Waffles.
What a perfect way to start off the day, a plate full of waffles, clean clothes, a fully packed lunch box, and a clock that reads 7:55… 7:55? 'I'M GONNA BE LATE AGAIN!' thought 5th grader, Doremi Harukaze as she panicked whilst grabbing her backpack and running out the door.
"WAAAAAH!" She yelled in panic as she made a mad dash toward her school. Doremi dodged the random pedestrians and avoided cars as she sped away. She let out sigh of relief once she entered the classroom, a whole 30 seconds before the bell and, for her, that was good time. She sat down at her desk and tried to catch her breath as Seki-sensei walked into the room.
"Good Morning Cl-" Seki sensei was cut off when the school intercom turned on.
"Hello?" a young girls voice rang out, "Hello? Um, I'm looking for Doremi Te- I mean Doremi Harukaze," everyone looked at Doremi who stared at the speaker in confusion, "I need to speak with her over issues about the Mahou-dou store… umm… so if you could just send her down to the principal's office that'd greatly appreciated, thank you." The young girls voice finished and click sounded meaning the intercom was turned off.
"O-okay then, Harukaze, report to the principal's office to… talk about the state of your shop?" Seki-sensei ordered, partially confused.
"uhh… H-hai…"Doremi responded as she got out of her desk and headed to the principal's office. When she entered the office, she only saw a girl probably only a year younger than herself, who looked a lot like Doremi. This girl had the same hair color and eye color as Doremi, except the girls buns were strangely spiky instead of round like Doremi's, and her bangs were spikier too.
"Mom!" the girl yipped happily as she ran towards Doremi before enveloping her in a hug, leaving Doremi rather confused.
"W-what? Mom?" Doremi asked. The girl realized her mistake and backed off before looking Doremi in the eye.
"My name is Nozomi Te- I mean, Nozomi Harukaze. I'm your daughter from the future, the reason I can be here, is because I'm a witchling, like you are now. I'm here to stop you from having an incident with your future husband, my dad, so that you don't have arguments about it when it comes up." The girl said quickly.
"What? What kind of thing happens? You're my daughter? Am I a full witch in the future? Who's my future husband? Is it Igarashi-senpai? Why'd I name you Nozomi? DO you have any siblings? What's my job? How are my parents? How's Pop? Do I still know all my friends? Did-"Doremi was cut off when Nozomi put a shaking hand on her shoulder. Doremi looked in curiosity at Nozomi before realizing that tears were pouring out of the corners of her eyes, Doremi looked at Nozomi sadly, wrapping her arms around the younger girl in a hug as she cried. Nozomi wrapped her arms around Doremi and let out heart wrenching sobs as she hugged her mother. Slowly Nozomi's sobs quieted down and she let go of Doremi.
"I-I'm sorry, it's just the fight is s-so big this t-time, and I'm worried there'll b-be a d-d-divorce, and…" Nozomi let her voice die down as she stared at Doremi sadly. Doremi gave her a comforting smile as she slowly calmed down.
"It's okay Nozomi-chan, don't worry, we can fix this. Tell me about the incident, but restrain enough details so you don't ruin the future." Doremi said softly.
"O-okay, it happens on the balcony overlooking the soccer field. You're there and something happens, and you start to fall, and you're hanging on the edge of the railing. There was something else that was super important to you too that was also about to fall, but you never told me what that was, and then he comes and saves you, but not the item. And so every time you are reminded of whatever it was you and dad start arguing, saying he could have saved it." Nozomi said.
"Then it's simple," Doremi said with a grin, "I just avoid the balcony! So when is this supposed to happen?" she asked with a smile.
"Today or tomorrow," Nozomi said carefully. Doremi spazzed.
Doremi looked at Nozomi again before nodding her head, "Okay, I'll do my very best to stay away from the balcony, but you have to stay, or else I'll forget." Doremi said, playfully hitting herself on the head.
"Sure, I'll just follow you around via witch broom." Nozomi said with a smile before Doremi left the room.
