The weekend was kind to Willow, considering what happened at school. Her fathers were displeased when she got home, to say the least, having heard what happened from Gus. She spent the rest of that night explaining what happened, messaging back Amity and Gus, and sending a crow messenger to Luz to tell them all she was ok. She retired to her room shortly after her talk with her parents, it was almost past sunset and she was dead tired from the day. Her fathers were most upset over her broken glasses, at least, and started to make plans on getting her new ones as soon as possible.
Hunter had helped her calm down a lot, from just the idle chats about life, to talking about different magic, and they even talked about the professional Flyer Derby season that was about to start. But when it came to helping her for what was to come, he honestly wasn't too helpful. He kept his opinions on how to confront her Dad's to himself, even when she asked. But strangely, he offered if they kicked her out on the streets he would take her in. She doubted it would come to that point, and it made her worry that he was actually being serious, but appreciated it nonetheless.
As she laid down on her bed with a sigh, Clover nuzzled into her neck while she looked up at the ceiling and wondered how the next school day would go. Apparently Bump had called her Dad's, but didn't give as much details as Gus about the accident. She was glad Gus had at least come and told them, they were a lot more understanding but she was still in trouble. She lost control of herself and hurt Boscha, of course she was going to be punished, even with the influence of a rotted zizz fruit. She expected to be either suspended and grounded for a while.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on her window, hearing a few muffled chirps. Willow sat up, her and Clover looking over to see the red-cardinal palisman that made the noise. The teen quirked her brow, but gave a smile as she got up, moving her own palisman to her shoulder, and went to the window to open it. Lil' Rascal fluttered and chirped, before moving to perch on the girl's offered hand.
"Heya, Rascal." Willow whispered to him, " I assume if you're here, then Hunter must be near?"
The bird chirped again, jumping to turn, then fluttering off to a nearby roof, landing on a figure who was hiding in the shadow of a chimney. With a slight movement, light reflected off his mask. The Golden Guard was kneeling on the roof and was looking in her direction, after a few moments he moved his hand out, giving her a thumbs-up, then down, then a shrug in question. Willow smiled, returning the thumbs-up with a nod. The Golden Guard nodded, before moving his hand back, drawing something from within his cloak. He held it up for Lil' Rascal to take, who then flew back to Willow's window with the package.
'Willow-' A note read taped to the top. Willow quirked her brow as she took the package, looking back to The Golden Guard who motioned to her to open it. She looked back down, taking the note off to open and read it. ' I wasn't sure about your prescription, but I hope these will at least help until you can get a new pair. - Rocky.'
Willow's eyes widened as she turned to open the cloth that held the item in question, taking out a glasses holder and opening it. They looked almost exactly like her old ones, the frames a pinkish-orange instead of black, and the arms white with a little tint of green. She blinked in surprise before taking off the still-broken pair she was wearing and putting them on. All and all it was a great improvement over the broken pair and not wearing glasses at all. Her vision was still a bit blurry, but they would definitely do until her new pair can be bought.
The girl smiled wider as she looked back to where The Golden Guard was, the red-cardinal having returned to him again. She mouthed 'Thank you' to him, her smile only getting bigger at the jester. She saw a flick of movement under his hood, before he nodded and gave her a wave. With that, he lifted his staff from where it was resting and disappeared in a flash of red-magic. Willow closed her window, unable to help herself from holding her cheeks.
Hunter was always so nice and thoughtful toward her, even in the smallest of ways. From bigger jesters like bringing her a new pair of temporary glasses, to even the smaller ones like him unwrapping the candy for her. But when he took the time to try to wash the mess out of her hair earlier, she couldn't help but feel the most loved she ever felt...and that was saying something. She had a great family, she knew her fathers loved her more than the world itself, and her friends would all come to her side in a second if she ever needed them.
But something about how Hunter treated her meant everything and more to her. Willow was not as blind as Luz, she knew Hunter had a crush on her. She wished she could tell him how much she appreciated it...how she thought she returned his feelings, but she knew that would make things so much more complicated for him. Hunter had his duties to the throne, and has not interacted with a lot of people outside of The Emperor's Coven. She wasn't sure if Hunter even understood the feelings he was having, or if he did. She knew that with the limited interactions with others his age, as well, he could be too blinded by his enamore and in the future grow out of the way he felt.
