Waking up with an arm or foot in his face was something Percy had become very used to. Though he and Luz had separate rooms at the Noceda household, Luz often found her way into his bed, especially after a particularly rough day at school. He didn't mind it and he always made sure to stay on his side of the bed. Luz on the other hand moved around a lot when she slept, often leading to early mornings due to an elbow to the face or choking on hair.
What Percy was not used to was the ceiling that hung over him when he opened his eyes. Gone was the popcorn ceiling that dropped small pieces of stucco on his face when the house shook. In its place was a tall slanted ceiling made of wood that gave to room a cozy cabin feel.
He knew logically he was safe based on the fact he was sleeping comfortably with a clear exit, but years of trained paranoia wouldn't go away in a few months, especially when waking up in an unfamiliar environment. Pushing Luz's hand off his face, Percy sat up to get a better look at the room.
There was a stained glass window behind him and random junk scattered around the room, but nothing to clue him into where he was. It wasn't until he saw the sleeping form of King curled up on top of Luz's sleeping bag, did the events of the previous day start coming back to him. Images of monsters, towering spires, and a hulking Warden flashed across his mind.
"Holy crap." Percy whispered to himself as he put a hand into his hair
It felt surreal to him. A day ago he was packing his few belongings to go to a summer camp to learn how to be normal. Now here he was in a world of magic, demons, and crazy old ladies. It was a world similar to his own, and he didn't really know how to feel about it. On one hand, he was quite happy with the quiet and 'normal' life he had found for himself with the Nocedas. It was vastly different from what he was used to. He had no need to worry about monsters and he was with people that cared for his well-being. It was simple. It was comfortable.
But therein lies the problem. Percy was not meant for a comfortable life.
The majority of his life was spent moving around trying and failing to find a place to fit in. It was chaotic and not healthy for a growing child, but it was what he was used to. Then came the discovery of his true heritage and the mountain-sized mess that came with it. In his first month of being a demigod, he had been sent on a cross-country search for a weapon of mass destruction, squared up with a god, and visited a realm most only dreamed of. It was overwhelming for a twelve-year-old, but yet again he got used to it.
The following years were spent hopping from one life-threatening adventure to the next all the while being told it was his job as a child of the gods. He never questioned it, and while he sometimes protested, deep down he knew he never really had a choice. It was dangerous and unrewarding but it was his life.
When he began his stay with Luz and Camilla, he was not used to how peaceful everything was. How there was no monster waiting just around the corner hoping for a meal. It was confusing for him, but at the end of the day, he did what he did best and got used to it. He got comfortable with the routine that came with a 'normal' life and began to enjoy it… for all of one month. While his new life was comfortable, it was also boring.
While he knew that living with the Nocedas was probably the safest he'd ever been or would be, he couldn't help but wish for something exciting to happen, for something to come in and shake up the routine his life had become. It made him feel guilty like he was spitting on the hospitality the kind family had shown him, but he couldn't help himself.
He had almost resigned himself to living a safe but boring life with 'reality check' camp being the final nail in the coffin when suddenly he was thrust into a world that gave him everything he'd been looking for. While he was cautious at first, he was truly enjoying himself for the first time in months by the end of the day. When he had convinced Luz to stay and achieve her dream, it had been just as much for him as it had been for her. He felt excited to explore the new world he found himself in, but at the same time, he felt selfish, like he'd manipulated the girl into agreeing to something she didn't want to do so he could fulfill his desire for adventure. He knew hadn't, but that didn't stop the gnawing feeling of guilt in his stomach.
"Gods, how do Athena's kids think so much? All this introspection is giving me a headache," Percy grumbled under his breath.
Deciding he had done more than enough self-reflection for one morning, he stood up and stretched, before starting to get ready for the day. While he hadn't brought anything with him when he followed Luz, the two of them had been able to sneak back into the human realm before Camilia returned from work to snag their bags off the curb, providing them not only with clothes but also credibility for their cover story of being at camp. Percy winced a little at the thought of lying to Camilia, but he knew there was no way the woman would let either him or Luz stay if they had asked.
Pulling a shirt over his head, Percy deliberated on whether he should wear the matching jacket he had with Luz before deciding to put it on. It was silly, sure, and an ugly shade of green, but it made Luz happy. Stepping out of the room as quietly as possible, Percy made his way down the hall and downstairs to the living room. He looked around it curiously, having not the day before, and was slightly surprised by how normal it felt. Besides the large framed wanted poster hung up behind the couch and the large mirror above the fireplace, the room looked like any other living room. From the random clutter on shelves, the various knick-knacks on the walls, and the unassuming coffee table, the whole setup wouldn't look out of place in an average human household.
Percy walked over to sit on the couch, and after finding it quite comfortable, turned his body and laid across it. From his position, he could visible to the wanted poster for Eda, the rough depiction of her image seemingly staring into his soul urging him to spill his secrets. Percy chuckled at how similar it felt to the real woman.
While Percy was thankful for the older witch taking them into her home, there was something that bothered him about her. Maybe it was the fact he didn't know if she was truly a criminal or how easily she had gotten him to open up to her. Percy was sure there was a lot more to her than she presented. It made him uneasy not knowing all the information, but he knew if he wanted to keep Luz safe, he'd have to trust Eda a little bit.
Closing his eyes in an attempt to try and fall back asleep, Percy started doing just that. Unfortunately for him, he was not the only one up. Just before he slipped into the realm of Morpheus, he was woken up by the sounds of movement upstairs.
"Of course." Percy muttered to himself with a sigh as he pushed himself up.
A minute or so later the tiny form of King made his way into the room. The demon was yawning and rubbing his eyes tiredly.
"Your weird sister is up." King said without any emotion while making his way to the kitchen.
"Thanks, I could tell."
Shortly after King left the room, Luz ran down the stairs and towards the nearest closet.
"Please have witchy stuff, please have witchy stuff." She chanted under her breath before letting out a triumphant yell.
Percy watched quietly from the couch as the excited girl rushed into the closet and then come out a few moments later dressed in what appeared to be a stereotypical witch's outfit. She walked over to the base of the stairs to wait for Eda, all the while ignoring Percy's presence.
Percy shook his head amusedly at her antics. Doing before thinking was the way Luz operated, and here her tendencies were on display. Standing up, Percy walked over to Luz and tapped her on the shoulder, startling the girl and causing her to turn around quickly.
"Percy! I didn't know you were up." Luz asked when she saw it was him, her voice full of excitement.
"Yeah, I've been up for a while."
"Cool cool. Are you excited?" She asked suddenly.
"For what exactly? Doing chores?" Percy replied knowing full well what Luz was talking about.
"To learn about magic! Today is our first step towards becoming powerful witches!" Luz exclaimed happily, her eyes full of stars.
"Yeah no, like I said last night, I'm just not that interested in learning magic at the moment."
Luz looked like someone had just kicked a puppy in front of her.
"How could you not be interested in learning magic?!" Luz demand "It's the most wonderful thing ever!"
Percy stared at her blankly for a moment before responding.
"I dunno, it just seems like a lot of work. I can guarantee that Eda didn't become that powerful overnight. Also, it just seems like people will judge you based on how strong you are, saying things like 'my mom is a strong witch so you'd better watch out!'. It just seems like more trouble than it's worth."
Luz looked at him with a thoughtful expression before her shoulders dropped and her eyes went to the floor.
Realizing he'd let his own opinions about power ruin Luz's excitement, Percy tried to salvage the situation.
"But that's just what I think, so don't let my cynical view get in the way of your fun. I'm sure you'll become a powerful witch in no time!" Percy said quickly.
"Really?" Luz asked hopefully.
"Definitely. Now let's sit down while we wait for Eda to wake up and get that dirty traffic cone off your head." Percy answered gently while guiding Luz to the couch.
"What do you mean cone? This is a witches' hat."
