Before we begin with this chapter, I had someone ask me a great question:
How will Luz's Quirk work within The Boiling Isles, seeing as Magic and Quirks are two different power systems and work/behave differently?
While not worded exactly like that, that was the gist of the question. So, allow me to answer it before we jump into this. For Luz to be able to use All For One in the boiling isles and function properly, after a long discussion with my sister (who is my resident Owl House expert moreso than me) we both concluded that Quirks and Magic are linked inherently and function similarly due to them being genetically given to people in both realms – the bile sacs for witches and warlocks, and the quirk factor in humans.
Doing a bit of a logical leap, seeing as All For One can steal quirk factors, it wouldn't be outlandish to believe it could drain, steal, and copy the same energy that the bile sacs provide witches and warlocks of The Demon Realm.
I won't go too much further into this but just know that I've had this planned out for a while and that when the time comes, you'll get to see what I mean if my explanation doesn't make much sense.
Now, on to the chapter
[Opening Song: Kyouran Hey Kids! – By: The Oral Cigarettes]
*The sound of a guitar stringing in the background can be heard, along with drums. The scene zooms in on a man standing in a destroyed looking city, fires burning around him as he turns to look back at the camera, a smirk taking up his visage as a lone crimson red eye glows. Following along with the lyrics, he mouths the words*
"Tonight we honour the hero."
*A guitar and a set of drums begin to play wildly, alongside what sounds like a choir in the background matching the beat of the song, as a camera zooms up to a clear blue sky with white fluffy clouds, followed by the title "The Owl House - All For Luz" appears, with the Japanese Kanji " フクロウの家 - すべてはルスのために！ " Underneath it, and in smaller font.*
*The scene slams down to a forest, where in the centre of the woods, Luz stands, looking around, confused and concerned, taking a step back, bumping into a blond-haired girl wearing a white dress (Julia), who looks over at her, with a matching concerned gaze, golden eyes glimmering with worry. As they stare at one another, a large brown-skinned teen (Stanley) wraps both of his arms around them, smiling, catching both of them off guard, all the while a disembodied voice sings the lyrics to the song that's playing*
"No place for stubborn masks, broken by crazy kids"
"So full of lies and chaos are these days we live"
*The scene pans out to where Luz is looking at a large group of kids, who also look scared and confused. Luz breaks away from the hold she is in, before walking toward them, a weary smile on her face. She reaches out to them, but as she does, her hand and arm spark red, which causes her to recoil, stop what's she's doing, and look at her arms, confusion and annoyance taking up her expression. She stares at her hands, specifically the holes in the palms of her hands, before looking up at a military drone, staring at all of them, all the while the same disembodied voice sings*
"The scent of honey from the body in the air"
"So full of flavour, flavour, flavour…"
*The scene abruptly changes as the drums kick in, as does the metal guitar, to a man sitting in front of bunch of screens with a beard and slicked back hair as the lyrics "Just wanna hold your hands" can be heard in the scene, and with each time it's said, a new person takes their place along with a new location. The first time, it's a man dressed in a shirt with suspenders and black slacks, standing with his back facing the camera, the only thing noticeable being blond hair the same shade as the girls as he holds a martini. The second time, however, it changes to the man in the beginning of the opening, sitting in a throne surrounded by darkness.*
*The camera pans up to his face, red eyes gleaming as the guitar plays a little slower and suspenseful, as the man smirks, as he mouths along to the next set of lyrics "Hey people! Let's go back to zero!"*
*The Camera suddenly blasts into his eyes, as a fight scene breaks out between an orange haired boy and Luz, flames sparking off of the boys arm that barely miss her face. She ducks under a follow up punch. Anger flares in her eyes as she goes to punch the boy in the face. Just as the fist is about to connect, the scene shoots to the brown-skinned teen (Stanley) going blow for blow with a silver haired boy in a grey hoodie, who's throwing air slashes at him, that the other tanks as if they're nothing. Finally, it shows the blond girl (Julia) backed into a corner next to a cabin-like structure by another golden-haired guy, his hand having an ominous aura around it. As this entire scene is happening, the disembodied voice continues the song*
"Get crazy - Hey, Kids!"
"And ditch that ego that has held you back,"
"Why struggle pointlessly?"
"Get crazy - Hey, Kids!"
"The search for the place that you cannot return to Whoah, oh!"
*The scene abruptly changes to a solemn looking Camila, who's staring down at family photos, as the spectre of Manny lingers behind her, an almost disappointed look on his face. His spectre disappears in the wind as the front door to their house opens, revealing an old man dressed in priestly attire, looking at her with concern on his face. The scene shifts again to Luz staring out at something, a wooden wall surrounding her, a reflection of what looks to be fire and blood stains everywhere as her pupils dilate. Her brown eyes flickering from red back to brown constantly with the stringing of the guitar, and just as the rest of the scene, the disembodied voice continues the song*
"Get Crazy - Tell me"
"The times are changing as days go by,"
"Always uncomfortable!"
"Get Crazy - Hey Kids!"
"But nonetheless our future has begun to fade..!"
*The scene changes to a more frantic battle, this time between the blond-haired boy and Luz, only this time Luz has a more furious expression on her face, and her eyes are red. The blond haired boy slams the ground, creating spikes that Luz dodges, her hand sparks red, as a litany of faces belonging to several people appear behind her like ghosts, a small, venomous grin on her face, her hair raising with the red and black electricity, flames bursting across the forest, matching the same flames from the beginning of the opening, the disembodied voice continuing the song, which nears its end.*
"Get Crazy - Hey Kids!"
"And light up the doors that shut away the past"
"This urge with no release,"
"Get Crazy - Tell me,"
"Is that what you want? Then won't you call my name?"
