Luz Clawthorne: Two Worlds, One Family

by JP-Ryder

Co-Author with BuckJohnson. After the events of Book One, the Clawthornes have two new guests to take care of. While Luz gets used to some changes and Amity does some soul-searching, new dangers come to the Boiling Isles. Will Luz and her family be able to stop Belos and save their home? Will explore dark topics and themes.

85. Chapter 114: House Brooken

As a reminder, we're having a contest where you, the readers, can make fankids based off of the Luz Clawthorne story. So if you have a fankid in mind, you can submit either to the reviews, or PM us.

All characters from Disney and other properties are owned by their respectful owners. The OCs made here are written entirely for the story. Enjoy the fic.

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Chapter 114: House Brooken

Inside her office, Julia had just finished setting up her desk when she heard knocking on the door. "Come in!" she shouted.

"Afternoon, Dr. Traveler," Nina Fangs said as she came in.

"Afternoon, Nina," Julia replied, smiling. "Why don't you have a seat?"

"Thanks," Nina replied while going over to sit on the couch. "Thanks again for listening to me earlier when I was talking about… Emily still being around. And thanks for letting me vent out my frustrations on the dummy."

"Yes, Mr. Pogo is happy to help with that," Julia replied, pointing towards a roughed up sack dummy on the ground. "So how have you been the last time we've talked?"

"Well, this week has been an improvement over the last," Nina admitted. "Not perfect, but I'm still in a better place mentally now. I even made peace with Luz at the annual IFWOT. We can talk about that."

"Wasn't that already covered a few chapters ago?" Julia pointed out.

"Oh, right," Nina replied with a nod. "Well, I guess we can talk about what I did during the rest of the week…"

---

The camera starts far from the Titan before quickly zooming in on Bonesborough. Then, a pan shot brings us to the Brooke home as calm, nineties-like music plays.

House Brooken

It's a magical thing, in this day of age,

To read any spell books made by the mage.

Calypso Brooke walks in home, giving a smile to the camera while tilting her head with her hands on her hips.

Slasher Brooke is shown banging on the bongos, looking up at the camera and smiling, giving a wave.

Our love is like a sweater, it's so stitched up together,

Don't need blood to love you forever.

Skara Brooke is about to catch something before noticing the camera. She waves at it before getting hit by the ball, making her fall.

Nina Fangs is shown practicing her cheers, facing the camera with a smile, but then Andrea pops up and spooks her, making her shock herself and fall.

Well there must be some magic in there, to form this family!

Scabrina Fangs is shown in her room/lab, doing an experiment until she notices the camera and gives a wave.

With Donna Masterskull who notices the camera while playing skinnis.

Lambi who is shown treating Dusty Bring'ems for his injuries.

Willow Park who is shown flying up high while playing Flyer Derby, giving a wink to the camera.

Cause all I know, is all I can dream,

To taking care of a family to lean!

And Andrea Pinkjoy who tries to enter the Brooke home while the Brooke residents try to keep her out. She notices the camera and smiles at it.

Then, multiple shots show the Brooke family getting in all kinds of shenanigans. From Nina and the Brookes riding in the cart together, to Skara and Slasher dancing in sync.

Each day goes by!

I never thought to have found happiness!

Calypso opens the door, finds Nina in a… particular position with Donna and Lambi, with Andrea watching. The Brooke matriarch gives a deadpan look. Another clip shows Skara and Willow on the couch, as suddenly the ceiling drops as it shows Nina while holding Scabrina, all giving eye-wide looks.

Soaring high!

We'll cast the magic of kindness!

One clip shows Nina and Calypso pulling a large badger. Next shows Nina chasing a griffin that flew off with Skara in its talons. Then another clip shows Slasher and Calypso holding hands, dancing together sweetly.

When love comes by!

There's room for you, room for me,

The bile sac's filled with opportunity!

Next shows in a burnt kitchen, Calypso staring at Nina and Skara, the latter pointing at Nina, who just shrugs. Another shows Slasher stuck in a tree while in a panic. Another shows Scabrina having turned Skara into a robot…

Each day goes by,

We just can't wait for the Day of Unity!

Nina joins the Brookes as they sit together in the living room while Skara hits a button on the remote. The scene changes to outside the Brooke home as it zooms back to the skyline.

Executive Producers: JP-Ryder and BuckJohnson

---

Earlier that week, in the Brooke home on Monday morning, Nina was on her bed petting Tugs while watching a video on the scroll.

"Hey there, viewers!" spoke a werecat teenage girl who resembled a lynx. She had blue hair in long twin pigtails, blue eyes, and a pink nose. She was dressed in a white sailor scout shirt and blue skirt, white knee socks and blue mary-janes. "This is Lynxa along with my sister, Jemma!"

"Hey," spoke Jemma, a lynx werecat teenage girl with teal eyes and a pink blue nose. She was wearing a blue short jacket with a white shirt, dark pants, and sandals.

"The Milky Sisters of the Milk Moon Tribe are here to give you werefans an update!" Lynxa declared. "Now over the weekend, the Boiling Isles was put under a lockdown because of the events at the Bonesborough Brawl!"

"And this morning the Emperor issued a statement about the incident in regards to Amity Goodfellow, who was revealed to be a Fae," Jemma said as the image of Belos popped up, followed by Amity's picture. "The Emperor declared that Amity should be spared despite her Fae status, since she was still a child of the Titan. He also ended the lockdown… and yet, he failed to mention anything about the other reveal this weekend: that the infamous Emily Tricks was the Golden Guard."

"Yeah! Like, what's up with that?" Lynxa questioned. "Did she trick her way into the Emperor's Coven or something? And why didn't he comment about the alleged goddess that invaded our realm and sent Emily Tricks down to the pits of Hell?"

Nina narrowed her eyes when the video showed an image of Emily Tricks on a wanted poster. Her Palisman, Tugs, nudged her. "Are you feeling alright, Nina?" Tugs asked her.

"I'm… fine, Tugs," Nina responded with a sigh. "Just… realizing that Emily was there while I was buried under a billboard…"

"Hey, don't worry about it, Nin-Nin," Tugs reassured her. "Tricks ain't gonna hurt you. You're in a safe space here."

Nina smiled. "Thanks, Tugs."

"Also in local news, because of recent events, tensions in the Torsa Villa have risen!" Lynxa revealed. "We are now seeing massive protests like we've never seen before!"

"These protests are being carried out by teenage werecats in response to the disappearance of their fellow teen Casey Whiskabee, a case that remains unsolved. These younger cats feel like the Emperor's Coven isn't doing anything about a missing werecat," Jemma responded, taking the issue seriously. This got Nina's attention as footage of the protests were shown. "These feelings have only gotten stronger the longer that Casey Whisabee has gone missing."

"And the injustice cannot stand, witches!" Lynxa declared, hitting the table. "We even went and got interviews from the protesters on the scene…"

Nina saw some teenage werecats she recognized amongst the protesters, including one cheetah werecat who had long blond hair, green eyes, and human-like facial features. She wore a green short top with a black paw print on, brown cargo mini shorts, and grieves. She was barefoot and had a long tail.

"I knew Casey from back when we were in the reserve school together," spoke the were-cheetah. "He's a shy kid, but loves his music. But the adults don't seem to care about his disappearance. Not only the Emperor's Coven, but our own tribe heads as well! Just… what is the Emperor's Coven doing?!"

"Chelsea…" Nina recognized.

"You know her?" Tugs asked.

"Yeah, Chelsea is the fastest on the track team. I tried to beat her in a race after my modifications but we always tied. She is also Clockwork Cab's entrusted apprentice," Nina explained while seeing another werecat. "And there's her boyfriend, Anthony Stripes…"

"I've always wanted to build things for the Construction Coven," spoke the tiger werecat who was the same height as Chelsea. He has gray and blue eyes, a black nose, and he wore a brown coat jacket and beige shirt with brown pants, a striped tail sticking out. He also carried a whip at his side. "Folks here say that I should stick to working on the reserve, not go around building things where I'd just scare folks. But Casey's disappearance and the Emperor's Coven not doing anything about it shows how little these witches cared about our kind! Things need to change, it's time for the witches of the Isles to wake up and see the injustice that is happening to our witches!"

Another clip showed a hybrid biped demon werecat. She was a sand cat-like woman with four eyes, two small and two large, black nose, gray buzzcut, and a muscular physique with incisor arms along with dark tank top and gray sweatpants and a scorpion tail.

"Hi, my name is Banjo Scorpincher, I'm part werecat and part scorpion biped. I just joined the Beast-Keeping Coven," Banjo explained in a friendly tone. "Well, it was either that or be petrified, but I didn't like to be a statue so coven it is. I'm also here at this protest because, well, I just like helping my fellow werecats in the community. And yeah, the Emperor's Coven should look into that poor kid's disappearance."

"Thankfully, our leader, Mao Purrsian, has given a statement in regards to Casey's disappearance after the protests," Jemma commented as footage of Mao Purrsian at a podium was shown.

The Torsa Villa's leader, Mao Purrsian, began to speak. "As of this moment, I am working on finding young Casey Whiskabee with Head Witch Calypso Brooke and the Beast-Keeping Coven. Though the Emperor's Coven had their hands full with the Melinoe situation over the weekend, we will not give up until Casey is found!"

"Head Witch Brooke, Eberwolf's successor, has gained a lot of attraction and controversy in the Torsa Villa due to her past reputation as a ruthless huntress," Lynxa explained. "And because of her current custody of that feline felon!"

"That's right, a Fang Tribe member even," Jemma replied. "Who-"

"I've seen enough," Nina said as she closed her scroll and laid back in bed. She sighed. "I am worried, Tugs."

"About Casey?" Tugs asked her.

"Yeah," Nina said with a nod, looking concerned. "I just hope we find him," she said while turning her head. "Maybe I'll ask Calypso about him…"

"CAW-CAW!"

Nina's eyes popped out and she felt a jolt from her collar after the crow called her. She groaned, got up, and grabbed the crow from her shelf. "What?!"

"Fangs, this is Tamme," spoke Tamme's voice from the crow. "Listen, since the lockdown is lifted and school's off, I want you to come over to the grudgeby field so we can practice our cheers. I think this could help you get used to being in the squad. So suit up and fly down there."

Nina sighed. "Well, I got nothing better to do today, so I guess I'll come over."

"Excellent, private," Tamme responded. "I'll be expecting you over soon."

"Got it, captain," Nina replied while looking at the crow in her hand, realizing that she hadn't had breakfast yet…

---

Nina came downstairs with her staff and cheer outfit, seeing the Brookes before she left.

"Hey, just letting you guys know I'll be at cheer practice with the Banshees," Nina informed them, seeing Slasher painting and the girls having breakfast. "I've already had breakfast."

"But we didn't see you come here and grab something," Skara pointed out, only for Nina to burp out feathers. "Nevermind."

"Well it's great that you're spending time with the cheer squad, Nina," Slasher said. "You could make some ever-lasting friendships on your team."

"Sure thing, Slash," Nina responded while noticing the painting of a marrow mountain. "That's a good painting, Rob Boss again?"

"That's right," Slasher responded. "I just love to do my morning painting with my favorite artist of all time."

"Good, good, now let's add the skin into the flesh moss on this mountain," Rob Boss, an afro-haired demon, spoke from the mirror as he painted. "Now don't mind the happy mistake I've made, but if you tell anyone, I will break into your house and feast upon your soul!" he suddenly spoke demonically, but Slasher wasn't fazed. "Now let's imagine you're in a cloud…"

"Hey Nina, maybe someday you can join Painting with Rob Boss," Slasher offered.

Nina looked disturbed by the artist of the CB program. "I'll uh, think about it, Slash."

"So Skara, isn't it Willow's birthday today?" Calypso asked her eldest daughter.

"Oh yeah, it is Willow's birthday," Nina realized, smirking to Skara. "Gonna give your girlfriend a good time?"

Skara blushed, "Well, me and the girls plan on taking Willow out around town. Mostly in the Dark Arts District."

"Honestly, that sounds great," Nina said to Skara. "Say Skara, think you can wish Willow a happy birthday for me?"

"Sure, I'll let her know," Skara replied.

"Hey Nina, wanna know what I'll be doing today?" Scabrina asked her, earning the werecat's attention.

"Uh… so what will you be doing… today… Scabrina?" Nina asked her nervously.

"I'm going to try and learn how to operate… on Mr. Guts," Scabrina said as she held up her stuffed pig-rabbit. "He's been having problems with his liver, so I'm gonna try fixing up his liver!"

"Oh… right," Nina said after a sweat drop. "Well, good luck with that." She then turned to Calypso, who was drinking her coffee brew with her ferret Palisman. "Hey, Cali…"

"Yes, Nina?" Calypso asked her.

"It's… about Casey… I know you and the Beast-Keeping Coven are working hard to find him, but if there's anything I can do to help out?" Nina asked her.

Calypso looked up at Nina, thinking about that. "I'm still doing everything I can to help look for him, Nina. But… we can talk about it later. For now, go have fun at practice."

Nina gave a nod. "Later," she told the Brooke family as she headed for the door.

---

At the grudgeby field, Nina flew down to meet up with the cheer squad. She saw them doing stretches as Tyler spotted her.

"Yo, Nina! Glad that you came!" Tyler waved to her, as Nina walked over.

"Hey Tyler," Nina replied. "Hope I'm not late or anything."

"Nope!" Andrea shouted as she popped up, which Nina now fully expected. "You're just in time! We're gonna have so much fun practicing and bonding!" She noticed Maverick leaving the grudgeby field and she waved to him. "By, Maverick! Thanks for the fun before practice!"

Maverick nervously waved to Andrea as he left the grudgeby field.

"Wait, so he's not from the-" Nina asked, turning to Andrea. The werecat then realized what had happened. "Actually, nevermind."

Andrea noticed Nina's staff and her eyes widened. "Oh my Titan… is that your own Palisman?!"

"Whoa, you got one?" Tyler asked, seeing Nina's Palisman.

"Yeah, Dr. Traveler gave me him during our last session," Nina responded while nudging Tugs. "He's my support Palisman."

"Oh my Titan, he's so cute!" Gina commented as the other cheerleaders came over.

"Very cool looking Palisman," Louis said, petting the Palisman.

"Say, if he's looking for a friend, he can sit with my Palisman, Gumball!" Andrea offered as she pointed to her small, green alligator Palisman sitting on the bleachers. "But I must warn you, he can be rough."

Gumball just sat there, blinking in non-sync. "You don't say…" Nina commented.

"A-TEN HUT!" Tamme shouted.

The cheerleaders suddenly stopped doing their stretches and instead formed into a line. Everyone watched as Tamme marched forward, with Nurse Cindy following her.

"Alright, time for head-count!" Tamme spoke up. "Cheer your names and track you're in!"

"Naila Ruba, Construction Cutie!" cheered the cyclops girl from Construction.

"Andrea Pinkjoy! Happiest Bard in school!" Andrea cheered as she posed.

"Tyler Skullovitch! From Oracle and the bad one!" Tyler declared with his cheer.

"I'm Scotty Fydas of Illusions!" Scotty declared. "But my friends call me Ginger!"

"Louis Jawhead, also an Illusionist!" Louis declared, raising her pom-poms.

"Gina Festivo, from Plants, I just love my yo-yo collection!" Gina spoke up as she jumped up high, her prosthetic leg showing.

"Roger Kidneystones, Healing Tracker and I just look better than you," spoke up Roger, the blue haired, tanned skin handsome boy with green eyes and two horns. He had a rose in his mouth as he gave a wink. He also had four arms and goat-legs.

"Matrica Hobbs, both Oracle and now Abominations! Recently started multi-tracking!" spoke Matricia, who had violet hair with twin pigtails, big round eyes, red lips, and pale skin. As she smiled, ghosts floated around her.

"Um… and I'm Nina Fangs! Beast-Keeper and recently joined!" Nina declared with her own cheer, spreading her arms in a V-position.

Tamme noticed that someone was missing. "Where is Slipknot?!"

"Um, Tamme, Eve notified me that she wouldn't make it to practice today on account of still recovering from her getting kidnapped by the Grim Goblin last week," the cyclops nurse said while holding the clipboard.

Tamme sighed. "Very well, but she will have to make it up in the next meeting," she declared. "Anyway, Fangs, since you're new around here, let me tell you how we Banshees do around here. Questions?"

"Uh, yeah," Nina replied. "So like, what do we do? Jump up, down, act flirty?"

"You think cheerleading is some kind of burlesque floor show, Fangs?!" Tamme asked as she walked up to Nina, making direct eye contact with her. "Tell me Fangs, what are your personal nitpicks?"

"I guess… I don't like getting something stuck in my teeth," Nina answered "Like, cause I get a little irritated when I get food between my teeth and I can't stand it-"

"Then as of this moment, you will be known as Toothpick!" Tamme declared. "You didn't sign up and join this cheer squad for the appeal and sleepovers! Being a cheerleader is more than just gossiping around and sharing traveling pants… we are the support! You can't spell support without 'sport', for it is our job to cheer our sports teams to victory! We have to get the crowd roaring and be impressed by our cheers, along with giving our team the spirit to win! We're not just a cheer squad… we're a unit! A unit that supports each other! We don't just cheer for the teams, we cheer each other on!"

Tamme marched back to her sport. "Now we'll be doing some training and drills, by using the grudgeby field as our training course!" Tamme declared while the field activated a large obstacle course which included rock climbing, monkey bars, pull lift, and trampolines. "Now then," she took off her sunglasses and started to sing. "Let's get down to business, to support… our teams!"

The Banshees were led to the training course, which they were all about to go through. Nina was about to use her claws but Tamme handed her the rope to climb. "We cheer for the fight, it's not just for self-esteem!"

"You're the saddest bunch I've ever met," Tamme sang as she walked over to see Roger scream as he fell off the monkey bars, followed by Tyler and Andrea getting tangled by the ropes. She saw Nina getting launched away by an explosion and some of the girls getting bounced around. "But you can bet before we're through…"

"Because I'll~ make cheer-leaders out of you~!" Tamme declared while Cindy helped pull Scotty out from the sand trap.

Next Tamme made sure to have them each look the part. "You have to look the part, as the bitch within!" she checked each of the members for their attitude. Some succeeded, others failed. "Once you find your spirit, it's going to be a sitch!"

Tamme watched as the squad did sit ups and pull ups. "You're a bunch of ditzy, dumb, giggly lot, and you think I haven't got a clue!" She looked at Andrea, who continued her pull-ups quickly out of nervousness.

"Somehow I'll… make bitches out of you!" Tamme declared as she saw the squad run off to train.

"I'm never gonna catch my breath," Nina sang while climbing the ropes.

"One slip up and I'm the one who's screwy!" Andrea sang while jumping up to cheer.

"Boy, was I a fool in cutting practice today," Eve said from afar, looking nervous as if she felt Tamme was watching her from a distance.

"This girl's got 'em scared to death," Tyler declared while he, Roger, and Gina climbed the monkey bars.

"It's like she can see right through me," Scotty thought while falling into the mud.

"I'm never gonna get that varsity letter someday!" Naila thought while trying to raise her leg up, only to fall onto Louis.

As the cheerleaders ran around the track, they sang in a backup chorus while Tamme sang.

"(Be a bitch!) We must scream like the shrieking banshees!"

They went through the obstacle course again, doing what their squad captain tells them to.

"(Be a bitch!) We will be the force of a great typhoon!"

They jumped up and down to make letters when they cheered.

"(Be a bitch!) We shall support our teams and ourselves!" Tamme declared. "We must howl like the wolves towards the moon!"

Nina climbed up the wall and then back down when Tamme got up in front of her during the song. "Now we must be prepared, for when they watch all of us!"

She pointed to the cardboard cut-outs of the audience at the bleachers. "They'll be watching us cheer, whether we won or lost!"

"We got students, families, and creepos to watch out for, hope you don't have stage fright too…" Tamme sang while jumping up, doing a flip and standing on the pillar of the obstacle courses. "Bitches I'll… make cheer~leaders out of you!"

