Chapter 25
Luz
Luz was a little nervous at this game's potential for disaster but it would probably be okay. She hoped.
"I'll go first. I want to go with Dare." She declared.
Gus considered. He wandered over to the trash can. "Eda sells junk at the market. He grabbed a water bottle from the trash can. Can you do it too?"
That was easy. Good.
Luz smiled, jumped up, and grabbed the bottle.
"Behold this multipurpose item. You can use it to transport water as many times as you want. You can cut off the top to make a garden where you can see the root system. Since it's seethrough you can look at your enemies through it without them knowing you are looking at them.
You could fill it up and shake it like a maraca. You could even use it to transport abomination goo. On top of that, it's from the human realm so it's extra exotic. Buy now. The water bottle." She ended her performance by shaking the water bottle in the air.
Then she sat down that was fun. Hopefully the rest of the game would go like this. "How'd I do?"
Willow grinned "I'll tell you this much. Now I definitely want to use it next time I have to keep track of a root system."
"Aw thanks, Willow"
"Now Willow truth or dare?"
Willow considered "Dare."
Luz thought for a second then something occurred to her. This would be fun. She grinned wickedly "Whistle the hexside theme."
Amity looked at Luz "Are we playing easy?"
Luz smiled at her. Amity had no idea. "Oh no," Luz announced "most definitely not."
"Do it Willow" Willow groaned.
Luz got ready to start a chant but Willow began to whistle. It was, like every other time an absolutely horrid sound.
Luz giggled and Willow rolled her eyes but smiled at Luz.
She turned to Gus. "Gus truth or dare?"
"Truth."
"Did your dad ever give you the birds and the bees talk?"
Luz shuddered, so did Amity and even Hunter.
"What's that?" Gus asked.
They all stared at him in horror for a second before he began to laugh.
"No, he didn't. He gave me the book he had read to understand it at his age and told me to ask him if I had any questions. As you may have guessed there is no way I would ask him I lucked out."
Gus looked at Amity. "Amity? Truth or dare."
She considered. "Truth"
"What is the craziest prank you ever pulled on someone?"
Amity chuckled and looked at Willow. For a second she looked confused then began to laugh too.
"There was this teacher neither of us could stand so we decided to get him back. It was Willow's idea. I conjured a tiny abomination and kept moving his stuff a small amount or putting items in a different place. It drove him nuts. I think he nearly quit but he deserved it."
They laughed a little more until Amity seemed to remember it was her turn.
"Hunter" That wasn't good. "Truth or dare?"
"Dare"
She smiled maliciously
"Do 50 push-ups."
"Just fifty push-ups?"
The grin dropped off her face.
"Yeah just 50"
"Should I do them one-armed?"
"Suuuure" She looked at him brow scrunched.
He got into position and started to do push-ups. Luz rolled her eyes. She had gotten used to hearing about and even sometimes seeing his exercise routine but she realized someone else hadn't. She looked over at Willow. A blush tinted her cheeks. It was gone by the time he looked up
"Luz. Truth or dare?"
"Dare"
"Don't speak until your next turn." He grinned annoyingly at her and she glared. He smiled even bigger.
"Well, it's her turn. How can she pick if that's it?" Gus asked. Luz nodded franticly
"She can pantomime. She's shockingly good at that. They shared a look."
"Point at the person." Hunter decided She would so get him for this. She pointed at Hunter.
"You said nobody can go back and forth too much," he said looking around.
Everybody else shrugged. She would get her revenge! She smiled at him and held out her hand he stared at it. She rolled her eyes and pointed at his pocket.
"This? He pulled out his scroll."
"Luz this isn't" he shook his head frantically and she held up a hand and looked him in the eye. She wasn't going to reveal him to Willow.
She pretended to type and he unlocked his phone and reluctantly passed it over to her.
She clicked on camera and scrolled until she found the perfect revenge. She turned and showed the photo to the rest of the group.
Willow laughed "How did that happen?"
The picture was a blur of red and a mass of flailing limbs.
