Willow and Hunter walked into the room, hand and hand, smiles so big they were threatening to emerge from their faces. Luz gave a smug grin at them. "Am I looking at the future Mr. and Mrs. Willow Park, then?"
Both of them blushed ferociously. "That's…that's not appropriate to consider right now," Hunter mumbled. He straightened up. "But, yes, Willow and I are dating now."
Camila let out a squeal of excitement. "¡Qué emocionante! All three of my wonderful children now have partners! Oh, I'm just so happy for you, Hunter. I'm sure you two will be so happy together." She put her hands on her hips. "Remember, the same rules for Amity and Luz apply for you. No exceptions!"
"Yes, Mrs. Noceda," Willow said. "Shall we start the next episode?"
Luz made sure to sit next to Camila, with her palisman egg by her feet. Both of them were going to need each other's support to lean on.
"Another difficult one for you, mija?" Camila asked.
"Well…kind of. It's really just sad. It's…you know, August 22."
Camila immediately swept Luz up in a hug. "Oh, Luz."
Gus raised a hand. "What's August 22?"
"It's…the anniversary of when my dad passed away," Luz admitted. She wasn't going to hide it like she did with Amity. She'd learned her lesson.
"Oh, gosh, Luz, I'm so sorry," Willow said.
Luz shrugged. "Well…it was a long time ago," she said, trying to keep her voice light and casual. "Let's watch."
[The episode opens with an exterior shot of the Owl House with a buzzing and beeping noise from the inside. Cut to the inside of the Owl House.]
[Luz's phone is buzzing and charging with the aid of lightning bugs.]
"Oh, so that's how you managed to charge your phone," Camila said. "I kept meaning to ask you."
[Luz grabs her phone while still sleeping with King.]
Luz: [Gasps.]
[She sits up. Cut to a close-up shot of Luz's phone saying "Event Reminder With Mami". Luz stares at her phone, then ignores the event reminder.]
"Every year, Luz and I lay flowers at Manny's grave," Camila explained. "This year…well, this year it was Vee and I. I hope you don't mind, Luz."
Luz forced a grin. "Mind? Why should I mind? I'm just happy you're happy!" Camila gave a look to her that clearly indicated she could see straight through her.
"It was…not fun," Vee admitted. "Mom was…pretty upset. She was missing you a lot." Luz looked down to the floor in shame. "But I think…I think your dad would understand."
"He's our dad too, Vee," Luz reminded her. "Yours too, Hunter." Hunter scowled. It was awfully presumptuous of her, in his opinion, to decide that. Camila had chosen to adopt him, but Manny had never gotten that choice.
"Mom said that too," Vee said. "I guess…I don't know."
-THEME SONG-
[Cut to the doorway to the living room, with Eda peeking on the corner with King on her head.]
King: Uh, feelin' okay, Luz?
Luz: [Writing on a whiteboard.] I feel great! Today's gonna be a productive day of problem solving. [She grabs a scroll of a list then shows it to Eda.] Look!
"Ah," Camila said. "It's the patented deflect everything and pretend everything is going all right approach. I should have known."
Luz pouted. Was she truly so predictable?
Eda: [Reading the list.] "Successfully build a portal to the Human Realm"? "Learn every glyph combination"? "Figure out what Belos is planning and show him what for"?
Luz gave a sharp laugh. She really should have been more careful what she wished for with that last one.
Luz: [Digs through papers.] Look. I've already learned a new combo. Excuse me, Francois. I call it the safety hover!
[She grabs Francois from King and sticks a glyph combo onto its chest. She then throws it in the air, and it floats right before it hit the ground.]
"Oh, that does look very useful," Camila said. She was glad Luz was finally taking steps to alleviate the danger she was in instead of ramping it up.
King: Ooh! That'll work great when birds try to fly away with me.
Luz: And I'm already on my way to building a second door.
[Cut to Hooty trying to stabilize a wooden door taped to him, with a broom, a cinderblock, and a hammer near it. Hooty then sneezes, causing everything to come crashing down.]
"Yeah…I don't think that would have worked," Luz admitted.
Hooty: Achoo! Ow.
Luz: Uh, it's a work in progress. But look at this!
[Luz grabs a Scroll out of her pocket.]
Eda: Did you steal my Penstagram?
Luz: I borrowed it because I've got a castle insider getting info on Belos. Willow gave me Hunter's contact. Hehehe.
Hunter glared at her. "Really? Do you have any idea how annoying she was?"
"Well, you did kidnap me," Willow reminded him. Hunter sighed. He was going to be regretting that for the rest of his life, wasn't he? "It's all right, sunflower. It's in the past."
"I like it when you call me sunflower," Hunter said with a dopy grin.
"Oh, Titan, this is even worse than Luz and Amity and I didn't think that was possible!" Gus complained.
[Luz starts texting Hunter under his username, RULERZREACHF4N.]
Luz: [From text.] Are you good now?
Luz: [From text.] Is Belos evil? You can tell me!
"Right, because Belos totally doesn't have all of Penstagram monitored, Luz," Hunter pointed out. Luz gave a nervous laugh.
Luz: [From text.] Also hi!
Luz: [From text.] It's Luz!
"You think?" Hunter snarked.
Luz: [From text.] [Bat emoji, lighting emoji, flower emoji, plant emoji, and rainbow emoji.]
"What does that even mean?" Hunter demanded. Luz just gave an evil grin at him.
Hunter: [From text.] ALONE
[Hunter sends a picture of Flapjack sleeping on his robe.]
"Ooh, I wonder who that was for," Luz said with a wink.
"Sorry to burst your shipping bubble, Luz, but that was for me," Gus said. Luz scowled.
Hunter: [From text.] .person .,.
Eda: Hmm. You're avoiding something. Spill it.
Luz: I am not! Maybe I am. [Lets Eda take her scroll back and sits.] Okay, I definitely am.
"That's right, Luz," Camila encouraged her. "Let your problems out. You can trust Eda with them…as bizarre as the idea of trust and Eda belonging in the same sentence is."
