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Chapter Text

Vee was sitting in their shared bedroom when there was a knock on the door. She was on her laptop, catching up on things she wanted to watch but didn't have time for during the school week. But as it was Friday evening, there was nothing better to do than lean back and chill.

"Come in."

"Hi!"

It was Luz, barging in with bubbling, excited energy. That was enough for Vee to know that something was going on - based on her reaction, something very good.

"Luz, you are back for the weekend?" she asked but Luz was too hyped up to answer.

"I have something amazing to show you!" she said.

Vee chuckled. "What is it?"

"Come downstairs," she urged. "Oh, and no glancing out the window."

Out of instinct, Vee tried to glance at the window only for Luz to jump in.

"Na-ah, it's a surprise, come on," she took Vee by the shoulder and started pushing her out of their rooms.

"I'm going, I'm going," she complained. Thankfully, she could head down to the stairs on her own account. However, so far Vee couldn't guess what got Luz so excited.

Their Mom was waiting for them in the living room. Oddly, she had their coats and scarves in her hands.

"What is this about?" Vee asked looking between her sister and mother.

"Trust me you are going to love this!" Luz all but giggled. "Oh, I can't wait to see your reaction!"

Vee looked at her Mom for guidance.

Camila shrugged and gave her a fond smile. "It's snowing, mija."

"Mom! You weren't supposed to tell her yet," Luz pouted. "I wanted to get her reaction. I mean, it's her first time seeing snow!"

Vee crossed her arms. "I know what snow is Luz," she gave her deadpan unimpressed look. "I've seen it on TV."

"Yeah, but, this is for real, Vee."

"I can't imagine what's so special about it."

"Oh, you will see. It's magical."

Somehow, Vee doubted that. She didn't know how a natural phenomenon that occurred yearly in the Human Realm could hold such significance. But Luz insisted that they sit on the step outside and watch the snowfall. In the end, she decided to humor her. After all, it couldn't hurt. So they dressed up in warm clothes and went to the back door.

When Luz opened the door, Vee realized that she had to change her mind.

With the sun setting earlier the backyard was already plunged into darkness, the tree line was bearly visible on the other side and she had to squint to see. Against this backdrop of black fat, fluffy snowflakes were floating to the ground in a leisurely fashion. 

She couldn't take her eyes off of it.

Luz sat a mat down and the two of them sat and watched. Camila joined them not long after. She handed them each a cup of hot chocolate, and she sat between them with her own. The three of them sat in silence just enjoying the moment.

Taking it in.

Luz leaned over to look at Vee. "Told you it was magical."

Vee didn't have words, she simply hummed and nodded. She scooted over to lean against Camila. Her Mom chuckled quietly in turn and wrapped an arm around her younger daughter. Luz too leaned against Camila's other side.

Vee had to agree, it really was magical.

Chapter Text

It was an ordinary afternoon when Amity Blight realized that she was in deep, deep trouble.

Oh, not because of something she had done, or hadn't done for the matter. It wasn't something she had forgotten or ignored or any other variation of that. No, the problem was much simpler, much more innocuous. It was something that snuck up on her and she only now noticed it now that she is staring at a little doodle in her notebook.

She, Amity Blight, had just, - absentmindedly, mind you - doodled a picture of Luz the Human.

With little heart symbols all over the page.

All over the whole page.

And now she stared at it in dawning horror.

Oh no, she thought.

She had a crush.

In a panic, Amity tore out the page, crumpled it up, and threw it in the direction of her trashcan. She missed, and the paper ball bounced off the edge and then rolled back toward her. As if it were determined to taunt her. Groaning, she stood up and picked it up, then she thought better about throwing it away and set it on fire instead with a quick fire spell.

Not a single trace of the offending drawing remained.

There, all done and taken care of, and there was no evidence of this little blunder, which was crucial.

Her older siblings promised to be better and not pick on her after their misadventures in the library - also involving said Human she apparently had an annoying crush on. She appreciated their efforts, however, she wasn't going to give them any ammunition to start up again. She wasn't about to trust them that much.

Not to mention what her Mother would say if she found out. She didn't even want to think about that.

No, she can handle this. If she didn't think about it, it would go away. Surely.

But Luz was- no, Amity is better off if they just remain somewhat acquaintances, or friends, or something in between.

Amity wiped her hands off the ash. Hopefully of her crush as well.

Chapter Text

She couldn’t believe that it was actually happening.

Amity could still feel Luz’s hand in hers, not to mention the giddy nervousness in her stomach at the thought of it.

