Loperèc, France
After a long trip, the group goes with Croix and Diana towards the residence of the Belmont family, where they could find a group of trustworthy hunters for a possible mission that they are planning to carry out with them. It was a three day trip passing from town to town, without many problems in relation to the creatures of the night, since on the way everything seemed to be going well, they were talking and getting to know each other a little better.
Being that the quartet discovered that the main characteristic of Cavendish is that she is a very quiet person and also correct, doing everything the most correct way possible, wanting to avoid as much as possible to make mistakes, as if she were a true countess, even in the pronunciation, although she has much of the Scottish accent when she was a child, she still manages to maintain a consistent conversation and keep a good form of language. On the other hand Croix is more similar to the girls, she is in a more relaxed way, she was interacting a lot with them laughing at the jokes that Akko and Marianne let out, which were even pretty bad, from time to time they even managed to make the Scottish girl laugh a little, that she made sure to cover her mouth to disguise.
The six girls arrived at the village of Loperèc, where everyone knew about Chariot Belmont, after all the whole town had an admiration for the witch, a long trip was made only of Akko and Marianne practically asking all the time to Croix about how was Du Nord, how she did the missions, if she was attractive even, how was her way and Meridies always told everything. They soon pass the fence of the Belmont estate, there they come across only one cottage, which comes to leave the quartet somewhat full of indignation.
Akko: A little hut like that? Chariot Belmont has done so many journeys, she is the descendant of Trevor Belmont and she only has a little hut in the middle of the bush.
Croix: I thought the same thing when I first visited, but as an old saying would go, never judge a book by its cover, what counts is what's inside.
They pull the carriage into a barn, pick up their bags and head towards the cottage, from there they leave their bags, where they finally stretch out after the long journey and of course Sucy made sure to drop a comment about this as she observed the tiny cottage where Chariot used to live.
Sucy: I don't know about you guys, but if she won a lot of gold, Chariot Belmont must have been not only the biggest hunter of that era, but also the biggest cheapskate too, because holy shit, for someone with such a reputation like her, surely this woman must have had money and properties to spare.
Croix is just laughing, she simply arrives at a chest, where she opens the lock and from there appears already a staircase, the same one goes down there while holding a lantern what even impresses the group for not having any idea of that part of the house, they go down the trapdoor, in that way Diana uses her vampire magic, The girls look at that enchanted, it is simply huge, a library is revealed, some weapons also appears, a portrait of Chariot Belmont and also the ancestors of the family like Trevor and Leon Belmont, who were great names. Sucy is even more impressed and decides to make a comment about the place that is so immense.
Sucy: I really misjudged the place, you have a shrine all hidden around here.
Croix: In case the situation did not turn out to be very favourable to our side this emergency shelter is here to protect us from persecution, both from creatures of the night and also from the church, we even have an emergency exit in case things get worse, finally, welcome to the Belmont house, feel free.
Akko: Woah! Someone pinch me, I think I'm dreaming it can only be, look how amazing, here is everything, the legendary weapons, the whips, information about beasts and their weak points, maps of castles, there are even remains of dead creatures.
Diana: Simply the exposure of my being killed, nothing more than that, there's even a booth where I get a bit bad, where she left it reserved for the capture of my mother, honestly for that part I can even tolerate, creatures of the night cause chaos, but still I feel bad, that's in the most fault of who controls them.
Akko: I am sorry for that, I forget how you are one of them, but I kind of do it for a living, you must imagine what our situation is like, we are hunters, we do it very well and we get paid for it.
Diana: I know because I am too, although you lassies really need to improve your fighting style, or else you'll just die before you even get to the door.
Akko showing her tongue to Diana: Boring and exaggerated, we can still improve, and another thing is that this is how I have stayed alive all these years, this style of mine has saved us from many a trouble, but by the way, what about your plan? You've said so much, but we don't know a thing about it.
Croix just signalizes the girls, they go following her, at the same time watching by what they have on the house corridor, when passing by the library, they arrive at a room, where there's a map drawing, in it it showed a possible route that they would do, where they would leave from France, crossing the English Channel to England, from there following the way towards Ireland, where they would stop city by city to rest, until arriving in the city of Dublin where it's marked with a star on the map, being that the group's goal, the girls were a little bit confused because the map was in English, but they understood a little bit and that way Diana starts to explain.
