AN: Well never had one of those before, I'm really nervous about posting this story, it's the first time
I'm writing in another language, yeah English is not my first language, so tell me what you think.
Enjoy^^
June 2006
"Don't cry, Chariot. We will always be together, I promise!"
...
"Chariot stop!"
...
"Don't do this!"
...
"CHARIOT!"
Startled Chariot opened her eyes. Her heart was racing, as if she had just performed a taxing spell.
She stared blinkingly at the dark ceiling, trying to calm down.
This again. Someone crying out to her in her dream.
Distorted voices scrambled together screaming her name in what she guessed, total desperation.
Her eyes slowly got used to the darkness in the room. She was surprised that her roommates were still sleeping so soundly after they told her time and time again how she would disturb them in the night, because she would sleep talk or snore or... well who knew?
Letting out a sigh Chariot pulled the blanket over her head and groaned. Now she would never get back to sleep. Grumpy she rolled to the side, trying to leave her bed, but her arms got caught in the blanket that was still over her head and with a dull thump she dropped to the ground.
"Goddammit Chariot, I'm trying to sleep!"
Suddenly the little lamp on the desk was lit, illuminating the room in dim light.
Therese Chairfield looked at the redhead, who was still fighting with her blanket, with barely concealed annoyance. Chariot stopped her struggling and smiled sheepishly.
"Sorry Therese, I didn't mean to wake you up."
She really didn't, her roommate was just such a light sleeper.
"How considerate of you", said Therese, a slight edge to her tone.
"Do tell, what is it you were actually trying to do?"
Chariot shrugged, bringing up her dream would only make her situation worse, so she forced a smile.
She loved entertaining people, so she had to smile, she had to make them happy, but...
'It's so hard, why do they have to treat me like that?'
"I just wanted to get up, you know, taking a walk, something like that", she said lightly, her voice not betraying the inner turmoil she felt.
The redhead's roommate blinked slowly, her gaze wandering back and forth between Chariot and Chariot's bed.
"So...you're telling me that you were too dumb to properly get out of your own bed?"
Therese didn't bother to wait for a response, her mouth warped into a cruel smile and she began to snicker.
"How embarrassing, what are you, five? How did someone like you even get into Luna Nova in the first place? What a disgrace! You want to be a great witch someday? What a- why are you smiling?"
Somewhere in Therese's rant Chariot's face had brightened up. Following her gaze, the roommate's expression soured again. There on the redhead's nightstand laid the Claiomh Solais, a faint yellow glow coming from one of the gems. It was enough to tune Therese's voice out completely, the tiredness was entirely gone and she was filled with giddy excitement.
'I need to tell Croix'
"Great," muttered Therese, "just take your little magic stick and go. Unlike you I value my good night's sleep."
With a swish of her wand Chariot was freed and practically skipped to her nightstand. Gripping the Claiomh Solais tightly she turned back to Therese trying to express her gratitude for being able to walk freely again.
"Did I stutter? I said go!"
Not even able to get her cloak, Chariot found herself pushed out the door, which was slammed shut shortly after.
'Why do I even bother?'
Through the closed door she could hear some muffled voices. She could only guess, but it sounded like their second roommate had just woken up.
"What happened?"
"Just Chariot being an idiot, as always."
"Do you have to be that mean to her? It's not her fault that she's clumsy as hell."
"Oh please, you just want me to make nice with her because she seems to be friends with Croix-Senpai.
Don't really know why she wastes her time with 'that one', but I guess everyone needs a 'charity' project here and there. When she is bored with her, she will hopefully move on and you can try to win her heart."
"But if you are mean to her now, Croix-Senpai will hate me Therese."
"God, just go back to sleep Helena!"
The light in the room vanished and left Chariot alone in the dark dormitory hall, except for the glowing rod, she carried. What she just heard wasn't new for her. She really didn't have any friends besides Croix, but it never bothered her. Croix was amazing. A prodigy, the hope of the school, earning title after title. Even the Idea of Chariot, the troublemaker, and her being friends was preposterous, but here they were.
October 2005
"Do you want to see my show?"
"I beg your pardon?"
"My magic show, do you want to see it?"
Chariot grinned brightly at the older witch with lavender hair and glasses.
