Boiling Gems (The Owl House x Steven Universe)

Summary: Why are potions less complicated than romance?

Shalisha noticed something off around the house, which was a rare occurrence. Not only for the fact work demanded she ruthlessly pushed her employees to the brink of exhaustion until they met their quota, thus making her be seen less and less around the house, but for the fact that her daughter just didn't seem as focused as she usually was when it came to her priorities.

Now whenever she gave the afternoon schedule, it was always half acceptance without genuinely paying attention, and they always had a dazed look on their face. Now normally she would question the problem, but it was too subtle to show investment … luckily, she could always throw Eden at the problem. "Okay honey, there she is on the couch." She directed her wife to the living room. "Now get in there and figure out what's wrong."

"What, but you know Boscha's never open about this kind of stuff." Eden told her. 

"Exactly, which is why you're going to pester her until she finally snaps and vents those problems." Shalisha explained.

"But last time I did that, she set the bathroom on fire and threw out the refrigerator." Eden reminded her.

"You cleaned it up quite nicely last time." And they could always buy a new one if it was too damaged.

"But …"

"Eden." She said sternly. "Are you up to the task, or do I need to find someone … useful? " They questioned with the word they made sure stuck deep in their psyche.

"No…..No I can handle it, I can handle it just fine." Eden groaned as she went into the living room.

"That's my girl, now get in there!" She pushed her into their daughter's view. "And don't stop until you get results!" Shalisha made sure to reiterate.

"Hey there honey …" Eden greeted. "Is there something the matter?" She questioned, already tensing herself for confrontation. Shalisa herself was waiting to grab the emergency fire shield to protect herself from ground zero.

"... I'm getting weak." ….huh.

"You're…what?" Eden looked just as confused from the emotional honesty Boscha was displaying…probably from the fact she hadn't gotten her kidneys bruised yet for her parental concern.

"Weak … just like Blight did … I keep wanting to associate myself with trash." The girl groaned. "At this point I'm considering burning the memories in my head."

"Now, now, don't wanna get too extreme right now, lets…let's call that Plan Z for now, at least until you explain what the problem is." Eden trepidatiously sat on the couch next to their daughter. "That is of course, if you feel like you're up for talking about it."

Boscha looked at them. "You and Mom always told me that associating with criminals is something I should never do publicly, and that if they get in my way I should kill them off." Of course.

"Oh…so are you wanting to get into what the kid's call the 'fun stuff'?" Eden asked. "Because as a little side project, me and Shalisha ran a side job making crystal death for the students that wanted to 'take a load off' from all the stress…" Too much information Edan

"What, no." She shook her head. "I … think I …" Boscha growled. "I have a crush …" Ah … now things made sense.

"Oh my titan!" Eden's eyes became sparkly. "Tell me everything!"

"I am not talking with my mama about-"

"No, I promise to not say this to anyone. Heck, I'll even keep it a secret from your mom. Just please, tell me all about them." Good thing Shalisha was still here. She didn't want to miss a single second. Boscha needed all the help she could get to take advantage of the situation.

"Well…I thought it started when he started to go to school with me…" Boscha was attracted to boys? She was certain that the Skara girl would've been more her speed. "But I guess….If I really….really had to think about it….it started when we were kids. He was always there, giving every bit of attention he had towards me without ever being afraid. I thought it was annoying, but…I don't know, I got used to it I guess."

"Oh, your mother said the same thing about me." Eden gave an admittedly adorable squeal. "Come on, keep going, tell me about him."

"He's … the Manticore Menace." Jackpot! Shalisha had to contain herself from revealing herself. She was a woman who spotted opportunity anywhere. Yes, the criminal thing was a damper, but that was outweighed by the sheer amount of power the crystal devil kid had inside. Instant healing, shift shaping, immortality. Just one sample of the boy's blood would bring out so many opportunities for their potions. "And like mom said, I shouldn't associate with scum and unpopular people, so I'm doing my best to avoid him and ignore the feelings." 

Titan damn it! Why did those words bite her in the butt. Eden subtly turned to her, likely wanting to know her reaction to the whole thing. Shalisha just sent her a look and a head nod, mouthing the words 'fix it'. "Ah…well…..have I ever told you about how your mom and I started going out?"

"The entire school hated you, and mom was the first one to show you kindness, right?" Well, more like Shalisha found Eden so adorable that she destroyed every platonic relationship the woman had and isolated her into viewing the woman as the one and only source of love they'd ever get … but semantics.

"Exactly. I wasn't popular. In the eyes of so many people, I was scum." Eden said genuinely. "I was good for nothing, but your mom…oh your mom, she saw something in me that I had no idea I had. She picked me up from the low ground I was in and brought out the best in me. Now we run a successful business together and have our adorable three eyed bundle of joy in our lives." She grabbed their girl's shoulders. "So my advice is to find someone who genuinely sees the best in you, and do your best to live up to their expectations."

Their daughter looked contemplative for a second. "Well, I'm already the best, and he already thinks I'm the most perfect girl in the school…even when he's surrounded by bitter jealous losers he never says anything bad about me…unlike the so-called friends I have."

"Then maybe you should give him a shot." She said, "Pull him out of the muck of the ground, the law's putting him in and work from there."

"Pull him up….right. So what you're saying is that I need to completely change him so he fits every need I could ever want." Boscha's eyes lit up.

"Um …" Eden looked hesitant.

