Chapter 5 - CHAPTER 4 what is this again? ah right troublesome

7 years ago...

"Aaagh! Egh!" The sounds of a few people struggling to open a massive stone door covered in strange hieroglyphs echoed through the place."Huaaaah!" another one yelled, trying to use magic to force it open—

but the door didn't budge an inch.

Some distance away, a figure wearing a golden mask silently watched them. An elderly figure wearing a golden, horned mask and a long white-and-brown cape stood there, holding an equally long scroll. He watched quietly as the people—those with horns, tails, extra limbs—kept trying to force open the stone chamber door.

It was pretty clear he was the one behind all this, the one ordering them around."My lord," one of his underlings said, bowing. "The door seems to be covered in some kind of strange magic. It won't move, and we can't destroy it." The elderly figure turned around, his voice warm and almost playful."Now, now… we can't afford to give up, can we? Hahaha… Of course the door wouldn't budge to magic of that level, my child."

He set the long scroll down on a nearby table.

"A place like this always has something powerful sleeping inside," he said calmly.

"I see. Then what are your orders, my lord?!" his subordinate asked."Well, hehe… would you mind waking them up? It seems it's finally time for them to do their job and open the door."

"Understood." as that happened, a small figure—a child-like silhouette wearing a mask—stepped toward the door. The people who had been trying to force it open quickly backed away, giving her space.

The kid had pointed ears, a messy ponytail hanging behind her, and she stood there rubbing her eyes.

"Yaaawwwn… for crud's sake, Titan, this is such a pain…" she muttered in a soft, sleepy voice, clearly just waking up.

"It's the lord's orders, Azea… you know what you have to do," said one of them—obviously someone higher-ranked, judging by the mask he wore.

"Ssssh… fine…" she grumbled.

Under her hood, something shifted. A small head poked out—a… goat? A dog? No, it looked like a mix of both. The little creature had six horns, black fur with white patterns, and it fluttered around her like it weighed nothing.

"Breeee… breeee," it bleated softly.

"There you are, Lerofey," she said. "You're awake too, huh? Then come here… we've got a job to do."The creature floated down toward her, and in an instant its body twisted and reshaped—transforming into a long wooden staff. Its head remained at the top, the only part not made of wood, gleaming with a faint golden shine. She shifted into her stance, planting her feet as the staff hummed. A circle of red, orange, and yellow light formed at the top—a glowing ring with an engraved symbol pulsing in the center.

In the next second—

BOOOOM!!!!!!!!!!

a massive blast erupted from her staff.

A wave of force slammed into the stone door. Light smoke drifted up from the impact point, followed by the slow, heavy crumble of stone giving way. When the dust settled, a dark chamber stretched out beyond the shattered doorway. The stone door was completely destroyed.

Everyone around them flinched at the explosion—even though they'd known the kid for a long time. Scenes like this always hit different. Seeing someone younger than them wield that kind of power… it shook them every time.

"Done… can I go back to sleep now?" the child said in a bratty tone."Indeed… the lord will be pleased," said the high-ranking one, the man with a mask shaped like a single eye in the center and a hand pointing upward.

"Well, indeed I am…"

Both the child and the man jerked in surprise—everyone did. None of them had sensed their superior suddenly appearing in infornt of them them. "My lord… your command has been executed," the high-ranking man said, kneeling instantly. The rest followed suit. Even the child knelt.

The elderly man stepped toward the pitch-black chamber before him, then glanced back over his shoulder.

"You all did a great job. I appreciate it," he said warmly.

"Especially you, young one. You never fail to amaze me with your skill… a truly gifted little witch."

"T-thank you for your kind words, my lord," the child replied, trying to hide her fluste even though she wear a mask."And you, my friend—your guidance as her mentor shows."He addressed the man with the eye-shaped mask.

"You're too kind, my lord," the man said calmly.

"Now… we have something to do," the elder continued as he stepped inside the chamber. The masked followers moved after him, the child trailing behind—still yawning nonstop.

Inside The group stepped into the chamber. Inside, it looked like an ancient temple—grand, towering, and carved as if people long ago had worshipped their gods here.

The place was huge… almost too huge. It felt like it was built for giant creatures rather than normal people.

As they walked deeper into the ancient hall, the walls revealed old carvings and murals. Blackish-grey, hairy creatures were drawn there—massive things with skulls worn like helmets and long spears in their hands.

One mural showed two giant monsters side by side, and between their legs a tiny figure was sketched, almost like… their child? Maybe. It was hard to tell. Strange ancient text surrounded the drawings, symbols so old and scrambled that none of them could read or understand a single word.

Seeing all this made the followers behind the elderly man uneasy. Some of them lit small flames in their palms just to brighten the path, but the flickering fire only made the place feel even more uncanny…Sacred in a way—but also terrifying.

The deeper they went, the stronger that unsettling feeling grew. Then they reached another mural… and this one made several of them tremble.

A monster—no, a colossal—far bigger than the creatures shown earlier. And not just one. Six massive beasts were drawn there, each one terrifying enough to make even tough warriors freeze. Only the child and the high-ranking man with the eye-mask stood completely unfazed.

"Fascinating…" the elderly man whispered, eyes gleaming behind his mask.

Meanwhile, the young girl noticed something the others missed. Near the edge of the mural were faint, almost erased sketches of three more beasts—each one twice the size of the six. She glanced at them for a second…but didn't bother saying anything, yawning as she quietly followed the group onward.

They finally reached a massive chamber.

A tomb… or maybe an offering hall?

Skulls were scattered everywhere—some small, some with huge curling horns, some still attached to broken pieces of bone bodies. A few were enormous, the size of bus trucks.

It looked like the remains of worshippers who had died here long ago. Why they died… no one could tell for sure.

"At least we're here," the elderly man said, stepping toward a gigantic wooden crate.He gestured for his subordinates to open it. The lid creaked back, revealing six small fossilized creatures nestled inside.

"Now… I've finally found them. The Six Grand Sins," he murmured. "Still asleep… good."These were the legendary beings believed to be the Embodiments of Calamity itself and already exists together with other giant creatures but lots people though that just folklores and never existed,but here them are. He instructed his men to lift the fossils with care and move them into the carved stone boxes prepared for them.

But as they removed the fossilized beasts, something else was watching them in the dark. Three little creatures—small, alive, and very awake—had been stirred by the explosion from earlier. Nobody noticed them at first; everyone was too focused on the fossils.

Except the child.

"Huh? What's that,over there?!" she said loudly.

Only then did the others turn—but they reacted too late. The three little creatures struck first, unleashing bursts of strange magic.

Chaos erupted.

Seventeen people were killed instantly. Three more were badly injured. The child and the high-ranking man shielded most of the impact, but even then the attack came too fast.

The creatures, panting and shaky themselves, didn't fight long. After a few hits and blasts, they fled—darting out of the chamber and disappearing into the dark.

The elderly man stared after them, confused and furious.

He had no idea what they were…Only the child recognized them from the faint, blurry engravings she'd seen earlier on the murals. But none of them noticed something else.

Little didn't they know deeper inside the chamber, hidden behind layers of gold and jewels, there was another room—a secret one. Inside was a massive crater-like nest. And above it, half-erased words were carved:

"The Prim— …"

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"And the that how it end,so what about it?!" Said the girl holding and live snake on her hand, She'd been acting it out the whole time in front of the principal, while a young boy sat beside her, looking completely done with everything.

The boy looked about the same age as Luz—half Southeast Asian—Cuban American—with short dark hair and sharp red eyes. He wore a black hoodie with a stylized dead fish Bone print on the front, loose black athletic pants with bold red stripes down the sides, and black sneakers with a red line cutting through them. On his lap sat a box full of stuff and a Good Witch Azura action figure he was holding with zero enthusiasm.

Meanwhile, Luz grinned ear to ear, holding up a small live freaking snake in her hands.

"And that's how it ends!" Luz said proudly, smiling innocently at Principal Hal, a middle-aged African-American man in his mid-forties—who looked like he was questioning every life choice that led him to this moment.

"End?? End?! END OF WHAT?!" the teacher yelled, voice cracking with panic and pure confusion, making both kids flinch.

"Uhh… our book report, of course?" Luz said, rubbing her ear just to make sure she hadn't gone deaf from that outburst. The teacher's loud ginger voice could probably shatter glass.

"Right, Raffy?!" she added with a big, innocent grin, glancing at the boy beside her. Rafhael Scotch—Raffy for short—just sighed, looking like he'd rather be anywhere else. He was Luz's partner in nearly everything she did. They'd basically been stuck together since they were babies… for better or worse.

"Heh… well," Raffy muttered, a bead of sweat sliding down his cheek as he looked away. Luz immediately started poking his arm.

"Oh, come on, partner—don't leave me hanging here!" she said, poking him again and again.

"Yeah, yeah, fine, Luzy," Raffy sighed, giving her a crooked grin. "You really went all out this time,knock it out the park i could say… but maybe we overdid it a little."Luz giggled, puffing her chest proudly. "Heheh, I know I did! But I'm kinda sad I left the glitter for the action effects at home."Raffy just stared at her for a second, like he couldn't believe she was actually disappointed about that.

The ginger-haired teacher stared at the two kids in disbelief. "How are you two so calm right now?! Oh—who am I kidding, it's you two after all, spesialy you! Ms noceda!" she said, throwing her hands in the air. "Your book report just put the whole school in danger! Look out there!" She pointed toward the hallway through the door window. Outside, chaos had erupted—kids were running and screaming as snakes slithered everywhere, some of them actually biting students.

"See that, Principal Hal?! This is why I brought them here!" the teacher yelled, turning back toward the exhausted-looking principal.Meanwhile, Luz and Raffy peeked through the door.

"Waaaaa! Snakes!" screamed a girl as one latched onto her hair."Get 'em off me! Aaaaah! I hate legless reptiles!!" shouted a chubby kid, sprinting down the hallway like he was doing a full-on ninja run.

