(The Boiling Isles Empire)
As quickly as the Khaotic invasion occurred, it stopped just as suddenly. After the initial attack on the Boiling Isles, and the subsequent explosion near the fissure where the monsters sprang out from, all the Khaotic just vanished. A good chunk of Bonesborough was destroyed in the blast, and many demons, witches, and humans were killed in the resulting destruction. Many were displaced, children and adults alike, all scattered to different shelters around the town, as well as neighboring towns, the castle, and of course, Hexside.
It was here that Luz Noceda was brought, found amongst the rubble, and at the edge of ground zero. Luz remembered hearing the rescuers comment on how lucky she was to survive, but none of them knew the real reason she survived. It was all thanks to her mother, she sacrificed herself to protect her. And all she could do was sit in that barrier helplessly as it happened. Luz hadn't said a word since it happened, not even when she was brought to the gym, and given a cot. Amongst the many other kids and adults in the gym, she just sat there silently. Her legs tucked against her chest as she hugged them and pressed her head against her knees.
A day passed after her rescue, and then a second day. In all that time, Luz waited for her father. He was part of the Rescue Coven, so she knew that he was probably still helping other people from the wreckage of the attack. But still…she wanted her father; she wanted him here with her.
"Noceda…?"
Luz raised her head slightly, recognizing the voice. When she did, Luz saw Amity Blight standing next to her cot.
"Amity…? What are you doing here?" Luz asked.
"I was trapped in the library when the attack happened…" Amity sat down on the empty cot next to Luz. "I was in the reading corner with some of the children, and when the attack happened, the building collapsed, I used my magic to form an Abomination dome over us…"
Luz slowly raised her head more and asked, "Are you saying you've been trapped in there for these two days, holding that dome?"
"Yeah…believe me, every second of every minute I was contemplating just letting it crush us. The strain of keeping all that rubble from falling and killing us, it made me want to just let it happen…" Amity hugged herself as she looked down at the ground. "I almost gave in…but the children's voices made me snap back to my senses. I could die on my own time, but those kids didn't deserve to die with me. By the grace of God Titan, we were finally found, and I just collapsed after…"
Luz noticed that Amity didn't look too pleased with that.
"Why don't you look happy about that? You saved the children, you should be proud of that," said Luz.
"I am…but…I hate how I was ready to just…just give up and die like that. I'm a Blight, I'm part of one of the strongest and wealthiest witch families on the Boiling Isles. I should be stronger than that…both mentally and magically," Amity remarked.
Hearing Amity berate herself managed to give Luz something else to focus on as she turned around to fully face the witch girl.
"You're not some soldier, Amity. No kid is trained to deal with the kind of things we just went through. But in the end, you persevered, even if it wasn't for your own sake, you did it to protect those little kids who couldn't fend for themselves. That's a noble thing, that's something to be proud of, Amity. So, don't put yourself down because you couldn't do more, you did more than anyone could've expected from a witch at our age."
Amity looked up at Luz, believing that the human girl was just trying to make her feel better. But when Amity looked at Luz's smiling face, she could tell that Luz's words were genuine. She wasn't trying to make her feel better, well, she was, but Luz was speaking the truth. The witch girl smiled back at Luz, as she nodded to her.
"Thanks, Luz…"
"Oh, not 'Noceda'? Are you getting soft on me, Blight?" Luz teased.
"Pfft, in your dreams, Noceda," Amity replied.
The two girls shared a chuckle, despite the grimness of the situation.
Luz and Amity kept each other company, neither of them had heard a word from their respective friend groups, and both hoped that they weren't anywhere near the battle, or the explosion that happened after. Their scrolls were still working, and from what they could tell, all of social media was in a panic over the attacks. It wasn't just the Boiling Isles, but Scientia, Amphibia, and Tír na nÓg, all four nations had been attacked at the exact same time. This was a coordinated effort on the part of the Khaotic, they made sure to cut everyone off from each other, so that no nation could render aide to the other.
Every post they saw was of people asking if they saw their friend or family member, other, more daring but probably stupid people, were busy streaming the destruction that was done to each of their respective nations. Walking down roads or entering buildings to show just how devastating the attack was, and once in a while they would catch a glimpse of a dead body.
Luz and Amity grimaced at this, but they tried to keep their spirits up. They kept scouring Penstagram to see if their friends had left a message, anything to tell them if they were alright. Heck, at this point, Luz was hoping to see something from Eda's account, but there was nothing. Not even her father's account showed any new messages. Worry started to creep into Luz's heart, fearing that her last two remaining family members might really be dead. The thought of being alone, the thought of not having anyone, it made her visibly shake.
Amity caught sight of this and said, "Luz, what's wrong?"
"Oh, uh, nothing. It's nothing…I just…I'm just worried is all. I haven't gotten any messages from my Dad or from my Aunt Eda," Luz informed.
"Oh, right, I forgot you were learning from the Owl Lady. I didn't know you were blood related," Amity remarked.
Luz chuckled and replied, "No, we're not really blood related. Aunt Eda is a family friend, my Mom and Eda have been friends since they were little girls. And if you ask me, I think they were more than friends back in the day."
Amity raised an eyebrow for a second, but then saw Luz wink, and her face blushed.
