[Boiling Isles]
Amid the noisy crowd of the Boiling Isles market, a small hooded figure slips through with urgency.
"Don't let them see me, don't let them see me!" she repeats to herself over and over, dodging witches, demons, and loud vendors that get in her way.
Her long, scaly body barely hides beneath what, with some generosity, could be called "a cloak." In truth, it's just an old, filthy, torn rag she picked out of an alley dumpster the night before. She doesn't complain. The rag serves its purpose: it covers her just enough so no one notices what she really is.
A basilisk.
Or, as her jailers used to call her: Specimen Number Five. One of the few remaining survivors of her kind, born as part of a batch that had been "rescued" from extinction by order of Emperor Belos and his coven. Of course, "rescued" meant something very different in their hands: confinement, experiments, endless testing. All for the purpose of studying her natural ability to absorb living magic. And they didn't care how cruel their methods were, as long as they got results.
Eventually, she and the others escaped. Tired of captivity, sick of the pain, they used the very magic they were forced to consume to break their chains and flee. Each one went in a different direction, hoping that splitting up would improve their odds.
And so far, that decision had saved her life.
"Over here!"
A familiar voice cuts through the market noise. Her body freezes. She recognizes that tone instantly one of the guards.
They're still looking for her.
"They found me..." she whispers, feeling her pupils involuntarily narrow in panic.
She thought she had lost them days ago. How did they track her down so fast? A spell? Tracking magic? Some magical trace she left behind without realizing it?
She's not going to stick around to find out.
She picks up the pace, her serpentine body weaving through the crowd as the guards' shouting grows closer. Left turn. Right turn. She ducks into narrow alleys without thinking, letting pure instinct guide her path.
Suddenly, an obstacle. A mass of people blocks the way, all clustered in front of a stall. She doesn't know why they're there, and she doesn't care. She lunges straight into them, forcing her way through like her life depends on it. Because it does.
She pushes, slips between legs, barely stops herself from biting a witch who unknowingly blocks her path—and finally breaks through to the front of the crowd.
And then she sees her.
A witch.
Pale skin, long gray hair, a brazen smile that radiates confidence as she sells what, to Number Five, looks like junk... though, for some reason, the crowd seems fascinated by it.
"I'm Eda, the Owl Lady, the most powerful witch in the Boiling Isles!"
The voice booms as if it's part of the act. And maybe it is.
But Number Five isn't really listening. Her attention isn't on the woman shouting, nor on the shiny trinkets she waves around to captivate the crowd.
She's staring at something—someone—far more interesting.
The girl standing next to the witch.
Light brown skin, dark brown hair, a look caught between wonder and suspicion... and most importantly: rounded ears.
Not pointy like those of demons or witches.
"A human?"
The question forms in her mind as she stares, curiosity swelling inside her. She's heard stories about humans, of course—some from the guards, others passed down by the older basilisks. But they always spoke of them as if they were myths.
And yet, there she is.
A human.
But she doesn't have time to admire her any longer. Another burst of shouting erupts nearby, and her instincts take over.
"I have to hide!"
She darts toward the nearest shadow, keeping low to the ground, her body shrinking almost by reflex. She slips under a table, twists through stacked crates, and ends up hiding inside an improvised tent—the very place where the witch and the human seem to have set up a secondhand stall.
"Busted!!"
The shout pierces her like an icy spear. For a whole second, her heart stops.
"Oh no. They caught me!" she thinks, the image of being dragged back already flashing through her mind. The chains. The damp walls. The needles. The cold. The mechanical voice repeating her number.
"I don't want to go back..."
Her trembling hands clutch the sides of her head, barely stopping herself from whimpering. She feels the pressure of tears building behind her eyes.
"Eda the Owl Lady! You are wanted for misuse of magic and minor demon-related offenses!"
The guard's voice thunders from outside. But this time, something inside her cracks not from fear, but from surprise.
"They're not here for me...?"
Her eyes snap open, breath still shaky. She swallows hard. Relief comes slight, but real. They're not here for her. Not this time.
But that feeling lasts barely a second. Because she's still inside a criminal's tent. And if the guards check it—not if, when—they'll find her.
"I have to get out of here!"
Her eyes scan the interior quickly. Crates, wrinkled fabric, strange objects. Nothing useful... until she sees a door. A wooden door, slightly ajar, at the back of the tent.
"A back exit? But… in a tent?"
It makes no sense. Who installs a wooden door inside a fabric tent?
She doesn't think twice. She slides toward it and pushes it open only to be greeted by a flash of light. It's not a back door. It's a portal. She's sure of it; she's seen some witches use things like this. Even so, she can't help but wonder:
"Where would it take me if I go through?"
Those thoughts vanish the moment a commotion breaks out outside—what sounds like a fight.
"Wherever it goes… it has to be better than here."
And with that, Number Five jumped into the portal the light momentarily blinding her.
[Gravesfield]
When she opens her eyes, the first thing she does is look around quickly.
She expects to see Emperor Belos's troops lying in wait but to her surprise... there are none.
