Them's the Breaks, Kid
Outside the Owl House, Bijou, Hazel, Luz, the Echo Mouse, and King all experimented with novel glyph combinations. The first was a little whirlwind, the second a water fountain, and the third a petrification glyph that transformed the Beefy Bob toy into stone. Luz was currently drawing a fourth glyph. Bijou was writing down these new combos to recall their functions and glyphs, with Ruby perched on her shoulder.
"Hey, Bijou, you said you learned a new trick in your bard class; could you show it to me?" the younger human girl said.
"Well," Bijou thought for a moment. "Okay...but not now. It's usually a trick for witches, but I still need more time to master it."
"Alright," Luz said, smiling at the final glyph. "Maybe it's this one!" She tapped it, and when it triggered, a massive clawed hand charged. The two sisters shouted as they recoiled in terror. Eda threw open the door and slammed her palm with her staff, splashing everyone around her.
"Safe!" Luz exclaimed, pumping up her fist.
"Thanks, Eda," Luz said, wiping herself down with her arm, as King and Hazel shake the dirt off his fur and Bijou activates her bangle to cast a cleaning spell on her garments.
"That was...definitely not the one," Luz said, looking through her notebook and crossing out the last entry. Eda shivered as Beefy Bob shattered into dust.
"What are you girls doing out here?" she eventually decided to inquire.
"We started going through Wittebane's diary again," Luz said to her. "Since our trip with Lilith, we found that a lot of his margin doodles are actually unfinished glyph combos! I thought maybe they could help with the portal door, but..."
She returned her gaze to the hand, which appeared as an echo mouse on King's head. Hooty then entered and ate the hand.
"No luck."
"I even went to the library to learn more about my bangle. Gary told me that this bangle had previously been owned by Marianne Crowley. But that was all he could recall of Marianne, as other evidence was scarce," Bijou continued.
"Maybe it's for the best," Eda said to them. "I don't like that you're both still thinking about that creep."
"I know..." Luz groaned deeply.
"We didn't even want to read his diary, but we had to..." Bijou rubbed his temples. "We're at a loss here, Eda. We don't have much to go on..."
She grimaced slightly as she saw Luz pull her hoodie up and lie on the ground. She pressed her face into the earth.
"I just miss our families..." She lamented as the elder girl's eyes darkened somewhat
"I miss them too, amie."
"Mm!" King gestured to each of them, as he disliked seeing them upset. Eda bowed down to Luz.
"Let's take a break, huh?" Bijou and Hazel expressed concern to Eda when Luz did not react. Even on the anniversary of her father's death, she had never seen Luz this way before.
"Maybe...I could tell you...a story?"
Luz popped up in front of her, smiling. "Like a backstory kind of story?"
"Yes," Eda grinned as Luz grabbed King in her arms. Bijou chuckled as she sat down, while Hazel perched on her shoulder and Hooty slithered around them, equally curious. Eda sat down and gave them a slight smirk.
"This is the story of how I met the coolest, baddest kick-buttiest witch of all time...Raine Whispers."
(A/N 1: This entire flashback is not italicized since it takes up most of this chapter)
30 years ago...
Eda was holding flashcards while studying with her sister on the way to school. "Okay, Titan's five humors."
"Hmm," Lilith hummed as Eda kicked a grudgby ball down the bridge. "Earth, bone, blood, bile, and uh...ah, I always forget the last one. It's on the tip of my tongue, it's..."
"It's..." Eda said slowly, hoping Lilith would understand.
"Snakes?"
"Breath!" Eda exclaimed onto Lilith, who moved her hand in front of her face.
"Eda, you have smelly breath. Gross," she exclaimed as Eda walked away, laughing. "Give me one more question."
She smiled as she saw her sister take the lead.
"All right, all right. On Scabburary 40, the day Belos cleared the Isles and empire..." She kicked up the ball and passed it to Lilith. "Think fast!"
Lilith put up her hands and caught the ball, slightly irritated.
"Eda..." she walked up to her younger sister. "We don't have time to play around."
She shoved the ball into her orange-haired sister's hand.
"Tryouts for the Emperor's Coven are just around the corner," she said, pushing the flashcards aside.
Eda merely scoffed and balanced the ball on her head. "Seven months isn't just around the corner."
"Your turn," Lilith said, holding up a card. "It's a half moon, and you're mixing a lead foot potion. What ratio of black root quills to iron ash do you use?"
"Is it a waning or waxing moon?" Eda questioned, spinning a spell finger and causing a vine to emerge from her head.
"Oh, uh...I don't think that matters," Lilith replied to the query.
"Yeah, sure it does. If it's a waxing moon, it's a two to one mix, but if it's a waning moon, the black root quills lose their oomph and you gotta double down to a quarter one," Eda replied, lowering the vine and catching the ball. Lilith inspected the card again.
"You're correct...on both accounts. Huh." Lilith smiled as she turned around. "Imagine us both getting in! We'll train together."
"We'll pull a prank together!" Eda said, but Lilith returned the cards to their pile.
"We'll study ancient history together!" Lilith exclaimed cheerfully.
"We'll kick butt together!" Eda exclaimed, kicking the ball to her sister.
"Help demons and witches together!"
