Chereads / Boiling Gems (The Owl House x Steven Universe) / Chapter 71 - Chapter 67: Grudges Are Forever

Chapter 71 - Chapter 67: Grudges Are Forever

Summary: The joy of having a grudge

"Faster! Faster! If your hair is still on fire, that means your still not dodging fast enough!" Amelia heard Boscha call out to them as she sent her daily barrage of fiery Grudgby ball at their heads. "The final game of the season is tomorrow, and I can't have you girls slacking for a single second!"

"We're doing our best here!" Cat shouted as she avoided a skull shattering shot. "My entire job is to not get broken bones after all!"

"That's not good enough anymore! If you get hit, learn to heal and play at the same time! We can't afford to slow down because of a collapsed or punctured kidneys!" The girl shouted as she continued tossing.

"So … Why is she super brutal this year?" Amelia asked quietly. 

"Her standard for weakest is Willow." Skara explained as a ball gave her a gash. "So if she's strong, then Boscha wants us to be able to beat her with one hand behind our back."

"You're kidding right?" Amelia groaned. "The girl makes fully grown trees in a snap of a finger."

"And you better make forests in the blink of an eye if you know what's good for you!" Their captain tossed a grudgeby ball straight at her.

"Boscha, you can afford to cool it for one game…. one game!" Cat groan as she reset her disjointed elbow. "We made it to the final game of the season, we're good enough!"

" Good enough! ?" The made one of Boscha's blood vessel's burst. "Have you forgotten how close that game last year was?! We only won because I had to chop off my frostbitten leg and was hospitalized for a week!" Cat lost consciousness five times keeping that leg in working condition.

"Because you're the one that had us dive headfirst into that ice spell to get the final shot, when their were like, a dozen different ways we could've finished it!" Amelia brought up.

"We got that desperate because you can't pull your weight Amelia! There's a reason you're so forgettable." She shouted.

"Okay, that's it; I'm not going to take this snorseshit from you anymore!" Amelia threw off her knee pads and armor. "I quit!"

"You what?" Cat asked.

"She what?" Skara questioned, being weirdly quiet the entire day before hand.

" You what!?!" Boscha lit on fire as usual.

"I'm done being the punching bag for this group. I'm not the person everyone forgets, I'm a girl who loves romance books!"

"That literally describes over half of any girl that ever existed!" Boscha continued to insult.

"At least this girl isn't going to be one that listens to you anymore!" Amelia screamed back. "And if you guys had any dignity; you'd do the same thing!

"Hah, as if they're dumb enough to do-"

"Wait, we can just quit just like that?" Cat asked. "Then I'm out." Wait, she didn't know if that was an option?!

"You guys can't quit!" She shouted. "We're just about to take on these Glandus bitches!"

"I mean…it's just one game." Skara said weakly.

"Come on Skara, you never quit, ever!"

"Boscha." Skara started with a simple smile. "Do you want to know how stressful it is to balance Grudgby season, Musical concert practice, finding my boyfriend a home after it was totaled, helping his family not want to kill him, and learning that my mom got arrested , is?"

"Wait, your mom got arrested?" Boscha took a step back.

"Yeah, she did." Skara kept smiling, though it had a creepy undertone. "I've been keeping it to myself for the most part because, well; my boyfriend need help and my friends need my help…," Skara's smile turned into a frown. "But you know what… I need a break!"

The three of them watched the girl storm off. "I know we're all frustrated … but even you can't deny how much she deserves to walk away." Cat stated.

"Okay, maybe she does..,but that doesn't give a cause for the rest of you guys!" Boscha yelled. "I need at least two more players….!"

"Then you should start looking for more." A new voice made itself known from the bleachers. "Or forfeit, that's always an option."

Boscha's third eye began to twitch. "Yooouuuuu." She growled in a dark voice.

"You know, it's a bad sign when even your loyal lackey's can't even stick by your side. You have to be the worst Grudgby captain ever." A Glandus girl with purple hair chuckled.

"What the hell are you doing here!?" Boscha yelled at the new girl.

"Just look at the field for when Glandus wins tonight, nothing too big."

"… Do we know her?" Amelia asked.

"Remember that Glandus chick that went for my arms and ruined your plants last year?" Cat answered.

"Ah, the construction girl, I remember the bruises."

"If your here to sabotage me, then you got another thing coming." Boscha replied, setting her hands on fire.

"Oh, I'm not here to cause trouble." That was a huge obvious lie. "I was just thinking, if you're this bad a captain, you just got to be an even worse girlfriend."

Amelia immediately moved behind Cat for her own safety. "... Care to repeat that bitch?"

"I mean seriously, did your skills degrade or something? I remember you being at least slightly intimidating before you started hanging around weaklings." The purple haired girl snickered. "How you were even on Lucci's radar I'll never know. Maybe he just has a thing for wounded puppies that are better off being put down."

"Oooh, you think you're fucking clever." Boscha glared.

"Bitch, I'm a genius. I'll play laps around you for eternity." The girl got closer, face to face. "I'll win this match just like I'll win him from you … even if it's not really a contest."

"You'll win him!? Boscha growled. "Now I know you're mental, because news flash, he's mine!"

"Only because he hasn't fully realized I'm the better option. Utterly humiliating you at the final game of the season ought to clear that mess up Heck, I'll even bet a month's allowance on my victory."

"Weak bet. Easy money." Boscha laughed.

"Oh, then I guess your super confident then." The Glandus girl laughed. "So confident that you'll willing to be anything?"

"Yep." She continued to glare. "Anything you choose I'll keep in the end."

"Great." She smiled. "I'll take Lucci from you after you loose due to either having no players or players too weak to play." The Glandus chick waved as she walked away. "It's a deal!"

"Wait hold on..!"

"Sorry, no take backs.. unless you're actually scared you'll lose to me and back away like a cockatrice." The girl smirked.

"Oh I am no cockatrice!"

"Then I'm glad we've come to a mutual understanding." The girl smiled. "If you'll excuse me, I'll be picking out which flavor of lipstick will be better when me and Lucci share a victory kiss right in front of you."

"Wow….she's just as big of a bitch as you." Cat whistled. "I didn't think that was even achievable."

"She won't be on her high snorse when we win." Boscha growled.

"Who's this 'we' you're talking about?" Amelia asked. "I'm being serious here. I'm not going to endure getting belittled by you again just because you made a stupid bet. You're on your own here."

"You can't quit on me now!"

"Watch me." Amelia was gonna make it big.

"Yeah, she makes a pretty good point here." Cat took off her armor. "See yah later Boscha, or not, honestly I've stopped caring about what you think a while ago."

"I'll hunt you traitors down when this is over, mark my words, I'm NEVER going to forget this betrayal!"

"Whatever pyramid eyes, save it for the funeral." For once she was going to enjoy her life without anyone else trying to butt into it.

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"Wait, let me hear this one more time.." Willow's head was rolling from the facts Luz was spitting at her. "The world is round!?"

