Board games part one.
Willow sighed for the third time in the last five minutes. Amity was wearing a hole into the floor for all her pacing and Willow wanted to heed her dads' advice and avoid property damage for once.
“Amity, everything is fine.”
Amity turned to her and snapped "How do I know that? They’ve been gone too long!"
Willow sighed a fourth time. “Amity if he’d wanted to hurt her he would have done it a long time ago.”
“What if it was a trick of some kind” Amity barreled on
“What kind?” Willow asked.
Amity’s face scrunched up in thought. Hopefully, Willow’s question had bought Luz a couple of minutes to deal with the situation until Amity could come up with a properly nerve-wracking answer.
The door banged open and hands went to staffs quickly, but it was just Luz; her hand holding Hunter captive at her side.
“We’re back” Luz trilled.
Hunter smiled in a way that was just shy of a grimace.
"I apologize and take full responsibility for the delay” he declared seriously.
“What happened?” Amity butted in.”
“Hunter is sort of an introvert and after a whole day of interaction, he just needed a small break. I think he’ll be fine from here on out.”
Willow blinked. Luz was almost definitely lying but it was a very good lie. Why did she lie about it?
She looked back towards Luz and blinked. Hunter was no longer there. She turned in a circle and spotted Hunter leaning against a wall. He apparently didn’t like to be the center of attention.
Maybe that’s why Luz had lied; she didn’t want to overwhelm or expose him. They might find out what it was someday. They might not. Either one was fine.
Willow smiled. It was funny how different Luz and he was, but she was going to trust that he was someone worth knowing.
Soooooo" Luz dragged out the word I was thinking since Hunter is here we could play some human games. Gus’s entire face lit up.
“Really?”
“Yep since Hunter is here you can play human games.”
That was incredibly intentional wording. Willow almost laughed. Luz was smart for trying to get Gus excited about having Hunter here with the human games as bait but she was trying too hard. Gus would figure it out if she said anything else.
Since it's the day all of you guys met Hunter I figured it was a special occasion.
Willow almost sighed again the second she said that. Gus' face went blank and she knew he had figured it out.
“Luz, you're pulling out the human games to trick me into liking him, aren’t you?”
Luz opened her mouth then she closed it.
“Sorry”
“It’s fine” he grinned again “I still get to play human games” Luz grinned back.
Willow looked around she registered that Amity no longer looked actively hostile though that might just have been because her hostility had been replaced by an adoring look aimed at Luz.
She looked over at Hunter and was mildly delighted when she found him focusing on his puzzle book. He had retrieved it at some point during the conversation.
She was still staring at him, he had started smiling (probably because he had figured out a key number to the puzzle) when she heard Luz shout cheerfully
“Now that we’ve broken the ice y’all up for some human games?”
Hunter looked up at that looking mildly confused “What ice-” he started seeing ready to search for the aforementioned ice then understanding dawned.
He seemed to get in just in time for Luz to get to him and elbow him in the side. Willow winced it looked like that time kind of hurt, Luz had some momentum that time.
He glared at Luz “You don't have to elbow me every time you finish a sentence” he snapped.
Willow caught movement out of the corner of her eye and just had enough time to get an arm in front of Amity who was making a beeline for the pair.
Willow gave Amity her best stare and she backed off. "What game should we play first?" Luz asked looking at Hunter for a moment before her eyes drifted away in the way they often did.
Hunter didn’t respond. Luz waited several seconds before adding a prodding, “Hunter?”
“Yes” he replied
“What game?” Luz asked insistently
He registered she was talking to him “Why would you ask me? I don’t have a preference.”
“But you should be allowed to have preferences”
He sighed loudly “Luz, I truly don’t care.”
“But-”
“I don’t care, and this isn’t one of the stupid things you think the coven did to me”
“If you’re sure.” she stared at him for a moment.
He stared back. “I’m sure.”
“Okay, then I’ll pick."
She pulled out a game. And presented it, “Scattergories” she declared Hunter blinked at the box he looked at it with an expression wavering between confused and horrified
“why are that man’s body parts weird colors? Also, why is his skull cracked open and stuff spraying out?”
Luz stared at him. “it’s mildly impressive you made something normal sound so gruesome.”
Something about what he just said was almost familiar to Willow but it was probably just deja vu.
