Hunter flew on Flapjack to Hexside, talking to himself in excitement.

"It's grudgby season! My first one, too! I wonder what the sport's about. I never really got a book about magical sports here in the Boiling Isles." Hunter said to himself. "I'll ask Willow, Gus or Amity about it later."

He landed at the school steps, Flapjack returning to staff form to perch on his shoulder.

+.*.+

Sitting in history class with Gus and Willow, Hunter was taking notes, making sure to include every little detail so he could study later with ease.

"Over 50 years ago, Emperor Belos appointed a head witch to each coven." The history teacher said. A few students glanced in Hunter's direction and he hid his wince by burying his face in his notes.

"Can't wait for grudgby season to start!" Gus whispered to Willow and Hunter - the latter being grateful for the distraction from his classmates' glances. "I've studied up on all sorts of magical sports in preparation! Particularly adaptations of it in the human realm that wind up on the shore."

He held out a DVD case of Good Witch Azura 2: The Field of Deadly Fates. Willow took the case in her hands, reading the blurb.

"Azura challenges Hecate in the smibbitch championship. But will she risk it all by taking a chance on the deadly Thorn Vault?" Willow read, opening the case. Gus grabbed the DVD.

"Ooh, a shiny cookie." He said, and held it up to eat it, but Hunter quickly snatched it away.

"Not food." He said simply.

"The council headquarters was built and paid for by...? Anyone? Willow?" The history teacher asked, calling on Willow. She stood up.

"Uh, the Pixie Dust Taxes?" She answered.

"Whoo, yeah! Go Willow!" A student from the hall said, as they passed by.

"Impressive, Miss Park." The history teacher said, and the students murmured in admiration.

"What's going on? You've suddenly gotten really popular." Hunter pointed out. Willow sat back down.

"Ever since I patched things up with Amity, I've been feeling more confident." Willow gestured to a flower hair clip in her hair. "I guess it shows."

Suddenly, the hair clip levitated out of her hair and into Boscha's hand, who was sitting behind the trio with her lackeys.

"Aw, Willow thinks she's popular now. How cute." Boscha said.

"Hey, give that back." Hunter glared, grabbing for the hair clip. However, Boscha pulled her hand back, out of Hunter's reach.

"It's weird that Amity hangs out with you now. Ever since Grom, she's gone soft. But don't worry." Boscha said, putting the hair clip in her own hair. "I'm still here to show you who's boss."

Gus grabbed the hair clip and put it back in Willow's hair. "Here, Willow."

"Oh-ho-ho! The friends want to get in on this too, huh?" Boscha said. She levitated Willow's bag and dump the contents onto the trio, laughing.

"Is that laughter? Hey, hey! Learning's not supposed to be fun!" The history teacher said.

"We aren't having fun. Boscha's picking on us." Hunter said, with a glower towards Boscha.

"My apologies, sir. I was practicing my aim for grudgby." Boscha said, flicking an eraser at Willow's head.

"Boscha, how could you throw things at them..." The teacher said, drawing a circle on himself. "When you could throw things at me? Am I over here? Or am I over here? Anything for the captain of the Banshees!"

"Oh, thanks, but I already have the perfect targets." Boscha said, throwing gum in Willow's hair. Willow groaned.

"Hey, don't worry. It's not like she can follow us around all day." Hunter said.

+.*.+

The trio sat on the front steps of Hexside, covered in trash, faces graffitied with insults.

"She followed us around all day. She literally followed us around all day!" Hunter yelled. Willow sighed.

"I'm really sorry I pulled you guys into this. We should have just kept a low profile. Boscha could get away with murder if she wanted to." Willow said.

"What's this? Boscha got away with murder? I can't say I approve, but at least she's trying new things." Principal Bump said as he descended the stairs next to them.

"It's okay. We'll find a way out of this." Hunter said.

Amity passed by the stairs. Hunter quickly clean himself off before getting up.

"Amity, we need your help." Hunter said.

"With what, exactly?" Amity asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Boscha won't stop picking on Willow, and no one will do anything about it because she's the 'Star Captain of the Grudgby Team'." Hunter said.

