NOVEL WEB Chapter 18: Like It Was Yesterday
While Olivier and Company continued down their journey through the forest,
Edalyn Clawthorne was speeding over the forest on her magic staff, and towards her infamous 'Owl House.'
"Eda..." spoke Luz. "Is Olivier REALLY headed back home?"
"I doubt it." answered Eda. "My son is a smart kid, and he would know better
than to return home knowing full well that the Emperor's cheer squad are looking for him."
King was tempted to bring up the one time Olivier DIDN'T know better
when he took that 'free' magical music box from that one merchant all those months ago...
...BUT, all things considered. King decided not to reopen that old wound.
"Then, why are we going there?" asked Willow.
"To inform Hooty and Lily that they may get some "unwelcomed guests." spoke Eda.
"and to...MAYBE. check and see if Olivier HAS stopped by for any reason."
Eda frowned, a conflict of emotions building up within her.
On one hands, she was hoping her son might be home now...
so she could hug him again (and then ground him, but mostly hug him.)
BUT, on the other hand...she really hoped he WASN'T there
and had found another place to hide until the Coven Scouts lost interest in him.
Eda was already thinking of ONE particular place that would be ideal shelter in this situation.
It wasn't long until The Owl House came into view, and Eda dove down and made a perfect landing.
Luz (with King) and willow dismounted, Eda then gripped her magic staff and searched around.
"Hmm...don't see any sign of the Emperor's goons." spoke Eda. "nor do I see Oli-"
"Hi."
"AAGH!" Eda jumped, and swing her staff in a battle stance.
Eda stared as a witchlet with apple green hair froze with her hands up at Owlbert being pointed at her.
"I'm sorry, is this a bad time?!" spoke Amity Blight.
Eda groaned, and dismissed Owlbert back into Palisman form.
"Luz, your rich girlfriend is here."
Both Luz and Amity blushed beet red at this. "SHE'S NOT MY-!/WE'RE NOT-!"
"yeah-yeah, whatever. I don't have time for this Middle School Musical crap." grumbled Eda.
Amity stared as the Owl Lady approached the Owl House. "She seems...crabbier than usual."
"Soo...What's going on here?" asked Amity, again. "why is Miss Clawthorne acting so weird?"
"Olivier has Returned to the Boiling Isles." said King, bluntly.
Amity's eyes grew wide as saucers, with her gold irises shrinking into pins. "w-wut?"
"Yeah!" exclaimed Luz. "Turns out, Eda had her own kid whose been missing for over three months!
But there was a weird rainbow lightning storm that happened just an hour ago,
And King says it was the same magic lightning that made Oliver disappear in the first place."
Amity was still frozen in shock as her mind tried to process this. "oh-ollie is...b-back?!"
"It...seems that way." spoke Willow. "The Emperor's Coven are apparently looking for him."
Amity stepped back, starting to breathe heavily as memories of Olivier flashed in her mind.
Initially, they were pleasant memories...but they soon devolved into ones that she had tried so hard to forget.
"wait. Did you...Know him, Amity?" inquired Luz.
Amity looked at Luz as her question rang in her ears on loop: (("Did You Know Him?"))
In her mind, a brief memory flashed of Olivier as a child looking at Amity with a cheerful smile.
(("I love you, Amity. You're my BEST FRIEND!")) spoke Olivier.
Then, another memory flashed...one that Amity now hated.
She saw an older Olivier, looking at her with fear in his eyes
as a giant Abomination hand had him restrained in it's grip, SQUEEZING him.
(("Ah-Amity...WHY!? I thought we were Friends!
WHY ARE YOU DOING THI-AAGH!"))
Amity remained frozen, staring blankly as tears streamed down her cheek.
"Amity!?" spoke Luz, now concerned.
Willow put her arm around Amity, finally breaking her from her trance.
Amity looked at Willow...who gave her a soft, understanding look.
Amity then hugged Willow tightly. She didn't cry, but allowed her tears to fall.
