Between Worlds (The Owl House AU)

It was another lively morning at the day market. Eda, Luz, King, and Finn were working hard, trying to sell Eda's so-called "human collectibles." Eda was dusting the table, trying to keep it tidy—unexpectedly fastidious for someone like her. Meanwhile, Finn was asleep in a hammock he'd set up between two trees with his plant magic. Luz and King were engrossed in one of Luz's The Good Witch Azura books, which she had packed for summer camp. Luz read aloud for Eda and King to hear, "'Emboldened by the dishonor Hecate had shown, Azura lifted her staff to the cotton candy skies and shouted, 'I challenge you to a Witch's Duel!'" She added, "And look, I drew a flip book!" and showed a small illustration in the book's corner of Azura and Hecate dueling.

Excited by the story, King exclaimed, "Show me the picture!"

"What?"

"Show me the picture!" Luz turned the book to show him. "Ha! I can draw better than that. They once called me the King of artists!" He raised a hand dramatically toward the sky.

"Wait, I thought you were the King of demons." Luz looked surprised. "Are you just making this up now?"

King brushed it off. "Doesn't matter. What's important is that my followers used to leave me offerings in fear of me."

"Well, I can offer you more of this tantalizing book."

Eda groaned. "Ugh! Please stop reading that. Its flowery language is an insult to witches and is driving away all our serious customers!" She waved her feather duster at Luz and King.

Luz looked around. "Uh, Eda, what customers? It's so slow, Finn has literally been asleep since we set up." She pointed to the sleeping boy, his eye mask on, rocking in the wind. "There aren't even any other stands around. What's going on?"

Eda suddenly looked serious. "This is a bad omen. Something horrible must be happening today."

Just then, Willow and Gus arrived. "Luz, something amazing is happening today!" Gus said excitedly.

"Gus! Willow!" Luz greeted them.

Willow held up a flyer. "It's the annual covention! Student witches get to see all the covens before they're placed. There's even a mystery guest this year!"

"A job fair for witches? Eda, can we go?" Luz leaned on Eda.

"Absolutely not! I never joined a coven for a reason. Sure, it's like a fun club, but you're giving up magical independence to join a crooked system." She pounded the table for emphasis. "But no judgment. I haven't been to one since we were girls."

Luz caught on. "We?"

"Uh, I mean…" Eda stammered.

"Who's 'we'?" Luz pointed at her. "You have a mysterious past. Now we have to go!"

"No," Eda groaned.

"Then you leave me no choice." Luz gestured to King.

"You shall not shant do'eth no more harm, Azura calleth out!" King recited from the book.

"So flowery, so awful!" Eda groaned, summoning a portal and stepping through it. Luz tossed King in after her, book and all. She reappeared, annoyed. "Stop it! I'll do anything to end this!"

Eda's shouting woke Finn. "What's with all the shouting? Can't a guy take an eight-hour nap in peace?" He stretched, then noticed the flyer Willow was holding. "Oh, the covention's back again already?" He smiled. "Let's go! They always have great food and free swag you can…" He trailed off, eyes widening as he read the flyer more closely. "On second thought, who needs this boring thing? We could do something even more fun." He snatched the flyer from Willow and began tearing it up.

Luz eyed him suspiciously. "Okay…what was that about?"

"Nothing. Just thought we could do something better. Outdoors, maybe." Finn shrugged. "The Knee is beautiful this time of day. Let's go now!" He tried to walk away, but Willow stopped him.

"Wait a moment." She checked her scroll, reading about the covention events. Smirking, she said, "Aha! I know why you don't want to go."

"Okay, don't keep us waiting!" Gus encouraged.

"Yeah, anything that scares him must be amazing!" Luz grinned.

Seeing Finn so rattled, even Eda was curious. "This has got me wondering too."

Willow smiled. "Well, it turns out that—"

Finn quickly held a blade of grass to her throat. "Finish that sentence, and I'll slice you in half, Willow."

Willow looked unimpressed. "You're threatening me with a plant? Seriously?" She cast a spell, turning the grass blade into vines that wrapped around Finn, immobilizing him. "Alright, where was I? Oh, right—the reason he doesn't want to go is…" She paused for dramatic effect. "All four of his exes are giving demonstrations!"

"Magic teen witch drama! Yes, yes, yes! Tell me everything!" Luz squealed, thrilled by the drama.

"MMMMMMMMHHHHHH!" Finn tried to protest, but the vines muffled him.

Eda chuckled. "So, the tough-as-nails apprentice is scared of a little reunion with his old flames?" She smirked as he glared and struggled. "It's obvious what we have to do now." She glanced around at the others. "We're picking him up and taking him to the covention! And if we're lucky, we'll get to see some fireworks too."

