Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

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Alright, this is it Luz Carolina Noceda, you did it, all of your efforts through the last three years are finally going to pay off. All of your dreams are finally coming true. 

All of those sleepless nights, face plastered to your laptop, studying nonstop surrounded by books, encyclopedias, notebooks, and cups of cheap concentrated coffee, all with the sole purpose of raising your then-terrible grades to something worthy of being presented on an altar.

And you did it, not only did you graduate with some of the highest marks in the whole school, but you got cards of admission for half of the institutions in the state!

Should I be happy? of course! Nervous? Obviously! Terrified? DUH!

This is supposed to be my next big chapter in life! The next step that will essentially define the rest of my life. High school was stressful already, but from this point forward everything will be intensifying by ten times - minimum!

I'm freaking out just thinking of what awaits in my future, I mean, I haven't even thought of what my career will be yet-

"Okay cariño, see? The final step, parking between those two cars... slowly"

Oh yeah, driving, she has been driving for the last ten minutes, how did this happen...? 

She remembered her Mum insisting that Luz should be the one to drive them back home from the supermarket. So, yeah, consumed by sheer panic wasn’t an accurate way to describe her situation. Fear for her life? A close one for sure.

Camila praised her daughter's natural talent to stay on track and remember each and every turn from memory, and based on her progress through the last few weeks, it was clearly time for her to drive all on her own!

I can’t even hold the wheel without getting all sweaty! These nerves are going to be the death of me! 

"Aaaand... Done” And just like that, all of Luz’s thoughts were interrupted by her Mom’s cheerful words. Apparently, by some miracle, Luz successfully parked the car without even realizing it. You know what? whatever, nobody died, which was more than good enough for her. “Seriously Luz you should give yourself a little more credit. When I was your age I had a quite impressive body-count of broken trash cans, you know?”  Her mother commented as she took and squeezed one of Luz's hands, an obvious gesture to calm the young adult's concerns.

"yeah I know, I know but… is just I don't think this is my thing" Luz lifted a finger before she could be interrupted "And I know I should have my license by now... S-Since is much better than always using the bus... and also since Samuel and Alex may not always be there when I need to go to the campus every morning and... is just t-that... I..."

"Is okay just give it some time and it will become easier, remember, no pressure.” Her mother smiled, the hand holding hers was accompanied by a second. “And since we are already done with the groceries…” voice trailing for added dramatic effect.

"And since you already let the vet know you'd be taking a couple of days off…” Luz imitated her example, letting her own words trail “Let me guess…” She looked up while holding her chin as if she was contemplating all possible answers, before chuckling “…The festival?”

"Por supuesto!” Camila's mood lit up in an instant “I still can’t believe there is a Dominican community, here in the city” her smile continued to brighten “...and with everything we brought from the market, we have more than enough to give every recipe in the book a try!” She closed her eyes while murmuring a familiar tune, one they heard on the radio on their way back. “...I can't wait to taste dulce de leche, un par de arepas, habichuelas dulce, empanadas y…-

In the middle of finishing her sentence, Camila abruptly stopped, her mouth half open, and gaze appeared to be fixed on something distant or perhaps non-existent to Luz. Almost as if she was staring at a ghost.

-...y yaniqueques" The abrupt change in her Mom's tone was impossible not to notice. Her voice has always been defined by a soft tenderness that never failed to be heard in each and every one of her compliments and reassurances. 

The sorrow within those last words was wrong. Unnatural. But Luz couldn't deny having heard them,  her Mom's expression said it all, her smile slowly fell, moist accumulated in her eyes and... 

*Sniff* "Sorry i-is just..."

"Mom… what-what happened? Mom?!" Her hands instinctively reached out for her even though unaware of what caused such a reaction in the first place. It felt sickening, borderline repulsive the hopelessness of not knowing what to do or say when the situation demanded it and you were the only one present to do something. 

"Lo siento cariño... is just that i-it has really been a long time since I…” Her mother, eyes still puffed by unshaded tears, breathed deeply before continuing “...Since I prepare some of those recipes. The last time I made Yaniqueques was with…-" She turned around to properly look at Luz; The moisture in her eyes reflected the sunlight from the car's exterior, her cheeks slightly stained from the tears that escaped her efforts to wipe them away.

"-...Luz. you remember your Abuelita, right?"

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There is that expression again…

Although she always assured her that she didn’t and still doesn’t blame her for forgetting something that happened a decade ago, every time without fault, her daughter’s body tenses the instant any similar subject arises. It was evident from the way her hands intertwined and avoided making any direct eye contact. 

…There is always guilt and shame in those eyes… 

Camila’s mother and Luz didn't spend many moments together, after all these years of her passing, who could blame her for letting those short memories fade away in exchange for new, happiest ones? She has gone through a lot these past years after all. 

returning her gaze back to her daughter… the same girl holding her like a porcelain doll, imitating the same gesture she used to calm her down just a moment ago. Panic and fear were palpable in the air.

Comparing the Luz from the present with the Luz from that day before the Reality Check Camp. Comparing the Luz who excelled in every subject at school with the one who often came back home crying because of a failed art project is...

She was and is so similar and yet so so different. So much that it sometimes hurts to imagine all the possible "what if" their lives could have taken if Camila hadn’t sent her to that camp all those years ago.

She remembered that day with a burning discomfort within her chest... a stabbing feeling of regret and guilt. She only had the sincerest of intentions when she made the life-changing decision to send her only daughter to a remote camp somewhere on the outskirts of the state.

There was no point in negating the obvious, she admitted it many years ago and still does it to this day…

I failed her. A failure, a disappointment, a pathetic excuse of a mother who failed her only child time and time again. She failed so miserably to provide her with the safety she so desperately needed during her lowest point. Camila was such a monumental failure to the extent she never succeeded in being the one with whom she would open up and confess her worries, fears, and insecurities.

The lies and secrets she kept from her were not done with malicious intent. She didn't want to feel ungrateful for bringing her own problems to Camila’s attention when she was so busy at work. It made her sick just to think of how she suffered in silence for so long when the solution to the incessant bullying was no more than a couple of words away...

All the evidence she needed to realize her incompetence was quite literally screaming in her face. Her ignorance and lack of insight were unjustifiable! Camila knew back then of her ineptitude to help her. They were so close to the point of no return, half a decade's worth of opportunities to make things right nearly wasted. Camila had no excuses for letting it all go on for so long, Luz needed help, and it was time to swallow her pride and seek someone capable of doing just that.

Yes, the cover and slogan were not the most... "friendly-looking" But she made sure to thoroughly investigate that place to ensure her little light would not spend her summer in some kind of reformatory.

Camila took advantage of one of her days off to contact and visit as many parents who had sent their children to that same camp to find out in excruciating detail, without any kind of publicity in between, what kind of institution that place truly was; God, she even went there herself to make sure nobody was sugar-coating anything.

The last thing I wanted was for them to take away her unique and radiant personality.

And when Luz returned at the end of the summer. It was immediately clear that something was different

Luz, her mother and father's pride and joy, had changed so much that, at times, she was nearly unrecognizable. The fact Camila could barely see any resemblance between her old recollections of Luz and this new version of her was... dare to say, disturbing. Her Luz was no longer a radiant spark of blinding imagination...

Now…

In one summer's spam, most of Luz's qualities seemingly had been turned upside down. Magic? fantasy? no anymore, Sci-Fi, encyclopedias, and mystery novels took their place. Fanfiction and anime? now she found them unappealing. Now she enjoys documentaries and developed an interest in art theory and graphic design. A problem student bullied to the point of social isolation? Now a dedicated student and social butterfly who seemed to bring the best of everyone around her. 

And in parallel with all of that, her personality took a whole new turn that not even her own mother could have predicted. Shy, insecure, and grounded. Words she never imagined could be associated with her child in such a specific context. Her first instinct was to deny it, to pretend it was nothing more than just a phase born out of rigid schedules and constantly forced socialization. But every passed day, without fail, proved her wrong. Oh God, did it prove her wrong.

During those first months after her return it was impossible not to notice the little new mannerism that began defining this new version of Luz… That new hard-to-decipher glow of her eyes, the new nearly imperceptible rhythm of her voice, the delicate length of her smiles, all of those little things quickly accumulated to assemble something greater, something different yet so familiar… 

She had changed so drastically in such a short time. Understandably, she felt conflicted, even disturbed; It all seemed to have happened nearly instantly without any warnings for Camila to react. Her daughter had virtually become such a different person and she hadn't even been there to witness the first steps that led to those changes.

But... that's just life, isn't it? Sooner or later, everything you have ever known would eventually change in some way or another, however small, it was bound to happen regardless of anyone's efforts or opinions on the matter. If her daughter wanted a fresh start? who was she to deny her that? 

Besides, how could I not recognize the same child I gave birth to?

That was undeniable, just as her friends, her hobbies, her passions, and the bright future she forged all by herself! Camila became aware of how much her daughter had grown up

Almost an 18-year-old lady ready to start university after graduating from high school just a few months ago...

As a mother…

I couldn't be more proud of her

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"Don't worry about it right now Mija… let's get everything inside"

Mum keeps telling her not to worry about... well, a lot of things. The most predominant of all, are the dozens of empty gaps all across her memory. She constantly reassures her that it is inevitable for the most obscure and old memories to fade away and be replaced by new ones. Supposedly, a mere natural consequence of growing. But it's infuriating that it happens too often, how Luz's mind simply shuts down the moment she tries to remember something relatively old, literally anything!

D̷o̷n̷'̷t̷

It's becoming concerning how every time they talk about the distant past, without fault, this feeling of... Dread starts dominating her senses, creeping through her spine and tickling her most sensitive nerves. Almost as if something deep, very deep inside was alerting her of... 

 ̷I̷t̷'̷s̷ ̷n̷o̷t̷ 

Just thinking about it was like trying to interpret an abstract portrait of... herself. 

There is nothing... Just nothing, no voices, emotions, or feelings, just an old, dusty blank slate. Why? We are talking about her own childhood... and yeah, she was bullied quite a lot back in high school, no reason to negate the fact, but that can't be the reason right? For her to have forgotten so much, something of monumental proportions must have happened. What other explanation exists that could explain why-

w̷o̷r̷t̷h̷ ̷i̷t̷

"Mija? Mija! You aren’t expecting your old woman to carry all of these bags by herself, aren’t you?

 "Oh, Shi-! ya voy! ya voy!"

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It has been almost 2 months since they moved into this apartment. it was obviously smaller than their previous home by a way margin, there was no garden nor second floor, and instead of just a handful of neighbors now they have a whole assortment up and below them. 

Home, at least for Luz, is where you decide you could say without any hint of doubt, you feel the safest and happiest you could ever be, and as long as Mom and her friends remain at her side, that is where she will call home.

Although... It was easy to tell how her mom didn't seem to think the same. Luz has noticed, on more occasions than she would like to acknowledge, that every time they arrived back home, her mother would always lose herself in her own introspections, giving this hard-to-tell expression of... sorrow, she believed to be.

Her mom always told Luz these stories from back before she was born, about all the things she and... Dad did together I hate to remind myself that sometimes I can't recall his face from their first meeting, to what they studied in college, their first date, mom's first drive lessons by Dad and... in the end, every story ends back in Gravefield.

Mom insisted that it was for the best, they needed to move for two important reasons. 

The main reason was a full-out change of administration at Gravefield's local clinic after a private investigation revealed that one of their distributors had been involved in some shady business. In summary, the place was effectively in terminal support until they ran out of resources or the new owners decided to shut down and sell the place to the state. 

Thankfully, it didn't take long before Mum was offered a better job here with even better pay, but since she couldn't afford to drive the car in and out of town every day... The problem and the solution became apparent.

The other reason was about Luz and the localization of her next step in education, university. She has options, more than she ever imagined. But the vast majority of them were out of state, far, far away from anywhere she had ever known, felt familiar or comfortable. the mere thought of spending more than a single night away from her Mom felt... wrong. Just that, wrong, dangerous, and insulting to all the care and love her mother had selflessly given her. 

Her Mom tried to reassure her that nothing could stop them from making it work, occasional video calls and the like, and while she appreciated the attempts to soothe her, she also really didn't like the idea of staying a single night inside one of those ce̷l̷l̷s̷ubicles they dared to call rooms… 

Oh well... No reason to think of that now.

As soon as they got the groceries in and started distributing everything evenly on the shelves while the rest was laid out on the kitchen table. She realized something... Spices, fruits, snacks, and...

"Oh no... Mom, I think we may have forgotten something... the list mentions melocotons and other stuff but… It seems we may have missed them"

"Ayyy Caraj-! I knew I was forgetting something… well let’s hope the supermarket hadn't closed yet… but-Aye there were a lot of people-! you stay here I will come back in twenty If they haven't closed of course..." But just as she was about to grab the car keys...

"Mom, wait..." Making sure to take a long and deep breath before beginning to talk had become a habit of hers for this kind of conversation "Listen what if I go instead" again, raising her finger to prevent interruptions "I won't go to the supermarket, there is this place called "Rogers Orchards" not too far away from here just around the next street. A-And they surely have some of the stuff we need, I saw their Instagram page once or twice and can confirm that, and don't worry it will only take me 5 maybe 15 minutes at most to go and come back, and I highly debut there is gonna be that many people at this hour"

"Are you sure...? Mija, that's still quite a walk just to get there, and is not because I believe you can't It's just... it's been a while since the last time you had to go on your own somewhere after..."

"Mom, I can handle myself just fine. After all, I'm almost 18 don't you think I should start being a little more... like, independent for a chance?”

Is clear how much she is bothered by the idea, her now closed hands and narrowed eyes are evidence of this. "just, be careful, okay, and please don't try to exceed yourself. and if anything happens just call me... please"

"I will! don't worry I should be back before 6, and I will call you when I'm on my way, okay?

"... Okay, please be careful"

And before Luz could notice, her mother had caught her in a tight yet affectionate hug ... funny, isn't it?

Hugs, straightforward gestures that could convey anything ing from love to forgiveness. She could remember in excruciating detail every hug she had ever given and received over the last few years. Yeah, It's weird, even a little surreal; But it doesn't bother her at all. She welcomes each and every memory with open arms just like she just did with her mother. The gesture never failed to ignite something... warm within her chest, something warm and reliving. How could she not be grateful for everything her mother had done for her?

That’s something that will forever be engraved in my heart.

After a few seconds, they pulled apart, Camila a little more reluctantly than Luz, before each one went their separate ways. sweater? check, keys? check, phone? check. Purse? check! alright, you can do this Luz, just open that door, go downstairs, and with a deep breath...

Go out there and make your mother proud

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In November, of course, it was freezing outside, Every two to five seconds, a puff of white, dense air escaped from the mouth of every pedestrian around her, becoming part of the pale and frigid ever-present mist that surrounded everyone

However, the spectacle was ignored in favor of the infuriating coldness that was somehow creeping past her sweater's insulation. Seriously what’s wrong with these things? Out of the six sweaters she owns, none seemed capable of doing its one and only job! Coño, another cold is going to catch her at this rate before arriving at the store

For how long has she been walking again? half a mile already? Please Luz you are better than this! you can’t pass out after just a handful of steps! you are better than this! 

These stupid allergies always strike at the worst possible time. How many plans with her friends had been ruined thanks to some conveniently placed air conditioner or plant? If she could snarl and scare away the millions of microscopic viruses currently fighting her immune system, she would do it in a heartbeat... Gosh, Masha is really rubbing on me.

After a few minutes of walking, the store was in perfect view, and better yet it was not only open, but there was barely anyone inside and-

"LUZZZZ!" and for some reason, someone was yelling at Luz from the entrance of the store holding a cup in one hand and wearing a black outfit with a yellow scarf. Wait, I know this one

"Masha you don't need to yell, You look like a Dementor by how much you stick out... Ohhh I like that scarf, didn't know you like yellow... Did someone give it to you?Wair-l-let me guess, a gift from a fan perhaps...?" How couldn’t she pass up the perfect opportunity to be the first to tease her friend? 

To anyone else, Masha would be nothing more than another one of those emo troublemaker teenagers, obsessed with black garments, hard rock music, and some nonsensical edgy stuff. But to Luz, they are by far the happiest, positive, enthusiastic, and creative people she has ever met in her life!

Who was also wearing literally all black decorated with… stars? wow didn't know people make jackets with that many sequins. A little excessive but it actually looks great, maybe she should ask where they brought that later.

"Very funny but... Nop! it was another gift from my mom, you know how silly she has gotten these last months since we got that call from the publisher about my last paycheck"

"Masha, She is just proud of you! How can she not get sentimental? You spent like half your life writing “The Darkest Thought” and it paid off! Not everyone can say that"

"Luz, she almost passed out when I showed her the email! and I get it, she was really happy after the paycheck but yeesh, and she calls me overdramatic.” They let go an exasperated sigh “She didn’t have to cause a scene like that in the middle of the mall…”

"You can't blame her for that part, we are talking about more than thirty-five thousand copies and who knows how many thousands in revenue in just six months. Your novel was an absolute success!"

"Truth, but... Her attitude took a literal 180° after I showed her the money, you know how she never really supported my passions! remember that just before that she was obsessed with telling me about this:..” Masha’s eyes narrowed as they avoided direct eye contact with Luz “...Halftime jobs around the city..."

At that point they started to glance at nothing in particular, hiding half of their face with that scarf of them. It was obvious that they weren't expecting to talk about this today, much less with Luz... Yet they seemed willing to keep going without any persuasion

"At first my mom was all like -No young lady, you can't just drop out of college for your fanfictions! you will end like the porter of your school!-  to -Oh Sweetie am so proud of you!-” Before continuing, Masha rolled their eyes and threw one of their arms up “W-what's wrong with her? decided already, dammit!”

Masha was starting to spiral, bottling up anger slowly making itself known; Luz considered speaking, but what was she supposed to say? They had talked about this before, more than once, yes Masha’s mother may not be exactly a decent role model but she loved her child but- okay, focus on the present Luz But just before Luz could say a single word, Masha continued talking. 

"I mean, I get it, she was just worried that I may have made the wrong decision and everything but is still… sometimes I don't know if she is genuinely happy for me, or that she will finally have an excuse to kick me out of the house" their voice almost broke at the last part, thick with frustration, they have been holding onto those thoughts for some time… 

"Masha. Don't say that she would never-"

"Okay okay sorry you are right, I'm just getting bitter for no reason" They took a deep breath before sighing. "well... anyway girl tell me what are you doing here at this hour...? alone? in the middle of the night?" One eyebrow raised

With a single finger, Luz pointed to the melocotons that were in between the baskets of oranges and lemons inside the store "Melocotons"

"...Melocotons?" Masha plainly asked, a voice filled with either uncertainty or humor. Luz couldn’t tell. Masha was very good at conveying dozens of emotions in single words... 

"Yep Melocotons, did you hear about the festival at that park close to the center of the city? They nod "Well, Mom wanted to participate and ended up convincing me to also try it out, you know... try something different to pass the time before university starts next year. and what about you...? what are you doing here?”

"Well there is this coffee shop on the other side of the street and you know me! I have to write until midnight if I want to keep my good mood for the rest of the week" ... ...Did Masha just admit to having insomnia and a caffeine addiction with a smile? Gonna leave a pin on that one for later...

"But seriously I know where you live is almost half a mile from here!” Oh no, Luz knew where this conversation was going “What are you doing? do I have to remind you what YOUR doctor said? I don't need any tarot cards to predict what could happen"

"Please no you too" She appreciated their perfectly understandable concerns for her arguably not-so-delicate health. She really did, not many are so lucky in that regard. They all meant well but their attention had become nearly claustrophobic with all of their incessant pleas for her to lay down, take long breaths, not to overexert herself...  Please I'm not made of glass! "is no big deal, I can't take everything slow forever! especially since half the campus is literally stairs! And I have been feeling great-"

"feeling great, amazing, fine, that is what you say the same week you suddenly pass out in the middle of the hall after the finals"

"I was just a litleeee tired..." 

"Or that day we were going to the beach and you just fell asleep in the van… Gosh-You didn't wake up for 4 hours!

"Okay, maybe I..."

