I do not own Owl House or Soul Eater.

If I did, I'd really be struggling to choose between the cartoony or anime aesthetics for the resulting show.

She ran.

Through an increasingly thick forest, she sprinted as hard as she could through the sun's dying orange light, the world around her slowly fading into dark.

The whole world was chasing her. Everything and everyone wanted her dead. She didn't know why – she hadn't done anything wrong, but even so, the shadows were nipping at her heels, howls and dark chuckles emanating from seemingly just behind her head.

Her throat was raw. Her heartbeat pounded through her, making her skull feel like a far too tight helmet that was squeezing down on her brain. But these sensations were distant as she clumsily stumbled through the underbrush, trying to get away.

Then she stumbled, tripped, fell to the ground-

"No!" she shouted, trying to pull herself forwards as the shadows closed in, teeth and claws gleaming in the dark.

… but upon the sound of distant thunder, they stopped.

The sound was carried on a wind strong enough to send her tumbling forwards across the ground, carrying her yet further away from the creatures; their silhouettes stared at the sky as she scrambled away, back to a tree.

Again, the thunder rolled across the sky, the wind buffeting her, and the silhouettes promptly scattered, howls and laughter now replaced with panicked yips and shrieks.

She raised her eyes to the sky in turn; when the thunder rolled this time, the wind blasted away the trees, exposing the sky in full as the dark shape circled overhead, peering down with eyes of brilliant gold.

When they locked upon her, her fear melted away, replaced with a strange, but profound sense of relief.

"… it's just you," she murmured, smiling.

The shape descended, each monumentous wingbeat bringing about another round of thunder. She found herself wrapped in its mighty talons before being lifted. Her stomach dropped as she lurched with a sudden weightlessness, letting herself be carried up, and into the sky as the sun fully slipped beyond the horizon, and the world went dark.

Luz shot awake, bolting upright with a gasping for breath. A cold sweat had broken across her, leaving her with a frigid chill as a breeze blew through the room.

She shuddered, wrapping her arms around herself as she took in her surroundings; there was a nagging familiarity about the room, but she couldn't quite place where she'd seen it all. The chests, the paintings stacked against the cracked walls, the light that shone through the stained glass window… even the Christmas lights that ran along the support beams and the giant rusted fishhooks that hung from the ceiling she didn't immediately recognize, but the teen could have sworn…

… then her eyes landed on the black mass of fur and bone that had curled itself at her feet.

It all snapped back into place.

The Owl. Her book.

The old house in the woods. The door.

The Owl House.

The Owl Lady.

The Witch.

"… it wasn't a dream!" she threw her arms up in pure ecstasy, kicking out of her sleeping bag, nearly tripping over the lip of the fabric as she stumbled over to the window, which hung slightly open on its hinges.

She thrust it open, staring out into the sea, maintaining her broad grin even as the faint scent of salt and rot smacked her full in the face, "Good morning, terrifying fantasy world!"

"GOOD MORNING," a horrifying green blob shouted back, waving a tentacle at her before slipping back beneath the waves.

Luz blinked, slowly taking a step back from the window, though her elation remained undeterred; she stopped by her sleeping back, snatching King up into her arms in a single fluid motion, waking him.

"Good morning, my little cutie pie!" she teased.

"I AM NOT YOUR CUTIE PIE!" he roared, pushing back against her face even as she began planting kisses on his skull.

"Oh, yes, you are," she chuckled, finally setting him back down on the sleeping bag before stepping out of the room.

"… ugh…" he slumped, chin on the fabric as his eyes fell closed, utterly resigned to his fate, "I know…"

She rushed out into the hall, skidding in her socks and nearly crashing into the wall before finally making it into the bathroom-

"HI LUZ!"

The girl let out a scream, lashing out wildly with her fist; a sharp pain ran through her knuckles as they struck wood, Hooty's round face flinching back from the impact.

"OW!" his head retreated, pulling back to the window on the end of a long, flexing wooden tube, glaring down, "I was just wishing you a good morning!"

He pulled out, and Luz moved over to the window, watching as he slowly retracted all the way back to the door, "Geez. Hoot! Ow!"

"Sorry, Hooty!" Luz called, then glanced at the mirror; she padded over, staring herself in the eyes and taking a breath. She leaned forwards on the countertop, her lips once again tugging themselves up and out.

"… this is it, old girl," she giggled, "Your first day on the Boiling Isles… as a Witch Apprentice!"

