...Magic's a lot harder than it looks'
With sweat dripping down his forehead, Kenji struggled just to levitate up a single head of a marble statue. He'd carried it just fine, but using magic just to lift it back up onto the table was a whole other issue.
Akko on the other hand, was doing surprisingly well. Taking into consideration how badly she thought she was at magic, 'I'm just happy all this I can't do magic stuff is out the window..'
Although she was having the same amount of trouble as him, she'd made much more progress and was practically done with the statue. Now only needing an arm and a head to complete it.
The crystal dimmed and the statue head finally rolled over the table, Kenji had forgotten just how tiresome it was to even try and use his magic.
'...It's more the crystal's magic though without it, I'm sure that I wouldn't be able to do it'
"You can do it, just a little more!" Ursula pushed her on, she'd been helping them practice magic for the past couple of days.
Akko's lips pursed upwards finally connecting the last piece of the statue. Kenji admired it before looking at the model she'd been basing it off, it was close but it was still far off.
"Ohhhhhh..." Akko whined in slight annoyance, it was more that she had been trying for a few hours and this was her best attempt.
"It's ok..." Ursula reassured patting her back, "You'll get better at your magic so don't feel too frustrated."
"No that's not really the problem...I mean I do want to get better at my magic but I'll take my time with that..." Akko explained, Ursula needed a few seconds to refresh at what she said smiling slightly.
"It's just...I can't help but wonder what kind of advice Shiny Chariot would have, I wish I could meet her.."
Only Kenji noticed Ursula visibly react to what she'd said taking a moment to correct herself, "U-Uh huh, well...she hasn't been seen for 10 years so it'll be difficult to find her."
As she readjusted her glasses, Kenji swore he could see a glint of red, "...Shiny Chariot used to go to this school right? Doesn't that mean she has a file or something, couldn't we just look at that?" He questioned out loud.
"Wait we could..."
"What!? You never even bothered to try that!" Kenji yelled bonking her on the head lightly.
'Damn airheads, I seriously like this girl..'
Kenji stopped the thought again, he'd remembered what he told himself before. He had to keep his feelings buried.
"That would be a problem, since Chariot never really explained her leaving there isn't much on her like other students..." It sounded convincing enough, besides Kenji and Akko didn't bother to assume she could've been lying.
Kenji raised another question confused a bit, "...Wait, Akko I get you're a Shiny Chariot fangirl but why the sudden interest...please don't tell me this really is for you to find some easy way to getting better at magic?"
"No, no..." Akko denied, much more seriously this time her crimson eyes staring into his own, "It's just, ever since I've been trying to get better with my magic it makes me think, Chariot's the whole reason I wanted to come to Luna Nova was because of her, so I like to at least meet her..."
Kenji sighed, he was much happier with what she'd said believing her instantly, "That's good to here, I'd honestly like to meet her to. Especially considering how much you've built her up." Akko blushed slightly at that chuckling sheepishly.
Ursula kept quiet throughout their interaction a mournful casted over her.
"Sucy you didn't add the cinnamon leaf..." Kenji pointed out crushing his own in the bowl, Sucy's eyes widened at the mistake fixing it without uttering a word.
"You've become really good at making potions Kenji!" Lotte said praising him.
Kenji blushed scratching his cheek, "Yeah, even though I can do some magic I still enjoy this a lot more. Although I'm not sure what a sleep potion will be useful Sucy, it just sounds like you want to do something nefarious..." Kenji teased pushing the crushed remains into four viles.
"Who do take me for...I'm only going to use it to knock out the guard in that garden owned by the principal," She admitted chuckling alongside Kenji at her deadpan response.
Kenji glanced back to Akko, she still hadn't said anything since they'd walked back to their dorms mainly focused on the Shiny Chariot card that she kept hidden underneath her bed.
"What's up with her..." Sucy whispered actually looking away from the potions, still swirling it around in her hand.
"Yeah, she's been like that since you two came back from practice with Miss Ursula," Lotte added.
"I don't know, I guess lately Akko's been wanting see Shiny Chariot since she is her whole reason for coming here afterwards..." Kenji explained leaning over on his elbow stopping himself from spilling any of the viles.
"You know I can hear you guys right?" Akko pouted puffing her cheeks out at the three of them.
Kenji didn't bother to hide his blush, '...Cute'
Scratching the edges of the Chariot card, Akko exhaled deeply sinking into her bed, "...I just want to meet her, maybe she could give me some advice on the Shiny Rod. She was messed up with her magic too, so I thought we could relate with each other."
