"Fine," she said, and shuffled out of bed. Sage came in closer. She whispered, "here's for being such a good friend to me," and gave Rose a peck on her cheek. Rose was stunned. What in the world was that? Her face became reddish and felt warm. What was this emotion she was feeling? Was it love? It didn't seem right for her to have all these emotions all on her own. She wanted Sage to feel the same way. "Here, for being so nice to me," she said. She then did the same, giving Sage a kiss on the cheek. This was something Sage never anticipated.

Anise happened to enter at that very moment and joked "so you two have some morning kissing ritual now or something?" While Sage was too embarrassed to answer, Rose decided to answer instead. She chuckled. She tried to justify it in the best way she knew how. "We're just showing our friendship to each other...It's what friends do." Anise gave her a side-eye. She knew what Rose was trying to do here. However, she didn't want this to be any more awkward, and she had no business prying into other people’s relationships. "Sure, sweetie," she said, then adding, "breakfast is ready! It’s pancakes with strawberries." Sage excitedly ran out of the room, pulling Rose behind her. Her worries about whether she loved Rose or not melted away. None of that mattered now. She put it in the back of her mind. Sage was her friend, and she would always stand by her. "Hey, girls," Aloe said, holding a plate with a stack of pancakes.

Rose was amazed. How could she make that many pancakes and...with magic! "Dig in!" Aloe declared. Rose grabbed a stack of pancakes, while Sage let the pancakes come to her. While Rose would have scarfed down her food, Sage was leading the charge, this time, unlike when they first came to Lyngarth, the day before they began at High Guardian Academy. So, she decided to eat a little slower this time. Sage was a person who liked to savor every bite of food and enjoy it. Maybe she got some of that from her training with old magic or something else entirely. Some would have called her a slow eater, but those opinions didn’t matter to her.

"Rose, let's go!" Sage said, pulling Rose out of her chair, with her hand firmly gripping Rose's hand. She waved to Sage's cousins. "Bye Auntie Aloe, Auntie Anise!" While they weren't technically her cousins, she treated them as such. They were fine with that. In unison, they said "be safe out there! Don't get yourself into trouble!" Today was a rare day off for Sage and Rose. The academy was under lock and key, and strict lockdown, after an attack by Mandrake and Olive only a week ago. Repairs continued slowly, as the professors debated how best to improve school security to ensure something like this would never happen again.

Rose decided it was the right time and place to ask Sage about the cheek kiss earlier that morning. "Sage, do you like..." About to finish that thought, they both heard screaming from the townsfolk. Sage went running ahead, with Rose at her side. They were guardians, or guardians-in-training to be exact, so they had to be on hand to solve any problems, at least in Lyngarth. There were two young women, who couldn't be older than 14, lying in the cobblestone streets, appearing to be unconscious. One of them had brownish-purple short hair in a pixie cut, which reminded Rose a little of Sage, at least in the haircut, while the other, next to her, had mostly lilac hair with some brown parts.

Sage announced to the crowd, which had gathered around the two women, something to make them disperse: "As a future guardian, me and my friend, Rosemary, will take care of this, I promise." Those in the crowd listened and left. The last thing they'd want would be to anger any guardians. The city was a melting pot of sorts with elves, witches, humans, centaurs, tieflings, satyrs, and other sentient animals. The magic academy was at the center, with its regal classical front, and a pentagon of connected buildings surrounding a center quad. The school had secret underground passageways and tunnels that few in town knew about. Only those who had been at the academy were aware of them. The townsfolk had only heard stories.

Rose and Sage pulled the young women into the garden where they had seen the Trixies the first day they were in Lyngarth all that time ago. Sage and Rose were exhausted. The two other women were unconscious. Rose spoke to Sage softly, saying "let's go through their bag." Sage remained firm. She wasn't sure what they were dealing with here. Were these two strangers harmless? Sage wanted to be cautious. She would not take a risk, not on something as important as this. "I don't believe that's a good idea. You should get Anise and Aloe. They might be able to help." Rose nodded. It seemed like the sensible thing to do. As she left, Sage said, "come back soon! I don't want to be here alone!" Rose smiled back. She snickered. "You got it, tiger." In a soft, soothing voice, she responded, saying two words: "my hero." Rose almost blushed as she walked back toward Anise and Aloe's apartment.

