Penny checked her computer for concert tickets. "Come on …" She wouldn't HAVE to do this so last minute, but Penny made the dreaded mistake of trusting Djonjay with getting them. Not only did she NOT get her the ticket, she used the money PENNY gave her to buy her own!
So now she was stuck waiting for last minute buys instead of the pre orders, which would not only cost the rest of her saved money, but would be backseat. Thus farther away from the show. "Any minute these things will be on sale, and I need to buy them …"
"Penny, did you take out the trash!" Mom yelled.
"Yes mom!" She shouted back.
"Then why is it just as full and smell as bad as yesterday!?" Damn it, she knew she was forgetting something.
"I'll do it in a minute!"
"You better be doing it right now! It's full of your father's failed, proud snack flavors, and they're starting to rot!"
"I'm telling you, whipped cream and barbeque sauce go great together!"
"Then why did no one buy them?!"
Great, they were arguing. That should buy her a few minutes. Between her overbearing dad, her troublemaking siblings, town bullies that rarely got punished, and rather unreliable friends, it was a wonder she was able to stay as sane as she was. Thank goodness for Sugar Mama.
Any second now, those tickets would go on sale, then she would-
Bbrrrrrrr
She looked away from her laptop to see a large red ship flying to the ground. "Oh, Lilo's visiting." That was pretty cool. Been a long while since she thought about the Hawaiian girl with the pet alien. She still could hardly bring herself to believe that kind of stuff… though considering she stopped a whole army of peanut people from taking over the world, it was much easier to swallow.
"And like that, we're sold out!"
"Sold out!?"
"That's right, if you were looking out the window for the past five seconds, you missed your chance!"
"Oh come on!!" She screamed, slamming her laptop in anger as she ran downstairs. "Mom, Lilo's visiting, I'm gonna greet her real quick!"
"You better take out the trash as you are doing so! I don't want the rats taking over the kitchen again. We can't afford the exterminator and your dad stinks at getting rid of them."
"I refuse to believe lime and cinnamon flavored proud snacks are a certified rat poison!" She rolled her eyes as she grabbed the bag, walking on out to the yard as she tossed the bag into a bin.
She watched as the hatch came down, her friend from another landmass walking out. "Lilo, come here girl!" Penny ran up and hugged the little rascal. "It's been too long. How've you been?"
"Moved up a grade, beat Mertle in a Hula competition, and saved the galaxy from being taken over by an evil gerbil. You know, the usual."
"I see you haven't changed a bit." She grinned. "So what brings you to town, wanting to see the sights?"
"Wish that was the case, but I'm doing a small favor for some new friends I met." Lilo pointed to the ship as a group came out. "They're witches from another dimension and they're on a magic scavenger hunt."
"Oh …" She looked down. "How is it we can hear that sentence and not flinch, but life still sucks when romance is involved?"
"Because reality is harsher than fantasy." The Hawaiian girl sighed. "Anyways, they need to get on the road, but we have to go back to pick up their bus. I figured I could let them hang around here while we do that. You wouldn't mind, right, I know it's a bit last minute."
"Let me check." She turned to the house. "Mom, Dad, mind if some witches crash at our house!?"
"Are any of them going to ask you out!?" Dad shouted from inside.
"Na, five of us are spoken four." The girl that she could instantly tell was human said while holding the purple girl's hand. "And the other three aren't interested or are too dense for romance."
"They're good on that front!" She shouted back.
"If they're fine with washing their dishes and sleeping on the couch, it's fine!" Remove any possibility of having a boyfriend, and her dad was almostcool with anything.
"Then I guess we're cool." Penny nodded, introducing herself. "Hello, names Penny Proud, welcome to LA."
"Willow Park." The girl with strong biceps and glasses waved. "Nice to meet you."
"Dang girl, you're looking buff. You work out?"
"Every day. Gotta make sure I'm one step ahead of my enemies." The girl smirked.
"Hopefully I'm not one of them." She laughed, really hoping that was just a joke.
"Luz Noceda here. Only human of the group." The tanned girl with short hair introduced herself. "Thank you for being so understanding. Like seriously, it seems everyplace we go to that isn't my own freaking hometown seems better well off with the craziness."