She darted out and down the stairs, making for the nearest closet, eyes covered as she opened the door, "Please have witchy clothes, please have witchy clothes…!"

When she finally uncovered her eyes, the entire inside of the closet was lined with pointed hats and dark robes; she let out a delighted woop, slipping inside and immediately grabbing the first set that looked like it would fit her. Right as she was writing her name out on an unused name tag, she heard the sound of shuffling footsteps from above, the floorboards creaking as a heavy door swung open.

The teen made her way to the bottom of the stairs, eagerly staring up into the dark shadows, the innumerable framed photos and paintings seeming to stare down at her as the shuffling grew closer.

When Eda finally rounded the corner, it was with a long, almost painful sounding yawn; her back was slightly hunched and her eyes were half lidded as she started down the steps, clad in a purple sweatshirt and stained blue skirt, worn bunny slippers with bent ears on her feet, the golden gem still embedded firmly in the center of her chest. It was only when she nearly bumped into Luz that she finally seemed to notice the girl, letting out a confused grunt, blinking.

"Good morning, Eda the Owl Lady!" Luz greeted, raising a fist, "I am ready for my first day of Witch Apprenticeship!"

Again, Eda blinked, then shook her head, brushing spiders out of her hair, staring at one that got caught on her finger before flicking it away. Confused annoyance laced her voice as she spoke, the words striking daggers into Luz's heart:

"Who are you again?"

The door to the Death Room swung shut with a heavy click as Spirit made his way down through the guillotine gates, wincing slightly as the harsh light reflected off the white sands, the circling clouds, and illuminated the vibrant blue sky above to the point where he could barely keep his eyes open.

"Damn, that's bright," he resisted the urge to raise a hand to block out the light, "Two weeks away and I'm not accustomed to bright light anymore…"

The familiar jagged shadow came into view atop the dais, head slightly tilted to the side as he stared into his mirror.

As the Death Scythe strode through the final gate, however, he turned.

"Ah, Spirit!" the Reaper called cheerfully, "I'm glad to see you're back!"

"Glad to be back, Lord Death," he stepped up to the top of the dais, walking over with his hands stuffed in his pockets, "Things go well while I've been gone?"

"About as well as they can," there was an approximation of a shrug of Lord Death's 'shoulders,' "It is admittedly a little nerve-wracking, running the school without my trusty Death Scythe on hand, but I'd like to think I managed."

The Weapon let out a wry chuckle as he finally came to stand beside the inky mass of shadow, "You make me sound more important than I actually am. It's not like I do much by way of administration or even leave the Death Room."

"Give yourself a little more credit, Spirit," the Reaper chided, returning his attention to the mirror, "You know being a Death Scythe is more than just staying in here with me at all hours of the day. You're an authority. I wouldn't have made you my personal Weapon if all you had to offer was combat prowess."

"So it doesn't have anything to do with the fact that I'm the only actual Scythe among the Death Scythes?" Spirit smirked.

"Oho!" Death bounced back, a smile of his own evident in his tone, "I see your vacation has encouraged your sarcasm!"

"Heh… sorry," the Scythe rubbed the back of his head, "There's a lot of back and forth between me, Luz and Camilia while I'm there."

"I can tell, though at least it seems to be good natured. As long as it remains that way, you have nothing to apologize for," again, a tilt of the head, turning that mask on an odd angle, "Speaking of, how are they? Are they doing well?"

"Well, Camilia still doesn't like you, so that hasn't changed," Spirit sighed.

"I expected as much," a gentle bob from the Reaper, "Though I suppose I can't fault her for that, considering what she's been through."

"Me either," the Death Scythe confessed, "She's always been an empathetic, strongly opinionated woman."

"And Luz? As cheerful as ever?"

"Absolutely," Spirit placed his hands on his hips, letting out a sniff of pride, "She's still every bit as spirited and energetic. Plus her schoolwork has improved by leaps and bounds since I started tutoring her. I can't be there all the time, so I can only hope it'll last, but she's proof that any kid only needs the proper supports to reach their full potential."

"Splendid!" Death clapped his large, brick-like hands, "It's always a pleasure to hear she's doing well. I hope for the chance to meet her someday."

"Someday, hopefully," the Scythe agreed, even as his expression fell slightly, "… though for now, we'll just have to make do."

"… you want to be there for her, don't you?"

