Chapter 9: Meetings & Farewells
The Beast-Keeping Track students were all departing for the main building. After class had ended, Camila had gone with Professor Malick to return the Fairy Dragon back to her room. Luz hung back with Amity, waiting for Camila to return. She watched as her classmates walked off, feeling something itching in the back of her mind when she saw one of them in particular. A blonde boy with his bangs covering his eyes, short brown fur and large, bat-like ears.
Luz suddenly recalled the favor that Skara has asked of her earlier and pulled the pink envelope out from her pocket. She hurried after her classmate, calling to him. Amity slowly followed her, not quite as invested as her girlfriend was in delivering the love letter to the boy, even if it was on behalf of a friend.
Moving as quickly as her legs would carry her, Luz closed the gap between her and Skara's boyfriend, Bryant. She called his name again, this time managing to get his attention. He stopped and waited for Luz to get closer, the human taking a moment to catch her breath when she finally did.
"Something up, Luz?" Bryant asked.
"Yeah… I almost forgot…" Luz panted, holding out the letter. "I need to give this to you. It's a love letter."
Bryant stared at the letter for a moment and then looked at Luz, tilting his head in confusion. "You're asking me out? Sorry, but I have a girlfriend already. I'm dating Skara."
"Oh, no that's not it." Luz started to explain. "This isn't from me. Skara gave it to me."
"She what?!" He exclaimed. "She's asking you out? But… that means she'd have to break up with me… And don't you have a girlfriend? You're dating Amity, right?"
Luz slapped her forehead, letting her hand run down her face before looking at him again. "No, dude. This is a letter from Skara, for you." She told him, thrusting the envelope out in her hand. "I'm just being the delivery witch."
"Oh! That's what's going on." Bryant replied, finally piecing things together. "Why didn't you just say that in the first place? Thanks, Luz!"
He took his letter and turned to leave again. Luz just stared at him, shaking her head slightly before going to return to Amity's side. When she turned around, she found Amity standing a short distance away, seeming somewhat amused. The smile on Amity's face didn't make Luz feel the usual fuzziness it usually gave her. She crossed her arms as she continued over to rejoin Amity, not looking as pleased as she did.
"I don't think it's funny." Luz commented. "I'm not trying to sound mean, but dang that guy is dense."
Amity giggled. "Skara always did think dumb boys were cuter. I can kind of understand why, although I only think that sort of quality is attractive in a cute girl. Like you."
"Aww." Luz cooed, her brightened mood quickly fading again as she realized what Amity was saying. "Hey!"
Another giggle escaped Amity, Luz joining her after a moment. They went back over to the Beast-keeping area and saw Camila coming back out of the smaller chamber-house. She met with them, looking as giddy as could be. Luz couldn't remember the last time she had seen her mother look so happy. The woman was practically glowing.
"You look like you just won a trip to Hawaii." Luz commented.
"A trip to Hawaii is nothing compared to this! Mija, I was having a conversation with a real dragon. I've even been invited back to spend more time with her, getting to join her and Professor Malick for some afternoon tea and pastries! It's like something out of a fairy tale!"
"That's awesome!" Luz said. "I'm so happy for you, Mamá!"
"And that's not all!" Camila continued. "Professor Malick also asked if I'd like to help care for some of the creatures in my free time! Of course I said yes, how could I not have?" She gushed. "I'm going to have to change availability at the clinic a bit so I can have time for my new 'volunteer job'. Mija, remind me to call them first thing when we get home."
"You got it!" Luz replied. "So, if you'll be coming back to assist with caring for the beasts, does that mean you've made your decision? About me staying here as a student?"
"As a matter of fact yes." Camila answered. "And we are going to see Principal Bump right now so I can tell him I'm okay with you continuing to taking classes here."
Camila resumed walking, heading directly for the door from which they had exited the main school. Amity and Luz exchanged excited looks, both silently squeeing. They held each other's hands and hopped in place to celebrate before running to catch up with Camila. After they reentered the school building, they made their way to Bump's office. The door was open, but Camila knocked anyway.
