The Banshees all dragged themselves to the locker rooms to change and shower, then headed home. Willow wanted to work out some aggression, so decided to go for a walk in the forest to be amongst the plants, leaving Luz to head back to the Owl House with some help from Amity, who could see that her girlfriend was too tired to walk. They instead flew back with Ghost, and when they arrived, Eda, King, Rasiel, and Hooty took one look at the exhausted angel and immediately dragged the girls inside and lay Luz down on the sofa.
"Whoa kid, I was expecting you back hours ago! Even Lily's training sessions didn't take all day! What the heck happened?" Eda asked, conjuring a towel that King filled with ice using his glyphs. She pressed it to Luz's forehead to help her cool off a bit, while Amity crossed her arms angrily.
"Boscha happened."
Eda and the others raised an eyebrow, so Amity explained the situation. By the time she was done, the residents of the Owl House were ready to spit fire.
"That… that… WITCH!" King snarled, stomping his foot; "I'll show her not to mess with my big sister! Where is she!?"
"Hold it King. We're not going to beat up a teenager… at least not until I've brewed up an Amnesia Tincture. She can't spill Luz's secrets if she can't remember them!" Eda grinned maliciously.
King and Amity seemed all for that idea, while Luz weakly said; "Eda, Amnesia Tinctures only erase the memories of the last 24 hours before drinking it. Boscha's known my secret since Monday."
"Then I'll make the recipe stronger! That brat won't know her own name by the time I'm done!"
Luz giggled tiredly; "Eda, no."
"EDA YES!"
Rasiel, listening to everything and trying to keep a cool head, turned to Amity; "What are the chances that this… unpleasant child is being genuine? Would she carry out her threat?"
Amity shrugged helplessly; "It's hard to tell with Boscha. Normally I'd say no; this was going too far even for her. But she gets really malicious when her status is threatened, and she's at her worst during Grudgby Season; especially the Autumn Season. I wouldn't gamble on it."
Rasiel frowned; "Well then, short of erasing her knowledge of Luz's true nature or silencing her somehow, I don't see what we can do."
"Unfortunately, even erasing her memories will take time. I can brew a normal Amnesia Tincture in a few hours, but it'll take me a few days of experimenting to get the formula for a long-term one working." Eda frowned; "Sorry Luz, but it looks like I won't be able to get you out of tomorrow's game."
"Or we could just go with my plan and use violence!" King said, egging the others on. "We'll feed her to Hooty! No evidence!"
Hooty hooted his agreement, but as upset as she was, Luz wasn't going to advocate murdering Boscha; "No King. I can deal with her. I'm not even against playing, I just don't like being forced into it." Luz said, slowly sitting up and moving the iced towel to the back of her neck with a sigh of relief.
Eda crossed her arms; "Frankly, I'm not shocked this Boscha girl is as bad as she is. Her mother was unpleasant at school, to put it mildly."
"You knew Boscha's Mom?" Amity asked.
"I knew both her parents. They were both in the potions track with me back at Hexside. Her Mom, Callisto was the poster child for prissy little rich chicks. Ultra girly and snooty; the kind that wouldn't even view you as a person if you were beneath her socially or magically. She was usually more insensitive than cruel, unless you ticked her off somehow, and she was always a major airhead who was quick to get offended. Boscha's other parent was more serious, but they were also quiet and kept to themselves. It shocked everyone when they started dating." Eda commented.
Luz frowned; she'd seen Boscha's mother in Bump's office after the Mandragora incident, and then again at Skara's party, but she'd never seen this other parent. She was tempted to ask, but she was beginning to fall asleep from exhaustion. The others noticed this and managed to get her to go upstairs and change into her pyjamas, before the young angel fell asleep in Amity's lap. This made her girlfriend completely unwilling to move, so Eda grinned and called Alador, letting him know that their kids were having a sleepover. At least Luz would get something good out of today!
[Meanwhile]
Boscha lay on her bed and stared up at the ceiling of her room, idly tossing a Grudgby ball up into the air and then catching it again. She was trying to block out the nagging voice of her conscience, but it was proving to be a losing battle. She'd written the day's events in her diary and found herself writing justifications to herself, but re-reading them had just made her sound petty. She was basically threatening someone's life; there was no justification for that, especially over something like her pride, but it was that same pride that was holding her back from just calling Luz and taking back her threat.
It wasn't even that she hated Luz; she didn't! The girl had frustrated her by beating her in potions during that first class together, but the following class had flipped the script and Boscha was back on top; Luz hadn't gotten mad though! She'd complimented her instead. She'd also saved Boscha's life from the Mandragora, even though Boscha lashing out at her was what caused the whole incident in the first place. Boscha couldn't even fairly say that Luz was taking her friends away; Amity had never considered them real friends and Boscha knew that, and Skara was still Boscha's bestie despite also being friends with Luz now.
The thought of Skara made Boscha frown; what would she say when she found out what Boscha had done?
She was snapped out of her thoughts by a knock on her bedroom door. "Come in." she called grumpily.
In walked her Mom; Callisto Alembic. She was the parent that Boscha got most of her looks from, having a very similar face and the same three eyes. However Callisto's hair was an almost bubblegum pink and quite long, being left to hang loosely down her back. Her fringe largely covered her third eye too, as unlike her daughter, Callisto found her extra eye to be ugly.
"Hey there Sweetie! All ready for your big day tomorrow?" Callisto asked kindly. "Mommy will be there to root for you!"
"Thanks Mom." Boscha said, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. Her mother had never really grown up mentally, so she still liked to act like a teenager and get involved with Boscha and her friends whenever possible. It was annoying, but she loved Boscha dearly and the girl couldn't help but love her straight back.
"Is Daddy going to be there too?" Boscha asked, trying to sound casual.
Callisto sighed and shook her head; "I don't think so. You know what they're like… so caught up in their work."
Boscha scowled; she shouldn't have been surprised. Her other parent (they were Agender, but Boscha called them Daddy since they'd been the one to "father" her) was almost never around any more.
"Whatever. I'm going to go get ready for bed." Boscha said, getting up and stomping off to the bathroom.
Callisto watched her daughter go with a frown, then began idly tidying her room as she waited for her to come back, still wanting to talk with her more. As she tidied, she came across Boscha's diary and smiled slyly. Boscha had gotten so secretive since becoming a teenager… if Callisto didn't occasionally take peeks at her private thoughts, she'd never know anything about her little girl!
She flipped it open to the last entry and read through it, an intrigued smile spreading across her lips. "Oh ho, so my little Boscha is dealing with a disobedient little bird… Well if she can't handle it, Mommy will get her a stronger cage!" she giggled to herself, closing her daughter's diary.
[The Next Day]
The time for the rescheduled Hexside VS Glandus Grudgby match had finally arrived, and the bleachers around the Hexside pitch were packed full of students from both schools, as well as teachers, parents, and various residents of Bonesborough and Pancrea City (the city in which Glandus was located). The Banshees were waiting in their locker room, having arrived half an hour earlier to get themselves warmed up as Boscha had ordered. Boscha eyed each of her teammates; Cat and Amelia looked fired up and ready, Luz was fighting to keep her expression neutral, and Willow wasn't even trying to hide her distaste. It was obvious both were full of animosity, but Boscha could use that. More aggressive plays were her style anyway!
"Alright people, it's showtime! If we win this game, then we're the winners of the Summer Season, and we'll have a huge starting advantage for the Championship!" Boscha declared.
"Right! So what's the plan, Captain?" Amelia asked eagerly.
"For you and Cat, nothing. I'm putting Noceda and Park as our starting line up this time." Boscha said.
This drew gasps from all four of her teammates. "But I thought Willow and I were just substitutes! Cat and Amelia are the starting players!" Luz protested.
"Well not today." Boscha said shortly; "Glandus' captain and star player uses oracle magic, so we need you up there. Since we don't need to double up on healing and barrier magic, you're taking Cat's spot."
Cat and Luz exchanged upset looks, neither happy with the former being tossed aside so casually.
"W-What about me?" Amelia asked, "Willow and I have the same skills, and I know your plays better! Shouldn't I be the starting player?"
Boscha crossed her arms; "Because Park is stronger, as you proved yesterday when she kept stealing control of your plants!"
Of course, there was also the fact that Willow was mad at Boscha, and she could channel that anger into taking out Glandus!
"Unless Glandus has a plant user stronger than Amelia, then there's no reason to pick me over her! You should just stick with her." Willow ground out, making Amelia smile gratefully.
But Boscha was having none of it; "I'm the captain here, and my orders are final. If you don't want to play by my rules, then get lost."
Willow growled, and Boscha growled right back; "My way or the high way Park. Make your choice."
Unwilling to leave Luz at Boscha's mercy, Willow narrowed her eyes; "Fine. Have it your way."
Her glare promised vengeance, but Boscha didn't care; they had a game to win!
"Good! Now look sharp; it's time!"
The Banshees got to their feet and headed out of the locker room and onto the pitch, finding the Glandus Team waiting for them. Glandus' team; the Sahagins, had three players and one sub waiting off to the side. Their uniform was similar to the Banshees, but it was purple and white (similar to Luz's favourite hoodie) and more triangular, with a triangle shaped jewel on the chest instead of a round one. The team captain had a red shirt and jewel, and looked like a fairly normal male witch, though with unusually pale (almost snow white) skin and very dark hair pulled back into a top knot. The other two active players wore yellow and blue respectively, with the yellow player being a peppy looking female bird demon who'd pulled two bunches of yellow feathers into an approximation of pig tails, and the blue player being a rotund blue skinned demon with a fish-like head, complete with wide open fish eyes and gills (which were covered by special earmuffs filled with water). The reserve player wore green and looked to be an extremely muscular, but otherwise unremarkable witch boy with short blond hair.
