A/N: What, me? Well of course an avid LWA fan such as myself remembered that Croix and Ursula weren't in the same year together and therefore wouldn't be roommates. Pfft, yeah. That'd be pretty dumb . . .
I'm not changing it.
Now then, I should say that despite what categories that I have this story under, I think that this particular chapter would more so be filed under the hurt/comfort category. Just wanted to give you a heads up.
However, that being said, this is also a chapter I've been really, REALLY looking forward to. And I'm very touched by the last chapter's reviews!
Now then, with that padding out of the way, on with the chapter!
The sun was back in the sky in full force today without a single cloud to hinder its presence.
This only added more fuel to the turmoil inside Ursula's chest as she made her way to the Fountain of Polaris, a bucket of fish clutched in both fists.
Ursula inhaled a large gulp of the crisp air through her nose, then let it out of her mouth.
Normally, the instructor would give virtually anything for a picture perfect day like this. She's noticed that it increases her productivity and qualms her anxieties in most cases. But, after Friday's events, she couldn't bring herself to enjoy it.
It played again in her mind in a constant loop, all but torturing the woman by forcing her to experience the disappointment and dejection on Akko's face over and over and over. It was almost maddening how powerless she had felt at that moment, knowing that there was absolutely nothing that she could do, say, or give to her student that would return the life to her eyes.
To put the spring back in her step.
To have her laugh fill her ears.
To get Akko back.
The weekend had gone by at an agonizingly slow pace. Ursula had kept herself busy by grading papers and reviewing the few extra credit assignments that were handed in shortly after the comet came and went.
If she were honest with herself, it was more of a last ditch effort to distract herself from the guilt that plagued her. Sure it had worked, but only for the brief amount of time it actually took to grade them.
After that, the memory came flooding back with the force of a runaway freighter.
She also had passed the time by taking a few strolls around campus, hoping that the exercise would clear her head.
It didn't take long for her to regret those decisions.
For each walk she had taken, she had never come across Akko.
She passed by Lotte and Sucy every once in a while. They had offered the teacher a respectful wave and a nod of the head, but nothing more. With the brunette absent from their meetups, it seemed as if their joy had remained with her, refusing to leave their room.
During her walks, she had also come across Akko's extended circle of friends.
When she passed by Amanda, the jock merely snorted and kept walking. Neither Jasminka nor Constanze were all that talkative either (well, at least not any more than usual, she noted).
Diana exchanged a glance with the teacher, but nothing more.
Whether Akko knew it or not, she had a certain effect on everyone who had come to know her. Especially on the level that they knew her on.
Once the weekend had mercifully come to an end, Ursula was even more surprised to find out that Akko hadn't attended her classes for the day.
Professors Nelson, Finneran, and Holbrooke had confronted Ursula about the matter, mentioning the connection she has with the student, and how that made it her responsibility to see Akko through this conflict.
While she wanted nothing more than to give Akko her guidance, she had come to the conclusion that, frankly, the teachers didn't understand what Akko was going through.
This wasn't something that a mere lecture could fix.
This was a matter that the young girl held near and dear to her heart.
Even Ursula couldn't imagine what it would have felt like to have something that important and personal to be ripped away from her.
She would talk to the girl soon. But now was not the time for it.
As soon as the sun rose this morning, Ursula instantly remembered that Arcas was in need of a feeding. Given the events over the weekend, she had come to the conclusion that Akko would still be in no state to feed him despite her promise last week.
Retaking the responsibility, Ursula filled up her bucket with fish and was now making her way across the lawn, hoping that another visit with her childhood friend could calm the storm inside of her.
Her heels clicked against the floor with each step. She rounded another corner and found Arcas . . .
Being fed by Akko.
Ursula's grip on the bucket's handle faltered and her heart skipped a beat at the sight. It took every ounce of strength built up inside of her to not let out a small yelp of shock.
Blinking away her surprise, Ursula finally found her voice.
"A-Akko?"
The brunette turned, eyes wide, but lacking the trademarked Akko sparkle. Her face fell into a small, semi-forced smile that pained the instructor all the more.
"Hi, Professor."
She scooped out another fish with her hand and tossed it to the eager polar bear, who snatched it out of the air effortlessly.
Ursula drummed her fingers against the handle, thoroughly unsure of how to approach this situation.
"Hello, Akko. I, uh, wasn't expecting-"
"I made a promise, remember? I can't have my friend starving now, can I?"
Akko patted her hand against the top of Arcas's head. "I heard that I got you in trouble for not coming to class. I didn't mean to get you yelled at."
Releasing a hand from the handle, Ursula waved off Akko's concern. "Oh, n-not to worry! Even as a teacher, I still get talked to like that every once in a while. It's no big thing."
Akko only nodded in reply. Ursula, meanwhile, mentally slapped herself.
Ok, maybe Akko doesn't need to know about every time I get into trouble.
Turning her attention back to the large bear, Akko fed him the last fish inside of her bucket. "Sorry buddy. That's all I've got for today. Same time next week?"
Arcas licked his chops in reply.
Without another word, Akko began to walk out of the large room, her gaze downtrodden and her posture slouched. As she passed by her instructor, she gave her another smile, this one just as forced as the one before.
"I'll see you in class."
Without waiting for a response, Akko began walking down the hall, vanishing as she rounded the corner.
