Chapter 13: The Intruder
Hey everyone, I'm back with a new chapter! This one was a lot of fun to write, and there's a surprise at the end. I had to change a few things from the original draft, but I think I really nailed it this time. So sit back, relax, review, and enjoy!
We find ourselves in the human realm at a restaurant called Mackey Macaw's.
"Aloha, Buoys and Gulls. Welcome to Mackey Macaw's, Home of the Homey Hometown Luau."
Looking inside, we see several animatronic parrots.
"I'm Mackey Macaw, and these are the Hammerheads," Mackey said as the little kids cheered. "And tonight we're gonna have tons of f—"
Before he could finish, Mackey burst into flames, scaring the kids.
A worker ran out with a fire extinguisher and put out the flames.
"Uh, Mackey's taking a little hometown nap right now," he said, pushing Mackey backstage and closing the curtain.
Nearby, we see Jake at a table with Stitch, Sam, Jumba, and Pleakley.
"Primitive Earth entertainment technology. Very entertaining," Jumba said, enjoying the scene.
"Good thing we didn't bring Luz and our other friends from the Boiling Isles here," Sam said.
"Why? I loved the part where he entertained us by catching on fire," Pleakley said, pouring soda.
As everyone held out their glasses, Stitch was extra eager for it.
"Wait your turn, Stitch," Jake said as Pleakley ended up getting everyone but Stitch.
"Mackey may be combustible, but I like this place," Jake added, remembering all the times he and his dad used to come here.
"But what is homey about this hometown luau?" Jumba asked.
"It's a last-minute name change. They wanted to call themselves the Enchanted Tiki Room, but that name was already taken," Jake said.
"Ah, makes sense," Jumba said, instantly accepting it.
"But I'm trying to remember—why don't we come here more often?" Jake asked as Stitch jumped on the table and chugged down the entire pitcher.
"That's why," Sam said as Stitch threw the pitcher and it ended up hitting an employee.
"We better leave a big tip," Jake cringed.
As Stitch chuckled nervously, Jake grabbed him by the head so he could look him in the eyes.
"Stitch, how many times do I have to tell you? You have to be patient and not freak out every time something doesn't go your way," Jake scolded.
"Sorry, Jake," Stitch apologized.
"It's fine. Now come on, Stitch, let's go win some prizes," Jake said as they ran off.
"Hey, Jake, wait," Sam said, stopping him in his tracks.
"Yeah, Mom?" Jake asked.
"Just be careful, okay? You guys have to get back to the Boiling Isles to check up on Luz, all right?" Sam said.
"Still can't believe you're okay with letting me go there," Jake said.
"Jake, I do have my thoughts about it, but I trust you. Plus, you came back to me alive, so I'm trusting you that it's safe there and that Eda will keep you safe," Sam said.
"We did get banned from a magic school yesterday," Jake said, making Sam sigh.
"Really, Jake? Sometimes I think you two are animals... well, okay, you are not but the other is very smart, right, Jumba?" Sam asked.
"Correct, 626 is very smart. Programmed him myself," Jumba said proudly.
"The point being, if you can try to relax and maybe Stitch will listen to you more," Sam said.
"Alright, Mom. For you, I'll try," Jake said
That's my boy." Sam smiles ruffling his hair as he runs over to Stitch at the claw machine.
At the claw game, Jake and Stitch spotted a case. It was a clam case with a note that said "GENUINE OYSTER PEARL INSIDE."
"A pearl. Maybe I can give it to Marina. Oh man, I would love to make her an ocean-themed necklace or even a bracelet," Jake said before frowning. "But I don't even have a quarter."
Pausing, Stitch grew out his third arm and revealed a quarter.
"Good dog," Jake smiled as Stitch played the game.
Maneuvering the claw, Stitch lined it up before dropping it. As the claw grabbed the case, both smiled as the claw moved to the tray but, for some reason, didn't open.
Getting mad, Stitch picked up the claw machine and started shaking it, trying to get the oyster pearl out of the machine.
"Seriously?" Sam said, running over.
"What is going on?" Sam asked.
"It wasn't Stitch's fault. The machine cheated us. He was just trying to win me a prize," Jake defended.
When an employee came over, Stitch immediately let go, causing the claw to drop the prize out of the tray.
"See?" Jake smiled, but the employee just glared at them. "Uh, sorry. Here."
"Keep it. Just go," the employee ordered.
"Sorry, Mom," Jake said as they all left Mackey Macaw's.
As they walked out of Mackey Macaw's, Jake noticed Stitch sulking a bit.
"Hey, don't worry about it, buddy. We got the pearl, didn't we?" Jake said, holding up the clam case. "Marina will love it."
"Yeah, and besides, you won fair and square," Sam added, giving Stitch a reassuring pat on the head.
"Right, we should head back to the Boiling Isles soon to check on Luz and the others," Jake said, pocketing the pearl case.
Jumba nodded, "Yes, yes. I still have many experiments to observe and document. Plus, I want to see more of this fascinating magic world."
"Just remember to stay out of trouble," Pleakley cautioned. "We don't want any more incidents like today."
As they walked back to their portal, Jake looked at his mom. "Thanks for understanding, Mom. I know it's weird me going back and forth between worlds."
Sam smiled. "Jake, I trust you. Plus, you've proven you can handle yourself. Just be safe and remember that you always have a home here."
Jake nodded. "I will. Come on, Stitch, let's go see what's happening in the Boiling Isles."
With a last wave to Sam, Jumba, and Pleakley, Jake and Stitch activated their portal device and stepped through, ready for their next adventure.
Meanwhile, in the Boiling Isles at the Owl House, Luz was recording the fight between Asher and Finn as they sparred using their magic. Eda and King were watching intently, with a small pile of items next to them.
"Alright, Finn! Show Asher what wind magic can do!" Eda cheered.
"Come on, Asher! Use that lightning magic and zap him!" King added, rubbing his tiny hands together in excitement.
"Ready, set, go!" Luz announced, focusing the camera on the two fighters.
Finn conjured a gust of wind, sending Asher skidding backward. Not to be outdone, Asher quickly retaliated, summoning a bolt of lightning that crackled and struck near Finn's feet.
"Whoa, that was close!" Luz exclaimed, capturing every moment.
"Finn, you gotta be quicker! Dodge and counter!" Eda coached from the sidelines.
"You can do it, Asher! Keep the pressure on!" King encouraged.
The duel continued with Finn using his wind magic to create barriers and whirlwinds, while Asher skillfully directed his lightning strikes to break through Finn's defenses. The two were evenly matched, each pushing the other to their limits.
Suddenly, a portal opened up nearby, and Jake and Stitch stepped through.
"Hey, what's going on here?" Jake asked, spotting the duel.
"Jake! Stitch! Just in time to see Finn and Asher sparring," Luz explained, waving them over. "It's intense!"
Jake and Stitch joined Eda and King, watching the battle unfold. Finn launched a powerful wind blast, but Asher managed to deflect it with a lightning shield.
"Looks like they're really going at it," Jake said, impressed.
