Ch. 15: From Bad to Worse

Speaking of Titans... Tracey was a bit surprised when she was brought to Camila. She knew of Mrs. Noceda, she was her pet snakes favorite vet... though the wings were very new.

"Don't worry, you'll get answers but those might lead to more questions." Masha said.

"How?" Tracey asked.

"Vee is actually a magic eating shapeshifter that impersonated Luz for months." Masha said.

"MASHA!" Vee shouted, that was her secret to tell.

"I knew there was something off." Tracey said quickly.

"What?" Vee asked, looking at Tracey.

"You acted too normally to be the real Noceda after that camp. And then, you suddenly or Luz sudden becomes all sad and depressed. Something HAD to be up." Tracey said before pointing at Vee. "But I will say... shapeshifter from a demon realm... didn't bet my money on it."

"Nobody did. Did you also bet on Noceda and her mom becoming goddesses?" Masha asked.

"...I'm sorry what?" Tracey asked, confused greatly.

"Masha, don't say things like that UNTIL we return to the house. Or else she might pass out." Camila said, shaking her head.

"Sorry, Mrs. Noceda." Masha said.

Tracey was still confused greatly by this before Camila pulled out another invisibility glyph. She opened her wings, pulled the three close, activated the glyph, and took into the sky.

"AAAA-" Tracey's mouth was covered by Masha, forcing her to hold her breath and not reveal them.

Tracey was scared but... strangely relaxed. Like she could see the world in a new light.

And not just because she was watching the world from the sky as Camila flew.

'Is this what...childlike wonder feels like?' Tracey thought, feeling some sort of warmth inside of her chest.

They landed on the ground and went into the house, before the glyph was cancelled.

"HUH!" Masha breathes as they all became visible. "Ugh! That is a cool glyph but I hate the condition needed."

"It's not so bad." Vee said as Camila put them all down.

"Easy for you to say. Eating magic helps build up your lungs." Masha said back.

"So, I have questions, can you three answer them?" Tracey asked.

"Let's eat first. I'll make us all some lunch." Camila said, smiling kindly at Tracey.

Camila did indeed know about all the things Tracey had done to Luz, but if there was something Camila learned from Luz, it's that everyone deserves a second chance... except Belos... fuck him.

"I wouldn't want to-" Tracey's stomach growled loudly and cut her off, making her blush in embarrassment.

"What was that? I couldn't hear you over the beast in your stomach, Trace." Masha said with a grin.

"Hehehehehe." Vee giggled.

"...I-I could eat, thank you." Tracey said with a nod

Camila opened the fridge... and Tracey had never seen a grape so big.

"What the hell?" She asked, looking at the grape that was bigger than her head.

"A friend made it." Camila said, "She's a plant witch, and since Titans eat so much, it's needed."

"Titan?" Tracey asked.

"Like I said, the more answers you get, the more questions you would have." Masha said.

"Maybe we should start from the beginning." Vee said, reverting to her basilisk form.

Tracey's eyes widened so much, you could put a thanksgiving turkey on one.

Vee and Masha lead Tracey to the den as Camila made lunch for all of them, enough for 7 people...4 of which would be for her since she was slowly gaining the Titan sized appetite as well.

Thankfully, some oracle friends of Luz has helped her cheat the stock market, so money was slowly becoming less of an issue.

"Lunch is served." Camila said, carrying a large tray of food into the den.

Tracey opted for the salad, as she is a vegetarian. Hey, she needs to be fit for cheerleading.

"So, what's a Titan?" Tracey asked.

"Good question. A Titan as Earth defines is a person or thing of very great strength, intellect, or importance." Vee said.

Tracey gave Vee a look.

"You know what I meant." She said.

"I know but we don't know exactly how much you know about the demon realm." Vee said with a shrug.

"That you're from there, that this plant thing is from there." Tracey said as she used a plant glyph and grew a flower, "That Noceda has been there for who knows how long and it appears to have changed her."

"It changed us both in more ways than one." Camila said with a giggle.

"It's called the demon realm and it's where all the world's weird legends come from." Masha said before listing them off. "Big foot, the Loch Ness, Giraffes-"

"What was that last one?" Tracey asked.

"The Titans were a powerful race of Beings, laying down, they are around the size of Vermont. When they die, their bodies become landmasses for new life, in the case of the Boiling Isles, it was witches." Vee said, not answering Tracey's interrupting question. "Right now... there's only three. Luz, mom, and an adorable little guy named King."

"And if you're wondering how, it's because King was hidden away from his father before he died, Luz drank the preserved blood of a Titan, and I accidentally drank some from trying to save Luz with mouth to mouth." Camila said quickly.

"So... you're a god?" Tracey said, pointing to Camila.

"A god in the making. Mom actually hasn't fully unlocked her Titan power yet but it is growing." Vee said.

"Ergo, the reason why the glyphs are able to work in our world. Ms. Noceda is getting stronger." Masha said.

"So... I can do plant magic because your blood is getting stronger?" Tracey asked, looking at her flower.