Who would have thought that holding somebody’s hand could be so panic-inducing? She kept thinking about what to do next, or if she was doing it right, or if her palm felt sweaty or not. Titan, it was terrifying in an oh so good way.

All she could think to do was stand there and giggle like all of this was a silly, silly joke.

But it was far from it. This was serious, after all, they are official girlfriends now, and they are already holding hands! Who could say that? A lot of people, come to think of it, forget that she said anything. That was stupid. Luz just had a thing about her that made Amity turn her brain off. Not in a bad way, mind you. She just never had to deal with something like this before. Also, this was her very first relationship! It was normal to feel this way.

Titan, she was in a relationship. She had a girlfriend.

What a day. 

To say the least, getting together with her crush was the last thing she thought she would be doing today. Along with a number of other, unmentionable things, that she didn’t want to think about at the moment.

She had a bounce to her step on her way home.

Home. Right. Amity had to make sure that nobody would find out about this. She wasn’t certain what would happen. Her mother would be against it, most likely. A small part of her wanted to think that she would be happy for her, but Amity had done away with those childish fantasies a long time ago. She knew that her mother wouldn’t settle for anything but the very best, both for her daughter and from her. And Luz the Human wasn’t going to cut it.

Her father, she wasn’t sure if he would even care. Which was disheartening, and the less she thought about it, the better. In a worst-case scenario, he would just defer to her mother, and Amity already knew what her opinion was going to be.

Maybe she could appeal to their sense of - she wasn’t sure, nostalgia, if nothing else. Amity briefly wondered if her parents ever felt like this - the anxiety, the constant fear of not humiliating herself in front of Luz, feeling that she was doing so without really trying. She tried to think about anything they might have said in the past, a story or an offhand comment, but she couldn’t come up with any.

The twins, well, that was tricky. A couple of months ago, if somebody were to ask Amity to let her older siblings know something this deeply personal, she would have hexed that person on the spot. And probably made some cutting remarks about minding their business next time. Now, however, the three of them were getting along pretty well. It was still shaky, Ed and Em are trying their best not to pick on her that much - old habits die hard - but it was a hundred times better than before.

They were trying, and Amity appreciated that.

As much as she wanted to give them a chance. But they weren’t as subtle as they wanted to believe. Sure, they managed to get away with things Amity didn’t even dare thinking, but that was only because they weren’t under Mother’s magnifier glass. And they found themselves on her bad side more often than not. Mostly Edric, but Emira wasn’t far either.

No, if she wanted to keep her relationship a secret, then she couldn’t risk them letting something slip. At least, for now. Maybe she will tell them in a couple of weeks, when it doesn’t feel so new and vulnerable.

With that, Amity’s mind was already back to the inevitable first date with Luz. Or was that too fast? Should they just hang out a bit, get to know each other a bit more before jumping right in? She didn’t know. She can figure it out later.

Right now, all that mattered was to get home as fast as possible, lock herself in her room, and immediately text Luz.

Chapter Text

Steve didn't know what to expect when he was told that he was going to become a big brother.

At first, he was excited, beyond excited even, to have a little baby brother or baby sister around. He was already planning the many adventures and mischiefs they could get into. Steve could teach him all he knew, and he could babysit and do so much. But then, as the months went on and the due date approached, the reality of the situation gradually set in.

Being a big brother was a big responsibility.

His mother told him this, often as well. His stepdad not so often, but he had his own two cents to add. Not because they thought that Steve was irresponsible, but because they worried that he was getting carried away. He guessed that they just wanted him to make sure that he was taking his new role very seriously.

Then the big day arrived.

Actually, it was a week earlier than expected.

All Steve knew was that his mother was in pain and his stepdad was packing things together. He quickly makes a couple of crowcalls, and soon they are out the door, rushing to the Healers. Then he stopped, panicking if he should get somebody to look after him, but Steve quickly convinced him that he was going to be alright all alone. He was a teenager after all.

His mother told him that everything is going to be fine.

They left. 

Steve can't sleep that night. Who could?

His parents were here one moment, then gone the next. The baby was coming early, and he knew that things could go wrong. Steve wasn't dumb, he heard people talking about these kinds of things around his parents - they had to be prepared for all the possibilities. Now he is being told not to worry, that the Healers are going to take care of everything.

But how can you not worry?

Steve spent the whole night staring at the ceiling.

The next morning, his stepdad came home to check up on him.

He looked tired, Steve guessed he had just as much sleep as he did. But he turned to him with a relieved smile.

