Two days have passed since Luz, Lilith and Maxwell have journeyed through the time pools while time traveling when they met Philip Wittebane in the Deadwardian Era of The Boiling Isles and found out about how he's not who they believed him to be, especially with how they confronted him physically and verbally. Even during the events of Luz, King, Hooty and even Maxwell finally meeting Dell Clawthorne, Eda and Lilith's father and Gwendoyln's husband.
Meeting Dell was feeling like a blessing has been given them all. Meeting Dell in Luz's case was like meeting a grandfather figure as well as it was for King meeting him, Hooty felt the same but felt like he actually got to meet one of the nicest people he's ever met.
Maxwell meeting Dell on his end was more of him witnessing a miracle from the good lord himself. Everyone was at first worried about how Maxwell meeting Dell and Dell meeting Maxwell would turn out since Maxwell wanted to make a first good impression on Dell as he feared that he might deny the blessing to be with Eda while they also felt nervous about how Dell meeting Maxwell would be like since they put in a good word for Maxwell yet Dell has become well aware of Maxwell's rough upbringing and Dell knew that Maxwell needed a father figure since his real father wasn't a loving man.
What they all didn't expect was that Maxwell healed Dell of his scars, gave him back his left eye, healed his back, and all of his bodies scars and permanent injuries he sustained from the past. He no longer had to walk with a staff but he still used the staff for his palisman to interlock with it. Dell was very grateful of what Maxwell did for him.
They were inside the Owl House as Luz and Maxwell were bonding with Dell and he bonded with them. Dell was well aware of Maxwell's rough upbringing, how close he was to his mother, how abusive Daston is, how his life before meeting them wasn't a good one as well as how he was bullied at his old school but how he learned to show respect towards women and his elders from his own mother as well as him being a Christian like his mother.
He was well aware of Luz's situation where she felt like she didn't fit in back in the human realm, how she was bullied, seen as a weirdo to others, how she came to the demon realm and all that she's experienced in her time there, even with how she like Maxwell had some good and bad experiences in the demon realm. Even finding out about King and his life as well as how King was brought up by Eda. Everything he found out about those he didn't meet until now was told to him by Gwendolyn and Lilith.
"Everything I've been told by Lilith, my wife Gwendolyn, sometimes I call her Gwendy and she sometimes calls me Delly. From what I've been told. I should say to both of you. Luz and Maxwell, or Maxie. You both should know that you always have a home here with us at the Boiling Isles. Anyone who says anything bad about the two of you. They're wrong about anything bad they say about the two of you. Luz, there's nothing wrong with who you are, some of the greatest people in history were a bit weird themselves. There's nothing wrong with who you are. Them bad people, you have something they don't, a heart and soul, your positive influence has changed a lot people and a lot of everything here at the Boiling Isles for better. All of that wouldn't have happened if you weren't here to make it happen. You're a blessing to this world." said Dell giving Luz a word of encouragement. He looked towards Maxwell. "Maxie, same said for you, your positive influence here at the Boiling Isles on everyone and everything has changed a lot for the better. Your mother, for how long you've had her, she's done a good job raising you. Her influences on you has made you the man you've become and she'd be proud of you for the man you've become, as well as you are becoming Eda's husband. Any bad thing Daston or any bad thing someone said about you isn't true. You've become the man you want to be and not what Daston wanted you to be. Luz is becoming a wonderful woman as you are becoming a wonderful man. God's proud of both of you. But if Daston tries to harm you two or anyone I love. It'll be the last thing he does. I'm proud to have a human like Luz a second granddaughter and a man like Maxie as my son. I don't discriminate against anyone. I'm accepting of anyone be it human, witch, demon, or even a hybrid of two species. I also don't discriminate against those on whom they choose to love."
Dell pulled them both in his arms to hug them and hearing his loving words filled their hearts with so much love that they wrapped their arms around him to hug back. Even King joined in on the group hug.
