Carmen: It's called cauliflower, not ghost broccoli.
Char, eyes wide: I know what I saw.

once again, Char presents to you an attempt at doing this episode justice and also good on me for finishing season one now let's see if I can make it through season 2, where I will not be skipping any episodes.

also I actually proofread this so good on me

4334 words

-

King opened a book titled The Unauthorized Boiling Isles History. "The Boiling Isles, born from the flesh and bone of a fallen titan. This original magic was so potent, all life on the Isles evolved to wield magic too. For years we explored these powers freely," King turned the page. "Until a mysterious witch appeared who said that he, and he alone, could speak to the island. He said that we were using magic all wrong. His teachings took hold, his strength grew and he became Emperor Belos." He turned the page again. "Belos said that mixing magic was wrong, that only he had that right, so he created the coven system and there our knowledge was restricted and our potential sealed away. Those who resist are called wild witches and they face harsh punishment." He turned the page again, showing the stone body of a presumed wild witch. "Emperor Belos has since retreated into his castle. There are whispers that say he is planning something big. I wonder if catching Carmen was part of his big plan. What do you think, Char? Char?"

Char sat in windowsill, cape in her lap, onlooking the waters. She lifted the note into her hand.

To a young witch
from her proud
mentor

-Carmen

She then looked down at the cape. It was blue, with a purple inside. "I don't care what Belos is up to. Because today I'm saving Carmen." Her cape blew in the Hero Wind™.

-

Char opened the door to the weapons room and ran in.

"Char, what are you doing?" King asked, a little panicked. "This is serious, King. Carmen used her powers to save me and got caught by Sasha. Now she's the Owl Beast and is being taken before the Emperor. I don't know what he's planning to do with Carmen, but I'm going to rescue them." She grabbed a squiggly dagger.

"Haven't you been listening to me? He's the Emperor." King held up the book again. "He's the most powerful witch alive."

"King, please try to understand." Void bent down and placed her hand on King's shoulder. "Carmen is in this situation because of me, because of my stupid choice. I have to make up for it."

"But they're in their Owl Beast form. How will she even recognize you?"

"I don't know. But I have to try anyway." Char admitted. "Well, then I'm going to." King decreed.

"King..."

"Me and Carmen don't always see eye to eye, but I do consider her family." King admitted. "I want her back as much as you do." Char smiled. "Alright, then we've got no time to lose." She ran off, as did King, tossing the book onto the floor.

-

In Belos' throne room, we have the Owl Beast running amok and Sasha chasing after it. "Carmen! Stop this instant!" Instead of listening, Beast Carmen ate a banner. So, Sasha put them in a giant bubble. "Don't look at me like that. This is for your own good." She smiled the slightest bit. "Emperor Belos will heal you and we can be in his coven together. Isn't that wonderful?"

Owl Beast stuck their tongue out at Sasha.

"I will not fall prey to your childish games!" Sasha then proceeded to fall prey to their childish games, by also sticking her tongue out at them.

The doors opened and scouts amassed along the walls. "All kneel before Emperor Belos." Kikimora commanded and Sasha did in fact kneel. Emperor Belos entered the room, blue eyes piercing through his mask. Seeing a creepy old dude, Owl Beast screeched and charged for Belos, who quickly restrained her with the power of a magical staff.

Sasha quickly ran in front of her sister. "Uh, my lord, I apologize for my sister's rash behavior. She's still in her cursed form." She apologized. "Once you've healed her, as promised, I'm sure she will be a useful asset to the coven."

Belos shot a laser into Carmen's brain.

Now, Carmen was still in beast form, but her brain was a hundred percent Carmen Mendoza. "Oh! Where am I? What is this?" Realization. "Ah, farts, I got caught."

Belos got up close and personal. "Carmen Mendoza, the infamous Owl Lady. The Wild Witch of Bonesborough. The mentor of Char the human."

"You stay away from her or so help me, Titan."

Belos laughed a sort of condescending laugh. "You've got it all wrong." He said. "The human is safe for now. I just want the portal she came through."

"Tough, cause I ain't tell you nothing!" Demigaslight, demigatekeep, demigirlboss.

"Ugh, pity. Although, I suppose I could ask the human herself." He snapped his fingers and some scouts came to drag Carmen away.

"Wait, don't touch her!" She yelled. "Sasha, don't let him hurt them! Sasha!" And they were dragged out. "Ah, taking her to the healing ceremony?" Sasha asked.

"I will not be healing her."

