here we go with ch 4! gotta say, it's one of my favs ヽ(' ∇' )ノ
Akko was, admittedly, at a bit of a loss. Because sure, okay, so maybe Croix had been a bit reluctant to see Professor Ursula again, but fleeing from her on sight? That… That was a bit extreme, wasn't it?
She'd stared, wide-eyed and slack-jawed as her former teacher quickly vanished into the crowd, and to Professor Ursula's credit, she'd only needed a few moments to recover and pursue after her. Not quite as fast on the uptake as her mentor, Akko could only stand in place and blink for a long few seconds before she finally turned incredulously to Lotte.
"She… didn't just run, did she?!"
Her roommate looked a bit stunned herself, equally as caught off guard by the rapid sequence of events.
"I… I think she did, actually." Lotte looked a bit nervous now, gripping her hands tightly around her wand. "Oh no, maybe we misunderstood? This might not have been a good idea after all…"
Akko, ever the more headstrong of the two, considered the possibility briefly before shaking her head, unconvinced.
"No, I'm sure that Professor Croix did want to see Professor Ursula again! She said so! I don't know why she'd just-!"
It was at this moment that Sucy stalked up to them, nonplussed, raising an eyebrow at the looks of bewilderment on her teammates' faces.
"Well… I see it didn't go as planned."
"No, it did!" Akko proclaimed, before frowning with uncertainty. "Well… kind of, I guess."
Sucy's expression remained as it was.
"Kind of?"
"She just ran!" Akko exclaimed, gesturing frustratedly in the direction she'd last seen her mentor disappear toward. "I don't know why!"
"You did just spring Professor Ursula on her, when that was precisely what she told you not to do." Sucy muttered. Akko's frown deepened, loathe to admit that her teammate was probably not wrong, but still she resented the idea of leaving the affair as unfinished as it was. Linking her arms with her roommates, one on each side, she began to storm off after her professors, bodily dragging Lotte and Sucy behind her as they loudly began to protest.
"Akko! Where are we going?!" Lotte shrieked, stumbling awkwardly as she was pulled along, unaccustomed to the balance of her delicate ballroom heels.
"Yeah, haven't you already meddled enough tonight?" Sucy grumbled, albeit seemingly already resigned to her circumstances as she sullenly glided along.
"We can't just leave it at that!" Ignoring the emphatic groans from either side of her, Akko stalked forward with purpose, an absolutely determined look upon her face. "Come on, we have to see what's going on!"
"...Then it took a swing at me with its tail, and came pretty close to hitting, but thankfully manticores don't have great vision during the day. Didn't even leave so much a scratch, but even if it did I had the antidote on hand-"
"Croix," Chariot interrupted, sounding quite alarmed. "I… I know you said that treated manticore venom has curative properties, but couldn't you have just purchased some from an apothecary?"
"The texts say it's more effective the earlier you isolate the necessary compounds," Croix answered matter-of-factly. "And no need to worry, before you ask, the process wasn't fatal to the manticore."
"T-That's not what I…" Chariot sighed, biting her bottom lip as she regarded her companion anxiously. "I… know it's important for your research, but isn't it… dangerous?"
"Well, in this case I didn't completely have a choice in the matter. I was actually sent there by the Ministry." Croix paused briefly to inspect the engraving above a nearby door before continuing with her explanation. "There's been a population boom of magical creatures in the past few months, and it was causing some trouble for the locals in that region. Enough to warrant outside intervention, at any rate. Since I had to go anyway, I figured I might as well kill two cockatrice with one stone."
"I… see, but why send you? I don't know much about the terms of parole in East Mogiana, but surely this should be something for trained members of the Ministry to deal with?"
"You should take a look at headquarters," Croix grumbled. "They've been a right mess ever since the revival of Yggdrasil. The number of magic-related incidents across the globe are skyrocketing, and they're already stretched thin trying to cover what they can. This is probably why they've been so lax with me so far, not to mention how they went out of their way to downplay my crimes to the non-magical conditions of my parole are a bit modified, admittedly; they'd rather put my abilities to use than have me wasting away in prison for decades."
"And I suppose you've been taking advantage of your loose regulations to test the limits of your parole officer's sanity." Chariot raised an eyebrow when Croix coughed and mustered the most innocent look she could manage.
"Now what gave you that impression?"