"Mama, help! WUAAAAH!" another cried, tears streaming down his face. Luz and Raffy just glanced at each other… then slowly turned their eyes back to the window, watching the madness unfold in silence."Huh—so there were our backup snakes go? Okay, that explains it," Luz said, shrugging as she heard her male childhood friend sigh."sigh...i'm still disappointed in you, Luzy. Next time you bring something alive to school, lock the cage, and I mean lock it," the boy said, glaring at his Latina friend."Heheh, my bad… sorry, Raffy," Luz mumbled, blushing because she feel a little embarrassing because of it."Aaagh… unbelievable!" the teacher screamed, launching into another scolding. Luz and Raffy just plugged their ears with their fingers and tuned her out.

While the teacher kept scolding them nonstop, Principal Halbrook quietly reached over and picked up their so-called "book report."

He started with Luz's notebook and sketchbook—flipping through chaotic pages filled with monster girls, witches, spell circles, and wild magical battles scribbled all over. Then he moved on to Raffy's notebook, which was… a lot tamer. It had actual written notes for the presentation—neat, structured… until he flipped to the last page.There, written dead-center, was one lonely line:

"This is dumb. I know. She dragged me into it. I couldn't stop her."

Halbrook slowly looked up at Raffy, who just shrugged like, 'You see my problem?'

The principal pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a deep, tired sigh."Luz… this is getting out of hand," he finally said, voice calm but clearly worn down. "Your book reports are… unorthodox. And as I can see, you two actually brought live snakes as props—inside the school!" That got both of them to straighten up fast, eyes on him.

"Well, I thought it'd add authenticity to it!" Luz chirped, flashing an innocent smile."That doesn't mean you can just freely bring dangerous snakes to school!" Principal Halbrook said, tapping his desk for emphasis. "It's against school rules, Ms. Noceda." he his word being cut by the teacher beside him."You two clearly know how dangerous snakes are, right?! What if One of your friends, other students were bitten by the snakes which may be venomous!!!" the ginger-haired teacher added, nearly losing her mind.

"Ah, about that—don't worry, they're not venomous," Raffy said casually. "I made sure of that when she dragged me into this and convinced me to buyed them.well even though I knew it was dangerous to bring them inside school, venom or not."He shrugged at the teacher, who looked seconds away from having a meltdown.

"They don't have venom! The pet shop owner said so!" Luz added quickly, trying to defend herself."Still!" the teacher snapped, pointing a shaking finger at both of them—before the principal raised a hand to stop her."Wait, wait, hold on, Mrs. Simion," Principal Halbrook said, turning toward Raffy with a look of disbelief. "Did I just hear that right?" He leaned forward, eyebrows furrowed. "Mr. Scotch… you brought them?"Raffy stayed perfectly calm, hands in his hoodie pockets, his expression flat. "...Yeah," he said casually, like it was the most normal thing in the world,before add some."Yes, I did. With my money," Raffy said flatly, not even blinking.

"And you already knew it was dangerous—so why did you still bring it?!" the principal demanded, narrowing his eyes at him.

"…Trust me, I tried to stop her," Raffy replied, sounding completely done with life. "I even talked her out of it a few times, but this goofball's too stubborn…" He pointed his thumb toward Luz. "She's really good at manipulating me."Luz gasped dramatically. "Hey! That's called convincing, thank you very much!" she said, then started chuckling. "Hehehe…"Seeing Raffy admit defeat just made her grin wider. "But hey, I always get you good, huh, best bud?!" she said, throwing an arm around his shoulders.

Raffy's face twisted into mild discomfort, but he still managed a weak smile. "Yeah, yeah… you sure do," he muttered."Sigh… this is unbelievable," Principal Halbrook said, shaking his head as he rubbed his temple. The teacher beside him groaned in agreement. Honestly, who could blame them? This was already the second time both of these two had been sent to the principal's office—for completely different reasons each time.Well… second times for Raffy. For Luz? Its be the fourth Times.

"And here I thought I could just send you two to detention again after calling your parents—like always," Principal Halbrook muttered under his breath before looking up at them."It seems detention clearly hasn't been enough. Especially for you, Ms. Noceda," he continued, his tone firm."That's why…" He adjusted his tie and looked directly at Luz. "Your parents have already been contacted as i already said it."Luz froze, her face instantly draining of color. "...Oh no…" she whispered, eyes wide in horror...in the second time. Meanwhile, Raffy just chuckled softly under his breath. "Heh, told ya this was coming."

"Don't laugh just yet, Mr. Scotch. We've already contacted your parents too," Principal Halbrook said, eyeing him firmly.Raffy's smirk faded as he raised an eyebrow, giving the principal a look that practically said, 'Really, bro?'

"Ms Noceda. Mr. Scotch," Halbrook continued, his tone turning serious. "Your imaginations are… vivid, yes. But this is a school. You two need to start focusing on reality—for your own good and your future." He sighed, leaning back in his chair. "Because this has already gotten completely out of hand."

He turned his gaze back to Luz. "Especially you…" he said, then paused—his eyes shifting toward Raffy.That made Raffy blink in surprise. The principal pointed his finger at him. Raffy raised an eyebrow as Halbrook continued.

"Aaaand you, Mr. Scotch—Rafheal." The principal's tone sharpened. "You're one of the top students in this school. Excellent grades, solid record… but you keep enabling her." He gestured toward Luz, who tried to whistle innocently. "You've helped her pull off these ridiculous stunts seven times now." Halbrook sighed, rubbing his forehead. "I really expected more from someone with your good grades academic record… yet here you are, still helping her do things like this."

Raffy raised his hands slightly in defense. "I'm not enabling her—I'm supporting her creativity. It's… different. Slightly."Luz grinned at him, her cheeks tinting pink. Raffy tried hard not to notice, and the two of them quietly fist-bumped under the desk."Hehehe," Luz chuckled softly before Raffy went on."And for the record, it's not my fault I keep getting teamed up with her in every subject! The teachers are the ones who keep pairing us together—since, what, first grade?!" Raffy said, turning to look at the ginger-haired teacher.

She froze, caught off guard. "Oh—w–well! I didn't realize that! I always use a lottery system for assignments… I don't even know how you two keep ending up together!" she stammered, glancing awkwardly at Principal Halbrook.Halbrook just sighed deeply, massaging his temple again. "Aaagh… unbelievable."

The principal groaned, clearly running out of patience. "As I said again—this! This is the second incident you've helped her with. And last time…" He exhaled sharply, pointing at them both. "Last time involved fake blood, a fork, and that so-called 'role play romeon & juliet' Audition during the school showcase! You two traumatized half you two classmate and others—and probably a few teachers that see those, too!"

Luz raised her hand like she was in class. "Well, that's what's called real art! It's supposed to be a little realistic!" she said proudly, hands on her hips. "The original play was boring as heck Anyway—so I just thought, you know, why not spice things up a little?"

Principal Halbrook stared at her, absolutely done. "Spice things up…? You made a kid faint, Ms. Noceda."The principal leaned back in his chair with a long, exhausted groan. "Still!" he said, rubbing his forehead before turning his glare toward Raffy again. "And you—you gave her access to all of it?!"

Raffy sighed, slouching in his seat. "Like I said, she's really good at manipulating me… by asking nicely," he said flatly. "And of course, I had to support her creativity—I didn't really have another choice."He muttered under his breath, voice so low only the air could hear, "Couldn't do anything about it anyway… even tried running away once."

"What was that?" The middle-aged African American man raised an eyebrow at Raffy."Nothing, just hungry," Raffy said with a grin.Halbrook rubbed his temples — he couldn't stand it when Raffy said things so flatly.

"Sigh, fine. Whatever. As I said, you two need structure. Discipline. That's why I already called your parents! Luz, your mom's been called and she's on her way. Rafi, we'll be contacting your—"Before he could finish, Luz's eyes went wide and she started screaming."Noooo!" Luz cried, slamming her hands on the principal's desk.Raffy looked at his dramatic childhood like, 'You already said no for the third time already,geeez..my ears.' though he didn't say it out loud."Not my mom!" Luz pleaded.

Meanwhile, Raffy looked back at Principal Halbrook, unfazed, and just chuckled quitely."I don't wanna break it to you, but good luck with that, Principal Hal. Try calling my mom's office — that'd be a miracle of the century. She's always busy and won't pick up, no matter how many times you call. And my dad? He's out of state taking care of my grandma. So yeah, don't wait up," Raffy said with a grin, clearly enjoying the annoyed look on the principal's face.

...

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​About an hour later, Camila Noceda arrived at the school. She smiled politely at the principal."I'm here—sorry I'm a bit late, Mr. Halbrook. I came as fast as I could," said the older Spanish woman, slightly out of breath, looking like she'd just sprinted from the parking lot to the school doors."It's alright, Mrs. Noceda. We're just glad you came to pick up your daughter and her friend—" the principal said, turning his gaze toward Luz with suspicion, then shifting it to Rafi. He pointed at both of them.Luz gave a nervous little grin. "Hola, mamá… heh… heheh," she said hesitantly.Raffy, on the other hand, smiled calmly with his hands behind his head. "Hi, Aunt Camila!" he greeted warmly like nothing even happen.

With a worried and disappointed look, Camila started lecturing her daughter after hearing what the principal and the ginger teacher had said. She placed a hand on Luz's shoulder and looked her straight in the eyes."Mija, you brought a live snake for your school book report presentation?!" Camila said in a mix of shock and worry."Well, both me and Raffy's report card said—" Luz began, but Camila immediately turned her gaze to the boy.Raffy froze and gave a small, guilty smile.Camila sighed deeply. "…" she did say nothing to the boy—already lost of words because of it, rubbing her temples as both mother and daughter looked at each other again.