What? "But you promised me." The Emperor wouldn't lie, right? "Don't be so naive, Sasha. This is the Titan's will." He lifted his hand towards the heavens for dramatic effect. "All wild witches must be dealt with before the Day of Unity. You understand, don't you?"

"Of course."

"Good. Oh, one more thing." He snapped his fingers and Ollie's staff landed in Sasha's hands. "Destroy the Owl Lady's staff. She won't be needing it anymore." And then the door shut, leaving the witch alone with nothing her sister's staff and Regret.

-

"Alex Adams coming to you live from outside the Emperor's castle." They began. "Carmen Mendoza, known commonly as Carmen the Owl Lady, has been captured and brought before the Emperor." Char and King made their way closer to the crystal ball, joining the small crowd around it. Now, Kikimora was on stage. In the corner, there was something about 'first petrification in 30 years'.

"For the crime of attacking a coven leader and refusing to join a coven, Carmen Mendoza's body will be petrified in stone today, sundown, at the Conformatorium."

Bee, still with a broken leg, gasped.

Meanwhile, the fruits were about to take action with their unbroken legs. "Saph, are you watching?" Koda asked after calling her on his premium scroll. "Yes. We have to do something." Saph looked back at the screen as Alex said "Today is a grave day for Bonesborough."

The crowd split up, whispering among themselves, leaving Char and King alone. "Please tell me that's not as bad as it sounds." Char thought aloud, her voice just above a whisper. "Petrification is only done to the worst criminals and once the spell is complete, it can't be reversed." On the crystal ball, multiple petrified witches were shone. And then Sasha showed up on screen.

"Sasha." Char's angy now. "She cursed Carmen. She captured her own sister. She is the worst. If I ever see her again-" Void grabbed a crystal ball and smashed it. Yay, property damage! "Char, calm down." King urged them. "We have to think about saving Carmen first."

"You're right." The blonde sighed. "But how are we gonna get to the Conformatorium in time?"

"We'll have to do something so diabolical, so criminally insane, that they'll have to throw us in the Conformatorium." Short story even shorter, they stepped on grass that had a do not step on grass sign. I know, how could they.

-

To the Conformatorium we go, joining Char and King as they roll through the hall with the stoned wild witches. They were putting up a pedestal, with a plaque that read CARMEN MENDOZA.

"There's not going to be a new statue going up today." King shook his head. "Right, Char? Char?" Char wasn't paying attention, but instead staring down a poster of Sasha.

The guard rolled in. "Sir, the Owl Lady's human student has been apprehended." He reported. "Very good." Warden Wrath returns. "Ah, Char the Human, how I've waited to see you again. Now I'll have my revenge and you'll have front row seats to Carmen's demise." He opened the carriage doors and got attacked with tree.

Char then jumped out and proceeded to pin a scout to the ceiling with an ice glyph. Once Warden Wrath got the tree off of him, she built a sort of ice cage around him. "Where's Carmen?" Void demanded.

"She's in the holding cell in the dungeon!"

"Draw me a map!"

-

"Do you really think Carmen deserves a petrification?"

"I don't know, this is all happening so fast."

Saph removed their hood. "If we know anything about Char, they're going to be here trying to save Carmen." She said. "And we'll be here to save void when they need us!" Koda removed his hood.

"Let's split up and find her." The two split up to try and find their friend.

"Fools!" Legend of Korra yelled and Sasha turned around. "You let the human escape! And you drew her a map?!"

"Worry not, Kikimora. I shall capture the human." Sasha stepped forward.

-

Well, Char had dealt with all the guards in the hallway leading to Carmen's cell. "King, watch the door." Void instructed and King nodded. Char froze the chains, making them break apart, and stepped inside. She activated a light glyph and in the corner, it saw Carmen in her beast form.

"Carmen?" They ran towards her. "Carmen!" She bumped into them, angering the beast, as it began charging for Char and then raised her claws. "Carmen, wait! It's me! It's me." She got the light glyph all in their face and her brain was now all Carmen.

"Char?! Oh, no. Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. What are you doing here?" They asked, panicked. "It's okay, Carmen. I'm here to save you." Void pulled out a fire glyph and tried burning the chains. Nothing.

"You're magic isn't strong enough for this. You need to leave. Now." Carmen urged the demigirl. "But...but I can't! It's my fault you needed to save me, it's my fault you got captured." She kept trying. It had to work eventually. It had to work eventually.

"No. Listen to me." Carmen stood Char upright. "I'm here because of my own actions. I went against Belos' law and for awhile, I was able to get away with it. But, well, without magic, I can't do much. I don't regret anything. I lived freely." Time to get sentimental. "And I got to meet you."

