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Hunter grabbed for the jacket, holding it as tight as he could. He could feel the thick fabric rubbing against his gloves. All that was going through his head was the thought of dying. His eyes widen in horror as Luz lost her grip on the jacket, he took a gasp of air and shut his eyes. All he could feel around him was dirt it felt soft, not rough against his skin. He could feel a falling sensation still like he was getting more pulled under the ground, then his boots were freely dangling. Until he was dangling free above the floor the jacket the only thing holding him from falling. He let out a huge breath of relief, Hunter watched pieces of paper fall from the stuck jacket.
“Glyphs” He breathed out before reaching for one. It looked a lot like the one Luz had used before they hit the ground. He sucked in a breath before hitting the ceiling of soil, the jacket came free and he was falling. He slapped his other hand with the glyph and hovered midair before lightly hitting the ground. His eyes scanned around, there were more memories everywhere. His mind looked like a waste land. From all that Hunter read, he’d never heard of a mindscape looking so burned and dead. What had caused this? He couldn’t see his Uncle or the human. He silently cursed to himself before grabbing more of the papers off the ground and sprinting. Where could she possibly be?
There was a fog covering the ground, his eyes tracking everywhere looking for them both. He didn’t know what Belos would do to her, but he couldn’t imagine it was anything good, he hoped to make it in time. He was panting, straining to hear anything in the dead forest. He read a small noise far off. A voice, one he recognized. Of course why wouldn’t he have recognized his own Uncles voice. Inhaling he started sprinting towards the voices, his eyes widened at the scene in front of him. Belos stood with a weapon created of his arm, aiming directly at the human girl. The golden guard would have been happy to get rid of her, and the Hunter that came into the mind scape would be able to justify her death. But not anymore.
“Luz!” He yelled before using one of the glyphs he recognized. Ice and plant. Hunter gasped at the huge wall that was created, it was mostly plant, but it was incredible. He barely got a moment of awe, before Luz called for him. Gripping the jacket he jumped down before running behind her, she was heading straight for the bunny thing. He hurried behind. And they both kneeled on the floor. The damp dirt digging into his pants, he would need to clean them later.
“Eda now!” Luz screamed into the bunny, Hunter had to shut his eyes Fromm the blinding light.
He opened his eyes and was sitting on the floor, he felt something tug at his hair and glanced over to see Flapjack. But it as like he couldn’t hear, the sound numb to his ears, he hardly noticed his breathing rapidly increasing. The owl lady held her hand out to him but, he was barley able to register anything. All he could think about was that he was kicked out. He couldn’t go home. Where would he go? Would Belos but out a wanted poster? Would he be on the run forever.
He finally blinked realizing he had run to the beach nearby. His breathing hadn’t calmed down he couldn’t tell if it was because of him or if he was panting. Luz was standing nearby looking like she was approaching him like a dog that would run off. He was kind of like that, ran away with no good reason. Would the Owl Lady punish him for it?
“Hunter?” She said his name gently and his gazed snapped to her. “Can you tell me 5. Things around you?” He quickly glanced around before answering, his voice wavered. “Sand.”She nods at him smiling a bit.
“Uh… water?” He didn’t mean for it to come out as a question, but she agrees anyways. “Your doing great only 3 more.” He gulped then looked around. “Trees, clouds, uh do stars count?” He asked glancing back to her, she put her arms down before sighing. “Yeah that’s better. Do. You feel ok now?”
Hunter nods. Luz sits down before gesturing for him to join her. “Do you know what that was?” He stared out at the soft waves before answering. “No”
“It was panic attack, they aren’t uncommon in the human realm, i used to have a friend who would have them. It’s when your body creates too much adrenaline without a reason to use it on something. Sorry improbably rambling.” She looked to him with tears in her eyes. “I’m scared” Her voice broke slightly.
“I just don’t know whats going to happen with the day of unity, I thought you died! Belos tricked me twice because I’m so freaking gullible I don’t know how to get home I don’t even know if Ill be able to! I miss my Mom so much I just wish-“ She was cut off with Hunter giving her a hug. She sobbed into the golden guard uniform, she reminded herself lightly that she would make sure to burn the thing later.
“I know it doesn’t mean much but, I always wanted to visit the human realm. And I would love if you showed me around.” He whispered, she smiled though her tears. “You may have been pretty awful, but you really know how to be good friend you know that?” They separated, Luz whipped her tears.
“But first I wanna hear you apologize to my girlfriend” He smiled a bit even if it was strained. “yeah don’t worry, I regret a lot from being the Golden Guard.”
It took a couple of days to clean out an old room that was filled with human trash, but they’d managed it. And Luz had insisted she would help him decorate, he didn’t see much of a point, but followed her around looking through the human junk.
“Ooo you know what this is?” She held out a little piece of plastic, with a small picture of a short boy on it. Hunter tried to remember her mentioning something like it before but ultimately pulled up a blank. “Should I…?” “Nope!” She said cheery. “It’s a switch game! Legend of Zelda, I wish I had my switch again. I saved up all summer last summer to buy it. I helped my Abuela and Abuelo do chores around the house, I even mowed my neighbors lawn. But it was all worth it for the animal crossing switch.” He stared at her blankly, from the small, mind you small, amount of Spanish he knew that was her grandparents. “What’s mowing a law? Is that another odd human phrase?” She chuckled before putting it aside and continuing through the trash. “When we get to the human realm I’m totally showing you and King my switch. I’m going to destroy you at Mario Kart.”
Hunter looked at her confused even if she didn’t noticed and went to ruffling the trash again. “Yes!” She pumped her fist in the air holding something, he glanced over to try and see what it was. She held up two necklaces, both with a cracked heart at the end. “Amity will love this” She smiled brightly, but Hunter face dropped into horror. “You didn’t tell me. You were breaking up with her!” He was horrified. Luz’s eyes widen and her face looked shocked. “I’m not breaking up with her?”
“But the necklace is a broken heart!” Hunter grabbed one and pointed at the cracked edge along with heart. She looked at him and bursted out laughing not realizing the dilemma Hunter was in. Was it not a big deal in the Human realm to break up with someone? “Look” She held out her half of the heart and they both connected completing the heart. He gaped in shock. “It’s supposed to mean that both halves of your heart makes a fun one, they also have friendship ones-“ Before she got the chance to finish he cut her off. “Can I have one? With you I mean because were friends.” Luz nodded.
“Trust me were all going to get friendship bracelets once I get my embroidery floss back. I used to be the best at making friendship bracelets, i just didn’t have any friends to share them with.” She glanced down to the random human junk. King hopped over grabbing onto her arm. “Good news your never getting rid of me! It takes a lot more than a dumb portal to do that.” The demon insisted. Luz grabbed him and gave him a big hug.
Luz snapped her fingers. “Oh yeah! Willow suggested we all go and do. A picnic tomorrow you up to really meet everyone?” She smiled at him. He inhaled and nodded. “Yeah I think I am.”