Changeling Witch

Gromposals

"C'mon, c'mon," Hunter muttered, copying the little symbol in the center of the flower. "Work this time."

He tapped the newly-drawn glyph, letting out a happy gasp when it glowed green and a little flower sprung from it. "King! King, did you see that? Plant magic! I just learned plant magic!"

"Pfft, you think that's impressive?" King snorted, staring at Hunter's phone. "Check out this! Two warriors, battling to the death!"

Hunter looked over King's shoulder. "Ah. I see we're getting enough Wi-Fi through the portal for cat videos."

"Senseless violence! YES! Attack! Death is your god!"

"Y'know, I never thought I'd regret something more than I regret teaching Amity about flipping people the bird, but I think teaching you about the Internet tops that."

King laughed. "What possible regrets could come from the Internet? Oh, did you know that Earth is actually fla---"

"Yep, that's not right," Hunter said, snatching his phone from King's hand. As he did, it buzzed.

He looked down to see---fuck---a text from his mom.

Mom: How's summer camp today? <3

Hunter fumbled a bit for what to respond. He eventually just sent her a thumbs-up emoji.

"Ah! A severed hand!" King noted. "Perfect response!"

"What am I supposed to say?" Hunter exclaimed, throwing his hands into the air. "'Hey, Mom! Funny story, not at camp actually! I'm in a demon realm learning how to be a witch! Also, did you know that magic and demons are real?'" He buried his face in his hands. "She will end me."

"Eh, she'd be freaked out by our world, anyway," King said, taking back Hunter's phone. "So, by keeping the truth from her, you're actually doing her a favor!"

Hunter considered this. "Hmm. The demon at my shoulder makes a good point."

"Always trust a shoulder demon."

The door swung open, revealing Hunter's friends on the other side. "Hoot, hoot, Hunter!" Hooty called. "Time to fill up that head of yours with---" He vomited up a stack of books. "Delicious knowledge!"

"Please hurry!" Gus begged.

"The longer I look at him, the more uncomfortable I get," Willow whispered.

"All right, gotta go." Hunter stood up and gave King a quick scratch under the chin. "Don't spend all day watching MewTube, okay?"

"I FORGE MY OWN PATH!" King screeched as he left.

...............

Inside Hexside, yellow decorations---from banners to streamers to even Abomination-balloons---covered the halls, and the number of evident couples seemed to have multiplied.

"Oooookay, why's everyone so weird?" Hunter asked, looking around.

Willow gasped. "Oh, that's right! I forgot that you've never been here for the social event of the season!"

Gus waved his hands around. "Welcome to your first---"

Two students dressed as medics ran up to a Beast-Keeping track kid with bat ears, imitating ambulance sirens.

"Come quickly!" one of them barked. "Your disease! It's advancing!"

"Is there a cure?" the bat-eared kid asked.

"Only one," the other said ominously, then brightened. "Finding the perfect date to Grom!"

"If that's the cure, then..." He rushed over to one of Boscha's friends and pulled out what looked like an actual heart. "Skara, will you go to Grom with me?"