"And the docs haven't figured out what is going on, but I do remember what your mom said, that you may not be getting enough oxygen, nutrients, or something like that. And that you should also be taking everything easy for the rest of the year, and you better believe me when I say this!" In the blink of an eye, a fingertip was a single inch in between Luz’s eyes while Masha’s seemingly flared with resolve. "We are going to make sure that happens! Even if it means all of us to go move in to make sure you remember what self-preservation means-”

Oh for the love of-

"-I get it! I get it! you are all worried about me!” Talking about the understatement of the century “but I'm fine... seriously, I hadn't overworked myself at all for the last month, I always use the bus or Mom's car to go anywhere and I had definitely not gotten stressed over anything this month" 

But a quick glance at Masha's face revealed an expression that was the perfect personification of “bullshit”

"Okay yes! you are right! I admit it! I'm stressed! what did you expect?! University starts in just a few months and I still  don't know what I will do with my lif-!"

"Calm down and breathe, geez. listen... let's not get you even more stressed! much less in the middle of the night, just go and grab your melocotons and I will escort you home, deal?"

"I'm actually not getting to choose?" 

"Nop" The advantages and disadvantages of loyal friends... 

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After buying everything, a quick call to Mom, and a last-minute coffee thanks to Masha’s incessantly asking her to try their lattes. Masha and Luz were on their way back to the latter’s apartment with a little bit of chip-talk along the way

"Luz seriously I tell you, she may be the one, haven't you seen Sam's face when she is with him?" they pulled out a phone from their back pocket, scrolled for a few seconds, and eventually opened Samuel's Instagram account; Among the dozens of photos of all kinds of potted herbal plants, there was one of a girl with tan skin and black puffy hair holding a little pot, besides her, Samuel stood… seemingly emotionless as always. Although, that little smile looked definitely ampler than usual. 

"With all that hair in the way is hard to tell" Seriously just HOW does he do that? is he blind? Does he use echolocation to know where to go…? Wait, what were we talking about? Oh yeah! “Putting that aside... Masha, gosh, please shut down your romance radar for once, he's probably just super nervous to have a regular customer, you know how terrified he was to open his store fronting the market! That's a LOT of people."

"Yeah you mayyyy be right about that, BUT! Allow me to remind you…”  They continue scrolling, for every four to six posts of his plants there was at least one photo of that same girl “If it was just him being nice to customers... then why does he have so many selfies with her?” they declared with a smirk and an eyebrow pulled upwards.  Wow, they are really proud of this one huh? "she is special! Mark my words Noceda! I'm already betting on them dating by December, Ohhh! can’t wait to see Alex’s face when she sees this!”

"Yeah... I can't wait for her to finally come back from that family meeting in New York..." A gust of cold wind made Luz shiver for a moment. Then her attention returned to Masha. "You think Alex will tell the rest of her family about... you know what?"

that particular topic has always been a soft spot for her ever since... well, her last fight with their parents.  She certainly doesn't need another argument to happen about her transition,  even less with the rest of her family tree

"I get it, I get it you are worried for her! don’t start getting worried! Alex told me that her parents would handle that, thankfully the rest of the pack will not bother her after they hear about Alex's sports scholarship" 

“Oh! well… that’s good to know! hopefully, the whole thing will blow up without any trouble” 

Masha finished their coffee and threw the cup into a nearby trash can… "So let’s change the matter at hand…” They turned around to… moonwalk in front of her “I know that you tell us that you are actually no lactose-intolerant but are you sure about that latte?"  

"Yeah don't worry!" Luz accompanied the comment with a dismissing wave "I know my mom still thinks that but I have been drinking for almost 2 years and no problem, If it really was the lactose the doctors would have figured it out instantly" after one last sip, Luz prepared herself to throw the cup into the next trash can-!

"By the way... How are things between you and Clara?"

to properly comprehend the given question, left paralyzed in place while holding the plastic, colorless cup above her head.  She took a deep breath, regained back her sense of speech, and threw the cup into the nearby trash can. "I-I hear she is moving here too, she mentioned something about wanting to study medicine... Or psychology, why?" 

"Just curious" H-hey! what’s with that smirk? "I'm not trying to steal your girlfriend or something... unless you don't mind sharing?"

Masha for the love of...

"We are NOT dating, she is straight and you know that! We are just studying partners, nothing more! every time either of us went into each other house, was for studying! nothing else"

Masha’s expression was one of amusement, while Luz's face felt it was hot enough to melt snow. Don't think I didn't that flash from your camera Mx...

Godammit Masha...

"I was just joking, okay! But, like seriously, I’m genuinely curious about you and Clara, hadn't seen you together since graduation, wasup with that? Everything good between you two?"

The question sounded different; felt different from anything Masha had asked in a long time. None of the characteristic cheekiness she had come to instinctively associate with them was present at all in that question. It implied genuine curiosity, and most importantly, that they understood the seriousness of their question may pack

After letting out a long sigh "Clara told me that she was having some... complications with her parents and that she would finally move here once it was over" She didn't dare or trust herself to share too many details. Even though it wasn't a closely guarded secret hidden behind a vault or anything like that, it was still a sensitive and very personal subject. Clara's parents have been absent throughout pretty much half of Clara's life and added a little more. She told, no, more accurately vented to Luz, about how uncaring and apathetic the treatment she received from her parents was. even despise all of her efforts to obtain anything closer to actual respect.

Top student? head cheerleader? Nearly a dozen extra-curricular activities? Nothing. At best they acknowledged the extra lines on her last report card.

But in the end, there was no point in kept denying the undeniable. eventually, Clara just gave up and proceeded to move on to gain her independence as quickly as possible. She didn't tell Luz the last part directly, but like crows overflying a predator’s last victim, it was an unmistakable truth, one that could prove lethal left unchecked. Clara will not miss them and Luz shares the same belief.

"Ooooh yeah... I forgot her parents were assholes"

"Masha!” Mortified, Luz hissed before casting a raptly glimpse of the nearby pedestrians. “What did I tell you about swearing in public?" She didn't dislike Masha's mannerisms, not in the slightest. But the thought of attracting any considerable amount of public attention always made her uneasy for reasons too deeply buried in her memories to recall. 

"Luz..." their words were no more than a whisper, then suddenly one hand fell on her shoulder, putting her closer to them, while they motioned with one of their arms at the light-polluted night "We are teenagers! Currently enduring the short yet most crucial chapter of our lives. Offered a chance of unparalleled proportions to shape our deepest desires that we didn't know we had." They were now pointing at something... that wasn't there, she believed, but for the sake of immersion, she tried to imagine... A constellation of something "Life is a battlefield for natural disasters! each of the cracks left in their rampage are the paths of all our possible destinies; it depends on us to amass the courage to confront the hardships of every path to finally find our purpose in life!"

Then they turned to look at her directly in the eyes, with only a few inches separating both of their lips from...

Did I honestly think about...?! Godammit! just get over it, you horny idiot! we are not dating anymore heck! it wasn’t even dating it was… I zoom out again, what were they saying again?

"-at is why I can say whatever I want! nobody will silence my thoughts! because is just me being myself. And what I say is…” Masha raised one finger before Luz could say anything. “... Let me think almost got it-as long as I’m honest with myself-something-honestly-something her parents are assholes! Dammit, that speech was going so well-! you get what I meant!”

"Oooh, You..."A warmth borne out of fondness overthrew the coldness of the night and rapidly spread across her body.  Looking at Masha pouted, half-smiling, without a mask that reflected an entirely different personality, they sounded confident and sincere. Watching Masha scribbling down their latest motivational speech, tongue sticking out with a maniac grin while probably imagining all the possible ideas they could squeeze out of it, a torrent of melancholy memories flooded over her. 

Everything felt the same, yet different, yet so recognizable. Like a fever dream, indistinguishable from a perfect replica of reality. 

“What’s in that coffee that got you all philosophical?” Luz brushes all those strange thoughts off. Just some leftovers from her last nonsensical nightmare. Nothing important or worth remembering. “T-This is like the seventh time this week"

"Awww C'mon!, you know I love receiving some good old constructive criticism! is what nurtures this talent!"

____________________________________________________________________________

It only took them a little over 15 minutes to get from the store back to the apartment, the moment they arrived at the front door. Once there, Masha concluded that their "escort mission" had been an absolute success, and headed back home, but not without first exchanging bows and swearing to cherish this special occasion like all the others before it. A gesture and eventual mannerism born from their times together at the school's theatre.

So here she was, back home, with a bag of melons and mandarins in one hand, a jar of honey in the other, and a few extra spices just in case. 

The street fell silent once she stood under the cheap lights of the reception room, not a single soul in sight. She frowned, not necessarily at anything tangible, but more at a possible path in her future. A possibility, to be precise. 

Over the past year, Luz had reluctantly undergone a variety of tests that only failed answers to all the questions her mother and herself had about the former's... and I hate to admit it delicate health. Unpredictable loss of consciousness, sudden episodes of oxygen deprivation, symptoms of malnutrition. The blood tests showed nothing out of the ordinary, so the idea of more... invasive tests became more of a necessity than anything else…

So she gave in to her mother's insistence that it was time to take the situation with all the seriousness that it deserved. Even Luz's apprehensions towards hospitals and doctors couldn’t dissuade her at this point. An appointment would be waiting for her within an hour after the festival this very same week; And to make matters worse Mum has intentionally avoided sharing any details about what she privately discussed with the doctors, which only served to worsen her own anxiety-

-She hates it… 

She hates all of this. Her powerlessness to understand and fight back the mysterious illness ripping her body from the inside out, her indecision in choosing something as simple as her academic field, and her unjustifiable incapacity inability to make her own mother feel at home all revealed-

It hurt, her heart beating at an unhealthy rate, pounding wildly against her chest. Evenly, slow and deep breaths, she needed to calm down and breathe... Masha was right, and Mum was right, she really needed to take things slowly and allow herself to relax and just... well, be.

Luz sighed, blanking her brain clean of all previous thoughts and focusing on something less important, something... negligible, maybe-? Oh yeah, she has been waiting for the elevator for a while. She may not be in a hurry but Mum was waiting for her, so impatience is understandable. Calm down, Luz. Breathe, and just think of something else, something both productive and enjoyable. Daydreaming about the immediate future, she considered what she and her Mum could make for the festival, like melocoton Flan, tempting, But what about the yaniqueques? that's the top priority! And after that maybe they could also try...

try…

What... I-is that weird smell...? Where is even coming from?

Test subject number Five… I know you aren’t sleeping. Wake up…

Is strong... 

it literally reeks! but is also…

You can smell it, don’t you? Aren’t you hungry? 

Why is this like…

It stings to the point that I can... 

Just a little bit, that’s all I ask… I promise this one won’t bite back…

She could taste it... She was practically salivating at the sweet yet bitter taste of something she couldn't identify or compare to anything she had ever tasted before- No, hold on, the smell was reminiscent of a particularly strong, salty aroma she once had to endure through one of her latest chemistry class-

Hey! H-hey, Look at me, girl! is good, you will be fine! everything will be fine! Y.you nee-need to stay with me, please stay with me! Just hang on and-!

The world came to a halt. Time itself lost all meaning. Dread burned beyond its melting point, molten panic flooded every limb, organ, and blood artery of her body and consumed its contents leaving behind only solidified glumps of horror. 

Fire. Gas leak. chemical gas-

Mom-! 3rd floor, elevator taking too long- No hesitation, she couldn't allow herself to hesitate- Stairs!

Each step felt heavier than the last. A fog clouded her vision, tears? A-and is hot, like an absurdly hot shower. It hurts to think, the mere notion of pausing and trying to make sense of everything felt like insanity. Nerves burned and pulsed to the beat of adrenaline. She couldn't think, or breathe, or see- What's happening?

"Mom! Mom, I think there is a fire! we have… to..."

H-hey, wake up, w-we need to get up of here! P-please Eight, we are almost outside! I-we just need to-! 

There is no sign of smoke or vapor or anything resembling a fire. Only the small hallway connecting the two doors to hers and the immediate neighbor’s apartment. But what made her pause, to hold her breath and pretend she wasn't alive, was the sign of her house's door open, it was open, and Mom was talking with someone in front of it. At this hour? But who? Whoever this person is... why? why can I...? Why do I feel like... 

…I know her?

How could I know someone whose face I had never seen? Just who could this person be? Who-?

You are no more than a number, and just like all the other Fives before you… you are easily replaceable, and like all the Fives before you, certainly, your blood will be as sweet-

Wait.

the smell... is coming from her...

Is she...?

̷i̷t̷'̷s̷ ̷h̷e̷r̷

She tried to breathe, but no air came in. She tried again, and again nothing. And again, and again, and again- it hurt, she couldn't breathe, every organ in her body was demanding air yet with equal force all of them refused to obey. She tried again, but her lungs remained hollow. She craved air, anything else felt irrelevant compared to it. It didn't matter if the air was scorching hot or freezing cold. She needs it-!

She breathed deeply, and finally, air flowed in, the relief was short-lived; A raw overpowering sensation emerged alongside the relief the oxygen brought. It invaded her body, injected directly into the stream of electrons that makes up her nervous system in such quantities that it instantly nullified all other emotions by something she instinctively recognized.

FEAR

̷s̷h̷e̷ ̷c̷a̷m̷e̷ ̷b̷a̷c̷k̷!̷

Goosebumps crawled across her skin, like a million insects using her as their personal scavenging grounds. A fire ignited within her chest sending chills down her spine as frost encased her limbs in a burning coldness. Every attempt to draw air only exacerbates her worsening condition.  

She knew the cause of all of this. The odor appeared to  intensify with every passing second, deliberately targeting her by gradually overwhelming her sense of smell all with the intent to swallow her mind and body and squish both together into an unrecognizable pulp or worthless- 

Luz dug her nails inside her palms.

̷S̷H̷E̷ ̷C̷A̷M̷E̷ ̷B̷A̷C̷K̷!̷

Drugs were the first logical reason behind everything, what else could it be? it had to be! but when? and by who and why? She wanted nothing more than to throw the bags in her hands, which she just realized were still holding, and sprint at the nearest  exit without looking back, but couldn't move a muscle even though she was overflowing with energy, almost as if every limb was chained-

Luz bites her tongue, hard.

The air is bitterly cold, scorching the wall of her lungs, the worst of both worlds. I asked for this, didn't I? Each inhale of air was shorter, and shallow than the last. Her chest arches, realizing the rapid thumping of her heart fiercely slamming against its surrounding ribcage, as if it's about to burst.

All of her surroundings were drowned by the light of the hallway. Her vision blurred at the edges, and the only thing she could make sense of was the back of the unfamiliar figure no more than a dozen feet away from her. She couldn't tear her eyes away from that person, that indecipherable entity whose mere presence sent her sense of self-preservation into overdrive. The urger to... 

Run

Hide

GET OUT 

Live, survive, run, those words echoed without sound, their meaning impeccably coherent and yet unreachable. Luz's arms wrapped her torso on its own, a pathetic attempt to maintain any resemblance, however minuscule, of safety. Everything else felt unresponsive, all muscles tensed but remained unresponsive,  as if her mind was telling Luz that there was no point, that I wouldn't be able to survive this, that I had to accept the inevitable-

I don't want to accept this! I don't want to be alone! I-I have to...!

I'm not losing another one! N-not after everything-! I-I can’t please-! Please stay, come with us- Don’t leave us!

"...Mom"

Luz muttered with the little air she could be spared. It was nothing more than the little bark of a fragile, sick cub desperately begging for its mother to come back. 

"Luz..?" Mom's words sounded calm with a hint of curiosity, but the moment their eyes met, that expression instantly twisted into one of alarm and panic. her eyes widened just as she broke into a sprint-

"LUZ! Cariño! what happened?! Are you alright...? Please breathe Mija, breathe with me-!" She is extending an arm and...?!

-Touching me, someone is holding my arm... why? what did I do this? why? I obeyed, and didn't stuttered this time! Not again! why?! what did I do wrong this time?! I'm sorry! It won't happen again I'm sorry! I will be good! I didn't mean t-!

But that voice, that tone, she recognized them, but the words and their meanings blended together into something unutterable- This voice was different! his-her voice... it wasn't one filled with wrath or amusement, it was one she could identify, one that couldn't associate with pain or anger, but one defined by genuine concern and care...

It must be m̷o̷m̷. but why do I have a feeling of doubt like... If she wasn't talking about me? that the concern is directed to someone else...

But she said my name… right?

Her voice quietened to a whisper as other voices, unrecognizably yet somehow familiar ones, screamed to diverge her attention from the one she wanted to her the most. Mum led her inside while in a delicate yet strong embrace; it felt warm and comforting, nothing like harsh oxidized chains-

Chains…

That word triggered something, I didn’t even say it out loud, but the mere thought of that sound manifested a painful sensation; a cold, sharp, indented metal surface dragging across her wrist's skin, each step only amplified the intangible agony. She considered reaching out to break whatever had hooked her in place, but she knew, somehow knew, that trying to do so would only worsen the pain-!

-Someone is here-!

This woman is dressed in a long worn-up green jacket, dark pants with a pair of boots, holding a purse on her shoulder. She looks my age, her skin identical to mine. slightly darker perhaps, and her body seems to be well-toned and athletic and... scars. she has scars all over her body, small, hard to make out where to start and end- 

Brown eyes, she is staring back at me.

why...

why does she look like...

" ̷.̷.̷.̷L̷u̷z̷?̷

 ̷L̷u̷z̷ muttered. it couldn't even be considered a whisper after the name barely managed to escape her lips at the last instant. The name itself,  her own name,  left her gasping for air. And that woman is just standing there, immovable, just looking at her with an intense and devoid of emotion expression. as if she is preparing herself to strangle me the moment I try to break eye contact with her. 

 I know who she is... But she can't be here...  How is even she here? She shouldn't be here, it can't be possible! b-because I'm right here! She is not me! S-she can't be...

Lu̷z̷

But before L̷u̷z̷'̷s̷ mind could even begin to wrap up this reality-shattering crisis

the door closed behind her 

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-🦇-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

I knew things were not going to be the same...

That is the undeniable truth, one that accepted the moment I willingly chose to burn that portal three years ago... that impulse to do the right thing at the right moment. to prevent that monster from getting his hands on the only entrance to my... realm of origin. the last time I had a way to contact my own mom again...

It had been years, years since the last time I saw her...

Years since the last time we spoke

Years since the last time she brought me to school

Years since the last time she wrapped me in a hug

Years since... I last heard her say my name

Her reaction... I don't know what else I was supposed to expect. I’m aware I have become quite a different person since the last time we stood in front of each other. All of those "adventures" since the beginning of that summer all those years ago have changed me, for the better and worse, in more ways I couldn't have realized back then and still struggle to fully grasp even to this day.

Things that a child like my past self shouldn't have gotten involved in. yet I did... It was my choice after all. It was MY choice to stay. My choice was not to run away from danger. My choice was to stand my ground and fight back, willing to keep going until my last breath.

Do I regret some things?

Yes... of course, I do

Did I learn something from each one of those "Adventures"?

More than I could ever ask for...

But nothing could have prepared me for this

to see her so...

Calm

Clean

and... 

Happy

My mind was not prepared for this, I didn't know what to do, what to say, or even what to begin to think the moment our eyes intercepted. But I knew what I wanted to do, that single thing that had been engraved into my body, mind, and soul from the very moment I chose to burn the portal...

I wanted to embrace you in a hug Mom. To cry on your shoulder and scream endless apologies to you. Even if that action were to become the last one of my life, even if you were to become the last person I would see during my last moments in life.

Above my mentor Edalyn the owl lady

Above my little brother King

Above my cool aunt Lilith

Above my best friends Willow, Gus, and Hunter...

Above our favorite house demon Hooty

Above Emira, Edric, Viney, Barcus, Jerbo, and…

Even... Even above my wonderful Amity

I couldn't die without seeing you one last time... to make you know that It was never your fault… but mine and only mine.

But just before the words could have escaped my mouth, the first words that you would hear from your daughter after all these years.

That person appeared

And my mind completely collapsed in the instant you said that name...

Because my greatest fear became a reality... just as I stood immovable in front of that closed door after both of them left

I realized that…

You found a better daughter 

Chapter Text

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-🦇-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

  I just…

No...

That couldn't have happened...

She would never...! But...

It has been years Idiot of course she would-!

No no no no no this can't be happening! Mom...

Mom would never...! SHE WOULD NEVER-!

B-but the-en who the hell was...?!

Strands of her voluminous hair were fiercely pulled in an attempt to let go some steam, a preferable choice to punching the nearest wall, and cause a scene in the middle of this apartment. It was tempting, so tempting to just turn around, band at the door, and scream at the top of her lungs the questions burning in her mind. 

