Author's Note: Hey. What's up, you guys? Yes. Well, it's been a few months of no uploads, and I swear I have a few good reasons!
You boys and girls already know that I'm working full time, but do you know what's worse than that? Going to college full time while working full time! Yes, full time student, full time worker, and full time autist.
Even if free time is hard to come by nowadays, my offer still stands that if I get to 100 followers, I shall play The Chamber of Time. I'm so close boys, only three away now. I'm only like eight months late to that party, so what could go wrong?
Anyway, before we begin, now's the time to answer a few comments:
"Theory time!
Lotte asked akko to attack diana so she could with theodore cuz she's jealous of diana stealing her man."
Damn it. You called it. Now I need to crudely rewrite my entire story because you just spoiled the ending!
And while this upcoming comment was made by an account, and doesn't need it here to be answered, I just thought it was too good to not have you guys see it:
"EEEEY YO TF I JUS READ ALL A DIS AND FUCK MAN THUS SHIY US GOOD MY GUY. BETTER THAN MY MORNING HENTAI I SWEAR DOWN FAM. MF YOU HAD ME ENTERTAINED LIKE DAMB NIGGA. LOOKING FORWARD TO WITNESS THEO BECOME THE AND ONLY BOLOGNEISE MASTER AND FINNA SQUIRT HIS SAUCE ALLNIVER THESE MFS YA FEEL MY GUY. ALSO LOW KEY LOOKING FORWARD TO ROMAM BOI GIVEN DIANA GIRL SOME PIZZA. PIZZA DIS D LMAO KEEPS THESE FAT ONES COMING UP FIND ME IN THE POWER RACK DEFAULT DANCING ON THESE MFS IT BELONGS IN A MUSEUM"
Anyways, now that all that European business is done, let's get right into this long awaited chapter.
Hot sweat pours down my face as my body pounds with ache, all the while loud and unrelenting music pounds through my head.
"Teeth so sharp that they're callin' me jaws!"
Yet another blast of magic flies towards me, myself too exhausted to respond properly.
As the force slams against me, the whole room erupts in a bang, only the roar of the song surpassing that of the explosion.
"I'm your boss, baby!"
I slam against the hard floor, letting out a half suppressed moan of pain.
"Crank it like a chainsaw!"
I let out another moan, rubbing my throbbing back.
Once again, I find myself in another hot and sweaty mess, nothing but a mass of pain, facing an opponent who's several times stronger than me with no real hope of winning.
What hurts more? My back or my pride?
"Bows to the knees! Yeah, crank it like a-"
The music comes to an abrupt ending, as Faralda turns the radio off.
"Come on, man." Faralda disappointingly sighs, not even winded nor showing any tiring. "We've been at this for hours. I thought that a little Family Force Five would've pumped up your blood, but it looks like you've reached your limit. We should stop for today."
"But we...but we leave today..." I mutter out between pained gasps, still laying on the ground in utter exhaustion.
Even if the training is horrid, getting the most in with what little time remains is of a high priority.
"Yeah, that's exactly why we should stop." Faralda tells me, putting her wand away in her satchel. "Time has flown by so much, that the hackney carriage to take you to the plane is scheduled to come in about thirty minutes."
I lean my head up so that I may stare at Faralda in slight confusion.
I knew that the hackney carriage would be coming today and even at what time it should arrive.
However, with all the training that Faralda and I have done, it seems as if time has flown by.
I expected to be cleaned up and have said my goodbyes with a considerable amount of time left to spare before they arrive.
But in reality, I'm tired and sweaty, having not even seen Diana today and am feeling rather hungry as well, and only with thirty minutes to satisfy these needs.
"And that's with the tour guide and the two pilots, right?" I ask her.
"Right." She answers back. "They'll be with the hackney carriage to introduce themselves."
Faralda notices me still on the ground, tired and sweaty, ready to go to bed rather than to an island full of monsters.
"You want one of my rockstars?" She offers me.
I let out a rather mute snort at this.
Although her offering was considerate, I think exposing myself to energy drinks would be an unfortunate choice.