As for Sage, she yawned but stayed alert. She saw each of the women open their eyes, although they were both disoriented. The woman with hazel eyes stared at Sage. "Hey, lady, where are we?" she asked. Sage didn't answer the question. Instead, she described what she and Rose had done. She said triumphantly, "we saved you from the street, you were there with your...friend?" The woman chuckled weakly. Even in this world, people thought they were friends, apparently? She had to clear this up. "Nah, Amity is...my girlfriend." Sage was surprised. She didn't have many women with girlfriends, apart from her two married cousins, that she knew personally. Sure, there were some people at the academy like that. However, she mostly stayed around Rose, Parsley, and Thyme, so such people just weren't in her friend circle. "Oh...ok," she said. She wanted to learn this woman's name. It could be important to identify her because she had gotten separated from her family or something. That was her thought. "And...your name is?" she asked. The woman stared at her dumbly for a second, processing the question. She wasn't always the best around new people. "I'm Luz," she said.

She stared in awe at Sage's hair. She'd never seen someone with hair that blue ever, not even anyone at Hexside. "Miss...your hair is very pretty," she blurted out, without a second thought. Sage laughed and snorted. Luz was a funny one, for sure. "Thanks, Luz...I'm Sage by the way. What brings you through these parts...and why were you in the street?" Amity stretched and hugged Luz tightly. She’d protect her. Although she was coming to her senses, she didn't mind answering the question. "We were searching for a...uh...catgirl...you see, we saw this show..." Then Luz chimed in, chuckling nervously. She wanted to tell the rest of the story. "So, this portal threw us into the cobblestones and knocked us out cold."

Sage was processing all of this. A catgirl? A portal? Who were Luz and Amity? She wasn't sure. She stayed a bit skeptical of them and their intentions. She began to think of what to say when Rose came running toward her. "I brought Aunties Aloe and Anise to help us." Sage gave Rose they-are-my-cousins look . She knew Rose meant well, but they weren't married like Aloe or Anise, so they weren't her cousins. Sage nodded. All four of them helped Luz and Amity, walking back to Aloe and Anise's apartment house together. This had not been how Sage nor Rose wanted to plan their day. These two women seemed special to them, somehow and they wanted answers for why Luz and Amity had come to Lyngarth in the first place.

In no time at all, all of them reached the apartment house, with Anise and Aloe chatting with Luz and Amity along the way. Once inside, they told Luz and Amity that they’d need to carry their stuff up many flights of stairs, sleeping in the same part of the house as Sage and Rose. This annoyed Sage and Rose as they were used to being in the house only with Anise and Aloe and not with any other guests. They were willing to tolerate it, at least for now. After putting down their stuff in a room that Anise and Aloe created, they entered the kitchen along with Sage and Rose. Aloe whipped up a brunch quickly, while Anise prepared the table. "Sorry, we weren't expecting so many guests...at this time of day." Sage chuckled. She tried to make her cousin feel less nervous. She hoped it would help. "Don't worry about it Anise...this day didn't go the way we planned either!" After Sage said this, Luz and Amity nervously stared at everyone in the room, almost believing they shouldn't be there and were intruding on something.

At that very moment, Aloe walked in with a stack of pancakes. Rose grumbled. Hadn't they eaten the same exact thing for breakfast? Sage didn't mind, as she always loved eating pancakes made by her cousins. Luz and Amity were amazed. They had both never seen pancakes before! Even Luz, who grew up in the suburbs, before she went to the Boiling Isles by accident, never had pancakes with her mom, as she ate traditional Dominican foods instead. Amity had more exquisite, fancy foods. She came from a very wealthy family that sold weapons and devices for home security. This made the family, through their business, Blight Industries, war profiteers, although Amity wanted nothing to do with making weapons to kill others.

"What are these fluffy things?" Luz asked innocently as she grabbed some from the plate in the middle of the table. Aloe laughed. Where had this woman been her whole life? How could she have never eaten pancakes? She chuckled. "They are pancakes, my dear, and she made them with...magic!" While this impressed Luz, Amity was even more envious. She could make food like this, with...magic? As a witch, she had the power to use fire, disintegrate objects, create a barrier cage, display images, or control plants, coupled with her athletic, drawing, and dancing abilities. She had never made food by using any of her abilities. So, she was in awe.

