Author's Note: Roman, what is he dippity doin'? Well, he's back, back at it again in the wonderful world of Little Witch Academia! For those of you who haven't been following my new work, you might've thought I was dead. Well, I'm not dead, but undead, a new creation.
Yes, it's been a month short of a year since my last update on this fanfic, but this story never really left my mind. I would visit it occasionally, and was very surprised by the amount of views it still got.
It was due to this constant silent love and other factors that made me want to return.
Now, let's see if this old lion can still hold his own against the Diakko monopoly!
Blackness is all that I could see, everything is black.
Not even closing your eyes could replicate it. It's as if all the color and light had been drained away from the world, leaving only an inky color.
I feel nothing, not even the ground beneath me, it's as if my whole body was floating, floating in nothing.
All I can feel is a burning sensation in my chest and throat, almost as if a fire was lit and left uncontrolled.
The heat only grows, becoming much more severe, spreading even.
The fiery feeling consumes my insides, in contrast to the blackness of everything else.
Feeling a warm pressure on my mouth, the burning sensation is alleviated.
The sudden rise of cold water in my throat forces me out of the nothingness.
Throwing myself forward, I choke, spitting out water as my eyes begin to function once again.
Even in a blurry and dull vision, I can still make out the face of the person over me.
Akko.
Coughing up the remaining water, I slowly begin to stand up, only to have Akko place a hand on my chest.
Giving me a strong shake of her head, followed by a concerned look, she says
"No, don't get up yet, Ted." A firmer push, and my back is on the cold, wet grass. "Just relax and take a couple of breaths."
Not knowing what to do, completely lost and confused, I follow her will, laying my back on the wet and cold grass.
The sounds of the harsh rushing water fill and only one thought flashed through my mind.
I'm alive.
As soon as the cage made contact with the water, I thought that was it, that we were done for.
Seems like that came pretty close to being fact and reality.
In my peripheral vision, I see the boat which once carried us down the river, now beached on the shore, ripped apart, windows shattered, and damage everywhere.
The rain that had once poured down had stopped, the sky now a dull gray, as the clouds slowly start to part.
The grass that I'm laying on is soaked with ice cold water from the rain, but it makes a much better place to rest than the inside of the river.
I close my eyes for a brief moment, allowing my drained body a moment of rest.
All I can hear is the rushing sounds of the river, my heartbeat, and the breathing of Akko.
In any other setting, this would be a peaceful, perfect time in the forest.
It would be almost perfect, if it weren't for the absence of another person.
"Akko…" I moan out to her from my water clogged throat. "Where...where's Lotte?"
I feel a gentle squeeze on my hand.
Looking over, I see Lotte clinging onto it, a look of worry on her face, directed at me.
She, like Akko, seems fine for the most part, with only a few bumps and bruises, as well as a few tears in her clothing.
Her eyes may still be wet, but something tells me that is happiness, perhaps relief by our survival.
Our survival…
These words send a chill down my spine.
I wouldn't be here right now if I was left to my own devices.
I can't swim, I never learned how to. It was just something that my family didn't find useful, I guess. I was never a fan of the beach anyway.
As soon as we hit the water, I couldn't float, only sink deeper and deeper, ever struggle I made would only exhaust me further.
I couldn't breath, only take in water, it was suffocating.
As far as I can tell, Akko just saved my life through CPR. I wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for her.
Akko did this...for me? Even after all I did to her earlier, she saves my life, at the risk of her own?
"Akko…" I whisper out to her, weak in the voice. "Why?"
Such a question sends her off guard, herself raising a brow as she asks
"What do you-"
"After all I've done to you!" I blurt out, shocking both her and Lotte. "I've been nothing but mean to you recently! I called you a racial slur, completely brushed you off, thought little of you…"
I stop myself, completely choked up, as I take a large gasp of air.
I guess my lungs aren't ready for a screaming session yet.
I lower my volume to a whisper, as I continue.
"And yet you saved me…Why?"
Upon my loud words, Akko simply flashes me a warm smile, her gentle eyes on me as she states
"It's like Solomon Olds always says: Hate and depression ain't even worth the dust under your kicks."
That name again, Solomon Olds, the man that Akko fangirls over.
Isn't he the leader of Fantastic Force Five or something similar? Famous Force Five? Finger Force Five? No, that can't be it.