Finally being in Luna Nova was a dream come true. She loved magic. It just seemed as if she was the only one doing so. Being a first year everything was magical in the beginning. Coming from a magical family was nice and all, but never being able to use magic because it dwindled from year to year made her first experiences so much better...until the classes started that is. She loved magic, she truly did...she just wasn't really good at it. Somehow transforming a worm not into a bird but into a swarm of mosquitoes didn't win her any points with the professors or her classmates. So when she asked if someone wanted to attend her magic show, unsurprisingly nobody came forward. She may had just succeeded in making her entire class hate her in just one day. Which brought her to exactly this scenario. Asking random students from the upper years.
The older witch with glasses sat alone under a tree reading a book, while scribbling every now and then on some loose papers. On one of them Chariot made out the outline of something cube shaped but most of it, or better all of it, made little to no sense to her. Nonetheless she was intrigued, so she followed her instincts and asked her. Confused green eyes met Chariot's red ones.
"I'm not interested."
Chariot pouted. She was so sure this time would be different.
"Why not? It's going to be fun, I promise."
The older witch gave her an irritated sigh.
"I have more important things to do than humoring first years."
Something in Chariot bristled at that, swelled on and swirled inside her. She desperately needed her to see her magic...
'Why though?'
"Magic IS the most important thing!", she blurted out, practically yelling at the other witch, "I'll show you!"
The witch with green eyes stared blankly at her.
She studied Chariot's face, suddenly seizing her chin and lifting it upwards. Something seemed to have caught her interest, even if the redhead had no idea what. After some agonizingly slow minutes the older witch released her chin and put her book down. Then she stared again.
"Well? What are you waiting for? Show me your magic!"
Chariot's eyes went wide and a bright smile spread over her face. She drew her wand enthusiastically and said: "A believing heart is my magic, open your heart, laugh with me!"
"METAMORPHIE FACIESS!"
When Chariot opened her eyes again, the sun was already setting and a cold breeze ruffled her red short hair.
"Ah, you're awake."
Chariot turned her head to the source of the voice and looked into the green eyes of the older witch, whose lavender hair danced in the light of the evening sun.
The redhead smiled faintly.
"I guess I couldn't show you my love for magic?"
The blank mask of her schoolmate didn't change, she raised her eyebrows nonetheless.
"No."
Before Chariot could chime in with something lighthearted and silly, to make the moment less awkward, mostly for herself, the other witch continued:
"But you impressed me."
A weird feeling washed over Chariot, as soon as she understood the meaning of those words.
"Really?", she asked breathlessly, with a hopeful tone.
The other witch nodded with a hint of a smile on her lips.
"Really!"
For a while all they did was stare at each other, then she extended her right hand to help Chariot up.
"Croix Meridies."
The energetic redhead took it and barreled forward, forcing her new 'friend' Croix in a hug, who looked slightly startled at the sudden contact, but didn't pull away.
"My name is Chariot du Nord."
June 2006
"Croix...psst...Croix"
Knocking impatiently at the old door in the second year dormitory was almost common for Chariot, she had spend most of her time at this school sleeping over at Croix's. Even the teachers were turning a blind eye to it when neither Croix nor Chariot followed their order to stop this 'unorthodox' habit and no punishment seemed to work.
The door opened almost immediately. Just like she had predicted, Croix was still awake, probably still working on some project of hers while others slept.
"Chariot du Nord", she said amused, "were you banned from your room, yet again?"
This was normal for them. Croix often told her she loved having her around, that she was so lively and energetic, that it would inspire her. They developed a routine. Over time Chariot noticed that Croix's warm, caring nature, her easygoing smiles, her hugs, all were reserved only for her. With others she was polite but not as polite as giving them a smile, not even a forced one. She looked at everyone with dull green eyes and a blank mask. It made Chariot feel special, but somehow furthered the rift between her and her classmates. It normally didn't bother her...but today it really, really did.
"Yeah, they kicked me out", she motioned to her sleepwear and forced a sheepish grin.
'I don't even need them.'
Something must have shown on her face, or her tone, or maybe Croix just knew her too well, but all of the sudden her playfulness evaporated and a concerned look spread over her face. She took Chariot by her hands and pulled her into the room, leading her to the bed.
"I'm right back", she said and went into another room to get ready for the night...what was left of it.
Pulling on the blanket and getting into Croix's bed, Chariot felt herself immersed in softness. Luna Nova apparently gave their best rooms to their prodigies, not that she complained. Croix deserved everything she got, for all the hard work she did. She even helped her getting the seven words of Arcturus to restore magic to the world, not that anyone knew.
'Of course no one would know.'
