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Author's POV:
Willow walks inside the hallways of Hexside. A banner above her reads: "CLUB FAIR TODAY!" She suddenly hears a noise looks towards it, and sees Y/n, Luz, and Gus running away from something, Luz chucking icicles at it. "Back, back, back, back!"
A rogue locker appears and chases after them. They run behind Willow and hide behind her.
Willow promptly uses a spell circle to summon some vines and tie up the locker's feet, restraining it.
Luz hugs Willow. "Thanks, Willow!" Y/n said. Gus sits on the locker. "And that's why we try not to keep our lunches in the lockers," Gus said.
"So... ready for the club fair, Willow? Mayhaps you'll join me and Amity in the... Azura book club." Luz tries to hold up 5 books in her hand at once but drops them seconds later while yelping in pain.
"Owie."
"Thanks. But... I'm interested in something with a little more... drama, flare, and face paint." Willow says. Luz intrigued. "I'm so excited to hear the next words out of your mouth."
"Flyer derby!" Willow exclaimed as she showed Luz a video on her Penstagram account on her scroll.
"Only Stabitha Jenkins and Old Gory are left." Stabitha and Old Gory rush towards each other. "Who will win!?" Stabitha snatches Old Gory's flag and hangs it over at her team pole. "And it's Stabitha Jenkins with the winning flag!"
"Ever since our grudgby match, I've been playing it at home with Y/n. Today..." Willow summons her staff. "I'm starting Hexside's first Flyer Derby team!" Behind Willow, Y/n, Luz, and Gus cheer and throw confetti.
"Whoo-hoo!" "Yeah!" "Go, Willow!"
~~~~~
Cut to the club fair event on the field outside the school building. Willow is setting up her stand with Y/n's help.
Willow in front of her stand. "Let out your inner flying freak! Once the Flyer Derby club is approved, we'll travel all across the Isles in rocking outfits and working as a team!" Willow exclaimed.
"Good luck with that." Y/n and Willow turn to the source. "Professor Hermonculus," Y/n hissed.
"I'm overseeing club approvals this year, and I just don't think Flyer Derby is worth investing in." Professor Hermonculus said.
"Just because it's not as well-known as Grudgby doesn't mean-" Willow spoke up.
"You misunderstand me. I'm shutting it down unless YOU step down as captain. I just don't think quitters make good leaders."
"You're just mad that she dropped your class. Give her a chance!" Gus snapped.
"Okay. Put together a team for a friendly game of Flyer Derby after school. If you can lead your team to victory, maybe I'll approve your club." Professor Hermonculus leaves.
Y/n, Willow, and Gus stare at him angrily, but then Willow sighs, despondent.
"Willow! You can do this, Don't let losers like him beat you down." Y/n exclaimed. "But Amity and Luz are busy and...I don't know where to find enough decent players this fast." Willow explained.
"Calm down, flea-magnet!"
Y/n, Willow, and Gus hear someone shouting and look upwards. Up above, Hunter is riding on his staff, trying to escape from Puddles chasing after him. Puddles bites on one of Hunter's shoes and tears it off.
"Hey!" Hunter yelled as he noticed Puddles coming straight at him. He makes a nosedive towards her and snatches his shoe from Puddles' beak, then makes a few spins and whizzes past Y/n and Willow.
Willow and Y/n look at Hunter in astonishment. As Y/n squinted at his palisman. The two girls looked at each other and then nodded.
Willow ties up Puddles with vines, then calls out to Hunter. Willow points. "Hey, you!" Hunter notices Willow calling out for him.
He then sees Willow's vines coming towards him and tries to escape on his staff, but Willow promptly ties him up and brings him back to her.
Hunter looks at her with a terrified expression as she approaches him and stares down at him. Willow holds up a pamphlet. "Wanna join my Flyer Derby team?" Willow grins.
A little bit later. Hunter is patting the vines off him.
"This is Gus Porter, and This is Y/n L/n and I'm Willow Park, future captain of Hexside's first Flyer Derby team." While talking, Willow grabs Hunter's hand and shakes it vigorously.
"Nice- to- uh- meet- you!"
"Your flying was... amazing. You're a new student, right?" Willow asked. Y/n and Gus looks at Hunter suspiciously. "Yeah, weird we've never seen you around. What's your name?" Gus asked.
"Uh..." Flapjack lands on Hunter's shoulder and chirps at him. "Caleb? Uh, Caleb! Uh, Jasper... Bloodwilliams. I just transferred from... uh..." He sees Puddles licking her foot.