"I can't believe my future husband goes to this school!" Doremi said to herself excitedly, "Oh~ I hope it's Igarashi-sempai! ~" She finished with a squeal. She quickly speed-walked back to the classroom.
"Hey Doremi, what was that thing on the intercom about?" The girls asked in the hallway after class.
"You guys won't believe it!" Doremi said with a grin, flailing her arms ecstatically, "I met my-"
"Hey Doremi, shouldn't we talk on the balcony?" asked Aiko, worried another student would hear their conversation if it involved magic. Doremi shook her head furiously as Aiko motioned towards the door.
"No! I promised I wouldn't go on the balcony today or tomorrow to the person I met today!"She said, she slid closer to her four friends and whispered in their ears, "It was my daughter from the future!"
"What? THAT'S IM-"Aiko stopped short however, when Doremi motioned to her tap.
"Nah, it's true! She looks a lot like me and she's a witchling. Her name is Nozomi." Doremi said quickly, her arms making random poses that didn't entirely fit with what she was describing, "She came here from the future to stop some incident from happening between me and my future husband, whom she can't tell me the identity of 'cause it would cause space time anomalies and stuff!"
Her friends all sweatdropped and sighed, "If you need us Doremi, we'll be on the balcony." Onpu said as the four exited through the doors.
"But I can't go… on the… balcony…" Doremi said, as her friends left her. She sighed and looked at Nozomi at the other end of the hallway disguised in normal clothes. "They don't believe me," Doremi said looking at Nozomi. Nozomi shrugged, and the two nearly identical girls stood side by side, staring at the wall in thought.
"Excuse me, which one of you two is Doremi Harukaze?" A deep voice asked from behind.
"That'd be me," Doremi said turning around and seeing a delivery guy.
"Well, congrats! You won the contest! You won a whole year's worth of steak!" The man said. Doremi drooled and went starry eyed as she was handed the coupon. Little hearts floated around her head as both she and Nozomi fantasized what someone could do with that much steak.
"YEEEEES!" Doremi shouted as she began to run to the balcony to tell her friends and do a victory dance. However, she abruptly stopped before the door, remembering Nozomi's promise, and turned around and ran the other way.
Suddenly Nozomi began to shimmer as she watched her future father pass by the balcony door.
"Doremi! That was it! That moment, it's over everything will be-"but Nozomi stopped shimmering and started to flake away instead, "w-wha? What's- oh, oh no! Mom! Mom! Listen! We made a mistake! That moment! It started it! It started everything between you and Ko-"but Nozomi's mouth flaked away before she could finish her sentence. Mom, it's up to you. The last thing she saw was an extremely determined look on her mother's face, with a hint of fear in her eyes. Mom…
Nozomi opened her eyes gasping for breath as she struggled beneath her- blankets? Nozomi looked around and saw she was in her room. She inspected the entire room for any differences. None. Suddenly her bedroom door opened and in walked her mother, same as ever. Same long apple red hair, same sparkling pink eyes, same bright and cheery smile.
"Good Morning Non-chan, did you have a nice sleep?" She asked in a cheery voice.
"Yeah… Mom?" Nozomi asked, unsure of what happened.
"What Non-chan?" she asked
"I thought I… that you… and Dad…"However Nozomi stopped when her father entered the room.
"You thought what?" he asked playfully, wrapping an arm around his wife's waist, "Don't worry, your mother and I fight all the time, we've done it since we were little! Isn't that right Dojime?" He said with a laugh. Doremi playfully punched her husband in the shoulder as they both laughed.
"You bet, Kotake-baka," she responded with a grin. Nozomi looked at her mother, hoping to find out why she even still existed. Then she saw the mischievous twinkle in her mother's eyes. Her mom had fixed everything.
"Want some breakfast?" she asked as they headed downstairs
"Yes please, what are we having?" Nozomi asked. Doremi's smile shined brightly as she opened the door to the dining room.
"Waffles."