"Meh, depends. One tourist screamed for a way out when robots took over." Penny shrugged. She wasn't even in deep into this kind of thing like Lilo was, yet she was acting like it was nothing.
"Amity Blight." The girl with purple hair was next. "Full disclosure, I'm prone to hate most adults, so sorry if I seem testy with any inside your house."
"Do your best, no one can hate Sugar Mama except maybe dad." She chuckled. The old woman was more likely to beat respect into the girl by the end of the day.
"Boscha. I just hate most humans in general, so best stay out of my way." The girl with three eyes and pink skin said with a slight glare
"Noted." She nodded. Looks like she found the group's LaCienega.
"Gus, avid fan of humans." The short kid smiled. "Can I ask you about everything you've ever done or learned?"
"Just keep it on the down low in front of my dad. He'll assume you're flirting with me and that's never a pretty picture." Someday she'll get that boyfriend.
"Vee. I like pretty much everyone." The girl with dark skin and afro hair smiled.
"And I'm Lucci and…" The curly haired boy sniffed. "What's that smell?"
"Oh, sorry, I was putting away the trash when I was coming outside." Penny apologized. "My dad's failed line of Proud snack flavors…."
"Ugh, Proud snacks, the one treat worse than Lion Lickers." Luz gagged.
"You mean the one treat that's better!" Lucci smirked wildly. "Mind if I take that?"
"What?" Penny's ears must have been broken.
"Crystal, I know we have very few standards, but eating out of trash?" Boscha asked.
"Angel, Mom raised me to find food whenever I can. Wasting perfectly edible food is one of life's greatest shames and sins." The boy stated firmly. "So, we doing this?"
"Proud snacks have been called many things….edible is not one of them." Even if they were witches that probably had different tastes, she felt like it was her civic duty to keep these abominations out of any living hands. "Look, I really don't think I should give you this.."
"I'll give you five hundred dollars right now." The Lucci boy rifled around in his hair, and pulled out a whole stack of the good green stuff.
"...Without telling you where you can find better, fresher ones!" She shouted, snatching the money before the boy could change his mind. "Dad, we got people askin for Proud Snacks!"
"WHAT!" Yeah, a screaming house was to be expected when money and dad was involved.
========================================================================
One moment Gus was outside. The next a man ran at him at blinding speeds before dragging them all inside and onto a table. "... Did anyone blink or-" And suddenly, multiple plates were served.
"I, Mr. Proud, present to you, live proud snacks." The man bowed. "Fresh from the oven, made in the very kitchen, the first proud snack was made."
"You call it origin, I call it ground zero for disaster." An old lady cackled from what appeared to be the living room of the house they only saw a flash off.
"Oh shut it Sugar Mama, these people are askin for my cookin!" The man smiled. "Go on, try it
Gus looked down at the strange food block that appeared to almost pulse … before shrugging, taking a bite. Flavor filled his mouth and his stomach as he swallowed. "Wait…this actually feels filling.." Gus noted. "And….it's not over sweet….it almost taste…"
"Like home." Hunter completed his thoughts, before shoving his into his mouth. "Oooh yeah…Luz, no offense to your mom, she's a lovely cook….but…this surpasses it by a LARGE margin.
"...What does your dad put in these things?" Luz asked, looking to Penny as she dangled her snack like it was a dangerous creature. "Witch food is completely indigestible to human stomachs. For it to fill them and to taste good, it has to be….inhuman to the smallest level."
"I just put in fish and chips, like the British." The man said with a grin. "It's gonna take the town by storm!"
"You do know fish and chips is just an expression for fried fish and fries, right?" Vee questioned.
"I know … that's next week's meal, where I plan on adding olive oil to the mix." Sounded like quite the catch.
"And like that, you have surpassed the weirdness meter of anyone in this town." A woman said. "Ms Proud, it's a pleasure to have you kids in our home."
"Thank you mam, it's nice that people are still willing to take strangers in." Doctor Waybright smiled back. "... You do have non lethal food, right?"
"Non lethal to you." Lucci rolled his eyes as he took another bite. "Could we get some seconds?"