In a way, she felt it was best they stayed friends until he could understand fully. But, for now, she cherished the moments with him, his actions that spoke volumes, and the talks they got lost in for so long Willow almost got in trouble for arriving home a half-hour late. As Willow looked at herself in a mirror to look over her new glasses, she thought about how she could show Hunter how much she appreciated him. Maybe bake him something? She went looking for the baking shop he told her about, but was told there was no such thing. She assumed he either baked the cupcakes himself or stole them from the Coven's kitchen. Baking him something could be a start, at least. Maybe bring him flowers? That's what some people do to show appreciation to loved ones, platonic and romantic alike.
Willow sat back on her bed, petting Clover idly as she pondered over different shows of affection. Maybe she should ask Luz and Amity their thoughts? Though Luz will probably freak out and try to go over the top. She leaned back on her bed, looking over and out the window with a small smile, her thoughts going to that golden-boy.
She wondered what he was up to now.
The answer was that after Hunter dropped off the new pair of glasses, he had business to tend to. And that started with him leaning against a pillar in wait under Dead Man's curve. He kept hidden in the shadows, lucky that he blended in with the pillar of bone, as he waited for his target to finally leave the ugly little hide-out with 'Treasure Shack' written above it. He had already counted all the teens that were inside, and those who had left. It was only his target and a girl who was part of the plant-track.
The two of them were arguing for what it felt like hours, and it seemed as well to be over Willow. The plant-track girl, Amelia he gleaned, was trying to lay into Boscha for fooling her about what she was actually going to use the zizz fruit for. Boscha, was trying to play off the whole incident as a prank that Willow misunderstood, that it was Willow's fault for over reacting. That made Hunter's blood boil.
"URGH! THAT IS IT! I AM NOT DOING THIS ANYMORE!" Amelia shouted, Hunter soon hearing the slamming of the make-shift door. He moved to better hide himself from the leaving girl.
"Fine! Go ahead and leave! I can always replace losers like you!" Boscha yelled from the door before it slammed again. As Amelia passed, The Golden Guard kept his eyes on her until she disappeared under a cliff. Satisfied she was out of ear-shot as well, Hunter made his move. In a flash of red, he teleported just above the shack's door, slamming down onto the unstable roof in a way to alert the witchling still inside of his presence.
"Oh yeah, SOOO Mature, Amelia!" Boscha charged out of the shack, looking around. " Throwing rocks at the shack, now?! I'll beat you into a pulp-" Boscha finally turned and noticed the figure on the roof, her jaw dropping slightly.
"Hi~" The Golden Guard gave a wave, before flicking his staff, a red blast flying directly into the witch. She stumbled back, red ropes forming around her arms, wrists, and fingers to ensure she couldn't cast. The confused girl looked baffled, with fear, at him.
"W-What are you doing?! I haven't done anything against the law!" She pleaded, watching as The Golden Guard jumped off the roof and landed on the ground before her. He stood back up straight, swinging his staff around as he began to circle her, like a predator.
"Oh, you haven't? Well...must be my mistake...Or my underlings' mistake...or maybe Principal Bump's mistake." The Golden Guard started, a smile hidden under his mask as he watched the fearing witch through the side of his eye. " Then...if it wasn't -you- I am after for the illegal possession and use of a rotted zizz fruit, perhaps you can point me in the right direction?"
"I-Illegal-" Boscha's face paled, "W-Wait wait! This is all a misunderstanding! I didn't know the fruit was rotted, I swear!" The Golden Guard was suddenly in front of her, mask to face.
"Oh, will your 'friend' Amelia beg to differ? Or should I quote her ' You fooled me when you said you were going to use the rotten zizz fruit in your potion-class' words?" The Golden Guard stood back up straight, observing as Boscha fumbled with her words, tears looking to appear in her eyes. For someone who held themselves up so high...she sure was a coward when it came to face her just-desserts.
"Now, I can go ahead and arrest you!" He started again, " Throw you into the Conformatorium for a few months, in the middle of Grudgby season no less, and let you face your time while your scholarships slowly dwindle away… But, I don't have to!" He swung his staff around again, allowing the chains to fall away, confident now that Boscha will not run. "Instead…" In another flash of red, he had his hand on her shirt and was holding her up, the girl's hands clenching around his as she gulped visibly.