Cat and Amelia took their seat on the bench, while Boscha, Willow, and Luz took their positions on the pitch. The Glandus Sahagins did the same, and the referee stepped forward to begin the match. Luz gulped nervously and looked up at the crowd; all of her friends were sat together along with Eda and King, cheering for her and waving. There was no sign of Tia Lily though, and that gave Luz some mixed feelings. However there was one face she was surprised to see watching her; Boscha's mother Callisto, who was smiling vapidly. Luz initially thought Callisto was looking past her to her daughter, but when Luz shuffled to the side a bit, the three-eyed woman's gaze moved with her.
Before she could think on this, her attention was snapped back to the game as the referee spoke.
"Alright, I want a good clean game! No gouging, no intentional maiming, no permanent transfiguration, and no trying to lick your opponent's eyeballs! That means you, Gobzo!" the Ref said, glaring at the fish-headed demon, who didn't seem to even know what was going on.
"Now, are the Hexside Banshees ready?"
"Ready!" Boscha yelled.
"Are the Glandus Sahagins ready?"
"Ready!" yelled the Sahagins' captain.
"Then let the game… begin!"
The Referee leapt back as the Grudgby ball was shot out of the hole in the centre of the pitch and into the air, signalling the start of the game.
Both Luz and the Glandus Bird Girl flew up to grab it, and Luz just barely got it first by conjuring a vine from her palm to lasso the ball into her hand. She then immediately tossed it to Boscha, who charged forward towards the goal. Gobzo the fish demon gurgled strangely, then spit out a teal spell circle, which produced a massive field of illusory clones of themselves and their two teammates, who all began running around to confuse Boscha while the real ones tried to intercept her. Boscha summoned a vial of Fog Brew and threw it down, creating a large yellow cloud that obscured a big part of the field. This also revealed which of the enemy team members were the real ones, as the illusions wouldn't disturb the fog. Unfortunately the Bird Girl was also a potions track student, and she immediately threw out a second vial, which Luz recognised as containing some Ignition Ichor; a potion that would immediately react with Fog Brew and other gasses by burning them up and dispersing them. Luz tried to vaporise it before it could hit the ground, but she was too late and lost sight of it in the fog, so her shot missed by a mile.
The Ignition Ichor broke against the ground and as expected, the Fog Brew cloud swiftly burned away with weak purple flames, once again leaving Boscha unable to tell which of the enemy team players were real and which weren't. The three-eyed girl growled as Gobzo triggered one of the pitch's traps, sending a spray of fire at her. She couldn't dodge it completely, instead ending up singed and with her uniform on fire. Luz put the flame out with some cold water created through her Ice magic, then applied some healing to fix Boscha's burns.
"These illusions are a pain! Noceda, Plan Sky Brew! Park, Plan Lawn Sweeper!" Boscha yelled. The other girls nodded and moved to obey. During training the previous day, Boscha had drilled them in many strategies and plans, all with simple code names to make them easy to order without giving away what they did. Sky Brew was simple: it was the order for Luz to take Boscha into the sky. Lawn Sweeper on the other hand was a massive wide range attack by Willow, in which she would launch herself onto their team's goal and then grow massive vines and roots from the ground around the pitch, then sweep them across the entire pitch, triggering traps and swiping at the enemy.
Willow's attack wiped out the lingering illusions and kept the Glandus team busy with the activated traps, allowing Luz to fly Boscha straight to their goal. The Bird Girl tried to stop them by tossing an unknown potion at them, but Willow made a vine grab the girl's leg and yank her down, throwing off her aim and making her miss, allowing Luz to get Boscha to the goal. One easy throw later, and the game was officially 1-0 in favour of Hexside!
With the game's first goal scored, the gloves were off for both teams. Since official games of Grudgby consisted of three rounds of ten minutes each, the game was naturally fast paced, and combining that with Boscha's ruthlessness and the Hexside/Glandus rivalry made the game fairly brutal, with goals being scored rapidly by both sides. The Banshees' main strategy was for Boscha to go on offence while Willow stayed in defence and Luz flitted between the two on support duty, helping whoever needed her, while the Sahagins' strategy focused on all three working on the same thing together. This made it hard for the Banshees to stand up to the Sahagins' combined assaults or defences, but also made it hard for the Sahagins to adapt if the situation suddenly reversed on them.
Willow scored the second goal of the game by using some Punching Pansies (giant pansies with fist-shaped leaves) to knock Gobzo through his team's goal while holding the ball. The third goal was scored by the Bird Girl, who whipped out some surprise construction magic to make the Banshees' goal tilt to the side, turning what should have been a complete miss into a goal. After that, Boscha scored another goal by setting the ball on fire and tossing the ball at the enemy team's formation, making them dive out of the way and allowing Luz to launch the ball into the goal with an ice pillar.
The first round ended with the score at 3-1 in Hexside's favour, and when the second round began, the Sahagin's captain swapped himself out for the buff, green-clad substitute. Said captain had been useless throughout the whole game so far, as his oracle spirit had refused to come out of its crystal ball thanks to Luz, leaving him powerless.
Unfortunately the second round was much tougher for Hexside; Boscha managed a strong start by using a Swamp Solution to melt some of the ground, getting the Sahagins stuck so she could score twice in a row, but then the Bird Girl was able to whip up a quick counter for her potion, allowing them to come back hard. The Buff Substitute used abomination and fire magic, and created burning abominations to counter Willow's defences. Her plants had no recourse against such intense flames, and Luz's ice barriers did little to help, allowing the Bird Girl and Gobzo to score two more goals as the Banshees tried to control the fire that had engulfed their side of the pitch. Luz was eventually able to conjure enough water to put the flaming plants out, but the Substitute's abominations were laced with some kind of oil, so trying to douse them just sprayed burning abomination slurry everywhere, making the problem worse. While the Banshees scrambled to deal with the flames that were obscuring their vision, the Sahagins managed to score another two goals, as Gobzo used his magic to spit out giant air bubbles that his teammates could use to navigate the smoke without choking. Thankfully the second round ended before Glandus could get any more goals, as Boscha began recklessly throwing potions in all directions. They were all just duds meant to scare the Sahagins off, but it worked to buy them time.
The pitch was restored to pristine condition between rounds, so the third and final round began with a clean state and a tie of 5-5. Unfortunately, it didn't last very long.
It began with Boscha shouting "Noceda, Plan Aurora!" which meant Luz was supposed to combine her light and ice magic to fire beams of freezing light down on the ground, creating a series of mirror-like patches of ice on the ground. Luz would then use an illusion to make it look like these patches were actually portals; Boscha would throw the ball into one and it would pop out of another, but in reality it wouldn't be real. Then while the Sahagins were searching for and chasing the illusory ball, Boscha would dash past with the real ball and score.
Luz did as ordered, but as soon as she cast the illusion, something unexpected happened. A bug began buzzing around in Luz's face, making her flinch back in surprise. It was a strange looking scarab beetle with a golden body and some kind of blue gem held in its pincers. Luz had never seen anything like it before, but was wary of brightly coloured insects; they were usually dangerous, especially on the Boiling Isles! She moved around to avoid it, but her unusual movement caught the eye of Gobzo. Just as Boscha scored and lifted the score to 6-5 in Hexside's favour, Gobzo shot out his tongue like a frog, making Luz squeak and cover her eyes, thinking she was about to get her eyeballs licked. But no horrible wet feeling came, so she peeked between her fingers and saw Gobzo with the odd beetle in his mouth.
Luz blinked in surprise, then Gobzo pulled the beetle from his mouth and held it aloft. The crowd from Glandus and Pancrea City went wild, while the Hexside and Bonesborough sides groaned loudly, further confusing Luz. Then the scoreboard went from 6-5 in their favour to 999-6 in Glandus' favour! Boscha cursed loudly, while Willow groaned.
"What!?" Luz cried, diving down to her teammates; "Why did their score just go up like crazy!?"
"That Gobzo guy caught the Rusty Smidge." Willow frowned. "It means they win."
Luz stared dumbfounded at the girl, half expecting her to turn around and say she was kidding. When Willow's expression remained grim, Luz felt her eye twitch; "B-But that just renders everything we did pointless! If catching the Smidge is an instant win, then why even bother with the ball or scoring goals!? There's literally no point in anything else! That is such a stupid rule!"
Willow nodded; "Pretty much all magic ball sports are like this. It's why I prefer Flyer Derby."
Boscha, stomped over to them with a thunderous expression; "Locker room. Now." she ordered, before stomping off, Cat and Amelia following fearfully in her wake. Luz and Willow groaned, already bracing themselves for an earful. Still, Luz wasn't a sore loser and decided to first go over to the celebrating Sahagins and congratulate them on a well-played game (which it had been in her opinion, until the smidge showed up). The Glandus team seemed surprised and suspicious of her congratulations, but seeing as Luz was just being a good sport, they couldn't help but return the gesture.
Luz and Willow then returned to the locker room and immediately cringed as she saw Boscha trashing the place in the middle of a full-on tantrum. The instant she saw Luz, she marched over threateningly, but Willow stood in front of her friend, making the three-eyed girl pause. At the same moment, Amity poked her head in through the locker room's other door. When she saw everyone was dressed and decent, she came in and was followed by Skara, Gus, and King.
