Dublin, Ireland
After a long journey, crossing France, England, Scotland, Ireland, the girls finally arrive in the city of Dublin, crossing all kind of danger, creatures of the night, practically in every city they make a stop, having some unforeseen, what even leaves them a little tired of so much combat, but that's what they know how to do well, what also leaves them with a little gold for the good side of things, since the cities where they passed that did something rewarded them in a good way, the Journey reaches its point that was after so much waiting, the first great conflict, but even before going for good to the place where Hellene is, they would spend the day in Amanda's hiding place, before really leaving for the action, a little to rest and also to give that relaxed, since it will be a risky mission with great chances that they do not return with life, due to the real risk that the place contains.
They even woke up early in the day to arrive on time in the city, without much delay, they manage to arrive while it is still daylight, observing the place getting close, with a big smile noticeable from Amanda who was having nostalgic memories of the place, while Diana inside was hopeful that she would finally see her sister again after so many years apart, that would be the great moment in her journey.
The group approaches the entrance of the city, observing the city from afar, with that look of admiration and relief, Akko even marks on the map that made the destination indicating that they had finally arrived.
Akko: Finally we are here, what a journey we have made.
Sucy: To think that it all started with us arriving in Chateaumorand, with this klutz joining us, also a bit of you Akko, I wanted so much to find Chariot Belmont that look where we are, practically on the other side of where we left.
Marianne: Clumsygirl who has saved your lives several times.
Diana: Thank you in every way, you have no idea how much I wanted to do this, but I didn't want to have to engage in mortal combat against Hellene, I imagine she is far more powerful than I am, that's if we are not balanced, I just want to be able to see my sis and say I missed her and love her, may she join us, who knows.
Amanda: It's not cutting off your happiness, but the way every person comes out of your sister's hiding place alive and also since it seems like you haven't seen each other for so many years it only makes things more difficult, you'll probably end up coming out in the lurch, but we'll be here to help.
All: Amanda!
Diana: She's right, if it wasn't for that I wouldn't have even called you to join me and Croix, that's good, at least we don't run so much risk, it will be better for both me and you that we are together, also for Hellene, I want to avoid any way that a fight that kills one of us will happen.
Akko: Anyway, it was fun meeting all of you, I could have the journey I wanted so much, I could finally find a reason to continue being a slayer, the last few missions were so dull, but after I got together with each of you, it got interesting again, it got cool again, all the risk, all the purpose.
After this outburst from Akko, the girls enter the city of Dublin, where they go walking around, noticing that everything is very quiet, people were walking on the streets, talking among themselves, some of Amanda's acquaintances wave to her and O'Neill waves back, until they arrive at a stable, where they leave the horses and go taking the trunks, with things in hand.
From there they follow a path to the outside, kind of where the Irishwoman's hiding place was, which opens a secret passage in a tree, and then Constanze pulls a lever, revealing another hiding place there, pulling a trapdoor that is always hidden by grass, through there they light a lantern and go down the stairs, They arrive at the hiding place and then the German woman turns a device that lights the lanterns that are there, turning on the lights of the hiding place, which is much bigger than all the others, that one had more than enough space, leaving some of the girls impressed.
Akko: Woah! Did you build all this?
Amanda: Itwas all a small burrow that I dug as a child, but I was always adding to it, I was learning over time how to create support, so nothing collapses from here, nor floods when it rains, it took me years with the girls to get this hiding place ready.
Sucy: And why don't you stay here, it's perfect, I would give a lot of gold to stay in this place, it seems like a paradise, here there is no reason to work all your life as a nomadic hunter, as we do, at the risk of being robbed and all that.
Amanda: I don't like to settle down in one place, then life loses its purpose and gets boring, I like to move around, to venture out, in a world like ours that has so much to see, I just like to come back here to rest before a long journey, like we are doing now, I like that emotion of always starting a new adventure and having that thing that I have to conquer again everything I have conquered, each thing seems like a great conquest, you wouldn't understand, neither would these two.
At that time even Constanze writes on a sheet of paper "She's crazy", the girls start laughing, then Jasminka strokes her girlfriend that got a little bit upset, that way they start exchanging caresses, Diana on the other hand is walking around the place, checking it out and Akko goes along with her, The two go to where there was a room and from there they notice that there's a picture of O'Neill with her two girlfriends, Cavendish even shows a smile and Kagari sees that as a little bit of a gap, looks to the sides and around, pulls the curtain and that way jumps over the dhampir, surprising her with a sudden kiss, only she didn't expect that someone was watching everything from behind the curtain, kind of hidden.
