Finn was at the day market, standing at a stall displaying an array of weapons for sale. Holding a sword in his hands, he examined it carefully before asking, "Hey, do you guys think Skara would like this sword as a birthday present?"
Luz, who was busy trying on a horned helmet and admiring herself in a mirror, responded, "Finn, while I appreciate your unique sense of gift-giving, I can tell you right now—NO girl in their right mind would want a weapon as a birthday present." She then put her thumb and forefinger on her chin. "Hey, do you guys think I can pull off this look?"
"I don't know, Luz, I'm not exactly an expert on fashion," Willow said as she inspected a machete. She smiled. "This would be perfect for grooming the bigger plants at home." Then, turning to Finn, she asked, "Can I ask why we're helping you shop for Skara's birthday present?"
"Because when I asked Luz for help, she roped both you and Goops into it," Finn deadpanned. "Besides, Luz, you're the only girl I know who could possibly help me with this." He then picked up a battle axe. "Hey, what about—"
"Put it back, Finn," Luz said while trying on a cape with pauldrons. She waved the cape back and forth in front of the mirror. "What about this? Yes? No?"
"It's a yes from me!" Gus said, holding a crossbow pointed straight up. "Man, all this stuff is so cool!" His finger accidentally pulled the trigger, launching a bolt high into the air. "Huh, where did it go?" He looked up just in time to see it coming straight back down.
Finn caught the bolt before it could pierce Gus's eye. Gus collapsed to his knees, his mouth hanging open from the near-death experience.
"Maybe you should stick to something less pointy, Goops," Finn said, taking the crossbow away.
"Okay, after that little stunt, I think we all deserve a break from gift shopping," Willow said, helping Gus up.
"You'll get no complaints from me," Gus said in a shaky voice.
"Huh, well, I am getting hungry. Why don't we grab a snack?" Luz glanced around for food options before spotting something in the distance. "What about that place over there?"
They all followed her gaze.
"Alright, since you guys are helping me today, it'll be my treat," Finn said, pulling out a pouch filled to the brim with snails. "I made some good money betting on those kids fighting over Skara's birthday invitation the other day. So get whatever ice cream you want—and as much as you want."
Luz's eyes widened. "Oh, that's an ice cream parlor. Is it too late to tell you guys I'm lactose intolerant?"
Finn patted Luz's shoulder. "Don't worry about it. The Boiling Isles is a pretty diverse place—they probably have ice cream for every diet imaginable."
"Free ice cream? Thanks, Finn!" Gus cheered before taking off running.
"Hey, wait up!" Luz chased after him.
"Yeah, thanks, Finn," Willow said with a smile. Then, looking down, she added, "It almost feels like the good old days, huh?"
Finn sighed. "Let's not get depressed when there's ice cream to eat!" He got behind Willow, placed his hands on her shoulders, and started pushing her toward the ice cream parlor. Willow laughed the entire way there.
=======
As Luz, Gus, and Willow waited outside at a table, Finn emerged from the ice cream parlor, balancing their orders in his hands.
"Okay, Luz gets the Key Slime Pie."
"Thank you very much. Honestly, this was the only flavor that sounded remotely safe for me to eat." Luz took a bite, her face lighting up with delight. "The taste is great, but the texture makes me question whether it's going down or coming back up."
"Goops, your Sludge Chunks."
"The best ice cream flavor ever!" Gus exclaimed.
Finn just shook his head. "That's debatable." Then, he handed Willow her ice cream. "For Willow, Franken-Fruit."
"Thank you very much." Willow accepted it politely.
"And finally, for yours truly—an Abomi-Berry sundae with extra Abomi-Berries, topped with Abomi-Berry sauce." Out of nowhere, Finn pulled out a massive, multi-layered, purple-colored sundae. It made a loud thud as he placed it on the table.
"Whoa." Luz's eyes widened. "That thing is bigger than my head."
Willow giggled. "All these years, and that's still your favorite? Also, don't spoil your appetite—my dad said he's making cockatrice stew for dinner tonight."
"That sounds great! I always liked your dad's cooking. Now, silence! I need total concentration for what I'm about to do." Finn raised a spoon in each hand, ready to dig in.
Before he could take a bite, Luz interrupted. "Wait, why is Finn going over to your house for dinner tonight, Willow?"
"Oh, didn't we tell you, Luz? Willow and I have decided to get married." Finn suddenly grabbed both of Willow's hands, interlocking their fingers.
"WHAT!?" Luz and Gus screamed in unison.
Willow rolled her eyes. "Ugh, you guys have to stop falling for Finn's tricks." She pulled her hands away. "The real answer to your question, Luz, is that a few weeks ago, Finn suddenly said—"
"I said, 'I want to be friends again.'"
"Oh. My. Gosh. THAT'S GREAT! Did you hug? Were you both smiling while a rainbow formed above you? Did tiny woodland creatures surround you, admiring your newfound friendship?" Luz blurted in an almost frenzied excitement.
"If I say yes, will that end this conversation?" Finn deadpanned.
Willow giggled. "Luz, all Finn asked was that we start fresh. He even introduced himself like we were meeting for the first time. As for why he's coming to my house for dinner—after catching up, Finn told me what he's been eating while his dad is away on coven work… and it was really unhealthy."
