This Is Home-Owl House Fanfiction

Chapter Six

Amity was so concerned by Emira's backstage wandering that she insisted on following her and Emira around the next day.

"So where are we going? The scarris wheel? The sea?"

"Ugh, something like that." Viney shrugged, knocking on the door of Beetle's shack.

"Emira and company!"
Beetle grinned. "Come in, we're just getting started."

Amity shuffled into a chair along the wall, creeped out by the spider webs everywhere. There were more spiderwebs around the plaza.

Did this place have a infestation problem or something?

Worse than that, were the band members' fashion sense.

Leather jackets with spikes, pants that had holes on then- on purpose? It was the kind of appearance that would make Odalia clutch her purse with a gasp.

Viney looked to Amity with equal concern.

Beetle adjusted the speakers, plucked at their guitar strings and pointed to the keyboardist.

"Hey, Roacher. This is Emira. Any luck and she's your replacement."
Beetle chuckled loudly.

"Roacher" didn't seem to mind, flicking down his sunglasses to slouch beside Viney.

A witch with delicate gossamer wings plugged something into the speaker.

"Amity, doesn't Luz have one of those?" Viney asked.

Amity squinted. A phone. But Luz's phone was purple, not yellow.

"Must be a mistake."

The winged witched tapped her leader on the shoulder and said something. Amity yelled at herself for not picking up a little ASL in her studies.

"Alright." Beetle nodded. They slid the keyboard strap over Emira's shoulders.

"Fauna wants to do Don't Stop Believing, again. On three."

Emira raised her hand. "I've never heard that song before."

"Oh darn!" Beetle exclaimed. "Must not be from this realm."

That sent Emira's head reeling. She thought the band was cool! The clothes, the hideout. She wanted to be a part of it. She had to prove that she was worthy.

Roacher shrugged casually. "Don't sweat it, New Girl. Once Beetle gets the guitar going, you'll be fine."

Emira took a deep breath, steadily following along as the song begun, Fauna as the main vocalist.

Just a small town girl
Livin' in a lonely world

"And for your information, my sister's name is Emira, not New Girl."
Amity told Roacher off with a grimace.

She took the midnight train goin' anywhere

"Sorry, Half-Pint. New Girl's gonna tell us her preferred name, and I'm gonna call her that."

Viney was watching Emira play, not noticing Amity's flabbergasted face.

"You're joking right? Emira is Emira, that's never going to to change."

Just a city boy
Born and raised in South Detroit
He took the midnight train goin' anywhere

"I dunno. That sounds like something she has to decide herself."

Amity rolled her eyes.
Electric music? Fake names? Amity would rather walk on broken glass then see her big sister associated with these- punk rockers.

Viney shook her head.

"I know. This is so weird."

"What is a 'South Detroit'?" Viney wondered aloud.

Amity rolled her eyes until it felt like they'd fall straight out of her skull.

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Luz walked around town after failing to convince Eda that stacking cups of Apple Blood wasn't a educational activity.

She found Oliver while passing by a stand of lucky jack-rabbit feet. Luz and Oliver strolled peacefully down the warm stone paths, only stopping to stare longingly into shop windows.

For a while, Luz hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary.
That was until a group of small children passed by and burst into tears at the sight of her.

"Oliver, did I do something wrong? What just happened?"

Oliver thought about lying. He sighed.
"The local parents like to tell thier kids a fable about a demon who will bite the tips off their ears if they don't behave."

Luz giggled. "That's hilarious!"

Oliver let himself laugh as well.

A harsh, raspy cackle emerged from somewhere in the crowd behind them.

"Hey, Round Ears!"

"Huh?" Luz turned around.

"Oh Titan, it's real!" A boy pointed with a disgusted look on his face. Sone friends followed, taking pictures on their scrolls.

"What a freak!"

Oliver shielded Luz from view in a defensive stance.

"Dude, stop! That's so rude."

"It can't understand us." The boy sneered.

Luz just kept walking. She was used to being bullied in the human world, this wasn't much different.

"Luz!" Oliver chased after her. "I'm so sorry."

"Don't even worry about it." Luz shrugged. "They're just jealous."

She couldn't figure out what she had that was worth being jealous of, but it made Oliver feel better.

She flashed a grin, and the two continued walking.
Luz felt the stares of everyone that walked past her, like drops of acid rain on her back.
--------------------------

Lillith was still weighting her options. Tell Alador about the curse or keep what was left of her reputation.

She had taken a carriage ride down to the shoreline, just to sit and be with her thoughts.

That was until Alador took a seat next to her, holding two toxic-candy apples.
He looked like he'd fought in a war to get them.

"Alador, whatever is the matter?"

"I don't think I'm cut out for anymore house-hunting." He shook his head tiredly.
"I thought I loved this one house, by the cliff, you know? It's so big. And now I think it's too big!"

Lillith attempted to stifle a laugh.
"Well, the minimalist style is very in right now."

"Yeah, but what's the difference between a decor choice and just not having enough furniture?" Alador smirked.

Lillith stood. "Let's not worry too much. This is suppose to be a vacation." She mocked her sister's tone.

"I'm a little frightened that the authorities will knocking on the plaza doors."

That isn't the only thing you're afraid of. A nagging voice whispered in her mind.
She bit into her candy apple, trying to tune out everything but the salty air, sweet sugar and her friend. While they're still here, anyway.