Darwin woke to the soft morning light streaming through his curtains, groggily rubbing his eyes as he stumbled into the kitchen. His mother was already gone for work, as usual, but something on the counter caught his attention—a neatly prepared breakfast waiting for him alongside a small, folded note. Next to it was the crumpled flyer for Ashbain’s General Magical Services, now smoothed out and placed in plain view. He unfolded the note with a growing smile: “Good luck on your journey, my son. I believe in you, and I know you can achieve great things. Go for your dreams. Love, Mom.”
Darwin felt a swell of warmth and determination. His mom’s quiet support was all he needed to shake off the nerves. Grabbing the flyer, he quickly ate, threw on his shoes, and dashed out the door. Today was the first step toward something bigger—his chance to finally prove himself.
The town of Havenmere hums with morning life. It’s a bustling but quaint town, with cobblestone streets weaving through shops (though soon to be replaced with the more high-tech kinetic roadways. Havenmere is like any ordinary town, with grocery stores and bakeries, schools and coffee shops, but here, nearly everything is touched by a hint of magic. Townsfolk of all kinds go about their day—students with enchanted backpacks head to school, wizards in sharp suits hurry off to work, and families sit at outdoor cafes sipping “Spellbound Mochas”, “Moonbeak Lattes, and other caffeinated concoctions. Residents gather over breakfast, listening to the latest updates from the town’s news channel, EN-CHANT-9.
{EN-CHANT-9 NEWS ANCHOR: “And in last night’s headlines, a magical mishap involving a rogue spellcaster led to hundreds of frogs hopping across the streets of downtown Havenmere. Officials from the Arcane Standards Bureau—our trusted ‘spell police’—arrived at the scene and neutralized the situation. However, many citizens are calling for stricter regulations on unsanctioned wizard guilds.”}
It’s been nearly a hundred years since the formation of the ASB, the Arcane Standards Bureau, and in that time, magical incidents like these have decreased by over 97%. With the ASB enforcing strict safety standards, wizards who go rogue are fewer and further between. The Bureau’s mission? To protect both people and property from the chaos that magic can sometimes bring. In towns and cities across the kingdom, the ASB ensures that spellcasters, especially lower-ranked guilds, follow precise rules and regulations.
Once, wizards roamed freely, casting spells without consequence or care for property damage. But now? Even a minor magical mishap could mean costly fines or the loss of guild rank, which can mean a major decline in resources and status. One guild in particular should definitely be worried about this. “Ashbain’s General Magical Services” as the sign reads above the weathered building. It has its charm with crooked windows and a slightly peeling paint job. The owner, MERRICK ASHBAIN, the self-proclaimed “master wizard” of this establishment is inside trying to figure out how things could have went so wrong last time, for it was he and his wizards who were the main cause of what's being called…”Night of A Million Frogs”.
He mumbles as he shuffles through stacks of paperwork scattered across the desk, stopping to squint at the faded writing. He’s visibly irritated, muttering under his breath about the ASB and its endless bureaucracy. Merrick moves around the office, checking his magical contracts, organizing supplies, and anxiously glancing at the clock, fully aware that an ASB inspection could come at any moment. His two employees, SAFFREY SMOKEVINE and TALLY BRIGHTSPARK, seem less concerned.}
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SAFFREY, standing by the alchemy table, stirs a potion that bubbles ominously. She wears protective goggles, concentrating as the potion glows a faint orange. Without warning…BOOM! The flash lets off a small explosion and then a POOF of smoke, leaving a smear of soot across her cheek. Saffrey coughs and waves away the smoke, only slightly annoyed.
TALLY, meanwhile, sits on the floor, working on one of his enchanted drones from the frog incident the night before. He’s tinkering with its tiny gears, adding small modifications to give it a “magical net” attachment—a temporary capture device that can contain creatures and enchanted objects for a limited time.*
Merrick’s mind races with the possible repercussions of last night’s frog incident. Although his team managed to clean up most of the mess, the ASB is bound to come knocking. But his assistants, Saffrey and Tally, seem unfazed. They go about their tasks, half-listening to his muttering with faint smiles.
From across the room, Saffrey smirks as she watches Merrick mumbling to himself.
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SAFFREY: Merrick, relax. The ASB has better things to do than worry about a few frogs.”
MERRICK: A few frogs? A few hundred frogs, Saffrey. And in the middle of the town square! We should’ve had a better formation, a plan!”
TALLY: Formation? Plan? Merrick, it’s a frog containment job, not a royal battle. Besides, the only reason there were hundreds of frogs is because someone got a little carried away with the spellwork.
MERRICK: If you’re implying that I’m to blame, it was Saffrey’s overly potent potion that caused the multiplication in the first place.
SAFFREY: Oh, so we’re blaming me now, are we? Let’s not forget it was your ancient incantation that backfired. The ASB will chalk it up to you overdoing it—again.”
