Somehow this dinner felt even more awkward than it had the first time.
Everything else was the same as she remembered. She might as well have time traveled, if not for the fact that just as it had been in Arcturus, everything felt the slightest bit off.
Despite Daryl's claims of having something to discuss, she didn't seem to be very talkative. She quietly ate dinner, meeting Akko's skeptical gaze with an almost bored glare.
Was it even really Daryl? She acted like her. Conducted herself high and superior like her. Looked at Akko with crinkled features and unmasked contempt, just as she had the first dinner. But there was something else in that, something corrupted that hadn't been there the first time.
Just like how Lotte had been. Still a little soft-spoken, introverted, but as though her personality had been twisted. Akko only had her memories to go off to know what to expect from Daryl, and if whatever happened to Lotte happened to Daryl, Akko wasn't sure she could afford to take her eyes off her.
Daryl took a sip of wine, and frowned. "I was expecting poor table manners, but I didn't think you'd just waste the food in front of you. You may as well try it, a witch of…your background won't get many chances to have a meal like this."
"I'm not feeling hungry." Akko looked at the leathery steak in front of her, and under her breath, she added, "Besides, I remember how well done this was."
Diana cut into her steak and took a bite, still scowling at this entire affair. "If you insist on staying, then just eat, Akko."
"You don't find any of this weird?"
She crossed her arms. Diana pursed her lips in annoyance.
"What I find 'weird' is that you barge in here, make ridiculous demands about me returning to Luna Nova, and then proceed to cause a fuss at every given opportunity. There's too much at stake for me to deal with you right now."
"I…" Akko winced. "I'm not even doing anything here."
"Just eat."
Diana turned back to her plate without another look, and any argument Akko might've had died in her throat. Her eyes flicked to Andrew, but he had nothing to say to her defense. If he was even paying attention, he gave no indication.
She tried to ignore the heavy pit in her stomach. Andrew always had a sharp tongue about him, but he had a kind heart. She felt proud that he was willing and eager to learn more about witch culture, and for all their differences, he was probably her best friend outside of Luna Nova. Being ignored like this stung, regardless of how or why.
But Diana…
Diana was someone she cared about more than anyone else. They had been through so much together, and had spent more time than Akko could ever count side by side. She had revealed a softer, kinder side Akko never would've imagined. She loved that side of her.
Maybe this was a dream, maybe this was some strange vision or a corrupted memory. The logic of it didn't matter. Having Diana give her the cold shoulder again, seeing her once bright blue eyes cold with indifference…any affection she had simply gone from her expression…
Akko couldn't dwell on it. She shook the thoughts from her head and focused everywhere else. She took a breath, and leveled herself with the older woman across from her.
"What is this about then, Daryl?"
"It's nothing that concerns you." Daryl said, before turning to regard Andrew's father. "But I hope you and your son will stick around. We have some lovely things to show you after dinner, and we-!"
"Not the auction." Akko cut her off. "That already happened for real. I mean what is this about? Why am I back here? Like if you're trying to teach me a lesson here, can we just skip to it? I'm tired, and I wanna go to bed without getting dropped in some crazy memory trip."
An incredulous laugh escaped Daryl's lips. "What in the world do you think you're talking about? I have no idea why you would presume any of this dinner was made for your benefit, because I can assure you it most certainly wasn't."
Paul Hanbridge let out a weary sigh. "Need I remind you we picked you up off the side of the road? I don't believe this dinner party is about you."
"No, that's not what I'm-!" Akko shook her head, and turned her attention back to Daryl. "Wait, no! Don't try to distract me. You're in my memories, and I just wanna know why you're in here."
Daryl's face was distinctly neutral. "What am I doing in it? This is my home. I am the rightful head of the Cavendish Manor."
"Stop trying to confuse me, okay?" Akko slammed her fists down on the table. "Just…please, what do you even want? You said you had something to discuss, but you won't even tell me what it is."
Paul rubbed at the corner of his eyes. "For crying out loud…is it any wonder why the rest of the world finds magic so useless when all witches seem to do is fight amongst themselves?"
"Don't start with that again!" Akko snapped. "Magic isn't useless! Just wait a few months, okay?! And then you, and Andrew, and everyone else is gonna see how wonderful magic is!"