Luz just stared, feeling very awkward. "uhhh..."
"yes, Luz. Amity did know Olivier." spoke Willow. "We both did...He was our best friend."
Amity finally pulled away from Willow, and wiped the tears from her eyes.
"I still remember the day me and Willow first met him...like it was Yesterday."
[*Flashback*]
At the Convention Center, Two little girls were marveling at the many booths and kiosks.
"ooh!" exclaimed Willow. "There is one of the Plant Coven!"
Amity looked, and saw a booth where a witch made exotic plants grow.
"I wish I could create something as Beautiful as that!" spoke Willow, mild sadness in her voice.
Amity placed her hand on Willow's shoulder. "You will, Willow. I know it."
Willow looked back at Amity. "do you...really think so?"
Amity smiled cheerfully. "Of course! I would never lie to my "Bestest Best Friend!"
Willow smiled meekly.
Amity then looked ahead...and Gasped at seeing the booth for the Emperor's Coven.
Which true to it's nature, was much bigger and fancier than all the other booths put together.
Stars then began to appear in Amity's eyes once she set sight on...HER.
"oh, titan. There she is!" spoke Amity, becoming giddy. "Miss Lilith Clawthorne!"
Willow looked at the tall, dark woman with pale blue eyes and a stoic expression on her face.
Most everyone knew who this woman was. As the current head of the Emperor's Coven,
Lilith Clawthorne was both feared, and respected. renowned for her cold, no-nonsense attitude.
Her very presence here was no less an Honor for most.
At Lilith's side was the expected Coven Scout that she always referred to as 'Steve.'
Who was her 'right-hand man' of sorts that carried out her tasks with ridiculous enthusiasm.
However, there was another who was ALSO with her this year...One that most struck as odd.
a Child.
Amity stared at this kid who looked to be her, and Willow's own age
who was somehow fortunate enough to be allowed to stand right next her her idol.
He appeared to be a boy with auburn red hair that was mostly concealed by a hood.
What really caught Amity's attention though, was the boy's duel colored eyes
in which his right eye was Gold like hers own eyes, while his left eye was Blue.
"I wonder who that kid is." spoke Amity.
Willow looked at the boy that her friend was referring to. "Dunno...Maybe he is Miss Lilith's apprentice?"
"no way. He's too young to be an apprentice!" said Amity. "I...think."
After a moment of thinking Amity then started to approach the booth.
"Amity, what are you doing?!" exclaimed Willow, grasping her friend's arm.
"I just want to get closer."
"but...That's Lilith Clawthorne! only VIP's can approach her!" said Willow.
"I'm a VIP!" proclaimed Amity. "I'm an heiress to Blight Industries, remember!?"
"I'm not sure that really counts with-" But before Willow could finish, Amity was already running ahead.
"AMITYYY..." grumbled Willow, as she reluctantly followed her friend.
Amity got as close to the Emperor's Coven booth without being seen.
As Willow joined her, the two girls became silent as they listened in as Lilith spoke.
"I must say, This years Convention is going well...Wouldn't you agree, Steve?" spoke Lilith.
"Oh, yeah...CONVENTION DAY RULES!" exclaimed the masked scout.
Lilith smiled...but then heard a high-pitched noise.
She looked down to the child at her side...who looked half-awake.
"What is wrong, Olivier?" spoke Lilith (her normally cold voice more warm now.) "Are you feeling sleepy?"
Olivier rubbed his eyes. "n-no, Aunt Lily...I'm just really bored."
Lilith chortled. "How can you be bored in a place like this?"
"It's easy when you don't get to do anything here." answered Olivier.
"If I wanted to just WATCH the convention, I would've done so with mom on the Crystal Ball."
Lilith scowled, not appreciating her nephew's sass (which was no doubt learned from her sister's upbringing.)
"I just want to keep an eye on you, Olivier." spoke Lilith.
"While Conventions may be fun, but they can also be Dangerous too."