"Let me try to explain it another way." Luz was rubbing her head, holding up a fruit. "See this mangrantua?"

"Yeah?" Gus asked, his eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"It has its own gravity too, but the mass is so small that it's not noticeable." She explained. "The reason gravity exists is because the demon realm is so large that it has a normal force of gravity."

"Hold up, hold up, I'm trying to write this all down!" Gus was whittling away from how hard he was taking. "But if the endless void into hell isn't underneath us…then where is it?"

"That's getting into metaphorical physics and theoreticals planes of existence I don't feel comfortable answering." Luz laughed hesitantly. "I'm surprised this is your guy's biggest takeaway from the shooting star thing."

"I told you all stars move." Lucci responded. "Falling stars are a myth … we just never got told about how hot they can get." He explained as he munched on ice cubes. "My lungs still feel like they're on fire."

"I think that's probably the sulfur stuck in your lungs." Amity guessed. "And Mason just…left like that?"

"Yeah, it was super weird. I was actually able to fight a coven head one on one for once and then the second the Rainbow devil shows up, he yeets himself out of there."

"You do know the legends say that no Construction user has ever beaten her in the craft, right?" Willow asked.

"I knew that, I just thought the man had more guts than to just up and quit. To think I somewhat respected him once." Lucci rolled his eyes.

"I'm just glad it's out of the way … I don't trust the Rainbow Devil with it, but it's better than the star just continuing to heat up everything, or Belos getting his hands on it." Luz stated. "... So side note." She pulled out a map. "I've been working on a plan to break into his castle again."

"You're planning another heist?" Gus asked. "Didn't the last time end completely terrible?"

"That was only because of Aunt Lily being on the wrong side back then, and now that she isn't anymore, there's nobody competent left in the Emperor's Coven." Lucci nodded.

"What about the Golden-" Willow tried to remind him.

"Like I said, nobody competent."

"Not to mention that Belos plans on messing with the human world, and wiping out all wild magic, so that's already a bad sign." Luz went on. "If it comes to pass, Eda and Lucci could be wiped out."

"Wild magic pretty much means anybody without a sigil you know, so…the whole school is pretty much one big target when you think about it." Lucci brought up. "So, how are we progressing on invisibility Gus?"

"Don't we have glyphs for that?"

"I've been stretching the paper budget lately." Luz winced. "Plus the fact wears off when you breathe, so …"

"I'm trying my best, but I'm a little occupied with the little guy at the moment." Gus pointed up above him, where that weird floating pyramid was floating above him.

"The prism?" Luz asked. "Does it just follow you everywhere?"

"Yes….I actually think it wants to be me. Because he keeps doing…" The little pyramid buzzed for a little bit, before spinning, and forming a light around it, turning into a copy of Gus, albeit whiter and brighter in color. "That."

":)")&))*&&()^^%$." The prism copy gave out a friendly wave.

"... Do you need it bubbled before it tries to replace you completely?" Lucci questioned.

"Nah, it's cool, it's completely harmless for the most part." Gus waved off. "A couple of Glandus kids came by to rag on me for tonight's grudgby game, but the prism fired lasers at them until their backs were set on fire, so I'm good with it for now."

"Hey!" They turned and saw a familiar annoying face.

"Think you can convince it to shoot at her too?" Willow questioned.

"Don't even try it." Lucci threatened, before engaging the threat head on. "Hey Angel, ready to win the big game tonight?"

"Always ready! What, you think I'm not ready!? You think I'm unprepared and my entire team ditched me for stupid reasons!? You're saying I'm a terrible team captain, is that what you're saying!?" Boscha grabbed the boy by the shirt.

"....Did something happen at practice, Boscha?" He asked, concern on his face.

"I'm fine, I'm fine." She assured herself, before screaming. "It's … It's … my entire team quit!"

"Oh, so they finally realized you're a bitch?" Willow asked.

"I will rip out your throat one of these days, half a witch, I swear to titan." Hah, like she'd ever come close. "Only Skara had legitimate good reasons to not play, the other two were just being petty assholes."

"Oh, so only two thirds of your posse realized you were a complete bitch." Luz snorted. "Eh, seventy percent is still decent enough I suppose.

Boscha looked like she was about to set the table on fire, only to get hugged from the side by Lucci. "If you need to burn something, lay it all out on me. After the shooting star, any other forms of heat are nothing to me now." The boy looked at Boscha in the eyes. "You don't have to hide what you're feeling to me."

The mean girl stared at him, before groaning. "I … made a bet with Glandus … now no one … is going to help me …" Boscha gritted out.

The whole group was silent for a second, before everyone, except Lucci of course, bursted out in laughter. "AHAHAAHAAHAHAAHAA!" Willow probably cackled the hardest.

"It's not funny!" Boscha shouted.

"No, it's downright hilarious!" Amity snorted, her entire face lighting up read from how hard she was laughing "The complete irony of it all! It's too much!"

"Oh the how the mighty fall." Luz banged her head against the table. "The mighty have fallen so hard!"

"I can't breathe, I can't breathe." Willow chortled. She could officially die in any gruesome way imaginable and not give a damn. All the years of torment from this three eyed bitch was worth it for this moment.

They continued to laugh as Boscha and Lucci starred, unimpressed. "I'm sorry Boscha. Is there anything I can do?" Lucci offered. "Want to walk away into an alleyway we can dance in?"

"No … no …" The girl took a deep breath, looking disgusted. "I … need … your … he-" The girl looked like she was gagging. "Hell..p."

"Huh?" Luz tilted her head.

"I…need….help." The girl ran to the nearest trashcan and barfed her lunch up.

"Wow, she is desperate." Gus deadpanned.

"So desperate." Willow smirked. "And it's obvious what we're doing right?"

"Of course." Luz grinned. "We accept."

"What?" Willow turned her head. "I thought we were going to laugh in her face harder and say no." That was true justice in the making.

"Meh, the mere knowledge of the alpha bitch asking the 'weak human' for help is both such a show of progress and personally satisfying on an incomprehensible level." Luz shrugged. "And you guys know me, I like to think people are capable of changing. If I didn't, I wouldn't have the most awesome girlfriend in the universe right by my side."

"... Shoot, I can't even deny that." Amity stated with a sigh.

"Cool, cool." Boscha sighed as she came back. "I get Lucci, the human, and … who else?"

"I'll join if you lick my boots and beg." Willow smirked.

Boscha actually looked like she considered it for a second, before turning to Amity. "You were Grudgby captain once, care to join the Banshees one last time?"

"Depends, are you going to use the use of flaming grudgeby balls to kill Luz?"

"If we're up by thirty in the last inning and the golden wicket is destroyed, I'll just let the Glandus kids go nuts on her." The bully shamelessly admitted.

Amity groaned deeply, before turning to Luz. "Do you really want to do this?"