*The opening ends with Luz, almost responding to the man in the beginning of the opening, mouthing the words "I swear, I respect the hero!" The opening ends with a final guitar riff, the camera flickering and glitching out, showing an empty forest, as it transitions to the start of the episode…*
[The "Not-So-Dull" Summer Camp – Part 1]
Last night sucked. Plain and simple. There was nothing else to it. Maybe it was because Luz simply didn't want to go to Reality Check Summer Camp. Maybe it was because Camila was too stubborn and refused to back down from her decision. But whatever the case was, another argument broke out between mother and daughter, and it was bad. Very bad.
It didn't help that Camila had already had a glass or two of wine, and being the lightweight that she was, wound up being a tad bit on the drunken side. If it were up to Luz, she would've destroyed the bottle of wine before her mom even noticed she had bought it. But, then again, that probably would have gotten her in more trouble than she had already been.
The words that were exchanged between one another were far from pleasant. If it wasn't for the fact that her mama had been drunk, then she would've assumed the worst. Luz didn't want to remember what her mother had said under the influence. She never usually did. But those last words. That final thing she ended the night with….
The argument had been entirely in their native tongue. Luz had made an effort to stick to that so that the neighbours didn't call the police or anything like that. The last part of that argument… that part had been ingrained in her mind for the rest of her life.
And it went something to the effect of this:
[9:30 pm, last night]
"Eres un fracaso. Un niña que nunca escucha una palabra de lo que digo. No importa lo que te diga, me ignoras y te sientas en tu cuarto a soñar despierta mientras yo me rompo el culo para mantenerte," Camila shouted, glaring at Luz with a gleam of annoyance in her eyes, who in turn stared at her mother with nothing but bewilderment and shock. Something Camila was too drunk to notice, or simply didn't care.
It was always like this. Whenever her mother got drunk off of wine, all reason would fly out the window. It started when Papa died, and it never got any better. Her aunt on her Papa's side wanted nothing to do with their side of the family, and it had been years since cousin Riley came over. This was partly to blame for it.
Luz remembered how sloshed her mother had gotten on that Thanksgiving. It was a month after Papa had died, and her Mama wasn't taking it well at all. Luz was too young to remember the full event that had taken place, but she did know that her Mama had hit her Aunt's husband for something that he said. What that was, she couldn't remember.
Whatever it was, knowing her Aunt's husband for the jerk that he had been, it was probably nothing good. He had always hated Papa, so when he died, he probably saw it as something worth celebrating. Regardless, it caused a divide in the family. So much so that she had never seen Riley again after that.
She missed the days when Papa was around. When things were more peaceful….
Now, Luz had to deal with this. Every night, for the last few nights in a row, Camila would sit at the dining room table and drink away the stress of both constantly being at work and being a single mom. Now add onto the fact that Luz had suddenly gained some sort of superpower, and that made the stress even worse.
"¿Qué? No lo dices en serio, ¿verdad?" Luz asked, staring incredulously at her mother, a hint of hostility in her voice as Camila glared at her.
"Cuida tu tono," Camila said, as Luz, for one of the first times in a long time—since last year—returned the glare her mother sent her way. This whole thing shouldn't have happened. Her mother had sworn off wine last year and here she was, drinking away. Luz let it slide for a while because, as her mother had said "one glass couldn't hurt" but now, here she was, drunk and slurring her words.
"¡No! ¡Sabes qué, no vigilaré mi tono, porque prometiste que dejarías de beber!"
"Luz—"
"¡Qué pensaría papá viéndote así! ¿Lo has pensado alguna vez? ¡Papá odiaba que te emborracharas y ahora estás aquí, sentada a la mesa, bebiendo alcohol...!"
The two stared at one another for a moment. Shock dressed Camila's drunken expression as Luz stared at her, on the verge of tears. It was true. Papa loathed it when Mama got drunk. Apparently, it was a huge point of contention before they got married and had her. Mama was a party girl at heart, self-admitted as it was, which at a party was where she had met Papa. When she was younger, she had a higher tolerance. But, as she got older… not so much.
Maybe what Luz had said was unfair. Maybe she shouldn't have brought Papa into it. But it got Mama to at least stop what she was doing and think. That was all Luz wanted her to do. Getting Mama to think when drunk was a difficult thing to do. So if she had to go for low blows, then so be it.
"Por favor, mamá, baja el vaso. Deja de beber. ¿Por favor? Te lo ruego. Odio esto. Papá odiaba esto. Prometiste—"
Luz barely had the chance to move out of the way before the glass filled with Camila's wine flung past her, and broke against the wall closest to the rear window. Luz crouched at the last second as she sucked in a breath, shock filling her system as she slowly stood up. Camila had stood up as well, but there was nothing but sheer indignation on her face.
"¡Vete a tu habitación!"
Finally, it clicked. What had just happened, happened. Her Mama just threw a glass of wine at her… her mom tried to hurt her…. That wasn't like her at all. Never once had she done that. Not even drunk. This was a first…. And it set Luz off.
"¿¡Qué demonios ha sido eso!?" Luz exclaimed as Camila glowered.
"¡Cállate y vete a tu habitación! ¡No bajes en lo que queda de noche! ¡No quiero verte la cara hasta mañana!" Camila spat as Luz looked back to the now bright red stain on the wall and the shattered glass on the floor. She looked back to Camila, who stared at her. There was nothing but anger behind those eyes.
"¡Eso podría haberme hecho daño! ¡¿Qué demonios, mamá?!"
"¡No me importa! ¡Vete a tu cuarto!"
