POV Narrator:
Tuesday, 31 October 2017, Luna Nova
The choices for the roles in the Samhaim festival were given, the girls were getting each one of the specific roles, where they would perform on the day of the festival for some important witches that will judge each one of the teams to say who will become the Moonlight Witch, cheering Akko a lot, Akko, who despite taking the role of the sacrifice which would be the worst, decided that she would make the best presentation of all and with this she even went so far as to rehearse a choreography that could be perfect between her and the girls, to cause an even value of comedy in an attempt to draw attention.
POV Akko:
It's today, for the first time we also didn't stay a weekend in detention, everything seems so wonderful that I can't believe how things have turned out so well, for the nine witches, I can't wait for the result of the festival, now that the night has arrived, it's also time for us to start the festival, I arrive at Luna Nova's courtyard, already seeing that there are some tents where the teams are waiting, we sit there, and soon Diana's two bitches appear.
"Look who's here if it isn't the sacrifice" Hannah said.
"Look who's here beside me if it's someone who asked your opinion" I answer her pointing to an empty chair.
"We'll love watching you get swallowed up and turned into Vajarois crap, but what a silly role" Barbara said.
"Well, I hope you also break your legs when you perform and don't bother me, all this energy you spend making fun of me could be used for something useful, the amount you could use for studying would already be better witches than Diana" I still answer them and both shrug
"We said the same for anyone who gets into trouble all the time, you should be better than Diana by now and look where you are" Hannah said and okay that was kind of accurate, I just really wanted Diana to show up.
"Lassie, you're going to waste your time mocking Akko, we have tae concentrate, this performance has tae be the best, we're going tae win the title of Moonlight Witch," said Cavendish appearing, a bit too late, but let's see how this goes.
POV Narrator:
The festival of Samhaim, one of the oldest traditions of Luna Nova, which exists even before the foundation of the place, which was held by Celtic people and became popular among the witches when Beatrix decided to expand the celebration of the event, becoming an annual tradition since the seventh century, the event boils down to a few presentations of witches to show the beauty of magical traditions, to preserve the new generations. It
is a festival that goes somewhat against Halloween, which very few witches celebrate, due to the existence of Samhaim, including Luna Nova considers the most recent date as a sacrilege of tradition, prohibiting the manifestation of Halloween in favor of Samhaim.
The witches invited to judge the performances were Minister Dorlin, known for being in charge of the relations of the academies of witchcraft and the council of magic, Ural a fiction writer who has gained a great relevance in the mundane world with her books and finally Majoirane, a rockstar who is known for her musings in the mundane world, but few know about her roots in witchcraft, being the youngest of the three, Luna Nova, always seeks to give an alternate in who she summons, this being another new summoning of witches who have already arrived to study in the place and are ready to see how it will unfold.
With everyone at their posts, the presentation of each one of the groups began, the judgements began, Akko became anxious, she was also watching to get a notion and the three summoned were really being very demanding in all aspects that they were judging.
POV Akko:
The presentation of Amanda and the girls is starting, I hope they do well, I even forgot that they were in the competition too, they said they are going to do one of the cleaning, I wish I had fallen for this presentation, for the nine witches, because we always have to get the shittiest.
"It won't be anything close to ours" Hannah said.
"Let's see if that's what you think" I tell her.
The stage lights come on, Amanda goes as if she were skating with brushes along the stage which was even with some dirt on it, she goes from one side to the other as if it was a figure skating event, Constanze and Jasminka stand around with the brooms, sort of riding on them, until they start spinning around the surrounds raising the biggest foam, I could notice that the judges were enjoying it, so I might have a chance, I look at Hannah and see the girl sort of drooling looking at O'Neill.
"Looks like someone broke their face" I say giving a little smile.
She gets so breezy that she doesn't even listen to me, she just keeps concentrating on looking at Amanda, who after the foam passes, kind of clears the stage and is accompanied by dancing brooms, how incredible, I didn't know it was possible to do that, I'm even getting amazed, she has the potential to be a moonlight witch too.
The three of them go past the dancing brooms and do acrobatics with the brooms, how I wish I could have a broom... After mine broke I've never been able to get on one again, apart from money being tight I can't get on a normal one for the world.
Hannah awkwardly drooling was the best part, me wiping my hand across the front of her face and Barbara getting a pouty face, that was so priceless, I think someone just had a gay panic.
"Stop it Akko" Diana#2's bitch said.
"Dinnae disturb us, you can do anything after the presentation, but leave us alone for a while" said Cavenboring who won't even let me tease her friend.