Diana: You have heard that I have two mothers, so the first one died in Dublin, being executed by the Catholic church, she was accused of crimes that were not even that much of a crime, just for them, well I am not the only daughter of the Countess Cavendish, our mission will basically consist of a rescue, as I have a strong impression that my sister Hellene might be alive and in the ruins of the McLaren family castle.
Croix: With two people with vampire powers things can make our mission easier, our big priority is to find out Chariot's true whereabouts, I've been planning this for years, I've been on a bit of a hiatus to train Diana and also inform myself more, our plan was to try and find a group of slayers who were brave enough to join us on the journey and we could trust enough.
Diana: You are different from ordinary lads, that's what caught our attention, two are from distant lands, one is a witch summoner, plus you proved your trust by joining our mission through the city of Châteaubriant, you stayed until the end where you could have just left.
Akko: Then it will be nice and easy, we will just travel to this place, get your sister and then find out about Chariot Belmont, with you in our group it will be of great help.
Diana: I wish it were easy, if it were I would already be with my sister here and would not ask for your help, but it's not like that, from what we have heard from the mouths of the people there and also from reports of hunters who have already travelled that region, it's always the same answers. Nobody came back alive from the ruins of the McLaren castle, the place is infested with creatures and ghosts, besides that from what we heard, nobody even saw my sister's face before she died, she is simply scary and I understand that, my mother Bernadette would not let any hunter go to the family castle for nothing, we are not weak, our vampire powers can kill a person easily, so much that I hide as much as I can when I am on hunting missions and there are people around.
Croix: We have found in you the slayers that will be ideal to join us, we will manage this way to maybe convince Hellene to join us in this bigger mission of finding Chariot Belmont, after all there might be a small chance that we will come across the Countess Cavendish and we will not have the slightest chance facing her with what we have of weapon, she simply denies any attack from us with ease.
Akko: If this is a challenging journey and on top of that it will be after Chariot Belmont, I am in, I want to see how we get there, one more challenge and I will be able to know if I am capable of defeating a vampire, who knows, maybe we will be able to rescue even the great Chariot Belmont and find her alive.
Diana: First of all you need to improve that style of yours, or simply my sister will manage to rip your heads off.
Akko: Since you talk so much about my style, why don't we duel to see who is the best of us? You only know how to talk shit and criticize, but you don't even know about my special tactics, you don't even know about my attack strategy.
Diana denies with her head, but then gives a snort seeing Akko's provocation, she simply agrees with her head, that way Cavendish mounts a wooden replica of each of the swords of both to show how fatal the attacks can be with a normal sword.
The other girls went just to watch the duel, they left the underground of the house and went outside, where they stayed facing each other, Akko left her katana with Meridies, Cavendish also does the same with her Claymore, the Scottish girl stays in a position already prepared for the attack entering in guard. Kagari gets closer still with her sword in its sheath, getting closer and closer, with a smile on her face.
Diana: You are full of confidence for someone who can barely wield a sword.
At that moment Akko pulls the Katana out of its sheath and almost hits Cavendish, who dodges jumping backwards, where by a few centimeters that cut didn't catch on her chin, it was a surprise attack until very fast, the Japanese woman sticks her katana on the ground strangely, Diana noticed Kagari's surprise attack and goes up to her but the brunette simply throws herself on the floor and crosses her legs around the Scottish girl's legs that ends up falling on the floor, by the handle of the katana Akko holds on, she gets up from the floor and starts to stab, but she rolls on the floor until she manages to defend herself with the Claymore.
Marianne: Go Akko show this Cavenboring that you are the best! She wins.
Sucy: Hit Akko in the face!
Marianne: Will you be rooting against our Akko?
Sucy shrugging: I've seen her enough, I want to see how Diana will beat that.
Akko at that time stomps Diana between the legs and she ends up weak, but that's when she simply uses her vampire magic, turning into a bat and standing upright again and that way she catches Claymore pointing at Kagari a bit embarrassed, but the Japanese girl gets just a little bit annoyed too.
Diana: What kind of a classless move is that? This is a real fight not a bar fight, I don't have those things that mad lads have, your attack won't affect me that much.
Akko: Spoke the one who turned bat to stand, you cheated too.
Diana: Itwas you who started cheating here.
The two keep staring at each other, even forcing the sword against each other, giving that angry stare and this even opens a smile on Croix's face who was watching that fight of both.