"Carmen..."

Carmen placed a hand (claw? talon?) on Char's head. "But if you stay here, I won't be able to protect you. You need to leave. Now." Char quickly grabbed the witch's hand as she began to pull it away. "But we're a family. Us weirdos have to stick together, remember?"

Carmen pulled the portal key out of their hair and pressed the eye, the door appeared in front of the both of them. "You have a family already. Go back to them." The door creaked open, revealing those green trees the human hadn't seen in months. "And when you're home, use your fire magic to destroy the portal door. I don't know why Belos wants it, but we can't take any chances." Carmen placed the key around void's neck.

Char looked down at the key and up at Carmen. This was really happening. Carmen Mendoza was about to die. Carmen Mendoza was about to die.

Tears pooling at the corners of her eyes, Char hugged Carmen. "I love you, Carmen."

Hugging them back, Carmen said "I love you, too, kiddo."

An alarm began blaring and Carmen knew exactly what this was supposed to mean. "Char, get away!" She pushed them away as the chained collar around her neck became a full cage. The platform with the cage began going up. "No! Not yet!" Char ran over and grabbed onto the platform.

"I'm sorry." And Carmen pushed her off, Char landing on the ground. "Goodbye, Char."

"CARMEN!"

The platform went up. The siren stopped blaring. Char couldn't do anything except sit there and cry.

"Drat!" The door opened and Sasha walked in, with King squirming around, demanding to be let go. "I'm too late. Well, at least I found you, human."

Angry Charlie time. "You. You hurt Carmen. You put them in chains. And now I will take you down!" Char charged for Sasha, glyphs in hand. Sasha managed to nullify the fire attack. "I just wanna talk!"

"Talk to the glyph, bitch!" Void brought down another glyph, this time plants, and ensnared Sasha in a cage of vines which she easily broke apart. Since magic didn't appear to be working, Char just decided to jump onto the witch and begin pulling her hair.

"Stop! What is wrong with you?!" Well, Sasha, she did just watch her found mother get sent to her death. You know, the death sentence you (albeit unintentionally) set up? The two went through the portal, King running after them.

They came out outside that old house. Char stood up, staring at the trees she had once been so familiar with. "Char, watch out!" King yelled before he was ensnared by Sasha's vines. She then shot some magic at the literal child.

"Fire!" The fire glyph immediately dissolved. "What?"

Sasha then proceeded to tackle the child. "Please, just listen to me!" She shouted.

"No way! You deserve to be petrified! Not Carmen."

"You're right." Both sat up. "I deserve to be in Carmen's place."

"Why did you do all this?" Char asked which means it's backstory time. "When Carmen and I were younger, we were the best of friends." Sasha began.

A blonde girl and a blonde boy were running through the woods, giggling endlessly. The girl tripped and began crying, as she'd scraped her knee. The boy walked over and pressed his forehead to his sister's. "With this spell declared, let the pain be shared." And now he had a scrape on his knee. Yay, siblings!

"Being in the Emperor's Coven was my dream. I wanted to work alongside the most powerful witch on the Isles and make the world a better place."

Carmen and Sasha, now teenagers, did some spinny magic stuff with a broom, Sasha dropping her broom, because she sucks.

"Carmen wanted to be with me. But there was a problem."

The sisters stood in front of the scout. "One spot is available. You duel tomorrow. The winner will join our ranks." He told the girls. The two exchanged a concerned look with one another, before Sasha wordlessly walked away.

"I knew Carmen would beat me. She was younger, but worked twice as hard. She met me at my level."

Sasha walked through the Night Market, looking for something, anything that would help her. Soon enough, she found a scroll with an owl's face on the seal.

"Emperor Belos always said 'To be great, you have to make sacrifices.' What would he do in my situation? I found a spell that would take away her powers."

She opened the spell, went home and stepped into her sister's room and placed the spell.

"I thought it would just be for a day."

The Mendoza sisters stood across from one another, ready to duel, Sasha charged for her sister as Carmen simply said "No." Sasha stopped in her tracks as Carmen went on. "I refuse to battle my sister!" They walked up to Sasha and gave her a little shoulder pat. "I've decided covens aren't really my style. Hey, don't forget me when you're a big shot, sis." Carmen walked away.

"And as Carmen walked away..."

Carmen began groaning and screaming and suddenly, there was a blonde owl beast in the place where Carmen had stood just a moment ago. Naturally, the crowd threw rocks at her and she flew off. "Carmen!" Sasha called out her name and began to run after her but a scout grabbed her arm. "Sasha Mendoza, we welcome you to the Emperor's Coven!" The crowd began cheering.