Percy reached up and took the 'witches' hat' off her head and ran his finger down the side revealing the orange color beneath the dirt. He held up his hand to show Luz his blacked fingertip.
Luz blushed and turned away causing Percy to chuckle. He sat down on the couch and patted the spot next to him.
"Come on sit down and talk with me. Also, take that bathrobe off." Percy said, doing his best to sound as non-judgemental as possible.
Luz slid the black bathrobe off hastily and laid down on the couch putting her feet on Percy's lap.
"Or just do that." Percy muttered before looking over to Luz. "Alright lígo fos speak to me. Why did you dress up like that?"
Luz stared at the ceiling and after a few seconds, she started speaking.
"I've been dreaming of this for my entire life. And now that I'm here, I'm worried that it won't be everything I'd hoped for." Luz said softly, her voice sounding fragile.
Percy sat silently formulating his response. After what felt like hours, he spoke up.
"That's perfectly alright. Nothing ever lives up to the hype we build for it, but that doesn't mean it won't be great."
Luz lifted her head up and looked at Percy curiously.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Well, the world you imagined was based on the books you read, but this world is obviously different. So while it won't exactly match what you dreamed of, it can still be amazing."
Luz laid quietly contemplating Percy's words. Several moments later she replied with renewed excitement
"Yeah, you're right! So what if there are no hot princes or cute pixies? I'm going to rock this whole magic thing like a boss!"
"That's the spirit. Now, how about you read me the last few chapters of Azura five again while we wait for Eda, I forgot what happened."
Luz's face lit up as she dug through her bag and pulled out her book.
"But Hecate, you can't just mix flaming oak with frosty pine…"
Percy watched the girl's enthusiastic narration with a smile on his face. Luz had read all the Azura books to him so many times he probably knew the story better than most people, but he'd never pass up on an opportunity to make her smile.
About fifteen minutes later Percy noticed the hunched-over form of Eda making her way down the stairs. She was dressed in a stained purple skirt and a dark red sleep shirt.
"Morning Eda, how'd you sleep," Percy asked once she'd reached the bottom of the stairs, interrupting Luz's reenactment of a battle and alerting her to the older woman's presence.
Luz ran over to Eda excitedly.
"Good morning Eda the Owl Lady, I am ready for my first day of witch apprenticeship!" She exclaimed while striking a pose.
Eda yawned and blinked at her tiredly.
"Who are you again?" She asked confusedly before walking right past Luz to the kitchen.
Luz stood there stunned, the fact she'd been forgotten not registering in her brain.
Percy buried his face in his hand and laughed humorlessly.
Of course, the woman they chose to stay with forgot about them. Apparently, breaking into prison with someone doesn't leave much of an impression. He was starting to regret his decision to stay in the strange world he found himself in.
Shaking herself from her shock, Luz went after Eda into the kitchen.
Percy stood up from the couch and followed after her, wanting to be there for whatever conversation was about to occur.
"You mean apple juice?" Percy heard Luz ask Eda as he walked through the kitchen doorway.
"No." The older witch said plainly before walking over to lean on the table where King was currently trying to eat and taking a sip of whatever was in her mug.
Following Eda's example, Percy sat down at the table with his back to the window. Looking around, he was again surprised by just how average the kitchen looked.
"Teach me some spells! When do I get a magic staff? Was I supposed to bring my own runes? Do you have a dangerous magic quest for me?!" Luz suddenly asked rapidly while getting up in Eda's face.
Percy couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh. He understood Luz's enthusiasm and desire to go on a quest, but after going a few himself any excitement he once held for them had faded into resigned acceptance.
Luz turned to him, her head tilted to the side like a confused puppy.
"What's so funny?" She asked innocently.
Percy cursed himself for his stupidity under his breath.
"Nothing, just trust me when I say quests aren't fun."
Eda looked at him with narrow d eyes, clearly suspicious of him, but chose not to comment.
"Your brother's cryptic words aside, being a witch doesn't happen overnight. It takes years of hard work and practice." Eda took a long from her mug and continued. "But a magic staff huh? You really want one?"
Luz stared up at her with large starry eyes.
"More than anything."
"Even more than seeing me dressed up as your favorite anime boy?" Percy asked from his seat, memories of Luz trying to force him into a costume while he sleeping flashing across his mind.
Luz looked at the ground for a moment, her expression one of deep thought before looking back to Eda.
"More than almost anything."
"Alright then." Eda said as she brought her hand up beside her. "Magic staff, come to me!"
From the depths of the house, the sounds of objects clattering in the distance filled the room.
"Is something supposed to happen or are we just waiting here?" Percy asked after a few moments of nothing but the sound of the house being wrecked.
Eda gave him a side-eye.
"Yes, just giv-AGH" Eda was cut off by her staff suddenly flying through the kitchen and smacking her in the face.
She recovered quickly and spun the staff around before planting it firmly on the ground.
"It's early." Eda grumbled. "Now witches are normally awarded their staffs from school, but with me as your teacher, you'll be taking a much different approach."
She walked out of the kitchen for a moment and returned with a large brown sack. She dropped it at Luz's feet revealing the assortment of potion bottles inside.
You'll have to work for it." Eda said with a smug smile, before leaving the kitchen. "Now follow me human."
Luz immediately went after the witch, eager to know what she had to do to obtain a staff of her own. Percy started to get up to follow after her but was stooped by Eda shouting from the other room.
"You stay Percy, I've got something else in mind for you."
Sitting back down with a sigh, Percy's eyes wandered the room, never stopping on anything long enough to truly observe it. His gaze eventually fell on King who was just finishing up his breakfast.
"So, uh, what's it like living around here?" Percy asked King awkwardly, cringing slightly at his own words.
King looked up from his plate with a confused expression.
"It's fine I guess, the house is comfy and there's food. The only real downside is having to deal with Hooty. That vile monstrosity gives me the creeps." King whispered the last part as if he was afraid said 'monster' would hear him.
Percy laughed at that, finding himself somewhat agreeing with the small demon.
"Yeah, I've only dealt with him once, but he weirded me out."
"Yeah, he'll do that. You should see when he needs to be cleaned, so many hard-to-reach places." King said with a slight shudder.
Percy was curious about how what was essentially a magical knocker could be hard to clean but was afraid of the answer.
"What exactly does Eda do? I mean I know she has her 'Human Treasures" stand, but that seemed pretty unsuccessful."
Percy wasn't usually one for questions, but in a new and unknown environment, he wanted to know as much as possible.
"From what I know she sells potions and elixirs, I'm not too involved with it except when she wants to convince a new person to buy from her and they need a little push. Apparently, they think I'm cute, WHICH I AM NOT!" King yelled out before going off on a rant to himself about how he should be feared and praised.
Percy shook his head in amusement. He'd seen it many times before, it was always the smallest ones that had the biggest egos. He was about to ask another question but was prevented by the entrance of Eda. She walked right past him and over to King.
"King I need you to go into town with Luz." Eda said sternly, her tone leaving no room for argument, though King tried anyways.
"Why do I have to go? I was just about to take a nap! Why not send her nosy brother with her?" King shouted indignantly while stomping like a toddler.
Percy winced, obviously his intentions were much clearer than he had hoped.
Eda stared down at the raging demon with an unimpressed look on her face.
"We both know she'll get herself killed or eaten if she goes by herself, probably both. As for her brother, I have other things for him to do."
King gave Eda a heated glare before huffing and stomping out of the room.
"He's so cute when he's angry." Eda cooed as she watch him leave.
"Alright what are we going to be doing?" Percy asked once he had heard the front door slam shut.
He was very comfortable with the idea of Luz going off to do something where he couldn't see her, but with King with her she'd at the very least not get lost.
"You are going to help me with some prep work for this week's batch of potions. There are some really difficult ones this time, should be real fun." Eda said gleefully.
"Where are we going to do it? Here? Doesn't seem the place to go all 'toil and trouble." Percy asked, gesturing to the relatively clean kitchen.
