Kenji almost slapped his head down onto the table, 'No if I fall asleep Sucy will pour some potion on me...I can still feel the itchiness on my back..' He shivered in his seat catching sight of a waiting Sucy beside him.

He mouthed menacingly, 'Don't you dare!'

Sucy simply smirked to himself swirling a potion in her hands causing him to scoot himself further away from her and accidently closer to Akko, "Kenji what are you doing pay attention.." She grumbled blankly watching Miss Badcock drone on about the history of magic.

They both looked at her in realization to what she'd said, "Did you really just say that?" He snickered playfully.

She had the same smirking look on her face letting out a brief exhale, "All the lack of sleep from revising with Lotte has gotten me out of character," She joked stretching her arm behind her back.

"Yeah.." Kenji yawned into his arm leaning over his desk tuning out the teacher's lecture, "Why am I so unlucky that when I get sent to another world, I'm still in school I was on summer break back home!"

Throwing his arms forward in annoyance, Kenji made a note to keep his voice down as angering Miss Badcock would lead to whole other lecture for the entire class, he'd been on the receiving end of it before and the class wasn't happy in the slightest.

"Say Kenji what did you do back home exactly?" Akko spoke up getting dangerously close to his face.

"W-Well, I mean w-what do you think I did it was just normal teenager stuff, I hung out with my friends after school and on the weekends and went to school on the other days.." Akko held a bored expression at his reply.

'What the hell was she expecting me to say!?'

"Don't look at me like that, my world doesn't have magic it's just a boring world that's slowly killing itself," He dryly joked.

"That's weirdly dark Kenji.."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Sucy chuckled to them smiling as she mixed ingredients together in a bowl.

"Although to be fair my sisters the amazing one," Kenji spoke up thinking to himself.

"Your sister her names Iina right?" Akko quirked her eyebrow tilting her head against the desk.

"Yeah, she'd usually go out and do crazy stuff with my dad I was supposed to do some skydiving with them over the summer actually guess that plan's thrown out the window..." Kenji sulked sinking further into his seat.

Akko frowned nervously sneaking glances at him, "Oh...sorry about that."

"Eh what are you apologizing for?"

"W-Well.." She scratched her cheek sheepishly, "It was my fault you got sent here remember when I used the shiny rod," Akko explained hanging her head remorsefully.

'Does she still feel guilty about that I haven't even thought about blaming her...come to think of it is it even her fault'

"You know Akko, someone else got sent to your world a while ago so it might not actually be your fault especially if the crystal revealed itself to me!" He expressed cheerfully smiling to himself at the suggestion.

'Not to mention all those memories that I saw god those have been keeping me up for a couple days..what were they trying to tell me!'

"Anyway Akko...don't beat yourself up about it just cause I'm feeling a little homesick I'm fine really," Kenji reassured gently patting her on the head stopping when he could feel Sucy's gaze right through him.

"You move fast Kenji or is this just what all boys are like?" She teased giggling to herself.

"Not as fast as you when you see mushrooms or is that just what all witches are like?" He countered watching Sucy click her tongue in annoyance turning away from him in a huff.

Kenji: 1 Sucy: 0

'After being crushed by Sucy for several days I'll finally win against her in comebacks!'

The school bell rang before Akko could speak up, she hung her head trying to avoid Kenji catching her flushed face, "He acts all embarrassed and then he does that..." She mumbled to herself.

"Kenji must be really homesick huh.." Lotte said casually putting the rest of her books into her bag.

"Yeah..I guess."


'He just patted her head what's he doing that for!?'

Diana unconsciously scrunched her quill at the sight it wasn't enough for anyone to notice though, "C'mon Diana that was the bell I heard there selling fried pork for lunch today!" Barbara drooled a bit just thinking of it.

"What's with you and fried pork?" Hannah said quizzically in a teasing tone at the end of the sentence.

"It's just the superior food that's all, hey Diana are you come...ing" Barbara trailed off catching sight of Diana's platinum blonde as she darted from her chair and out the room.

"What's up with her?" Barbara questioned.