"Hey guys. Bad luck with the Smidge. You were doing so well!" Amity said, going over to hug Luz.
"It had nothing to do with luck!" Boscha snapped, "This idiot sat their gawking at it instead of catching it! You cost us the game!"
"I didn't know what it was!" Luz defended herself, "I've literally never heard of the stupid Smidge! I thought it was just another of the Demon Realm's weird bugs!"
"Well in fairness, it kinda is." Skara said; "They're real bugs bred for this."
"Who cares about that!?" Boscha roared, slamming her fist into the wall beside her; "How could you not know what the Smidge was!? How did you get on this team without even knowing all the rules!?"
"What rules!?" Luz snapped back; "Literally all anyone told me was that you used magic to get the ball in the goal, and you weren't allowed to do permanent damage to anyone! At literally no point did anyone mention a Rusty Smidge! During our whole day long training yesterday, nobody ever even said the words Rusty Smidge!"
The rest of the Banshees (sans Boscha) frowned. It had never come up, because they'd all grown up in the Demon Realm and just knew the rule. It was a random factor to Grudgby that no one could really account for, so there wasn't much point in training for it, and they'd just assumed Luz would know too, forgetting that she wasn't native to their world. It didn't help that at least 60% of games went by without anyone even seeing the Smidge, and no one was even sure why it was still part of the game. It had been since ancient times, and the reason why was lost to time.
It was an unfortunate situation, but the Banshees couldn't truly blame Luz for genuinely not knowing about it, but that didn't stop Boscha from raging over it.
"I don't care about any of your excuses! You cost us the game AND the Summer Season!" Boscha yelled, taking a threatening step towards Luz.
Willow and Amity got between them; "If you're gonna toss around blame, maybe spare some for yourself, Boscha!" Willow snapped.
"Yeah! What kind of captain doesn't make sure their team knows all the rules?" Amity added.
Boscha nearly exploded; "Shut up! I don't want to hear a word from either of you! You're not a part of the Banshees any more, Blight! You don't get to tell me how to run my team! And Park, you better stay out of my way if you want to stay on this team!"
"I don't want to stay on this team! I never did! I only tried out as a favour to Amity, and I only stayed after your verbal abuse because you threatened Luz!" Willow snarled, eyes once again on the verge of glowing as she struggled to contain her magic.
Boscha was about to retort, but Skara and her other teammates looked at her with shock.
"Threatened Luz? What does she mean, Boscha?" Skara asked.
King piped up; "Captain Crybaby over here threatened to out Luz as an angel to the Emperor's Coven if she didn't stay on the team!"
Gus frowned, having already been told by Willow, but Skara, Cat, and Amelia all gasped and looked at Boscha with shock and disgust.
"How could you, Boscha!?" Skara cried, "Luz is my friend, and you threatened her!? Do you have any idea what could happen to her if you report her!? Who knows what the Emperor would do to her!?"
Boscha actually felt some of her anger slip as she saw the look of genuine betrayal on her best friend's face. But she was still too wound up to back down.
"What choice did I have!? Everything has changed since she showed up! Amity stopped hanging out with us, both she and Amelia are spending more time with the likes of Half-a-Witch, and now even you are turning on me! I needed…" Boscha shook her head, "I needed to get control of the situation! I'm Boscha Alembic, Captain of the Banshees and top of the social ladder! I had to put everyone back in their place! I had to restore order!"
The others stared at her for a long moment, shocked by her outburst. Then Luz slowly said; "Boscha, listen to yourself. Verbally abusing people, threatening them… all to "put them in their place" and restore the "order" that has you on the top? You sound like Emperor Belos… and old horror stories of angels."
Boscha reared back as if she'd been slapped, and everyone in the room frowned at her. Willow and King were looking at her with hatred, and Amity was only a little less intense. Gus looked disgusted by her, and both Cat and Amelia were looking at her like they didn't even recognise who she was. Then there was Skara, who had always had Boscha's back through thick and thin… only now she was looking at Boscha with such sadness and disappointment that her gaze stung.
"I...I…!" Boscha tried to find the words to retort; she still felt so angry, but the guilty conscience she'd been repressing was rising up again, leaving her confused and miserable. Without another word, she turned and marched out of the locker room, kicking the door open as she went.
Boscha needed time to think, calm down, and collect herself; she didn't want to lose her only remaining friends over this (though she feared she already had). She headed for the woods behind Hexside, where she frequently went to work out her frustrations away from prying eyes, but as she walked, she crossed paths with her mother.
"Oh, there you are baby! I'm so sorry about your game." Callisto said sympathetically, pulling Boscha into a hug. The girl quickly squirmed free though, making her Mom pout.
"What do you want, Mom?" Boscha asked shortly.
"I wanted to comfort my baby after her loss! You should have won, but that teammate of yours ruined it." Callisto frowned, suddenly looking irritated. "Don't worry though Baby, Mommy will make it all better!"
Boscha rolled her eyes; "Whatever. I'm going for a walk." she said, stalking off. She didn't want her mother finding her secret spot in the woods, and suspected the nosy woman would follow her, so Boscha decided to genuinely just go for a short walk around the school.
Callisto watched her go, then scowled and pulled out her scroll; she'd show Boscha's rotten teammates what happens when you hurt her baby!
Meanwhile back in the locker room, Luz and the other Banshees changed out of their gear and showered, before rejoined their friends who'd gone to wait outside. The topic of Boscha was avoided, as Skara, Cat, and Amelia still looked upset over it. Luz didn't blame them; Boscha was Skara's best friend, so it had to hurt the bard girl to see her be so cruel, and Cat and Amelia were already in a bad place with Boscha after being benched by her.
"Ugh, today was rough…" Luz sighed as she walked hand in hand with Amity. "By the way, where is Eda? I saw her with you guys in the stands." Luz asked.
"Oh, some Glandus Mom started talking smack about you for not catching the Smidge. Eda took exception to that and cast a spell to make her go bald. It was hilarious!" King laughed, "But then some Coven Scouts saw her and tried to arrest her, so Eda high-tailed it home. She's waiting for us back at the Owl House."
Luz and her friends laughed, needing the extra levity after the game and its aftermath. They reached Hexside's main gates, planning to go into Bonesborough and commiserate over their loss with some Not Dogs, but they found the gates blocked by a wagon from the Bonesborough Precinct, with Coven Scouts guarding it.
"Huh? What's going on? Did the scouts call for reinforcements to catch Eda?" Luz frowned.
"I don't know. It seems weird that they'd still be here; surely they'd know that Eda is long gone." Amity replied.
The group of friends were about to discuss an alternative exit, when one of the scouts spotted Luz.
"There she is!" they yelled.
Before Luz or her friends could react, the wagon opened up and a dozen more Coven Scouts came running at them with spears at the ready. They were so surprised that they didn't get a chance to react before they were encircled.
"W-What's going on!?" Luz exclaimed fearfully.
The circle of scouts expanded a little as a female Scout Captain and a familiar face moved to join them. The Captain wore a more ornate version of the scout uniform, with gold accents and a more traditional knight's helmet in place of the plain masks worn by the scouts. But it was the familiar face beside the Captain that really surprised Luz and her friends; Callisto Alembic.
"Is that her?" the Captain asked, pointing her spear at Luz.
"That's the brat alright." Callisto nodded, eyeing Luz coldly.
"What's this about!?" Amity demanded, "Why are you detaining us!?"
"Oh, I think you know why, little Blight. You've got quite the interesting friend there." Callisto sneered.
"Luz Noceda, you are under arrest as an accomplice of the Owl Lady, the isles most wanted criminal. Come quietly, or we'll use force." the Captain declared, pointing the spear a little closer to Luz's throat.
Luz paled, and her friends closed ranks around her even as they fumed with anger and betrayal. This was exactly what Boscha had threatened; using her Mom's connection to a captain from the Emperor's Coven to get Luz arrested then exposed as an angel! The three-eyed girl must have decided to expose Luz as revenge for her losing them the game!
"We won't let you take her! Luz hasn't done anything wrong!" Willow growled.
"That remains to be seen. An interrogation at the precinct will confirm any… rumours… about this girl's true nature. Seize her; don't bother with the others." the Captain ordered.
The scouts advanced and Luz's friends shoved them back with their magic; Willow and Amelia using vines, Amity using abominations, Skara using a shock wave from her summoned harp, and Cat creating a barrier of blue magic around Luz to keep her safe.
"You want Luz, you'll have to find her first!" Gus declared, casting a massive illusion that created a huge swarm of clones of each of their group, making it next to impossible to tell which ones were real. The Luz clones were even in protective bubbles too, to really sell the illusion.
The scouts looked confused, but the Captain just sneered; "An illusion? That's the best you can do? Step back little boy; this is a fight way above your pay grade!"
The Captain stabbed her spear into the ground then used both hands to draw spell circles, which then unleashed a barrage of arcing lightning. The lightning struck the group, passing harmlessly through illusions to hit the real teens amongst them. Gus and his friends screamed in pain as they were electrocuted, the lightning arcing between them so the Captain didn't even need to aim or know which ones were real. Only Luz was spared, protected by Cat's barrier.
"Guys! No!" Luz cried, pounding on the barrier to try and get out and help them. She couldn't break it, so she instead grew a plant to swallow her and then spit her out on the other side, but by that point it was too late. Her friends had all collapsed to the ground, spasming from the electricity going through their bodies.
