(QnA)
Mr. Spinner: "Gwen and Terra's backstory sounds like it could be very intense."
Gwen met Terra when Eda was required to attend IFWOT (Instructing Future Witches of Tomorrow) before Terra turned it into HECK (Helping Enhance Coven Knowhow). Like in "Them's the Breaks, Kid," Principal Faust gives Eda and Vice-Principal Bump his ultimatum. But Gwen and Lilith will be present to support her this time around, and yes, Gwen will be the embarrassingly over-supportive mom, much to Eda's misery. After Eda and Raine stand up to Terra, the Plant Coven Head makes good on her threat to turn the kids into fertilizer, and this is when Gwen interferes. Since she hasn't joined the Beast Keeping Coven, at this point, Gwen is still a powerful wild witch that teaches Terra that Hell hath no fury than a mother protecting her child. And Eda and Lilith get to see that their mom's a total badass.
Gwen and Terra will meet again during "Covention," but that's for another chapter.
Mr. Spinner: "I can only wonder how Willow finds out about Vi, or her dads do."
Willow will find out about Vi the same way Luz found out about Vee. When Harvey and Gilbert learn that Vi has been impersonating their daughter for months, they are understandably scared for Willow, but they also see that Vi is just a frightened child. Oh, and expect them to deal with Jacob Hopkins for trespassing and setting up traps on private property and the kidnapping and attempted murder of a minor.
Mr. Spinner: "I'm guessing the merchant is the guy with the Bloom of Eternal Youth - nice choice."
Thanks, and yes, the merchant is the same one who tried to scam Lilith and Eda with the Bloom of Eternal Youth.
(Here is my pitch for the second episode/chapter):
Willow awakens and looks about before realizing she is still in Eda's former room. She begins her second day on the Boiling Isles with her usual morning exercise. She walks downstairs to fetch a drink of water after a session of push-ups, sit-ups, and other workouts, greeting Gwen. The latter is presently making scrambled griffon eggs. As Willow enters the kitchen, an elderly gentleman introduces himself as Dell Clawthorne and welcomes her; Gwen has told him about yesterday. He expresses his condolences to Willow and extends a warm welcome to their house.
Although his scars worry her, Dell explains that they result from an accident he caused himself. Willow says hello to his yellow cardinal palisman, Waffle, who glares at her. Dell tells her that when he gets to know someone, he becomes a sweetie, just as Gwen brings them the griffon eggs, and Willow digs in, followed by a knock on the door, which Dell answers. Gwen sits down to breakfast and asks Willow if she slept well last night, considering what had happened. She tells her that she is fine and appreciates her care, but Gwen is skeptical. Hunter enters and greets them, bringing a package of girls' clothing he bought from a stand, and sets it on the kitchen table, assuming Willow would need them. Hunter explains that he had to estimate her size. Willow thanks him regardless and takes them into the shower with her. Later, she appears in a modest outfit with short sleeves showing her buff body.
Gwen flexes her muscles in front of Willow, and Dell remarks that he and Hunter have similar taste in women. The teen changes the conversation and asks Gwen about today's plans. Dell sighs as Gwen says they are doing the same thing they do every day, looking for a cure, but leaves it at that, staying at home, and Willow wonders why Dell does not want to help. As they travel to Bonesborough on Hawksley, Gwen replies that it is a lengthy tale, prompting Willow to ask Gwen how she obtained herself a portal to Earth. Hunter is also curious, so the elderly lady explains that Edalyn's curse was worsening; they tried ignoring it, but after an "incident," they sought a Healer. Gwen calls the Healer "useless," claiming they could not heal the curse but manage it. She refused to accept that answer, and when she went to see Eda, she discovered that she had fled the house. Gwen stumbled over the folded-up portal door in her chase. She feared Eda had escaped to the Human Realm.
