Dell arrived at the Owl House's front door, waking up Hooty, who looked as happy as ever to see him. "DELL, YOU'RE BACK! Hoot! "Hooty exclaimed excitedly.
"Hey, Hooty," Dell said with a sleepy smile. "You seem more excited than usual. Did something happen while I was out?"
"Oh, yeah! Eda broke into the Conformatorium and got caught by the Emperor's coven! It was wild! But she managed to escape with the help of this human girl named Luz! And she will be living with us for a while, so get ready for some new adventures! Hoot! Hoot!"
Dell's eyes widened in surprise at the news. "What?" Dell closed his eyes and listened.
Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Ba-dum.
He was picking up an extra heartbeat in the Owl House. This must be Luz's. Dell opened the door and walked inside, seeing Mom, Baba, and King in the middle of a discussion.
"Eda, I'm still not sure this is a good idea," Baba said, looking concerned.
"Oh, relax, Raine. We should give Luz a chance." Mom suggested. "She might surprise us. She sure surprised me when she stood up to Wrath."
"Yeah, she was so cool!" King exclaimed, jumping up and down with excitement. "And she got me this new crown," he said, pointing at a tiny plastic crown on his skull, "I was able to recruit Francois because of her." He held out a stuffed bunny rabbit doll Dell had never seen before and proudly waved it around. As usual, Dell found his brother's antics adorable.
"Looks like Luz is making quite the impression on all of you," Dell remarked, alerting everyone that he had just returned.
"Oh, hey, son," Mom said, smiling warmly at Dell. "You just missed all the excitement."
"And by 'excitement,' do you mean breaking the most highly secured prison on the Boiling Isles?" Dell raised an eyebrow, already knowing the answer.
"Exactly," Mom replied with a chuckle, shaking her head.
"And it's not that secure if we could break in," King said smugly from his couch. "But don't worry; we made it back in one piece."
"And before you ask, I didn't know about this until they got home," Baba defended. "I was out running errands and returned to find them regaling me with their escapades."
"Well, I'm just glad everyone is safe. But why would you do that?" Dell asked, his curiosity piqued.
"You know that jerk Warden Wrath stole King's crown," Mom explained. "We had to get it back."
Dell sighed, knowing his family's penchant for getting into trouble would never change. Though his last name is Whispers, he is also a Clawthorne. "Well, why didn't you ask me to do it? I could've been in and out in five seconds."
"But you're not a thief," Baba pointed out, raising an eyebrow. "Not to mention that Superboy is a symbol of justice, not a common thief."
"I wouldn't have gone as Superboy."
"True. But it would have taken no time for the Emperor's Coven to figure out how someone managed to steal from them without tripping any alarms. And we all know Belos would jump on any opportunity to use that as an excuse to turn the Isles against you."
"I guess you're right," Dell admitted. While he'd never say it out loud, Dell was frustrated with the system's corruption, which allowed someone like Belos to maintain power and control over the Isles. Even before becoming Superboy, it was becoming increasingly difficult for Dell to do the right thing—especially in a world where those in positions of power frequently determine what is "right" rather than a genuine sense of justice. "But why did you involve Luz in all of this?"
"Oh, we blackmailed her by threatening not to send her home." King casually answered.
"YOU DID WHAT?" Dell could not believe what he heard came from his little brother's mouth.
"I had no idea about this then," Baba interjected.
"That was just to scare her. Of course, I was going to send her home either way." Mom shrugged. "I'm a con artist, not a monster."
"Yeah, that makes all the difference, Mom." Dell shook his head in disbelief at the twisted logic his mom and brother were using to justify their actions. "And why is she still here? I can hear her heartbeat on the second floor."
"She asked to stay," Mom explained. "She gave King and me a whole speech about how she doesn't fit in back home and how we don't fit in here, so she suggested that we could not fit in if she stayed."
"She also mentioned not wanting to go to summer camp," Baba added.
"What's a summer camp?" Dell asked.
"And she mentioned wanting to become a witch," Mom continued.
"What? Humans can't be witches."
"That's what I told her. But she said that if Raine and I taught her how to become a witch, she'd do anything we'd want."
