Follies at the Coven Day Parade
Luz turned on a video camera and backed away as she and Bijou stood in the Owl House's living room, both wearing school uniforms.
"Hola, mama!" Luz waved. "I know you don't want us staying in the Demon Realm, but I'm recording this because I think we can find a middle ground and Bijou would also like to show her familia about this world. It's full magic and beauty. Just look!"
She pointed her phone outside, where a skinless, skeletal Hooty was hanging his skin to dry. The camera zoomed in on him as he snarled, and the two shrieked in terror.
"Holy-" Bijou screamed as the camera was turned off before she could say a swear word.
Luz and Bijou were concerned as they stood in the marketplace, but they quickly dismissed it.
"Well, you should all know that we're even learning magic, thanks to my magic bangle and some glyphs!" Bijou held out her bangle, while Luz held up a light glyph. They activated their magical items. "And as humans, it impresses pretty much everyone."
Boscha bumped into them, and light flared in her eyes. She shouted as she covered them and backed away.
"Humans, if you ever do that again, I will set your eyes on fire!" She cast a fire spell, and they stumbled backwards.
After that debacle, the two girls are standing behind a shield that Bijou made. A flame remained on the top of Luz's head. They were now standing in one of the Hexside halls.
Luz chuckled uncomfortably while extinguishing the flame. Bijou released her shield and sighed, exhausted and disappointed. It wasn't going well for either of them...
"Sure, the Demon Realm can be a little..." Luz winced slightly while smiling. "But there's no safer place than Hexside School of Magic and Demonics! Right, Principal Bump?"
She turned the camera on the principal, who was fixing his robe. He hummed briefly as he looked up, then cleared his throat.
"Why, yes. The well-being of our students is our top priority. Which is why we send all our troublemakers to our new and improved Detention Pit!"
One student was being dragged towards it, shouting in protest.
"Please, no!" the guard exclaimed as he flung him into an alive door. "Help me...!"
As the doors closed, he burst into tears. Bijou gave a nervous expression. Luz got into a lot of problems at school, so Dr. Camila would definitely not like to see that, and her family might as well reconsider whatever nice remarks they had about the Demon Realm in general...
The guard turned around with a growl, and Principal Bump gave two thumbs up.
"That's enough of that..."
"Yeah, this won't be enough to persuade your mother or make my family appreciate the entire place," Bijou whispered to herself, rubbing her temple.
Gus, Willow, Jackie, and the two human girls were seated on the school's front steps. Luz wanted to spend more time with her friends while Bijou prepared Ruby for their flight home. Also, Bijou is now wearing a new pair of sandals, this one red and pink with dark brown soles and pink ribbons.
"You know, I think he does it cause he's shy."
Luz wasn't paying attention because she was gazing at her phone sadly.
"He's just evil and shy. It happens."
"I heard there's just a mirror underneath. The real Emperor was society all along!"
"Well, maybe the Belos we saw was a fake and the real one was dead all this time."
"Maybe he's so handsome people have a hard time focusing on what he says," Gus remarked. "I get it...I can relate."
He smirked, gesturing at himself. He gazed up at the two human girls, who were the only persons they knew who had had direct and personal contact with Belos. Luz stared at her phone again, while Bijou lovingly patted Ruby. The younger human appeared disturbed since it was not going to persuade her mother to let her stay...and even then, she swore not to return...but Luz was determined not to leave.
"Guys!" Gus shouted to gain their attention. Luz flinched, hiding her phone behind her back. "You've seen Belos up close. What's he like under...all that?"
He gestured towards his face.
"Oh. We never got a good look," Luz stroked her chin, recalling the last time they saw him. He never took off his mask, so they didn't have an answer.
"Last time we met him, we only chipped a small portion of his mask. I wonder what his reason was for not taking it off was," Bijou continued.
Amity appeared between the two sisters. "I heard he's scarred from wild magic."
Luz screamed in astonishment as she fell to the side. Bijou chuckled and looked up at the girl.
"Hey, Amity."
"Hi, Bij," Amity said with a smile.
"Amity!" Luz greeted her as she laid on the stairs.
"Hola, batata," said the purple-haired witch, and Luz pulled her up the steps while sitting up. She gazed at the girl in amazement, and Bijou gasped slightly from the moniker.
"Did you just call me sweet potato?"
"Yes. Is...that not a term of endearment? I'm still figuring out this human language book from Gus," she said, holding out a cook book that made more sense. Gus nodded with two thumbs up, and Bijou snickered.
"That was a good one, but trust me, just ask me if you need help understanding foreign languages," the eldest girl in the group indicated to herself, and Gus exclaimed.
"My teacher is making me learn more! And I love it."
She smiled at his words, while Luz and Amity reddened.
"Aw, Amity," Luz said, placing her palms on her cheeks. She then rested her head on Amity's shoulder, and the girl turned bright red. "You're the sweet potato."
"Uh, so...did that Titan Blood ever come in handy?" she inquired, while the other three smiled.
"Did you finish building the door?"
"What does the Human Realm look like? Is the rain there boiling hot, too?" Jackie asked, clasping her hands in anticipation.
"Did you guys visit your families? Does she know about high-fives, too?" Gus asked, smirking.
"Oh, uh..." Luz trailed off as she and Bijou became uneasy as they remembered their previous conversation with their respective families, especially the one between Luz and Camila.
Flashback - the previous episode
"Promise me!" Camila sobbed out, clutching her daughter as she was dragged away. "When you come home, promise you'll stay with me, and you'll never go back to that place!"