"Yeah, this time of year, she's extra unbearable." Amity said with a sigh.

"You're friends with her, can you help us?" Hunter asked.

"Uh, the hard part is, there's no reasoning with Boscha. She only speaks in grudgby terms." Amity said.

"Hm..." Hunter said, staring at the ground, an idea forming in his head. Willow screamed and Hunter turned, rushing over to Willow as trash fell on her from above.

"Willow! What happened?" Hunter asked.

"Boscha happened." Willow grunted. He looked up to see Boscha holding a trash can upside down from the second floor.

"Hey, Willow! I just thought all trash should stay in one spot." Boscha said. Hunter's ears went red with fury as he glared up at Boscha.

"That's it! Boscha! Willow challenges you to a grudgby match!" Hunter yelled out of impulse. Boscha dropped the trash can in surprise.

"She what?" She said.

"I what?" Willow said. The trash can fell on Gus.

"She what?" He said, his voice muffled. "Seriously, what's going on here?"

"Hunter, what are you doing?" Willow asked.

"Boscha only speaks in grudgby terms, like Amity said. Trust me, I have a plan." Hunter said.

Boscha exited the building, walking over to them.

"Okay, maybe it's the altitude of the second floor, but I thought I heard you say Leaf Girl wanted to challenge me to a grudgby match." Boscha said.

"You heard me right." Hunter said, crossing his arms. "We'll settle this once and for all on the field."

Students flanked both of them, and Willow pushed past them, running between the two.

"Or we could just talk about our issues?" Willow said nervously.

"Let's do this." Boscha said with a grin. Willow gulped.

"If Willow's team wins, you don't get to pick on her anymore." Hunter said.

"Fine! And when we win, Willow and your team will be our water gofers." Boscha said. "And we get to use you as target practice."

She threw a ball and kicked it, sending it straight through a tree trunk. The hole smoked.

"See you after school, losers." Boscha said, leaving - just as the tree caught on fire.

"I'm getting deja vu." Hunter said, recalling the covention.

"Hunter, this isn't a good idea." Amity said, walking over to them.

"Yeah, I've never even played grudgby before! How am I supposed to beat Boscha?" Willow said nervously.

"With enough hard work and training, I'm sure we can do this. Someone needs to take Boscha down a peg or two." Hunter said. "Or several."

"Well, if you think this'll work, I'm in. How about you, Gus?" Willow asked.

"In seasons past..." Gus said, holding up two flags. "These flags have waved in support of grudgby greats. Now they will wave for the greatest: Me!"

He waved the flags with glee.

"What about you, Amity?" Hunter asked.

"Me? On a team with you?" Amity said, putting her hand up to her chin and thinking. After she concluded her thoughts, she ran off. "I gotta go!"

Hunter stared. "Well I guess she's out." He said, before turning back to Gus and Willow. "In any case, let's get training!"

+.*.+

The three were at Hexside's grudgby field.

"So, how exactly do we play grudgby?" Hunter asked.

"Well, there's a ball, and you score by getting the ball through the other team's goal." Gus said.

"Sounds easy. But I bet there's a magical twist to it, huh?" Hunter said.

"Yup." Willow said. She used magic to create a leaf and blew it onto the field - where it activated many magical traps, shredding the leaf to pieces.

"That's the Boiling Isles for you." Hunter muttered. He cleared his throat. "Anyway, lets get training!"

"You already said that earlier." Gus pointed out.

"Shh, let him have his moment." Willow shushed him.

+.*.+

After a long training session, with Hunter pushing them a little too hard and Gus' flags broken, Hunter sighed. Flapjack chirped.

"Yeah, I was being too harsh." Hunter said. "I just really want to make sure Willow doesn't get bullied again. And Boscha's just such a jerk."

He thought about the Grom dance with Willow and he blushed a little.

"I just want her to not have to worry about bullies." Hunter said. He thought of the human realm and the bullies he endured there, and sighed once more. "Maybe I'm projecting a little on her..."

His pennstagram pinged, and suddenly he remembered Luz.