Camila sighed and shook her head. "Ay, stop that. You're just saying that because Raffy forcefully agrees with you like always. You know this whole thing is already kinda out of hand, don't you? It's a snake, mi hija! It's a snake, Someone could've gotten hurt because of this! Thank God it wasn't anything more harmful—only snakes, right?..its not venomous is it????"

(Author:fuck you mean by that wasn't harmfull enough??)

Before Luz could answer, the teacher suddenly interrupted, holding something large."That's not all, Mrs. Noceda. You should also see what these two made! And I honestly wonder what you two were planning to do with this abomination."The teacher slammed a massive, duct-taped and glue-covered firework rocket onto the principle desk,that Made the principle flinch a bit.

Camila look at that horrorfie and look at the both child."w..well."Raffy say with nervous grin as then Luz said what it was for."that...,for act three...closer,we're planning it before scrap that and get called here.."said Luz look down but disappointed."this? This abomination???"said the ginger women said as the principle halbrook look at the thing in horror.

"Well, first of all, it's not an abomination! It looks cool! Raffy and I spent hours making that thing!" Luz said defensively, crossing her arms.Raffy just stared at her for a moment, clearly holding back a comment. Then he exhaled a long, heavy sigh, muttering under his breath, "Why's my life like this…" so quietly that no one else could hear him.

Camila, horrified by what she was seeing, let out a shaky sigh and looked between the two kids again. She knelt down so her eyes were level with her daughter's.

"Mija, Luz… I love your creativity, you know I do—but this has gotten out of hand, sweetie," she said gently, keeping a firm hand on Luz's shoulder."That's exactly what we've been trying to tell them," Principal Halbrook added, and the ginger-haired teacher nodded in agreement. Luz's shoulders slumped, guilt washing over her face as she looked down."Do you remember why you were sent to the principal's office the last three times?" Camila continued softly. "And one of those times… you dragged Raffy into it too, didn't you?" She turned her gaze toward the red-eyed boy.

Luz's eyes widened as memories of all her past mishaps flashed through her mind — every chaotic project, every near disaster she'd caused, alone or with Raffy. Her shoulders tensed, guilt written all over her face.

Seeing her daughter's expression, Camila sighed and stood up. "Listen, mija… we all love how you express yourself. Really, we do," she said, her tone soft but serious. "But if you can't separate fantasy from the real world, you might need a little help with that."Camila handed her a folded flyer. "So, you'll be spending the summer here — Reality Check Summer Camp."as then the boy beside her lean over a bit."...Reality Check, huh?" Raffy read out loud, glancing at the flyer in Luz's hands with a raised brow and a small, knowing smirk — like he'd seen this coming a mile away.

Luz looked down at the flyer in her hands, her heart twisting. She didn't want this — not at all. But she couldn't bring herself to argue with her mother, not after everything. Camila was all she had left since her dad passed away years ago.

"I–... sí, mamá. Don't worry, I won't let you down," Luz said softly, forcing a small smile. She lowered the flyer, gripping it tightly — so tight the paper nearly crumpled, though no one noticed."Well…" Raffy spoke up with an exaggerated sigh, clutching his chest dramatically. "Guess we won't be spending summer together like always, huh, Luzy? What Tragic."He sounded heartbroken — but the playful smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth gave him away.Why's he acting like this? See, Raffy's a reincarnator — or transmigrant, whatever you wanna call it. He's from another world. After he died a so-called "tragic" death (even though it was honestly pretty stupid), he got a second chance to start over. Problem is, he got dumped into a random world… or so he thought. Turns out, the god who handled his "rebirth"or whatever that is

decided to throw him into The Owl House — yeah, the cartoon he used to watch during the pandemic. All because he mouthed off to that god. Instead of giving him a new start, it feels like the god just wanted to watch him suffer...and yeet him here.

He never really liked those rainbow romance-type stories—not that he hated them or anything, he just had some trauma tied to that kind of stuff. But the so-called god or whatever that dumped him here must've had a sick sense of humor, because instead of just throwing him into The Owl House world not as some random NPC,but instend they made him straight to the protagonist's childhood friend.

He's been stuck with her since literally day zero. He's tried to run away before, but he couldn't—something invisible ties him to her, forcing him to get dragged into whatever crazy thing she's doing. Even worse, it pulls him straight into the main storyline.And the real kicker? He barely remembers how the show even goes—he only knows, like, four percent of it. He dropped the series halfway through, after all.

That's why he always had this tiny, microscopic hope that one day he could break free from whatever was linking him to Luz—even just a little. But that never happened. It never would. He'd already given up on that a long time ago.And when Camila spoke those words, it just confirmed everything for him."And you too, Raffy," Camila said, looking straight at the red-eyed boy.Figures, the boy thought.Meanwhile, Luz's eyes lit up when she heard her mom mention Raffy's name.

"you seem could have bit peace there too and in camp i could Trusted you to look after Luz there so you both also could had fun there and please didn't do anything to creative with her hopefully,i would ask your mother about it."said Camila toward Raffy with warm smile,of course that would happened he would still get dragging by her. Straight to main event of the story started.

"You seem like you could go there too," Camila said with a warm smile. "And in that camp, I can trust you to look after Luz, so maybe you both can actually have fun there. Just… please, don't get too creative with her, alright? I'll talk to your mother about it."Of course that would happen—Raffy already knew it. No matter what, he'd still get dragged along with her. Straight into the main event of the story.Luz, weirdly enough, looked happy about it. She grabbed her childhood friend's arm with that same touchy energy as always.

"If Raffy's going too, then I don't mind at all! Let's go there together!" she said, grinning up at him.

"Heheh, seems like we're stuck together again, partner!" Luz grinned wide at Raffy, her mood flipping from sad and gloomy to cheerful in an instant now that her childhood friend was coming with her to the Reality Check Summer Camp.

Raffy just sighed. "Wow, that sounds great—getting sent to some place that sounds more like an illegal cult than a summer camp." His tone dripped with sarcasm, though no one seemed to catch it… except Camila. After years of seeing him grow up beside her daughter, she knew the kid's personality all too well.

"Raffy…" Camila said, raising a brow.

"What?" the boy replied flatly.

"I know that's your sarcastic voice," Camila said, giving him a knowing look."Oh, come on! Why do I have to go too, Aunt Camila!? That flyer was for Luz you gave her. She's the troublemaker here i just accomplice—ow!" Raffy flinched as Luz narrowed her eyes and pinched his stomach."Sigh, well, because you always support her, don't you? And you've already been to the principal's office twice with her now," Camila said gently. "So of course, you need this too. I'll ask your mom, Anie, for her permission."

"Well, Aunt, go ahead—give it a try if she allows me to go there..heh." Raffy said flatly. Of course, it was all just an act. He already knew he'd end up going no matter what. He just wanted to put up a bit of resistance so things wouldn't feel too bland. Since he couldn't change anything anyway, he might as well go with the flow and make it less boring."She will," Camila said with a smile. "I know Anie very well. If it's for your own good, she'll allow it."

Then Camila's gaze shifted to her daughter, curious what she'd say now that she knew she wouldn't be going alone."So… mija, how is it? You won't be there by yourself, and you'll still spend time with Raffy." Camila asked, watching her closely.

"That's already good enough, Mom," Luz said with a bright smile, her left hand gripping Raffy's hand tightly—hard enough to make him flinch, though he stayed quiet."No more weirdness?" Camila asked again, crossing her arms.Luz stood up from the chair, still holding the snake in her right hand and Raffy's hand in her left."No more weirdness!" she said proudly.

As soon as Luz said that, the snake in her right hand suddenly leapt—first onto Principal Halbrook, then straight onto the ginger teacher."HUWAAAA!" both of them screamed, the principal flailing while the teacher jumped back in terror. Raffy and Camila's eyes went wide, while Luz gave them an awkward, guilty smile."Ummm… that doesn't count… right?" she said nervously, watching the snake still dangling from the teacher's sleeve.Raffy sighed and muttered like a tired commentator, "Something tells me we're both gonna have a hard time after summer break."Luz couldn't help but chuckle, while Camila just shook her head in pure frustration.

..

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2 days after later...

RAFFY'S POV

You know, sometimes I wonder why I haven't just offed myself in this second life. I really wanna flip that God off so bad if i kill myself and meet them… but I can't. Guess I've gone soft this time around. Being loved by my new parents isn't that bad, honestly. But yeah—those same parents just agreed to send their kid off to summer camp for three whole months. Sigh… mom, really?Well, whatever. Can't do much about it now. And here I am, packing up like I'm heading straight into the apocalypse.

"Canned food, instant noodles, spices, more canned food, rope, taser, meds, first aid kit, lighter, knife, axe…..etc yeah, that's all I need," I muttered, shoving everything into my massive survival backpack—the one I bought online for days like this. I knew the main event was about to start any time now.

"Alright, that should do it. Got spare clothes and everything else I need." I hoisted the bag onto my back—it was heavy as hell, but it's all essential for my survival rate out there, this is gonna be such a hassle. I barely remember anything from the first season, let alone the rest or the deep lore of this world.

I finished packing, I walked through the empty hallway toward the kitchen. Sure enough, Mom had left a note—like she said she would yesterday. She's a CEO of three companies, so yeah, most of her time's fried by meetings and business crap. No goodbye kiss on the cheek for me. Sounds sad? Not really. I get it. She works her ass off to keep this family standing, and I'm grateful for that. I'm already used to it,I'm not going to whine about it, why would I whine? I'm mentally old even though I'm physically fourteen, so there no need to whine like spoild child.

