Moving
Once Willow was back at home and Luz had returned to the Owl House, everything seemed to move at warp speed, one instant she was sitting with King in her room packing idly, the next she was consoling a hysterical Hooty, which set King off, which only provoked the humans worries for what was to come. Not just school, but leaving, No... I can't think about that. I just need... I just need to live in the now. Despite all her efforts, Luz had hardly been able to send more than a few words and thumbs up to her mom. Once the emotional moments had passed and she pushed the thought of leaving away for another time, the residents of The Owl House all sat for dinner together, even Hooty butt his way in through the Kitchen window to be a part of the conversation. Most of it was idle chat, King talking about how he and Francoise had started to practice their cheering – for when Luz eventually got into a sport or club – and Eda even shared some of her potential teaching plans, which, Luz knew right away was not above board but would make for excellent classes.
The rest of the night was a blur, time only slowing down to what felt like a normal speed when they had finally arrived – boxes in hand – at her part-time dorm room. The room was much different than she had originally pictured it, having accustomed herself to the weird and strange décor of the Boiling Isles, this room was eerily plain. Cream coloured walls, light gray laminate looking floor and no odd or funky smells. Despite Luz calling it a 'room' the space was quite large, when you walked in, it was very open concept, to the right was a small open kitchen with a few feet of brown spackle counter-top, a stove, fridge and 4 cupboards over the counter and 4 under. The cupboard was the same shade as the laminate, a light gray, with black steel curling handles, it was elegant. Straight ahead when walking in was the living room, a square area no more than 10 ft by 8 ft, enough for a comfortable couch, chair, table and crystal ball. On the wall opposite the kitchen was a full-size bathroom, with a light blue theme, no bath but a stand-up shower that saved space, the only storage was under the white counter-top with a silver sink and above the toilet. Finally, on either side of the living room were bedroom doors, the rooms were partially furnished with a twin bed, brown heavy oak looking desk and a small bookshelf. The whole space couldn't have been much more than 360 sq ft, and yet to Luz, it felt massive and better yet, all hers.
"Oh yeah... This is good" She muttered as she walked through the space, placing down the few boxes and bags she had in her hands. Wanting to be as comfortable as possible while she not only moved herself but helped Willow move and organize, she wore navy joggers, and a large sweatshirt with an embroidered 'L' on it, the one she got from Liliths old clothes. To keep her hair out of her face, she had tied it back into a very small ponytail, leaving only a few of the shortest strands left to dangle in her face, rather than her usual half bangs and long layers that framed her face. I don't think I would EVER be able to get into a college dorm like this back ho- back... in the human realm. She struggled with the small mental trigger, she couldn't let worrying about the future stop her from enjoying her dream right now, she wouldn't get this chance again. "What do you guys think?" She turned on her heels enthusiastically and laughed at Eda's expression, it was a mix of shock and disbelief.
"These were NOT this nice when I last saw them!" Eda bellowed, tossing Luz's clothing bags in a pile, her eyes still wandering the room. "Maybe we'll stay with you, got enough room for us and we can have a break from Hooty. I can bring the Apple Blood." Her joke was genuine, but there was truth to it and yet, Luz didn't want to know the potential trouble Eda could get into. Not because she was a sub teacher, but because with enough Apple Blood and confidence, the Wild Witch could do anything, or be convinced she could do just about anything. "Wonder if the old wall paper is still behind it, or the original Bloodwood..." There was a mischievous gleam in the older witches eyes as she tried to find a spot she could peel back and inspect. However, before she even got close enough to inspect the floors seams, Luz was shooing her and scolding her for the thought.
"Don't you do it lady!" Luz was quick to jump over to the spot where Eda was eyeing and shoo her away from it. Not wanting to dive into the half joke about her potentially staying at the dorm and risk hurting her feelings, instead she decided to redirect the conversation, "We should go check out how Willows is doing! Come on" She spotted the long eye roll from her mentor that signified a reluctant agreement, leaning down she picked King up from where he stood beside Eda and allowed him to clamor onto her back. Luz was only a few doors away from Willows, which also provided a lot of comfort, knowing her close and reliable friend was nearby. As they arrived, she knocked on the door with three small taps, I hear her... but, does she not hear us? She could hear her green-haired friend inside her room, along with some music, although nothing loud enough she could make out much of a tune. She was about to knock for a second time when Eda, with her everlasting patience, twirled a finger and pushed the door open. "Uh... Er, Wills were coming in!" She shouted from the doorway, a few feet behind Eda. What she saw when she walked in the room was startling, it was a vastly different space and Willow had done a lot more than she expected in terms of decorating. If I can call it that... The room was almost half the size of Luz's, the kitchen was about half the size and the living room was just a few feet smaller, and then the bedroom looked to be almost identical. The biggest difference was the vines, plants and general greenery that covered the room, in an almost chaotic manner.