It wasn't so much a question as it was a probing statement.

For a long moment, Spirit didn't answer. He simply stood in place, smile slowly fading as his eyes fell, staring at his own shoes with a sudden listlessness, "… yeah."

"… from what you've told me, Spirit, Luz is a resilient girl," a heavy, assuring hand came to rest on the suit-clad man's shoulder, "I'm sure she will be able to handle herself. If you keep in contact with her, I don't think there should be any problems, and if there are, you know I wouldn't keep you away from her."

"… I know. I just wish I could be there for her more often is all," Spirit sighed.

A firm clap on the back from the Reaper, "It will work itself out in the end. Just be patient; you'll see."

"… you're right. I just gotta work my way forwards," the Death Scythe took a glance at the mirror, approaching it. After a moment, he smirked, "But it seems I'm not the only worrywart parent here."

"Hm?" a quizzical tilt of the mask again, "Whatever could you mean?"

The Weapon pointed into the mirror's surface, "That's Kid's manor, isn't it?"

A moment of silence passed between them before Death let out a sheepish chuckle, "It is, yes…"

"Someone's worried about his son's big day~" the amusement in the redhead's singsong voice would have been more than a little hard to miss.

"Oh, quiet, you," a gentle chop landed on the back of Spirit's head, "Like you wouldn't be the same if it were Luz."

"Hey, no judgement! I was the same way with Maka!" the Death Scythe raised his hands in surrender, brilliant cyan eyes sparkling with his grin. Then he paused, frowning at the mirror, "Though it looks like they're a little late. They've only got…" he dug into his pocket, checking his phone, "… ah, geez, five minutes before class starts. I told them yesterday not to be late."

"Well, you know Kid," Death began defensively, "He's always been one to take things at his own pace. And you know how he gets if he leaves home without making absolutely sure everything is in its proper place. And as for Liz and Patty... well, they aren't from a background where academics are particularly valued, so…"

"True, but that doesn't mean they can afford to not be punctual," Spirit pocketed his phone again, "With all due respect, Lord Death, they're all students now. While I agree they should get all the help and support they need to succeed with their quirks and handicaps, that doesn't mean they just get to flaunt the rules. Support for special needs does not translate to blatant favouritism."

"… I suppose you're right," the Reaper sighed in defeat, "And as a Reaper, even a young one, Kid really should be setting a better example for his peers. I will speak with him later."

"Why not speak with him now?" the redhead raised an eyebrow.

"Because there's something else we need to discuss."

Spirit's ear twitched as the Death Room door swung open, and then shut again, the sound reverberating through the room with a loud echo. Soon after, footsteps began to sound, a tall, lanky figure making his way through the guillotine gates.

It was only when he passed through the final gate that the Death Scythe finally recognized him.

He'd gained a few more stitches, he'd never worn glasses before, and the bolt through his skull was new, but there was no mistaking the grey-haired, pale figure before him.

Spirit felt his whole body tense and his face go pale as Franken Stein gave a lazy smile, waving a hand, "Hey, Spirit. Been a while, hasn't it?"

Maka's only response to the muffled, but unmistakeable sound of her father's scream was to look upwards, eyes half lidded with annoyance. It lasted for a solid twenty seconds before finally fading away, leaving the students around her in a stupefied (and Maka herself in an annoyed) silence.

"… what do you think the idiot's doing this time?" Soul asked, leaning back against the DWMA's front door.

"Does it matter?" the Meister huffed, dismissive, pulling open the door, "We gotta get to class. We're already late for being early."

"I guess…" Soul pushed himself up, stretching, "… hey, have you heard the rumours going around? The ones about this new kid?"

"Not really. I've had enough of rumours since learning that the ones about Sid were true," the girl stepped through the threshold, Weapon in tow.

"Well, they're saying a lot of things about this guy," the white haired boy mused, falling into step beside his Meister.

"And you've been listening?"

"Hey, weren't you the one that just said that the rumours around Sid turned out to be true?" Soul's grin stretched out like a lazy Cheshire cat's, baring his teeth in a teasing display.

"That one was planted deliberately by the faculty, Soul, that's different," Maka wrinkled her nose in disdain, "I'm not gonna put stock in a rumour mill comprised of middle-schoolers. Especially not ones like Black Star."

"Normally, I wouldn't either," the Weapon concurred, "But there's a couple of common threads among the gossip. Remember the Giza incident a couple weeks back?"

