CHAPTER 4: The Intruders

[Open on the Owl House exterior. Cut to a video recording of King's eye]

Luz: *voiceover* And here we have the most fearsome creature in the world, the King of Demons.

Luz zooms out the recording to show King trying to tear a sock off his nose.

Luz: Facing his natural enemy, the ducky sock.

King tears the sock into pieces then steps on and punches the remnants.

King: Where are you now, ducky sock?!

[Cut to Luz and Sora sitting next to each other with phones in their hands]

Luz: That's a cool-looking phone.

Sora: Thanks. It's called a Gummiphone.

Luz: Gummi? As in candy?

Sora: Not quite.

King: *clears throat* Luz.

Luz: Oh, sorry, King. So, why'd you call me here again?

King: Glad you ask, now heed my words.

King climbs up a table.

King: Human Luz, you've been so obsessed with witchcraft that you haven't learned anything about my kind. Prepare yourself for...

King rips off a curtain to reveal a corkboard of photos of various demons, puts on a hat, and spins the cord on top of it.

King: Demons 101. Demons like me are grim tricksters of the twilight, creatures of sulfur and bone.

Luz: *zooming in with her camera* And cute little paws.

King: *sigh* And cute little paws. True. We live only to create chaos and misery. Our only weaknesses are purified water and passive‐aggressive comments. Sometimes.

Luz: Oh, you guys are sensitive.

King: Even demons have inner demons.

King then tears off one of the pictures to reveal a snarling demon.

King: The most powerful demon of all is the Snaggleback. He is a‐‐

Luz: Bad boy!

Luz applies colored filters that appear over the screen, followed by several stickers. Luz aims her phone down and taps on her screen.

King: Luz, pay attention. This information could save your life someday.

Luz: No, no. I am so paying attention. This is my paying attention face. *nodding* Mm‐hmm, mm‐hmm, mm‐hmm.

Lightning crashes, immediately followed by a thunder rumble. Luz, Sora, and King look outside.

King: Uh‐oh. Looks like it's gonna rain.

Luz: *gasp* I love the rain.

Sora: Alright!

King: Hey, wait.

Luz opens the door and exhales.

Luz: I always love feeling the first few drops in my hair.

Luz and Sora walk towards a flower and kneels.

Luz: I bet you do too, little buddy.

A water drop drops down to the flower, making it wither and die immediately.

Luz: What?

Sora: ?!

Eda yells out to everyone near the house.

Eda: Boiling rain! Everybody inside now!

Luz: Huh? *yelps*

Eda grabs Luz and Sora's arms and drags them inside. Objects crash and clatter.

Eda: Phew! That was close. But the important thing is you didn't get hurt.

We see the living room in a mess, with Luz lying on top of Sora.

Luz: Yup. Not hurt.

Sora: *groan* Eda, you didn't have to drag and toss us.

Luz and Sora then notice each other's faces being a little too close to each other, and the two blush immensely.

Luz: Eep!

Sora: Gah!

Luz got up, and the two backed away from each other very fast in a panicky manner while avoiding eye contact.

Luz: *fast-talking* I'm so sorry, Sora. I didn't see ya there.

Sora: Um, same here. Sorry.

[Cut to everyone outside, Sora leaning on the wall, Luz and King sitting down under the roof, while Eda standing out in the rain with a yellow aura over head]

King is putting a bandage on a burn on Luz's arm. He puts another bandage on his snout.

King: Look, now we're boo‐boo buddies.

Luz: *squeal* Oh, my gosh, I love you so much.

Everybody then looks at Eda, who is doing a spell of some kind.

Luz: A boiling rainstorm on the Boiling Isles. The weather here is so fun.

Eda: Yeah, we don't have weather. We have plagues, gorenados, shale hail, painbows.

King: It's like a rainbow but looking at it turns you inside out.

Luz and Sora pull their hoods closed to hide their face.

Eda: So, until the boiling rain stops, no one is allowed outside tonight.

King: And if the rain doesn't get you, the Snaggleback will.

King opens a book, showing a picture of the Snaggleback.

King: They wander the rain, feeding on boiled tourists.

Eda: Well, whatever the case, this force field spell should protect the house from boiling rains and made‐up demons.

Hooty: Hoot! Well, hurry it up with that force field! That rain is getting closer to my precious stucco!

Eda: Yeah, yeah, I got it.