"I—"
"Luz Noceda si no te vas a tu cuarto ahora mismo te juro por Dios que no te voy a caer bien. Lárgate de aquí. Ya esta bien. Vete a tu cuarto. ¡YA!"
Luz flinched but sighed in defeat. There was no reasoning with her. Nothing she could say or do would mean anything. And just as she began to walk up the stairs….
"Deberías haber sido tú. Deberías haber sido tú y no tu padre. ¡Hubiera sido más feliz si hubieras sido tú quien murió en aquel accidente de coche! ¡No habría tenido que soportar esta humillación y vergüenza si hubieras sido tú! ¡Todo el mundo piensa que estoy loca por tu culpa! ¡Te odio! ¿Me oyes? ¡Te odio!"
[Present Day]
Those last words that her mother had said to her had hurt her the most. She knew her Mama didn't mean that. She was drunk, and she hadn't been thinking clearly. They had both said some awful things, but that… that might have crossed a line. And from how Mama had been acting in the morning as if it hadn't happened at all…
"Luz, I'm going to work," Camila said, snapping her out of her thoughts. Luz was currently sitting at the table, eating breakfast, which had been a bowl of cereal. She had already had everything packed and ready to go in her bright blue suitcase, covered in stickers belonging to The Good Witch Azura. A final gift from Riley on her birthday before what happened at Thanksgiving. It was sitting just by the entrance of the house, next to where her Mama was standing. "I love you."
"Yeah… love you too, mom…" Luz said as Camila looked away. If she had anything she wanted to say about last night, she didn't say it. It was a tad upsetting, but then again, there was the possibility that her Mama might not have remembered what she had said.
Her Mama opened the front door and exited the house, closing the door behind her as a quiet thud echoed throughout the mostly empty home. All Luz could think about was last night. "But do you really? Or was what you said last night the truth…" Luz thought, poking at her bowl of Cap'n Crunch with her spoon.
A haunting silence filled the air as Luz felt a shiver crawl down her spine. Today was going to suck. She knew that from the moment she woke up. She stared at the front door, watching her mother's silhouette grow further and further away. That was the last time she would see her mother until summer break was over, and that last night was the last conversation that they'd have until after summer.
Maybe… she just wouldn't return after summer camp. Maybe she'd go somewhere else. Maybe, if she made any friends, she'd live with them instead. It beat whatever the hell that was last night. Drunk or not, she shouldn't have said those things. It was wrong, and it was rude.
"Well, as long as she didn't mean it, that's all that matters…. Right?" Luz thought as she stood up from the dining table, taking her half-eaten bowl of Cap'n Crunch to the counter, and dumping the rest of it down the sink. She watched as the food travelled down the drain, eyes slightly narrowed. Afterward, she rinsed out the cereal bowl and placed it next to the sink, before giving the clock a passing glance, the time reading as "8:30 am." Meaning, she had to get to the bus station in thirty minutes.
Walking over to the front door, Luz slipped on a pair of white sneakers before tying up the laces. She grabbed the suitcase next to the door, before opening the front door. She peeked outside, watching as cars drove down the street, some staying at the speed limit, while others went well over it. She glanced at the right palm of her hand, and frowned, staring at the dime-sized hole.
She couldn't get over it. What was its deal? What was it for? Was it just a stylistic change or did it have a purpose? Could she blast fire out of it? Maybe water or ice? What about beams of light? With each thought, she tried to put it to use, but nothing happened. The only thing that happened was that her arms and hands sparked red with electricity. As if it was trying to do one of those things.
The best way she could describe it was like an unloaded gun trying and failing to fire without any ammunition. No matter how many times she tried to get the hole in her hand to fire out something, it would not fire. "What is this power? What does it do?!" Luz thought, a bout of frustration beginning to bloom within her, only for it to be pushed down. "Forget it. I'll just try and figure it out at camp…"
With that, Luz exited the house through the front door, but not before locking the door behind her. As she began to walk away, she glanced back at her house. Instead of feeling joy, or anything like that, she felt nothing but sadness. What used to be a place of care and love was no longer that. It was a place of bitter resentment and forced cheer.
Now that she would be gone, leaving for Reality Check Summer Camp, all she hoped was that her mother would stop drinking when she returned. Maybe then… things could return to what they used to be. Back when her Mama was still happy, and there were no arguments. No harsh words being screamed at one another over the smallest of issues. No overtly stressful situations. No forced love or lack thereof.
With a final huff of air, Luz began her walk to the bus station, leaving behind her house, potentially for good.
[XXXX]
"Grant that we, having received Christ Jesus the Lord, may live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith, as we were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. Give us the grace of Your Holy Spirit that we may believe what has been proclaimed to us. May we bring glory and honour to Your name in all that we do, as You conform us to the image of Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen!" An aged pastor proclaimed, his once dark hair faded to a pale gray, his skin covered in wrinkles and his eyes closed in prayer whilst gripping the sides of his standing lectern.
The pastor was dressed in a black robe, with a golden cross motif across the front of the robe. Around his neck was a golden cross necklace, and his hands were covered by white gloves. Large black lace-up boots sat comfortably on his feet, and as he fidgeted in place, a chorus of "Amens" filled his church.
St Peters Liturgical Church. A place where all of those who believed in God, no matter of race, sexual orientation, or creed could come and pray to give thanks to their lord and saviour Jesus Christ for giving them the beautiful life that He oh so graciously gave them. And all of it was run by one Domenico Gregorio Jacobson. A true man of God who loved everyone equally by the grace of The Lord. A man who held himself to the values of God.
It had always been his dream to be a pastor, and after decades of studying the bible, understanding every word, learning Latin and reading the original translation of the bible he fully committed himself to its teachings. Of course, The King James Bible was his go-to source, as not many people could actually read or understand the original work.
