Eventually, my friend moved away, to find a better life elsewhere. I was sad about my friend moving of course, but was also glad my friend might have a happier life now. I was left to wonder: did I truly do anything to help my friend significantly? I wasn't sure, but I knew one thing... I felt really happy trying to help someone. I wondered if it was possible if I could help out anyone else; if I could do anything to make other people's lives happier. So I decided to devote my life to helping others.
A couple of years later, I began to do volunteer work for other people that need it, during every summer break. It's mostly elderly folk that require my help, but I don't mind. I'm just happy to be able to bring at least a little bit of happiness to someone's day.
Every morning, I check one of the mailboxes outside my house, to see if there's anyone that requests my aid. Sending letters is how most of the people I help out ask for my work. I've begun to get so many letters now that my dad set up a separate mailbox just for me.
Sharp
"Only three, huh? I guess today's work won't take very long this time. Oh well."
I said to myself, quickly looking through today's letters. I tucked the letters into my pocket, then got my bike ready to head out.
Sharp
"I'm going now!"
I shouted in the direction of my house, before leaving. But before I left, the front door suddenly opened from the inside.
Mom
"Good morning to you, too."
My mom said to me with a sarcastic tone, still standing inside the main entrance, giving me a dull glare.
Sharp
"A-ah... Sorry, mom. Good morning."
Mom
"That's better, Sharp. By the way, you almost forgot this again."
She handed me a bagged lunch, like she always does before I leave for work.
Sharp
"Thanks, mom. It wouldn't have been a big deal if I forgot it though, because I don't think I'll be gone for very long today."
Mom
"Well, you'd better eat it. I wouldn't want the food I prepared with lots of love and care to go to waste!"
Sharp
"Okay, okay, I'll eat it, I promise... See you later, mom."
Mom
"Would you come here and give mommy a kiss before you go?"
Sharp
"M-mom, stop treating me like a child!"
Mom
"You're technically not a teenager yet, so you're still a child."
Sharp
"Can I at least compromise and give you a hug instead?"
Mom
"Okay, I suppose that's fine..."
I went up to her and she gave me a big hug, practically smothering me in her arms.
Mom
"I'm sooo proud to have a son that does so much to help others around town! I'm always told by the neighbors how wonderful you are, y'know!"
Sharp
"Of course I know; you tell me this all the time, mom..."
I uttered, looking upward so I could actually talk (and breathe).
Mom
"That goes to show just how proud I am of you!"
She told me happily, finally letting me go.
Mom
"Okay, then. Do as good a job as always, alright?"
Sharp
"Yeah, yeah..."
I walked off the porch and went back over to my bike, which I had left leaning on a post.
Sharp
"I'm going now!"
Sharp
For real this time...
--
I took care of the first two jobs without any problems. They were easy enough that I got them done fairly quickly; it was only noon when I was done with both of them.
Sharp
"Alright! At this rate, I'll be done well before dinner time! This one's all that's left..."
I took out the remaining letter I still had and read it...
"Please meet me at my home. I have a matter of much importance to discuss with you. I have provided a small map that shall guide you there."
... Is what it said on the letter.
I was puzzled by the vagueness of the letter, as well as the unusual calligraphy. The handwriting was very detailed and formal, but it almost seemed like the person who wrote the letter was having trouble figuring out the proper words to put down for some reason.
Sharp
"That's weird; there's no signature or anything telling me who sent this... And if they have a job for me, why didn't they just tell me in the letter instead of asking me once I get there?"
Sharp
It seems kind of suspicious, but if this person really does need help, it'd be rude to just ignore it...
Thankfully, the map was at least was easy enough for me to understand. I could easily tell where the house was from where I was currently located thanks to it.
Sharp
"It looks like I'm pretty close to it right now, which is good, but... According to the map, the house is..."
Sharp
"... in the middle of the woods?"
Sharp
I haven't been around this part of town very much, but I'm pretty sure there weren't any woods anywhere around here...
Even so, I decided to ride my bike to where the house was supposed to be on the map. And sure enough, on my way there, I came across a vast amount of trees.
