Another day at the Owl House. Only, its living room was covered in all kinds of notes and research written by Luz and Strix. Since they found out that the spell circle glyphs could be found anywhere on the isles, they looked hard to search for one and learn a new spell. So far, they found just one: a glyph in the shape of a potted flower located in the center of a blossom.

"Come on, work this time!" Luz drew the spell circle on a card, tapped it and a small flower popped out. "YES! Check it out, King: my glyph skills are blossoming!"

"Hold on, let me try." Strix drew a plant glyph of his own and tapped it. A Venus fly trap popped out. "Wicked."

"You think that's impressive? Check this out! Two warriors battling to the death!" King showed the kids a video of two cats snuggling each other on Luz's phone. Attached to the phone were cords that led to the open magic door to the human world. It was the only way to get Wi-Fi, since that sort of technology doesn't exist on the Boiling Isles.

"Ah. I see we're getting enough Wi-Fi through the portal for cat videos," said Luz.

"Senseless violence, yes," King laughed maniacally. "Attack, DEATH IS YOUR GOD!"

"I regret teaching you about the Internet."

"Hah! What possible regrets could come from the internet- Oh! Did you know that the Earth is actually flat?"

Strix raised an eyebrow. "Really? Do people walk off the edges?"

Luz snatched her phone from King. "Yep, that's not right." Suddenly, the phone buzzed. Luz panicked when she saw she got a text from her mother. It read, "How's camp today, cariño? 3, Mamá." She replied by sending her a thumbs up emoji. "Good enough."

"Ah, a severed hand," said King. "Perfect response."

Luz groaned and buried her face in her hands. "What am I supposed to say? 'Hey Mom, not at camp actually! I'm in the demon realm actually, learning to be a witch! Also, did you know that demons and magic are real?' She. Will. End me."

"Just tell her the truth," said Strix. "She can't be as bad as my mom!"

Luz stood up and frowned at him. "I can't tell her the truth! I know exactly what she'll say. 'Mira! You're not supposed to be a witch! You're supposed to be an accountant or a doctor like me! You do not belong in this world. You should be worrying about grades, prom dates, pimples-not your own survival!' She'd probably drag me out of here by the ear if she found out. And she'd say right away that you and Eda are bad influences."

Strix made a hurt expression. King brushed it aside. "Nah, she'd be freaked out by our world anyway. So actually, by keeping the truth from her, you're doing her a favor!"

Luz nodded. "The demon on my shoulder makes a good point."

"Always trust a shoulder demon," said King, snatching the phone from her and resumed watching the cat videos.

The door swung open and Hooty hooted, "Hoot hoot, Luz and Strix! Time to fill those darling little heads of yours with..." He regurgitated a stack of books. "Delicious knowledge!"

Willow and Gus poked their heads through the open door. "Please hurry," said Gus

"The more I look at him, the more uncomfortable I get," said Willow.

"HOOT HOOT!"

Luz chuckled and got and and left for school with Strix and their friends, but not before she kissed King on the head and said, "Don't spend all day watching MewTube, 'kay?"

"I FORGE MY OWN PATH!" King went back to watching a video of a cat trying to catch its own tail. "What a dum-dum." He noticed his own tail and tried to grab it but gave up. "Oh, who has the energy?"

The scene at Hexside was quite different today. Staff and students were setting up decorations, tying balloons to the railings, hanging streamers from the ceiling and hanging posters that said, "Grom Night!"

"Something's different today," said Luz.

"What gave it away, Luzer?" Strix asked with sarcasm. "The posters, the balloons or the streamers?"

"All the above. And don't call me Luzer."

"Oh yeah," said Willow. "I forgot you've never been here for the social event of the season."

"Welcome to your first-"

Whatever Gus was about to say was interrupted by two paramedics pushing a boy on a gurney down the hallway and stopping in front of Skara. "Come with us immediately," the paramedics said to the boy. "Your disease- it's advancing!"

"Is there a cure, doc?" the boy asked.

"Only one... finding the perfect date to Grom!"

"If that's the cure... then, Skara, will you go to Grom with me?" The boy gave Skara a beating human heart with the word "Grom" written in blood on it.

Skara let out a scream of delight and hugged the boy. "Of course I will, or whatever!" The kids watching the even unfold cheered.

"You guys have a version of prom on the Boiling Isles?" Luz asked, excited. "I was kicked out of my last school dance for dressing like an otter, but here, I can be your Grom queen!"