But Luz knew better now, keep it together and breathe, for the love of Titan, keep it together-

When did it get so hot in here?   Yes, she was very insistent with Eda about finding an outfit that would help her blend in back into human society, something appropriated and not so fancy for this time of the year, like that extravagant collection of sparkling dresses of hers. A bird thing, she assumes

But this jacket is atrociously too big for her, more fitting for the Arctic than anywhere else! And to think these were the only decent human clothes Eda had left in her basement! On top of that, the jacket's cheap fabric itchy her skin even though the sweater below it- 

And here it comes the headache, amazing, just amazing! 

"...She would never…"

Mumbling to herself, once an infrequent, innocent quirk of hers, has evolved into a nasty habit ever since the prospect of constructing a portal went from an absurd dream to a realistic and very possible goal. Without mentioning her tendency to lie and hide the worst of her doubts and insecurities to everyone. 

She knows she can count on her friends, they perfectly understand how much this burden has been affecting Luz for as long as they have known her. These eye bags, which once rivaled Hunter's own, were only among the dozen other signs reflecting her -how much she hated to admit- delicate state of mind.

Because it was inevitable. She simply couldn't pretend that the first half of her life didn't happen, even less ignored when said life was no more than a few steps in front of her. 

The portal had been ready for weeks, only a press of a button away between Luz and Camila, her mother,  who nurtured her all by herself for nearly a decade after her Dad's passing, they all shared ups and downs, from arguments to silent treatments, but their love easily outweighed every conflicts between them, every time without fault- 

And as per that same mother's decision, she was abandoned at the nearest bus station; Waiting to be delivered to some "Summer Camp" meant to unfold her "true potential" buried beneath what all of her old teachers called "eccentric and undesirable behavior" A decision which was enough to convince Luz to selfishly choose to abandon everything she had ever known in exchange for the opportunity to pursue her wildest fantasies in another world just around the corner…

Time ran past her in the blink of an eye, one moment, she woke up the day after that faithful decision burning the excitement that came with becoming a real witch apprentice… four years later, here she was back home, after accomplishing every dream her once young head was filled with and much more, or at least the closest thing she has to a home in this realm, not a place, but a single irrepressible person.

Luz couldn't imagine, much less put into cohesive sentences what she wanted to say to her once they were face to face. It's been nearly four years; Time she spent believing this present was nothing more than a dream beyond reach. Oh, the irony. But none of that stopped her brain from assuming and expecting the worst possible outcomes of their reunion, each scenario ranging from rejection, disgust, and disbelief —

Your own mother didn't recognize you. You are nothing more than a stranger to her, a weird tourist who somehow got lost on the third floor of a private apartment. 

And just like that her legs failed her; muscles softened under the insufferable pressure as she willingly collapsed against the wall.

Everything is going to be fine, yes, things seem bad, very bad, from whatever angle you tried to see it, but it definitely isn't a dead end, right?  Everything is going to be fine, and like many times before, she will find a solution to this horrible mess — Just needs to breathe in and out, slowly, keep it together keep it together —!

But she couldn't, her own mother didn't recognize her — but she said your name —she called out for Luz  —! Why would she mourn the ungrateful menace who couldn't stay out of trouble for more than a week at the time and refused to change for the better-? 

She felt it then, small and alive revealing itself with a faint glow from within one of her jacket's many pockets. Whatever it was, it rapidly climbed up her shirt until its movements stopped just inches away from the human's face. Fur and scales were pressed against her cheek while purring and hissing with a clear intent of comforting her…

Oh yeah... Almost forgot she brought him too

Palisman, though all know history, had been regarded as symbols of power and maturity.  It was a privilege and honor to receive those tools of incomparable value which only a handful could meet the minimal requirement to be considered worthy of one, and even then, only a few selected, mostly those belonging to a noble house, could get them hands on a single sizeable chunk of palistrom wood to carve their own.  If you had one, then you were considered superior to all your peers, no questions asked. 

You can thank that to a certain genocidal maniac for overharvesting Palistrom to near extinction and let's not forget about hunting down all the remaining ones.

But thankfully, all of that was left in the past.

One particular thing history tended to overlook was the connection, that intangible bond, the complexity of which those who had never had a Palisman could possibly even begin to unravel; What separates them from being a simple tool, weapon, or pet, is their birth. 

For a piece of Palistrom to gain life once it has received its final shape, a spark to bring it all together is necessary, one which not even gallons of Titan blood could come closer to imitate, but what could anyone mean by a spark? well, the answer is quite simple, actually, to grant the inanimate sculpture you only need to give up a fragment of your soul... 

It doesn't need to be a big one, a single, minuscule piece is more than enough to give the inanimate sculpture the power to wander the realm of the living. And once that last step is done…

Back when she chiseled that bark of wood guided by Eda's expert hand, she couldn't exactly visualize the end result of her work. It... didn't feel right. Her hand never paused, instead, it kept going on its own. Eda reassured that it was part of the process, a path, one that possibly no one had ever thought possible, had opened to her, and Luz gladly took the pathway to the dazzling unknown.  

And... well, the fruit of her efforts was now parked on her shoulder, lovingly examining Luz with a pair of, as for today, bright sparkling green eyes.

Her Palisman, a living bundle of fur, feathers, and scales, mostly of a variety of blue and magenta colors with a few patches spots here and there. It resembled an otter at least in terms of overall shape. A pair of bat ears a little too big for its head and a pair of feathered wings, one of the feathers, and instead of a tail, a whole snake took its place, similarly to a manticore's, it seemed to have a mind of its own. 

You began to share every aspect of your personality. Every trait and peculiarity, little to nothing is spared in this meant-to-be everlasting bond. Honesty in its ultimate form. He knows- no, he understands Luz, and never fails to demonstrate this fact, consistently, every single day and night, and even more importantly, to stay at her side no matter the circumstances.

No secrets or lies got past him. She tried her best to appear convincing and serene under her eyes, masking all her anxieties behind a multitude of rehearsed smiles and laughs. Yet, every time without fault, her Palisman realized the deception and reprimanded her for it, but kept his little mouth shut. He understood better than anyone how much this has been affecting her and respected said privacy despite disagreeing with her behavior. 

“You little rascal…” Luz muttered with a smile as she scratched him behind the ears — an instant source of relief. 

…

Now, maybe, with a bit of luck and enough emotional fortitude, she could begin to make sense of what she just witnessed; even though as of right now completing said task seemed unrealistic, she felt obligated to give it a try regardless of the odds on her favor. 

Although it agonizes me to think about it, I must understand. Put into words what happened...

Mom... 

I expect you to still be grieving, blaming yourself for my sudden departure, but instead, you answer that door smiling with such honesty... as if you were proud of your life and everything in it with no regrets whatsoever.

I expected your smile to fade the moment my name was mentioned, for you to immediately close the door in my face not before demanding to get out of your sight with chancla in hand. How couldn’t I blame you? You have every right to be furious with anyone who reminds you of those painful memories.

But you just told me that... Luz? just left to a nearby store and that she/I should come back in a moment... and then you just came out with something about if I was also attending Connecticut University?

That, and quote: “Wow... I uh, Listen I'm glad that everyone is welcoming my daughter and everything, but she hasn't chosen her career yet-And she already declined four club offers and I don't think she may be interested in... Boxing? gymnastics? no wait, let me guess... swimming! You can come inside and we can wait for her to come back if you want”

...

How was I supposed to answer that?!

Luz was left petrified in place incapable of formulating a single word for a whole minute. What was she supposed to make of that sentence alone? Okay, calm down, small steps, you have time to deal with this, let's start from a different angle. 

First of all...

I... never finished school. Heck pretty sure I was barely going to pass things like history or arts, and don't get me started with math and science, the teachers hate me guts there

Second, there are people that want to hang out with me? I... got no friends here, no one besides... mom so why would anyone invite me to be part of a club? the last time I was part of something like that, it ended in disaster! When Clara asked me to-!

Breathe very deeply Luz Noceda Clawthorn ... no time for that right now.

And third… 

"Luz" Now, her own name tasted bitter. She was certain of it. Her Mum had said that name out loud in a rush of panic just as... she completely ignored and ran past she like an afterthought. Luz has a suspicion of what this could mean but ... I can accept that she changed, that she moved on but if is true then-

There was something very, very complicated and bad going on here. Understanding of the century . She wouldn't just replace her own daughter like that-! I know my own mom!  

I need to understand this, I need to think things through…

That girl...

Whoever this girl was, everything came back to her! So the first step would be to figure out just who the heck she is… Okay! Let's start with what she was wearing. Her clothing seemed to be very plain, casual, and simple, a shirt, jeans, sweater, and shoes, nothing out of the ordinary... kinda of skinny, with not too much muscle from what she noticed at first glance.

She was just one normal and unremarkable human teenager.

"Normal..." She didn’t mean to say that word out loud. The very same word that started everything. Every time that particular agglomeration of letters appeared in her life, ever be spelled or said, it made her pause, to look at every piece and fragment of her personality and think “ Is this what mami wanted?-” 

NO

There is no time to think about that! Focus!

The girl, Who is she? Do I know her? She looked like...

Her hair color was so similar to hers, maybe a little off-tone but no way to deny it was nearly identical in fact... same with the tone of her skin. they differed only slightly in height, but only by a few inches at most. It couldn't be a coincidence. All of her battle-hardened instincts told her that all of these similarities couldn't have been unintentional. It was unnatural. 

Yes, she had heard about the existence of look-alikes across the world, but this...

There was something else that caught her eyes, specifically, that girl’s eyes...

Contacts? She has only known of cosplayers who use them to archive a perfect replication of their favorite characters. Maybe it was a new trend? It's been almost 4 years since she left so-

But there it was something more, like a breeze against her skin, a chill so breve and minuscule but so precise that it left an unexplainable yet thrilling sensation in her very heart.

It felt almost like…

Without words, just distinguishing her own reflection in her Palisman's eyes, confirms her suspicions, one of which she didn't want to acknowledge now or a hundred years later. 

He stares at her, directly gazing at her eyes surpassing all the limitations of the physical plane. His pupils widen until they completely eclipse the rest of his eyes. A mirror to reflect a mirror. A paradox of indescribable proportions and possibilities. In less of the blink of an eye, a selection of paintings broke through the ethereal fog, offering options, so she chose the one still in the process of drying out, only a single peek was all she needed to confirm if her anxiety and paranoia weren't mixing reality from nightmares. 

Another blink, and she was out of her mindscape. Another blink later, and her heart skipped a beat. Because it shouldn't — couldn't be possible. It was Impossible, simply as that, what logic could be behind this nonsensical theory — then how could she explain this? 

No, no it couldn't- But putting every piece together there is the possibility, for how small, an unthinkable, far-fetched chance that one of them sneaked past Eda at some point, or another portal — Those eyes, each a glistening gold — If this is the truth then that girl-?!

" Oh... Mierda" One hand reached for her hair while the other clung to the neck of her jacket for their life. She inhaled but no air came in. A carnival of memories threatened to burst through the gates of her mind at any second - If this is true then Mom-

"OUCH!” Searching for the source of the sudden pain, she spotted her own Palisman- “Qué caraj-! Did you just bite me?!”  -bit on her thumb, not hard enough to draw blood, but still, ouch.

Unknowingly, blinded by an inner turmoil of way too many complicated emotions, her hand had gone from scratching to tightly squeezing his ear, and even after releasing it, little Rascal's judgmental expression did not waver. He wasn't angry, eyes reflecting her own pain mixed with his concern.

< “Calm down, There is no danger, I assure you. For now, you should…” >

“What… Do you mean that there is no danger? That thing could be a-!!”

< “Luz, you trust me, right?” >

“Pues claro que confio en ti! es solo qu-”

< “Entonces… por favor cierra tus ojos, respira y escúchame con atencion” >

He is right... I trust him , and he has never misinterpreted the delicacy of any situation, let alone underestimate their adversaries. Being the youngest among the many other Palisman that made up her little interdimensional - homemade family, it wasn't surprising to find him at the center of all their attention; there was a lot to learn from the veterans and he gladly accepted the role of pupil. 

He wouldn't be so insistent on allowing... whatever this is if he wasn't doubtful of the greater picture

After letting go a long sigh, one pack with a good portion of all the stress she had accumulated since this morning, she relaxed, or at least tried to. A few more long and deep breaths later, she stood up and gave the door from which her Mum retreated one last glimpse before — and with great difficulty — turning her back to it. So much to think, process, and eventually, hopefully, understand. These past years have been stressful, with all capitals.

< “She will be safe, and you should rest for the night Luz, we will try tomorrow, she will not go anywhere, we have time” >

“Okay… You are right, I-I trust you. I trust you…”

Please don't jump to conclusions, there is no hurry, and apparently, no imminent danger, which strongly contrasts with the usual misadventures that tend to plague each and every one of her problems. She shouldn't accept this. Regardless of her companion's words, leaving without tearing that door down and pinning that thing... felt like a mistake, one she is sure to regret the instant it poops its head the instant Luz recovered her footing. 

Her little chimera glared at her with not-so-concealed exasperation and sadness. he was serious about this. The "girl" wouldn't pose any danger as long as they kept their distance and avoided threatening her. She trusts him, and it would be for the better if they left for the night and thought things carefully before confronting this disturbing dilemma head-on. 

She already cornered a desperate predator and paid the consequences once, the lesson was learned, no reason to mess things up again...

A particular spot on her neck, pale and marked, burned...

Never again...

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-🐍-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

-ause that is my name! It is my name right?! since camp! since...!

Oh god, no nononononononononononon... please this can't be happening! this can't be happening!

I'm ̷L̷u̷z̷ ̷n̷o̷c̷e̷d̷a̷, I HAD to be ̷L̷u̷z̷ ̷n̷o̷c̷e̷d̷a̷! Who I am if I'm not ̷L̷u̷z̷ ̷n̷o̷c̷e̷d̷a̷?!

WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF I'M NOT ̷L̷U̷Z̷ ̷N̷O̷C̷E̷D̷-?!

"Luz, Cariño please breathe... relax I'm here, no one else just... Is just me Luz."

She blinked several times to discern her surroundings. She was inside a very familiar apartment, with her knees pulled together closer to her chest on the living room couch. Her M̷u̷m̷  knelt on her left keeping her afloat with a tender grasp and soothing murmurs, everything beyond that an undistinguished blur.

̷L̷u̷z̷  relishes the physical contact and the warmth brought with it, relief blooming alongside a sense of safety pushing away the darkness that came before. For a second everything else was forgotten —

Then the warmth crashed with the icy ache plaguing every layer of muscles within her, relief was replaced by a violent eruption of distress spreading all across her. The warmth tried fighting and making its way deeper and vanquishing the source of all but was instantly overpowered by what dawdled below the surface. 

All of that initial comfort was squeezed out of her by an ugly gargantuan mass of fear clutching onto her very being. Intangible spikes pierced flesh and dug deeper and deeper in search of what little remained of her sanity, hidden and curled in on itself against a lone corner. 

Loneliness could be described as a cage, a cold solid steel hard chamber hidden from even the sun's light, and it was the last thing she wanted, to be left alone with this… all of this I don't want to be alone they were touching her and couldn't move — I need her but at the same time-Stay away from me-! it was so much, the urge to run away, from her-everything Please stop!-I did nothing wrong! Is her fault-!

̷S̷h̷e̷ ̷i̷s̷ ̷s̷t̷i̷l̷l̷ ̷h̷e̷r̷e̷?̷

Within her chest, a painful throbbing resonated across her body. Her lungs suffocated, uncountable ideas and words bounced against every wall of her head, while every limb felt heavy, detached from the rest of her, the ability to move and feel stolen, just as all the remaining warm in her body. 

Her  ̷M̷o̷m̷’̷s̷ ̷ touch helped. Yet, the distress and dread lingered and expanded. Manifesting in a coat of boiling sweat that failed miserably in putting together her quivering body. 

I-I can't do this. I-! I need-! 

"C-can you... wate-er" L̷u̷z̷ muttered trying desperately not to look at her, her throat was as dry as if she had swallowed a whole cup of sand. She closed her eyes hoping, desperately yearning for everything in the last hour to have just been a nightmare to be forgotten given a few minutes, instead, the sound of steps told her of her M̷u̷m̷ leaving, possibly to the kitchen.

̷S̷h̷e̷ ̷d̷o̷s̷e̷n̷t̷ ̷k̷n̷o̷w̷?

Her departure brought an incomparable relief. Like a predator's enormous shadow looming over its minuscule snack, savoring her fear, taunting her powerless, now gone. Its mere presence sharpened the edges of all of her senses and pushed hard-to-describe emotions into her already volatile state.  

It is... tricky to explain, an amalgamate between the dread of the inevitable around the corner, the vulnerability of her state, and the notion that... the moment she tries anything to fight back against the source of these emotions, the only thing awaiting me would be.. .

Run and escape and hide and- She needed to disappear, an urge told — No, screamed at her that the perfect opportunity had just presented itself, just hop off the cushion, open the front door, and run until your legs start aching and keep going until you lost yourself deep within the night's dense darkness, away from your pursuers, away from everyone and everything.

So tempting was the thought of just leaving all of this behind. But where would she go? Where to escape and hide until the danger passes away? will it even forget and leave her be or will trap her in a perpetual chase until her inevitable demise? 

But the possibility of failing, messing up even in the slightest, of being caught doing what she isn’t supposed to do...

̷S̷h̷e̷ ̷i̷s̷ ̷h̷e̷r̷e̷.̷.̷.̷

Breath in and out, a simple-to-follow task, each gasp of air restructured her vision. it helped her to try to rationalize what happened. She could feel claws beneath her skin, tearing and pinching incessantly. The fog continued to invade her vision to the point she was sure her eyes were on the verge of bursting —

The sound of a buzzing phone on the table caught her attention... her m̷o̷t̷h̷e̷r̷ ̷ hadn't changed it after all these years, and it seemed that it just received some new messages.  L̷u̷z̷ ̷ wouldn't care about any damn phone if it wasn't for the number of messages that arise on the screen.

[329 unread messages]

At that point, her curiosity got the best of her. Why? She doesn’t know, and the fact made her heart skip a beat

Taking the phone and starting to scroll through the screen, she was greeted by the first dozen messages, sent years ago, but as she kept going the dates started to get closer and closer. There were messages, videos, and audio files, each one varying in duration and length.

Why… Maybe it was curiosity, maybe some word or image caught her attention. Her finger decided to slow down on its own, allowing the girl’s eyes to wander the screen and read text after text with unblinking attention. She wasn't doing this out of her own volition, something else, something invisible- h̷i̷d̷d̷e̷n̷ wanted to know more.

[Mom! I don't know if you will see this... But in the case you do, just so you know I'm perfectly safe here, I'm staying with my mentor the owl-…]

What was once a morbid curiosity began to turn into a real-life nightmare. 

̷S̷h̷e̷ ̷d̷o̷esn't ̷k̷n̷o̷w̷

[Mom I never wanted this to happen, it was supposed to be for just a month! I promis-]

It shouldn’t be possible.

[Soooo remember the thing about titan blood? the last thing I needed to make the portal to come back home and everything...? well... things have gotten a little more complicated-]

H-how-? after all these years- how?

['I wanted this to be a surprise but... Allow me to present to you… My awesome girlfriend! Amity Bli-]'

I'm ̷s̷t̷i̷l̷l̷ ̷h̷e̷r̷ ̷da̷u̷g̷h̷t̷e̷r

It burn down- I saw it with my own eyes-! how is she here-?

[Happy Birthday Mom! Sorry that I couldn't be here fo-]

But I was there- not you-! what right do you have-?!

[So I just met Eda's actual ex and must say…]

[-Things have been getting a little... Complicated recently, but don't worry everything is going to be fine-]

[Mami, I know I haven't written in a while, BUT don't worry things have got much better since we kinda overthrow the government-]

[-Okay first off let me explain-]

̷Sh̷e̷ ̷lef̷t̷.̷.̷.̷

[-sometimes I don't know if these messages will ever reach you or if I will ever see you but...]

̷M̷y̷ ̷na̷m̷e̷,̷ this ̷i̷s̷ ̷s̷t̷i̷l̷l̷ ̷m̷y̷ ̷name

[I'm sorry, I want to say so many things but I had to be there, you deserve it, please wait for me a little more... just a little more-]

̷M̷o̷m̷ ̷doesn’t know

[Everything is ready, I'm at the front of the portal, we need to talk, I know we have to t-]

̷An̷d̷ she ̷d̷o̷e̷s̷n̷'̷t̷ need ̷t̷o̷ ̷k̷n̷ow

[Delete conversation?]

[Yes] No

[delete contact profile?]

[yes] No

...

I'm Luz Noceda... 

