"The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong."
—Mahatma Gandhi
Chapter Five:
Akko sat on the floor of the room she shared with Lotte and Sucy, narrowing her eyes in concentration. The Shiny Rod was across from her, laying innocently against the desk, propping it up. Akko drummed her fingers on her knees, impatient for something to happen, but alas, the rod stayed dormant.
'Come on, I know you can hear me' Akko growled, making a face. The wand remained unresponsive. She clicked her tongue, bringing her hands up to sign.
"What? So you're just convenient when it suits you?" she asked the wand. The voice still didn't answer, and Akko stood up, signing angrily.
"Don't be stubborn! Sucy and Lotte are going to think I'm crazy soon because I'm the only one to hear you talk! Isn't it better to talk to me so we can work together better?"
The want remained silent.
Akko made a yell and grabbed it, shaking it violently like she was strangling it. That's when Ursula found her, blinking at the girl's display towards the Shiny Rod.
'What in the world…?' Ursula thought, creeping closer and gently tapping the girl on the shoulder. Akko screamed, tensing up, and whipping around to face Ursula. The young witch blushed in embarrassment at being caught in such a position. Ursula gave her a soft smile to show she meant no harm.
"Sorry. I'm U-R-S-U-L-A." Ursula signed, and Akko recognized the amateur skill, showing the woman was very much a beginner. Regardless, Akko grinned, realizing that the woman specifically was trying to communicate to her in her language. She began signing, but Ursula stopped her, gesturing. "Still a beginner. Please go slower."
Akko nodded, taking her time, making sure to go at a slower pace so Ursula could know what she was saying.
"Sorry. I am very excited when others speak Sign. So far I have only encountered Lotte." She sheepishly signed. Ursula smiled.
"I had Headmistress H-O-L-B-R-O-O-K-E—" "Holbrooke." "Thank you—Holbrooke teach me some SSE since we realized BSL is vastly different from JSL." Ursula explained with hand gestures, the concept of talking with her hands foreign to her but seeing Akko's happy expression made her feel it was worth it.
"What brings you here, Professor Ursula?" Akko signed. Ursula had to think of the particular signs before replying, appearing to be struggling a bit, but getting her message conveyed.
"I am you're A-S-S-I-G-N-E-D—" "Assigned" "Oh okay! Thank you! Assigned guidance counselor."
"Counselor?" Akko voiced out, tilting her head. Ursula nodded. She held out a broom to the girl.
"This is a school issued broom." Ursula spook, making sure Akko could read her lips. Akko's eyes widened, grinning, as she snatched the broom, holding it close to her chest. Ursula smiled at the girl's enthusiasm.
"I was simply captivated by her spirit—her desire to learn. It exceeded anyone's enthusiasm here, and I refused to tell her no just because of something she can't control." Holbrooke's words from before echoed in her mind, and Ursula understood what her colleague was talking about.
'She certainly is a character.' Ursula mused. Her eyes then focused on the Shiny Rod. Remorse filled her as she gazed upon it. Akko noticed her staring at the Shiny Rod and grinned.
"It's Chariot's wand! I'm only keeping it safe for her until we find her, and I can return it! I'm sure she'll be happy to have it back!" Akko signed. Ursula didn't understand some of the signs, but the message was still conveyed. She was flustered, and she saw the girl's Shiny Chariot poster, becoming even more bashful.
"You should keep it." Ursula signed, looking away from her. Akko shook her head.
"Chariot's wand." Akko spoke, refusing to take possession of something her idol had ownership of "Believe is magic—makes magic come alive." Ursula felt unease, paranoid the girl would notice exactly who she was, and excused herself.
The older witch departed from Akko's dorm room, hurriedly making her way down the hallway. Akko's words ringing in her mind.
Akko was bouncing up and down as Lotte and Sucy watched her curiously.
"Is this your first time flying?" Lotte signed and spoke. Akko nodded. She took off her boot and showed them a scar.
"I got this when trying to fly when I was a kid." She put her boot back on and showed them other scars. "This one I got when trying to fly off a roof. My parents eventually had to lock up all the brooms in the house to prevent me from trying again and getting hurt." Akko explained with her hands.
"You can only fly because of the Sorcerer's Stone. It gives off magic allowing us to fly here." Sucy told her.
"Ah! I wish I knew that when I was a kid—it would've saved my parents a lot of heart attacks. I just wanted to fly!" Akko replied with sign.
"Your parents must really love you, Akko." Lotte remarked simultaneously doing hand gestures. Akko had a fond look on her face, remembering her mother and father back home. She wondered what they were doing right now. Were they worried about her? Did they get her letter yet? She hoped her letter would put them at ease that she was fine and that she made two good friends.