Anise interjected, answering their questions easily. "You might be asking how this is possible. Sage and Rose are already aware, but my wife, Aloe, is an elf, so it’s elven magic." They both nodded and chowed down on their food. Sage happily did the same, while Rose sat, annoyed. She had wanted to explore the town with Sage. As she saw it, these uninvited visitors had ruined her plans! Sage could see the disappointment on her friend's face. She knew her very well, as they had grown up in the same town and played together from the time they’d been little kids. She had a sense why she felt this way. She thought of one grand gesture, something that might cheer her up. She abruptly got up out of her chair and asked Rose to close her eyes. She agreed to do so. Seeing that her friend's eyes were closed, she whispered to Anise, then Aloe, telling them to leave the room, and wait for her signal. She shuffled over to Amity and Luz, wanting to get their permission prior to her spell casting. They agreed, more than happy to help two lovers.

Rose had no clue what was happening. Sage took out her terrasphere and it turned into a tall wooden staff, something which she continued to vibe with. She then uttered the words "Somnus bene!" Luz and Amity's eyes closed, and they began to fall into a deep slumber. Sage grabbed Rose's hand forcefully and said cheerfully, "You can open your eyes now!" Rose saw Luz and Amity on the other side of the table asleep and was stunned. What had Sage done to them? As she stared up at Sage in utter surprise, she responded with a chuckle, booping her on the nose. "You silly, I did this, so we can go on a...uh...date...around the town." Rose was surprised that Sage would say that. In the past, she would never even utter the word “date,” as it would be far too embarrassing for her. Sage had changed. On the other hand, she still had a very reddish face as she was humiliated by the whole thing. She was so flustered that she didn’t give Anise and Aloe the signal to return. Believing that she had forgotten, as Rose and Sage approached the door, Anise came running and shouted, "have a good date...you cuties!" while Aloe waved. Sage was too red-faced to answer, so Rose hollered back, "we will!"

As they walked out of the house, and down the steps into Lyngarth, Sage fell into Rose's arms, her blue hair blowing in the breeze. Rose hugged her back. She was the best friend she could ask for or even something more. They were figuring that all out, together. They skipped and hopped down the street, Sage heard a familiar voice. She ignored it. She was on a date, and she wouldn't let anything, or anyone, interfere with it. Rose snickered. "I can't believe you did that...for me...Sage...it's sweet." Sage was so proud of herself. She was glad she made Rose happy and smiled back. Staring at Sage nervously, Rose quickly scanned the area to make sure no one was watching, then remarked "can I...kiss you...Sage...I've wanted to do this for so long." She understood if Sage would say she wasn't ready or if they were going too fast. She'd be willing to wait longer, if necessary, or for them to remain as friends. But she couldn't hold her feelings back anymore. Sage came closer and said softly, "of course, my lovely Rosemary." They kissed each other on the lips, as two other people happened to walk by and saw them. These people were utterly dumbfounded. Were these two women together? They thought so. "Sage? Rose?" the voice remarked.

Sage knew exactly who it was. She believed she was vulnerable, in this situation. When she tried to pull away, Rose held her hand tight and searched for the origin of the voice: it was an orange-haired woman. She belted out, "Snapdragon...is that you?" She nodded. She did not want to make them nervous or anything. She tried to leave just as Sage had tried to do earlier, when her purple-haired friend, Amaryllis, held her hand. "Snap...we aren't leaving...don't you have something to say to them?" she urged. Snap stared at her friend, shamefaced. She didn’t want to apologize, at least not in this way. What could she say? Her friend whispered in her ear. "I'm sorry for...interrupting your date," she remarked.

Rose tried to diffuse the tension. "That's ok, Snap...you look pretty...in that...dress." Snap was surprised. She never expected to get a compliment like that from Rose, of all people, the one person who took a while to come around to her. She smiled a little. Amaryllis shook her head. "It’s only typical to run into you both...uh...kissing...while I'm shopping with Snap for dresses...she is so particular on what we are getting." Rose was a little confused. Sage stared at her, just as bewildered, at least a little. Was something different? "She?" she uttered.