"I only needed to speak to him for ten seconds."
It was still only for a moment that Chariot could maintain her mildly disapproving frown before it melted back into a wry grin, reaching up to pull playfully at Croix's cheek.
"I know you must find it so irresistibly amusing to make his life difficult," Chariot commented, giggling when Croix responded to her affectionate pinch with an undignified grunt of surprise. "But you know he could send you back behind bars with a single unflattering report to administration."
"He won't, I'm too useful to his bosses." Croix muttered, rubbing the cheek that had been so ungraciously assaulted. "And technically, I haven't done a single thing to actually violate the list of terms. Unless he wants to tell the higher ups that I should be sent back to prison on account of hurting his feelings."
Croix stopped walking, contemplative for a moment, then pulled up her right sleeve with a grimace, exposing a dark band of symbols on her wrist. They looked as if they'd been tattooed into her skin.
"Besides, him and the Ministry don't really have much reason to worry about me going rogue. They can look up my location whenever and track my mana usage, restrict it if anything looks suspicious. There's a reason why my parole officer's not all that concerned about me wandering off right now."
Chariot's eyes widened as she gazed upon the seal, hesitantly reaching out to hold Croix's wrist with one hand as she gently traced it with the other.
"They can… restrict your magic?" She asked, quietly. "With this?"
"They can do worse than that," Croix admitted, fixated more on the motion of Chariot's thumb brushing against her skin than the finely-inscripted sigils themselves. "But normally there's no reason for them to restrict anything. I'd need to request permission if I wanted to cast anything that'd required an abnormally large amount of magic, but that's about it. And it's not like I'd need to use something like that on a day to day basis, they're only sometimes necessary for the errands they send me on. The guy you met back there has to be with me for those anyway, so he can see for himself whether or not I look like I'm up to nefarious business."
"You said… they could do worse?" Chariot's frown deepened when Croix looked away, mouth set in a thin line before sighing and running a hand through her curly mess of hair.
"Well, it can also be activated to restrict me from lying, generally only for if they need to interrogate me." Croix mumbled. "But there is, er, a failsafe measure, you could call it. In the event that I prove myself to be a potential threat, this can also be used to remotely knock me out."
"O-Oh… I see…" Chariot had yet to let go of her wrist. If anything, her grip had tightened as she looked back down, one finger still gently stroking down the pattern of the imprinted brand. Her touch was careful, feather-light, and Croix felt no inclination of asking her to stop.
"Can't be helped, everyone on parole has to have one of these," Croix spoke as casually as she could muster, hoping it might alleviate some of the grim discomfort she could see in the dim shine of Chariot's eyes. "And well, I am a convicted felon. They can't be that courteous to me."
"Yes… I know but…" Chariot exhaled quietly, with an air of sorrow. She released Croix's wrist at last, though her gaze remained fixed on her companion's arm as the sleeve fell to cover the seal from view.
"I guess it's just… a reminder of everything that's happened. And it's not like I could ever forget, but I've always tried not to dwell on it so much…"
That made the two of them , Croix thought to herself, suddenly awkward at the sight of Chariot staring forlornly into the floor. She could not help but regret the direction of their conversation. Perhaps it hadn't been such a good idea to go into the details of her situation, she should have foreseen how it might make Chariot uncomfortable.
"I'm sorry," she murmured, stiffly scratching the back of her neck. "You didn't need to know all that. I didn't intend to upset you."
"Don't apologize for that Croix," Chariot admonished, her brow furrowed for emphasis. "I'm just a little worried. Well, maybe more than a little. I don't exactly like the idea of you being sent into these dangerous situations without even having a choice about it…"
"Oh, rest assured, the manticores were an exception. It's usually more mundane stuff, like renewing seals, analyzing data charts, that sort of thing. And hey, I even get paid for it." The corners of her lips pulling up into a crooked grin, Croix moved to poke her companion lightly in the center of her forehead, barely suppressing a laugh at the astonished yelp it produced.
"I think you're the one who's taking this all too well," Chariot grumbled, her hands instinctively having flown up to protect herself from a second attempt. Croix shrugged, one hand still raised in the air with a single finger extended before abruptly flicking Chariot's nose, that having been left completely unguarded. This time she did chuckle out loud at the offended shriek that followed, her mirth only furthering when she caught a glimpse of Chariot's indignant glare and bright red complexion.
