Chapter 14: Stargazing.
We arrive at Luna Nova just as the sun was setting on the horizon, coating everything in a soft golden glow that honestly just makes the school feel all the more magical. We spent all day in town; exploring around, taking pictures in memorable places, we even had lunch in a little restaurant and afterwards ate some ice cream. Surprisingly enough, we ended up having a pretty good time, mostly because Karen and the twins made some kind of truce shortly after my improvised show. I have a feeling Croix scolded them while I wasn't looking, but I can't actually be sure. So, anyways, we all got along (kinda) and by the end of the day I thought my idea wasn't so bad after all.
However, just as we're entering school grounds and the twins say goodbye in order to go to their own rooms… or to do some mischief, most likely, I can't help thinking I wished I had spent more time alone with Croix.
Don't get me wrong; I did like how we all were able to interact together by the end, but… there's just something about being alone with Croix that feels different. Something addictive, something that makes me feel like I want to spend even more time with her, to get to know her even better.
I guess it maybe has to do with just how different she is from the rest. How mysterious, how cool, how smart, how… awesome. I can't stop obsessing about her, really, and so, before I can't think better about what I'm doing, I tell my roommates I'm going to escort Croix back to her room, and that they should go ahead without me, leaving me alone with my friend.
"I know you're planning something, Chariot." She says as soon as my roommates are out of earshot. "I am the one who usually escorts you to your room, after all."
"Maybe I'm just trying to be nice." I retort, but upon receiving a raised eyebrow from my best friend, I end up relenting. "Okay, fine! I was hoping we could do something more to celebrate."
"Just the two of us?" She smiles. "Count me in."
"But I haven't even told you what I have in mind."
"Doesn't matter, Cherry. It's your celebration, and I owe you for giving me the idea for my gauntlet, so…" She shrugs, like it's not a big deal, even though she's being uncharacteristically nice to me. Plus, I did notice something that she said.
"Wait… Cherry?" I raise an eyebrow, becoming even more confused and surprised when she sputters and blushes, deviating her gaze.
"I-I… it's just… uhm… I've been calling you that in my head for a while." She admits, blushing even more. "You know, since your hair and your eyes are cherry colored… and also your name kinda sounds like Cherry. You know, Chariot, Cherry. They're similar." She keeps avoiding eye contact and looking all nervous and awkward, like she's ashamed of her little slip-up, which I think is really cute. Still, I can't let an opportunity to tease her pass, right?
"So… we're doing nicknames now?" I say mischievously. "Uhm… I wonder what I should call you then. Maybe I'll go with Croy."
"Don't you dare!" She exclaims angrily, immediately forgoing her shy behavior. "I'm tired of correcting everyone from that mispronunciation."
"Well then, what about Crocs?" I continue my merciless teasing.
"Chariot." She gives me warning glare that I completely ignore.
"Oh, I know! I'll call you Croix-ssant! They're fluffy like your hair, and can be both salty and sweet, just like you!"
"Okay, that's it! I'm going to my room." She says as she starts walking away.
"No, wait! Croix! Please, I'll call you something else! What about Croix-codile? Or Croix-ssant? Wait, I already said that. Uhm… Crossword then? Which one do you prefer?"
"I hate you so much right now, I hope you know that."
So, despite Croix's protests because of my teasing, and after promising a thousand times that I won't call her Croix-ssant or any other "dumb" nickname (as she rudely said), I managed to convince her to spend some more time with me. And of course it's after curfew, and I took her to a restricted area on campus, because that's just how I am.
The North Campus of Luna Nova has always been one of my favorite places in the school, not only because Arcas lives there, but because the ruins feel very mysterious and magical. And also the stars look pretty from there, which is actually the real reason I thought it'd be fun to come with Croix.
"Stay close. It can be easy to get lost." I say as we start making our way through the road that's barely visible in the dark forest. I decide to take her hand to make sure she doesn't get too far away, but just after I do this little action she trips on her feet and would've probably fallen if I wasn't holding her. "Careful."
"R-right." She sounds nervous for some reason. Her palm is also getting sweaty, now that I think about it.
"Don't tell me you're afraid of the dark." I tease.
"N-no, of course not!" She quickly protests. "I just… don't want that damn bear to eat me. That's all." She then deviates her gaze, looking to the ground instead of me.
"Really? You're afraid of Arcas? But he's adorable!"
"Yeah. Adorable. Right." She says sarcastically, but I giggle, knowing she'll change her opinion once I introduce them properly… speaking of which, it looks like we're here!
