An Addition to the Family
Luz giggled as she climbed up the jungle gym at the Slayground. At first, she had worried that she was to old to still play like this but Eda had insisted that nine (nearly ten) was still plenty young enough to run around. Amber admitted that even she would play with King from time to time. So off she went.
She reached the top to the jungle gym and hung upside down by her knees. She could see nearly the entire park from here. King grunted as he tried to climb up the slide. Amber was comfortably stretched out on a blanket by the wall, reading a book from the library. Eda and Raine sat on a bench close by, Eda watching King while Raine dosed against her shoulder. It was finals season at the Bard college and they had been up late the past few nights making sure everything was ready for their students.
"Hoo."
Luz jumped and turned, but smiled, "Hey, Owlbert."
"Hoo." The little owl perched on the bar next to her head.
"I'm fine, "She made sure that her illusion stone was still tucked under her shirt and her bile monitor was still attached to her chest, "I haven't been hanging for very long."
"Weh!"
Luz turned in time to see King tumble down the slide and land face first in the dirt below.
"King!" She flipped off the jungle gym and ran over.
King pulled himself up and ran crying to his parents.
"Mama! Zaza! The Usurper pushed me off my throne!" He wined.
Eda lift her eyebrow. "You mean the baby?"
"No! The Usurper!" King insisted, "Use your magic and blow him up!"
Amber snorted from her spot on the blanket.
"I'm not using Owlbert to blow up a five-year-old," Eda held out a hand for her owl.
Luz watched as he flew from her shoulder to her mother's hand.
"ThenI'lldo it with my sonic shout!"
"Do that and we'll leave and not come back," Raine didn't even open their eyes, let alone lift their head from Eda's shoulder.
King threw himself on the ground and began to kick and wine.
"Ope! Here it comes," Eda chuckled, "King's "Squeak of Rage"!"
Raine cracked one eye open. King leapt back to his feet and let out a high pitched shriek before running back onto the slayground. Raine chuckled and sat up.
"I'll be right back. I'm going to talk to Usurper's parents." They said, walking off.
Luz watched them go, slowly taking their seat on the bench. Eda threw an arm around her shoulders.
"What's eatin' ya, Pumpkin?"
Luz shuffled in her seat, "I know King wasn't really using the slide properly but it still wasn't ok for the other kid to push him."
Eda nodded, "No, it's not. But King also needs to learn that violence and tantrums aren't going to get him everything he wants. That's why Rainestorm is going to talk to Usurper's parents."
"King's more upset about being "dethroned" than he his about getting pushed down the slide," Amber rolled over on her blanket and sat up. "It would be different if he was hurt but, to be honest, I think he may be indestructible."
Luz hummed and pulled her knees up to her chin. She leaned over until her head was resting against Eda's side.
"Hoo?" Owlbert tilted his head at her.
"Eda? How did you get Owlbert?"
"Gethim? ImadeOwlbert." Eda grinned and scratched his neck, "Carved him out of the branch of an ancient tree with my dad. He's my palisman and we're bonded for life."
"Does Raine have a palisman?" Luz asked, reaching up to pet Owlbert.
"Technically," Eda looked over at where her partner was talking to another set of parents, "But she only comes out for emergencies. It used to be tradition for a young witch to receive their palsiman for their 14th birthday."
"So, do you have one, Amber?"
Eda frowned. Amber closed her book.
"No. Palistrome wood is really rare now and that makes it really expensive." She explained, "Like, Amity's family expensive. On top of that, it's considered wild magic and frowned upon to have or make palismans. That's why Zaza hides theirs." She smiled and reached into her bag, "But it's ok. It's not like any of my friends have palismans and I got my palistrome Ocarina for my 14th instead."
Luz frowned even as her sister began playing her beloved ocarina. "But even Evan has one and he's only 12."
Amber frowned. Eda laughed dryly.
"Yeah, Evan's parents are Coven Heads. They're abitabove the Blights in money or status."
"And it was weird," Amber set her ocarina in her lap, "Flapjack had been following Evan around since he was a baby. He was only allowed to keep him and claim him last year."
Luz hummed again. Before she could say anything more, however, Eda's eyes rolled back and she slumped over. Feathers began to grow on her arms and neck. Amber leapt to her feet.
"Zaza!"
Raine turned and yelped. They abandoned their conversation with Usurper's parents and ran over. Luz leapt from her seat. Raine took Eda by her shoulder's and gently lowered her to the bench.
"Go get King." They ordered, "We're leaving."
Luz whipped around and ran over to the slide.
"King! It's time to go!"
"In a minute!" He waver her off.
Luz looked over her shoulder to see Raine helping Eda to her feet.
"King! Now!"
He growled, "Fine! This isn't over!"
"Ok!" Usurper chirped and hugged him, "Let's play again real soon!"