"Dunno she is Diana she probably has something important to do," Hannah suggested picking up he bag, "Now let's get going wouldn't want you to miss out on your precious fried pork."

Slowly lagging behind the group, Diana couldn't help but eavesdrop on their conversation, "Hey Kenji what are your parents like?" Lotte asked earning a weird look from him.

"What's wrong?"

"O-Oh well I'm just not used to initiating a conversation you know you should do it more often," Kenji complimented nonchalantly shifting his hands into his pockets catching Lotte smiling slightly.

"To answer your question, I think all me and my dad really had in common was being bad in crowds we both can't handle it one time we won some sports event and a news reporter asked us some question if my mum wasn't there we would've just been frozen through the whole thing," He explained laughing alongside Akko and Sucy.

"I'd say I'm definitely closer to my mum, she's the one who taught me how to cook, not to mention we always go to the movies together we'd even make it a weekly thing it'd mostly be horror movies though even if she'd be scared throughout the whole thing," Kenji finished a nostalgic look of joy across his face.

"You miss them huh," Akko said turning to him.

Kenji inaudibly nodded fiddling with the string around his neck revealing the green crystal, "That's why I want to get back home as soon as possible they're probably really worried about where I am," He sighed moving it around in his hands a faint green glow illuminating from it.

'I'm sure with my status I could access some of the older archives...but it's not because I want to help him, I just feel bad for him that's all!'

"You what are you doing just standing there?" Sucy spoke up glancing at Diana.

"Sucy did you seriously forget her name?" Kenji gasped sarcastically earning him a scowl from the girl.

"Nah I just wanted to see her reaction," She snickered pointing at Diana's reaction.

Her entire face was scrunched up in irritation pursing her lips out, "Anyway..." She exhaled stopping any kind of insult from spilling out, "I couldn't help but overhear what you were saying and I may have a way to find some more information about it-"

Before she could finish Kenji blurred in front of her grabbing onto her shoulders, "Really you do can you take me there I'd really appreciate it, Diana!" He exclaimed as Diana's face exploded into a red blush from the closeness.

"Y-Yeah I'll need permission from Miss Finnelan but then we can go," She stuttered keeping her to the ground speeding to the headmaster's office.

"Well, I'm gonna get going if anyone has a way to get me back home then it's probably Diana see you guys later," Kenji was practically shining waving the three off.

"He sure changed his tune fast," Sucy commented dryly, "Well I'll be working on a potion if you need me, but if you can help it then don't need me.." Before either of them could argue she'd already disappeared from the hallway.

Lotte laughed sheepishly tapping the sullen looking Akko, "C'mon Akko let's just head back to our room I'll lend you one of my nightfall books," Her suggestion fell under deaf ears.

"Hey Lotte," Akko finally spoke up her usually bright and wide red eyes now small and glum, "Have you ever thought about Kenji leaving to go back home?"

The freckled girl paused for a second to think, "Not really, I always wondered what it be like when he left it'd be pretty weird having him around for so long and then never being able to talk to him again..."

"I guess I've been too caught up in everything we've done since he got here, I never really thought about what would happen when he left," Akko sighed ruffling up her hair.

"Yeah, we've done a lot since he got here especially that whole incident with purple raven last week.." Lotte shuddered at the memory, "Too many feathers."

"I wonder if he'll forget about us when he goes home," Akko murmured out loud snapping her mouth shut.

"I don't think he'd forget any of this besides we can't postpone the inevitable Akko, he has to go home eventually we'll just have to make the most of it until he does leave!" Lotte exclaimed enthusiastically.

Akko nodded her head in understanding, "Well if we have to spend as much time with Kenji as possible then let's get going, we can't let Diana keep him all to himself!" She yelled out grabbing onto Lotte wrist before she could say anything darting down the hallway.


"Miss Finnelan gave you permission pretty quickly huh," Kenji spoke up shuffling through a bookshelf, "But I'm not surprised barely any students are allowed in here some of these books are really ancient!"

Picking up another, Kenji dusted the cobwebs off the cover blowing away the dust in the process, "'Carlos Bandersnatch's Lessons in higher level magic, wow this is useless!"