[King and Eda surround her, Eda placing her old letterman jacket around Luz.]
"Oh, your jacket!" Camila said. Luz nodded. "I had a feeling that was Eda's."
Luz: Every year, me and Mom have this little ritual we do. It's nothing big. I just miss her. That's all.
Camila squeezed Luz's hand. "I'm here now, sweetie," she assured her.
King: What you need is a healthy distractions from your problems. Like breakfast!
"Yeah…as adorable and well meaning as King is, you…probably shouldn't be taking advice from him," Vee pointed out.
Luz: Yeah. Okay. I could go for a griffin egg.
Eda: Well, let us know if you need anything, okay?
Luz: I'll meet you guys in the kitchen.
[Eda and King walk off.]
Luz: [Sighs.]
[Amity walks in the Owl House.]
Amity: Luz! I have a problem, and it could distract us all day!
Amity laughed. She had no clue her comment would be so apropos!
Luz: Tell me all about it and don't spare a single detail!
[Flashback to Amity showing Alador a flyer for the Bonesborough Brawl]
Amity: Dad, look!
Camila glared at the screen. Not this guy again. She was really hoping she'd seen the last of Amity's awful parents. Amity was adamant Alador had changed, but in Camila's opinion, he had a lot of ground to cover. And that mother of hers…well, let's just say she had an appointment with la chancla, and it would be only for Amity's sake that it would be one Odalia would survive.
It's the Bonesborough Brawl tonight. And since I'm finally old enough to participate, I- I was thinking-
[Alador grabs a book made by Darius titled "Abomination Creation" and looks at it with disgust.]
Alador: Ugh.
"You know, Eda told me the two of them used to go out back in high school," Luz said with a smirk. "But Odalia managed to sink her claws into Alador and that was the end of that."
"I do not need that image in my head," Amity muttered. Hunter nodded in agreement.
Luz decided not to mention Eda had also speculated Odalia had used a love potion to sink the aforementioned claws. It was hearsay and Eda didn't know for sure. Odalia or not, that was not an accusation one threw out without hard evidence. Though Luz believed it to be true. That was so her style.
Amity: Dad!
Alador: Ah, Mittens! Didn't see you there.
Camila rolled her eyes. This guy was the worst.
Amity: Clearly. So do you think you'll be able to take me to the Brawl tonight?
Alador: No. Uh, tonight they're holding the Emperor's Coven tryouts in town. Your mother already signed you up, and I've prepared a chaperone to make sure you get there safely.
"Little did he know, two of your friends almost got in before you!" Gus said.
[Alador throws the book to the Abomaton, then the Abomaton slices the book in half and picks Amity up.]
Amity: Aah!
"Oh, the nerve of that man!" Camila shouted. "He doesn't deserve the title of father!"
[An alarm from the Abomaton sets off
Luz stiffened. Don't think about it, don't think about it, don't think about it!
then Alador turns it off with a remote.]
Amity: You mean to make sure I get there. Dad... I don't want to go to coven tryouts. I wanna enter the Brawl, and maybe win the champion belt. Like you did.
Alador: I goofed off a lot back then. But you have a bright future and shouldn't waste it on that nonsense.
"Yeah, you wouldn't believe the stories Eda told me about the stuff your dad got up to back then," Luz said. "Probably literally."
Amity: Uh, but-
Alador: You're welcome.
[The Abomaton walks off while holding Amity.]
"Seriously?" Camila said. "He isn't even going to let you down?"
[Cut to the Owl House.]
Amity: I don't even want to join a coven anymore. And this thing is so embarrassing, I even tried disguising it.
"Fashion is not your thing, is it?" Hunter said dryly. Amity threw some popcorn at his face.
Luz: Yeah. I actually think Eda has the same outfit.
[Luz stares at the Abomaton's outfit and touches it.]
Amity: The Bonesborough Brawl is the one cool thing my dad did before joining the Abomination Coven. It would've been nice to share something with him.
"It would have been nice if he had cared," Amity muttered.
[Cut to a close-up shot of a picture Amity is holding. It's a picture of her dad as a teenager holding the brawler's belt. Below the stage, some of the people among the audience include: Warden Wrath, Odalia, and Darius, who is booing. Eda and Raine are in the background goofing off together. Amity leans into Luz's shoulder, depressed.]
"Wait, Warden Wrath went to school with your parents?" Vee said. Amity nodded.
"Yeah, he's had that creepy crush on Eda ever since high school," Luz confirmed. "God, I hate that guy." Her eyes widened. "Oh, wait, I forgot, Vee. He's in this one! And he's…uh, you might want to leave the room later. I'll tell you when.
"Thanks, Luz. I'm lucky to have you thinking of me."
"Oh, look, there's Eda and Raine there in the background," Camila pointed out, trying to distract Vee. "They look like they're having fun."
Luz nodded. "They had some great times together…before it ended."
Luz: Well, hey, I'm here to help... you ditch the tryouts and enter the Brawl!
Amity: What?!
Luz: Come on. You should know I always go for the chaotic route.
Everyone else in the room nodded in agreement.
[Luz winks at Amity, making her look away blushing.]
Luz: And if you win, maybe you can use it as a chance to tell your dad that you don't want to join a coven anymore.
[Eda and King appear at the doorway to the living room.]
Eda: Did somebody say Bonesborough Brawl? I used to love going to those. Your pops was great in duels. Plus, if you go, you can get that ugly thing out of my house.
Amity: Hmm. You know what? I'll give it a shot.
[Amity circles a spell to make her voice change into her dad's voice.]
Amity: [In Alador's voice.] Abomination, fetch me, a, uh, rare and- and difficult to find emerald dagger from the Night Market!
"Oh, very impressive magic there, Amity!" Camila said. "Can you two do that?" she asked Gus and Willow.
"No, that's some pretty advanced magic," Willow said. "You should be proud of yourself!" Amity beamed.
[The Abomaton leaves the Owl House.]
