I do not own Soul Eater or Owl House.
If I did, Lumity would already be confirmed... oh, Hell, we already know it's confirmed, how is it not after Grom?
Even as the wind buffeted her face hard enough to make her eyes sting from the sheer speed of the staff as they flew, Luz didn't dare to look back. She knew that whatever the cause was of the smashing sounds behind her, it couldn't be anything good; the shadows playing on the walls only cemented her determination not to look. If they were any indication, Warden Wrath was in hot pursuit, his amorphous arms having morphed into something truly horrific.
The Witch glanced back, clicking her teeth, "Yep, he's following us. Stubborn bastard."
"How fast does this thing go?!" Luz shouted.
"Probably not fast enough to outrun the Warden."
"I thought you were the fastest flier on the Boiling Isles!"
"I am. But in case you haven't noticed, I'm also decapitated at the moment," the staff weaved out into the central chamber with the cells, "That puts a damper on my ability to fly."
"Then what do we do!?" Luz demanded.
"Well, the stealthy plan's a bust," the Witch mused, "What do you say we start a prison riot?"
"A what!?"
"You wanted to let them out, didn't you?"
The cells were rapidly approaching; her chocolate eyes immediately fixated on the levers as the staff shot along the ramp.
"… lend me your hand!" she called, and the Owl Lady obliged, layering her hand atop of Luz's own.
As they roared past, Luz began yanking up the levers, her arm bolstered by the Witch's unnatural strength; each one was thrown as easily as toys, the cells opening one by one even as the commotion behind them grew louder and louder. Bells were ringing in the distance, and Luz could hear the thunder of synchronized footsteps in the distance, the heavy clank of armour as innumerable guards set to work. Behind them, prisoners were emerging from their cells, and rushing to set others free or making a mad dash for doors in a bid for their freedom.
"What're their chances!?"
"Not good, but better than zero," Eda assured, "Just keep going!"
Before long, they reached the top of the tower, shooting up and out the skylight; for a brief instant, the girl thought they had escaped, that freedom was within reach-
Only for Wrath's arms to wrap around the staff.
He was carried up into the air along with them, throwing off their flight and dragging them down with his hundreds of pounds of extra weight. He swung wildly with a heavy blade, coming dangerously close to striking the trio before the staff began spiralling entirely out of control, throwing them all off and sending them hurtling towards the ground below.
Luz screamed, squeezing her eyes shut and throwing her hands up over her head, even as Eda's arms wrapped around her tightly. The wind rushed in her ears, so loud that she only barely heard the sound, one she had never heard before.
The impact drove the wind from her lungs, and they rolled across the dirt, coming to a stop on Eda's back; the Latina finally opened her eyes, blinking at the golden shell that surrounded her, King, and the Witch, the imprint matching the small crater they now lay in.
"Ow! My bones!" King squeaked.
"… yep… that hurt," Eda winced, her body pushing itself back up before picking up her head, reattaching it with a pained moan.
"… you… saved me," Luz wheezed, trying to force air back into her lungs and keep the tears out of her eyes.
"'Course I did," the Witch huffed, slowly rolling her shoulders and breathing, "I got you into this mess. I gotta make sure you make it out. Speaking of…"
She glared at the nearby heap that also lay on the stone; some distance away, Warden Wrath languished on the ground, slowly gathering himself and pushing himself back to his feet, his mask slowly breaking away, piece by piece. As if the hooked beak hadn't been bad enough, there was no face beneath the metal; only a mouth that took up the entirety of his head, massive teeth dripping with saliva as he struggled for breath, fury evident with every shaky movement, tiny pale eyes shining with hatred.
"… Luz," she reached into her hair, and extracted the key with the golden eye, placing it in Luz's palm, "Go back to the human world."
"… but… what about you guys?" the human finally regained her wind, shakily rising to her feet as Eda stepped forwards.
"If you think this guy is bad," King slurred, rubbing at his skull, "You should have seen her last boyfriend!"
"Not my boyfriend," Eda reminded, her tone warning as she glanced back at Luz, "Now, go!"
"But I-"
"Go, go!" Eda snapped her fingers, and the staff glowed gold, rising off the ground and knocking into Luz and carrying her up before she could utter another word of protest, up and away from the battle as it began to unfold, Wrath unleashing a gout of flame from his horrific maw.
Luz clung to the staff with everything she had, staring down at the Conformatorium; every exposed balcony and window she could see showed signs of siege and conflict. A cacophony of screams and shouts, of breaking stone and clashing metal were finally reaching her ears, the silhouettes of guards met the shadows of prisoners, a grisly shadow play that she couldn't tear her eyes away from.
An overwhelming sense of numbness overtook her as her eyes shot back and forth, looking for something, anything that she could recognize…
Finally, she found her.
The fanged woman from the cell; she was surrounded by other prisoners as they cowered, around a corner of shattered wall, watching the battle between Witch and Warden unfold.
The Latina managed to angle the staff down, and descend. She stumbled as she touched down, nearly tripping over her own feet before running over to the hole in the wall.
"Kid!?" the woman asked, incredulous, "What are you still doing here!?"
"Things didn't go as planned," Luz stated, "I couldn't just leave!"
"You should," the creature with the five eyes started, almost scolding, "This isn't going to be pretty. If you hang around too long, you'll be locked up with the rest of us."
"Wait, you aren't going to run?" she gawked, "This is your chance to get away!"
"No point," he sighed, "The Warden'll catch us. He always does; he catches everyone who tries to escape."
"Not everyone," the girl insisted. She turned, and pointed; Eda was expertly weaving back and forth between heavy, swinging blades, almost dancing as she spun between two slashes that left the Warden's blades embedded in the stone. She grinned, stepping up and driving her heel into his abdomen, lifting him clean off the ground and throwing him back on impact-
Only for one of the arms to morph, catching her across the back with a heavy hammer blow as the Warden landed heavily on his feet. The hammer turned to tendrils, wrapping around Eda's body, binding her arms to her sides.
But the Owl Lady was undeterred, responding with a golden glow that transformed the ground, a series of large spikes rising from the ground and spearing through Wrath's arm, tearing the limb asunder and setting her free, allowing their deadly dance to resume even as he once again advanced, flames shooting from his mouth in a veritable conflagration.
"That is Eda the Owl Lady. The most powerful Witch on the Boiling Isles," she declared, "Someone that Warden Wrath has never caught, and never will. She's fighting to keep herself out of this miserable place – and you all should do the same!"
"Not all of us are strong," a woman with dark skin and blond hair tied in a bun snapped, stepping out in front, blue vest flapping in the breeze, "And none of us are strong like her."
"Even if we were, we're outnumbered and outgunned," a turtle in a wheelchair adjusted his glasses, pushing himself forwards, "How are we going to get out? How are we going to stay out?"
"By helping to cut the head off the snake," Luz continued, "The Warden is the only thing keeping those guards organized. On their own, they're complete idiots! If he goes down, the guards should scatter without a leader!
