Welcome to my next Owl House fanfiction! This story idea was my first once I got into the series, and it is the first one with a central OC!
I was going to post this yesterday, but the document was long, and Grammerly was testing my patience. Anyway, disclaimer.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to The Owl House. I only own the story and my OCs. I borrowed one name from Equestria Girls, so credit to those creators. Also, if the description of Brian's room is too long, just look up pictures of Sci-Twi's room from Equestria Girls, and you'll get an idea of what it looks like. Same with his basement lab.
With that, let's begin!
A digital alarm clock went off at 6:45 a.m. in the upstairs bedroom of a country farmhouse. A teenage boy named Vesper Sparks turned it off. Vesper was a slender German American with fair skin, freckles, and light blue eyes. His medium-length dark hair had long bangs that fell to the right without obscuring his face. While his hair was shaggy on a good day, his bedhead made it look even worse.
His blue bedroom featured brown furniture with purple accents. A twin storage bed by the window was covered with a matching bedspread, and a trunk held a pillow for a dog. A nightstand with an alarm clock and a dresser with a lamp flanked either side. Nearby, a tall bookshelf was filled with books beside a desk with a silver desktop, a violet chair, and another bookshelf. A bay window held more books and a telescope. Across the room was another bookshelf and an aquarium with Vesper's trophies displayed above. Near the door, a science area included a desk with a cabinet, a fridge, drawers, a microscope, a monitor, and various plants. The wall was decorated with a periodic table and samples from his experiments. By the closet, a measuring stick hung over a shelf of books and an additional wall-integrated bookshelf. A golden full-body mirror from his sister's boyfriend and a violet bean bag chair stuffed with books were also present. A floor lamp stood next to the bean bag, along with a chandelier above. Glow-in-the-dark stars and a mobile solar system adorned the bed area. His walls were decorated with family pictures and posters for "Cosmic Frontier" and other shows he enjoyed.
Slipping on thick black glasses, Vesper got up and began his morning routine. After making his bed, he went to the bathroom, brushed his teeth, and made his hair somewhat neater with a hairdryer and a comb. Vesper then changed for school, putting on a blue-gray and teal T-shirt, a dark maroon vest with a gold zipper, black boot-cut jeans, and dark brown boots.
After feeding the fish and watering his plants, he gathered all his supplies into a dark violet backpack with indigo pockets. His movements woke his dog, Spike, who yawned before greeting his human with a bark. Spike was a Drentse Patrijshond, a type of hunting spaniel. He appeared to be less than two years old, although they had had him for longer than that. Primarily white with large brown patches, his coat was medium-long yet dense. He wore a dark indigo collar with silver spikes and a gold tag.
"Morning, buddy." Vesper petted him happily. Spike yipped again before following his human out the door.
Heading downstairs, Vesper greeted an older man in the kitchen. "Hey, Cade!"
"Morning, Vesper," Cadence replied while eating his bagel.
Cadenza Lovelace, known as Cadence or Cade, was an athletic man in his mid-twenties. He stood at 6'1" and had fair skin, short golden-blond hair, and light purple eyes. He wore a light blue shirt under a turquoise jacket, gray jeans, and black-and-white sneakers with gold accents. Cadence wore a black sports watch and a gold necklace featuring an ice-blue gemstone.
Cadence was the boyfriend of Vesper's older sister, Alexis, and had previously babysat Vesper when he was younger. Now, he was an art teacher at Graveside High, where Vesper was a student.
"Ready for school?"
"Always," Vesper said, filling Spike's food and water dishes. "Did Dad already leave?"
"He was heading out when I got here."
Vesper's dad, Noah, ran an apple orchard near the house. It wasn't uncommon for him to be gone by the time Vesper got up.
"Summer vacation starts in a few days," Cadence continued as Vesper set down the bowls for the dog. "Have any plans?"
"Yes, yes, I do! Big plans! My equipment detected this strange energy from the old house just outside our property!" Vesper replied, pouring himself some cereal, unaware that Cadence and Spike tensed at the mention of the old house. "If I can collect enough data on these bizarre frequencies, I could analyze their waveforms to determine their origins! That would practically guarantee my admission into the Everton Independent Study Program!"
"I've actually been meaning to talk to you about that," Cadence said, looking at Vesper with concern. "Are you sure that's what you really want?"
"Why wouldn't it be?" Vesper asked, still excited about the upcoming break. "A program that allows me to focus all my attention on my own advanced math and science projects? It's a dream come true!"
"But there won't be any classrooms with other students. You'll be doing everything on your own," Cadence stressed.
"That is why it's called an independent study program," Vesper replied, not understanding the fuss.
Cadence sighed, then stood up and placed his hands on the teen's shoulders. "Vesper, I had to give up some of my high school years, and I missed out on a lot. I don't want you to have those same regrets." Vesper didn't know the entire story, but Cadence had lived with them since he was a baby. Some behaviors, like always locking his bedroom door, indicated to Vesper that he had escaped from a troubled home life and had to drop out of school for a time.
"Is this about what happened two years ago?" Vesper asked. When Cadence didn't respond immediately, he sighed tiredly and stepped back. "I'm fine, Cade. I may never be completely "okay," but I'm fine. I've thought it over and decided I'm ready to try again."
"All I'm saying is that being around other people isn't a bad thing," Cadence explained, smiling reassuringly at him. "Sometimes, it's how you learn the most about yourself."
"I guess…" Vesper replied, still not entirely convinced.
"At least think about it a bit longer, okay? You can still do your research if you want, but please be careful. That house is practically condemned."
"Okay…" Vesper agreed, managing a smile in return.
Cadence smiled and nodded, accepting his answer for the moment. "Now, we need to leave in fifteen minutes. I made our lunches, so you finish breakfast while I wait for you at the car." Vesper watched the older male leave, then groaned, unable to hide his frustration.
"What is he so nervous about? I'm ready for Everton. Besides, I'm not going to be at Graveside forever." He looked down at Spike when the partridge hound nudged him, whimpering softly. Vesper smiled slightly, kneeling to pet him. "You, too?"
Spike gently bit Vesper's sleeve and tugged on it as if to say he didn't want him to go. "I'm fine, Spike, really," Vesper hugged his canine friend before ruffling his fur again. "I'm not alone anymore. I have my best canine friend, my best human friend at school, plus my family. I've got everything I need. I'm just ready to take the next steps in my life."
Spike barked happily, licking his human. "Okay, Spike, okay," Vesper laughed before gently pushing the dog away. "I need to finish breakfast. We can play after school."
Spike barked again before returning to his bowls. Vesper smiled and dug into his food. While eating, he pulled out his mauve cellphone and sent a quick message to his best friend.
TheAlchemist: Morning! Ready for school?
Luzura: You bet! I'm gonna wow my teacher with my book report! That A is mine!
She topped it off with a cheering emoji before sending a separate text to Vesper.
Luzura: Ready for summer? (Sunglasses Emoji)
TheAlchemist: Yup! With the project I've got planned, that Everton scholarship is mine!
Luzura: Isn't that the group you tried to get into two years ago?
TheAlchemist: Yeah, but you know what was going on at that time. They've reopened applications, and this time, I'll be ready. I probably won't be around much this summer since I'll be focusing on my research.
Luzura sent a sad emoji paired with a puppy-dog eyes emoji, which made Vesper chuckle fondly.
TheAlchemist: Don't worry, Luz. The group has an option that allows me to study from home. We'll still be able to see each other.
Luzura: You'll still go to the conventions with me, right?
TheAlchemist: Duh (smirk emoji)
Luzura: Yea! (excited emoji)
Vesper smiled before placing his phone down to finish his breakfast. "Hopefully, today will be an easy day."
(Timeskip)
A witch with green hair and a staff backflipped onto a cliff, sliding to a stop. She gritted her teeth as she glared up at a large purple snake.
"Foolish child! I could swallow you whole!" the giant creature hissed at her.
"Do not underestimate me, Gildersnake, for I am the Good Witch Azura," she gestured to herself. "Warrior of peace!" She posed as the wind blew through her hair before kneeling and holding her staff like a bazooka. "Now eat this, sucka!" She fired the staff, hitting the snake.
"No! My only weakness: dying!" it cried out, collapsing to the ground with a thud.
"And that's the end," Luz Noceda, a Dominican-American girl with dark brown hair in a pixie cut, finished reenacting the scene with an actual live snake. She smiled at her mother, Camila Noceda, and the principal, Mr. Hal.
"The end of what?" Camila asked, looking confused.
"My book report." The snake hissed and bit the doll. Vesper, sitting a few inches away from her, flinched slightly. "I think I knocked it out of the park."
The principal sighed. "Your book report is why you're in here," he said, gesturing to his office door. Through the window, two students ran by outside, screaming as snakes bit their heads.
