A/N: Time to answer some questions!
WaterDragonMaverick: Yes they will, and maybe there'll be some surprises.
Demon dark mezzo sangue: Glad I inspired you. And it was just a small break while I got my Amphibia/Kamen Rider story started. Which will run alongside this story.
Cross177: I was speaking in reference to my Amphibia/Kamen Rider crossover, "Heroes From Another World!".
Dr. KRC PhD: It was too fun to not write it! And maybe~
CapMorgan55: I could say something, but then we might be getting into spoiler territory. So, you'll just have to wait and see.
Amity Blight didn't know if she was in hell or purgatory because Luz was not acting like her usual self. She was a bit more attentive when it came to her lessons during the Abominations class, while she did take good notes, she noticed that her notes were a bit more detailed, and if she wasn't mistaken, she added a few things that seemed to be improvements to the teacher's lesson. Amity was impressed and even asked if she could copy some of those notes, that's when the hell and/or purgatory situation started to happen.
Luz smirked at her and said, "Sure, Ami, but…" Luz scooted close enough that their hips were touching, causing Amity to freeze up. "You won't be able to copy them if you're too far away. This is better, right?"
"Uh…Uh…"
Luz gave a lilting chuckle and added, "Come on, you're not writing. Here, let me get you started."
Amity watched as Luz's right hand molded over her own as she guided Amity's hand in writing the notes. Of course, this action also made Luz lean in closer, and brought the Latina's head closer to Amity's.
Overload, overload, this is too much!
Thankfully her brain kicked back into gear and started to make her hand write on its own, prompting Luz to release that hand and lean back a bit, putting a small gap between them.
"There you go, Ami," said Luz as she smiled back at her.
Amity kept her eyes focused on the notes, which was good because she couldn't hear a word the teacher was saying over the pounding of her heart in her ears. The Titan seemed to have mercy on her as the class ended, Amity let out a long sigh of relief, but that didn't last long as Luz walked around to the side where the aisle was and leaned down, resting her arms on the desk.
"Ami, do you want me to walk you to your next class?" Luz asked.
Amity shot up from her seat and hurriedly said, "Oh, no, no! I-I-It's fine! I-I don't want to make you late for your next class! I'd love it if you would, but I don't want to, make you late I mean!"
Luz chuckled again and gently took Amity's hand into her own. "It's no trouble, Ami. Let's go."
Titan help me! Titan help me! TITAN HELP ME!
It didn't end there, at the end of her next class, there was Luz, offering again to walk her to class. Of course, the teasing and flirty behavior did not end either. Luz would occasionally rub her shoulder against Amity's, flash a flirty glance, and give a light touch on Amity's shoulder or hand. Amity's skin color was going to be perma-red at the rate things were going.
"Ami!" Luz called out.
Amity snapped out of her inner thoughts just in time to watch as a runaway book cart came flying down the hall. Luz quickly grabbed Amity and pulled her away just before the cart could hit her.
"That was close," said Luz.
"S-Sorry, I was just…just…" Amity's words died on her tongue when she realized that Luz had pinned her against the lockers. One hand on either side of her head, their bodies within a hair's breadth of making contact.
Luz turned back to look at Amity and smiled at her. "You okay, Ami? Your face's all read."
"I-I'm Amity – Fine! – I'm fine!"
"Good," Luz gently placed her right hand against Amity's cheek and said, "Because I'd hate it if you got hurt because of me, again."
"Okay, something's not right. Since when does Luz act like this?"
W-What are you talking about?! This is like something out of a fantasy!
"Yeah, I know, I've seen what you've fantasized about."
…Titan take me now…
"Wake up, Little Miss Perfect! I'm not buying this whole 'hit her head' thing that she's telling us! So, get your head straight, and let's go and track down Willow, she might have some idea of what's going on here. They were together this morning!"
Ignoring the fact that her Inner Amity just made a comment about getting her head straight, she did have a point. All these things that Luz was doing were something out of her fantasies, the things she wrote in her diary. Amity carefully wrapped her left hand around Luz's right, and gently pulled it away from her cheek.
"S-Sorry, Luz, I have to go. There's something I need to take care of," said Amity.
"Okay, I'll see you at lunch, Ami."