"Warden Wrath has kept you all here, scared and alone," her grip on the staff tightened, "He convinced you all that there's no place for you outside of the Conformatorium. But that isn't true! Yes, you say and do strange things, but that isn't bad! That just means you see the world differently! That makes you unique! And no one has any right to take that from you just because they don't like it! As long as you aren't hurting anyone, you should be free to go wherever you want, to do whatever you want! The Warden is the one keeping you here, and he is wrong to do so!"
"… why are you helping us?" the woman finally asked, eyes wide.
"Because," Luz felt her expression soften, a flashing her a friendly smile, "Us weirdoes have to stick together. And nobody – nobody," she mounted the staff once more, rising into the air and pulling her hood over her head, "should be punished for who they are!"
The sound that followed was not screaming.
It was a sound Luz had only heard dedicated to others before.
Cheering. Confidence seemed to have been restored to the crowd before her, which was slowly swelling, more and more prisoners emerging from the innards of the Conformatorium, all of them looking to her with renewed vigour, with genuine smiles as they spilled into the courtyard.
"Now," she turned on the staff, returning her attention to the fight, "Let's get him!"
Eda skidded back across the courtyard on her heels, wiping her mouth; it was clear this fight was turning out to be a more difficult endeavour than she'd thought. Even striking Wrath with his own flames hadn't seemed to do much damage. He was a constantly advancing wall, a glacier with no intention of slowing down, much less actually stopping. He simply continued to advance, blades gleaming dully in the light of the fires that now lit the courtyard.
"No. More. Games," he snarled, "No. More. Running. Today, Owl Lady, I capture you once, and for all-!"
He was cut off as he was suddenly bowled over from the side, a crowd of over a dozen roaring inmates all rushing at once to pull the Warden to the ground; before he could react, they were pulling his arms, dragging him back across the courtyard with his limbs outstretched as far as they could manage like some gruesome parody of tug of war, the element of surprise giving them the chance they needed to gain and maintain the upper hand.
"Go, go, GO!" Luz encouraged, shooting past overhead on the staff, grin wide – and it only grew wider as she caught the Witch's bewildered stare, chest swelling with pride as the crowd pushed forwards.
The Warden was strong, that much was for certain. Against anyone here individually save the Owl Lady herself, he would have easily overpowered them, beaten them broken and bloody into the stone and dragged them back into the Conformatorium for some yet worse, grisly punishment. Luz could only assume that even against a mob half this size, he probably would have won with sheer, brute strength alone, overwhelming them with physical might.
But he had been weakened. A thousand foot fall paired with a duel against the Owl Lady had left him winded and wounded.
He was in no condition to fight. And if what little expression existed in those awful features was any indication, it was slowly beginning to dawn on him just what kind of trouble he was in.
"I EAT MY OWN EYES!" the Quintuclops shouted, wrapping his arms around the Warden's chest and squeezing, constricting with every ounce of strength he had.
"I BEWIEVE THE WOWHD IS A TWIANGWE!" the orange haired, tiny creature shrieked, shoving itself beneath his legs to topple him to the ground.
"AND I PRACTICE THE ANCIENT ART OF FAN-FICTION!" declared the fanged woman, the cries of solidarity from their fellow inmates only further stirring their frenzy.
Together, they pulled his arms across his chest and around his back, interweaving them despite his struggles to break free of their collective grasps. Again and again they dipped and weaved, the blond girl with the blue jacket slashing with a curved knife to slice his keys from his belt, a pale man with the orange weasel companion lashing out with black claws to sever one of the blades, a raccoon-like man hooking the Warden's neck with a golden cane, yanking up his chin to keep him from spitting flames onto his fellows.
It didn't take them long to get him entirely bound, his arms so stretched and tangled he couldn't possibly get them free no matter how much he struggled or attempted to morph them.
"YOU WILL ALL PAY FOR THIS!" he screamed, "NOT ONE OF YOU WILL EVER LEAVE!"
"That's where you're wrong, Warden," Luz landed, stepping forwards, "They're all leaving, today. And they're never coming back."
"… you," the amount of venom forced into that one word was chilling, those cold eyes gleaming, "Who do you think you are!?"
The Latina cleared her throat, pointing down as she adopted her most dramatic voice, "Do not underestimate me, Warden Wrath! For I am Luz, the Human! Warrior of Peace!..."
… her smile became mischievous as she reached into her bag…
"… NOW EAT THIS, SUCKA!" she shouted, tossing the fireworks from her book report six weeks prior into the air and striking them with all her might.
They were propelled directly into the Warden's mouth, the sparks from within almost immediately setting them alight. They promptly began to go off, the bright lights and the sounds making him cry out in pain and humiliation. He managed to tear out of the prisoners' grasps, taking off at a full run, desperate, trying to put as much distance between himself and his failure even as the fireworks continued to shriek and flare in his jaws.
"We won…?" the fanged woman stared at the Warden's retreating figure, then broke out into an incredulous laugh, "We won!"
"WE AWE VICTOWIOUS!"
"Look!" the turtle pointed to the walls, "The guards are dispersing!"
True to his word, the guards had all come to a sudden halt, stopping and staring as the Warden made his hasty retreat; their confidence faltered as they attempted to return to fighting the escaped prisoners, but without the presence of their leader to reassure them, they were visibly unsure, and quickly beaten back, one by one being forced to retreat just as Wrath had done.
"I got his keys!" the blond girl shouted, holding up the ring of brass, "Let's get the Hell out of here!"
With that, they scattered, all making their ways to the various cracks and doors in the walls in an attempt to claim their freedom.
"Luz!" the woman shouted, looking to the girl, "Aren't you coming!?"
She met the woman's gaze, blinking; after a moment, the familiar weight of Eda's hand came to a rest on her shoulder, the Witch giving her a warm, proud smile.
"… I think I've got my own ride," she decided, once again letting her eyes rest on the fanged woman.
"… if you're sure," she smiled, "Thank you. Really. Thank you. I never thought I'd ever actually get out of here."
"Less talking, more leaving," the Owl Lady gave a flick of her hand, "Scram. Those guards won't be on the back foot forever. You should go before they get a chance to regroup."
"… right," she nodded, "But still. Thank you."
With that, the woman turned, and sped off after the remainder of the prisoners.
King giggled from his perch on Eda's shoulder, "That was actually one of her better breakups!"
The Witch gave the Demon a half-lidded glare, "Not a breakup."
"… you think they'll actually be able to get away?" Luz sobered, turning her head to meet the Owl Lady's eyes.
"Not all of them," Eda stated wistfully, staring at the tower "But if it weren't for your quick thinking today, it would have been none of them. Some is better than none… and with the Warden licking his wounds, they might even have enough time to go into hiding or make it across the sea before he starts hunting for them," a toothy grin, that golden fang gleaming, "You did some good work today, kid."