Willow and Gus glanced at each other before the former said, "That's, uh, not something people usually sign up for."

Suddenly, somebody carrying books bumped into Luz and snapped, "Watch it, nitwit!" It was Amity. She suddenly corrected herself and acted a bit nicer when she realized she bumped into Luz. "Oh. Hi, Luz... and co. Sorry about that."

"No problem, let me help you!" Luz helped her pick up her books then handed her a slip of paper that had fallen out one of the books. "Here, your note." Amity gasped and snatched the note out of her hand. "Man, you got some quick grabbers."

"It's just- it's private."

Suddenly, the intercom whined and Principal Bump's voice rang out, "Attention Hexside students. This is your principal speaking."

The students listened with anticipation. "Oh, man, this is it!" said Gus.

"He's announcing who'll be this year's Grom royalty," Willow explained to Luz.

Bump continued, "This year, I have the privilege to bestow our highest Grom honor to... Amity Blight. Our Grom queen!"

All the students gasped and focused their attention to Amity, who looked absolutely horrified. Luz let out a cheer. "WHOOOO! Amity, get it, queen!" She readied for a high five, but Amity turned tail and ran. "Don't leave me hangin'!"

"Luzer, read the room, you idiot," Strix snapped. "I don't know what goes on in your world, but here, nobody wants to be Grom king and queen!"

"Th-They don't?"

"Come with me," he said, dragging her by the arm.

At the gymnasium, Bump was helping the kids set up the room for Grom night. "Very good. Lower the streamers, fill the punch bowl, and- how's my disco ball?"

The poor snaggleback, whose shell was covered in sparkly glitter, hung from the ceiling by his feet. "Nauseous," he groaned.

"Great. Just keep it up for 36 more hours."

Bump left the gymnasium just as Luz and Strix came in. "I think you stretched my arm out," Luz said, rubbing her arm. Still, she managed to smile as she sniffed the air and said, "My first school dance experience on the Boiling Isles. I can't wait to get overdressed, take awkward photos, push all the buttons- wait, what?" Luz saw a big red button on a black and red pedestal.

Before she could press it, Strix grabbed her arm again. "Luz, this is serious! Mom told me about this. Grom isn't some stupid dance and social event! It's a battle to the death!"

Luz looked less than enthusiastic about Grom now. "What do you mean?" Strix sighed and pressed the big red button. Racks of weapons rose up from the ground while the center of the floor opened, revealing an underground passage connected to a ramp. "Medieval torture seems like a strange theme for Grom, but hey-"

"They're the Grom king and/or queen's weapons for the fight, Luzer," said Strix. "They're not decorations."

"What fight?"

"The fight with that." Amity was standing by one of the weapon racks. She was pointing to the underground chamber. Inside it was what looked like a writhing black mass of slime. "That's Grom. Short for Grometheus, the Fear-Bringer. It's a monster that lives under the school."

"You want me to tell the story or should I?" asked Strix.

"I should. It's my duty as Grom queen after all," said Amity with sad humor. She explained to Luz, "Every year it tries to break out, and a student has to defeat it before it invades the town. Ever the optimist, Bump holds a party and calls it tradition. The worst thing is that Grom can read minds and shape-shift into your worst fear. And mine is... very embarrassing."

"If it worries you so much, then why don't you tell Principal Bump you want out of this death match biz," suggested Luz before gasping. "Unless talking to Bump is your greatest fear."

Amity laughed. "No, but that's a good idea. Thanks, Luz."

She left the gym and Luz hummed in thought. "And this is why people pretend to like this event," said Strix as he pressed the big red button, closing the floor and lowering the weapon racks. "It's not just a tradition, it's a necessity. If the Grom king and/or queen loses, Grometheus will turn the Boiling Isles into a great, big waking nightmare. Being Grom royalty means dealing with a lot of pressure." Luz hummed again, still thinking.

Suddenly, the snaggleback shouted, "PUT DOWN A TARP, I'M GONNA PUKE!"

The two kids took off running.

They returned to the Owl House and Luz cried out, "I'm home!"

"OW! Careful with those pins!"

"Why am I doing this? I don't even wear clothes!"

Strix and Luz poked their heads into the master bedroom to find Eda wearing a brown suit with a red tie and King helping her fit into it. "Mom, what are you wearing," he asked as he and Luz sat on the nest.

Eda put a hand on her chest proudly. "I'm chaperoning Grom tonight. So I have to look sharp."