"I'm in if it means we go to the covention!" Luz agreed eagerly.

"Me too. I can tell the tragic story of Finn's love life." Willow smirked at him.

"I don't really get all of this, so I'll just go with the flow," Gus shrugged.

"Terrible romance stories aside, I've got nothing better to do." King chimed in.

"Perfect." Eda cast a spell to lift Finn, making him easier to transport. "We don't want him running off before we get there, so let's go."

As they carried him along, Finn struggled, thinking only one thing: I will bury all of you for this!

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

On the walk to the convention, Luz couldn't contain herself any longer. "Willow, please tell me the epic tales of romance that Finn was involved in!"

Willow chuckled at her. "Now, keep in mind, most of what I heard is from rumors or second-hand accounts, so I wouldn't say they were epic. But some of them were actually romantic—for Finn, at least."

"HHHHUUUMMMMHHHH!!!" (Hey! I'm always romantic!)

"Alright, now you have my attention," Eda chimed in. "I mean, I can't ever imagine this guy over here being head over heels for anyone." She let out a snicker. "And you said he has four exes? Hard to imagine just one girl giving him the time of day."

"Well, there were, and that's not even the best part—all four of them go to Glandus."

"What's Glandus?" Luz asked.

Eda answered her, "Glandus is Hexside's mortal enemy. Everyone there is just a bunch of jerks," she scowled.

"Huh! Not only are his exes going to be there, but they all go to a rival school! This is the best day ever! Romance and drama—it's like I'm watching a school life drama!" Luz jumped up and down with excitement. "So who's first? Are they all amazing, beautiful bad girls? Or are they rich, snooty good girls? I need to know!"

"Okay, okay, Luz, calm down." Willow zoomed in on a picture on her scroll and showed it to Luz. "Alright, let's start with the first ex. Her name was Bonnie." The picture Willow showed was of a tall, slender girl with long, magenta-pink hair.

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

"You see, Bonnie was actually four years older than Finn."

"Ooo, so you have a thing for older women, huh?" Luz turned to him, wiggling her eyebrows.

"Should I start keeping my guard up around you, then?" Eda smirked at him.

Finn rolled his eyes at Eda. "Hmmhmmmhmmmhmhhh" (Don't worry, you don't have to worry about anything from me.)

Eda's expression darkened. "Alright, I don't know what you said, but I'm pretty sure you were mocking me."

Willow giggled. "So, as it turns out, it all started as a one-sided crush. Finn practically spent all his free time following her around."

"Ooo, stalker love," Luz cooed.

"Isn't that illegal?" Gus asked, wide-eyed.

"That's stupid. You should have just cornered her and said, 'Hey! You. Me. Together. NOW!'" King declared confidently.

"King, that's not how you ask someone to be in a relationship," Luz scolded the fuzzy little guy.

"You sure? I've heard Eda say something similar before," he said, pointing toward Eda.

Everyone turned to Eda.

"What? I get straight down to business. I don't play games," she smirked.

Wanting to get back on track, Willow continued the story. "Until one day, Bonnie was attacked by a beast that went out of control and escaped from a member of the Beast Keeping Coven."

"Ha! See what I tell you kids? Covens are nothing but a group of weaklings huddling together," Eda scoffed.

"So Finn, being Finn, just charged right in without thinking, formed a giant arm made of grass, and punched it right in the face, knocking it out."

Luz gasped. "So he was a knight in shining armor! Classic isekai hero trope—hero saves girl, then girl falls in love with the hero. Was it something like that?"

"Well, it must have been. After that day, everyone in school saw them together—walking through the day market, practicing magic. In fact, Finn even helped her develop her abomination magic."

"Abomination magic?"

"Yeah, she's the top abomination track student at Glandus. So imagine Amity, but a little bit older."

Luz stopped, picturing a grown-up Amity, and then blushed. "Wow…ah, that is something to imagine, alright."

Finn raised an eyebrow at Luz's comment. "Hmmhmmm." (I see.)

"So what happened next?" Luz asked eagerly.

"Actually, you'd have to ask Finn that. After about a week, they just broke up out of the blue. No argument—just over."

"Well, good luck trying to get anything out of this guy," Eda said. "He's not exactly what you'd call an open book."

Finn started to think, remembering his time with Bonnie. He had really liked her—she was fun, smart, a little stubborn, but kind and gentle.