Eda looked offended.
"First of all 'toil and trouble' is a very hurtful stereotype that slanders potion brewers everywhere." Eda snapped before composing herself. " And second, why would we brew here? This is where we eat. Do you humans practice your kermstre where you make food? No, you don't."
Percy gave Eda a weird look.
"Do you mean chemistry?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.
Eda waved her hand dismissively.
"Titan Tutan, who cares. Now come with me." Eda said, turning around and walking into an area of the house Percy didn't know existed.
Percy followed after the witch as she guided him through several rooms of various purposes and through a door that led to the backyard. Outside was a fairly sized square-shaped building with a large number of open windows around the upper edge of the walls. On the roof was an array of small columns with steam coming out of them constantly. Attached to the side was a greenhouse with a variety of strange-looking plants visible through the glass walls.
"You coming or are you just gonna keep staring?" The voice of Eda came from the doorway of the building.
Percy hadn't realized he'd stopped walking. Shaking his head slightly to break from his daze, he continued after her.
"Yeah coming, just a bit surprised I didn't see this building from the front."
Eda chuckled softly.
"Yeah of course you didn't, it kinda defeats the purpose of having a secret potions lab if everyone can see it. Now. enough standing around let's go inside!" Eda exclaimed as she walked through the door.
Percy made his way to the door, and when he entered the building a shock went down his spine, causing his eyes to widen dramatically. It felt similar to the first time he'd swam in the ocean after finding out about his true heritage. It was exhilarating, it made him feel like he could climb mount Olympus. Percy blinked a few times to clear his thoughts and then took a better look at the room he'd entered.
Along the walls were tall shelves full of jars of every possible ingredient and books of every size. On the east wall was a metal door with a small hatch in the bottom that he assumed led to the greenhouse. A large skylight filled the room with natural light that in combination with several lamps in darker areas of the room, made sure that every surface was illuminated. In the center was a rectangle-shaped workstation with a cauldron in the middle.
It looked like a brewer's heaven, but what stood out the most to Percy was how clean everything was. Not a single speck of dust was to be found in the room. It was the complete opposite of Eda's house.
"This place is amazing," Percy said, his voice full of wonder.
Eda, who had made he way over to the workstation, looked at Percy with a smug expression.
"I know, I've poured every snail not spent on necessities or Appleblood into this place. It is and forever will be the best potions lab you'll ever find. The best lab for the best witch."
Percy nodded in agreement. It was the best, and only, lab he'd ever seen.
"I have one question though. Why isn't it so clean when your house looks like dump threw up in it?"
Eda smiled and shook her head good-naturedly.
"Potion making is the most precise branch of magic there is. Even the metal your cauldron is made of can have an impact on the quality of your potions. So to reduce the risk of ruining my potions, I keep it spotless."
Eda traced a spell circle in the air, causing one of the many books on her shelves to rocket toward her before spotting in front of her and opening to a random page.
"What you're going to be doing today is prepping ingredients for me while I brew."
Percy walked over to the workstation and stood next to Eda. The witch didn't even look at him as she summoned various jars to her workstation.
"Prepping how exactly? And are you sure you want me to do that? You just made a whole deal about how the smallest mishap could ruin your brew. Why are you trusting me to help prep when I know nothing about potions?" Percy asked in confusion.
Eda stopped reading her book for a moment to look at Percy.
"Well I am going to have you cut up some ingredients and based on how you handled your sword yesterday, I assume you're at least familiar with a knife." Eda answered teasingly. "And while ingredients and environmental factors may affect a potion, the way ingredients are cut, not so much."
"That's fair I suppose."
"Yes, it is. Now let's get started!" The old witch reached for her staff and pulled the small Owl on the tip of the staff off, bringing it to life." Owlbert I need you to get me about two dozen Suc-spuds and six Asorbpples from the greenhouse."
Owlbert hooted in confirmation before flying through the hatch in the greenhouse door. He returned a few minutes later pulling a large brown sack behind him.
"How can he pull that, it's like three times his size." Percy commented as he watched the wooden bird.
"He's a Palisman, I know that doesn't mean much to you, but it makes him stronger than a normal owl."
When Owlbert finally got to the table Eda reached down and scratched the back of his head, causing him to hoot in enjoyment before flying back onto the staff and freezing in place. After picking up the bag, Eda dumped the contents on the table revealing the strange plants inside. The Suc-spud was roughly spherical, a deep purple, and covered in what looked like small vortexes. The Asorbpples on the other hand were almost identical to normal apples except for their extremely porous texture.
Picking up one of the Suc-spuds, Percy was surprised by how it felt like an extremely weak vacuum. Putting the weird potato down, he turned to Eda with a confused expression.
"What could you possibly make with an emo potato and sponge apple?" Percy asked incredulously.
Eda chuckled at Percy's phrasing.
"The Suc-spud and Asorbpple are the main ingredients to an attraction potion."
Percy was even more confused than before.
"How do these make you more attractive? Do you pull people in and hope they like you?"
"That's a love potion, this attracts the user's chosen item to whatever it's poured on. It's very popular for cleaning and for finding lost objects. We've wasted enough time with dumb questions, start cutting these into equally sized pieces." Eda said as she pulled a knife from her hair.
"Was that just in there?" Percy asked in horror.
"Doesn't matter, just take it and start cutting already."
Percy took the knife from Eda's hand and picked up the potato, cutting down the middle with minimal effort. A minute later he had a small pile of pale purple chunks. He grabbed another and repeated the process, falling into a steady rhythm.
As he cut, Percy's thoughts returned to the shock he felt when he first entered the room. He could still feel at the base of his spine, though it was far less extreme. It was comforting, it reminded him of laying on the beach as a kid with his mother. He remembered the gentle smile on her face as he told her about his day.
Percy stopped cutting for a moment to wipe away a tear that had involuntarily welled up in his eye. He couldn't cry. Not here. Not in front of Eda.
Resuming cutting, he steered his train of thought away from his mother and focused on feeling in his spine. Deciding to try and control the feeling the way he controlled water, Percy directed his energy towards it, only for his mind to be flooded by a mass of information.
He could feel everything.
From the liquid in the jars on the wall to the small amounts of water in the plants he was cutting. He could sense all of it. It was overwhelming, the usual low hum in his head was replaced with a deafening roar that gave him a headache.
Putting his knife down, Percy closed his eyes and took a deep breath, allowing him to clear his mind slightly. He continued breathing until he was able to think clearly. Once he could hear his thoughts again, Percy began navigating the plethora of water sources.
They felt off. Water normally felt the same no matter where it was, but here every jar felt unique like they all had a different story to tell. Percy ignored them and turned his attention to the potion Eda was brewing, tuning out everything else.
His mind was once again flooded with information, but this time it was less chaotic, more refined, and focused. He could tell what temperature the liquid was, what ingredients were added and in what quantities, and in what direction it was being stirred. Everything he wanted to know was at his fingertips. It was beyond what he'd been able to do in the past.
It was intoxicating and terrifying at the same time.
Percy had no explanation as to how he was able to do it. He sorted through his memories trying to find anything that had changed recently before stopping on the events of the night before.
The barrier he had somehow absorbed.
Percy felt like facepalming.
How had he forgotten about that? He commented on how he felt stronger once he was done. Of course his senses were stronger.
"Hey kid, you alright? You've been staring off for a while now." Eda commented, breaking Percy from his thoughts
"Yeah, I'm fine just thinking about home," Percy replied, deciding to ponder his sudden power gain later.
Eda simply nodded before continuing her brewing.
Percy went back to cutting the odd plants but was unable to find his previous rhythm. As he cut he caught Eda glancing over at him from time to time out of the corner of his eye. It was obvious she wanted to ask a question but refused to do so. Finally getting fed up with the witch's indecision, Percy called her out.
"I can feel your eyes on me, just ask what you want to ask."
Eda stopped what she was doing and sighed.