"And Gus asked me to co-emcee the fight," said King, holding up a poster of himself and Gus. "We're going to turn this blood-bath into a fun-bath!"

"Ooh, have they announced the victim yet?"

"Yeah. It's Amity," said Luz, concerned. "She's kinda freaking out though. I wish I could, like, take her place or something."

King and Eda immediately burst out laughing. "That's a great joke, Luz," King guffawed.

Eda stopped her laugh and said to her, "Ah, listen, kid. That's a noble sentiment, but Grom is a little above your pay-grade. You're a human. You're... fragile."

Luz looked offended as she got up in Eda's face and said, "Hey! I've been learning lots of new spells! I could totally handle it."

"And this is the part someone has to save your butt," said Strix.

"What?" Luz asked, getting a little irritated.

"Face it, you never handle anything by yourself! You always bite off more than you can chew and someone, usually Eda and I, has to save you! You won't handle Grom!"

"Yes I will!"

"There's a horrifying spider in your hair," said Eda.

"Nope. I'm not as fragile as you think, Eda. And I'm not so easily fooled, either." Luz left the room, unaware there really was a horrifying spider in her hair.

King then decided to take Luz's side for a bit, "Uh, maybe you two were too hard on her. She's saved you from multiple monsters, remember?"

"True," said Strix reluctantly.

"This is different," said Eda. "Facing Grom means facing your worst fear, King. And I don't think Luz knows what that means yet." There was a pause. Then she asked, "Do you think I could pull of red eyeshadow?"

"Girl, you can pull of anything! Up top! We're style geniuses!"

Luz was still fuming as she grabbed a branch and beat random bushes to vent her anger. "'Fragile'. Eda and Strix don't know me! I'm brave! I'm a bad boy!" A twig snapping made her yelp. "Ominous footsteps, creepy woods- this is no problem." She heard whoever it was come closer... "LUZ CHOP! AAAAAAHHHHHH!" She charged at the intruder and whacked it with the stick.

"OW!"

Luz used a light spell to see better and gasped when she realized she hit Amity. "Oh my gosh, Amity! I'm so sorry!"

She helped Amity up, who grunted as she sat on a stump, "And here I thought this day couldn't get any worse."

Luz sat in the mud next to the stump and asked, "Did you talk to Bump yet? Was it as terrifying as you imagined?"

Amity sighed sadly. "He said no. I'm Grom queen, unless I can find a replacement. And who'd want to switch with me?"

"I would."

Amity looked at her, surprised. "What?"

"Amity Blight, I'll do it. I'll take your place and face Grom in the arena." Luz held her left fist up in the air. "I'll be your fearless champion!" The spider crawled on her face and she screamed, flailing about in the mud while Amity watched, concerned. "Fearless...champion..."

In her room, Luz thought about what dress to wear. Either a black dress with a moon or an otter costume. The phone buzzed and Luz saw another message from her mother, "Mira! Visiting our fav after school snack spot ! Miss you BEBE! XO", accompanied with a selfie of Camila holding a sandwich. Luz replied by sending her a smile emoji. She felt bad lying to her mother, but she had to. Her mother would never understand.

Suddenly, Hooty came in the window got in Luz's face. "Oh, Luuuuuzzzz! You have a gueeessssstttt!"

Luz shoved him out the window. "Hooty! No touching." The bedroom door opened and Amity stepped in. She was covered in feathers and looked frankly annoyed. "Amity," Luz said with joy.

"If that bird-tube ever talks to me again... I'm going to destroy it," Amity said darkly before asking Luz, "You ready to train?"

"What should I wear to Grom," Luz asked as she held up the black dress and the otter costume. "This one says, 'witch with a dark side'. But this one says, 'I'm an otter... with a dark side.'"

"Luz, you need to take this seriously. If you can't defeat Grom, everyone on the island will have to live out their worst nightmare."

Hooty got in Amity's face and said, "YOU WANNA HEAR MY WORST NIGHTMARE?" Amity responded by throttling him. It took Luz all her strength to separate the two.

Luz met Amity in the front yard with Emira and Edric, who were asked to help Luz with the training. As for Hooty, the door knocker remained silent and covered in bandages and wearing an eyepatch over his right eye.

"Grom will transform into your darkest fears," said Amity. "What are you afraid of, Luz?" Luz thought it over.

"Wanna say our greatest fears?" Edric asked Emira. "On three- one two... being alone forever!"

At the same time, she said, "Being stuck with you forever." Edric groaned in disappointment.

