Luna Nova cafeteria
"And that's what we talked about."
Akko summarized her conversation with Professor Ursula to her Coven mates over lunch.
Lotte blinked as she processed the small amount of details she just heard. Sucy, on the other hand, paid no attention as she ate her mushroom salad.
"So, what is the Seven Stars of Jennifer the Great, anyway?" Lotte asked.
"I don't know." Akko answered. "And neither does Professor Ashura."
"Sounds like the name of some legendary ancient artifact or magic spells..." Sucy commented in between bites of her lunch.
"Ancient? Does that mean Shiny Chariot was actually on a quest to collect the Stars?" Akko wondered. "If so, why?"
"I don't know." Lotte said. "Since the Shiny Rod can speak, why don't you ask it?" She then suggested.
"I'll try..." Akko said. "Hey, Shiny Rod, has Chariot been on a quest to collect the Seven Stars?"
"I'm not answering that until you call me by my real name." Shiny Rod sulked.
"Wow..." Sucy remarked. "That thing sure has a...um...shitty personality for a sentient inanimate object..."
Whether Shiny Rod reacted to the pale Filipino's remark is impossible to tell due to it lacking a face to express with.
Akko could only roll her eyes at the Shiny Rod's response to her. "Now I wonder if Chariot intentionally dumped you for being so...self-conscious..."
"A self-conscious magic artifact? That's not something you hear about every day..." Lotte said.
"I'm not self-conscious!" Shiny Rod responded. "I am the legendary-"
"Claiomh Solais, the Celtic Sword of Light." Someone interrupted as she approached the Red Coven.
The Red Coven girls turned toward the direction of the voice and saw the distinctive cabbage-hair of Diana Cavendish, with her icy blue eyes staring down at them as she has her arms crossed. Meanwhile, Hannah and Barbara stood behind the honor student, their ever smug face in full display for everyone to see.
Akko stared at Diana for a few seconds before turning back to Shiny Rod. "You're a sword?!" She whispered to it.
"I admit that is a long story..." Shiny Rod answered awkwardly. The fact that everyone in the cafeteria, including the goblins manning the food counters, have stopped what they are doing and stared at the Red Coven made it even more awkward.
"And how did Diana know about you?!" Akko whispered another question.
"That's a different long story..." Shiny Rod answered, again awkwardly.
"A clumsy idiot like you is unfitting to wield the Claiomh Solais." Diana interrupted again. She then extended her left hand toward Akko in a demanding way. "So give it to me."
Hearing that, Akko held Shiny Rod away from Diana's outstretched hand. "Weren't you badmouthing Chariot right here, just yesterday?"
"That doesn't matter." Diana said. "Give it to me. Now."
Both Lotte and Sucy, as well as everyone else in the cafeteria who were present during the situation with Chloe yesterday, looked on with disbelief. The honor student, the same one that insulted Shiny Chariot just the previous day, is currently demanding to possess the French performer's iconic staff, regardless of whether it turned out to be a legendary artifact that is possibly much older than every person currently alive in the world (or that it's even the real deal).
"You should listen to her, you Muggle-born." Hannah smugly told Akko.
"Yeah! I don't know why Diana wants your shiny staff, but she probably has a good reason for it!" Barbara smugly added.
"Like I said..." Diana emphasized. "Give the sword to me..."
Akko stood up, and defensively took several steps away from the Blue Coven. "Why are you, a Shiny Chariot hater, so desperate to get your hands on her iconic staff, anyway?!"
Diana, much to everyone's surprise, became impatient as she aggressively approached Akko. "Give. It. To. Me!" She demanded in a hostile tone as she reached out to snatch the Shiny Rod.
"No! Shiny Rod chose me, so it's mine!" Akko yelled at Diana as she tried to make a run for it.
However, Diana is pretty quick on her reflex, and was able to grab the Shiny Rod before Akko could take another step.
The honor student instantly retracted her hand the moment she touched the Shiny Rod, yelping and reeling back as she gets zapped by a noticeable discharge of static electricity from it.
"Diana!" Hannah and Barbara both cried out as they moved to tend to their leader.
Everyone are shocked at the sight of Diana Cavendish getting zapped by the Shiny Rod when Akko is completely unaffected by it.
"Akko, what did you do?" Lotte asked worriedly.
"I-it wasn't me! I swear!" Akko plead.
Hannah and Barbara both turned to Akko with a scowl on their face. "You bloody Muggle-born...!"
"Why...?" Diana, in total disbelief of the fact that Shiny Rod just zapped her. "Why am I not worthy of wielding the Claiomh Solais?!"
"I'm so sorry, Descendant of Beatrix..." Shiny Rod apologetically told Diana. "But you will never be worthy for as long as your inner conflict remains the way it is..."
Diana stood there for a few seconds, trying to process what she was told before abruptly shoving Hannah and Barbara aside and storming out of the cafeteria.
"Diana!" Hannah and Barbara cried out as they gave chase to their leader.