"Oh. That's where the backup snakes were," Luz commented casually.
"Uh, why am I here?" Vesper asked nervously, glancing at his father and trying not to flinch under his stern gaze.
Noah Sparks, a farmer and the former Chief of Police for the Gravesfield P.D., was built like a brick house. He was a muscular middle-aged man with brown eyes and short, receding dark brown hair. He wore a red flannel shirt with rolled-up sleeves, blue work jeans, and brown work boots.
"You're here because Luz credited you for helping her with this."
"What?!" Vesper gasped, looking at his friend in betrayal.
"What? Remember last week when I asked you what kind of snakes weren't poisonous?"
"I thought you were asking about your biology homework!"
"And what were you going to do with this?" Camila asked her daughter, concerned, as she held up several firecrackers tied together.
"That was for the Act Three closer," the girl admitted, her shoulders sagging while Vesper went pale at the sight of it.
"Which I was told Vesper also helped with," Principal Hal added.
"You told me those were for the Fourth of July!" Vesper glared at her accusingly.
"Would you have helped me with it if you knew what it was for?" Luz replied bluntly.
Vesper pinched the bridge of his nose beneath his glasses. Luz may have been his best friend, but her inability to think things through drove him up the wall. "Luz, I love you, and I know you wanted to do something different, but the first rule of firework safety is don't set them off indoors!" he emphasized, trying to make Luz understand.
Luz was about to respond but paused when she considered Vesper's words. She blushed with embarrassment when she realized he was right. "Ohhh, heh, heh," she chuckled sheepishly. "I didn't think of that…"
Vesper slapped his forehead, wondering what he was going to do with her.
Noah sighed heavily, causing Vesper to suppress a flinch. "Vesper–"
"Kids," Camila interrupted him, bending down to the kids. "We love your creativity and ingenuity, but it's gotten out of hand. Do you remember why you were sent to the principal's office the last three times?"
(First Time)
Luz was auditioning for a role in Romeo and Juliet. Dressed in a bright green princess dress and hat, she recited Juliet's lines from the death scene.
"O happy dagger, give me death!"
She pretended to stab herself with a spork, dropping to her knees. Luz then ripped open the top of her dress, causing several sausage links to tumble out. Everyone else on stage screamed and ran away as Luz fell to the ground, pretending to be dead.
That same day, Vesper was helping with prop making and stage construction. When the other kids struggled to move one of the backdrops, he used a small droid he had built to help position it. However, the stage piece was too heavy for the robot to handle. It broke under the weight, causing the set piece to topple over and become damaged.
"Must have miscalculated the weight tolerance…." Vesper muttered to himself, smiling sheepishly as everyone else glared at him.
(Second Time)
Luz used taxidermied animal parts in art class to create a baby griffin. She was sewing a pigeon's head onto a squirrel's body mounted on a platform. "Now for the final anatomically correct touch," Luz declared as she opened the model's beak. Spider breath." Numerous spiders began crawling out, scuttling over her and the table. Luz remained utterly unfazed, but her classmates reacted poorly. People screamed in terror, hurling objects in fright.
Meanwhile, in his chemistry class, Vesper worked on a powder that could change the color of fire. Wearing safety goggles and a lab coat, Vesper carefully sprinkled the dust over the open flame of his Bunsen burner, watching with delight as it shifted from orange to purple. "Success!" he cheered quietly. However, the powder produced some smoke, triggering the fire alarms. Vesper jumped in shock as his classmates screamed, and he was suddenly drenched with water from the sprinklers, extinguishing the flames.
(Third Time)
For reasons Vesper would never comprehend, Luz tried out for the cheer squad. Dressed in an orange and white uniform paired with a gray T-shirt, she observed a blonde girl with a pink hair stripe successfully execute a backflip, drawing applause from all the other students.
"You think that's an impressive trick?" Luz scoffed, tossing her pom-poms aside before turning away. "Take a look at this." She turned around to showcase that she had flipped her eyelids inside out. "Bleep, bloop, bleep!"
Unfortunately, she did not receive the reaction she had hoped for. Everyone else screamed and ran, and at least one person gagged.
Meanwhile, Cadence and Alexis encouraged Vesper to try out for a sports team. He randomly picked basketball. Just as Vesper was about to take a shot, one of the cheerleaders bumped into him, causing him to miss. The ball ricocheted off the back of the hoop and struck the coach's head hard enough to knock him out. Vesper stared wide-eyed as some other players rushed to check on the man.
"Oops..."
(Present Day)
"Why does that one even count? It was an accident!" Vesper argued.
"We all love that you two express yourselves," Camila continued, though the principal's glare indicated otherwise. "But if you can't learn to separate fantasy from reality, you may need to spend the summer here." She pulled a pamphlet from her purse, holding it out. It read, "Reality Check Summer Camp." On the front, a red-headed kid was crammed inside a box under the words, "Think INSIDE The Box."
Vesper turned to his father with a wide-eyed, 'You can't be serious!' expression. However, the older man hardened his stern demeanor, signaling that this wasn't up for discussion. The teen bit his lip and turned away from his father, catching Luz's attention as she reluctantly took the brochure.
"Don't worry, Mom, Mr. Sparks. We won't let you down," Luz said, standing up triumphantly. "No more weirdness!"
But just as those words left her mouth, the snake in Luz's hand suddenly jumped out and bit the principal. He fell to the ground with a yell while the snake hissed. Everyone stared for a moment before Luz nervously glanced at her mom. "That doesn't count, right?"
(Sometime Later)
Unfortunately, it did count.
It was now the day Vesper would leave with Luz for summer camp. The teen was doing some last-minute packing, stuffing items into a brown messenger bag decorated with star pins, a few different anime buttons, and a Cosmic Frontier keychain. His movements were stiff as he worked, barely holding back his frustration.
Of all the ways he envisioned his summer, this was not one of them! He didn't even know who he was angriest with.
Luz for getting him into this mess?
Mrs. Noceda for suggesting the camp in the first place?
His father for making him go?!
At that last thought, Vesper growled, slamming his hands on the mattress next to his bag. Spike, who had been lounging on his pillow, flinched with a whimper at the sound. He had never seen his human this upset before.
Hearing the noise, Vesper snapped out of his anger. Sighing wearily, he sat on the bed, his head in his hands. "I'm sorry, Spike…." He murmured an apology, still bowed. "Why can't they accept me for who I am…?"
Spike whined again before hopping off the pillow. He padded over to Vesper, resting his head on the human's knee to offer comfort.
"How's the packing going?" a female voice asked from the doorway. Vesper turned to see Alexis leaning against the door frame, with Cadence poking his head in from the other side.
Vesper and Alexis shared a ten-year age gap. Alexis stood at 5'7", athletic-looking, and fair-skinned. She had long brown hair and darker blue eyes than Vesper. In her Gravesfeild police uniform, Alexis was the youngest person to be made sergeant in the department's history.
Vesper sighed, leaning back on his bed. "It's done. I'm just… venting."
"Guess it's safe to say there won't be a father-son trip anytime soon," Cadence joked, trying to lighten the mood. However, everyone else didn't appreciate his comment, glaring at him in response. Even the dog was giving him a look. "Yeah, sorry, not the best time for jokes…" Cadence apologized sheepishly.
Vesper groaned as he flopped back onto his bed. "I really don't wanna do this."
"Not excited to learn how to balance a checkbook or appreciate public radio?" Alexis quipped, trying her luck.
"I already know how to balance a checkbook," Vesper grumbled before heading to his science corner to check his things. "I had to help Cade learn how. Also, radio? In the era of streaming and podcasts?"
The young adults looked at each other, unsure of what to say. Although both were worried about Vesper's asocial behavior, they didn't think this camp was a good idea. Cadence had privately expressed that he was offended by the camp's premise.
"Look, I know this isn't how you imagined spending your summer," Alexis said gently, walking over to him. "But maybe this could be a good thing…."
"Not you, too…." Vesper muttered, realizing where this conversation was heading.
"Hear me out," she insisted before continuing. "Just… give the camp a chance. Maybe you'll meet some kids who hate the place as much as you do, and you can bond over that."
"Why are you both so insistent that I make more friends? I have you guys, I have Spike, and I have Luz. Isn't that enough?" Vesper questioned, sighing as he finished covering his microscope. "Besides, no one wants to be friends with the boy genius…" Vesper was startled when Cadence placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, prompting him to look at the older man's sympathetic smile.
"Well, maybe you just haven't found people who appreciate your genius, and you may find those people at camp."
"But only if you try," Alexis added. "Can you at least give it a chance? Even if you don't like it?"
Vesper looked at them before glancing down, considering their words. Sighing again, he nodded. "Okay… I'll try, but I make no promises."
"That's all we're asking for." Alexis smiled, pulling Vesper into a hug.