King screamed and flung himself down the slide. Luz caught him. She hurried after her family. Amber put a hand on her shoulder.
"Mama will be fine," She promised, "We'll get her home and get her her elixir and she'll be a-ok."
"Are you sure?" Luz looked up at her.
"Positive. I've lived here for 12 years and I've only seen the Owl Beast twice. Both times before King came to us." She rubbed the top of his skull, "We'll get the grown ups settled at home and then we can head to the grubgy match."
Luz smiled weakly, "Ok. I'd almost forgotten."
"Since when do you rugrats care about sports?" Eda looked over her shoulder, still leaning heavily on Raine and Owlbert. "I thought you both were more of the artsie fartsie type."
"Since I'm a student there now," Luz said, "Ihaveto participate in school activities if I want to make and keep friends."
"You have friends," Amber reminded her, "Friends who wanted to be your friends when you weren't going to be a classmate."
"I know. But I've also never been to a grugby match before." Luz looked up at her. "I don't even know what a Glandus is but I want to see Hexside kick their butts."
"Ha! You sound just like Eda when she was your age." Raine called over their shoulder.
"Oh, you have no room to talk, of the Band Team!" Eda shot back.
Luz smiled and hugged King tighter. If Eda was ok enough to tease Raine, then she was going to be ok. Right?
Inside the house, Raine sat Eda on the sofa and reached under the next cushion for her elixir. King wiggled out of Luz's arms and went directly to his crayons and paper to plot his playground revenge. A squirming feeling returned to her belly.
"Are yousureyou don't want us to stay, Eda?" She offered, "We can put King in a little doc-um-healer's uniform."
Eda groaned, "I'll be fine, kid. I've had this curse longer than you've been alive. Heck, longer than you and Amber combined," She took the elixir from Raine and gulped it down, "Ugh. Besides: I'll probably just head upstairs and hit the hay."
"And I'm not going anywhere." Raine assured them, "I still have some work to get done. But take the little stinker with you. Maybe it'll take his mind off of his "Revenge"."
"You got it boss," Amber mock saluted her parents.
"Oh, but before you go," Eda sat more upright, "Amber, in the chest between the nest and the window is a box labeled "for little dingus". Bring it here."
Amber nodded and scurried up the stairs. Raine smiled and sat next to Eda.
"King, do you want to pack a bag for the game?" They asked, "That way you can take the revenge with you?"
"Fine," He grumbled.
"Luz?"
She shook her head and leaned against the wall. "I'm ok. I'm more interested in seeing the game."
"That's my girl," Eda grinned, "Grugby is the best sport on the Boiling Isles."
Luz smiled. It wasn't much longer before they heard Amber's feet on the steps and she rounded the corner. Tucked under her arm was a box no bigger than a shoe box.
"Here you go, Mama."
"Open it," Raine told her, "It's for you."
Amber narrowed her eyes and opened the box. She lifted out an old, weathered, jacket. Her eyes widened.
"Is this your old Letterman?" She gasped.
Eda nodded, "Yup. I knew ya liked it so we had Uncle Darius alter it to fit your wings."
"We weregoingto wait until Titansmas," Raine gave Eda a look, their smile never wavering. (1)
"But," Eda shot the look right back, "If you're going to go to a grugby match, you might as well have the swag."
Amber grinned and slipped on the jacket, carefully fitting her wings through the holes in the back. Eda leaned back and nodded her approval.
"Alright, now go. Go have fun at sport," She waved them off, "Go on. Before you miss the bus."
"Yes, Ma'am," Amber and Luz both shouted before Amber scooped up King and led the march out the door.
Luz skipped slightly ahead, practicing different cheers as she went. Amber rolled her eyes as she watched. She held King securely against her chest. The baby demon was still rummaging arround in his backpack, muttering about revenge.
Before long, Hexside came into view. A flying boat-bus was parked out front and their friends and cousin were gathered on the steps.
"Luz! Amber!" Willow waved them over.
"Over here!" Amity waved with both hands.
Luz grinned and sprinted over, hugging them both. All five witchletts started yelling and cheering.
"You are going tolovegrugby." Amity insisted, "The trials, the energy, thebroad use of magic!"
"It's like a witches duel but better!" Willow danced from foot to foot.
"Andweget to waved flags!" Gus crowed.
"Like this!"
Evan and Gus each produced a pair of blue and gold flags and began dancing. Luz laughed.
"Woah!" Boscha gasped and pushed around Amity to face Amber, "Where did you get a grugby jacket!? You don't even go here!"
Amber grinned and set King on the ground.
"Check it out, Runts. The grugby jacket of Edalyn Clawthorn, star player of the class of '99." She proclaimed as she posed.
