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The sound of the faint voices of the Emperor’s guards, the occasional explosion or Screeches of the other Basilisks only furthered Vee’s worries. She and the other Basilisks had just broken out of the horrible place that is the Emperor's prison, but they weren't safe just yet, the guards were still searching for them. Vee was currently hiding in the surrounding forest catching her breath from running from the Guards. Are the others okay? Where do we go now? What do I do? Her thoughts are interrupted by the voice of the guards getting closer. She quickly gets up and runs away as quietly as she can passing through bushes, branches, vines slashing against her body until she arrives on a clearing on the mountain side where she had a view of the island. It was beautiful. The warm cozy colors of the forest contrasting beautifully against the colder deeper blue of the skies, much different from the suffocating gray concrete walls of the prison she had been for titan knows how long. The view was simply stunning, but the sound of a contraption firing wakes her out of her haze but it's too late, as a sturdy net traps her, and she begins to be pulled back into the forest by the Emperor's guards.
“No, please! I can't go back! Somebody Help me!”
Her eyes jolt open as she wakes up and realizes it was all a nightmare, now sitting on her bed in the noceda house. She stays in bed for a few seconds to calm herself down before getting up to make herself breakfast. Leaving her room and making her way down the stairs into the quiet living room she began to remember what happened yesterday, the Halloween party, finding the portal and… fighting Belos, and Camila, Luz and her friends going after Belos and the Collector to stop them from destroying the Isles, leaving her alone. Even if all the noise from the 7 people in the house could get annoying at times, but the silence just feels wrong. She sighed, breaking the silence of the house while making a bowl of cereal for her to eat. I hope they are okay. Maybe I should have gone with them. she stops herself before she can ask any more questions. No. I have to stay here and take care of the house while Camila is out. She finishes her cereal and starts to clean the house first washing the dishes, sweeping the living room, cleaning the room, it was still a bit messy from their costume tailoring session. After it was all done she still had half a day left. At this point she would have loads of things to do, Gus and Hunter could talk for hours about a Book or Tv show they watched, Willow would teach Me and Hunter interesting and sometimes even kinda scary facts about plants of the human world, (like apparently in a few parts of the human realm there are trees that release poison and their fruits explode when ripe. That's crazy! I thought this type of stuff only happened in the demon realm) She would help Luz and Amity with finding any information that could lead them closer to finding the portal. Which is not necessary anymore since they did find the portal. But now that she thinks about it, Luz looked stressed almost all of the time. Being away from people she considered family without knowing how they are must’ve been hard for her. Maybe I should have been a better sister for her. Wait, am I her sister? I know that we both call Camila mom, but I am not her biological daughter. I’ll remember to ask them about that when they come back. Looking back at the clock shows that 5 minutes had passed of her sitting thinking about the things she would do if Luz and her friends were there with her. Vee decided that she would probably go crazy if she just sits there alone at home and decided to go outside for a walk. Opening the front door, with the sun brightly shining overhead she left the house and started making her way towards the town.
On the way towards the town, It was currently fall and the leaves of the tree were these pretty warm reds and oranges colors which reminded her of the trees from the boiling Isles. Sure she despised the time she spent in that horrible prison but the forests were kinda nice. The walk was uneventful and kinda boring if it weren't for the pleasant scenery. The trees surrounding the street with their leaves falling along the way, a few cars and people passed by, a few birds and squirrels here and there, she even saw white bunny on the way there. Which reminded her of the ones that got caught by one of Jacob’s traps that she and Camila would release. It ran away before she could get closer. After a couple of minutes she arrived in town. The town was quite busy today, people entering and leaving shops, a big line for a limited edition drink at a coffee shop, a thrift shop with a few interesting things, like an old looking comic about space pirates, a violin unfortunately missing a string, a figurine of a blue robot with wings holding a weapon and one of a person with a yellow coat and paper bag on its head. She didn't have the intention of buying anything, even if she wanted to she didn't have money on her. On the park there were some people working out, and that statue of two brothers. She had passed by town lots of time before luz came back and she didn't think much of it until she saw Hunter who looked kinda like one of the brothers. She once asked him about it but he said “it's just a coincidence and nothing more” which didn't feel right but she didn't want to press him about it. After seeing the park and walking around town, she found herself in front of the Gravesfield museum. She didn't want to come here before because of that incident, but now Jacob doesn't work there. There wasn't anything she wanted to see at the museum but rather someone. Because being honest with herself, she could use some company. Entering the museum she was greeted with the sight of her former friend behind a desk on their phone.
“Welcome to the Gravesfield museum. Feel free to look around just don't touch anything” they said on a monotonous tone without looking away from their phone
“uhmm, Hi..” Vee shyly said. They looked from their phone at Vee
“Oh, It's you! The girl with one face, the normal amount of faces” they replied playfully, putting down their phone.
“Hehehe, yep that’s me.” she replied scratching the back of her neck. Did I really say that?
“It's vee right?”
“Yes it's vee”
“I'm Masha. So, what brings you here?”
“Well, I didn't have much to do today and was walking around town and decided to pass by”
“Okay then.”
“So, uh, how is work going?”
“Slow. Not much interesting happens around here and today's not much different. the last interesting thing to happen was you guys coming with that rebus.” Suddenly their face shined with excitement “Speaking off, did you and your friends managed to solve it? What was the treasure?” They asked excitedly waiting for an answer
“Oh. uhm, there was nothing! Yep, there was nothing when we got there. What a bummer really” she answered nervously since she couldn't really say there was a portal to another realm
“Oh reaally. What a Shame, it looked really authentic too”
A few seconds of silence went by. Why was it so hard to talk to them. They're just a friend! Nothing more right?