"Yeah, they've both gotten a lot stronger," Luz agreed.
Asher and Finn finally paused, both panting and smiling at each other.
"Good match, Finn," Asher said, extending a hand.
"Same to you, Asher," Finn replied, shaking his hand.
"Alright, who won the bets?" Eda asked, looking at the pile of items.
King sorted through them. "Looks like it's a tie! Both of you owe me double."
Everyone laughed, enjoying the friendly competition and camaraderie.
"So, what did we miss?" Jake asked, grinning.
"Not much, just the usual chaos," Eda said with a smirk.
"And a lot of fun," Luz added, stopping the recording. "Welcome back, guys."
Luz turned off the camera and looked at Jake and Stitch. "Where did you two go?" she asked.
Jake smiled. "We went to a place called Mackey Macaw's. It's a restaurant in the human realm. We thought we'd grab a bite and maybe win some prizes."
"Mackey Macaw's?" Luz repeated, intrigued. "What was it like?"
"It was pretty cool," Jake said. "They had these animatronic parrots and a lot of games. But, uh, Stitch got a little too enthusiastic with the claw machine."
Stitch chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his head. "Stitch just wanted to win a prize for Jake."
"Did you manage to win anything?" Eda asked, curious.
"Yeah, we got a pearl," Jake said, holding up the clam case. "I was thinking of making it into a necklace or bracelet for Marina."
"That's sweet," Luz said with a smile. "I bet she'll love it."
"So, how was the fight?" Jake asked, looking at Finn and Asher.
"It was intense," Finn said, still catching his breath. "Asher's lightning magic is no joke."
"And Finn's wind magic is really strong," Asher added. "We both pushed each other to the limit."
"You guys were amazing," Luz said, looking at her friends proudly. "I got the whole thing on video."
"Great job, you two," Eda said, patting Finn and Asher on the back. "You've both come a long way."
"Thanks, Eda," they said in unison.
"So, what's next?" Jake asked, looking around. "Any more challenges or adventures?"
"Well, we do have a lot of cleaning up to do after Prince Jr.'s rampage," Eda said, glancing at the still-messy Owl House.
"Sounds like we've got a busy day ahead," Luz said, clapping her hands together. "Let's get to it!"
As they all started to pitch in with various tasks, the camaraderie and laughter continued, making the Owl House feel more like home than ever.
Later that day, in the living room of the Owl House, Luz and Jake were sitting down, watching King wrestle with a sock over his nose.
"And here we have the most fearsome creature in the world, the king of demons, facing his natural enemy, the ducky sock," Luz narrated, trying to sound like a nature documentary while recording with her phone.
"Who will win this fierce battle of titans?" Jake asked before King ripped the sock to shreds.
"Where are you now, ducky sock?" King taunted.
"So, why did you call us here again?" Luz asked.
"Oh, right." King leaped onto a table. "Humans Luz and Jake, you've been so obsessed with witchcraft that you haven't learned anything about my kind. Prepare yourselves for Demon 101." King pulled back a blanket, revealing tons of pictures, and put on a fake professor hat. "Demons like me are grim tricksters of the twilight, creatures of sulfur and bone."
"And cute little paws," Luz added, causing King to sigh.
"And cute little paws, true. We live only to create chaos and misery. Our only weaknesses are purified water and passive-aggressive comments," King explained.
"Wow, who knew you guys were so sensitive," Jake smirked.
"Even demons have inner demons. The most powerful demon of all is the Snaggleback," King said, showing a picture of a creature with a spiky shell. "It's a—"
Before King could finish, Luz started adding tons of stickers and emojis to appear alongside him.
"Ooh, don't forget a cute kitty emoji," Jake added.
"The King of Demons doesn't want kitties!" King snapped, causing Jake and Luz to chuckle. "Come on, guys, this information could save your life."
"Alright, alright, we'll stop," Jake said.
"I'm here and ready to listen," Luz said when thunder roared.
"Uh oh, looks like it's going to rain," King said, causing Luz to smile.
"I love the rain," Luz smiled, going outside.
"Luz, wait!" King said, but Luz walked out.
"I always love feeling the first few drops in my hair," Luz said before looking down at a flower. "I bet you do too."
However, when the rain came down, the flower started to sizzle, surprising her.
"What?" Luz gasped.
"Boiling rain! Everybody inside now!" Eda yelled, running over and tackling Luz into the Owl House. "Phew, that was close, but the important thing is you didn't get hurt."
Looking over, Eda saw that Luz had knocked into Jake, and the two of them had hit King's board, making all of them groan in pain.
"Yep, not hurt," Luz groaned.
All over the Boiling Isles, everyone was eager to get out of the boiling rain.
As Luz and Jake stood by the door, King put a band-aid on Luz's arm.
"Look, now we're boo-boo buddies," King said, putting one on his skull mask, causing Luz to squeal.
"Oh my gosh, I love you so much," Luz smiled.
"Still, I wasn't expecting boiling rain. Even the weather here is wild," Jake said, looking to Eda, who was making a forcefield.
"Oh yeah, that reminds me," Jake said, running to the bathroom.
Walking over to the bathroom, Luz heard struggled. "Get in now! How many times do I have to tell you to get in?" Jake yelled.
"Naga!" a voice yelled.
"Jake, how are you doing with giving Stitch his bath?" Luz called out.
Seconds later, Stitch came running out, wearing a shower cap and an inner tube, panicking in fear.
Running to the dog door, he tried to escape but got stuck.
"Don't say the B-word. Never say the B-word," Jake said, coming out in his swimsuit as Eda walked over.
"What's going on here?" Eda asked.
"I had finally gotten Stitch into a false sense of security until Luz said the B-word," Jake said, trying to pull him back in as King ran out with a smirk on his face.
"You mean 'bath'?" King called out.
Hearing this, Stitch wiggled out of the tube and out the dog door, much to Jake's frustration.
"Why, King, why?" Jake asked before running after him.
As Stitch ran into Finn and Asher's room, he tried to find a hiding spot.
"Well, look who's on the run from the law," Asher joked.
Looking around, he noticed Luz open the door and he spotted him putting the hamper back.
Smiling, Stitch ran in and jumped into it just as Jake walked over.
"Hmm, I wonder where Stitch is?" Jake smirked.
"Who can say?" Finn asked. "Probably not in the giant hamper."
"Oh no, definitely not in there," Asher agreed.
"I'm sorry, Jake, but I just have no idea," Luz said, pointing to the hamper.
"Okay, then I'll leave," Jake called out before moving behind Luz.
As Stitch popped his head out to see if the coast was clear, Jake suddenly grabbed the hamper.
"Got you," Jake said before wheeling Stitch to the bathroom.
"This is for your own good, Stitch," Jake said as he tried to load him in, but Stitch refused to let go.
Flinging him around, Jake yanked Stitch into the bath, causing a big splash that landed on the pearl case they got at the restaurant.
Jake finally got Stitch into the bath, and both were soaked. Eda, Luz, and King watched from the doorway, chuckling.