It was what looked like Flapjack sitting on Hunter's face.
"I made a mistake. I tried to get Flapjack to let me take a picture of him when he didn't feel camera-ready. I had been doing this thing where I took pictures of him at various times a day to see the difference in the look of the colors of the feathers and that was one of the only times of day I hadn't gotten. The problem was I tried to convince him as I tried to take the picture. He decided it would be a good lesson to take me down with him. I deserved it. I thought he looked fine but bird and witch standards are very different. I apologized later."
He looked around. "Um, Gus? Truth or dare?"
"Truth."
"Do you plan on joining a coven or not"
Luz glanced around nervously that could be a bad topic to discuss but Amity only looked a bit upset and Gus just looked like he was considering.
"It's a long time until I'd have to do that maybe, maybe not. I only have practiced illusion magic so it would be no big loss if I lost the rest but the idea of having nothing else at all well that's kind of nerve-racking. I have to consider it. I'll tell you when I figure it out.
Hunter blinked at him "Alright I mean that's better than no.
Gus smiled "Luz, truth or dare?"
"Oh thank goodness," Luz said she could finally speak again. "Truth please" She smiled at Gus thankfully then shot a triumphant look at Hunter. He just smiled back unbothered."
"What do you do when you're asleep?"
"Do when I'm asleep?" She cocked her head at him.
"Do you drool? Talk? Walk? Move around a bunch?"
"I can answer this." Hunter raised a hand.
Gus snapped his finger. "Right, she fell asleep after kidnapping you."
"Yeah. She does this weird murmuring thing with tiny sounds and vocalizations. She talks in her dreams I think. I heard her say something. I think she was having a bad dream and I heard her talk a little. I don't think she snores or drools. Her dreams are the only time when she's dainty.
"Hey!" Luz yelled
He snickered.
Luz decided to move on from that. She smiled at Amity. Truth or dare. Amity smiled back "Dare."
Luz knew what she wanted her to do. "I dare you to wear my sweatshirt for the rest of the game. She darted to her room to grab it and handed it to Amity. Amity smiled and pulled it on. Amity looked adorable in it.
Amity smiled back at her then she turned to Hunter uh-oh.
"What is the most embarrassing item you're attached to?"
"Probably my plushy or anything in my closet "
"What?" Amity stared "I have this really old plushy I don't know where it's from since I've had it as long as I can remember but I like having it. Sometimes it helps me sleep."
"What about the stuff in your closet." Amity now seemed to have switched to genuine curiosity. Maybe there was a better chance of them getting along than it looked like.
"A very long list of returns Luz refuses to do"
At the looks of confusion from everyone he clarified. "All the gifts Luz has given me over the years."
He'd kept the things she'd gotten him? Luz didn't know what to say at that so she just smiled at him. He smiled back.
"Truth or dare Willow?"
"Dare."
A few seconds passed then even more. He just sat there
"Hunter?" Luz asked eventually.
"Sorry, give me another second. I can't think of anything." A couple more seconds and he forged on "I don't know we should just do the thing Luz and Amity did. Will you wear my breastplate?
Luz laughed. Hunter was so embarrassed "Maybe plan out what you're going to say next time Hunter."
"I will" He was still very red.
He took off the breastplate and handed it to Willow
Willow smiled sweetly at him, "It's a very cool breastplate."
"It is." He beamed "It may have saved my life a few times."
He missed the horrified looks thrown at him. "Your turn willow."
"Gus? Truth"
"What is your least favorite item in your human items collection?"
He stared at her in horror. Willow laughed. "Sorry, gus."
"You monster I guess if I had to choose it'd say it's the broken flipflop."
"Good choice" Willow grinned and he glared. Luz could tell from experience it was a tiny bit real but almost completely playful..
"Amity, Truth or dare?"
"Truth" She decided.
"Have you ever eaten food off the floor?"
Amity blushed "Yes." She muttered.
Amity looked at Hunter for a moment before she froze and then her head snapped to Willow.
"Willow truth or dare."