Luz immediately cast a healing lotus over them, but thankfully the damage was minimal. Even small amounts of lightning magic were enough to leave a body stunned, so the Scout Captain had wisely used just enough to zap the teens into submission; killing or maiming a bunch of children was completely out of the question after all!
However as Luz focused on healing, she found the spears of the scouts at her back and throat. "Easy there, kid. If you are what my friend here says you are, then we don't want any sudden movements or accidents. You're worth more in one piece." the Captain said, "Now slowly put your hands behind your back; any signs of resistance and I'll zap you. With you so close to those other kids, they won't get away unscathed, so I suggest you cooperate."
Biting her lip helplessly, Luz slowly obeyed. Once her hands were behind her back, one of the scouts snapped some shackles around her wrists, binding her hands together and making Luz feel weak and lethargic. She groaned and slumped forward, and one of the scouts hoisted her up and over his shoulder.
"Anti-Magic Cuffs are expensive, but they sure work wonders." The Captain commented. "Now put her in the cart. We need to get her back to the precinct before the Owl Lady catches wind of this."
The scouts saluted and carried Luz to the cart, opening it up and tossing her inside. The Captain then ordered all the scouts (aside from the cart's driver) to hop in the back with their prisoner; she wanted to take no chances with this angel.
"So what happens now?" Callisto asked the captain.
"I'll handle her interrogation personally. If she really is an angel like your daughter claims, then the Emperor will richly reward us for capturing her." The captain replied. "Until then, I'm keeping this hush hush. If the Head Witch or Titan forbid, Kikimora were to hear of this, they'd swoop in and steal the credit!"
Callisto nodded along, then frowned as she noticed the other teens getting up. Luz's spell had healed the damage they'd taken, but their muscles were still weak from the shock.
"Y-You won't get away with this!" Amity spat, trying to draw a spell circle.
The Scout Captain grabbed her spear and lightly jabbed Amity's leg with the blunt end, making her crumple to the floor. "You can barely even stand after that zap. By all rights, I should arrest you lot for interfering with Coven business, but I'm feeling merciful. Go home and forget all about this; the Emperor has big plans for your little friend."
With that, the captain got onto the cart too, seated herself beside the driver, and ordered them to return to the Bonesborough Precinct, leaving Callisto and Luz's friends behind at Hexside. Callisto waved goodbye to the captain then turned back to the teens, tempted to make a snarky comment at Odalia's daughter, but she was interrupted by the arrival of her own child.
"M-Mom!?" Boscha yelled, looking horrified at the scene in front of her. She'd only just arrived so she didn't know what happened, but she clearly saw her mother standing over the Banshees and Luz's friends, who all looked a little roughed up. "What's going on!?"
"Don't worry Sweetie; Mommy was just making it all better! That angel brat that ruined the game for you is now on her way to the Emperor! Or at least she will be once the captain confirms who she is." Callisto smiled sweetly.
Boscha went pale, and Luz's friends all turned to glare at her venomously.
"Are you happy now, Boscha!?" Willow snarled; "It wasn't good enough for you to bully me for years, or treat everyone around you like scum! It wasn't even enough to threaten Luz into doing your bidding! You just had to ruin everything! And over a stupid game! Well I hope you enjoyed your petty little victory, because it's the last one you're ever gonna get!"
The plant loving girl's eyes began to glow a solid green as her magic surged. Boscha backed off with a terrified gasp, but before Willow could attack her, Amity pulled Willow into a hug.
"Willow, I know how angry you feel. Believe me, I want nothing more than to rip her apart for what she did to Luz! But we can't waste time on her right now! You heard the captain; she's keeping Luz's potential identity a secret for now. That gives us time to save her before the whole island finds out! We need to get to Eda NOW. We're going to need your help." the lavender haired girl said softly, pulling back just enough so Willow could see her eyes. Willow gasped softly as she saw Amity's pupils flashing pink as she struggled to contain her own temper. Her friend was just as upset as Willow, if not more so, she was just better at keeping her emotions sealed up behind logic.
Taking a deep breath, Willow managed to pull back her anger. Her first big overload had been so bad because she'd been repressing herself for so long, but now that she was letting her inner emotions out more frequently, it was becoming easier to control.
"Okay. Let's go." Willow said, her pupils still glowing like Amity's. It was the calmest she was going to get.
Amity gave a shaky smile and summoned Ghost, hopping on along with Willow, and pulling King on too. She then turned to Gus and the others; "I'm sorry, but I can't carry more than two others with me and we need to get to Eda fast. I'll call you guys when we've got a plan."
Skara and the Banshees nodded and promised to meet them at the Owl House, while Gus just nodded silently. He was feeling pretty awful since his plan with the illusion had backfired so spectacularly. Amity, Willow, and King then flew off as fast as they could, and those left behind once again turned to Boscha. All of them glared at her with anger, but it was the additional betrayal in Skara's eyes that really stung.
"I'm… I'm gonna go find Edric and Emira. They might be able to help fly us back to the Owl House." Gus said, refusing to look Boscha in the eye.
"I think I saw them at the game. I bet they're still there, pranking the Glandus students." Cat said, also choosing to ignore her teammate.
The two of them, plus Amelia, ran off towards the pitch, leaving just Skara, Boscha, and Callisto behind. Boscha watched them go, then turned back to Skara.
"Skara, listen. I know this looks bad, okay? But-"
Skara interrupted Boscha with a shake of her head; "No, Boscha. I can't… I can't do this any more."
"S-Skara?" Boscha gasped softly, seeing tears in the bard girl's eyes.With that, the captain got onto the cart too, seated herself beside the driver, and ordered them to return to the Bonesborough Precinct, leaving Callisto and Luz's friends behind at Hexside. Callisto waved goodbye to the captain then turned back to the teens, tempted to make a snarky comment at Odalia's daughter, but she was interrupted by the arrival of her own child.
"M-Mom!?" Boscha yelled, looking horrified at the scene in front of her. She'd only just arrived so she didn't know what happened, but she clearly saw her mother standing over the Banshees and Luz's friends, who all looked a little roughed up. "What's going on!?"
"Don't worry Sweetie; Mommy was just making it all better! That angel brat that ruined the game for you is now on her way to the Emperor! Or at least she will be once the captain confirms who she is." Callisto smiled sweetly.
Boscha went pale, and Luz's friends all turned to glare at her venomously.
"Are you happy now, Boscha!?" Willow snarled; "It wasn't good enough for you to bully me for years, or treat everyone around you like scum! It wasn't even enough to threaten Luz into doing your bidding! You just had to ruin everything! And over a stupid game! Well I hope you enjoyed your petty little victory, because it's the last one you're ever gonna get!"
The plant loving girl's eyes began to glow a solid green as her magic surged. Boscha backed off with a terrified gasp, but before Willow could attack her, Amity pulled Willow into a hug.
"Willow, I know how angry you feel. Believe me, I want nothing more than to rip her apart for what she did to Luz! But we can't waste time on her right now! You heard the captain; she's keeping Luz's potential identity a secret for now. That gives us time to save her before the whole island finds out! We need to get to Eda NOW. We're going to need your help." the lavender haired girl said softly, pulling back just enough so Willow could see her eyes. Willow gasped softly as she saw Amity's pupils flashing pink as she struggled to contain her own temper. Her friend was just as upset as Willow, if not more so, she was just better at keeping her emotions sealed up behind logic.
Taking a deep breath, Willow managed to pull back her anger. Her first big overload had been so bad because she'd been repressing herself for so long, but now that she was letting her inner emotions out more frequently, it was becoming easier to control.
"Okay. Let's go." Willow said, her pupils still glowing like Amity's. It was the calmest she was going to get.
Amity gave a shaky smile and summoned Ghost, hopping on along with Willow, and pulling King on too. She then turned to Gus and the others; "I'm sorry, but I can't carry more than two others with me and we need to get to Eda fast. I'll call you guys when we've got a plan."
Skara and the Banshees nodded and promised to meet them at the Owl House, while Gus just nodded silently. He was feeling pretty awful since his plan with the illusion had backfired so spectacularly. Amity, Willow, and King then flew off as fast as they could, and those left behind once again turned to Boscha. All of them glared at her with anger, but it was the additional betrayal in Skara's eyes that really stung.
"I'm… I'm gonna go find Edric and Emira. They might be able to help fly us back to the Owl House." Gus said, refusing to look Boscha in the eye.
"I think I saw them at the game. I bet they're still there, pranking the Glandus students." Cat said, also choosing to ignore her teammate.
The two of them, plus Amelia, ran off towards the pitch, leaving just Skara, Boscha, and Callisto behind. Boscha watched them go, then turned back to Skara.
"Skara, listen. I know this looks bad, okay? But-"
Skara interrupted Boscha with a shake of her head; "No, Boscha. I can't… I can't do this any more."
"S-Skara?" Boscha gasped softly, seeing tears in the bard girl's eyes.
"You've always been there for me, Boscha. Through all the stuff that happened with my Mom… You always had my back, so I always had yours. Even when you bullied other people, I knew it was wrong but held my tongue. That was my mistake; I thought I was supporting my Bestie, but I was just enabling an abuser… I always believed you were a better person than everyone gave you credit for… but I guess I was wrong. You threatened to ruin someone's life just so you could control them! I can't… I can't make excuses for you any more Boscha. And I can't keep being your friend, knowing what you've done and will keep doing." tears began to spill down Skara's cheeks, as her heart was filled with pain.
She sniffed hard and wiped her face, then gave Boscha a determined look; "I'm going to go help save my friend. Because Luz would do the same for me."
