A couple days later, Luz entered the school, seeing some balloons and banners. She looked at the large one and wondered one thing.
"What... the hell... is Grom?"
"I can answer that." Amity said as Luz turned around, seeing her with Gus and Willow.
"Okay, what is it?" Luz asked.
"It's an annual dance we hold every year but it has a bit of a…darker meaning." Willow said.
"How dark?" Luz asked, already getting a bad feeling from this.
"There's a nightmare monster that the Grom Royalty needs to fight before it escapes and engulfs the Isles in fear." Amity said.
Luz paused at this, turning to the trio and waiting to see if they were lying or joking because she was still the new kid. And they did nothing to add to this.
"…..And this is worth celebrating?" Luz asked, looking at the decorations.
"It's tradition." Gus said.
"And every year, Grom has been pushed back by the chosen royalty." Willow said.
"Really? Just by themselves?" Luz asked.
"Yes but you are allowed to use you magic and pick from two walls of provided weapons." Amity said to Luz, "I bet you could handle one without a weapon thought."
Amity sent winking at Luz.
"Well, let's hope I never have to find out, I don't think I could handle my fear right now." Luz said.
"Don't worry, Luz. You're still new, so you definitely won't be picked." Gus said before the PA system came on.
"Speaking of Grom Royalty." Willow said as everyone in the halls looked to the speaker in wariness.
"Good morning students." Principal Bump said, "It is with great pleasure to announce this years Grom Royalty. This year it's... Luz Noceda."
Everyone gasped at this, looking towards Luz in surprise as Luz herself looked the most shocked out of everyone.
'Damnit Gus, you jinxed me!' Luz thought as she slowly looked to her friends, seeing them with dropped jaws and dropped books.
"I... I have to go!" Luz said, running passed them.
Luz ran out of the school and shifted into her Spirit Animal when she reached the forest. She ran for who knows how long she was running, but she knows she climbed up a tree and laid there, unsure of what to do. After a while, she heard a voice.
"Luz!"
It was Amity, she was looking for her.
"Luz, where are you!?" Amity looked up and saw a Black Jaguar, "Luz! Finally!"
Luz didn't come down from the tree, just looked away from Amity as she was silent.
"Luz, please come down." Amity said but Luz said nothing and did nothing. "Fine, then I'm coming up."
Amity began to climb the tree... which was incredibly difficult. Luz won't lie, it was kind of funny seeing her try.
'I shouldn't laugh but I can't stop.' Luz thought as she made some kind of chuckle noise.
"Huh!" Amity let out as she reached Luz's pulling herself up on a branch near her. "You couldn't have just stayed on the ground?"
The large black cat just slowly shook her head.
"Ugh." Amity groaned before fully sitting in the branch and turning to Luz. "Can you at least turn back to normal so we can talk?"
Judging by the blank expression on the cats face, Amity got her answer. Amity sighed and put a hand on Luz's head, scratching her behind the ear.
"I know you're scared, you probably have had a lot of fear going through you the past couple weeks." Amity said, "But you're also a strong girl, you can fight anything that comes at you."
Luz leaned into her scratching, slowly turning back or her human form and moved to put her head on Amity's shoulder.
"Thanks…..but…I'm not as fearless as you think." Luz said.
"I know, no one's fearless, but you are stronger than your fear." Amity said, "Regardless of what it may be."
"You…..You don't know what sort of things scare me." Luz said as she pulled away. "Most think having a rare spirit animal makes you stronger than most but it doesn't. I can be stronger, faster, or even stealthier but being fearless is impossible."
"The... the things that have happened... everything that I don't know the results... it's too much." Luz said.
"I know. But still….if you can't do it, I could-"
"No, out of the question!" Luz said, knowing what Amity wanted to say, "I… I won't let you fight your fear because I'm too scared. If… if I just knew how everything was back home, I could do this."
Luz moved to set her had back on Amity's shoulder, just to think of ways to view back home.
'Could she possibly ask Mrs. Clawthorne for help?' Amity thought.
"I don't know how, but I will find a way to get you to see your home again." Amity said, "I promise."
Luz didn't know if that was the truth or just something to make her feel better but it still helped put Luz at ease.
"Thank you, Amity." Luz said.
Amity smiled and pulled Luz into a hug, trying to ignore the weird feeling forming in her stomach. She didn't know what this feeling was, but it was nice and warm. Amity hoped she would feel this again soon. Later, Luz arrived at the Owl House, very early as she ended up not heading back to school.
