MJ, Thai Go, X and Scrying Part 1

The next day, Olivier carried King into the kitchen, finding Maddie and Bee already serving some breakfast.

"Morning, Ollie!" everyone waved warmly as he sat down, waving back and letting his brother lay next to Domino, who was finishing off her own breakfast.

"Meh…King of demons…too tired…to speak…need yum yums!" King, half awake, managed to say, sleep moving.

"Something we can agree on!" Polly beamed, banging her fork and knife in anticipation.

"How'd you sleep last night, dude?" Anne asked her Olivier, sneaking a peek on the nose. Olivier chuckled.

"Better than the night before; King took over all my notes and fell asleep sometime during one of his lectures." The half-witch boy reminisced, trying to keep the Titan Blood and his planned experiments a secret for now. "Everyone else?"

The Plantars all nodded in agreement and Maddie snuck Olivier a hug before she opened the oven, revealing some delicious looking Thai buns.

"So THAT'S why you're in such a good mood." Olivier realized; as much as she loved her dark magic and curses, Maddie WAS a baker born and raised. Plus, if these buns did well enough, she'd be helping the Boonchuys out.

"Say, where are Eda and Mrs. Boonchuy?" Hop-Pop asked.

"Long story short, they partied a little too hard after we picked up the lottery cheque last night." Bee explained as he served some toast and juice while readying some eggs. "So, I'm letting them sleep in. Might even do the opening shift instead."

"Absolutely not!"

In came Oum, freshly showered and dressed as she gave her husband and daughter kisses and messed with Olivier's hair.

"Its going to take a lot more than a few drinks, only three hours of sleep and getting some money to keep me off my feet!"

"Its true; she went back to work just a few days after Anne was born." Bee mused dreamingly. "It was both beautiful and worrying; she her handle all the orders while bouncing and playing with Anne."

Oum blushed and motioned her husband to eat, just as a groan filled the air. Into the kitchen walked Eda, her form hunched and her eyes being rubbed as she saundered in.

"Morning, Ollie. King." The Owl lady managed with a weak smile. Despite not feeling well, she kissed her son's forehead and petting a now happily munching on toast King before sdhe grabbed a box of Apple Blood. "Sorry about this everyone, but I had the weirdest dream. One of my high school flings caught up with me and then turned into Mrs. B."

Oum gagged and coughed on her coffee, a blush on her face as she recalled what had happened hours ago….

Last night

"Okay, Eda. Up we go." Oum grimaced as she carried Eda to her workout room; she didn't think it wise to leave the sloshed witch with her son.

"You're walking on sunshine! Wooo hooo!" Eda drunkedly sang as she held onto Oum. "Money, money, money! Must be funny!"

Oum smiled despite it all. Thanks to Eda, the Booonchuys were indeed set for life! And bringing her and Bee such a wonderful future son-in-law…

Eda suddenly stumbled, bringing Oum down with her…right on top of her lips. And then kissing her.

Oum's mind went blank for a moment. Then her face turned red. She pulled awaym, still blushing and hurriedly pushed Eda into the work-out room, where the smiling and drunk wish landed smiling and singing:

"I kissed a girl and I liked it…!"

"Good night, Eda!" Oum said, louder than she should've and then slammed the door, still blushing and feeling…warm. She hadn't feel like this since she and Bee were dating…

SLAP!

"You're a married woman, you're a married woman, you're a married woman..." Oum reminded herself. And she meant it! Bee was her one and done! Sure, she had celebrity crushes, but that was just that!...Then again, even with her curse, Eda was a very beautiful wom..

SLAP!

"You're a married woman, you're a married woman, you're a married woman..."

She then turned to see Anne and Olivier staring blankly, having seen the whole thing.

"You. Saw. Nothing." Oum ordered, leaving no room for arguement. "This never happened."

Present morning

And so, now three of the assembled were fighting back memories and reveals.

"Well….!" Olivier declared, half wanting to move along but also feeling he needed to say this. "I mean, that's not entirely a bad thing, right? I believe I speak for many when I say that Boonchuys just have a natural beauty about them."

"Ollie!" Anne and Oum both blushed, the younger girl, hiding her face despite it all.

"Darn right they do." Bee swooned, hugging his wife.