Sharp
"Oh, so there were woods here after all. I guess I was just remembering wrong!"
I got off my bike, deciding it was best to venture into the woods on foot, dragging the bike with me on my left side. I went through the open path, away from any of the trees.
Sharp
Still, even if there really are woods here, it's still kind of weird to have a house in a place like this...
Sharp
"I mean, with all these trees in the way, I don't think I'll even be able to find the..."
While walking through the woods, I decided to take my eyes off the map and look ahead... and that's when I saw it. A mansion-sized building, surrounded by dead, lanky trees.
Sharp
"... house."
Sharp
Never mind, I think I found it...
I started walking up to it slowly, after deciding to leave my bike near one of the trees.
Sharp
"It sure is creepy looking, though. What kind of person lives here anyway?"
Sharp
It almost looks like it could belong to... a witch!
Sharp
"Pfft!"
I chuckled to myself at the stupid thought.
Sharp
"As if! Witches aren't actually real!"
Sharp
I bet the person who lives here doesn't get many visitors. Could they be lonely? Is that why they wrote me a letter asking to come here?
Sharp
"Well, only one way to find out..."
I knocked on one of the mansion's large doors. Immediately, someone responded.
??? "You may enter..."
I grabbed hold of one of the large door handles, and opened one of the doors slowly. It creaked as it opened, as if it hadn't been opened in a long time...
Outstretched in front of me was what appeared to be a long entryway. I had no idea just how far it went, because most of what I could see inside was covered in pitch-black darkness.
Sharp
"U-um... hello?"
Almost as if in response to my voice, I began to hear footsteps coming toward me slowly. Accompanying them was another sound; the sound of some droplets of liquid hitting the floor every few seconds.
Sharp
"I-is anyone there...? H-hello?"
??? "... Oh my goodness!"
Light suddenly filled the entryway of the mansion, revealing the man before me, who appeared to be holding a dripping watering can in one of his hands.
???
"My apologies, young lad. I was so occupied with watering the flowers in my garden that I forgot to prepare for your arrival!"
The man said in a gentle and kind voice, placing his watering tool somewhere on the floor.
Sharp
H-he looks like an eggplant...
Sharp
... W-what am I thinking?! I have to be serious!
Sharp
"Greetings, sir. I've come here per the request of a letter that was sent to me. My name i-..."
Odd Man
"Sharp Oratorio, correct?"
Sharp
"Y-yes, that's correct... H-how did you...!?"
Odd Man
"I've heard a lot about you, my boy. The people of this town see you as a caring and responsible young man. There's something of upmost importance that I need to have done for me, and I think you are perfect for the job."
Sharp
"U-um, thank you, sir. If there's something you need me to do, I'll be more than glad to take care of it for you..."
Odd Man
"Wonderful! In that case, please take this."
He handed me a folded note that he had taken from his pocket.
Sharp
"What's this?"
Odd Man
"I would like you to read that note. That'll tell you what I need of you."
Sharp
"I beg your pardon sir, but can't you just tell me what you need? I mean, you're right here in front of me..."
Odd Man
"I apologize young lad, but to be honest, I'm actually very busy at the moment. Unfortunately, I don't have time for idle chatter or the like, but I'm happy that I at least got to meet you in person."
Sharp
"If you're busy with something, I'd be happy to assi-..."
Odd Man
"Ho ho, no thank you, young lad. I'd be more than happy if all you did was do for me what is on that note."
Sharp
"That's all? You don't need me to do anything for you inside?"
Odd Man
"No, that is all. You may go now."
Sharp
"U-uh, alright..."
Odd Man
"You'd best hurry home. Wouldn't want you getting lost in the dark."
Sharp
The dark? But it shouldn't even be 1 o' clock yet...
If the man was really so busy, I thought it best not to bother him and left as he had asked me to. I grabbed my bike and left the woods, and was greeted with the setting of the sun, which had turned the sky into a bright orange color.
Sharp
... Wait a minute.
Sharp
"How the heck is the sun already setting so early?! Was I talking with that man a lot longer than I thought?"
