Summary: Sometimes we hit ourselves in the face over our actions.
"So we're all in agreement?" Darius questioned. It was a rare occasion for every single coven head to meet up all at once. Aside from the summonings from Belos, every Coven head for the most part kept to themselves. However, with the Emperor currently 'out on business', there was only one course of action that all nine of them could come to.
"Yes … I could use the time off." Adrian groaned, cracking his body. "My body needs to recover from going through three heart attacks in a row." What Darius would do to have that massacre recorded.
"And as if I'm going to listen to some twerp with parental issues." Terra rolled her eyes. "I have enough on my plate with the lack of Palistrum Trees." Why couldn't this hag keel over dead? It'd save them so many problems.
"It was destined to be today, and so it is." … Orsan was still a creepy son of a bitch as always.
"If I put everything off for tomorrow, there's bound to be a couple of streets and buildings destroyed and reduced to rubble, so I can afford a day off." Mason was just in it for the money like always.
"I'm finishing up a project with Vitimir … something that will bring me much pleasure once it's completed." … It said something when even the likes of Terra and Osran took a step back from the Healing Coven Head.
"And I could use a break from all the paperwork after the attack on the Conformatorium." Raine was still a terrible actor, but being frustrated with bureaucracy was a related topic everyone in this room could get behind.
"Gggrrr." Ebberwolf did look like they've been losing sleep lately. They needed to be on high alert in about a month when the day of unity came.
"Then it's settled. All Coven Heads shall take their one day off a year today." Darius nodded, concluding their business. That alone was worth rebelling against Belos. What kind of job only had one day off?
The door opened, as the child walked in. "My fellow Coven Heads. As the one in charge today, I can safely say that-" Everyone immediately began walking past the Golden Guard.
"We took the day off." Vitimir deadpanned.
"... Really?" They asked with a bit of a dead tone.
"Yes."
"Today specifically, you all chose to be off." The kid repeated.
" Yes." They all repeated again simultaneously. This was probably the only thing any of them could ever agree on.
"And it had nothing to do with the fact that I would have been in charge?" The Golden Guard questioned incredulously.
"Today's events are meant to fall this way." Orsan answered. "It has been foreseen, and thus, it must proceed." Who knew that oracle magic was perfect for getting a day off? He wondered why Oldalia never used that excuse before.
"Alright …" The child groaned as everyone began leaving, not giving the golden guard a second's notice. "I guess I'll just … go read some books." Why did Belos keep choosing to give this mantle to antisocial children who did nothing but emptily follow orders?
"You could always take up a sewing lesson." Darius rolled his eyes, levitating the boy's white cloak into his hands. "Seriously, the patch work on this is horrendous. You didn't even use matching threads to sew the emblem back on."
"I tried!" The boy shouted, trying to grab the cloak. "But the Manticore Menace was so brutal last time that the Healing Coven took all the thread for wound sewing."
"And you also lost the Mask? Along with your staff?" He raised an eyebrow. "You know, the previous Golden Guard was my mentor." And closest friend after Alador became a giant hack and married that bitch Oldalia. "To see his title be this discredited by an unworthy punk…It's truly painful to see."
"I know, I'm trying my best." They looked both frustrated and fearful. "But every time I deal with the devil I lose, and the human suddenly decided 'hey, who cares if I cut off a limb or two' and chopped off my finger." She did what now? "Now I'm unable to actually do anything about it with actual firepower because everyone took the day off!"
Titan, this kid was whiney. Did the previous golden guard have such an annoying voice? "Whatever, if you feel this strongly about it, then do something. We're running low on recruits for scouts. Find the best and brightest, and maybe you can have your cloak back."
The child gained a determined look in their eyes. "Understood Sir." He nodded, running out the door. "I won't let you down!"
"...Of course you won't..." … Try all you want to keep him out of it, and they still risk their life when it's not needed. Gah, if they didn't share the same name and face, Darius wouldn't feel nearly half as bad.
Today wouldn't be about digging up old wounds though. It wouldn't even be about planning the Emperor's downfall. Today was Darius's personal day. He was going to focus on himself, and himself alone.