After the sudden kiss Diana ends up pushing Akko all the way back and gets all breathless and flushed, somewhat in shock, with her heartbeat going full blast, she felt a bit of her instincts go wild, but then looked with Kagari with a bit of anger as well.
Diana: Akko! What is it? Are you out of your mind?
Akko: Hahahaha, you get a cute little accent when you're embarrassed, I love it when you get like that, but no, I'm more lucid than ever, you have no idea how much I wanted to do this, it's just because it might be my last chance to kiss you, I don't want to miss it, I didn't want to do it in front of everyone.
Diana: Akko! You didn't have to! Ahhhhh, it won't be our last time together, I mean... Ahhhh, Akko, I, I, I, I, you understand, we are not going to die, why are you thinking about it? You weren't supposed to...
Akko: You mean youdidn't like it?
Diana even more reeling: No! I, I, I, it was a good kiss, really, ahhhhh, Akko, you just make me more... You make me weird, don't try to mess with me too much, I'm a freak, I don't deserve this, don't get attached to me.
Diana ran from Akko through the room hiding herself in her cloak sitting against a wall, it was possible to notice the tears falling which showed that she was a little weakened by the situation, Kagari went to Cavendish noticing that it was a question too complicated for her to answer and understood the Scottish girl's reaction starting to stroke the dhampir's hair, that only continued to hide herself more.
In all this Marianne was looking from behind the curtains all curious, wanting to know more, only the Japanese had noticed Leblanc's presence.
Akko: Marianne I know you are watching everything, if you tell anything I swear I will chop you up and give it to Diana to eat.
Marianne: Looking? Me? I'm just... I just came here because of your screams and I wanted to know...
Akko: I am serious Marianne Leblanc, this is between you and me, you don't even have to be here, I will trust you with this secret, if you open your mouth you already know.
Leblanc just swallows saliva and when Kagari turns back, the scared Frenchwoman just agrees with her head, walking out after that, leaving Akko alone consoling Diana who was somewhat emotionally fragile at the time, coming all those traumas in her head.
In another place of the house, Lotte and Sucy were facing each other, the Manbavaran gets a little blushed at the moment, she looks deeply into Yanson's eyes and gets a little embarrassed too, without much help from the trisal that keeps putting more pressure on her.
Sucy: Lotte wants to date me? It could be our last mission, I don't want to die without asking you first.
Lotte blushed and smiled: "Sucy, you are not good with words, are you? I will not deny a request, even if it goes against everything the church believes in, even if it goes against everything that even my parents believe they want from me, I accept it, it makes me happy and I also like you.
The two stare at each other, Manbavaran flashed a smile for which she has never done before, then gets a kiss from Yanson, the two go from there starting to deepen the kiss, right around the time Marianne eventually arrives, coming across that scene and being in shock, twice she witnesses couples kissing and gets all full in the head, feeling like a pressure cooker of thoughts, seeing as what she watched not long ago, was Diana and Akko also on the same level of emotional attachment.
Lotte: I also like you a lot Sucy, I never showed it too much, but I also wanted to declare my feelings to you, you have your sadistic way of being, a bit of a joker from time to time, letting out your heavy comments to us, but that's just your way of being, your beauty is also something that always charmed me, you are beautiful, you are slim, wonderful, you always helped me when I was in trouble and I also kind of fell in love with you by yourself haha, you don't know how to hide your feelings Sucy.
Sucy: Ah you were always someone who attracted my attention, Akko always saw me as a sister, even though back then I tried something with her, we didn't work out, what always worked was our friendship, but dating not so much.
Marianne: You mean you've dated Akko too? Woah! I never knew that.
Sucy: It was shitty, we couldn't have chemistry, Akko never wanted to go into the bedroom with me, she was always afraid, and we were getting a little too jealous with each other, all this being slaves on that ship, things only got complicated, when many of the sailors looked at us differently, but well, at least we protected each other from those guys' attacks, at least that, our relationship didn't last more than one trip, we broke up and decided to keep the friendship, we couldn't have that thing, but on the other hand I already see something there between her and Diana haha.
Marianne at that time is just a little silly, mainly because of what she saw, then they go on talking a little of these stories, while Akko was slowly continuing to Diana's side, giving that caress, comforting her friend, who was still crying, just thinking about what could happen, much by the trauma she experienced with the similar situation of the mothers, having the fear that fate could return again.
