Kamen Rider SideRide Chronicles: Oscura's Encore
Intermission: Will You Be Mine?
When Amity reached the campgrounds, her phone rang. Taking it out of her pocket, she saw it was Luz calling her.
"Hey, Luz."
{Hi, hermosa. Have you reached camp yet?}
"We just arrived."
{Good, good. Glad you got there safely.}
"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?" Amity smirked. "Luz, are you so starved for my affection that you couldn't go five hours without hearing my voice?"
{…H-Heh-heh…Y-Yeah, y-you caught me. I-I'm just a…a complete mess without you h-here, Ams.}
Amity furrowed her brow a little. It sounded as if Luz was about to cry.
"H-Hey, Luz, it-it's alright. It's just two weeks. I'll be back home before you know it."
{No, no, sorry. I, uh, damn it, I was watching The Lion King and it just got to the part where Mufasa dies.}
Amity sighed with relief.
"Oh, Luz, please tell me you're not watching that alone. I know how much you bawl when you watch that movie."
{It's the best Disney movie ever! How can I watch it and not cry?} There was a pause before Luz continued, {...Say, Amity...after you left, Vee told me what it means when you give someone a personal piece of jewellery.}
Amity's face went red. Of course, Vee would tell Luz what it meant. She did not expect to have this conversation this soon. She thought she could wait until she got back and told Luz that she never intended it to be a proposal.
'Dammit, Vee, you're killing me here!'
"Um…well…y-yes, Luz, that's what it means," Amity confirmed.
{Oh, wow…uh…wow. I…I didn't know you were thinking about something like this. Considering–}
"Luz, what was that human saying?" Amity interrupted. "'Time heals all wounds', right?"
{Yes.}
"What happened was terrible but it's been years. We healed, we moved on, and I'd rather think about us now and our future together."
{O-Our future together. Heh. That sounds really nice when you say it like that, hermosa. I just don't want you to feel like you have to or that you're doing this out of some need to further atone for what happened. I…I don't want to accept a proposal because of that. I'd rather it be because you love me, and because you know I love you that much, too,} Luz said.
Amity went silent for a moment as she closed her eyes and searched her heart. Although she gave Luz her necklace without realizing what she had done, did that mean the gesture was any less a reflection of what her true feelings were? They have had some struggles, and no doubt would have unforeseen struggles in the future, but that wasn't a reason not to get married. Amity didn't feel that this was a way to atone. If anything, the idea of marrying Luz was both terrifying and incredibly exciting at the same time.
'But what if we hurt each other again? What if…What if I hurt her again? No…this is my chance to tell her the truth before I get her hopes up,' thought Amity.
Just then, something flashed through her mind and heart. Something that made her heart ache. Was it really the right thing to do? To tell Luz that she had not meant to propose? Then again, maybe it was a proposal? Maybe she really did want to do this all along and her subconscious just took over in that moment, knowing what the gesture meant back in her world. Being with Luz as more than just girlfriends. Yes. She knew what her answer was.
"Luz, I'll be honest with you. When I gave you my necklace, I wasn't thinking about that. I meant it as a gesture of love and affection," said Amity.
{Oh, I see. S-Sorry for overreacting about–}
"Let me finish." Amity interrupted. "That was what I thought at the time. But, the more I thought about it, the more I started to realize that maybe that's what I really meant. That I wanted to propose to you. Somewhere in my mind, despite not consciously remembering the custom, I knew what it meant deep down. My proposal was not out of a need to atone. I wouldn't sully a traditional proposal that way. What I did…I did it out of love. I love you, Luz Noceda. And, I want to be with you for the rest of my life in this world, never far from your side," Amity confessed.
Some choking sobs were coming from behind the phone, and it was starting to make Amity tear up as well. It took a good three minutes before either one of them was able to talk.
{Amity Blight, I accept your proposal. And I would love to marry you.}
"I guess we'll need to tell Camila when I get back. Unless you want to tell her now?" Amity replied, wiping the tears from her eyes.
{Let's wait 'til you come back so we can break the news together.}
"Like when you made that video presentation after we started dating?"
{Oh, God, that was so cheesy.}
"You know I like your brand of cheesy, mi amor. Plus, Camila will think it's cute, too," Amity assured.
"HEY, AMS! THE MEETING'S GOING TO START SOON!" Masha called out.
"O-Okay! I'll be right there! S-Sorry, Luz, I need to go. We can talk later."
{Yes, but only if you're not too tired. Te amo, Amity, con todo mi corazón. (I love you, Amity, with all my heart.)}
Amity felt her heart swell when she heard Luz say those words to her.
"Y yo también te amo, Luz. Con todo mi corazón. (And I love you too, Luz. With all my heart.)"
Luz ended the call and wiped away her tears. As soon as she got back, Luz quickly called Amity and was relieved to learn that she was alive. The memory of her girlfriend dying in her arms would haunt her and Amity would never know this, but Luz could take comfort that her beloved was alive.
The DGP was beginning to take its toll on her. Anne's death weighed heavily on her and she would have to live with the memory of Amity's death. She was able to avenge her and bring her back to life, but she had to rely on Oscura's power again.
