Boiling Gems (The Owl House x Steven Universe)

Summary: Fame is overrated

Lilith took a sip of her ghoul juice, glancing at Edalyn's cup. "You drink Apple Blood this early in the morning?" She never took her sister's hemogeholic tendencies this seriously until now. Given that the curse was now on the back burner, there were a lot of things to focus on.

"In the Owl House, happy hour is every hour." Her sister answered as she took a large sip. "You gotta take it when you can because you'll never know when a gorgon or something will take it all away."

"How do you never get tipsy?" It was disappointing she had been fighting someone this out of it without progress until she was forced to fight dirty.

"Eh, after twenty years of constantly drinking it, the lines between drunk and sobriety tend to blur a little." The woman shrugged. "The only stomach in this house that should be of concern is Luz." She groaned. "A large chunk of my income came from selling off human junk. How am I supposed to wow them … unless." She smirked, turning to Luz. "Can you make enough human junk for us to sell off?"

"That depends on what you mean by making human junk." The human..,Luz, said awkwardly while biting down on scrambled griffon eggs. "I'm more than willing to sell some of my spare clothes, but I can't just 'poof' nicknacks into thin air."

Her sister groaned. "Only connoisseurs and perverts are interested in that stuff. At this rate I'll … I'll have to look for …" She began gagging. "A … a job."

Lilth wishes she could take a picture of this moment to capture the lion on Edalyn's face for all time. "As encouraged and proud of you as I am right now for willing to take on responsibility, need I remind you that while you may not be wanted anymore, you're still an infamously known thief and liar."

The woman rolled her eyes. "Oh don't be over dramatic."

"You're stealing a lock of my hair right now." She pointed to the disembodied hands.

"Meh, I wanna see if any of your old fanboys or gals would pay a lot. You did attract a lot of weirdos." Fair point. She still wasn't completely convinced Steve wanted something more than a platonic relationship.

"Nah, bad idea. Aunt Lilith's face isn't exactly made to draw large crowds together." Lucifer mocked as he bit into something that smelled like poison berry. "Unless you're going for a haunted house or freak show attraction."

"Lucifer, must you start with the agitation so early in the morning?" Out of all the residents in the house, her nephew had been the least accommodating.

"Are you still breathing?"

"… Yes?" She responded awkwardly.

"Then I'll share my goals with Amity and hate you every waking moment of my life." Sadly, she couldn't fight back on, nor did she feel strong enough to argue back. Much of Edalyn's troubles was on Lilith's terrible choices, and the boy was rightfully upset on the behalf of his mother.

"Lucifer Clawthorne!" They all looked out the window, seeing multiple Coven Scouts surrounding them. "You are to be executed on the spot for the crime of using magic from Crystal Devils!"

"Isn't your house supposed to beat them up by now?" She asked, fairly familiar with the process.

"Usually people try to threaten Eda, who feeds me whenever I do a good job." They turned to the disturbing bird demon. "This time they're threatening Lucci, and he likes to handle it himself."

"Usually yeah, but not at breakfast time." The boy grumbled. "Feel free to wail on them buddy, I got a vole in my room waiting for you when your done."

"Alright boys, tea party time!" The bird shouted, jumping out the window and brutalizing a scout.

"I do not get paid enough for this!" The familiar voice of Severine shouted out.

"I pity those men, even if I'm grateful to not be a part of the assault." She watched as the bird worm inexplicably bulldozed itself through her former subordinates. "It's strange watching from this perspective. Uncanny, disturbing, and almost beautiful in a way."

"Hooty confuses the rest of us too." Luz observed. "I'm not convinced he has a soul on those beady and misleading eyes."

"You're all exaggerating, Hooty is an excellent person." Lucifer rolled his eyes.

"How did you mess that part up?" Lilith questioned her sister.

"Honestly, I think it's the lack of males in his life." Edalyn shrugged. "All he has is Hooty, King, and Goops was a recent thing."

"Gus, and I don't need a dad in my life. I just want to find who he is and beat him up for abandoning me, nothing more, nothing less." Again, this poor… poor child.

"And now we can't even investigate your birth family as an overarching mystery for this next season … of our lives." Luz went on. "Speaking of, what is our plan now?"

"Find a way to make money without magic. I really doubt people are in need of a woman with only four elements under her belt, or said woman could rob places like she used to."