"Hey, having bread and jerky every day is a perfectly healthy, well-balanced diet," Finn defended himself.
"Uh-huh." Willow gave him a deadpan look. "So after that, I suggested he come over for a home-cooked meal." She adjusted her glasses. "And my dads were really happy to see us patch things up and become friends again."
"Yeah, they were so excited, they showed me The Picture Book of Willow, Volume 2." Finn smirked deviously. "They even had a photo of the face she made after they gave her the dragons and the fairies talk."
"FINN!" Willow yelled, her face turning bright red.
"What's the dragons and the fairies talk?" Luz asked curiously.
Finn's smirk widened. "Well, Luz, when a mommy and a daddy love each other very much, they—"
"FINN!" Willow yelled again, covering Gus's ears. "Gus is too young for this!"
"Willow, my dad already gave me the talk, so you can relax."
"Oh… it's that kind of talk." Luz finally caught on.
Finn pouted. "Huh. I thought I could emotionally scar at least one of you today."
"Alright, enough of that." Luz clapped her hands together. "This is so touching—to think that two friends who drifted apart could start over, forget the past, and forge a new friendship for a brighter future. Now all that's left is for you and Amity to get along again, and this friendship train will be right on track!" She pumped her fists in the air. "WOO! WOO!"
As Finn finally prepared to taste his sundae, he was distracted by Luz's statement and accidentally stabbed both his spoons into the table instead.
After a few seconds of silence, his scroll rang.
"Luz, I'll tell you right now—the only way I become friends with Amity again is if the Titan rises from the dead and tap dances for me." He pulled out his scroll and glanced at the caller ID. Seeing the name, he smirked before answering, putting it on speaker.
"Hello, you have reached the scroll of… Finn… Whispers." He spoke in a robotic voice. "Please leave a message after the—"
"Why can't you ever answer normally?" The voice on the other end sounded annoyed. "And am I on speaker?"
"I'm eating an ice cream sundae, and I need to focus on how to approach it."
"Please tell me you're not eating that sugary abomination. You know how hard you crash after eating it." The voice sounded exhausted.
"Okay, I won't… but I totally am, so talk fast before I crash from the sugar rush." Finn started shoveling ice cream into his mouth with both spoons.
"Alright, down to business then. I have a favor to ask." The voice hesitated before continuing. "Can you help me with an important project I've been working on? My usual guy is… out sick, and you're the only one I know with a, uh… sturdy body." The voice sounded slightly embarrassed.
"You would know how sturdy my body is, wouldn't you? After all those hours studying it." Finn chuckled.
A brief silence followed before he decided to move the conversation along. "Alright, no more teasing. What do you need?" He finished his sundae in record time.
"Just come over to my house. You remember the way, right?" The voice sounded relieved that he agreed.
"Got it. See you soon, Bon-Bon." Finn rolled up his scroll, then noticed Luz, Gus, and Willow staring at him. "What?"
"Who was that?" Luz smirked playfully.
"An excuse to leave. Alright, I'm going to disappear mysteriously for a few hours to meet someone you don't know. Everyone's dismissed for the day." Finn stood up. "Oh, and it goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway—Do. NOT. FOLLOW. ME." His eye twitched slightly. "Oh, and Willow, please tell your dads I might not make it for dinner. Thanks."
As they watched Finn leave, Willow noticed the look in Luz's eyes. "We're going to follow him, aren't we?"
"Yup. So let's finish this ice cream fas—OW! Brain freeze! Brain freeze!" Luz clutched her head in pain.
"I think I'm good," Gus said. "Besides, I have a journalism project due tomorrow, and I need to interview someone interesting… but I realized something—I don't know anyone interesting."
An idea popped into Luz's head. "Well, whoever Finn was talking to sounded pretty interesting to me."
"Gus, don't take the bait. She's just trying to manipulate you," Willow warned.
"I know that. And it worked! So let's go stalk Finn!" Gus dramatically climbed onto the table, pointing in the direction Finn had left.
Willow could only sigh and facepalm. "This is probably going to end badly, isn't it?"
=======
Luz, Willow, and Gus closely followed Finn through the Forearm Forest, ducking behind trees to stay hidden.
"Man, how far does this mystery person live?" Luz asked, wiping sweat from her brow.
"I don't know, but I'm enjoying walking through the woods." Willow smiled as she admired the trees. "This kind of reminds me of when Finn used to drag Amity and me along on his crazy adventures."
Luz picked up on Willow's words. "Wait, all three of you used to go on adventures together?"
"Well, not so much adventures as Finn just getting us lost in the woods," Willow said, fondly reminiscing.
Gus snapped them back to the task at hand. "Uh, guys, I hate to interrupt your reminiscing, but we lost Finn."
"Wait, what!?" Luz ran out from behind a tree, frantically searching. "Where did he go!?"
"I don't know! One minute he was right in front of me, the next—poof—gone." Gus sighed in defeat. "Guess I'm going to fail journalism class tomorrow."
Willow placed a comforting hand on Gus's shoulder. "Don't worry, Gus, I'm sure you'll think of something to turn in."
"Sorry about your project, Gus, but do you think you can still help me find Finn?" Luz asked, holding both hands above her eyes like a visor.