"O-Oh, I see."
"But that's just my shipper brain at work. I don't know, I think it would've been cool to have Eda as a second mom…Mom…" Luz began to trail off as tears welled up in her eyes.
"Luz?"
"She's gone…"
"Who's gone?" Amity asked.
"My Mom…I saw her die in front of me…she died protecting me…"
The green haired witch's eyes widened with shock.
"Luz…I…I'm so sorry."
"…Amity, this is going to sound stupid and childish…but can you hug me, please?"
To Luz's surprise, Amity didn't hesitate nor give any noise of complaint as she stood up from her cot and sat down next to Luz. The witch girl wrapped her arms around Luz, and brought her into a hug, resting the human's head against her shoulder. When she did this, Luz began to cry on Amity's shoulder. Feeling the sadness of her mother's passing finally hit her after all this time.
"It'll be alright, Luz. I-I'm sure your dad and the Owl Lady are alright. He's part of the Rescue Coven, right? And Eda's a powerful Wild Witch. I don't see either of them going down easily, they'll find you here, and then you won't be alone," Amity assured.
Luz sniffled and took in raspy breathes. Afterwards, she managed to say, "Thanks, Amity."
Many hours passed by, and before Luz knew it, another day had passed. Still no word from her father, or Eda. Thankfully, she did manage to talk to Gus and Willow through Penstagram and found out that they and their families were safe. Amity had also confirmed that Boscha and the other girls she hung out with were safe as well.
Thank God Titan for small favors, Luz thought.
As strange as it was, this catastrophe had somehow managed to bridge the gap between Luz and Amity. They tried to distract each other during the day and night, telling each other little stories, and eventually finding out that the both of them were fans of the "Good Witch Azura" book series.
"Seriously? You haven't told Boscha or the others you're an Azura fan?" Luz questioned.
"It's complicated," Amity sighed. "I have an image to maintain…I know that sounds shallow and incredibly vain. But I'm a Blight, I'm expected to be the best, and to not 'waste my time with frivolous activities'."
Luz could tell she was quoting someone, possibly one of Amity's parents said that to her.
"Plus, Boscha, Amelia, Kat, and Skara aren't fans of the series. So, it's not as if I can really have a in depth conversation about the stories with them. They'd probably just sit there and nod, not really understanding what I'm talking about, but will agree with me because of my status. Ugh."
"Well, no judgement here. We Azura fans have to stick together," said Luz, happily.
Amity blushed a little, this was the first time she had ever been able to speak openly about her favorite book series, without fear of being ridiculed or having to put on a façade of indifference towards it.
"Now that I think about it…back when you were on the Grudgby team, you used a move that I was as sure was from the 'The Good Witch Azura', but at the time I thought it was a coincidence, but now~"
"Oh…yeah. The thorn vault. Not one of my proudest moments, and there are a few of them," Amity admitted.
"I never did get why you quit the team after that game. You won the championship, Hexside was undefeated, still is undefeated even with Boscha as the captain," Luz wondered.
Amity rubbed her right arm as she sighed heavily.
"Yeah, I won the game, I won us the championship. But that thorn vault play was something I thought of at the last minute. Before we hit the field, we had talked about what our strategy was going to be. And Boscha and Skara were in position for the play we discussed. But I made the call to change it without telling them, and because of that, they got hurt," Amity explained. "I didn't like what I saw, how my decisions brought harm to my teammates. So, I decided to quit. No one questioned me, I just told them I was going to focus more on my magic and studies. I went out on top, and everyone knows I'm the best, so that was good enough."
Luz was surprised to hear that, well, she probably would've been more surprised if she hadn't heard how Amity saved those kids at the library. But it seemed as if there was a lot more to Amity Blight than what she showed at school.
"Luz Noceda! Is there a Luz Noceda here?!"
Amity and Luz turned their attention towards the entrance of the gym, and that's where they saw three Coven Scouts calling her name. Luz immediately got up and rushed to the door, with Amity following behind her.
Once she reached the door, Luz looked up at the Scouts and said, "Y-Yes! I'm Luz Noceda!"
The center Coven Scout released a sigh as he pulled back his head and removed his mask. He was a half-blood, a demon-witch. He had short brown hair, and a single curved horn poking out from the right side of his forehead. The Coven Scout got down on one knee and looked Luz directly in the eyes, his expression was one of regret.
"It was by chance that I saw your name on the registry here…My name is Steve Tholomule, and I thought you should hear it from me." Steve took a deep breath and began his explanation. "During the attack, my team was stuck in the rubble of a building that the Khaotic brought down on top of us. The Rescue Coven came to get us, but the Khaotic were still attacking. One of them, a human, he drew the Khaotic away from us, and gave us enough time to get away."
Luz's eyes were widening with each second of this story.
"When we were out, he led them into the same space we were trapped in, and then…he brought the entire thing down on himself. He saved me, he saved all of us," said Steve. "I learned later that his name was Manuel Noceda…"
Luz's eyes were shedding tears as a small smile formed on her lips.
"My Dad…he saved people. He was a hero…"
"Yes, he was," said Steve. "I'm so sorry."