"Take over the world together!" Eda swung around the pole, leaning down to her red-haired sister. "Nothing can stop the Clawthorne sisters. Our rivals shall be crushed beneath our feet! Even the Titan shall gasp in fear!"
And Lilith did exactly that.
"Yeah, like that," Eda snapped her fingers at her.
"No! Look, we're going to be late!" Lilith pointed to the clock directly above Eda's head. She gulped quickly as 7 o'clock approached and they dashed down the bridge. When they arrived at Hexside, students were congregating near the front entrance. Odalia, Alador, and Darius were on the front steps, with the latter throwing abomination goo ball at Alador's face. The trio all laughed.
"See, we're gonna be fine," Eda said to her sister, as the second bell rung. A wall of fire appeared at the front door, drawing everyone's attention. A tall man in the principal's uniform appeared and turned his head, showing two massive horns and a sinister expression. He scratched a clipboard with his claws, causing a frenzy as everyone assembled for class.
"Detention, detention, suspension," he said to everyone who was late.
"Principal Faust..." Vice Principal Bump approached him. "Don't you think you're judging these students a touch...harshly?"
"Not at all," Faust said, placing his hands behind his back. "These students are already late being early...and that's a slippery slope."
"But if you continue to expel students, we will not have a graduating class," Bump pointed out to him. Faust looked over at him, and the man was sweating since Faust was already spooky enough to scare students.
"I'm just enforcing school policy..." He turned to face the field.
"That you added to. You expelled the captain of our Grudgby team because his shoes didn't meet your appropriately squeaky regulation," Bump told him.
"Too squeaky, a distraction," Faust said, closing his eyes. "Too quiet, can't hear them, can't trust 'em. Students are irredeemable..."
"None of them are beyond redemption," Bump countered. "I would stake my career on it."
Faust slowly turned around to face him again, a Grudgby ball striking him in the back of the head. The two attempted to divert the flying ball away from them, as Eda and Lilith crept past. Eda cast a spell circle to clear some shrubs, revealing a hidden door to the Secret Room of Shortcuts. She unlocked it and let Lilith go first, while her sister waved her forward. Eda gasped sharply and shut the door on her sister, concealing it as someone arrived.
"Ow!"
Eda pulled the plants back to conceal the secret door as Faust and Bump arrived.
"Hey, Fausty. Vice Princey B," Eda said nonchalantly.
Lilith scratched her head within the secret corridor after the door hit it.
"Hello, Lily," a new voice said, and she startled abruptly as she whirled around to see a student with straight auburn hair that ended at her back, bangs split sideways, and a small dot-like beauty mark at the bottom corner of her right eye. She was dressed in a Grudgby jacket, similar to Eda's, and an Oracle Hexside uniform. She was a witch with skin identical to Eda's and stood the same height. Her eyes were hazel, and she wore black heels with ankle straps. Most strikingly, a familiar robin palisman hovered by her.
Lilith dusted herself off and looked behind her, worried. "Oh, Eda..."
"What'd she do this time?" she said, scratching the top of her palisman's head tenderly but with an annoyed expression.
"She got caught by Faust," Lilith lamented, placing a palm on her brow. "Mom and Dad are gonna kill her."
"Maybe she needs my help," Aria sneered.
"No! You'll just make it worse," Lilith said, and the auburn-haired girl raised her brow.
"No offense, but your sister already has a bad track record," she added, turning to face her palisman. "Ruby, can you help Lilith get to her next class?"
Ruby chirped in agreement as Aria went away to locate the principal's office.
Eda cringed at the principal's headshot above him, which creeped her out. Because not everything could fit through the camera's lens, there were two additional images to highlight the horns.
"Miss Clawthorne..." Faust began in the same stance as the images. "Do you know why I keep you around?"
"My...innate talents? My unbeatable charm?" Eda smirked as she flicked her hair.
"No," a rope fell nearby and the principal tugged it, displaying Eda's permanent record, which was quite extensive. "Because to fight evil, you must understand evil. All your misdeeds, pranks, schemes...they have given me insight into the depravity that lurks within the minds of children."
He softly touched the top.
"Wow, this is really shocking...I thought there'd be more," Eda smirked at him. Aria crept up to the door, her crystal amulet ready. Faust shoved the files away while holding a folder in his hand.
"You're close with your sister Lilith, I see. And you've interacted with Arianrhod Mysthaven. Plan on trying out for the Emperor's Coven together. Commendable."
"Yeah, I do kind of rule," Eda smiled, placing her hands behind her back and her feet up on the desk.
"Too bad you'll be ineligible when I expel you!" He said, and Aria gasped, deactivating her amulet in surprise.
"What?!" Eda sat up, stunned. "You can't do that, I'll be separated from Lily and Aria!"
"Maybe you should have thought of that before you...filled the detention pit with green gelatin," he said, throwing the file in front of her.
"It was his birthday! He liked it!" Eda objected to him. "Please, Principal Faust, I-I'll do anything!" She scowled, not wanting to leave Lilith alone at school, but also Aria herself. Faust chuckled before knocking on the wall behind him with a frightening smile. He also used his other finger to open the door and call Aria over to the other chair. She yelped in surprise, biting her lip nervously as she was apprehended. The door slammed behind them, just as Bump appeared.
"Yes, sir?"