Soon the whole squad were doing their cheers, moving around their pom-poms as they sang in chorus.

"(Be a bitch!) We will make it up to regional!"

They did their kicks and jumped up and down.

"(Be a bitch!) We're not afraid to kick the crap out of you!"

They swayed while flipping off in the air, sticking their tongues out.

"(Be a bitch!) We will be the force of a great typhoon!"

They jumped up and down to make letters when they cheered. They also caught each other after some fell.

"(Be a bitch!) We shall support our teams and ourselves! We must howl like the wolves towards the moon!" they declared before they all howled. "AWOOO!"

After practice, everyone began to collect their things and disperse. "Great job, everyone! You all did very well," Nurse Cindy told everyone as she watched them leave.

Nina stretched out her arms. "That… was some brutal training," she said as Tugs hopped onto her shoulder. "Hey Tugs, have fun with Gumball?" she asked, seeing the unmoving gator Palisman. Tugs just shrugged.

"Aw, I think they're best friends already!" Andrea commented while holding up Gumball.

As everyone else began to leave, Nina was about to head out as well, but she heard someone call out to her.

"Toothpick!" Tamme shouted. Nina turned to see her with Andrea and Tyler. "We were wondering if you would like to go out with us to eat."

"What… you guys want… me to come hang?" Nina asked, pointing to herself.

"Yeah! We're going for yogurt and we would like you to come," Tyler told her.

"And since you are our newest cheerleader, it'd be good for some squad bonding," Tamme added. "So are you in?"

Nina was surprised by the offer, but she saw Tugs give an encouraging nod to her. "I guess… yeah, I'm in."

---

A bit later Nina was with Tamme, Andrea, and Tyler at the local Yumi's Yummy Yogurt Diner. Nina was trying out the frozen yogurt for the first time.

"Mmm, you know, this is pretty good," Nina commented. "I've never had frozen yogurt before, we don't even have this stuff on the reservation. We are missing out."

"Glad you like it, Nina," Andrea replied.

"Yeah, thanks for inviting me," Nina responded. "Do you do this sort of thing regularly?"

"Yeah, sometimes it is all of us, sometimes just a few of us. In this case, we wanted to make you feel more welcome on the squad, but we also did not want to overwhelm you by bringing the entire squad with us," Tamme said while tasting her own yogurt. "I may be hard on this team, but I'm not a cruel bitch."

"How do you like cheerleading so far, Nina?" Tyler asked.

"Honestly, I think I'm starting to like it," Nina replied. "Though it's not like how I pictured it would be…"

"Well since I've been in charge here, I have been making sure that the Banshees cheer squad is on the top of their game," Tamme said while looking down at her drink. "Unlike our previous captain who abandoned her position…"

"You mean Emira?" Tyler asked, only for Tamme to shoot a glare at him. Tyler nervously went back to drinking his own drink.

"Uh…" Nina wanted to ask what that was about, but Andrea stopped her.

"Don't mention the 'E' word, long story," Andrea whispered to the werecat.

"Right…" Nina got the message. "So um, how did you guys get into cheerleading?"

"Well, I already mentioned this but cheerleading is a family tradition," Tamme answered. "I come from a long line of Wishbone cheerleaders. It's in our blood, and I plan to have this squad reach the regional finals. Cheerleading isn't just a sport, it is an art form."

"So… that's why you train the cheerleaders like we're scouts?" Nina asked.

"I take a lot after my granddad, who was in the scouts before he retired," Tamme explained. "And before he joined the scouts he was a cheerleader, as was my mother and my brother. Nowadays my brother works as a dance coordinator in the Dance Coven."

"Oh, and what does your mom do?" Nina asked.

"She designs buildings for the Construction Coven," Tamme explained. "After retiring from the scouts, my granddad became a Healer and helps heal any injuries I have after practice. Always says I should go easy… he means well."

"So you have a good relationship with him?" Nina asked.

"Yeah, he taught me all there is to know about the cheerleading business," Tamme explained. "I intend to make him and the rest of my family proud."

"If you're interested in family, I can tell you all about mine!" Andrea offered.

"Uh, sure… what is your family like?" Nina asked.

"We're rock farmers!" Andrea declared proudly.

"...What?" Nina questioned.

"Rock farmers! We find rocks, break them down, and then farm what we find!" Andrea explained while pulling out her picture. "Here's my family!" she said, showing it to Nina.

Nina looked at the picture, which showed a happy Andrea with the rest of her family, who were all frowning. Her parents were dressed in Amish-like clothing and Andrea was surrounded by her sisters…

"Wait, I think I recognize some of them," Nina said.

"Oh yeah, my sisters used to go to Glandus!" Andrea shouted as she pointed to each of them. "This is my second born sister, Maude, she's the biggest party animal," she said, pointing to the gray haired girl with light-brown skin, red eyes, a purple dress, and a blank look. "Over there's Blistera, first born, she's like Tamme but her head's filled with rocks! Hehe, get it?" she said, pointing to the eldest girl who had green hair, gray-dark skin, lime eyes, a muscular physique, short overalls, and boots. "And my youngest sister is Amanda, who's a bit shy but friendly!" she said, pointing to the shy light-skinned girl with dark green hair that covered her left eye, jade eyes, and a gray hoodie with purple pants and sneakers. "Which makes me the second youngest!"

"Wow… so are they like, all Construction?" Nina asked.

"Yup! I was in the Construction Track but then I found my passion to bring joy to the crowd. So I've managed to switch to the Bard Track!" Andrea explained. "It's how I got into the cheer squad and became both the cheerleader and the mascot! And in every game and cheerleading competition I've always brought my close friends from childhood to watch me. Lindsay, Jackie, Tracy, and Tabrella… oh wait, you've met Lindsay, and you've seen Tracy but never officially met her…"

"Well, maybe someday I'll meet your friends," Nina said while turning to Tyler. "So how about you, Tyler? What got you into cheerleading?"

"Oh, I got into the squad since my parents want me to keep myself out of trouble," Tyler replied. "Before I was in the cheer squad, I used to be in the most radical and extreme group of teenage skaters until I got kicked out because I wasn't 'extreme' enough," he said with a sigh. "If only those guys knew that cheerleading is just as extreme and radical as skating."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that, Tyler," Nina said.

"It's not all that bad, I've made some friends in the squad. I used to be called 'Headbutt' for a while," Tyler said. "I was in detention for a bit, but I was able to return to the squad afterward, my parents telling me that I should focus on my grades and my cheerleading to distance myself from that stunt that landed me in detention."

"You're lucky that you were not kicked out of the squad for that stunt," Tamme pointed out and Nina decided that it was better for her not to ask what they were referring to.

"You know, it was really crazy what happened at the Brawl last weekend," Andrea brought up.

"Yeah, weren't you and Tracy there?" Nina asked.

"Yeah, but we left after Tracy lost," Andrea explained. "So luckily we didn't get caught in the riots."

"Wait, what happened at the Brawl?" Tyler asked.

"Wha… what do you mean what happened? We were in a lockdown because of it!" Nina pointed out.

"We were?" Tyler asked, causing Nina to give him a deadpan look.

"You were at the Brawl that night, Toothpick, care to tell us how it went down?" Tamme asked Nina.

"Well, I was with Lambi when it happened," Nina started. "It happened during the final round, this Mel girl was practically torturing Warden Wrath, but then Amity intervened to put a stop to it. The two fought and Amity exposed Mel as a Fae, but when she stabbed her, nothing happened. It turns out Mel was not just a Fae, but also a goddess, and she exposed to the Isles that Amity was also a fae. Then I think Mel used her powers to spark a riot and everyone started losing their shit. I had to save a kid from getting crushed under a billboard, then I missed a good deal of what happened while being trapped under the billboard, which included Emily turning out to be the Golden Guard…" she finished as she sipped her drink.

"Wait, Emily Tricks was the Golden Guard this whole time?!" Tyler exclaimed.

"I doubt it was the whole time," Tamme pointed out. "But it is strange that she would be the Golden Guard…"

"Yeah, everyone's been buzzing about it. The Emperor didn't even make a statement about it," Andrea said while turning to Nina. "You knew Emily, what's her deal?"

"I don't want to talk about her," Nina said with a stone-cold look. "I don't know why she was dressed up as the Golden Guard and I don't care, I just don't want to have anything to do with that bitch ever again," she said while Tugs helped calm her down by snuggling on her lap. She petted him in response.

"Well, we can talk about Amity then," Tamme said. "Like her being a Fae… that's shocking."

"Yeah, I do feel bad about Amity, though," Andrea admitted. "That poor girl, she's been through a lot, especially with that trial from the day before the Brawl. Like, talk about having a rough few days. Where do you think she is now?"

"For her own safety, I hope that she's far from here," Nina said with a sympathetic look. "Though admittedly, I did know about her Fae-status."

"You did?" Tamme asked her. "And… you never said anything?"

"Because I'm no snitch," Nina admitted. "I saw her shadow move by itself, just like how my Beast-Keeping teacher's shadow moved by itself. She turned out to be a Fae, so I wondered if Amity was a Fae as well. But I didn't say anything about it, because it wasn't my business. But it does suck that she had to be exposed like that."

Tamme and Andrea nodded in agreement while Tyler looked at his yogurt spoon. "What do you guys think these plastic spoons are made of?"

---

After finishing their frozen yogurt, the four squadmates walked through Bonesborough together. It was then Nina spotted something in a store window.

"What'chu looking at, Nina?" Tyler asked.

"That card store… you know, today is Willow's birthday and I haven't gotten anything for her yet," Nina admitted. "And since she's a Flyer Derby captain, maybe I can give her something Flyer Derby related. Like a trading card…"

"Ooh, maybe we'll give her a personal birthday cheer!" Andrea suggested. "Ever since the Emerald Entrails have been formed, me and Tamme have been trying to come up with a cheer for the Flyer Derby team!"

"Each sports team gets a unique cheer after all," Tamme commented.

"I think she'll like it," Nina replied. "Though I'll admit, she really isn't a friend, but she's Skara's girlfriend. So I feel like I should get her something nice," she said while entering the store.

Andrea smiled as she followed the werecat into the store. "You're such a good friend, Nina."

Nina turned to her. "But I just said…"

"I know," Andrea said. "I meant you are a good friend to Skara."

Nina smiled at this before she walked over to the store owner. "Hey, you got any Flyer Derby cards? Like classics and all?"

"A fellow Flyer Derby fanatic, eh?" asked the old shark biped demon. "Yeah, I got some old Flyer Derby cards on display. Heck, I think you'll like this one…"

When Nina saw the card, her eyes widened. "Jacket Robineater?! You got the rookie card of Jacket Robineater?" she asked, pointing to the card that had the picture of a werecat flying on a hornet staff while holding up four flags.

"What's the story about her?" Andrea asked.

"Rookie flyer for the Elbow Greasers, speed of mach eight, first werecat to play in the Flyer Derby Major Leagues!" Nina explained. "She's, like, an inspiration for werecats everywhere… up until she kidnapped and ran off with the other team's player, thus ending her career."

"Wow, this card must be priceless!" Andrea declared.

"Oh actually this card is one of twenty copies I have. You can have this one for a fair snail price," the old card shark said.

Nina pulled out her snails. "Sold!"

A minute later, Nina and Andrea exited the store, Nina holding the card for Willow. She resumed walking with her fellow squadmates, but then Tamme noticed someone behind them.

"Guys," Tamme spoke to them, getting them to pause. "I've noticed this creepy guy that's been following us around since the frozen yogurt shop." She pointed behind them and they saw a guy hiding in the shadows near a lamp post.

"What? Why didn't you say anything?" Andrea asked.

"I wasn't sure at first, but now I'm confident that he is following us," Tamme responded.

Nina sniffed the air and narrowed her eyes. "Let me deal with this guy."

"Be careful, Nina, remember the drills in dealing with these guys," Tyler said while Nina marched towards the creepy guy. "At least borrow my mace!"

"Not to worry, I think I figured him out," Nina said as her eyes glowed yellow. She dashed towards the 'creepy guy', taking him by surprise.

He jumped up when she got close to him and before he could do anything else, Nina lunged forward and… embraced him.

"Tito!" Nina shouted as she hugged the 'creepy guy', who was actually her old friend.

"Nina! Long time no see, my favorite feline femme fatale!" Tito Jackwitch replied, the two hugging each other and laughing. "Girl, I haven't seen you in forever!"

"I know! I can't believe you're out!" Nina commented, looking absolutely overjoyed. "The moment I caught a whiff, I knew it was you! I mean, who else uses the same skilweed hair gel?"

"Well I needed it after getting out," Tito said.

"YOU!" Tamme suddenly shouted, having recognized Tito.

Tito turned and saw Tamme rushing towards him. Before he could react, they grabbed him by the collar of his jacket and pinned him to the wall. "Hey, hey! Watch the jacket!"

"You have a lot of nerve showing up before me, Jackwitch!" Tamme seethed her teeth as Nina got in between them.

"Whoa, whoa, Tamme, calm down!" Nina said, separating the two. "Look, if this is about the school war…"

"School war? This ain't about the school war! But this bastard knows what he did," Tamme pointed out as she glared at Tito.

Nina turned to him. "What is she talking about, Tito?"

Tito looked nervous. "Hehe, well… do you know why Glandus has always won regional cheerleading finals of the Isles?"

Nina gave Tito a look. "What are you talking about…?"

"You want me to answer? The Glandus Ghoulies Squad have ripped off our cheers for generations, along with St. Epiderm's!" Tamme revealed, which caused Nina's eyes to widen.

"What?! I didn't know that!" Nina exclaimed.

"Sorry kitten, but the previous captain said before they graduated that traditionally that's how Glandus has a perfect cheer record," Tito explained. "They told me not to tell anyone about it since it's a perfect system… but with no Glandus, I guess the cheer squads from the other schools will now have the chance."

"Oh my… okay, I really shouldn't be surprised by it, but despite that I still want us to catch up," Nina suggested while turning to Tamme. "Is that alright with you?"

Tamme sighed. "Fine, since he's got no squad, you can have your old friends chat or whatever."

Nina nodded as she escorted Tito away to talk somewhere more private. "Man, she's the most intense cheerleader I've ever met…"

Once the two sat together on a nearby bench, Nina decided to ask Tito the biggest question on her mind. "So… how did you get out? I hear that not a lot of Glandees made bail."

"Well my fearless kitten, I actually managed to make a deal with Head Witch Napoli. Now I work under him as his aid in exchange for a pardon," Tito explained. "I wanted to see you the first chance I got, but I couldn't come here without a chaperone." He pointed to the scout that was close by, watching Tito and Nina talk from a distance. Tito then lowered his head with a sad look. "Though the downside of it all is that I really can't go back home since, well, my folks have disowned me."

"Oh… oh man, Tito, I'm sorry for that," Nina responded. "In fact, I'm in the same boat as you are. Not just my family but practically the whole villa has disavowed me."

"Damn, that's awful," Tito replied while looking up. "How are you holding up over it?"

"Well, right now I got a good deal with the Brookes," Nina admitted. "I took them for granted at first, but they do take care of me, unlike my own parents who were willing to pass me along to someone else."

"Ain't you lucky," Tito replied. "I will say that compared to my folks, Napoli is less pushy. He's like, nothing much to look at, and a bit weird compared to the other Heads… but he's good witches."

"Well, glad to hear that he's been treating you good," Nina said with a nod.

"So enough about me, tell me about the cheer business, kitten," Tito said. "I mean, since when were you interested in cheering? I could've let you join my squad if I knew!"

"Well, a lot has changed since the war…" Nina replied.

"Tell me the details, kitten, and don't leave anything out!" Tito said, intrigued.

Nina took a deep breath. "Well, for starters…"

And so, Nina gave her explanation to Tito about everything that happened since the Glandus War. Tito went from shock to anger throughout Nina's explanation.

"That petty, putrid, pickle-faced bitch!" Tito shouted angrily after Nina had finished explaining everything. "I can't believe Emily would lie to me like that! But more importantly, she hurt you!" He turned to Nina with a saddened look, while Nina just looked down. "Oh kitten, if I had realized what Emily did to you sooner… Titan, how can I be so stupid?!"

"Don't fault yourself about it, Tito. That's what the kind of bitch Emily is," Nina reassured him, "She tricked all of us, caring more for her petty vengeance than us, and we all had to pay the price for it."

Tito looked sadden. "Have you… talked to Stella?"

"I tried once, but she slammed the door in my face. I don't think she wants anything to do with us anymore, and I don't blame her," Nina said while turning to Tito. "Hey… Tito… are we cool?"

"Why would you need to ask that?" Tito replied in confusion.

"It's just… I thought Emily was my friend, but then she ran me through with her sword. And then there's Stella, who refuses to have anything to do with me now, so… what about us?" Nina asked him with a genuinely worried look. "Are we still friends after everything that has happened?"

Tito saw Nina's worried look and he tried to reassure her. "Nina, of course I still want us to be friends. I always got your back, and… well, you do treat me as a friend rather than a satellite, and vice versa."

"Yeah, I do want us to remain friends," Nina admitted, feeling relieved that her friendship was real and still intact. "I mean, things may not be the way they once were, and we might not see each other everyday anymore, but we can still stay in touch."

"Yeah, staying in touch would be nice," Tito replied, giving her a hug. "Good luck with your parole, kitten."

Nina smiled, hugging him back. "You too, Tito."

---

After her reunion with Tito, Nina made it home where she saw her cheermates off.

"See you at next practice, Nina!" Andrea declared while on her staff with Tyler and Tamme behind her.

"Yeah, later!" Nina replied as she saw them off. She then went inside, where she saw Calypso sitting in the living room.

"Nina, how was practice?" Calypso asked when she saw her.

"It's great… though, a little like boot camp, but then I got the hang of it with my cheermates, got to know them better, and I think Andrea wants to have a sleepover with me," Nina responded, though she looked nervous about the last part. "I'm still thinking about it."

"Well, that's good to hear," Calypso responded as she got up. "Hey, I said earlier that we would talk about Casey…"

This got Nina's attention. "Did anything come up?"

"I found a lead about Casey, but I'm gonna need you for it since this lead refuses to talk to me without you present," Calypso explained to the werecat. "He wants us to meet him at the Torsa Villa."

Nina's eyes widened in shock at this. She was not expecting this…

---

Later, Nina and Calypso walked side by side through the village at the Torsa Villa, Nina glancing around nervously as she felt like she shouldn't be here…

"Are you okay, Nina?" Calypso asked, noticing her nervousness.

"Yeah, just… it's been a while," Nina said, noticing some werecats staring at her and Calypso. She didn't know who they were more unhappy to see. "I'm surprised that this was allowed…"

"It will be fine," Calypso told her. "Just as long as I'm with you at all times."

Nina sighed. "Of course, security measures…"

"Alright, we're here," Calypso said as she stopped. They were now in front of a club built around a large tree with some werecats laying around. It had a sign that read 'The Litter Box'.

"The Litter Box, my sister's hangout," Nina said. "Don't ask about the name."

"Let's go in," Calypso said as they entered the club. Once they were in, they were met with music. All around the club they saw young werecats dancing, drinking milk, and eating fried rats. A band was up on stage, playing music and singing a song.

"Wo, wo, wo, jee~! O jee, je!" the three werecat girl group sang. One red short-haired Chausie werecat girl with green eyes, a red spotted jacket, and black leather top with blue jean short-shorts was singing vocals and playing guitar. "There's a rat in my kitchen, what am I gonna do? There's a rat in my kitchen, what am I gonna do? I'm gonna eat that rat, that's what I'm gonna do, I'm gonna eat that rat!"

The lead singing werecat was a Bermese werecat with a black afro, green eyes, a blue spotted jacket with a purple shirt, and red knee-length skirt. She was playing the tambourines. And on the drums was a blond haired Burmilla werecat in a green spotted jacket in a mint green top and white skirt.

Nina and Calypso walked through the club, getting a lot of glares before Calypso pointed to someone at the bar. "There. He's our lead," she said.

The Scottish fold werecat had finished drinking his milk when he got confronted by Calypso and Nina. "Kringle Fries, is it?" Calypso asked him.