Again, that swell of pride in her chest, a fluttering in her stomach that flushed her face and made her want to dance, made her heart race with the validation. It was one thing to be told good work by Mom or by Dad, but…
"… thanks," she managed, the only word she could manage to put straight in her head.
"Anyways, let's bounce," Eda took the staff, spinning it between her fingers, "Before any other monsters fall in love with me."
They quickly mounted the staff, and took off into the sky, leaving the horrors of the Conformatorium behind as the commotion died, tiny figures scattering in all directions from the prison doors and walls.
It took a long, long time after the prison faded from view for the roar of her own heartbeat to finally fade from Luz's ears in turn.
"… I haven't called Luz."
The realization had been like ice water poured over Maka's head; she'd dropped the potato she'd been peeling into the sink as she accidentally caught herself with the edge of the paring knife, hissing in pain as the blade slid through her skin.
Soul had immediately stepped over to check the wound, paper towel in hand to staunch the bleeding so he could get a better look. It was a shallow cut, but a cut nonetheless.
After that, the kitchen had become a blur; at Blair's insistence, Maka had numbly agreed to let the cat heal her, the cut closing in a matter of seconds under that oddly beautiful green glow. She'd returned to her room, leaving Soul to finish in the kitchen as she sat in the warm orange light of the sunset, listless with indecision as she stared at where she had set her phone on her desk to charge.
It was open to the same contact she had promised to keep in touch with, to update regularly. The promise she, in her single-minded pursuit of Sid, had not kept.
'Noceda.'
Sometimes it seemed the Meister couldn't even think about her sister without feeling sick to her stomach anymore. Every interaction seemed to lead to more mixed emotions, more guilt and unease. When she finally realized that she hadn't called Luz once over the past two weeks, that it hadn't even occurred to her to do so despite promising to keep her updated, she felt like she'd just fought Stein all over again.
Shaken.
Physically ill.
… frightened.
"… what are you so scared of?" she whispered to herself, hands clenching, "You know she won't hate you. You know she'll understand. Just… pick up the phone, and call her."
Slowly, she reached out, finger outstretched towards the call button.
"Just pick up the phone… just pick up the phone…"
Her hand was trembling.
She'd fought zombies, serial killers, Magic cats and worse. So why? Why was this so hard? Why was she so scared?
Why couldn't she just do it and get it over with?
… get it over with.
Maka slumped, hands rising to her eyes. She thought of this as something she needed to get over with, treating a conversation with her sister not just like some monumental task, but an unpleasant chore that she was finding every excuse to avoid.
"… dammit."
There was a knock at the door.
"Makaaa~!"
An annoyed frustration bloomed behind her ribs as the cat's sing-song voice echoed outside her door; she slowly turned in her chair, glaring daggers at the door, "What do you want, Blair?"
"Just wanted to let you know Soul's almost done with dinner," she informed, insufferably cheerful.
"… alright," Maka sighed, "I'll be out in a minute."
"… you've been in there for an awfully long time," the cat noted, "Can I come in?"
"Is saying 'no' going to stop you?"
"Jeez, someone's grumpy today. Is something wrong?"
The Meister's jaw worked as she struggled to snap 'I'm fine,' but the words wouldn't form. Her lips twisted, and she spun in her chair again as the doorknob turned, and the door clicked, swinging open to let light from the hall pour in.
Blair was dressed in a different outfit from her usual dress; a long sleeve jacket with a high, furred collar cut off at her ribs to show off her midriff, with a low cut top underneath that showed off far too much of the cat's generous cleavage for Maka's liking. Likewise, her shorts were scandalously short, only barely buttoned at the top and showing off every inch of her long legs. Even her hat was gone, exposing her large ears as they twisted in place, reacting to every little sound that they managed to catch. The only thing that remained of Blair's original outfit were the flouncing curls of her hair and her thigh high boots, which clicked on the wood with every step, accentuating the dripping sex appeal in the same way everything else the cat wore did.
"… what the Hell are you wearing?" Maka asked, even though she honestly didn't want to know.
"It's my work outfit!" Blair giggled, "I haven't worn it in a while. It's a little tighter than I remember, but I still make it work!"
The Meister snorted, "Yeah, I guess. If by 'make it work,' you mean 'barely maintain any decency."
"Yeesh," Blair's nose wrinkled, "You really are in a bad mood. Does your hand still hurt?"
"… no," Maka flexed her fingers, staring at where her cut once was, "It's fine."
Slowly, the cat in human form strode to the bed, and sat down, resting her chin on her hands, golden eyes wide as she stared at Maka. For the first time, the girl noticed the way Blair's pupils dilated and contracted; at full size, they could have easily been mistaken for a human's eyes, unnaturally bright colour aside, but now they had narrowed to near slits, entirely focused on the girl in front of her.
"… what's with that look?" she frowned, suddenly distinctly uncomfortable under the intensity of the magical cat's gaze.
"… aren't you gonna tell me what's wrong?" Blair queried.
At this, Maka's jaw tightened again, and she crossed her arms, looking away, "Nothing's wrong."
"I beg to differ," she tilted her head, quizzical, "You barely seemed to notice your cut and you haven't made any progress on your homework in the entire time you've locked yourself in here – and you've been in here for over half an hour now."
"And how do you know I haven't gotten anything done?" Maka turned her glare on Blair, the prospect of having her privacy invaded making the blossoming frustration grow – it was bad enough that the cat had invited herself into her home.
Blair remained unperturbed, however, reaching up to tap one of her ears, "My hearing is much better than yours, Maka. You've been rolling back and forth in that chair the whole time – when you do your homework, you're almost totally silent, save for the occasional shift to make yourself comfortable."
The preteen didn't have any response to that, instead gritting her teeth harder and looking away, "I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't eavesdrop on me like that."
"Sorry, can't really help that," the purple haired woman shrugged, "I can hear every little thing that happens in this apartment. That's not really something I can just… turn off."
"Could you maybe pay a little less attention, then?" Maka grumbled.
"And leave you two without any protection from people trying to break in?" Blair teased, baring her teeth in a small grin, "Noooo, I can't do that."
"We're DWMA students, Blair, we don't need protecting from you."
"Maybe not," Blair conceded, "But I can still tell you're upset. You've both been off for a few days now, and ever since you mentioned this 'Luz' person, you've been even more off."
This time, Maka said nothing. She gripped the arms of her seat, and turned away, not wanting to look the cat in the eyes anymore.
"… okay. I get it. You like your privacy, and you don't like that I can hear you so well," the girl heard Blair rise to her feet, then the click of her heels as she stepped closer. The cat set her hands down on Maka's shoulders, her claw-like nails gently digging in, but oddly, the Meister didn't feel threatened, recognizing from Blair's gentle tone that it was an attempt to soothe her, "You don't like me, in general. I understand. And I don't want to pry. I'm just… a little worried, that's all. I want to make sure that you're okay."
She tried to maintain her glare at the wall, but found her expression gradually softening of its own accord, a strange exhaustion overtaking her body as she slumped back in the chair. She felt too tired to stay angry, and once again her reason and her emotions were a-struggle in her stomach, wrestling for control.
