Camila led Amity and Luz to the kitchen and had them all sit down around the dining room table, then waited patiently for someone to speak. One of them was going to have to make the first move and she had vowed it would not be her. She knew what Luz was going to say. She'd known this conversation was coming for years, and she'd been meticulously readying herself for it. She just hoped it would be enough.

Luz took a deep breath. The words were so hard to get out of her, even now. Even though she knew how silly it was to think Camila would be anything other than 110% enthusiastically supportive of her, the horror stories of parents reacting badly to their kids coming out just echoed through her mind on repeat. "Uh, mom, you know how we were talking about how some people like, uh, more than one gender?"

Camila nodded in what she prayed was an encouraging fashion. "Well…that's me. I'm one of those people. I'm bisexual."

"I'm so proud you had the courage to tell me," Camila said and kissed Luz on the forehead. "I know how terrifying that must have been. I support you entirely, Luz. I love you no matter what."

Luz breathed a sigh of relief and couldn't help but give a huge grin. Then she frowned. "Wait, you're talking like you knew already. How did you know?"

Camila raised an eyebrow at that. Luz was not exactly anywhere close to quiet when she had a crush or thought someone was attractive. Camila would have to be blind as a bat to not realize Luz's tastes didn't just run towards men. In fact, she'd bet her bottom dollar she had it figured out before Luz did. But it would be unkind to bring that point up, so instead, she just pointed at the magnet on the fridge.

"Oh!" Luz said with an embarrassed grin. "I was wondering if you even saw that. You never said anything…"

"I wanted you to choose when to come out on your own terms," Camila explained. "It was important to me not to step on your moment." She tilted her head. "I gotta say, though, I was expecting more of a dramatic reveal. With lots of confetti. Maybe some sort of slideshow…Gus waving illusionary bi flags."

"I was too nervous," Luz admitted. "Anyway, I had to get it out of the way sooner or later, because…" She did a drumroll. "Amity and I are dating!"

Camila was silent for ten seconds, then she abruptly let out an ear-splitting squeal of joy. "¡AY, QUÉ MARAVILLOSO!" she shouted and started jumping up and down on her seat with excitement. She stood up, grabbed Amity, and pulled her in for an almost bone crushing hug. Then she peppered both her cheeks with kisses.

Amity was overwhelmed by the sea of affection she was receiving…and she wouldn't have it any other way. Camila was as different from Odalia in how she treated her family as night was to day, and Amity preferred Camila's approach any day of the week.

"Oh, Amity," Camila said, wiping a tear away from her eye. "Bienvenida a la familia."

"That means welcome to the family," Luz translated.

Amity beamed. She was part of the family! "I promise I won't let you down, Camila," she promised. "I'll do anything to protect my amazing girlfriend. From everyone. Especially herself." Luz pouted theatrically. "Just like she protected me in the upcoming episode."

Camila's eyes narrowed. "Yes, I was wondering a bit why you chose now to tell me. You're not trying to distract me from something particularly bad, are you?"

"Uh," Luz said eloquently. "Well…kinda?" She was so doomed when Camila saw Grom taking her form. "But it's also when we had our first dance!" she added quickly. "So it's thematically appropriate!"

Camila sighed, but she wasn't as upset as she thought she might be. To the best of her knowledge, Luz was being open and forthright about her experiences in the Isles, including tales that put her in a bad light. She knew it came at a cost for her, and Camila took that cost into consideration when judging Luz. Whatever was coming, Luz was scared. Camila could see it on her face.

She led them back towards the basement. "I am just so happy for you, Luz," Camila said. "Of course I knew Amity had a crush on you…" Amity gasped. She thought she was nailing the whole subtlety thing! "…and I was pretty sure you liked her back, Luz, but I had no clue you two were actually together!"

The three of them returned to their seats. "Oh, this is the best news I've heard in ages!" Camila said, unable to keep a grin off her face. "My daughter has a girlfriend! I just want to tell the whole world!"

"Please don't!" Luz shouted. "I'm not out publicly yet…"

"Oh, no, of course not, cariño," Camila hastened to assure her. "I was just being metaphorical." She smirked. "And now the two of you could go on a double date with –"

"Mom!" Vee whined, squirming in her seat. "How many times do I have to tell you? Masha and I are just friends."

"Honey, no just friends look at each other the way you and them do," Camila said dryly. "Anyway, I wasn't thinking of you two. I was actually going to say Hunter and Willow. You two are dating, yes?"

Hunter jumped. "No! No, we're not. We're good friends. And teammates. It would probably be a breach of professional ethics for me to date my captain, wouldn't it?"

"Well, not necessarily…" Willow said very quietly.

"Can we start the show now?" Gus complained. He could only take so much of Hunter being ridiculous about his transparent crush on Willow. Luz nodded and started downloading memories.

[Open on the Owl House living room. King is watching videos on Luz's phone while she uses a magnifying glass to look at a flower.]

Luz: Come on! Work this time. [Replicates plant glyph, activates it, gasps when a flower successfully grows.] Yes! Check it out, King: my glyph skills are blossoming!

"You'll never be as good at plants as Willow," Hunter scoffed.

King: You think that's impressive? Check this out! Two warriors battling to the death!

[On the phone, two cats meow. One prepares to pounce on the other but falls on its back. Luz looks at the open portal door.]

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

"Luz, what in God's name possessed you to let King onto the internet?" Camila demanded.

"Aw, come on, mami," Luz wheedled. "It's not like anyone would believe him if he said he was the king of demons."

Camila shook her head. "It's still not what I would show to an impressionable young demon." How had her life gotten to the point where that was an entirely reasonable sentence?

King: Senseless violence. Yes, attack! Death is your god!

Luz: I regret teaching you about the Internet.

King: Hah! What possible regrets could come from the Internet? Oh! Did you know that the Earth is actually flat?

"It's not," Luz said with a wearied sigh.