Gwen spent over a year looking for her but found nothing, deducing Eda was still somewhere on the Isles. That was thirty years ago, and she has never seen her in person since, feeling she must despise her for not discovering a cure. Hunter claims he did not think so until they approached the city. They pass by a wall with "We Want You" recruiting posters featuring three masked soldiers—two green and one purple. Willow inquires about their identities, and Hunter tells her about the Amethyst Armorer and the Emerald Enforcers, the emperor's most trusted and effective soldiers.
Rumor has it that anybody who has fought against the Armorer and Enforcers has never survived to tell the story; they preserve the "peace" of the Isles through fear of crossing them. Gwen says they will have nothing to worry about if they do nothing illegal and may go about their business. Gwen suddenly recalls something crucial she wanted to do with Willow, leading her and Hunter to a wand shop in the city. Willow learns how the tools work on the Boiling Isles and the four natural elemental magics. Willow imagines herself in a scene from one of her favorite "Cynthia Coven" books, selecting her wand and learning how witches perform spells using circles. Gwen buys the item after understanding the fundamentals of light, ice, plant, and fire magic.
They set off, only for Hunter to step on the tail of a griffon, its owner trying to calm it down. Willow uses her wand to try to capture the griffon. It only succeeds for about a second before breaking free. Gwen and the griffon's owner use their magic to quiet the beast; Hunter apologizes to the griffon, Puddles, and the girl, Viney, who heals his cuts. Hunter introduces his classmate to Gwen and Willow, then asks what brings her to Bonesborough. She is protesting a selkidomus bounty, which piques Gwen's interest. Viney reveals that it has been destroying ships that trespass into its domain, irritating it, and Willow sympathizes with her. Viney learns Willow is a human and is curious about how she wound up on the Isles.
Gwen claims she has not utilized selkidomus scales for a cure yet, leading Viney to believe she plans to kill it. Gwen will join the hunting group, but she intends to remove the scales shed by the beast and lead the hunters away from its waters for good; she will ensure the beast is unharmed. Hunter stands up for Gwen and, together with Willow, vows to Viney that the selkidomus will be safe; she believes them, and they leave her to protest, joining the hunt. Three masked individuals on the lower deck watch them as they board their ship.
Willow feels out of place with the pirates as they set sail. Hunter and Gwen are naturals, and the captain, Salty, notices Willow's awkwardness. He takes her under his wing to help her feel at ease with ship maintenance. Following a montage of various jobs, Willow gains the confidence to engage with the rest of the crew. Gwen is pleased to see Willow having an enjoyable time, but the girl notices Hunter is not present on deck. Gwen tells her that dad went to the bathroom and would be back momentarily. In the meanwhile, they practice enhancing Willow's spell-craft.
Hunter leaves the restroom but pauses to listen to a talk about the selkidomus overheard through an ajar door. Two young women and one young man reveal that the selkidomus is the last living female. Killing it would mean the extinction of the rest of them. Hunter gasps and rushes to tell Gwen and Willow, but abomination slime ensnares him; the Amethyst Armorer and Emerald Enforcers capture Hunter and knock him unconscious. Willow and Gwen are anxious about what is keeping Hunter. They go to investigate when Salty warns the crew that the selkidomus is on its way. Willow and Gwen do not want to harm the beast, but they do not want everyone on board hurt; Willow's plant magic shields them as best she can.
The selkidomus retreats, and Gwen and Willow follow on Hawksley, landing just outside the lair, intending to take the scales, inform the crew that it has fled, find Hunter, and return home. But before they could conduct their plan, a sphere composed of abomination slime erupts from the sea behind them. It settles in front of them, obstructing their route. It disintegrates to expose the Armorer, the Enforcers, and a captured Hunter; he informs them about the selkidomus before the Armorer gags him; Gwen and Willow act. Willow's ability with plant magic impresses the Enforcers, but the empire's elite easily outclasses them. The Armorer threatens to throw them into the Boiling Sea, ending the fight.
