Hi, everyone! WaterDragonMaverick here with the next chapter of my Owl House fanfic, "Palisman Café". Last time, Luz helped out Gus with some trouble at Hexside and got a chance to explore the school more. But after a misunderstanding, she ended up in detention and her friends had to vouch for her. With that cleared up, it's soon revealed that she'll be going to Hexside eventually and her mother is even planning on getting a job in Bonesborough. With Luz happy to spend more than just her summer with her friends, she'll have an eventful vacation to enjoy before going to Hexside herself.
The Owl House is owned by Disney and was created by Dana Terrace
It was a peaceful day in Bonesborough and the workers of the Palisman Café decided to spend their break out at the local playground. But while Eda was relaxed on a bench with Owlbert on her shoulder, Luz was fretting over something. "What if he gets hurt? What if the kids are mean to him? My parental instincts are freaking out, man," Luz said to Eda.
"What parental instincts? You're 14 and I doubt you did the whole parenthood health class thing yet," Eda joked. "Will you relax? He's fine. Look at him," she told Luz as she turned the Latina's attention toward King, who was climbing up the jungle gym's slide and struggling to do so.
"He does look like he's having fun," Luz said as she watched King with a smile. "Aww, I wonder what cute widdle game he's playing," she asked as he started the gush over the corgi-husky mix.
"Back, you cretins," King declared as he climbed up the slide. When he made it to the top, he looked over the playground. "Yes. YES! This is a throne worthy of a tyrant," he exclaimed as he was on the jungle gym. "Bow to me, snotty underlings," the dog told a pair of kindergarteners that were looking up at him.
"Puppy," the children shouted excitedly and tried to climb up the slide themselves.
"No! Back! All of you," King exclaimed before he jumped down from the jungle gym and ran toward Luz and Eda. "EDDAAAAAA! Those brats are usurping my kingdom! I demand you use your animals to attack them!"
"I'm not using Owlbert to traumatize a bunch of 5-year olds," Eda stated as her owl went into her hands. "He's got better things to do," she added before scratching the bird's belly, making Owlbert hoot happily.
"Aww, what a sweetie," Luz said as she gushed over the bird. "How did you get him anyway," she asked.
"I hatched him," Eda stated. "Back when I first opened my café, Owlbert was an egg I found in the branch of a dead tree where the Bat Queen lives and decided to look after it. When he hatched, we bonded for life. BQ said that there's a word for something like this and called it a 'Palisman'," she said while Owlbert flew onto her shoulder and she kept scratching the bird's tummy. "I'd annihilate anybody who'd hurt him," she voiced in a serious tone.
"Fine, don't help me. Revenge will taste sweeter when they fall to me and me alone," King said as a child walked up behind him.
"Tag! You're it," said the kid before running off laughing happily.
As King laid prone on the ground, Eda smirked as she knew what would happen next. "Oh man, here we go. King's squeak of rage," Eda told Luz as the girls watched King get up. While he started growling like a regular dog, the translation collar he wore started to voice his anger until it sounded like a high-pitched and childish whine. As King ran off to try getting revenge, Eda laughed as she watched him. "He's like a little tea kettle," she said while wiping away a tear.
As Luz heard that, she watched Owlbert scratch his head with his feet and looked at the tag around his ankle. "Is that tag supposed to show he's yours," Luz asked.
"Yup. It's so that all of the animals in the café can be returned to it after they get lost," Eda answered. "Can't let animal control be jerks and say they're just wild animals," she added.
Suddenly, Eda began to cough violently before she blacked out and Luz was scared as Owlbert flew onto the bench next to her. "Eda! EDA," Luz exclaimed and ended up catching King's attention. Immediately after the dog returned, Eda woke up again. "Eda, you passed out. I think your condition is getting worse," Luz said to her boss.
"I'll need to take my medicine and get some rest. After that, I need to head to that lab I go to," Eda said. "King, let's go home," she told the dog as Owlbert flew onto Eda's shoulder again.
"Fine. I'll claim my kingdom again some other time," King muttered.
Returning to the Owl House, Eda immediately crashed onto the couch for rest. "I'll go get your medicine, Eda," Luz said as she and Owlbert were worried for Eda's health.
"Don't worry. I can get it myself in a bit," Eda said as she waved Luz off.
"Do you want to close the café for now? I could stay and take care of you," Luz offered before she gasped. "I could put King in a little doctor's outfit," she sang as she put her hands on her cheeks and looked at the dog, who made a questioning bark.
"Nobody wants to see that," Eda told Luz.
