A quick glance at the hourglass revealed that her time had, indeed, come to an end. Ursula's voice trailed off midsentence as the words she had intended to say scattered in the face of this new discovery. A heavy book hit the desk with a thud as a sigh escaped from her chest, quickly replaced by the professor's usual pained smile.
"That will be all for today, then. I hope you all enjoy your break – but don't leave your homework for the last minute, ok?"
The last few words of her appeal were drowned out by the tumultuous uproar of a class free at last to indulge in a break from arduous study. Likely, a sign of half-finished assignments to come. At least, Ursula hoped they were arduously studying – no amount of lecturing could give them the will to learn.
She smiled for a little longer, hoping to send them off with some semblance of positive energy. Once it seemed that no one was looking at her any longer, she turned to erase the sprawling white maze that had overtaken the blackboard. Oh Ursula, you've done it again – smirking to herself, she reached for the eraser and began her final task for the day. Sometimes it felt like she deserved a break more than the kids. But perhaps that was a little selfish of her.
Just as the blackboard was starting to look a little more like its usual black self, Ursula was surprised by a visitor – a figure who carried such a regal aura that she seemed hardly phased by the deluge of oncoming traffic. Diana stood by the lecture podium and was already reaching for an eraser as she said, "May I offer my assistance?"
"Oh, Professor Cavendish – do you need something? No, no, I can do this myself, don't you worry about me."
But despite her protests, Diana completed the board's return to darkness. "I just happened to be passing by."
"I do appreciate it. But it's not often that you come to see me like this."
Diana returned the eraser to the shelf and turned to look at her elder directly. "How's Akko doing these days?"
"She hasn't changed a bit. Still as lively as ever."
"Must be a handful to take care of." Diana's smile said what she'd left unspoken.
"A feisty little devil, she is. But I wouldn't trade her for the world."
"I know."
The sudden silence became immediately apparent as the last word left Diana's lips, and Ursula realized that all the students had left. The afternoon sun was peering in on their little private conversation, speaking softly in orange. Diana took a letter seemingly from thin air and laid it on the desk. "Actually, I came here to give you this."
"A letter?"
"At first I thought it was another one of Akko's… well, you know."
"I would humbly request that you not speak of those again."
In that moment, Diana's laugh seemed to be just the same as it had been all those years ago. Young, haughty, and brilliant. "Of course."
"So if it isn't Akko, then…" Ursula took the letter into one hand and straightened her glasses with the other. "Croix?"
Croix. A name left unspoken for ten years now – ever since she disappeared after the missile crisis. Why now, of all times? Ursula smiled. What kind of answer will she bring, I wonder?
"Thank you for this, Diana."
"Not at all. Say hi to Akko for me, would you?"
Ursula did her best to smile as she echoed Diana's words, "of course."
It had been so long – what will she think of me now? So many years spent searching for an answer have left Croix with a lonely feeling in her chest. And yet, a certain sense of clarity had been emerging from somewhere inside of her. She had to atone for what she'd done, after all. Not everything could go her way – not ten years ago, and not today. But if there was one thing she could do, it was leave Chariot with one last apology. Anything more would be up to her. Croix smirked to herself. "You've gotten soft, huh?"
No one answered as she stepped from out of the portal and into the wild grass. Chariot had found quite the beautiful place to live in her absence. But even more unexpected – and more beautiful – was the sight she was greeted with as she took her first step into the expansive meadow.
Magical lights flashed in the navy twilight sky like fireworks, bursting and erupting and morphing into each other. It had been so long since she'd seen Chariot perform like this. Honestly, it felt like a lifetime. She probably should have felt guilty, but she didn't. She'd come too far to let those kinds of feelings get in her way now.
Croix made her way to the log cabin and made herself comfortable on its spacious porch. Quite a dream house she's made for herself, she thought. For a moment she pondered whether it was built with magic or by hand. Not that it mattered, really. Of course, if it was her house, she'd need to make a couple of… renovations.
When the fireworks stopped, Croix could see her old friend descending from the heavens on her broom. She looked up with a smug smile. Were these light shows really the future of magic? Well, it was out of her hands now.
But all at once, a few things came into Croix's mind – Chariot couldn't fly anymore. In fact, that was why she'd come here in the first place. And as the radiant figure drew nearer to the ground, a recognition further confirmed her suspicions.
It wasn't Chariot up in the sky that night. It was Akko.
"Croix? Is that you?"
"Heh. It's been a long time, Akko."
Just then, the portal opened in the distance.
Croix was invited into Chariot's home. It wasn't anything impressive, but it had a pleasant feeling to it. Yeah, I could see her liking a place like this – Croix chuckled to herself.
"Did you get my letter?" Croix broke the silence that had emerged after the pleasantries had been dispensed with.
"Is it really true? You found it… a cure?"
Croix sat back in her chair and folded her arms behind her head. "Well, it wouldn't be me if it didn't involve results, right?"
"Impressive as always."
"Well, I didn't come here to fish for compliments. What I really want to know is if you can trust me one more time."