"Stitch, buddy, you need to calm down," Jake said, gently scrubbing him. "It's just a bath."
"Yeah, Stitch. Baths are fun! Look at all the bubbles," Luz said, trying to help calm him down.
"Bubbles!" King chimed in, hopping onto the edge of the tub and blowing bubbles in Stitch's direction.
Stitch calmed down slightly, looking at the bubbles with curiosity. "Bubbles..." he muttered, reaching out to pop a few.
"See? Not so bad," Jake smiled, relieved.
Eda crossed her arms and leaned against the doorframe. "You kids and your antics. Never a dull moment around here."
"Speaking of antics, we need to get back to studying our demonology," Luz said, looking at King. "We promised King we'd learn about his kind, remember?"
King puffed out his chest. "That's right! Now that the bath fiasco is over, we can get back to my lessons."
"Great, because I want to know more about this Snaggleback you mentioned earlier," Jake said, finishing up with Stitch.
Stitch climbed out of the tub, shaking off the water like a dog. Jake handed him a towel, and he began to dry off, still eyeing the bubbles warily.
"Let's head back to the living room. I have more to teach you," King declared, marching out of the bathroom.
Luz, Jake, and Stitch followed, eager to continue their learning. As they settled back into the living room, King resumed his lecture, explaining the various types of demons in the Boiling Isles.
Eda watched from a distance, a small smile on her face. "You kids are a handful, but you sure make life interesting."
"Hoot! Well, hurry it up with that force field. That rain is getting closer to my precious stucco," Hooty said.
"Yeah, yeah, I got it," Eda replied before slamming her staff down and creating a force field around the Owl House.
"Wow. Someday I'd like to be as cool as Eda the Owl Lady. Magical, sassy, surprisingly foxy for her age," Luz said as Eda walked back to them.
"Maybe this is the perfect time to make that necklace for Marina," Jake said as Stitch was eating some food.
"Why do they call you the Owl Lady anyway?" Luz asked.
"Cause I'm so wise," Eda smirked.
"Cause she coughs up rat bones," Hooty said.
"I think it's because she gets distracted by shiny objects," King added.
"No I don't," Eda retorted when King pulled out his pen and clicked the top, lighting it up and causing Eda's eyes to widen. "It sparkles and shimmers. It shines and delights. I must have it for my nest," Eda leaped at it, but King pulled it away.
"Okay, I'm thinking it leans more towards that one," Jake said.
"You have a nest? I want a nest! Nest party!" Luz said, helping Eda up.
"Ugh, that force field took a lot out of me," Eda groaned.
"Uh‐oh. Moving a little slow. Age finally catching up to ya?" King asked when Eda yanked his hat over his eyes, blinding him. "Aaah! Darkness!"
"This is perfect. Since we'll be stuck in the house all night, Eda won't have any excuse not to teach us something," Luz realized.
"But don't you wanna finish our lesson? I was gonna let you scratch a demon's tummy. Me," King said when Jake picked him up.
"You mean like this?" Jake started rubbing King's tummy.
"Awww yes, that's the stuff," King said, kicking his foot like a little puppy as Stitch got jealous.
As Jake continued rubbing King's tummy, Stitch started to growl softly.
"Okay, Stitch, you can have a turn too," Jake laughed, patting the space next to him.
Stitch immediately jumped over and rolled onto his back, looking expectantly at Jake.
"Alright, you big baby," Jake chuckled as he started rubbing Stitch's tummy, causing Stitch to wiggle happily.
"See? Everyone's happy," Luz said, smiling at the scene.
"Not everyone," Eda groaned, rubbing her temples. "Alright, since we're stuck inside, I guess I can give you a lesson."
"Yay! What are we going to learn?" Luz asked excitedly.
"Yeah, I'm all ears," Jake added, though he was still rubbing Stitch's belly.
" every witch needs to know how to cast spells on their own," Eda said, tossing her staff to the side. "Now, since you don't have much experience, I'm gonna show you how to make…light." Eda spun her finger, creating a magic circle, and from it, a ball of light appeared.
"Whoa," Jake, Stitch, and Luz said in awe.
"Yawn. Who needs another boring spell lesson when you could be learning all the fun ways a demon could kill you?" King said, holding up a drawing of a demon with big teeth. "Look how teethy. Bite, bite."
"Ssh, I need to focus," Luz shushed.
"Now, humans think magic is made out of thin air, but that's stupid. Everything comes from something. Let me ask you, Jake, when you first realized you could use magic, where did you think it came from?" Eda asked.
"Uh, the Owl Stone gave me my power because I wanted to protect my ohana. Then, when Stitch was getting choked out, I felt the need to protect—to protect everyone. So, magic…comes from the heart?" Jake asked.
"Actually, you're right," Eda smiled, causing Luz to squeal with joy. "Now seriously, it comes from a sac of magic bile attached to a witch's heart," Eda said, pulling out a picture of a sac attached to a heart.
"Ugh, I have that inside me?" Jake asked, grossed out.
"Well, I'm not entirely sure how big or small it is since you're a human like Luz, but yep, that's how you can do magic," Eda said.
"Can I keep that?" Luz asked.
"No," Eda said, putting it away. "Now, everything depends on the spell circle. The bigger the circle, the more powerful the spell."
"But I've never made one before, and I can do magic," Jake said.
"Because what you do isn't technically Boiling Isles magic. Your magic comes from the Owl Stone and your space and star moves you obsessed over," Eda said as a giant ball of light came from the big circle.
"Well, that helps Jake, but how can I, little ol' Luz, do spells if I don't have a magic bile sac?" Luz asked.
"You know, I'm not actually sure," Eda admitted.
"What?!" Jake and Luz gasped.
"I know witches and wizards did magic differently in the past, but I never bothered to figure out how," Eda chuckled.
"Are you kidding me?!" Jake said.
"Eda!" Luz said, annoyed.
"Don't worry, you two will figure this out," Eda said, rubbing their heads before stretching. "Now I need to lie down."
"Already?" Jake said, annoyed by this.
"Wait! I need to see you do the circle thingy again. I'll record it on my phone this time. Smile! You're on camera. One more spell won't kill you," Luz said, taking out her phone.
"Ugh. Fine," Eda groaned, making the circle. "Now you see, the spell circle is really key because—" Before Eda could finish, she passed out, falling to the ground.
"Well, looks like one more spell did kill Eda," King said, causing Jake, Stitch, and Luz to panic.
"Oh no, my obsession with learning magic has killed Eda! I'm a monster!" Luz panicked.
"Eda?" Jake asked, poking her when King came over and bopped her on the nose.
"Yeah, she's out cold. Bap," King laughed, hitting her again.
"King," Jake glared.
"What? Just making sure," King said.
"We should get help, right?" Luz asked, running to the door.
"Luz, wait!" Jake said, stopping her. "Boiling rain, remember?" Jake pointed.
"No, let her try, it'll be funny," Hooty said, and Jake slammed the door. "Ow!"
"But what if Eda's dead?" Luz asked.
