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Four months had passed since Belos and the Collector were defeated. The chaos had settled, and life for Luz and her friends had taken a new shape. With a new portal door made by the Collector, they could travel back and forth between realms, but today was special—Skara and Viney were visiting the Human Realm for the first time.
Luz, Amity, Vee, Willow, Hunter, and Gus had planned a trip to the mall, something Viney and Skara had never experienced before. Before leaving the house, Gus had handed out concealment stone necklaces to everyone except Luz and Vee. “These should keep our ears hidden,” he said as he slipped one on. “And for Hunter, they’ll cover up the scars so no one asks too many questions.”
Hunter adjusted his hoodie and gave Gus a grateful nod. “Thanks, man.”
Camila also gave Luz her credit card but warns her not to spend so much on it.
With that taken care of, the group made their way to the mall. The moment they stepped inside, Skara was already in awe.
“Oh. My. Titan,” Skara gasped, spinning around to take in the massive space, neon signs, bustling shoppers, and the endless stores stretching before them. “This place is huge!”
Viney crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow. “So, this is where humans do their hoarding?”
Luz grinned. “Basically. But trust me, it’s fun. Shopping, food, music, arcades—you name it. First things first, though, we need to get you two some human clothes.”
When they arrive at a clothing store Skara wasted no time diving into the racks of clothes. “Oh, this is cute! And this! And this!” She held up outfits in rapid succession, piling them onto Viney’s arms.
Viney rolled her eyes but smirked. “Do I get a say in this, or…?”
“Nope,” Skara said with a wink before dragging her to the fitting rooms.
Luz, Amity, and the others took a seat outside while they waited for the two to try on their outfits.
First, Skara emerged wearing a sparkling red crop top with ripped jeans, spinning dramatically. “Ta-da!”
“Very pop star,” Willow said approvingly.
Viney stepped out next, wearing a simple yet stylish hoodie and cargo pants combo. “I feel like I could either be chilling at home or in an action movie.”
Luz gave her a thumbs-up. “Perfect.”
Skara, however, wasn’t done. She tried on a sundress, a punk rock ensemble, and even a full denim jumpsuit that had everyone cracking up. Then came the swimsuits—Skara proudly strutted out in a stylish red two-piece bikini while Viney, looking slightly less enthusiastic, wore a sleek blue one-piece.
“Okay, this is my favorite thing ever,” Skara said, striking a dramatic model pose.
Amity smirked. “Not surprised. You always did have a flair for the dramatic.”
After a few more outfits and plenty of laughter, Viney and Skara settled on their purchases. Luz, making sure not to go overboard since she was using Camila’s credit card, paid for their clothes before they continued exploring.
As they walked through the mall, Amity and Skara hung back, chatting.
“I’m glad we’ve been able to hang out again but this time as true friends,” Amity admitted. “Ever since you left Boscha’s group and joined Willow’s flyer derby team, you’ve been happier.”
Skara smiled. “Yeah, I didn’t realize how much I was missing out on until I ditched that whole toxic scene. You guys actually support each other. It feels good.”
Amity nodded. "Yeah. It's different when people actually care about you."
Skara gave her a look and nudged her playfully. "Speaking of caring... You ever just stop and think about how happy your girlfriend makes you?"
Amity blinked in surprise before glancing ahead at Luz, who was walking just a few feet in front of them, laughing at something Viney said. The way she moved, so full of life, so confident in herself now compared to when they first met—it was enough to make Amity's heart skip a beat.
She smiled softly. "Yeah. I do."
Skara grinned. "Thought so."
Meanwhile, Viney turned to Luz. “So, what’s it like not going to Hexside anymore?”
Luz sighed. “I miss it sometimes. But Earth school has its perks. Me and Vee get to be around people who accept us, I got to reconnect with my old best friend Amanda, and Masha’s been great at keeping our secret. It’s all about balance.”
Viney nodded. “Still weird, though.”
“Tell me about it.”
At the food court, Viney and Skara took their first bite of a cheeseburger, and Skara’s eyes went wide. “Okay, Amity, you were not kidding. This is amazing.”
“I know, right?” Amity grinned.
Hunter, meanwhile, was subtly trying to wipe ketchup off his sleeve while Vee just shook her head at him.