I join her in a thin smile of my own, until it drops as I come to a realization.
Taking a shaky eyed scan of the area, I see nobody else.
Yes, I see Akko and Lotte, but I don't see Brad or Bob!
Come to think of it, I haven't seen nor heard them since the boat went down.
"Where's Brad?" I ask Akko, taking breaths between words. "Where's Bob?"
With little energy left, Akko shakes her head, a thin frown on her pale white face.
"Brad he…" She stops herself as she takes a strained breath, obviously having trouble in getting her words out. "He's...gone…"
Her eyes bounce off of me, circling the area, as if searching for an answer, an explanation of some kind.
"When the cage went underwater will us in it, we all managed to swim out...except for you."
Her eyes glance towards the ground in a shudder, before turning back to me.
"You struggled and flailed...and then you suddenly went limp..."
"I didn't understand…" My voice trails off as I catch the look on Akko's face.
Her mouth and features crack, quiver and tense up, as if the memories are too painful, too fresh in the mind for her to recount.
I can tell that they probably are.
I don't need Akko to tell me, I can already imagine.
I went limp, I couldn't swim, and almost drowned. Brad probably went back to save me, putting himself in harm's way. It just seems as though harm's way found him.
He died saving my life...possibly the lives of all of us.
Or at least that's what I like to think happened.
But that still leaves one man out.
"And what of Bob?" I ask, hoping that he didn't meet the same fate as Brad.
Surprisingly, this question doesn't seem to bring out negative emotions, only ones of confusion.
"Bob…" She put a finger to her chin, trying to remember.
Strange, she didn't seem sad, but only in thought.
"I lost track of him after we got you on dry land." She finally comes to the conclusion. "I'm honestly not sure what happened to him."
She rubs her chin in one hand, as she continues to think.
"All I remember was that when I pulled you to shore, he was still out there…"
In a sudden explosion, Akko throws a finger in the air, the answer lighting up her face.
"He was...battling the death worm!" Akko proclaims, now remembering. "Yes! He was fighting it! Using a broken piece of the boat to defend himself!"
What?
Just the thought of someone trying to fight off that massive beast with only a piece of metal is thought of as suicidal.
While the rest of us were fleeing, Bob was holding the thing back, making sure that we could escape.
He had the heart of a warrior.
But still, there must be more to the story, something must've happened to him. He couldn't have just disappeared.
I feel the need to ask what happened after.
My question is interrupted as I feel the weight of someone smashing against me, wrapping their arms around me in a tight hug.
Once again, I find it hard to breathe.
"Oh my god, Theodore!" Lotte cries out, unable to contain herself. "I'm so glad that you're alright, all of us!"
With little energy left, I wrap an arm around Lotte, letting out a sigh of relief.
It's good to see that after all that, she still has that much energy left in her, that's she all right, and still is able to get up and move around with such force and speed.
Strange, even after bathing in the chilly waters of the river through a dark and cold night, Lotte still gives off a feeling of warmth.
It's almost like being wrapped in a fuzzy blanket, straight out of the dryer. A much welcomed sensation in the otherwise wet and cold.
The hug is unfortunately broken, as Akko comes between us.
"I'd hate to interrupt you two, but we're still trapped on this island, alive or not." "And the only two adults are now gone, that leaves only us."
She eyes the both of us, as she asks
"So, what do we do now?"
That's a fair point. Even if we are all back together, the danger now gone for the moment, we're still in a bad situation.
"The first thing we should do is find out what we still have." I tell Akko.
I dig my hand into my satchel, seeing what we still have left.
Most of what we had such as our limited food and gear have been lost by the river.
Even the satellite phone is long gone.
But still, there must be something that we can still use.
I let out a little gasp as I realize my wand is nowhere to be found.
Damn, it must've been lost when the ship sank.
Not that it was of any use right now anyway, I had already used it up during the first day.
And Akko and Lotte's wands aren't of any use either. Akko had already used it up fighting that monster, and Lotte used her magic to heal me.
We're now magic uses with no wands, no magic, on an island full of monsters.
That's just great…
But still, there must be something that we can do. Even without magic, we're not entirely out of luck yet.
"Well, we still need to get to the coast." I tell them. "That was the plan from the start."
We may as well carry on our original objective.
"Why the coast?" Akko asks me. "What can we find there? I saw we head inland, and look for any abandoned airplanes or something."