Cadence ruffled Vesper's hair and kissed him on the temple. "You ready to go? You were gonna meet Luz at the bus stop and go together."
"Can I have a few more minutes?" Vesper requested as they released him. "I want to make sure all my equipment is turned off downstairs."
"Okay," Alexis nodded. "But don't take too long."
"Alright," Vesper agreed before grabbing his bag and heading for the door. "Come on, Spike!" Spike barked, tail wagging as he followed his human, sensing that he had perked up again.
Vesper walked to the basement and flipped on the lights, revealing a small homemade science lab. Two desks and an extra table held the equipment. One desk featured a desktop computer, a microscope, and a few beakers, while the other had a laptop, a mouse, a desk lamp, and a stack of books. The additional table supported various monitors measuring wavelengths. A corkboard on the wall displayed more data, pictures, and red strings connecting related pieces.
Vesper moved around the room, double-checking saved data and shutting down the equipment. As he approached the work table with the laptop, he was startled by a beeping noise from a device he had assembled to track the strange energy from the abandoned house in the woods. The device was a handheld invention with a wavelength screen and several knobs to adjust the frequency it detected. Near the top were two antennas reacting to the energies the device was registering.
Picking it up, Vesper turned some dials to get a more precise reading. "I've never seen numbers like these before…." The counter spat out a paper strip with the readings recorded on it. He tore it off, tacked it on his board, and connected another string.
"No doubt about it, Spike," Vesper declared, adjusting his glasses. "There's something strange going on with that house."
"Vesper."
The teen genius was startled nearly into dropping his invention when his father opened the basement door. "Dad!" he gasped, setting the device down and quickly shutting off his laptop.
"What are you doing down here?" Noah asked as he came down the stairs.
"Just… shutting things off." Vesper sighed, disappointment washing over him again. Just when he had gotten an interesting reading for his research…
"I'm going to get my bag…" he muttered, walking past his father without a glance. Spike followed his human, discreetly shooting Noah a dog-like glare for upsetting his friend yet again.
Noah sighed as his son left the basement. He knew Vesper was unhappy about this, but it was for his own good. "Vesper…" he called, following the teenager. "Wait!"
Vesper stopped in the hallway but didn't turn around. "I know you don't want to go to camp, but please try to understand. I'm glad you take your studies seriously, but throwing yourself into them isn't good for you."
Vesper didn't respond, crossing his arms to signal his disagreement with his father. Noah sighed, realizing his youngest was going to be stubborn. "Look, Vesper. Camp is an opportunity to… branch out and discover… new interests. And meet new people…."
Instead of soothing Vesper, however, his dad's words unleashed a wave of long-buried anger and frustration. Before he could suppress it, a bitter chuckle escaped his lips. "Stop sugarcoating it…" he muttered.
"What?" His dad replied, surprised by his son's outburst.
Vesper spun around, glaring at his father as he spat, "Just say it! Just say you don't like me hanging out with Luz and want me to be someone else!"
"I never said that–!"
"You didn't have to! It was written all over your face!"
"Vesper–"
"Everyone always says to be yourself, but everyone gets mad at me when I do!"
"Vesper!" Noah snapped, cutting his son off as he calmed down before continuing sternly. "Vesper, your obsession with science is getting out of control! Last week, your experiment blew out the power in the neighborhood! You're lucky you weren't arrested! And how many times have Luz's antics gotten you in trouble?! This last one could've gotten you both expelled!"
Vesper didn't respond, but his clenched fists betrayed his anger. "What I'm saying is maybe it's time to find some new interests."
Vesper bit his lip as hot tears gathered in his eyes. Unable to hold it in any longer, he finally shouted what he had held back for a while. "Well, sorry, I'm nothing but an embarrassment to you!" he cried, taking Noah by surprise. "Sorry, I'm not the son you want me to be! Sorry, I'm too much like Mom!"
The teen panted after his outburst, tears streaming down his face as he glared at his father. Noah stared back at him in stunned silence, unsure how to react. Vesper had never raised his voice or snapped at anyone before, as far as the older man could remember.
Shock and guilt were warring inside him as he tried to figure out how to diffuse the situation. However, Vesper didn't give him a chance. Unable to take it any longer, he spun around and ran for the door, Spike on his heels.
"Vesper!" Noah called, but Vesper didn't stop. He burst out of the front entrance, tearing around the side of the house and through their apple orchard.
Even with his vision blurred by tears, Vesper knew the path by heart. After sprinting down the forest path, he halted to catch his breath when he spotted Luz's house. Wiping away his tears, he walked around the house and saw Luz standing there, disappointed, in front of the bus stop.
Vesper walked over and stood beside her, Spike right next to him. "Hey…" he said hoarsely, catching her attention.
"Hey…" Luz replied, then noticed how upset he looked. "Hey, what's wrong?"
Before he could answer, her mother walked out of the house. "Oh! Oh, my baby!" She enveloped Luz in a hug, but it was not returned. Vesper didn't even look at her when Camila turned toward him. "Hola, Vesper!"
"Hi…" Vesper muttered, stepping pointedly to the other side of Luz. It wasn't hard for Camila to guess what was wrong.
"I know this isn't how either of you imagined your vacation going, but don't worry. Summer camp is only going to be for three months. You'll be so busy balancing checkbooks and learning to… appreciate public radio, the time will fly by!"
"I'm sure even normal teens find that stuff boring," Vesper muttered, causing Camila to frown.
"And I don't like any of that stuff," Luz pointed out. "I like editing anime clips to music and—and reading fantasy books with convoluted backstories." She pulled out a book from her favorite series, The Good Witch Azura.
"Mija, your fantasy world is holding you back," Camila told her. "Do you have any friends besides Vesper? Real ones, not imagined or drawn or reptilian?" Luz dropped her book, disappointed but aware her mother was right. "Summer camp is a chance to make friends, but you have to try." She slowly walked past her mother to the trash bin. "Can you do that?"
"Yes, Mom." Luz sadly placed the book in the trash. Vesper watched her sympathetically over his shoulder.
Alexis's cruiser pulled up, and the young sergeant stepped out. "Good, I beat the bus," she said, walking over to her brother with his bag. "Hey… you ran out of the house without this…"
Vesper silently took it and slung it over his shoulder. "Thanks, sis…"
Alexis patted her brother's shoulder before looking at Camila and silently asking if she still thought this was a good idea. The veterinarian glanced away, feeling guilty, starting to realize something was wrong.
"Vesper–" Before she could say anything, the radio in her car went off, signaling it was time to report for duty. "I gotta go," she said, hugging her brother. "Have fun." Alexis got in her squad car and drove away.
Seconds later, Camila's phone vibrated in her purse. "Oh, I gotta go to work." She kissed Luz's forehead. "Your bus is coming soon. Text me when you get there. Cuídate mucho, mi hija. ¡Qué te vaya bien!" She walked away from the teens.
"Bye, Mom."
When her mom was gone, Luz turned to Vesper. "I'm sorry," she said. "This is all my fault."
"It's not all your fault," Vesper replied. "I did my fair share of stunts, too."
"I still don't get why that mess at the basketball tryouts was part of it."
"I'm pretty sure the coach just doesn't like me," Vesper said, chuckling softly.
Luz giggled slightly but then sighed sadly. "Well, this is going to be a lousy summer."
"Yeah," Vesper agreed, already feeling miserable. "So much for getting into Everton…"
The two friends fell silent, mourning their lost summer. After a moment, Luz said, giving her friend a small, optimistic smile, "At least we have each other."
Vesper looked at her before returning her smile. "Yeah. Misery enjoys company."
They laughed, causing Spike to perk up again. "Let me just grab my–!" Luz started to say before gasping suddenly. Before Vesper could ask what was wrong, she began rummaging through the trash can, realizing her book was missing. "Where is it? Where is it?"
They heard an owl hoot and saw a little brown owl holding a sack in its beak with Luz's Azura bag sticking out.
"What the…?" Vesper blinked, confused by what they were seeing. The owl then turned and started flying away.
"Tiny trash thief!" Luz yelled before chasing after him, alarming Vesper.
"Luz, wait!" He chased after the girl, his dog right behind him. They followed the owl into the woods, taking an old forest path that had been there for years. The teens and dog stopped when they spotted the owl hopping toward a decrepit, abandoned house—the same one Vesper had planned to observe that summer. An ominous wind swept past as they stared at the structure, making the summer day feel colder. Spike growled lowly beside the teens, clearly uneasy about the place.
Luz and Vesper appeared just as nervous about the site as Spike was. Before they could reconsider their plan, Luz growled, steeling her nerves before continuing after the owl again. "Luz!" Vesper called out, running after the girl.
