Chapter 7:

Diana felt herself land on something soft before an immediate sense of cold overcame her body. She jumped up before breathing rapidly. She looked down and saw that she had landed in a pile of snow. Luckily it had broken her fall, preventing her for hurting herself anymore. She proceeded to pick herself out of the snow, still holding Shiny Rod.

Once up, she looked and saw that she wasn't in Blytonbury anymore, but instead in some sort of small town, one she was unfamiliar with.

"Where am I?" She asked herself. She looked around, despite the town's size, it was as well lit as Blytonbury was around the holidays. She saw one sign above one shop that reminded her something, not the shop itself but the writing on the sign: 漫画

Is that, Kanji? She wondered. She remembered a while back Akko had shown her how to write in Kanji. Diana thought it would be interesting to learn how to write in another language, so she gladly learned. But, why was that sign written in the language?

"Daijōbu desu ka?"

Diana turned around and then saw a man and a woman who looked to be around their early thirties, staring at her in surprise. They seemed friendly, but Diana wasn't sure she had understood what they had said.

"P-pardon me?" she asked hesitantly.

"Daijōbu desu ka?"repeated the man.

Whatever he was saying, Diana was unfamiliar with and had no comprehension of any of it.

"I-I don't mean to rude but, could you please say that in English?"

The couple stared at Diana in confusion.

"English," she repeated, politely, "D-do you speak any English?"

Then his girlfriend's eyes widened in realization, she stepped forward and bowed before speaking up.

"Forgive us," she spoke, "we don't get many visitors around here, so not many speak English, well there is that one girl…"

"..It's quite alright," stated Diana, relieved that someone understood her. Wherever I am, it's not England that's for sure. She thought to herself. Did the vortex send her to another part of the world? Then it hit her, the Kanji writing on the sign, the Kanji alphabet was mostly used by the Japanese.

So, I'm in Japan? She wondered, But where in Japan, and why would Woodward send me here?

Merīkurisumasu!"

Diana flinched. That voice, could it be? She looked over towards the shop and saw the familiar sight of a brunette in an orange coat.

"Akko?"

"Ah yes, Kagari Atsuko." intervened the woman, "She speaks English quite well. I think she was planning to visit England at some point. Do you know her?"

Diana shoved the couple to the side and ran for Akko, the rod still clenched in her arms.

"Hey, wait!"

"Matte!"

Diana ignored the couple and continued her run for Akko until she was right behind the brunette.

"Akko!"

Akko turned around to face Diana with a look of confusion on her face.

"Tetsudai mashou ka?"

"I'm so glad you're okay!"

Akko's eyes then widened, before smiling with her mouth slightly ajar.

"Oh, you speak English!" Spoke Akko in words that Diana understood. "We don't get many visitors around here."

"This is wonderful! I haven't seen you since the-"

Just then Diana remembered the events at the Christmas feast. Feeling guilty, she pulled Akko into a sudden hug, surprising Akko in the process.

"Oh Akko, I'm so sorry!" spoke Diana sincerely. "I never meant to say those things, I was too caught up in my own image. Please forgive me!"

"Woah! Easy there, easy!" said Akko with an awkward smile, "You don't have anything to be sorry for!"

"...I don't?"

"I don't think so," replied Akko, "I mean, how could you have said anything to hurt my feelings? I've never even met you until this very moment."

Diana suddenly let go, her heart almost stopping at what she had heard.

"Y-you don't k-know me?"

"Um, am I supposed to?"

Diana stood completely dumbstruck. No, Akko had to know who she was, she had too!

"Akko it's me, Diana!" She tried to remind the brunette. "Don't you remember?"

"Diana, Diana Diana Diana Diana..." Akko repeated to herself as she pondered. "...Nope! I've never met anybody named Diana before. I guess you're the first!"

"B-but we go to school together! We're in the same classes!"

"What are you talking about?" asked Akko starting to look at Diana funny, "I've never seen you at my school before."

Diana stood there, her mouth ajar in shock. Akko seriously didn't remember her? Her so-called rival? Her friend? How couldn't she? Unless, Diana's wish…

"What's that you got there?" Akko asked Diana. Diana looked, and saw the Rod, and smiled. Surely, Akko would remember one of the items that once belonged to her idol.

"Of course you'd remember this!" smiled Diana, "it's Shiny Rod! The wand that once belonged to Shiny Chariot!"

"Shiny Rod?" repeated Akko, "I don't- Oh, Shiny Rod!" Her eyes lit up with understanding.

"Yes, you remember!" Diana exclaimed in joy. Finally, she had gotten through to Akko! Now fixing everything would be a breeze.

"Yeah, Shiny Rod!" repeated Akko, "I used to love that toy when I was a kid!"

Diana gaped. That wasn't the reaction she was expecting.

"T-toy?"

"Yeah! It was from that Shiny Chariot show I saw when I was young." Akko remembered, "It looked a lot like," she looked towards the rod in Diana's hand. "I think something like that, only less detailed."

Diana looked back at the rod, she was in total disbelief at what Akko was saying.

"T-this is Shiny Rod!" Diana claimed, "The original! The one Chariot used! The one YOU found!"