"Hey, Arcas, come here boy!" I call.
"Maybe he's sleeping." Croix says hopefully, but just then we hear a roar and some heavy steps, and then my polar bear comes out of the ruined building, pretty much running towards us, and I feel Croix's grip on my hand tighten.
"Arcas! Hi, it's been a while, hasn't it?" The bear stops just in front of me and, while I pet him, he starts smelling me with his big, wet, nose. I know what he wants, but I'm afraid he'll be disappointed. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't bring any snacks for you." He then goes and starts smelling Croix too, more curious than anything, but my friend still takes a step back in fear.
"Maybe he thinks I'm the snack." She says, glaring at my hairy friend.
"Arcas, this is Croix." I say, ignoring Croix's rather rude remark. "She's a friend, so please don't eat her, alright?"
Arcas huffs in what I can only hope is agreement, before going to lay down on the ground, as he always does when I come to visit during the night. Usually I'd use him as a pillow while I lay here to watch the stars, but for Croix's sake I decide to throw myself to the grassy ground just a couple of meters away from where my bear rests. My friend, on the other hand, sits carefully by my side, all the while keeping her eyes on Arcas.
"He's harmless, I promise." I say as I tug at her sleeve. "Now come lay with me, will you?"
"I-I… uh…" She stammers, apparently still nervous despite my reassurances, and look at everywhere but me. "I'm fine here. Really."
"Croix." I whine, tugging harder. "Please. How are we going to stargaze if you don't lay down?"
"You know, if you wanted to stargaze we could've done so at the Astronomy Tower." She huffs in annoyance.
"It's not the same! Now come on before I start coming up with nicknames for you! What about… Croix-chet?"
"Fine! Geez, fine, I'll lay down! Just please stop with the stupid nicknames, Cherry."
"Hey, you started it."
And so, she lays down next to me, but I do notice she leaves quite a bit of space between us, so I slowly inch my way towards her, until our sides are flush against each other and I can feel the comforting heat emanating from her body, at which she turns and looks at me with amusement.
"And just what do you think you're doing?"
"It's cold." I shrug, and she chuckles before returning her gaze to the starry sky.
"Well, autumn's just around the corner."
"I've always loved autumn, you know? Especially October, because my aunt would always bring me to Luna Nova during the Samhain Festival."
"You like that thing?" She looks at me like I just grew another head. And honestly I can't blame her.
"At first I did, but it got very repetitive after a few years." I admit, and she nods thoughtfully.
"Well, I'm not really one to speak. I got the title of Moonlit Witch last year."
"It was you?!" I exclaim, sitting up so I can look directly at her face. "Croix, what you did was absolutely amazing! I didn't even know you could conjure entire buildings using just a magic circle."
"It was actually a mixture of illusion magic, conjuration and technology." She smiles, and I can practically see how much her ego is growing at my praise, but I honestly don't care. Hers was one of the best performances I've seen during the usually dull festival. "Honestly, I was simply lucky I was given the Conjuration Magic event; most first years get cleaning duty or something."
"I hope they'll at least give me the Flying event, given I won the race." I comment, laying down on the ground once more. "But Finnelan will probably do everything to keep me out of the Festival, least I burn down the scenery or something."
"Yeah, that'd be wise… ow!" My friend complains when I puncher shoulder.
"You deserve it. You are supposed to support me!"
"Honestly, it'd be better if you're given Scenario Design or something like that. Less work for you." She shrugs.
"But I want people to see what I can do!" I protest. Because I know that here in Luna Nova I'd be able to do such wondrous things! Unlike Blytonbury, where there's no nearly enough magic. But here? Here it'd surely be an amazing spectacle.
"You want to be Moonlit Witch?" She raises an eyebrow.
"Nah, that's just a fancy title that most times isn't even earned."
"Hey!"
"I said most times!" I clarify. "Come on, Finnelan and Babcock would never vote for me, even if the Headmistress does."
"Heh. That's true." She chuckles. "But I do think you could have a chance, you know? Maybe in your third year, and if you're given the Illusion Magic event." I hum in agreement.
"I wonder what I'll get this year. I sure hope it's not Sacrifice Duty." I make a face in disgust; that's always been the worst part of the Festival, and the poor girls chosen for Sacrifice always end up covered in ghostly goo. Eugh!
"I could tell you right now." My friend says. "I did get an A+ in Astrology, and the sky is clear enough tonight to make an accurate reading."
"I prefer not to know the future." I quickly answer, shutting that thought down.