"Honey! Not in front of the guests!" Oum blushed, pushing him aside and finishing the eggs, which she served everyone.

Just then, Sprig entered the Kitchen, happy as can be…and acting a little off.

'Oh boy.' Olivier whispered.

'I've seen that act before.' Maddie followed. 'He's got an idea…and most of the time? It's not a good one.'

"He-Heeey! Good morning, fam-fam!" The Pink frog waved before he spied breakfast."Oooh...Eggs!"

He shot his tongue out to help himself, only for someone to grab the tongue midway

"Sprig." Eda cut him off. "Sit and ask. It'll come."

"Thorry! Ca I hath mah tonga bak?" Sprig asked.

Eda did not let go until Oum served everyone, getting a grateful look from the Thai woman.

"How did you do that?" Polly asked in awe.

"Years of practice with King and Ollie." Eda smirked, delighting at the embarrassed look on her son's face.

"…." Olivier spun a circle and out from his mouth popped a very long, frog like tongue. The Plantars, Maddie and Anne all cooed while King cackled until Eda bonked him on the head.

OWLPHIBIA

Eda and King took Sprig aside after breakfast.

"Okay, Sprig. Speak. Ollie has mentioned you doing some stupid things, but this is a new kind of stupid!" The Owl lady demanded. "And I will NOT lose the chance to keep a good first impression with Anne's parents because of your normally adorable but shortsighted ideas!"

…Yeah, Eda NEVER got over her embarrassing first meeting with Mr. and Mrs. Whispers, and MIGHT'VE been projecting this through Olivier.….

"Sprig Plantar, you're a guest in the Boonchuy's home." Hop-Pop fumed as he, Maddie and Polly joined the two in the living room,. "For frog's sake, behave like one!"

"Ha! Silly Hop Pop. We aren't guests" spoke Sprig. "We're family!"

"No! We're not!" exclaimed Hop Pop. "Just because Anne is a Plantar, doesn't automatically make you a Boonchuy!"

"Doesn't it though?" said Sprig. "I mean, the math checks out."

"You suck at math." said Polly, bluntly.

"…In what universe does any of that make any sense?" King asked.

"Yours!" Sprig smiled. "Eda found you and Olivier and already has hooty. And you're all family!"

….

….

….

…Well, he wasn't ENTIRELY wrong….or right….

"The Boonchuys and Plantars aren't 'one family' simply because Anne is technically part of both. It just means that Anne shares TWO different families: Her birth family, AND her adoptive one."

"Are you sure about that?" questioned Sprig.

"Urrgh! Okay...!" Eda groaned. "Try and look at it this way: When Ollie and Anne marry someday, then that would make her a Clawthorne, too. But that wouldn't make YOU one by default."

"Heh-heh. 'Anne Clawthorne' does sound pretty awesome." spoke Maddie.

"Darn right it does!" King beamed, getting a high five from the blue frog.

"…There's something else." Eda mused. "I understand the wanting to be part of a big family, but there's another reason…You're jelouis."

Sprig's happy demeanor vanished. Eda had called it.

"Anne was…IS my friend!" He hurriedly explained. "And yet she's spending so much time with Olivier and now she's back home and we've barely had any time together and I understand that, but…!"

Eda cut Sprig up by taking him to the couch,

"Kiddo, let me tell you a story about some folks I knew who had the same problem." The Owl lady began, clearing her throat and inwardly smirking when she saw the Plantars and Maddie joined top listen in. King left to check on Olivier and possible snatch some scraps/leftovers.

"When I was growing up, not much older than Anne, I had three certain classmates; two boys who were lifelong best friends and a girl. The two boys were going to be HUGE in the Abomination coven…"

Shge saw the hardened gazes of the frogs. Good, they hated the same coven that BRAT was part of.

"…And the girl? She was an Oracle and her dad was a teacher. And big surprise, a jerk. Like….Toadstool level jerk. Grime before Sasha level jerk. Moving on, I don't really know how the three met, but they were inseparable for the longest time; hanging out at and after school, shooting ideas over each other…And then, Emperor Belos came along."

The Frogs grew worried.