Now don't get me wrong, a strong shot of espresso or maybe even some brewed potion is fine, but a mass produced and rather costly drink would be not preferable.
I've also heard that energy drinks can cause damage to the liver and have other nasty side effects such as anxiety and even shaking due to the caffeine.
And trust me, that last thing I want is to be hindered by a consumable, Ms. Finnalin already made that clear with Jasminka yesterday.
Speaking of yesterday, I haven't spoken to Lotte since then.
I can only assume that she's been content locking herself in her dorm room, doing who knows what.
Hopefully, she's had time to heal and recover from her upsetting outburst yesterday. Perhaps she communed with a few spirits or simply thought things through, just like during the parade.
Still though, I can only wonder what caused her distress.
With the parade, it was a combination of both managing the project and finally when Akko accidentally ripped an ancestral song, passed down for many generations.
I doubt that Akko was responsible for this loudmouth Lotte situation but I can't be sure, especially after what happened to Diana.
Most seem to think that it was a simple accident on Akko's part, but I'm not too sure myself.
I've known that Akko has had a deep disdain for Diana for quite awhile now. Maybe it's only now that she's acted on it.
"Hey man, you okay?" I hear Faralda ask me, concerned by my lack of response. "I didn't drop you too hard, did I?"
This question shakes me from my monologue, myself letting off a slight but visible blush at this.
"N-no...I'm fine." I tell her, a bit embarrassed. "And no thank you, I don't want an energy drink right now."
"Are you sure?" Faralda asks me, opening up her desk drawer. "After a workout or just when I'm feeling a little tuckered out, I like to gun a 24 ounce can of 'Rockstar Sugar Free'."
As she digs around her desk, I watch as she casually throws previously emptied energy drink cans to the side.
A few seconds later, and I hear her cry trumpingly
"Ah-ha! There's my baby!"
She proudly pulls out a rather large white can decorated with a yellow star.
"This one's my favorite!" She exclaims, cradling the can like a child. "It has the same amazingly harsh flavor as the original, and with no sugar!"
As she unscrews the massive can's top, the carbonation lets out a rather satisfying pop sound.
Like a child drinking her favorite soda, Faralda begins to quickly gulp it down, her throat pumping wildly as she does.
Honestly, she's consuming it as if it's candy or some sort of wonder drink!
She's only said good about the product, far more than any normal person would in any normal conversation.
"Are you being sponsored by Rockstar or something?" I question her, eyebrow raised at her behavior.
And she's supposed to be the responsible teacher that students can seek guidance from?
Faralda briefly takes her lips off the can, muttering
"Nope."
She then returns to her previous action.
"The drink is just that good to talk about, then?"
"Exactly." She casually answers back.
A few more heavy gulps later, and she retreats the can from her lips, holding it out to me.
"So…" She begins, a thin smile on her face. "Ya want some?"
Her behavior only serves to remind me of another's.
Even if Faralda likes to create separation for the two, her and Akko aren't that different.
Just having the same favorite band isn't where their similarities end.
Just like Akko, it's hard for Faralda to take no for an answer.
And dare I say, when Faralda has her can of rockstar, she might just be able to rival Akko in sheer energy.
"Maybe I'll try some later." I tell her, waving her can away with no real intention of drinking it on a later date.
She retreats her can from my reach.
"Whatever you say…" She mutters, returning to her sipping, also knowing full well as well that I won't try it.
A few final gulps later, she casually crushes the can, tossing it into a nearby trash can.
"If you're going to say goodbye to Diana, make sure you take a shower first." She tells me, licking the remaining rockstar from her lips. "You smell so bad, you're even choking the flies."
I lower my head towards my armpits, taking a few quick sniffs from each.
"I smell bad?" I ask her, myself not noticing much of a change.
"Yeah." She answers back, an almost all knowing smirk on her face. "I know that smell better than anyone, the hot and dirty smell of smoke mixed with sweat. Whenever a student leaves my class like that, I make sure to give them a good grade. It means they've tried!"
I wonder if that applied to me.