"It's…It's okay…thank you for telling me…"
Steve got back to his standing height, feeling terrible that he just told a child that their parent had died. The demon-witch drew a spell circle and produced a card, which he promptly handed to Luz.
"I don't know what I can do, but if you ever need some help, give me a call. Okay?"
Luz nodded.
Once he had done that, Steve put on his mask and pulled up his hood. He rejoined his team and headed off with them to continue his duties and spared one last glance over his shoulder at the human girl, still feeling some guilt that her father died saving him. Steve could only hope that the young girl had someone who would look after her.
Unfortunately, he didn't know how wrong he was. After hearing this news, Luz walked back to her cot, with Amity following right behind her. The human teen said nothing, she just walked. Amity called out to Luz at least five times, but Luz didn't respond at all. Not that she blamed her. Amity knew that Luz was holding out hope that at least her father was still alive, but now that hope was dashed. Both her parents were dead, and there had been no sign or word from the Owl Lady.
She's alone…
Luz sat on the cot, her eyes staring directly at the ground. Her mind was racing, both of her parents were dead, Eda had not returned any of her messages. At this point, she didn't even know if Eda was alive or not. But where was she going to go now? Her house? There was no one waiting for her there, she wasn't even sure if it was still standing after the attack. She had no other relatives, which meant that the only place she could go was an orphanage.
"Luz? Luz, it…it'll be okay, I don't know how, but it will," Amity assured, unsure of what else say.
Really, what could she say to make this better? Luz had just found out her father was dead, and she saw her mother die in front of her. And the only other person who could take care of her was nowhere to be found. What about any of this would be okay for her?
"AMITY!"
The green haired witch's head sprang up upon hearing her name. She turned her gaze to the entrance of the gym, and that's where she saw her mother. She was dressed in navy pants, gray boots, a purple blouse, and a white waistcoat with pictures of crystal balls sewn onto it. This denotated her Coven affiliation, which was that of the Oracle Coven. As an Oracle witch, Odalia also had a necklace with a purple crystal ball hanging from it, something that any Oracle witch worth their salt has. She also sported green hair, and icy blue eyes that seemed to pierce right through you. The curvaceous witch woman hurriedly rushed through gym, her eyes locking on Amity as she approached her.
"Mom?!"
Before Amity could go to meet her, the teen witch was scooped up into her mother's arms and held tight against her.
"Thank God Titan you're alright! I've been trying to find you for the last three days, but no one was able to give me any accurate information! Honestly, where was your necklace?!" Odalia inquired.
Amity raised her hand to take ahold of it, but when she did, she realized it wasn't there.
"Oh…I didn't even notice. I guess I lost it in the attack. Sorry, a lot happened," said Amity as she glanced at Luz.
"Never mind that, at least you're safe. Although, I wish they would've put you somewhere more hospitable, instead of with everyone else. Oh, well, doesn't matter anymore. We're going home."
"Home? So, everyone's alright?" Amity asked.
"Yes, your father, your brother and sister, and the factory, miraculously, are fine. We're going to be seeing a lot of business after this attack, Mittens, so let us head back where you can recover from this ordeal. Have you seen a healer?" she asked.
"Uh, yeah, one of the Healing Coven doctors looked me over this morning," Amity informed.
"Ugh, never mind, we'll have our private doctor give you a full checkup. I'm not risking some unforeseen injury ruining your future down the road. Come along, the carriage awaits us," said Odalia.
Amity hesitated. If she left, Luz would be alone, and only minutes after getting that devastating news. She couldn't leave her now, not when she was hurting so much. The green haired witch looked back at Luz, but the human girl just smiled back at her.
"I'm…I'm so glad your family's alright, Amity. You should go, I'm sure they're all worried about you," said Luz.
"Luz, I–!"
"Come along, Mittens, I don't wish to linger here any longer than need be."
Amity flinched from her mother's tone. Reluctantly, she relented to her and began walking. As she did, Amity kept looking over her shoulder, seeing Luz smiling and waving her goodbye. Honestly, it made her heart hurt. She was leaving Luz, at a time when she needed a friend. Augustus and Willow hadn't come by, but maybe one of them could take her in? This thought was enough to carry Amity out of the school and to the carriage that was waiting for her and her mother. Once inside, the Abomination butler closed the door, and snapped the reins of the snake-horses that pulled it, and they were on their way.
I don't like this…this isn't right, thought Amity.
"You've been awfully quiet, Mittens. Although, I can't blame you. I'm sure you saw some horrible things. Those Khaotic, our guardian Shugod is still asleep after all these years, and not even an invasion wakes them up, the nerve," Odalia admonished.
Amity felt like telling her mother it wasn't right to talk bad about God Dragon, even if, to a degree, she agreed with her. Perhaps things would've turned out differently if God Dragon had awakened? Perhaps Luz wouldn't have lost her mother and father?
We'll never know, and now she's alone. Hopefully Augustus or Willow's family can take her in. But what if they can't? After all this, they probably won't be able to take care of an orphaned human…
Amity remembered that Willow's parents weren't exactly poor, but they weren't at the same level of wealth that her own family was at. Augustus's father was a reporter for the Bonesborough news, so he was probably well off, but again, both families could just have enough to sustain their current status quo. Adding another member to that family, especially now, might be asking too much of them.
