and made for the door now that their presence was no longer needed. Alador was stirring the remains of his smoothie with his straw, peering into the cup while he walked out the door.
"I wonder if I can somehow give my abominations this flavor…." He mused.
"Wow, you really haven't changed after all of these years." Bump noted, looking mildly concerned.
"He really hasn't." Odalia sadly agreed with a heavy sigh.
"Before you go, I just wanted to thank you!" Luz called before they were out of earshot, then turning her attention to those still in the room. "I'd also like to thank Captain Salty for letting me have some of the guava fruits. A big thank you to my friends for their support, especially my Am-Am, who was in the focus group. Oh, and Cat gets a thank you as well, since she was also in the focus group."
Boscha glared at Cat. "You helped her?!"
Cat smiled nervously. "All I did was give an opinion." She explained. "And she gave me a free smoothie. Who could say no to that?"
"I cannot believe you!" Boscha spat.
"Hey, leave her alone!" Amelia suddenly said, stepping forward and taking Cat's hand in her own. "You can be mad at me if you want. I wasn't in the focus group and I tried some of the smoothie. Cat shared with me and I loved it!"
Skara sighed and stepped forward as well. "I should get some of the blame too then. Willow offered to let me try some and I said yes."
"Traitors!" Boscha exclaimed, pointing at the three accusingly and narrowing her eyes. "You are all going to regret this! Just wait until our next Grudgby practice!"
Boscha felt someone tapping on her shoulder. She turned to find Luz behind her, holding out a folded piece of paper. After staring at it for a couple of seconds, Boscha took it from Luz, giving her a sour look.
"Let me guess. This is what you want me to do for you, right?"
"Yup." Luz replied, a mischievous smile on her face. "I put a lot of thought into it and have a list of all the details for what I want you to do."
"Lucky me." Boscha grumbled, unfolding the paper. She skimmed over what was written and then froze, her eyes widening in shock. "You have got to me kidding!" She exclaimed, looking up at Luz. "You want me to take Leaf-girl out on a date?!"
To be continued.