Sharp
... But come to think of it, I didn't notice the sunset until after I left the woo-...
I turned back around, and saw...
... nothing. Nothing at all.
Sharp
"W-whuh..."
Well, that's technically not true. What I actually saw was the continuation of the rural road, pretty much like what I would see if I turned to face behind me.
But what I expected to see, the woods, was no longer there. Plain gone. Not a trace of a single tree... Like they had never been there to begin with.
Sharp
"H-have I been hallucinating this whole time or something...!? But if that's the case..."
I rummaged through my pockets, until I took out what I was looking for, and held it up in front of me.
Sharp
"It's the note that man gave me! That means I wasn't dreaming! So then..."
??? "Hey kiddo! Whatcha doing there, spacing out like that?"
A man called out to me, from inside his car. It wasn't just any man though, it was...
Sharp
"Dad?! What're you doing here?"
Dad
"Hey, I asked first! You done with your volunteer work for today?"
Sharp
"U-uh, yeah. I am."
Sharp
I guess...
Dad
"I'm in a middle of making some deliveries right now. Wanna ride home?"
Sharp
"In the 'middle' of making deliveries? But doesn't that mean you're still working?"
Dad
"It's fine. I'm sure my boss won't mind if I take a short break."
Sharp
"And who would be your 'boss' be exactly? Mom, or yourself?"
Dad
"Hahah, it depends!"
He chuckled again, getting out of the car and opening the trunk in the back.
Dad
"There's plenty of room in here now, so dump your bike in here and let's head home!"
Sharp
"Okay, sure."
I folded my bike and placed in the back, being careful not to smush anything that was still in there, and went to the front to sit in the passenger's seat of my dad's car.
Dad
"Alright, let's hit the road!"
Sharp
"Dad, we're already on the road."
I reminded him, as he turned the car and began to drive toward home.
Dad
"Ah my son, always such a smart aleck."
Sharp
"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?"
Dad
"I hope Mrs. Boss has prepared some delicious dinner for us! I'm starving!"
Sharp
"Is Mrs. Boss mom?"
Dad
"Yep. And your pop here is Mr. Boss."
Sharp
"So which one of you is the actual boss, then?"
Dad
"It depends!"
Our goofy banter continued until we got home. But despite that, I couldn't get the disappearing woods out of my mind...
--
The rest of the day went by pretty normally. I ate dinner with everyone (except my older brother; he was still at work), and we had many happy conversations with each other as always.
After dinner, I took a bath, watched some TV with my family, then headed off to bed. Now, I'm not the type of person who normally has any problems falling asleep, but tonight was an exception... Because despite how the rest of the day went, that certain event that happened today still loomed in my mind.
... Actually, scratch that. The rest of the day could've been the best time of my life and I'm sure that it would have had no relevance at all at this moment.
Sharp
Just what was all that I saw before? Those woods, the mansion, that man... If it all was real, then how did it all just vanish like that?!
Sharp
"Argh! I'm sooo confused right now!"
Mom "Sharp, go to sleep!"
My mom hollered from her room.
Sharp
I wish I could, honestly...
Sharp
"The only proof I have that what I saw was actually real is that note I've got... What if I picked it up somewhere else and my memories are just jumbled?"
Sharp
Ah, speaking of which...!
Still lying down on my bed, I grabbed the note that I'd left on my nightstand, and held it up above me.
Sharp
I haven't actually read it yet, have I?"
I sat up, and took a look at it. This is what it said:
"Dear Sir Sharp,
You see, I have a young daughter, around your age. She will have special duties to uphold in our household one day, and so she has had to take certain kinds of classes at a special school. However, she is still rather immature, and a bit of a troublemaker. If it is not too much trouble, I would like you to help her with her behavior. I believe a kind and mature young lad like you can handle it. Best of luck!
- Indigo's Father"
This letter was much more lengthy and easier to understand than the last one. I assumed the man put a lot more thought about what to write this time, as he mentioned this task was very important. But I was still confused about a few things...