“First of all, it's a figure, not a man. Second, colors are just from artistic license. Third, the head is open but it's not cracked open it's open because that's how it's designed, and fourth the stuff coming out is confetti. Confetti makes everything better.“
He opened his mouth to contest her statement but then he closed it. Willow grinned behind her hand he must have been privy to one of Luz’s explanations (rants) on the stuff she liked before. He was smart enough to know he wasn’t going to win.
“Okay so how do we play” Hunter inquired
“Luz grinned a big, nearly worrisome grin.
“I’m so glad you asked.”
He groaned and facepalmed “I'm going to regret asking aren’t I?”
Luz’s eyes sparkled “Now why would you do that”?
“Never mind say your thing.” he gestured for her to get on with it.
“Scattergories,” Luz said opening the box and sitting down right on the floor, is a fun game of time management and knowledge.”
Luz paused dramatically for a reason Willow couldn’t pinpoint.
Willow glanced at Amity and Gus. Nothing showed on their faces so the pause wasn’t for them, but when she glanced at Hunter she got it.
His eyes sparkled slightly, he was clearly delighted by the proclamation. Willow resisted the urge to laugh again.
The specific rules of the game are this: you pick a list, roll the dice, and will land on a letter, you wind up the timer and then try to come up with as many items on the twelve-item list as you can starting with the letter before the timer buzzes.
Hunter walked over and plopped down beside Luz that sounds very interesting, though it could use more time management mechanics.”
Luz threw up her hands. "Come on Hunter" it already has enough time management mechanics. I even included the number of items on the list when I described it since you love having the littlest details! Don’t be a brat.
His eyes widened; Luz shut her mouth.
“Sorry” she muttered “that was uncalled for”
“Yeah, well you're right, I was expecting too much of the time-sensitive parts, that isn’t part of the sell on the game for most people, right”?
Luz grinned at him “Yeah but it is time sensitive you have to decide when to cut your losses at each item.”
Luz said it like that was the part that would sell him on it. From the look on his face, it did.
“Thanks for including the fact it's a twelve-item list even though you didn’t need to,” Hunter said as though that concession was a peace offering
Luz smiled at his statement like she thought his concession was a peace offering too.
She added, “No problem there's also a rule book that specifies what works and what doesn’t.”
He beamed and set his puzzle book down carefully. “What are we waiting for? Let's play.” He pulled the rules out of the box and looked at them.
Gus, Willow, and Amity stared at them in mild astonishment at the strange exchange.
After several seconds when the other three of them did not immediately sit down to play, he looked up slightly confused.
Something dawned in his expression “That is if there are no formal objections to playing the game” he seemed to think it was manners that had stopped them from sitting.
Willow laughed slightly awkwardly she hoped they couldn’t hear the awkwardness “I’ve got no objections”
She sat down next to Hunter
Luz patted his back “Next time say something like unless you guys don’t want to play.” he blinked at her and his nose scrunched.
"In what world would anything less than a formal complaint backed by multiple people ever have the tiniest chance to change a plan?"
Luz sighed "This world as long as you aren’t in the coven."
He nodded as if he understood completely. What came out of his mouth in contrast proved he didn't understand
"So you don’t need a formal objection if you’re a wild witch. Since wild witches don’t care about order at all."
Luz sighed “That is wildly untrue but believe whatever you want.”
“I believe the truth” Hunter declared and then he went back to looking at the rules.
Amity sat down on the other side of Luz and Gus sat on the other side of Willow.
Hunter spoke up “I’ll read the rules. The goal is to fill up as many of these as possible with the letter the dice rolled before the timer goes off.
The game is played with three rounds. You have to set the timer as far back as it can go” he continued
“You also should try and make sure they are things other people would guess since two of the same answers will mean neither people get a point.
Using things like ‘a’ or ‘an’ if the letter is ‘a’ or things like ‘the’ if the letter is ‘t’ is cheating. Using the same word for two different things like using Mark for a guy's name and things on a checklist. is also a no-go
You can use a first name or last name in categories that might include people. You can also challenge answers people can vote if they’re fair or not with a thumbs up or down.”
Luz raised her hand, then she blushed and lowered it.
“That might not be fair. You guys might be biased against Hunter.”
Protests came from both Amity and Gus but Luz raised and hand to quiet them.
I know that it isn’t teams or anything but there might be a higher chance of bias. So I say we get a third party to decide I think Eda.
Hunter stared at her like she was ridiculous “And she wouldn’t be biased” he drawled
"She wouldn’t because she wouldn’t know who she was deciding for. We wouldn’t tell her." Hunter looked impressed. Luz moved on but a look of worry had appeared on his face.