That had been the last straw for Ursula.
Her eyes steeling in determination and her lips in a firm line, she cemented her resolve right then and there.
She couldn't stand by anymore.
It was time to get Akko back.
The Next Day,
The final class of the day had been dismissed. All the students filed out of the classrooms and flooded the hallways in an instant. Ursula let out a sigh, preparing herself for a faculty meeting that she was not particularly looking forward to attending.
While understanding the importance of holding them, faculty meetings were more often than not dreadfully dull.
Much of the same topics were covered in each meeting, such as budgeting, coordinating seasonal events, adjusting the curriculum to whatever standards they agreed on, and so forth.
But this meeting would also cover attendance of certain students, which would then lead to debating what the proper course of action should be for those who miss a certain number of periods.
And just as she feared, Akko's name was brought up.
This was the second day in a row that the brunette failed to show up to any of her classes, and the teachers were concerned on how this would affect her performance throughout the rest of the school year.
"The girl has always struggled in her studies, there's no secret about that," Finneran spoke thought aloud. "But one thing she is not is a quitter."
Holbrooke nodded in agreement.
"Professor Ursula."
The young instructor perked back up at the mention of her name, not realizing that her posture had begun to slouch in her chair.
"Y-yes?"
"It's clear that Akko holds you in a high regard. And it's fairly clear how much she means to you as well. Before her tardiness becomes a trending issue, do you think you could have a word with her?"
Ursula's eyes fell.
"I want nothing more than to make her feel better. Last year, I made the mistake of not going after her when she needed me most. I'm not going to make that same mistake again."
Holbrooke's head tilted.
"But . . . I'm ashamed to say that I've no clue where to begin talking to her. This is a delicate matter that's effecting her."
The remainder of the meeting consisted of a surplus of what-if scenarios being thrown her way, suggestions of how to approach the issue.
She would never say aloud, but despite the genuine concern they were showing, none of the other teachers have taken a lot of time to get to know Akko like she has (save for Holbrooke's naturally kind demeanor making a definite lasting impact on the brunette). They don't understand what it was that was taken from the girl.
In almost an act of mercy, the meeting was finally adjourned.
It had for the most part been a fairly productive meeting, but the lengthy discussion about Akko only filled her head with a bigger whirlwind of guilt. She exited the room along with the other instructors and each of them parted ways, heading back to their own offices.
Ursula took her time as she walked down the hall, wracking her brain for anything that she could do to make Akko feel better.
It was when she couldn't come up with anything else that she finally came to the conclusion that this wasn't something she could do on her own.
She was going to need help.
And thankfully, Akko had a group of friends who seemed to be as prepared to help her out as Ursula was.
Later,
If there was one thing that Diana wasn't particularly keen on, it was surprises.
She made it her mission to make her studies as coordinated, organized, and thorough as possible as to help her soak in as much information as possible, allowing her to be the best student that she was expected to be.
Her days were planned out nearly from minute one to midnight. The moment someone decided to throw a monkey wrench in her path, everything needed to be bumped as to fit her schedule.
Not that she minded most of them. If anything, it helped her improve her problem solving skills.
So one could only imagine the confusion she felt when she found a note inviting her to Professor Ursula's office lying on her pillow.
Thankfully, she had managed to complete the majority of her schoolwork in her classes today, so this diversion from today's schedule wasn't totally unprecedented.
Besides, it wasn't like her to deliberately ignore a call from a superior.
As she made her way over to Ursula's office, Diana began to wonder what exactly it was that Ursula had summoned her for. Of all the faculty members, she was the last one she would have expected to call her for assistance.
She made her way to the office and opened the door, blinking in surprise at the small gathering inside.
It seemed that she wasn't the only one Ursula summoned.
Lotte and Sucy sat side by side, their chairs pushed against the far wall. Amanda casually leaned against one of the many book cases, her eyes absently wandering around the office. Constanze and Jasminka sat on the floor, the former chowing down on a bag of pretzels and the latter tinkering with what appeared to be a remote control.
Professor Ursula was currently sitting in front of her desk, the glare of her glasses preventing Diana from looking clearly at her eyes. Her back was slouched forward and her hands were folded; she was clearly deep in thought before Diana had entered the room.
All sets of eyes befell on her as soon as she opened the door.
Amanda smirked. "Yeah, figured you'd be here for this too."
Diana closed the door behind her. "I assume you all received the same invitation?"
Amanda tsked and pointed finger guns in Diana's direction. "Yep. We've been waiting forever for you to show up so we could finally get things started."
"It's only been three minutes," Lotte cleared up.
"But I'm glad that you were able to make it, Diana," Ursula stood up, her kind eyes now fully visible. "I'm afraid that I need your help. All of your help," she clarified.
Noting how quickly Professor Ursula got to the point, she had quickly earned the attention of everyone in the room.
And they all had the same creeping suspicion as to what this was all about.
Making herself comfortable, Diana sat down on a free chair. "This is about Akko, I presume?"
Ursula nodded. "Today was the second day in a row that she missed her classes. The other instructors are becoming impatient and I'm growing more worried."
Diana nodded in understanding.
"It is unlike her to miss her studies," Diana observed.
Jasminka stopped eating, her eyes falling sadly to the floor. "Class hasn't been the same without her."
Constanze nodded in agreement.
