S1: E2: Pilot Part Two (Back In The Hood)

Chapter 5: Act Three

Saturday was Tank's day off, so they spent it out and about with him. Goz would've protested, but it honestly took her mind off meeting the Coven that night.

Besides, Tank was showing them all the best places! They went to a pizzeria, movie theater, roller rink, and Monster Truck Arena. Who knew Firebird even had a monster truck arena?

"I still don't see the appeal." Honker muttered, eating his vanilla icecream after the show. "It's just a bunch of mindless destruction."

"Yeah, but it's cool mindless destruction!" Goz explained, waving her strawberry cone around.

"And did ya see that one car go shwoom!?" Tank threw his hands in the air, making exploding noises. "But I wouldn' expect a wimp like ya to get it, Honkface. Maybe if they had more nerd stuff, like maths equa-whatevers drawn on the sides..."

"You know the word equations, pronounce it properly." Honker scowled.

"Watcha gonna do about it?" Tank challenged.

"Okay, you boys have fun, I'm gonna go have some girl talk." Goz rolled her eyes as the brothers started shouting in the middle of the street, uncaring about (reveling in) the stares of passerby. She ducked into a side street, climbing up the side of a building.

"Mreow?" Screech asked, tilting his head, as Goz expertly moved from roof to roof.

"It's almost time for the afternoon news." Goz explained. "The arrest should be public knowledge by now, and I want to see Mel- people's reaction."

"Coffee in the afternoon?" Melody tsked playfully, wagging a finger, as Goz came in to Starduck's. "Don't you know that's bad for you?"

"You aren't the best salesperson, are you?" Goz asked, equally playfully. Her eyes flicked to the television behind Melody. "What time does the news come on?"

"Around 17:30, so it should only be a minute or two." Melody responded, looking at a wall clock. "Why?"

"I want to stay well-informed about my new hometown." Goz replied, smiling. They both knew it was a lie, though she didn't know how she knew that, but neither pointed it out. "Can I get a mocha, please? And a water."

"You sure drink a lot of water." Melody smirked, making the coffee. The TV's background noise sharpened as the news started.

Hello, I'm Rebecca Robinson, reporting for Burning Hot News. Today's story is once again about that criminal that puts the flames in our dear Firebird, Infernos Projection. But there's a plot twist -- Infernos is a little fire bird himself!

A video turned on, showing Wesley being lead into a police van, Golem right behind him. Wesley was putting up a minor struggle, and Golem was humming.

Wesley Ashfeathers was fired from his prominent tech job years ago for unethical experiments and illegal projects. With well-timed explosives, holograms, and his robotic minion, Ashfeathers has been faking the fire giant we've all come to fear.

"No way!" Melody stared at the screen. "I can't believe they finally caught him. Or that he's not some demon-thing. Just a guy with some tech -- impressive. Terrible, but impressive."

And how was this criminal caught, you may ask? Was it by our dear police department? No, they have once again failed us all. It was the same so-called 'hero' that faced him last time. But is this savior really so? We now bring you video footage just after the arrest.

And there was Quiverhood, standing in front of a camera. A reporter was asking her who she was, what kind of hero she planned to be.

I'm not really a hero. Just a mutant trying to make the world a little better.

Goz grinned as the attention of everyone in Starduck's turned to the screen. Just as she planned with that little line.

You heard it here first, folks. We'll let you decide for yourselves whether this newcomer is the hero they claim to be, or just another costumed mutant menace. I for one believe the latter, for it the unfortunate world we live in today-

"She actually admitted it." Melody whistled, turning to Goz. "That takes guts. Good for her. Firebird needed a hero."

"Yeah, and it got that thing instead." A llama woman grumbled, her friends muttered in agreement, nodding their heads bitterly.

"Hey, they stopped Infernos." A man spoke up. "If that's not hero-work, I'm not covered in feathers."

An argument broke out, though no punches were thrown. It was common knowledge that any violence in that particular Starduck's would earn Melody's wrath, which was apparently enough to keep everyone on line.

Goz's phone dinged with a text.

[Honkman]: Where are you?

[No1Fan]: Starduck's. Why?

[Honkman]: It's almost time to meet the Coven. My brother just turned in for the night.

[No1Fan]: Who'd've thought Tank Muddlefoot would ever be an early rester? On my way, see you soon.

Maybe Goz should've felt guilty, as she slipped her phone in her pocket and moved through the arguing crowds to leave. But she wasn't. Because she was a mutant. She was tall. She was a goose. These were just what she was, and she wasn't going to hide it for a second. Not more than she had to to stay safe, anyways.