"I've had a few months to acclimate myself," Croix wheezed at last, when she could finally manage to stop snickering long enough to attempt words. She could hear Chariot huffing nearby, and found herself no less amused when she saw the other woman pointedly turned away from her, arms crossed in mock annoyance.
"Yes, yes, I can see you're quite unbothered." Given Chariot's nature, her irritation only seemed to last for seconds before giving way to her previous melancholy, turning back to Croix with sincere concern in her eyes.
"Still… be careful, won't you?"
"Of course. Really, I'll be fine." Faced with such an earnest look of worry, Croix was compelled to assuage her fears, at least as well as someone like her could. "I too prefer to keep all my limbs and organs attached as they are."
Chariot couldn't completely resist a chuckle at that, much to Croix's internal delight. "A strong preference, I'd hope."
She'd begun to walk forward again, looking back over her shoulder for Croix to follow, to which she was happy to oblige. There was a moment of quiet between them, not an uncomfortable one, wherein Croix took the opportunity to silently study Chariot's expression, deep in thought as she appeared. Her gaze remained troubled, no doubt she was still dwelling upon the recent revelations. Croix felt the innate urge to reassure her, and wished she had the words to do so, but there was little to sugar coat about the matter. And besides, it would be condescending to downplay the gravity of it too much; Chariot wasn't a child anymore, no longer a naive little underclassman to comfort and protect, to be shielded from hard realities.
Encountering a hallway door, Croix pushed it open absentmindedly, only to blink in astonishment when she felt a sudden change in air temperature. Torn from her thoughts, it appeared that they had wandered onto a large round balcony, the night sky now fully visible overhead and twinkling with stars. She heard Chariot gasp in wonder beside her, no doubt having been caught just as off-guard by the change in scenery.
"Where are we Croix?" She asked, tentatively walking forward, stopping near the center of the intricate circular pattern engraved into the brick floor as she gazed upwards at the bright full moon. Rendered momentarily stupefied by the sight of Chariot's elegant figure, illuminated against the dark indigo backdrop of the evening sky, it took a second for Croix to even register that a question had been asked of her.
"Oh. Er, not sure myself, to be frank." Putting out the light of her wand and returning it to her waist, she could hear a faint trickle of music from the building behind them. "But it doesn't seem like we're too far from the ballroom here."
"Oh? I see…" There was a familiar hint of sadness in Chariot's tone as she continued to stare at the moon, though her lips remained curved upwards in a small smile. "It's a nice view from here, isn't it?"
"Mhm."
Croix moved to stand next to her, raising her own gaze towards the stars. From up on high, the cross-shaped scar of the moon glared down back at her. There was a faint twinge in her heart, as always, whenever she looked upon that brilliant pale orb hovering in the night sky, a forever reminder of her betrayal and the disaster that had ensued in its wake. It perhaps did not dig at her as deeply as it would Chariot, who held direct responsibility for carving that blemish with her own two hands. Unintentionally, and in a moment of despair perhaps, but even that Croix was sure her own abandonment had contributed to in no small part.
Uncomfortable to dwell on that particular failure, one of the first in a long line of many, Croix opted to mumble aloud the next thought that entered her mind.
"You were real popular tonight, back in there."
Chariot jolted with a squeak of surprise, whipping her head to face Croix with a flushed look of bewildered embarrassment.
"Y-You saw!?"
"Er, here and there. A bit." Croix muttered, holding back from admitting that she'd been observing her throughout the evening without her knowledge, not wanting for it to unsettle her further.
"O-Oh, right, I uh, yes, that was, a thing that happened a couple of times I suppose…" Chariot stuttered meekly, her hands fidgeting once again in front of her chest. Given who she was, Croix saw an excellent opportunity to cause some mischief, one which she could not resist to take advantage of.
"Uh huh." Her grin did hold some genuine amusement, which she hoped covered up the sting of searing jealousy gnawing at the back of her mind. "Hard to miss that many schmucks swooning about with hearts in their eyes."
"Oh come on, you're exaggerating!" Chariot protested, then shuffled her feet uncertainly as her focus began to drift. "I-I don't know why, I don't think I really stand out particularly…"
Croix scoffed aloud at that. Honestly, this woman never ceased to astound her.