Which come back to follow their attacks, Akko gives a shoulder on the face of the dhampir of 1,68m of height, the Japanese takes advantage that is shorter and with that tries to hit with the sword, but ends up being barred by the defense of Diana, which counterattacks the Kagari that simply throws herself on the ground and almost hits what could be a cut on the legs, but Cavendish jumps and with that she was going to surrender the Japanese who simply throws dirt on her face and that makes the Japanese get up and again have an attack barred by the defence of the Scot who is very well trained but slowly getting annoyed with the way the Japanese attacks.
Even with her eyes closed due to the ground, she still forced Akko to have to defend herself with precision of each one of the blows, what she was doing trying to find a gap, she looks around the scenery, walks backwards, until she finds a tree, where she puts the sword back on the sheath, dodges an attack, leaning on the trunk, hitting a kick on Cavendish's face. Akko goes up with everything, but is barred by another defense of Diana who was simply doing everything with one hand, but Kagari could little by little in some moments force a defense with both hands by the Scot, who was trying to learn the tactics of the Japanese that even all clumsy could still attack little by little.
Diana: You fight like this is a bar fight, but you're getting it right, how can that be possible?
Akko: Speaks less and attacks more.
Akko quickly casts a very weak spell that she learned from Lotte invoking a glyph causing a spray of water to be thrown at Diana's face, this way she tries to give another cut, but the Cavendish jumps up taking advantage of her abilities, She even jumps using the Kagari blade as impulse and would have hit an attack from top to bottom if the Japanese hadn't dodged in a way that looked very clumsy, falling sitting on the ground and this way the Scot goes all out towards the Japanese, aiming the sword and the two are simply staring at each other, one facing the other. They stay in a surrender position, the dhampir with the sword near the human's face with the katana near her stomach.
Diana: Now what are you going to do? I could kill you right now if you were in a situation against a vampire like me.
Akko poking Diana's stomach with his katana: Funny you should say that when I clearly have a chance here, you can even kill me, but I'm not going to stay here with nothing, I can just rip your stomach out when you make your fatal hit, so it's up to the fastest.
Diana: So that leaves it as a draw, but still you got lucky, I just don't attack in low ways like you do, it's just ridiculous, a hunter and warrior has to be clean during combat.
Akko getting up: Because the guy on the other side doesn't give a shit, he's not going to fight you on your rules, he's going to hit your low parts and weak points, he's going to use the scenery to his advantage, even the creatures of the night do that and my style is based on that, my learning from many bar fights, or do you think that these scars I have came for nothing.
At this time Akko pulled the kimono down a little where Kagari shows a scar near the chest area a little below the collarbone, leaving Diana even a little embarrassed, blushed to see that, the Japanese climbed the kimono, then Croix appears clapping his hands congratulating the girls for the tie.
Croix: My congratulations girls, it was a draw, it was a great lesson for both of you, Akko you are a self defense fighter, but you still need to improve the issue of your guard, I know well the intention of your style and attack, pretend you don't know what you are doing to fool the opponent, This is a good tactic, Chariot Belmont used it a lot, but against creatures of the night it is useless, at least the ones that are not so rational, they still attack by instinct and don't care if you know how to attack or not, the rational ones even know, but it is good not to get too excited. You, Diana, also have a lot to learn from Akko, you two can complete each other, so I will put you both to train together. They are each side and style of a balance. We have the fighter full of class and rules who has the experience and discipline and on the other side we have the fighter with real experience in fights, one can teach the other how to reach a more unique style that can better handle these occasions.
Akko and Diana: What?
Croix: Take it from me, you are the two of the group who have perfected hand-to-hand combat, you will learn a lot from each other, I just want to see how you improve in this one month of training before we leave here for Ireland.
Akko: I can't stand training with that classy cavenchata, she's always criticising my style and thinks she's superior and all fucked up, that stupid vampire.
Diana: Oh how outrageous, how low of you, I'm not surprised you can only fight like a drunk in a bar, that's exactly your pathetic style, you can't say anything to someone who could die at the hand of any creature of the night.
Akko: If you are so fucking great then why did you call us to join your little mission?
Croix: Woah! Less there, calm those nerves and that's exactly the reason, you are opposing forces, you clash but you simply complement each other, I see huge potential coming from that, that's how the best partnerships are formed, that's how I managed to form a partnership with Chariot Belmont, she had everything against my way, while she was going for tradition, I was going for innovation, I was the first hunter to adhere to firearms against the creatures of the night efficiently, I'm always modernizing more, she sticks to the Belmont tradition of the good old whip.
