A panicking girl rushes into a small room, brim full of clutter in messy teetering stacks, and starts tearing through pile by pile. At this point everything is being thrown across the room be it; alchemy books, sacred plants, potions, papers, a frog, and even an ID. The ID was read to belong to a twenty two year old witch named Ronan, who stood at 5’8” and was born in a town which seems to be scratched out. Quickly realizing she threw something of importance, she quickly snatches up her ID and continues her search. Ronan continues making the cramped room an even bigger mess for a solid ten minutes. Since this clutter has been built up for the past five years, seeds and bugs started to make themselves at home, sprouting through the floorboards into plants that thrive on the leaking ceiling. A tiny dusty window that supports a small family of spiders, has weak rays of light hitting the makeshift garden. An abnormally loud sigh of relief scares the sleeping family which sends them back up the web. Ronan flattens out a small crumpled checklist of items and addresses. “I can’t believe it was even in here,” she whispered to herself as she turns around and shuts the door behind her with only creaking steps to follow.

Almost forgetting to turn out all of her lights, Ronan grabs her beat up broom, does a couple checks around her small house to make sure everything is locked, then wishes the house a good day while she takes off towards the woods. The start of the day was always her favorite. Watching the small birds searching for their next meal, the morning breeze in your face, other witches passing you by on their way to work, even if no one ever greets each other. Everything might have been the same every single morning, but it somehow never ceased to get old. Snapping out of her daily trance, Ronan tries to study the homemade, thumbnail sized, anciently smudged map.

With her flight coming to an end, she slows down to the middle of the sacred forest. All of the items she retrieves for clients are in this forest, since for whatever reason only witches, nymphs, and elves are the only types of humans who are allowed in. Mushrooms glow bright blue as if they were the only stars of the night, while animals frequented this place in hopes to avoid hunters. Trailing through the recently wet foliage, Ronan was in search of the knocking tree. It was a hollow tree when knocked twice upon the trees sweet lemons will fall to the ground. When finally found, she collects the vital three in need of her client, she climbs up a rather tall tree with plenty of sturdy branches, and flies above the forest on her way to complete the delivery.

After arriving to the kind old lady’s cottage who’s a common customer, the kind lady thanks her for the arrival being just in time for her homemade lemonade. Leaving with a jar of it in hand, Ronan suddenly checked the time while realizing she was late for lunch with her friend. She flew across town as fast as she could, bumping and apologizing to others along the way. Nearly passing it; Ronan stopped just in time, skidding across the stone street. Her friend who was waiting outside the seafood themed bar, ran to her to help her up. “I’m sorry I’m late again,” Ronan sobbed in a defeated tone, “I always leave you waiting for ten billion years, Aria.”

Aria chuckled and exclaimed, “More like only a billion years, but don’t worry about it, I’m use to it by now and you’re paying anyways. So let’s just hurry you inside, that was a hell of a skid!”

Aria is a couple of inches shorter than Ronan so it was an awkward stumble into the bar. A waitress who saw the whole excursion helped the two of them to a booth that overlooks the ocean, their favorite spot. Especially Aria’s favorite spot even though she sees the ocean every single day. Being the head sailor captain for one of the fishing industry’s top ships means extra work in the sea. Finding time to take off nearly impossible, though everytime she can, she takes Ronan out to lunch. “What’s your excuse this time?” Aria smiled as she flipped open to the drink section of the menu. Ronan then explains how she couldn’t find the order or the map for her client, which in return left her to be late with the bottoms of her feet to pay for. “You know what you need? A familiar. You’ve been on your own for five or six years now, how have you even managed to get this far on your own?” Aria was always strict when she spoke, but with a light sarcastic feel to it so that you wouldn’t take it too personally.

“That’s the thing, I’ve checked the familiar stores everytime they restock. All the ones I’ve tried out either ignore, mock, or assault me.” Ronan said saying sighing with her head resting on the table, wincing at the continuous stings. Aria suddenly stood, slammed one hand on the table the other pointing at Ronan who was in shock, and sternly told her, “Excuses, excuses, excuses! Once we’re done here, we’re heading straight to the familiar shop-- Waiter!”