"The... Toes? But! I'm not here to play Fly Dooby or... whatever that is. I have my own mission." Hunter turns around and starts walking away.
Willow dejected. "All right...But at least take a pamphlet?" Y/n asked. Y/n offers Hunter a pamphlet. He snatches it off her hand and walks away again. (Y/n:😒🖕)
He then reads the cover of the pamphlet which says: 'FLYER DERBY - A SPORT FOR THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST!', and he immediately turns around. "Wait! Do you really think your club will attract the best and the brightest?" Hunter asked.
"Absolutely! Flyer Derby's not for the faint witch." Willow exclaimed. "Then maybe I'll give it a try," Hunter said. "Really?!" Willow said.
"But- Okay. How do we evaluate others? A Witch's Duel? A maze full of traps? Oh! Leave everyone at the top of the mountain and see who makes it back to the bottom alive!" Hunter laughs. "Classic."
Willow and Y/n looked at him with concern and looked at each other. "Um... we... might not have time for all that. But... you can help by attracting people with your sick sky skills." Willow runs off with her staff.
"Hmm." He touches his forehead. "I don't... feel sick."
"Hey, I don't know what kinda mission you're on, but it's been a tough year for Willow. And she's really looking forward to making this team a thing." Gus walks away. "Don't mess this up for her."
Y/n got up in his face and said, "But If you mess this up I will personally break all of your bones. Sooo~ Please don't mess this up!" Y/n finished the sentence with a sweet smile.
Hunter looks at Gus and Y/n walking away with a confused and weird look. (Hunter:🤨😥)
~~~~~
"Students of Hexside! Got a palisman? Got a need for thrills, chills, and theatrics? Well, this could be you!" Willow exclaimed.
Hunter emerges from behind Willow and whizzes above everyone's head, causing the audience to cry out in amazement.
He then proceeds to fly upwards, jump off his staff, land back on it, and keep on flying. The audience starts clapping and cheering.
"Man, this Caleb guy is great. With him, I think we can really get our Derby team approved." Willow exclaimed. Willow starts handing out pamphlets along with Y/n and Gus.
"This girl will be a perfect candidate for the Emperor's Coven. If there are more witches like her, we're set!" Hunter said. "Hey! Come on down!" Willow yelled. Hunter lands.
"Allow me to introduce you to... the best and the brightest of Hexside." Four new members have joined the team. They are Y/n, Gus, Skara, and Viney.
"Look, Puddles, it's the friend you made before!" Viney tries to hold Puddles back. "No, no, no! Do not claw Mommy's face!"
Skara is lying on the staircase lazily while scrolling on her scroll. "Hmm." She promptly slid down before she could hit the ground Y/n caught her head.
Gus on the other hand is mounting his staff.
"Let's try this one more time!" Gus flies off, but he appears inexperienced at controlling his staff and eventually crashes into a wall.
"Just a few months ago, I'd be considered the weak link on any team. But now I'm leading one! Ooh! Okay, girl, don't let the power get to your head just yet. Hmm?" Willow notices Hunter walking away.
"Caleb?" Willow runs up to catch up with Hunter. "Where are you going? The field is this-a-way." Willow said.
"You said you'd find the best witches for this team. But them? They're pathetic!" Hunter shouted.
"You just met them! Give them a chance!" Willow yelled. "Well, where I come from, even chances have to be earned. Especially if you're considered half-a-witch like me." Hunter explained. Willow looks at Hunter with a surprised expression.
"Sorry, Captain. Good luck with your match." Hunter walks away again. Willow smirks and draws a spell circle. Hunter is suddenly stopped by something.
"Huh?" Hunter looks down at notices that his feet have been tied down. He is then dragged to the ground and later pops back up on the playing field. He looks around preparing to fight, but finds the field empty. "Huh?"
Skara walks up to Hunter. "Sorry, I was distracted earlier. Been playing Grudgby for so long, I needed to catch up on the latest Flyer Derby strats."
Skara shows Hunter posts on Penstagram with pictures showing strategies for playing Flyer Derby. "Those look... complicated." "They are." She smirks.
Hunter hears Viney speaking and looks towards her. "Whew! Okay, finally. Got Puddles down for her nap. Thanks for the sleeping nettles. Y/n!"
"No problem! Viney!" Y/n said. Viney draws a spell circle above her head and drags it down to her feet, healing her physical scars.
"Now I'm only scarred emotionally."
Someone whizzes behind Hunter. He looks up and sees Gus sky-surfing on his staff. He then lands in front of Hunter. "I thought you couldn't fly?" "So I can't fly like everyone else, but my way's more fun!" Gus exclaimed.
