Remember that chapter in which Akko and Croix meet Akko and Diana from the future? In that story, future Diana tells them how future Akko and her got together very briefly.
This chapter is what happened…
Chapter takes place in alternate universe of chapter 8 (Back to the Future Part II)
Notes:
I'm back! I know that I said that I was going to post part 2 of Freaky Luna Nova. But, I wrote this chapter as a way to cope a little bit with the confusing feelings that I was feeling for someone. Hence, this chapter is more serious than the previous ones hehe. But, writing it was very therapeutic and it did make me feel better!
Thank you all for your support and for still sticking with it!
Diana had been feeling terribly confused over the last couple of weeks.
She was aware that things had changed between Akko and her after she returned from the Cavendish Manor. In fact, Diana had started to realize that she didn't dislike the brunette witch as much as she thought she did.
She actually admired her.
Her determination, her charisma and her blunt honesty were things that Diana had not been used to seeing in the people that surrounded her. She had been raised in a society and group that hid their true selves from each other and only showed the people around them what they wanted them to see. That was why she had abandoned her love for Shiny Chariot when the other kids around her started mocking her. Why she had been so desperate when her magic stopped working and her parents' friends started whispering about her weakness.
Diana realized that she had always cared about what others thought of her.
She had realized that she disliked being seen as weak.
That she wanted to change.
It took her many arduous hours of work and dedication, but Diana quickly surpassed her physical barriers and became one of the most popular witches of her era. Coming to Luna Nova had been a way for her to get an official confirmation of her talents from the professors.
To show all the people that had doubted her when she was a child how powerful and intelligent she had become.
And delivered praise they did.
Diana knew that the admiration of the professors and students came only because of her capabilities; they were all signs of the perfect façade that she spent years building. And she should be happy about the fact that they all looked up to her and tended to follow her instructions. Because it was way better than feeling ridiculed by others.
She had promised herself that she was not going to feel that ever again.
And until now that had been true.
Until she met Atsuko Kagari.
The Japanese witch, in a way, was everything she had hated about herself when she was younger. She was clumsy, she was vocal about her desires and innocent in regards to magic and what others thought of her.
And her shenanigans always involved Diana and got her into embarrassing situations.
The ones she had wanted to avoid for years.
Yet she could never stay mad at the brunette witch. She knew that Akko's behavior only affected the Japanese girl's reputation; she was ridiculed by the rest of witches and even professors at Luna Nova. So it shouldn't have mattered to Diana what happened to Akko because of that.
Yet she realized she cared.
In fact, many times Diana had felt sick about the way some of the people around Luna Nova treated Akko and the crazy expectations they had on the brunette witch. Perhaps it was true that Akko was a magnet for trouble and always brought attention to herself; but it seemed like only Professor Ursula truly took the time to teach the brunette witch about magic and the way spells were meant to work.
Because many forgot or ignored the fact that Akko didn't come from a magical family.
Unlike Diana.
Which meant that Akko was her complete opposite and that logically they shouldn't get along.
Then why had she promised Professor Ursula that she was going to help Akko find the seven words?
Surprisingly, Diana had not hesitated in accepting the older woman's request. In fact, she had somehow found herself getting closer to the brunette witch because of that. From watching her practice after class to eating lunches together, Diana had slowly realized that Akko and her were not that different.
In all honesty, if Diana had to define what she felt about their meetings, she would have to say that they were the highlight of her day and that she always looked forward to them.
Which was the moment she understood why she had not hesitated to accept Professor Ursula's request.
It was because she was growing too attached to Akko and the blonde heiress was not naïve enough to not realize what her heart was starting to feel for the Japanese witch.
A happiness and pride that was not as innocent as she would have wanted it to be.
Diana could have convinced herself that it was a platonic love and that she had grown close enough to Akko to see her as a friend. But that didn't explain why she had been following Professor Croix since Diana realized that she was interested in Akko.
Why she was terrified of something happening to Akko if left unprotected.
Diana had been meticulously analyzing every move Professor Croix made and how her actions affected Akko. The blonde heiress had been careful about those two realizing that she was watching them but she knew that the lilac-haired professor was interested in Akko and that was worrying her. Specially after the fact that Akko had realized that Professor Croix had a connection to Shiny Chariot and was following the older witch around the school because of that.
Hence, she wasn't that surprised when Professor Ursula asked her to meet in the middle of the night while doing their rounds.
"Diana, we need to talk." the older woman told her seriously and she knew right away that it had to do with Akko.
"Of course." she says quickly and follows the older woman to a room. "Let me place a silencing spell around us so no one can hear what we're going to converse." she moves her wand and sees Ursula using her own to produce two chairs to sit on. "What happened?"