I shake my head at her suggestion.
"I don't think they'd still work." I tell her.
With the monsters, the elements of nature, and just sheer time, I'm sure that nothing no longer works on this island.
"No, we should head for the coast." I stand firm. "We're relatively close to Sicily, about forty kilometers from the island. If we can find a boat, even a little dingy, we can take it to Sicily in a day at most."
It may be a rough journey from this island to Sicily, but after we make it, we can get ahold of a phone, and contact either Luna Nova or my family, probably both.
"And what if there is no boat?" Akko questions me, frustration in her voice. "There's no plane, no boat, no electricity…"
Akko stops herself, her face growing a pale shade of white, her eyes wide at her epiphany.
In one swift motion, she throws her head towards the sky, screaming
"How am I going to show the world my magic when we're stuck on this island?!"
With a final grust of defeat, Akko falls flat on her back.
Even if I hate to admit it, Akko is right.
If we were to remain on this island, not just her dream would be ruined.
She may want to become the next Shiny Chariot, but how am I going to restore my family's glory?
Don't get me wrong, I love my siblings to death, but none of them seem capable of taking over the family, nor continue on any Roman Pride.
I must continue the legacy of my family, no, make it stronger than ever.
I swear, the Sempronia gens will be just as famous as that of House Cavendish!
My mind jumps around, thinking of any trick or situation that could get us out of here, anything at all.
In terms of fighting, there's not much any of us three can do. None of us are very strong or athletic, and whatever magic we once had is now useless. One of us doesn't have a wand, and the other two have already exhausted their last reserves.
My mind then goes to what I was doing before the cage fell in the water.
"The satellite phone..." I recount, rubbing my chin in thought. "Before we went under, I managed to call Diana and get a message out to her."
Akko looks up at me, still on the ground, fresh tears now in her eyes.
I also feel the gaze of Lotte, both of the witches have grown anxious in my next words.
"With any luck, she was able to hear that we were in trouble." I tell the two. "And she can send someone to rescue us."
Diana has always been a very intelligent and resourceful woman. There is no way she took my calling as anything but a distress signal. Why, I bet she has already mobilized every able body she could find.
And if the search were to start in Europe, then that only leaves one place for us to go.
"I say we head to the Northern side of the island." I inform them. "That is the side facing Sicily, where help will most likely come from."
Surprisingly, rather than show excitement, Akko lets out a loud and obnoxious grunt.
"That Diana!" Akko huffs, folding her arms against her chest. "If that pompous knowitall somehow manages to rescue us…"
She stops, her face growing a dark red, herself violently biting at her upper lip, her eyes bulging with rage.
I almost feel a tinge of fear as I ask
"Yes?"
Upon my words, her cheeks only seem to bulge farther, herself clearing holding back emotions of some kind.
I haven't seen her this angry in awhile, and all at just the mention of Diana!
"Then…"
She takes a moment to turn her back to me, not wanting to face me as she finally cries out
"Then I think I might hate her less!"
She then spins back to me, her expression only worse.
"There I said it!" She explodes to me, her face a dark red, her arms thrown in the air in exclamation. "Are you happy now?!"
I can't help but let out a thin smile even under her shouts.
I'm tempted to respond to her, but hold back my tongue.
Just Akko's words are enough.
I'm not sure what Diana would think of what Akko just uttered.
Glancing at Lotte, I see her sharing a similar expression to mine.
The Finn can also see through the rage of Akko, caused by the very thought of her and Diana actually getting along.
Whether it's possible or not, it sure would make life much easier at that school.
Either way, while the thought of those two getting alongs pleases me, it means little right now.
What we need to focus on is getting to the coast, and soon.
The sooner we get there, the sooner something will hopefully happen.
Whether that's a rescue party already there or an old rusty boat that we can use, it makes no difference.
It's our best chance of getting out of her alive.
Following the river proves to be a rather easy feat, all we have to do is follow the flow of the river, and it should drain into the ocean or somewhere close.
By now, the sun has risen high in the sky, many of the dark and stormy clouds from before now gone with the wind, revealing a bright and light sky.
Perhaps it's noon right now.
Surprisingly, even after hours of walking, Akko seems to still contain an inhumane amount of energy, herself a fair bit ahead of Lotte and I.
She may not contain the same bounce in her steps that she had during school time, but she still shows more energy than Lotte and I combined.