Luz smiled and waved her a goodbye as she left. After taking another moment to process this, Amity began her walk. She headed up the stairs and carefully made her way to the roof access. The young Blight girl touched the doorhandle and found that it was locked, just as she suspected. Amity drew a spell circle and magicked the door unlocked, once done, she opened it quickly and found nothing. The rooftop was clear, but she knew better than that.
"Ed, Em, it's me! You can show yourselves!" There was no response. "It's not a trick, there's no teachers waiting for you."
The area in front of Amity began to ripple like a curtain in the wind, and after a few seconds, that veil was pulled away, showing Edrick and Emira with their spell circles hovering over their wrists.
"Hey, Mittens…why are you here?" Edrick asked.
"Don't tell us you're here to rat us out, again?" Emira asked.
"That all depends on how you answer my next question." Amity stepped closer to her siblings and asked, "Have you said or done anything to Luz recently?"
The twins glanced at each other with confusion and answered together, "No, we haven't."
"Really?" Amity asked with a serious tone.
"Seriously, Mittens. Why, is Luz acting weird? I mean, different from her typical style?" Edrick asked.
Amity rubbed the back of her left arm as her gaze shifted to the ground.
"Sis, what's going on?" Emira asked as she approached her little sister and knelt before her. "You can talk to us, remember? Especially if it's about Luz."
"It's just…She's been acting strange all morning!" Amity confessed.
"Again, are we talking Luz's normal or not normal for her?" Edrick clarified.
"Not normal for her! She's…" Amity's face began to blush. "She's been talking differently, teasing me…"
Emira raised an eyebrow at that. "Teasing you? How?"
Amity shook her head, already knowing what she was thinking. "Not in a bad way…more like…flirty teasing…"
Edrick and Emira's eyes widened when they heard that, and their expressions shifted, showing their major interest in this tidbit of information. "How so?" they asked in unison.
"She's gotten closer to me, like, close enough for our…our…bodies to touch. Close enough that I could feel her body heat! She put her hand on mine, she's been holding my hand and walking me to class, and she's been giving me these little glances as if she's, well, I don't know what she's doing! But I know it's something that I don't think I should know about yet!" Amity confessed. "That's not all, she got in Boscha's face and made her back down, and she's been extra attentive when it comes to the lessons, she's even taken more detailed notes than usual! It's like she's a different person!"
Edrick and Emira were surprised by this information, they knew Luz was energetic person, but this really did sound like a different person that Amity was describing.
"Hey…she's not…you know…?" Emira asked in a cautious tone.
"Know what?"
"You know…a Phantom?" Edrick finished.
Amity's brow furrowed. "Of course, she's not! Phantoms make people fall into despair! They've done that with Willow and more recently Skara! Luz is the most optimistic person I've ever met, there's no way she's a Phantom! She did say that there was an accident at the Owl House, and that it messed with her head."
The twins had a worried look on their face, with the way things were going in their town, it was not exactly a farfetched notion to think that might be the case. They wanted to protect their little sister, especially since this concerned the person that she had feelings for.
"Is there any way you can be sure that she's telling the truth?" Edrick asked.
"She walked in today with Gus and Willow like she normally does, I'll go and track down Willow and ask her, I just wanted to make sure that this wasn't some elaborate prank you somehow wrangled Luz into," said Amity.
"Hey, Mittens, we may mess with you, but when it comes to something like this, we wouldn't do that to you," said Edrick.
"Ed's right, yes, we crossed a line with wanting to post your diary pages all over school…" Amity gave a low growl after being reminded about that incident. "But we would never mess with Luz, or you like that, we know how much you care about her, we wouldn't hurt you like that. Same way you guys don't tell Mom about Viney and me."
Amity sighed, she was a glad that that wasn't the case, but she couldn't deny that there was another fear in mind. What if Luz was a Phantom? That was crazy, but if there was someone who would know, it would be Willow or Gus, and since Gus did not know about her crush, it was more prudent that she ask Willow.
"Thanks, you two." Amity walked towards the door but stopped to look over her shoulder at her siblings. "Oh, and stop skipping classes. This was a one time no snitching situation."
"Promise, Mittens," said the twins as they secretly crossed their fingers behind their backs.