She was permitted to enter the office after a moment, Luz and Amity following but stopping shortly after stepping through the door. Camila approached the desk, Bump waiting with his hands folded in from of him expectantly. Luz was unable to keep still, she was practically bursting with joy. It took every last bit of self-control she had to not let out the biggest cry of happiness when her mother asked to officially sign her up as a student.
The matter was as simple as filling out some forms for Bump to keep with his other records. It hardly took more than a minute or two, followed by a handshake between Bump and Camila. Then Bump started to file away the paperwork and Camila turned to face Luz, finding herself being tackled in one of the most powerful hugs her daughter had ever given her. After she got past the surprise of the gesture, Camila knelt down and returned it, Luz nuzzling her face against Camila's shoulder.
"You're the best mom ever." Luz mumbled, squeezing her tightly. "I can't thank you enough for this."
"Mija, you earned this." Camila replied, patting her daughter's head. "After seeing how hard you're trying in this school, I wouldn't feel right making you switch to another one. And I'm so very happy you've made so many friends. More than anything else, that is what I wanted for you."
"I'm really happy to have made all my friends." Luz said, ended the hug, looking at her mother with happy tears in the corners of her eyes. "I'm going to keep trying my hardest. Just you wait and see, I'm going to become a witch you can be proud of!"
"Cariño, I am already proud of you." Camila said, caressing her child's face. "If for no other reason, I can be grateful you started going here because of how much you've grown. Even though you did it without my permission after running away."
Luz let out a nervous laugh. "Yeah, sorry about that. Again. I really wasn't trying to hurt you, Mamá."
"I know that, Luz. It just bothered me so much that you'd do that."
"Don't worry, I will never do anything like that again. Promise!" Luz said with a steadfast resolve. "It's the least I can do since you were cool enough to see the school today. I am so happy that you liked it here."
"Now don't get me wrong. There are definitely still some things I don't care for at this school." Camila told her, her gaze becoming very stern. "You had better not ever be sent to the Detention Pit. Because if you do, the punishment waiting for you at home will make the pit look like a day at the beach. Do you understand me, Mija?"
Luz gulped and nodded, a bead of sweat down her face. Satisfied, Camila stood upright again and Luz went to stand by Amity. Bump meanwhile had been patiently waiting for the mother and daughter to finish their little talk before approaching Camila again. In his hands was an envelope which he held out to her.
"If you would do me the favor of delivering this to Edalyn, it would be very much appreciated." He said. "And if you ever have any concerns, you are welcome to stop by so we can discuss them."
"Thank you, Principal Bump." Camila replied, taking the envelope and putting it into her bag. "I'll be sure to keep that in mind. I still don't understand a lot about magic, but I'll be doing my best to make sure my daughter does well in your school."
"I'm actually very glad you brought that up." Bump told her. "You see, there is one very important thing you could assist Luz with at home. She is the only student in her class who has yet to get a Palisman."
"I see… and that is something I would need to buy for her?" Camila asked.
"Well, yes, you could hire someone to carve one for you. But unfortunately their services have gotten rather expensive due to dwindling resources." Bump explained. "This year we had students adopt Palismans who no longer have owners and the process required our students to state their deepest desire. Luz was… lacking in conviction."
"So she wasn't able to find a Palisman who would let her adopt them." Camila concluded. "But, I don't understand. Luz is so eager to learn magic."
"She certainly is, there is no question about that." Bump replied. "But wanting to learn magic and knowing what you want to do with your education are different. I believe all she needs is a little guidance to find a way to make use of what she learns here after she graduates. Once she gets her staff, she may even be able to use magic in the human realm."
Luz gasped excitedly. "Do you really think so?"
"It wouldn't surprise me at all." Bump said with a chuckle. "Just be sure to use it responsibly."