His one and only rule that he had made blatantly clear to any newcomer to his church was that everyone was treated as if they were equal. Just as their lord Jesus Christ intended. Not whatever those hack jobs in the upper part of town were spewing. That hate-filled dribble made him want to vomit. Those were not the teachings of God. Those were the twistings of the words of God used to propagate hate and nothing more.
It was very clear to Domenico that his Church was the only one in the town that gave shelter to those who "did not conform to societal norms." The majority of people in his service were the oddities. Those with piercings and tattoos. Those with dyed hair of wild varieties. Those of the LGBTQ community. As a matter of fact, he had recently officiated a wedding between two men. If what he saw there wasn't true love, then he didn't know what was.
He wished the Andre's well in their love life. And their adopted son, Theodore Andre. He was moved to tears after hearing that boy's tragic story. How his biological parents left him on the side of the road, only to be found by Clark Andre and his at-the-time boyfriend Robert Larson. How they had taken him in and helped them discover his true identity. Theodore wasn't always Theodore. He used to be a she by the name of Rebecca.
But that wasn't his story to tell. That was Theodore's.
Domenico looked out at his Church, a wide smile on his face, happy as can be. He felt the positive energy in the air and soaked it in, basking in it as he always had. He smiled at the laughter and joy in the pews as the sermon broke out, allowing him to overlook the church with a proud gaze.
The Church itself was rather small in width and only modestly tall. It was a 23x24 building, about the same size as an average garage, that rose 15 feet high. The main building and the roof were separated by a few wooden rafters, of which on one of them he could make out an abandoned bird's nest. There was enough room in the building to, realistically, hold around 300 people. Not that there needed to be that many people in the building, but he digressed.
On both sides of the building, there were four rows of pews, a few of which were filled, while some were empty. The walls were plain white, and there were three large windows on each side. On the left, the windows had painted glass that had presented The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit, whereas, on the right, there was The Virgin Mary, The Ark, and the picture of God and Man touching fingers in the skies above.
Finally, at the front of the church, where Domenico stood whilst giving his sermon, there was a large life-size golden statue of Jesus on the cross. Domenico stood behind a standing lectern, which held his copy of the King James Bible. A red carpet spanned the hall lining the rest of the church, and at the back, there was a set of double doors that separated the service room from the foyer of the Church, along with the bathrooms and his office.
The building used to be a stable before his grandfather had bought it and repurposed it. This building was old, and it survived some of the worst disasters known to man. And it would survive many, many more in the future. So long as God was behind it, then this Church would continue to stand the test of time.
As the crowd began to make their leave, he spotted a young, pale-skinned girl with golden-blonde hair and golden-yellow eyes. She was dressed in a white summer dress and a pair of red high heels, and in her lap was a suitcase covered with stickers of various sizes and meanings. Two of the most prominent stickers were of the LGBTQ flag and the flag that specifically represented lesbians.
Alongside that, there were other stickers that were of various fictional characters. From Puss from Puss and Boots to Harry Potter from the titular book. The girl had a contemplative look on her face, the kind that signalled some form of discomfort. Domenico stared at the girl, having recognized her, worry on his face. He walked over to her whilst greeting the other leaving members of the Church.
Slowly, he sat next to the young girl, glancing over at her as she stared at her suitcase deep in thought. She looked both anxious and upset, which did not look good on her. He cleared his throat, which had gotten her attention, causing her to recoil. She glanced over at him, before smiling.
"Ah, Pastor Domenico. I didn't see you there. My apologies," the teen said as Domenico smiled, patting her gently on her back. A gesture that he performed as an act of comfort. There were no bruises today. That's good. The last time he had seen her, she had a bruise on her face in the shape of a fist. He knew that that awful, no-good Tyler was abusive, but he hadn't expected him to stoop to physical abuse.
And to think, he used to be a true, stalwart believer in God. Well, he still claimed that, but anyone who hurt a child had no right to call themselves a believer in Christ. It was a sin to harm the innocent. And a child was the epitome of innocence.
Thankfully, it seemed that had either ceased or, perhaps, the girl had decided to run away for good. Either way, he didn't know. It wasn't as if he could do anything about it. He wasn't nearly as powerful as Tyler. Politically, and physically. Tyler had a solid 30 years on him and had more muscle than your average civilian. He was no slouch, and it showed.
Pushing those thoughts aside, he removed his hand and placed it on his lap, bowing his head in greeting as he spoke. "Julia, it's good to see you again. How have you been, my dear?" Domenico asked as Julia winced, a half-smile on her face. It was not filled with joy, but rather sadness. Domenico frowned, sympathy dressing his face as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Tell me, what's wrong."
"Father decided I was not worth his time anymore. That I am a "Devil Child" and threw me out. I knew it was going to happen eventually…. But, I didn't think it would be on my birthday…." Julia said, the sombre smile on her face faltering into an upset frown, her cheeks going red with anger as tears threatened to burst out from her eyes. "I… I don't understand, Pastor. Why does my father hate me? What did I ever do wrong?"
Domenico embraced Julia, who cried into his robe. He gently stroked her hair, letting her bury herself in his chest as he hushed her. "You did no wrong, Julia. The one who has done wrong is your father. That man puts shame on his family's name, and with each day, I pray that you and your mother will one day escape him."
Julia stirred briefly, removing her head from his robe as she shook her head in disagreement, clearing the tears from her eyes as she spoke. "Mother was the one who had suggested it. Father has her under his thumb. She finally caved. She bares his child now, and I fear for their life. Father is cruel, and evil. I doubt even our ancestors were that cruel."
