Chapter Text
“A LLAMA!? SHE’S SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD!”
Hunter automatically flinches back at the Emperor’s shout, but makes no attempt to move as his uncle stomps closer. “I…. actually she’s not a llama, sir. The elixir turned her into a child. A, a human child that is, not a llama child. I think those are called Cria’s—“
The adult raises a hand and Hunter quickly stops his rambling, waiting for the blow. But instead, Belos runs the hand down his face, exasperation and ultimate frustration clearly written on his face.
And disappointment. Because Hunter failed him. Again.
“What. Happened?” The Emperor seethes. “I gave you a mission, a very easy mission, mind you: go into Hexside as a student, figure out Luz’s schedule, wait for those dummies to have a ‘fun class’ and create an oral potion, then switch out whatever it is with poison. HOW was that so hard!?”
The Golden Guard opens his mouth to speak, but Belos isn’t done yet. He has one more nail to seal the coffin.
“Maybe this was too much responsibility for you, dear nephew. Perhaps Kikimora is right and she should lead the next assignment, and you can…. I don’t know, play with your stuffed frog or something. Leave all this,” he sweeps his arms astray in a grand gesture, pride and joy evident in his evil lair, “well, leaving it for the adults, I suppose.”
“NO! I can do better– I will do better, I promise!” Hunter pleads, casting a look to the makeshift door to the Human Realm. He needs to be part of this project, to experience the green trees and dark nights his uncle talks about.
He wants to see rain that doesn’t boil and scar you if you get caught in a storm without a cloak. For some reason, he thinks Rascal will enjoy that kind of rain.
“So then, what happened?” The Emperor snaps, “Why is Luz the human now Luz the child and not dead?”
Hunter sighs, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. “Maybe we should sit down. It’s kind of a story….”
~~~~~
“LUZ IS INNOCENT AND THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IS A SHAM ANYWAY!” Eda declares with gusto as she bursts into Bump’s office. “Where is she anyway? Titan knows you chewed me out in front of my mom and I want the same treatment for her. Even though she’s in the right!”
Principal Bump just sighs loudly, tapping his fingers together. “Please have a seat, Ms. Clawthorne. We have some news to discuss.”
Eda rolls her eyes and plops down into a plastic chair, taking in her surroundings. Being a professional scammer, she’s learned to read people’s body language and emotions pretty well, even when they try to hide it.
And right now something was off. Bump was definitely nervous about something, but she couldn’t place her finger on what. Whatever Luz did couldn’t have been that bad, otherwise he would’ve just suspended the student without contacting her. Unless he called her in to talk about expelling Luz. Again.
“Ms. Clawthorne,”
“Eda.” The Owl Lady interrupts. “Ms. Clawthorne is my mother, and we both know I ain’t nothing like her.”
“Anyway,” Bump continues, causing Eda to scowl, “there was an incident today regarding your mentee. Luz had an, uh, accident, so to say in potions class today. She’s currently with the school’s Healer, but I wanted to speak with you before you see her.”
Eda felt all the blood rush out of her body. “What happened to her?”
“I want to let you know that she’s perfectly fine, she’s even accompanied by her friends, but—“
“What. Happened. To. My. Kid.” Eda asks again through clenched teeth, standing up so quick she knocks over her dumb chair. “Why isn’t she here with us?! I need to see her right now!”
Bump raises his hands in a universal I surrender pose and presses the intercom button in his phone, “Janessa, please send in Luz and her posse. Her guardian is here to take her home.”
A peaky voice chirps, “Right away, Mr. Bump!” and Eda decides she hates it.
“Back to what I was saying before, Luz is not injured at all, but just looks a little different.” Bump explains, quickly continuing when he sees the intense glare Eda’s giving him.
“They were making potions that taste like a three course meal—everyone’s favorite day—but I guess she added something different into her mixture or said the spell wrong because when she drank it, she turned into… well….”
“Into?!” Eda prompts angrily.
“Into a child.” He finishes. “We believe she’s around four or five years old based on her actions and mannerisms. She seems to have all of her memories still intact, though.”
Eda stares at him in radio silence, trying to comprehend what he just said.
“Bumpy, you better say Sike right now.”
He shakes his head as if he can’t believe this either.
“Luz is a—“
“EDDAAAAA!!!!!” A bubbly voice shouts, and crashes hard into the back of her legs. The witch shuffles to rebalance herself, shooting a dirty look at Hexside’s principal when he chuckles at her.
