POV Narrator:
Friday, 29 September 2017, Luna Nova
The classes ended up not being quite as expected by Akko, she didn't imagine that things were going to be so boring throughout the days that went by in this first month, even more so because she herself didn't know much about things, she couldn't even have the aptitude to perform the basics of the basics in relation to spells, even though it was still the first week starting this part, since most of the first days were more focused on theoretical classes and long explanations, many of the days where Kagari was practically sleeping.
POV Akko:
How frustrating, Luna Nova is nothing like I imagined it would be, it's just a normal school like any other, I just have normal classes and even the most practical classes are a bore, everyone doing spells and here I am still having difficulties, being the laughing stock of the whole class, no one here respects me, I'm the joke of the class, even Lotte and Sucy many times can't stand before my lines, well anyway I better go change while there's still the bathroom free. I
get up only when I hear a knock at the bedroom door, I walk over there where the magic Astrology teacher was, it's the less boring class I would say, the nicer teacher, teacher Ursula.
"Good morning Akko" she said.
"Ah good morning Professor Ursula wishes something" She kind of gets a little embarrassed in a weird way and then shakes her head, she at least represents me in that energy.
"Ah yes, yes, I came to tell you that I will be your tutor" said the teacher.
"Tutor? What's this? I'm doing so bad that I need a tutor" I say a bit gloomy.
"Oh this is because of your presence and your origins are a little out of the standard expected by Luna Nova and with that the director gave the suggestion that I guide you to get to have an improvement, any questions regarding Luna Nova and any doubts I will be to solve, including don't be late for the flight class today" She said giving me a broom and my eyes started to shine, I was bouncing walking around the room, until she calls me again.
"Akko, what is that thing on your desk, I remember seeing it the day you first appeared in Luna Nova and also on the first day of school," said the teacher pointing to the shiny scepter that I make sure to pick up.
"This here is Chariot's shiny scepter, I found it near home on a hill, it was thrown there, only it kind of has its own will and works only when it wants to... It sucks, but I'm sure it's the real thing" I answer the teacher.
"Oh how interesting, I remember that staff well" She said and I was already in the question of the first question.
"Oh there goes the first one, do you know Chariot?" I ask her more excitedly.
"Oh well sort of I would say, she hasn't been around for 10 years no one knows about her whereabouts" She said and I was a bit crestfallen at the answer.
"I came here to Luna Nova not only to study at the school where she studied, but also for the day that I will find Chariot, I believe that one day I will succeed"
"Well anyway you have her glowing sceptre, so use its magic to guide you to find it, I'm sure you'll manage" said the teacher.
In the courtyard of Luna Nova already about to start the flying lesson...
I am so excited for this flying class I never had a clue how to start, now finally my biggest childhood dream will be real, me Atsuko Kagari flying on a broomstick, after all the falling and crashing on the hill near my house, now I will make it.
I take off my boot and my sock, showing my right foot to the girls, so they can notice the scar the way I was left.
"Do you know what this is?" I ask the girls.
"One foot" said Sucy being funny.
"No you silly girl, this is a scar of mine from my many attempts to fly on the broom, it was trying to jump from a tree, this one on my thigh was rolling down the hill and this one was falling from the roof of the house, I tried all the way, but it wouldn't fly" I tell them that they kind of laugh a little.
"Akko, it is impossible to fly a broomstick without the influence of the sorcerer's stone and without magical charge on the broomstick too, a normal broomstick simply won't fly just like that, you will only end up getting hurt" Lotte explained and then things made more sense.
"This I didn't know when I was a child, I thought that we witches could do spells wherever we wanted, so much so that I remember having paid a note gathering my monthly allowance for an idiot to have ripped me off, she sold me a broom with magic, that's where I fell off the roof, I spoke the words and even so the broom only fell with me, it was 5200 yen the most wasted of my life, I had spent weeks and weeks gathering money and the broom didn't work in the end" I tell them that they sympathize a little with my pain.
The flying lesson begins...
