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travlersjoy444 · 2 years

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Back To the Future (Part 10)

TOH Hunter/Golden Guard x reader

Masks and Bets part ten.

Masks and Bets (Part 1)

Masks and Beasts (Part 2)

Masked and Beat (Part 3)

Masked (and Unmasked) On the Seas (Part 4)

Cracks in a Mask (Part 5)

Revelations (Part 6)

Bad Moon Rising (Part 7)

Hey Lilith (Part 8)

Way Home (Part 9)

*******

“Move.” The Golden Guard commanded.

The scout gave a single nod, stepping away from her post.

“...Thanks. And don’t tell anyone I was here, or else.” He said, swinging open the door she had been guarding.

He entered the room with his head low, making sure to lock the door behind him.

The room looked about the same, but the air was heavier. The scent of dust filled the silence, which (Y/N) would have never normally permitted…

But (Y/N) wasn’t here anymore.

Hunter sat on the empty bed, staring out the window into the nothingness that surrounded the castle.

“You promised me you’d stay.” He whispered, trying to ignore the water blurring his vision. “You said I wouldn’t lose you…”

He wiped his eyes, trying not to think. “But then…you probably lied, didn’t you? Belos always said you were a bad influence.”

Belos had been right. He was always right. And as he was seeing once again, Belos was the only person who loved him. The only person who cared at all for Hunter the Golden Guard.

Hunter stood up, looking at (Y/N)’s remaining room decor- when he had first checked, there had been a letter on (Y/N)’s dresser- one addressed to him. He had, of course, torn it up and flushed it down the toilet, but a silly part of him wished he had at least read it first. Found out what (Y/N) had wanted to say before the witch abandoned him.

No. It was dangerous to think that way, silly to think that way.

Maybe there was a possibility that (Y/N) had loved him the way he loved (Y/N), but entertaining the idea was…well, silly. After all, (Y/N) had been gone for a month now.

But on days like these…it was nice too just…sit here. Thinking about impossible things….like how it was just a bit possible, despite all of Belos’s claims, for (Y/N) to still like him. For (Y/N) to still care about him. For (Y/N) to be spying on the rebels instead of joining them.

But as much as Hunter wished that could be true, Cinder told it all- (Y/N) had spoken of hatred for Belos’s system under the guise of Cinder, and so by extension, was it so hard to believe that (Y/N) hated the Golden Guard too? …That (Y/N) hated Hunter too?

No. It made sense, actually.

Hunter swallowed dryly.

Once again, he found himself alone.

*******

“It is so nice to be surrounded by all of Lulu's dearest friends!” Announced the Owl-Tube, stirring his drink.

“Yeah! All hail Lulu!” Steve cheered.

I clapped vigorously, pumping my arms with Steve.

“We're here to celebrate the new assistant curator of the Supernatural Museum of History.” Said Hooty, looking around the room at the party. He lifted his wine cup, grinning. “Here's to you, Lulu!”

“Cheers!” I beamed, grinning as my mentor smiled awkwardly.

“Hooty! Did I miss the toast?” Luz exclaimed, running into the living room.

“Yes, but not the ‘app-pellet-tizers’.” Hooty said, grinning. I grimaced and looked away, refocusing on the rest of the party.

There was a loud sigh. “Oh, I wish I could stay longer, but I must be off on my next adventure. It's such a delight to see my little bookworm back in the historical world after all these years.”

Lilith gave another awkward smile. “Uh, thank you, Flora, but it's just a small job. Only an assistant. I'm surprised you even heard about this.”

Flora shrugged. “The Emperor wanted to make sure you weren't getting into any trouble. And to clear out your office. I left a box of your knick-knacks inside. Wish you took more from my tutelage, dear. History's supposed to be exciting after all!”

She cracked a whip, catching a flying griffin and dragged it down to the ground. Then she hopped onto the griffin without another word.

“Show off.” I muttered jealously. I wanted to be that badass.

Luz came up next to Lilith and I, raising an eyebrow. “Who was that?”

Lilith sighed. “Flora D'splora. Bad-girl historian, celebrity, and my former mentor in the Emperor's Coven.”

I scowled. “She annoys me. I’m not sure if I want to curse her or be her.”

Luz snoted. “I have questions about that name.”

“And I have questions about MY LIFE! All I ever got to do was desk work, while she goofed off riding wild snake horses and-”

Luz gasped, interrupting Lilith. “Snorses!”

“-And, and eating mummy jerky! Well, I can be just as exciting as Flora. I'll come up with an exhibit that'll knock the Titan's socks off!” Lilith snapped, storming back into the house.

“Congratulations on your new job!” Luz said, waving.

“And I’ll-” I began, half-aware of the glint in my eyes, “-I’ll learn how to use a whip.”

*******

I sat in the kitchen trying to make homemade caramel while Lilith worked on her model balusters.

“Lilith!” Luz exclaimed, throwing the door open. I jumped, accidentally burning myself with the hot sugar.

“...Thorns.” I grimaced, doing a quick healing spell

“-Sorry-” Luz blushed.

“As punishment, you have to taste test this, human.” I spat overdramatically.