"No child is beyond redemption. Didn't you stake your career on it?" Faust remarked, wrapping an arm around Bump, who was staring at the girls. Eda chuckled uneasily as she watched, and Aria sank into her chair. She didn't get into as much trouble as Eda, but she tried not to meet Faust as often due to his appearance.
When the four strolled along the hallways, pupils fled in terror upon seeing the principal.
"Every year, exile participates in a special training program called Instructing Future Witches of Tomorrow," he said, reaching for a display case and opening it, grabbing one of the medals. "I attend with our most gifted students and we return with blue ribbons as a testament to my—I mean, our excellence."
Aria rolled her eyes as Eda gave a short glimpse up at Bump.
"Unfortunately..."
"He expelled our most gifted student for...chewing too loudly in the cafeteria," added a bump.
"Disgusting monster," he said, turning to face the two girls, Aria sheltering behind Eda.
"This year, you both can represent Hexside," They were taken aback by his announcement because...they were the last kids he'd choose for this. "Bring back a blue ribbon, and you can remain students here. Come back empty-handed...and I will savor the expulsion. An attempt for using an oracle's amulet on Hexside faculty is suitable enough for expulsion..."
Aria opened her lips in surprise, chuckling nervously as Ruby flew back to her, having fulfilled the request to bring Lilith to the following lesson. The two females didn't seem too pleased about it, but they had to do it...
"And you'll go with them!" Faust exclaimed, surprising Bump. "If anything goes wrong, I might have to find a new vice principal..."
Faust went away, leaving the two girls upset.
They arrived at the place to find Coven Scouts everywhere, with some registering students and teachers/chaperones. The three waited in line.
"I can't believe I agreed to this..." Eda deadpanned and hugged herself.
"And I can't believe he's forcing me to do this without my consent," Aria growled at her.
"I'm sorry I got you involved in my mess, Aria," Eda pouted to her pal. "If I knew you were trying to bust me out, I would've told you to get out while you could."
"It's okay. At least we'll be able to stick it to Faust when we get those ribbons," Aria said, winking and nudging Eda knowingly. Eda flashed her a grin, because Faust was...sort of a dictator of the school, and it would be satisfying to see the look on his frightening face and prove him incorrect.
"This will be fine," Bump attempted to reassure them both. "Perfectly fine. You two can go five minutes without setting on fire, right?"
He observed Eda do a fire spell with her finger, which she doused while covering her hands behind her back. Bump sighed and rested a hand on their shoulders.
"I know you have a reputation around school, Ms. Clawthorne, but...I just see a talented young witch, both of you! And I'll wager those stories about you turning the school inside out are just urban legends."
"Ah, that was a fun day," Eda said, turning away with a slight smile.
Aria grimaced at her. She didn't have a fun day while she was grounded.
"And I must say, using a portable version of a crystal ball is an excellent idea. Where did you find such a magical accessory?"
"Oh, my teacher gave this to me. He has seen my proficiency in oracle magic and handed me this to help me practice outside of school," Aria explained to them, and Eda perked up.
"Can you show me a spell with that?"
"No," Bump said to them. "Let's try this," he said, holding up a toy. He squeezed it, and it creaked, prompting the auburn-haired girl to raise a dubious eyebrow.
"This is a stress toy," he explained, handing it to Eda. "Anytime you feel the urge to cause chaos, just squeeze."
She pressed so hard that the toy popped.
"Prepare yourself, Edalyn and Arianrhod," Bump advised as they stood in front of the building. "The IFWOT is a battleground of magic and skill. Witches who successfully complete these courses have gone on to do incredible things. You two will face some of your greatest competition here."
He clinched his hand, and their eyes narrowed with purpose.
They pushed open the doors, ready to scare some people and win the ribbon, only to discover that the IFWOT was similar to a boring convention. The banner dropped from the ceiling as one of the Scouts tapped the microphone. It whirled around, sending feedback into his ears. One student picked up a muffin, licked it, and then felt horrified. They then returned the item innocently and walked away, hands behind their hips. Someone even fell asleep from boredom.
"Wow," Bump said, as the three were not only underwhelmed but perplexed. "I grossly misjudged the tone here."
"We have to get a ribbon from this borefest?" Aria muttered to Eda, who laughed.
"Getting those with a place like this, and we'll be out of here in no time..."
The ground trembled, and a mass of vines emerged, displaying a massive Venus flytrap. It opened to reveal Terra Snapdragon, dressed in a pink dress with short green hair. Everyone was in awe of her abilities.
"Greetings, students," she remarked, smiling. "Educators. My name is Terra Snapdragon, head witch of the Plant Coven. But today, I'm head proctor for the..."
She looked up behind her to see the Scout rehanging the IFWOT banner.
"IFWOT? Seriously?"
She snapped her fingers and tore the banner apart, knocking the Scout to the ground. The vines began to form something, and small red flowers appeared.
"I'm here to help enhance coven know-how. Welcome to HECK!"
The crowd applauded for her new name and banner.
"Oh, this is my first year hosting, and I am thrilled! Today, you little sweet peas will go through rigorous exercises that will test your intelligence, strength, and creativity! Are you excited?"
Everyone in the audience cheered or clapped, prompting her to grin charmingly.
"Lovely! Remember, this won't be a bed of roses. Only the best of the best will be rewarded," she said, gesturing to a Coven Scout holding a package of ribbons. "The failures will be ground into mulch for my garden."