"Not particularly, but for the sake of letting all nice girls like me have a win over a complete jerk like Boscha, I have to take the chance now." The human smiled determinedly.

"Fine." Amity huffed. "Alright Boscha, you have your Grudgby team."

"As long as she suffers for it, I'm alright with this." Willow groaned as she looked to Lucci. "So, you looking forward to another beating so soon?"

"Honestly?" Lucci responded. "It's just a nice change of pace from my Mom or Luz trying to bet me away."

Boscha froze at that. "Ahahaha…so…remember how you said my brutal honesty was my most attractive trait?"

"... Yes?" He nodded.

"So I may have sort of … gambled you to Bria."

"You WHAT!?" Gus exclaimed. "That…that was stupid! Completely Stupid, like … pre petrification ceremony Luz stupid!" The got him a slug in the arm from Amity. "No offense Luz."

"None taken, I was a naive girl then." She nodded. "Please tell me you have an objection Lucci."

"….." Lucci didn't respond at all.

"Please don't be mad, it was the heat of the moment!" The bitch tried to defend herself.

"I'm not mad, and I will help you." Lucci said simply, tuning his head to his food. "I'm just…disappointed." Wow … that was brutal coming from Lucci to the girl he was head over heels for … please for the love of titan don't let this moment end.

"That's even worse!" Boscha pouted loudly.

"You know…if Boscha dating Lucci would've led to sights like this sooner, I would've given it my full support." Willow chuckled.

"You're lucky I don't have the time to kill you, there's a game we need to win, and I got to drill the proper coordination into these losers before it starts." Boscha groaned.

"You say that like we don't have teamwork as is." Luz snorted. "So, what kind of opponents are we looking at?"

"Well, let me put it this way." Boscha started. "Bria is the sane one out of the group." She grimaced. "One of them is a flat out cannibal."

"...You know for all the times Eda's made a joke about that, it's legitimately jarring when it happens." Luz shuddered. "And…they just let it happen?"

"Different types of biped demons have different diets." Gus explained. "Plus it fits along with Glandus's 'strong topple the weak' mindset."

"People were right." Luz groaned. "Fuck Glandus."

"That's the spirit, now let's kill those bitches, right Lucci!" Boscha cheered…and got more silence. "Come on Crystal, don't leave me hanging here!"

"I think I'll wait until we actually win." Lucci stated as he bit into his food with a blank expression.

"The snark is strong in this one." Willow smirked.

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"A part of me is surprised you still have this stuff." Lilith looked over her foam finger and hat.

"Eh, you know me, I have attachment issues. Once I hook myself onto something, it's hard to let go." Edalyn let out a laugh that made Lilith so very worried. "Never thought I would see the day my babies would take to the field themselves. Especially Lucci, never could get him into the sport no matter how hard I tried."

"I guess he must really like his girlfriend."

"You'd think that, but he was super off about it when he told us about the event." King noted. "For once he wasn't brain dead in love and completely blind to the consequences of dating a complete bitch."

"Hey, that's my daughter you're talking about, rat!" Lilith turned around and saw two faces she hadn't seen in quite some time.

"Shalisha?" Lilith asked.

"Eden?" Edalyn questioned.

"Oh! Eda and Lily! So great to see you, it's been too long!" Eden chipperly cheered as she greeted them with hyperactive handshakes. "Oh, doesn't this just bring you back to our young days at Hexide! Our old lab partners in the potion track. Don't you just love those memories!?"

"Glad to see you still have that active spirit you did back then." Edalyn grinned. "Let me guess, your explosive fire days are behind you?"

"Not entirely! I've had a bit of a creative streak lately experimenting with new potion combinations, and it's been a thrill!" The woman cheered, falling out of her seat.

"That's…one way to put it." Shalisha rolled her eyes. "She's been productive sales wise, so I've been…'looser' shall we say on the standard of sanity I require to be in my house."

"Ha, perfection is for losers anyway." Her sister grinned.

"... I apologize on behalf of my … entire family." Lilith gave her condolences.

"Thank you….the price I pay for profits." The three eyed woman groaned. "As long as my wife is productive, and my daughter absolutely slaughters anyone that gets in her way, I'll be content with the life choices that make them happy."

"You should focus on their happiness no matter what." Edalyn spoke with minor accusations.

"Welcome folks, to the final Grudgby match of the season!" The announcer cut them off before her sister likely was charged with witch slaughter. "It's been a long, long, LONG two and a half months, but we've finally made it, and with only half the body count of last year! Those are some tough witches we got on the field, and tonight, we'll finally see which witch of which school will come out the strongest of them all!"

"And our witch will be the toughest of them all." Shalisha smirked.

"Dream on, clearly my kids are bringing this home." Great, Edalyn's competitive streak was kicking in.

"They're all on the same team, whether who's the strongest is kind of moot by this point." King made a very good point that most of them ignored.

"And now, the two principals shall perform the traditional passive aggressive handshake." They watched as Principal Bump and a woman from Glandus with a scorpion tail greeted each other. " Oh yes, feel that hatred being barely contained for the sake of professionalism."

"Did the voice box always get this open about it?" Lilith questioned.

"I think it's something new they're trying." Eden spoke up. "It gets the audience in the mood for the game, it's all in good fun."

"Let's go over the competition." Lights were shone on the right side. "Starting up Hexside, it's a strange anomaly that exists nowhere else! She may not be a witch, but by golly she has a strong list of feets. Luuuz Noceeeda, the Human!!" Luz came out of the stage, showing off flames and lights.

"Heeeya Boiling Isles, hope you're ready for a good time tonight, because I guarantee tonight's game will be out of this world, just like me!" She threw down an ice glyph, tossing herself in the air, doing a little flip before landing with a split. "...My legs didn't do that before….ow…"

"Following it up is a golden egg, a student with amazing qualities and said to be one of the top contenders in Hexside for Emperor's Coven! Beware her family's money or her own abominations, give it up for Amityyyyy Bliiiight!"

Her former protege was shot out of a cannon of abomination goo, throwing a glob of it on the ground before landing, getting back up safely. "Really, just had to bring up my family, did you?"

"I was told I'd be sued otherwise. On an unrelated note, today's game is sponsored by Blight Industries. Blight Industries, we bring in the blight, to snuff out the enemies light."

"Of course it is." The girl grumbled.

"Next one on the list will be a shocker for everyone. He's big, he's mean, and he's pink! And no folks, we're not talking about the fabled Alaskan Bull worm…"

"The WHAT no-?" Luz tried to exclaim.

"We're talking about a new legend in the making, one who's name will surely go down in history as one the most infamous children to ever walk the Isles! Give it up for the son of the Owl Lady, Luuuuuuuccciiiifer Clawthorne!"

The boy came crashing down like a cannonball from the sky, bubbled in a ball covered in spikes as a crater was formed from the impact. "Please, call me Lucci."