Eda uses her staff to grab the light ball and stamps the staff down to the ground. A round yellow force field engulfs the house, then shrinks to shape closely around it. Eda then begins walking toward the house.

Luz: Wow! Someday I'd like to be as cool as Eda the Owl Lady. Magical, sassy, surprisingly foxy for her age.

Sora looks at Eda for a bit but then shrugs it off, thinking nothing more than one word.

Sora: *thinking* Hm.

Luz: Hey, why do they call you the Owl Lady, anyway?

Eda: 'Cause I'm so wise.

Hooty: 'Cause she coughs up rat bones.

Luz: Why do you think, Sora?

Sora crosses his arms and closes his eyes.

Sora: Hmm... I don't know, maybe because... Eda's a real HOOT?

There was a pause between everyone until sudden uncontrollable laughter burst. Eda, on the other hand, was not amused.

Eda: Hilarious, Sora.

Sora: I know.

Eda: *sigh*. *thinking* You're lucky you're endearing.

Everyone else stops laughing to catch their breath.

King: I think it's 'cause she gets distracted by shiny objects.

Eda: No, I don't.

King takes out a pen and clicks it, making the diamond on top glow. Eda, seeing this, has her eyes widened in delight.

Eda: It sparkles and shimmers. It shines and delights. I must have it for my nest...

She lunges for the pen, but King puts it behind his back, and she crashes on the ground.

Eda: *groan*

Luz: You have a nest? I want a nest! Nest party!

Luz and Sora help Eda up.

Eda: Ugh. That force field really took it out of me.

King: Uh‐oh. Moving a little slow, age finally catching up to ya?

Eda pulls King's hat over his face.

King: Aagh! Darkness!

As Eda enters the house, everyone else follows.

Luz: This is perfect. Since we'll be stuck in the house all night, Eda won't have any excuse not to teach me a spell.

King: But, don't you wanna finish our lesson? I was gonna let you scratch a demon's tummy. Me!

Luz: Oh, uh, sorry, King. But... magic.

King is visibly frustrated. His horn pierces his hat, making it deflate. Walking behind a privacy screen, Eda snaps her fingers, causing a glow of light as she drops her staff. When she emerges from the other side, she's in her pajamas. She sighs as she lies down on the couch. Luz's shadow falls over Eda, startling her.

Eda: Ahh!

Luz: Oh, Eda, have I told you how rad your fang looks today?

Eda: Whatever it is, no.

Luz: Uh, and your hair is like... girl.

Eda: I'm not teaching you magic tonight. I'm sleepy.

She covers her body with a blanket.

Eda: I'm a sleepy little owl.

Luz: Please, Eda, please. How am I supposed to earn my witch's staff if I don't know any spells?

Eda: No. Sleep.

She covers her whole head with a blanket. Eda starts to get comfortable until she hears something clicking.

Eda: *gasp* Sparkle thing.

Eda sits up, still wrapped in the blanket, and watches as Luz clicks the pen several times.

Luz: Oh, this?

Eda tosses aside the blanket in favor of perching on the arm of the couch.

Eda: Ooh!

Luz moves the pen tauntingly. Eda tries to swipe for it.

Luz: Nope.

But Luz moves her arm, making Eda miss and fall.

Luz: Teach me one spell, and I'll give you your sparkle thing.

Eda: I respect your cunning, but I also hate you for it.

Flash of lightning with a clap of thunder.

[Cut to Eda standing in front of Luz sitting, with Sora leaning against a wall with his arms folded behind his head]

Eda: If you want a witch's staff like mine, *yawn* don't make me repeat myself.

Eda gasps as she wakes herself up.

Eda: Witch's staffs have power embedded into them.

Luz: Gimme!

Eda: But before one is earned, every witch needs to know how to cast spells on their own. Now...

Eda throws staff to the side.

Eda: Tonight, I will show you how to create... light.

Eda Draws a circle with her finger in the air, which glows yellow. White light sparks in the center, forming a large ball of light. It descends until it's in front of Luz's face, where it disappears.

Luz: *gasp*

Sora was intrigued, remembering his time training to use magic under the tutelage of a wizard named Merlin.

King: Yawn! Who needs another boring spell lesson when you could be learning all the fun ways a demon could kill you.

King holds up a drawing of a demon with giant teeth.

King: Look how teeth-y. Bite, bite.