"Ay, who wants to know?" Kringle Fries responded with a Scottish-accent.

"We're here because you may know about Casey," Nina said, crossing her arms.

Hearing Casey's name got his ears up and Kringles turned to Nina. "You're Casey's friend," he recognized. "The Fangs girl." He got up. "Alright, follow me to the back," he said while leading the two to a backroom. As they followed Kringles, the werecats up on stage spotted Nina and shared a look.

"What do you know about Casey's whereabouts?" Nina asked once they were in the backroom.

"Well, I don't know where he is exactly, at least… not currently," Kringles explained as he dug his hands into his pockets. "But what I do know is that, well, for a while he did have a job that he got in order to make enough snails to get out of here."

"A job? What kind of job?" Calypso asked him.

"Making and distributing special goods throughout the Isles," Kringles said, looking nervous when Nina glared at him.

"What kind of goods?" Nina asked him.

"Uh, you know, Pixie Powder, Dilbaleeches, Potions Z…" he replied.

This got Nina angry. "WHAT?!" She grabbed Kringles, pinning him to the wall. "You're lying! There's no way Casey would be dealing with drugs!"

"It-it's the truth, lass!" Kringles said while Nina snarled at him.

Her collar shocked her, making her cry out. "GAAH!" But Nina still managed to hold onto Kringles despite the pain, forcing Calypso to intervene.

"Nina, enough!" Calypso shouted as she pulled Nina off of Kringles. Nina winced in pain as the collar stopped shocking her. The Beast-Keeping Head turned to the Scottish werecat, who was catching his breath. "Where did Casey work?"

"At that illegal potions lab that got busted a while ago," he explained to them. "H-he had to look for new work after that. I heard that he may have found something… but I don't know what it was and Casey vanished after that." He clasped his own paws nervously. "I think that, well, the witches he worked for did something to him, and I have been paranoid since Casey's disappearance. That's all I know."

Nina glared at him, while rubbing her own neck. Calypso ignored this. "Thank you for the info, Mr. Fries," she said while she escorted Nina out. "Come on, let's go."

The two quickly left The Litter Box, Nina staying silent until Calypso spoke to her. "Are you alright, Nina?"

"I'm fine," Nina muttered. "It's just… I can't believe Casey would be involved in some shady shit…"

Calypso understood Nina's worries and frustrations. "I'm sure we'll hear him out for ourselves once we find him. But right now, this is our best lead."

Nina gave a nod. "Yeah…" she said before she heard a familiar voice.

"Surprised to see you here, Fangs."

The werecat sighed and turned around to see a bunch of werecats around her age. Most of them she recognized including Chelsea and Anthony, along with Banjo and the band that had just been singing at the club.

"Chelsea," Nina said with no enthusiasm.

"Fangs," Chelsea responded, just as unenthusiastic.

"Hey there! The name's Banjo," Banjo said. "We might not have met before, especially since I live mostly on the outskirts of the Villa, but I have heard of you. But despite what witches say about you, I never pass judgment on witches before meeting them as my dad likes to say. So it's nice to finally meet you." She held up her pincer hand to Nina.

"Uh… yeah, it is nice to meet you too," Nina replied, shaking the pincer. "But I'm betting not everyone shares your opinion…"

"Yeah, no shit, Fangs," the redhead werecat, Rosie, said.

"You've already caused enough trouble for us as it is, being here is just adding to the problem," the afro werecat, Dawn, replied.

"Yeah, trouble like a cucumber!" the blonde, Song, said with her tongue sticking out.

"Your actions have given us werecats a bad name, Nina," Anthony said while crossing his arms. "Your actions have caused a setback to how the Isles view us."

"Yeah, like attacking us, including your sister, was enough, not to mention your vandalism of our temple," Dawn listed off.

"There is also the shit you've done at Glandus," Chelsea brought up.

"Yeah, I'll admit that is a boo-boo," Banjo admitted.

Chelsea stepped up closer to Nina. "You know Nina, I used to have a lot of respect for you," she said. "We may have not always seen eye to eye, but I actually thought highly of you and your ambitions. I wanted you to succeed, to become a Head Witch. But now… I'm just disappointed in you."

Nina actually looked hurt by Chelsea's words, her ears dropping. But then she gave her peers a glare. "Like any of you gave a crap."

"Uh, what's that supposed to mean?" Rosie demanded to know.

"I've seen how some of you are making claims during your protests about how you're friends with Casey and how you are worried about him, but I never saw any of you with him before he disappeared and he never mentioned any of you," Nina told them off. "None of you cared about Casey like I did, since he was my friend. You assholes are just using his name as an excuse to protest your unhappiness with the status quo, while I'm the only one who actually tried to do something to create meaningful change instead of just complaining about it… even if it did backfire."

She continued to glare at them as she ranted. "I don't give a rat's ass about if any of you respect me or not. All of you are fucking cowards, none of you ever put yourselves in harm's way like I would, you probably wouldn't even dare step a paw off the reservation to look for him. I know I've made a lot of mistakes and you can hate me for all I want, but nothing's going to stop me from finding Casey," she said before walking past them with Calypso following her, leaving the werecat peers to look at Nina in shock.

"And by the way, Chelsea," Nina said as she turned around to face the cheetah werecat. "That hairdo you have ain't gonna impress anybody, not even your crush Tony, whose name sounds like it belongs to a mascot of a cereal box. Oh, and Rosie, you were off key in the bridge, while your backups sang like rats from your song."

Rosie and her bandmates gasped in shock, while Chelsea and Anthony looked offended with the former also looking embarrassed. Nina then turned to Banjo. "And you… you look like a dumbass," she said before walking away, distancing herself from her peers.

Anthony turned to Chelsea. "So… you got a crush on me?" he asked.

Chelsea said nothing, instead quickly running away from him.

Meanwhile, Calypso managed to catch up to Nina as she stomped away.

"Nina, wait!" Calypso shouted. "Nina, are you-"

"Alright? You can stop asking that over and over again," Nina interjected. "I'm fine. What they say and think about me, I don't give a shit," she claimed while sitting by a nearby tree.

Calypso looked at Nina, concerned. She sat across from her. "Yeah, I get it. I mean, who cares what they think?" she replied. "A tough witch like you has to look strong and not let what others say about you get to you. No matter how much they put you down, or how their opinion of you matters, even if they were your friends before…"

"They're not my friends," Nina denied, wiping away her tears. "They're just… old classmates that I knew when I used to attend the reserve school before I got expelled. I mean, sure, I knew Rosie and her band the Dirtyrats are Cally's friends. Tony, he's an excellent builder, he used to make birdhouses to trap and eat the birds for everyone. Chelsea… I used to race with her, even when I got modified she was still able to beat me. Fastest half-werecat around."

"Half-werecat?" Calypso asked.

"It's no secret, but… Chelsea's also half-witch," Nina admitted. "Like that Banjo girl, Chelsea is a hybrid. Her mom's a full-blood witch as her father's a werecat witch. When word got out about her parents, her dad brought Chelsea to the Villa, leaving their mom behind. Like me, she's kind of an outsider, but everyone likes her better than me."

Nina looked down after saying this, considering something. "Alright, maybe I… maybe I do care about what my peers think of me," she admitted. "And it does hurt that they have such low opinions of me. Even though I know I did this to myself."

Calypso patted Nina's shoulder. "Nina, you can't let them define you based on your past. I mean, look at everything you have done recently. Joining the cheer squad, making friends like that Dusty kid, going on a date with Lambi, even protecting her during the Brawl. You also saved Wrath's kid from a billboard, putting your own life in harm's way as you did. You even went to another realm to save Donna Masterskull." This got Nina to lift her head up a bit. "You're a good kid, Nina, no matter what others think or say."

Nina looked at Calypso and while some awkwardness between the two was still evident, Nina couldn't help but smile. "Thanks, Cali," she said, giving a look of determination. "And you know what? I'm still going to find Casey. What we just heard about him changes nothing."

"That's the spirit," Calypso said, glad to see Nina's spirits lifted. "So since we're around here, do you wish to visit your family?"

Nina thought of it for the moment. "No thanks. I know that I'm not wanted here. So I'd rather go somewhere where I'm more wanted," she decided as she got up. "Let's go home."

---

Later that night, Willow and Skara had made it back to the Parks place.

"Well, that was quite the night," Skara said as Willow opened the door.

"Yeah, and tomorrow is going to be busy too," Willow replied as they went in and flicked on the lights… to find the Banshee cheer squad in the living room, much to their surprise.

"Ready? OKAY!" Nina shouted along with Tamme, Andrea, Tyler, and Eve, all in their uniforms. Each spelled out Willow's name. "W-I-Double-L-O-W! Who's the birthday captain of the night? IT'S WILLOW! YEAH, YEAH, IT'S WILLOW!" they cheered after spelling out her name, followed by their dance, swinging pom-poms, and forming a small pyramid. "GO… WILLOW!" Nina was in the middle, Tamme and Andrea were on the side, Tyler was on top, and Eve was on her knee in the middle.

Willow and Skara both look impressed. "Wow, thanks guys," Willow said as she clapped. "I never thought I'd have my own personal cheer."

"Well, it was Andrea's idea, really," Nina said, pointing to the bard girl. "When I mentioned it was your birthday, she suggested you should have the honor of a birthday cheer."

"As a captain, you deserve one," Tamme added.

"And we thought it was a great idea," Sully said as he and Gilbert came into the living room.

"Hey Willow, Skara," Eve said, waving to them. "I was brought here after Tamme tracked me down to make up for missing practice… she just swooped in and kidnapped me right in front of my friends."

Nina then walked over to Willow and handed her a gift bag. "Here, something that you might like," she said.

Willow looked into her gift bag and pulled the card out. "Is that… the rookie card of Jacket Robineater?!" she asked, shocked.

"Yeah, I didn't know what to get you and I didn't want to just give you a plant. But you like Flyer Derby so I decided a Flyer Derby card might be a good gift," Nina said before Willow hugged the werecat.

"Thank you, Nina, it's a really good gift," Willow responded kindly. "And I really appreciate the birthday cheer."

The werecat made an awkward reaction from the hug, especially since she still considered Willow to be an alpha of Hexside. To say the least, this felt like an honor. "Um… yeah, no problem, Willow," she replied, giving Willow a pat on the back.

The cheerleaders soon began leaving Willow's place, but Willow stopped Eve. "Hey Eve, I wish to talk to you about something…"

"Thanks for your help in giving Willow the cheer. This has been the best birthday she's ever had!" Skara told Nina as they left together.

"Oh, it's no problem, Skara," Nina responded. "How was your day with Willow, by the way?"

"It went great!" Skara revealed. "We went out for games and karaoke, then we hit the market, we had fun. Though admittedly, we do have some plans for tomorrow that will keep us busy all day, so you aren't going to be seeing me a lot…"

"Hey, don't worry about it," Nina replied. "Since I have some plans as well…"

---

The next morning, Nina was looking like a slob. She yawned while lazing in her bed until the crystal ball rang.

"Lambi is calling," the crystal ball declared, showing Lambi's name and image on the caller ID.

Nina's eyes widened and she jumped up from her bed. She quickly started to clean herself up, getting some dirt off of her face and straightening her hair. After a quick clean up and straightening her shirt, she answered the crystal ball call. "Hey, Lambi!"

"Nina, hey!" Lambi replied with excitement in her tone. "How have you been?"

"Pretty good," Nina responded. "Sorry for not contacting you since the weekend…"

"Oh don't worry, I've been busy with stuff as well," Lambi responded. "I'm just calling to see if you're free for tonight."

This surprised the werecat. "W-What do you have planned for tonight?"

"Well… I am thinking of another date," Lambi said, which shocked the werecat.

"Really? Even after what happened at the last one?" Nina asked.

"What happened at the Brawl was out of our control," Lambi pointed out. "So yeah, I still would like for us to give it another shot. Because I do like you and well, I want to spend more time getting to know you."

"Oh… wow… y-yeah! Yeah, I'd like to give it a shot!" Nina responded with a nod. "This time, you pick where we'll go."

"Great! Thank you, Nina. I'll see you tonight!" Lambi replied.

"You too, later!" Nina said as the call ended. The werecat then did a fist pump. "Yes!"

---

Nina rushed downstairs to tell everyone about the news while they were eating breakfast.

"Guys guess what? Lambi wants to go on another date with me!" Nina announced.

"Congrats, Nina!" Skara and Slasher cheered for her.

"Way to go, Nina," Calypso cheered with a clap.

"So what will you do for your date?" Scabrina asked. She also looked happy for Nina.

"Well, I've decided to let Lambi choose," Nina said. "But before I meet her tonight, I have some stuff to take care of first."

"Like what?" Skara asks her.

"I want to check up on Donna, just to see how she's doing after the Wonderland fiasco," Nina replied. "Just to make sure that she's okay and all."

"Hmm, I should come as well," Calypso replied. "I also want to see if the girl's alright after last weekend."

"Um, sure. I guess it's alright if you're with me," Nina said, though she didn't sound completely sold on the idea.

"Oh, maybe we can come along as well!" Slasher suggested, much to Nina's embarrassment. "Scabrina, Skara, would you two like to go see the Masterskulls?"

"Yeah! I like to go where Nina goes," Scabrina said, making Nina feel more embarrassed.

"Um, I'm gonna pass, something came up." Skara said as she got up, excusing herself. "Luz and Willow need me for a thing, so… good luck, Nina!" she said as she hurried out.

"Skara-!" Nina said but she saw that Skara had already left. She then turned to the Brooke family, sighing in defeat. "Good grief…"

---

Nina, along with Slasher, Calypso, and Scabrina, were now standing in front of the Masterskull Mansion. The werecat felt a bit anxious with the three having decided to follow her.

"Alright… it's only been a few days since I've seen her," Nina said as she rang the doorbell.

"Are you nervous cause we're meeting your ex?" Scabrina asked.

"She's not my ex, Scabrina, cause we never dated," Nina muttered under her teeth. Answering the door was Auggie.

"Ah, Head Witch Brooke, along with her family," Auggie said as he noticed the werecat. "You must be Nina."

"Hi, we're here to see Donna and check up on the family," Calypso said.

"Um, that is if they're not home or anything," Nina replied nervously.

"Nina?" someone asked.

The werecat's eyes widened when she saw Donna come into view with her moms, Diana and Gladys.

"Hey… Donna… and her moms too…" Nina waved to them awkwardly.

"Hey there, glad to see you," Gladys greeted them. "Why don't you all come in!"

"Yes, it's not every day we get a visit from a Head Witch and her family," Diana said as the Brookes were invited in. "So what brings you all here?"

"Well, Nina wanted to check up on your daughter and we decided to come along," Slasher said, raising his hand. "You met my wife the other day. I'm her husband, Slasher."

"Nice to meet you, I'm Gladys and this is my wife, Diana," Gladys introduced themselves.

"And who is this little dumpling?" Diana asked, seeing Scabrina.

"I'm Scabrina, ma'am," Scabrina replied politely.

"Our other daughter, Skara, isn't with us at the moment, she had plans," Calypso explained before gesturing to Nina. "And this is Nina, who you saw the previous night."

"Oh yes, we know you," Diana said. "Though we haven't formally met before now."

"Yeah, you were Donna's friend, weren't you?" Gladys asked.

Nina looked absolutely nervous. So nervous a sweat drop was visible in her fur. "Y-Yes, ma'am. Nice to meet you both. Sorry that I… haven't… formally introduced myself to you…"

"Oh, it's no problem, and we are grateful to you," Gladys reassured her.

This surprised Nina. "You.. are?"

"You helped save our daughter," Diana said. "And for that, you have our gratitude."

This made Nina feel more uplifted while she saw Donna give her a smile. "Yeah, it's no problem," Nina responded. "I'm just glad that Donna is back home, safe and sound."

"Come on, let's talk in the living room," Gladys said as they led the Brookes to the living room.

Once they were in the living room, the Brookes sat on a couch across from a couch where the Masterskulls sat. Both Nina and Donna sat in the middle of each of their respected families. Both looked nervous while Auggie served tea to both families. It was then Nina began to speak.

"Um… so… Donna's parents," Nina said nervously. "I mean, it's an honor to meet you two. Officially, I mean. Um, I wonder how much Donna has told you two about our history, along with what went down at Wonderland." The butt smack memory was still fresh in Nina's mind, making her extra nervous and hoping, even if it means hoping to the non-conscious dead Titan, that Donna didn't tell her parents about that moment.

"Well, Donna has told us about how you used to visit her back at the orphanage," Gladys said.

"And how you continued your visits even when we brought her home… by breaking in," Diana pointed out.

Nina noticed Auggie slicing up some bread. He glared at Nina, the werecat quickly turning away to avoid his gaze while he sliced the bread intensively.

"Uh… yeah… I remember I used to do that," Nina said nervously. "But I stopped! I outgrew that a long time ago… I hope it's not a problem…"

"Oh not at all," Gladys reassured her. "You don't have to worry about it. I'm just glad that you have been such a good friend to our sweet Donna. We just wish that you had just introduced yourself to us sooner."

"Oh… I guess I could have done that…" Nina said, thinking about it in hindsight.

"As for Wonderland, Donna has told us all about it," Diana said. "She explained that she got kidnapped by some creep called the Prince of Hearts who tried to marry her. But she was saved thanks to you and her friends, who all crashed that wedding, and you ended up battling that Prince of Hearts yourself."

"Yeah, that did happen," Nina admitted, feeling bashful. "I mean, I did rough him up, but credit goes to Veronica who knocked his bells out."

"True, but you did go all out to such great lengths for Donna's safety," Diana pointed out. "You must've really cared about her."

"Kinda romantic in a way," Scabrina said, causing both girls to react with a look of embarrassment.

"When you put it like that, it sounds like an old fashion fairy tale," Slasher agreed, making the girls feel more embarrassed.

'Put me out of my misery,' they both thought.

"One thing that I do want to ask you, Nina," Diana said while her hands were placed on her knees as she gave a serious look to the werecat. "Donna has told us about your… past bullying," she said, which made Nina's ears rise up. "Now I'm only asking out of concern, but I want to know… if what was said about you is true?"

The atmosphere of the room changed, silence falling over everyone. Donna, Calypso, and Slasher gave concerned looks to Nina while Scabrina tried out the scones Auggie gave to her. Nina looked Diana in the eyes as she gave her answer.

"Yes… all of it is true," Nina admitted. "And I'm not proud of it. I deeply regret what I've done in the past and I'm trying to be a better witch now. A better version of who I was."

"I can vouch for her," Slasher said. "Nina has gotten a lot better over her stay with us. She's done a lot to improve herself."

"She not only saved your daughter, but saved a young kid, Braxus Wrath, from harm," Calypso vouched as well.

"I was there too," Donna mentioned to her mom. "And I think Nina is one of the bravest witches I know." This made Nina smile slightly.

After hearing all of that, Diana smiled as well. "I'm glad to hear that," she said, feeling satisfied. "Honestly… I went through a similar experience as you when I was young."

This surprised not only Nina, but Donna as well. "Really?" Nina asked.

"Yes," Diana nodded, remembering who she once was. "Back in my youth, I wasn't always the well-mannered woman I am now. Even St. Epiderm had a bad egg. I fell into the wrong crowd and was a bully myself. But over time I outgrew that phase of my life, deciding that it wasn't what I wanted to be. So I've strove to become a better witch." She locked eyes with Nina as she continued. "Not everyone can overcome their bad influences and not everyone wants to, but if you really are putting the effort into it… that's something to take pride in. Because change is hard, but it's worth it."

Nina smiled. "I appreciate hearing that, Mrs. Masterskull."

"Please, call me Diana," Diana insisted.

"So um, moms, can I bring Nina up to my room for a bit?" Donna asked, standing up.

"Of course, you two are excused," Diana replied.

"Great! Come on, Nina," Donna said to the werecat, leading her up to her room.

"Alright, um, I'll be back, guys," Nina said to the Brookes.

"Take your time," Slasher replied while seeing the girls off. Both the Masterskulls and Brookes were now alone. "Those two are really into each other," Slasher decided to bring up.

