It had taken Camila less than ten minutes to make her way to the owl house, not because of traffic or any other kind of issue, no she took so long because after hearing of Luz's paradox free time magic, at least she hoped it was paradox free, Luz was known to jump headfirst into the new magic after all.
But if it does work...
That single thought had echoed through her mind as she'd stared Infront of the star door until she worked up the nerve to cross over. On the other side she saw an equally nervous looking Luz. "So mami, ready for the trip of a lifetime?" she asked, her hand slightly trembling.
"Luz sweetie, are you okay?"
She attempted to say yes, that she was fine, instead she gave a nervous chuckle and stroked Stringbean's head. "Just not sure I'm ready for this you know? I mean sure I originally made the time glyph just for this but..." Seeing her daughter on the brink of tears Camila scooped her up into a hug. "Luz, we don't have to if you don't want to."
A part of Luz didn't want to. She was afraid, but she'd faced scarier things than this before and won. So, after a moment she bit down on her finger adding her blood to the paper and activating the glyph. Within the blink of an eye, they found themselves traveling back through their memories and into Gravesfield before landing in the backyard of their old home.
"That was amazing, Luz?" but Luz had gone stiff as her eyes locked onto the window. Following her daughter's gaze, she had to hold her breath as her eyes started to water from the sight of the familiar figure on the couch. "Manny" evens saying the words were tough but now that they were here, they were going to push through till the end.
"How far back are we exactly?"
"I.I think...no I know it's the last day he was healthy. Tomorrow, you pick me up early from school to tell me he's in the hospital." He was so pale and tired when I saw him. He gave me the Azura book telling me he'd read it to me when he got out...
But that never came, he just got weaker and weaker until...until the memory came rushing back making the already nervous Luz want to rip apart the glyph and return home. No, I can do this, really, I can do this. Yeah, I can totally do this... sure my heart has nearly stopped twice now but I can do this.
Sensing her master's sorrow Stringbean curled around her neck and purred. "Thanks girl."
"Shall we go in Luz?"
"Yeah, I can do this." They were only twelve short steps away from the back door and to her credit Luz made it nearly eleven before she tried to bolt and had to be subdued and pulled back by Stringbean and Camila. In all honesty though Camila wasn't faring any better. After all she was going to see the love of her life for the first time in years as he was, not hooked up to machines and struggling to breathe. Not being on display at his wake or being lowered into the ground.
Much like before she became unable to move and with her other hand barely holding Luz back Stringbean knew she had to do something and floated to the door before knocking. Before either Noceda could say anything, the door opened and a younger Camila with an equally younger Luz stared back at them.
"Who are you two?" little Luz asked before seeing an adorable floating snake creature with cat ears. "Whate are you!? You're flying! Are you some sort of magic snake!?" Stringbean proudly nodded before transforming into various creatures before transforming into her staff form and into her younger self's hands. "AWSOME!"
"Yeah, Stringbean is quite the palisman. A one of a kind snakeshifter for a one-of-a-kind human witch." The younger Camila had been a bit, no a lot, shocked to see two strangers in her backyard, but the shock was wearing off and she could at least recognize herself. "You're me? Like from the future?"
"Yes, about nine or so years into the future."
"So, this young lady must be my little Luz all grown up. Wait, did you say something about being a witch?"
"Oh yeah it's a really long story but yeah I'm a witch."
"One that has graduated from both human high school and magical university I might add. I wasn't about to let her neglect her studies." Camila added calming her younger self down a bit.
"I'm gonna be a witch in the future!? I got to tell dad!" Young Luz rushed off to get her father, the moment she left younger Camila saw how her future self and daughter were looking. "I take it this little visit isn't just for fun, is it?" She might be having a hard time comprehending everything but their expressions and how Luz looked nervous and anxious she guessed her, and Manny's fears were true.
Camila solemnly nodded before hearing footsteps followed by "come on dad you have to see me, future me! She's a real-life witch with a staff like Azura's!"
"Mija I'm coming you don't need to pull now where is this so-called witch y- Oh"
Manny was surprised to say the least, he'd half expected for Luz just to be using her overactive imagination again and yet here was an older version of his wife and daughter standing there looking like they were about to cry. "Camila? Luz? Is that really you?"
Luz was the first to dive into his arms wanting nothing more than to keep the moment going forever as she started crying. "I missed you so much dad!" Manny was a bit taken back but that didn't stop him from returning the hug. "I see no matter the age my little Luz still loves her papi's hugs huh?" Seeing Camila, he pulled her into a hug which was then followed by the younger Luz and Camila. Even Stringbean joined the fray even if he was a bit surprised to see a floating snake creature. Eventually they managed to get inside and to the couch with Luz clinging to her dad's arm while her younger self sat on his knee playing with Stringbean. "I can't believe you figured out time travel. This is just like in Cosmic Frontier when Captain Avery gets lost in that wormhole."
"Season four episode seven, it was always your favorite even if they did it better in season nine episode one. Although the new movie that comes out did put a pretty good spin on it." She'd missed this, being this open and nerding out over their shared love of Cosmic Frontier. Her younger self was rather curious hearing about a movie but she was also curious about hearing about her daughter's future life in the Boiling Isles.