"Guys, guys, you're overlooking the situation." Lucifer scraped his plate of poison. "There's only one high paying job that can get us by: Bounty Hunting." There was an awkward silence in the room. "What?"

"Lucci, you're the highest bounty on the Boiling Isles." Edalyn explained. "One step in, and everyone will be trying to catch you, or us to get to you."

"That's why you guys stay here and try to work out your whole curse deal while I go out and grab the good stuff." He smirked cockily. 

"So, we went from emo boy to ego boy." King spoke up, walking in as he raffled through the fridge. "That's going to end horribly."

"So what if every bounty hunter and their mom is going after me now? That just means every other bounty is going to be free to snag since I'm so high up." Her nephew shrugged. "And if I can break out of the petrification, there's no obstacle I can't break out of."

"While … admittedly impressive." And baffling. "You shouldn't overestimate your own abilities Lucifer."

"Like you did when you thought you could handle my mom after you cursed her?"

"Dude, low blow." Luz nudged the boy in the arm.

"If you thought that was low, wait until we get into abandonment issues." This was hell, and she had no choice but to live in it. "Plus, might I add the Emperor's coven is a joke, especially without their head clown leading them."

Lilith felt her eyes begin to twitch. "Alright, go for it." Edalyn shrugged carelessly, leaning back in her chair and taking a bite of her meal. Correction, Lilith's eye was twitching erratically.

"Dear nephew, while I clearly can't say anything to persuade you from going out.."

"Good, you're finally saying something smart for once."

"…I cannot let you in good conscience go without informing you of a certain obstacle that'll stand in your way." One that was far more insufferable then her nephew could ever hope to be. "The Golden Guard has been appointed the new head of the Emperor's Coven."

"Golden Guard? Isn't that the old fart that died a while back?" Edalyn questioned.

"It's a position, not a person." She explained. "It always belongs to the most trusted member of the Emperor's Coven, with great talent and skill of-"

"If he's as good as you, I'll be fine." The boy carelessly walked out the door.

"… Artificial Magic." She muttered. "Why did you let him go!" She shouted to her sister.

"As much of a mama bird as I am, the only way he's gonna learn to temper that arrogant streak is the same way I learned." Her sister responded.

"Learning you have limits like all living things through a specific challenge?" Luz asked.

"No, by getting my can kicked six ways to Tuesday." The woman explained as she pulled out a rope. "Now tie me down so I won't be tempted to run after him for this horrible mistake-I WONT LET ANYTHING TOUCH MY BABY BOY!"

"This is where all my hard work and dedication lead me…" Lilith grumbled as she held her sister to the ground. "….Screw you, Emperor Belos….Screw you."

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

Skara hummed as she looked over her options. "Pocket lute … ax lute … chicken lute …" Picking out her next instrument was never an easy task. "Or so I go fancy and buy a harp?"

"Only if you know how to play a piano when it's tilted sideways, that's basically what it is." A familiar voice she's come to know for the last ten years came up to her side.

"Hey, if it isn't the most wanted buddy on the Boiling Isles." She grinned, turning to the boy. "Literally, and metaphorically."

"What can I say, everyone wants a piece of my charming face." Lucci smirked, raising a shield as a random knife was thrown at his head. "Better luck next week, tiny nose! Your aim is getting better!" He tossed said shield at a short witch with a big nose.

"Dwats, soon my pwecious, soooon …" The demon muttered, petting a girl next to them.

"I don't know you!"

"And I see the chaos in your life hasn't diminished a bit." She smirked.

"I know, isn't it great? I'm more infamous than my mom…that's been like my dream ever since I was three." He chuckled. "I thought I'd be at least fifty before I reached her level of notoriety."

"Not everyone can say they've accomplished their life goal before they finish puberty." Skara laughed. "So what do you have planned next after that?"

The boy paused, looking confused. "Planned…after what now?"

She looked at him. "Well, after I become the best musician, my plan is to have a family with Belfry and create the ultimate melody based on the love of family." She responded. "After that it's mostly just fluffy stuff … What about you? You're already more famous than your mom, what goal is next?"

"Oh…I…I well, you know, just stuff, you know. Cash a bounty here, rob a bank there, and keep my family at the owl house safe and happy." He looked off to the side.