I had been since the moment YOU decided to left

YOU left. YOU left! YOU! LEFT!

She is happy and I'm happy

If YOU didn't come back until now is because YOU were happy so is just fair that I jus-!

"Luz... here is the water" M̷u̷m̷  was holding a glass of water and… a white pill? L̷u̷z̷ ̷ couldn't remember its name or function, but seeing the medicine in her m̷o̷t̷h̷e̷r̷’s hands dissipated any distrust towards the unknown remedy… 

"G-Gracias mam-" that word... Why… was it so difficult to say such an ordinary word out loud? One so deeply rooted in everything she has ever associated with safety and love, but not it- why couldn’t she say-?

With trembling hands she took the glass of water and the pill, eyeing them for a few seconds. An unfamiliar urge lurked in the corners of her head — which she happily ignored in favor of drinking the water along with swallowing the pill; And of course, the urge didn't stop, merely scoffing and retreating back to where it came from, and to make matters worse, her mouth remained dry as sand.

...

The silence between them was nothing short of suffocating. 

Her m̷o̷t̷h̷e̷r̷’s intimidating aura persisted. It was overwhelming, no other way to describe it as if she was in danger Stop pretending that you don't know   This was her mother, why would she think that? what could possibly justify such a nonsensical idea? Remember, I — You have to-! The tension beneath her skin intensified, it burned, and kept burning the more she tried to ignore it- Stop ignoring me, for the love of the T̶̷̶i̶̷̶t̶̷̶a̶̷̶n̶̷̶  remember remember remember- She struggled to inhale more air- 

L̷F̷u̷i̷v̷e̷z̷ could feel the woman's gaze on her, scouring meticulously 

every inch of the back of her head just outside of her vision  Did a detail slip up? two, consecutive beats staggered her insides, another two beats, and another worse than the least. She felt on the verge of falling apart Stop looking please stop looking at me-

The urge came back, fiercer and stronger than before, it grabbed her by the shoulders, leaned closer to her ear, and whispered in a disturbingly familiar voice. "She doesn't know…”

"Mija... what happened?"

“-Yet.”

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_🩺_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

I shouldn't have let her go.

Since Luz's last diagnostic, she has been acting more... Restless, for lack of a better word. 

More often than not, at least once every week without fault, Luz attempted to push herself a little further, a tiny ounce of more effort every time, and each time Camila saw a timid smile once those efforts paid off as if with the intent of proving the doctors wrong- 

Camila should have intervened at the first opportunity- No, she actually did. On multiple occasions in fact, and what did she accomplish with each one? "Fine, last time promise." Luz told her "Okay, okay! no more lifting for me!" Luz said next week "B-But-you-I'm just washing the dishes? Mum this is-" And every week ended with a short yet sore discussion that never brought them anywhere.

Just this once, if she says she is feeling well, then I should trust her-

Stupid, stupid, look at what you did to her-! This was supposed to be a victory, a small act of independence to lift her mood after months of inaction and everyone's persistent pleas for her to stay put and do nothing. And look at what your ineptitude has caused, woman! 

She has been doing so well since the day of her graduation early this year

The principal, teachers, and students, everyone from the school were there; Whole families clapped and cheered each kid who stood and received their diploma. And once it was Luz's turn her friends revealed a banner dedicated to her, covered in lovely watercolors, and photos of all their coffee outings, camping trips, and sleepovers from the last 3 years...

At first, Luz just stood still, timid expression, diploma in hand, as if she hadn't registered the scene presented in front of her, blinded by disbelief. It took her a whole minute to process what was happening... And Camila could never forget that sight; Luz fidgeting in place, uncertainty invading her features until recognition sparked from within her eyes, and then she smiled, and kept smiling until her lips nearly touched her eyes, and laughed like no tomorrow before throwing herself at the hands of her friends' waiting hands.

It was one of those moments that, as a mother, knew would never escape her memories, never before in her life had she seen Luz display such amounts of raw emotions. 

It was like she was living the best moment of her life

But now...

Seeing her like this

Luz's face looked as pale as a corpse drained out of all its blood, her clothes drenched in her sweat, her shrunken pupils jumping from every minuscule movement around her to the next like a cornered kitten surrounded by predators from every angle; and she wasn't just quivering, it seemed as if her muscles were continuously lashing at every speck of dust in the air. 

This wasn't a simple spook, no this was worse than that, for the love of God this was pure raw terror for her life —

Camila tried to reach out to her, a single hand hesitantly approaching her beautiful light's shoulder with the hope that-

Luz flinched at her touch, not just flinched, she threw herself away from her to the other end of the sofa, and for a split second she felt it, the icy cold of her skin, so frigid cold—like a corpse— that she was sure it burned her hand. Luz's eyes, now fully locked on her mother—

The soul-crushing sight reminded her of something, of those times years ago back in her arduous days at the hospital, of days plaque by the incessant red and blue flares of every ambulance that came in and out, of hours drowned by dozens of cries for help from patients and coworkers alike. 

Camila started her career like any other, spending her days providing treatment for small accidents in the kitchen, a variety of allergic reactions, knife wounds, electrocutions, and the periodic and thankfully not-so-bad car crash, things easily dealt with with a little bit of patience and fortitude. It became her routine, never meddling directly in the worst cases, just doing what she and everyone else expected from her.

But of course, as you familiarize yourself with what to expect, the procedures, other departments, and more complex equipment and cases, you stop being called "recruit" by your "superiors" Instead they start to see you with different eyes, recognizing you as someone who had gathered just as much experience as them; someone worth relying on...

Bullet wounds, broken bones, food poisoning, infections, tumors, and hard-to-believe at times even worse things; sometimes you save them, other times you don't, and sometimes they arrive with a few seconds to spare and other times... the inevitable happens, regardless of your efforts, of how much you knew about their condition, of the available tools ad personal; all irrelevant when faced against the embrace of death — but this time you mess up, fucked up so badly and don't tell anyone about what happened, nobody questions you, they tell you it was inevitable, you couldn't have saved them, and nobody knows, not a soul, only your boss who revoked your practice license in the privacy of his office and your husband who promised to drag her mistake to the grave — 

Camila has seen expressions just like her daughter's before. Not from those broken and sick in ways that twisted her stomach three times around itself, but from those who avoided death by a single miraculous hair. Adults and children alike who not only emerged unscratched but witnessed the catastrophes unfold with their very own eyes.

Fully aware it was a miracle they survived and others didn't.

Luz was staring back at her, pupils shrunk into shaking, near imperceptible dots. Each breath was deep and near-instant while her arms and legs continued to drag her across the sofa, creating as much distance between herself and...  

Why...

Why does my daughter have the very same expression those people had?

Who could blame her for not being able to contain the tears... The urge to close the gap between them was overwhelming just as infuriating. She wanted to caress her cheek, wipe away the tears, and hug all that pain away but knew trying to force her way in would just make things worse. 

"Luz, cariño please..." She knelt and slowly lifted her arms in surrender "Is me, your mama… Luz?" 

Luz blinked, seemingly having come to a realization. "M-Mum?" She whispered, eyes not focused on anything at all. It took a few seconds for her breathing to settle, and a few more for the tears to stop flowing. But sadly, not enough got the shacking to stop.

"Yes is me, Luz" Camila allowed the urge to take over and walked closer to her "Soy yo mi niña, soy yo..."

"...Mum" she muttered, her voice hoarse. "What..?." With one hand she grabbed onto a chunk of her hair. Her gaze locked on Camila, almost like pleading. "I... what?"

"Lusecita, por favor dime... Que paso?"

Her daughter's mood changed, and ever so slightly what she imagined to be glimmers of remorse passed through her features before disappearing just as quickly.

"Luz, I can't help you if you don't let me help you-"

"Someone tried to rob me" She spat those words in a monotone tone, crossing her arms over her chest. "I didn't-"

"Who was it? Who did this to you?" She clenched her fists to the point her knuckles turned white. No point in hiding it, she felt absolutely livid at the mere thought of the grotesque excuse of a human being who did this to her innocent girl still running free out there.

Luz blinked while shaking her head repeatedly  "I don't know- I don't- it was dark, I couldn't see-" her breath quickened. "Only saw the knife- And Masha left and they couldn't-couldn't-" 

Camila grabbed her daughter by the shoulders, stopping all frantic movements in their tracks. She couldn't bear to keep listening, no more. Her imagination, though nothing compared to Luz's once blinding creativity, was already torturing her with vivid images of what happened, of what could have happened to her daughter —

Knife? Luz mentioned a knife- Blood? was Luz bleeding-? No, nothing, not a single red stain. Nothing. Calm down, your daughter was fine, just spooked- No, stop denying reality woman, it was worse, way more than that, God, look at her!

Panicking was the worst thing she could do at that moment. She knew it from an extensive index of personal experiences, each of her cases demanded flawless composure and a rigid mindset when it came to following the appropriate protocols to the letter. 

Her daughter was on the verge of a panic attack, shaking non-stop; and so she held her hand, whispering comforts, nothing seemed to calm her in the slightest, and worst of all it seemed to be getting worse — Crying for her, her little girl was crying. She wept hysterically as tears soaked her cheeks and joined the sweat of her clothes-

But as much as she tried to resist her maternal instincts, the desire to hug her easily erased any trace of Camila the medical professional from her.

So Camila hugged her. The touch tensed Luz to the point of feeling like she was hugging a rigid steel pillar; and while it didn't stop Luz from trying to tear herself away from her, Camila could sense, deep within her girl's core, that tension melting away as the seconds flickered...

The hug brought not even a single speck of joy or relief, but dread from the horrific realization passing through the lone mother's mind...

"Everything is going to be fine..."  Possibilities and paranoia swallowed her vision, displaying images born from her most horrent cases and nightmares, of knives ripping through flesh, tendons, muscles, veins, and organs effortlessly. She couldn't stop them. only continuing to hug her daughter and caress her hair to get rid of any knots. “I’m here mi querida… Estoy aqui y no te voy a dejar”

...why? What else could she do? The girl in her arms could have... 

Camila closed her eyes and let the tears flow, Luz's cold and lifeless body coated in her own blood-! wasn't real, her girl was here and well... she was going to make sure of that

Life already took her Manny

...and like hell, she will let the world take her Light. 

Chapter Text

When Luz told everyone that it might be necessary for her to spend a couple of days in the human realm... on her own, she wasn’t at all surprised when she received mixed reactions from all across the board.

Eda, for her part, seemed to understand in greater detail than she allowed it to show, so she stood alongside Luz’s decision in this matter. 

In Amity’s case, she didn’t want to go against Luz’s wishes but at the same time refused to simply stand down and do nothing while her girlfriend went to face her not-so-inner demons on her own. Similarly, Willow and Gus shared an identical sentiment over the possibility of not being able to support Luz for who knows how long.

As for King, well, he didn't show much of a reaction to the news, but Luz did notice a waging conflict within those eyes, and if she had to guess likely over what this development would bring to all of them in the long run.

Eventually, a unanimous decision to at least maintain a line of communication between them was made, a decision that Luz couldn't help but feel a little uneasy about. It was a reasonable one, of course, they worried not only for Luz’s safety but also her heart, a little thing that can’t just be amended with a wave of a finger like most problems these days.  

And the outcome all depends on a single person.

A single day couldn’t be enough… Nor a week, probably not a month, a year perhaps? Would reconnecting with her Mum even be possible? Could she even begin to figure out a way to fix this mess? 

Three years...

It has been three years since Luz left the human realm behind and never came back...

Three whole years that she spent living her wildest and most unbelievable dreams. Making friends and family who didn't just tolerate her weirdness but accepted it with open arms, rediscovering an archaic and raw form of magic only limited by her imagination, excelling at a prestigious magical school, and last but no less sparking a civil war against a tyrannical genocidal maniac and… 

Titan… And all that happened in the first year alone…

But what about her Mum? How did she spend those three years? how many days, weeks, months, and years did she waste trying to find her daughter? For how long did she drive herself crazy just imagining all the possibilities that could have explained Luz's disappearance?

Can’t even begin to imagine how she found out her daugher has been missing for months 

Did the camp call her? Did they even bother to ask if she was coming or not? What if they just assumed Luz wasn't coming and left my mom in the dark for three whole months? 

How for long did she blame yourself for this? For how long... Did she mourn her?

A gentle knock on the door later...

No time to waste, not anymore, this was it, the final boundary between her and her greatest disgrace. Another door, not a magical doorway between dimensions, but of the ordinary wood-made kind. She stood patiently as her eyes tickled with unshed tears, staring unblinkingly awaiting a reply.  

You did it girl, is over, everything you had accomplished until now has led you to this very moment. Just need to wait a little more, a couple of minutes can’t be that bad right?

…

Any minute now.

… 

Alright again — But just before Luz’s hand could make contact with the door again, it opened on its own, and who was behind the door you may be asking?

A complete stranger. Just behind the modestly dressed middle-aged man a view nearly crushed with a single step of whatever resembles of confidence she had left. The minimalist wallpaper, the new furniture that looks like velvet, the portrait of strangers smiling-

This isn’t my home.

Holding her breath, Luz attempted with what little composure she could, to ask him to who this house belonged to- It was him, for the last year only he and his wife lived there, nobody else —

…

Amity, Eda, and King had just arrived and taken a small breath before explaining what happened in Eclipse Lake. How they encounter Hunter, how they make their way through the veins of the mountain closely pursued by a legion of the Emperor’s goons, and why Eda stayed behind while Amity and King fought Hunter head-on.

During that chaotic fight, spells were fired at every beat of a hearth, and unknown to everyone, multiple veins of fool’s blood were present in that same chamber. An unpredictable barrage of lighting and fire rained down and enveloped the once-empty chamber into a battleground without quarters —

A direct hit in Amity's chest,  directly into the Key,  directly into the container of Titan's blood, a sustain so powerfully and unstable that a single tear could be enough to detonate an entire building if triggered by a single flame

If it wasn’t for King’s quick thinking…

A single and precise roar knocked the key off of her neck, giving everyone enough seconds to evacuate the cavern before the entire thing could blow up and its flame engulfed the insides of the mountain.

And that was the story of how a new tourist attraction opened up to receive anybody's interest in the crater that appeared in the very center of the knee. Including how the key was lost, together with the only known source of Titan's blood left on the entire island. 

Luz never pushed any blame onto anyone for what happened that night, much less thought about the long-lasting consequences that losing the key would bring. Nothing more than another setback, she thought at the time, no big deal, nothing that they couldn’t fix together next week.

In the end, Luz believed that once everything was done and over, one day all of them would laugh at that little and insignificant incident.

Mum... 

Oh Dios y Titan santo...

this can't be, right? After everything she had to go through, this was it, were all of her efforts for nothing? All because she let her stupid brain push her around and do nothing when the chance to see her Mum was just right there-! She is dead, she is dead and it was all her fault —

NO

Take a deep breath, don’t lose your shit now Luz, maybe… Just maybe, she misunderstood the man’s answer. 

…what about the previous owner? what happened to them? Have you heard about Camila Noceda? A Dominican woman around her thirties, probably already in her forties, with tan skin, brown eyes, and dark hair... there were so many other things she wanted to add so many other things to the description, Caring, lovable, passionate about cooking, local veterinarian-

This mist enveloping her mind and vision needed to disappear, she couldn't fight it on her own, too strong and dense and heavy- wrong, please tell me I'm wrong! Please please please —

Luz took a seat Inside the cozy home, a cup of a little too-hot tea in hand, while her gaze aimlessly wandered in search of anything that may seem familiar. But no, nothing was spared.  The one and only place she had ever felt safe and loved in this whole realm was unrecognizable. Memories flickered before her eyes like rays of light quickly obscured by a dark storm.

With a snap of a finger, she was brought back to reality, as it seemed like the old man's memory successfully gathered what was asked to share.

He explained that, indeed, he got to meet who originally owned the house a couple of months ago. A name and an approximate address were the only things he could recall from the brief exchange with that one lady. Something about wanting to move on to look for a better job in the city. 

Whatever was about to rip apart her heart banished upon hearing that. But the implications behind those words put to a stop any other thoughts her mind was about to make. 

Taking her silence as an invitation to keep going, he added that It wasn't until recently that he and his wife finished redecorating and moving the last pieces of furniture, a gift for their recently married son who was looking for a calm and peaceful town to settle in to raise their grandson…

What better place than in the middle of nowhere, he jokingly said to break the awkward silence between them, a gesture she appreciated.

...she is alive...

While repeating that fact inside her mind to keep herself grounded, she thanked the father for the hospitality and fled the scene without much of another word.

Okay, time to start formulating a plan

The nearest city, if her foggy memory remembered correctly, was a little more than an hour from here, add or take a few minutes. Whatever, her palisman should be able to cover that distance in more or less than that without any worry about traffic.  A single hour, it would only take a single hour to reach her goal. The notion itself was overwhelming. yet, it stopped abruptly once she took notice of where she was standing.

The human realm, Connecticut… 

A messy blend between her distorted perception of what should be considered ordinary and unnatural. The blue sky felt… wrong, no better way to describe that feeling.  Like looking at a painting of someone you once knew but are now incapable of recalling the details of the original visage.

The forest, as expected, welcomed her presence by invading her entire field of vision with trees and foliage of many exotic tonalities of green and yellow. 

Next were the sounds, the roars of passing cars through the nearby street could only be registered as the cries of beasts making their presence known to the intruder of their territory, frightening all close-by critters whose sounds were downright cryptic, unrecognizable as far as my memory could recall.

Everything felt familiar but also uncomfortably different, sprinkled with what she could only describe as nostalgia, not so different from the fear and excitement of confronting and learning from the unknown —

Falling, oh shit- in a second her right boot was swallowed by a puddle of mud and she suppressed a hiss for the incoming agony of losing that would come an entire layer of skin. Gravity took a fierce hold with the intent to deliver her face-first down- Burn Out of pure instinct she pushed back with all her might-

Luz fell on her butt, eyes closed for a moment before opening to see that... ah, yeah, human realm. It was just mud, cold and sludgy mud... 

Great…

Ha, if Amity was here she'd probably freak out at the sight of this mess, while Willow watched the scene from the sidelines with a fond smile on her face before helping her up. Close by, Gus would be busy trying to interview a squirrel or something, and as for Hunter...

He was genuinely interested in visiting Earth after uncovering the whole  Wittebane and  Grimwalker thing. It took him a long while to accept a fraction of that information, and many long weeks of restless and excruciating research to solidify Titan knows what was going on in his poor sleep-deprived brain.

And even longer to start putting himself together in the aftermath of... 

THAT DAY.

It was hard...

For everyone…

...

B-but that was then, what about now? it shouldn't be surprising to know everyone is doing great, and enjoying their well-deserved happy ending. 

Amity and Luz are still together and thriving. With no need to worry about a certain heartless woman throwing tantrums left and right every time Luz went to visit her awesome girlfriend. A witch dual later was all it took to get the divorce papers rolling and signed and nobody hasn't heard of Odalia again! Titan gracious... 

Oh, oh! Amity is officially the head Master of the Bonesborough Library, well,  Malphas still takes care of a few things on an administrative level, but once he retires the position goes to the most incredible girlfriend of all dimensions… there is not much else to say, she is just that wonderful. 

Eda and Raine are dating! They had been dating for the last 2 years but hadn't exactly been open about it in public for whatever reason.  It also doesn't help that they both bought a set of rings but are too shy with each other even to try to propose. Seriously,  It was funny at first but now is just kinda sad...

And around the corner, we have Willow, the owner of her own private 4-story greenhouse, captain of Hexide's flyer derby team the Emerald Entrails, and the most promising candidate for the next coven head! Not that she is that interested in it but is still a cool detail to add. And she is also dating Hunter although, at the difference between Amity and her they are keeping it quiet.

Gus is... wow, where to even begin? Since he came across those books about the principles of animation he got a tiny bit inspired... that little guy literally developed his own original illusion techniques by using the lessons and concepts from the books. All resulting in the foundation of the cinematography coven! 

And over here we have Hunter who, Fun fact: is a Clawthrone! by technicality, but it still counts. After going through some old classified documents hidden in Belos' private collection we discovered the official marriage certificate between the first named Clawthorne and Caleb Wittebane. 

Not everyone took the news as well as others, of course, like... finding a drunk Eda, Lilith, and Gwendolin having a heated discussion as to who gets to keep him.