Eda: That'll keep him busy.
Amity: But my dad can't find out that I ditched tryouts. Not until I win that belt.
Luz: Don't worry. I got you, boo.
[Cut to the forest. Edric and Emira appear.]
Edric and Emira: Hey, Mittens!
Amity gave a huge grin at seeing her siblings on the screen again. She wished they were here so much. Even though they'd no doubt tease her at every opportunity.
[Amity is annoyed, and Luz chuckles while keeping her calm.]
Emira: We're proud of you, sis.
Edric: Yeah, you're becoming more of a delinquent every day.
"Ordinarily, I'd say that wasn't something to be proud of, but if it means pissing off that dreadful mother of yours, then…yeah, you should be proud, Amity," Camila said.
Emira: All right, Ed. Hand over your Concealment Stone.
Edric: Like I need one of those.
[Emira grabs Edric and pulls him over.]
Edric: Hey!
Emira: Don't play games, Ed. I saw you take one this morning.
Edric: Well you saw wrong!
Amity: [To Luz.] This won't take long.
[Edric and Emira are fighting to get Edric's concealment stone.]
Edric: Wait.. What's that supposed to mean?
[Emira rolls Edric's sleeve, finding his concealment stone on his wrist.]
Emira: Found it!
[Emira takes Edric's concealment stone, then Edric's look suddenly changes. He's wearing a t-shirt, sweatpants, glasses, with his hair pulled back with a headband, and his little uneven moustache growing out.]
Willow couldn't help but giggle a little. So this was what the big man on campus Edric Blight really looked like. She should have known it was too good to be true.
"Do you wear one of those concealment stones, Amity?" Vee asked.
"Nope," Amity said smugly. "My beauty is all natural."
"And all encompassing," Luz added with a kiss.
Hunter scoffed. "Willow's prettier."
"Oh, you did not just go there!" Luz shouted. "Willow is lovely, but Amity's beauty is literally out of this world!"
As her siblings argued about who had the more beautiful girlfriend and Amity and Willow's blushing continued to intensify, Vee couldn't help but roll her eyes. She was above such petty arguments and besides, Masha was obviously more beautiful than both of them put together.
Edric: [Grunts.]
Emira: Here's mine too for a little extra flair.
[Emira takes off her concealment stone, then her look also changed. Her face is covered in acne growing out, her beauty mark is gone and her hair is messy.]
"Huh," Gus said. "Did not see that coming."
[Amity grabs the stones and starts to combine them together. Her whole looks suddenly changed within a poof too. She's wearing an abomination-themed dress, boots, golden earrings and pink shades, and her hair is tied up in a bun.]
"My cotton-candy haired goddess," Luz said in a starstruck tone. Now that she wasn't constantly beset by guilt and the looming specter of grief, she was able to properly appreciate how gorgeous her girlfriend looked.
Amity: Not bad.
[Luz runs over to Amity then starts to hug and spin her around.]
Luz: Ooh, so pretty!
"Willow's still prettier," Hunter muttered. Luz glared at him.
[Luz and Amity blush. Both Amity and Emira giggle.]
Announcer: Witches and demons, welcome to the Bonesborough Brawl!
[Audience cheers.]
Announcer: You know the rules. Contestants will fight one-on-one. Not for honor, not for glory, but for the ultimate bragging rights as the toughest dueler on the Isles!
[Audience cheers.]
Announcer: Last one standing will get the chance to snag the coveted Brawler's Belt from our reigning champion, Warden Wrath!
Vee got up from her seat. But then she sat down again. She had spent enough time running from her past. She could face Wrath if he was just a face on a screen, couldn't she?
"You're sure, Vee?" Camila asked.
Vee shrugged. "If I have to leave, I'll leave. But I think I wanna try staying."
"I'm so proud of you, basilisquito."
[Wrath gets on the arena, and starts flexing his belt.]
Announcer: For our first round, we have Scab the All-Knowing...
[Scab the All-Knowing gets to the arena.]
Luz scoffed. "If he was really all knowing, he'd have known better than to go up against my awesome girlfriend!"
Announcer: ...versus The Mighty Mittens!
"MIGHTY MITTENS!" Luz chanted and everyone joined her. "MIGHTY MITTENS!" Amity grinned. It was so nice to have a family – and that's what it truly was, even though she was joined by blood to none of them – who actually supported her. She'd dreamed of it for so long and now that it was finally here, it felt even better than she had hoped.
[Amity gets to the arena by riding an abomination to the arena.]
[Amity waves at Luz, Edric, and Emira. They wave back at her, and Luz blows Amity kisses.]
Announcer: Now let the brawl begin!
Camila was so excited. She not only got to see the Boiling Isles' equivalent to a mixed martial arts match, but she'd also see her daughter's girlfriend kicking ass. And if she was very lucky, she'd get to see Amity beat up Wrath, the person she hated most in the multiverse. Well, the person she hated most in the multiverse who was still alive, anyway.
[Scab jumps and takes off. They then starts to blast a ray from their orb to Amity. Amity blocks it by using her abomination.]
"I know a thing or two about how to block oracle magic," Amity bragged. "From studying," she quickly clarified honestly, lest Camila get the wrong idea.
[Amity transforms her abomination then launches it behind Scab and punches them from behind.]
[Cut to Luz closing her eyes to not see Amity's abomination punching Scab.]
Luz: [Inner-dialogue.] Wow! Amity's got this in the bag. Guess I, uh, don't need to do much. I can just sit back and think about things.
Oh, lovely, Luz thought. They can hear my thoughts now. Wait, can they hear what I'm thinking right now? Okay, Luz, it's okay. Don't think of your girlfriend wearing a – oh, damn it, now it's all I can think about!
"Luz, are you all right?" Camila asked. "You're sweating all of a sudden."
"I'm fine!" Luz said with a nervous laugh.
[Luz's phone starts ringing again, reminding her about the event. Edric and Emira emerges from Luz's back.]
Emira: Hey, Luz.