"But what do you think will happen if Finn catches us?" Gus asked in a monotone voice.
"Oh, don't worry. All I have to do is turn on the old Luz charm, and everything will be forgiven," Luz said confidently.
"Do you think that will actually work?" Willow asked, also in a monotone voice.
"Well—" Luz turned to answer, only to freeze mid-sentence. Standing right behind Willow and Gus was Finn, one hand firmly on their shoulders, their mouths sealed shut with abomination goo.
"Oh, there you are," Luz said with an awkward chuckle.
"Oh no, go on, please—tell me how your charm will work on Finn?" Finn asked, his voice perfectly mimicking Gus's. "Yeah, please enlighten us, Luz," he added, this time shifting his voice to sound exactly like Willow's.
"Uh… please don't be mad!" Luz dropped to her knees and begged.
"Oh, trust me, I am—" Finn's scroll suddenly buzzed. He pulled it out, read the message, and groaned. "Ugh!" Then, looking at the trio, he sighed. "Since I'm already running late, I'll take you guys with me." He grabbed the edge of the abomination goo over Willow and Gus's mouths. "Hold still."
He yanked the goo off in one swift motion.
"OW!" Willow and Gus exclaimed in pain, both rubbing the red marks left behind.
Finn inspected the goo in his hand. "Sorry to say this, Goops, but it looks like you won't be growing a mustache anytime soon."
Enjoying their suffering for a moment, Finn then leaned in close to Luz, his eyes narrowing. She leaned back, sweating nervously, her smile faltering as he loomed closer. She leaned further until—
"WHOA!" She lost her balance and fell flat on her back.
Finn smirked. "Okay, enough playing. Follow me." He turned and walked away, leaving the three behind.
Despite the tense moment, Gus was thrilled. "My passing grade is back on! Come on, let's go before we lose him again!" He sprinted after Finn.
Willow helped Luz to her feet. "Wow, Finn being punctual. This person must mean a lot to him."
"Which only makes this more interesting. Who knows—maybe it has something to do with Finn's mysterious past!" Luz said excitedly before grabbing Willow's hand and dragging her along to catch up with the others.
=======
As they made their way through the forest, they finally reached their destination—a massive building resembling a castle, complete with a moat and drawbridge.
"Whoa," Luz said in awe.
What made it even more remarkable was the presence of abominations patrolling every inch of the property. As the group approached the front gate, two guard abominations blocked their path.
Finn raised an arm to signal the others to stop. "Stand back, everybody. I've got this." He marched up to the guards and stared them down. The group watched anxiously from a distance.
Reaching into his pocket, Finn pulled out his scroll. "Hey, Bon-Bon, I'm at the front gate. Can you let me in? Also, I have a few friends who followed me here. Is that cool?"
After a brief pause, he received confirmation. The two guards stepped aside, allowing them through.
Standing behind the guards was a short demon with pale white skin, red hair, and solid white eyes. He wore a blue tailcoat, a white button-up shirt, and a red bowtie.
"Young Master Finn, it is nice to see you again. It has been quite some time since your last visit." The demon then turned his gaze to the unexpected guests. "Ah, you must be Young Master Finn's friends." He gave a polite and refined bow.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Peppermint, my lady's butler. I have been informed of your arrival and will escort you to her. Please follow me."
As they followed, Luz tapped Finn on the shoulder. He turned to her with an unamused expression. "What, Luz?"
"Young Master?" she said, struggling to stifle a laugh.
Finn's face turned red. "Shut up."
"Whatever you say, Young Master Finn," Luz teased, while Willow and Gus chuckled.
"Definitely off to a good start," Gus muttered, jotting notes in his notepad. "Lives in a castle, abomination guards, personal butler—my teacher won't know what hit 'em."
"Huh, if I didn't know any better, I'd say this feels a lot like going to Amity's house," Willow noted, comparing the grand estate to the Blight Manor.
"I said the same thing the first time I came here," Finn muttered, clearly unimpressed. "Anyway, let's just follow Pep-Butts."
As they walked through the hallways, Luz, Willow, and Gus marveled at the decor.
"I knew all rich people lined their halls with suits of armor," Luz said, pointing at one on display.
Without turning around, Peppermint spoke in a calm yet firm tone. "Oh yes, my mistress is an avid collector of arms and armaments. I believe it goes without saying, but do not touch anything, please."
His warning came too late. Luz had already put on the helmet from one of the suits of armor. Without looking back, Peppermint cast a spell, levitating the helmet off her head and returning it to its proper place.
"Now come along, we are almost there."
When they reached a set of large double doors, Peppermint pushed them open and announced, "Mistress, presenting Finnian Whispers and guests."
A voice responded, "Thank you, Pep. That will be all for now."
Peppermint bowed his head and stepped aside, standing by the doorway with his eyes closed, awaiting further instructions.
As the group entered, they were amazed by the various pieces of machinery scattered throughout the room—some sparking, others flashing with light. In the center sat a single figure at a desk, surrounded by papers covered in equations and formulas.
The woman was tall and slender, with light pink skin and magenta-pink hair. She wore a white lab coat and safety goggles. Looking up from her work, she smiled upon seeing Finn.
