A few days passed and Eda returned, with some news, only for Luz though. She stated how she didn't want to get anyone's hopes up, with Hunter thought was weird, but he is crashing with a wanted criminal from the Emperor's Coven so he didn't have room to talk. Lilith watched the Owl House while she was gone. Since Eda's return, which was a few hours ago, Lilith decided she would spend some time at the Owl House. She didn't see why she should leave so early. So she stayed. She only planned on staying for the night and then head back with her mother, or so she said.
Hooty was really happy to see Lilith, and Luz called her "Aunt Lilith" for some reason. Hunter knows that they aren't related...unless they are. He has no proof that they aren't. Sure, he's already met Camila a few weeks ago, but she never said anything about being related to a witch. She also didn't mention not being related to one.
Luz invited Gus, Willow and Amity over earlier and they've hung out until Eda came back.
"All right! Now that everyone's here, there is something I have to explain to you all!" Luz exclaimed, clapping for their attention. The group gathered around Luz. "Everyone all ears?" she checked. There were a few nods and verbal agreements.
"Great!" Luz held up a hat. "Okay, inside this hat are names." She handed the hat to Amity first, who eagerly put her hand inside. "The name you get is your Secret Santa. The person on your paper is not allowed to know that you got them."
"So, it's like a secret?" Willow checked.
"Exactly!" Luz replied, pointing at her with her free hand. Gus reached his hand inside the hat and stared at the paper. "What is a Secret Santa?" Lilith asked.
"Great question!" Luz smiled. "A Secret Santa is a person you have to work secretly to get a gift for! For example, let's say I got Gus. Gus would not know that I have him but I would work to get him a gift without him knowing!"
"Oh! That's simple!" Willow replied.
"It really is!" Luz said.
"So, we get a gift for one person?" Amity checked.
"Yep! Just one gift for one person!" Luz glanced at Eda. "Unless you want to get another gift for someone else. Remember, it's not about the gift, but about the heart!"
The hat was passed to Eda who reached her hand in and pulled out two names. She folded them both and threw one back in. King was next so Luz bent down for him to reach into the hat. Hooty and then Hunter. "This is exciting!" Amity cheered.
"It's a little tradition my mom and I do every year! We have our neighbor's name in a hat and get them gifts, since we can't do each other."
"This'll be fun!" Hooty exclaimed.
"It will!" Luz replied.
Lilith looked at her paper for a second. "What do we do if we don't know the person?"
"Another great question, Aunt Lilith! Like I said, it doesn't matter about the gift, but the heart put into it! The spirit of Christmas isn't about the stuff you get, but about the time spent together! Any more questions?"
"Can it be anything?" King asked.
"Yep! Just so long it's not going to kill you. I'll put a limit there," Luz implied. "Okay! Everyone has names now so we're all good!"
"If Christmas is in December, then why do the Secret Santa thing so early?" Eda asked.
"That way, you have plenty of time to think of a gift! All right, you are all good to go! Hooty, make sure your Secret Santa doesn't see your name."
"Got it!" Hooty said, looking at his once more before eating it.
Hunter continued to sit at the table after everyone left. "Willow," he whispered. "What do I get her? It has to be perfect for the captain..." He rested his chin on his right hand and stared at the paper. "What does Captain like?"
Night came. Hunter sleeps in an extra room Eda found for him. Luz brought over the air mattress he was sleeping on at her house and gave that to him for a while. Eda gave him a dresser she found on the beach, which he assumed got washed up, and a crystal ball. His room isn't very pretty but it's something.
He has a few pictures taped to the wall near his dresser, one of the summer in Luz's world, one of the Owl House family, including Hooty and himself, and one of the Flyer Derby team. On his dresser is the crystal ball, a figure, and a pink frog stuffed animal, which Luz got for him sneaking into the Emperor's Coven and grabbing some of the stuff in his room.
One other thing that Luz brought in was a picture of himself and Flapjack, which he has on his dresser. It still makes him a little sad but yet, he feels better looking at it.
Hunter crawled onto his mattress and threw the blanket over him. It doesn't feel the same sleeping without Flapjack, but he has to stick with it. Flapjack's gone and there is nothing he can do about it. The past is in the past. However, if he could change it, he would go back and tell himself that there is nothing to worry about. That Belos is no longer there. That Flapjack should not intervene. That...that he misses him.
Who knew? Who knew that he would ever like a palisman? Who knew that he could keep Flapjack secret for long enough? Who knew that he could ever learn to love one? Who knew that his first friend would be a palisman? Who knew it would hurt so much to loose him? Who knew it would hurt so much to live on without him? Who knew that it would hurt so much to loose a palisman? Not just any palisman, his palisman, his friend.
Hunter sighed. He can't just keep living like this. It's not good for him. He's lived like this long enough. Living through a lie. Living through his false truth. He can't keep going. Not like this. He needs to be strong, for Flapjack.
Hunter curled into a ball, puling his blanket up to his chin. "Goodnight, Flap," Hunter said quietly. Within a few minutes, he fell asleep.
Darkness. Nothing but darkness. At least he can see his own hand in front of his face. A light shone through the darkness. Following instinct, he headed towards the light.
Inside the light is a field of flowers. Weird. A flower field? "Where am I?" Hunter asked, examining the flowers.
A child ran through the field, however, the child was dropping dark fluid behind him. Just as quick, the trail of fluid caught fire. Hunter stumbled backwards and down the hill. He grabbed a tree as the world flipped upside down. "What is happening?" he asked. His hand slipped from the branch and fell.