"Hah, and Sugar Mama said people would never say that about my food!" Mr. Proud cackled loudly. "WHO'S LAUGHING NOW SUGA MAMA!?"
A chair was thrown from the living room and into the man's chest, knocking him into the sink. "Still me sonny boy! Don't think you can sass me over a fluke!"
"It's like Nana, but with more muscles …" Boscha muttered as she idly took a bite.
"So even adults have to deal with parents that suck." Amity grumbled.
"Nah, she doesn't suck. She's a mean old crabby lady, but, eh, she's family." Mr. Proud pulled himself from the sink. "Sure, I'd rather put her in a retirement home, but whatcha going to do about it. She'd haunt me either way."
"This seems … really nice." Hunter smiled as he ate.
"Yeah, we're hectic occasionally, but that's life." Penny smiled. "Just be glad my siblings aren't in the house right now. Those hellions would tear you apart."
"I can slightly relate. I have a little brother myself. Cute guy, but big head." Lucci nodded. "I can only hope Dana turns out exactly like him."
"Yes, exactly like him, except without the willingness to bend the law." Luz chuckled
"Where's the fun in that?" Lucci asked.
"Nah, younger siblings are still full of innocence and goodness. Older siblings are demons in disguise." Amity shivered.
"Or it's just siblings period." Hunter suggested. "Given Caleb and Philip …"
"So, we're just gonna wait here until the bus gets dropped off?" Gus asked, derailing the current topic before the conversation could make their current guest hosts uncomfortable.
"That seems to be the plan." Dr. Waybright cracked her neck. "I'm gonna go out for food that won't make my kidney's fail….no offense Mr. Proud, but that's what happened last time I ate some."
"You must've gotten the sour cream and chocolate variant." Ms. Proud observed.
"Please tell me we can get a small crate of these things to go." Lucci asked, his eyes begging for the treats.
"Depends…do you have six hundred smackers you can throw my way?"
"What can I get for nine hundred?"
"I know you steal a lot, but how do you still have so much money after Bonnie and Clyde?" Willow had to ask.
"They stole from me, I stole from them." Lucci smirked. "Plus I keep my serious money in Spinel, the one place no one can reach."
"I'm reliable!" The pink gem gave a thumbs up from Lucci's hair.
"I feel that's gonna backfire one day …" Amity shook her head. "Thank you all again for your hospitality."
"Not a problem, anyone that loves proud snacks is always welcomed in this house!" Mr. Proud proclaimed. "That and you're so much more tolerable than any of Penny's other friends."
"Standing right here dad."
"I said what I said."
"Family drama…it exists no matter where you are in the universe." Luz snickered.
========================================================================
Lucci smiled widely as he pushed his crate of Proud snacks out of the garage door. "Pleasure doing business with you Mr. Proud! You shall see me again." Finally, after all this time, food that he knew for a fact wouldn't make him sick to the stomach
"We're gonna need to rework the fridge." Luz muttered. "Between the human food and Vee's Rose tears."
"Why don't we just toss them out?" Boscha asked. "We have enough magic on our trip as it is."
"Because the only backup in case we don't see magic is our magic or Lucci's spit." Amity deadpanned. "So unless the three of you are okay with Lucci kissing Vee-"
"No/never/only on the forehead." Lucci, Boscha, and Vee said simultaneously.
"We can't ditch it."
"Relax, I'll just put it in Spice's mane. It's a whole other dimension in there. He'll have room." The lion looked over the crate, giving it a sniff … before falling over flat with eyes rolling up the back of his head.
"Do that and I'm pretty sure your pet won't live to see tomorrow." Hunter noted.
Luz moved down, placing her head next to the creature. "... Actually …" She began to sweat. "I don't think he's alive at all."
"What?" That didn't seem right.
"I came down to listen to breathing, but I don't hear a heartbeat-oh wait, there it goes." She said in relief … before frowning. "At … three beats per minute from my guess …"
"I'm no expert on Lions, but that doesn't seem healthy." Penny said as she walked up to join them. "..Then again, I've never seen a pink lion before. Yellow minions made from peanut butter, but not pink lions."