"In preparation, I've made a list," Luz handed the Blight twins a slip of paper. They read it over and nodded. They cast an illusion spell and a giant phone showing the image of a fat man with a five o' clock shadow and wearing a fedora with the text "M'Lady!" appeared. Luz let out a yelp. "Jerks online who wanna debate!"

Then a cat with a human face took the place of the phone and begged in an inhuman voice, "Luz, help me! Help!"

"No! Human souls trapped in cat bodies!"

Then a giant quart of milk appeared. Luz screamed, "NOOOO! I'm lactose intolerant!"

"Stop!" Amity shouted, making the illusions disappear. She said to Luz, "Not enough. The reason I can't face Grom- it goes deeper than things that just gross me out. What's your real fear, Luz?"

Luz looked at the Owl House and thought of what Eda and Strix said to her. "My real fear... is that Eda and Strix think I'm too fragile to do this! And if they're right, I'll never be a real witch!"

Emira and Edric nodded. They cast another illusion, this one taking the form of a giant Eda. "You're inadequate," it said, casting a spell that trapped Luz in a high chair and put a bib around her neck. Then the illusion transformed into Strix who taunted her, "You can't do anything without my help."

Back in her room, Eda was checking herself out in a mirror. "Me-ow. Still got it. What do you think, Strix? Think the yellow bow tie's a bit much?"

"Honestly, your looks never improve no matter what you wear."

"Let's try that again. And this time, say something that won't result in you getting your head stuck up Selwyn's butthole."

Suddenly, they heard Luz let out a scream. "NOOOOO!"

They came outside and Eda said, "I get it, ditch the yellow," said Eda.

Then she and Strix gasped when they saw what was going on with Luz. Strix said, "Is that supposed to be me? I'm not that skinny, aren't I?" Then he realized, "Wait. Luz, you're training to go against Grometheus, aren't you?"

"So what if I am?" asked Luz. The illusion ended and she fell on her face.

Eda said seriously, "You think training will help against Grom? Luz, you always go overboard and I end up bailing you out. Now, what's the fun in watching a kid get eaten by a monster if it's my kid?"

"Well, maybe you'll have fun watching me defeat Grom!" Luz got up and karate chopped the cat with the human face, making it disappear.

"What makes you think you can?" asked Strix seriously. "You can't even face...er...a certain someone. You're a coward."

Luz knew what he was talking about immediately and became furious. "If you don't believe in me, don't come at all!"

Amity put a hand on her shoulder and said, "Luz, I don't think you're ready, but we're literally out of time."

"I'll take it," she said with confidence.

Strix coughed. He coughed a little louder. Emira swore she heard her own name hidden in the cough. "What?"

"Would...uh...would you like to Grom with me?" Strix asked a little too fast. Emira gave him a confused look. "I knew it."

"Why me?"

"I don't really know any other girls personally besides Amity and Willow and I don't think Amity's interested given the whole Grometheus thing. I asked Willow before school was over, and she said she wasn't interested."

"You're desperate, aren't you."

"Very. So, what do you say?" Emira smiled and patted his head. "I'll take that as a yes."

Tonight was Grom Night. The snaggleback was still hanging from the ceiling. "Arms so tired," he groaned. Down below him, the gymnasium was bustling with student activity. Rockabilly-style music was playing from the speakers. Couples awkwardly danced on the dance floor. Willow was casting a spell that donned corsages onto some guests. Eda was at the punch bowl, occasionally checking her watch nervously.

"Why so twitchy, witchy," King asked. "I'm trying to remember if I've ever seen you this nervous before."

"Well, of course I'm worried! I'm going to have to save Luz from a nightmare monster! Ugh, so much for Mama's fun night out."

Strix danced with Emira, though his head wasn't really in the game. He stumbled his feet, he stepped on Emira's toes and he seemed to be off in la-la land. Emira got impatient. "Are you even going to try to dance with me?"

Strix sighed. "Sorry. I keep thinking about what happened with Luz."

"She'll be fine. I think."

"It's not that. Luz said if I met...a certain someone, she'd call me a bad influence. Emira, do you think I push Luz to get in danger?"

"Well, I don't know since I don't see how you and Luz that often outside of school," Emira said, understanding what he was trying to say. "But I know you also save her. Do you think that this...certain someone would be grateful for that?"

"I don't know..."

"Come on. Have fun!"