Gus raised a hand. "What is this internet?"

"It is a lot of things," Camila said, trying to choose her words carefully. It was fairly difficult to articulate what such an incredibly omnipresent thing was to a total stranger to her realm. "It's the world's largest depository of information. Literally anything you can think of, you can find there. Including quite a few things you are far, far too young to think about. But not everything on the internet is true. There are quite a few liars out there. And it's also a place where people can communicate, like your Penstagram. Not everyone on social media has good intentions either. I'd really appreciate it if you could stay away from it for now, Gus."

Gus felt extremely downcast. First he was told there existed something that could answer every single question he'd ever had about humans and now he'd been forbidden from using it.

"It won't be forever," Camila hastened to assure him. "We'll just ease you into it. In the meantime, I bought a set of encyclopedias for Vee, and you can find them in her room."

"Yeah, feel free to borrow them," Vee said. "I'm finished with them anyway. I've been web certified!"

Luz: Yep, that's not right.

[She takes her phone back as it vibrates. She got a text from her mom reading, "How's camp today, cariño? 3, Mamá." Luz gulps. She starts typing "I", then deletes it. "I'm" and "It" are also typed and quickly deleted. She ends up sending a thumbs-up emoji.]

Luz: Good enough.

Camila put her hands on her hips. "I would hardly say that." Luz gave a nervous laugh. This was going to suck.

King: Ah, a severed hand! Perfect response.

[Luz flops down on the couch and puts a pillow on her face.]

Luz: [Muffled.] Ugh! What am I supposed to say? [Sits up; normal.] "Hey, Mom, not at camp actually! I'm in the demon realm learning to be a witch! Also, did you know that demons and magic are real?" She. Will. End me.

As much as Camila was pleased to hear Luz did genuinely feel remorse over hiding the truth from her, it did not amuse her in the slightest to hear it had taken her sixteen episodes to even broach the topic. "Why did it take you so long to even care about possibly telling me?" she snapped, instantly regretting the tone of her voice as soon as the words came out, but it was too late to take them back.

"Well," Luz said, crossing her arms and trying to make herself smaller, "I, uh…I guess it was because of what I saw in Willow's mind, actually. When I saw how much Amity's mom sucked…it made me realize how lucky I was to have you. And I started to really feel guilty about hiding things from you."

King: Nah, she'd be freaked out by our world anyway. So actually, by keeping the truth from her, you're doing her a favor!

"You can't tell me I'm wrong," Luz said a trifle desperately.

"Maybe I would have been freaked out," Camila allowed. "But it certainly would have been a better introduction to this than what actually happened." Luz deflated.

Luz: Hm. The demon on my shoulder makes a good point.

King: Always trust a shoulder demon!

[He takes the phone. Hooty opens the door.]

Hooty: Hoot hoot, Luz! Time to fill up that darling little head of yours with... [Regurgitates a stack of books onto the ground.] Mm-hmm. Delicious knowledge!

"Does he have to keep doing that?!" Camila demanded.

[Willow and Gus look in from the doorway.]

Gus: Please hurry!

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

Camila nodded with approval. Finally, someone said something sensible about that accursed bird tube.

Hooty: Hoot hoot!

Luz: Hehe. [Finger guns her friends; kisses King's head.] Don't spend all day watching MewTube, 'kay?

King: I forge my own path!

"Spoiler alert: he spent the whole day watching MewTube," Luz said in a stage whisper.

-THEME SONG-

[Cut to Hexside. The spider kindergarten teacher decorates the halls with streamers.]

Spider Teacher: Coming through! Watch your heads!\

[The halls are decked out with balloons made of abomination goop and other decorations. Luz, Gus, and Willow enter.]

Luz: Something's different today. Did everyone get a haircut?

Willow: Oh yeah! I forgot you've never been here for the social event of the season.

"They have Grom once a season?!" Luz demanded.

"No, no, it's just a first season thing," Willow hastened to assure her.

Luz tilted her head. "First season?"

"Yeah, we number our seasons. Season one, season two, season three – that one's really short, unfortunately…"

"Cool!" Luz said. "We name our seasons. We have summer, when it's really warm. Fall or autumn, when the leaves on the trees change color and then fall off. Winter, when it's really cold. And spring, when the leaves return."

Gus: Welcome to your first—

[Suddenly, two masked health workers enter, rolling a stretcher, making siren noises.]

Worker: Outta the way!

Camila's heart tightened. Had a student died? Was this what Luz was so reluctant about telling her?

[The workers surround a beast-keeping student with dark skin, blond hair that covers his eyes, and big, pointy ears similar to a bat. Skara looks on.]

Worker: Come with us immediately! Your disease—it's advancing!

[They help him onto the stretcher.]

Bat Boy: Is there a cure, doc?

Worker: Only one... finding the perfect date to Grom!

Camila burst out laughing. Oh, it was just a promposal! Exactly the sort of dorky thing Manny would have done. Wait, did that person say prom or Grom?

Bat Boy: If that's the cure... then, Skara, will you go to Grom with me?

[He holds out a beating heart, with "GROM?" written on it in red ink.]

Skara: Ahhhhh! Of course I will, or whatever!

Hunter scratched his head in confusion. Skara had never mentioned a boyfriend. Maybe they'd broken up before she got to know Hunter? If not, Hunter would have to find this boyfriend of Skara's and give him the shovel talk to end all shovel talks. It's not like he'd have an opportunity to do that for Viney; Emira would laugh in his face if he tried.

[She hugs him, and onlooking students and teachers cheer.]

Luz: [Gasps.] You guys have a version of prom on the Boiling Isles? I was kicked out of my last school dance for dressing like an otter, [Strikes a pose.]

Camila let out a long suffering sigh. She had warned Luz. As adorable as she looked in her otter costume, it was very much against the dress code for the night. But Luz had charged ahead anyway, insistent that everyone would take one look at her and overlook it. Instead, they took one look at her and kicked her out into the cold night.

but here, I can be your Grom Queen!

