chapter 10: Something going on between them

In spite of having a rough start, Camila quickly got used to the situation, mostly for her daughter's sake. She was even nice enough to write down everything she found out about Philip Wittebane back in Gravesfield and gave all of that information to Toffee, so he can analyze it and come up with a plan. Speaking of getting used to, Septarsis was a difficult place to get used to. Its citizens were not among the most welcoming of creatures towards humans. Every time she went outside, she was met by a bunch of hostile glares. From what Toffee had told her, this was due to a misunderstanding, as septarians believed her to be a mewman. The food was also a factor. Camila was not used to seeing restaurants offering meals, containing spiders, pig-goat meat- whatever that was- or even something called Love soup, which Toffee adviced her to stay away from.

There were also some of Luz's new friends. She didn't mind the fact that her daughter was dating that violet-haired girl- if anything she was happy for them-, nor the fact that she was friends with witches in general, but there was this...demon boy with three eyes. Although, he seemed friendly, his demonic appearance itself was a bit alarming for Camila's Catholic beliefs, but she still remained nice to him. As for the others, Eda and King were pretty nice. Eda was quite eccentric and loud, but otherwise a great gal. As for King...he was the cutest little thing Camila has seen in a while. Que lindo! There was also Hooty, that...bird...tube...thing. Eda's sister-Lilith- was also a pretty nice witch, but she spent more time with Toffee, so Camila didn't have the chance to interact with her as often. Actually, speaking of Toffee, he had two lovely kids of his own too. His 8-year old daughter Razzles was an upbeat and just downright adorable little girl, with a fondness for learning and great manners. The girl was quick to refer to the spectacled woman as "Mrs. Noceda" and offered her hand for a handshake. Quite the etiquette for someone that young! Masaru was Toffee's 4-month old son, with a frequent tendency to bite, with poor boy Marco being his usual victim. Last, but not least, Rasticore was not as scary as he looked.

One interesting detail Camila noticed was the total lack of a wife in Toffee's life. From what she understood, he was a single father to his children. With both this and taking care of an entire country, it was a miracle the guy still hasn't cracked under the pressure and started screaming his lungs out. Instead, he looked incredibly calm and composed for someone exposed to such a stressful environment. He must be a superhero or something.

The new guest from Earth spent her first day in Mewni sightseeing, since she was told that she has already done enough to help by providing with information about Belos. At afternoon, she found Luz, Eda and King sitting on a long bench, which was situated in a place, that heavily resembled a basketball court. She witnessed Toffee and Lilith at the center, exchanging arrogant smirks.

- Hola!- Camila greeted the trio on the bench.- What's going on here?

- Lilith thought that Toffee was in need of a little distraction, so Eda suggested them to play a short game of grudgby.- her daughter answered the question.

- Grudgby?- the mother raised an eyebrow.

Interpreting that as a need for explanation, Luz was quick to reply.

- It's basically the national sport of the Boiling isles. It's kind of like a mix between basketball and rugby, but with magic.

- The rules are nonsense, but it's still fun.- King critisized, much to the dismay of his legal guardian.

- Nonsense?- said Eda, acting as if she was personally assaulted.- Ha! Hexside let's you play any sport these days. Grudgby was all we had and we made the best of it!- she added proudly.- I was even the star player.

- Because you cheated, dear sister!- Lilith joined their conversation.- Which is why I was the team captain.

- This doesn't give you some kind of immunity.- Toffee drew the blue-haired witch's attention.

Lilith quickly turned to Toffee, with a playful annoyance.

- Are you saying you can beat me?

- I know I can.- the septarian teased her.

Honestly, Lilith did not look like she had a chance. How could she play with that long skirt and high-heeled shoes?

- Don't get cocky on us, Tuxedo!- Eda interfered.- This has nothing to do with your paperwork.

Toffee looked at Eda with a raised eyebrow. Typical. He was basically used to being underestimated because of his suit. Even to this day, a lot of people were quick to assume he was incapable of lifting anything heavier than a pen. Boy, were they wrong! Toffee has not became a general just for the sake of taking advantage of the discount at the cafeteria. And he was about to prove that right now!

- Get ready!- Hooty was there to maintain the mood.- Go!

