"Hey Luz! Have you seen Mittens anywhere," Ed chimed as he and Em approached the human standing on the steps just outside of Hexside. Having been looking around and waiting for Amity herself, the human regretfully had no answer to Ed's question. Feeling a knot begin to grow in the pit of her stomach, Luz woefully met the twins' gaze as she offered up an answer.

"Hey Ed, hey Em," Luz began, her chipper voice laced with anxious undertones, "I haven't seen her since this morning and well, I am a little concerned."

"Understandably so," Em remarked. "We heard you both were back today and wanted to see you but... but then we heard about what happened with Boscha," the green haired witch explained, wincing slightly as she stiffly repositioned the hand she had in her pocket. "Are you doing okay, cutie?" she asked the human, voice filled with concern.

"Yeah, I'm okay. I'm more concerned for Amity than anything. I used to that kind of stuff. Back in the human world, kids weren't exactly the nicest to me but I have to say, that is not what I was expecting to come back to," Luz explained.

"Yeah, that is a terrible way to be welcomed back," Ed sighed sympathetically. "I'm sorry you had to go through that. Boscha is a total jerk."

"You can say that again..." Luz sighed.

"Luz!" a concerned voice called out as the sound of footsteps neared. Turning to find the voice's owner, Luz watched as Willow and Gus approached. "Any luck finding Amity? Oh hey Ed, hey Em."

"Hello Willow, Augustus," Em replied shaking her head, a soft undertone of delight in her voice as she took in the sight of her sister's former best friend. Perhaps the two were patching things up, Em thought to herself.

"Hey there Willow and Gus. We haven't," Ed remarked, "I take it you haven't seen Mittens either huh?"

"No we haven't," Gus sighed. "We tried to find her at lunch to see if she wanted to eat with us but couldn't. Then Luz told us she never stopped by her locker during passing period and from what we've heard from other folks, she wasn't in any of her afternoon classes."

"Doesn't seem like shes taking anyone's scroll calls either," Luz sighed, woefully staring at the scroll in her hands, the calls and messages she had sent to her girlfriend having gone unanswered.

"You don't think Boscha did something to her, do you?" Gus asked somberly.

"No, thankfully," Luz sighed. "I had classes with her all afternoon and other than seething, I didn't see her do much."

Concern knotting in everyone's stomach, Emira finally pipped up, uneasy at the time the group was wasting just standing around and worrying. "Well how about this, why don't we split up and look for her? Ed can go check at home and Luz can check back at the Owl Lady's house. Willow and Gus, perhaps you can give the school one more walk through and then check the market place on the way back to your houses?"

"That sounds like a good idea," Ed nodded in agreement with the older twin.

"I agree," Luz spoke as she fumbled with her scroll once more, the scrolls of everyone present pinging in unison as the human pressed send. "If anyone sees or hears from her, send a message to the group chat I just made. This way we can all stay on the same page."

"Great idea, Luz," Em remarked as she looked at the group of worried yet determined faces staring back at her. "I'll go check the library. What do you say everyone shoots the chat a message here in an hour to check back in?"

"That sounds good but Em, what if we don't find her?" Willow asked, voice tinged with sadness.

"We will," Em stated flatly. "We just have to."

Watching as the group disbursed on their respective missions, Em let out a heavy sigh as she began to make her way into town to the library, wincing once more as she removed her hand from her jacket pocket as she adjusted the bag on her back. You just have to be okay, Mittens, Em thought to herself as she looked up at the sky. As the oldest Blight sibling, she couldn't help but feel responsible for the safety of her younger sister, regardless of the fact that they no longer lived together. Deep in her heart, Em knew something needed to be done about her family's situation, though what that looked like, she was not quite sure. "Were going to fix this," Em muttered to herself, "its going to be okay."

——

"Do you think shes okay?" Luz asked somberly as she and Ed walked the path towards the fork in the road at the edge of the forrest.

"Well, if theres one thing I know about Mittens, its that shes resilient," Ed replied trying to sound hopeful as he swallowed back the numerous negative thoughts swarming his mind. Hopefully she is okay, Ed silently begged to himself as he hoped his parents hadn't got word of his younger sisters return to school. "Perhaps she just needed a little time to herself after everything that happened this morning."

"Yeah," Luz sighed, "I suppose you're right. I guess I'm just overreacting."

"Overreacting?" Ed questioned, "I think you're doing the perfect amount of reacting. You care about her after all. Its only natural to worry."

"Yeah, I suppose so..."

"Besides, if I remember correctly, the last time she didn't text back, something actually was wrong," Ed replied as Luz grimaced. "Which I'm not saying to scare you or anything," the green haired boy backtracked, "its more to say, its understandable that you're feeling uneasy right now. I think we all are so don't fee bad."

"Yeahhh," Luz whined. "I guess I just don't want to come off as too over bearing or over the top, you know? I'm sure thats the last thing she needs right now I just... I just have a hard time balancing my feelings in all of this sometimes, trying to be supportive and positive even though its honestly terrifying."

"I know what you mean, kid," Ed sighed as he placed a reassuring hand on Luz's shoulder, the pair coming to a brief stop. "Em and I, we... we didn't know about the abuse until a little while ago and when we did find out, well, we had no idea what to do. And then our parents hurt Amity and she left... thank Titan she left... but... but all thats to say, you're right. It is terrifying and even more so, it is hard to know what to do. I think were all feeling a lot right now and its a lot to navigate but..." Ed's voice trailed as he gathered his thoughts. "But I think the best thing we can do is just keep an open communication with Amity about it. At the end of the day, she needs to do what feels right for her and as her family and friends, we need to just do our best to see her through that."