Snap breathed deeply. It was one of the first times someone had used that pronoun to describe her in public. "Yeah, I'm trying it out...it seems to be more of who I am...more than the one I used in the past to describe myself," Snap said. Rose and Sage understood what Snap meant, although it might take some time for them to get used to these new pronouns. Sage twirled her hair with her hand and replied, "that dress is super cute." Snap blushed in response and stared at Sage intently. She always had some feelings for Sage, from the moment she heard her criticizing Amaryllis when she stood in front of the tree dying from the rot, although she wasn’t always the best at expressing those feelings. Sage stared at her lovingly. Amaryllis rolled her eyes. "Get a room, you two," she said. Rose, Sage, and Snap all focused their eyes on Amaryllis. She could feel the pressure. They didn't like what she had said.

"Fine, fine. I shouldn't have said that...I'm serious...you two should be together...I'm not gonna stand in the way of your love...especially with this poly thing." Rose scratched her head. What did she mean by that? What did a "poly thing" mean? "Uh, Amaryllis, you gotta explain what you mean." She huffed. She didn't believe she had to explain this to Rose. Wasn't she the daughter of a famous guardian? Why didn’t she know about this? "Polyamorous, as it's called. It’s where you can be in a relationship with multiple people at once." Sage was curious. She wanted to learn more. Why would she mention it? Amaryllis explained. "Well...you see, Sage, you could be in a relationship with Rose, and with Snap at the same time." This caught Sage off guard. What was she saying? She said softly, "what?", clearly shocked.

Amaryllis threw up her hands. She didn't believe she was the one explaining it. "If you need to talk to some people about it, just ask your cousins, or Professor Caraway...they are all in some sort of arrangement together...I’m not sure how it works.” She added that she was “unlike that, I’m a free woman, who isn’t tied down to anyone. I guess I’m a free spirit of sorts.” Sage nodded. She approached Snap gingerly. She wasn't sure about how this would work. "Snap...would you like to give this thing Amaryllis talked about...a try?" Snap was speechless. She wanted Sage to herself and felt she didn't have a deep connection to Rose for such a relationship to be possible. She nervously replied, "I'll...think about it." She walked away, with her friend in tow. Sage was shaken by the whole thing. She liked Snap and she loved Rose. Was it possible to love two people at once? What if she loved one more than the other? These questions began swirling in her mind.

She needed to hear from Caraway. She marched up to the academy with her friend in tow, holding her hand tightly. Rose asked her, "where are we going?" Sage, more determined than ever, replied within seconds. She needed an answer. "We are going to talk to Professor Caraway...if Amaryllis is right, I gotta know." Her friend shrugged her shoulders. This date was not following a path that either of them had planned for that day. She was willing to go along since she got to spend time with Sage.

Caraway stretched and complained. Today was the day he took his transition magic. He didn't want to do it at school. Rather, he liked taking it in the comfort of his own home, away from the pressures of the outside world, whether fellow teachers or students. He spotted a blue-haired woman approaching with increasing speed, grasping tightly onto the hand of a pink-haired woman. He didn't recognize them at first, until they came closer. It was Sage and Rose. "What can I do for you?" he asked. He hoped this conversation would be short. He wanted to leave in peace, without being bothered, and take his transition magic. He had a strict schedule to take it and considered himself a highly organized person. Sage was nervous. It would be hard to ask Caraway about this, but she had to. Her question came spilling out. "Are you...in a relationship with my cousins Anise and Aloe?" Caraway chuckled. He knew this would be something that would take longer to explain than a simple answer. He wondered who had put this thought into her head. "Well...short answer is yes...the long answer is that it is...complicated," he began.

Rose and Sage listened intently as they followed beside him as he walked toward the Lyngarth market, to buy some ingredients for a fall rhubarb pie he was making for the teachers, thanking them for their demanding, strenuous work. He tried to explain it in terms they would understand. "I like your cousins, Sage...but not in a romantic way. They are only my friends.” He then explained that he didn’t like them romantically or sexually, adding that “some people call what we have ‘queerplatonic’ . There is a deeper commitment than in usual friendships. We can, on rare occasions, be intimate with each other." Sage was wrapping her head around it. Rose made the connection to what Anise had said earlier at the fall processional. She hoped Caraway could answer her question. "Was that what Aun...Anise meant when she said that you, Aloe, and her go to the same parties?" Caraway nodded. He waved to them. "Well, this was a nice talk...I gotta get home and uh...do some important things...see you all later." Rose waved back. Sage was deep in thought until Rose jabbed her. She also waved. She had to sort out everything Caraway said and whether this “poly thing” that Amaryllis mentioned was something she wanted to try or not.