"So… quick question." Luz replied. "Let's say I happened to get a piece of Palistrum wood to carve my own Palisman. Do I still need to have a whole career goal or whatever in mind to do that?"
Bump scowled a bit. "Whether you manage to 'find' some Palistrum wood to use or not, I'd still advise you have a clear goal in mind. Even when carving your own Palisman, that is important. It will help your Palisman become a kindred spirit on whom you can rely in any situation. If I may use myself for example…"
He snapped his fingers and Frewin roused. She relinquished the grip she had on her master's head and shifted into her staff form, landing in his open palm. Camila's jaw dropped as she saw Bump's full face, with the long scar running from his scalp down over his right eye and his luxurious, dark hair which cascaded behind him. Amity was equally stunned, staring at him as if she had turned into a completely different person. Bump paid them no mind and cradled Frewin affectionately with one hand.
"When I first carved Frewin in my youth, it was with the determination to become a teacher. I had learned to respect my own teachers when I was in school because of the efforts they went through to help me and my classmates better ourselves. Since then, she has helped me by being my eyes and being there for me on the more stressful days, when I needed someone to talk to."
"Aww, that's so sweet!" Luz commented. "So when you made her, did knowing what you wanted to do help you carve her? You know, decide what to carve?"
"Actually, yes. By focusing on my goals, Frewin's shape came to me almost naturally." Bump told her. "In a way, I may have modeled her after what I expected my students to be like." He added with a chuckle, stepping back over to his desk. "Now, I know that you all need to be heading to the H.A.S. meeting so I won't keep you any longer. Unfortunately I won't be able to attend after all, I need to resolve an incident that occurred in one of our Construction Track classes today."
"You mean the whole thing with Bean kicking Wortimer?" Luz queried.
Bump nodded. "Precisely. Their respective parents are being… unpleasant with each other. I may be preoccupied for a while. So if you don't' mind…"
"Of course. Thank you for taking the time to see us again." Camila said with a quick nod. "We'll leave you to your work now."
They stepped out of Bump's office, Amity glancing at the principal one last time before they got through the door. Once it was closed behind them, she still had a look of surprise on her face.
"Wow, I thought my siblings were messing with me when they told me that Principal Bump had gorgeous hair." She commented.
"I know, right?" Luz agreed. "It's crazy how good it looks!"
"Come along girls." Camila said. "We don't want to be late for the club meeting. Which way do we need to go?"
"This way." Luz replied. "Follow me."
Luz turned and went down the hall with her mother right behind her. Amity walked alongside Camila, smiling softly. Her gaze was fixed on Luz, a small sigh passing through her lips. She hesitantly tore her eyes away from the other girl and turned her attention to the woman beside her.
"Mrs. Noceda?"
"Yes, Amity? Did you need something?"
"I… I just wanted to say thank you." Amity told her. "For letting Luz continue going to school here."
"It was actually an easy decision, thanks to you." Camila replied.
"Me?" Amity asked, looking a bit puzzled. "How did I help?"
Camila giggled. "You did a very good job on the tour today. The way you explained things made it a lot easier for me to feel comfortable about the whole thing."
"Thank you. But it was nothing, really." Amity said, blushing a little. "I was just doing what I could to help Luz."
"Hermosa, it was not nothing." Luz cut in, falling back a bit to join them. "You were super helpful today! I'm gonna have to take you out on a super special date to thank you."
"Oh, I have an idea." Camila added. "Your Tia is having her wedding anniversary next month. I'll see to it that Amity can come with us. We can even go buy you a nice dress to wear for the occasion!"
"Um… yeah, sure… we can do that." Luz replied, not sounding too thrilled at the moment. "Or we could just go with some of the nice clothes I already have."
"Don't be silly, Mija. You should wear something nice and new for your girlfriend." Camila insisted. "Not to mention this is an important anniversary for your Tia. She's going to have been married to your Tio for twenty years now. They are going to renew their wedding vows and then she's going to even do the bouquet toss as part of the ceremony."
