3rd POV
(Y/n) sways her legs back and forth on the swing set in the playground in the middle of Bonesborough. Several baby-track Hexside students are there. Eda and Luz are sitting on a bench under a sign.
Luz shifts nervously in her seat, "what if he gets hurt? What if the kids are mean to him My parental instincts are freaking out, man."
Eda waves a hand, "he's fine. Look at him."
King right now was trying to climb the slide.
Luz smiles, "It does look like he's having fun. Aw. I wonder what cute little game he's playing."
"Stand back, cretins!" King grunts as he reaches the top. "Yes! Yes! This is a throne worthy of a tyrant. Bow to me you snotty underlings. Bow!'
The Kids below the slide share a look, "okay." One does a handstand while the other does a backbend.
King laughs evily, "yes, appease your master."
"This isn't for standing, it's for sliding. You try." A kid from behind King shoves him.
"Whoa, whoa! Eda!" King cries as he runs to his friends, clings to Luz's leg. "That monster took my throne."
Eda points at the kid, "you mean the baby?"
"No, the usurper. I want you to go over there and blow him up. Kaboom!" King made a explosion with his claws.
The 'usurper' was riding a spring rider exclaims, "Kaboom!"
Eda unscrews Owlbert from staff, "yeah, I'm not using Owlbert to blow up a five‐year‐old.'
Owlbert hoots at Eda.
He's got better things to do. Like this," Eda says as she pets him, causing Owlbert to let out a warbling sound.
Luz coos as (Y/n) made her way towards them. "Aw, what a sweetie. How did you get him?"
Eda snorts, "get? I made Owlbert from the branch of an ancient tree." Eda explains as Owlbert hops onto Eda's hand and hoots. "Oh, he's my palisman and we're bonded for life. I'd annihilate anyone who'd hurt him."
King huffs, "fine. Don't help. Revenge will taste all the sweeter if they fall by my hand alone."
The usurper shoves King over. "Tag, you're it!" He laughs and runs off.
Eda smiles eagerly, "oh, man. Here we go. King's squeak of rage."
King stands up with an angered expression, "Nyeh... nyeh..." He then precides to squeal while wriggling and punching on the air, pauses, then continues squealing as he charges after his rival.
Eda and (Y/n) laughs, "oh my gosh! He sounds like a tea kettle!"
"I know, right?" Eda snorts.
When Owlbert scratches at his face, Luz noticed something on his foot. "Hey, what's that?"
"That's his interlock. So he only fits on to my staff. Every palisman has o-" before Eda could finish, she suddenly falls over.
"Hol-- Luz! Help me!" (Y/n) says as she and Luz lifted Eda onto the bench.
"What happened?" Luz asks as she helps her mentor onto the bench and looks at her with worry.
"I'm not sure," (Y/n) says as Owlbert worryingly hoots as he flys around Eda before perching himself on (Y/n)'s shoulder. (Y/n) gently pets Owlbert, "I'm sure she'll be alright buddy."
After a minute of waiting, Eda's eyes open with a startled expression.
"Are you all right?" Luz asks as she helps Eda up.
Eda shudders, "what? Oh, no. The curse. Hey, we have to get home. Now!" Eda says urgently as Owlbert turns into the staff.
"King we have to go!" Luz calls out.
"Atop the jungle gym, King was facing Usurper with daggers in his eyes. "Five more minutes, please!"
"King! We need to go! Now!" (Y/n) yells, causing King to flinch at the intensity of (Y/n)'s voice.
King growls, "this isn't over."
"Okay, let's play again real soon." The kid hugs King.
King yelps as he struggles in the kid's grasp. "No, no. Keep those sticky hands away! Oh, no! He's touching me!" King screams.
☆ﾟ.*･｡ﾟ☆ﾟ.*･｡ﾟ☆ﾟ.*･｡ﾟ☆ﾟ.*･｡ﾟ☆ﾟ.*･ﾟ☆ﾟ.*･｡ﾟ
When they returned to the house, Eda tosses her staff to the couch, yawns, and flops facefirst onto the couch.
"I'll go get your elixir," Luz says to Eda.
Eda's voice muffled as she spoke, "don't worry about it. I'll get it myself in a bit."
"Do you need us to stay home and take care of you?" (Y/n) asks Eda.
Luz gasps, "I could put King in a little doctor's outfit."
Everyone looks at King, who looks up from a stack of paper. "Weh?"
"No one wants to see that," Eda says as she plops her face back into the couch.
"I do," Luz says darkly.
Eda sighs, "look, I know how to take care of myself. I've had this curse longer than you've been alive."