Finally the big moment, everybody gathered for the flying class to start, the teacher Nelson appeared, now it seems much better than those boring classes on the blackboard, I could sleep with all those rules and demands, since everybody here knows how to fly, we didn't even need that much class, what a drag.
Well, let's go anyway, heh, I can't wait to see what's going to happen.
"The flight class has started, the students that have been here since the previous years will train speed and precision of flight, and the new ones that arrived this year, line up with me, we will start the basics of flight, even if all of them already know the basics it is necessary to learn" said the teacher and we followed her in line.
It was me and Sucy for this class of beginners, we were lined up together the girls, I took a deep breath, we took the brooms, turned our backs, rubbed the bristles on the floor turning us around and the teacher already gives the first tip.
"Say Tia Freyre and you will start to float" The teacher said and we all started to speak the word, but nothing with me, Sucy next to me was floating, I still remained on the floor, how weird, what a drug. How can this be happening to me.
"Let's concentrate Kagari!" said the teacher and I went for it.
I screamed and screamed, but nothing, I was even jumping, I was concentrating on my best repeating the word, but nothing of the broom left the floor, it seemed that I had a magnet on the floor, I'm here almost crying, fuck you.
"Look if it was a shouting contest you would win easily" Sucy said teasingly.
"I've never seen someone who could fly so badly, you must be that student of mundane origin that the teachers talk so much about" She said and then went to look at the other witches, and I'm still here on the ground.
I only see one of them doing various trick and pirouettes, she's from my class too, I've seen her a few times getting up to mischief, even going to detention, Amanda O'Neill, I wish I knew how to do these stunts in the air, but here I am on the ground.
"Hey Amanda, Acrobatics are forbidden during flying class" Said the teacher and another who has her talent being forced to fit the standards, I know how it is Amanda.
And she provokes me even more by lying on the broomstick, which makes me laugh a lot, man I wish I had her courage to face the teacher like that and think it's no big deal.
"No sleeping on the broom" she said and I also see her friends including one who is messing with electronics, how strange, Luna Nova forbid technology, I think I will try to talk to her later to see if I can get something.
But out of nowhere the teacher's concentration was taken by a group of pupils watching someone who seemed to fly quickly, going from one side to the other, which I later noticed? It was Diana's little starched girl, who flew at high speed and then landed with style.
"Wow 8.02 seconds, that's the new record" Said Diana's bitch #1 dark haired.
"Diana is the favourite for the broom relay, who knows after 30 years we will see someone managing to win the relay for 3 years in a row" said the teacher.
"And you Akko still can't fly a broomstick" said Diana's bitch #2 who had already come to bother me.
"If so I think you'll need this, oruihon deance" the dark haired one casts a spell on me that causes the broom and myself to end up transforming with protective gear, what silly little debaucher.
"You two stop mocking Akko, besides you lied tae me Barbara, it is nae the new record and nae is 8.02 seconds, it is impossible tae beat the record in broomstick control, it was 7.43 seconds in 1989 by all accounts, now if you have time tae mock Akko, why dinnae you use it tae train, we have a broomstick relay tae do" she said and it was a relief to get these two creatures away from me, they come back like two little dogs.
A little after class...
I got frustrated now, the whole class without even taking a foot off the floor, only jumping, staying on the floor all the time, what a drag, I'm hitting my head against the wall in frustration, crying discouraged and on top of that there will be more boring classes later for me to be embarrassed.
"It is only practice that you can fly Akko" Lotte said. and soon a witch arrives with a relay hoop handing it to Lotte.
"What is it?" I ask them.
"Oh yeah, today the afternoon classes will be suspended" She said and I was already jumping up and down with excitement "The Luna Nova broom relay will start, that's why the girls were training so hard, it also happens on the first day after the first flight classes" The blonde said and I was already excited to think about what it was, I even forgot I had it.
"What is it? And how does it work? - I ask excitedly and Lotte answers me.