Also that's why Dad was always the one here for the goodbyes. He'd give me a hug and make a damn good breakfast before school. Big, wholesome guy with thick Moustache. But he's not here right now—off taking care of abuelita for a couple of months now. So yeah, the house's been quiet, and it's just me most days. I usually cook dinner for Mom when she gets home because dad not around and no way let someone who tired from work cooking their own dinner. Because honestly, I know how it feels to come back to a warm meal waiting for you cook by someone you care the most,that was luxury for someone hardwork. My first life never had that. I never knew what real love felt like back then even i never taste warm meals whenever i come back from work just some leftover food and what I bought at the emergency zone stall —i know how shitty it was without it. As I picked up the note she left on the counter, I read it quietly:

"Rafhael, sweetie, sorry Mom can't hug you goodbye before you leave for summer camp with little Luz."There was even a small sad face doodled next to it. "I hope you have a safe trip, and don't forget to text Mom whenever you can, seriously—text me, okay sweetie? With love, Mom."

She'd even left a couple of money tucked under the note. I took them, though I knew they'd be useless later."Well, that's that," I muttered, letting out a dry chuckle and a faint smile. "Time to embrace the madness."I set the note back down and scribbled a short reply underneath it—nothing fancy, just a "Love you too, Mom." Then I grabbed my backpack, still heavy as hell, and didn't bother putting it down. With one last look around the quiet house, I walked to the front door, locked it, and stepped out.

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After I left my house, I walked down the same concrete sidewalk of the neighborhood I grew up in with Luz. It wasn't a fancy or rich area, but it was good enough—people here were nice, and the community felt like family. Honestly, they were warm folks. I'm gonna miss this place; I've got some good friends here too… even though I always hated making friends with kids back then. I mean, I had an adult's mind, you know? But for some reason, Luz never liked those kids. I don't get it—she could've made more friends here so she wouldn't end up like her original counterpart, the outcast. Maybe she tried and I just didn't notice… or maybe she really didn't. As I followed the sidewalk toward the Noceda house, I could already see it a couple blocks away—just like mine, standing quietly in this familiar street.

If I had to describe it, the Noceda house is this small, single-family suburban home surrounded by trees and greenery—gives off a calm, kinda secluded atmosphere. But don't let it fool you. It looks small from the front, but damn, the inside's way bigger than it seems. I'm not a civil engineer, man, I don't know how that works... don't ask me.

The house's got one main floor and a little attic window dormer on the roof, hinting there's a second level or maybe just a storage attic—well, actually, that's Luz's room up there. The roof's gray and shingled, a bit worn but still in good shape, and there's this red brick chimney on the right side. Behind the house are tall trees that make the place feel kinda private and cozy. To the left near the sidewalk, there's a blue trash bin with some garbage sticking out...Wait, did I just sound like a real estate agent or something? Ah, shit.

As I got closer, I saw Luz standing on the concrete sidewalk, looking down with a little frown on her face. She only had this small bag slung on her hip—seriously? You're going to a three-month camp with just that? I mean, sure, I know we're not actually going there because of the story, but still—if this were real life, you'd at least need a massive backpack like the one I'm hauling right now. Where's the logic in that? Oh right… cartoon world logic.

That's what I was thinking as I watched her. I was kinda surprised her expression looked almost the same as in the early episode—sad, like she was being forced to go somewhere she didn't want to. Though, something about it felt… slightly different this time. After a moment, I slowed my steps. As i notice and see Aunt Camila came out of the house and wrapped Luz in a hug. I couldn't really hear what she was saying, but I could guess—it's probably the same lines she said in the show.

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"Muwaaah~ oh, my baby," said Camila as she kissed Luz's cheek and pulled her into a gentle hug. "Now, now, don't worry—summer camp's only for three months! You won't even notice how fast time flies. You'll be so busy balancing checkbooks and, uh… apprenticing at public radio or something!" she said with her usual overly positive mom tone.

Luz looked at her mom with that familiar pout. "Mom, to be honest, I don't like any of that kinda stuff. I like editing anime clips to music videos and reading fantasy books with, like, super convoluted backstories," she said, pulling The Good Witch Azura from her bag and holding it up to her chest.

Camila sighed, looking at her daughter with that tired-but-loving mom expression. "Mija, Luz… do you have any friends?" the Spanish woman asked softly.

"Yeah, I do!" Luz replied quickly, but before she could finish, her mom cut her off."Rafhael doesn't count, sweetie. I mean other friends—people you can actually hang out with. Your little fantasy world is holding you back. So I'll ask again, do you have any real friends besides Rafhael? Not imaginary, not drawings, and definitely not reptilians."

That made Luz lower her head slightly, her eyes drifting to the book in her hands as she held it a bit lower. Camila sighed again, her voice softer this time. "Summer camp's a chance for you to make some friends, Mija. That's why you need to try. If the only real friend you have is Rafhael… that's not enough."

"Mija, let's be realistic," Camila said softly, placing her hands on Luz's shoulders. "He's your best friend, yes—but he can't stay with you forever. One day, he'll have his own priorities, his own path. And when that time comes… he might not be around like he is now."Those words hit her hard. Luz's smile faded as she looked down, gripping her book tightly. "But… he wouldn't leave me just like that," she muttered, her voice trembling.

"I know he wouldn't—not now," Camila replied gently. "He's a great kid, and he's been there for you ever since you two were babies." Then her tone turned a little more serious. "But ask yourself, Mija… have you been good to him too?"Luz's lips pressed together as she frowned, unable to answer."That's why I want you to try making other friends, so you don't end up feeling lonely, okay?" Camila said, her voice warm but firm. "It's for your own good, Mija."Without saying anything else, Luz turned away, walking over to the trash bin. She stared at her beloved Azura book for a long moment—then sighed and dropped it inside.

"Yes… yes, mami," Luz said softly, her voice small and shaky. When she looked back at her mom, she forced a tiny smile just to ease her worry."I'm glad you understand," Camila said warmly, walking over to hug her daughter again. "But please, don't overthink it, okay? I just want you to make as many friends as you can." She gently ran her fingers through Luz's hair."Yeah… I know," Luz replied, her forced smile still lingering—but this time, a little more real."And remember," Camila added with a comforting tone, "you're not going there alone. Rafheal will be there too. He can look after you—he Will stay with you while you're busy making new friends."At that, Luz's expression softened. A small, genuine smile spread across her face as she thought of her childhood friend.

"You talking about me, Aunt Camila?" said a familiar voice.Both mother and daughter turned toward the sound — and there he was. A boy with short, two-block dark hairstyle, deep red eyes that shimmered like rubies, and warm brown skin. He wore his usual casual outfit, nothing special, yet he somehow stood out naturally."Ah—there he is… eh?" Camila blinked in surprise, caught off guard by his sudden appearance. But she wasn't the only one — Luz's eyes widened too, clearly not expecting him to show up so soon.

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Well, I already expected that kind of reaction from them. I didn't really know what they were saying — I just assumed it was the same dialogue from the start of the series. Still, I couldn't quite remember how it went.

"Umm… Rafhael? Sweetie, what are you carrying there?" asked the Dominican-American woman, looking at me in surprise and confusion."Hm? My backpack, of course. My belongings that I prepared for camping." I said in my usual flat tone, like it was the most normal thing in the world."Well, yeah, I can see that, but I mean… why does it look like you packed your entire house in there?" Camila asked again, tilting her head."Well,like i said. I packed my belongings, duh. Me and Luz are gonna be gone for three whole months, right?" I replied innocently."I see… but don't you think you're a bit overpacked, Rafhael?" the Spanish woman asked again, clearly puzzled as her eyes trailed over the massive survival backpack strapped to my back.

"Well, I'd say I am," I replied with a small grin, "but my mom always says to be prepared for anything that could happen. She always says that."

"Well… that does sound like Anie, alright. Guess I can't argue with that, haha," said the Dominican woman, smiling warmly.

Then Luz suddenly stepped forward and gave me a small hug out of nowhere for couple second. I honestly didn't know why she did that, but I didn't push her away either."So, Rafhael, are you excited to go to summer camp with Luz?" Camila asked."I wouldn't say I like it," I said with a half-shrug, "but it is what it is… the She-Hulk herself gave me permission to go,i can't disobey her as know she can easily break my neck if she want too."Yeah, I really called my mom that. What? She's a tall, buff woman and a huge She-Hulk fan — it fits. And yes, Marvel comics do exist here."Sigh… Rafhael," said Aunt Camila, shaking her head with that tired smile."Hehe," I chuckled awkwardly, scratching my cheek.

"Still, this camp will be a good way for you two to work on some of those… behaviors," Camila said with a warm smile before pulling both of us into one of her signature bear hugs.

"Yeah, I hope so," I replied casually, "and I really hope we don't end up finding any satanic ritual cults there."Luz let out a small chuckle at that, her mood clearly lightening after the heavy talk with her mom earlier.Camila, though… her eyes went wide as she slowly turned to look at me again."Rafhael…" she said in that mom tone — half warning, half disbelief."What? Oh, come on, Aunt, I was joking," I said quickly, raising my hands defensively. "Even though, y'know, I have seen a lot of those news reports lately — campers going missing and showing up later as, uh… sacrifices."Camila froze, her smile faltering as a chill ran down her spine.Luz, meanwhile, snorted trying not to laugh, while I just gave a smug little grin.

"¡Dios mío! That better not happen—I hope so..." Camila said, trying to keep her motherly tone steady even though she looked a little freaked out. Then, without missing a beat, flick! she smacked me on the forehead.

"Ow! What was that for?" I groaned, rubbing the spot."For saying things like that!" she said, her smile tight but definitely the kind that meant she wanted to scold me."Well, we don't know yet, Aunt. If we don't come back from that camp, just… avenge us, okay?" I teased with a grin—flick!—another hit.

"Rafhael!"

"Alright, alright! I'm joking, I'm joking!" I said, throwing up my hands in mock surrender.Luz couldn't hold it anymore—she burst out laughing, her earlier gloomy mood finally breaking.

Heh. Guess I did my job right. Whatever heavy thing went down between them before I got here, at least I managed to lighten it up a bit… even if it cost me two flicks to the forehead.

"This kid.."said Camila as she shook her head.