Luz grinned. “Ohh nooo.” She said happily, before turning her attention back to my mom- er, my mentor. Back to my mentor. “I see you're dealing with all this, then, Lilith?”

Lilith shrugged. “I'm plotting out my first exhibit for the museum. It's almost as if the Emperor wanted Flora to tick me off. Well, I'll show her that she's not the only bad-girl historian in town. I'm thinking…”

She whipped out her plan board, which she had explained to me in excruciating detail just an hour ago.

“ ‘The Architecture History behind Deadwardian Balusters’.”

Luz looked up, smiling awkwardly, and Lulu’s excitement faded.

“This won't work, will it.” She sighed dejectedly.

“No, it could work still! I have faith in you, Lulu!” I argued.

Luz nodded. “Don't let Flora get you down! I even started calling you "Cool Aunt Lilith" in my journal.”

Lilith blushed. “Uh, oh, really?”

Luz grinned, flipping through the pages in a book she had brought. “You can be a bad-girl historian. And I know how.”

I leaned over her shoulder, skimming through the page. “...Time magic?”

*******

I stepped onto the beach, looking around. “Hate to say it, Lulu, but uh…I’m not actually seeing any time pools.”

Her face fell as she followed me onto the sand. “But... I triple-checked all my calculations. My equipment is first-rate! Ugh-” She tripped. “Stupid rock.”

“Maybe the Titan Blood was too dry?” I suggested.

“Is it even algae-blooming season?” Lilith added, trying to troubleshoot. “Was it my tools？ Are they broken?” She took off her glasses, staring at her reflection in the lenses. “Am...I broken?”

“No, of course not.” I said firmly.

“Lilith! You did it!” Said Luz, running across the beach and holding a fossil. “You found the time pools!”

Lilith whipped back to her reflection in the glasses, grinning. “In your face!”

The two ran back down the beach towards the time pools.

“Hey guys?” I called from my side. “I’ll stay back here and keep watch, okay?”

“Thanks (Y/N)!” Lilith beamed as she leaned into the time pool.

*******

I did not, in fact, have any intention of waiting behind and ‘keeping watch’- I had a plan in mind.

As soon as Luz and Lilith had vanished into the Deadwardian era, I approached the time pools on my own- this could be my chance to find answers. The past few weeks had only brought more questions, from my own past to my…biological family, though I used the term lightly. The Bryonys were…not exactly family, but more like clones? But uh…just calling them family is easier.

“So that would be…about thirty years ago.” I muttered aloud, and with a deep breath, I leaned into the sand.

When I opened my eyes again, I was still in the sand…but it was different. The air was cooler and the water was further, and there was a blonde man sitting on a rock nearby.

“Hello sir,” I said, clamoring out of the sand, “Could you please tell me what year it is? I promise, this is for science.”

He stared at me, and I recognized his face.

“...Hunter?” I gasped.

“(Y/N)?!” Said the man, who I now realized was a teenager. “What the titan are you doing in the sand?!”

“...Science.” I answered slowly. In all likelihood, this boy isn’t my Hunter. He’s just another grimwalker. “Now ah…tell me again, what year is it?”

He shrugged. “1945.”

Hmm. I’d overshot by about forty years.

“Thanks Hunter.” I said, sighing. “Oh, and…you might wanna watch your back around Belos in the near future if you want to survive. Bye!”

I reemerged back in my time, slightly nervous about the bloody fly effect- but I’d rather screw with the timeline a little bit then let Belos kill another grimwalker.

I sighed, trying not to think about him. I’d left him there, in the castle, all alone….

I swallowed. Worry about that later, (Y/N). Worry about it later.

Moving on, I stepped into the next time pool.

This time, I found myself looking out at a Bonesborough that looked exactly the same.

Hmm.

“Hey crab demon, look out!” Said an oddly voice.

I ducked back into the sand, looking up to see a large rock hurtling over me. It landed a few feet away, and once I was sure the danger had passed, I climbed out of the sand.

The owner of the voice approached me. “Aw, you’re not a crab demon, you’re just a witch.” He said disappointedly.

“Sorry.” I shrugged, realizing where I knew his voice from as I studied his face. He had short-cropped mop of (H/C) hair, (E/C) eyes, and a very familiar smirk.

I saw it in the mirror every morning.

“What’s your name?” I said, trying to hide my excitement.

“Nico. And yours, crab-witch?”

“...Cinder.” I answered, grinning at the boy who looked like he could have been my brother. “I’m headed to Bonesborough, via…sand tunnels. This is the closest stop.” I lied.

“Sand-tunnels? I didn’t know there was such a thing as sand tunnels as a means of transportation…” he said, raising a dark eyebrow.

“Yeah, well, you don’t know everything brainiac.” I said dismissively . “Now ah…speaking of brainiacs- would you happen to know one ‘Lilith Clawthorne’?”

“...Er…yeah. …Why?” He said, staring at me in confusion.

“I’m her…cousin, Cinder Clawthorne. That’s why I’m headed to Bonesborough- anyways, she’s mentioned a Nico in her letters, one who matches your physical description.”

Nico’s eyes narrowed. “You’re lying.”