I swear, I can even hear Akko humming a tune of some kind.
I have to admit, we're making good time.
The lush grasslands of the areas inland have all but disappeared, the river long since gone.
We walk on dirty sand now, through a dense foliage of palm trees and brush, the sounds of the roaring ocean audible, but still distant.
I can even detect a faint scent of salt in the air.
Akko continues to move on, while the two of us follow her a good ten feet behind.
However, I rather prefer this, giving Lotte and I the rare chance of a talk since this whole expedition took place.
"You really had us worried, Theodore…" Lotte brings up once again. "When Akko and I popped out of the water, but you weren't there...it scared me."
Her words weigh heavy on my heart, they really do.
The last thing I would want would be for Lotte to worry about me, to feel sad and depressed on my account.
"I just…"
I struggle to find the right words.
I try and be strong around her, especially in this difficult situation that we're in.
Lotte is someone that I had pledged to protect a while ago.
Admitting weaknesses have never come easy to me, more so around people like Lotte or Diana.
"It's just that I can't swim, I never learned how." I finally tell her. "When we fell in, I couldn't do anything."
This stops Lotte, herself casting a glance at me.
I wonder what she is thinking.
Perhaps she's confused that I never learned to swim.
To my surprise, she seems to understand my dilemma, not calling attention to it, and instead focusing on the situation itself.
"I can only imagine..." Lotte sympathetically declares. "Being in that cage while we were sinking in that rough water, with that monster closing in...it was a real struggle for all of us."
I'm not sure on this topic, but I can only guess that Lotte isn't the strongest of swimmers, myself not even being one of course.
While I went limp almost immediately, I can only imagine the struggle that Lotte must've faced in that turbulent water.
Akko may have been able to fight the current, but for a girl like Lotte to do it?
I'm just glad she was able to make it in one piece.
As if guessing the question on my mind, Lotte tells me
"I remember Bob had to grab me and swim me to safety."
Bob saved Lotte's life?
So, my earlier thoughts were right after all.
Bob Jones saved Lotte, someone who means so much to me.
"What a good guy…" I let out a heavy sigh.
Even after how we lied to him, tricked him into coming here, he still saved Lotte, at the cost of his own.
"Yeah, he was…" She mutters in agreement.
No more words are spoken, carried off by the wind as we allow a moment of silence to Bob.
But not only Bob, but Brad and Tom. It was these three men who died, gave their lives one way or another, for us.
When we return to Luna Nova, we might receive special treatment for our survival, but we don't deserve it. All the honor truly goes to these three brave men.
May the rest in-
"Let's rest here!"
Akko's sudden words breaks the silence, prompting Lotte and I to exchange a glance at each other.
Just what has Akko found?
We catch up to her, seeing the spot she has chosen with our own eyes.
It's a small clearing, an open area of sand in the dense palm trees.
Even if the roar of the ocean grows closer, so does my limit.
While my body is still numb from my soaked clothes, the burning sensation in my legs is as hard as ever.
Much walking has taken place these past few days, all with little rest and little food.
The last time we had eaten was yesterday, and that was only rationed out granola.
Today we had no food, besides the mouthful of river water my lungs consumed earlier.
Either way, a quick time for rest does sound very good right now.
Besides, the sand just looks so soft, even the trees seem like they would be comfortable.
It's as good as any.
"I agree." I tell her, finding a relaxing spot on this hard and cold tree to the avail. "We should rest."
The girls take their own positions, allowing all of us this rare moment of rest.
I keep an ear on alert, on a constant search for any roar or noise from a creature, but hear nothing.
It's as if the whole island has grown silent.
I've heard that the bigger monsters tend to stay in the center of the island, but I have no idea for sure.
I'm just glad that all seems to be peaceful right now.
But even if we've found a peaceful spot to rest our legs, unpleasantness still lingers.
Even as the sun slowly started to dry out our clothes, it still has a rough dampness that rubs me raw whenever we walk. It is truly awful.
Even sitting down on wet pants isn't a pleasant feeling, as dirt and sand clings to my clothing like a magnet.
In fact, if it weren't for the hope of a rescue, I would've given up hope awhile ago.
I really wish Diana was here right now.
She would probably give me a warm and protective hug right before slapping all the worry and nervousness out of us.