Then she hear her phone buzzing as she take out her phoen from her bag she look at it."oh! I got to go to work The veterinary clinic seems to be very busy."Camila walk to Luz and kisses her cheeks again,and the kiss mu forehead when she flict it earlier."you two bus is coming soon,Luz text me when you got there,Cuídate mucho, mi hija. ¡Qué te vaya bien! and Rafheal look after her there ok?"the women said."yes mom."reply Luz."yes ma'am."i said in my usual tone of voice then she left us go to work with her car.Seeing Aunt Camila's car disappear down the street, Luz let out a small sigh and wandered back toward the trash bin.

"Huh?! What the—where is it?!" she said, leaning over the bin with a panicked look."What ya lookin' for, Luzy?" I asked, raising a brow, pretending I didn't already know. Yeah, I remembered this part—the moment she tossed her Good Witch Azura book in there after talking with her mom."My book! I threw it in here earlier when I was talking with my mom, I—"She froze mid-sentence when a strange sound broke the air.

"Hoot."

We both turned toward the voice—and there it was. An little owl. Just... standing there menacingly on the grass, clutching a big sack in its beak. Inside the sack, clear as day, was Luz's book."Hoooh… hooot!" said the owl again, staring right at us with those huge creepy eyes.

Yeah, that was definitely not a normal owl.

Then it started flying—or, more like hopping awkwardly—with that bag still clutched in its beak, heading straight into the woods."HEY! THAT'S MY BOOK, YOU TINY TRASH THIEF!!!" Luz yelled before taking off after it, full sprint.I just stood there for a second, blinking, still carrying my massive survival backpack that probably weighed more than she did."…Yeah, sure. Just chase the suspicious owl into the woods. Great idea, Luz," I muttered."Well, she left me behind… I should foll—hold up?!"I froze mid-step, my brain suddenly switching gears.

What if I just… let her go?

Like in the original story—she chases the owl, finds that weird eda go to that portal door or whatever, and poof, gone to her own adventure. I could finally be free from all this crap! No more weirdness, no more getting dragged into every insane thing she does. I could vanish too—fake my death at summer camp, move somewhere far, maybe another state, live quietly and not get involved in any of this magical nonsense.Yeah… no demons, no portals, no Owl House nonsense for me! Sure, Mom and Dad would probably freak out, but I could explain it a few years later, right?

My eyes widened as a small, mischievous grin started creeping up on my face."…Heh. Maybe this time, I'll actually can dodge the plot."But Luz came back and grabbed my hand."Why are you standing there, Raffy? Help me catch that thing!" she shouted, pulling me along.

'Of course that wouldn't happen. What a sick joke—made my hopes go up again. Fuck you, God,' i muttered in my head, disappointed.She dragged me into the woods, and I swear, I always forget how strong this kid's grip is. My heavy-ass backpack didn't help either as we ran through the dark trees. This is how kids go missing if this cartoon had a horror genre… but sadly, it doesn't.

As we chased it, Luz and I saw the little rascal slip into an old, broken-down house. We both stopped as she finally let go of my hand."Huff… huff… this is the last time I carry heavy crap," I muttered.Luz's face went pale as she stared at the house like it came straight out of a horror movie."That tiny thief went in there! But… what is this place?" she asked, her voice shaky.

"Seems like an abandoned old house, duh, Luz!... And it looks like something from the 1800s or whatever… gives me bad vibes," I said, still catching my breath.She glanced at me, then back at the house. Her scared expression didn't last long—anger took over as she remembered that little owl still had her book.

"Aaaaghhh!That thief still has my book! Let's go, Raffy!" Luz said, grabbing my arm and dragging me toward the house."Are you serious?! This is all red flags, Luz! You can see it!" I tried to convince her, but of course, she didn't listen."Nope! My book's in there, and I'm taking it back! I'm not leaving it behind just because we're going to camp! Nu-uh, not happening—even if this place is scary!" she said stubbornly, already pulling me closer to what was definitely a bad idea.

And at this point, I swear I felt like one of those white people in horror movies who see a clear giant "DANGER" sign and still walk right in—except this time, it's me. Whenever I'm with her, it's like I'm contractually obligated to make dumb decisions that'll get us killed.

We're both brown! We should survive if this were a horror movie! But nope—not when your childhood friend's the protagonist. At that point, I just gave up and let her drag me inside. The moment we stepped through the doorway, the door slammed shut behind us—and then… flashbang.

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...

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And then, this weird-looking door appeared out of nowhere—covered in glowing carvings and symbols, with one giant yellow eye staring right in the center. It slowly creaked open, flooding the place with blinding white light. Out hopped that tiny owl, still carrying the bag in its beak, skipping like it didn't just break the laws of physics. It scampered off into the shadows—but it wasn't alone.

Two kids stepped out right after it—one girl leading the way, gripping her childhood friend's hand and dragging him along like always."Stop right there, you adorable little thing! Stop cutely hopping awa—uh… huh?" said the girl, her voice fading as she finally looked around and realized where they were.

"Ouch, my eyes!" Raffy yelled, yanking his hand free from Luz's grip and covering his face. The flash of light had left him temporarily blinded.

"Raffy, you seeing this?" Luz asked, looking around the place. It was a mess—junk, clothes, random stuff scattered everywhere. It looked like the inside of some kind of tent."Yeah, I see all white! I can't see anything, Luz! My vision's all blank white!" Raffy said sarcastically, making his childhood friend's attention snap back to him."Oh shoot, are you alright?!" Luz asked, her voice filled with worry.

"Do I look alright to you?" Raffy grumbled, when he say that to her as he rubbing his eyes. "Did you not see the flashbang earlier? How come you didn't go blind too?"Raffy ask."I didn't see any of that," Luz said, helping him steady himself. "Is your vision any better?"said Luz."Yeah… yeah, I got my sight back," Raffy muttered, blinking a few times.Luz smiled, relieved to see him better. "Me alegro, your sight's back."As she glanced around again, her brows furrowed. "Where are we?"

"…If you asked someone else besides me, they'd probably explain it. But too bad there's none," Raffy replied dryly. Luz shot him a bit annoyed side-eye before walking deeper into the room."Look at all this stuff… did that tiny thief steal all of this?" she asked, curiosity lighting up her face."…More like a bunch of useless shit junk and weird crap to me, Luzy. Some of it looks like it's been thrown away. I mean, look at this—" Raffy picked up a dusty guitar-shaped toy, grimacing. "—this thing's filthy."

"Yeah, I could agree and heh, I thought I had a lot of weird stuffs,but this impres—hold on..wait, LANGUAGE, RAFFY!" Luz shot him a look, eyes narrowing in mock warning as she dropped the old jack-in-the-box toy she'd been holding."Oh please…" Raffy smirked, adjusting the massive survival backpack on his shoulders as he walked beside her. "So… what now?"

Her expression returned to that determined look again as she glanced toward the tent's exit. "Now let's go chase that Tiny Trash Thief again… I can sense it—it's close!" Luz said, marching forward.

"I don't know, Luz, but something tells me we shouldn't be here…we should go back to the do—" Raffy muttered, turning back toward where the door had been—only to see nothing but fabric and shadows. "And it's gone… great," he added in a flat, monotone voice."...Well, seems we can't go back now, huh? Uhmm… let's just catch that owl then." Luz said, trying to play it cool. "Come on, Raffy!"Raffy let out a deep sigh. "Yeah, sure—let's go die chasing a kleptomaniac bird…" he muttered as he followed after her. As both of them walked toward the front of the tent, a cheerful woman's voice echoed through the space.

"Finally, you're back!"

Both kids froze and glanced at each other. Slowly, Luz lifted the tent flap just enough for them to peek outside. There stood a tall, slender woman with ivory skin and long, layered gray hair that reached her back. They couldn't see her face, only her back—dressed in a two-tone maroon dress, gray tights, and maroon high-heeled boots.Luz's eyes widened in awe. "Pointy ears… gasp—no way, Raffy… is that—?" she whispered excitedly.

Raffy cut her off, his tone flat and unimpressed. "Yup. Another red flag. Look like malnutrition Svartálfar,she skinny as Birch tree twigs "Luz shot him a sharp side-eye, whispering back, "Can you not ruin the moment for once?"

"Couldn't," Raffy said flatly, glancing at his childhood friend. Before Luz could snap back, both of their eyes shifted toward the tiny owl."That's the little thief!" Luz whispered sharply, already leaning forward to rush in—only for Raffy to grab her wrist and silently motion for her to stay quiet.

Both crouched lower, peeking through the tent flap as they watched the small owl flap its wings and land on a nearby table near the woman. Then, it fluttered toward her long staff and—before their eyes—shrank down, twisting into place as a wooden ornament at the top of it.

Luz's jaw dropped. "Gasp! Did you see that, Raffy?!" she whispered, eyes wide in disbelief. Raffy, meanwhile, just stared with a deadpan look, pretending to be surprised even though he already knew exactly who this woman was. "Yeah… totally mind-blowing," he muttered under his breath.

As the woman rummaged through the bag her owl brought back, she muttered to herself, tossing things aside one by one.

"Trash… trash… more trash… another trash… and—oh, look, more trash."Diamond rings, a brand-new phone, even something that looked suspiciously like the HolyGrail—she tossed them all away without a second thought.

Then she suddenly gasped dramatically. "Gasp! What do we have here?!" she said, pulling out a pair of goofy glasses with fake eyeballs on springs. Her grin widened. "Now this… this will make me rich!"

Raffy, watching from behind the tent flap, frowned and muttered inside his head, 'Lady, I get it—you're that wild, free-spirit type in her forties who still thinks she's a rebellious teen. But damn, your taste is rock-bottom. That thing wouldn't even sell for five bucks at a garage sale.'

The woman kept digging through the bag until she pulled out Luz's The Good Witch Azura book."And this… uh… this'll make good kindling," she said casually, moving it toward a nearby candle. The edge of the book started to burn.