Edric: Ooh, what's that?
[Luz stares at her phone for a while, then ignores the event reminder again.]
"Luz, I have a favor to ask you," Amity said.
"You need but name it, sweet potato!"
"Never tell my siblings about the internet." Luz nodded vigorously in agreement.
Emira: You okay?
Luz: Yeah! Uh, yeah, I'm fine. 'Cause I just remembered the other part of the plan. Amity's gonna kick butt, like, for sure, but if I was fighting, too, she could get the belt faster. So, I'm also gonna sign up for the Bonesborough Brawl!
Camila frowned. "That doesn't make a whole lot of sense, mija. Didn't you have faith in your awesome girlfriend? And what would have happened if you two had to fight each other?"
"I…I was just trying to find something to distract me from thinking about…you know," Luz admitted.
[In the background, Scab gets thrown with Amity's abomination and crashes.]
[Cut to the woods near the arena, where the Blights watch Luz stretch.]
Amity: Wait, how is this supposed to help me?
Luz: Think of it like, tag teaming tournament! If I'm taking out contestants too, you have less people to worry about. More chances to win that belt!
Amity: Is everything okay? Eda told me it's a special day for you.
Luz: She did? I mean, I - it's nothing for you to worry about. Not even worth talking about. Really, I- I just wanna help you. Besides, can't let you have all the fun, Blight.
Luz looked down at the floor. "I'm sorry I lied…I didn't want you to know how much I was suffering. I didn't want to look weak."
"Yeah…I do understand what that's like," Amity admitted.
[Amity blushes.]
Amity: Just don't get hurt, okay?
Luz: Emira, do you know any healing spells?
Emira: I'm on it.
"I bet she learned them to impress a certain healing/beast keeping witch," Amity said with a smug smile.
Edric: Ooh, I can help too. I can make Batric sing for moral support.
[Edric circles in the air to make a spell, but fails.]
Edric: Ah, sorry. New spell. Let me try again.
[Edric circles in the air, and fails again.]
Emira: It's okay, Ed. Maybe you can just cheer from the sidelines?
Edric: Yeah, okay. Go get 'em, Mittens!
Luz sighed. She knew what it was like to feel embarrassed about failing in front of other people.
[Emira, Amity, and Luz walk away. Back to the Bonesborough Brawl.]
Announcer: Let's keep the brawl going! In one corner, [Points to the right.] we have... the Flexicutioner! [The Flexicutioner arrives with a loud thud.]
Camila let out a yelp. That was a huge axe the Flexicutioner was wielding! It was almost as tall as Luz! She really hoped Luz wouldn't get hurt.
And in the other, a last minute entry...
[An ice pillar grows, launching Luz from it. She then flips in the air and uses a plant glyph to grow vines that wrap around her and shield her from falling, which meets the floor with a loud thud. The vines unwrap around Luz as she raises her arms as if achieving victory.]
Announcer: ...the Spellraiser!
[Below the stage, Amity is shocked and blushes while Emira cheers for Luz.]
Luz looked over to her girlfriend and was pleased to note she was just as much in awe as she was the first time she saw this.
[Luz and the Flexicutioner approach the middle.]
Announcer: Let the brawl... begin!
[The Flexicutioner speeds off, leaving a gap from where he just stood, and launches towards Luz, preparing to attack her with his axe, but Luz dodges.]
Camila screamed. This was so much worse than she had thought! She should have been way more careful what she wished for. This wasn't a brawl, this was a gladiator fight! Children had no business being in this competition, much less her lucecita!
[She continues to escape his attacks until the Flexicutioner hits the ground with his axe, blowing Luz away who is about to fall, but slows her falling when she grabs a glyph from her pockets and slaps it on herself, which slows her landing once she is in near contact with the ground, and falls down. The Flexicutioner once more prepares to attack her with his axe, but Luz taps an invisibility glyph in her hand, making her go invisible and confusing the Flexicutioner. Unbeknownst to him, Luz reappears behind him. She then slaps a fire glyph on his back, which sends him ricocheting off the arena. The announcer then comes over and raises Luz's hand, declaring that she has won the match.]
"Whoo!" Gus shouted, waving his flags Sir Jeremiah van Leyden and Duchess Patricia R. Trout Jr. around to celebrate his friend's victory.
[Back at the venue, Amity faces against the Book Forger from "Sense and Insensitivity". They rush towards each other and attempts to push each other back, creating a power force so strong which causes both of them to fly backwards. The book forger summons a large rock from the ground and launches it at Amity. She immediately forms a shield with abomination which successfully blocks the incoming stone, but the force of impact is still strong enough to send her flying backwards. She hits the ground and rolls over multiple times, but eventually manages to sit up. She then summons some Abomination goo, wraps it around the book forger's foot, and throws him off the stage.]
"So beautiful," Luz breathed, staring at the screen in awe. "And so help me, Hunter, if you say Willow is prettier one more time!"
"All right, Luz. I won't say it anymore."
"Thank you."
He gave a diabolical grin at her. "Willow's hotter, though."
"WHY YOU LITTLE!" Luz tried to launch herself at Hunter, but Camila pulled her back.
[Below the stage, Emira is busy trying to cure an injury on Luz's knee with Healing magic. The book forger smashes into a pile of dirt next to them and then falls face down onto the ground. The audience cheers. Luz finds herself facing down an old goat demon. The demon smashes her walking cane into her knee, splitting it in half. She then starts shrieking, forming a battle aura around her. Luz immediately takes out 2 smoke glyphs from her pocket and smashes them together, creating a large amount of mist. She then escorts the demon out of the mist. The demon pushes her away and tries to walk off on her own, but accidentally falls off the stage instead. The announcer comes, grabs Luz's arm and lifts it up, declaring her the winner. The audience cheers. On stage, Warden Wrath is tossing a contestant in between his hands while laughing.]
Vee shivered upon seeing Wrath in all his sadistic glory. He may have been a joke to Luz, but he haunted Vee's nightmares continuously.
