𝘈 𝘣𝘭𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘸𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘥𝘰𝘸 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥,
Belos' mask lay next to an open book, resting against a whole bunch of pipes.

The Emperor walked up to the door, plugging a pipe into a certain door, twisting it as it locked.

The man waved a hand as an abomination turned a cog, a green substance flowing through the pipes, illuminating the room with a green light, flowing to the portal door, the item starting to glow brightly.

Belos placed a false key near the portal's keyhole, hesitating before pushing the item in, the key fizzling before it turned grey, disintegrating.

The portal then shut down, Hunter watching all of his uncle's actions in silence. Out of nowhere, his palisman chirped, landing on his shoulder as the boy waved a hand.

"Shoo!"

The cardinal flew off, landing on the boy's opposite shoulder, Hunter glaring at it before Belos' voice rang through the area.

"Would you like to see how it works, Hunter?"

The boy's eyes widened as he gasped, his palisman turning into wood while the boy hid the stiff cardinal in his cape, walking into the light.

"I didn't mean to hide, Emperor Belos."

The older man turned around, smiling as he had a stripe of green across his face, starting from the middle of his forehead to his left cheek, trailing down his neck. Blue eyes smiled down at the boy.

"We found every piece of the door," Belos began, Hunter walking towards him.

"But without the power of the real key, it refuses to open." 

Belos faced the door, glaring at it while Hunter walked up from behind, the boy soon asking a question.

"Is it true that rain doesn't boil in the Human Realm?"

"It is." Belos faced the boy.

"You know, I've been there before. Did I ever tell you that?"

Hunter shook his head from side to side, listening to the elderly man's stories, enamoured.

"The trees there are green, nights are quiet. I look forward to seeing it again." The man then faced the boy once more, walking down the stairs.

"Were you spying on me just to hear these boring stories?" Belos smiled down at Hunter, the boy looking away guiltily.

"The operation at the Knee," He looked back at the elder. "Why did you switch me out with Kikimora?"

"Everyone has a use, Hunter." Belos placed a hand on the boy's shoulder.

The two walked down the stairs, Hunter looking up at the elder man, Belos explaining the uses.

"Kikimora has her intricate little plans, the scouts carry out orders. And you, well, the Titan has big plans for you." 

Hunter looked up at the man, eyes widening in fear at the Emperor's next statement.

"And it will be such a hassle to find a replacement."

The two neared the door, Belos escorting the boy out.

"So, right now, you can be useful by staying safe in the castle."

"If this is punishment for failing my last mission, I swear I can do better!" 

Hunter frowned, Belos smiling down at the teenager.

"Good night, Hunter."

The door was about to shut before Hunter cried out.

"Wait! Uncle!" The boy dashed ahead, Belos opening the door slightly, peering down in curiosity.

"Uncle, what do you think of love?"

"Love?" Belos smiled down, amused. 

"Hunter, love is just an illusion that blocks the real goal. You shouldn't let it block your path to victory. How about you focus on having a plan that gets the Hathaway here, sounds good, right? Rest well, Hunter."

The door was then shut, Hunter staring at it before turning around, looking determined as he ran into his room.

Love? A block? 

Maybe his Uncle was right, after all, it had distracted him from his true goal of getting Georgia into a coven...

He shrugged it off before thinking of a plan.

And hopefully, things wouldn't get too drastic.

•

Amity walked down the halls of the Owl House, a checklist board in her hands before smiling out the window, seeing Hooty.

"Hooty, what's your status?"

The owl demon crashed his head through the window, Amity glancing at him in surprise.

"The perimeter's secure, nothing's getting past me!"

"Good," Amity smiled. "Clean up that mess."

Hooty responded with a 'ma'am!' before stretching in, sweeping the shard away.

"Willow!" Amity smiles at her friend, the green-haired girl walking into the kitchen with groceries in her hands, her palisman hovering behind her.

"Have you gathered the supplies?"

"Yes!" Willow saluted. "We're ready to attack this on all fronts!"

"Excellent." Amity smiled in determination before a lilac cat began walking towards the girl.

"Awe, Ghost." She smiled. "Did you help too? Who's a good palisman!"

The cat placed a spider down at Amity's feet, the girl scratching under the palisman's chin, a small phoenix flying after.

"Hey, guys!" Georgia appeared, a bag of items in her hands. 

"Georgie!" Amity grinned, Willow smiling as the two hugged their childhood friend.

"Sorry I'm late, I had to pick up a few things that may help, I came as soon as possible!"

The girl placed the bag on the table, Talon messing with Ghost as Clover sat upon Willow's shoulder.

