The remains of a civilization were found in the distant corners of the Suspiria Island, covered by the thick and dark Fog. A civilization that fought for survival, considering the countless dangers of this place. Not only was it difficult to avoid the Fog, but also acquiring food was a constant battle. The competition against the beasts afflicted by it, and the fact that their meat could be disastrous for human consumption if overeaten, pushed the islanders to favor a diet rich in vegetables. The cultivation of potato, eggplant, tomato and pepper; combined with the peculiar spices and sea salts of the island, created a pseudo-cuisine that was colorful, rich in vitamins, and truly delicious.

A delicious aroma of these vegetables boiling in a cauldron was spreading through the openings of a small cave, situated conveniently close to some little crops. Inside of this cave, there was a chubby and tall man, who was stirring the cauldron with a wooden spoon. His stirring was rhythmic and relaxed. The cave was very well put together. One could even call it a house. It had its kitchen, close to the living room and even a roof above, signaling the existence of a second floor accessed through the wooden stairs. On this second floor was a colorful bedroom with a bunk bed and a regular bed. In these beds, there were three little girls, who were placidly sleeping. The room had a window, covered by curtains preventing sunlight from entering. Sunlight was still able to slip through the gaps in these curtains, indicating morning time. On the little night table close to the lower part of the bunk bed, there was a purple toad, who in no time opened its eyes and started croaking.

PIRIRIRI CROAAAAK PIRIRIRIRI CROAAAK PIRIRIRI CROAAA-

It continued with its loud croaking, if not for the girl of the nearby bed punching and squeezing it, in a way that its eyes almost popped out of their socket in a very comical manner. Thanks to the affliction of the Fog, the toad had mutated and its body and organs had become of a very slimy and elastic substance, almost like rubber. This way, it did not suffer any harm from this interaction. After the toad jumped to the floor and returned to its silence, the little girl jumped out of bed. Her pastel pink colored hair matched her shirt and pants, which were sunflower patterned.

-Thank you for always waking me up, Grumpy! Come here!-

She ran to catch the toad, hugging it and squeezing it again. It made a grumpy face, quickly jumping away and back to the night table.

-Today’s the day! Everyone, wake up! Come on! Wake up!-

She went up the stairs of the bunk bed and squeezed and shook her snowy-haired sister, who let out a grunt from being woken up and then a sigh of defeat. Afterward, the pastel-pink-colored hair gal threw herself on top of the singular bed.

-Wake up, sleepies!-

The girl on the singular bed woke up, quickly stretching and opening her eyes, as if they were squinting while she moved her long blue hair away from her face.

-Come on Berry… You don’t gotta throw yourself on top of me for that.-

She sat on the bed, rubbing her eyes and yawning. She approached the night table with her hand. Meanwhile, the snowy-haired sister stealthily went down the stairs of the bunk bed. She was wearing a long black nightgown, so long that it even dragged its skirt through the ground. She grabbed Berry before she ran away.

-Oops! Noooooo! Thorn! You caught me!-

The snowy-haired sister, Thorn, laughed. Little Berry’s cuteness always warmed her heart.

-Alright little kangaroo, calm down. We have a place to be, don’t we? Leaf?-

She looked at the blue-haired sister, Leaf, as she grabbed her glasses and put them on.

-Yeah… It’s time to get ready.-

Berry tried to run away from her sister’s grip, laughing and smiling.

-Let me goooo, Thorn!-

-Nope! I got you!-

She tickled her little sister, making her laugh much more contagious while she turned to face her other little sister.

-Oh, Leaf. Don’t forget I ironed your shirt last night. It’s probably at the hallway window.-

Thorn turned back to face Berry.

–And you, young lady. I suppose you have everything ready and organized for today… Riiiiiiight…?-

-OOPS! I FORGOT-! I WAS SO EXCITED I FORGOT TO PACK A BACKPACK! AAAA.-

Thorn let Berry go, as she shot herself running downstairs, at the same time Leaf laughed at her sister’s clumsiness.