"Finn!" she exclaimed, walking over and embracing him. She giggled at their reunion. "It's great to see you again, hero."
Finn returned the hug. "Yeah, likewise, Bon-Bon."
"Ahem!" Luz cleared her throat, reminding Finn they were still there.
Finn sighed, breaking the hug. "Right." He gestured between Bonnie and the group. "Bonnie, meet Luz, Willow, and Goops. They followed me here because they have no lives of their own."
"Wha—We have lives!" Luz retorted.
"This is literally the second time in the last week you've stalked me meeting my ex," Finn said dryly.
Luz chuckled awkwardly, blushing slightly.
Bonnie laughed. "Well, Finn does have a way of attracting attention."
Finn turned back to Bonnie, suddenly serious. "Speaking of attention, what's with all the security? Don't tell me someone sent another assassin after you." He clenched his fist. "Just say the word, and I'll flip their bricks."
"Assassin?!" Luz's eyes widened with excitement rather than fear.
"Oh man, you're so interesting that people are trying to kill you?! Please let me interview you. My grade is in your interesting hands," Gus pleaded.
"It really doesn't surprise me that Finn fought an assassin before," Willow said matter-of-factly.
Bonnie raised a hand to calm them. "No, no, nothing like that this time. I upgraded security because of my latest project. Actually, the person who delivered the new abomitrons is a student at Hexside. She's also the top student in the abomination track."
Finn's expression shifted. "Wait… top student? Abomination track?" Realization dawned on him. "Oh no, please don't tell me—"
As if on cue, Amity walked into the room, clipboard in hand. "Alright, Miss Bonnibel, I just finished setting up your new security abomitrons, so all I need now is your signature right—" She looked up mid-sentence and froze upon seeing Finn, Luz, Willow, and Gus.
Her expression hardened. "What are you doing here?"
Finn groaned. "Oh great. You should be careful, Bonnie. When it comes to anything made by a Blight, the best you can hope for is a heap of overpriced junk cobbled together." He smirked.
Amity scowled. "Hey! My father made these himself! Everything from Blight Industries is high-class, first-rate craftsmanship."
Before their bickering could escalate, Bonnie stepped between them. "Okay, that's enough. Adult in the room says: calm. Down."
Both Finn and Amity turned to her, then reluctantly backed off.
Bonnie smiled and signed the documents. "Now that that's settled, would you like to stay and see the test of my latest invention?"
Amity hesitated, wanting to finish her job and leave. But before she could refuse, Finn smirked. "Oh, I don't think she can stay. She's too busy being rich and obnoxious."
Amity's eye twitched. "You know what? I'd love to stay."
Bonnie beamed. "Great! Now then, everyone, I'd like to unveil my latest creation."
She pulled a tarp off a strange-looking machine—a lounge chair with a helmet hanging over the headrest.
"Behold! My Mind Archive!"
"Ooo!" Luz was instantly intrigued, despite having no clue what it actually did. "What is it?"
Bonnie grinned. "This machine allows users to enter another person's mind."
Luz gasped. "Hidden potential?! This is just like Azura volume eight, where she—"
Amity clamped a hand over Luz's mouth. "Spoilers! I'm only on volume five!"
"Oh, right. Sorry," Luz mumbled sheepishly.
Bonnie handed Finn a cup of liquid. "Drink this to help you sleep."
Finn immediately drank the entire cup. "So, was that supposed to be some kind of sleep potion or—"
Bonnie interrupted him by knocking him out with a wooden club. "Nope, that was a pain-numbing potion. Sorry, Finn."
Luz's eyes went wide in shock. "Why the heck did you do that!?"
Bonnie casually explained, "Oh, well, Finn is immune to the usual method I use to knock people out. So, hitting him in the back of the head seemed like the best option. After all, he heals fast." She repositioned Finn's body to rest comfortably on the chair, then examined him in closer detail.
"You still could have warned him!" Luz protested.
"Oh, don't worry. Finn can take a few hits to the head just fine." Amity grinned.
Willow placed a reassuring hand on Luz's shoulder. "I wouldn't worry too much, Luz. I've seen Finn take harder hits than that, and he always seemed fine afterward."
Meanwhile, Gus was too busy writing down questions he wanted to ask Bonnie. "Favorite food, favorite color, first word…"
Bonnie then approached another set of chairs, similar to the one Finn was hooked up to. She laid down on one of them and put on the same type of helmet Finn was wearing. "Now then, before I dive into Finn's mind, does anyone else wish to join me?"
Luz's hand shot up instantly. "Ooo, ooo, ooo! Me! I do! Luz does!" She quickly sat in one of the chairs.
"Alright, that's one." Bonnie looked at the remaining three. "I only have two more spots left, so one of you will have to sit this out."
"I volunteer to not go into Finn's mind." Gus eagerly gave up his seat.
"Well, I'm sure Finn's mind can't be all that dangerous. Alright, I'm in." Willow sat down in the chair next to Luz.
"Alright! Friend trip!" Luz then turned to Amity. "So, do you want to take a trip with me?" She held out her hand.
Amity blushed slightly at Luz's invitation. "Um… sure. I'll take a trip with you." She then sat down in the last chair.
Bonnie strapped helmets onto all three of them before putting one on herself. "Okay, here we go. Pep, throw that switch to knock us out. The machine will do the rest."