"Yeah, yeah now I can see it." The girl grinned. "Soon I can get him to see that the human just makes everything worse, just like me! I'll make him focus more on Grudgby and get him to ditch Blight and half a witch! I'll get him to see the importance of social dominance and we'll rule all of Hexide on a golden throne and an iron fist!" Aww, it was just like looking in a tiny mirror.

"I …"

"Thanks mama, you were useful for once!" Their daughter ran off with the perfect plan in mind.

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Bump stared across from his desk, an oppressive silence gazing in the room. "I never thought a student would catch the eye of a Coven Head without even meeting them."

"What can I say, I have an eye for talent." Vitimir, the head of the potions coven, and a former teacher of Hexide himself, sat down comfortably. "That, and the record's I've scoured through were very detailed on which students showed the most promise."

Vitimir left the school, because in their words, they had 'nothing to learn from a pond so small'. Coming over themselves left Bump feeling a deep pit of concern. "I'm surprised you had the free time. I heard the Coven Heads were all busy with their own projects for the day of unity."

"Normally yes, but when you're tasked with making synthetic titan's blood, which is a genuine impossibility, something I don't say often, you have a surprising amount of free time on your hands." The man was not one to accept defeat so lightly. "It's given me quite a lot of time to be introspective, and think back to my roots. I first sought knowledge to educate others before it became a journey of self improvement. I figured that with the Day of Unity changing everyone's lives for the better, I might as well do my part and extend what I know to someone of the next generation."

Bump nodded, holding back some suspicion. It was never a good idea for a Coven Head to be here, too much heat and far too much Emperor influence. The door opened. "You wanted to see me, Bump?" Boscha asked with their usual lack of care or respect.

"Ah yes. I believe that I have little need to introduce my associate over here." Bump nodded, gesturing for the girl to come in. "Boscha, this is the Coven Head Vitimir of the Potion's Coven. He wanted to speak with the most promising Potion track student we have, and that happens to be you."

The girl's eyes widened, instantly straightening herself. "Sir Vitimir, an honor." The girl instantly gave a bow to the man.

"Ms Hieronymus." In all honesty, he forgot some of his students even had last names. "I must say the honor is mine. You master potions much easier at a younger age than I was able to, I admire you for that."

"Oh, really, oh, it's nothing much, just simple memorization of chemical reactions, that's all." Humility and Boscha weren't two words that went together, yet here Bump was, witnessing what was probably the first sighting of it. "Potions are really more of a side hobby of mine if anything."

"Yes, you do have a knack for Grudby." The man admitted. "I actually have a few contacts here and there … if you would be interested in an internship offer from Maxrim Spedsta." A notable Grudgby player in the Boiling Isles.

"Wha-what!? That's..that's huge!" Boscha exclaimed. "You're just going to give me such a big opportunity!?"

"I admit you have talent … but that's not quite enough." Vitimir went on. "You need to show me the drive to continue on."

"I'll do anything sir!" She shouted.

"Good." The man smirked under his mask, raising a finger. "Bring me the Manticore Menace."

The girl paused, giving a quizzical look. "You want me to do what?"

"The child is a half crystal devil, unknown to nature. Studying them would benefit the world, and show your dedication to succeeding in any goal." The man explained. "Surely you understand that no wisdom comes without sacrifice."

"I sincerely hope you aren't asking a student to doom another." That was his job, and it was only for positive growth.

"Oh Bump … I never saw a student matching my description within the student database." He turned to the principal, an aura smelling of sulfur emanating as the very air seemed to become more humid. "Have you been lying to the Covens?"

Bump took a second to bite his tongue. He may have not been loyal to the emperor, but that still didn't mean he wanted to piss him or any of his stooges off. "I know where to find him." Boscha answered before Bump could say something else he would probably regret later.

"Great." The man stood up. "Bring him to my office this week. I look forward to your success, Ms Hieronymus." He responded, before walking out of the room.

"Success …" The girl stared at the door. Well, he was fine with students killing each other for growth, as long as they could get away with it. This however felt more like a puppet master trying to interfere with his students well being.

"As a principal, it is my job to see to it that all my students take the path they chose to travel." Bump spoke up after about a minute of silence. "Which is why right now you should search for yourself what path you want to take."

"What path?" She stared at him, then growled. "I know what path I want to take." Boscha stated, before walking out and slamming the door behind herself.

Bump could and wouldn't control the actions of his students, so the choice was all on her in the end…something told him that Edalyn wouldn't like whatever came out of this situation either way.

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Luz stared at the school meal. "Okay … time to finally test if this stuff is edible to humans." She nervously poked at the dish. "Here … we … go …"

"Sceeeeee." The dish silently moaned the moment she brought it close to her mouth.

"Nope, can't do it, can't do it." Luz pushed her tray away as she banged her head against the table. "Dang it, I was hoping to help the limited budget we're on …"

"I'll be more than happy to make lunch for you!" Amity offered, shouting weirdly for some reason. "I mean, if you need me too; I'd be more than happy to help you out, can't have you go hungry, hehe, right?"

"Wow, you can cook?" Luz questioned. "How do you get cooler every day?" Like seriously, that takedown of the abomatron awoke some serious thoughts inside her head whenever she thought about Amity now.

"What, me cool, that's not not, I mean I'm not going to, if you like-Lucci, where's your lunch?" The girl switched topics, something she seemed to have a habit of doing lately.

"Well like Luz, I also tried to take an approach of saving money." The boy responded. "So I'm waiting for Skara to come by so we can test out something we've been working on."