"Why would you throw the flowers? Is that some sort of tradition?" Amity inquired.
"Well, it's for good luck." Camila explained. "It is believed that the one who catches the bouquet will be lucky enough to be the next one to get married. Although it's all just superstition."
"That won't stop me from trying to catch it!" Luz declared, giving Amity a flirtatious glance. "I've got a very good reason to do it this time."
Amity's face went red in record time, making Luz giggle. Camila chided Luz for teasing her girlfriend as they continued on their way. Neither of them noticed that Amity was falling behind, the young witch still trying to process what Luz had just said. It wasn't until they had reached the club room that they realized she was not with them anymore. Luz called and waved to her, snapping Amity out of her daze and encouraging her to catch up.
Waiting inside of the room was Mattholomule. He was lounging in one of the seats the club members used. When they arrived, he leapt from the seat and rushed over to them. With a bit of flourish, he gave Camila a formal bow in greeting.
"Welcome, welcome. Please come in and make yourself comfortable, honored guest." He said. "I got a pair of special seats for both you and Luz.
He gestured to a pair of cushy armchairs sitting in the front of the room. Luz rushed over and hopped into hers, Amity going to take one of the regular chairs for the club members. Camila stayed by the door with Mattholomule, awaiting the rest of the club. Shortly afterwards a small group consisting of Gus, Eileen and Bo came down the hall. When he saw Camila at the doorway, Gus waved to her and then so did the girls. Camila returned the greeting, leaving Mattholomule mildly confused when he saw the display of familiarity.
The H.A.S. members filed into the room, Luz sharing the good news with Gus. Mattholomule frowned a bit as the others went to their seats. He crossed his arms and looked down the hall for the only member who was still not present. When Tobi finally did arrive, Mattholomule stepped in front of him, barring him from fully entering the room.
"Did you really tell them about Mrs. Noceda when I asked you not to?" Mattholomule asked condescendingly.
"What? No, I didn't!" Tobi replied. "I haven't even seen anyone since you told me at lunch! Well… except for Bo, but I didn't say anything."
"Then why aren't they surprised by our guest? You'd think they'd be freaking out!" Mattholomule exclaimed, throwing his arms out for emphasis. "It's not like they've met an adult human before!"
"Actually, they have." Luz piped up. "Everyone in the H.A.S. aside of Gus had a class with me today, so they've all met my mom already."
Mattholomule's face fell. "Oh, great. So much for giving everyone a big surprise." He grumbled.
"Don't worry, I got you, bro." Tobi said, strolling past the other boy. "Oh my Titan! Is that an adult human?!" He excitedly exclaimed, putting both hands to the sides of his face in awe. "So cool!"
His reaction got a chuckle out of Camila, as well as some giggles from Luz and Bo. Tobi went to sit down with the other club members, Bo still smirking from seeing his little act. Mattholomule went to stand up front, Camila taking her seat. He cleared his throat loudly to make sure had had everyone's attention and then began their meeting.
"Hello H.A.S. members." He began. "As you already know, we have a special guest today. This is the part where you'd all be gasping in excitement… if the surprise hadn't been ruined."
"Hey man, I was surprised." Tobi cut in. "Didn't you see?"
"Yeah, I saw." Mattholomule replied dryly. "Thanks anyways."
"I thought it was pretty good." Luz commented. "You were really convincing, Tobi!"
"Thank you." Tobi said proudly, bowing a bit in his seat. "As a bard, I put my best efforts into acting."
"Is that why you're able to act so cute all the time?" Bo asked, smirking playfully.
A light pink blush appeared on Tobi's cheeks, showing easily through his short, white fur. Bo giggled at the look on his face and Luz had to restrain herself from openly gushing about the potential ship she was seeing in the room. Mattholomule cleared his throat again, more loudly and repeatedly. Once he had all eyes back on him he quickly drew a spell circle, creating a short, square pillar of stone from the floor for her to place her things onto during the meeting. Then he took out a thermos of hot tea from his bag to set down for her.