Olivier gave his aunt a very disappointed look...which even Lilith's heart of ice wasn't immune to.
"(*deep exhale*) oh...very well. You can explore the Convention Center."
"WA-HOO!" exclaimed Olivier, who then hugged his Aunt. "THANK YOU, AUNT LILY!"
Lilith blushed as she carefully pulled the child off her.
"I have a condition: Steve MUST accompany you." said Lilith.
"And he will have full right to bring you back if something DOES happen...Understand?"
Olivier nodded. "yes, Aunt Lily."
Lilith smiled as she patted Olivier's head.
"good boy. (*looks to Steve*) Watch him, Steve. Guard him as he were your own son."
"No problem, Lil!" Lilith scowled at her lacky. "I mean..."Lilith."
"Better."
As Olivier started to walk away with Steve, Lilith called out to him.
"Stay close to Steve, Olivier! And KEEP YOUR HOOD UP!"
"I WILL!" called back Olivier.
As Olivier and Steve walked away, Amity paused to ponder all this.
"that kid...is Miss Clawthorne's nephew." mused Amity.
"He must know so many amazing spells by now." spoke Willow.
Amity's eyes then lit up. "Heeey...I bet if I made friends with that kid,
He could put in a good word for me and I'll be SURE to get into the Emperor's Coven!"
Willow frowned at this. "Amity, that sounds...VERY Dishonest.
You'd be taking advantage of a nice boy just to further your own ambitions."
"Mom does it all the time." said Amity, bluntly.
"Doesn't make it right." countered Willow.
"Come on, Willow. I said I would *MAKE* friends with him, not "PRETEND" to be." argued Amity.
"And, Hey: We could BOTH be his friend! I mean...He does remind me of you when we first met."
Willow frowned as she briefly recalled the point in her life BEFORE she met Amity.
Back when she had no friends (other than her plants) and felt very lonely.
And in retrospect...this Olivier Kid DID remind her of herself in that regard.
"Okay...Fine. I'll go along with this." said Willow.
"But only if you are serious about befriending him, and not just using him."
Amity held up her hand like making a pledge.
"Willow, I SWEAR that even if he can't help me, I'll still be his friend."
Willow smiled. "Good...Now, let's hurry up before we lose him."
Amity and Willow both ran back to into the crowd and after Lilith Clawthorne's Nephew.
Amity and Willow had been wandering the convention,
and after Ten Minutes had passed, they still couldn't find Olivier.
"dang it! I can't see anything in this crowd." muttered Amity.
"I'm not sure we should still be doing this." spoke Willow.
"I mean...we don't have that much time left until we both have to go back home.
Maybe we should just give up, and try to talk to this Olivier kid some other da-"
Suddenly, Willow tripped and fell down.
"WILLOW!" exclaimed Amity, kneeling down to her. "Are you Okay?!"
"Ugh...I think so-, uh-oh."
"What?"
"My glasses..." spoke Willow, worried. "I can't find my-!"
"Looking for THESE?"
Amity and Willow looked (or, in Willow's case: TRIED to look) at who was speaking.
"is...Is that who I think it is?!" inquired Willow.
Amity scowled. "Boscha."
a girl with a third eye upon her brow, and dark pink hair in a topknot
continued to smirked as she casually twirled the big, round glasses upon her finger.
"Hey there, Amity...See you're still hanging around that Half-a-Witch." spoke Boscha, smugly.
"Give those back, Boscha." said Amity, sternly. "They belong to Willow."
Boscha smirked. "of course...Here."
The Tri-Clops appeared to hand the glasses back...only to 'drop them' on the floor.
...and then STOMPED on them hard, Destroying them.
"oopsie...DROPPED THEM." said Boscha, a cruel grin on her face.
"NO!" exclaimed Willow. "those were my only pair..."
As Willow cried, Amity faced Boscha. "WHAT THE INFERNO IS YOUR PROBLEM!?"
