"Kiddo, breakfast is on the table!" Eda called out to her son the next morning as she served him a plate. No response. "Kiddo? Ollie?"
No one had seen the half witch boy since dinner the previous day; after thanking Bee and Oum for a lovely meal, he'd headed to his, Eda and King's room to work on something. Anne knew what said 'something' was, but she was surprisingly tight lipped beyond 'magic.'
So, when here son didn't come up for breakfast, Eda grew worried and brought him a large serving. Anne would've usually done it, but she had a very bad case of morning breath and as much as she knew Olivier loved her, she wouldn't subject ANYONE to that.
…Okay, maybe Mrs. Waybright, Andrias and whatever took over Marcy.
Maddie and Sprig were reading comics and Bee was keeping Polly from messing with the power tools while Hop-Pop gave King some acting lessons for 'subtelty.' Smirking, Eda opened the basement door and…
"Titan! Olivier, what the heck happened?"
The boy, hunched over a makeshift desk and a microscope turned to see his mother. She in turn saw he had bloodshot eyes, his hair was messy and he had bags under his eyes.
"Morning mom. Is it breakfast already?" Oliver asked with a yawn. "Um, mom?"
Eda's motherly worries had vanished and she placed the plate down, walking over to the purple goop her son seemed to be examinining. She didn't say a word, but it was clkear she was awestruck.
]"…Where did you get that?" She asked after a moment.
"Behind the old house after you left to get human world cash." Olivier explained. "I don't really know what it is; but Fleet and Fang both were drawn to it. And King…? Well, he feels kinda squeamish around it for some reason. I mean, from the one drop I was looking at
"YAHOOO!" His mother cut him off, leaping into the air. "Ollie, sweetie! Don't you realize what this?!"
"…Purple goop with magic?" Olivier asked.
"That 'goop'…" Eda said. "Is Titan's blood! TITAN'S! BLOOD! ONE DROP WOULD GO FOR ENOUGH TO PUT ON US ON PAR WITH THE FAMILY THAT MUST NEVER BE NAMED! BUT THIS WHOLE VIAL RIGHT HERE?! WE COULD BUY ALL THE ISLES!"
The full depth of the situation finally crossed Olivier's mind: The most precious material in the Boiling isles, here on earth?!
"And you're growing more?" Eda gasped.
She was pointing to several small pots Olivier had burrowed from the Boonchuy's, each rapidly filling with more Titan's blood at an astounding rate; her son's true magic, she recongized.
"Technically, I'm just concentrating small amounts, but yeah," Olivier admitted, handing Eda some notes. "I've got a few ideas for spells…:
Eda tuned out her son as she scanned the notes: Possible mixing with blood magic to time travel? A teleportation spell through a marker of Titan Blood to save them travel time ro Los Angeles?
"Sweetheart." Eda cut him off, tears of pride in her eyes. "Humor me. When did mommy last tell you she loves you?"
"….Last night before you sat in on Bee during of one of his game campagins?" Oliver guessed.
"Then you are way, way overdue, mommy's little genius!" Eda beamed as she nuzzled her son's nose before peppering his face with kisses, making him giggle until his stomach suddenly growled. "And it sounds like said genius needs some breakfast in his belly."
She sniffed the air and irked.
"And maybe a quick freshening up."
She spun a magic circle and a storm cloud appeared above Olivier, drenching him in rain before turning into a tornado that dried him off. His hair, upwards, returned to its normal way. She then completed the freshening up by giving her son the juice she had brought with her.
"FAMILY MEETING! NOW!" Anne suddenly shouted. "MAJOR BOUNDARY VIOLATOION!"
"…Yeah, we probably should just sit in on this one." Eda mused.
(A few minutes later)
"Mom, Dad, I'm really happy to be home." Anne started as she looked over her parents and the frogs, minus Maddie, who'd made her way over to Olivier and was now in his arms. Inwardly cooing at the sight, Anne continued with her speech.