Chariot glanced at Akko just for a second. "If I do this, I'll be able to fly again, right?"
"That's right. It was hard to get my hands on any victims, but I did my best. I was only able to test it twice."
"And?"
A sound somewhat like a sigh wormed its way out of Croix's chest as she leaned forward. "50% success."
"50%? What kind of result is that? I thought you were all about the numbers!" Akko popped into the conversation after a considerable silence.
"It's the best I could do. But I'm confident it will work. Only one of my specimens was really comparable to –"
"And what happens if it doesn't work?" Akko punched into the table and leaned over it enough that Croix had to sit back a little to avoid getting an eyeful of her nose.
"I can't say for sure. The one failure case – well, she didn't make it."
"And you expect us to take that kind of risk?"
"Listen, she was a really old piece of work. She probably would've fallen apart on her own without my interference. I'm confident it will work."
Akko folded her arms and puffed out her cheeks. Seems she still doesn't know how to respond to reason. All the same, Croix could understand their concern. But after the last time, she couldn't bring herself to hide the truth from them.
"If anyone could survive the procedure, it's Chariot." Croix gave her final pitch. "If you don't want to risk it, I understand. No skin off my nose."
"I want to do it." Chariot stood up. "Croix, let me do it."
"Chari, what are you saying? You can't–"
"Let me do this, Akko. Please."
The way they looked each other in the eye made Croix's stomach turn. She feigned to fix her hair as the sensation passed.
"I want to give Akko her dream – to fly in the sky with Chariot. I'll do anything to make that happen."
"You don't owe me anything!" Akko was crying now. Well, she was terrible at hiding it. "None of that matters if I can't be with you! You've already done so much for me – please don't hurt yourself anymore. I don't want a world without you – I don't–"
Words escaped her. "It's all right, Akko. I won't leave you – I promised, remember?"
"Well, what do you think? Will you try it or not?" Croix pushed the issue.
"Please, let me fly again."
The machines swirled around the chamber. Croix stood by at the control machine, going over the programming one last time. She made sure to check the failsafe measures – she'd spent half of her journey perfecting those. Her machines would not disobey her again.
"It's ready whenever you are."
Chariot stepped up to the cylindrical chamber set up in her living room.
"Chari, are you sure about this?"
"It'll be over before you know it, Akko."
"That's what scares me the most."
"No matter what happens–"
Akko was crying again before Chariot could even finish speaking. "Don't say it."
The last step into the chamber was the longest stride. She turned around to face her companions and gave that same forced smile Croix had always remembered. Ever since she'd gone into teaching, that had been a regular expression of hers. Before that her smiles had been so much more genuine.
But then, Croix remembered – it wasn't really the teaching that had anything to do with it. It was after she had forced Chariot to go through with the Dream Fuel Spirit research – after she had betrayed her trust. And now that broken smile stared at her once again through the round glass.
Croix wouldn't make the same mistake again.
The button was pressed, and the procedure began. Years and years of research, all of it culminating in this one moment – Croix's final apology. When she tried to take Akko away from her, Chariot gave up everything to protect that girl's future. And here she is, doing it again. This time, let me be the one to take away your pain instead of adding to it.
Technology ran its course, and the drones swirled around as they administered doses of magic in precise and carefully measured amounts and at specific intervals. Croix bit her lip, her eyes fixated on the bars and numbers which represented the life of her friend. In that moment, those numbers seemed meaningless compared to a single life. Somehow her vision changed entirely, and she was afraid she might lose focus on her work.
Akko tried to watch at first. But by this point, she had turned away and buried her face in her hands.
"Shiny Chariot, let us see your light once more!"
The procedure grew to its close. Croix watched as the vitals shifted and fluctuated – it was anyone's game. It was all up to fate now. She gripped tightly at her jacket as the energy left her and she fell to her knees.
"Croix? What's wrong? Don't tell me–"
"Akko. Listen to me. Do you believe in her? In Chariot?"
"I.. of course I do!"
"Do you believe in her?!" Croix's voice sputtered as she coughed at the last word.
"My Chariot is the most amazing witch in the universe!"
Smirking as always, even through the pain. "You're damn right she is. Now you'd better appreciate this.."
The chamber opened and Chariot spilled out into the living room. Akko was all over her in a heartbeat as Croix gripped her chest and watched from the sidelines.
"The future of magic… huh?"
"Croix, I can never thank you enough."
"Don't. I don't deserve any thanks. I was just repaying a debt." And besides, that smile is all I could ask for – Chariot's real smile.
Akko was still crying, but her face was so different than it had been just minutes ago. After seeing them flying together, Croix was convinced.
"I guess I won't be needing this anymore." Croix handed over the two things she'd brought with her – her handheld device and a bouquet of roses.
"Croix?"
"I'm really happy for you, Chariot – you and your girl. You take good care of her, all right, Akko? She's a real monster in the sheets, if you catch my drift."
"Croix!"
Croix laughed as she left only a waving hand behind her. At last, her story had come to an end.