"The broom relay is an event only for the final year students, which in this case is us, it's held every year, it serves to test the fitness and speed of all final year students, it's like a race, where the witches of the trio compete against the other teams, usually who ends up winning is always the students of the third year, but I think this year Diana can turn and win" Lotte explains. I'm really excited now, so much that I look at the charts, I saw that in the back there was the same trio winning three times in a row, 1987 until 1989, I'm trying to find Chariot, where I see that she won in 2006.
"Chariot is here, she won a broom relay, Lotte, Sucy we have to participate in the broom relay, let's do everything to win, please, please little please" I tell them half excited.
"You can't even fly a broom Akko, besides we don't have much choice in the matter" Lotte said.
"So let's find a way, even use a spell or whatever to get a magic broom that flies by itself for me" I tell them.
"That's a rather interesting idea" said Sucy.
In the green team's room...
We arrived at the room of one of the students that could help us, when we entered there it was a normal room, until then, the Amanda one was preparing the broom, as her friend with pink hair was eating potatoes, and the other one was handling the broom with electronics, she seems like a nice person, but at the same time she is a troublemaker.
"What do you want here?" asks the one with half red hair, half blond hair, manly hair.
"We want you to help Constanze build at least a broom that flies the basics for Akko" Lotte said, laughing as she moved from one side of her chair to the other.
"Hahahaha! Ah it's the girl who can't fly, they were making fun of you today hein, well as I imagine you must have a big fear of flying then Cons can give you a broom that flies electronically, it's like a motorbike, if you can fly a motorbike then you will know how to fly a broom, it will only cost you... 350 pounds" she said and I was wide-eyed.
"What? 350 pounds? But that's a black note! Why so expensive?" I say in astonishment.
"Do you want the chance to win or not? It's that or be embarrassed, there's nothing against the rules to create different brooms, I even thought about getting the shimmering star broom that's at The Last Wednesday Society, but the seller is a pain and I won't have time to steal it" said the naughty girl and I took a deep breath taking the money from my pocket.
"Okay, that was the money to eat decently for a fortnight, now I'm going to have to eat potatoes for the longest time because of this, I really hope this is worth it" I tell them handing over my 350 pounds.
"deal Japanese, we already have some brooms ready, now all we have to do is get to work, if possible try to beat that starched Diana, I would love to see her lose" she said.
"And you are not going to compete?" I ask them.
"We're going too, but we're taking the opportunity to make money off desperate witches wanting some faster brooms, thank you for being the first customer" she said and I scowled.
In the courtyard of Luna Nova...
This here is literally a broom with motorbike parts, what a crazy thing, it even comes with a manual, where I'm starting to take a look, holding it which is kind of heavy, but I'll try to see how this thing goes, I see that it's easy, I just turn the key and the magic of the broom is connecting with me, I can even make it kind of float.
"Look at that! I'm floating with the broom! Yay!" I say excitedly.
"That's technically a broomstick-shaped bike Akko" Sucy said teasing me.
"But it's still worth it, I can fly this thing, let's now see how it goes forward" I say looking at the manual.
Then I start pulling the accelerator, it's like a motorbike, I know how to ride a motorbike! Hey that's perfect, Keiko had taught me how to ride a motorbike, apart from the times I took my mother's scooter, it's just like that but faster, I even start to get on it, kind of changing gears where it's going faster, which I get excited about, I test the brakes and it goes so well, I go back to the girls and even do a motorbike pose.
"You see, I can fly now" I tell them.
"Akko that's not even a real broom, even a baby can fly on that thing" Sucy said.
"Look here in the paper, Diana Cavendish is today's favourite to win the broom relay, she has a great chance of winning her first in three chances and even breaking a 28-year streak without a witch winning the broom relay three times in a row" Lotte said.
"We'll see about that when the time comes" I say excitedly.
POV Narrator:
Time goes by, Akko keeps practicing with her new "broomstick" until she wasn't so clumsy anymore, the other girls kind of laughed at her flying it, but Kagari herself felt confident, flying with style and succeeding with that help.