"Like, make us snacks!" King exclaimed excitedly.
"This sounds a lot like forced servitude." Dell pointed it out.
"But with a sprinkle of magic," Mom said with a chuckle. "And don't worry. It'll only be for a few months; then, we can ship her back home before anyone in her world notices she's gone."
"She did mention she had a mother," Baba added. "But she thinks Luz is at this "summer camp" and has no idea she's actually in another dimension, learning witchcraft."
"Well, as long as we send her back before anyone realizes she's missing, I don't see the harm," Mom said with a shrug. "Let's make the most of it while she's here."
"I guess we can show her around and teach her something about our world," Dell suggested. "Who knows, maybe she'll even enjoy her time here. So, where is she? I should introduce myself to her as Dell Whispers, not Superboy."
"She's upstairs, sleeping in a comfy night cocoon," King replied. "Speaking of which, I'm going to go join her." King hopped off the couch and headed upstairs to the guest room.
"She's had one hell of a first day here," Eda commented. "Let's let her rest for now, and we can all catch up later."
"Yeah, I could sleep, too," Dell said with a yawn. "We can talk more in the morning," he added before heading to his room. "Good night!"
"Stop adorably running away, you...?" Luz mumbled in her sleep, snuggling deeper into her blankets. She felt a light shine through her eyelids and groaned, burying her face into the pillow. "It's too early for this." Then, something compelled her to get up and face the day despite being exhausted. She slowly opened her eyes and sat up, determined to make the most of her time in this new realm. She looked around, and the first thing to greet her sigh was King happily curled up in her sleeping bag, snoring softly.
Luz smiled as she said aloud, "It wasn't a dream!" Feeling excited, she hopped to her feet and opened the window. "Good morning, terrifying fantasy world!"
"Good morning!" A sea monster across the Owl House waved its tentacles at her, greeted her, and sank back into the ocean.
Luz walks over to the still-snoring King, picks him up, and kisses his head repeatedly, awakening him with a "Weh?"
"Good morning, you little cutie-pie," Luz said affectionately.
"I am not your cutie pie!" King protested but couldn't help but wag his tail in response to Luz's affection.
"Yes, you are." Luz hugs him tightly before putting him back in her sleeping bag.
"I know." King sighed contentedly.
Luz opens the door to step out into the hallway and greet Eda and Raine downstairs when suddenly Hooty appears right in front of her with a loud "Good morning, Luz!" This caused her to jump in surprise and karate chop his face in response. "Ow! I'm just wishing you a good morning. Jeez! Hoot! Ow!" He slithers away.
"Sorry, Hooty!" Luz calls out, feeling guilty for her reaction. "I appreciate the good morning wishes, even if they come with a scare," she chuckles as she follows him downstairs to join Eda and Raine. Luz takes a deep breath and tells herself, "This is it. Your first day on the Boiling Isles as a witch apprentice."
"So, you're Luz, right?" A voice interrupts her thoughts, causing her to turn around. A black-haired teenage boy taller than her greets her with a friendly smile.
Luz couldn't help but feel excitement in her chest as her cheeks turned pink. "Sí… I mean, yes. Yes, that's me," she replies, trying to sound confident as she meets his gaze and not give away her apparent physical attraction to him. "You must be Eda and Raine's son. Dell, right?"
"Yeah, that's me. I would've introduced myself last night, but you seemed out of it. You okay?"
"I'm fine, just adjusting to this new world." Luz gave Dell a small smile.
"Right, you're from the Human Realm," Dell nods understandingly. "Well, welcome to the Boiling Isles. I'm sure you'll get the hang of things soon enough." With a warm smile from him, Luz felt her nerves begin to settle.
Luz felt something familiar about him but couldn't quite place it. Maybe it was his easygoing nature or his genuinely caring about her well-being. He reminded her of Superboy, as crazy as that sounded. But Superboy had rounder ears like hers, and his hair was longer—almost like a mullet. Well, who's to judge one's taste in hairstyles? Then Luz felt her stomach rumble loudly, reminding her that she hadn't eaten since yesterday.
Dell chuckled, obviously hearing her stomach growl. "Hungry?" Luz's face flushed with embarrassment as she nodded. "I'll show you where the kitchen is."