Back in my earliest days of being a student here, I didn't know nearly what I know now about magic and the like.
Maybe my magic was weak but my smell was strong.
"I smelled it a lot back when I was a student here." Faralda continues to explain. "Even Ursula would leave class smelling like that sometimes. Strangely enough, it was only her smell that I liked."
She lets out a few chuckles at this.
"But with anyone else though, one whiff, and I was like 'See ya!'." She exclaims, moving her hand in a fake salute to no one.
With this memory in mind, Faralda loses her smile as she leans in, sniffing me a few times.
She sticks out her tongue in disgust, as she moves back towards her desk, muttering
"Speaking of which…"
She takes her seat, legs on the desk just as they usually are as she leans back in relaxation.
I find it rather strange how calm she is given how much she just drank.
"Why don't you get out of my class already and take that shower? You might just have time left to say goodbye to everyone."
Even if I might not the manner in which she's speaking to me, saying that I smell bad, I can't argue with her.
A shower would be nice and refreshing, especially after this intense training session. The cool water may just soothe the soreness in my legs and arms.
"What are you going to do?" I ask Faralda, making my way towards the classroom door.
"I'm just gonna listen to Earthquake by Family Force Five, one of my favorites. Just like your pride during this duel, 'It's rumbling, crumbling, all the way down'."
I open my mouth to formulate some kind of rebuttal, but stop myself.
Whether it's some sort of superficial charm or an actually connection, I feel as though Faralda and I have a bond that isn't shared with myself and any of the other teachers, not even Ursula.
All the training, all the music that she's blasted into me, the countless Rockstars that have been hurled at me, all the streams of smoke blow in my face, its a set of actions that you wouldn't show to a stranger, but rather someone who you know, someone who you can joke and mess around with, almost like a good friend or a family member, someone who at the end of the day won't feel any different towards your disrespects.
In some weird way, she's almost like a wild big sister, some sort of welcomed distinction to the normal calm and quiet life in the Sempronia manor. Then again, this whole school is like that, a change to the status quo, more than just a place to learn magic.
With that in mind, I turn back to her, saying
"Goodbye Faralda, I'll be seeing you in a few days with enough valuables to make even Rome look like a dirt hut!"
I can't help but feel a tinge of pain at what I just uttered.
Even if it was in jest, saying such a statement makes me want to wash out my mouth with the roughest of soaps.
Rome can never look like a dirt hut. It can only look like what it is, and what it is is pure majesty and a small gem from the gods.
However, it seems as no matter what I just said, the blaring of her music drowns out all.
"Devastation...from the sounds I'm makin'!" She screams along with the music, herself playing an air guitar, her hair waving around wildy to the rhythm as my words don't register with her in the slightest. "And there's no escapin' from the bass!"
I can't help but let out a light smile at this, her actions only proving my point.
Even if she has a wild side to her, I can say with certainty that she is one of my favorite teachers.
Maybe that's why she has left such an impression.
Closing the door to her room, the last thing I hear is her screaming
"It's shakin' like an earthquake!"
I lightly tap on Diana's door, ensuring that whatever sounds I make don't startle her.
Like with Faralda, I place my ear upon the door, the slightest sound coming from the other side giving me the justification to enter.
However, I don't hear anything, no response coming from the other side. I don't even hear the sounds of her getting up.
My mind instantly jumps to the worst case scenario, that something must've happened that would've inhibited her from answering.
A heavy weight begins to pull at my heartbroken soul, as beads of sweat begin to form on my forehead.
What...what if something is indeed wrong with Diana? Something may have happened in my departure!
No! I knew I shouldn't have left her alone! I just knew it!
With sweaty and shaky palms, I make a quick grab for the door handle, stopping myself as I hear something coming from her room.
Once again, I place my ear to her door, only the sounds of my rapidly beating heart being present.
However, I hear another noise, this one coming from her room.
It's a low one, almost like a deep rumble, as it grows in volume and dies down, only to rise again.
Curious to this sound, I open the door to Diana's room, taking great care to close it with the gentlest of forces.
Now in her room, I turn towards her bed, spotting the sleeping angel.