"Clearly, there's many who'd think otherwise. I could venture to imagine how they tried to impress."
With exaggerated dramatic flair, she extended her hand outward.
"My lovely lady, might you care for a dance?"
It was meant as an act, in mocking imitation of the many admirers she'd been subject to witness earlier in the evening. A derisive parody of their motions, her chosen method of coping with just how sorely it had cut her to watch them approach the woman whom she so deeply, and secretly, adored.
She waited for a playful rejection, for Chariot to roll her eyes and bat her hand away, ideally amused at least a little by her irreverent jesting. What Croix did not expect was for Chariot to jerk upwards with a start, as if abruptly startled out of her own thoughts. Which, might very well have been what occurred just now. Had she been spacing out?
"W-What? R-Really?" Even under the relatively dim moonlight, it was apparent that Chariot's blush had darkened significantly. After a brief hesitation, her hand began to drift towards Croix's still-outstretched one. "I… w-wouldn't mind, I suppose…"
Up until now rendered dumbstruck by the rapid twist of events, Croix was startled back to life, retracting her hand without thought as she reacted in blind panic.
"W-Wait, Chariot I was just joking-"
Croix realized seconds too late what a mistake she'd made, when she saw Chariot's hand freeze in place where it had just been about to meet her own before quickly dropping back down, as if burned. The hurt in her eyes was unmistakable as her gaze darted away in embarrassment, indubitably disappointed.
"O-Oh, I'm sorry I… I just… I should have been paying attention." Chariot's voice was barely above a whisper, yet Croix felt her heart tear at the palpable anguish in her words. Though bewildered that her backpedalling could have caused such an extent of grief, she was quick to try and rectify the damage she'd so carelessly caused.
"L-Look, I was kidding, but that… that's because I never thought you'd want to… I-I mean, you've been turning down those guys all evening…"
Chariot remained silent for a few seconds, which to Croix might well have been an eternity for the chaos it was wreaking of her emotions. Just as she opened her mouth with the intention to try and explain herself further, Chariot lifted her head slightly and spoke first, before she could utter a single word.
"This is different Croix… you're not one of… 'those guys'..."
Not for the first time that night, Croix felt faint, the world seeming to blur around them, the woman in front of her the one thing that still remained in focus. One hand clutched to her chest, the other kneading her silken dress anxiously at her waist. A burst of red briefly shimmering across her long free-flowing hair, so often tied into that modest ponytail over her shoulder. Croix could feel her heart still at those words, that once more tangible unspoken looming over their heads. It was evident in the way Chariot refused to look at her, rendered so vulnerable by her own uncertainty, by the confession that remained just barely clinging still to the tip of her tongue.
The revelation made her head spin, but Croix still didn't dare to assume, too overwhelming was the fear that she might misunderstand and cause herself ever more unnecessary agony. It was hard, however, to remain purely pragmatic during such a predicament, and if Chariot were indeed baring her heart to her with utmost sincerity, it would be cruel of her not to respond genuinely in kind.
When she at last was recovered, enough at least that the world no longer felt like it was swaying beneath her feet, Croix took a deep breath and screwed her eyes shut. May the Nine give her strength for what she was about to attempt next.
"I-I apologize, let's er, try that again, perhaps? I-If you would be willing to allow me."
Clearing her throat, Croix took a step backward so there was some more space between them, her usual slouch giving way as she straightened her posture. A rush of blood thundering through her skull, she pulled one hand behind her back as she extended the other forward and lowered herself into a shallow bow. Then, as she was about to repeat the request she'd so thoughtlessly uttered before, a sudden surge of inspiration struck. It drew a smirk out of her, one which hopefully masked, at least to some extent, the violent jitter that had seized every single one of her nerves.
"Puis-je vous emprunter pour cette danse mademoiselle?"
Croix felt her grin widen as Chariot, somehow, managed to blush even more vividly than before, eyes stretched wide open as she recognized the smooth tones of her own mother tongue. Upon recovering, her hand flew up to cover her mouth as she began to laugh, quite girlishly, her shoulders shaking with mirth as she abashedly took the offered hand and responded to the bow with a curtsey of her own.
"Oui, bien sûr."
It was in many ways surreal that this was happening when hours before, Croix could not have fathomed even seeing her old friend again, much less be quietly appreciating the sensation of Chariot's warm, elegant fingers settling comfortably against her palm. Her free hand she slipped around the other woman's back, Chariot in turn resting hers atop her shoulder.