Willow: That's, uh, not something people usually sign up for.

"That is Grom they're saying?" Camila asked. "I'm not mishearing it?" Everyone but Vee nodded.

[Amity enters from behind, looking down at the stack of books and a note she is carrying, and unknowingly bumps into Luz.]

Amity: Watch it, nitwit! Oh. Hi, Luz... and co. Sorry about that.

"I guess old habits are hard to break," Amity lamented. Luz shut her out of her self pity with a kiss to the lips, exulting in finally being able to do it in front of Camila.

Hunter groaned. He had really been enjoying the reprieve from having to see the two of them be all mushy and romantic. He was going to get a real headache at this rate.

Luz: No problem, let me help you!

[She helps Amity pick up her books and hands her a little pink note that she dropped.]

Luz: Here, your note.

[Amity snatches it away.]

Luz perked up. Maybe she'd learn who the mysterious girl Amity wanted to ask to Grom was!

Luz: Man, you got some quick grabbers.

Amity: It's just, it's... private.

Luz couldn't help but sulk a little. She wasn't ashamed to admit (well, to herself anyway) that she'd fantasized about having been Amity's Grom crush. But this definitely seemed to sink that theory once and for all. Amity said the note was private, which it wouldn't have been if it had been for her.

[The speaker screeches on. Everyone looks at it.]

Student #2: I'm so nervous.

Student #3: Shh! This is it!

Principal Bump: [Over intercom.] Attention Hexside students. This is your principal speaking.

Gus: Oh, man, this is it!

Willow: He's announcing who'll be this year's Grom royalty.

[Amity looks on, concerned.]

Principal Bump: This year, I have the privilege to bestow our highest Grom honor to... Amity Blight!

Willow gave a sympathetic smile towards Amity. "Well, at least you won't have to fight it next year."

[Willow, Luz, and Gus gasp. The three of them turn to Amity, who looks shocked.]

Principal Bump: Our Grom Queen!

[Other students gasps.]

Student #4: It's Amity!

Student #5: Amity.

[Amity is noticeably uneasy.]

Luz: Whoo! Amity, get it, queen!

"I guess that was kind of massively insensitive of me, huh?" Luz said with a sheepish laugh.

"It's okay, batata," Amity said.

"I've got to know why you use that pet name," Camila said.

Amity's face burned with embarrassment. "No, you don't!"

[Luz holds her hand up for a high-five. Amity looks around and runs off.]

Luz: Don't leave me hangin'!

Willow: You might want to give her some space. Being Grom Queen is a tough job. Even for Amity.

[Cut to the gym. Luz enters.]

Luz: Ah. 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?

"You certainly push enough of my buttons," Hunter grumbled.

[She sees a red button on a black-and-red pedestal with insect legs on the bottom.]

Luz: Well, hello. Don't mind if I do.

Camila rolled her eyes. Just like Manny. He could never resist pushing buttons either.

[She cheekily pushes the button. The ground rumbles, and the floor opens to an underground arena, connected by a ramp.]

Luz: Woah!

[Two walls of weapons come up from the floor on either side of Luz.]

Luz: [Gasps.] Medieval torture seems like a strange theme for Grom, but hey—

"I mean, you are in the Isles," Vee pointed out. "There's something of a theme going on there."

Amity: [Offscreen.] They're not for decoration.

[Amity is sitting at the top of the bleachers, alone. She stands up and starts to make her way down.]

Amity: This arena's where I'll make my debut as Grom Queen.

Luz: Right. Why don't you seem excited?

Amity: [Grabs a sword.] Because this isn't just some dance party.

[In the arena, black goop rumbles and growls.]

Camila shuddered. That thing was even giving her a worse vibe than Hooty, and that was a considerable accomplishment to say the least.

Amity: That's Grom. Short for Grometheus, the Fear-Bringer. It's a monster that lives under the school.

[She casts a spell that shows a tapestry about Grom's backstory.]

Amity: Every year it tries to break out, and a student had to defeat it before it invades the town. Ever the optimist, Bump holds a party and calls it tradition.

"WHOA, WHOA, WHOA!" Camila said, holding her hands up. "Bump makes children fight a fear monster that is a clear and present threat to the Isles?! Why not have adults do it? What about the Emperor's Coven? They're so big about order! What are they doing in all this?"

Everyone shared a confused look. "I don't know," Willow said eventually. "It's just the way it's always been done."

"Well, I say it's ridiculous," Camila asserted. "And I'm sticking to that." Hexside was looking worse and worse the more Luz spent there. And worse, with Luz's luck, she'd end up fighting that horrible thing!

[The tapestry fades back to the gym.]

Amity: The worst thing is that Grom can read minds and shape-shift into your worst fear. And mine... [Looks at the blade of the sword.] is very embarrassing. [Returns the sword.]

Luz squeezed Amity's hand.

Luz: If it worries you so much, then why don't you tell Principal Bump you want out of this death match biz? [Gasps.] Unless talking to Bump is your greatest fear.

"It's definitely up there," Amity tried to joke. Although she was a lot more scared of whatever she talked about to Bump getting back to Odalia.

Amity: [Chuckles.] No, but that's a good idea. Thanks, Luz.

[Amity leaves.]

Luz: Hm.

Snaggleback: Put down a tarp, I'm gonna puke!

"What was he doing there?" Vee wondered. Luz shrugged.

[Luz hurries out. Cut to the Owl House, the door to Eda's room.]

Luz: [Offscreen.] I'm home!

[Poking noise.]

Eda: [Offscreen.] Ow!

[Luz enters.]

Luz: Guys?

[We see Eda in a brown tuxedo with King, standing on a stack of books, wearing a green apron.]

Camila gave an appreciative sound. Eda was a strikingly attractive woman, even looking older than she actually was, and she looked damn good in that tux. Naturally, Camila was just speaking from an objective perspective, of course. Wasn't she?