"No Normals." The wereduck at the building entrance put a paw in front of Honker, startling the rooster.

"He's with me." Goz informed him, magic crackling lightly around her, eyes solid green. "He has a Visitor's Pass."

"Alright, but just know we hunt down people who have problems keeping their mouths shut." The wereduck glared at Honker, though he avoided eye contact with Goz. "Clear?"

"Oh puh-leeze." Goz scoffed before Honker could say a word, pushing past the wereduck easily. "As if your entire hunting team couldn't be distracted by a chew toy."

"That wasn't very nice." Honker whispered after they were inside.

"I can't afford to be nice here, Honk." Goz shook her head. "There are too many Monsters around. I have to play by their standards if we want help. Witches outrank wereducks, I couldn't just let him try to intimidate one of my friends or I'd lose face."

"I'll trust you on this, Q." Honker stayed close to her as they moved through the building, trying and failing to not stare at all the Monsters. The floor plan was a little like a convention center, lots of open spaces and wide hallways.

All around them, Monsters were showing off their latest achievements. A seance was going on in a corner, but it kept getting interrupted by a Summoning Circle that had been drawn a little too close.

"Sssoar above the crowd with our Zephyrboom Carpets!" A vampire yelled out from a stand, eyes spinning slowly. Honker stopped to watch. "Forgeet the earthly traffic of the modern daay and take to the skiesss, traveling in unpaaaralleled ssstyle. Our carpets are voven from rrrare, maagic-dusted threads, ensssuring the smoothest rrrides you c'n imagine. Vhy bother vith difficult levitation ssspells or unhealthy elixirsss, vhen you c'n glide through the skiesss on a carpet of dreeeams? Only three jex!"

"Three jex?!" Goz scowled, pulling Honker away from the salesman. "For a subpar enchantment like that?! As if."

"What's a jek?" Honker asked, blinking his eyes quickly as if he'd just woken up.

"Monster money." Goz told him, scanning the crowd for something. "It goes mallers, hallers, crinklz, wix, jex, wali, ojix, kols, then furdis. An old rug like the ones that vamp was peddling are only worth five crinklz, max."

"If you say so." Honker shrugged, following Goz through the crowd. "Um, Q? What are we looking for?"

"A witch or warlock with three or more familiars." Goz told him. "You get the ability to bond to more familiars as you get older. The older you are the more respected you are. If we want to speak the leader, we've got to talk to the higher-ranked spellcasters first. Preferably witches."

"Why preferably witches?" Honker asked, narrowly avoiding the grasping claw of some creature he'd be having nightmares of for the next few years.

"Witches are more powerful." Goz thought for a moment, figuring out how to explain it. "Basically, witches are in charge of the cultural and magical stuff, and they can kinda do what they want so long as it doesn't break too many Monster laws, because they have more access to and control over their magical abilities. Warlocks lead families and towns, witches lead the people and covens."

"I guess that makes sense?" Honker shrugged, not really understanding anything about Monster Politics. He'd never really been a big part of this side of Goz's life.

"What a looovely mortaaaal you have there." A Spirit grinned, beak filled with sharp teeth. "Hoooow much?"

"I'm afraid he's not for sale." Goz scowled, getting in the Spirit's personal space, magic sparking between them. Screech emitted a low growl. "And if you interrupt my conversation again, I'll seal you in a clock and hang it on my wall. Got it?"

"Uh, y-yesss." The Spirit nodded quickly, teleporting away.

"Did he just try to buy me?" Honker asked. "Is- is that common?

"The buying and selling of Normals isn't exactly encouraged, per se." Goz told him, shrugging. "It's not illegal, though. Stay close to me, you'll be fi-"

A wall crashed to the ground, rubble thrown clear across the room along with bolts of energy from the ripped-up protection spells that should've stopped such a thing from happening.

Floating in the middle of the gaping hole left behind was a Monster girl, with glowing red eyes and a beak filled with dripping fangs. She wore a mismatched but regal outfit, offset by hints of a jester aesthetic. Dark brown hair cascaded down her back, two salmon stripes somehow mismatching each other. Her ripped gold skirt featured a half-circled connected by lines to smaller circles, each branching off with two lines of their own. She was the kind of thin you only saw in magazines, with limbs much too long. On her shoulder sat a chameleon, a familiar.