"I know it's a big deal I was gone for so long and I get that it's scary to think about losing me I need a...little bit of space or I'm gonna lose my mind. You guys are being way too overprotective!"
"Anne, I think you're exaggerating." Bee tried to placate his daughter. "This is a big house. We all have plenty of space to breathe."
Polly then kicked him in face.
"So, 'plenty of space,' huh?" King asked.
"We're tired of being shut up inside." continued Anne. "Let me, Ollie and the frogs out. Just for an hour. I'll take care of them and we won't go far."
To sell Anne's parents on this, the Plantars stood near Anne and made 'cute' faces at them. King joined in and did what anime lovers would call 'Moe' eyes and Maddie?
Well, honestly? Maddie looked terrifying. Like, slasher terrifying. Olivier and Eda adored her for that, but with that kind of face?
"Absolutely not." said Oum sternly.
"Oh, c'mon! I can't go out alone for an hour?" argued Anne. "To the park and back?!"
"Last time you went out alone, you got trapped in another world for five months." retorted Oum.
Anne looked over to the Owl Lady hopefully.
Now, normally, Eda would've been all for getting out for a wee bit; see the neighborhood, get some fresh air that wasn't from the backyard…maybe a light scam or two.
So you can imagine Anne's surprise when she shrugged.
"Sorry kiddo. I'm just a guest here and honestly, I kinda feel the same for Ollie. I adore the two of ya and the frogs, but we really are better off following Bee and Oum. Sides, mama hasn't quite yet finished praising her little boy!"
"Mama!" Olivier said, a blush on his face.
"Look..." spoke Oum, getting up from the couch, although she chuckled at Olivier's embrassment. "your father and I have to go to the market. We'll talk later."
As Oum walks to the front door, Anne and the frogs cut her off.
"That's perfect! Let us come." spoke Anne. "And before you say anything, I know what you're going to say: "We can't take the Plantars out in public". But the market's always empty except for a few old people. Plus, I'll make them disguises and take full responsibility for their safety."
That got a laugh out of Oum.
"You think you can take care of the whole family?"
"No offense, Anne, but you're the literal poster child for hating responsibility." added Bee. "Just look at what you drew as a kid..."
Everyone looked at a crude drawing of 6-year-old Anne, pouting and roaring the words: 'I HATE responsibility' written remarkably perfectly.
Olivier couldn't suppress a chuckle, while Anne's face turned red from embarrassment.
"HA!" Eda cackled, applauding as she reached into her satchel. "I love it! Bad girl before she even knew it!"
She then offered Anne several of her home-made 'Bad Witch Coven Patches'.
"Take your pick, kiddo! We got the Quitting badge, the Being awesome badge, the defying authority badge…."
She then saw the disapproving looks on the Boonchuy parents and out them aside
"We'll go through them later."
Hop-Pop stepped forward.
OK, yes...but I've changed." said Anne, finally.
It was then that Hoppadiah Plantar stepped up.
"Look, I'm a parent too, and I know what Anne used to be like. So trust me, I get it."
Anne scowled at the old frog. "Not helping."
"But she grew into a town protector." continued Hop Pop. "A hero, voted "Frog of the Year" by frogs that used to HATE her. Were there bumps in the road? Sure. Did she burn the town down once? Yeah. Did she almost get us eaten by a large creature numerous time? Also, yes."
"And let's not even talk about how the town treated Olivier when he first showed up!" Maddie added with a grumble. "Small part of me thinks he should've let them suffer a bit. But he stepped up and helped Anne step up too."
Olivier messed with Maddie's hair and smiled
"And actually, we don't need the disguises. At least not in the physical sense."
This confused the humans.
"Um, hello?" The two witches waved. "Magic boyfriend/future in-law?"
"Why do you think no hack jobs put up videoes of the frogs?" Eda smirked as she and Olivier spun magic circles over the frogs and King, instantly making them look human.