Then, a voice only Finn could hear echoed in his mind: The Lich. "I remember this one…she was the replacement for the Blight girl, wasn't she? Brains, looks, and abominations—you couldn't be more obvious even if you tried, hahaha." The Lich chuckled darkly.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Bonnie had a sad look on her face. "Finn, I think you know why I called you here."

Finn mirrored her expression. "Yeah, I can kind of guess I won't like this, right?"

"There's no easy way to say this, so here it is: I think we should break up."

"Can I at least ask you why?"

Bonnie smiled gently. "I think you already know." She saw the confusion on his face and continued, "I could tell whenever we were together—you'd have this faraway look in your eyes, like you were seeing me as someone else."

"Can I say that I never intended to—"

"No, Finn, it's alright." She walked over, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I think I owe you an apology as well. I sort of… used you as more of an experiment."

"What are you talking about?"

"Alright, I'll come clean. I've never been in love before. When you saved me that day, I felt genuinely happy that someone cared enough about me to do something like that." Bonnie looked away, her voice softer. "So when you asked, 'Do you want to be my girlfriend,' I felt more indebted to you than anything else, so I said yes to see if this could become something real."

Finn nodded, processing her words. "I knew you were too smart not to see it. Can we still be friends, then? I still think you're an amazing person, Bonnie."

Bonnie smiled, relieved. "Sure, I mean, we both had our reasons, right? Come here." She pulled him into a hug, then looked up at him one last time, placing a gentle kiss on his forehead. "I hope the girl you really want returns your feelings. Good luck, my hero." With that, she left him standing there, alone with his thoughts.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Luz, not done with all the relationship drama, asked, "So after Bonnie, who was the lucky lady after her?"

"Oh, that one is someone practically everyone who loves music knows." Willow pulled up another picture, revealing a girl with light blue-gray skin, crooked fangs, and long, midnight black hair that reached her feet. She was holding a red lute, modified to look like an axe. "Everyone, I'd like to introduce you to Marceline."

Luz grabbed the scroll to get a closer look. "Wow! A bad girl this time, and she looks about the same age as Bonnie." She looked at Finn, smirking. "Looks like you have a type."

"Yeah, Marceline is pretty well-known in the music industry and is the top student in the bard track." Willow then showed a picture of her performing in front of a large crowd.

"Ooo, famous bad girl. Now we're talking!" Luz said, clearly impressed.

Gus was stunned. "Wait, wait, wait, hold up! Are you seriously saying he dated the Bard Demon!?"

"Yeah, I know. Trust me, no one would've believed it." Willow looked for something on her scroll. "Unless they had definitive proof!" She then played a video.

It was dark as two figures made their way onto a stage, which then lit up, revealing Finn and Marceline in matching flannel shirts and blue jeans.

"Oh my god! They were a matchy-matchy couple!" Luz exclaimed with glee.

"Ugh, the girl can pull off that look, but Finn… I'm afraid you look more like her younger brother than her boyfriend," Eda teased.

"Mmhmhmmhmhmmhmmm." (Oh please, like you're one to talk. At least I have some fashion sense.)

Eda slapped the back of his head. "Okay, I know you definitely deserved that one." Hard to believe she was that sharp.

The music started playing, and Finn began to sing.

"Hey,

Good little girl,

Always picking a fight with me…"

Finn took a playful swing with his lute, which Marceline ducked under at the last second, continuing to play as if nothing happened.

"You know that I'm bad,

But you're spending the night with me.

What do you want from my world?"

Marceline sang her part, leaning closer to him.

"Bad little boy,

That's what you're acting like.

I really don't buy

That you're that kind of guy…"

She leaned in so close that Finn had to lean back.

"And if you are,

Why do you want to hang out with me?"

Finn started to float around the stage, singing,

"Don't you know I'm a villain?

Every night I'm out killin',

Sending everyone runnin' like children.

I know why you're mad at me.

I've got demon eyes…"

His eyes suddenly glowed green.

"And they're looking right through your anatomy…"

He glanced down at her.

"Into your deepest fears. Baby, I'm not from here;

I'm from the Night, you hear.

To me, you're clear, transparent.

You got a thing for me, girl, it's apparent."

He floated down and landed right in front of her, gazing deep into her eyes with a smile.

"They were a duet! That's amazing! Finn, I would love to hear some of your music sometime," Luz exclaimed.

"Huh, you were actually a pretty good performer, kid. Maybe I should make you sing next to the stand to attract more suckers—I mean, customers," Eda mused.

"So it was true… please tell me you can get me an autograph! I'm a huge fan!" Gus pleaded with Finn.

"You might want to hold off on that, Gus. Remember, ex," Willow reminded him.