After the departure of the Blue Coven, everyone in the cafeteria turned the focus of their attention onto Akko and the Shiny Rod.
Akko, unable to explain what had just happened, is left stuttering where she stood as everyone expected some kind of explanation from her.
...
Fortune Telling class classroom
After the whole fiasco at the cafeteria (again), the Red Coven quickly excused themselves from it without finishing their lunch, and went straight for the classroom where they will be having their first Fortune Telling class. It seems that Professor Ursula will be running a bit late...
Akko and the Shiny Rod had made themselves the subject of gossips from the other students in the class after what happened in the cafeteria. The gossips ranged from how Akko got the Shiny Rod and whether it is the genuine article, whether the Shiny Rod really is the legendary Claiomh Solais as Diana claimed, why Diana suddenly became so obsessed with it despite having badmouthed its previous owner just the previous day, why Shiny Rod refused to let Diana even touch it, and whether getting zapped by the Shiny Rod will teach Diana to not become a bully like how Hannah and Barbara is seemingly corrupting her into (though everyone became a bit worried about the implications of the last one).
The only person in the classroom who is outright laughing at the fiasco is one Chloe Dubois.
"Where is your prestigious honor now, Caven-bitch!" Chloe mocked Diana when the latter entered the classroom. "Oh, let me guess...Kagari of all people managed to take it all from you in a minute! Oh ho ho ho!"
"Shut up, Chloe!" Hannah countered.
Barbara is about to say something as well, but Diana raised a hand to silence her.
"That doesn't matter right now. We have class to attend to..." The honor student said. She has her usual stoic face up, but in this case it is rather obvious that she is trying to hide her emotions.
The Blue Coven then quietly made their way to their seats in the classroom.
Akko fixed her gaze on Diana, wondering if she should apologize to the honor student, even though it's not really her fault.
"Staring at the Descendant of Beatrix won't change what has already happened..." Shiny Rod told Akko.
"It actually was your fault." Akko whispered back. "Why did you have to attack Diana? Even if you're protecting me, that's still unnecessary! And why are you calling her the Descendant of Beatrix?"
"Unfortunately, that is yet another long story..." Shiny Rod answered.
Akko sighed. "Just how many 'long stories' did you have, Shiny Rod?"
"Enough to have an entire encyclopedia..." Shiny Rod answered. "Or in the modern day equivalent, several Wikipedia pages..."
The student seated behind Akko - a bespectacled German brunette by the name of Gaelle Muller - snickered upon hearing that.
Akko rolled her eyes at what she just heard. "You learned about the Internet from Chariot, did you?"
"Yes. She even showed me how to use it..." Shiny Rod answered awkwardly. "And I am ashamed to say that she has liked...um...weird things on Twitter..."
Yet another snicker came from Gaelle, causing Akko to turn to face her. "Would you mind?"
Gaelle covered her mouth with her left hand and nodded in apology.
Akko then redirected her gaze back on Diana...
And quickly turned away upon noticing the honor student glaring at her.
This is the weirdest first week of school I've ever had. Akko thought to herself. I wished the weekends could arrive sooner...
The gossips stopped when Ursula entered the classroom in a hurry. The blue-haired professor quickly fell flat on her face, spilling the stack of books she is carrying onto the floor, before even reaching the desk at the front of the classroom, and one of the students in the classroom stifled a giggle at the sight.
Ursula let out a nervous laugh in regards to the student witches' first impression of her, as she climbed up from the floor. "My apologies for being late!" She said as she then picked up the books and put them on the desk. "I...uh, was new to this academy, and...uh, got lost on the way here..."
The entire class giggled in response to the professor's excuse, with the exception of Diana who either lacks any sense of humor or is still sour about getting zapped by the Shiny Rod earlier.
Ursula paused briefly to look at Akko and the Shiny Rod, then shifted her gaze to Diana. She appeared to be deep in thought about something.
Akko noticed Ursula gazing at her and Diana. She wondered if the professor had heard about what happened at the cafeteria...
"A-anyway, I am Professor Ursula Callistis, and I will be teaching you all there is to know about Fortune Telling..." Ursula then started the class as any professor would have. "So let us start with the concept of Fortune Telling. Can anyone give a brief description of what it is?"
As Fortune Telling class went its course, Akko found that she liked the subject more than she did the other subjects, as it is interesting and she doesn't have to smell any nasty fumes. Not only that, Professor Ursula isn't biased toward anyone, and is willing to provide assistance to Akko whenever she needed clarification on something.
All in all, the class went by without a hitch...
...
Red Coven's dorm
As the Red Coven don't have any more classes after Fortune Telling to attend for the rest of the day, they all quickly retreated back to their dormitory as they (or rather, Akko) don't want to risk getting into even more trouble with the Blue Coven, especially not after the whole fiasco at the cafeteria during the afternoon.
"Finally..." Akko huffed as she laid down on her bunk bed. "I don't have to step out of this room for the rest of the day..."