"Shiny thing…nest," Eda said in her sleep.
"Remember when her head got cut off last week? That woman can survive anything. She's probably just tired from staying up all night chasing shrews and voles," King said.
"Good point," Jake recalled.
"Still, we can't just leave her here," Luz said.
Soon, Luz and King were carrying Eda by the feet, and Jake and Stitch were carrying her upper half into Eda's room where a big nest was.
"Okay, on three. One, two, three," Jake said as they lifted Eda onto the couch.
"Whew. I think Eda needs to cut back on the snacks," King smirked.
"Like you're one to talk. You eat as much as she does," Jake shot back, smirking.
"Sorry for pushing you, Miss Eda. Please don't hurt me when you wake up," Luz added nervously.
"Yeah, same here," Jake said, as Stitch poked around Eda's belongings, finding a blue stone with an animal design inside—a mix between a cat and a frog.
"Should I bap her again?" King asked mischievously.
"Just let her rest, you little goober. Come on, let's go downstairs," Luz said, giving him a playful shove.
"Come on, King," Jake called as he turned toward the stairs.
Grinning, King turned back to bap Eda one last time before sprinting out, giggling.
"Hey, Stitch, come on!" Jake yelled.
Stitch grew a third arm momentarily to set the stone down carefully before retracting it, then followed the others out of the room.
Downstairs, King was sketching one of his demon ideas when he noticed Stitch and Jake on the staircase, reading from his spell book on the Reinforcement Spell, while Luz tried to create a magic circle.
"This is all she does. Why's the Owl Lady gotta be so cryptic?" Luz groaned, staring at her notes.
"Hey, you know what's *really* cryptic? Let me tell you about the most spine-chilling demon: Smoochy-Pie the Sweetie Baby! He's... a lot more threatening than his name sounds," King said, strolling over.
"Not now, King. I want to figure out this spell so I can do magic like Eda and Jake. But without a magic sac, what's the point? I'll just be twirling my fingers around unmagically forever," Luz sighed.
"Why do you want to learn magic so badly?" King asked, curious.
"Because I was a nobody back home. The only friend I had was Jake, and when I saw him casting spells... I wished I could do it too. Be someone, like him," Luz admitted, catching Jake's attention.
"How did you and Jake even become friends in the first place?" King asked, prompting Luz to sit down with a smile.
"I'll never forget that day. I was just starting middle school, and I'd just discovered the *Azura* books—I loved them," Luz said, smiling as Jake walked over.
"Well, before I even met Stitch, I had just moved to Gravesfield after my dad passed away. Making friends was hard back then... until I met Luz at the park," Jake added. Little did Luz and Jake know, Stitch was quietly listening in on the story.
Flashback:
The school playground buzzed with activity as kids scattered around, laughing and playing games. In a quiet corner, young Luz was lost in her own world, clutching her Azura figure and reenacting a fierce battle scene.
"Blam! Blam! You are defeated!" Luz declared, making explosive sounds with her mouth. "And the Good Witch Azura saves the day!" She raised her hand in triumph, fully absorbed in her adventure.
Suddenly, a shadow loomed over her. "What's this?" a kid sneered, snatching her Azura figure out of her hands.
"Hey, give that back!" Luz protested, reaching out, but two boys began laughing at her.
"She still plays with dolls? What a loser," one of them mocked.
"Yeah! Maybe I can make dolly fly!" the other kid jeered, tossing Azura high into the air. Luz watched helplessly as the figure arced, plummeting back down with a small crunch, the wand snapping off.
"Stop it!" Luz pleaded, moving to retrieve her figure, only to be shoved back by the boys. Tears pricked her eyes, her cheeks flushed with anger and frustration.
Just then, another kid burst onto the scene, his expression fierce. "Leave her alone!" he shouted, stepping between Luz and the bullies. Luz blinked up in surprise at the boy standing in front of her—a young Jake, fists clenched, ready to defend her.
"What's it to you?" one of the boys scoffed, sizing Jake up.
Jake didn't back down. "If you've got nothing better to do than pick on her, maybe you should go play somewhere else," he retorted, glaring at them.
The boys hesitated, caught off guard by Jake's determination. After an uncomfortable pause, they rolled their eyes and slinked away, muttering under their breath.
As the bullies walked off, Jake turned around, his expression softening as he crouched down next to Luz. "Hey, are you okay?"
Luz wiped her tears, nodding shyly. "Yeah… thanks."
Jake handed her the broken Azura figure, frowning at the damage. "I'm sorry about your toy. Those guys were jerks."
Luz took the figure gently, examining the broken wand with a sigh. "It's okay. She's still a hero… even with a broken wand."
Jake smiled, clearly impressed by her resilience. "That's pretty cool. I'm Jake, by the way."
"Luz," she replied, offering a small smile in return.
Jake looked down at her figure. "You like magic, huh?"
Luz nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! I wanna be just like the Good Witch Azura—she's brave, powerful, and always does what's right!"
Jake's face lit up. "That's awesome! I think you're already pretty brave." He paused, glancing around. "Hey, do you want to go play together?"
Luz's face brightened. "Really? You'd play with me?"
"Of course," Jake said, extending his hand. "Come on, let's go find an adventure!"
With a giggle, Luz took his hand, and the two new friends ran off, leaving the playground bullies far behind.
End of Flashback:
"After that day, Jake became the best friend I could ever ask for," Luz said with a smile.
"Wow, quite a story. But the question is, why did Jake just jump in like that?" King asked, curious.
"Because they were bullying her, and I hate bullies," Jake replied, just as Stitch walked over.
"Ika patooka!" Stitch said, startling them.
"How much did you hear?" Luz asked, raising an eyebrow.
"All of it! You two are ohana now, so if anyone messes with Luz, they mess with me. No one messes with ohana!" Stitch said proudly, making Luz smile at him.
"Thanks, Stitch," Luz said, giving him a hug.
I remember that day too—the day you and I became a team," Jake added with a grin.
"You were always there for me when I needed you," Luz replied warmly.
"And I could say the same for you," Jake responded as they shared a meaningful look.
"Are you two about to kiss?" King asked, breaking the moment and causing both Luz and Jake to freeze.
"What?!" Jake and Luz exclaimed in unison, both blushing as Stitch chuckled.
"Uh, so... how's it going with the Reinforcement Spell?" Luz asked, clearly flustered.
"Uh, well, I'm trying, but it's not easy," Jake admitted, equally nervous.
"Well, show me what you've got!" Luz encouraged.
"Okay, here goes. Eda said I need to focus my magic and wrap it around my body like an aura." Jake took a deep breath, concentrating as a yellow aura began to flow around his feet. He started to run, but small puffs of magic sputtered out, and when he tried to speed up, he slipped on a piece of paper and tumbled to the ground.
"Ooh, that's gotta hurt," King winced.
"Jake!" Luz and Stitch gasped, rushing over to help him up. "Are you okay?" Luz asked, concerned.
"Ugh, I've been better," Jake groaned. "Still trying to get the hang of this. I can't quite get it right yet."