"Luz, you're back already?" King asked, laying on the couch.
"Yeah, where's Eda? I need to talk to her."
"Upstairs, why?" King replied.
"It's private." Luz said as she headed upstairs.
Luz walked up to Eda's room and opened the door.
"Eda? Can I talk to you?"
"Luz? Sure." Eda said, drinking an elixir before putting the empty bottle away. "What's up? You're home early so I guess you skipped school."
"Yeah, I did, and I actually have a good reason for it." Luz said as she walked in and sat against Eda's best. "Today is Grom and…. I've been selected to be Grom Royalty."
Eda had a blank expression.
"One second."
Eda dug in her nest and pulled out an apple blood bottle. She drank for a couple seconds before doing a spit take, slightly covering Luz.
"WHAT!?" Eda yelled.
"1. Ew. And 2. Yes." Luz said as she wiped some off her face.
"Why would Bump make YOU fight Grom?! You started school less than a week ago!" Eda shouted.
"I... think I know why, but I'm not going to do it in front of hundreds of students!" Luz said, "I don't think I can face my fear... I don't think I'm even ready to face the fact that my fear might be reality."
"W... what's your fear?"
"My... my mom got hurt trying to protect me." Luz said, "Before I ended up here, we were attacked... she told me to run... I did... I fell into the lake and ended up here. I... I don't even know if she's alive... a-a-and if she is... she has no idea that I'm alive."
Luz felt tears run down her face. She slid down to the ground and pulled her knees close as she began to cry, not seeing Eda move closer to her and pulled her into a somewhat awkward hug.
"Um…there there. It's gonna be…..alright. I promise it will." Eda said to Luz.
Eda didn't know how to comfort this girl, mostly because she has no idea how you're supposed to tell a girl that everything will be okay when she doesn't know if her mom is dead or not. Eda doesn't know much about Luz or her family, but judging by how Luz doesn't mention her father, she had a good feeling that her mom was all she had left.
'Alright, Eda, time to be a parent.'
Eda held Luz closed.
"You don't need to worry." Eda said, "If your mom is as strong as you, then she's completely fine."
"I want to believe that but-" Luz was cut off.
"Then believe it. A mother is someone you never want to mess with and they'll go to hell and back for their kid." Eda said with a small chuckle. "Believe me."
Eda felt the wind get knocked out of her by Luz hugging her.
"Thank you, Eda." Luz said.
Eda smiled and held the girl close.
"Anything to make you feel better, Kid." Eda said, "Now, you have a Grom to get ready for."
Luz smiled and nodded as she and Eda got up before heading to her room to see what she had to wear. Something that looked good but also covered her ears. Later, at Grom, Amity was waiting for Luz, hoping to help her nerves a little.
'Luz, where are you?' Amity thought, hoping Luz didn't change her mind and not show up.
The sound of walking was heard as Amity turned to see a hooded figure coming towards the gym door.
"Luz?" Amity asked.
"Hey, Amity." Luz said.
Luz was wearing a long, black, hooded, zip up coat with short leather sleeves and a divided coat tail. Purple opera gloves with matching leggings and below the knee high black boots.
"Wow, you look great."
"Thanks, you look great too." Luz said, looking over Amity's dress.
A light purple undershirt with short puffy sleeves and a pink teardrop gem, a darker purple vest, and a knee length mauve skirt. She also had matching socks and dark brown shoes.
"Luz, are you sure you're okay?"
"Yeah... I... I can do this."
Amity didn't believe that and moved to hug Luz, surprising her before she quickly hugged back.
"I believe in you….but please be safe." Amity said to her, feeling that strange feeling in her stomach again.
"Hey, I'm an apex predator, what could possibly stop me." Luz said, bouncing a little to get herself hyped.
"Hehehe, of course you are. But even predators can get scared, can't they?" Amity asked her.
"Nope." Luz said, pulling away.
"Not this one at least." Luz said, before the introduction began, "Well, wish me luck."
Luz moved away from Amity and walked to the door, missing the Blight girl giving her a sad expression.
'Good luck.' Amity thought as a spot light hit Luz.
"Give it up for our Grom Royalty, Luz Noceda!" Gus said as the MC of the dance.
Luz walked into the gym. The floor opened and two walls of weapons popped up on each side of her. She saw a pair of black metal gauntlets, that formed sharp claws on the fingers. She picked them and put them on.