"Oh, man." Gus looked disappointed.

"They looked so happy together. They really had good chemistry. What happened?" Luz asked, looking at the video sadly.

Willow glanced at Finn, prompting everyone else to do the same. Finn just shrugged. He closed his eyes, remembering what happened after that show.

The Lich's voice echoed in his mind. "This one was more entertaining. Too bad she was just an outlet for a sad, depressed child who couldn't speak his own mind. Hahaha." Amusement dripped from every word as he mocked Finn's silence and failure.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Finn and Marceline were in their dressing room, catching their breath after another amazing show. Finn sat down, toweling himself off, while Marceline watched him thoughtfully before speaking, a hint of sadness in her voice. "I know you didn't write that song for me."

Finn looked up, confused. "What are you talking about? You were the only one next to me on stage."

"Yeah," she said quietly, "but you weren't singing to me."

"Marceline, where is this coming from—?"

"I'm a musician, Finn. Did you think I wouldn't notice? Your lyrics, your body language, even the way you play—it all says that you're in love with someone who lives in a completely different world."

Finn hesitated. "What world are you talking about?"

"I don't know, but your last few songs have been about that," she said, her voice wavering. "Like I'm Just Your Problem. It's all about being ignored by someone you love, and I know that someone isn't me." She looked down, sniffling, as she wiped a tear from her eye.

"Marcy, those are all your songs. You wrote them, you sang them."

"I only wrote the melody, Finn. You wrote the lyrics—that's what made us a great team." She paused, gathering herself. "But now, I'm not so sure… I think we need to break up. Both the band and this relationship."

"If that's how you feel, then—"

"No, Finn," she interrupted gently. "That's how you feel." She walked over to him, pulling him into a tight hug. She sighed. "I really hope whoever you're singing for can get your message." She rested her forehead against his. "Don't stop playing, and definitely don't stop singing, either. Or else I'm gonna kick your butt!" They both chuckled, the laughter easing the sadness in the room, if only for a moment.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Luz's eyes sparkled as she shook her head in awe. "Man, this is so sad… but we're only halfway done, and I don't leave anything halfway," she said, determined.

Willow grinned as she pulled up another picture, showing a girl with fiery, waist-length orange-red hair styled like flames rising above her head and yellow-orange skin. "Meet Phoebe, top student in the potions track and captain of the Glandus High Grudgeby team, nicknamed Flame Princess."

Luz couldn't help but smirk. "Okay, now this one is really hot! And yes, that pun was definitely intended."

Eda raised her eyebrows. "Captain of the Grudgeby team, huh? You know, when I went to Hexside, I was team captain too." She crossed her arms with a proud grin. "Yup, back in my gory days."

"Don't you mean glory days?" Luz asked, eyebrows raised.

"Nope," Eda replied. "Trust me, there was a lot of blood on that field."

Luz scrunched her face. "Moving on before I get nightmares. Willow, what happened with this ex?"

Willow's grin widened. "Well, rumor has it that Phoebe was Finn's first kiss."

Luz's eyes widened. "A first kiss with an amazing, hot athlete!" She turned to Finn, starry-eyed. "Your love life is like a teen drama, and I'm lucky enough to see it all."

King, who had been silent until now, finally piped up. "Alright, I've had about enough of this lovey-dovey stuff." He pulled out a small bag, slipped it over his head, and plopped down on top of Finn with a dramatic, "Wake me up when we get—ZZZ!"

Luz shook her head and turned back to Willow eagerly. "Ignore him. Let's get back to the story!"

"Okay, so it all started during an away game at Glandus. We were all cheering for Hexside when some jerks decided to start taunting us."

Luz huffed. "Ugh, why can't people just let others be?"

"Because riling up an enemy is way more entertaining than you'd think," Eda said with a knowing smirk.

Willow continued, "None of us were dumb enough to take the bait, but then one of the Glandus kids bumped into Finn, knocking his food onto the ground. Finn just looked at his food, then up at the kid's smug grin… and, well, he had one of his outbursts. Next thing we knew, he punched the guy square in the face. The kid's friends didn't take that well, so they tried to gang up on him. But Finn tossed them around like rag dolls."

Luz chuckled. "Yeah, given what I've seen him do to coven scouts, I can tell he can handle himself against a few Glandus bullies."

Willow nodded. "When security finally tried to break it up, Finn even sent them flying. I guess that impressed her because, as we were leaving, Phoebe stopped him and asked him out. Right in front of everyone."

Luz clasped her hands with a dreamy sigh. "I knew it. Love can transcend even high school rivalries."