Amity didn't believe them for a second, but that was for another time.
Luz Lechuza was walking down the hallway towards the lunchroom. She had to admit, this Hexside wasn't as terribly boring as she first thought. Luz Lechuza had learned some of this world's magic through the human girl's memories, but going to each of these different classes, listening, and writing down her notes, made her intrigued on how this world's inhabitants used magic. However, she did dislike this "Coven System", binding one's magic to a specific type and locking away their ability to use any other, such a method only stymied a magic user's potential. That's not to say that being skilled in a particular type of magic was wrong, but it was wrong to not be more versatile. Each of the different magic types had strengths, but Luz Lechuza also saw their weaknesses.
Plant mages were limited to using the available flora around them, unless they were armed with seeds. Potion mages were also limited to premade concoctions. Beast Keeper mages could command wild animals, but if something disrupted that communication or if the creature was too strong willed, then they were useless. But they compensated for this by being able to transform their bodies to take on certain animal traits and parts. Construction worked with the earth, and only seemed limited to the imagination of the caster and the available material. Healing had the ability to injure as well, but only if contact is made, and if the person had a depth of knowledge when it came to the body.
Bard magic was interesting to Luz Lechuza, she knew of the saying that music was its own kind of magic, but it seemed this world had taken that concept quite literally. They can manipulate objects and even people with the sounds they make, but if one could not hear their music then its effects were nullified. Oracles had the power to see the future, but that seemed to be limited, for if they did, then surely the Sabbath ritual would've been stopped a long time ago. Illusions were considered the weakest of these "main nine", as they lacked any offensive capability, however, Luz Lechuza saw it differently, if one was crafty and creative enough, then one could neutralize an opponent without ever landing a blow. Psychological warfare can be as or even more effect than stabbing or hitting someone.
And then there was the apparent crown jewel of this system, Abominations. Luz Lechuza, at first glance, didn't see why they were heralded as the best of the nine. So far, all she has seen is the casters summoning creatures made of goo. Their bodies were mush and could easily be defeated, but it seemed that the more skilled the caster, the stronger the Abomination was, along with forging weapon constructs, and masters of the art could also change their physiology to become an Abomination themselves.
All in all, Luz Lechuza saw some merit in each of these magic types, and how each one could compensate for what the other lacked. However, with this current system, such things would only be learned if you were partnered with another caster of equal skill who could cover for those weaknesses. But then you'd be relying on another, and once that person was taken out it's game over.
Although, this human is limited to what she can learn. If the biology class was any indication, she lacks this 'Bile Sack'. The glyphs seem to be remnants of old magic…hmm…I wonder if I could–?
"Hey, human!"
Luz Lechuza stopped and turned around, she recognized that voice, but didn't think that the girl who it belonged to would be dumb enough to call her out. "Demon, what do you want?"
Boscha stomped her way towards Luz Lechuza, her cohorts seemed to be trying to talk her out of whatever she was about to do, but Boscha wasn't listening to them. The triclops stood about two feet away from Luz Lechuza and stared her down. "I challenge you to a witch's duel!"
The other students gasped upon hearing the declaration. Boscha wasn't a push over when it came to magic, and she certainly was physically strong due to her time as the Grudgby captain, so everyone knew that challenging Boscha to a duel was not a wise decision. Most expected the human girl to surrender immediately, Boscha expected this due to the human's performance during the Grudgby match, but none of them were expecting what the human said next.
"Okay."
All three of Boscha's eyes blinked. "Okay?"
"Are you deaf, demon? Then let me spell it out." Luz Lechuza then struck a pose and said, "Let's duel!"
Oh, great, I think this human is starting rub off on me…
Loud murmurs echoed through the halls, as the word was quickly being spread.
"You do know it's me, right? I am challenging you; you literally have no chance of winning," said Boscha.
Luz Lechuza smirked and crossed her arms. "I love that confidence; it'll sting all the more when you're looking up at me from the ground. So, when do we begin?"
Boscha growled angrily as she said, "We start in the gym! Now!"
Luz Lechuza rolled her eyes. "Can we at least get lunch first? I would like to least trounce you on a full stomach."
"Ooooooooooh!" the students went.