She stalked past Boscha, who stood frozen in place, pausing just long enough to mutter; "She'd do the same for you too, even if you didn't deserve it."
With that final word, Skara ran after Gus and her friends, leaving a nearly catatonic Boscha to regret her choices.
Callisto glared at Skara as she left, then put a hand on her daughter's back; "Ignore them, Boscha. If they'd rather pick that angel brat over you, then clearly they aren't worth the effort!"
Boscha looked at her mother with horror and fury; "Do you have any idea what you've just done!?"
"I only did what you were going to do anyway, right baby?" Callisto pouted, "She made you lose the game!"
Boscha ran a hand through her hair as she tried to process that. "That doesn't mean she should be hauled in front of the Emperor!" Boscha yelled. As angry as she'd been at losing the game, she'd never have actually followed through on that threat! It had been a bluff!
"Oh my Titan! All my friends think I was the one to turn her in! They think I told you!" Boscha panicked, beginning to pace.
Callisto's frown deepened; "I don't understand Sweetie, wasn't this what you wanted? It was your plan after all, I just wanted to help you with it."
"No! I never wanted this! I was never actually going to-" Boscha froze as something occurred to her; "Wait a second… how did you know about this? I never told you what Luz was, or that I was threatening her!"
"I read it in your diary, of course!" Callisto casually confessed, before pouting at her daughter; "You barely tell me anything any more, so I take little peeks so I can know more about your life! I don't tell anyone though!"
"MOM!" Boscha yelled, "How could you!? You went through my secrets and-"
The three-eyed girl paused; could she really yell at her mother for not respecting her secrets when she'd threatened to reveal Luz's? Sure she'd never intended to actually do it, but her mother had never intended to spread her secrets either; that didn't make it okay. It finally, fully clicked just how badly she'd acted, and her guilty conscious was practically crushing her heart.
Boscha had lost her best friend, her other friends and teammates, and would likely lose even more once the rest of the school found out… and it was all her own fault. Her mother may have been the one to do the deed, but Boscha had been the one to pave the path.
She almost collapsed to her knees, buckling under the weight of her guilt, but Boscha was a tough girl. She was a winner, and if that was going to change, then she'd at least go down swinging!
Wiping her eyes of the tears that had begun to build there, Boscha decided that she would fix this! She'd caused this situation with her stupid temper, so she'd fix it! And she knew just how to do it.
Putting on a show of calming down and plastering her best haughty expression on her face, Boscha turned back to her mother and said; "Ugh… Sorry I got bent out of shape there Mom. You're right; that brat deserves a little payback for costing me the game and the last season! In fact, I want to go see her. I want to rub it in that she's in the position because she chose to mess with the Alembics!"
Callisto's expression brightened considerably; "Oh, that's a great idea! Let's go now, before she gets shipped out of Bonesborough. I doubt even we'd be allowed to see her once she's in the Conformatorium or the Emperor's dungeons!"
She snapped her fingers and summoned her Palisman, which took the form of a Galago with three tails and four arms. Transforming the Palisman into their staff form, Callisto happily sat on it side-saddle as Boscha got on behind her, before they took to the sky and headed for the Bonesborough Precinct.
[Meanwhile]
Luz struggled to keep her eyes open as she rode in the back of the prison cart, flanked on all sides by Coven Scouts. Magic was the lifeblood of angels, and while they could survive without it for quite a number of days, they became extremely lethargic as a result, so the Anti-Magic cuffs they'd slapped on her left Luz feeling the same as when Rasiel's prison had drained her magic. The only thing that kept her awake was the jostling of the cart, the fear in her heart, and the conversations of the Coven Scouts.
"So… why did we need such a big squad just to arrest a kid?" one Scout asked.
"Why are we arresting a kid? That stuff about her being the Owl Lady's accomplice seems bogus to me." another asked.
"Isn't she the same kid who helped her bust everyone out of the Conformatorium a couple of months back? The one who's cursed?" a third added.
"Oh yeah, I heard about that. Still, won't the Head Witch be seriously mad about this? This kid's her niece right?" the first scout replied.
The second shrugged; "I bet its a power play. There's rumours going around that the Emperor is planning something big, and all the captains and top dogs are gunning for a top spot. Our Captain arrests the Owl Lady's kid and it makes the Head Witch look bad by relation."
"I almost feel sorry for the brat." muttered a fourth scout, nudging the weakened Luz with the end of his spear, making her flinch and crawl away from them.
A fifth scout slapped the fourth upside the head; "Leave her, idiot. And we should be more worried about the Owl Lady! Bonesborough's gonna go up in flames once she hears about this…"
Any further conversation was cut off by the cart coming to a sudden stop, followed by a thumping on the side of the cart; "We're here. Get the girl out and put her in Interrogation Room B. Don't bother with the paperwork; she won't be staying long." ordered the Captain.
The Scouts didn't need to be told twice. They opened the cart doors and hopped out, with two of them holding Luz by the arms and half marching, half carrying the girl into the building. They'd stopped outside Police Precinct 128; the Bonesborough branch of the Emperor's Coven, and Luz was surprised to find that it actually sort of looked like old fashioned Police Precincts from the Human Realm, with only a slight fantasy flair. She didn't get to see a lot of it though, as she was quickly taken into the building and down several nondescript hallways, before being brought into the interrogation room.
It was a dull, stone room with a heavily reinforced door and nothing inside besides a pair of chairs, a table between them, and what was obviously a two way mirror on one wall. Luz was immediately placed in the chair facing towards the door, then one of the scouts cast a spell on it, making the backrest come undone from the chair before reattaching through the chains on Luz's manacles, binding her to the chair. The scouts then left her alone in the room, completely powerless and without any hope of escaping alone.
Luz struggled as much as her lethargic state allowed her too, and tried to use drawn glyphs to escape since that seemed to use the magic of the Isles and not the caster, but she had nothing to write with, and the only thing she could touch was the back of the chair or the back of her clothes, neither of which she could draw on. She was tempted to try using her nails to carve into the wood of the chair, but she liked to keep them short so there was no way it would work. She was completely stuck, and her only hope of getting out of this was if Eda and the others rescued her.
The young angel had no doubts that Eda would come for her, but that was almost scarier than the idea of no one coming to save her! She didn't know what Belos would do to her, but Eda? She'd be forced to join the coven, tossed into a dungeon cell (likely with her own anti-magic shackles), or perhaps even executed!
"I should have known that the school learning my secret would only end badly…" she muttered to herself. All she could do was sit there and pray that Eda and the others wouldn't get hurt in the rescue attempt.
Luz wasn't sitting in the interrogation room for long before the heavy door swung open and the Scout Captain from earlier walked in, carrying a file in one hand and her spear in the other. She closed the door behind her and cast a spell on it, ensuring no one could just walk in without knocking first. She then propped her spear against the wall and took a seat across from Luz.
"Right let's get down to business, Luz Noceda." the Captain said, dropping the file on the table in front of her; "You are in quite a bit of trouble. Practicing Wild Magic, being an associate of the Isles' most wanted criminal, and assisting in the mass-breakout at the Conformatorium… you've got quite the list of crimes behind you, especially for a kid your age. Do you know the consequences that await you if you're charged with these crimes?"
"N-No Ma'am." Luz shook her head nervously, being as respectful as she could be. Being rude or combative in her current situation would only put her at risk.
"Petrification." the Scout Captain said grimly; "It's not pleasant, and it's not reversible. Your soul will be forever encased in the statue that used to be your body. We haven't had a petrification in the last thirty years, and I'd hate to see a kid like you be the one to break that record."
Luz shuddered; she remembered Odalia mentioning petrification during their confrontation, but hadn't fully understood what that meant. So that was how the Emperor's Coven executed criminals…
The Scout Captain saw her fear and then reached up and took off her helmet, revealing herself to be a staggeringly beautiful young woman. She had long blonde hair and a very pretty face, which was almost distracting as she gave Luz a gentle smile; "I want to help you, Luz. No one wants to see a child petrified, especially not one like you. So I'm going to ask you a simple question; are you truly an angel? If you are, then the Emperor will likely pardon you of your crimes. Angels are servants of the Titan after all; Emperor Belos said it himself."
Luz bit her lip; should she lie? It would hurt like crazy, and it could get her sent for petrification! But if she told the truth, they'd take her to Belos immediately! Which would buy her more time?
Her hesitation made the captain frown; "If you don't want to answer, we can always do this the hard way. I'll get us some Blabber Serum; it'll force you to answer truthfully. Though to be honest, I'd have used it anyway; an angel can't lie, but a Witchling claiming to be one could."
"W-Well then you better go get some then." Luz said, refusing to say more than that. This should buy Eda and the others more time!
The Captain sighed and got to her feet, but just as she was about to open the door, someone hammered on it from the other side.
"What is it?" the Captain said.
"Madam Alembic and her daughter are here, Ma'am. They want to take part in the interrogation, and claim to have evidence against the Noceda girl." said a scout on the other side.
Luz paled and the captain grinned; "Perfect timing." she said, opening the door. Callisto and Boscha were stood on the other side of the door, smirking as the captain invited them in.
The Alembics both looked at Luz, Callisto smiling smugly while Boscha was smirking at Luz. That made a pit of anger form in Luz's guts, but for some reason, the look in Boscha's eyes cooled the young angel's temper. The three-eyed girl didn't look as happy about this situation as her smirk would imply.
"Ah, Callisto. I was just about to go find some Blabber Serum; Luz here isn't being very cooperative. But now that my favourite Potioneer is here, I don't need to go looking." the Captain said.