"I heard about what Mr. and Mrs. Blight did to Luz. While I agree what they did to Luz and her friends is beyond pure evil. I'm glad that your friends, even my daughter, came to your rescue as well as the teachers and principal of your school. Yet it goes without saying. I heard how they were exposed of their crimes to everyone." said Dell with a grin. "I may be against spanking but with how Eda and Maxie punished Mr. and Mrs. Blight for what they've done to Luz. To be honest. The second I heard how they were given karma in that fashion."
Maxwell let out a hiccup as he knew that how him and Eda punished Odalia and Alador for their actions got out to probably the whole population of the Boiling Isles. He blushed while Eda laughed a bit with a snort.
"A bit extreme on my part." Maxwell admitted.
"Ophelia hiney and her husband Alaboring were asking for it. No one hurts my Luz." said Eda proudly. "But I will admit that spanking the Blight parents while they were locked in the stocks was pretty funny. They actually peed a little."
Gwendolyn let out a cough but was trying to hide a chuckle or laugh. She was aware of how Odalia and Alador were given a taste of their own medicine but tried not to laugh about it.
"Let the record show that my man didn't hit a woman." Eda pointed out.
"She speaks the truth." said Maxwell.
"We all were there for Luz, even if I had to read Principal Bumpersticker and the entire school's workforce the riot act. Still, we were all there for Luz. It was good that Maxie had a psychic vision to keep us all alert that day or we'd be totally unaware of what was happening next. We were terrified of what could've happened to Luz. With how Luz's friends, my man and I taking on our enemy. Not going to lie. We were on fire." said Eda expressing worry for Luz while slightly bragging. "I'll admit. I bragged a bit."
"You could say that Eda gets some of her bragging from me. I've bragged here and there." Dell admitted.
Eda laughed as they all knew that Dell had to be admitting the truth since Eda does brag here and there and Eda's reaction shown the truth. Maxwell took a look at Dell's palisman who was a yellow cardinal bird with a raven black shade all over its face and chest. It had brown eyes and the palisman would chirp happily at Maxwell.
"Your palisman is a yellow cardinal. We have cardinal birds in the human realm located in a few places of South America such as Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay." said Maxwell identifying the palisman bird species.
The palisman looked as though it was smiling at Maxwell while uttered a few happy chirps while Dell appeared to have been informed about Maxwell's ability to communicate with palismans by the Bat Queen.
"From what the Bat Queen has told me. You can communicate with palismans as well as you can have them obediently listen and follow a command you give to them?" Dell pointed out.
"Communicate with them, yes, control or command them, no, I wouldn't say command or control. I prefer to call it bonding. It's based on respect, love and peace. I believe that palisman are people with souls like us." answered Maxwell. "Poti sa-mi spui numele tau?"
Dell's palisman uttered two chirps which Maxwell was able to understand what the paslisman told him.
"You named him Malone." said Maxwell looking proud.
"Named him after an uncle of mine. The very second he heard the name Malone, he responded to it with glee and the name stuck." chuckled Dell. "I heard from Lilith that you suggested the name Michael for her palisman?"
"Named after Saint Michael. The archangel." Maxwell revealed. "On the way back. We asked him how he would feel about that name and he apparently liked it."
Lilith's palisman, a white male raven, uttered a few gentle yet raspy cooing sound as if to show his response that being named Michael after this archangel was the name he was preferring since it did branch from his usual nicknames. Michael smiled and winked at them.
"I'll be honest, Maxie. I've heard from what little information has been said about a human witch hybrid species and from what I know, have heard of, or from what I've dug up. Now that I know it's true that the hybrid can communicate as well as command palismans, or as you've said, bond with them, even if the palisman belongs to someone else. Just as it says that they can choose to have a palisman or not, they're so powerful that they may not require one but they can choose if they want one or not. Still, I'm proud to call you my son and Luz my granddaughter. No matter if you're human, witch, demon, a hybrid or a mix of all species. I will always love you both as much as I love those close to me." said Dell proudly.
Dell embraced the two in his arms and they embraced him back as well as King embraced him. Luz felt her heart swell with love and pride from Dell's beautiful yet loving words while Maxwell felt the same while shedding a tear from joy.
"Papi." said Maxwell happily.
"Papi means daddy." Luz translated.
