"You can do this, Luz." I encouraged. "This is what you've been training for since we arrived on the Isles. I'm saying this as your best friend, DON'T FUCK THIS UP!" "Come on! Work this time." Luz groaned in frustration over a plant glyph. She activates the glyph as a small flower blooms. "Yes! Check it out, King. My glyph skills are blossoming." "You think that's impressive?" King asked. "Check this out. Two warriors battling to the death!" King showed a cat video on Luz's phone. "Ah, I see we're getting enough Wi-Fi through the portal for shitty cat videos." I said. "Senseless violence. Yes, attack!" King screamed. "Death is your god!" "I regret teaching you about the internet." Luz said. "Heh, what possible regrets can come from the internet?" King asked. "Oh, did you know the Earth is actually flat?" "Yup, that's not right." Luz replied as she got a notification on her phone. "How's camp today, cariño? <3, Mamá." Camila texted. "Good enough." Luz hesitated, sending a thumbs up emoji. "Ah, a severed hand. Perfect response." King commented. "Luz, I think it might be time to tell her soon." I explained. "What am I supposed to say?" Luz sighed. ""Hey, Mom. Not at camp, actually. I'm in a demon realm learning to be a witch with my new best friend, Peter. Also, did you know demons and magic are real?" She will end me." "Nah, she'd be freaked out by our world anyway." King explains. "So, actually, by keeping the truth from her, you're doing her a favor." "Hm, the demon at my shoulder makes a good point." Luz said. "Always trust a shoulder-demon." King replied. "My uncle sent me to eight summer camps for the last few years." I explained. "I know he'd be relieved if I died here." "Hoot, hoot, Luz and Peter." Hooty called. "Time to fill those darling little heads of yours with delicious knowledge." "Please hurry." Gus whispered. "We're begging you." Alexa said. "The more I look at him, the more uncomfortable I get." Willow added. "Bye, King." I waved. "Don't spend all day watching Mew-Tube, okay?" Luz warned. "I forge my own path!" King shouted.

At school, the halls of Hexside were decorated with balloons. "Something's different today." Luz said. "Did everyone get a haircut?" "Oh, that's right." Willow replied. "I forgot you've never been here for the social event of the season." "Welcome to your first Grom." Gus explains. "So, you guys have a weird version of prom on the Boiling Isles?" I asked. "I was kicked out of my last school dance for dressing like an otter, but maybe here, I could be your Grom Queen." Luz said. "That's, uh, not something people usually sign up for." Alexa hesitated as her twin accidentally bumped into Luz. "Watch it, nitwit!" Amity snapped. "Oh, hi, Luz and co. Sorry about that." "Hey, sis." Alexa greeted. "No problem. Let me help you." Luz replied, grabbing her stuff. "Here, your note." Amity quickly snatched the note out of Luz's hand. "Man, you got some quick grabbers." Luz said. "It's just." Amity hesitates. "It's private." All of a sudden, everyone was freaking out when the intercom came on. "Attention, Hexside students, this is your principal speaking." Principal Bump announced. "Oh, man. This is it." Gus panicked. "He's announcing who will be this year's Grom royalty." Alexa added. "This year, I have the privilege to bestow our highest Grom honor to Amity Blight." Bump revealed and all of us gasped. "Our Grom Queen." "Woo! Amity!" Luz cheered. "Get it, Queen!" Amity quickly ran off in tears. "Don't leave me hanging." "Oh, crap." Alexa and I mumbled. "You might want to give her some space." Willow said. "Being Grom Queen is a tough job, even for Amity."

Later that day, Luz and I decided to check out where the dance was taking place. "Can you believe it, Luz?" I asked. "Our first school dance experience on the Boiling Isles." "Right? I can't wait to get overdressed, take awkward photos, and for you to finally ask out Willow." Luz replied. "But I'm surprised that she didn't remember you saying you love her in her mind." "I don't know if I'm ready for that." I said, leaning on a panel, accidentally pushing a button. That button opened a hatch from underneath the school. "What the hell?" A bunch of weapons showed up on two shelves. "Medieval torture seems like a strange theme for Grom." Luz wondered. "But, hey..." "They're not for decoration." Amity corrected. "This arena's where I'll make my debut as Grom Queen." "Right, so why don't you seem excited?" Luz asked. "Because this isn't just some dance party." Amity explains as a growl can be heard from the hatch. "That's Grom, short for Grometheus, the fear bringer. It's a monster that lives under the school. Every year, it tries to break out, and a student has to defeat it before it invades the town. Ever the optimist, Bump holds a party and calls it tradition. The worst thing is that Grom can read minds and shape-shift into your worst fear. And mine is very embarrassing." "I understand what you're feeling." I said. "But, if it worries you so much, why don't you go tell Principal Bump you want out of this death match shit?" "Unless talking to Bump is your greatest fear." Luz gasped. "No, but that's a good idea." Amity chuckled. "Thanks, guys."