TALLY: I say if the Knight Enforcers wouldn’t have showed up, this would not have been a big deal. I mean at least we cleaned up…most of it.
{Just then, the door jingles open, and Peter Silverridge steps in—the man who had been turned into a frog the night before. He looks understandably annoyed, glancing between the three of them with narrowed eyes.
The three wizards turn, caught off guard by their visitor. Merrick’s face shifts from irritation to his best attempt at a warm, “customer service” smile.}
MERRICK: Well hello Mr. Silverridge! And how are you doing on this beautiful morning?
PETER: How am I you ask? Well first my EX girlfriend turned me into a frog for trying to do something special. THEN I come to you guys for help and you cast some weird spell on me that turns me into like a million frogs.
TALLY: By my calculations it was 7,427…I think a couple of you got squished.
PETER: DO YOU KNOW HOW THAT FEELS!!! Another YOU that’s a freaking frog being stepped on again and again…I still haven’t slept thinking about this and i don’t think I ever will again.
SAFFREY: I have a potion for sleep, hours, even days in your own little dreamland.
PETER: NO! You stay away from me with your weird little potions. All I wanted was for you guys to turn me back into a person, that's it, and somehow I’m on the news…NAKED!
TALLY: I really feel like your ex should be taking a lot of the blame here. WE didn’t turn you into a frog.
SAFFREY: Wait now, hold up! Why should she take a lot of the blame? Who was the cheapskate who proposed at a greasy burger spot in the first place? Also did you guys see the ring? Did you win it at a fair or how many boxes of Dragon Puffs cereal did you have to eat to find it?
PETER: Hey now, I didn’t….
TALLY: WHOAAAA NOW! Saffrey, the man was probably doing the best who could in a forced situation.
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SAFFREY: Forced? Look at him. Who’s forcing that to do anything?
TALLY: Look at what he’s wearing. Cheap. Secondhand. Not a ounce of fashion sense.
PETER: Well this is becoming very personal, I just wanted…
SAFFREY: Exactly! He should be crawling on his hands and knees begging her for a second chance.
TALLY: He scrapped and saved and sacrificed by getting those cheap clothes, cutting his own hair, and look at his glasses. Do you think a man who wasn’t saving for something special would walk around looking like this on purpose? No Saffrey. No. Also, I am sure he’s here to thank us and NOT ask for a refund like some wheaty small little man who cries and boo hoos about stuff.
PETER: Speaking of refund, I was actually…
SAFFREY: No, give him all his money back and then some. He’s gonna need it when he moves back in with mommy. While she is out with one of his coworkers on a REAL date, laughing behind his back and making fun of how small he is.
PETER: My coworker? Wait, Who John? Frador? Maximus? What do you know?
TALLY: He doesn’t need his money back. He needs to step out in the world with his chest out, head held high, and grab the next pretty thing that says hello, kiss her and then march down to his ex’s job and say “LOOK WHAT YOU COULD HAVE HAD BABY!”
MERRICK: SILENCE! Sir, I want to apologize for my young wards.
TALLY/SAFFREY: Wards?
MERRICK: I do apologize for everything that happened but let’s discuss this in my office.
PETER: No. They are right. This is what the old me would have done. I am to blame, and I did come here for a refund, but you know what? NO! I'm gonna take responsibility and show her that I can clean up my own messes and I can fix this. Thank you guys! I see what you were doing. Trying to tell me to get my life together and go get back the love of my life! THANK YOU!
{Peter runs out of the door with tears of joy and a huge smile on his face. Meanwhile Merrick looks confused and also frustrated at his two employees for what just happened}
MERRICK: What was that?
TALLY: It worked.
SAFFREY: Yep. I mean that guy was here for only one reason and that was to get his money back and complain. He definitely would have submitted a complaint to the ASB and did we really need that right now?
MERRICK: And what if it wouldn’t have worked? What if you would have angered him more and he would have tried to sue us instead hmmm? I mean insulting him like that…shame on both of you. I HAVE THOSE SAME GLASSES!
{Tally shrugs, exchanging a grin with Saffrey as he casually spins a small, empty vial between his fingers.}
SAFFREY: And besides, we just gave him a little nudge.
{Merrick narrows his eyes at the vial, realizing with growing irritation what they’d done.}
MERRICK: {eyes widening} You dosed him? Without him knowing?
SAFFREY: {casually} Well, technically, Tally’s drone sprinkled it above him. I was just the supplier.
TALLY: {innocent smile} Just a whisper of Saffrey’s “Courage Brew.” Didn’t even have to touch his tea.
MERRICK: And you think that’s better? Do you two know how many rules you’re bending here? You can’t just sprinkle potion dust on clients and hope it “solves” things!