'She's got a point, from what we saw at the fountain they were a lot alike...although I'm still not sure if that's a good thing'
"Maybe she fell in love and ran away!" Lotte fantasized her eyes turning starry.
"Seriously? If she fell in love then I'd like to meet the madman who did it!" He chuckled taking a full force slap to the face from one of Akko's clothes.
"Maybe she just died.."
Kenji couldn't hold back his snort getting another pair of shirts straight to the face, "Shit! How many clothes have you got tucked on the side of your bed!?"
"Don't laugh at that then Kenji! There's no way Chariot would just die. She wouldn't let that happen!" Akko argued crossing her arms over her chest staring intensely at him.
"Alright, alright Sucy's just to blunt sometimes it catches me off guard.." Kenji rubbed his brows trying to contain himself.
"Akko why don't you talk to Miss Ursula they're around the same age so they probably both went here.." Lotte suggested.
"Good point but we actually-"
Akko cut him off leaping from off her bed bouncing on the spot as she did, "Yeah your right! I'll go ask her right now!" No one could stop her watching her dart out of the room.
"For god sake, she's such an airhead..." Kenji was left speechless, getting blank looks from both Lotte and Sucy, looking back at them he explained, "...We already spoke to her about it earlier today, I doubt she's gonna get much info."
"She really is an airhead..." Sucy spat out blatantly.
Kenji snickered one last time before setting the viles out to simmer over the night, "Yeah...I'm done here so i think I'll get going, ever since the teachers found out I can do magic they've been putting me through the ringer in their classes," Kenji sloppily trumped out of the room weakly waving the two off closing the door behind him.
He strutted down the hallway. His back arched back hanging his arms loosely as he walked. For a second, he pondered following after Akko but chose against it his sleepiness taking over him.
Not paying attention where he was going, Kenji managed to bump into someone's chest jumping back as he did, "A-A-Ah sorry," He apologized scared of who it was.
'Oh god, my reputation was just getting...well not good but it was going up and if one girl says I ran into their c-chest I'll be r-ruined...'
"K-Kenji?" It was voice he recognised.
"Oh Diana! I'm glad it's just you..." He let out a deep sigh patting her on the shoulder.
"Y-Your h-happy to see me?" Diana questioned her heart skipping a beat.
"I sure am, anyone else and I might have been dead..." He slumped downwards smiling at her, before blinking back at her, "Wait why are you out so late? I'm sure you would've been asleep."
"Oh...well I would be but I heard the teachers having a discussion about the Nine Old Witches and I got curious," Diana explained a small blush that Kenji was oblivious to on her face.
"Nine Old Witches, I feel like I should know that but it's escaping me right now..."
Diana made sure to frown at him sarcastically leaning her hands over her hips, "Yes, we did in history of magic. It's not a surprise you weren't paying attention. The Nine Old Witches appeared a couple thousand years ago and were the founders of Luna Nova, they were incredibly strong and talented what I want to know is the grand feat they achieved before they all died off not to long after so I'm going back to the archives..."
"Huh, Nine Old Witches sounds pretty cool although as much as I love to join you, magic training is turning out to take a lot more out of me than expected. Kudos to you though for going back to the place we almost died you've got more courage than I do."
Kenji waved her off one last time walking back to his dorms, "You quite lazy Kenji, well you've been working hard so I won't tease you too much..." Diana murmured to herself wearing a small smile.
The second he strolled into his rather small room looking at the size between his and Akko's. He clocked out not even bothering to take off his uniform falling unconscious almost immediately.
Not noticing the map tucked tightly underneath his rickety bed began to glow brightly.
Ursula stared solemnly at the darkly lit night sky, the only thing illuminating it was the dimly lit blue moon. A knock at the door alerted her from the watchtowers giant window hurrying down to whoever it was.
'It's quite late, maybe it's one of the other teachers..'
"Professor it's me!" Akko yelled, her face smushed up against the small piece of glass attached to the door, she looked as eager as ever. Ursula meagrely opened it not bothering to fix her dishevelled hair.
Once she opened it Akko realized her glasses gone from her face. Ursula did as well, rushing over to her desk.
Letting herself in, Akko admired the burly white and blue furred and crow perched on a small stand it had a blue cross like pattern across its chest, "Woah you have a crow familiar professor, bleuhhh!" She pulled a face scaring the crow back flapping its wings fiercely.