Luz: Be quiet. I need to focus.

King becomes saddened hearing that.

Eda: Now, humans think magic is made out of thin air, but that's stupid. Everything comes from something. Let me ask you, kid. Where do you think magic comes from?

Luz: Uh, from the heart?

Sora took notice of what Luz had said.

Eda: Actually, you're right.

Luz gasps in joy and blushes.

Sora slightly nods in agreement.

Eda: No, really.

Eda pulls out a diagram of viscera from her hair and shows it to Luz.

Eda: It comes from a sac of magic bile attached to a witch's heart.

Luz: Oh, gross.

Sora shrugs in disgust.

Luz: Can I keep that?

Eda: No.

Eda shoves the diagram back in her hair.

Eda: Now, everything depends on the spell circle.

Eda demonstrates by drawing a large circle in the air.

Eda: The bigger the circle, the more powerful the spell.

The circle bursts out, creating a much bigger light than before. It fades much faster.

Luz: But how can I, little ol' Luz, do spells if I don't have a magic bile... sac?

Sora crossed his arms and closed his eyes in thought.

Eda: You know, I'm not actually sure.

Luz: What?

Sora opens his eyes towards Eda.

Eda: I know witches did magic differently in the past, but I never bothered to figure out how. *chuckle* *snorts*

Luz: Eda!

Eda: Don't worry. You'll figure it out. Now‐‐

Eda stands and cracks her back.

Eda: I need to lie down.

Luz: That's it? Wait! I need to see you do the circle thingy again. I'll record it on my phone this time.

[Cut to Luz recording Eda]

Luz: Smile! You're on camera. One more spell won't kill you.

Eda: *groan* Fine. Now, you see, the... *draws a shaky circle* spell circle is really key because‐‐

The circle disappears as she yawns.

Eda: Ooh, boy.

Eda falls to the ground.

King: Welp, looks like one more spell killed Eda.

Luz: *yelp*

Eda is rolled over on the floor.

Luz: Oh, my gosh. My obsession with spells knocked out Eda! I'm a monster!

Sora puts his hand on Luz's shoulder.

Sora: Relax, I'm sure she just needs sleep.

King: Bap!

King slaps Eda's face.

King: Yep. She's out. Bap!

He slaps Eda's face again and laughs.

King: Just making sure.

Luz: We should get help, right?

She runs to the door but is stopped by King grabbing her leg and Sora grabbing her shoulder.

Sora/King: Boiling rains, remember?!

Hooty: No, let her try. It'll be funny.

Sora, not amused by Hooty, slams the door.

Luz: But what if Eda's dead?

Sora: Nonsense. Like I said, I'm sure she just needs sleep.

Eda: *sleep talking* Shiny thing. Big nest. *snoring*

Sora: See?

King: Also, remember when her head got cut off last week? That woman can survive anything.

Sora's eyes widened hearing what King had just said.

Sora: EDA'S HEAD WAS CUT OFF?!

King: Oh yeah, you weren't there.

Luz and Sora looked at each other with widened eyes.

Luz: I KNOW. I WAS FREAKED OUT WHEN I SAW IT HAPPEN.

King: In any case, She's probably just tired from staying up all night chasing shrews and voles.

Luz: Well, we can't just leave her on the floor.

Sora: I got it.

Luz and King turn to Sora's voice, seeing him effortlessly carrying Eda. A thunderclap later, Sora, with Eda in his arms, Luz, and King walk into Eda's room. Sora gently places Eda in her bed, her bed being a giant nest that is, to which Eda then starts snoring.

Sora: There we go.

Luz: Sorry for pushing you, Miss Eda. Please don't hurt me when you wake up.

King: Should I bap her again?

Luz rubs King's head.

Luz: Just let her rest, you little goober. Come on. Let's go downstairs.

King was about smack Eda's face again until Sora catches him.

Sora: Nope.

Sora then carries King and walks back to the living room.

King: Aww.

[Cut to the living room, where King is redrawing a demon with several mouths. When he finishes, he holds up his notepad]

King: Yeah, yeah.

Luz groans trying to draw a spell circle.

Luz: This is all she does. Why you gotta be so cryptic, Owl Lady?

Luz then hits play on the video.

Eda: (on the video) Now, you see, the spell circle is really...

King puts his notepad over Luz's phone.

King: Hey, you know what's really cryptish? Let me tell you about the most spine‐chilling demon.