"Why?" She scoffs.
"Because then everything is a surprise. Everything's new and exciting!"
"Yeah, I was expecting an answer like that." Croix shakes her head in amusement. "But then why did you want to stargaze?"
"Oh, I never liked predicting the future, sure, but my aunt took me stargazing from time to time, and she'd always tell me the names of the constellations, and the stories behind them."
"You mean the only thing about Astrology that doesn't actually serve any purpose, which is why I only memorize it for the exam and then forget it?" Now, I don't need to be a genius to know Croix's making fun of me, but I decide to ignore her. Because, sure, the way they teach us this in school is dumb and boring, but… there's something magical about laying down, watching stars and telling stories that were invented thousands of years ago.
"Look at that group of three stars, you know what they're called?" I point towards the sky, where the most easily identifiable constellation for me is.
"Something about onions?" She laughs.
"Orion's belt." I roll my eyes playfully. "Also known as 'Les trois Rois Mages', in France."
"Oh! The three Wise Men or something? From the Christian religion, right?"
"Yeah, but the Orion constellation itself is of Greek origin." I explain. "He was a blind giant who loved hunting, and often joined the goddess Artemis when she hunt."
"Artemis was a real witch though, wasn't she?" She asks, but I honestly don't know anything about history, so I just shrug. "She was the one who started the annual Wild Hunts of rowdy spirits."
"Really? Did you know she actually has her own constellation?" I say, pointing towards a group of stars that honestly look more like a spiral than anything. "Although under her Roman name, Diana."
"Ah, Diana! Yes, she was the one I was thinking about. She was a witch who lived under the Roman era, and dedicated her life to hunt down wild spirits, but the locals mistook her for the reincarnation of the Greek goddess Artemis." She laughs. "Now those were good times for being a witch!"
"You're very good at history, aren't you?" I say, impressed she managed to remember such facts, while I struggle so much in the exams because I can't even recall who founded Luna Nova.
"Chariot, I'm Croix Meridies." She answers not-so-modestly. "I'm good at everything!"
I just laugh at her narcissistic attitude, because honestly it's totally earned, and then we fall in silence for a few moments. But we're here to stargaze, right? And Croix apparently knows everything about divination but very little about the constellations themselves. Well, it just so happens I know one that'd be perfect to show her!
"You know? Your own name is that of a constellation."
"Uh… what?" She looks at me like I'm crazy.
"Really, Croix means cross, right? And Meridies means south. Funnily enough, there is a constellation named Croix du Sud, Southern Cross, which is only visible in the southern hemisphere."
"So… not here." Croix sighs, obviously disappointed.
"No… but it has its counterpart, Cigne, also known as Croix du Nord."
Croix seems to choke on air for a moment, staring at me with disbelieving wide eyes as she coughs trying to regain her composure. But I honestly don't get what she's so worked up about.
"Croix… du Nord, you say?" She manages to say with a strained voice.
"Uhuh." I nod. "Look, it's that one! The one that kinda looks like a flying swan, or a weird-shaped cross."
"I-I see…" She stutters, still sounding nervous for some reason.
"My aunt's name is actually based on a star in that constellation, Daneb." I point to said star, the brightest one in that zone. "It's some kind of tradition in my family, actually; naming the girls after constellations or stars."
"So… you're named after a constellation too?" She asks, sounding a little bit more normal now.
"Yeah! Le Grand Chariot, the Big dipper!" I say, again pointing towards it. Croix just hums as she apparently searches for it with her eyes, but she seems to have problems finding it.
"You know? I've always had trouble identifying the Big Dipper. I often mistake it with the Little Dipper." She admits, scrunching her eyebrows.
"Oh, but they're so easy to differentiate! Look." I point towards one of the brightest stars in the sky. "That one is Polaris, the Northern Star, and together with those other six stars, they form an arch, which is the Little Dipper."
"Ah… yes, I think I see them." She smiles.
"Good, now. See that other bright star?" I point towards it and pause my explanation until she nods. "Well, that's Arcturus. See? If you trace an imaginary arc, Arcturus leads you to the seven stars that form the Big Dipper."
"Wait… what did you just say?"
I tilt my head to the side, confused. Surely Croix understood my explanation, right? I mean, it's basic Astrology! But now that I think about it she sounded more surprised than anything.
"Arcturus leads you to the seven stars…" She then mumbles, mostly to herself, as she stares blankly to the sky, apparently lost in thought. "Of course! Chariot, I got it!" She then exclaims, sitting up and pretty much beaming at the stars above us.