"Ha!" Evan stopped dancing, to present his own deep violet jacket. "Yourmama may have been star player butminewas the captain. And my Pa was on the team to boot!"
The cousins mock glared at each other. Luz giggled then frowned. She looked down at her own clothes.
"Is is weird that I'm not wearing Hexside colors?" She asked.
"Actually," Willow pointed to the match flier, "It's more weird that you're wearing Glandus colors."
Another student shoved Luz to the side, "Watch it, Glandus Nerd."
Luz yelped and fell into Gus, "Hey! I'm a Hexside Nerd!" She dusted herself and Gus off, "I need some Hexside merch, stat!"
"There was a bunch of stuff in the lost and found the first time you visited," Amity offered. "You could try there."
Luz smiled, "Ah, the lost and found. Where retainers go to retire. Amber, will you come with me?"
"Sure," She adjusted her jacket, "Evan, keep and eye on King while we're gone."
Both girls made their way through the school to the lost and found by the cafeteria. They sifted through the old uniforms and musty shirts.
"Yes!" Luz held up a soda hat with a grin.
"No." Amber took it and put it back in the box, "You don't know how long it's been in there or who used it last. Youdon'twant to put that in your mouth."
Luz sighed and continued to search, "Is this one ok?"
Amber smiled and nodded, "Yeah. But we can give it to King because I found this."
She held up a small band team jacket. Luz grinned and tossed the hat to the side.
"Matching set!" She snatched the jacket from Amber's hands and held it up to see how well it would fit her, "Hey, there's a name sewn into the collar."
Amber leaned over as Luz turned out the collar. Sewn into the collar of the jacket was the name "Whispers".(2)
"This was Raine's jacket?" Luz grinned, "It's perfect!"
She shook out the jacket and pulled it on. The sleeves fell over her hands. She giggled and flapped her hands, letting the sleeves flap around her.
Amber laughed and rolled the sleeves for her. "Come one. We don't want to miss the bus."
Luz nodded and grabbed the hat and a scarf for King. Then they went back to the front of the school.
"King! We got you something to wear, too!" Luz shoved the hat onto his head, jumping back as his horns tore right through it.
"Thanks Luz." He smiled and shoved his stuff back in his bag.
"Um. Guys," Amber looked around, "Where's the bus? And Willow and Amity?"
"The bus left while you were looking for stuff for Luz," Gus shrugged, "Willow and Amity had to go with it. Amity's mom would lose it if she wasn't where she said she'd be and Willow told her dads that she was going to the game with Amity so she had to go with."
"We missed the bus!?" Luz gasped, "How are we going to get to the game?"
"Hmm," Amber stroked her chin, "Mama's sick so we can't ask her or Zaza to take us on their staffs…"
"My dad's at work," Gus raised his hand, "That's why I came with Evan."
"Ma's at work too and Pa doesn't have a staff anymore…" Evan crossed his arms.
"So...we're just...not going?" Luz played with the sleeves of her new jacket.
"'Fraid so," Amber looked away. Then, she smiled, "But I have an idea for what we can do instead. Come on!"
She scooped up King and led the march away from the school. After only a couple blocks Evan grinned.
"You're a genius," He said, looking up at Amber, "Luz hasn't been there yet, has she."
"Nope." Amber smiled down at him then at her sister, "And, if she's going to stay in Bonesbourough then we definitely need to take her."
"Take me where?"
"To Gr-mph!"
Amber held King's mouth closed and shook her head, "It's a surprise. You'll see when we get there."
Luz frowned but kept up with the rest of the group. A few more blocks and they left the town proper for the more wooded and agricultural areas outside. On the edge of the forest sat a neat wooden house. Evan rushed forward and knocked on the door. There was no answer. Amber reached around him and knocked. Nothing.
"Maybe he's in the shop?" Gus offered.
"Maybe," Evan shrugged, "Come on."
Luz followed silently as they walked around to the back of the house to a wooden shed in the back yard. Evan knocked and they heard someone move around inside. A tall man with a thick grey beard and even longer grey hair opened the door and grinned down at them all.
"Kids!"
"Hi, Grandpa Dell!"
"Well! What brings you all here!?" He laughed, bending down to Evan and Gus.
"We wanted to introduce you to someone," Amber reached back and pulled Luz to the front, "This is Luz. She's staying with us for the summer. Luz, this is Mama and Aunt Lily's dad, Grandpa Dell."
Dell straightened and gasped. For a moment, he just starred at Luz before shaking his head and smiling.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Luz." He offered her his hand, "I'm Dell Clawthorne but you can call me Grandpa Dell, just like the others. Any friend of my grandkids is a free grandkid in my opinion."
Luz giggled and shook his hand, "It's nice to meet you, G-Grandpa Dell."
Dell turned and waved them all into the workshop, "Why don't you all come in for a bit. I'm almost done with this."