Boscha's face went red as she responded, "Trust me, you're better off with an empty stomach! Don't want you throwing up all over the floor and make the janitors work overtime."
"Heaven forbid that. Alright, guess this'll do." Luz Lechuza reached into her backpack and grabbed a candy bar, which she started to munch on. "Well then, lead the way."
Luz Lechuza and Boscha started making their way to the gym, the other students clamored as they followed behind them, excited to see what the outcome of this duel would be. The last time this happened, Luz turned out to be an illusion created by Zera, who was in fact a Phantom. But it seemed as if this was the real Luz, although she was acting a bit differently.
About two minutes later Luz Lechuza and Boscha were in the gymnasium, both girls kept a good distance from each other, giving them enough free space in between to cast spells. The students were practically holding their breath, completely ready to witness the devastation of Boscha defeating the human soundly.
"Just to be clear, we just have to keep going until one of us is unable to fight or until the other surrenders, right?" Luz Lechuza asked.
"Uh, duh!" Boscha responded.
Shoot, I was hoping to end her. Ugh, but then I'd have to deal with her whining about it when she wakes up. You lucked out today, demon girl.
Without warning, Luz Lechuza whipped out two Light Glyph papers and slammed them together. However, Luz Lechuza funneled some of her own mana into the spell, making the light that was created from the glyphs shine twice as bright, resulting in a powerful flash that made Boscha's eyes shut for fear of going blind. With that out the way, Luz Lechuza took out another glyph paper. She placed it on the ground and slammed her palm over it. The result created an ice wave the rapidly crept across the floor and surged up Boscha's legs.
Huh, could've sworn I drew the fire one. Oh well, this works, too.
Luz Lechuza ran until she was behind Boscha and slammed down another glyph. Two large vines erupted from the piece of paper and quickly wrapped themselves around both of Boscha's arms, pulling upwards with enough tension to make it hurt, but not enough to cause injury. Luz Lechuza slid across the icy floor and whipped out the Fire Glyph paper, with another infusion of mana, she made the fireball in her hand transform into a flaming sword.
When Boscha opened her eyes, she gasped in fear when she saw the flaming blade pointed at her face. The other students were silent, unable to process what they just saw. They were ready to see Luz's defeat, but instead, it was Boscha who was defeated, and in just under a minute. Some were a bit disappointed as the flash of light blinded them as well, so they didn't get to see all of it, but those who did still couldn't believe it.
"So, demon, do you give up?" Luz Lechuza asked.
Boscha couldn't process what was happening, she remembered the flash of light, she felt the cold grip her legs, and then the pain of something pulling her arms up, and then the heat close to her face. Then when she opened her eyes, she was staring down the flaming sword of the human girl. Boscha tried to move her fingers to draw a spell circle, but the vines only tightened their grip in response, as if telling her that if she tried, they'd break her arms.
"This…This can't be real…"
"Oh, it is real, and it happened." Luz Lechuza leaned in closer and whispered into Boscha's pointy ear, "And unless you want it to become more embarrassing than it already is, you might want to just bow out gracefully now."
Boscha growled inwardly, her three eyes looked as if they wanted to cry, but her pride wouldn't allow it, however, as much as she hated to admit it. She lost. "I…I yield…"
Luz Lechuza dismissed her fire sword and with a snap of her fingers, the vines and ice disappeared as well. "Good girl." The possessing Phantom looked up at the clock and said, "Ah, good, I still have time to eat my lunch. Thank you, Boscha, this duel did at least work up my appetite. See ya."
Luz Lechuza walked out of the gym as the crowd just watched her leave.
Amity was able to track down Willow, thankfully before they were able to meet up with Luz. "Willow!"
"Oh, hi Amity. What's the matter?" Willow asked as she saw the look on Amity's face.
"I…look this is going to sound weird, but has Luz been in an accident recently?" she asked.
Willow gulped and said, "Oh yeah, that! She accidentally got into something that Ms. Eda made, there was an explosion, she hit her head, and it seems to have messed with her personality and created this…uh…Other Luz. It's still her, though. Ms. Eda and the Healing Coven says that the real Luz is just sleeping in there and she should be back to normal soon."
