The Lone Witch- The Owl House AU

Just A Normal Job Fair

"I just don't get this book, Eda!" I exclaim, laying back on the store counter, reading some book Eda gave me, "This so flowery it could easily join the Botany pathway at Westside!"

"Kid, it's just a story," Eda laughs, "I thought you'd like it because it's about witches or whatever. It has fun characters, middle english wording, fun art."

"And what kind of name is Azura? Or Hecate? Or any of these characters? And this writing. Listen to this: Emboldened by the dishonor Hecate had shown, Azura lifted her staff to the cotton-candy skies and shouted 'I challenge you to a witches duel!' Whoever likes this is clearly insane. It's an insult to witches is what it is! Mother of titan..."

Eda starts laughing even harder she starts tearing up. Owlbert hops off her shoulder and flies to the coat rack and snuggles up into a scarf laying on it.

"Alright, listening to your rant is funny, but it's driving away customers." Eda sighs, calming down finally.

"Um, Eda. What customers?" I sit up and go over to the front window, "I don't see anyone walking around anywhere. I don't even think anyone downtown has their store open. What's going on?"

"This is a bad omen. Something horrible must be happening today."

"Luz!" Gus yells, slamming to door open with Willow close behind, "Something amazing is happening today!"

"Gus! Willow! Hey guys!" I say going over to them.

"It's the annual job fair." Willow explains, unrolling a flyer, "Students get to see all their job options before graduation so they can better pick one. There's even a mystery guest this year!"

"Alright, like a Covention for humans." I note, "Eda, can we go?"

"Absolutely not." Eda flatly says, going back to the counter and messing with the register.

I groan and she just rolls her eyes at me.

"Look kid, I dropped out of college for a reason. Sure it's a fun job at first, but you're giving up your independence and creativity to be part of a crooked system."

Willow and Gus' enthusiasm fades.

"Eh, but, you know, no judgment. In any case, I haven't even been to one since we were girls."

"Wait. 'We'?" I ask, mood immediately lifting.

"I-the-I mean..." She stammers.

"Who's this 'we'? You have a mysterious past! Now we gotta go!"

"I'm guessing you won't stop asking until we do?"

"Nope!" I chipperly confirm, Gus and Willow joining on either side of me.

Eda groans and we all get into her car.

~~~

We pull up to a Community Center with a massive Job Fair Today!!! sign. As we start to walk towards the building, Eda is putting on a large, black hooded jacket.

"Is that really necessary?" I ask with a chuckle, as her hair keeps getting in front of her eyes.

"Look kid, do you think I'm just wanted for petty theft?"

Various things fall out of her sleeves and clatter onto the ground.

"Partly, but that's not the point. By dropping out, I pretty much broke the law. If I get caught, I could get arrested. Again."

"Maybe seeing all the choices will inspire you to join something." Willow suggests, though she's just met with an eye roll.

"Ugh. Let's just get this over with."

All of us step inside the massive building and I'm immediately entranced by everything. Hanging on the back wall are nine massive banners.

"How was I even alive before now." I gasp.

"Those nine banners represent the main career options, but there are hundreds you can join that are all subsections of them."

We walk down the rows of booths and Willow begins pointing a few out.

"Florists, artists, veterinarians, pet sitters..."

Eda let's out a massive groan.

"Also the grumpy gang." Willow whispers with a slight chuckle.

I stop and watch when I see a guy doing a demonstration on secure brickwork and other construction tips.

"Who are they?" I ask.

"That's the Construction pathway. Rumors say they take some performance enhancing thing to be stronger and faster."

"Sweet mother of Titan."

"Sweet mother of Titan." I hear someone repeat, doing a near perfect impression of me.

I turn around and two kids at a stand smile and wave. Gus runs over to them.

"I see you have been taken by the allure of the Physical Arts pathway. We are the masters of showmanship."

He throws down a smoke bomb and reappears right next to me, along with the two other kids, and bows.

"Acceptance? Camaraderie? A sense of belonging? These pathways sound awesome! Eda, why didn't you ever join one?" I ask, looking back at Eda who looks not just bored, but uncomfortable.

"Let me show you." She sighs.

She leads me over to a stand where a person is getting their picture taken, as well as their fingerprints, and a saliva sample.

"When you officially join a pathway, you give up all your personal information. Even your DNA is taken. All the information is put in a massive database that only the mayor, pathway heads, and the cabinet can access. Once you join, you are locked out of any career outside of that pathway. Besides how invasive it all is, that kid will only be able to work within whatever pathway he joined until he's old enough to retire. Me on the other hand? I dropped out before they could do anything like that so they got nothing on me. I can do whatever I want! I mean, nobody will hire me, but that just means I can be one of the few entrepreneurs!"

I try to take it all in. That does sound horrible. How is this even legal? Why hasn't the rest of the government stepped in? Isn't this just one town out of a whole country?

"Luz! Check this out!" Willow calls out, waving me over to her and Gus.

Me and Eda join her and see two massive doors, officers on both sides keeping guard. There's a massive line of people going in.

"That panel sure looks popular."

"It's the Cabinet's panel!" Gus gasps, "Willow, you think they'll sign my forehead?"

"Only one way to find out!"

The two giddily go inside. I start to follow them but notice Eda isn't moving.

"Aren't you coming, Eda?"

"No way. Of all the job routes you could go, they're the worst."

"I get it Eda. Pathways bad, individualism good. That stuff with the DNA looked bad, like really bad, but I'm still figuring this world out. So, I'm going to go in there and make up my mind, okay?"

Before she responds, I turn and go in to grab a seat before it starts.

A/N: Alright. I'm getting better at converting magic stuff into regular stuff. A bit worried about the whole witches duel thing though. I think I should be able to figure something out.