"There you go. Would you like something to snack on during the meeting, ma'am?" He offered, reaching into his bag. "I got some spare snails if you'd like me to go buy something for you."
"That's very kind of you to offer, but I should be fine. Thank you." Camila replied.
"Alright, but if you change your mind, I'm at your service." Mattholomule informed her.
He went to sit down, taking a vacant seat between Gus and Amity. Gus gave the other boy a questioning look to which he got a dirty one in return. Things were quiet in the room for half a minute as Camila was not sure how to proceed. Despite having known about it in advance, she found herself at a loss as to what to say given the club's purpose.
"Um… hello everyone." She started. "I'm Camila Noceda, mother of your classmate Luz. But I guess you already know that since I met each of you at some point today during classes." She continued with a small laugh. "To be completely honest, I'm don't really know what to talk about as far as life as a human is concerned. So maybe we can just start things off with some questions."
Mattholomule's hand went up instantly. "How large of an egg did Luz hatch from?"
"Do baby humans need to feed on their parents' blood?" Bo inquired.
"Are humans endangered?" Tobi asked.
"How often do humans need to molt?" Gus queried.
"I've got another one." Mattholomule called out. "Do humans need to eat rocks to help them digest other foods?"
"For how long do humans hibernate each year?" Bo asked.
"What are human weddings like?!" Mattholomule blurted out suddenly.
Mattholomule blinked, slightly confused from hearing his own voice coming from the seat beside him. He wasn't the only one puzzled by this as both Camila and Luz had gotten a good view of Amity as she had hurriedly cast the spell which had altered her voice. Having let herself be caught so easily however left Amity feeling much more embarrassed than if she had chosen to ask her question normally. And with the way Luz was staring at her, Amity was starting to overheat.
Mumbling out a quick 'excuse me!', Amity got up from her seat and went for the door. She pulled her hood up to try and hide her glowing face as she exited the room. Luz got up from her seat as well, informing the others that she was going to check on Amity just before following her out the door. The questions resumed as she left, Eileen waving her hand high up to get Camila's attention.
As she stepped into the hallway Luz quickly looked around to try and spot her girlfriend. Her search was far easier than she expected as she discovered Amity was just outside the door. She was sitting on the floor, hugging her knees to her chest, her hood still covering her head. Luz crouched down in front of her to look her in the eyes and give her a reassuring smile.
"Hey, you." She said, softly and sweetly. "Do you wanna go for a little walk and talk?"
Amity nodded and Luz held out her hand, standing back up. Getting back onto her own feet, Amity took Luz's hand and the two began strolling down the hallway. At first Luz opted to keep silent, not wanting to rush Amity after how she had bolted out of the room. She'd wait until her girlfriend felt a little more comfortable first, letting her enjoy their time alone in the otherwise empty hallway. Once she felt enough time had passed, she gave Amity's hand a gentle squeeze.
"So… what happened back there?"
"It's pretty much how you saw it happen." Amity replied. "I don't know what I was thinking. I must've looked so stupid."
"Hey now, watch it with the self-insults." Luz chided. "You didn't look stupid. You were just curious, that's all. This is because of the wedding anniversary my mom invited you to, right?"
"Yeah… that part about the flower throwing thing has kind of been stuck in my head for a while now." Amity admitted.
"Oh, so that's why you got so quiet earlier." Luz noted with a kittenish smirk. "You were thinking about what would happen if either of us caught the bouquet, weren't you?"
"Maybe…" Amity answered shyly, her cheeks pinkening. "I-its' not like it would really mean anything though, right? It's only a tradition."
"Don't be silly, hermosa! It would totally mean something and it would be so cool if either of us did catch it!" Luz said, suddenly letting out a gasp. "Ohmygosh! We should try to catch it together!" She exclaimed, letting out another gasp. "That would be so much more special! I know! Let's go and practice that now!"