"Of course she isn't cooperative; she didn't cooperate with my Boscha either, and ruined her game!" Callisto sneered.
Luz growled; "I didn't ruin anything! I was trying my best to win the game, but nobody told me what the stupid Smidge was!" she protested, "Besides, I was trying to help Boscha! Right up until she started being a bully again, then blackmailed me!"
Boscha frowned, another spike of guilt spearing her stomach, while her mother snarled at Luz; "Shut it, you angel brat!" she then turned back to the captain; "I've got some Blabber Serum brewed. Let me just summon it."
"Actually Mom," Boscha began, "Let me. I've got some of my own, and I want to be the one to put this brat back in her place."
Luz glared murderously at Boscha, but clamped her mouth shut tight as the three-eyed girl summoned a small vial of purple liquid. Callisto and the captain looked at the vial, then nodded in approval, judging it good enough.
"Alright, if this works out then I owe your mother a favour for helping me snag an angel, so I'll let you have your fun Boscha." the captain said. "We can also take the opportunity to interrogate her on the Owl Lady's secrets!"
Boscha grinned as she turned to Luz, approaching her with the vial of serum. Luz kept her lips sealed shut; she wasn't going to make it easy for Boscha! However instead of trying to force Luz's mouth open, Boscha just jammed the vial into the corner of Luz's mouth, and used her body to obscure her mother's and the captain's view. Luz blinked in confusion, especially when she realised that Boscha hadn't even taken the cork out of the vial, making it impossible for the potion to drip into her mouth.
"You'll tell the truth now, if you know what's good for you." Boscha smirked cruelly, even as her third eye winked.
Luz was completely confused; was Boscha actually helping her? But wasn't this what she'd wanted all along? Hadn't she been the one to orchestrate this whole arrest? The young angel had no idea what Boscha was playing at, but she wasn't in a position to question her, so she simply gave the girl a meaningful look and hoped it conveyed that she'd play along.
Boscha's smirk softened into something slightly more genuine, then she sent the vial of Blabber Serum away before her mother or the captain could notice it hadn't been uncorked. She then stepped back and said;
"Now that the serum is inside you, not only do you have to answer truthfully, but you're also FORCED to answer any question you know the answer to." Boscha said, pretending to boast. Luz's eyes widened; so she could just stay silent and the captain would assume she didn't know the answer, meaning Luz wouldn't have to lie!
"Excellent work, Boscha. Now allow me to begin the questioning." the Captain said, retaking her seat across from Luz while the Alembics stood behind her, smirking at the young angel.
"First; the big one. Are you truly an angel?" the Captain asked.
Luz made eye contact with Boscha, and the three-eyed girl subtly nodded, urging her to tell the truth. Deciding that she'd just have to trust Boscha (since lying would hurt her and probably expose that the serum hadn't been used), Luz nodded.
"Yes, I really am an Angel. Though as of Monday, I am now a High Angel." Luz answered.
Callisto and the Captain grinned excitedly, while Boscha couldn't help but ask; "What does being a High Angel even mean?"
"It means I'm more magically powerful than a regular angel. High Angels are the middle rank in Angel Society, being above the children, or Cherubim, and the common angels. I guess it's the equivalent of a minor noble title. It also gives me four wings, so I can fly a little faster and gather magic more quickly." Luz answered.
The Captain hummed and grinned wider; "Fascinating! If the Emperor has a normal reward for a normal angel, a High Angel must fetch a high reward! Now let's see what you know about your mentor…"
For the next several minutes, the Scout Captain grilled Luz with questions about Eda and the Owl House, including things like the powers and weaknesses of King and Hooty, the extent of the curse's effects on Eda, and any plans Eda had for the Emperor's Coven. Callisto even asked a few questions too, mostly about Amity and Skara and any potential criminal actions they'd become involved with while in Luz's company; the Alembic matriarch obviously looking for dirt on the children of her societal rivals.
Luz was careful with her answers; she couldn't just stay completely silent and pretend she knew nothing, as it would look suspicious if she was completely ignorant, so she instead truthfully answered the questions she felt were safe, like Amity and Skara committing no crimes and King having no magic beyond the glyphs. The Scout Captain and Callisto were disappointed in the lack of useful information, but they'd still gotten the main thing they cared about; confirmation of Luz's angelic nature.
"Well, I think that's everything." the Captain said, "Congratulations, little angel; you're going to be a guest of the Emperor himself. What he's got planned for you is anyone's guess, but I'm sure it'll be better than petrification." she got to her feet; "I'll begin preparing to take you to him personally."
Luz couldn't help but whimper, while Boscha narrowed her eyes; "You're taking her in by yourself?"
"I am." the Captain answered, "I can't let the others know what she is before I present her to the Emperor; the coven is competitive and they'll either try to snatch away the glory or inform the Head Witch or Kikimora."
"So you didn't even tell the scouts that went with you to arrest her?" Boscha asked, feigning surprise. "What about the people through there?" she pointed to the two-way mirror.
"Of course I didn't tell them. Who knows who they're loyal to really? Best not to leave loose ends." the Captain explained. "And no one is through there; I made sure it was empty then sealed the room before I came in here. We can't even be eavesdropped on, thanks to my spell on the door."
Boscha's smile grew wider; "Cunning, I like it. What about you Mom? Did you tell anyone else?"
"Of course not, Sweetie! That way the three of us can reap the rewards from the Emperor! The Alembics will rise above the Blights and Cadences, and my friend here gets a nice promotion; we all win! I haven't even told my Honey-Bunny yet; they've been too busy working." Callisto finished with a slight pout.
Boscha nodded; her other parent had been so busy that they hadn't even come to her game… but that would work in her favour now!
Plastering a cruel smile on her lips, Boscha drew a spell circle and summoned a bottle and a trio of wine glasses; "This little scheme is going to give us more power than ever! I propose a little toast!" she said, handing two of the glasses to her Mom and the Captain.
Callisto happily accepted, while the Captain eyed the bottle; "You have wine?"
"Nettle Wine. It's non-alcoholic, and I brewed it myself. I was going to use it to celebrate my victory in today's game, but she" Boscha nodded towards Luz, "ruined that. So why not use it to celebrate her downfall and our rise instead?"
The Captain and Callisto chuckled and held out their glasses to be filled, while Luz glared at them. Boscha filled their three glasses with the yellow-tinted wine, then sent the bottle back to wherever she'd summoned it from.
"A toast! To our victory!" Boscha grinned, holding her glass aloft.
"Cheers!" the others said, clinking their glasses together. Boscha then watched as both her mother and the Captain took a long sip of the wine, before sighing with relief and promptly pouring her own glass onto the floor without taking a sip.
Everyone else in the room froze, but before either of the confused adults could question Boscha's behaviour, their eyes rolled back and they collapsed to the ground unconscious. Luz gasped in surprise.
"Boscha!? What's going on!? What happened to them!?" she cried.
"They drank some nettle wine." Boscha smirked; "I just failed to mention that it was Sleeping Nettle wine. I brew it for Daddy to help them sleep when they get stressed. As for what's going on; I'm busting you out."
Luz blinked owlishly, trying to process that answer while Boscha rummaged around in the sleeping Captain's pockets for the keys to Luz's shackles. She grinned as she found them, then hurried to unlock Luz.
The instant the shackles fell off her wrists, Luz felt her sealed magic come flooding back, filling her with energy. She sighed happily and got to her feet, rubbing her wrists.
"I'm grateful, Boscha. But why are you doing this? I thought you were the one to turn me in!" Luz frowned.
Boscha winced; "It wasn't me. I… I'm not a good person, but I never actually planned to rat you out. But I wrote about my threat in my diary and my Mom read it. She did this on her own."
Luz scowled; "So it's still sort of your fault. If you hadn't threatened me…"
"I know." Boscha sighed, "Look, I know I screwed up. I'm trying to fix it. Now wait there a second…" she summoned two vials of dark green liquid; "These are Amnesia Tinctures. It'll erase their memories from the last 24 hours. Since no one else here knows what you are, and these two only learned in that time period, your secret will be safe."
Luz watched as Boscha poured the potions down the unconscious women's throats, then carefully opened one of their eyes to make sure it was working. Upon seeing a faint green glow in the whites of their eyes, Boscha nodded with satisfaction.
"There; now no one here but me and you know that you're an angel."
"Thank you, Boscha." Luz said, "This may all be your fault in the first place, but you still put your neck on the line to save me. I appreciate it."
Boscha scoffed and looked away; "Whatever. Just get out of here, before Mom and the Captain wake up."
"Don't you want to come too?" Luz asked, "The scouts might be suspicious if they see you weren't knocked out too."
"Maybe, but I can just lie and say the Owl Lady busted you out and drugged all three of us with Amnesia Tinctures or something." Boscha said, "Besides, I'm pretty sure Skara will be at your place right now and after what Mom and I did, we're not exactly getting along right now."
Luz didn't need to ask to get what she meant. Skara and the others were probably livid with Boscha, having assumed the same things Luz had. Truthfully, Luz felt it served Boscha right after all she'd done, but her angelic desire to help, and her gratitude for Boscha saving her were stronger than any grudge she felt.
"Well then, I guess I better get back home and make sure everyone knows what really happened. And you're coming with me!" Luz declared.
"What!?" Boscha cried, before Luz suddenly shot a powerful light blast through the wall of the interrogation room, leaving a gaping hole to the outside. She then scooped the shocked Boscha into a princess carry before casting a quick illusion over them as she flew away. The illusion made it look like Eda and Owlbert were flying away with them, so when the scouts came running out and shouting after them, they assumed Eda was rescuing her apprentice and kidnapping Boscha.
