AN: Well...what can I say? I'm really sorry about the delay.
My life is a goddamm rollercoaster right now.
As some of you already know, I'm kinda homeless right now and I'm not sure
how soon that will Change. I'll still try to update here and there, but I don't know
how much time I can invest in writing right now.
Anyway, I hope some of you will still read my story.
I promise the next chapter will not take nearly as Long as this one.
Enjoy^^
2018
Diana was lost.
She had lost sight of Alfred in that thick crowd, or maybe he had lost sight of her...
It didn't matter. She was all alone now...
So she had wandered around, searching for the familiar face of her caretaker.
She would have asked if someone had seen him, but the people here spoke so funny. So fast and...just different. She couldn't understand them at all...
'I want to go home!'
The street she was walking on was dark. Only a few lanterns shone dimly, casting deep shadows over the blonde haired girl. Why had she begged her mother to come here?
She should have just accepted defeat when her father had said no to her. Even her aunt had laughed tauntingly at her childish wish. But her mother wanted to make her happy. Wanted her to have this chance to see her Idol live and Diana loved her for it. Shiny Chariot's show was so pretty, so beautiful.
'She is so awesome!'
She never thought she would regret coming here. The show was so much fun. In the crowd, there had been a girl who screamed even louder than her when Chariot finally descended on the stage.
And she had given it her all...
Just why could no one understand her? Why did those other children at home make fun of her because she loved magic and Shiny Chariot? Why could her father never see past his reputation?
Why did it seem like her fault that her parents fought all the time?
'What's wrong with me?'
A faint beeping noise ripped her from her thoughts and she turned around startled...but no one was there. The street was empty. Feeling uneasy she hugged herself, trying to find some sort of comfort, as she continued on her path with wary eyes. Something zoomed past her head, grazing her ear and she froze. Slowly she turned her head slightly, glancing behind her...
And gasped in shock, her eyes wide with fear.
It was the dragon from the show!
How did she not notice him before?
Why hadn't she heard him?
Where did he even come from?
The dragon spread its wings menacingly and growled intimidating, towering over the small girl.
'GO!'
Diana didn't think twice, she ran. It may be futile to outrun a beast like this, but she had to try it.
Her heart raced madly inside her chest. She would never make it. Someone needed to help her!
Someone...
[Wake up!]
Someone...
Her vision grew fuzzy, her ears began to ring and then...
She saw the most wondrous thing she had ever seen.
Strings.
Beautiful colored strings everywhere.
They surrounded her, spanning from different points and angles, a soft glow emanating from them.
Where did they come from?
A loud growl behind her made her hair stand on end. She had to hurry.
Her legs trembled, as she tried to keep up her pace. Her eyes began to drop...
She was so tired. It was probably past her original bed time.
She stumbled, but managed to keep her balance, still running as fast as she could. Those strings were irritating. She didn't know where she was going with them impeding her field of view.
An especially bright one called her attention. It appeared to be near, originating from somewhere at her right.
Diana decided to follow it. Cutting to the right sharply, she changed her course, her eyes focused on the glowing strand before her. But it was still so far away and it even appeared to be moving into the wrong direction.
She could hear the dragon behind her, the flapping of its wings, trailing her.
Just what did it want from her?
[You really need to wake up, Diana!]
Breathing became harder and harder. She couldn't keep this up anymore. In a desperate attempt she threw her hand forward, trying to grab the glowing string, to stop it from going even farther away from her, as she screamed with her last strength:
"HELP!"
A warm feeling enveloped the girl. Her outstretched hand began to tingle and a bright, white light flashed before her inner eyes, causing her to stumble again. Only this time, she wasn't able to steady herself and with a loud yelp, she crashed to the ground. At the same time something else slammed violently into her. A relentless onslaught of...sadness?...grieve?...longing? It rendered her motionless and threatened to overwhelm her.
'What's going on?'
It hurt!
All those contradicting signals her brain received made her want to scream loudly.
But she couldn't!
She tried to concentrate on the coolness of the ground seeping through her clothes and her slightly battered face. Instead she felt hot tears escaping her eyes, leaving a burning trail along her flesh, as they rolled down her cheeks.
And then...it stopped.
Not immediately, no. Slow and softly, as if someone was shielding her from those uncontrollable emotions.
Diana's vision began to clear again. With most of the pain gone, she groped around, trying to orient herself.
Where was the dragon?
As soon as she had thought this, a low growl sounded right above her head. The girl's eyes widened in shock, but she couldn't move. She was petrified.
'Mommy!'
"DIPHULANIADO!"
The yell seemed to have broken her paralyze. Turning herself around quickly, she managed to catch a glimpse of the giant dragon above her exploding into millions of small pieces in a flash of green light. The loud rumble from the explosion echoed throughout the dark street.
Before Diana was able to process what just happened a figure towered over her, extending a hand to help her up. Even in the dimly lit street the girl was able to make out the bright, red color of the person's hair. Though…the way she wore her grey hoodie, the hood over her head, she apparently tried to conceal that fact.
"It's gone now.
You don't have to be afraid anymore."