At this rate, Luz will end up in an orphanage. And who knows if she'll still be able to attend Hexside.
Luz's life was about to get worse, and Amity hated how unfair that was. Although Amity knew that there were others who had it just as bad or worse out there, she couldn't help them all, but she could at least help Luz.
"Mom, may I ask you question?"
"What is it, Amity?"
"That human you that was with me earlier, is it possible we could…bring her with us?" Amity inquired.
Odalia raised an eyebrow, and said, "Amity, that's not happening. I get that you feel 'sorry' for that human, you probably 'bonded' a little while in there. But I'm not about to bring a lowly human child into our house to feed and clothe."
Amity expected nothing less from her mother, but she had a way to convince her otherwise. So long as she played her cards right.
"I didn't mean for you and Dad to adopt her or anything. I know our family has an image to maintain. I was thinking more along the lines of…a servant."
The corner of Odalia's mouth raised a little, as if intrigued by her daughter's proposal.
"Go on."
"That human, she lost her mother and father, and has no relatives to speak of that can care for her. She'll probably be put in an orphanage before the end of the month. We don't need to adopt her; we can just legally acquire her as servant of the Blight family. With no legal guardians, the process will be much easier, and if we agree to not only provide her with room and board, but also education, it'll also boost our public image, call it a charity case," Amity explained.
"Hmm, that does sound promising, but what good would she be to us?" Odalia questioned.
"Well, I could always use someone to help me with more mundane tasks. An 'assistant' if you will. With her around, I can focus more on my studies, and if she keeps attending Hexside, she can help me with study sessions and lessons. Before all this happened, she was studying all nine magic tracks."
Now Odalia looked confused.
"Wait, you're saying that human girl was allowed to learn from all nine magic tracks?"
Amity nodded her head.
"That includes Abominations as well. My goal is to join the Emperor's Coven. And that Coven allows its recruits to further their study in not only the track they chose, but also all the others. I don't expect that human to ever get into the Emperor's Coven, but I could use her notes from the other magic track classes to further my own knowledge. And when the next tryouts come around, I'll have a major advantage over my competition," Amity proposed. "The payoff is not immediately seen, but will be down the road, Mom."
Odalia furrowed her brow as she thought about Amity's proposal. The Slavery Laws in the Boiling Isles did allow for the acquisition of demons, witches, and humans. And since this girl had no living relatives, her lawyers could easily draw up the paperwork needed to legally own her. And she had to admit, Amity could use an assistant of sorts. Although she would've liked it to be someone more capable. But the benefit of allowing this human to continue her studies at the school, and having Amity use that knowledge to further her own skills, did sound too good to pass up.
"Oh, and did I mention that that girl and I have a rivalry going on? She's been kind of a thorn in my side for a while now and having her wait on me hand and foot would be so much fun," Amity added.
Sold.
"Okay, Mittens, you have a deal. We'll wait until that girl is officially placed in an orphanage. I'll have some of our people keep an eye out for that. And the moment she is, we'll swoop in and take her for ourselves. But this will also be a test of your ability to manage your subordinates, Amity. It'll also be your responsibility to train her and instruct her in the ways of the Blight household. Do you understand?"
"I do, and thanks, Mom. I can't wait to play with my new toy," said Amity with a devious smirk.
Odalia mimicked the smirk, as if proud to hear her daughter take enjoyment about owning another person.
For Amity, the whole idea made her feel gross. But if saying these things, and acting this way, was what it was going to take to help Luz, then so be it.
(The Kingdom of Amphibia)
It had been a week since what had become known as the "Catastrophe", occurred. The day when Gaea's peace was disturbed after a thousand of years. The day that all four nations were attacked by the Khaotic. The day that three of the four nations lost their leaders. A worldwide effort was made to coordinate resources and aid to everyone, but such things were slow going as every nation was trying to pick up the broken pieces. One of them was Amphibia.
King Bee and the Woman King Oum were killed in battle. The only thing left behind was the Woman King's Ohger Calibur, and thankfully, God Kaeru survived. That was probably the one saving grace about this whole ordeal. Amphibia, Tír na nÓg, and Scientia's Shugods were undamaged, and the Ohger Caliburs recovered. However, to Anne Boonchuy, the recovery of the Ohger Calibur was the least of her concerns. She was happy that God Kaeru, Lily, was alive, but it was a small comfort. Her parents were dead.
The kingdom was still managing to operate on its own, but that was due to more senior military leaders and representatives taking on temporary leadership roles to coordinate recovery efforts. Anne was thankful that they didn't expect her to immediately take charge of the situation, because right now, she'd only mess things up.
She had holed herself up in her room, denying visitors. She sat there, in her bed, the blankets draped over her as she stared at her shell-phone's holo-screen. She cycled through numerous pictures of herself and her parents, the few ones when they weren't doing something royal related, and just being a happy family. She remembered her mother would sing some of her favorite songs when in the kitchen, but man was she tone deaf. Although, right now, she would give her right arm and then some just to hear her voice one more time.
