Kenji came to a halt on his broom, he'd fought against the thought of heading back, even with what Ursula...no Chariot had been hiding from both him and Akko, was it okay to leave her with Croix?
He wasn't sure whether it was right, but nevertheless, he was going to stick to his gut and keep on walking...wandering through the streets that were once bustling with protestors and hoards of crowds arguing. Croix had done her work and so they had all dispersed, having either gone home or back to their lives, whatever that was for was what really concerned him.
Then again, he had his own set of problems to dwell on. The goal he and Constanze had been working on for months might end up being completely pointless, all of it, the work Constanze had poured into the portal, working herself every night along with her own inventions, struggling to find a power source, which he suggested would be his crystal.
What a lie that was. Whoever had been here previously hadn't even found a way home and was most likely not trying to, at least judging off what Croix and Ursula had told from their sides of the story. Ursula had either witnessed or accidentally been the reason he'd been sent back home, 'Well, on one hand. The crystal is the way that I can get home..'
'Will I ever be able to get come back though?'
That was his main dilemma he could possibly manage a way to get sent home without just blipping out of existence sporadically. He could plan it, if whoever was here previously wanted to go home so desperately, then the crystal reacted to both that and Chariot's magic, working in tandem to send him home before he could even notice what had happened.
How could he though? It wasn't as if he was particularly skilled in designing a portal, that was why he had requested for Constanze to do so. In the end, he was either supposed to abandon the crystal and have no possible way to get back home, or use it to get back there, either without preparation and goodbyes and never having a way of getting back.
Neither option suited him, staying in Luna Nova with Akko, Sucy, Lotte, and everyone else sounded great, it would be a dream of anyone who'd watched even a glimmer of isekai anime to stay in a world filled to the brim with magic, witches, and adventure, but he had a family, a sister, a dad, and a mum.
As much as he loved this world that he'd found himself in, he couldn't turn away the idea of never seeing his family again, and yet he couldn't leave this world and eventually forget about it in the years to come, it was a perfect conundrum that he didn't know the way out of.
Was there even a point in returning the crystal that Chariot had ripped out of the Shiny Rod and gifted to the boy who had found himself in the same position as him, perhaps it was because he'd wanted to do magic as well and given Ursula's nature, it didn't seem like she'd deny that request?
'Thinking back on it. I really should've asked more questions instead of running off..'
Dangling the crystal in front of his face, Kenji swung it back and forth, trying to weigh out either option. On top of that was whether or not he could even keep the crystal, it rightly belonged to the Shiny Rod, after all, it had been broken off years ago.
In front of him was a bench, he'd already walked far enough, and the town wasn't too far away so he could relax knowing he hadn't properly wandered off. He was really at a loss, everything he'd done here, had all been pointless.
If he was just going to end up disappearing, then his relationship with Akko all of the friends he'd made, the progress and work he'd put into learning magic, flying a broom, and even studying the work in every single one of his classes, "Huh..." Kenji exhaled deeply, slumping his entire body against the bench, staring up at the cloudy sky, "..What do I do, this is all such a fucking mess."
Continuing to stare up at the starless sky, a face suddenly popped out in front of his own, only a few inches away from his face, "Gah!" Flashing bright red at the sudden proximity, Kenji flailed to the send, slumping onto the other side of the bench, "Who was that!?"
"Whaddya mean? We've met several times now!" The bombastic voice exclaimed, Kenji had heard it screaming right into his ear on multiple occasions. He looked up behind the bench to see the tanned witch with red streaks along her eyes, her bright orange her sticking up one end.
She was the reporter witch who he'd first met on his first day in Luna Nova when Akko had participated in the broom race against Diana. Then again, he hadn't actually done anything more than exchange a few quick words with her, he wasn't even quite sure he knew her name, "Wait...what are you doing out here? It's like 9 at night, shouldn't you be at Luna Nova for curfew?" Kenji questioned, even more bewildered as both a camera-woman and another holding a mic appeared.
