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While Camila was out buying groceries, there was a knock on the door. “Oh. I’ll get it.” Luz stood up, leaving her sister curled up on the couch in her true form.
“Thanks, Luz.” Vee flipped through a few channels, until she came across a nature documentary about snakes. “Huh.” She decided to put the remote down, to learn more about the Human Realm species that her true form most closely resembled.
Luz opened the door. “Oh, hi Hunter.”
“And here we see the Bullsnake, a subspecies of Gopher Snake. At eight feet long, this is one of the longest species in North America.”
“Hey, Luz.” Hunter walked inside, giving his sister a headpat.
“It appears that an American Woodcock has made the mistake of building a ground nest within this Bullsnake’s hunting grounds- a choice almost as unfortunate as its nomenclature.”
Hunter leaned against the counter. “Darius is off on a date with Alador, so I came here.”
“Despite its bulk, the Bullsnake is quite stealthy as it approaches the unsuspecting little birds…”
Vee plastered her hands against her mouth. “No no no, get out of there little birdies!”
At the same time, Luz pursed her lips. “Hrm. Not sure I like the idea of my girlfriend’s bio-dad going out with your adopted dad.”
“By the time the American Woodcock notices the Bullsnake, it is already too late.”
“Yeah, but at least you, me, and Darius aren’t blood related.”
“The Bullsnake possesses no venom, but its size and girth make it a powerful constrictor. Observe how it wraps its body around the bird’s tiny body, slowly squeezing the life out of it…”
Vee whimpered.
“I guess that’s true.” Luz agreed, “But still… hey, Vee, you alright?”
The bird’s dying squawk came out of the TV. “No!”
“With its prey dead, the Bullsnake swallows it whole. Despite their reputation, snakes are not cruel animals- indeed there is truly no such thing- but the bird and its chicks would likely disagree with that.”
“No no no, please stop…” Vee curled into herself, fumbling for the remote. It clattered to the floor.
“Hey…” Hunter muttered, flashing over to the couch and kneading Vee’s shoulders. “Vee, it’s-” He quickly turned the TV off, just as the Bullsnake was eating the chicks. “It’s okay.”
Vee took a deep breath, still in her serpentine form. “No I’m not. I’m not okay…”
“Aww, Vee.” Luz sat down next to her sister, looping one arm over her. “Course you are. You’re a Noceda.”
Vee shifted into human form, practically melting into her sister. “You’re really not scared of me?”
Hunter stifled a laugh, sitting on Vee’s other side and putting a gentle hand on her back. “Vee, you’re crying because of a nature documentary. Of course we’re not scared of you.”
Vee closed her eyes, letting Hunter’s fingers knead her spine. “Sorry. I just… I know people don’t like snakes-”
“You’re not a snake.” Luz interrupted, “You’re a basilisk. And more importantly, you’re my-” She glanced up at Hunter. “-our sister. In fact…” With a toothy grin on her face, she held out her hand. “Stringbean!” She clicked her tongue. “Here, girl!”
Luz’s staff appeared in her hands. She channeled Stringbean’s power into a spell circle, summoning a flask of a colorless liquid. “Behold! A truth potion.”
Vee leaned away, tilting her head. “Are you sure that’s…”
“Yeah. Ed showed me how to make one. After he made me confess what I did to that sea lion on that one trip to the aquarium in middle school, of course.”
Hunter blinked. “What’d you do to that poor sea lion?”
“Nothing important. Anyway, here.” She popped the cork off, offering the flask to Vee. “I promise, on my life, I won’t ask anything too embarrassing. And neither will Hunter.”
The blonde nodded in agreement. “She’s right. Obviously.”
Vee smiled, taking the flask from Luz’s hand. “I know. I trust you guys.” She drank half the potion before setting it down.
“How was it?” Luz asked.
“Tasted kinda weird. I think you mixed in a bit too much Selkidomus gris, though. And it could use a little more griffin-beak powder.”
“Well, it’s definitely working on her.” Hunter clasped Vee’s hand in her own. “Vee, answer me this. Are you evil?”
Vee blanched. “Of course not! I might’ve been created for evil, but I don’t want to hurt anyone! Even the thought of someone innocent getting hurt or scared because of me makes me feel sick. I’m a pacifist. And even though I’m a shapeshifter, I don’t want to actually lie to anyone. And over these past two years, ever since we fought Belos, I… I love you guys. And you guys are as far from evil as it gets, so… I don’t think I could possibly be evil.” She shuddered, as the truth potion wore off.
“There ya go.” Luz mussed Vee’s hair. “Straight from the cinnamon roll’s mouth.”
Vee beamed. “Thanks. I needed that.”