(AN: It occurs to me that I never actually described how the Plantars and Maddie look under illusions. My apologies, I just assumed everyone else would assume they're the usual human forms in Aus (only at their froggy height), but you know what they say about assuming and I'm going to shut up now and keep telling the story.)
"Oh right. Well dang. I kind of wanted a fashion show with them in my old kid clothes." Anne sighed.
"Why am I a dog?" King snapped; now looking like Chihuahua.
"Because every time we try and make you look like a witch and or human, you look like a mix of Tim Burton's puppets and Dennis the menace's dog." Olivier said. "The one in the stripped jumper."
"Fair enough." King shrugged. "Uh, I mean…woof! Woof! Bark! Bow wow! Arf!"
"Just choose one and stick to it!" Eda begged.
"Only if I get that crown by the end of the day!" King demanded. "I mean, woof!"
With their biggest concern covered and enjoying the light chuckle they got out of King, Bee and Oum loaded everyone up into the car and headed towards their destination. However, as the car drove away to the market, Anne, Olivier and Maddie couldn't help but shoot worried glances at the Boonchuy house.
"Ah, I remember my first time." Eda smiled sadly, messing with the kids' hair. "Don't worry. I'm sure the Palisman can handle an hour or two by themselves."
"I know, mom." Olivier sighed; remembering Fleetwing had done fine on his own before they bonded. "Still, he's been a wee bit...clingy since we got here and...well..."
Eda and the parents rose a brow.
"He and Domino MIGHT'VE almost come to blows day before yesterday?" Olivier weakly managed, not liking the shocked look on Anne's face.
"WHAT?! Your baby and my baby!?" She gasped
"Please don't call Fleet that." the three magic users deadpanned. "Its embarrassing and demeaning."
"Sorry." Anne sighed.
"From what I heard, it was a contest of 'who could protect us better.'" Olivier admitted. "Pretty sure Fleet is over it, but..."
"I'm worried about Fangora too." Maddie confessed, appreciating the pats from Sprig. "She keeps to herself, yeah, but..."
"Its only for two hours." Oum gently promised. "Maybe three. No more. We'll be quick to be safe."
The Thai woman was proud of the maturity and care the teens and frog girl had for the animals in her home, but also didn't want to leave the magic ones alone for too long. Heck, just letting Anne, the Clawthornes and the Plantars join her and Bee on this grocery run was worrying her!
Anne, no longer able to see the house, prayed:
'Please be okay Domino. When i get back, you'll have me for the rest of the day.'
OWLPHIBIA
Back at the Boonchuy house, everything in the house was quiet. A pin could be heard falling.
(Play 'Tutty Fruity' from 'The Brave Little Toaster')
Once the opening notes played, Domino slid into the living room, jumping around and began to dance and claw as she mouthed the words.
And all while wearing Anne's star shades and meowing at an imagined audience of cats calling and begging for her. Domino freely clawed and climbed on everything she deemed such, enjoying the freedom of having the house to herself; she had missed Anne of course, and WOULD hog her when they got back, no questions asked!
But two day of keeping up/away from the witches and Frogs had gotten old fast and if she could do this? Heck yeah she could.
Domino made her way to the kitchen as she danced, expertly knocking some treats into her bowl. She then opened the fridge and helped herself to some milk before downing her treats, still singing as she did so.
The cat then made her way to her scratching post and used it for its purpose, climbing to the top and imaging she was queen of the world, much to the smirks of Fleeting, Owlbert and Fangora. Hey, it only made sense they...WAIT, WHAT?!
There the three Palisman were, smirking and bobbing their heads to the music. With a sigh, Domino shut off the music, looked the two birds and spider right in the eyes and said:
"...You realize of course, now I'm going to have to kill you."
OWLPHIBIA
A few minutes later, the Boonchuy car, very crowded at the back, pulled into a parking lot stall, when Bee suddenly locked the doors.
"Not so fast, you three. I mean...you seven."
"Please make it quick, we're getting squished!" Sprig managed.