People were either confused or terrified by that comment, and one person began crying. A scout approached Terra and whispered in her ear.
"Illegal? Oh, we'll see about that, won't we, children? Let the activities begin!" She threw a bunch of flower petals, and they started applauding again.
Meanwhile, Aria and Eda were afraid of this woman and turned back to face Bump. He gave two nervous thumbs up.
"This is not going to be a good day for us," Aria said to her companion. "There just had to be a risk of death thing..."
"Tell me, what makes covens strong?" The two girls approached a trust booth. "Strength in numbers? A dark pact? Well, it is all of those things, but it's also..." The speaker extended his hands to a Scout, who sank back into them. "Trust. Trust in our fellow coven mates. So we'll begin doing trust falls. Any volunteers?"
"Sounds easy enough," Eda said with a faint smirk, which Aria observed.
"Eda, wait. I want all of this to end quickly, not make it worse."
"I won't, I swear!" the orange-haired witch reassured her as she went forward, lifting her hand. Aria gave her a troubled expression.
"You always say that and yet you make trouble happen..." She groaned, hands in her pockets, shaking her head.
"Very good," said the speaker, standing behind her. "And this will be your partner,"
A blob with a brain within appeared in front of her.
"Now, close your eyes and trust that your coven mate will catch you."
The blob extended his hands with a smile. Eda scoffed, slumped back, and went through the glob. He looked down and was startled to see that she appeared dead. People yelled and fled in fright, while Aria rolled her eyes at Eda.
"Not again!" the blob shouted out in agony, as if this had already happened. However, Eda vanished and reappeared behind them, fully well.
"Tada! I'm here all night, folks."
The blob and the speaker simply shook their heads, the latter not amused. The speaker jotted something down, which she grimaced at. Aria approached her, giving her buddy the 'really' look.
"What? You know me."
"Unfortunately," Aria said to her.
Eda gazed down at the cup of water in her hand.
"I never should have come here..." she complained, sitting on a crate and sipping her drink. "Blegh! Even the free junk is junk!"
She looked at Aria, who was grabbing some water of her own, before tossing her cup. However, her cup and contents began to float, and someone in a Bard uniform walked forward. They smiled and chuckled at Eda as the liquid returned to her cup.
"I don't know who you are, but you're a riot," they said, returning the cup to her. Eda raised an amused eyebrow.
"Uh, no, I excel at functions such as these. Didn't you see how impressed everyone was when I faked my death? I even love the horrid liquids they serve."
They chuckled at her and waved aside the statement. "Yeah, they always give us the off-brand junk. Let me try something."
They moved nearer and whistled into her cup. They beckoned for her to sample it, and she looked at her cup, slightly concerned.
"Don't worry, I didn't spit in it."
She took a short drink and was astonished.
"Whoa!" she exclaimed, before drinking the entire thing. "Hey, that's actually good. How'd you change the flavor?"
"Little trick I taught myself," they sat next to Eda. "Changing the chemistry of a liquid with sound waves. See? Bard magic can be cool! People just don't give it a shot."
She chuckled at them, slightly amused. "All right, I understand. Can you make all of this less of a drag if you whistle loud enough?" She jerked her gaze around them.
"I wish," they said knowingly, glancing away. "This is my third time. Always the same, boring activities. Same boring faces."
They gazed at Eda and shouted as she transformed again into a skeleton, but she quickly returned to her original face.
"Till whittle ol' me?" she asked, blinking again and smiling broadly. They laughed at what she did.
"Yeah! Ha ha," she gasped as she noticed two more ribbons around their waist.
"How'd you get those?!" Eda exclaimed, amazed.
"Oh, these are from last year. Maybe if you stick with me, I'll show you how to get one of your own. And you came with your friend, right? I could help both of you."
She smiled and then extended her hand. "All right. I'm Eda Clawthorne."
"Raine Whispers," they introduced themselves, clasping hands and smiling at one another.
"Hey, Eda," they both turned to see Aria approaching with some water and nibbles, Ruby overing by. "I just came back from the snack bar so we could share some hex mix."
She stopped short when she saw the two.
"Who's your new friend, E?"
"Raine, meet my Oracle friend from Hexside, Arianrhod Mysthaven," Eda said amusedly, indicating to the auburn-haired female. Raine gasped and rose to face the girl.
"Nice to meet you."
"Likewise. Call me Aria," Aria chuckled to them as Ruby perched on her shoulder. "Sorry it took so long, I had to get this little one her snack."
She nuzzled her palisman with her finger, and Ruby chirped happily.
And so, the three went on to do some fun activities.
The first activity was intelligence-related, and students were asked to sketch pictures. There was a globe, an eye, and Eda had sketched a butt. The instructor was outraged and covered a student's eyes. Raine then drew an eye on it, while Aria spun a finger that resembled a grudgby ball. That was the picture, and the teacher smiled and nodded to them.
Eda, Raine, and Aria put together a diagram using various items to spell out 'this stinks'. When someone noticed this, all three smiled and hid their hands behind their backs. Eda kicked a small ball down a ruler, then around a wheel, three pencils stuck together, a platform, and finally tipped over some liquid into a cup. The instructor tried it and was impressed, giving them the thumbs up. The three exchanged fist bumps.