She's always strong like that, and would've already had a ten step plan to get off of this cursed island.
I let out a lonely sigh as I think of her.
I really hope she understood my message.
It was so brief and muffled that it could have easily been misheard.
I've tried to be strong, but taking this time to sit down and relax has made me tired, almost sleepy, like I just don't want to continue this trek anymore.
I take a deep breath through my nose, leaning my head back against the tree.
I could take a good, long nap now, just close my eyes and sleep forever.
The sounds of the birds chirping, the wind blowing are all that greet us, until Akko breaks the silence.
"Hey, Ted…" Akko begins, casting me a longing stare. "You're Italian, right?"
That's a strange question to ask, and a strange time to ask it.
I could've sworn I made that perfectly clear to everyone a few dozen times now.
"More specifically Roman." I remind her. "But what of it?"
She lets out a small chuckle, her pale face regaining some color as she clearly recalls something uplifting to her spirit.
She twiddles her thumbs in amusement.
"Well…" She asks me through her smile. "Do you know the story of the Italian Man Who Went To Malta?"
I almost let out an audible moan as she mentions that story.
Although I may of found it funny when I was a child, I only cringe now when I hear that title. The story is full of foul and rude language, as well as negative stereotypes towards my Mediterranean brothers and sisters.
"I was wondering if you could tell us that story…" She suggests, catching my lack of enthusiasm. "Considering you're, you know, Italian."
"Roman." I repeat myself, letting out a small huff at this.
You know, there are only so few people that I would do any ridiculous request for, no matter what it may be.
Trust me, it would've been much easier to do if someone like Diana or Anchovy had asked me to tell this tale.
For those two, who mean so much to me, I would have told the story in a heartbeat, even telling the lesser known French version. Lotte would've also been a hard one to deny.
Akko on the other hand...
She was the one who just saved my life only mere hours ago. Telling her this story for her amusement is the least I can do for her.
Besides the enthusiasm of Akko's face proves infectious, and the curious face of Lotte, are both hard to refuse.
It's just us friends here, friends who have been through so much together.
We've all made mistakes during our time at Luna Nova, and I believe that this story telling won't be a mistake.
I clear my throat, preparing myself for the story.
I tell the whole story in a mock Italian accent, much worse than any of my siblings.
"One a day I'm-a goin' to Malta to pick-a 'otel. In da morning I go-a down to eat-a da breakfast. I tell-a da waitress "I wanna two pieces of toast." She brings-a only one piece. I tell her "I wanna two piece." She tells me to go to the toilet. I say "You no understand, I wanna two piece on my plate!" She say "You betta not piss on the plate, you son of a beech!" I don't even know the lady, n' she call me a son of a beech! Later, I go to eat at a bigga restaurant. The waitress brings me a spoon and a knife, but-a no fork. I tell her "I wanna fork!" She tell me "Everybody wanna fuck."
I tell her "You no understand. I wanna fork on the table." She say "You betta not fuck on the table, you son of a beech! I go back to my room in-a hotel and there is no sheets on the bed.
I call the manager and say "I wanna sheet!" He tells me to go to the toilet. I say "You no understand, I wanna sheet on the bed." He says "You betta not shit on the bed, you son of a beech!" I go down to a checkout and the man at the desk say-a "Peace on you!" I say-a "Piss on you too, you son of a beech! I'm-a going back-a to Italia!"
I end the story by letting out sarcastic cry of
"Arrivederci!"
Upon my swift ending, the two girls can no longer contain the laughter they've built up, the two exploding in their own ways.
My eyes drift to Lotte, seeing that she found the story a fair bit funny, herself laughing lightly in her shirt sleeve.
It's good to hear her laugh...
However, Akko has already thrown her head back, letting out a hardly laugh, herself only stopping to take a few quick breaths.
She points a finger at me, her face growing even more red, her laughter only getting louder.
It's almost obnoxious.
"Alright, Akko…" I mutter to her, crossing my arms in slight annoyance. "I get it. It was funny. You can stop laughing now."
Surprisingly, my words seem to stop her, as she immediately ceases her laughter, her face growing rather pale.
Did my comment really hurt her that much?
The last thing I want to do is cause turmoil within Akko, especially considering I'd be dead if not for her.
"Akko…" I begin, reaching out to her. "Are you-"
"Hush!" She shoves a finger to my lips, her head tilted towards the clear sky.