She had not consciously called the Buckle to her but it had come to her regardless, as if it sensed her grief and desire to avenge Amity. Whatever it was, it was not just some fancy piece of technology. Ever since she used it for the first time in the last DGP, it had bonded to her, coming to her whenever she needed it.
After getting the kids situated, Zoe found the boy she had been pining over. He was good-looking, from a reputable family, and was on course to be chosen for his university's football team. His name was Jack Daniels, yeah, like that one drink, but it was still cool.
"Hey, Jack!" greeted Zoe.
"Oh, hey, Zo, what's up?" Jack answered.
"Well, we got the little brats to their cabins, and we'll have some free time until the next activity." Zoe moved closer to Jack and gently draped her hands around his neck. "What say we take a little nature walk? Somewhere, private?"
Jack had a lustful look on his face as he smirked.
"Oh, wow, Zo, didn't know you were that into me," he said.
"Hmm, well," Zoe leaned up and whispered into his ear, "I'd rather have you in me."
Jack's smirk widened as he separated from Zoe a bit, wrapped his right hand around her waist, and began leading her towards the trail. However, before they could get to the trail, Zoe stopped walking. Something didn't feel right about this. Which was weird, because this was what she wanted. To have Jack to herself, that was the only thing that made this camp thing even worth all the effort. But for some reason, Noceda's words echoed in her head.
"You'll only end up with someone who wants you for your body…"
Zoe looked up at Jack, and for some reason, she started to get a familiar feeling. Disappointment? Betrayal? Whatever it was, her mind was setting off warning bells that he was not someone to be with.
"Actually…Jack…Sorry, I'm not really in the mood anymore," said Zoe as she separated from Jack.
"W-What?! What do you mean?" Jack asked, incredulous.
"I just don't think we're a good match."
"Are you kidding me? You practically threw yourself at me, and now you're telling me you don't want it? Why the hell not?!"
Zoe pressed her left hand against her forehead as she sighed heavily in frustration.
"I can't explain it, I…I just have a feeling that if we did this, it'd be a huge mistake for both of us. I'm sorry for coming onto you like that, maybe we can start slow?"
Jack furrowed his brow, reached out with his right hand, and grabbed Zoe's right wrist hard.
"Hell no! You don't just blue ball me after acting like that! Put your money where your mouth is, Zoe!"
"Jack, let me go," Zoe demanded as she tried to pull away. "Seriously, let me go!"
"C'mon, just take a walk with me, I promise you won't regret it once we get started," he insisted.
Jack started dragging Zoe along towards the trail. No matter how hard she tried, he was far stronger than her, and could easily throw her over his shoulder if he wanted to. However, before they could get too far, something made Jack trip, causing him to fall face-forward into the dirt. Thankfully, he let go of her before he could bring Zoe down with him. When Zoe looked down, she saw a root sticking out of the ground.
"Zoe, you alright?"
The blonde turned around and saw Amity and Masha heading towards her.
"Uh…yeah, now I am," said Zoe.
Jack growled as he got up and dusted himself off. He was about to grab Zoe again until he saw Masha and Amity now standing next to her.
"Is there a problem here, Jack?" Masha asked.
"No problem, ladies. Just a misunderstanding between me and Zo," Jack assured them.
"Really? 'Cause it looked like you were dragging Zoe off into the woods," said Masha as they held up their phone. "At least that's what it looks like on camera anyway."
"What?!" Jack exclaimed.
Amity stepped forward and glared up at the jock.
"Listen, Jack. For the next two weeks, you better keep your hands to yourself. And if I catch you messing with Zoe or any of the other female counsellors, I won't hesitate to make you regret ever volunteering for this." The witch narrowed her glare as a dark shadow appeared over her eyes. "Understood?"
Jack didn't want to admit it, but this girl freaked him out.
"Y-Yes."
"Yes, ma'am!" Amity corrected.
"…Y-Yes, ma'am," he repeated.
Amity nodded her head and walked off with Zoe in tow.
"You sure you're okay?" Amity asked.
"Yes…and no." Zoe glanced at Amity. "Can you call Noced – I mean – can you call Luz for me?"
"Um, I can, but why?"
"Please, I…I need to talk to her."
Amity and Masha shared a look as they tried to make sense of the request before they shrugged and decided to let her speak to Luz. The pink-haired witch took out her cell phone, dialled Luz's number, and waited for her to pick up.
{Hey, batata. Couldn't go too long without hearing my voice, could ya?}
"Hey, Luz," Amity replied as she rolled her eyes at Luz's attempt to sound suave. "There's someone who wants to talk to you."
Zoe watched as Amity handed her phone over. The blonde teen took it and sighed.
"Hi, Luz," Zoe said.
{Zoe? Uh, hey, what, uh, what's up?} Luz asked.
"I…I just…I just wanted to say…I'm sorry."
Masha was stunned, Amity was stunned, and even Luz was stunned.
{Um, for what exactly?}
"When you tried to give me advice at the graduation party, I just blew you off and insulted you. But…you said all that to make sure I wouldn't get hurt, right?" Zoe asked.
{Well, yeah, I did. Zoe, you were a pain in my ass, and – no offence – a royal bitch. But that doesn't mean I wanted to see you hurt or anything.}
Zoe felt her heart aching right now. Despite all she put Luz through, the Latina wanted to look out for her. She was trying to be a friend even if it wasn't deserved. The blonde teen suddenly felt her eyes water as she cried.