This had come as a shock to Domenico. For as long as he had known Mary Delmisso, she was always headstrong and never abided by anyone's rules. And yet, to hear that she had kowtowed to Tyler of all people… "That is very unlike Mary. Are you sure it wasn't out of a need to protect you, Julia? Mary knows how much Tyler hurts you. How poorly he treats you. The Mary I know would never stoop to such a low."
"Maybe…" Julia admitted, rubbing the side of her left arm absently, before perking up with a new, revitalized gleam of joy in her eyes. "On the bright side, I'm going to a summer camp. Maybe there I can finally make some friends who won't judge me?" Julia said, turning to face him with cheer in her voice as Domenico chuckled, ruffling her hair.
"That's the spirit. Would you like me to drive you? I have plenty of free time on my hands now that the Sunday sermon is over," Domenico said as Julia waved off his offer, standing up from the pew before bowing politely.
"Thank you for your offer, Pastor Domenico. But, I already have a bus I need to catch. I'll see you after summer, Pastor." And as Julia said that, she scooted out of the pew, leaving Domenico all by himself. He got up and turned to face the door, waving goodbye to someone whom he viewed as his daughter. As she left, Domenico couldn't help but have a bad feeling wash over him.
Maybe it was because he always had a good instinct. Maybe it was because he didn't trust Tyler as far as he could throw him—which wasn't very far—but something about this reeked of foul play. Tyler never cared for his daughter or went out of his way to do something nice for her. So for him to have supposedly set up Julia to go to a summer camp for the summer after kicking her out of the house…. Something had to have been up.
All Domenico hoped was that, for once, his gut instinct was wrong.
[XXXX]
The walk from her home to the bus stop had been a pleasant one. Luz never really got out often unless it was for school or when she wanted to hang out at the park, letting her imagination run wild. To see Gravesfield in full once again was a breath of fresh air both literally and figuratively. Of course, dragging her suitcase behind her had made it a little bit more tedious, especially for the small hill that took her to the location she needed to be at.
The highlight of the walk had to have been the time that she watched a few birds chirp away at one another, hopping from one side of a powerline to another. It was cute, watching the wildlife do their thing. One of them even landed on the top of her head before promptly flying away.
Maybe this whole thing wouldn't be so bad. Bah, who was she kidding? With a camp named "Reality Check Summer Camp," it was bound to go poorly. But, it was nice to have an optimistic outlook on things. Luz always liked to see the bright side of things, even if the situation looked horrendously bleak.
She could see the bus stop off in the distance, the bus had not arrived yet. She briefly pulled out her smartphone to check the time. It was 8:57 am, and as soon as she had seen the time, a sigh of relief escaped her lips. Good, she hadn't been late. For a moment there she had been worried. But then again, if she had been late, maybe she could've avoided this whole thing altogether.
"Nah, I'm not that lucky…" Luz thought as the sound of a pair of footsteps grew louder and louder from behind her. Specifically, the clacking of heels. She glanced over her shoulder, and when she did, she was met with a sight straight out of one of those cheesy romance novels of a very stereotypically looking, conventionally attractive teen.
Golden-blonde hair flowed down from her head to her back with bangs that framed her face in such a way that made it look like a portrait, occupied by equally as golden eyes. She was slim, as were most girls assumedly her age, and she wore a white summer dress that stretched down to her knees. Her hands were behind her back, which dragged behind her a suitcase. Although, if there was one knock against her, it was the sickly pale skin that she had. Either she never got outside often, or she had albinoism for skin pigment.
The teen looked at Luz before a faint smile took up her features. "Oh, I'm sorry. Are you heading to the bus stop as well?" The girl asked as Luz nodded silently. "Well, care to join me, then? I'm assuming you're heading to, uh, what was it again…"
"Reality Check Summer Camp?" Luz asked as the girl nodded.
"Yes, that's the one. My apologies, my mind's a little all over the place. A pleasure to meet you, Ms…?" The girl asked, outstretching a hand as Luz faltered for a moment. Was she… actually talking to her? Like, legitimately talking to her?
Slowly, Luz reached out and shook the girl's hand, laughing awkwardly to herself. "Hehe… Luz. Luz Noceda, and you?"
"Ah, where are my manners," the teen said, removing her hand before putting it back behind her as Luz lowered hers. "Julia. Julia Scotsman Wittebane of the former noble family The Wittebanes. But, most people call me Julie for short."
"Wittebane…. As in the town's founders?" Luz thought, blinking in surprise. She hadn't known they had descendants. The rumours said that they had no remaining family. The only thing that they left behind was their church, which soon became one of the most popular churches in Connecticut, allowing it to gain fame and notoriety as one of the main staples in The South.
To find out that the Wittebanes had remaining family members left in town showed Luz that maybe it was a good idea to not believe everything that she had seen on the internet. Still, it was interesting nonetheless. To know that there were still some surviving members of the family that founded Gravesfield were still alive and kicking was nothing short of amazing.
If that was the case, then maybe she knew what happened to the founders. Where they disappeared to. Maybe they left detailed journals of where they had gone and she knew about it? Luz obviously wouldn't ask right away—she had more tact than that—she would wait until she got to know Julia more, first.
After blinking, something that Luz noticed was that, much like the children who had superpowers that she had seen at the doctor's office, Julia had a string connecting to her forehead. When she blinked again, it was gone. So, she had a superpower, too then? According to the news last night, this sort of thing had been happening all week, with kids her age, younger and older, waking up to have superpowers.
It was bizarre, and something straight out of a fantasy novel. Given what people said of her, the irony was palpable. However, the Government was supposedly holding a hearing about what it was that they were going to do with superpowered people, calling them Aberrants for the time being until they figured out what was going on.