Strix smirked and pulled into the girl into a wild tango. Strix cast light spell glyphs onto the ground, forming a trail of light balls that led up to the ceiling next to the hanging snaggleback. Strix began to sang "Hey, Pachuco" as he and Emira danced, using the lights as a floating platform. Emira took a couple steps back then ran toward Strix, slid under his legs and lifted him up into the air, catching him with both hands before setting him down.

Not to be outdone, Strix twirled her around like a top until she formed a tornado. Then he tossed the spinning girl up and let her spin in his hands until Emira finally slowed down and did a pose in perfect balance before he let her down. Then they did the Twist, followed by a kick out and a dynamite jump skip. Then while Emira shook her hips shake to the side, Strix turned, shuffled, hop skipped and shimmied to her before pulling her into her arms with with a leaning bow.

The students down below watched the floating dancers with awe.

Emira cast an illusion of a slide and the two of them went down it, summersaulting and finishing with a jump and a bow. "SMOKIN'!" said Strix. Everyone cheered. "How was that for fun?" Strix asked Emira.

She giggled. "Very."

Suddenly, the lights dimmed and the spotlight shined on Gus, who was on the stage. "Ladies, gentlemen, and assorted demons," he said into a microphone. "It's almost time for our main Grom event. Please, please, take a seat, and be aware that the first three rows are designated splash zones."

As if on cue, people sitting in the stands put on rain coats and opened umbrellas.

"Wow, Gus is really good at this," said King as he and Eda took their seats in the stands. "They're hanging on his every word!"

Gus continued his speech, "I see we've got Principal Bump in the house! Now, sir, I hope you won't throw us in detention because because we're going to raise the roof." The spotlight shined on Principal Bump, who waved and smiled awkwardly as the students applauded.

King suddenly began to have butterflies in his stomach. He looked at his cue cards. "Whoo, I, uh, hope my material's up to snuff. Whoah!" He accidentally slipped and fell on a whoopee cushion he brought along. He asked Eda, "What do you think will go better with the youths- close-up magic or impressions?

Eda chuckled as she grabbed the little demon by the collar and brought him to her eye level. "Oh, King. Teenagers are brutal. They'll boo anyone, and that kind of public humiliation can stick with you for life."

King let out a squeak of fright.

Just outside the gym, Amity waited by the door, occasionally glancing down at the paper she swiped from Luz. Speak of the devil, the Owl Lady's apprentice appeared. Her hair was slicked back and she was wearing the strangest of prom clothes: brown work boots, purple leggings, a pink tutu, and a black tuxedo jacket. "I'm not sure if it's nerves or if I accidentally drank some milk, but something's making my stomach squirm," she said.

"You look nice. Strange, but... nice. And, thank you, Luz," Amity said, putting her hands on Luz's shoulders. "Honestly, I'm kind of amazed with how fearless you are. You've done things I could never do."

"Hah, yeah, right! You goin' soft on me, Blight?"

"In your dreams," Amity said with a chuckle.

At that moment, Gus said, "Now, introducing our Grom queen. You know her, you love her, you've... at least heard of her. Luz, the Human!"

The spotlight shined on Luz. "Wish me luck," she said to Amity.

"Luck," Amity said to herself.

The pedestal with the red button skittered onto the stage and Gus pressed it. The floor opened to reveal the Grom arena. Skara and her date, about to lean in for a kiss, ripped off their formal clothing to reveal their Grom sweaters. "GROM! GROM!" they chanted like they were watching a blood sport. "GROM! GROM!"

Before Luz could take another step, Strix called out, "Wait!"

She frowned at him. "I thought I told you not to come."

"No, you told me not to come if I didn't believe in you. And...well, I believe in you, Luzer. And I'm sorry for calling you a coward."

Luz smiled. "Can't stay mad at you forever." She put on a brave face and stepped forward to the weapons rack and picked out a flail, placed an ice glyph on it and stepped down into the dark pit where the black sludge that was Grometheus, the Fear-Bringer awaited her. She readied the flail as she said, "There you are, Gromarama. Not too scary."

The black sludge suddenly transformed into three cats with human faces, begging for Luz's help. She cringed. "Ugh, so weird." She swung her flail to gain momentum and slammed it to the ground. A pillar of ice rose and rocketed out the cats. The students cheered.

"And there she goes," said Gus. "Using that characteristic human magic to keep Grom at bay! And now, to hand things over to my co-emcee: King!"