"Gaaasp!" Luz's horrified gasp filled the air before she burst out from behind their hiding spot."Oh boy, here we go…" Raffy muttered tiredly, adjusting his massive backpack as he followed her out."Excuse me! Sorry, that's mine, thank you!" Luz shouted, leaping forward and snatching her book right out of the woman's hands, startling her. Before the woman could react, Luz grabbed Raffy's wrist. "Come on, Raffy! We need to run!"

"Oh, now we need to run, huh?!" Raffy said sarcastically as he let her drag him along.But before they could make it far, couple woods suddenly shot up from the ground, slamming together to form a barricade right in front of them."You two…" The woman's tone dropped, her playful energy gone as she removed the ridiculous glasses, revealing sharp golden eyes. "…aren't going anywhere."Both of them froze, staring at the woman blocking their only way out.Raffy let out a slow sigh, muttering in his flat tone, "Qué bien, asere… estamos jodíos, Luzy." This time his mutter could be hear by Luz that standing beside him."It's not helping, Raffy," Luz whispered sharply, clutching her book close to her chest, eyes wide with fear.

....

As the woman got closer, Raffy could feel Luz's grip tighten around his arm—so tight it actually hurt. He glanced at her panicked face and sighed before gently pulling his hand free. Luz flinched, confused, watching him dig through his heavy backpack.

"Wait—what are you doing?"she asked nervously."Getting us outta here,"Raffy muttered, rummaging faster. As that women walk toward them."You two little rascals…" the woman growled, reaching for them as she closer and streatch her arms to them—

"Back off! grandma!" Raffy shouted, yanking out a felling axe and swinging it down on the brick floor with a loud crack! The woman jumped back, startled. "Gah! What the—?!" she yelled, staring wide-eyed at the boy with dark hair and red eyes, holding the axe up and pointing it straight at her.

"IS THAT AN AXE?!" Luz yelled, eyes wide in shock as she watched her childhood friend pull a massive axe from his overstuffed backpack.

"You brought that this whole time?! But wh—"

"Yes, I did. Save your questions for later," Raffy cut her off sharply.

He planted his feet shoulder-width apart and raised the axe. The woman flinched, squeezing her eyes shut, expecting him to swing at her—but instead, Raffy brought the blade down hard on the wooden barricade behind them.

CRACK! THUD! CRASH!

With a few heavy swings, the flimsy wood gave way, splintering apart from the axe's weight. In seconds, Raffy tore through the barrier like it was made of cardboard.

Raffy slung his heavy backpack back on, grabbed Luz's hand with one arm, and held the axe tight in the other."Let's go!" he shouted, yanking her along as they sprinted out, leaving the woman frozen behind them, still trying to process what the hell just happened. They tore through the woods, branches whipping past them, lungs burning—until the ground suddenly vanished beneath their feet. Both skidded to a stop right at the edge of a cliff, panting hard.

But then they saw it.

A sight so unreal, it made everything else fade away. Spread out before them was a world that didn't belong to Earth..A sprawling city built atop the corpse of a colossal titan. Massive ribs arched through the air like bridges; hollowed bones formed towers and walkways. Crooked buildings clung to the remains, stacked at impossible angles, glowing with eerie, mismatched colors.

The sky shimmered in swirls of violet and green. Wisps of smoke drifted lazily upward, and a dragon-like beast soared across the skyline—its wings casting monstrous shadows over the strange, chaotic city. And far in the distance, a cathedral towered above everything, glowing faintly with a pulse of living light. Its stained-glass windows shimmered like eyes opening and closing. Luz's mouth fell open. Raffy just stared, the axe still dangling from his hand."…What the hell," he muttered under his breath.

Both of them stood frozen, eyes wide in disbelief at the nightmare-fairy-tale landscape sprawled before them. Gigantic stone hands jutted up from the ground, clutching houses like toys. The world twisted between beauty and madness — gothic, medieval, and monstrous all at once. Crooked towers leaned over glowing streets, and strange creatures wandered everywhere — some floating, some crawling, some selling ice cream that ate its own customers. A massive creature with chicken legs stomped past in the distance, its tiny upper body waving cheerfully.

"W-what is this place!?" Luz shouted, her voice trembling."Another world…" Raffy said calmly, gripping his axe like it was the only real thing left.

"Wh-what do you mean another world?! Are—are we in hell?! Oh nonononono! Did we die in that shack!? Oh no, oh no, oh no—" she started spiraling."Relax, you're not dead," Raffy said flatly. "If we were, trust me, I wouldn't be following you to hell."Luz look at him in shock."That's not helping, Raffy!!" Luz yelled, flailing her hands as he just sighed.

As Luz said that, a tiny pink fairy floated toward them. Luz flinched and tried to smile nervously."Uh… h-hi there, little fairy, co—"Before she could finish, the fairy snapped at her, screaming,

"GIVE ME YOUR SKIN!"

Its mouth split open, revealing rows of sharp teeth. Luz shrieked as the thing lunged—only for Raffy to smack it midair with the blunt side of his axe, knocking it out cold."You okay?" Raffy asked, wary but a bit concerned. "Y-yeah, I—WAAAH!" Luz yelped as vines suddenly wrapped around her body. The same woman from before had grabbed her and tied her up.

"Got you!" the woman said with a smug grin.

Raffy tightened his grip on the axe, ready to swing—"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Put the weapon down, kid, or your girlfriend (female friend ) here gets it," the woman warned, pointing a trembling finger at Luz. They stared each other down for a tense few seconds. Sweat ran down the woman's face, her finger shaking slightly—while Raffy's cold, steady eyes made it clear he was more than ready to chop her down.

They kept staring—neither backing down. The ivory-skinned, slender woman's face was dripping with cold sweat. Her golden eyes shaked narrowed, locked onto the boy's red gaze. The finger she had pointed at the root tied-up Luz was trembling hard. Then, after a long tense moment, the boy finally sighed and let his axe drop to the ground."Alright, you win, grandma…" Raffy muttered, raising his hands in mock defeat. The woman exhaled in relief, her shoulders relaxing a little after the intense standoff.

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———

"I'm sorry! I just wanted my book! I didn't mean to surprise you—I-I-I didn't mean to do anything harmful! I'm harmless! Well—m-my friend too! I mean, I'm also sorry for his behavior—he just did that to protect me!" Luz stammered, her voice shaky as she tried to explain herself.

Both she and Raffy were now tied up, sitting on small wooden chairs.Eda glared at them with a grumpy look, arms crossed. She glanced between the nervous brown girl and the boy beside her—and what caught her off guard wasn't the situation, but the boy's expression.Unlike before, when he was tense and ready to fight, now he just stared straight into her eyes with a lazy, uninterested gaze… as if she didn't matter at all.That blank, detached look made her feel far more unsettled than any threat could. That stare creeped her out the most—She couldn't tell what this brown-skinned boy with red eyes was thinking — unlike his terrified friend beside him. 'What was going on in his head right now?' That question bothered her more than she wanted to admit. Inside, though, Raffy's mind was nowhere near as tense as his expression looked.

'I hope this lady didn't rummage through my backpack… took me forever to pack that stuff neatly,' he thought casually, completely detached from the situation,as he look at his massive backpacker on the ground behind this women then back toward the women.

'but hey looks like my acting did the trick — not boring, right? Nice first impression. Man, my wrist nearly got wrecked; the axe was stuck in my bag when I pulled it out, and swinging that thing to break the barricade? Heavy as hell. I almost clipped her hand earlier — that would've ruined the whole scene. Good thing I didn't.

Still, it added the right amount of spice. Not so bland after all.…but something feels off. I can't put my finger on it. Hmmm.'

....

'Wait… something is off. Hold up. I'm pretty sure this part didn't happen like that. Ah Yeah — the door. It vanished before, didn't it? But it's supposed to still be there when Luz grabs her book and runs.

Right, right… the door's supposed to disappear after that woman makes it vanish, not before. Luz runs out, hits the cliff, sees the view — then this scene happens when she being sat down to the chair (well minus me and both of us being tie by plant rope).

But it didn't. It already vanished when we entered the tent. That doesn't line up. None of it does. Ugh, forget it. Why am I even thinking about this? Too many inconsistencies. I shouldn't care. My head hurts just trying to make sense of it.'

Yup — that's what he'd been thinking, his gaze fixed on the woman and making her uncomfortable with his nonchalant stare. Her eyes then shifted to the girl tied up beside him, sitting on a small chair just like he was."I—if... if you want to eat our skin, just—please, make it quick! Just eat us now!" Luz stammered. Raffy shot her a glare.

"Wait, hold up a minute—what do you mean our? I'm the one who swung the axe to save our butts before we stopped running because you confused ahh see that view and got us caught by this woman you bothered—ugh, what am I even saying... Just eat her already, I don't know her," Raffy said flatly."Raffy!" Luz whined, terrified and offended, unable to handle her childhood friend's jokes in such a tense situation.

"What? I ain't letting some low-budget Baba Yaga eat me that easy," the red-eyed boy said, staring straight at the ebony-skinned woman.That woman raised a brow, slightly caught off guard by the strange insult."Heh, quite a mouth you got there, kid…" she muttered before turning back to the tied-up girl beside him. "But what do you mean by that? Why would I eat a potential customer?" she said with a smirk.

"Eh…" both Luz and Raffy said in unison, though only Luz looked genuinely confused — Raffy just kept his usual flat expression, pretending to be surprised. Eda strolled back to her stall with a sly grin and flicked her fingers — the roots uncoiled, freeing both of them."Can I offer you two kiddos something? A human foot full of holes? A bar of green human candy that smells way too sweet? Oh! Oh! How about this?" she said, rummaging wildly through the mess on her counter.She lifted up a black, shadowy box that seemed to swallow the light around it. "This beauty here — it only reflects sadness," she said with a grin, her one golden fang gleaming.