"Dammit…Why am I crying right now? I…I can't stop crying…" Zoe wondered.
Amity and Masha came closer to her. They were worried that Zoe would shrug them away, but she didn't.
{Hey, hey, Zoe, it's alright. Look, you might've pissed me off a lot, but I never hated you.}
"I wasted so much time hating you…trying to make your life miserable…God, I'm such a bitch…" Zoe confessed.
"Wow, she finally admitted it," said Masha in amazement.
"Masha!" Amity admonished.
{Why did you hate me so much anyway, Zoe? Yeah, I was a weirdo, and I annoyed people, but I wasn't trying to hurt anybody.}
"Because…I was jealous," Zoe confessed as she smiled. "You weren't afraid to be yourself and it just annoyed me to no end! Then you come back to school acting all normal-ish, and suddenly you have friends. And then you changed again, and suddenly you have Blight as a girlfriend. And somehow you were more…you were stronger, undaunted. Am I using that word correctly? Whatever. The point is…I used you as a punching bag because I was jealous and a spiteful bitch…I'm sorry. I know you have no reason to forgive me…but I am sorry."
{…Zoe, I can't speak for everyone else. But as for me, I forgive you.}
"Just like that?" Zoe asked, surprised.
{There's no point in holding onto a grudge. Trust me, I know. The only way to move forward is to forgive. And I forgive you, Zoe. Again, I can't speak for others you might've wronged but it's a start, right?}
"Thank you, Luz." Zoe glanced at Amity. "Amity, sorry for going after you and Luz."
"If Luz can forgive you, then so can I," Amity told her.
"Masha, I'm sorry for all the horrible things I said to you," said Zoe.
"Eh, I dished it back as good as you gave it," Masha replied with a shrug. "So, we're even as far as I'm concerned. But, you owe Vee some apologies when we get back."
"That's fair."
"C'mon, let's get you cleaned up before we go and see the kids," said Amity.
"Thanks, and goodbye, Luz. Maybe…we could start hanging out after this?" Zoe asked.
{I'd like that, Zoe.}
A day after the previous round, Luz had a chance to decompress. But she knew this respite would not last long. The next round could begin at any moment and she would need to be ready for what the Jyamatos had in store for them next.
The Jyamatos weren't the only enemies she had, however. She had enemies among the Riders too. Boscha would no doubt try to sabotage her and while she could play dirty, she knew how to play within the rules. Luz was still on the fence about Sasha but they agreed to fight in the final round to decide which one of them would win and become the next God of Desire.
Now that she had time to arrange her thoughts, Luz sat at her desk and opened her laptop. She needed to get these thoughts out before they consumed her and before Amity returned or else she might accidentally say something or get too emotional when she saw her again.
"So, I won the last game but to win I had to use her power again. Let me recap. So, the last round of the DGP was horror movie themed. It was set in a camp and it was the same camp Amity went to. The other players and I went in and we lost our Drivers. The game's objective was to survive, collect our Drivers, and protect the five character Archetypes. I just so happened to be the 'Foolish One'. Considering everything I did in the past, is it any wonder why?"
Luz sighed heavily. While she had accepted her past actions and mistakes, it was always going to be a sore spot to think about.
"Anyway, Sasha, Marcy, Willow, and I managed to claim our Drivers, but Gus failed, so he was disqualified from the game. Well, he failed by the game's standards and rules. While he did win his Driver through a Secret Mission, he gave it to me instead. Gus said we'd stand a better chance of surviving if I had it. I guess he was right in the end. But I wish he hadn't gotten eliminated. He technically did retrieve his Driver. At least he would've been better than the alternative."
Luz's hands balled up into fists when she recalled what Boscha had done to Amity. After everyone else left, she asked Tsumuri to play back footage of Boscha during the game. And sure enough, she saw how Boscha assaulted her before Masha managed to save her.
"Boscha is so damn lucky I wasn't the one who found her. God knows I would've kicked her ass and thrown her to the Jyamatos! The permanent death penalty was suspended, so it's not as if she would've stayed dead. What makes it worse? Even though Boscha was 'killed' mid-game, she was still allowed to continue since she claimed her Driver before she was taken out. Ugh, now I gotta deal with that bitch for the rest of this game. I know I said I wouldn't let anyone else die, but she is really, really, really testing my patience and commitment to that promise as far as she's concerned!"
After venting out her anger towards Boscha, Luz's expression and tone became more melancholy as she remembered the horrible incident that happened towards the end of the Slasher Game.
"OK, so why did I end up using Oscura's power again? It's because…Amity died. Amity's alive again, thankfully, because I won the game but it still doesn't hurt any less. I'm relieved that she's alive but when she died in my arms, I felt nothing but the desire to avenge her." Luz clutched at her aching heart as the memory flashed through her mind. "All my grief, sorrow, hatred, and anger just erupted and I wanted to destroy the one that killed Amity. Maybe that's what called the Buckle to me. It reminded me of the first time I transformed. When Lilith tried to kill me, Eda took the hit for me instead. I transformed into my Rider form, and it led to the creation of my first Sin Ring, Wrathful Destruction. It was like reliving that moment all over again…"
Luz removed her hand and took a deep breath as she let those emotions go to calm herself.