In the middle of the room Willow was sitting cross-legged and staring intensely at a potted red plant, it looked to be just budding and very small. The intrusion at first didn't even seem to faze the witch, but once the uninvited guests had entered her field of vision, she let out an audible yelp, clutching her chest for a moment before she was able to loop her finger in a circle and command a vine to lift the pin from her record player. "YOU COULDN'T HAVE KNOCKED?" Willow asked, her forehead was covered in sweat, and she seemed exasperated and by the look of her furrowed brow, mildly annoyed. Willow had spent the better part of her day trying to will this small plant into good health, however, despite all her efforts nothing seemed to work. Her stubborn streak won over and regardless of how many failures she had she persisted, to the point of fixation.
"We did knock! You didn't answer and then you know, we could hear you and wanted to..." Luz trailed off, waving her hand vaguely through the air, having no idea how to justify the fact that they had walked into her room without her permission, for no more reason than knowing she was in there.
Before she came up with a good reason, Eda piped up and gave a casual shrug as she answered. "Look Flowers, we wanted to check up on you and could hear you. Besides, what had you so wrapped up in the plant you didn't hear us?" Eda made a good point, one that Luz wouldn't have thought to ask until later, if at all. Neither mentor or apprentice could see anything unusual about the plant either, only that it was her sole focus and quite frankly, very small compared to the obviously enchanted plants and vines strewn about. The older witch liked to think of herself as a jack of all trades, however, the plants significance seemed to evade even her keen eye.
Willow stared at the trio in front of her preparing her answer and for the first time – in likely hours – she took her surroundings into account and her eyes went wide. Her morning had been so normal, her parents helped her move her necessities in, they cried together despite the dark-haired witch having assured them she would be visiting often. She moved boxes of books, her cauldron, potions table and more to exactly where she wanted it. Then, I wanted to decorate... she recalled putting her favourite record on, a gift from her parents, 'Memoires - Spooky Beats from the Toes'. After that she sat down with her project plant, the red medallion and started to work on getting it to grow, she wanted the bright red buds to trail the room. Not only did the magical plant smell good, at night it had a light purple iridescence glow to it. all those spells I used... I didn't even notice... Her eyes glanced from place to place as she spotted her different growth techniques. I don't know how but I grew every other plant besides this one. Before she could further descend into her mind and decern why all this had occurred, the tall witch Eda, had enveloped her whole vision. Pulling her back to the present. "Oh! I uh... Sorry about that guys, I was trying to grow this red medallion to decorate my room." She quickly gestured to the potted plant on the floor and then up to the winding vines and flowers covering her dorm room. "But got a little frustrated when it wasn't working..." She wore a sheepish smile now, feeling guilty that she had not only ignored them but yelled at them.
"A red medallion!" Eda snapped her fingers and turned her attention to the plant, lifting it from the floor to admire it. From the corner of her eyes, she could see both girls were giving her a look, "Come on now Flowers, you should know this one." She passed the plant back to the plant witch, her eyebrows raised, waiting for her to explain. When all she got was a quirked eyebrow in return, she let out a small scoff "Its the only plant on the boiling isles that isn't affected by magic. Once there is a bud, no magic, regardless of how strong can help it grow, change its shape, and so on." Finally, there was a flash of recognition in Willows eyes and she could see a hint of embarrassment. "This plant is highly sought after for that reason alone, put this bud in the right potion and you're looking at magic resistance, no detection invisibility, and so on... Where did you get it?" The realization suddenly hit Eda, this wasn't a common plant you could just come across, it's been picked to near extinction in the wild.
As soon as Eda uttered the plants' potential uses, Willow had a flash of realization and immense embarrassment. For at least a few hours of her day she had been trying and trying to get this plant to grow, only to now realize she had mistaken this plant for another. "It was a seed in the schools greenhouse..." She muttered, absentmindedly replying as she tried to figure out where her mistake was.
