SSS.Little Witch Academia

Vol. 1 Chapter 1: Another Beginning

A young girl exits Glastonbury station, spinning in excitement and proclaiming to become a witch. Atsuko Kagari, still full of energy, starts to make her way through town greeting and asking anyone where this "Luna Nova Bus Stop" is. Unfortunately, she just receives confused looks making her way through town, and even a man trying to tell her that there is no bus stop in general, with this falling on deaf ears as the girl has already stormed off. Eventually, after needing some rest she stumbles upon some old ruins along with a bench nearby and gets closer only to realize it's currently occupied. Figuring it wouldn't hurt to ask one last person, approaches and questions a boy who looks to be around her age, maybe a few years older.

And just like everyone before him gets the same answer, and now starting to feel like she's never going to make it, gets in a sour mood. Wanting to take a seat to rest and assess her situation, Akko introduces herself to the boy as he reluctantly replies "Cado", not wanting to be bothered. He sighs and moves to the other side of the bench as she thanks him, and sits while setting down her luggage and looking at some kind of brochure. Noticing this he internally comes to the conclusion that she's not from around here, and has never seen her before. Now getting a bit curious, he hesitates before asking what brings her to a town like Glastonbury as she looks to be more of a city girl.

Akko briefly turns to giggle a bit before rising to her feet claiming she's here to attend the same witch school as her idol "Shiny Chariot". With Cado not in total disbelief at this statement, says that he's never heard of her, but goes on further stating that witches ride on brooms right, he asks. Akko says of course they do, although nervously adds that she can't yet, but in the future, she will become a great witch. Cado, losing interest after her first response, simply looks away again as in the background she flips the same brochure upside down with something catching her eye. Immediately exclaiming that she found it, bolting off in a certain direction fixated on something. She was an odd one he thinks, as a familiar gust of wind kicks up, with his face and mood lifted as he yells "Shooter!"

The legendary broom "Shooting Star'' descends to meet his friend after a long joyride around the town, Cado places his hand on its red spine and tells it that he wanted to ride with it before, but changed his mind too late as it had already dashed off as fast as ever. Tilting its arrow-shaped tip in what looks to be confusion, immediately forces him onto it and takes off into the sky once more, passing the same route as it did before, the view still never ceasing to amaze Cado. He then remembers that he has one more job to run for his acquaintance and occasional Carebnb host Mr.Goodshow, a simple task of delivering a letter to the post office and sending it, telling Shooter this and gesturing for it to head in a certain direction. It already starting to do so before even being asked, showcasing their synchronicity, as within minutes they arrive and land nearby and away from prying eyes so as not to draw too much attention that Cado has grown a mild distaste for.

Cado dismounts Shooter telling it to wait and adding that he promises he won't be gone long and to hang tight. Approaching the post office and passing by an odd woman wearing a beige coat and black glasses who stares at him as he enters. Briefly, he interacts with the clerk and hands over the intended letter he was tasked to deliver, exiting afterward and beginning to make his way over to Shooter floating a fair distance away. Before he can get far, a woman's voice from behind asks and exclaims that the broom over there belongs to him, doesn't it. Turning to face her, he responds that yes it is, growing suspicious by the second as to how she could even tell that by a glance, confronting the woman about this. She slowly walks up to him, taking off her glasses to introduce herself as Croix Meridies, a witch and a researcher of magic, and knows all about the legendary broom, including its current owner inquiring from various people in town. She goes on further that she was quite surprised that such a powerful broom could be controlled in such a way by anyone other than the witch who created it long ago.

Going from shocked and curious about Shooter's true origins to annoyed at the way she refers to "it" as, telling her that he isn't its "owner" and he doesn't "control it" as she described. She may refer to it as an inanimate object, but that doesn't lessen the value that they are friends and partners second and have had a deep bond since the day they met. Chuckling a little, she apologizes to him for her being "rude" and says that she finds them both interesting to say the least. Croix then gets a ping from her phone and excuses herself saying that it was nice to meet him and that perhaps they could meet again and continue this chat another time. Every fiber of his being is telling him to just ignore this woman, but thinking about it some more, he reluctantly accepts and adds that he doesn't have a phone, but he's sure she will be able to find him again. She agrees, nodding and waving as she walks away, with Cado a bit relieved that she didn't have any malicious intentions.

Croix eventually enters an alleyway, fidgeting with her phone a bit as red pixels descend from above and hover above her palm. Her mind wanders for a bit before simply uttering "interesting" while dawning an evil grin. Cado meanwhile approaches and greets Shooter who flails a bit seemingly disappointed, as he cheekily apologizes stating that he got held up, and asking if it's ready to go now. It nods in approval as Cado mounts it and takes off into the sky once more.

Still a while before sunset and looking to kill some time, Cado figures it wouldn't hurt to fly around the outskirts of town for a bit and maybe even find a spot to relax, eventually spotting a large tree on a hill that he is familiar with. Telling Shooter that he found a good spot, it lands right before it, with Cado hopping off to embrace his back with the tree as he takes a seat at its trunk. Pulling out an apple to eat while reflecting on the unusual day he's had and the appearance of these supposed "witches", he thinks about Shooter and their friendship up until this point. And how special the broom was more than he originally thought, as he watches it glide around the tree he's under, finishing the apple and closing his eyes, unintentionally dozing off.

Time passes, and Cado begins to stir, feeling something poking his face, and knowing exactly who this is, waves his arm to shoo it away. Suddenly, a loud booming sound can be heard nearby which immediately awakens Cado in a panic, greeted with the darkness of the night as heavy rain pelts down at his feet. Still in a panic, realizes he is in the middle of a thunderstorm and needs to find shelter, assessing that it would be extremely foolish to mount any broom let alone Shooter at this point, but it sure being better than sitting under a tree. Mounting Shooter and pleading it to fly back to town as quickly as possible, with it heeding these words setting off at speeds even Cado is not used to. Fast approaching, the duo can see the town in their sights, but before they can get much further, another lightning bolt strikes mere feet in front of them, causing Cado to go into a frenzy as he unintentionally steers it flying into another direction.

After recovering from his shock and still holding on tight, Cado regains his composure as he looks up, another lightning strike reveals a small tower on a hill, aka the Glastonbury Tor that he recognizes but has never entered, tells Shooter to go for it. The thunderstorm isn't getting any better, however, as more lightning booms around the surrounding area, with one managing to strike close again. This causes Cado to unintentionally ascend and careen into the upper parts of the tower, sending them both through a window, him falling off Shooter in the process. He recoils on the ground a bit before rising to sit up to rub his sore back, turning to ask if Shooter is ok, the broom standing up straight to attempt to signal it is.

Relieved to be safe now, he looks around only to see a barely lit room with many cracks in the floor seemingly with bits of green light emitting through it. Starting to get confused, he wonders what is causing this, but there seems to be no way for him to find out as there appear to be no stairs or even a ladder to get down. Glancing outside the window at the ongoing storm, he presumes he has no choice but to wait in this weird place for the night. Now annoyed at this whole situation and still a bit shaken, he slumps over telling Shooter they'll leave in the morning, that he's going to get some shut-eye, and to wake him if anything happens, with it bending in a way to look as if it's nodding. Deep in his dreams, he appears in what looks to be an empty black void, walking for a bit before then seeing flashes of images and hearing voices he doesn't recognize, as a portal opens below with him falling into it. When Cado awakens again, he finds himself wincing in pain as he bolts up from his slumber, only to see that he is surrounded by old corroded trees and brambles, but what we know as The Arcturus Forest.