Eda: Careful with those pins.

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

Luz: Hey, sweet duds, Owl Lady! What's the haps? [Sits on Eda's nest.]

Eda: I'm chaperoning Grom tonight. So I have to look sharp.

"It's so nice of her to go out of her way to make your night special, Luz," Camila said. "Especially given that she doesn't like Hexside very much." Luz had never thought of it that way before.

King: And Gus asked me to co-emcee the fight!

"After I didn't choose him for the interview, I decided to throw him a bone," Gus explained.

"Well, it was a better use of his time than sitting around all day watching cat videos," Luz conceded.

[King holds up a poster of him and Gus, standing back-to-back in sunglasses, Gus holding a microphone.]

King: We're going to turn this blood-bath into a fun-bath!

Eda: Ooh! Have they announced the victim yet?

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

[Eda and King laugh.]

"That wasn't very nice of them," Camila said with a frown. As much as she appreciated all the things Eda had been doing to help Luz, she still didn't like her tendency to occasionally kick Luz while she was down. Not that Camila hadn't done that herself sometimes, unfortunately.

King: A great joke, Luz!

[They continue laughing.]

Eda: 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, red with anger, gets up and marches towards Eda.]

Luz: Hey! I've been learning lots of new spells! I could totally handle it.

"I should have listened to her," Luz admitted. "But I just got so angry. And I was so scared of something happening to Amity…"

Eda: There's a horrifying spider in your hair.

Luz: Nope. I'm not as fragile as you think, Eda. And I can't be so easily fooled, either.

"There actually was a spider in my hair," Luz admitted. "But it wasn't horrifying. It was really cute!" Camila, who knew very well Luz's perception of what was horrifying was rather out of sync with the rest of the world, would reserve judgment.

[Luz turns around. She slams the door as she leaves. Cut to the forest. It is dark. Luz is holding a branch and tears through the brush, angry.]

Luz: "Fragile". Eda doesn't know me! I-I'm brave! I'm a bad boy!

[She hears footsteps and yelps.]

Luz: Ominous footsteps, creepy woods. This is no problem.

"I have seen worse!" Luz pointed out.

[She braces for impact and holds up her branch.]

Luz: Luz chop! Aaaaaahhhhhh!

[She lunges forward and unknowingly hits Amity, knocking her down.]

Amity: Ow!

[Luz gasps. She pulls out a light glyph, activating it immediately and holding it up to reveal Amity in the mud.]

Luz: Oh my gosh, Amity! I'm so sorry!

[She tries to help Amity up, though the witch slips in the mud.]

Amity groaned. She really wanted to see memories that made her look more dignified at the very least. What would Camila think of her? She was probably thinking she couldn't have such a clumsy fool as her daughter's girlfriend! Right now, she was probably wondering how to persuade Luz to break up with her!

Camila wondered what she would make for dinner. It would have to be something particularly delicious since it would be her visitors' first dinner in the Human Realm. Yet also not too difficult to make. Perhaps sancocho de siete carnas?

Amity: [Sighs.] And here I thought this day... Oop!

[Luz pulls Amity to standing. They stare at each other for a second. Amity sits down on a tree stump.]

Amity: ...couldn't get any worse.

"In my experience things can always get worse," Hunter said brightly. "And then they always do…"

[Luz looks around before plopping herself in the mud.]

Luz: Did you talk to Bump? Was it as terrifying as you imagined?

Amity: [Sighs.] He said no. I'm Grom Queen, unless I can find a replacement. And who'd want to switch with me?

[Amity curls in on herself. Luz looks down. Then her face brightens.]

Luz: I would.

"Oh, no," Camila said with a groan. Of course, this was entirely inevitable, but that didn't make it any less of a train wreck to watch.

Amity: What?

Luz: [Stands.] Amity Blight, I'll do it. I'll take your place and face Grom in the arena. I'll be your fearless champion!

Despite everything, Camila smiled a little. Manny would have done precisely the same thing for Camila, in likely exactly the same fashion.

[The spider that was in Luz's hair crawls onto her face. She screams and faceplants into the mud. Amity looks on, concerned.]

Luz: [Weakly.] Fearless... champion..

[Cut to Luz's room in the Owl House. She rummages through a chest of clothes and pulls out a black dress.]

Amity cursed herself for not having the courage to encourage Luz to wear that dress. She would have looked amazing. Granted, she looked amazing in everything, but she would have looked particularly amazing in that dress.

Luz: Hmmm...

[She pulls out an otter suit.]

"I can't believe you actually brought your otter suit to Reality Check Camp," Camila groaned.

"Would it help if I said I didn't because I never went there?"

"It most certainly would not."

Luz: Hmm!

[Her phone buzzes. She picks it up, a text from her mom: "Mira! Visiting our fav after school snack spot !" Then is a selfie of Camila holding a sandwhich outside of a store with a sign reading "Chimichurri Sandwhiches!" Another text reads, "Miss you BEBE! XO" Luz replies " ". She frowns at her phone. Hooty enters and smooshes his face against hers.]

Hooty: Oh, Luz! You have a guest!

"Dios mío," Camila muttered. "Has that devil creature no concept of personal space?"

Luz: [Tries to hit him.] Hooty! No touching!

[Hooty retreats out the window. The door opens.]

Luz: Amity!

[Amity enters through the door, picking feathers out of her hair.]

Amity: If that bird-tube ever talks to me again, I'm going to destroy it.

Camila nodded approvingly at that.

You ready to train?

Luz: [Picks up outfits.] Which should I wear to Grom? [Holds up black dress.] This one says, "witch with a dark side." [Holds up otter suit, puts on matching smile.] But this one says, "I'm an otter... with a dark side."

"You're my otter with a dark side," Amity said and kissed Luz.

Amity: 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 enters, right up against Amity. Amity scrunches her face.]

