Hey everyone hope all is well! Sorry for the late update, my real job and my prop building business is like, eating up all of my time (which, don't get me wrong is fantastic!) and it's slowing my writing down a bit. Not to worry, I'm still with it!

As always, a big thank you to my beta ImaginaryEngineer, without whom I would have thrown my laptop out a window a long time ago.

Lastly, a big thank you to everyone who left a review! Like what you read, lemme know! Didn't like what you read? Lemme know! I love getting the feedback and it really helps me to improve my writing!

Kinoco-cha: Thank you for the review! I'm glad you liked Merrill, I was really nervous about how this whole section would be received so the little bit of positive feedback helps take the edge off! Glad you enjoyed the update!

Chapter 20

Akko woke up Christmas morning to see a fresh blanket of snow sparkling on the ground with more continuing to fall. Excited, yell and went to get dressed.

Diana woke up and gave a yawn before stretching and snuggling back down into the warm bed. It was Christmas and her Aunt and cousins had left for Paris the day before, leaving her and Akko alone, as well as removing a huge weight off of her shoulders. Well, at least part of it. Babysitting Akko wasn't exactly a walk in the park either, but it would be so much easier without having to worry about Daryl and Maril causing problems.

*Thunk*

Diana opened her eyes and frowned. What on earth was that? Perhaps a bird flew into the balcony door again. Poor thing, she hoped it was ok. She closed her eyes and pulled the thick down comforter over her head.

*Thunk*

She sat up and looked around. Whatever that was, it most certainly wasn't a bird. It did, however, sound like it was coming from the balcony. She got up and was pulling her black pea coat on over her nightgown when there was another thunk. She turned and for the first time noticed 3 globs of snow smushed on the glass, almost like an impact from a snowball. Then it clicked.

Blast it Akko!

Diana strode over to the door and opened it just in time to have a snowball come whizzing at her. She managed to change her arm just in time to have the frozen missile hit the flat of the blade rather than her face. She lowered her arm and trying to keep her composure and taking a deep breath, she walked to the railing and was greeted with the sight of Akko, standing out in the middle of the frozen, snow-covered lake behind the manor that the moat drained into. It looked like she had been rolling a large ball of snow and stopped to throw snowballs at her window.

"Good morning Diana! Merry Christmas!" Akko yelled

"Akko what are you doing?"

"I'm making a snowman! Come play with me!"

"Akko it's freezing!"

"But Diana!" Akko whined. She wasn't going to relent.

"Fine! Just get off the ice!"

"What ice?"

"The ice under your-"

*Crack*

"Akko!"

(~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~)

"You did this to yourself."

Diana was stretched out on the sofa in the small, private sitting room reserved just for her family, reading quietly. Meanwhile, Akko sat with a blanket as close to the crackling fire as she could get without combusting.

It was hard to understand what she was saying through her chattering teeth, "You d-d-didn't t-tell me there was an l-lake!"

"Why would I? You never asked. You acted on impulse, as per usual, and got yourself into trouble."

"Oh c-come on Diana! S-sometimes it's f-f-fun!"

"And dangerous, as you just learned I should hope."

"You're n-no fun!"

"And you're too much fun." What a pair we make.

The room fell silent as Diana went back to reading and Akko watched the fire dance. Then Akko remembered "Oh! I'll be right back!" she got up and bolted out of the room, leaving a puzzled Diana behind.

A minute later she came back with a small flat box in her hand. She sat down on the couch as Diana closed her book and sat up.

"Here, I picked this up in Glasgow while you were in that bookshop. I know it's not much but Merry Christmas!"

Diana took the box from her friend and carefully removed the lid. Her breath caught in her throat.

There, nestled in a soft velvet lining, was a playing card from the popular card game Meisters & Slicers. Every card featured famous meisters, weapons, keishin eggs, and witches. The goal was to build either a hero deck or villain deck and play against people who's decks were opposite yours. Diana never paid the game any mind but apparently, Akko did, because Diana's mother's face beamed up at her from a card inside the box. Her name printed neatly at the top, stats under the picture and a description in a box under that.

Bernadette Cavendish. Attack 6, Defense 8, Stamina 7, Health 4. Sword type death scythe. 7th death scythe in a long line of powerful demon weapons and well-known for her spirit of kindness and dedication to protecting the innocent. She tragically lost her life in a fight with a powerful witch.

Diana looked up at Akko, lost for words.

Akko offered a kind smile "It's holographic, if you turn it from side to side she changes into her weapon form."

The blonde finally found her voice "Akko… I- thank you."

"You're welcome. Take good care of it, her card is hard to find. I really got lucky when I checked that shop!" she smiled her usual goofy smile and Diana couldn't help but smile back.

"I will I promise. I got something for you too. I'll be right back."

Akko sat waiting while Diana went off to her room, thrilled that Diana had liked her gift. The smile she had worn on her face made Akko absolutely giddy, she just couldn't understand why her stomach got all fluttery.

Diana came back with a cardboard tube about 2 feet long "I apologize for it not being wrapped." She sat down and handed it to Akko.