"Those…don't really sound like goals. Wouldn't robbing a bank be kind of underwhelming after beating the petrification and surviving a fight with Belos?" She asked.

He sighed. "I honestly thought this would take years, I never really needed much after." Lucci lamented. "I guess all I have left is helping Luz find a way home, and finally get a date with Boscha."

She stared at him. "You're a very content boy, aren't you?" Skara noted.

"I have a family, and a steady income. What is there to not be content with?" He gestured to a squirming bag that was constantly failing all around. 

"Don't look now dude, but I think your 'steady income' wants to chop your head off."

"He already broke his teeth trying." The boy snickered. "Mom can't sell human garbage now, and since I'm the strongest witch in the Owl House, it's my time to be the family breadwinner."

"You know they're gonna fight you the moment you walk in to cash the bounty, right?" Skara questioned his sanity.

"I took on the Emperor's Coven and came out on top, who's gonna stop me?" Lucci spoke cockily.

"I'd personally like a go." … They both paused at the third voice. "It's nice to finally meet you, devil. " The figure wore an all white cloak with a golden version of the emperor's coven uniform, with a flatter, almost owl-ish looking mask, and the strangest looking staff she's ever seen. All mechanical, no notable palisman on it.

"Huh, someone's dressing up for the occasion. Why look like a tool when you can be a golden looking tool." Lucci snickered at the man that was probably going to disembowel him.

"Meh, I thought about toning it down, but then I realized someone needed to compensate for your fashion choices." The masked witch countered.

"Ooh, and you got a mouth on you. You're already better than Lilith, though keep that between us, she'll pop a vessel if her ego's bruised even more." Lucci just liked to dig his own grave, didn't he?

"I don't know how to keep a secret against something so obvious." She could tell there was an eye roll under the mask. "Anyway, would you like to banter more, or skip to the inevitable fighting for your life?"

"Wow, and here I thought Emperor goons had no sense of humor." Lucci grinned. "Because you think you have a chance against me, Golden Tool." Lucci tossed a disk at the man's face.

There was a strange flash of light, and he was gone. "Funny you should mention tools." They looked behind them, seeing the Golden Guard reach into his pocket and pull out … a nail. "I've been meaning to test out this doohickey."

"Wait, but weren't you just-" Skara looked back and forth.

"And raise up." The man tossed the nail up as it began glowing … before shooting off, bouncing around the street and past her face, before eventually hitting Lucci in the leg, if the sprout of blood was any indication. "Just like Chilliards."

"Asgggggh!" Lucci growled in pain as his blood leaked onto the floor.

"Weird, I thought that would've at least brought out the horns, so everyone can see your true face as I put you down, Devil." The bastard had the gall to sound amused and disappointed.

"Hey, leave him alone!" Skara pulled out her Lute.

"Ah Ah Ah, careful now girly, this is Emperor Coven Business. If you interfere, you'll become collateral." They threatened.

"Hey, I'm your target, or is the Emperor's coven actually pathetic enough to attack civilians!?" Lucci hopped on one leg and jumped at the cloaked man.

Another flash of light, and they were behind the boy. "If she stays out, she's fine." They sent multiple high speed balls of energy at Lucci, eliciting burns on his skin. "Was just offering her an incentive to leave."

"What did I say!? Back off!" She pulled back one of her strings and readied to fire."

"Seriously girl, I wouldn't do that if I were you." He continued, warping around another one of Lucci's disks as they froze the ground.

"Skara, the tool has a point!" Lucci sent a punch to the man's chest, only for the guy to disappear and reappear again. "Get out of here! With how fast he's fighting, I'm not sure I can protect you!"

Skara debated just leaving as the Golden guard formed multiple balls, launching them at Lucci's shield … only for them to roll over the shield and hit Lucci in the back. "Side note, if you ever want to get tattoos in the future, focus on the arms, the back of your body is so easy to maim."

"I'm not leaving you alone Lucci! That's not how it works in a duet!" She aimed her lute. "Prepare to go nighty-night, gold face!"

"Perfect." They raised the staff, as suddenly a collar appeared around Skara's neck, choking her tightly. "That will decapitate her in about an hour. Get the key from me in the forest, or watch her go poof, whatever you want."