The ball was thrown midair, giving a reason to both player to jump and try to catch it. Much to Toffee's surprise, it was Lilith, who caught the ball first. She ran towards the basket, holding the object tight, with the septarian chasing her, with the hope he'll get the ball back from her. As odd as it was, Lilith had no trouble moving around, in spite of her inappropriate garment. In fact, she was surprisingly swift in those high-heeled shoes and the long skirt. Not to mention that she was also a woman of certain age. Toffee couldn't help but be impressed by how athletic she was. The ball passed through the basket, thus scoring two points for Lilith. However, Toffee wouldn't be Toffee if he just gave up now!

The moment he saw an opportunity, the elegant septarian grabbed the ball and ran in the opposite direction, aiming for the opponent's basket. Camila was watching him in awe, surprised by how athletic he was for a man in a suit. The black-haired monster threw the ball and scored two points.

- Ready to surrender now, my dear?- he playfully teased Lilith.

- Not even for all the ink in the world!- the blue-haired witch replied.

She's got spirits! The scaly monster liked that side of her. That woman was getting more and more interesting.

The monster and the witch's faces were pretty close to each other. They were both narrowing their eyes and smirking, very obviously getting more competitive.

The game kept going for half an hour. Up this point the result was 6 points for Toffee and 6 points for Lilith. Hooty attempted to get involved a couple of times, but Toffee did not allow him- he still hasn't forgotten about the bathroom incident. While Camila was spectating, she was starting to notice some kind of chemistry going on between those two. There was even one time, when Lilith almost fell on the ground before Toffee caught her, and she blushed in embarrassment.

The next hit would be final. The black-haired septarian was heavily focusing on the ball. Those last two points belonged to him only.

Next thing he knew, he was holding the ball tight and running towards the basket. Lilith appeared right in front of him, trying to get the ball, but that was easier said than done. By some miracle, Lilith managed to get her hands on the ball and ran with it. Toffee tried to stop her, but she dodged his attacks. He decided to try a different kind of trick.

When the two were standing face to face, using his tail he tapped lightly on the witch's shoulder. Feeling a touch on her shoulder, the spectacled woman turned back to see what was going on, but saw nothing other than the tip of Toffee's tail. When she realized that she got distracted, it was too late, for the septarian had already taken advantage of her brief moment of weakness and grabbed the ball straight from her hands.

The scaly monster was just about to throw the ball before he felt Lilith throwing her arms around him in a tight embrace, as a desperate attempt to stop him. A decision of impulsive nature. It was so sudden, that both of them lost their balance and fell, with Toffee landing right on the top of Lilith.

The two were now in an incredibly awkward situation. Lilith was blushing heavily, due to the adult man lying on top of her. He was so close, she could easily sense the scent of his cologne. He smelled pretty good actually.

Toffee was cursing himself for blushing and just being embarrassed from the position the two of them had found themselves in. He was never this close to Lilith before. The smell of her light perfume had an almost intoxicating effect on him. Why did he like it so much?

Lilith needed to get back to her senses. For how long the two of them have been staring at each other's faces now?

- Uhm, Toffee?- she spoke.- Could you, please...get off? You're a little heavy.

That was quite the reminder of the uncomfortable situation the duo found themselves in.

- Oh!- said the septarian.- Of course!

Putting his strength to use, Toffee lifted himself off the ground. After he was on his feet again, he politely offered Lilith a hand to help her get up as well. He dusted himself off and apologized to the blue-haired witch for the accident. Their spectators exchanged each other a look, easily convinced that there was something going on there.

- Are they- Camila began hesitantly, quietly whispering to Luz's ear.- a thing?

Luz simply shrugged, being unsure herself, but the thought of it got her excited.

Toffee checked the watch he was wearing on his right wrist to see that it was almost time to get the kids.

- I have to go now!- he declared.

With this last thing said, he departed, going to the direction of Razzles' school, thus leaving the visitors by themselves. Lilith stared at his silhouette, which was getting smaller and smaller in the distance. It was almost as if she couldn't take her eyes off of him. Smirking, Eda approached her sister silently, with the intention of startling her.