So many things left unsaid, so many missed opportunities to talk, to hash things out between them. But now all those opportunities, and unsaid things would remain unsaid. The chance to ever have a talk about her royal duties was gone. She would never have breakfast with her parents, never play games with her dad, never help her mother in the kitchen, all of that was gone now. Anne tried to push this sadness down many times, but each time she did, it was replaced by overwhelming anxiety and fear.
Her mom and dad were gone now, the very thing that Anne dreaded was now happening. She was now the sole heir to the throne; she was to become the next Woman King of Amphibia. All of Anne's fears about her shortcomings as a future ruler were not years away, they were happening now. It was childish, she knew, but in her mind she believed if she stayed in her room, that somehow she could stave off the inevitable, somehow postpone her coronation and not take on the enormous responsibility of becoming Amphibia's Woman King.
It was one thing when her parents were alive, at least then if she fumbled, they would be there to pick her up, or hopefully fix her mess. But she had no safety net now. The entire country was waiting for her, she was going to be their leader, whether she wanted to or not. And the mere thought of that terrified her. Because now the country had just been through something terrible and was recovering from it. On top of all that, there was the Khaotic. No one knew if they were still around, but that was the fear. The fact of the matter was that the Khaotic had returned and were now out there somewhere. And as the next in line for the throne, it was Anne's duty to fight them.
When Anne thought about that, strangely enough, she wasn't scared. If anything, anger burned within her. If for any reason she was willing to take hold of her mother's sword, it would be just so that she could slay the Khaotic and punish them for killing her parents and hurting so many people. But when exactly they would reappear was anyone's guess, and the other nations were on high alert for their possible second attack.
"Mom…Dad…I can't do this…I'm sorry, I'm such a useless daughter…I need you two…I need you here with me…" Anne whimpered as tears rolled down her eyes.
*Knock!*
*Knock!*
*Knock!*
"GO AWAY!" Anne yelled.
*Knock!*
*Knock!*
*Knock!*
"UGH!" Anne threw off the blanket and marched over to the door. She threw open the door with incredulity, and yelled, "WHAT THE HELL?! I SAID GO…away…"
Standing on the other side of her door was Sasha and Marcy, they were dressed in more casual civilian clothes, but the castle staff knew them well enough to recognize them immediately and allowed them entry. No doubt they figured they were here to help comfort their future Woman King, and they figured right.
"Hey, Anne," Marcy greeted.
"Oh, Sash, Marcy…sorry," Anne apologized.
"It's okay, Anne, you're going through a bad time right now," said Sasha. "Can we come in?"
Anne simply nodded and retreated to her bed. Sasha and Marcy entered the room, with the former closing the door behind them. They watched as Anne sat at the edge of her bed, her eyes red from crying, and her face streaked with dried tears. They hated seeing their best friend in such a state, and on a level, they felt guilty. After the attack, Sasha and Marcy found out that their parents were still alive. They were very happy to find that out, but at the same time, they couldn't help but feel a little twinge of guilt.
Sasha remained standing, but Marcy sat down next to Anne. The three girls remained silent, neither one sure of what to say right now. Finally, Sasha decided to break that silence.
"I know this is an incredibly stupid question to ask, but…are you alright?"
"…Not really," Anne sighed. "I…I feel like I'm about to be crushed. I feel like my heart is broken. And I feel angry. I know I have to assume the throne; I know I have to lead the nation, but…it's too much too soon!"
Anne grabbed the sides of her head as her body began to shake.
"I'm so scared…I know I have to become the Woman King; I have to lead Amphibia! Everyone is expecting me to do it! They may not be saying it right now, probably out of respect to let me grieve or something, but that won't last long! They'll want to know when they can coronate me! They need a leader, and I'm…I'm…I'm so pathetic right now…"
Marcy gently wrapped her arms around Anne as she brought her in for a hug. Sasha sat on the opposite side Anne and hugged her from that side. The young princess felt comfort in their embrace, the romantic feelings for them were there, but right now she didn't focus on that. She was just basking in this feeling of comfort from her two best friends. Why they still even bothered to stay at her side right now was nothing short of a miracle, and one that Anne wasn't going to question. After the hug, the girls laid on their backs on Anne's bed, just lying there in silence and huddling close to one another. A few minutes passed in silence before Sasha, once again, broke it.
"You don't have to do this alone, Anne," said Sasha. "Mar-Mar and I can help you."
"I know you guys want to…but I will be the king…I can't make you guys rulers, too." Anne blushed as she added, "Well…there is another way, but…"
"Another way? What other way is…" Marcy trailed off as the realization struck her, causing the black-haired teen to blush bright red. "O-O-Oh! Uh, well, yeah, that is another way you can do that…eh-heh-heh."
Sasha smirked as she replied, "Huh, so you're telling me you want me and Mar-Mar as your brides? I mean, I'm down for that, but I don't think it'd be kosher so soon after all this happened."
Anne spluttered for a few seconds before managing to speak a coherent sentence.
"N-N-N-N-NO! I was just-just – you know – explaining what I could do!" Anne corrected.
"Oh, yeah, of course," said Marcy, with the slightest hint of disappointment in her tone.
"No worries, Boonchuy. But I think we can still help you. You said it back at that farm, you said Marcy and I would be perfect candidates for kings, so, here's my suggestion."