"You…you bastard!" The horns formed out of his head and glowed up pink.

"Hey, I finally managed to get the horns to pop out of the Devil's head. Do I win a prize?"

"Yeah, you get to personally experience what it's like to have all your organs be liquified by laser!" The horns fired off and struck the man's staff, who was pushed back by the force trying to block it.

"Lucci, don't follow him, it's a trap." She said, trying to yank the collar off her neck as she slowly felt it tighten.

"Of course it is, but if he doesn't follow me, you die." The golden guard shrugged, getting on his staff. "Then again, I don't know why that would bother him. Devils don't have a conscience, especially for weak nobodies."

"And here people say I like to dig graves!"

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

Hunter stood on top of the tree as the boy charged forward, one with strange magic. "And here I thought circleless magic was a sign of experience. Now I see it's also used for evil not meant for witches."

"Clearly you haven't looked in a mirror if you're spouting that snorse crap at me!" The devil child sawed his way through the trees with those spiky disks he seemed to generate an endless supply of without so much as a second thought. "You're no different than every scout I've faced, at least they have the decency to get grinded into the ground when they face me! None of them ran away like a coward after starting a fight!"

"Aww, does the boy feel insecure about his aim?" He asked the devil. "I could always stay still for three ranged attacks and see how that goes." They responded, holding their hand out in a mocking manner. The boy growled as they threw their disk. "Your first."

 They gently raised up a barrier, watching the disk grind on it. Teleportation wasn't the only thing they learned, just his most comfortable. The Golden Guard had to exceed at everything, after all. "Wow, these blades aren't sharp at all. Have you never refined these? Or were they so impractical you just made them for funsies?"

"Shut up!" He pushed himself against the tree he was sitting on, and smashed the trunk to bits.

"Oohh, did I strike a nerve? And here I thought being a freak of nature was the spot to go after." They gently hovered in the air. " "Don't worry, I'm sure anyone that actually cares about you won't write that on your tombstone."

"At leastI have people that care about me!" The devil child began throwing chunks of the ground at him. "Your just another in a long line of expendable lackeys the Emperor exploits until he's run them dry."

"Trust me when I say it's different with me." He created a wall of flames that turned the rocks into molten liquid, which he spread out and landed on the Devil with intensity worse than boiling rain. "That's your second."

"Aaaaaaaaaggggfgfgfrrrrrnnb!" Impressive, the kid was actually managing to tough it all and regrew his flesh, with a fresh coat of pink fur too.

"Now we're getting somewhere, little Devil. You can't help but bring out the monster that's constantly roaring to get out." He smirked. "Now it's only a matter of what can actually put down a wild beast like that." The most likely option was just wear it down, but artificial magic has its upper limits.

"Do you even believe half the crap you spew!" The boy shouted, firing off a laser from his horns.

"I don't know, do you believe your life actually has something of worth to it?" He raised his staff, creating multiple mirrors that bounced the energy across the area and hitting the Devil with its own attack. "And that's your third, so sad to watch all that effort wasted. Guess you lead a meaningless existence after all, not even a good enough sport."

"Oh shut up." The boy growled out. "I bet you're not even gonna keep your word about a key."

"Oh, I plan on unlocking that collar." He admitted. "But there is no key." Hunter teleported behind the boy, shooting a wave of fire onto him. "Do you remember my first attack?"

"Yeah, horrible gift. Get a refund." He nodded to the nails in his leg.

"A little late for that. Cause all that blood you spouted out? Great for a lifelink curse." He warped again. "Creating a spell that lasts as long as that person lives. Like a red collar that gets tighter every second." He shot off more spikes that ricocheted from the trees.

The eyes of the boy widened. "You tied Skara's life to mine. So either she gets her head cut off.."

"Or I take you down." He let the mirth shine. "The son of the world's greatest criminal, out conned by an upstanding man of law …" Hunter watched the spikes impale the boy.

" Upstanding… my big pink…. butt!" The devil child's neck glowed as he was being pinned to the ground, and extended , shooting out like a cannonball as the little freak bit him on the leg with enlarged fangs that suddenly grew from the freaks mouth.

Crunch

Hunter stared at the deranged and horrifying situation before him for a solid three seconds. Then the pain hit him. "AAAAGHHHH!!"