Both teens dashed inside the house, unaware of the front door slamming shut behind them or the bright light filling the entire interior, visible through the windows and holes in the roof. Spike yelped at the sights and sounds, whimpering when he didn't see his human or friend return.
(A few seconds later)
A mysterious, ornate door with an eye decoration unfolded in three parts before opening. The owl hopped through with a hoot, still clutching the sack. Luz followed a few seconds later, and Vesper was right behind her.
"Stop adorably hopping away, you–Huh?" Luz began to say before she realized her surroundings had changed, causing her to pause. Vesper stopped and bent over to catch his breath behind her as they looked around, noticing they weren't in the house anymore. Emerging from the other side of the door, the teens found themselves in a tent filled with old odds and ends.
"Whoa. I thought I had a lot of weird stuff," Luz remarked before picking up a creepy-looking doll on a rack. "But this? This is impressive."
"Forget that. How did we end up here?" Vesper questioned, bewildered by their sudden transition from a house to a tent.
"Finally, you're back!" a woman exclaimed suddenly. Luz and Vesper gasped and dropped to the ground. They peeked back up, exchanging glances before moving forward. "Now, let's see what we've got here," the woman said as Luz pulled aside the tent flap. Outside stood a pale woman with long gray hair facing away from them. She wore a red dress and a green polka-dot bandana, carrying a long brown pole almost her height.
The little owl hooted before landing on top of the pole. It twisted around, becoming a wooden fixture atop the staff. The friends gasped once more, astonished by what they had just witnessed. They continued to watch as the woman began rummaging through the bag her owl had brought back. After a moment, the strange woman pulled a smartphone from the sack. "Garbage..." She tossed it aside before searching again, finding a diamond ring. "Garbage..." She discarded it and continued sifting through the items. This time, she discovered a golden, shining chalice, but for some reason, that also failed to impress her as she tossed it aside. "Garbage…"
Suddenly, the woman gasped in delight when something in the bag caught her eye. "Now this…" She pulled out a pair of joke glasses with eyes on springs and put them on. "This will make me rich." Vesper wore a confused look as they watched her. How did she think gag glasses were going to make her rich?
"And this…" She pulled Luz's book from the bag, prompting the teens to gape silently. "Oh, this will make good kindling." She held the book over a candle to burn it, making Luz gasp in horror. Before Vesper could intervene, she dashed out of the tent.
"Luz!"
"Excuse me! Sorry! That's mine! Thank you!" she said, snatching her book from the woman, who was taken by surprise.
She rushed into the tent with Vesper and headed toward the door. However, the door folded up, transformed into a case and vanished just before they could pass through. The woman stood behind them, holding a key adorned with the same eye design as the door. "You two aren't going anywhere," she said menacingly as she removed her glasses.
"Wha–ah!" Luz yelped in fear, shoving her Azura book into her messenger bag as Vesper quickly pulled her under the back of the tent.
"Come on!"
They started to run but suddenly skidded to a halt just inches from a cliff. Gazing in terrified awe, they realized they were no longer in Connecticut—or even on Earth. Before them lay a bizarre, old-fashioned town adorned with Gothic architecture; some buildings resembled teeth and clawed arms, with one even grasping a flying dragon-like creature out of the air. Below, the city bustled with inhabitants engaged in their daily routines, but there was an unsettling twist: none appeared human. A cloaked figure clutched an ice cream cone that seemed to attempt to munch on a nearby passerby while the legs of what looked like a giant chicken strolled by. Meanwhile, a centipede-like creature opened its jaws, allowing a winged being to emerge; they shared a quick kiss before parting ways.
"Oh, no, no, no, no!" Luz exclaimed in a panic while Vesper stared in horrified shock as they backed away from the cliff. "What's going on?" Suddenly, a fairy-like creature approached Luz, causing her to leap back with a shriek and startling Vesper. "Oh, hello, little fairy," she said with a nervous smile. "Are you going to tell me this is all a fantastical dream?"
"Give me your skin!" it suddenly yelled, revealing rows of sharp teeth in its mouth. The friends screamed in terror as Luz slapped the fairy to the ground.
"Where are we? Did we die?" Luz went on a frantic rant. "Are we in a bad place?"
"Boy, I hope you're wrong!" Vesper clutched his head in fear. Suddenly, they felt a hand on their shoulders, making them freeze.
"You wish," replied the woman from before.
She dragged them back to her tent and plopped them onto the stools out front. "I'm so sorry! I just wanted my book! If you're gonna eat my skin, just make it quick! Just do it now!" Luz yelled frantically as she closed her eyes, offering her elbow. Vesper hugged her protectively, eyes closed for the pain.
"Eat you? Why would I eat…" Eda asked before shifting to a cheerful tone. "A potential customer?" Perplexed by her sudden change in demeanor, the friends opened their eyes and realized that this woman was operating some sort of stand. Her offerings included "human collectibles," whatever that meant, and various items were for sale. "Can I offer you a human foot filled with holes?" She began displaying her merchandise, first holding up a green Croc, then setting it aside to grab a stick of men's deodorant. "A bar of green human candy? Oh, oh! How about this black shadow box that reflects only sadness?" She pulled out an old portable TV and raised it toward the teens. They glanced at the middle-aged woman before bursting into laughter, Vesper releasing Luz.
"That's not all it can do," Luz said as she and Vesper stood up.
"May I?" the teen asked, taking the TV. Vesper glanced at the table and grabbed two batteries from a dish labeled "Human candy! (?)." He placed them in the battery tray and pressed the power button. Immediately, a jazzercise video started playing, filling the air with loud music. "There we go. Good as new."
The music from the video caught the attention of various customers and vendors in the surrounding marketplace. They had never heard sounds like that before, so they were all very curious. "Huh?"
"What's that?"
"The sound—it's so alluring." Several monsters were now gathered around the TV for a better look.
"I'll pay forty snails for the screaming box," one monster offered, waving some green bills.
"I'll give you a hundred!" another exclaimed, doing the same.
"Can I eat the tiny person inside?" a different creature inquired.
Soon enough, a small auction was underway, and the crowd began bidding. The teenagers watched the group in confusion while the lady looked on in disbelief. "What did you say your names were?" She regarded Luz and Vesper with an impressed smirk, and the teens smiled back.
"I'm Luz," Luz introduced herself. "Luz Noceda."
"And I'm Vesper," Vesper added, adjusting his glasses. "Vesper Sparks."
"Well, Luz, Vesper, that was pretty clever," she complimented as she collected money from the monsters. "For a couple of humans."
The teens each raised an eyebrow at the comment. "That's kind of a weird thing for another human to say," Luz remarked on behalf of both of them.
"Oh, dear child," the woman responded before removing her bandana to reveal pointed ears. "I'm not like you two." The teens stared in shock as the woman climbed onto the table. "I'm Eda the Owl Lady, the most powerful witch on the Boiling Isles!"
"A witch?" Luz asked softly.
"Boiling Isles?" Vesper murmured, confused.
"I am respected, feared–"
"Busted!" a male voice interrupted, slamming his fist into the TV.
"Run! It's a guard!" a monster yelled.
After that, all the demons ran away, screaming. Vesper and Luz fell to the ground as a large, hulking man loomed over the table, staring at Eda. "Eda the Owl Lady," he said as she hopped off the table, brandishing a wanted poster of her and a small dog-like creature with a skull, horns, and a red collar. "You are wanted for misuse of magic and demonic misdemeanors!"
"Whoa! Witch criminal!" Luz exclaimed as they leaned over the edge of the table.
"Just our luck!" Vesper groaned softly.
"You are hereby ordered to come with me to the Conformatorium," the man continued, grabbing Eda's arm.
"Would you guys quit following me around?" Eda complained as she pulled herself free. "I haven't done squat."
"And you're coming too..."
"Aah!" the teens yelped as they were seized by their vest and hood, respectively.
"… for fraternizing with a criminal!"
"Wh–What?! That's not cool!" Luz complained, hugging her legs again.
"Oh, come on!" Vesper added, trying to break free from his grip.
"Oh, all right, all right, you win," Eda surrendered before reaching under the table. "Just let me get my stuff." She grabbed her staff and swung it at the guard, hitting him in the face. He dropped the teens as he fell to the ground with a grunt. Eda then spun her staff and tapped the bottom on the table, creating a spark of light.
Luz and Vesper picked themselves up off the ground, and Luz retrieved her book. Looking back at Eda, they stared in awe as her belongings floated in midair, surrounded by a yellow aura. "How…?" Vesper's eyes widened, unable to believe what he saw.
"Whoops. Can't forget this," Eda said, pulling the key out of her hair. She pressed the eye to summon the portal door to her. Then she closed her hand into a fist, wrapping the tablecloth around all her things. Finally, she stuck her staff through the bundle and started running. "Follow me, humans!"