"It's completely fine, everything's going great so far. Now, all we need is–"

"Rain?" Gus interrupted, discs in his hands as he held CDs out to Amity, the lilac-haired witch slightly confused.

"Beach waves?"

"Something called 'Lo-fi beats to study and relax to'?" King waved the disc around. "We've got it all!"

"Eda was rummaging through her basement, and gave us some soothing human noises!" Gus explained, smiling.

"That's great!" Amity's eyes then widened. "Wait. Eda's still here?"

Amity then walked off to the living room, Georgia on her tracks as the lilac-haired witch frowned.

"Eda, you're supposed to be helping Hooty build our defenses!" 

Her eyes then widened in confusion, seeing what the elderly witch was doing.

"Huh?"

Eda tensed all her muscles, straining while sweat poured down her forehead, the woman then screaming before wiping her forehead, smiling at Amity.

"Whoo! Ah, don't mind me," She smiled. "I'm just learning how to turn into Harpy Eda on command. According to these human workouts, you just gotta scream until you force your inner beast out."

Eda posed once more, tensing as she groaned.

Amity stared at her in confusion before picking up a disc, the cover saying 'Dragonclaw Z'.

"And this looks ancient."

"What? No," Eda walked towards the girl picking up the disc.

"It's only thirty years old?! I remember seeing this in theatres..."

"Yes, you're old, who cares?" Amity frowned. "We have a crisis on our hands!"

"Chill, bossy-boots." Eda pushed Amity back using the disc.

"Everything's fine."

Amity groaned before storming over to Luz's room, Georgia trailing not far behind while Eda huffed, following behind the Hathaway and youngest Blight.

"Does this seem fine to you?!"

Amity opened Luz's door a crack, the trio peering in as the said Latina waved her arms around, socks on her hands, a mini abomination near the human held a tissue box in its hands.

"Whoaaaa... it's like I have snakes for arms!"

The girl continued to the action, Eda smiling as Georgia grimaced, Amity looking at her girlfriend in worry. Luz's nose was red, eyebags evident under her eyes while her hair was a mess, the girl clearly not in a good condition.

"Please," Eda shrugged. "She just has the common mold, it's harmless!"

"But she's a human." Amity frowned. "We have no idea how it'll affect her!"

Luz suddenly sat up, pulling the portal key out with wide eyes.

"If I ate the portal key, would I return to the Human Realm?" Luz questioned.

She then held the key over her mouth, the abomination grabbing it away before it walked over to Amity, the witch putting the item around her neck.

"I am not giving this back until you're better, okay?"

Luz whined, before pulling a little device out, tapping on it before Amity pulled a device out, looking at it in confusion before receiving the message, looking at it in confusion, a set of emojis appearing.

Luz smiled at Amity in hope, the girl glancing at Luz in worry before hesitating.

"Oh... uh... you got it!"

Amity shot a finger gun before slowly shutting the door, Luz glancing at her in confusion.

"Gotta admit, Amity," Willow smiled. "Seeing around here more often is... different!"

"I know." The witch smiled back. "But I was taught to see every situation as an opportunity! And today, I'll show Luz that I'm an awesome girlfriend!"

Gus and Willow raised an eyebrow at the witch, Georgia doing two thumbs up while Talon was perched on her shoulder.

"Feels like just a month ago you almost got her dissected by your crazy principal," King added on, Gus grinning.

"That was a few months ago."

A scream then rang out, startling the group before Amity rammed in, Eda not far behind, the two calling out her name simultaneously.

"Luz!"

"M-Mouse!" Luz pointed at the echo mouse, eyes wide in panic.

"Uh, Philip diary entry!"

The echo-mouse's eyes glowed, a filmstrip noise coming from it as the record finally played.

"After five years, I had finally found it."

Philip's voice played through the room, the group watching in awe while Luz clasped her notebook close.

"A power source so potent, it can pierce through realms." 

Luz watched anxiously, waiting 

"Titan's blood."

Luz then scribbled the name down, panicked, eyes wide.

"There are old tales of lakes reflecting green trees and blue skies. The Titan's veins run through the land. And many believe that these wild portals are created when a little of its blood leaks into the water.

"That is how I came here. So that is the first place I shall look. I will journey back to Eclipse Lake."

A map appeared, Luz hurriedly drawing the map down as the echo mouse had finished projecting, shaking its head as Luz shot up.

"I have to go to Eclipse Lake!"

The Latina ran towards the door frame, jumping over Amity while the witch ducked, Willow landing on her rear as Eda and Georgia grabbing the human's legs.

Luz grunted, trying to pull herself from the duo, Willow stood up before pushing the human back.