Hooty: You wanna hear my worst nightmare?

[Hooty's body writhes as crashes are heard.]

Hooty: Hooty-hoot! Hoot, hoot!

Luz: Stop, stop! Amity, Amity, wai—Amity, stop!

Camila gave Amity a round of applause. She was so proud of her daughter's girlfriend. Luz was so lucky to have a brave, compassionate, intelligent girl who liked her so much and was willing to kick Hooty's ass.

[Cut to the front of the Owl House, Amity paces in front of Luz, Emira, and Edric. Behind her, Hooty is now wearing an eyepatch and bandages.]

Amity: Grom will transform into your darkest fears. What are you afraid of, Luz?

[Luz thinks.]

Edric: [To Emira.] Wanna say our greatest fears? On three. One, two... being alone forever!

Emira: [Overlapping.] Being stuck with you forever.

"Wow," Willow said. "There's a lot to unpack there…"

"Well, we're not going to do that," Amity said sharply. "That's their business, not ours."

[Edric groans.]

Luz: In preparation, I've made a list!

[She pulls a list from her pocket and holds it out to Amity. She grabs it and reads it. Edric and Emira read it, chuckle, and each draw a spell circle. A huge version of Luz's phone appears. The screen shows a guy tipping a white fedora, and a message bubble that says "M'LADY".]

Luz shuddered. The number of jerks she'd encountered online…there was a reason she no longer posted her fics on anymore.

Luz: [Yelps.] Jerks online who wanna debate!

[A cat with a human face appears.]

Luz: AH!

Cat: Luz, help me! Help!

Luz: Human souls trapped in cat bodies!

"You are a very strange individual," Hunter observed.

"You say that like it's a bad thing," Amity retorted. "I happen to like her that way."

Cat: I don't want to be this.

[A carton of milk appears, floating in the air, and pours milk into a glass in Luz's hand.]

Luz: No! I'm lactose intolerant!

Amity: Not enough. [Walks up to Luz as the illusions vanish.] The reason I can't face Grom—it goes deeper than things that just gross me out. [Pokes Luz.] What's your real fear, Luz?

[Luz looks up at the window into Eda's room.]

Luz: My real fear... is that Eda thinks I'm too fragile to do this! And if she's right, I'll never be a real witch!

"Oh, honey," Camila said sympathetically. Luz shrank back in her seat. If only Camila knew her real fear…this was going to get ugly.

[Edric and Emira look at each other and draw a conjoined spell circle. A giant illusion of Eda rises from the ground, flipping her hair. She looks at Luz.]

Eda Illusion: You're inadequate.

[The Eda Illusion draws a spell circle. Luz is put in a high chair with a bib that says "weak baby". Cut to Eda exiting the house into the front yard, bowtie in hand. Emira and Edric look proud of their creation while Amity looks nervous. Luz is wailing like a baby.]

Eda: I get it. Ditch the yellow. [Gasps.] Is that supposed to be me?

[She looks at the illusion of herself, which smiles down at her.]

Eda: Dang, I look great. [Chuckles.] Wait a sec. You're training to be Grom Queen!

"A bit slow on the uptake tonight, aren't you, Eda?" Camila said with a chuckle.

Luz: So what if I am? [Falls, yelps.]

[The high chair and bib disappear as Eda walks up to her.]

Eda: 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?

Luz smiled. Despite Eda's harsh words, she still reveled in Eda calling Luz her kid.

Luz: Well, maybe you'll have fun watching me defeat Grom!

[She karate-chops the cat, and it disappears. Luz grins proudly. Eda looks worried. Amity puts a hand on Luz's shoulder.]

Amity: Luz, I don't think you're ready, but we're literally out of time.

Luz: I'll take it!

[They smile at each other. Cut to the Hexside gym.]

Snaggleback: Arms so tired.

"You don't want to know," Gus said hastily to Camila, who shrugged. He was right; she didn't.

[Rockabilly-style music is playing in the background. Couples awkwardly dance on the dance floor. Willow dons corsages onto some guests. Eda waits nervously to the side. She looks at her watch, which has King as the arms.]

"You two didn't have dates?" Camila asked Gus and Willow.

"I'm not interested in that sort of thing," Gus explained. "I'm too young anyway, and I had a job to do."

"I was too worried about Luz," Willow admitted. "I wouldn't have been a very good date to anyone. Besides, who'd date me?"

Hunter shook his head in dismay. Boscha was truly despicable for lowering Willow's self-confidence like that. He would have been her date in a heartbeat. Hypothetically speaking, naturally.

King: Why so twitchy, witchy? Trying to remember if I've ever seen you this nervous before.

Eda: 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.

"Aw, that's sweet," Camila said. She was less jealous of Eda's maternal feelings towards Luz than she expected. She was just happy someone else had the opportunity to experience what a delight Luz was as a daughter.

[The lights dim.]

Gus: [Offscreen.] Ladies, gentlemen, and assorted demons!

[Gus is on the stage, in the spotlight, speaking into a microphone.]

Gus: 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.

"Spash zones?!" Camila shouted. "Oh, dear. This is not going be fun, is it?"

"You don't know the half of it," Luz muttered.

[One guest is sitting in the first row, wearing a raincoat and opening an umbrella. The students cheer. Eda and King sit towards the back.]

King: Wow, Gus is really good at this. They're hanging on his every word!

Gus: [Encouraging the crowd to applaud.] I see we've got Principal Bump in the house! Now, sir, I hope you won't throw us in detention because, uh, we're going to raise the roof.

"You're really good at this, Gus!" Camila praised. Gus beamed.

[The spotlight goes onto Principal Bump, who is sitting in the bleachers. He makes a raising-the-roof motion with his hands and smiles. The students cheer. Cut to the doorway. Amity steps out of the gym and looks around, then down at her note from this morning. She gently smooths it out with her thumb. Luz enters and she quickly pockets the note.]