Eda smirked. "Bold move. Good to see some people in your generation have the backbone to take what they want."

"Hold on," Willow said, holding up her hand. "They only dated for about a week."

Luz's face fell. "Only a week? Why so short?"

Willow shrugged. "Not really sure, but I do know they broke up after their first kiss."

Luz tilted her head, confused. "Why would they break up over one kiss?"

Willow leaned in, barely able to hold back her laughter. "Because practically everyone in Bonesborough knows about what happened next. The day after their kiss, a huge pillar of green and orange-yellow flames erupted out of nowhere. And Finn came to school with scorched lips."

"WHAT!" everyone exclaimed in unison.

Eda chuckled, crossing her arms. "Should we call you Mr. Hot Lips now, kid?"

The Lich's mocking voice returned, sneering in Finn's mind. "Passion is the fuel used to ignite love… and for you, that was literal."

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

After an intense practice Grudgeby match, Finn and Phoebe lay on the field together, watching clouds drift by, the world peacefully quiet around them. Finn broke the silence, his voice soft. "Hey, Phoebe?"

"Yeah, Finn?"

He hesitated before speaking, turning his head toward her. "I… I just wanted to say that I like this. It just feels… right."

"Right?" Phoebe raised an eyebrow, smirking. "What do you mean?"

Finn looked back at the sky, choosing his words carefully. "I've had some pretty bad luck with relationships. Every time I think things are going well, something happens to wreck it. But this, being here with you… it just feels different. I feel happy."

Phoebe smiled at him, shaking her head with a small laugh. "Hey now, don't get all mushy on me. Where's that rampaging witch I asked out?" They both chuckled, and for a moment, the world felt small and simple.

Their laughter faded as they looked into each other's eyes, and without thinking, Finn leaned in, and Phoebe met him halfway. Their lips touched for a brief, electrifying moment—but as they kissed, something went wrong. Their magic powers surged out of control, clashing in a blinding flash of light. Green and orange-yellow flames burst from them, erupting into two pillars that shot skyward, and when the light faded, both lay unconscious in a massive, smoky crater.

They woke up in the hospital, each with bandages and faint scorch marks, as their concerned parents stood nearby, talking. After a difficult conversation, it was decided that until Finn and Phoebe could control their powers and emotions, it would be best for them to keep their distance.

As they faced each other awkwardly, Phoebe spoke first. "I'm sorry."

They both said it at the same time, eyes widening in surprise before awkward smiles broke the tension. Finn scratched the back of his head, a sheepish grin on his face. "I, uh… I tend to lose control when I get too emotional," he admitted.

Phoebe giggled. "I'll take that as a compliment. And for what it's worth, I've got the same issue. Guess this was just never meant to be, huh?"

They stood in silence for a few moments, both realizing that this was it. Smiling sadly, they moved to hug but stopped themselves, remembering the explosion, and instead extended hands for a parting handshake. With one last look, they turned and walked away.

Finn felt a lingering sadness over how things had ended, realizing how rare it was to find someone on the same wavelength, someone bold, confident, unafraid to be themselves. Yet he knew he couldn't dwell on it, and he locked the memories away, choosing to keep moving forward, even with a small piece of his heart missing.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

"Wow, that last one was pretty short. What about the final ex? Was it short just like the last one?" Luz asked, curiosity still burning.

"Yeah, it was," Willow replied, flipping to the final picture. "Meet the last ex in this saga." The image she showed was of a tall girl with green hair styled to resemble leaves, two branch-like antlers sprouting from her head, and light green eyes with dark, cat-like pupils. Her skin was a unique turquoise shade. "This is Huntress. Personally, she was my favorite among Finn's exes—she's the top student in the plant track."

"Wow, she really looks like she's one with nature," Luz said, staring at the image with interest.

"I'd bet she's one of those environmentalists who can't help but remind you to recycle," Eda remarked, rolling her eyes.

"Man, she's tall," Gus added, eyes wide.

Willow hesitated for a moment before explaining. "It's…hard to describe their relationship. They were almost more like research partners than an actual couple," she finally said, prompting a few raised eyebrows from the group. "They spent tons of time together discussing different beasts, their habitats, plants, growing conditions—things like that. But outside of those interests, it was almost like they were a mystery to everyone else."

For Finn, Huntress was someone he wished he could forget. She was exceptional, skilled, and laser-focused on her goals, and sadly, one of those goals hadn't included him.

The Lich's voice echoed in his mind. "You were more than a match for her—strong, fast, resilient. If you both had been wild animals, you'd have made the perfect pair. But then, emotions are always the weak link, aren't they?"