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Boscha waited at her booth. "Grudgby tryouts. Survive one hour of fire and spikes, and you'll be qualified for the team." Her patience had been running thin after an hour of no takers.
"Maybe you should lower the standards of qualification just a little?" Lucci said with a bit of a wince.
She raised an eyebrow as she turned to her boyfriend. "I'm sorry, did you forget how intense our last Grudgby match was with you and Amity on it, Lu-the human non wishtanding."
"I'm not saying that, you have a high bar to keep for good reason." He corrected himself. "But as someone who has experience with business, this is essentially what this is. You selling your business. And to sell your business, you got add a little fire honey to the pot to attract prey."
"What's more sweet than the popularity you get from the school worshiping you?" She asked.
"Hey, it's the hasbeen Boscha and the suicidal Banshees." A girl commented as she walked past.
"Man, I can't believe she's still trying at this rate." A boy laughed.
Lucci kept a small smile as he bubbled the two idiots walking past them, reeled them in. "Look, I'm an agent of chaos, I firmly believe everyone should be free to say what they want to say at their own risk….and you just insulted my girlfriend in front of me, so I have no choice but to do this." Taking out his palisman, he turned sugar into a hammer and whacked the bubbles into the air, sending them far, far into the forest.
"Thank you crystal." She kissed the boy on the cheek. "So … should I try for fifty minutes of spikes and fire?"
"Maybe focus less on the intense physical pain people will endure and more on the comradery you gain from joining a team?" Goops said as he and that half a witch were carrying supplies for their own stand.
"Comradery is only worth to those that manage to stand on my level, like my Crystal right here, and Amity." Boscha crossed her arms, glaring at the human and said girl looking like dumb idiots at their own stand. "Also Skara when she's done … having what I can only assume is the most complex and devastating existential crisis I can imagine."
"She just misses her mom, which is understandable." Lucci said as he took a look at the half a witch's stand. "Flyer derby? I knew you worked out, but I didn't take you for the sporty type."
"I've been super confident lately, and my dad's used to do this together. Plus they do these sick tricks." Half a witch answered, showing off a clip on her scroll. "And now that we have Palisman, I can make this dream a reality!"
Boscha scoffed. "Like people are lining up to join you when clearly they have-"
"Oh, Flyer Derby!" She watched as Skara ran up and grabbed a poster. "I need something to take my mind off my life right now, and high speed winds are just that! Thanks Willow!" The girl ran away, leaving them all in silence as Boscha felt the ever increasing need to strangle the half a witch.
"...So Gus, you're trying for Flyer derby too?" Lucci looked to the illusionist.
"I owe Willow a lot, of course I'm gonna support her." The kid nodded. "Only issue is that Professor Homunculus is putting pressure on Willow due to dropping out of his class.
"So I need to beat him by the end of the day or my team is finished." The girl sighed. "I take it you wouldn't mind helping, right Lucci?"
"Sure, I can play a game or-"
Boscha grabbed him by the ear and stretched it out as far as she demonaly could. "Crystal, while I won't force you to stop being friends with the half a witch, if you for one second even consider joining her club over mine, I will test every single limit of your healing powers and replace your blood with gasoline so you spontaneously combust every five seconds."
The boy stared at her. "I … am tempted to do it just because you made that sound so hot."
"Forget it, I'm not dealing with crash and burns." The half a witch sighed. "Amity, are you up for it?"
"Sure, just kinda learned that my entire book series is plagiarized from the human world, but I can play a game." Amity spoke with a dazed look.
"Yeah, it scared me too." Lu-the human patted them on the shoulder. "Don't worry Sweet Potato, we'll get through this together. No matter what happens, I'll be there for you."
"Uggh, barf me a painbow." Boscha gagged. "At least flirt in more appropriate places, like the trashcan where the garbage is, or the bathroom."
"I could say the same to you. I'm pretty sure trash slugs are an excellent place for whatever you call romance." Amity rolled her eyes.
"I don't turn into a squabbling mess every time my hand is held."
"And I don't feel the need to overcompensate my insecurities by threatening who I love." Oh the bitch wanted to go there, did she!?