Luz followed Dell to the kitchen, where Eda and Raine were already preparing breakfast. Eda wore a plum nightgown with mismatched slippers, her hair wild and untamed. Raine wore a bright red apron with a cartoon owl over a faded band T-shirt and pajama pants, looking at ease while flipping pancakes. "Good morning, Mx. and Mrs. Whispers. I am ready for my first day of witch apprenticeship."
Eda looked over at Luz groggily. "Who are you, again?"
"Huh?" Luz stammered, feeling a wave of uncertainty wash over her. "I'm Luz, the human you promised to teach magic to," she replied, trying to hide her disappointment at Eda's forgetfulness. "Remember? We freed the oppressed and defeated the evil warden together. Yesterday?"
"Kid, lay off the details. I haven't even had my cup of apple blood yet."
"You mean apple juice?"
Eda shrugged, not bothering to correct Luz. "Sure, whatever."
"Don't take it personally, Luz," Raine interrupted, patting Luz on the back. "Eda's memory isn't the best in the mornings. She'll come around once she's had her fix. Oh, Dell, could you go grab King for breakfast?"
"Sure, Baba," Dell replied, heading to find King.
"Thanks, Dell," Raine called after him before returning to Luz. "Let's give Eda time to wake up, and then we can remind her about her promise."
Dell returns with King in tow and helps him into an adorable highchair. Raine then gives him a plate of food and utensils. The little guy wasted no time digging in. Eda finishes drinking her apple blood and appears more refreshed than before.
"I'm not sure what humans can eat, so I hope this is okay," Raine told Luz as they set a plate for her.
"It looks delicious, gracias," Luz responded. From the look on Raine's face, they did not know what 'gracias' meant. But they could tell it must've meant "thank you" based on Luz's smile and how she dug into the food with gusto.
"I think she likes it," Dell observed with a chuckle. "Baba's cooking is the best."
The Whispers family and Luz continued eating breakfast until they were full.
"That hit the spot," Luz said with a satisfied sigh. Then she looked over at Eda. "Now, teach me some spells." She wasn't ever going to take time to digest; she was eager to learn more about the magical world she had stumbled into. "When do I get a magic staff? Was I supposed to bring my own runes?" she gasped. "Do you have a dangerous magical quest for me?"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down, kid," Eda said with a chuckle, holding her hands in surrender. "Let's start with the basics before we jump into quests and stuff. Being a witch doesn't happen overnight."
"You have a lot to learn before you're ready for something like that," Raine said.
"But a magic staff, huh?" Eda raised an eyebrow, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Do you want one?"
"More than anything," Luz replied eagerly. "I want to learn everything there is to know about magic and become the best witch I can be."
Eda grinned, pleased with Luz's determination. "All right then," she said, holding out her hand. "Owlbert, come to me!"
"No!" Raine screamed as if trying to stop her from making a mistake. But it was too late. Several things crashing echoed throughout the house until Eda's staff appeared and smacked her in the face, clattering to the ground. "Eda, why?"
Eda grunted and picked the staff up, spinning it before tapping it on the ground. "It's early. Now listen, Luz, witches are awarded their staffs from school. Or that used to be the case until Belos passed a law banning Palisman, but I digress."
"What's a palisman?" Luz asked, curious about the new information.
"Well, let's just say they're more than cute little companions." The owl ornament on the staff came to life and flew around the room, surprising Luz with its sudden movement. It then landed on Eda's shoulder. "A palisman is a magical creature that bonds with a witch and becomes their staff."
Hoot!
The tiny owl nuzzled against Eda's cheek affectionately, showing its loyalty and connection to her. "They're not just tools but friends and powerful allies that amplify a witch's magic. Like Owlbert, here. Or Fiddlesticks with Raine."
"With the two of us as your teachers, you'll take a different approach," Raine explained.
"Like what?" Luz asked, then got her answer in the form of Eda dropping a bag in front of her.
"You'll have to work for it," Eda said. "I run a few businesses… which are perfectly legal, despite what the law may say, mind you. On weekends, I offer rare human treasures that Owlbert and Fiddlesticks drag over from your side of the realm. Dell sometimes helps out when he's not at school or…" She paused as if trying to find the right words. "His job."