King walked onto the stage and was given the microphone. "Hel-LO, Hexside! So..." He accidentally dropped his cue cards and the microphone feedback screeched a little. The audience remained silent. King tugged his collar nervously. "Oh, oh gosh. Um... whoooo. Wow, these lights are warm. Observe! Luz, is um... she's down there, all right. And, uh, yes she is! There she goes! Folks, she's battling the thing, and uh..."

The crowd began booing him. "Bring back the funny kid!"

"You will clap for me! Please?" It was too much. King ran off the stage and out of the gym, crying his eyes out.

"King!" Gus ran after him.

Back in the underground arena, Grometheus took another form: the phone with the image of the fat man in the fedora. "You're not coming from a place of intellectual honesty, so debating you would be pointless," Luz shouted, using the flail to shatter the illusion.

"She's good," Emira said. Beside her, Strix made an uncertain emotion.

"Luz has lasted surprisingly long," said Bump into the microphone. "But what form will Grom take next?"

"LET'S FINISH THIS!" shouted Luz. "Human-style!"

Behind her, Grometheus took another form: the form of Eda as the Owl Beast. In the stands, Strix gasped with shock. Eda herself hid her face in shame.

Then the Fear-Bringer took on another shape, Strix whenever he wore the Mask. It pulled out a pair of machine guns and fired at Luz, forcing her to take cover. "What makes you think you can win, coward?" it asked in a perfect mimicry of Strix's voice.

Strix made a look of regret.

Luz got angry. "I AM NO COWARD!" She swung the flail at Grometheus only for the shape-shifter to catch it and sneer at her.

"Oh no? I know what REALLY scares you. I know who you REALLY can't face!"

A tendril shot out of the creature's back and touched Luz's forehead. Her eyes glowed for a brief moment before Grometheus took an unexpected form. Eda's door to the human world. It opened and a figure stepped out. It looked like an older version of Luz wearing glasses and a nurse's outfit. "Mija?"

Luz was stunned with astonishment. She dropped the flail and said, "Mom! What are you doing here?"

Strix's eyes widened. "That's Luz's mom?"

The thing that took on Mrs. Noceda's form looked around, asking, "Luz, what is this terrible place? Espérate un momento, this isn't camp. Have you been here, all these weeks?" It gasped and asked, "And is that a weapon?"

"I-I can explain!"

Luz's mother suddenly took on a more monstrous form as she growled, "Mija, have you been lying to me?!"

Gus went into the hall, looking around until he found King hiding behind one of the lockers. "What's going on, little dude?"

"Nothing! Leave me be!"

The boy sat next to the little demon and said, "The thing is, you're in my personal chit-chat zone, which means you gotta talk."

"Well if that's the rule..." King slammed his hand on a locker and said, "Oh, how can this be? I get stage fright! ME! The King of Demons!"

"Well, sometimes, you just have to-"

"I know, I know. Imagine everyone in their underwear."

Gus made a disgusted face and blushed. "GROSS! Why would you do that?!"

"I dunno. I always do that," King said with a chuckle. "I am a little weirdo."

"No, King, sometimes you just have to face your fear, like Luz is doing right now."

On cue, Luz ran out, screaming, "I can't do it! I can't face my fear!"

Grometheus chased after her, snarling, "Why are you running, Luz?"

Bump and the students moved into the hallway. Bump, still holding the microphone said, "Grom has escaped." The other students were starting to worry.

Strix face palmed. "I knew this was going to happen. Gotta save her again." He took off running, but paused and returned to Emira. "Thanks, I had fun." He gave her a peck on the cheek and ran off. Emira blushed and put a hand on her cheek.

Gus whispered to King, "King, now's your chance."

King snatched the microphone from Bump. "Gimme!" Then he cleared his throat and said, "King of Demons, you got this. Well, folks, looks like our show literally just took off!" The students gave him a confused look. "Weh?"

Gus whispered, "You gotta pander."

"Uh, took off just like your local sports team would take off when they're about to make a goal?" After a few seconds, the students cheered. Something about sports teams was mixed in with the cheering, too. King went on, his confidence starting to boost, "Yeah, that's right, so let's follow them and see what happens next."

Gus took King into his arms, and they led out the crowd. Behind the group was Amity and Eda. They nodded to each other, and took a different, quicker route to get to Luz, Strix and Grometheus.

Somewhere in a forest, Luz was still running with the creature still chasing after her. "I don't wanna be Grom queen anymore! I give up the throne!" Luz finally stopped running when she came to a cliff. She turned around to see Grometheus towering over her.