"I made my sacrifice for the Emperor. And it was time to receive my reward." Sasha sighed. "I've been pursuing Carmen because if she joined the Emperor's Coven, Emperor Belos told me he would heal her curse. But he lied to me. I know how to rescue Carmen, but I can't do it alone."

"How do I know I can trust you?" Char asked, a skeptical expression splayed across her face.

Sasha thought for a moment before making a magic circle and now Ollie was in her hands. "Ollie! You're okay!" Char quickly grabbed the staff. Ollie nestled up against Char's face before void placed him on her shoulder and stood up. "Alright, Sasha, I don't like your whole...deal. But...we need your help to save Carmen." They held out the portal key.

"Thank you." The witch circled her finger, freeing King. "Now let's head back." As Sasha walked through the portal, Char stared ahead at the trees.

"Hey, Char? You need a minute?" King asked. "No, I'm coming." She walked over and into the portal. The portal shut.

-

Lots of scouts were doing the drumity drum drum stuff. "I don't see Char anywhere." Saph said, worriedly. "Do you think she got caught?" Koda asked, just as worried. There was a buzzing sound and a cage popped up onto the stage.

Over to you, Alex. "Well, folks, Carmen the Owl Lady has appeared on stage, which means the petrification process is about to begin."

Kikimora walked over to a lever and pulled it, starting up the machine that does the killing stuff.

-

Sasha, Char and King walked through an underground area of the castle. They stopped at a platform. "You can take this up to the stage where they're holding Carmen." Sasha informed them. "Thank you, Sasha. What will you do now?" Char asked. "I will stay in the Emperor's Coven, but I will make sure nothing like this ever happens again." She answered.

"That's good to hear." Realization. "Wait, why are there no guards around?" And in the blink of an eye, something grabbed both King and Sasha and held them aloft. A fire started, illuminating Emperor Belos. "Ah, Sasha, you chose the wrong side."

The tentacles(?) pulled King and Sasha up. "No!" Clawed hands grabbed Char's ankles, pulling her down onto the floor. "Ah bup-bup! I'd actually like to have a word with you, human."

-

Both King and Sasha were tossed into the cage where Carmen was. "Hello, Carmen." Angry Carmen time. "Sasha." They began pacing back and forth. "You hurt Char. You cursed me. Before anything turns me to stone, I'll tear you apart!" Carmen raised her claws before King jumped out in front of them. "No, don't!" He shouted and Carmen stopped in her tracks. "She was trying to help. She even betrayed the Emperor for you."

"What?"

"If I knew something like this would happen, Carmen, I-" The stoning machine began rumbling. You know what this means.

Saph and Koda gasped. "We gotta do something!" Saph said. Once again, it is back over to Alex. "And in a shocking turn of events, head coven leader, Sasha, is now in the holding cage, escorted by what appears to be a deranged cat." Wonderful report, Alex, we thank you kindly, my good non-binary.

Koda tugged on his parent's sleeve.

"Dakoda? I'm live!" They whispered. "Mada, you have to stop." Koda said as Saph snatched the microphone from Alex. "Yeah, what's happening to Carmen isn't right." The plant witch planted the seeds of the revolution. "They might not always follow the rules, but she hasn't done anything worthy of a petrification!"

"She helped me escape jail!" Thank you, eyeball prisoner.

"She helped me stay in business!" Thank you, Morton.

"They helped me love teaching again! After they left." Thank you, Bump.

"The Emperor should let Carmen go!"

"Let Carmen go!" Koda began the chant and the crowd took it up, chanting "Let Carmen go!"

-

Back to the underground with the human and Emperor. "Let my friends go or else!" With the help of Ollie, Char did a radical flip and got an icicle all up in Belos' face. "Okay." He turned into a pile of mush and unmushed behind Char. "I'll play." He tossed the literal child into the wall. To be fair, probably not the first time he's done that. An ax fell, but she dodged it. She dodged rocks and just a whole bunch of magic, mostly with the help of flying on Ollie.

They were about to charge at Belos with a fire glyph before a monster came out of the ground, catching them completely off guard and naturally they screamed. Don't worry, though, they burn the monster from the inside out.

What's wrong, human? I thought you wanted to fight

Char held Ollie defensively before those hands from earlier came out of the ground and pulled her down. Belos, staff in hand, walked in front of her. "Had enough?"