Finally adjusting herself, Ursula turned abjectly to Akko suggesting that she'd make some tea.
The two sat either side of each other tea poured into both of their cups, "So Professor, you said there wasn't much on Chariot in Luna Nova, but were you two classmates when you were in school?"
Jerking her hand, Ursula froze letting the piping hot tea spill out the cup and slowly over the table-side, "Y-Yeah we were, why do you ask?"
Ignoring the question, Akko leaped up from the chair a new spark in her eyes. She pursed her lips upwards, to the point where she almost looked like a cat, "Really! That's awesome!"
The blue-haired teacher denied the claim awkwardly cleaning up the spilt tea, "Was she the smartest in her class, I saw at the Fountain that she was kind of a klutz like me, and I but she was really beautiful!" Akko praised smiling brightly.
"Well...she was quite pretty."
"But then...if you knew her. How come she disappeared all those years ago, it doesn't make any sense..." Ursula was just a clueless as Akko shaking her head sorrowfully, "That's ok, Kenji said that before I could listen that you might not know. She's just someone I admire so it'd be nice to meet her, there's so many things I want to ask her like with the Shiny Rod and advice for becoming a witch just like her!"
"I do still worry if I'll ever be good at magic, but lately because of Kenji it's something I don't want to worry about. So that's why I want to focus on just becoming a great witch like Chariot, the kind that inspires everyone just like she did when I watched her show," Akko further explained clenching her fists slightly, growing anxious.
Ursula didn't know what to say sliding the cup of tea over to her, "You know Akko, something my mentor used to tell me, is that if you're ever searching for something, than never stop looking until you've done everything you possibly can so keep working hard ok! Chariot might just appear again someday!"
Now much brighter, a bright blue glow was shining through the clear glass window, both Akko and Ursula were mesmerised by it, "...Yeah your right, sorry for wasting your time professor I'll be going now.."
With a strangely eager pep in her step, Akko closed the door behind her racing down the hallway the second she had.
'The Blue Moon Abyss, it can't be real..can it?'
Loud footsteps stomped through the halls of Luna Nova, becoming louder when they pressed against the squeaky floorboards at the front of Kenji's room, he groggily lifted his head up to the noise darting his eyes around the room sporadically.
'Eh...I was sure I heard something'
Feeling around the table for his phone, Kenji's eyes adjusted to the darkness of the room spotting the blue afterglow from under his bed, 'Did my phone fall under it or something...'
Kenji flipped himself over, checking under the bed to see the map tucked at the back of it just the way he'd left it.
Only now the words seemed to be glowing a bright blue, he extended his hand out grapping at the frail paper pulling it back to him, 'Why does it choose to do something now, I was having a nice dream about Ak-'
'I'll keep that to myself. I won't even mention that in thought...'
The old piece of paper hadn't changed at all, only the unreadable words were now a blue colour, 'What is it, a nightlight!?'
Disheartened, Kenji was about to roll it up back under the bed when the green crystal around his neck grazed across it reacting almost instantly. The meek blue glow completely dispelled over the entire room.
When the glow subsided, Kenji finally opened his eyes crawling back at the blue trail streaking off his feet and out of his room.
The map was no longer glowing, now back to old stained self, "Guess we're doing this..." Rolling up the map and tucking it into his uniform Kenji headed out following after the trail.
Ursula watched him through her cauldron a worried look on her face, 'First Akko and now it looks like Kenji is heading over to the chapel as well?'
'They both don't understand, about the seven words and what'll happen once they're all said...Akko's already said the first word nso who knows if she could do it, and Kenji seems to be an anomaly with everything about them..'
'There getting themselves into a mess they won't want!'
The chapel was dimly lit, the moon being her only light source. Akko held onto Shiny Chariot anxiously, she was getting closer to the entrance although she wasn't particularly sure how to open it.
It was supposed to appear on the night of a full moon so she sure to find it.
She reached the end of the chapel staring blankly at the wall, "Oh, now what it's not here-"
A single string of light connected with the Shiny Rod, the once musky tiles shifting green flipping open like a door revealing a stone staircase below.
As she did a carved out smooth stone tunnel appeared before her, Akko run her hand across comparing the feeling to something like silk, 'Where's the cave though this doesn't look much like one..'
Akko recoiled her hand a sudden sharpness jabbing her finger, "Owww.." She groaned. There was now a sharp stone carving that looked a lot like a witch, "..Why did you come here?"