"Why did you stay here? I can tell you don't want to be here nearly as much as Luz does." She asked hesitantly. "You don't seem to mind being here, but you're not particularly excited either."
Percy cursed under his breath. Eda was observant, too much so for his liking.
"I stayed for Luz." He replied after a moment of thought.
Eda gestured for him to elaborate, causing Percy to huff in annoyance before continuing.
"Back in the human realm she didn't have many friends, I was her first. She took me in and showed me true kindness. I couldn't just abandon her in a strange new world." Percy chuckled softly. "Also I doubt that our lie of being at summer camp would hold up if I returned and she didn't."
Eda laughed in agreement.
"I doubt it would."
She pointed at the now small pile of plants in front of Percy.
"You got through those a bit faster than expected and it'll be a bit before I'm ready to add them. I can finish up so why don't you explore the town a bit, get to know the area. You exactly be a good errand boy if you don't know where you're going now can you?" Eda said with a toothy smile, before reaching into her hair and pulling out a small sack. "Here's some money, as payment for your work."
"Are you gonna pay Luz for whatever she's doing for you?" Percy asked while taking the bag from her.
"Her payment is me teaching her magic. Now go break a law or something."
Percy nodded and made his way to the door, but before he went through it, he turned back to face Eda.
"Eda, do you have any siblings?" Percy asked curiously.
"Yeah, a sister." Eda replied somberly. "We took vastly different paths in life, so I haven't talked to her in a while, at least not in a meaningful way."
Percy frowned. He wasn't expecting such a depressing answer.
"Do you miss her?"
Eda looked at him with a sad smile.
"I do, I really do."
"What's stopping you from just finding her and talking to her?"
Eda chuckled humorlessly.
"Nothing really, but is far from that simple." Eda said before going quiet.
A few seconds later, Eda clapped her hands together breaking the uncomfortable silence that'd fallen over the lab.
"That's enough about me. You go enjoy the town, find a pretty girl or something." Eda exclaimed in faux cheerfulness.
"Ok ok, I'm leaving. I'll be back before it gets dark." Percy said while walking through the door. "And Eda, I hope you get on good terms with your sister again."
"Me too kid."
The walk to Bonesborough was relatively short and allowed Percy to enjoy the silence that came with the forest. It wasn't as nice as the woods that surrounded Camp Half-Blood, but it still made him feel somewhat at peace.
The town however was the exact opposite of peaceful. Everywhere he looked he saw people rushing from one place to another. He could see vendors selling their wares and children playing in the streets. It was chaotic in a way that reminded Percy of New York.
He felt a pang in his heart and let out a deep sigh.
Ever since he'd crash-landed in the Noceda's backyard, Percy had been avoiding thinking about the life he'd lost. He'd always found something to distract him, but it seemed like he couldn't avoid it any longer. For the first time in months, Percy let his thoughts drift to his home.
It started slowly at first, memories of inconsequential events popping up, but the longer he let his mind wander, the more painful the memories became. Images of his mother's kind face reassuring him he'd be okay. The good-natured shake of her head Annabeth would give him when he said something particularly stupid. The dumb jokes he'd make with Grover during campfires.
One by one these memories passed through his mind before stopping on his final moments in his world.
The 'good luck' kiss Annabeth had given that said everything he had ever wanted to hear. A promise of a future he would never get to be a part of.
Percy wiped away the tears that threatened to spill over.
After he had woken up from his crash and been treated by Camilla, the first thing he did was try and call camp. Nothing. He tried Iris message with a drachma that had survived the eruption. Again nothing. It wasn't until he'd spent months unsuccessfully pacing the perimeter of the Noceda household with his pen in hand trying to attract monsters did he come to a realization.
He was truly alone in a world with no gods.
It was a revelation that he was still figuring out. It meant that he would never see his loved ones again. He was in a world completely separate from theirs. Even if the multiversal theory he vaguely remembered Annabeth talking about was true, and there were alternate versions of the people he knew, they wouldn't be anything like the one's loved.
But despite losing everyone he loved the was a tarnished silver lining. No gods meant no monsters, quests, or evil titans out to kill him. He'd finally got the freedom he'd always wanted and all it cost him was everything.
Taking a break from his depressing thoughts, Percy looked around to see where he had ended up. Based on all the stalls and vendors he assumed he was in some sort of market. He also noticed the smell for the first time. It was an odd mixture of all the food on sale that somehow smelled good, so much so it made him hungry.
"I never actually ate breakfast did I?" Percy mumbled to himself as he searched for a place to get decent food.
He finally settled on a stall with a tall man running it. The sign above it appeared to say 'Lake Cake' but with his dyslexia, Percy couldn't be sure. Walking up to the stall allowed him to get a better look at who was running it. He was tall, much taller than Percy had previously noted, and his skin was a deep blue. Long twisting horns sprouted from all around his head forming a warped crown. His eyes were black with small light blue pupils. His teeth were jagged and sharp. He was intimidating enough to put Percy on edge. As the man opened his mouth to speak, Percy couldn't help but reach into his pocket and grab his pen.
"Hi, I'm Ted. Welcome to my stall, what can I get for you today?" The now named Ted said in a voice that sounded like it belonged to a child.
Percy was stunned. He was familiar with the idea of 'Big Man Little Voice' from many of the shows Luz had forced him to watch, he just wasn't expecting to encounter it in real life.
"Are you okay? You've been staring off into space for a while now." Ted said, genuine worry lacing his voice.
"Yeah I'm fine I just wasn't expecting-"
"Such a cute voice from a guy like me." Ted asked cutting Percy off.
"Yeah, sorry about that." Percy replied sheepishly.
Ted waved off Percy's embarrassment.
"You're fine, it's normal to be surprised when something not normal happens. Now, what can I get for you."
Percy was relieved he hadn't offended the man and was surprised by the genuine kindness he displayed. It wasn't something he was used to, especially from someone so monstrous looking.
"Can you tell me what you sell? I have a bit of trouble reading and I don't really know what your sign says."
Percy was used to having to ask what things said. During his time at Luz's school, he was given extra time on assignments due to something called an IEP. He didn't really know what it did, just that he wished he had it when he was younger.
"No problem! I sell the most wonderful treat in Bonesborough. LAKE CAKES!" Ted exclaimed passionately, causing passersby to look over momentarily before returning to their lives.
Percy was confused. He had been able to read the sign clearly, something he was usually only able to do with ancient greek. It was something he'd have to ask Eda about later.
"Thanks, I'll take one cake please."
"Coming right up!" Ted said flashing a horrifying smile before making himself busy around his stall.
As Percy waited, he noticed a large cauldron in the back corner of the stall. Directing his senses as he did earlier, he was able to feel the potion that was brewing. It provided information that meant nothing to him, but it confirmed that what happened with Eda wasn't an isolated event. Eventually, the hulking form of Ted made his way over to the cauldron where he dipped a ladle in and poured its contents over what appeared to be a pile of dough. As Ted finished preparing his food, Percy noticed a small bottle symbol on his right wrist.
'Something else to ask Eda about.' He thought to himself.
"Here ya go, that'll be 3 snails." Ted offered the plate to Percy with a grin.
Percy dug around the bag Eda had given him and put the money on the counter before taking the cake. Taking a small piece, he popped it in his mouth causing his eyes to widen. It tasted exactly like funnel cake that his mother would get him on special occasions.
"Thank you! It's really good. Why is it called 'Lake Cake' though." Percy asked Ted as he continued eating the dessert.
"I'm glad you like it! It gets its name from the fact that lake water is the base for the sauce." Ted replied happily.
Percy choked a bit on the cake in his mouth. Sure he was immune to most waterborne diseases, but that didn't mean the water was clean. He had no idea how the locals used the lake. Percy put the piece in his hand back on the plate and gave Ted a strained smile.
"Thank you for the food." Percy said politely.