There is no one, in fact.
And more importantly: the world has changed.
The first thing she notices is the complete absence of magic. As a basilisk, sensing it smelling it, feeling it is second nature. But now… there's nothing. Not a trace. Not a single spark floating in the air.
Then comes the landscape. This place looks nothing like anywhere she's seen before.
This isn't the Boiling Isles she's sure of it. The sky no longer has its usual hue; now it's blue. A smooth, uninterrupted blue. The faint scent of sulfur she's used to —the one that always tickled her nose— is gone.
Even the plants are strange. Normal trees. Ordinary roots. Nothing with eyes or fangs. Nothing watching her if she stands still.
Everything is… still. Too still.
"Is this the human world?" She can't help but whisper the question, glancing around warily.
"Is that how the human got to the Boiling Isles?"
Too many questions. Too few answers. Her gaze immediately turns back to the portal she came through only to find it's no longer a portal, but an old, crooked wooden door set into the frame of a crumbling house that looks ready to collapse.
"Looks like the human won't be coming back anytime soon..."
She doesn't mind. She's not worried, either. In fact… the more she thinks about it, the more she likes the idea.
A smile slowly spreads across her face as the realization sinks in: she had escaped the Boiling Isles. For the first time in her life, she was free.
The feeling lasts only a few seconds.
"Luz?"
A woman's voice. Nearby. Warm—but unsettling. Someone's approaching.
"What do I do? What do I do?" she panics, torn between running and hiding.
No time. She has to act.
Using the little magic she had left, she shifts her basilisk body into the form of the only human she's ever seen before: the girl from the market.
It's a rushed transformation, but it works.
Just in time. She finishes the change mere moments before a woman steps into the clearing and spots her.
"Luz..." the woman murmurs as she sees her.
[Image]
Number Five freezes, analyzing her. The woman approaches calmly.
There's something familiar about her—she shares the same skin tone as the human she's imitating… not just that: the same hair, the same eyes.
Is that her mother?
"Oh no..." She can't help but worry. She had turned into this woman's possible daughter.
She silently curses herself. Of all the forms she could've chosen, she had to pick the worst one. She can't reverse the transformation not without draining the rest of her magic. And worse, the woman is already too close.
"What are you doing?" the woman asks in a calm tone.
She needs to think fast. Something believable. Something… human.
"Hello, fellow human. This skin is very strange…" she murmurs, gently tugging at the skin on her arm with a confused expression.
The woman stares at her for a few seconds, surprised… and then smiles. Calm. At ease.
"Very funny, Luz."
"Luz," Number Five repeats inwardly. At least now she knows the name of the human she's copying.
"Is something wrong, Luz?" the woman asks again, now sounding more concerned.
"E-eh? No… Mom?"
The woman's smile softens with tenderness as she takes her hand. Her touch is gentle, warm… different. Number Five has never felt anything like it before.
It feels nice. Comforting.
"Everything's going to be okay, mija," the woman says as they walk through the clearing together.
"Camp's only for three months."
She gives her a quick smile, trying to sound optimistic.
"Time will fly by. You'll be busy... I don't know, balancing checkbooks and… mmhh…" She lightly purses her lips, searching for the words. "Appreciating public radio?"
"You won't even notice!!" she says , this time with forced enthusiasm. She's smiling, but Number Five can hear the doubt in her voice. She's not entirely convinced by what she's saying. Maybe she's trying to convince herself.
Number Five just nods. She doesn't know what else to say.
They keep walking in silence for a few minutes, until they reach a quieter street. The noise of traffic fades into the background, and the air feels colder, more still. They stop and wait.
"You'll be okay. I'm sure you'll make lots of friends, but…"
The woman looks at her, a mix of hope and tenderness in her expression.
"You just have to try. Can you promise me that?"
She can't help but swallow hard when she hears it.
"I promise I'll try to make friends..." she finally replies, though she's not entirely sure what she's really promising.
"Thank you, Luz."
After that, the bus appears at the end of the street. Just before she gets on, the woman hands her a bag. She takes it carefully, holding it tightly as she steps onto the bus without saying a word. But just before climbing all the way in, she pauses and turns back.
"Goodbye, Mom..."
"Goodbye, mija."
[On the Bus]
As she slowly walks down the aisle of the bus, full of humans, she can't help but notice that some of them look… particularly strange.
One is wearing a fish-shaped hat. Another has pointy ears but when she looks closely, they seem to be stuck on with tape or some other makeshift material. She's not sure if it's part of a costume or a deformity.
Better not ask.
She decides to ignore it. The safest thing is to avoid drawing attention, so she lowers her head and walks to the back of the bus. She sits next to the window—though it doesn't look like it can open—and hugs the bag the human woman gave her.
"What should I do?" she wonders, glancing sideways at the door.
The windows are sealed; there's no way out without causing a scene.
"Maybe I should wait until we reach the destination and use the moment to escape… or… blend in with them, I guess."