He shook it off he passed each of them a list and an answer shield.
“Whose going to roll the dice,” Hunter asked
“i will” Luz grabed the dice. It rolled all the way over to Gus.
“It's an L” he announced
Luz grabbed the timer and wound it up. “I’ll count us down ready, set, go.”
Willow looked down at the list
“Heros”
“Bad habits”
“Things you shout”
“Colors”
“Things you can wear”
“Things in this room”
“Personality traits”
“Trees”
“Hobbies”
“Things that have spots”
“Things that jump/ bounce”
“Stones/ Gems”
Which of the categories did she know immediately? Well of course first of all she should look at trees. She knew several types beginning with l but she jotted down her favorite: longleaf yellow pine.
She also knew gems from a class she took last semester based on other things in the earth other than root systems.
She added Lapis Arrmenus since she thought someone else would add Lapis lazuli.
There was a lightbulb in the ceiling so she added that to the things in the room category.
For colors, she put lemon yellow. For things that have spots she included Lichen Pixie Trap ( a variant of the pixie trap which used its lichen to imitate a boiling isles resident with skin disease to lure pixies)
Which categories had she not done?
She couldn’t think of a hero, a bad habit, a shouted thing, though you could wear a left shoe she added it to her list. She couldn’t think of a personality trait, a hobby, or a bouncing thing.
She looked at her friends' faces as she pondered. All of them were fully absorbed in writing. She looked down just in time to see Hunter grab her paper.
Quick as a flash in one smooth movement he grabbed her paper and switched it with his. What the- She was about to call him out but when she looked at the paper in front of her she saw it was filled out. All twelve answers stared back at her.
Why the heck would he do it? If he wanted to win he should have kept the paper. She stared at the paper. He didn't seem to have erased anything so why would he change it? Maybe it was some weird coven thing?
She tried to look over at his paper but he was blocking it. She would have to wait and see the reason before she called him out. It was kind of impressive that he finished with time to spare. Several seconds later the time went off. “Utensils down, everyone” Luz announced
Hunter dropped his pencil immediately Gus set his down too
.
Amity said “I had one letter left” Luz looked at her sadly sorry but the rules are the rules.
“I didn’t see that rule” Hunter stated
“I can google it” Luz offered. A moment later she said “Yep, sorry you have to stop when the timer goes off. Amity's shoulders sank, Luz grabbed her hand and she suddenly looked much less sad.
“Okay, I’ll go first for heroes. I put lord Calamity. It was Eda’s nickname back at hexside and the detention track all considered her a hero.” Amity Gus and Willow nodded. Hunter looked annoyed but said, “I suppose if she was a hero to others that counts.”
“For bad habits, I said leaving the lights on since it takes up extra electricity.
For things you shout, I said look out below!
For colors, I said lime green and for things in the room I said lamp”
Gus raised his hand “I have that too”
“darn it”
For things you can wear, I have lifejacket
I don’t have anything for personality traits or tree types. Sorry about my lack of plant knowledge Willow, but I do have a “hobby on my list: lifting.”
She looked at Willow for that. Willow glanced down at her paper but Hunter hadn’t included lifting. “I didn’t even think to put my hobby like that. Good one Luz”
Thanks. I didn’t get anything for spotted things but I did get La Coneja for jumping things.
Everyone stared at her. Luz grinned “Coneja is Spanish for rabbit, it never said you couldn’t use Spanish.”
It was a good try but Luz ha misjudged.
Willow spoke up “No it didn’t say you couldn’t use Spanish but it did say you couldn’t do articles ‘La’ means ‘the’, right?
Luz sagged. "You’re right I tried my best. Anyway lastly I came up with Lapiz lazuli for gems and added it even though I thought someone else would guess it since I’m playing to win”
Gus lightly glared and Luz and Amity smiled at her “I had Lapiz lazuli too but I didn't think of that. That’s so smart”! Luz blushed "Thanks, anyway that leaves me with six points."
“Me next” Gus shouted I don’t have a hero on my list but I do have a bad habit on it. Leaving the door open. Since it lets air out. For things you shout I have land ahoy” Willow smiled at that one. Gus’ pirate phase had been brief yet intense.
Gus went on. “And for colors I have light. Everyone stared at him. “It counts" he protested "there are light and dark colors.”
Luz declared “I think that's fair” Everyone nodded with various amounts of reluctance.
“You know what I had for room things but for things you can wear I had lingerie”. Everyone stared at him. He grinned wickedly “It didn’t say things you do wear, it said things you can wear it's a hypothetical. Anyway, I knew no one else was going to say it.