"That is the gist of it, yes." Camila said with a nod. "And that is why it is imperative that you do not share the glyphs with anyone."

"You haven't, have you ,Trace?" Masha asked.

"Don't know if you noticed, but I've been staying away from people right now." Tracey said, "People keep asking too many questions."

"That's good." Vee said before quickly correcting herself. "Not good like I want your social life to die but-"

"I get it, Ms. Shapeshifter." Tracey said with a grin. "Now, moving on to YOU. What is your story?"

"Now who's asking too many questions?" Vee asked before looking at her hands. "... I shouldn't exist. My kind was brought back and experimented on by the person that possessed you."

"Seriously? You were basically a dinosaur?" Tracey asked in surprise.

"Okay, well that's offensive." Vee said, glancing at Tracey.

"But not inaccurate since you're a reptile." Masha said as Vee glared at them. "I'm not agreeing completely, just giving a similarity."

"Also, exactly how many of your kind was revived?" Tracey asked.

"Only handful of us, maybe less." Vee said. "I don't know what happened to the others, but I know that I found safety here, I refuse to give up this life I've made."

"And the magic eating thing that Mash said you do?" Tracey asked.

Vee turned to the flower Tracey grew, inhaling and eating the magic flowing from it as the flower died.

"It's how I shapeshift." Vee said with a gulp. "Eating magic fuels it."

"And... where is Noceda?" Tracey asked.

Right as she said that, the furry goddess walked inside.

"Mom, do you know how to help someone that lost... Tracey." Luz sneered.

Tracey stood up and stared down Luz.

"Noceda." She said.

'Oh boy.' Masha and Vee thought, feeling the mood instantly drop as they stared at each other.

"So... I hear you can use glyphs." Luz said, glancing at the glyph on the table.

"I hear you're a magic god." Tracey said.

Luz turned to Masha, Vee, and Camila; the shapeshifter pointing towards Masha to blame for that.

"I mean, you literally walked in covered in fur, how else would you explain it?" Masha asked.

"Why are you in my house?" Luz asked Tracey as Stringbean came out of her hair.

"Answers. Your sister found me in the woods and brought me here." Tracey said, glancing at Stringbean for a moment. "What the heck is that?"

"That? You did not just call my Stringbean a THAT." Luz said, waving her finger around.

"Stringbean?" Tracey asked.

"It's her name Stringbean, my palisman." Luz said, tickling Stringbean's chin.

"Palisman?" Tracey asked.

"It's a witch's companion." Luz said, "You carve one from a special kind of wood, or state your deepest desire to an abandoned one. Now, I have some important things to do right now."

Luz moved passed Tracey and over to her mom. Tracey didn't listen to anything out, she just kept thinking... deepest desire. That's a question she hasn't thought about in a while, and it changed. She originally wanted to be a cheerleader for the New England Patriots, since cheerleading is something she's good at, but now... with her scars... she doesn't know what she wants.

"I think it's pretty obvious what you should do." Tracey turned to face the mirror, seeing her reflection, "You should just kill yourself, save everyone some aggravation."

Tracey clenched her fist, but she used her last glyph to make that flower, so she couldn't do anything to stop this.

"Your mother is ashamed, you used to be someone, now she's so worried about making sure you cover your scars." The reflection said, "Imagine how much happier everyone would be if you just dropped dead."

Tracey closed her eyes, but then opened them and looked at her hands, seeing a handgun in them. She knew it wasn't real... she already tried it last time her hallucinations did this. Before anyone could talk to her about why she was looking at her hands without talking, she left, much to everyone's confusion. Luz groaned, not having the energy, time, or ability to help Tracey... not that she ever thinks she would.

"Vee, can you deal with her? I have to go help a friend." Luz said, before leaving.

Speaking of friends, the self proclaimed "Emerald Trio" were walking through the woods, as Hunter had just gotten a gift from his new teacher, Dell Clawthorne.

"So, are you going to finish it?" Gus asked.

"I... I'm not sure." Hunter said, "It just... feels wrong. Like I'm just... forgetting him."

"But you aren't." Willow said, "You're doing what he would've wanted you to do."

"What's that?" Hunter asked.

"Living." Willow said, grabbing one of Hunter's hands, "Flapjack gave his life to save yours, everyday you wake up is another day you honor his sacrifice. He wants you to continue living, even doing this."

Hunter looked at the old unfinished palisman, only a head and the rest a log, in his hand. He felt a twinge of guilt, before smiling.

"You're right." Hunter said.

"As always." Gus said.

The trio laughed, before they heard something moving through the woods. They quickly hid behind the trees and tried to avoid detection. They looked and saw a hooded figure moving through the woods. Nothing really out of the ordinary, but then Willow notice the ring.

'Cat's eye!?' Willow thought, 'This is the person that mutilated her!'

Willow would've chased after her, but then she just... disappeared. The trio looked at each other before simultaneously pulling out their scrolls and texting Amity.

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