This oneshot is set mid-show, in between the Samhain Festival and Akko going after Diana.
Enjoy and review! :)
Trigger warning for bullying.
Day Four: Protection/Working Together
Protect What You Believe In
The cackling of the four senior girls invaded Akko's brain even after squeezing her eyes shut and covering her ears with her hands.
"P-Please…" she whimpered, "I-I just want to get to my room."
"Why?" one of the girls scoffed with a malicious grin. "So you can cuddle up with your precious Shiny Chariot doll and cry?"
"I-It's just a poster…"
All four girls broke out into a raucous laughter once again.
"That almost makes it worse!"
"You're so pathetic!"
"Look, she's actually crying!"
Akko swallowed the burning knot in her throat as she tried to get the wetness behind her eyes under control. She had been doing her best to keep up a strong front, but the ridicule had been going on for weeks now, and trying to remain unaffected was just getting so tiring.
She was finally starting to break.
"Haven't you realized that you'll never become a witch?" the ringleader spoke up once again. "The semester's already almost halfway over and you still can't cast the most basic of spells without blowing something up! And let's not forget your flying skills."
"What flying skills?!" another of the girls chimed in with another fitful of giggles.
"S-Stop it!" Akko cried, stomping her foot and hoping the tears weren't streaming down her face like she felt they were. "Just leave me alone! My abilities as a witch aren't damaging to you in anyway, so why does it matter so much?!"
The first girl merely rolled her eyes before leaning forward to address Akko.
"But it does affect us, you see? Since, you know, we have to attend the same school as some bumbling idiot without a trace of magic blood in her."
"It gives us all a bad reputation just by mere association," another girl added.
"Not to mention what people will think of Luna Nova!" the third one chimed in.
"Yeah!" the fourth agreed. "A prestigious school accepting someone like you? It's embarrassing!"
"Just go home already! It's not like anyone here would miss you."
"L-Lotte and S-Sucy…"
The leader rolled her eyes. "You mean your friends? You really are stupid if you think they ever truly cared about you."
"If they're your friends, then where are they, hmm?"
"They totally abandoned her!"
"What a freak!"
Akko squeezed her eyes shut again as another bout of tears tried to escape. Spinning around, she hoped to flee, but was cut off as the girls spread to surround her, keeping her enclosed in their circle.
"Awww, leaving already?"
"Your precious Chariot isn't here to help you, and neither are your imaginary friends."
The first girl stood tall as she cracked her knuckles, her eyes glinting dangerously.
"I think we need to teach you to respect actual witches, and what happens to those who try to give us a bad name."
Akko stumbled away from the raised fist, only to end up in a girl's clutches behind her. Truly trapped now, the small witch gulped once more before closing her eyes again to simply accept her fate.
She had given up, completely and utterly broken.
"That is quite enough!"
Five pairs of eyes snapped to attention as the new challenger stepped out into the courtyard everyone else had simply scurried past to avoid the altercation festering.
Diana Cavendish, the pride of Luna Nova, and full year younger than the four aggressors, stood firmly in place, arms crossed and blue eyes flaring in absolute rage.
"Just what in the world do you think you are doing?" Diana chastised. "Respected witches don't push another around simply to inflate their own ego."
The first girl merely scoffed again. "Don't tell me you're actually trying to stand up for this pathetic excuse of a girl, Diana. Surely you of all people see how much of a failure she is."
"Akko is far from a failure," Diana spoke resolutely, eyes flashing again. "And I recommend you stop referring to my friend as such."
As the four bullies stood dumfounded by the blonde witch's words, Diana sought Akko out in the circle before her eyes softened as they observed the girl for injury.
"Akko, come here, please," Diana requested gently, then glaring at the girls, just daring them to try something as they reluctantly let Akko free.
"D-Diana, what are you…?" Akko whispered, completely awestruck from the girl siding with her. It was little known secret about the two's…rollercoaster of a relationship.
Further mystifying Akko, Diana simply smiled fondly before winking at her.
"Just get behind me," she told her. "I'll take care of these ruffians."
A meek, bashful smile finally found purchase upon the brunette witch's face. Silently, she went to stand behind Diana, who further shocked everyone by throwing an arm out to protect the girl from anymore physical or verbal abuse.
"I do not appreciate you all treating Akko in such a barbaric manner, and don't think the professors won't hear about this. Who are you to ridicule another for their shortcomings? We all have them. In fact, while we're at it, why don't we admit our own?" Diana fixed each girl with a glare as she spoke to them in turn. "For instance, I hear from Professor Ursula that you're failing Astrology, Samantha. How many more letters to home is it going to take before you start taking that class seriously? Or is Headmistress Holbrooke simply going to have to threaten to expel you again?
"And Christina, let us all not forget your bumble sophomore year where you set the entire west wing ablaze for nine hours straight. Or what about the fact that you still can't sleep without your cherished stuffed tiger, Rebecca? Professor Nelson also tells me your broom has refused your commands during each flying practice for two weeks now, Britney; you might want to work on respecting the simplest of magical objects as well as people."
Akko couldn't help the small giggle that slipped past her lips at the older girls' baffled looks as Diana completely shut them down. The blonde heiress herself even allowed a quick smirk to grace her lips, pleased she seemed to be lifting Akko's spirits.
"It hurts, doesn't it?" Diana continued once her stern façade was back in place. "Having your shortcomings shared in front of others? Even I have to admit myself that my passion for magic is nowhere near as powerful as Akko's here, and while she may not be up to par with the rest of us, you have no right to sell her short. She's trying, which is more than I can say for some of you. And while you continue to gossip and spread untrue rumors about her, I'll be waiting for the day when Akko surpasses all of you in talent, because it will happen; of that, I have no doubt."
The four girls remained in stunned silence, a few of them even have the good graces to look a bit ashamed of their behavior.
"Samantha," one of them finally spoke up, "maybe we should apologize…"
Samantha, meanwhile, just sneered at Diana. "As if," she spat. "Whatever. We'll leave your precious girlfriend alone, Diana. Didn't know you'd fallen so low as to associate with the bottom-feeders of this school."
Glare intensifying, Diana reached for her wand, an almost animalistic growl emanating from deep within her.
"D-Diana!" Akko finally cried, scurrying in front of the older girl and taking her hand away from her belt. "H-Hey! It's okay! You showed them, alright? Just let them go. I'm fine now, okay?"
"Leave," Diana ground out.
Having to get the last word in, Samantha flipped them both the bird before spinning on her heel and departing the courtyard, her cronies scurrying after her, heads bowed. As their footsteps finally faded away, Akko's face lit up brilliantly as she wrapped Diana in a fierce hug.
"That was amazing, Diana!" she squealed. "Did you see the look on all of their faces?! I really think they'll finally leave me alone now!"
"Are you certain you are alright, Akko?" the blonde asked as Akko finally let her go. "They said some pretty awful things to you."
Akko's eyes dimmed momentarily and she shrugged. "Yeah, they did, but it really only affected me so much because I'm just so tired of it all. I really do have faith I'll get ahold of this magic thing one day, but sometimes I just wonder if that day will ever come."
"It will," Diana spoke with the upmost conviction. "Please don't doubt that, Akko."
A small smile flashed across Akko's face before she sighed. "Still, thanks for standing up for me, Diana. It means more than you know."
"Well," the heiress started with a sly grin, "you know what they say…"
Placing a finger beneath Akko's chin, Diana lifted the brunette's head until blue was boring into red. Akko's cheeks quickly matched the color of her eyes as Diana gave her the sultriest smile she had even seen from the girl. Her breath ghosted against Akko's lips as she whispered,
"You have to protect what you believe in."