"What do you mean?" Amity asked.
"We'll go out front of the school and I'll make some flowers. Then you have your abomination toss them into the air and we'll try to catch them!" Luz explained. "We'll need to be ready for when the real thing happens. We only have a little over a month to prepare, so let's go!"
Luz quickened her pace, Amity needing a moment before she was able to start keeping up. While they were making their way to the front door, Luz took out her phone and sent a text to let her mother know that they were stepping outside. After a short wait, she got a response and Luz smiled ecstatically to finally be able to text with her mom again.
Amity meanwhile was still a bit flustered about everything. Her mind kept dancing around the idea of attending the event with Luz, getting to meet her family and enjoying their first dance since Grom night. The thought of having that moment again, this time as a couple, made her start feeling very keen on the idea of going. Especially with one particular detail that Mrs. Noceda had mentioned regarding Luz. Something which also had her very curious.
"Your mom said she'd be getting you a new dress to wear." She said, breaking the silence. "I've never seen you in one before."
"Hmm? Oh, yeah… well that's because I don't really wear dresses." Luz replied, looking a bit embarrassed. "They just don't look good on me, so I don't like wearing them. But don't worry, I'll be sure to have something super nice on, just for you."
"I want to see you in a dress." Amity stated, her heart fluttering as an image appeared in her head. "So, if it's for me, could you wear one?"
"I-if it's for you?" Luz replied nervously, her face getting pinker. "Well, I mean… maybe…. I dunno…"
"What if I helped pick it out?" Amity offered. "We could even get matching outfits if you like. I know I would…"
Luz stuttered out something that Amity didn't quite catch. They got to the front doors of the school and Luz hurriedly opened them, leading Amity outside. She pulled her hand from Amity's and dug into her pockets for a slip of paper and pen to draw a plant glyph. Amity pouted a bit, balling her hands up and giving Luz a slightly annoyed look.
"You haven't answered my question, Luz."
"We can talk about that later." Luz said, looking at Amity and taking a step backwards, towards the stairs. "We have a whole month until then, so there's plenty of time. For now, let's just practice catching the flowers, okay?"
She kept going, turning to face forwards again. However, she had misjudged just how far the top of the stairs were and found her foot was already over the edge. A surprise cry escaped her as she felt herself falling forwards. Luckily, Amity was close enough to catch Luz in time with her quick grabbers.
Amity pulled Luz back towards her, Luz practically colliding with her as a result. Luz managed to keep them from smacking their heads together by placing her hands onto Amity's shoulders, but the tips of their noses brushed over each other. Both their faces lit up and Luz felt Amity's arms wrapping around her.
"Are you okay?" Amity asked, her eyes locked with Luz's.
Luz nodded. "Uh-huh. Thanks for catching me." She said with a little giggle. "You know, with how you're holding me, it's almost like you're gonna…"
She felt something soft touching her lips. Her eyes went wide for a moment as she realized Amity was kissing her. And before she could fully process it, it was over. They separated, Luz staring absolutely dumbstruck at her girlfriend.
"I can't believe you did that." Luz whispered in awe.
Amity let go of Luz and stepped back, looking utterly mortified with herself. Her face went completely red and she began stammering, unable to get out a word at first. Luz got a sense of déjà vu and took Amity's hands with her own in case she tried to run off. Amity slowly gripped Luz's hands in return, finally managing to find her voice.
"T-that was not on purpose! I mean, it kind of was, but it's not like I was trying to take advantage of you or anything." She babbled. "I am so sorry!"
"What the heck are you apologizing for, Boots?" Called a familiar voice. "She's your girlfriend, just kiss her anytime you want!"
Both Luz and Amity looked down to find Eda waiting near the bottom of the stairs. Standing beside her was Willow, who was having a hard time hiding her amusement. The couple stared down at the two, their faces both going red again. Amity's shock escalated and she was rendered speechless again knowing someone had witnessed her bold move. Luz meanwhile was unable to keep her own surprise so well contained.