Damn it, who the hell was that note for? It was going to bug Luz all day! And it wasn't as if she could ask Amity, because that'd be a massive invasion of her privacy.

Luz: I'm not sure if it's nerves or if I accidentally drank some milk, but something's making my stomach squirm.

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

Luz: Hah! Yeah right! You goin' soft on me, Blight?

Amity: [Laughs.] In your dreams.

The two of them shared a kiss. Camila looked on at the lovebirds with happiness. She was so happy they felt being affectionate around her now. Then she frowned. She hoped they wouldn't get too affectionate, the impossibility of that ritual being done by accident notwithstanding. She was going to have to have a discussion with Amity soon enough.

[They stare at each other.]

Gus: Now, introducing our Grom Queen. You know her, you love her... you've at least heard of her. Luz, the Human!

[The students cheer as the spotlight goes on Luz.]

"It was so cool to have people actually cheering for me at an extracurricular activity," Luz recalled. "Even though it was a fight to the worse than death."

Luz: [To Amity.] Wish me luck!

Amity: [Quietly.] Luck.

[The pedestal with the red button skitters onto the stage. Gus presses it. The floor opens to reveal the Grom arena. Skara and her date, about to lean in for a kiss, rip off their formal clothing to reveal their Grom jerseys.]

Date: Grom!

Skara: Yes, Grom!

"Seriously!" Camila shouted. "They're cheering for the nightmare beast instead of my daughter?!" It made no sense whatsoever. Even if they weren't fond of Luz, why cheer for the monster who would make them all live out their worst nightmares?

[The weapon racks rise up on either side of Luz. She picks up a flail and places an ice glyph on it. It glows. She ventures into the arena. Grom rises.]

Luz: There you are, Gromarama. Not too scary.

Luz groaned. If only she knew!

[Grom turns into the human souls trapped in cat bodies.]

Cats: [Overlapping.] Luz, help me. I'm a man. Make me human again.

Camila shivered. Now that they were manifesting in reality, Camila could understand why Luz was so scared of those things…though she still could not understand for the life of her how she became so scared of them in the first place. She also had a hunch she very, very much did not want to.

"Sweetie, if you don't want me to see this, I can leave," she suggested. Camila was starting to feel uncomfortable seeing Luz's subconscious fears manifested into reality. It was something that should have remained private.

Luz was so tempted to say yes. Who would want their mom to learn she was their worst fear, after all? But…she'd done enough damage running away from her problems. She needed to face them all head on. And with her friends and girlfriend beside her…she was sure she could do just that. If only barely. "No, mami," she said softly. "But…thanks."

Luz: Ugh, so weird.

[She swings her flail to gain momentum and slams it to the ground. A pillar of ice rises and rockets out the cats. The students cheer.]

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

[The students cheer. King walks onto the stage.]

King: Hel-LO, Hexside! So...

[He drops his cards and the microphone feedback screeches. He tugs at his collar.]

"The poor thing had stage fright," Luz said. "Kind of ironic for the king of demons, right?"

King: Oh, oh gosh. Um... whoo. 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 begins to boo.]

"HEY!" Luz said, standing up and pointing at the screen. "No one talks about my brother like that!"

Guest: Bring back the funny kid!

"Aw, isn't that sweet?" Gus said. "They like me!"

"NO!" Luz responded. "Not when they're insulting King!"

King: You will clap for me! Please?

[He throws down the microphone and runs offstage, wailing.]

Gus: King! [Goes after him.]

[Back in the arena, Luz is fighting the illusion of the online jerks.]

Luz: You're not coming from a place of intellectual honesty, so debating you would be pointless!

Camila nodded. She was glad Luz learned that lesson. So many people never did. Camila had certainly had her own difficulties with online jerks in the Cosmic Frontier fandom. Sometimes, she wondered if there were any other kind of fans.

[She slams an ice glyph down, which creates a sharp shard of ice that pierces the illusion and makes it disappear. The students cheer.]

Principal Bump: Luz has lasted surprisingly long. But what form will Grom take next?

Luz: Let's finish this! Human-style!

Luz bit her fingernails. This was it…

[Grom rises behind Luz, towering over her. An illusion of cursed Eda with glowing eyes creeps towards her. Back in the stands, some kids look at Eda who groans and hides in her hair. The illusion reaches out to Luz's head and makes her eyes glow. It morphs into the portal door. Luz looks at it.]

Camila frowned. Why was Luz scared of the door? Was she scared of it breaking and trapping her in the Isles forever?

Luz: Huh?

[The door opens. Camila steps out.]

Camila let out a huge gasp. She was Luz's worst fear? What had she done to make Luz fear her? She wracked her brains, thinking of their interactions over the weeks and months before Luz was supposed to go to camp. Could any of them be construed as threatening? She had to admit, she was coming up empty. What she was seeing simply didn't make any sense.

Luz flinched. Amity quickly put her arm around her. "It's gonna be fine," Amity whispered in Luz's ear. "She doesn't hate you. She won't hate you."

"Luz…I…I don't understand," Camila said, horror and desperation filling her voice. "Please, for love of God, mija, help me understand! Why are you afraid of me?"

Luz had asked herself that question over and over again since Grom and she still wasn't entirely certain what the right answer was. But she had some guesses. "It's not…really you I'm afraid of, mom," she said with meticulous precision. "It's about how I lied to you. I wasn't afraid you'd hurt me. I was afraid you'd hate me. I was afraid I'd lose you." She looked at the floor. "I guess I still am, kind of…"

Camila quickly rushed over to Luz and swept her up in a hug. "I could never hate you, lucecita," she promised. "Never. I am so sorry I ever gave you the impression it was ever a possibility." She sighed. "I do understand how you got that impression, though. The way I reacted to your…escapades at school."

She sat down next to Luz and started stroking her hair. "Lucecita, as you've probably guessed I did not have the…best of childhoods," she began to explain. "When I was around your age, I started walking down a very dark path. People got hurt. They were not nice people, true, but they were still people. I thought you were just like me."

