"AAAAAARGH! THIS PAPERWORK IS KILLING ME!"
The good news: The Clawthorne family's house was up and running, plus Eda had gotten back some of her money from Rico.
It was a modest house; a single level, two room, one bathroom, living room and small basement, It'd take some time to losing the grandeur and nostalgia of her father's old tower, but Eda was comfy. Besides, until she found a way to make money, she figured this was a good choice.
Again, the Clawthorne clan was NOT hurting for money, but Eda wouldn't feel moved in until she had a way to keep money flowing; she had no intention of living in squalor and taking any more help beyond what was necessary.
Until then? She was focusing on getting Olvier into school, something most of the household didn't like
"You can't send him to school, Eda!" King had begged. "What'll Hooty and I do without him?!"
"Hoot! Hoot! What's there for a five year old to learn anyways? Let him stay until he's 25!" Hooty had wailed. "Then there'll actually be things for him to learn!"
"You expect me to trust you two with him after he snuck away from the Motel?" Eda had deadpanned.
"That was one time!" King and Hooty promised weakly.
"I'm not taking any chances." Eda said, and that was the end of that conversation…as much as part of her wanted to keep Ollie close, with his condition and all, she knew he needed to interact with kids his own age. And she was NOT about to let him lose contact with Anne, Sasha and Marcy
Unfortunately, she'd gotten the ONE bureaucrat who was not at all interested in her.
"So, the first step in enrolling your son into school is to submit the appropriate paperwork." The suit had explained in a deadpan voice, not once reacting to Eda's alluring attire or any movements she made as he pulled out a large envelope. "There are plenty of openings for five year olds, so once the paper work and screening is done, he's good to go. Plus, its still early in the school year, so you'll be spared a few steps. Everything you need is in this envelope. We'll also need proof of parental employment, anything from your job with position stated will suffice. If you're self employed or currently job hunting, there're some additional materials you'll need to supply; tax returns as well as…"
"AAAAAARGH! THIS PAPERWORK IS KILLING ME!" Eda screamed again. "I'm an outlaw witch from another world who lucked out in helping the cops and made some money from a hush bribe! How the Titan do I explain that?!"
"Sure you can't just bribe someone?" King asked. Even with magic this was taking an un-Titanly long time to finish. So long in fact….
"Homeschooling!" Eda suddenly realized. "Yeah! That's what we'll do! Everyone wins! Ollie gets an education, can play with Anne, Sasha and arcy whenever and he stays close to us all! Why didn't I think of it before?!"
Elated, Eda lifted up the paperwork
"Ooooooh, Hooty!" She called in a singsong voice, motioning the House Demon to swallow the current banes of her existence. "Snack time!"
Hooty inched over, salivating the prospect of….
"NOOOOOOO!" Olivier, clad in his pajamas, screamed, leaping and ramming his head into his mother's stomach, knocking her to the ground and kicking Hooty's face away as he grabbed the papers.
"Cool!" King beamed.
"How could you, mama?!" The little boy cried, breaking out his secret weapon: The Puppy dog eyes and shivering lip. "You're mean! You promised I could go to school with Anne, Sasha and Marcy! You lied!"
Despite her irritation, Eda couldn't help but be proud of her son; surprisingly strong for his size and using his adorableness against her. With a sigh, she got to her feet and motioned for Olivier to return the paperwork to her, even lifting a pen to continue filling the sheets out.
Seemingly satisfied with that, Olivier watched as his mother sped-read and filled the forms with vigor, the process now seeming much easier…
"Wait…what're you doing up, little witch?"
"Couldn't sleep." Olivier beamed. "Plus, King and Hooty were loud."
The little monster and house demon hung their heads in embarrassment.
Eda just smiled and cleared her throat.
"You mention this to no one." She demanded. "This is strictly baby and mommy."
"I'm not a baby, but okay." Olivier promised as his mother cleared her throat again, took a deep breath and began to sing:
(A/N: Play 'Just like Me' from 'The Little Mermaid' Animated series)
"Go to sleep, my fearsome little hawk." Eda sang as she took Olivier to his room. "And dream of dark and sneaky days! For instance, wouldn't it be fun to scatter sales-folk with a glare? Make the mailmen run around the vicious bulldog's lair?"
"Always my favorite when I was a kid." Eda mused, recalling when she, Raine and Alador had done just that. Olivier even chuckled at that as Eda kept singing.
