The Owl House x Oc: Hidden Demons (S1+ 2)

Enchanting Grom Fright

⚠️ THIS CHAPTER HAS MENTIONS OF PANIC ATTACKS! ⚠️
(I'll put a warning at the start and end of it. It's only small.)

Screams. Bright lights flashing as several tortured souls struggled to escape the never ending pain.
Chains were wrapped tightly around Hazel's wrist and neck, and she struggled to take them off. But the more she pulled on them, the tighter they became. The basilisk could feel it cutting off her air.
Letting out a whimper, her eyes searched the cage frantically for anything to help take them off. There was nothing.
It was getting harder to breathe.
Gasping for air, she leaned against the cage bars, closing her eyes tightly as she tried desperately to breathe.
In her darkening vision, a golden mask with glowing blue eyes stared back at her, and refused to leave.
His laughter rang out, echoing in her head as everything started to grow dark

....

She could breathe again.

————————

Hazel sat up in her bed, gasping for air. Feeling her wrists and neck, she found them free of restraints.
The demon took a moment to breathe. She was back in her basilisk form, but at that moment, Hazel didn't care.
Wrapping her tail protectively around herself, she glanced over to Luz. The human was still sleeping, with King curled up at the foot of her bed.
As long as she didn't wake them, it was fine.

Hazel and King sat side by side, watching cat videos on Luz's phone, while the human sat on the floor finding new glyphs. The phone was placed between Hazel and King, so both could see it easily. The basilisk held a small book and a pencil. Her tail wagged excitedly as she watched the little critters playing briefly.
"Aw, they're so cute!" She stated. King shrugged. "I prefer it when they battle to the death."
Hazel chuckled, returning her attention to her book. Sketching out the final touches of her drawing, she grinned, ripping out the page to keep. The picture had Eda, King, Luz, Hooty and herself, and she felt proud of herself.
At that moment, Eda walked in, stumbling toward the kitchen in a sleepy daze. Hazel got up, holding out the picture. "Eda! I drew something!" She said excitedly, holding it up for the Owl Lady to see.
Eda waved her off, letting out a yawn. "Okay, just let me get my apple blood." She said tiredly, not even turning to look at it. The demon halted in her tracks, watching as Eda entered the kitchen.

————
Hazel turned to No.3, holding up a picture. "Look, No.3! I drew a picture!" She grinned.
No.3 ignored her. Hazel got up, walking over to the larger basilisk. "No.3! Look!" She exclaimed. Reaching out to nudge No.3, the larger basilisk turned and growled at her. "Leave me alone, No.6!"
Hazel backed away, frightened. Dropping her picture, she ran to the corner of the room, getting as much distance as possible between No.3 and herself.
————

This is stupid. Why did I even bother?
Downcast, Hazel sat back on the couch. Scrunching up the paper, she placed it carefully beside her. If No.3 didn't care enough, why would Eda?
The demon watched cat videos once again, but this time she wasn't as enthusiastic. Luz had excused herself for a few minutes, going and getting ready for school so she could take a break from the glyphs.
Eda returned to the lounge room, carrying a cup of apple blood. "Now, what'd you wanna show me?" She asked.
Hazel rubbed her arm anxiously. "O-oh, it doesn't matter. It wasn't important." She replied. Eda raised a brow, but left the kids alone.
King, curious, looked down at the scrunched up paper. Picking it up, he opened it to observe the drawing. "Hazel, this is cool!" He complimented. Hazel looked down at him in surprise. She didn't even see him grab it she was so distracted.
"Why don't you show Eda?" He chuckled at the statement. "Scratch that, I'M gonna show Eda!" He cackled. Getting up, he was about to jump off the lounge.
Hazel panicked, grabbing King and trying to snatch the paper away from him. "KING! NO!"
The two struggle for a moment, trying to win the paper back.
"WEH! Why don't you wanna show Eda?! It's cool!" He squealed. Hazel grunted, trying to reach for it. "Because-it's-STUPID!" She shot back.
Hooty swoops in the fight, gobbling the paper from King's grasp. The two look at him, before Hazel lets King go, brushing off her hands. "Alright. Now that that's dealt with, I'ma go get ready for school." She stated, getting up and walking out of the lounge room. Luz walks back in, going back to her studying.
King watched her go, before turning an angry gaze to Hooty. The bird tube smacks his lips. "Mmm. Yum. Tastes like paper." He said.
Rolling his eyes, King picks up Luz's phone and continues watching cat videos.