Until the moment of the arrival of the 1333rd Luna Nova broom relay, which begins with the students of each team lined up in three different sectors, with balloons scattered around the course, plus also the presence of even a commentator, student Wangari who abstained from the competition with her team to be the press cover.
"And here we are! For version number 1333 of the Luna Nova broom relay, which could be a historic version in the year 2017! We have some big names to compete here, such as the big favourite who is in the last sector waiting, herself Diana Cavendish!" Wangari said.
The "cameras" are made with magical equipment being transmitted by means of crystal balls where the teachers observe everything, the students of the first sector line up in concentration and Sucy already left her first trap to advance, throwing potion on the broom of the competitors next to her.
"In their places! And it's lights out and away we go! And woah! Looks like far they don't go! Sucy Manbavaran of the red team has a spectacular start and the other students get stuck on roots in the middle of the starting stand!" Said the Kenyan witch commenting on the start of the race.
This little trick of Sucy was already guaranteeing a little of the advantage to her, already behind her came the only one that was not sabotaged, since the agreement was made not to affect Constanze who was going on a mechanized broom, very similar to Akko's, but it contained an appearance that even resembled an aeroplane, which Wangari was making a point of emphasizing.
"And what an impressive thing to see! A mechanized broom of Constanze from the green team, she who is our PWD student is somehow managing to find a way to fly, a half crazy broom I would say" said the one with blond afro hair.
The girls of the first sector are starting to try to fly, but the advantage was already clear for Sucy and Constanze who were leading the race with tranquility, even without disputing the position, Manbavaran kept a little ahead going with more speed, to help her friend.
"Now the yelling is over, but this could be a disaster for the blue team, who knew we were going to wait for this one? The red team is getting ahead! Blue team behind! And just like her! Diana Cavendish is losing her chances of an almost certain victory! What a thrilling thing, who could wait for something like this!" Wangari said with all emotion.
In the front Sucy was arriving, passing the relay ring to Lotte who was flying calmly, keeping the lead, Hannah was running after losses, being third, and the others were being left behind, and Constanze also arrived at the second sector giving the ring to Jasminka which continued the race with the advantage of the red team, giving some more hopes to Akko.
"The red team is still in a certain lead and that is impressive, who would have thought that they are achieving this feat, precisely the team of no less than the mundane new student, she who came to impress, and to think that everyone said she was the witch who barely knew how to fly, but it seems that this there is only to deceive huh" Wangari said.
POV Akko:
Go Lotte, speed up that broom, as much as you can, that, she used some spell to shoot herself further ahead, Jasminka still keeps getting eaten in flight, we can win this, it even looks like Amanda made a mistake leaving that broom so fuck me, that.
"Damn it! Go Jasminka, this is a serious race, stop waiting for the death of the heifer, we can lose badly, even more to Akko" she said getting upset and I was just showing animation.
"This broomstick relay is a real outrage, how can you who can't fly Akko, competing against us, it was better tae have gone tae the stands" Diana said.
"Well then swallow your words, for I will show you that I can win!" I tell her very motivated.
POV Narrator:
Lotte was leading quietly in the race, getting closer and closer to the girls ahead, which encouraged Akko to see that she might even have a chance to win, but behind Jasminka there was Barbara who was also coming, but this tightened the dispute even more, still with the incredible lead of the red team.
"And here we are seeing something that was not expected, the red team with Lotte Yanson led and she even shot up a bit in the middle of the lead, let's see what they will take, especially since the last one is missing, the witch that everyone says does not know how to fly, will she fly?" said Wangari in surprise.
Soon Lotte arrives and passes the broom to Akko and it begins to fly away, which shocks everyone to see the broom just starting to fly away, sort of skidding in the air like a powerful motorbike unraking, which impresses everyone that it was just flying.
"Woah! Look what a neat broom Atsuko Kagari brought! It just resembles a motorbike! That was genius, and it's flying! What?! It looks like all those lines and everything she showed was just to save the best!" Wangari said.