However, this is something different than I previously saw.
Rather than the light and delicate state from before, she seems to be much more in tune.
I've only seen her in light sleep, the state having just been achieved and not having time for her body and mind to fully acclimate to it.
However, she has now been asleep all night and what seems like the day so far.
Much time to fall into deep sleep.
Her stomach beats heavy, her mouth hangs open, an almost cute snort rumbling from her throat.
Who knew that the prim and proper Diana was a snorer?
I guess Hannah and Barbara do.
Anyhow, the hackney carriage that shall take us three to the airport will be arriving soon. Now is the time to say my goodbyes to Diana.
Even if it might pain me to wake her up from what might be a good dream, I must.
Just imagine what Diana would think if I didn't say goodbye!
"Diana?" I call out, this single word shattering the sleeping snores.
The sleeping blonde's face winces and slightly squirms at my voice, her nose twitching.
A few more of these movements later, Diana's eyes lightly open, a bit red due to both her sickness and her recent awakening.
"Th...Theodore?" Diana mumbles, letting out a yawn. "What time is it?"
"It's nearly midday." I inform her, taking a knee at her bedside.
Hearing this, she sits up, rubbing her eyes as she asks
"How much longer until you leave?"
Taking a glance at her bedside clock, I inform her
"About half an hour."
At my utterance, Diana's face sags as she slightly but noticeably slumps back in bed.
Come to think of it, it seems as though the sickness has taken pains to Diana's natural beauty.
Underneath her slightly reddish and glassy eyes are noticeable black bags, a sign of sleep deprivation and further fatigue.
What's more, her skin which normally seems to glow with health, now has a slight pale tint to it, dried sweat clings to her forehead, herself too tired to wipe it up.
However, the most obvious feature is her hair.
While it's almost always a finely brushed and well calculated hairdo, smelling of sweet shampoo and almost shining with her health and beauty, it has taken a drastic turn.
What was once a finely crafted piece, now resembles more of a rat's nest of crooked straw and weathered down fur.
Almost no where does there seem to be a single smooth brush, only a tangled mess, and it's not hard to see how.
Combing, brushing, showering, makeup, and whatever else Diana subjects herself to every morning can no longer be done.
For being someone who prides herself on her beauty and skill, it must pain her greatly to be in such a state, especially when being beheld by her boyfriend.
Just another inconvenience to add to her already inconvenient state.
However, unlike her sickness, this is one inconvenience that I can put a stop to.
Without another word, knowing full well what to do, I leave her bedside and go to her wooden bedroom table.
"Th...Theodore?" I hear her question, surprised and confused by this.
On her table, I find her wand, a few books, and a comb.
Taking the comb, I make my way back to her bedside.
"Sit up." I tell her, still bearing this unknown but certainly wanted confidence.
Hearing my request, Diana slowly sits up with difficulty, holding herself up by her elbows.
With a pain stricken face, Diana moans out
"I...I can't. It hurts my abdomen too much."
Not deterred by this, I instead feel an overwhelming sense of boldness come over me.
Rather than leave her with her hair, I instead take a seat by her bedside, moving myself so that my whole body is on the mattress.
"Th...Theodore?" Diana gasps, as surprised by my motions as me. "What are you-"
I get on my knees, myself now leaning against Diana's back, supporting her, allowing her abdominals to relax.
No further moans come from her, only the expecting and slightly dazed eyes of Diana looking up at me as she lays on my thighs,
I think this is the only time where she's had to look up to meet my eyes. Normally, I'm the one who would have to step on a stool in order to face her at an equal level.
With her expecting blue eyes on me, I take a long strand of her unkempt hair.
I begin to run the comb through it, taking great care to avoid any painful knots.
A sweep of the comb, and a new clump of hair grows more straight, losing its frizzle with each stroke.
An occasional soft whimper catches in Diana's throat as I inevitably run into a tough cluster of two or more hairs.
Whenever I do this, a sharp breath is exhaled from her, followed by the feeling of her frame rising and falling on my chest.