"I'm happy that I won the last round because it allowed everything to be reset and bring Amity back to life, but I came so close to losing her. And she wasn't even a player this time. However, Willow, Marcy, Sasha and Boscha could die and even if I won this season, they wouldn't be revived." The Latina furrowed her brow. Despite the obstacles and the hardships, she was committed to her promise. "I won't let anyone die this time. I have to keep them safe. I have to. That's what it means to be a Kamen Rider."
With her declaration made, Luz ended the video entry and closed her laptop. She looked out the window and into the starry night sky above. She raised her right hand and without really thinking about it, traced the Light Glyph in the stars. All these years and she still remembered the first spell of the Boiling Isles that she learned from Eda.
Four days had passed since the end of the Slasher Game, but Luz was still a woman on a mission. Amity would be back in less than two weeks so she needed to get her something special when she got back. Luz looked at the necklace Amity had given to her and what it represented. If Amity was going to propose using a Boiling Isles custom, then Luz was going to do the same with an Earth custom. Luz still had not told her mom about the proposal and she asked Vee not to say anything. She wanted to tell her Mom when Amity got back so they could both tell her together. Camila had already accepted Amity as part of the family. In a few more years, it may just become official.
To that end, Luz had decided to get an engagement ring for Amity to show her that she was just as serious about being married to her someday. However, that was easier said than done. Luz looked up a lot of online shopping sites that specialized in engagement rings. She managed to find a variety of rings that would be perfect for Amity, but there was just one, teensy, weensy little problem.
"¡Dios, maldita sea! ¡¿Por qué estos anillos son tan jodidamente caros?!" (God, damn it! Why are these rings so freaking expensive!)"
Indeed, every single ring she found cost in the high hundreds at the lowest, to the thousands at the highest. Even the rings with the smallest of diamonds cost somewhere in the ballpark of at least nine-hundred dollars. Luz had no part-time job, yet. She had no savings, no form of income whatsoever.
"If someone would agree to publish my book, maybe I could talk them into giving me an advance on it…ugh, who am I kidding? Even if that happened now, it'd still take time to arrange all that," Luz muttered.
There technically wasn't a deadline for her to get the ring, but she really wanted to have something to give Amity by the time she got back. Besides, by the time she saved up enough to buy an engagement ring, she'd probably have enough for a downpayment on a couple of wedding rings.
"Hey, Luz, I was wondering if you wanted to grab some…" Vee slithered into their room but paused when she saw her big sister now lying sprawled out in the middle of their bedroom. "Oh, that bad, huh?"
"Ugh, Vee, why is shopping for an engagement ring so hard and expensiiiiiiiiiive?" Luz whined.
"Wedding industry, jewellery makers, they're all in bed with each other. Heck, Masha even said whenever we do get married, we're just heading to Vegas and moving into an apartment together," Vee said, nonchalantly.
"You and Masha have already talked about marriage?!" Luz exclaimed as she sat up.
"That's so surprising?" Vee asked.
"Well, I mean, I didn't think Masha was the type to go for marriage, or that you two even talked about it," Luz admitted.
"Yeah, they're not big on it for sure. But, I kinda am. I don't really need a big wedding, so long as you, Amity, and Mamá attend, I'm fine. So, because of that, she's willing to do a Vegas wedding for me," Vee informed.
"Aww, Vee, c'mere," said Luz as she opened her arms. Vee slithered further into the room as she wrapped herself around Luz and gave her a hug. "I'm happy you two have talked things out that far. They really are a faithful nympho."
"Yeah, maybe not mention that to Mom," Vee pleaded.
"Vee…why would I scare Mamá like that? Only one of us should have to live with this knowledge."
Vee rolled her eyes at Luz.
"Anyway, if you really need the money for something like that, I could ask Masha," Vee offered.
"Wait, they have that kind of dough?"
"Their family is pretty well-off, and Masha's saved up some money from her job at the Historical Society museum."
Both Luz and Vee shuddered.
"Ugh, that Jacob guy," Luz uttered.
"The worst."
Luz let go of Vee as the basilisk uncoiled from her.
"Thanks, Vee, but I want to do this on my own. I want to show Amity that I'm as serious as she is about this proposal. And if I manage to get her a ring, then I'll do it with my own hands," Luz proclaimed.
"Alright, Big Sis, but just keep that in mind if you run into problems. Okay?"
"Yeah, thanks, Vee."
The hunt for the perfect – most inexpensive – engagement ring was going nowhere. Luz decided to shop locally and see if she could haggle with some of the shop owners. But this wasn't the Boiling Isles, so that was out of the question. Then again, Luz could always employ one of the few swindling methods Eda taught her, or resort to outright stealing a ring.
'If I had my old magic powers I could just make a ring,' thought Luz.
Luz knew that Amity wasn't a girl who was into expensive things, nor did she expect Luz to give her lavish gifts, but she really wanted this ring to mean something. This was going to be her own gesture to show she was willing to take this next big step with the girl that she loved. She wanted to look back on this memory and remember the excited look on her girlfriend's face and be able to tell their future children, "Ah, I remember it like it was yesterday. Your Momma gave your Mom a beautiful ring."
The Latina blushed as she just realized she was contemplating having kids with Amity. They just graduated high school, dang it!
