Getting a day off during the week wasn't very common, which is why Amity, one of the best Hexside School for Magic and Demonics had to offer, used this free time to do some shopping. While her parents were busy talking about who knows what at the Parent Creature Conference, she had taken to roaming Bonesborough, looking through the various stalls for clothes, trinkets, anything purple, really. She had already found a couple things, a pair of cute black boots with gold crescents on top, and a silver pendant with a red gem inlaid in it. It wasn't exactly her taste, but Skarra's birthday was coming up, and Amity knew she liked red.
She decided to keep the boots on after she bought them, they went went her outfit very nicely. As she strolled over to a stall selling books and tomes, she heard what sounded like a scuffle nearby. She didn't pay it any mind, Bonesborough and fights went hand in hand. A day going through town WITHOUT seeing a fight of some kind was the oddity.
Amity's browsing was halted as she heard voices coming from that same direction.
"I-I didn't mean to!"
"Sure, sure. Tell it to the Emporer's Coven, girlie."
Amity wanted to continue looking through books, but she couldn't help but think that that first voice was...
She retreated from the stall and walked quickly towards the voices. When she rounded the corner, her suspicions were confirmed. It was Willow, Amity's... former friend. Something seemed to have happened with her plant magic, as a giant vine was sticking out of the ground, right where a food vender's cart used to be. Looming over her were two Coven Guards, brutes that were more pointy mask than brain, but still a threat when they needed to be.
"I'm sorry," Willow pleaded to the guards, "I just got angry and that just kinda came out, I didn't mean to ruin his stand, I'm sorry!"
"Sorry wont bring back my cart, lady!" The demon who ran the stand said from behind the two guards.
"I think we've got a spot just for you," the left guard said, "in the Conformatorium!"
Amity gasped at hearing this. She heard nothing but bad things about that place, and even worse things about Warden Wrath. Prisoners there were like his playthings, even going so far as to torture inmates. Some didn't even make it out alive. Willow was tough, but she wouldn't last in there.
"No no no, please, I'll pay for the cart, I promise!" Willow cried, hoping for an ounce of mercy from the guards. Unfortunately, she got none.
"Listen, girlie," the right guard started, "we're behind on our arresting quota. If we DON'T arrest you, they're gonna dock our pay."
"Wait, you still get paid?" The other guard questioned his partner. "I've had to start paying them to work."
"Well, maybe they'll start paying you again after this," the first guard replied as he grabbed Willow's arm.
"No! No, please, I'm sorry! Please don't take me there! Please!" Willow cried out in vain as the other guard took her left arm, and she was dragged away. Amity was stunned as she watched them carry her once friend. She wanted to say something, anything. But Willow was a criminal now, and she couldn't speak out against the Emperor's Coven, not if she wanted to join them after graduation.
Amity balled her fists as Willow and the guards drew further away. As much as Amity had tried to harden her heart to Willow, even taking to bullying her in the past couple years, she still remembered all the great times they had together. She was so much better of a friend than Boscha or Skarra or anyone. And even though she herself had done some horrible things to Willow, she would never wish this on her.
"Hey!"
The two guards and Willow all looked back, and saw the Blight girl standing in the street, full of determination.
"A-Amity?" Willow said, disbelief covering her face.
"The Blights' kid? What's she doing here?" One of the guards asked.
"Put. Her down." Amity snarled, marching towards the three of them.
"Oh, what are you gonna do?" The right guard asked sarcastically. "Throw some of your parents' money at us?" The guards laughed at the barb as Amity came closer.
She growled and drew a duo of spell circles. Right behind her, her Abomination rose, towering over her and the guards, who were still laughing at the jibe. The left guard stopped, however, as Amity's Abomination cast a long shadow over them. He looked up at the hulking monster, who had both hands reeled upwards, ready to slam down on them.
"Uh, Frank?" He said to his still laughing comrade.
"Yeah? Oh." He looked up just in time for the Abomination to slam it's hands down, encasing them both, but leaving Willow untouched.
"Willow, run!" Amity yelled, as she ordered her Abomination to scoop the guards up and throw them as far as possible.
"Right, ok!" Willow replied as she started in the opposite direction, but stopped and turned back to Amity. "Thank you," she said, then sprinted away from the carnage. Amity nodded at her in acknowledgment. After years of treating her old friend like garbage, it felt good to do something nice for Willow again.
The guards made contact with the side of a building, the Abomination goo coating them causing them to stick to it. As they groaned in pain, Frank looked up to his partner.
"Well, this is a pretty... sticky situation, huh, Steve?"
"Shut the hell up, Frank."
Amity breathed a sigh of relief and looked back to see that Willow was long gone. Thank goodness. Hopefully no more guards came to try and recapture her.
"Hey, you!" A voice from down the street said. She looked that way and saw three more guards running towards her, having seen their comrades be manhandled by her Abomination.
"Aw, crap," Amity ordered her Abomination to attack, giving her a chance to flee. She made sure Willow didn't get sent to the Conformatorium, and she sure as heck wasn't going, either. She ran down a crowded street full of vendors, pushing past several pedestrians and getting several rude comments thrown her way for her intrusion.
She looked back to see a guard had made it past her Abomination, and was pushing his way through the crowded street, as well. She had to get out of sight soon, or more guards would show up to grab her.
Up ahead to the right, Amity saw a shady-looking stall set up, loaded with odd trinkets that she didn't recognize at all. Standing in front of it, talking to a green slime creature was a white haired witch in a red dress. She looked vaguely familiar, but Amity wasn't sure why.
"How would you like this black shadow box that reflects only sadness?" she said to her customer, holding out a strange, grey cube.
"Hmm, tempting," the slime scratched it's... chin? "But does it reflect other emotions? Like unyielding rage at the guy who took my seat on the bus?"
"Only one way to find out? Sixty snails!" She held out her hand for a shake.
"Sixty? You're out of your mind, lady!" The slime retorted and walked away.
"Hmph, he doesn't know what he's missing out on." As she set the box back on the table, Amity snuck into the tent, remaining unseen. When she entered, she was greeted with a plethora of boxes, full of junk, and an unpleasant smell. She pinched her nose as she looked around. Something caught her eye as she scanned the room: a lone door with an eyeball on it, sitting in the middle of the tent. It was slightly ajar, with a bright light shining through from the other side.
She inched closer to it, curiosity taking over. What was this? Where did it lead? Her pondering would have to wait, as voices nearby snapped her back to reality.
"She went this way!" a guard said from outside. Amity was low on options here. She could hide here for awhile, but there wasn't much to hide behind. A guard could take a peek in here, and she would stick out like a sore thumb, especially her hair. She could sneak out the back of the tent, but she was pretty sure there wasn't anything there but a cliff overlooking town.
"Aw, dangit, the fuzz," she heard the witch outside say. That was it, Amity had no other choice now. That witch would come in here and turn her over to the guards if she didn't act now. She made a split-second decision and hoped that this door didn't lead to certain death. She grabbed the handle and opened the door, revealing a white void. She took a deep breath and stepped through... then immediately tripped.