"I mean he's alive, he still eats." Vee said. "... Even if he vomits it all out a few minutes later …"
"We never figured out where Spice came from, have we?" Willow spoke up. "Other than coming from Lucci's womb donor."
"Which is all that we need to figure out." Lucci shut down the discussion. "He's alive, he's magic, and he's fluffy. That's all he needs to be." And it was enough for him. "Our real discussion should be on where to go next."
"If you need help with that …" They turned to a new voice of a man in a suit. "Maybe I can grant your wi-" Everybody immediately moved past the weirdo.
"So, are there any places to visit as tourist attractions?" Gus asked. "Maybe somebody left something there."
"The mall's always a good spot for a hand." Penny offered. "I would've been going to a concert tonight, but I couldn't get the tickets in time."
"I'm always down for a little break and entering." Lucci offered.
"Who needs to break and enter?" The weird man walked back. "When one has the power of wishing for-"
"You know, we don't even need to do it big." Amity said. "With Vee shapeshifting we can have her be a bouncer and sneak us in."
"You guys would really do that for me?" Penny smiled.
"Eh, small on the list of crimes we've committed across the country so far, sneaking in is honestly like a hop, skip, and a jump for us." Luz explained. "Plus my friends like the Proud snacks, so think of it as a small payback."
"Hello?" The weird man asked, poofing in front of them. "I'm offering magical wishes here!"
"Look, we're desperate, but we're not that desperate." Luz stated. "Everyone here knows magical genies always end up evil and jerkish."
"That and I caught them up on your bs the last two times, so nice try, Roker." Penny crossed her arms.
"Can't we just wish for him to not exist?" Gus asked.
"Dude, last time I did that I almost killed everyone in a paradox and got us on Father Time's shit list." Luz reminded them. "Do you really want to try that in magical genie form?"
"Oh yeah, I heard about that little blunder, a cosmic rip so big it got the attention of one of the big three, impressive for a fourteen year old." The man laughed before giving a small bow. "Names Al Roker."
"Lucifer Clawthorne." He nodded. "Now if you don't mind, no one here is making a wish, which means you have no power."
"Come on, everyone needs a wish. Everyone wishes for something at least once a week." He poofed between Hunter and Luz.
"And we're smart enough to know the consequences of wishing in front of you." Hunter said. "I ask for Belos gone from this world, and next thing you know it's because you sent him to the Boiling Isles."
"That does sound like something I would do." The poofing man nodded without even denying it. "But you're always able to retract the wish if you want. Penny here can vouch for me. I've retracted both wishes she made."
"Yeah, and both times sucked major eggs."
"But you learned a valuable lesson." Rooker laughed. "You don't seem to understand the concept of an aesop, don't you? I make wishes, you see what went wrong, and you learn and grow from your mistakes."
"Dude, let me be frank. Gods make the worst counselors for teaching people lessons." Luz said. "Mine was 'life doesn't care if you're here or not'."
"That wasn't the message at all honey." Al shook his head. "That thing up there knew you wouldn't believe some terrible world where everything was bad cause you weren't around. Besides, you don't live for others, you live for yourself. That's this kid's motto." He pointed to Lucci. "You can't waste your life constantly wondering about everyone and everything that gets hurt or damaged."
"Bringing me into your argument isn't going to make me like you any more." Lucci rolled his eyes. "By now we already know we can't make shortcuts to anything. We suffer, we struggle, but we're going to get through."
"The way of life." The man laughed. "It's the long and treacherous road that leads to a happy ending …" He looked back at them all. "Seriously though, no wishes? Sure there isn't something you'd want to be better?"
"The only thing I wish for is better company." Penny spoke sarcastically while rolling her eyes.
Rooker laughed, snapping his fingers. "Consider it done."
"Wait, that didn't count-!"
"Too late." Titan damn it!
========================================================================
Hunter watched as the fade slowly vanished, slowly turning to Penny. "Weren't you … the one to … WARN US IN THE FIRST PLACE!?" He shouted.
"Sorry, sorry, I got irritated! Last thing I wanted today was to get roped into what games the jerk had planned out for me!" Penny defended.
"Just revoke the wish before it's too late and we have to start dating each other!" Boscha screamed. "I do NOT want to end up in a timeline where I'm dating Luz!"