Thankfully, Dell came to the rescue just in time and gave our sad boy all the time that he needed to make peace with this discovery. Long story short, Hunter is staying with Eda's dad, at least for the time being. Without mentioning his sudden interest in regards to Palisman carving 

Even he seemed conflicted over the idea. In his own words, when she asked after minutes of waiting: "Why? I honestly don't know... I guess I'm just trying to find myself... and I feel like I should do this because... Luz yes! you already told me that is not my fault, and Dell did the same ... I just want to do this okay?" Nobody doubted his decision, not their place to judge or prove for details, especially as it didn't take an oracle to catch the implications behind that decision.

And let's not forget about King who... Rarely visits these days. Normally his expeditions barely take a week tops before staying for way longer, but as time went on he started disappearing for multiple weeks and last time whole months. We all stay in contact using scrolls but at times King just goes beyond range and... 

But he is fine, always coming with one or two new scars but nothing that bad, to be fair, she did the same before... 

…

An open field.

So focused on finding her Mum Luz didn't take notice of the clear lack of any ancient cabin sticking out like a sore and rotten thumb in the middle of the forest. No, there simply was nothing to see here, just an empty spot where small straws of grass and herbs scarcely covered the ground. No remains proving that at one point the old building crumbled in on itself,

Nothing more than that. 

just nothing

Luz stared in horror at the area before, and with great apprehension, reached out for the little trinket hanging out from her neck.  It was still there, made out of an assortment of Palistrom, silver, and gold, and a few hard-to-remember components, the key stared back with a crystalline yellow orb and a seemingly organic black slit. Its shape not so different from the original, the only remarkable difference being little bird wings sticking out from each side.

I could come back at any moment if I want to… Not yet, so much still needs to be done. 

But even knowing that, thanks to this ever-growing sense of curiosity, she couldn't stop herself from aimlessly wandering through the town

That old man was right... this town is indeed not only peaceful but also in the middle of nowhere. apart from the so familiar row of houses, the only worth noting features were a supermarket, the once-in-a-while outdoor market which takes place at the center of town, a Zoo, and a couple of shops and oddities like the cafe, museum and...

There, just on the other side of the asphalt road, stood an imposing monolith of concrete and sterile design. She remembered the place and everything that transpired inside its walls with vivid clarity. Memories so deeply rooted in her persona that if someone were to yank one out the resulting void would leave her virtually unrecognizable.

“Experiences are vital parts of ourselves, they determine who we are, good and bad.”

The public school she once attended a long time ago.

Every step leading to that building felt like carelessly stepping in a minefield of painful and bitter memories of a troubling childhood, of one better left forgotten. 

Is simply was not worth it. 

But things have changed for the better. Hexide was by far one of the best places Luz had ever stepped in her life. A school solely focused on exploring and nurturing every student's creativity to its boiling point, even at the expense of a few teachers' mental stability along the way but it was all worth it in the end. Their own words.

It wasn't always like that, at first things were, to put it bluntly, all about letting the school and their underpaid personnel twist and mold the next young generation into what the system popularized as the perfect citizens 

Well, not anymore, and thanks the Titan for that… since the coven system originally enforced by the Emperor's Coven was no more than a conspiracy to commit mass genocide, understandably the population decided to get rid of it... Although not in its entirety, all things considered, the coven system, while restricted was a welcome structure to the chaotic nature of magic; So its fundamentals were utilized as a base for creating a more diversified and flexible magic classification system that expands upon dozens of branches to this day.

Looking back, wow, a bit hard to fully process all the events that led to this point in her life. Luz has accomplished so many things to the point at times it feels like there is nothing more to do, no more goals to strive for.

She already did pretty much everything on her list!

Raising and training a rare breed of Hydra for beast-keeping! 

Replicate an echo mouse's natural ability to project writing through the use of an unnecessarily complex combination of glyphs printed on a book cover. 

Designing and personally testing an actual Grappling Hook!  With just a little bit of abomination goo here, a couple of glyphs there, and spicy things with a metal casing for practicality, and presto, la Asombrosa Araña enters the scene— And then she broke an arm the next day... Still a work in progress. 

But none of that couldn't compare to the friends she made back along the way...

That was back there... In the demon realm, not here.

Apart from Luz's Mum, what else in this realm offers anything close to happy memories? It was a discomfiting fact knowing her realm of origin means so little to her, no more than a distant unpleasant memory pushed aside every time it dared to poke its head around. 

Sigh...

You know what? Knowing this day was going to be everything but relaxing, maybe giving herself a little treat just for the sake of preparing mentally for the reunion may help a little. If anything, one thing she did miss was food that didn't bite back. This old human pocket money Eda lend her better still be worth something, and enough to satisfy this craving for sweets.

Now where was that cafe she always wanted to visit? Ah, right at the very center of the town next to... 

Luz never thought much of the statues here, stone replicas of two supposedly hard-working men who dedicated their lives to put this town on the map hundreds of years ago. If only this world knew a fraction of what she does, but what would it matter? Both are long since gone, even if one of them just recently, here they are nothing more than historic figures among countless others.

Not worth the headache.  

Upon entering the cafe, and to her relief, nobody batted an eye at her little out-of-place appearance, not even a passing comment or remark, just a mere and welcome indifference. Today, She was just an unimpressive nobody. Definitely for the better.

"Vising from out of town I presume," The barista, a blonde girl with round ears said, the sight a little unnerving to be honest and she better not be showing it. "What would it be?" 

...Good question…

-----------------------------------------------

Caramel coffee, Croissant, Atun sandwich, and a package of homemade oatmeal cookies... Titan Luz, where did your self-control go?

Hey, let's be fair here, for how long has she depended on such a limited selection of human-friendly food? Griffin eggs and arachnid milk were great and everything but after months of the same thing can turn any flavor bland. Not to mention the occasional nutritional elixir every once in a while. 

Titan blesses Willow's unwatering determination for, and against all odds after countless frustrating attempts, successfully growing fruits and vegetables from a completely alien world; Tomatoes, garlic, lettuce, melons, and guayabas of all things. Luz’s taste buds shall forever remember her efforts.

Back to the present, here she was, her hair/mane fluttering wildly as she flew across the clouds, leaving behind the slowly fading silhouette of her hometown until it disappeared from her vision in its entirety. 

Hesitantly, she looked down at the croissant in her hand, and to her surprise, it didn't scream in agony or try to munch her tongue with a hidden set of teeth once she gave it her first bite. What a pleasant surprise. 

Back three and half years ago, experiencing anything close to floating a few feet above the ground would have been enough to leave her incomparably ecstatic.

Nowadays? Is lovely... to say the least. 

The tranquility at this moment was something Luz had been yearning for a long while, but what exactly fetched said emotion? Being back in this realm surely was part of it, and perhaps the lack of that sulfuric scent she had grown accustomed too?

Maybe... was because she was back where she belonged. As a human living among humans. In the human realm doing ordinary human things like any human should do?

Nah, That's lame… maybe it's just how peaceful this place was compared to the isles, no need to worry about a wyvern trying to bite her head off if got a little distracted along the flight.

…

The demon realm, a gargantuan decomposing body inhabited by the most bizarre and terrifying of creatures beyond humankind’s comprehension, is her home; A fact she never considered pretending otherwise. Everything she has ever come to love and cherish solely existed on the other side of that portal. Family, friends, and a radiant future. Luz fought with sweat and blood at every opportunity for and alongside them, against criminals, mercenaries, beasts, cults, the Emperor's Coven, and even Belos himself, all so one day the fights would be a thing of the past. 

Her Mum means so much to her, but If she were forced to choose between one and the other...

What's even the point of dwelling down that Jackalope hole? Push away a trauma in exchange for another?  Breath Luz, none of that will happen, stay positive and everything will turn out just fine. This may be the calm before the storm but that doesn't mean things won't be as bad as your worst fears. 

"Is something wrong, Luz?" Her Palisman reached out through their unbreakable mental link, worry sipping from his silent words. She nodded and let a quiet reassurance through the link be her answer.

Everything will be fine.

A fear like no other awaited her at the end of this road, far away from her birthplace and promised land, a final, inevitable confrontation with who kickstarted every event that led to this very day. A single decision from her mother's best intentions. She was terrified, yes, but... 

Maybe, just maybe... things will not go as badly as she imagined…

Chapter Text

Luz opened her eyes and not long after a small migraine crept its way inside her brain, but other than that, she didn't feel anything out of the ordinary. 

Taking a few minutes to compose herself, she sat on the bed and let the disarray of memories from yesterday's events slowly flow past the gates of denial. No point in trying to suppress any of it. Yet, itl permeated every fiber of her emotional spectrum. 

Next to Luz, her little buddy was sleeping, his breathing steady and calm. So, no nightmares last night. Good thing she noticed this motel nearby, it's been a while since she slept in such a comfortable bed, it sure beats sleeping in the middle of the demonic wildness with a mere tent separating the horrors and her innards. You get used to it after the third time

 ...Look, she really wanted the extra credit for magic university, okay? 

Looking down she recalls having changed into her pajamas, a comfy T-shirt imprinted with designs of the Emerald Entrails team, a winged viper leaving a trail of sparkling scales around it, and some loose pants.

A sigh escaped her lips once every memory arrived in her brain, while her half-sleep consciousness cached up with the rest of her nervous system, and on top of that there was this... the feeling of loss and conflict rising from deep within herself.

What to do now? 

This reality flew over every scenario she ever imagined considered marginally possible. There was no way to predict anything like this...

First, came regret, jointly with a potent urge to act, to do something to settle this rising anxiety squeezing every muscle in her being. But looking back at that instant, what other options were available to her? What the hell was she supposed to do? what's the protocol for something like this?

And that girl... Why does thinking about that nobody give her the coldness of creeps? not the type of anticipating an imminent jumpscare, no, that pales in comparison to whatever indescribable presence loomed behind her back, as if said presence was aiming at deeper-!

< “Buenos Dias Luz, how are you feeling?” >

"Oh!... Yeah sorry, I almost forgot you were there buddy" and after letting another sigh go. "Listen... I know that You tell me to take this slowly and that... The girl was not dangerous I believe you but..." Paranoia, it has to be, it wouldn't be the first time it has taken hold of every rational thought, chained them up together, thrown them all inside a closet, and locked the door soon after. But what if… "Could you show me? what happened yesterday I just... Need to check on something"

The little critter frowned, aware of their mental link having supplied a relatively accurate picture of his own inner turmoil. Uncertainty, fear, and most eye-catching of all, hope.

...

Luz blinked once, and everything changed.

The new environment all around her could only be described as a forest of multi-colored cherry blossoms, each color representing the strongest emotion felt during the beginning and end of every memory. 

And as always, her eyes were instinctively drawn to the tremendous tree at the very center of Luz's mindscape, its branches reaching so high above she needed to bend a little to see its half of its full splendor, decorated with captivating clouds of fluffy pink and yellow leaves. At its base hung a single painting of Luz and Amity, holding hands, ready to tackle the monstrous sluggish form of Grom.

Close by was the one containing the memory of the day her palisman was born. A hollowed, greyish, rotten log split in half. Inside, apart from its respective frame, situated on a bed of withered crimson reds, pale white, and a few yellow flowers, was a small forcibly ripped cyan egg covered in intrigued undulate patterns.

But none of these were necessary now.

Luz was looking for a tree in particular, a young sprout with a painting still in the process of drying out. With an approximated localization in mind, she walked past many everyday memories along the way, taking notice of the main constant shared between them being that all happened no more than a week ago — There, her legs led her to a small lone tree, its branches with a few mere leaves of purple, red, and yellow leaves, bordering the end of forest. The painting at a distance depicts the exact image she was looking for. 

She stepped inside and all went white, and once more, she blinked, back inside the hallway, face to face with the perfect replication of her Mum standing expectantly with a curious expression — She didn't recognize her, to the woman that meant everything to her all but a forgettable stranger-! No, focus on the present, no point in crying for spilled milk, turn around, and let's get over with this...

The girl was indeed... identical.

Under different circumstances, she would find the similarities somehow ingratiating and the whole situation intriguing, like the beginning of a mystery that would end with a few laughs, a commemorative photo on the refrigerator, and presto, moving on... 

But this was something way beyond that...

Her eyes...

The scene repeated itself over and over again, every time slower, allowing for new opportunities to analyze each frame. Luz paused in a precise instant, taking note of the nearly indistinguishable new coloration in the girl's eyes, a few specks of blue engulfing the scleras before extending deeper into the eyes, revealing a set of yellow pupils surrounded by black irises- Small and tiny patches of white appeared briefly across her face, and this barely noticeable scent of magic in the air, like a breeze so faint that nobody couldn't have noticed at first chance…

Oh, Titan…

Instantly, her mind crashed back into her body and the real world with enough momentum to almost throw her through half the room.

A pressure engulfed and shattered everything within her very being, whatever she was about to say or think was overshadowed by the looming all-crushing presence of the single word crossing her mind. Out of pure impulse, a hand reached out to feel the rugged section going all around her neck, caressing away what little makeup kept the wound imperceptible to the naked eye. Emotions long buried deep under her unconscious waking up and ripping their way out to reveal themselves through her lips... A single word.

"...A basilisk..."

-----------------------------------------------

Luz has come to realize, after approximately two months of relentless repetition, that drawing circles was practically second nature to her at this point. Staring down at her own hands and then at the bulk of sticky notes with flawlessly circular patterns drawn on each one over the table... 

Practice makes the master sure but this was ridiculously awesome and also by all technicalities impossible? No complaints here don't get her wrong though still... Is this a blessing? Did the source of the glyphs’ power grant her this miraculous talent for her indomitable dedication?

Let's leave a pin on that one for later pondering.

Now, back to what she was doing before that little existential crisis, recounting inventory, again. Three dozen glyphs of each element? Check. Five of each combo, levitation, mist, pocket painbow, flaming blade -A work in progress but who knows- flash grenades, and Insta bunkers. As for equipment, her cape, a helmet cuz safety is important, and two training wands in case of emergency...

Ah, should ask Eda if they should also bring-

"Luz"

"Oh, Amity, There you are!" All it took was half a second for her head to turn around and face the one and only, Amity Bligh.

"How are you... Luz, what are you doing?" Huh, Luz couldn't help but pause at her girlfriend's voice, it sounded a bit worryingly strained. They talked no less than an hour ago via crystal ball, sharing the usual inoffensive gossip and talking about whatever fanfic trope came to mind, and as far as she recalled, nothing sounded out of the ordinary. So something must have happened between that and her arrival. 

An anxiety-inducing thought gnawed at her guts by imagining possible causes, she didn't seem ill at first glance, and she would have noticed any signs of an illusion maskering her true condition. There was also another possibility, and it wasn't one she liked indulging in even in the safety of her mind. The only reason she can think of that might have provoked Amity to shout would be...

Nop, stop it Luz, too personal to start jumping to conclusions, while Amity's family life was nothing to be jealous of that didn't mean things could escalate to that- Who is she kidding of course it would! And Titan knows what Odalia might do if she were to discover the local criminal human was dating her daughter. 

Trapping Amity in the tallest tower surrounded by top-notch abomination theme security left and right, forcing Luz to maneuver through countless traps and foes before ascending the pillar of stone and metal to the awaiting arms and lips of —

Ay, Luz you and your hormones at least try to think of a less cliche scenario, why not a tranquil picnic while gazing upon the stars as the skies are bombarded by thousands of fireworks just in time for the kiss- No, bad Luz, focus! 

Maybe Luz should ask and try and prompt Amity into sharing whatever may be eating her mind but... wouldn't that be a tad insensitive? She doesn't come over to talk about that stuff, and as her girlfriend, Luz should do better and refrain from committing the same mistakes all over again. Nobody wants another Willow’s mindscape incident. However, wouldn't that also be hypocritical on her part? 

Shesh... Relationships are messy.  

"Making glyphs! We are going to raid the emperor's castle!"

"Wait... why? Don't you think that's a bit sudden?" Why does Amity sound so... nervous? 

"You know how Eda always talks about her Exes'? Well... She met one of them while King and I were training for the Gland Prix some weeks back. And you won't believe this... Said Ex is the leader of a whole rebellion against the coven! How cool is that?”

"I see..." Amity's voice worried her, it sounded a little raspy. So she was sick even if only a little. Better than the alternative at least.

"Their name is Raine and from what Eda gathered… pause for dramatic effect…  they are prisoners in the castle's dungeon, aka. Belos's basement. Gross, but if the castle' security is not that different from the conformatorium's... Then you bet it will be a piece of cake..."

"I get it but... It sounds so dangerous, don't you want me to come with you guys...?" And her worries made sense, for the rest of the isles Belos was a religiously undefeatable figure, a totem of power and stability known for many, and not necessarily good, things. So what if she lost spectacularly to him once? This time it will be way different.

"For how much I would love to kick tyrannical butts at your side, I don't want you to get in trouble with your parents. Don't worry We will be careful, as always"

"Okey... And when are you going to... raid the castle?" Amity knelt next to her to look over her masterwork, taking an ice glyph as if to analyze every minuscule detail. "...Good circles"

"During the parade next week, Belos and his goons are going to be so busy narrating cheap propaganda and distributing recruitment pamphlets that he will never see us sneaking in!" A deed Easier said than done but once you consider her most recent training sessions, she was far past the lanky and inexperienced Luz who fought Belos all those weeks ago, and with Eda and Lilith at her side? She can't wait to put that bastard in his place… 

"Oh, And..." This time Luz couldn't resist and took a glimpse of Amity, who seemed uncharacteristically uneasy. "How are things going with the portal?"

Luz got rigid once that last word hit and slowly settled in for her mind to process.  "Amity, my cotton candy goodness... I don't blame you, never did." A hug, quite a simple solution- No, not even that, more like gently pushing the problem aside and pretending it isn't there for a few moments. As Luz's arms carefully wrapped around the witch's slender torso, a faint tension disappeared just as quickly as it arose, unnoticeable by many, but not for this human. "Is just a tiny setback, if a human 400 years ago made a portal on his own then what's stopping me from trying, huh?" —

— "Not, yours, or Hunter's, So please, take a page of my still pending character development and stop blaming yourself, okay?" Creeps ran all over her skin, the usually warm pale skin of Amity felt worryingly cold to the touch, without mention this moisty scent from her hair, new shampoo perhaps? Alright, so, she was definitely sick and didn't want to worry her, that's fine. She would have done the same... 

They broke apart a second later. Amity tilted her head to look past her girlfriend and gaze upon the vast exotic landscape through the house's main round window, months later and Luz hadn't gotten tired of such view.  

"Speaking of Hunter, where is he?" Amity asked, fiddling with the hem of her skit.

"Helping Eda with groceries," Another fire glyph added to the pile. "and looking for some extra potion ingredients, he seems very interested in learning from the very best" 

"And the portal... Still no progress?" 

"...No at all? The portal is mostly just a bunch of magical elements all bundled together inside a frame which on its own isn't that hard but... Until we find more or a replacement for the Titan's Blood, we are a bit stuck on that side." 

"Perfect"

"Until then we cou-ag-wh-gaugh-!!!"  

It started as a teeny pressure not so different from a mosquito in the back of her neck, and as quickly as the sensation registered in her brain its intensity multiplied by a hundred and more. It torched her nape enough to boil the blood pudding beneath the skin while it spread down her spine and reached all of her limbs, by the time she was ready to scream she lost all sense of balance and crumbled to the floor with a loud— Wait, someone caught her- Amity! 

Phew, caught in time with only a few inches to spare between her head and the floor, a little too close for comfort but as always she could count on her friend to- but her gratitude didn't go past firmly shut lips and compressed lungs. She wasn't breathing. Oh God, I can't breathe! 

Panicking, what else could she feel in a time like this? her body remained limp and unresponsive, a sack of meat that could only communicated through the frantic movements of her dilated eyes, barely recognizing the once familiar but now foggy environment around her.

"Am- Amit-ty?" Luz's voice came out as a scratched whisper.

"A needle impregnated with a lethal variation of sedative elixir, I need to make sure you don't make a sound" The tone nor the voice was one she recognized, and only a single sentence formed in.

That's not Amity.

Looking down at Luz stood an unknown threat. Those precious golden eyes have been replaced by a pair of scalding blood-red pupils. No, it wasn't her girlfriend. Her vision might be incapable of discerning the details but that alone confirmed a sinister fact like— She was holding a wicked-looking knife just above her neck.  

"A- am- Amit-!"

"...Nothing personal"

"NOOO-!"

Pain

No other thought or word emerged, neither a sound nor a feeling. Everything, absolutely everything stopped. And all at once it came back with a thunderous clash. 

"STAY AWAY FROM HER!"