"Don't listen to her, mi amosa. She's just jealous we're the cuter couple." Lu-the human said, titan that was still painful to remember, said dumbly.
"And you're also the more oblivious couple." Boscha rolled her eyes. "Lu-the human didn't notice Amity's advances for months, while Amity didn't notice mine for years."
" Your what?" Lucci, Amity, and Willow tilted her head at the same time.
She raised an eyebrow. "Lucci's obsessed with me and half a witch went to the same school, how did neither of you notice?"
"Just…what….how…I…." Half a witch's brain looked like it was breaking down.
"Since when was this!?" Amity shouted.
"Did the heart shaped butterfly I handed to you in a snack box when you left your lunch home not clue you in?" Boscha asked with an eye roll. "I gave up because you were the most oblivious person on the planet." She hugged her boyfriend's arm tightly. "And I know for a fact Lucci will never leave me, something you always do."
"Hey, she doesn't leave people unless they deserve it!" Luz shouted. "You heartless wench."
"Magicaless Harpy." Boscha retorted.
"Beta mean girl." The human smirked. "You're not hot stuff around here anymore, Boscha. No one's afraid of you."
"Oh yeah?" Boscha growled. "Well you're far from adorable, and this little…whatever you have with Amity is not cute, and I will prove it!"
"You will?" Amity questioned.
"Yes. We're going to have a date off!" She shouted. "Where I will prove I'm superior!"
"You're on!" Luz-the human shouted. "Most successful date and cutest couple wins!"
"… Did you just blindly accept a challenge again!?" Half a witch questioned. "Lucci, bubble the girl before she does something else stupid!"
They turned to the dazed boy. "Ahhhh, crystal?" Boscha snapped her fingers in front of him.
"Sorry." Her crystal apologized with a small jump. "My brain is still on you having a crush on Amity."
She stared at Lucci for a moment, before shrugging. "Blights have good looks and skills."
The boy looked like he was going to argue for a second, before putting his finger down. "I did have a crush on the twins, so I guess that's understandable."
"So has everyone but me had a crush on a Blight?" The Illusionist questioned.
"Let's just leave. At this rate, I'll develop a romantic repulsion stronger than King's if I stay here any longer." Half a witch dragged the illusionist out of there and into the Club fair.
"Do we have a say in this?" Amity raised her hand.
"And more importantly, what is this ?" Lucci questioned.
"Boscha and Luz gambled over the perfect date." Amity responded.
"And girls fighting instantly removes any attraction I gave to the situation." Lucci grumbled, standing up. "I'm gonna go grab some fair food."
"Not without me you're not!" Boscha gripped his hand. "Every step we take today is not going to be without holding hands!"
"Come on Amity, we can't let them get ahead!" The human grabbed the purple haired traitor and ran.
"… Please tell me you brought Ghost. I'd rather Sugar have some company while we all argue."
"I never leave home without her. Something tells me we all need a therapy cat."
"While we're at it, can someone explain what therapy is? I keep hearing about it but never know what it means." Worry about her boyfriend's sanity later, they had a competition to win!
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Gus looked at the applications. "That's three people. We still need two more." It had been hard, but he wasn't gonna let Willow down now.
"Would you like to sign up for the flyer derby team?" Willow asked.
"Aaahhh! I don't want to be caught up in the crazy human squad!" A spikey kid shouted, running away.
"Is that how we're known around the school now?" Gus asked. "It's better than Loser Squad I guess, but still, something with a little more dignity would be appreciated."
"I like the fearful screams for a change, but I admit it is a bit much." How long had Willow been crazy and he never noticed? "All this trouble just because one teacher is super petty I didn't stick with his class. I'm better at plants, just live with it, don't ruin my life over it!"
"Honestly it makes you wonder why we keep some of the teachers. Mine's nice … but that's only the mask." Gus shivered. So many spiders … "So since Amity, Luz, and Lucci are out, who should we ask next? Mattholomew?"
"Can't, he's a part of Celene's 'apocalypse preparation' club." Willow spoke. "Given how many times the isles have almost been destroyed or taken over, I think that's probably the most practical club of the bunch."