"What kind of job do you have, Dell?" Luz asked him.
"Oh, I uh… It's not a job…" Dell said sheepishly, scratching his head. "I do odd jobs around the Boiling Isles to help where possible. Nothing too exciting."
"But most days, she sells only the finest homemade elixirs and potions," Raine explained, gesturing towards the bag filled with colorful bottles. "People come from all over to buy them, especially those looking for something special or hard to find."
"And she's good at it, too," Dell added.
Luz pulled out one randomly and read the label aloud, "Snake oil?"
"No one wants an unoiled snake," Eda said, taking the bottle from Luz. "Trust me, my potions are the real deal. Today, you'll be delivering packages and selling potions in Bonesborough. Did you want a dangerous magical quest? You've got one."
"Mom, are you sure that's a good idea?" Dell asked nervously.
"I agree," Raine added, looking concerned. "This is like throwing a child into the pool's deep end without teaching them how to swim first."
"That was just one time, Raine. And King made it out all right; you two have little faith. She'll do great," Eda reassured him with a smile. Oh, but you'll have to be careful, kiddo. I have rivals everywhere who'd love to take my business down, and you along with it. Just stick close to Dell, and you'll be fine," Eda patted her son on the back. "Oh, and King, you'll be going with them, too."
"Weh? Why do I have to go?" King protested.
"Because Luz will need an extra pair of eyes watching her in case Dell's job comes calling."
King grumbled but ultimately accepted his fate.
"I won't let you down, Miss Eda," Luz declared with a salute.
"Now go out there and show them what you're made of, kiddo."
Luz tried to lift the bag of potions but could not lift them even a centimeter off the ground. Curse her weak nerd arms! "Need some help with that?" Dell offered, stepping in to assist and effortlessly slinging the bag over his shoulder. Dell was kind as a gentle giant, humble as a saint, and strong as an ox.
"Thanks, Dell," Luz said gratefully, feeling a surge of confidence as she followed him out the door.
"Show off," King muttered jokingly.
"Oh, I have some last-minute advice," Eda added. "Watch out for the pesky pixies; they love to play tricks on newbies like you. And remember, never befriend a man in sandals, and always measure twice, cut once."
"Uh…" Luz understood the first advice, but the second and third left her puzzled.
"Thanks, Mom," Dell said, seeming to know what the advice meant.
"Good luck!" Eda slammed the door behind them. "Be back by nightfall or risk mortal peril."
"Have a nice trip! Hoot!" Hooty cheered, causing Luz to jump in surprise. She kept forgetting that he was not just an ornament on the door. With a final wave, Dell, King, and Luz went to town.
"Woah!" Luz exclaimed as she, Dell, and King walked through Bonesborough. They passed various types of witches and demons, whom Luz stared at in amazement.
"Hey, it's rude to stare," King stated as he nudged Luz, causing her to stumble slightly.
"You don't want to draw too much attention to yourself," Dell warned. "Especially when you're new in town."
"Sorry, I just can't help it," Luz replied sheepishly. "It's just that I've only seen places like this in my dreams. It's incredible. And I'm the only human here?"
"Well, we haven't seen any others," King shrugged as they continued to walk through the bustling town. "The only other person here who isn't your standard witch or demon would be Superboy."
"Yeah, he's a bit of an outsider, too, but he's been around for a while," Dell added.
"Wow! There must be a reason for that, right?" Luz asked, her curiosity piqued. "Maybe he's here for the same reason I am here. What if I, Luz Noceda, an average teen, and Superboy, a super… well, boy, actually have… a predetermined path of greatness? Just like Azura!"
"Who?" Dell asked, looking puzzled.
"Azura, the legendary hero who saved the Magical Kingdoms from the nefarious Gildersnake," Luz explained with a gleam in her eye. "She's the protagonist of my favorite book series, 'The Good Witch Azura.'" She practically shoved her copy of the book into Dell's face. "I've always admired her courage and determination."
"Yeah, but did Azura's path to greatness involve her delivering boiling cream?" King asked, taking a potion labeled "Boil B' Gone" from the sack and holding it up to Luz.