Sage sighed. She had been thrilled about their date at first. However, with everything Amaryllis and Caraway had told her, she began to question herself more than before. So much was happening and so fast. She made her thoughts clear to her friend. “I’m not sure I can do this anymore...Rose. I should just go back to my cousins...I shouldn’t be with anyone at all.” Her pink-haired friend hugged her tightly. Tears began streaming down her face. She didn’t want to let her friend go. “Sage, you are strong, the toughest woman I know. You can get through this. I will be by your side all the way.” Sage rested her head on Rose’s shoulder. She started becoming teary-eyed herself. She whispered in her friend’s ear. “Thanks, Rose...I know I can always count on you no matter what...I feel much better now.”

As they embraced, the voice of a familiar chirpy woman flowed into their ears. Accompanying her was a reddish-haired woman with green eyes. “Rosemary? Sage? Is that you?” the voice said. The other woman shook her head and rolled her eyes. She then uttered, “Oh brother, they were about to kiss.” Sage was red faced, unsure what to say. Rose diffused the situation easily and without much trouble. She saw the two women holding hands and remarked, “so you two are on a date too? Parsley, I never believed you’d be dating Thyme...Parsyme for the win I guess.” Thyme put her head in her hands. She couldn’t be more embarrassed. Parsley’s little arms stretched around her friend, and she snickered. “Never a better thyme to date an elf girl!” Thyme wanted to make clear their relationship with her friend. She said declaratively, “Pars...she’s my friend.” Parsley stared up at her, disappointed. Her intense stare got to Thyme. She wouldn’t be letting this go. Thyme grumbled. “Fine...girlfriend...that’s what Pars is,” she said, while blushing.

This made Sage feel a little better about herself. If her two friends were dating, what was wrong with dating Rose? The answer was simple. Nothing was wrong with dating Rose. She smiled. “I’m so happy for...both of you,” she said. As they began to walk away, she had something to ask them both. What Amaryllis and Caraway had told her continued to rattle her brain. She asked innocently, “I...uh...have a friend...who wants to be in a relationship with two people at once...have you heard of that before?” Parsley shrugged her shoulders. When Thyme didn’t do the same, everyone stared at her. She said, “I...knew some people in the Fairy Woods...some cousins...who had multiple partners...it’s common among elves.” Everyone paused for a second. What was Thyme saying? Why hadn’t she mentioned this before? Parsley, Sage, and Rose chalked it up to the fact it had never come up as a part of conversation as her time in the Fairy Woods was a mystery to all of them.

Parsley was intrigued, while Thyme was a bit stunned. She was the only one of the four who had thought that Sage and Snap were only good friends and nothing more. Parsley saw the attractions as clear cut. Sage did not hide her attraction to Rose nor to Snap. Rose then said, “I mean...what if Thyme was dating Amaryllis and Parsley at the same time...that would be wild, right?” and sheepishly chuckled. This caused the red-haired woman to blush even more than before. Dating Amaryllis and Parsley...at the same time? What was this foolishness? Why would Rose even say that? To everyone’s surprise, she said, “I’ll...think about it.” She held onto Parsley’s hand as they walked away. Rose was shocked. Was Thyme serious about this? Would she date Amaryllis too? “I was only joking!” she shouted. Her words were ignored, as Thyme acted like Rose had said nothing at all, although Rose’s suggestion gave her a lot to think about.

Sage usually could talk to this many people, but she began experiencing some social exhaustion. She was worried about these two women, Luz, and Amity, who had appeared out of nowhere. She wasn’t sure who they were and why they were in Lyngarth, truly. She could believe their story that they arrived there through a portal and were searching for a catgirl. Even if she did, she was wary after Olive had spied on them for all that time, revealed herself to be an agent of the Triumverate, and turned the whole town to stone! “Rose, I’d like to go back to my cousin’s place...I am all tapped out.” She understood, although it made her a little sad. She wanted to be on a date. She also did not want to push it or force anything. She nodded. “Sure, Sage, we can do that.” They walked solemnly back to the house, both wished they could spend a fun day together without worries. Their woes were only beginning.