Andrew didn't even bother to glance up from his plate. "If you're planning something, kindly leave me out of it, Miss Kagari. I have a very busy schedule for the next few months."
"I…I'm not planning anything! And I thought you liked magic, Andrew!"
Andrew glanced towards his father and shrugged his shoulders indifferently. "I have yet to see a very practical use for it to change my opinion."
"L-look! To me, magic is the most wonderful thing in the world, and in-!"
"There you go again, making all this about you." Paul said. "Don't you have any tact at all?"
"I'm not making it about me!" Akko cried. "I…I know you don't remember it, but if you'll just listen to me, I can-!"
"Proper young witches," Daryl said, "Should not speak if they have nothing to say but to spew nonsense. I don't think anyone knows what it is you want, so why don't you spare us all the trouble and hold your tongue for a while."
Akko felt her face growing hot. "You're not listening! All I want is for you to tell me what all of this is so I can just get out of here!"
From out of nowhere, Diana harshly clinked her utensils down and whipped to face her.
"Would you make up your mind, Akko? First you insist on following me all the way here from Luna Nova, and now you're complaining that you want to leave. Which is it?"
Akko shrunk back. "…Diana…?"
Diana closed the gap between them, glaring daggers straight through her. "I have no interest in returning to Luna Nova, especially with you. None of this has anything to do with you. I never asked for you to come, and I certainly never asked for you to interfere with my life on a constant basis. If you really wish to help me out, then kindly stop throwing a tantrum like a pouty child and…Sit. Down."
Something pricked the corner of Akko's eyes. Even at her worst, even for all their arguments, Akko had never heard Diana use such unfiltered disdain. She wasn't speaking to her like a troublemaker or a nuisance. She was talking down to her with hate and scorn.
Akko bit her lower lip, clenched her fists, and snapped to face Daryl.
"Diana would never say that!"
Diana rolled her eyes. "And who are you to presume what I can and cannot say? I can't imagine you know how I would speak, given you haven't listened to a word I've said this entire time."
"I…" Akko shook her head, failing to keep her voice level. "S-shut up! You're not even real! I know Diana! The real Diana, even when she…she was mean, she would never act like this! She wouldn't say that!"
Daryl turned to the Hanbridges, and nodded politely. "Why, I'm terribly sorry for my niece's guest. I couldn't imagine what's gotten into her all of a sudden."
Paul just grunted, unimpressed with the apology. Andrew returned the nod, and then glared at Akko.
"I must say, Miss Kagari. If you're trying to prove us wrong here, about how useful and wonderful magic is, you're not making a very good case for yourself."
"It's not useless!" She felt her knees shaking. "I proved it wasn't!"
Daryl smiled behind her glass. "You did? Or did Diana do it for you? Would you even be here if it wasn't for Lotte and Sucy carrying you, fixing your mistakes? You'd have been expelled."
"I…" Akko sputtered. "N-no! I wouldn't have! You don't-!"
"Does she ever come off it?" Paul asked Diana. "This entire evening hasn't been worth the gas used to drive here. I hope she doesn't represent you."
"Just attempt to tune her out." Diana shrugged. "I'm sure she'll get bored eventually."
"Stop it!" Akko's stomach clenched. "Stop doing this! Just shut up!"
Andrew frowned at her. "You're the one who's shouting here."
"B-because…you're not letting me-!"
But the three of them just kept talking over her, not caring the slightest bit what she had to say. Akko couldn't even keep up with all. Every insult, every scowl, every glare they sent her way, it was coming so fast. Everywhere she looked, she saw nothing but contempt and mockery from people who she thought, she knew cared about her.
She covered her ears with her hands, desperate for just a second of relief.
"S-shut up!" Her legs felt like jelly. "If you're trying to scare me, it's not working!"
"You really don't have any sense about you, do you?" Daryl chuckled.
"Just shut up!"
"You might be one of the most obnoxious girls I have ever met. Aren't you ashamed of yourself?"
"Shut up!"
"You would think someone chosen by the Shiny Rod would have a bit more…self-control, wouldn't you?"
That was all it took for Akko to kick her chair over.