"I told them about you guys in my letter!" Akko signed. "I was so excited though I may have written a couple of pages about you guys…" she sheepishly gestured. Lotte and Sucy felt smiles bloom on their faces as Lotte translated for Sucy.
"I'm going to write to my family about you guys too!" Lotte said. Sucy frowned, Akko and Lotte noticing and wondering if she was okay.
"It's nothing." Sucy dismissed their concerns. "Akko, did you write to them about Shiny Rod or any of the non-verbal spellcasting you've done?" Akko shook her head.
"Of course not! They'd jump on the next plane and drag me back to Japan if they knew!" Akko signed. Lotte translated and Sucy inconspicuously sighed in relief, glad that Akko wouldn't be leaving any time soon.
"Oh! Speaking of that—were you able to figure out how you froze Diana? Did the Shiny Rod speak to you?" Lotte asked Akko. The brown-haired girl looked down-casted.
"No, the voice I heard hasn't said anything. Are you guys sure I froze Diana and not one of you did it?" the young witch signed. Lotte shook her head.
"Me and Sucy were watching out for roots. You were the only one focused on Diana. It had to have been you."
"Maybe there's something we're missing?" Sucy wondered, a pensive expression on her face.
"But what though?" Lotte asked. Sucy shrugged.
"Who knows? I'm sure it will come to us sooner or later."
Other witches entered the courtyard and the three wisely ended their conversation. Sucy and Lotte recognized some familiar witches from other covens but didn't know them well enough to greet. They moved closer to Akko when they caught sight of Diana, Hannah, and Barbara entering the field. Akko noticed, patting them on their shoulders to show it was fine. Nonetheless, the three of them tensed when they saw Diana eyeing them, wondering why she hadn't revealed anything to the professors about Akko's enchantment on her. However, the arrival of the professor diverted everyone's attention.
"Alright! Today we'll be working on speed for the returning students and flying lessons for the new ones! Everyone split off into your groups!" Nelson commanded. Lotte and Sucy stayed with Akko. Nelson raised an eyebrow when she found Sucy and Lotte with the new student Atsuko Kagari. "Miss Manbavaran, Miss Yanson, you two are not new. You should be with the other group."
"I will stay here." Sucy said, not leaving room for argument. Akko grinned at her, and Sucy smiled back.
"We wish to be with Akko's group, Professor." Lotte said, standing her ground with Sucy. Nelson's lips quirked up into a grin.
'What loyalty in kids so young!' Nelson thought with glee, pride in their unity. Nelson remembered Holbrooke's faith in their resident deaf witch and saw how already she has earned the affection of her roommates. 'The kid probably won't be the greatest witch, but she certainly knows how to charm others.'
"Alright then! You two will learn the basics with Miss Kagari!" Nelson conceded. She readied her broom. Lotte readied her hands to translate what Professor Nelson was saying to Akko. "Now you must put feeling and concentrate on what you want your broom to do! As always, you have to cast the incantation like with any spell in order to call out the spell's physical form. Now, ready your brooms and say the incantation!" Nelson instructed. Lotte was signing it all to Akko, who was nodding, resolve on her face that she would do all that.
"Tia Freyre!" Sucy and Lotte commanded, immediately taking flight.
"Tea Freyer!" Akko miscasted. Nothing happened. She clicked her tongue, trying again. She still remained on the ground. Sucy floated beside her.
"Tea-ah Frey-er." Sucy tried to convey the sound. Akko squinted, trying to recreate the sound in her mind from Sucy's lip movements, but it only further confused her.
"May I have your notebook?" Lotte signed. Akko handed it to her, taking the girl's pen and writing it down, showing it to Akko. Akko nodded, finding it easier now it was written down.
"Tea-ah Freyer?" Akko tried. Lotte shook her head, and Akko huffed, frustrated that she couldn't hear what she was sounding out. Sucy patted her shoulder in encouragement.
Cheers and yells of awe distracted Sucy and Lotte, turning their heads towards the sound. Akko, seeing her friends distracted, turned her head as well and saw people praising Diana for something—most likely her flying prowess, and Akko felt angry with herself. She could do that too if she wanted! She would fly too!
"Tea Freyer! Tea Freyer! Tea Freyer!" Akko shouted in frustration, bouncing up and down on her broom, trying to fly. Lotte and Sucy looked at her in concern. Nelson sighed, placing a hand on her forehead.
"Hey Akko! Can't fly yet, huh?" Barbara shouted. Akko was too busy trying to fly. Hannah and Barbara snickered, readying their wands to shoot a spell at her, but suddenly an angry spirit sprung from the ground and started chasing them. Hannah and Barbara shrieked. Lotte was murmuring her spell while Sucy watched in amusement. Neither of their attentions were on Akko, who was still trying to fly.