Seeing that, Raffy couldn't help but lean slightly toward Luz and whisper,"Great… we meet some random lady with weird powers and zero clue what normal stuff looks like. Yup, we're totally in hell like you said earlier. Damn it, why'd I have to end up here with you if this really is hell?" he muttered sarcastically.Luz shot him a glare, her face scrunching up with equal parts irritation and disbelief — still salty about him jokingly offering her up to be eaten alone a few moments ago and now this.

"Raffy! Don't say that! We're lucky she didn't actually try to eat us and just… showed us her… uh… her stuff?? And what's that supposed to mean — you saying you want me to go to hell alone?!" she hissed in a whisper, clearly offended."You mean her stuff? Nah, that's junk. And yeah… kinda like that," Raffy said with his usual deadpan tone.Luz immediately stomped on his foot."Ouch! What was that for?!" he barked, looking at her like he was the victim here.

"Ahem."

The evory-skinned woman's voice cut through their bickering, snapping both kids' attention back to her. "Hey, so—what do you two think? Interested in this shadowbox that only reflects sadness?" she said with that same wide grin plastered across her face.

Luz chuckled nervously, her fear from earlier seemingly gone as she tried to play along. "Heheh, that's… not all it can do," she said, standing up from her chair. Raffy followed, his expression still blank as ever."Here, let me see it, ma'am," Luz said, taking the so-called shadowbox—which was clearly just a small old TV—and flipping it around in her hands. As she glanced around the stall, her eyes landed on a plate labeled 'Human Candy??'

It definitely wasn't candy. The dish was filled with random junk—marbles, gems, billiard balls, coin, and even a few old batteries scattered near Raffy side."Raffy, could you pass me that?" Luz asked, pointing toward one of the batteries."Here," Raffy muttered flatly, handing it over without even looking.

"Thank you," Luz said, slotting the battery into the small TV.

A loud zzzzzt! crackled through the air, and the screen flickered to life — showing a blond man with a huge mustache (suspiciously like that barbarian from Clash of Clans) doing yoga in tight 90s workout clothes. The background pulsed with disco lights and cheesy synth music."Voila! There we go!" Luz said proudly, holding it up for the tall evory-skinned woman to see.The woman blinked, clearly caught off guard. "...What in—?" she muttered, leaning closer with genuine surprise on her face as the mustached man struck a dramatic yoga pose to a funky beat. But she wasn't the only one surprised — not by a long shot.

A few stalls away, several demons in the crowded market perked up at the strange sound coming from Eda's booth."Huh? What's that noise?" one of them said, its many eyes blinking in curiosity."Ah… that sound… it's so alluring…" hissed another demon that looked like a centipede, its body squirming closer.

Within seconds, a crowd of odd-looking demons swarmed Eda's stall. The tiny portable TV blaring disco yoga had somehow become the hottest thing in the plaza.

(Author: Idk what it called seriously plaza shop or something)

"Whoa, this thing's so hypnotic~!" squeaked a demon the size of a Chihuahua, eyes spinning.

"I'll pay you forty snails for that screaming box!" shouted a turtle-looking demon, waving a handful of paper-like money."I'll give you a hundred! Sell it to me!" barked the Chihuahua demon, jumping up and down desperately. Eda's grin grew wider by the second, her golden eye gleaming like she'd just struck gold. Then another voice piped up from the crowd."Can I eat that tiny person inside the box?" asked a lumpy demon with three mouths.

Raffy's eye twitched a little — that was possibly the dumbest question he'd ever heard. Then again, these creatures weren't exactly human, so maybe he shouldn't be surprised.

Eda, meanwhile, stared at the growing horde of demons swarming her stall. Her eyes went wide — then that familiar mischievous grin crept across her face."Well, well, what do we have here…" she muttered, clearly smelling profit.

Her gaze shifted back toward the two kids.

"So, what'd you two say your names were again?" she asked with a sly smile.

"I'm Luz! Luz Noceda!" said the brown-skinned girl proudly before gesturing at the boy beside her. "And this is my best friend, Rafheal Scotch—Raffy for short! The one who, uh… kinda swung an axe at you earlier."Raffy raised his hand lazily, making a peace sign."Yo. Not sorry about that," he said flatly. Eda blinked, still processing how casual the kid sounded after nearly splitting her wall — and possibly her — in half. "Well, Luz, that's pretty clever—for a human. And that boy beside you really knows how to stand his ground, I see," said Eda, grinning as she casually took the demons' money and handed them random junk in return.

"Wow, that really surprised you, huh?" Raffy muttered, crossing his arms. "That's just everyday stuff, you know—common sense. Feels like we traveled back to the stone age for a minute. And honestly, it feels weird getting praised by a sassy old lady."Eda chuckled, clearly taking it as a compliment instead of the jab it was. Luz, however, caught it instantly and stomped on Raffy's foot again."Ouch! What was that for?!" Raffy hissed, glaring at her."For being you!" Luz whispered harshly, puffing her cheeks in annoyance.Eda just snorted and shook her head, muttering under her breath, "weird kids…"

"But yeah, to be honest, that's kinda a weird thing for another human to say—'clever human,' isn't it?" said Luz, tilting her head.Raffy shot her a flat glare. "...Are you being serious right now?"

"What? Again, Raffy? Did I say something wrong?" Luz frowned, narrowing her eyes at him.Raffy sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "You called her human. You see the pointy ears, right? Are we dead serious right now?"

Luz froze for a second, blinking before awkwardly laughing. "Ah—right… I forgot, heheh…"Raffy immediately flicked her forehead."Ow! What was that for?!" Luz whined, rubbing the spot."For having the memory span of a goldfish," Raffy muttered, deadpan before he added more."And for being such a dum-dumb like Dora there for a second," Raffy said, deadpan."Who's Dora?! And did you really have to flick my forehead like that?" Luz pouted, rubbing the spot again.

"You know me, I stand firm for gender equality," Raffy said with a smug grin. "I don't hold back."Luz puffed her cheeks, glaring before stomping on his foot again for the third Times.

"OW—! You're proving my point, Luzy!" Raffy yelped, hopping on one leg while she crossed her arms triumphantly. Eda, watching the two bicker, couldn't help but chuckle as she continued taking paper money from the eager demon customers. "Oh, dear child," she said with a grin, "your friend over there's got a sharp eye. And yes—he's right. I'm not human, not like you two."

She climbed onto her stall desk with a big grin, spreading her arms wide like she was on stage."Oh boy… here we go," Raffy muttered, already expecting what was coming.

"I'm Eda the Owl Lady!" the evory-skinned woman announced proudly for everyone to hear, voice booming over the noisy market. "The most powerful witch on the Boiling Isles!" she added with unnecessary drama, posing like some kind of performer.Luz's eyes went wide. "Gasp—a witch!?" she blurted out, completely starstruck.

"More like a weird old hag standing on her stall, shouting her name like some cult recruiter," Raffy said flatly.Luz shot him an annoyed glare again, holding back the urge to stomp on his foot for the fourth time—but this time, she missed."Haha! Not this time, Lu—oof!" Raffy grunted as she jabbed him in the stomach with her elbow instead—not too hard, but still enough to sting.

Luz smirked smugly. "Gotcha."

"Oh, you smug lil—yeah, I'll pay you back later," Raffy muttered, rubbing his stomach while glaring at her.

Eda look at Luz and start continue whatever she say."Indeed I am, child! I'm respected, feared—" she said in her usual dramatic tone before someone suddenly shouted,

"BUSTED!"

It came from a big guy wearing a weird-looking mask, his massive body blocking the light. He wasn't alone—several others stood behind him. The crowd's attention shifted instantly as he smashed the small TV on the counter."Run! It's the guards!" someone yelled before everyone started scrambling away. "Oh boy, this is our cue," said Raffy, walking over to grab his massive, heavy backpack and stuffing things back in.

Meanwhile, Luz had fallen on her butt, startled by the guard's booming voice. The big guy stood in front of Eda, starting his damn speech.

"Eda the Owl Lady, you're wanted for misuse of magic and multiple of lots! demonic misdemeanors," the brute announced in a stiff, professional tone as he held up her wanted poster."Whoa, a witch criminal! You see this, Raffy? Raffy…?" Luz looked around but couldn't find him—until she spotted the boy already slinging his heavy backpack back on.

As Eda and the guards argued, Luz's attention shifted to her childhood friend.

"What are you doing? Why are you hiding there?" she whispered curiously.

"Shhh! Don't talk too much. Just get over here, or you're gonna get in trouble," Raffy hissed from the side of the Owl Lady's stall, crouched behind a crate with his huge backpack."What? Why—" Luz started, but before she could finish, one of the guards grabbed her by the back of her shirt."And you're coming too!" the guard barked."Wha—HEY!" Luz yelped in shock."Oh boy…" Raffy muttered, facepalming hard."What do you mean!?" Luz cried.

"For fraternizing with a criminal!" the guard shouted."EHHHH!? That's not cool really! Really not cool!" Luz screamed, her face twisting into panic.Eda sighed dramatically, rolling her eyes. "Alright, alright, you win! Just let me grab my stuff."

She leaned over her counter, pretending to rummage through junk—then suddenly yanked out her staff, the one topped with a wooden owl.In one smooth motion, she swung it straight across the guard's face.

CRACK!

The impact sent him stumbling back as Luz dropped to the ground, wide-eyed, and the other guards froze in shock."Sigh...oh yeah we fucked."said raffy Sigh seeing what he withness right now.

——————————————————

——————————————————

RAFFY'S POV:

Well, that was one hella crazy move that old hag—Eda—just pulled. She just whacked that brute's face clean off right in front of his men. I couldn't really tell what kind of expressions they made since they were all wearing those creepy plague doctor-looking masks, but I'm pretty damn sure they were shocked.

As for Luz… yeah, that fall definitely wasn't friendly to her butt. Must've hurt like hell. Not my fault she didn't listen and stayed out there like a dumbdumb instead of hiding when I told her to."Welp, that's my cue to leave now!" Eda said, already scooping up all her junk and strapping it onto her back.