" Someone upstanding would've flown Skara out of danger instead of dragging her in the middle of it!" The best slammed him against a tree and rammed him through it.

Hunter warped away to the tree line, rubbing his mangled leg. "Well I was running low on targets that would get you to stick around!" He shouted back. "The human's apparently off limits!"

That only seemed to make the devil even angrier. "What does Belos want with Luz!?" Hunter was ambushed from behind, his back feeling like it was going to be snapped in half with the devil pressing him against the ground.

"You won't live to find out!" He tapped the ground, the trees turning into arms that grabbed the Devil and lifted him up. "I've worn him out enough, open fire!"

Fwosh

Hundreds of fireballs and thunder balls were shot out at the Devil, Coven Scouts dropping their illusions. Like he was really taking on someone who could survive petrification alone, he wasn't a moron!

" You… yellow… coward!"

"Golden, not yellow." He spoke through grit teeth as a few scouts began to heal him. "It'll do you good to remember that in the last two minutes you have left to live."

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

Steve was not feeling good about this. He didn't sign up for the house attack today, namely because he still had so many nightmares from that place. Severine seemed like she got it handled, even if she complained about it all the time.

Steve saw the petrification, he saw his buddy somehow walk it off and live to see another day. He heard the emperor declare him an enemy to all witches. Sure, the kid wasn't exactly a saint, but that was mainly because of bad parenting. He had plenty of talks with Lucci to know he was just a misguided kid who just needed a friend or two to hear him out.

And now here he was, watching as a kid he's known since he was a baby, a kid that was the same age as his little brother, getting endlessly wailed on and attacked by practically every scout in the coven.

"Take solace." The Golden Guard stood up, looking like they were struggling with their new leg as they began to walk. "By dying, you'll actually save someone for a change."

"Oh cut..the self righteousness. You can have your delusions of heroism, but don't lie to yourself. You threatened a girl that had no business being involved in this fight. You'll never be a hero. You'll never even come close to decent."

The Coven Head sighed. "True, I never will be. I carry out sins in the name of the Titan, and that's my burden to bear. Nobody's the hero in the end, that's what justice really is. You think your 'wild magic' and your 'anarchy' is fun and games, but how long until enough witches decide they don't like faces and stop everyone from breathing? The point is someone has to put a stop to the chaos." They raised the staff. "And that will start with me, killing you." And off went a beam of magic straight into the child's chest.

"Hey! Golden shrimp!! You invited me to this party! Don't just leave me behind!" A girl with a violin shouted, aiming to attack..

"Someone restrain her." The Golden Guard muttered as they warped to a safe space.

"Touch… one hair… on her… and I'll unleash hell upon all of you."

"You're in no condition to do anything." The Guard spoke. "I've been hitting with magma, fire, thunder, and beams. Between the blood loss and your regeneration, your internal body temperature is becoming too high to properly respond to anything we do."

"Yeah… a lot of my body fluid is on the ground… my blood… my sweat… and my SPIT."  The kid drooled out a large puddle of saliva from his mouth. Gross, and really, really sad to watch.

"… Oh wow … however will we survive?" The Golden Guard droned out sarcastically.

"I don't know, I don't expect you to."  Lucci laughed. " Say, you're not allergic to any vegetables, are you?"

"… Nooooooo." Steve, along with the majority of the Coven Scouts, stopped their assault, taking a step back.

"Is he serious?"

"No, he's amoral, not insane."

"He wouldn't cause it again."

The Golden Guard looked at them. "What are you all babbling about?!"

" Wow, you're either new in town or were born yesterday." The madman of a child he still somehow felt empathy for smirked evilly. "Everyone in bonesburrow knows of the month long veggie incident. All of you, today, right here, right now, are going to get buried alive."  The ground began to shake and rumble.

"What's happening!?" The Golden Guard demanded. "What are you doing?!"

"Lucci, don't tell me you're causing a third one!" The bard girl shouted … there was a second?

"Don't worry…" Lucci chuckled. " If you coven sheep are as good as you claim to be, you'll handle this without an issue." Viney green hands began popping out of the ground. " Or you get turned into mulch. Either way is fine in my book."

The Coven Scouts could only watch in horror as very familiar things began to emerge from the ground, giving out the horrid cries of despair.