"Mom, it's not you. It never was," Luz remarked through sobs.
"Please!" she cried, tears running down her face.
"...Okay, Mom. I promise." She let go of her mother.
End Flashback
Bijou bit her lip as she gazed at Luz, worried. They hadn't told their friends what had transpired because they didn't want to hurt them by revealing that Luz will be leaving for good. Furthermore, she was happy in the Demon Realm because she could be herself, which had nothing to do with Camila. Bijou was pleased that she was experiencing feelings for someone and that her creations allowed her to express herself more freely. Her parents were not even opposed to her living in the Demon Realm.
"Uh...heh heh," She slid away from Amity. "Haven't used the door yet. Waiting for a good moment, you know?"
Bijou checked the clock on her phone.
"Oh, Luz, we gotta meet up with Hazel, King, and Eda in town," she said. "Let's go."
Luz nodded and kissed Amity on the cheek before heading down the stairs. The two siblings climbed on Ruby.
"Later taters," Luz muttered as they fluttered away.
Amity observed Luz's phone on the steps, with the beginning of the video playing on the screen.
Bijou, Eda, Luz, and King were walking through the Bonesborough streets.
"Come on, guys. There's no way your mom will make you leave the Demon Realm!" exclaimed the King.
Eda nodded.
"Yeah! When she meets us, I'll make sure to put on the charm...that turns people into obedient zombies," added Eda.
Bijou gave Eda a glare. "You are not turning Luz's mom into a zombie," she protested.
"What about your family, Bij? What did they say?" Hazel inquired.
"They said that they were just relieved that I am alive and well. I promised to tell them more about the Demon Realm so they won't miss out," Bijou replied.
"That's good that you're gonna tell them."
They arrived at the marketplace, where there seemed to be an unusual number of Coven Scouts.
"Whoa," Luz mumbled when she noticed them, and they came to a halt at the bounty stand. "What's going on?"
Three of them raced past the five.
King crawled on Luz's shoulder. "Probably prepping for the annual Coven Day Parade. Floats, streamers, fireworks!"
"Ugh," Eda sighed at this. "It's just a fancy way to kiss the Emperor's..."
She stumbled over her words as Bijou and Luz scowled at the woman, shielding King and Hazel's ears, and she understood what she could have said. "Whatever. I'm just here to pick something up."
She walked passed them. King and Hazel jumped off the girls and were going to follow until they heard a familiar voice.
"Mother, please!" Kikimora was speaking into a crow phone in an alleyway. "No, I'm not seeing anyone! Y-Yes, I am standing up straight."
She stood up straight. "Listen, I can't come home! If I don't lead this parade, Belos will end my—No! No, of course I miss everybody."
Luz's eyes saddened slightly as she realized she could empathize to Kikimora's plight.
"I-What? I-I can't choose! Hello? Mother? Mother?"
"Come on," Bijou said to Luz as they hurried away. They met Eda, King, and Hazel in a private inspectergator booth.
"Hey, girls!" King greeted them. "I know what'll cheer you up!"
"Aw, no bread puns today, buddy," Luz said regretfully.
"What? No. I'm talking about hot goss, girls!"
The stand ghost handed Eda a file as King crawled atop the counter.
"Hot goss buns. Bread pun. Guess why we're here!"
"King?" Eda stared at him, unhappy with where this was headed.
"Eda hired someone to spy on her ex!" King pointed at her, and Bijou and Hazel looked surprised, while Eda gasped and blushed.
"Did you read my diary?!"
King said, "And they're the Head Witch of the Bard Coven!"
"You have a diary?" Hazel said, perplexed, because...Eda was an older woman, and only children and teenagers did so anymore. Eda shielded her ears in humiliation.
"Stop it! Stop it, stop it!"
"And they also-"
"Yes!" the Owl Lady firmly interrupted him. "They secretly led a rebel group against the Emperor and got captured! Bijou, Hazel, and I were there!"
"You knew about Raine?" King asked, looking up at her.
"Why would you tell them that?!" Bijou exclaimed in outrage.
"If I have to go down for this, you're both going down with me!" Eda pointed at her, who produced a blank expression.
"Oh," King winced slightly. "I didn't read that far..."
Luz gasped, her eyes gleaming and her mouth wide open. She then fainted on the spot.
"Well, you did one thing there: break Luz," Hazel commented, gesturing to the girl as Bijou facepalmed.
"It was the...yeast I could do," said King, laughing at his joke.
Luz read the file, which had a photo of Raine, Bijou, and Hazel having told her everything. "And then Raine battled their fellow coven heads? And sacrificed everything to save Eda?" tears streamed down her cheeks as music played from a tape recorder that King had put on. "It's just like Hecate and Azura in Book Five!"
Eda took back the folder and turned the recorder off.
"According to this, Raine is still working with the Emperor's Coven," Eda read the documents again.
"But that doesn't make sense; they were viewed as a traitor," Hazel reflected as he glanced through the folder.
"Maybe you can ask them about it. Look!" Luz pointed up to a billboard being created for the Coven Day Parade, which featured Raine.
"If they're here for the parade, they'll probably be surrounded by scouts," Eda said to them, pointing to her chin. "Oh, we need someone on the inside to lend us a hand."
"But who?" Hazel inquired.
Just then, a crow swooped over and landed on the stand, wearing a small gold orb. It lit up, revealing an illusion of Belos.