King lifts his notepad to show a fish-like demon.

King: Smoochy‐pie the Sweetie Baby! He's... Well, he's a lot more threatening than his name implies.

Luz: N-Not now, King. I want to figure out this spell. But if I don't have a magic sac, what's the point? I'll just be twirling my fingers around un-magically forever.

King becomes upset hearing this while Luz turns to Sora.

Luz: Oh yeah, Sora!

Sora: Hm?

Luz: You use magic, right?!

Sora: Yeah.

Luz: How do you do it?

Sora: Mainly through my keyblade. A wizard named Merlin taught me.

Luz: But can you use magic without your keyblade?

Sora: I can, but I'm not exactly good at it, their power is much weaker. And I don't do any of that magic circle stuff. So, if you're asking me to teach you, sorry. I don't exactly know how to teach another.

Luz: Awww.

King: Why do you want to learn magic so bad, anyway?

Luz: I was a nobody back home. *sits down* But becoming a witch is my chance to be someone. Do you know what it's like to have no one take you seriously?

Sora understands Luz on that part a bit, recalling how his friends from his world would sometimes tease him about it occasionally.

King: *sigh*

Thunder distantly rumbles.

King: If I help you learn that spell, could we finish our lesson?

Luz puts her phone away.

Luz: Oh, yes, yes. You can teach me about demons all week if you help me learn this spell.

King: Well, she said witches used to do magic differently, so there has to be a way, right?

King draws something and shows it to Luz.

King: And I have a theory. Every day I notice Eda sneaking drinks of this special elixir, see? Then she always gets a boost of energy, see? I think that's where she gets her powers. And I know where to get some.

Luz: Really?

King: Sí.

Luz: Thank you so much. You're a prince.

King: King. I'm King.

Luz: Right.

[Cut to Eda's room, where flashes of lightning go off outside her window. Eda is snoring in her nest. The door squeaks open, and King steps in and looks around]

King: Now, where could it be...

He notices a bright orange potion on Eda's side table. He starts sneaking over to it, stopping at a metal clang.

King: *gasp* Ha! Nice try.

Trap: Nah, my heart wasn't in it.

The trap leaves the room.

King continues, scampering up a curtain to reach the tabletop. He reads the tag attached to the potion.

King: "An elixir a day." Cryptic.

King rips off the tag.

King: Nyeh.

He tucks the tag under his collar, then takes the potion and hops to the floor. He looks between Eda and the potion guiltily, making nervous noises.

King: Nah.

King leaves.

[Cut to the kitchen, where Luz, wearing an apron, is waiting eagerly while Sora waits nervously]

King: Got it!

Luz takes the potion and opens it.

Luz: Wow. I can't believe I'm about to learn magic. Real magic. This is historic.

Sora: Wait a sec. Are you two sure this is a good idea? We don't exactly know what's in that potion.

King: I'm sure it's fine. Since Eda has it all the time, it must be a good thing.

Sora: King, I don't think that's how that works.

While Sora and King talk, Luz slowly lifts the potion to her mouth. A clap of thunder startles her, and she fumbles the potion until it smashes on the floor.

Luz: Golden elixir. Gone! This is awful.

Sora expressed relief in his thoughts.

King: Who even needs a light spell when we have tons of lamps?

[The lamps flare and die out while Luz and Sora give an unamused look at King]

King: *groan* Hooty controls the house lights. He probably just fell asleep.

Suddenly the group heard a loud crash.

Hooty: Hoot! Hoot!

Luz: Hooty!

Luz takes off the apron and runs.

Hooty: Hoot, oh, hoot!

Luz, Sora, and King reach the living room and gasp. A shadowy beast with glowing yellow eyes has knocked on the door off its hinges and made a mess of the front wall. It leaves deep scratches in the wood next to Hooty; it turns to see the other three, looks directly at Sora, then slowly walks into the house. Luz, Sora, and King freaked out.

[Play Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 ReMix -Vim And Vigor- Extended]

Luz: What is that thing?!

King: I don't know!

Sora: Heartless!

Luz/King: What?!

Now known as a Heartless, the shadowy creature began to lunge at the three until Sora immediately summoned his keyblade and sliced it in half, releasing a glowing heart vanishing into thin air. Before anything else, the three ran towards Hooty.

Luz: Hooty! Are you in there?