"I ought to ask YOU the same question, Amity..." spoke Boscha.
"I thought Blights only associate with The Best: WHY are you wasting time with that Half-a-Witch?!"
"Because WILLOW is my friend, and I like her." said Amity.
"You REALLY could do better." scoffed Boscha.
Amity was about to retort...when the broken pieces of Willow's destroyed glasses began to levitate.
Amity and Boscha watched at the pieces reassembled themselves,
restoring the glasses back to how they were before as if nothing has happened.
The glasses then dropped into someone's hand...who was revealed to be Olivier Clawthorne.
"Are these your glasses?" spoke the boy.
Before Willow could answer, Olivier approached the girl and places the eyewear onto her.
With her visioned restored, Willow looked into the duel colored eyes of the boy.
"you...You fixed them!" exclaimed Willow. "H-HOW!?"
Olivier shrugged. "It was nothing reall-" Willow suddenly hugged Olivier...RATHER TIGHTLY.
"AAGH!...oh-okay, I'm ss-starting to have trouble...b-breathing."
"Oh!, sorry..." said Willow, releasing Olivier.
"HEY!" exclaimed Boscha, shaking her arms up-and-down. "DON'T YOU DARE IGNORE ME!"
Everyone now looked at Boscha.
"Whoever you are, bright eyes. I suggest you SCRAM!" snapped Boscha, once more.
"This is a private matter between Me and them, IT DOESN'T CONCERN YOU!"
Olivier tilted his head in bewilderment at this angry girl.
"Okay, first off: Where do you get off making fun of how my eyes look?!" spoke Olivier.
"And Second: It does concern me, as it looked like you were harassing this poor girl."
Boscha responded to this in the only way she knew...and shoved Olivier violently.
BUT, in doing so...she caused his hood to fall off. Revealing his shaggy hair, and-
"What th-, ROUND EARS!?" exclaimed Boscha. "Are you some human pretending to be a witch!?"
"N-NO!" stammered Olivier, embarrassed. "i'm...HALF-Human."
Boscha rolled all three of her eyes. "Tsk!, figures a Halfling like you would help a Half-a-Witch like HER!"
"Hey, aren't YOU a Halfling too, Boscha?!" spoke Amity.
Boscha scoffed again. "At least I'm not Half-Human!"
Olivier frowned at this remark, looking away in sadness.
Willow placed a comforting on on the boy, who looked back at her.
Willow gave Olivier a smile...which made him feel a little better.
Amity then took a step forward, standing between Boscha and her friends.
"I won't tell you again, Boscha: LEAVE."
Boscha glared at Amity...and then scoffed. "fine. I'll leave...FOR NOW."
As Boscha turned and started to walk away, she then stopped and glanced back at the three.
"One Day...you will have to make a choice, Amity. Especially if you ever want to get into the Emperor's Coven."
Amity frowned for a moment, but quickly hid her vulnerability from Boscha.
"and, YOU..." spoke Boscha, looking at Olivier. "NO ONEchallenges me, and gets to brag about it.
One way, or another...I'll put you in your place, Half-Breed."
As Boscha finally left, Amity exhaled sharply.
"That is one very crabby girl." spoke Olivier, finally. "What is even her deal!?"
Amity turned back to Olivier. "Oh, that's just Boscha. She's a rich girl
that my mom forces me to socialize with since both are parents are in the same social circle."
"Sounds like you can't stand her." spoke Olivier.
"I *LOATHE* her." said Amity. "I much prefer being with Willow."
Willow blushed a little.
"Oh!, where are my manners..." spoke Amity, blushing awkwardly.
"Hi, I'm Amity Blight. And the girl you helped is my best friend: Willow Park."
Willow waved at Olivier.
"Nice to meet you two. I'm Olivier Clawthorne." said Olivier.
"Heeyy...you said Blight. Are you some relation to Odalia Blight, who runs Blight Industries?"
"Yeah! She's my mom." said Amity.