"I do," Luz replied seriously as she looked in King's direction, picturing him in a white coat.
"Look, I've been sick with this condition longer than you've been alive. I can take care of myself," Eda told the girl. "I suppose closing the café would be okay since I need the rest," she remarked. "You go spend time with your friends. Owlbert can go get my medicine for me," she added.
Hearing Eda, Owlbert flew up toward the woman's bedroom and grabbed a bottle of her medication to set on the table next to her. "Okay, if you want me to," Luz said. "I mean, Gus and Willow did want me to come with them to watch the soccer game between Hexside and Glandus High."
"Since when are you into sports," Eda asked as she took some of her medicine.
"Since I found out a little something called 'Hexside Pride', Eda," Luz answered as she was face to face with her boss, freaking the older woman out from the lack of personal space before she backed away with a grunt. "To think that Glandus, whoever they are, would dare face us," Luz declared, even though she admittedly had no clue who or where Glandus High was. "But... I could still stay here and help with everything," Luz offered.
"Luz, I don't need your sympathy. Makes me feel sick," Eda told the girl. "Go. Go have fun at sport."
After Eda gave her the instruction, Luz cheered. "Hooray! Hooray for sport," she exclaimed with her arms raised. When near King, she stopped to give the dog affection. "Hugs and kisses, King," she told him before giving the dog a smooch on the cheek. "Don't spend all night plotting revenge," she added in a singing tone, knowing King would want to return to the park later.
"Those drooly-faced heathens will feel my wrath," King replied in the same tone as Luz while she left.
"We both know that if you try, animal control will go after you and I'll have to pay up for it," Eda stated to the dog. "I'm going to get a drink, then nap in my room. If Luz comes back for something, tell her I'm a sleepy little owl again," the woman said as she went upstairs while Owlbert decided to nap on the café counter, next to Willow's bonsai tree.
Making her way to Hexside, Luz was excited to see how her new school would do in their soccer match and how she would cheer for them. "Hexside is gonna wreck your side. Huh, no. Hexside is the best side in the west side," she said to herself, not feeling satisfied with what she would say. While lost in her thoughts, the sound of a bus engine roaring to life startled Luz and she yelped. "That was freaky," she muttered to herself before seeing her friends.
"Luz! Over here," Gus called out as he wore a sweater with Hexside's colors and logo while Willow wore a hat with similar colors and design.
The three friends all cheered as they were psyched for the game. "Happy game day, Hexsquad," Luz said.
"Well, most people just call us winners," Willow remarked with heavy emphasis on the last word.
Luz was surprised at her best friend's serious expression, but Gus snapped her out of it when he spoke up. "Hexside's soccer team is one of the best in the region. The players are really skilled and the audience gets to wave flags," he stated. "I even brought my own and I've been practicing," he added as he began to do a routine with a pair of small flags.
As Luz smiled, she looked at her friends and some of the other students boarding the buses. "Is it weird I'm not wearing anything Hexside," the Latina questioned.
"Um, it's actually weirder that you're wearing Glandus colors," Willow voiced as she pointed to a poster for the game, showing that Luz's usual hoodie had the same colors as the rival school. "Maybe you should change into something else before we head off? You know, before some of the other students make assumptions?"
As Willow said this, a large member of the soccer team walked by and noticed Luz's clothes. "You're going down, Glandus nerd," he exclaimed before heading off.
"Hey! I'm a Hexside nerd," Luz shouted back. "Maybe you're right," she told her friends as she looked at her favorite outfit. "I gotta change out of this shirt. You have anything I can wear?"
"There's a lost and found box in the cafeteria," Gus said.
"Perfect! The lost and found. Where old retainers go to retire," Luz said with a smile as she made her way into the school. When she found the cafeteria, she located the box and started digging around for anything that looked good to her. "These will do," she voiced as she grabbed a hat and saw some other items. When Luz came back outside, she was wearing a sweater and skirt with Hexside's colors, holding a pair of pom-poms, and had a novelty hat that held two cans of soda. "Goooo, Hexside," Luz exclaimed as she cheered, jumping in the air and doing a split. Unfortunately, she landed while doing her split and she had a look of pain on her face. "Well, never done that before," Luz said, fighting through her pain. "Then again, I never did make it onto the cheerleading squad after showing them my eyelid trick." After recovering enough, Luz saw that only Gus and Willow were around. "Hey, where is everyone?"
"They left just as you went in," Willow said. "We weren't going to leave you here, so we stayed behind."
"I was going to leave, but Willow held me back," Gus admitted, earning himself an elbow to the shoulder from the Korean girl.
