𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙚 𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙖𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙡𝙙 𝙒𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙗𝙖𝙣𝙚 𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙨𝙚, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙚𝙡𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙙𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨, 𝙛𝙚𝙖𝙧 𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙢𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢.

"Are you sure you saw him?" Luz questioned Hunter, the boy gripping a rake tightly as Georgia clutched her staff.

"I thought the Collector–"

"Destroyed him?" Georgia finished. "Me too. But... it seems he's back..."

"Yeah," Hunter muttered. "I'm... I'm sure."

He gulped slightly, the rake in his hold clenched tighter as his hands shook nervously. He began to sweat, Luz raising an eyebrow at him as Georgia lowered her staff. She placed a hand on his shoulder, seeing him jump before his gaze met hers, the blonde boy relaxing instantly.

"Hey," Luz began in concern. "We can wait for the others if you–"

"No!" Hunter snapped, his voice cracking. "We have to take care of this ourselves. Titan, I hate this!"

Hunter sighed, looking aside as Georgia slowly pulled her hand away, listening as he ranted. At that moment the wind blew. Luz's finger was on her mouth in thought as she planned out ways to help.

"I was never scared as the Golden Guard!"

Luz's eyes widened as she spotted three paper masks on the ground, one resembling Hooty, the other looking like King's skull, crack and all, and the last of a silver mask that looked similar to the old golden guard mask.

She picked up the items from the ground, holding the Hooty-reminiscent one close to her face, the other two in her other hand.

"Then how about we bring back some that masked confidence, huh?" She grinned. "Bleh!"

Hunter smiled softly at the girl he saw as a sister, Georgia perking up as she spotted the silver mask before her.

"I call dibs on the silver one!"

Hunter chuckled at her, taking the silver-coloured paper mask and placing the string behind her head. Before he pulled the mask down, he pecked her nose, the girl blushing as the masked was pulled over her red-tinted cheeks.

She smiled in slight bliss as her boyfriend took the owl mask, the girl shaking her head as she re-centred her focus.

"Focus on finding Belos, get back to doing work... and maybe cuddles after. But work first!"

All she hoped was that her curse would remain at bay because hiding the fur sprouts was highly irritating. She was thankful for the time the patch of fur near the curse mark disappeared but was still annoyed at the fangs that were developing.

She and her father were going to have a long talk...

–––

Hunter kicked the Wittebane household door open, a rake in his hands as Luz held a bat. Georgia stood not far behind them, Talon in his staff form as she held a light orb in her hand.

"Alright, Belos," Hunter began. "What's about to happen should be relatively painless, if you just do what we say."

"That's right!" Luz glared. "So come out with your hands behind your creepy, dumb head!"

The three teens walked slowly into the house, cautious about their surroundings. The three froze as they spotted a shadow retreat from behind the doorway. 

Hunter leaned over, Georgia lifting up the light orb to give him better light as he hummed unsurely. The girl behind him frowned as all she spotted was a spider walking along its web, Luz appeared from behind the two as they walked together to another room.

Hunter peered into another darkened room, Luz checking another as the door creaked, a gust blowing through the window as a bit of cloth dangling from the ceiling waved in the wind.

Luz shut the door slightly as it creaked, light still shining in. Georgia frowned at the lack of Belos' presence in the home... something felt eerily off.

Suddenly, the sound of something pawing at wood made the three go into defensive positions as they gasped, the three teenagers now staring at a sealed-up door at the end of the hallway that the falling wallpaper covered.

Luz ripped up the paper, tossing it aside as she opened the creaky basement door. The three walked down the stairs, as Georgia was ahead, an oracle shield up at the high possibility that the monster of a witch hunter was lurking in the darkness.

Luz flicked the light switch on, the teens gasping as they heard rattling from within the cupboard opposite them. They lifted their weapons, eyes widened in fear, the rattling continuing from within the furniture.

They walked closer towards it, Luz placing her hand closer to the cupboard's doorknobs as tension rose within them. As the door was pulled open, their eyes widened in horror as a possum hissed at the three, baring its sharp fangs before scampering off. 

Luz let out a shocked cry before calming herself down, Hunter dropping the rake as the Latina sighed in relief, the boy beside her looking at her in worry.

"Oh, thank goodness," She smiled. "It's just a little angel."

Luz pulled her mask off, Hunter awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck as Georgia took the shield away, the light orb disappearing as Talon turned back into his pasliman form, now perched on his creator's shoulder.

"No one's hear," Hunter muttered. "I-I guess it was just in my head..."

Georgia and Talon frowned at one another in worry, the brunette walking over to Hunter as she smiled at him reassuringly.

"Well, can't blame you for being paranoid after everything we've been through," Luz smiled, punching Georgia's shoulder playfully as the girl beside her nodded.

"We can never be too careful, and you're just looking out for us," Georgia added on, placing a reassuring hand on Hunter's shoulder.

"Yeah," Hunter nodded, clutching his sweater a little tighter. "I just wanna make sure everyone's safe."

"And we appreciate it, Hun, but you gotta look out for yourself too," Georgia smiled as Luz shut the cupboard door, the three leaning against the piece of furniture.

"Same," Luz agreed. 

She punched the boy's shoulder, Georgia chuckling as she saw her boyfriend flinch slightly.

"And that includes you too."

"What?" Hunter muttered in shock, not expecting this kind of care from the Latina.

"Yeah, gotta make sure you're safe too, Hunter," Luz nodded. "You're family now."

"Oh... Huh..."

Hunter glanced down as he began chuckling, tears leaking down his eyes at the thought of being accepted and loved be a found family. He wiped his tears away, Luz looking at him in concern as Georgia smiled softly at him.

He then covered his face, the tears pouring out while sobbing, Luz side hugging him in comfort as Georgia pat circles onto his back.

Hunter pulled his mask away, tears still evident in the corners of his eyes before pulling away from Luz's hug, wiping his eyes.

"Ah, this... mask is pretty gross now," He joked, the three laughing.

Hunter picked up the rake, Georgia placing a hand on his cheek as she gave him a loving smile before walking back towards the stairs. Luz picked up her bat as the mask was in her other hand, the two following not far behind.

"Let's get back before anyone worries," The Latina suggested.

"Hopefully, a movie should ease us from our troubles," Georgia chirped. "I wonder if there's anything good on the magic box."

"Yeah, that sounds... that sounds great. And everything's okay," Hunter smiled back. 

As they walked up the stairs, the boy failed to notice the strange shadow behind him with horns along the sides of his head while Luz closed the door behind them.

"Belos is gone."