Hey, I'm back!
I recently joined the Owl House bandwagon, and I love it, especially Hunter. That's why my writing has been so slow. I'm having an autism fixation, and it's messing with my other work.
Anyway, I saw a similar story in which Luz and Hunter grew up as siblings in the Human Realm, and I wanted to write my own. The story is called "And they were siblings!" by Ash_katchum_these_hands over on ao3, for anyone interested.
Hunter's still technically a Grimwalker, but I'm tempted to give him magic. I personally believe there are enough holes and speculation in the description of Grimwalkers that it can be done. That's also the argument for Hunter being a baby. I haven't fully decided on the magic part, but that revelation wouldn't be for a while anyway.
As for the parts with the Golden Guard, I'm keeping that a secret for now.
Disclaimer: I don't own The Owl House or its characters. I only own this story and any OCs I throw in.
Let the story begin!
A surprisingly peaceful night enveloped the Boiling Isles. The nocturnal creatures chose to take a break tonight.
However, this tranquility was quickly disrupted by the sound of two pairs of footsteps racing through the forest. A dark-skinned young man wore a dark cloak while cradling an infant wrapped in a yellow blanket, racing through the dense foliage. Following closely behind was a slightly older male with pale skin, ash-blond hair, and a scar across his left eye.
The two stopped near the edge of the woods, with the dark-skinned man trying to soothe the baby when it started crying. "Shhh, you'll be safe soon, Little Prince."
"We need to hurry," his companion said. As the infant calmed down, the two men broke through the treeline into a clearing.
"Please be here soon..." the dark-skinned man whispered as the blond glanced around alertly. Both males jumped when they saw the ground move as something big burrowed toward them. The blond pulled out a staff, moving protectively in front of the other two.
As it got closer, a small auburn demon with orange fur emerged from the ground, prompting the blond to ease up. The demon sniffed the air and then indicated toward someone across the clearing. A second figure, dressed in a dark cloak and glasses, emerged from the foliage, holding an unusual suitcase adorned with an eye motif.
"Eber. Raine." The dark-skinned man sighed in relief, pulling back his hood to reveal dark dreadlocks. "You made it."
"Sorry we're late," the other person said, removing their hood to reveal medium-brown skin and mint-green hair. "We would've been here sooner, but my ex… well, she had questions. She's still kinda mad at me about the breakup."
"What did you tell her?" the blond asked, amused yet serious as he lowered his weapon.
"Nothing specific, but I think the part that sold her was when she realized this would tick off the Emperor."
"Typical." The dark-skinned man rolled his eyes while the demon snickered.
"Anyway, are you sure about leaving him in the Human Realm?" Raine asked, concerned as they looked at the bundle in the other's arms. "There's no telling how that will affect his development."
"We have to," the blond said solemnly, looking at the baby. "If he stayed in the Demon Realm, it would only be a matter of time before Belos found him. The Human Realm is the only place he can't reach."
Raine looked at him for a minute before sighing. "If you're sure…"
"We are, Raine." The dark-skinned witch nodded. "Thank you."
Nodding in return, Raine handed the case to the blond before pulling out a key from around his neck. It had the same eye symbol as the case. "Eda gave me a quick tutorial. All you have to do is set the case on the ground and press the eye."
"Got it." The blond nodded.
A beetle-like creature crawled up to Eber. The demon picked it up and began conversing with it. The beetle's message made the demon tense, prompting it to growl menacingly at the woods as the beetle scurried away. "What is it, Eber?" Raine asked, immediately alert.
"They're close," the blond said ominously, glaring at the shadows.
"What do we do?" the dark-skinned male asked, holding the baby closer to him.
The blond glanced down, then at the witch and demon behind him, before facing his partner. He remained silent, but his partner could see the plan reflected in his dark, magenta eyes. "Will, don't…." he started to say, eyes widening in fear.
"Darius." He spoke, putting his hands on the other's shoulders as he looked him in the eye. "I have to do this."
Darius bit his lip as they looked at the baby, who had fallen asleep after they stopped running. Will bumped his forehead against Darius's, their eyes locking. "Give him the life I didn't have." Darius nodded hesitantly, a few tears escaping his eyes.