"At once, mistress." Obeying the command, Peppermint butler made his way to a large switch.
"Wait… how are you going to knock us out?" Luz asked nervously.
"Oh, we're just going to be slightly electrocuted."
"WHAT!?" All three of them shouted.
"Phew, glad I gave up my spot," Gus muttered, relieved at his decision.
Before anyone had time to object, Peppermint flipped the switch, shocking everyone unconscious. He then turned to Gus. "Now then, young man, why don't we have some tea while we wait for them to return?"
Gus could only nod silently.
=======
"AAAHHH!!!" Luz, Amity, and Willow all screamed in fear, terrified by the thought of being electrocuted.
"You can all stop screaming now. We've arrived," Bonnie said, completely unfazed by what she had just done to them. "Behold! Finn's mind!" She spread her arms wide for dramatic effect.
"Wow, Finn's mind is a lot more open-spaced than I thought it would be," Willow said as she began walking around, taking in the sights.
"You could have killed us back there!" Amity marched up to Bonnie, furious about her method of knocking them out.
"Nonsense. I did my calculations correctly and triple-checked my work. The voltage I used was perfectly safe for the average witch." She then turned to look at Luz. "And humans, apparently."
"Wait! I could have died!?" Luz shouted, her eyes wide with shock.
"Now, now, there was only a possibility of dying," Bonnie said in a calm, even tone. "But look around you! Can't you see the majesty of this world of the mind?"
Luz finally took in her surroundings. "Whoa…" was all she could say, impressed by what she saw. An ever-expanding grassy field stretched in all directions. However, what threw her off was the fact that the grass was red instead of green. A dense forest stood nearby, and in the distance, she spotted the silhouette of a castle, surrounded by a circular wall, with two massive humanoid gumball machines standing on opposite ends.
What stood out the most, however, were the various doors scattered throughout the field.
"Huh, I wonder what these are for?" Luz said as she reached for one.
"Wait, Luz!" Bonnie tried to warn her, but it was too late—Luz had already opened the door.
A bright flash of light momentarily blinded them before revealing a scene beyond the doorway.
"What is all this?" Luz asked as she saw a memory of a younger Finn, Amity, and Willow.
"Alright, now that all the ingredients have been thoroughly mixed together, all we need to do is patiently wait for the cauldron to come to a boil, and our abomination goo should be ready in a few minutes," younger Amity instructed.
Younger Finn and Willow simply nodded at her.
"Oh my gosh! Cute baby witches using small cauldrons!" Luz cooed at the sight of the younger versions of her friends.
"I tried to warn you," Bonnie sighed. "I believe that each door here represents one of Finn's memories. We need to be careful not to damage or interact with them."
"Wait, I remember this," Willow said, eyes widening in surprise. "This was the time Amity tried to teach Finn and me how to make abominations."
"It didn't go right, even though I relayed clear instructions to the both of you," Amity huffed.
"Why? What happened?" Luz asked.
As if to answer her question, the memory played out before them.
"Finn! What are you doing!?" younger Amity screamed.
"Well, I thought if you increase the heat, it would cook faster," younger Finn shrugged, turning up the fire beneath his cauldron.
"Uh, Finn, I don't think that's a good idea…" younger Willow said nervously as the goo in Finn's cauldron started bubbling ominously.
"She's right! Turn the heat down now!" younger Amity demanded.
"Fine!" younger Finn groaned, but it was too late. A massive bubble had already formed on the surface of the abomination goo.
"Uh… duck and cover!" younger Finn shouted, grabbing both Amity and Willow and pulling them under the table just as the goo exploded.
When the three of them peeked out, they saw the kitchen completely covered in abomination slime.
Finn glanced at the mess, then at his friends. "Okay, here's the story—Ed and Em were trying to mix abomination goo for a prank, and we 'tried' to stop them. That okay with you?"
Willow hesitated. "I don't know… my dad always told me to tell the truth."
Amity, however, had no such hesitation. "Alright, that's a good story, but I think we should leave a trail of goo leading to their room—just to make it more believable."
Finn grinned and gave a thumbs-up.
"Ugh, why do I even bother…" younger Willow groaned, face-palming.
Luz closed the door, laughing. "So what happened? Did you guys get away with it?"
"We did," Amity admitted with a slight smile. "But Ed and Em pranked us back the very next day."
She shook her head, clearing away the memory. "That's enough going down memory lane. So, where's Finn's so-called hidden potential?"
"For that, we should ask his inner self."
"Inner self?" all three of them repeated in unison.
"Yes," Bonnie explained. "Everyone has one within their own mind. It acts as a guardian of emotions and memories."
"I do have other duties, but that does summarize what I mostly do," a new voice chimed in.
Out of nowhere, a new figure appeared. He looked like Finn, but with several differences. His blonde hair had green highlights at the ends. Two twisted horns protruded from his head, and his right eye had a black sclera with a glowing green iris, while his left eye shone an eerie azure blue.
"So, what can I help you lovely ladies with today?" Inner Finn asked with a smirk.
Luz was the first to break out of her stupor. "Uh… this might be rude, but… why do you look like that?"