He glances towards his palisman and it chirps at him. "Oh. That's uh," Hunter murmurs. "cool, I guess." "Oh, what was that?" Gus said. "I said it was cool!" Hunter shouted.
Willow pops out next to Hunter from the ground. Hunter squealed. "Gus is a natural speed demon, Skara's a strategic wizard, and Y/n and Viney are the best healers in school. And at one point or another, we've all been misjudged. So, still think we're pathetic?"
Hunter shakes his head ashamedly. "Good. Let's get our game faces on." Willow paints her face with green paint.
~~~~~
In the playing field. Hunter is holding a crow phone. Hunter said to the phone. "Call Darius."
Darius is seen relaxing in his room when a Crow Phone barges in through the window next to him, startling him.
"Darius, it's me!" Hunter shouted. "What the- How did you get this number?!" "Doesn't matter! I've found some incredible recruits at Hexside. I'm earning my place, just like you told me!" Hunter explained.
Darius sighs exasperatedly. "Of course you are. I just wanted you to leave me alone."
"What was that?"
"Caleb! Waiting on you, buddy!" Willow exclaimed. "I gotta go, but you'll meet them soon." Hunter hangs up the phone and runs over to the team.
Opposite them is another team led by Professor Hermonculus.
Jerbo runs up to join that team. "Thanks for asking me to join, guys! I think we're gonna have a-" Jerbo gasps. Viney shocked. "Jerbo?" She makes a cutthroat gesture. "Traitor."
"...fun... afternoon." Jerbo sheds a tear.
Willow and her team ride on their staff and line up, getting ready to start. "All you got to do is fly high and snag some flags," Willow exclaimed.
On the other side, Professor Hermonculus and his team are ready too. "Let's see what you can do, Captain." Professor Hermonculus' abomination acts as the referee and blows the whistle.
Professor Hermonculus shoots some abomination goo at Willow, but Y/n blocks it with a shield.
All players proceed to rush at each other. Hunter teleports himself close to the kid player on the enemy team and snatches off her flag, then passes it on to Gus.
Gus flies towards the pole and hangs the flag there, scoring one point. "Gus, that was amazing!" Hunter exclaimed. Gus grins back at Hunter. The game continues.
Mary shoots some abomination goo at Gus, but he manages to evade it. The goo explodes and hits Skara instead, causing her to crash into a wall.
The abomination referee blows the whistle. The enemy team hangs a flag on their pole, scoring one point.
Viney rushes towards Jerbo and he rushes towards her. Both crash into each other and fall off their staffs. Y/n, Willow, and Gus rush towards the enemy team.
Mary and the spike-headed student tried to hit them with abomination goo but all missed.
Professor Hermonculus is frustrated. "She's right there! Can't you see?" Hunter teleports himself next to the professor.
"Boo."
Hunter grabs the professor's flag and flies off. Meanwhile, Willow summons some vines and aims them at the enemy team players. Mary gasps and covers her face.
Willow successfully grabs two flags from the enemy players, but an abomination goo suddenly hits her staff from below, causing her to fall off.
Hunter looks at this with a shocked expression. Professor Hermonculus is on the ground using a spell circle. "Oops. My hand slipped." Players from both teams glance at him angrily.
Willow manages to pass over the flags to Hunter as she continues falling to the ground. She summons a flower which successfully cushions her fall. Hunter looks down at Willow while remaining still.
Y/n and Gus give him a hard push from behind. "Go, go, go!" Mary accidentally crashes into Gus, knocking him off his staff, but Y/n manages to evade it.
Hunter flies to the team pole and hangs all three enemy flags on it, securing the victory. He lands, and Viney and Y/n proceeds to pour a bucket of something red over his head.
Everyone on Willow's team then starts cheering. Professor Hermonculus begrudgingly walks up to Willow. "May I please have your team name?" Professor Hermonculus asked.
"Shoot! We never thought of a name." Willow said. "The... Emerald Entrails!" Hunter yelled. The other team members look at Hunter.
"You know, because... we're green, and there's... more to us... than you think." He smiles awkwardly. Other team members remain silent.
Then they all start chanting enthusiastically.
"Entrails! Entrails! Entrails! Entrails!" They cheered. "Entrails team photo! We're number one!" Willow uses her scroll to take a group selfie. Everyone looks happy including Hunter, who is also smiling.
"I can't believe I almost bailed on you guys. Today was amazing! Thanks for giving me another shot." Hunter said.
"Always nice making a new friend. I had an opening for one." Viney glances toward Jerbo angrily. Jerbo gasps and clutches his chest.