"I'm not," Luz protested.

"I know that now," Camila promised. "You're you. You were just trying to make connections in the only ways you knew how. But every time you tried, it just blew up in your face. And I hardly helped."

"You're helping now," Luz said. "This…showing you all this…it's helping."

Camila kissed her on the forehead. "Good. I don't hate you, sweetie. I never will. I always, always love you. Even though I am upset you lied to me, I can't hate you."

"I think I know that now." Camila gestured for them to continue.

Grom-Camila: Mija?

[Luz looks on, shocked.]

Luz: Mom! What are you doing here?

"Did you really think that was her?" Hunter asked, genuinely curious. He had no clue whether or not Grom had the ability to mess with people's perceptions.

"I panicked, okay?!" Luz snapped.

[Eda peeks from behind her hair.]

Grom-Camila: Luz, what is this terrible place? Espérate un momento, this isn't camp. Have you been here, all these weeks? [Gasps.] And is that a weapon?

Luz: Ah! [Drops the flail.] I can explain!

[The illusion of Camila morphs into Grom. It towers over Luz.]

Grom-Camila: Mija, have you been lying to me?! [Growls.]

Camila held Luz tightly and whispered comforting words in Spanish into her ear.

[Luz stares at Grom-Camila, terrified. Cut to the hallway. Gus walks over to King, who is sitting in front of the lockers, looking down. He sits next to him.]

Gus: What's going on, little dude?

King: Nothing! Leave me be! [Lays down.]

Gus: The thing is, you're sitting in my personal chit-chat zone, which means you gotta talk.

"I just made that up off the top of my head!" Gus announced proudly.

King: Well if that's the rule... Oh, how can this be? I get stage fright! Me! The King of Demons!

Gus: Well, sometimes, you just have to—

King: I know, I know. Imagine everyone in their underwear.

Gus: [Blushing.] Gross! Why would you do that?

"What sorts of things did Eda teach him?" Gus wondered, shaking his head in dismay. "I pray we may never find out."

King: I dunno. I always do that. [Chuckles.] I am a little weirdo.

Gus: No, King. Sometimes you just have to face your fear, like Luz is doing right now.

[Luz slides into the hallway, startled. She runs down the hallway.]

Luz: I can't do it! I can't face my fear!

"Bad example," Gus admitted.

Grom-Camila: [Chasing after her.] Why are you running, Luz?

Principal Bump: Grom has escaped.

[Principal Bump and the students move into the hallway.]

Students: He escaped! Oh no! Grom escaped. What are we gonna do?

[Gus stares at the microphone in Principal Bump's hand.]

Gus: King, now's your chance.

[King grabs the microphone as the students chatter.]

King: Gimme! [To himself.] King of Demons, you got this. [To crowd.] Well, folks, looks like our show literally just took off!

[They look at King, confused.]

King: Weh?

Gus: [To King.] You gotta pander.

King: Uh, took off just like your local sports team would take off when they're about to make a goal?

"Look at him," Gus said, pride in his voice. "He'll be manipulating the masses in no time!"

[The students cheer.]

Students: Yeah, sports team! Sports team! Oh, yeah! I love our team!

King: Yeah, that's right, so let's follow them and see what happens next.

[Gus takes King into his arms, and they lead out the crowd. Amity and Eda run out of the gym after them. They nod to each other, determined. Cut to the forest. Luz is running away as Grom follows close behind.]

Luz: I don't wanna be Grom Queen anymore! I give up the throne!

[Grom pants. Luz comes up at a cliff and stops just before falling off. Luz yells.]

Grom-Camila: Why can't you face me, Luz? Why can't you face your own mother?

"Because…because…"

"Because that's not me," Camila said, taking pity on Luz. "And I think deep down, you knew that."

Luz: You're not really my mom! [Turns away.]

Grom-Camila: How can you say that, cariño?! You're breaking my heart!

Camila gave a sniff of disapproval. She would never wield guilt in such a manner. It was far too ham-fisted. The true professional wielded guilt with subtlety.

Eda: [Riding in on her staff.] Spicy toss! [Hits Grom with a fireball, lands.] Hands off my human, you misshapen excuse for a monster!

[Grom roars.]

Luz: Eda! You're right! I'm not ready!

Eda: That's okay, I got this one. [Starts casting a spell.]

[Amity makes noise.]

Eda: Huh?

[Amity jumps out from the trees and puts herself between Luz and Grom.]

"YES!" Camila shouted, and then gave a nervous chuckle, embarrassed at the fervency of her interruption.

Amity: Stay away from her!

"Stay away from your Luz?" Luz asked teasingly. Amity blushed.

[Grom growls and reaches out an inky arm towards Amity, lifting her high above the ground.]

Amity: I'm sorry, Luz. I should have fought my own battle.

[Grom's eyes glow blue, reading Amity's mind.]

Amity: I— [Eyes glow.]

Luz: Amity! No, your fear!

[Grom grows, turning more and more blob-like. Finally, it shrinks and morphs into a humanoid body.]

Luz: Who is that?

[Amity's eyes stop glowing. Grom takes the pink note from Amity's pocket and rips it in half, letting it fall to the ground. Amity closes her eyes, embarrassed, clutching her dress. Grom slinks away. Amity picks up one half of the note from the ground and holds it to her heart. Luz picks up the other, unfurls it, and reads it. It reads, "Will you go to Grom with me? -Amity".]

Luz couldn't take it any longer. She had to know, no matter how rude it may seem. If Amity didn't want to tell her, it was her business, but Luz couldn't hold it in any longer. "Amity…who did…"

"Oh my Titan, Luz, you are so dense," Amity complained. "It was you! You were my Grom crush the whole time!"