"I didn't think you knew how to dance," Chariot murmured, looking up at her shyly, a soft smile upon her face.
"I've learned the basics, if only out of necessity." Croix took a step forward, Chariot matching it with one step back. "I couldn't throw out every invite, after all. Still, don't be expecting me to keep up with anything fancy."
"Well, you're the one leading." Chariot pointed out, content to follow her careful movements, set in time with the melody still drifting in faintly from the distance. "I'm more curious how long you'll be able to last."
"Hey my constitution isn't that awful."
"Are you exercising daily?"
Croix looked away, indignantly.
"I fly a lot."
"That's not exercise, Croix."
"It is, if manticores are involved."
Chariot raised an eyebrow.
"I thought they were an exceptional case."
"Just once ought to suffice for a good while, no?"
"Right. I'm sure you'll be telling me next that you never touch those awful instant noodles anymore."
Croix coughed and almost missed a step, barely recovering to keep in time with the rhythm.
"Would you believe me if I did?"
"Would you lie about it?" Chariot countered, a wry look upon her face when Croix sheepishly averted her eyes.
"They're convenient okay, and I travel around a lot." She saw Chariot sigh and shake her head in the corner of her vision.
"At this rate, sodium poisoning will catch up to you before those manticores do. At least eat some more fruit and vegetables?"
"How would I have time to…" Croix gradually tapered off upon notice of the pointed look being shot her way, finally relenting with a reluctant grumble. "Okay, fine, I'll see what I can do."
Chariot positively beamed at her following that concession, which only just balanced out her dismay at the thought of needing to stop by the fresh produce aisle from now on. As a consequence of that dreadful reality sinking in, Croix didn't immediately notice the glimmer of crimson before her eyes until it had spread throughout her vision, blooming into the night like a flame as the final few strands of muted blue transitioned seamlessly back into their natural, fiery vibrance. There was a faint glow, residual magic from the illusion spell dispersing, which only made Chariot's transformation look all the more ethereal as locks of red billowed gently in the night, carried upon the cool evening breeze.
"Croix, you've stopped moving." Chariot looked in equal parts amused and embarrassed by the sight of Croix gaping at her, jaw dropped open, blinking rapidly as she snapped out of her stupor with great mortification. By the Nine, she hadn't even realized they'd slowed to a halt, but really, how much could she be blamed for that? Who on this earth would have had the strength of will to not stop and stare at such a sight, at such a spectacle?
Croix was reminded so strongly of her friend in their days of youth, of the ceaseless energy and passion that distinguished Chariot so brilliantly in their time as students. Or, no, that was twice now that she'd made such an incorrect assessment, because Chariot had really never lost that spark, had she? It was more concealed now, yes, by age, by years of regret and melancholy, by the adoption of a quieter persona, but it made moments like these stand out all the more. This was, after all, the same woman who'd once dazzled millions, who'd made such an impossible goal out of spreading joy across the entire globe. Who'd stood down a dragon several hundred times her size, barehanded, with nothing but unwavering conviction for her principles, for redemption. Perhaps, even for love.
"...My bad. Let's, uh, continue then, shall we?"
For once at a loss for clever remarks, Croix did her best to shake the stars out of her vision and recover as smoothly as she could. Chariot, still looking amused, seemed happy to oblige as she hummed in agreement, easily moving to match Croix's steps with her own as they smoothly started moving to the distant music once more.
"I haven't asked yet," Croix ventured, unable to look away from the bright scarlet strands as they floated lightly in the wind. She could feel them tickling faintly against the hand she had rested on Chariot's back. "Why'd you go back to blue?"
"Oh, it was only for tonight really. I wanted to draw as little attention as possible," Chariot answered, pausing with a gasp, then a delighted giggle when Croix guided her carefully into a twirl. "There's a lot of people here tonight and I guess I… didn't want to be recognized."
The laughter in her eyes dimmed and her grip on Croix's hand tightened slightly.
"I'm not sure if I'm ready for that yet."
"...Mm." Croix was in the midst of wondering if there was anything she could offer beyond a general grunt of sympathy when the gravity of the world suddenly shifted ninety degrees, and she barely held herself back from shrieking as Chariot abruptly moved a hand to her back to lower her into a dip.
