The Last Wednesday Society magical item and cafe was ready to chain its doors for the evening when two sober-faced youngsters appeared on the threshold. Reluctantly, the manager uncrossed his tattooed forearms, nodded to a corner table and hurried to shut the rain out. A switch flipped and a dim orange bulb buzzed to life above them, corralled on three sides by antique bookcases– Andrew didn't have an eye for occult objects, but they certainly smelled antique. Across the table, Akko looked like a sprout that had made its debut at the first rays of February sun and perished in frost the same night. Had his prediction yesterday been correct? It couldn't be… a break-up, could it? No, he'd seen enough of the two together to acknowledge the integrity of their bond. He didn't believe in the fiction of "true love," but perhaps because they had started off on such a discordant note, that bond was staunch– stubborn– even he had to admit– if only transient in the end. All as things are. As even his own feelings would prove to be. So it couldn't be something like that: a break-up.

Could it?

He was losing his patience.

"Alas, I'm not a psychic, Akko," he sighed.

The girl seemed to retreat further into her cloak. Two cups of lemony tea clinked down unceremoniously between them, with a grunt that seemed to say make it quick, kids. Akko took hers and clutched it for warmth. A drop of moisture fell from her bangs into the tea.

"I… I just wish…"

"You wish…?"

She then fell silent for a full minute. Andrew drowned his annoyance in his cup. Lemon verbena?

"I feel selfish just thinking this."

He held his breath as if stalking a deer, eyeing her over the rim. This was not the countenance of the Akko who took what she wanted and shirked the consequences. Nor was it the Akko who trusted in things to work themselves out, for karma to reward her good intentions. Sitting there pressed like a flower between the books, cradling the tiny teacup in her hands, Akko looked helpless. She almost looked older– or maybe she was just finally acting her age. Altogether disconcerting, for this witch at any rate. Finally, she drew in a long breath, addressing his saucer.

"I said I would do anything to help her be the best leader she could be. And I meant that. But I didn't think it'd be… I mean," she stammered, her eyes losing whatever ground they'd gained towards Andrew's. "I thought… that would mean we'd be together pretty often. A lot."

Did I not warn you that Diana's a clueless bastard? Anyway.

"But it's not like that at all! I'm not even sure how I could help even if I tried. But maybe if she and her Auntie just gave me a chance…! Gah… I just feel useless and selfish… but also… kind of pissed…"

Andrew blinked at that last one.

"I just wish… I... just... wish!" Suddenly her voice swelled, seeming to lift her an inch out of her seat. "I just wish she would give more of a fight before going down!"

Chair grated against tile. Books shuddered in their cases.

"I mean, you're like the frigging president of your family, who cares what that stuffy old hag says? She can't do jack about it, unless she's got some magic that can realign the fucking planets– and even if all the rich hags in the world got together at some kind of rich hag convention, I bet they still couldn't! So why won't you fight, Diana?!"

The entire table rocked drunkenly in Akko's grip. Then the only sound was of hot water overflowing the manager's own mug and spilling onto the tile. Finally she sank back into her chair, only to slump across the table. When she didn't show any intention of moving, Andrew reached over to fish a lock of her hair out of her tea. I can't watch this.

"And you? Are you just going to go down without a fight?"

"Huh?"

"What I'm saying is," he said, prodding her cheek. "Are you, Akko Kagari, going to take 'no' for an answer, or are you going to do what it takes to enjoy the last festival of your unquantifiably precious school days, and a date to boot, together with your sweetheart?"

She reared like he'd proposed to her in crow-speak, then slumped back down.

"The me from freshman year would, oh yeah. But now… I don't know if that would be right, or… crossing a line."

"You know how you can help Diana, right now?"

"How?"

"Tell her everything you just told me; don't hold anything back. She must know that the whole thing's a farce– and that gives me the feeling that something else is eating at her. So you say what you need to say to each other– show her that you're ready to fight– and then you fight."