"Yep, that's right folks, Hexide is the school of the Manticore Menace! Don't bother calling the Emperor's coven, we've cut off all crows and scrolls, and if you leave now to grab the authorities, we'll feed you to the choosey hat! We need to grab fresh meat for it somewhere!"

"I'm surprised both schools are so accommodating to him being here." Lilith noted.

"I think both sides are more into the challenge of him actually being apart of this." Shalisha answered. "Gladus is very much a survival of the fittest environment. If I wasn't an alumni here, I'd send Boscha there."

"And finally, the team captain! A girl with a fiery temper, fiery spirit, and fiery spells. A trifecta matching the three eyes that memorize all defeats from everyone she's maimed! She's lead Hexide on an completely undefeated winning streak two years in a row! Beautiful, smart, and strong, give it up for … Bochaaa Heiryonomoouuus!"

The girl came out in a blaze, tossing a potion idly up and down in the air. "Know me and know fear."

"Awww, she's so precious!" Eden shouted, waving to her daughter. "Hey Boscha! You look amazing out there! Break some legs!"

"Mama! Would you not embarrass me tonight!?" The girl shouted back up.

"So adorable." Lilith had so many questions.

"Remember what I taught you about sports Lucci!" Edalyn shouted down.

"Always stab them in the leg!"

"Hm, seems like you did teach your child something worthwhile." Shalisha nodded with approval. Lilith was the only sane one of her generation, wasn't she?

"Now for their opponents, Glandus High!" The light switched, and shined on … a cage, being rolled out by heavily armored men. "This boy was left for dead inside of the forest of doom, but survived and adapted, crawling out with bare hands alone. Now he roams with a taste for witch flesh." The cage rattled, cracking from whatever was inside of it. " Give it up, for Lector Vorhees Myers!" 

The cage burst open, revealing what looked like a feral animal with a long black mane across his head burst out, with a mask covering all but his red and wild eyes, that only conveyed a feeling of death and hunger, all the while he carried a battle ax…soaked in fresh blood. "WAAGGGGGGGHHHHHH !"

"... Dibs on not fighting that." Amity responded.

"Trust me, he's probably going to be the least of our worries." Boscha groaned.

"Next up, a special oracle with a knack for mediation!" An unconscious child floated through the field. "So advanced is his connection to the astral plane, that we're not quite sure if he's alive or dead. Ghosts flock to this vessel of sublime connection, and he now views life and death as meaningless! Here comes, Hamlet Marely Dutchman!"

The body hit the ground, now resting in a sitting position, but the empty eyes stared directly at Lucifer. "...Is he going to suck out my soul?"

"He'll probably try at some point, yes." Boscha nodded.

"Here's a girl with clout. Everyone knows of her, the one with a hand in everything around Glandus. Everyone loves her, and those that don't are never seen again by their loved ones! She's a solid fortress of hard rock and stone, give it up…to Brriiiaaaa Lolite!"

She came out on a stone wheel, smiling at the group. "Heya Lucci. How's it been, sweetie?"

"I think my chances are better facing the cannibal." Her nephew stated plainly.

"Oooh, you're feeling frisky, huh? I'll make sure to bite extra hard when I win."

"Wait a sec." Luz questioned. "If you're not the captain, then who-" Her question was cut out, on the account of one simple yet terrifying fact. The arena became ice.

Not transmuted, not altered, simply frozen over in a single sheen of glass. Clacks of a heel overtook the silence this action created. "What do you think of when you hear of Glandus? The strong rule the weak? In that case, who rules the strong!? That question is answered by this girl!" A child with long white hair calmly walked out, wearing a white dress instead of a grudgby uniform. "An absolute shoe in for the Emperor's Coven, unmatched in any field, and unflinching with any scenario! The complete and utter definition of Ice Queen can only be described with her!" That child had eyes, cold, almost soulless in how they didn't acknowledge anything … although they seemed to focus somewhat on Luz. "Give it up for the captain of the Glandus High Grudgby team, and the strongest student in the school … Befana Holda!"

"... Weak." That was all the girl needed to say for a flurry of cold wind and snow to blow throughout the field and audience.

"It's times like this where 'the next generation improves' can't be denied by anyone on the Isles folks."

"So....how exactly did you win the last few years?" Lucifer asked.

"Chopped my leg off when it got frozen over … on the plus side, it was technically already on ice when they healed it back on."

".....They're going to die, aren't they?" Lilith asked out loud. The lack of response was all the answer she needed.

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"How does a witch get that strong!?" The human exclaimed as they team huddled. "I thought Willow and Amity were the pinnacles of raw power?"

"Thank you sweetie, but that's seriously putting us on a pedestal just a little." Amity explained. "We may be strong in our tracks, but Befana is a master in Ice, one of the four base elements of magic. By itself, pushed to its full potential, it can cause globalcatastrophe if focused right.

"Yeah, and with eyes to match." Her boyfriend shivered. "It was almost like gazing into Belos's, disturbingly emotionless."

"Now's not the time to chicken out, the game hasn't even started yet." Boscha brought their heads up. "Now listen closely, because I'm not going to be able to explain this on the field. Befana is strong, but she hardly cares about what's around her. She's stationary for the most part, usually freezing up the goal before anyone gets to close. She doesn't believe in wasting a single breath of energy, so you better believe we're going to take advantage of that."

"Okay, so we just need to break through the ice on every shot, then focus on the three other crazies." The human seemed to calm down. "The crazy savage canabal with brute strength, that floating oracle guy who maybe steals souls, and Bria the bitch with rocks." She fought the urge to laugh at that.

"Like I said, it's probably better for me to deal with the cannibal. Healing factor, increased strength, and not to mention I have my own wild side if need be." Lucci grinned as claws came out of his hands. "Amity, you go after Hamlet. Dead souls vs Dead bodies … that has to equal out somehow, right?"

"That's not remotely how it works, but given how he literally moves everything with his mind, it's safe to assume he'll be a long range fighter. My abominations can counter that." Amity nodded. "And that leaves…"

"The human….will team up…..with me…gainst Bria…." Boscha nearly felt herself throw up at even the mention.

"Look, one of us can just distract her and the other takes the ball." The human retorted. "The goal is to get the ball through the goal, not beat up the opponents to a bloody pulp."

"This is your first final game of the season match you've been a part of, so you don't already know this." Boscha looked the human in the eye. "The only way to get the ball through the goal is to beat everyone to a bloody pulp."

"... But we didn't do that against yo…."

"That was a practice game, this is the FINAL game of the season!" She shook the human. "Why is it that hard for you to understand how DEADLY the stakes are here!?" It was infuriating at this point.

"In that case … we'll have to combine our efforts after we take everyone else down." Lucci noted. "Befana won't go down with just two players."

"Right, we're gonna have to bring out the pink abomination goo for her, maybe even for Pudding if push comes to shove." Amity pointed out.

"Don't push it. Fusions are only for life and death situations." Boscha growled.

"Like you're one to judge the value of life and death when you bet your own boyfriend." Amity rolled her eyes.