After a few moments of her unyielding gaze, her sharp eyes grow relaxed, herself fulling leaning into my thighs, a thin smile growing on her face as I continue my work.
"So, regarding the expedition, who has become my replacement?" Diana asks, voice hushed due to exhaustion. "I would imagine Amanda would make a decent teammate. She seems aggressive enough for a hostile environment like Filicudi."
I almost want to let out a chuckle, Diana's guess not being farther from the truth.
Rather, I simply tell her
"No, not quite."
"Constanze then?" Diana hypothesizes. "I'm sure her knowledge of robotics could come in handy with the airplane in the event of a technical error."
"No, it's not Constanze either…"
Diana scrunches her eyebrows at me, inquiring
"Who is it then? Jasminka?"
I feel a heavy weight in my throat, almost as if my Adam's Apple has turned into an iron cast ball.
As if my very word manifests this reality, I hesitantly say
"It's...it's Lotte."
As soon as that name leaves my lips, it's as if the room takes on an entirely different tone.
Whoever would replace Diana for the expedition, the last person her or anyone would think of would be the sweet and demure Lotte.
"L-Lotte…" Diana questions, also seeing the many problems in this. "How? That girl couldn't even bring herself to dissecting a fairy during biology class, let alone enter a habitation for monsters."
"She insisted she went." I inform the blonde. "Even screamed and shouted to go."
"What?" She firmly question, furrowing her brows in both shock and disapproval.
I can for certainty say that I share the same feelings that she does, who wouldn't?
It seems as though this vacation went from very good to very bad in a matter of days.
What seemed like a magical time with Diana and family, turned into a hunting expedition, the big game being treasure.
And now the best student at the school has been replaced by arguably the most shy.
And to just come out of nowhere?
This is most unlike Lotte.
Although, seeing the shy Lotte intimidate the scary Finnalin was an interesting sight to say the least.
"Diana, I'm worried about this group." I admit to her, sighing as I half heartedly resume the combing. "It was fine when it was just Akko, you, and the only problem you two had were a few mean words. But now, I can't be around Akko. And Lotte...I don't even know what's wrong with her."
Diana gives a light huff at this, sharing the same view as I do on this matter.
However, doing this forced exhale causes Diana to enter a brief and calm coughing fit.
"I still can't believe Akko attacked you." I sigh out, her cough reminding me what put her there in the first place.
"Neither can I." She says to me, surprisingly nonchalantly.
What? Don't tell me she somehow also believes that Akko is innocent in all of this!
After a few seconds of contemplation from the both of us, Diana takes a light but noticeable sigh, beginning with
"Theodore, I've had a great deal of time to think about the situation that put me here, what happened and why, all the possibilities that could've and did take place."
"I'd expect no less from you." I inform her, still running the comb through her hair.
"And the more I ponder, the more I believe that Akko was telling the truth, that it was indeed an accident."
I stop combing yet again, this time setting the utensil to the side.
"But Diana, she-"
"What reasons would she have?" Diana questions me. "Of course, she doesn't see me in the best light, nor I to her, but this is something that could not even be predicted in Professor Ursula's Astrology class!"
I hold my breath, faltering at what is being spoken.
I expected Diana to share my view in the matter, that Akko is entirely responsible for her illness.
But from Faralda to Diana, it seems as though I'm the only one who thinks Akko's actions were purposefully carried out.
I continue my silence, Diana continuing her lecture.
"True, she's glared at me from across the classroom before, we've exchanged harsh words, but it's never escalated to a physical attack before. Plus, Akko's not the best at magic, I doubt she could've intentionally struck me, even if she wanted to."
No...this can't be…
Diana's supposed to be the one who's on my side, the one who agrees with the fact that Akko attacked Diana, attacked her with malice and cruel vengeance.
Diana's supposed to be Akko's rival, not the one to take her side!
I can't help but hang my mouth wide open, my mind buzzing with this new epiphany.
Sensing my strong disbelief, Diana adds
"I just wanted you to know, Theodore, that I believe Akko's intention wasn't this and just a simple accident. Accidents. That's all I've come to expect from that strange, strange girl."