"That's Interesting...My mom and Aunt Lily HATE her with a burning passion." said Olivier, cheerfully.
Amity's face became pale. "o-oh...r-really?"
"Oh, yeah. My mom always says: "The Blights are a BLIGHT on the Boiling Isles." continued Olivier.
"Apparently Miss Odalia used to bully my Mom and Aunt at school, and that's why they hate her."
Amity grimaced at this, wishing she could just disappear. ((*dammit, mom...*)) thought Amity.
"BUT, I guess even a rotten tree can grow a few good apples." spoke Olivier.
"You don't look like a bully to me. I fact, you seem kinda nice...I like you."
Amity smiled. "Thanks! I like you, too! Your eyes look really cool!"
Olivier blushed at this. "th-thanks."
"They kinda look like the Sun and Moon." spoke Willow.
"Yeah, that is what my mom always called me when I was little." said Olivier.
"My dads call me their Little Sunflower." said Willow.
"That sounds lovely." commented Olivier.
Amity blushed. "My family calls me...(*ugh*) Mittens."
Olivier stared at Amity. "that is...Odd. But, still kinda cute."
Willow then approached Olivier. "Thanks again for fixing my glasses."
Olivier shrugged. "no problem. I'm just happy to help."
"I've never seen magic like that before." spoke Amity.
Olivier turned to Amity. "It's my special talent. Aunt Lily thinks it's a forgotten form of magic.
As far as I know, I'm the only one in the Boiling Isles who can do what she calls "Chrono Magic."
"Chrono?" inquired Amity, puzzled.
"It's an ancient word for "Time." explained Willow, adjusting her glasses.
"Named after "Kronos", the Olympian God of Time from the Human Realm."
Amity stared at Willow next. "How do you-"
"The 'Human Realm' section of the Library." answered Willow.
"right...Well, anyway. Willow is right: I can manipulate time with my magic." explained Olivier.
"That is how I fixed Willow's glasses. I reversed time around them to undo them being broken."
Amity grinned wide. "That is...SO COOL!, You're almost like a living Time Pool!"
"Yeah!, I wish I could do that kind of magic!" spoke Willow.
"If I could, it would really help with tending to my plants and flowers."
Olivier blushed awkwardly, feeling smittened at the praise he was getting.
"It isn't that impressive...And, I can't even do it all that well either."
"You did it pretty fine from what we saw." said Amity.
"Yeah, well...I can't use my magic too much." explained Olivier.
"Because I am half human, I was born without a bile sac that most witches have.
So my magic is drawn from the life energy of my own body, and casting big spells can leave me exhausted."
Amity and Willow stared. "really?"
Olivier nodded. "yeah...It's really embarrassing.
My Mom and Aunt are two of the most powerful witches on the Boiling Isles,
Yet because I am only half-witch, My magic is not only weaker...but it could kill me."
Willow frowned at this, feeling an odd kinship with Olivier.
"I...kinda know how that feels. I mean, MY magic wouldn't kill me.
But I do know how it feels to not be as strong as you know you should be."
Amity looked at the two...and then approached them. "Let's go do something fun...All THREE of us!"
"Three?!" exclaimed Olivier, surprised.
"Yeah! We're friends now, right?" said Amity. "So let's all have some fun at the Convention together!"
Olivier froze at this. "friends? you...r-really want to be my friend?"
"I certainly do." said Willow, taking Olivier's hand.
Olivier took a moment to ponder this. "i've never had real friends before..."
Amity took Olivier's other hand. "We'll be your first."
Olivier looked at Amity and Willow...and then smiled (tears in his eyes.)
"Okay...Let's all have fun at the Convention together!"
(("OLLIEEEEE!")) called a voice.
"Aaaaaand, before Uncle Steve finds me!" spoke Olivier, nervously.
The trio then all ran into the dense crowd...just as Steve walked in.
"oh, man...If Lilith finds out I lost the kid, I'll get petrified for SURE!"
[End of Part Eighteen]