At this, Maka actually blinked, glancing at her partner, "The one we weren't allowed to take because of the rank restriction?"

"That's the one. Supposedly, this kid dealt with that whole mission more or less by himself."

"… I find that extremely hard to believe," the grey haired girl snorted, "That was a job designated for multiple Two Star Weapon and Meister pairs, primarily because of the sheer number of Kishin Egg Souls involved. How could one kid manage to handle a mission like that?"

"Keeping in mind, Maka, Two Star pairs aren't necessarily all that much stronger than us," Soul noted, "The main difference between One Star and Two Star pairs isn't necessarily strength, skill and experience, like it is with Three Stars. Two Star Meisters and Weapons are ones that are accustomed to using Soul Resonance, and working together in groups to deal with bigger threats, right?"

"… someone's been paying attention," Maka's eyes narrowed, tone suspicious.

"Not really," the Weapon grimaced, "Just got tired of being told 'no, you can't go on these missions, and this is why.'"

"Which means you've been paying attention," a note of satisfaction worked its way into her voice, a smug smirk slipping across her lips.

"Anyways," Soul continued, "The mission description noted it was a Two Star mission because of a high number of targets; replicating zombies, or something like that."

"Close enough," Maka brought a hand to her chin, frowning, "Animated corpses, at any rate. Not all that dangerous individually, but their ability to turn living humans into more of their own makes it really easy for them to spread, especially if they were to get into a densely populated area."

"So, say this kid had a long range Weapon with a high rate of fire and some half decent aim," he shrugged, "I'd believe he could handle a mission like that."

"Maybe, if he had a firearm for a Weapon partner," she conceded, "But aren't those rare?"

"Rare, but not flat out nonexistent-"

The bell rang; Maka let out a curse, redoubling her pace, "We're officially late. Come on."

Soul followed suit, hands still in his pockets, "… Black Star and I were gonna try and find this guy during our break. You wanna come with?"

"… we'll see," she sighed, "Might not be a terrible idea. Especially if the kid is new."

"Alright then."

The two made their way to class without another word.

Eda felt less like she was walking across creaky floorboards and more like she was swimming through a haze. Her grogginess made the bright morning sunlight sting her eyes even more than it usually did, forcing the Witch to squeeze her eyes shut as she slowly shuffled into the kitchen, and the concerned, rapid fire speech of the girl trailing behind her was only making it worse.

"Remember me?" the child began, "Luz?"

Eda reached out, beckoning with a finger; she heard her favourite "30 & Flirty" mug rise into the air from somewhere behind her, and promptly clonk the girl in the back of the head. Were the Owl Lady less exhausted, she might have felt a pang of guilt, but right now she was too tired to feel anything more than a distinctly grumpy annoyance.

Instead, she reached out, pulling open the fridge as King cheerily munched on whatever snacks he had dug out of the cupboards in his high chair. She dug around, finally opening her eyes to keep herself from knocking anything over with her blind groping, seeking out her delicious crimson prize; when she finally found it, she tore it open with her teeth, pouring its contents into her mug without so much as a second thought.

"We freed the oppressed and defeated the evil Warden together?" Luz asked, starting to sound desperate, "Yesterday?"

"Kid, lay off the details," Eda finally turned, struggling to keep the growl out of her voice, "I haven't even had my cup of apple blood yet."

She raised her mug in emphasis, a drop of bright red falling to the floor.

Luz stared at the drop for a moment before raising her eyes to meet the Owl Lady's, hesitant, "… you mean… apple juice?"

"No."

The woman settled back against the table, once again closing her eyes; the delightfully strong mix of sugar and iron washed over her tongue as she sipped at her mug, the heavy metallic tang complimented perfectly by the sweetness. Already, she was beginning to relax, clarity returning to her as a contented sigh escaped her lips.

She opened her eyes; the girl stood before her, somewhat gangly for her age, skin tanned, brown hair cut short, chocolate eyes wide open with obvious concern, obviously frightened at having been forgotten.

Eda lowered the mug, a slight smile tugging itself across her lips. She didn't know how the kid had managed to sweet talk her way into staying, but at least for the moment, the Witch was willing to put her at ease.

"… relax, Luz," she chuckled, raising the mug again, "I haven't forgotten. I just didn't sleep that well. Needed a little pick-me-up to get myself going."