"I'm here!" The girl herself came with her violin and a lute in her hand. "Your instrument, my hard buddy."

"Oh no, they're going to sing! Everyone duck for cover!" Willow screamed as she crawled under the table.

"Oh yee of little faith. Just watch." Lucci smirked as he and Skara began playing a cute little tune together. " The sun is bright, the mold is green, For once the lockers aren't mean, Come on and share this jam with me."

Instead of the usual whirlwind of chaos that was expected, the food from nearby tables began floating towards them, gently and in single file order. "Bleach or thumb or jingleberry." Skara joined in the singing

"... Are they just stealing everyone's food?" Gus asked.

"I'm too shocked by how there's no fire starting to even notice." Amity nodded.

"Any kind is fine, you see." They continued as the food stacked. "Come on and share this jam with me."

"I'll do my best." The plates hovered over their heads, gently landing on the table instead of smashing to pieces on the ground.

"To give this jam the sweetness it deserves." They harmonized as the knives cut the sandwiches in half instead of stabbing people's eyes out.

"And I'll keep it fresh." The pieces of bread floated in front of them, ingredients shuffling with each sandwich.

"I'm jammin' on these tasty preserves." Then slammed down on each other, making perfect sandwiches that actually sparkled.

"Ingredients in harmony." Cups of ghoul juice were poured without a single drop being spilt.

"We mix together perfectly." A bowl of barnacle crackers were poured on the side.

"Come on and share this jam with me!"

"Wow…you actually managed to sing a song without making the tables float up in the air and smash against the walls." Luz nodded. "Impressive."

"Yeah, ever since our fight with that golden jerk, we've figured out we can sync our magic together." Skara nodded, taking a bite of the jam filled biscuit she had just made with the song. "He provides the firepower, and I direct it."

"Hey, they stole our food!" A member of the decoration committee shouted.

"And the heckler got hit with a bus." Lucci added onto his song.

"What.." A piece of the wall fell on top of the kid, burying him in debris and cement.

"Huh, I can't make things spontaneously appear when I want, but the results are effective." Lucci noted, biting into his sandwich.

"Bard magic's about manipulation, not materialization." Skara deadpanned. "It'd be easier to turn the room into a lightning storm than it would be to make a snaggle tooth show up out of nowhere." 

"Making a snagged tooth appear… huh… I just got an idea on how to pass Beast keeping without getting mauled." Lucci grinned. "Anyway, feel free to raid the pile everyone, we have more than enough."

"Okay … come on, random sandwich, please don't kill my stomach." Luz pleaded as she grabbed one. "I need something other than expensive griffon eggs to eat."

"It's still so baffling just how simplistic human food must be if you can't eat that much in the boiling isles." Gus noted. "Like, your versions of salt and sugar must be completely different from ours 

"It is. Their sugar is actually ten times sweeter." Lucci answered. "I tried something she called pancakes that were good, but when she added human tree blood, I gagged from the sweetness, and you know my love of sweets."

"Your tree blood almost killed Lucci's stomach?" Willow asked with sparkly eyes.

"Why do you sound so ecstatic at my impending demise?"

"Because a plant that can take you down is a plant that's lovely in my books."

"Again, are your SURE them being friends again was a good idea?" Gus asked.

"Honestly, if they still hated each other, they'd skip the talking and go straight for the throats no questions asked." Amity answered. "It's just healthy banter at this point."

"If this is healthy banter, I don't want to see unhealthy." Gus shivered.

"Well here it comes." Willow growled. "Boscha's making her way over."

"Really!?" Lucci took out a mirror. "How do I look? I showered this morning but Hooty ate all the soap. I need to look my best, I just barely got her to tolerate me."

"Hey, don't worry about it man. We share the same shower, I probably look terrible too." Luz waved off. "We can share in the lack of care she has for other living things together."

"Oh Luz, Luz, sweet young summer child Luz." Lucci shook his head. "Boscha hates a lot of things, but somehow, through complete and sheer luck, I've managed to get her to talk to me without insulting me. I'm at lab partner level now, and if I play my cards right, acquaintance level will be right around the corner."

"Please tell me you're not as oblivious as everyone else in this group." Willow pleaded to Skara.

"Hey, I'm the one who actually has a boyfriend here, so everyone else is oblivious from my point of view." The bard girl shrugged. "Yo Boscha, what's up?"

"I came… to see Lucci." The girl quietly whispered

For some reason, Skara and Lucci nearly fell out of their chairs. Luz guessed it was a Bard thing. "I-um-I of course, what-what is it?" He questioned. "Need help? Or probably not because you're strong and smart. Um-advice?"

The three eyed girl turned her head and blushed. "No, I just… wanted to do something nice." This time, it was Willow that fell out of her seat.

"Can she speak up for the rest of us?" Gus questioned.

"Shut it goops, this has nothing to do with you!" Boscha yelled out in her usual angry tone.

"And there's the cliche high school mean girl." Amity hummed. "For a second I thought something was wrong." Luz had to agree, this was weird.

"Something … nice?" Lucci gulped, a flush on his face.

"Yeah, I realized that your not as lame or pathetic as Blight or half a witch, and your healed my eyes, so here." Boscha took out a purple…Luz Could only describe it as a thing, because whatever it was, it was ghastly, screaming, and the fumes were choking her just by looking at it.

"You made me lunch?" Lucci squeaked out in an adorable contrast to the horror.

"Correction, she made your death." Willow countered. "Do you even know how to cook?"

