"Ms.Akko Kagari!"

"Ms.Lotte Jansson!"

"Ms.Sucy Manbavaran!"

"...Uhh, Professor Finnelan? We are all right here." Lotte said meekly not wanting to enrage the already peeved magic teacher any further.

"Yeah, no need to yell. We can hear you perfectly fine." Akko said setting the fact that the teacher was already mad aside.

Sucy simply rolled her only visible eye already foreseeing this conversation not ending well for the trio, or at least not in her favor. The professor continuing her angry rant was the final nail in the coffin.

"Time and time again you three have been brought to my attention with childish shenanigans on a daily basis!"

"And all of those were accidents with perfectly good intentions!" Akko shot back.

"Oh? Shall we go down the list?"

Finnelan pulled out a large file filled to the brim with paperwork reporting every incident known on Luna Nova property.

"Causing horrific havoc by raising an army of the undead..."

"Sucy just wanted to try out her new revival potions."

"And they worked...way better than I expected." the poison making prodigy said with her infamous bear trap grin.

"Creating a giant mess in the mess hall..."

"I was trying out the size changing spell on a slice of cherry pie, the spell worked but the pie exploded soon after." Akko said sheepishly scratching the back of her head.

"And starting unauthorized underground club meetings for...the nightfall novel series?"

Akko and Sucy looked over at Lotte.

"...I...well...I managed to convince some of the other students to take part in reading it with me." she said laughing a bit.

"...Ok, that last one is actually pretty harmless. But those first two are inexcusable! That makes two strikes in my book, if one more thing goes wrong...I will expel all three of you from Luna Nova effective immediately! Is that clear!?!"

The trio shuddered in fear before nodding.

"...Good. Now, in unrelated news Luna Nova will be receiving a new magic item today."

"A new magical item!?! What is it!?! Please tell me! I have to know!" Akko said running up to the professor's face only to get pulled back by her friends.

"Akko calm yourself please!" Lotte pleaded.

"Down girl." Sucy added.

"...Ahem, the magic item is the rare and mystical orb of Day La Sol, a fabled item said to show the universal truth. Once it arrives it will be escorted to the relic hall where it will be kept safe from, and I can't stress this enough, you three or any other possible hazards to cause it to shatter. Therefore to ensure such a fiasco doesn't occur you are restricted to stay in your dorm until further notice, is that clear?"

"...Yeah yeah..." Akko said under her breathe pouting a bit.

"I...said... is that clear!?!"

"Ma'am yes ma'am!" all three said standing at attention.

Later that morning:

The trio stayed in their room as they were instructed, Akko for one was pacing back and forth miffed for being told she couldn't be there to see the orb's arrival.

"I can't believe this! That orb is getting sealed away without a chance of us even seeing it!"

"It's a punishment, what did you expect to happen? And frankly, I don't see the big deal with some orb." Sucy sighed.

"Weren't you listening? It's a famous item with the ability to tell the universal truth. Doesn't that mean it can answer any question we could think of!?!"

"Maybe...but it's too late for that noise now."

"Well Akko, if it makes you feel any better I think I can see the orb's arrival from here." Lotte said looking out the window.

"What? Really? Let me see."

Off in the distance Akko could see the a magical gate opening in the sky as several witches on brooms flew in a twin parallel lines formation, the last two were flying side by side holding onto a massive glass case. Inside the case was a seafoam green crystal orb resting on top of a velvet pillow. Standing outside Luna Nova were the other students cheering excitedly, Akko turned as green as the orb with envy.

"Man, I wish we were down there." she groaned slumping over in despair.

That's when she got an idea, a very impish and devious plan. She peeked out into the dorm hallways to see Diana and her two sheep like followers Hannah and Barbara walking down to the hall on their way to view the ceremony when Akko rushed over to get their attention.

"Diana! Diana wait up! We have a huge problem!"

Diana turned around to address her.

"Akko? What on earth is the problem?"

"There's-There's uh, a huge, uh... mutant... rat infestation!"

"Rats!?!" Hannah shouted.

"Eww! I hate rats!" Barbara groaned.

"Yeah, a terrible case! In the-umm, the...underground cellars!"

Diana placed a hand on her chin and thought about it.

"Hmmm, very well. I will ask one of the groundskeeping goblins to look into it on the way to the ceremony."

With that Diana turned and headed off.

"Huh? Wait! Um, wouldn't it be easier for someone like you to just cast a warding spell to scare them away for good?"

"...Hmm. I must admit, that does sound much more effective. Very well, I will take care of it."

"But Diana, I hate going down to the cellar!" Hannah protested.

"And I still don't like rats!" Barbara added.