Not seeing any other options, the teens scrambled after Eda. "This is crazy. If I die here, my mom's gonna kill me!" Luz stressed.
"Normally, I'd point out your lapse in logic, but now is not the time!" Vesper said, just as freaked out as she was.
"Ha! I won't let 'em hurt you," Eda reassured her. "Humans like you two are much more valuable to me alive than dead."
"Wait. What's that supposed to–" Luz questioned before Eda looped her arms around hers, with Vesper quickly grabbing his friend's arm.
"Whoo-hoo!" she whooped, jumping as she pulled the teens onto her staff before taking off into the sky just as the guard came around the corner.
"You won't get away with this, Owl Lady!" He shook his fist at her before glancing down at his hands. "Yeah, all right. You did. You got away with it. She got away with it, everybody!" After his outburst, the guard walked away in defeat. "Typical."
(Somewhere in the sky)
The teens had their eyes shut tight in fear as they flew over the Isles, with Luz clutching her book close while Vesper clung to her, tears streaming from both of their eyes. "You can open your eyes now, humans," Eda said after a few minutes. Luz and Vesper opened their eyes, trying to regain their bearings. The girl looked down and saw the ground whizzing by several feet below them. Startled by the height, Luz yelled in fright, causing Vesper to jolt and let go of her as she nearly fell off the staff.
"Luz!" Vesper cried as she hung upside down like a koala.
"Flying staffs, crazy monsters, you're a witch! What is this place?" she questioned as Eda picked her up and set her right again.
"This is the Boiling Isles," Eda explained as they soared, various winged creatures flying behind them as she spoke. "Every myth you humans have is caused by a little of our world leaking into yours."
"Every myth?" Vesper glanced over his shoulder. "Like centaurs, the kraken–"
"When I say every myth, I mean every myth," Eda replied. A griffin resembling the one Luz created at school flew up next to them and screeched.
"A griffin!" Luz gasped, smiling despite herself. The griffin then regurgitated a bunch of spiders. "I knew it!" she exclaimed, pointing at it.
"That still makes no sense!" Vesper stated, staring at the griffin, dumbfounded.
"Yep. Griffins, vampires, giraffes…" Eda counted off on her fingers.
"Giraffes?" Luz questioned.
"Oh, yeah. We banished those guys," Eda explained as she dove down to land the staff among the trees. "Bunch of freaks."
When she hopped off the staff, she didn't notice that one of her hands had stayed behind. The friends did, however, just in time to witness it move on its own. "Aaah!" they screamed, jumping off the staff.
"Oops," Eda said, taking her hand and screwing it back on. "That happens sometimes."
"Okay, Vesper, time to wake up," the brunette boy said as he got up, slapping his hands to his face. "Ow!"
"Well, I've had enough adventure for today," Luz said, standing up. "This is clearly not the PG fantasy world I always dreamed about. So, can you help us get back home?"
Eda leveled her staff in front of Luz, startling her before lifting it again. "Only if you help me first."
"With what?" Vesper asked.
The witch simply chuckled before walking away, her bag trailing behind her. "Ah, now, come along, humans."
"Whoa!" Luz whispered in awe.
An owl with an uncanny human face cackled from atop a tower before swooping down in front of a peculiar cottage with a large window that resembled an eye. Eda led Luz and Vesper out of the forest and to the front door.
"Aren't you worried about those guards finding us?" Luz asked, glancing over her shoulder.
"Yeah, this place isn't exactly inconspicuous," Vesper added skeptically.
"Don't worry. My house has a state-of-the-art defense system," Eda replied proudly. Suddenly, the owl carving on the door started to speak.
"Hoot-hoot! Password, please!" it said before Eda poked it in the eyes. "Aah!"
"We got no time for this, Hooty. Let us in," Eda said, unamused, while the teens exchanged glances.
"All right, all right! Geez! You never want to have any fun! Ow! Hoot!" Hooty grumbled. He opened his mouth wide enough to cover the door entirely. Eda, Vesper, and Luz stepped through (Vesper looked slightly disgusted) while Eda's bag remained outside. Hooty then closed his mouth with a burp.
"Welcome to," Eda snapped her fingers, "the Owl House…" Suddenly, magic filled the room as candles flared to life. A fire erupted in the fireplace, a cauldron started stirring on its own, and a broom began to sweep the floor. Above them, a glowing image of some kind of owl beast let out a deafening screech. Luz and Vesper watched everything in stunned silence. "… where I hide away from the pressures of modern life. Also, the cops. Mm, also ex-boyfriends," Eda added, chuckling lightly as the teens gazed around.
"This place is beautiful," Luz commented, setting her book on the coffee table before turning to Eda. "Do you live here all alone?"
Suddenly, thudding footsteps began shaking the house, causing debris to fall from the ceiling. "Actually, I have a roommate," Eda replied, crossing her arms.
Luz and Vesper braced themselves as the thudding continued, and a shadow loomed near the doorway. "Who dares intrude upon I," a deep voice bellowed before softening to a normal tone. "The king of demons?" Then, the dog-like creature from Eda's wanted poster entered the room, still damp from his bath. He wore a duck and heart towel around his waist and head, squeaking a rubber ducky in his paw. Luz gasped in delight, her eyes shining at how adorable he looked.
"¡Ay, qué lindo!" she exclaimed, rushing forward to scoop him up in a hug, knocking away his towels and ducky.
"Saw that coming," Vesper muttered, though he was smiling in agreement.
"Eda, he's so cute!" Luz gushed as she cuddled him like a plush toy. "Who's a widdle guy? Who's a widdle guy? Is it you? Is it you?"
"No! I don't know who your little guy is!" the creature protested, trying to escape Luz's embrace. "Eda, who is this monster?"
"Oh, this is Luz, the human. And her friend, Vesper," Eda explained, dragging Luz away from King and setting her down. "They're here to help us with our little… situation."
"Oh! Hooray!" he cheered.
"Wait, wait, wait. I don't like the sound of this 'situation,'" Luz interjected.
"What exactly do you mean by that?" Vesper asked suspiciously.
"Just… let me explain." She twirled her hands, forming a circle in the air. As the inside of the ring darkened, images began to appear like a storybook while Eda started narrating. "King was once a mighty king of demons until his Crown of Power was stolen, and he became… this."
"You mean this little bundle of joy?" Luz asked, hugging King once more.
"When did you pick him up again?" Vesper inquired.
"The crown is being held by the evil Warden Wrath and locked away behind a magical force field that only a human can break through," Eda narrated as the images faded. "A human like you two. If you help us retrieve his crown, we'll send you back to your realm. So, whaddya say? Plus…" She lifted King by his face and shook him gently. "Who could say no to this cute face?"
"No! Please don't encourage her!" King cried, squirming until Eda let him go. "Nyeh!"
"I mean, we're kinda your only way home," Eda added casually.
"Touche," Vesper deadpanned.
"So, we don't really have a choice in this, do we?" Luz asked, looking visibly nervous.
"Nope," Eda confirmed before picking up the teens and tossing them over her shoulder as she headed for the door. "Now, we've got no time to lose."
"Soon, Mr. Ducky, we shall drink the fear of those who mocked us." King grabbed his bath toy before following Eda.
"Where are we going?" Luz inquired.
"Somewhere super fun," Eda replied, staff in hand.
(A few minutes later)
Thunder and lightning crashed as they stood outside a creepy prison with spikes on the walls. "The Conformatorium, a place for those considered unsuitable for society," Eda explained while the teens cringed, with King riding on Luz's head for some reason. Stepping back, Luz saw another copy of Eda's wanted poster on the wall they hid behind.
"Whoa," she murmured, taking it down to look closer. "These guys really have a thing for you."
"That's a lot of zeros," Vesper remarked, eyeing the reward.
"Yep," Eda winked at them. "But we were never caught because we're too slippery."
"Try to catch me when I'm covered in grease. I'm a squirmy little fella," King declared before tumbling off Luz's head. "Aah!"
"Okay," Vesper sighed. "As much as I don't like this, what's the plan?"
"You, Luz, and I will sneak up to the top of the tower, where they're holding my crown," King explained, pointing to the prison.
"And I'm gonna make sure the warden's distracted," Eda added, stepping back a few feet.
Luz gasped with excitement. "Will we need disguises?!"
"Uh…" Eda glanced away awkwardly, unsure how to respond to her.
"I've been waiting to use this!" The girl pulled up the hood of her shirt, flicking two cat ears upright. "Meow, meow!"
"It's hideous," King commented bluntly.
"Oh, you'll fit right in," Eda chirped. Vesper smacked his forehead for what felt like the tenth time that week. "Don't worry, Glasses, I've got something for you, too."
Getting to work, Eda tapped the butt of her staff against the ground, creating a round glowing platform beneath everyone, startling them. Some of the light surrounded Vesper, draping a black hooded cloak over his clothes. "Hang on tight," she said, stepping away from the circle.