As soon as the name escaped Eda's lips, the Latina's eyes immediately lit up, excited joy shooting through her body and making her bounce in place. She was a restless ball of energy, waiting for the first opportunity to explode into action.

"So what's first!?" she half asked, half demanded, zipping to the table and leaning forwards on it, fingers locked onto the wood in a death grip, knocking over King's pile of sugary treats, much to his dismay. But Luz was too invested in the Witch, "Learning some spells!? Making a staff!? Runes!?" she gasped, "A dangerous magical quest!?"

"Slow down, kid. Becoming a Witch isn't something that happens overnight," Eda looked Luz up and down, not bothering to hold back her snicker, "Also, you're wrapped in a bathrobe, and wearing the dirtiest traffic cone I've ever seen."

The girl blinked, removing the filthy triangle from her head and blowing on it; a cloud of oily dust fell to the floor as the orange plastic revealed itself, Luz felt her face flush with sudden, flustered embarrassment, King pointing at her with a laugh.

The Witch finished off the last of her apple blood, setting her mug down and licking her lips to get the last of the tangy-sweet beverage, letting her smile soften, "But a Witch's staff, huh?... you really want one?"

"More than anything," the Latina breathed, hands pressed to her cheeks as her fluster was flooded away in another rush of joyous enthusiasm.

Eda only took a moment to wipe away the red mark across her top lip before extending a hand, voice grandiose, "Magic staff, come to me!"

The staff did not immediately come to hand as expected.

Instead, the distant sounds of pottery being smashed and furniture being overturned echoed from down the hall. Before long, the sound of breaking glass rang out as well, making the woman tilt her head with a half-lidded glare.

When it finally rounded the corner, Owlbert's carving cracked into the pale woman's forehead like a hammer, nearly knocking her down and into the table with a yelp before catching herself, the staff itself falling to the floor. She reached down, snatching the carved wood up and spinning it between her fingers with a tired groan, attempting to save some measure of face with the human.

"It's early," she grunted, but Luz made no comment, instead dutifully paying attention.

"… now," Eda began, gesturing to the ornate owl atop her staff, "The Witches of the Boiling Isles typically gain their staffs in one of two ways. Most are awarded their staffs when they graduate from school, but a rare few make their own staffs once they're ready," she pointed to the girl, "With me as your teacher, ideally, you will make your own staff when the time is right.

"But until then, you're going to have to work for it."

Eda snapped her fingers, and from all around the kitchen, bottles, jars and vials of all shapes and sizes lifted into the air and descended into a heavy burlap sack. Each was filled nearly to the brim with different pastes, liquids and solutions, their colours a veritable rainbow as they jumbled themselves into the bag, each clinking the discordant harmonies of glass and crystal.

Luz knelt, lifting out the first bottle she could reach, squinting as she read the label, "Snake oil?"

"Nobody wants an unoiled snake," the Witch grinned, "And it's not the only thing you're going to be delivering today."

"Delivery?" Luz perked up, eyes shining, "Like the Ghibli movie?"

"I'm gonna pretend I know what that is and say sure," she gestured for the girl to follow, and set off, making her way up the stairs. A flare of satisfaction lit in her stomach as she heard the bottles click together in the bag, and Luz's footsteps following closely behind her.

"So, what exactly is it that you do?" the teen asked, "Weren't you running a flea market stand yesterday?"

"I was, but it's not my main source of income," Eda shrugged, "It's more of a side gig, really. Selling rare human 'treasures' that Owlbert drags over from your world."

She cheerfully patted the carving before returning her attention to Luz, indicating a toy sword on the mantelpiece as they passed through the foyer, "But parting fools from their money isn't exactly the most reliable business. Some days, you get suckers who will buy half the things on the shelf for an exorbitant price. Other days, nobody bites."

"I didn't think you'd need much for money," the Latina confessed, glancing about, "I thought you'd have everything you need right here, or that you could make anything you don't have."

"Not untrue," Eda nodded, "But I still need to put food on the table, and it never hurts to have a little extra cash on hand. Which is where my second business comes into play; the finest homebrewed elixirs, potions and other miscellaneous solutions, pastes and powders."

"Ooooh, you're a potioneer!"

"And a damn good one," she preened, pushing a few stray hairs up out of her eyes, "All the potions that are in that bag you're carrying are of the highest quality – much more potent than any of the junk you'll find on the market."

"… wait, aren't you a wanted criminal?" Luz's inquisitive frown was audible in her tone, "Is this legal?"