"She's been a real downer in our dorm, too," Sucy added. "She doesn't even fight back when I test my potions on her. Takes all the fun out of it."
Lotte's foot was absentmindedly bouncing on the wooden floor. "There's got to be something we can do to snap her out of this, right? If this happened to any one of us, Akko wouldn't have hesitated to help . . ." A thoughtful smile passed over Lotte's face. "She'd probably scold us for letting something so small get to us so easily."
The comment earned a snort from Amanda, whose arms were folded behind her head, still leaning against the book case. "Well, that's kinda hypocritical, isn't it?"
"Nobody's perfect, Miss O'Neill," Ursula chimed in. "It's often times easier to console others than it is to find peace in a matter yourself. And this is why I've brought you all here." Ursula made her way to the center of the room. "Akko is in pain. I made the mistake last year of not capitalizing on it the moment I saw it." She could feel the cold stare of Diana's piercing eyes boring into the back of her head, but did her best to ignore it.
Rather, she stood with her back straight and feet planted firmly on the floor to demonstrate her resolve to her students. "I'm not making that same mistake again."
A moment of silence swept through the office space, the intent of their invitations now out in the open.
They were going to help Akko.
Whether she wanted it or not.
Diana rose up from her seat. "What is it you need us to do?"
That single question all but squandered whatever confidence the timid instructor had coursing through her faster than she could blink, her knees suddenly wobbly in uncertainty. "See, that's the thing . . . I can't come up with anything on my own. You all spend the most time with her outside of class. What I'm asking for is your total commitment to helping your friend."
Another wave of silence passed through the office.
"You said so yourself, Yanson," Amanda began, earning the blonde's attention. "She'd be busting her butt to make us feel better. Couldn't call myself her friend if I didn't do the same."
Lotte nodded, a radiant smile forming quickly. "I'm ready to do whatever it takes!"
Sucy shrugged. "I just want my test subject back."
Jasminka nodded, her bright smile accentuating her rosy cheeks while Constanze offered her patented thumbs up.
Ursula's heart warmed in that moment; seeing all of the young girl's friends get together, currently swapping ideas on how to cheer their fellow student up made her more proud than she could even begin to describe.
Honestly, their get together was going just as well as she thought it would . . . and about as odd as she thought it would as well.
"What if we got her a new broom?"
"Despite how far she has come in her flying skills, I think that a brand new broom may be a bit premature still."
"I have a cake recipe that always make me feel better."
"I could look around to see if there's a demo derby anywhere nearby. Seein' cars smash each other 'till they're unusable is bound to put the spring back in anybody's step!"
More and more ideas were tossed around the group for another half hour, each of them either shot down politely or flat out ignored. But they continued to exchange ideas with one another regardless, Ursula jotting down the suggestions that she felt would benefit her pupil in her notebook.
Another fifteen minutes passed. They could all feel the fatigue from the day's events start to take effect. But there was no turning back from this now. They were too far in to call it a night. Throughout their meeting, they had all but reached the silent agreement that none of them were going to return to their dorms until they had come up with the perfect solution to cheer up Akko.
Ursula was in the middle of scribbling down another idea when the room fell silent due to a knock on the door. The hinges creaked as the door swung open to reveal Professor Holbrooke, her hands folded behind her back and her signature warm smile lighting up the room a little bit more.
They all also took notice to the somewhat knowing look she had in her eyes, each of them receiving the sneaking suspicion that she had been listening in on them for who-knows-how-long.
Professor Ursula cleared her throat and rose from her seat. "Erhm, p-please come in. I'm sorry, I wasn't expecting you to-"
"Oh no, no, I'm the one who should be apologizing," the elder merely laughed away Ursula's concern. "I didn't mean to interrupt. I was just passing by to say goodnight. I believe that I'm going to turn in a tad early this evening."
Ursula and the other girls blinked in surprise. Something was definitely up. They all knew how kind the head instructor was, but she wasn't one to drop by out of the blue just to wish someone sweet dreams.
"Oh, h-how kind of you," Ursula lightly stammered. "Good night to you as well."
Holbrooke nodded, accepting the awkward reply. "Yes, I've found myself especially weary tonight for some reason. I can't help out that much if I'm just a drowsy bag of bones, now can I?"
The room held a pregnant silence for a beat.
"But that's the funny thing about lending a helping hand, isn't it? Sometimes it's not all just about what to do to help, but rather who can help." Her gaze went straight to Professor Ursula, her cheeky smile growing even wider before she slowly closed the door. "Have a good night, girls!"
And with that, the door clicked shut, leaving the room in a stunned silence.
All the girls exchanged confused glances with one another before they turned to look at their instructor, who was still standing up in front of her chair, her gaze unbreakable from something against the far wall.
Lotte followed Ursula's gaze and immediately found what it was she was looking so intently at.
Soon after, all eyes in the room were focused on the same picture frame. None of them even needing to say another word as they all came up with the same idea.
The next day,
It was as if they were children again. Children who had formed a secret club and had to keep it a secret from the rest of the world no matter what.
If they were honest with themselves, the feeling of it all was pretty exciting.
The entire day went as usual, save for a few knowing glances that were shared with the other members of the private party during their overlapping classes. Then they went on to the next class, then the class after that, each of them virtually biting their tongues until they were bloody to prevent them from speaking of their plan, lest the information miraculously make its way to Akko's ears.