The redhead's voice was warm, her red eyes locking with Diana's blue ones. The girl couldn't do more than stare awed, open mouthed at her savior.
"Are you hurt somewhere?", asked the hooded person, clearly concerned.
She knew that voice, she actually had heard it only a few hours ago.
'It couldn't be...'
"Sh-shiny Chariot?"
[DIANA CAVENDISH!]
'What?'
The scenery before her faded out. The dark street, her kind savior...herself too, until the only thing she could see was white. White wherever she looked. She seemed to float through nothingness.
Where was she?
What was this place?
The last thing she remembered was talking with Akko about the Shiny Rod. A bright red light had illuminated the campus grounds and then...pain.
It had erupted suddenly inside her and swept her off her feet. She was wholly unprepared for the wave of magic that had hit her. That alone would have been more than enough, but it also came entangled with so much hurt, anger...betrayal?
Letting her gaze wander, she tried to shake the last remnants of her dream off.
What even was it about?
Her past?
She had never met Chariot as a child, so that didn't seem plausible.
Was it a misconception?
Did she perhaps mistake the child as herself?
But Alfred was her caretaker back then...and she did attend the show in Japan...
'Strange...'
Never minding the fact that this whole scene was highly unlikely to have happened, this was the first time she had been dreaming about her own past...
'As if it was trying to show me something...'
[That is correct!]
Diana looked around warily.
Then, right there before her very eyes, the white surface began to ripple, like unruly water, glowing in a soft green hue, as a presence emerged from its center. At first, she believed it to be Woodward, but as soon as she saw the long curly hair typical for the Cavendish family she corrected herself. In front of her stood without a doubt her ancestor, Beatrix Cavendish, also known as Beatrix the affectionate, one of the Nine Olde Witches, the founders of Luna Nova.
To say the blonde was speechless was a grave understatement.
'E-elder Beatrix', she stammered flustered, or rather she tried to say it, but no words could be heard.
Just like it had been that time with Chariot.
How strange...
'So it really is 'the void' after all', mused Diana, looking around as she tapped her chin thoughtfully.
[Not exactly.]
'Pardon?'
She totally forgot that she wasn't able to think silently anymore. How inconvenient.
If Beatrix knew what she thought right now, she didn't comment on it. Instead she decided to explain her statement, to Diana's wonder and appreciation.
'Why couldn't have Woodward been that straightforward?'
The blonde cleared her throat slightly embarrassed, as her ancestor's glowing eyes narrowed at her little jab. She apparently didn't like her criticizing the Blue Moon Spirit.
[That place you visited to help Chariot was a violent and hateful one], she said nonetheless in a calm and collected manner, [chaining her to its magical core. You however are not trapped right now.]
Diana blinked.
Trying to shake the feeling of dread that spread slowly through her...
'So why am I here then?'
She had a bad feeling about this...
[I need you to listen, little unicorn], the elder continued, blatantly ignoring her question, [Your world is in grave danger. Time is unraveling as we speak!]
'Time... is unraveling?', the blonde repeated blankly.
Was this Croix's doing?
Her dreams of the past...
That project, Chronosphere...
Time...
But what would she get from destroying time itself?
More importantly, why was Beatrix telling her this?
Diana felt numb.
She couldn't even stop the tech witch from getting her hands on Professor Ursula. Croix's mind was a lot sharper than hers.
She couldn't compete with that...
She had tried that already and failed miserably.
Akko trusted Croix and Chariot was still asleep...
There was nothing she could do.
'I'm sorry Akko...
I can't protect you after all...'
[You are the only one able to stop it.]
Those words ripped through her like angry flames, nipping and biting.
It was always the same...
Only she could do it, the esteemed Diana Cavendish from the esteemed, old Cavendish family line!
What a joke!
Where it counted she wasn't able to do anything at all.
Not being the one to bring back magic to the world like her mother envisioned...
Not being able to help Chariot...
Not staying true to her own beliefs!
'How am I supposed to do that?
I'm not the chosen one.'
There was an edge to her voice, one she had never heard before.
Bitterness!
She was still bitter about this. The fact that Akko got the Shiny Rod and not her...
She was as much a fan of Chariot as Akko was. She loved magic. She was apparently truly talented at it, if one believed her teachers...
So why?
Why wasn't she chosen?
'Because you don't have a dream!'
...what?
Where did that thought come from?
How ridiculous!
She had dreams, of course she had them...didn't she?
She wanted to restore magic after all.
'Because mother wished for it!'
She wanted to be a brilliant witch and uphold the Cavendish name.
'Because father wouldn't even acknowledge your existence if you didn't!'
She wanted...
'I...'
[No you are not!]
Her ancestor's voice ripped her from her inner turmoil, eyes softening as she watched the young witch, a warm note to her tone:
[But this is something only you can do.]
Before Diana could react to that statement, asking what exactly only she could do, Beatrix continued urgently, as the glowing around her subsided slightly, giving her a transparent look:
[We are running out of time, you will awake soon. My apologies, I wish it wouldn't have come to this, but Woodward's negligence has doomed us all.]
The blonde shrugged slightly, trying to block out her lingering doubts which threatened to surface again. She needed to concentrate. If the world was thrown into chaos because of some time disturbances, she needed to focus!