"Damn, maybe Amity was right about that overactive libido thing?" Luz pondered aloud.
A thought occurred to Luz as she lay there in her bottom bunk. Maybe there was someone else she could ask for advice? But would it work? Luz took out the Spider Phone and searched the contacts list. Aside from Marcy and Sasha's names, Boscha and Willow were listed on it too. Luz wondered if the Spider Phones could reach that far or if this was just there as a courtesy.
"Only one way to find out."
Luz tapped on Willow's name and waited as the phone rang. It took a few seconds, but Luz heard the phone get picked up.
{Hello?}
"Willow!" Luz cried
{Luz! Oh, my Titan! Is that you?! I didn't know we could talk to each other with these!} Willow exclaimed.
Luz sat up as she smiled.
"Me neither! I never even considered I could call you from this dimension! Dang, the DGP has good coverage," Luz said.
{Oh, wait, how are you doing? After that game…I was worried about how you would be after what happened.}
'Willow, you're always looking out for others, even me after all these years.'
"I won't say I'm completely alright. It'll take some time, but I'll get over it. Having Amity here, seeing her face, and hearing her voice, it helps a lot."
{I'm so glad to hear Amity's OK,} said Willow from the other end of the call.
"As long as she doesn't find my ID Core, she won't remember ever dying."
{But you will.}
"I know, but it's something I have to live with, just like everything I did before. How's Gus?"
{He's OK, too. He doesn't seem to remember anything about the DGP, but he has gotten interested in human horror movies.}
"Maybe Eda has some she collected from Earth. With the amount of junk she has from my world, she's bound to have some stashed away."
{So, Luz, what's Amity like over there living with you?}
"It was an adjustment for her," Luz recalled. She remembered Amity being so scared by the alarm clock when it went off that she blew it up. "But she's a quick learner. Got straight A's at my school."
{That sounds like her. Did she become popular too?}
"Somewhat. You know that Amity's so beautiful and classy. Of course, they would try to invite her to join their clique. But she decided to stick with me, Vee and Masha."
{I guess she has changed a lot without her mom breathing down her neck. I know I shouldn't speak ill of the dead, but Odalia was a bitch.}
"Yeah, no kidding. She blew her second chance trying to kill me too."
{She did lose everything. Guess she needed some purpose.}
"So...how's Eda?" Luz asked, wondering how her former mentor was doing.
{Eda's great. Since she can't sell human items anymore, she's been teaching Wild Magic at Hexside. She's pretty popular too. She gives Principal Bump headaches for her unorthodox teachings, though.}
"That's Eda for ya. Always playing by her own rules."
{If you want, I could pass along a message for you.}
"No, she needs to move on from me."
{Luz...}
Luz rubbed the back of her head. She needed to get to why she called Willow.
"Listen, Willow, there's something I need your advice on."
{Oh, wow, you want me to give you advice? Sure, what do you need?}
" …I confirmed with Amity that she really wants to get married. And I've been scrambling to try and find a way to show her that I'm committed to this, too!" Luz explained.
{Oh, wow! Luz, that's great news! But what are you going to give her?} Willow questioned.
"I was going to do an Earth custom by giving Amity an engagement ring. It's basically the equivalent of a personal item exchange you guys do. But all the engagement rings I look up and find are super expensive! I'm dirt poor right now and I don't want to ask Mom for the money – since I haven't told her yet – and I don't want to ask Masha for the money – despite just finding out she's got more than enough." Luz released a sigh. "I know I don't need to put this kind of pressure on myself, but I just wanted to give Amity something that shows her I'm just as serious as she is about this."
{I see. Well, let me ask you something. Since you and Amity have spent so much time together, has she ever asked you for anything expensive? Or hinted at it?} Willow asked.
Luz shook her head as if Willow could see her.
"Nuh-uh. Amity's never asked for stuff like that. Even when I said I would get a part-time job to get her something that looked expensive, she told me to save my money for something I really wanted, or for dates. Which ninety percent of the time, it was for our dates," Luz answered.
{Then I think you already have your answer, Luz. Don't overthink it. Just go with what's in your heart. You and Amity know each other so well now, and anything you give her I know she'll cherish,} said Willow.
Luz felt the tension leave her as she heard Willow's words. She really could get wrapped up in her own head sometimes.
"Thank you, Willow. I still need to think about what to give her, but at least I won't need to stress about getting something expensive," Luz said gratefully. "I really missed talking to you."
{Me too. I missed us hanging out and just talking. Since we can now, maybe we can talk some more?} Willow asked.
"Definitely. We'll do some more catching up and hang out at the lounge. Talk to you later, Willow."
{Same. Bye, Luz.}
With that Luz ended the call. The Latina got out of her bed, now with a renewed resolve. Instead of just giving Amity something expensive, it should be something that had meaning for the both of them, something that would convey her love for Amity and her commitment to their future. Luz paced her room, her eyes roaming over the various things in her room. Her eyes eventually fell on her bookcase and on one book in particular.
"¡Espera, eso es todo! (Wait, that's it!)"
Amity was growing a bit nervous as the bus entered the town. It had now been two whole weeks since she affirmed her proposal to Luz, two whole weeks of just talking over the phone and texting each other. Luz hadn't brought up the proposal as much in their talks or texts. While Amity had no intention of going back on her proposal - one of the few times she was actually going to adhere to the old Blight mantra - she still worried if this was all too much for Luz, that they were moving too fast.
