For I shall already have forgotten you

1. New Friends

 Madeline Williams is a normal teenage girl.

Her birthday is July 1. She lives in Canada with her father, after her mother died giving birth to her. Madeline, who bears a striking resemblance to her mother with her wavy golden blonde hair and deep blue eyes, inherited her father's mild-mannered disposition.

Madeline enjoys going to school. She is almost always at the top of her class and is often found with her nose stuck in a book. Madeline takes great pleasure in studying the languages, culture, and history of other countries.

Despite her gentle temperament, she is competitive and fierce when it comes to her two favorite sports: hockey and lacrosse. Many opponents of hers have been left beaten and battered, whether on the ice or the field.

However...

Madeline Williams is not a normal girl.

⚘ 

It started when she was younger. Due to her shyness and hesitation to approach others, Madeline did not have friends. She would sit alone in a corner of the playground reading while the other children ran around playing games. She longed to be a part of those games but did not know how. Her teachers and father attempted to teach Madeline how to socialize with others, but their efforts were in vain.

So it came to be that on one particular day, Madeline was no longer alone. While she was reading as usual, she felt a weight on the top of her head. Madeline's hand automatically reached up to pat the source of this peculiar new weight. She felt something...soft? Startled, Madeline retracted her hand and felt the weight leave her head. She closed her eyes and when she opened them again, she saw a bird perching on her lap.

"A...birdie? Birdie, why are you on my lap?"

Madeline did not expect the bird to reply because she knew birds couldn't talk. So imagine her surprise when her new feathered friend did exactly that.

"Because you looked like you needed a buddy!"

That was how Madeline met her first friend, the raven she named Inkblot. Madeline knew Inkblot was special. He looked like no other raven; glowing blue patterns covered his head, back, tail, wings, and chest. His eyes shone with the same light.

When Madeline attempted to show her teachers her new companion, they smiled and introduced themselves to the space on Madeline's right shoulder. Inkblot perched on Madeline's left. She came to understand that no one else but her could see Inkblot.

Inkblot enjoyed playing pranks on anyone who isn't Madeline. He will often take small items like hair ties, bracelets, etc. and hide them from their hapless owner until Madeline scolds him to return the belongings. Madeline's father is not exempt from this behavior. He often finds himself missing his keys, socks, watch, etc.

The presence of her "imaginary" friend made Madeline much happier. With Inkblot's unwitting help, Madeline was able to approach her classmates more often. She shared lunches and stories with them, they made drawings together, and played games. Madeline had Inkblot at home, but now she had friends at school too.

⚘

The party of two became three the next year.

Madeline was exploring her father's garden. She caught sight of a butterfly and attempted to catch it. As she flailed her arms around and ran after it, she shouted.