"I make potions all the time, cooking is just chemical reactions working together." Boscha scowled.

"Yeah, to taste good, not to kill whoever eats it." Gus covered his nose. "Did you use a cookbook or a chemistry textbook?"

"What's the difference?" The triclops asked.

"Many things." Skara deadpanned. "Lucci, I know you like her but-'

The boy simply smiled widely and took a big bite out of what she assumed to be a living pile of poison. "Mmm, nice addition with the deathberry, I can really taste how it mixes with the sweet cyanide." He responded, taking another bite. "You're an excellent cook."

"Really?" Boscha looked sincerely flattered. "I mean, of course I am. What idiot can't cook for themselves?" Skara raised her hand. "That doesn't surprise me in the slightest."

"What's this really about Boscha?" Willow glared. "Even to the people you like, you're never nice to."

"Isn't it obvious?" Skara smirked. "She-" The girl was instantly grabbed, before being tossed out of the window.

"You know that only proves Willow's point." Luz said.

"Shut it human, this isn't about you." Boscha growled out. "I can be nice to whoever I want whenever I want, and if you have a problem with that, I'll wreck you ass harder than I did during grudgby."

"Lay one had on her ever again and I'm carving out that third eyeball with a spoon." Amity countered, gripping her plate so hard she cracked it in half.

"Wow, you beat me to it. Yelling at your parents must have been therapeutic as heck." Willow replied bluntly, already sharpening her fork and knife.

"Hey, this isn't the time to kill each other, that's what P.E is for." Lucci intervened. "Sorry Boscha, I know you don't exactly have the best history with us…so if you want to talk more, maybe the two of us can head somewhere.."

"Somewhere completely alone and away from everyone else, yes, sounds perfect." Boscha finished for him in a rather quick manner.

"…Say wha…?" Lucci paused.

" …say what?"  Everyone else repeated alone.

"Meet me after school, alone, and we'll head somewhere isolated and completely away from public view. Don't invite your friends." Boscha headed out the door. "Try not to disappoint me, Lucci."

"... I need to brush up in the bathroom, now!" The boy ran out of the lunchroom's opposite entrance, mad dashing hard enough he literally went through a table.

Luz watched them go, silently taking a bite of her sandwich. "Mmm …"

"This is totally a trap of some kind, right?" Gus asked. "I'm not the only one thinking that, right?"

"Probably." Luz admitted.

"And we're going to make sure nothing bad happens, right?" Amity questioned.

"Maybe." Luz pondered aloud.

"There is absolutely no way Boscha likes Lucci at all, ever, right?" Willow threw out. "Because the bitch has no heart whatsoever and Lucci is going to get his broken."

"That is a thought process." Luz nodded along.

"Your taking this weirdly calmly." Amity stated. "Aren't you like the master of meddling?"

"Well, first off, on the off chance she actually likes him … do you really want to watch her and Lucci make out?" She questioned the group.

Willow instinctively gagged. "Touché."

"And second … The sandwich was a mistake, because last I checked Amity's hair didn't have starlight dancing unicorns inside of it." She pointed to the Blight. "Not that she can't pull it off, but I think I'm out on this particular adventure today." A burning feeling began to build up in her stomach. "Yeah, I need to head to the nurse's office…the air's starting to taste like green."

"Okay, I'll make sure you get there safely, then the rest of us save Lucci from whatever cruel prank Boscha has planned." Amity took Luz by the hand.

"Has anyone ever told you how soft your hands are?" Why was everything so woozy? "It's like I'm holding hands with a cute critter." When did Amity become a squirrel? That high pitched squeal could only come from an adorable creature like that.

========================================================================

Boscha walked along with Lucci, making her way through the empty forest. A silence permeated the air. Was this really happening right now? In just a few minutes, she was going to be gift wrapped everything she could ever want for her future…so whywas she feeling so weird about it!?

"You know, I walked through these forests a lot when I was a kid." The source of all her weird emotions spoke with that dumb bright smile. "I was almost killed there, and there, and there. Oooh, I was almost buried alive there. Offered as a sacrifice right there."

"I think it would be easier to list the places you weren't almost killed." She deadpanned. Soon she'd get rid of these weird emotions too, one that brought her down and weakened her like everyone else. Boscha was better than that, she was better than anyone.

Sure, mama had… more than decent advice about the situation. Lucci was stupidly strong, the entire school either feared him or revered him as the manticore menace, and maybe once or twice she found him sorta..really… really cute when his went completely ballistic on people like that basilisk.

But being strong physically wasn't the end all be all. There were plenty of people that wanted him dead, from the Emperor's Coven, to the head of the Potions Coven (Ie HER track), so many more and more would just keep using skills and tricks to take him down, and then she'd be dragged down with him. It was better to ditch … right?

"Yeah, probably." They chuckled. "At think point I may as well be flirting with death." 

"Just as long as you're not flirting with another witch, I'll be fine." Why did she say that!? That sounded like she actually cared about who he dated, which she didn't! "In fact, you'd probably scare off death with how crazy you are." And if he died, then he'd come back as a ghost, and that would make him both easier to control and cuter.

"I … maybe, given the fact Crystal Devils are immortal." He looked introspective. "Am I just gonna live on forever no matter what anyone else does?"

"Maybe." Boscha shrugged. "When you think about it, you'd have an opportunity not many have."