His descent ended when he hit water. He began to swim, but to no avail. He tried to swim harder, but still no luck. He reached his hand up to the only sliver of light that remained, before his eyes closed.
When he came to, he was on solid ground in an area he's never seen before. He looked around. "Luz? Willow? Gus?" No reply came. "Eda?" he tried again. Still nothing.
He began to walk. If he could get here, there has to be a way out. He stopped at a wall. Maybe he should try up? He looked up. Darkness flooded into the room as a crack in the ceiling grew bigger and bigger.
Darkness again. Eyes began to appear and look at him. They aren't just looking at him, they are glaring at him. Some began verbally muttering. "The Golden Guard. Who does he think he is, bossing us around like we're nothing?"
"The Golden Guard is worthless. He does nothing right!"
"The Golden Guard has no friends."
"The Golden Guard can't do things right! He always tells us to do his dirty work for him! Belos likes him for some reason. What does he see in him?"
"What good traits does the Golden Guard have? All he does is sit in his room all day and give us orders! He doesn't do anything for himself!"
Hunter fell to his knees and clutched his head. "No, no, no, no, NO! This isn't real! It's just my head!"
The murmurs continued. More eyes formed and began to murmur as well. "Please...stop..." Hunter whispered.
The voices stopped. Hunter looked up. Luz smiled back down at him. "It's okay, Hunter," she reassured. "I'm here."
Hunter smiled. Luz held out a hand and Hunter accepted. However, when he stood up, Luz was no longer standing in front of him. Instead, it was Belos. "Belos!" Hunter gasped. He stepped backwards.
"What's wrong, Hunter? You don't trust your uncle anymore?" Hunter didn't reply. "Ah, too bad. I was going to give you a promotion."
The eyes appeared again, surrounding both of them. Hunter grabbed his head and shook it. "This isn't real. It's just in my head. This isn't real. It's just in my head!" Hunter told himself.
Belos waved his arm, making the eyes vanish. "Don't worry, Hunter. I'll protect you." Belos walked towards Hunter, who just walked backwards, into a wall. Hunter looked behind him and back at Belos again. "We can be a family again, Hunter. Don't you want that?"
"No!" Hunter yelled. "Stay away from me!"
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. I thought I raised you better than that." Belos stopped in front of Hunter. "One more chance, Hunter." He held out a hand. "Join me, Hunter. Together, we'll be a family again."
Hunter said nothing. He just shook his head. "Oh, Hunter. What happened to you?" Belos glided backwards. "You either join me, or you don't get to live."
Water poured from the ceiling. "Goodbye, Hunter," Belos said. Everything around him turned dark, except for Belos' eyes, which continued to glow. Before water filled the small space completely, Flapjack flew towards him. Hunter reached for him before Belos grabbed him. Once again, he witnessed Flapjack's murder.
Hunter sat up, breathing heavily. He wiped some tears from his eyes. "It was just a dream. It was just a dream..." Hunter clutched his chest to slow down his heart's beating. "Just a dream...just a dream..."
Hooty came in through the window. "Hey, you okay?" he checked. When Hunter nodded, Hooty came around to meet Hunter's panicked expression. "You can't lie to me! I am the Owl House itself!"
Hunter still didn't reply. Instead, tears flowed down his cheeks. "Did you have a nightmare?" Hooty asked quietly. Hunter nodded. "Do you want to talk about it?"
"No," Hunter replied. Hooty paused for a second. "You gotta get some sleep. I've seen what Eda and Luz look like without sleep."
"I-I can't sleep, not now," Hunter said through quick breaths.
"Sure you can!" Hooty replied. "Just close your eyes!" Hunter glared at Hooty. "Okay, no jokes."
Hooty paused for a second again. "You know what helps me through nightmares?"
"What?" Hunter asked, hugging his knees.
"When Eda sings to me!" Hooty replied joyfully. "She doesn't sing the best but at least she tries! She plays better than she sings!" Hooty paused again. "Want me to sing to you?" he asked, moving closer to Hunter.
"No. Please don't," Hunter replied, looking away from Hooty.
"Luz hugs me," Hooty suggested. "Do you want a Hooty Hug?"
Hunter hesitated. "What is a 'Hooty Hug?'" Hooty smiled harder. "I can show you," he said. Hunter smiled a little. "Sure, go ahead."
Hooty extended his body more and moved closer to Hunter, wrapping himself around Hunter's body. "Do you feel better?"
"A little," Hunter said, smiling through his tears. "Can you stay a little longer?" Hunter asked, as he felt Hooty retracting back outside. "Okay," Hooty said. Hunter wrapped his arm around Hooty's body for a little while longer until he let go. "Feel better?" Hooty checked.
"Yeah, thank you, Hooty."
"Anytime!" Hooty exclaimed quietly, releasing the hug. "I'm going back to bed now. If you need anything, give me a hoot!"
"I will, thanks," Hunter said.
Hunter watched as Hooty went back outside, closing the window in the process. "Heh, I can see why Luz likes hugging Hooty," Hunter said. He took a deep breath. He paused for a second and then exhaled. "Gus' breathing exercises really do work." Hunter flopped back onto his mattress. "Hooty's right, I should get some sleep."
Author's Note
This is going to be a weekly update. I'll try to be consistent on updating chapters for the finale, which I hope you guys enjoy because the more I think about it, the more excited I get. I'll keep posting until I run out of ideas so I hope you're ready!