"… it's complicated," she sighed, reason gradually winning out, "I just… I screwed up. I told her that I'd keep her updated regarding the whole thing with Sid, and I… I just didn't."
"Mmm," Blair gently worked her fingertips into Maka's shoulders in a massaging motion, "And you feel like a liar. Is that it?"
"Among other things," she curled in on herself, "I gave her reason to worry, I promised I'd update her, let her know I was safe… and now two weeks later, I still haven't told her anything even though it's been four days since it ended."
'Worse,' her own venomous mind hissed, 'Dad's come home today. She doesn't get to see him again for months. And she's probably already gone to camp.
'And you don't even have the decency to text. Much less call.'
The guilt was a poison running through her veins. She drew her legs into her chest, pressing her face into her knees, "… I screwed up…"
"… I know that feeling all too well, Maka," Blair assured, and one of her hands slipped beneath the Meister's chin, gently tugging upwards. Slowly, Maka let herself be guided, until she was staring straight up into the cat's face, her face warm, empathetic, "… but listen; beating yourself up is not going to help. It's just going to make you feel worse, and make the call you want to make harder."
"… I know," the girl managed, letting her shoulders fall.
"I also know it's hard not to do that," Blair glanced to the desk, and reached, gently turning the phone over so the screen's light was blocked out, "Sitting in here is only going to wind you up more."
"… so what should I do then?" Maka huffed, "Ignore it?"
"No," Blair stated, "Not ignore it. More… take a break from it. Come back when you're feeling a little better, instead of calling now on the verge of a breakdown."
"… 'm not on the verge of a breakdown," the Meister argued, but even to her own ears it sounded weak.
"I'm sure you aren't," Blair chuckled wryly, "But you certainly aren't in the right mood."
"So?"
"So… Soul's almost finished dinner," she gently turned the chair so that Maka was facing the hallway, "Why don't you come out and eat with us? Take your mind off of Luz for a while, relax… and come back to it once you're refreshed, with some actual food in your stomach?"
She stared out at the white wall; the Meister could now hear the clinking of plates and silverware over a distantly running sink. Soul must be setting the table now, and that water was probably for a salad.
"… what about you?" she began, glancing up as she unfolded her legs, "Don't you have work?"
"I don't have to be there for another hour," Blair shook her head, "It's a night thing."
"Explains the racy clubbing outfit," Maka muttered, though a small smile had worked its way across her face.
"Hey, some people like feeling sexy," Blair laughed, rounding the chair with an exaggerated loping swagger, running a hand up her side with a sultry smirk, "Who knows? Maybe you'll like it when you get older."
"Don't bet on it," Maka pushed herself up, patting off her skirt, "What's Soul got going for a vegetable?"
"He's using the broccoli tonight, with orange zest," the cat made an exaggerated gagging motion.
"Oh, don't be like that," Maka laughed, stepping forwards, "Orange zest does a lot to take the bitterness out of the broccoli, and blanching it rather than boiling it keeps it from going all mushy."
"Blanching?" she raised an eyebrow.
"Pouring boiling water into the broccoli, and then immediately straining it," Maka clarified.
"Aaaah. It never occurred to me to try that."
"Well, I guess we'll see how it turns out. Here's hoping the roast isn't too rare, though."
"Oh, please, rare roast is the best."
"That's because you're a carnivore by blood, Blair."
"Doesn't make it any less true!" Blair chirped.
Maka scoffed, "I still don't understand how you can even eat vegetables."
"Simple. Magic."
"… I hate how that's just a blanket explanation for everything you do," Maka groaned as the cat laughed with mischievous glee, but even so, as the two made their way back to the kitchen…
The Scythe Meister had to admit to herself that she did feel at least a little bit better.
They stood in the foyer of the Owl House once again; once all the excitement had worn off, Luz had slumped back against Eda's body for the duration of the flight back, exhausted from all the excitement. Not so much that she slept through, but enough that the Owl Lady needed to support her to keep her from slipping off the staff.
The sun was now setting, slowly dipping beyond the edge of the sea, the magenta sky being dyed briefly into a much brighter pink before fading into a deeper purple, and then into a navy blue on the horizon beyond the forest. The sea itself was a warm orange now, the sun's white glare reflecting off its countless waves like a polished, uneven mirror, creating a light show across the ceiling as the reflection shone through the stained glass windows.
The Witch had to admit – in the odd six or seven hours since the human had wandered in through her portal and snatched a trashy tween novel out of her hand, she'd grown fond of the kid. Luz had proven herself a clever girl, a quick thinker with a good heart, not yet jaded by the sands of time and the actions of those around her. A bit naïve, but perhaps that wasn't a bad thing – if Eda had to guess, the human was only about thirteen, possibly fourteen. She had room yet to grow, and a strong heart that didn't buckle in the face of adversity, if only due to misplaced confidence.
… but on the other hand, that made what Eda had to do next sting far more than what she was comfortable with.
"Well, a deal's a deal," The Owl Lady snapped her fingers; the key to the portal floated up and out of Luz's bag, and into her hand, "Let's get you home."
She clicked the eye shaped button, and it let out a small, distinct ring; the portal floated into view, unfolding from its briefcase shape and into the door that led into the human world.
"Whoa, wait," Luz sputtered, turning to her with wide eyes, "You said you'd answer some questions if I helped you!"
The Witch's smile faltered, her brows raising slightly as her lips curled downwards, "… I'll be honest, kid. I'd hoped you'd forgotten about that."
"… but I… I have so many questions," the teen insisted, "I-"
"Luz," Eda interrupted, tone gentle, "… I know I said I would answer some questions. But, here's the fact of the matter; just knowing me puts you in danger."
Luz's mouth clicked shut as she stared at the older woman with wide eyes; Eda continued, "I don't know how much you know about the whole conflict… but the Grim Reaper doesn't exactly want us Witches around. We're hunted in your world – we're fugitives just for existing. And that's not getting into how I, specifically, am a fugitive. And I'm sure you remember how you were nearly dragged off to the Conformatorium less than fifteen minutes after you wandered through the portal just because you were talking to me."
"… but…"
"It's not that I don't want to tell you," Eda emphasized, leaning forwards so that she was eye level with the girl, "It's that the less you know, the safer you are. Do you understand?"
The Owl Lady studied Luz's Soul, so small and so bright; she could see the disappointment flooding it just as much as she could see it on Luz's face, the way her enthusiasm crumbled into sorrow. She hung her head, brown eyes downcast, but ultimately, she nodded, "… yeah… I understand."
A nod, "In which case, I think it's time you went home."
"… I won't tell anyone," the girl promised, looking up, "I promise. I won't tell a single person what happened today."
'… you won't be able to,' Eda kept the thought to herself, instead straightening with a bob of her head, "I appreciate it, kid."
That said, Luz turned, staring at the door with more than a little apprehension, wrapping her arms around herself as if seeking comfort. She then glanced back, just in time to see King hang his head.