She would deal with her issues later!
'I wouldn't call her meddling dooming us all, but-'
[I am not talking about her questioning testing methods, little unicorn.]
Beatrix's expression darkened.
[ Did you not wonder why she never tried to guide your little pegasus on her quest to obtain Grand Triskelion?]
Diana paused at that. Crossing her arms she thought back to her encounter with the Blue Moon Spirit.
Akko had never told her that she met Woodward and the old witch herself hadn't really given her the impression that she cared about the brunette even remotely. The one tutoring her was Chariot after all.
But why?
Why Chariot and not her?
She did try to guide the redhead after all.
Was there something more at play here?
She opened her mouth to give the old witch an answer, already forming the words in her head, regardless of the fact that she couldn't actually speak, but paused as the rest of the sentence sunk in.
'My... little pegasus...?'
The blonde could feel her face getting warmer, her ears flushing a bright red as she spluttered embarrassed:
'Akko is not-'
Then why did she associate her with 'little pegasus'?
'I mean, we are not-'
Didn't mean she wouldn't want them to be.
'It is not what you think!', she finished lamely, before she cleared her throat and schooled her features back into a blank mask, trying to ignore the amused smile that had spread over the old witch's face.
'I did in fact ask myself that', she tried to appear nonchalant, 'but I guess she learned her lesson from her debacle with Chariot I suppose.'
[Did she now?]
Something akin to concern flashed through her ancestor's eyes, but it was gone so fast that she wasn't sure if she hadn't just imagined it.
[Regardless of that, Woodward is not allowed to interact with all of you on a greater basis. She is bound by the rules, as am I. The only reason she was allowed to take on the brief role of guardianship was because we needed her to teach the one 'blessed from the stars' how to control her gifts...which she failed to do!]
Something tugged at Diana's senses.
Slowly the pieces gathered together.
So Woodward wasn't allowed to interfere with them...that was good to know...
She unsurprisingly failed to teach the one blessed from the stars something about control...
And the one blessed from the stars was...
A sudden pang of fear surged through her, intensifying the horrible feeling of dread already swirling inside her stomach.
'Are you talking about Chariot?'
The blonde didn't need an answer, of course she meant Chariot...but why was it making her so uneasy?
[Time is short, little unicorn.
I regret sending you out there unprepared, but you need to stop her!]
WHO?
Woodward?
Croix?
Diana didn't know anymore. She might have to correct herself in regard to her Beatrix's straightforwardness. Her warnings were as confusing as they were ambiguous.
The white began to close in, robbing the younger witch of her sight, making it harder to sense her ancestor.
[Do not trust your instincts!]
It was spoken with such urgency, that it echoed through the emptiness, sending a cold chill down her spine.
'What?
I don't understand.'
But the old witch didn't respond, she just gave the blonde a last, warm smile and in a bright green flash of light she was gone, leaving the young Cavendish with even more questions.
When Diana opened her eyes it was morning again. Pale, grayish light fell through the window, as raindrops drummed against the glass, lulling the room into a faint, steady rhythm. Letting her gaze wander, she was pleasantly surprised when she gathered that she was in her own room instead of the dreadful infirmary. A small machine sat on her desk, whirring quietly. Her books appeared to have been recklessly tossed to the ground to make room for it.
Whoever it was, the Cavendish would have a stern word with them. Nobody treated her prized books like yesterdays garbage! Sighing softly she felt a gentle tug at her right hand. She shuffled around a bit, trying to turn herself to the right as quietly as possible. That's when she saw it.
Her eyes widened comically as she looked at the surreal scene before her. A young witch sat next to her bed on one of her comfy guest chairs, her head slumped forward laying on the soft mattress. Her brunette hair fell like a curtain around her and both of her hands appeared outstretched. One gripped the Shiny Rod tightly, the red glow diminished. Only one of the gems seemed to refuse to relinquish its dark, sinister shine.
'What do you want to tell us?'
Shaking her head tiredly, Diana tried to clear her thoughts. It wouldn't do her any good to think too deeply about this right now. Following the other outstretched hand with her eyes she wasn't surprised to find it intertwined with her own. A small smile spread over her face, as she regarded the still sleeping girl fondly, squeezing her hand in a try to rouse her.
"Akko?", she whispered softly, as she sat up, leaning on her right elbow, mustering the sleeping girl in front of her.
Incoherent mumbling was the only response she got, which prompted her to shake the brunette gently with her other hand.
"Akko!", she repeated a bit more loudly.
Red eyes fluttered open, gazing drowsy at her, as Akko tried to blink the sleep away. Then the red orbs widened comically, as they locked with hers and she scrambled upwards, her face a mixture of disbelief and shock.
"D-Diana, you're awake!", she exclaimed excited, gripping the blonde's hand even tighter, as if to reassure herself that she was indeed real, "you had me so worried. You just broke down...again and...and then Croix-Sensei said you had Sensorial Overload too and that it could take weeks or months before you would regain your consciousness and-"
Akko's voice deteriorated and broke altogether. Tears began to blur her beautiful, almost Bernstein colored eyes and a loud sob escaped her.