"Human Bijou, was it?" he inquired, and they took defensive positions. "I have a…favor to ask. I've heard rumors of a little keyboardist in the market soliciting others…"
Bijou gasped; he hadn't realized she was still performing in town to help pay for food. "Now we both don't need to go into the details, but…potential punishment can be avoided if you perform a rendition of yours at the Coven Day Parade. I'll even pay you for your troubles. We'll work out the details some other time. Ta ta."
With that, the illusion vanished, and everyone's eyes narrowed.
"Okay, I am NOT gonna play my keyboard for the parade," Bijou immediately replied.
"Don't do it!" Eda advised her. "It's probably some plan to imprison you again."
"Well...probably," Bijou agreed with the Owl Lady. It just felt so obvious that she would have to sell herself out for something involving Belos...
"Wait a minute! We can use that to our advantage! You can perform for the parade, and at the same time, we'll be rescuing Raine!" Luz replied with a grin.
"What?!" Bijou shouted in shock.
"That could work, but we would still need someone from inside to know where Raine will be," Eda said. "And I'm not risking Bijou's life for that," she said, crossing her arms.
"You know what? I'll do it. But I've gotta work crunch time to play a rendition for...ugh, Belos..." She glanced away in disgust, knowing this was going to be the worst performance she'd have to put up with tomorrow...
"But we still have to figure out how we're going to pull off this rescue mission," Hazel added, returning to serious things.
"Hmm..." Luz peered up ahead and noticed a dejected Kikimora tripping on a board. She tried but couldn't lift herself up. Two Coven Scouts walked right past her, carrying a pipe.
"Hmm?" She smiled broadly at the others.
"Yeah, right," Eda snorted at her before waving it away. "As if she'd give us the time of day."
Kikimora was crying when Luz wrapped his arm around her.
"And then she said if I don't make it back for the family reunion, I'll be banished from Palm Stings and the family home! But I've failed too many missions, and if I leave my job now, I'll be banished from my life!" she wailed into her hands, Eda and Bijou looked aside, unconcerned. But in their defense, they had a valid reason...
"There you go," Luz reassured her. "It's gonna be okay. "Maybe there's a way we can help each other out—Whoa!"
Eda drew her up by her hoodie, and she was now facing both the Owl Lady and Bijou, who did not look pleased.
"Are you out of your mind?! Kikimora nearly turned me into stone. She attacked you and Bij back in Latissa, and she didn't blink when your girlfriend was thrown down a pit!"
"Not to mention that she has it out for me since she knew that I escaped from the Emperor's clutches months ago. Remember?" Bijou looked at herself.
"But this could be your way to talk to Raine!" Luz countered. "Isn't it worth the risk?"
Eda averted her gaze, crossing her arms as she considered the situation.
"Maybe. But what are you getting out of this?" she asked Luz, puzzled as to why she was even bringing it up.
Luz returned her gaze to a pacing Kikimora, who appeared to be caught in a dilemma.
"On the one hand, I miss my family. On the other, Belos is not a forgiving man. But I'm just a party planner at this point..."
Luz perspired a little. She imagined that if she could do this, the same thing would happen with Camila...that, and she felt a little sorry for Kikimora because they were both in similar situations.
"I'm...just a sucker for romantic reunions?"
Bijou took a cautious look at Eda.
"...This is true," Eda concluded. "Ugh, fine!"
"Fine?" Kikimora asked, defensive and intrigued as she lifted her head. "What's fine? What are you cretins planning?"
"Worry not, Kikimora," Luz said, wrapping an arm over her and smiling. "We're gonna help you...by kidnapping you and Raine!"
"What?!" Everyone else exclaimed.
The next day...
It was a new day, and a seller was drying linens. Eda and Hazel were sorting through the garbage can next to him when she pulled out a stained linen. She sniffed it and produced a disgusted sound, but she rushed away with it. She also picked up some yellow cloth along the way.
Morton handed Luz a bag of potions.
"Thanks, Morton!" she said, smiling as she accepted them and looked over her shoulder.
Hooty stretched towards the merchant, puking forth snails and a little animal skeleton.
"Keep the change," Hooty stated before following Luz.
Meanwhile, King and Bijou met up with Edric in alleyway. Bijou is now wearing a new set of clothes. This time, she wore a spaghetti strap top with red rose details and a red ribbon, blue denim skirt, and the same sandals she wore earlier.
"Okay, Ed. You got the stuff?" Bijou asked.
"Yep. I call it the Ed Ricochet 11," Edric said as he drew out a gigantic firecracker, and she snickered as the image showed him riding a griffin, sword raised in the air. When he heard her laughter, he reddened profusely. He cleared his throat and covered the image with his sleeve.
"That's how many times I was sent to the Healing Coven."
"Ooh!" King's eyes shone upon it. "Wait, are these legal?"
"Would that make you more or less interested in buying them?" Edric smirked as he raised his brow.
"Hmm..." King put a finger to his chin.
"We'll take four, please," Bijou replied for him.
"Deal," Edric nodded as he gave four firecrackers to Bijou and King.
"And I hope you'll be watching me perform on the parade?"
Hearing this made Edric surprised as he asked, "You're performing at the Coven Day Parade?"
"The Emperor asked me to. He agreed that I get to perform a rendition of a song in lieu of imprisonment."
"Well, I'm sure you will do great, Bij. After all, I've seen you play the keyboard at the market many times and your performance will wow the onlookers. And on an unrelated note, you look pretty in that new outfit."
"Really? Thanks, Ed," Bijou said as she blushed by her crush's compliment.
King and Bijou met up with the rest as they brought in the firecrackers they got from Edric. Luz, Hazel, Hooty, and Eda were building a float.