I can't believe that Diana out of all people would be acting so defensive in the name of Akko.
After all I said to Akko, screaming at her, calling her such harsh words, shutting her out from me, leaving her in the dark to suffer…
I did all that for Diana, to seek justice in her ailment, but it seems as though this was in horrible vain.
And what did it do?
Diana is still sick, Lotte is still going to the island, and now relations between Akko and I are at an all time low.
Suppressing this overwhelming guilt, I grab the comb yet again, continuing my work.
Silence now carries in the room as I run Diana's comb through her hair.
I was enraged. I thought that Akko had struck her on purpose, perhaps all the insults the two exchange finally getting the better of her.
I saw my girlfriend, someone that I truly care about, get hurt, and I lashed out at the one I deemed responsible.
Anyone would do the same.
But now that I've received this word from Diana, I'm just not sure what to think.
Sorrow and regret are two new but powerful emotions, and yet I still feel anger towards Akko, for it was her that caused the sickness to come to Diana.
I trust Diana's judgement, but I also trust my own.
Either way, Akko and I have some things to talk about.
Reverting back to the past activity, I once again run the comb through Diana's hair, her hair noticeably more soft and uniform than when I initially walked in.
I can't describe what caused me to act so boldly in this situation.
It was almost instinct.
I saw Diana, sick and in a mess, clearly unamused by the state she was in, and so I acted in the best way that I could. It was a new sort of boldness, something that I wouldn't show towards one of my other friends, perhaps not even Lotte.
As I run the comb through her hair, the almost drunken state this boldness beginning to wear off, new feelings beginning to grow apparent.
These feeling that I have towards Diana go far beyond friendship, this is self evident.
But now, I wonder if these feeling have grown even beyond a girlfriend-boyfriend status.
As I sit here, Diana on my chest, brushing her hair, these emotions that I have are strikingly similar to when I was stung by the cupid bee.
Even in the middle of this whole expedition, leaving for an island full of monsters to prevent a school from financially collapsing, all that I can focus on now is Diana, not just to alleviate her pain, but to just be with her, to hear her voice and feel her form.
Could this be love that I feel for her now?
While I'm fully aware of the trap of love that most teenagers find themselves in, most teenagers haven't had the circumstances that Diana and I share. Multiple times our relationship had been tested, even before we were dating. Whether it be the aftermath of Mendacious or Diana's business with Roma, we persevered.
Whenever I'm around Diana, I feel a sort of warmness and peace that I find it hard to find with anyone else, the closest cases being with Lotte or Anchovy.
I hope this is a long lasting emotion. And I hope even more that Diana feels the same way around me.
It's as if a great fire has flamed up inside of me, and I must let this heat leave or else I may be permanently burned.
I feel the fire grow in my stomach as it crawls towards my face and mouth, myself starting to sweat under the heat.
I stifle myself, swallowing hard in an attempt to drown the fire.
It hurts, and yet I can still feel it, brighter than ever.
It's consuming me!
I can't take in anymore.
Feeling the flames scratch at my throat, my mouth opening, the words of confession on my lips
"Diana...I...I...I…"
Now I find myself at the mercy of the stutter.
Come on Theodore, what happened to all that confidence you had earlier?!
"Theodore? What is it?" She asks in concern, herself looking up at me, her beautiful blue eyes meeting mine.
This doesn't make my confession any easier, not with her staring directly at me.
"I-I-I-" I continue to mumble, stumbling on myself like an idiot.
She now raises an eyebrow at my behavior.
"You?" She attempts to guide me.
"I...I…"
I stop myself, swallowing these lumps of burning coal in my throat, taking a deep breath through my nose.
Closing my eyes, my face tightening with anticipation, I start with
"I lo-"
Suddenly, the bedroom door slams open, cutting me off mid confession.
I yelp as both Diana and I twist our heads towards the noise, revealing not Faralda but
"N-Nurse PagetDaPanda?!" I cry out, quickly retreating from Diana's bedside, standing at attention.
"Huh?" The nurse ponders, leaning against the doorframe as she gawks at us. "Well, I guess I owe Faralda a drink now."