Luz noticed a small bruise on his knee and quickly put a bandaid over it. "Now you're a Boo-Boo Buddy like us."
"Thanks, Luz. Looks like we're both struggling to learn," Jake admitted as Stitch handed him his spell book.
"Thanks, buddy," Jake said, patting Stitch on the head.
"Achi-baba!" Stitch grinned, wagging his antennae.
"Maybe I can help!" King piped up, catching their attention. "If I help you two learn these spells, could we finish our lessons?"
"Oh, yes, yes! You can teach me all about demons if you help me learn this spell!" Luz said, excited.
"Sure thing, King," Jake nodded.
"Well," King began, "Eda mentioned that witches and wizards used to do magic differently, so there's got to be a way, right? And I have a theory." He held up a drawing. "Every day, I see Eda sneaking sips of these special elixirs, and she always gets a burst of energy afterward. I think that's where she gets her powers. And I know where to get some!"
"You do?" Jake asked.
"Hai," King replied confidently.
"Thank you so much, you're a prince!" Luz said, giving him a hug.
"King. I'm King," he corrected.
"Right, sorry," Luz said, releasing him.
"But do you really think this will work?" Jake asked, sounding a bit skeptical.
"Jake, this is different from how you've learned before. Sometimes you need to try new approaches," King explained.
"I guess you have a point," Jake admitted.
"Yeah, I do! Now if you'll excuse me…" King said, running off toward Eda's room.
Turning to Stitch, Jake grinned. "Alright, Stitch, let's see if I can teach you some magic!"
"Tookie bah wah bah!" Stitch replied enthusiastically.
Before heading to Eda's room, King wandered over to Asher and Finn's room, where they were packing up their bags, checking supplies, and sorting through potion bottles.
"Hey, what's all this?" King asked, eyeing a few mysterious-looking flasks and bundles of herbs they were tossing into their bags. "You two working on some kind of special project?"
Finn looked up, grinning. "Yep! We're heading out to gather some extra supplies and potions. Figured we might need them for some extra protection on the Boiling Isles."
"Especially since Eda's not exactly around to make us more potions right now," Asher added, holding up a jar filled with shimmering blue liquid. "This one's for extra stamina. Pretty rare, but it'll keep us going if we're in a tight spot."
King's eyes widened as he eyed the bottle. "Ooo, nice! What else you got in there?"
"Oh, just some odds and ends," Finn shrugged, though his grin hinted that he was keeping some secrets. "We thought we'd experiment a bit, see what kinds of potions we can come up with."
"Well, if it works out, I might need you two to make a special elixir for me," King said with a sly smile. "I have an idea that might just help Jake and Luz with their spell practice."
Asher raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Oh yeah? This wouldn't happen to be one of your legendary schemes, would it, King?"
King's eyes twinkled. "You'll just have to wait and see. Good luck out there, and don't blow up any cauldrons!"
Finn chuckled. "No promises, King! We'll let you know if we come across anything interesting."
"Alright, I'll let you two get to it." King turned, waving them off as he headed out the door. "And if I get any brilliant ideas, you two will be the first to know!"
With that, King scurried off to Eda's room, leaving Asher and Finn to their adventure.
Making his way into the Eda's room, King looked around for the elixir.
"Now where could it be?" King asks when his foot almost stepped into a trap. "Ha! Nice try!" King said as the trap stood up and revealed an eye.
"Nah, my heart wasn't in it." The trap said walking away.
On Eda's nightstand, King saw an elixir with golden liquid in it.
Climbing up King read the tag. "An Elixir a day. Cryptic." King said ripping the tag off and putting it in his collar before taking it.
Jumping down King looks to the sleeping Eda before walking out.
In the kitchen, Luz, Jake, and Stitch were sitting down when King revealed a bottle of elixir.
"Got it," King declared proudly.
"Wow. I can't believe I'm about to learn magic. Real magic. This is historic!" Luz said, excitement in her voice.
"Just be sure to save some for me and Stitch," Jake added, as Luz reached for the elixir first.
Just as she was about to take a sip, a loud clap of thunder echoed, startling her. The elixir slipped from her hands, crashing to the ground and shattering.
"No! Naga!" Jake and Stitch gasped in unison.
"The golden elixir… gone! This is awful," Luz groaned.
"Who even needs a light spell when we have tons of lamps?" King said, trying to brush it off. But just then, all the lamps went out, leaving them in darkness.
"You were saying?" Jake asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Hooty controls the house lights. He probably just fell asleep," King sighed. Suddenly, they heard a loud crashing noise from another part of the house.
"Hoot! Hoot!" Hooty's panicked voice echoed.
"Hooty!" Luz gasped.
Acting quickly, Jake activated his Astral Convergence Magic, summoning his Starlight Blade. Stitch drew his plasma blaster, and together they ran out to see a large shadowy creature clawing at the door.
The creature growled, then darted off into the darkness. The Four of them ran to check on Hooty.
"Hooty, are you in there?" Jake asked, concerned, while Luz looked him over for any damage.
"Whatever did this escaped into the rain. What could survive that?" Luz asked, puzzled.
"Oh my gosh! The Snaggleback!" King exclaimed. "It feeds during the rains. It must've stumbled across our house and seen us inside."
Just then, they heard another roar, and Stitch, acting on impulse, fired his plasma blaster, burning a small hole in the roof.
"Really, Stitch?" Jake asked, exasperated.
"Soka!" Stitch replied, shrugging. They heard another roar echo through the house.
Running to the edge of the force field, they spotted the shadowy creature leaping through an upstairs window.
"And now it's in the house," Jake panicked.
"This is terrifying… so why do you look so happy?" Luz asked, noticing King's wide-eyed excitement.
"Because this could be a lesson! A chance for you to see a wild demon up close and personal," King said, clearly thrilled.
"You want us to go *toward* the creepy sounds? No way," Luz said, shaking her head.
"Yeah, that's insane, King! What if that thing spots us?" Jake asked.
"What if Eda gets eaten? She's upstairs and defenseless because you two knocked her out," King reminded them. Both Jake and Luz groaned, realizing he was right.
Wearing makeshift armor made of pads and pillows, Luz grabbed a hockey stick, Jake readied his Starlight Blade, Stitch held his plasma blaster, and King clutched a stuffed rabbit as they carefully climbed the stairs. Luz used her phone as a flashlight, with Jake and Stitch close behind, prepared to defend.
"Now I know how it feels to be in a horror movie," Luz whispered, gulping.
"Haga blah," Stitch muttered, adjusting his plasma blaster.
"Yeah… not a fan of this," Jake added as they noticed Eda's door slightly open.
Exchanging determined nods, they crept closer and opened the door. Inside, they saw that Eda's window had been broken, and her nest was empty.
"Eda!" Jake, Stitch, and Luz gasped, rushing inside.
"She got snaggle-backed!" King exclaimed as they inspected the nest.
Reaching inside, Luz lifted a pillow to reveal fresh slash marks.