"Me and Dell have been married for a good forty-five years and even how we met as well as how we got to know each other was similar to how Eda and Maxie met and got to know one another. When Dell fell in love with me. He was terrified of me." Gwendolyn revealed.
"Others expected me to have fallen in love with her beautiful appearance when I know a loving man falls in love with a woman's personality and the loving actions of her heart. I did used to be afraid of Gwendy as no other woman made my heart pound harder. We kept meeting one another no matter what we were doing. But we did get to know each other that way and I'm glad that we got to know each other and that we met the way we did." Dell further revealed proudly while blushing as he admitted he used to be afraid of Gwendolyn.
"I fell in love with Dell because of his kind heart. He's still a gentleman after all these years as is eternity." said Gwendolyn proudly.
Hearing how Dell and Gwendolyn first met, got to know each other and how they were throughout the years felt like it was similar to how Eda and Maxwell first met and got to know one another. Maxwell felt a surge of inspiration rising inside him as Luz, King and Maxwell released their arms from Dell and both Dell and Gwendolyn approached each other and embraced each other.
Maxwell muttered the word "Ongaku" and he conjured up a couple of drums, a piccolo and a guitar out of thin out while they began to play by themselves and it played rock and roll music and Maxwell was singing his beautiful voice to the music as Dell and Gwendolyn saw how Maxwell was setting the mood for them. He would be singing out "Tweedle-lee-deedle-lee-dee" six times and "Tweet" four times and began singing the big number as he sounded like a famous singer on the radio.
"He rocks in the tree-top all day long. Hoppin' and a-boppin' and a-singin' his song. All the little birds on Jay Bird Street. Love to hear the robin go tweet tweet tweet. Rockin Robin"
As the music kept going and Maxwell's beautiful singing voice was serenading the mood. Both Dell and Gwendolyn began slow dancing together in the living room as both Luz, Maxwell, King, Eda, Lilith and Hooty were watching the old married couple slow dancing to Maxwell's rock and roll music. Hooty was dancing around, Michael, Malone, Hawksley and Owlbert were grooving to the beat while at times uttering cute little bird sounds to the music. Everytime a "Tweet" was uttered, it was uttered by the palisman.
"Rockin' robin, rock, rock, rockin' robin. Hello, rockin' robin 'cause we're really gonna rock tonight. Tweet. Every little swallow, every chickadee. Every little bird in the tall oak tree. The wise old owl, the big black crow. Flap-a their wings singin' "go bird go" Rockin' robin. Rock, rock, rockin' robin. Hello, rockin' robin 'cause we're really gonna rock tonight. Hello!"
As the old married couple would dance to the music. Maxwell and the bird like palisman would whistle to the music as it added more to the upbeat sound.
"Maxie sure knows how to set the mood like you've told me. But seeing and hearing him sing in person as you've described. It feels like we're in our twenties again." chuckled Dell.
"Just as I told you. He really is the perfect man for our Edalyn." said Gwendolyn blushing.
"And i agree." Dell admitted.
"A pretty little raven at the bird bandstand. Taught him how to do the bop and it was grand. They started goin' steady and bless my soul. He out-bopped the buzzard and the oriole. He rocks in the tree-top all day long. Hoppin' and a-boppin' and a-singin' his song. All the little birds on Jay Bird Street. Love to hear the robin go tweet tweet tweet. Rockin Robin. Rockin' robin, rock, rock, rockin' robin. Hello, rockin' robin 'cause we're really gonna rock tonight"
Even as the song kept going, Maxwell's singing was powerful yet beautiful, the palismans bird like vocal sounds singing to the beat, all of which made the slow dancing between Dell and Gwendolyn all the more romantic. Eventually, the music died down, Maxwell's singing stopped, the musical instruments stopped and disappeared without a puff of smoke and the palisman uttered the last bird like sounds to end the song as both Dell and Gwendolyn shared a kiss to each other's lips for a moment.
"Just like when we were younger. We still got it." said Dell.
"And just like at our wedding. We know that the only one we want to grow old with is each other." said Gwendolyn.