"Not strictly, no," Eda admitted, "But that's only because the Potioneer's Coven and its various guilds want to keep their stranglehold on the market. They charge ridiculous prices for things people actually need when their products are only sub-par, and before you say anything," she found her brow creasing into a glare as she glanced back at the girl, "it's one thing to trick someone with cash to spare into buying an overly expensive fidget toy or a wind chime made of beer bottles and twine. It's another thing entirely to practically extort people for medicine that doesn't even work properly."

Much to the Owl Lady's surprise, however, Luz met her glare with a grim look of her own, nodding in agreement, "I'm with you there. My mom's a doctor; she's never liked how people have turned healthcare into a business."

At this, Eda stopped, turning to face Luz; her incredulousness must have shown, because the Latina stopped as well, her expression suddenly uncertain, as if now wondering if she had said the wrong thing.

… after a moment, the Witch let out a chuckle, turning back to the hall. She hadn't been expecting Luz to say something like that… but an odd sort of reassurance had come to rest in her chest, now, as if she were relieved that the kid agreed with her.

"Good on ya, kid," she intoned, resuming her stride, and after a moment Luz was on her heels again.

"So, you sell better medicine at a more fair price?" the teen queried.

"Not just medicine. Potions of all sorts," Eda clarified, as they ascended the steps, "But yes, that's my business, and one among many reasons that I'm wanted."

"You must be good if people keep coming to you even though it's illegal."

"Stroke my ego as much as you want, Luz, it's not going to make your job any easier."

They emerged out onto a stone balcony, one of the smaller broken towers that the house had been built into.

"You said I'm gonna be making deliveries today?" the girl let her head sway back and forth, grinning widely as she took in the horizon.

"To my clientele, yes," the Witch padded out to the crenelations, pointing out to the distant town with her staff. It was only barely visible from around the cliffs, "Today, you're going to be delivering packages and selling potions in that town over there. Bonesborough."

"… Bonesborough," Luz repeated, stepping up to the wall and staring, her brown eyes flicking back and forth across the rooftops with a cautious awe; though her introduction to the town had been less than amicable, Eda could see the wonder in Luz's eyes and expression, even subdued by the menace put off by the town.

"I'll give you a map, and a list of addresses, names, and what they owe me," Eda assured, "But you will have to be careful."

"Because I'm a human in a place where I don't belong?" the girl ventured, looking back up at the grey haired Witch.

"Among other reasons; I'm not the only one selling potions illegally. Even if you don't take the Potions Coven and the guilds into account, I've got rivals who want to bring me down, and they won't hesitate to use you to do it," she let the staff rest against her shoulder, crossing her arms with a smile, "You wanted a dangerous magical quest? Sister, you've got one."

"I won't let you down, Miss Eda!" Luz turned, saluting her... and her grip on the sack over her shoulder slipping. It fell over the edge of the balcony, the Latina turning with wide, horrified eyes, staring as it fell to the ground below.

Eda leaned forwards, eyes half lidded as she caught a glimpse of the bag an instant before it hit the rocks. There was a loud series of cracks and clinks upon impact, several bottles rolling out of the bag and across the ground. Nothing appeared to be broken – magical bottles were harder to break than normal glass – but even so, it generally wasn't a good idea to be so careless with a sack full of potentially dangerous solutions and solvents.

"I'm sure," she intoned, tone dry as the girl gave her a nervous smile.

She led Luz back down through the foyer, handing her a map of the town and the list she'd been keeping before ushering the girl out the door, "Remember to never trust a man in sandals, and to always measure twice, cut once."

"Uuuuuuh…" the teen stalled, staring blankly.

"Best of luck!"

With that, she snapped her fingers, and the door slammed shut.

Eda dusted off her hands before glancing at King, who had curled up in the sunlight under the window, "… I hate to interrupt your power nap, but you have to go with her."

"WHAT!?" his gold-purple eyes shot open as he scrambled to his feet, glaring up at her with vicious malice. He jabbed a claw down at the sun-soaked wood under his paws, "But I just found the perfect spot! Why do I have to go!?"

"You and I know she's either gonna get lost or eaten," the Witch shot back coolly, "Probably both."

"No I won't!" Luz's voice echoed as she pressed her face into the glass, making Eda jump; the Witch gestured with a hand, and the curtains fell, blocking the window.

"… and because you work for me, too," the woman finished, eyes narrowing, "Unless you want to start paying rent."