'Alright, use these and use your speed, strength, and senses.' Luz thought, 'I won't shift into my Spirit Animal in front of everyone. No matter what.'
She stepped forward as the weapon walls lower, walking down the ramp into Grom's pit.
"And Luz has picked the metal gloves and claws! How will she do with this bad boys?!" Gus commented through the mic.
Luz waited, wondering what Grom even looked like.
'Grom is said to turn into my worst fears, so it's probably going to start with some smaller fears first to get me riled up.' Luz theorized as she saw black slime rise from the floor.
"Alright, you want to mess with me?" Luz asked.
The slime slowly begins to form into people, humans covered in camouflage clothing and clothes, who held guns in hands!
'Hunters?' Luz thought in surprise as one of the "hunters" cocked their gun and aimed at her.
Luz wasn't expecting this, so she quickly dodged the shots. The crowd was nervous, they had no idea what kind of weapon that was, it was like nothing they've ever seen. Luz was using her speed to dodge each bullet, when she was hit by one. She quickly looked down and realized... nothing happened.
"You... you can shape shift into a fear, but you can't make it real." Luz said, "You can shoot me all you want, but your bullets aren't real!"
Luz ran and jumped at them, using the gauntlets to slice through them. Everyone watched in awe and shock as Luz moved like an animal, running on all fours to dodge the shots while clawing at their necks! Many understood why she was part of the Beast Keeping Track, it's like she is an animal. Pretty soon she defeated the hunters.
"Alright, Grom, what's next!" Luz said.
Grom took another form, this time making fire circle her. Luz took a step back from it. It may not be real fire, but it looked like fire and that was enough to make her mind think it was. In the fire, was a person on the ground.
"N... no." Luz said, rushing over and holding them, "Mom!?"
Someone touched her head and grabbed her hood, yanking her back. She looked up and saw a dark figure, it may not seem like much to anyone else, but Luz saw the person that attacked them.
"How's it feel?" Grom asked, "You got your mom killed."
"T-t-that's not true!" Luz said, "You attacked our house!"
"Well, if you weren't born, I wouldn't have needed to do that." Grom said, "Why don't you ask your mom yourself?"
"Mija... why?" The body said.
Luz moved away and covered her ears, wanting to drone out these lies! She wasn't the reason they were attacked; she is not the reason her mother could be dead, and her mother is NOT dead!
"Shut up, shut up! You're wrong!" Luz shouted as she glared at Grom.
"Am I?"
The figure gained a large grin as he formed a gun, pointing it at Luz before moving it to "Camila."
"No!" Luz said, "Please! Don't!"
"Fight your fear, kid." Grom said, "Fight your fear."
Luz closed her eyes and ran out of the gym.
"I do love a chase." Grom said, forming into a giant goo monster.
Grom chased after her.
"Luz!" Willow and Gus said, chasing after her.
Amity ran as well, scared for Luz, knowing she needs help. Luz ran until she ended up at a cliff.
"Crap!" Luz said as she turned around, seeing Grom's true form approaching her!
"ROOOOOH!" It roared at Luz.
"Luz!"
Grom turned and saw Willow and Gus. Grom looked at Luz and grabbed her. Grom shifted and took a new form... Luz's Spirit Animal form. It let go of Luz and looked at Gus and Willow. Both witches gasped at the sight of the strange beast, frozen by its glowing eyes in the darkness of the night as it stalked towards them.
"No!" Luz said.
Grom pounced, but Luz was slightly faster. Willow and Gus watched as Grom was tackled by another panther. Luz roared at Grom and got between Grom and her friends.
"Luz?!" Willow and Gus shouted, shocked that Luz had transformed into the same thing as Grom!
Grom and Luz both jumped at each other, biting and clawing each other as they fell and rolled on the ground.
"D-Did Luz just change into some strange beast?" Willow let out in shock.
"I…I think but…..humans can't do magic." Gus said as Luz pushed Grom off and towards the cliff.
Luz ran at Grom, but Grom reached out a long gooey tentacle and knocked Luz back into a tree, forcing her to shift back.
"Ugh." She groaned as she saw Grom charging at her again!
Thinking fast, Luz moved to the side and slashed it with her metal claws! Grom didn't seem all that fazed.
"Uh, anyone have any magic that can help!?" Luz asked.
Suddenly, Amity burst through the trees silence hetero style and got in front of Luz.
"Back off!" Amity said.
"Amity?!" Luz shouted in shock. "Get out of here!"