"No! Slash marks. King, you're the demon expert. I need your help," Luz said urgently. Just then, a small picture slipped out from under the pillow.
"Huh?" Jake said, picking it up curiously.
"I'll go get my demon book!" King shouted, dashing off. But as he ran, they all froze at the sound of a low, menacing snarl.
A few minutes later, King came running in, clutching his books.
"Wait, wait—First Edition or second?" King mumbled, then gasped, realizing Luz, Jake, and Stitch were gone. "Luz? Jake? Stitch? The Snaggleback got them!"
Suddenly, he heard snarling and movement down the hall.
"You craven beast! Give me back my boo-boo buddies!" King shouted, running after the noise. At the end of the hall, he found one of Luz's shoes, Jake's jacket, and Stitch's plasma blaster lying in front of a door. "No," King gasped, picking them up.
He wrapped Jake's jacket around himself like a scarf, clutching Luz's shoe and Stitch's blaster, and cautiously stepped into a closet, spotting a shadowy figure.
"There is nowhere for you to run!" King declared, pulling back the curtain to reveal a Snaggleback—though much smaller and less spiky than he'd imagined. "Snaggleback? Wow, you're a lot shorter in person."
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I just needed a place to hide from the rain," Snaggleback stuttered.
"Then why did you break down our door and take my friends? That's not cool, man. Bad Snaggleback." King scolded.
"I-I didn't do any of that! I just snuck in through a window a moment ago," the Snaggleback replied, confusing him.
"Huh?" King started, just as a giant hand ripped through the ceiling and grabbed the Snaggleback.
"Oh no! A twist!" it screamed, being pulled up and out.
Whimpering, King looked toward the door, where a large, fearsome creature loomed, spitting out the Snaggleback's shell before growling menacingly at him.
"Stay back! Hey, hey—I am the King of Demons, okay? And as such, I demand you barf my friends back up!" King shouted, but the creature roared and swung a claw at him.
Yelping, King darted out of the way and down the hall. As he turned a corner, a hand reached out, pulling him into Eda's room.
King paused, gulping, as the beast prowled past. He realized it was Luz, Jake, and Stitch who had saved him.
"Luz? Jake? Stitch?" King gasped.
"Oh, thank goodness you're safe," Luz said, relieved.
"Achi-baba!" Stitch exclaimed, reclaiming his plasma blaster from King.
"What happened?" King asked.
"After we saw Eda was gone, we got nervous and went looking for you, but that creature smashed through a window, and my jacket got ripped off," Jake explained.
"And I tripped and lost my shoe. Hey, you found them!" Luz noticed, smiling as she took it back.
"Oh, uh, here. But what about Stitch? I saw his plasma blaster on the floor," King asked as Jake put his jacket back on. Luz lifted her foot to slip on her shoe, causing Stitch to blush in embarrassment.
Suddenly, King noticed something. "Hey, what's this?" he asked, spotting half a tag. "Keeps the Curse at bay. Wait." He pulled out the matching piece from the elixir. "An elixir a day keeps the curse at bay."
"Curse? What are you talking about?" Jake asked.
"I was wrong the whole time. That's no Snaggleback. That creature is…"
Before King could finish, a giant claw burst through the door, knocking them back. The creature stepped into the light, revealing Eda—transformed into a monstrous owl beast.
"Eda?!" Luz and Jake gasped in shock.
"Gaba!" Stitch exclaimed, equally stunned.
Growling, Eda lunged at them, but Luz stepped back, accidentally dropping her phone. The device hit the ground, triggering a bright flash that made Eda scream, covering her eyes.
Seeing their chance, Jake quickly summoned his Starlight Blade and swung it at her, but Eda swatted him back with her claws, sending him flying into Luz and King.
"Jake!" Luz and King gasped, rushing over to him.
With a growl, Stitch leapt up, attempting to attack Eda.
As Stitch lunged at Eda, he fired a blast from his plasma blaster, the blue energy bolt hitting Eda's shoulder. She let out a furious roar, whipping around and lashing out with her sharp claws. Stitch dodged, rolling to the side and quickly regaining his stance, growling low and fierce. His ears folded back as he gripped his blaster tighter, determined to protect his friends.
Eda lunged again, swiping at him, but Stitch ducked under her arm, firing another shot that hit her side. Enraged, Eda swung her tail, catching Stitch off guard and knocking him backward. He skidded across the floor but immediately rolled back up, determined not to give up.
"Stitch, be careful!" Jake shouted, scrambling to his feet as he re-summoned his Starlight Blade.
Stitch barked something in his alien language, giving Jake a quick nod before charging at Eda again. He weaved in and out of her strikes, using his agility to dodge her claws and tail. Jake joined the fray, circling around Eda and aiming his Starlight Blade at her back.
Taking advantage of Jake's distraction, Stitch leapt onto Eda's shoulder, wrapping his tiny but powerful arms around her neck. She thrashed, trying to shake him off, and Jake seized the moment. He charged forward, his blade glowing brightly as he swung at Eda's arm, forcing her to release a screech and back off.
"Come on!" Grabbing King, the four of them dashed away before Eda could recover.
They ducked behind a wall covered in flowers, holding their breath as Eda growled, prowling nearby in search of them. Luz spotted a small can on the floor and threw it down the hall, the noise drawing Eda's attention. She snarled and bolted toward the sound.
"That was way too close," Jake panted, catching his breath along with the others.
"Graazi," Stitch muttered, clutching his plasma blaster.
"And those eyes… What happened to her?" Luz asked, visibly shaken.
"Don't you see? The elixir I gave her doesn't give Eda powers. It keeps her from turning into… that." King admitted, looking down. "She's turned into a nightmare, and it's all my fault. I'm so sorry, guys. I just wanted you three to be into demons like you're into magic. I don't have many friends, and no one even pays attention to me. I thought that if I taught you three, maybe someone would finally care about creatures like me."
Jake, Stitch, and Luz exchanged looks before smiling. Luz pulled out her pen, and Jake placed a reassuring hand on King's shoulder.
"Then we have a lesson to finish," Jake said confidently, while Stitch nodded with a grin.
"Huh?" King blinked in surprise.
"Eda's turned into some kind of demon, and we need to save her. Who knows more about demons than the best teacher in the world?" Luz added.
King's eyes sparkled with excitement, and he leaped up to hug them before grabbing a few leaves and sketching out a plan.
"Alright, she was bigger, covered in feathers, and had giant black eyes. Demons with black eyes are usually sensitive to light," King explained.
"Good thing I can create light with my Starlight Blade," Jake said, just as King noticed their phones.
"That's it! Your human wonder rectangle!" King exclaimed.
"I can't—my camera's broken," Luz said, showing her cracked screen.
"Then what about the light spell?" King suggested.
"You saw me, King. I can't draw circles in the air like Jake, and I'm not like Eda," Luz said, disappointed.
But then, something caught her eye on her phone screen—a glitched image of Eda casting a spell circle. Luz looked closer, noticing a pattern.
"Wait, there's a pattern in the spell circle," she gasped.