"Are those…living food?" The golden guard questioned as a squash jumped on his leg and bit him. " Agggggh! I just healed that leg! What the titan is wrong with you!?"

"Feast on him well, my children!" Steve needed to reevaluate his friends.

"Not again! Not again! Not again!" His fellow guards screamed as more and more loving plants popped out of the ground. "I just stopped having nightmares!" They cried as a bushel of apples began going for the heads.

Then Steve saw an orange creature rise from the ground, just like his nightmares. "Gbwww."

"PUMPKIN!" Steve shouted in horror.

"Gawah." A second pumpkin put on a bowtie and briefcase. "Guipy."

"PUMPKIN LAWYER!!"

"Gwaaa." A third pumpkin placed down a tea set, which the others sat at.

"PUMPKIN LAWYER TEAPARTY!!" Every nightmare rolled into one.

"Enjoy the mayhem… I'll be taking my leave." The kid laughed as he began to shrink, making his way over to the girl as all the guards were too occupied to stop him."

"Lucci, you are insane." The girl said as he helped him move."

"Yeah… well that insanity is what's going… to get us out of here alive."

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

Lucci could barely breathe as he moved with the girl. "Still can't believe … he outconned me…" Tie him down with a friend, play on his emotions to make him reckless, attack him with magic to burn out his healing factor, drain his blood to weaken the little oxygen he could take in … then surround him with numbers. Honestly the fact it was a thought out plan he didn't see through was what stung the most right now.

"Lucci, save your breath until we get you home." Skara advised him.

"Not until… we figure out how to get that collar off of you." He grunted. "He used a lifeline curse with that nail attack, so maybe if I chop off my leg, it'll trick it into thinking I died."

"That's stupid." She responded.

"I know, but I can heal and-"

"No, I mean lifeline curses work off of heartbeats. Yours would have to stop for about a minute for this thing to disappear."

"Damn it, that golden tool was really thorough with this plan." Lucci grumbled, coughing up some blood. "Okay, we need some strong magical tools. Something that'll carve right through that material, and quickly." He wasn't going to let her get caught up in his mess.

"Not before we get you out of here, that golden jerk's relentless." Skara kept helping him limp along. "I've never seen any coven scouts as ruthless as him before."

"He's no aunt Lilith, that's for sure." Lucci was getting the distinct sinking feeling he never got hurt fighting her because she held back. "Luckily, I got him hit with a vegetable army. That should hold him off until-"

The two of them watched a pumpkin head roll across the ground. "That … was … unpleasant ." They turned to the juice covered, clearly pissed Golden Guard. "You're just lucky I was able to force them all into one spot."

"… No sarcasm, I'm legitimately impressed." It took them a month for the first time, and Orchid for the second. "So you're exhausted, and I'm exhausted. How about we call this a draw and live to kill each other another day? Sound good?"

"After all the effort I put into this death trap, and you don't even plan on seeing it through to the end?" There was a click of the tongue as they raised their staff, red and fake energy flowing around it. "It's right when they say criminals are terrible at manners."

"I don't know, I've known Lucci for about nine years and you for five minutes, I say the criminal's better company." Skara shoved him out of the way as they ducked under the energy. "Here, take my lute! Unleash the power of music on his ass!" She tossed her lute … as it was hit with a blast of flames.

"Wow, threatening me with an instrument so many times and thinking I wouldn't pay attention to it? Shocked, just shocked I tell ya." The Golden Guard spoke with mock concern as they sent lightning bolts to Lucci.

"Aggggggh!" He shouted, barely able to stand as he was struck multiple times. "Of all the goons that had to take me out….it had to be the one with the most annoying voice."

"Yeowch, I don't know if that hurt more than my leg or not … here. How about a comparison." The ground opened up under Lucci, dropping him down to the waist as it began to squeeze.

"So… sensitive… they should call you the golden snowflake." Lucci coughed.

"Lucci, I have an idea, but you have to start playing music!" Skara shouted, summoning her violin as she began firing off at the golden guard, he dodged it with that weird flash dash.

"Skara… if you didn't notice, I'm currently getting squashed to death, and I don't have anything on me!"

"You make bubbles, drills, and shiels, and you're telling me none of your pink stuff can be an instrument!?" She shouted. "Come on Lucci, bard magic is your gift, make the instrument from your soul!"