"Of course! Have a nice day and come back anytime!" Ted said while waving goodbye.
"You too and I definitely will." Percy lied through his teeth. He wasn't coming back, at least not until he knew where the water came from.
Percy waved to Ted and continued walking to wherever he was going, stopping briefly to throw out the rest of his cake once he was sure Ted wouldn't see him. The guy was nice, he just didn't trust the cake.
He eventually came to a bench that faced a small park full of kids shrieking joyfully. Taking a seat, Percy watched the children as they ran around without a care in the world. He was almost jealous of them and the childhood innocence they no doubt had. He wished he could go back to when he didn't have to worry about monsters and gods and could instead just be a kid. He knew it was unfair to be envious of literal children that did nothing wrong, yet here he was, resentfully watching kids enjoy their lives.
Turning away from the bitter reminder of what he had lost, Percy put his head back and closed his eyes basking in the sunlight. It had been a while since he'd had the chance to sit and truly enjoy the sun. The last few months had been hectic with him having to adapt to a whole new environment and routine. On top of that, he had a plethora of new relationships to develop, most importantly with Luz and Camila.
A smile made its way onto Percy's face as his thoughts turned to the Noceda's.
When he first met Luz, he was stunned by the boundless creativity and energy the girl possessed. Every week she had something new to show him and her mother. Her personality was a bit overwhelming at first, but the more Percy got to know her, the more of himself he saw in her. She was a lonely child, just like him. Her father died when she was young forcing her to grow up with just her mother. He related to her some much that he couldn't help but feel a connection to her. As they spent more time together, Percy found himself falling into a brotherly role, a role he couldn't be happier about. In Luz, he found the sister he had always wanted, someone he could get in trouble with and someone he could navigate his teenage years with. It made him happy, happier than he had been in a while.
Percy sat and enjoyed the memories of all the trouble he and Luz had gotten into before his thoughts drifted toward Camila, causing him to frown slightly.
His relationship with Camila was something that had caused Percy a fair few sleepless nights. He was eternally grateful for all the woman had done for him and he found himself enjoying her company, but the way she tried taking a maternal role in his life made him uncomfortable. He knew that it was only natural for her to feel some form of parental affection towards him, especially after taking him into her home, but Percy could get rid of the thought that she was trying to replace his real mom. He had long accepted that he wouldn't see his mom ever again, but that didn't mean he was ready to let go of her. She had to give up everything for him and yet she still found a way to be the most wonderful woman in the world. No one in his eyes would ever be able to match her, so while he was thankful for Camila, she would never be able to replace his mother.
Percy groaned. The day was only half over and he was already mentally exhausted. Who knew self-examination was so tiring? Adjusting his position to be more comfortable, Percy began drifting off to sleep. Logically he knew sleeping in unknown territory with monsters surrounding him was a dumb thing to do, but he couldn't care less at the moment. He had barely gotten any rest the night before and every interaction he had with 'monsters' so far showed him they were vastly different from the ones he knew. Also, he was too comfortable at the moment to do anything but sleep.
Unfortunately for him, the universe deemed it a crime for him to sleep. Just as he was about to fully slip into the realm of dreams, a shadow came over him and blocked the sun.
"Excuse me, what are you doing on my bench?" Said a voice that sounded eerily similar to the girls that used to bully Percy.
Percy sighed and opened his eye partially to see who had interrupted his sleep.
Above him stood a girl that looked to be around his age. She was wearing what he assumed was a leather jacket. On the sleeves was a patch depicting a patchy ball with an eye. Her dark pink hair was styled in a bun with two pieces that framed her face. His ears were pointed like Eda's and her skin was a soft pink. The most surprising feature though was the fact she had three eyes.
Percy responded to the sudden appearance of the girl the only his addled mind could think of.
"Wha?"
Several Hours Earlier
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
Boscha woke up with a start before slamming her hand down on her alarm clock to shut it off. She hated waking up to the sound of screaming every morning, but it was unfortunately the most effective way to get her out of bed. Sitting up, she looked through the large window behind her bed to see the sun had yet to rise.
Boscha groaned as she remembered what she had to do that day.
Every three weeks her mother would test her potion-making skills, always with the promise she would report her to the Emperor's Coven if she did well enough, and every time she would barely miss the mark. It was a frustrating cycle of trying and failing, but it helped her improve.
Drawing a small circle in the air Boscha summoned her scroll from where ever it resided when not in use. She had several messages from her 'friends' asking if she was still going to attend the rookie grudgby tournament hosted in the town over.
A smile made its way onto Boscha's face.
The tournament was something she had been looking forward to for weeks. She would get the opportunity to watch all of her favorite upcoming grudgby stars play and may even get the chance to meet them. She had even gotten the approval of her mother to attend, something she very rarely pulled off.
Full of energy, Boscha jumped out of bed and started getting ready for the day, dressing in clothes that she would never wear in public but were perfect for brewing. Walking over to her mirror, Boscha picked up her hairbrush and ran it through her hair removing any knots that formed while she slept. Once satisfied, she pulled her hair into a high bun with a practiced motion leaving two pieces of hair that framed her face.
Done getting ready Boscha made her way out her door, only to run back in and grab a jacket that lay in a heap on the floor. It was a jacket she'd made with her mom a few years ago. The stitching was rough and the leather was discolored in some places, but she loved it nonetheless.
Pulling her jacket on, Boschs looked at the walls that loomed over her as she walked toward the kitchen. Covering the walls were framed pictures of Boscha and her mothers. She saw them every morning, but the photos depicting her when she was younger never failed to catch her eye. She always looked so happy and carefree. Approaching the kitchen, Boscha took a deep breath to ready herself. Dealing with her parents, especially her mother was not something she ever looked forward to.
Entering the room, Boscha found her parents already seated at the table eating. Her mother, Daysha, was a tall witch with bright pink hair. She shared the trait of having three eyes with her daughter and had an air of superiority around her. Boscha's mom, Isla, on the other hand, was a witch of average height and a quiet demeanor. She had dark red hair and wore of thick pair of glasses. Both looked up when they heard Boscha enter the room.
"Good morning dear. How did you sleep?" Isla asked with a soft smile.
"I slept well, thank you for asking." Boscha replied stiffly as she sat down. Her mother had drilled into her that when responding to her or any other adult within the household, be direct and only answer the question asked.
Isla frowned slightly before asking another question.
"That's good, what do you have planned for the day?"
Boscha let a smile make its way onto her face.
"I have my scheduled potions test with mother, but afterward I'm going to a grudgby tournament over in Rib Ridge wit-"
The stentorian voice of Daysha cut Boscha off.
"We'll see about that."
Boscha's heart fell.
"What do you mean? Y-you said I could go." Boscha said desperately losing all composure.
Daysha glared at her.
"Compose yourself." Daysha said harshly.
Boscha flinched before going still.
"Yes, mother." She looked at the table and waited for Daysha to continue speaking.
Daysha smiled proudly.
"Good girl. Now to answer your question I did say you could attend the tournament, however, that was before your most recent test."
Boscha winced. Her last test had been particularly bad. She'd forgotten to add an ingredient and it exploded, ruining an expensive cauldron and damaging the workspace. She spent the entire weekend locked in her room so she could 'think about her mistakes.
"So here's what we're going to do." Daysha got up from her chair and walked over to Boscha. "I'm going to test you like always, and if you pass, I will let you go to the tournament. If not, I will come up with a suitable punishment based on how badly you fail. Do we have a deal?" Daysha asked as she offered her hand For Boscha to shake.
Boscha sighed in defeat. She knew it wasn't fair. She'd never passed one of her mother's tests and they seemed harder each week. But, her mother's deals were never fair. They were always made so that they were impossible to refuse and that they would benefit her the most.
"Yes, we have a deal." Boscha took her mother's hand reluctantly.
"Perfect. Eat your breakfast and meet me in the potions room. You have twenty minutes." Daysha said with a smile before walking out of the room, her heel clacking against the floor.