"Traditionally…. I believe… that I'm supposed to do that…" She wheezed breathlessly, still rattled from the shock as she glared up into Chariot's remorselessly unapologetic grin.
"Are you sure you could have managed?"
Well. Croix supposed she had a point. Still, she frowned grumpily when Chariot pulled her back upright, the stars blurring overhead as she took a moment to reacquire her bearings.
"Sorry," Chariot offered, not sounding particularly sorry at all. "I couldn't resist."
"Clearly," Croix muttered in return, her ire quickly melting at the tender smile on Chariot's face as the hand on her back returned to its original place on her shoulder, indicated by the slight pull on the cotton of her borrowed uniform. Croix's disgruntled frown loosened though when she recalled the topic of their earlier discussion, before it had been so abruptly interrupted.
"Does it bother you a lot?" She asked, her tone serious. There was no trace of her usual dry wit as she looked down at her partner with a careful expression. "The thought of being recognized?"
"Mm… Well…" Chariot took a moment to ponder, her gaze flickering up towards the moon hovering above. "Not as much as it used to, I suppose. I guess that's why I don't bother with the illusion magic around the students. But there's so many dignitaries tonight, and important witches, and politicians… I just…"
She exhaled heavily. "I've… accepted my past, more or less. But I don't feel ready yet to tell the whole world who I am. Maybe I will again one day, I don't know. I suppose we'll just have to see."
"Right…" There was a pressing question now on Croix's mind as she listened to Chariot reflect on her feelings, intently observing all the little details of her motions and expressions. The downturn of her eyes, the melancholic frown, the way her grip had unconsciously tightened on Croix's ministry robe. Their waltz had slowed in the course of Chariot's musings, their feet now shifting in small steps from side to side.
"You always said that…" Croix paused as Chariot looked up at her curiously, a slight tilt to her head. "I remember you always said how you wanted to make people happy. Everyone in the world, even. But what about you?"
Chariot blinked at her, seeming confused. "About me?"
"Yes, I mean…" Croix took a deep breath and carefully considered her words. "Well, Akko found the Seven Words, and Yggdrasil has been revived. Magic has been restored to the world, and the people's faith with it but…"
She locked her gaze with Chariot's now. Shining back at her, a pair of earnest bright red eyes, the very same that had entered her life so long ago and never completely left her mind since, not even in all the lengthy years of loathing and separation. That she once fell in love with as a foolish teenager and now, after everything, after all the resentment and anger and petty jealousy, had somehow fallen for again, all over again.
"Are you happy?" Croix's voice was a low murmur, not that she needed to speak any louder than that with how close Chariot was now standing to her. "Have you found what makes… you … happy?"
She watched those magnificent eyes widen, mesmerized by that ever-brilliant spark dancing within, and waited as Chariot broke off her gaze to contemplate her answer. It didn't take long, only a brief moment passing before she lightly exhaled and looked back up with a wonderful, charming smile. There was something different, in the way she stood. In the way she straightened herself.
"I have."
The way that Chariot was looking at her now, it took her breath away. Left her barely able to muster a reply.
"Have you?"
"Yes."
Chariot's voice had dropped to a whisper. Croix barely even noticed how she'd brought up both hands to rest them against her collarbone, or how her own had instinctually moved to position themselves at the other woman's waist.
"She came back to me tonight."
Croix could feel the words just as well as she heard them, brushing against her lips. They were so close now, and everything around them may well have faded into a void, for all that Croix could be aware of. But Chariot did not move to kiss her immediately, stopping herself a tantalizing hair's breadth away. Of course, even now, there were no limits to the extent of Chariot's compassion; that in spite of whatever desires might have been consuming her in that moment, she would not leave Croix without the choice to deny them. To deny her. Even if it once again meant leaving herself so terribly vulnerable to rejection, to heartbreak.
With a quiet sigh released into the night, an enormous weight lifted from her soul, Croix tipped her head forward to meet her.
some basic french in this one (courtesy of my friend's boyfriend) because Croix would just be That Extra
"Puis-je vous emprunter pour cette danse mademoiselle?" = care for a dance, my lady?
"Oui, bien sûr" = yes, of course
i'm a weakass sucker for my otps waltzing, so i was looking forward to writing this chapter for ages