"What's eating you, Blight?" Zoe asked.
"Oh…uh…nothing, I'm fine," Amity responded.
"Amity's nervous 'cause she proposed to Luz before leaving for this camp, and now she's worried that Luz might've gotten cold feet after having two weeks to think about it," Masha blurted out.
"Masha!"
"OMG! You proposed to Luz?!" Zoe exclaimed. "Damn, Blight, you really want to put a ring on that, don't you?"
Amity started to blush as she groaned in embarrassment.
"But why would you be nervous?" the blonde pondered. "I can't see any scenario where Luz would say 'no' to you. As annoying as it was in high school, you two are, like, the perfect couple."
"Luz and I…we have some history. Not a particularly good history either," Amity rubbed the back of her head as she explained.
"Really? How bad was it?"
"Let's just say, blood has been spilt," Masha said.
"Thank you, Masha!" Amity took a calming breath. "It's just we've been through a lot in the past, and I wouldn't blame her if she told me she wasn't ready. She's had two weeks to think it over."
Zoe sighed as she patted her former arch nemesis on the shoulder.
"Blight, take it from someone who's gone through several different exes: if there was one person in our school I would peg as being someone who was able to commit and love unconditionally, it would be Luz. And when it comes to you and her, as far as who will have the longest-lasting marriage, it's you two, for sure," Zoe stated.
Masha shook their head in agreement with Zoe.
"See, Amity, even the THOT of Gravesfield High is saying you have nothing to worry about. That counts for something in my book, honestly."
Zoe threw a glare at Masha.
"Sometimes, I can't tell when you're giving a compliment, being insulting, or being sarcastic."
"Maybe it's all of the above."
"I could make a nonbinary jab right there, but I've promised myself I'm going to be better."
Amity smiled when she heard Zoe say that. Ever since her talk with Luz, Zoe seemed to have changed her outlook and attitude. While it wasn't going to be a smooth transition, Amity and Masha could tell that Zoe was willing to try to be a better person.
"Well, looks like your time's up, Ams. We're here," Masha announced. The enby got up from her seat to speak to the kids. "Okay, my little radish munchers! It's time to go back home!"
"YAY!" the kids cheered.
As the bus came to a stop, Masha headed to the front of the bus and out the door, while Amity remained in the middle of the bus and ushered the kids out. Zoe took up the rear and made sure that the kids didn't leave anything behind. Once the bus was empty, it was time for them to disembark. Amity glanced out the window, spotting Vee and Luz. She watched as Masha rushed up to Vee, picked her up, and spun the disguised basilisk around before giving her a kiss on the lips.
"And there's another couple I suspect will be together for a long time," Zoe commented. "So, you ready to take the leap, Blight?"
"I kinda feel like if I stay on this bus, I can keep the fantasy from fading, y'know?" Amity asked.
"Well." Zoe got behind Amity. "Sometimes, you gotta make fantasy into reality!"
Zoe began pushing Amity towards the exit; but Amity was kind of fighting her, stopping several times along the way.
"Wait! I changed my mind! I don't want to get off the bus!" Amity exclaimed.
"Oh, like hell you're not! You were such a badass back in school, Blight! Don't wuss out on me now!" Zoe admonished.
"You and your past crap is one thing! But this is another!" Amity argued.
"Oh, for the love of– You are going out that door, and you're going to face Luz! And then you two are going to live happily ever after because I need this love story to have one!"
"Why are you invested in our love life all of a sudden?!"
"Even I can't deny you two are damn cute together! So, suck it up and get! That! Girl!"
Zoe kept pushing Amity until she pushed her right out the door. Thankfully, Luz was waiting for her, arms held out as Amity fell right into them. The blonde wiped her brow as she gave an exhausted sigh.
"Damn, that was a chore."
Amity realized that her girlfriend had caught her and was smiling at her.
"Hola, batata," Luz greeted.
"Hi, Sweet Potato," Amity responded.
Luz put her girlfriend down and took a step back as she cleared her throat.
"Um, so, Amity. As you know, two weeks ago today, you, um, proposed to me," Luz started and Amity blushed. "And since then, I've been trying to think of a way to show you how much that meant to me. A way to show you that I am just as willing as you are to take that next step." Luz rubbed the back of her head. "So, I went to several online stores to look for a diamond ring that was perfect for you."
"Luz! No! Don't blow that kind of money on an expensive ring!" Amity said quickly.
"I know, I know, don't worry. After talking it over with Vee, and after doing some thinking, I decided to go a different route." Luz reached into her pocket. Stopping for a moment, she reaffirmed her resolve as she took something out of her pocket, keeping it hidden in her closed fist. "Do you remember the Good Witch Azura book seven?"
"Uh, book seven? It was called, 'The Promise of the Rings'."
"Exactly."
Luz got down on one knee, causing the parents, passersby, and even Zoe to gasp.
"L-Luz?"