"You wanna see a Shiny Rod?!" She screamed."I'll show you a Shiny Rod!"
And in a wave, the room seemed to erupt. Reality itself rippled like a stone cast in water.
She pointed her fist towards Daryl, and there was no longer anything else but the two of them. Her face was hot with frustration, and her mind pushed out everything that No dinner, no guests, no manor.
This was her mind. Her memories. Maybe someone could come in and drop her in the wrong place at the wrong time, but no one could take them from her. And what that meant?
This was her reality. She was in control.
A glittering star appeared just before her hand. And then another, and another, until all seven of the lights had gathered in their constellation. Bathed in their sacred light, the Shiny Rod slowly started to take form and become solid.
But before it had the chance, Daryl slammed her fists down on the table, staring her down through narrowed eyes, and the lights were snuffed out in an instant.
Daryl's voice was strained in effort. "You truly don't listen to a word, do you? You need to learn some respect."
Akko could almost feel it. She could almost feel the Shiny Rod's power, could almost reach forth and grab it from her memories. But it was just beyond her reach, as though someone was dangling a carrot in front of her. Mocking her.
And she was sick of it. She was sick of being mocked. She was sick of everything going wrong all the time no matter what she did.
She wasn't going to take any more it tonight. Not from Daryl, not from anyone. If she couldn't get her Shiny Rod back, then she'd call up another memory. Something bigger.
The floor opened up beneath her, and she let herself be swallowed by her emotions. Hundreds of tons of steel and metal built itself around her as she sunk into the memory, taking shape, elevating her higher and higher.
Daryl just sneered. "Alright then. If that's your plan, then I'll play along." She took a step backwards, and her body broke down into distinctive red cubes.
Two giant metal feet slammed into the Wild Hunt's field. Akko stood by in the cockpit as the machine's limbs extended and its transformation neared its end. She looked over her shoulder, unsurprised to see Constanze still at the same helm, giving her the same thumbs up she remembered.
The robot raised its head high into the night sky. Burning soul was converted into magic power, and seven shining stars announced their presence. And with a righteous, judicial fury, the machine pointed forwards as Akko belted over the loudspeaker.
"You wanna see something impressive then?! I don't care if you're a ghost or a spirit or whatever! Come out and face this! Magical Knight, Grand Charion!"
Opposite of her, amidst the chaos of all the Wild Hunt attendants evacuating, the luminescent red cubes shined forebodingly in the sky as they combined, building on top of one another, forming the same top heavy birdlike monster she and Constanze had faced down last time.
Only now, Akko didn't bother to remember there being a magical shortage. And she didn't bother to remember playing nice.
With a speed perhaps unimaginable in the real world for a machine so large, Grand Charion lunged forward, and unleashed a vicious right hook right into the creature's beak before it even got the chance to react.
The punch's momentum carried the monster's head downwards, just as Grand Charion raising its spiked knee into its chin launched it upwards. And finally, Grand Charion charged elbow first right into the creature's massive chest.
The monster barely even had time to let out a cry. Akko supposed it must really hurt when no one gave the chance to listen.
Inside, Constanze seemed to be shocked at the speed and power her own creation was capable of handling. But Akko quickly snapped her from her daze.
"Don't let up, Constanze!" Akko said, taking hold of her own controls. "We're going to show this stupid thing who's in charge!"
The creature brandished its claws and swung towards the Grand Charion's head, only for its arm to be swatted aside. Off balance again, the creature could do nothing as Grand Charion's fist slammed into its torso.
"How's this for useless?!" She called out over the speaker.
The creature made a successful swipe at the magical knight's legs, and it wasted no time as the robot stumbled, leaping to grab on to whatever handhold it could find across its massive metal back.
Only for the Grand Charion to catch it in midair, and without hesitation, ram its head into the ground in a burst of dirt in debris.
The creature's arms threatened to give out as it tried to push itself upwards. So many of the cubes that made up its body had been broken. But it was a creature possessed, and as it took to its feet, digging its claws into the ground, it let out a mighty roar.
Within the cockpit, Akko glared.
"Where's your insults now!?"
The Grand Charion let loose a haymaker right into the creature's vulnerable side.