"It's okay, mine wasn't either." She pulled the plug out of the end and turned the tube so the contents slid out. It was a rolled up poster. She pulled the rubber band off and opened it, then let out a squeal.

"Diana I love it!" it was an autographed poster of Shiny Chariot, her flaming red hair really popping against the deep purple background, posing with her weapon partner, Croix. "How did you find this?"

Diana couldn't help but grin at Akkos excitement " eBay, actually. I had Arya assist me while you were unconscious."

Akko set the poster down and then hugged Diana "Thank you, I love it."

Diana stiffened at the sudden contact but relented after a second and hugged her meister back "You're welcome, Merry Christmas Akko."

Akko let go and beamed back at her "Merry Christmas Diana!"

(~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~)

Later that night, Akko walked Diana back to her room before turning in for the night. The manor was quiet, peaceful. With the sky being the dark purple color of snow clouds, the atmosphere reminded her of the night on the roof in Glasgow.

Except for Akko and Diana chatting away on their way to Diana's bedroom. Mostly it was Akko, babbling away about this or that and Diana would nod or reply with a few words but for the most part, she just let Akko go. Her obvious excitement and innocent curiosity were, in Diana's opinion, adorable. And it was quickly becoming one of her favorite things about the young meister. That and the positivity that practically radiated off of her. No matter how much you knocked her down, Akko would bounce back looking for more. And Diana loved that about her too. She was actually enjoying this and was sad when they reached the plain chestnut door that stood guard over the room beyond. It was actually a little disappointing "Well, this is me. I had a wonderful day, Akko, thank you."

Akko smiled back at Diana "I did too. I, um, I guess I'll see you tomorrow at breakfast?."

Diana nodded and tucked a stray strand of blond hair behind her ear "Yes, absolutely."

"Awesome I can't wait- I mean- like, food!" Akko stuttered through and finished weakly. Diana smiled, however, and Akko relaxed, a little bit of color coming into her cheeks.

Diana had to struggle to stop color from coming into hers. She hid her face by turning to open the door and cross the threshold. By the time she turned around the color was gone. "Have a good night Akko."

Akko smiled. "Night Diana!" She turned and went to head down to her room.

It wasn't until she climbed stairs for the 3rd time that she realized she was really, really lost. She was wandering down the deserted corridor, not even sure if it was the one Diana's room was on, when she noticed a door at the end of the hall standing slightly ajar. Curious, she nudged it open and went into the room beyond.

The soft scarlet carpet gave off clouds of dust as Akko walked across it. Wherever she was, it a bedroom. The bed was a canopied four-poster, with a faded green canopy and drapes. The beautiful mahogany colored support posts started out round and changed to spiral where the head and floorboards ended.

As Akko walked deeper into the room she noticed an old white marble fireplace against one wall and above it, between two wall sconces was an ancient, faded tapestry with runes and a picture of a woman in a pointed hat and robes petting a white unicorn right in the middle.

She was so focused on trying to process what she was seeing she didn't hear the footsteps muffled by the carpet.

"Honored Guest!" Akko jumped and turned to see Anna standing there with a feather duster in her hand and a stern look on her face

"Oh A-Anna! I'm sorry but the door was open and I got curious! What is this place? Why is it so dusty?"

"You should not be in here. I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"Why? Whose room is this?"

The older woman sighed. Akko clearly wouldn't leave without answers. " This room belonged to Miladys parents."

Belonged. Past tense. So that meant not only her mother but "Her fathers gone too?"

Anna nodded "Yes. He passed away when Milady was 4. Her mother followed shortly after she turned eleven."

That's so sad. Diana's basically on her own now "What happened?"

"Lord Cavendish was killed in a hunting accident when his horse spooked and threw him, breaking his neck. Lady Cavendish…" Anna sighed "Lady Cavendish was killed in a fight with a witch, along with her meister. The details are not known, even to us. We believe they picked up her trail and tracked her down, not waiting for backup. From the destruction in the woods and the underground cavern where their bodies found, the fighting lasted for hours. It was a tragedy. They were both good women who are still sorely missed."

Akko bit her lip and looked up at the tapestry, mulling over everything she had just learned "That is The Tapestry of Beatrix," said Anna "The founding member of House Cavendish. She was one of the Eight Shinigami Legions, the original meisters and demon weapons who fought alongside Lord Death eight hundred years ago."

The young woman's eyes widened in shock. She had no idea Diana' s family was that prestigious. She looked down at her hands, suddenly wondering if she should be the one to wield Diana. Maybe Diana's aunt was right. Akko was nothing compared to her partner.

No.

She could wield Diana. She already had. They had their first soul. They trusted each other. And if she didn't want her, Diana wouldn't have come to that first lesson with Professor Ursula. They were a team. And a damn good one at that! She would make Diana into a death scythe and help her take her rightful place alongside the other powerful weapons and meisters of her family! She could do it, believing was her magic!

"Thank you for telling me that Anna. I won't forget it."

Anna nodded " And please, don't say anything to Milady. She would become quite upset. However, I believe that as her meister, you need to understand her past so you can help her build her future."

Akko bowed politely "I won't tell I promise. Have a good night Anna."

"You as well. Thank you."