When Akko regained consciousness, she found she was no longer surrounded by magic artifacts. It didn't seem like she was in either the room she was in or the room she saw in the mirror. In fact, she didn't recognize the room at all. She was on a large bed, softer than her own and without a bunk above her, lightly wrapped in a blanket and with a wet cloth on her forehead. Across from her rested a large bookshelf filled to the limit with what she could only assume to be high-level magic texts. Next to her was another bookshelf with a desk, at which sat…
"DIANA?!" Akko shot upright but slowed down when she felt dizzy. "What- Where- What are you-?"
The blonde witch jumped somewhat at the brunette's outburst, quickly closing the book she was reading and turning to look at the source of the noise. "Akko, please. You startled me. Although," she sighed, shifting her chair to better face the bedridden girl. "I am glad to see you're awake. You really must be more careful when you're exploring."
Akko was taken aback by what she was hearing. Diana sounds like she… cares? Since when does she care about anyone? Wait a minute… if Diana's here, does that mean this is… "Am I in your room!? And your bed?!"
Diana reached out to place a hand on Akko's shoulder. "Please relax. I figured it'd be easier to bring you here to help you."
The japanese witch responded by shrugging the hand off of her shoulder. "Since when do you care? You're probably just doing this so you can scold me before the professors get a chance." She crossed her arms and turned away, making sure to keep the prodigy in the corner of her eye.
Said prodigy looked concerned and… hurt? by her words. "I did this so that the professors wouldn't learn of what you were doing, so that you could avoid scolding altogether. And yes, I do indeed care. Perhaps you're concussed, and it's affecting your memory?"
Akko scrunched her face as she looked back at Diana. "I know I hit my head, but I don't think I hit it that hard. I'm starting to think you hit yours, because this-" she waved her hands towards Diana and at the towel on her head, "-seems completely unnatural coming from you."
The Cavendish sighed again and rose from her seat. "I think you should rest a while longer before we continue this conversation. I'm genuinely worried that you've forgotten things, and I'd rather not further stress you until you've recovered more." She motioned to a glass of water on the desk. "There's something to drink if you'd like, and if you need or want anything else, call for me. I'll be reading on the sofa." She turned and walked to the edge of the bookcase but stopped for a moment.
"...Diana?"
"I'm sorry, Akko. I'm just worried, is all. My healing magic can only do so much for you." She continued walking and disappeared behind the wall of books. Akko was left alone with her thoughts.
I might've been a bit rude… She was trying to help me, after all. It just seems so weird, with how friendly she's acting. Maybe I did actually forget something? Some big life-changing thing?
...I hope not.
When Akko finally decided it was a good time to leave the bed (still awkward, waking up in someone else's bed, especially hers…), she went to peer around the bookshelf.
THIS ROOM IS MASSIVE! She was shocked at the idea that this was any student team's dorm. I didn't think even the professors would have rooms like this! She noted the two other beds - must be Hannah's and Barbara's - and the table surrounded by a sofa and chairs decorating the room. True to her word, Diana laid on the sofa, facing the other way, reading another book. Apprehensively, Akko decided to let her presence be known. "Diana…?"
Diana looked over her shoulder as she bookmarked her page. "Good morning. Are you feeling any better? Take a seat wherever you'd like." Akko took the offer and sat in a chair across from Diana.
"I feel fine. I wanted to apologise for being rude earlier." The Japanese witch twiddled her fingers and looked down. "I know you were trying to help me and all, but it just seemed so surprising that I got worried."
Diana raised an eyebrow. "I forgive you, Akko, but… is my help really so foreign to you? I know you said you feel fine, yet you seem to still have your impressions of me from about a year ago."
"A year ago!?" Akko practically leaped out of the chair. "You think I forgot a year's worth of stuff? That can't be, that can't…"
The blonde cleared her throat to help her friend refocus. "There's really only one way to find out. What's the last major event that you remember?"
"Last major event… Does the start of summer count? This is still the start of my second summer, right?"
"Indeed it is…" Diana rested a hand on her chin. "But maybe you forgot older events, and this is too recent to be affected. What can you recall before this?"
Akko thought this over for a while. "As far as big events go, I remember the magic festival…"
"Nothing sooner? Do you remember the new Professor Croix? Or when you finally 'met' Chariot?"
Akko's eyes sparkled as she leaned towards Diana. "I MET CHARIOT!? WHEN? WHERE? I don't remember that!"
Diana tried to hide her worry with an uncomfortable smile as she rose from her seat. "Perhaps we can discuss things with her over your favourite Black Plum Tea? I still need to practice with your recipe."
"THAT'D BE AWESO- wait." Akko paused and stared at Diana quizzically. "How did you know that was my favourite? And how do you have my recipe?"
"Again, Akko, you seem to be forgetting. You shared it with me not long ago during a picnic." She looked down sadly. "... Do you not remember our picnic when you learned to fly? It's one of my fondest memories…"
Diana? Having fond memories with me? ...What happened since the festival? "I'm sorry, I don't remember. Let's see if Chariot can refresh my memory!" She made her way towards the door.