Sharp
"Wait, he wants me to take care of his daughter? And what does 'special duties' mean?"
Sharp
Wait, "special school"? "Troublemaker"!?
Sharp
"Could she have gone to a place like the Military Institution School for Troublesome Youngsters? Is she some kind of delinquent?! And I have to watch over her!?"
Sharp
And come to think of it, the man's house vanished... So where's she going to be staying...?
All of a sudden, I saw a shimmer of light outside my window. Then I heard a loud crash, as well as the sound of something metallic falling over.
Sharp
"A-ah, what was that?! Was that her?"
I hid under my bedsheets, shaking with fear.
Sharp
"I-I'm too young to die!"
Sharp
Okay, maybe that's a bit too much of an overreaction...
--
Despite how scared I was, my curiosity overpowered it as I went to go find out what the source of the crash was. Unfortunately, my window doesn't offer a good view of whatever the heck just "fell" was located, so I was forced to actually go outside to check. I grabbed a flashlight from my room, and snuck out quietly.
Sharp
I have no idea how no one woke up from that noise... It's almost a miracle...
I made it outside and went to where I heard the noise. There was someone lying unconscious on a toppled over trash can. It was a girl around my age. She was wearing a strange outfit.
Sharp
Could she be the girl mentioned in the letter?
Sharp
"Hey, are you okay?"
I asked the girl, trying to shake her awake.
Sharp
"Wake up, please!"
Suddenly, while I was shaking her, she opened her eyes wide...
Girl
"AAAHHHHH!!!"
... and screamed at the top of her lungs.
Sharp
"Eyah!"
I shouted in surprise, falling over backward.
Girl
"Ouchies... That was a bit of a rough landing, heheh!"
She sat up, which let me get a better look at her appearance. She was wearing an unkempt, cone-shaped hat with a star mark on it, which she was now busy adjusting. She was also wearing a cloak, which was only covering half of her body at the moment. Both her hair and eyes were a vibrant dark purple color, as was pretty much her entire outfit.
Sharp
The letter said her name was Indigo, right? This must be her, then. I mean, her appearance alone screams "I'm Indigo!".
Her outfit wasn't the only strange about her, though. For some reason, the irises in her eyes looked star-shaped. Also, while she was moving her hat, her ears popped out. Their size wasn't very unusual, but they were rather... pointy.
Sharp
"With those ears and that outfit, you almost look like a... witch."
Indigo?
"Hmmm?"
She then took notice of me, moving her attention away from her hat, and began to eye me curiously.
Indigo?
"I don't look like a witch, silly; I am one! Nice to meet you, mister regular~!"
Sharp
"Wait wait, back up! You're telling me you're an actual witch?! And what does 'mister regular' mean?"
Indigo?
"Ah, sorry about that! I guess you're too young to be called mister, teehee~!"
Sharp
"I think you're missing the point here..."
Indigo?
"How so? Just look at how I'm dressed!"
Indigo(?) stretched out her arms and started wiggling around, showing off her attire.
Indigo?
"Would I be dressed like this if I wasn't a witch?"
I stood up, while coming to a realization.
Sharp
"... Oh, so that's it. It's some kind of costume, right? But it's a bit too early for Halloween, y'know."
Indigo?
"I don't know what this 'Calgloween' is, but are you saying that you don't believe that I'm a witch?!"
Sharp
"Of course I don't. Because I know things like witches and magic don't actually exist."
Indigo?
"But I'm a witch! And I can use magic, too!"
Sharp
"Suuure, whatever you say..."
Indigo?
"It's true, I tell you! I'm a magical witch princess, that came here from another dimension!"
Sharp
"Okay seriously, you must have gotten some pretty bad brain damage from that fall. Should I take you to the hospital...?"
She also stood up, went closer to me and glared at me angrily.
Sharp
"Finally decided to get off the trash can, huh?"
Indigo?
"Trash can? Is that what the metal thingy I was sitting on is called?"
Sharp
"Yeah, that's right..."
I responded, dumbfounded that she didn't even know what a trash can looked like.
Indigo?
"Alright, then I'll use this can of trash to show you my magic!"