Back in the apartment house, Luz opened her eyes. Sitting on her bed, she saw a cute black cat in front of her. The cat didn’t notice her. When it did, it tried to scamper away. She jumped toward it, holding it close, as it continued to squirm. As the cat tried to scratch her, she held it at arm's length. Once she began petting its back and soft underbelly, it calmed down. “Amity, look at this cute black cat I found!” She got up quickly and saw Luz holding the cat. She began brushing the cat as well, which purred in glee. She was enjoying herself, sharing a part of herself she let few know about. “Thanks, Luz, for doing this for me...I don’t tell many others that I like cats...or even catgirls.” Luz grinned. She chuckled and added, “that’s what girlfriends are for, right?” Due to the euphoria the cat was experiencing, it had completely forgotten why it had come there.

Anise and Aloe had left the house on some daily errands, meaning that when Rose and Sage entered, no one was around. Searching every room, they found no one until they climbed the stairs of the apartment house, reaching the area where the bedrooms that Anise and Aloe had created for them and for Luz and Amity. Sage gingerly knocked on the door. “Can we come in?” Luz gave her a thumbs up. Sage had no clue what this strange expression meant, and guessed it was a sign of agreement.

As she entered the room, Rose saw the cat at once and rushed onto the floor to comfort it. “What a cute kittie!” she declared. The cat suddenly moved away from Luz and Amity, coming toward Rose. It began licking her hand. Rose giggled. “Ew, that tickles, I don’t need to feel your sandpapery tongue!” As the cat continued to lick, going further up her arm, Rose backed up. She did not want this kind of attention. The cat stopped, sensing her expression. There was a flash of light. The black cat had transformed into a catgirl named Olive. She huffed and declared, “Fine, Rosemary, I guess you don’t like me. You’re missing out.” Luz and Amity were taken aback. Sage quickly pulled out her terrasphere, while Rose was in a bit of shock before pulling out her sword, Flowering Thorn. They cornered Olive. “Why are you here, you good-for-nothing catgirl?” Rose said, while snarling.

Olive cowered, her body shaking in fear. Tears began forming in her eyes. How could they be this mean to her, after she had stabbed Mandrake, stopping any further harm. She collected herself quickly and lashed out. “Come on...Rosemary! I dealt with shit from that fucking Smoke Face, a person I hope you never come across...ever. If I go back to the Triumverate, they will execute me on the spot!” Rose did not expect this response from Olive. Sage decided to step in instead. She stamped her foot down and pointed her staff at Olive’s head. “Whatever...stop with your theatrics. Just tell us why you are here!” Being in a situation like this was not good for Olive. She would like nothing better than to leave as soon as she could. She decided to tell them the truth. “If you must know,” she began, “I broke out of my jail cell, beat up a few guards, and ran away here, thinking I could ask for your help.” Rose nervously chuckled. Was Olive serious? Could they trust her? Rose pointed her sword at Olive’s neck. She would not yield. Sage touched Rose’s shoulder and shook her head. Rose understood. She put her sword away while she stood menacing over her. Luz and Amity were in shock, not sure what to do and tried to slink away.

Rose was annoyed. She did not want to create a conflict between herself and Sage. “Fine, Olive...what do you want us to do?” Olive didn’t want to make this request. She had no other options. No one else was on her side. She said meekly, “uh, can you...hide me or something? Going back to Witch Country would mean death.” Rose scratched her chin. Sage shook her head and sighed. She trusted Olive even less than Luz and Amity. “You can’t stay here.” This comment surprised even Rose. Wasn’t Sage the one who was supposed to be smart, kind, and always excited about learning? Sage explained what she meant. “If you stay, Olive, my cousins will throw a fit...they won’t like it.” Luz decided this was her opportunity to enter the conversation. She giggled. She delightfully offered a solution, “why doesn’t she just come with me and Amity back to the Boiling Isles? She can be far away...from the evil people of this world.” Amity tried to keep in her emotions. If this happened, she would be the happiest woman in the world, due to her secret love of catgirls, something she had only shared with Luz.