"Oh I'm almost tempted to let this happen. Keyword being almost." The Golden Guard began pressing hard against Skara. "Hope you're watching, Devil. This is the price people pay when you're near them."

No… Skara was the only buddy… the only friend he had for years… she stuck by him even when he didn't deserve it. He wouldn't let Skara suffer because of him… never."Music from my soul…music….from my soul.." What could be made from bubbles, from shields….an idea formed. "I hope this works." Concentrating, he formed two shields, one on each hand, and clashed them together as hard as he could.

Boooooooooong

A pink shockwave formed from the collision, seeding him flying out of the ground, and the golden jerk into a tree. "Cymbals …" The girl panted as she began to rise. "Would have expected something more like a keylute … but whatever works."

"Didn't have time for a test fest, had to make something quick and simple." He panted. "How'd you know that would work?"

"Duh, you may have weird pink stuff for magic, but you're still a bard through and through, dude." She smirked. "And a true bard knows how to make music from anything."

"Okay, 'pink stuff' better not be trending, or I swear to titan I'm actually gonna maim someone." He grumbled.

A vine wrapped around his leg. "I dunno, you tend to be stuck with it already." And began pulling Lucci into the air.

"Ugh, why are you still here?! Don't you know when to call it quits!?" Skara yelled, using her violin to cut through the plants.

"No actually, because I serve a higher purpose. The titan has big plans for the isles. I'm just doing my part to serve it."

"The titan this, the titan that." Lucci rolled his eyes. "Why don't you marry it already?"

"I'll take that into consideration once we finish your funeral." The jerk blasted him again, and Lucci used his shield to block it. "You may be slightly above average with magic use, but you get tired out like anyone else. You're running on fumes."

"But I'm not!" Skara shouted. "Lucci, on my mark, we strike at the same time!" He nodded, glaring at their shared target. "One…three!"

Stru-ong!

His pink shockwave blasted as she sent her tune slash…the two attacks colliding…and merging into something small but concise, blasting forward at the Golden Guard faster than the eye can see, and slicing through the bastard's shoulder.

"Gaah!" The bastard screamed, clutching the wound. "Oh, oh you're both gonna get it now." He slammed the ground, as it slowly changed to slick sand.

"Not yet!" He readied his cymbal one more time. He aimed to the ground. "Skara, do that attack again, but at the ground!"

Stru-ooonng!

The ground ripped and bubbled, before becoming a wave of sorts and smashing the golden tool back. " How!?"

"Old trick my mom taught me! Bard magic can change liquids with the right notes!" Lucci smirked. "Come on Skara, let's bring her home."

"A little hard to match with your instrument, but I'll try!" She raised her hand high, bringing it down hard.

"This can't be! You're just… you're just criminals! Wild children over their heads! Nobody's!" The golden guard rushed ahead, lighting up that staff brightly.

"We're not nobody's! He's the chorus... and I'm the conductor!" Skara shouted as she flung another shot of their combined melody. 

Stttttttrrrrrruuuuuuuuuuuuuuunnnnnnnnnngggggggggggg!

"Together, we're Bard Buddy Besties!" They shouted as their combined melody collided with the golden tool, a thunderous shockwave being felt as it the jerk, before getting sent inward at their enemy, and flinging him into the sky like an out of control cannonball.

"DAMN you Devilllll …!." They trailed off as they flew.

"Such a beautiful sound to go with a beautiful sight." Lucci laughed weakly. "Now let's get that coller off of you.."

Crink

Said object broke in pieces and fell to the floor. "Huh… guess all the bard magic broke it off." Skara smiled.

"Okay, cymbals are definitely being added to the arsenal ." He needs to get that trademarked. "Skara…sorry for getting you sucked into my mess. He was only after you because of me." Mom never really explained this side of infamy, the part where people you cared about got hurt for your choices.

"It's fine … sorry for being bait and making it hard to just run away like you did back then." The girl chuckled back.

"Skara…" Lucci, in spite of the bleeding and bruises, mustered up all the strength he had to hug the girl. "I don't deserve to have a friend as great as you!"

"Friend… you finally called me your friend.." The girl teared up and returned the hug.

"I could have sworn I called you friend before." Like, sometime after the whole mind incident.