-She is a scatterbrain, as usual…-

She stretched one more time and then she finally got out of bed.

-You don’t seem that excited.-

Thorn shrugged at the question, starting to do her bed.

-I’m fine… I mean... It’s just school, right?-

Leaf gasped, shocked.

-You mean THE school! We’re gonna learn magic! You should be jumping from joy! You oughta borrow a bit of Berry’s energy.-

As she said this, Berry started to throw things around in the other room.

-WHERE’S MY DIARY?!-

Leaf laughed.

-And… she needs to tone it down… Just a little bit.-

Thorn smiled playfully at Leaf.

-I could use some energy. But to have enough to put up with you two.-

She lifted a towel, grabbed Berry’s diary, and approached her to deliver it.

-Oops! So that’s where it was.-

Berry stored it in her backpack.

Leaf laughed at that interaction, while she started tying her hair into a ponytail. Once she was done with that, she approached the enormous wardrobe and opened it. There were three sections of clothes in there. The one to the left was full of black and gothic-esque dresses and robes, alongside boots. The one in the middle was organized by item, such as many tidy clothes such as shirts or overalls, mostly of fancy colors such as blue. The last section of the wardrobe was complete and utter colorful chaos full of bright yellows, lovely pinks, and strange greens. It had many comfortable clothes, like sweaters and skirts. Leaf approached the middle section. It was hers. Once there, she started to arrange an outfit, settling down for some overalls, sneakers and her trusty bracelets. Once she had everything ready, she approached the window, to grab her shirt.

-You guys don’t mind if I use the bathroom first?-

-Go ahead. I’ll count the minutes. We have to be there at eight sharp. That means each of us has-

Thorn responded, only to be interrupted by the door.

Their room’s door suddenly opened, revealing the tall chubby man. He seriously glanced at the girls. An atmosphere of mystery and tension filled the air. His brown, worn-out robe and slicked-back brown hair gave him an air of hardship. After this short-lived battle of glances, he quickly broke character and started jumping in the air with joy.

-GIRLS! TODAY’S YOUR BIG DAY! YAAAY!-

Berry rushed to him, grabbing onto his hands and starting to jump from joy with him.

-YES IT IS! YAY YAY YAY YAY YAAAAY!-

The chubby man lifted his daughter from the ground and spun her joyfully through the air, sitting her on his shoulders.

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I told you I was gonna get you into Suspiria’s School of Witchery or my name isn’t Phistopheles Hexspell! So! Who’s excited?!-

Berry lifted her hand in the air.

-I am! I am!-

Their celebration was cut short by Leaf’s screams of agony in the bathroom.

-AAAAAACK- WATER’S COLD! WE FORGOT TO LIGHT THE CAULDRON!-

However, Thorn came to the rescue, as she was already lighting it up.

-Just wait a few minutes, it’s on already!-

She walked to the wardrobe, grabbed one of her black dresses, and got dressed. Downstairs, Papa Phistopheles and Berry looked at each other to then laugh at Leaf’s screams.

-My girls are so big now... I feel like a proud papa… Your first day of magic school…-

-We’ll make you proud!-

Berry jumped from his shoulders, lifting her arms in the air as she landed.

-Woooooh! See?! This time I didn’t trip and fall!-

He gasped proudly.

-OOOHHH WOW! Good landing, good landing indeed!-

He clapped and bowed to his little daughter.

While they were playing around, Thorn was still upstairs. Counting their lunches, the backpacks, and its contents; notebooks, graphites, good luck charms, checking for every small corner of the house, to make sure nothing important was forgotten or left behind. She returned to the items she had just finished, checking several times to ensure a mistake was not made and nothing was forgotten. She paid a lot of attention to details and counted both vocally and with her fingers. As she did this, Leaf came out of the bathroom, wearing a towel in her hair and a bathrobe.

-Bath’s ready. Who’s next?-

She got close to their lunches, approaching with her hand to a little lettuce wrap, only to be intercepted by Thorn with a slap to her hand.