"No! I'm not going to leave you!" Amity said as Grom growled at her, forming a tendril and tapping to her forehead.
Amity's eyes started glowing and Grom took a new form. Luz, Gus, and Willow watched as Grom shifted into a human shape with green hair, cowboy like clothes, and a cold expression on her face.
"Amity Blight…" she said with glowing eyes.
"No." Amity said, "No."
"W-w-who's that?" Luz asked.
"That's... Amity's mom."
"Her mom? As in the one that made her break your friendship?" Luz asked as she looked to Willow.
"The very same." Willow said with a nod. "Her name is Odalia Blight."
"Who is that?" "Odalia" asked, pointing to Luz.
"Are you hanging out with a human!?" 'Odalia' screamed, "This will not do!"
"Odalia" grabbed Amity by the wrist and began pulling her.
"We're going to have a long discussion about you hanging out with weaklings."
"Ugh! No, let me go!" Amity screamed, struggling in her "mother's" grip.
"Do not talk about to me, young lady!" "Odalia" screamed at her. "I am your mother and you will-"
Slash marks appeared on Grom's face as it released Amity, who fell back in surprise as she saw Luz standing in front of her.
"You are NOBODY'S mother." Luz said to Grom with a glare, "You can mess with me all you want, but the second you mess with my friends, that's where I draw the line!"
Luz shifted into her Spirit Animal and pounced on Grom, roaring before biting down onto Grom Odalia's neck.
"Odalia" screamed in pain as Luz dragged her to the ground, ripping into her neck more as she reached out to Amity.
"Amity, get this monster off me!" "Odalia" demanded of her.
Luz shifted back and shoved her hand through grom's chest, ripping it apart from the inside.
"AMITY?!" Grom shouted it as the Blight girl just watched with wide eyes, finding this…disturbingly enjoyable.
'Suddenly, it's like a huge weight has been taken off my shoulders.' She thought as Willow and Gus joined her.
Luz grabbed Grom's head.
"I am not afraid of you." Luz said, ripping Grom's head off.
The trio of witches dropped their jaws at the side of this, watching Luz drop the head of Amity's fear before the rest of the body turned to black mush. A crown formed on her head and Luz looked at her friends.
"Did I win?"
"Yes!" The trio shouted as they got up, rushing to her and hugging her!
"Great, let's get back to the school, I really need to unwind after this."
"Okay…..but first can you tell us HOW you-" Luz cut Willow off.
"Tomorrow. I will tell you both EVERYTHING tomorrow." Luz said to her friend, "Let's just get back to the school."
Gus and Willow nodded to this as Amity helped carry Luz to the school, where people were waiting in anticipation before seeing Luz wearing the Grom Crown!
"S-She's done it! Luz Noceda has defeated Grom!" Bump shouted with glee as everyone cheered for her!
The crowd cheered, while one girl was looking elsewhere.
'If she can fight Grom, then I can fight my fear.' Boscha thought as she looked at Skara.
While everyone went to congratulate Luz, Boscha moved to Skara and pulled her away from the crowd.
"Boscha?" Skara asked in surprise.
"I need to talk to you." Boscha said.
"Look, if this is about what happened with Lu-"
"I don't want to talk about that. I want to talk about US." Boscha said as she slowly held Skara's hand, "Skara, I love you, okay. I have for a while, I just didn't know how to say it. I know I'm not a good person, but if you give me the chance, I will change."
Skara was left surprised from this confession, blushing brightly as she stared at her oldest friend and love.
"You…..You love me?" Skara asked.
"Yes, I do, but if you don't-" Boscha was cut off as Skara moved to give her a surprise kiss.
Boscha had wide eyes before she embraced the kiss and pulled Skara closer. They stayed this way for a few seconds before they pulled apart, gazing into each other's eyes.
"Boscha, you don't have to change for me. Even if you were jealous for no reason, I have always loved you just the way you are." Skara said.
"Skara... will you be my girlfriend?" Boscha asked.
"Of course."
They shared another kiss as their friends, Cat and Amelia, saw this from the side.
"About damn time." Cat said as she held her hand up.
"Yep." Amelia said as she slapped her Cat's hand.
The two had a small silence between them.
"So... want to dance?" Amelia asked.
"Yes. Please." Cat said, a little too fast but Amelia didn't mind.
"Great." Amelia said with a smile, holding her hand and guided her back to the gym.
While two witches became a couple, two more seemed to be on their way. Everything seemed to be fine... until the next day.
Follow, Favorite, and Review for more.