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"Think about it. Most witches out there struggle to make something of their lives and fail. They only have one life to live, and if they screw up, then that's that." Boscha explained. "I don't have to worry about it, because I'm flawless and never screw up, but you, if you screw up, you literally have a lifetime to start all over."

"I … guess I do." The boy looked down at his hands. "But nobody else does either …" He shook his head. "Leaving that behind. So …" He blushed, rocking back and forth. "What did you um … want to talk about?"

"Oooh.." It would be a minute until Vitimir showed up. Since she wasn't going to see him again, might as well make small talk with the guy that baffled her so much. "I was just curious…about a few things." She said awkwardly.

"... Curious?" Lucci asked with a curious tone of his own.

"Yeah, like …" Come on, think of something. "What's with the … 'pink stuff'?" She asked.

"Oh…I..I really don't know. I mean, back when I thought I was a normal witch, I thought it was just because the rock in my stomach was pink." He lifted up his shirt, showing off…a pink gemstone…like the one that stupid moon girl predicted.

"What?" She asked, not believing what she was seeing.

"Yep. It should have been obvious at the time, but I've never seen a Crystal Devil before, so I guess it just didn't click." The guy kept going, not even noticing her shock. "But it's not like I'm stuck with a color I hate. You're such an amazing shade of pink that I can only dream of pulling it off as smoothly as you."

Boscha's heard a million compliments about her appearance, but so few about the fact she was pink. She never told anyone this before, but it actually used to be something she was embarrassed about. "Thanks, it's just…you know, something that just comes naturally." Why did she sound so lame about it!?

"You could always do awesome things naturally." He chuckled. "Anything else you wanted to know?"

Why was she feeling so warm inside? Why was she feeling weak in the knees? "Yeah…why don't you hate me? I treat your friends like garbage and I've never been nice to you."

Lucci chuckled. "You're going to find it silly, but…I like you for how brutally honest you are. You always say whatever's on your mind without a single regret, and well, it's hard for me to find someone I know that'll always be honest with me." He answered. "I think the closest thing I've got to honesty other than you is Luz, but there are moments she's sneaky too … I just can't imagine someone else as amazing as that."

Boscha found a blush forming on her face, and she just turned away. She always thought his little crush was just something surface level like all the other idiots at school, like her rock hard muscles or her third eye. He…actually liked her for something on the inside!? Everyone hated what she had on the inside, and she embraced it! "Eve-even when said honest means I insult you and your life choices?"

"It's not like you don't have a point." Lucci shrugged. "Ever since the petrification, I realized that my goal of being infamous…it's not good. I…I don't want to be content with being stuck where I am now for the rest of my life." He looked down at his stomach. "Not to mention all I've been doing is getting weaker and weaker … you probably hate that, right?"

She looked at him again…those soft honest eyes that never once hated her, never once berated her, ribbed on her, never had a single bad thing to say about Boscha. "No…no I don't. I've seen how strong you are Lucci…the last thing you'll be in my eyes is weak."

"Really?" He looked up, that beaming cute face that trust led her, that believed in her so sincerely.

This…this was a mistake. She couldn't go through with this, she needed to get him out of here now! "Lucci, listen, you need to start…"

A potion rolled onto the ground, poofing as Lucci was suddenly bound by metal. "Excellent work Ms Hieronymus, you delivered him just as promised."

"What?" Lucci's eyes looked like they were going to pop out of his head. "Promi-what are you talking about?"

"Just a little business transaction between a Coven Head and a Hexide student with a promising future." Vitimir made him known and forced Lucci to the ground on his back. "Now why don't you take your medicine, so we can go back nice and quietly." He pulled out another potion, popping off the lid as he tilted it over Lucci's body.

"I …" Lucci looked confused, terrified, betrayed, a large mix of emotions that made her feel uncomfortable. "Why..Boscha…why are- aaaaaaaaggggggh! " His skin sizzled upon making contact with the liquid as his screams immediately began to haunt her head.

"Oh don't be shocked about this. You're an infamous criminal, and she's had her whole life ahead of her." Vitimir answered without a single shred of remorse. "Ms. Hieronymus just took the necessary steps needed for success."

She watched as Lucci's body fell unconscious, eyes rolled into the back of his head. "I …"

"Don't worry, I'm never one to skirt from a deal." The man spoke, lifting Lucci's body up. "I'll be in touch within a week's time … at the moment, I need to familiarizemyself with his physiology." The man chuckled as he began to walk away. "Oh the things I will learn from-"

An abomination powered fist, hit Vitimir, launching him into a tree as Lucci's body fell to the ground, where vines began pulling him away. "You know, usually I would take immense satisfaction in saying 'CALLED it' knowing nothing good could ever come from knowing you, let alone liking you." The voice of Half a witch came as the other loser squad members, aside from the human, appeared. "But seeing as how Lucci's both unconscious and in pain, I'll settle for choking the life out of your eyes Boscha!"

"Willow, not the time!" The goop kid shouted. "We need to get Lucci out of here before he wakes up-" A hand extended from Vitimir's body, grabbing onto the illusion kid.

"Did you really think … I wouldn't take measures … after last time?" The man spoke, rightening himself.

"Last time..wait you guys pissed off a coven head without me?" Amity asked, surprised as she tried sending another abomination fist at the man, who threw a green potion at it and made it boil until it melted to the ground.