"Right! I completely forgot to respond to her messages." Hunter said, his pennstagram scroll poofing in front of him as he quickly typed messages to her in response.

+.*.+

Messages between INFO_DUMPER and LUZURA_THE_GREAT

LUZURA_THE_GREAT: AMITY TEXTED ME THAT YOU CHALLENGED SOMEONE REALLY GOOD AT GRUDGBYE TO A GRUDGBY MATCH

LUZURA_THE_GREAT: GRUDGBY**

LUZURA_THE_GREAT: WHAT ARE YOU DOING

INFO_DUMPER: Well she was a jerk and kept bullying my friend!

INFO_DUMPER: i had to do something

LUZURA_THE_GREAT: just don't push yourself, okay? i know how much you beat yourself up if you make a mistake

LUZURA_THE_GREAT: i just got you back, i don't want to see you so frustrated with yourself, okay hermano mayor?

INFO_DUMPER: okay, fine

+.*.+

He sighed, his pennstagram scroll poofing away, sitting on the bleachers. Flapjack flew down into his lap and he pet the red cardinal absentmindedly.

"Tough practice?" Amity asked, walking over and sitting down next to him.

"I pushed Willow and Gus too hard. It's just, I hate seeing Willow get picked on. She, along with Gus, were the first and best friends I've ever had. Winning this game is the only way I know how to help."

"Did you know, before Boscha, I was the grudgby team captain?" Amity said.

"Really?"

"Well, once I left the team, I decided that was a part of my life I wanted to forget." Amity said. "We were playing Glandus High for the Island Championship. We had a move planned, and it was a good one. But, at the last minute, I decided I wanted to do something a bit flashier. I changed our game plan to... the Thorn Vault."

"From that Azura movie?" Hunter asked. Amity nodded.

"It went disastrously wrong. My teammates got hurt. All because I had an idea of how things should be. I pushed them too far." She finished.

Hunter saw the Banshees enter the field, and Hunter got up.

"Thanks, Amity. I know what to do now to make it up to Willow." Hunter said, heading out onto the field.

"It's after school. Where's the leader of your loser brigade?" Boscha asked Hunter. Hunter rolled his eyes and fought the urge to shoot back an insult.

"I'm here on her behalf. We forfeit." Hunter said. "And I'm here to tell you that I'll take Willow's place as your water gofer, target practice, whatever."

"Wow, you're a really good friend." Boscha said, and for a moment Hunter thought that maybe Boscha would change - but she magically lit a grudgby ball on fire and looked ready to throw it. "And a perfect target."

She threw the ball at him. "Think fast!"

Hunter quickly ducked out of the ball's path with a yelp, Flapjack chirping.

+.*.+

Hunter continued running, trying to dodge all of Boscha's lit grudgby balls.

"Having fun yet? 'Cause I'm just getting warmed up." Boscha said with a grin, throwing a flaming grudgby ball at Hunter. It was suddenly sent back by a tree erupting in front of Hunter.

"Huh?" Boscha said, stunned.

"Boscha. Your issue is with me, not Hunter. Leave him be." Willow said.

"Willow!" Hunter ran up to her. "Willow, I'm sorry I got you into this mess. You were right, I was being too harsh on you."

"It's okay. I know you were just trying to help. But now let's finish this... my way." Willow turned to Boscha. "The game is back on."

"You need three players on your team. Where's you third?" Boscha asked.

Willow and Hunter looked to Gus with his broken flags, before turning back to Boscha. "Well..."

"Right here." Amity said, walking over, completely dressed in grudgby gear.

"You just destroyed your social life." Boscha said.

"Nah. I think I made it better." Amity said, grinning.

"Ugh! Game on!" Boscha yelled.

+.*.+

All of them were ready in grudgby gear. Gus cheered from the bleachers, waving his flags (which were still attached to an IV).

"Go Willow!" He yelled.

"There's something on your shoe." Willow said to Boscha, who just scoffed.

"Like I'd fall for that." She said.

The ball got launched in the air, and Boscha lunged for it, but was stopped by vines wrapped around her shoe. She fell over with a grunt. Willow caught the ball and scored her first goal.