Luz gaped around the shed though none of the others seamed much phased by what they saw. Amber set King on the work table. Evan and Gus stepped up on either side of Dell.
"What are you working on?" Evan asked.
"Someone wanted me to restore their old clock," Dell handed them each a finely painted figurine. "I may not be able to carve like I used to but, with enough patience, I can repaint these."
"You're a carpenter?" Luz asked, stepping up beside Amber.
"Not just a carpenter," Gus insisted, "Grandpa Dell used to be a famous Palisman carver."
"Really!?"
"Weren't you paying attention when Mama said she carved Owlbert with her father?" Amber teased.
"I thought it was just something families do." Luz insisted, "Like learning how to ride a bike in the human realm."
"No. But it was a tradition in our family," Dell explained, summoning his own palisman, "I carved Toast with my father and I helped both of my girls carve their palismans. I'm willing to be that even Flapjack's carver carved him with their parent."
Evan grinned and pet his cardinal.
"The only reason the tradition won't continue is because of the price of Palistrom wood," Amber said. "Heck, I won't be surprised if palismans themselves disappear."
Dell frowned and looked around his workshop, "I have an idea. Would you kids like to come see a friend of mine with me?"
"Sure!"
Dell smiled and shooed them all out of the shed. He then locked the door behind them and led the way into the forest. Luz looked around, eyes wide, until something crunched under her feet. She looked down and yelped. She latched onto Amber's arm.
"Just don't look down," Amber encouraged, "I know we're stepping on a lot of crunchy twigs but it's ok."
"Those arebonesAmber," She hissed back.
"Not if we never look down!" Amber chirped, adjusting her hold on King, "Don't worry. Grandpa Dell would never take us somewhere dangerous."
"Yeah. This is where I found Flapjack," Evan marched ahead, completely undaunted by the bones crunching beneath his feet.
"But was it thisdeep?"
"Eek?"
Even Dell stopped and looked down. Three familiar baby demons waddled forward.
"Bat Queen's babies?" Amber looked up at her grandfather.
Thud!*
The giant demon stepped out of the shadows.
"Hello, Yiyi." Dell smiled and waved.
Yiyi smiled back but looked critically over the assembled children, "Why have you brought so many, Dell."
"My grandchildren voiced some concerns about the future of palismans," Dell turned to face them, "I thought you might be able to reassure them."
Yiyi narrowed her eyes. She looked over the five children then down at Dell.
"Can you be so sure that all will be safe here?"
Dell nodded, "I am. But, to reassureyou," he looked down at them, "Witchletts, do you all vow to respect Yiyi, her rules, her trees, and her little ones or face the pain of the Titan's Curse?"
"Aye, Grandpa!"
"Don't say it to me."
"Aye, Bat Queen!"
Yiyi sighed and looked around, "Very well. You may stop hiding, Little Ones."
They looked around. Then, Gus yelped as something brushed against his leg. He looked down and saw what looked like a human realm squirrel. Flapjack chirped and flew off, dancing through the air with several other birds. All kinds of animals slowly crept from the trees.
Dell stepped up beside Yiyi and waved out, "Go on. Say hello."
Evan grinned and chased after the birds. They swooped down and danced around him. Luz giggled as a little pink and green kitten twined itself between her legs.
Amber set King on the ground so that he could play with the animals. A sock monkey dropped out of the tree above them and landed on her head. She shrieked with laughter and pulled it's hand away from her mouth. There was an open circle on it's hand. An Interlock.
"These are all palismans?" She and Luz looked up at Dell and Yiyi.
Yiyi nodded sadly, "Yes. At first, they only came to me when their witch died. But then the broken came. More and more in the past fifty years. Those who were abandoned, broken, or abused. They came to me and I protect them all."
"Palistrom trees are rare; and carvers even more so," Dell said, "But palismans are plentiful. It's just that not everyone takes care of them. Respects them as they used too."
Luz frowned and looked down at the kitten playing with King. What she had previously thought was a bobbed tail she how realized was broken off. Looking over, she saw the thick cracks in the seams of the sock monkey's arm and tail.
Amber had clearly noticed as well, her motions slowing as she played with it's hands. Then, she smiled. She lift the monkey off her head and laid it over Gus's.
"Well, I'm glad they're safe now. It's certainly better than being with someone who doesn't love them like they deserve."
Luz nodded and watched as King ran off after the kitten. Gus laughed and followed, sock monkey still clinging to his thick curls. A large bat palisman swooped out of one of the trees and attached itself to Amber's face.
"What is it with you all and my head?!" She laughed, pealing it off.
Luz giggled, "I guess you're just that lovable."
Uninterested in letting go, the bat hung happily from Amber's arm. They could see the wide tear in it's left wing, even when it crossed it's wings and wrapped them around it's body. Luz reached over and gently scratched it's head.