"Long story short, the girl's dad was VERY anti-Belos. He often called him out on being an outsider/nobody, so it made no sense for the Titan to speak to him. That, and according to him, we witches had been doing fine without a leader; we kept to our own villages, traded, and did business. Honestly if he didn't father the girl I'm telling you about, I'd have called this guy a hero of mine."

Polly clapped

"FIGHT THE POWER!"

"Exactly! And Belos didn't like that." Eda smiled and then frowned. "So, after making the witch's career plummet, during which he took his frustrations out on the girl, he was arrested for 'treason' and stripped of his rank in his Coven. And…Ollie's told you what happens to caught Coven less witches, right?"

The Frogs all gulped. He had.

"The boys tried to be there for her. And at first, all was good. But then the girl got greedy. Then the boiys started getting recognized. Long, long, LONG story short…Wow I've been saying that a lot…..It came down to moving up through fame and splitting their trio apart, or staying together and fading into unimportance."

She almost didn't have to finish, but did anyways to be safe.

"They chose fame…and the girl chose one of the boys. Her name was… Is…Odalia Blight. Amity's mother."

Sprig's face filled with horror: He and the others knew about Amity and what she did to Ollie, so to hear he was on apparently on slippery slope to becoming like her mother…!

"Now Eda, surely Sprig, Anne and Olivier's bond ain't in NEARLY that kind of…!" Hop-Pop hurriedly added.

"Oh it's not, don't worry!" Eda said. "But something tells me that with that kind of story in their heads, your grandkids will think before they act."

Sprig, Polly and Maddie hurriedly nodded.

"Talk with Anne about it." Eda suggested. "I know for a fact she and Ollie don't meant to cut you off. After all, Ollie's just like you; I've seen this world plenty of times but he hasn't, so he's learning too. And? If nothing else? Friends can and ARE like family. Why else do you think I put up with Hooty?"

Sprig smiled and they all laughed at that.

OWLPHIBIA

Meanwhile, Olivier helped Oum with the breakfast dishes as Anne got ready for the day.

"Thank you for everything, Olivier." She smiled. "Good to know I can count on you."

"Least we could do, Mrs. Boonchuy." Oliver replied. "And sorry about Sprig. He means well. He just…"

Oum's frown returned. She had, honestly, liked Sprig the least of the frogs: Hop-Pop was an old soul who just wanted to learn (very understandable), Maddie could bake and clean and Polly (kicking Bee aside) was just a baby. But Sprig? He was, in her mind, arrogant, short sighted, assumed way too much and NEVER said thank you!

Okay, that last bit wasn't entirely true, but still!

"Is that boy ALWAYS so ill-behaved?" She asked.

"Oh no, no, no! Sometimes he's only mildly annoying." joked Olivier. "Kind of like King when we were little actually…"

"HEY! I RESENT AND RESEMBLE THAT REMARK!" The little monster hollered, shaking his fist.

"…You're quoting movies again. Do I need to tell mom?" Olivier asked.

King 'eeped' and scurried away, something that made Oum giggle, before she saw Olivier's face turn stoic.

"Joking aside...Sprig has a reason for acting this way."

"There is NEVER a good reason for bad behavior." said Oum, clearly in full *Mom Mode. "I mean, didn't his parents ever teach him any manners!?"

"Oh, I'm sure they tried to...before they died."

This statement immediately silenced whatever anger Oum still had for Sprig. Now that she thought of it, she HAD wandered why he and Polly were with their grandfather…..

"W-what?"

"I shouldn't even be telling you this..." Olivier grimaced before he took a breath. "But..Sprig and Polly don't have any parents. They died long ago..."

His memory changed to that night in the Newtopian hotel, where he heard the most heartbreaking words the pink frog had ever said.

"….Sprig told me and Anne he can barely remember what they looked like."

Oum's eyes began to water.

"…W-what happened to them?" She asked. She was afraid to know, but had to.

"They were eaten alive by monster sized Herons." said Olivier, bluntly.

"Along with my mom." Maddie said, suddenly appearing at the sink, a horrid memory coming back to her.

A few years ago

The herons were rampaging, Wartwood ablaze (somehow) and already many dead. Buildings were crumbling and screams could be heard all over.

And throughout the madness, a female frog carried her daughter, frantically looking for a safe space. Finally, she found one; a burrow.