"The original?" Akko repeated, "What do you mean the origin-" A smirk then appeared on Akko's face "Oh no…"

"W-what's wrong?" asked Diana.

"You didn't," said Akko, trying to hold in her laughter. "I don't believe it."

"D-don't believe what? What are you talking about?"

"Whoever you are," giggled Akko, "You're such a DORK!"

Akko then burst into a fit of laughter, not unlike Hannah's and Barbara's towards Akko. Mean-spirited, snide, hurtful. It made Diana fell smaller, despite being slightly taller than the brunette.

"W-what's so funny?" asked Diana hesitantly.

Akko had finally stopped laughing and calmed herself down. She proceeded to bow in apology.

"I'm sorry," she apologized, "I didn't mean any disrespect. It's just, I never expected someone to be so obsessed with something for little kids!"

Diana couldn't believe her ears. Did she really just hear that? From Akko of all people? One of, if not the biggest Shiny Chariot fans in the world?

"H-how could you even say that?!" stammered Diana. "You love Shiny Chariot!"

"Yeah, I did when I was little."

"W-what?"

"I said I used to love Shiny Chariot as a kid," responded Akko, "but that was years ago. Shiny Chariot was just another childhood fad I had growing up. Fad is a letter away from fade, which is what Chariot did, she faded away from me as I grew up."

This isn't real, it can't be! Thought Diana, How could Akko even think like that?

"B-but, but y-you, you used this rod!" spluttered Diana, "You met me at Luna Nova! We're rivals! Chariot's words encouraged you to attend Luna Nova! A believing heat is your magic! Don't you remember anything?!"

"Look," said Akko, in a more annoyed tone. "I've never been to any school called Luna Nova, I've never been into Chariot since I was little, and I've never met you before in my life." Akko then looked at Diana suspiciously. "How did you even know I was into Chariot to begin with? And how did you know my name?"

"Akko, please it's me Diana!" said Diana, tears forming in her eyes. "Y-you know me!"

"I told you, I've never met anyone named Diana before," said Akko irritated, she turned around. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to get home in time for dinner."

"W-wait, come back!" shouted Diana desperately, she grabbed Akko's hand. "Akko, please! I need your help! You have to come with me!"

"Hey!" snapped Akko. "Stop it! Let go of me!"

Try as she might Diana would not let her grip on Akko's hand loosen. Akko needed to come with her. She had to fix this! She had to!

"Help! Tasukete! Tasukete!" screamed Akko. "Get her away from me!"

Suddenly, Diana felt herself being grabbed and pulled away. She looked up and saw the same couple she met earlier hold her tight for dear life. Many others began to gather around to see what was happening Akko picked herself up and looked over herself to make sure she was alright.

"A-Akko, please!" begged Diana.

"Kuso kurae, Baka!" shouted Akko looking at Diana as if she were some sort of abomination to the world, "I never want to see you again." And with that, the brunette walked down the street, before disappearing past the corner.

Diana gasped as what Akko had just said. Those words, she thought, Did Akko hurt this bad when I said them to her?

"G-get off!" Diana then punched the man in the nose, causing him to lose his grip on the blonde witch. Diana as far away from the crowd as she could, with some giving chase.

Diana soon turned down an alleyway and hid. She watched as her chasers ran past the alleyway without a second thought. When she was sure they were gone she stepped out of her spot, despairing and miserable.

Why? Why doesn't she remember? Diana thought. Not just Diana, but her love of Chariot! How could Akko forget the one person who lit the fire of determination in her heart? A fire that appeared to have been snuffed out. Diana looked to Shiny Rod, she didn't care if she wasn't chosen. She had to fix this!

"Please" she begged the rod, "You have to fix this! Make Akko come back!"

Nothing happened.

"Come on," seethed Diana, "I know I'm not the chosen one, but I need you to fix this!"

Still nothing.

Diana swung the wand and shouted in anger:

"COME ON YOU STUPID THING! FIX IT FIX IT FIX IT FIX IT FIX IT FIX IT FIX IIIIIIIITTTT!"

Diana swung the rod against the wall, and when it made contact, Shiny Rod shattered into a million pieces Diana could only watch in horror as the pieces scattered all over the ground. Shiny Rod was no more.

"No," gasped Diana tears forming once more, "no no no no no no no no no, please no please no please no…"

Diana couldn't finish her sentence before collapsing to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably. This really was all her fault, wasn't it? She had been the one to wish for a world where Akko had never been a witch. She had stolen Akko's dream and ruined her life. Along with so many of her other friends. Diana truly was a terrible person for causing all of this. She looked up, tears still falling.

"W-Woodward!" sobbed Diana, "I-if you can hear me, then please make it all stop! Get me away from all of this! Undo my wish! I don't care what other people think! Bring Akko back! Please! I-I want her back again, I want her back again!"

Diana looked to the ground tears still falling from her eyes.

"Please…" she murmured, "please, bring Akko back again..."

Diana began to feel woozy, her eyelids began to droop before all she could see was black...

A/N: Sorry if I butchered any Japanese. Also, I see Akko and Diana as close friends in this, but if you want it do be Diakko, you can look at it that way if you choose.