'Not to mention the weird capitalized letter c'mon it's even on the cover of the book standards people..'

"It's not useless great witches would've used those books teachings I'm confident there are some powerful spells to learn in that book," Diana spoke up from below him, it almost looked like she was sorting through the books.

'Wait is she..?'

"Are you alphabetizing the books!?" Kenji cried watching Diana visibly flinch coughing into her hand not looking him in the eyes.

"N-No w-why would I be doing that i-it be p-pointless to what we're doing here," She stammered shuffling the books yet again.

"Yeah, yeah whatever little miss perfect just try and look for a book I can use to get home while you're doing it," Kenji ignored her reply flipping through the pages of different book.

After a few minutes a peaceful silence fell over the two, the only sound was pages being overturned and books slumping against their shelves, 'Oh 'Portals for Witches' and it's made by that Bandersnatch guy again he must've been a famous wizard back in the day'

As he skimmed through the entire book, he stopped at one of the pages in the middle, "It is not yet known if other worlds completely different to ours exist yet but if we can find a way to open a Portal to other worlds with our combined magic, for now though it remains a mystery," He read the extract out loud.

'There's another capitalized letter did Carlos just not proof read his books?'

"Kenji!" A sweet voice called out to him alerting him to look down from the ladder, "I'm not sure if it's much but this book has an illustration of the crystal you carry round your neck," Diana explained batting her eyes at him.

'Is she trying to be cute or what?'

Sighing the blush from his face, Kenji climbed down the ladder jumping down next to her jolting her up slightly, "Sorry did I scare you eel ha-" Kenji didn't have enough time to finish the insult having a book slam down on his head.

"I told you to call me Diana I thought we'd gotten past this!" She folded her arms in a pout glaring back at him.

"That's not menacing in the slightest stick to your usual intimidating glare with your hands on your hips, anyway ignoring the slander of your hair what did you find?" Kenji leaned over her shoulder glancing at the opened book.

"Ohh that does look a lot like my crystal," He placed it against the cover for reference, "Yep it's pretty much the same."

He continued scanning through the book his eyes scanning along the words, "Diana who the hells Carlos Bandersnatch?"

"What you mean the author of the book, it confused me as well there are so many books in here written by him but I've never even heard of him," Diana explained with the slight confusion.

'Most witches can use crystal to imbue them with even more magical power, it usually is just a One time use'

"There it is again!" Kenji shouted out in vexation pointing at the page.

"There's what?" Diana peaked at the book blushing a bit at the zero amount of distance between them.

Kenji shoved the book in front of her, "Look there's a capitalization here, even when I've been skimming through these, I always see it and it's not like it's even in every book!"

"It's not in every book what other were they in?" Diana questioned now genuinely curious.

"Uh gimme a sec," He darted up the ladder sliding back down within a couple seconds, "These two have a capitalised l and p in them but these one on herbs and spices for potions don't have any it's really...I wanna say confusing but that doesn't fit,"

"Alluring," Diana corrected scanning through all the different books.

Kenji clicked his fingers in agreement, "That's it that's the word, doesn't mean it makes any more sense then though.."

"Let's stop looking for random books and try to find any made by Carlos Bandersnatch I'll check the bottom you check the top throw any books down that have a capitalised words in them," Diana ordered much like a military sergeant.

"Yes ma'am!" Kenji replied saluting her off as he sped up the ladder.

Immediately the two turned over several books looking for any capitalised letter, "Carlos, Carlos come to me Carlos!" Kenji spoke to himself out loud.

"Please don't phrase it like that.." Diana said from the floor.

"Alright I've found a couple, any luck on your side?" Kenji questioned making his way down to the floor scattering the books on the floor.

"I've found a couple yes, but only one of them had a capital a," Diana said disappointed putting the rest of the dusted books back.

"Well, I found this sentence, 'When Summoning the right familiar you must stay focused at all timeS'" Kenji read the book out loud.

'Huh there's another capitalised S'

Diana pulled out a worn and ripped book covered in cobwebs from underneath the bottom shelf, "I found this accidently but I think the top reads Carlos Bandersnatch," she said opening the book frowning at the practically disappeared paper.