"Can we walk to Glandus," Luz asked.
"We'd never make it in time on foot," Gus replied.
"And my parents are working, so we can't ask them to drive us there," Willow stated. "What about Eda?"
"She needed to do something today and isn't at the café," Luz told the others. As they sighed, Luz thought of something she remembered. "Wait a second. Eda babysat for her main investor and was owed a favor. Maybe I can ask BQ to give us a lift."
"BQ!? The Bat Queen," Willow and Gus exclaimed in fright at the name.
Seeing their reactions, Luz was confused. "What's with the faces," she asked.
"The Bat Queen is known as one of the scariest women around Bonesborough," Gus explained. "I'd rather miss the game than ask her for a favor."
"Oh, she's not so bad," Luz said, remembering when she met the woman after the library incident with Amity. "I'll see if she can help us. You know where she lives?" Willow and Gus only shook their heads in response. "Darn it," she whined. Suddenly, she thought of something. "Hold on. Owlbert!"
"The café's mascot," Gus asked.
"Eda said she hatched Owlbert around where BQ lived. Maybe he can show us where she is," Luz said as she ran off toward the Owl House.
When Luz made it to the Owl House with Gus and Willow, the Dominican girl went inside to see if Eda was still home. "Eda? Are you here," Luz asked as she entered the building. Seeing that nobody was around, she saw King napping in the sunlight by the window. "King. Is Eda home?"
"She said that if you came back for something, she's a sleepy little owl," the dog replied. "But I also heard her leave earlier, so she must have headed off somewhere."
"Well, I still need a sleepy little owl," Luz said as she saw Owlbert waking up. "Hey, buddy. I need some help," Luz asked the bird, who listened carefully. "Do you know where BQ lives? I need to see if she can get me and my friends to Glandus High." Owlbert tilted his head in thought, then nodded with a hoot before he started to fly off. "Thank you, Owlbert," Luz said before the two went out the door. "Gus! Willow! Come on and follow that owl," she told her friends as Owlbert headed off toward the woods outside of the town limits.
After what felt like a non-stop hour of running to everyone, the group soon saw a creepy section of the forest that gave Gus and Willow a bad feeling. "I think we're in the right place," Willow voiced with fear.
"Then let's see if she's around here," Luz said as Owlbert continued to guide the way.
"Or we could run back to the news station in town and ask my dad," Gus suggested, not wanting to go deeper in the woods.
"We already made it this far, so we're not turning back," Luz declared as she dragged Gus and Willow with her.
Walking through the forest, the children heard their footsteps breaking twigs and other objects as they kept going. "Boy, I sure am stepping on a lot of crunchy twigs," Willow remarked as she kept her attention on the trees.
"Willow, those are bones," Luz stated as she peeked at the floor.
"Not if I never look down," the Korean girl said, forcing optimism into her words to fight her fears.
Soon, Owlbert hooted to show the others they were close. Landing on a fence, the bird showed that there was a large manor that looked like it came straight out of Eastern Europe. The dark forest limiting the sunlight shining through only made it seem creepier. "Okay, since when did we walk into Prague," Gus asked, clinging to Willow for safety.
"Cool," Luz said as she walked up to the gate. Seeing it was creaking open, Luz simply went onto the estate's property and stepped up toward the manor with Owlbert landing on her shoulder. "Come on, guys! It's not all that bad," Luz told Willow and Gus.
"I think we're good right here," Willow said before feeling something grab onto her leg. "AAAHH!"
Looking at Willow, Luz saw one of BQ's babies grabbing onto the girl, as if curious about the visitor. "That's just one of the Bat Queen's babies," Luz said to calm down Willow. "And if they're here, then where's Mama?"
Luz's question was soon answered when Owlbert hooted and Luz turned around to see the woman towering over her with a stern expression on her face. "Mama here, yi yi," the Bat Queen said, scaring Gus and Willow more. As the baby came crawling back to BQ, the tall woman looked down at Luz. "I remembers you. Eda's helper, yi yi."
"Yup. That's me," Luz said to the Bat Queen. "I'm Luz. And I was wondering since you owed Eda for babysitting your little snuggle dumplings, you could give me and my friends a ride somewhere. Please," she asked the woman.
The Bat Queen gave Luz a blank stare as she thought it over. "No," she simply said, shocking Luz. "Owe Eda only. If wish for favor, then must earn it."
"Then bring it on," Luz said, only to be pulled back by Willow.
"Luz, what are you doing?! The Bat Queen is known for her nearly impossible tasks," Willow whispered to her friend. "Even babysitting her kids is supposed to be difficult beyond reason."