"Though what did Shiny Rod mean when it told Diana about her 'inner conflict'?" Lotte sitting down on the chair by the desk, wondered.
"Daddy issues, perhaps?" Sucy suggested.
"No matter what..." Akko said, as she removed Shiny Rod from her sash and held it in front of her face. "It was your fault, Shiny Rod. You didn't have to zap Diana like that, even if it was in self-defense!"
"Unfortunately, I can't voluntarily choose whether or not to zap someone..." Shiny Rod responded.
"Why?"
"Because I was created with the notion that those not deserving of even getting near the power of the Seven Stars cannot be allowed to lay their hands on me. To put it in modern terms, I am... programmed... to reject anyone with wicked, selfish thoughts, or those who couldn't let go of their inner conflicts..."
"Diana doesn't look like the kind to be wicked or selfish... So just what is this 'inner conflict' of hers?"
"I'm afraid it isn't that simple. It's not a 'long story', but not simple to explain either."
"So, whatever this 'inner conflict' is, it's bad enough that you had to instinctively keep Diana away from you?"
"If you put it that way, yes."
Akko then lowered her hands, setting Shiny Rod down next to her on the bunk bed. "Whatever. I should apologize to Diana, and so should you." She added.
"Perhaps..." Shiny Rod agreed.
"These talk about inner conflicts reminded me of Volume 123 of Nightfall, where..." Lotte mused about something.
"What is this 'night fall' you're talking about?" Sucy asked out of curiosity.
...
Indeed, the Red Coven remained in their dorm for the rest of the day, only briefly leaving to grab dinner at the cafeteria. When night fell, the girls neatly arranged their things before going to bed.
Akko fell asleep rather quickly, even though there hasn't been much happening in the day to get her tired. Sucy tried to stay up to perform potions experiments, but that plan fell short when her latest experiment resulted in her accidentally inhaling a puff of sleep potion vapor, causing her to fall asleep right there on the desk. Shiny Rod, as an inanimate object, doesn't really need to sleep, though it does have the patience to stay completely silent for an entire night (as demonstrated in the past week).
Only Lotte and her will-o-wisp familiar stayed awake. The Finnish girl is using her crystal ball to browse the internet while the little fire spirit provided light so its master can see the "screen" of the crystal ball. The webpage Lotte is browsing at the moment appears to be her Twitter feed.
"Are you going to the NightCon in Blytonbury tomorrow?" is what is currently displayed on the crystal ball, tweeted by a user named GreatBen810.
"Yes, I am!" Lotte answered the tweet. She then followed it with "What about you?"
Seconds later, GreatBen810 tweeted back, "Of course! I'm going to bloody make it no matter what!" In the five seconds it took Lotte to read the reply, another tweet quickly came from GreatBen810, saying "Annabel Creme will be attending too! This is my best shot at meeting her in person!"
Lotte glanced awkwardly at her familiar for how quickly GreatBen810 is able to type. "Maybe they're using a speech-to-text program or spell..." She hypothesized with a shrug.
"I know, right?!" Lotte tweeted back.
"Oh heavens! Look at the time! I should be catching some Zs already!" GreatBen810 tweeted. They then tweeted an emoji of a sleeping person before their status indicate they have logged off.
"They're right. It is getting late..." Lotte said with a yawn as she shut off the crystal ball.
The will-o-wisp retreated back to the skull-shaped lamp Lotte used to carry it around, where it promptly grew dimmer as it drifted off to sleep.
"Good night, Wispy..." Lotte said to the little fire spirit before taking off her glasses and going to sleep.
Woo, yeah! I am so glad to have posted this chapter after two months of hiatus! No thanks to getting too busy with IRL stuff!
Speaking of the hiatus, I'm so sorry about suddenly dropping off the radar without notice. I got really busy this time, and couldn't get enough time to do any updates to any one of my stories, not just this one. But now that I'm done with the stuff, updates will resume as usual.
So, uh, Diana is as unworthy of touching the Shiny Rod here as Croix in the anime is? You're probably wondering exactly what is going on. Well, that's a question for a later chapter...
As you've noticed, Nightfall is coming up next, and Lotte seems pretty excited to go attend a convention centered on it. So what does that mean to the overall plot of this story? Read on to find out...
"Just remember: a believing heart is your magic..."
Afterwords end here.
IMPORTANT UPDATE: I also have a bad news for my FF Dot Net readers. The bad news is that when I had a new Wifi router installed in my house two days ago, the guy setting it up made a major screwup (he was apparently a rookie at the job), and now it has a faulty DNS that prevented me from accessing FF Dot Net without a VPN. And since this VPN is a trial run that is set to expire tomorrow, that means I may not be able to visit FF Dot Net and thus update this story for an indefinite amount of time. So yeah, don't be surprised if thiis chapter is the last one posted here. However, the Archive Of Our Own version can still be updated as normal, so you can continue reading this story there.