It was Luz that broke Willows deep thoughts now, running from her spot behind Eda she grabbed her friend by the shoulder and gave her a small enthusiastic shake. "Hey! No harm, not only does your room look amazing but now you have a project plant!" Her enthusiasm was clearly contagious, as it didn't take long for Willow to return the excitement and smile. She must have been completely absorbed in that plant to do... all of this. Willows room was beautiful, a little overwhelming but beautiful, full of life, it gave the room a certain energy her plain room sorely lacked. Glancing over at Eda she cleared her throat slightly, and let Willow go, "Don't even think about it." her tone was mildly accusing as she looked at the older woman, who was now feigning innocence.
"I wasn't thinking about anything!" Well she knows me too well... Meh, not like I have time for a side hustle right now. Eda put her hands out in fake innocence, "Alright, I'll take my innocence on the road. I'll see you both tomorrow, when I get my 'teaching' assignments." She gave the two some less than enthusiastic finger guns, both knew it was going to be harder for Eda than she's been letting on, there was a lot of stuff that went on in those walls she'd never talked about. Not only that, but there was a risk in having her on staff, the Emperors Coven had been making fewer visits but the moment Lilith knew she was there, well, everyone knew the potential issues. "Come on King, maybe I can find you a little tie." She chuckled at the idea, picturing the small demon in a little suit and tie. There was a small 'Weh' from King as he protested not only leaving Luz's shoulder but demanding a 'regular' tie.
Luz was tempted to stop them and try to address the problem, but ultimately just shook her head at the pair "¡Hasta luego! (See you later)" she calls after them, sighing to herself when the door to Willows dorm room finally closes. As she turned around to face her best friend the freshly closed door sounded like it had nearly blown off its hinges behind her, freezing her in place and causing her brown eyes to go wide, while her hair whipped around her face falling loose from the ponytail. An instant later there was a bright blinding light emanating from behind her, filling the room and not only blinding Willow – who was in front of her – but herself. Since she was a child Luz liked to think of herself as someone who was difficult to frighten but this random incident was sending an intense chill down her spine, to the point where she could feel her hair standing up on end.
The whole incident took only a few seconds all together, as soon as the bright light dissipated, it was replaced with a dimmer blue light and what sounded like mini fireworks. Willow seemed to understand what was happening well before Luz could even register the situation enough to turn around from where she was frozen, "It is I! Augustus Porter, back from my – slightly – extended vacation!" The voice bellowed from behind her, defusing her fears and anxieties instantly. of course... It's just Gus. Too much Scoffee has me on edge Luz finally let out a small awkward laugh, turning around as Willow blew passed her to embrace her friend. The sight was magical and flashy, which just seemed very Gus. Above his head in large blue glowing letters was 'I'm back Witches! Miss me?' flashing as if it was a neon sign.
"Gus!" Willow called rushing up to the dark-skinned boy and giving him a hug, a very tight hug by the look of it. Since the two had become friends at the end of elementary school, they had gone through a lot of bullying together, which really bonded them. In moments like this, it was easy to see how close they really were, "Hope I got some good shots of the try outs for you, I don't think you missed much. Banshees almost seemed... Tired?" Before Gus could answer, Luz added herself to the hug, pulling them back in for a brief squeeze before letting them go.
Gus wasn't always one for hugs and close contact, but after not having seen either of his friends for a few weeks, it was more than welcome. "I wish I was there! I'll have to use all my flag-tastic energy for the first game." Backing away from the two girls, Gus pulled a bag from off his shoulder, "I have some gifts, nothing too crazy! Just wanna show off my time In Carpel City, visiting some of the lost pyramids!" He wiggled his eyebrows and had a proud glow about him as he spoke, almost too fast for Luz to follow along, which Willow seemed to notice. As she had to jump in after Gus's excitement to explain where that was in relation to them, it was as far down as you could go down the left arm and was known for its great tourism and excursions.
The three spent a couple of hours talking in Willows room, content to sit on the floor and look at the pictures Gus took on with his Scroll. Some of the sights were unbelievable, Luz knew the island was massive, but seeing a vast dessert and pyramids just made It seem like a different place all together. Once he finished his show and tell, Gus passed out the gifts he got, they weren't anything expensive, but they were unexpected. Gus had given Willow a 'Traditional Training Horn' used by ancient tribes in that area to prepare themselves for training or on occasion hard labour. Needless to say, she loved it. For Luz, Gus surprised her by sneaking a piece of stone from the pyramid itself and getting her a detailed cloth map that indicated all the different places they'd excavated. "Awe, Gus, this map is beautiful, definitely going on my wall. AND you got me a potentially cursed stone?" The dark-skinned boy waved a hand at her, pushing it off like it was no big deal.
