Fireflies: A Witch's Tale

Chapter Four: First Day

(( The next few chapters will have things such as bullying(physical), cursing, and rude name calling. So if you get triggered, don't say I didn't warned you.))

Months have passed since Aster and Hotaru met. Aster has been over to Hotaru's cottag and enjoyed meeting his mother. Though, Gloom hasn't left his quarters since he met Hotaru. Aster was worried, but Sulfur said he'd be fine. And that he should be more focused as today was his first day of school. Hotaru was supposed to go to school a year ago, but his mother couldn't pay. But she could now and was happy to get him into the school with Aster. Even had enough to buy the uniform that the school required you to wear. The uniforms were long cloak-like hoods. Hotaru's was sleeveless and a white star patch. While Aster's had long sleeves and a matching white star.

"You behave at school, okay, Lighting bug?" Hotaru's mother said to him as she dusted off his uniform. Hotaru smiled.

"I'll try, Mama!" Hotaru said, then gave his mother a kiss on the cheek and climbed onto his broom, "Bye, Mama! See you after school!" She waved while watching him lift off into the sky.

Hotaru started flying over the forest towards the school, excited to see what a school is like. Since, as said before, he has never gone to or seen one. 

"Hotaru!" Aster called out, trying to catch up with him. He wasn't as good with a broom as Hotaru was. Hotaru smiled, stopped his broom, and waved. 

"Hi, Aster!" Hotaru greeted him as he stopped next to him. 

"You fly fast." Aster fixed his witch hat. Sulfur had given it to him, so it was a little big on him. Hotaru's witch hat was old and had a few stitches in it. It was his mother's old hat so it was pretty old. 

"You're just slow." Hotaru teased. Aster pouted. 

"I am not." 

"Then let's see who gets to school first!" Hotaru challenged him, and started to fly away. Aster laughed and flew after him.

"No fair! You got a head start!" Aster and Hotaru flew faster and faster. Until everything around them seemed to be a blur. Very soon, they were dodging around other kids who were flying to school. The two suddenly were getting very close to the school itself. Aster slowed himself down so he wouldn't crash. Hotaru however... crashed right into a the broom racks outside the school. Aster flew down to him, worried that he might have gotten hurt.

"Hotaru!" He climbed off his broom and ran to him. Hotaru sat up, and shook his head. A few pieces of wood were stuck in his hair but wasn't seriously hurt. Aster sighed in relief. 

"Good, you're okay. Next time, try not to crash into the school." Aster helped Hotaru on his feet, and picked out the wood and splinters in his hair.

"No promises, Aster." Hotaru joked. Aster laughed. The other kids started landing and going into the school. Some kids came in from a path by the school because they had Maiden Eyes and couldn't fly. There weren't any racks to but their brooms on now, thanks to Hotaru, so they just left them along the outside wall. The inside of the school was lit up with hanging lanterns that had small fireflies in them. The  walls were made from cement bricks and black old oak. The whole thing had an eerie feel to it. Then again, it's a school for witches. So.

Aster found the place somewhat scary and fascinating. Hotaru could barely contain his excitement. He was was fascinated by everything. Following the line up of students, they entered the auditorium. In the front of everyone, there were two people. One seemed skittish and the other was mean looking. The skittish one was a girl. Curly shoulder length pink hair and fair skin. Her eyes were blue Solidarity Eyes. She was pretty small and had very sweet feel about her. Hotaru looked at the mean looking person. He couldn't tell if they were a boy or girl or whatever they preferred to be called, nor their Witch Eyes. All he knew was that he just didn't like them. And from Aster's expression, it was clear he didn't like the, either. The girl tapped on her wand to see if her Volume spell was working. 

"H-hello, students. My name is Ms. Nicole. I am one of y-your teachers. W-welcome to—" Ms. Nicole was shoved to the side by the other witch and took the wand from her.

"Enough, Ms. Nicole." The person cleared their throat, "Welcome to WitchWard Academy. I am Principle Warden. Now, go to class. I don't have time for you parasites." Principle Warden left the auditorium, throwing the wand behind them. Ms. Nicole picked up the wand, fumbling it in her hands. 

"M-my apologizes students, um. If you have a uniform that has a black heart patch, g-go down the hallway to your right. If you have a pink flower, please go down the l-left hallway. Finally, if you have a W-white Star. Please go out the school's b-back door and into the school yard." Ms. Nicole put the away her wand and left the auditorium and out the back of the school. The students separated to the hallways, and Hotaru and Aster followed the group of students who also had the white stars outside the back of the school.

Outside, there was a large ring of stone pillars and what looked like to be a fire in the middle of it. Hotaru stared curiously and Aster was confused as to why this was here. Ms. Nicole was on the tallest pillow, sitting with her legs crossed. 

"Hello, again, class. Before I-I explain. Please climb up onto a pillar." She instructed. Though it sounded more like a shy suggestion. One by one the students climbed up onto the top of the pillars using some kinda magic. Even the Maiden Eyes used there "magic" to sorta blast their way up onto the pillars. Aster had gotten up onto a pillar no sweat. Hotaru, however, couldn't seem to even make an explosion to get up. Like something was stopping him. Then the sounds of snickering came from a girl next to Aster. He looked over at her. The girl had medium straight black hair, light skin, and Council Eyes. Her hand right hand was moving in a swaying motion, Aster glared at her. 

"Stop it." He demanded. The girl put an a fake innocent look. 

"Stop what? I'm not doing anything~." She mocked. 

"Yes you are! Stop messing with Hotaru!" Aster demanded again. The girl started laughing at him, and other students joined in. Ms. Nicole clapped her hands.

"Hush now students. Rain, please stop using your magic on Hotaru." Ms. Nicole told her. Rain stopped moving her hands. Hotaru had already given up on using his magic to get to the top of the pillar, so he was just climbing up it. He lives in the middle of the forest, he knows how to climb up stuff. Hotaru reached the top of the pillar and sat on it. Caughting his breath, he looked at Ms. Nicole.

"It's okay, Ms. Nicole! I got up Okay!" He gave her a thumbs up and smiled. Aster sighed, and Rain just rolled her eyes. Ms. Nicole smiled back at him.

"That's good to hear, now onto our first lesson."