"Today, I'm delivering packages, but tomorrow, I'll be earning the respect of everyone on the Boiling Isles with my magical prowess."
"That's the spirit," Dell encouraged, patting Luz on the back. "But remember, greatness can come in many forms, not just through magic."
"True." Luz smiled. "I'll find my path to greatness, just like Azura did."
"Ha! Good luck." King laughed. "The Boiling Isles are nothing but a cesspool of despair."
"I want to think… more like a cesspool of delight," Luz countered as she headed further into town, with Dell and King behind.
"Well, she's got much spirit, huh?" a voice from behind Dell remarked. He turned to find himself face-to-face with the man from last night. He was floating in a lying-down position, his eyes glowing with a mischievous light. "That's what I find so entertaining about you mortals."
"You're the man from last night who turned the bus into bubbles," Dell said, recognizing him.
"Guilty as charged." The man chuckled, his grin widening.
"Who are you?"
"That's for me to know and to tell you in the next chapter. Whenever that will be. The guy's terrible at meeting deadlines. But I will say this—you've caught my interest, Dell Whispers. Or would you prefer Superboy? Or perhaps Kal-El?"
Dell's eyes widened in shock as he realized the man knew his secret identity. "How do you know who I am?"
"Oh, I know lots of things. Such a stone giant will be coming here to crush your town in just about…" The man pulls out a pocket watch and checks the time. "Now." On cue, Dell's super-hearing picks up the sound of heavy footsteps approaching. The man smirks and says, "Looks like this is a job for Superboy. Ciao."
SNAP!
The man snapped his fingers, then vanished into thin air. Dell looked to see that Luz and King were already far ahead and had not noticed the strange man. But that did not matter to Dell now, as he knew he had to act fast to save his town from the impending threat of the stone giant. Dell caught up with King, who needed to catch up to Luz.
"King, I need you to look after Luz. Something's come up." Dell quickly explained.
"A job for Superboy?" King raised an eyebrow, then nodded in understanding. "I'll keep an eye on her, Dell. You go do your thing."
Dell dove into an alley, removing the glamour stone concealing his superhero costume. He took off into the air, determined to confront the stone giant before it could wreak havoc on the town. He flew towards the looming figure in the distance. It was a stone giant, towering over the buildings with its massive form. It was far from Bonesborough, but its path was heading straight toward the town center.
Superboy flew down to intercept it, leaving a sonic boom in his wake as he accelerated. The town's safety depended on him stopping the giant before it caused any damage. However, the stone giant proved more formidable than expected, as it saw him coming and could easily swat him away.
Dell readjusted his trajectory and tried again, landing a solid punch that knocked the stone giant back a few feet. Superboy didn't have to defeat it; he just needed to keep it from approaching the town. If it isn't stubborn enough to keep coming despite the blows, it should turn away after a few more well-placed hits. Dell knew he had to stay focused and determined to protect the town.
Luz and King sit on a curb, the latter scarfing down something called a not-dog Luz bought for him from a cart behind them. Fortunately for Luz, who only had USD, King had enough of the Isles' currency, snails, to cover the cost.
"Well, I know I've had enough delight for one day," King said in between bites of the not-dog.
"I thought being the only human in a magical world would make me special," Luz admitted. "But apparently, it just makes everyone want to scream at me or..." She holds up her arm to reveal a small, winged creature biting her elbow. "… eat me." She flings the annoying bug away. "And Dell disappeared to who knows where after promising to help me through this place."
"It was an emergency," King explained, wiping mustard from his skull-snout. "I know my brother; he wouldn't leave without a good reason."
Luz sighed, feeling a mix of frustration and understanding. She opened her book and flipped through the pages. "At this point, Azura had already been sent on an enchanted quest. Where's my quest-granting wizard?"
King finished his not-dog and burped. "Sorry to break it to you, Luz, but all that mumbo jumbo is fairy tale stuff—like the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, or the Queen of England."