- SO!- the grey-haired witch broke the silence, much to her older sister's surprise.- You two seem to have gotten quite close in that past week.- she playfully bumped Lilith's shoulder.

- I suppose so.- was her sister's simple reply.

- You "suppose" so?- Eda quoted sarcastically with a raised eyebrow.

Camila expressed the need to see more of Septarsis. She wanted to have a bigger role in her daughter's adventures. Luz thought it would be for the better if she showed her mother a safer place, so they started with the local retirement home. With its unemployed, often disabled, residents, entertaining programme and, judging by mouth-to-mouth reviews, surprisingly delicious food, it would be a suitable idea for a short visit.

- So...this is a retirement home?- Camila asked, carefully inspecting the place.

- Yup!- Star answered the spectacled woman's question.

- Where's Lulu?- Hooty, who was carried around by Eda, asked all of a sudden. He hasn't had the chance to spend enough time with Lilith lately, with her being busy working with Toffee and all.

- Yeah, where's Lily?- Eda joined too.

- I already texted her.- Amity replied.- She'll be here any moment.

Suddenly, they all got startled by another voice.

- Everyone!- it was Lilith, who seemed to have showed up, while they were all identifying her whereabouts.- Once I got Amity's message, I came as fast as I could. Is everything alright?

- We're just trying to show my mom the best parts of the city.- the human girl responded with a naive smile on her face.

That was a bit of a relief for the blue-haired witch. And she thought that something must have happened. She has been spending so much time working, she has basically isolated herself.

Eda pulled a chair for her sister to sit on.

- Would you like to join us, big sis?

Lilith didn't mind, so she accepted the offer.

- Where's our host?- Camila asked, noticing the absence of a certain septarian.

- He has a few things to do now.- Rasticore, who'd just arrived with Razzles and Masaru, answered the human woman's question.

- Ladies and gentlemen!- the main host unintentionally interrupted.- I hope you are all enjoying your lunch, because now it's time to get a little bit more spicy. Let me hear you growl and scream for Septarsis' very own head honcho!

Just hearing that was enough to make Eda spit her drink out. Did she hear that right?

Everybody started clapping their hands in excitement. The music started playing and then Toffee appeared on the stage, this time dressed in tight black jeans and a purple shirt with long black sleeves. Camila, didn't say it out loud, but even she had to admit that he looked pretty good in that outfit.

The crowd all stared in amazement, as a reaction to Toffee's singing voice.

"I said, "Take it easy, baby, I work all day
And my feet feel just like lead
You got my shirt tail flying all over the place
And the sweat poppin' out of my head

She said, "Hey, bossa nova, baby, keep on workin'
For this ain't no time to quit"
She said, "Go bossa nova, baby, keep on dancin'
I'm 'bout to have myself a fit"

Bossa Nova
Bossa Nova

I said, "Hey, little mama, let's sit down
And have a drink and dig the band"
She said, "Drink you fink, oh, fiddly-de-dink
I can dance with a drink in my hand"

She said, "Hey, bossa nova, baby, keep on working
For this ain't no time to drink"
She said, "Go bossa nova, baby, keep on dancin'
'Cause I ain't got the time to think"

Bossa Nova
Bossa Nova..."

After his performance was over, everyone applauded him and he bowed as a sign of gratitude. Eda couldn't even believe what she just witnessed. She regretted ever thinking he was boring. Unexpectedly, little Razzles rushed to the stage with open arms to embrace her father.

Once he noticed his daughter approaching, Toffee knelt and took her in his arms. He lifted her up and gave her an affectionate kiss on the cheek.

- Did you like daddy, dollface?- the main host playfully asked the little girl, who nodded in reply.

Carrying his daughter, Toffee joined the others at the table. Once he witnessed his father, Masaru extended his arms, reaching for Toffee.

- Boss- called Rasticore.- your son wants your attention.

Razzles quickly got off her father's lap and made some room for her little brother. Toffee gently took his infant son in his arms. The little one grabbed his father's index finger and tried shoving it in his toothless mouth, but Toffee was quick to pull away before his skin got too close to his son's gums.

- So- Star began.- that was what you had to do?

- They are retired, Star.- Toffee quickly defended himself.- They don't get to do much.- the septarian checked his watch.- Time to get to the orphanage now.- he turned to Razzles.- Do you want to come with me?