"We wouldn't have gotten here without you," Willow exclaimed. "Yeah, we shouldn't have been so suspicious," Gus said. "Yeah, it was wrong of us, we're sorry," Y/n says.
"We can forget all about that when we play next time... as a part of the Emperor's Coven!" Hunter shouted excitedly. All team members give Hunter a strange look.
"The what?!" Gus yelled. "My name isn't Caleb. It's Hunter! And I'm the Emperor's right-hand man. The Golden Guard!"
Willow giggles nervously. "...Y-Y-Y-You can't be serious? You're not the one Luz... told us about, right?"
"Yes, I am!" Hunter nods at Flapjack. He flies upwards and transforms into a staff. Hunter grabs it and waves, transforming his outfit into the Golden Guard outfit.
He then puts on his mask. "Yeah, this would usually look cooler with the cloak, but... I don't have it at the moment. Long story."
The team members suddenly gasp. Multiple Coven Scouts appear and surround them. "Whoa there, scouts. I didn't give you orders to come here." Hunter said. "Darius sent us to collect your recruits." A scout said.
"Ah, okay. Very good. Then there won't be any delay in branding you with coven sigils and taking you away from your friends and family forever. Hooray!" Hunter explained.
Y/n, Gus, Willow, and Viney look at the Coven Scouts angrily while Skara starts bawling.
~~~~~
Cuts to Police Precinct 128 in Bonesborough. The team members are locked up in a cell. Hunter takes away their staff and leans them on a wall outside the cell.
"Okay, listen, I'm sorry about this whole cell thing, but did you really have to punch Steve, Skara?" Hunter asked.
Steve is sitting on a stool, his helmet dented as he presses an ice pack onto the side of his head. "I get it. Emotions are running high." Steve gives a thumbs up. "Ice pack for Steve."
"Well, I don't get it. You're joining the best coven there is. You can keep all your magic, you get free room and board, you can even play Flyer Derby on your day off! Well, this year's day has already passed, but next year's only 52 weeks away!" Hunter explained.
"We don't care! None of us want this!" Skara shouted. "You will eventually. Trust me, I'm your friend now." Hunter said as he walked closer to the jail cell.
"Friends don't stab each other in the back," Gus yelled. "Sure they do. The Coven Heads do it all the time back at the castle." Hunter looks towards Willow. "Captain, you're on my side, right?"
Willow has her back facing everyone. She is facing a wall with her head lowered. "I... thought I... could be good at this," Willow mutters. Hunter's smile vanished.
"But we're here because... I made a bad call." She was on the verge of crying. "I'm just... half-a-witch Willow."
"What?! No Willow! None of this is your fault! It's my fau–" Y/n was cut off by an abomination goo suddenly appears, wraps the team members up, and vanishes altogether.
Cuts to them being teleported onto Darius' flying ship. Their palismen are sent up by a Coven Scout in a cage.
Hunter flings the door open and runs outside. "Darius, I did it! I found recruits!"
Darius grumpily. "Yep, and you're making me work on my day off. Take this and quit bugging me."
Darius summons Hunter's cloak and flings it at him. Hunter looks down at his sigil and touches it. "I can... wear this proudly now." Hunter looks up at Darius.
"Right?" "Can you?" Darius said. Hunter looks at Darius uncertainly.
"See you at the castle, Golden Guard." Darius flies off in his ship. Steve comes out from the door behind Hunter.
"I do not envy those kids, man," Steve said. "They just have to go through basic training before becoming scouts. It's not too bad." Hunter says.
"Dude, do you even remember what we had to do? The duels. The mazes with the traps. That time we were left alone on a mountain?"
Hunter laughs. "Classic."
"And of course, Belos likes to collect everyone's palismen." Steve's words reminded Hunter of something. Hunter looks down nervously.
Steve grunts, and walks away. "Steve is beginning to regret his choices."
Hunter looks up at Darius' ship which is flying away. "I think Hunter is, too."
~~~~~~
Cuts to Hunter chasing after Darius' flying ship. He teleports himself to get close to the ship faster.
On the ship, Darius is scrolling on his scroll looking at Penstagram when he comes across Alador's post. "Ugh. Mute."
An abomination is seen controlling the ship. The cage containing the palismen is put beside Darius.
Skara tries to reach out to it, but Darius promptly slaps her away with abomination goo. "Nope." Willow tries to bring the cage over using a Plant spell.
"Nuh-uh." Darius destroys the leaves with an abomination goo hand and slaps Willow's head with it. Darius sets aside his scroll. "You're gonna need to be a little more clever than that."
