Nina is a regular girl... at least as regular as a witch from a magical kingdom can be. When a curse is placed on her she can only hope someone will figure out how to rescue her from her endless fate. But is it worth hurting that rescuer beyond words can describe?

-Curse-

"The holy stone!"

Maya Orihara's emerald eyes widened as she gazed up at the rose-colored orb hovering before her eyes. Just out of reach, Maya had never been so close to success. She was a hair's width away from achieving magic that other girls her age could only dream of. All she had to do was take it...

She reached out and then hesitated. What would happen next? What was to be her future? Maya didn't know... and she realized that she didn't care. She reached out again, her brow furrowed deeply as she concentrated on the Holy Stone.

Her fingertips lightly brushed the orb...

"GOTCHA!" someone cried triumphantly. Maya looked up in surprise to see a girl dressed in red flying away from her on a pink scooter, her golden locks billowing in the breeze. Rolling her eyes, Maya turned back to the Holy Stone in front of her and blanched.

The stone was gone.

"Nina, you thief! Give it back, now!" Maya yelled in vain. The blonde looked down at her, hazel eyes seemingly filled with compassion. Maya knew it was just a lie. Almost to tears, she leaned forward in her old-fashioned wood carved armchair, turned, and flew off.

Only then the tears came. "I'll get you for this," she whispered under her breath. "Just you wait and see."

Meanwhile, the witch called Nina Sakura pumped her fist in the air. "I've got it, Ayu! I've got it! The last Holy Stone I need!" she screamed ecstatically. A slim, tall grey-eyed brunette ran over to where Nina's scooter landed on the grass, mirroring her friend's joy.

"So what's next?" Ayu asked. Nina shrugged. "I don't know. All I know for sure is that when some official gets to check the records, he'll promote my level. I'll be stronger than... Maya!" she gasped in disbelief.

Ayu laughed. "It's good you know," she said, hugging her best friend. "Listen, I'd better go now. My parents are home for once," she added excitedly. "They promised we'd play a game of Monopoly first before I have to sleep."

Nina nodded. "All right, I'll see you tomorrow." She got on the scooter and flew home, running into her parents' arms. "I did it! I did it! I got the last Holy Stone!" she said, tears of joy leaking out of her eyes. Her mother, laughing, brushed the tears out of her own eyes. "Congratulations honey," she said. "Oh, and there's a message from Grandpa, but I think you'd better read it tomorrow morning. It's way past your curfew," she said, trying to be stern but failing.

"All right Mom," she said, yawning. She trudged up the stairs and into her room, where she changed into her nightgown and went to bed. She was asleep before her head hit the pillow.

No one saw the slim figure enter through Nina's bedroom window. No one except Rio, Nina's pet grey cat, saw the witch lightly sprinkle a sparkling powder onto the sleeping girl. And no one except Rio witnessed Nina's disappearance.
Nina woke and stretched, yawning. She felt the warmth of a body beside her. Snuggling up to the warmth, she said, "Oh Rio, you're so cuddddddddddly..."

An instant later, one hard blow to her stomach sent her sprawling to the floor. She cried out in pain and doubled over, looking up only when it didn't hurt so. A pair of brown eyes peeked out at her from the bed.

"Rio! Did you do that?!" she screamed, throwing the blankets off. She gasped.

A toddler was in her bed.

"Oh, you're awake. We thought you'd sleep the whole morning, honey," a kind voice crooned through the doorway. Nina stood shakily and looked behind her. A plump woman with an apron on was standing there, smiling broadly. "So honey, tell me about you. I just found you on my doorstep last night and took you in," she said, her smile widening.

"I...I'm Nina." That was all she could manage for now.

"Well, Nina, welcome to the family. Breakfast is in a few minutes. I've lent you some of Susanna's old clothing, it's on the chair there," she said, leaving the room. Nina watched silently as the toddler hurried out after her.

She stood up and instantly felt dizzy. Sitting on the bed, she stared up at the ceiling.

"What in the world is going on???"