"Just calm down, calm down, freaking out about it isn't going to help us at all!" Luz screamed. "Now, where are we?"
"It looks…..like a mall." Amity stated, pointing to the various outlets surrounding them.
"Okay, she wished for better company … so, any company excluding criminals." Vee nodded.
"Wouldn't we vanish if that was the case?" Gus asked. "Penny, you know this guy the best, how does he work?"
"Last two times he came when I was frustrated. The first was when I was mad at my parents and wished for all the adults in town to become slaves." Penny explained.
"A blissful world …" Amity smiled, ignoring the looks sent her way.
"And the second time was when I was irritated at my baby sibs and wished for them to be old enough to take care of themselves, turning them from bratty babies into jerky teenagers."
"Less awesome." Luz shook her head. "So he can change the world, control our bodies, do whatever he wants, any limits?"
"He can pretty much do anything if it's in the confines of a wish." Penny shrugged.
"Then revoke it, like you said you could." Lucci suggested.
"Can't, because I don't even know what he changed for me to revoke." The girl pulled on her hair. "Last two times were more obvious. He doesn't work well with subtlety."
"Oooh, you wound me so." They turned their heads, seeing the man at a hot dog stand. "I believe I can blend into the crowd when the need calls for it."
"You!" Willow charged at the man. "Undo the wish, change whatever you changed back now!"
"I would do that right in a jiffy, dear Willow, except you didn't make the wish. Young Miss Penny Proud did." He pointed to the girl. "So, want some sauerkraut on your dog?" He offered what looked like a not dog."
"Actually we just ate." Lucci said.
"Proud Snacks yes, I was offering it to the people with normal stomachs." He pointed to Luz and Proud. "Come on, it's specially made from my own recipe."
"Enough games Rooker, just undue the wish!"
"Okay, I'll get on that." He slowly nodded. "Just tell me what you wish to undo. Also, do you want ketchup or mustard on yours?"
"She wished for better friends, just undo that wish." Hunter said.
"I'll take ketchup and mustard please." Luz said as everyone turned to her. "What, I didn't eat back at the house, I'm starving."
"You heard the cute boy Rooker, undo the wish." Penny said firmly. Wait, what did she mean by cute-?
"Yo Penny!"
"Whoops, can't be seen by others, secret convo and all that." Rocker handed Luz the food, before slamming the shutter shut.
"Wait, don't cut us-" Lucci pulled up the shutter, only for no one to be inside. "... I really hate teleporters." Hunter would choose to take that personally.
"Penny, Penny Girl, where have you been?!" A short black girl with blonde hair and big lips came up to Penny. "And who are your friends?" They looked around…looking at him with a particularly unnerving and hungry look. "Especially the bad boy beef cake right here?~" Why did he suddenly feel like prey?
Willow instantly got in front of him, grabbing the girl's hand. "I'm Willow, nice to meet you." The captain smiled as her arms tensed with a grip.
"Chill girl, no need to go all crazy Amazon on me, just being nice." The girl growled, taking her hand back.
"Guys…this is Dijoney. One of my closest friends." Penny sighed as she seemed to reluctantly introduce the new girl.
"The pleasure's all mine." The girl smiled, still giving him an eyefull. "So, are they out of towners? Did the principal stick a tour group of new students on you?"
"No, they're just passing though." Penny explained. "And you really cut us at a bad ti-"
"So you need help showing them around town? Got it! Let's divide and conquer." The girl shoved Penny to the side, knocking her into Willow, pushing them both into the ground. "I got the hunk right here. You get the rest." She grabbed him by the arms and began pulling him.
"Wow, I actually feel bad for Hunter of all people." Lucci deadpanned, turning to the others. "... Not that I'm not gonna enjoy it, but still." Damn you Clawthorne! In any other situation he'd teleport out of this!
"That's your friend?" He heard Amity ask as they picked the two down girls up. "...I don't see it. Even Lucci never acted that selfishly over his crush."
"Childhood friend thing, cut her a little slack." Penny shrugged. "... Well that and she's still the least of evils amongst my friends." Not that Hunter had room to judge, but it sounded like she needed better friends. "Well, her and Zoey."