Not wanting to be separated from her father again, Razzles smiled and nodded. Toffee got up, still holding Masaru and left, with his daughter following him.

- I wish I could see what he's planning to do next.- said Lilith.

- You've got it, girl!- called Star.

- Okay, Inigo!- the caretaker turned to the little orphan boy.- Now it's your turn. Who is your favorite septarian general and why?

Little Inigo was blushing heavily, but still found courage to reveal his answer.

- General Toffee.- he said bashfully.- He's my favorite general. Everybody says he's so brave and clever...and that he brought peace to our country...

Little did Inigo knew, was that his favorite septarian hero was sneaking up behind him. Toffee knelt and tapped him on the shoulder, thus getting the orphan to turn away and see who was there.

Inigo's eyes widened and his jaw dropped. Then, his eyes got teared up, due to the overflowing emotion he was experiencing currently. The boy had no idea the general was going to pay a visit today. He ran towards his caretaker and hugged her tightly. The woman liftef him up, while Toffee approached them and patted the boy's head affectionately. The caretaker allowed him to take Inigo in his arms and hold him for a while. It seemed as if the little orphan had gotten over his excitement, since he was now tightly embracing his idol.

- Do you want to meet someone?- Toffee asked him politely. After he got a nod, the next thing he did was introducing Inigo to his children.

Lilith and her friends volunteered to help Toffee at the orphanage with everything they could. They played with the orphans, read them books or simply talked with them. Eda couldn't help but notice the way her sister was looking at Toffee. She was smiling widely at the sight of him reading to the little ones. Then she noticed one of the caretakers giving the king a bouquet of agrimony flowers as an act of gratitude for signing the peace treaty, thus ending the war and making sure all children in the country will be raised in peaceful times. The woman even cried tears of joy, while expressing her gesture.

- Look at him, Eda!- Lilith quietly drew her sister's attention.- For his own kind, he's a hero. A role model for the younger generation. A protector. A leader.

- Your point?- Eda could not comprehend where this was going to.

- I just wish I could be more useful to him. I have nothing.

- Hey!- Eda assertively grabbed her sister by the shoulders.- Listen to me, you self-pitying dummy! You have more than you think. You are a knowledgeable "bad girl" historian, skilled at using glyphs, and the one, who personally punched Philip Wittebane right in the stupid mug. There is nobody more useful to Toffee than you.- Eda released Lilith from her grip and she lowered her voice.- Besides, between you and me, I think he likes you.- she winked smugly.

Lilith blushed, but she still did her best to minimize the sudden sensation.

- Don't say that, Edalyn! There's nothing going on between us. He doesn't even care about those things.

- Fine!- Eda sighed heavily.- If you want it to be boring.

- STOP THE PARTY!- a new voice joined the scene.

The voice was that of a woman. It sounded uncomfortably high-pitched and annoying. The crowd turned at the direction of the voice to identify its owner and there she was. A skinny barefoot mewman with pig-tailed purple hair, dressed in a heavily damaged dress.

- Hey!- a random bystander called.- That's the wrong place, lassie! It's an orphanage, not a strip club.

- Shut your pie-chewing hole, monster!- Mina ordered him.- I'm here to declare a war in the name of queen Solaria's legacy. So you either surrender now. Or. Face. The. Consequences.

In spite of the woman's enthusiastic attempt at causing anxiety, none of the septarians were even fazed. Appearantly, it took much more than that, in order to scare a septarian. Even the children seemed more curious than anything. Instead, everyone was staring at Mina, as if she was some kind of a dulp (which she was).

- What's wrong?- Mina was not going to give up.- Aren't you gonna attack me or something?

- Weeeel!- another septarian called.- If isn't Mina Loveberry! Here I am, previously thinking that you died or something.

- So Mina Loveberry is gonna destroy us, huh?

- I'm so scared!

- The thought of it, has given me a lot of sleepless nights.

Still not intimidated, huh? Maybe it was a time to teach those lowly-paid comedians a lesson.

- Okay, you bunch of JESTERS!- Mina said, as she transformed.- GET READY TO FIGHT!

The song featured was Bossa Nova baby.