Boscha sat silently for a moment contemplating what just happened. She genuinely believed her mother would let her go, that she might finally accept that grudgby was her passion and not a waste of time. It made her angry that her mother would use something she desperately wanted to push her harder. What made her angrier was that it wasn't the first time she'd done it.
"Honey, I know that you're upset, but missing the tournament isn't the collapse." Isla said gently.
"Why didn't you say anything?" Boscha responded heatedly. "She's so obviously being unfair! Why didn't you support me like you always say you will."
Boscha stood up from her chair and pointed at her mother accusingly.
"You always say you have my back, yet you never do anything to stop her from being unfair!"
Isla looked stunned. Her eyes were wide and her mouth agape.
"Say something!" Boscha cried desperately, wanting some explanation for why her mom never seemed to care.
"Yo-you're mother just w-wants what's best for you." Isla said quietly after a minute.
Boscha started at her mom in disbelief. Isla usually sided with Daysha, but never had it felt like such a betrayal.
"No, she wants what's best for her." Boscha spat venomously while she got ready to go to the potions room. "And it seems you're the same."
Her mom looked ashamed but said nothing to dispute it.
Boscha shook her head in disgust as she walked out of the room.
"I love you." Isla said as Boscha left the kitchen, trying desperately to somehow salvage the situation.
Boscha ignored her.
The potions room at one point in time had been Boscha's favorite room in the house. She had many fond memories of brewing useless but colorful potions with her parents. It had sparked a deep love for the craft that lasted until she was about eleven when she discovered the wonders of grudgby. Now the room just brought to mind many failed potions tests and her mother's disappointment
While she no longer loved the room like she once did, Boscha could still appreciate the beauty that it held. From the towering shelves packed with the highest quality ingredients that lined the walls, to the pristine quartz counters that made up the various workspaces, the room was by all definitions a work of art.
In the front of the room, her mother stood behind an instructional counter reading a thick book. On the wall behind was a large blackboard that stretched the length of the room, with 'Potions Test #44' written on it in bold letters. A little to the left was a simple chart with the words 'Pass' and 'Fail" at the top. Below the fail column were forty-three small dashes.
Boscha winced.
She was well aware of how many times she had failed but seeing it written on the board that anyone could see always made her feel worse.
Taking her seat at the direct center of the room, Boscha looked up to her mother with a straight back and fingers laced.
"You are three minutes early. You are permitted to do what you want without leaving your spot." Daysha said flatly without looking up from her book.
"Thank you, Mother." Boscha replied emotionlessly. Despite her early arrival being entirely her own doing, she was required to thank her mother for her 'graciousness.'
Unlacing her fingers, Boscha looked down at her workstation. The counter itself was full of divots and scratched from her many mistakes over the years, painting a picture of a child bumbling through the field of potion making. Her mother had tried to get it replaced several times over the years but was blocked by Isla every time who always cited the sentimental significance of the damaged counter.
Boscha chuckled bitterly.
Of course the one thing her mom stood up for was something that did nothing but remind Boscha of how young and full of wonder she had once been. Nowadays the counter acted more of a hindrance that made the workspace uneven. Boscha could've moved to another counter, but for a reason unknown to her, she didn't. Often she justified her staying with the fact it was the perfect distance between the potions shelves, but even she knew it was flimsy reasoning at best.
The sound of the book slamming shut brought Boscha's attention back to the front of the room. Seeing her mother look up from the counter caused Boscha to sit up straight and wait for instruction. She hated how stiff she had to be, but she hated what came if she failed to meet her mother's standards more.
"Today, you will be brewing a dragon tongue healing draught." Daysha said calmly, a cruel smile on her lips.
Boscha felt like vomiting.
Healing draughts of any form were difficult to brew even for masters. They were far superior to healing potions both in potency and shelf life. A dragon tongue healing draught was particularly hard to brew due to the main ingredient being rare and hard to handle. They were used to treat serious burns and magical injuries. The ability to brew it at any potency was enough to land a brewer a job at a high-level apothecary because any small misstep could lead to the brew becoming inert, wasting expensive ingredients.
With a shaking hand, Boscha started drawing the spell circle to summon a recipe book only for her mother cut her off.
"You'll have no need for a book."
"Wh-what?" Boscha asked confusedly. "How am I supposed to brew it if I don't have a book?"
Daysha gave her a look of mocking pity.
"I suppose you'll just have to brew it from memory. Now, you have two hours so get to it."
A large countdown appeared in the front of the room.
Boscha gulped. Two hours was barely enough time.
"Yes, Mother." She said quietly before rushing to the shelves to get the necessary ingredients.
The potion didn't require many ingredients, but the ones it did use were difficult to work with. Firebee honey, Iceo Vera, and Pupie Saliva were all key elements to achieving proper healing with the potion, but none worked well together. The honey could melt the Iceo vera and Pupie Saliva became volatile when mixed with undiluted magical ingredients. The worst part however was the dragon tongue. The outer layer of it was useless to the brew. Because of that, it had to be removed very carefully with a knife.
Grabbing her ingredients Boscha made her way back to her workstation. After setting them down, she dug around the cupboard built in under the counter and pulled out a small cauldron. The draught could not be brewed in mass quantities and had to be made in a smaller cauldron than normal. After drawing a small spell circle, the cauldron filled up with water. Once it was full, Boscha moved the cauldron to the built-in stove. Reaching into the cupboard again, she pulled out a mortar and pestle. Grabbing a knife and spoon from a drawer, she put all of her equipment on the counter. Done with the general prep work Boscha turned her attention to the ingredients she had gathered.
Boscha was nervous. She'd brewed potions hundreds of times before but never had she done one so complicated without a book to guide her. Racking her brain for the first step, Boscha hesitantly picked up the Iceo vera and began grinding it into a mush in the mortar. Recalling the proper way to mix opposing ingredients, she began spooning small amounts of the Fire Bee Honey into the mortar causing the mixture to steam slightly. She continued the process of adding a small amount of honey and mixing until they were fully combined.
Boscha was starting to feel better, the recipe was coming back to her the longer she worked allowing her to move faster and more precisely.
Moving over to the cauldron of now boiling water, Boscha dumped the mixture into the water and stirred it vigorously, turning the water a deep red. Wiping away the sweat caused by the heat, Boscha picked up the jar full of her least favorite ingredient to work with.
Pupie Saliva.
Pupies were vile creatures that appeared on the Boiling Isles about sixty years ago. They were small scaly creatures with six legs and segmented tails. They spread like crazy and would have overrun the Boiling Isles if Emperor Belos hadn't discovered that their saliva had healing properties. Their numbers were quickly reduced with the help of Belos and his coven of elite witches. Now they were bred in limited numbers to harvest their saliva, which was then sent to potion brewing companies like the one Boscha's parents owned.
Boscha poured the thick yellow saliva into her cauldron and stirred slowly to mix it in properly, taking care to not move it too fast to avoid a violent reaction. Once the saliva fully combined, Boscha turned the heat down on the stove and moved on to the hardest part of the potion.
Preparing the dragon tongue.
Cutting the tongue up wasn't difficult, just a slow process if done the right way. What made it hard was that the tongue had to be added to the potion exactly forty-five minutes after the saliva was added. This was the point that most brewers failed, but Boscha could not afford to fail.
Picking up the tongue, Boscha began inspecting it to find the best place to begin cutting. Finding it, she grabbed her knife and inserted it just below the outer layer, and started pushing it toward the tip of the tongue. Though her blade met minimal resistance, Boscha kept a slow and steady pace to avoid ruining the delicate meat.
After the first section was done, Boscha looked up to see she had thirty-five minutes left before needing to add the tongue to the potion. Cursing under her breath, she started cutting faster, taking a little less care to avoid damaging the meat. Poorly cut meat was bad, but not adding it at all was worse.