As expected, Akko was still nowhere to be seen; a fact that still stung their hearts despite it being necessary for their goal. Sucy and Lotte had left the melancholy girl in bed, not even bothering to disturb her that morning.
Finally, the final class of the day wrapped up. After dropping off their belongings, they rendezvoused at Professor Ursula's office. They all huddled around the teacher's desk as they received their individual instructions. Ursula made extra sure to have each of them play some sort of role in Akko's 'rehabilitation'.
With all the instructions and shopping lists properly distributed, they dispersed, agreeing to meet back up within the next three hours.
Before any of them had knew it, it was time again to meet back at Ursula's office for them to report back on their various chores. After they all had said their piece, the instructor nodded her approval. "We're just about ready. I need to set up a few more things outside, but I'll be set within fifteen minutes." She turned to Lotte and Sucy. "It's up to you two now to go get her."
Lotte nodded, her mouth in a nervous straight line.
As they got closer to their dorm room, the two girls were blindsided by Amanda, who had followed them up to their level shortly after Diana and Ursula left to get set up.
The jock strolled up and matched the other two girls' pace, rounding the final corner that lead to the hallway which their dorm rested inside of. "So how's it you're gonna get her outta there, exactly? By the sounds of it, we need an enchanted crowbar to get her out of that bed of hers."
Sucy sniffed. "I didn't want to be the one to say anything, but I was thinking that same thing."
Lotte shrugged timidly. "Well, once we get in there, I'm sure we'll figure something out."
It didn't take a detective to find the uneasiness in her voice. Amanda nodded skeptically, leaning back on the wall once they reached their door. "I'm sure. Because improv is definitely in your skillset." She ignored the unappreciative scowl from the shy girl. "If you need an extra hand, just let me know. I can get her out of there in a jiffy."
Choosing neither to accept nor deny her offer, Lotte steeled herself with a calming breath before pushing the door open.
She was both relieved and heartbroken at what she found inside.
Lotte was relieved to have found Akko still in her room, appearing not have caught wind of their plans. But she was equally devastated to find her exactly the way they had left her: curled up in her bed underneath the covers. Her back was to them, but Lotte could tell that the girl was awake.
The two girls entered the room and slowly shut the door behind them. Akko showed not even the slightest hint that she was aware of their presence. She didn't stir or turn in bed to greet them, but rather stayed perfectly still, the only sign of life being displayed from her was the slow rise and fall of her shoulders.
The trio stayed silent for longer than any of them were comfortable with. It was only after Sucy nudged Lotte in the side with her elbow that she finally found the right words.
"H-hi, Akko."
She was given no response.
"Um, I'm not sure if you noticed, but I left the notes from today's classes on the desk. Feel, ah, feel free to copy them."
" . . . Thanks."
That single word was the first word that the girl had spoken all day today. Despite how soft and defeated her tone was, Lotte accepted it as a small victory nonetheless.
After receiving another jab to her side from Sucy, the blonde cut right to the chase.
"Listen . . . Um, Diana, Amanda, Sucy and I were going into town tonight. We're planning on stopping by that café you like. Do you wanna go?"
A weighted silence filled the air for a small eternity before Akko answered. "I'm not thirsty."
"You know you don't have to order a drink. They've got other stuff in there too."
"I already had an apple today."
For each suggestion Lotte threw her way, Akko had a pathetic reason to counter them.
Finally realizing that she was fighting a losing battle, Lotte let out a defeated sigh. "Well, is there anything at all we can do for you? Before we head out?"
After another small moment of silence, Akko turned so she was facing her friends. Lotte's heart plummeted once she saw how downtrodden her friend's usually cheerful eyes appeared. It was clear to the blonde now that missing the comet had an even bigger effect on her than she had previously thought.
"Not right now," she murmured, sounding like she was almost on the tipping point of consciousness identical to the sensation one feels right before falling to sleep.
A frown worked its way onto Lotte's face.
"Okay. Well, we'll see you when we get back I guess."
Akko nodded.
Turning, Lotte ushered herself and Sucy out the door. Once they shut it behind them, Lotte wasn't at all surprised to see that Amanda was still where she last was; leaning against the wall with an I-Told-You-So smile on her lips.
Relenting, Lotte looked Amanda in the eyes.
"Fine, we'll do it your way. Sucy and I will meet you down there."
Not bothering to wait for a response, Lotte and Sucy turned and made their way down the hall, vanishing beyond the corner.
Smirking confidently, Amanda rolled her head, taking pleasure from the satisfying cracks and pops of her neck before cracking her knuckles.
Inside the room, Akko's breaths had gotten slower and heavier. She could feel her eyelids growing heavier and her brain was foggy from the lack of activity today. The girl was mentally debating with herself whether or not it was worth it to get out of bed and partake in her classes tomorrow.
In short, the last thing that Akko was expecting right at that very moment was for Amanda to literally kick the door wide open.
"ACK!"
Her heart jumping into her throat, Akko's body leapt from her bed in shock, head banging against the top bunk before she rolled unceremoniously onto the floor in a tangled mess of blankets and unkempt hair.
Displaying no signs of shame, Amanda all but strutted inside the dorm room, crouched down in front of Akko until she was mere inches away from her face, and smiled devilishly. "How can you even think of being in bed when you've got a date waiting for you outside?"