"And I'm with you for eternity." said Dell proudly.
The two chuckled, smiled and shared another kiss. Eda and Lilith stood next to Luz, King and Maxwell as they looked on with grins at their parents having a romantic moment.
"So your mom and dad met and got to know each other like we did in similar circumstances?" said Maxwell blushing.
"I might not have told you, Luz, King or Hooty much about my past and family. But the story on how our folks met and fell in love. It's similar to how we met and fell in love. But there was no curse involved." explained Eda as she took Maxwell's hand. "But I'm glad I met you as much as I'm glad that I met Luz and King. I'll admit. I didn't think I meet the man of my dreams but I'm glad I did."
"As am I." Maxwell told as he took hold of Eda's hand.
Eda and Maxwell shared a kiss together and it got dark soon after.
The Second Day
The morning was a pleasant time for everyone and after breakfast. Dell, Lilith and Gwendolyn said their goodbyes to Eda, King, Luz, Maxwell and Hooty while Dell, Gwendolyn and Lilith took off for him on their staffs, knowing they'll meet again. Just as they were out of sight and earshot. Maxwell smiled and he felt prouder than he has been since the day that Gwendolyn reconciled with him and everyone as well as receiving her blessing to marry Eda. Now that Dell has become the true father figure to him and he's already got his blessing to marry Eda. He felt like he was on top of the world.
Eda, Luz, King and Hooty knew what was on Maxwell's mind as he looked up at the morning sky and the sun. Eda smiled as she knew what he had on his mind no doubt.
"I know what Maxie's feeling right now." said Eda with a chuckle.
"I have his blessing and he called me hijo, his hijo." chuckled Maxwell blushing.
"Hijo means son." Luz translated.
Maxwell walked forwards and huge white wings formed on his back as he flapped his wings and flew high up into the air as he cheered "Papi gave me his blessing!" and he flew into the air as if he were an angel who just got his wings. He flew around in the air around the town of Bonesborough and around the Owl House. Eda, King, Luz and Hooty saw him flying in the air overjoyed. He only shown off in a mature manner, not an immature manner.
"I got both their blessing! Glory to God! Praise God! Praise the Lord! Hallelujah!" cheered Maxwell.
"You think he's on top of the world right now? Looks like more he's become king of the world as if Emperor Bonehead was defeated as well as Daston." said King looking proud.
"He's as free as a bird right now." Eda said with a grin.
Other people in the town of Bonesborough saw Maxwell flying in the air as they heard the news that Dell has now given him his blessing to marry Eda once he's reached legal age. His future in being Eda's husband was now set.
"Is that a kid?" said a tall and muscular male orc.
"It's the southern gentleman. Didn't you hear? He's received the blessing from the owl lady's parents to marry her once he's eighteen. OMG! He's the luckiest man in the world right now, big smiley face, honey." said an effeminate voiced man with a slender body who had to be some species of reptile. "Fabulous!"
Many of the town locals were cheering for Maxwell when they heard the news and saw him flying. Many would cheer or chant "all hail the southern gentleman" and eventually, Maxwell flown back to the Owl House and his wings disappeared. As he landed on the ground, he was met with a kiss by Eda and he kissed her back.
"Proud to be his younger brother." said King proudly.
"Proud to be his sister." said Luz proudly.
They pulled their lips off each other in a loud pop as Maxwell uttered a happy laugh and suddenly snorted. He stopped immediately as he blushed.
"Looks like I'm not the only one who snorts when I laugh." said Eda.
"I'm grateful that I met you, Luz, King, Hooty and your family as well as your friends. I'm happy that I'm now officially your future husband as Mr. Clawthorne. Once I'm eighteen or older that is." said Maxwell blushing.
"As am I that it's officially set for our future." said Eda as she hugged Maxwell and he hugged her back.
They all engaged in a group hug which Eda had something on her mind to ask.
"Judging by what you, Luz and Lilith told me when you found those time pools. This Philip guy, he turned out to be a lying jerk, didn't he?" asked Eda curiously.