"Mom…" Her daughter sobbed.

"It's okay, Maddie. It's okay." Her mother cooed, placing her in the burrow.

"You get in, too!" Maddie begged.

"I have to check on your father. Just stay here, we'll come back for you." Mrs. Flour hushed her daughter, holding three unhatched eggs and handing her a wrapped package.

"If you ever feel like you need me? Open and read that package." She then kissed her daughter and smiled warmly, tears glistening her eyes. "I love you, my little flower girl."

Smiling with all the love in her heart, the frog then crawled outside and was promptly swallowed by one of there Herons.

Present day

Olivier hugged Maddie, fighting back his own tears; his oracle magic had made him SEE that memory when he first heard it.

Oum meanwhile, was feeling ashamed for how she had been annoyed by Sprig. She didn't fight back when Oum and Anne hugged her, she embraced the hug and cleared her rears.

"Um…excuse me?" Sprig said. "I just want to apologize for…"

"Its alright, ,little pink frog." Oum managed.

"Honey, I can do the opening if you want." Bee offered.

"But your marathon!"

"I can rewatch them! You need to rest."

"I can help!" Olivier added, getting the attention of the Thai parents. "I mean, Anne and I did work in and even have a little restaurant for a bit…"

Eda handed Ollie a Thai go menu and he scanned.

"…Except for the desserts? I can make all of this." He smiled.

Anne beamed and broke out the 'doe' eyes.

"Please, mom? Dad? Let Ollie help?"

Been and Oum smiled and nodded.

"Eda, would you like to come? See a human restaurant?" Oum offered.

Eda grinned and saluted, grabbing Oliver so they could get ready for the day.

"Don't forget the buns!" Maddie called out as she handed a basket of bread she'd made earlier. "Me, Hop-Pop and Polly will be researching!"

OWLPHIBIA

An hour later, the group made their way to Thai Go, with the three other worlders; Eda, Olivier and Sprig, gaping in awe of the resteraunt.

"I just thought of something..." spoke Oum, as she looked to Olivierm, handing him her keys. "Oliver...why don't YOU do the honors. It is your first day."

Olivier froze, feeling a little overwhelmed. "M-m-me? Are you...sure?"

"Go right ahead, dear." said Oum, with a smile as she motioned him to open up.

Olivier's hands shook, but he then felt Anne and Eda place their own hands on his hand (Anne) abnd shoulder (Eda).

"It's alright, sweetheart." Eda cooed, nuzzling her son's nose.

"Go for it, dude." said Anne, softly.

Olivier smiled weakly...and then slowly inserted the key. He turned it, making a loud CLICKING noise as the door unlocked.

The half witch boy then opened the door, and entered the building with the Boonchuys, his mother and Sprig.

"Holy frog…" Sprig gasped.

"oh my Titan..." Olivier and Eda were just as in awe; The interior of the restaurant looked even grander than the exterior did.

"It looks...it's almost like the Emperor's Palace… Only a LOT nicer looking. And welcoming. And warm." Olivier mused.

Oum blushed at this comparison and gave the boy a light hug.

"Why thank you Oliver. That is sweet of you to say."

Eda smiled, taking a few pics with a playfully sinister grin. "Lily is going to be so jealous!"

The Owl lady then sent the pictures to her sister, evening adding several hashtags: #Humanworldculture, #Howyoulikehernow and finallu #HAHAHAHAHAHA!

Olivier and Sprig took some time to explore large dining room. Anne was also taking in the atmosphere, since it was the first time in MONTHS she had been here. She actually did miss the place. despite the hard work she had to do here. One must remember that Anne had practically grown up in this restaurant, after all.

Coming back here was like coming back home all over again.

"OK, let's get everything set up to receive new customers." spoke Oum. "The chairs need set, the tables set up and food needs prepared."

"On it, mom!" said Anne, as she was about to start working. Before she paused midstride.

"Anne, WAIT. aren't you forgetting something?"

Anne looked at her mother...who was putting on a green apron and red bandana over her hair.

"OH! Right…riiight...Forgot about that." said Anne, in realization.

"what?" spoke Olivier, puzzled along with Eda.

"We have to wear Bandanas and aprons while working. Restaurant policy." explained Anne.