"Then you both can stay here and wait for me to come back."

Diana walked off heading to the cellars, Hannah and Barbara looked at each other and being the mindless sheep they were quickly rushed after her. Akko held back a giggle as her plan was already working better she had hoped, or the fact it was working at all was a total miracle itself. She rushed back to greet the waiting Sucy and Lotte who still had no clue what she was up to.

"Ok, wands up!" she announced.

"Akko..." Lotte said sounding worried.

"She's up to something..." Sucy simply sighed.

The two reluctantly did so before Akko waved her wand citing the magical words:

"Metamorphie Faciesse!"

Instantly Akko exploded in a puff of pink smoke before she transformed into a perfect copy of Diana, Sucy caught onto the plot and thought it looked fun.

"Metamorphie Faciesse!"

With a puff of pink smoke Sucy transformed into a mirror image of Barbara. The two then looked at Lotte awaiting her choice.

"You guys, if we get caught doing this we will be expelled for sure!"

"We're not gonna get caught, I promise. Besides, I have a plan." Akko/Diana said with a proud grin.

"And by that she means we're winging it." Sucy/Barbara said debunking her friend's false confidence.

"Oh come on Lotte, you want to see the orb of legend just as much as we do right?"

Lotte thought about it for a long minute before sighing aloud.

"Metamorphie Faciesse!"

Lotte burst into a puff of pink before becoming a perfect twin of Hannah.

"Great! Let's go!"

With that the disguised trio quickly headed off to join the ceremony, and just in time as the senior witches were carting the glass case inside the school. Akko/Diana brushed her way to the front of the crowd to get a fleeting glimpse of the orb.

"It's...beautiful."

"...Just look like any dumb old rock to me." Sucy/Barbara sighed.

"Ok Akko, you got your quick look better now we better get going before Diana comes back or Professor Finnelan comes by." Lotte/Hannah said looking around waiting for either one to just suddenly appear beside them.

Meanwhile down in the underground cellars Diana and her sheep followers were exploring every available inch with no sign of any rats.

"As I first thought, there are no rats here." Diana announced.

"Oh thank goodness! I was afraid we would actually find-" Barbara began to say only to jump as something suddenly brushed against her leg.

"Ahhhhhhh!" Hannah cried out as the same thing happened to her.

"What are you two screaming for!?!" Diana demanded.

Before they could answer their eyes shrunk in fear as a inky black shadow with glowing red eyes and wearing a gentleman top hat silently lurked behind Diana.

"D-D-D-D..."

"What is it? Spit it out."

"Diana! Look behind you!"

Diana did so only to see nothing behind her.

"...Very funny, but that's enough games. Let's head back before we miss the ceremony entirely."

"...Thats so weird." Barbara said.

"...Where did it go?" Hannah added.

After the ceremony came to a celebrational end the students and senior witches soon left the relic hall, allowing the masquerading trio to sneak in to get a closer look at the orb.

"Ooooh, it's so...shiny." Akko/Diana said in awe of the glittering stone.

"Ok Akko, you got your look. Now let's go before we get caught!" Lotte/Hannah pleaded pulling her friend's arm and dragging her away.

"Aww..." Akko/Diana whined in protest as she was dragged.

Suddenly streaks of a grey and black started flooding through the floorboards before reforming into a shapeless blob like shadow wearing a gentleman top hat.

"Huh!?!" The trio said in surprise as the creature loomed over the glass case wrapping it's smoke like fingers around it before flying off through the window.

"Hey! Come back here! You can't take that!" Akko/Diana cried out rushing to the window and waving her fist angrily.

"Oh no, oh no, oh no! If Finnelan or any of the other professors find out the stone is missing we'll be expelled for sure!" Lotte/Hannah cried out.

"They wont, come on! After it!"

On broomsticks the trio chased after the shadow specter still holding the glass case flying in the air before diving into the dark forest. The many thorn covered branches proved to be troublesome as the shadow seemed to have easily evaded them leaving the three in a maze of trees.

"Ugh, now what?" Sucy/Barbara groaned in annoyance.

"Hmmm... (gasp) there!" Akko/Diana called out spotting the shadow weaving through the trees as she and Lotte/Hannah started chasing after it.

Sucy/Barbara was about to join when she spotted another shadow flying away in the opposite direction.

"There's two?" she started following after that shadow.

The two chases soon ended abruptly as the shadows led the witches in a complete circle. Upon meeting up the two swirled together before diving downwards, the witches realized this after it was too late causing them to crash into each other and fall to the ground.

"...Ugh, what happened?" Akko/Diana groaned rubbing the side of her head before seeing the large shadow still holding the glass case dive into a nearby graveyard.