Sasha sat up and then stood before her two friends.
"You assume the throne, but any and all decisions you make will be done through me and Marcy."
"WHAT?!" Anne and Marcy exclaimed.
"You'll still be the Woman King of Amphibia, but we'll be there for all your royal decisions, and all your royal meetings and such. Marcy's great with economics and junk, and I'm good at coordinating and motivating people. All you have to do is say what we tell you to do," Sasha suggested.
Marcy stood up next and shook her head as she said, "Wait, Sashy, that's not right! Anne will only be a king in name only, a puppet! This could technically be considered a crime! We'd be guilty of manipulating Anne; people will think we were taking advantage of her so that we could rule Amphibia through her! And what's worse, if anyone does find out, it'll only make Anne look bad!"
"Yeah, but only if people find out. Anne will just make a royal decree making me and you her 'royal advisors' or whatever, that way it's official. This isn't a power grab, this is you and me helping Anne, this way, the people get their king, and Anne doesn't have to worry about making all the big decisions for the country," Sasha countered.
"But, Sasha, that means you two will be doing that. I'll just be shifting that burden onto you two! It's not your job, it's mine…ugh…I really am pathetic excuse of a princess!" Anne admonished.
Sasha stepped closer to her friend and slapped her across the face.
"Sasha!" Marcy shouted.
"I'm really getting tired of listening to you put yourself down, Anne, seriously." Sasha grabbed Anne and brought her to a standing position as she looked into the princess's eyes. "You're not pathetic! You're just scared and overwhelmed! You're only fourteen, Anne, that's understandable! I know you're stronger than this, which is why, when you do feel ready, Marcy and I will stand aside and let you be the Woman King you were meant to be! The Woman King we know you can be! Until then, you lean us. We're best friends, Anne, and we won't let you do this on your own."
Anne's eyes began to water, partially due to Sasha's slap, but also due to the emotions swelling inside of her. The princess wrapped her arms around Sasha and hugged her tightly.
"Please help me, Sash, Marce," Anne begged.
"We will," Sasha confirmed.
Anne raised her head and looked at Marcy with desperate eyes.
Marcy still looked unsure about this whole arrangement, it felt demeaning to Anne, but she also knew that her friend was not in the right mental state to be leading their country. Not after such a tragedy befell her and coupled with her anxieties and insecurities about being a king, it could lead her to making a decision that she would regret. And worst-case scenario, if Anne did assume the throne as she was now, it could lead to a revolt when they see just how unsure of herself she is. Right now, the people needed to see their future king strong and determined. They needed hope, and Anne could give them hope.
"Okay, but only until Anne feels ready to take charge," Marcy stated. "The throne of Amphibia is yours, Anne, not ours. So, I'll only agree to this under that condition."
"Of course, but…I don't know when I'll be ready though…I never wanted to be the king to begin with…" Anne admitted.
"Like Sasha said, we know you. You will be the best Woman King Amphibia has ever had. You'll see it someday, and until then, we'll help you out," said Marcy.
Sasha held out her hand and said, "Then we agree, this is our pact. Until the day Anne decides to truly assume the throne, Marcy and I will be the shadow kings, acting as your advisors."
Marcy stepped forward and placed her hand over Sasha's, showing that she was in agreement with this pact.
Both girls turned to Anne, waiting for her to join in.
"I do have one condition."
"What's that?" Sasha asked.
"When it comes to fighting, especially when it involves the Khaotic, I'm the one who will fight them," said Anne.
"Heh, now that's what I like to hear."
"Well, technically speaking, Royal Authority to use the Ohger Calibur and summon God Kaeru is with Anne's family line. So, it's not like either of us could use the sword or command the Shugod, but either way, yeah! When the Khaotic show their faces, give 'em hell, Anne!"
The princess of Amphibia placed her hand over Marcy's. All three of them glanced at each other and then nodded. Their pact was made, Amphibia would have its Woman King, but one that was a king in name only.
(The Kingdom of Tír na nÓg)
Grief had swept through the land of Tír na nÓg, in the capital of Cathair an Aoibhneas. Many had lost their lives in the attack, many who didn't have to. It was not too long ago that they had a joyous celebration, and now, they were cleaning up the destruction of monsters that rose from the depths to try and end their lives. Nobody in Gaea would've ever thought that the Khaotic would return. Oh sure, there were legends and myths, stories passed down through the generations that said that they may return, but after a thousand years of peace, can you blame anyone for thinking that they were mere stories?
Many faye and human citizens alike were assisting in the cleanup efforts, rescuing those who were trapped under rubble, or in more grim cases, collecting the bodies of the dead so that they may be given a proper funeral by their loved ones. As equally morbid as it sounds, having bodies to bury was something that they would be grateful for, nonetheless. The Formorian Khaotic's beam attacks were incredibly destructive, practically vaporizing any flesh and blood targets they hit. It was especially heartbreaking for the people when they thought about how Princess Molly and Prince Darryl had no bodies to bury, they couldn't even give their parents a proper goodbye.