Willow concidered for a second and then said "Truth"
"If there was anyone you could prank, who would it be?
"I don't know exactly there are several people."
"Would you like help doing it?" Amity looked excited and nervous.
Oh. I might like that. Yeah, Amity." She smiled at her.
Luz smiled too every step Willow and Amity had toward each other meant two of the most important people in her life being happier.
"Gus truth or dare?"
"Dare"
"Go into the other room. Take a selfie and send it to the most recent person you texted." Gus shrugged and left for a moment. He returned and none of them had gotten a text. Willow and Luz looked at their phones and then Gus but he just shrugged.
Hunter truth or dare. Truth. How did you get your scroll? Hunter clutched it closer to his chest. Someone once figured out I was hanging out with Luz. That person was impressed instead of upset and that person gave me the scroll. I interact with that person sometimes."
He was being cageier than the conformatoriam.
When they stared he shrugged. "I'm not going to give any information about the person since they didn't report me I won't report them."
He looked at Luz "Truth or dare "
She looked at him with suspicion. She was pretty sure he wouldn't trick her twice in a row but she couldn't be sure.
"Truth."
Hunter nodded "Describe the outfit you've outgrown that you miss the most."
That hurt a little.
"I can do you one better." She pulled up a picture of it on her phone and showed it to everyone. "I miss it a little too much."
Hunter kept looking at the picture. He shrugged "It's never fun to outgrow something."
Luz looked at Gus "Truth or dare?"
"Truth"
"What is the stupidest excuse you ever made for getting into trouble"
Gus groaned "The first time I got in real trouble I told my dad it wasn't me and that I actually had an evil twin."
Luz laughed "That's a decent one."
"It did not go well."
He looked at the other boy
"Hunter truth or dare"
Truth.
"What is the worst thing you posted on social media?"
"I've never posted anything. It was too much of a risk to do that."
"Willow truth or dare"
"Wait, I want a do-over."
He shrugged "You already went"
"Truth," Willow told him.
"You're pretty fit. Could you tell me about your exercise routine? I can never seem to get the definition I want." She grinned "I'd love to." This would take a while.
After a couple of minutes, she heard
"Luz truth or dare?"
"Dare"
Tell Eda you just got engaged. Luz blushed and looked toward Amity. That was a pretty good one
"E-"
Hunter teleported to her side and put a hand over her mouth.
"Isn't that a bad idea?" He asked.
Luz moved away and looked at him. "What? Why?"
"Telling the owl lady you got engaged! Who knows what she might do?"
"Hunter, it's fine. Eda won't do anything"
"EDA I JUST GOT ENGAGED!"
"What?"
Eda barreled up the stairs and skidded into the room with a crazy look on her face.
"It only took a second until Luz started giggling. The expression on Eda's face was really intense and she couldn't contain her laughter..
"Sorry, Miss Clawthorne I just dared Luz to say that no one is engaged," Willow explained.
Oh, thank goodness you are way too young. I've done a lot of crazy things in my time but not even I proposed before I was eighteen.
"Next time don't give me a heart attack."
"Luz?" King's head popped past the door frame "What did you just say?" His eyes were wide
"Sorry, King, it was a joke."
King relaxed a little. "That makes sense. I saw how proposals are on the CB and this is definitely not exciting enough for you. No one would propose to you like this." he walked away.
Luz smiled as her younger brother left the room. She turned to her girlfriend.
"Amity, truth or dare?"
"Truth"
She considered for a second then an idea struck her
"If you had asked me out how would you have done it?"
"I don't know, I think I would have probably gotten some nice flowers and maybe made it like that scene when Hecate and Azura got together. Also, I would have had it be less public.
"Hecate and Azura, how did I not think of that?" Luz groaned.
"It's okay" Amity patted Luz's hand.
She turned to the oldest kid in the room "Hunter truth or dare?"
"Truth"
"If you had three wishes what would they be?"
Every Boiling Isles citizen present and future to be protected from the dangers of wild magic
Belos restored to full health and for Flapjack to be able to take human form.