Not every palisman in Yiyi's care was as sociable, however. Many stayed high in the trees, content to watch from a distance. Other's hid themselves away, still untrusting of even Dell. He sat on a stump near Yiyi and talked with her while the children played, her youngest baby happily snuggled into his thick beard. On more than one occasion, Gus found himself buried under a cuddly pile of palismans who all wanted his attention at once. Evan told them all about what he knew about carving and caring for palismans. Luz was amazing by just how many animals, both from the human realm and the demon realm, could be carved into palismans.
"It's like the perfect combination of human and witch!" She giggled, petting the otter-bat in her lap, "I don't know how anyone could hurt these little angles on purpose."
"Me neither," Amber said, "I wouldpampera palisman. Ha! I once saw Zaza cry for an hour after they accidentally stepped on their palisman's tail."(3)
"Didn'tyoucry for a while after you dropped her once?" Evan teased.
"Who told you that?" Amber hissed, rounding on her cousin.
"I'll never tell," He smirked.
"How does a palisman come to life though?" Luz asked, "Like, I know Eda and Grandpa Dell carved them but it can't be that easy. Can it?"
"Nah." Evan scratched Flapjack's chest, "A palisman won't come to life or react to it's holder if they don't know who they want to be. For example: I couldn't understand Flap until I knew that I want to be a palisman carver and take care of my family like Grandpa Dell."
"But I don't eve know who I amnow," Luz wined, "Let alone who I want to be."
"That's why we don't get palismans 'till we're older," Gus rolled over on the ground, a long green and blue snake draped over his middle, "But know how I'll ever chose what I want to be when I grow up. There are so many options!"
"When I was little I wanted to be the best bard on the Boiling Isles. Better that Zaza and Scooter Cranecombined." Amber said.
"And now?"
"I want to be a composer," Amber looked up at the purple tree above them, "But not just a composer. I'm going to use my music and magic to put on shows and do trick shots."
She napped her fingers. Luz yelped as a jolt of electricity zapped her nose.
"Hey!"
Amber giggled and sighed, "We should probably head out soon. The game is probably over by now."
"Aw." Gus moaned, hugging the snake again.
"Sorry. But I don't want to get in trouble because you all were out later than you told your parents." She insisted, "I'm going to find King."
The other three started giggling.
"What?"
"You have a bit of a Klingon," Evan giggled.
Amber looked over her shoulder and saw that the bat from before was draped over her wings.
"Hey! What do you think you're doing?" She chuckled, "You can't come with me, Batlazar."
Evan stopped laughing, "Amber? How did you know it's name?"
She blinked, "Didn't someone say it?"
"No one said anything," Gus sat up.
"What's going on over here?" Dell asked as he and Yiyi approached.
"Amber's talking to Batlazar." Luz said.
In a swirl of red and gold sparkles, Batlazar's staff fell into Amber's arms. The clearing fell silent.
"Amber? Pumkin?" Dell looked at his eldest grandchild.
Amber continued to stair at the staff in her hands gently running one finger over the bat's long face and ears.
"No." Yiyi shook her head.
"What?"
"Yiyi!"
"I will not let him be hurt again," Yiyi insisted, "He must stay here."
"But you let me have Flapjack." Evan countered.
"Flapjackwas meant to be with you!Hewas not hurt by his holder."
"I swear I would never do anything to hurt Batlazar," Amber's voice was little more than a whisper as she tucked the palisman to her chest, "I'd protect him more than I protect myself."
"Believe her!" Gus shouted, "She once put herself between me and a Detention Wyrm!"
"There are few I would trust more with one of your little ones," Dell assured.
Yiyi looked over them all again, giving Amber a particularly hard look, "Very well. But, I will not hesit-"
"WEH!"
*Crash!*
"King!"
Amber and Batlazar were temporarily forgotten as they all ran to find out what had happened to the youngest member of the group. They found him chasing after what looked like a long eared blue teddy bear, a large branch from one of the purple trees laying on the ground behind them.
King skittered to a halt but the palisman continued to run until it had vanished further into the trees. Luz starred at him in horror. Dell was starring at the tree as if someone had lit his house on fire. Amber let her arms drop to her sides as.
"King." Dell whispered, "What have you done?"
"I wanted to pet that thing but every time I got close it ran off," King explained, looking into the trees to try and see it, "Sooo, I used my sonic shout to get it out of the tree."
Nobody got to say anymore. A wave of thick, sticky webs swarmed around their feet and they were all shoved back.
"Get out!" Yiyi ordered, "I should not have trusted you! You come and hurt and scare just as all who have come before!"
Another tendril of webbing reached up and snatched Batlazar's staff from Amber's hand.