Eda hid a sigh; it was obvious the Demon didn't want to see his first playmate in a long time go.
"… before I go," the Latina smiled, reaching into her bag and stepping over to King. She pulled out a small doll, with green hair and white robes, gently pulling the tiny plastic crown off its pointed hat, offering it to the Demon, "I know it's not the same, but… a King shouldn't be without a crown."
He hesitated only for a moment before gently accepting the tiny adornment, placing it on his head, "This shall suffice.
"You there, plant!" he pointed, marching forwards, "You are now under my command!"
At this, the Owl Lady couldn't hide her chuckle, fondly watching the little cub march forwards with his typical selfish cheer restored.
Then her eyes landed on the coffee table.
"Oh, right," she scooped up the book and the pamphlet, holding them out to Luz, "Can't forget these."
"… thank you," Luz sighed, staring wistfully at the objects as she accepted them, slowly walking towards the door.
Eda stared at the human's hunched back and neck, at the every step slow, shuffling and reluctant. She couldn't guess at specifics, but she could tell just from looking that the kid didn't want to go; her Soul screamed of want, of a raging desire for more of the excitement and acceptance and approval that she had experienced today. This was probably the first time in a long time, perhaps ever, that Luz had felt special, important, needed, wanted…
It was a desperate cry that could only be emitted by a truly lonely Soul.
... but that didn't change what needed to happen next.
As soon as Luz opened the door and stepped through, the Owl Lady would cast her spell – a simple charm of memory removal.
The girl would forget everything that had occurred since that morning. She would find herself by the road where she had seen Owlbert, wondering where the day had gone, all knowledge of the portal, of the Isles, of the Witch, completely and utterly gone, as if they had never been.
All Eda needed to do was wait for her to leave of her own accord.
At the very least, she could let Luz complete her misadventure of her own free will.
… she didn't want to.
She didn't want to open the door. She didn't want to go home. She wasn't ready for this adventure to come to an end.
No matter how Luz tried to approach it in her head, that was the simple fact of the matter.
She had done something she'd thought impossible today; she had entered a parallel world entirely by accident and befriended a Witch. She had helped break into a prison and defeat its cruel Warden, setting wrongfully imprisoned people free and restoring their faith in themselves all the while.
Even so, she shuffled forwards, staring at the pamphlet in her hands, the logo for Camp Reality Check staring back, the kid in the box almost seeming to mock how close she'd come to her dreams of adventure.
She pulled the pamphlet away, smiling wistfully at the cover of Good Witch Azura, holding her staff aloft with her elderly mentor smiling in the background, the young Black Wolf standing her opposite.
So close, yet so far…
She glanced up to the door, reaching for the knob…
Only to stop, staring up at the mirror on the wall, mounted in its massive golden frame.
Luz stood at the forefront.
Eda stood off in the background, watching silently.
King had settled down and was now letting his gaze wander back and forth between the Witch and the Human, as if wondering what would happen next.
… it looked familiar. Enticingly so.
Experimentally, she raised her book, comparing the cover to the reflection she saw…
And like lightning, it all clicked together.
'We're hunted in your world,' Eda's voice echoed, 'We're fugitives just for existing.'
'… you really think there's no such thing as a Good Witch?' the question she had posed to Papi.
'It's very difficult to find a Witch that isn't actively making a nuisance of themselves,' his answer in turn, 'If there is a 'Good' Witch… it's probably someone who's settled down and shut themselves away from the world. Putting aside whatever grievances they had for something… more important, I guess.'
The reflection matched the cover of the book.
It took all of Luz's effort not to stare as the realization hit her like a truck. Here was a Witch that had opted for a life of solitude. A Witch that, even if for her own selfish reasons, had repeatedly gone out of her way to protect her, a human, when she very easily could have just left the girl for dead at any point. A Witch that had nothing to gain, and in fact stood to lose protecting a human, but did so anyways.
'But hey,' Dad's smile shone in her mind, 'Maybe you'll be the one to actually find a Good Witch.'
"… I found one," she murmured, numb with a sudden, overwhelming giddiness, face breaking out into the widest smile she had ever felt, "I found a Good Witch."
"… you alright there, kid?" Eda asked, raising an eyebrow.
This was big. Too big for Luz to properly wrap her head around, even as she turned back to face the Owl Lady.
She was the daughter of a Death Scythe. Of the Death Scythe, the Grim Reaper's personal Weapon.
She had befriended a Witch. The most powerful Witch of the Boiling Isles.
She was possibly the only one who was willing to gain a true understanding of both sides. Possibly the only one who could.
Luz was actively struggling not to bounce on her feet now, doing her best to keep her body still. If she could just convince Eda… she might be able to turn the entire relationship between the DWMA and Witches on its head. She could bring an end to centuries, maybe even millennia of conflict.
By chasing an owl into a rickety old house, she had accidentally stumbled upon a once in an era opportunity. An opportunity that would probably never come again if she refused to take it now.
She would have had to be insane to pass it up.
… plus…
"Kid?" Eda prodded, now sounding concerned.
… well, ever since reading the Good Witch Azura…
… she'd always wanted to be a Witch.
She swallowed, steeling herself before finally opening her mouth to speak.
"… okay," Luz began, choosing her words as carefully as she could, trying not to let her excitement overwhelm her, "I know you got your head cut off, and that we started some kind of prison riot… but… this was the most fun I've ever had."
Eda stared, eyes wide and smile gone, blinking.
"I don't fit in at home," Luz confessed, looking down briefly before forcing herself to meet those golden eyes, "You don't fit in here. If I stay… we could not fit in, together."
She held up the pamphlet; in an instant, an irrational fury flooded her, her eyes sharpening as she glared at the grey, borderline colourless paper. Her fist clenched hard enough that her knuckles went white, bitter anger finally working its way into her tone, "I am not going to summer camp."
"Whoa, whoa, wait," the Witch raised her arms, letting out an incredulous laugh, "Okay. Just to make absolutely sure I haven't hit my head harder than I thought after getting decapitated, and that I'm not in a delusional coma… what are we talking about here?"
"I want to stay and become a Witch! Like you!" Luz held up her book, "And Azura!"
"What?" Eda wheezed, the shock in her disbelieving chuckle palpable before she sobered, reaching out and pushing the book down, "Okay, that's ridiculous. I don't think you have any idea what it is you're asking me to do. Remember what I said about Witches being actively hunted in your world?"
"Of course I do," Luz nodded, "You literally just said it."
"Then why would you want to go from fraternizing with a Witch to becoming one?" the Owl Lady demanded, "Don't you know what kind of danger you'd be putting yourself in?"
"Hey, you seem to know how to hide," Luz insisted, "I can learn!"
"You could-?!" it was Eda's turn to splutter, absolutely bewildered by the girl's determination, "Luz, humans can't become Witches."
"Well," she smiled, "Maybe that's because humans haven't had the chance to try."