"So, how'd you get it?" (Y/n) asks.
Eda groans as she sat up a bit, "I don't know."
"You don't know?" Luz tilts her head.
"Somebody gave it to me. I don't know who and I don't care because I'm fine, all right? Anyway, don't you two have plans with Tweedledum and Twerpledee?" Eda ask the two pestering humans.
"Well, (Y/n), Willow, Gus, and I are going to the grudgby game between Hexside and Glandus High." Luz answered.
Eda screws Owlbert back onto the staff, "since when are you into sports?"
"Since I found a little something called "Hexside Pride." To think that Glandus, whoever they are, would dare face us. But if you need me to stay..." Luz draws out, causing Eda to sigh.
"Gross. Sympathy. Go! Go have fun at sport," Eda waves the girls off.
"Hooray! Hooray for sport! Hugs and kisses, King." Luz kisses his skull. "Mwah!"
(Y/n) bends down and hugs King. "Don't spend all night plotting revenge."
King grumbles as he hugs back before (Y/n) left to follow after Luz. "That drooly‐faced heathen will know my wrath."
Luz and (Y/n) ran to the school, where the students are lined up to get on a dragon bus. They is ran towards it but not paying attention.
"Hexside's gonna wreck your side. Huh, no. Hexside is the best side in the west side." Luz yelps as the dragon bus roars and bites at Luz warningly. "Ah! Friends." Luz runs over to them and made poses, expressing their excitement. "Happy game day, fellow, uh... Are we Hexidians? Hexies? Hexoleos?"
"Actually, most people call us.... winners," Willow says with determined eyes.
"Grudgby games are the best. The players go through these action‐packed trials. And the audience gets to wave flags. Look, I practiced," Gus says as he pulls out two flags, turns in a circle as he waves them and hums.
Luz looks at her hoodie, "Is it weird that I'm not wearing anything Hexside?"
"Um, it's weirder that you're wearing Glandus colors," Willow points to the poster of the match between Hexside and Glandus.
"Get ready to be creamed, Glandus nerd." A big guy says to Luz.
Luz huffs, "hey! I'm a Hexside nerd. Gotta change out of this shirt. Where can I get a Hexside one?"
"I know. There's a lost and found box in the cafeteria." Gus gestures to the school.
"Ah! The lost and found. Where mouthguards go to retire." Luz runs into the school.
As the three friends waited, the bus had already left, but they refused to leave their friend behind, so they stayed.
The front doors of Hexside opens, which Luz exits in full Hexside apparel waving pom-poms. "Goooo, Hexside!" Luz exclaims as she does a split. Instant regret. "Well, I never did that before. Uh, where is everyone?"
Luz looks up to see the dragon bus is flying away. "Oh, no! Come back! Why didn't you guys board the bus?"
"We weren't going to leave you behind," Willow smiles.
"I was," Gus says half jokingly.
However, that didn't slide with Willow as she elbows him. "Gus!'
"Can we walk to Glandus?" (Y/n) asks the young witches.
"We'd never make it in time. Glandus is..." Gus rolls his flags and points with them," "all the way out in the middle of the island."
Luz scoffs, "typical Glandus."
"And my dads are working, otherwise I'd see if they could give us a ride on their staff." Willow announced with a frown.
Luz looks up in thought, "a staff... because staffs fly. Of course. I can get us a staff."
Gus brightens up, "You can?"
Luz nods, "yes, come on."
"King, are you home?" (Y/n) calls out as she walks up the stairs.
"Is Eda up?" Luz asks King.
King swiftly closes doors, chuckling. "Who? Oh. That Eda. No, no. She is out like a light."
From the other side of the door came a growl.
King chuckles nervously, "oh, man. Can she snore."
Luz frowns, "oh, no. I wanted to ask if I could borrow her staff but I know she needs her rest."
King quickly grabs Eda's staff and gives it to (Y/n). "Oh, I'm sure it's fine. It's fine. Just take it."
"We can't. Not without Eda's permission." (Y/n) says with a serious expression.
From the other side of the door, a muffled scream was heard.
"Well, there's your permission. Off you go." King says as he waves off the girls.
"I really owe Gus and Willow one," Luz says to (Y/n). "And it's just for the afternoon. I'm sure Eda wouldn't mind."
"I guess you're right," (Y/n) nods.
"Not our generous, kindhearted Eda. Big heart on her." King shifts nervously.
They stare at each other for a second.
Luz grabs (Y/n)'s arm and starts to leave, "we'll be back soon."
King sighs and murmurs something under his breath.
Luz and (Y/n) stops and turns towards King quizzically. "What?"