Luz shook her head while dismissing Willow's worries. "If it was really impossible, Eda wouldn't have been able to do it," the Latina remarked.
"Well, we'll be right by your side," Gus declared.
"No! Only one who ask for favor must do tasks," BQ exclaimed, silencing Gus and Willow.
Seeing that she would have to handle everything by herself like a hero accomplishing a series of trials, Luz steeled her resolve and looked at the woman. "Then what's my first job," she asked.
Taking Luz to the other side of the manor, BQ showed a stable where a few horses and cows were resting. "Milk the cow," the vampiric-looking woman instructed, giving Luz a bucket to collect the milk and pointing to a cow with a spider-like marking on its side.
"Okay. Sounds simple enough," Luz remarked. "They say it's easy anyway. Just squeeze and pull and squeeze and pull and squeeze and pull." Setting the bucket down, Luz was about to begin when the cow started to move around. "Hey, stop it," she told the bovine.
The cow didn't listen and started to wander off, prompting Luz to chase her. As she did, Gus and Willow only watched alongside the Bat Queen. "That cow is not listening," Gus noted.
"She stubborn," BQ told the bystanders while Luz attempted to drag the cow back to the stable.
Struggling to move the cow, Luz panted as she kept trying to do the first chore. "The cow or Luz," Willow wondered out loud.
The three watched as Luz was able to make the cow move slowly to the stable before the Bat Queen answered the Korean girl. "Both."
When the bovine was back in the stable, Luz was finally able to milk the cow and fill up the bucket. "Done!"
Seeing the filled bucket, the Bat Queen took it from Luz and gave her the next task to do. "Remove bee's nest on tree out front," she said, leaving the stables with the milk in hand.
"Can I get some stuff to put on first," Luz asked, not wanting to get stung.
"Look in shed," BQ replied before turning the corner to somewhere else on the property.
Searching the shed in the side yard, Luz found supplies to protect her from the bees that would potentially swarm her. As she was putting what she needed on, Willow spoke up. "It's a good thing I'm not allowed to help you here. I'm afraid of most bugs," she said.
"Yeah, I'm not really fond of bees myself," Luz said. "If only I had those spiders from my art project," she muttered, thinking that a number of spiders could catch the bees for her. However, when she thought about it, the idea didn't seem like it would really work. "Wish me luck," she told her friends before leaving the shed. Approaching the tree, Luz took a deep breath before getting to work.
Climbing up, Luz went tried to hit the nest off the branch with a rake. Unfortunately for her, the bees started to swarm around her just as she got the nest off. Freaking out from the bees attacking her despite her protection, the Latina ran screaming while the others watched. "Luz! Don't scream! I think that makes them angry," Gus exclaimed.
While running away, Luz circled back and hit the nest with her rake to send it flying farther into the woods. After she got it off of the Bat Queen's property, Luz grins before trying to escape the swarm again after she dropped the rake. "AH! What I wouldn't give for a can of bug spray right now," shouted Luz as she ran around and managed to avoid getting stung. "Heck, I'd settle for a can of hairspray and a lighter!" As she ran, Owlbert hooted and soon dropped something into Luz's hands. Seeing what it was, Luz smiled. "Thank you, Owlbert," the girl said before turning around. Holding up what she was given, Luz used a can of hairspray and a book of matches to incinerate the swarm chasing her.
When the insects flew away, BQ walked up to Luz. "Impressive. I allow owl's help," she told the girl, giving some lenience toward how Luz handled the swarm of bees chasing her. "Come. Final chore awaits." With the bees no longer an issue, Gus and Willow went with Luz and soon found BQ's children around an old metal washtub. "Give babies a bath," the vampiric-looking woman said and Luz immediately got to work, but the children were struggling quite a bit and making it very difficult.
"Luz, we can help you," Gus said, forgetting what BQ said.
"Gus, we can't," Willow reminded while BQ was towering over them and watching Luz scrubbing the children.
"Willow's right. I have to do this myself," Luz stated. "If I have to do something on my own to help you out or even prove I'm sorry for something like hurting Owlbert by accident, then I'm doing it," she added. After 30 minutes of cleaning each child, Luz soon dumped the washtub's water over the babies to rinse them clean before drying all of them off. "Here you go, Bat Queen. Squeaky clean triplets," Luz declared as she handed each child to their mother.
The vampiric-looking woman smiled as she easily held all three kids in her arms. "Yi yi, thank you. All chores done. I owe you now, child," the Bat Queen said.