"No!" Amber stumbled forward, trying to fight the strength of the webs pulling her back, "Please!"
"No!" Yiyi snapped, "You can not be trusted with him! Anyone how would hurt a palsiman can not be trusted!"
They were all tossed out of her forest and into the forest around Dell's house. Toast and Flapjack fluttered and chirped around them. Amber sat up and starred at the darkened trees. Slowly, Dell stood and put one hand on her shoulder.
"Amber? Pumpkin?"
She shook her head and forced herself to her feet. "I'm fine. Let's just...go home."
"Are you sure you're ok?" Evan asked.
She nodded, lips twitching, "Ye-Yeah. I'll...probably forget anyway…"
As they started walking away, Luz turned.
"King, why would you do that? We promised Grandpa Dell and Bat Queen that we would respect the palismans and the trees. Why would you attack them!"
"I-I don't know," He squeaked, "I just...I wanted to pet it and it kept running away! I didn't know how else to make it let me pet it!"
"You should have left it alone." Gus said.
"It's not a petting zoo. Yiyi's palismans have all been hurt before. Some by time and some by people." Evan crossed his arms and nuzzled Flapjack against his shoulder, "But you hurt them today. And you hurt Amber. You cost her her palisman, King. That's not something that can just be replaced! This may have been her only chance and now, it's gone."
Luz growled and marched back to the trees.
"Kids?" Dell turned back, "Luz! What are you doing?"
"Bat Queen!" She shouted into the trees, " You can't take Batlazar from Amber after you already gave him to her!"
"Luz," Amber put a hand on her shoulder, "Stop. You'll just make her more angry."
"No!" Luz looked back up at her, "You didn't break the rules! You don't deserve to be punished!"
"I may not have done it but I told Mama and Zaza that I would look after you two and I didn't. I was playing with you guys and not paying attention to King." Amber insisted, wiping her wet cheeks, "If I can't even keep an eye on my little brother than maybe Yiyi is right to not trust me with a Palisman."
"No. Luz is right." Dell separated the girls, "I am the adult. I should have been watching King. And King should have known better. But I'll talk with your parents about that. You don't deserve to lose your palisman over this."
"She trusted me with Flapjack. She trusted Grandpa Dell to help her fix the broken Palismans. She should trust you with Batlazar." Evan crossed his arms.
"Yeah!"
"Trust must be earned!" Yiyi stepped out of the shadows, Batlazar still at her side. "We two have come to an agreement. You complete trials, Batlazar will go with you."
"Hey! I never had to complete trials to get Flapjack!" Evan argued.
"Flapjack was meant to be with you," Yiyi insisted, "Waited many lifetimes to do so. Batlazar should not have been given up in the first place."
Amber looked at the carved bat and took a deep breath. "I accept your challenge."
"I wanna help," King stepped up beside her, "If it's my fault you're in this mess, than I should help you get out."
Amber smiled and nodded. The webs from earlier snaked out and wrapped around them, even King.
"No helpsies." Yiyi narrowed her eyes at King, "You will be dealt with later."
"I'll be fine," Amber assured them, "Let the trials begin."
Yiyi nodded and three fiery geysers burst from the ground. She pointed to a nearby clearing, blocked by it's own web blockade, "First, milk the spider demon."
The blockade pulled away and the spider bolted. Amber gasped and leapt out of it's way. It ran past and she scrambled to her feet. With a spell circle she summoned a glowing red lasso and hooked it over the spider's head. It continued to thrash as she tied the other end around a stone. Slowly, Amber approached the spider, singing quietly and washing the clearing in a rose gold glow. The spider grew more docile the closer Amber got to it and she lay one hand gently over it's back. She ran her hand along the spider's back as she walked along side it. Then, bucket in hand, she knelt down and got to work milking it, humming the entire time. Once the bucket was full, she set it to the side and unhooked the lasso from the rock. She guided the spider back to it's cave. Only once Yiyi had replaced the barrier did she stop humming.
Amber grinned and turned, "There are some advantages to having a Beastkeeper for a best friend."
Her family cheered and she set the bucket of spider's milk in front of the first geyser. The fire went out.
Yiyi hummed and nodded, "Next, remove fire bee's nest!"
Amber swallowed thickly, "Hehe...right...Um...Bard Magic doesn't really work on that…"
"I'll help you!" King insisted, still wiggling in his web prison, "I'm almost free! Almost...Almost…" He burst out of the webs, "Aha! I'm coming!"
Another set of webs dropped from the ceiling and pulled him up.
"No!"
"I got this, King!" Amber marched towards the nest and pulled out her ocarina.
She let out a single, deep blow and watched as most of the bees were knocked back. When she stopped, the nest was quiet for a moment before the buzzing grew louder.
"oh, darn."
She turned and ran away from the nest, swarm of angry fire bees right behind her.