Steve wanted to ask how it went, or what's going to happen next, but his stepdad beat him to it. His mother was just fine, and he had a healthy baby brother, and they can't wait for him to meet him but they have to stay in the clinic for a bit longer.

His stepdad hugged him then, and after making sure everything was fine, he left again.

This was probably the first hug he ever got from his stepdad.

It's two days later when Steve got to meet his baby brother.

Only now did he realise that Steve had never seen a baby before. Sure, he had seen them in pictures and children's books, and in the city, but never this up close.

He looked tiny. Absolutely tiny.

They said he looked so much like their mom. She said this with pride, his stepdad nodded along with an odd adoration that Steve didn't know where to place. Frankly, he didn't see it. In his opinion, he looked like a baby, with very baby-like features.

Then he was asked if he wanted to hold him. Steve startled; he didn't even know that was an option. But the adults maneuvered the baby into his arms and taught him how to hold him properly, and there he was. He was holding him.

Matt, his little brother.

It felt surreal.

And it was probably one of the most awesome moments in Steve's life so far.

Chapter Text

He expected the first days, even the first weeks, to be hard. 

The initial excitement of staying at that castle was worn away by the never-ending chores the captains and senior scouts shoveled onto the fresh recruits. The first day after the swearing-in ceremony, they could rest and settle into their shoebox-sized rooms, generously provided to them. But the following day, they were expected to wake up early and line up for orientation. Since then, it has been work, work, work, and some more work as a treat.

Steve thought he was going to fall asleep leaning against the broom he was handed.

He swore that he swept the whole castle - it was only the east wing corridors, downstairs. But it sure felt more than that. If they told him to sweep another wing, he was going to collapse right then and there.

Man, he was so tired, he swore he started to sway with the broom.

"What are you doing here, Scout?"

The harsh voice of the Captain woke him up from his stupor. He quickly glanced around but it was only him and the totally pissed off Captain.

Oh boy. Steve didn't know what he had done to earn the ire of his superior. He was just doing his job.

"Uhm, I'm sorry, sir?" he said meekly. "I was just sweeping the halls as I was told."

The Captain sighed. "Do you know what time it is?"

"...No?" he pulled in his neck. Steve could particularly feel the irritation radiating off of the Captain.

"It's dinner time, Scout," he said. "Everybody is in the mess hall. Except for this one Scout, I found daydreaming instead of sticking to the schedule."

"I'm so sorry, sir!" he bowed, clutching the broom closer to his chest. "I didn't mean to lose track of time, promise!"

"I swear, you green horns are always causing trouble," he scoffed and turned up their face so that he was glaring down at Steve from an even tinier hole in his mask.

"I didn't mean to-"

"Save your breath," the Captain snapped. "Now get to the mess hall and eat before there is nothing left. You can finish your task after."

Steve looked around before leaning the broom against the wall. "Of course, sir. Thank you, sir."

"And consider yourself lucky," he continued. "I could have easily left you to starve."

"Thank you, sir, again, very sorry, sir, it won't happen again, sir," he rattled off the apologies, hoping that it wouldn't land him in trouble.

"Get going already," the Captain finally waved him off. "Dismissed," he added as a formality.

He saluted, bowed again just to be on the safe side, and hurried off.

Steve could tell that he was annoying the Captain. The superiors never seemed to be in a good mood, which was understandable, he reasoned. They have an important job to do; they couldn't waste time shepherding newbie scouts around. He was glad that the Captain took time out of his busy schedule to warn Steve when he came across him. He could have easily passed him by without a word and let him learn from his own mistakes. He had been in the castle for a short time now, but he had already learned that not many people would be so generous.

Thankfully, he didn't get lost on his way to the mess hall.

Nobody gave him more grief. The meager choices of today's menu were enough punishment in his opinion.

So was having to return to sweeping after eating a stale-tasting dinner.

Chapter Text

The next day's orientation landed Steve on more sweeping duty. Again.

He wanted to throw his head back and groan.

He didn't come here to sweep the floors. He wanted to go out on missions and help the citizens of the Boiling Isles. But he knew that they wouldn't let a scout, fresh out of training, out on an important mission. He got it, he understood; but that doesn't mean he doesn't desperately want to do what he signed up for.

"Steve, a word," the Captain, seemingly in charge of the newbies, called him over.

He suppressed a sigh. Steve already had a full day of the worst duty he had - so far, he reminded himself, it can always get worse, as some older scouts kept saying - and now the Captain was calling him out. And he couldn't imagine that the sour witch had anything nice to say.