"It was during the fair. Trust me, it wasn't an enjoyable experience for anyone." Half a witch grimace as she grabbed Lucci, multiple thorny vines cutting off the man's extended arm. "Come on, we have to run before he gets his second wind-"

Vitimir was suddenly behind the girl, hitting her into the ground. "I would argue against this course of action, but I understand you're too naive to see the big picture." He picked up Lucci, his boot pushing half a witch further and further into the dirt.

"No, we know, we just don't care, especially when it puts our friend in danger." Goops looked around and threw a rock…which just bounced harmlessly off the man.

"... You know, even by illusionist standards that wasn't very smart of you." He deadpanned, simply turning one of his fingers into a scapple.

"Give a break, at least I'm trying to do something!" Goops began running off in the other direction. "Amity, we could really use some of that fancy abomination magic right about now!"

"I'm trying!" The Blight girl kept seeing the muck after the Coven head, only for him to slice it apart and knock the chunks away. "I think he coated himself in some sort of anti abomination potion!"

"Acid potion lotion. Half my nerve endings are fried, but most attacks fall apart upon contact, so I say that's a nice trade off. You can't get anyone in this world without sacrifice after all." Vitimir chuckled creepily.

"How did you guys survive last time!?" Amity shouted.

"We stuck a bunch of Crystal Devils on him." The half a witch coughed as she got up. "I don't think we can pull that off again."

"Ah yes, thank you for reminding me why I'm here." Vitimir took the scalpel he had and cut through Lucci's arm, letting a steady stream of blood leak out of him as it fell into a vial. "Always have a second sample ready before beginning dissection. This…thing… will be more than enough to compensate for all the specimens you let loose last time, so I bid you all good day."

Lucci…was going to get chopped up….ripped apart like some kind of animal. Well, he was a criminal, so this was just him reaping….no, no she couldn't even think that with a straight face without wincing. He didn't deserve this….Lucci didn't deserve to die just to make her life better. She needed to do something….She HAD to do something. "Wait!"

"Dont' worry, ms Hieronymous, I haven't forgotten our deal." Vitimir answered. "I'll send the letter of recommendation once I return to my lab." No, no, NO! She pulled out a potion from her pocket, tossing it at Vitimir, cracking it open as the liquid rolled down on the man's face. There was a tense silence, as everything seemed to freeze. "... I am going to ask you once." He responded in a voice filled with restrained rage. " What was in that potion?"

"Cyanide, Deathberry, about five cups of cocktrice blood, two cups of fire bee honey….the ingredients for a poisonous explosive….you just need to add a cup of acid….something you're covered in." Boscha slowly backed away.

"You … little … BI-" The man detonated, covered in purple flames as Lucci was sent flying, landing on top of Goops. "GAH!" He screamed, scratching the flames as they enveloped his body. "MY NERVE ENDINGS ARE BACK!" He rolled around, only for the fire to get bigger and bigger. "WHY!? I WAS GIVING YOU YOUR ENTIRE FUTURE ON A SILVER PLATTER! WHY WOULD YOU DO SOMETHING AS ASININE AS THIS!?"

"Like you said….sacrifices have to be made." Boscha responded with a low voice. Trade in a surefire way to playing professional grudgby for someone she lik-for someone that cared a whole lot more for her than anyone else in her life did.

"Hexside, the Blights, the Hieronymus … I will make sure EVERYONE pays for stopping the advancement of knowledge!" The man shouted, charging while on fire.

"Oh you're not going anywhere now!" Half a witch tripped him up with vines that grew out of the ground. "Amity, now!"

"On it!" She sent an entire wave of abomination muck on top of the man, still on fire but coated in the stuff. "I'm not sure how long that's going to hold him!"

"Then….let's make sure...he can't…get…back…up." The weak voice of Lucci said as the boy pushed himself off the ground, looking like he was going to pop a vessel as he raised his hands. "You want to learn…more about me…?" The boy grinned so adorably evil. "He's a fun fact….my bubbles make abominations….explode." And placed the trapped coven head inside a pink ball.

"Lucci!" Blight shouted. "You never made an explosion that big before!"

"Meh … always a time … to try." He spoke with a sadistic grin.

"While we're in the blast radius!?"

"....I should note….that….I'm seeing half of you right now…with three heads and….dancing on unicorns….I'm….really….really out of it right now." That was fair.

KABOOM

========================================================================

Lucci groaned as he finally started coming to. "Where … am I?" He asked, feeling his body was weighing him down more than normal.

"We're almost at your house….I had to bury us underground to escape ground zero." He turned to Willow as she alone was helping him up. "Unfortunately I ended up closing it too late, so the three-eyed bitch survived too." She chucked her thumb behind them, where Lucci could see Gus and Amity guardian a tied up Boscha.

"Oh … good." He had a lot of feelings about that. "Where's … Luz?"

"Recovering. Apparently sandwiches almost kill her stomach." Amity explained. "She's resting back at the Owl House after Eda picked her up."

"Guess we need to double down on trying to find something edible for her…that or steal some fresh griffon eggs. I mean, we all know where to find a fresh batch now, and I say at least one of us is strong enough to fight back." Definitely save mom a few bucks down the line, and they could come up with new ways to cook them. Boiled, scrambled, deviled, fried, the possibilities were endless.

"So …" Gus started. "What are we doing with her?" Gus asked.

"She was about to sell Lucci to a coven head to be dissected, I think Eda's going to have a long, LONG chat with her, you know, after she rips out her organs." Amity stated what was likely to happen after today's events. "I don't think any of us here can top the wrath of an angry Owl Lady."