"Yeah, you're right..."

"At the same time though, we do need to be cognizant about how all of this is impacting us mentally and emotionally as well. This isn't easy, especially for you and your friends. You're kids. You shouldn't have to be carrying this weight but... but since we are... since you are, I want you to know that you don't have to ever feel bad about feeling scared or worried or upset. You don't have to put up a front, Luz. You're feelings and your well being matter too, okay?"

Taking a second to study Ed's face, Luz closed her eyes as a small smile crossed her face, the tension she carried momentarily easing up. "Thank you, Ed," Luz finally hummed knowing the older witch was right. "You know," Luz began as the pair once again made their way towards the fork in the road, "as much as Amity complains about you guys, you and Em are pretty great."

"Of course we are!" Ed chuckled, relieved to see the human in slightly better spirits. "And you're welcome, Luz. Its the least I can do for Mitten's little girlfriend," Ed teased, a grin on his face as he hoped to rile the human up with the joke.

"Well, I appreciate it," Luz remarked, noting the comment and the grin on Ed's face before looking away coyly as the two finally approached the fork. "Its good to know my girl has such a supportive brother."

"Haha you better believer it! Wait a minute..." Ed replied stunned. "Your... girl?" he stammered as he watched Luz make her way down the path to the owl house.

"Later, Ed," Luz chimed, her back towards Ed as she continued down the path. "Don't forget to check-in."

"Yeah, right... later then," Ed stared a moment in shock before turning to make his way towards the Blight Manor. Way to go, Mittens, he thought to himself with a smirk. Now where are you, he sighed as he hurried home.

——

"Shes not here either," Gus huffed as he let the door to another empty classroom slam behind him.

"She wasn't in this one either," Willow sighed as she closed the final classroom door in the school's abomination tract wing. "I guess we should take one last look outside and then head down town."

"Yeah, I guess," Gus grumbled.

"Gus, are you okay? You seem a little frustrated," Willow said with concern as she observed a scowl on the small boy's face.

"I am frustrated," Gus sighed. "I just... I don't know."

"Talk to me, Gus," Willow spoke softly.

"I just feel bad for not doing anything when Boscha came around earlier and now Amity is missing and Ed and Em are worried."

"Gus," Willow remarked, surprised at her friend's concern, "what happened with Boscha isn't your fault. It all happened so quick that by the time she and Amity were on the ground, it was too dangerous to intervene."

"I guess..." the small witch sighed. "I just feel bad. Like... like I should have stuck up for her. Boscha is a bully and I should have said something. Instead I just froze up."

"Which is completely understandable," Willow remarked.

"I don't know, Willow. Seeing Ed and Em so worried... I guess... I guess I just feel responsible," Gus explained as he watched a look of confusion grow on Willow's face. "I know I don't know Amity well like you and Luz do but Ed and Em, they look out for me. Any time any of the other kids in the illusions tract try and mess with me, for whatever reason, Ed and Em always seem to be there to defend me. I guess I just feel bad that when someone they care about needed the same, I froze up."

"Gus," Willow said as she gave an understanding nod. "You have big heart that we all know is in the right place. Its hard to know what to do in those situations. Boscha and even Amity, bullied me relentlessly for years and it never got easier standing up to them. Ed and Em, they aren't going to fault or think any less of you for this morning."

"Yeah I suppose," Gus sighed.

"Besides, you being here now, helping find their little sister, I'm sure that means more to them than anything," Willow said, extending her arms to welcome the younger witch into a hug.

"You really think so?" Gus questioned quietly as he returned Willow's embrace, tears filling his eyes as he acknowledge the overwhelming slew of emotions flooding his mind and heart.

"I know so," Willow hummed as she gave her friend a small squeeze.

Lingering in his friend's arms for a moment longer, Gus breathed a small sigh as he pulled apart, determined not to let any more time pass in the search for the green haired girl. "Thank you, Willow," Gus spoke, wiping the tears from his eyes.

"Any time," Willow smiled. "Now what do you say we continue our search?"

——

It had been roughly 30 minutes since Emira started off to the library, anxiety brewing in her stomach as she walked in silence. She couldn't imagine the pain her younger sister must be feeling right now, having left an abusive home only to be met with violence at school. It wasn't that fair that anyone should have to suffer so much, the fact that the one suffering being her sister leaving a particularly bad taste in the older Blight's mouth. Where are you, Mittens, Em thought to herself as she began to read the first few messages that had floated into the group chat. There had been no sign of Amity at the Owl House, the Blight Manor, or at Hexside.

Fear once again growing in her heart, Emira picked up the pace as she made her way towards the library. No matter how this situation turned out, the eldest Blight swore to herself that this would be the last time she let her younger sister get hurt. Things had to change, for the youngest Blight's sake and no matter what, Em was going to make that happen. Approaching the steps of the library, Em sighed as she stared at her scroll once more before entering. Ed and Luz had agreed to search the forrest while Willow and Gus began their search down town. Mustering up as much courage and resolve as she could, Emira made her way up the library steps as she anxiously opened the doors, praying to Titan to that they would find her sister soon.