"I was told that you took too long to finish your task yesterday."

Steve pulled a face, thankfully it didn't show with the mask. There could have been a number of ways that the Captain found out about it. 

He gave a side glance to some scouts who hurried out of sight.

That was another thing he needed to get used to. Some of these people were more than eager to get others into trouble.

"Yes, sir," Steve said, because lying would only make things worse.

"Listen, I know this is not what you want to do, I understand," the Captain said. "I was a rookie once, but if you don't take it seriously, I can't assign you to more responsibility. I mean, how do you expect me to assign somebody to guard duty who can't even sweep the floor?"

"It won't happen again, sir." Steve pulled himself taller. "I will strive to do my best, sir."

"You better," he huffed. "I don't want to hear another complaint about you. Especially not from your superiors."

Complaint? Superior? Did the Captain from yesterday complain about him? He thought he was looking out for Steve.

Maybe he shouldn't be surprised. The Captain from yesterday, although he wasn't Steve's boss, was still his superior. Somebody who had to be treated with just as much respect as the Captain he was assigned under. And if he found that Steve was doing subpar work, he had the right to make remarks about it. After all, how did Steve expect to be given more responsibilities if he couldn't finish a simple task on time?

It shouldn't have felt so... disappointing.

"You are dismissed, Scout. Unless you have questions."

"Actually, I have, sir." He thought he might as well ask, because he didn't know when he would have another chance.

The Captain seemed annoyed but still gestured for Steve to continue.

"I was wondering when we will be assigned to missions, sir?"

Now, granted, he didn't mean to sound as sarcastic as he came off as. But surely, the Captain would understand how he is feeling, right? After all, he just said that he remembers what it was like to be a rookie, surely he has some sympathy for him.

"Missions?" the Captain scoffed, and for a minute Steve thought that might have misjudged him. "You will be assigned to whatever 'mission' we think you are suitable for."

Steve took a step back at that tone, he really didn't expect him to get this mad this fast.

"And for you-" the Captain jabbed a finger at him.

"Sir-"

"You will go on a mission when you can finish your simple tasks on time. Am I understood?"

"Yes, sir."

"And I never want to hear that tone out of you ever again, or you are going to retire with a broom in your hands." He was close to snarling at him. Steve wanted to back away, but he couldn't. "I won't be sticking my neck out for you in front of the other Captains, learn your place, Scout."

Steve could only reply with 'yes, sir' before quickly hurrying off. If the others heard the Captain's outburst, they didn't mention it.

He knows that he was new, but the Captain shouldn't have yelled at him like that. Right? Or maybe he was speaking out of line and he offended his superior. These Coven Hierarchies were confusing. Right, he had to learn his place and earn the Captain's respect.

Then maybe he could get out of the castle and help people.

Yes, of course, he has to prove himself. They need to know that he is somebody reliable to do his job, - quickly, efficiently, diligently - training all but drilled that into them.

But that means that for now he was stuck with sweeping the floors.

It could be worse, he could be on dishwashing duty.

Chapter Text

Maybe it was motherhood that made her into a softer creature.

Or maybe it was in her all along, deep within, patiently waiting for an excuse to let itself be known.

She can't say she hated it. In fact, she loved it with every fiber of her being.

These thoughts ran through her mind as the Bat Queen watched over her sleeping babies. The batlings were all snuggled up together in their nest, all tucked in and in a deep slumber. Along the way, some of the palismen also snuck their way in with them, unwilling to miss out on a good cuddle opportunity. That was all fine by the Bat Queen. In her forest, under the protection of her cave, all palismen were welcome. They had nothing to fear.

Nothing but the world outside.

She turned to the entrance of the cave.

It was nighttime, and she didn't have to worry about being stumbled upon by some hapless soul who got themselves lost in the woods. Most witches and demons were tucked into their beds by this time.

But those who ventured out, she had every reason to be concerned about them.

Demon Hunters, the Emperor Coven's scouts, or simply the opportunistic mongrels looking for the next easy source of snails, lurked out there. And all of them could stumble upon them at any moment.

There were times when the Bat Queen didn't even dare to blink in fear of an intruder.

Now with her babies under her wings, she had more to lose than ever before.

Then how is it that she felt lighter than before?

A newfound soft, fuzzy feeling nestled its way into her heart, carving three little bat-shaped holes for itself. Sometimes, it sank its talons into her, making her fear in a bone-deep way she had never experienced before. That happened one quiet night, more often than not, when someone with nefarious intent met the business end of her magic. But often, more than often, it made her look towards the next day. To watch her babies grow, leave the nest, and explore the world.