"Whoa!" the human gasped as the platform rose. They floated over the prison walls and up to a window in the tower. The moment it stopped, it vanished suddenly. Yelping, Vesper quickly grabbed the edge of the window sill. Luz hugged him around his shoulders while King clung to her feet.
Meanwhile, down below, Eda activated her staff. She tossed it aside and casually sat on it as it took off. "Meet you guys at the top of the tower." The teens watched her departure as King heaved himself up with a grunt and crawled through the window. With similar grunts, the friends summoned all their strength to pull themselves up and in, landing flat on their faces.
"Ha-ha! Cats don't do that," King mocked them.
Vesper glanced at him, tapping his fingers against the floor while resting one hand on his cheek. "Let's just get this over with."
Luz sat up and gasped as she looked up. Vesper, following her gaze, opened his mouth in astonishment. The three stared in awe at the many prison cells ahead, edging closer to the brink. Each cell housed shadowy creatures of different forms, their eyes flickering with a ghostly glow in the dim light.
"Hey, cat lady, brooding guy." They turned around to see a female prisoner behind them. "How'd you get out of your cells?"
"Oh, no, no, no. I'm not a cat," Luz corrected, pulling down her hood. "But now that I think about it, you do look brooding and mysterious…" She glanced at Vesper, who rolled his eyes as he removed his hood. "Also, we're not criminals."
"Not yet, you're not," King said with a smile.
"Neither are we," the female prisoner retorted, irritated. "The stupid warden likes to lock people up who don't fit in."
"Really?" Vesper's eyes widened at this revelation.
"Yeah, like I write fanfics of food falling in love." She pulled out a fanfiction book and opened it to show them a couple of pages illustrating an onion and a carrot behaving like lovers. "I like food, I like love… Just let me write about it."
"I'm here because I like eating my own eyes." A blue male prisoner with multiple eyes and empty eye-sockets joined in. As he said this, he plucked an eye out of his head, swallowing it. The eye then floated back into place.
Vesper brought a hand to his mouth to suppress his urge to vomit. "Please don't do that in front of me again."
"Vesper's got a weak stomach," Luz explained, cupping her hand to her mouth as if she were whispering.
"Oh, sorry." The prisoner apologized as the male human regained control of his nausea.
"We are agents of fwee expwession! They will never siwence us!" A tiny female prisoner, resembling a head with a large nose, arms, and legs, yelled in a squeaky voice with a lisp.
"Yeah, she's really big into conspiracy theories," the first prisoner said, jerking her thumb at her and rolling her eyes.
"The world is a simulation! We are but playthings for a higher being!"
Vesper stared at her before glancing at the witch. "You have my sympathy."
"Vesper!" Luz shot him a look, aware of where this conversation was heading.
"I'm sorry, but it's not a glitch in the matrix!" her friend continued to argue. "The bird looks frozen in the air because you're passing under it! It's called an optical illusion!"
"Well, you must be a lot of fun at parties," the witch prisoner quipped with a smirk.
"But back to the point," Vesper interjected, steering the discussion back. "Even if I disagree, these aren't crimes. They're not valid reasons to lock someone up."
"Vesper's right. None of you actually did anything wrong," Luz said as she paced the floor. Her eyes widened slightly before she pulled out Eda's wanted poster. "You're all just a bunch of weirdos."
"Like us," Vesper concluded, feeling sympathy for these people.
Suddenly, thudding footsteps grabbed their attention as the room shook.
"What is that?" Vesper asked slowly, fear creeping into her voice.
"It's Warden Wrath! Hide!" the first prisoner warned them. Luz yelped in fright, dropping the poster as her friends looked around for an escape. Spotting an open cell, they rushed inside, with Luz pulling the door shut as they entered.
The footsteps continued until the outside door was pushed open. Standing in the doorway was a tall man wearing a medieval doctor's mask. "I can hear you," Warden Wrath growled. Luz whimpered, cuddling King between herself and Vesper as the man stomped closer. "Just what are you fools whispering about?" He looked down and saw Eda's wanted poster that Luz had dropped. "Ah, the Owl Lady." He picked up the poster, crumpled it, then turned his fist into a hammer and slammed it against the door of the trio's cell. "I'll get my hands on her soon enough."
Warden Wrath looked into the cell, where Luz, Vesper, and King were huddled in the corner. "Fight against the oppwessor! We will wesist! We will conquer!" the conspiracy theorist cried out, catching the warden's attention as he approached her cell. "We will never be afwaid of you, you old cweep!"
Wrath said nothing as he pulled the lever and opened her cell door, the little demon staring in surprise as the bars went up. "Hooway! I'm fwee!" she cheered before she was suddenly grabbed by the warden, his fist fitting around her entire body as she squeaked in fear.
He held her up and pointed at the other two prisoners beside her. "Let this be a lesson to all of you. There's no place in society for you if you can't fit in." He tightened his grip, causing the prisoner to squeak again. The trio watched fearfully as Warden Wrath stomped away, crushing the crumpled-up wanted poster on his way out. Once the door slammed shut after he was gone, Luz opened the cell, and she, Vesper, and King ran to the fanfiction writer.
"Don't worry. We can get you out," Luz assured her, but she couldn't lift it when she tried to pull the lever. "No! My weak nerd arms! Come on, Vesper, I need your help!"
"I know, I know!" Vesper said, glancing at the lever. "Let me just find the right angle for leverage…"
"Just get out of here while you still can, kids. Enjoy freedom for us," the fanfiction writer said solemnly, her head lowered as she walked deeper into her cell.
The teens stared at her for a moment before reluctantly walking away. It hurt that there was nothing they could do to help.
They headed down a corridor, with King trailing behind when Eda flew in beside them. "Hey, I just checked," she said, hopping off her staff, causing them to pause. "The warden is distracted, tormenting some tiny creature. He won't be coming around here anytime soon."
The teens remained silent as they continued walking, Eda watching them go in confusion. They soon reached a towering door labeled "CONTRABAND." "My crown! It's close! I can sense its power!" King exclaimed excitedly as he ran toward the door. He jumped at the doorknob, which was as big as he was, fiddling with it to get inside.
"Aw, he gets so cute when he's thirsty for power," Eda smiled.
"This system stinks," Vesper grumbled, frustration seeping into his sad expression.
"It's not fair that they're all in here. They just want to be themselves," Luz said, turning to Eda. "Why does everyone think that being a weirdo is so bad?"
Eda didn't have time to consider an answer when they heard King grunt. They turned just in time to see the doorknob clatter to the ground at their feet. King then pushed open the door, cackling as he rushed through. "Come on," Eda sighed softly before they followed King inside. "Before he hurts himself."
They heard a zap from within the room before King yelled, "Ow!"
"Too late," Vesper muttered.
The interior was empty except for a giant glowing pillar in the center. That was most likely the force field Eda had mentioned earlier. King rubbed his head before charging at the pillar headfirst. However, brute force did nothing, and he only launched himself backward, much to his annoyance. Eda knelt beside him with a smile. "We have humans, remember?"
"Oh, yeah."
Luz and Vesper took deep breaths before nodding to each other. Approaching the pillar, they each reached out a hand as they prepared to pass through. But just as Vesper's fingertips made contact with the light, a sudden zap surged through his body. With a pained yelp, he stumbled back so quickly that he fell to the ground, almost as if he had been thrown.
"Vesper!" Luz cried as she and the others rushed to his side.
"Easy, kid, easy." Eda helped him to his knees as he clutched his hurt hand, hissing through his teeth. She turned to Luz and said, "You go ahead, Luz. I'll keep an eye on him."
"But–"
"Look, we've already been here too long. If we hang around much longer, we're going to get caught. We might need to bounce as soon as you find the crown," Eda explained, smiling reassuringly. "Don't worry. He's in good hands."
Luz took one last look at Vesper before nodding to the Owl Lady. Turning back to the barrier, she stepped forward and passed through effortlessly. Inside were piles of what could only be described as junk: everything from books to skulls to a dead fish in a tank. Atop the central pile was a glowing crown.
Luz leaned in for a closer look. "Wait a second. Is that a…"
Back outside, Eda helped Vesper to his feet, but his legs were unsteady from the experience, so she kept a grip on him. Vesper released his hand to check for injuries, relieved to see no blood. However, he noticed his fingertips were slightly red, resembling a minor burn.
"What… What happened?" he asked, looking at the witch in confusion.
Eda wasn't quite sure what had happened herself. She thought Vesper was human, so why did the barrier zap him? Besides, the shock's intensity increased depending on the strength of the person's magic. This kind of injury would typically be seen in an upperclassman school witch.
Before she could think of anything to say, they saw Luz step out of the force field. "Did you find it?" Eda asked, pulling away from Vesper.