Akko was leading the race with ease, in the second position Jasminka arrived with the relay ring and Amanda was flying fast, showing that she wasn't messing around and was also competing seriously, to try to catch Atsuko.
"Look I dinnae know what went on back there, but I'll win this one for us," said Cavendish, who then took off in a flying start, even causing a bit of a strong wind current in the middle of the starting stand.
"Woah! Look at that! A starting stand like that coming out of the wind! We haven't seen something like that since the broom relay of 1989 when the legendary triple champion Laura McLaren made her last flight, she was simply unbeatable at that level, now we are seeing that new generation after 30 years has the presence of Cavendish who may or may not turn this race around" Said the Kenyan narrating the race.
Meanwhile up ahead Amanda was trying to catch up with Akko, until she looks closely at the bracelet and she notices that it wasn't the broomstick relay ring, but a doughnut that was on her wrist, which gets all frustrated.
"Shit Jasminka!" Said the frustrated O'Neill who ends up half-flying back to the race post, as Diana half-flies past her.
"What? Amanda O'Neill just came back but how weird... Oh that's right she forgot to take the relay ring, now she takes second place! Diana Cavendish! How rare! I can't believe we're here to witness this magic in the form of a race! Literally magic!" says the witch excitedly to the audience that was jumping with emotion.
POV Akko:
Let's go now, this race is going to be mine, I believe in myself, I'll keep my concentration, I'll do the loops, which with this broom is weird to have to pull a lever to do that, but I'm even managing, and do that while controlling the gears, it would make a great moto bike.
"Look how impressive it is, the way Atsuko Kagari from the Red Team handles this thing, it looks like something from another world!" Said the commentator talking about me and I get happier, but I end up looking in the rearview mirror of the broom.
"Shit Diana is coming, I'm already going 200 km/h in this thing, I have to speed up more" I tell myself.
"And none other than this year's favourite shows up too! Diana Cavendish is closing in on Atsuko Kagari! I wonder if we will have a race for the lead"
I focus my gaze a little more, she even passes me, but not with so much difference, I change the gear of the broom, 2020, 230, 240, 250, we are on a straight and I overtake her and start approaching a... Curve, I throw myself with my weight and start to brake, the broom goes skidding, Diana passes me and I end up losing the lead.
"Woah! Look at that sideways exit Atsuko made, leaving her behind!" Said the commentator.
I can't give up, my magic is to believe in myself, I have to concentrate, this here is like a motorbike, I have to ride it like one, I know I can do it, it's like in the mountains of Gunma that Keiko kept taking me, I have to feel this thing climbing on top of me, I have to feel the broom as if it were me.
Akko will pilot what she gives in a race to catch up behind Diana, making the turns even at a similar speed, where the two reach the home straight
I can see the checkered flag, I managed to stick sideways this turn with Diana, now it's accelerate 260, 270, 280, the speedometer is increasing, the broom magic rotation is also the same as the rev counter, shit and it's coming into the red, but I'm in the lead, my broom will make it, I know it will, I will manage to win, I have to push a bit harder come on Atsuko... Let's go... I know I can do it, I hear the sound of something bursting, but I manage to cross the finish line the broom starts to fly out of control, someone involves me with magic when I fall I see the broom behind me falling to the ground shattering and I roll until I can not give more getting all worried and then Diana braking in front of me, I get up and see everyone jumping in celebration.
"Did I win?" I look at the surroundings.
"Akko? You're fine" Diana says worriedly and I stand up all sore.
"I did it? I did it! Yatta" I say excitedly.
"And what a dramatic ending, and the one who won seems to have been the least favourite of them all! Atsuko Kagari!" Wangari said.
I won, I jump excitedly, then I see Lotte and Sucy coming close to me, they celebrate beside me, I see Diana's little bitches frustrated, I see her own face closed, as if I had taken an important victory from her, take this now Diana, I will be your rival from now on.
"Wait a minute! This broom is illegal, Miss Kagari has piloted a modified broom with mechanical parts and is not allowed to use such equipment, which means she will be disqualified" said the director right in front of me.