It caught Diana by surprise. She hadn't imagined the younger witch to react like this...so heartbroken...
Her own heart clenched painfully inside her chest.
Sitting up alarmed she took the crying girl into her arms and tried to soothe her:
"Akko, shh,", she cooed gently, "I am alright, see?"
Leaning forward she rested her forehead against Akko's, closing her eyes in the process, relishing at the sudden peacefulness that enveloped her.
"I would never leave you."
'Not by choice.'
"You promise?"
Akko's sobs had subsided, but her voice still sounded a bit scratchy.
"On my name as a Cavendish."
An easy silence fell between them, no one wanting to move even an inch, simply enjoying each other's company.
'I wish it could always be like this.'
Impossible!
As long as Croix had free reign in Luna Nova, Diana couldn't let her guard down.
And with Professor Ursula currently under her control...
She sighed loudly as she pulled back, slowly opening her eyes again.
"Akko I have to tell you something-"
"I love you!"
'...what?'
The blonde froze.
Apparently she was more tired than she originally thought. She was suddenly hearing things.
'Ridiculous!'
Just because she realized her own feelings for the brunette didn't mean they would be reciprocated.
...even if Sucy had implied otherwise...
"...I beg your pardon?"
"I love you", repeated Akko urgently, an earnest expression on her face, her eyes blazing with an unfamiliar fire, trying to convey the raw honesty behind her words.
"I'm serious!
And before you go and interrupt me again...nothing you say will change my feelings. At first, I didn't understand them at all. You infuriate me like no one ever has. You are stoic, ridiculously perfect to the point of aggravating and immensely talented at magic. I honestly couldn't stand you..."
She paused then, fixing the older witch with an unfathomable look that made her heart skip a beat and continued, flashing her a gentle smile:
"Because I wanted to be like you so badly.
And...with time I realized that you're still all those things, only you're also kind and warm and hardworking. You stood up for me when no one else did, you cared about my well being even after I childishly insulted you and...
You make me smile and giddy and I want to be with you and hug you and even kiss you...it just feels right."
She broke their eye contact and stared longingly at their still intertwined hands, her face falling slightly.
"I'm sorry to spring this on you so suddenly, but...you could've died Diana!"
She shook her head as if to clear herself from those images and tried to hold a new wave of tears at bay.
"You could've died and I would have never told you how I really felt and…I just...
I love you!"
Her voice had risen with each word and died down at the 'I love you' at the end. It couldn't have been louder than a murmur...a quiet defeated murmur...
"...Akko..."
Diana didn't know what else to say. She was speechless. Not in her wildest dreams had she thought that Akko would confess her love to her. Liking her more than a friend? Sure. But love?
'Do I love Akko?'
She wasn't sure. Shaking her head slightly, she could feel anxiety bubble in the pit of her stomach, making her queasy.
"It's okay if you don't feel the same", muttered the brunette softly, barely audible and Diana's anxiety morphed into an all out panic.
'No, I do!'
She couldn't let her think that. It might ruin every chance they had, if she kept on being silent.
Every fiber in her body urged her on to say something, to tell Akko she was wrong, to be happy for once in her life...
But Beatrix's warning...
'Don't trust your instincts!'
Was it instinct if she gave into her feelings?
"I just wanted you to know..."
Her voice sounded so small, as she slowly loosened the grip on the blonde's hand.
'To hell with it!'
Not letting Akko's hand escape her own Diana surged forward, capturing the younger witch's lips in a desperate kiss, effectively shutting her up.
Her lips were incredibly soft.
That was the first thing the Cavendish noticed, as a warm, pleasant tingling spread through her whole body, erasing the lingering fear that resided inside her.
She had to agree with Akko...
It just felt right.
Kissing her...
As if she had finally found a missing part of herself...
As if nothing mattered but them...
'How strange...'
Was that how Chariot had felt for Croix back then?
If so she could almost understand her reluctance for not dealing with her sooner...
Almost!
Even knowing that the tech witch was falsely accused of a crime she didn't commit, didn't change Diana's impression of her. She was still dangerous!
And if Beatrix's warning was really about her, then she needed to be stopped.
She felt Akko relax into the kiss and ceased her unnecessary thinking for now, instead she tried to focus on the brunette in her arms. The way her heart beat wildly against her own, the way she seemed to melt right into her. It was...
'Magical!'
She felt a gentle tug inside her, urging her to...to do what exactly?
She couldn't say.
Something flashed before her eyes. It was only for a short moment, but she could have sworn it was a...string?
She must still be reeling from her weird dream...
She would analyze this later.
The pull wasn't so strong that she couldn't just simply ignore it.
Sadly Akko's thoughts seemed to have caught up with her brain too and she broke the kiss, her face flushed, looking at everything but Diana.
An awkward silence fell between them. And with it came the nagging doubts.
She couldn't be involved with the brunette right now. It was far too complicated. Besides, she wasn't even sure if she really loved her. Hell from what she knew Akko had despised her only a week ago. Weren't they moving too fast? And why wouldn't she talk to her right now?
She glanced quickly at the brunette's somewhat dumbfounded face and a horrible thought overcame her.