"Oh, don't worry, I'm not offended," Inner Finn reassured her. "To answer your question—when the Lich first tried to take full control of this body, Jack managed to stop him using the same spell. As a result, I became… this." He gestured to himself. "A fusion, if you will, of both of their forms."
"Huh, blonde hair looks really good on Finn," Willow commented.
"Hmph, but his face isn't much of an improvement over the original," Amity quipped.
Luz, however, was fixated on something else. "Wait… did you just say… Jack?"
"Why, yes, I did, Luzy," Inner Finn confirmed. "You see, Jack Hawthorne was in the process of becoming the Lich, but he had one final trick up his sleeve."
With a flick of his wrist, Inner Finn conjured an illusion, replaying the moment of Jack's sacrifice—erasing the Lich's memories and sending him back to where he came from.
"In order to prevent the extinction of all life in the human realm, he erased the Lich's memories and sent him away." The illusion vanished in a puff of smoke. "Unfortunately, memories can never be truly erased—but they can be stored. Due to his inadequate ability to use magic, Jack could only erase a few things."
With a snap of his fingers, a massive vault door materialized in front of them.
"This is the vault—a place to store all memories affected by that spell."
Luz's eyes widened in realization. "Then open it! I want my friend back!" She rushed to the vault, pulling at the door with all her might. "Come on, you stupid—"
Before she could continue, Inner Finn opened a portal beneath her feet. She yelped as she fell through, landing right back next to Amity, Willow, and Bonnie.
"Why you—!" Luz started, but Bonnie quickly stepped in as the peacekeeper.
"Now, now, let's not fight," she said calmly. Then, turning to Inner Finn, she continued, "As for your question before the interruption, I would like to view a specific memory."
Inner Finn raised an eyebrow. "And what memory would that be?"
Bonnie leaned in and whispered something into his ear. Whatever she said surprised him.
"Why would you want to see that memory?"
"To help Finn further his abilities and talents," Bonnie answered with a smile.
Inner Finn studied her for a moment before nodding. "Fair enough. Finn trusts you completely, so I trust you won't hurt him." With another snap of his fingers, a door appeared before Bonnie.
"This should be the memory you're looking for. Take your time and good luck."
Bonnie nodded, then turned to the others. "While I'm studying this memory, why don't you explore and get to know Finn a little better?"
With that, she stepped through the door, disappearing into the memory.
=======
Inner Finn turned to Luz, Amity, and Willow. "So, what would you ladies like to see?"
"OPEN THE VAULT!" Luz practically screamed.
"LUZ!" Willow placed a firm hand on both of her shoulders, trying to calm her down. She then lowered her voice and made a suggestion. "Maybe we could view the memory of when Finn first met Lady?"
"Ah, an excellent choice. Please, follow me." Inner Finn gestured for them to follow as he walked through the field of doors.
"Great." Willow pulled Luz and Amity close, whispering her real plan. "Alright, while Amity and I distract Inner Finn, you try to break open that vault door and free your friend."
"Willow…" Luz was touched by her plan. "Okay! I like this idea."
"Well, I don't!" Amity finally snapped out of her daze. "I'm still trying to process the fact that my childhood nightmare—the Lich—is actually real!"
"Uh…" Luz gave her a confused look.
"I can explain," Willow said. "Ever since we were little, Amity's been terrified of the Lich. We read a storybook about all the horrible things it did to witches." She gently squeezed Amity's shoulder. "Some of the illustrations were… graphic."
"Okay, how about Amity stays here to help me while you distract Inner Finn?" Luz suggested.
Amity blushed at the thought of being alone with Luz. "I'm okay with that!" she answered a little too quickly.
Just then, Inner Finn interrupted their hushed conversation. "You know, your plan might have worked—if you had actually whispered instead of talking at full volume."
All three of them froze, exchanging wide-eyed looks before turning back to him.
"Fine then," Inner Finn said.
The three girls blinked. "Fine… what?" Luz asked cautiously.
"I'll open the vault and release all the memories inside."
"You will? Thank you!" Luz beamed, relieved that she would finally get her friend back.
Inner Finn, however, had a solemn expression. "But before I do, can you answer just one question for me?"
"Of course!" Luz said eagerly, too caught up in her excitement to notice his tone.
Willow, more perceptive, hesitated. "If I can… yeah."
"Whatever. Just ask your dumb question already," Amity said impatiently.
Inner Finn exhaled deeply, then spoke. "Was Finn ever good enough to be your friend?"
Their faces fell.
"What I mean is—did you ever care about the Finn you know now?" He turned his back to them. "Amity ended their friendship because Finn was incompetent." Amity looked down in guilt. "Willow ignored him when he needed her most." Willow hugged herself, on the verge of tears. Then he turned back to Luz. "And you, Luz… after everything you and Finn have been through together, your first thought upon entering his mind was how to get Jack back."
A heavy silence filled the air. That alone was enough of an answer for him.
"So nothing, huh?" he murmured.
Luz's breath hitched. "Finn, I—"
"It's fine," Inner Finn cut her off. His voice was quiet, resigned.
With a snap of his fingers, the massive vault door groaned open. Wisps of white and black light shot out, taking the form of new doors scattered throughout the field.
"There. Every memory in the vault has been restored," he said. "I just hope you can handle the aftermath."
