It took another three days for Luz and Hunter to make it to Bonesborough. This was the first piece of civilization that Luz could properly call a city, thriving and bustling with Witches and Demons and an assortment of other creatures Luz wasn't sure constituted one or the other or both.

Luz's eyes wandered freely, taking care to never stray too far from Hunter. "Some of the inhabitants with more refined palates may mistake you for some kind of exotic food," he had warned a few miles from the outskirts, "So stick close. Also, hands to yourself, we don't want you losing a finger to stray doorbell."

Luz wasn't entirely certain what that last bit meant, but after a few minutes in the city proper she had become very aware that the smallest appliance on the Boiling Isles could very well be a living and very hungry creature.

Luz looked around and watched in horror as a large slug monster with the face of a human baby trudged down the street on massive eldritch caterpillar legs. Luz looked aghast as a witch with a set of small horns whistled as though hailing a cab, only for the slug monster to open its maw and devour the poor witch whole. After a bit more observation Luz saw the creature do the same to several others and intuited that it was some kind of bizarre public transport, like a bus or maybe a taxi.

The sights only got stranger as Luz saw doorbells attempt to or succeed in biting those that rung them, street peddlers hawked what could be normal everyday devices and food, or perhaps it was garbage, or some demonic combination of the two.

"How much further?" Luz asked, her legs and feet aching from several days of travel and survival. The Plant Witch had only been the start of their troubles. They had been chased out of the sky by some kind of flying squid monster, hounded through the woods they landed in by, well, hounds, and nearly trampled by a stampede of what Luz could only deer with the traits of a crocodile.

Their second day had offered some respite from the horror as they found refuge in a cave during a storm of "Boiling Rain." A monstrous roar had also been heard and Luz prepared to bolt from the cave in fear of the monster, but Hunter had told her it was only a "Painbow" and to "Not look at it." Luz inquired why not, and Hunter had only told her that she didn't want to know why.

Bonesborough was a welcome respite, feeling safer, comparatively to the Wilds. Luz just wanted to sleep in an actual bed, and not the ground, or a tree, or a bunk or cot as they had in the camp.

Hunter looked back over his shoulder, his grey mask hiding his features, "Not far. We need to get to the local garrison, there we should be able to get transport to the Heart."

Luz hummed in response and stuck closer to Hunter. Luz wasn't sure why but she liked Hunter, trusted him. At first she had suspected she might have been crushing on the awkward teenager, but after a bit more introspection she felt that wasn't quite right and that she felt it was more akin for familial. She felt like he was some kind of brother, a kindred soul maybe.

Where this feeling came from, Luz did not know. But Luz had always been taught, by her father and her uncles to trust her gut.

Luz was ten, already adamant about what she wanted to do with her life and was busy pestering each of her Uncles about what each could teach her. Currently her father had trusted her to the youngest of her Uncles, Kid. Very creative nickname aside, his name was actually Hugh. His team in the marines had nicknamed him Kid for his youthful almost boyish features. Kid didn't mind, said they could've done worse and given him a name like Boy Band or Handsome or Fruity like other Marines had gotten.

These days Kid was different animal though. In all honesty, Luz didn't like Kid, he was sketchy, shifty, always on the lookout like trouble was going to find him. Which if the stories were true, it usually did.

Kid was on the mend after a series of bad decisions, and Manuel trusting him with Luz showed that he had made progress in rehabilitation, but still that shiftiness abounded.

Currently they sat on a bench in a park in San Diego, Manuel having been called here to give a speech to a graduating class of Marines from Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego. Derisively called "Hollywood" by Marines trained on the East Coast, the base was the brother to the only other Depot in the Corps on the opposite coast called Parris Island.

Kid ran a hand under his nose, sniffing hard, like something was irritating his nostrils. His foot bounced anxiously and he sat cross legged, with his arms resting on the bench, spread wide. He looked like trouble trying not to look like trouble.

"What are we doing here?" Luz asked, thoroughly bored.

"People watching," Kid said.

Luz watched and sure enough there were people. How fun.

"Watching them do what?" Luz asked, now slightly irritated. She could be having fun, or Kid could at least teach her something.