"Wait I can make out one sentence, 'Two whom Is reading this forgotten Relic, I hope you've searched for the Fountain of Polaris and found the crystal I imbedded inside it if you've been lead here than use these words as co-ordinates for the book about-"

"Huh why'd you stop?"

"That's it the rest is too faded for me to make any sense of it, but to use the words as co-ordinates we have a P, L, O, S, I, A, R and another S what could those be used for?"

'Oh shit!'

"I-It's Polaris the words together make up Polaris," Kenji quickly scanned the room, "And each shelf has an index labelled with a letter from the alphabet that's how we find the book!" He deduced glancing at a gobsmacked Diana.

"What?"

"I don't know...what you just said sounded too smart to come from you."

"I'll ignore my bruised ego for now let's just find where each letter is labelled," Kenji scowled at her sliding around the shelves.

"Well, you have been hanging out with Akko a lot maybe she rubbed off on you," Diana joked laughing to herself.

"Oh, low blow she's not even here to defend herself besides Akko can be smart when she wants to be," Kenji smirked to himself mentally mapping all the letters he'd spotted.

'Diana should be where the A is labelled so...if I've pinpointed this correctly then the book should be hidden behind...'

Kenji reached for the book in the shelf only to brush against another palm, "Huh Diana how'd you get up here so quickly-" He turned expecting to meet eyes with the blonde.

'Why..'

"Uhhh hi Kenji!" Akko gleamed grinning back at him.


"Ow stop hitting me Kenji I'm sorry!" Akko whined rubbing the red mark on her forehead.

"You were here the whole time and just kept your mouth shut, wait what are you even doing here?" Kenji scolded in irritation.

Lotte sheepishly smiled at the confrontation scratching the back of her head, "Sorry, Kenji I tried to stop her but she insisted on coming to help you out."

"And I did look I even found the book you we're looking for Kenji!" Akko smiled holding it out to him proudly, "What's it about anyway.."

"We don't know yet but we believe it might help get Kenji home," Diana explained reaching for the book surprised at Akko's sudden pullback.

"S-Sorry reflex.." Akko stammered handing to book to the platinum blonde.

"Alright let's finally see what this book's about!"

As Diana turned to Kenji with the book a loose page slipped from it landing at Akko's feet, "O-Oh Kenji you dropped...this," She trailed off her eyes drifting over the ripped paper.

"This looks like a map for something..." Akko mumbled her voice barely noticeable.

'It could be something to get Kenji home..'

She unconsciously scrunched the piece of paper in her hand, "There's nothing in here, that's weird it's definitely written by Carlos Bandersnatch so what's the bid idea?" Kenji frowned in annoyance flipping through the book once again.

Akko stared at the wrinkled paper and then back at the two, 'I should give this to Kenji, it's probably the page he's been looking for'

Instead, she scrunched the piece of paper into a ball hiding it in her pocket before anyone could see, "What a waste of time we did all that for a book and advanced magic, I can't even use magic!" Kenji growled in frustration pulling at his hair.

"We just have to keep looking maybe the books been moved the teachers do use the archives as well," Diana suggested patting him gently on the shoulder smiling up at him.

Kenji returned it snapping the book shut, "Right, and with Akko and Lotte here it should be a lot easier to sort through these books,"

"I'll make sure I do what I can't help!" Lotte said enthusiastically.

"Akko?"

"Y-Yeah K-Kenji I'll make sure I help out to!" The brunette spluttered robotically making her way to another bookshelf.

'She's acting suspicious...oh well I won't question it an airhead always a mystery!'

Akko shuffled throughout several books not wanting to have to talk to anyone in the room, 'I should give it back and act like I found it on the ground yeah I could do that, I should do that!'

Her body completely ignored what she was thinking reaching for a dark, worn purple book hidden at the back of a shelf. The cover seemed to have dragon script across it which was complete gibberish to her.

"Hey Kenji you should look at this book I think there's dragon script on here.." She explained sheepishly holding the book out to them.

"Bring on the translator!" Kenji announced pointing up into the air.

Diana rolled her eyes behind them taking the book from Akko examining the front cover, "Well it's quite worn, I can only make up a few words but one definitely says open..."