What kind of world that would be was yet to be seen.

But despite the past, she was hopeful. Such a foolish little feeling, she hadn't felt in a long, long time.

Tonight, her sanctuary was a few palismen emptier. This time, not because of a sweeping tragedy - a failure on her account. Instead, her missing charges were in new hands. Young witches and demons adopted them, giving them a second chance at companionship.

The Bat Queen didn't believe it could be done. Or she didn't believe it for a long time. Those people have betrayed them once - did it to so many of her kind - so why should she? But now, her faith, that had been thoroughly destroyed so long ago that she could only remember the bitter feeling it left her with, was slowly built back up.

And now, despite what she knew, she dared to hope.

Tonight, the Bat Queen would stay vigilant. And she would do so for many nights and days to come. But somewhere along the line, some distant day, she can lay her burden down.

Chapter Text

Just when she began to have her hopes up, the world decided to end.

At first, they didn't notice what was happening. The eclipse darkening the sky was almost unnoticeable in the dark forest they called home. Then, a sudden surge of magic, like lightning from above, swept through the land. All the palismen could feel it; the very air was charged with magic, and it felt vicious. Dangerous. Like a predator stalking through the underbrush, like a creature baring its teeth at the prospect of cruelty.

Magic that was meant to kill.

The Bat Queen didn't know what to do. She had never felt anything like this before, but she knew that she had to protect her children and her charges.

She ushered them into the cave, hoping beyond hope that the darkness would provide cover. She urged the palismen not to come out under any circumstances, and pressed kisses on the top of her babies' heads. Then she ventured out.

She planned on finding the source, but she only dared to venture to the end of her woods. Beyond, the Bat Queen could bearly see the houses of Bonesborough.

There was no respite from this evil magic. It spread through the world, and she feared what she would find if she dared to go closer to the town. Bonesborough was only quiet, and if she hadn't heard before that the witches and demons traveled to the Head for their Day of Unity, she would have thought that all of them were dead.

Only later would she find out how close to the truth that thought was.

The Bat Queen looked up at the sky and saw the moon encircled by a brilliant halo.

It was an eclipse. One that hadn't been seen in recent history.

Could this be the source of the horrible, vile magic all around them?

Then, as if all of this was a horrible cosmic misunderstanding, the moon moved, as if it were pushed by a force greater than itself.

And just like that, it was over. The magic was gone, the air felt stale, and the Bat Queen almost thought that she was imagining it all. She knew better. Something evil happened on the Boiling Isles, and then it vanished without a trace.

She didn't linger.

The Bat Queen returned to the cave. Her children were already happily playing around with some bones, and some of the younger palismen cuddled up to nap. Their previous fears were gone as if they had been caused only by a bad dream. It was only she and the elderly palsmen who tried to mask their anxiety.

Something wasn't right, and the Bat Queen was certain that this wasn't the end of it.

The Bat Queen did the only thing she knew to do. The thing that kept them safe for all these years - she hardened her heart again.

Nobody was to leave the cave. Not until they know it is safe out there.

Chapter Text

Replanting the palistrom forest wasn't a small task. It wasn't something she would have embarked on her own. Not while she had her children and the palismen to look after. Thankfully, the Bat Queen had many diligent hands and good hearts willing to take on the brunt of it.

The elder Clawthrones were old friends. Even when the Bat Queen closed herself off from most of the Boiling Isles, Dell Clawthorne was too stubborn of a witch to be sent away. Oh, she tried to chase him off, but he always lingered at the edge of the forest. No matter how she threatened him, he remained. 

She could have easily killed the witch for daring to be so insolent in the face of the Bat Queen. She would have contemplated it more than a thought if it wasn't for his fierce wife. There was no doubt in her mind that Gwendolyn would have found a way to avenge her husband if anything were to happen to him. That the Bat Queen could respect.

Now that she was a mother as well, she found herself respecting Gwendolyn Clawthorne more. Her dedication to her youngest was admirable, no matter how many mistakes she made along the way - and those were not her's to comment on.

They brought along a boy, Hunter, Dell's apprentice.

There was something odd about him in a familiar yet oh so foreign way.

It was in the magic on him, in him, around him. Like an old song you have forgotten, hummed in the back of a memory. An ancient magic poured into shape.

It was in the eyes. They reminded her of someone she used to know, a little palisman that left her forest not that long ago.

Recollection slowly answered her confusion.

She knew what sort of creature he was, and what was behind those now soft brown eyes of his.

