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shroomtime00 · 1 year

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Hoodwinked - chapter 4: The Ghoul Conjuror

A soft knock at your door. Emira’s voice comes muffled. “(reader)? You up?”

No response.

A new voice pipes up—Ed’s. “Come on, we saved you your favorite food!”

Seconds of silence pass.

“We'll be here if you need anything.” Emira says quietly. The shadows of the footsteps from under your door recede.

You roll over to the side of the window, feeling the guilt creep up for ignoring your siblings.

You didn’t want them to worry. You knew Amity told them what she had heard in the living room.

Your thoughts drift back to the talk you and your mother had a few hours ago.

The rules. They were strict. Did Amity have to follow them?

Burning hatred bubbled in your stomach as you thought of your mother. You hated her. Why did she want Amity to do this so badly? And why did Amity follow these rules, presumably all her life?

You felt stupid not being able to see what Amity had been going through until Luz opened your eyes. You thought she wanted this, that she wanted to join the coven. You cheered her on, always, when she entered competitions, programs, anything.

You regretted having agreed to the deal, but at the same time you didn’t. Amity deserved to have some fun in her life. She deserved to spend time with her friends freely, without the weight of her future hanging around her head all the time.

You glanced at the window. The moon had painted the room silver, and your silk curtains danced in the breeze. The scent of flowers fills your lungs.

You grunt, standing up to close the window. Your legs felt brittle and wobbly, like it couldn’t support your body, but you walked anyway.

Your bedroom windows overlooked the manor’s gardens. One time, a long time ago, a seven year old Amity brought a little girl with crooked glasses and dark navy hair over to the house. They played out in the gardens until the sun had fallen off the horizon, and until Mother told Amity to bring the girl home.

You never saw her again.

You sigh at the sight of the manor, painted in the moonlight. Primroses and violets swung side to side, each colored a deep purple.

Your eyes trail from the inside of the manor to the outside.

Bonesburough was strangely pretty. Yes, there was a seller who smuggled illegal potions now and again in the corners of it, and crime littered the streets endlessly, but you felt fond of the quaint town all the same. It was where you grew up after all.

Actually, maybe that’s a lie. You never really had a chance to explore Bonesburough much, being trapped in the manor and all. Abomination bodyguards followed you wherever you did go, and that sucked the fun out of everything after a while. You never were truly free from your parents.

The feeling of freedom—-being able to wander freely around the markets, the smell of goods and fruit lingering in the air. Being able to explore all the Isles had to offer.

The feeling was short-lived as you remembered—you would probably never get to be free in years, because of that deal you made.

Then, you look into your room. An old timey witch’s hat, decorated with glittering stars, colored plum caught your eye. It was a gift from the twins.

The starcut concealment stone in the middle shined in the dark. Moonstone.

It was all a blur. You don’t remember grabbing the hat and a satchel of belongings. You don’t remember coaxing your snake palisman out of her tank.

What you do remember is jumping out of the window, grinning from ear to ear. The sound of wind filled your ears as your heart pounded, euphoric. You remembered the taste of sweet, sweet freedom as you flew away, up and up, farther from the manor.

•─────⋅

You weren’t running away. Not permanently. You just needed to clear your head, you know? And a midnight flight around Bonesburough was a perfect way to do that.

From your fingers to your feet, you felt a strange tingling sensation. Excitement.

You dipped down, closer to the ground, giddy with your newfound independence.

You passed the school, windows dark. You passed a few houses, you flew through the clouds. The stars were prettier and seemed to grow brighter up close instead of gazing at them from your window.

You could smell the scent of spices and metal as you neared the Bonesburough night market. You landed behind a building, letting Pandora curl herself around your arm. You peeked from the building and gazed at the night market.

It was different during the day. Everything, from the shady looking individuals and the stalls selling odd trinkets, screamed illegal. The warm glow of the lanterns lit up your face.

You ducked down and stared at the hat. “You better work.” you warned it. And then, you tapped the starcut moonstone.

In a flash of white, you feel the cotton of your pajamas disappear, then silk drapes itself on your shoulders.

When the blinding light faded, you smiled as you marveled at your new outfit. Now instead of your pajamas you wore a matching plum cloak with silver stars and crescent moons drawn on the edges. A moonstone clasp held your cloak together.

“Wow, Ed and Em didn’t skimp on the details here!” you said happily, turning around to see the full effect of your outfit. Your hat had see-through silk draping itself around the edges of the hat, shielding your face away like a veil. It gave you a regal, mysterious look to onlookers while also enchanted to be a shield for your face if ever you were attacked because hey, the night market was dangerous. It was run by criminals, after all.

