Day 4: Protection/Working Together
"Abracadabra!" Akko yelled as she ran towards the downhill slope while clutching fiercely to the handler of what seemed to be an ordinary broom. She was clad in a pink dress, with a black cape on and an Alcor plushie witch hat.
There were hills stretching all over the horizon line, a pale sun burning somewhere between the curvy peaks and the green trees were bouncing from left to right in the calm breeze of a late summer morning.
She finally made her jump, believing this time that she would fly, but gravity began to pull her back down once again, Akko prepared for the impact and possibly a new scar.
Then an unknown figure from behind one of the stately trees, waves a wand and fallen leaves flew into Akko's landing space, cushioning her fall. Akko landed safely on the ground, still amused at the coincidental leaves blown away by the wind.
"Akko!"
She heard her father's voice. He had just arrived to pick her up while she was playing all morning. He was a young man in his mid-twenties who took his child out for a father-daughter bonding brought along some ice cream, one for him and one for his little joy of life. He sighed, obviously being fully aware of his daughter's shenanigans.
"Akko, darling, did you try to fly again while I was gone?" Mr. Kagari asked, his forehead creasing from worry. "What did we talk about, Akko?"
"That I won't practice flying in a way that would get me hurt?" Akko's chubby cheeks turned rosy from being caught.
"Akko," her father sported a rather displeased look towards his daughter.
"Oh, don't worry Otousan," she replied. "I didn't hurt myself this time!"
He crouched down to his daughter's eye level and handed her the ice cream. Akko giggled when she was presented with the treat.
"Let's head home, shall we?" He carried his daughter's broom. "Your Okasan will miss us so much if we go home late, again."
"Hai!" her tiny hand grabbed her father's, she was busy munching her cold treat as her father led the way home without even bothering to look behind for one last time.
But the unknown figure continued to watch young Akko, or better said, the small dot that watched after her with every second drifted farther and farther until she lost track of her.
No one must know she's a witch.
Diana reminded herself as she took on a disguise and roamed around the city the next day. Akko nearly caught her yesterday and now she must recolve things without using magic.
The sun was sparkling on a sky with scattered milky clouds that appeared to have been made of cotton candy and despite the habitual hotness of summer. Sightseeing on foot didn't sound bad at first but now Diana wished she hadn't. There was a lovely breeze blowing from the mountains that cramped the air with a flowery odor.
On the other side of the road, Diana could clearly see a children's playground and some children—who were by the way, the same ones bullying Akko whenever she talks about growing up to be a witch—running around, pretending that their red balloons were some forceful monsters that threatened to eat them, unless they ran as fast as their feet allowed them.
A couple of minutes after having reached the crossroads, Diana emerged on the long narrow street, cramped with all sorts of shops, on both sides of the road. The windows were sparkling clean, and as she walked past. She could clearly see her reflection in them.
That was when she saw another reflection illuminated by the sunlight. On the roof of a certain house behind her, Akko stood once more at a standstill, mounting the non-magical broom.
Akko swirled around; she wore the same hat and cape yesterday. Diana's heart was racing at a hummingbird's pace when she saw the child suddenly launched into the air; her concentration and resolve were quickly waning.
Out of habit, she reached for her wand, but she remembered that she must protect her identity. Akko nearly caught her when she used her wand to call forth the leaves to cushion her fall. Diana could ruin the future if Akko knew her.
So with a rush of adrenaline, Diana acted fast and ran towards little Akko. With a wide stance and feet firmly on the ground, Diana managed to catch the falling child into her arms.
The gravity and the broomstick made it painful for Diana but as soon as Akko landed safely on her, her legs gave way, and Diana fell backward, keeping the little girl safe in her protection. With a determined effort, Diana turned her head upwards, ignoring the pulsing pain reverberating through her skull. Diana's oxygen-starved brain noticed that the little girl was crying and no one witnessed the whole thing so it was just them.
As soon as the pain subsided, Diana pushed her upper body to sit and Akko still crying beside her.