The Witch opened her mouth to argue, then closed it, looking for all the world like a gaping fish as she struggled to find a reason to refuse Luz. The words seemed to turn to ash in her mouth, and she was left staring at the Latina with no idea what to say or do.
"If you teach me how to become a Witch, I will do anything you want," Luz declared, swiping her hand to the side for emphasis.
"Let her stay!" King demanded, tugging at the hem of Eda's dress, "She can make us snacks!"
The silver vixen glanced back and forth between the girl and the Demon before bringing her hand to the bridge of her nose, letting out a long, slow exhale.
"… well," she knelt, scooping up King in her arms before returning to her full height, "I could use a hand keeping this goofball out of the cupboards…"
For a long moment, Luz simply held her breath, waiting for the final verdict…
"… alright," Eda finally conceded, "I'll teach you how to become a Witch. But," she raised a hand, voice stern as she cut off Luz's incoming squeal of delight, "You have to work for me before you learn how to so much as sneeze like a Witch."
Luz paused, waiting to hear if there were any conditions beyond that…
"Deal?" the Owl Lady extended her hand, clearly looking to shake on it.
Instead, Luz gave up her control entirely, throwing her arms out wide before wrapping them around Eda as tightly as she could.
"What the-What is this!?" the Witch shouted.
"Too tight! Too tight!" King squirmed, desperately trying to get out from between the two, finally managing to pop himself loose and scramble away.
After a moment, Luz let go, stepping away, beaming as she finally let out her pent up joy, eagerly bouncing on her toes in a rhythmless dance, "Deal!"
"… alright then," the old woman bobbed her head, reasserting her composure, then gestured to the stairs, "Go pick out a room and get yourself settled."
Luz raised her hands, only getting more and more excited, "I get to pick!?"
King's eyes went wide, voice tinged with outrage, "She gets to pick!?
"You can have any of the rooms upstairs that you want – except for the room with the double doors," Eda clarified, "That one is mine. I don't want you in there unless I tell you otherwise."
"What about me!?" King demanded, raising a tiny fist, "I've been living here longer than she has! I want my own room!"
"King, you sleep wherever you want anyways," Eda smirked, "You treat the whole house like it's your room."
"Weh!" he pouted, crossing his arms angrily.
"Got it!" Luz snapped a salute, "Any room except yours!"
An approving nod before the red-clad woman turned, heels clicking as she started towards the hallway, "Be careful about any closets, drawers, chests or any other sort of nook or cranny that you find; I haven't cleaned them out in a while and I don't want you getting hit with a stray death hex because you got curious while I wasn't looking. Keep your hands to yourself, don't touch anything you don't immediately recognize, and we'll get your room properly cleaned out and an actual bed ready for you over the next couple of days."
"Right!"
A low growl emanated through the room; Eda stopped, glancing back over her shoulder, smirking as Luz slowly realized where the sound had come from. She looked down at her stomach, finally realizing just how hungry she was.
"… for a second I thought that was another Demon," King wiped his brow, "Your stomach knows how to make demands!"
"… well, it has been a while since I last ate," the Latina gave a nervous chuckle.
"I can tell," Eda stated, amused, "I'll whip up something quick. You just go do as I told you."
"¡Puedo cocinar!" the teen offered, quickly making to follow the Witch.
"Apprecio el entusiasmo, chica… pero te lo digo por una razón. Ahora vete," the Witch shooed her away, the slightest hint of warning working its way into her tone.
"… si estás seguro," Luz nodded, then finally obeyed, making her way up the crooked, creaking stairwell.
Despite its already impressive size from the outside, the interior of the Owl House was deceptively expansive. Not including the room with the large, mahogany double doors, there were at least four separate rooms that branched from the hall, plus an attic, each filled to with junk of all sorts, from books and broken radios to objects Luz couldn't even guess at.
It didn't take her long to settle on a room, though; not far at all from Eda's own room, the light of the sunset filtered in through the large stained glass window. Aside from the chest and the night-table with a candle, most of the junk had been pushed off to the sides and was largely comprised of framed photos and paintings, giving her plenty of room to set out her sleeping bag. Oddly, Christmas lights had been set up around the four corners of the room, but for what purpose, she couldn't guess.
The teen laid out her sleeping bag, and settled on top of it, laying on her back and staring up at the ceiling.
"… Dios mio… qué día," she sighed, letting her eyes slowly shut.
Only for her phone to ring.
Her eyes snapped open as the lyrics to Resonance rang out, pushing herself up and digging out her phone; despite knowing who the ringtone belonged to, Luz was still taken aback by the words that blared across the darkness of her screen, elation tempered by a gentle joy and relief.
"… and here I thought this day couldn't get any better."
Maka leaned forwards on her desk with her pencil between her teeth, phone raised to her ear. She had her eyes closed, tapping her finger on the surface of the paper in that familiar, frustratingly haunting beat.
Dinner had been a rather uneventful affair, something the Meister was grateful for; she didn't think she would have been able to handle making this call if anything else had happened, but now with a full stomach, she felt, at least physically, a little better than she had before.
Not that it was helping her focus on her homework at all.
Her head was swimming.
'Just stay calm. It's going to be fine. She's not mad. It's not in her nature to get mad,' she coached internally, reaching up and picking up the pencil 'Just…'
The phone clicked; she responded on reflex, perking up, "Hello?"
"Maka!"
Luz's usual exceptional enthusiasm and volume shot through the speaker, immediately prompting the grey-blonde to tap the volume down. Even so, she managed a smile, "Hey, Luz."
"Como- How've you been?" the Latina stopped herself before she could slip into Spanish, "Did you manage to pass those lessons?"
"We did," Maka confirmed, "It ended up being a lot messier than I'd have liked, though..."
"Sounds like you had a rough time… wanna talk about it?"
"Not really. I mostly just want to apologize."
"Apologize?"
"Yeah," she leaned back in her chair, steading herself, "… I promised I'd call. I promised I'd give you updates and let you know I was okay as the lessons went… and I didn't. I didn't even call you once."
"Oh… that," Luz's voice faltered slightly, and Maka was sure she heard a brief note of genuine hurt. Just as quickly, though, the Latina bounced back, "It's no big deal! I know you were wrapped up in your lessons. Fighting a zombie can't have been easy, so I don't blame you for just buckling down and focusing."
"It wasn't," Maka muttered, "But that doesn't explain the funk I've been in since they ended. I should've at least called you four days ago."
"Hey," Luz started, tone stern, "… it's not a big deal, Maka. Really. I get that it's not always the easiest thing to call someone."
"And that justifies it somehow?"
"Maybe not. But don't you think it's better to call someone when you're ready to, instead of turning it into an obligation?"
… how was it that Luz always knew exactly what to say to make her feel guilty?
"… I guess you have a point," she conceded, pressing her fingers to her brow, "Even so, I am still sorry. It's not just a matter of being ready, Luz, it's making sure I don't leave you worrying, and keeping my promises when I make them."