But even so Kagari didn't give up, she continued in that room petting her friend and wiping her tears, kind of hugging her, trying by all means to make her feel a little better.
Meanwhile away from there in Birmingham, there was Chloé in a pub trying to get information on Diana's whereabouts, she ended up as usual sitting in a chair and ordered a drink, a little frustrated that she had to stop off in many towns to have to fight creatures of the night as she was always mistaken as a hunter and had no option but to help out to at least secure some gold.
Attendant: A French one from what I can tell.
Chloé: Oui.
Attendant: What brings you to English land? Have you come to attempt another botched invasion to our island haha? From the looks of it you are a noblewoman.
Chloé: I don't care about wars, it's just a silly thing done by nobles who like to see you commoners killing each other for their interests, I came here with only one aim, I don't care about this land of people who barely know how to keep their teeth clean.
Chloé shows a portrait she made of Diana to the attendant already revealing without needing to speak that she is after her, then the attendant calls for some other hunters who were there and they take a look at the portrait, analyse it well and only extend their hand wanting a gold coin, which Deppailer hands over without any fear, revealing the information he knew.
Hunter: I saw three of these, on different days, the first one that passed by came here with five other girls, they took care of one of the vampires that were haunting here, they are very good hunters, from what I could see, we have no casualties in this town since she passed by and also three others passed here with a carriage, they seem to be noble, they didn't pass by the bar, they settled in the Count's castle, they must be someone important to have so many privileges like that.
Chloé giving another coin: And which way did they go?
Hunter: The first one headed north, I couldn't get much information about this outsider, she really wants to go without much direction, but from the looks of it they wanted to go to Scotland, on the other hand the nobles they went west, for sure they must have gone towards Wales, that's if they didn't follow the path to Ireland.
Chloé leaves another coin, gulps down that beer and settles into one of the rooms, where she already starts crossing out on the map the possible route Diana may have taken, as well as also putting in the route the other Cavendish she's found are going through, even getting a bit of a shock to learn that she didn't just have the one she was hunting from the platinum ones.
[Chloé's thought: Other Cavendish, those are nobles, how strange, am I chasing someone who is not to blame, that Diana has a noble face, but you can see some plebeian things in her, besides she hunts creatures of the night, just like Croix also does, it's really all very strange, but I saw it with my own eyes, she turns into a bat, but what about these others? Well from the map it's closer to follow the others, so I'll try to get information from them, try to know if they're really involved with this too].
Chloé doesn't think twice and already decides to set the course for Ireland, a bit to go towards these Cavendish and get a bit more information, before going on the hunt for Diana for good, which caused a bit of a reality shock in the girl who can notice that maybe she might be wrong regarding the opinion around the Scot.
Back in Ireland, Diana was already better, she wiped her tears and then gave Akko a hug, appreciating that attention given by Kagari, who stayed those few minutes by the Scottish woman's side comforting her, it was something that brought back memories of her mother when she always did that at times when she felt down she always had a shoulder to cry on.
Diana: Thank you Akko, you really are a wonderful person, you know how to make someone feel better.
Akko: When I was dating Sucy on the ship that's what we always did when we felt hopeless, it was the way of not killing ourselves, we saw so many people who couldn't stand it, people from all over the world, they died, they killed themselves, it was terrible conditions being slaves on that ship.
Diana: I can imagine what it must be like, now let's get back before they miss us.
Both of them had to put up with Amanda and Sucy mocking the situation, while Marianne was all in shock of talking, Croix was also getting into the mood, the two were even trying to relax and try not to talk, but it was stronger than them, they all stayed a long time talking about that, even if it was just a speculation.
After all this mocking, Diana decides to be a little more serious and looks at Meridies, kind of asking for something.
Diana: Croix, Amanda, you know where the McLaren ruins are, I just want to see something.
Amanda: So late, we're going to rest for the day.
Diana: I don't want to go into action, I just want to watch from afar how it is, just to get a sense of the place, I want to see how it is today and maybe from afar there to see my sister.
Croix just agrees with her head, then they leave the hiding place, just the two of them, going to the ruins, where Meridies knew where it was, as they approached, it was already getting dark in the day, the wombat stayed far away and Cavendish signaled to leave her alone, where she got a little closer and she could keep looking deep in the place. At that same time Hellene was also watching in the same direction, she could notice two red dots lighting up, the same way her older sister could notice and the two stood staring at each other from afar. Far away also watching the two at the castle of the Countess Cavendish, Bernadette was also there, seeing that both sisters were having that moment to face each other even if from far away after 10 years.