Luz's jaw dropped. "I…what? You wanted to ask me? That note was for me?" Amity nodded. "But that doesn't make any sense! Why would you be afraid I'd say no? You're the most popular girl in school! And I'm just some human weirdo…"

"You are so much more than that to me," Amity said, gazing into her eyes. "I saw what an extraordinary person you were. I know you have fears. We saw that. But you've never been afraid to show the world who you are. Even when the world punished you for it. I wanted to be like you."

"You are, Amity," Luz said. "Even if you can't see it, you are."

Luz: [Gasps.] You were afraid of getting rejected. Amity, it's okay. What if I went to Grom with you instead?

Camila let out a gasp of excitement. This was it! She was seeing how her lucecita and her wonderful novia got together!

[She holds out her hand for Amity to take. Amity reaches for it.]

Amity: Really?

Luz: That's what friends do.

Camila groaned. Or not.

"I can't believe I friend zoned you," Luz muttered, her face red with embarrassment.

[Amity smiles, then looks sternly to Grom. It rises and towers above them, roaring menacingly from huge jaws.]

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

[She holds out her hand to Luz. She grins and takes it. They come close to dance, the moon shining brightly behind them. They dance.]

Camila let out a continuous squealing sound of pure excitement. This was one of the happiest moments in her life! They may not have been together yet, but anyone looking at Luz and Amity right now could tell they were destined to be together as…

"LUMITY!" she suddenly shouted, making Luz jumped. "That's what Lumity Studios means! It's Luz and Amity! Oh, and to think I called it Luzity in my head…"

Luz shuddered. That was a truly awful name, the kind of name a multinational megacorporation would give to a ship it knew was popular but didn't understand in the slightest.

[Luz spins Amity, and Amity casts a spell with her feet, forming a giant abomination below them. They rise up on it. Luz fans out her plant glyph cards. Amity dips Luz, and she slaps a glyph onto the abomination. They jump off, and the abomination goes into Grom's mouth. Green light moves within it, and then plants start to bloom through it. Luz lands, then catches Amity, spinning her around several times before putting her on her feet. As the finish, holding hands, looking at each other, Grom explodes behind them. A giant tree is in its place. The last remnants of Grom slink off. Luz and Amity look up as a tiara appears on both of their heads. They smile at each other.]

Camila's hands were sore from clapping. "That was the most amazing thing I've ever seen!"

Luz: So... who did you wanna ask out?

Amity: [Blushing.] Oh, it's... it's not important.

"I really wish you'd told me," Luz said quietly. "I would have said yes."

[She pulls the note-piece from her pocket and tosses it aside. King runs to the side of the girls.]

King: 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 flashes a toothy smile as Amity blushes awkwardly. The students pop out of the bushes and run toward them, cheering. They parade the girls, holding them up. Luz puts a hand on Amity's shoulder. Eda is clapping for them next to Gus and King.]

Gus: You did it, buddy!

King: Of course I did it! I'm the King of Demons and I've never had stage fright in my life!

[The students hold up King, right by Luz and Amity.]

King: They love me!

[Luz and Amity laugh and smile at each other warmly. Cut to the Owl House. Eda, King, and Luz have just arrived home, Luz looking down.]

Eda: Whoo! Watch out for this, human! Oh, you did good, kid.

Luz: Thanks, but... I'm gonna go to bed.

[She tosses the tiara to the ground. King picks it up and places it on his head.]

King: Now I am king and queen! Best of both things!

"Masha always says gender is for suckers," Vee mused. "I'm starting to think they may have a point." Camila made a mental note to look for resources for parenting a nonbinary child on the internet. There would certainly be more useful information to be found than there was for parenting a basilisk child.

[Luz enters her room with a sigh. She opens the window and sits on the windowsill, looking out.]

Luz: In the end, I couldn't face my mom. Maybe I am fragile.

"You're not fragile, honey," Camila said. "You're just human. And that's not a bad thing."

[Her phone vibrates. She turns it on to find two texts from her mom: "How was your day? , Mamá!" and "Miss you mija ".]

Luz: Hmm.

[She types a duck emoji. Looking into her room, she changes her mind and types out, "Miss you too, Mami". She sends it, then continues typing.]

Luz: [Narrating.] I won't lie. Today was kinda hard.

[Cut to Willow and Gus poking some remnants of Grom. For Willow, a ladybug pops out, and she jumps back.]

Hunter made a mental note to purchase some bug spray.

Luz: [Narrating.] And I don't always feel like I'm supposed to be here.

[When Gus pokes it, a clown pokes out. He runs away. Fade to Amity sitting in her window, looking out of it. She opens a memory box she has in her lap.]

Luz: [Narrating.] But when things get tough, my friends help me out.

[Amity puts her tiara in the box and closes it. She closes her eyes and leans against the window frame. ]

Luz: [Narrating.] I think you'd like them.

"I do, Luz," Camila said, smiling at everyone. "I really do."

[Eda wakes up and looks at King. She smiles, puts a hand on his back, and closes her eyes again. Fade back to Luz sitting in her windowsill.]

Luz: [Narrating.] Te extraño también, Mami. One day, I'll tell you all about this.

"I admit, I didn't expect it to be this way," Luz said.

[The wind howls, blowing clouds away from the moon. Luz looks out on the sea and smiles. She receives another text from her mom. It reads: "can't wait! P.S. love receiving your letters!"]

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

[She puts her phone down and looks out at the moon again.]

"You sent her letters?" Luz said.

Vee nodded. "I was just so excited about sharing my progress at the camp!" She gave a nervous laugh. "I guess in retrospect I should have covered my tracks better. I even think I might have misspelled your name on one of them…"

"Well, that was certainly a harrowing episode," Camila admitted. "Please tell me the next one isn't going to be quite as traumatizing, Luz."

"Nah! It's a fun filled sports episode!"

"I did break my ankle," Amity reminded her.

"A fun-filled sports episode for everyone but Amity," Luz quickly backtracked.

Camila smiled. "I can't wait to hear it."