𝙰 𝚂 𝚃 𝚁 𝙾 𝙽 𝙾 𝙼 𝚈 - 𝒯𝐻𝐸 𝒪𝒲𝐿 𝐻𝒪𝒰𝒮𝐸

𝙺𝚎𝚎𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚄𝚙 𝙰-𝙵𝚎𝚊𝚛-𝙰nc𝚎𝚜

    Y/N woke up groggily, though luckily not sick. From Eda's room, they heard her throw her alarm clock at the wall. They groaned and made a magic circle to fix it. When it happens every day, you figure out how to fix it without seeing it. Y/N wormed their way out of bed, almost hitting their head on the ladder. They fell to the ground with a thud and continued to slither lazily around. 
    "Woah, kid, you sure you're feeling better?" Eda asked.
    "Just side effects," Y/N sighed, "Do me a favor and crack my entire body over your knee."
    "I'm good, kid," Eda replied. She picked Y/N up from under their shoulders and plopped them on the ground, making sure they used their legs to keep themself up.
     "Thanks, Eda."
     "Uh-huh."

    The two walked to the kitchen and saw Luz sleeping at the table with many books stacked next to her. Y/N conjured a blanket and draped it over her snoring body.
    "Mean!" Eda said, startling Luz awake, "We're out of apple blood."
    "I can go get some more," Y/N said, "Owlbert!"
    "No, Y/n. It's ok," Eda sighed, "Any luck finding stuff about the portal?"
    "None. And I was up all night," Luz answered.
    "Is that why you were scrambling around our room at 2 am?" Y/N asked.
    "Precisely," Luz sighed, "I read every tomb, book, notepad, and tea leaf!" She lifted the cup and titled it so Y/N and Eda could see the tea leaves form into a shrugging person, "But nothing explains how to make a portal to the Human Realm."
    "I wish I could help ya, kid," Eda said, "My door was already pretty old when I found it."
    "How long did you have it?" Y/N asked.
   "Well..." The three heard a scream from in the living room. They quickly rushed in and saw Lilith. She was on the ground reaching a hand to the three in the doorway.
    "Help... me..." She groaned with a strain. Eda quickly grabbed an elixir from under the couch pillow and rushed to her sister's aid.
    "Calm down. Just calm down," Eda said.
    "The curse gets stronger when you're stressed," Y/N explained. Eda fed Lilith the elixir, and her feathers went away.
    "That was horrible," Lilith gasped, "How have you managed all these years?"
    "Well, it's been hard. But since we split the curse, at least the elixirs have been working again," Eda replied. 
    "That's a relief," Lilith sighed. She moved her arm closer to her face and realized it had fallen off. Lilith had a horrified expression on her face as she gasped. 
    "Oh, yeah, sorry. It's a  side effect of the curse," Eda said. She picked up Lilith's fallen hand and popped it back in, "It's actually fun once in a while."
    "Just make sure you don't show that "trick" to any 4-year-olds," Y/N heaved with their arms crossed.
    "What else was I supposed to do when a toddler shows up in my forest?" Eda laughed.
    "I don't know, maybe take me to Bonesborough and not take your arms and legs off!"
    "I thought it was pretty funny."
    "Eda, I had nightmares for three days after that."
    "Only three? Watching warden Wrath decapitate her still gives me the heebie-jeebies," Luz shuddered.

    "Anyways, Lily, don't worry. I have elixirs stashed all over the house. If you're ever feeling a little feathery, help yourself to one of these bad boys," Eda said. She showed the hiding spots in the living room. Like, under the cushion, behind the plant, and in Y/N's hair.
    "When did you put that in there?" Y/N asked. Eda just winked and did finger guns.
    "I had no idea this is what I did to you," Lilith somberly said, "I am so, so sorry."
    "Eh, at least I got company now," Eda put an elixir in Lilith's hands, "And you got me if you need anything." Lilith lay on the couch and sighed, looking up at the ceiling and seeing more elixirs up there. Eda, Y/N, and Luz walked out the front door.