"Not even close." Boom, icicle to the face and void has successfully chipped his mask. Take that, bitch. Belos once again laughed almost condescendingly. "I like your spirit. But try that again and things won't end well for you." He had a piercing blue eye, like in that one Edgar Allan Poe story. "Now, I am just a humble messenger for the Titan. In the grand scheme of things, the Owl Lady's life is inconsequential. But then you showed up. If you want to save your mentor, give me the portal to the human realm."

"But...my home."

Above them, the petrification began, Carmen jumping in front of King and her sister. "Carmen!" Sasha yelled as Carmen screeched in agony. Char could hear it.

"You probably think we want to invade the human realm, but the Titan's will is not so boorish. You'll understand soon." The Titan is dead, his will is for people to shut up. "Tick-tock, human. The Owl Lady doesn't have much time left."

More screeches of agony.

"No!" Char reached her hand up. There was nothing she could do. Well, actually- "Fine!" Void pressed the eye on the portal key and the portal door came up. They hugged the door to them. "Es tut mir Leid, Mutter." She stood up and walked over to Belos. "Here. It's yours."

"The Titan will be pleased." He took the door. "Go on then. Go be a hero." He brought his staff down and the platform began rising.

"I may have lost, but so have you." Char brought Ollie down and the door fucking exploded.

The two of them stared menacingly at each other before Char was up on the stage. Carmen was being petrified and so Char threw a plant glyph. Can you tell I'm getting tired?

Carmen fell over, mostly stone, but not completely. "What do we do?" King asked, panicked. "The spell wasn't completed. Maybe I can help her fight it!" Sasha began trying to unstone her sister.

"No! What is happening?!" There's a blonde murderous lesbian behind you, Kikimora. That's whats happening. And it's not Laura this time, so be grateful for what you have, Shikiflora.

"Free them, now!" Char commanded, a burning fire glyph in hand.

Kikimora circled her hands and uncaged the Mendozas. "Carmen! Are you okay?" Char asked. "As good as I'll ever be." Carmen responded and here come the scouts with spears. "Let's fly!" They tossed their family onto the back and flew off, the crowd cheering as they did so.

Belos walked onto the stage, much to the shock of the crowd and Kikimora. "Children of the Isles," Shut up, immediately shut your masked face. "The Titan has told me to spare the Owl Lady's life. But in return, her curse will strip away all her powers. Let her monstrous form be a lesson about the dangers of wild magic."

-

Finally, we return to the Owl House. "Don't worry, Carmen. I'll run and get you some elixir." Char bent down. "No, human, no amount of elixir can heal them now." Sasha bent down in front of Carmen. "Oh, sister. I should have done this a long time ago." She pressed her forehead to her sister's. "With this spell declared, let the pain be shared."

Sparkle, sparkle, and the pains being shared now and also they both have heterochromia now. Sasha also has an even darker streak in her hair.

"Carmen!" Char rushed towards Carmen and hugged her, Carmen hugging back. King jumped on Char's back. "Can you still do magic?" She asked and short answer even shorter: no. "That's a no. It'll take some time to get used to this."

"I sense that I have been weakened as well." Sasha looked at her hands.

"It's okay. I can teach you what I know and what we don't know, we can learn together." Char placed a light glyph in Carmen's hand. Carmen tapped the glyph and watched as the glyph went upwards into the night sky and vanished amongst the many stars.

"Thanks, kid. I look forward to that." Carmen gave Char a little hair ruffle and gave her a lil' side hug.

Now Char's talking to her phone camera. "And that's how we escaped from the Emperor. Everyone told me he was the most powerful witch alive, but look at this, mom!" They held up the piece of his mask. "I chipped off a piece of his mask! I know he's not invincible now!" Void frowned a bit. "It's a strange feeling, having gone through so much, and not having you here to share it with. And I don't know when or how I'm gonna see you again." She put her phone down for a second and grabbed the picture frame of her and her mom. "But I will find my way home to you. I promise." She picked the phone back up. "Lass ein Licht für mich an. Ich liebe dich." She turned her phone off and turned off her light glyphs.

Kikimora walked down the steps towards Belos. "Sire, those miscreants are still at large." She informed him. "Please, allow me to capture them-"

"Worry not, Kiki. We'll be keeping an eye of the inhabitants of the Owl House." Belos nodded to someone wearing a white cloak and a mask that almost resembled an owl. They also nodded. They had just a few brown wisps poking out at the edges of their golden mask. They then walked away.

Belos went on. "In the meantime, the Day of Unity is almost upon us and have much work to do." A new door was being built.