-Berry! It’s your turn! Hurry up or we’re gonna be late!-

Papa Phistopheles walked towards her eldest daughter, smiling.

-Why so stressed, Thorny?-

-Stressed?-

She turned to face her father.

-Why would I be? I just want things to go well.-

As Leaf tried again to grab a piece of her wrap, Thorn put it away, looking directly into her eyes.

-Go get dressed.-

Leaf sighed.

-Defeated again by the almighty Thorn...-

She laughed and then go upstairs to start getting dressed

Berry joined the conversation.

-Ohhhh! Bath time! Should I bathe Grumpy as well?-

Grumpy, who just finished going down the stairs with great difficulty because of its bouncy round body, immediately let out a screech and started trying to jump back upstairs, full of fear. Thorn laughed at it and started delicately pushing her little sister to the bath.

-I think Grumpy is good. Come on, chop chop!-

-Okaaay! Going!-

Berry ran to the bathroom, with the energy of a thousand burning suns. Thorn on the other hand sighed of relief and sat on one of the chairs of the living room. Papa Phistopheles was in the nearby kitchen, deboning a wild rooster.

-Thorn… You ARE stressed.-

She slightly frowned.

-I’m fine, dad… It’s just the first-day nerves, that’s all...-

He switched to a contemplative stance.

-Mmmh… You know! When I was your age, I used to have a lot of first-day nerves too. I loved helping aaaall of my siblings get their stuff ready. We were like eight! But we worked well…-

Thorn listened to her father carefully, leaning her chin on top of her knuckles. She had heard this story millions of times, but she let her old man be what he was. An old man. Leaf approached both of them, now dressed in her fully realized outfit.

-You’re telling the story about your seven siblings again, dad?-

While smiling, she grabbed some pepper crackers from the pantry.-

-Again?! Have I told you that story before, Thorn?

She laughed and nodded.

-Oh, doolittles… I’m getting old, girls…-

He let out a melancholic smile, while Leaf munched on her pepper crackers.

-Everyone gets old. Better to embrace old age than to reject it, don’t ya think?-

She patted her father’s back. Thorn got up and grabbed a little stone plate, to put it under Leaf’s crackers.

-Well, look at you! When did you get so wise, Leaf?-

She shrugged.

-By speaking with old Mister Tim from the market. He knows a LOT of stuff.-

Thorn worried, raising her eyebrow.

-That crazy homeless guy? When have you been speaking to him?-

Phistopheles looked at her with scolding intent.

-Thorn.-

-What?! He is!-

Leaf looked at her with indignation.

-He’s not! He knows a lot of stuff and is very smart! He’s one of the only surviving seniors who saw the Fog phenomenon happen! There’s so little information here that I need to hold on to whatever little knowledge I can get…-

She said this with some sadness in her eyes. Thorn sighed and patted her back.

-I understand… Just be careful, alright?-

-I always am! You shouldn’t worry about me… I can take care of myself, you know? Berry on the other hand…-

As she said this, a loud thud could be heard coming from the bathroom.

-I’M OKAY! I’m okay…-

Leaf and Thorn looked at each other to then laugh and shake their heads.

-Will you two just survive for a bit while I get ready?-

Leaf laughed again and as she said this, Berry got out of the bathroom, with her long hair covering her eyes.

-Thooorn! Bath’s ready now. I wonder what I should wear today… Maybe my rainbow skirt… Maybe my pink flamingo sombrero… Hmmm…-

Thorn looked directly at Leaf, trying to plead for assistance.

-Alright, alright, I’ll help her.-

Leaf said while laughing. Thorn then grabbed her towel and approached the bathroom.

Thorn got ready by herself. There was no one to steam her dress, or no one to choose an outfit piece for her. She did it all by herself, efficiently and quickly. In less than twenty minutes, she finished her whole look. Unfortunately, Leaf was still helping Berry choose an outfit. Thorn sighed at this but joined in anyway to help them. In the end, Berry decided to wear a light yellow sweater and a long brown skirt. Rushing to make their bags, they finished the whole ordeal in around forty minutes. Berry ran to the main entrance of the house, starting to put her red shoes on. She was styling a giant explorer’s backpack. Leaf on the other side was carrying a smaller more reasonably sized bag. Thorn made sure they were completely ready, to then look back at their dad.