"Well, guess what?!"
Its other arm let loose an identical one to its other side.
"This isn't my first curse!"
The Grand Charion followed up with a swift uppercut. Red cubes spewed from the creature's beak.
"And this isn't the first time I've been stuck inside someone's mind either!"
A steel fist rushed into the creature's stomach. One after another, the punches flew, with no sign of letting up. Akko's knuckles grew white around the controls. She was not going to lose. She wasn't even going to give the thing the chance. She wasn't going to deal with any more.
Finally, the magic level gauge beneath Akko's hands began to let out a green glow. She looked over her shoulder to the ship's captain. "Magic power at 120%!" She reported. "Now, Constanze!"
As the monster wobbled on its feet, barely remaining upright, the Grand Charion raised its fist into the air, and from its elbow up, steel compartments shifted and locked together in its new position.
"Grand Charion, Big Wheel!"
The giant drill that now made up the Grand Charion's hand began to turn faster, and faster, becoming nothing but a deadly blur of steel spikes.
"Miracle Magical Shining Tornado PUNCH!"
The Grand Charion propelled itself. The creature scarcely had time to raise its hands up as the drill screamed towards its vulnerable body.
Akko allowed herself a victorious smirk. Her mind wasn't perfect, but it was hers. No one was going to mess with it.
Suddenly the Grand Charion lurched. Akko and Constanze were knocked from their feet. Steel creaked and groaned under immense stress. Akko quickly pushed herself upwards and gazed out the cockpit to see the damage.
What she saw was the creature's hands wrapped around the drill, stopping it in place.
Before she could even think about how impossible that was, the creature began to pull. The whine of the steel became metallic screams. The creature dug its feet into the ground, and with a single burst of effort, it yanked itself backwards.
And ripped the arm off entirely.
Alarms blared, and the cockpit of the Grand Charion was drowned in red warning lights. The dashboards began to overload, bursting out into a flurry of sparks and smoke. Akko shielded her face as the monitor violently short circuited.
Constanze struggled to even keep the helm steady, much less counter the damage. Sweat poured down her brow as she fought to keep her machine upright.
Below her, Akko could only watch as the creature tossed aside the drill arm like it was nothing. She couldn't even hear the alarms blaring. The few surviving monitors cried out. Akko stared blankly at the words. "Critical Damage to the Right Flank"
It couldn't go down like this. This wasn't how she imagined it. It couldn't.
The Grand Charion stumbled backwards, its carefully balanced design compromised by the flaming hole at its side. But despite the black smoke spewing from its right shoulder, it dug its feet into the ground and winded up for a desperate left hook.
The creature easily caught the fist before it could come close to making contact. Whatever energy it had lost from the fight had suddenly returned in full force. With another pull, it ripped the remaining arm right from its elbow socket.
And then the creature leapt, and was on top of the once proud knight entirely. It grabbed onto its chest, its talon feet stabbing into the robot's body. The weight of it was too much too quickly. The left knee joint caved in. The invincible Grand Charion fell backwards as the giant hands clawed at its chassis like wrapping paper.
What few monitors remained within the cockpit gave up on listing the damage. It was too extensive. Instead, they all portrayed the same hopeless message.
"Abandon Ship"
Constanze looked helplessly as the helm let loose a flurry of sparks. There was no way the damage could be ignored. The machine was done for.
But it couldn't be. Akko had summoned it, and she poured every ounce of her willpower into repairing the damage, but all she got in return was the sound of the creature's claws tearing through what remained of their defenseless.
How could this happen?
"No!" Akko cried out to Constanze. "It…It can't win! We can't let this thing beat us! It can't-!"
But before either witch could make another move, the creature stabbed its beak into the creature's head. Sparks became a raging fire in an instant as console after console burst. The entire cabin was engulfed in inky black smoke.
Akko coughed, trying to block as much of the smoke from her mouth with her arm. Her eyes burned, but with the fires raging, there was more important things to worry about.
"Constazne!" She called out. "Contz, where are you?! You gotta-!" She hacked as she inhaled. "W-where are you?! We need to-!"
The cabin lurched again. Akko was thrown from her feet, and as the back of her head smacked into the metal floor, everything went black. Her ears were ringing.