Luz used a magnifying glass to look at a flower, where the faint outline of a glyph was visible. "Come on! Work this time." She begged. Replicating the pattern onto paper, she gave it a light tap. She gasps when a flower successfully grows. "YES! Check it out, King: my glyph skills are blossoming!" She grinned excitedly.
King, who was eating crisps, looks over at her. "You think that's impressive? Check this out! Two warriors battling to the death!" He cheers. Luz hops on the couch to take a closer look.
On the screen, two cats meow. One prepares to pounce on the other but falls on its back. The human looks at the open portal door. "Ah. I see we're getting enough wi-fi through the portal for cat videos." She points out.
King giggles hysterically. "Senseless violence. Yes, attack! DEATH IS YOUR GOD!"
Hazel walks back into the room, in uniform as she sits back down on the couch. "What'd I miss?" She asks. She then peers over to the cats playing. "Aw, they're so wittle!" She coos.
Luz looks between King and Hazel. "Yeah...I regret teaching you about the internet."
King laughs at her statement. "Hah! What possible regrets could come from the internet? Oh! Did you know that the Earth is actually flat?" He asked curiously. Luz snatched the phone away from him. "Yep, that's not right."
Her phone vibrates in her hand, and a text message pops up. She gulps when she realises it's from her mom.
"How's camp today, cariño? <3, Mamá."
Luz tries to reply, typing out a few words before finally settling with a thumbs up emoji. "Good enough."
King and Hazel watch her. "Ah, a severed hand! Perfect response." King compliments. Hazel, on the other hand, looked skeptical. "I don't know, one of those severed heads could've gone nicely."
Luz flops down on the couch and puts a pillow on her face. "What am I supposed to say?" Her muffled voice asked.
Sitting up, she smiled nervously. ""Hey mom, not at camp actually! I'm in a demon realm learning to be a witch! Also, did you know that demons and magic are real?" She. Will. End me." She whimpered the last part.
King patted her on the head. "Nah, she'd be freaked out by our world anyway. So actually, by keeping the truth from her, you're doing her a favour!" He stated. Luz hummed in thought. "The demon on my shoulder makes a good point."
"Always trust a shoulder demon!" King said, taking back the phone. Realising her other friend was quiet, she glanced over to see Hazel cartoonishly crying. "So I'll never get to meet your mom? I was so excited to meet her!" Hazel sniffled.
Luz giggled, patting her head as she stood up. "Don't worry, one day I'll be able to tell her. Just today is not that day." She chuckled nervously.
The door opens, and Hooty enters. "Hoot hoot, girls! Time to fill up that darling little head of yours with..." gagging, he regurgitates a stack of books onto the ground. "Mm-hmm. Delicious knowledge!"
Willow and Gus peek through the doorway, clearly grossed out by the bird-tube's behaviour. "Please hurry!" Gus begged. "The more I look at him, the more uncomfortable I get." Willow added.
"HOOT HOOT!"
Luz chuckles, finger guns her friends before giving King a kiss on the head. "Don't spend all day watching Mewtube, 'kay?" She stated, as she and Hazel walk out the door. King shakes his fist at her. "I FORGE MY OWN PATH!"
Returning his attention back to the screen, a fluffy black cat hisses as it chases its tail. The small demon snickers. "What a dum-dum."
His tail starts wagging, and he watches it carefully before trying to catch it. But he flops on the couch after a second. "Ugh. Who has the energy?"