    "As I was saying, I've had that portal door for years. But I originally just found it in the dirt," Eda explained, "Never figured out who made it or where it came from."
    "So you found a strange portal in the dirt and took it? With no questions, like whatsoever?" Y/N asked.
    "Yeah, pretty much. I just kept it to myself," Eda shrugged.
    "Why wouldn't you tell anyone?" Luz asked.
    Eda chuckled, "What? Suddenly curious about my past?"
   "Always. Always curious," Luz replied. Y/N nodded in agreement. They didn't know much about Eda either.
    "Well, I may have been using it to hide from someone,"
    "Who?" Y/n and Luz asked.
     "Probably me~," A woman said in a sing-song voice. A strong gust of wind made the three brace themself.
     "Magic bird tornado?" Luz asked. The tornado turned into Eda's mom. Y/N groaned, remembering her from when they were 7.
    "Hello, little witchlet. Come here," Gwendolyn said. She walked closer to Eda with her arms open in hopes of a hug.
    "Gwendolyn," Eda said. She kept her mother at arm's length by putting her hand on Gwen's forehead to prevent her from coming closer.
    Gwen backed away slightly after straining against Eda's hand, "Oof. Are we still on that? I'm your mother. Call me "mom"."
    "Mom?!" Lilith and Luz said. Lilith wildly stuck her head out the window to see her mother.
    Gwen ignored the two, "It is so good to see you again! Ooo, and I see your little witch is back." 
    "Are you talking about me?" Y/N asked.
    "Of course. I've been wondering where you've been the past eight years," 
    "Right. It's great seeing you too, Mrs. Clawthorne."
     Gwen smiled and continued to dote on her younger daughter, "How are you feeling? Have you been eating well? I heard all about the Petreification Ceremony. Trust me, I have strong words for that Belos."
    "Mother!" Lilith said, leaping onto Eda's back, "You know, I was there too."
    "Oh, hello to you too, sweet flea. Still dying your hair, I see. Well, it's very sleek. Now, give me a moment with Edalyn, dear. It's important," Gwen said, "That's right, today I'm about to complete a 30-year mission!"
    "Oh no," Eda sighed.
    "Not again," Y/N groaned.
    "Your mother has finally succeeded," Gwen said.
    "Here it comes," Y/N said teasingly in a sing-song voice. Eda elbowed them lightly.
    "Today, I shall be curing your curse!" 
    "No thanks," Eda said as she picked her ear.
    "What!?" Lilith and Luz asked.
    "I said "no thanks"," Eda said, "I've got my elixir system. I'm good."
    "Who knows what's in those nasty concoctions? What if it's dangerous?" Gwen said.
    "You tried feeding Eda to a fire snapper in hopes of scaring the curse out," Y/N said, rolling their eyes, "You don't have much say in "dangerous" remedies."
    "I know what's in my elixirs," Eda replied, "And would you look at the time. I've got a lot to do today, and it mostly pertains to making sure Y/N doesn't go all jellyfish on me. Byeeeee!" She sent Gwen off on her staff, "Mom's, am I right?" Y/n and Eda high-five as their legs gave out.
    "Why'd you have to mention me going jellyfish? You just jinxed it!" Y/N sighed. Eda plopped them back up on their legs. Lilith and Luz looked at the two as if they were crazy.
    "I haven't seen mother in forever!" Lilith said, "And she was handing you a cure on a silver platter."
    "I'd kill to see my mom right now, and you just launched yours into the sky?" Luz said.
    "Oh, listen, she comes around every year, toting a new cure for my curse, but they never work," Eda explained.
    "She used to try getting me involved in "fixing" Eda," Y/N shuddered.
    "After the first few years, I stopped getting my hopes up," Eda said. She walked inside with Y/N following in tow.