"Yeah, there's no denying that," Gladys replied.

"I can tell from a mile away," Calypso said.

"Same here," Diana agreed.

"It was pretty obvious," Scabrina added.

"Indeed," Auggie said.

"Say Scabrina, would you like to see where the play room is? Maybe let us adults talk?" Diana asked the youngest Brooke child.

"Sure, I'd like that," Scabrina replied.

"Great," Diana said while turning to her butler. "Auggie, would you care to show Scabrina the rec room?"

"Of course. Come now, young Scabrina," Auggie said, offering his hand. Scabrina took it and the two walked away, leaving both the parents alone.

It was Gladys that spoke up. "So, now that the kids are out, we got to ourselves to chat."

"Yeah, just us parents," Slasher replied.

"There is one thing I want to talk about and not in front of the kids… Donna's rejection of Nina last week," Calypso brought up, which did not surprise the Masterskulls. "You know, Nina was pretty hurt by what happened. Especially since she was going through a very rough time."

"Care to explain Donna's reasons?" Slasher asked.

Diana sighed. "At the time, Donna came to us for advice, since she didn't know how she felt about Nina in light of everything she learned about her."

"Our daughter has her own experience with a bad crowd just as Nina did," Gladys brought up. "She used to hang out with these two older teens, who were apparently pirates, that got her partying and… she got into drugs through them. After it almost killed her, we managed to get her clean."

"We're all just scared of the risk of a repeat of that experience," Diana admitted. "We weren't sure that Nina was the best influence on our daughter, and we were worried that our Donna could end up in a toxic relationship. So we advised her to be cautious."

"We were unsure about Nina and it wasn't until last weekend that we realized we were wrong about her. Nina wasn't a toxic influence and that Donna did have feelings for her," Gladys admitted. "So we're very sorry for what happened."

"We didn't want our daughter to be hurt, but we are really sorry that Nina was hurt by her," Diana said sincerely.

Calypso and Slasher looked at each other, then they turned back to the Masterskulls. "Nina really had a rough time last week," Slasher mentioned. "But in spite of it all, we can still tell that Donna is really important to her."

"And it seems like both girls have reached an understanding last weekend, and are trying to work things out from there," Calypso said. "So… we want to be supportive about this and whatever Nina decides."

"Us too," Diana replied. "You two did a good job with Nina, by the way."

"Thank you, Diana," Calypso responded. "I'll admit, I wasn't sure at first how Nina living with us would go… but I'm glad that I made the right decision. Because Nina did need help."

"One of the things that made last week rough for Nina was when her parents came over for dinner," Slasher mentioned while looking down. "And during that dinner Nina learned that they… they didn't want her to come back."

"What?!" Diana and Gladys both exclaimed in shock.

"My Titan… that's awful," Gladys said.

"Yeah, what's the deal with those turkeys?!" Diana asked in anger. "What kind of parents wouldn't want their own kid?!"

"We've asked the same question ourselves," Slasher said, looking down in anger. "Though it is their loss. We don't mind having Nina stick around."

"Yes," Calypso agreed. "Our daughters have taken a liking to her, and so have we."

"Hmm, sounds to me that you both consider Nina as more than a house guest," Diana said, having calmed down.

"Yeah, she has become more than that," Slasher admitted while Calypso nodded in agreement.

"Of course, we don't want to overreach," Calypso said. "We know it is important to respect her boundaries and give her the space she needs."

"We are whatever Nina needs us to be, and whatever she is comfortable with us being," Slasher admitted. "But if she wanted us to be her family… that would be nice."

---

Upstairs, Donna had brought Nina into her room, the werecat looking around.

"Wow, it's about the same as last time I was here," Nina commented while looking around. "Those posters are new, and… hey," she said as she noticed a stuffed bird. "When were you into taxidermy?"

"Well, you know all of those um, dead animals you leave at my doorstep?" Donna asked her while showing Nina a shelf full of the stuffed animals. "And yes, I know that it is you leaving them and I decided to have them stuffed and kept in my room."

This surprised Nina. "Whoa… I would've thought you'd have thrown them away."

"Why would I do that? They're gifts from you," Donna said, patting Nina's shoulder. "You know, the thought of it counts."

Nina gave a blush while moving a strand of her hair. "Um… yeah, I um… I know we haven't gotten in touch before now and, well, I was pretty nervous about coming here…"

"Oh, really?" Donna asked while moving closer to Nina. "I wonder if you really came here just to see me…"

The werecat felt the temptation of the silver-haired girl. Nina's heart kept skipping beats when feeling Donna come closer, her radiance almost making Nina think of… unspeakable things to do with her old crush… but then Nina stopped herself.

"B-by the way, I am going on a date with Lambi tonight!" Nina mentioned, causing Donna to stop.

"Oh," Donna responded, looking disappointed. "I see…"

"But that's not the only reason I'm here," Nina said as she pulled up a poster. "I wanted to ask you for help, especially since you and your super friends have this thing where you go around, fight crime, and help witches. Especially since you busted that Scal-Mart, I think I could use your team's help in finding someone. An old friend of mine from the reservation."

Donna took the missing witch poster. "Casey Whiskabee… how long has he been missing?"

"For a long while, since before the Glandus War," Nina answered. "I've recently learned about his disappearance and I've been trying to find out where he is. I figured that with your resources, you could help me."

Donna frowned as she looked at the poster. "My Titan… don't worry, Nina, I will help find your friend. As leader of LOWTH, you have my word."

"Thank you, Donna," Nina replied gratefully. "I really appreciate this."

Donna had a thought. "Say, maybe I can take you to see the rest of LOWTH?" she suggested. "I'm sure they'll like meeting you."

"I… I guess, if I'm gonna need LOWTH's help, I guess meeting them won't be bad," Nina said.

"Great!" Donna said while summoning Whirlwind, who changed into a staff. "Come on, let's head out!"

The two then walked back downstairs as they headed to the door, but first the girls let their respected guardians know where they were going.

"Mom, is it okay if I take Nina to meet my friends?" Donna asked them.

"Of course if Calypso and Slasher are okay with it," Diana replied.

"You two can go ahead," Calypso said.

"Yeah, it's alright with us," Slasher agreed.

Nina smiled. "Thanks, guys!" Nina said as they headed out.

"Glad the two are on better terms now," Gladys said.

"Yeah, me too," Slasher replied before he thought of something. "Hmm, I wonder if Scabrina is having fun?"

---

Auggie was shown tied to a chair while Scabrina stood in front of him.

"Do you expect me to talk, Dr. Scab?" Auggie asked her, narrowing his eyes at the young girl.

"No, Mr. Pink… I expect you… to die!" Scabrina declared as she laughed maniacally while holding up a drill.

---

"Welcome to LOWTH's clubhouse," Donna said as she showed Donna around the underground lair beneath the abandoned pizza place in Metropelvis. Nina noticed the pinball, the crime board, and the large round table.

"Whoa… Donna, how did you and your friends find this place?" Nina asked.

"Well, when we were looking for a place to hang, Beocrow suggested we go somewhere more vacant, like a broken down building. He picked this spot since no one was using the building above, but below had a lot more space… of course, it's because this place is haunted with ghost kids around, but you get used to them," Donna explained as one ghost kid passed through the walls near them.

"Hi, Donna!" the ghost kid said before going through the other wall.

"Huh, a haunted superhero headquarters…" Nina commented while hearing the others coming.

"Hey, we got your call, Donna," Veronica said as she, Beocrow, Tina, and Tyrone showed up. They stopped when they saw Nina there. "Nina? Whoa, this is a surprise…"

"Yeah," Tina agreed, just as surprised to see the werecat.

"Uh, hey guys…" Nina said, giving them a wave.

"Hey to you too," Beocrow said as he waved back,

"Hey Nina, how's Skara and the folks doing?" Tyrone greeted the werecat warmly.

"Doing good, Tyrone," Nina responded as she saw, to her surprise, more witches coming in. She saw Minerva, Sarah, Kyle, Andrew, Roxy, Riley… and Gavin.

"I didn't know we'd have a guest," Minerva said in surprise.

"Nina…" Gavin said, recognizing her.

Sarah stepped up. "Hi, you must be the Nina that Donna talked a lot about, name's Sarah Atos," she greeted the werecat, who shook her hand. "This is Minerva Witchmore, best cello player on the Isles."

"It is nice to meet an old friend of Donna's," Minerva commented while shaking Nina's hand.

"Hey, I remember seeing you back at the Brawl with a date," Roxy pointed out, Donna trying to hide her envy when that was mentioned. "Name's Roxy Armstrong, but I'm betting you know that already."

"And I'm Kyle Pox," Kyle greeted, offering his hand as well.

"Uh yeah, nice to meet all of you," Nina responded, shaking each of their hands. "I'm surprised you all seem fine with me being here."

"Hey, a friend of Donna's is a friend of ours," Andrew pointed out. "Plus, we were all brought up to speed about the crazy Wonderland adventures you and the founders went through. I'm Andrew Rollers, by the way."

"And I am the fantastic Riley Strange," Riley introduced themselves with a bow, Nina instantly recognizing them. "At first, I wasn't sure about you, but since Donna vouched for you, you're alright in my book."

"Um… thanks…" Nina said while looking awkward, backing away from Riley, who looked confused. "I'm surprised that LOWTH has so many members…"

"Well, this isn't even everybody," Tyrone admitted. "Some of our members are busy with their own things though."

"So is everyone really okay with this?" someone asked.

Everyone turned to Gavin, whose face was filled with anger. "I'm not sold on this," Gavin said bitterly. "Are you guys all seriously comfortable with showing Nina our secret lair, showing her all our secrets?"

"Gavin, I know what you've said about Nina, but I can vouch for her," Donna told him.

"She's right, Gavin," Veronica said. "Don't forget that she helped us save Donna."

"Yeah, she has earned our trust," Beocrow added.

"Oh, she does one good deed and suddenly she's a new member of LOWTH and all of her past actions are forgiven?" Gavin pointed out, scowling. "Or did you all forget how she messed up and beat Boscha to a pulp during her orientation?!"

Nina winced as memories of what she did to Boscha came back to her. Not just her attacking Boscha during her orientation, but also her hunting Boscha when she tried to skip school and what she did to Boscha during the school war. "Gavin, I'm sorry for that. I really am…"

Gavin just turned away. "You should tell Boscha that, not me."

Nina looked down. "You're right, I really should…"

Noticing the uncomfortable atmosphere, Sarah decided to change the subject. "So… are you here to join LOWTH?"

"No," Nina admitted. "I'm here to ask for your help in finding someone. A teenage werecat named Casey Whiskabee."

"An old friend of Nina who went missing a while ago," Donna clarified.

"Oh, that is concerning, but sure we can see how we can help," Veronica said.

"Yeah, you can count on us!" Andrew declared.

"Um, he's not the only one currently missing," Gavin pointed out, crossing his arms. He narrowed his eyes on Nina. "Does Bria Day Carpenter ring any bells?"

Nina, recognizing the name, nodded. "I'm aware of her disappearance," she admitted.

"Her parents even hired a private investigator who is still looking for her," Gavin explained. "Honestly, I think the Tarot Guild is responsible for her disappearance. Because the last time I saw Bria was when we were confronted by Craig and Tito. We know now that Craig was a member of the Tarot Guild, but with him out of the picture, Tito's the last one who saw Bria before she disappeared. Which is pretty suspicious…"

"Hey, Tito had no idea what happened to her! None of us knew what kind of witches Emily and the teachers were really associated with, or what the Boss was really involved in," Nina said, defending her friend. "But you know, Bria wasn't the only victim the Guild kidnapped. Bo was also kidnapped by those Tarot Guild creeps, maybe you could ask her if she saw Bria."

Gavin winced, thinking of Bo's icy glare at him. "I… um… it's kinda hard to talk to her right now…"

"Is it hard for you to talk to her for the same reason it's hard for me to talk to Boscha?" Nina asked him, causing Gavin to fall silent. He gave no response, just looked down.

"You know, maybe the Tarot Guild does have something to do with Casey's disappearance," Tina pointed out to Nina.

"Yeah, they're the most likely suspects," Nina admitted. "There are still members unaccounted for like Dr. Sonya Mera and someone named the Producer that Emily once mentioned. Speaking of, I am more than happy to spoil all of Emily's secrets."

"Well, any information is useful information, Nina." Donna said.

Nina nodded. "Though before I say anything else, I have to admit that I heard Casey may have been involved with some… shady dealings. But if it is true, he had a reason for it."

"What kind of reason?" Kyle asked.

"He wants out of the Isles," Nina explained. "So he had to make some snails by working with shady characters. I heard from one of his friends that he used to work at a busted lab that was making illegal potion compounds and Dilbaleeches."

Donna and the rest of LOWTH all looked shocked by Nina's testimony. Donna shook at the mention of the Dilbaleeches, rubbing her own arm.

Nina noticed this reaction. "You okay?" she asked.

"I'm… going to be fine." Donna responded as she sat down. "Just… tell us everything you know that could help us look for Casey and Bria, since their disappearances might be connected."

Nina nodded. "Okay, I'll tell you everything. And not just about the disappearances," she said while turning to Riley. "But some of you might want to sit down as well."

---

Later, everyone had left after Nina finished telling them what she knew about. Not just information that would be helpful with the case, but some info about Emily's misdeeds. This shook a lot of them, including Riley. Now it was just Nina and Donna, alone in the headquarters.

"Thanks for giving out what you know, Nina," Donna said to her. "Hopefully it'll really help in finding Casey and Bria."

"I should thank you for picking up the case," Nina responded while looking concerned. "So… is Riley going to be okay? When I told them what Emily did…"

"They're shaken up, but I think they'll be alright," Donna reassured her. "And Riley won't hold it against you."

"I wouldn't be surprised if they did," Nina replied, looking down. She spotted Tugs conversing with Whirlwind. "Looks like our Palismen are getting along."

"Yeah, they sure are," Donna replied, while looking down as well. There was something on her mind. "Nina… there's something I want to talk to you about… my birth parents."

This caught Nina by surprise. "Did you… find out what happened to them?"

"Yeah," Donna nodded while taking a deep breath. "They were murdered… by this monster that I encountered last week. He calls himself the Big Bad Wolf."

Nina's eyes dilated. "Fuck… he's real…"

"You've heard of him?" Donna asked her.

"Heard of him? That guy's like a lycan boogieman!" Nina exclaimed, covering her mouth. "The parents on the reservation used to tell werekittens about him to keep them from leaving the safety of the Villa… when did you encounter him?!"

"After me and Lindsay left Hexside," Donna explained. "I recognized him from the Tarot Guild bust, when he was in his default witch form. He escaped that day and when I saw him again, I chased him alone… which was reckless on my part. He revealed who he was to me and that he killed his parents. If it weren't for Eda, who saved me that day, I don't know what would've happened… in fact, it's the third time she saved me from that monster."

"Third time?" Nina asked.

"Second time was during the Tarot Guild bust. As for the first… it was Eda who saved me and dropped me at the orphanage when I was a baby," Donna revealed. "Well, she was the Owl Beast at the time, but if it weren't for her, I wouldn't be with you right now in this room…" She looked down, wiping her eyes. "She didn't know who my parents were, but she still saved me."

"Whoa…" Nina said, surprised by the news of the Owl Lady who saved Nina. "I guess… we both owe Luz's mom, don't we?"

Donna smiled, agreeing with Nina's statement. "Yeah… we do," she said as she then dug something from her pocket. "There is something else I want to talk about."

"What's that?" Nina asked.

"You remember my key, right?" Donna asked as she pulled up her key, showing it to Nina.

"Oh yeah, that key you found when you were a kid," Nina replied.

"Yeah, it turns out that this key can transform into a keyblade, which according to Amity's pixie friend is some kind of powerful object that can apparently unlock anything. It could transform into a blade shaped like a key and I could channel my magic through it… until it stopped working," Donna said while looking at it sadly. "Yesterday, Luz and Eda managed to hand it back to me after it got taken by Mel. When I tried to activate it, it only became a keyblade for a brief second before changing back. After that… it stopped working for some reason, and I don't know why," she said, sounding frustrated.

"Maybe you're having a performance issue," Nina joked, which made Donna feel embarrassed.

"D-Don't say stuff like that!" Donna exclaimed with a blush.

"Okay, okay, my bad," Nina eased up.

Donna sighed. "I have thought that maybe Mel did something to the keyblade that caused it to stop working, or…" She looked down, her hands tightening. "Maybe the problem is me."

"Why do you think that?" Nina asked her, looking concerned.

"When I was captured, Mel told me that I didn't deserve the keyblade. And I've been worrying about if it's true," Donna answered. "Like, what if I wasn't supposed to get it to work? What if me coming into possession of it was a mistake…"

"Hey, don't let that bitch get to you, Donna," Nina told her, trying to cheer her up while patting her shoulder. "Look, how did you get it to work before?"

"Well…" Donna said as she looked up at Nina. "I kept thinking of my greatest desire… to help everyone in need… and I was thinking of you in particular when I made the wish," she admitted, which surprised Nina. "That's when it first activated. It's like it answered to my desires or something."

"Have you thought of finding someone to help you with the key?" Nina suggested. "Like, maybe you should find someone who knows about keyblades if the problem is the keyblade. But if it's a problem with you, then maybe you should find someone to talk through your issues with, like a counselor."

"Yeah, good idea," Donna replied. "Thanks, Nina."

The werecat nodded. "Though… why did you want to tell me about this?"

"Well… it's because we used to help each other out since back when we were kids, and…" She moved closer to Nina. "I… I want us to be at that point in our relationship again. Like, we shouldn't be afraid to talk about our own personal troubles to each other. You… can tell me anything that worries you, and I can listen and find ways to help you, Nina."

Nina saw Donna being close to her. "Donna… I really appreciate what you do," she said, feeling nervous around her now. "Um… I should… leave now."

"Oh… okay," Donna responded, looking down. "S-Sorry that… I was getting into your space…"

"I-It's no big deal, really," Nina insisted, both girls feeling awkward. "Um, but I would like to get back to that point where we could hear each other out. What are good friends for, right?"

Donna shut her eyes, feeling the sting. "Yeah… and don't worry, the whole butt-smack is still between us. I did not tell my moms," she reassured her.

"Y-Yeah, good to know," Nina replied. "Um… before I go… can you tell me the name of that investigator Gavin mentioned?"

---

After leaving LOWTH headquarters, Nina flew over to an office building. Going inside, she went a few floors until she found a door with 'Hard-Boils Private Eye' on it, which means she's found the place.

"Well… here goes," she said to herself, opening the door to go inside. She spotted a secretary at the front desk, tapping on the keyboard of her crystal ball computer. "Excuse me, is Mr. Boils here?"

"Hmm? Are you here on an appointment?" asked the secretary, who moved their face out of the crystal ball. To Nina's surprise, she was a werecat witch like her. She looked to be a snow furred werecat with long red hair, blue eyes, a pink nose, and oval-shaped glasses. She wore a purple, long-sleeve blouse with a white belt with a yellow buckle, short black skirt, and black heels. She also had an oracle sigil. Her name on the desk read 'Ms. Tally Snowpaws. She/Her.' She got a good look at Nina. "Huh. Not often you see another werecat outside the reservation."

"I'm… just as surprised as you," Nina admitted. "How did you even get a job outside of the Villa?"

"Well it's a long and interesting story," Tally replied. "But you're here for Hardy, not me."

"Yeah… though, I'm not here on an appointment," Nina admitted. "Is that… okay?"

Tally tapped to her pendant, which glowed. 'Hardy, got a young sister here who wishes to see you,' she spoke telepathically.

'Let her in,' Boils said to her telepathically.

Tally stood up and led Nina to another door. "He's right in there, with his associates," she said as she opened the door, letting Nina in.

The young werecat entered the office, finding Hardy Boils at his desk looking over some files. With him were his associates. On the couch with a three-eyed pug dog was the ghost of a man in a French uniform outfit, pure white as the ghost he was, looking skeletal in appearance. At the table polishing a sword was a large, dark-skinned man with bear-ears, black hair, green eyes. and a beard. He was wearing a white button shirt with slacks, brown dress pants and gray boots. He also wore a loose tie.