[Below the stage, Luz is doing some warm-ups while Emira is trying to cure a wound on Amity's knee with Healing magic.]
Luz: Woo! This is a workout! You doin' okay, Amity?
[Luz walks up to the duo and stares down at Amity's wound.]
Amity: Yeah. [Clenches teeth.] This is just a nasty one.
Luz: Ha! Reminds me of the Grudgby match. [Suddenly pushes Emira forward.] Oh! Remember when-
Emira: Hey, Luz! Maybe you can talk after? I need to focus.
Luz: [Steps back.] Oh! Of course, of course. I'll just... [Kneels down.] sit quietly... with my thoughts.
Camila winced. She had a hunch those thoughts weren't going to be fun ones.
Luz: [Inner monologue.] I just need a healthy distraction. Healthy distraction...
[Luz's phone starts buzzing and ringing again, which startles her, sending her into panic mode.]
Luz: [Stands up.] I'm gonna go take a walk.
[Luz walks away from the duo. Amity stares at her with a perplexed expression on her face. Scene cuts to Luz walking towards the entrance. She takes out her phone from her pocket and turns off the reminder.]
"Luz, why didn't you just delete the reminder?" Camila asked.
"I couldn't do that!" Luz said with a gasp. "That'd be like deleting the connection we had! I had so little connecting us…I couldn't give up on this, even if it upset me."
Camila wanted to argue, but she decided she would pick her battles. She had a hunch things were not going to get better for Luz.
Luz: Next time, I am throwing you into the ocean!
[Luz puts her phone back into her pocket and accidentally bumps into something. She steps back and notices that it's the Abomaton Amity sent out earlier.]
Luz: It's you! Geez. Did you actually find an emerald dagger?
[The Abomaton walks forward, going past Luz.]
Luz: Hey! Wait! Amity is so close to winning. Just stay back!
[While talking, Luz runs up to the front of the Abomaton and tries to hold it back, but it keeps advancing forward, which frustrates Luz.]
Luz: Fine! If that's the way you want it...
[Luz takes out an Ice Glyph and slaps on it, taking out an ice bat.]
Luz: Hi-yah!
Luz gave a nervous chuckle at Amity. "Sorry?"
[Luz swings the bat at the Abomaton's head and hits it. It wobbles and then restores itself. A warning light bulb pops up from atop the Abomaton's head and flashes, along with the sound of an alarm going off. Luz gasps.]
The one thing Luz remembered most from the day her father died wasn't anything at the hospice itself, but rather the ambulance blaring outside of it. There had been a car accident outside the building and the sounds of the ambulance echoed in her mind. It would never truly leave her, she believed. That alarm sounded just like that ambulance. For a few seconds, Luz was right there again, watching her father die.
Luz: [Screams and covers her ears.] Get out of my head!
"I love you so much, lucecita," the pale and skeletally thin Manny Noceda told her, gripping her arm with a shadow of the strength he'd once possessed. "Never forget that…never forget how much I love you…"
[Luz slams a Plant Glyph into the ground, creating a wood stump below her which pushes her upwards.
"Don't…don't leave me!" Luz sobbed, breaking her vow to try to stay composed and not upset her father. Not the last of the vows she'd break. "Don't…you promised! You promised me you'd stay strong!"
…promise me, Luz…
She then jumps off it and swings at the bulb, breaking it and knocking it onto the ground.
"If you loved me, if you really loved me, you'd keep that promise!" Luz shouted, as her mind screamed at her to stop, that she didn't want these to be the last words she'd say to her father.
But it was too late.
[After landing, Luz looks up at the Abomaton with a horrified expression.]
Manny tried to say something, but he couldn't summon the strength to say the words, and then there was a loud and sporadic beeping sound, and then…flatline.
Emira: Luz!
He was gone.
[Luz looks back and notices Amity and Emira running up to her.]
Manny was gone forever and the last thing she'd ever said to him was that he didn't love her. And she'd have to carry that with her for the rest of her life.
[She immediately throws the ice bat aside and turns towards the duo.]
Emira: Is everything okay?
Luz: Hey, guys! Look who I found!
Amity: Ugh. It's back already! You didn't touch it, right? Dad filled this thing with alarms.
Luz: Uh, of... course not.
Luz groaned. Why had she lied to Amity? What possible reason could she have had? She didn't understand it at all. It made no sense.
[Luz and Amity hear growling and look towards it. On the stage, Warden Wrath begins spouting fire. The audience cheers.]
Everyone in the room gave a loud boo.
Luz: [Grabs Amity's hand.] Come on, Amity. It's showtime!
[Cut to later on stage.]
Announcer: Now, we're getting close to the end, folks! Will the Warden lose the Champion's Belt?
"I certainly hope so!" Camila said. "You kick his ass, Amity!"
[Warden Wrath takes off his mask and begins to spout fire while growling. He then tilts his head upwards and spouts an even bigger fire while growling. The audience cheers. Luz's taps on Amity's shoulder to get her attention, and imitates Warden Wrath's growl in a funny way, causing Amity to burst out giggling. Luz then giggles together with her. After that, the duo gets ready to fight, with Luz patting Amity on the shoulders.]
Announcer: The Mighty Mittens versus the Warden! Now, let the brawl-
[The ground suddenly shakes, causing the announcer to glance down in shock. Luz almost falls, but manages to grab onto Amity's arm.]
Alador: Stop!
Camila growled at the screen. Trust Amity's father to ruin what would have been one of the most satisfying moments of Camila's life.
[Alador emerges from the ground wrapped in a layer of Abomination goo.]
Alador: This child forfeits the match.
"He doesn't have the right to decide that for you!" Willow said.
[Everyone else is shocked.]
Amity: Dad? How did you find us?
[Alador's abomination starts to lower him on the ground and is eventually scooped back into a container attached to his back.]
Alador: Not only did you ditch the coven tryouts, but someone set off your Abomaton's alarm. I just followed its signal. [Hands her the broken alarm.]