"Oh, that! We heard about the huge crowds forming downtown and we just had to check out, I've already got a killer article prepared for the school newspaper, not to mention a whole broadcast!" The reporter witch exclaimed excitedly, the witch holding the mic lightly sighed, her teal blue hair swaying to the side lightly covering her left eye.
"Sorry. Wangari's been excited all day, saying that this'll be her big break...or something like that," The dark-skinned girl began speaking softly, hiding behind the mic, which wasn't doing all too much.
'So her name is Wangari..'
"But this will be our big break, I promise! I can picture it now, a mysterious magic source has been infiltrating the minds of the local man! Enraging them all around the streets. Tell me that won't sell millions!" Wangari yelled outwards, posing in a weird manner, throwing her hands high up into the air, and speaking into an unplugged microphone.
She was cut short all of a sudden, with whoever was holding the camera placing it down and tugging on Wangari by the ear, "C'mon, he's right you know. Even with who he is..." The purple-haired girl said curtly, glaring at him for a few seconds. Kenji sagged at that a little, he'd almost forgotten how not every girl in Luna Nova was alright with him, "We're gonna be late for curfew."
Just as they were walking off, the teal-haired girl looked back from the boom stick, staring at Kenji. Who looked completely and utterly lost.
"Is he alright?" She said quietly, with only Wangari picking up on it, "We never asked why he was out here."
That certainly piqued Wangari's interest, she might've been slightly ditzy when it came to how reading people. But, if she could see how obviously downtrodden he seemed, "Hey you! What's wrong!" She asked with almost no hesitation, slamming her hands on the bench Kenji was sitting on, yet again getting too close for comfort.
'T-Too close!'
"N-No, Wangari I'm fine. Sorry about that by the way, I never did bother to learn your name," Kenji apologized, seemingly guilty all of the sudden.
"That's fine, I never learned yours either, and you're the only boy in Luna Nova, how embarrassing is that!" Wangari chuckled scratching her chin lightly, not seeming embarrassed in the slightest, "But how come your out here? You should be getting back too, right?"
"I'm good, just waiting out the night. Not much else I can do right now," said Kenji, sounding perfectly despondent. Molly, the blue-haired girl pushed Avery forward a little.
"Molly what are you doing, if you wanna help so bad then why don't you do it," Adjusting her red hairclips, Avery fought back against her usually timid friend.
"I can't do it, he's a boy. I can't just talk to him..." Molly argued nudging her forward even more.
Both Avery and Wangari now stood in front of Kenji, one confused as to his behavior and the other too tired to care, "So, what's your problem, did something happen with Akko or something?"
"Oh, a lover's spat! That could be interesting," Just as she was about to start writing down in her notepad, Avery slapped it away with her hand.
"No. Nothing like that, it's just. Look, I'll explain it another way, it's probably better that I get something off my chest right now, not that it'll do anything to fix that. I...learned something recently and I've found out that everything I've done here, might be for nothing, that I might just get sent home without even realizing it, without seeing any of my friends here. Or I'll be stuck here for the rest of my life, where everything I worked towards for the portal to get home was for nothing!"
Snapping the crystal off his neck, he cupped it in his palm, scrunching it with his fist, "And this crystal is built on that. I have no idea what my future is now, what'll happen with it!" Kenji finished his whole spiel, laying back. Ordering himself not to cry, the tears were full of nothing but anger, at how frustrating the situation was.
Wangari stared blankly at him as if she hadn't taken anything he said, 'Well...I could at least get it off my chest.'
"But isn't that...what everyone's future is? It's all undetermined, I don't really have a clue about...whatever's going on with that crystal and some portal? But, you're upset that you can't get home, that isn't certain," The redhead explained, sounding somewhat logical for a second, "I mean, it's not like I know what report'll happen every day, but I've gotta make sure I can seize it, so everyone will know about it!"
Kenji stared up at her, tilting his head a little. In a very weird and illogical way, she made sense.