"Time to hit the sack, My mighty little Merlin. For one day, you'll be feared on land and sea!"
Oh, she could see it now; Olivier owning his school, making bullies cower, pickpocketing the rich kids and driving the boring, mean teachers….!
"When your worst you're at your best…"
Olivier then began to imagine pranks that would get him and his friends ice-cream, make his mom's gawkers pants fall or themselves to trip and knock themselves silly….
"Close your eyes, you need your rest!" Eda demanded, then softened her voice once Olivier obeyed. "If you want to be… just. Like. Me!"
"That'll take a little practice." King added.
"well, duh." Eda smiled as she knelt down squishing her son's face and nuzzling his nose.
"You're the most deplorable, horribly adorable falcon that a mommy's ever seen!"
"Mama…" Olivier yawned in embassment and exhaustion.
"Have a real bad night, give those beddy bugs a fright!It's delightful when you're spiteful! I'm so proud…!
"I WANT TO SCREAM!" Hooty cut in, getting shushed. "Sorry. I love a lullaby!"
"Rest your wings, my precious little witch." Eda sang as she tucked her son into his bed. "Relax in peaceful misery…Drift away, and pretty sooner, you'll be terrorizing losers! Just remember, being sneaky….IS THE KEY!"
Stopping when she heard some glass crack at her operatic singing of the last word, the Owl lady wrapped up her lullaby.
"If you want to be… Just, Like. Me."
"I'm going to make you the coolest kid in the whole darn school." Eda promised, giving a sleeping Olivier one last kiss before turning off his light.
OWLPHIBA
Unbeknownst to the family, there had been someone watched the whole affair unfold.
'I….I have a nephew?'
Lilith had flown for two days straight, but managed to find Eda just as she had been moving into this squalor of a home; another sign of the Titan she needed to change her ways, no doubt. She'd been prepared to make herself known…but then she saw Olivier.
He was definitely Edalyn's child; he carried himself with sass and smarts, had her mane…And there was no doubt Eda loved him; she sang him a lullaby, which, unless she was with Raine, she'd sooner slit her…
Wait.
…No, Olivier was NOT Raine's. He'd at least have had their tanned skin or a hint of white in his hair. Yes, his eyes were different, but…
Then a thought entered Lilith's mind. A horrid thought:
Lilith's suddenly envisioned Edalyn as, rather than the sneaky, irksome punk who defied and mocked Belos, a little girl with scrapped knee, sobbing in the clutches of a disgust, lustful looking creature with mismatched eyes.
And with that thought, a feeling Lilith had not feel properly in years overwhelmed her; a burning yet cool feeling of rage. While she was calm on the outside, inside she made a vow:
'I WILL FIND WHOEVER DEFLIED EDALYN AND MAKE THEM REGRET EVER BEING BORN! DEATH WILL BE AND IS TOO GOOD FOR THEM!'
She then calmed herself, lest her magic affect the area she was hiding in and give her away.
'Buit first! Get to know my adorable nephew.'
He seemed like such a sweet little boy; truly a wonderful aftermath of whatever and however he came to be. And, as much as she hated thinking it, maybe she could use him to get Eda to see sense.
But for now? Lilith decided to take a nap; her sister wasn't going anywhere for a bit/
OWLPHIBIA
Finally, the day came: A week later, something happened that no one in the Boiling Ilses would have ever see coming:
The Owl lady took her chick to school.
Mr. Streilian, the teacher, was an older but strapping man, smiled warmly as he invited Oliver to put his things away and catch up with a delighted Anne, Sasha and Marcy, who brought him over to the drawing corner.
"I understand there might be some….culture shock?" Mr. Streillian asked Eda, who nodded.
"The easiest description I can think of is…. Tim Burton-eqsue. Nightmare before Christmas or Puppet Tim Burton, if that helps?"
"Oh, that's easy." Mr. Streilian assured the witch with a smile. "Not the first time and probably not the last time I've had a kid with darker and scarier interests. Any allergies?"
Eda paused; moving in had taken some time, and while the Boonchuys happily made her and Olivier snacks, free of charge, the Clawthornes had been eating out a lot. During that time, they learnt that Olivier had a fondness for soft tacos and noodles of any kind…along with spicy things; evidentally his tolerance was finally growing.
"He's not a fan of crunchy things. Or rice." The former Owl Lady mused. "But no allergies, no."