Luz flinched. Camila squeezed her hand.
[Amity stares at the alarm in shock while Luz nervously looks away.]
Amity: [Feeling betrayed.] Luz, did you... lie to me earlier?
Luz: [Nervously.] I didn't wanna worry you.
Amity: Well, I am worried! You've been acting weird all day and now I'm in trouble! What is going on with you?
Luz: It's nothing, really. Seriously, it- it's nothing!
"You are a dreadful liar," Hunter pointed out.
"Well, I happen to like being honest with people I care about," Luz snapped. "It's hard to lie to family."
"And yet you did it anyway," Camila reminded her before she could stop herself. Luz looked down at the floor, feeling ashamed.
[Amity is saddened by Luz's refusal to open up and her face turns sorrowful.]
Warden Wrath: Hey!
[Alador, Amity and Luz look towards him.]
Warden Wrath: I'm tired of standing around. I came here to fight! [Launches himself with his hands which have turned into tentacles.]
Vee let out a shriek and started trembling.
[Before he could attack, he is countered by abomination goo summoned by Alador, which eventually encases his body except his face.]
Warden Wrath: No! No! [Breathes fire, but stops when Alador's abomination goo whisks him to the floor.]
Announcer: Oh, well, it looks like the Champion's Belt goes to... [Gets Warden's champion belt and prepares to hand it to Alador.]
Alador: [Turns around and walks away.] I already have one. [To Amity.] Mittens, go round up Edric and Emira. We're leaving.
Amity: But-
Alador: [Serious.] And if we beg, maybe we can sign you up for the next tryout.
[Alador attempts to take Amity's hand but she slaps it away angrily.]
Amity: No! I'm not going anywhere with you. [Summons an invisibility glyph from Luz's pocket.] Either of you. [Inhales and runs away vanishing.]
Amity remembered the feeling of betrayal she had at that moment. She hadn't felt so alone in years. Luz, the person she loved more than anyone, had lied to her, had caused Alador to crush yet another one of her dreams.
Luz: Amity! [Runs after her, leaving Alador. Luz tries to find Amity with no luck, only to discover her glasses lying near her feet. She walks over as the background changes to the tree she and Amity grew at Grom together. Upon seeing Amity, she walks closer.]
Luz: Can I, uh, sit here?
[Amity merely nods, and she sits down beside her.]
Amity: I've always wanted to enter this Brawl. I thought it would be fun to bring home the belt. And I thought I could understand my dad better. But then you joined the competition. And then you tried to mess with that Abomaton on your own. And then you lied about it.
[Luz looks away guiltily.]
Amity: You've been acting strange all day. Does it have something to do with the Human Realm?
Luz: Oh, okay, okay. I don't talk about this cause it happened like, a long time ago, and it's like totally not an issue anymore but, uh...
Camila put her hands on her hips. "Luz…you shouldn't try to downplay your pain. It's not healthy. Of course it's still an issue. It's an issue for me too! I miss him every single day."
[Luz hands her phone to Amity, who presses the reminder she had been avoiding all day. It says "Anniversary at Gravesfield Graveyard. When: 5:00."]
Luz: Today's the anniversary of my dad passing away. That's, not an excuse for what I did. Like I said it happened a while ago so I, uh...
"The last thing I ever said to him was that he didn't love me," Luz said softly, shocked that the words were even exiting her mouth. "I told him, if he really loved me, he'd stay! He'd hold on! He'd fight! He'd live!"
Camila could not stop herself from crying. "Oh my God, Luz. You've been carrying that around with you for years?" Luz nodded. "Oh, no wonder you're trying to blame yourself for everything. You just…you think you should be punished, don't you?"
Luz was silent for a long while, and then she nodded. "Well, I'm afraid I'll have to disagree with you on that one," Camila said firmly. "You slipped up, said the wrong thing. Manny would not hate you for it. He does not hate you for it."
"Well, I hate myself for it!" Luz shouted. "And I am so, so sick of it! I want to stop feeling this way! I want to stop hating myself! I want the guilt to go away! I want to believe in myself the same way you all do, but I can't!" She should have been crying. Why was she not crying?
By Luz's feet, unnoticed by all of them, a crack appeared in her palisman egg.
[Amity looks at her in shock.]
Luz: ...Didn't want to bring it up.
[Amity scrolls through the photos Luz has with her parents, eventually the later ones with only her and her mom when she was younger.]
"He looks really nice, Luz," Gus offered. "He doesn't look like the sort of person who would blame you for wanting him to stay."
Hunter felt a vague sense of…he wasn't really sure, looking at the screen. Was it possible to mourn someone he'd never even met? Who wasn't even related to him by blood? Because if it was, he was probably doing it. "Do you think…do you think he would have liked me?"
"Liked you?" Camila said. "Hunter, querido, he would have adored you! And you too, Vee. Oh, he would have been the happiest man in the world if he could have raised you two. I just wish he would have gotten the chance."
Luz: He always brought us flowers on our birthdays, so, after he passed away, we started picking flowers for each other. And then we'd visit his grave, and me and my mom would spend the day together.
"We'll do it again," Camila vowed. "All four of us, we'll all spend the day together."
"He's not my dad…" Hunter said weakly.
"He is," Camila said, her tone making it clear arguing is futile. "I knew him better than anyone, even you, Luz. And I am telling you right now, Manny would have done anything to be your father."
It's nice. But, this year, I-I'm not with her, and... I don't have any flowers. And when you told me about the problem with your dad, I don't know. [Starts to tear up.] Maybe I was jealous or, just, needed a distraction. [She bows her head.] I was dumb. I'm sorry.
"It's good that you're communicating with her now, sweetie," Camila pointed out. "Communication is the key to any relationship. It's better you learn the lesson as soon as possible, no matter how much it may hurt. If you can't be honest with each other, there's not much point to being in a relationship."
[Amity is about to console Luz when they both heard sounds of people screaming. They look towards the source of sound and gasp. Amity immediately takes off, but Luz collapses after standing and her legs are wobbly; Amity looks back at her.]