"Nina Fangs, I presume," Boils said, not even looking up from his files.

"Um, yes sir," Nina replied, feeling the atmosphere of the room be more hard-core, something that was similar to Glandus… with a lot more edge.

"I already know who you are, Ms. Fangs," Boils responded. "From reputation, of course."

"Welcome to our little detective agency," the French-accented ghost greeted Nina. "My name's Pierre, and you've already met our lovely Tally, and the big guy here is Marlin Maniac."

"Mr. Maniac would do," Marlin said after polishing his sword.

"And this is Hardy's three-eyed dog, Chompers," Pierre introduced the dog, who just smiled and panted. "Don't worry, he only eats the worst of the worst."

"Well, nice to meet you all… but as for why I'm here, I was hoping you can help me, Mr. Boils," Nina explained. "About a missing friend of mine."

"Wish I could help you, kid, but I already got my hands full on the Carpenter case," Boils responded while checking on his case board.

Nina saw his case board, which was filled with pictures of Tarot Guild members, Bria. and other witches still missing. "Actually, my missing friend, Casey, was working with drug dealers that are possibly connected to the Tarot Guild."

Hardy turned his head to Nina. "A connection, you say? Tell me more," he said while pulling up his chair to sit in.

"Okay, so my friend, Casey, may have been involved with making and distributing drugs like Dilbaleeches, Potion Z, Pixie Powder…"

"Dilbaleeches… I've heard about them," Boils said as he stroked his chin, having a thought. "Okay, I think I know who to talk to."

Boils tapped his pendant while pulling out some files, flipping through them until he found the two he was looking for just as some ghosts showed up through the walls. "You want us, boss?" one of them asked.

"Yeah, find me the location of these drug pushers," Boils requested the ghosts as he showed them the file. Nina watched as the ghosts left while Boils pulled out a can of bug brew, opening it up and taking a sip. "Now we wait."

Nina blinked in confusion. "Wait, what just happened?"

"You said your friend was distributing Dilbaleeches, right?" Boils asked. "Well, I think a good way to learn what might have happened to him is to talk to some pushers who were also distributing Dilbaleeches, since they may have hung up in the same circle." Suddenly one of the ghosts returned. "Oh, that was quick."

"I got their location, boss," another ghost said. "At the Ogre Lounge."

"Then that's where we're going," Boils said as he stood up, setting his drink aside. "Now come on, Fangs, let's go look for some scum…"

---

The Ogre Lounge was a club filled with young adult witches who drank, danced. and mingled. As Nina looked around, she decided that didn't like the smell of the place, but according to Boils it's where they could find a lead.

"So where are the scum we're looking for?" Nina asked before Boils stopped her.

"Wait here, I'm gonna go have a drink," Boils said as he headed towards the bar.

A bit confused by this, Nina went to sit at a booth. She earned some looks from the passing by club goers, but she just sent them a glare, giving them a warning to not bother her. Nina waited and waited, glazing at Boils to see him at the bar with his drink. After a while, she started to grow impatient.

When she had enough, the werecat marched over to Boils. "Alright, Boils, are they here or not?" she demanded to know.

"Oh, right, well they're just three seats from me," Boils said as he pointed to those at the bar sitting near him. The two bar goers had just finished their own drinks and were laughing.

When Nina saw the two, she realized that she recognized who they were. "Those two…" she whispered, giving them a glare. "Let me at them!"

"Nina, wait!" Boils shouted, trying to stop her, but Nina just kept on stomping towards them. "Shit," he cursed in irritation.

"Hey!" Nina shouted at the two. "Looks like it's round two… pirates."

"You!" Serpentina shouted when she saw Nina, pointing at her while feeling her scar. Sitting next to her was Eustace.

"You're that cat who besmirched my Serpy's beautiful face!" Eustace shouted, glaring at Nina as he and Serpentina stood up. He pulled out his sword.

"Looks like I'm going to enjoy getting some payback, you damn cat!" Serpentina declared.

"Bring it on, tuna legs," Nina snarled, preparing to fight them.

Eustace and Serpentina took a stance while they faced Nina. Both pirates looked ready to attack… only for them both to suddenly collapse onto the floor. Eustace dropped his sword as he fell, both he and Serpentina passing out. Nina looked shocked at what just happened.

"Whoa… did I just… conquer their will?" Nina asked, looking at her own paws while Boils walked over to her.

"Actually, when I went to the bar, I wasn't just getting a drink," Boils explained. "I was making sure to slip something into both of their drinks so they would pass out. That way, we can drag them out of here without causing a scene."

"Oh," Nina replied, looking down at the passed out pirates.

"Come on, let's get them out of here," Boils said as he and Nina went to pick up each of the pirates, with Nina holding Serpentina over her shoulder while Boils got Eustace up. "Excuse us, we're taking these two passed out drunks out," he said, as they left the club quietly and quickly.

---

Boils and Nina brought their captives to a warehouse where Boils had them restrained after hearing from Nina that Eustace was a crocodile lycan, which made Boils decide to give him and Serpentina special restraints…

"Wakey, wakey, you pirate scum…" Boils said as Eustace and Serpentina started to wake up, their vision blurry.

"Huh?" Eustace asked, shivering as he found himself chained up by his hands, along with being shirtless and inside a pool of icy cold water. "W-W-W-What is this?!" he cried out, trying to get out but he couldn't. He couldn't even change into his crocodile form. "I-I-I can't change!"

"These are magic restraint chains!" Serpentina shouted, also bound in chains to a chair. "Why are we in this?!" she demanded, noticing Boils and Nina.

"It's so you won't escape," Boils told them. "But now that you're here, you're going to tell us about Casey Whiskabee."

"Who?" Serpentina asked, which got Nina to glare at them.

"Casey Whiskabee, the werecat that you two apparently met," Nina demanded to know.

"W-w-we don't know a-a-a-anything about some werecat!" Eustace shivered while Boils walked towards them.

"Well, then why don't you answer some other questions from us," Boils said, while holding up a meat hammer, aiming it at Eustace's knee. "For starters… where did you get all the money you two had? A lot of snails for some two washed up pirates."

"Like we'll talk," Serpentina refused.

"D-D-Do your worst," Eustace said.

Boils then sighed. "Well… guess we'll do things the hard way." He then swung his hammer towards Eustace's knee, breaking it and shocking everyone, including Nina.

"AAAAH!" Eustace cried in pain while Nina looked away, wincing.

"I'm not going to say this again!" Boils shouted at them in anger. "Where did you get the money?!"

"FUCK OFF!" Eustace shouted while Boils glared at him.

"Then I wonder if the lady would say anything," Boils said while walking towards Serpentina, who looked nervous when he held up the hammer to her. "Where did you get the money?"

"I...I… hold on-!"

STAB!

Rather than feel a hit from the hammer, Serpentina screamed in pain when she felt the most livid stab on her thigh. Boils had stabbed her with a large, hot iron nail he had summoned. Nina winced some more. She was not what she was expecting.

"FUUUCK!" Serpentina cried in pain. "WHERE THE FUCK DID THAT NAIL CAME FROM?!"

"Answer the question, or it's your pretty little face," Boils threatened while digging the large nail into her thigh, making her cry.

"SERPY!" Eustace cried out while trying to get out of his restraints. "LEAVE HER ALONE YOU BASTARD!"

This was too much for the werecat to see and handle. "Boils, stop!" Nina shouted at him, causing Boils to turn to her. "Please… this is a bit too much," she said.

Boils looked hard at the werecat before sighing. "Fine," he said while letting go of the nail, still in Serpentina's thigh. "But if they don't talk…"

"W-We know who the werecat is, alright!" Serpentina cried out while in tears.

"Y-Yeah," Eustace nodded, "We know him… though, the money we got is from when we sold off Blazer..."

"Tell us what you know about Casey." Boils demanded.

"O-O-Okay!" Eustace cried out. "W-W-We did know this Casey kid, alright? L-Like, we worked for the same potions lab…"

"It was… after the lab got busted is when Casey tried to run off," Serpentina admitted. "However… we did learn that he… he was the snitch."

Nina raised her eyebrow. "Snitch? You mean…"

"Kid tipped some info-broker who was working for the Emperor's Coven," Eustace clarified. "We learned that he d-d-did it after he stole a bunch of snails from his employers."

"He probably did it to cover his ass," Serpentina muttered.

"C-could be, though I do think that h-he had reservations against he-helping to make and d-distribute drugs," Eustace suggested. "But we did know that he hoped to use the snails to leave the Isles… kid could've become a pirate…"

"We did warn him that there would be consequences to his actions," Serpentina said while Nina got up close to her.

"You two sold him out," she seethed while Serpentina glared back at her.

"We didn't!" Eustace claimed, causing Nina to turn to him. "We have no idea what happened to Casey. We never heard from him again… he probably made it out of the Isles…"

"Or he got caught," Serpentina said, giving a smirk. "The Tarot Guild probably caught him… perhaps he was turned into a pet… or a rug."

Nina just shot them a glare before turning around and walking over to Boils. "What are you going to do with them?"

"Oh I'll clean those two up, and call the proper authorities," Boils told her. "You don't have to stick around for the scouts, but I promise to stay in touch. If I learn anything about Casey, I will give you a call."

"You'll really turn them in?" Nina asked him.

"You have my word, kid," he said with his hand up.

Nina gave him a nod and started to leave the building. "See you around, Boils," she said as she left.

Once Nina was out, Boils turned to the pirates. "So.. you're going to turn us in?" Eustace asked hopefully.

"Yeah, about that," Boils said as he held up his crossed fingers and gave the two a sadistic grin. "I lied…"

Eustace and Serpentina's eyes widened as they realized they were now in a world full of hurt.

---

Later, at the Brooke home, Nina was preparing for her date with Lambi. Slasher decided to help her out with finding something to wear.

"Alright, try this one," Slasher said as he handed her a dress for her to change in.

"Thanks, Slash," Nina replied, looking at the dress to wear. "You're a big help, you know?"

"Well, I just want you to look great for your date with Lambi," Slasher told her. "We want this one to go without a hitch, right?"

Later, Nina came out from the dressing room, now wearing a blue gown with a navy ribbon around her waist and long sleeves. She checked herself in the mirror. "I look good in it… do you think Lambi will like it?"

"Of course she will, hon," Slasher reassured her. "Just don't worry too much about how you look and focus instead of enjoying yourself."

Nina smiled. "Thanks, Slash."

They heard the doorbell ring and Nina went down to answer it. Opening the door, she saw Lambi who was wearing a purple jacket with a blue dress shirt, purple drop down skirt, and flat shoes. "Wow Nina, you look great," she complimented.

"You too, Lambi," Nina responded, both girls checking out each other's appearance.

"Now you two go out and have some fun," Slasher said to the girls/

"Yeah dad, we will," Nina responded before she realized what she just said. "I-I mean, yeah, Slash, we will," she said awkwardly. "S-Sorry, it must've slipped…"

"Don't worry about it, Nina, really." Slasher reassured her. Nina sighed in relief and saw Slasher giving her a thumbs up. "Good luck."

Lambi reached out to take Nina's hand. "Come on, let's go. Nice seeing you, Mr. Brooke!" she said while escorting Nina out of the house.

"You too!" Slasher shouted as he waved to them, seeing them off.

---

Nina was surprised by where Lambi had decided to take her for their date… the Bonesborough temple.

"The temple?" Nina asked, turning to Lambi.

"Every week I hang out here with my temple youth group," Lambi explained. "You know what those are, right?"

Nina nodded. "Yeah, we had them on the reservation. My parents made me go a few times."

Lambi smiled. "Well, I thought that it would be nice if I brought you with me tonight and introduced you to my group. It could be nice for you to make some new friends and I promise it'll be fun. We can also do something with just the two of us afterwards."

Nina looked up at the temple, then turned to Lambi. Despite how she felt about the Titan belief, Nina decided to roll with it for Lambi. "Sure, I'd like to meet them."

"Great!" Lambi said while holding Nina's hand, leading her inside the temple.

Inside, Nina saw some witchlings hanging around the temple. "Hi, guys!" Lambi waved to them.

"Hey, Lambi/What's up?/Hmm!" called out Lambi's temple youth group. They were happy to see her, but they were also surprised to see who was with her.

"Everyone, this is my date, Nina," Lambi explained. "She is with me tonight. Nina, meet my temple youth group. You may have seen Puffer and Eileen back at Hexside…"

"Hey, Lambi told us about her date with you," Puffer said. Outside of Hexside, he was wearing a green shirt, jean pants, and black boots.

Eileen wrote on her marker board. 'Welcome!' she greeted. Outside of Hexside, she was wearing a black coat jacket with a giraffe pattern shirt, black skirt with green and pink striped leggings and black boots.

"Over there is Henry and his little brother, Raw," Lambi said as she pointed to two boys sitting at a table. Henry was a dark skinned witch boy with a dull blue eyed look. He was wearing a red short-sleeve jacket with a white shirt, baggy gray pants, and sneakers. He was also reading a book. Next to him was Raw, who had light-brown skin, brown eyes, and yellow earrings. He was wearing a white short top and blue baggy jeans and brown boots. At the moment he was playing a hand held game.

"Ay yo, whaddup? Name's Raw, I'm sorta like the leader of this youth group." Raw said, waving to Nina.

"He's not," Henry corrected, looking up from his book at Nina. "Nina Fangs, I presume?"

"Yeah…" Nina nodded.

"Welcome to the group," Henry said before returning his attention to the book he was reading.

"Don't worry, he's always like this," Lambi told her.

"NINA!"

Nina was startled, which gave her a jolt from her collar, as Andrea jumped in front of her. "Andrea?! You're part of the group too?!"

"Oh yeah, and Andrea is also here sometimes," Lambi mentioned.

"Yup! I like to make things fun for everyone," Andrea said with a giddy tone. "Are you two on a date?"

"Yeah, we are," Nina replied while rubbing her neck. It was starting to seem like everywhere she went, Andrea would be there.

"Glad you both made it," said another voice.

Nina turned to see a purple skinned biped demon with horns. To her surprise, Nina recognized her from the Brawl, though currently she was out of her nurse uniform and was wearing something more casual. "Hey, you're…"

"Hi Lambi, and welcome Nina," Aries said with a smile. "Always good to see a new face around here."

"Yeah," Nina commented. "I think I saw you at the Brawl. You come here often?"

"Yes," she admitted. "I'm a volunteer and it is my time supervising this youth group meet-up. I think you two are the last witches who are going to show up tonight, which means we can start the games."

"Games?" Nina asked.

Lambi nudged her. "Told ya this would be fun."

---

First game was 'Boiling Isles Pictionary'. At one point Nina and Lambi were up against Henry and Raw. They each had to draw a scene from Boiling Isles history and the two teams had to guess the opposite team's picture.

Nina and Lambi looked at the picture drawn by Henry. Nina took a guess. "That is… the Clavicle Hill's Clovers!"

"Actually, it's the Clavicle Hill's Rovers," Henry corrected.

"Dang it! So close…" Nina snapped her fingers.

Lambi saw Raw's picture. "Um… the previous Healing Head, Hatchet?"

"Clay Hatchet? It's supposed to be P-Wizzy!" Raw pointed to his crudely drawn picture.

"Not sure if it is him…" Lambi said with a puzzled look.

---

Next game was two truths and a lie. Everyone was gathered in a circle, Nina having to guess which of Eileen's statements was the lie.

"I'll say… the first one is a lie," Nina guessed before Eileen held up her marker board, showing a check mark.

"Alright, it's your turn, Nina," Puffer said.

Nina thought up some truths and a lie. "Well, I don't drink milk, I once had my ears pierced, and I have never tried applesauce."

Andrea raised her hand up. "Okay, the third one has to be a lie! I have never heard of someone who never had applesauce."

"No, man, its the milk one that's a lie! Don't felines drink milk?" Raw asked.

"It's her ears pierced that's a lie," Henry guessed and Eileen drew a picture of the ears. "There's no pierce marks on her ears."

"Yeah… usually they're noticeable," Lambi agreed.

"Bingo," Nina said, surprising everyone.

"Wait, wait, you don't drink milk?!" Raw asked.

"Nope, only werekittens and some older werecats do," Nina replied. "It isn't for me. Imagine like alcohol and milk of magnesia mixed together."

---

Next game was called 'Deadly Handshake'. Everyone was going around shaking their hands, with one of them being the 'killer' whose job was to secretly kill the other witchlings, while one of them was the 'detective' whose job was to find the killer. As Nina went around shaking hands, she felt a tickle on her palm. Realizing what it was, Nina walked away and waited a few seconds before she fell on the floor.

"Nina?!" Lambi exclaimed while Nina turned over, giving a fake dead look.

"Bleh…" Nina said with her tongue sticking out.

"Don't worry, I'm here to solve the case!" Andrea declared, wearing a detective hat and mustache while holding up a magnifying glass. "Now which one of you killed Nina…"

---

Next game was a trust walk. They were split into teams of two. One member of the team was blindfolded and had to be led through an obstacle course by instructions from their other team member.

"Left, Nina!" Lambi instructed while Nina, blindfolded, followed a lined path. "Stop!" she shouted as Nina stopped herself from hitting an obstacle.

"Hmm-hmm!" Eileen told Raw, who was wearing the blindfold.

"What? You know I can't understand you, Eileen!" Raw cried out before he walked into a wall, "Ow!"

"Andrea, to your left!" Puffer told his team member. Andrea went left, "Alright, now to your right… no, your other right!"

---

Next activity was a scavenger hunt around Bonesborough. Lambi and Nina walked around together, Lambi holding their list of items.

"Okay," Lambi said. "We got our pictures of a ratworm and a cauldron, but we still need a picture of a ground tooth, a pixie, and a skull-faced flower."

Nina looked around, spotted a pixie "There's a pixie right there!"

Lambi and Nina managed to get close to the pixie, who was holding an eyeball. The two then took a selfie to get a picture of the pixie. The two were close to each other, Lambi wrapping her arm around Nina and holding up her scroll. Nina posed with a victory sign along with making a kissy face look towards Lambi while her other arm hung around Lambi. Lambi blushed while taking the picture with a flash.

Unfortunately, the pixie noticed the flash and the two witchlings. "Give me your skin!" the angered pixie shouted, causing the two to run from the deranged pixie.

While they ran, both Nina and Lambi were smiling and laughing, enjoying the hunt.

---

Back at the temple, Nina and Lambi were having snacks and drinks with the rest of the group.

"How'd you like the activities, Nina?" Lambi asked her.

"I actually had a lot of fun," Nina replied after sipping her drink. "The scavenger hunt, the handshake murder, pictionary… I never had this much fun back at the reservation's temple, our youth groups just lazed around and played yawn ball… it was… all we did back there," she admitted. "And I never had this kind of fun with my old Glandus friends…"

"What do you guys do at Glandus for fun?" Andrea asked.

"Well, we used to play a game called 'Pop and Lock' where someone just slapped a player and then chased them around to put them in a choking lot. Then there's Cops and Robbers where there's one group who is the cop, and the other are the robbers that get chased and arrested… then beaten," Nina recalled. "Then there's one where you have to throw a dart in the sky and avoid getting hit when it comes back down… looking back, we used to play things very rough in those very dangerous games…"

"Sounds like my kind of school," Raw commented.

"Really? You know, I have never seen you guys at Hexside…" Nina pointed out.

"We're from East Marrow Heights Middle," Henry explained. "Just about East of Bonesborough near the outskirts of town. Me and Raw are part of the youth choir."

"Which I'm also part of!" Andrea declared while popping in between the two brothers.

"Of course you are," Nina said before she noticed a drum set in the corner. "Hey, you have drums?"

"They are for the church band that plays music during the services," Aries explained. "Looks like someone forgot to put them back in storage."

Andrea then remembered something. "Say Nina… you tried out the drums back in Bard Class weeks ago…"

"Oh, you play the drums?" Lambi asked Nina.