As the game progressed, Hunter managed to score a goal with the help of Amity's abomination - and they managed to score a couple more goals as well, but not before the Banshees scored their own goals too.

Boscha threw a flaming grudgby ball at Hunter, who quickly slammed down an ice glyph - and the ball fell through an ice pillar, landing in his hands with smoke billowing from it. He noticed a glyph etched into the ball from the fire, and drew it on a spare piece of paper. He activated it on the ball and it was lit aflame.

"Yes! Another glyph!" Hunter cheered, and then threw it toward Amity. She caught it, using her abomination to score another goal.

The score was now tied 9-9. Both teams huddled up.

"There's time for one more play." Amity said.

"And this play could determine whether we win or lose." Willow said.

"Here's the glyphs I have." Hunter said, holding out four glyphs. Willow pointed towards the plant glyph.

"I think we should try this one." Willow said.

"The Thorn Vault? Are you sure?" Hunter asked.

"I'm ready this time." Willow said.

The two teams faced off at centerfield once again. The ball was launched into the air, and Hunter caught it.

"Watch out!" Amity yelled, pushing Hunter as Boscha tackled her.

Hunter quickly tossed the ball and plant glyph to Willow, who grabbed it and activated the Thorn Vault, launching herself towards the goal and scoring a point for the team.

"We did it!" Willow cheered, hugging Hunter (leaving his cheeks a little blushy). "We won!"

They both looked at the scoreboard which read 9-10. However, the Banshee's score turned to 999.

"Wait, what?" Hunter asked. Boscha held up a golden insect.

"Oh, thorns." Willow said. Hunter looked back and forth, confused. "She caught the Rusty Smidge."

"The what?" Hunter asked.

"Yeah, while you were celebrating your 'victory', I caught this guy. It means we automatically win. All magic sports are like this." Boscha said.

"That just invalidates all our efforts! If catching that thing is so important, why do anything else? There's no reason to watch any of the players!" Hunter yelled, frustrated.

"Well, we beat them and proved our social dominance. All is right in the hierarchy." Boscha said. However, her teammates - Skara, Cat and Amelia - ran up to Willow and Hunter.

"Good game, Willow!" Skara said.

"I had so much fun playing you guys." Amelia said.

"Willow, you're really good. Would you want to be on our team?" Cat asked.

"Mm, thanks for the offer, but I think I'm done with grudgby for a while." Willow said, looking around with a frown. "Hey, where's-"

Amity groaned, trying to stand up.

"Amity!" Hunter said, and the two of them rushed over to help Amity.

"I think - I think i hurt my leg. But, I'll be okay." Amity said.

"Here, we'll help you up." Hunter said, and he hoisted Amity's arms over him and Willow's shoulders, helping her walk.

"Thanks." She said. "You really remind me of Luz."

"Speaking of which..." Hunter said. "Why didn't you tell me you were in contact with Luz? You could've told me that night at the library."

Amity paled. "Uh... well, back then we'd only just made our truce. I didn't exactly trust you with that information yet." She said. "But yes, I know that's a pretty lame excuse."

Hunter sighed. "Well, as you long as you don't keep anything else important from me, then it's fine." He said.

"By the way, how do you feel about her... you know... being the Golden Guard and everything?" Willow asked. Hunter tensed up a little.

"I... I don't know how to feel about it, to be honest. But Luz always has good intentions, so... whatever it is she's doing as the Golden Guard can't be that bad." Hunter said.

"It's alright if you're not entirely sure yet. For now, let's get Amity to the Healing Coven." Willow said.

And to top off the great day, Hunter invited Willow, Gus and Amity to the Owl House - Hooty helping Amity (who was wearing a cast on her leg) to sit on the couch with Hunter and Willow, surrounded by Eda, King and Gus, all laughing and talking together.

+.*.+

Lilith walked around the halls, clutching Eda's ring tightly in her hands.

"I'll be back for you, Eda. And next time I won't fail." Lilith said, staring out the open window as a breeze passed by and made her navy blue hair sway in the wind.