"Use an ice spell!" Gus shouted, "Ice calms fire bees!"
"About that!" Amber dived behind a rock but yelped when the bees turned to chase her, "Bard magic isn't exactly the best for creating ice spells!"
"Then use an ice glyph!" Luz shouted, "Use and ice glyph!"
"I don't have any paper!" Amber ducked and dived out of the way of the bees.
"Then get creative!" Evan ordered.
More webs twisted up to cover their mouths.
"No helpsies," Yiyi repeated.
Amber groaned and looked around. She saw the milk bucket and grinned. Veering out of the way of the fire bees, she made a made dash for the milk and scooped a handful into the dirt. She mixed it into mud, looking over her shoulder. The fire bees were getting closer. Her hand now sufficiently muddy, she drew the ice glyph onto her ocarina and started running again. She ran in circles, twisting around the cavern before turning on her heel and facing the fire bees. She let out another deep blast from the ocarina, tapping the glyph. An ice cold blast shot out. When the frost settled, everyone could see the fire bees, nest and all, encased in a block of ice.
She took a deep breath, "Well. That works."
She blew a warming charm over her hands and started pushing the block out of the cavern. It slid away and into the forest.
"Done." She turned back to Yiyi, hands on her hips.
Another fire went out. Only one task left.
"Give babies bath!" Yiyi ordered.
Amber's shoulders drooped even more, "I think...I have to do that one by hand…That's fine. It can't be any worse than when I agreed to watch King and Tommy on the same night."
She let all three babies run around the cavern while she filled the tub and grabbed the baby shampoo. Then she took a deep breath and grabbed the nearest baby. They shrieked and flailed in her arms but she quickly dunked them in the warm water. She made sure to keep their face above the water even as they thrashed. Baby shampoo and a brush to disperse it. One more rise to make the baby clean. For a moment, the baby was mercifully quiet. Then it shook off the water and started shrieking again. Amber sighed and handed the baby to Yiyi before grabbing another and getting to work. She repeated the process with the other two babies and dumped the water. Only then did she return to Yiyi. The last fire went out.
"There. I completed all of your trials." Amber gasped, wiping her damp forehead, "Noe, please let my family go. And let me bring Batlazar home. I swear, I will take care of him. I will never let anything happen to him."
Yiyi narrowed her eyes, "No! One more trial."
"What!?"
"Yiyi!" Dell shouted, "She completed your trials fairly! You must uphold your end of the deal!"
"No! You must face ME!"
Yiyi leapt forward at Amber. She yelped and dived out of the way. Dodging Yiyi again she ran over and ripped the webbing away from her family.
"You kids go," Dell ordered. "I'll calm her down. Just go back to the house and I'll meet you there."
"No." Amber turned to him, "She challenged me and I won't let you get hurt again because of it."
Yiyi lunged again and Amber was knocked out of the clearing and into the forest. She screamed and tried to run. She ducked between the trees again.
"Yiyi! Stop!" Dell gave chase.
Amber was knocked to the ground again and rolled over to see Yiyi towering over her.
"Reek!"
Batlazar flew through the trees and dived for Amber. His staff reached her hands. She blocked Yiyi. It took all of her strength to keep the weight of the giant demon off of her chest. She looked around for some way to escape. There, in Yiyi's right foot, was an open hole.
"An interlock?" She gasped, using her feet to push the Bat Queen off of her. "Yiyi, you're a palisman?"
Yiyi landed nearby. She looked down at her interlock and hung her head. Dell and the other kids rounded the corner, King still wrapped in his cocoon of webbing in Gus's arms. Yiyi turned away.
"Yes. I was once part of a great staff. A staff made for a giant." She looked up at the clouds, "But I was lost. And I lost my witch."
Dell hung his head. Batlazar shifted from his staff and attached himself to Amber's chest, tucking his snout against her neck.
"So that is why you take care of the palismans," Amber looked around the clearing at the palismans that were beginning to creep back out of hiding.
"Yes. I made a home here. And I made it a home for those like me." Yiyi explained, "The lost and broken. The discarded."
Amber nodded, one hand resting on Batlazar's back. "I understand. But I promise I will give Batlazar a good home. One where he is loved and cared for."
"No! I won't let him—" Yiyi cut off as her eyes began to glow yellow.
Amber gasped and looked down. Batlazar's eyes glowed with the same matching yellow.
"You-You want to go?" Yiyi looked down at the bat, "You trust her?"
Batlazar yipped and nuzzled Amber again. Before Yiyi could reply, however, there was a crashing in the trees. Everyone turned to see a shadow charging at them.
"Is that—" Luz gasped as the giant grey owl burst through the trees, "Eda!?"
The beast looked at her and grinned. Then, it lunged.
"NO!"