She groaned in pain, trying to will her body to get up. She needed to find her, get her out of here, before it was too late. But right now, she could barely open her eyes.
But when the ringing stopped, she heard the laugh of an elderly man.
"That's pretty funny there, witch!" He cackled. "A minute ago, you were saying this ain't real, but now you're worried about your friend like she was real! You got less of a brain than I do at this point."
The voice…sounded familiar, but Akko couldn't quite place it. With a small moan, she opened her eyes. And standing above her was a reanimated skeleton in formal, colonial dress.
Its sword was in hand, raised high above its head, poised to strike.
Akko rolled to the side just as the blade stabbed down where her body had been.
Her mind spun, desperate to get its bearings on what just happened. She was on top of the bell tower in Blytonbury in the middle of the day. This was early in the year, when Lotte, Sucy and her had accidentally revived Headmistress Holbrooke's father.
But she hadn't imagined going here again. What had happened to Constanze, and the Grand Charion? How could she have been sent here?
The skeleton did not give her any chance to speculate. Once he ripped its blade from the ground, he pointed it straight towards Akko and began swinging. Still dazed from the impact, she was only barely able to dodge the furious swipes.
"Which is it, huh?!" Holbrooke cackled. "Is this real or isn't it? Can't have it both ways!"
"Mr. Holbrooke?!" Akko ducked as the sword cut through the air. "This…this is nuts! You're supposed to be grateful to us for giving you the chance to find the man you were looking for!"
The sword swings didn't stop coming, "Like I would be grateful to the likes of you!" He lashed out. "Taste steel, you miscreant!"
Akko's eyes rapidly scanned the rooftop. The massive bell took up most of the rooftop. There was barely any room to maneuver. They were too many stories high to get anywhere else, and the only other way out, the trapdoor to the stairs, was currently beneath Holbrooke's boot.
Where were Lotte and Sucy? They had been here the first time.
"Mr. Holbrooke!" She called out, struggling to keep her voice even between her own franticness and exhaustion. "You wanted revenge! That guy wronged your daughter! Don't you remember?!"
Mr. Holbrooke just laughed. "What I remember is you saying this wasn't your first curse! What happened to that confidence, eh?"
Akko growled once she realized who she was truly speaking to. "What do you even want from me?! How are you doing this?!"
"How are you letting me is the better question! C'mon! I thought you wanted to fight! You told me to shut up!"
Holbrook, if he was even real to begin with, had no body or muscles to get tired, whereas Akko was already spent, physically and emotionally. The sword swipes were too fast for her. She was running on fumes, and running out of rooftop.
And then her foot hit the ledge. She caught the briefest glance into the alleyway, several stories below. She windmilled her arms, just barely managing to catch her footing before she toppled over.
But when she looked back, Holbrooke's skeletal remains were right in front of her, raising his left leg with a victorious posture.
"In the garbage with you! With the rest of the trash!"
Holbrooke's boot connected with her stomach, and she was sent spiraling off the edge into the dumpster below.
Her fall was broken by the heavy trash bags, but it did little to ease her own weariness. She climbed out, hand over hand, and flopped out onto the stone ground, too winded to appreciate that Blytonbury was now gone.
She was in the hidden cavern of the Blue Moon Abyss. And that was all she could tell.
Her shoulder blades and her stomach fought her as she shakily pushed herself back up. Her body wanted to rest, but she still couldn't give up. She didn't know how this…thing had more control of her memories than her, but she had to get up. Had to keep fighting back.
She couldn't let it win. She couldn't let it win.
A gentle female voice slowly called out to her. "You look tired, child…"
At the end of cavern was the ent creature that resided there, like a tree with a malformed face growing out of its bark. Akko just stared at her, panting for breath.
"But you did well to make it this far." She continued. "And I can offer you a reward. Behold, the future your heart desires."
Its roots parted, and within it, it showed the exact same vision it had the first time, on the nights before the Samhain Festival. Of Akko, dressed in the same garb as Shiny Chariot, dancing around on stage in a show of lights and color. Deliriously happy and without a care.
But the first time, the vision had continued to play as the ent offered to send her to this future in exchange for her memories. Whereas now, as the Shiny Akko within the roots danced, she suddenly stopped her performance.