"… I accept your apology," Luz stated, tone thankful, "Just… try to be better, I guess?"
"I will," Maka assured, finally feeling some of the guilt receding, "… and what about you? Are you doing okay after today?"
"I think so, yeah…" she trailed off, seeming to be debating whether or not to continue, "... it was hard when Dad left, though."
The Scythe wielder bit down on a scathing scoff; if there was anything she didn't want to remember, it was that as of today, their father was now back in Death City. She pulled her phone away from her ear for a moment to make sure she still had his number blocked before forcing the resentment back down with a sigh, "… I'm sorry. I know it's… hard."
"It just… it feels like he's the only one who believes in me sometimes, you know?... I know I have Mami too, but… it's… different. There's always some sort of… 'but' there.""
"A constant caveat of some form," Maka nodded, "'You did good, but you can do better'?"
"More 'You did good, but can you please do it in a way that doesn't make people look at you funny?'" Luz corrected.
"Ah."
"Yeah… Dad, though… he just… believes in me. No strings attached, he has faith that I can do whatever I set my mind to. He doesn't… treat me like there's something wrong with me."
"I suppose that's one of his good points," the acknowledgement was begrudging.
"… you really are mad at him, aren't you?" Luz knew the answer to the question already – Maka could hear the sorrow in her words.
"… Luz, I don't want to talk about it," she stated, voice stiff, "Let's just move on, okay?"
"… okay."
There was a brief pause after that quiet, defeated response.
"… do you think I'd fit in at the DWMA, Maka?"
"… it's tough to tell," the tween admitted, "You're certainly not the weirdest kid. You'd fit in in that regard, at least. But there's a lot of other factors to look at."
"Like knowing how to fight?" the Latina asked.
"Among other things. It's not exactly a walk in the park. If you're suited to the DWMA, you could thrive… but if you're not… well, you'll flounder," Maka said, gently turning the pencil in her hand over and over again, remembering how hard she'd had to work just to get to get used to Soul's weight in her hands, much less to actually apply his Weapon form as a combat-ready tool, "It's… hard to tell until you're actually in, if that makes sense."
"So, I'd basically have to get in and see for myself?"
"Pretty much," the Meister confirmed, finally setting the pencil down, "But if it helps… you're certainly stubborn enough, and you like to learn. I think at the very least you'd be able to get in, and with someone like Sid to teach you… maybe even thrive."
"… heh. Thank you, Maka."
"I'm just being honest," She picked up the paper on her desk, straightening it, "It's not really something you have to thank me for."
"Well, thank you anyways. I'm glad that you believe in me, too."
She couldn't help but smile slightly, before carefully broaching the final, dreaded subject, "So… how's the camp? You were going today, weren't you?"
Silence, before Luz sucked in a slow breath.
"… Luz?" Maka asked.
"It's… uuuuuuuh…" the faint snap of fingers, "I'm trying to find the words… it's…"
For a long moment, Maka sat quietly, patiently waiting for Luz to finish humming and hawing.
"… different, I guess?" she finally settled, "It's… strange."
"A bad strange?"
"Not quite? More like it's not what I was expecting," the teen seemed to finally find a rhythm, "Everyone here is sorta weird. It's… really just hard to explain without just showing you."
"I can facetime if you want," Maka offered.
"No, no," Luz shot quickly, suddenly seeming rushed, "My phone's got a low battery and I haven't managed to find a plugin for it yet. I don't want it dying on me before I can find one."
"Fair enough," Maka crossed her arms, shrugging, "Though I guess it is a camp for misfits… maybe that's why?"
"I mean, I guess? But it's called Camp Reality Check; you'd think a place that encourages, and I quote, 'Thinking Inside the Box' wouldn't have such strange people in charge."
"It makes sense, when you think about it. When you have someone who wants to learn how to use a sword, you take them to a sword-master," Maka extrapolated, "When you have someone who needs to learn to act normal, you take them to someone who knows what it's like to be weird and became a… normal-master, I guess. It's a lot easier to teach someone the lessons they need to learn when their mentors can relate to them on some level."
"… huh," the brunette seemed taken aback, "I hadn't thought about it like that."
"Luz," an unknown voice echoed on the other side of the phone, "Dinner's ready. Come eat."
"Coming!" Luz returned the call, then returned her attention to Maka, "Sorry, Maka, gotta go. Sounds like it's time to eat."
"I'd have thought you'd have eaten already; aren't you two hours ahead of us?" Maka queried.
"Yeah, but you know how first days can go," there was a nervous laugh, "Busy, busy, busy!"
"True," Maka felt her eyes narrow, but didn't comment, "Before you go, though, who was that?"
"Oh, that was Eda."
"One of the councillors?" the girl tilted her head.
"Y-Yeah," Luz seemed to stumble over the words, "She's the one in charge of my cabin. I'll be staying with her while I'm at Camp."
"She friendly, at least?"
"Oh, plenty. She's one of the stranger people here though. She's got a lot of weird junk kicking around, like one of those people who goes and salvages stuff out of salvage centers and recycling yards."
"Why would she keep that sort of stuff in her cabin?" Maka raised an eyebrow.
"I dunno. Maybe she's just a hoarder?"
"I mean… maybe?" now Maka felt every bit as curious as Luz sounded, though she pushed it aside, "Even so, though…"
"Luz!" Eda's voice called again, a hint of impatience working its way into her voice.
"I'll be right there! Just talking to my sister!" Luz hastily yelled, "Just one last question, Maka, then I really gotta go."
"Fire away," the green-eyed girl bobbed her head, staring out the window.
"How's Sid?"
"… he's doing okay," her brow furrowed, "Still a zombie, though."
"… well, I guess I should've figured," Luz chuckled, "Even if his death was staged, I guess you don't really come back from that…"
Maka took a hissing breath before she could stop herself, groaning as a hand came to her head. A pang of annoyance shot through her heart, letting an eye crack open as if she could shoot a glare through the phone, "… you heard about that, huh?"
"… more just… figured it out, actually."
The grey-blonde's breathing stopped, eyes snapping open as she struggled, stunned, to process the implications of Luz's words. After a moment, she finally managed to ask, only barely keeping the wave of shock out of her question, "… when?"
"... almost immediately after we spoke last time," Luz confessed, sounding small, contrite.
It was if something had just jammed in the delicate clockwork of her brain, grinding Maka's mind to a halt and keeping it firmly in place. She felt her brow twitching, and she could practically see Luz tapping her fingertips together with a sheepish smile, a smile that only added to the Meister's dumbfounded frustration.
"See, I put the pieces together?" the Latina continued, "... and Dad… kinda confirmed it when I asked if it was all faked."
She couldn't believe it. Had Maka not known better, she would have suspected she had spontaneously developed an aneurysm, staring stupefied into the space beyond the window, barely registering the harsh glint of the sun in her eyes.