With an indescribably agonizing effort, Luz turned her head slightly to the left to gaze upon quite a bizarre sight.

Amity and... "Amity" were fighting. Both looked exactly the same, the only difference being that one was using a much larger blade to cut through the abomination goo with ease while the other was desperately trying to keep her ground preventing the other from getting close to the human.

"L-luz..." That's the voice of... King!

The instant her hearing came back, was the exact second her ears almost exploded by listening to King screaming with a vigor far beyond what his little body should be able to produce and more.

At first, it seemed like the shockwave would miss its target, but the real Amity didn't waver at the presented opportunity, and with a precise lash wrapped around its wrist, it forced the impostor directly into the line of fire. Shooting it directly into the corner of her room with enough force to break the hardwood wall behind it.

And then there it was silence. Luz's hearing and eyesight, while far from stable, didn't stop her from recognizing the voice and face of the witch now at her side.

Wet golden eyes looked at her intensely, accompanied by the sound of ripping cloth, and the gentle pressure applied to her neck. The discomfort redoubled as warm wet tendrils traveled down her neck and accumulated below. 

While trying to keep the pain outside of her conscience, Luz noticed King keeping a close eye on the faker, ready to blast it again at any sign of movement. His eyes were starting to fill with tears but remained focused on the one responsible for all of this —

The unnerving noise of writhing flesh and cloth being torn apart drew everyone's attention, and once all clothing dissolved into nothing, the only thing remaining could only be described as a demon. A green serpent coated in pale patches, scars, and a lengthy mane of brown fur. It stared back with dilated red eyes, with claws drawn and fangs bared.

Its stance sparked a memory, of the times Mum had brought her to the veterinarian to lift her mood after an unsavory day at school. Glimpses of animals curled against the far corner of the room, trembling at the sight of a possible threat appearing from around the corner; minds oppressed by raw fear for their lives ---

That memory flashed through her mind in a short instant and followed suit was the creature looming over Amity, lifting her now limp body above its head, before throwing her at King, sending both all the way to the other side of the room with a loud crash.

Instinctively, Luz gave her all to reach out — but it wasn't enough, and would never be enough. her body remained unresponsive, drained of every speck of strength down to the bone. All she could do was watch helplessly as that thing — stared back at her.

Before she could react, a pair of claws restrained her against the floor. Its claws tickle her wrists and its points sharp enough to draw blood.  It was close, close enough to breathe in each rotten puss of air on her face, close enough to discern every scrap stuck between each razor-sharp fang, close enough to take notice of every loose scale in its face. 

"Ple-please... I-! Why?" What else could she say? what else could she do but plead?

It stopped, its eyes fixed on Luz's. even then, there was emotion in those eyes, minimal, but undeniably present and burning with an intensity she had never seen before. 

"...I don't know..."

Then its jaws open up again, twice what any animal should be capable of doing and —

-----------------------------------------------

That's a basilisk

There is a basilisk in this realm...

There is a basilisk living with my mom!

Luz was so entertained by everything surrounding her Mum she completely overlooked the dozens of red flags waving all over the place. that girl's uncanny resemblance- For the love of Titan how could she have been so ominously stupid?!

"I shouldn't have let you talk me down about this..." This discovery had taken away every ounce of air from her lungs while an irritating ring thundered inside her ears, overlapping the muted words from the palisman attempting to catch her attention. "I should have stayed, realized sooner, and done something!" 

< “Luz! calm down! breath! It looks bad I understand but-!” >

"You knew… You lie!" To have raised her voice to him was a horrendous act but couldn't bring herself to care because- Mierda her hands are trembling…

“It was Belos... It has to be! He sent one of them here to kidnap her, to trick her and use her against me —"  Her surroundings frantically shifted. Her legs drag her across the room, pacing significantly increasing with each step in the direction of the door, out of here, she needs to find Mum-!  An abrupt lapse of dumbness crawled up to her legs and plowed her down the floor, it was so fast she didn't have time to try and prevent the painful fall.

A thought popped out If he did send it here for her Mum... Then why didn't he say anything before I impale-!

This hopeless uncertainty was getting her nowhere! Maybe it wasn’t too late, the chance might be slim but it doesn't mean is entirely hopeless, just need to go back to that apartment before that thing tries to-! Get up and don't you dare stop until you rip that beast’s claws from your mum-!

By the time Luz stood up and was ready to bolt out, her Palisman was standing in front of her owner, apparently with the intent of blocking the exit with his... Small and adorable body, tail brushing side to side while his paws nervously adjusted his stance 

He looked directly into her eyes, and once again, his glowed with an overwhelming intensity.

…

This... wasn't the hallway from yesterday. Actually, it didn't resemble anywhere she could recall at the moment. It seemed like an overly compact and well-organized kitchen, at least by Boiling Isles' standards. Every device was flawlessly distributed for easy access from wherever you were in the room, a bridge over there, next to it the microwave and oven, coffee machine at the left of...

At the center of the kitchen was a small table, big enough to barely accommodate four persons if you were to squeeze them all next to one another, and in there was… 

I-Is that the basilisk? But then this place is...

D-Doesn't matter, why is her Palisman showing her this? When did this happen—?

Wasting time, that's happening here, every second here was a second better use tracking down this thing before it has time to put its shit together and be ready for her arrival. 

Basilisks were many things, ruthless, efficient, and... cunning. One of the most distinguished creatures in all of the Boiling Isles' remaining recorded history. Every mention and statement described predators capable of taking down every foe, animal, and biped alike, with disturbing ease, only held back by their fixation on owning territories all across The Titan for... reasons purged from every historical record. Again, thanks Belos.  

To hesitate to take action meant giving them ample opportunity to do Titan knows what. No matter how vulnerable or hurt they looked to be, an act, it was always an act...

There she was, sitting with what Luz assumed was a cup of boiling tea in her — its hands, its head down and hair completely obscuring its face from the dawn light. 

What was it thinking? what terrible plans was it formulating? kidnapping? extortion? poisoning? tax evasion-?

"...Why…?"

Hearing that broken tone took her by surprise, having forgotten that this was a memory being projected into her mind and not a mere image for her to silently judge. Well, she still technically doing that-but that's not the point.

Luz walked closer to it... taking notice of its curved posture while its eyes fixated on the cup on its half-concealed hands, face pale, the tips resembling eerily familiar sharp claws, and took labored breaths as if it was on the verge of hyperventilating. 

It was alone, it didn't know her Palisman had apparently sneaked on it, right? If it was faking this then... for who?

One of the impostor's hands left the cup and clutched its originally brushed hair, giving the impression it was having a headache while it muttered to itself hard to make out words. but a sentence stood up from the rest...

"I-I’m sorry" and it was then that it started crying, its tears mixing with the now cold tea. Face contorned into an expression of pure agony. “-Didn’t want to die-! Sorry… Please, I’m so sorry…”

…

"What-" And just like it started it ended, Luz's vision was back again inside the motel's room, her palisman still in front of the door. Her hand was already on the handle, halfway from opening it.

< “I may or may have not sneaked out after you fell asleep” >

"Per-En que estabas pensando?! Basilisks can smell magic if it has noticed you… Y-You could ha —!" the image of his bloody and unresponsive body flashed through her mind, hanging lifeless from his broken neck by a pair of jaws thrice his size a second before shaping in half-

< “I knew you would figure out that she is a basilisk, and that you would jump up to the worst-case scenario so I wanted to demonstrate that she isn't dangerous. I went to the apartment to see how she was doing and... You already saw it” >

"Sh-They could know you were there! they could just be pretending! faking it!"

< “She wasn't! She wasn't pretending or faking anything Luz, I swear.. I wouldn’t lie to you about something like this.” >

"B-but I should be the one scared!  I should be the one hugging her and crying on her shoulder, not some doppelganger that is faking everything!"

< “I sense little to magic in her, there is no way for her to conceal her emotions. She was genuine about her distress. No doubt of that… Luz, she feared for her life.” >

She hated to admit it, but every piece of evidence up to this point proved his little buddy right, to a significant enough degree that she struggled to come out with a different counterpoint that wasn't "but lizard evil!" at every chance. And it terrified her. The uncertainty of facing an unknown yet familiar but now unpredictable threat around just the corner. Waiting for her to let her guard down and...

Sigh, clench, and unclench your hands, deep breaths,  look around you, and take in the smells and the sensations in your skin.

"Alright, let me just..." Calm down, just breathe, no time like the present to realize this reckless behavior was sure to get her killed once she bolted through the line of no return, Worst time to start freaking out, there were more important things to do just... just try to keep it together.  "in summary, she isn't pretending, planning anything malicious, or having a secret agenda?"

< “...She just seems scared and confused…” >

"Then what I'm supposed to do? Talk to her?"

> “...yes?” >

Being able to solve this whole issue with a single conversation? A very tempting offer that brought a good deal of comfort, but doutbt swiftly sipped in and made her realize it was too good to be true. What guarantees that the basilisk would be willing to listen? There must be a reason, a motive, a purpose, or a mission for her whole... thing. 

Okay, let's assert everything we know so far...

The most logical scenario: Belos sent a basilisk to the human realm with the intent of finding, tricking, and eventually delivering her Mum in a silver plate to him, most likely to use her as a negotiation token of the sort. What else could explain this situation? Even if that was the case, it didn't happen and will never be, because Belos was dead. 

The End, Finito, case closed! So, the definitive conclusion would be that... she doesn't know her boss is dead. 

"I'm overthinking this more than I should...?"

< ”A little, but I can’t blame you…” >

"Okay, fine! I'm going to do that... Talk to her... Somehow..."

< “Good girl!”>  Oh, now he was waving his tail like a puppy.

“Heh… You aren't that different from King in that regard...”  And so Luz's palisman perfectly landed in her arms all ready for a well-deserved hug. his fur naturally yielded a pleasant aroma, a mix of peppermint and lavender with a bit of valerian, just what she needed to disperse the worst of her worries. Speaking of worries...

"Well, better get going and find us some food, think I saw cafeteria close by…”

< ”Panquecas? Porfa dime que seran panquecas, porfa porfa!” >

"Heh... tu español esta cada vez mejor amiguite. Asi que si… panquecas seran!”  In a blink, he flew across the room, fluttering vigorously until light engulfed him whole and then landed in front of her, now appearing not so different from a cat with a pearl attached to his tail. A quite exotic bred of cat for the untrained eye. Ready to embark on their next journey.

Things look bad, not gonna sugarcoat it, but not as bad as she originally thought. Now, she just needed to figure out how to make a good first introduction.

Chapter Text

“You know, back in my days in College, the instructors had this nasty habit of announcing out loud everyone's answers and notes from the latest test... To the entire class."

“That's just cruel!”

“And you know what’s the worst part… They laughed all the while, the nerve!”

“That's... diabolical."

“I swear those old gacks even made bets between-”

*Click* An oval-shaped clock vibrated right next to her.

“And… La masa de las empanadas esta lista! Let’s clean out the table and finish preparing everything we will need to fill them”

Cooking is... What would be the best way for Luz to describe it, at least?

Well, from choosing the most intriguing recipe in the book, carefully selecting and measuring every necessary ingredient, combining everything through a variety of methods like blending, mixing, mashing, kneading, and many more; And finally obtaining a never-ending collection of possible, shapes, textures, and tastes...

The experience was... nothing short of captivating from beginning to end. She wouldn't mind devoting her following years to working at a small cafe or restaurant if it meant securing a life as tranquil as this single moment.

A fascination perhaps attributed to Mum's encouragement for her to pursue whatever topic caught her attention through the last couple of years. Fresh from high school and no idea what you're future is going to be about? Better start somewhere.

Speaking of Mum, she has finished cutting the vegetables for the filling of the empanadas.

"Mhhh, todo huele de los más sabrosos, is just like back in Santo Domingo. Ah... How I miss those monthly banquets. At first wasn't a fan of those gatherings but what can I say?" She smirked "Antonio made some succulent habichuelas con dulce, let me tell you..."

The city of Santo Domingo in The Dominican Republic. Mum had shown her dozens of photos of her mother, brother, sisters, and uncles dating back nearly two decades ago.

It's been… months since her Mum made any mention of her birthplace. And to think all was thanks to Samuel who texted Luz last week.

He wanted an honest opinion about setting up a stand at this gastronomic festival about to take place in a few weeks from now on. At first, she didn't though much about it, what's wrong with trying? After all the effort he put into setting up his tea shop in the central market, this opportunity was exactly what he needed to finally appear on the maps.

However, She first did an extensive research before giving a definitive answer. What kind of friend would she be if she threw him into a situation without the necessary context? A very insensible,  immoral, and irresponsible one for sure!  

It was during that research that came across the theme of the festival.

A Dominican Festival being held by an authentic Dominican community here in the city, What were the odds? And seeing no reason why not to tell Mum… She was happy. More than happy. Beyond any known measurement of happiness! Maybe exaggerating a little there but the point stood strong, she was happy, specifically, for her daughter, and what it meant for her to experience the wonders of her motherland firsthand.

From what she could tell from the photos she found on the internet. The municipality was inhabited by a little more than a hundred or so people; everything in the town looked so humble and yet so captivating to the eye; houses decorated top to bottom with all kinds of colorful little trinkets and curiosities, putting to shame the Noceda's original home.

Although, with all honesty, the idea intimidated L̵u̴z̴ more than anything else. and it was silly, stupid even; what could justify being afraid of your own cultural roots? Nothing that might describe exactly what bothers her regarding the idea comes to mind. Mum was happy about it why can’t she? L̸̡̈u̵̜̎z̸̢̾ should be as happy as her, why isn't she?

…

Maybe the possibility of rejection was to blame?  The possibility of being judged by those who truly belong...

L̷͓͌u̷̱͘ẓ̶̃ was no more than an outsider wearing a mask. Squishing between the cracks of their homes expecting nobody to notice the thing clearly sticking out like an ugly leech. And once they realize what kind of beast…! They would hunt her, chain her, trap her---!!!

"Luz, please remind me to take some photos of our little buffet once we are done, I would love to send them to my sist-"

A heartbeat. A mist engulfed her vision. A second heartbeat. a deluded thing dropped at the bottom of her stomach. A third heartbeat, and as if she had fallen into a vacuum, all other sensations vanished leaving a deafening, crushing silence. She wasn't breathing-

“-ja-Ay! Sorry, Vee! Didn’t mean to-!” The sound of her words was muffled, but their meaning managed to push through as the older woman's arms kept her afloat.

Catching her breath, L̸̪͆v̴̧̓ḛ̶̿ǘ̷̢z̵͈̏ swallowed, “Is okay D-don’t worry! Is not you-!”  

“There is no excuse, Vee.” She kept her distance from the girl, observing with eyes full of shame.  “I know how much this means to you, I swear it wasn’t my intention to call you-! You know…”

“Mum…I’m so sorry that I-” No excuse. Nothing could justify Ve̷u̷z̶’s blasphemous act. “It was selfish of me to-!

“Don’t apologize, Vee. I promised you I would respect your choices. No matter what. Your name is yours and yours alone" Camila held her daughter's hands tenderly and slowly made her way towards her face, stroking her cheeks, scrubbing away the tears- Was she crying? when did-?“And I still remember what I told you that night. it doesn’t matter how much you change. You will always be my daughter. Never forget that, okey mi preciosa niña?”

“M-Mom:..” V̴e̷e̶ could've said so much and shared enough words meant to carry a fraction of the emotional weight of her Mum's. But nothing came to mind. Emotions boiled to the extreme of obfuscating what few ideas she had- “I’m so lucky to have you”

“I could say the same, mi niña ---" A slightly static yet endearing tune filled the kitchen. "Ah, those must be your friends, will take care of everything here, ve y diles una calida bienvenida."

Vee gathered her thoughts while taking deep breaths, and nodded. The doorbell chimed again "Ya voy, ya voy!" The closer to the door the louder their voices become. Alright, let's open the door and-!

Just as the door was opening, a new, unrecognizable voice arose within the others...

Instead of hearing one of Masha’s silly remarks, instead of receiving a bone-crushing hug from Alex, instead of exchanging an unnecessarily complicated handshake with Samuel…

A set of brown eyes were staring directly at her.

It was impossible to describe this woman's expression, Vee couldn't identify any emotion, she was completely emotionless.  An intimidating aura radiated with her presence alone, and without realizing it, her body instinctively shrunk before the stranger’s gaze. Sweat smeared her hands.

"Oh, Um… I thought you only lived with your Mum, who is that?"  Masha’s voice was directed towards… 

"I'm the only one creeped out by… how alike they look?" Alex whispered loud enough for everyone to listen

"L̷̻̏u̴̝͊z̴̡̍, do you know her?" Samuel's stand tensed the second Vee's eyes, for less than a second, looked into his.

The entirety of Vee's body tensed, her eyes, still locked on this woman's eyes, refused to blink. Silence encapsulated the room. Nobody dared to move, only stared at each other as if expecting a scripted finding to dispel the spell over whatever a spectator would call any of... this.

Masha's gaze pivoted from Vee and that woman, Alex's posture indicated impatience, and although half of Samuel's face was obscure by his hair, she caught glimpses of something cold in his eyes

"Mija? What’s taking you so long? Everything alright over there?"

Mum. Footsteps approached from behind, louder and louder, Vee’s fist clenched at the ready to---

“Luz, O-Oh Dios Santo, Y-you are here...” Mum pushed past her, not sharing a passing look. “Look at you all so grown up!” The sheer emotion of that statement melted away that woman's face of animosity as Camila embraced her.  “And look at the timing, just got the filling of the empanadas ready, would your friends like to help me—?"

“Mom,” Vee cried as her breath hastened "Masha, what's going on with you guys?" Why was everyone looking at her like that? Where was the warm recognition?

Masha was the first to approach, seemingly unperturbed and yet cautious.. “H-hey, Um, sorry but you… Who are you again?” Their voice acquiescent.

"...What do you mean by..." Baffle by the innocent question, denial was the first emotion to take over her followed closer by anger.. "Masha what are you..." Vee took a step closer, and the next words got caught in her throat as everyone stepped back. Looks of confusion were all that greeted her silent plea for support. Nobody took her side. nobody looked at her in the eyes except-

That woman

"Masha..." Another step in, three sets of steps back. "Masha, is me." This time Masha didn't retreat further. "P-please, you remember me. Last week we stayed up past midnight waiting to see the Lanistark comet fly by." Closer. "A-And did you solve that plothole for your next novel you mentioned?" Closer. "I-I was the first..." Closer "You told who you truly were that night, Masha, back at camp, after your mum hung up on you when you called for her to take you back home..." Closer, holding hands. Vee tried to keep her cool, plowing a chunk of ice at the discomfort burning her insides. "D-Dhalia..." Their eyes widened, tearing away from her hold--- "D-Dhalia is me!"

 “Stop, stay away from-!”

She fell and couldn’t process what led to this position for many seconds. An intense pain spread out from deep within her skull. With shaky limbs, she tried standing up but slipped up and hit the wet ceramic floor once more. A puddle of purple tainted the floor.

Distress propelled her to move, the raw need to remove any disadvantage overpowering, if only briefly, the force grabbing on her by the spine that demanded her to stay put — She wasn't feeling her legs, a fact registered the same second her hands scratched the ceramic just beneath, and a sharp and loud screech halted all disjointed voices surrounding her, replaced by screams. Following their gaze —

An alien limb has replaced her hand, greenish and decorated by obsidian black claws. a thousand questions came forward but all went unanswered. Her breathing got frantic, as boiling water flowed through her veins in parallel to the malformed anatomy spreading further past her elbow.

Panic swallowed everything. It keeps spreading, ripping skin, and replacing each inch with scales and patches of fur. not thinking twice, she attempted to fight it off with her newly acquired claws --- blood. She refused to look down at the gashes she had created by her own hand.

She stood up with a single objective in mind - and fell again, arms receiving the full force of the impact, it seemed that she had overlocked the same horrid sensation consuming her lower half; crawling below her skin, cracking the inner sections of her legs’ bones---! On the verge of completely losing it, Vee tried to reach for her loved ones - instead of an equally panicked Mum or friends ready to aid her in any way they could, her vision was filled with expressions of disgust and horror. 

Alex was the first to scream and fall on her butt once Vee’s eyes fixated on her.

Samuel’s gaze upon her with what she could safely be called the greatest amount of emotions she has ever seen on his face. 

Masha immediately held on to the boy muttering indescribable words with shaky pupils as they tried to drag him away from her.

Mum gagged as she lost her footing, eyes widened and covering her mouth.