Willow, Gus, and Amity enter the office a beat after, out of breath and panting.
“Luz! You can’t run away from us, that was naughty and not nice!” Willow scolds, mouth planted in a firm line. “You scared us, especially Amity. If you wanted to be put down, you should’ve asked politely, not kick her into dropping you.”
Luz frowns, wrapping her arms tighter around Eda’s knees. “Sorry. I got excited that Eda was here.” The girl looks up at her mentor, smiling wide.
Eda was to admit, as much as she doesn’t like kids, Luz is pretty adorable. So she grins back, even though her brain is still trying to figure out what the actual fuck is going on right now.
“I accept your apology. So does Gus.” Willow smiles, the illusion major giving a winded thumbs up. “But I think you should apologize to Amity for kicking her.”
The abomination witch bends down for a hug, and Luz quickly throws herself into the now older girl’s arms. “I sorry for hurting you, Mimi.”
Amity giggles at her new nickname. “It’s okay, Luz. I know it was an accident. Or at least I hope.” She mumbles.
“We can be Boo-boo buddies!” Luz cheers, “All you need is a pretty band aid.”
Gus pouts. “I wanna be Boo-boo buddies too! Willow, punch me in the face right now.”
“With all due respect, Agustus, why in the everloving fuck would I do that?”
Amity gasps and clasps her hands over Luz’s ears, glaring dangerously at the two other teens. “Language!”
Willow raises an eyebrow that says, Why? Luz curses more than we do, and lives with Eda and Amity gestures to the fact that the human is now small and impressionable.
As if she wasn’t already.
The plant witch rolls her eyes. “Gimme her.”
Amity’s ears flatten down in protest. “No. Why?”
“So I can apologize for cursing, dumbass.”
“WILLOW!”
Eda watches the scene in front of her with a mixture of expressions. She can’t believe this little kid is Luz, and she doesn’t know anything about kids so how the hell is she supposed to take care of one?!
Obviously, she couldn’t even take care of Luz properly when she was a teen. She’s already put the human through more life-vs-death scenarios a normal fifteen year old should face.
Principal Bump takes note of the Owl Lady’s internal freak out, deep in thought. He never thought he’d see the day where Edalyn Clawthorne gets flustered and nervous, just like she made her teachers feel so long ago.
“Take the day off.” He offers, causing Eda to remember why she’s in this blasted school to begin with. He repeats himself, then adds, “You’re a good mentor, Eda. Get Luz some ice scream, then figure out how to adjust. You’ll make it work.”
The Owl Lady nods, smiles–a real one this time– then tunes back to the teens fighting over who gets to hold the baby.
“Luz is my girlfriend. Or, was, I guess.” Amity argues, flustered. They’re gonna have to talk about that because she is NOT saying her significant other is a five year old.
“And she’s our best friend!” Willow counterpoints, crossing her arms.
Ignoring them both, Gus makes a small illusion of The Good Witch Azura and Luz can’t help but squeal happily, hands flapping in a flurry of excitement as she goes on her hands and knees to examine the branch of smoke art.
Eda’s ears twitch in interest. Huh. That’s new.
Storing that thought for later, the older witch mounts onto Owlbert and nabs a disgruntled Luz from the floor, plopping the tiny human in front of her. She wraps a strong arm around the girls middle for good measure too.
“I guess I’ll see you later?” Luz says in confusion, and Eda snorts.
“I ain’t doing this alone kid, you’ll definitely be seeing them later. Buh-bye Bump and reckless teens.” And with that, they soar out the window.
Principal Bump just sighs, glad the window was at least open this time.
Gus coughs awkwardly, making his Azura illusion disappear with a flick of his wrist. “I guess we’ll go back to class now?”
“Yes, go on. I’ll write you all as excused until the next period. Go eat lunch or something.”
The teens wave goodbye, still bickering about who Luz likes better, and Bump starts gathering pamphlets and papers to show Eda the next time she’s here.
Front and center is a pamphlet for the Baby Class, with a cartoon demon child chewing on a red block in the middle, the words underneath reading: Catch a head start at Hexside! In fun yellow letters. Ages 3 - 6, apply now!
A bile sac-less human doing magic was remarkable, although he knew that she needed to work twice as hard to catch up to her witch and demon classmates. And she still didn’t have a glyph for everything yet.
Perhaps learning from the basics, the proper way, wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. Despite Edalyn’s view on school, she’d understand where he’s coming from…. right?