"Why can't you face me, Luz? Why can't you face your own mother?"

Luz cowered and whimpered, "You're not really my mom!"

"How can you say that, Cariño?! You're breaking my heart!"

BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!

Grometheus fell backwards and collapsed as Strix suddenly appeared, stood between Luz and the creature. He peeled off his face, revealing the green face underneath and held a large Desert Eagle. "You were right, Luz," he said. "My mother's tame compared to yours."

"Shut up," she said, looking away.

"Luzer, what's wrong?"

"I...LOOK OUT!"

The black mass shot a tentacle out and touched Strix's forehead. His eyes glowed briefly before the mass took on Eda's form. "Pathetic," it said. "I can't believe that I have to put up with a powerless son. I shouldn't have been careless."

BLAM!

Strix fired another round. "You're going to have to do better than that, you ugly piece of snot!"

The shape-shifter took on the form of Adeghast. "You can't do anything without that Mask!" Before Strix could fire his gun, the thing took on Luz's form next. "Your mother already confessed that I'm like a daughter to her. Maybe I could be your replacement!"

BLAM!

Another round was fired. "Luz would never say that. Besides, we're training together! We're learning magic together!"

"But for how long?" Grometheus took on another form. Strix himself without the Mask. "You know it's only a matter of time before your curse takes hold. They'll put you down like a rabid dog!" The thing suddenly began to take on a form similar to Eda's Owl Beast form.

Strix stammered a little before scoffing, "Pfft, yeah right, as long as I have the Mask, I got nothing to worry about."

The thing that looked like Strix laughed. "Until you go crazy and you destroy the isles just like last time! You got two choices: either become a monster or a psychopath! You're doomed no matter what!"

"SHUT UP!" Strix took out a light spell glyph and fired a column of light at the shape-shifter, tearing it to pieces. He panted heavily before taking the Mask off. "Finally, somebody shut that thing up. By the way, Luz, what are you wearing," he asked, pointing to Luz's ridiculous Grom dress.

But Luz didn't look relieved. She pointed behind him. "Strix..."

Strix turned around. Grometheus had reformed and it took on another form: a large man with a scarred face wearing a tattered Emperor's Coven uniform. Suddenly, the boy's confidence and cocky attitude was gone. He started to shake and he began to back away as the large man reached for him, unaware he was about to walk off the cliff until...

Suddenly, Eda came out of the trees and shouted, "Spicy toss!" She hurled a ball of fire at Grometheus, making it turn around and face her. "Hands off my kids, you misshapen excuse for a monster!"

"Eda!" cried out Luz. "You and Strix were right! I'm not ready!"

"It's okay. I got this one."

But before she could finish tracing the spell circle, Amity jumped out from the trees and put herself between Luz and Grometheus. "Stay away from her!" The shape-shifter reached out and grabbed her. "I'm sorry, Luz. I should have fought my own battle. I..." Her eyes glowed briefly as Grometheus read her mind.

Luz cried out, "Amity! No, your fear!"

The shape-shifter took the form of a teenager. It didn't have any visible features, it was like a shadow with a pair of glowing eyes.

"Who is that?" Luz asked.

The thing reached into Amity's pocket, took out the paper and tore it in half. Amity looked away, embarrassed, clutching her skirt. She picked up one half of the paper and held it close to her chest. Luz ran to aid her. She bent down and picked up the second half and looked at it. On it were the words, "Will you go to Grom with me? Amity." Luz gasped as she realized, "You were afraid of getting rejected! Amity, it's okay. What if I went to Grom with you instead?" She held out her hand.

Amity reached for it, a little hesitantly. "Really?"

"That's what friends do."

Amity smiled, then looked sternly to Grometheus. It rose and towered above them, roaring menacingly with huge jaws.

"Well, then, if that's settled, may I have this dance?"

She held out her hand to Luz who took it. They held each other close, the moon shining brightly before them. Strix watched in awe as they began to dance. Amity cast a spell with her feet, forming a giant abomination below their feet and rising up. Luz placed plant-glyphs on it. They jumped off, and the abomination goes into Grometheus' mouth. The plants started to bloom and caused the creature's explodes behind Luz and Amity as they finished their dance with a flourish. A giant tree grew from where Grometheus stood, symbolizing he was defeated until the next Grom night. Then in a flash of light, both Luz and Amity found themselves wearing gold tiaras with a jeweled flower in the center. Their Grom tiaras.