Akko's head tilted in confusion.
"D . . . Date?"
"That's right my friend!"
"Wha-GAH!"
The second to last thing that Akko wasn't expecting was for Amanda to throw her arms around her waist and sling the girl over her shoulder, her already wild hair flailing in all directions. Amanda was mildly amused to see that Akko hadn't even bothered to change out of what appeared to be a brand new dark navy onesie with a twinkling star pattern speckling it all over.
"A date with destiny!" Amanda clarified as she spun on her heel and darted out the door, carrying an officially out-of-whack Akko along with her.
Amanda, along with her unsuspecting guest, ran down the hallways as fast as she could, being mindful as to not make Akko's face smack repeatedly against her back. They rounded every corner and dodged every startled student they came across with clumsy grace. But Amanda could honestly care less. As soon as she had her mind set on something, no amount of something silly as humility was going to deter her from accomplishing it.
Eventually, the two of them nearly collided with Professors Finneran and Nelson, who were idly chit chatting as they made their way down the hall. The two of them jumped in alarm at the sight of Amanda and Akko barreling towards them at seemingly breakneck speeds.
Practicing her superior agility, Amanda sidestepped and swung herself around the teachers with ease, careful to not spill Akko on the floor, and continued on her way.
"Miss O'Neill!" Finneran shouted. "What is . . . Let miss Kagari go this instant!"
"No can do, Teach!" Amanda shot back, not breaking a single stride. "We'll explain later!"
Offering no other form of explanation, Amanda vanished out of sight, leaving a bewildered pair of educators in her dust.
A few halls later, Amanda encountered an incoming set of stairs. Akko, detecting the steps approaching, fidgeted under Amanda's grip. The girl squirmed, but Amanda responded by tightening her hold.
"Sorry, Akko! This train won't stop that easily!"
With a confident leap, Amanda took the express route down the stairs; by sliding down on the railings. If she were honest with herself, she very well could have ran down the steps. But the thrill was too tempting to pass up. Her teeth bared in delight, she laughed at the shocked faces of students they passed.
As soon as she leapt off of the railing at the bottom, Akko finally let out the breath she hadn't even realized she was holding.
Finally, the doors leading to the open field came into view. Bursting through them with the same force as she had demolished Akko's door just moments earlier, she found herself outside, the air growing chilly as late evening approached, the sun barely a sliver over the horizon.
Sequestered into the middle of the field, Amanda unslung Akko from her shoulder and plopped the girl down on a white fold up chair. Catching her breath, she finally was able to throw the glare she'd been meaning to right to Amanda's eyes.
"The heck was that all about?! Warn a girl next time!"
Amanda shrugged innocently. "Just followin' orders. Sit tight. It's about to start."
Before Akko could question what it was that Amanda was referring to, the jock spun on her heel and ran the opposite way, directing Akko's attention to the looming object before her:
The stage from last week was still set up. But rather than the traditional bare bones stage and podium, it was now equipped with what appeared to be an impromptu Broadway stage, with maroon curtains hung on both sides and behind as well.
For a moment, Akko had all but forgotten the rude method of transporting her down here, and about the cold air . . . and how her hair was still an absolute train wreck and that she was still in her starry night footie pajamas. Instead, her mind was doing its best to figure out why the stage was still set up, and why there was only one chair occupying the field.
But before she could come up with an answer, she was startled out of her thoughts by a familiar voice.
"Popcorn! Get your popcorn!"
To the left, Akko found Jasminka coming towards her, holding a concession tray that was slung around her shoulders as if she were working in a baseball stadium. In the tray were multiple bags of fluffy, buttery popcorn.
Jasminka continued to advertise her snack (while sneaking in a few bites for herself) until she finally was in front of Akko. She smiled kindly as she offered her a bag.
"Here you go, Miss!"
Bemused, Akko hesitantly took the bag and placed it on her lap. Jasminka nodded in approval before she returned to calling out to an invisible audience. "Popcorn! Delicious popcorn here! Get them before they're gone!"
Akko blinked. Things were getting weird now. She looked down at the popcorn, thinking whether or not it was a good idea to eat it. Finding no good reason to refuse it, she took a small handful and consumed it. She swallowed and looked to her right, nearly jumping out of her seat once again at the sight of Constanze, who appears to have materialized out of thin air right next to her.
"GAH!"
Spilling a cluster of popcorn on the ground due to her surprise, Akko recomposed herself and looked at her friend, waiting for her to do something.
Constanze, in her usual Constanze style, said nothing, but held out her hand, offering her the folded piece of paper she was holding.
Eyeing it for a moment, Akko finally worked up the nerve to take it from the small girl. In return, Constanze gave a polite bow before walking behind the stage.
Akko blinked again.
She looked down at the new gift she was given. It appeared to be some sort of playbill, folded vertically three times. The front of it was lavishly decorated like a brochure with shining stars and . . . was that Simon's Comet?
In bold font atop of the paper was text that read Luna Nova presents an uplifting history of the stars.
Her curiosity growing feverishly, she opened the pamphlet, taken aback by another piece of paper falling out of it. This one was folded multiple times into a small square, the colors on the inside of it bleeding through ever so slightly.