Without another word, he opened a nearby door.
"Finn, wait!" Luz reached out desperately. "We didn't mean to—"
"SAVE IT!" he shouted, refusing to turn back. His voice softened, but it was laced with pain. "Just… leave me alone."
And with that, the door shut behind him.
For a long moment, none of them spoke.
Finally, Luz broke the silence. "We need to apologize to him."
Willow wiped her eyes and nodded. "Yeah, he needs to know we care about him. And… there's something important I need to tell him."
Amity, her expression now one of determination, stepped forward. "You're right. We need to fix this. And I think I know how."
=======
Inner Finn watched a fond memory unfold—a younger Finn practicing magic with Lady in an open field. "At least I can find solace in knowing that one friend will never abandon Finn," he murmured.
"Hey, Finn!" Amity's voice suddenly rang out. As he turned his head to respond, he was struck by a fist made of abomination goo.
"I want a rematch!" Amity declared.
Inner Finn picked himself up from the ground, brushing himself off. He saw Amity forming another goo gauntlet, while Luz and Willow stood behind her—Luz with glyphs at the ready, and Willow summoning vines from the earth. His initial shock faded into an unimpressed expression.
"What are you three doing?" he asked dryly.
"Didn't you hear her? She wants a rematch!" Luz shouted. "And we all want a piece of you for saying we weren't real friends!"
"Yeah! We always thought of you as a great friend, Finn! How dare you accuse us of being anything less!" Willow added, an unusual anger in her voice.
Inner Finn scoffed. "I know what you're trying to do. You think Finn lives for battle, and that fighting it out will magically fix everything?"
In response, Willow used her vines to hurl a boulder at him.
He sighed heavily. "Fine. If this will stop you from annoying me—let's fight."
With a wave of his hand, the space around them distorted, shifting into a massive colosseum.
"Welcome to the Colosseum of Lost Souls," he announced, stretching his arms out grandly. "The Lich used this place to pit people against each other for his amusement."
Amity shook off her initial surprise. "Well, good. Now we have a proper place to fight!"
"Please," Inner Finn scoffed. "You could barely fight Finn even with that power glyph during your duel at the Covention. Never really pegged you for a cheater."
Amity froze in shock. "He knew?"
"Of course he did. You don't work with the Owl Lady for years without picking up a few things—like when someone's trying to cheat you."
Amity's face darkened. "Finn, I didn't know. I swear, Lilith placed that glyph on me without telling me. After I found out, I quit being her apprentice. It didn't feel right, learning from someone who didn't believe I could succeed on my own."
Inner Finn tilted his head. "You know, the old Finn would have forgiven you. Maybe even suggested starting over as friends."
A hopeful smile spread across their faces, thinking they were finally reaching him. He even smiled back—until his expression hardened into a scowl.
"But it's too late now."
Before they could react, two massive hands made of abomination goo emerged from the sides, trapping Luz, Amity, and Willow between their fingers.
"Well, that was easy," Inner Finn remarked before turning to leave.
"Wait!" Amity shouted. "Please, just talk to us. Why are you like this?"
"Yeah," Luz added. "I think this could've gone better if we had just talked things out from the start."
"In hindsight, trying to fight Finn probably wasn't the best idea," Willow admitted.
Inner Finn stopped in his tracks. He stood still for a moment before his body began to shake. When he turned around, his expression was twisted with rage.
"Why am I like this?" he growled. Then he stormed up to Amity, getting in her face.
"WHY DID YOU ALL ABANDON FINN!?"
His furious words echoed in the colosseum. But after a few heavy breaths, his anger dulled.
Amity looked down, her voice soft but steady. "Because I was weak." A tear slipped down her cheek. "The truth is… my parents threatened Finn and Willow's chances of getting into Hexside if I didn't cut ties with him."
Inner Finn's eyes widened. Willow gasped.
"I didn't want to ruin your futures, so… I said all those horrible things that day to make sure you'd leave me," Amity admitted. "I'm sorry, Finn. I'm sorry, Willow." She lowered her head in remorse.
Willow took a shaky breath. "When you came to my house after that day, I ignored you because… I was afraid. I thought that if I got too close, you'd leave me too. So I shut you out first." She sniffled. "I was a coward. I'm sorry, Finn. Can you ever forgive me?"
"As long as we're all being honest, I have something to say too," Luz added, still struggling in the goo's grip. "Do you think you could let us go? This next part needs both of my arms."
Inner Finn hesitated, then waved his hand. The abomination goo dispersed.
Luz wasted no time. She ran forward and threw her arms around Inner Finn, hugging him tightly.
"Jack was always there for me, even in my darkest times," she confessed. "So when I had the chance to get him back, I jumped headfirst without thinking."
Inner Finn chuckled. "A classic Luz move."
They all laughed.
"I'm sorry I didn't think about how that would make you feel," Luz continued. "I shouldn't have tried to get back what I lost… because Jack is just another part of Finn." She pulled back to look him in the eyes. "I'm so sorry, Finn. Can we still be friends?"
Inner Finn was silent. He processed everything they had just told him, his expression unreadable. Then, his body trembled again—not in rage, but in grief.
He broke down, sobbing.