"Where?" Jake asked as he, Stitch, and King leaned in.
"It looked like this," Luz said, putting a leaf over her phone screen and tracing the symbol she saw. As she finished, a small orb of light appeared, glowing brightly.
"It's beautiful," Jake said with a smile.
"Eegalagoo!" Stitch exclaimed, thrilled for Luz.
"Oh my gosh! I just did magic! I'm a witch like you!" Luz cheered, hugging Jake and Stitch tightly. Their celebration was interrupted by a loud roar from down the hall.
"We're not going to stop anything with something that small," King observed.
"Wait, remember Eda said that if we make a bigger circle, the spell will be more powerful?" Jake recalled.
"Maybe, but how would we do it?" Luz wondered.
"What if I lured her toward you guys?" Jake suggested.
"What? No way, Jake! She'll catch you too easily—she's too fast!" Luz gasped.
"For now. Jake, you've gotta use the Reinforcement Magic. It'll give you the boost you need to survive Eda," King advised.
"But I don't know how to do this. I tried my way, but I messed it up," Jake admitted, looking down.
Stitch nudged Jake's arm, drawing his attention. "Yeah?" Jake asked.
Stitch held out his third arm, revealing a small, blue stone he'd found in Eda's room. Inside, it was carved with a symbol resembling a mix between a cat and a frog.
"What is that?" Jake asked, studying it closely.
Stitch nodded, motioning to Jake to take it.
Jake took the small stone, turning it in his hand. "What… what do I do with this?"
King's eyes widened. "That's a Reinforcement Rune! Some demons use it to boost their strength or speed. If you can channel it, it might just be enough to outrun Eda and keep you safe!"
"But I haven't done this kind of magic before," Jake replied, hesitant. "What if I mess it up?"
"Hey, you've got this, Jake," Luz encouraged, putting a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Just believe in yourself, like how you helped me learn that light spell."
Jake looked down at the rune, feeling the energy radiate from it. "Alright, I'll give it a shot."
He gripped the rune tightly, closing his eyes and focusing. A faint glow started to surround him, and he felt an unusual surge of power spread through his body. His movements felt quicker, his senses sharper.
Opening his eyes, Jake looked at the others. "Whoa. I think it worked."
King grinned, "Now let's get ready. Luz, you know how to make the light spell bigger, right?"
Luz nodded, drawing the circle pattern once again. "I'll try to make it huge to blind her, but we'll need to time this just right."
Downstairs, Eda was sniffing around, her monstrous form prowling as she searched for any sign of the group. A faint clicking sound echoed from down the hall, catching her attention.
Leaning casually against the wall, Jake held up the glowing pen, flicking it on and off. "Wow, pretty cool, right? It's just so… shiny." He grinned, watching as the glow captivated Eda.
Eda let out a low, menacing growl, her eyes locked on the pen. Then, with a thunderous roar, she lunged at him.
"Whoa!" Jake yelped, narrowly dodging her claws and taking off down the hall, Eda hot on his heels. "Okay, okay, think, Jake. In *Naruto* and *Pokémon* they could pull off crazy stuff by focusing all their energy into one spot. If I can concentrate my magic like that, it might actually work!" He pushed forward, trying to channel his energy into his legs, his feet sparking with small, uncertain bursts of magic.
"Come on, come on… I just need a little more!" he muttered as Eda's snarling jaws drew closer, her teeth inches from his back. With one final push, he felt the magic surge, igniting his feet in a brilliant flash of yellow energy, coating his body in a protective aura.
"Oh yeah!" Jake cheered, feeling the power lift him off with a burst of speed. "Can't catch me now!"
He rounded a corner at lightning speed, even running along the wall as he moved. Ahead, King scattered a bunch of papers along the floor, and Jake smirked as Eda, skidding after him, slid and tumbled down the hallway.
While Eda scrambled to regain her footing, Luz seized the moment, dropping a large blanket over Eda, slowing her down as she struggled beneath it.
"Got her!" Luz called to Jake and King as she frantically drew a large magic circle on the floor. Stitch joined in, extending his extra arms to help hold down the struggling Eda beneath the blanket.
Eda growled, breaking free from the blanket, but Stitch clung onto her, wrapping his arms around her as she thrashed. "Heegata no feebee!" he growled, his strength just barely holding her down.
Seeing the final stroke of the magic circle completed, Luz raised her hand. "Sorry, Eda, but this is for your own good!" She slapped her hand on the center of the spell circle, and a giant ball of light burst forth, filling the hall with a blinding glow.
Eda screamed, covering her eyes against the painful brightness. The light filled every corner of the room, wrapping her in its warmth, until the monstrous features of her face softened, her growls faded to quiet breaths, and she collapsed in exhaustion. Slowly, her features reverted back to her human form.
The light faded, leaving a weary and bewildered Eda lying on the floor.
"Eda?" Luz whispered, stepping forward, watching as Eda's eyes opened, her voice weak.
"W‐What happened? Oh, I have the worst headache. And my mouth tastes like roadkill." Eda groans before gaging and ends up barfing up the Snaggleback.
"I'm just gonna lie here for a minute." It groans.
"Hmm? I was looking for this," Eda said, picking up the elixir bottle.
"Actually, we found an extra one in your closet," King said, walking up to her.
"King? King! You stole my elixir?! I oughta break every bone in your—"
"Eda, ssh!" King shushed her, pointing over to Luz, Jake, and Stitch. "Look."
In the corner, Luz was drawing multiple light runes and turning them into floating balls of light that hovered around the room. Jake was leaping into the air with ease, tossing them to Stitch, who was holding the blue stone in one of his paws and chasing after Jake, leaping from wall to wall.
"How are they doing that?" Eda asked, amazed.
"They figured out the trick to doing magic on their own. Hey, I, uh… kind of messed a bunch of things up back there. And I just wanted to say I'm sorry," King admitted, looking up at her.
"Well, you better be. I got a long list of disgusting chores with your name on it," Eda replied, eyeing him with a smirk. "But it's not entirely your fault." As Jake, Stitch, and Luz walked over, she continued, "I haven't been completely honest with you all. When I was younger, I was cursed. I don't know exactly how it happened, but if I don't take my elixir… well, that's why people call me the Owl Lady. No one likes having a curse, but if you take the right steps, it's manageable."
"So *that's* why Asher and Finn wanted the Owlstone," Jake said, his eyes widening. "So you wouldn't be cursed anymore and wouldn't become the owl beast."
"Exactly," Eda nodded. "But there's nothing for you to worry about. It's all under control, and as long as no one steals my elixir"—she shot a look at King—"then I'm fine. But hey, look at this: now I have three magical students! Good job, kid."
"The only reason I was able to make that spell was because Jake and Stitch kept you busy long enough for me to do it," Luz said, rubbing the back of her head. "Plus, we had a great teacher."
"Oh, you," King smiled, looking a little bashful.
"Hey! Is anyone there? Hello? Hoot? I'm on the floor. It's cold!" Hooty called out from downstairs.
"That voice! That horrific voice!" King said, exasperated.