"But Miss Holbrooke, I won, I can't fly without it, I..." I say half-heartedly.
"Rules are rules Miss Kagari, you will be disqualified, the trophy will be given to the real winner and you and your friends will serve detention right now" Said the annoying old teacher, she wasn't even the flight teacher or anything.
"There is nae rule against that, Akko won fair and square" Said Diana who miraculously came to relieve to my side.
"Miss Cavendish, rules are rules, if you read the old rules, well it's not our fault, but in the current rules of the broom relay it says that you can't use mechanical parts on the brooms unless you are a student with special permission as is the case of Constanze" Said the headmistress which made all my dreams come crashing down and honestly it was humiliating.
POV Diana:
Later in the blue team room
Why did they do that now? I know Akko may nae know how tae fly yet, but she won in a fair way, she even broke her head falling on the ground and nae one but me and teacher Ursula intervened so she wouldn't die in the fall, there would be nae magic clothes that would protect her from that and even then she got hurt, should I give her back the trophy, it's the second time that I am being given credit without asking, they are taking away Akko's achievements tae exalt me.
"Ah Diana, again at this one, you won't stop looking at this window, you didn't even smile at your victory photo, look at this trophy, what a beautiful thing, let's even see what's inside" said Barbara.
"I will not be satisfied until justice is done, Akko beat me and I will not admit this victory, she is being put down a lot these last few days" I tell them.
"Oh admit that sometimes she deserves it too, look what we went through for letting a worldly girl study with us, we should have respectful students don't you think? She'll be out of here soon" said Hannah coldly, then they went tae take a look at the urn and when I noticed some tentacles came out of them and grabbed them, what I even laughed a little, seeing them screaming for help, it was expected that the trophy was a trap.
I helped them later, but it still frustrates me that I dinnae win by my merit, I'm sure there's something in this new regulation, because they allow cheating in the broom relay since always... Well mum, I even got a victory that you never got when you were studying in Luna Nova, but it still won't be worth it, the real winner is someone else, I will try next year and I will bring this victory in honor of you... I miss you so much...
POV Narrator:
The 1333th Luna Nova broom relay had its result and it was an impressive race where Akko improvised with what she had to be able to win, but due to the rules of who was up there she had that opportunity taken away from her, besides having to go and do detention with her colleagues for what she did through no fault of her own, but that showed she has the motivation to do everything so she can become a witch like Chariot.
See you, broom racers witches...
Ursula Callistis
Date of birth: 20 February 1990
Place of birth: Loperec, France (French)
Height: 1.70m
Weight: 53 kg
Sexuality: Bisexual
Gender: Female (cis)
Occupation: Astrology teacher (Luna Nova 2010) (Graduated as a student in 2008)
Measurements (bust/ waist/hip): 86/57/87
Hair colour and appearance: Indigo blue, straight 1A, with some fringes disguised, usually tied up with a ponytail over the shoulder, length up to the waist.
Eye colour and shape: Red
Physical appearance: pale Caucasian skin, tall and defined body, rectangular nose
Likes: Helping new students, protecting students, teaching magic in a new way, Shiny Chariot
Dislikes: Conservative witches, traditions being pushed, treatment of elders towards schoolgirls in Luna Nova, rules that are still in force in Luna Nova
The youngest teacher of Luna Nova, Ursula Callistis, her way of teaching may not be as acclaimed as the older teachers, not even the way she behaves, being even a bit more laid back and clumsy in relation to the other more classy teachers. Being the most charismatic teacher, all students have a certain appreciation for her, mainly because she is always there to remedy situations of punishments and detentions, by loosening or asking to decrease what happens in relation to the students who end up in these situations, besides having a greater attachment to the students, treating them more friendly.
But she hides a mysterious past, that nobody has the slightest idea of who the witch really is, who she was someday back there, so much that she always deviates from conversations in relation to this, as if she was hiding something deep down that was very revealing about her identity.