Once we got home, Eda was using pins. "We're home." I announced. "Ow!" Eda yelped. "Guys?" Luz asked. "Careful with those pins!" Eda snapped. "Why am I doing this?" King asked. "I don't even wear clothes." "Hey, sweet duds, Owl Lady." Luz complimented. "What's the haps?" "I'm chaperoning Grom tonight, so I have to look sharp." Eda replied. "And Gus asked me to co-emcee the fight." King added. "We're gonna turn this bloodbath into a fun bath." "Ooh, have they announced the victim yet?" Eda asked. "Yeah, it's Amity." I replied. "She's losing her shit right now." "I wish I could take her place or something." Luz added. The rest of us burst into laughter. "A great joke, Luz." King chuckled. "Oh, listen, kid. That's a noble sentiment, but Grom is a little above your pay grade." Eda explains. "Both you and Peter are humans." "Hey, I've been learning more and more spells." Luz argued. "I can handle it." "There's a horrifying spider in your hair." I said. "Don't you have arachnophobia?" "Nope, I'm not as fragile as you think." Luz replied. "And I can't be so easily fooled either." She slammed the door on her way out. "Maybe you were too hard on her." King said. "Her and I have saved you from multiple monsters, remember?" I asked. "Facing Grom means facing your worst fear, and I don't think Luz knows what that means yet." Eda replied. "Do you think I could pull off red eye shadow?" "Girl, you can pull off anything." King explains, high fiving Eda. "Up top! We're style geniuses."

The next day, Luz was figuring out what she could possibly wear to Grom. "YOU TOOK AMITY'S PLACE?!" I asked. "Yeah. It was either that, or watching Amity get hurt." Luz explains as she gets another text from her mom. "Hey, I know what it's like to miss your mother, especially for a long time." I said, hugging my best friend. "Oh, Luz. You have a guest." Hooty announced in a flirty tone. "Hooty! No touching!" Luz snapped as Amity came to our room. "Amity." "If that bird tube ever talks to me again, I'm going to destroy it." Amity grunted. "You ready to train?" "What should I wear to Grom?" Luz asked, showing us two different outfits. "This one says, witch with a dark side," but this one says, "I'm an otter, with a dark side."" "The otter is cute, if you want to get kicked out of the dance." I replied. "Luz, you need to take this seriously." Amity said. "If you can't defeat Grom, everyone on the island will live out their worst nightmare." "You wanna hear my worst nightmare?" Hooty asked. Amity started throwing hands with Hooty, beating the shit out of him.

Amity brought us both outside to avoid distractions after the fight with Hooty broke up. "Grom will transform into your darkest fears." Amity explains. "What are you afraid of, Luz?" "Wanna say our greatest fears?" Edric asked. "Being alone forever." "Being stuck with you forever." Emira replied. "Mom." Alexa added. "Female bears wearing topless mermaid costumes." I said as everyone glared at me. "What?" "In preparation, I've made a list." Luz explains. Amity takes the list and the older twins create illusions of the fears. "Jerks online who wanna debate!" Luz gasped. "Human souls trapped in cat bodies. No! I'm lactose intolerant." "Not enough. The reason I can't face Grom, it goes deeper than things that just gross me out." Amity said. "What's your real fear, Luz?" "My real fear, is that Eda thinks I'm too fragile to do this." Luz explains. "And if she's right, I'll never be a real witch." Edric and Emira cast an illusion of Eda. "You're inadequate." It said, picking on Luz. "You guys are assholes." I rolled my eyes. "No!" Luz screamed. "I get it, ditch the yellow." The real Eda gasped, looking at the illusion. "Is that supposed to be me? Dang, I look great. Wait a second. You're training to be Grom Queen!" "So what if I am?" Luz asked. "You think training will help against Grom?" Eda asked. "Luz, you and Peter always go overboard, and I end up bailing you out. Now, what's the fun in watching a kid get eaten by a monster if it's my kid?" "Since when do I go overboard?" I wondered. "Well, maybe you'll have fun watching me defeat Grom." Luz said, destroying the cat illusion. "Luz, I don't think you're ready, but we're literally out of time." Alexa said. "I'll take it." Luz replied.

