Changeling Witch

Small Victories

"There." Willow finished wrapping the tape around Gus's flags. "That oughta do it."

Gus hugged them to his chest. "These are flags of surrender now."

Amity paused, then patted him on the shoulder. "They're good flags, Gus. They're strong. They've made it through."

SLAM!

"Hunter needs our help!" Edric burst, rushing into the greenhouse.

"Hey, give us some space here, Ricky," Amity said. "Gus's flags are healing."

Edric ignored her. "Look, I know he pushed you guys, and he always gets in over his head. He can be so stupid, which I love---I mean hate!" he yelped, his cheeks turning pink. "In any case, he needs you right now, which is swee---I MEAN I HATE IT AND IT'S DUMB AND I HATE HIS STUPID LITTLE EARS AND TOOTH GAP!"

Willow raised an eyebrow. "Uh..."

Gus blinked. "You lost me."

Amity burst into a wild giggle fit at Edric's face.

"Just---here," he said, handing Willow her clip. "He just offered to let Boscha pummel him to death via flaming grudgby balls. That's not a friend you want to leave behind."

"Can we resist the call to action?" Gus declared, a smile stretching across his face. "No! May the flags be raised once more!"

................

Eda hurled the grudgby ball at the goal, cheering as it careened towards it---only for it to get blocked by a certain tube owl.

"HOOTY!" she shouted. "Whose side are you on?"

"I'm an unbiased participant, hoot hoot!"

Lilith grabbed the ball and raced towards the other goal, cleanly jumping over the yawning chasm of Hooty's mouth. She climbed the goalpost and tossed the ball in.

"And point goes to Lilith!" King announced, adding another tally mark. "We're at a tie here, folks!"

The Clawthorne sisters both took a quick breather as Hooty collected the ball. "Time for one more play!" he hooted.

Eda pulled her cheat box out of her hair with a grin. "Just one little trick, and the game will be mi---" She stopped as soon as she opened it.

All of her old cheats were gone, replaced by a note from the kid.

Noticed this had a lot of shit in it, so I cleaned it out. Love ya, Owl Lady. ---Hunter

"Damn it, Hunter!" she whispered. "You've gotten into my head." She stuffed the box back into her hair. "Welp, time to do this the old-fashioned way."

"You're taking your time," Lilith noted as Eda made her way back onto the court. "Nervous?"

Eda smirked. "Not today, sister."

As soon as Hooty tossed the ball into the air, Eda launched up and grabbed it, racing towards the goal.

"Hey, it's me again!" Hooty sang, only to instantly get a heel to the face as Eda used him as a launching pad.

"No!" Lilith shrieked as Eda slammed the ball into the goal.

"Ha-HA!" King marked the final score. "Game over! Team Owl House rules supreme!"

Eda landed on the ground and did a victory twirl. "Yes! Still got it! Still got the skills to pay the bills, baby!"

"NO!"

She turned around to see Lilith slamming her fists into the ground. "I can't go back to the Emperor empty-handed!" she wailed. "I just can't!"