"It's definitely got the most sign ups." He noted. "Maybe we can ask Amity's siblings?"
"I half expect them to set things on fire." Willow sighed. "Maybe we can ask the kids in the detention track. They're crazy enough to stick around."
"Probably, though I haven't seen them around lately." Gus mentioned. "Have you noticed that our main friend group only seems to be on a revolving door basis? Usually it's us and then one adds on, two if they're dating."
"People have different opinions and likes, it makes sense not everyone hangs out together." Willow shrugged. "Before Luz came along, it was just the two of us hanging out together, and I had no objections to that."
"I guess that makes sense." He nodded. "Maybe we could dress someone up as a student?"
"Gus, we've been going to Hexide for months. It's not like a new student is suddenly gonna fall out of the sky and everyone believes that they really go to this school."
"WOULD YOU GET THAT MANAGEY BEAST TO STOP CHASING ME!?" The sound of a voice that was on the tip of being annoying shrieked in the are as a blonde kid with a red bird palisman flew past them, being followed by a familiar looking griffon.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I swear that she's usually more well behaved than this!" Viney shouted from way behind them.
"… We have really got to get the mechanics of that power down pat." Gus spoke blankly as he watched the kid swirl around the Griffon. "It's way too unpredictable when it activates."
"I ain't complaining when it makes things easier." Willow smirked, pulling out vines to grab the griffon and dragged them down.
"AHHHH! What is this!?" The blonde killed yelled as she pulled him into the ground, restrained by arm and limb so that he couldn't have the chance to run away. "Please, whatever you do, if you're going to kill me, do it in the least painful way possible." Maybe the girl was laying it on a little too strongly.
"Only if …" Willow started menacingly. "You join my flyer derby team!" Were they really that threatening to the other kids?
The guy that Willow was now holding hostage looked rightfully baffled, losing the fear, which was replaced with confusion. "What?"
"Flyer Derby! It's not exactly the most well known sport on the Isles, but don't let that dismay you, it's intense, and only so few can be up for the challenge." Getting her game face on, Willow's face lit up in glee and excitement.
"I … am kinda in the middle of something." He responded. "I need the best and brightest kids in the Boiling Isles."
"That's what we're looking for too." She grinned. "If you put on a show, that'll definitelyget people invested." Willow undid the boy's vines. "Do that for the game later and we'll be the most unstoppable team on the Isles!"
The boy didn't look completely convinced, before he looked to his palisman, who chirped into his ear and nodded. "I guess we're in."
"How come we've never seen you around?" Gus asked. This was far too convenient, and the kid was covered in scars. Not that Gus wanted to judge, but that was pretty suspicious. He wouldn't let this be a pre-Boscha liking Lucci moment … or more accurately, a Bria moment.
The kid looked back and forth nervously. "I'm a transfer…from the toes…" Again, far too convenient. "My name is…" The bird chirped again. "Caleb… Jasper… Bloodwilliams."
"Uh huh.." Gus raised an eyebrow. This may have been because he had renown criminals for friends, but this guy was obviously trying to hide something. "Willow, there's red flags being waved all around this guy."
"We let it slide." Willow waved her hand. "I'm both desperate, and strong enough to handle myself if this goes south."
"I think the group's overconfidence is running off on you."
"… Probably." She nodded in acceptance. "But then again I spent ten years of my life in the opposite spectrum." Willow shooked 'Caleb's' hand enthusiastically. "Welcome to the team, Caleb. Hope you're ready to survive the experience."
"Born ready!" Most people would take that as a sign of trouble, not a challenge. "So how do we train for this? Witches duel? Deadly maze full of poisoned spikes, or the classic 'get dumped on a snowy peak and fight for survival." Caleb smiled fondly at that. "Ahh, the memories."
"Nope, just fly fast and hit moving targets." She responded, not at all seemingly shocked. "So why don't you go ahead and fly around, I'll advertise for the last member."
"Ah, I get it, you want me to make a power play and knock out anyone that dares to defy us, I totally got it." The kid bowed. "I shall not fail my objective, captain." He hopped on his Palisman and flew off.