No one knows what their future is, he'd just always assumed it was staying in Luna Nova for the necessary amount of time needed and then building a portal to get back home, and learn some magic along the way whilst making friends.
And while that had happened, it wasn't in any kind of way he had imagined or even in the same events. He hadn't met random people he saw as friends and then would leave with a solemn goodbye. Only it had become his second home, leading to him meeting a girl he ended up falling in love with and finding a hobby of making potions that he genuinely enjoyed.
He was still so unsure, whether or not he'd actually get home and then be able to get back, to enjoy both worlds he'd come to love. The crystal reflected back at him, showing his face with multiple sides, "I don't like it. I've had to go through so many uncertain situations but I had some hope that we'd get out with the skin of our teeth."
"Now though...there's so much that I don't know about. What home will be like, if everything I've done is worth it, whatever Croix is up to..." Kenji paused for a moment, suddenly remembering who else had run off, "...Shit Akko! I can't believe I just left her behind."
Akko was the one who had told him that they'd figure it out when the day came that he had to decide to go home, she said that they'd both figure it out, one way or another. If his future was so undetermined, then there was still time for him to change it, or a least try to - no matter what Croix was up to, he had to work to stop her.
So that's why he couldn't leave her behind, not for any longer than he already had, "Oh...Wangari thank you, really. I don't really know anyone outside Akko and all of her friends that well, but I really did enjoy your reports, even if I was scared stiff for most of them."
Grinning widely, Wangari waved him off, "I could tell! I'll make sure to write about this after you're done, you'll give me an interview, right?"
Already atop his broom, with his crystal now reattached around his neck, he briefly thought back to all that Akko had taught him. He had to learn to be a little impulsive, to act in the moment - if he was constantly wondering about how what he couldn't do and what the most likely outcome was, then he'd never be able to live in the moment, and actually try to find the future he wanted.
And that future wouldn't be right without Akko in it.
"I'll let you interview whatever you want once I'm done. Damn, that sounded cool," Kenji grinned, levitating off the ground higher into the air, "If I don't come back. Please, can you promise that no one goes into my room?"
"I can not!" Wangari saluted back, and Kenji could laugh a little at that.
"Uh...right," Avery grimaced, contorting her face as she spoke, watching the brunette fly off into the night sky, most likely to prepare some kind of daring rescue, "We really need to get back for curfew...like now."
Snow had begun to fall.
It made sense as to why, winter was only a few weeks away and the weather at Luna Nova would never cease to amaze the witches who attended it. Sucy and Lotte weren't feeling that same way, trudging through the thin layers of snow, desperately searching for Akko. Diana had set off as well, but it just seemed like she having just as much of a hard time.
Amanda, Jasminka, and Constanze were on the search too, having just as much luck as the rest. Kenji hovered into Luna Nova, he was near the outskirts of all the old buildings of the school, if Akko were to go anywhere then it would be here. She'd want to be alone and give herself some time to think, even if that meant being stuck in harsh, cold weather.
'C'mon, Akko where are you? Of course, you of all people are really good at hiding, you'll get a cold..'
Trapesing through the old, ruins of a building that was no longer standing, there he witnessed someone floating down on a broom, he held some hope that maybe it was Amanda, or Sucy, or anyone who either had Akko with them or knew where she was, he just wanted her safe.
"Diana?" He called her down, "I take it you're looking for Akko.."
"And you! No one heard from either of you since earlier this morning, we've all been worried, especially considering that Akko won't answer the phone. And I don't think she's ever let it ring for less than a second.."
"Look I'm...I'm sorry. I just found out some things that I needed to sit through for a while. Weirdly, it was Wangari who helped me out, I really regret talking to her less," Kenji responded, walking alongside Diane, the two of them holding onto their brooms, he'd searched every nook and cranny of Luna Nova, if he couldn't find Akko here then he'd truly be at a loss.
"Um...what happened to you and Akko. To make you split up I mean?"