'I am an Idiot!'
She had just kissed Akko without her consent. Acting like those hormonal teenagers she always read about. Unforgivable! She had to apologize.
Diana had barely opened her mouth before the brunette asked in a surprisingly cheerful way:
"So... where does this leave us? Are we dating now?"
Causing the blonde to blink in confusion.
She wasn't mad?
Clearing her throat she tried to appear nonchalant.
Now was the time to explain to Akko why a relationship right now wasn't the best Idea and that they should probably remain friends for the moment and-
"Are we? I don't remember you asking me on a date."
'What?'
No, she hadn't meant to say that. This wasn't supposed to happen...
She had a mission to accomplish.
"Diana", whined Akko, but the joy in her eyes betrayed the relief she felt at Diana's remark, as she asked tentatively: "Are you really okay with me?"
'YES!'
Maybe they could date sporadic. Others always went on dates without being actually together.
They could work something out...
It's not as if she could just jump headfirst into a relationship like that.
'You should have thought about this before you kissed her!'
Darn it!
"Our timing surely is inconvenient with everything that is going on right now."
It was a vague reply she knew, but it was the only one she could give at the moment.
"Really? I find it perfect. Ursula-Sensei is finally awake and now I even have a girlfriend. It's starting to look up again."
It seemed as if Akko had made the decision for her.
'Girlfriends, huh?'
Wait...
"Ursula-Sensei is awake?"
That would change everything. She could finally get the much needed help to stop Croix without involving Akko in the process. She wouldn't even have to reveal Ursula's secret.
"Oh yes, Croix-Sensei told me that yesterday before you ran into us. I'm actually going to visit her later."
'Ugh, Croix again!'
And the way the brunette always talked about the sketchy teacher, as if she was a revered Idol...kind of like her obsession with Shiny Chariot.
"I'm glad for you Akko."
And she was. She had missed Ursula just as much, especially the way how her and the younger witch interacted with each other.
Akko for her part didn't seem to notice her discomfort and bounced with newfound vigor onto her feet, grinning sheepishly at her new 'girlfriend'.
"Hehe, thanks. It's as if everything is going to be alright again. I'm so happy right now.
It's a good thing I trusted Croix-Sensei after all. Did you know that her and Shiny Chariot were girlfriends too when they attended Luna Nova?
Still can't believe she would just leave the one she claimed to love behind...
'Is that...?'
Criticism? Against Shiny Chariot?
Shaking her head in disbelief she tried to focus her attention back on the brunette who suddenly stilled her babbling, staring at her embarrassed.
"Uhm...sorry, I'm rambling again", she laughed lightly before a thoughtful look washed over her.
She tilted her head to the side and scrambled next to Diana onto the bed.
"Wasn't there something you wanted to tell me?"
This was the moment she had been waiting for. The time to finally come clean to Akko about everything that was going on...
But it was her word against Croix's if she wanted to protect Chariot from being found out...
And it was clear who had the brunette's favor right now.
'Not me...'
"Never mind, it wasn't that important."
August 2006
Croix was restless. No maybe it was better to say she was irritated. Since Chariot's surprising, albeit not unwelcome display of affection towards her, she felt...off. It began as a slight buzzing, as if she was constantly being charged with electricity, tingling along her spine. But now it was more like a constant drumming. Something hammered against her from within, agitating her nerves, trying to force a mixture of foreign emotions onto her that weren't entirely her own. And she knew they weren't.
She had never felt so many contradicting things at once.
Scrolling through her notes, she regarded yesterday's protocol skeptical.
Chariot's readings were... strange, to say the least. Her instruments had detected an abnormally strong emotional instability, even before they had started the project.
'Before I started the system even.'
Now the only question was, why?
Was there something enhancing them?
Or was it just a consequence of her bottling up her feelings so much?
And how did it relate to herself at the moment?
Impatiently she scrolled to the very end of the document, frowning slightly at what she saw.
Puzzled, she opened the color chart which was created as a parallel file at the time of the experiment and it gave her the same result.
She had apparently forgotten to shut her system down when she decided to take the break. That meant the data she was currently staring at was actually from the time they were intimately together...which shouldn't really surprise her. Her girlfriend could be a little clumsy after all. It was totally believable that she just missed or ignored some of the electrodes in her haste yesterday.
No, what really gave her a pause were the readings themselves.
Chariot's were off the charts. She had never seen such a strong emotional reaction. The color palette suggested a mix of different feelings altogether.
Red, Blue, Yellow, Rose...
'What an interesting combination.'
"What are you doing?", sounded a very familiar voice behind her cheerfully.
Glancing over her shoulder Croix looked directly into Chariot's red eyes and something inside her stirred. The hammering intensified, making her grit her teeth in mild annoyance.
She still didn't know what was happening to her.
Feeling her heart rate increase, she forced herself to break their eye contact, turning back to her computer screen.
"I am currently analyzing the results from yesterday's experiment."
"Oh, can I help you with that?"
Chariot leaned over Croix's shoulder in response, her red hair tickling the older witch's cheek, as she cuddled into her from behind. A shudder ran down the prodigy's spine and a surprisingly strong onslaught of...affection? made her almost want to keel over.