"Nice work, everyone!" Luz said to them. "Bijou, how's the cloak you're gonna wear?"
"It's looking great, Luz. Thanks for the idea of adding some regal details, Eda," Bijou said, thanking the Owl Lady.
"You will distract in style, thanks to Mama Eda," she said to herself.
"Let's go over the plan one more time," Luz said, looking at her board with the plan scribbled on it. "King and Hooty will pilot the float during the parade. Meanwhile, Bijou will be performing with Raine thanks to Belos to further distract people. Once it gets to the halfway point and we get the signal, you two will set off all the glyphs, potions, and fireworks for another distraction."
"With my love of mayhem and Hooty's desperate need for attention, this'll be a cakewalk!" Hooty agreed with King's assessment.
"When Kikimora sends off the guards to investigate, that's when Eda, Hazel, and I will obscure the stage and whisk her and Raine away! Bijou will meet up with us in the alleyways. The coven can't banish Kiki if she's missing!" She lowered her head, appearing rather anxious. "She'll get the best of both worlds! She'll set an example for us all!"
She giggled uncomfortably as the other people stared. She was getting a little too personal with that one... She cleared her throat.
"Um, I mean—Eda gets to talk to Raine! It's romantic!"
"Nice save," Bijou deadpanned, and Luz winced as she realized her sister understood. But, for Luz's sake, she refused to say anything to them.
"Oh, it's not that romantic," Eda blushed at the prospect of seeing Raine again, placing a palm on their cheek.
"Witch, this is the peak of Mount Romance!" Hooty exclaimed.
King lifted an eyebrow.
"Hooty, what would you know?" King inquired.
"I've been around!" Hooty declared.
Bijou didn't want to discuss how. Luz looked about with confusion.
"Huh, must've left my phone at the Owl House..."
At Willow's house...
Willow was lifting weights in her room, her hair in a bun. The door to her chamber knocked, and when she opened it, she was astonished. "Amity?"
"Uhh, hey, Willow," Amity said hesitantly. "It's...uh, been a while since I came here...on my own."
"Y-yeah, I guess it has," she said, rubbing the back of her neck.
Amity hadn't been to her place since they stopped being friends, so it seemed weird now that they were back together. However, that was the least of Amity's concerns just now. Willow observed she had a concerned expression.
"Are...you okay?"
"So, Luz has been acting really weird," Amity remarked hastily, startling Willow. "And I think she and possibly Bij are lying about their trip to the Human Realm, and Luz left her phoon, uh, phun?" She attempted to recall how Luz pronounced it but couldn't. "Ugh, her thingy at school and-"
In frustration, she collapsed onto Willow's bed and screamed, writhing on the blankets.
"You need to slow down for me," Willow said, approaching her. Amity sat up and turned to face her.
"Luz said she hasn't been to the Human Realm, but I just get the feeling that she's lying. And Bijou's gonna be no help, she probably would just say that I have to talk to Luz. And I can find out the truth by watching this!" She was holding up the phone with the video still there. "But...I'm not gonna invade her privacy like that, or grill Bij when she's got a lot of things on her mind. Would you?"
She gazed up at Willow, who waved her hand and hummed in thought. Amity laughed as she shrugged and said, 'I don't know.
"Willow!"
"Listen, Blight," Willow said, her eyes narrowed, and Amity became nervous. "If you want my advice, there's something you have to do for me first...Do you still know how to braid hair?"
She pointed to her head as she patiently sat in front of Amity. The purple-haired witch simply chuckled.
"Okay, but I am a little rusty," she said, sliding forward and letting Willow's hair drop. "I'm glad we can be like this again."
Willow opened her eyes and looked to the ground as she let Amity to touch her hair. She felt the same way.
At the town square...
Kikimora panicked as the Bard float was being erected behind her. She was beginning to distrust the strategy...
"This isn't going to work," she muttered as she considered the situation. "I can't believe I let them talk me into this."
"Talk you into what?"
She gasped when she noticed Raine bending down to her. "Raine! How long have you been there? I, um, shouldn't you be practicing your, um, parade wave?"
Raine groaned at the thought after sitting down.
"You know I hate these things. Talking to people. Waving to people. People." They both cringed at the prospect. They then smiled at Kikimora. "But I'm just happy to do my part."
"You seem so...much more calm than before," she couldn't help but say. When she last saw them, they were fighting against her. So it seemed unusual that Raine wasn't doing that right now and talking to her openly...
A shadow fell over them, and Kikimora gasped sharply.
"Oh, why wouldn't they be?" asked a new voice, this one belonging to the Head of the Plant Coven. "They were sick for a while, but thanks to me, they're good as new!"
"Terra!" Kikimora was not pleased to see her. "And...what brings you out of your greenhouse, Head Witch?"
"Terra's been helping me recover," Raine told her. "I can't remember anything with these..."
They winced, pressing a finger against their temple. "Headaches..."
"Here, sprout," Terra said, bending down before them. "Drink your tea."
She held out the horn Raine had been carrying and poured some flower petals into it. Raine blew into it, then drank it.
"There you go. Now, you're going to get on top of that float and wave to thousands of chumps all night. Remember to lead with your elbow!" She helped Raine stand up, and they walked away.
"I'm on it."
"I just hope this Bijou girl can keep up with you, though," Terra looked away, upset that there was a performer on one of the floats. Kikimora crept away to use her crow phone.
"Terra could ruin everything!" She trembled as she dialed, and Terra materialized directly in front of her. She gasped abruptly and buried her crow phone behind her back.