'She figured it out,' she thought, an irrational, furious jealousy flooding through her 'She figured out Sid and Stein set us up in five minutes sitting at a desk, and it took me ten days of getting the stuffing beaten out of me.'
"Papi asked me not to tell you since it would defeat the purpose of the lesson," Luz finished, still tapping her fingers in Maka's mind, "... Maka?"
She couldn't answer. Too much of her brain was fixated on trying to process how she'd been so thoroughly outplayed by someone who wasn't even going to the DWMA, who wasn't even a novice Meister or investigator. By someone who thought it was somehow a good idea to use live snakes and fireworks in her book report. By her complete and utter dumbass of an older sis-
"… Maka, are you mad?"
"… no," she lied through her teeth, forcing a smile, "Not at all. I'm perfectly fine, Luz. Just… realized I got some homework to do."
"Okay," again, relief flowed through Luz's tone, "Are you still good to give me Soul Wavelength lessons on the weekends?"
"Yeah, yeah, sure," she nodded, neck stiff, "Totally good. Absolutely, totally good for that."
"Alright. Talk to you then, Maka! Te amo – love you!"
"Talk to you then."
The line went dead.
Slowly, Maka set her phone down, hands shaking.
She stood, stepping over to the bed.
She reached for her pillow, brought it up to her face…
And screamed her frustrations into its soft feathers in a wordless shriek of envious rage and wounded pride.
It was going to be a strange, bitter thing to get used to, coming back to a house devoid of music and madness, of passion and projects.
Camila restlessly nibbled at her meal; the house just felt so much more empty without Luz to breathe life into it, leaving it feeling like a big wooden shell. Everything around her just seemed to be another reminder that she was gone; the magnets on the fridge that held up old drawings, the photos in the frames on the desks and the walls…
It wasn't the first thing that made the Latina woman wish that sending her daughter to Camp wasn't necessary, or curse the schoolboard for threatening Luz with expulsion. And it certainly wouldn't be the last.
But she needed to remind herself that this was for the best. Expulsion or no, they were right about one thing; Luz couldn't keep drawing attention to herself the way she had. The world did not take kindly to those who stood out in such a way, regardless of whether or not they were the ones at fault.
Luz needed to change to fit the world around her, if only just enough to not attract trouble like a magnet.
The world would not change for her.
That was a simple fact. Something they all needed to accept, even if they didn't like it.
Camila took out her phone; Luz still hadn't gotten back to her, despite having been asked to as soon as she got there.
Her lips curled, and she forced herself to breathe; she had probably just gotten distracted. There had been no notice that Luz hadn't made it to camp. They would have told her if Luz was absent.
Everything was fine.
Even so, she sent a message, doing her best to keep it short, not overbearing.
"How is summer camp?" she asked.
She blinked as three words appeared across the bottom of her screen after a few moments.
"Luz is typing…"
Spirit sat in front of the fire as he finished the last of his meal; it was a bad habit he'd gotten into since Makoto had left. He hadn't been bothering to eat at the table, instead opting to constantly cycle back to the library no matter what it was he was doing while he was at home.
It was his favourite room in the house – and not coincidentally, it had also been Maka's, back when she still lived here.
Almost all his good memories of this house took place in this room, surrounded by books and sitting by the warmth of the fire.
They were almost all tainted by his own hand, turning what should have been good days into bittersweet memories.
Really, between the demands of his work and the sick mixture of nostalgia and longing this house brought, was it any wonder he hardly spent any time at home anymore?
He sighed, setting his plate aside and sinking deeper into the leather. He reached for his phone, checking his messages.
Nothing new. His old message still registered as undelivered.
The redhead took a breath, then slowly began typing, trying again.
"Landed and made it home safely," he spoke aloud, "Did you make it okay? How's the camp?
He hit send.
To his surprise, it immediately showed as delivered.
Even more surprising was the three dots that appeared at the bottom of the screen only a minute later.
'Luz is typing…'
With a full stomach and a warm heart, Luz slowly settled into her sleeping bag. She'd managed to find a working plugin for her phone charger, but right now it was just transferring the battery of one object to another; she'd need to find a more permanent solution, and was now desperately wishing she'd read up on how to make those solar panel chargers.
Just something to figure out later.
She laid down, reaching for her bag and pulling out the picture frame from within; a picture of herself with her parents, Papi's grin broad and goofy as he wrapped his arms around Luz, Mami's more understated, but no less warm as they all stood in a firm embrace. Luz's own smile was missing a tooth, as the picture had been taken when she was still losing her baby teeth, but oddly, it only added to the character of the overall photo.
Spliced into the corner, however, was an image of a grey haired girl, hair tied up into pigtails; her expression was serious, her green eyes cool as she crossed her arms, trying to puff herself up and make herself look bigger than she actually was.
Maka.
She knew there were issues at hand; anyone could figure that out at a glance. It wasn't so simple as to just wish they could all be together as a happy family… but even so, wish some selfish part of her did, desperately and overwhelmingly, for just that. For Mom to take her to Death City. For Dad to make things right with Maka. For Maka to spend time with her. For them all to eat and talk and read books together…
"… is that really so wrong?" Luz asked herself, gently flipping onto her back.
Her phone went off. Twice.
She sat up, pulling it out; a message from each of her parents had come in, almost simultaneously.
"How is summer camp?" Mom asked.
"Landed and made it home safely," Dad informed, "Did you make it okay? How's the camp?"
She swallowed, smile fading as she laid back, staring at the ceiling. Already, she'd had to lie to Maka about what was going on. It was the first real lie she'd had to tell, the first one of any real importance or impact, and already it was enough to make her feel violently ill with sudden guilt.
How in the world was she going to explain all this?...
Before she could think any more though, she heard the floorboards creak outside her door, a small voice clearing his throat. There stood King, creeping around the corner, his new stuffed rabbit in hand.
"… your sleep cocoon looks fluffy," he said, glancing away, as if embarrassed to ask.
She just patted the sleeping bag, and he immediately padded over, promptly settling down and curling in on himself, even going so far as to tug at the fabric like a cat before wrapping around his stuffy.
She stared at him, silently squeeing for a long moment before finally looking back down at her phone. After a moment, she settled on a response, letting her thumbs fly across the keyboard.
Every word she typed was true.
"I think I'm gonna like it here."
With that, she laid back down, and let sleep finally take her.
27,526 words.
79 pages.
Three chapters.
About four separate times I underestimated just how much time and how many words given scenes were going to take.
All just for the first episode of the Owl House.
Hoo boy.
It was fun though. I don't regret it for an instant.
I just hope you all had as much fun reading it as I had writing it.
From here on? This is where canon starts going out the window.
Oh, and before I forget! Owls and Souls, Witches and Resonance now has its own TV Tropes page! I can't post the link here, unfortunately, but it shouldn't be too hard to find!
Please be sure to thank The Literary Lord on and Donquill on TV Tropes for the page!
Please be sure to leave your thoughts below! I hope you all enjoyed the thirteenth chapter of Owls and Souls, Witches and Resonance!