Then, when it came time to test their strength, they all had to wear body suits while a Scout blew a whistle. The three opponents stared back as Raine and Aria rolled Eda towards them, knocking them down like bowling pins. Eda fist-bumped Raine, and they exchanged a special handshake. Aria smirked, knowing they'd work well together, not just as a team.
During a break, the three kicked a grudgby ball outside on the field.
"I wonder what I'll get a ribbon for," Eda remarked, kicking the ball with her knees and leg. "Strength, wit, radiance!"
She struck a posture and flipped her hair.
Raine said, "You'll get one for being a dingus," which Aria snickered at.
"Well, you're gonna get one for...think fast!" She kicked the ball across, and Raine leapt up to receive it. He then threw it to Eda, who flushed when she caught it.
Aria smiled at both of them. "Well, you guys can get one each for speed, that's for sure."
"You'll get one for being a team player," Eda told Aria with a finger pistol.
"Pfft, we both know I've been a team player and a troublemaker, just like you," she said, rolling her eyes.
"Hey, why do you come here?" Eda asked Raine. "You're not like the other kids. You're...I don't know, cool," she said, tossing the ball back to them.
"St. Epiderm isn't cheap, but if I make the school look good, I get a scholarship," but they didn't seem to enjoy it. "What about you guys?"
He threw the ball to Aria next.
"We made a deal with the devil. Our principal's gonna expel both of us unless we come back with ribbons," Eda said boredly as Aria moved the ball behind her back with her arms.
"It's a bore, but I can't get expelled. My parents will kill me," Aria murmured, kicking the ball to Eda, who collected it in her hands. She then twisted it around her finger.
"Chance at redemption?" Raine chuckled, and Eda sat down.
"Nah, I think I'm being used to embarrass our vice principal," she said, looking at Bump, who waved to someone before walking by him to speak with a Scout. "As if he doesn't do that to himself already..."
Bump reddened with embarrassment, touching the back of his neck.
"It stinks, but...I've got a sister at Hexside," she groaned. "She's kind of...one of my only friends, her and Aria. It'd be a bummer if that got taken away..."
"Well, you won't have to worry about that," Raine said, nudging her slightly.
"Yeah, even if something happens to me, I'll never forget your friendship, Eda. It's kinda hard to," Aria replied with a smirk.
"And after the closing ceremony, we're home free," Raine informed them, and Eda smiled, relieved for their comfort.
They came up to the arena, Eda looking up at Bump, who was squeezing his stress toy. Eda gave him a reassuring grin and a peace sign. Aria gave him the 'we've got this' nod, and he smiled, trusting in the girls. They reached the platform, and Terra emerged from a Venus flytrap.
"Congratulations, students! It appears that nearly everyone earned a ribbon; you must be very proud of yourselves!" Aria narrowed her eyes slightly, not like where this was going. Raine clasped Eda's hand, and they both smiled. "Well, you shouldn't be!"
Everyone gasped at her change of tone.
"This training camp is a joke! There was nothing challenging about those challenges! And this..."
She held up Eda's buttocks photo from earlier. "Was the last straw."
She ripped it apart, leaving the group cringing at one another.
"Before we hand out any ribbons...I think we need one more activity," she exclaimed, using her plant magic to create a plant maze, leaving everyone stunned. "We'll play my personal favorite game, Covens vs. Wilds. Look at your badges and you'll see if you're a coven witch or a wild witch."
Eda changed her name to Coven, while Raine and Aria changed it to Wild. When that happened, they gasped and winced before letting go of each other.
"Coven witches, you have 20 minutes to capture every wild witch. If you succeed, everyone on your team gets a ribbon! Wild witches...you may earn a ribbon...if you put on a good show! And to encourage you shrinking violets, I'll allow any use of magic! We're in heck, people! Let's have some fun!"
Normally, they would have declined to participate in such a game, but with their ribbons on the line, they had no choice. So everyone began assaulting each other with everything they had.
"Oh, I would have been such a good mom," Terra exclaimed as she observed the chaos.
Raine ducked away from Eda, while Aria rolled on the ground to avoid another explosion. Raine cast a glance to Eda, who appeared perplexed and disturbed. Mostly because she did not want to capture Raine or Aria. Raine rotated their leg to form a circle before tapping the ground, resulting in a massive blast and smoke. Eda gasped and dashed away, noticing Aria already rushing through the maze.
She was ready to call out for her companion when she saw Aria turn the corner, revealing her Wild badge. Eda took off to the left, while Aria went to the right, using magic to avoid blasts. Eda then sliced through the vines that were impeding her path, flinging her fists left and right. She slipped against the ground, knocking out her attacker and smiling back at her.
An abomination appeared close behind her, and she stepped to the side, spinning a spell finger and transforming it into stairs. She ran up them and hopped over to the other side. She hugged the wall as two other students ran by, sighing in relief. She glanced to Bump for assistance, and he shrugged, unsure how to get her out of this.
"Don't move!"
She squeaked when she looked back and spotted two other witches, both of whom wore coven badges.
"Wait, she's one of us!" the dark-skinned witch recognized Eda's emblem and took a little step forward. But Eda wouldn't have it.
"Come with us, we've got a plan to catch all the wild witches."