SAFFREY: {shrugging} All I know is that Mr. Silverridge won’t be filing any complaints. And you’re not out of pocket for a refund.
TALLY: {grinning} Plus, he’s on his way to reclaim the love of his life, or whatever dramatic quest he’s taken up now. Happy endings all around.
{Merrick rubs his temples, muttering something unintelligible about “the youth of today.”}
MERRICK: (exasperated) You two are going to be the death of this business. Mark my words.
{Tally and Saffrey exchange amused glances, both clearly unfazed by Merrick’s irritation.}
SAFFREY: (smirking) Oh, come on, Merrick. You know we keep things interesting. Besides, you don’t really want to go back to doing all this yourself, do you?
TALLY: Imagine the paperwork.
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Merrick scowls but says nothing, muttering under his breath as he sorts through a stack of mismatched documents on his desk. Just then, the bell on the front door jingles, and the three turn to see a young, slightly nervous young guy standing in the doorway, clutching a flyer in his hand.
The newcomer looks around the room, taking in the scene with wide eyes and an awkward smile.
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DARWIN: Uh, hi? I saw this flyer in the square. Is, uh… is the position still open?
{Merrick stares at him blankly, his expression shifting from irritation to outright annoyance. He throws a questioning glance at Saffrey, who simply raises her eyebrows and shrugs.}
MERRICK: Position? What position? I never put up any flyer.
{Saffrey coughs, avoiding Merrick’s gaze.}
SAFFREY: Oh, did I forget to mention that? I thought it’d be a good idea to put out feelers, see if we could find some help. You know, reliable help.
{Merrick sighs, looking at Darwin as though he’s evaluating a strange creature.}
MERRICK: So, you’re interested in… what, exactly? Do you even know what we do here?
DARWIN: Yes, sir. I know it’s a general services guild, and you handle a lot of traditional magic. I actually studied that in college. Traditional Magic, I mean.
{Merrick raises an eyebrow, still clearly unconvinced.}
MERRICK: And you’re here because…?
DARWIN: (clears his throat) Because I want to work with real wizards. I’m tired of using magic for... you know, just flipping enchanted burgers. I thought maybe I could find a place here.
{Tally smirks and leans forward, giving Darwin an approving look.}
TALLY: So, you’re saying you actually studied Traditional Magic? Not a lot of that around these days. Most wizards are too busy with their tech degrees and fast-cast spells.
DARWIN: That’s exactly it! I wanted to study something real, something with roots. And I thought maybe I’d actually get to use it here.
SAFFREY: All well and good, but a warning: you won’t be pulling off grand spells or saving the world around here. This is a lot of grunt work, kid. Frog cleanups, amulet repairs, dispelling wayward hexes. Not exactly the flashy stuff they put in textbooks.
MERRICK: (sighing) And who says we’re even hiring? This isn’t a place for beginners. We don’t need a fresh college grad clogging up the works.
TALLY: Oh, come on, Merrick. Couldn’t hurt for you to have a third pair of hands at your disposal, right?
{Merrick’s eyes narrow as he studies Darwin, clearly torn. Finally, he lets out a long sigh, relenting slightly.}
MERRICK: Fine. If you’re SO determined, I’ll consider you for a trial apprenticeship. But this isn’t some playground for rookies. You’ll be doing as you’re told and nothing more.
DARWIN: YES SIR! I’m up for it. Thank you!
SAFFREY: (smirking) Well, look at that. He’s already saying “sir.” You’re already kissing butt.
TALLY: (grinning) Yeah, kid, just watch your step. Merrick here’s got a habit of throwing apprentices into “fieldwork” on day one.
DARWIN: I’ll do whatever’s needed.
MERRICK: We’ll see about that. Report here tomorrow morning, early. And bring… whatever credentials you have.
{Darwin nods eagerly, clutching the flyer in his hand like a lifeline. He glances at Tally and Saffrey, who give him encouraging nods.}
DARWIN: Thank you, really. I won’t let you down.
{Merrick grumbles, already turned back to his paperwork, but there’s a faint hint of interest in his expression. Tally and Saffrey exchange a grin as Darwin exits, clearly pleased with their success in nudging Merrick to give the new guy a chance.}
MERRICK: I see you two are proud of your little surprise there. As if we don't have enough problems already.
SAFFREY: Think of it as “new blood.” Besides, you know you need the help.
MERRICK: Yes, i need help, not another young whippersnapper getting themselves into trouble. In fact, since you are the ones who put out the ad. You will be responsible for him. So when your little pet makes a mess, you will be the ones to clean it up.
{Tally and Saffrey share a mischievous smile as Merrick returns to his work, the faintest hint of a smirk breaking through his grumbling exterior. The newest “apprentice” may have no idea what he’s in for, but with this team, every day promises its own brand of chaos.}