"We'll take care of him. You stay in bed," Luz said to Eda. She turned to the Snaggleback, grinning. "Come on, you goopy fella. We'll set you free now."
"I think my tail was digested," the Snaggleback muttered as Luz and King led it out of the room.
Eda chuckled, shaking her head as she watched them go. She gave Jake and Stitch a grateful nod, her expression softening. "Thanks, kids… for everything."
Downstairs, Jake carefully put Hooty's door back in place while Luz placed a few band-aids on him.
"Welcome to the Boo-Boo Buddy Club, Hooty," Luz said, grinning.
"Finally, I'm part of something!" Hooty beamed, his eyes wide with joy.
Jake turned to Luz, smiling. "Hey, Luz, you really blew me away back there. Great job."
"Yep, looks like you're not the only magic user anymore," Luz replied, giving him a playful nudge.
Jake paused, remembering Eda's words. Reaching out, he gently pulled Luz into a hug, catching her off guard.
"J-Jake?" Luz stammered, surprised.
"Thanks for being here, Luz. I'm really glad you are," Jake said, his sincerity making Luz blush a little before she returned the hug.
"Me too," she replied, smiling warmly.
Nearby, King was deep in conversation with the Snaggleback.
"And then, she had *teeth* in her stomach. Teeth in her stomach! Can you believe that?" the Snaggleback exclaimed, shuddering.
"Oh yeah, this is going to make a great addition to my demon book," King said, eagerly sketching a picture of Owl Eda.
The Snaggleback leaned over, showing King a drawing of himself. "That book is full of interesting stuff, like this! See? I'm one of the strongest demons on the Boiling Isles, huh?"
King glanced at the picture, a look of doubt crossing his face. "Yeah… I'm gonna need to edit that."
"Aww…" the Snaggleback groaned, slumping a little.
Later that night, Jake sat on the roof of the Owl House, carefully threading together an ocean-themed necklace with a shimmering oyster pearl in the center. Stitch sat beside him, sorting small beads and shells to help, his large ears twitching at every sound in the quiet night.
"Almost done, Stitch," Jake whispered, holding the necklace up to admire it in the moonlight. The pearl caught the light, casting a soft glow.
Stitch's eyes sparkled as he grunted approvingly. "Ooh…preeetty!" he said, arranging another shell for Jake to add.
Unbeknownst to them, a shadowy figure watched from a nearby tree. It had yellow fur with black stripes, a sleek, lightning bolt-shaped tail, and curious, glinting eyes. The creature—Experiment 705—carefully inched forward, intrigued by what they were doing.
Stitch's ears perked up first. He turned toward the tree, narrowing his eyes. "Jake… not alone," he murmured, nodding toward the shadows.
Jake turned and caught sight of the figure as it crept closer, its eyes glowing with energy. He extended a hand cautiously. "Hey there," he called softly. "It's okay; we won't hurt you."
The creature stepped forward, electricity sparking along its lightning-shaped tail. "I am Experiment 705. I was created to harness and control electrical energy. My purpose is to protect."
Jake tilted his head, intrigued. "Protect? Protect from what?"
705's voice crackled like static. "Dark forces are gathering. There is a great danger approaching the Boiling Isles. We must be prepared."
Experiment 705 stood with its eyes flickering with electrical energy. Jake eyed the new experiment warily, remembering the trouble caused by previous experiments Eli had released. "Alright, 705," he said firmly. "You said there's a great danger coming. Start talking."
705 nodded. "I understand your suspicion. But I'm not here to harm you. Eli released me, but I'm no longer loyal to him. I broke free to warn you."
"Warn us about what?" Jake asked, .
"There's a powerful entity—an ancient force—that Eli is trying to awaken," 705 explained. "If he succeeds, it will bring destruction not just to the Boiling Isles, but to all realms."
Jake's expression hardened as he considered this. "Do you think it's telling the truth?" he asked Stitch.
Stitch grumbled, his eyes never leaving the new experiment. "Heega naga," he muttered, clearly skeptical.
Jake sighed. "I don't know. Eli's tricks have made me cautious. But if there's even a chance 705 is right, we can't ignore it."
705 continued, its voice urgent. "The Owl Stone holds a unique power that Eli needs to break the seal on the ancient entity. Without it, his plan cannot succeed."
"Is that why Eli wants the Owl Stone?" Jake asked, a mix of curiosity and concern in his voice.
705 nodded solemnly. "Yes. I can provide information from the inside," it said, standing up as if ready to leave.
"Really? You'd do that?" Jake asked, surprised.
705 nodded firmly. "Even though he set me free, I don't care about Eli's motives. Everything he's doing is wrong."
Stitch looked up at 705 with a thoughtful expression. "Cousin?" he asked.
705 nodded. "Yes, cousin. We're family, and we need to stick together, especially now."
705 gave a firm nod and turned to leave, but Jake stopped him. "Volt," Jake said suddenly.
705 looked back, confused. "What?"
"I'm giving you a new name. 'Volt,' because of your lightning powers," Jake said with a smile.
705—now Volt—paused thoughtfully before nodding. "Volt. I like it. Thank you, Jake."
"You're welcome," Jake replied.
Volt gave them both a final look of gratitude before vanishing in a stream of yellow electricity.
As Volt vanished in a stream of yellow electricity, leaving a faint crackling in the air, Jake and Stitch sat quietly for a moment, processing everything they'd just learned.
Stitch broke the silence first, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "Eli… always making trouble," he muttered, rolling his eyes. "But cousin Volt seems… different."
"Yeah," Jake agreed, glancing up at the stars. "It's like he really wants to help us. I don't know why he'd break free from Eli, but maybe he just wants a chance to do something good."
Stitch nodded, his big eyes narrowing with determination. "Good family is ohana. No matter where they come from." He looked back at Jake. "So… what we do now?"
Jake sighed, rubbing his neck. "We have to figure out a way to keep the Owl Stone safe. If Eli really needs it to release that ancient force, then he'll come after us eventually." He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "But I don't want to worry Eda or Luz too soon. Not without a plan."
Stitch scratched his head, considering this. "We keep stone secret. Maybe find safe place?"
"Good idea. We could set up some kind of decoy or a hiding spot where Eli would never think to look," Jake replied, a small grin forming. "Maybe you can help me set up some defenses around the Owl House too. Like little traps or alarms."
Stitch's face lit up with excitement. "Stitch make best traps! Eli not know what hit him." He began gesturing wildly, already dreaming up creative, quirky ways to keep intruders out.
Jake laughed, feeling a little more at ease. "I knew you'd be into this. But remember, we have to keep things on the down-low, or Eda will have questions."
Stitch gave a mischievous grin, putting a claw to his lips. "Stitch good at secrets." He leaned in, whispering, "And we keep new cousin Volt in mind. Never know when he come back."
Jake nodded, feeling a renewed sense of purpose. "Yeah, we'll be ready. Together."
The two shared a determined smile, then turned to gaze out over the Boiling Isles, already plotting the next steps to protect their family and home.