"Well um… I have for a while," Nina admitted. "Had a set back on the reservation and I tried one out in Hexside as well."

"I would like to hear what you sound like… maybe you could play for us," Lambi encouraged.

"Yeah! Who else would like to hear Nina's drumming skills?" Andrea asked them all.

'I'm interested,' Eileen wrote.

"Yeah, I'm curious as well," Puffer said.

"Uh, am I even allowed to do that?" Nina asked, slightly nervous. "Those drums are temple property. I wouldn't want to damage them."

"Oh, I'm sure it will be fine, Nina," Aries told the werecat.

"Yeah, and as the daughter of the shaman, I say it is okay," Lambi added.

Raw offered Nina the sticks. "Come on, you in or what?"

Nina looked at the sticks, then at everyone waiting in anticipation. "Well… how can I say no to my fans?" she asked while grabbing the drumsticks and walking over to the drum set.

As she took her seat in front of the drums, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Then she began to play, starting simple and light. One and two beats to one drum while hitting the cymbals. "Yeah, alright," she stayed while she kept on hitting the drums and cymbals. She kept on playing, her arms moving at their own pace.

After a few more taps on the drums, she started to get in the rhythm and the beat. She tapped on the drums rapidly, feeling the rush of the play. Nina began slamming the drums and cymbals, getting really into it. She got faster and more aggressive, yet it was a controlled aggression.

"YEAH!" she shouted while slamming the drums. The group watched as Nina kept on slamming and really getting into the beat. Nina felt her aggression and adrenaline kicking in, remembering to channel all of it into her drumming skills. She considered it therapeutic, channeling all of her frustrations and anger through the drums...

She was… on fire.

"Wow, I've never seen anyone look this aggressive on the drums before," Andrea commented, impressed by Nina's skills.

Lambi nodded while watching Nina play, unable to take her eyes off her. "Yeah… she looks… pretty cool," she said with a heartfelt smile.

The temple group started cheering for Nina as she continued to play the drums. Then, everything glowed around her and an illusion of a lion roared from behind Nina. Her eyes were on fire and as she kept playing the drums, it felt like a part of her soul.

As she finished with a final slam to the cymbals, the group cheered and clapped for Nina's drum solo. Nina took a breather, calming down so that she wouldn't electrocute herself again. But as she saw everyone clapping for her, she felt… good.

No, better than good. She felt great.

---

Shortly after that, everyone started to leave the temple while Aries waved them goodbye. "Thanks for coming, hope to see you all next time!" she said to them all, having to stay behind to clean up.

Nina and Lambi waved back at Aries. "See you later, Aries!" Lambi shouted.

"Well, I think this might be the most fun I've had in a while," Nina admitted. "Thanks for bringing me, Lambi."

"I was hoping you would enjoy yourself, Nina," Lambi replied while smiling at the werecat. "And I really like how you play the drums. It's like you're really in your element."

"Yeah, I was… not expecting to get as into it as I did," Nina admitted. "So what now? Do you have anything else planned?"

Lambi thought about it and smiled. "I think I know where to go."

---

Outside a quick store, Nina and Lambi came out, Nina holding a cup of applesauce.

"So this was your idea?" Nina asked, looking at the applesauce.

"Well you said you've never tried applesauce, but there's a first time for everything," Lambi replied while having her own cup. "Go ahead and try it."

Nina used her spoon to taste the applesauce. "Mmm…" Nina said as she felt the taste sink in. She blinked, her eyes widening in shock, then she started to scoop up some more. "Mmm! This is good!" she declared. "This is the best stuff I've ever had! This may be better than the fish paste they used to serve!"

"So you like it?" Lambi asked while Nina's eyes changed to heart shapes.

"I LOVE IT!" Nina declared. "I'm gonna buy more of these!"

---

After buying more of the applesauce, Nina and Lambi decided to sit together at an outdoor table.

"So Lamb, since your mom is the shaman and all, is that your goal after graduation? Surpassing your mom as shaman?"

"No, actually," Lambi admitted. "I mean, I love my mom, but I don't want to become her. I want to do my own thing. I already told you that I want to explore the possibilities of mixing Abominations and Healing, but outside of that I have another goal. I want to start a spa treatment business."

"Spa treatment?" Nina asked. "You mean like, mud masks, manicures and pedicures?"

"Yeah! Like whenever you feel stressed out on a hard day, you deserve to have a day for yourself. I remember when me and my mom went on a mother/daughter trip to the sauna and I how much I enjoyed the comfort, you know? That's the kind of healing I'd like to give, the healing that puts witches at ease and relieves their stress."

"Yeah, that does sound like it'd be your element," Nina commented. "I mean, you helped me feel comfortable when I first came into the temple. You're just a very… comfortable presence."

"I get that from helping my mom out at the temple," Lambi admitted. "I get a lot of experience talking to different witches and making them feel welcome. But what about you, Nina? Do you have a life goal?"

Nina looked down. "Well… ever since when I was young, my life goal since meeting Eberwolf, long story, was to become the first lycan Head Witch," she explained. "I know it's the kind of 'aiming for something big' dream, but I wanted to make a difference by showing that even a lycan like me can get to be a Head Witch. That way, I could work to make things better for werecats like me…"

"Wow, that actually sounds really great, Nina," Lambi complimented

"Yeah, well… I lost sight of that while I was at Glandus," Nina confessed. "I fell into a bad crowd with people that I thought could help me get where I wanted, but the things that I did for them… I don't know if my dream is still possible, but right now I'm just thinking over what kind of witch I want to be."

Lambi patted Nina's hand, the werecat looking up to the horned witch. "I don't think you should give up," she encouraged. "Like, sure, you went about pursuing your goal in the wrong way, but it doesn't mean that you should stop. Especially since you have learned from your mistakes, right? I bet you can still be a Coven Head and that you can get there in a way you'll be proud of. I bet Calypso could even help you out."

Nina's ears lifted up. "Yeah…" she admitted. She remembered her drum play and chuckled. "You know, it's funny, cause my… previous tribe are kinda into bard stuff. My parents, Ralph, Cally… they were a musical family. And here I am living with the Brookes, also a Bard family but also Beast-Keeping. But I am honestly starting to feel more comfortable with the Brookes than I did with my tribe…"

Nina fell silent and Lambi decided to use this opportunity to ask the werecat something that has been on her mind for a while. "So… I have to ask. Why me?"

"What do you mean?" Nina asked.

"Well, it's just… why did you ask out me of all witches?" Lambi asked her. "Was it really just because I was nice to you at the temple?"

"Well… yeah, you were nice to me, but also… I have a thing… for healers." The werecat felt a bit embarrassed, evident by her blush.

"Um… elaborate?" Lambi asked in confusion.

"What I mean is, well…" Nina wondered what she could say, the thought of Donna popping up in her mind. The werecat sighed, deciding to be honest. "You remember Donna from the Brawl?"

"Yeah… you two know each other, right?" Lambi asked.

"Since we were kids," Nina admitted. "I had snuck away from the reservation and the scouts didn't know what to do with me after they caught me so they just dropped me off at the orphanage. I met Donna there and we became friends. I would find ways to leave the reservation and come visit her for years, but then she got into St. Epiderm while I was picked up by Glandus." She looked down. "That was when we fell into different friend groups and began to drift apart.. I… did have a crush on her for the longest time… but she didn't feel the same about me." She looked up at Lambi. "But I want you to know that I didn't see you as a way to just move on from Donna. I really did want to get to know you better and see where it goes from there. I swear that I am not using you or your feelings."

"Hey, Nina, I understand," Lambi replied, reassuring Nina. "And I appreciate how you've been honest with me." Concern did flash across her face, however. "Though… do you still have feelings for Donna?"

Nina hesitated. "Honestly… it's pretty hard to just stop having those feelings for someone. I still do care about Donna and I want us to remain friends in the future, because well… she's still important to me. However, I don't wish I was on a date with her right now, if that's what you're worried about." She placed her hand over Lambi's. "I'm glad that I'm on a date with you."

Lambi blushed heavily and smiled. "W-Wow… thanks, Nina."

"No problem. By the way… why did you really want to go on a second date with me?" Nina asked her.

"Because… I think you're really cool," Lambi admitted, her face red. "I mean, you saved a child's life during the riot at the Brawl. You even let yourself get hurt instead of the child. So I would say that earned you a second date."

Nina blushed again, "Y-Yeah… I didn't want to see that kid hurt, and… thanks."

---

Having returned to the Brooke home, Nina and Lambi said good night to each other.

"Thanks for taking me to your youth group, Lambi," Nina said to her. "I really enjoyed it."

"I'm glad that you did," Lambi replied. "I know it wasn't what you were expecting… but since you still had fun, maybe you can come back with me next week."

"Oh, that reminds me, you want to go on another date later in the week?" Nina asked her.

"Yes, I'd like that," Lambi nodded before the two gave each other a hug "Goodnight, Nina."

"Yeah, goodnight, Lambi," Nina responded. After the hug, Nina waved to her as Lambi set off with her Palisman. Nina then went back inside the house, noticing Skara on the couch as she came into the living room. "Yo."

Skara turned to Nina. "Oh, hey Nina. How was your date with Lambi?"

"Pretty good," Nina responded. "And I think we're up for another one later this week."

"Really? That's neat!" Skara replied.

Nina noticed how Skara was dressed. "So… where have you been all day?"

"Oh, um you know, I went to a little party with some friends," Skara half-lied, trying not to look nervous.

"Uh-huh," Nina said in and unconvinced tone. She let out a stretch. "Well, I'll be up to bed. Goodnight."

"Yeah, night," Skara replied, seeing Nina walking upstairs before looking down with a sigh.

---

The next morning, Nina was on a crystal ball call… with Tito.

"Sorry for calling you like this," Nina said. "I was just hoping you could help me with something that I've been working on."

"Hey, it's no problem, kitten," Tito responded. "How can I help?"

Nina took a deep breath. "I'd like to know what happened to Bria the night you last saw her?"

Tito's eyes widened. "Um… well, I…" he said while nervously looking around. "Look Nina, I really didn't know what was going to happen to Bria… of course, I did beat her up a bit…"

Nina didn't look surprised. "Okay, I'm not going to reprimand you on it since I'm just as guilty of that. Not to Bria, but to other students… but is there anything else? Like who were you with? Like, what is that guy's name with the tattoo?"

"Craig?" Tito blurted out, only to then cover his mouth. "Look, I don't know what happened to him after Glandus got busted, all I know is that he was with Bria when I left her. Afterward I just told myself that she ran away… but that's not the case, is it?"

Nina noticed Tito's ashamed expression as he continued. "You know, you're not the first to ask me about Bria. Emily did as well… back when she was in the Emperor's Coven. But I really did turn a blind eye to what was really going on at Glandus. Because like I told Emily, I was afraid of the truth and accountability that came with it."

Nina nodded, understanding Tito's guilt. "Look Tito, we're both guilty of allowing the Tarot Guild to do what they did. But rather than just feeling sorry for ourselves, we should focus on taking responsibility and doing some good now." She gave a determined look. "To be honest, it won't change or make up for everything we did at Glandus, but it doesn't have to."

Tito looked surprised by Nina's speech. "Wow… that sounds better than what Emily said," he admitted. Emily had told him that he was just doing what he was told at Glandus, that he should not be blamed for what Glandus did. He looked down. "Say um… do you ever think of any less of me?"

"I don't, Tito," Nina promised, trying to reassure him. "I mean, it's not like my paws are clean either. But listen, maybe I can help you the same way other witches are helping me."

"You… want to help me?" Tito asked her.

"Well, you've listened to whatever problems I've had whether it involved school or home," Nina explained. "Now I wish to return the favor. If you ever want to talk… I'm here."

Tito smiled. "Thanks, Nina. I'm glad that I have a friend like you."

"No problem," Nina replied as she felt her watch biting her. "Well, I better head out for school. Chat with you later, Tito."

"You too, kitten," he replied as the crystal ball call ended.

---

Later at Hexside, Nina met with Luz and learned from her about Emily being still out there…

"It's just freakin' great!" Nina shouted while punching the therapy dummy, Mr. Pogo. "The one girl I wanted gone from my life is now currently roaming around in the Isles doing who knows what!"

She tore through poor old Mr. Pogo with her claws, Julia Traveler just sitting there calmly watching the werecat venting out her own frustrations. Nina's collar was fortunately off, since Julia as her counselor had been given the ability to turn the collar off for their sessions.

"Emily has hurt not only me, but she also hurt Stella and Luz, which is why I can't believe Luz allowed her to be brought back to the Isles," Nina said as she pounced back from the dummy, spotting a bookshelf and clawing it. "But she also lied to Tito and left him in prison so that he wouldn't learn the truth about her! Every life she has touched has been ruined because she only cares about herself and her own agenda!" She stopped scratching the bookshelf, realizing what she had done. "Sorry about the bookshelf, Dr. T, just… ugh, I'm just so mad!"

"I was thinking of getting a new shelf anyway," Julia reassured her. "Nina, I know you're mad about Emily, but you can't let that be your main priority." Nina turned to her as Julia continued. "Like you can channel your focus on other things rather than being obsessed with Emily… like finding your friend, Casey."

Nina paused, realizing that Julia has a point. "Yeah, I should," she said as she sat on the couch, looking tired and drained. "I got so angry about Emily, I want to find her and make her pay…"

"I understand your anger, Nina, I really do," Julia said to her "But while anger is healthy, obsession is not. Emily has already hurt you enough without you letting her hurt you even more by occupying all your thoughts about her. Even when Emily isn't here. Don't let Emily make you lose focus. You just gotta think about your priorities right now."

Nina sighed. "You're right, Dr T. But… how can I do that?"

"Well, if you wish to keep Emily out of your head, I could teach you a trick," Julia offered. "A breathing exercise. Whenever something negative pops up in your mind, just remember to take deep breaths, count up to a high number, and clear your mind."

"Okay… I'll give it a try," Nina said as she started to take a deep breath, then let it out. "One, two, three, four-" She started counting while taking soft breaths. Her fur started to relax, her ears dropped down. She continues to count while taking her breathing exercise, her tail moving left and right through her counting.

The thoughts of Emily started to fade from her mind. Nina felt a bit tense when she remembered Emily, from when they were once friends, up until how it ended between them. But then Nina's mind started to focus on other things. Such as memories of her friendship with Donna, then Lambi from their dates, and then Skara, who had helped her out through tough times, along with the Brookes. She remembered how Slasher had helped her last week and how Calypso had helped her look for Casey earlier this week. The memories of Casey then popped up as she remembered her friendship with him…

Nina sighed after her breathing exercise, turning to Julia. "Thank you, Dr. Traveler. I think… I got Emily out of my system."

"That's good," Julia responded, nodding.

"You're right that obsessing over Emily won't help me, not when I have other things to prioritize," Nina said. "Right now, what's more important is to find Casey and Bria. And my next lead is… Bo."

---

Bo had just finished her self-defense class with Kitsuni. As she walked out of the classroom, she found Nina waiting for her in the hallway.

"Hey uh, Bo," Nina said nervously. "Um… do you have a moment of your time? I uh… I have some questions to ask you."

"Oh, of course," Bo replied. "What's it about?"

"Well… I've been working on trying to find my friend Casey and I think you may know something. During your time in captivity with the Tarot Guild, I was wondering if you saw anyone in particular. Like if you saw Casey or Bria Day Carpenter, a girl who also went missing and whose disappearance might be connected to Casey's."

Bo was quiet for a moment as she remembered her time as a prisoner of the Tarot Guild. She frowned. Not happy memories for her to revisit. "Bria… purple haired girl with freckles?" she asked and Nina nodded. "I did see her, actually."

"You have?" Nina asked.

"Yeah, she was in the cage next to mine," Bo said while looking down sadly. "Last I saw her, she was taken away by some woman in a mask before Eda and L.O.W.T.H. came to our rescue. It was the last time I ever saw her… well, that's not technically true. I saw her again when the Inner Demon showed me what she, Gavin, and Angmar did to Matt…"

From the tone of her voice, Nina realized now why Gavin had a hard time talking to Bo. "Oh… well, did you talk to her about anything?"

"Yeah, we talked. I even told her that I knew Matt, which caused her to fall silent," Bo admitted. "I already talked to the scouts and Boils about this though, in the hopes it would help them find Bria… obviously it hasn't."

"Do you, um, want to talk about anything?" Nina asked her. "Like, I may have figured why you're mad at Gavin and Angmar, but are you also mad at Bria as well?"

"I… I'm not mad at her," Bo admitted. "When I spoke to her… she sounded so broken and so scared. She wanted to see her parents again. Bria, she… she didn't deserve what happened to her and I just want her back home safe. But Gavin and Angmar…" She narrowed her eyes. "Yeah, I'm very mad at them."

"I don't know the exact details but… what did they do to hurt Matt?" Nina asked.

"Well, it was during a grudgeby game. They hurt him, Bria breaking his arm while those two suggested hurting me, Gus and Eileen." Bo started to darken. "They used us as leverage to get Matt to do as they wanted…"

Nina nodded. "You know, I did a lot of stupid, if not worse things than what Gavin and Angmar did," she admitted. "And yet you have no problems with speaking to me when I am so much worse than they are."

"Yeah, but I'm nice to you because of Skara," Bo pointed out. "She's my friend and you have helped her."

"Maybe, but… I'm still the worst. Especially since I did hurt your friends during the school war," Nina pointed out.

"But everyone else has already forgiven you," Bo tried to point out.

"But not Amelia," Nina pointed out.

"Oh…" Bo said, reminded of Amelia's deal with Nina.

"And honestly, I'm fine with her not liking me," Nina admitted. "And I'm fine with you disliking me as well."

"But I don't dislike you, Nina," Bo tried to argue. "I'm just more mad at what Angmar and Gavin did because…" She stopped, the realization hitting her. "Because they did it to my boyfriend. Okay… I do think that maybe I have a double standard."

"Maybe you should actually talk to Matt about Gavin and Angmar," Nina suggested. "Have you asked him how he feels about it?"

"No, but I should," Bo admitted while looking up to Nina. "Thanks Nina. I… actually appreciate this talk."

"You're welcome, Bo," Nina replied.

"Nina Fangs, report to Principal Faust's office!"

Hearing the intercom, Bo gave a sympathetic look. "Good luck, Nina."

Nina sighed. "Thanks," she said as she began heading over to the principal's office.

---

After Hexside, Nina walked home with Skara and Scabrina.

"So you're going to the annual IFWOT tomorrow?" Skara asked her. "I'm surprised they're having it now…"

"Yeah, so I gotta earn a blue ribbon or else Faust either expels me and Luz or probably mount our asses on the wall," Nina explained. "For the record, I blame Luz for me being in this situation."

"IFWOT… Ifwaaaat," Scabrina kept saying on the way home. "Why do they call it an IFWOT?"

"It's meant to stand for 'Instructing Future Witches of Tomorrow'," Skara explained. "Have you ever participated in these before, Nina?"

"No, though I have heard about it from the other students at Glandus" Nina said as they made it home. "Wonder what's for dinner? I hope it's fish taco night."

Skara opened the door, letting them inside. They could hear some chatter from her parents in their living room… with a third voice as a part of the conversation.

"Girls, welcome!" Slasher called out to them as they came in. He was sitting with Calypso and another woman. "You wouldn't believe who just dropped by."

That woman got up and turned around to face the kids. When they saw her, Skara looked shocked, Nina looked confused, and Scabrina kept her face neutral.

"Scabrina! Skara!" shouted Scandalyn, Calypso's younger sister. She appeared to have her hair cut into a bob cut, still two-sided. She now wore a black turtleneck shirt with gray trousers and brown sandal shoes. "So good to see you girls again, and that must be Nina. I have heard so much about you."

"Aunty Scandy, hey!" Skara shouted, ecstatic as she ran up to hug her aunt. "Wow, it's so good to see you!"

"All is well, little Skip," she responded, hugging her niece back. "You've grown so much last time I saw you!"

"Thanks, I turned fifteen a while ago," Skara said.