"I can try and come close." Willow raised her hand with an all to vindictive glee that could burn down the whole world if left untethered.

Lucci sighed. "Just … just let her go." He told his friends.

Everyone looked at each other for a second, and then back at him. " No."

"Seriously?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"You're just going easy on her because you like her." Willow stated. "She deserves punishment."

"Yeah, I know that. She's made it abundantly clear she doesn't like me after today." Lucci stared at the ground. "So this … this is it. We let her go, walk away, and we never look at each other again."

Amity looked at him with a concerned face. "That's still pretty weak by revenge standards."

"Maybe, but revenge implies I'd care how she feels. I don't want to start an entire cycle where I'm constantly trying to get back at her." He responded, struggling to stand as he looked at her. "... You lied to me."

"Lucci…" Boshca started to say, actually managing to look guilty…except Lucci couldn't even trust himself to know if this was genuine or not. "I know what I did was terrible I…I..I shouldn't have taken Vitimir's deal…"

"I'm not mad that you sold me out, I'm mad that you lied about it." He admitted. "You were always so truthful, and upfront, it was incredible to witness … I can't even be mad you sold me out, because I got too weak to keep up." Lucci turned away. "I probably look like the most pathetic and stupid sap to you. No wonder I was such an easy mark to trick." The boy tried to hobble the best he could. And even worse, his healing was still off, just what he needed today.

"Lucci…" Boscha tried to say again.

"Just…just go. Go and be popular and step over alley scum like me…that's all I'm good for now." He began walking away.

Amity and Willow looked at each other and sighed, before looking at Boscha and scowling. "Come near my friends again and I'll kill you." Willow threatened as Amity released her.

Boscha just stood in place for a second as they all started to leave her behind. This was it. This was the end of the line. Lucci would move on with his life and focus his attention on something more important. Maybe he'll find another crush someday…but for now…now was the end of it-"WAIT!" Boscha yelled. "You said you'd admire me for how honest I was, so please…please at least believe me when I say I fucked up! I'm a fucking idiot who doesn't even know what's she's doing!"

"Just keep on walking Lucci, she doesn't mean it." Amity spoke, trying to push him forward.

"I mess with people I think are weak, I don't have regrets for that, but that's because I HAVE to be strong, or else I have nothing!" Boscha kept spouting. "No one wants to be my friend naturally, so I'm surrounded by a bunch of yes men that get on my nerves constantly because NONE of them truly get me!" 

"Don't fall for it Lucci, she's just using you again." Willow held onto his arm, also pulling him forward.

"You're the only one…you're the only fucking person I've ever met that's been nice to me by choice! You're parents don't bribe you to hang out with me, I don't threaten you to support every choice I make, and you've asked anything of me! You're the only good person in my life, Lucci! I'm sorry I fucked that up! I'm sorry I didn't treat you better!" The three eyed girl fell to her knees. "I'm tired of always being alone….please….please believe me."

She was lying, she had to be lying, don't fall for it again, don't fall for it again and get your heart broken again. It won't survive a second time. "Why did you save me?" Damn it. He felt himself turning around to see the pitiable sight that had him all jumbled up on the inside. "Vitimir said he offered you a deal. Whatever it was, it was something you obviously wanted and jumped on board without a second thought. Why would someone like you give up what anyone else would do without a second thought?"

"Because … Because …" She shook her head violently, slapping herself before standing up and walking to him. "Because … you infected me." She grabbed his shirt. "Just like the human did for Blight." Wait, what was that supposed to-

And then the lips of an angel rested upon him. The entire world seemed to slow to a standstill, silent and eternal as seconds lasted eternities. Softness never known to witch-kind was explored as the taste of poison berry filled every sensation he could ever experience.

"....What….the…..fuck…?" Willow asked as everyone else was too starstruck at this amazing moment to do anything else.

"...Any chance this is somehow a lie…." Gus asked Amity.

"..Boshca's played the cruel love interest card before….but she's never does physical contact….this…I don't know what this is." Amity answered.

The lips disengaged. "Aaahhhh….." His brain was malfunctioning.

"And Lucci." She stated. "You, are not, weak."

"Waaaaa …" His heart was thumping faster than a jackalopes, his body was filled with a warm sensation as a pink glow filled the air, every sore spot becoming un-sore within seconds, his cuts stopped bleeding, and he could feel himself standing firm.

"And … that's all, alright." She began running away, a major blush on her face as she left the forest.

"Uuuuuwaaaa." Did what just happen, happen? Was he actually living before this moment? How could he have gone his entire life without knowing there was such a great feeling of…feelings that two people could give one another.

"I'm still…I'm still very… very lost right now." Gus asked. "Is….Is Boscha….in LOVE with LUCCI?!"

"I don't care if I'm underage, I need Apple Blood." Amity muttered. "Because … wow."

"Make that two of us." Willow still stood still. "I…I don't know…what just happened….and I wish I didn't see it happen." When did his life get so magical?

========================================================================

Vitimir coughed as he drank another elixir to cure the poison. "Such a … potent mix." A talent wasted on a hormonal teenager. His nerve endings were still burning like no tomorrow, and the lower half of his face was scared and decayed. Good thing he was used to wearing a mask all the time even before this. 

The poison in his system prevented the burns from the explosion from being healed. Even Cuttburn, who had first hand experience with such an attack, was unable to do much for him other than painkillers, which he couldn't take otherwise he'd risk impearing his judgment and decisive thinking.