The girls just shrug and from there they separate in separate ways, Cavendish stays alone leaning on a tree, while Kagari stays with her friends and it's in this moment that Croix is just laughing and then takes their weapons calling them to go towards them, the Scottish girl stays outside watching and reflecting about life and this whole journey, mainly around this fight she made against the Japanese girl.
[Diana: This Akko lassie simply she has a style worthy of a bar drunk, it's even outrageous how she's surviving to this day with such low style, how can that be possible? I spent so many years training, not only with Croix, but with my mothers, being a clean fighter, being full of discipline, I never fought dirty without injustice, but this Akko, she gets on my nerves, how can someone be as childish as her, just dirt on my face, that's low, that's such a, ahhhh]
Not far from there Chloé was riding a horse approaching the city of Châteaubriant, where she asks for information to the people there to know the whereabouts of Diana, after walking through the city to try to find out something, but she was only finding out information about the quartet.
She arrives at a tavern, where she leaves a gold coin, paying for a beer, and from there she gets tired for another journey, and this way someone arrives at the girl's side to try to dialogue a little.
Customer#1: So what brings the beautiful lady here to our inn?
Chloé: First of all I demand respect, don't touch the Duchess of Loches like that, secondly I can reward you well for some information, after all you can be of great help, you happen to know about the whereabouts of this person here.
Customer#1 receiving a gold coin: Oh pardon me miss, I saw her when they were saving the city from the creatures of the night three days ago, we don't know where she went, she didn't inform anyone, I was just watching things, I believe the duke must know more of the information.
Guard#1 sitting next to her: I heard your conversation, I saw her leaving with five other people, one older, carrying a firearm, with lilac hair, two others with red eyes, one with brown hair, one with pink hair and one Scandinavian blonde, they went in a cart heading west.
Guard#2: The purple haired one is the former partner of Chariot Belmont, if I am not mistaken they might have followed the path by turning around, since on the other side is located the Belmont house, it is in Loperèc.
Chloé drinks another sip of beer and hands the customer the rest and then throws coins to the two guards thanking them for their help, so she doesn't think twice, she leaves that inn, taking advantage that it was still daylight, gets on her horse and follows the route towards the residence of the Belmont family, writing down everything in her head the information about the whereabouts of Cavendish.
Back at the Belmont residence, Croix takes the weapons to one of the parts of the mansion where the forging is done, and Meridies becomes enchanted with the way the Katana is made, even though it is already showing some cracks with time and would need a new one, being that Akko herself said that it has been losing its edge for a while, that it was once a much sharper sword. She goes looking at all the girls' weapons, thinking of a way to improve each one.
Croix: Look Akko's sword is a fascinating thing, you guys from the east have an interesting forging tactic by the looks of it, I will try to replicate it, but I don't know if it will work, already you can also improve your weapons more, I can make a staff for Lotte or an arquebus for Sucy, it's about time you retire those arrows and accept modernity.
Sucy: To be honest I will deny it, as much as the shots are powerful and fatal, these weapons cause a huge noise, do not help me when I have to be stealthy, so I prefer the good old bow and arrow, may not kill, but has its advantages, apart from that I load very fast each arrow, I see you shooting and simply takes too long gives me time to give about 5 arrows while you put the ammunition in your firearm.
Croix: Ah so I know how you can improve a lot, you're the stealthy type, so how about a crossbow? It might be a good one for staying stealthy, it makes less noise than a bow and on top of that it shoots with more power and ease.
Sucy: I wanted a crossbow, but I didn't buy one due to lack of money and the fact that I couldn't find one that was really good enough to fit my style, and we never had that much time to spend in a city for more than one night, so I couldn't really perfect the weapon and check its defects.
Croix: Well now is your chance, a crossbow can greatly improve your sneak attack and also your normal attack, the arrows penetrate much more with one, I will even mount arrows that are efficient against the creatures of the night, here we have holy water that can serve to bless these arrows and that way be efficient against the monsters.
Sucy is getting more and more interested, while Lotte is taking a walk through the library, checking the books and getting a little more knowledge about spells and summoning, since she can use the time to perfect this part of her, besides having the necessary tranquility to expand the amount of magic she can use.
Akko was watching her katana and admiring the other weapons while Marianne was playing with them pretending to be a warrior, showing the little skill she has, but still entertaining the group, until Diana appears coming down the stairs and thus joins the girls.
Croix: Look who decided to show up, apparently the lonely lady decided to come back.
Diana: Croix I'm just wanting to be safe, out there it's risky to be alone, knowing that people can't see a person with red eyes without thinking I'm a creature of the night and on the spot wanting to kill me.