“Of course I’m not lying.” I lied. “However, on the off chance that I was, how could you tell?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know.” A familiar smirk solidified on his face. “But ah…Lulu doesn’t have any cousins, Cinder.”

I faltered, but I was always rather good at improv. “Well ‘cousin’ is a tad easier to say than ‘long-lost-first-cousin-once-removed-to-Dell Clawthorne’, yeah?”

“Oh- I guess…” Said Nico, the smugness in his voice vanishing. “Well, anyways, this is an awful way to get to Bonesborough. We’re pretty far from town, idiot.”

*******

“So…you’re my dad’s cousin? But you’re my age.” Said the young red haired girl in front of me.

“Yeah, uh- time happens.” I said, nodding as though I had shared something incredibly wise.

“Er- what’re you doing in Bonesborough, then?” She said, raising an eyebrow.

“You’re mum invited me to watch your coven initiation.” I lied. “How’s Edalyn doing? I heard about what happened at tryouts…”

Lilith shrugged, not meeting my eyes. “The healers say she’s getting better.”

“Yeah, they say so.” Scoffed Nico, kicking a rock. “That’s a load of rubbish if you ask me- I’ll bet that Emperor’s Coven had something to do with it.”

Lilith fidgeted nervously. “Neeks, there’s no proof of that…”

“Oh, you want proof? I’ll find you some proof-” He said, his eyes glittering manically. “But first, consider the circumstances! The tryouts were you- a smart, kind, fairly mild-mannered young witch- versus Eda, who while incredibly talented, is known for pulling pranks and breaking rules on the regular.”

“Yeah, no thanks to you,” Coughed Lilith.

“Regardless! I’ll bet anything that someone who wanted you- the less chaotic one- to win sabotaged Eda in hopes that she’d be rendered unable to best you!” He declared, turning to me. “And despite that, it was all for naught, ‘cause Edalyn forfeited at the start of the tryouts! But alas, it was too late- the curse had already taken effect.” He shook his head. “I just wonder what kind of messed up twat would curse a little girl.”

Lilith looked away. “Yeah. Probably someone….really terrible.”

I swallowed, my throat dry. “Er…anyways, I arrived a bit early- I’m gonna go drop my stuff off at the hotel, okay?”

“Do you even know how to get there?” Nico said dryly.

“...No.” I mumbled. “I’ll figure it out though-”

“Do you need us to take you there?” He said, his voice flat.

“......Yes, I need you to take me there.” I said, equally flatly.

“Well, luckily, it isn’t too far from Nico’s house- we’re headed in that direction anyways.” Lilith said, waving towards the direction of the hotel.

“Cool! Great.” I nodded, but cringed on the inside. This was not what I planned on. “How about I walk with you guys to Nico’s house, and then go unpack on my own?” I suggested.

“Okay,” Lilith shrugged, already walking.

As Nico and Lilith chatted and teased each other, I looked around the slightly younger version of Bonesborough. It was very similar, but the colors were a tad brighter, and the architecture was obviously dated…

Nico and Lilith. Nico and Lilith.

Fine. Maybe I wasn’t doing a good job of distracting myself….how could I? I knew what happened to these kids, I knew what fates were in store for them- well, I didn’t know Nico’s really, only that he disappeared, but still.

I winced as I remembered how Lilith’s friendship with Nico ended…

*******

“Despite loathing each other at first, I quickly found him to be a valuable ally…and friend.” Lilith swallowed gravely.

“But then I joined the Emperor’s Coven.” She looked away. “…well, as you know…I betrayed Edalyn, my beloved sister in order to join…but then I made another horrible mistake. I…I mentioned a (H/C) boy with (S/C) skin and the middle name ‘Byrne’ to a colleague… It got back to Belos, and soon after that, we were all sent to hunt him down. I refused, but the choice of one new recruit wasn’t going to change the minds of others…” Tears were welling in her eyes now as she continued the story, and I nearly asked her to stop for her own sake. But she pressed on.

“What I wouldn’t give to go back in time to stop them…but Belos caught him. Of course he did, he always does. He caught my friend, and then…well. Nico was…different when I saw him again. Cold. Cruel. He didn’t even remember me!

“After a few years of that, he disappeared, along with his family. He was sent on a mission and just…never came back. Belos was livid.

“For years after that, I wondered…why did Belos care about Nico? But uh…well, I guess we both know the answer to that now.” She whispered, tapping the journal on my bedside table. “But before Nico left, he took something of Belos’s. The Emperor was furious, sending out search party after search party for the stolen child…The child who I have a funny feeling is sitting in front of me right now.”

*******

“Cinder, we’re here!” Said Lilith, bringing me back to the present. (Or rather- the past?)

Nico knocked on the door. It swung open to a tall witch- the witch I had seen in my dream!

Sparrow Bryony.

*******

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Author’s note: Ignore the fact that they’re using human years- I don’t know how The Owl House’s time is measured

#x reader #the owl house hunter x reader #the owl house x reader #the owl house #the golden guard #golden guard x reader #toh hunter x reader #hunter toh #toh golden guard #toh golden guard x reader

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