bMrIaNiDnIwMaPsRhOiVnEg??

Dano got an idea.
But wasn’t it dangerous? She would be risking her siblings’ lives. Her mother’s life. Her’s. Anyway, she would probably forget about that in a few minutes, after the ‘mind improvement’.
It was another quick thought wasted. But maybe this time... maybe, just... maybe? Why did this sudden thought turn into a dream so quickly? A dream that would end in some minutes.

She was going to turn into a witch. Maybe it could be faster to make the brooms. Maybe it could take her family out of poverty. That seemed... right. And fun, for sure. Was it worth running away? Nah… they would catch her. She couldn’t do anything. So, she just kept walking in silence.

After seven or eight minutes walking (it was a huge police station), they arrived at the 'improvement room'. It was the last room in a long but slim runner.

After finding the right key, Tenkei unlocked the door. Inside, there was a metal chair and a bowl-like helmet linked by wires to a ridiculously tiny control panel.

When Dano stepped inside the room, the lights turned off, and big blue siren lights started blinking.

"Is it meant to happen?" Dano thought it was part of the process.

"1...2..3 times... 4 times, ok, that's not good" — Miss Tenkei was afraid of a fourth blink, and there it was.

"W-what does it mean?" — The rookie police officer didn't yet have the experience to know what it meant without some manual.

"4 blinks is not in The Guide, but it means we have an emergency related to magic" — Tenkei pointed at the white-collared guy — "you'll have to do the improvement in her while I check what is happening" — she started to run while talking, and then screaming — "when you're done, I'll need YOU TO GO TO MY OOOFFIIIICE."

He still didn't know what was happening, but he obeyed. At least he tried to.

They entered the room. It was moist in some kind, and it smelled of mold. That room wasn't used in a long time, probably.

"So, go sit in that chair."

Dano sat. The chair began to creak and then lowered down fast, but not much.
The rookie was looking nervously at Dano.

"I-I can do this — he whispered — I need to do this."

Dano was hopeless. There was nothing she could do. She was going to forget the fact that could change her life. The thing that was likely to bring joy to her family. That would bring food to her family. That...that... there was nothing she could do.

"Now I'll put the helmet on you. Ok, let's begin."

He got behind the control panel. "Now, you just need bite your thumb." She bit it.

He started to talk alone. What button was he meant to press? He couldn't remember.
So the best solution was to
"Push all the levers and press all the buttons." — he muttered.

"Mind Improvement will start now." — while pressing and pushing and pulling everything he could, all at once.

The room started to shake. It was subtle, but it was there. A loud crackling noise started, coming from the metal chair. Dano accidentally bit her thumb, which began to bleed. Some seconds later, everything stopped and the chair started to smoke.

"We're done."

Dano's memories were clear as water.

"Sorry, sir, but... where am I?" Dano wasn't used to lying. She was clearly faking it.

"LET'S GO!" the cop was with his arms raised. Almost freaking out due to the tension. "You could've exploded."

"Sir... officer, I think... where am I? Can I hav–"

"Oh, sorry, Miss Tadano. You hit your head after falling some stairs near here. Thankfully, I heard your fall, so I brought you here so I could check if there wasn't anything bad with you. How is your head? Does it hurt? May I take you to your parents?"

What a dumb guy, Dano was thinking.

"Sorry, officer, but I need to return to my brooms. The last thing I remember was selling them in Kabu Boulevard. Can you lead me to the main entrance?"

After walking for a while, they arrived at the main entrance.

"Take care, Miss Tadano. Sorry for the inconvenience."

After a head nod, Dano went on the street. It was a few blocks from the place she left her brooms.

She would go to the Kabu Boulevard, and then walk it down to the commercial area.

It would take some time, so she began to think. She was just a girl. Could she turn into a witch? Would this really bring joy to her family? How would she turn into a witch? To know it, the first thing she needed to do was talk with someone from that area. But who? She didn't even know magic existed before this occurrence. She couldn't stay static.

Dano stopped at a restaurant. She knew one of the managers. Can't say it was her friend, but it would help her when she couldn't afford to buy food.

It had a window facing the street, where she could be attended by the cashier.

"Hey, little Dano, what do you need today?"

"Good afternoon, Sir Baker, can I have some willingly-given rice?
Some cops mistook me for a w– a robber, so I couldn't sell any of my brooms."

"Alright, Dano — he said while taking twelve warm
spoons of rice from a pot — anything else?"

"Oh my God! Thank you very much, sir!"

"You know, if you need food, just knock on my window."

With a paper bag full of cooked rice, she returned to walk towards Kabu Avenue.

The plan to become a witch, if she were able to, was to talk to one. But she couldn't just start yelling something like "Is someone here a witch?", otherwise she would be considered crazy. But patience was a quality she had.

Someone was running towards her. Someone desperately running towards Dano. Someone with fearful eyes. And then another person. And another. There were many people running away from Kabu Boulevard.

The only thing Dano could think about was her brooms. Poor Dano, the brooms weren't worth her life. She couldn't think that, maybe, things were serious near the commercial area.