"That was never a problem with Stumpy." spoke Sprig.

"STUMPY never had to deal with the Health Department." countered Oum with a smile as she handed her daughter and guests some cloths.

"I don't know what this 'Health Department' is, but they sound like the Healing Coven when they shut down actually good places just because of a little dirt….By Titan this feels good…!" Eda smiled as she forgot her rant, tying the cloth behind her ears.

Oum smiled.

"That's Thai silk for you."

"And these are just napkins?!" Eda gasped in realization.

As Oum chuckled at explained how the cloths worked (while also making Eda decide to build a solely Thai silk wardrobe), Anne and Sprig had taken Olivier aside, the Thai girl and witch boy looking uneasy:

After all, how does one tie a cloth for protecting your hair when you don't have ears to support the cloth.

"…I think I got an idea." Sprig said, whispering it to Anne. She beamed, hugged her friend and then very carefully wrapped the cloth with the knot over Ollie's neck, firm but in place…and much like his mother, Olivier was loving the feel of Thai Silk.

"Well, well, well!" Oum and Eda smiled. "Who is this handsome young resteraunteer?"

"MOM! EDA!" Anne gasped playfully. Olivier just blushed and gave Sprig a hug.

"I had a wart that made wearing my hat hurt for a but so Hop-Pop did that." The pink frog explained. "So, how can we help? Clean up? Set up?"

"I got clean up." Eda said, making a magic circle and making the cleaning supplies fly through the air, . "Just for today."

Oum, delighted at having a magic user, smiled at gave out orders: Sprig then helped Anne and Olivier set up the tables and chairs as she started cooking. Once that was done, Anne gave Sprig a job of handing out flyers to any passers by. Eda then ordered a few appetizers and enjoyed the Thai music, Oum promising to get her a copy soon.

An hour or two in, the door jingled.

"Hello! Welcome to Thai Go!" Anne announced as she cleared away a table.

"What's happening, Boonchuys?!" exclaimed a larger man wearing an unbuttoned blue and fire overshirt, shorts and socks with sandals, hjis gleeful face turning to shock when he saw someone in particular. "Anne!? Whoa! I thought you were dead."

Anne happily gasped at that voice.

"OLIVIER! SPRIG! Come out here! There is someone I want you to meet!"

The boys walked through the beaded curtain from the kitchen, and into the lobby where they saw Anne chatting happily with this newcomer.

"Ollie, Sprig. this is NED." began Anne. "This guy's our number one customer. He's been around for years."

Anne showed Olivier and Sprig a wall of photographs labeled as [#1 CUSTOMER], and pretty much all of them had Ned in them; including where Anne was no older than six.

"Ned, this is Sprig, my best friend. He found me when I went missing and his family got me back."

Ned smiled warmly and offered Sprig a hand to shake. Sprig took it…and Ned sensed something on his head.

"Whoops! Sorry! Forgot to…!" Sprig started.

"No worries! I do to." Ned said, wiping his hand clean of what he assumed was some sauce or oil. He then saw the other boy and how close Anne was; leaning on him.

"And THIS…is Olivier. My boyfriend."

Ned's jaw dropped.

"B-b-b-boyfriend?!" He then smiled. "Lucky girl! Nice to mee you, Oliver."

"Olivier. And you too." The witch boy smiled, even as Ned added:

"You break her heart I WILL find a way to end you. I've known her since she was little, so her being happy is important to me."

"If I do? I'm demanding you do." Olivier responded.

Ned was shocked by this…but then smiled. He liked this Oliver

(AN: Yes, this mispronunciation of Olivier's name will be a running gag with Ned, since I can't quite do the 'Newman' Seinfelf gag just yet.)

"Ahem." Eda coughed.

Ned turned and his eyes went wide at the sight of such a lovely older woman.

'Oh Titan, not another!' Olivier groaned, especially when he saw Ned ready to 'turn on the charm.' "Doing good on your apps, mom?"

"…Mom?" Ned asked, surprised.

Eda chuckled.

"Yup. Eda Clawthorne. Ollie's mom and the person who helped Anne and Sprig's families get here."

She then shook Ned's hand…and swiped the cash from his wallet.

