AUTHOR'S NOTE: This takes place after the TV anime, so spoilers are everywhere!
PART I- Luna Nova's Magic Tournament.
Chapter 1- Contemplating a New Era.
It was a quiet evening outside the building where Ursula lived. The bright blue moon cast a faint, but ever-present light on the grass that grew around the gardens next to the school's paved walkways. The trees seemed to have a sapphire tint to them, creating a relaxing picture that the witch chose to stand in. The small sounds made by bugs filled the air, and it seemed like the world stood still. Ursula's red hair she now proudly wore was being showered in the blue light made by the moon. It was almost too fitting. She wasn't sure whether to feel confident in the new age of magic created from Akko unlocking Grand Triskelion or not, just as the color of her hair in the light was seemingly caught between the two colors it has been since she lost the now departed shiny rod. Suddenly, the sound of footsteps disrupted the thoughts swirling inside Ursula's head.
"Ah, Chariot! What are you doing up so late? At the meeting we were just at, you kept telling us how tired you were!" The headmistress asked with one hand holding a glass of water.
"Oh, headmistress!" Ursula replied. "I'm sorry, I said I was tired at the meeting, but I just can't sleep." Ursula replied as she took the glass of water from the headmistresses' hand. She started drinking from the cup quietly, as if she wasn't trying to wake someone up, despite being outside her building, with her familiar, Alcor, being located inside her room. "It's just that, I'm not sure what to think about magic being revived." The headmistress looked to the moon, and looked back at Ursula, who was fixated on the very same location.
"You're worried about Croix still?" She said warmly.
"Well, yes, but not primarily. Even though she'll probably face jail time for her actions, she's smart enough to learn from her mistakes. I should know, I went to school with her!" Ursula replied, along with some clearly forced laughter. After silence returned to the conversation, the headmistress banished it yet again.
"Are you worried about Akko?"
"What? That's preposterous, headmistress! I'm nothing but proud of her! Didn't you hear? She finally flew on her broom two days ago! There's nowhere to go but up for my darling pupil!"
"Chariot, you can't pull a fast one on me. I won't be offended just because she unlocked Grand Triskelion. Please, speak your mind." Ursula looked down to the ground, and let out a long sigh. Her glasses were then removed from her face by her fingers.
"I just wanted her to be more prepared for something like this, that's all." Ursula muttured. The headmistress slowly looked over in Ursula's direction.
"I know that's not all, Chariot. Continue when you're ready." After a few seconds, the silence was broken again.
"I don't know if Akko was ready to lose the shiny rod. Her knowledge outside of the rod's spells is very limited. Not that I don't think she can get better, but, if it were up to me, I wouldn't have had it this way. I feel that magic being in the state it was in, that being, pretty niche for lack of a better word, was better for her to get accustomed to how magic can be used and how magic is perceived by those who aren't witches. Yes, she's had bits and pieces of this during her time at Luna Nova, but in my opinion, it wasn't enough. Now it's only a matter of time before magic hits the mainstream, and while I'm not completely sad about this, it is something that could end up being a huge blow to her confidence. Especially with the decision we made during tonight's staff meeting."
"Ah, that's right. You were the only one who was opposed to our decision, but, you were overruled."
"At least before, Akko had a method of casting spells that wasn't just the two spells she's the most comfortable with. Those being Metamorphosis magic, and now, flight."
"Yes, I remember. Also, don't you mean the only two spells she knows?" Ursula was quiet for several seconds again.
"Yes, headmistress. The only two spells she knows. I'm just scared for her, but, I don't know exactly what to feel, because this mess is all my fault too! What if I was able to settle matters with Croix before her missile launched? Would Akko still have the shiny rod as a cushion for her magical abilities? But then, she wouldn't have unlocked Grand Triskelion! I do believe that Akko can become a splendid witch! I really do! But there's part of me that thinks she won't cut it in a world where magic hits the mainstream!" Ursula seemed out of breath for a second. Mostly due to her becoming choked up by her own thoughts that were a big juxtaposition to her actions around her pupil and fellow staff members. The scene grew quiet once more. The headmistress took note that Ursula's breathing seeming to have a shakiness to it. It was most definitely the unstable air of one who was about to cry. After several moments of watching Ursula lost in her conflicting thoughts, silence was once again banished from the conversation.