The Armorer makes her demands: either the selkidomus dies within the next ten minutes, with confirmation of death, or Hunter dies in its place, emphasized by firmly constricting the slime. Seeing no other choice, Willow and Gwen give in and chase the selkidomus, despite Hunter's muted protests; inside, ready to fight, they find she has a pup. Gwen uses Beast Keeping magic to warn the selkidomus that their friend will die if she and Willow do not slay her. They beg for her help in saving everyone. Willow devises a plot incorporating plant magic, convincing acting, and hopes that the Armorer and Enforcers fall for it.
Meanwhile, the female Enforcer flirts with Hunter to Hunter's chagrin. In contrast, the male Enforcer watches animal videos on his scroll. The Armorer keeps track of time and asks Hunter if he has any last remarks with one minute remaining. Hunter fears the worst as he sees a shadow of Willow and Gwen slaying the selkidomus. Willow and Gwen exit the lair distressed and carrying scales as evidence of the kill. The Armorer releases Hunter. She cautions them to keep out of trouble since the emperor is not a merciful man before flying off on her mechanical staff with the Enforcers, who shout, "later, cuties!" When Hunter is about to question them, the selkidomus exposes herself; Willow had used plant magic to make a puppet to fake her death.
Willow, Hunter claims, is an expert in Plant Magic despite never having used it before, rivaling even the Isle's prodigies. The selkidomus thanks Gwen and Willow for protecting her and her child. The latter seemed to have formed an instant bond with Hunter. Before leaving for a new lair, she repays them by regurgitating selkigris on them, which Gwen points out is quite valuable. Willow, Gwen, and Hunter collect their gifts and return to the Clawthorne estate, where Dell and Waffle welcome and help them store their items. While doing that, Willow confesses to Hunter that she was afraid she would mess up on the Isles and did not want to be another burden. Hunter assures her that she is not and acknowledges that he is glad she decided to stay. Willow hugs him, with Hunter turning a bright crimson.
Meanwhile, in Emperor Belos' palace, the Amethyst Armorer and Emerald Enforcers kneel before him. They inform him that Gwen does indeed have a human pupil, which means she has the long-sought key to the Human Realm.
(The characters and other notes):
Even away from her family and in a new dimension, I think Willow would keep up her workout routine. However, she can only do half of them since her exercise equipment is still on Earth. The clothes Hunter bought for Willow include her dress, eventual flyer derby uniform, workout clothes, and the outfit she wears in the Season 2 finale.
I went with the name Waffle for Dell's palisman because the theory that the yellow cardinal was carved by the Clawthorne ancestor Caleb Wittebane fell in love with, technically making them Flapjack's sibling. I was torn between naming them Waffle or Butters.
In this story, Eda was not the one to trip over and find the portal to the Human Realm; instead, it was Gwen. So, Eda does not manage a Human Collectables stand in Bonesborough. But that does not mean human belonging will not find their way to the Isle.
The book Willow mentioned is one of the "Cynthia Coven" novels Marcy likes from Amphibia, parodies of Harry Potter. And fun fact, in this story, Marcy and Willow were pen-pals before the girl mysteriously disappeared.
The Clawthornes are natural rogues, even Gwen, and I feel they would blend in with a pirate crew. Hunter being just as gifted foreshadows the eventual revelation of him being Eda's son.
Despite the name, Salty is a sweet guy, and I could see him trying to get Willow to feel more comfortable with the crew.
Edric and Emira going "later, cuties!" is their equivalent to Hunter going "Byeee!"
The selkidomus pup growing attached to Hunter, despite not meeting him, foreshadows his origins, if you know what I mean.
So, what did you all think of the second episode/chapter? Anything I should've done differently or maybe Improved upon? Let me know what you think; I'll answer your questions when I upload the third chapter/episode. Again, if anyone is interested in making this AU a reality, please, feel free to use it; send me the link to any arts or fanfics because I would love to see/read them.
Take care, everyone, and have a wonderful day or night.