Batlazar transformed as Amber ran. Dell and Evan summoned Toast and Flapjack. Luz yelped and froze. The Owl Beast was content to just hold her in it's claws while it licked her. Her hair stood trait up.
"Ohhh," She groaned, "That is way worse than abomination slime."
Dell blinked but didn't let go of Toast, "She...She's not rampaging?"
"Eda! Stop!" Raine burst through the trees, "Get back...here?"
They looked around the clearing. At the kids who were now staring at them. At Yiyi, still poised to attack Amber. At Dell, who was still facing Eda. At Eda, still happily bathing a now drool covered Luz.
"I feel like I missed something."
"Raine? What's going on?" Dell demanded.
"Eda's only partially transformed," They explained, banishing their violin and bow, "It happens very rarely but she's a lot more docile like this. Usually I just lead her into the nest and put her to sleep with a spell. But today she as having none of it. She ran into the forest like she was looking for something. I've been chasing her for three hours."
"Well, it looks like she found it," Evan let Flapjack go and watched the display before them.
"Apparently."
"Can you put her to sleep here?" Gus asked.
"Sure. If you want to carry the Owl Beast back to the house," Raine crossed their arms, "Maybe she'll follow us home once she's done bathing Luz."
"I don't think I'll ever be clean again," She whimpered.
"I'll wash your hair after your shower, Starshine."
King had had enough of his cocoon and struggled to release himself again. He let out his shriek of rage as he broke free and tumbled from Gus's arms. Eda snorted. She stopped licking Luz and giggled. Then she started laughing. She hugged Luz tight and fell back on her but and she detransformed laughing.
"He's like a little tea kettle!" She giggled before looking around and frowning, "Where am I? How did we get here? Luz? What are you covered in?"
Raine helped them both to their feet, "You partially transformed and tracked down the kids. Led me on a wild sitherbeast chase with it, too."
Eda groaned and looked around. "Is anyone hur...Hi, Dad."
Dell relaxed his hold on Toast, "Hey, Pumpkin. Long time, no see."
Eda quickly looked away, immediately finding Amber and Batlazar in her arms, "Amber? Whose palisman is that?"
Raine turned. Luz grinned, despite the slime now covering her. Amber held Batlazar closer and looked up at Yiyi. She nodded and took a step back.
Amber grinned, "He's mine. His name is Batlazar and he's my palisman."
Raine smiled and hugged her tight, "He's beautiful Amber."
"Looks like he's perfect for ya," Eda agreed, scratching Batlazar between the ears.
"He is," Amber nuzzled her palisman and looked up at her parents, "And it's ok that he's not a bird?"
"Of course it is, Pumpkin," Eda assured her, "You're not just a Clawthorne after all."
"You're also a Whispers." Raine pressed their forehead against hers, "And I think a flying fox suits you perfectly."
Amber smiled and hummed. Luz nuzzled into her mother's side.
"On the topic of the Clawthorne-Whispers children," Dell stepped forward, a sheepish King in his arms, "I need to have a word with you about your son."
"Can King get in trouble after I take a shower?" Luz groaned, then perked, "Oh! But look what Amber and I found in the lost and found!"
Raine looked down at the jacket for a moment before laughing, "Do they ever clean that thing out?"
LLB
Eda groaned and rubbed her temple as she stumbled into her bedroom. Dealing with King damaging one of the most rare trees on the Boiling Isles, breaking the trust of the Bat Queen, and having partially transformed had really taken it out of her. As she reached the edge of the nest, her stomach churned. She coughed and gagged before spitting out an elixir bottle.
"No." She whispered, turning to open the bedside drawer, "No. No. No."
"Eda?" Raine cracked their back as they walked in, pulling their Band captain jacket out of the closet and reading their name sewn into the collar "What's wrong?"
"The elixir isn't working on the curse anymore." She dropped another empty bottle, "This is bad. What do I do? I can only raise the dosage so high! If it stops working than—"
Raine grabbed her hands and hugged her tight, "We'll figure something out. Maybe there's another elixir or...or something. It's going to be ok."
"This is the only one that's ever worked," She reminded them, "I'm not sure there are other options…" She pressed her face into their shoulder, "Raine...I don't want to hurt anyone…"
LLB
1) In 'Understanding Willow' we see Willow and her dads celebrating what looks like a variation of Christmas or some other winter holiday. However, being the Boiling Isles, it obviously wouldn't be Christmas. Titansmas is simply the name I (Or rather, Belos) gave that holiday. I almost called it 'Wittmas' as a reference to the Wittabane Brothers as that sounds very much like something Belos would do but it felt a little on the nose.
2) Based on something my grandmother did. Except I wasn't supposed to keep the jacket...Sorry to whoever got that jacket next…
3)Look me in the eye and tell me Raine wouldn't be that pet owner.