" You are to serve under the potions coven on 'community-service'." His voice was authoritative, like a commander giving orders, " For the rest of the year, after you get out of school for the day and your grugby practice, you will report directly to the potions coven's front desk, and tell them you are there to help. Fail to do this, well… I can guarantee that your cell will not have sunlight. Got it?" He dropped her onto the ground, letting Boscha crumble to her knees.
"I-I…" She started, still looking up with fear.
" Got. It?" He repeated himself, his staff flaring with red, adding to the intimidation factor as the light glinted off his mask.
"Y-yes sir, Golden Guard, sir!" Boscha gave a fearful salute.
"Good. I'll be checking in often. And don't bother trying to tell anyone about our little meeting, it's not like anyone will believe you." The Golden Guard walked past the girl, heading to the cliff behind her. " And one last thing…" He looked back over to Boscha. " If I ever see you hurting Willow again, I will throw you so far out into the boiling sea your body will disintegrate before anyone even knows you're gone."
"W-what? H-How do you know-"
" Good luck, Boscha." With that, The Golden Guard erupted his red magic, teleporting away from the scared teen.
A few minutes later, The Golden Guard landed on one of the roofs of the castle, turning to head inside. After passing many guards who saluted him, and one giving him a 'Oh heya, boss', to which he replied 'Have a good night, Steve.', he found himself finally entering his room. Closing and locking the door behind him, he stepped back, let Lil' Rascal out of his hood, took off his helm, then collapsed onto the ground as he shook.
He flexed his authority a lot with that girl… Usually Hunter doesn't go out of his way to do as such, knowing the privileges he had as The Golden Guard could be revoked if Belos' found out he was using them too much, at least that's what he feared. But this...This was worth it to him. He couldn't stand seeing Willow like that, what that girl did to his grove partner. She was lucky he didn't skin her alive or just go ahead and dunk her into the boiling sea...but Willow wouldn't have wanted that.
Oooh boy Willow. How was she even going to react to what he did? Would Boscha tell her that The Golden Guard used her name? No..that might be too out there for that worthless bully. But, would it have been better for Willow to confront her? She did ask him to leave her alone, after all. Hunter sat back, sighing as he felt Lil Rascal land on his knee.
"Ugh...Maybe I stepped too far…" Hunter said to the palisman, moving to scratch it's cheek. He sighed and laid back on the floor of his room. He was exhausted, unsure why that confrontation took so much out of him. Maybe because it was for Willow? Lil' Rascal chirped, jumping up onto Hunter's forehead and motioning with his beak up.
"What is it, bud-" Hunter realized his nose had been..bleeding? He moved to take his glove off, before wiping at his nose, seeing a smear of black across his skin after. Quickly, he sat up and moved to a small mirror he kept in his room, picking it up to look at the line of black that had dripped from his nose. "...Ok...Ok…" Hunter sat the mirror down slowly, breathing in deeply before moving back to sit on the edge of his bed.
"I just need to calm down...Willow is kind, forgiving...she might be upset but she-"
"She will dump and replace you for someone better." A voice in the back of his mind forced itself through. "Just like Belos can, just like Lil' Rascal can find a better witch. You are just replaceable.' Hunter held his hands to his ears, coughing as more sludge forced itself out of his mouth.
"Calm down." Hunter said to himself, " Calm down!" He repeated.
"It is best if you admit that you are just a failure. She asked you in the woods to leave that girl alone and you disobeyed her! You are terrible! You are-"
"STOP THINKING THIS WAY, HUNTER!" A thought boomed through his head...though it was his own thought it was...someone else's voice. It made Hunter pause, and open his eyes. Lil' Rascal stared up at him, giving him a few pleasant chirps as he snuggled into the belly of the teen in comfort. Hunter lowered his hands from his ears, cupping the bird, lightly petting them with his thumb. He took another breath in, and let it out.
"Maybe it's time for...trying to get some rest." He said, before moving to pick Lil' Rascal up and put him into the little nest that he made on his night-stand. Hunter laid back on his bed, not caring to remove his armor, before closing his eyes. He knew the night would not bring him sleep, but...it's at least a way to think things over.