In the halls of Hexside, many students and teachers were getting ready for a large event. The spider kindergarten teacher decorated the halls with streamers. The hallways were decked out with balloons made of abomination goop and other decorations. Luz, Gus, Willow and Hazel enters, admiring the handiwork.
"Something's different today. Did everyone get a haircut?" Luz asked curiously. Willow giggled. "Oh yeah! I forgot you've never been here for the social event of the season." She said. Gus grinned. "Welcome to your first-"
"Outta the way!" Two masked health workers enter, rolling a stretcher and making siren noises. The four friends move out of their way as they surround a beast-keeping student standing by Skara.
"Come with us immediately! Your disease-it's advancing!" They said, helping the student onto the stretcher. The student looks up at them fearfully. "Is there a cure, doc?" He asks.
One of the health workers looks down at him. "Only one...finding the perfect date to Grom!" He says in a light-hearted tone.
The student looks over to Skara. "If that's the cure...then, Skara, will you go to Grom with me?" He asks, holding out a beating heart with the word "GROM?" Written on it in red ink. Skara squealed, wrapping him in a hug. "Ahhhhh! Of course I will, or whatever!"
Onlooking students and teachers cheer.
Luz gasps excitedly. "You guys have a weird version of prom on the Boiling Isles? I was kicked out of my last school dance for dressing like an otter, but here, I can be your Grom queen!" She says, striking a pose.
Hazel frowns, trying to remember what Grom was really all about. She'd read it somewhere before, but where?
Willow and Gus share a look at Luz's statement. "That's, uh, not something people usually sign up for." Willow tries to explain.
Luz lets out a yelp of surprise as someone walks into her from behind. They drop all their books and a small note. "Watch it, nitwit!" Amity snaps, before realising she'd run into Luz. "Oh. Hi, Luz...and co. Sorry about that." She apologises. Luz smiles. "No problem, let me help you!"
The human helps Amity pick up her books and hands her the little pink note that dropped. "Here, your note."
Amity snatches it from her, keeping it away from her grasp. Luz chuckles. "Man, you got some quick grabbers." She chuckles. Amity looks between Luz and the note. "It's just, it's...private."
"Amity?"
Hazel looked up to see Liza walking around the corner. Her heart beat quickened, and she clutched her uniform skirt nervously. Liza wasn't carrying her normal books, but instead the dragon covered satchel Hazel had first seen her with.
The witching's attention turned to Amity and Luz, then to the rest of the group. She smiled. "Oh, hi guys! Are you ready for Grom queen to be announced?" She asked. Hazel felt her smile widening, as Luz replied. "Yes!"
The speaker screeches on, and everyone looks up at it nervously. Some students began to mutter.
"Attention Hexside students. This is your principal speaking." Principal Bump said over the intercom.
"Oh, man, this is it!"
"He's announcing who'll be this year's Grom royalty." Willow whimpered. All stared intently at the speaker.
"This year, I have the privilege to bestow our highest Grom honour to...Amity Blight!" He announced. Willow, Gus and Liza gasp, turning to Amity in concern. Hazel knew this wasn't good.
"Our Grom queen!"
The other students all turn their attention to Amity, who was noticeably uneasy. Luz, on the other hand, cheered. "WHOO! Amity! Get it, queen!"
Holding up her hand, the human waited for a high-five. Amity looks around, before running off. Liza reaches out to her in concern, before chasing after her. "Amity, wait!"
Luz was confused. "Don't leave me hangin'!" She called. Willow walks up the human. "You might want to give her some space. Being Grom queen is a tough job." She explained. "Even for Amity."
Hazel watches as Liza leaves, when she feels Gus elbowing her side. "Hey, why don't you ask Liza out to Grom?" He said, changing the subject. Hazel looked down at him. "Uh...what do you mean?" She asked.
Gus pointed to Skara and her date. "You know, like taking her to Grom as your date!"
Hazel felt her cheeks flush, and she looked away. "I...don't know. I mean I like her, but I don't think she has the same feelings for me." She stated.
Gus thought for a moment, before snapping his fingers. "I got it! Why don't you ask her out to Grom platonically! Then you can go as just friends!" He said excitedly. Hazel tilted her head to the side. "You can...do that?" She asked. The smaller witchling nodded his head.
The basilisk furrowed her brows in thought. "I...have to think about it." She said, walking away from her friends. "I'll see you guys later."