Chariot loved magic, she loved entertaining people, making them happy, but sometimes it was hard to be in this school. When she did do her little campus shows the other students were awed, they enjoyed it, seeing the possibilities for magic, the realization of dreams. But as soon as it ended they reverted back to the scornful students they were and that was taxing. Being cheerful was taxing. With Croix she could relax a little. Without her...
"Maybe you should put that on the table."
Croix's voice snapped Chariot out of her thoughts. She was looking at the Claiomh Solais on her belt, the redhead totally forgot it was there, waiting for it to be moved. Not being able to touch it did hurt the older witch in the beginning, but in the end, she jumped at the opportunity to study and analyze the strange relationship between the rod and her friend.
When they were comfortably nestled under the blanket together, Croix holding Chariot close, Chariot felt herself being overwhelmed by her feelings. Her vision blurred slightly and she had to blink the tears away, which were dangerously close to spilling out.
"What if I fail, Croix?"
Restoring magic? Her dream? The school? Croix herself?
She didn't really know, her voice sounded strange, even to her own eyes.
In response she felt the older witch pulling her closer, feeling her faint, but steady heartbeat on her back.
"You won't", Croix whispered with such a conviction that Chariot couldn't help but believe her, "You will restore magic and you will fulfill your dream. Everyone will love you and your shows."
The younger witch smiled tiredly, lulled to sleep by the rhythmical beating of Croix's heart, letting a lone tear fall. Not catching the soft kiss pressed on her cheek or the last sentence whispered to her: "I will make sure of it!"
2018
Akko was snapped awake.
Sucy was sitting beside her, snapping her fingers under her friends nose, hitting against it every now and then.
"Sucy!", whined Akko loudly and the rest of the class looked startled to the source of the disturbance, even Professor Ursula paused for a moment.
"Is everything all right, Miss Kagari?"
"Huh?", Akko froze, glancing around.
She was in class. All eyes were on her...again.
She could feel her face heating up, her ears slightly flushed.
"E-everything is great Ursula-Sensei", she spluttered rapidly, already hearing a few snickers here and there, "I-i just thought there was...another love love bee."
The snickers grew louder.
"Is she for real?"
"First sleeping in class and now this nonsense."
"Is she ever going to learn?"
"I told you it was better if she dropped out."
"Enough!"
Akko looked up startled. With every word her classmates had said she had felt herself slouching more and more in her seat, trying not to give in her urge to scream or cry. She didn't know which one, probably both.
Diana and Professor Ursula seemed to have spoken at the same time and were standing, Diana by her seat and Ursula before her desk, staring at each other in surprise…
Until Diana blinked and sat down again.
"My apologies Ursula-Sensei."
The teacher fiddled around nervously. Akko didn't get why, not that it really mattered, because her favorite teacher stood up for her, again.
She felt so incredibly thankful for having her in her corner.
"You all shouldn't make assumptions about each other", the professor spoke in a calm, collected manner, but with a firm undertone, "Miss Kagari did help me last night with some research for my next class. I guess she didn't get enough sleep and that is partly my fault. Please apologize to her."
A whole round of quietly mumbled "sorry's" made their way through the room.
It wasn't really heartfelt, but it was alright.
Ursula smiled at her class and continued her lesson, while Akko beamed at her and put even more effort into her work for the rest of the time.
"It's really nice of Ursula-Sensei to say you helped her with research and not that you had detention", whispered Lotte to Akko.
"Yeah", agreed Akko, "but I wasn't actually tired today. I can't even remember how I fell asleep."
She couldn't, she wasn't tired, but she did end up seemingly asleep in class.
'Why though?'
"I kinda think I heard Shiny Chariot's voice...maybe?"
She tried her best to remember her dream, but she couldn't grasp anything at all.
"Maybe it is connected to the seven words of Arcturus", chimed Sucy in from her other side, "you could ask Ursula-Sensei after class."
Akko smiled at her two friends and nods enthusiastically.
A bit later she once more heard some whispering behind her and she turned around to see what was going on. That's when she saw Diana Cavendish, a peaceful expression on her face, eyes closed, taking a nap in class.
But apart from a few whispers here and there no one seemed to care. Of course not. It was after all the esteemed Diana. Akko was seething, balling her hands up in fists, trying to ignore the sudden rage spiking through her. If it was Diana slacking off no one gave a damn.
'Just another way how she tells us, that we're all below her.
I'm going to be a better witch than you, I'm going to be just like Shiny Chariot and then I'll show you real magic!'