"I found something…," Luz replied, looking extremely frustrated. In her hands was a paper crown with "Burger Queen" written on it. The kind of crown a kid would get with a fast food kids' meal.
"My crown!" King jumped for joy before taking the crown from Luz and placing it on his head. "Yes! Yes! I can feel my powers returning! You there, nightmare critter." He pointed to a stuffed rabbit with one button eye falling out of a box before picking it up. "I shall call you Francois, and you shall be a minion in my army of darkness. Ha-ha!"
"That crown doesn't give him any powers, does it?" Luz asked, gesturing to King.
"Uh, no," Eda replied, receiving glares from the teens. "Oh, look at us, kids. King and I don't have much in this world. We only have each other. So if that dumb crown is important to him, it's important to me. And besides, us weirdos have to stick together, you know?"
Luz and Vesper exchanged glances before blushing with shy grins. "Yeah, we know," Vesper said softly.
"Well, we owe you one. Now, let's get out of here before the warden finds us and loses his head," Eda said, unaware of the figure approaching from behind her.
"Too late." Warden Wrath loomed over her. He held up his hand as it turned into a blade. With an easy swing, he decapitated Eda. Luz caught her head, causing the teens to scream in horror, thinking Eda was dead. Her tongue was sticking out like a bad fake corpse when suddenly, she blinked and started talking like she was okay.
"Ow! Oh, I hate it when that happens."
The teens screamed again, this time louder and for longer. "Eda! Are you okay?" Luz asked, her eyes wide with panic.
"Yeah. This just happens when you get older," Eda replied.
"Does it?" Luz asked, staring at her with wide eyes.
"Please tell me you're joking!" Vesper squeaked, equally horrified.
"Finally," the warden said, his hand returning to a normal one with two guards behind him. "I have you cornered, Eda the Owl Lady." He stepped forward, taking King's crown.
"Weh?" King gasped.
"My guards could never get you," Warden Wrath said as he advanced closer to Luz, Vesper, and Eda, with King following. The little demon raised his arms, jumping up and down as he desperately tried to grab his crown. "But I knew if I took your pet's toy, you'd come running." He then cruelly crumpled the crown in his fist.
"No! My power!" King cried, dropping to his knees.
"What do you want with me?" Eda demanded, glaring at him along with the teens. "I've never actually broken any of your stupid laws… in front of you."
"Not helping your case!" Vesper whispered.
"I want you…" He began, suddenly pulling out a bouquet and dropping to one knee. "to go out with me."
"Wha…?" Eda responded, taken by surprise.
"What?" Luz questioned, disgusted.
"To what now?" Vesper asked, equally unsettled.
"Go, boss!" one of the guards shouted, while the other gave him two thumbs up.
The warden returned the thumbs-up before focusing back on Eda. "You've always eluded our capture. You've always been the one who got away. I found that alluring."
"I hate everything you're saying right now," Luz replied.
"Same here," Vesper added.
"You stay out of this!" Warden Wrath snapped, tossing the bouquet over his shoulder. He then transformed his now free hand into tentacles and grabbed the teens, forcing Luz to drop Eda's head as the warden lifted them off the ground. "So how about it, Owl Lady?" Wrath asked, gripping her head by the hair. "The most powerful witch of the Boiling Isles and the feared Warden Wrath. We'd be the strongest power couple ever. I mean, it's– it's not like you can say no right now."
Eda looked up at the two friends, struggling to free themselves from the warden's grasp. Then, she glanced at King, who one of the guards had picked up and was fighting for freedom. "All right, Warden," Eda sighed in defeat. "You win. I'd just like to say something first. Come closer." He did as she asked, bringing his head closer to her face. "No. Just come a little bit closer. Just…" He pulled her in until she was at eye level with him. "Yeah, that's good." Once she was close enough, she blew a raspberry right in his face. Warden Wrath yelled in surprise, dropping the teens, who cried out in shock. He wiped Eda's spit off his mask as the witch laughed.
"Impudent wench! Don't you know how many germs are in your mouth? Blegh!"
"Get over it," she retorted. "You had your guards stalk me, and then you cut off my head. I am not going out with you."
"If you don't accept, then I have no choice but to des–Oh!" His threat was interrupted when Luz snuck up behind him and struck him in the head with Eda's staff, causing him to tumble to the ground with a loud crash.
"Nice!" Eda chuckled, slightly impressed. The other two guards moved closer, prompting her to glare at them. Suddenly, her body, which had been moving on its own the entire time, walked behind them and pulled their hoods over their eyes.
"Okay, we're going now!" Luz said, grabbing Eda's head with Vesper right behind her. Eda's body freed King from the guard's grip, and Vesper seized her by the waist to lead her away. The owl stretched its wings with a hoot as they mounted the staff. "Expecto… flying? Magicus… escapicus!" Luz said nervously as she tried to make the stick fly.
"Okay, how do we fly this thing?!" Vesper asked in a panic. Warden Wrath grunted as he got up, and Eda narrowed her eyes at him before turning her gaze to the staff.
"Gun it, magic stick!"
The staff took off, and the friends yelped as they raced out the door moments before the warden scrambled to his feet. "Owl Lady," he growled. "I won't let you get away again!" His arms transformed into bundles of tentacles, which he used to chase after the staff.
The duo screamed as they made a sharp turn around the corner, flying toward the prison cell area with Warden Wrath in hot pursuit. Luz focused on the levers for the cell doors and got an idea.
"Eda, Vesper, lend me a hand!" she called, raising her hand. Eda and Vesper placed their hands against the back of Luz's hand. As they flew past, they flipped the switches, opening the cells of the three prisoners the friends and King had talked to earlier. All of them looked thrilled as their cell doors opened.
The teens yelled as the heist group burst through an outer door of the Conformatorium, smashing two guards against the wall. The warden followed, front-flipping off a pillar. As they hit open air, the staff plummeted with the team. Wrath extended a tentacle, striking the back of the staff and sending Eda, Luz, Vesper, and King flying off. They tumbled upon hitting the ground while Warden Wrath landed in front, his hand transforming once more into a blade.
"Ow, my bones!" King cried as Eda reattached her head.
"Luz, Vesper…" The witch reached into her hair and pulled out the key to the portal door. "Go back to the human world." She handed the key to Luz before charging at Warden Wrath.
"What about you guys?" Luz asked as she put the key in her bag.
"Yeah, we can't just leave you here!" Vesper exclaimed, concerned for them.
"If you think this guy is bad, you shoulda seen her last boyfriend!" King said as he stood up and rushed to join Eda.
"Not my boyfriend," Eda grumbled, dodging Wrath's bladed hands. She seized King and leaped out of the way of another strike. "Go! Go!" She urged the teens as she hurried back to them, placing them on her staff.
"But—but we–!"
Before Luz could voice any protests, Eda slapped the bottom of the staff, sending it into the air. The teens screamed as they flew uncontrollably into the sky. Warden Wrath removed his mask, revealing a face that was mostly a mouth. He opened his jaws and breathed a stream of fire at the Owl Lady. Eda skillfully drew two spell circles, one to catch the fire and another to launch it right back at the warden. Wrath slammed back into the wall of the Conformatorium, kicking up a cloud of dust from the impact.
"Seriously, how do you fly this thing?!" Vesper cried.
"I don't know!" Luz whimpered as the two tried not to fall off the staff. Clinging tightly to the staff, they somehow managed to prevent it from flying away. They looked back down while hovering to see what was happening in the fight. Wrath stood up, brandishing his blade hands and charging toward Eda again. Once he was gone, Luz and Vesper saw the three prisoners peek out of the hole he left in the wall, looking hesitant. Confused, the friends exchanged glances before Luz flew them down to talk to the prisoners.
"Why are you guys just standing there?" Luz asked when they landed. "This is your chance to escape!"
"The warden will catch us. He always does." The multiple-eyed prisoner looked down sadly.
"We belong here," the fanfiction writer added.
"Self-doubt is a pwison you can never escape fwom," the conspiracy theorist remarked, now sporting a black eye.
"So, you have a different way of doing things, a different way of seeing things. That might make you "weird," but it also makes you awesome. Don't you see?" Luz told them.
"Why are you helping us?" the witch couldn't help but ask.
"We know what it's like to be ridiculed for being different," Vesper answered with determined fire in his eyes. "Just because people don't understand you or disagree with you doesn't give them the right to lock you up and make you feel bad about yourself!"
"Plus, us weirdos have to stick together," Luz added, pulling up her hood as she and Vesper mounted the staff, hovering in the air. "And nobody should be punished for who they are."
"Yeah!" The three prisoners cheered, feeling emboldened by their encouraging words.
"Now, let's get 'em!" Luz yelled, turning the staff around and flying back toward the fight, the prisoners running behind them.