"I don't know, would she even accept? Even if we're just going as friends?" Hazel wondered to herself, as she walked down the halls toward her locker. Stopping at her locker, she lets out a sigh, tickling it so she could retrieve her books.
"Hi, Hazel."
Hazel jumps, turning to face the voice. Liza was standing behind her, surprised at her reaction. "Oh! Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." She apologised, looking at Hazel in concern. Hazel chuckles nervously, waving her off as her cheeks flushed pink. "I-it's okay. So, how are you, Liza?" She asks.
Liza lets out a sigh. "Well, I'm a little concerned about my cousin. She's scared to face Grom." She said.
Hazel tilts her head curiously, grabbing one of her books without taking her eyes off Liza. "If you don't mind me asking...what exactly is Grom? I read about it somewhere, but I can't remember." She stated.
Liza looked at her curiously, but didn't question her. "Well, from what I've researched back in Glandus, Grom is a monster that lives underneath Hexsidel. Grometheus the Fear Bringer, as it's called, tries to break out every year. And every year, a student has to defeat it before it invades the town. Bump holds a party and makes it tradition." Liza explained. "But the worst thing is, Grom can read minds and shape-shift into your worst fear."
Hazel's brows furrowed. "And...Amity has to fight that thing?" She asks. Liza simply nodded. "I'll be there cheering her on, and I'll probably go in there to help her. I don't care if it's against the rules...I just don't want her getting hurt. Physically or emotionally."
Hazel listened carefully, amazed at the witching's courage. The bell rang, and the two look up at the bell. "Gotta go. See you in class Hazel." Liza smiled softly, waving her goodbye. Hazel watches her go, before making a final decision.
"I'm going to ask her out to Grom."

(Back at the Owl House...)

Luz had just marched out the door, and Hazel was pacing around the living room. "Okay, okay. How do I ask Liza out platonically? "Hey, Liza! You're looking lovely today!" No! Ugh..."
Flopping on the couch, she groans. "What do I do?"
"HOOT! I can help you ask your date out!" Hooty chimed in, leaning through a window. Hazel abruptly sat up, squinting suspiciously at the bird tube. "Yeah...no thanks, Hooty. I'll figure it out on my own." She replies, heading toward hers and Luz's bedroom.
After getting ready for bed, she let her disguise fall. Laying down on her bed, she fell asleep.

——————

Hazel sat up. She was back in the all too familiar void. Looking around, she was confused. There was no one here. What was going on?
A hiss and a slithering sound echoed all around her. Searching frantically for any sign of life, she stood up. "H-hello? Is a-anyone there?"
There was silence, until a tail lashed out, striking her across her back and flinging her across the void floor. Hazel let out a yelp, getting up from her tumble. Looking up at her attacker, her eyes widen in terror.
"N-No.3?"
The larger basilisk towered over her. She had a huge grin on her face, as she leaned close to Hazel. "You really think you're good enough for her?" She hissed. Hazel was confused, slowly getting to her feet. "W-what do you mean?" She asked in a shaky voice.
No.3 appeared from behind her. "You weren't good enough for me. I let them take you away."
Hazel swivelled around, finding the basilisk gone. Feeling something wrapping around her torso, pinning her arms to her side, she squirmed in the basilisks vice-like grip.
"What makes you think you're important to her?"
Hazel could feel the air escape from her lungs as No.3's grip tightened, crushing her ribs.

She couldn't breathe.

Why couldn't she breathe?