The two of us continue to stare at PagetDaPanda, myself still on edge, Diana perhaps not being far off.
"Good thing she loves Rockstars so much." The nurse exclaims. "They're much cheaper than alcohol. Being a medical professional, I wouldn't recommend either though."
Well, Diana and I are too late on the alcohol bit.
"Anyways, the hackney carriage is here now…" Nurse PagetDaPanda explains to us. "...With Bob Jones and the two pilots."
Hearing this, I glance back at Diana, inadvertently seeing my handiwork first hand.
Unlike her normally curly and fluffy hair, her hair is now straight and flat, almost like a blonde towel has been draped on Diana's head.
I have to admit, although I prefer her usual style, she still looks good.
Diana takes a glance at the mirror on her bedside table, looking back at me with a satisfied smile.
"If, for whatever unlikely reason, this magic business doesn't work out, you could consider getting a job as a barber."
I chuckle at her joke, no so much at the content, but rather that she stated it.
"You think so?" I ask her, a slight smile on my face.
My smile falters as Diana's face turns serious, herself squeezing my hand.
"Please, stay safe." She begs me. "I know that the risk is minimal, but I will still worry about you everyday that you're gone."
"Don't worry, Diana. I'll be fine." I tell her, brushing off her concern. "And if anything happens, you can bury me wherever you like...just make sure it's somewhere in Italy, preferably Rome."
Catching onto my somber jest, Diana lets out a slight chuckle at this, replaying in kind with
"If I had to dig a hole long enough for your nose, I'd rather put in a garden."
Damn Diana…I think that's the first nose joke I've heard from her.
With the humor out of the way, I too turn myself into a serious expression.
"Diana…" I tell her, grabbing onto one of her soft hands with one of mine, leaning in closer to her, our eyes locking. "I'm not only looking out for myself for me, but for you. To me, whatever emotional pain you might experience will be worse than whatever wound I may receive. I promise you this, Diana. I will return to you in one piece. And after this whole mess is sorted out, we'll return to Rome in triumph."
I give her hand a reassuring squeeze, saying
"We'll spend Christmas together, Diana."
Hearing this, Diana's smile widens considerably, herself responding with
"That sounds marvelous."
The two of us continue our stare, knowing full well that we won't have another chance at this for a few days, and to me, that's too long.
After a gaze or two, I've come to appreciate Diana's eyes to their full extent. I dare say, Diana's sapphire eyes may have Lotte's beat.
"Theodore, you need to go now." The nurse impatiently informs us, ceasing our mutual gaze. "Akko and Lotte are already out there waiting."
"Okay, okay…" I say to the nurse, attempting to brush off her interruption.
I return my focus to the girl on the bed, saying to her in a longing voice, her hand still clenched.
"Goodbye, Diana…I'll call you as soon as we land on the island..."
Hearing my audible displeasure, Diana spreads a comforting smile across her face, saying
"There's no goodbye, for I shall see you in a few short days, and hear your voice in a few hours."
With this, I lean into a kiss, Diana accepting it with mutual pleasure.
Her soft, warm lips, the lingering taste of lip gloss, takes me back to our first kiss.
Unwillingly, I withdraw from her, and with our goodbyes already stated, stand up from her bedside.
As soon as we let go, a strange but noticeable feeling rises up in me.
With heavy steps, legs like sticks, and an already aching heart, I make my way to the door.
I feel Diana's eyes staring at me, those blue sapphires piercing me.
Once outside her room, I take an about face, one final look at her.
Our eyes lock once again, her own glistening with emotion.
As the nurse closes the bedroom door, my vision of Diana gradually shrinks, until, with the sound of the door closing, it ends completely.
"Let's go." Nurse PagetDaPanda tells me, unaware of the reticent communication between Diana and I.
As I trudge down the hallway with the nurse, I am left as a complete downhearted introvert.
Diana no longer in sight, no longer heard or felt, the strange but noticeable feeling now becomes fully apparent to me.
I'm a love addict without his fix.
I feel sick.