For a while longer the trio sat, content with filling Gus in on the few things that had happened while he was gone, once the conversation felt like it had hit a lull, Willow pipped up about their first day. "I wasn't sure if I should bring it up... Since you haven't but, do you have any questions or we can, walk you through it?" As the topic shifted, Luz visibly stiffened up and became uneasy. She had obviously given it thought, she had been so focused on getting to the moment that she basically forgot to prepare for the potential of it all coming together.
The question hung in the air for a moment before Luz finally cleared her throat and sat up, sitting cross-legged across from both Gus and Willow. "Don't get me wrong, I am very excited! Heh, it's literally a dream come true..." Her voice trailed off; she avoided making eye contact with either one as she gathered her thoughts. "I am absolutely terrified, I think that I'm going to be the odd one out again and honestly, I don't know how well I can really handle that, at my last school – my human school – I didn't make a good first impression, I-I was a weirdo, a freak and didn't fit in with anyone. Even people I thought were my friends eventually just... Stopped talking to me. I just... I want this to go well and, I mean, I need this to go well... This is a dream come true and I honestly didn't think that I was ever going to get here, I have set myself up for potential failure. I'm not sure what to do now, that I'm here, literally and figuratively-" before she could continue her intense rambling, she felt a soft hand touch hers. Looking up from her lap she saw that both Willow and Gus had solemn, almost sad looks on their faces.
Willow was the first to speak after grabbing Luz's hand, keeping It there as she spoke, hoping to comfort her. "Luz, why didn't you say any of this sooner?" The green-haired witches voice was soft and laced with concern, troubled that her friend had all this pent up for who knows how long. All Luz could do in reply was shrug her shoulders and look away, back to her free hand that rested in her lap. "What matters is you are here! You did the work, and we are all here together!" She squeezed her hand gently and motioned with her head for Gus to speak.
Gus struggled to find his words at first, he always felt like a good friend and someone people could come to if they had a problem, but emotional stuff was difficult for him. "You're Luz the Human! You jumped into a whole new world with both feet! You are a fearless fighter of Slitherbeasts and master of lost magic! First day of college will be nothing to fear!" While Gus spoke, he simultaneously was casting illusion spells, the illusions ranged from Luz in a cape and Azura style wardrobe to a still of her launching a massive Slitherbeast into the depths of a forest with her ice magic.
Between Willow words and Gus's epic illusions, she felt a weight being lifted from her shoulders, she knew she wasn't alone. The Boiling Isles wasn't like the human realm and yet, she couldn't help but keep to herself and boil over. "Thanks guys..." A single tear rolled down her cheek, causing her to let out a small gasping chuckle as her free hand wiped it away, "Ah Titan, sorry, good tear, I swear" She gave them both a reassuring smile and turned her attention to Willow, turning her hand over so that she was holding her friend's hand. "Can you please walk me through what I should expect?"
The rest of the afternoon the trio worked together to make sure that Luz was set up for a successful first day, they reviewed how they would get their timetables, how to read it, how lunch worked, they even reviewed the campus map. It was clear that it was going to be a difficult start no matter what, Luz was going to be given her timetable from Bump first thing that morning and she would be introduced to her home room by him, something she was dreading. Eventually the group decided to disperse when they felt like any more information would just be an overload, Luz wouldn't tell them, but she hit the point of overload much farther back into the conversation. She was the first to leave, wanting to get her room situated and lay out her clothes for the next day. She gave both her friends a big hug and casually gestured towards her room, "Just down the hall if you need me" she tried to match her casual gesture with a casual tone, unfortunately the attempt fell flat and a small, excited squeak managed to come out at the end of her words. Before she could do anything else embarrassing, she bid them good night and left for her room.
The young woman entered her dorm room and for the first time that day really took it all in, and what it meant, "I'm here... I can do magic, I have friends, I have... Family." She closed her eyes and leaned against the closed door, letting this positive feeling wash over her. "First day is always the hardest" She gave herself an assured nod and began unpacking her belongings, putting her Azura books on the small shelf in her room, along with a few texts Eda had received from Bump for her to borrow for as long as she needed them. Her meager property made unpacking easy, in no time flat she had everything unpacked and organized. Her stomach growled wanting attention, although she was tired from her day of activities she sighed and made her way to the vending monster at the end of the dorm hall.