"I think I see a light…!" Hop-Pop groaned.
"We stick together in there, understood?" said Oum, sternly.
"And if anything goes wrong, it's back in the lockdown for all of you." added Bee, just as sternly.
"Mom, that means you to." Olivier said. "No scams, no pickpocketing, no flirting with rich older folks and for the love of the Titan be discreet. You remember what happened at the zoo?"
"Wedon'ttalkaboutthezoo." Eda and King hurriedly said together, looking down at their feet with a thousand foot stare.
"We got it, We got it." said Anne. "Now let's get shopping!"
Mr. Boonchuy unlocks the doors. Anne and the Plantars got out of the car in a hurry. Maddie got King's leash on and stayed behind Olivier, who raced after his girlfriend.
"….This was a bad idea, wasn't it?" Oum asked.
"Oh yeah." Bee nodded.
"So, your markets are indoors, eh? Smart." Eda mused.
OWLPHIBIA
"Whoa."
That was all Olvier, Maddie and the Plantars could say when they saw the inside of 99 Rancher's market; the sleek wooden floors, the aisles of food and cash registers, a food court and a pathway that led to the store next door. And above all else, air conditioning with music in the background
"…I don't think I'll be able to enjoy the market home after this." Olivier confessed.
"Me neither." Hop-Pop followed, looking at his grandchildren enjoying the sights, Sprig immediately jumped over to a (for him) strange machine.
"Wow! That thing looks like Frobo! Is that a robot too?" exclaimed Sprig.
"Sort of..." spoke Anne. "it's like a..."robotic wallet. Remember how I paid for Fleetwing's vet? Its like that but bigger
"Cool. Oh, and is that a robot?" exclaimed Sprig, pointing at a Store Employee packing away an order
(AN: As someone who does that for a living, even with the promotions? That kind of hurt)
"Sprig, not everything is a robot." said Anne, before he pointed at a Toy Robot. "Ok fine. But nothing else."
"So THIS is a Human Market Place..." Eda remarked as she and Boonchuys caught up. "By the Titan, it's HUGE."
Anne chuckled at that.
"Trust me, this is NOTHING compared to the Mall."
"What's a Mall?" The witches asked in confusion.
This made Anne wince, trying to hold back a laugh, which was compounded by the worried look on her dad's face.
"Oh no." Bee realized. "I left the shopping list at home. Abort Misson! ABORT MISSION!"
Anne pulled out her phone and handed it to her father.
"Its cool, dad. I took a picture of the list before we left."
This shocked her parents.
"Gimme a dollar." Polly asked, pulling on Anne's leg. "I wanna buy a lottery ticket."
"You will do no such thing!" Anne said.
Polly pointed to Olivier, who was still awestruck. She reached for his pocket
"Don't even." Maddie said, scarying the baby.
"But-"
"NO!" Anne and Olivier said in perfect unison. Anne's parents chuckled, finding this scene cute untilfrom a nearby desk came:
"WINNER! WINNER!"
Confetti popped and cheers filled the air as Eda found herself being hoisted upwards.
"WOHOO! WE'RE RICH!" Eda smirked, taking Bee and Oum into a hug once she got down. "Who'd thought the one time I but a pity Lottery ticket I'd actually win?!"
"Wait, we?" Oum and Bee asked her in confusion
"Well, I can't use Human realm money!" Eda pointed out. "Sides, you two are going to need all the moolah you can get until we get the frogs home. Consider it a…downry, I think the word is?"
"That's…not how that works but we get what you're trying to say." Oum said.
"So much for discreet." Oliver and Maddie said together.
The Boonchuys would swing by to pick up the cheque later. Right now, it was time to shop. In the confusion however, the group had split:
Maddie and King found themselves at the fishery, grabbing one on Oum's request and King salivating at the crabs. Maddie then spied a magazine section and grabbed a Horror Magazine.
"Cool….!" She smiled. "Not enough suspense, but I'll take what I can get."