The only one staring back without a speck of fear. Whatever lurked within those eyes irradiated white-hot fury, and the sigh of the blood-tainted staff in her hands petrified her in place.

Tears impregnated her cheeks, pain overflowing her eyes to the extent of wanting to rip them out to stop it all.  Vee knew she wasn’t breathing and didn’t care, she yearned for comfort, safety, the release of all this pain, and looking at the source of all those emotions within reach was all that mattered. She lunged at her Mum and just as her claws made contact with her —

All it took was the blink of an eye for everything to go blank. Nothing. She felt nothing and couldn’t even imagine being capable of feeling anything.  body inert and lifeless other than her tears-soaked eyes taking notice of no other than L̸̡̔͂ǘ̵͉͊́ẓ̴̹̀̏̇, staring with the same emotionless disregard, a staff held high above her head at ready to deliver a third, and truly lethal blown. 

It would be all over… The words gently nudged her heart, tender, and full of reassurance. To no longer fight and allow everything to fade away without struggle, her gaze lingered on the people behind the human who had indirectly granted her everything she could have ever dreamed of… A beautiful dream soon to end. 

Memories flowed, familiar voices and feelings,  warm enough to melt away the stalagmite piercing her soul  —

Until movement came from behind L̴u̸z̵, and those pale hopes, too, dissipated.  White and black silhouettes approached with great haste, each wielding metal glimmering in the dark corridor leading to —

As if an entirely new being had taken reigns over Five’s body, a scourge of strength came with it. 

A snap of lighting bristles up the fur on her back, providing a quarter-of-a-second warning for her to push herself away from the trajectory of the incoming projectile. The projective soared out of view just as quickly as she saw it. 

Get out now.

And she did. Slithering past room after room of sterile cobblestone following the distant scent of humidity and dirt in the distance; past a handful more guards and other beings along the way she couldn’t care less when her blood pressure threatened to burst her eyes, ears, and nostrils.

Memories flowed in. Vague. Fragmented. A lone figure creeping through the dungeons' darkness, a warning of what’s to come, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Wait for the sparks to settle, go south or north if you wish to reach salvation.

Of course, the wagons’ locks melted just as they were passing by another checkpoint.  Of course, some of her cellmates didn’t hesitate to burst out and mangle everything within close proximity.  Of course, everything went to absolute pandemonium from there.

Guards scramble all across the clearing inside the small fortress between the Pelvis’ cliffs and whatever existed beyond it. In par with those escorting the wagons containing her kin and other creatures.

After violently ripping a rusty handle open, and consequentially breaking a few nails; Finally, open air — 

Of course, things were far worse on the outside.

All it took was a loose biped mass of purple mud crashing against the wall right next to her for the path to take to make itself obvious.

Five laid low, only catching glimpses of the many figures colliding against one another in the distance, obscure by both the veil of night and the lines of trees spreading beyond her vision. Her objective as for now was to take advantage of the chaos and leave before —

Coward.

She stopped. grasping straws of grass between her webbed fingers in disdain.  She was aware of at least ten other test subjects contained in the same section of the dungeons as her, and at least three whole branches of other creatures; All cramped in a convoy of steel hard wagons to be delivered somewhere…

She could fight, was more than capable of shedding blood without much of an issue, capable of sapping any animal or person — The surrounding unfolding chaos was growing louder, and closer-! 

Someone is coming, and fast! 

Dragging herself through the humid assortment of dirt, gravel, and foliage, ignoring the slashes coming to be from her limbs and belly, she hid inside a bunch of bushes. Out of breath and strength, she curled up in a desperate attempt to compress her existence into a hopefully tiny enough shape discernible from the dark surroundings. 

From left and right, flurries of screams and explosions showered the forests to such degrees Five was afraid of losing her hearing altogether. She didn't dare to look out her hiding spot, continuing to minuscule herself even further while desperately trying to keep her frantic and uneven breaths in check.

The cold was unbearable, but insignificant compared to the emotions boiling her body alive as sprouts of indescribable chaos continued non-stop. 

And then she noticed movement against her hiding spot, a brief glimpse of bright blues was all it took to inject a drop of courage into her system. She reached out for the familiar limb which had just landed close by her position, with no hesitation to grasp the arm, and dragged her fellow inside the brush.

“Seven,” Five whispered and almost choked on her own words. When was the last time she drank water or ate? The frigid air contributed to her discomfort. “S-Seven, come here…” No immediate answer meant nothing to the young basilisk as she kept her grasp tight despite her sore muscles. “Seven-”

…

“S-Sev-se-?” He wasn’t moving, or breathing, or responding to any stimuli she could provide. She grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him vigorously, no answer. His eyes were open then why wasn’t he awake, why wasn't he breathing — 

They found her. 

“N-No-!”  A spear landed just exactly where her head was located an instant ago. She tried escaping, and a cord immediately entangled her throat and cut short her escape. Soon after, chains and other cords caught her limbs and forced her to the ground. Defenseless. Vulnerable.

By the hair, ears, tail- it didn’t matter, all they cared about was dragging her back, uncaring of her cries, back to where it all started. Thrashing against the constraints archived nothing. She was too weak. Too small and pathetic to archive anything of value.

The scout pressed a mud-stained boot on her neck, cutting dry her supply of oxygen. She held tears back as the constraints stirred back and forth in her limbs and tail, ripping scales and skin alike, slowly peeling away another layer of resolve alongside it. Through sheer force of will, she stared back at the hollow contours of the scout's ivory mask, their spear held right above the neck at the ready to end any resistance in a swift instance.

But what would it matter?  There was no plan or aim for this whole fiasco, not an end goal once she baskets on the moonlight away from everything ever associated with existing. She was alone.

She was alone.

And the factual possibility of going back seized her cowardice and strangled it to death. Fury, raw fury took its place, fed by the countless days and nights of replete abuse that left her body scarred for life —  A bulky, elongated figure crashed the scene. She blinked, and the spear-wielder disappeared, accompanied by a distant scream.

A whip in the air and the second scout could only scream in vain as they collided to the ground, shattering their mask and cutting dry their breaths. Another great creature has appeared.

And she was alone with… 

“Got you.” trapped in the unknown being's suffocating embrace, Five was rendered powerless under its grasp. its surface harsh and cold. She closed her eyes not daring to look into its eyes --- "Got you, I got you..." However, its voice snapped her eyes wide open.

"The-The-?"

"Is me..." The moonlight reflected on the older basilisk's features, but mainly her green eyes, a captivating sight unparalleled to anything she had seen before in her life. The blood pouring from a gap right above her right eye went unnoticed. For the first time in years, they were touching, feeling each other beyond a single intertwined claw. “I’m here little thing, I’m here…”

Her surroundings shifted, and the sounds quieted as time passed. She couldn't put on the effort to understand what was happening other than being carried away by Three... Three have saved her. And the following relief washed away all the tension, all the fear and uncertainty accumulated through her whole life vanishing right there.

Five's breaths eased, and both sets of eyelids struggled against exhaustion. After everything, why not give in to it? Why resist the gentle hold of unconsciousness...

She was saved... right?

-----------------------------------------------

Luz woke up feeling strangely… Heavy. Not sure how else to describe this unnerving sensation in the depths of her stomach. Her previous dream was now a faraway memory slowly dissipating away into indescribable fragments without beginning or end.

Also, disgustingly sweaty. What the hell, It was freezing cold just last night, and it wasn’t like her pajama— A pajama she wasn’t wearing. Pulling away the blanket revealed the outfit she could recall to have been wearing yesterday when she… What happened last night again? Only a small handful of voices and moments came in as she requested them. Arriving from the supermarket and realizing they didn’t buy melocotons, coming across Masha at the store and walking back home alongside them, bidding them farewell, going upstairs and…

The gurgling sounds from her stomach put those questions to a halt. Oh well, no point in overthinking stuff with an empty stomach — A misstep almost send L̵u̸z̶’̶s̴ ̸ head crashing down the floor. Her legs felt like jelly, barely there, almost lacking the needed strength to stand up. Okay, maybe Mum was right and she has been pushing herself too far for comfort. 

Probably what happened last night, exhausted and out of breath. God, Mum was sure to give her an earful once she woke up…

With careful steps, L̸u̷z̶'̵s retreated to her bathroom, following the usual routine of a quick shower, a new change of clothes, and a last check out in the mirror… Her skin seemed paler, that’s worrisome.; All of that before arriving at the kitchen. Coffee, oh sweet dark concoction that has kept her going for years during so many night-long study sessions. 

The hum of the coffee machine proved just as pleasant as anxiety-inducing. It’s taking too long. C’mon, stupid thing you’re brand new. Why was it so slow? Please, you’re better than this stop wasting everyone’s time. 

Her breath quickened for each second her cup wasn’t filled. Her fingers trembled in anticipation at the warm drink on the brink of being full. Her teeth scraped painfully against each other. Her feet trembled under the weight, feeling on the verge of snapping —

Bep.

Finally.

The machine shook violently after she snatched the cup from its base. Luz ignored it as she took a serious sip. It burned her tongue or throat and in all honesty, she didn’t care at all. She felt so empty, so thirsty. So desperate for any resemblance of fulfillment. Strength leaked from every pour and this was the only thing keeping her alive.

She threw herself on the chair, clattering the cup on the table, and… Nothing, that turmoil of sensations ceased in the snap of a finger. Muted silence all around except for her beating heart and tapping feet. Her mind struggled to make sense of all of those malformed flakes of emotions calling for her attention, too small to put into words, too fast for her to catch, too… painful at the moment of grasping it. Just there. Waiting — 

A voice, not one she could identify. Distant and the language ineffable. Her leg continued bouncing in place, uneasiness overrunning what little comfort she acquired a beat ago. She felt sick. The voice grew louder yet remained a nonsensical sound to her.

Remember Ĺ̸̯u̷̼̿z̴̟͘, keep it together, deep breaths… Deep breaths… Let it pass and everything will be fine, L̶̂ͅu̶͕̍z̵͍̐…̶̳̽ ̴̫̕

-----------------------------------------------

The cold persisted. The warmth emanating through the ceramic cup and the heavy blanket around her shivering body did little to lessen her half-frozen bloodstream. So slow and painful, however welcome compared to the alternative.

For a long while, her surroundings remained a formless mixture of pigments. A far cry from the colorless abyss that she only knew through pretty much her whole life… until now, that’s it. Colors once only possibly associated with one or two objects or beings sprinkled a good portion of the room she — they found themselves in.

It was… a lot to take in. 

Short blond hair with a few straws of blueish, colorful skin of different shades like nuts, and an overall slim complexion. If only she had a mirror and a few more minutes to figure out something less eye-catching, but oh well, too late for a makeover now. This was her new self.

Her cellmates — siblings, her siblings were busy talking with this house’s occupants. A pair of witches, who based on her limited knowledge, shared a near-diluted demonic ancestry with a species similar to jackalopes. A quite old lady and who she assumes must be her grandson. Good people, no doubt of that. Not many would receive a group of strangers in the middle of the night with open arms… 

What even counted as common sense in the outside world? A few bits she overheard from the guards coming and going every many hours pictured a much more somber and scary land. Can´t say she fully understood every exchange in detail but the words did leave an impression.

"...An illness spreading down below the shores of Palm Stings, last I heard. Don't know if the Emperor will announce anything before-"

"My son got expelled after failing too many times in Potion Manufacturing, insisted on some unauthorized methods, and when his classmates found out... Titan, I don't know what to do with him-"

"-Telling you, they're paying us crumbs these days. Do you have any idea how much Lilith gets paid each month? and she only makes public appearances once in a while-!"

“yu gud?”

“Ah-” Splatters of hot liquid impacted her lap - She sucked on the incoming scream out of habit while staring at the… kid who just appeared from behind the couch. They seemed, different from the other residents, less witch-like yet carrying a speck of ancestry from one. Big eyes full of curiosity, a dark feathered-coated face, and an unnervingly agile neck that seemed to stretch twice what it should. They emanated magic in great quantities, nothing compared to the Warden, but enough to stand up even compared to some guards.

“S-Sorry! Let me…” They chipped and with a quick wave of a long talon, a gentle wave of warmth washed over her. “You looked asleep and I thought-” 

Whatever they were about to say, a hand clapped their entire head. their eyes going wide. It was Tyrell, giving the younger demon a warning look as he lifted them a few feet from the floor. 

“Ha… Kids,” begins the lady walking behind Tyrell with fondness and exasperation alike. “Either virtuous or so impolite, there is no in between…” The years showed in plain sight, her posture slightly bent with many wrinkles spread across what little dark sand skin she showed. Her oval-shaped eyes and pupils were pale compared to her vibrant iris. “Still, don’t take this little incident as fact, Brit means well... All of us were kids at one point. You understand.”

Grumpily, Tyrell released Brit, the latter letting go a chirp as he recovered his balance. “Alright, madam…” Only briefly acknowledging Vee with a passing glare, he continued “Where is… Tressa?”

“Ah, your sister still with Farid, helping with the guestrooms” And before Tyrell could do as much as halfway turn around, a firm hand landed on his chest. “Have some faith in your sister, cranky lemon; Farid is not a saint but even he will hesitate to try something on someone your size.” 

Tyrell and the lady stared at each other, unblinkingly, for what felt like an hour before he reluctantly, let fo a sigh. “Should at least help clean the dishes.” 

“Sush, you’re guests, rest and make yourself at home, Farid and Brit can take care of a few dirty plates all on their own.” Ignoring the bird-like demon’s pout, she retreated deeper into the house, her cane tapping the hardwood floor in perfect synchronization with the trinkets clicking with one another hanging from her tall antlers, until she disappeared altogether.

The silence stretched on until Brit raised a talon to speak — and Tyrell looked down at him, no hostility behind it, just silent judgment. Vee nodded in solidarity as they exchanged brief glimpses of each other.

Brit left the room and quickly returned with another mug of warm tea. “Again, sorry…” 

“Is okay, all forgiven I guess…” Vee couldn’t help herself but accept the cup against Tyrell’s silent protest right next to her. “It happens.”

Fidgeting in place, Vee took a sip of the substance known as tea. Delicious. Better than any piece of raw meat or plant she has ever put in her mouth. She allowed herself to relax, truly relax after… so long. Unbelievable. No stone walls or metal bars lining the walls, the echoes of the many other dungeon inmates, or the insufferable cold. Nothing. They did it. They escape - She escaped. It was… Over.

Instead, here she was, taking refuge in a robust cabin full of colors everywhere she looked, within a village of unknown measure sequestered from the rest of this cruel world. Located in a location very few would dare to venture any close…

It was over…

-----------------------------------------------

She blinked multiple times to disperse the… afterimages that had consumed her vision. Nothing else changed. Same apartment, same kitchen, same table and cup.

The pain persisted but slowly lessened to a manageable degree until ceased. What just happened?

She felt cold, grotesquely ice-cold. Looking around revealed nothing out of the ordinary. Windows and door closed, no entry point for snow or anything else to get in. She was alone. Another set of deep breaths, maybe some more coffee will help snap her out of this lucid dreaming state—

She didn’t blink. One hundred percent was certain of the fact and more. Same with that hair color — Since when it’s blue? Aegeon to be specific as Samuel would surely take note of. Which wasn’t important because her own reflection in the darkish liquid shouldn't be blinking when she wasn't—!

Something dropped on her cup. something that came from…

A finger idly poked the tip of her lips, a strange, sticky purple substance made her blink in confusion. It trailed down from her… nose.

Oh, she is bleeding…

...

Oh.

Chapter Text

The rest of the morning continued as usual.

Mom woke up, surprised to see her daughter up so early, but other than that, she didn't press on for details. What little they said to one another hardly passed for a conversation; But the fleeing expressions conveyed enough.

So far, it was a quiet morning like any other. Now, as for what awaits them throughout the day…

It's been two weeks since Alex and her parents left for New York to attend a family gathering; And of course, Luz hasn't been able to stop worrying about her friend's well-being since.

Sam suggested a few more than welcome alternatives to moping over things she couldn't control all week, including working on a gift for Alex. They were far from a materialistic person, but either way, Luz wanted to do this for her.

In a matter of minutes, mother and daughter departed for the local airport in their old reliable minivan. Unfortunately for the youngest, even the gentlest of breezes bypassed the pair of sweaters she wore; And as always, any signs of discomfort on her part only brought another worried look from her mother.

Speaking of worried looks, that was exactly what she received from the unfamiliar reflection on the car's window.

Oh, she almost forgot about that...

In the beginning, she disregarded it as another caffeine/exhaustion-induced hallucination. Nothing more than sporadic scenes and silhouettes speaking in strange terms which she never failed to ignore and move on with her day. But this one triumphed over all previous ones by a million miles.

The reflection appeared as a shaded, murky reflection of herself, and for every time she tried to discern any other details it dissolved like snow only to rise back into its initial image in the blink of an eye, insignificantly different in a thousand ways.

And to make matters worse, it imitated her every movement with unnerving precision, from the spasm of her fingers to every word she spoke. Everything matched without a millimeter or millisecond of difference; all except for those incandescent yellow—

“Hey, cariño… are you okay?” Camila glanced at her while staying focused on the road.

“Of course,” Luz murmured with a tiny smile. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

A question, why did you say a question, stupid idiot now she will—

“…wanted to know, that’s all.” Camila shrugged, not giving any emotions away other than an invisible tension. “You just seem…” She paused. “Distracted, since this morning.”

That’s one way to put it. “I didn’t sleep well, winter sure is getting closer.”

Mom hummed under her breath. "...And with everything you were wearing, I should call..." She muttered under her breath and paused before looking back at her. "Well, can't blame you after what happened... last night."  

The last words hung undisturbed in the air, waiting for someone to pick them up and follow up, but alas, no one dared speak further, and as if as part of a silent agreement, the conversation ended. Leaving the car just as eerily silent as a coffin.

Despite being used to maintaining a face of positive indifference during the aftermath of similar conversations, it seemed like a detail or two slipped through the cracks judging by Camila's following expression. 

Luz tried to distract herself by looking past the hallucination still marred in the window in favor of the distant waves crashing across the beaches of Bridgeport. Despite living here for months, the sea never failed to impress her. 

“Cariño, you know you can tell me anything. Whatever is in your mind... I'm here."

The younger of the two struggled to choke down a lump in her throat for a good ten seconds before answering. "Is not-" she cut her words short and faked the need to clear her throat to buy a few more seconds of respite. "I will be fine, all I need is to move on and pretend none of... that, happened, right?"

"...You know is not that simple."

"Then what else should I do?" She didn't mean to raise her voice, her mother's insistence was starting to get in her skin for reasons she couldn't place, and when the urge to shut her up came in she didn't hesitate to seize it and—

“Luz…” Camila steered from the road and parked the car to give Luz her full attention. With one hand firmly grasping her daughter's shoulder, the older of the two looked into the youngest's eyes with profound intent. “I can’t help you if you don’t answer me, at least tell me something, be honest…” It wasn't a request, but a pleading. “Even if it’s just a little hint?”

It was with a furtive glance that she was left stupefied by her reflection. somewhat clearer, and more focused. It tilted its head to point at her. She didn’t know whether to interpret the gesture as advice, warning, or threat.

…

"Maybe later... after the festival, or before it. I just... want to forget the bad stuff for a while until... when is necessary. If that’s alright?” 

The admission was met with palpable skepticism, but beyond that, Camila only let go of a sigh and returned behind the wheel. "Sure, you... you're a grown-up and all, I'm sure... everything will solve itself with time."

Butterflies whirred the walls of  ̷L̷u̷z̷’̷s̷ ̷ stomach upon hearing that.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

The airport reverberated with the sounds of countless pedestrians traveling back and forth as far as the eyes could go. Luz avoided such places as this for more than obvious reasons. Yet, a tiny fraction of a feeling made her aware of the invaluable opportunities scenarios like this could offer if the need for vanishing without a trace came to be— Where did that idea come from?

She was starting to feel a little dizzy… Anyway, It didn't take long to find who they were looking for.

“Hey, Alex-” Every last drop of oxygen escaped her lungs as she was lifted off the ground. “Air- Air!”

Upon landing on her feet she inhaled with all her will.  “S-Sorry about that…” the figure next to her said. “I couldn't resist, I let myself get carried away by a little one.”

“I-It’s ok, Oh! I’ll live… I think so.” Luz gasped, hands on her knees.

Once she made a full recovery, her mother took Alex's parents somewhere else, leaving the camp buddies alone to their own devices. Luz rarely did more than exchange the necessary greetings with Alex’s parents, especially her dad. Everything that occurred after Alex’s confession, her subsequent runway, and Luz’s outburst directed at the ones responsible for pushing away their daughter… remained a sore subject, even years and many, many apologies later. 