-Alright Father, we’re leaving!-

However, Papa Phistopheles rushed to approach them.

-Wait, wait, wait! I have a little surprise for you my little birdies!-

He walked to the left, stepping on a backward-leaning triangular rock. It then slid the wooden wall to the right, revealing a hidden closet. While his daughters gasped in awe, he got closer to it and retrieved three little pointy hats.

-For each of you… So you can be the most fashionable girlies at school! Hold on! This will just be a moment, I promise.-

Berry gasped. Leaf looked in awe.

-THEY’RE WITCH HATS! OH MY GOSH!-

-Wow… They’re amazing!-

Papa Phistopheles took one of the hats while leaving the others locked in his elbow. It was a red one, with little white spots around it, modeled from curated Amanita Muscaria mushrooms. He approached Berry and put it on.

-This one is for you, my youngest, Berry. It’s as vividly red as your passion, and as white as your soul. It will keep your energy always up, and accompany you in every adventure.-

He then grabbed a deep blue mushroom hat, modeled from curated Lactarius Indigo mushrooms.

-This one is for you, Leaf. My middle daughter. A deep blue that represents your intelligence and wits, and a lighter blue for protection, to keep you safe during your ventures, wherever they may take you.-

He finally got to Thorn, putting on the black and final hat. Modeled from curated Ink Cap mushrooms.

-And to my oldest daughter… For you I’ve picked the color of ink, so you can write your own destiny, and for it to keep you warm through the cold of the night.-

He then took a couple of steps backward, to look at them.

- This is a piece of self-worth for all witches... And you’ll be forever tied to it... Witches normally get these from their teachers. But since Suspiria’s school is expecting kids who are already versed in magic, I figured I would make these for you.-

He looked at them, smiling and clearing a tear from his eyes.

-I’m so very proud of you, darlings.-

Berry quickly jumped into his father’s side, hugging him strongly.

-Thank you! I love it so much!-

Leaf joined into his other side.

-Thank you… It’s perfect…-

Thorn stood away, thinking about what her father had just said. Unsure of how one could write their own destiny. She didn’t have too much time to think, since Papa Phistopheles quickly grabbed her by the arm and made her join in the middle. He then hugged all of them very dearly.

-Thanks to you… for making me the happiest old man.-

He kissed each of them on the forehead.

-Now go. You’re gonna be late!-

He pushed them towards the door. He knew that if he took more time this would be harder.

Leaf rubbed her teary eyes, waving him goodbye.

-We’ll see you at night!-

Berry made a heart sign with both of her hands.

-We’re making you proud! And it’s a promise!-

Thorn smiled and waved goodbye.

-See You later, pops.-

Papa Phistopheles sat in a chair looking at them slowly going away.

-I’ll be here! Waiting for you…-

While the little ladies walked away, the exteriors of the cave house could be seen. The entrance was closed by a big circular stone, which could be slid sideways without much effort, letting them get out. Some crows were flying above the fog-ridden skies. The Fog had transformed them into bigger beasts, more akin to gargoyles. They were fighting for a piece of rotten meat. Biting and scratching each other with their sharp talons. As the three sisters walked away from the house, one of the crows appeared to get away from the fight, to observe them for a moment. Afterward, it let out a monstrous caw and then flap its deformed wings. It flew quickly and desperately as if it was on a mission. As it traveled through the gray skies, a certain tower became visible. The crow landed inside the tower, hitting the window with its head, and opening it in the process. A feminine figure was found inside the tower. Styling black, translucent hair. An ethereal, shadowy figure, more akin to the Fog than to a woman. Her hair extended and combined with the Fog itself, becoming one. Her translucent hand petted the crow's head and then fed him a piece of lettuce. As if it just completed a task for her.