"So, Ned. will you be having the usual today?" Anne guessed, already starting to write.

"Actually, I'm not just your customer anymore." spoke Ned.

"Wait, what?" Anne asked, confused.

"I bought a food truck!" proclaimed Ned, proudly. "I wanna bring your mom's amazing cooking to all of L.A. She puts the "POW!" in "Pad Kra Pao!"

Anne smiled at this. "NEAT!, You guys are in business together?!"

"No, we're not." said Oum, her tone deadpan. "I already told you, NED: We're just not interested in a food truck."

"But you've got the best Thai food in the country!" defended Ned. "and if we partnered up, we could make so much money together! Couldn't you just share some of your recipes with me?"

"Those recipes are FAMILY only." Oum responded.

"Well then, why not let him deliver?" Eda asked.

Ned and Oum turned to respond to Eda….only for their jaws to drop and their fingers wilted as if they were cartoons. Apparently, neither had considered that.

"Anne." Oum ordered.

"Way ahead of ya, mom!" Anne said, typing wildly on her phone. Within a few minutes, the restaurant's website was updated:

THAI GO

WE NOW DELIVER!

And orders started coming in!

"Sprig! We're going to need help boxing!" Oliver called out.

And Sprig was elated to hear that!

"Hey, let mama help too!" Eda said as she made her way to the back.

AOH

"Can you imagine what would've happened if Eda hadn't suggested delivery?" Sprig laughed at lunch break later that day.

"Oh my goodness, all the bad blood!" Ned laughed, everyone else joining him before he frowned sadly. "Again, so, so, SO sorry, Oum."

"Not a problem, Ned. You know better now." The Thai woman smiled. Her shift was almost done, Bee would take over until closing. And just in time for her to catch her Soaps!

The door then jingled open and everyone made their announcement.

"Hi there, welcome to Thai go!"

Bee stepped in and left the door open for two new faces: A young girl, slightly younger than Anne, with mostly blonde hair with a pink streak, and a tall older man.

"Sorry we're late, Mrs. B." The man apologized. "Molly's appointment went a little longer and… Oh wow, full house!...Ned."

"Robert." Ned responded.

"Not a problem, Robert." Oum smiled as she made her way to the door, giving Bee a kiss and rundown of what was happening.

"Wait, Molly Joe?" Anne asked, recognizing the one step-sibling Sasha liked with Robert.

At the sound of her name, the girl glanced up. Themn she gasped and dropped her phone.

"Anne? Anne?!" Molly Joe asked, rushing to hug the older girl, who returned the embrace. Robert realized this as well and gasped.

"Anne, you're okay!" He smiled happily, before his smile faded. "Wait..Sasha and Marcy are they…?"

Anne's eyes began to water, which turned top tears when she saw Molly Joe looking at her, desperate for some answer.

"…I think I better get on those deliveries." Ned said, taking some orders and leaving as quickly as he could.

Eda motioned for Robert and Molly Joe to follow her to the back with Anne and Bee. Anne looked at Olivier, who nodded and gave her a reassuring kiss on the forehead.

"I'll take care of it for as long as you need." Olivier promised with a sweet smile.

"Thanks." Anne managed, gentlyu taking Molly Joe to the back just as the door suddenly swung open.

"Hi there, welcome to Thai go!" Olivier greeted.

The newcomer was a tall bald man wearinmng glasses, a nice looking suit with a green flower on it and most notciable; shoes with tiny wheels on them.

"Swa di ka." He responded to Olivier.

(AN: The following conversation is presented in English because I don't trust google translate)

"(You speak Thai?)" Olivier asked.

"(Just a bit here and there.)" The fellow admitted as he glanced at the menu. "(I was stationed in Puket for a bit. You?)"

"(Thai rom-coms on my girlfriend's phone.)"

"(They do make good Rom-coms)." The man mused with a good-natured chuckle. "Anyways, we'll take one Pad Sew Ew and two Diet Pepsi to go."

"Right away!" Olivier beamed, reaching to the cooler for the drinks.

"Oh, and while I have you…" The man took out some photos and placed them on the table. "Have you seen any odd characters? Resembling frogs, witches and or gargoyles?"

It was at this moment Olivier Clawthrone knew: He was in trouble.