"On the plus side, the stupid decision is keeping my head in the game." Lucci frowned. "Now come on, let's try and put the pressure on them." He left the huddle, reaching for his spot.

"Man, I haven't seen him this angry in a while." The human mused. "Sure, it's not the most angry he's ever gotten, but that quiet disappointment in his voice, oof, that's rough."

"Sure, rub it in, why don't you?" Boscha groaned as she got into place.

"Hey, I'm being sincere here. I've been in the same position before, I get it." The human explained. "He likes you too much to stay mad at you forever."

It didn't feel like it. This was the second time Boscha betrayed his trust. Mom let Mama off the hook with one mistake, never two. "Whatever."

They made their ways to the position, as Boscha came face to face with Bria. "Aww, you need a human cause your servants ditched you, how pathetic."

"Not as pathetic as you thinking a bet is going to make me love you." Lucci rolled his eyes.

"Oh, I don't need you to love me, I just need to make you mine." The bitch cackled. "The other stuff can come later, once I've 'ironed' you out."

"Why is Willow the only one with sane relationship goals?" The human muttered.

"And the ball is out!"

Boscha instantly jumped forward to grab it. "Nope." She turned to defend herself from a stone pillar … with a circle on it. "And tap." Before a massive plant sent her flying.

" What !?" Lucci, Amity, and the human shrieked out.

"Oh right, I forgot to mention this during, but when I shook down Gus at the looking glass ruins, I grabbed a few of those paper magic things on him." The bitch smirked as she grabbed the ball. "I figure if a weak little illusionist managed to get slightly decent with a few of these, why not make the strong stronger?"

The human looked livid, before turning to the audience. "Gus! Why the heck didn't you tell me she took the glyphs I gave you!"

"How was I supposed to know she was going to use them!? Nobody else did it!"

"Shut up! Lector hungry!!" Lector shouted as he ran to Lucci. "Lector taste crystal devil with flesh!" He began swinging his ax with wild speed and instinct guiding his every movement.

"Well you're going to keep wondering buddy!" Lucci grew horns as he used his shield to block every swing. "You guys keep moving, I got the psycho handled!"

"And I've got the deadweight!" Amity shouted, trying to use abominations on that Hamlet kid, who looked protected by an invisible barrier. "I'm pretty sure I'm going to be stuck here for a while, so keep going!"

"Aww, but we were having so much fun." Bria made some golems, this time with glyphs on their knuckles as they landed a flurry of fiery punches. "Now excuse me while I walk to your goal."

"Witch please, it's more than just slapping glyphs on magic to make it strong." The human smirked as she pulled out that pink sword and slapped a glyph on it, making it spark before slashing it in the air, and cutting the golems down with lightning.

"Interesting … did you get that from being hit in the face with lightning, or mixing up glyphs?" Bria asked. "Either way, doesn't change the fact I was strong before I started adding these." The ground underneath the human upended up as a maw formed to swallow her.

"I'm still here bitch!" Boscha tossed forward explosive potions.

"Oh right, the ironically least interesting person on your team." Bria had the gall to yawn as she sent up a simple wall that blocked them. "And seriously, just explosives? What, are you in magic kindergarten? Where's the threat here? Where's the bite to all that barking you were spitting out?"

"Here's some bark!" She threw fireball after fireball.

"Lame." The girl merely messed with the wall, creating one of those circles that cause ice. "So last century."

"I'll make sure to bury you until the next century!" Boscha charged right up at the girl, jumping over every golem, even managing to kick the head off of one of them and sending it right to the bitches face. "I'm still the best Grudgby player here!"

"Oh wow, you have slightly above average teenage strength, that's super effective when it comes to magic." Bria laughed as she sent another pillar at her, one with another circle that hit her in the chest, and wrapped her in vines, making Boscha fall to the ground. "Face it, pyramid eyes, you're not the bigshot around here anymore. You're not even big enough to be yesterday's news."

"Shut it you nutjob!" The human cut themselves out of the ground, charging at Bria with their sword.

"Not to mention Lucci is literally your only decent player." Without even looking, she formed multiple waves of projectiles and tossed them at the human.

"Luz, watch out!" Said boy, in the middle of getting his armed chewed, sent over a shield that floated over the girl.

"See, proves my point." Bria laughed. "It's two on one, and you still need him to save you when it counts."

"I….don't….need….. ANYONE!" She bursted into flames, burning out of the bindings ang grabbing the ball from the witches hands. "Blight, throw me to the goal, NOW!"

"But Befana is still there-"

" DO IT NOW!" Her entire body was on fire, she was going to melt her way through, or die trying.

"Fine, your funeral." Amity rolled her eyes and flung Boscha right over.

"Boscha!" Lucci cried out to her, but she didn't have the time to process his words. She was going to win this, she was going to bring this team to victory, she was going to-!

Her waist was frozen over, attached with two pillars to the ground. Boscha looked down to the dead eyes of Holda. "You know … I was more interested in the human than you." She stated with a cold tone. "The weaker someone is, the more unique their brain functions, like a snowflake." She raised her arm, as an ice hammer formed. "The strong … are so predictable ." Before swinging it forward, hitting Boscha head on and sending her flying.

"The ball went through the Banshee's net, along with their captain!"

"BOSCHA!"

========================================================================

Faster than he's ever ran before, Lucci, lighting up in that pink mode, instantly caught the girl before she could hit the ground. "BOSCHA!" Her eyes were so purple and bruised, it was a wonder she could even blink now. "Boscha, are you alright!?"

"Just fine you mangey bird." Great, she had a concussion, nice.

"Yikes, just look at her, so fragile." That bitch smirked. "Better hurry and heal her, two minutes until the next ball comes up."

"That's more than enough time." Lucci grunted at Bria, before turning to his girlfriend and kissing her on the forehead. A light shimmer of sparkles flushed over her face, and the black eyes disappeared without a trace. "Feeling better?"

"Not really, pride's still broken…along with my integrity….and dignity." Boscha groaned. "Here I am being the damsel in distress, I hate being so weak!"

"Come one, that's just the bitch talking trash, you're not weak Boscha." He reassured, setting the girl on her feet.

"I just got my ass handed to me by Bria, what do you think?" She asked, standing up. "We … we need a new strategy, something that will work, something that will work … come on, I can take her, I just need …"

"You know…back in the human world…" They turned to the approaching Amity and Luz. "There's an expression we have when it comes to group sports. There's no 'I' in team."

"Of course there's no 'I' in team. What kind of idiot spells team with an I?" Boscha responded.

"That wasn't the point-" Luz looked like she was holding her breath in. "Point is that we've been attacking them just one at a time, alone. That's not going to cut it with them. If we're going to get anywhere, we need to attack head on, altogether at once."

"If we focus everything on one player the others will grab the ball and run." Boscha groaned.