It let out a frail shriek echoing through the tunnel. Even more voice reverberated back sending Akko shrieking and down another end of the tunnel, like usual she tripped her heel on a loose hanging rock stumbling down an open crevasse of the tunnel finding herself falling into and even deeper part of the chapel.
"AHHHHHHHH!" Akko continued to yell until she finally landed face first on the floor.
'...Is this it, the cave?'
The floor lit up shining out across the ceiling, Akko glanced upwards rubbing her now sore face. Her mouth gaped outwards.
There standing in front of her surrounded by her own colourful magic, was Shiny Chariot.
"It's you, it's really you. I've looked up to you since I saw you magic show when I was a kid, I wanna be just like you to make people happy. So why did you disappear and what do I do with the Shiny Rod?" Akko pestered. Chariot only responded with a smile.
She finally replied, "You want to be like me? I disappeared to get away from it all, the world of magic is changing. The only thing you can do is stop extending your hand out towards me, just give up it's not going to happen..."
Akko froze, her red pupils shrinking from shock she was baffled from what she said outright denying it immediately. She stepped back at the smug grin Chariot now had over her face.
'T-There's no way, Chariot wouldn't just run because magic isn't popular...who is this?'
"LIAR!" A new voice bellowed, a rock flying straight past Akko and straight through Shiny Chariot, her face morphing around the stone avoiding it completely. Akko knew who it was already, she didn't even need to look back.
'...It's Kenji, he's here'
Her heart lit up at just the sight of him, it wasn't anything special but the way the light glowed around him made her stomach begin to flutter, 'Why is he here...is it for me?'
"Oh, they were actually a fake. That's good I thought I was just about to clobber someone with a stone..." Kenji commented aloud rushing over to a still currently starstruck Akko.
"Kenji...why are you here?" She asked, her lip shaking.
Pointing at the ground, Kenji demonstrated by clacking his feet at the small blue trail trailing across it, "This kinda...activated, that's probably the best word and I followed it down here. Then I found you and whatever that is.."
He brought their attention back to the now disappearing Chariot, who blew up into a bright light. Ghostly figures appeared from the ground, they surrounded each other growing bigger and bigger.
'...What the hell is this'
They wailed in front of the two, almost knocking Akko to the ground if Kenji hadn't extended his hand to catch her, "S-Sorry," He pulled her back up letting go of her as soon as he did.
They ghost eventually formed into a collection of a giant spindly branches, morphing into a screamed face staring them both down.
"That was you pretending to be Chariot, wasn't it? Why would you do that!" Akko berated.
"U-Uh Akko maybe don't anger the giant ghost tree..." Kenji stammered taking small steps back.
"..What brings you both here?" A an almost echoed womanly voice came from the formation of branches.
'So, it's just going to ignore the question..'
"You're the Ghost of the Blue Moon, you know the past, present and future you can answer any question I have!" Akko replied tightening her grip on the Shiny Rod.
"...What's the reason for bringing me here? This map lit up and brought me here, now I need to know why!" Kenji put in showing the map off directly.
"I do not know all. But what I don't know no one else does.."
'Again, that doesn't answer either of our questions-'
Akko began yelling once again, cutting of Kenji's train of thought, "I want to know my future, and if I ever meet Chariot!" She demanded, "Please I need to know."
Suddenly, a radiant glow came from the inside of the tree the roots stretching upwards, Kenji tried to peer inside it but a burning sensation in his eyes stopping him from doing so.
"Is this the future you truly seek? Look inside and find out..." The ghost questioned pushing Akko to stare into the vision.
There was an adult version of her on stage, she was performing magic just like Shiny Chariot it was a pitch perfect recreation of what she'd dreamed of doing ever since she was little.
"All of this could be yours, you could finally achieve your dream...for a price of course."
Akko's eyes shrunk in suspicion stepping away from the open portal, "W-What does that mean?"
"Everything has a price and to obtain the future you desire, the one where you can find Shiny Chariot that price is your past!"
"Wait, Akko don't do it she's clearly manipu-" Before Kenji could finish, branches outstretched around him keeping him still and covering his mouth.
"Hey! Let Kenji go!"
Skipping past what she'd said once again, the ghost howled even louder, "DO IT! To accomplice your dream, this is the price!"
Small orbs surrounding Akko were filled with several of her memories, some of Sucy, Lotte and most of them seemed to be filled with Kenji. They suddenly began disappearing into thin air.