"I'm not going anywhere!" she insisted to him. "This is crazy! That plant lady is off her gourd!"
"Don't you want a ribbon?" the green monster questioned her.
"My parents say if I don't come home with a ribbon, I better not come home at all..." the dark-skinned witch mourned, as they noticed a coven witch carrying a wild one away. "Heh heh, they're just...watching out for my best interests."
"So, I heard there's this one kid who's been coming here for years," the green one announced.
"Yeah!" the other witch added. "That's Raine, my classmate. Somehow, they always have the best juice! And they don't share it with anyone!"
"I heard they're one of the strongest witches here. And they're a Bard! In fact, he is on par with that auburn-haired girl from your school, she even got a crystal amulet! Crazy, right?"
"Not really," Eda said, glancing aside awkwardly. "Bard magic can be as cool as oracle magic."
"If we take them both out, the rest should be a breeze. Are you with us?" the dark-skinned witch stepped forward.
"Uhh-"
"We'll take that as a yes!" They both grabbed Eda and hauled her away.
Terra continued to stare as blasts emerged from the maze. She smiled as she glanced to the side.
"Welcome, welcome! Oh, don't look so wilted," she said to the coven witch before bringing the wild one inside. "You've got great seats now."
The wild witch was taken to the group of captured wild ones.
"Uhh, Ms. Terra?" Bump approached her from the opposite side.
"Head Witch Snapdragon if you please," she corrected him. "Enjoying the show?"
"Yes, well..." He glanced at his book. "Your show is...actually in violation of several school rules, covention hall safety guidelines, and child safety acts. I'm sure it's an honest mistake."
He opened the book and showed it to her.
"So, why don't we just stop this activity and-" Her vines pulled the book to pieces.
"I make the rules, sweetpea. Oh, looks like there are only two crafty little wild witches left," She noticed the maze and saw Aria and Raine rushing in opposite directions. "Will the Covens win, or the sprouts?"
There was a ringing throughout the maze, which impacted all of the coven witches except the three that remained, which is why they were not moving. Eda gazed at them with anxiety, and they heard some noises.
"That must be the Bard. The Oracle must be nearby, too."
"We'll surprise them!" The two dashed forward and hid on opposing sides. Eda looked around the corner before being yanked back as Aria and Raine collided. They each prepared to strike, but halted when they saw each other.
"Raine!"
"Aria!"
The pink-haired witch sighed with satisfaction. "Thank go-"
"Come on!" They drew Aria ahead, past the three, as they were being pursued by a Coven witch. They were cornered, and Raine took a deep breath, blowing a whistle to distract one of the Coven witches. Aria activated her crystal amulet, launching a powerful blast of purple fire at the coven witch, knocking her into a grass wall.
"Let's get out of here and-" Aria halted as the two coven witches appeared, one of whom attacked with water, knocking them both down. Aria gasped in pain as she fell a few feet away and struck the ground. Raine gazed up at the two shadows that hovered over them.
"We got you now."
"For the Covens!"
They were about to finish the duo off when they were lifted off the ground. The two were perplexed when Eda emerged from concealment.
"What are you doing?!" Eda threw them away with a finger, ignoring the two.
"An interesting development. A showdown perhaps? Let's give them plenty of room!" Terra smirked evilly, swinging her arms. "To fight!"
Everyone gasped as the maze fell.
"Fight, fight, fight, fight, fight!" everyone cheered, Bump squeezing a bunch of stress toys, Ruby keeping a watchful eye on Bump's head.
Eda gazed at the two with concern, Raine narrowing her eyes as Aria snapped her knuckles. Eda returned the look, rushing forward with her fist raised. The other two followed suit, until the three of them fist-bumped instead of fighting. Eda twirled Raine, then spun around Aria. The three swung around in a dance, high-fiving each other before joining hands to form a spell circle moving towards Terra. She intercepted the shot with a large vine, although it burnt the vine and damaged some of her hair. She extinguished the flame in annoyance.
"Never a rose without a few thorns, I see..."
"Yeah, well, we got tired of your stupid little challenge," Eda responded as they fearlessly confronted her.
"And your plant puns!"
"And your whole rage maze act," Aria said, narrowing her eyes. "I knew there was something off about you and your gambit, Head Witch Terra."
Terra dropped from the plant and marched up to them. She put her hands on her hips and glared at all three. They all shuddered as they stood up to a Coven Head, expecting a severe punishment...but then she laughed.
"Delightful!"
"Huh?" They all looked puzzled.
"Feisty witches do make the best leaders!" She bent down beside Raine, who appeared uneasy. "I especially like you, sprout."
She booped his nose.
"But...I can't reward disobedience, so...everyone is poisoned!" She summoned some prickly vines, and a Coven scout approached to mutter something. "That's illegal too? Ugh, fine! Instead, no one gets a ribbon this year. Everyone loses."
The entire crowd booed, and everyone was upset with the trio. "I hope this was worth it," Eda said to the two.
"Actually-"
"Eda," Bump said before Raine could finish. "Aria! I am so proud of you. But also, I think we're toast." Raine smirked at Eda and went. "My career is over, and you'll both be expelled and probably end up selling garbage at the night market, but...what a way to go."
"Pardon me?" Terra caught his attention. "Expelled? Is Fausty still playing more of his little games?"