"That's why we need to grab the ball first and charge ahead." Amity brought up. "Lucci provides defense, I provide long range, Luz handles short range, and you have the tightest grip out of any of us. We cover you and get you to that goal. Banfa's strong, but with this group, I doubt she can freeze in place all four of us at once."

Boscha still looked reluctant. "Even if we do it, that kind of strategy only works once. These guys know how to adapt."

"We only need it to work once. That's how we'll tie the score." Lucci pointed out. "That's the main goal right now. We'll worry about getting ahead of them later."

"We have one minute left, it'll have to do for now." Amity spoke, looking at the timer. 

Boscha fummed. "Fine. Whatever. Go ahead. I clearly don't have anything to offer to anyone now."

That…that kind of attitude never came out of Boscha's mouth. "Boscha…"

"Go, what are you guys waiting for, get ready!" Boscha barked at them.

Amity and Luz just looked at each other and shrugged, getting into position. Leaving him alone with Boscha. "Boscha, what's wrong?"

"What's wrong? What's wrong!?" She yelled. "Better question, what isn't wrong!? Everything is wrong! I'm wrong!" Her eyes became watery. "I'm the weakest link here, everyone hates me or can't stand me, and I'm about to lose you because I'm a complete idiot!"

"Lose me?" He asked. "Boscha, it's not like you guys took an everlasting oath, right?" He paused. "You didn't, right?"

"..No…" She weakly nodded.

"There, see, you could've made this situation a WHOLE lot worse if you did." 

"Unless Bria decides to announce to the audience I'm not a girl of my word, where my Mom and Mama are watching."

"Ooooohh…." Lucci slowly nodded. That would be bad. 

"Her goal isn't just to take you Lucci, it's to ruin me so I'm never an option to begin with." Boscha sighed. "And maybe she has a point…I'm no good to anyone…"

"Boscha…"

"You can't say it's not true, Lucci! Amity left, Cat left, Amelia left, even Skara left me out to dry tonight because I suck and she needs a break from me!" She grabbed his shoulders. "I…I don't see why someone like you thinks I'm so great."

"Fifteen seconds on the clock guys!" Luz called out.

"Boscha….."

"Come on, you can't say I've been the best girlfriend." Boscha kept doubting herself. "I hate your friends, I've been terrible to you for years, heck, I still yell at you….why…why do you like me so much?"

"Seven seconds!" Amity announced.

Boscha wanted to know? Well…Lucci was going to show her….and get this next goal at the same time. "Luz, Amity, make sure you stay close at all times, things might get a little bumpy."

"Wait what?"

Buzzzzzzz

The buzzer rang, Amity used her abomination whip to grab the ball, and handed it to Boscha, right as Lucci placed a pink Barrier underneath them. He began tapping his foot on it as the sound of a drum and keyboard began playing. "Oh no, he's going full bard!" King shouted from the stands. "DUCK FOR COVER!"

"Cause you're a sky, cause you're a sky full of stars." He started, pulling her up. "I'm gonna give you my heart."

"It seems the Banshees are singing … is this a new strategy Bump? … Why are you bolting down your chair and placing barriers around yourself?"

"No reason in particular."

"'Cause you're a sky, 'cause you're a sky full of stars…" The barrier beneath them began to float upward as they moved.

"Whoa, we're airborne." Luz smirked. "I get it, this barrier is a safe zone as well as his instrument."

"As long as the destruction is on them and not us, I'm cool with it." Amity

"Cause you light up the path…" Boscha was the brightest light in his life. " I don't care, go on and tear me apart!" He didn't care that she was mean, he didn't care that she insulted him. " I don't care if you do, ooh-ooh, ooh." Lucci twirled her around as that savage kid was sent rolling across the ground.

"'Cause in a sky, 'cause in a sky full of stars….." That Oracle guy began tossing chunks of the field at them. " I think I saw you.....!"

A huge vibrational wave countered it, sending every chuck backwards, as well as the guy himself straight into a wall.

"I'd think you'd have better luck sending a spirit inside of that barrier than going through it by brute force." Bria rolled her eyes, sending out multiple constructions to act as walls to slow them down.

"Hey, don't bother the happy couple, they're having a moment." Luz smirked, throwing down a glyph on the bitch's head.

"What's this one supposed to-BZZZZZZZZZZZT!"

"Invisible lightning bolts at close range." The human laughed. "It's super effective!"

"Cause you're a sky, 'cause you're a sky full of stars…" He lifted his girlfriend up, showing off her amazing beauty for all the world to see. " I wanna die in your arms, oh, oh-oh…."

"I want that meat!" The savage kid began using the crumbled debri to climb right to them, only for Amity to fling them off with another whip attack. "Lector thirsts for flesh!" The boy screamed as he was launched to the ground.

"'Cause you get lighter the more it gets dark…" He continued to twirl around, effortlessly blocking the fiery rocks Bria was trying to throw at their heads. "I'm gonna give you my heart…oh…."

"I'm about to knock out all your lights!" Bria sent a rock blade covered in ice right at the barrier, only for it to shatter as easily as glass.

" I don't care, go on and tear me apart." He could feel an invisible hand on his neck, gesturing for Amity to look at Hamlet. " I don't care if you do, ooh-ooh, ooh."

"Hey, if you're really dead on the inside, then you probably don't need to breathe, so here's a mouthful of abomination goo, just for you." Amity shot one right at the oracle guy, who after about five seconds, began gagging and convulsing.

"Huh, this has actually been a pretty peaceful ride so far, and no major casualties!" Luz announced.

"WHY IS EVERYTHING ON FIRE!?"

"No reason in particular."

"'Cause in a sky, 'cause in a sky full of stars…. " He tossed his girlfriend in the air. " I think I see you...…..I think I see you...…!"

"Lucci…" Boscha looked at him, wide eyes and blushing madly.

"Heads up guys, we're heading straight to Befana!" Amity warned, as the dead eyed ice queen was looking right at them.

"'Cause you're a sky, you're a sky full of stars...!" He wouldn't let anyone interrupt their big moment.

The girl began making a circle, her ice forming a darker shade as it seemed to radiate a cold frost that crawled up even Befana's arm, before blasting hard enough to actually crack the bubble, letting in cold air.

"Such a heavenly view......!" He sang louder, in spite of what was probably frostbite forming all over their bodies as a tunnel seemed to form around the winds, allowing them to break through.

"Come on…we're almost there!" Luz shouted.

"You're such... a heavenly vieeeeeeewwwwwwwwwwwwwww!" He announced as loud as he could as his echos seemed to literally crack the air around them, a crack that was getting sent right toward Befana.

"...Impossible….." The girl whispered gasped as it hit her, sending her out of the field.

"Is a word I don't know the meaning of." Lucci finished for her as he threw Boscha right towards the goal, which she easily shot through without a problem.

"And Hexide evens the odds…while unevening the field….and most of the seats…..and my spleen…ow…okay….lets take a five minute break…I need to get my organs reassembled."