Luz: [Chuckles.] Whoops, got a case of the ole jelly legs. I'll catch up.
"I just wish I could be a better daughter," Luz lamented. "I failed you and Dad! I'm just so selfish. I always make it about me."
"Well, being selfish is a part of being human – er, sentient," Camila quickly backtracked. "It's only natural you wanted your dad to stay. I promise you, he doesn't hold it against you. And…seeing all this, putting your past in perspective, I understand why you lied to me too. I don't like it, but, Luz, I really do understand now. So…I don't know if this helps…but I forgive you."
There was a crackling sound and Luz looked down at her feet and let out an enormous gasp. Her palisman had cracks in it that were getting bigger! Her palisman was hatching!
[Amity looks towards the noise and back at Luz.]
"Oh my gosh, I wonder what it's gonna look like!" Luz said, bouncing up and down in her seat. Everyone stared at the palisman, absolutely enraptured. None of them had ever seen anything like this before.
Before their very eyes, a head emerged from the palisman egg…and then another one. Both of them were attached to the same body, the body of a snake with white and green scales – the exact shades of Azura's outfit and hair respectively. The two-headed snake immediately slithered into Luz's lap and rubbed itself against her leg.
Luz's eyes were shining bright with tears. "He loves me…" she whispered. "Oh my gosh, he loves me!"
"Of course he does, Luz," Camila said. "You're a very loveable person. Have you picked a name for him?"
"Gildersnake," Luz said immediately. "His name is Gildersnake, he is my palisman, and I love him so, so much!"
Gus tilted his head. "I thought Gildersnake was a bad guy. Didn't Azura fight him in that book report you did?"
"Well, in book 4, Azura had to venture into the underworld to bring Hecate's soul back to the land of the living," Luz explained. "And there, she found Gildersnake. It turned out he'd actually been under the control of the Dark Lich. In reality, he was a really nice person who'd been forced to do horrible things. In the end, he was ready to sacrifice himself to save Azura from the Chthonic One, but Azura convinced him he still had so much to live for, despite the people he was made to hurt. Well, unlive for, anyway. She was able to restore him too, and he became a noble hero."
She petted her snake. "I love you so much, buddy. We're gonna do some incredible things together."
Amity: [Blushing.] I don't know what rituals you have in the Human Realm, but, I'll help you pick some flowers, and we can do something here!
[Amity leaves as Luz looks at her, also blushing. Amity arrives at the arena to see Wrath transformed into a monster, wreaking havoc on the crowd.]
Vee let out a shout of fright and started trembling. At Luz's command, Gildersnake jumped over to her and wrapped himself around her neck, both of his heads licking her face. Vee seemed to calm down, though she clutched Gildersnake to her tightly nonetheless.
Amity: Dad! I got your back! What?
[She attempts to summon an abomination but Alador uses some goo to drop her back with Edric, Emira and King, knocking her hair loose.]
Emira: [Displeased.] What the heck, Dad!?
Edric: Boo! [Alador continues to hold off Wrath.]
Camila was of two minds. On the one hand, it was a responsible thing to try to keep Amity from putting herself in danger, but on the other, she could definitely see how Amity took it as just another example of Alador not taking her abilities or opinions seriously.
Amity: [Stands up angrily.] Oh, he just doesn't get it! [Harpy Eda lands nearby.]
"So…Eda doesn't happen to be seeing anyone at the moment, is she?" Camila said, trying to keep her voice deliberately casual. "You know, hypothetically speaking."
Luz shook her head. "I hear she likes eating fairy pies," she said with an evil grin. "You know, hypothetically speaking."
Are you guys doing okay?
Harpy Eda: For now, but nothing phases this guy, and we have to turn him back to normal.
"Or you could kill him?" Camila suggested.
Edric: [Stands up.] Well, if the heat from the fire bee honey caused the potion to mutate, then maybe something cold would reverse it?
Amity's mouth dropped open. Since when did Edric know so much about beast keeping and potions?
Harpy Eda: We don't have time for a new potion!
Luz: [Offscreen.] You don't need one. [Everyone looks at her; Amity gasps.] I can handle this. Eda, can you give me a lift?
Harpy Eda: You got it, kiddo. [Flies off.]
Luz: [Walks over to Amity.] Thank you for listening. [Holds Amity's hand.] I can't wait to pick flowers with you. [She walks back and fans some glyphs in her hand, and her other hand gets caught by Harpy Eda.]
[Alador, meanwhile, is having trouble controlling the Abomaton, which is cruelly being smashed by the monster Wrath. The Abomaton gets thrown off and is smashed by Wrath's jelly hand. Just then, another abomination appears and helps the Abomaton, to Alador's shock, the abomination is revealed to have been summoned by Amity. Alador once again prepares to send her off, but she stops him.]
Amity: I'm making my own choices from now on.
Luz gave Amity a round of applause, but Amity's attention was more drawn to the proud grin Camila was giving her. It was so nice to have a parental figure who actually approved of what she did, even if it wasn't her own.
Alador: But-
Amity: You're welcome. [Divides her spell circle into two.]
"Oh, snap!" Gus said.
Edric: Hold him down!
[Both Alador and Amity nod to each other, then dispel their circles and create another larger one, combining their abominations, which hold Wrath in place. Alador looks at Amity, still focused, and he looks back proudly. Harpy Eda and Luz arrive; Luz throws the glyphs in mid-air as Harpy Eda turns around and they both activate the glyphs, creating large amounts of snow that encase Wrath as the Blights' abomination release him. Everyone comes back to where Alador and Amity are.]
Alador: Edalyn.
Harpy Eda: Alador.
Alador: [Eyeing Harpy Eda.] Were you always able to do that? [Harpy Eda turns back into her normal form in a puff of smoke.]