"… Seriously, no red flags?" Gus asked. "You've known Lucci, Eda, and the Blight's since childhood, and you're not getting any of this?"
"Relax, I have certain feelings about this. I can tell when a mentally troubled person is being genuine." Willow waved off.
"Okay then … I'm gonna go figure out how to ride a witch's staff in the meantime." He kept running into trees whenever he tried flying for some reason.
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Maya silently watched her violent master feed the child as one would do on a romantic date … in a manner that would kill anyone other than the girl's mate. "Come on, come on Crystal, you got to swallow faster while utilizing the baby fat of your face for the selfie! Otherwise they're all going to turn out crap!"
"Can't … swallow … breath … shor-grk!" The boy panicked as another spoonful was shoved in.
"Just let me know which flavor you want, Amity. There is nothing that I can't get that's as sweet as you." The human spoke gently, caressing the Blight as they looked at flavors.
"Anything's fine, Luz, nothing too fancy." The purple haired girl assured.
"But I want it to be special, just like the one I got!" She presented the bowl. "I got the burple berry flavor for the abomination color, and I had them shape it exactly like your face, so that with every bite I have a little bit of your sweetness is inside of me."
"Luz is eating me … I feel so hot." The girl fanned herself. Who would've guessed that the girl had vore fantasies?
Montage
"And then you slide, shake, twirl, then stomp your foot out." Amity showed off a dance move to the human.
"Oh that looks awesome. So slide, shake, twi-woh." The girl tripped on her own feet, only caught by the Blight in a lean, gazing into each other's eyes. "Whoa…I guess there are benefits to being so clumsy, always having my awesome girlfriend there to catch me."
"Luz…" The girl blushed again, covering her face…and proceeded to drop her girlfriend on the floor. "Ah! Sorry, forgot I was using two hands for a second!"
"Pfft, amateurs. Watch and learn from a pro." Boscha proceeded to take her boy's hand as the spotlight was cast on them, the two engaging in a tango with the girl taking the lead.
"Ah, dancing, a sport that can never be tarnished." The mate smiled as her girl dip him after a swirl.
"Hhhsss." Given your womb donor, imagine having a rose?
"Yeah, there would be a lot of irony in having a rose in my mouth." The boy grumbled as he twirled the girl. "There really isn't anything you can't do, is there?"
"It's simple hand, eye, and foot coordination. Compared to Grudgby, this is a piece of cake." She answered as they stepped over a random civilian in the way, not slowing down for a second as cracks in his back were heard.
"MY SPLEEN!"
"I'm having a moment, shut up!"
"Come on Amity, we can't lose out lead now, spin with me!" Luz grabbed the Blight by the arms and process to spin like a tornado.
"Luz, I'm getting a little dizzy here.." Amity spoke up as they moved about randomly across the place, running straight into a wall.
"Oh my god i'm so sorr-"
"REOW!"
"Ahh, I'm sorry Ghost!"
Montage
"I'm winning that stuffed Beaver duck for Amity and there's nothing you can do about it!" Luz yelled as she slapped glyphs all over her ammo, as she proceeded to turn the bottles into ice and cracked them easily.
"As if I'll let you win any game against me!" Boscha shouted, pouring multiple potions over the ammo the caused explosive results. "The Beaver duck is mine, Luz!"
"Do you even want it or is this just the ego's talking?" The only boy of the group asked as he and the Blight girl watched the match from far behind.
"Egos, definitely just the egos." Amity nodded. "I appreciate Luz being sweet, but I'd rather have it during a regular, non-competitive double date."
"Same, just ruins the romance … So have you ever considered growing out your hair?" Lucci asked. "I'd think it'd look good."
"It's a bit hard to with mom being mom. Also Emira says it's harder to clean out abomination muck the longer your hair is." Amity noted. "So, is Sugar friendly with Luz? Ghost bottles it in, but I once heard her say I could do better."
"She bit her all over the face for being a 'bad influence'. You'd think they'd all hate me, you know, given the whole half a crystal devil thing."
Maya turned to Ghost and Sugar. "Krrk." It makes sense for Maya to hate her, the human ruined her master's life systematically. Why you two?
"Mew." They put her master in a bit too much danger at times.