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Huntress had asked Finn to help her with a summoning ritual, and not wanting to seem insensitive to his new girlfriend, he agreed without a second thought. "Alright, I'm here. So, what are we doing exactly?"

"Finn, thanks for coming," Huntress began, her tone focused yet appreciative. "I need help summoning the Forest Spirit."

"Uh, the what now?" Finn's confusion was evident.

"I should explain," she said. "Since you're in the bard track, I need your musical skills. There's a specific song required to summon this spirit."

"And… why are we summoning it?" Finn asked, trying to understand the urgency.

"I have some questions only the Forest Spirit can answer."

"Oh. Good thing I always have some instruments handy for, uh, just the occasion," Finn said with a small grin, pulling out a flute. He began playing, pouring his energy into each note. As the hours passed and the sun dipped below the horizon, he eventually stopped. "Huntress, I don't think he's showing up."

"Darn… maybe we can try again tomorrow? Same time?" she suggested, but Finn looked down, visibly hesitant.

"Actually, I need to ask you something," Finn said quietly, nerves getting the better of him. "Are you… are you just dating me so you could use this spell? What exactly are you looking for?"

Huntress was silent for a moment, considering his question. Then she replied, "I… worry that 'hard meat don't get eat,' as they say. If I ever find what I'm truly looking for, maybe I'll go soft. Maybe I'll lose my edge and stop mattering in this world. Fear of that softness drove me into the mad, lonely world of magic." She paused, then leaned forward and kissed him softly. "Finn, you're an exceptional beast with amazing hair, but… exceptional beasts like us? We can't fall in love. That's the secret of ordinary people."

"So… I guess this is it, huh?"

"It would seem so, yeah."

Finn walked slowly into the darkness of the forest, her words echoing in his mind. He wondered if all the pain he'd been through had been worth it or if he was just chasing something he'd never be able to hold onto.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

After finishing Finn's final ex story, the group finally arrived at the covention.

"Yay! Witch convention!" Luz cheered, bouncing on her toes in excitement.

"Oh joy," Eda deadpanned, though a smirk crept onto her face as she eyed Finn. "At least I can find some amusement in watching Finn get torn apart by his ex-girlfriends here."

"That would be a sight," Willow chuckled, and everyone turned to look at her. "What? I have a dark side, you know."

Gus joined in, scheming aloud, "Hey, do you think I could get the Bard Demon's autograph after she fights Finn?"

"Come on, guys! For all we know, they might still be friends after the breakups," Luz tried to be optimistic, though the others quickly burst into laughter.

"Oh, Luz, you sweet, naive child," Eda wiped a tear from her eye. "Thanks for the laugh; I don't remember the last time I laughed so hard."

"Now let's get this over with," she added, pulling up her cowl. "I don't want to stay here any longer than I need to. Gotta keep a low profile."

Luz tried to help her fix the cowl. "Is this really necessary?"

"Do you think my wanted posters are for petty theft alone?" Eda asked, and a pile of random trinkets spilled out of her hair. "Well, partly, but the big reason is I disobey the law and refuse to join a coven. If I'm spotted, I could go to jail… again."

Willow walked next to Eda. "Maybe this informative event will inspire you to join a coven!"

Eda just rolled her eyes and cast a spell to flip Willow's cowl over her head, making Luz and Gus snicker.

As they opened the doors to the main hall, Luz's eyes went wide at the bustling stalls and banners hanging from the ceiling. "Whoa, was I even alive before now?"

Gus took on a tour guide tone, explaining, "Those banners represent the main nine covens, but there are hundreds of smaller covens you could join too."

Willow began listing some of the smaller covens. "There's the flower coven, the artist coven, the big dog coven, the small cat coven, the tiniest cat coven—"

Eda groaned, already bored, while Luz, Gus, and Willow laughed and dodged her pretend threats. Together, they watched the presentations from different covens as Eda and the restrained Finn kept out of sight.

Suddenly, a voice called out, "Sister?" It was Lilith, who was busy signing autographs for some children. She approached with a warm yet suspicious smile. "It's been so long since I've seen you, Edalyn. I see you're still up to no good." Her gaze drifted over to Finn, narrowing. "Kidnapping children now, Eda? Oh, whatever happened to you?"

Eda rolled her eyes and waved a dismissive hand. "For your information, Lily, this young man is my apprentice." She released Finn from the restraints. "Let me introduce—"

"Finn?" Lilith's eyes widened in recognition. "What in the name of the Titan are you doing with her?"

"Wait, you know Finn?" Eda asked, confused.