"You're not trying to leave, are you? Come," she said, holding out her hand to Kikimora. "The parade is about to begin..."
Kikimora appeared concerned about what would happen with the plan.
Later that night...
The parade began. Confetti flew over a float, and a bird honked, indicating that the Illusion Coven was busy. All of that vanished as an illusion, revealing the same man who looked after the graveyard seen by Bijou, Gus, and Mattholomule. He flinched in astonishment before disappearing into doves. Music blared as Eda jumped across a roof, followed by Luz and Hazel.
An abomination float passed by, with abominations on the ground leading it. Raine was playing their instrument and smiling uncomfortably. They waved their bows at people, with Kikimora on the Bard float. Eda, Hazel, and Luz peeked over the roof and saw Raine. They all wore masks.
"Raine is over there," Hazel saw the person they were looking for.
"It's almost time," Luz said, checking her watch. Eda looked to the side, her eyes wide.
"Is that our float?"
"Not bad, right?" Luz asked, as they erected a mini-Belos float in the back. King and Hooty were inside, flying it. "Oh, that means we'll get to see Bijou perform!"
Her eyes shined as Eda shook her head.
"I just hope the kid finally practiced her rendition..."
Bijou was lurking in the float, right in front of Raine's platform. She was wearing her customized black cloak with gold accents and diamond decorations.
"Alright, just like you practiced," Bijou told herself as she took big breaths.
Raine was the only one who could play because the music had stopped. Dramatic music began to play from the float, and a trap door opened, revealing Bijou. She prepared her piano and began playing The Greatest Show.
(Woah)
Ladies and gents, this is the moment you've waited for
(Woah)
You've been searching in the dark, your sweat soaking through the floor
(Woah)
And buried in your bones, there's an ache that you can't ignore
Taking your breath, stealing your mind
And all that was real is left behind
Don't fight it, it's coming for you, running at ya
It's only this moment, don't care what comes after
Your fever dream, can't you see it getting closer?
Just surrender 'cause you feel the feeling taking over
It's fire, it's freedom, it's flooding open
It's the preacher in the pulpit and your blind devotion
There's something breaking at the brick of every wall
It's holding all that you know
So tell me, do you wanna go?
Where it's covered in all the colored lights
Where the runaways are running the night
Impossible comes true, it's taking over you
(Oh) This is the greatest show
We light it up, we won't come down
And the sun can't stop us now
Watching it come true, it's taking over you
(Oh) This is the greatest show
She whistled, directing Hooty to pull a lever. The float came to life, flashing a wink and firing finger guns. The crowd went bananas over it.
"It's a work of art!" said a bystander, shedding tears.
"That was the signal," Luz explained to Eda, who rose up.
"Let's move," she said as she and Hazel jumped from the roof.
"Okay," Luz tried to follow, but she did not have a staff. She then attempted to slide off the roof before desperately crawling back up. "Uhh, I can't get down."
She raised her hand. Kikimora checked her watch as Bijou's performance continued. Edric finds the song catchy because of Bijou's voice and singing. Hooty also checked his watch.
"Four, three, two..." As King and Hooty pulled the lever, pyrotechnics burst out of one eye. They burst into the sky, and Raine glanced around.
'Belos'
More like Boo-los!'
People gasped at the diss, and Raine grumbled, angry.
"Should we, uh, do something about that?" one of the Coven Scouts asked Kikimora.
"Yes, of course, you hangnails!" she said, pointing to the float. "I command all of you to investigate!" They all raced away, Eda and Luz becoming visible thanks to the glyphs. Bijou looked around, and Luz gave her a thumbs up behind the float. Bijou nodded before saluting the crowd.
"Au revoir!"
She swung around and tossed several smoke glyphs, engulfing the float in them. Kikimora sneaked around, while Bijou leaped off the float and hurried away.
"And scoop!" Luz grabbed Kikimora.
"Ooh! I cannot believe we are being taken against our will!" she determined to put on a show. "What sayeth you, fiend?"
"Uhh, that's right!" Luz said, her voice disguised. "I, Hecate, will whisk you away to my kingdom of mirrors and snakes!"
Kikimora simply gave a 'really' expression. Amity sighed and rested a palm on her forehead. She had also been watching everything, but from behind a cloak. Luz looked down and noticed Kikimora's expression.
"Hey, come on! I didn't know I had to prepare lines," Luz said quietly as Raine loomed over them.
They were instantly engulfed in vines. Luz turned to see that Raine had attempted to attack the two, but Eda had stopped them with a plant glyph.
"Knock it off, you two! Let's get crackin'," she threw Raine over her shoulder while holding up an invisibility glyph. She exclaimed and placed it on her.
"Right," Luz said, activating an invisibility glyph.
At the same time, Bijou and Hazel regrouped and cast the invisibility spell using Bijou's magic bangle.
Amity looked into another alley and followed Luz.
"Mission success, Hooty!" King peeked through a peephole and spotted Coven Scouts surrounding the float. And they were all set to attack. "Now, how do we get outta here?"
Hooty pressed his cheek against King's. "We're gonna have to be sneaky."
He then extended himself, giving the illusion that the float was standing on its own.
"Hi! It's me! Your good buddy Belos! Worship me!"
"Kill that monstrosity!"
"Ha ha! Not the first time I've heard that!" Hooty exclaimed, jumping off of the float as the scouts pursued them. A barrel shook, and the Scouts rushed past. Eda and Raine showed themselves, and she set them free.