Diana: I know you can have a hearing as keen as mine, know that tomorrow I will be back my sis.
Diana then turned around and walked out of there, Hellene from far away was watching everything, she listened to her sister's lines and was even a bit in shock, the voice was quite different, but the way of speaking is exactly the same. Cavendish left there with Croix, back to the hideout, kind of the older sister can't hear her answer, but it was remarkable how McLaren displayed a smile upon hearing that.
[Hellene's Thought: That voice is different, more mature, of a woman, but the way of speaking, it reminds me of someone, someone who is in my head, sis, sis... I remember her, my sister Diana came? Is she my sister? Did she come to see me? I... I miss the family so much, I have vague memories of sis, I know she has half green hair, she was the sweetest person in the world].
Hellene: Diana!
Hellene reached out her hand into the emptiness of the darkness of those ruins, even as she noticed that Cavendish's red eyes were long gone and in that way McLaren was left thinking about her sister, then a ghostly creature ends up suddenly appearing in front of the redhead, kind of looking a bit reminiscent of the dead family members, that was the Banshee, who protects the family so much.
Banshee: Don't trust this traitor, she is on the side of the slayers, protect yourself, they will come with everything, I don't want to lose you Hellene.
Hellene: But it's my sister, she came to see me, after 10 years...
Banshee: Exactly, she forgot about you for ten years, will you really trust someone who abandoned you all this time, she lived having all the love in the world, lived next to her mother, stayed in a castle full of luxury, while you stayed here, alone, isolated, living off what you hunt, she was having all the support and love, she was getting all the good things and now she wants to deceive you, she was bought by those hunters, don't trust that traitor so much.
Hellene: But there was no way she could have known, you yourself said that for everyone I died, you always protected me from any invasion, even if I don't need protection, I can manage by myself.
Banshee: You will know when the time comes, then don't say I didn't warn you, I will still protect you, remember not to trust anyone, not even this traitorous sister of yours.
McLaren gets confused but then she goes back to her seat where she was watching everything, she takes a thigh of deer that she had caught the day before and eats it while she keeps thinking about her sister and her family, trying to remember those times, as she was very young when everything happened, having lost some of the memories of that time.
Back to the hideout, Diana arrives there with Croix and Akko arrives a bit worried to see if her friend is alright and she just pulls away the hug after, creating a good suspicion on Amanda's side that observed that already thinking it was an insinuation to another side.
Amanda: Akko is more clingy with you than usual, it seems we don't just have a couple forming here today hahaha.
Akko showing her tongue: I just got worried, go she could be captured, she went face to face with danger hitting her head on.
Diana: Akko, I just reached the entrance and all I could see was my sister's eyes shining in the dark, I told her I'm going to see her tomorrow, even with my good vision I still had a lot of work to see her, but I could notice at the entrance that there are some bones, only they aren't human, she looks like she must kill some animals nearby to feed herself too, as for creatures I didn't notice any, just rats and some normal bats, that were feeding on carrion remains, the smell really was strong, I could just about activate my instincts there.
Akko: You cannever be too careful anyway, she's going to make a surprise attack out of nowhere.
Diana: Akko I can take care of myself, you know very well that among all of us here I am the one who knows how to manage, you know that I have my vampire powers too, which gives me a much bigger advantage, you should worry about Croix, she was watching everything from afar.
In the same way Akko shrugs and the girls just laugh at Kagari's mixed feelings, which she doesn't know how to hide very well, then they start talking about other more relaxed things, to make the mood lighter.
Far away in the castle of the Countess Cavendish, Bernadette observed everything in the crystal ball and has her peace interrupted by the presence of Elizabeth who enters there with her arms crossed, just looking at her mistress with a bit of a mischievous smile on her face.
Elizabeth: Urr ye aff tae send something tae halt thaim mistress? if ah wur ye a'd juist keep analysing, thir's na point in killing thaim, let me handle it, ah will murdurr thaim in a heartbeat, a wullnae let ye doon.
Bernadette: Elizabeth, I already said that I will not go back on my decision, you will keep training Hannah and Barbara, until they come to this castle, then I will let you try something, but now is not the time, they will get tired, I will be able to see her limits tomorrow, to have a notion.
Elizabeth: Stoap bein' sic a liar mistress, ye kin even lie tae ursula's brain controlled, bit tae me ye dinnae need tae lie, ah ken ye dinnae wantae murdurr thaim, ah ken ye'r attached tae yer daughter, ah bet ye'r juist usin` a' thae creatures juist tae train her, ye dinnae wantae see me murdurr thaim either, ye dinnae need tae scouk it, ah ken weel that ye hae this human emotional attachment, mainly fur o` yer deid guidwife.