"That feels a little obvious," Lotte spoke up climbing down to them, "Considering it is a book."

"Hah yeah but being obvious is a lot more helpful then putting up a scavenger hunt.." Kenji mumbled to himself, "Enough stalling let's just read it-"

A blinding purple light emanated from the pages soon surrounding the floor below the group, "Oh goddammit..." Kenji let out on exhale of admitted defeat as the glow flowed around them.


"Why does this happen every time!" Kenji cried dramatically sobbing against the ground.

"Aw don't be such a stick in the mud Kenji, who doesn't enjoy some life-or-death danger every now and then," Akko joked sympathetically patting him on the back.

"The death part is what worries me.."

Diana dusted herself off brushing her hand against the walls, "I think we're in a maze," She concluded alerting Kenji up from the floor.

"No, no please not a maze.."

"Don't tell me your scared of mazes Kenji," Akko giggled softly.

He frowned at the brunette lightly hitting her across the head, "No I'm not scared of mazes who would be...I'm just really bad at them it's actually getting sad at this point," Kenji explained nervously scratching his cheeks.

"I don't think that'll be a problem since we have Diana with us," Lotte said thankfully pulling her wand from her pocket, "We can use magic as well so we should be fine."

"Your way to optimistic Lotte, but there's no point sulking about it the sooner we get back the sooner I can keep looking for a way back home," Kenji announced not catching the frantic look on Akko's face.

"Y-Yeah w-we can keep looking when we get back.."

Diana's wand glowed a bright green, she flicked it in front of her, "Alright everyone gather up we're going to float above the wall it'll be easier to find the exit that way," She enchanted a spell under her breath floating the four into the air.

'Ah good old plot holes, don't know why they didn't just do this in maze runner..'

Suddenly, an invisible barrier stopped them from going up further hurdling them back to the ground, "Why didn't it work I was sure I performed the spell correctly," Diana murmured checking her wand.

"Maybe we're too far from the sorcerer's stone being trapped in a book might not give us the right amount of magic," Lotte suggested earning an agreeing sigh from Diana.

"I don't think that's it, something stopped us from floating any higher if we we're too far from the magic the spell wouldn't have worked altogether but we were stopped just before we reached the top so it's the maze itself that won't let us get close, who was this smart to make a maze like this!?" Kenji exclaimed groaning loudly.

"I guess we'll just have to find a way through the maze," Diana said closing Kenji's mouth shut.

"Yes, adventure awaits let's get a move on!" Akko declared marching forward.

'I'm seriously gonna die here..'

He shook his head in amusement, watching the brunette stomp forward in stride, 'I guess being here longer isn't all bad if I'm with all my friends.'

"Well, this maze seems largely empty so all we have to do is find our way through that should be fairly easy," Diana said out loud running ahead of Akko and Lotte.

Kenji followed soon after them, "Why are you all walking so fast I thought you said we weren't in a hurr-"

Bricks soared out from the walls shuffling up and down the maze walls morphing into a collection of rocks in front of the group. Eyes cracked open at the front of the rock manifestation glowing dark orange.

"What the shit!" Kenji shouted backing away from the creature.

"This must be the keeper of the maze!" Diana guessed already reaching for her wand.

"Yeah, how'd you figure that!?" Akko choked out her eyes glued to the rock creation.

"Well, it might be because it formed when we showed up- oh your being facetious aren't you."

Diana furrowed her brows unamused by her snarky comment, "This is bad it's a stone keeper guardian I've read about them, but there only used in dungeons which means..." Lotte paused freezing up.

Kenji finished for her his hands shaking, "We're in a dungeon, what kind of magical world has books that transport you to dungeons!"

"Quite a lot actually there's an enchantment you can put on a-"

"Not the time Lotte!"

The stone keeper growled watching them slowly walking away from it, he dug his jagged claws into the ground throwing the tiles into the air, "RAWWWWWRRRRR!" It screamed storming straight at them.

"RUN!" Kenji bellowed darting behind a turning in the maze following close behind a flailing Akko.

'Why can't gate keepers be tiny fairies like in in TenSura!'