The three of us grow silent, ears turned to whatever has made Akko so alert.
I can hear a dim sound in the sky, almost like a low hum, or something chopping?
"What's that?" Akko whispers towards us.
"Is it another monster?!" Lotte cries out in fear, her face growing a few shades whiter.
I listen in on the sound as well.
It's faint, but is seemingly growing louder.
It's nothing from any creature that I've ever heard before, and sounds more machine than monster.
Could it really be?
I almost feel a tear of joy appear in my eye, myself taking a steady sigh of relief.
"That's a helicopter…" I mutter, turning towards the direction or origin.
I feel my heart skip a beat, it's coming from the coast.
At the drop of a hat, all three of us scamper from our positions as if our lives depend on it.
In an unorganized fashion, we three break off into a full on sprint, adrenaline giving us the strength and power to carry on, no matter the pain in our legs.
The weariness we once felt is no more, the hunger in our stomachs have been replaced by the hunger of freedom.
We break the treeline, and the beach comes into full view.
The shimmering clear waters of the Mediterranean meet us, completely opposite of that of the gloomy and cloudy morning that the island brought us.
But what stands out the most is what is in front of us.
It's a helicopter, just sitting on the sandy beach.
It's almost picturesque, something taken out of an action magazine.
For just one second, I'm sent into a state of astonished shock, only staring at the helicopter, my mouth hanging open.
Is it even real?
Only when I hear the cries of a man am I sent back into reality.
"Theodore?!" A voice cries into a megaphone towards us. "Theodore Sempronia?!"
The booming sound is a welcome on the island, the only friendly voice we've heard in the few days that we've been on here.
Not even him calling out my name, but just his mere presence. Even if his face is unknown in that helicopter, I can tell that he's here for us.
"Wow…" Lotte turns to me, herself letting out a relieved laugh. "You have to thank Diana now…"
I smile at the whole scene.
Never before would I think that a helicopter would provide me with so much joy, so much relief.
It's as if the blonde angel had sent a gift from heaven, one that would finally break us free from this place, after so long...
"God bless you, Diana…" I mutter under my breath, not referring to that Roman God from before.
I can't wipe the smile off my face, my eyes growing a bit wet, my lips in a slight tremble.
Even as the three of us take steps towards the helicopter, my legs shake, my knees buckle, my whole body is going limp and weak.
All the past adrenaline has been replaced with comfort, an ease that has made the last of my strength almost gone.
Only the prospect of rescue fuels me now.
My smile grows three times wider as Akko and Lotte are pulled into the helicopter.
They're finally safe!
With a strong hand, I'm pulled into the helicopter as well.
The feeling of solid metal underneath my feet is welcoming, a stable foundation, unlike the sands and dirt of Filicudi.
"Now, is this man with you?" The man asks us.
"What?" I ask, not understanding his question.
What man?
"Is this man with you?" He asks again, pointing with a finger at someone.
Following his finger, I see someone laying down on a stretcher.
It's Bob Jones.
Yes, it's him, well worn and properly hurt, but still very much alive.
It almost amazed me to see the body take on such a beating, and yet still function properly.
"Hey, you three made it…" He murmurs to us, a thin smirk on his face.
Between his lips, I can see that a few teeth are also missing.
I'm not going to lie, Bob and I had a shaky history with each other, all starting when I lied to him, and he punched me in the face.
But now, I can't even let out a proper word, myself too happy and stunned to still see him breathing.
I try to think of something to say, but what could really match my emotions?
"Y-yeah." Is all I'm able to get out.
Honestly, just what can you say to this?
With visible struggle, he holds up one of his injured arms, holding something that looks strikingly familiar.
"I rescued your wand…" He moans out to me, holding it out to me in a broken grip.
I take it with a shaky hand, analyzing the damages.
The whole shaft of the wand is snapped in half, held together only by a few thin wood fibers, the whole hilt riddled in bite marks.
There's no doubt that this wand is now useless, broken beyond repair, no hope left.
But that doesn't matter, not now.
My future diploma of Luna Nova could've been burned and destroyed, and that wouldn't bother me.
I'm just so glad that we're finally off this damned island.
I take it, trying to hold back my smile.
Honestly, I'm just happy that at least one of them survived.