"Hhss." Not to mention being a terrible influence on her master.
"Krkrk." So the girl was probably never going to get a staff of her own.
"Who knows how that works?" Amity shrugged. "I take it things are going well in your other classes?"
"Oh yeah, ever since I tamed that stone sleeper in the past, animals haven't been attacking me so much. I think some of the musk is still on me. Either way, it makes Beast keeping a breeze to pass now." Lucci responded. "Still top student in abominations?"
"Never met someone who can top me." She added. "And when I added in Abomination Glyphs from Luz, it just kinda … became too much for a second." She shivered. "You think I should add a class or two? Just something to challenge myself, and double the arsenal just in case."
"Only if you're really into it. If you don't love it, you won't be good." The boy scratched his head. "Hey, you know what you should do? Start molding glyphs into your abominations when your fire them, give them more fire power when they least expect it."
"I already tap them on … I guess I could mold them. Just going to take a bit of mental concentration … ah shoot, they ripped off the arm of the carnie by mistake."
"COVEN SCOUTS, ARREST THESE HOOLIGANS!"
"Should we form Pudding to get this done quickly or let the Boscha and Luz take their frustrations out on them?" Lucci asked.
"I bet I can take down more Coven Scouts than you!"
"Dream on, I'll beat that number in my sleep!"
"... Let's just sit back and drink." Amity concluded, sipping from her straw. "It's not easy having a girlfriend, is it?"
"Never thought it would be, even for a second." The boy agreed. "Wouldn't trade it for anything though."
"I'd toast to that." The two clinked their plastic cups together.
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Viney once more had to reel back her best buddy. "Down Puddles, down!" She shouted to the beast. "Don't you dare give me the begging eyes, you know they don't work on me!"
"Prrrrrr." Puddles tried to tape into her inner cute feline powers and purred.
"No means no! You're not going to eat anyone's fingers today! You've done that five times too many this month alone!"
"Rrraaa."
"No, you get nothing but fish for the rest of the week! Balance your diet, woman!"
"I can't fly straight!" She watched as Gus crashed through the window, staring at it for a moment. "I'm okay!"
"Craaa?"
"No, you stay here and stop thinking about ripping live flesh off of people. I'm going to go heal him." Viney ordered as she walked over to the illusionist.
"Thank you." The boy groaned out.
"... I am severely disappointed." The new kid spoke with the tone she'd get from her old teachers.
"Don't judge a book by its cover, Caleb, we haven't even begun training yet." Their team captain Willow assured as she began gathering everyone up. "We just need to wait for Skara and we'll be all set to start."
"Skara's right there." Gus pointed to the bleachers, where said girl was scrolling through her scroll in silence.
"Just finishing up looking up strategies … and looking at a picture of my boyfriend and mom for good luck … and done. I'm all caught up on…" Skara paused, looking at the new guy. "Who's this?"
"I'm Caleb." He answered. "I'm a transfer."
"I feel like I've met you somewhere before." Skara narrowed her eyes at Caleb. "Something about your voice just makes me want to punch your teeth out, brutally without mercy."
"... I get that a lot." The boy nodded.
"Okay, we have one hour to become good enough to beat a flying derby champion." Willow nodded. "Gus, how are we doing on flying?"
"Getting the hang of it … I think I just need an alternative to sitting down." The illusionist noted. "Maybe I could try that 'surfing' thing Luz mentioned." The kid jumped on top of the staff and stood up straight, and surprisingly didn't fall off. "Wow, a dozen times more balance. That's super weird but I'm not going to question it." Gus proceeded to fly around in circles around them
"See, different doesn't mean weak, it's just a unique way of dealing with it." Willow smiled. "Now, lets get ready to murder our enemies in cold blood!"
"Finally, someone talking sense!" The guy was just the right amount of crazy. "So do I need to break out the timber wolves and bottomless pits for this?"
"No need. The main trick in flyer derby is to go fast and never fall off while grabbing the enemy flags." Willow explained, making the ground rumbled as dozens of thick vines grew from the ground. "So for about the first half hour, I'm going to be attacking you guys relentlessly. You're job is to survive and grab the flags around me."