Eda found herself getting a few compliments and, after making sure the Boonchuys and her son where out of sight, pickpocketed some cash; all small bills, but hey, she had to keep at it.
"Eda, here!" Bee called her over to a bargin bin, showing her some 'Best of CDs'.
"Oh, Raine'll love these."
Sprig and Polly wandered around and enjoyed the samples, being sure to grab any brochures they could for future use.
Olivier found himself at the floral department
"Looking for anything in particular?" A clerk asked.
"Actually, yes." Olivier said. "I know this might be an odd request and I'll understand if it doesn't work out, but. Do you have any lotus flowers?"
The clerk was suirprised at this but motioned Olivier to follow them. He did so and found several small, potted lotus flowers, along with a few in small boquets.
"They haven't really bloomed just yet…" The clerk started,
Nothing Plant magic couldn't fix, Ollie mused to himself.
"Well, I don't for right away, I'd just like to get it while I can." He explained, sort of half lying. "How much for a single one?"
"Is it for someone special?" The clerk asked, a smile overtaking their face when Olivier's smile overtook his face. "$15."
Olivier handed the clerk the money and carefully selected the flower he wanted before making his way to find Anne.
Speaking of Anne, she was escourting Hop-Pop through the produce.
"Heheheh. Such puny vegetables. Huh?" spoke Hop Pop, as he browsed the vegetable isle before he spotted a much larger one. "Whoa mama!, Now that's more like it."
"That's Durian. It's a Thai favorite." Anne explained. "Not really my thing since it smells like-"
Hop Pop opened up the Durian...and act he quickly regretted.
"...rotten eggs." winced Anne.
Hop-Pop screamed and began sniffing the ground, desperate to rid his nostrils of that awful smell.
"Durian first timer." Anne explained to a passerby, who chuckled with her.
"I'VE SEEN THE BEYOND! IT AIN'T PRETTY!" Hop-Pop shouted. "My life flashed before my eyes!...It was actually pretty boring until Sprig and Polly hatched, even with all the drama between me, Sylvia and my wife."
Anne's interest was peaked and she would've leapt onto the older frog demanding details when she saw Eda picking up one of the Durian halves and taking some of the flesh.
"EDA, NO!" Anne screamed in fear as the witch popped the fruit into her mouth.
"Hey…" Eda mused, chewing a bit more. "That ain't half bad!"
She then picked up the Durian and grabbed another for herself.
"Prank and potions." She told Anne. "Also, supporting two boys and Hooty through garbage dealing? You build up a tolerance. That fruit isn't nothing in the isles."
Anne was about to worried ask when she felt something being put into her hair. She turned to see Olivier smiling sweetly behind her, a magic circle dissipating.
"Dude, where'd you wander…Wait, what's in my…?"
Anne reached upwards and felt something familiar: soft, delicate and now that she wiffed it? She gentky pulled out…a small Lotus flower, perfectly in bloom.
"I think it suits you, they had a few spares…" Olivier explained. "And I used plant magic to bring it to bloom to try and compliment your beauty, although it still overshadows the flower."
Many heard Olivier's words and felt warmth in their hearts…and in some cases a wee bit of jealousy 'one of the good ones was so young and taken.'
Eda herself was stifling tears of pride as the other members of their party joined up and saw the wholke thing unfold as well.
"Oh, Ollie…" Anne cooed, hugging the boy before Hop-Pop's gasps ruined the moment.
"Way to kill the mood, old frog." Eda frowned.
"Come on, let's get you something good." Anne smiled as she helped Hop-Pop to his feet and suddenly seeing the food court.
Mom, Dad, can I take the frogs and Clawthornes to try out some noodles?"
"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeh..." Bee and Oum struggled.
"I'll keep them within arms reach at all times, will avoid any customers and I'll keep my phone in my hand in case you guys call." spoke Anne.
"But-"
"And I won't order iced coffee." added Anne. "Even though I love it, because I know it makes me jittery and anxious."