"So mija, you're telling me you ran away from home to world filled with demons and then just decided you'd become a witch?" In her excitement Luz had become an open book and was honestly answering everything. "Well not technically but It's complicated." Camila sighed and looked to her older self. "It really is complicated, let's just say I was mistakenly convinced to send her to a summer camp for unique teens like her. I thought it was for the best but really, I should have just sat her down and openly talked with her."
"Come on mom it was for the best, after all if you didn't try to send me there you wouldn't have met Vee and we wouldn't have added one more person to the Noceda name."
Confused all three of them turned to the pair before Manny asked, "who's Vee?"
Luz smiled before pulling out her phone. "She's my adopted sister papi. She's the most adorable basilisk you'd ever seen." Manny was confused but seeing the large snake like creature with Camila and Luz wishing her a happy birthday was quite the adorable sight. Even younger Luz gasped when she saw the two of them smiling and laughing in her room. The younger Camila gasped a bit upon seeing a photo of herself hugging the girl before another showed her human form caring for an injured kitten at her clinic. Noticing her younger self biting her lip Camila spoke up. "I know it seems a bit strange to adopt a creature from a place called the Boiling Isles, but when she got here Vee was just a scared child needing a place to call home. Before long she'd made a permanent place as Luz's sister and my daughter. She even has a unique human partner, which reminds me, Luz, aren't you going to tell your dad about Amity?"
Luz went red and stared at her mother before shooting to her dad who was no beaming like a proud father. "Amity? Does my little girl have someone special in her life?"
"...yes." too embarrassed to speak she showed the pictures of Amity to her dad even accidentally playing a video she'd sent. It wasn't anything to embarrassing, just Amity being romantic using the alphabet. "J is for joy that you brought into my life, K Is for kiss of which our first was amazing-" Luz desperately tried to end the video only for it to get louder until she finally turned it off looking at her dad. "She seems like a lovely young witch."
"you-you're not upset? Not that I thought you would be or anything but..." her eyes drifted to a nearby bible and Manny understood. "Luz my faith is one thing but at the end of the day so long as you're happy and have someone that clearly loves you that's all I can ask. Although I must ask just how serious this relationship is?" As she was about to answer she saw Camila, both Camila's expressions. "We've been together for years and we sleep together." her father smirked and as her mother was about to ask Luz quickly responded, "we share a bed is what I meant!"
As she calmed down, she felt two hands grab hers. "Can you do magic? Plleeeeessseee?"
"Alright little me, be prepared to see what you'll be able to do in the future. Stringbean if you would." she shot from little Luz's hands and into the older ones as Luz pulled out a small blue vial. "Now magic doesn't work in the human world, at least not without a bit of titan's blood. Thankfully our little brother graciously donated some for us to use while we're here."
"I get a sister and a brother in the future!?" Camila and Manny looked to Camila who shrugged. Staff in hand Luz decided to start with some illusion magic and filled the room with smaller versions of creatures from the isles such as gryphons and slitherbeasts. Luz was amazed, Camila was intrigued, if slightly terrified when the gryphon spat out spiders. She even showed her dad a rare albino dragon she'd met and had it fly around his head. Seeing him smile and cheer meant the world to her and she wished this moment could never stop.
However, as she switched from illusion to bard her dad took a peek at her phone and his expression became subdued. He showed it to the younger Camila before looking up at her smiling weakly. Luz knew what was going to come next, so she bent down to her younger self. "Here let me show you one of the best spells I've ever learned."
"Okay!"
Aiming the staff at her younger self she uttered the words "sleep spell." before a wave of orange engulfed Luz and she fell back onto the couch sound asleep.
"Thank you mija, your younger self shouldn't hear what's about to be discussed."
"Yeah, I know"
The room went dead silent as Manny looked through the phots of Lzu growing up. Her attending Hexside, her friends and girlfriend, graduating high school her quinceañera. And what was hardest to see, Luz, Camila and Vee placing flowers atop his grave. Seeing the not-too-distant date nearly broke him. "So, a couple months then?"
Neither of them spoke. How could they after he asked that. Instead, they just started crying but Manny wasn't having any of that and hugged them as tight as he could. "Hey now no tears, death is nothing to be afraid of, it's merely a part of life and I've lived mine as best as I could. I married the most beautiful women alive and had the most creative daughter out there. From what you've told me you help save an entire realm at fourteen! Alexander the great didn't conquer Persia until he was twenty-two."
"It hasn't all been good, I've stumbled quite a bit and did a lot of really embarrassing things dad."
"All that means is that you've lived up to your name and been the light of our lives Luz. I'm so very proud of you Luz Noceda."
"I love you dad and I'm so very glad I got to see you one last time." she could feel the glyph burning away in her pocket and knew she only had a few moments left.
As the hug ended Camila grabbed her husband and kissed him one last time making her younger self blush at her boldness. "What? You'd do the same in my shoes, in fact you will someday. Goodbye Manny agreeing to that first date was the best decision I ever made." The glyph gone they were whisked back to their time landing outside the owl house still slightly crying. "Come one mom let's go find Eda's memory tweezers I want to properly frame this moment forever."
"Right behind you sweetie."