Being close to her girlfriend seemed to amplify her current condition.
'Why?'
She had to distract herself from her problem. If she tried too hard to discern the different emotions to find out where they originated, she would get an unbearable headache. It had happened before.
She needed Chariot to back off.
"Va t'en!"
'What was that?'
She hadn't meant to be so cold to her girlfriend, it just slipped out...and in French no less...
If there was one thing the redhead hated more than being snapped at, it was her mother tongue.
Chariot recoiled from her, as if she had been burned. Croix's fingers tensed on the keyboard, as a piercing pain ripped through her.
'Just what is going on here?'
Why was it hurting so much?
"...Croix?"
The redhead's voice was soft and wary, as she stood awkwardly behind her. The older witch could feel her eyes on her back, almost burning her with accusation. She wouldn't be able to find a solution as long as Chariot was moping.
Sighing loudly she spun the chair around, facing her girlfriend.
"I apologize for snapping at you.
I did not mean to hurt you."
The younger witch took a step forward tentatively, mustering Croix's face, as if she was trying to read her.
"Do you feel alright?", she asked finally in a timid voice and the older witch's ears buzzed painfully.
Gritting her teeth she forced a placating smile on her face and responded as gently as she could currently muster:
"I have to work right now, do you not see that?"
Which wasn't even an answer to begin with, but the older witch hoped it would be enough to get her point across. Chariot knew how she could get when her projects were concerned. She would understand and leave Croix in peace so that she could finally sort out this confusing mess by herself.
"Croix!"
...or not.
Another pang rippled through her. Why was the redhead so difficult today? Normally she would just give her a pass. For all she knew Croix was still in work mode, so why stay? She could do other things than hovering over her. Clenching her hands into fists she decided to be blunt, because that seemed to be the only way her girlfriend would get the message.
"Just leave me alone Chariot, I am fine!"
"Arrête de mentir!"
She never saw it coming.
Something tugged at her, angry and burning, knocking her remaining breath away. Gasping loudly, she slid from her chair ungracefully to the ground, her whole body tensing up.
Her vision blurred. She couldn't really say what happened next. She felt hot and feverish.
'TOO MUCH!'
It was too much...too much sensation at once.
A pair of soft arms where suddenly around her, helping to ground her.
The pain lessened somewhat, giving Croix a short glimpse of clarity, as she tried to orient herself.
Blinking rapidly she stared into the warm and concerned eyes of her girlfriend, who appeared to have been talking to her the whole time.
"Qu'est-ce qui ne va pas, Croix?"
'Huh?'
That was odd...
"You are speaking French, Chariot", she managed to rasp out, trying to focus on the warmth that radiated from the redhead, as she relaxed further into her arms.
Chariot seemed kind of surprised to get a reply at all and decided to lighten the mood, forcing a sheepish smile on her face.
"So what?"
"You don't like talking in French."
Waving it off she flashed her another smile, a real one this time.
"I don't, but it got through you, didn't it?"
Her eyes softened as she tugged Croix closer to her, caressing her lavender hair lovingly.
"Seriously, Croix, what's wrong?", she murmured obviously worried, but in a low tone. It seemed to imply a warning for the older witch to stop her deflecting tactic.
"I can't fool you, can I?"
Which wasn't exactly the truth. Normally she could, not that she would, but it was doable. Which begged the question why Chariot hadn't gone when she so rudely ordered her away. Why had she stayed with her?
'How did she know I lied?'
"It's nothing really. I just...feel a bit off today, that's all", she tried nonetheless, earning her a doubtful glare from the redhead, who thankfully decided not to comment on it, as she focused on the girl in her arms.
"Hm...
You do feel pretty warm."
Her concentration was abruptly interrupted, as Croix cuddled closer into her girlfriend, burying her face under the redhead's chin, startling her.
"Eh?"
"I...I feel so much Chariot...", the older witch muttered tiredly, almost needy, which was so unnatural for her, "I want you close to me and at the same time I need you as far away as possible."
"How do you feel right now Croix?"
"...warm...incredibly warm and...sad? Excited? Nervous?
Ugh, my head hurts so much."
Croix felt Chariot entangling herself from her and tried not to whimper at the loss of contact, instead she rested her head on the cold floor in a desperate attempt to cool off somewhat, closing her eyes...
Until her girlfriend apparently slammed right into her stomach, causing them both to cry out in pain.
"Goddammit Chariot!", she almost yelled, trying to squint at the redhead through the tears that had gathered in her eyes. She knew the younger witch was prone to get into…accidents…and that she probably hadn't meant to hurt her, but that sadly didn't erase the fact that she was now in pain.
And the only one who seemed to make it worse or better was Chariot...who she couldn't find.
"I'm sorry", could be heard from the other end of the room, as her girlfriend scrambled hurriedly into her field of vision again, seemingly catching her breath and holding the Claiomh Solais in her hand, the other clenched over her stomach.
"I just wanted to get the Claiomh Solais to try and heal you and-"
She paused abruptly, her face furrowed in confusion.
"...Wait...did my fall hurt you?"