Amity raised a hand “I actually considered including it but he’s right I choose not to.” Gus grinned again and continued
For personality traits I had likable. I didn’t have a tree but I did have a hobby, lake swimming
"Nope," Amity said "That doesn’t count it's still swimming."
I don’t know Amity," Luz wavered “It’s creative."
"Why don’t we ask Eda? Willow suggested.
"No" Hunter squeaked "We don’t need to bring the owl lady into this." he calmed down It's an unnecessary added word not too different from an article so it doesn’t count."
It clicked finally. He was worried about Eda. Maybe that was why he had switched lists with her. He was trying to stop Eda from being brought in. It was him trying to protect people. She could be wrong but her guess seemed likely.
”Maybe we should give you half a point Gus” Luz suggested
“A quarter and I'll agree” Amity stated
“That sounds fair if you agree Gus? Gus nodded.
Hunter grimaced and Willow made sure not to laugh he truly hated breaking rules.
Gus continued “I have a spotted thing, Lenderman.
"has Lenderman really been spotted? Hunter contested
Luz swatted him. "Let it be that was a good one." Gus grinned at her support
I don't have a bouncing/ jumping thing and you know my gem. That means I have six and a quarter points.
“I’ll go next” Amity stated “I don’t have a hero but I did add a bad habit of leaving the water running similar to you guys’ thing for things you shout I put LEAVE ME ALONE”
“good one” Luz smiled at her. She smiled back
For colors I have lavender and for things in the room I had light socket for things you can wear I put leggings and for personal traits I had ladylike but it was missing the e.
I didn’t have a tree type or a hobby or a spotted or bouncing thing but I did have a gemstone which was the same as Luz’s. That leaves me with 5. The least so far though I almost tied with Luz”
Everyone looked at Willow. She looked down at her paper.
For hero I have she blinked and blinked again was she reading it right
“let me see” Luz leaned over “For hero you have- me?” everyone stared at Willow. Luz was written on the paper clear as day.
Willow didn’t know what to say. She adored Luz maybe there was a short time in the past when she saw Luz as a hero but now she just saw her as Luz.
What could she say about this?
Hunter spoke “I don’t know how you met but I do know if you met her anything like you met me you made her life better You always do your best to be your best, and you help people whenever possible. That's the definition of a hero.
His face scrunched up "Well not the one in the dictionary but similar.”
Luz sniffled “That's so sweet, read your next one”
Willow hoped that all of his answers hadn’t screwed her over that much. “Bad habits are letting enemies know your weakness,” she hurried on before they could register the words (though she did agree with it she wouldn't write it down.)
“Things you shout are listen up for colors my sheet says lilac, and things in the room are lampshade.
Things you can wear are light-weight material and personality traits are level headed”
She went on tree types are longleaf pine” She smiled at that one it was her second favorite tree type beginning with l.
“ for hobbies logic puzzles."
For leaping things leaping bullfrog" groans all around but no challenges "and under gems is lazulite” she finished and Luz cheered. "Twelve out of twelve. Let's see if Hunter can match it."
Willow also wondered if he could.
“My list says Lt. Olivia lieutenant was a position for a while in the coven and Lt. Olivia helped clear out an entire village with a single day's warning before a wild witch attack.
For bad habits, I have leaving your flank unguarded
For things you shout, I don’t have anything but I do have lemon yellow for color. Things in the room is a lightbulb”
He grinned slightly at the answer and a spark of pride bloomed in her chest. She wasn't quite sure why.
For things you can wear, I have left shoe, for personality traits I have logical, and for tree type, I have longleaf pine”
At a mild protest, he stated “Which is a variant on the longleaf yellow pine you can search it if you want.” everyone settled down but they still looked annoyed.
“Hobbies are listening to Belos’ speeches” grimaces all around but again no contesting
“A spotted thing I don't have and a bouncing thing is Luz."
“What?“ Luz asked
“ you’re always bouncing up and down or on the balls of your feet.”
Luz's expression said she agreed
He went on “For gems there is Lapis Arrmenus a stone similar to Lapiz Lazulil. That leaves me with ten points” he looked at Luz “We have enough that we won’t be in trouble with the owl lady right?”
“Luz laughed “ Willow wins and yeah you have to get very few to be in trouble with her” Luz grabbed the dice. "Let's play another round." She didn’t see the frozen expression on his face.
Eda was definitely the reason he switched papers with her.