"You know, Chariot." The Headmistress said. "I was a bad student too!"
"Yes, I know. You've told me about your days as a student here several times."
"Not as bad as Akko, but still pretty miserable."
"Yes."
"My teacher who took me under her wing, never finished her final lesson."
Ursula gasped, and looked up from the ground. She looked over at the headmistress in shock, to see her blissfully watching the stars.
"You've never told me that before!"
"Yes, well, you can probably guess that it's something I prefer not to talk about."
"I'm so sorry, headmistress!"
"It's quite alright. You have no reason to apologize. I've lost a lot of close friends in my life. But without each one of those losses, I never would have gotten where I am today. Without those sacrifices others gave for me, I would have quit magic during my first semester! It's a yin and yang situation."
"Oh dear, headmistress! I'm sorry for your losses!"
"I already said you had no reason to apologize, Chariot. The reason I brought that up is so you can appreciate what life gives you in terms of loss and gain. There was once a part of me that would gladly bring my lost teacher back if I had the chance. But then I came to realize that if I did that, she would probably bash me on the head with her cane and call me a whippersnapper or a loon!"
"Did...did she do that?"
"Yes, quite frequently when I began training under her! Eventually, I learned to cast a magic shield so I could counter her! It's how I learned the basics of materialization magic!" The headmistress laughed a hearty laugh, which left Ursula confused. She then let out a loud sigh, and her smile returned.
"Anyway, nowadays, even though I look back on that period of my life fondly, I don't want to go back to those times. It's important to always look to now, to see what we can do with what our mentors taught us. Croix will probably be labeled as a criminal, and Akko has brought magic back from obscurity. There's nothing you can do to change that." The two look directly at each other, and even the bugs seem to go quiet. "If you remember nothing else from what I've told you tonight, remember this. Learn to live with your mistakes. Learn to live with your successes, and especially, don't look so intently on the past that you can't see the present!" Silence returned, and Ursula looked away while the headmistress kept her gaze solely on her. Ursula appeared to be shocked by what she had just heard, and the words echoed deep into her heart. Suddenly, Ursula realized that the headmistresses' hand was extended again. This time however, she held a tissue.
"Goodness headmistress, am I really that easy to read?"
"Easier than the beginner's book for broom flying you gave to Akko." Ursula took the tissue from the headmistresses' hand, and blew into softly while tears streamed down her face.
"Are you alright, Chariot?"
"We're... the mentors for the next generation."
"Yes, we are."
"That means, no matter what happens, we do our jobs to the best of our ability."
"Right, you are."
"No matter what happens, we do our best for the people we care for."
"Take your time Chariot. You're voice is becoming shaky again." She blew into the tissue a few more times. Buried her face into it for several seconds in order to dry her face, and looked up at the moon again.
"I want...to make sure Akko becomes a splendid witch, and help Croix clear her name!" Ursula broke out into a small, natural laugh. "Goodness, sorry for the theatrics, headmistress." She stopped when she realized she was alone. She looked around for a moment, and rounded the corner nearest to her that led to where the headmistress' room was. There, she found the headmistress a good distance away from her.
"Headmistress!" She yelled. "Thank you for your kind words!"
"Don't mention it, Chariot! But please don't forget them!" As the headmistress disappeared into the night, Ursula clenched the tissue firmly in her right hand.
"I'll do whatever it takes to nurture the next generation!" Ursula said with determination. She walked back to her room, and shut the door quietly. She was about halfway up the stairs when she realized that she forgot to ask the headmistress not to call her Chariot.