"Well…" I tell him, putting my wand back into my satchel. "That's the important thing…"
Wrecking this moment, the rescuer asks us
"Can I get you to please buckle up so we can leave?"
The man doesn't need to tell us twice, ourselves sitting down in the seats, the two girls at either of my sides.
I, for one, wish to leave as soon as possible, and I'm sure everyone can agree.
The helicopter struts leave contact with the sandy beaches, as the whole aircraft is propelled into the air.
I feel a great weight lift off my shoulders, my body relaxing, as whatever adrenaline once flowed through me has now died down.
I look down on the small island as it slowly shrinks from my vision.
Filicudi, a small island in the Mediterainan, once homed to a vibrant culture and a successful tourist industry. Now it's in waste and disrepair, where the only law is the law of club and fang, and the only industry is that of violence and death.
Whether the island is really full of treasure or not, it does not matter.
Six people went into Filicudi, only four made it out, one of them barely clinging to life, as the other three sit in silence, overcome by the horrors they had witnessed.
But now it's over. This damned island adventure that has caused so much pain, so much decline and damage is finally over.
With a wave of relief washing over all of us, Akko reaches over to my grabbing both myself and Lotte in a tight hug.
Lotte returns the hug, myself effectively being in the middle of our three way embrace.
Under their warmth, even the cold dampness of my clothing stands no chance, myself feeling quite toasty.
With their hearts beating against my body, I'm reminded, we're all alive.
I'm the center of our embrace, the warmth of both girls penetrating the coldness of my clothes.
I swear, if I didn't have a girlfriend, I would kiss everyone here, even Bob.
I'm just so glad that we finally made it out of that nightmare, and we're going to leave everything here behind, never having to look at it again.
We faced death and made it out the other side, we survived Hell and only received minor burns.
Although I can't say the same thing for a few of us, our two pilots Brad and Tom, I can fully thank them for all they did for us.
They were two of the three adults on this expedition, they flew us there, and kept us safe.
Akko told me how Tom fell, distracting that damned Death Worm as the rest escaped from the wreckage of the plane.
Although Brad's death was one that wasn't clearly as seen, he kept my two great friends, Akko and Lotte, safe while I was with Bob. He made sure these two girls would survive, and for that, his sacrifice will be known.
Truly, I will never forget those two brave men who gave their lives trying to save us.
It is only when Akko nudges me do my thoughts go to her.
"What are we going to tell the school?" I hear Akko ask us two, her voice full of worry.
That's right, we came here for the sake of the school.
With Luna Nova's Witch Parade destroying what little money the school had left, they were effectively, and still are, pinned against the wall.
We were sent here to retrieve treasure, artifacts of any kind, but that's not what happened.
It was all in vain. All the time, money, energy, and most importantly, lives, were all wasted. There was not a spec of treasure on this island, except…
My mind flashes to the ring which I acquired earlier.
Taking it out of my pocket, I look it over, the Mediterranean sun giving it a healthy shine.
A simple gold band, with a gem of some kind in the middle, made in a far away time, and claimed by the island's monsters long ago.
It's still a little wet, but it's a fine piece, definitely worth something. A decent gift for a lady as fine as Diana.
I'm sure she'll love it.
"I'm not sure, Akko." I tell her, putting the ring back into my pocket.
Truth be told, even after we get back to the school, our nightmare isn't over. I'm sure word has already gotten out to the Principal and others of what has happened. I can only imagine what they think right now…
No, not quite on our failure, but just on the whole situation at hand.
They put their students' lives in danger, and they didn't even know it.
Things will definitely be different once we return, that's a guarantee.
"But whatever it is, we'll face it together." I tell give, giving them both a
After what we faced on the island, I believe that the three of us are ready for anything that we may be facing upon our return.
It may be bad, but nothing close to what just took place these past few days.
No matter what happens next, if the school is closed down for good, if I never see these two girls next to me again, at least I know that I'll see Diana's bright and smiling face when we return.
And that's enough, at least for now.
Author's Note: Well, I hope all of you enjoyed my grand return and the new chapters that will come out.
However, I'm now in a situation where I'm writing two stories at once, something I've never done before.
How well received this returning story is will determine how often I'll upload here. My next chapter will be in my MLP story, and so might the next one following, depending on the activity here. I'll still make chapters for this story, but it won't be as frequent as before.
I'm just dipping my toe in the water to see just how alive my grand audience still is.