She set down the pamphlet and opened the folded paper, which revealed itself to be the drawing that she had created for her inventor friend as an apology for accidentally destroying her ship. Despite it being folded multiple times over, the paper was still in good shape. But what caught Akko's attention was the blot of green ink on the top right corner that she most definitely did not put there before.
It was an image of a gloved hand giving a thumbs up.
Constanze had literally given Akko her seal of approval.
Akko took that as a sign that she accepted her apology.
As the moments went on, her mind began to accept the theater-esque vibe that was being created. She absentmindedly began to read the playbill while taking a few bites out of her popcorn bag.
She wasn't sure how long she had been sitting there, but before long, a spotlight lit the stage, pointing itself to a shy, blonde figure that Akko immediately recognized.
Lotte smiled kindly before clearing her throat and began speaking in a formal tone of voice. "Thank you all for coming," she timidly began.
Quirking an eyebrow, Akko looked left and right, all just to confirm that she was indeed the only one sitting in the field. Choosing not to press that particular matter, Akko remained silent as Lotte continued.
"We hope you all enjoy the show and take something away from it. Without further ado, I give you tonight's program." She gestured with her arm to the stage behind her as she stepped out of the spotlight, backing herself behind the curtain. A moment later, the spotlight dimmed until the entire stage was drenched in darkness.
Through the black, Akko could see a wispy substance take shape and swirl across the stage. It didn't take her long to realize that it was fog (what she couldn't see was the fog emanating from the cauldron that was being stirred by Sucy backstage) meant for dramatic affect.
The fog settled on stage for a few moments longer before a blue light from behind dimly lit the stage, revealing a cloaked silhouette. Another spotlight appeared, this one not as strong as the last, and centered in on the hooded figure.
Her head was down, so Akko was unable to immediately tell who it was. But once she raised her chin, there was no mistaking the piercing blue eyes or unwavering demeanor. Cementing the deduction were the strands of curly white hair poking out from the hood.
Akko's eyebrows furrowed in surprise.
"Diana?"
The young prodigy stood there for a few moments longer before finally speaking.
"Since the beginning of time, mankind has turned to the stars for guidance."
Akko couldn't see a microphone nearby, but somehow Diana's voice resonated around the environment.
Diana raised her wand quickly, the fabric of her cloak whooshing together. She swooped her arm in a wide arc, dispersing a small fraction of the billowing fog. In the air surrounding her, tiny flecks of light appeared that Akko assumed were meant to be stars. The whole scene looked as if it were an elaborate holographic projection.
"These stars have inspired billions with their tales," Diana continued. "Each story just as timeless as the characters who inspire them."
With another flick of her wrist, a small cluster of stars swirled together, looking like a wild pack of fireflies had been caught in a gust of wind. Before long, the stars came to a stop, taking the shape of a large, fairly majestic bird.
"Aquila," Diana named it. "The carrier of Zeus's lightning bolts."
Another swish of her wrist sent more stars spiraling to the other side of the stage, taking another form, this one was longer and shorter than the other. "Scorpius," Diana filled in again. "The monster who killed Orion." The moment the words left her lips, more stars clustered together, taking the shape of Orion, complete with his belt and bow.
Diana went on, summoning more constellations as well as informing her 'audience' the meanings behind them.
Before Akko knew it, the stage was packed with constellations, all of them she recognized.
Taurus.
Musca.
Leo.
And the last one appeared to be Lupus.
Finally, the young witch raised her wand over her head, the tip of it pulsing green.
Akko was officially transfixed on the events transpiring onstage.
"And finally," Diana continued, "The Ursas. Major and Minor."
Another flick of her wrist conjured up more stars, swirling and taking the form of two of the most recognizable constellations in existence. Above Diana's head appeared the Little Dipper, and above that one was the Big Dipper.
With one final spell, more stars appeared on top of Ursa Major, forming together to take on the image of a man who held a large jug. Akko immediately identified this one as Aquarius.
"Behold," Diana breathed. "The stars."
Akko's breath hitched when she saw Aquarius begin to move. The stars in his face flashed Akko a smile before he raised the jug and poured its contents inside the pot in front of him. The 'water' inside of it fell inside of the empty pot in a steady stream of mist and fog until it was filled to the brim. Once he was satisfied, Aquarius saluted Diana beneath him and vanished.
A moment afterwards, Ursa Major tipped forward, spilling the fake water inside of its little brother until it couldn't hold anymore either. Finally, it tipped over and spilled right on top of Diana.
Akko shrieked in alarm, caught off guard as Diana's form disappear in the blanket of white.
Shifting in her seat, Akko did her best to find Diana in the plume, spilling a few pieces of popcorn on the ground in the process.
A small eternity had passed by once Akko finally caught sight of movement inside the cloud. A black form appeared once the fog had dissipated enough. But this one was slightly taller than Diana, and was clearly not wearing a cloak of any kind.
As the fog cleared more and more away, Akko was able to clearly see who had taken Diana's spot.
Her grip faltered, the bag of popcorn plummeting the ground entirely along with the pamphlet.
If her heart wasn't threatening to burst out of her chest in excitement before, it most certainly was now.
There was absolutely no mistaking the white tunic, blue thigh-length boots, red cape, and exceptionally long hat.
Akko would be prepared to deny it, but she could feel a tear welling up behind her eye.
" . . . Chariot."
Lo and behold, there she was; Akko's childhood icon in all her glory.