She smirked, then laughed. It was dainty, like bells, but when she talked her voice was deep. Raspy. Echoing. "Heeeelloooo, everyoooooone! Grrrrrreeeeetings from the great Lady Blaaaackheart! I am Marionette MacCaaaaawber. Yes, of THE MacCaaaaawbers. But you can call me Mistressssssss Puuuuppetta!" She spread her arms like a showman with a giggle, and two dozen floating marionettes zoomed through the crowd.

"Honker, go get changed." Goz hissed quietly, leaving no room for questions. "Now."

Honker ran off, and Goz dropped the illusion she'd been wearing, revealing Quiverhood underneath; she'd been worried about an attack from the Coven, not on it, but whatever.

"I haaaave just one question." Mistress Puppetta spotted Quiverhood, and her eyes lit up. She giggled again , clapping her hands. "Oh! I wasss gonna ask where you were hiiiiiding! Now I have a different question. Rrrready to plaaaaay with meeee, Little Girl Bluuuuue?"

That voice. Quiverhood knew she'd recognized it. Icy fear briefly filled her, but it was consumed by burning fury.

"Let's dance." Quiverhood snapped her bow open, firing spelled arrows at her opponent faster than should have been strictly possible.

"Ooooh! You're fuuuuun!" Puppetta laughed, dodging easily. A snap of her claws and every marionette was suddenly divebombing Quiverhood, little spears tied to their arms striking at her. "Toooo bad Mumsy and The Lady are booooth sssso fond of you. We could have soooo much fuuuuun in my rrrrrrealm."

"Flirtin' behind my back, toots?" A newcomer asked. Quiverhood had been too busy with the puppets to notice, but now the voice had distracted her enough for them to grab her and lift her into the air.

On the plus side, this gave her a good view of the voice's owner. She was either a turkey or a chicken, Quiverhood couldn't really tell, with fluffy headfeathers and crystal blue eyes. She wore a shimmering black dress with long gloves and a matching purse. She was gorgeous, except for the sharp robotic talons and the sleek high-tech gun.

"Neeeever, Chicky!" Puppetta protested, floating down to nuzzle her beak across the other's cheek feathers.

"I believe ya, sweetcheeks." The gun wielding lady grinned. She looked at Quiverhood, her expression going crueler. "And now dat we gotcha, we can get to robbin' dis place. Da Lady wants ya to watch, and I don't question da Lady."

"A Normie thinks it can rob us?" A warlock questioned, fingers crackling with power, aiming for the turkey. "I think no-"

He was silenced by a disembodied clawed hand lifting him into the air. Puppetta had red magic swirling around her, eyes solid and glowing. She seemed to grow in size without really doing so, becoming more monstrous without changing. She hissed. "Don't. Touch. My. Thingssssss."

The warlock nodded vigorously, terrified more of the magic streaking off of her than her claws, and she threw him roughly to the ground. Marionettes came out of every nook and cranny, taking valuables of all sorts. Some of the Monsters tried to fight, but the marionettes were apparently both magic resistant and magic-harming. A few tried to attack the duo directly, but silver and iron bullets drove them back.

Quiverhood struggled to free herself, but she couldn't get loose of the wooden arms gripping her.

"Don’t botha, Quivah babe. No one can get outta my goirl's grasp - I shoid know." The gun lady winked, fondly watching Mistress Puppetta fly around scaring people with creepy high-pitched giggling.

"Who even are you?" Quiverhood growled, trying to distract her opponent.

"Name's Martini Steele, though Da Lady calls me Trickshot, so I guess ya shoid too." The turkey shrugged. "And we happen to be membahs of da Black Court."

Quiverhood was going to question what the Black Court was, if only to buy time, when a powerful magical field enveloped them.

"Yaaaagh!" Puppetta screamed, writhing in midair. A spectral banishment charm by the feel of it, though she was apparently much too powerful to actually be forced away.

"Mary? Wot's da matta?" Trickshot ran over to her. "Wot's happenin'?"

"Elderrrr Witch." Puppetta hissed, In obvious pain. "Gotta goooo, Chicky. Pleeeaaassse."

"We're goin'." Trickshot growled at the parakeet that had walked up, the Elder Witch who was doing the spells. "I said we're runnin', so drop it already, will ya!?"

The field dissipated. The Black Court members disappeared in a red flash, but not before one last echo could be heard. "We'll plaaaaay again sssssoon, Little Girl Bluuuuue."

Quiverhood looked up to see Arrowhead standing right behind the Elder Witch.