"Diana, don't you have some kind of explosion spell or something to stop it from trying to kill us!"

"I can but I have to stand still to use it, that's kind of impossible right now."

'We have to witches who can use magic don't we!'

"Metamorphie Faciesse!" A voice announced out loud causing a bright green glow to erupt behind them.

Akko barrelled forward now in the form of an orange elephant with giant wings, she landed atop the rock covered beast cratering it into the ground, "Diana use your spell now!"

"Lotte hold it down with that gravity spell you've been practicing!" Kenji turned to her nodding his head.

"Aros Tares Feriare!" The spectacled witch chanted shooting out a black orb at the stone keeper pushing it deeper into the ground trapping it under Akko's feet.

Diana bent her knees in a stance grasping onto her wand with both hands, "Aru.." She started, sparking the green orb at the tip of her wand as if it were lightning, "JAWANA!"

Lightning bulleted out of the wand and straight through the stone keeper shocking its entire body, "Diana, you should've told me when you were going to shoot," Akko mumbled twirling around in a daze slumping to the floor changing back to normal.

The stone keeper didn't move from the ground a giant hold now through its chest, "You really are amazing Diana without you we would've been screwed," Kenji thanked dropping to the ground in exhaustion.

"O-Oh it w-was nothing I just performed a spell is all," Diana brushed her off her face slightly red.

"Hey without my help we wouldn't have got that stone thingy to the ground!" Akko pouted interrupting the two holding her head out as if she was asking to be praised.

Kenji scoffed before patting her head twice, "Yeah, yeah good job to you and you Lotte that gravity spell was something else."

"It was nice to see my practice payoff is all."

"Do you think that's it?" Diana queried picking herself up.

"Probably not if this is a dungeon then they'll be more things we'll have to get through," As if on cue a boulder fell from the sky landing directly in front of the group.

'You've got to be kidding me what the f-'


"Uh..uh..uh," Kenji panted slouching against the maze wall gasping for air.

"That was insane who even thinks of invisible archers!" Akko winced pulling an arrow out of her arm.

"Sickos that's who some deviant sicko thought of that!" Kenji barked resting his head in his knees.

"We're definitely getting closer to the end of the maze since we started, with just a couple more trials we should be done!" Diana smiled ignoring the stinging pain from the burn on her leg.

'This is hell..'

At that moment, the wall next to them slid into the ground revealing a whole other pathway, "Well that's just bad maze craftsmanship."

The four strolled through the now opened pathway, it was an empty brick layered plaza with a single purple void at the end of it, Akko's eyes glowed at the sight of it preparing to dart forward.

Kenji close lined his hand in front of her, "Stop, if this is a dungeon which by today's injuries it clearly is then if we step foot into the plaza than it'll trigger some final boss or something," He guessed getting a strange look from the girls.

"What?"

"Pfffff you're such a nerd Kenji," Akko snickered laughing in her hand.

"S-Shut it I'm not a nerd because I play video games!"

Kenji elbowed her jokingly stumbling her forward slightly, "Akko you dropped something," He pointed out picking up the balled of piece of paper unfolding it in his hand.

'This looks like it's from the book we couldn't find anything in it got the same handwriting and everything'

"U-Um Kenji y-you don't need to look at that," Akko swiftly grabbed for the paper missing just as Kenji pulled his hand back.

"Akko is this from the book we were looking for...did you take a page from it?" Kenji's normal questions quickly turned into interrogating.

"N-No it fell out I just picked it up."

"Then why didn't you say anything! it would've been easy to give this to me and it's a map for something connected to the crystal there's no way you didn't realize it could've been important yet you kept it to yourself!" Kenji's voice cracked slightly as he continued pestering Akko.

Akko held her arms up in defence, she could see his eyes droop down he didn't look angry or even disappointed.

He looked hurt.

"Kenji, I get your upset but we should calm down didn't you say this room could be a boss room-"

The previous wall shot back up from the ground trapping them all in the room, Kenji finally looked up from Akko his eyes widening at the flames lighting up around the small room.