She stood onstage in a dramatic stance, with one foot crossed over the other as she held her wand aloft over her head. The mischievous glint in her eye looked as if it had never left.
If Akko wasn't so stunned at that very moment, she was almost positive she would be hyperventilating.
It was literally as if her mind was so abuzz with activity that it left no room for anything negative or potentially harmful.
Chariot was here.
Chariot was onstage.
Chariot was about to perform for her.
Seeing Akko's reaction brought a smirk to Ursula's lips. This was the most she'd seen Akko emote in a few days.
Knowing she had the girl's undivided attention, she thought now was as good a time as any to begin.
Waving her arms in a large arc, she projected her voice outwards as if she were addressing a packed stadium.
"Is everybody ready?"
Words officially failing her, Akko only nodded.
Despite her melting heart at seeing her student's eyes widen to the size of saucers, Ursula stayed in character and began her routine.
She removed her cape and set herself in a defensive stance, turning her attention to Taurus, who had been assembled behind her.
Backstage, Lotte recognized her cue and summoned a small cluster of faeries. Her voice barely an audible whisper, she gave the small sprites their instructions, which they were willing to follow to the letter.
They zoomed up and over the curtain, each of them heading to an individual constellation. Once they each made it to their destinations, their bodies of light spread out, taking shape around the gathered stars.
Before Akko knew it, each constellation had a 'physical' transparent body around them, the stars still visible and acting as the illusions' skeleton.
Chariot, holding out her cape with her back turned to Akko, waved it at the bull.
Taurus scraped his hoof against the floor, preparing to charge. Rearing back on his hind legs, the bull landed and shot forward.
Chariot's smirk never once faltered as it drew closer. She spun on her heel and swished the cape around, sidestepping safely out of its path.
With nothing in between Taurus and Akko, the bull ran offstage and on a collision course with the stunned audience member.
Despite possessing the knowledge that this was a mere illusion, Akko flinched in her seat and covered her face with her arms. She barely managed to see the bull explode just a few feet in front of her into a flurry of mist and stars, now floating around wistfully like snow in a light breeze.
She lowered her arms and marveled at the sight before looking back up at the stage, where her mentor was in the middle of her routine, her cape back on her shoulders.
Scorpius scuttled forward on his spindly legs, snipping at Chariot with its massive pincers. Showing no signs of fear, the entertainer stepped, slid and flipped out of harm's way. She unsheathed her wand and waved it forward, sending a whirlwind in the scorpion's direction that disassembled its skeleton, sending them flying in all directions as its avatar flickered out of existence.
Somehow detecting a new threat behind her, Chariot fell into the splits, avoiding a bolt of faux lightning by mere inches and flinching as it exploded against the floor. Straightening out her legs, she rolled and avoided another volley of lightning bolts before finally finding an opening to slide back to her feet in a crouched position, ready to dodge or attack.
Aquila flapped his mighty wings with a bundle of zigzags in his talons high up above her head.
It dropped a few of its lightning bolts into the awaiting hands of Orion, who placed a few inside of his quiver while nocking one of them in his bow, taking aim at Chariot.
Pulling the string back, Orion unleashed the bolt of lightning. Chariot, in response, jumped and flipped, allowing the bolt to pass harmlessly underneath her as it embedded itself into Lupus, who was rearing to attack right behind her while her attention was elsewhere.
The wolf's form flickered and vanished, just like Scorpius's just a minute ago.
Chariot landed and immediately rolled, avoiding a swoop from Aquila, who was now out of ammunition.
Orion withdrew another lightning bolt, took aim, and fired at Chariot's feet. Dancing around each impact as if it were rehearsed (which it most definitely was, Akko reminded herself), her hero squatted low and swept her leg in a large circle, sweeping Orion's legs out from under him and toppling him to the floor. Standing triumphantly, she aimed her wand at the fallen giant.
"Murowa!"
A green bolt struck Orion dead on his chest, his avatar dwindling away and his stars floating calmly around her until they too vanished.
Nodding in pride, Chariot looked up and saw Musca buzzing forward, headed straight for her. Behind her, she could also see Aquila flying towards her for another pass, his talons prepared to strike.
Caught in between two oncoming foes, Chariot readied herself, sent a wink Akko's way (which made her stomach perform a somersault), and leapt upwards. Back flipping away from danger, Chariot watched as both fly and eagle collided with one another, both of them exploding into a puff of scattered stars.
As soon as she landed, Chariot dusted herself off calmly. Had Akko been able to, she'd be applauding uproariously.
That was until she remembered that there was still one more constellation that needed to be dealt with.
Having waited until the rest of the pack had cleared out, Leo reemerged from his hiding spot behind the curtains. Akko's heart pounded in anticipation as the lion drew ever closer to her idol.
What Akko wasn't anticipating, however, was another plume of fog to sweep over the stage, engulfing the back half entirely. From within, Akko could see six more hooded figures appear in a straight line, each of them with wands raised and glowing brightly.
It wasn't difficult for Akko to decipher who it was underneath the cloaks.
Pointing their wands and rearranging themselves to a crescent moon formation, they all exclaimed the same incantation.
"Vaemos!"
Not a full two seconds later, the lion stopped moving, totally frozen mid stalk. Chariot turned behind her and looked at Leo, shaking her head as if she were prepared to scold a child.