Eda was thrown against the ground a few feet away, and a second later, King was flung into her arms. "No more running away, Owl Lady," Warden Wrath loomed over them, his blade hands raised. "Today, I capture you once and for all!" King whimpered, hiding his face in Eda's chest as the witch glared defiantly.
"Go, go, go, go!" Luz shouted. The prisoners screamed, catching the warden off guard. They charged at him, knocking him away from King and Eda as Luz and Vesper flew past them.
"Luz? Vesper?" Eda asked, staring after them.
"I eat my own eyes!" the multi-eyed creature proclaimed, pushing Wrath back.
"I think the world is a twiangle!" The conspiracy theorist used her small stature to trip Wrath. As he fell, the fanfiction writer sat on his chest to pin him down.
"And I practice the ancient art of fanfiction!"
The smallest prisoner joined in to help hold Warden Wrath down while the eye-eating prisoner grabbed his arms and bound them together. Then, he flipped Wrath onto his stomach. "You two!" he growled as he spotted Luz and Vesper descending towards Eda's staff. "Who do you think you are?"
"Do not underestimate us, Warden Wrath," Luz pointed at him. "For we are Luz, the human…."
"And Vesper, the alchemist," Vesper added, standing tall as he tipped his glasses in a glare.
"Warriors of peace." They finished together, pausing to let the wind blow their hair dramatically.
"Now eat this, sucka!" Luz grabbed her firecracker from her book report and tossed it into the air. She jumped up and swatted it with Eda's staff like a baseball bat. The firecracker dropped into Wrath's flaming mouth, exploding and showering the sky with spectacular fireworks. Humiliated, he ran away as the fireworks continued to burst inside his mouth, and the prisoners erupted in cheers.
"Woo hoo! We won!"
"We are victorious!" the tiny prisoner jumped up and down. Luz stood proudly next to her friend and smirked slightly.
"I hate to be a stickler, but I think we just violated some serious fireworks safety rules."
"Eh, whatever. That guy was a jerk," Vesper shrugged nonchalantly, returning her smirk. The duo laughed at their banter as Eda approached, placing a hand on their shoulders.
"That was actually one of her better breakups," King remarked from his spot on Eda's shoulder.
"Not a breakup," Eda shot back at him before looking at the two friends. "Anyway, let's bounce before any more monsters fall in love with me."
The four soared off on the staff, fireworks still exploding behind them.
(Back at the Owl House)
"Well," Eda leaned her staff against the living room couch, turning to face the teens. "A deal's a deal. Let's get you two home." With a snap of her fingers, the key zipped out of Luz's bag and into Eda's hand. She pressed the eye, and the portal door opened in front of the fireplace.
Luz and Vesper approached it, hesitating as the former hugged herself. They turned back to look at Eda and King when the latter cast his gaze to the ground, visibly sad. Having an idea, Luz reached into her bag. "Before we go…" She kneeled in front of him, holding out the head of her Azura doll. "I know it's not the same, but…" she said, removing Azura's crown and offering it as a parting gift. "A king shouldn't be without a crown."
King glanced at it momentarily before accepting the crown and placing it on his head. "This shall suffice," he said, nodding before pointing to a plant and performing his kingly act: "You there, plant! You are now under my command." Vesper chuckled as the little fellow walked away.
As that happened, Eda picked up the Azura book from the table and handed it to Luz with the Reality Check Summer Camp pamphlet on top. "Oh, and don't forget this." Luz took it back as she stood up, walking toward the portal.
"Luz?" Vesper asked, noticing the sad look on her face.
Luz ignored Vesper while she examined the pamphlet, eventually placing it beneath the Azura book. She lingered at the door, gazing at it for a moment before looking back down at her book, then up at the mirror above the fireplace. Suddenly, Luz gasped, lifting her book. The cover prominently featured Azura, with an older witch watching a creature resembling a dog or cat in the background. Lowering the book, she revealed the mirror's reflection, which displayed a similar scene: King and Eda mirrored the positions of the creature and the older witch while Luz stood in the foreground between them. The only difference was that Vesper stood behind her, looking confused as she contemplated her thoughts. A spark of realization lit up Luz's expression as a new idea struck her…
"Okay," She said, turning around to look at her best friend and the Owl House residents. "I know you got your head cut off, and we started some kind of prison riot, but this was the most fun I've ever had."
"Luz?" Vesper asked again as Eda blinked in surprise, her eyes wide like an owl.
"We don't fit in at home. You don't fit in here. If we stay, we could not fit in together," Luz suggested hopefully.
"Luz, you can't be serious," Vesper disagreed. "We know nothing about this world. We almost got killed here, and what about our families?"
"Vesper, it's always been my dream to be a witch and do weird witchy things! Besides, aren't you at least a little curious about this world? Or about what happened back at the prison?" Luz smiled slightly, knowing Vesper well.
Vesper glanced at his now-healed hand and then turned to the door. "... Well, this would be a fantastic opportunity to study the physical laws of another dimension. If I can't get into Everton, I might as well do something productive with my summer..." He thought aloud, smiling before nodding his consent to stay.
"Thank you, Vesper!" Luz cheered, hugging her friend.
"We just have to be home by the time summer camp ends."
Eda reminded them she was still there by chuckling awkwardly. "What's summer camp? What are we talking about here?"
"We wanna stay and become witches. Like you," Luz explained, holding up her book to Eda. "And Azura."
"Mostly her," Vesper pointed at Luz.
"What?" The Owl Lady laughed incredulously before pushing Luz's book down. "All right, that's crazy. Humans can't become witches."
"Maybe that's because they haven't tried. If you teach us to become witches, we'll do anything you want."
"Within reason," Vesper added.
"Let 'em stay!" King tugged Eda's skirt and whispered, "They can make us snacks."
The witch looked down at him for a moment before smiling and picking up King. "Well, I could use a hand keeping this goofball out of the cupboards. All right. I'll teach you two how to be witches. But you have to work for me before you learn any spells. Deal?" Eda held out her hand for them to shake. Luz glanced at it, then grinned and hugged the two. "Gah! What's going on?" Eda asked, feeling uncomfortable.
"Too tight! Too tight!" King complained.
Vesper just shook his head with a slight smile—typical Luz.
(Later)
Luz opened the creaking door to a storage room mostly filled with junk and smiled. She unrolled her sleeping bag and threw herself onto it, now dressed in pajamas. Then, she turned over and pulled a picture of herself and her mom from her messenger bag. She rubbed her thumb over the glass before placing the frame beside her pillow. Her phone vibrated, and she picked it up, turning it on to find a text from her mother.
How's summer camp?
Luz's expression fell as she moved her phone away from her face. She had no idea what to say and was certainly not going to tell her the truth.
King cleared his throat, stepping into the doorway while holding Francois. "Your sleep cocoon looks fluffy." Luz sat up and patted the sleeping bag. King curled up at the bottom, below her feet, and fell asleep holding his stuffed animal.
Luz smiled at him before replying to her mom.
I think I'm gonna like it here.
Smiling, she set her phone down, turned to the side, and fell asleep.
At the same time, Vesper entered another storage room down the hall from Luz's room. It was a bit messy and definitely not up to Vesper's organizational standards. He sighed tiredly. "This is going to take some work…"
Pushing various boxes and trunks against the wall to create space, Vesper laid out his midnight-blue sleeping bag with a white star pattern along the bottom and a matching pillow. After that, he changed into his pajamas, a light blue sleep shirt with white trim, dark blue pants with white drawstrings and small star patterns, and white socks. Getting comfortable, Vesper took out a framed photo of himself with his dad, Alexis, Cadence, and Spike. Smiling at them, he placed it next to his sleeping bag.
As Vesper gazed at it, his mauve purple cellphone vibrated. He turned it on and saw it was a text message from Alexis.
I know the answer, but how's camp?
Vesper looked at his message thoughtfully. He sat up and gazed out the single window in the room, staring at the Demon Realm's night sky. He hoped the camp would simply assume they had opted not to come. If they reached out to their parents, it would be difficult to explain where they were.
Still, when would they get another chance like this? A whole new world, teeming with wonders Luz had only seen in her dreams. While Vesper wasn't as passionate about fantasy as she was, the scientist in him yearned to dissect this world and uncover its secrets. If magic existed, it would open a new avenue of study for him.
Glancing back at his phone, he smiled slightly before texting Alexis a response.
I think I can adapt.
He placed his phone next to the picture before taking off his glasses. Snuggling into his sleeping bag, he closed his eyes, wondering what the upcoming summer would bring as the window of the Owl House blinked like an eye.
And with that, there's the first chapter! I know I info-dumped a lot of the story in this chapter, but it was important for setting up Brian's story.
After this, I will start my last Owl House story, "The Owl Family." Once that's done, I'll move on to a different fandom.