Flapjack chirped at him and Hunter shook his head at him "It wouldn't be wasting a wish. I couldn't imagine a better wish. You'd be safe and we could spend time together without fear of being caught."
He looked at Luz "Truth or dare"
"Dare"
Start an exercise routine
Luz laughed that she wasn't expecting. "Sorry, that doesn't work. It's only things you can do right now."
"You can decide to start an exercise routine right now."
"Hunter no." She tried not to laugh again.
"Why do you think she needs an exercise routine?" Amity glared at him
Shit. This could be very bad.
She hurried to explain "When we meet we often end up having little fighting matches and he keeps telling me I need to start training even though I keep telling him I have too much in my schedule for that."
Hunter nodded. "I guess if that doesn't count then it's your turn Luz."
Luz glanced at Amity quickly. She still looked pissed. When she went on hopefully the tension would dissipate.
"Gus truth or dare"
"Truth."
"What is the longest you've ever gone without brushing your teeth?"
"I don't know exactly but over 2 weeks"
"Gus!" Willow said.
"What? It happens."
"Willow truth or dare?"
"Truth"
"Willow, what is the longest you've gone without showering I think two or three days? Maybe more longer back when i was a little kid some time i can't remember
"Seriously?"
"Gus I work out and before that, the last thing I needed was to have something else to make fun" Amity flinched "Besides that I care about hygiene."
She turned to the purple-haired witch. "Amity, truth or dare?"
"Truth"
"Who is the last person you looked at on any social media?"
"Him" She pointed at Hunter "The golden guard had a phone so I figured he had a social media presence. I couldn't find anything."
"Hunter truth or dare?" She asked
"Truth."
"What is the worst thing you've done for the coven?" Luz froze this was really bad.
"The coven doesn't do anything wrong and I've never done anything bad for them."
"Really what about rounding up the pailsmen"
"Belos needs pailsmen it's not like he wants to take them!"
"You didn't answer my question. "What is the worst thing you've ever done" Amity repeated.
"not done enough to protect the boiling isles of course what about you?"
"Truth or dare Amity"
How was Luz going to stop this? They would keep going and what could she do? She was only one person and she couldn't choose sides.
"Truth." The witch told him.
"What is the worst thing you've done? Everyone knows how corrupt the blights are. They may be making things for the coven but they'd make things for anyone if they were paid enough. What is the worst thing you did for them?"
"Not done enough to protect the boiling isles from the Blight's but I'm not in a position of power. What's your excuse? Truth or dare Hunter."
Should she just try and walk between them? Could she grab Hunter and Willow grab Amity? No Hunter's reflexes were too strong. If he accidentally hit her, Amity would get even angrier.
"I use the power I have to do everything I can to protect the isles. I do my best to stop evildoers and to protect the future of the isles. I don't see you doing any of that you're from an influential family and you don't even try to use your influence. Why's that? Truth or dare?"
That was a decent answer if Amity stopped escalating everything would be okay. She looked at her girlfriend but Amity's expression promised no peace.
"Truth. I don't use it because I don't have any influence yet but I will when I get some unlike you who isn't using your influence to do anything but influence Luz. Why are you here Hunter? Truth or dare golden guard?"
Please give a typically, blunt, Hunter answer.
"I'm here because I made a promise and I keep my promises. I'm loyal unlike you, you're a blight. Why are you here? Truth or dare Blight?"
The answer was far from the answer Luz had hoped she had to do something.
"Truth. I'm here because the people I care about are here. I haven't gotten a good enough reason to think you care about anyone. Why are you here golden guard tell me for real truth or -
"Stop" Luz yelled as loud as she could and they both paused. "Stop fighting. Luz relaxed a little that was better "You are both here because I asked you to be here and you came. Stop fighting, please."
They both backed down and looked at her sorry. Amity muttered, Hunter echoed her.
"I'm not the one you need to apologise to."
They looked at each other they opened their mouths but Luz held up a hand "Don't even think about it unless you mean your words"
"Gus, do you have more time?"