"Well then, he'll love recess snack." Mr. Streilian smiled, spying that Olivier was already making friends with the other kids; he could hear talks of where he'd moved from, sheepishly laughing off how pretty his mom was and being shocked so many found his eyes interest. "You gave your address to the office?"
Eda nodded and handed it to the teacher, who smiled.
"Well, he's one of the first to get off. Should be home no later than….3:15, 3:20."
The bell suddenly rang and the kids started to head to their desks. Eda waved Olivier goodbye as she began to trek back home….
The minute she stepped outside, however? Eda broke down and sobbed, already missing her son.
"I'M NOT READY!" She sobbed.
"First day?"
The former Owl lady turned to see Mrs. Wu and several other women, their own faces bittersweet and some sobbing.
"It…it that obvious?" Eda managed.
"To a mom, yes." Mrs. Wu smiled sweetly. "If you don't had any plans? There's a café not too far. We go there after drop off for a pick me up and treats. Would you like to come along?"
With nothing better to do, Eda joined the other moms for tea, where she heard quite a few cute stories about the other children.
OWLPHIBIA
Eda spent the 2:45 half hour pacing back and fourth.
"What, do they keep them there for night school?!" She asked aloud, getting frustrated.
"Eda. A watched cauldron never bubbles." Hooty noted
"Do NOT use mom's words against me!" Eda snapped. Then let out a breath as she heard the bus come to a stop. Smiling, she opened the door, ready for a hug. "Hi sweetie, how was…?"
Her son raced right past her and into his room, holding back sobs until he jumped onto his bed, slamming his fists into the bed to vent away his feelings.
"Ollie, Ollie!" Eda said, gently taking her son into her arms, patting his back to calm him down. "There, there. Mama's here. What happened?"
"Mama, it was awful!" Olivier sobbed. "They killed him!"
This took Eda for a loop.
"Mr. Streilian?"
Dang, maybe human schools were toughter than she thought.
"No, the dragon!" Olivier managed.
"A dragon?!" Eda gasped in shock, accompanied by King and Hooty. "Who killed the dragon?!"
For context, Dragons were considered 'sacred' and 'endangered' in the Boiling Isles. To kill one was, in the eyes of the denizens of the Titan's corpse, akin to killing a Panda in our world; you just did not do it!
"A Knight in shining armor!" Olivier finished.
"…A what?" Eda asked.
Olivier reached into his backpack and pulled out a coloring book of fairy tales, and the one that had ben tabbed had some schmuck in armor killing a dragon In hopes of getting a date with some broad to dumb or weak to get out or ropes/
"WHAT KIND OF STORIES ARE THESE?!" Eda roared as she skimmed through them, before realizing. "Ooooh. Right. Human world stories…..Sissies."
She then came across Hansel and Gretel; a story that opened up some…less than ideal memories for her.
"…Okay, this one is okay. But the rest?!"
Hooty snuck in and nuzzled Olivier, letting the half-witch hug him.
"See?!" King said as he offered one of his teddies to Olivier, who took the offerd creature. "We told you! School is no goo…!"
"Oh no, the rest of the day was fun!" Olivier, his mood lifted assured his family. "That was just the end of the end of the day."
And thus, Olivier began to explain the day; they'd gone around and sung their names, practiced some math and reading and at recess, Mr. Streilian had taken them to a honeysuckle bush, where they'd all enjoyed a delightful snack.
Well, aside from this one kid Olivier didn't like: Sid, who kept swiping honeysuckle and filling up his lunchbox with them. He'd even swiped honeysuckle from Marcy! Marcy! Anne and Olivier had taken it back, but Sid glared at them. Olivier didn't care though, the bully backed off when Sasha joined them, grumbling about how the flower should've all been his.
This 'Sid' was reminding Eda of Odalia after her father had been petrified; entitled little brat.
Suddenly the phone rang. Eda answered.
"Hello? Oh, Marcy! Hi! No, no. Ollie is okay. Sorry, were we come from, Dragons are very special, so….Oh? Oh. Huh. Well, you learn something knew everyday. Can Ollie come over to watch a video or two? Well sure, if your mom's okay with it. She is? Okay, we'll be there soon."
The evening plans settled (they'd have leftovers for dinner), Eda and Olivier headed over, where Eda and Mrs. Wu continued their conversation as their children watched one of Marcy's favorite movies together.