"Eda! How long were you standing there?!" She blurted out, her voice almost squeaking.
"Too long." Eda replied, putting her hands on her hips. "No one told me exactly when that nerd meeting was supposed to be over, so I've been standing here since school let out. If not for the Brawl-flower over here I'd be bored out of my mind."
"The Brawl-flower?" Luz repeated. "Since when did she get that cool nickname?"
"Forget about that for now." Willow replied. "What did your mom say? Is she okay with you staying a student here?"
Luz responded with a big smile and giving Willow a peace sign. "She is A-okay with it! I've been enrolled at Hexside! Officially this time!"
Willow let out an excited cry and rushed over to hug Luz. The two cheered and celebrated, Luz pulling Amity in to join them and snapping her out of her stupor. Eda made her way up the stairs, tapping Willow on the shoulder to get her attention.
"Sorry to break up your little party, but didn't you need to give Boots a message?" She mentioned.
"Oh thorns, that's right." Willow said, giving Amity an apologetic look. "Hate to give you bad news, but I saw Ed and Em after classes let out. They wanted me to tell you that you might be in big trouble. Your mom saw the Penstagram post where you pranked Boscha. She is not happy that you impersonated her."
Amity let out a groan. "Great, just great." She grumbled. "And the longer I wait to go home the worse my punishment is going to be."
"Aw, that means you have to go, doesn't it?" Luz asked sadly.
"I'm afraid so." Amity said with a sigh. "But I can still see you tomorrow morning before school. Provided my mother doesn't keep me locked up in my room."
"Well if she does, I'll just have to come break you out." Luz told her confidently. "We still need to continue our little chat about you interrupting my duel earlier."
"Right… that… sorry, again. It really bothers me that I cost you the duel." Amity admitted. "I'll find a way to make up for it. Maybe a fresh fairy pie?"
Luz paled a bit. "Oh well, that's sweet and all, but I don't want you to go through the trouble." She said nervously. "I just want to talk things out, you don't need to give me a gift to show you're sorry."
"Alright, if you're sure." Amity replied. "Until tomorrow then?"
"Meet you here bright an early, hermosa." Luz said, flashing a smile at her.
"So…. do you want us to look away so you two can smooch again?" Eda asked, cracking a smirk.
"Eda!" Luz exclaimed, blushing.
The Owl Lady cackled at her student's reaction, Luz fuming at her in return. Amity, who was just as flushed, quickly summoned her staff and departed for home, waving to them as she took off. Luz blew her a kiss and watched until she was gone from sight. Then she started to pass the time chatting with Willow and Eda while she waited for her mom to meet with them.
Not too long after Amity had left, Camila came out of the front doors of the school with Gus escorting her. They descended the steps and Camila looked around a bit confused. Luz quickly pieced together what was on her mother's mind and explained Amity's absence. Camila was a little disappointed that she couldn't have gotten to speak with Amity a bit more before she left, but understood why she needed to go so suddenly.
Gus and Willow had to head out not long after that, the two sharing one last quick hug with Luz before going their separate ways. Luz and Camila waved them off and then they and Eda started a slow stroll towards the edge of the school grounds. Camila took out the envelope she had gotten from Bump and held it out to Eda, who took it with a quirked eyebrow.
"What's this?"
"Something for you from Principal Bump." Camila simply replied.
Eda opened the envelope, pulling out the contents. "Alright, what this about? Oh… of course." She said, rolling her eyes. "The costs to fix the damages Luz caused. Well, I guess if it means she can keep going, then I'll pay them. I should be able to get some good money again now that I can start selling more human junk. Think you can help me get some good ones, kid?"
"Please don't involve her with this." Camila firmly insisted. "Now, how is Vee doing?"
"Oh she's just fine, don't worry about her." Eda replied. "She and King have been playing all day. He took a real liking to her. Probably because she looks like you, Luz."
