"Do you think it'll work?" a brunette asked from the doorway.

Vee nodded.
"They're going to blend in just fine!" she assured. "Plus, I let them pick their own outfits. I'm sure they’ll choose the right ones."

Luz sighed.
"That’s… not what I meant," she mumbled.

On the other side, her bespectacled friend was the first to step out. She wore a brown blouse, a green plaid skirt, maroon tights, and a yellow hoodie, with a cap covering both ears.

"You look amazing, Willow!"

The girl smiled shyly.
"Do you really think so? Isn’t it too much?"

Luz shook her head.
"You picked the perfect outfit for this autumn weather. Great job!"

Next came the illusionist, though he walked out with his head down.

"What’s wrong, Gus?"

He scratched the back of his neck, still too embarrassed to look up.
"I think I messed up with my human outfit," he sighed, gesturing at his clothes—a beige T-shirt with brown stripes, black shorts, a blue hoodie, and a matching headband that covered his ears. "I look weird, don’t I?"

A soft smile crossed Luz’s lips. She shook her head.
"You look great!" she praised. "Besides, fashion is all about self-expression. If you feel comfortable, that’s what matters. We shouldn’t be judged for how we dress—"

At that moment, a certain blond stepped out of the house, making Luz frown.

"—Except you, Hunter," she corrected. "Please, go change."

The red-eyed teen, wearing something that looked like an old hockey uniform, a winter hat over his ears, and snow goggles to match, shook his head.

"You're just jealous of my new human armor," he said proudly, making her pinch the bridge of her nose in frustration.

There was no time to argue.

"Seriously, you can’t go out like that. You need—"

"How do I look?"
Amity had interrupted the brewing argument. She wore a loose gray hoodie with black stripes, black pants, and earmuffs over her ears.

Luz turned to her girlfriend and was immediately entranced.
"Beautiful…" she whispered, making the girl blush. "You look absolutely gorgeous."

Everyone smiled at the scene—except for one blond boy, whose gaze was fixed not on them, but on someone else he secretly thought looked beautiful, too.

"Alright kids, into the car! It’s early, so we should—"
Camila paused mid-sentence, noticing the ex-guard. She smiled awkwardly.

"Hunter, sweetie, what are you wearing?"

At the sound of her voice, both Hunter and Luz cleared their throats and turned to face their host.

"It’s a human armor I found. We don’t know what dangers might be out there."

The older woman smiled warmly.
"There’s not much danger here, dear. You’ll be safe—and I’ll be going with you," she reassured him. "But if you like the look, I’d just suggest removing the gloves, arm pads, shoulder guards, shin guards, the chest plate, the goggles, and maybe the hockey stick… That way it’ll look a bit more casual."

The boy hesitated, but seeing Luz smile in approval made him sigh and head back inside to follow the suggestion.

"Alright then, into the car. Vee will ride up front, the rest of you in the back."

Luz nodded and headed toward the vehicle, only to be stopped by a nervous golden-eyed girl.

"Sorry to ask, Luz… but what’s a car?"

A small smile formed on the younger girl’s lips as she looked fondly at her curious friends.

"Well, you could say it’s like a rat worm cart—but this one," she pointed to the vehicle, "is mechanical. That means it’s made of parts and specially built so an adult human can drive it."

"So… I can’t drive it?" asked the disappointed illusionist.

Camila shook her head.
"None of you are old enough to drive. Maybe Hunter, but the rest will have to wait," she smiled. "Once you’re older, I promise I’ll teach you all personally. For now, no one touches the car without my permission, understood?"

The teens nodded in reluctant agreement, and once the blond reappeared—now dressed more appropriately—they all climbed into the vehicle, ready to face their first challenge in the Human Realm:

Going to the mall… without drawing attention.

What could possibly go wrong?