Bernadette: Leave me alone! I owe you no satisfaction Elizabeth, go and obey my orders before I get angry.
Elizabeth: Master, master, as a vampire yer th' maist human ah hae ever seen. It cannae be that wi' sae muckle skill 'n' power in yer hauns ye dinnae ken th' stoaps o` yer ain daughter 'n' didnae even think o' attacking thaim while thay slept.
Annoyed, Bernadette slaps Elizabeth's face that even makes a cut on her cheeks, since she used her slightly overgrown and sharp nails to cut Lancaster's face who then just stood laughing, leaving with quite a smile, going to train Hannah and Barbara, slowly regenerating her face.
Cavendish was somewhat annoyed, she looked out the castle window and just kept thinking about her daughters, about all this tension that could come, the moment was getting close, she knew it very well.
[Bernadette's thought: Now it's just a matter of time, they're going to come here, I hope they make it, girls, I'll be waiting for them and Daryl, I'll make you pay for everything you've done to me, I can't believe all these years of me thinking I was a bad person for having homosexual thoughts since forever, but it was all a greedy plan from my sister, all because of that wretched woman wanting to get over everything in the family, I should have suspected how she was always jealous of me, now I'm here, but now let her be swallowed in the Irish Sea by Nessie, for everything she's ever done to me, you're going to pay dearly for that my sister, for the mother, for the grandmother and most important of all, for Laura!].
Bernadette continued to travel in her thoughts through the castle, already back to the hiding place the girls were talking in something more relaxed, telling stories of their journeys and how they got there, what was leaving the trio a little impressed to see that the girls had gone through so much before arriving in Ireland.
Amanda: A Cthulu, just imagining it, I'm amazed, I never thought these things were real, I even have some drawings in my books of accounts of these things, but I never thought you witnessed some.
Akko: Worse there were two, right on our way to get to England, we almost ended up dying that day like any other.
Amanda: We never really caused that much, plus one of our hideouts in Cork was burnt down by the church because they thought it was witchcraft.
Constanze's notepad: I had invented a machine that could generate energy with lamp oil, that thing made cool noises and could do anything, it could even move a wheel, I was thinking of putting it on a cart to test it.
Croix: A horseless cart, that would be a dream, but imagine how it would be to keep that thing going, it must be quite an expense, not to mention that you said it makes a noise, tell me more about this idea.
Amanda: Ah, there they go, talking about this horseless cart, we've been working on this idea ever since we met, we've tried so many things, there was even one that was with our own strength, that was very tiring, my arms would come back burning.
Akko: Anything is better than the shit smell that gets when these things walk, the road too, honestly I support the idea of the horseless cart too.
Diana: Or we could open our minds more and stop being so prejudiced against magic, did you know that witches fly on brooms, my mother Laura knew how to do that, without needing demonic powers, they are rare, but they can move faster than any trotting horse, if people were more open minded the world would be a much better place, we wouldn't need carts without horses that make noise, just flying with silent brooms.
Croix: Learning magic until you know how to do it takes years of practice, riding a cart you learn in minutes, the horseless cart is much better, not everyone is fit to learn witchcraft, Chariot took years to learn what she knew, I know this well because I witnessed her every step.
Marianne and Akko enchanted: Chariot Belmont knows how to use magic?
Croix: She used her magic in conjunction with what Belmont's sub items, things they have of natural magic, that allow them to use for a certain amount, usually by breaking candles or killing creatures of the night, they can use a magic amount of sub items, in Chariot's case she could use the most advanced stage, In Chariot's case, she could use the most advanced stage, like the Hydro Storm, which was a virtually impossible to dodge attack, creating a rain of holy water, which killed everything that was creatures of the night around, it's kind of years of practice to get it, she could only use one of these at a time, if she had enough hearts too, which is kind of her magic.
Diana: I can only access this kind of magic in my mother's castle, but I know how the sub items work, you will soon have to use them too, they will be useful, there are all kinds and they are used magically.
This way Croix and Diana start giving the girls a class explaining in detail what each sub-item does, how to obtain them, the rules, how to get enough, how each one of them has a certain personal limit of how much they can use in items and everything else, in a way that made them understand better how the castle works, since at no point of the journey they had access to this kind of magic yet.
See you, Dublin witches...