"Today I saw Akko and Croix together in town." Ursula whispers dejectedly. "And although Akko did tell me earlier that they coincidentally bumped into each other, when I asked her hours later if she got everything she needed in town, she told me that she had never left the school."
"But that's impossible…" Diana says confused. "Because I talked to her in town. Afterwards I returned to Luna Nova and so did she."
"I remember that as well." the professor says worriedly. "Which makes me suspect that Akko's lack of recollection has something to do with Croix." Ursula whispers worriedly.
"You think she made Akko drink a forgetting potion?" Diana asks softly.
Potions like that were not dangerous but that could mean that Akko saw something she shouldn't have or shared with Professor Croix something the older woman didn't want the brunette witch to remember.
"We both know that she's closer to finishing her preparations and that the amount of magic surrounding Luna Nova has increased." Ursula says softly.
Diana nods in agreement.
"Based on what you told me, it seems like it's similar to Fuel Spirit. Those cubes possess magic and can transform and shape themselves based on Croix's desires. It is very powerful, but also very unstable magic." the blonde witch shares her suspicions with the older woman.
Ursula looks dejectedly towards the ceiling.
"I have to stop her from hurting Akko." she whispers brokenly. "I have to tell Akko the truth before she gets captured or hurt by Croix."
"You'll tell her that you're Shiny Chariot?" Diana asks surprised because she knew how terrified the blue-haired woman was of sharing this with Akko. "Didn't you tell me when I realized who you were that Akko knowing this could hinder her in her search for the words?"
"Yes, but that was before Croix made such a direct attack on Akko." the older woman says brokenly. "And nothing, not even the seven words, are more important than Akko's wellbeing." she says firmly and Diana agrees.
"Then you're going to tell Akko that you're Shiny Chariot." Diana says softly. "How does that make you feel?"
"I've wanted to tell her the truth for so long." Ursula confesses softly. "But it just never seemed like the right time to do so. And now I think that it may be too late for her to not hate me for what I'm about to do."
This makes Diana get close to the older witch and grab her hands tightly.
"Akko is unlike any other witch I have ever met. She's one of the most forgiving and loyal people I've seen and I know for certain how much she cares about you Professor. How strong is the bond between you two."
"Is it?" Ursula asks brokenly. "Because I have grown to love Akko like a daughter and I'm terrified of her hating me after telling her the truth."
"She will forgive you." Diana says confidently and watches the blue-haired witch nod softly.
LWALWALWA
"Akko is gone." Diana hears Ursula tell her brokenly.
So it seems that Professor Ursula had gone ahead and told Akko the whole truth.
And Akko had run away from the truth like she always seemed to do when it was too hard or too much for her to bear.
"What do you want me to do?" Diana asks quickly.
"Find her." Ursula asks of her. "Bring her back to Luna Nova."
Even if Professor Ursula hadn't asked this of her, Diana knew without a doubt that she was not going to let Akko leave.
"I will find her." the blonde witch promises the older woman who gives her a broken smile in return.
"Thank you, Diana." Ursula tells her softly and goes to pick up her broom.
"Where will you go?" Diana asks worriedly.
She didn't like the way her professor was crying and avoiding her eyes. During their time together they had gotten close and now Diana knew how the blue-haired woman thought. So, the fact that the older woman was murmuring to herself while grabbing her broom tightly meant that she was trying to convince herself of doing something.
And it didn't take a genius to realize that what Professor Ursula was going to do was face Professor Croix.
"I'm going to put an end to all of this." Ursula whispers determined. "I cannot let Croix continue with this plan. Not only for Akko, but also for her." she says the last part softly but Diana hears her clearly.
"You shouldn't face her alone." Diana warns her calmly. "She has the Fuel Spirit increasing her magic and we don't know the machine she's using to canalize all that magic."
"It must be inside that lab." the professor says firmly. "And I'll destroy the machine once I find it. After that's done, there's nothing else Croix could do."
"This plan…" the blonde witch tries to reason with her. "We need to think it through Professor. If we go to fight Professor Croix and she happens to beat us then she will start her plan earlier."
"But this has already hurt Akko too much!" Ursula exclaims bitterly. "And what kind of person would I be, have I been, if I allow Akko to suffer from all of this all by herself?" she closes her eyes dejectedly. "This started when I was given the Shiny Rod and I failed to find the last word. It has to end with me." she grabs Diana's hand strongly. "I am asking you to please find Akko." she implores desperately. "She doesn't know that she can get over this and become a wonderful witch."
Like you did… is what Ursula doesn't say out-loud but Diana hears it loud and clear.
"I will find her." she vows again. "But Professor, promise me that you'll be careful." she also makes the older woman promise and watches her leave quickly.
"I hope everything turns out alright…" she whispers and grabs the Shiny Rod that had been abandoned in the blue-haired woman's room so she can go find Akko.