The machine wasn't anything special, they were littered throughout the Boiling Isles and varied only slightly. The brown-haired apprentice started through the glass-like covering, ignoring the small grunts and grumbles the machine made as she debated. Scoffee Bar..? Nat Noodles? Bleh... Uh... Curssoint with spiders? Oh, Butter Bee Bread... Lets try it. She hummed, pulling out a few snails that Eda had left with her. With fake confidence she fed the monster the required snails and asked for the butter bee bread, there was a small pause as the machine grumbled and worked to spit out the yellow and black packing. "Er... Thanks" She couldn't help but laugh, there were things she still wasn't fully used to. Turning to return to her room she jumped when a door to her left closed loudly beside her, she could have sworn she saw two green-haired blurs, the twins perhaps, but they had never avoided her before. weird... she didn't give it anymore thought as she went back to her room and retired for the night, excited and anxious for her next day.
Amity
The punishment Amity had received was severe and yet, didn't seem much worse than any other day, she knew deep down she should be reeling, upset, embarrassed even, but she barely had it in her to care. When her mother had gotten home late, she made sure not to inquire, her dinner was already tense and awkward without her pointing out her mother's delay. Most dinners were like this now, no twins, no talking, just awkward and painful silence. Unless of course it was a benefit dinner for a shareholder or a gala. The punishment took place after dinner and felt as though it was an afterthought for her mother, part of the punishment was Grudgby drills, painful, dangerous drills. While the other part was an intrusion of her thoughts and memories, all subjected to her intense review. whats the difference... the thought crossed her mind a few times when Odalia was scraping across her mind for a place to hold and further scold her. When it was all said and done, Odalia seemed almost surprised she hadn't found anything. It almost seemed like she didn't believe that Amity had tried her best, this way was certainly more difficult than the alternative and only fueled the fire. The wild haired witch recalled the all too real threats her mother made if she continues to make a mockery of the family, threats that used to shake her to her core now felt, strange, like she was disconnected.
Sitting in her room the night before the first day she sat on her bed staring at her scroll, at first, she had wanted to check in on what her mother posted, she needed to keep up with the act that the life her mother portrayed was the life she knew and lived. Even if it was a deceptive and crushing falsehood. While she was checking Penstagram however, a post Emira made had caught her attention and evoked a deep longing, they didn't always get along and she blew up at the twins a few times, especially when at the cabins but, they were one of the very few people in her life she knew cared for her. Cared for her because they wanted to not because they shared a namesake or because it was profitable. The post was simple, it was about entering their third year of college and how they are going to throw 'the best seniors parties'. 'Senior Blights, Party Paradise, 4th floor!' is what they ended the post with, included was a picture of the two, Emira on Edrics back making a cute winking face and peace sign while Edric barely had a smile on as he struggled to be in the photo with his sister. As she stared at the foolish photo the longing started to deepen and a sense of resentment bloomed in her chest, an uncomfortable heat she hadn't felt in a while. A small cold chill ran over Amity's body as the feeling was just settling in, causing her to exit and dismiss her scroll, she wasn't actively thinking about anything that would cause problems but there was a lot of feelings buried and she knew that the risk was too high, and she needed to be laser focused. I need to make a good impression, win favour and show I don't need this … she mentally gestured toward her amulet, it had only been a few weeks since her mother had taken more 'severe' action and yet she felt like it was a lifetime. Maybe it was though, perhaps she had been living like this her whole life and this simply put it all on the forefront. "Tomorrow will be fine... This semester will be fine." She whispered to herself, crawling into bed properly so she could fall asleep and wake up to do something she was good at, something she could get recognition for, school.
Amitys sleep was odd and left her feeling tired, despite having slept soundly through the night, her dreams were of just a large black void, a vast nothingness that resonated deeply. Before the last few weeks, the change in her sleeping pattern might have quirked her interest, but as she has learned – painfully – sometimes it's best not to wonder. As usual, the star student woke a couple of hours earlier than she needed to, getting ready she put on a plain dark purple quarter sleeve shirt, a few bracelets Emira had given her for birthdays long passed and matched it all up with a black pair of dress pants. They weren't formal dress pants, but they were sharp and styled, shaping her lower half and accentuating her features, finishing the look she pulled her black thick souled boots on. With a flick of her finger the boots were tied, and purple goo delivered her book bag to her from its spot on the desk. She stared at herself in the mirror of her bathroom for a long while, inspecting herself. The green haired witch looked tired, and as usual; her wild hair was a mess from her sleep. Unlike her siblings she didn't use a concealment stone to dress herself up, she took the time to do her hair and take care of her face, even if it was time consuming. Taking a deep breath, she attempted to convince herself the semester would be fine, good even. First day is the hardest part... Then it's a breeze. You're a Blight, nothing scares you, you mingle with a select few and have goals beyond yourself she repeated this a few times before giving herself an approving nod and leaving, as she exited the mansion, she nodded courteously to the staff as she passed them by, acknowledging them for bowing.