Kid shushed her and pointed. Out in a field were two groups of boys playing soccer, with a crowed of families sat around on bleachers cheering them on.

Luz pouted, "If we wanted to watch a game, couldn't we sit closer?" Kid grinned and shook his head.

"Nah, not the game, the people. What do you see?"

Luz looked again, seeing only a normal game.

"I see some kids playing soccer?" she half asked, slightly irritated but intrigued as to where this was going.

"Close but no cigar," Luz wasn't sure what Kid meant by that. "I see," he continued, "Easy marks." He pointed to a guy stood a few dozen yards back, behind the bleachers. He looked as if he was watching the game.

Luz watched intently. Slowly he crept closer to the game, ever closer till he was standing to the side of the bleachers. He was idle and relaxed, looking like just another parent or family member eager to see their kid succeed.

Suddenly the cheering began to rise, and rise, and rise, Luz was tempted to look at the field but remained focused on the man. Finally, the cheering came to a climatic crescendo, and the people in the bleachers stood and cheered.

Luz watched in horror as the man carefully walked, casually almost, and began to pocket phones left on the bleachers as the people cheered. Not just phones, wallets that had slid out, and finally a whole purse. And just as easily as he had walked up, he began to walk away, sliding his stolen treasures into his pockets.

Luz looked to Kid, "We gotta tell someone!"

"Do we? They weren't aware, and that made them easy to exploit."

"You can't just take people's stuff! That's stealing!"

"Nah," Kid replied casually, "Its reallocation. That stuff is insured, and they can replace cards and IDs. No one got hurt and the guy down there got a bit of something for himself. The balance in the world remains the same."

Luz remained unconvinced. Kid looked at her, a chuckled slightly. "Look kid," he started, "I learned one thing in Iraq. And that is that there are two types of people in this world. Those who are dead, and those who are very good. I'm very good."

Luz decided she didn't like Kid at all.

For the next hour they watched, and Luz became all too aware of how people aren't aware. People with headphones in, or their heads to the ground, or in their phones or computers. So easy to take advantage of.

Finally, Kid stood, and gestured for Luz to follow him. They walked a short distance to a cart that sold ice cream. Kid bought them both a scoop. Luz was delighted to this turn of events of the day. She was so intent on her ice cream that she didn't notice that another guy came up to the cart.

"Hey brother," Kid said, taking the man by the hand and into a half hug. "Got my stuff?"

Luz looked at the man and realized it was the man from the field.

"Yeah, brother, I got your stuff," he said as he handed over a wad of cash and a phone.

"Pleasure," Kid said, pocketing the stolen goods.

Luz didn't like Kid at all.

XXXX

Luz and Hunter finally came to the Guard Garrison, and entered to find a smokey den with several Guards hunched over a table playing what looked like Texas Holdem or something similar.

One of the Guards looked up at the intruders and asked in a dull, bored voice, "State your name, rank and intention."

Hunter stood rigid, hand on his artificial magic staff, "Cadet Hunter, Wilds Regiment 2, here to escort Luz Noceda to the Heart."

The Guard at the table still wore his mask, they all did, but he inclined his head slightly and asked, "The Heart? Oh you must be the human."

Luz stepped forward and took off her hood, revealing very human ears.

The other guards turned around in their chairs, "Yup, human alright. Haven't gotten one of them in a while."

"Last one was bad news," another stated.

"Last one was grown up, this one is a kid," another answered.

The first guard who had spoken, who seemed to be in charge, stood up, revealing a pronounced gut. He stretched, "Alright Cadet, Human, go clean up, rest up," he gestured up at a stair case in the back. "I'll make up a couple extra bunks, tomorrow we'll send you out to the heart. Shit, I gotta schedule a pick up for them."

He threw his cards onto the table and grumbled something to himself. The cards burst into flames, but the other guards seemed to pay it no mind as they returned to their game. "Sorry to see you lose captain, again," snickered one of the guards.

"Go stuff yourself," the captain said as he waddled away.

Luz and Hunter looked at each other, shrugged, and trudged forward, eager to finally get some rest.