"In book seven, Azura and Hecate were cursed while wearing two powerful rings. Neither one could stay away from the other for too long or the rings would consume them, magic and soul. At first, both witches thought that the rings would be a hindrance and went on a quest to remove them. But as their journey went on, Azura and Hecate realized that the more time they spent together, the more they understood how much they had in common. When their journey ended, Azura and Hecate were able to remove the rings. But by then, they had gotten so used to having them on and being near each other, that they started travelling together. And of course, Mildred Feathearwyle said that this was the official start to their relationship."
Luz raised her right hand and opened her fist. In the palm of her hand were two rings, each one with stylistic engravings that Amity recognized as the same marks as the rings that Azura and Hecate wore in the book. It didn't take her any time to realize what this meant, which made Amity tear up as she placed her hands over her mouth.
"Jeez, d-don't cry, Amity, y-you're going to make me cry, and I prepared a whole speech," Luz joked.
"K-Keep going," Amity insisted.
Luz had, at this point, forgotten that they were in public. As far as she was concerned it was just the two of them. The Latina reached out with her left hand and Amity offered Luz her right.
"As the Good Witch Azura said, 'Hecate, through all our hardships, and our sorrows, there is no one I would rather face them with than you'," Luz quoted.
Amity was sobbing, but she managed to say, "'A-Azura, I…I will walk beside you. Through this life and beyond'."
Luz was crying tears of joy as she got the ring that was engraved with her name on the inside of the band and slipped it over Amity's middle finger.
"Amity Blight, will you marry me?"
"Yes!"
When Luz stood up, she handed Amity the other ring with the witch's name engraved on the inside band. Amity slipped the ring over Luz's right middle finger, and the two of them quickly embraced and kissed each other. Of course, this resulted in the kids giggling and going, "Ooooooooh!" while the passersby and adults were recording and cheering for the couple.
Vee couldn't help but cry herself, feeling so much joy in seeing her big sister and Amity take their relationship to the next level. Masha wrapped their arm around Vee, bringing her closer as they cried a little as well. Zoe was cursing under her breath as she cried, which made her mascara run, but it was too beautiful not to cry.
Camila was on her way home. She wished she was there to pick up her kids, but she knew Luz and Vee would like to spend some time alone with their partners after they were gone for so long. Honestly, Camila never thought she'd end up being a mother of three, let alone taking care of one demon and one witch. But Vee and Amity were family, and had become wonderful additions to their household. A small part of her kind of hoped they would stay in their home together, but that was her motherly instincts talking. She knew one day her babies would go on to have lives of their own.
Eventually, Camila made it home and pulled into the driveway. After she got her purse, she entered through the front door.
"¡Estoy en casa! (I'm home!)" she called.
"Mamá, ¿puedes pasar a la cocina, por favor? (Mom, can you come into the kitchen, please?)" Luz asked.
Camila, curious, walked towards the kitchen and entered. When she did, she saw Luz, Amity, and Vee sitting at the table. In particular, she saw that Luz and Amity were holding hands. It was not an uncommon sight, but she felt as if this held a deeper meaning.
"Is everything okay, girls?" Camila asked.
"Do you mind sitting down first?" Luz asked. "We have something important to tell you."
Camila nodded and sat down so that she was close to Luz and Amity.
"So, what is this about?" Camila asked.
"It's something that's going to change the rest of our lives, but neither I nor Luz regret our decision," Amity answered.
"¡Ay dios mío! (Oh, my God!)" Camila's eyes widened as she exclaimed. "It finally happened! I knew this was going to happen one day, but I just kept thinking that it was impossible!"
Luz, Vee, and Amity chuckled.
"C'mon, Mom, it's not that impossible," Luz remarked.
"Well, I mean, given everything that's happened, I guess it kinda is. But, we love each other, and I just want you to know, Camila, I'll do everything I can to make sure that Luz is happy," said Amity.
Camila's eye twitched. She was not expecting this so soon. Actually, she wasn't expecting this from them.
"Phew, finally that's out in the open," Vee commented.
"Vee!? You knew?! How long?!" Camila asked.
"Oh, since two weeks ago. That's when this started."
"I can't believe it…" Camila placed her face into her hands.
The kids were getting a little nervous. Was their announcement of marriage really that Earth-shattering to her?
"So…Luz, you've been pregnant since two weeks ago, and you didn't tell me?!" Camila cried.
The world ground to a halt as Luz, Vee, and Amity let what Camila said sink in.
"Huh?" the three girls responded, confused.
"I mean, if there was anyone I was expecting to get pregnant, it was Masha," Camila admitted.
"Why them and not me?" Vee asked, blushing.
"Well, mija, you are a shapeshifter. Technically speaking, you could very well–"
"MOM!" Vee squeaked, face turning red.
"Huh, she does raise a good point," Luz remarked.
"Ah, never mind. Luz, how could you keep something like that from me for two weeks! These are things I'd like to know immediately! Taking care of a baby is a big responsibility, and you two just graduated high school. I know you two are very much in love, but this is something that you really need to think about. I'm not saying I won't help you, but have you really thought through what it will mean to have a child, Luz?" Camila asked.
"¡Esperar! ¡Esperar! ¡Esperar! (Wait! Wait! Wait!) Mom, I'm not pregnant!" Luz exclaimed.
" …Oh, then is Amity...?" Camila trailed off.
Now Amity blushed bright red.
"Um, okay, I could kinda understand how you would figure Vee would knock up Masha–" Luz started.