Eberwolf and Raine exchanged glances, filled with confusion and concern. They sensed that more was unfolding than they understood.
Will knelt down, placing his forehead against the child's as he set the case down. His composure slipped for a minute as his closed eyes scrunched tighter before relaxing. "This cycle ends with me…" Opening his eyes, he stood up as the baby's eyes opened. They smiled and cooed at the older man with matching eyes.
Will shared a smile with the infant before adopting a serious expression. He gently knocked foreheads with Darius once more, then nodded to Raine and Eberwolf. With his staff at the ready, he stepped back into the woods and vanished into the shadows.
Darius swallowed a sob that partially escaped, knowing that this was the last time he would ever see Will again.
"Darius?" Raine asked softly, having never seen their fellow witch like this before. Eberwolf whimpered like a sad dog, feeling his friend's pain even if he didn't fully understand.
Remembering that he still had a job to do, Darius wiped away the tears and steeled his resolve. He turned back to the others. "Let's go."
Raine handed him the key. "If this takes longer than planned, just push the eye to close the door. It'll keep the case with you, too."
"Understood." Darius nodded.
"Also, Eda mentioned she wanted it back by Saturday. She has a side business selling human junk on the weekends."
Darius rolled his eyes again but said nothing. Looking at the key, the witch smiled gratefully at the other two. "Thank you… both of you." The demon and witch nodded before Darius pressed the eye to activate the portal. The suitcase unfolded into three sections, turning into an ornate door with a matching eye symbol.
"We'll guard the door while it's open," Raine said.
Darius nodded once more before he opened the door. Initially, the other side appeared inky, dotted with star-like flickers and ripples. Then, the doorway flashed white, revealing what lay beyond. The portal led to an aged porch, bordered by dark green trees that signaled it was nighttime in the Human Realm. Additionally, it was raining, adding to Darius's unease.
"It's okay," Raine assured him as Eberwolf stared through the door curiously. "Rain in the Human Realm doesn't boil."
Darius took a deep breath, tucked the key into his pocket for safekeeping, and stepped through the door. As he surveyed the porch, he realized the entrance led to an abandoned old house. Spotting a path through the woods, he hoped to discover a safe haven for the little prince beyond the forest. He adjusted his cloak to shield the sleeping baby from the rain and began his journey through the downpour.
About half a mile down the trail, Darius found more houses that looked less abandoned. He started walking toward one of them when he noticed an out-of-place light by the street. Changing his course, he saw two humans about his age, a man and a woman, with a human transport worm. The woman had the front end open while the man sat inside.
Darius glanced at the baby and then shifted his gaze to the couple, a slight smile emerging as an idea struck him. If these people had a vehicle, they could be traveling, which would allow them to move the child further away from the portal entrance, complicating the emperor's search for him even more.
"I think they will be perfect for you, Little Prince," he whispered. He moved slightly out of the shadows until he stood just outside the edge of a streetlight. He gently placed the infant down before pulling a small note from his pocket. As he set it on the infant's blanket, he looked at the child one last time. "May you have a carefree life, Little Prince." When he glanced up, he briefly locked eyes with the male human before quickly returning to the portal.
As Darius retreated into the woods, he let the tears freely flow. His sole connection to Will was lost, but it was for the best. All he could do now was wish Hunter a better life than he might have had.
(POV Change)
With a sigh, Camila inspected the engine. She and her new husband, Manny, were returning home from the hospital after his check-up. For years, Manny had dealt with a worsening medical condition that had plagued him since childhood, causing periodic attacks that required consistent check-ups. Unfortunately, their car began making strange noises while driving home, prompting them to pull over so Camila could look under the hood.
"Everything okay, mi amor?" Manny asked from inside the car.
"Sí, I think I found the problem," Camila answered as she started fiddling with a piece of the engine.
As his wife tended to the car, Manny turned to his left and abruptly met the gaze of a cloaked stranger. One astonished blink later, the man vanished. Unsure of whether it had been real (he might need to cut back on his reading), Manny shook his head and refocused on the spot where the figure had stood. He noticed something yellow on the ground just beyond the street lamp's glow. When it began to move, his breath caught in his throat.
Manny jumped out and rushed around the car's backside without thinking, catching Camila's attention. "Manny?" she called, but her husband didn't hear her.