Staring at the indents he was leaving in the snow, Kenji questioned whether he should tell her. About what Croix had revealed about Ursula, to both him and Akko, that she was Shiny Chariot and had been hiding it this whole time, that she had known who was in this world before him and that she had stolen away Akko's magic during one of her shows.
She was the reason the Akko struggled so much during her time at Luna Nova and the fact that she couldn't fly a broom. That wasn't something he could talk about in her regard.
As they came to a clearing, an even heavier hail of snow poured down, there they spotted Akko perched on a bench, ignorant to powder slowly starting to tip over her shoulders, not moving an inch, "Akko!" Kenji and Diana yelled in unison, quickly making their way over to her.
Kenji dusted the snow away from her hair, watching her eyes drift up to him, looking completely and utterly lost. He could guess why, only an hour ago he probably looked the exact same, "C'mon, let's get you out of the cold."
The cafe was quiet, Kenji gently held his steaming tea. He and Lotte occasionally visited whenever she was eager to buy another Nightfall book or anything related to the series. Diana ordered two of the same, sliding it over to the still-somber brunette, doing whatever she could to at least try and warm her up.
"Akko, can you at least say something about what happened between you and Chariot?" Diana asked, pressing her for an answer, "Or anything that happened between you and Croix?"
That got Kenji to choke on his tea a little, recovering just as quickly, making sure she didn't notice, "Croix's planning something big, either using the Shiny Rod or some part of the Grand Triskellion. But...she got in our heads and told me that Professor Ursula...knew the guy who was sent to this world just like me, and left all of those clues.."
Diana took a moment, taking in all of the information as she slurped on the hot chocolate she'd bought, "..I'm sorry that took me a moment. I knew Professor Ursula had some secrets...but I never would have guessed."
"Neither would I. But now I've been questioning if I can even get home or come back, it's all a mess right now Diana.." Kenji reeled over his chair, circling his finger around his mug.
Akko still hadn't responded, staring despondently at the table in front of her, until a card she recognized slid into her eyeline, "I'm well aware that you have an avid collection of these, do you not? I suppose, there was a time when I did as well."
"You...were a fan of Shiny Chariot too?" Akko murmured, staring at the card, not believing her for a second.
The platinum blonde nodded, "Even after all of the controversy she faced, I still loved her magic and shows. I even had to start collecting these in secret so none of my family would get rid of them, "I dreamt about actually visiting her show so many times, but I knew it would never become a reality."
Kenji grimaced, he wasn't liking where this was going.
"Until, one day. My mother arranged a trip overseas, and I finally got to see it. And it was just as wonderful and filled with magic as I thought it would be, that is why I can't feel any sympathy for you. Professor Ursula told me that your magic was taken away from you at one of those shows, and I realized the same would be to me."
"Don't you think you're being a little harsh, Akko's heard enough tonight," Kenji intervened, trying to calm the situation down. Akko had finally looked up and was talking to them, he wasn't sure if right now was the time to give her a scolding. Neither one of them would want to hear it.
"But I can't. Akko's put in the work and she has been gaining her magic back, even if her Metamorphic magic isn't perfect it's still much better than most witches. I'm confident she can learn to fly if she puts just as much work into that," Diana spoke confidently, staring right back at her.
Kenji looked over at her as well. Expectedly, she wasn't much better than when they'd entered the cafe, "I know that. And I want to work hard just like everyone else, but the only reason I wanted to become a witch is because of Chariot. But now, I don't see any point to it."
It was Kenji's turn to get frustrated. He'd had the conversation with her so many times, that Chariot shouldn't surround her entire goal of magic, he couldn't blame the fact that she was confused as to what she was supposed to be now, continue to train under a witch with a lie she'd been dreaming of and following or give up.
Neither one sounded viable in his opinion.
"Akko." Kenji started, "I of all people don't have a real standing on this, I can't give a real opinion on idealizing someone. But Chariot shouldn't surround your world of magic, I know that you don't just love it because of Chariot, but also the wonder surrounding it, the fact that you can use it to make the world better. To make the world laugh."