"Follow me, humans! If you want to live!" she shouted dramatically, sprinting off.Luz scrambled up from the ground and bolted after her."Seems like a good chance for me to—" I started, ready to make my own escape—i don't want to go with both of them, but before I could even move, Eda's eyes darted toward me."i say humans that mean you too, kiddo!" she barked, waving her hand.A flash of yellow light wrapped around me—before I could react, I was yanked right off my feet and pulled straight toward her.

I was straight-up levitating by her magic while she and Luz were sprinting on their own two feet. "Hmmm, why don't you just let me walk on my own? I can run too, y'know," I said, hanging mid-air like a floating backpack rack,the true i want run away from them."Eh, with that massive backpack of yours? You'd slow us down and get us caught in no time," Eda shot back with a smirk. "I tried to lift that thing earlier—it's very heavy i don't know what thing you put there. So yeah, magic's easier."

"Gasp! Real magic! That's so cool!" Luz said, completely starstruck and totally forgetting the part where we were being chased."Alright, fair point there, low-budget Baba Yaga," I muttered, rolling my eyes. Honestly, I didn't feel like arguing anyway. Being lazy and letting her magic carry me sounded way better than running after that chaotic escape earlier.

This woman just smirked at my comment—either she didn't get human sarcasm or she just didn't care enough to clap back. As the three of us ran for our lives, a few guards were already closing in."Hey! Come back here!" one of them yelled, her voice sharp and way too feminine for someone in a mask.

"Uh, Miss Eda!" Luz shouted, panic already written all over her face. "They're getting closer! What's gonna happen if they catch us!? Are we gonna die!?"Eda just waved her hand dismissively, sounding way too chill for the situation. "Pffft, nonsense. They wouldn't dare kill humans—you two are worth more alive than dead."She paused, then added with that sly grin of hers, "But if I get caught, well… that's a different kind of trouble. So how about we keep running, shall we?"From that look on her face, I already knew—this wasn't gonna end well for my poor existence as the extra in this whole mess. Oh boy… something told me this was gonna be a long day.

'Let's see… how long was the original episode again? Twenty-two minutes and six seconds right? That standar time of the western back then in my previous life of i could remember.' I pulled out my phone and checked the time—we'd been here for about seven minutes already."So that means… fifteen minutes left," I muttered to myself. 'Yup… long day ahead, I'll tell you that.' Even though I was still floating midair, I could already feel tired as hell.

————————————————————

Welp, this was another terrible mid-air experience for me in my second life. Luz was sitting comfortably on Eda's staff while the two of them flew around like they were on some kind of scenic tour, the witch proudly explaining everything about her weird world.Meanwhile, I was floating behind them, heart pounding like a damn drum, terrified I'd fall any second. With my massive, heavy backpack weighing me down, I felt like a tiny planet being dragged through the sky. And honestly? As someone who's already had a bad experience riding in a military aircraft—this was way worse. If this woman had a review page, I'd be giving her a solid one star.

After we finally landed, I dropped straight to my knees and kissed the ground like it was holy. "Oh, sweet, sweet land!" I muttered with pure gratitude, hugging the dirt like a long-lost friend.

Eda just stared at me weirdly. "...Is he always like that?" she asked, raising a brow.

Luz sighed and smiled awkwardly. "Just... let him be."

She helped me up and dusted my shoulders. "Well, I think that's enough adventure for me and Raffy! I mean, sure, it's been wild and all—fantasy world, magic, flying witch—but maybe we'll just, you know, go back home now."

But before she could finish, Eda stepped right in front of us, blocking the way with that smug grin. "Whoa, whoa, whoa—leaving so soon, humans?" she said, her one golden fang glinting as she smiled wider."You two can't go back to the Human Realm," she continued, crossing her arms. "Because I'm the only one who can do that. So..." —her grin grew sly— "if you really want to go home, how about we make a little deal?"That made Luz gulp nervously, while I wiped the dirt off my lips from kissing the ground earlier. "Ha... now she shows her true colors," I muttered, eyeing the witch.

Eda just smirked. "Hah! Yeah, yeah, say whatever you you say, human. So, how about it? Here's the deal—you two help me out, and I'll send you back to the Human Realm." Her golden eyes glinted as she looked between us.

Me and Luz exchanged looks—hers was worried, mine just tired and done with everything. Then we both turned back to the witch."We don't have any choice, do we?" Luz asked."Nope," Eda replied instantly with that same smug grin.Luz sighed. "Alright… we'll help you."

"Good!" Eda said, spinning on her heel dramatically. "Then follow me, kiddos. Let's get started."As she strutted ahead, we finally saw where she was leading us—a house.

A huge one. The place looked like it crawled straight out of a twisted fairy tale. The walls were old, patchy white bricks; the roof was crooked, covered in cracked blue tiles. Above the front door, a massive stained-glass window shaped like a giant orange demon's eye stared right at us—like it knew we were coming.

And if that wasn't creepy enough, behind the house stood a crooked stone tower coated in orange moss, leaning just enough to make me think one strong breeze could end its whole career.

Of course, I already knew what this place was. The Owl House. The name of the damn show itself.

Luz, on the other hand, looked like she'd just seen heaven. Her eyes sparkled, mouth wide open, practically glowing with excitement.She looked like a kid stepping into Disneyland for the first time—(which, let's be real, fits, considering she and this show are owned by Disney, so… yeah.)Of course she'd be amazed like in original (?). Why wouldn't she?

"Hey! What are you two waiting for back there? Come on, I don't got all day!" Eda's voice echoed from the porch, calling us."Coming! Let's go, Raffy!" Luz said, grabbing my wrist—as always—and dragging me along like some oversized emotional support luggage.

We were just about to step inside when something weird popped out of the door—literally.A long, noodly neck with a bird face shot out of the wood, making Luz scream and jump back."HOOT! HOOTY PASSWORD PLEASE!" it yelled in the most annoying voice I'd ever heard.

I blinked, deadpan.

What the hell was that supposed to be again? Hootung? Hootlong? Hooton? Well Whatever.

———

"Waaah! What is that thing?!" Luz yelped, ducking behind my massive backpack like it was a shield."Oh, that's Hooty," Eda said casually, like it was the most normal thing in the world. "He's my house's defense system—very useful. So if you're worried those guards might find us, don't be. They wouldn't stand a chance."I just stared at the weird... owl-worm-door-thing, blinking slowly.

"Useful?" I muttered under my breath. That thing looks like someone shoved spaghetti into a Play-Doh set and gave it a face.'Yeah... sure you are,' I said flatly. Inside my head, though, I couldn't help thinking—This thing's remind me straight out of a creepypasta or something, Long Horse's annoying cousin, maybe.

"Hoooot! Password, please!" said Hooty in that goofy again with overexcited voice of his. Eda just rolled her eyes and jabbed a finger straight into his big owl eyes. "I don't have time for passwords, Hooty. Just let us in already!"

"Alright, alright, geeez! You really don't know how to have fun!" the owl grumbled, his tone full of sass as he unlatched himself and wide open his beak. As we stepped inside, my first reaction was just—damn.The place was massive. Way bigger than it looked from the outside. The walls curved like some kind of cozy maze, with halls leading who-knows-where, floating candles lighting themselves up, and weird trinkets hovering mid-air like they were alive. It was like walking inside a magician's brain—chaotic, but kinda fascinating.

I didn't say it out loud, of course. Wouldn't want to boost the old hag's ego."Woooow! This place is beautiful!" Luz gasped, eyes sparkling like she'd just entered paradise.I just shrugged, trying to act unimpressed while my brain was screaming, Okay yeah… this is actually sick.

....

"This is a really big place you've got here, Miss Eda," Luz said, looking around with wide eyes. "Do you live here all by yourself, or do you have… like, roommates?"

While she was busy admiring the place, I started poking around the clutter. There were floating bottles, books with actual eyeballs, and a broom sweeping the floor by itself like it was trying to meet a deadline. Yeah—this place was straight-up weird. Eda stretched lazily and smirked. "Nope, not alone. I've got… let's just say, a roommate."

Right on cue, a THUMP! echoed from upstairs—loud enough to make the whole house tremble. Dust sprinkled down from the ceiling, and a few bottles toppled off a shelf."Speak of the devil," Eda said with a smirk, like this was totally normal.

Luz grabbed my sleeve, eyes wide. "R-Raffy, did you hear that??"I gave her a flat look, my hand already slipping into my pocket. "Yeah, I heard it. Just stay close, Luzy."

As that booming voice echoed through the house, a large shadow loomed from the stairs—stretching across the walls like some monster about to descend. Luz clung tighter to my sleeve, her face pale.But when the it finally appeared… yeah, not what we expected.It was this tiny creature, barely the size of a small dog, with a skull-shaped head that instantly reminded me of a Cubone—if Cubone had black fur, stubby little arms, and was wearing… a shower cap? Oh, and it was holding a rubber duck like it was some royal scepter."Who dares disturb me!" the tiny thing bellowed in a deep, dramatic voice that didn't match its size at all. "The King of Demons demands to know who dares interrupt his precious time!"

As soon as this little guy showed up, Luz's eyes went wide — she couldn't hold back a gasp."GAAASP! ¡Aaaah! ¡Qué criatura tan adorable!"Before I could say anything, she let go of my sleeve and jumped straight at the thing, hugging it tight."What!? Hey, hey! Get off me, you fool!" yelled the little creature as Luz buried her face in its fur."¡Qué gracioso eres! Gasp—your fur's also so, so, so sooooft!" Luz said, totally ignoring the creature's complaints."So… that knock-off Pokémon is your roommate?" I asked, glancing at Eda."His name's King," Eda replied flatly It seems like you're confused about what a pokemon is that i say, from what I'm saying. "And he's part of what I need you for."

"…, I don't like where this is going… I haven't even put down my backpack yet," I muttered, while Luz kept hugging King and gave Eda a curious look...

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