"So bad boy, got a cute name to go along with that cute face?" This 'Dijoney' spoke to him with eyes he's only seen Moxie and Millie give each other.
"Yes … I do … and I'll tell it to you … from a distance." He tried to pull himself free. "You know, where we can both be comfortable."
"I'm pretty comfortable right now." Was she purring?! This was sending so many red flags to his brain!
"Yo guys, what's up?!" Yet ANOTHER voice shouted out. "Dijoney, you ready for ton-oooh, hello yummy looking~" A tanned girl came up to him. "What's your na-"
Willow, thank titan, came up to him and shoved the girl out of the way. "It's 'get the hell out of his personal space before you do something you'll regret'."
Lucci walked up, picking up Hunter from Dijoney. "Yeah, as much as I like watching you suffer, there is a line, and girls fighting over someone's past that." He proceeded to drag the boy back over to the group. "Even you don't deserve a Bria."
"Thanks…I think?"
"Watch it, I just got my hair done!" The new girl growled as the rest of the group caught up with them. "Penny Proud, of course you'd be the one tagging along with some brutish She hulk and her tacky looking friends."
"Tell me this is an enemy." Gus asked the girl.
"LaCeinenga's a... Frenemey." Penny replied. "Kinda like some of you guys … I think?"
"That mainly describes Lucci and Hunter." Vee nodded.
"And Boscha and Willow on a bad day." Amity shrugged. "She's improved."
"I will destroy you later." Boscha growled. "Right after I pound the bland girl for calling me tacky."
"What, it's true. Pink tan, not doing you any favors girl." The new girl rolled her eyes, before turning to Amity. "Dye job's fading, and there's several brown spot, ick city. And then you-" She pointed to Luz, before Amity came up close, taking out an abomination knife.
"Be very careful how you word your next sentence towards my Luz."
"... Wow, girl with an edge, now we're getting somewhere." Dijoney nodded with a smirk. "Wanna hit up a store later?"
"Maybe later Dijoney, we're kind of in a hurry." Penny tried to push things along.
"What, not like you have anywhere to be, given you're not going to the concert tonight." The new girl, Lacienga apparently, snorted at their expense. "Too Bad Dijoney could only take ONE friend. Guess that means I'm higher on the totem pole than you."
Penny blinked at that. "Where would she …" The teenager paused, slowly turning to the other girl. "Wait….Dijoney…..did you use the money I gave you….to buy US tickets….to buy one for you….and LACEINENGA!?"
"Penny, I had a really good explanation for that." The blonde girl raised her hands. "She grabbed the lead singer's sweatshirt and she said it was all mine if I took her to the concert, and I didn't have money to get all three of us tickets…so really it's on you for not having enough for me to spend."....Wow….what a bitch.
There was nothing but silence for a moment, before Willow turned to Boscha. "Please tell me you weren't this bad with your Grudgby team."
"I was more of a drill sergeant than an emotional manipulator. If you could survive broken bones with loyalty you were fine in my book." Perfectly reasonable.
Penny growled, her entire face beating red as she shook her fist, looking like she was about to explode….before simply breathing. "You know what….enjoy the concert. Enjoy your time together, enjoying being friends….because clearly that's somethin we aint!" She turned around
"Come on Penny, next time I'll make sure to get your ticket after min-"
"No! There's not going to BE a next time!" Penny exclaimed. "Time after time, you ditch me, you side against me, you dump your responsibilities like leaving me to babysit YOUR bratty cousins, and you never have my back! I can't name ONE single time where you actually did something nice for me that wasn't out of guilt after YOU did something crummy to me! You're NOT my friend, I'm just some pack mule for you to use at your convenience! Well no more!"
She walked away as Dijoney looked hurt. "Come on, Penny!"
"Oh don't bother, we're the only girls to hang out with her crazy family anyway." Laceinenga rolled her eyes, before turning back to Hunter. "So, single and ready to mingle?"
"… You're familiar with magic, right?" He asked.
"Vaguely. There was a thing with Peanut people a while back."
"Good." With that, Hunter teleported far, far away from the situation.