"Raine," she said cheerfully, taking off her mask and hugging them. "I'm so glad you're okay."
"Eda!" Raine moved away from her. "What are you doing here?"
"I had to make sure you were okay after that fight with Darius and Eber," she stated, but Raine didn't appear to recollect the incident.
"What fight?"
She flinched in astonishment, silently wondering why they asked that question.
"It was a few weeks ago. I was with you."
She extended her hand, and Raine accepted it, narrowing their gaze.
"Eda...I spent the last month sick in bed, and we...we haven't spoken in years."
She gasped as they didn't appear to recall anything. She gave him a frown. It broke her heart how different they seemed now.
"Listen, I don't know what you want with me, but I'm head of a Coven now. And I can't associate with wild witches anymore. So move aside!"
She glanced at them, certain that something was wrong. The real Raine she knew would never say that, especially after they launched a revolt to free wild witches.
"...No," she replied, holding out a plant symbol. She placed it on the ground and stepped on it, causing vines to sprout behind her. "I'm not leaving till I get through to you."
Raine summoned their violin and bow.
"Fine. We can do this the hard way," they said, staring at Eda, who had removed her cloak and gripped her stick.
With Bijou and Hazel...
The two came to a stop, hiding behind a back alley.
"Okay, I think we're safe," Bijou said, glancing behind her.
"I gotta say, Bijou. Your singing was spot on," Hazel commended.
"Thanks," Bijou said, smiling.
"Bijou!" They turned around to see Edric rush over to them. "That was amazing. I had no idea you could sing like that."
"Ed. You came to watch the parade?" Hazel inquired.
"Yeah, after you guys started your plan into motion, I decided to see it all unfold myself," stated the male Blight. "I even saw Amity nearby."
"Amity's here?" Bijou was astonished to hear this. "Where is she?"
"Over there," Edric said, pointing to where Amity had run.
Fireworks went fired while Hooty and King were still dealing with the Coven Scouts. Luz and Kikimora slid into an alley.
"Oh my gosh, it's working!" Luz exclaimed, removing her cloak. "It's actually working!"
"We're visible?" Kikimora said, scared. "We need to disappear again! If we're caught, she will end us!"
"Who will end us?" Luz inquired, and she didn't have to wait long for her response as the ground rocked.
She came to a stop and looked back with big eyes. Cracks developed in the ground, and soon a massive vine sprang from the sky. Luz raced to a neighboring wheelbarrow and hid behind it. The two glanced up in horror.
"Head Witch of the Plant Coven..." A Venus flytrap appeared, with smoke revealing Terra. "Terra Snapdragon."
As Bijou, Edric, and Hazel ran along the alleyway, they eventually bumped into someone that they were looking for.
"Bijou? Hazel? Ed?" It was Amity.
"Amity! What are you doing here?" Bijou asked.
"I was looking for Luz. Did you guys see her run through here?"
"Sorry, Mittens. We haven't found her yet," Edric replied.
Hazel sniffed around to find where Luz was. Eventually, he picked up her scent and pointed straight forward.
"She's over there!" He said.
"Good use of your nose, Hazel. Lead the way," Amity said.
Hazel then took off and Bijou, Edric, and Amity followed him. As they ran, Bijou spotted a pothole with some plant pieces sticking out.
"It looks someone already found her," she said in realization.
"Law is meaningless!" Hooty bolted passed an alley. The scouts were still pursuing the duo. "Stealing is legal now!"
An explosion suddenly occurred, and they fled in the opposite way.
"I am your god!" Hooty and King started chasing them, resulting in an accident.
"Oh my word," Terra said, resting a hand on her cheek. "Where could Kiki have gone?"
The two looked at one other uncomfortably.
"Such a valuable member of the coven must be found posthaste!" she exclaimed, glancing at a fly that had appeared next to her.
"Have you seen her, little fly?" She smiled as the flytrap in her palm squashed it. "Guess not."
Luz completed the glyph combo with a stray leaf, taking a deep breath as Kikimora crept onto her back. She activated the glyph. "Such a shame Kikimora would disappear...and right before her promotion."
Kikimora yelped as a bottle tumbled to the ground.
"All the missions she would have led, the shiny new badge, the respect," she said, spinning her finger to bring a vine to life. "Ah, well. Guess we'll have to find someone else!"
The vine developed spikes and flew at them before suddenly stopping. She looked behind her and saw a monster holding the vine back. Luz took a breath, turned visible, and ran away while Terra was busy.
"Hmm. Another pest..." Terra used the vine to eliminate the creature.
As Luz was running, Amity, Edric, Hazel, and Bijou appeared directly beside her.
"Sweet potato?" she gasped as she saw her girlfriend, but Kikimora remained...eerily silent. "How did you know?"
"Book 5, chapter 8. Azura pretends to kidnap Hecate-"
"During the ice festival to save her from the wizard clan!" Luz concluded knowingly, and they came to a halt. "You remembered my favorite part."
"Yes, but right now, I just want to keep my girlfriend from being sent to the Conformatorium...again," she smirked as she twirled a finger, creating an abominable skateboard. Luz commented in wonder as the two girls jumped on and skated away.
"Hop on, Ed," Bijou said as she called her palisman staff for them to ride on and follow Luz and Amity.
Eda and Raine waited to see who'd make the initial move. Raine attacked first, slinging their bow and firing crescent-shaped shots.
"Please," she urged them, stepping to the side and jumping. "Rainestorm, stop it!" She trembled and ducked her head, severing the vines.