“Hey, you!” a deep voice said loudly. You turned to the alleyway and saw a man who was clearly drinking pointing at you.

“You look like–” he hiccuped, “--a star.” Then, he slumped down to the floor. You didn’t realize you were holding your breath until he snored noisily.

Okay. That was weird. But it's Bonesburough! Everything’s a little weird, right?

That didn’t stop you from deserting your hiding place to explore the market.

“Ooh, can I have that?” You asked a vendor. You pointed to a dagger. The grip was silver with a huge pearl embedded in it.

The vendor eyed you. “How are you gonna pay for that, huh?”

You plopped the snails, about a hundred, in front of the man. He gaped at you.

A grin grew from his lips. “Take it!” he levitated it to you, taking the snails and counting it greedily. You grinned, pocketing the dagger. You would probably have no use for it, but it matched your outfit, so you had to buy it. Duh.

All of a sudden, shrill laughter rippled through the crowd. You turned to see who caused the sound.

“Go kiss the Emperor’s ass and leave us alone!” came a voice, gruff and triumphant.

To your surprise, two masked witches shot out of the alleyway that drunk guy was just from, laughing at who you assumed to be a poor scout—

A blur of gold blinded you temporarily, “Get—” he huffed, “--Back here!”

“Try us, golden guard!” one of the men threw what seemed to be a smoke bomb on the ground and continued to run.

“Golden–?” you mumble to yourself before snapping your head to the vendor, who was still counting the snails you had given him. “Um, sir?”

“What?” he asks, still staring at the money with glee.

“What’s happening?” you pointed to the smokey area.

“The golden guard’s catching some criminals, mx.” he replies, finally prying his eyes away from the money bag to look at the smoke. “Don’t worry ‘bout him. He’s perfectly capable, yeah?”

The old excitement kindled back to life. You just witnessed a criminal chase! How cool is that?

“So you think he doesn’t need any help?” you asked.

He shrugs. “Probably not. I mean, the mist may blind him a lil, and that thick gold mask ain’t doin’ him any favors.” he chuckled, turning to you. “Isn’t that right, witch—” he gaze turns confused as he stares at the place where you were, now deserted. “--let?”

You weren’t quite thinking when you ran into the mist. You only thought—help the golden guard. Get an award. Make Mother proud of you.

Because if Mother was proud of you, then she’d let you AND Amity off the hook!

You stopped to catch your breath. The mist smelled horrible. “Criminals? Mr. golden guard?”

Pandora curled away from your hand and turned into a staff. You pointed it to nothing.

A sudden shadow moved from behind you. You turned around.

“Show yourselves immediately!” you surprised yourself with the tone of your voice. You sounded almost….assertive? Newfound confidence rushed into you.

“Who do you think this is, Ernie?” someone scoffed through the shadows. You pointed your staff at the source of the sound.

“Probably a lost witch.” the other replied, “Hey, I’d get lost if I were ya, little witchlet. Wouldn’t want to be in trouble, would ya?”

“What? I said show yourself!” You demanded the shadows.

At your word, the two burly masked witches stepped away from the mist, with something in between them as they approached.

You squinted at the figure—-was it a new accomplice, another criminal you had to fight in order to aid the—-

Your eyes widened. As the light spell the criminal cast glowed onto the person’s mask, you realized who it was.

The golden guard looked unconscious, the way his head lolled to the side. The two witches dropped him and one put a leg on his back. He didn’t get up.

You gulped and tried not to look at the pitying sight in front of you.

“Let him go! Or—or–” the criminals scoffed at your words. The confidence drained from your face.

“Do what? You look what, thirteen? What’re you gonna do?” mocked one of them as he brandished a knife, ragged at the edges.

“For your information, I’m sixteen years old!” you snapped, and why did you just reveal your age to the criminals, now they know you for sure can’t beat them–

Your eyes trail from their faces to the golden guard, limp and unmoving.

A small voice squeaked in the back of your head that, yeah, maybe he’s right. What could you do to two graduated, adult witches? Maybe you’ll just get yourself beat up and thrown into a dungeon, and they’ll contact your parents for a ransom.

But you’re all the Golden Guard has right now.

And even if he didn’t get to see you kick ass, at least you’ll get to save his butt from certain peril.

“Looks like witchling has cold feet,” one said, condescending, “Hey it’s okay, why don’t you crawl back to where you came from and never talk about this agai—”

His sentence ended abruptly as mauve flames ate up at his cloak. You grinned, your finger still smoking from the spell.

The sword guy glares at you, and lunges. He swings his sword, left to right, right to left.

You jumped out of the way before drawing another spell circle.