Realizing that he'd overtaken the other half of the table, he sat back, pretending to adjust a cufflink. Hypocrite.

Finally a wide and wicked grin spread across the witch's face; she jerked her chair forward into the table with a loud clack, seized Andrew's right hand in both her own and shook it vigorously.

"Andrew, will you be the best man at–"

"Yeah yeah yeah. Just get on with it, or there really won't be a date." Wow! Hypocrite and a masochist.

Akko nodded, rolled up her sleeves and whipped out a pen and napkin.

"Let's do this."

The manager glanced from the clock, to the teenagers, sighed, then flicked on another light.


The banging of a gavel rung in her ears. On all sides, in every seat– mirrors of all shapes and sizes. Behind the podium, only a dark, dense fog, reading her decree in an alien tongue. Diana opened her mouth to protest, but her voice was missing. Not just her voice– she failed to produce any sound whatsoever: slapping the desk, stomping her feet– nothing. The voice droned on. She began to cry; then, to flail like a child as invisible, undefiable hands dragged her back down the aisle; and then she was utterly immobile, bound at every joint to a stake impossibly high in the air, chilled to the bone, watching as little points of light converged far below...

She woke violently, gasping and feeling around for the covers she'd kicked off in her torment. Dawn hadn't yet arrived. Suddenly she alerted to rapid footsteps in the apartment. Before she could react, a small voice on the other side of her bookcase whispered her name, once, twice. No sooner did she whisper back than Akko was clutching her close.

"Why– what–"

"I couldn't wait to talk to you 'bout it, and I couldn't sleep, so I thought I'd wait 'til we could go have breakfast together, but sometimes you get up crazy early, and I didn't wanna miss you, so I–" She paused to catch her breath. "I knocked a few times, and then I heard you make a sound like you were... hurting."

Akko felt her shoulder grow damp. With one hand she gathered the comforter around them like a cloak, stroking Diana's back reassuringly with the other. No need for oneiromancy to interpret that dream... Diana counted the caresses, numbing her skin just as the sound of waves numbs the mind, gradually blurring together… when she lost count, on the verge of sleep again, she forced herself to pull away. The air that rushed to fill the gap between them made her shiver.

"A stress dream. Thanks again, for… being there."

"Another one? Do you want to talk about it?"

"I… yes. But first, let's get dressed and get to breakfast."

The comforter fell, revealing Akko in full uniform, herself in a nightgown.

"Oh."

Her roommates' snores filtered in from the double bedroom while she pulled a crisp white shirt from its hanger. Grasping the hem of her gown, she found her attention wandering to the full-length mirror on the inside of the closet door; there, in her peripheral vision, Akko sat in profile– but her eyes betrayed her focus. Suppressing the sudden heat rising from her toes– up the backs of her calves and thighs, up her spine, raising hairs on the nape of her neck as it went– she willed herself to move. To think I'd still be embarrassed… The knowledge that it wasn't embarrassment at all blinked like a dim light of guilt in the back of her head. She tasted satisfaction when a subsequent peek at the mirror showed Akko sitting rapt, evidently having lost herself somewhere between Diana's hips and shoulders. And then those eyes flicked up to hers and the spell broke.

"I-I-Is that the shirt you're gonna wear?!" Akko spluttered, crossing and uncrossing her legs.

"The shirt of our uniform, yes. That we wear every day."

The girl just turned ruddy and nodded feebly. Diana savored it for a moment before taking pity.

"So, what was so urgent that you'd sacrifice your precious sleep?"

"Right!" Akko rebounded. "If we're gonna act, we've gotta act fast. I couldn't stop thinking that we both gave up too easily– on the festival; and you know me, doing the impossible is kinda my specialty! But I've been feeling so powerless lately, I was really lost…" She motioned for Diana to sit next to her. This time her gaze didn't falter. "There's something I need to say: I just wish… that you wouldn't let what other people think stop you from being with me."

Diana jolted as if the gavel from her dream had hit her in the ear. She spun, half-buttoned.