"Oh…" Amity uttered. "So, it's just like she said…"
Willow was getting a little more concerned now. "Amity, what's wrong? Did she do something to you?! I swear to Titan!"
Amity waved off the concern. "No, no, it's just…she's been acting really flirty and teasing me a lot…I just thought…you know…"
Willow's anger was still present, it seemed La Lechuza wasn't as oblivious as Luz was when it came to Amity's feelings, and the Phantom Owl apparently was taking some pleasure in messing with Amity's feelings. "I'll have a talk with Other Luz when we're at lunch. I warned her not to mess around, but I guess I need to have a sterner talk with her."
"I guess it was too much to ask that it was really Luz." Amity sighed, but then a thought occurred to her. "Do you think that this Other Luz might be acting on some feelings that the real Luz might have? I mean, if she's another personality, then isn't it conceivable that she's acting on what the real Luz wants?"
This was a conundrum, on the one hand, Willow wanted to tell Amity that that theory was a resounding no, and that it was a Phantom inside Luz who just took pleasure in messing with others around Luz. But doing so would reveal that she's Kamen Rider Witch so that wasn't an option. Then again, who's to say that Luz doesn't have feelings for Amity? She had resigned herself to helping her friend in her pursuit of love in a shadow way, but she had never asked the question if Luz did have any kind of feelings towards Amity. Did she think Amity was cute? Did she see her as potentially more than a friend? These were questions that needed answers before Amity said anything to Luz, the last thing she wanted was to have the green haired witch finally work up the courage only to be heartbroken not a moment later.
"Let's just put a pin in that theory for now, I'm not a hundred percent sure if that is the case. If it helps, maybe when this is over, I can press Luz a little? Ask her what she thinks about you, maybe?" Willow offered.
Amity wanted to hold onto that theory of hers, but she also understood where Willow was coming from. She was looking out for both of them, and Amity couldn't fault her for that. "It's times like this I wish I never listened to my parents and ended our friendship."
Willow smiled and patted Amity on the shoulder. "You did what you had to. I might've had to transfer to St. Epidermis, or worse, Glandus High, ugh. I don't hear good things about them. So, while the first couple of years here were not so good, I wouldn't take them back. Otherwise, I would've never met Luz, Gus, or gotten the chance to make up with you."
Amity smiled and said, "You're going to be an awesome girlfriend to whoever you chose Willow."
Willow blushed and asked, "What brought that on?!"
"Just an observation, coming from someone who had a small crush on you way back when," said Amity with a smirk.
Willow rolled her eyes as they began walking towards the cafeteria. "Just so you know, if you're planning on including me, I pass. I'd like to have my own relationship."
Amity shrugged. "Your loss, I think the three of us we'd be a great power trio."
Willow and Amity chuckled at the joke, as they approached the cafeteria, they noticed Luz walking out from the gym. The human girl spotted both of them and cried out, "Ami, Willow, there you are!"
Willow glanced to Amity and asked, "Ami?"
"Uh…she…it's a pet name…nickname? Anyway, that's what she's been calling me since this morning," Amity admitted.
"I see…" Willow crossed her arms and gave the possessing Phantom a displeased look.
Luz Lechuza raised an eyebrow at the look and asked, "What?"
"I thought we agreed you wouldn't disrupt Luz's life."
"Oh, come now, I haven't done anything," Luz Lechuza retorted. "Ami, have I done anything bad?"
Amity blinked when she was put on the spot. "Uh, well, n-no, not really."
"See!"
"Ugh, let's just head lunch before–"
"LUZ! LUZ! LUZ! LUZ!" The students chanted as they exited the gym.
Amity and Willow stood there completely confused why the students were chanting Luz's name in a celebratory way.
"What's going on?" Amity asked.
"Riiight, I forgot. Boscha challenged me to a witch's duel a couple of minutes ago, and she gave up."
Amity and Willow's jaws dropped.
"It's true! She completely beat Boscha! And in less than a minute!" one student stated.
"You challenged Boscha to a witch's duel?!" Willow yelled.
"No, she challenged me, and then I beat her. Poor girl didn't stand a chance." Luz Lechuza walked until she was behind Willow and Amity, she then draped her arms over their shoulders and said, "Come, I'll tell you all about it over a meal."