The people thought it was so unfair, for a girl who only sought to bring happiness to others, to have it stolen from her by monsters. And now, she would have to take on the burden of becoming the Queen of Tír na nÓg at such a young age, way before her time. It was one burden on top of another. But it was also this kind of thinking that spurred people on, they didn't want to add to their future queen's burdens, so they tried to do the best they could.
But in actuality…
{People of Tír na nÓg!} Princess Molly appeared on the screens that were still functional in the city, making a public address to her people. {We've experienced a terrible tragedy three days ago, we lost loved ones, and I promise you, we will mourn them together as a nation and as a people. But for now, please, don't lose hope! Now's the time for us to band together and help our fellow neighbors! Human and faye together! Yes, the Khaotic are back, and we don't know when they will return…}
Everyone watched as a determined smile formed on Molly's face, and with her right hand, she hefted the Ohger Calibur into the air. She brandished the legendary weapon, which was not only a symbol of Royal Authority, but a symbol of hope.
{I swear I will protect you from the Khaotic, so that no more loved ones will be taken from us! People of Tír na nÓg, lend me your strength! Let us rebuild so that we can smile once again! I know you've heard me say it many times now and in the past, but truly I mean it when I say that I, Princess Molly McGee, the soon-to-be Queen of Tír na nÓg, I will enhappify the world!}
The people all began to shed tears and cry out in joy and confidence upon hearing Molly's speech. Many across the capital, indeed, across the nation, were bolstered by her words, and redoubled their efforts to help their future queen.
{Thank you all for hearing me out. Take care, everyone!}
Molly's broadcast ended, and the screens returned to their original programming.
Meanwhile, inside the castle, Molly continued to hold her happy expression as she walked off and began speaking to multiple people regarding how to arrange for housing for the displaced families, others were about the possible aid to their sister nation of Amphibia, and to the other nations. Molly made a note to take time to call her cousin, she knew she was probably as devastated by all this as she was, and after what she heard her say about not wanting to be the next Woman King, she definitely needed her support. The people who she spoke to were more experienced in some of these fields, so for the more complicated things, she relied on their wisdom.
After getting everything arranged, Molly moved to her bedroom to take a break, which everyone agreed she needed. Once inside, Molly closed the door and sighed heavily.
"Scratch!" A moment after speaking the ghost's name, Scratch materialized into her bedroom. "So…could you find them?"
Scratch, sadly, shook his head.
"I'm sorry, Molls. I looked all over the Ghost Realm, I even had Jeff and Geoff ask around to see if they saw your folk's ghosts. But…no luck…YET! No luck, yet! I know we'll find them! The Ghost Realm is huge! Stupidly huge, really. They could just be floatin' around someplace far, far in the Ghost Realm," said Scratch, trying to keep a glimmer of hope alive.
Despite this news, Molly smiled at her ghostly friend and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"It's okay, Scratch. You don't have to keep searching for them. Let's just focus on what we need to do for the people," said Molly.
Scratch, well, scratched the back of his head as he said, "Y'know, Molly, you really haven't stopped movin' since it happened. It's been three days already, and I haven't really seen ya cry or…or anything really."
Molly shrugged and kept her smile on.
"I can't really afford to be sad right now, Scratch. Mom and Dad are…are gone. Darryl will need me, and now that I think about it, Anne's definitely going to need my help, too. She was so scared about becoming king, and now she's going to be crowned the next Woman King. I have to be there to support her, she's our family. And the people need me, they need someone who will smile even in this scary time. Someone who will lift their spirits. And as the next queen, I need to be that for them. I have to enhappify our people," said Molly as she walked to her bed.
Scratch looked like he wanted to say something, but the words seemed to die in his throat as he let out a heavy sigh.
Yeah, the people do. But what about what you need, Molly? If you're too busy enhappifying everyone, when are you going to care about your own happiness?
(The Principality of Scientia)
Lunamaria, the capital of Scientia, was on the road to recovery. Thanks to Scientia's advanced technology, they were able to start rebuilding the damaged and destroyed areas of the city fairly quickly, which allowed the citizens to return to some semblance of a normal life. However, they couldn't assuage the fears of the Khaotic possibly coming back and finishing what they started. The other nations were busy recovering as well from their own attacks, and just like them, Amphibia and Tír na nÓg had lost their leaders, with the Boiling Isles Empire miraculously being spared that same fate. Currently, the Ministry of Science Council was having a meeting regarding their situation, and what steps they needed to take next.
The meeting area for the Council was a large room, along the walls were pictures of Scientist Supremes past displayed via holograms. On the ceiling was a holographic projection of the stars, and of the moon floating overhead in a full moon state. There was a long table with six members, each one dressed in white suits, and sporting gold badges over the right sides of their chests. They consisted of three men and three women, each one an accomplished scientist and expert in their field, but at the head of the table, there was an empty chair with the insignia of Scientia branded onto it. The seat of their Scientist Supreme, which was vacant.
"So, what is the current status of Lunamaria?"
"Reconstruction is at sixty-three percent completion, we expect the damaged portions to be fully rebuilt within the next two weeks, barring any unforeseen circumstances."
"Excellent, and what of the status of the other nations?"