"Huh?" Well, now I'm confused. Sure, identifying the Big Dipper correctly is fun and all, but Croix is making such a big deal out of this.
"The Claiomnh Solais, the rod of seven stars… it's not literally in the stars; it's in Arcturus!"
"The… what?"
"The legendary rod! The one that is capable of unlocking the Grand Triskelion and bringing magic back to the world." She explains, finally looking towards me. She has such an enthusiastic expression too. I don't think I've ever seen her quite like this… she looks adorable, honestly. Even if I know she'd kill me if I said it out loud.
"Ah… right. I kinda remember you mentioning something like that." I don't remember the whole story behind it, of course, but there was a wish involved, right? And something about magic dying? I'm not all too sure.
"Well, I've been searching for it like crazy, reading tons and tons of books, and every time I thought I had a lead, it was wrong." She continues, apparently not noticing how truly lost I am, but I can't really blame her, can I? Her face is so happy it looks like her biggest wish just came true. "But the answer was right in front of me the whole time; the rod of seven stars is in Arcturus Forest."
"Great." I fake a smile. Gosh, that sounds all too complicated for me. I'm so glad Croix is the one who's trying to revive magic, because I would probably just make everything worse. But Croix? She's so smart she will surely get this legendary rod before I can even comprehend what's going on.
"Well… yes and no." She makes a grimace. "You see, Arcturus Forest is the magical forest that surrounds Luna Nova."
"Oh, so we just have to walk into it and get the thing?" I smile. That sounds easy enough!
"No. The forest is so dangerous there's a magical barrier preventing anyone from entering. Including us."
"But we collect our ingredients for potions class there." I protest.
"That's just a small portion of the forest. Far less ancient and dangerous." She explains. "To enter the core of the forest, I'd have to go through a Leyline and use a spell to break the seal."
"But… you can do it, right?" I mean, she's Croix! Surely a silly barrier won't prevent her from fulfilling her dream. Even if said dream is reviving magic… which kinda makes my own dream look silly and childish in comparison. But hey! We can't all be Croix.
"Sure…" She pauses, thinking. "I'll need some time to prepare, of course; do some research, brew some potions, buy food for the trip… Considering how big it is, it could take me several days to find it too, which means our little break after the Samhain Festival will probably be my best chance."
"Great! I'll help you in any way I can." I assure her, sitting up as well. After all, I'm not just her friend, but also her assistant. I'm doubly obligated! Plus, making a friend's dream come true, especially one as beautiful as that, is truly a pleasure to me. "Maybe I should practice my Murowa spell, if the forest is really as dangerous as you said."
"Uh… yeah, you're not coming." She deadpans.
"Why not?" I puff my cheeks in anger. "You just said it's dangerous. You shouldn't go alone!"
"But… you… I mean…" She trails off, looking to the side, obviously unwilling to say out loud what she no doubt has in mind.
"You think I'd be hindrance to you." I don't even bother to phrase it like a question, or to dissimulate the pain I feel upon coming to such realization.
"No!" She immediately protests, but then looks to the side and frowns. "But, you know… illusion magic won't serve against monsters." She then gives me an apologetic expression that really just manages to ager me more.
"Then teach me other spells! Teach me how to defend myself!" I retort angrily. "I want to help you. I'm not going to let you go into a dangerous forest full of magical creatures all by yourself! I don't care if you like it or not, I'm coming with you." I cross my arms with finality, giving her the sternest glare I can.
"You're crazy." She just chuckles and shakes her head. "Would you really risk your own life to help me fulfill my own stupid dream?"
"Well… that's what friends do, right?" My honest response seems to catch her off-guard, as her eyes widen before turning to look at the ground, apparently contemplating my response for a moment.
"I… suppose you might be right." She admits at the end, looking back at me with a small smile. By itself it wouldn't be anything special, but the way she looks at me… I don't think I've ever seen such a soft expression in her face. So happy, and pure, so… I don't know! It's almost like she really, really, cares about me. As if she's, dare I say, thankful to have me.
"So, that means…?" I can barely suppress an exited squeal.
"We are going to Arcturus Forest."
A/N: Well, I hope you liked that little piece of Charoix cuteness (now that I think about it, does it count like a date?) because from this point on things will get rather complicated and perilous. Anyways, thanks for reading, and please leave a review if you enjoyed this; I really do appreciate them and they motivate me to keep writing. So, again, thank you and see you in two weeks! :D
Thanks to my beta reader moonwatcher13.