There was a moment of pause when Amity left for her first day, once she closed the door behind her she was surprised to see a driver waiting for her, blank faced as usual hovering on their staff. I should have guessed... I'll just be extra early. She quietly sighed and put her Blight face on, there was no weakness, no kindness in this look, it was hard, calculated and yet strangely indifferent. "Good morning" Her greeting was curt and short, the driver hardly acknowledged it, but the moment Amity was situated sitting side saddle comfortably they took off. As her already wild hair whipped around from the wind, she couldn't help but drift off into thoughts about all the 'what ifs', gazing down at the Island she can't help but allow the feeling of overwheling emptiness to envelop her. Suddenly, she was pulled into a memory of Emira and her fighting. It was months ago, but relevant. "Listen to me! Is this what you really want? Over and over, every single day? Get up, dress to their standards, be escorted here and there, work your ass off to be satisfactory?" Emira was on another tangent about their parents, about their upbringing, ever since she had started to date Viney it's gotten worse. As if she's only just realizing the radical situation and the terrible implications of their station. "Em!" Amity's sharp voice cut her older sister off, allowing her a moment to finally speak "I don't expect you to understand, I don't have the option to pass this off like you did! I'm it, I've always been totted around, expected to do the right thing every. Single. Time." Emira went to interrupt but the youngest Blight put a hand up to silence her, allowing her to continue, "We know. YOU KNOW, this isn't what I want... But we don't always get what we want. I'm satisfied having my job at the library." Her voice got weak for a moment before she picked herself back up, "I just need you to stay out of it, just because they don't expect you to do anything with your life doesn't mean I don't want to" Of course she needed to say something hurtful, how else would she be able to escape this conversation? This intense fit of longing in her chest, this horrible green jealousy that clouds her vision when she looks at the twins. The look on her face though... The memory faded, and Amity was left feeling the same emptiness, this time layered with jealousy and guilt, feelings she could only suppress and move on from. Moments later they were on the ground, just outside of the large gates that marked the start of Hexside College Campus. "Thank you, should I expect you after school today?" She didn't look at the driver while she spoke, only staring forward at the school while she waited for an answer. "3:30 sharp miss." That was all the driver said before departing.
Her chest thrummed with the sore ache of the amulet; despite all her best efforts the anxiety of her day was starting to wear her down, starting to wear down her ability to block out even some of her subconscious worries. In small flashes she saw all her worries of the day go by, causing her left hand to reflexively go up and grip the amulet. Lu-The human girl... Admitted. Let's just hope we don't share classes... She swallowed the sharp pain down and focused on something else, anything else, Timetable then library.. Exhaling all she could, she strode forward, head held high both her hands gripping the strap of her back now. She wasn't weak here, she was at the top, she was a force and wouldn't be slowed down by a mere human. The walk to get her timetable was short, as expected her mother had selected quite a few of the advanced classes. The only thing that surprised her was her last class of the day, "Oracle Study..." Amity had inquired about the class when a crow had been sent out to inform families there was now options to multitrack. Having heard this, she decided to see if her mother would allow such a deviation, to which she replied, 'they would discuss it' a kinder way of her saying no. The youngest Blight wanted to see if there was anyting she could discover about the amulet magic, something she could do to just lessen the effects, without signaling her mother. Would it be worth discovering... Worth the potential punishment. Sighing, she opened the large oak doors to the library, it paled in comparison to the city library but had a decent enough selection of books. As she walked up and down the aisles, looking for anything to add to the course recommended books, a grouping of books caught her eye. She paused, letting it linger in the corner of her vision for a moment, debating, before ultimately turning around to inquire. "Can't hurt..." From the large case of books she pulled out a thick plain looking book, no teeth, fur or enchantments to speak of. strange What had really caught her eye was the title, 'History - Witches of Salem' and 'Human Historical accounts' the second book looked to be hand-written, Poorly hand-written. She thought with a grimace when she inspected the lettering closer. When she had read the word 'human' she experienced a lighter version of the pain she felt when she thought about a certain individual, Just... Nothing specific. Looking around, she put the books in her bag, no one seemed to have picked those books up in a very long time. No reason for anyone to know that she checked them out, the small rebellion caused the amulet to send a burning sensation through her, but it quickly dissipated as she continued her original mission. Trying to think of a time when she could read them without the repercussions of her mother's controlling spell.