A ghoul burst from your bright pink necklace. It glowed with fury, eyes flashing as it dove to the swordsman.

It phased through his body before turning solid again, holding his arms together. He flailed and kicked around. He stayed firm.

A shadow overcame you. You glance up to see the man, his cloak on the floor. His arms grabbed your body, and Pandora was knocked away from your hands.

“Let–” you tried to free your hand to conjure a circle, “--me go!”

“Not a chance.” he growled. “You shouldn’t have involved yourself here, kid.”

You blew a raspberry at the criminal.

A flash of yellow, and you were dazed.

You feel yourself be ripped away from the man’s grip, face planting in the dirt.

You glance to the golden guard’s body—

Wait. Where’d he go?

Thoughts began to arise, what if he got lost in the battle? What if you accidentally hit him whilst fighting the criminals? What if the criminals already–

“DUCK!”

It didn’t take you long to listen, scrambling to the ground. You hear a body smack across the pavement.

You can taste the metallic flavor of blood in your mouth. You swallowed.

Slowly, after a few seconds of silence, you stand. You notice the two criminals were unconscious, propped up against a wall.

“You okay?”

You yelp, turning to the sound before tripping. Your back lands on the pavement, and you groan.

“That’s going to ache in the morning, won’t it?” you mumbled to yourself.

A gold mask—his gold mask–obscures your vision. “Uh, are you alright?”

You scramble to your feet. “Fine, I’m fine!” you said quickly.

The golden guard tilts his head a little. You realize he has Pandora’s staff in his gloved hand.

He notices your staring, and practically shoves it in your hands. “I believe this is yours.”

“Yeah.” you croak out, gripping the staff tightly.

Awkward silence. You notice a glint of red behind the golden guard.

You rush over to it. It’s his staff, the red gem still glowing. He must have been disarmed in battle.

“And I believe this is yours,” you said, giving him the staff.

“It is.” He turns to the unconscious criminals and with a wave of his staff, they are both bound in ropes.

Silence again. You feel yourself burning from embarrassment from under your cloak.

“I guess I’ll take them to the conformitorium.”

“I guess you will.”

He clears his throat after another second of quiet, then turns to you. The traces of casualty from your conversation disappears. “Who are you?”

You blinked. Should you tell him?

“I’m someone.” you decided.

“No, I mean your name.”

“Uhhh, what’s your name?” you asked him like an accusation.

“Classified.” he says. You feel the sides of your mouth twitch.

“What an odd name.”

“Wha–nO! I-I meant, that information is classified.” he says testily, and you laugh. You notice he perks up at the sound.

This was weird. The golden guard was supposed to be an awe-inspiring coven official, not some awkward dude with voice cracks!

Somehow, you liked this version better.

“Y’know what–” you thought for a second, “You can call me the Ghoul Conjurer.”

“Sounds like a superhero name,” he observed.

“ ‘the golden guard’ sounds like a superhero name,” you countered, “Even more than Ghoul Conjurer. Yours both have g’s at the start!”

He shrugs, “Fair enough.”

Your eyes turn to the sky. It's a color of purple and yellow now, faint stars shining. It would be dawn soon.

“I, uh, have to go,” you said suddenly, stepping away, “Y’know, I’ve got superhero stuff to do–”

“Wait!” he says, grabbing your wrist. You raise an eyebrow at the action.

“I’ll…see you in coven tryouts, right?”

You hesitate. Then you nodded slowly. “Yeah.”

His body relaxed at that. “Good. You’re a good fighter, you know.”

You flush at the compliment. “...thanks. You’re not too bad yourself, Mr. Golden Guard.”

He chuckles at the quip. Then, he bows jokingly, “Then, until then, see you around. Ghoul Conjurer.”

You sit on your staff, giving him a spry wave of your hand. “I’ll see you around, Golden Guard.”

And with that, you zoom away.

•─────⋅

The Golden Guard felt ecstatic on his way back to the castle.

Ecstatic, but confused. Really confused.

Who really was the witch in the starry cloak? Why did they save him? Why were they so good at doing magic?

“Whatever,” he huffed to himself. “At least they’ll be in coven tryouts in two months’ time.”

He hated to admit it, but he…admired this powerful stranger. He admired the way they stood up to those criminals. He admired how they beat up the said criminals’ asses. He admired how they weren’t really intimidated by the golden helmet he wore. The status meant nothing to them. You barely got that in the Emperor’s coven, where the bird-masked scouts would bow whenever you walked past.

He looked up, and realized he was already close to the castle. The Golden Guard sighed.

#hunter toh x reader #reader insert #chapter 4 #toh #the owl house #the golden guard toh

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