"Aww! That's so sweet!" She cooed. "I can't wait to see him and tell him about today! I hope he isn't upset that I'm going home."
"Just make sure to visit so he can spend time with you." Eda said. "That won't be a problem, right Cammy?"
"I suppose that would be alright." Camila said. "We'll talk about it."
Eda got onto her staff, Luz hopping on next and then Camila. A short flight later and the Owl House came into view. Eda descended and then touched down out front, Hooty happily greeting them. After they dismounted Eda's staff, Luz rushed over to the house demon to tell him the news while Eda and Camila followed.
"Okay, last I checked King and Vee were playing by the tower out back." Eda said as they reached the door. "Hooty, go let them know I brought back Luz and Cammy, would ya?"
"You got it!" Hooty cheerfully replied.
Hooty stretched out to go around to the tower, opening the door as he did so. Eda, Camila and Luz went inside, Camila checking the time on her phone. It was later than she expected and now that she was finished with her day at Hexside, she suddenly recalled all the things back home that would need attention, especially with Luz finally coming back.
"Alright, go and get your things so we can leave." Camila told Luz, putting her phone away.
"Whoa, hold on just a minute." Eda said, stepping over to Camila's side. "You're gonna leave already? What's the rush? Why not stick around a little longer, maybe have dinner?"
"I would prefer to bring my daughters home, thank you." Camila crisply replied.
"Oh don't be so dull, Cammy. It's my treat, to celebrate you and Luz reuniting." Eda insisted. "Be honest, do you really want to go home and cook a meal for three after running around all day?"
"Could we, Mamá? Please?" Luz urged. "You didn't even have lunch when we were at Hexside, remember?"
As if to agree with her daughter, Camila's stomach growled. Eda smirked a bit and gave Camila a look as if she'd gotten leverage on her. Camila let out an annoyed sigh and went over to take a seat on the couch.
"Okay, fine. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to stay a little longer."
"That's more like it. Can't say I blame you for not wanting to eat the cafeteria food. It was bad back when I was a student there. A Slitherbeast knows more about cooking than the cafeteria demons ever will. Hang on, I got some take out menus somewhere around here."
She stepped out of the room to start searching, the sound of several things clattering to the floor sounding a moment later. Luz plopped down beside her mother on the couch, scootching right up beside her. Camila smiled and put her arm around Luz, who leaned against her and rested her head on Camila's shoulder. She let out a happy sigh, getting as cozy as possible.
Camila slowly leaned back into the sofa, closing her own eyes. While they enjoyed their peaceful moment, Vee ran into the room and spotted them. She stared for a moment and then pouted, her cheeks puffing out slightly in jealousy. Eda returned shortly after, looking at the two on her couch in surprise.
"Seriously? I was gone for three minutes tops." She said, casting a glance at Vee. "And what's eating you?"
"Nothing." Vee replied, averting her gaze to the floor.
"Oh I get it. Luz is in your spot, isn't she?" Eda noted, a smirk appearing on her face. "Guess you'll need to get used to sharing your mama with her. Don't worry, Cammy doesn't seem like she'd play favorites with her kids. Say, since they're snoozing, how about you and I pick out what to get for dinner? If they're still asleep when it gets here we can eat up all the good stuff ourselves."
"That doesn't seem very fair to them." Vee commented.
"Hey, there's a reason the saying goes 'you snooze, you lose'." Eda said, turning and going to leave the room again. "Come on, I'll show you some of the things I know are safe for Luz to eat while we let those two nap."
Eda and Vee stepped into the kitchen to look over their options for dinner. King entered the room and after seeing the two on the couch, climbed up and curled up in Camila's lap. He let out a yawn and rested his head, Camila smiling and opening one eye partway to adore him. She gently started to stroke his fur and closed her eye again, relaxing after her busy day with some very long overdue mother-daughter time.
To Be Concluded.