They talked, of course they did. And she made sure she held no ill will against him. That died with the old world, with the tyrant that was hellbent on tearing them apart. She would much rather look to the future, shed off the pain, and grow anew.

Her children went from babies to toddlers to proper little rascals in what felt like the blink of an eye. A forest grew around them. They watched as new palismenn were called to life by the wishes of bright-eyed children. 

There are creatures here who don't remember the world before.

And those who did sat in the shade and watched on, quietly promising to keep it so.

The Bat Queen sat with them, with the old Clawthornes. And she looked to the future, where she too could forget.

Chapter Text

Vee woke up in a cold sweat.

For a moment, she was there - back in the cage, behind the bars, and under the apathetic gaze of hollow-eyed masks. She felt weightless, floating, as if the bottom of the flooring had fallen out and she was left there, suspended by who knows what as the sharp light was shined into her eyes.

She wanted to back away, tried to, but her body moved sluggishly as if she weren't truly in control. 

Confusion came first, then her heart leapt in fear, and it was enough to jolt her out of the dream.

She blinked her eyes open and immediately clutched the blanket as if it were her lifeline.

Her eyes scanned across to the darkness, and with relief, she saw that she was in her room. Not back there, not in a cage, not even in the Demon Realm - her room.

Vee's heart was still beating away in her chest as if she had just run a marathon. But it was calming down.

She breathed, and the dark room didn't change around her.

She knocked so quietly on the door that it was a miracle if Camila heard her at all.

But it was fine, she could slither back and hide under the covers and pretend that she didn't need her mom.

Camila called her in. Somehow, Vee became more anxious than when she woke up.

"Is everything alright, mija?" Camila whispers, as if they weren't the only ones in the whole house. Vee nodded, then shook her head, then, remembering that humans have no night vision, she said the quietest no she ever uttered. 

Camila beckoned her over, and she almost ran.

"Bad dream?" she asked, and she sounded so tired. Vee felt guilty, how couldn't she? Waking her up in the middle of the night for something as stupid and childish as a nightmare.

Despite that, she slipped under the cover when Camila made space and offered.

"Yeah," she whispered.

Right now, the room felt different than hers. The silence pressed against the walls, wrapped around both of them as the mattress threatened to swallow her up. She let it and slid down further into Camila's light embrace.

"Do you want to talk about it?" her mom asked, and ran her fingers through her hair.

"No," she said, the silence vibrating for a minute. "Can I sleep here? Just tonight."

Doubt, a treacherous little feeling, rose to whisper in her ear.

But of course, the answer was a quiet and warm yes.

Her dream felt like a warm blanket.

It was one of those dreams that you don't really remember, just bits and pieces here and there that are quickly forgotten. But she couldn't find it in herself to care.

She sank deeper, letting it surround her.

Chapter Text

Kikimora was used to being overlooked.

She was a small demon, surrounded by big, bad witches and demons, and for most of them, she only reached up to their elbows - if she was lucky. Some trainees actually laughed out loud when they saw her signing up, then they tried to fight their snickers as she stood in line with them for orientation and training. The Captain took a look at her and then wrote her off with that very same glance.

She wouldn't last. She was told over and over again.

Small demons can't keep up. They are only underfoot.

It's best if they don't even sign up and save everybody the paperwork - and the embarrassment for themselves.

If she wants to be in the Emperor's Coven so bad, she should instead cut her losses and go sign up to be a paper pusher. They can always use a good secretary, she was told. And if she worked hard enough and proved her magic was strong, she could even try out for a Coven Head position. They might even consider her as well.

But Kikimora didn't budge.

Her mind was already made up.

She will show them, show all of them that she is capable, like any other witch or demon.

Until then, she has to grit her teeth, bear it, and keep her head down until she gets the opportunity to prove her worth. And Titan damn it, Kikimora knew what she was capable of. And if she has to brute force her way through the training, the jeers, and worst of all, being singled out. The Captains were hellbent on making her drop out, and they aren't shying away from making her life miserable. Something her peers were quick to pick up on and were more than happy to participate.

But she won't back down.

No, she had left her home for this.

Kikimora's eyes were firmly set on the grand prize. She will become a scout, climb the ranks, and one day, she will be named the Golden Guard, the hand of the Emperor, second in command in all of the Isles.

She worked twice as hard and outperformed most of them. Her magic was strong and sturdy, unfaltering, and she wielded it with more vigor than any of them.

The days passed, and the pint-sized scout was still in the training program.

Weeks passed, and Kikimora was top of the class.