"After everything we told you about that adventure and the events that followed. Big time." Luz answered. "Even though Lilith sucker punched him in the face. Maxie, however, let's just say he given Philip a personal beat down when he crossed the line. As well as lecturing him. Philip turned out to be, well, he turned out to be quite racist and misogynistic."
"He said some prejudice remarks about women and called Maxie the you know what word, didn't he?" Eda guessed.
"Yes!" said Luz and Maxwell in unison.
"I'm glad that Lilith and my man was there to keep you protected as well as my man kept you and my sister protected. If I was there, I probably would've done worse to him." said Eda. "And this jerk was somehow responsible for the deaths of others in that diary we've seen entries of from the echo mouse as well as what we heard?"
There was a silence met when Eda asked the last question out of curiosity. They knew that from what Maxwell found out when he delved into Philip's mind was that in every entry they saw or heard from in the diary that said if someone or more died in a journey or mission that he went on and if it resulted in the deaths of those who helped him. Those deaths were never an accident. Philip sacrificed them, used them as bait or a distraction to get what sought out for. Meaning he wasn't a tragic victim, he was a liar, manipulative and murderous man.
"Yes." answered Maxwell grimly. "His mind was no closed book and delving into his mind was when I saw hell. Forgive me for the language."
"Not worry, I can at least let that mentioning of that swear word slide this one time. But just like me and you said. No swearing in my house." Eda reassured.
"Yes ma'am." said Maxwell with a hiccup.
"Also, within a few days. You two will be at Hexside again. I know you'll be happy to see your friends at school again. But while there, be sure to look out for each other. Ever since the Blight parents psychotic actions and what went on during and after Palisman Adoption Day. I'm starting to think that school could be cursed with bad luck and not because it was built on the bones of its rival, Glandus High." said Eda showing her worry.
"I'll keep an eye on Luz." Maxwell reassured.
"And I'll keep an eye on Maxie." reassured Luz.
"Speaking of Hexside. Isn't there some event going on there once they go?" asked King curiously.
"Gus did say it was Club Fair day at Hexside once we return there for school." Luz answered.
"What's Club Fair day?" asked Maxwell curiously.
They looked at Maxwell and they forgot for a moment that he didn't know what Club Fair day was. Luz only knew what it was from what Gus informed her about but she hadn't run it by Maxwell yet.
"Oh, at Hexside. The Club Fair is a yearly school event taking place at Hexside in which students at Hexside can partake in many different activities, each related to a club at the school. The Club Fair is held in the courtyard of, featuring multiple rows of stands. At least one student is running a stand at a time. The fair features new and existing clubs, and the new ones must be approved by teachers. I once tried having a joke shop club but the pranks were also a bit naughty." chuckled Eda with a grin.
"What pranks happened that day for you?" asked Luz curiously.
"I was showing people how they could pull just simple basic pranks but everytime they came. I gave them a cookie to eat but they had no idea till later on that I laced them cookies with clownified potions or persistent flatulence potions and each one of them was farting at the worst time randomly for a while or they'd temporarily look more like a clown where their ears were big as dinner plates, their noses turning red and grew to the size of my fist, their lips turned red and enormous, their skin turned powdered white, their hair turned a goofy looking color and they talked funny as if they ingested helium. I died laughing so hard. Ha!" Eda revealed while giving a laugh.
"Someone was a pranking devil growing up." said a surprised King.
"It was the funniest prank I ever pulled." said Eda giggling.
"You may be a lovable rebel but you're my lovable rebel." said Maxwell proudly.
Eda smiled and gave both Luz and Maxwell a kiss to their foreheads. As the day went on. Back at the Emperor's Castle. Emperor Belos was talking to Daston which Daston had a cigar on him which he didn't have it in his mouth yet as he held it in his right hand.
"You had a vision as you've stated?" said Emperor Belos.
"In my vision. My son already has the blessing from the parents of that bitch he's in love with and intents to marry her once he's eighteen. They may even produce children in the future. So it looks like my son is going to have children with this whore and they'll be hybrids too." said Daston looking disgusted. "Even you know how that'll effect the witch and demon bloodline."
"Just like how you mated with a human and it resulted in the first hybrid?" said Emperor Belos with a tone of sarcasm.