'..All of these memories'
"I can't...I can't just let all of these memories just to get the future I want! They're all my regrets, everything I've failed at I don't want to lose any of it..." Akko declared now staring the womanly face down.
"In all those memories, I've laughed, cried and even felt lost, they've all made me who I am today!"
"How foolish, if you really reject this than you might never achieve this future or even meet Chariot, is that what you want!?" The ghost exclaimed growing increasingly angrier by the second.
The Shiny Rod sparkled brightly, Akko's tensed her crimson red eyes arching it back, "I will find her, I'll meet her and talk about how I'll become a great witch! I was told by someone that if you'r ever searching for something than never stop trying until you've done everything you can do!"
Kenji watched in complete awe, the once simple Shiny Rod extended outwards into a spiralling battle axe. Akko held it behind her, letting out a battle cry as loud as she could yell.
"Phaidoari...Affairrynghor!" She bellowed swinging the battle axe straight into the Blue Moon Abyss cutting straight through its branches, leaving it wailing out in pain.
A bright light swarmed the room, Kenji flew back. The branches around him shattering like glass implanting against the small carved stone walls, he only saw it for a single second but a ley line opened up before him, Akko caught in the middle of it all.
It soon all dimmed, the room darkening the only thing lighting it up was a green hue of a womanly ghost, "E-Eh, what happened...Akko," Kenji spotted her unconscious.
"You boy, your here as I instructed," The ghost explained, her voice now sounding somewhat calmer.
Kenji glanced up, watching glean leaves flutter around him, "So it was you who brought me here, can I hear the explanation?" He said cockily clicking his probably bruised back.
"Quite a mouth you've got, such a shame for the out looker of the Grand Triskelion...although you being here is still an anomaly..." She cocked an eyebrow down to him lifting up her hand.
"An anomaly? Can you still get me home? Wait were you the one who brought me here!?" Kenji exclaimed blurting out even more questions.
"Now, now I'll answer two of those question of yours, the anomaly one would be too difficult to explain right now. I am not the one who brought you to this realm, that was an entirely different act connected to the crystal you own, although the Grand Triskelion does come into play with that. Getting you home is something I can do rather quickly."
With just the swaying of her hand a similar portal to Akko's opened up revealing a familiar setting that looked much like Kenji's home, through the window of the front door he could see his mum wearing large bags under her eyes, doing the dishes.
"M-Mum...that's really my mum."
He could feel tears in his eyes, he almost touched the portal but kept his hand away from it, "I take there's a price for this though, it must be big considering the reward..." Kenji murmured sarcastically dryly glancing up to the ghost.
"To go back to your realm, you'll need to sacrifice any memory of this one, it'll be like it never happened."
Kenji froze, looking up to the ghost as if she'd something completely ludicrous. He smiled back-stepping from the portal almost in an instant, "I'd have to say no." He replied bluntly.
"Are you certain, you didn't even think about it. You would be able to see your family again. Do you not want that?"
"Don't twist my words, I want to see my family more than anything, getting home is still my top priority. But if I'm going to lose all my memories here, then there's no point...besides you don't actually have the power to send me home, do you?"
Wearing a smug grin, sticking his head up proudly Kenji stared the ghost down much like Akko had done previously, "If that guy from before me could get home, then I'll finish the path he's paved for me to do so!"
There was a slight pause before the ghost replied, "An excellent answer, you pass."
"Pass, I passed wh-" A sudden drowsiness overtook Kenji, he had no way to fight back simply slumping to the ground. His map scrolling out the second he did.
"Now for you reward! Funny, I remember this going similarly with him back then..." Holding out her hand, the scribbled and faded text alongside the map morphed into readable words, "That should help him for now.."
"You really are quite the anomaly, Kenji Otsuka."
After what seemed like a deep sleep, Kenji's eyes dimmed open. His vision was still plenty blurry, so he couldn't really see who the figure in front of him was talking to.
"She's already revived two of the words of Arcturus, there's a chance she could revive them all, Chariot."
The ghostly woman's voice from before returned, seeming to be having a conversation with the figure he couldn't make out, '...She said Chariot didn't she? Is the person she talking to Chariot?'
"You must revive the rest, Chariot you will aid her," With that, the ghost began to disappear again leaves spurring from her body vanishing into the night.
The last thing Kenji saw before he lost consciousness was a set of red eyes dawned by glasses.