"Oh, that reminds me. I brought some gifts from my travels!" Scandalyn remembered while holding up her bag, bringing out some stuff. "Here, Skara," she said as she handed her a gift, a decorative skeleton butterfly. "Here's to the belated birthday girl."

"Wow, thanks, Auntie," Skara said, smiling.

"You're welcome, got it from another Isles," Scandalyn said while turning to kneel in front of Scabrina to hand her a gift. "And Scabrina… oh my, you've grown as well. How old are you now?"

"Five," Scabrina said with a neutral tone.

"Oh, well lucky me I brought you this little game!" Scandalyn handed Scabrina a small board game, which Scabrina looked at.

It was a pink box with a unicorn on it. Scabrina read the box text. "Unicorn Racers, roll the dice and race the finish line. For ages four and up… gee, thanks, Aunt Scandalyn."

"Oh I knew you'd like it!" Scandalyn said while hugging the youngest Brooke. Scabrina just shrugged at the hug.

"Um, excuse me for one moment," Nina said after Scandalyn released Scabrina. "But can someone explain to me about… all of this?"

"Oh, Nina this is Scandalyn, Calypso's little sister and my sister-in-law," Slasher explained. "She is back in the Boiling Isles and decided to visit."

"She's the auntie I've mentioned before back when we were cleaning the storage house, remember?" Skara reminded Nina, who realized that this woman was from the Krinch story.

"Oh yeah, when you were talking about the Krinch," Nina realized. "The aunt who isn't around much."

"My little sis likes to travel around the Demon Realm," Calypso added. "But she tries to stop by here on a yearly basis."

"I'm just passing through," Scandalyn said. "But I have gotten all kinds of stuff from my travels that I can show you all! Each comes with an interesting story."

"What's for dinner?" Scabrina asked Slasher and Calypso, completely disinterested.

---

While the Brookes had dinner, Scandalyn entertained them by sharing her travel tales.

"And then there was this island, right? It was inhabited by a tribe of witches that determined their crops' growth with a chicken!" Scandalyn revealed. "Like, and I thought the cult from the other side of the world was weird."

"Um, none of those items are cursed, right?" Calypso asked, seeing all the stuff Scandalyn was pulling out of her bag.

"Relax, these items I bring are curse free," Scandalyn reassured her sister while bringing up a skull idol. "This idol I got? Carved by a local of Vertebra Island." She then pulled out a puzzle box. "This is a simple puzzle box that I try not to play around with. Because if you solve the puzzle, it'll summon a pain demon." She grabbed something else. "Oh, and Nina, I think you'll like this…"

When Nina saw Scandalyn pull out a golden cat statue, her eyes widened when she recognized the markings. "A cat idol?"

"Yeah, got this from another Titan Island, a small archipelago populated by werecats," Scandalyn explained. "They were friendly… some of them were too friendly."

This caught the werecat's interest. "Tell me more about the other werecats…"

"Well, they were actually able to shift between their witch forms and their lycan forms, unlike the werecats of the Boiling Isles," Scandalyn explained. "Moggie Reefs is a half-Titan island where the werecats formed their own society based on strength, intelligence, and ingenuity. It has its own social class structure, its own magic schools… I believe this is where the werecats from the Torsa Villa are descended from. They also have a council with their own Duchess, whom I personally know."

"Whoa… there's more of me out there… are there brave warriors there?" Nina asked.

"The bravest of all! Have their own ranking system and all that," Scandalyn confirmed while Nina's eyes widened in amazement.

"Wow… once I graduate, I'm thinking of traveling down to the Moggie Reefs," Nina decided with enthusiasm. "Maybe once I get there, I could mention you."

Scandalyn looked slightly nervous. "Hehe, yeah… that would be… nice," she said. "But if you think the Moggie Reefs are exciting, wait until you hear about these so-called Titan Trappers I've met!"

Scabrina, who had just finished her food, had her hand raised up. "Can I be excused? I feel tired."

"Why sure, pumpkin," Slasher responded.

"We'll be here if you need us," Calypso told her while Scabrina just walked away from the table in silence, something that struck Nina as slightly odd.

---

After dinner, it was time for Scandalyn to leave.

"It was nice to see you again, Scandalyn," Calypso said, though she looked concerned for her sister. "You sure you don't want to stay here for a while more?"

"I wish I could, but I can't, Calypso," Scandalyn replied while glancing around. "I just… need to be out of here before they find out that I'm back."

Calypso reached out to touch her sister's arm. "Scandal, they can't hurt either of us anymore."

"I know. But the problem isn't that they'll hurt me… it's that I'll hurt them," Scandalyn said, looking distraught.

Calypso understood all too well. Rather than try to argue with her sister, Calypso instead went to embrace her. Scandalyn hugged back.

"Goodbye, Lypsy," she said, a tear falling from her eye.

"You too… Scandal," Calypso whispered.

They whispered a few more things to each other, Scandalyn quietly thanking Calypso for continuing to do something for her. She then let go of her sisters and waved goodbye to the others watching her leave. She then briefly hesitated before walking out the front door. She would turn around to look at the Brooke home one more time before she was out of sight…

---

When she went upstairs, Nina stopped in front of Scabrina's room. She was conflicted for a moment before deciding to knock on the door.

"Yo, are still asleep? You just missed your aunt leaving," Nina said before the door opened a bit. "Scabrina?"

"Is she really gone?" Scabrina asked, showing her eye.

"Yeah, just left," Nina confirmed while looking down at the young Brooke girl. "So um… I noticed how you were acting earlier. Do you want to… talk?"

After a moment, the door fully opened. "Come in," Scabrina said.

Nina was admittedly a bit nervous. It was her first time in Scabrina's room, which is filled with stuffed animals, posters, and a table with her… creepy dolls, along with a tea set. And next to her bed was what looked like a slab…

"Jasmine or herbal?" Scabrina offered, holding two tea cups.

"I'll take herbal," Nina said while Scabrina offered her a seat at her table. Nina complied as she sat at one end of the table, while Scabrina sat across from her. After a moment, Nina broke the silence. "So… your aunt seems nice."

"Yeah," Scabrina said while sipping her imaginary tea.

"You don't sound too thrilled about her," Nina said. "What's your beef with her?"

"She's… someone that left me," Scabrina admitted.

"Left you? What… that doesn't make any…" Nina tried to piece it together until she realized the full picture. "But that's… wait a minute… are you saying that… your aunt is-"

"My birth mother? Yeah," Scabrina said while looking down at her own cup.

"Just… how?" Nina asked in shock. "What is the ordeal?! Why did she… leave you?"

"Well, mom, dad and Skara don't know that I know, since I didn't want them to feel bad," Scabrina confessed. "Auntie Scandalyn travels a lot, partially as a way to avoid her parents who would find her if she stays in the Isles too long. I don't know who her partner was, but what I do know is that she got pregnant with me, she didn't want to raise me herself, so she decided to give me away to the witches I know as my family. Hence why I'm under their guardianship."

"Oh man…" Nina said, while looking at Scabrina. "So… how do you feel about it?"

"Well, Auntie Scandalyn didn't want me in her life, but Calypso and Slasher do," Scabrina replied. "That's why I have no problem calling them 'mom' and 'dad'. Scandalyn, however, is essentially a stranger to me. I have only seen her a few times. I don't know her and she doesn't know me."

"Why… why telling me all of this?" Nina asked her. "Especially when you haven't told the rest of your family that you know…"

"Because you're just like me," Scabrina said, surprising Nina. "Your birth parents didn't want you so they were content to leave you here for someone else to take care of, just like how Scandalyn was content to leave me here for someone else to take care of. I feel like you would appreciate how similar our situations are. We're… both unwanted by our birth parents, but here with Calypso and Slasher, we're wanted… and I think we're both better off." She looked down, her voice getting softer. "Because… I like you living with us."

Nina was shocked from hearing all of this. But she realized that Scabrina was right, that the two really were in the same boat. After a moment of silence, she spoke. "Yeah, I… I like living with you too, Scabrina."

"Really?" Scabrina asked, looking up at Nina with a surprisingly cheerful expression.

"Yeah, and I'm glad that you've told me this," Nina told her. "And look, I promise to not tell them about what we've talked about. This is between us strays, okay?"

Scabrina got up and walked over to Nina, who received a hug from the little girl.

"Thank you, Nina," Scabrina said while Nina patted her head.

"Anytime, kiddo," Nina replied before she got up from her seat, prompting the youngest Brooke to release her. "Well, I should get to bed. Goodnight, little Brina. I hope you don't mind me calling you that?"

"I like it," Scabrina confirmed. "And goodnight, Nina."

Nina nodded and left the room, turning the light off for Scabrina before she went into the hallway. Closing the door behind her, Nina ended up smiling to herself as she headed for her room…

---

Next day at Hexside, Nina was walking down the hallway with Skara and Lambi.

"You're going to the annual IFWOT this afternoon?" Lambi asked her.

"Yeah, it's something Faust is making me and Luz do to get him to not expel your friends. I was dragged into this because we were both 'criminals'," Nina said with a sigh. "There goes my afternoon plans… if I had any."

"Well, maybe I can come with you for moral support," Lambi offered.

"Oh you really don't have to, Lambi," Nina told her. "Especially if you already had any plans for today."

"It's fine, Nina," Lambi reassured her. "I want to be there for you."

Nina blushed. "Oh, okay… then I guess on the bright side I can use the IFWOT to spend more time with you," she suggested, making Lambi giggle.

"Aw, you two are such adorbs," Skara commented while looking down at her scroll when she heard it buzzing. "Hey, Willow's going to be at the IFWOT as well in Simon's place. Looks like I'll be showing up to support you two… well, I'll be supporting all three of you."

"Me, Willow, and Luz, are you sure you can carry us all on the support beam?" Nina joked.

"Fangs!" some shouted.

Hearing her name being shouted from behind, Nina along with Lambi and Skara turned around. They saw a pink-skinned boy in a Plant Track uniform. He wore a cap that covered his forest green hair. He also had blue eyes and some goons with him. He shot a glare towards the werecat. "When I finally got transferred here, I thought I saw you around. Can't believe Hexside would allow some porch cat in here with all the normal witches."

This tensed up Nina from what he just called her, "Oh wow, that is… super bigoted. I don't know who you are, but I already don't like you."

"What is your deal?!" Skara demanded from the boy.

"Yeah, that wasn't nice!" Lambi told her.

"Yeah, well nice wasn't a thing we had from her back in Glandus," he pointed out. "Just ask my cousin!"

"You have to be more specific. I have messed up half of Glandus!" Nina pointed out. "I don't even think I know you."

"Well, the name's Jeremy… I'm Amelia's cousin," Jeremy revealed, surprising the three girls, especially Skara.

"Wait… Amelia's cousin," Skara said in shock. "I remembered her mentioning you."

"You're Skara, right?" Jeremy asked. "Some friend you are, fraternizing with the lycan that attacked my cousin. But yeah, I know Nina and what she is all too well from when I went to Glandus, at least I got expelled before the Glandus War. I was literally got shot out of a fucking cannon!"

"They shot you with a cannon?!" Lambi asked in shock.

"Yeah, that was when McScream was our principal…" Nina explained before turning to Jeremy. "Look, Jeremy, I've already apologized to Amelia but she didn't take it. She didn't want anything to do with me, just like the rest of the former Glandees who want nothing to do with me. But I'm okay with it and I stay out of their way."

"Well unlike those pushovers, I ain't afraid of facing a savage like you, Fangs!" Jeremy told her off as he and his goons walked towards them. "You attacked Amelia because it is in your nature! Seeing a werecat like you here makes me sick to my stomach. You don't belong with normal witches like us, you shouldn't have left the reservation. Because us normal witches shouldn't have to put up with sharing our space with a lycan!"

"Yeah, no right!" one goon declared.

"Should we mess them up for you?" another asked.

"THERE WILL BE NO MESSING AROUND!"

Upon hearing the brimstone sounding voice, flames bursted between the groups. Nina stood in front of Skara and Lambi protectively, while Jeremy and his goons fell onto their butts. Coming out from the flames was Faust himself, who glared at Jeremy.

"Jeremy… here to cause trouble on your first day?" Faust demanded to know.

"N-N-No sir!" Jeremy claimed, but Faust kept glaring at him with his piercing eyes.

"Oh really? So I guess you and your… background goons, aren't here being confrontational towards Ms. Fangs, Ms Brooke and Ms. Lamberton? This school has a no tolerance policy against bigotry, you know?" Faust asked as his eyes pierced their souls, Jeremy looking pale as a ghost. "So let's get to the point… Ms. Nina Fangs has as much right to be in this school as you do, Mr. Regal. So my advice for you is this… either learn to behave and let Ms. Fangs be, or you can just get out of my school and never return!" he shouted with flames bursting from his mouth. "UNDERSTAND?!"

"Y-Y-Yes, Principal Faust!" Jeremy shouted as he and his goons got back up and took off running.

The three girls were shocked to see that Faust, of all witches, had come to Nina's defense. Faust turned to the girls, twisting his neck towards them. "Are you three alright?"

"Y-Y-yes, Principal Faust!" Skara answered.

"We're good…" Nina said in shock. "Um… thanks for defending me out there, sir."

"I have no problem with you as what you are, Ms. Fangs, just your delinquency," Faust explained. "Bigotry is another form of evil that I don't tolerate. I will be seeing you at the IFWOT later today, Ms. Fangs," he said before turning around and walking away.

"That was… surprising," Lambi said, looking mildly scared.

"Yeah…" Nina replied while the three took a moment to process what had just happened. "Let's head for class."

"Right," Skara nodded in agreement before the three headed for their respective classes.

---

Later in the day, after the IFWOT was over, Nina had got her blue ribbon as did Luz. As they left the building, Nina was looking down at her blue ribbon when she heard Donna calling out to someone.

"Cross!" Donna shouted, catching his attention as he walked up to her.

"Donna? What's up?" Cross asked her.

Donna took a deep breath. "I've been thinking and… well… would you like to go out with me sometime?"

This caught Cross off guard, as well as making Nina look up after her ears picked up what Donna said to Cross. Zee gave a smile while intertwining her fingers.

"W-Wow, Donna… I-I don't know what to say…" Cross said while Zee patted his shoulder.

"Cross, you gotta say yes," Zee whispered. "Just go on one date with her. Please."

"Um… yeah," Cross said, giving her a nod. "I would like to go out with you."

Donna smiled. "Terrific!" she shouted.

Nina's eyes widened as she watched this, her ears suddenly dropping. This did not go unnoticed by Lambi.

"Hey, is everything okay?" she asked the werecat.

"It's… nothing," Nina said, trying to shrug it off while holding Lambi's hand. "Hey, why don't we get ice cream?"

"Oh, yeah that'd be great," Lambi said with a nod.

Just then, Minerva ran over holding her cello. She looked like a mess and there was a bit of fire on her shoulder. "I'm here!" she shouted, trying to put out the fire. She then looked around at everyone, seeing them staring at her. "Wait… did I miss it?!"

However, unknown to the students, they were being watched by the Ninja. The same Ninja that Nina had spoken to at the Brawl, the same Ninja that was currently working with the Tarot Guild. He was standing on top of a roof, taking note of Nina and Willow leaving with Skara and Lambi, Donna talking with Cross, and Luz leaving with Eda.

He held up a communication device and spoke into it. "Alchemist, I think I've found what we've been looking for…"

---

Later, Nina, Lambi, Skara, and Willow were all sitting together having ice cream in an ice cream stop.

"This is so good after the day we had," Nina commented while licking the ice cream. "The supervillains were a surprise..."

"Yeah, but at least we got Principal Bump back!" Skara cheered. "Wait until he sees our statue of him…"

"He's gonna appreciate it very much," Willow said in agreement.

"He does seem cool," Nina admitted before turning to Lambi, who was still eating her ice scream. "So um, Lambi, I was wondering if you'd be available tomorrow night for another date?"

"Wait, so this doesn't count as one?" Lambi asked with a teasing smile.

Nina smiled back. "Well, with those two with us it might as well be a double date. But think of it as a… a treat before the big meal for the next night."

Lambi nodded. "I can't wait for what you'll have in store."

The werecat looked down at her blue ribbon. "I wonder… what would my parents think if they heard about me getting a ribbon at the IFWOT? The first werecat to earn one… wonder if that'll change my peers' minds about me… and what would Mao think?"

"Maybe they'd realized that you're worth more than they thought," Skara suggested.

"Honestly, you are a surprising witch, Nina," Willow admitted.

"Yeah," Lambi agreed. "And you know, this is a stepping stone for you to be a Coven Head."

"Yeah, it is," Nina realized, feeling proud of herself.

---

After that, Nina and Skara headed home where they told the Brooke parents about their day.

"You earned a blue ribbon?" Calypso said after seeing Nina holding one. "Wow, congrats, Nina! That's great of you!"

"Yeah, we're proud of you, kid," Slasher told her. "Especially for defending Faust from… his enemies."

"We're not surprised that he had them," Calypso said with a sigh. "Thank Titan Bump's back in charge. But we're proud of you, Nina, winning a blue ribbon at the IFWOT is a pretty big deal."

"Thanks," Nina said, still swelling with pride.

"We should celebrate with take out!" Skara suggested as she went to get the menus. "And it can be your choice, Nina."

The appreciative werecat smiled. "Thanks you, I think I'll have-"

Knock-knock!

The sound of knocking was heard, causing the Brookes to turn to the front door. They heard the knocking turn to banging as Slasher decided to answer it. "Who could that be?" he asked as he grabbed the doorknob. Once he opened the door, his eyes widened in shock before an elderly couple forced their way in, pushing him aside.

"Alright! Where is she?!" demanded a dark skinned, fat woman with white lock hair. She had one left eye bulging out while the other eye was shut by her scar. She was a scowling and grisly old woman wearing a blue poncho, black gown, and furred boots. "Where is that no-good sister of yours?!"

"I can smell her, Ma!" added a tall, slim and hunched dark-skinned man with gray hair, black shades, a green tracksuit with white lines, and black loafers. He also had a cane. "She's gotta be here! I can still smell her shame around here!"

"Oh no…" Skara said as she backed away. Nina tilted her head in confusion while Calypso just let out a groan.

"You all better tell us where Scandalyn is!" the elderly woman demanded.

"Grista, Scanfur," Slasher said, his tone calm. "If you're looking for Scandalyn, she isn't here."

"We know that she was here, mutt!" Grista, the elderly woman, shouted.

"Yeah, we heard that her ass came back to the Isles, so we know that this is where she'd be!" Scanfur claimed.

"Would you two please calm down," Calypso told them, trying to act civil. She took a deep breath. "Look, Scandalyn was here. She did pay a visit, but she's not here anymore. She's probably already left the Isles for this exact reason: you two, because she knows that you two would have tracked her down."

"Oh at least she knows how to hide, just as I taught her," Grista said.

"Nuh-uh, I was the one who taught her how to cover her tracks if she were to get hunted!" Scanfur argued. "I was the one who taught you girls how to hide from the dog-rats we used to send after that!"

"You couldn't teach a dog-rat how to drive, you old senile buzzard," Grista argued.

"At least I didn't raise our eldest daughter to go around making out with dogs, Grista!" Scanfur ranted.

As she watched the elderly couple, Nina realized who they were and her eyes widened. "No way… you're Calypso's parents!" she said out loud, which earned the elderly couple's attention.

"Hold up, there!" Scanfur said, sniffing the air "Is that a werecat I smell?!"

"It is, Scanfur!" Grista confirmed, glaring at Nina. "Bad enough that our daughter married a dog and gave birth to another dog, but now she got some big ol' house pussy!"

"You two are the Woodemons," Nina snarled, her eyes narrowing at them "You two are the most infamous lycan slaughters in history! You two are murderers!"

"Murderer is an exaggeration," Scanfur claimed. "We only did our service for the Emperor when he wanted population control on the werecats."

"We had to spade them, neuter them, gas them," Grista listed off. "The Emperor wanted you little lycers killed in the name of the Titan, but before we could finish our work he decided to give you the Torsa Villa instead. And because of that your population has become too complacent and too comfortable!"