"Where did that graveyard even come from?" Lotte/Hannah asked as the trio followed the shadow inside.

Akko/Diana was sprinting at top speed inches away from the shadow reaching out to grab it when it suddenly dived head first into a gravestone leaving the glass case behind, she quickly lunged for it.

"Got it!" she cheered with glee.

Shadow like hands suddenly reached out from the earth grabbing the case as well.

"Oh no...you...don't!" Akko/Diana said pulling at the case as it slowly sunk deeper and deeper in the muddy dirt.

Her face ended up being submerged in the dirt, she started kicking her legs as her screams were muffled. Her friends soon arrived to pull the witch free, her face now covered in dirt and worms filling her mouth. Sucy for one couldn't help but laugh at this as the magic spell wore off and the trio reverted back to their usual forms, Akko leered at her before she spat out the dirty worms.

"Ok, now we can worry." Akko sighed.

All three looked down at their feet in defeat, Akko suddenly got mad kicking the tombstone hard. A loud crack could be heard as Akko thought she broke her foot when really it was the tombstone that made the sound. Loud mechanical gears could be heard as the ground suddenly opened up and a loud train whistle could be heard, a massive train covered in cobwebs and bones shot out from the darkness looping around the tree witches before slowing to a stop as steam shot out from the sides.

"...What's with the halloween theme?" Akko asked scratching her head.

"Why do I feel like this is referencing something?" Lotte asked placing a hand on her chin.

"...I like it." Sucy simply said.

That's when Akko realized what this was.

"Guys! I think this is the answer to our problem!"

"...It is?" Lotte and Sucy asked.

"Think about it, where that spector went must be a stop on this train. All we have to do is ride it, simple!"

"Akko, I don't think it's that simple." Lotte tried to warn her friend.

Unfortunately Akko had ignored the warning and started pounding her fist against the side of the train.

"Hello!?! We would like to board please!" she announced.

The train car door opened up as a tall skeleton man wearing a train conductor's vest and cap stood in the way surprising Akko.

"...Tickets please...M'am." The skeleton said in a raspy gruff voice holding out his hand to receive said tickets.

"Uuuh, ya see...we don't actually have tickets."

The door suddenly closed, it couldn't close all the way due to Akko's foot blocking it.

"...Ow."

"No tickets...no entry." the skeleton snarled.

"Now wait, I bet I can change your mind."

The skeleton raised his nonexistent eyebrow. Akko pulled out her wand and recited the lastest spell that have learned.

"Miya Copaya!" she exclaimed with a wave of her wand.

A moment passed yet nothing happened, Akko looked at her wand in confusion.

"You said it wrong." Lotte said as she palmed herself in the face.

Sucy already anticipated her friend's failure and started waving her wand behind her back.

"Maya Coporia." she whispered.

A faint swirl appeared around the skeleton's head before his angry expression softened dramatically.

"Well hellooooo there! How can I be of service to ya this eternity?" the skeleton spoke in a much more softer and friendly tone.

"We need to find that shadow that stole a priceless artifact from our school." Akko said.

"A shadow? Priceless artifact? Oh! You want to talk to the Keeper then."

"Keeper?"

"Yes! You know, Keeper. Collector of all things shiny? The Warden of the underworld? The Overseer of souls? The Immortal Merchant? No? Nothing?"

The three shook their heads no.

"Huh? You fleshies must really be from around here then, that might be a problem."

"How come?"

"Well for one thing, I cant let people from topworld onboard on the account of them not being...you know."

The skeleton conductor made a hanging expression and mimicking a gagging death rattle sound.

"And if I do I might be the one hanging by my neck, sure I'm dead already but it's actually pretty killer on the back let me tell ya."

"But you have to! If we don't get that relic back, we'll be expelled. Pleasssse!" Akko said with the widest pleading eyes.

"...Oh, oh alright."

"Really!?! Yay!"

Akko grabbed Lotte and Sucy before all three boarded the skeleton man's train, the inside was rather nicer in comparison with velvet red carpet walls, leather seats, and a fancy bright chandelier hanging from the ceiling.

"Wow..." Akko said as her eyes grew wide with awe.

"Not bad." Sucy said taking the seat next to a window.

Lotte took the seat behind Sucy still worried about what they were getting into.

"Um, Akko? Do you even know where this train is going?"

Akko let out a hardy laugh.

"Oh Lotte...I have no idea."

The next thing they heard was an ear splitting train whistle.

"Next stop, the underworld!" the skeleton conductor announced.

"...Did he just say the underworld?"

A sea of smoke erupted from both sides of the train before heading back down the massive underground entrance which sealed up immediately after.