"Understood captain!" The boy saluted, getting on his palisman.
Well, this didn't seem too hard, just get in, and get out. It was just like dealing with Puddles when she-a vine wrapped around Viney's foot. "I wasn't focused!"
"You gotta have eyes in the back of your head for stuff like this Viney, otherwise you'll go down too easily!" Skara shouted as she zipped through, using the bow from her viola to slice off the vine. "If you're not moving, you're dead! That's not a threat, that's literally the situation here."
"I am very lucky I've known Willow most of my life!" Gus shouted as he flew around vines desperately. "Please don't add thorns!"
"Don't worry Gus, thorns are only for enemies!"
"Okay, so you guys might actually be pretty tough after all." Caleb nodded as he zipped through the vines, nearly getting scratched in the head, and laughing genuinely. "I didn't know having friends meant you could have fun with other people."
"...So how sheltered are people in the Toes?" Viney asked as she got back on her staff, staying close to Skara given her athletic background.
"Honestly? I went there with Belfry while looking for new caves. The teenagers there are Lucci sheltered and think children grow on trees."
"Wait, they don't?" Caleb asked. "But my uncle said my parents planted me in the richest soil they could find to have the strongest child."
"Why is that always the go to excuse for every parent that doesn't want to explain the dragons and the fairies?" Gus asked out loud, creating multiple copies of himself to keep Willow distracted.
"Natural selection I guess?" Viney shrugged, before another vine nearly knocked her lights out. "Right, less talky, more snatchy!"
"Okay guys, Cover me, I'm going in deep!" Skara shouted as she began flying higher.
"Covering fire!" Caleb shouted, sending forth fireballs from his staff.
"Gottta do better than that newbie, I've been fighting against fire for a looong time!" Silvery looking bark began to cover the vines as it bashed away the attacks. "Iron wood casing, hard to grow, but easy when you give it enough time!"
"Anyone else have any offensive spells?" There was a telling silence.
"I've got some, but I'll need someone else to rush in." Skara admitted. "And they need to get close…like, really, really close ."
"I got just the thing for that, don't worry." Caleb nodded.
"Alright then …" Skara pulled out a lute. "Lets play a symphony Willow!" She shouted, before strumming her instrument violently. A couple of the vines began to shred violently and get town into pieces as Skara's bard magic took its effect. "I've had a long month, so I got a lot of feelings to play into this!"
"Not bad, not bad at all Skara.." Willow smirked mischievously as the ground began to grow grass, gripping the bard by the legs. "But I've got a lot of feelings into my magic too-"
Blip
Caleb blipped right next to the captain in a yellow flash, grabbing one of the captain's flags. "Gotcha!"
"Yeah, way to go Caleb!" Viney cheered. "First victory achieved!"
"That….that looked familiar." Skara muttered, staring at the guy curiously. "You said you were from the Toes?" The girl glared, walking over to the guy.
"Yeah, totally, that's what I said." Caleb answered with a small nod.
"..How did you get those scars?" Skara pushed.
The guy looked down distantly. "There…they're what happens when you're born just half a witch."
There was a tense silence that hung in the air for a minute, before Willow came up and patted the boy on the back. "Hey, no one's half of anything here. There won't be any judgment, and there's not going to be any self doubt. We're all in this together, and together, we're going to be fully fledged flyer derby winners!"
"Heck yeah, let's win!" Viney grinned. "Show those bozos who's boss!"
"Will do Captain!" The boy saluted. This whole team was off to a great start. She had no regrets about joining at all.
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"Sorry about that last brawl." Luz apologized again to the most wonderful girl in the world. "Boscha got under my skin."
"Yes, I've noticed. I counted the number of molars you knocked out. Twenty to be exact." Amity nodded.
"Hah, I've knocked out twenty five!" The three eyed bitch cheered as Lucci heeled her wounds with kisses. "Now I'm in the lead!"
"In the lead for last place if that's what you mean." Luz growled. "We said we were making the most perfect date. Beating up the most Coven scouts doesn't' count towards that. I've spent the entire day doing my best to make sure Amity was happy … although I could have sworn you were a plushie girl."