"I suppose that's our best bet. Do try to keep calm around her, though. She'll fully remember, so try not to act like it's your first time again." As Diana opened the door, motioned for Akko to follow her.
After a brief stop at the cafeteria for breakfast and some mild chatter (Diana seems reluctant to go into detail about things. Is she actually worried for me? Why is she acting like this?) Akko realized they were walking up the stairs through the professor's dormitory tower. "Chariot's staying with the professors here?"
"She is a professor here, Akko. You'll see in a minute."
WHAT? How could I not remember something like that? I must've missed something big!
Finally the two reached the topmost room in the tower. Diana knocked at the door. "Professor Chariot? If you're not busy, Akko seems to be having some trouble, and we could use your help." Akko was practically leaping out of her skin in excitement at the idea of meeting her idol for real (remember, apparently it's already happened. I have to appear calm. But how could I right now!?) and eagerly listened to the noises on the other side of the door.
"Come on in! Let's see what's going on."
Diana opened the door and Akko rushed in. "CHARIO-" She froze when she saw who was sitting at the end of the room. "Professor… Ursula!?"
Chariot looked at her with confusion. "Akko? It's me, yes. What's the trouble?"
"How are you- but-" She couldn't wrap her head around the situation she was in. "This whole time?! You were Shiny Chariot?"
"...Yes? Is this just sinking in properly now?" The professor rubbed the back of her head shyly. "I thought we'd discussed this a while ago… That wasn't a good night, for sure..."
Akko looked between the two other witches in the room and grabbed at her hair, falling to her knees as she tugged at it. It was Diana who finally decided to speak for her. "Akko appears to be experiencing memory loss after a concussion. She doesn't remember our friendship, and apparently she doesn't remember 'meeting' you. I assume she also doesn't remember the Dream Fuel Spirit, seeing as to how she forgot about Ms. Meridies. I was hoping that you'd be able to jog her memories."
"I DON'T REMEMBER ANY OF THIS STUFF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT!" Akko screamed from the floor. "Just the Dragon that tried to steal the Sorcerer's Stone, and that big Titan at the festival! Everything else you've mentioned-"
"Titan?" Chariot interrupted. "Do you mean the ghost of Vajarois? There weren't any actual Titans around then."
"No, it was a Titan." Akko sat up slowly. "You announced that to everyone there! We had to save the town from it! And then Lotte and Sucy and I used the Shiny rod to defeat it after it was making everything angry… Diana, you were there too! How do you guys not remember that if I'm the one forgetting stuff?"
Diana and Chariot shared a worried glance before turning back to Akko. "It almost sounds as though you're confusing multiple events together and making up other details as you go." Diana quickly raised her hands in a sort of apology. "Not to say what you're saying is completely false, but that's not what happened. Professor, if I recall correctly, you said Ms. Meridies has experience with searching and sorting memories?"
"Y-yes, but you know the ministry won't let her near here anytime soon unless specifically requested by the Headmistress with good reason."
"Trust me, I'd rather not involve her unless absolutely necessary after what she did. I just think we should be ready to call her in if it gets to that point."
Akko by this point was barely listening, instead looking over everything in the room. She stopped when she noticed something resting on the large window up the stairs. Is that… a person? It was difficult to make out, but there was definitely something resting against the outside of the window. Before she could really focus on it, she realized Diana was trying to get her attention. "Sorry, what did you say?" peeking out of the corner of her eye, she couldn't see the figure in the window any longer. Had I just imagined that?
"I was wondering if you still wanted the tea. It's ready now."
"It's hilarious, really." A distorted voice spoke into the communication device. "Terribly ironic."
Atop the tower, under a cloaking spell, the mysterious figure watched the witches through the window. The voice through the communicator replied. "I noticed you activated your cloaking. Were you spotted?"
"I think not. There was one that looked towards me, but I think they didn't properly notice."
"Are they of any significance then, or can we move on?"
The hidden figure waited for a moment before replying, looking out to the sky as they thought. "I'm not sure. From what I can tell, they're not from around here."
"Another traveller? That could make things easier for us to get around."
"Or it means they could try to interfere. Supposedly they've done big things here. Yet they talk of other events, so they must be some sort of 'hero' in both worlds."
The comm line was silent for a while. "Keep an eye on them. If they become a threat, don't hesitate to kill. But amongst that, don't forget our main goal."
The cloaked figure laughed darkly. "Of course, love. I'll listen for a while longer, then return to the assessment."
"Understood. Keep in touch, Noir Knight." With a blip, the communicator deactivated. The Noir Knight turned back to look through the window.
"So then, Akko. Why are you here?"
That entire chat felt meaningless… Akko thought to herself as she walked back down the halls to the cafeteria. I didn't remember anything! And apparently my memories are scrambled or something?
"Please don't stress yourself out too much, Akko." Diana reminded her friend that she wasn't walking alone. "Perhaps one of the items in that room was cursed? That seems like the easiest explanation at the moment."
"I guess so… I just wish we knew what and how to undo it." Akko's eyes drifted around the familiar halls of her school. Everything else seems pretty much the same… The windows to the side, classroom doors lining the walls, My reflection in the window walking the opposite direction… Wait WHAT?