That aside, Luz pushed the thought away and smiled at Julia.
"Nice to meet you too, Julia," Luz said as she glanced back over to the bus stop. Nothing yet. Maybe the bus was running late? "Uh… I guess we should get going," Luz said as Julia nodded. The pair walked the short distance between them and the bus stop, and sat next to one another, enjoying the silence. Before long, the bus finally pulled in, a whole five minutes behind schedule.
The bus was a deep black, with a banner on the side that read "Come join us in reality at Reality Check Summer Camp." It rubbed Luz the wrong way just how condescending the banner was, but then again, what was she supposed to take away from this camp? And considering Julia was frowning at it, too, she harboured a guess that she wasn't here of her own volition either.
The bus was similar to one of those Greyhound buses, meaning that this was going to be a long drive. Luz hated long drives. But hey, at least she could catch up on some sleep while she was there.
The double doors to the bus opened, and a thin, chocolate-coloured-skinned woman walked out from the bus. She was dressed in a dark green button-up top, fitted with pockets on the sleeves, chest, and upper waist. Atop her head was a hat that had mathematical symbols etched into the front-facing side of the hat, with a dark brown ponytail sticking out of the back. Paired with this she wore a set of khaki shorts, long black knee-high socks, and dark brown timberland hiking boots.
In the woman's hands were a clipboard and a pen, and as soon as she stepped out of the bus, her dark brown eyes focused on the pair, smiling. "You two, are you here for Reality Check Summer Camp?" The woman asked, a hint of forced enthusiasm in her voice as the pair nodded. "Great! Come here then, I have to ask you two some questions first before we let you on board."
Wordlessly, the pair approached the woman, suitcases in hand. When they did, they stopped about two to three feet away from her. The woman looked them up and down, before nodding to herself. "Alright, names, please? Just your first and last, there's no need for any middle names in case you have any."
"Luz Noceda."
"Julia Wittebane."
For a moment, the woman stared at Julia, as if flabbergasted. "I… wasn't expecting someone from a rich family to be joining us this year. Well, either way, we're glad to have you on board!"
"Thank you, ma'am," Julia replied, bowing politely.
"Anyway," the woman continued, writing down something on her clipboard before addressing them again. "Alright, now, first things first, did you or your parents pay the $250 fee?"
"Yes," the pair responded in unison as the woman nodded.
"Great, next question. When you signed up for the camp, do you know what you specifically signed up for? Is it two weeks, or the whole summer?"
"The whole summer," the pair once again responded in unison, something that made Luz glance at Julia, who glanced back. It was kind of funny, even causing Luz to crack a grin. Julia did the same, too, covering her mouth as a soft giggle escaped from her lips. It was… kind of cute. In the platonic sense, of course. Luz wasn't into blonde girls.
"I see…" the woman checked her clipboard before nodding to herself, returning to look at them. "Alright, and one final thing before I let you on the bus. As you two are most likely aware due to your ages, superpowers have been cropping up recently. It was why we had to delay sending the bus to Gravesfield as our higher-ups were checking to see if the local Government would allow us to continue our work. They said yes, hence why you all weren't refunded. So, with that in mind, we would like to ask if you two have any superpowers of your own?"
"Uh… why?" Luz asked as the woman shrugged.
"I can't really say why. My superiors just wanted me to ask the question," the woman continued as Luz frowned, an uneasy feeling washing over her. Maybe it was just her, but she felt a little iffy now. Even moreso than before she had left the house. Maybe it was just for safety concerns?
Honestly, she was banking on them not accepting people with superpowers. However considering they were asking if she had any superpowers, and seeing as she could see through the window that the bus was jam-packed with people, she had to assume that wasn't the case. And so, Luz spoke.
"Well, I have these holes in my hands," Luz said, showing her empty hand to the woman. "I don't know what they do, though. Oh, and I can also see strings attached to others with superpowers. But, that's about it," Luz replied as the woman nodded, before looking over to Julia.
"And you, Ms. Wittebane?" The woman asked as Julia fidgeted uncomfortably. A hint of shame showed up in her eyes as if she was displeased by her superpower.
"Well, I suppose I have no choice, do I?" Julia said, before removing one of her hands from the suitcase, turning her hand so her palm faced the sky. When she did, long, slender, dark-green vines began to grow out and around the base of her fingertips. They were spiky vines, and they reached up to Julia's forehead. "As you can plainly see, I can grow vines out from my fingers."
Once again, the woman nodded, writing something down on her clipboard, before putting her pen in her waist pocket, and sliding her clipboard under her armpit. "Well then, looks like everything is in working order! C'mon you two, let's get going!"
And so, without arguing or complaining, Julia and Luz followed the attendant onto the bus, and upon entering, Luz was met with a series of strings flooding her vision—thirty-three, if she counted correctly, all spaced out throughout the bus. It was… overwhelming to say the very least. Once again, when she blinked, the strings disappeared.
"Come, Luz. There's a seat in the back," Julia said, taking Luz out of her thoughts as she followed her. As she walked, she counted each of her fellow campers. Forty kids, none of whom she recognized. That must've meant that she and Julia were the only ones who were going to the camp from Gravesfield. It was a little unnerving, but at least she had Julia. Even if she was also a stranger.
Everyone on the bus was more than a little chatty, talking to one another about random things, not paying attention to the pair as they walked down the aisle. From a glance, you couldn't tell anyone apart from a regular human. Sure, some had strange features like gills and cat whiskers, but aside from that, there was no real outside change to some of these people.
Still, seeing gills and cat whiskers on people that weren't made of makeup just felt wrong. But then again, seeing as this was such a big and recent change, of course, it would feel wrong. Humans weren't supposed to have whiskers or gills. Though, they also weren't supposed to have holes in their hands either.