"Sooooooo... who did you wanna ask out?" Luz asked.

Amity blushed. "Oh, it's... not important," she said as she tossed the other half of the note to the ground.

Strix let out a cheer and pulled the two girls into a group hug. "That was the greatest thing I've ever seen in my life, babes!" He smooched the two of them, making them blush. "Luzer, I'll never doubt you again! Amity, those were some sweet moves!"

"I've been practicing," Amity said.

Luz chuckled. "Don't call me Luzer."

Suddenly, King came out of nowhere and said into the microphone, "And there you have it, folks. A happy ending for this year's Grom. Let's give a big hand to our Grom queens, Luz and Amity!"

Luz flashed a toothy smile as Amity blushed awkwardly. The students popped out of the bushes and run toward them, cheering. They paraded the girls, holding them up. Luz puts a hand on Amity's shoulder. Watching nearby, Eda clapped for the girls.

Gus gave King a thumbs up for conquering his stage fright. "You did it, buddy!"

"Yeah, of course I did it! I'm the King of Demons and I've never had stage fright in my life!" King suddenly yelped as the students held up King, right by Luz and Amity. "THEY LOVE ME!" The girls laughed and smile at each other warmly.

Nearby, Strix was about to follow them when he found the torn note from Amity. He brought both halves together and his eyes widened when he saw the note was for Luz. His eyes shifted to Amity, still being paraded with Luz. "Well I'll be darned..."

Back at the Owl House, Eda was doing a little cheer. "WHOOOO! Watch out for this human! Oh, you did good, kid."

Luz didn't respond cheerfully. She just took off her tiara and dropped it on King's head as she said emotionlessly, "Thanks, but... I'm gonna go to bed."

While Luz walked off to bed, King adjusted the tiara and shouted, "NOW I AM KING AND QUEEN! Best of both things!"

"You're an idiot," said Strix. He then glanced up at Eda who asked, "What?"

"Mom, you don't regret having me, do you? You don't think I'm the result of you being careless, are you?"

"What? Why are you asking me that?"

Strix looked down and mumbled, "Grom..."

"Grom? Wait. You tried to fight Grom?!"

Strix gave her a teary look and nodded. "It said..." He didn't want to repeat what happened. Instead, he asked, "What's going to happen to me when I end up looking like you? Cursed to have feathers and claws?"

Eda knelt down and gave her son a hug. "Then we'll live out our lives as owl beasts. Together. I'm not going to let you go. And the same goes for Luz. You're both...too important to me." Strix smiled and hugged his mom back. Then she shoved him off. "Okay, that's enough. I forgot I'm allergic to mushy mushy feelings."

"Hag," Strix muttered. He got up, dusted himself off and went to the garage, only to find it empty. "Hmph, Selwyn must be out hunting again."

Luz sat at the window, looking out at the horizon with a somber expression. She sighed, "Strix was right. In the end, I couldn't face my mom. Maybe I am fragile..."

Her phone rung. It was another text from her mother saying, "How was your day? ❤, Mamá! Miss you mija :)"

Luz was about to send her a duck emoji, only to delete it and write instead, "Miss you too, Mami. I won't lie. Today was kinda hard. And I don't always feel like I'm supposed to be here. But when things got tough, my friends help me out. I think you'd like them. Te extraño también, Mami. One day, I'll tell you all about this."

Her mother replied, "Can't wait! P.S. love receiving your letters!"

"Aw. That's a cute way of saying 'text'."

Camila Noceda smiled as she set her phone down on the bedside table before tucking herself in for sleep. Indeed, she had been receiving a lot of letters from Luz. It was funny how in some of them, Luz seemed to misspell her own name.

I feel like we forgot something. Oh, right. The snaggleback. He smiled as he looked at the pictures in a photo album titled, "Grom Memories". The photos included a photo of two students posing awkwardly, trying not to touch; of Skara and her date pushing them out of the way; of the two with their Grom jerseys; of Boscha and two others posing, of them making silly faces, then Mattholomule photobombing, with the girls looking miffed; of Luz posing in her Grom outfit, then looking over, and mostly out of the frame. Lastly, of a photo of Luz with her arm around a blushing Amity, Willow posing, Gus with his microphone and Strix and Emira making smiling while holding up rabbit ears behind each other's heads.

The snaggleback closed the photo album and said, "Wow. What a night. Now, can someone let me down?" The gym was entirely empty. "Anyone...?" Don't worry, he'll be let down. When school opens again on Monday.