Akko felt her arm being pulled and turned to see Diana yanking her onto her broomstick. Akko dropped her own broom in surprise, tumbling onto Diana's broom. Diana quickly made sure she was secure before taking off while everyone's attentions were diverted. Akko yelped, the speed of the broom soaring through the sky causing her to grip onto Diana tightly. They flew over trees, settling onto a desolate part of the school's campus. Akko hurriedly climbed off the broom when they landed, staring warily at Diana like she was a lion about to devour her. Diana placed her broom down by a tree, pivoting towards Akko quickly. Akko backed up when Diana came closer, a determined glint in her eyes.
Was Diana going to punish her for freezing her with the Pappiliodya? Great, she was only at Luna Nova for a short time and already she was going to be vaporized by the top student! Guess her mother and father will be experiencing another heart attack after all...
Akko shut her eyes, standing her ground, awaiting a blast, but nothing came. Instead, Diana patted her head hesitantly, prompting Akko to open her eyes. Diana then made hand gestures, and Akko tilted her head, confused at what she was doing. However, that appeared to not be the reaction Diana wanted as Diana's hands continued to wave in weird patterns, a frustrated expression erupting on her face.
"Ugh!" Diana exclaimed, throwing her hands down, making Akko jump at her body language. "How do you talk?"
Akko blinked, pondering if she read Diana's lips correctly, and mouthed 'talk?'
"Yes! I wish to speak to you with your language!" Diana replied, vexed with herself. She wasn't used to not being skilled in something. Yet, when Akko comprehended what Diana was trying to explain, the answering smile was enough to make Diana feel what she trying to do was like an important treasure. Diana's heart skipped a beat at Akko's smile. Quickly, Akko took out her pen and notepad and wrote to Diana, showing her the pad.
You want to talk to me using Sign? Really?
Diana gazed into Akko's hopeful eyes, and found herself relaxing, being at ease at the girl's honest deposition.
"Yes." She confessed. "I… I want to talk to you. My family… my family was full of healers, but we didn't deal with the hearing impaired due to there being no magical cure and that has made me blind to how they are also capable just like anyone else. I grew arrogant thinking I knew what was better for you than yourself because I knew you couldn't be cured. I've realized now that I was ignorant with you. I want to apologize, and I want to do it your way if you would show me."
Akko absorbed what Diana said, eyes watery. Diana was the first person to ask her to teach her Sign Language at Luna Nova. It touched Akko that Diana wanted to communicate with her using her language rather than just speaking to her and expecting her to read her lips. The sincerity of Diana's expression, piled with her words, made tears come to Akko's eyes. Diana's own eyes widened, alarmed that Akko was crying.
"I-I'm sorry! Are you upset? I know I don't deserve your forgiveness—"
"No. Happy." Akko spoke, interrupting her while clasping Diana's hands tenderly. "You first to ask." Akko told her. She let go of the other girl's hands and held her hands up. "Repeat." She commanded, demonstrating the sign for 'Sorry'. Diana mirrored her hands, replicating the hand gestures back to her. "You forgiven." Akko spoke and signed.
Diana stared at Akko in shock.
"Just like that?" Diana asked. Akko nodded.
"You and I friends." Akko told her, verbally and through sign. Diana was furthered surprised.
"You… want to be friends? With me?" Diana pointed to herself. Akko grinned, signing and speaking again.
"Yes. You and I friends." The brown-haired girl confirmed. Diana felt humbled by the other girl's kindness. A sense of excitement entered her, the prospect of being friends with Akko like Sucy and Lotte are made her feel warm. She grasped Akko's hands, holding them between the two of them.
"Please teach me more!" Diana beseeched. "I want to talk to you! I promise I will be a good student." She vowed. Akko blinked, then grinned, squeezing Diana's hands.
"Okay." She agreed.
Both girls shared smiles, a bond forged between them.
Sorry chapter was short—took a break from homework to write this. Please let me know what you think if you can!
Replies to Reviews
Egnarregnar- thank you! Unfortunately, there will be more canon-divergence in the future like with the origin of the Shiny Rod so I hope that is okay. There will be some OOCness but I hope it isn't too cringy.
frankness- thank you! No one else was affected the way Akko was. She doesn't realize Chariot is the cause of her deafness but does acknowledge it happened during the performance. She knows it is strange to suddenly become deaf, but since there is no explanation, she prefers to just move on and not dwell on something she'll probably never get an answer to. Mr. Holbrooke's deafness I am probably thinking he lost his hearing due to being a bell-ringer, but didn't hate or quit his job because he loved it, showing Miranda even dealt with tragedy, there is still happiness and hope. Yes, Diana is more like ova-Diana for a bit, but she quickly realized that what she was doing was wrong and set to right her wrongs.