Akko: But you are a creature of the night Diana, you are the daughter of...
Diana: You don't have to remind me of that all the time Akko, I am well aware that I am a creature of the night, but people are not open and accepting as well as you think it is.
Akko: Don't you think I understand? People looked down on me and Sucy until we found Lotte, they always thought we were creatures of the night, or they just didn't like us because we were from far away lands, they thought we were runaway slaves, which was true at the beginning, but then we bought our freedom, you are not the only one who goes through this.
Diana: I know that Akko, I know, but I look exactly like my mother, anyone who bats their eyes already thinks I'm the Countess Cavendish herself, you have no idea how many towns around here haven't tried to kill us, it's a danger that's complicated to understand.
Akko: It's not, I understand Diana, you have to stop thinking a bit what others think of you, because we are not like that, we are friends aren't we? And rivals too
Diana: That's pushing it, we're only here to accomplish a mission, it's not like I'd get along with you and rivals? Spare me, you only draw with me because you only know how to fight dirty, if this was a clean fight you would have lost, besides I didn't even use my vampiric powers against you so that the fight wouldn't be unfair, I continued with my human strength.
Akko just shrugged and then left, so she wouldn't have to put up with Cavendish saying anything, Kagari had become irritated, so much so that she decided to read a book to calm her mind. Diana on the other hand remained silent, leaning against the wall and that way Croix went to her, wanting to make a proposal to the Scot who remained simply in her corner.
Croix: I leave you in charge of the forge when I go to make Akko's sword, this will be part of your training too, you need to train your confidence.
Diana: What? But that's absurd Croix, I know how to work in the forge, but that doesn't mean I'm as good lassie as you, this here goes beyond any training, I'm literally making the weapon of someone in the group and if I make a mistake I can compromise the mission, you get the idea...
Croix: Exactly that Diana Cavendish, that is why I am giving you this responsibility, I want to see you develop a bond of trust and partnership with the leader of the quartet, you have to work together above all, she is the representation of your opposite just as you are the representation of her opposite, you have to work on your genius and so you will evolve.
Diana: Honestly Croix, this is a joke, do you really think this is going to work? That lass does everything on impulse, she's clumsy, she manages to be comparable to... Sorry.
Marianne: Hey! I know I'm not one of the best either, but we have a place where we start, I'm in this because I want to protect people from the creatures of the night, I got all inspired by Akko watching her act, I saw how she is longer than you, she is a wonderful person, unlike you who seems really a creature of the night, cold and without feelings, it's not for nothing that Akko can't stand you.
At that time Marianne also leaves the forge room and Sucy just keeps watching everything while Croix puts his hand on his face for what Diana said and Cavendish takes a deep breath reflecting on what she had said. On the other hand in the library, Kagari couldn't concentrate reading, but soon Marianne arrives and comes to give her friend a hand, taking her hand.
Marianne: Honestly this Diana Cavendish is more like Diana Cavenboring, how this Croix can stand her is still a divine miracle, because I honestly keep wanting to punch that little vampire's face every second.
Akko laughing: hahaha, me too, she is a pain in the ass really, but I will show her that I am a rival, that she is dealing with Atsuko Kagari, I didn't run away from Chiba, I travelled to Tonegashima, I went by ship all over the world, I was a slave, I ran away in Portugal, I went through Spain, I arrived here in France, to give up, I will not give up to find Chariot Belmont and even if this silly girl keeps talking shit in my ear I will not listen to this bullshit and I will be strong, I am much more than that.
Marianne: Yes, be strong Akko, we are only at the beginning of our journey and one month of training might be enough for us to perfect it.
Akko: Exactly Mari, I also like you started from scratch, I didn't know anything, I was learning, you know how?
Marianne: training? With a master? With a teacher?
Akko: By being beaten! No master wanted to teach me how to fight, no one wanted to teach a little girl how to fight, I had to learn by getting beaten up by others, it was always like that on my way, I just don't have my style because I don't know how to fight, contrary to what the starched one thinks, I've been in more fights in my life than she must have sucked necks hahah.
The two stay there laughing and talking while Diana on the other hand was thinking about what to do while she was at the forge, she even gives some advices about Akko's personality to Cavendish, this way creating a little more interaction, and Meridies was making the crossbow to Manbavaran. The group's preparation for a great journey is beginning. The great search for the whereabouts of Chariot Belmont and also Hellene Cavendish McLaren.
See you, Belmont witches...