Right as I walked into the school, I fixed my tie and took a deep breath. "Peter?" Willow asked. "Jesus Christ, Willow, you startled me." I gasped. "Sorry about that." Willow apologized. "Wow, you look beautiful." I complimented. "Thanks, Peter." Willow replied. "That's so sweet. You look really handsome." "Thanks." I said. "So, are you here with anyone in particular?" "Nope, just me and my friends." Willow explains. "But I don't mind. Who would want to go with me anyway?" "I would." I said. "Huh?" Willow wondered. "Willow Park, will you go to Grom with me?" I asked, holding a bouquet of flowers. "I was totally unprepared, so I used a plant glyph." Willow was quiet. Instead of saying something, she kissed me. "Of course I will, and I love you too." She whispered. "I told you I remembered everything." "Shall we?" I asked. "We shall." Willow giggled, taking my hand as we walked into the dance, together. "Now introducing our Grom Queen." Gus announced. "You know her, you love her. You've at least heard of her... Luz, the human!" "Oh, crap." I whispered. Gus unleashed Grom and Luz put a glyph on her weapon. "There you are, Gromarama. Not too scary." Luz said. Grom morphed into those cats from earlier, launching them with some ice magic. "And there she goes, folks." Gus said. "Using that characteristic human magic to keep Grom at bay. And now to hand things over my co-emcee, King." "Hello, Hexside." King greeted. "Observe! Luz is, um, she's down there alright." The audience starts booing him and King ran offstage crying. "King!" I shouted, running after him. "I'm sorry, Willow. I need to check on King."

I ran into the hall, seeing King crying by the lockers. "King?" I asked. "Are you okay?" "What's going on, little dude?" Gus added. "Nothing. Leave me be." King lied. "Thing is, you're sitting at my personal chitchat zone, which means you gotta talk." Gus explains. "Well, if that's the rule..." King frowned. "Oh, how can this be? I get stage fright. Me! The King of Demons." "I have stage fright, too." I confessed. "It happens all the time. Theater camp, book talks, presentations. Hell, before I came here, I could barely even talk to Luz. Sometimes, it helps if I just..." "I know. I know. Imagine everyone in their underwear." King interrupted. I nodded. "Gross! Why would you do that?" Gus asked, disgusted. "I don't know. I always do that." King chuckled. "I'm a weirdo." "Humans do that, too." I added. "Besides, it's better than picturing somebody naked." "Look, sometimes you have to just face your fear, like Luz is doing right now." Gus explains. "I can't do it! I can't face my fear!" Luz cried, running for her life. "Grom has escaped!" The students gasped. "King, now's your chance." I said. King took the mic from Principal Bump and took a deep breath. "Well, folks, looks like our show literally just took off." King joked. "You gotta pander." Gus explains. "Uh, took off like your local sports team would take off when they're about to make a goal." King continued. The students cheered for King. "That's right, so, let's follow them and see what happens next."

We followed Luz to a cliff, where she was dancing with Amity, defeating Grom with both of their magic combined. "And there you have it, folks. A happy ending for this year's Grom." King announced. "Let's give a big hand to our Grom Queens, Luz and Amity." Everyone cheered and carried them back to Hexside.

Back at home, Eda and I were celebrating Luz's victory. "Woo! Watch out for this human!" Eda cheered. "Oh, you did good, kid." "Thanks, but I'm gonna go to bed." Luz sighed, taking her crown off. King picked up the crown and placed it on his head. "Now I am King and Queen. Best of both things!" King shouted. "I'm  gonna hit the hay, too." I explained, heading upstairs.

In our room, I saw Luz texting her mom again. "Aww, that's a cute way of saying text." Luz smiled. "Luz, I finally asked out Willow." I explained. "That's awesome, Pete." Luz said. "At least someone was able to face their fear today." "Goodnight, Luz." I yawned. "Goodnight, Peter." Luz replied.

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Just for fun, here's a Lumity Dance video from my YouTube channel. Followed by the song I can picture Willow and Peter dancing to at Grom. -Mal.