"Gomennasai, oneechan…" the little girl kept repeating, her voice was gentle and rather helpless. "I thought if I practice and practice, I'll learn to fly like Shiny Chariot!"
Diana knew who Shiny Chariot was. She was a witch who used her magic to entertain people and inspire them. She can do wonderful magic and everyone around the world loved her. Her magic created a fun, wonderful, and thrilling excitement to the viewers. But of course, she received deep frowns upon those who have magical blood for practicing a rather impracticality with her magic.
She knew Akko wanted to be a witch since she was a child, despite coming from a non-magical lineage. And she wouldn't know what the proper spell and the proper necessities needed to make a broom fly, no wonder she thought that practicing on a mere broom will help her.
As soon as the pain subsided, Diana pushed my upper body to sit and saw little Akko still crying beside her.
Reaching for the pain in her head, Diana found no bumps but merely a scratch on her arm. "Are you okay? Any injury?"
Akko shook her head, her short brown hair swiveled.
"That was dangerous. Where are your parents?"
"They're busy." She pouted. Her head bowed as if she refused to stare back at me.
Diana saw how guilty and troubled the child was. Observing the little girl, she realized she had many scars, on her legs, and on her arms. The little girl also had a band-aid on her knee. Diana can tell that the child wanted to prove something. The little girl wanted to prove to her non-magical friends that she could be a witch if she practiced flying on a broom every day. Akko's determination to fly got her injuries from the multiple attempts. And from those attempts, she received scars.
With a smile growing on her lips, she asked, even if she knew. "What's your name?"
"Kagari Atsuko! But my family calls me, Akko." She poked the dirt on the ground. If I wasn't mistaken, she almost looked hurt.
Diana relished at the idea that Akko had been always like this for the little Japanese girl was born with exceeding confidence almost to the point that could have grown to impulsiveness.
"Akko, do you want me to play with you?"
Akko finally stopped crying. Diana's jaw clenched as Akko gazed at her with her blazing intense red eyes. "You will?"
"Of course, I would. Can you promise me one thing?"
"Sure!" her chubby cheeks turned rosy.
"Promise me you'll never hurt yourself again. I might not be there when you need me."
Akko nodded as she took Diana's hand and pulled her towards the backyard. She merely let the young girl pull her inside and that's where she saw the woman who shares Akko's resemblance.
Akko's mother busy working at the computer. Then suddenly, feeling that someone was behind her, turned around. "Oh! Who's this?" She asked in bewilderment.
"She caught me when I jumped off the roof!" Akko said, bluntly with excitement radiating off her.
"You what?" the woman's jaw dropped. She quickly lifted herself from her seat and gave Diana a bow. "I'm sorry if she has caused you any trouble. We told her over and over that she shouldn't continue hurting herself."
Diana still wasn't used to Japanese etiquettes and politeness so she raised a hand, waving it. "No please, she didn't cause me trouble at all."
"But," Akko's mother sounded ashamed and noticed Diana's scratches inflicted by the broom. "Oh dear! Let me help you patch that up."
"Oh, you don't have to!" Diana blushed vividly as she noticed that Akko's mother was smiling at the sudden display of courtesy.
"Please take a sit." She insisted on the matter, like a regular host would have done, and headed towards their first aid kit.
Diana proceeded forward, still feeling slightly embarrassed for being taken care of. Her eyes widening at witnessing at the woman's hospitality as she sat down on the sofa. She was some random stranger that happened to stumble upon her daughter and here Mrs. Kagari was, disinfecting the irritated skin and placing medicine on her arm.
"There! All patched up." she was pleased with her work.
Diana stared at the cleaned cut topped with a band-aid on her arm, suddenly feeling emotional. "Thank you madame, you're too kind."
"No, thank you so much for saving my daughter; she really wanted to learn how to fly." She said gratefully.
"I want to be a witch!" Akko added as she exploded with laughter.
"My little Akko brings herself into all sorts of trouble so we have medicines for all sorts of wounds in handy."