"Why hug plushies when I can hug you?" After a second the two of them began blushing again. How was this girl so smooth!!?
"Of course Lucci was happy all day, he loves it when I ruthlessly beat up my enemies!"
"Not when it's a competition with another girl. That's kinda why I was disappointed during the Bria thing, remember?" He asked.
"But I didn't bet your life on this!"
"No, but you took what should've just been a fun double date and just a double date into a competition for bragging rights." Lucci responded. "I don't need to brag about how I have the best girl on the boiling Isles to everyone I meet. The only person I ever need to tell that to is you and you alone."
"But … they're the ones that keep saying we don't belong together! This is supposed to prove that wrong, right?" Ooooh…suddenly Luz felt a tiny twinge of guilt.
"Boscha, I was told for ten straight years that liking you was the worst idea any witch could have, and I never listened." He calmly told her. "Even when you threw fire at me, when you insulted me, that didn't stop me from admiring you. The world can say whatever they want about us, and I wouldn't give a damn. I don't need anyone's approval to say I love you, and neither do you."
"Against most of our better judgment." Amity muttered. "Trust us, we tried, he's stubborn."
"But…but.." The girl was running out of excuses to keep the competition going. "We need to be better than them! We need to look better, look cuter, just…be better-"
"Look Boscha, I gotta give it to you straight." Lucci held the triclop's hands. "We're never going to beat them at this.."
"I refuse to accept defeat-!"
"Let me finish…!" He placed a finger on Boscha's mouth. "We're not going to out-cute them, and that's okay. Being cute is their thing." Aww. Such a supportive bro. "You're more than cute. You're breathtakingly beautiful, my angel, and that beauty shines through with your strength and endless supply of determination." He cupped his hands on her face. "As far as I'm concerned, I've already won in life."
"Lucci …" She cupped his face to. "I …"
"I know …" They leaned in, kissing each other.
"So, are you going to stop making bets?" Amity asked.
"I dunno, this one was pretty harmless all thing-" Luz stopped, on the account of the pink light enveloping the two. "Ah …"
"You see, this…this is what happens when you make bets Luz." Amity groaned as Boscha and Lucci disappeared from the world, combining into one.
Once more, the eight limbed figure stood there, five eyes opening to the world. "Bo-YAAH! I'm back, Bitches!" They shouted. "Time for a life full of Cherry!"
"Heya….Cherry." Luz waved awkwardly.
"What up, my peeps? How's it hanging?" The fusion asked, smirking.
"… Which part of you talks in slang?" Amity asked in bafflement.
"Dunno, I think it's a little bit of both, Boscha's confidence with Lucci's ideas of what cool people sound like." They gave a four armed shrug. "So, I'm gonna go rock the world. Feel free to join or ditch, I'm cool either way."
"Wait, so you're just going to walk around, fused when there's no danger?" Amity asked.
"Yeah, why wouldn't I?" Cherry asked. "This is about as intimate as two people get without the dragons and the fairies. It's just Lucci and Boscha vibing inside the headspace while I rock out the world." The fusion gave a savage grin. "Clearly, the best couple in all of existence."
"Hey, no fair using fusion for…"
"We're HAPPY for you Cherry, you've won, clearly we don't have to compete anymore." Amity slammed her elbow into Luz's chest. "Me and Luz are going to go now, and do something calm at the library."
"Alright, peace!" They held up a two armed peace sign as they began walking away.
"Even knowing it's half of Lucci, and thus, half as mean…the fact that it's half of Boscha being cordial is a bit disconcerting." Luz admitted, watching the fusion. Man, those legs knew what they were doing.
"Yep … but now we can spend the entire day alone." Amity grabbed her ear. "And I'm going to make sure we enjoy that."
"Shouldn't we make sure Cherry doesn't do anything stu-"
"Whatever Cherry does is on Boscha and Lucci. Right now my only concern is making sure my girlfriend doesn't do anything else stupid today." Amity responded. "And so help me if you keep looking at those legs, I will show you mine in a very unpleasant manner."
"I … am tempted to do it just because you made that sound so hot." She and Lucci were very lucky people.