"Hey!" Vee exclaimed.
"And how Amity could knock me up–" Luz added.
"Luz!" Amity cried, her face going as red as a goremato.
"But how do you figure I could get Amity pregnant?" Luz asked, curiously.
Camila blushed as she tapped her two index fingers together and tried to phrase her thoughts correctly.
"Well…um…I mean, Amity does have magic. I just thought, maybe, she knew a spell that could…ahem…provide you with the, um, 'necessary equipment'," she explained.
The room went silent for a long minute.
Luz turned to Amity, and Amity turned to look at Luz.
"Question: do you?" Luz asked.
"…I am exercising my right against self-incrimination," Amity responded.
"I honestly just thought it was a matter of time considering how many times you two 'engage' with each other in the house," Camila added.
Luz and Amity sharply turned their gazes on Camila.
"YOU KNEW?!" they exclaimed in unison.
Camila pushed her glasses up in a very anime-esque way.
"Mija, I'm the mother of three teenage girls, two of whom are in an intimate relationship with each other. Do you think I'm not aware of what you two get up to behind closed doors, under my roof? For God's sake, I've seen Amity sneak into the shower when you're in there, and vice versa. Doesn't take a genius to figure out what you two are doing. What I allow you to do in my house."
Vee couldn't help but chuckle at Luz and Amity, seeing how much their faces were burning red right now. They thought they were being subtle with their activities, but in reality, Camila knew Luz and Amity were being intimate despite how they tried to be sneaky about it.
"Okay, so if neither of you is pregnant, what did you need to talk to me about?" Camila asked once the whole pregnancy scare was explained away.
Letting that wave of embarrassment pass them by, Luz reached down to her lap and placed her laptop on the table. When she opened it, Luz brought up a video file, clicked 'Play', and turned it around so Camila could see. The first thing Camila saw were the words, 'Lumity Studios Presents', which made her giggle as she remembered this from when Luz came out to her and announced that she was dating Amity.
Camila kept watching, seeing many pictures of Luz and Amity together from the past four years. Finally, new words flashed on the screen.
"Four years of healing, four years of love, and here's to many, many more years together."
"WE'RE ENGAGED!"
The screen showed a hand-drawn picture of Luz and Amity in wedding outfits, and Camila gasped. When the video ended, Luz and Amity raised their right hands to show the matching rings on their fingers.
"Luz, Amity, are you…are you really?" Camila asked.
"Si, Mamá," Luz answered.
Camila suddenly burst into tears of joy as she shot out of her chair.
"¡Oh, mis preciosas bebés! (Oh, my precious babies!)" Camila moved towards Luz and Amity as the couple rose out of their chairs and went into the waiting arms of the older Latina. "¡Estoy tan feliz por ti! ¡Te mereces toda la felicidad! ¡Vee, ven aquí! ¡Este es un día feliz para nuestra familia! (I'm so happy for you! You deserve all the happiness! Vee, come here! This is a happy day for our family!)"
Vee shifted into her basilisk form and joined in the group hug. Now Camila had all her children in her arms.
"You're okay with this, Mom? Really?" Luz asked.
"After everything you two have been through, I can't think of anyone else I'd rather have you spend your life with, mija," said Camila.
"A-Are you sure?" Amity asked. "I mean…I am responsible for all the bad things that happened to Luz."
"Oye, suficiente de eso. (Hey, that's enough of that.) I am not such a woman that I can't see when someone is truly repentant for what they did in the past. You've been good to my Luz, and I know she will be safe and happy with you." Camila looked at Luz. "Take good care of each other, mija."
"We will, Mamá. I mean, we're just engaged right now. We probably won't tie the knot for a few more years but it's a promise."
Vee nuzzled against Luz's cheek.
"I'm so happy for you, Big Sis."
Camila then kissed Amity's forehead.
"And I'm proud to call you a 'Noceda', Amity."
Both Luz and Amity began to cry as they hugged Camila and Vee tighter.
From the privacy of her viewing room, Luz's mysterious sponsor watched the goings on in the Noceda household. She was worried that Luz's engagement was going to be ruined thanks to what happened in the previous game, but it seems to have only made them steel their resolve for their future marriage.
The mysterious woman popped open a bottle of her strange drink and poured it into a glass. Once she filled her glass, the mysterious benefactor raised it towards the screen. Her smile was different this time. It wasn't a smirk or a teasing smile. Rather, it was one born of genuine joy from what she just witnessed.
"Congratulations, Luz. May your lives together be filled with happiness, and may nothing tear it away from you ever again."
Dr. Exposition: After the last round, we needed an intermission to decompress and we finally got to Amity's proposal. Luz decides to propose to Amity in return and Camila has given her blessing. But, we know that another round is coming. However, let's give Luz a chance to enjoy some peace and happiness before she heads back to the DGP for another round.
The current players for this season:
Luz Noceda/Oscura [ACTIVE]
Sasha Waybright/Soaron [ACTIVE]
Marcy Wu/Newtonne [ACTIVE]
Willow Park/Honey [ACTIVE]
Boscha/Red-Pan [ACTIVE]
Gus Porter/Mirage [LOSE]
Odalia/Fowl [LOSE]
Who will be eliminated next? Who will move forward? Stay tuned, DGP fans.