Without hesitation, Luz hugged him again. She gestured for Amity and Willow to join in. They surrounded him, holding him in their arms as the colosseum melted away, transforming back into the field.
"I know this is terrible timing, but—"
They turned to see Bonnie standing nearby, wearing a complicated expression.
"Am I interrupting something?" she asked.
Inner Finn wiped the tears from his face. "No, no. We were just… talking."
He glanced at Luz, Amity, and Willow. They smiled at him, and this time, he smiled back.
"So," he said, turning back to Bonnie, "I take it you're done with whatever you were doing?"
"Yes, I have."
"Excellent. I'll see you all out immediately."
He then turned to Luz, Amity, and Willow. "Before you leave, tell Finn this—'Don't let the past keep you in the darkness. Move forward, or be consumed by GOLB.'"
Luz furrowed her brows. "Wait, what do you mean—"
"Okay! Great talk! Byeee!" Inner Finn interrupted, waving them off as a bright light engulfed them.
=======
"And that, my dear boy, is how you escape the underworld with your soul intact." Peppermint took a slow sip of his tea, while Gus furiously scribbled notes in his notepad, hanging onto every word.
"Now, is there anything else you'd like to ask?"
"No, I think I have enough for my project. Thanks again, Pep."
Just then, Gus noticed sparks flying from the machine where all his friends were hooked up. His eyes widened. "Uh… is that supposed to happen?"
Peppermint nodded calmly. "Yes, that means they have returned from their task." He set down his cup and made his way toward Bonnie. "I trust you succeeded in your endeavor, milady?"
Bonnie removed her helmet. "Yes, I have. Please wake Finn up."
She then turned to the others beside her. "So, what did you all think of our little excursion?"
"I think I'm gonna need therapy after this," Luz groaned, rubbing her temples.
"I'm taking a page out of Finn's book and locking this memory away in my vault," Willow said, closing her eyes in concentration. "Okay, done."
"So… we all agree never to speak of this ever again, right?" Amity pleaded.
"Agreed." All of them said in unison.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Willow deadpanned.
A loud slapping sound rang through the room.
"OW! What the heck, Pep?!" Finn shot up, instinctively swinging at him, only to miss completely.
"Now, now, young master Finn, there's no need for violence."
"Yeah, Finn," Luz added, stifling a laugh.
"After interviewing him for hours, I can tell you—you're no match for him." Gus added.
Luz then hesitated before stepping closer to Finn. "So… do you… remember me?"
Finn placed a hand on his chin, studying her face. "Hmmm… well, you do remind me of this crybaby I knew who had three pigtails on her head."
Luz's heart leaped. He remembered. A smile spread across her face.
"But you couldn't be her," Finn continued.
Luz blinked in confusion. "What do you mean?"
"Because that would mean you're also the girl who wet the bed at all of our sleepovers." His lips curled into a mischievous grin.
Luz's face instantly turned red. "I did NOT wet the bed!" She whirled around, seeing the others staring at her in shock. "He's joking! Besides, that was just sweat!" She chuckled awkwardly, desperate to salvage her dignity.
Finn crossed his arms, grinning. "Alright, alright, in the spirit of starting fresh, I'll let you all in on a little secret."
Everyone leaned in.
"I pranked you. Every time. By pouring a glass of water on you while you slept."
Luz's entire body stiffened. "…WHAT?!"
"My mom took me to the doctor to get me checked out! She made me wear a diaper! Use a special blanket and rubber sheets!" She grabbed Finn by the shoulders and started shaking him. "Do you have ANY idea what I went through?!"
Finn, unfazed, just smiled through it all while the rest of the group burst into laughter.
Bonnie glanced out the window, noticing the sun dipping below the horizon. "Oh dear, it seems I've kept you all here longer than expected. As an apology, please join me for dinner."
Luz immediately stopped shaking Finn. "Oh, sorry, I can't stay. Hooty practically attacks anything that moves at night, so if I want to sleep indoors, I have to get home before sundown."
"Yeah, same here," Willow said. "My dads are probably wondering where Finn and I are by now. We should get going before we get a lecture on the importance of punctuality."
"Ugh," Finn groaned. "Taking responsibility for my actions is my least favorite thing to do. So nice seeing you again, Bonnie, but I've got a family dinner to attend."
"My dad's the same way," Gus added. "If I don't get home soon, I'll be grounded for a month."
"And I have a curfew," Amity sighed. "One of the many perks of being a Blight."
Before they all headed out, Finn placed a hand on Amity's shoulder. "Hey… maybe… we can all… hang out sometime?"
Amity blinked, then smiled. "Yeah. I think I'd like that."
As they left Bonnie's home, she waved them off with a warm smile. "I look forward to our next encounter! Auf Wiedersehen!"
She watched them disappear into the distance. Then her expression shifted. The warmth faded, replaced by cold calculation.
She pulled out her scroll and made a call.
"Hey, it's me. Yeah, I got the information, no problem. Don't worry, I fed them some nonsense about hidden potential—that should cover my tracks." She paused, listening. "Yes, we can proceed to stage two immediately. Copy that. I'll gather what we need. You two just keep playing your roles so no one suspects a thing."
She ended the call, letting out a slow, tired sigh.
"I just hope… all this pain and suffering will be worth it in the end."