Sharp
"Huh?"
She put one of her hands inside of her cloak, and then took it back out, now holding a strange-looking wand. I say "strange-looking" because there appeared to be a red ball-like object floating above it.
Sharp
"How...?"
Before I could say anything more, she pointed her wand at the trash can.
Indigo?
"Tyah!"
All of a sudden, a strange purple light came from her wand, causing the trash can to disappear into thin air upon collision with it.
Sharp
"W-whuh..."
I stared in shock at what I just witnessed.
Sharp
"W-what the heck was that!? Some kind of illusion?!"
Indigo?
"Nooo, I just sent it to my pocket dimension, silly~!"
She flashed me a smile, seemingly happy about my reaction to what she just did.
Indigo?
"I can use illusion magic, though..."
Sharp
N-no way... Is this girl for real? Is she seriously an actual witch?!
Indigo?
"So, give in yet?"
Sharp
"G-give in...?"
I backed away from her, until I was stopped by one of the walls of the house.
Sharp
T-this can't be happening... A-am I actually going to die for real?!
Sharp
"N-no, I'm not even thirteen yet! I still have a full life ahead of me!"
Indigo?
"Huh? What're you talking about?"
As much as I wanted to run away at that point, I was too scared to even move.
Sharp
Now I know why victims always act so dumb in monster movies...
Indigo?
"Jeez, what's wrong with you?!"
Sharp
"Maybe I'm just having a nightmare...?"
Sharp
"... Yeah, that's right! That must be it! I must have fallen asleep without realizing it! I bet I'll wake up any mom-..."
Continuing to look annoyed, the witch girl grabbed hold of both my cheeks and pinched them hard.
Sharp
"O-ow!"
Indigo?
"See, you aren't dreaming! There's an actual witch in front of you, for reals~!"
Sharp
"So, what'd you come here for? To turn me into stew?"
Indigo?
"What do you mean? I just came to stay here, of course!"
Sharp
"S-stay here...?"
I sighed, dropping down to the ground in relief.
Sharp
"Haa haa..." That's right; that letter said something about taking care of her, didn't it...?
Indigo?
"You are Sharp, right?"
Sharp
"Yeah, that's right..." And that school; it must've been a school for witches... But how am I supposed to take care of a witch?!
Indigo?
"I'm Indigo! Indigo the witch! And you get to be my friend from now on; lucky you!"
Sharp
"How the heck did I end up in a situation like this?!"
End of Chapter 1
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Writer's Comments (8/24/2017):
It's almost August 28, 2017! Do you know what that means? Yes, it's almost Indigo the Witch's 10th anniversary! And just like with Element Temp, one thing I've done to celebrate is to re-style this chapter! Yay!
I didn't change that much about this chapter, but it still took me a while to finish things because of some... distractions (like Overwatch, and Overwatch, and Overwatch...). And believe it or not, while I was almost done with this, Notepad++ (what I use to write now) crashed for no reason while I was saving, and I almost lost everything I'd been working on the past two weeks! It was terrifying...
But things ended up okay in the end, which is good! However, I only have four days left to work on everything else I want to for this anniversary... But I'm sure things will go well!
... At least I hope so...
- CS-Masyet
Note: I just realized that when I re-wrote this last year I rushed to get it done before the month ended, despite having already done a chapter of another series on the same month. And guess what? I did pretty much the same thing while re-styling this one. Considering I sometimes have a hard time just getting one chapter done in a month, I thought that was pretty funny.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Writer's Comments (4/29/2016):
So, finally got this done! I was afraid I wouldn't get this up before this month ended, but I managed it somehow! I had to lose some sleep to do it, though...
Anyway, this is chapter 1 of Indigo the Witch; the "non-combined with chapter 2" version. This chapter is a bit shorter than the norm because of it, but I think it's better this way, as this is what was originally intended from the beginning. In fact, I don't really plan on changing much from the original version at all actually, so I think this is pretty fitting.
Anyway, I actually want to get some sleep now, so...
Until next time... Enjoy!
- CS-Masyet