Months passed, and the Captain looked at her with pride.

There were still insults and jabs sent her way, but this time they were laced with a heavy dose of jealousy. And oh, how good that felt. Kikimora doesn't have to grit her teeth any longer; she had long since proven herself to her superiors, and to her peers twice over - and she knew that she would have to do it over and over again because jealousy is a bitter weed that choked every garden. And she will be more than happy to stomp out all of them.

And when she earned her rank, when she was where she deserved to be, she would make them regret ever crossing her.

Until then, she can play at being humble. Hold her head high and pretend that the jabs and underhanded comments don't make her want to unleash a horrible hex upon them. But her temper simmers under the surface, quietly boiling under the weight of her ambitions. Fueling it. Flaming it. Driving her onward.

Soon, it will be her time. Very soon.

Chapter Text

Maybe a longer face? Or a rounder one? Just a bit chubby? Or maybe lean and angular?

Would a straight nose suit this better? 

Should she have freckles? Would that be cute?

How about a more feminine look? More boyish, maybe? Perhaps androgynous is the way to go. Maybe.

And what should her hair look like? Short or long? Or maybe middle length, around the shoulder? Should it be blond or brown? Black? Oh, how about dyed? She could pull off the look. But what color? Blue? Green? Or should she be daring and try to go with red? Or dare she say hot pink?

No, it’s just not her.

Vee put her hands on her cheeks and sighed as she dropped her half-formed disguise. She was staring at the mirror in their currently shared room.

She was trying to come up with an original new face. Now that Luz was home, Vee couldn’t go around impersonating her all the time. So it was obvious that she should make up something that would fit her.

But why did this have to be so hard?

She had no problem coming up with ideas. Thank goodness for that. Vee could come up with faces and change them on a whim. In that regard, she was rather creative, something that she started to feel some pride in. She never got to shape-shift this much before. If it wasn’t for an experiment, then - but she didn’t want to think about what was before. No, all that mattered was that now she could spend all day looking at pictures of people on her phone and try mimicking their features to her heart’s content. It was a lot of fun, actually. Even if at the moment, she was frustrated with the whole thing.

She must have gone through a hundred different faces by now.

So what was the problem? She was creative enough and skillful in her shapeshifting. This should be a piece of cake.

Vee continued to stare into the mirror.

None of these faces was hers.

She thought that when she happened to find the right combination of cheeks, and nose, and mouth, hair, and whatever else came to mind, she would have this lightbulb moment where she realized that this was it. This is her! Heurica! It’s time to throw a party!

So far, she had no such luck.

The perfect form continued to evade her. Not for the lack of trying, either. But the more she experimented, the more she was left feeling a stranger in her own skin.

Vee thought about asking for second opinions from her family and friends, but she quickly discarded the idea. She wanted it to be a surprise.

But what if she would never find the ‘one true form’? What if there wasn’t such a thing?

Staying in her Basilisk form was out of the question if she wanted to stay in the Human Realm permanently. She couldn’t just hide out in the house forever; she had to come up with something.

But what if she couldn’t? What if she were a too inhuman type of creature to ever be comfortable in a human skin?

That was a dumb thought. After all, she was comfortable enough as Luz - well, the fresh back from camp, ‘new and improved’ Luz. And if she didn’t find anything, then she can come up with something that she sort of liked and can drop it the moment she walks in the door. No big deal.

However, she wanted a new face. A new identity, a fresh start. And she was a shapeshifter; most people couldn’t change how they looked on the snap of a magical finger. So why shouldn’t she use the gift she had?

She deserved this much, didn’t she?

Vee sighed. She was overthinking this.

Maybe she should take a break. Sleep on it, even, and come back to it with a rested mind. Yeah, that sounded good. She had the whole summer to come up with something anyway.

With her mind made up, Vee left their room and went to see what the others were up to. She could use some distraction.

Chapter Text

There was something up with Luz Noceda.

Now, that was the understatement of the century. There probably wasn’t a time when something was not wrong with Luz Noceda. A week couldn’t pass without the school’s weirdo coming up with something, or screwing up somehow, for the rest of them to talk about. It was actually pretty entertaining.

When she went off to the summer camp thing, where they were supposed to make her normal - don’t ask how they knew, these sorts of rumours go around - they were almost sad.

They half expected it to do nothing. Sometimes the weirdness is just too ingrained for it to go away. But then she came back, after about two weeks or something like that; they weren’t paying that much attention, to be honest, and she looked like a whole new person. It was a huge shocker when they saw her on the street.