Once they got to the back of the bus, they took the last remaining seat on the left. Julia sat first, taking the window seat, and Luz promptly sat next to her. The two put their suitcases in front of themselves, and as soon as that was done, Luz spoke.
"So, you're rich?" Luz asked, blurting out the question as Julia shook her head.
"No. My parents are rich. But, in a roundabout sort of way, due to my name, one could assume I am rich," Julia answered, not the least bit upset by the question. "If I may, but… do you believe in God?"
Luz blinked. That was an odd question, and just as abrupt as her own. "Uh… no. My Mama does, though. Or at least, she used to, I think. I don't know. All I remember was going to church with my Mama and Papa when I was younger. But, aside from that time, I haven't gone lately."
"Ah, I see. Well, I won't bug you about it. Pastor Domenico said that believing in God is a choice. You are not wrong for yours, and I respect that," Julia said as Luz mentally sighed. For a moment there, she thought that Julia was about to go on a lecture about how "not believing in God was a sin" or something like that. Her aunt from her Papa's side would do that sometimes whenever the topic came up.
After Julia asked her question, she followed it up with another. "Noceda is a Spanish name, correct? Are you from Spain?"
"Uh, why?" Luz asked as Julia shrugged half-heartedly.
"Curious. That's all. I've never seen you before in town, so I felt as if it was appropriate to ask," Julia answered as Luz hummed to herself. It was weird having a conversation with someone her age. She wasn't used to how friendly she was being, either. It just… wasn't normal. At least, to her anyway.
"Ah…" Luz muttered, scratching the back of her head. "Well, I know my Mama is. But, that's it. I was born in Connecticut, and I've only lived in Gravesfield for a few years. I don't really go out much so…" Luz said as Julia nodded.
"I see. Well then, that makes sense. You didn't strike me as the outgoing type. No offence," Julia said as Luz flashed her a half-hearted smile.
"None taken." As Luz said that, the woman from before stood front and center down the lane of the bus, clapping her hands to get everyone's attention, which worked almost instantly.
"Alright everyone, listen up!" The woman called out as she checked her clipboard, clearing her throat as she did. "This will be a rather long bus ride to the camp, around ten hours or so. We will be making pitstops at gas stations to refuel the bus when need be, so at that time, it is suggested that you go into the gas station to purchase some snacks or whatnot; don't worry, you'll be allowed to eat and drink on the bus, so long as you clean up afterward. If you don't have any money to buy anything, ask the person you're sitting next to for some to get something. This will be your first "lesson" at the camp, so to speak. Loans, and how to pay them off properly.
"'Course that's up to the person next to you to decide whether or not they'd consider it a loan or an act of giving to the needy. Either way, the idea is simple enough. Get comfortable, and keep your hands and feet in your seats at all times, but if you can't help it, that's fine too. Those with superpowers, keep it to yourselves. No overly loud shouting, Yadda-yadda-yadda, you know the drill, standard field-trip procedure, let's go!"
After that announcement, the woman sat down in one of the front seats as the bus began to start up, and for the doors to close. When the bus began to move, Luz jolted forward from the sudden bounce of the tires. Julia giggled to herself at the sight making Luz flush red with slight embarrassment. "I take it your sense of balance isn't the best?" Julia questioned as Luz frowned.
"Well… I did try out to be a cheerleader at school. It… didn't work out," Luz replied as Julia nodded.
"I see. Well, the point is that you tried, right? As my mother told me once: If you don't try something, and give it your honest effort, then what's the point in saying you don't like it? Honestly, it's admirable of you to try something that could seem so daunting. I know I would never let myself do that. I guess I'm a bit more… reserved than most others. Especially with what's been happening recently…." Julia said, looking over to the window of the bus, avoiding meeting Luz's eyes.
Luz quirked an eyebrow at that. "Do you mean the whole "people randomly waking up with superpowers?"" Luz questioned as Julia glanced back over to Luz, nodding her head slightly.
"Yes, that would be correct. It was why I was so hesitant to reveal my power. It's… a sore spot for me, I suppose," Julia said as Luz felt a tad concerned for Julia. Why would it be a sore spot? Sure, Luz herself had been a little freaked out when she woke up with holes in her hands, but after the brief scare, she was immediately excited.
She had freaking superpowers! It was a fantasy nerd's dream come to life! And considering Julia had a Harry Potter sticker on her suitcase, she assumed Julia was a fan of fantasy as well. So, why would her awakening a superpower be a sore spot?
Was there something that she wasn't getting?
"Well, it can't be helped," Julia said as she yawned, blinking her eyes rapidly as she cleared her throat. "If you don't mind, I'll be taking a brief nap. Wake me up when we get to a gas station, please? I didn't sleep well and I haven't eaten this morning. I was… rushed out the door, you could say," Julia said as Luz nodded.
"Sure thing! I don't mind," and with that, Julia rested her head against the back of the bus seat, closed her eyes, and relaxed, leaving Luz to her thoughts. Once again, Luz looked down at the palms of her hands, staring at the holes. The same burning question she had for the last twenty-four hours came to her mind yet again, causing her a brief amount of frustration.
"What are you…" Luz thought as she looked around the bus. The chatting had risen back again, and this time it was louder than before. How Julia could sleep through that was anyone's guess. But, then again, some people were deep sleepers. Luz was not one of those people. Not unless she was tired enough.
Back to the topic at hand—no pun intended—she couldn't help but wonder if the holes in her hands and the strings were connected. Maybe, if she followed the string to the source and placed her hand on where they were attached, i.e. the person's forehead, something would happen? Maybe she could feel someone's power and learn all there is to know about it.