'Her fall?'
The wheels in Croix's brain came to a sudden halt.
Chariot couldn't have tumbled onto her!
Chariot was on the other end of the room!
"...it did...", she muttered almost to herself as realization slowly began to sink in.
Everything made sense now.
Those foreign emotions, which were on the verge of overwhelming her.
Her inability to adapt to them.
The reason why being near Chariot enhanced them to an unbearable degree.
But that couldn't be true. It was simply impossible...
'Unless you factor in the enigma that is my girlfriend.'
And sadly it seemed to be her only explanation at the moment.
"Chariot...I think what I am feeling right now...is you!"
2018
Chariot woke to the steady drumming of rain against glass. Her eyes were heavy as she tried to struggle awake, shaking off the last remnants of sleep. Which wasn't as easy as it sounded, because she still felt so exhausted. Blinking slowly she let her gaze wander through the unfamiliar room. It was small, but also incredibly charming. The walls were plastered with diagrams and oddly looking designs for...who knew what and practically screamed Croix to her. So the school did give her her own quarters after all. Not that they appeared to have been used for the two months that she had taught here. If she slept at all, she probably used the bed in her laboratory...typical Croix. She could even make out the red, uneven cape she seemed to wear so regularly, hanging on a small, wooden closet.
The young professor sat up, now wildly awake. On the desk across from her laid the dark rod...this Chronosphere or whatever her ex-girlfriend had called it, which meant she could actually let go of it.
Stretching her senses she tried to evaluate her connection to it...with crushing results.
She appeared to still be tied to it.
Sighing resigned she pulled them back and began to search for her glasses.
Her head throbbed painfully. She really ought to be more careful with her abilities. She hadn't used her powers in such a long time, but as of late the urge to use them again became almost unbearable.
She needed to control herself better...
And she would!
Yesterday was a lapse of judgment on her part, nothing more.
'Whatever makes you feel better...'
Fine, it was...something...but that didn't mean she had to give in. She knew she still loved Croix, had never stopped loving her to be honest, but...
'I can't just forgive her!'
Didn't mean she didn't want to...
And she really really did.
Croix was her home and she lost it because she believed someone's lies over the older witch's distraught words. Her experiment on Helena was just plain wrong...but...surely they could have worked it out. Maybe she could have shown her the error of her ways...
She really wasn't a bad person. Just a misguided one. She should have...
'But you didn't!'
That's right, she didn't and Croix had almost killed them both and a lot of innocent people because of her decision. She would never forget the terrified face of the little girl who had been so excited to meet her. How her eyes had shrunken in fear as she-
'NO!'
She refused to relive those memories. They were painful enough as it was.
A cold shudder ran down her spine as she tried to repress them.
She needed to concentrate on the here and now and that meant-
A sudden movement at her right caught her attention and interrupted her thoughts. Turning her head towards it she nearly jumped out of the bed.
Croix.
How had she not noticed her before?
The older Professor slept on her back next to her, a peaceful expression on her face. Chariot mustered her unguarded features with wonder. When was the last time she had seen the other witch so relaxed? So...innocent?
Croix shifted slightly, rustling the sheets in the process, a small frown creasing her forehead. A soft smile tugged at the corners of the redhead's mouth as she regarded her ex-girlfriend fondly. She always was a fitful sleeper, even when they were younger, much to the older one's dismay, because Chariot always used it against her. It was her greatest ammunition to tease the perfect prodigy with.
Hesitantly she caressed Croix's hair, the impulse far too strong for her to ignore. It still felt the same, she surmised, as she let her fingers run through the smooth, unruly strands, reminding her of the time where the older witch had first presented her her new, short haired look. Beaming at her with so much joy, her eyes twinkling like stars...
'Croix...'
Letting her fingers wander, she gently traced her face, relishing at the pleasant tingling that followed immediately after every touch, spreading from her hand to her lower stomach. Her heart fluttered nervously, as she leaned closer.
She missed Croix so much...
Ten years were such a long time...
Chariot slightly bumped their noses together as she hovered over the sleeping Professor indecisive, trying to fight the longing that muddled her mind and the dull ache that resided deep inside her, craving the older witch's warmth...her touch...
It was as if she was in a trance when she pressed her lips softly against Croix's. Her eyes fluttered shut almost instinctual and her heartbeat quickened tremendously.
She knew in her head that this was such a bad Idea, but...
A pair of warm hands sneaked behind her as the kiss deepened, roaming over her back, pulling her closer, pressing their bodies together.
She had forgotten how Croix's kisses always left her reeling inwardly, how passionate she could become when fully motivated.
And suddenly they were back at Croix's home so many summers ago, hands sliding lower, kissing her way down to her girlfriend's exposed navel, magic rummaging through her. Seeing the beautiful strand of magic surrounding her as she weaved them together...
Panicked, Chariot opened her eyes, staring right into Croix's green ones. Something tore at her strongly, trying to guide her...
Everything became a blur, as magic began to build inside her, begging her to use it. She felt more than she saw the older witch. Dulled but nonetheless present her essence seeped through the walls the redhead had put up around herself. Through the small cracks that had formed for every year that passed without Croix...