While her thoughts swirl, a figure appears in front of her, taking a seat directly across. It's a girl with short black hair, defined eyelashes, and dark eyes that stare at her intently. Without blinking.
"Fresh blood..." the girl mutters in a low, gravelly voice.
That's all it takes.
"AH, NO, DON'T EAT ME!"
Without thinking, Number Five grabs the backpack and swings it straight at the girl's head. BAM! The girl recoils in her seat, clutching her forehead as she shrinks back.
"HAHAHAHA!"
The laughter bursts out from another seat. Another girl—with thick glasses and messy brown hair—laughs uncontrollably while pointing at the girl who just got hit.
"Oh no, what have I done!" she scolds herself internally for being so impulsive.
But to her surprise, the black-haired girl laughs too, rubbing her head with a playful expression. Just then, another human appears—brown-skinned, dark hair falling into his eyes, and a calm voice.
"I think you scared her."
The three of them laugh together, and Number Five watches closely. They clearly know each other.
What is she supposed to say to blend in?
"Hello, fellow humans! It is a pleasure to meet you, heheh."
She blurts it out with a nervous smile, waving awkwardly.
They all look at her, and for a second, there's silence.
Then the black-haired girl is the first to react, smiling kindly.
"Hello to you too, fellow human," she replies, reaching out with a friendly smile.
"Sorry if I scared you. My name's Masha."
Number Five blinks, surprised that the same tactic worked twice. Imitating Masha's gesture, she stretches out her hand and takes hers.
"My name is Number… my name is Luz," she corrects herself just in time, forcing a smile.
The other girl—the one with glasses and a few freckles—steps forward right away.
"Hi, Luz. I'm Ivy. And this guy right here," she says, pointing to the boy beside her,
"is Jace."
"Hey," Jace greets with a small wave, barely lifting his hand, sounding unimpressed.
"Is this your first time here?" Ivy asks, sounding genuinely curious.
"Yes, it's my first time on this… chariot?"
Jace lets out a soft laugh. Masha turns to him with a teasing grin and nudges him with her elbow.
"See? I told you I wasn't the only one who calls them chariots!"
Ivy just rolls her eyes and quickly jumps in to correct her, waving her hands.
"I meant the camp."
"Oh… mm yes, it's my first time at that too," she replies, trying to sound casual, though she has no idea what a camp is supposed to be.
Masha studies her for a moment, resting her chin on her hand, thoughtful.
"You seem nervous. Don't worry, it's not as bad as it looks. I've already been here three times."
Then she nods toward Ivy and Jace.
"They've both been twice each. I mean, sure, half the time they teach us a bunch of boring stuff, buuut the other half they let us do whatever we want… more or less."
Number Five barely manages to nod before a loud, grumpy voice interrupts them from the front of the bus:
"Hey! You kids in the back, sit down!"
The order comes from an adult woman with a stern expression and a face that clearly says not in the mood. She points directly at them, not even trying to hide her annoyance.
"We'll talk later, fellow human," Masha whispers, winking at her before heading back to her seat. Ivy and Jace follow without saying another word.
Number Five remains silent, staring straight ahead as that word echoes again in her mind.
Camp.
The first human had mentioned it too. She quickly lowers her gaze to the bag she's holding in her hands, hoping to find something useful. She carefully rummages through it.
Inside are a few basic items: clothes, soap, a brush, and in the middle of it all, a folded pamphlet. She takes it out and examines it closely.
'REALITY CHECK SUMMER CAMP – THINK INSIDE THE BOX', the cover reads in big, flashy letters.
She opens it carefully and starts to read, whispering.
"We all love that you express yourself, but if you can't learn to separate fantasy from reality, you might need to spend the summer here. Learn to behave. Be a normal person..."
She reads the entire thing twice. By the time she finishes, her expression has completely changed.
"This is... perfect!!!"
She can't help but smile. This camp sounds exactly like what she needs: a place to learn how to behave like humans. And considering she has no plans to return to the Boiling Isles, this is her best option for now.
Of course, there's the issue of the human she's replacing... but she remembers she stayed behind. And if she ever comes back, she can always escape before that happens. Not ideal, but it's a risk she can handle.
She looks out the window, watching the scenery roll by. Calm trees, a small bridge crossing a stream. No beasts. No witches. No demons.
"Seems like a really nice place..." she murmurs, feeling—for the first time in a long while—that she can let her guard down.
She allows herself to relax, letting the sway of the ride lull her as she takes in this new world she's only just beginning to explore.
-//-
Author's Note:
Short chapter? Yeah, but it works as an introduction. I've always wanted to write a The Owl House story centered on Vee, even though she only speaks for like five minutes in the entire series.
After this world, I guess we'll jump into the Miraculous one though, to be honest, I haven't watched a single episode of the new season.
Anyway… leave your comments! Good ones, bad ones. I'm addicted to reading them! They keep me motivated to keep writing. Feel free to drop suggestions too, I love reading them.
Not exactly sure how I'll handle updates... maybe once or twice a week? Not a lot, but better than nothing.
Kisses and hugs!💋