The little Demon thrashed in place, stomping his feet with a furious, whining snarl, but Eda knew he knew better than to throw a tantrum. He hopped down with a grumble, padding towards the door.

"That's what I thought," she chuckled as the door opened. The Witch stuck her head out, lips parted in a grin as she met Luz's eyes once more, "Be back by nightfall, or risk mortal peril!"

With that, Eda slammed the door shut once more, padding back towards the stairs.

"We are so late."

Liz's voice was a groan that echoed through the relative silence of the room, the only other sound being that of the tape-measure as the stripe-haired boy painstakingly stretched it from one corner of the room to the center of the pure white wall.

The edges of the painting were precisely eighty centimeters away from the wall, just as it should be; but the only way to make absolutely sure was to do the same on the other side.

Kid stepped into the corner, unhooking the tip of the tape measure from the hidden vertical notch he had installed for the exact purpose of this measurement. He strode to the other side, hooked the tape measure into the other, perfectly symmetrical hidden notch, and stretched it out again, checking to make sure the painting was hanging just as it should be.

"Kiiiiid, c'mon!" Patty whined, clicking her boot against the tile floor impatiently, "Spirit said classes start early!"

"Just a moment, Patty," he intoned, lining up the measurement, "I'm almost finished."

"You've been at this since five in the morning," Liz huffed, "You know no one touches your stuff, Kid. It's already hanging perfectly."

"You're forgetting that I have this place cleaned on a very regular basis, Liz. These picture frames, the bookshelves, the floors, none of them clean themselves. I must make absolutely sure everything is in its proper place," he smiled with satisfaction; once again, a perfect eighty centimeters away from the wall.

"I thought you cleaned all of it because you can't stand the thought of someone doing it wrong," the elder Thompson sister squinted.

"I do," the tape measure shot back into its casing with a whir and a heavy click, the young Reaper cheerfully depositing it into its drawer.

"Then aren't you the one who puts everything back every time?" Patty asked.

"I am, but one can never be too careful when it comes to symmetry, Patty," he patted off his pale fingers, "At any rate, I am now finished. The floors are spotless, the table is properly set for dinner tonight, the paintings are in place, and the toilet paper is neatly folded into triangles in the bathroom. I do believe it's time to go, girls."

"Finally!" Patty whooped, "Time to check out the campus!"

"We're definitely gonna end up in detention or something," Liz sighed, "Not how I wanted my first day to go…"

"I'm sure it won't be that big of a deal, Liz," Kid slipped his suit jacket back on over his shirt, "We already know all of the basics. It should be relatively easy for us to bring ourselves up to speed."

"Not what I'm worried about, but sure, whatever," the dirty blonde crossed her arms as their footsteps echoed collectively across the tile.

"You think we'll meet those kids from the test?" Patty strode backwards, eyes darting back and forth between her sister and Meister, "Soul and Maka, Tsubaki and Black Star?"

"I think it's more than likely," Kid nodded, "I hope to make a good impression on them. They're inexperienced, but they seem like strong Weapons and Meisters regardless.

"You're still inexperienced, Kid," a wry smirk slipped across Liz's face as she checked her reflection in a pocket mirror before glancing down at him, "Though I guess it'll be good to expand your social circle a bit. I'm surprised you're not going crazy spending all your time in here."

"I don't see why I would," he glanced up out of the corner of his eye, "You both make for wonderful company, Liz."

"Smooooooth," Patty giggled, eyes half lidded at the Reaper.

The Meister glared, golden eyes flashing and his lips curling down slightly, "That's not what I meant and you know it, Patty."

"Alright, alright, knock it off," Liz snapped her pocket mirror shut, slipping it into her pocket, stopping in front of the large double doors that led outside, "Let's just get out there before we make ourselves any later."

"Yes. Let's," Kid threaded his fingers, stretching his hands until his fingers cracked before reaching for the brass knobs, and turning them, letting brilliant sunlight stream into the manor as they stepped out into Death City proper.

Man, this story really is turning into a slow burn.

Oh well. Slow burn can sometimes be best burn.

Next time, Kid meets the kids, Spirit and Stein talk, and Luz learns things aren't gonna be as easy as she hopes.

Sorry I don't have as much to say this time around.

Please be sure to let me know what you think! I hope you all enjoyed the fourteenth chapter of Owls and Souls, Witches and Resonance!