Sage and Rose stared at each other. Without saying anything, they realized that Luz’s proposal was their best choice. If Olive stayed in the house, then the Triumverate could hurt Anise, Aloe, and everyone else in Lyngarth. Such an attack would likely be much worse than the attack on the academy. Sage spoke on behalf of herself and Rose. “Sure, Luz, Amity, you can take her with you...she’ll be safer where you are than...here.” Luz hugged Sage and grinned. She couldn’t be more fortunate. Amity felt the same way. “You won’t regret this!” Luz said. Olive wanted to make a splash. Her showmanship could be useful again. This would be a goodbye present of sorts. She bowed. She pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket and outstretched her arm to Rose. Closing her eyes, she said a few simple words. “Rosemary, this tells you everything I know about the Triumverate...and other matters.” Rose snatched the paper from Olive and stuffed it in her pocket. Luz pressed the PORTAL button of her Catgirl TV device which she had in her hand. She typed in the word “HOME,” and an interdimensional gateway opened. Luz waved goodbye. Amity shouted, “thank you both so much for your hospitality.” Rose hollered back, “it was nice to meet you, Amity and Luz! Come back any time!”

The portal closed, in an instant. They were gone. Although Sage had been curious about Luz and Amity at first, she felt relieved. Rose on the other hand was sad. She had wanted them to stay a little longer. She thought that Luz and Amity could be good friends for herself and Rose. If they just had more time together. Seeing that her friend was this morose, she suggested they take sun naps together. Rose smiled. She said, “I would love that.” As they sat in the sunlight, side by side, the letter from Olive was still in her pocket. This letter contained not only the truth about the Triumverate, but about Lavender, something which would shake Rose to the core.

Olive scratched her head. She wondered where the heck she was. She had reverted to her black cat form. The room was ornate and elaborate, unlike anything she had seen. A lilac-haired woman yawned. She came close to Olive and petted her on the head, whispering “welcome to your new home, Olive. You’ll have a lot of fun here.” She rubbed against the woman’s leg, purring loudly. She couldn’t be gladder. She finally had somewhere to stay away from the Triumverate. This euphoria would not last. The woman checked an archaic device, which beeped with a message. “It’s my girlfriend, I’m so excited! I have a present for her!” She spoke softly to Olive and stuck a needle in her neck, causing her to go into a state of sleep.

What seemed like only moments later, Olive re-opened her eyes, finding herself in front of a large white brick house with a blue roof, and stained glass above the door which had the appearance like a huge orange eye of a demon. “Amity,” another woman cried out, “she’s waking up!” Amity was giddy. She held Olive in her hands. “Here, Luz, this is my present to you...for being such a cool girlfriend.” She was enthralled. A black cat that could be her animal companion! Sure, there was King, but he was only a housemate, a friend, not a companion.

The cat could like her palisman that witches often had. She suddenly noticed something familiar. “Uh, Amity, I think this is...Olive.” Amity cackled. Luz had a straight face. How could she forget? She admitted that Luz was right. “You are right, it’s Olive...I thought she might help you more than me.” Luz snickered. She was glad her girlfriend was this thoughtful, but it was too much. She didn’t need a present. “Amity, you keep her...she can be your companion.” Twirling her hair nervously, Amity breathed deeply. Sure, she had already told Luz that she liked catgirls, but she wanted to connect with her more. She wanted to deepen their relationship. “I’m sorry if it’s weird that I kinda like...catgirls…I don’t want to humiliate you or anything.”

Luz was overjoyed. They had yet another thing in common! She hugged Amity and kissed her on the cheek, then remarked, “It’s definitely not weird...I’d never ever be embarrassed of you...as I’ve said before, us weirdos stick together.” As Amity and Luz embraced, Olive transformed back into her catgirl form. With each one of them holding her arms, they showed her something amazing, a place unlike anything she had ever seen. “Welcome to the Boiling Isles!” they said in unison. Olive would be a companion for Amity and Luz. Olive's her new life was beginning.

Although there were still enemies which threatened the Boiling Isles and High Guardian Academy, the lives of Luz, Amity, Rose, and Sage seemed to be in order, or so they thought...

*****