"Darius!" Hunter suddenly teleports himself next to Darius, startling him.
"NOW!" Y/n yelled. All team members jump off the ship, Gus blowing a raspberry.
Darius and Hunter rush over and look down, only to see the team members disappear in a puff of smoke. Darius immediately glances back. "An illusion!"
"Land the ship!" Y/n yelled to Viney. The team members jump down from the ship frame's beam. Viney squashes the abomination and takes control of the ship.
"WAIT!"
Viney pulls down a lever and crashes the ship into the sea, destroying it. The team members then jump off the ship with their staffs and try to escape, but Darius blocks their path with an abomination.
"Did you really think you could get away with endangering a Coven Head? Do you have any idea what I'm capable of?!" He yelled. Darius transforms his right arm into a scythe.
Willow tries to attack him with vines, but he slices them off easily. Willow then tries to form a shield with vines, but Darius slices it open easily too. He then raises his scythe arm, preparing to attack Willow.
Willow and Y/n brace themself for the attack while shielding other team members behind them. Hunter suddenly rushes forward and puts himself between Darius and the team members.
"WAIT!"
"Out of my way, little prince!" Darius said. "No! I was mistaken. These four are insolent agitators who aren't fit for the Emperor's Coven." Hunter looks down. "And I'm unfit to wear the sigil of the Golden Guard."
Hunter takes off his cloak and drops it to the ground. He then turns towards the team. Hunter turns to face his team. "You can leave," he says with a soft but firm voice.
Willow raises her staff. She is on the verge of tears. "Please, captain," Hunter begged. Y/n grabbed her shoulder and said, "He's right, let go..." Willow lowers her staff.
Willow, along with the rest of the team, begins to retreat. "Let's move, team! We need to find a replacement." Willow walks away.
"After all, it'll be 52 weeks before Caleb's next day off." The other team members walk away with Willow and Y/n.
"You... befriended them? And then you disobeyed me to protect them?!" Darius raises his scythe arm. Expecting an attack, Hunter shuts his eyes and recoils in fear.
Instead, Darius transforms his hand back and pats his head. "I'm impressed. I had you all wrong."
"Huh?"
"You're what? Sixteen? It's about time you made connections outside the castle." Darius summons a scroll and drops it into Hunter's hands. Hunter opens it up and sees the sign-up page of Penstagram.
"I was just gonna drop them off at Hexside. We have more than enough recruits, in my opinion." Darius explained. "Are you... gonna tell Belos about this?" Hunter asked.
Darius smiles. "Are you going to tell him about your secret palisman?" Hunter gasps and reaches his hand towards Flapjack. Flapjack chirps.
"Magic or not, I think you'll make your predecessors proud." Darius throws Hunter's cloak back at him and fixes the sewing work using magic. "But you could still use a sewing lesson."
~~~~~
Cuts to Luz and Amity walking along a beach.
"So, are you upset?" Amity asked. "Nah. Azura's author may be a human, but I'm human too. Sometimes it's nice to be reminded that you don't need to be a powerful ancient witch to make something special." Luz explained.
"Well, I had fun coming up with those theories. They were like... our own stories." Amity said.
Luz gasps and stops. "What if the Azura Book Club was also a writing club?!"
"What would be our first writing prompt?" Amity said. "Hmm. How about the mystery of..." Luz gasps, and points at the members of Emerald Entrails walking nearby.
"What they were up to all night?!"
The members of the Emerald Entrails notice that Hunter has just created a Penstagram account.
"Did he just make an account?" Viney said. "Wow. He is a slow typer." Willow says. "He's worse than my dad," Gus said as Y/n laughed at all of their comments.
Y/n and Willow notice Luz and Amity nearby.
"Oh. Hey, guys!" Willow exclaimed. Luz and Amity come up to them.
"I am really digging those outfits. So, how was the rest of school? Did we... miss anything?" Luz said.
"Just had our first team win as the Emerald Entrails," Willow exclaimed as all team members proceeded to strike their respective cool poses.
"Ooh! Let me see! Let me see!" Luz said. Willow turns her scroll towards them and shows them the group selfie on her Penstagram account.
Both Luz and Amity notice Hunter in the photo and gasp in shock. "WHAT?!" The duo's yelling causes some birds to fly off.
~~~~~
(☆Fun fact: Y/N WAS SURPRISED TO SEE FLAPJACK BUT SHE DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING BECAUSE OF HOW SUSPICIOUS SHE WERE OF HUNTER AND SHE THOUGHT 'ALMOST ALL PALISMAN LOOK ALIKE!')