Finishing the rest in twenty-five minutes, Boscha was left with a relatively undamaged piece of the tongue to work with. The last thing to do before adding it to the potion was to cut the tongue into small chunks, one of the easiest parts of the potion as a whole.
Working quickly, Boscha finished cutting just as the forty-five-minute mark came, allowing her to add the tongue to the bubbling cauldron without any problems. The final step was to stir the brew clockwise three times every five minutes for thirty minutes. The step was unnecessarily specific in Boscha's opinion, but it was how she was taught to do it.
Completing the first set of stirs, Boscha let herself start to feel confident about her work. She'd panicked at first, but once she got into the flow she felt great. It was times like this that made her miss the spark for brewing she had when she was younger and bitter that her mother had turned her passion into something she disliked.
After stirring the potion for the final time, Boscha pulled a vial from the cupboard and carefully transferred her finished potion into it. The liquid itself was a pleasant shade of red that shimmered slightly. It was possibly one of the best potions Boscha had ever brewed.
Walking up to the counter at the front of the room, Boscha placed her potion in front of her waiting mother who stood silently waiting for the countdown to finish. Once the loud ringing that signified the end of her time went off, Daysha pickled up the presented bottle and looked at it with scrutinizing eyes. Pulling her own vial from below the counter, she cast a spell causing the bottles to hover next to each other. A few seconds later, small words reading '97% match' appeared between the bottles.
Boscha let out a deep sigh of relief. Ninety-seven percent had been what she was told was needed to pass since she started the tests and she finally achieved it. Now she could go to the tournament with-
"Fail." Daysha said suddenly, cutting off Boscha's train of thought.
Any good feelings Boscha had evaporated and were replaced with anger.
"Wh-what? But ninety-seven percent has always been the cutoff? " Boscha asked heatedly before her tone turned accusatory. "You only changed it 'cause you didn't want me to go! That's why you didn't let me use a recipe book eith-"
Boscha was silenced by a mud-like liquid summoned by her mother covering her mouth. The bravado Boscha had drained away under Daysha's piercing glare.
"I will ignore the way you spoke to me purely because you performed adequately today," Daysha said harshly, her voice barely above a whisper but still filling the room. "As for your comments, you are right, I do not want you to go to that useless tournament. However, you are also wrong. I changed the cutoff because my expectations changed and I didn't permit the recipe book because you should not need one at this point."
Daysha walked around the counter to Boscha and cupped her cheek softly.
"I know it seems terribly unfair, but I only do this because I love you and want to succeed," Daysha said, her voice filled with faux care. "Do you understand?"
The hand on Boscha's cheek began gripping harder causing her to gasp slightly in discomfort.
Boscha nodded stiffly wanting desperately to be anywhere else. Her mother had made her point and now she just wanted to go to her room.
"Good girl. Now for the matter of your punishment for failing." Daysha said with a smile as she removed her hand from Boscha's face. "I'd say missing the tournament and the weight of your failure is sufficient for today."
Daysha drew a spell circle in the air removing the liquid covering Boscha's mouth.
"Why don't you walk through town today, so you can see what you will have to live like if you continue to fail."
"Yes, Mother." Boscha said quickly, slightly happy she was given an excuse to leave the house.
"Perfect. You may leave now, I'll have the help clean up your mess of a workstation."
Boscha walked over to the entrance of the room. She planned to change her now dirty clothes before leaving. However, before she could leave, her mother had one last thing to say.
"Remember Boscha, you are a part of the Rose family. You are better than everyone in that disgusting town. Don't let anyone think otherwise."
Boscha simply nodded and left.
Walking through Bonesborough was something Boscha did quite often. It allowed her to see just how good her life was and just how much better she was than anyone else. She didn't usually like agreeing with her mother on anything, but when it came to her family's superiority, she agreed one hundred percent.
What Boscha didn't do often, was walk through the town by herself. At the very least she would have someone to talk to and tell her how great and right she was. It was nice and validated her high opinions of herself, but right now she was alone.
"I don't like this." Boscha thought to herself after a few minutes of relative silence.
She had been alone before, in fact, she did it all the time, but being alone in your room and being alone in public were two very different things. It made her uncomfortable like she was missing a part of herself. She was paranoid that people noticed how out of place she felt.
"It's not like a can do anything about it." She mumbled miserably.
Her mother had confiscated her scroll under the pretense of 'freeing her from distraction', leaving her without any way to try and gain some company.
In an attempt to distract herself from her pseudo-isolation, Boscha started looking around at the people going about their everyday lives. Some were buying items from the many stalls that lined the streets. Others were going to and from work using one of the bizarre transportation methods offered by the town. They moved around with purpose and all seemed happy while doing it.
It confused her. She didn't understand how a person whose life was worse than hers in every way, could be so happy. It was something that bugged her whenever she went out, and she didn't know why. It shouldn't matter to her, but for some reason it did.
Deciding to be thinking about people she didn't care about, Boscha looked ahead for the park she knew was there. It was where she and her 'friends' spent a good amount of time quietly laughing at the weird children that populated it. She considered it harmless fun even though the parents sometimes scolded them for 'making their angel cry'.
As she got closer Boscha noticed that something was wrong. From where she stood, she could see someone sitting on her bench. Walking faster, Boscha got to the park and saw that the person, a boy around her age, had their head back and was sleeping.
This was unacceptable.
Moving with purpose, Boscha made her way over to the stranger and stood over them. The stranger had black hair and tan skin. Their clothing was unassuming, making them look like any other witch. They looked almost peaceful as they slept, not that she cared.
"Excuse me, what are you doing on my bench?" Boscha asked bossily, wanting to get the odd man off her bench as quickly as possible. People usually recognized her and her family name and were quick to do as she asked.
The stranger, instead of getting up and apologizing for taking her space, lazily opened one of their eyes to look up at her.
"Wha?" The boy asked in a voice full of sleep and deeper than Boscha expected.
"I said, what are you doing on my bench." Boscha repeated, her tone slightly harsher.
The boy fully awake now repositioned himself and looked at her like she was crazy.
"I'm sitting on. It's a bench." He said dryly.
"I know that, but why are you doing it on my bench?"
Boscha was starting to get frustrated, this wasn't how these conversations were supposed to go.
The boy made a show of looking over the bench, going as far as to stand up and look where he was sitting.
"I don't see your name on it, all I see is this plaque thanking the Rose family for their generous donation to the park. So unless you're a Rose, you have to power to tell me to leave." The boy said with a smirk.
Boscha let a smile come onto her face, she got him.
"As it turns out, I am a Rose." Boscha said mockingly.
The boy stared at her blankly for a moment before turning back around and putting his head back.
"Cool." He said plainly.
Boscha was getting more frustrated. Everything about the interaction so far was contrary to what she was used to.
"I said I'm a Rose, my family owns this bench, so get up." She hissed.
"No, your family donated the bench, which means it's now a piece of public property and doesn't belong to you." The boy replied without looking at her. "You're welcome to sit on it with me, but I'm not moving."
Boscha was stunned. Never before had anyone spoken to her with such disregard for her and her family. It felt wrong.
"Don't even think about finishing that spell." The boy said, his eyes closed.
Boscha's eyes went to her hand to see that it was halfway through drawing a spell circle and canceled it. Huffing slightly, Boscha took a seat next to the boy. He said nothing and continued leaning back and relaxing.
Boscha sighed, the last few minutes had left her confused and off-balance. She'd encountered people who had dismissed her before, but all of them had been adults. Everyone her age seemed to understand that she was superior and that they should just do what she wanted. This stranger, however, ignored everything and just did his own thing.
Sighing again, Boscha's thoughts drifted back to her failed potions test. That was the best she had ever done and had it been any other day, she would have passed. Her mother had decided that because she didn't want her to go to a grudgby tournament she would change her standards. It made her feel angry and dejected, but more than anything it just made her feel empty.