"Though you still look like a feral!" Scanfur declared as the two walked towards Nina, who tensed up.

"Enough!" Calypso shouted as she got between Nina and her parents, glaring at the latter. The ferret around her jumped over her arm and transformed into a staff. "You do not talk to Nina in that way! Ever!"

"Oh is that so?!" Grista declared. "Is that anyway to talk to your parents?!"

"Neither of you are my parents anymore!" Calypso shouted. "Neither of you bigoted assholes have any right to call yourselves that! Especially after what you did to me and Scandy!" she shouted while taking off the blue concealment stone from her chest, causing a 'poof' burst around her.

When Nina and Skara saw Calypso's appearance without the concealment stone, both were absolutely shocked, while Slasher just had a saddened expression as he saw what his wife had been hiding without the stone…

Scars. Scars on her arms, one up to her neck, and some on her face. A scar across her left eye.

"Oh don't tell me you're still up your ass about that?" Grista scoffed. "We were helping you become the best hunter and the strongest witch you could be! And now look at you! A Coven Head! You should be thanking us!"

"Thanking you?! All of your training, all of your punishments for failure, all of those hunts we went on… you were so blinded by your own hate that you couldn't see how you were hurting me and Scandalyn!" Calypso said with a snarl. "This is why I cut ties from you the first chance I got, because I refused to associate myself with a bunch of old, bigoted buzzards like you! But even after changing my name, I still have to be reminded of your actions constantly! You two sometimes make me wish I was never born!" she shouted.

"Maybe you shouldn't have been!" Grista shouted back at Calypso. "And we are glad you changed your name, because you are a disgrace! Marrying a werewolf, taking in a werecat instead of putting her down… we trained you better than this!"

Calypso hugged Nina close to her, the werecat being shocked by Calypso's protectiveness. "Nina is a part of this family, and you two have no right to spat your shame on her! As Head Witch, I can easily turn you two into dust with my staff!"

"What?! You can't do that to your own-" Scanfur said before feeling a blast shot past him, hitting the door.

"I suggest you leave!" Calypso shouted, her anger showing. Both Nina and Skara had never seen Calypso this angry before.

The Woodemon couple looked at Calypso, knowing that she could wipe them out on the spot. "Come on, Scanfur, let's just go," Grista told her husband as they walked out. "Last thing we need is to stay here with a lycan-lover…"

After the two left, Calypso kept her scowl until her face softened. She lowered her staff and turned to Nina, who was still shocked by what she had just witnessed. "Are you alright, Nina?"

"I-I'm good, but… what about you?" Nina asked out of concern.

Calypso sighed, letting go of Nina. She looked down at the concealment stone she had thrown onto the floor, picking it up in silence.

"Hon… are you okay?" Slasher asked, worried.

"I just… I just need a moment," Calypso said as she left the room.

After a moment of awkward silence, Nina turned to Slasher and Skara. "What just happened?"

Skara looked down. "Mom's… former parents sometimes come around here. It is never pretty."

"But… it has never been this bad," Slasher admitted, looking at Nina. "Calypso hates them, not just because of their disapproval of her marriage to me… but also because of what they did to her and her sister when they were kids."

"Does Scandalyn have scars as well?" Nina asked, Slasher and Skara silently confirmed it with a nod. Horror and disgust took over Nina's face. "Oh… fuck." She covered her mouth, looking down with a shaken look. "All of that… I'm surprised those two asshats are even alive!"

"Since lycan hunting became banned, Grista and Scanfur have been living in quiet retirement at Palm Stings," Slasher explained. "But even now those two couldn't be active hunters because of their age."

"Daddy?" spoke up Scabrina as she came downstairs. "I heard yelling… is everything alright?"

Slasher sighed. "Everything's alright, pumpkin," he said as he walked up to tend to her. "Nothing to worry about now."

Skara looked down at the menus, sighing. "We can still order take out. Anything you like…" She turned and saw that Nina had snuck away, leaving the confused Skara. "...Nina?"

---

Calypso was outside looking down at the pool. She was sitting with her knees close to her chest, her ferret Palisman comforting her while she looked down at her own reflection of the water.

"Cali?"

The Brooke mother heard Nina's voice as the werecat walked over to her. Nina noticed that Calypso wasn't wearing her concealment stone on her, showing her scars.

"Nina, I'm surprised you came out here," Calypso said while still looking down.

"I came to see if you're alright," Nina said, deciding to sit beside Calypso. The two were silent for a while before Nina spoke again. "I… had no idea your parents did that to you."

Calypso looked at her own reflection and at her scars. "Growing up a Woodemon was awful," she explained. "Every morning we had to wake up at four to practice hunting. Grista and Scanfur… they want to make sure we lived up to their bigoted traditions." She pointed to one scar on her shoulder. "This was from when I failed to shoot a griffin, my mom used a whip to simulate what being attacked by a griffin would feel like. She argued that the griffin would show no mercy if the positions were reversed, so we should show none in return." She then pointed to a mark on a part of her chest. "This is when they put me against my sister in a knife fight. My sis got me."

"Titan…" Nina winced.

When Calypso pulled up her dress, she showed circular scars on her knee. "This one was from when I had to avoid stepping on demon bear traps when I was nine." She then showed the back of her arm and part of a scratch mark. "This was when they sent out the dog-rats to chase after us. And this," she said as she pointed to a scar on her calf. "They were unhappy with me when I didn't shot a lycan on sight." She then pointed to the scar on her eye. "And this one… mama didn't have a good day when the law banning lycan hunting was first passed. The ones I got from Krampmus on my rear were from the lashes."

Nina said nothing, just looking horrified from what Calypso had shown and told her.

"Once I graduated from Hexside, I distanced myself from them. Scandalyn was still a teenager at the time so she was forced to stay with them until she was old enough. When I became a bounty hunter, I was self-loathing. Some of the scars I have are from self-infliction. But then… I fell in love with Slasher." She turned to Nina, tears leaking from her eyes. "Nina… I'm so, so sorry about my past and for the lycans that I have hurt. I am ashamed of my family history and I… I don't know if I even deserve your forgiveness."

Nina looked at Calypso hard and sighed. "Geez, I think I know where Skara got her over-dramatics from," she commented. "But Cali, just so you know that… I don't hate you. Not anymore," she admitted while looking down at her own reflection. "And that's because I got to know you more. Because you have continued to put up with my crap since I came here, even though I know that I don't always make it easier for you. And I… I do forgive you."

Calypso was surprised by this. "Really?"

"Well, yeah. After everything you did for me, of course. You gave me a home. You have given me space when I needed it, but you have also helped me when I needed it. And you have gone above and beyond to help me. You are even trying to help Casey," Nina pointed out. "Just as you said earlier… I'm a part of this family."

"What do you… think of that?" Calypso asked.

"Well, it's true, ain't it?" Nina asked her. "At this point, I am certainly more than a house guest…"

"Well, if you think you are a part of this family, then you're right," Calypso said as she wiped her tears. "I… I'd like for you to be part of this family, Nina."

"So… in what way would you like for me to be a part of this family?" Nina asked.

"Well, whatever way you're more comfortable with," Calypso told her. "Things could continue to be the way they are now if you prefer or if you want it could change. Like we could make it official."

Nina looked down as she thought about this. "I… I don't know. I mean, I've only been here for like, four weeks. This is all moving so fast…"

"Yeah, I get that," Calypso told her. "No rush about it, just take all the time you need."

Nina nodded. "Thanks, Cali," she said softly.

The two continued to sit by the pool for a while, Nina scooting over closer to Calypso to comfort her. They would sit together until they decided to go back inside and order dinner.

---

After having some takeout, Nina laid on her bed with her own thoughts while playing a Bruce Springsteen song on her CD player. She then heard a knock on the door.

"Come in!" Nina shouted. She saw Skara open the door. "What's up?"

"Hey, um… there's someone who wants to call you on the crystal ball line," Skara said, pointing to the crystal ball on the drawer.

Nina got up and walked over the crystal ball for the oracle call. Tapping and waving it, she was then shocked to see that appearing on the orb was none other… than Amelia.

"Amelia?!" Nina shouted. She didn't expect the mint-haired girl to call her.

"Nina," Amelia said, sounding awkward. "Um… look, I heard what happened earlier at school today with my cousin. I called Skara about it and well… I just want to let you know that I think what my cousin said is unacceptable. He may claim that he did it for my sake, but what he said does not reflect my feelings about you, especially when he indirectly insulted Skara." She took a deep breath. "This is hard for me to say, but I'm sorry for his behavior towards you. I want to make it clear that my problems with you do not have to do with what you are, but what you did."

"Oh… well, thanks, Amelia, for telling me this," Nina said, "But you didn't have to."

"Well, don't get me wrong, it doesn't mean that I'm just over how you hurt me," Amelia admitted. "But I didn't want you to get the wrong idea, since I don't share his views on lycans…"

"Honestly, I never considered that you were a bigot," Nina pointed out. "Besides, you wouldn't be friends with Skara if you were. Especially one of her closest friends." She then looked down. "Look Amelia, I really do regret what I did to you. It wasn't worth shit, and I can understand you not forgiving me. Which is why I want to offer you a compromise."

"A compromise?" Amelia asked.

"Well I have noticed that you haven't really visited Skara's place since I moved in, so I can just walk out of the house for a while so you can come over if you wish. I'll just hang with the cheer squad, Lambi, or Dusty. Or I can sleep in the backyard."

Amelia considered Nina's offer before nodding. "I think we'll work something out…"

---

"And that's about it," Nina said as she finished bringing Julia up to speed. It was now Friday and Nina was in Julia's office, recapping the events of the week to her.

"Well, now that's a lot you've been through in a week. Especially with the Brookes," Julia noted.

"Yeah, they're… they're honestly really great," Nina responded, smiling briefly. "Though… should I take up Calypso's offer? Being part of the Brookes officially…"

"That is something that is ultimately your choice to make, Nina," Julia told her. "But you've got plenty of time to reach a decision. However, it does sound like you have a good thing going with the Brookes, especially since according to you, they are witches that care about you and do indeed want you."

"Well that's one thing, but another thing though… is my family at the reservation," Nina said. "My parents may have treated me like crap, but I'm worried about what my siblings might think. Man, the twins would probably be devastated, as well as… Cally."

"Maybe you should talk to them about it," Julia suggested. "Maybe they will understand what you're going through right now."

"Yeah, I think that is a good idea," Nina agreed.

"Is there anything else you'd like to mention?" Julia asked her.

"Well, I do have another date with Lambi tonight, which I'm really excited for," Nina said with a smile. "Skara got me a good outfit to wear, since we're going somewhere fancy for tonight."

Julia smiled to herself. "Then I wish you luck on your date, Nina," she told Nina. "Oh, and have fun."

"Thank you, Dr. Traveler," Nina responded with a smile, her session about to be over.

---

Back at home, Nina got ready for her date with Lambi. She came out from the changing closet, now wearing a black dress suit with an orange bow and white button shirt. She wore black open-toed stockings on her hindlegs, her pants stopping to her ankle fur. She showed off her new look to Slasher, who was with her.

"Wow Nina, you look good for your date," Slasher complimented, clapping his hands.

"Thanks for helping me out again, Slash," Nina replied while checking herself in her mirror. She tied her locks into a ponytail. "I want to look and feel jazzy tonight."

"Well I'm just as jazzy as you, Nina," Slasher responded, wearing a red suit of his own. "For me and Calypso's date at the art gallery tonight."

"Well, don't let your date wait for you, big guy," Nina said before the two headed down to the living room.

Calypso, wearing her orange split dress with red stockings and black boots, was handing some contact information to Emira and Viney. "Thank you for coming to babysit Scabrina on such short notice, girls. Especially since Skara couldn't do it because she's out with Willow and her friends."

"Hey, it's no problem, Mrs. Head Witch Brooke," Viney reassured her. "After all, Skara's my captain, so I can cover for her."

"Just Mrs. Brooke would suffice," Calypso said before she noticed Nina and Slasher.

"I have noticed that Skara has been out with Willow and her friends a lot this week…" Nina mentioned.

"Oh you know those two, since they have started dating they just… can't get enough of each other," Emira replied, trying to hide where Skara and Willow actually went.

"Well… I guess it's not so different from what Luz and Amity are like," Nina commented while turning to the two. "Oh, and Emira and Viney…" She patted both of their shoulders, leaning in close to whisper. "If you two think of having sex in my room, I will know." Emira and Viney exchanged awkward looks when Nina told them this and pulled away. "Take care of the squirt for me," she said, leaving the two embarrassed.

As Nina, Slasher, and Calypso headed out of the house together, Nina held up her staff and addressed the two adults. "Hey, I just want to say… good luck you two, on your date."

"Thank you, and good luck to you as well, Nina," Calypso told her.

"Have fun!" Slasher added while helping his wife into the carriage.

Nina nodded, then got on her staff and started to fly away.

She had a date to keep.

---

After picking up Lambi, who wore a purple gown dress for the date, the two made it to a restaurant.

"Wow, this place looks great!" Lambi commented.

"Thank Slasher for the reservations," Nina replied while holding her arm up. "Ready?"

Lambi wrapped her arm around Nina's, smiling. "Yeah, I'm ready."

The two entered the restaurant together, but once they were inside, Nina froze upon recognizing someone else who was there… "Donna?!"

"Nina?" Donna asked. With her was Cross. Donna was wearing a black mid-length dress with gray long sleeves, black heeled boots, and a blue waist belt. Cross was wearing a green vest with a black button shirt, black dress pants, and boots. "Wow… what a surprise to see you here."

"Yeah… surprise," Cross said.

"Surprise indeed…" Nina questioned in confusion, Lambi looking just as confused.

It was then that King entered the restaurant with Laura. "This is it, Laura" he declared before he noticed Nina, Lambi, Donna, and Cross. "Hey, I know you guys!"

---

Now this has been the longest chapter we've written.

Like with "Nina on the Couch", this chapter is the result of us having a lot of ideas for Nina's arc, but we've ultimately decided to put them all in one chapter instead of scattering them across several. But even then, we had so many ideas that some will actually be used in the next chapter.

The several ideas we ended up using in this chapter are ones that we have been wanting to use in a chapter for a while. Such as doing a parody of "I'll Make a Man Outta You" with Nina's cheer practice, which introduces the cheer squad fully. The As well as showing the expies of Emmy and Kitty from Total Drama: Redonculous Race who are werecats, as well as finally introducing Amelia's cousin.

The intro for this chapter is pretty much a neat parody of the Family Matters intro, since the Brookes are also in the sharing spotlight. Because well, this chapter does have a sitcom-theme in mind, especially with Nina getting to feel like being a part of the Brookes as her family.

The events referred to, like with the potions lab bust which if you recall dates all the way back to the chapter "Whatever Happened to Anu Bist?"

Now for the OCs:

Lynxa and Jemma Milk: Two werecats who are the expies of Kitty and Emma. Both host a Penstagram channel that shows the news and updates about what's going on at the Torsa Villa and Boiling Isles stuff. Like Kitty, Lynxa is fun and easy going while Jemma is just like Emma: more serious with the topic at matter and is no-nonsense, but still helps out her sister with her little online show.

Chelsea: A cheetah werecat who is also a hybrid witch. She is an expy of Cheetara from Thundercats, as she's known as the fastest of her community. She's considered Nina's rival on the speed department. She's also Clockwork Cab's apprentice.

Anthony "Tony" Stripes: A werecat who's an aspiring construction witch. He's an expy of Tygra from Thundercats, as he wants to do architecture.

Banjo Scorpincher: Yes, this werecat-scorpion demon hybrid is an expy of Scorpia. We've finally introduces the Scorpia expy that will show up in later chapters.

Rosie and the Dirtyrats: A werecat band that are expies of Josie and the Pussycats. They are friends of Nina's sister, Cally. Rosie is the Josie of the group. Song is the Melody, and the Valerie is Dawn. The song, "Rat In Mi Kitchen" is a song by UB40.

The cheersquad: Naila who made her appearance at the Glandus War. Gina Festivo, a flamingo biped who is a homage to the Yo Yo Flamingo from Fantasia 2000's short "Carnival of the Animals". Matricia Hobbs is an expy of Perona from One Piece by appearance, and in the Oracle/Abominations Track. Roger Kidneystone who is based off of James from Pokemon.

Andrea's parents and sisters who are mentioned are based off of Pinkie Pie's family from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. Maude is Maud Pie, Blistera is Limestone Pie, and Amanda is Marble Pie. We've decided that they were most likely Glandus students that Nina may have recognized back when she was a freshman. All are probably in the Construction Coven now.

For Hardy Boil's Private Eye Office:

Tally Snowpaws: This fic's take on Callie Briggs from SWAT Kats, she's Boil's secretary who is also a werecat. She is a rescue, and works and serves Boils with his work and clients.

Pierre: A ghost who is from the French Revolution. He's an obvious expy of Frenchie from the Boys.

Marlin Maniac: An expy of Mother's Milk from The Boys.

Chompers: The three-eyed dog who's an expy of Terror from The Boys.

In Lambi's temple youth group:

Henry and Raw Frewell: Brothers in Lambi's temple group. These two are modeled as expies of Huey and Riley Freeman from the Boondocks, as well as those that I once knew back in my own church youth group when I was young.

And now here's Jeremy… way back, we've referenced all the way back to the earliest chapters of Book One. He was a character that we've been meaning to introduce for a while. We've also made him the one who got shot out of the cannon back in the Amphibia crossover chapter. Him having racism towards lycans was something we've considered as an interesting move. So yeah, he's the kind of guy who'd want to justify his racism against Nina. Someone who wouldn't really share Amelia's views at all…

Calypso's family are also fully introduced. Scandalyn who you remember from the "How Calypso Saved Krampmus" Sidetrack. And as it's revealed in this chapter, she's Scabrina's mother, which makes her Skara's cousin and Calypso and Slasher's niece they ended up raising. Also there's Grista and Scanfur, who are modeled after Uncle Ruckus and Stinkmeaner from Boondocks(I've taken a lot from Boondocks in this chapter). Made them to be the most absolutely despicable old haters who are just awful in a sense.

Tito is now shown to be on parole, under Napoli as his coven aid. There's also the fact that he along with the previous cheer captains before him rips off other cheers, which is a direct reference to Bring It On, which that movie is a lot more of a reverse underdog story. Really underappreciated film.

Now for answering reviews:

The Great Fossil King: For a long while, yes.

OMAC001: Yeah, me and Buck have thought of how Darlene manages to get her meals. Let's just say, it won't be the last time we'll see them.

BlueKnight-X2: Technically yes.

Crash X Fusion: Well the New York/Norrisville parts are more plot-A as Mystery Mountain is plot-B. We hated how Darlene got away and deserves a proper squish, Kira's death style. And thanks for the OC fankids, we'll consider them for the contest.

Ultimate-drax: We've planned it for a while that Terra and Jenny are connected.

Matteso585: 1) Central Park sounds more fitting since the Portal Door opens in Human Locations. 2) Athena doesn't considers Nicole as her wife anymore. 3) The Dark Dragon is trapped in a dimension that no one can get out for another thousand years, so that'd be impossible for Jake. There's an actual difference in going to a multiverse, and a pocket dimension. 4) He doesn't, that's just you. 5) Because they won't, since they can't do anything about it.

Shuffollower: You win some cookies. Honestly, lost track unless they're from a New York-related chapter. Randy and Theresa's relationship status is a bit similar to Nina and Lambi's. Yes, it's the reversal thing. And yeah, Howard and Randy's friendship is much more at ease after the series finale of the show. As for your fankid… impressive, we like it.

Franco Almiron: Perhaps.

OmegaWolf99: Yes.

Spantidem7: 1) It's going to be bring up soon. 2) He'll be around… 3) Spoiler questions. And no, we're not thinking of something like that. The fankids contest is something fun we've thought would be good to do.

RJWritingInk: There are many high celestial beings that exists in the LCU. So yeah, one of the many.

Next chapter we'll take a little break, expecting another Hellspin adventures with a Helluva Dad.