The other six witches raised their wands in perfect synchronization, lifting Leo off of his paws until he was hovering at least twelve feet in the air.
The red haired entertainer, before aiming her wand at the constellation, winked to her solo audience member.
"The stars are as ancient as time itself. But, they're far from the only influence that space has had on us."
Above their heads, the constellations reappeared, frozen in place as if they were the real deal.
"They are accompanied by a multitude of galaxies, planets, and . . ." Her wand, still poised up at the diorama, glowed a bright red, its aura growing wider and wider.
"Comets."
As soon as her wand couldn't hold the magic inside any longer, the wand released it in a massive blast of red, engulfing the constellations in its brilliant light.
The last of the magic traveled out of her wand, leaving the ball of excitable red magic to swirl and twirl onstage, the tail following behind it like a ribbon. As it flew past each set of stars, the faux comet soaked them up, growing in mass for each one it took in.
Finally, the last star vanished, leaving the ball of magic to spiral on its own. The red ball flew offstage, towards Akko. The girl shrieked and brought her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs as it spun around her. Despite its close proximity, Akko couldn't take her eyes off of it, her head twisting this way and that in order to keep getting a good look at it.
Once the ball reached Akko's head, it shot straight up into the air, ten, twenty, thirty feet into the air. Once it reached its peak, it soared in a wide arc.
Akko's breath was officially lost at the sight.
Up above her was a near exact recreation of Simon's Comet.
Its tail was just as long and majestic as she had envisioned it. The stars behind it were all but blocked out as it passed in front, but all Akko needed to focus on at this very moment was the faux comet soaring above her in a wide arc.
She wasn't sure how long she had been looking up at it, for time seemed to have come to a complete stop. But before long, the ball began to shrink, its light fading away along with it. It grew smaller and smaller by the second, until it was nothing more than a tiny flicker of red light . . . that is until it virtually exploded into a multitude of red streaks and embers that took the shape of a human head.
But this particular human head had very discernable features, including low bangs, a cheerful smile, and bright, wondrous eyes.
Akko's gut did another flip once she came to the conclusion that the comet exploded into a gorgeous firework that resembled her.
Her head floated downward slowly, the red lights that it was composed of now growing dimmer. A few moments after, it had fully dissipated. The light vanished from the sky and Akko was left in the dark once again.
But she still looked upwards at the spot where the comet was.
The image was now fully engrained in her mind's eye.
And it was all thanks to the greatest set of friends anybody could ever ask for.
Snapping back into reality but still struck with awe (as evidenced by her slack jaw), Akko lowered her gaze back in front of her, where she was met with the amused faces of her friends and teacher.
They stood before her in a straight line, hands folded in front of them and hoods lowered so she could see their faces clearly, and bowed.
When they stood back up, Ursula was the first to approach.
She smiled kindly as she lowered herself to Akko's gaze.
"I know that it wasn't the same as the real thing . . . but I hope that-"
She was cut off by Akko throwing her arms around her neck and burying her face in the crook of her shoulder. Taken by surprise at first, Ursula sank into the embrace, wrapping her arms around Akko's back and holding the girl close. She could feel her shoulder growing damp with what she assumed was Akko's tears of joy.
Akko pulled away to look Ursula in the eyes, wiping at her glistening eyes.
"It wasn't the real thing, but it was better than anything I could've ever imagined," she assured her mentor, her voice weak and hoarse.
Akko released her grip and stood upright, looking to her friends, each of them smiling as well. Lotte, unable to restrain herself anymore, ran forward and wrapped her arms around Akko as well, who was followed suit by Jasminka, then Amanda shortly after. Diana, Sucy and Constanze merely watched in amusement, their minds reeling back to the time Akko had revived the world reconstruction magic.
Lotte sniffed and wiped at her eyes as well. "You know Akko, just because you couldn't see the comet, that doesn't mean it wasn't there . . . All that means is that you celebrate it in a different way. We hope this helped."
"More than you could ever think!" Akko exclaimed, having regained her usual brand of enthusiasm.
"Does this mean you'll be back in class tomorrow?" Jasminka inquired, her head tilted.
"You bet!"
Akko was then met with an arm wrapping around her neck and tugging her backwards, another hand playfully tussling her already messy hair.
"Good, 'cuz I was getting tired of your whole mopey dopey pity party," Amanda teased. "And you and I gotta practice more broom riding. It's been a while since anybody's challenged me!"
The brunette squirmed her way out of Amanda's hold and pointed a finger at her.
"You're on! Diana would be more than happy to ref another race of ours!"
"That's a very presumptuous statement, Akko. Also, a race does not require a referee. But merely a moderator."
"Aauuugggh! Don't ruin this!"
The group then fell into its usual session of banter and comradery, the likes of which Ursula hadn't witnessed for what seemed like forever. She stood back and allowed the girls to socialize to their hearts content.
Inside Luna Nova, Holbrooke smiled, looking forward to seeing a full attendance list tomorrow.
The next day,
Diana fell into her usual routine of brushing her teeth, fixing a wholesome breakfast, wishing Barbara and Hannah a good day of studying, and making her way to her first class.
As she sat down, her eyes peeked down.
No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't keep off the smile of relief from her face at the sight of Akko in her usual seat, looking as eager as ever for another day of learning.