--

"...and that's everything that's happened." Goz sighed. She was sitting in a private office, in front of a large wooden desk. Honker was next to her.

It was a nice office, green carpet and old but sturdy furniture. A wardrobe with ancient runes scratched into it, oil paintings conversing quietly with each other, sunlight streaming from bottles along the walls, bookshelves filled with both tomes and jars of this or that magical ingredient. Pet beds were strewn here and there.

"You've been on quite the adventure, my dear." The Parakeet -- Madam Lafam -- nodded from behind the desk, petting one of her rats. "And after that display, I'm quite in agreement about a rogue witch or two being involved. An attack on a Coven Gathering must not go unpunished."

"So you'll help us?" Goz asked, hopefully. "You'll help us find everyone?"

"Of course!" Madam Lafam sighed. "But know, dear, that it won't be easy. Your family aren't the only ones missing, all of SHUSH has disappeared. We have been casting scrying spells, but something is blocking us. They may have been taken outside this realm."

"With Negaduck, that's definitely a possibility." Honker agreed.

"Not to mention Paddywhack." Goz added, thinking back to Marionette MacCawber. "I can't believe that the rumor about Morgana's husband is true."

"But if Marionette really is Morgana and Paddywhack's daughter, how is she older then you?" Honker asked, but just received a shrug in return.

"Many things are possible when magic is concerned." Madam Lafam told him. "My dear, may I see the metal heart you found? I may be able to use it to craft a scrying spell powerful enough to find its owner across dimensions, if a little theory proves true."

Goz reluctantly handed the heart over, feeling irrationally as if her one lead was slipping through her fingers. "Ma'am? Do you think that the missing people are still...?"

"Whether their souls and bodies are still entwined is anyone's guess." Madam Lafam said, not unsympathetically. "For now, we can only hope."

"Lynn's dangerous." Goz said, quietly. "She's dangerous by herself, she's dangerous with a partner, but now she has a team. And she's playing games. I don't have even the beginning of an idea of what she wants out of all this. Why not capture us too?"

"I don't know, dear." Madam Lafam shrugged. "Perhaps it is really just a game, or maybe it's a greater plot. A ritual, or a necessity."

No more could be said, as the wardrobe started shaking, white light streaming from within it.

Madam Lafam was up in an instant, standing in between them and the wardrobe. "Stat back, children. That is a Traveler's Wardrobe -- a portal to anywhere, everywhere, and nowhere. There's no telling what could come out of it."

The wardrobe shook and lurched, nearly falling, rattling loudly as the light got brighter and brighter. Goz readied an arrow, Madam Lafam had a spell on her fingertips, Honker grabbed a desk lamp, and all familiars present readied their claws.

"You don't think it's another attack, do you ma'am?" Goz asked, shouting to be heard over the rumbling of the growing portal.

"Until the protection spells are back up, there's no way to know for sure, dear." Madam Lafam shouted back.

The wooden doors flew open. Blue, green, yellow, black, and white light all swirled together, slightly pushing everything away from it. One last scream of energy, and a large bundle was shot out.

The wardrobe shut itself with a click, then went silent. In front of it was a muddy creature with at least twelve limbs and three heads, leaves and twigs stuck all over its body. it open one of its mouths wide, showing sharp teeth, and screeched.

A lot things happened in quick succession. First, Goz noticed two pairs of mismatched blue-green eyes, and one pair of orange eyes.

Second, Screech jumped from her shoulder and ran to mud monster, meowing happily.

Third, Honker dropped the lamp, a gasp of recognition escaping his beak, letting it shatter across the ground.

Fourth, Madam Lafam shouted "Back, demon!" and threw her spell.

Fifth, Goz and Honker both screamed and threw themselves in front of the spell, with Goz barely throwing up a weak-but-good-enough shield spell up in time. "No, wait! Don't."

"What-?" Madam Lafam tried asking, but Goz wasn't paying attention.

Goz kneeled on the ground, looking closely at the 'mud creature'. It had clumps of orange, grey, and purple fuzz. There was green on one part, and another was sparking. Two long tails waved in the air, while a pool of water collected around just one half of it.

"Guys, please tell me that's you?" Goz said, trying very hard not to cry. It couldn't be...

"Hiya goosey!" The middle head grinned. "Didja miss us?"

Goz felt the tears streaking down her cheek feathers as she gathered the two teens and little girl into a hug, uncaring of the mud and grime getting on her.