The thickness of smoke is blinding. The deeper they venture, the more it bellows, animals and wildlife come out in a rush, deer and squirrels and the bark stenches of sulfur. A vertigo is set upon her, like she was walking the line of a thin branch up in a high tree, she could topple from the staining of her lungs in the darkened smoke.

“Aika! This is a dangerous situation, we have to put this fire out immediately or else this whole side of the woods will be destroyed.” There is a lingering scent, it balanced well on the trained nose of the mushroom. “No, wait. This wasn’t on accident. I knew this seemed off to begin with.”

“I hardly think it’s the time to contemplate things like that, this fire is going to spread to our home too!” She drew her want and a ball of water placed itself at the tip. In comparison, it was like a mouse going against an elephant of fire, she however, wasn’t willing to let her land go amuck. Swooshing water piles into the flames, predictably nothing happens. A second winded wave of water sprays from her wand, this one using more power and magic. It will inevitably waste upon her mana, witches can only draw so much from the surrounding forces of nature before they themselves start to act as the sting of power.

“I don’t think I can, keep going much longer…” The voice of Aika grew weak and the witches hat on her head swayed from the magic she was outputting. There was a dying ember every quarter half-mile, it wasn’t enough, both her and him knew it.

“Albatross…” She calls out his name. In the moment of desperation a weak laugh escapes her. The name she had given to them, because he reminded her of those funny looking birds in nature documentaries.

“Don’t give up, Aika!” He shouts sprouting water from his own hands. Being blessed with a life-force from magic, he himself could use a limited amount. Neither of their efforts could stop the inferno. Minutes feel like hours, they battle on, in the end it’s too much and their bodies collapse onto the ground, a puff of dirt showing their defeat.

The licking of the flames comes closer, and closer, Aika is overwhelmed with the coming of the end. Both of their bodies paralyzed, the situation is hopeless as they slip into a deep sleep. With Aika’s last strength fading, a sensation of a warmth went under her back, as if she was lifted by an angel.

#

Blankets, soft, satin? This blanket was different from the quilt she was used too, what’s more, she could still feel things. How the heck can that be the case? She groans up and a sharp pain hits her in the belly. Seeing down, she is covered in bandage and has tubes going into her body.

“W-what the hell!? Am I some freaking science experiment! Release me!”

“Oh, you’re finally awake. Heh.” A doctor taps his pencil on a board, accompanying him are two nurses shocked to see her so upset.

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“Ma’am, please don’t bite the equipment…” Says one.

She stops. “Huh!? Who are you all?” Providing the need to stay calm is difficult. She never interacted with people, only Albatross, fireflies, the occasional pumpkin, this was out of her league and it wobbled in her voice.

“I understand you might be quite, well, best put it, out of it entirely we assure that the medicine in your body will wear off within the next couple of hours.” He had guessed that she wasn’t from around here, most witches, few as they were tended to live in secluded places.

“Of course, I’m making assumptions, but there was a boy here who was hiking in the woods, I’m guessing your friends or something.” He points his pen to a black-haired boy, it simmers down his face, he is fast asleep.

“Uh, no, I never met a boy in my life. Besides my dad. Or even a girl for that matter besides my mom. I guess if you count fungus as being a boy, then I met one other boy named Albatross. Why do I feel so, woozy?” she asks leaving everyone befuddled.

“The medicine.” The doctor repeated.

“It has hypnosis magic?”

“It has sedatives.”

“I, don’t think I understand.”

“You’re a funny one.” Said a warm voice. The boy has awoken, a gentle smile spread on his face.

“And you’re, uh, what’s your name?” she asks.

“Ryuu Sone, that’s my name. And yours, if you don’t mind me asking of course?”

There is a pause. She has a name of course, him saying two, that’s the part she’s unsure about.

“Aika, Aika.” She responds.

“Aika, Aika? Your parents must have had a good sense of humor.” He laughs. The doctor’s seeing the two interact now, leave them to their devices, it seems she’ll be well for the time-being.

“I doubt they have that same sense of humor, being covered in six feet of dirt can do that to a person.”

“Oh. Well, that’s depressing, I’m sorry to hear that.”

“I. Don’t know how to talk to people, sorry. Though I learned from TV self-deprecating humor makes someone more likeable.” It was often the case in shows she enjoyed, especially, sitcoms from America.

“You mean like that one guy who voices that bee in that one movie? What’s the deal with airline food and such?” a smile tugs at his face. He finds her rather amusing in the best way.

“Oh yes, Jerry Sentheld! No wait. Sentfield. Whatever he’s name is, I get cable TV.”

He couldn’t help question, don’t they show his name at the beginning of the episode?

“You’re a card, I like you already.” He got up going to her bedside. “Sorry for holding onto this, but I figured this was important to you.” He hands her, her wand. She can’t believe it, sure it’s battered and bruised from the previous events, but it’s alive and well.

“Thank you! You wouldn’t know how worried I was about this, this is a witches life right here don’t you know?”

“I don’t know much about witches, actually.” He admits. “Though if you’re anything like wizards, I take it as vital.”

“Let me show you how important it is.” She waves it around and in a puff of smoke, a nearby dividing curtain to give patients rest from the sun is set ablaze.

“W-what are you doing!?” The boy shouts going to the curtain.

“Oh, well, darn, it must be defective because of the fire, I should have figured, I’ll need to repair it.”

“WHY ARE YOU SO CALM PUT IT OUT THERE’S PEOPLE HERE!?”

“Yes, right. Uh. Let me see.” She waves it again engulfing it in more fire. “Well I’ll be a Witches cat.”

“AHHHH! NURSE, DOCTOR, SOMEONE!” he runs out of the room seeking immediate help. Aika only sighs, a broken wand is trouble for a witch. It’s like being a cat without it’s whiskers, or a mushroom without its spore. Albatross. Her heart stops, realizing Albatross is gone. Is he alright? And this place. Her mind wandered further— in the background, there is a team of nurses and doctors who dragged a water cooler to try and tame the fire before firemen arrive— Is this the city?