LWALWALWA
Diana was exhausted. It had been almost three hours since she left Luna Nova and there was still no sight of Akko. She had been tempted to talk to Akko's friends and ask them for help, but then she would have to explain to them why the brunette witch ran away. And Diana didn't have the right to do that. So, it was only up to her to find her friend and somehow convince her to come back to Luna Nova. Because if there was one thing that Diana was certain of, was that Akko would be too depressed to wish to return.
And now Diana had to be the one that convinced her of coming back.
But how could she?
When Professor Ursula first told her what happened, she had also been depressed and angry. In fact, it was because of all of her years practicing self-restraint and patience that she managed to simply stay in front of her professor and hear the whole story. Akko, most probably, ran the moment she realized that Professor Ursula was Shiny Chariot and had been the one responsible of stealing her magic.
Professor Ursula most probably didn't have the chance of explaining to Akko that with hard work and dedication she could get said magic back.
Like she did when she was a child.
Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, Diana starts to think of all the things Akko and her had talked about. How they had bonded over magic classes and failed spells. How Akko had talked to her about Shiny Chariot so much that now Diana knew every card effect and location that was had been produced.
Locations that ironically happened to be around Luna Nova.
That's it! Diana realizes and starts flying towards a very specific place.
She knew that Akko's love for Shiny Chariot aka Ursula would never fade but that it would be conflicted. Hence, the brunette witch was most likely to go to a place that meant very much to the blue-haired witch when she was younger. Closing her eyes and remembering the many cards, there was one that Akko always seemed to prefer.
The Fountain of Polaris.
When Akko spoke of that card, her eyes shined brightly and her smile became softer. She had told Diana that she was not ready yet to be granted the powers of the fountain. That her magic was still growing and that there was much she still needed to learn before becoming worthy of it.
That Shiny Chariot, like her, had also tried once to get those powers and had failed.
That failure and the ability to surpass said failure was what brought her closer to her idol and made her realize that wanting to be like her was not a fool's dream.
That it could be a reality.
That it had to become hers.
Getting closer to the fountain, Diana sees Akko sitting on a bench, quietly staring at her surroundings with a solemn look on her face. It was clear that she had stopped crying but that only increased Diana's wariness because this type of behavior was so unlike Akko.
But then again, everything that had happened to Akko since Professor Croix came to Luna Nova was not something that happened to a typical witch.
So how would the brunette react?
"Akko…" Diana tells her softly while getting close. "I'm glad you're alright."
"Diana." Akko simply says without looking at her. "I assume Ursula-Sensei asked you to come find me."
"Yes." she confirms simply. "Because she's devastated and she cares about you."
"Does she?" Akko stares at her. "Because all she has done since I got here was lie to me."
"Do you really blame her Akko?" Diana asks her firmly. "For not sharing her deepest and most regretful secret with a girl she just met who every chance she could told her that she loved and admired her to no end?"
This makes Akko look down in bitterness.
"Not at first." the brunette witch murmurs quietly. "But we got closer. We shared so many things and she became so invested in wanting to help me get better…" she smiles bitterly. "That I thought it was because she cared about me."
"It was because she cared."
"It was because she felt sorry for me. Once she realized that she took my magic away, her helping me was a way for her to make amends." Akko spits out angrily.
"Akko…" Diana whispers sadly. "You are not speaking what you truly feel. You're saying things out of anger and that is only going to hurt you more."
"How much more can I even take Diana?" Akko stares at her with bitter tears in her eyes. "Everyone at that school laughs at me. They mock and insult me all the time. Even my own friends joke about my mistakes and my inability to do magic. And to now know that this all happened because my magic was taken away!" she looks away. "It's just too much to bear."
"Of course it is." the blonde witch tells her softly. "In fact, all that has happened to you since you arrived to Luna Nova has not been fair." she adds bitterly. "But it also means that you're much stronger than all of us for having surpassed those adversities."
"Surpassed?" Akko laughs sadly. "Diana, I'm not even capable of fully doing a transformation spell."
"Perhaps not." Diana agrees with a warm smile. "But your magic did free Vajarois. Your magic also helped me when I needed it and you successfully saved me from my aunt's snakes. Something that I was incapable of doing."
"You were not expecting them."
"That doesn't take away from the fact that you saved me." she grabs Akko's hand and squeezes it tightly. "Remember when you told me to watch you, Akko?"
The brunette girl nods.
"I have been doing so." Diana says softly.
"Because Ursula-Sensei asked you to." Akko murmurs dejectedly.
"What?" she asks confused.
"She told me that you had been helping me." she chuckles bitterly. "Which I guess explains why you started to teach me magic and started to hang out with me. To keep an eye on me."
Seriously, Professor Ursula was sometimes too honest for her own good.