If that was the case, then she'd make a great advisor! But, it wasn't the kind of power a hero would have. More like an accountant or something. And that was boring. Luz wasn't a fan of boring things. Maybe she could copy people's powers? If that was the case, then she'd have to try it out later, when given the chance, of course. Maybe Julia could help?
A bored sigh exited her mouth as Luz slumped forward, resting the palms of her hands on her chin and her elbows on her knees. Maybe summer wouldn't be so bad if she and Julia became friends. She seemed nice enough, so who knows, sometimes even the impossible could happen.
Looking out the window past Julia, a realization came over Luz that made her want to groan in frustration. This was going to be a very, very long ride. And a very boring one, at that. So, with nothing but her thoughts to keep her from dying of boredom, Luz stared up at the ceiling, patiently waiting for their arrival at a gas station.
-To Be Continued in The Not-So-Dull Summer Camp – Part 2
[Ending Song: Life – By: Rude-a]
*The ending opens up with Luz sitting on the edge of a cliff, staring up at the sky with a twinkle in her eyes, all the while the sound of a guitar strumming peacefully, followed by drums matching the tempo, like a serene melody, as a disembodied voice begins to sing.*
"Lately I don't know to do"
"Hurry up, my mind is one the moon"
"Flying up to where the wind blew"
*The scene stays the same, as wind blows through Luz's hair, still staring up at the sky, before looking down at the palm of her hands, a curious gleam to her eyes. Suddenly, a hand places itself on Luz's shoulder, as she looks over it to see Julia, smiling, before she sits next to Luz. This is followed by Stanley, who sits on the other side of her. Luz smiles, as more people around her age start pooling around her, sitting, staring out at the sky above as the clouds rolls past. All the while the disembodied voice continues*
"Overflowin' in the palm of my hand, passion to be who I am"
"Spent my days all just wandering this world"
"But then there's only you who's shining and pure"
"A rusty knife'll never cut a thing now; I am burning like a fire gone wild."
*The scene changes slightly, as a total of 33 people stand around and sit next to Luz, staring up at the sky, pointing out things that look to be strange. Julia has an arm wrapped around Luz's shoulder, whereas Stanley is ruffling her hair. Kennedy looms behind both of them, smirking, as if pleased with himself as the disembodied voice continues.*
"Like in the moment that my heart began to open"
"And it had the chance to scream, loud and unbroken"
"Everything was different from that moment on, if I don't try, I'll never know."
*The scene begins to change, the subtle strum of an electric guitar, signifying something. The wind blows harder, as if trying to push them away. The clouds darken as the sun begins to set, and as it does, people begin to disappear, starting with a few people in the back. One or two people vanish, but that's all. Luz, however, looks upset, closing her eyes, her expression changing to a solemn one as the disembodied voice continues*
"I wonder why the flowers are blooming."
"Your voice still echoes out in my heart."
*More people begin to disappear, but this time more rapidly. They're not walking away. They're simply disappearing. Vanishing from sight. Leaving Luz all alone. It gets worse as it comes down to only three people. Kennedy, Julia, and Stanley. First, it's Julia, who gets up from where she's sitting, and wanders off into the forest. It makes Luz's eyes widen, her solemnness turning into Despair. Then it's Stanley, which makes her look to her left. He waves to her, before going into the forest. Then, it's Kennedy, who stuffs his hands in his pockets and leaves. Luz's eyes water, and she looks away, before looking back up at the sky, the moon taking the place of the sun. All the while the disembodied voice continues*
"Tell me why I just shouted to the sky?"
"But you are no, no longer here, that's right."
"Remembering the adventure we went on called life!"
"Just a fleeting moment…!"
"Call it just a dream, 'cause I don't mind it."
"I'll save you from the present, the one so torn and riddled with scars."
*As Luz is left alone on the cliff, tears in her eyes, the guitar strums a solemn tone. Her tears are wiped away by an older man–All For One–who puts a hand on her shoulder. Julia sits back down next to Luz, holding her hand, which makes her smile. Now it's All For One looming behind her, his expression one of pride. The ending finishes with a few more strums of the guitar, and near the end, All For One's eyes glow a deep shade of red.*
Translations to the argument that drunken Camila and Luz had.
(1) You are a failure. A child who never listens to a word I say. No matter what I tell you, you ignore me and sit in your room daydreaming while I bust my ass to support you.
(2) What? You're not serious, are you?
(3) Watch your tone
(4) No! You know what, I won't watch my tone, because you promised you'd stop drinking!
(5) What would Dad think seeing you like this! Have you ever thought about it? Dad hated you getting drunk and now here you are, sitting at the table, drinking alcohol...!
(6) Please, Mom, put the glass down. Stop drinking. Please? I'm begging you. I hate this. Dad hated this. You promised—
(7) Go to your room!
(8) What the hell was that!?
(9) Shut up and go to your room! Don't come down for the rest of the night! I don't want to see your face until tomorrow!
(10) That could've hurt me! What the hell, Mom?!
(11) I don't care! Go to your room!
(12) Luz Noceda if you don't go to your room right now I swear to God you're not going to like me. Get the hell out of here. That's enough. Go to your room. NOW!
(13) It should have been you. It should have been you and not your father. I would have been happier if it had been you who died in that car accident! I wouldn't have had to endure this humiliation and shame if it had been you! Everyone thinks I'm crazy because of you! I hate you! Do you hear me? I hate you!
Before anyone accuses me of doing character assassination, first of all, hush you this is my story I can write the characters however I want. Second of all, drunk people do and say stupid things a lot, so this type of thing can happen. I would know. And finally, this adds depth to an otherwise bland character. Anyway, till next time folks. Ciao~!