"Never thought I'd see the day a Coven Head gets their ass kicked from a bunch of children." Mason put his two cents in. "Golden Guard over here notwithstanding."

"I fought a witch who was half Crystal Devil, I feel justified in a single loss." The child tried to defend their failure.

"If you want to talk about getting their asses kicked, look to Cutburn." Adrian pointed to the healing coven head. "She's was thoroughly burned and exploded when the brat was a tot, and has failed to kill him for ten years."

"It'll change soon." The woman responded coldly. "Soon I'll watch that brat come apart into dust." She sadistically grinned.

"Hmm … I'd actually like to voice my opinion on that." Vitimir made himself known. "I've been experimenting with a sample of his blood." He held up the vial.

"Rafghghgr?" Ebberwolf questioned.

"Yes, the child is only half Crystal Devil, the other half…that I'm still working on." It was baffling how seamless the organic matter and inorganic matter working in unison. By all means, the boy was a walking anomaly that shouldn't even be capable of breathing. "And while some results are still pending and require larger samples, I have made some miraculous discoveries with it. For example." He tossed a smidge of it to one of Terra Snapdraggon's plants…which made it grow ten times it's size and twice the vibrancy.

"Oh, how fascinating." The woman smiled. "Perfect fertilizer for my children, isn't that right?"

"Braaa!" The avocado thing shouted, trying to punch her.

"Oh none of that." Multiple vines wrapped around it, holding it to the ground. "I'll make sure you grow up nice and obedient, or kill you trying." And people called himterrifying.

"That's only one example. Another is this." He tossed another sample at Darius, who's arms immediately transmuted to abomination when it came into contact.

"What are you trying to do?! I just got this cloaked dry clean…why is it turning pink?" His arm bubbled and boiled

"Ah, that would be the explosive energy kicking in." Cutburn explained. "I'll try and give you a new arm when that one is gone."

"WHAT!?" Darious shouted as he tried to shake it off. "Why would you do this to me Vitmir!?"

"I needed quick visual aid." He shrugged. "And, although I need a larger sample for more prudent results, watch what happens when it comes into contact with scarred skin." He lifted up one of his gloves and poured a little on his injured hand….which healed and cleared up instantly."

"Potent." Hettie growled out.

"Yes, he instantly would heal himself upon injury, no wonder he's so durable." The man explained. "The boy is by all means a living gauldur stone. If we could get him alive, we could advance magic by-"

"Oh Vitimir." A familiar and cold voice spoke up. "Please do not tell me you are trying to go against the Titan. I'd hate to lose a Coven Head so close to the day of unity."

"Oh..no…no…no of course not, Lord Belos." He bowed, making sure to not insulate anything that could get him exiled or killed. "I was just pondering how collecting a few samples could be beneficial for everyone…including fixing the portal door."

"You may take as many samples from the boy as you wish." Belos clarified. "However, you may only do so from his corpse. I will not tolerate this child alive as long as he has been." The Emperor turned to the Golden Guard. "Speaking of … I believe I gave you a mission."

"Ye-yes Lord Belos." It was always an enjoyable treat to watch every Golden guard squirm. There was still a betting pool around how the last one died. Some believed it was the suicide, other's thought it was the Rainbow Devil, and a few believed it was Belos himself who did it.

"If I may." The now one armed Darius spoke, an annoyed look on his face. "All this effort for one Crystal Devil seems a bit … overkill. Especially with threats like the Rainbow Devil on the loose. Is there something we should be aware of, Lord Belos?"

The Emperor stood silent for a second, everyone believing he was probably going to strike down Darius for speaking out of turn. "It's not so much the child as much as where he comes from." The Emperor spoke everly, walking around the Coven heads. "Long, long ago, before the Rainbow Devil ever came to the Boiling Isles, there was another one of her kind that roamed the land. A Crystal Devil with their mind intact, one that walked and talked just as you and I do."

"Mgrraaa!?" Emberwolf shouted out in shock, jumping back. "Grrr?" Yes, it did seem insane to believe.

"They were a madwoman, wanting to use thorn filled vines to cover the land, raising the titan up and using it as a puppet." He explained. "She covered the land in sentient plants as an army, made deals to heal others in return for favors, and was unmatched in the mindscape."

They all turned to Osran. "If Mason couldn't beat the Rainbow Devil in construction, then the same would hold true for me and Adrian." He spoke bluntly. That was mildly horrifying.

"She was eventually banished from this realm with a spell made by a human, all knowledge burned and locked away for those tempted to bring her back into this world." Wait, there was another human that lived on the Isles? "Her wrath on the land was so devastating it took nearly a hundred years to wipe away all traces of her presence and influence. That is the tale of the Thorn Quartz." A red image popped up from the Emperor's staff, showing off a tall pink skin woman with unnaturally curly hair, a familiar looking rock on her stomach. "That child, Lucifer Clawthorne, has the potential to reach the exact same level of threat she held, and I will not let anything go to chance."

Adrian turned over to Osran. "Well you're the oracle, what do you see in his future?"

The man simply sat with a content look on his face. "I see several….several fights with the next generation in the future, and the day of unity arriving just as planned. The child and his associates will do what they can to heed our progress, but it'll all be for naught in the end."

"Still too close for my comfort." He turned to the Coven Heads. "Do what you can to exterminate him, are we understood?" Belos questioned, a bit of his will leaking into the air.

" Understood." Everyone said all at once without question. Paradise was only a few months away….he supposed a corpse of an interesting specimen was better than no specimen at all.