"STOP! GET BACK HERE!" one of them shouted.
A few began preparing spells, but another ordered them to stand down; "They've got Madam Alembic's daughter! If you shoot them down, she'll go down too!"
Luz smirked at this; "Don't worry! We won't hurt Boscha!" she shouted to them, "We'll send her home once we're safe!"
The scouts and guards watched impotently as the Illusory Eda flew above the clouds, where they could no longer see them. Once Luz was safely hidden from their sight, she dropped the illusion.
"There, now they'll assume Eda took you hostage and won't suspect you helped bust me out." Luz chirped happily, amused by how brightly Boscha was blushing at being carried like a princess. Unlike Amity though, the three-eyed girl was blushing with embarrassment and not affection.
"You bird brain! You could have just left me behind! They'd never have suspected me anyway! I'd have just played dumb!" Boscha snapped, struggling in Luz's arms. "Let me go!"
Luz rolled her eyes; "Do you really want to risk me dropping you from this height?"
Boscha froze, realising just how high up she was. She then threw her arms around Luz's neck and clung tightly to her. Luz giggled; it looked like Boscha was afraid of heights!
"As for why I brought you with me; I'm going to take you to Skara and we're going to patch this all up." Luz explained.
"You what!? Why would you want to do that!?" Boscha exclaimed.
"Well, I do owe you for saving me. If Eda and the others had been forced to come to my rescue, things would have gotten a lot crazier. Also, Skara is my friend and I'm sure losing her friendship with you hurts her as much as it hurts you, so I want to help her." Luz answered. She then frowned and added; "Plus, as mad at you as I still am… I just kind of want to help. You're a bully, Boscha, but I don't like seeing you miserable."
Boscha looked at the golden-eyed girl with shock, and Skara's words from earlier came to mind.
"I'm going to go help save my friend. Because Luz would do the same for me. She'd do the same for you too, even if you didn't deserve it."
The three-eyed girl felt her guilt squirming inside her stomach like an eel, and she felt compelled to ask; "Why are you like this? Amity told me that the first time you two met, she bullied Willow, yet now you're dating. One of the first times you met Skara, she was backing me up when I tried to make you ditch your friends, yet now you ARE friends! Then after everything I've said and done, you still want to help me… I don't get you at all. Is it really just because you're an angel and want to help?"
Luz thought for a long moment before replying; "That's part of it. Helping people is in my nature; I'm an Angel of Crest Kindness, and I'm proud of that. But also… I feel like it's too easy to just judge people on first impressions. Like you said, the first time I met Amity and Skara, they were people I didn't really like, but now I'm in love with Amity and Skara is one of my best friends. I got to see past their bad sides and see what great people they really are underneath that and because of that, their good sides got to shine through to more people. If I'd just focused on those bad impressions, I'd be depriving myself of two great people, and they'd still be at their worst."
Boscha raised an eyebrow; "So what, you want to go around fixing every bad person you meet?"
"No." Luz shook her head; "Amity and Skara changed because they wanted to. I didn't fix them; I just supported them as they fixed themselves. They became the people they wanted to be, not the person I wanted them to be. To be honest, I didn't even expect them to do that much; I think both of them wanted to change and I just gave them the motivation to do it. After all, no one else around them seemed to care if they stayed like they were or not."
The two girls fell into silence for a few moments as Boscha took in everything Luz said. Eventually, she said; "So you're not just helping me out with Skara because you secretly hope I'll turn out to be a nice person like she and Amity are?"
"Nope. That said, I don't really understand you either. Skara had issues because she followed your lead and felt loyal to you for sticking by her through the drama with her Mom, and Amity was obviously being pushed into being the person she was by her own Mom. But you? I can't figure out why you do the things you do. Your Mom seems to really love you, so as messed up as she is, I don't think she's the reason you are who you are." Luz mused.
Boscha rolled her eyes; "Yeah, sorry but I don't have some big sob story or parental issues. My parents love me and my biggest family problem is that Daddy isn't around much because of how busy they are. Even Mom pushing me to multi-track potions and abominations to compete with Amity was something I could have refused if I'd wanted. But I'm a competitive person; I like being on top and I like crushing anyone who threatens that."
Luz eyed Boscha; so that was why Boscha was so hostile to Willow… the girl's meteoric rise in status was a threat to her position as Top Dog. It was a petty reason, but at least it was a reason that went beyond pure malice.
"Being at the top must be nice." Luz said wistfully, "It has to be really, really nice. I can't think why else it would be worth becoming a tyrant and making everyone hate you."
Boscha scoffed; "You can be hated, so long as you are feared."
"And what happens when they stop fearing you? Then all they have left is hate." Luz countered.
Boscha opened her mouth to retort, then remembered her confrontation with Willow earlier. If Amity hadn't stepped in, Willow may very well have beaten the living daylights out of her. The one time they'd "fought" before the Mandragora incident, Willow had wiped the floor with Boscha and her whole gang! Without her gang to back her up, and with Willow even stronger? She'd have stood no chance at all. It made Boscha feel small and weak… but also made her think; wasn't this what she'd been doing to Willow all these years? Lording her power over her? Making her feel small and weak?
Boscha fell into silent contemplation, and remained like that for the rest of the flight. She had some serious thinking to do.
Back at the Owl House, Luz's friends were trying to plan a rescue of their own. Amity and Willow had arrived first with King, but any time advantage they'd gained by flying back had been lost after they told Eda about Luz's capture. The Owl Lady had flipped out so hard that she'd had to be dosed with THREE Super Elixirs just to keep her emotions from releasing the curse. Gus, Skara, Cat, and Amelia had arrived not long after, having found Edric and Emira still at school after the game and gotten a ride to the Owl House from them. Unfortunately everyone was panicked and stressed, so they'd yet to make a decent plan that they could all agree on; everything was either too dangerous, too elaborate (and thus likely to fail), or too slow.
"Ugh, we're wasting time! I should just go and blast my way in!" Eda declared, summoning Owlbert to her side.
"We can't afford to be reckless, Eda!" Amity countered, "Luz is a High Angel AND widely believed to the daughter of the isles' most wanted criminal! She's got to be under heavy security! If you rush in without a plan, you'll just get caught too, and Luz would never forgive herself!"
"Amity's right. I want to hurry too, but a rushed performance is likely to end in disaster." Skara agreed, "Maybe we could all disguise ourselves as Coven Scouts and act like we're the escort to take Luz from the Precinct to the Emperor's Castle?"
"I like that idea." Willow nodded, "Gus, do you think you could cast an illusion that big for long enough?"
Gus frowned; his failure earlier still weighed heavily on him, leaving his confidence was pretty low. "I-I can try…"
"Sis and I can back you up. Three illusionists are better than one." Edric said, lightly slapping the younger boy on the back.
"But how do we know that they've even sent for escorts? If we just show up and they haven't sent for anyone, won't it give away that something is wrong? It's barely been an hour since Luz was arrested too, so even if they called for someone, it would take longer than that for them to arrive!" Emira pointed out.
"Perhaps I could go and scout? I can't turn invisible, but being intangible will allow me to go underground and sneak through walls." Rasiel suggested, hoping to actually get some use out of his ghostly form.
"But how would you report back to us? You can't touch stuff, so you can't use a scroll or a crystal ball." Amelia said.
Cat nodded regretfully; "Yeah, by the time you scouted the place and reported back to us, the information might already be out of date."
"I'd suggest using oracle magic, but it won't work on Luz…" Amity frowned.
Everyone groaned as they ended up back at square one. Frustration was high, and it only got higher when Hooty decided to chime in.
"Hoot hoot, we've got a visitor!" he said, poking his head in through one of the living room windows.
"Not now, Hooty! We're trying to find a way to get Luz back!" King snapped.
Hooty began twisting around as he made a strange half-hum, half-hoot sound. "Really? But Luz IS back! Hoot!"
Everyone turned to look at him with expressions of confusion and irritation. Hooty disappeared back through the window, then swung his door open. Then, just as he'd said, Luz walked into the room, smiling nervously and dragging along a very reluctant Boscha.
"Um, Hi! I'm home!" Luz smiled awkwardly, not knowing what else to say.
There was a moment of silence as everyone registered what they were looking at, before the entire room erupted into pandemonium.
"LUZ!" they all cried together, rushing forward. Luz squeaked and released Boscha's hand, letting the three-eyed girl get out of the way just before the young angel was dog-piled by her friends and family. Only Cat, Amelia, and the twins weren't in the pile (plus the incorporeal Rasiel), which was lucky for Luz, who already felt like she was suffocating.
"Oof! I like hugs, but this is a bit much!" Luz joked, blushing as Amity kissed her face over and over with relief.
"Luz, we were so worried! We were all planning a way to bust you out!" Eda cried, hugging the girl tightly.
"I was afraid we'd be too late to save you, but I never thought you'd get out on your own!" Skara said, laughing away her stress.
"I didn't do it on my own." Luz smiled, nodding over to Boscha.
The rest of the room's occupants glared at her, making her flinch and step back a bit. However no one said a word to her, and instead got up to allow Luz back to her feet. Eda checked the girl over, and had Cat and Emira (who'd been learning a bit of healing magic from Viney) assist her in making sure Luz was okay. After confirming that the girl didn't have a scratch on her, they bundled her onto the couch. Luz ended up blushing as she was sat on Eda's lap, with King in her own lap, Amity and Skara on her right side, and Willow and Gus on the other, giving her very little space. The others crammed together onto the other sofa, while Rasiel hovered around Boscha, watching the girl like a hawk.