Luz taps his beak a few times and checks his eye.

Luz: That... thing must've done this.

King: Oh man, I've never seen a demon like that before!

Luz: Sora, you called that thing "heartless," right?

Sora: Yeah.

Luz: What exactly is a "heartless"?

Sora: Basically, they're-

The group heard a loud growl from outside. The three turned to see what it was, and they widened their eyes. It was a large shadowy creature, surrounded by 3 heartless.

Luz: *gasp* There's more of them!?

King: *yelp*

Sora: Wait. Look!

The three see the larger creature slashing away the heartless with ease, releasing glowing hearts vanishing into thin air. The large creature turns around to see the group and runs away.

[End Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 ReMix -Vim And Vigor- Extended]

Luz: Woah! Whatever THAT thing was got rid of those heartless and escaped into the rain. What could survive that?

King: Oh, my gosh. The Snaggleback! It feeds during the rains. It must have stumbled across our house and seen us inside and them.

A sudden howl startles the group causing them to go outside in time for the large shadowy creature to jump through an upper-floor window.

Luz: This is terrifying!

Luz turns to see King giggling.

Luz: And why do you look so happy?

King: *squealing* Because this could be a lesson. This would be a great way for you to see a wild demon up close and personal.

Luz: You want to go toward those creepy sounds? No way!

King: What if Eda gets eaten? She's upstairs and defenseless because you knocked her out.

Luz: *groans*

The three then start preparing for battle. Luz pulls on rubber gloves. King tapes a pillow to his chest. Luz puts bandages under her eyes like eye black, then grins. Luz grabs a hockey stick, which King runs past in favor of grabbing Francois. Sora re-summons his keyblade.

[Cut to the three approaching the staircase]

[Play Kingdom Hearts OST "Whispers At Night"]

Luz, using the flashlight on her phone, lights the way. Floorboards creak as they go upstairs. They reach a hallway and stop as the door to Eda's room creaks open. They share a nervous look. Luz opens the doors all the way, revealing an empty room and a shattered window, through which we can again see a lightning strike.

Luz: Oh, my gosh. Eda!

Luz: runs to Eda's nest.

King: She got snaggle‐backed!

Luz: Eda?

Luz holds up a damaged pillow.

Luz: No! Slash marks. Sora! Do you think there are more heartless?

Sora: Very likely, they always travel in groups.

Luz: And if it's not them... King! You're the demon expert. I need your help.

King: I'll go get my demon book.

King runs out of the room and down the hall. A shadow snarls as it passes over him. He returns, holding two books.

King: Wait, wait. First edition or second? *gasp* Luz? Sora?

King drops the books.

King: The Snaggleback or the Heartless got them!

[End Kingdom Hearts OST "Whispers At Night"]

The shadow snarls again as it passes behind King, causing him chases after it.

King: You craven beast, give me back my boo‐boo buddy! And my best soldier buddy!

King rounds a corner and gasps. A door creaks closed, Luz's shoe upside down in front of it.

King: Luz?

King picks up the shoe. Holding it like a weapon, he opens the door and enters the closet. He looks around until noticing a shadow hiding behind the clothes.

King: There's nowhere for you to run!

King moves the clothes aside to reveal a Heartless.

King: ...

King yelps in fear while the heartless advances, forcing King against the wall.

King: *yelp* Oh my-

The heartless raises its claw, readying to attack. Then suddenly, the larger creature from earlier slashed the heartless, destroying it. The larger creature then notices King and raises its claw to attack him.

King: Stay back. Hey, hey. I am the king of demons, okay? And as such, I demand you to barf my friends back up!

King yells and ducks, and the claws scratch the wall where his head was a moment before. King immediately starts to run.

King is far more nimble than the beast, rounding corners with ease while the beast slams into the walls. King is yelping, and the beast is snarling. When King rounds a second corner, an arm reaches out and pulls him into a room. The door closes with a squeak. The beast enters the hallway slowly, exhaling loudly. Inside the room, being Eda's room, Luz is holding King. Footsteps are heard outside as a shadow passes the door. King also notices Sora.

King: Luz? Sora?

Luz: King! Oh, I'm so glad you're safe.

King: Where did you two go?

Luz: We were checking on Eda, and she was gone, and then you were gone. I also tripped and lost my shoe. Oh, hey, you found it.

Luz takes back her shoe.