Luz raised an eyebrow at the last remark, then sighed, "This has been a rough day." She stands and hefts the potion sack over her shoulder with a grunt; she takes out a piece of paper and starts down the alley. "Let's just deliver this last package and go home. Maybe this world isn't what I thought it was." She gasped as she and King stopped before a large castle with golden banners illuminated by sunlight. "Pretty!"
"I don't remember this being here," King said, looking around in confusion. "Do you think we took the wrong turn?"
Luz approaches the doorbell, also made of gold, and presses it. "Hello, I have a delivery for…" She realized she had no clue who to deliver the package to. "Uh…" She then notices a plaque with the strangest name she's ever seen above the doorbell: 'Mr. Yyclypzptlk.' "Is there a Mr…" She tried to pronounce it, "Yee-clip-sik here?"
The towering wooden doors opened for Luz and King, the latter looking unimpressed. "Big houses always belong to big whackjobs. Let's kick the package inside and get out of here." He suggested.
"It's pronounced Ee-Clips-Pit-Lick," a white-haired man with tan-yellow skin and a large pale blue blotch that eclipsed the left side of his face— giving the right side the appearance of a crescent moon shape—corrected them as he approached the door. "I've been expecting you."
"Magical wizard!" Luz danced excitedly.
"No, it's just a guy in pajamas," King muttered.
"I'm delivering this package from Mrs. Whispers or Eda, the Owl Lady." Luz handed over the package, curious about the strange man's presence.
"Young lady, dare I say, I sense something unique about you?" Mr. Yyclypzptlk said with a mysterious smile. "Please, won't you join me for tea? If you want to hear me out, I have a proposition for you."
SNAP!
Snapping his fingers, Mr. Yyclypzptlk summoned two chairs and a table of snacks.
"Okay!" Luz exclaimed, and she would've run inside if King hadn't grabbed her leg.
"Luz, no. Wizards are con artists."
"So is Eda? What's your point?"
King tightened his grip on Luz's leg. "Eda is different; she doesn't have glitter in her pockets or a smile that could charm a snake." King eyed Mr. Yyclypzptlk warily. "I don't trust him."
"Oh, did I mention that I have scones?" Mr. Yyclypzptlk said with a mischievous grin, holding a plate of freshly baked scones.
Ignoring his warning, King runs inside ahead of Luz, unable to resist the temptation of freshly baked scones. "We'd love to join you for tea." Luz followed closely behind, eager to see what other magical treats Mr. Yyclypzptlk had in store for them.
King munched on the food while Luz sipped tea.
"I'm surprised to see you here. It was my understanding that Eda delivered the packages herself." Mr. Yyclypzptlk admitted.
"Well, I'm kinda, sorta, her apprentice," Luz said, sipping some tea while King munched on the food.
"Oh! And how are you finding the experience so far?"
Luz holds a fake grin before sighing. "Can I be honest, Mr. Yyclypzptlk? When I decided to stay in this magical world, I thought I was meant for something special. But Eda thinks I'm meant for chores, and I'm afraid I came to the wrong place."
"Well, would you like to go on a quest?" Mr. Yyclypzptlk asked, his eyes glinting with excitement.
Luz's face lit up at the suggestion. "A quest? Heck, yes!"
"I might have just the thing."
SNAP!
A scroll poofed into the wizard's hand. "A prophecy speaks of a young human girl who will claim the Celestial Staff and free this world from an ancient evil. Perhaps you have come here for a reason."
"Perhaps I have." Luz takes the map.
"Should you believe yourself worthy to attempt this quest?"
"Absolutely," Luz replied confidently, determination shining in her eyes. "I'll do whatever it takes to save this world."
"Neat story, awesome. Anyway, your food is gone, and we are, too." King said, practically pushing Luz out the door.
"Good luck on your quest!" Mr. Yyclypzptlk said as the door slammed shut behind them before either Luz or King could hear him say, "Suckers."
Mr. Yyclypzptlk is an amalgamation of Eclipso and Mister Mxyzptlk. Since the DC Universe has many heroes and villains, I will combine some to avoid over-bloating the cast. Thank you so much for patiently waiting, and I hope you look forward to the conclusion of Luz's introduction arc in the next chapter. If you enjoyed it, please favorite, follow, and leave a review; feedback is appreciated.