Without needing to voice her thoughts Alex helped her stand up and guided her to a secluded corner over the entrance of a cafe, unfortunately, closed, but this didn't stop them from taking advantage of the lone tables around it.

They each took a seat and stared at the other for what felt like two minutes and seven seconds before, finally, someone gained the resolve to speak.

“I’m glad everything went as planned?”

“More… or less?” Alex scratched the back of her neck and then frowned while avoiding direct eye contact by playing with the zipper of her fanny pack. She didn’t seem angry but somewhat frustrated and at the same time… relieved. “It took after the first week for someone to point out the dissimilarities between me from last year and... You know how Esteban is."

It... It wasn't often Alex referenced her other side of the family, especially when it came to her half-brother. Another delicate topic. 

"He started giving me ugly looks at the end of the first weekend." Alex continued unaware of Luz's expression. "overhear my dad and I talking after the barbeque. He had his suspicions and that stupid slip-up cemented his theories..."

A loud exhale signified the fall of Alex's strong front, her initial confidence crumbled to reveal a tired and, to Luz's astonishment, fearful one.

"He spread a rumor or two as the days passed, and the day before Mom, Dad and I were about to leave... My uncles didn't seem to care, nor did three of my cousins, grandma thought it was like an emo phrase that would last one or two more months, and... that was it."

Luz was left speechless. While confident in many areas, psychology resided far away from her forte, and it wasn't for a lack of trying, but more specifically, her ineptitude at articulating what she knew was the suitable answer to the problem at hand. So, she offered her friend a hand to take, the very least she could do.

Mom has shared the many occasions in which Dad deduced a person's issues within minutes of knowing them. How easily he defused confrontations before the first blow was thrown. Yet, here she was, his flesh and blood failing at the very basics.

"I'm here." Her throat closed under the ambient pressure. Minutes tickle in silence. Waiting for Alex to say something, anything. Then, her presence seemed to resonate with her friend, and somewhat, herself; As if her own words had bounced past her ears and reached— Alex breathed in and out, looking brooded. Her mouth opened only to stay silent. And then spoke.

“If I had to choose between the many other possible realities, this definitely among the best." Alex's mood suddenly peaked up. "I survived. I'm here, that's what matters.”

“B-but wouldn’t it have been better if they... you know, at least cared— Positively, I mean."

“Am I happy with how everything turned out? Not entirely, but I’m relieved knowing no one made a big deal out of it, is…” An ugly frown crossed Alex's expression. “Things could have gotten ugly…”

Luz frowned “…Me lo imagino…” Her attention was diverted by the waves of people going in and out of the airport, their stories forever unknown to her.

"I hear what happened...“ Luz blinked, unknowingly pretending ignorance at her friend’s words for the split second she seemed to entertain her facade. ”My parents told me. Are you sure you're doing alright?"

"Before you ask… Yes." Luz pursed her lips upon ensuring her tone left no room for debate.  There was nothing to be worried about and the sooner everyone realized this the better. "I'm fine it was just a bad thing that already happened and I survived, finito, se acabo---"

Despite her words, Alex's expression remains unfazed  "Luz," a flicker of something crossed through her eyes, Luz noticed, but couldn't name it before Alex continued. "I know that you are trying to act tough right now. Something is bothering you, C'mom you known you can trust me with stuff like this..."

“You're exaggerating—"

“It doesn’t take Masha’s divination to know that’s bullshit,” Alex crossed her arms. That impassive stare of hers was set in rigid stone, an answer was what she waited and what she was sure to get sooner or later.

From an outside view, it may seem like a far too aggressive tactic to convince a friend to share their issues. But Luz had been in the receiving of it enough times to accept the effectiveness of her friend's approach. This time, however, it felt different, as if the red-haired presence was bordering too soft of a spot for her nervous system's liking.

“Is…” She began, a multitude of excuses waiting in her tongue for release, but she swallowed them all once her gaze met with the reflection of the monitor right behind her friend. Its otherwise black surface reflected a mirror image of the scene, but instead of herself, that cursed, malformed hallucination had taken her spot. Its eyes were a set of piercing yellow sparks.

A sequence of taps on the table she was sitting on accompanied her own.  ̷Luz̷ didn't realize she had started doing this, much less the reflection, but what picked up her morbid curiosity was the hidden meaning contained in the sound. Somehow, she knew what it meant...

Oh.

“Hey,” Alex leaned closer, frowning. Undeniably worried. “you good? W-want me to call your mom?"

Clutching the fabric over her belly didn’t help in holding back the anxiety threatening to escape in a violent burst any moment.  ̷L̷u̷z̷ ̷ swallowed, and mentally counted every second in between breaths all the while listing the best and worst scenarios to be unleashed in the following seconds; it helped immensely to have a bare-bones idea of what was to come. It wasn’t a solution but a flimsy barricade between serenity and running into the horizon until her tendons were torn apart.

"Okey...“ The following breath Luz took was by far the heaviest of the day.   ”The truth is... I haven't felt like I'm... myself, recently."  She stared back at the imitation. Its eyes displayed no emotions while it tilted its head. The gesture conveyed enough.  ”I want to tell Mom, I truly do but..." No turning back. "How do I tell her I want to… change my name?"

…

Alex hummed, her chin resting on her hand, an odd expression plastered on her face. She wasn't even looking at Luz but at the ceiling, of all things. “Ooooh…” She perked up before snapping her fingers. She leaned closer with a malicious smile. “My suspicions have been confirmed. I know what you are.”

What.

“It wasn't hard to figure out the obvious. Looking back, I'm surprised nobody else has, or if they did... decided not to?"

The reflection's eye dilated.

"Like seriously I've been wanting to say something for ages but then Sam told us: Give her some space, drop a few hints about our stance, and let her tell us once she's ready. It made sense, but still, watching you—uh, are you one hundred percent sure you're good? I swear I saw green there for a second, and I meant that in the most literal sense."

...It took pinching a cheek, placing a hand over her heart to confirm it was beating, and biting her lips for… her to confirm she hadn't fallen into a coma... or died. "Uh, elaborate?"

"Luz, or... how you wanna identify yourself from now on, we know you aren't exactly comfortable with your..." Alex gestured to the Latina's whole body. "Appearance, body, voice, and so on... Masha has tried to get you to open up, but it all flew over your head every time."

"...Wow, I..." She never thought that— For how has it been the case? While she recognized experiencing a ripple of self-consciousness during social gatherings or even alone at home, a part of hers rejected those unstable feelings, but for what reason— Y҉ou kno҉w҉n wh҉y҉  "Was it that obvious?"

With crossed arms, Alex nodded with a calm look. "Painfully so."

 ̷“̷W̷h̷a̷t̷’̷s̷ ̷t̷h̷e̷ ̷p̷o̷i̷n̷t̷ ̷i̷n̷ ̷c̷o̷n̷t̷i̷n̷u̷i̷n̷g̷ ̷t̷o̷ ̷l̷i̷v̷e̷ ̷i̷n̷ ̷d̷e̷n̷i̷a̷l̷?̷”̷  The disembodied whisper sent shivers down F҉i҉v҉e҉'҉s  spine. “ ̷T̷h̷e̷y̷ ̷w̷i̷ll learn, find ̷h̷e̷r̷ before is too late—” 

“Before I forget.” Alex chirped up, before bringing forward a long stuffed backpack and without wasting a second, began throwing aside whatever item she wasn't the objective of her search. The Noceda watched the growing pile of discarded clothes while avoiding eye contact with the apparition; its hair was a mess of moss-like knots and stray strands, wearing what she could only discern as a vibrant cloak over its shoulders. A strange pendant was hanging from one of its... ears—?

"Finally!" With a dramatic motion, Alex raised a thin plastic package of sorts, its contents a mystery for everyone in this world except for the one who held it. “There you go.”

Lu̷z received the mysterious package; each finger of hers caressed the carton's surface, noticing not a single indent. "...So, who's birthday is this for?"

“Is for you…” Alex added. “Is a gift, no payment or donation required.”

“I… see." Out of every possible development this one, as simple as it was, caused her mind to lag a second or two behind the confirmation— Oh shit she left her own gift in the car.  "I don't know what to say—"

“Stop with the generic responses and take it... No refunds.”

And so ̷Fiu̷z̷ unwrapped the box to uncover—

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

It was pretty early on this chilly morning. Heated moisture permeated the air, giving off a faint, crispy scent that blended nicely with the aroma of her tea. The foliage had become slightly darker parallel with the fluorescent veins running down the branches and trunks, sinking beneath the damp dirt. Fascinating, the outside world continued to surprise her.

Five contemplated the landscape from the safety of the cabin’s balcony, mind devoid of complex thoughts other than briefly acknowledging tiny oddities like a critter squirming out of view or a noticeably larger patch of wild mushrooms where once were none.

Her real eyes, ears, and nostrils had been blessed by the rare opportunity to exist without fear of drawing any unwanted attention from the village’s other inhabitants and wasn’t going to waste a single second of it. It felt wonderful. This wasn’t done out of necessity, more so to calm down an… odd urge to stretch her inner tissues if only for a few minutes each day.

Speaking of the others… everyone else was asleep. The prospect of relieving this habit of hers to her… siblings, stroke a specific set of ever-tense instincts that refused to give up this privilege. 

She let go of a soft breath which condensated in a quickly dissipating cloud, before closing her eyes. It’s been a month since they arrived here, merely a week since they were formally welcomed as new members of the wildling's secret hideout; And only a set of words could describe the experience so far: Painfully comfortable.

None of them were used to such levels of comfort, much less stimulus or attention. They received everything they could’ve ever asked for and more. Food, plentyful; Refuge, lots to spare; Information, a library ready to answer any question; Magic…

Magic filled the air in such overwhelming abundance it took days just for them not to heave upon each breath.

Tyrell maintained a steel-rigid front through it all, trying his best to keep a low profile while proving his usefulness to everyone he came across. Be by clearing out some wreckage, scaring away unwanted animals, or, to her utter surprise, helping out in the communal kitchen. Five never thought of Tyrell as the picky eater of the three. 

Tressa followed a matching path by staying indoors and helping out wherever she could. Amending clothes, watching over a kid or two, harvesting crops, and getting a hang of Theurgy thanks to Farid's lessons. The latter picked up her curiosity, but it wasn't her place to snoot in. Not yet. 

As for Five? Well, for how much it disconcerted her to admit it… Nothing. It was insisted on quite periodically that she was but a child. Never expected to work or produce something in return for her safety, instead, they encourage her to go on and observe and learn from every available source.

Their efforts to blend in, unfortunately, brought attention to a tiny problem. Basilisks were, simply put, incapable of any conventional branch or form of magic unrelated to mimicry. A detail that brought a few too many raised eyebrows in their direction. It wasn't unheard of for certain mixed races or species to lack the biology to perform a specific spell branch, but magic altogether?

Many assumed, based on their crude backstory and visible scars, that someone or something was responsible for this. Nobody dared to try and poke any holes in their story, thankfully. Everyone had their own reasons why they ended up as part of this community in the middle of nowhere and few refused to share. Speaking of...

A clan of wild witches who managed to slip through the cracks of the emperor’s coven efforts to purge what remained of the Savage Ages' descendants. Wild magic practitioners acted with such indiscriminate abandon across the world that all lands grew sick, and the resulting infection spawned countless horrors said to have wiped all other intelligent life outside the last standing Titan. Our Titan. At least that’s what the official books described.

Nonsense, claimed the old lady whose name was bound to remain a mystery—something about a cultural significance to share her name with anyone who wasn’t family by blood. She argued those were faulty descriptions made by the covens to tarnish the innately untamed nature of magic as a whole while the empire taught nothing more than a synthesized version of what should be.

Then the old lady suggested why not go and enjoy what the library has to offer? The unspoken issue here, none of them knew how to read, nothing beyond the mere basics. So they rushed to learn a little bit at every given opportunity.

It took a while for the reality to settle in, they just received the opportunity to learn everything they could conceivably want with abandon. It was a lot to take in but she rejoiced in the possibilities. Knowing everything they learn here would be very useful when the time comes to move on—

“Ah,” A voice echoed from behind her, its source familiar to her inner senses. “You’re awake.”

Tressa arrived at Five’s left while the younger demon gave her sibling’s chosen form an appraising glimpse before returning to her silent observation of the wilderness. Tressa’s disguise retained all its main features; A long wispy mane with a few irregularities as a result of experimenting with retocating her hair without relying on magic, an almost dulled cream tone of skin, and a set of green eyes. As for clothes, it seemed like a loose and baggy sweater colored by a gradient between pale sand and dark green paired with matching pants and sandals.

The silence between them stretched out for a few minutes. Five tapped her fingers on the balcony for no apparent reason at all, a little quirk she developed from enduring hours of solitude in the library. She read about this weird and very useful thing called "Morse code" from an equally strange book, another thing worth asking Brit about.

“How have you been?” Tressa muttered. “As if… in general?”

“Good, good so far.” said Five without added spectacle. “Are you the only one awake?”

“For now,” A little smile appeared on her. “Don’t expect to see Tyrell any time soon, he stayed up until very late at night trying to make any sense of the scroll he got.”

To that Five couldn't help but chuckle. 

When Five turned to face her older sibling she was met by an odd expression, odd in the sense of looking too deliberate, dared to say forced with the constant oscillation of where her eyes were focused on— Oh.

Following her gaze, Five found a perfectly wrapped package resting right on top of the balcony’s table. Looking back at Tressa only revealed the same expression from before, if a little more eager...

…

“Well?”

“…Uh?”

“Aren’t you going to…?” Tressa tilted her head at the table.

“…Want me to give it to someone?”

Tressa’s expression remained the same for the following ten seconds until her left eye twitched. “Vee-”

“Five.”

“A-Apologies, what?”

“Is only the two of us, we don’t need to pretend with our names-”

“That isn’t a name-” The older demon suppressed a deeper tone while shaking her head. “Have y-you really been referring yourself as-?”

“W-why does it matter-?” For reasons Five couldn't name, she deemed it necessary to put her foot down about this matter. Five, by itself, it meant nothing more than a number, a denominator to differentiate her from others, yes, but... It didn't matter. Not at all. Vee served a simple purpose, to blend in until the inevitable. 

“Because... a name symbolizes you…” Tressa seemed out of words after that, she then closed her eyes and let go a sigh. “It… It represents you and— You," She bit her lower lip and her eyes narrowed. "You deserve that choice… we all do.”

Five subconsciously ignore the statement in favor of taking care of her incessant curiosity bickering about the possibilities contained in Tressa’s gift. Such a meticulously wrapped container, it felt wrong to do as much as put a little pressure and crunch the wrapping…

So, with extreme delicacy and precision, she tore open the box and…

Oh. Oh wow…

The fabric softly fluttered as it unfolded, revealing a neatly crafted poncho of warm-toned gradients that blended seamlessly without a single, if minuscule, imperfection; with the only exception being a tiny signature negligibly standing out at the back of the collar.

For a long time, real clothes seemed like unnecessary inconveniences, after all, a basilisk's mimicry could easily replicate whatever they wanted within certain limits. Substance mattered above any form of material wealth. As long as they blended in, their appearance meant very little to her. 

At least, that was what she believed, until now.

It was beautiful, and it fit her perfectly.

“So… do you like it?”

̷L̷u̷z̷ blinked, before rubbing her eyes in a vain attempt to stop the flow of tears obscuring her vision. For how long has she been crying? …Why was she crying in the first place? She scratched a hand through her hair, yearning for an answer to emerge from within this headache, but none came. She gently slapped herself, only to notice an as-to-be-expected taken back Alex and behind them… a blank screen.

“O-Oh, wow, you sure liked it, uh?” Alex crossed her arms, assessing their friend’s sudden showcase of emotions.

̷L̷u̷z̷ was unsure of what to say. “W-Why?”

“To be clear, it was my idea, then Masha gave me some recommendations, but… Credit where credit is due, we also got to thank Sam for his... contacts. If you know where to look, an expert awaits at every turn.”

̷L̷u̷z̷ swallowed and took a deep breath, mentally kicking herself for allowing another stupid… hallucination to take over her brain at a time like this.

There was a little bit of everything in the box, a pair of earrings in the shape of stars, three beads made out of vibrant polished stones,  a capybara keychan to replace the one she lost last year, and...

A soft, multi-colored poncho of resonant cyan and golden streaks trimming its swarthy surface. She never imagined herself having something like this in her grasp. She felt... undeserving of such a gift.

“I… I don’t know what to say…”

“If you’re going for a classic, a single thank you would suffice.” Alex recited. Noting her friend’s recognition. “What can I say, Masha’s good with words… and their book wasn’t half-bad.”

A warm feeling spread from her chest. “So does claim the so passioned sci-fi enjoyer?”  ̷F̷i̷v̷e̷ remarked, suddenly at ease if only for a moment. 

“I’m old enough to recognize my faults and admit defeat… mystery dramas with supernatural elements can be… intriguing, there, I say it, no shame in that-"

A ringtone resonated from Alex's pocket. Bursting their bubble and driving their attention back to the real world. After a short exchange, Alex stood up to the other's surprise. "Dad. Something, something, our house fire alarm just went off and your mom will fetch you in a moment, so... I gotta go... sorry?"

"D-Don't worry about me, go! I-" Luz felt a chill creeping through her neck but ignored it. "I will be fine."

Alex frowned. Then smiled. "...Call me later."

Once Alex left her peripherical vision, a weight dropped off her shoulders. Every minute of being in their presence felt as taxing as half an hour of non-stop warm-ups— But why? Alex was one of her best friends in this world, alongside Masha and Sam, she never failed to cherish their mere presence dearly, and yet…

…Huh?

Sensing something nagging at her pants, she somewhat relaxed, believing it to be a lost dog searching for its owner or a stray cat. So she looked down and…

…

̷L̷u̷z̷ did nothing other than stare at the… what she at first interpreted as an otter— for how utterly absurd the possibility of finding one at an airport of all things would be, but the longer she tried to make any sense of its appearance, her confusion only increased exponentially.

Its fur had a bluish tone with a faint magenta shade which complimented it nicely; A set of folded wings, each belonging to a completely different biological class,  and on top of everything, there was an entire snake attached to it!

If both heads weren’t activily blinking and following her movements she would’ve mistaken it for a taxidermy project gone horrendously wrong— was that a card on its mouth?

…

“You… want me to read that?”

It nodded.

…Her grip on the chair tightened. Something called out for her a dozen times, and a dozen times, she ignored its cries because all of this was a dream, a hallucination about to cease at any moment. She needed to wake up. Any minute now, Mom would return, and together, would go back home. Once there, how about calling Masha and inviting them for a besties-only night out? Then with a refreshed mind enjoy all of tomorrow with Mom at the festival and—

A sudden itch in her arm interrupted her wishful thoughts, so she exhaled and scratched the affronted spot— and hissed out loud.  Revealing her nails had grown sharper and longer by a few inches, its tips smudged by a vicious, purplish liquid almost like…

…Like blood. The very same blood pouring from a scratch right where she just…

Accompanied by the sight, an odor invaded her nostrils, one she must have been unconsciously ignoring until now as not soon after she sneezed and tasted vile going down her throat.

While Luz struggled to get any air in, the  ̷p̷a̷l̷i̷s̷m̷a̷n̷-beast jumped and gracefully landed on the table, allowing it to stand face-to-face with the ̷d̷e̷m̷o̷n̷-human. Its eyes seemed to sparkle with intent. 

So she stared back and continued to do so all the while static reached her ears. She tasted something... sweet, intoxicatingly sweet. The hunger growled. It yearned for substance. It feared dead—

She knew for a fact there was nothing to fear. This creature, this prey, didn't pose a threat to the likes of her. She just knew. She just knew and that alone brought forward exactly what she ought at a time like this.

Without another word, F̷i̷v̷e̷ ̷ snatched the envelope from the critter’s mouth and ripped it open to uncover…

Slowly, her eyes swept across the packed surroundings full of hundreds of humans going their merry way completely unaware of the murderous gaze, and in a matter of seconds, finally noticed the one single human whose presence alone erased all else from her mind.

The woman in question sat at a similarly vacant and isolated spot of the airport, waving a hand at  ̷F̷i̷v̷e̷ ̷, who reflexively responded with the same gesture, before sending a thumbs up with a faint smile and all.

...

Five bit her lips, tasting blood. It tasted rotten.

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