"…Iced coffee?" Eda asked.
"That does sound fair." mused Oum.
"Alright, you can go. but be careful." said Bee.
"Yes. We will be. Thank you!" Anne then noticed The Plantars suddenly separating. "Huh?"
Anne quickly grabbed Sprig from touching a live crab. "No, you don't..."
Olivier then kept Hop Pop from entering a door labeled EMPLOYEE'S ONLY.
"Oh! No no no no no..."
Maddie and Polly, the later now riding King where already at a table at the food court.
It was then that Olivier saw his mom was still with the Boonchuys.
"Mom? You okay?" He asked.
"…Iced coffee?" Eda asked in horror. "…What is wrong with this world and its food? First someone had the audacity to put Pineapple on Pizza, which I'm NEVER allowing at whatever we decide to call the pizza place! Now you put ice in coffee? Why? The whole point of coffee is for the heat and caffeine to wake you up! What's next? Birds made from tofu or something because people don't respect the hunt or are squeamish at killing?"
"Come on, mom." Oliver smiled weakly, dragging her to the food court. "I never got breakfast, remember?"
Eda abandoned her tirade: Filling her baby boy's belly was more important.
"Thanks dude!" Anne smiled as she took five heaping bowls of noodles
"I gave you a tray!" The cook groaned.
"Dig in guys! This is Asia's greatest contribution to food." Anne smirked, delighting at how the Plantars devoured the ramen.
Eda and Olivier looked at this odd dish with broth, egg, meat and noodles. It seemed harmless enough as they took their first bite….The two witches then to began feverishly devouring their respective bowls, very much like anime characters.
"Please Anne?" Eda weakly begged. "May we have some more?"
"And one for King?"" Olivier followed in suit, the dog-monster using his moe eyes again
Anne, herself a little hungry, got up and ordered another round. A few minutes later, Bee and Oum joined the group, when Bee got a notification on his phone.
"Oh! My book just came in! Perfect timing!" he beamed. "We're literally next door…"
"Wait…there's a bookstore here?!" Olivier asked hopefully, giddy as he could be.
Anne smirked, finding Olivier's bookworm tendacies adorable.
"Prepare to blown away, dude." She smirked.
OLWPHIBIA
(Insert any 'Hallelujah Chorus' sound affect)
"…Is this heaven?" Olivier asked.
This place, as big as the market and full of books from this world! And not just literature and theory, there were comics, manga, CDs!
The Clawthornes and Maddie were delighted and tearing up.
OWLPHIBIA
Meanwhile, back in Gravesfield, a fellow book lover was in a less ideal situation:
Luz Noceda's book report had gone wrong; her backup snakes were released and her act three closer was taking away for being a firework.
"Mija, I love your creavity, but it's getting out of hand. Do you remember why you were in here the last three times?" Her mother, Camilla asked.
Luz remembered. And she remembered how Anne and Oliiver had reacted when she told them about those last three times:
Before this, there were the Romeo and Juliet tryouts, where she'd use a trick her dad traught her to emulate guts coming out when Juleit killed herself.
"You were going for authenicty!" Olivier retorted,
"Did you at least eat those sasuages?" Anne asked.
And then there was her taxidermy project of the griffin with Spider breath.
"Accurate." Oliver had applauded.
"..You forgoit to get the okay, didn't ya?" Anne asked.
And then there was the time with the eyelids at cheerleadering tryouts.
"OH COME ON! THAT WAS NOTHING!" Both boyfriend and girlfriend and said.
"Me, Sasha and Marcy snuck in a whole pounds worth of dogs and blasted K-Pop!" Anne had added.
Long story short, Luz had a choice; tone down doing what she loved, or spend a summer at 'Reality Check Camp.'
"Don't worry, mom!" Luz promised. "I promise, from now on, I'll be compleltlty normal, No more weirdness!"
Her snake then leapt at and buit her prinicpal.
"….That doesn't count, right?"
To make a long story short, it did.