King: I‐‐

Luz raises her foot to put her shoe on, revealing a piece of paper on the bottom of her foot.

King: What's that?

King takes it and reads it.

King: "Keeps the curse at bay."

King gasps as he pulls out the tag in his collar and puts them together.

King: "An elixir a day keeps the curse at bay."

Luz: Curse? Wait, what are you trying to say?

King: I was wrong the whole time. That's no snaggleback. That creature is...

The group scream as a clawed hand burst through the door. A body follows it, and it growls and turns to reveal a familiar face.

Luz/Sora: Eda?!

Eda snarls and stalks closer, raising a claw to swipe at them. Luz screams and braces as Sora gets ready to block her attack with his keyblade. When suddenly, Luz's phone falls out of her pocket, and the camera goes off when it hits the floor. The flash blinds Eda, making her scream. Luz takes the distraction to grab King and hide on a balcony, with Sora following her. Eda screams, and it echoes loudly. Eda stalks the room, sniffing. Luz has her hands over her mouth, King has his head, while Sora grips his keyblade, preparing for a fight. Eda seems to smell them, growling and sniffing closer to them. Luz grabs a can and throws it, causing Eda to growl at the sound and chasing it.

Luz: Oh, man. Did you see her eyes? They were like‐‐ *snarl* What happened to her?

King: Don't you see? The elixir I gave you doesn't give Eda powers; it prevents her from turning into that thing! She's turned into a nightmare, and it's all my fault! I'm so sorry, Luz. I‐I just wanted you to be into demons like you're into magic. I don't have many friends, and no one even pays that much attention to me. I thought maybe if I taught you, finally, someone would care about creatures like me.

Luz: Well...

Luz holds out a pen.

Luz: let's finish the lesson.

King: Huh?

Luz: Eda's turned into some kind of demon, and we need to save her. So who knows more about demons than the best teacher in the world?

King brightens and points to himself. Luz nods. He takes the pen, then giggles and hugs Luz. He then smacks some leaves onto the floor.

King: Let's see.

King draws on the leaves.

King: She was bigger, covered in feathers, and had giant black eyes. Demons with black eyes are usually sensitive to light.

King looks at Luz's phone.

King: That's it. Light! Luz, use your human wonder rectangle.

Luz: I can't. My camera's all blasted.

King: Then... what about that light spell?

Luz: *sigh* You saw me. I can't draw circles in the air. I'm not like Eda.

Sora: I can do a light spell. And a powerful one too.

King: Perfect.

Luz plays the video.

Eda: (on the video) ...spell circle is really key...

The video glitches.

Luz: *gasps* Guys, there's a pattern in the spell circle.

Sora and King took a look at Luz's phone.

Sora: She's right. I see it too.

King: What? Where?

Luz grabs a leaf and the pen.

Luz: It looks like this.

Luz draws over the pattern.

Luz: There.

She taps the pattern with the tip of the pen. The drawing on the leaf begins glowing.

Luz: *gasp*

The leaf folds into itself, brightening until it's a small floating ball of light. Luz gently cups it in her hands, bringing it to eye level.

Luz: It's beautiful.

Sora: Wow.

Thunder rumbles, and rain hisses as it hits the shield.

Luz: Oh, my gosh. I just did magic.

Luz stands triumphantly.

Luz: I just did magic! I just did magic!

Sora: Congrats, Luz!

King: Shh! We're not going to stop anything with something that small.

Distant screeching makes both of them cower.

King: What do we do now?

Luz: I think I know how to get Eda back. Will you help me, boo‐boo buddy?

King: Hm, I'm kind of over that nickname. But okay.

Luz: *gasp* Sora. I just got an even bigger idea. You in?

Sora: Let's hear it.

The three fist-bumped.

[Cut to the living room, where Beast Eda is sniffing around]

Eda pounces onto the treasure chest next to the fallen door, sniffing a book. A clicking sound distracts her. The clicking sounds come from King, who is the one holding the pen and clicking on it.

King: Oh, what lovely thing do we have here? It's just so dang shiny. Oh, my. Oh, dear.

[Play Courage - Kingdom Hearts II Music Extended]

Eda stares at the pen's light, cooing. She screeches and lunges for it. King runs, and Eda follows. King ducks down a hallway. Eda slides on a pile of books and papers. She crashes into a wall and gasps when Luz tosses a blanket over her head.