Aria marches out of the bar with Ronan slowly and embarrassingly shuffling behind her. She just had to make a scene, she always makes a scene! At least the food was good, and the drinks there are always the best. Oh wait we’re on our way to the familiar shop, this is going to cost me a fortune… Ronan snaps out of her thoughts when she realizes they finally made it to the shop. Aria heads in first, then comes Ronan ducking in from behind. They spend a solid twenty or so minutes looking around, and trying out the compatibility between the potential new partner for the witch. While Ronan is trying out a raven, Aria was chatting with the store clerk. “Do you happen to know of any other possible candidates?” Aria contemplated quietly, fiddling with her fingers.

The young clerk pauses for a few moments then responds with, “Well a couple of months back, an octopus lookin’ lady came in and purchased a black cat familiar of all things. Just recently I heard that she was keepin’ it encaged for some reason. She just kept talkin’ on and on to a friend of mine at a bar about how great she was for coming up with this big plan. If I remember correctly, her lair’s underwater, right when the shore gives way to that sudden drop like a cliff? You should know, being a sailor and all.”

Aria just stared at her for a couple of seconds contemplating how easy, simple, and bizzare this lined up series of events happened to be. Then quickly thanks her; pulls Ronan away from the raven who’s violently pulling her hair, and off they went. Briefly explaining to Ronan what the clerk said to her while they got on Aria’s ship and headed out for the end of the shore. Ronan was so pumped she forgot all about the pain in her feet and the raven that violently tugged at her hair. Now was time for an adventure; be it a brief. Reaching the sheer edge of the shore, Ronan forms an air bubble around herself, then sets out under the sea to see what she could find.

An hour goes by in almost pitch darkness, she finally finds a cave system that leads to a cave above water level. It was a clear opening, well lit for a cave, with water surrounding the floor like a mote. In the very center was a conveniently cliche throne made out of fishbones, spray painted gold. Sitting on the throne was a witch, with green hair and tentacles coming out of her dress from god knows where. Looking at her reflection through a mirror in one hand, and legs rested on a cage containing a tiny cat with no mouth. She didn’t even notice Ronan, she was too distracted by her own reflection. In most situations like this, the hero usually confronts the bad guy, then the villain tells the good guy the plan. Trying to avoid all of this, Ronan used some magic dust on the cat so that it could just squeeze out of the bars. This cat was very small and cats are already capable in fitting through tight spots so it didn’t require a lot of dust. Halfway out the cave the evil witch finally took notice.

“HEY!!! Who are you, how did you even find this place, and give me back my cat! Riddle, Riddle! Come here boy I need you for my evil plan-- HEY, at least listen to my evil plan!”

The green witch quickly levitated two giant swordfish to block the exit. Ronan stumbled back since she had no idea there were even fish in a place like this. Quickly turning around, the sea witch was already right behind her. “Now that I properly have your attention, you are in the presence of Atlantis, the ruler of all the seven seas. And that cat you have just stolen from me is the key to my plan! Those fishermen are harming all the sealife, they must be disposed of--now give me back my cat!” Atlantis immediately tries to grab Riddle back, but Ronan gets hold of his back legs leading to a tug of war. Having no reason to converse back, Ronan just wanted to be done with this. So, grabbing that magic dust that she used to free Riddle, she throws it on Atlantis’ hands, making her grip loosen. Atlantis fumbles and grabs at Riddle again, only to have him slip out as if she was trying to grab a bar of soap. She then falls on the floor while Ronan books it with her broom in hand. Levitating sealife of all kinds are hurled at great speeds towards her, Ronan barely makes it through the twisting cave entrance, breaking straight upwards as soon as she made it out, hits the surface. All sorts of fish following suit, ten or so feet in the air. Then everyone drops. Except for those on the broom, of course.

Hovering wobbly towards the ship, the two finally made it out. Ronan nearly passed out, dropped to the deck furiously grasping for deep breaths of air. On the other hand, Riddle was shaking at the most chaotic event that has ever happened in his life that had just ended prior. Aria who had given them a couple minutes to calm down helped Ronan up yet again, hugging her in relief for what she managed. Stumbling over to the still shaken up cat, Ronan reached out her hand and asked him, “I know we just met and all, but want to help me out as a familiar?”

Breathing as heavily as a cat with no mouth can do, he looked up at her in the eyes, slowly closed his and nodded. Hopping up onto her hand then scurrying up her arm onto her shoulders, rubbed his face onto hers. Both Aria and Ronan laughing exclaimed at the same time “Welcome to the team.”

As they overlooked the sun in the salty evening, slowly turned back to shore to complete the catastrophic day.