'This is bad'

Bones pushed through the small cracks in the brick walls a pile beginning to form at the other side of the plaza, "Bones why?" Diana raised an eyebrow.

Answering her question, the skeleton pieces pulled themselves together growing bigger and bigger in size soon towering over the group. Arms formed on either side of its skeletal body followed by a large head made from fire.

"W-What the hell is that!" Kenji yelled his eyes not leaving the skeleton creature.

"Why did it have to be a skeleton!" Akko added receiving a glare from Kenji.

"Wouldn't matter to you Akko you'll probably just hide yourself you're good at doing that!" He snarled moving away from her.

"Are you just going to act petty, I didn't do it out of spite Kenji!" Akko explained frantically ducking under the skeletons swipe.

Kenji clicked his teeth glancing back at her, "Then why'd you steal it Akko!? I've been missing my home, my family and when I tell you about that the first thing you do his hide what can get me back!"

"Um Kenji, Akko could you maybe sort this out when we're not dying!?" Diana interrupted the two her words falling under deaf ears.

"That's why I hid I was scared!" She yelled back to him.

"Scared of what!?" Kenji shrieked back even louder flailing his hands about.

"That you'll leave and never come back!" Akko bellowed her voice turning hoarse at the volume.

It was as if the roaring skeleton creature had turned silent, "What..." He fiddled with the crystal over his shirt, "But why I've only been here for two months that's not a lot it wouldn't matter if I left-"

"Yes, it would, it would matter to me and I'm sure it would matter to Sucy, Amanda, Lotte and even Diana we're your friends Kenji!" Akko cried out her red eyes threatening to spill out with tears.

Kenji stood in silence swallowing the large lump now in his throat, "A-Akko...I-I didn't understand I'm s-sor-"

The floor ripped open beneath them, skeletal fingers pulled it up as if it were rug underneath his feet, the four were thrown into the air about to collide with the floor once again.

Diana performed her levitation spell once again stopping them from hitting the ground seconds before they actually did, 'R-Right there's still a giant skeleton trying to kill us..'

"Kenji/Akko are you two alright!?" Both Lotte and Diana yelled getting a silent nod from the both of them.

"I-I have a plan," Kenji practically mumbled from the ground.

They group turned to him in disbelief, "R-Really you have one already are you sure it'll work?" Lotte questioned still somewhat unconvinced.

In an instant, it was as if Kenji had flicked a switch in his head, he spoke quietly not wanting to draw the attention of the currently stagnant monster, "One major flaw of bosses like these is they're way too easy to knock over, so I'll tie up its ankles with...Akko," He nervously averted his eyes from hers.

"After we've got it to the ground, Lotte can use her metamorphosis magic to turn its arms into something immovable and then Diana can use a powerful water spell to finish it off," He finished looking back up to the three for any suggestions on the plan.

"That...is actually a very well thought out plan I suggest we do i-"

"RAWWWWWRRRR!" The skeleton growled punching at the ground digging up the earth of the plaza.

"Alright if we don't do it now, we'll probably die Diana, Lotte get ready!" Kenji grabbed at the chains slung across the top of the walls throwing the other side to Akko.

They crossed over each other wrapping the chains round the skeleton's legs, it fought back against their pulling lifting one of its fleshless legs into the air trying to restrain them, Kenji wrapped it round his shoulder with Akko doing the same.

"Metamorphie Faciesse!" Akko declared now in the form of a large falcon pulling on the chains with her talons.

With one final pull, the skeleton stumbled on its feet smacking onto the ground, Lotte nervously stood her ground flicking her wand at the creature a small green wisp floating round both its arm wrapping vines around them.

"You had a spell like that?" Kenji questioned tying the chains round it's legs into a knot.

"I just thought it'd be better to use then just metamorphosis magic.." Lotte said sheepishly.

'Now Diana just has to-'

The bone manifestation ripped one of its feet from the chained confines lifting it up in the air, "U-Uhhh," Akko stood still her feet refusing to move, the skeleton face almost morphed into a grin as he raised his foot higher into the air.

'Shit!'