"Well, that man deserves to be fired," Aria said innocently, placing her hands behind her back. "He keeps expelling kids for the most stupid stuff. And we should get less homework too."
Bump cleared his throat at her, and she gave a timid smile.
"No, budding prodigies like Ms. Clawthorne and Ms. Mysthaven need to be nourished. I'll let him know I was quite impressed...with both of you."
Bump fainted at Terra's choice, particularly after what she had done to him and the students.
Eda stepped into the cafeteria and looked around for her sister. When she recognized her at a table, she gasped and joined Aria.
"Lily! I finally caught you, I never got to tell you about that weird training thing over the weekend."
"Uh-huh..." Lilith said, her attention drawn more to her book than to her sister.
"I was horrified. If we lost, we were gonna get expelled and then we wouldn't be able to-"
Lilith's watch beeped, interrupting Eda.
"Ah, shoot! Sorry, Edalyn," she stood up and grabbed her tray. "Gotta go. E.C. study group is meeting. We can talk later?"
"Go. Go, go, go. Don't be late," Eda told her sister, who grinned and walked away. Eda was unhappy; she had only done this to avoid being separated from Lilith, but she was once again preoccupied with the Emperor's Coven...
"Don't take it personally; academics are important to Lilith," Aria explained as Eda placed her straw in the box.
"Thanks, Aria," she said, smiling weakly at her buddy before drinking the box. She cast a horrified look at the Ghoul Aid she had just consumed.
"Trade?" A box of apple blood juice was handed to her, and she looked up, surprised. Aria looked to her right and saw Raine next to her.
"Raine?! What are you doing here? Oh, oh no! Your scholarship."
"Don't worry, I wanted to transfer out of Epiderm anyway," Raine reassured the concerned Eda. "And apparently, my parents always hated the cold on the Knee. So..."
They wiggled the juice box towards her, and they traded.
"Okay, girls, give me the rundown on this place," They took a sip of the juice box, repulsed by the taste.
"Oh, Hexside's the best school around," Aria said, smiling.
"You'll love it! It's got all the secrets, and since Terra spoke to Principal Faust, we can get away with pretty much anything!" She tasted the apple blood and enjoyed it. "I've never had apple blood before, this stuff is good!"
"And after that, we were inseparable," Eda concluded the story at her home, gazing at the sky. She smiled as she looked down and saw Luz, King, Hazel, and Hooty sleeping all around her. Eda took a drawn image of herself and Raine. She then sighed, recalling the last time they spoke.
"Oh, Raine...you better be okay."
"So, whatever happened to-" Bijou smiled as she looked up at Ruby, who was sleeping, and took the small palisman in her palm. She would inquire another day... "I'd better get these sleepyheads to bed."
Eda watched her leave and then offered a serious look, her gaze rising to the sky. She sighed slowly to herself. "I really miss you, Aria, wherever you are..."
At Belos's Castle...
Meanwhile, Raine stood on the castle's balcony. "Ah, there you are, sprout!" They noticed Terra approaching, holding some tea. "You know, I was just heartbroken when I found out it was you of all people, causing trouble for covens. But look how well you're doing now."
"Ah," They scratched their temples. "I just wish these headaches would go away."
"Keep drinking your tea," she said, placing it in their hands. "And you'll forget all about the pain." Raine blew on the tea, then whistled into the cup to alter the flavor. They sipped it while Terra smiled at them.
"Have a good night, Raine," Terra said, leaving Raine to watch before narrowing their eyes. They stood up and cracked their neck. When they knocked on a panel of the brick, it moved away. A small monstrous head with Darius' haircut walked up, holding an envelope. It handed the letter out to Raine, who took it and discovered several photographs and notes after a draining spell. And it required the help of nine powerful witches to be effective during an eclipse.
"A draining spell? This is worse than we thought. Any way to counter?" He was handed a note that read 'Owl Lady'. "I told you, I'm not putting her in danger again."
Raine's gaze shifted aside.
"We'll figure something else out," they said. They then whistled to get rid of the paper, and the searing resembled what Eda experienced when she played an instrument. "Who else do we know we can trust?"
Raine rubbed their chin and was handed another page. They flinched at the names on it.
"No, not them, that's just as bad...but then again, they have been laying low for a while until...stuff happened. Alright, I'll give it a try," Raine murmured. "I'll keep you safe, Eda..."
They glanced up at the sky as the paper bits fluttered away.
"I promise."
Bijou was asleep in bed, Melody in her nest, and Hazel on the dresser. Suddenly, a crow swooped in front of the window, cawing. Bijou attempted to drown out the noise by covering her head with a pillow. However, it continued to caw. Bijou opened the window and carefully grabbed the crow, holding it up to her ear.
"Hello?"
"Hello. I need to be quick about this," a voice reminded her, and she blinked in surprise, gazing at the phone before resuming the call.
"Huh? What? How did you get my phone number?" she asked as she scratched her eye.
"I'll tell you when we meet. Go into the market where you usually perform and I'll answer all your questions then. Bring your almiraj friend with you."
"Wait, wha—" The person hung up, and she gazed at the phone, unsure what to do or whether she should tell anyone about who had just called.
"Raine...?" she whispered gently to herself before attempting to shake Hazel awake. "Hey, wake up."
"Huh, what is it, Bij?" he inquired.