"So are you gonna say what's wrong or are just gonna keep sighing?" The boy said suddenly breaking Boscha from her thoughts.
"What?"
"You keep doing that heavy sigh that people do when they want someone to ask about their problems. I don't know why you'd want to tell it to a stranger, but I'll listen I guess." The boy replied, sitting up to look at her.
Boscha wanted to deny his statement but found herself unable to. She always wanted someone to ask her what was wrong so that they'd comfort her and tell her it was alright. She knew most of the time it was empty platitudes to get on her good side, but it always helped. Maybe this boy could make her feel better, he was offering to help after all.
"I guess I'm just sad that I can't go to the grudgby tournament." Boscha said slowly, doing her best to sound as pathetic as possible. She wasn't pathetic, she just knew it got her the best results.
The boy said nothing.
After a few moments of silence, Boscha looked at the boy to see that he had his head back once again.
"Well, are you going to say anything?"
The boy looked at her with a blank face.
"What?" Boscha asked defensively.
"What can I say to that? 'Oh, that sucks'? That's a meaningless statement that doesn't do anything." The said matter of factly.
Boscha felt slightly offended. She knew he was right, but she wasn't going to tell him that, so she did what she did best.
She doubled down.
"Yeah, well what if I told you that it was because I failed a hard test." She shot back.
"That's unfortunate, maybe you should have studied harder." He replied, again not looking at her.
Boscha was starting to get upset. For a reason unknown to her, she felt that she needed her feelings validated by this boy in particular. It was as if getting him to give her the sympathy she so desired would prove she was better than him.
"How about the fact that my mom doesn't support me and instead sides with my mother even when she's wrong." Boscha exclaimed heatedly.
The boy suddenly looked at her, his expression showing more interest and concern than before.
It wasn't enough.
Seeing that she'd gotten some sort of reaction from the boy, Boscha continued.
"Or how about that my mother is manipulative and doesn't let me do what I want? Or how she constantly tells me that my hobbies are a waste of my time and that I'd be better off brewing potions all day."
The concern the boy displayed got deeper the more Boscha shared.
"How about when she locked me in my room for a whole weekend without food cause I failed one of her tests, or how she goes through my scroll on a weekly basis, or….."
Boscha couldn't stop. The floodgates had opened and now she was sharing every unjust thing her mother had done with a total stranger. At some point, she had stopped caring how the boy was reacting.
"And to top it all off I don't even know if she loves me. She says she does and that she does everything out of love, yet when I think about how her actions make me feel, I-I just feel empty."
Boscha finished with a quivering breath.
The boy looked at her with wide eyes and an open mouth. He sat like that for a moment before speaking.
"I'm so sorry."
His words shocked Boscha. She had heard them hundreds of times before, but never had they been spoken with such sincerity. She finally got him to react, yet she still felt like she lost.
Feeling something warm hit her hand, Boscha looked down to see a small drop of water. Panicked she brought her hand to her face to find wet trails below her eyes. She'd been crying and she didn't even realize, even worse was the fact it was in front of a stranger.
Feeling self-conscious, Boscha stood up suddenly, startling the boy beside her. Without a word, she ran away from the bench as fast as she could without looking back.
As she ran Boscha realized despite being off balance the entire time, the interaction she had with the boy left her feeling lighter than she had felt in a long time.
"I should have gotten his name." She thought to herself with a grumble.
Hopefully, she'd never see him again.
Luz flopped down on her sleeping bag with a sigh.
The day had been long leaving her exhausted beyond belief. She wanted nothing more than to go to bed and sleep for a week, but her thought wouldn't let her.
She had been dumb, there was no better way to put it. She had been tricked into going on a dangerous quest despite the warnings she had been given. In the end, she had to be saved by the very woman the quest was designed to trap. Even though Eda had told her not to feel bad about it, she still felt horrible.
The worst part, to her, was that she thoroughly enjoyed the quest.
The hot princes, fairies, and magical items had been everything she had ever hoped for. She finally got to live out her childhood fantasy of questing through a bizarre world with a ragtag group of friends. It had been awesome even if it had all been a lie.
Groaning, Luz rolled over and pulled out her phone, its light illuminating the dark room.
She had a few notifications from various social sites, but the one she cared about the most was the text from her mother. It was a short message asking how her day had been and reminding her to look after Percy. Squashing down the feeling of guilt. Luz sent a text explaining her day had been fine and that she was really tired. Her mom responded with a 'goodnight' and an 'I love you".
Luz took a deep breath and flipped onto her back.
She was still slightly on the fence about the whole lying to her mother thing, but she knew at this point she couldn't go back. Even if she did go back, she had no way of getting to the camp she was supposed to go to and that didn't even account for Percy.
As if summoned by Luz's thoughts, the door to the room creaked open to reveal the tall form of Percy. He looked just as tired as Luz did.
"How was your day lígo fos?" Percy asked while kneeling down on his own sleeping bag.
"It was fine I guess." Luz mumbled, not wanting to look at the boy across from her.
"I heard you had a bit of an adventure today."
Luz groaned of course Eda told him.
"Yeah, some dumb wizard convinced me I was special and sent me on a dumb quest that turned out to be a trap for Eda cause apparently she was stealing customers of something dumb like that" Luz replied in a single breath.
"Dang, sounds like fun. Do you want to talk about it?"
"Not really, maybe tomorrow, I just don't want to think about it right now." Luz replied with a sigh. She knew Percy probably had plenty of wisdom to share, but she didn't want to hear it.
"That's fair." Percy replied with a chuckle. "Want to hear about my day instead?"
Luz perked up at that and rolled over to face Percy.
"Obviously! Spill!" Exclaimed excitedly.
"Ok so first Eda made me cut up these weird vegetables for her potion."
"That doesn't sound too bad."
"It wasn't. After that, I went into town and got this weird funnel cake with sauce." Percy shuddered slightly. "You don't want to know where the sauce was from."
Luz laughed. Her mood had already significantly improved just by being around Percy.
"I'll take your word for it. What happened next?"
"Calm down, after throwing out the cake I went to a local park and sat down at a bench."
"This place has parks?" Luz asked, interrupting Percy's story.
"I know right, so anyway I'm just sitting on this bench when this girl with three eyes comes up to me and starts yelling at me that I couldn't sit on it cause it was her bench or something."
"Did you leave?"
"Of course not! No one tells Percy Jackson where he can and can't sit!" Percy struck a pose despite the fact Luz wouldn't be able to see it.
Luz reached over and flicked his arm.
"Just finish your story already you doofus."
"Okay, okay, no need to hurt me. So after this girl yells at me, she sits down and starts doing the annoying sighing thing people do when they want you to ask what's wrong."
"I hate it when people do that!" Luz exclaimed.
"Same. So I relent and ask her what's wrong and she trauma dumps, cries, then dips."
"What? That's weird and kinda sad."
"I agree, but she ran off before I got her name so there's not much I can do about it now." Percy replied with a shrug.
"Yeah, what happened next?"
"Nothing I came back here and now I'm talking to you."
"Awww, that's it?" Lux asked sadly. She wasn't ready to go to bed yet.
"Yep." Percy said plainly before crawling into his sleeping bag. "I'm tired so goodnight."
"Goodnight." Luz replied.
Deciding to try and sleep herself, Luz got into her own bag and closed her eyes. After a few minutes of failing to fall asleep, she reached over and poked Percy.
"What." Percy said tiredly.
"I can't fall asleep, can I sleep next to you tonight?" Luz asked shyly.
She knew he wouldn't say no, but she still liked asking.
"Get over here."
Luz quickly unzipped her bag and crawled into Percy's now open one. Once she was snuggled comfortably against his chest, he reached over and zipped the bag up before wrapping his arm around her.
"Percy." Luz said quietly.
"Hmm?'
"Thanks for being the older brother I always wanted.
Percy pulled her closer to his chest in response.
"No problem."
Luz fell asleep with a smile on her face.