"Just like us, they too are dealing with the injured and damage to their respective cities. And of course, like us, they are without their leaders. Except for the Boiling Isles Empire. Emperor Belos managed to avoid getting killed by the Khaotic, but Amphibia and Tír na nÓg are in the same boat as us."
"Not exactly. Amphibia has Princess Anne Savisa Boonchuy, and Tír na nÓg has Princess Molly McGee. Once things have settled down, I have no doubts that they will be crowned as the next leaders of their nations soon."
"Not only did they lose their parents, but now they must deal with the struggles of running their kingdoms before they are of proper age. This is truly unfair."
"Unfair or not, the fact remains is that it has happened, and we cannot change that. I propose we begin the selection process for the next Scientist Supreme."
"So soon? The people are still recovering from this attack."
"And we are without a leader. This Council can lead, but the people will be looking to have a proper leader. And for that, we must prepare the selection process, and choose some candidates."
Suddenly, the doors to the meeting room were kicked open. Standing on the other side of those doors was none other than the granddaughter of the late Scientist Supreme, Lunella Lafayette.
"Lunella?"
The teen genius, who was currently holding her grandmother's Ohger Calibur, walked into the room. Past the members of the council and sat herself right in the chair of the Scientist Supreme.
"I know you guys are here to talk about who the next Scientist Supreme is going to be, along with how to move going forward after the Khaotic attack, right?" Lunella asked.
"Well…yes, but–"
"Okay, then part of this meeting is settled. I'm the new Scientist Supreme," Lunella declared.
The six members all glanced at each other, and then back at Lunella with confusion.
"Uh, Ms. Lafayette, we haven't begun the selection process, nor did you properly manage to outmatch grandmother in your different attempts at taking over her position."
Lunella, reluctantly, nodded to that, but smirked at the same time.
"True, but I came close a lot, didn't I?" Lunella asked.
"Yes, you did."
"Then, I don't think you'll find any other person more qualified than me to be the next Scientist Supreme. I…I watched and listened every time Mimi was working. I studied what she did and studied more on my own. I've been preparing for the day that I could take over her position, and now that she's…she's gone, Scientia needs a new Scientist Supreme to lead it," Lunella stated.
One of the Council Members motioned to Lunella and addressed their fellow members.
"She does have a point. Lunella has been studying to become the next Scientist Supreme, and no one aside from her has come close to matching Miriam Lafayette in terms of intellect and ability."
"Scientia isn't like the other nations, our leaders are not chosen by lineage, they are chosen by who is the brightest and most qualified. Lunella will have her chance to show her abilities to everyone when we find other candidates who are also qualified."
Lunella scoffed.
"Yeah, but in the meantime, you need a Scientist Supreme. How 'bout this?" Lunella placed the Ohger Calibur on the table and looked to each of the Council Members' eyes in turn. "You make me the Scientist Supreme, but I will welcome anyone in the principality to challenge me for the right to take my place. Just like it always has been."
Lunella, in a rather flamboyant fashion, jumped onto the table, shouldering the Ohger Calibur as she stared down the Council Members.
"I'll take on everyone and anyone who wants to take my spot. If they think they can shoot for the moon, then they'll have to get past me, first. Plus, I've already drafted recovery plans for Lunamaria, commissioned different labs to start working on a Khaotic detection system, and sent messages to Amphibia, Tír na nÓg, and the Boiling Isles to see how Scientia can aid in the recovery effort. All signed by the Scientist Supreme, Lunella Lafayette."
"WHAT?!" the Council exclaimed.
Lunella pointed her sword to the right, and several holo-screens appeared, showing each of her orders that were signed with her name. When she pointed it to the left, more screens appeared, this time with the messages that she sent to the three other nations.
"It's time Scientia got to see a little Moon Girl magic in action. And I think my friend would agree with me. Right, Devil?"
The back wall of the room slowly slid down, and when it did, the thundering footsteps of God Tyranno could be heard as the Shugod entered the room and looked down upon the Council.
"Look, if you guys want to call this a 'hostile takeover' then go ahead. But right now, Scientia needs a leader, and I don't see anyone else raising their hand to take the job," Lunella pointed out.
The Council Members glanced amongst each other. It wasn't as if she was wrong, it would take time to get suitable candidates together, and that's granted if they even want to take on the role of Scientist Supreme. As it stood, Lunella was the best qualified.
"Very well, Lunella Lafayette. The Council of the Ministry of Science recognizes you, officially, as Scientia's Scientist Supreme. However, should someone come to challenge you, like it has always been, you will meet their challenge, and if you lose, you shall relinquish your title. Is this acceptable to you?"
Lunella nodded her head and glanced at one of the pictures on the wall, a newly made one that showed her deceased grandmother.
Mimi, I'll protect Scientia. I'll make you proud.
Lunella jumped back into her seat, and smirked as she let it sink in that she was now the Scientist Supreme. It wasn't how she wanted it to happen, she wanted to beat her grandmother fair and square, and that way no one could say she got here because she was the obvious choice. She wanted to prove that she could help Scientia, and this was the best way to do it. Lunella would lead her country, and anyone who wanted to challenge her was more than welcome to do so. She would not deny anyone their right to ascend to this position.
"If someone can knock me off my pedestal, then they really are better suited to lead. But until that time, we got work to do, y'all."