As they ate, three students from Luz’s school walked past. They paused, whispering among themselves as they stared.
“No way,” one muttered. “The weirdo has friends?”
“Like, a whole group of them?” another added.
Luz noticed but chose to ignore them, focusing instead on her friends. She wasn’t the same girl who cared about what they thought.
Still, Amity noticed the way Luz’s shoulders tensed. “Want me to handle them?” she asked, cracking her knuckles.
Luz shook her head with a chuckle. “Nah. Not worth it.”
Viney watched the three students walk away and frowned. “You put up with that every day before coming to the Demon Realm?”
Luz shrugged. “Yeah. But now? I have friends who actually care about me. That’s all that matters.”
Skara patted Luz on the back. “That’s the spirit. Now, let’s find one of those music stores you told me about!”
After finishing their meal, they made their way to a music store, where Skara practically sprinted inside. “LOOK AT ALL THIS!” she gasped, grabbing a pair of headphones to test out the sound.
Luz laughed. “Okay, but don’t buy too much. I’m on a budget here.”
Skara pouted but nodded. “Fine… but I need at least one album.”
Viney chuckled, browsing through the store. “Yeah, this trip was definitely worth it.”
As the day wrapped up, the group headed back to the Noceda household, carrying shopping bags, snacks, and plenty of good memories.
Skara grinned as they walked out of the mall. “I’m officially in love with the Human Realm.”
Luz smirked. “Told ya.”
As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm glow over the suburban streets, Luz and her friends strolled back from the mall, their arms laden with shopping bags and their hearts light with laughter. The day’s adventures had been a delightful blend of new experiences and deepened friendships.
However, the pleasant atmosphere was abruptly shattered when a familiar, obsessive voice pierced the air.
“You again!”
The group halted, turning to see Jacob Hopkins emerging from the shadows, his eyes wild with manic determination. Jacob, the former curator of the Gravesfield Historical Society, had long been consumed by his delusional theories about witches and demons infiltrating the human realm. Finding out about Vee and his previous encounters with them had only fueled his paranoia, leading to his dismissal from the Historical Society due to unauthorized alterations to exhibits and erratic behavior. 
“I knew it!” Jacob exclaimed, pointing an accusatory finger at the group. “You’re all in on it! Witches and demons, conspiring right here in Gravesfield!”
Vee, recalling her harrowing experience of being captured and nearly dissected by Jacob, instinctively stepped closer to Luz, her eyes narrowing. 
“Jacob, we’ve been over this,” Luz said, her voice tinged with exasperation. “There are no witches or demons here. Just friends hanging out.”
But Jacob was beyond reason. His obsession had morphed into a dangerous delusion, one that he was unwilling to relinquish. He took a menacing step forward, brandishing a dagger he had concealed beneath his coat.
“Stay back!” he shouted. “I won’t let you manipulate that human and harvest our teeth for your time machines!”
The group exchanged bewildered glances. Jacob’s outlandish belief that witches and demons were extraterrestrial beings intent on stealing human teeth to power time machines was as baffling as it was baseless. 
As Jacob advanced, his focus solely on Luz, he failed to notice Viney stepping into his path. With a swift, decisive motion, she delivered a powerful punch to his face. The impact was immediate; Jacob staggered back, clutching his nose as blood oozed between his fingers.
“You broke my nose!” he wailed, eyes wide with shock and pain.
Viney shook her hand, wincing slightly from the force of the blow. “Consider that a warning,” she said coolly. “Stay away from us.”
Jacob’s bravado crumbled. Mumbling incoherently about conspiracies and betrayal, he stumbled away, casting fearful glances over his shoulder.
As the group watched him retreat, a collective sigh of relief washed over them.
“Well,” Gus remarked, “that was… unexpected, the last time he tried to expose us was on Halloween.”
“I can’t believe he still thinks we’re harvesting teeth,” Willow added, shaking her head.
Luz turned to Viney, gratitude evident in her eyes. “Thanks for that. I didn’t know he was still lurking around.”
Viney shrugged, a faint smile tugging at her lips. “No one messes with my friends.”
With the unsettling encounter behind them, the group resumed their walk.
The End