"I may have brought my son into this world but I can easily take him out if you just allow me to do it. What are you waiting for?" argued Daston.
"I need him alive for my plans. So your request to take him out for good is denied." Emperor Belos commanded.
"Fine! But what do we do if he interferes with your plans or is at risk of stopping or foiling this so-called plan of yours?" asked Daston.
"Then leave it to me." Emperor Belos told him.
"Why do you get to have all the fun? Since I've made that deal with you and have been working with you. I've been stuck here at this castle. At least the luxuries here make the boredom disappear. The wine is better than anything I've had in the human realm. But now I'm down to my last cigar. And it's La Aroma de Cuba brand." complained Daston.
"I can do you one better." said Emperor Belos pulling out what looked like a small suitcase.
The suitcase he pulled out was from behind him. It was made of wood and he used his magic to make it float over to Daston and as he grabbed it. He looked at it curiously as he opened it by undoing the metal latch to it and once he opened it. To his delight there was four big boxes of cigars in there. Each box was big enough as they shown the amount on each box read they were a pack of twenty-five and in the middle center of the box was a golden cigar lighter with the Emperor's Coven sigil engraved on it. He now had a total of one-hundred Cuban cigars in his possession. He looked up at Emperor Belos with a look of shock.
"How?" asked Daston.
"There was once a human that came to the Boiling Isles hundreds of years ago who one day disappeared without a trace and decades ago one of my guards found the cigars that came from the human realm but unfortunately, the ones from hundreds of years ago were of no use to anyone and time had them wither away. But one of my guards had some of his co-workers replicate them to their original form. The brand those cigars are from are unknown but the previous box they found the originals in had only one word on the box that wasn't faded off." Emperor Belos explained.
"What was it?" asked Daston.
"It read Cuban. I assume it's a place in the human realm." answered Emperor Belos.
"Did you just say Cuban cigars? As in the best cigars ever made?" said Daston his face lighting up.
"I may not know anything about Cuban or what that is but I do know what a cigar is. I've noticed you smoke those and no one in the Emperor's Coven smokes. The last witch who smoked in my coven quit smoking over ten years ago. But you appear to be a man who has a fine taste for them. And there's a cigar lighter with it." Emperor Belos further explained.
"Thank you very much. Want me to light one up for you? It'll be a thank you gesture." Daston offered.
"I don't smoke but thanks anyway." Emperor Belos kindly declined.
"Your loss." said Daston sounding sarcastic. "I'll walk myself out of the throne room."
As Daston closed the box and walked out of the throne room with it. He went down the hallway leading out of the throne room and was taking a turn to the right. He looked like he was walking with a new spring in his step as he began to sing and he apparently wasn't a bad singer. He was actually a pretty good singer.
"Ahora vengo mama chola mama chola. Ahora vengo mama chola, East Coast. Ahora vengo mama chola mama chola. Ahora vengo mama chola, West Coast. Maria, Maria-a-a-a, oh, she fell in love in East L.A-A-A-A. I said it to the sounds of the guita-a-a-ar, yeah, yeah, played by Carlos Santana"
Daston made it outside and stood somewhere on a balcony where he was still within the castle but just standing out on the balcony. He pulled out one of the cigars from the box, took the cigar lighter and pushed a button on it that had a blue flame come out. placing the cigar in his mouth and the flame to its tip, lighting up the nine in a half inched long cigar. He puffed it up and blew the smoke out in a long breath. He smiled.
"Definitely the Montecristo No. 2 Cuban cigar brands. Emperor Bores-a-lot doesn't know what he's fucking missing when it comes to smoking one of these babies. This is definitely the king of Cuban cigars." said Daston happily.
Emperor Belos was starting to think of something as he was talking about something in the throne room.
"That oughta keep that man happy for a while or long after the Day of Unity is to come. Too bad he won't live to survive the events like every witch and demon in this realm." said Emperor Belos.
But there was someone who was eavesdropping on what Emperor Belos said. The person was pressing her ear against the door to the throne room and this person eavesdropping on him was Kikimora.