"It was never because of that." Diana takes a deep breath. "But at first I did accept her request because I felt I owed you."
"Owed me?" Akko asks confused.
"For not giving up on me and bringing me back to Luna Nova." the blonde witch gets close to Akko. "I felt that I owed you a favor and I thought that by keeping you safe I would repay my debt to you." she chuckles softly. "But I became too invested. You…" she stares at Akko honestly. "Were such an enigma that I felt I needed to solve."
"Diana…"
"And I kept coming back to every lesson you had. I started to talk to you after class and you were so welcoming and warm. This, questioning my intentions, was something I had been expecting you to do sooner." Diana chuckles warmly. "But you never did. And I considered myself lucky."
"It baffled me sometimes." Akko confesses softly. "Why you would want to be with a person like me. I mean, we're so different that I can't see you gaining something from being near me."
"I gain everything!" Diana says passionately and surprises the brunette witch. "Akko, you are spectacular!" she adds vehemently. "Watching you talk about magic, about performing shows and the way you're improving; it reminds me of the time when I loved magic like you do."
"You don't love magic?" the brunette witch asks softly.
"I stopped doing so a long time ago." the blonde witch smiles sadly. "Magic, unfortunately, became such a necessity and commodity to me that it lost its charm." she smiles tenderly. "But then I met you Akko and everything changed."
"What do you mean Diana?" Akko asks carefully and Diana knows that she has already said too much.
She should probably stop but the way Akko is squeezing her hands and her eyes keep focusing on her… It is stopping her from rationally thinking about the situation.
It is making her feel brave and confident about her feelings.
About sharing them with the young woman in front of her.
The Japanese witch that had slowly, but surely, stolen her heart.
And realizing this didn't make Diana feel scared or lost.
It made her feel thankful.
"It means that the reason I have been spending all this time with you is because I have wanted to do so." Diana smiles brightly. "I wanted to be near you."
"Why did you want to be near me Diana?" Akko asks softly, hesitantly.
Grabbing Akko's hands and bringing them to her lips, Diana gives the brunette witch a warm smile.
"Because I have realized that I like you, Akko." she says confidently and watches tears falling out of her friend's eyes.
"Are you lying to me, Diana?" the Japanese witch asks her brokenly. "Because I no longer know what to believe. Are you telling me this because you really mean it or is it only to bring me back to Luna Nova?"
"My feelings for you are true, Akko." Diana hugs her tightly. "And I want you to come back to Luna Nova because of what I feel. Because I want to be with you. Although I guess that makes me sound selfish." she chuckles happily. "Which I've realized is something that I want to be."
"Diana…" Akko whispers surprised.
"I want you to give our story a chance Akko." the blonde heiress says while creating a little space between the two of them. "I know that your time at Luna Nova has not always been the easiest. And probably once we return it will take a while for things to get better. But, what I can promise you is that I will always stay by your side."
"Always?" the brunette witch asks softly, hopefully, and Diana gives her a dashing smile before nodding and taking the Shiny Rod out of her magic robe.
"Always." she promises and hands the staff to Akko who doesn't take it.
Instead, what the Japanese girl does is that she closes the distance between the two of them and stares lovingly at her.
"I like you too." she hugs her tightly while kissing her on the lips.
Closing her eyes and letting go, Diana thinks only of the girl in front of her and how lucky she is that her feelings are being returned.
That Akko felt the same…
"Thank you, Diana." Akko says to her and both witches see the Shiny Rod shining brightly for them.
Smiling at the surprised brunette, Diana can't stop herself from laughing happily at everything that had happened. Perhaps the situation wasn't the best one. Or the reasons why they were here were not the easiest ones. But all the events that led them to this moment were so typical Akko that Diana couldn't think of a better scenario for their love story to begin.
Knowing inside her heart what that green light meant, and feeling closer to Akko than ever before, Diana gets close to the brunette's lips and is ready to yet again kiss her.
But, before she can do that she needs to say the magic word.
"Lyonne." Diana chants the magic word confidently and both witches feel each other being filled with warmth and happiness.
Emotions that they were certain came from the deepest part of their selves.
This type of magic, unlike the other ones that had come from the Shiny Rod, was not as flashy or physical. Instead, this one felt deeper and more meaningful. To Diana, it felt like she had gained a better understanding of Akko and that said knowledge had made her realize the depth of her true feelings for the brunette witch.
That she was going to grow to love her.
"Diana…" Akko says to her softly while staring at her brightly and that's when the blonde realizes that she had not kissed Akko yet.
"Yes?" she asks embarrassed because she had left the brunette witch hanging.
"Let's go home." the Japanese girl tells her with a soft smile and kisses her soundly on the lips.
No, Diana thinks while kissing Akko passionately, I am already in love with her...
