Ivy left her cousin's room and made her way to Simon's house. She was so excited to share her plans with Simon.
As Ivy spilled her plans out to Simon, and told him about the witch , Simon laughted. "Ivy, this sounds so much like a movie. I've heard a lot of crazy things in the last few hours and I'm still trying to make sense of them. I feel I'm going crazy myself... but this whole plan of yours, count me out.. because I'm not going to be lunch for any old stupid witch. Look at me! I had to runaway from my karate class, because I couldn't even throw my fist, and now you think I could lose my sense, and follow you on some suicide mission?".
Ivy's face flushed with annoyance, but she couldn't help but laugh at Simon's humorous comments. "I know it sounds ridiculous, but I can't just ignore this feeling, Simon, I need to try".
" Bye bye to death girl... and don't you mention my name in the presence of that old hag too. Just count me out of all this. Pretend i don't exist from now till you regain your sanity" Simon dramatically falls on the bed.
Ivy's eyes pleaded with Simon, her voice filled with urgency. "Simon, I can't do this without you. Please, I need you by my side."
Simon sighed, surrendering to Ivy's unwavering determination. "Fine, I'll come with you, but on one condition."
Ivy's eyes lit up with anticipation. "What is it?"
Simon smirked mischievously. "You have to promise to buy me chocolate and roses on Valentine's Day. No exceptions!"
Ivy couldn't help but laugh. "Deal! I'll go home now and get ready for tomorrow. It's going to be a hectic day".
The next day, Ivy and Simon skipped school in pursuit of the old witch. They went into the deep dark forest. They kept going in circles, and taking wrong turns, Simon was exhausted. He was filled with frustration.
"This is a stupid idea. We are in the middle of nowhere, I'm not sure this place even exists even on Google map", he sighed.
Ivy took a deep breath " Be patient Simon, all hope isn't lost yet"
Just as Simon was about to talk, he spotted an isolated hut. Ivy's heart raced with anticipation as the cautiously approached the hut.
As they entered, an old woman appeared out of thin air, causing them to jump in surprise. Her eyes twinkled with ancient wisdom as she regarded them with curiosity.
"What are you two doing in this part of the forest?" The old woman demanded.
Ivy mustered up courage to speak "We are looking for an old witch. People say she is a myth, but I believe that I can find her. We were told she could give us the answers that we seek".
" What do you seek?" The old woman asked
"I want to ressurect my parents from the dead, and we think the old witch could help us", her voice quivered slightly.
The old woman let out a heartily laugh causing Ivy's heart to sink. "Well my child, you have come to the right place", she said with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.
Ivy's face lit up with hope. " Please tell me what I need to do. What is required to bring my parents back to life?"
The old witch smiled. "Poor child, what you seek, is almost impossible in the eyes of a mere mortal, yet there is hope. The task ahead is very difficult, only the bravest can achieve it".
Simon groaned audibly "That's where you lost me old woman, because I am far from being brave".
The old witch turned her gaze towards Simon, her eyes seeming to pierce through him "Shut your human puppet up, because this is no place for kids". She said returning her gaze to Ivy.
"You know what? I think that I should go and wait outside because , I wouldn't want to unleash my innerbeast on an old lady, I was raised to respect elders" he said fearfully, pretending to be tough.
Ivy pulled him back as he was about to walk away. " The chocolate and rose, remember?"
The old witch interrupted "If you are done dealing with your puppet, I would like to continue, with what I was saying. You must complete three different quests, to bring your parents back to life, each of which would not be easy".
Ivy, undeterred, looked at the witch with determination. " Please tell me what i need to do, I am ready for any tasks, no matter how challenging they may be".
The witch nodded approvingly "Very well, the first task is for you to venture into the Witch forest, where your parents remains rest, and retrieve a fragment of their bone".
Just then, Simon giggled. "Witch forest... this must be a joke. Ivy, I'm a master of mischief, not magic, don't worry you can do this on your own. I will be at home cheering you on, with a bag of popcorn in hand!"
Ivy looked at Simon disapprovingly, he understood that he needed to stop talking. The witch told them to head home and prepare for the journey ahead.
As Ivy and Simon made their way to Ivy's house, they engaged in a lightheaded banter. Simon was still skeptical about the dangerous quest ahead.
They arrived at Ivy's house and found Jasmine reading a novel. Ivy shared their little adventure with her, expecting disbelief or laughter. To her surprise, Jasmine's eyes widened with awe.
"The old witch! She's not just a myth?". Jasmine gasped, her voice filled with astonishment.
Ivy nodded. " It's all real Jas, I still can't believe that this world is filled with supernatural beings, and I am a witch too. It feels so unreal. However, Jasmine, I need your help. Could you teach me some basic spells?, because I don't even know the first thing about being a witch".
Jasmine hesitated for a moment. " I'm not sure Ivy , some spells are complicated"
Simon, who had been silently eating pizza the whole time, chimed with a mouthful of food. "Come on Jas! It might be fun! Plus , I'll be here to protect you... from a safe distance, ofcourse!"
With a reluctant smile, Jasmine finally agreed, realizing that Ivy needed her support. Together, they began their crash course in witchcraft, while Simon continued to enjoy his pizza. Jasmine was careful to teach Ivy, the basic spells and incantations. It was difficult for jasmine from the start, but she was born a witch, so it became easier as they progressed.