As she left the library, a creeping chill ran the length of her spine, Nothing is hidden... All she need do is ask... the whisper felt like nails dragging across her skin, the burn left behind by it caused her head to throb. Tears were forming at the corners of her eyes, she needed to regain composure. As if on cue, a hand clasped her shoulder and she was shaken from her world, and fear, "Oh hey Bosch." She tried to put an influx in her voice but it came out flat and bland.
"Woah, don't sound so happy to see me" The pink haired witch rolled her three eyes, and gave her friend a small shake before releasing her. "I was calling your name, but you were in your own world Blight." She didn't wait for Amitys reply, she had her own agenda, and her friend would either follow or they'd catch up later. There was little surprise when the green haired witch appeared to her left, eyes staring off to their left, not necessarily looking at anything in particular. "My parents landed me in some stupid advanced classes... Make up your mind would you, do you want me to focus on sports or academics. Titan." Her voice was sharper than usual, there was less playfulness and more malice. The change however wasn't detected at all by Amity, she was far too wrapped up in her own situation, all she could offer was a nod. "Don't be so talkative. You know I hate it." Before either could speak again, more students started to appear in the hallways as it got closer to the start of classes. She caught a glimpse of Amity's time table as her friend tried to see where she needed to head off to. "Well at least we have lunch and Oracle Studies together" That seemed to have finally got her friends attention, it was just as surprising to her, she didn't expect her parents to deviate from their plan at all and yet, here it was, on paper.
It took Amity a moment to fully focus on Boscha again, she was trying to listen but sometimes all she could do was nod to Boscha's mild complaining, not that she didn't want to listen or help but in this mindset it was difficult. "That is really odd... I requested it but... I got a we'll talk later. So, a delayed and polite no" It felt good to complain, even if it was something small and insignificant, she knew Boscha understood. "I guess w- I-" From where they were in the hallway they had a perfect view of the entrance, and from the corner of her eye she saw Willow walking in and above the heads of some of the other students, a red beanie. Her sudden stutter didn't go without notice and not only did Boscha pick up on it but Skara who had just joined up with them as well. Not wanting to answer or get caught in line of sight, she cleared her throat "Oh, wow yeah, look at the time. I should go set up. See you both at lunch." Her tone was painful but also, Awkward , there was a secondary panic that all three picked up on, but no one mentioned. Amity was quick to dart out of the situation before either Skara or Boscha could say anything, as she walked away, head held high, she could feel their eyes on the back of her head. Smooth exit... Ugh, Focus! she scolded herself the whole way to her first class, she was relieved when she arrived, that it was empty. She was able to take a moment to herself and refocus, she needed to have things pre-prepared, her exit was poorly done and even made her question herself. Sitting near the window of the class, she started to come up with small excuses, ways to duck out of a conversation without sounding like an idiot or raising suspicion, the last thing she needed was to put someone in the middle of this. She wanted to share the burden but, not when it could hurt people, she had a future and they had a plan for her, now she just needed to meet expectations.
Luz
There was as strong chill in the air when Luz left her dorm room that morning, a creeping, bone chilling cold that felt rooted to her core, as if something had her in a vice grip of ice. She couldn't figure out why the cold was affecting her so violently, she had been bundled up, scarf, gloves, a thick wool sweater. Where did the sweater come from? It feels so familiar, so soft and comforting. She shook the thought from her head, trying to keep her mind sharp. She made her way down the stairs of the dorm, passing the numbered doors of the lower levels, a few minutes went by, the building must just have been taller than she expected, something normal to explain the extended descent. When she reached the next landing, the number on the door sent a shock through her body, she was staring at a large white negative 5. Was there a basement she wasn't aware of, even if that were the case, five levels below ground would be so dark and foreboding, not many would want to live there. Taking in a cold breath she decided to let her curiosity get the best of her, with gloved hands she reached for the grungy and rusted metal door handle. The moment she made contact was strange, alarming even, suddenly she couldn't hear anything, not her own breathing or the sound of the creaking old building. Before she could react the door before her started to freeze over, and the air around her became thicker, colder. Ripping her hand away from the ice riddled door she stumbled, bumping against the staircase, as the vibration from the metal staircase went through her, her hearing came back with a pop!