Lucci grinned as Boscha came back. "Well, does that answer your question?"

"Lucci…did you…mean all of that…?" Boscha asked.

"Of course I do." He held her arms. "There's not a single part about you I don't love." He pressed his head against hers. "Like I said…you're such a heavenly view to look at…my angel, and nothing will ever change that."

Boscha brought him in close and kissed him on the lips. He could feel her warmth, her smile, her love … they could feel everything together.

========================================================================

Bria groaned. "Alright, new plan." She stated. "Those guys are obviously focused on grouping up now, so we just need to distract them and grab the rusty smidge before-"

"No."... They turned to their captain.

"Giving an order, that's new ." Hamlet deadpanned without moving his mouth in that creepy way he did sometimes.

"These people are strong … I like the weak because they get to be crafty …" She let out a small smile that almost felt unnatural when you've known them for a long while. "I get to be the crafty one now." Such an alien mindset this woman had.

" Do I still eat flesh in plan?" Lector asked as he licked his ax savagely.

"If you seek flesh, aim for the Blight, abominations are basically rotten meat after all." Befana spoke. "Hamlet, go after the human, keep her off her toes, I think i'll try my luck with-"

"Um … folks … it appears the Banshees have become three members."

"Really?" Bria wasn't one to question good fortune when it was thrown her way, but this seemed a little convenient. "Did one of us manage to knick them in the neck or something?"

"Too busy getting set flying to notice'" Hamlet spoke up.

"It seems that two members have…somehow merged together….I know that sounds weird folks, but that's the only way I can describe it…and from what I'm hearing, that's how they're going to play, so I guess it's time to do one last introduction!"Pink smoke began flying in the air, smoke that smelled surprisingly fruity as the lights went dark and a little tornado seemed to be made in the middle of the field. "Only having existed four minutes ago, they're hopping right to it, very armed and dangerous. Give a multi handed clap for the sort of new member of the Banshees, CHERRY!"

"Oh, Lucci pulled that fusion thing." Bria rolled her eyes. "That's going to be annoying to wa …" She trailed off as … what could only be described as sensualitystrutted into view.

"Who's ready to rock!?" The number of body parts was all off. Five eyes circling her head, four arms and four legs like some sort of spider, each one perfectly curved. Their outfit was much more spikey, dark purple and pink and more fitted to their taller, six foot one height. Their hair was in a ponytail, the base of their head a bright pink while the ponytail was a fiery red, making it look like a fuse about to go off.

"Go kiddo!" Shouted the voice of the Owly Lady and some redhead woman from the crowd.

" New body, new flesh….new flesh…make me feel weird." Lector said bashfully with a blush.

"Two souls sharing a body … an enigma upon the mortal plane." Hamlet looked the most invested in a physical body then Bria's ever seen him be in.

"You can look, but you can't touch…..unless its my foot going up your asses, in which case, I have plenty of feet to work with." The punkish fusion snickered, sending a grin that made Bria feel good in all the right and wrong ways.

"Oh my titan." A plant student from Hexide groaned. "I've gotta remember that's Lucci and Boscha, I can't find that attractive!"

"I mean, it is the pinacle of bisexual attraction." The human spoke in a dazed look. "I'm trying so hard to remember I have a girlfriend right now."

"It's easier for me since I know that's part Lucci." The Blight girl knocked the human and the head. "And that my girlfriend is right next to me so I know we won't do anything stupid."

"Of course, yep, righty oh." Definitely an inferior species.

"Contestants to their marks … oh, it seems Befana is making her way to the front lines this time!"

"Oooh, so the ice queen is actually worried they might lose for once, doesn't that create quite the interesting mix." The fusion smirked, spreading out those perfectlegs like a predator.

"No … it's intrigue." Their captain responded, staring intently for a change as their body was prepared to move at a moment's notice. "Make sure it's not lost."

"Oh, you're gonna be feeling a whole lotta lost soon enough." Cherry snickered. "And afterwards I think Lucci and Boscha will share a nice dinner date with Bria's allowance money, ain't that right, Bri-bri?"

"Oh like you'll win." She growled.

"It's one to one, and because of the absolute chaos caused by that singing, we only have time for one more match!"

"Oooh, I love sudden death. So much can happen all at once. All the chaos that can be brewed, all the plays and strategies that can be concocted, all the ideas you have pour into your head in such a limited amount of time." The fusion cackled as their multiple hands glowed, their fingernails seemed to get larger.

"What, you think fancy fingernails are going to be your saving grace?" Bria growled.

"Oh, thank you, I just grew them out." Each nail seemed to be a different color. "They're pretty nifty, and they are especially handy for potion brewing."

"You can't make potions out of nothing, dumbass, that's what makes them such weak magic."

"Oh fun fact about Lucci: He's ingested every poison and toxin that you can dream up of. He's basically an endless storage of ingredients Boscha's free to mess around with, which means I can create just about any potion I can imagine at the tip of my fingers." Multiple bubbles formed, filed with ingredients. "For example…" They squeezed the bubbles together, spinning them around. The grudgby ball shot up in the air. "A potion that causes temporary blindness!"

Flash

A bright light came out of the bubble as Bria shouted. "Aha! Man, I thought these extra arms would get in the way, but I feel even more balanced than when the two of them had regular limbs!" The fusion exclaimed as something happened.

When her vision returned, she saw they were barely being held onto by Hamlet. "Let's try a combo that's basically acid for ectoplasm!" They tossed another bubble at the boy. "The power of chemistry compels you! The power of chemistry compels you!"

" NO! NO! MY SOULS…MY SOULS ARE LEAVING ME….DON'T GOOO…DON'T..." The body fell limp. Well that was one ally broken.

"Feast!" Lector charged at unnatural speeds.

"You know, they said music calms the savage beast, but seeing as how Lucci's musical number didn't work out so well for you, I think a nice concussive bomb ought to take out those big ears of yours!" The fusion threw another bubble at the kid as it popped with a loud bang.

"ARGTHAT!" Lector closed their ears, spinning all over the place in a dizzying daze.

"You're creatively cruel and efficient." The Blight girl commented.

"I know, Lucci's pragmatism with Boscha's violence is a scary mix." The human agreed.

Bria almost forgot there were two other opponents. "So …"

"Deal with the other two." Befana began freezing over, skates forming on her high heels. "I'm going to have fun." And with that, an ice pillar sent her rocketing forward, using a small ice stick to forcefully corner, spinning around the fusion and forming a tornado of ice, causing frost to form over 'Cherry'.

"Oooh chilly, good thing I have hot coco." The fusion causally sipped their bubble of said item.. "Good thing cooking's a small part of potions too."

"Is Cherry just tapping into the toon force?" She ducked under a blow from the human, using a lift to send the weakling into the air. "Because I don't think normal coco should fix frostbite."

"We're winning, don't question a good thing when it happens." The Blight surrounded Bria with a wave of the purple goo. "I supposed you wouldn't happen to be smart enough to know when you're beaten, would you?"