"A couple more minutes."
"Good we can play one more game, this one will be short. Just one round each. It's called two truths and a lie you make 3 statements 2 true one a lie. You try to decide which is true and which is a lie by voting with the number of fingers up that the statement you think is the lie. Also, Hunter needs to close his eyes because he can read tells. I'll start."
She had to consider for a moment
"I was voted most likely to make things that blow up for a career
I love every person in this room and I used to want to be a witch when I grew up."
Hunter and Amity both hesitantly started to hold up 2 fingers and Willow grabbed both hands and pushed them down. Hunter voted 1 so did Willow and Amity but Gus voted 3
3 is the lie I used to say I wanted to be a witch when I grew up but really I always want to be a witch as soon as possible. Back when I went to human school we used to have people who came to the school we went to from all sorts of careers. One person made fireworks. At the end of each presentation, the class voted for the person most likely to end up doing the job. I barely managed to win against another student but I won. I also love everyone here even when you're driving me nuts even when I'm insanely upset but seriously please" She looked at Hunter and Amity "Stop fighting."
"I can go next" Willow smiled.
"I love everything having to do with plant magic
I hate people seeing me when I'm sick
and I am very proud of my exercise routine."
Hunter Luz and gus voted 1 Amity voted 2
It's one Willow told them. I love being a part of the plant track but there are always icky parts. Things I wish I didn't need to do. It's all completely worth it but there are still parts that annoy me. I don't really care about people seeing me when I'm sick as long as I'm not contagious or out of it then that's not so great but otherwise a runny nose and a cough Aren't too bad. Also, I made my exercise routine myself, of course, I'm proud of it.
Hunter smiled at her.
"Me next" Gus yelled.
"I was 3 years old when I got my first human realm item
I'd like to try acting again and I sometimes paint in my spare time."
Luz and Amity voted for the third Hunter voted for the second and Willow voted for the first.
It was the first I actually got my first item when I was four. I would like to give acting a second shot and I recently got a gig painting fences and walls.
Willow smiled. "I wasn't sure but Gus has told me he couldn't hang out once or twice recently and said it wasn't because of a project. He also isn't the type to stop something just because it didn't work once." She smiled at him.
"I can go next." Hunter volunteered
"I don't know if I'm physically capable of hurting Luz.
My room is clean most of the time
And I've been able to understand everything Flapjack said for a long time.
Gus went with two and Amity went with one. Luz wavered between one and three for a while before she decided on one. Willow went with three
"It was three. I think even if I tried I couldn't convince myself to physically hurt Luz. My room is clean even though the drawers in my room, closet, and desk are messy. There are sometimes pretty bad losses in translation between Flapjack and me since I think he was carved a long time ago and palismen and witches are pretty different.
He looked at Luz. "You thought I could hurt you?"
"You're really literal I thought if I said the last one I'd get a long lecture on biological functions. She shrugged. He seemed to accept the answer.
"I'll go now"
Amity told them
I dyed my hair simply because I hated the color it used to be.
I plan on asking my parents to let me start helping with abomination creations soon and I would give up all future shares I have and all connections I have to blight industries before I would let go of the connections I have made and remade with Luz Willow and Gus.
It took a moment but everyone ended up with one finger up.
Amity and Hunter looked at each other for a moment and some of the anger in their posture went away.
Luz relaxed the issue wasn't gone but it was partly put away.
"I can't wait to see the designs that are partly made by you." She smiled at Amity and Amity smiled back
Well, Gus has to leave soon. Are the rest of you staying or going?
Going. Amity said. "I have some homework that needs to get done."
"So do I," Willow said with an apologetic smile. "Bye, Luz. Bye, Hunter."
Hunter waved as she walked away.
Amity looked back before she stepped out of the room and Luz waved at her. After Amity vanished Hunter turned to her. Are we going to keep working on the puzzle? He asked. "Sorry not right now I have a bit of homework"
"Why didn't you lead with that?"
Luz laughed.