Kneeling beside the bundle, Manny found a baby wrapped in a soft yellow blanket. When the child started crying, he immediately picked him up and cradled him.
"Camila! Come here! Rápidamente!" he called over his shoulder. Camila quickly ran over, knowing something was wrong.
"Amor, what's wrong?" she asked, gasping when she saw the child in his arms. "¡Ay Dios mío! Amor, whose baby is that?!
"I don't know! He was just lying here by the sidewalk!"
"Who would leave a child on the ground in the middle of the rain?!"
As a crack of thunder and a flash of lightning caught the couple's attention, they hurriedly made their way back to the car. Manny took his place in the passenger seat, attempting to soothe the baby. Meanwhile, Camila closed the hood and got into the driver's seat. Once they were out of the rain and cozy in the car, the child began to calm down.
When the adrenaline from the situation faded, Manny noticed a small note pinned to the baby's blanket. He unfolded it and began to read it aloud.
"To whomever is reading this,
I'm truly sorry to place this responsibility on you without warning, but I'm afraid I have no choice. It is not safe to leave him in his previous living situation. His name is Hunter, and I only wish that you could take care of him and give him the life he truly deserves."
"Ay Dios mío…." Camila said, a bit overwhelmed. "What do we do?"
"I don't know." Her husband responded, his mind bringing up the figure he saw.
As they began to move, Manny glanced down just as Hunter's eyes fluttered open. The child looked up at him, revealing the most precious and distinctive magenta eyes. When Manny shifted the blanket slightly, he noticed the small mop of blond hair and the child's oddly pointed ears. Hunter smiled at him, and Manny couldn't help but smile back fondly as the baby dozed off again.
"Amor… we've talked about starting a family before, haven't we?"
"Manny, what do you mean?" Camila asked though she had a good idea.
"I think we should keep him."
"Are you sure, amor? This is such a huge responsibility out of the blue. And what about your condition? I know we've discussed starting a family, but what if the stress causes more flare-ups?"
Manny's smile turned sad as he continued looking at Hunter. "Camila, we've been together for years now. I think we're ready for this. My condition isn't going anywhere. It's always going to be something I'll have to deal with, and I'm tired of us having to put our lives on hold for it."
"Manny…"
"Besides, we were the ones who found him. Call it what you want, but I think it's a sign."
Camila looked at her husband quietly before glancing at Hunter as the baby slept peacefully in his arms. "Well, if you're sure…"
"I am."
She smiled before focusing back on the road. "Then let me drop you two off at home before doing some last-minute shopping. You had to have a blood draw this time, so you should get some rest."
"Yes, dear," Manny chuckled, happy his wife trusted his judgment.
(Two Years Later)
Within the Noceda home, Camila and Manny exchanged smiles as she placed their newborn daughter in her crib, where the baby joyfully babbled.
"Mamá, Papá, can I see her?" Hunter, now two years old, asked as he peeked into the room. Hunter's blond mop had grown out, and he wore a deep blue t-shirt with burgundy overalls.
"Sí, Pequeño Duende," Manny answered. "Come meet your new sister."
"Yay!" Hunter cheered, running up to the crib.
Manny chuckled slightly at his son's excitement before picking him up to look over the crib. "Up we go."
Hunter smiled brightly, his eyes sparkling as he got a good look at his baby sister for the first time. "Hi, Luz! I'm Hunter, and I'm your manito mayor! Your big brother!" He extended his hand to Luz, who gazed at it with curiosity. She took it with her tiny fingers and laughed joyfully as if it were the most wonderful thing in the world.
Their parents smiled fondly at the children's interaction. Camila pulled out her phone and started taking pictures. "This is so going on the wall." Manny smiled in agreement, observing his children with satisfaction.
He understood that his illness would remain a challenge, and their future was uncertain. Yet, at this moment, everything felt just right in his mind.
And that's the prologue for this story.
I've redone my writing schedule, so hopefully, things will go faster from now on. As I mentioned in the beginning, I may have Hunter have magic. I'll formally decide as the story progresses, but I'll choose when we reach the "The Intruder" chapter.
In the meantime, the next story I'm working on is an Owl House and Danny Phantom crossover. Be back soon with more.