"Chirp." Good for you Hunter. Glad you recognize the signs to hightail it out of there.
"Of course. I'd never get within ten feet of that." Someone crowding his personal space…not a fine
========================================================================
Al Roker smiled as he watched the steaming Penny walk out of the mall. "Of all the mother freaking…ugh! Can't believe I let her use me like that!"
"Hey, it's alright." The Vee girl patted Penny on the back. "The important thing is that you walked away without major conflict."
"How did it take you this long to snap?" The Gus boy asked. "I mean, Amity only cracked because Luz came into her life."
"I don't know…we knew each other for years, I thought even if she was a little selfish, she at least wouldn't backstage me like that…" Penny growled. "I feel so stupid."
"Don't feel too bad. You're not alone in making bad decisions on the friendship front." Willow sighed. "Ten years ago I broke things off with Amity and Lucci because I assumed the worst about them. Would've saved myself a lot of trauma if I'd just talked to either of them."
"Conversation, the easiest solution." Lucci said with a smile. "Followed by the funnest solution, violence."
"Let's save that one for the back burner." Luz brought up.
"Hey, it's Penny's ex friends. She should have the option to burn their house down if she pleases." Such a fun kid.
"You never burnt down my house." Willow said.
"Like I said, I never wanted to stop being your friend. That and I didn't hate your family enough to do so."
"I wished you burnt down mine." Amity grumbled.
"Pfft….heh…..You guys…you guys are a riot." Penny laughed. "Even with all the snide and snark…you're still friends." The girl sighed. "I thought that's what I had…but…clearly I don't."
"Hey, on the bright side, you have us now." Luz patted the girl on the back. "We'll help each other when we need to, no questions asked."
"True … unfortunately, you guys don't live here." Penny sighed. "And I doubt you'd want to."
"We're working on a magic portal to take us back and forth between worlds, and we have a magic teleporting lion." Vee smirked. "We can work something eventually."
Perfect, the pieces were in place. "Still ready to revoke that wish?" Al asked, finally making himself known.
"You can stop messing with me Rooker, I don't even know what changed." Penny groaned.
"Really, because you were just grumbling about it a second ago." Rooker smirked. "Maybe I was too subtle after all."
"… Did you up her friend's negative traits to make her ditch them?" Luz asked.
"No, no, nothing that cruel. I'm here to teach lessons, not torture…though I try to do both whenever possible." He laughed. "The only thing I did was teleport you all to where her 'worst company' was hanging out today. That's how both Dijoney and Lacienga act on a daily basis."
"Ah … wait, what about Zoey and Sticky?" Penny questioned
"Zoey's more of a doormat that goes along with a trend and Sticky spends most of his time running away from Dijoney." Rooker explained. "They'll understand your side of the story. My main goal here was to show you that your supposed 'best friend' sucks."
"So you granted a wish … by doing nothing?" Gus asked.
"The best wish there is." He smiled. "Penny, you don't have to stick with awful people just because you've known them for a long time and live next door to them. There comes a time where you need to put your foot down and cut them off if they don't care about you."
"Preferably off a bridge suspended by a rope." Lucci gave super helpful advice.
"… Yeah, just ignore Clawthorne for now." Hunter winced.
"I mean, it's not like he's wrong." Rooker shrugged. "Point is, now you know what bad friends are like, and you're surrounded by good friends. Sure, they don't live close, but it's better to have many distant friends than close horrible ones."
"Huh….for once I made a wish that turned out okay." Penny blinked
"Yeah." Luz nodded. "Imagine if I wish for-" A snake jumped from the curly haired boy's head and jumped the girl. "AHH! She's hitting my eye!"
"You were about to say I wish in front of a mad genie." Gus pointed out.
"Well, guess my work here is done." Roker made a circle appear as the fires of hell encased him.
"Wait..you were a demon!?" Hunter asked.
"Yep. Cursed to help mortals as part of my 'penance'. It's not the best life, but it's a tolerable one."
The boy smiled. "Tell Charlie and Alastor I said hi, and the V's to go fuck themselves. Next time we meet I'm putting them down myself!"
"Will do, Clawthorne, will do." Fun kid.