"Someone called me tonight and told us to head to the market," Bijou said.
"At a time like this? Why would-?" Hazel inquired again before Bijou intervened.
"I'm sure they'll explain everything. Let's go," Bijou remarked, rousing Ruby to accompany them to the market.
They initially assumed it was a trap, but Raine appeared to be genuine over the phone, as Bijou reflected when flying in the sky. She was on her guard because she didn't know what to anticipate. She and Hazel planned to hear them out and then leave because she had no idea what was going on...when she arrived at the market, she flew past all of the stands and landed up at the stone wall where she played for money. She jumped off her staff and looked about for them.
"Good," she gasped as she whirled around to see Raine emerge from the shadows, donning their BATT mask. "You're here, Bij."
They slipped it off and grinned slightly at her.
"Okay, why did you summon me here—" She froze, realizing something. "You said my name...you remember?"
"First and foremost, it's nice to see you again. Second, it's a long story. I've been employing a procedure I discovered to ensure that the tea Terra feeds me does not impact my memories," They held up the horn they'd been sipping from and she gasped, peering up at them. "I'm fooling her and almost everyone that I'm letting myself be brainwashed. Darius has been assisting me with my mission."
"What mission?" she said, and they took a step forward, narrowing their gaze.
"To get more information on the Day of Unity so that we can prevent it from happening."
Bijou and Hazel exchanged glances when they heard that sentence, recalling Eda informing them about her argument with Raine.
"Wait, if you've been doing all that, then why have you been pretending to Eda that you don't remember?" Hazel responded.
"I can't tell her about this! I need to make sure she's safe; we both know the last time she faced Belos, she lost all her magic," Raine argued with the girl, who crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.
"So you've been keeping up this charade just so to protect? And you know how that will turn out?" Bijou thought.
They moaned and looked away from the question. They knew it was hurting Eda; they could see it in her eyes, but they had to turn her away for her own good.
"...She told us about how you guys met, you know. She said...that you've been inseparable ever since that day," added Bijou.
Raine hesitated as they remembered that day as well. "I'm sorry but it's a risk I have to take."
"What about Katya, Amber, and Derwin? They're still imprisoned in the Conformatorium because of what happened!" Hazel exclaimed, and their eyes widened.
"Only Darius and I know the real truth...besides you, of course. We'll find a way to break them free without anyone knowing."
"Why are you telling us all of this?" Bijou groaned, massaging her temple.
"Because I need your help."
"Raine...I'm trying to get home to my family," she said, looking sorrowful at the recollection of her family's longing for her homecoming. "Or...hopefully a second option that doesn't exist, I don't know. The point is, I'm not sure if I can help."
"Neither am I," Hazel explained.
"How about this? If you help us, I'll help keep your last encounter with Hunter a secret from Belos," Raine gestured to themself, causing her to flinch and back away in dread. She had no idea how they knew she and Hunter were Flyer Derby teammates...unless they were able to figure it from Hunter, who had been hiding it rather well.
"H-How did you—"
"Darius told me. He's the one who recommended I ask for your help, actually. Plus...one time we saw him looking pretty happy on Penstagram the night after Darius patched up his cloak," Raine pointed out, holding up his crow phone, which talked in Darius' voice.
"Greetings, Bijou. They're telling the truth. Hunter posted his group selfie with the Emerald Entrails. And unlike his previous encounters with you, this one is much more positive."
"Agreed," Raine said, smiling.
"Listen, I need you and your almiraj friend to get more information about the Day of Unity; books, people, scrolls, anything can help, but you can't tell anyone about it, including Eda," Raine warned the two, who grimaced profoundly because that meant they'd have to say nothing to Eda about Raine not being brainwashed.
"Raine...Eda means a lot to is. We can't just lie to her, that's enough damage to her already. Especially since you're really important to her," Bijou said.
They cleared their throat and looked aside with a blush. "I-I know, but this is going to help Eda. Don't you want to help all wild witches?"
"Well, I can't say that we don't want to..." Hazel said nervously.
"I can't ask Eda for help with this; you're the only other ones I know who aren't in the Emperor's Coven or imprisoned right now," They placed a hand on Bijou's shoulder, and she could nothing but relent.
"Okay, but don't think we'll keep this private for long; Eda will find out sooner or later," Bijou cringed at the prospect. "Hazel and I will find some more information and then we're gonna tell her."
"...Alright," Raine said, getting atop her staff and returning her gaze to them.
"I hope you know what you're doing," she said before taking off back to the Owl House. Raine gasped as she realized Ruby was her palisman, just before she left.
"Is that...Aria's palisman?" Raine massaged their chin. "I haven't seen her in a long time; what happened to her years ago?" They mumbled, attempting to figure out what happened to his other friend and fellow Hexside graduate when they grew away from Eda...
A/N 2: Here's the latest chapter. And finally, this is the other OC I'd want you to meet. Arianrhod Mysthaven, or Aria for short, is an old friend of Eda, Lilith, and Raine. She graduated Oracle track and has dreamed to be in the Emperor's Coven with the Clawthorne sisters. But for some apparent reason, she disappeared and the only thing left of her was Ruby, her old palisman. The reason why will be discovered along with Marianne Crowley's past and animosity with the Emperor will come to light in the next chapter.