Diana nodded, still a little new to this prospect of someone taking care of her. Non-magical people usually don't bother if a witch like her is injured, knowing she can merely heal herself. And this certain feminine touch reminded her of her mother.
It's been years since she had a mother who took care of her. Diana almost forgot how it felt like. She missed her dearly, though certainly feeling like her mother's death was just as present in her heart.
"Okasan!" Akko pulled her mother's sleeve repeatedly. "Can she play with me? I want to show her my Chariot toys!"
"Eh? Well, that depends on her..." she glanced back at Diana and then to her daughter.
Diana's lips curved upwards. "I don't mind if you'd let me, ma'am."
"Are you sure? You must have plans for today, young miss."
"I don't really have plans."
"Then I guess, Akko's in luck today." Her mother nodded, allowing Diana to play with her daughter.
"Yay!" Akko jumped from joy. "I want to show you something!" She pointed a backdoor that apparently would lead her to the terrace.
Diana lifted from the sofa and headed to the door and as she opened it she was greeted by the most beautiful view she had ever seen. Tall trees rose mighty from the ground, their green leaves fluttering wildly in the chilly wind and a deep valley lay ahead of the manor house that stood on the top of a hill.
"Come on! I want to show you my Chariot collection!" Akko thundered through the house.
Diana's face has a constant smile in it. Akko really had the energy for everything. Diana wondered why Akko as a little girl intrigued her in such manner as to allow herself to play with the brunette when Diana's original plan was to merely protect Akko from a distance.
When little Akko and Diana started playing, they forgot the time. Diana hadn't introduced herself to Akko so the little girl kept calling her oneechan and Diana was fine with that.
After the end of the long day, they sat in a long stretching silence.
"Do you think my scars are ugly?" Akko asked, all of a sudden.
Diana darted her eyes at the small frame. "Those who told you they are ugly are nothing but opinions of the superficially ignorant, Akko. Scars are not hideous or unattractive. Scars provide stories and an identity. A person without scars, physical or mental, is unexisting. Your scars make you who you are."
Akko smiled, her insecurities fading. Now she was not worried about getting hurt at all or having it mark her skin.
With the recollection of Akko's gleeful face, Diana wanted to stay a little bit longer but it was time for her to leave, she wouldn't want Akko to remember her after all these years. Akko's recollection of Diana should just be a random stranger who played with her for a day. After all, Akko would finally meet Diana in a decade at Luna Nova and she would hit Akko with a spell on the very first day they will meet.
When Diana was about to head outside, Akko squealed cheerily and bounced forward to kiss her on the cheek. Diana's eyebrows automatically rose at her, her cheeks slightly pink from the sudden display of affection.
"Now I can't wait to play with you again!" She clapped her hands and laughed then gave her another full hug.
Diana bid her goodbye and headed towards the front door and as she opened it, she was greeted by the dark of the night, a deep valley lay ahead of the house that stood on the top of a hill, and by the most beautiful view, Diana had ever seen of Japan.
Walking towards the mountainside, tall trees rose mighty from the ground next to the pathway, their green leaves fluttering wildly in the chilly wind.
Looking around to make sure no one was there, Diana looked for her broom that she hid earlier in the bushes. A smile danced in her lips, reminding herself of a six-year-old Akko attempting to fly without the proper broom and spell.
Diana retrieved her retractable wand inside her pocket, pointing it upwards. "Metamorphie vestesse!" she incanted, her normal civilian clothes changed into the standard Luna Nova uniform for flight.
Then she took her hourglass necklace which was kept under her clothes and adjusted the time, spinning it to go forward 10 years into the future.
An entrance opened in front of her. The air around her changed, as colorful showing coalescing streams of leyline enveloped the space with time energies.
She mounted her broom, then yelled the flying spell aloud, "Tia freyre!"
Her feet began to rise from the ground and Diana approached towards the portal, inhaling the air of the night to protrude her nostrils one last time as she returned back to her original timeline.
A/N
Here's the oneshot for day 4! I enjoyed writing this one because it's an idea I always wanted to write ever since the broom race episode. Thank you for reading~ Love you guys