"I don't want to hurt you, Eda, but you aren't giving me much of a choice!" Raine sweated anxiously and flinched.
She looked at Raine knowingly; they knew she'd be able to avoid those attacks; she wasn't foolish.
"Come on, Raine! I know when you're going easy on me."
"...I-" Raine muttered, feeling another headache. They resumed playing their instrument, spewing lightning from the sky. Eda jumped back twice before rushing forward, laying a glyph on herself to become invisible. Raine flinched, looked around quickly before hitting back at Eda's staff as she regained visibility. The mist vanished, and she stepped forward, holding out the cassette player.
"Did you forget this, too?" She hit play, and the audio of Raine's Rhapsody, the song they had performed together, played. Their gaze glanced around briefly before snarling.
"Why won't you just leave me alone?!" Raine yanked a finger, and her mouth opened before she was flung over to the vines and smashed into them. She looked up sadly, her hair a jumble, as they still couldn't remember.
"For old time's sake, I'll give you one last chance. Move..." Raine's eyes softened at her. "Please"
After standing up, she discreetly shook her head no. She refused to give up on them...
"So be it." They were about to perform a last move when voices were heard.
"I think I heard something over here!"
"Head Witch!" Several shadows approached their place. "Are you there?"
Eda looked behind her; if they saw her, she would very certainly be imprisoned.
"Surround the area!"
She fished into her hair for an invisibility glyph, gasping as Raine approached. They noticed the symbol on the ground in front of Eda and picked it up. When Raine looked up at her, she flinched, wondering what they would do.
"Go home," they said, pressing the symbol into her hand. "Maybe travel for a bit. Just don't contact me again. I work for the Emperor, after all."
She scowled at their statements.
"Head Witch!" She said, using the symbol on herself just as the Scouts arrived. "Head Witch, are you hurt?"
"No, not badly..." Raine adjusted their spectacles, reflecting on what they had just said to Eda. "Let's go back to the parade."
They turned around, satisfied with how things had ended...
"Okay, Kikimora," Luz remarked as she, Bijou, Hazel, Edric, and Amity arrived at the docks and met the hand-dragon Kikimora from Latissa. "Princess here will get you back to your family in Palm Stings by morning."
Luz and Amity jumped from the skateboard while Edric and Bijou dismounted from Ruby.
"She's a good girl, and I'm sorry to say goodbye, but Bump couldn't keep her at his place anymore," she said as she clambered up the hand-dragon, setting Kikimora in her saddle. "Isn't it great?!"
She then passed out the whistle.
"You'll see everyone at the reunion, and when you return, you can brag about your daring escape!"
She shook Kikimora a little, becoming overly theatrical again.
"Y-You're walking proof that you don't have to choose between worlds!"
She jumped off the hand-dragon, and Amity looked just as skeptical as Bijou had when Luz said it. Kikimora sighed a little.
"You've been such a help to me, human. Even your friend. You really are a kind person...and an utter fool!" She chuckled wickedly.
"Wha?!" Luz asked, surprised.
"Palm Stings can burn for all I care! You heard Terra. They want to promote me. Me!" She stood up and gestured at herself.
"She could've been lying!" Amity argued, and the hand dragon growled.
"That's a risk I'm willing to take. Maybe as a thank you, I could give Belos a few gifts. A troublemaking human, a previous captive, a pyromaniac, and..." She recognized Amity. "Ah, you're the little fire-starter from Eclipse Lake."
Bijou, Hazel, and Edric jumped back while Luz clasped Amity's hand and they held their breath to become invisible. As the five moved a few feet away, one of the hand-dragon's fists landed on the dock. They whirled around as the beast raised its wing and Amity and Edric spun their spell fingers. Luz produced an ice glyph.
"Guys, now!" Luz smashed it down, while Amity and Edric used her power to create ice vapor and illusions of the five. They fled as the hand-dragon dealt with the illusions and pursued them, smashing part of the dock. They looked up and saw the thing dive down to strike them. Amity knelt on one knee and traced a spell circle as Luz stood behind her. The spell circle transformed into a gauntlet. Luz overlaid the ice glyph, and the two blended. At the same time, Bijou readied her bangle while Edric readied another illusion spell.
"You got it," she encouraged her girlfriend, who fired three shots at the two enemies.
"Ready," Bijou said as she called out her shadow hydra and Edric created copies of it.
The gauntlets hit the hand-dragon, casing it in ice while the hydras ensnared it. Kikimora gasped as they smashed onto the dock, but suddenly they reappeared in front of the girls, the ice melting off of them.
"Yes. Thank you, Luz, for all the help," Kikimora murmured, somewhat obscured by darkness.
"You're welcome! I mean...ah, dang it!" She reprimanded herself for being so kind, and Amity closed her eyes in understanding. The hand-dragon was going to attack, and the two were holding their hands as they prepared for another attack, with Bijou and Edric standing in front to protect them. Just as the creature dove forward, a clump of vines snagged it, and the fivegasped.
"What is this?!" Kikimora shouted before getting entangled in vines.
"Oh, Kiki," Terra said, emerging from the sea and controlling everything. "Try not to get ahead of yourself. The Emperor has a great many plans, but causing a riot by hurting a couple of children is not one of them..." She lowered herself to stand between the quartet and Kikimora.
"Terra!" Kikimora shouted with amazement. "Shouldn't you be babysitting the bard?"
"I wasn't sent here to watch over Raine," she clarified, arching an eyebrow at Bijou. She may have to ask Hunter what she meant by it... "I was sent here to watch over you. The promotion is real. You just had to prove your dedication."