"What other people… Akko, do you think I'm going through with this blasted conference for my own reputation?" Once again she was helpless against her own defenses. Indignation rose in her voice. I don't mean it. Please realize that I don't mean it. "This isn't about me– this is about the survival of my clan, of millenia of their endeavors before me, in a world changing faster than you or I can comprehend!" No no no, this isn't the kind of communication we agreed on!

"I know, I didn't mean to make fun of your reasons, and if I did, I'm sorry. But hear me out!" Akko took her hand. "This summit is the first– it'll be a big production, but it's not even clear who'll be there or what will get done. It's taken so long just to make it happen because the politicians, industrial giants, lobbyists, plus every faction of witches in the country all have competing interests! CEO types from Belvedere Pharmaceuticals, Lexxon Oil and so on are gonna be there, and not to better mankind– they're even having a magical item auction!"

Diana's nose wrinkled in disgust.

"Truth is, those guys haven't even heard of the Cavendish family. They wouldn't know a mithril chess set from tic tac toe. I might be just a peon myself, but I'm serious about being your right hand woman, Diana. I wouldn't be asking you this if there was something more important at the moment. But I just… I just can't believe there is."

Honest and upfront. Honest and upfront. She chanted the promise in her mind. Put your pride aside… Akko's hand was not demanding; it was a gentle reminder that Diana was safe to speak her mind.

"I thought that once I was sworn in, I'd have nothing to fear from anyone. I thought my Aunt would shrink into the shadows, tail between her legs… But what I found, and resent more than anything, was how much I need her." She clenched a fistful of sheets. "There are things I simply can't do legally as a minor, as a full time student… and more things I don't know how to do. Really, I'm indebted to her for all her help. How can I rely on her and yet disobey her?"

"What if there was a way to be in two places at once?"

"Come again?"

"We'll be breaking the rules so that we can follow the rules! Totally justified!"

"How could that possibly…?" It couldn't hurt to hear whatever crazy plans she has. Temptation will surely dissipate once I see how utterly impossible it is!

Akko rubbed her hands together.

"Here's the brilliant part! All we need is your wand, a very tiny broom, maybe some high heels, and a few favors. I dunno know why I didn't think of it sooner, but when I went to Andrew the other day– just to vent, really– he explained all about that conference, and it was like eureka–"

"What? You talk to Andrew about your– personal life?" Diana nearly gagged; she could practically hear him smirking.

"Well... yeah! Who else am I supposed to talk to?"

"Me!"

Diana gasped before blushing red. Is that my voice? Derailed, Akko could only blush back. It was hard to say who was more naked at the moment.

When she finally opened her mouth to respond–

A sleepy, disoriented voice came out.

"Dianaaa? Thought I heard y–" Hannah yawned as she turned the corner of the enclosure, pajamas and hair rumpled, pulling an earplug from one ear. She rubbed her eyes; then rubbed them again; then replaced the earplug, turned on a dime and disappeared.

Akko managed a seiza position while her partner recouped her dignity.

"I know I could, uh, be more direct myself. But you know I would have come to you eventually… right?"

"You've got a better track record than I do, at least," Diana sighed, shaking her head and smiling at the hand atop hers. "Thanks for… beating me to it, again."

"Well, Andrew did say we should fight!" Akko giggled. "He can be so insightful sometimes. So… you with me?"

"Not yet." And there's the pout. Diana crossed back the closet, raising an eyebrow in the mirror. "But I'm listening."

Twenty or so miles away, at a table like a stonehenge of senior politicians, Andrew found himself stifling a formidable urge to sneeze.


Notes

Sorry for the major delay! I had the whole story plotted out, but college applications destroyed my momentum. Here's to finishing what I started– a shorter chapter this time, but I'll try to update more frequently.

Andrew has true bro potential. Diana and Akko are both guilty when it comes to avoiding difficult conversations. Diana may have a certain... mean streak. In the next chapter: friends help friends pull off crazy stunts for love.