Realizing what the towering beast was about to do, Kenji darted forward his feet clacking against the hard stone fall, his panted more and more the faster he ran, 'Shit I won't make it in time, Diana's prepping her spell and Lotte's too far away I have to hurry Akko's not moving!'

To focused on his mad sprint, Kenji was oblivious to the crystal glowing brightly through his shirt it floated through the open top in his collar, "Akko!" He exclaimed leaping forward a single green line streaked through the air cutting the skeletons foot knocking it back to the ground.

Kenji stood speechless watching the crystal fall back under his shirt it's green glow dissipating, 'Did I...'

"Kenji you just used..." Akko paused still in disbelief.

"Magic...how the hell did I do that!?"

"As much as I want the answer for that question as well now is not the time, I need you to move or you'll be caught in the spell!" She yelled her eyes now tightly shut at the size of the green orb at the tip of her wand growing larger.

Once the two had moved she opened her eyes once more firing the blast from her wand, "Eherya Tanana!" She bellowed a wave off ice shooting from her wand covering over the entire skeletons body freezing it in its place.

'Holy shit Diana's way to overpowered..'

Before they even had a chance to recover from the fight the purple void was already beginning to grow smaller.

"C'mon let's go!" Diana yelled picking herself up sprinting at the portal.

Kenji, Akko and Lotte followed after her running past the fallen skeleton diving into the void.

"Thank all that's holy we're back!" Kenji sighed in relief.

"What are we gonna do about...Akko?" Lotte glanced around the room for the brunette finding nothing.

"She probably left...this is my fault I'm still upset she hid this map from me but I've been talking about wanting to leave all day no wonder she felt like she had to hide it," Kenji frowned folding the paper into his pocket.

"We should probably talk about whatever I did in there..." He rolled the crystal through his chest, "But right now I need to talk to Akko.." Kenji finished sprinting out of the archives.


Kenji made his way outside now staring up at the pitch-black sky that was only lit up by a few stars, a way away from the ruins he managed to make out a figure spurred across the grass.

'There she is..' He couldn't help but smile as he made his way over to her.

"Hey Akko-" He didn't get to finish as the startled girl grabbed him by the arm flipping him onto his back.

"WHY!" Kenji cried rubbing his bruised back.

"S-Sorry y-you startled me," She apologized meekly scratching her hair.

'Of course, she'd judo throw someone when she's scared..'

Sitting himself up, he watched Akko stiffened hiding her face in her knees, "S-So do you want to t-talk about it?" He said stuttering.

"N-Not really but we're going to aren't we.." Her voice was muffled while spoke.

"Yeah, I guess that was a stupid question," Kenji paused the atmosphere turning deadly silent, "You know I've never really got into a fight before you know,"

"Huh what do you mean?"

"Well, ever since I came here, I've been fighting in races, giant dragons, killer vines and even different Sucy's it's all so different then back home.." Kenji listed slumping down onto the grass a sad expression over his face.

Akko kept her mouth shut a burrowing guilt building up, "But that doesn't mean its been all bad," Kenji stated catching her off guard.

"W-What but you said it didn't matter because you'd only been here for two months," Akko retorted softly not wanting to start an argument.

"Yeah, I did but doesn't mean I don't care about you guys I just didn't understand that you guys care about me it's not exactly something me and my friends would say to each other," Dryly chuckling to himself Kenji picked at the grass, "I've been feeling a lot more homesick lately I won't lie about that, but you're all still people I care about so even if I go back home, you'll still be my friends."

Akko sniffled her crimson eyes softening slightly, she tugged on his sleeve avoiding his face with her puffy eyes, "But you'll still leave and the guy that was here before hasn't come back that means you won't either!"

"I can't say I'll be able to come back but it's been a while since then we could find a way to make a way through and back, we'll just have to wait and see.." Kenji explained glancing at the brunette who had now leaped on top of him.

'N-N-No t-too close!'

Kenji fought against the blush on his face nervously hugging her back, "Your right Kenji we could get Diana to help out as well she's super smart so I bet she could find a way to!"

Akko got up from the ground a brand-new pep in her step twirling around gleefully, Kenji stayed in the same spot he was in watching the girl jump around the field, "Yeah...yeah I guess we do."