"No, wouldn't say I am." She once more opened up the ground, trying to trap the Blight and buy time.

A clang directed her attention to the captain, who was fighting with ice daggers that broke into shards. "Was this really your best idea considering what I've broken through?" The fusion asked. At a snap of the fingers, the broken shards all became active, launching themselves simultaneously at Cherry. "Oooh, okay, gotta give you credit, Ice queen, you are impressively vindictive." The fusion laughed as she used her nails to slide against ice around them, grabbing the daggers from mid air while they could. "Gotta say though, using so much ice at once can't be healthy for ya."

"Not in the slightest. But it gets better with time, and as for habits, I could probably say the same for your human teammate." Wait, what was she-

"SURPRISE!" Shouted the covered in lightning human, decking her in the face, sending a million volts directly throughout her body.

"LUUZZ!" Amity yelled.

"It's alright, I just gotta keep punching her and the pain goes away a little more!" The human continued to assault her with electricity still cacking throughout the human's body..

"Luz, you beautiful genius!" The fusion laughed before turning to Bafena. "Hey, you want to know what happens when an ice cube gets struck by lightning?"

"...The same thing that happens to everything else?" Their frost written captain raised an eyebrow.

"Exactly!" The fusion shot out what looked like a spider web from their fingertips, and connected the line from Bafena…to the still electrical human.

"Zap!" The human grabbed the line.

The captain … merely smiled. "How charming." She muttered, before electricity began running through her veins. "This feels … nice." The woman smirked through the pain, forming a line of ice to Cherry to connect them.

"Oooh, looks like I gotta jet!" The fusion lit about half of their feet on fire, and began rocketing away. "You know, ice by definition is the act of molecules slowing down. You're not built for speed with all your ice magic. That's part of the reason you stay stationary."

"She … may be slow …" Bria weakly raised her arms. "But i'm-"

"Going to pay!" An abomination hit her in the gut. "You're not moving a single inch anywhere. You force my friend into the middle of some dumb love triangle and you steal my girlfriend's glyphs. There isn't a single reality where I let you go out of this walking."

This could be the end, this was supposed to be Bria's win, this was…"GOOOOOAAAAAAALLLLLL!" The stupid fusion yelled out as they threw a fiery ball right at the goalpost, sending it straight through.

BUUUUZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

She … she lost. Bria, without a single silver lining … lost.

========================================================================

"Wooho, we won!" Luz cheered. "And it only took away half the feeling in my body!" 

"Oh Luz, what am I going to do with you?" Amity shook her head as she kissed her on the cheek. "Do I need to chain you to my arm to stop you from doing something stupid?"

"Whataya mean? Holding your hands makes me stay in place every time." Luz smirked, getting Amity's signature completely red face.

"I..I gotta go cool off, be back in a minute!" Hah, Luz's flirt game was still going strong.

"It's too bad." She turned, seeing the ice queen stand next to her with that blank and empty expression she had at the beginning of the game.

"Come on, it was a fun game at least, wasn't it?" Luz extended the olive branch."

"No, it was." She turned away. "It's a shame that the two most interesting players are already in relationships."

"....Huh?" Luz tilted their heads.

"Like I told that moronic captain. Weak people come up with crafty schemes, it makes them interesting … nothing more interesting than someone magicless." They began walking away. "Hope to play with you next year, I'll bring my a-game then."

"....Did I just get hit on by a foxy Ice queen?" Was somebody reading her diary and bringing fantasies to life?

"WHOOOAAA! WE WON! WE WON! WE TOTALLY COMPLETELY WON!" Cherry kept spinning around and laughing, hugging themselves and being lost in ecstasy. "THIS IS THE BEST DAY EVER! " With one final shout and a jump in the air, the fusion glowed, and split apart, bringing back a still chuckling Boscha and Lucci.

"That was incredible." Lucci responded with a dopey smile. "It was like painbows in sound form that you could hug."

"Is that what it's like every time? Feeling so warm and secure…like you're never alone.." Boscha for once shared the same dopey expression.

"Yep." Luz smirked. "You finally gonna take off the restriction about fusion with everyone?"

"No, what I'm going to do is make sure I'm by Lucci's side twenty four seven so that when something comes up, he'll have to go with his strongest fusion."

"Pretty sure that's either Pudding or Glyphon.." Luz tried to bring up.

"Clearly we weren't watching the same match, Luz." Boscha rolled her eyes.

The air seemed to freeze around them. "...Did you just call me by my first name?"

"Yeah, what of it?" Boscha groaned. "It's just easier to say 'the human' every single time. Don't read into it."

"Or, you're finally becoming friends." Lucci grinned.

"Or Cherry rubbed off Lucci's personality onto Boscha's." Luz suggested.

"Do you want me to go back to saying 'die human' everytime we meet, because I will." Boscha gave her a look. Hah, tsundere.

"Hey you guys won!" Willow ran over with a smile.

"Shut it Half a witch! I'm having a conversation with Luz!" Boscha shouted.

".....I'm just going to ignore how oxymoronic that sentence ways and focus on the fact you won." Willow continued. "So, what's next?"

"I believe Cherry said victory dinner." Lucci grinned, turning to the defeated looking Bria. "So, are we getting the money in cash or change?"

"Here." The girl threw a bag at their feet and turned around. "None of you are going to get away with making me look weak!"

"We've done it to Boscha for years, and you're not even the alpha at your own school." Willow retorted.

"I'm gonna have my payback one of these days, and I will WIN EVERYTHING that belongs to ME!" Bria grumbled, walking away without another word.

"Wow, what a sore loser." Boscha snickered. "So we treating ourselves or what?"

"Give me a second, I gotta wait for Amity." Luz said. She had to be here somewhere…"

"Hey guys!" The girl ran up to them, and grabbed her hands. "Ready to go, Sweet potato?"

"Sure am, Sw.." Luz paused for a second. Amity always said Camote. "Are you feeling alright Amity?"

"Hmm?" She tilted her head. "I mean, I guess I was kinda knocked underground for a minute. I guess you might not be the only one with injuries."

"Do you need the healing spit?" Lucci offered, and that seemed to scare the girl a little. "I thought you got over your reluctance to my healing powers?"

"I did..I guess I'm just more tired and frazzled than I thought I'd be. That's a Blight for ya, am I right?"

"Don't worry about your family, you're nothing like them, my cotton candy goddess." She kissed the girl's cheek.

"Yeah…how about the rest of you guys go ahead…me and Luz need some time alone, if you know what I mean." Oh that smirk never failed to send shivers down her spine.

"Like I'd hang around you guys anyways." Boscha rolled her eyes. "Come on Crystal, Bria's treat, we're getting whatever you want."

"You'd better. We still need to have a long conversation about you betting my life." Nice to see Lucci put his foot down. Now Luz had the rest of the night to be with her girlfriend. The perfect cap off to a pretty good day.