"Luz, no!" She frowned. "You are not well."

"She is shockingly strong." Gus chimed in.

Eda plopped Luz onto the bed, the girl bundled up in blankets that were secured with rope, Luz frowning.

"Alright, Luz." Eda frowned. "King, Wolf-girl, and I will get your Titan Blood if you just calm down."

"Yes!" King cheered. "Perfect chance to take our new powers for a test drive!"

Eda smirked, Luz, smiling in the bundle of blankets tiredly.

"New powers?" Georgia glanced at Amity, the witch smiling nervously.

"Long story, I'll explain it on the way there."

"You guys are the best." 

Luz sighed before pulling the map out, Eda holding the crumpled piece of paper between the tips of her two fingers.

Eda walked off with King on her back, Amity raising her hand while they passed.

"I volunteer as well." Amity looked at Eda. "As Luz's girlfriend, I must–"

"I get it, boots." Eda deadpanned. "Just grab a coat."

The elderly witch then pointed a finger at the remaining witches in Luz's room.

"Willow, Goops, watch over Luz." She then whispered. "She thinks she has snakes for arms."

"Whoa..." Luz muttered while she stared at her hands.

Then the human noticed Willow and Gus' stares, gasping before she hissed, waving her arms around.

Eda shut the human's door, getting her coat as Amity and Georgia drew circles with their fingers, winter coats appearing as Georgia nudged her best friend's side.

"I see you finally stepped your game up," She joked. "How's being the girlfriend of a human like?"

Amity blushed before smiling.

"Oh... you know..."

Georgia joked before pulling her furry hood up, her coat similar to Amity's, except it was a teal, a hood on the end while she wore a black turtleneck underneath.

"Sure, I know."

Georgia chuckled at Amity's bashfulness, the witch pulling her fingerless gloves on before looking down at her bag, the bracelet falling out as she quickly snagged it, pocketing the piece of jewellery.

"Ready to go?" Amity grinned, Georgia nodding as she pulled her hood up.

"Mmhm! Let's get that Titan Blood."

•

Commotion rang from the Knee as abomatons were spotted almost everywhere, Kikimora standing on top of an abomaton's shoulder.

"Dig faster scouts!" The demon hissed, the captain looking up at her.

"Kikimora," The captain frowned. "These tunnels are unstable. Maybe we should slow down."

Kikimora groaned, dismissing the captain's suggestions.

"Not now, Captain." She frowned. "This could be my last chance to show Belos what I can do. And I just know that brat, Golden Guard, will try to spoil it!"

She then noticed a guard hesitating as he stood before a chasm, the demon calling him out.

"Hey, Steve!" She hissed. "Jump over that chasm before I throw you in it!"

The abomaton walked towards the guard, Kikimora threatening the scout.

The captain then sighed, missing the scout helmet that peered from around a tree.

"She's getting so paranoid."

Hunter's eyes were wide before he lifted the scout's helmet, noticing the cardinal, the boy jumping in shock.

"Why do you keep following me?" He stared at the bird, the palisman simply chirping back.

The boy squinted at it in confusion before placing a hand on the scout's helmet.

"I don't speak Palisman." The boy then placed his hands together.

"Here's the plan. I slip in with this disguise."

The cardinal nodded.

"I find the Titan Blood before Kiki."

The cardinal nodded its head again.

"I give it to Belos. Boom! I'm useful again!"

The boy smiled, his excitement taking over as he had forgotten to stay silent.

A shot was then fired, the tree Hunter was hiding behind shot down as it smoked. Kikimora glared, the captain running up to her in panic.

"Ma'am!" She asked. "Is everything alright?"

"I just thought I heard an annoying voice..." The demon squinted her eyes.

"Another way in. We'll go find another way in!" 

Hunter exclaimed, smiling nervously as the cardinal was perched on his helmet, its single eye spotting familiar brown locks as it chirped, flying off.

It soon landed on a branch, Hunter meeting its line of sight before he gasped, recognising the four oncoming figures, one looking at a piece of paper, another twirling around while the last two were chatting.

"The Owl Lady and her dog..." He muttered before seeing the purple-haired witch.

"And... is that the youngest Blight?"

The final and hooded figure finally stopped spinning, a smile present on their short brown locks as his red eyes widened, a small smile growing.

"Wolfie."

•

y'know, if the 'hunter is a clone' theory is true, that kinda gives me a lot of materials to work with, honestly. but hooo boy, is this episode gonna be a wreck to plan out....

hunter seeing georgie after they get together be like:

 anyways, that's all for today, thank you all so much for reading and I hope you all have a lovely week ahead :D

-sam