Eda: Don't you have family stuff to clear up? Also, I heard about the factory incident with Luz. I've got my eyes on you, Blight. [Slowly walks away raising two fingers
Camila was very disappointed. That was all Alador was going to get? Just a warning? Eda wasn't going to turn back into the harpy form and slash him with those talons? Those sharp…beautiful talons…which glinted in the light so perfectly…
"Camila, are you okay?" Willow said. "You're looking a little peaky all of a sudden. Maybe I should get you a glass of water?"
Camila coughed. "Uh, yes, Willow, that would be lovely." Next to her, Luz smirked and much to Camila's horror, Gildersnake gave an identical smirk. And he had twice the heads to smirk with!
and pulls Wrath out of the snow.] What's going on at the castle? What's really gonna happen on the Day of Unity? Have Raine's memories been altered?
Warden Wrath: I don't know! I don't know. I actually got demoted for stealing my coworker's lunches.
Camila scoffed. That was why he got demoted. Not the whole torturing children thing?!
I just wanted to feel in control again, you know? [Eda growls angrily and her arm turns into a claw.]
"I brought you some water, Camila!" Willow said, returning with a glass in her hand.
"Oh, thank you, querida," Camila said. "Perfect timing." She slurped at the water without any dignity whatsoever.
Okay, okay, okay. I don't know about Raine, but I have heard some things. The Day of Unity is supposedly going to unite us with the Titan, but some of us don't think this "new world" would be very inviting to magickind.
"You don't know the half of it," Luz muttered.
[Eda's claw arm turns back to normal.] Wild or not. [Eda pushes him back into the snow.]
Eda: Hmm..
Edric: [Runs over.] Ms. Eda! I am so, so sorry. I messed everything up.
Eda: Are you kidding? Instead of making a blabber serum, you made a horrifying transformation serum! [She scrapes some snow off to reveal Wrath.]
Warden Wrath: I think I'm gonna puke! [Proceeds to puke.]
Camila grimaced. At least she didn't have to see it. She wasn't sure what she'd have done if she did.
Eda: Well, the side effects aren't pretty, but I can sell this. [Gets something from her hair.] Illusions, beastkeeping, and potion magic? [King crawls up to Eda's shoulder.] Keep it up, kid. You got a future in wild magic.
[Eda throws Edric a "Bad Girl Coven" t-shirt.]
Edric: Thanks, Ms.-
Emira: [Runs in front of Edric.] I want a t-shirt too!
"We're gonna make a mint by selling those things when everything's all settled," Luz said smugly.
[Scene slowly pans to Alador and Amity.]
Alador: What? You don't want to join the Emperor's Coven anymore? But that's- that's always been your dream.
Amity: No, that's always been Mom's dream.
"Yeah, you tell him!" Camila shouted. Amity grinned.
And you just went along with it. [Starts to blush.] I bet you didn't even know I was dating Luz!
"Not that I would have told him before this," Amity admitted. "I couldn't let Mom know. She'd have…well, you know what she did, Luz."
Alador: Edalyn's kid?
"He probably thinks I'm her real – er, biological daughter, doesn't he?" Luz asked. Amity nodded.
Amity: See? You don't talk to us anymore! You're too busy making these monsters for the Emperor, and Mom's been too busy trying to dye my hair green.
"Seriously, it was so annoying," Amity complained. "Over and over again! If you didn't like it so much, Luz, I'd probably have given in just to shut her up."
Alador: I.. I like your new hair color. It's abomination-colored.
"And cotton candy haired," Luz whispered. Amity blushed.
Amity: Finally someone gets it. Can you tell Mom that?
Alador: I'll talk to her. [He tries to reach out for a hug but Amity instead shakes his hand.]
Amity: It's a start.
[Back at the Grom tree, Amity walks over to find Luz on a cliff picking flowers, most of which are dead. She sits next to her.]
Amity: Find any good ones?
Luz: No, not really.
Amity: Let me try.
[She tries to draw a plant glyph on the soil, but when she activates it, all that comes out is an ugly vine.]
"Not too bad for your first attempt, Amity!" Willow pointed out.
Amity: [Offscreen.] Ugh. [Cont.] How do you get it to do what you want?
Luz: You gotta know what you need. [Starts drawing a plant glyph on the soil.] I can't believe I didn't try this first. My head's really on backwards today.
"It also helps to have a perfect circle," Luz pointed out. "I'll show you how when we get back! I mean, if…" She looked at Camila, who kept her poker face.
[Her glyph is more well-drawn and upon activating it, pretty flowers spring from it. She picks them and turns to Amity.]
Luz: Now what?
[Amity summons abomination goo from the jar in her pocket, and it morphs into a balloon, which she hands to Luz. Luz ties the flowers to the balloon and after closing her eyes for a while, she lets it float away.]
Amity: Do you think they'll reach the Human Realm?
Luz: Probably doesn't work that way, but... it's a nice thought, right?
"I bet they did," Camila said softly. "Yeah, there's probably some abomination goo scattered in the woods right now."
[Luz and Amity hold hands as petals flow across them and away with the balloon.]
"So…I always wondered what you were doing at this point, mom," Luz said. "Maybe you can show me?" Camila downloaded the memories onto the mirror.
[Back in the Human Realm, at the Noceda residence, Camila somberly places a flower in the vase that's on a windowsill. Vee can be seen behind her, mixing something. As Camila looks up at the sky, she sniffs sadly. Then, she smiles faintly and walks away.]
"I'm sorry I wasn't there," Luz said quietly.
"Well, the important thing is you're here now," Camila assured her. "And now I have even more family than before! Like I said, I'm not happy you lied to me or that you ran away. But I wouldn't trade this," she gestured at her children, their girlfriends, and Gus, "for anything."
Gildersnake hopped back onto Luz's lap. "Thanks, little buddy," she said. "I'm glad you're here. I'm gonna need all the help I can get for the next one."
"How bad is it?" Camila said. "On a scale of one to ten?"
"Oh, this one goes up to eleven," Luz said with a humorless smile.
Author's Note: The next chapter will be Hollow Mind, followed by Them's the Breaks, Kid.
