"I know it was him! I know he must have been here last night!" Akko cried, while her friends only gave her strange looks. "Oh, you should have seen it! There was sand everywhere and it was over Professor Ursula's head and there were thousands of sand trails leading up into the sky!"
"Akko, I don't really think a person caused that." Lotte remarked, straightening her glasses. "I mean, you could argue that it might be Wagandea's pollen, but Wagandea's pollen is way thicker than sand; and also, sand doesn't just float."
"But it's magic! We literally live in a world with magic and you don't believe that something like that is real?" Akko objected, pointing at Lotte. "I know the Sandman's real! And the other legendd are as well!"
"That's what you always say about Shiny Chariot," Sucy said, pouring a potion onto the grass, resulting in a crystallized mushroom to grow, and stuffing it into her pocket.
"But Shiny Chariot is amazing too! She takes magic and produces it in an entirely new way!" Akko grinned at the thought of her idol. "Never forget, your belief is your magic! And that's why you should believe in him too!"
"It's not impossible, I guess," said Lotte, "But if you saw thousands of them leading to the same place, then something must be going on here."
"Say it, Lotte." Akko stared at her, her eyes sparkling with determination. "Say that you believe."
"Alright..." Lotte fidgeted nervously, before taking a determined look. "I do believe! At least, I believe that he might be the cause of all this."
"That's good enough for me," Akko nodded, and turned to Sucy. "Sucy?"
"I couldn't care less, really." she shrugged, before pouring out her potion again and holding up another crystal mushroom. The sunlight reflected its edges perfectly, radiating colourful light.
"Well, I'm glad you two support me, since I couldn't really get up there cause I can't ride a broom..." Akko trailed off, but shook her head and carried on. "But I just know they're all real; plus, in the news people keep finding these weird flowers planted everywhere in convenient spots. Maybe that's proof that the Groundhog exists!"
"You seriously still believe in those things?" A mocking voice came from beside them, and they all turned to see Hannah, Barbara and Diana standing near them, the former two laughing and the latter giving a calm but sympathetic look.
"Yeah, I do." Akko huffed and turned away with her arms crossed. "So what?"
"I don't know, maybe the fact that most people talk about them if they're like, five?" Hannah retorted, as she and Barbara giggled.
"Hey! Belief is important! Chariot always used to say that-"
"Your belief is your magic?" Diana cut in, shocking all of them. "Honestly, Akko, that isn't 'real' magic. It's only fancy lights and fireworks made by someone who was inspired by a fad."
"Oh, come on, Diana!" Akko objected, "I know they are! There were these trails of sand floating up into the sky and there are flowers popping up in convenient places everywhere! Don't you at least believe in some of them?"
"I told you, I don't-
"Please, Diana!" Akko interrupted her, "There's plenty of legends to choose from! Like, for example... the Tooth Fairy! Or... Santa Claus and the Sandman!"
All the while, Hannah and Barbara only snickered more while Diana kept a straight face.
"Or, Jack Frost!" said Akko with a smile, remembering the new legend apparently everyone was talking about, originating from a town called Burgess in a different country. "Or how about... um, the Easter Bunny!"
"I told you, Akko, I don't-" Diana stated, but froze upon hearing the last part.
Easter...
Slowly, while the conversation went on, she blacked out as several memories flooded through her...
Her mother standing by her side, telling her the story of Beatrix Cavendish, the first witch and founder of the Cavendish name.
A younger version of her watching fireworks and magic light up the sky, as a crowd cheered around her, along with a brunette girl wearing a witch's hat.
Trying desperately for ages to make her magic work again, but to no avail.
A servant of the Cavendish family standing near her mother as she began to talk about an amazing event, a search for a special prize.
A younger version of her carrying a basket with a smile, reaching up for an egg that was hidden in the branches of a tree.
A large creature smiling down at her, holding out a painted egg with periwinkle and silver-coloured patterns.
Another servant putting down a phone while coming over to her with a panicked look, telling her to get in a car as they drove to a hospital.
Sitting by her mother while she lay in a cold room, on a white bed, her breath rattling as a heartbeat monitor beeped beside her, trying to stay with her as she once again told her her hopes that she would rejuvenate the Cavendish name.
The beeping coming to a stop and drawing out as her mother took her last breath with a smile, her warm embrace soon turning cold, her eyes slipping shut, and her hand going limp.
The tears that went down her face as she watched her mother's coffin be lowered into the ground, still thinking about that creature and what she had to live for if her mother wasn't there.
"Diana?"
She opened her eyes, blinking back the tears and recomposing herself.
"F-Forgive me, I just blacked out for a second there." She reassured them, before hastily walking away. "Now, if you'll excuse me..." She walked off, before bolting it into the hallways of Luna Nova, passing several students and professors who she quickly greeted, and into her room, where she finally stopped, breathing heavily.
Slowly, she walked over to her desk, opening one of the drawers to find a single Easter Egg, the same one that mysterious creature had given her, still as clean and beautiful as when she had first been given it.
She gazed at it, being reminded of the hope and joy she had as a child, the love she shared with her mother, the memories of her smile and how she believed in her when nobody else would...
"I do believe in them," she whispered to herself. "At least, not out loud."
Ursula walked through the hallways of Luna Nova, passing countless students and teachers alike; until Croix walked past her and stopped.
"Croix," she began.
"Chariot," Croix smirked, "I trust you got my message last night?"
"I already asked you," Ursula snarled, "Who are you working with?" Croix only chuckled and turned to her once again.
"Isn't it obvious, Chariot?" Croix tried to refresh her memory as they stood in the empty hallway. "The black sand, the bad dreams, the fact that you haven't got any sleep for years-"
"No," Ursula whispered upon realising who it was. "You're seriously working with him, of all people?"
"It'll be nothing once we get the Shiny Rod for analysis later." Croix smirked and tapped her head. "Now, I think this conversation is over."
"Wait, Croix!" Ursula cried, grabbing her former friend by the shoulder. "The Guardians will find out about this, the Man in the Moon will find out about this, they'll-"
"Ah, yes, of course." Croix only squinted at her, her smile even wider. "Because they'll surely trust the Guardian that lost her powers and took magic away from innocent children?"
This stopped Ursula right in her tracks.
"Now, if you'll excuse me..." she pushed past the devastated witch, following her own path.
Ursula turned back as Croix left, helpless. She was right; what power did she have to stop all this?