“Were you busy yesterday?” They asked breaking Vee out of her thoughts
“Huh, oh yeah, I had to help my mom with some stuff.”
“I was wondering because I saw your friends in one the rides I was taking care of.”
“Were you dressed up as something, not for any reason of course! I am just.. curious.” Why I am being so weird! She thought to herself
“Nothing to crazy, just a classic witch outfit. I couldn't come up with something cooler, and it's not like me or my friends are very good at sewing. Maybe if I did know how to sew I would dress as some lovecraftian being.” They chuckled about the idea but vee didn't know what they were talking about
“I don't know I think you probably looked cute”
“What?”
“I MEAN COOL”
They chuckled at that “thanks, well since you said you had nothing to do, and I am just about to close the museum. do you want to go on walk?”
Vee felt her ears tingle does she mean as a romantic thing?! I heard humans do that. No! She means as a friend right? Yep. No other reason
“Sure”
They finished closing the museum and proceeded to put the keys in their pocket
“Shall we” they asked motioning their arms towards the city
Vee nodded in agreement
“So how was the festival?” Vee asked genuinely curious
“It was kinda fun, I was in charge of a ride that was about the story of the two Wittebane brothers. You know the ones from the statue in the middle of the park.” Vee nodded while she continued “meanwhile one of my friends was taking care of a play of a witch trial which was interrupted by Jacob because he thought a kid was a witch and he got promptly escorted. Serves him right”
Vee decided to not say anything but she would be lying if she said it didn't make her a little content with his misfortune.
“So.. Was there anything you were gonna dress as.”
“What I was gonna dress as?”
“Yeah. For the party yesterday”
Vee pondered a bit. She didn't have any costume in mind because she didn't plan to go to the party yesterday but she didn't want to say she had nothing in mind.
“Maybe a Basilisk”
“A Basilisk? What kind of Basilisk?”
“From where I am from they are giant snake-like creatures that can drain Magic”
“Whoa, Cool!”
“you think so?”
“Yeah they sound cool as heck!”
“Wow, thanks I suppose” she knew they were talking about it as a costume but it still made her feel better about herself.
They both eventually walked around the entire town center while talking and decided to stop at the park.
“So are you new to the city or what because I don't remember seeing you around here. And it's not like there is that many people in town” Masha asked curiously
“Came here to live with mom months ago”
“So if you don't mind me asking, who did you live with before?”
“It's complicated. I didn't have anybody before Camila took me in with her” she replied remembering the time she spent on that titan forsaken prison
“It was a horrible place where I lived" Vee continued “and I am so thankful to have someone that cares so much for me”
“I’m sorry to hear that, I shouldn't have asked about it” they replied apologetically
“No, it's alright, you were just curious,”
“But did you say Camila? Like Camila Noceda,”
Vee nodded in agreement
“So you're Luz sister?”
“Yes,” she affirmed shyly. she still not used to having a sister
“Wow small world huh. Well, tell her if she like to meet me and the others again. Me and some other friends used to talk to her some time ago but she suddenly stopped talking to us. And she seemed… different. Like she didn't know us. At least she has some new friends. They seem cool.” vee heard how sad they sounded explaining that last part and she felt guilty, since it was her impersonating Luz
“Sorry about that,” they continued “looks like we both got a little serious,”
“You seem like you two were really close,”
“Yeah, but hey, at least I got you to talk to now,”
“Aww, don't mention it.” Vee replied a little red on the cheeks
They looked at the at the sky and it was already getting dark
“Well, looks like it's getting late I better head home before my mom curses me or something,”
“I better do the same too before it gets too dark,”
“One thing before we leave, do you have your phone with you?”
“Yeah. I do” she promptly taking out her phone
“Let me give you my phone number so we can keep in touch”
Vee nodded and handed them her phone and they inserted their phone number
“And done, here's your phone” they said, giving Vee back her phone “Alright I gotta get going, see you around Vee!”
“See ya Masha!” They both waved their goodbyes and went home
The walk home was quiet. The only sound being of the wind blowing the autumn leaves with the occasional sound of a car passing by. but the only thing on Vee’s mind was Masha, They were just so cool and funny and pretty. It's normal to think a friend is pretty right? Yes it's just a friends thing, nothing else. She arrived home after the long walk. The house was just as she left it. She decided to go to her bedroom since she wasn't really hungry to go eat dinner. She crashed on her bed and pulled out her phone and looked at Masha phone number feeling giddy with getting her friend number back, but now she was herself and not impersonating someone else. Suddenly her phone vibrated with a new message which startled her almost letting her phone drop. when her grip steadied she saw it was a message from Masha.
Masha: did you get home?
Vee: safe and sound
Masha: good to know
Masha: today was fun! We should hang out more, I could introduce you to some of my friends
Vee looked at the message feeling warm in her heart knowing that they enjoyed their time together too
Vee: sounds good.
Vee: I had fun too!
Masha: I just wished I had my tarot card so I could do a reading of your cards
Masha: if you didn't mind of course
Vee: I don't mind, I wonder what would be the result
Masha: something good in your future hopefully
Vee: haha thanks
Masha: anyway, I have to go eat dinner and then get ready to sleep. I probably won't be able to talk more so…
Masha: goodnight Vee
Vee: goodnight Masha
She put her phone aside to go sleep happy with her walk today with Masha's company, just that day overall. Today was nice. Masha was nice… suddenly feeling sleepy her mind drifted unconscious with happy thoughts and that night she didn't have any nightmares.