"Nope, your first …" Friendship was painful…it was completely worth it for moments like this. "But on a serious note, we need to get that nail out of your leg like pronto, you haven't stopped bleeding."

"Skara, he started throwing spikes in, like, all my body parts. I am barely worried about my leg at the moment."

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

Hooty watched the tree, and the bug, and the sky, and the ocean, and the bug, and the grass, and the bug, and the bug. "Om nom nom!" Delicious bug … oh, now there was a tree, and some grass, and Lucci, and some sky. "Oh, Lucci!"

"Hey Hooty…glad to see you…nice day?" Lucci was being carried by that Skara girl, bleeding all over the place.

"A lovely day!" He agreed. "I see you're going for a new style. Bloody totally brings out your eyes!"

"HE'S WHAT!? " Eda's voice shouted out from inside.

"Calm down Eda, I'm sure it's nothing seri-asaaaaah!" Luz opened the door and greeted the boy. "It's bad, it's bad, like really, really bad!"

"Ouch, just … ouch." Lilith winced at the sight.

"Hey everyone …" Lucci weakly chuckled. "I got a bit ruffled up."

"LUCCIII!" Eda burst through her metal chains without magic and tackled the boy in the most affectionate attack of motherly love anyone had ever seen. "I'M SORRY! I Should've NEVER let you go off on your own! Why did you horrible people stop me from saving my baby!?"

"You're the one that begged us to do it!" King shouted. "You're the crazy one!"

"You know I don't make good decisions, you should have called me out more!"

"I did." Lilith deadpanned. "You said 'it was for the best, when I got my but handed to me I learned to be cautious, so ignore anything I say' and then you once more tried to bite through the metal."

"All this for a lesson… I say lesson learned.." Lucci fell to the floor. "Why does the floor taste like purple and the air taste like blue?"

"What did you do? Take on a Slitherbeast and eat it from the inside out?" Luz questioned as she helped him to the couch.

"No, we ran into this super annoying but super skilled coven scout. The Golden Guard." Skara answered.

"You mean the one I tried warning you about?" Lilith questioned.

"Yes, yes, yes, I'm sorry for not heeding the wisdom of the great Lilith Clawthorne, get the 'I told you so's' out of the way fast, I got a nail in my leg that needs to get taken out before my body heals around it."

"I'll get the first aid kit, nobody touch him!" Eda ran, the sound of rattling heard in the distance.

"... So." Luz started. "How dangerous was he?"

Lucci groaned. "He outconned me, and was merciless, had actually decent barbs, and used some kind of weird magic like Belos did."

"Artificial." Lilith continued.

"Wait, what?" Luz asked with wide eyes. "I heard you say it this morning, but how can magic be artificial?"

"I'm not sure of the details, but Belos over the years has crafted what he deems to be a 'pure' way to access magic, using an immeasurable level of unknown energy to access the power of the titan." Lilith explained. "The process itself is quite costly however. Only ten staffs have been made in all of history, and even the charging of a training wand would require you to have the financial budget of a Blight."

"The privilege of the rich." Every child grumbled.

"What I don't get is how that golden tool was so skilled." Lucci grumbled. "He kept out gunning and out conning me with every step. No scout I faced before him was that competent."

"I've only heard rumors… but this Golden Guard is said to be the Emperor's Nephew." Lilith groaned. "What he really is though is a self entitled brat that doesn't know when to shut up."

"For once we agree … screw the Golden Guard." The boy groaned.

"Alright, I've got the stuff!" Eda rushed in. "Luz, put this cloth in his mouth, he's gonna scream."

"Horror movies didn't prepare me for this." Luz did as she was told. "Please don't slice me in half for this, I'm only doing what I'm told."

"Mhmhhhhmmm." The boy nodded as his mouth was gagged. "Mmhhhhjjm."

"Alright, you've got spikes all over … did I ever tell you about the time I robbed a casino?"

"Mmhm-MMMHHHH!!" The boy screamed as Eda used the distraction to pull out a nail.

"Yep, crazy moment in my life. Ends with five cops and a bottle of asgardian wine … believe it or not, the only difference with Apple Blood is that it's less acidic."

"Mmmmmmhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!" The tears of pain were flowing out like a faucet.

"So, we start with some lion lickers." She narrated as she yanked out another.

"MMMMHHH!!!!!!" What a lovely day.