"If I can use everything I've learned here to live in the moment, just like you. Then you can see that Chariot isn't all your magic has to revolve around, there's so much more to it and you know that Akko!"
Brimming with tears a little, Akko weakly gripped Kenji's hand holding them up to her head, sobbing into them lightly.
"Kenji's right though. Just because I ended up leaving my admiration for Chariot behind, there was so much more that I wanted to learn magic for. And even after so many years, I still hold onto this so I don't properly forget about what she did for me when I was little.." Diana smiled a little as she stared at the card, holding it gently.
"Thank you..." Akko wiped away her tears, only for an even larger slew to pour down her face, "Thank you so much."
Kenji pulled her into a hug for once, the crimson-eyed girl gladly accepting it, letting out everything she'd been holding in. Kenji didn't know what else to say, he felt as if no words would be better than anything soppy that he could say.
All he could really think about now was everything Ursula had told them. Running it back through his head, '...I just wish I could learn how that guy disappeared and her Ursula ended up indenting the moon and everything with her and Croix..'
As if responding to his thoughts, Kenji stared down at the crystal around his neck, slowly loosening his grip around Akko. As he stared down at it, he once again saw his reflection, only this time he swore that he saw someone else looking back, a man with black hair tied into a bun, staring up with sea-blue eyes
'Save them. Save Croix and Chariot.'
Before he could question whatever the hell that was, picking at the crystal a little. The door to the cafe slammed open, with Lotte heaved for air, trying to catch her breath, "Akko!" Lotte ran over to her, "You're not leaving are you, tell me you're not going anywhere!"
"No, I'm not, sorry that I made you worry so much. Really, I'm fine now- Yeow!" Something poked into her back all of a sudden, whirring her around to spot Sucy with the Shiny Rod, handing it to her with a rare smile on her face, "Thank you so much Sucy!"
For once, the mauve-haired girl accepted the hug, quickly regretting it as she felt it quickly becoming tighter. Amanda, Constanze, and Jasminka crept in not too long after, walking straight into a scene that didn't seem to match the dire situation that Lotte and Sucy had explained to them.
"You had us worried looking for you and here you are relaxing and drinking hot cocoa!" Amanda yelled, digging her knuckles into Akko's, "Oh, wait. Were you crying Akko?"
"What! No!" Akko denied vehemently, quickly wiping at her face.
Kenji went to say something but instead sat down, listening to all of the witches reconciling. He could no longer see anyone else in the reflection of the green gem, only his face fractured in different smears, the crystal responded to his thoughts, at least somewhat, but now he had to actually pull off what he'd been so determined to do.
To make amends with Chariot and stop Croix. But judging by whoever had spoken to him, he wasn't sure if stopping Croix would be enough to save her, or if he even could, she seemed so stuck and driven by the past that pulling her out of it would be no easy task.
Despite everything, he at least had to try.
"Kenji, are you alright?" Akko asked, lightly gripping his hand, as if he was about to disappear right then and there. "I'm good, at least I think I am, are you alright, I mean at least a little. This night has been a little crazy."
"Mm, I still need to talk to Miss Ursu- I mean Chariot, and so do you. We have to make sure we can fix everything and keep everyone safe!" Akko declared, just as enthusiastic as she always was.
It was contagious, giving both brunettes a toothy grin to share, "Right, we can do it, right!?" Kenji exclaimed, now becoming increasingly nervous as the seconds went by.
"Yep, I believe in us!"
Kenji took one last look at both the Shiny Rod and the crystal that was supposed to be attached to it, before tucking it back underneath his shirt and fixing his hand around Akko's, holding it tightly.
All there was to do now was try and change their futures.
...
...
Like how this chapter turned out, it's mainly just a cross-section between the last chapter and the last two chapters that wrap up the story. Not sure why I had it as Wangari to get Kenji back up on his feet, just felt like she should have some sort of role in the story, I did want to use her more.
The next chapter is the first part of the finale, so until then see ya! I'm actually glad I can finish the story at least somewhat properly.