Luz: Sorry, Eda. But it's for your own good!

She finishes drawing a giant light glyph on the wall.

As she was about to activate the spell, more heartless suddenly appeared.

King: Gah! Heartless!

Sora: Don't worry, we got this!

Sora, with his keyblade on hand, began charging up light energy. While doing so, the heartless lunged towards the group.

Sora: Luz! Now!

With a grunt, Luz slams her hand on the glyph to activate it while Sora unleashes a large sphere of light from his keyblade. A blinding light is produced, causing Eda to scream and destroying all the heartless in the process. Everything fades to white.

[End Courage - Kingdom Hearts II Music Extended]

[Silence]

[Cut to Eda, almost back to normal, laying in her nest with a straw in her mouth suddenly sitting up while still partially transformed]

Eda: Ahh!

Eda slurps and returns to normal.

Eda: W‐What happened? Oh, I have the worst headache.

Eda then notices the potion on the floor and grabs it.

Eda: Hmm, I was looking for that.

King: *walking over* Actually, we found an extra one in your closet.

Eda: King? King?! You stole my elixir?! I ought to break every bone in your‐‐

King: Shh! *whispering* Over there.

Luz is sitting on the floor, drawing out another glyph as thunder rumbles in the background. She activates the glyph, grinning as the ball of light joins the others.

Sora: Ooh, lemme try.

Luz hands over the pen and Sora draws a light glyph and activates it.

Sora: Coooool.

Luz giggles.

Eda: Wow. How is she doing that?

[Camera pans up to show dozens of balls of light]

King: I don't know, but she did it all on her own. Hey, I, uh, kind of messed a bunch of things up back there. And I just wanted to say I'm sorry.

Eda: Well, you better be. I got a long list of disgusting chores with your name on it. But it's not entirely your fault.

Luz and Sora walked over.

Eda: I haven't been completely honest with you guys. When I was younger, I-I was cursed. I don't know exactly how it happened; all I know is that if I don't take my elixir... Well, that's why people call me the Owl Lady. No one likes having a curse, but if you take the right steps, it's manageable.

Luz: Whoa. So are you okay?

Eda: There's nothing for you to worry about. It's all under control, and as long as no one steals my elixir ‐‐ King ‐‐, then I'm fine. But, hey, look at this. Luz doing magic. Good on you, kid.

Luz: I had some encouragement from a great teacher.

King: Oh, you.

Hooty: Hey, hey! Is anyone there?! Hello?! Hoot?! Danger detected! Hoot!

Everyone suddenly is startled.

Eda: Hooty, what danger?!

Suddenly, a heartless jumped out through the door and lunged towards the group.

Luz/King: Heartless! Sora, get him!

Sora: On it!

Eda: Heartless?!

Sora summons his keyblade and slices it in half, releasing a glowing heart vanishing into thin air.

Sora: That SHOULD be the last of them.

Hooty: Sora's right. No more danger detected. Now, can someone help me?! I'm on the floor! It's cold!

King: That voice. That horrific voice!

Luz: We'll take care of him. You stay in bed.

Eda: Hey, wait! What was that thing just now?!

Sora: I'll tell you about it tomorrow. It's a long story. Everything's fine now.

Everyone leaves, and the door closes.

Eda sighs and lays back down.

Eda closes her eyes. she dreams of herself in a void, standing in front of a door. Eda can hear indistinct whispering.

Eda: No, not this memory again.

The door opens. On the other side is a wavering shadow, two circles of light near the top, back-lit by pure white light.

Eda: You! You're the one who cursed me, aren't you? Who are you? Who are you?!

Fade back to Eda's room as she sits up in her nest with a gasp. She looks around and exhales.

[Cut to the living room, where Hooty has been restored to his rightful place with Luz has put bandages on the claw marks on him]

Luz: Welcome to the boo‐boo buddy club, Hooty.

Hooty: Finally, I get to be a part of something.

[Camera pans to the couch, where Sora and King are sitting, and the latter is drawing]

King: Wow. Those heartless will make a great addition to my demon book.

Luz walks to them.

Luz: Speaking of, you never told us what the heartless are, Sora.

Sora: Like I told Eda, I'll explain tomorrow. It's been a long night, and we all need sleep. *yawn* Plus, it's a long story.

Luz: ...Ok.

Luz looks at Sora walking upstairs with a concerned look.