She turned to Akko herself, and smiled.
"You don't even know who you were talking to here, do you?" The Shiny Akko within the roots asked. "And you still gave all this up? This is like, your only chance at making your dream real. And you completely blew it."
The real Akko stood upright, despite her ribs crying out. "It…it will…be real." She panted. "I'll…make it…real. As…soon as I…get you out…"
The Shiny Akko copied her movements as though she were her own reflection. "Are you kidding? You didn't get crowned Moonlight Witch. You didn't get to win the broom race. This was your big shot! Why give it up!"
"I said…I'll…make it real." Akko narrowed her eyes. "I beat this tree once…I'll do it again."
The Shiny Akko smirked. "How are you gonna do that?"
Akko reached down to her belt, filling her weary mind with the thoughts of the axe form the Shiny Rod took, of chopping down the tree and proving her own destiny. But the Shiny Rod was not at her waist.
The one in the vision raised her own Shiny Rod. "Looking for this?"
Akko growled, and found her regular magic wand in its place on her belt. She raised it up at the ent, at the vision, and a green whirlwind of energy pooled at its prongs, waiting to be unleashed.
"I don't care who you are…!" She spat out. "This…is my! Mind! And you can't have it!"
She poured all everything she had left, every scrap of rage and fear and hope that she still had in her, and willed all the powerful emotions into her spell. Her voice was hoarse and worn out, but as she cast her incantation, it filled the cavern and echoed off the walls a hundred times stronger.
"Murowa!"
The light at the end of her wand flashed with her anger, but just as it should've burst out in a beam of deadly energy, it simply…popped. And instead, a tiny white flag sprung out the end of her wand.
"…Wha-?"
The flag had a cutesy little drawing of Shiny Chariot on it, giving a bashful little wink. Next to it were written three small letters.
"I.O.U."
The Other Akko in the vision began to cheerily laugh, laughing her guts out as Akko stared despondently at the flag. "That's a pretty weird spell you got there!" She giggled. "Here, let me try one!"
She raised her Shiny Rod up, and when she cast it down, white bands shot forth, out of the vision itself and into the world. Akko gasped as one of the bands coiled itself around her wrist and pulled her forward.
As more bands wrapped around her waist, and another around her ankle, something in the mind reminded her how, the first time, if she had entered the vision, she would have lost everything. And that was exactly where the bands were retracting to.
With the very last of her desperation, she began biting at the magical cloth, hoping to break it as it slowly dragged her closer and closer. With her free hand, she pulled at the others. She tried not to think how there were too many even if she could break it, how more could come anytime the Other Akko willed it.
The Other Akko folded her arms behind her back and stepped to the side as Akko's foot was dragged into the vision, as though dipping it into water. "Remember! A mind…"
Akko closed her eyes as the rest of her body was dragged within the roots, still tearing at whatever she could grab.
"…is a terrible thing to waste. But then, now that I think about it…"
The roots slowly began to close over her head, and she was drowned in darkness.
And then with a shriek, she was thrown back to her bedroom.
She had woken up. Not only that. She had kicked out of her dream. Akko picked the bedsheets and blankets off of her. And she crumpled onto the wooden floor.
Lotte peeked over the top bunk, rubbing her eyes. "Akko?" She yawned. "What are you doing up? It's like five in the morning…"
Sucy lifted her head from her own bed, frowning at the two of them "What are you yelling about now? Some of us are trying to sleep."
She didn't say anything back to Lotte or Sucy. If there even was anything to say at this point, she honestly didn't know. She simply didn't know what happened.
She had given it her all. She had put everything she had into protecting her mind, kicking the spirit possessing her out, proving once and for all who was in charge.
And she had lost.
A.N. …Well then! You'll never know how long I wanted to put the Grand Charion in a fic, and I'm glad it was like this. I don't think I've seen Holbrooke's dad in a fic yet either, so that's neat!
Next time, "A Few Days More" On the other side of things, in the real world, Hannah and try to help Diana plan her big surprise party and learn a surprise of their own. But then…how is Akko going to deal with everything that just happened? All that and more, and…yeah!