I lazily kick a stone on the ground, the rock flying into the road ahead of us.
Taking a glance at my companions, I see Lotte standing stationary, her back to us, staring full of sulk into the surrounding forest.
Akko is in not much better shape, herself most likely overcome with anxiety and self pity in her actions that caused the school to go into debt, and possibly even a tinge of concern involving our future state of friendship.
Lotte, however, is worrying me more than Akko. The Finn in a silent state is not unusual, but for her emotions to turn sour are. She normally keeps a smile on her face, attempting to calm whatever situation she might be in, whether that be in detention due to Akko's shenanigans or something else.
What worries me even more than her sulking, is her unwillingness to share her issues with me. Multiple times today, I've tried to stir a conversation from her. Whether it be a simple 'Hello.' or maybe a 'How are you doing today?', it's all met with the same response. No matter what I say to her, I'm met with the same stonewall, and am stricken with the same worry.
Akko, on the other hand, is a different case.
With Diana's input on the matter, a great amount of the rage I had felt towards Akko has now boiled down, leaving behind a brown mush of an awkward tension barely resembling a relationship.
I've yet to know whether or not Akko took what I said to heart or not.
I do hope she didn't.
However, I won't forget that it was her who struck Diana with a sickness spell, that it was her who left my girlfriend with a debilitating illness.
It's sort of the feeling when a parent yells at a child, making the little one cry.
It was something that just had to be said, a correction that needed to be stated, no matter how painful the aftermath feelings might be.
I still bear an amount of noticeable resentment towards her.
Whether this will fade with time is yet to be known.
In the distance, a black hackney carriage approaches us from down the road.
This must be them, the tour guide and the two pilots.
It was these two pilots that I recommended for us.
While I have read their resumes, I have never made any personal contact with them.
And the tour guide is apparently a survivor of Filicudi, a man who knows the terrain of the island like the back of his hand.
As the car finally comes to a stop at the front of the school, the three exit the vehicle.
And what group do they see before them?
A sad and miserable Japanese girl, a short girl so cold and distant that you're afraid to approach her, and some boy struggling with teenage love, the three fearsome warriors, hell bent on plundering a dangerous island to restore their school's future.
How could this plan go wrong? Not with this unified and stable group.
The first one to make contact with us is an older man with a wrinkled and rough face with unkempt sideburns and short, curly white hair are kept hidden underneath a seasoned and battered plain gray hat.
He's also wearing an old fashioned brown leather aviator jacket, looking like it was taken directly from a World War Two movie.
"Tom Smith." He tells us in an aged voice, glancing over us with his icy blue eyes. "When you're on board my plane, The Ilinalta, you can be whatever you want. Mate, passenger, cargo…but I'm captain."
Understood.
I notice that at his side is a much younger man. Clean cut, with oily black hair combed over to the side. He's also wearing a pilot suit, this one more modern.
"And I'm Brad Cooper, co pilot." He introduces himself.
The last person, the one who must be our tour guide, steps up towards us.
He looks to be a man in young adulthood, maybe ten years older than us.
Rather than the other two, this one walks over to me, and with an outstretched hand and a cheeky smile, he say
"Hi, I'm Bob! Your friendly, local, neighborhood tour guide!"
Author's Note: Well, the island gang is all together now, determined and headstrong to carry out their task, and save the school!
Also, remember a few months ago when I said I'd turn the fanfiction 'An Unexpected Guest' into a voice over video? Well, it's finally done! If you want to view that hot spice, it's called 'An Unexpected Guest - A Dramatic Diakko Reading', same Youtube channel is the same name as my fanfic account, 'RomanViking'.
You know how Wayward Bot has that Deviantart account? Well, since my story is basically a knock off of his, I'd like to announce that I've also opened up a Deviantart account to just add to my already worthless state. The name is 'SpikeTheSir' if you boys want to look me up, catching my hot fire memes and all.
Also, energy drinks were banned in the UK about a month ago. Don't mind Faralda as she tightens that noose.
Now, we wait another half a year for my next chapter.
I'm RomanViking for Prager University.