A soft gasp escaped her as the tech witch's hands slid under her shirt, ghosting over her hot flesh.
I really do want to be Chariot.
'...but I'm Chariot...'
Was it your childhood dream to become a teacher Sensei?
'No, you're wrong...'
If I keep chasing after the words too, I know I'll run into her!
'...you already met me Akko...'
I am innocent Chariot!
You have to believe me!
"Stop!"
Chariot ripped herself away breathlessly, almost falling from the bed in her momentum, her eyes wide.
What had she just done?
And what would she have done if she hadn't been able to stop herself in time?
She had almost given in...
A soft chuckle reached her flushed ears, as Croix sat up, giving her a self-satisfactory smile.
"Well...", she drawled slowly, not even trying to hide her amusement, "that is definitely one way to wake up."
At the younger Professor's scowl however, she scrunched her nose slightly, cocking her eyebrow, the mirth never quite leaving her voice.
"What, are you going to blame this on me too?"
"What? No, I-"
"I mean you practically forced yourself onto me."
"T-that wasn't-"
"You need to take responsibility."
"Croix!"
"Chariot."
The redhead had to suppress the urge to pout at the tech witch's mischievous smile. It was just feeling too familiar.
"You're impossible...", she muttered under her breath, trying to calm her still racing heart.
What were they even doing?
Squabbles like these showed her glimpses of her Croix. The girl she fell in love with. The playful, albeit somewhat unconventional, self proclaimed 'greatest witch of all times' who enjoyed teasing her to no end.
"True, but you love me anyway."
"Yes- No- I mean-"
The conviction behind those words startled Chariot.
How could Croix be so sure?
It was just a kiss, she hadn't confessed her love or anything like that.
...but it rattled her nonetheless.
'Because it's true!'
Like their near death accident that the older one had caused!
[Is that what happened?]
'…huh?'
What an odd thought. Of course it did.
She was probably still feeling the aftereffects of yesterday here.
"...How I feel about you is irrelevant...", she finished quietly, immediately sobering up, looking at everything but the older Professor.
The silence that enveloped them was heavy and charged with so many contradicting emotions that Chariot didn't even had to open her senses to pick up on them.
"Not to me, as you would know if you hadn't-"
"No, Croix, stop!"
She didn't want to remember what she had lost...what she had to give up...
Ten years of hiding hadn't made it easier for her to hold herself together.
Annoyed the older witch held her hands up in a defeated manner and crawled out of bed, smoothing her clothes and checking her hair in a mirror near the closet.
"Alright, alright. Since you're still in denial I'm going to school. I have a class to teach, a meeting to attend and I have to take a look at my second patient."
'Huh?'
"Your...second patient?", Chariot repeated slowly, studying her ex-girlfriend carefully, almost suspicious, "What did you do?"
Suddenly the whole atmosphere dropped. Hurt flashed through Croix's eyes, but it was gone before she even could react to it. An eerie smile spread slowly over the older witch's face, as she regarded the redhead mockingly:
"...it's really heartwarming how you immediately suspect me every time."
She pressed a hand over her heart sighing theatrical.
"Makes me feel appreciated."
"That's-"
'I'm so stupid!'
She shouldn't have accused her like this, but there was no way she could trust her ex-girlfriend with the safety of her students.
Still...she hated to hurt Croix like that...
Why did she feel so uneasy all of the sudden?
'Have I made a mistake?'
"It doesn't matter", interrupted the tech witch her thoughts, as she moved away from the closet, dangerously close to Chariot, invading her personal space, lowering her voice to nothing more than a whisper.
"Even when you cripple yourself you're still going to help me."
"Never!", the young professor retorted with as much conviction as she could muster, narrowing her eyes at Croix, "The power of Grand Triskelion belongs to Akko!"
'You'll never use me again!'
Still smiling smugly, the tech witch waved her off with a scoff.
"We'll see about that."
Turning around she grabbed her red cape and threw a glance over her shoulder, her eyes softening at Chariot's obviously pained expression.
"Take the day to rest some more", she advised subtly, before her face became blank once again.
"Oh, and I'll bring Akko back with me so you better cheer up, Ursula-Sensei."
Croix practically sneered her fake name as she rushed out of the door and for whatever obscure reason she almost wanted to correct her. To urge her to use her real name.
Ursula sounded so wrong coming from the tech witch's lips...
'I'm Chariot...'
Shaking her head she sighed exhausted and let herself fall back onto the soft pillow behind her, feeling her energy waning. Maybe a bit more sleep would be good for her after all.
'I'm going to see Akko again.'
A tired smile spread over her face, as she closed her eyes.
She couldn't really tell how much time had passed when the loud noise of a door slammed shut startled the young Professor out of her drowsiness. Her eyes scanned her surroundings until she found the perpetrator, loitering at Croix's desk, seemingly occupied with studying the dark rod that still laid there.
"I think our talk is long overdue, wouldn't you agree Ursula-Sensei, no... Chariot du Nord?"
French to English
Va t'en! - Go away!
Arrête de mentir! - Stop lying!
Qu'est-ce qui ne va pas? - What's wrong?