"I can explain," Finn began, but his hand started glowing red. He glanced down, startled, before looking back up. "But not right now—see ya!" He shot off, leaving the two Clawthorne sisters staring after him in utter confusion.

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Finn soared through the covention at top speed, skidding to a sudden halt when he spotted Luz—standing with Amity. He braced himself, knowing that nothing good was going to come of this, especially if Amity was involved. Without hesitation, he dived straight towards them.

BOOM!

The crash landing drew stares, and Luz and Amity turned toward him in surprise.

"What… is happening?" Amity asked, clearly confused.

"I think I know…" Luz's eyes narrowed before she gasped. "FINN! You told me you took off the tracking spell!"

"Finn?" Amity's voice was laced with shock, her eyes widening as she recognized her old friend. He quickly grabbed her hand, his expression serious.

"Okay, whatever crazy thing you were about to drag Luz into, I'll take her place."

Both girls gaped at him, stunned by his sudden declaration.

"Very well," Amity replied coolly. "Meet me in the arena in twenty minutes." She threw one last glare at Luz before turning and walking away.

Before Luz had a chance to respond, Finn scooped her into a princess carry and took off, heading back toward Eda. Luz blushed, barely processing what was happening until they were already in the air.

When Eda saw Finn returning with Luz in his arms, she crossed her arms, her glare sharp. "Alright, mister, I want answers!"

"Those can wait, Eda," Finn said urgently. "I just challenged Amity to a fight to keep Luz out of trouble."

Lilith, who had spotted them, raised an eyebrow. "Well, isn't this interesting? My former top student against my current one. I'll be there, Edalyn—I can't wait to see what your apprentice is made of." She smirked, giving Eda a look before walking off.

Eda snapped out of her shock, leveling her gaze at Finn. "So… you want to explain why Lilith was your teacher before me?"

"Um, as much as I'd love to discuss that right now," Luz interjected, clearly embarrassed, "could you maybe… put me down?"

"No," Finn said, still holding her, "because if I do, you might challenge someone else who's way more experienced in magic to a duel."

Luz could only look away in defeat, muttering under her breath.

Eda tapped her foot impatiently. "Answers. Now."

Finn took a deep breath. "When I first wanted to learn more about different types of magic, I figured the best place to go was the Emperor's Coven. They really do have elite members who know just about everything. Lilith made me her protégé, and for a while, I loved her lessons. She had clear instructions, and the workload was manageable." He paused, his expression darkening. "Until she took on another student… Amity."

"Let me guess," Eda scoffed. "She outshined you and became the number one brown-noser?"

Finn hesitated, his gaze dropping. "No… no, it's… well, it doesn't matter now."

Luz glanced at Eda. "Maybe you could cut him some slack? He's allowed to have more than one teacher, right?"

Eda looked at Finn, then sighed. "Fine, I can forgive you for being Lily's student—but you better win that fight, you hear me?"

Finn nodded his head in agreement. "Great, now that that's settled, can you please let me down now?" Luz asked, still caught in his arms, her tone half-amused and half-embarrassed.

He blinked, finally registering her words. "Oh… yeah, sorry about that." Gently, he set her down, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.

Luz straightened her clothes, giving him a playful grin. "Next time, a heads-up would be nice before the whole dramatic carry-off thing."

Finn chuckled. "Noted. Just… try to avoid any more duels today, alright?"

"Can't make any promises," Luz teased, giving him a quick wink.

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

Finn, Eda, Lilith, and Amity stood on opposite sides of the arena.

"Beloved citizens, the Emperor's Coven proudly presents an impromptu demonstration of the sort of witch we seek every year," Lilith proudly announced before introducing her protégé. "Introducing Amity Blight!" She stepped forward with a grin as the crowd in the stands cheered and applauded.

"Versus my former protégé turned renegade, Finnian Whispers!" The crowd's reaction was less enthusiastic about him.

Eda's eyes went wide upon hearing Finn's full name. "Wait a minute, you're related to Raine?" she asked, shocked by the revelation.

"Technically, yes."

"Technically, we will talk about this later, but for now, you have a fight to win."

"Go, Finn! Win one for the outcasts!" Luz cheered, holding up a makeshift banner that read Win, Finn!

"Yeah! Smash Amity into the dirt!" Willow shouted.

"Go, sports," Gus added.

"Well, Finn's got this in the bag. There's no way he can lose to her," King said, buried in a mountain of free swag he'd been given.

The bell screamed, signaling the start of the fight. Finn and Amity walked toward the center of the arena. Amity made the first move. "Abomination, rise!" she commanded, summoning an abomination five times its normal size. "Whoa," she smirked. "Show me what you've got, second-best—or should I say, first worst?"