She released Kikimora, who rose to her feet.
"Did I pass?" She stepped up eagerly. Bijou gave a small look of disgust at how both she and others tried so much to please Belos...
"Unfortunately, yes..."
Kikimora squealed in delight, her eye shining. "So? What's the promotion? Who's under my command? Who do I get?"
Terra bent down to her. "You get...to live."
Kikimora looked a little frightened to hear that and another popping noise went off. The four youngsters and almiraj looked up to see more fireworks occurring in the sky. Terra groaned at this.
"Come, Kiki. Time to head back..." Vines wrapped around Kikimora and the hand-dragon, both of them being dragged away. Terra stepped forward and then finally addressed the three.
"The Emperor says he's looking forward to meeting you, humans. And to reward you for the performance at the parade. Until then, happy Coven Day." Vines wrapped around her and then she left as well.
The five sighed with satisfaction at making it out unscathed, dropping onto the deck.
"Glad that's over," Hazel said. "Even if it didn't work in our favor."
"Amity, Amity! Amity," Luz exclaimed, leaping forward to hug her. "You saved me, and you saved both of us!" she said, turning to Bijou and Edric with gratitude.
"And thank you, too."
"No problem, Luz," Edric responded.
"How can I make it up to you?" Luz asked, turning to face her girlfriend.
"Maybe...you can tell me about this?" Amity retrieved Luz's phone from her pocket. The two gasped, Luz visibly scared.
"Don't worry, I haven't watched it. But...you guys did finish the portal door. You did see your families. And...it looks like it didn't go well."
Luz looked aside, about to cry. She then hugged her knees. "I'm sorry..."
Bijou sighed and patted Luz on the back. She smiled softly at her friend's comfort.
"...I know this situation is crazy, and I'm okay taking things one day at a time. But...I can't help if I don't know what's going on."
"You just looked so hopeful. You were even learning Spanish! And I thought if I helped Kikimora, maybe there'd be hope for us!" Luz admitted, and Bijou sighed gently, looking away. Even if that were true, they couldn't dodge it indefinitely. Amity placed one hand on top of Luz's.
"Tell us what happened."
"Okay," Luz said, smiling gently at her. Amity assisted her in getting up, and Bijou and Edric hopped on her palisman staff.
"So, we had finished the door. But it didn't look like the normal portal. We must have missed something. We opened it..."
The scouts were dousing the Belos float, which King and Hooty had set on fire. The two were in a cloak, looking at each other and laughing as they rushed away.
Terra, Raine, and Kikimora stood on a platform. Raine stood off to the side, as Terra waved to the throng. She nudged Kikimora, who waved back. Eda, Amity, Bijou, Edric, Hazel, and Luz were sitting on a roof when King and Hooty joined them. Bijou was still wearing her cloak.
"By the way, your performance was great, and I love the cloak you're wearing," Amity said to Bijou, who grinned. "Where did you even get that song."
"From a movie I used to watch," Bijou explained.
Kikimora approached the microphone.
"Um, thank you, Bonesborough, for joining us during this year's Coven Day Parade. This year is extra special because the Emperor himself has an announcement to make." She waved behind her as a projection of Belos emerged behind the trio.
"Thank you, everyone. Together we are perfecting the Coven System as the Titan intended. The Day of Unity will be exactly in one month, when the tile is at its lowest and the moon obscures the sun."
Lilith and Gwen were both watching from a crystal orb, looking concerned.
"At that time, we will journey to the head of the isles, and there, the worthy shall inherit a utopia free of wild magic." The projection transformed into a poster, and everyone screamed as the arms on the poster all bore symbols.
The others on the roof gasped as well.
"Day of Unity?" Hazel asked.
"Free of wild magic?" King inquired, puzzled. "How's he supposed to do that?"
"That's what I'm worried about," Bijou remarked, as Eda narrowed her eyes suspiciously, as both of them were unhappy with this.
The projection transformed back into Belos. "There is one more thing I'd like to share with you. I've always hidden my face, out of fear. But because of your support, I can finally take off this mask."
Eda blew a raspberry, arms folded. "So phony. He's just trying to distract us from his crazy utopia talk! So bad it won't work~!"
Everyone startled and turned to see the mask removed. Bijou gasped sharply at the scar across his face; it turns out Amity was correct. Was this the reason Hunter knew so much about wild magic? Why did he wish to help Belos with his face?
"Thank you, Boiling Isles," he smiled, and the audience shouted.
"We love you, grandpa!"
Jackie, Gus, and Willow were watching from Willow's scroll, and Willow's hair was now in pigtails with lighter green streaks. The two gasped and then appeared uninterested.
"Happy Coven Day, everyone!" The projection burst into fireworks.
"Is...Belos planning something?" Amity inquired, worried. "And why did he say he's gonna meet you again?"
She grasped Luz's hand with anxiety. "Didn't you already meet? What else don't I know? What's gonna happen?"
"I...I'm not sure," Luz drew Amity closer. "But for now...we'll take things one day at a time..."
"We're not entirely sure what the future has in store for us. But until then, we have to be ready," Bijou answered as Edric laid his hand on hers. She noticed this and they smiled to each other.
A/N: There you have it, folks. I gotta say, I really like the episode this chapter was based on and I even love the Angelxoxo8 version of this chapter, which this was inspired from. I also wanted Bijou to have a change of clothes herself since she is fashionista, after all. Anyway, stay tuned for the next chapter and stay magical, readers.