King yelps, "Nothing."
(Y/n) raised an eyebrow.
"Oh, okay," Luz says as she and (Y/n) left.
'That was strange,' (Y/n) thought as she and Luz made their way out the door.
"To Glandus High," Luz says as she takes the staff from (Y/n). She had accidentally hitOwlbert against the house.
Owlbert hoots up at Luz
"Oh! Sorry, Owlbert. It's okay. We're just on our way to help some friends." Luz apologized.
Willow and Gus stares at Owlbert with interest, "Ooh!"
"Hey Luz, maybe I should drive for this," (Y/n) says as she looks at Owlbert with worry.
"No, I got this. It was my idea after all," Luz says as she postisions the staff.
(Y/n) still had a look of worry, "fine. But please, be careful. Eda will kill us if Owlbert gets hurt."
Luz waves (Y/n) onto the staff, "don't be a worrywart. I'll treat Owlbert with the upmost respect. Who's ready to board Air Luz?"
They all board the staff.
"Feel that power‐to‐weight ratio," Willow informed.
"Boys, prepare to fly," Gus says as he waves his flags.
"Next stop, Glandus High. Let's go!" Luz exclaims as the staff rises in the air. "Step on it, Owlbert." She commands while slapping the staff
Owlbert squawks, before rushing forward like a lightning bolt.
The four friends yells as the staff does a loop-de-loop, then runs into several trees. They hit a tree head on.
Willow and Gus fall directly into a bush.
Luz gets caught on a branch, then falls out of her Hexside sweater.
(Y/n) fell down with Owlbert to the the ground. Owlbert falls directly on top of his head.
(Y/n) gasps as Owlbert now has a crack on his head. "Oh no, Owlbert," (Y/n) gently scoops up Owlbert. "I'm so sorry."
Owlbert's only response was only a sad hoot.
Luz groans, "is everyone okay? Huh? Owlbert!"
Owlbert hoots in obvious distress, twists himself off the staff, flies off.
Luz and (Y/n) gasps in shock, "Oh, no. Oh, no, no, no! Owlbert, come back!"
"Come on! We need to find him before he gets more injured," (Y/n) urges.
(Y/n), Luz, Willow, and Gus ran through the forest and started to call out for him.
Owlbert hoots as he flies into a foreboding cave.
The four friends stopped running, panting heavily to catch their breath.
Gus pants, "Man, humans can run. Must be their dorsal fins."
"Hate to inform you, but humans don't have dorsal fins." (Y/n) says in a wavery voice.
"He went through those trees," Luz points towards where Owlbert went. "Come on!"
She was about to start running, but Willow stops her. "We have to be careful. It's really easy to get lost in this part of the forest."
"This is Eda's palisman, Willow. She'll kill me if we don't get it back. Let's go." Luz says urgently.
As the four friends enter inside of the cave, the bats on the cave's ceiling screeches at their presence.
"Wow. I keep stepping on a lot of crunchy twigs," Willow comments, oblivious that the 'sticks' were actually bones.
"Those are bones, Willow." (Y/n) corrects with a grimace.
Willow only looks up, "not if I never look down.
The four yelps as shadow passes them. They stepped closer together.
This isn't any kind of forest I'm used to," Luz says as she pokes a spiderweb with the staff.
"That's because this isn't a forest," Willow states as she realized as familiar three baby bats chirp as they approach the teens. "It's a nest."
Luz must of recognized the baby bats as well. "Hey, I remember you. You're Bat Queen's babies."
Bat babies replies with screeching.
Gus eyes widens. "Wait. The Bat Queen?" Gus backs away.
Willow also backs away, "I think I'd rather take my chances with Eda."
Luz walks towards the bats, "uh, we're looking for a little owl."
(Y/n) lightly gasps as she sees Owlbert is standing a bit behind the bat babies. "Owlbert, there you are. I'm so glad you are okay."
Owlbert warbles at (Y/n), but then backs into the shadows.
Luz sighs in relief, "Owlbert, thank goodness you're okay. Come here, buddy. Time to go home."
Suddenly, the Bat Queen steps in front of Owlbert and into the light.
Bat Queen peers down with a grim expression. "Hello, small humans,' she hissed.
☆ﾟ.*･｡ﾟ☆ﾟ.*･｡ﾟ☆ﾟ.*･｡ﾟ☆ﾟ.*･｡ﾟ☆ﾟ.ﾟ☆ﾟ.*･｡ﾟ
~ѕтєℓℓαє єт є¢ℓιρѕιѕ тυα ѕυит ∂υ¢тσя~