Finn looked at her and whispered one word. "Stop."

"You want me to stop? That's not going to happen."

"I wasn't talking to you." He pointed at her abomination, which stood absolutely still, then said another word. "Control." The abomination suddenly turned from purple to black, its eyes shifting from yellow to green as it turned toward Amity, ready to step on her.

"Wait, what?" Amity couldn't believe what she was seeing—an abomination she'd made disobeying her orders. "Abomination, stop!" she cried, jumping out of the way of its stomp.

"Terrifying, isn't it?" Finn's eyes began to glow green. "When something you trust betrays you. A familiar feeling, isn't it, Blight?" The abomination finally captured her, trapping her within its grasp as Finn gave another order. "Squeeze."

The abomination obeyed its new master, and Amity's face began turning pink, then red, and finally purple before Lilith attempted to stop the fight.

"We surrender! You win; now stop this at once!" she pleaded. But it didn't stop—it kept squeezing the life out of Amity. "I said stop! We already surrendered!"

"Kid, didn't you hear her? You won, so you can stop with the death threat now," Eda added. But Finn didn't respond, only looking toward Amity with tears running down his face.

"Finn! Stop! You won!" Luz shouted, noticing his trance-like state. "Eda! Finn's gone glowy-eyed again—knock him out!"

Eda's eyes widened as she noticed the eerie green glow in Finn's eyes, a look she recognized all too well. Without a second thought, she raised her staff and brought it down hard on the back of Finn's head. The blow caused Finn to slump forward, the glowing green in his eyes fading as he fell unconscious.

As Finn dropped to the ground, the abomination he had taken control of released Amity and dissolved into a puddle of purple goo. Amity, catching her breath, staggered backward, her face pale as she looked down at Finn's motionless form. The crowd sat in stunned silence, many murmuring in confusion and shock.

Lilith approached, her gaze cold as she addressed Eda. "Your apprentice is a menace," she hissed. "You'll be held responsible for this."

Eda scoffed, although she kept a protective stance over Finn. "Don't kid yourself, Lily. Finn's a good kid who just needs guidance. And maybe if he hadn't been treated like a tool by you and your coven, he wouldn't have been pushed to this point."

Luz and the others rushed over, worry etched across their faces. Luz bent down next to Finn, her voice soft. "Eda, is he going to be okay?"

Eda sighed, lifting Finn gently. "He'll be fine, kiddo. But we need to get him out of here—now." She looked up, her gaze meeting Lilith's icy stare. "This little reunion is over."

As Eda, Luz, and the others made their way out of the arena, the crowd's whispers grew louder. Amity watched them go, still visibly shaken, but her expression held a glint of something more—perhaps understanding, or regret.

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

As Eda flew out of the arena with Finn's unconscious form draped over her shoulder, Luz and King hanging onto her staff, the crowd erupted in chaos. Lilith rushed to Amity's side, helping her out of the abomination goo, her face a mix of shock and worry.

"What was that?" Amity gasped, still shaken and sore. "He… he controlled my abomination! That shouldn't even be possible!"

Lilith placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Finn's power is… unusual. And clearly, he's struggled to control it. But the Emperor's Coven will be prepared if he decides to show his face here again."

Amity clenched her fists, her pride bruised more than her body. "I'll be ready too."

Meanwhile, high above, Eda glanced back at Finn, still out cold from her swing, and shook her head. "Kid's more trouble than he's worth," she muttered, though her expression softened. "But I'll be cursed if I'm not the one helping him figure it all out."

Luz gripped the staff tighter, her face still pale from the scene she'd witnessed. "Eda, what happened back there? Why did Finn go all… scary?"

Eda sighed. "Some folks are born with a power they can't quite control. And it looks like Finn's one of 'em. Whatever he's got hidden inside, it's strong—and dangerous. We're going to have to figure out how to help him keep it under control before it does any real damage."

King, still comfortably nestled in his mound of convention swag, piped up. "Well, as long as it doesn't keep me from getting more free stuff, I'm good with it."

They landed at the Owl House, and Eda laid Finn on the couch. She looked at Luz with a somber expression. "Luz, if you're going to keep training with him, you're going to have to be careful. If he loses control like that again, we might not be able to stop him so easily."

Luz nodded, her determination clear. "Then I'll help him, Eda. He's my friend. We'll figure this out—together."

Unbeknownst to them, the Lich was plotting a grand scheme, one that would shake the Boiling Isles to its core. "Hahahahahaha, only a few more pieces remain, then I will be reborn."