"YES! Now we can get to Glandus," Luz cheered.
While Luz hugged Willow, Gus noticed his watch and sharply inhaled through his teeth. "Guys, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I think we spent too much time here. The soccer match probably ended by now," he said as he showed the time.
"No! I wanted to watch the game with you two," Luz moaned sadly as she slid down Willow's legs and rested her head on the Korean girl's feet like a whining puppy.
"Luz, this whole day was way more exciting than a soccer game," Willow told her friend.
"Really," Luz questioned as she stood back up.
"Of course," Willow said. "You torched a swarm of bees with hairspray and a match! Imagine if everyone in school saw that instead of Boscha and the Banshees beating Glandus."
"No way that bully would forget it," Gus added.
Hearing her friends' reassurances made Luz smile before she embraced them both in a tight hug. "Thanks, guys," Luz said. After releasing her friends, the Latina soon turned to BQ and wondered one thing when Owlbert landed on the woman's head. "Eda said that she got Owlbert around here and hatched him herself. She said you called him her 'Palisman'. What's that mean?"
The Bat Queen had a sad look in her eyes when Luz finished asking her question, then silently gestured for the kids to follow her to the backyard of the manor. "Long ago, I live in Eastern Europe with Father. He was rich man with fondness of stories. One I love most is about girl who befriend magic wooden animals called 'Palismen'. She care for creatures, protect them, keep them safe from danger. Father and I did same when moved here, but... I lose him long time ago and was hurt," BQ said, revealing that her father died as she showed a deep scar on one of her legs.
Hearing this, Luz couldn't help but feel sorry for the older woman. "BQ..."
Wiping away a tear from the corner of her eye, Bat Queen soon continued her story. "After I healed, took over for father. I protect all animals," she said as she gestured to the new area. Luz and the others gasped as they saw all manners of injured or sickly animals that look like they've been cared for very well. "Eda is one I trust well. She love animals and takes care of who recover. Is why I give her Owlbert. Why I help her café. Why I trust you now," BQ said to Luz. "You have strong will and good heart. He cares for you, too," she said to Luz before Owlbert flew into the girl's hands.
"I'm happy to know that," Luz responded before Owlbert nuzzled against her cheek. "You know, if you ever want to talk about your father more, I'm always available."
BQ only chuckled sadly when she heard what Luz said. "It been so long. Memory not like before. But, thank you," she said. "Maybe we talk more when I stop by Palisman. For now, I owes you favor of own. Come now, babies. Time for bed."
Waving goodbye to the Bat Queen as she and her children went inside, Luz soon turned to Gus and Willow. "Well, should we head back to the café?"
After leaving the forest and returning to Bonesborough, Luz was mixing up some drinks for her friends before Eda soon came into the café. "So, how did soccer go," the Owl Lady asked.
"We missed the bus," Luz admitted. "Couldn't make it to the game."
"That sucks. Hexside soccer games are intense. You missed out," Eda remarked.
Seeing something in Eda's hands, Luz was curious. "What's that?"
Immediately hiding the papers behind her back, Eda replied. "Nothing important. Just annoying paperwork. Nothing you need to bother with since it doesn't involve your paychecks."
Luz shrugged before she gave Eda a drink. "Here you go. Thought you might want one when you got back."
Taking the drink, Eda started sipping it slowly as she returned to her bedroom. When she was away from the others, she started coughing badly, as if she was trying to force her own lung out. When her coughing fit ended, Eda sighed as she looked at the papers she hid from Luz. "Ugh, I can't believe it. My condition is getting worse," the Owl Lady said as she looked at the results of her latest medical tests and checked her medicine bottle. "If it keeps acting up like this, I don't think I'll last the summer. Lily, you better find a cure soon."
And now, I've finished up another chapter of Palisman Café. I hope you all enjoyed this version of "Escape of the Palisman" after all this time. I've been busy over the last few months with life, work, other stories, games, and things. But with The Owl House finally getting to Season 2, I'm sure that I'll be able to get more of Palisman Café finished up. With Season 2 approaching, I'm sure that I'll be able to figure out new things to add to this AU.
Now then, with the next chapter, I'll be doing another original thing just like I've done in place of "Once Upon A Swap". Next chapter, we'll see the results of Luz's friends stopping by the café so much and do some stuff that I've actually wanted to do since the start of the fic.
As for Eda's condition in place of her curse, you'll see how I handle that eventually. Especially with everything involving Lilith in this story.
Now with this chapter finished, I'm glad that I got some new writing done before my birthday and before The Owl House Season 2 started.