From below her, she could now hear someone writing, chalkboard, it was so clear, so oddly unnerving, had her limbs been in her control she would have attempted to return to the surface. Against her will her legs took her down another three flights of stairs, the numbers continuing into the negative until she was on the negative eighth floor. Every step she took there was a rising panic welling in her chest, and flooding her mind with 'what if's' and what she would have usually considered impossible situations, but given what was happening. Was anything impossible? Finally, her body faced her to the door, instead of the odd gray light that had coloured the fifth floor, the glass on this door was nearly clear allowing her to peer inside. To her surprise, it was Hexside, she could see students walking by, teachers filing into their classrooms, they were moving unusually fast. After only a moment, the hallways were empty and she couldn't help but wonder what she was supposed to see. If she was supposed to see anything. Only a few more moments passed before a tall green haired witch walked out of one of the classrooms, a pass hanging from her wrist. There was no question about it, it was Amity, when the witch turned to be in Luz's full view, the human woman could finally see the full extent of her features. What she saw only caused the pit in her stomach to further deepen, the usually energetic, athletic and composed witch she knew looked exhausted, her face was gaunt and paler than usual. Her sharp golden eyes were dull, drained and devoid of emotion, the look sent horrible chills down her spine and caused her throat to constrict. The moment froze before Amity left the frame, and a darkness suddenly crept over Luz's shoulder, her already cold body was at a point where she was sure if she was in control of her body she would collapse. Whisper quiet, a scratchy, skin crawling voice echoed into her mind "You. Will. Never... Be. Able. To. Stoooop. This." All the softness disappeared, and the voice was suddenly loud, hot, and angry, like a burning hand on her shoulder. "THIS IS INEVITABLE. LEAVE. LEAVE. LEAVE. LEAVE! YOU. WILL NEVER. CHANGE THIS FATE. LEAVE. LEAVE! LEAVE She closed her eyes in pain, her head throbbing from the screaming and her shoulder felt like it was on fire.
Luz jolted upright, a small scream drying out her throat as she woke, her room spinning around her as she tried to regain her senses. She was drenched in sweat; the longer part of her hair was stuck to her face and tears were streaming from her eyes. Her heart was beating out of her chest, she felt its beat at the end of her toes and tips of her fingers. A dream? It … It was a dream? Her throat was tight, and she felt like she might pass out from, her senses were slow to return. Hugging herself, she struggled to put her legs down on the cold floor, the leaching cold was surprisingly welcoming as her body felt like it was on fire a huge contrast to how she felt in the dream, until the end. there... It couldn't have been a … A shudder ran through her before her mind was allowed to continue, It all felt so real. Subconsciously her hand reached over her shoulder, a throb still wracking her body, with a gasp her hand touched hot skin. "Ow, What in the Titan?" Her voice was a horse whisper, struggling to her small bathroom she leaned on the counter, cringing at her appearance, she turned her left shoulder towards the mirror and her mind went blank. A dark welt in the shape of a hand was in the same spot the darkness had touched her in her dream. If you could call it a dream. "No... Impossible -" A loud knock at the door startled her, causing her brain to snap into the now. "Ah, Er... Coming!" She yelled, yanking her t-shirt back into place, she could worry about this later. For now, she needed to get ready for school, for her first day. Why today...
Scrambling to the door she opened It and shut it just as quickly, pulling Willow in and causing the girl to squeak from the shock of the movement. "Morning, my hexolio-o-oh... What in the Titan happened?" Willow quirked an eyebrow at her friend's panicked and scattered look, "You look like a grffins ass! Do you even know what time it is?"
With a sigh Luz covered her face and looked down, groaning, "I know I do, okay" turning she shuffled over to where she had taken out her clothes for today, "I just need a quick shower and … I'll tell you on my way. Just... Make sure I'm not late" There was a begging tone in her voice at her request, grabbing her towel, she made her way to the small bathroom and started to get ready nearly falling on her ass when Willow bellowed that she had ten minutes. Panic in my sleep, panic in my life! With a flurry of clothes and water Luz started to get ready. "Nine minutes now and I don't hear the water!" Willows voice was somehow firm and yet in a singsong tone. "I can only go so fast!" Luz cried out in response, somehow Willows presence made her feel more at ease, even if she was still in a panic. Today can still be good