Once they were sat down, Willow finally turned her glare on Boscha; "So, what is she doing here?"
"Willow, Boscha is the one who saved me." Luz said gently.
Everyone's eyes widened with surprise, and Skara looked hopefully at her oldest friend. "Really?" she gasped.
Boscha nodded, averting her eyes; "Yeah… Listen, I know none of you have any reason to believe me after what I did, but I really wasn't the one to rat Luz out. My Mom read my diary and found out about Luz's secret and the stupid threat I made… After we lost the game today, she decided to follow through on that threat, thinking it would cheer me up."
"Yeah, that sounds like Callisto. She was the personification of petty back in school." Eda scowled.
"So how exactly did you save Luz?" Amity asked.
Luz smiled; "It was pretty cool actually! It happened like this…"
The excitable angel gave them all a retelling of what happened, which left Skara and the Banshees smiling while the others looked at Boscha with a mix of begrudging respect, confusion, and suspicion.
"I'm grateful to you for saving Luz." Eda began, eyes narrowed on Boscha, "But that doesn't mean I'm okay with the rest of the stuff you pulled! I still haven't forgotten you busting her lip on her first visit to Hexside, and threatening her like you did is way further than I'm willing to forgive!"
Boscha didn't look surprised; "I figured. I didn't help Luz so you'd all forgive me."
"Then why did you?" Willow asked, voice dripping with hostility. "Did you just not want to waste your big trump card over such a stupid situation?"
"No! I was never going to actually report her. It was all a bluff! I'll even take Blabber Serum to prove it!" Boscha snapped, "I just… I lost my temper and said some stupid stuff yesterday. I was desperate to stay on top and didn't want to "lose" to either you or Luz, and ended up making a massive mistake. I'm…"
The three-eyed girl looked like she was practically choking on the words as she said; "I'm… sorry."
Skara looked overjoyed, while Luz looked mildly surprised and Willow's jaw almost hung open.
"That looked almost painful for you to say." Willow said numbly, "I'd never thought I'd see the day Boscha Alembic apologised without it being some sarcastic barb."
"Bite me, Park! I can own up to my mistakes! I just rarely make any!" Boscha retorted haughtily.
Despite herself, Willow smirked; "That's the bratty pain in the butt I know."
Boscha rolled her eyes and turned to Skara; "Skara, about what you said earlier… You've always been there for me too, even when I did make my occasional mistakes. I don't want that to end so… if I promise to try and be better, can we still be Besties?"
Skara leapt to her feet and then leapt at Boscha, hugging the daylights out of her; "Of course we can still be Besties! I never wanted to give up our friendship, but I couldn't stand by while you bullied people any more! If you can promise to stop, then I'll be right by your side, helping you out!"
Boscha smiled, and the beginnings of tears appeared in her eyes. She returned the hug; "Thanks Skara. I'll do my best… and hey, I'm great at everything else, so how hard can it be?"
She then looked to Luz; "In case it wasn't obvious from all this, I promise I won't tell anyone your secret. I'll even take an Everlasting Oath if I need to."
Luz shook her head; "Thanks Boscha, but I'll trust you; or rather, I'll trust Skara to keep you on the straight and narrow. I don't know if I can totally forgive you for what you did yesterday and how you treated me today at the game, but I accept your apology. And if you still need a sub for future games, then I don't mind filling in. Grudgby is pretty fun… though the Rusty Smidge is still the stupidest thing I've ever heard of."
Boscha felt strangely touched that Luz was still willing to play with them if they needed her, though she wasn't really surprised. "Thanks Luz. But I'll only call on you if my other teammates are out for the count. Cat and Amelia are still my partners."
The two Banshees smiled broadly and got up to exchange high-fives with Boscha (that gesture had really spread around the school thanks to the HAS and Luz).
Finally, Willow got to her feet and moved to stare down Boscha, and the three-eyed girl stared her down right back.
"I won't forget what you've done to me in the past, Boscha. You were my bully for years. Honestly, I don't think you can pull off being a better person. But I'm happy to watch; I'll ever get to see you fail, or see you actually be a good person. Either way, I win." Willow said firmly.
Boscha gave a short nod; "I wouldn't expect anything less, Willow. You're one of the winners now; but don't think I'm going to let you surpass me just because I'm going to try and be nice."
The two girls continued to stare each other down for a moment, before they both smirked and turned away from one another. They were far from friends; there was too much bad blood between them for that, but both inwardly acknowledged the other as their rival.
After that, Boscha, Skara, and the Banshees took their leave, planning to head back to Boscha's home and destroy the diary entries that stated Luz was an angel, before going and feigning to Callisto and the scouts that Boscha's memories had been erased too.
Meanwhile, the rest of the Owl House residents remained huddled together on the sofa only with Amity, Willow, Gus, and the twins.
"I didn't get the chance to say this earlier Luz, but you played a good game today. You too, Willow. Don't feel too bad about the Smidge; pretty much everyone hates that rule. I remember Lily going on an hour long tirade about it when it cost us a game back in the Autumn Season of my last year on the team." Eda said.
Luz giggled at the mental image of a young Lilith throwing a tantrum, before it reminded her; Lilith had missed her game. "Do you know where she was today, Eda?"
"Sorry, but nope. But if she didn't show, she's probably on some mission for that boneheaded Emperor." Eda shrugged.
"Considering what happened after, I guess we got lucky that Tia Lily couldn't come to my game after all…" Luz thought aloud. "Still, I wonder what she's up to…"
[Meanwhile]
Lilith shivered as she trudged through the snow atop the Knee, escorted by Coven Scouts. The Caplacier Ruins were swarming with scouts and guards, and had been all day. The Emperor's Coven had gotten reports of tremors, roars, and unusually frigid winds coming from the Kneecap a few weeks back, but they had been largely ignored by the Coven at the time. No scouts wanted to go to the freezing peaks, and Lilith had gotten caught up in investigating the Greater Basilisk that had popped up right after those first reports, so she hadn't heard about them until recently.
But then some brave souls from Cartilia, the city built into the side of the Knee, had gone up to the Knee Cap to investigate for themselves, and had sent back wild reports of a giant, indestructible skeleton. Lilith had assumed these rumours to be foolish fear-mongering, but then word had reached the Emperor himself, and he had ordered the coven to investigate immediately. Now Lilith was being forced to endure the cold as she made her way to the top of the Knee, instead of attending Luz's Grudgby game like she'd promised. She hoped her niece would forgive her…
When she finally reached the top and saw what now sat beside the Caplacier ruins, Lilith couldn't help but gape. The reports had been true! There was a massive skeleton of some kind of snake, coiled up and silently roaring into the sky. Its bones were blue like the stone of the Caplacier Temple Ruins, and they didn't match any creature Lilith knew of. She initially assumed the skeleton was ancient, and unearthed by the tremors mentioned in the reports, but it was too clean and there was no signs of anything else being displaced.
To cap all this off, the Caplacier Temple Ruins were sealed shut, leaving a historical site now completely inaccessible, much to Lilith's chagrin. She remembered exploring the place with her sister when they were children.
"Anything to report?"
Lilith startled and spun around, finding none other than the Emperor himself stood behind her. He was flanked by his ever-present shadows; the Golden Guard and the Silver Sentinel. Both were child prodigies and wore matching armour and masks, in their titular colour. Lilith wasn't particularly fond of them; the Golden Guard annoyed her, and the ever silent Silver Sentinel just plain creeped her out.
Putting those two out of her mind, Lilith knelt before Emperor Belos.
"Preliminary reports have confirmed that the skeleton appears to be genuine bone, yet also made of the same material as the Temple ruins. We've not been able to confirm its origins, but we believe it is connected to the temple being sealed. We also found thick sheets of ice blocking two tunnels that weren't there before. The Scouts are working to melt the ice as we speak." Lilith reported
"Marvellous. I suspect the skeleton is the carcass of an Ice Wyrm." the Emperor mused, looking up at it with interest.
"A-An Ice Wyrm!? One of the three types of Supreme Dragon!? But I thought those were extinct!" Lilith gasped.
"Yes, but then we both thought the same about the Greater Basilisk too, did we not?" Belos looked at her, his glowing green eyes flickering behind his mask.
"What are your orders?" Lilith asked, unsure how to handle this.
Belos thought for a moment, then answered; "Withdraw the scouts. The beast is dead and quite immovable, and there is nothing inside the temple worth worrying about. Leave it sealed."
Lilith frowned, but bowed her obediently. "At once, your Highness."
She immediately set about ordering the scouts to leave the Knee, abandoning their attempts to get into the temple or investigate the tunnels. Once they began heading back down from the Kneecap, Lilith found herself being dismissed by Belos, who chose to stay a bit longer.
Once Lilith was also gone, Emperor Belos spoke to his two loyal shadows. "Make your way through the tunnels. If I am right, they will lead to the ritual chamber, where the Black Tomb once stood. I suspect that it has been opened, but I want to know for certain. Go now, and tell no one."
The Golden Guard and Silver Sentinel nodded obediently, then split up to each investigate a different tunnel, leaving Belos on his own. The Emperor marched over to the skeleton and placed a hand on it, before chuckling.
"A Black Tomb opened and an Ice Wyrm slain… you've made quick progress, little angel. It won't be much longer now… I'm looking forward to seeing you; Luz."