She was so normal now.

No awkward joking around, no creepy arts and crafts projects, not even that cringy book she used to have with her all the time. She even seemed to have friends now? When the heck did that happen?

It was unsettling in a way. Not to mention disappointing. Who are they going to talk about now?

They had already resigned themselves to having to find new entertainment when school started. Then Noceda came in, rocking a new style, completely different then what she wore that summer, and being all sullen and depressed looking all the time. What the heck? Seriously?

Maybe this was the new attention-seeking strategy. Teenage angst. Yeah, that made sense. They can respect it.

At least she wasn’t loud and annoying all the time. That they can do without, thank you very much. Even if school is going to be so boring from now on.

That was a bummer, but they had a feeling that something would happen soon enough. There was always something going on with Luz Noceda, after all.

Chapter Text

The moon slowly crawled its way in front of the sun. What a beautiful phenomenon. Once in a lifetime celestial event. They want to look at it, stare until the moment arrives, but the harsh rays of the sun deter their weak eyes. Still, they hazarded stealing glances between their fingers.

The crowd moved, and they moved along with it. They are one with it.

In a couple of minutes, the eclipse will reach its zenith.

They weren’t devout all their life. More so in the last couple of years, with the death of their mother, which left them so alone in the harsh, cut-throat city of Latissa. They found comfort in it when everything became too much. And now they are here, with the entirety of the Boiling Isles. Joined in celebration, bumping shoulders and staring at the sky in wonder.

They could already feel it. Joy and excitement swelled in their chest.

It was almost time. Almost.

The air was almost electric around them.

Then the pain started.

It appeared suddenly, a dull sensation pressing against their wrist. They grabbed at it, confused, only to see their sigil lit up and veins spreading out, up and up on their arm.

What was this? Why?

It didn’t take long for it to become worse. The veins spread, along with them, the pain grew from something unpleasant to the most unbearable thing they had ever had to endure.

They couldn’t stand it. They cradled their arm against their chest and doubled over, letting the scream rip out of their throat freely. Others around them did the same, as if all they needed was for somebody to give in for the misery to wash over the crowd.

The shadow the eclipse cast covered everything. It only made the veins shine brighter.

They didn’t care if they appeared weak; they could feel themselves sob.

Why was this happening to them?

Did they do something wrong? Some unforeseen sin that all of them were deemed guilty of? Was this the Titan's punishment? Or something worse.

They couldn’t see past the tears.

It was too much.

They fell to their knees. The darkness took them sooner than they could hit the ground.

Chapter Text

"So these two are… uhm, in a relationship, or something?"

"Oh no, they hate each other."

"But… they are kissing? It's written right there. Did I miss something?"

"Yes, but you see, they have a complicated and multy-fic spanning history between them that makes their relationship complicated at best and an absolute mess at worst."

"You are right about this being an absolute mess."

"Hey! You were the one who wanted to know why I am in here!"

He sighed. "That was my mistake."

His colleagues warned him to stay away from the new inmate. He was just relieving them from the night shift when they turned to him and told him, in no uncertain terms, to 'stay away from her.' 'Why?' he asked, innocently ignorant of what the upcoming five hours had in store for him. 'Seriously, just ignore her,' that was all they said before they shuffled off. First, he only shrugged and didn't pay any mind to their warning. Night shift must have gotten to them. The conformatorium can be pretty creepy in the dark.

Then this pretty regular-looking girl turned to him, grinned, and asked what was up.

How was he supposed to know that starting an innocent conversation with her would lead to this?

"I think I know why you are in here."

She scoffed. "Everyone is a critic." Then her mood brightened again. "I have known that I am a prolific author," she said, tapping her book's cover. "I have been working on this baby for two years now."

"And have you really written all of that?"

"I am halfway through. But I have notes!" she said enthusiastically. "I can read it to you. Hey, maybe you can give me your opinion?"

His shoulders dropped.

"Don’t make that face," she said. Probably ironically, because there was no way that she could see his face through he mask. "Chin up, you can become an amazing beta reader with the right attitude."

"I never agreed to that!"

"What else are you going to do? Stand around all day? Lurk menacingly in the shadows? That’s old news, do something with your time, man." She gave him a toothy grin. "You could even write your own fanfiction!"

He groaned. "Just walk away, George, just walk away." He did just that. Defeated, feeling as if the will to live had been sucked out of him, Jorge shuffled away into another corner of the Conformatorium.

"Hey! You asked!" The inmate shouted after him with some indignation.

And he had never regretted anything more in his life.