Then after all the broom dance and acrobatics, all of them are getting together to spin with the brooms, what was causing the whole environment of the stage to become dry and shining, until for cleaning they are good, a pity that in Luna Nova they forbid us to clean using magic, we have to do it in a boring and tiring way, just remembering those weeks I get a pain in my back thinking, ahhh, the traumas that come in my head. I hope they get it too, they are as deserving as anyone, they have done so well.
"It's a bit different from the last few dull ones, you can guarantee yourselves as one of the best I would say, but it's too much for a theme that is so simple" said one of the judges in this case the pretty one who is younger.
"The traditions are the most important thing to keep, but the way in which it was presented would be good, if this was an event to show traditions and not a show" said one of the old ladies, in this case the one with a monocle, here come the boring ones.
"I would say it was an attempt to innovate, but it wasn't very innovative, it got away from the cleaning theme to be just a show, although it was a good presentation, being the least boring so far, let's see how the others will be" said the other white haired candle.
"Well, I think the level of this place must have really dropped, it seems that the students here don't really care about making captivating presentations, let's see who will be next, it seems that it is the blue team" said the younger witch and now it's Diana's turn.
She passes by me waving, I wave back, now I'm anxious to know who I'm going to do a choreographed performance against, everything is getting dark, and then Diana and her little dogs appear, they are walking, Cavenboring raises her wand and everything starts to glow green, the two of them are on the side flying on the broom, where they bring more lights, making the floor become a little bit covered by water, what is going to happen here?
"Woah, the effects are really good here, it looks like we're going to get a bit of a thrill" Said the pretty one and I was already getting a look on my face, Amanda's had been the best.
A unicorn appears, it simply goes trotting in the middle of the stage, Diana catches it starting to give affection to the beast, what the witches are getting impressed, I even found a beautiful presentation, the unicorn then goes sort of becoming another creature in the case a phoenix, then everybody was bought, it can only be.
"Fuck, she knows how to put on a good show, not for nothing Akko" Lotte said.
"Let's not get down because of this, I know we can do it" I say confidently.
Diana goes up in the air with the two of them, they do what looks like an Iris arch, shining towards the floor, then they go down, staying in the middle of the stage and the magic starts to emanate all over the stage generating a kind of rain of magic around the whole set, even one of the "drops" of magic falls on my hand, I'm watching it kind of impressed, although it's not the same acrobatics of Amanda, the effects they do are visually beautiful, I think that after this one we have to give our best.
The trio of preppies then finishes their presentation, even getting to bow in front of the bleachers, which the three judges get up clapping, this is something I saw for the first time rolling, seriously people are very bought with Diana can only.
"Bravo! Perfect presentation of the blue team, they managed to capture the magic of nature and the beauty of traditions including a great mention and referenced of the great Beatrix with this unicorn, really are to be the great winning team of this edition" Said the pretty one there, but what egg drooling, I can already see that it will be from this to worse.
"Excellent, as Majoirane said, you have captured the tradition, you have managed to incorporate the role very well, the natures of magic and the traditions all in one magnificent and eye-pleasing presentation, this is art here, my congratulations girls" said the old woman with the monocle.
"A demonstration of magical tradition in its most absolute state of perfection, you have really demonstrated this with history, we haven't seen one of these in a long time, this way you will be presented with the title of Moonlight Witch without a shadow of a doubt, your representative did a choreographed and excellent job, keep it up and you will have a future in magic" said the other old lady, and how could it be, these people love to suck tits.
After they finish, they come back to me, Diana's two little bitches go by as if they were the usual ones, I just don't care much, what made me curious is the way they favoured Diana, it even seems that these people want to put her on top of everything, Amanda's presentation was the best, it was the most fun, Diana's was the prettiest, I hope I can still do it my way.
"You see Akko, I want to see you get through this, we are the only ones who can please the judges, you will have a lot to get through to at least get to that here from us" Hannah said debauching me as usual.
"My business is not with you, it's with Diana, she will still see how I can make a good presentation too" I say with a serious tone.
After all the presentations that have been missing comes precisely Akko's...
Wow, but also, I can't believe these are the same people who make fun of me all the time in Luna Nova, what a mediocre presentation, I thought we were going to have some other ones at Diana and Amanda's level, but they were just a few dances, or just read the text, now I understand why they talk about the level here being so low, it seems they don't give a damn about the event, so why take the good roles and leave me with the sacrifice, for the nine witches, but come on, let's see if this is going to be good now.
"The last team the red team, sacrifice, gee I'm glad it came to an end" Said the pretty one there and we're going to impress.
"Mark my words Diana, I will show you why I still deserve to stay here and why you are my rival" I tell her in a serious tone.
I go all concentrated to the stage, we go kind of looking at everyone, in the audience were all the teachers, students, at the judges' table there were the three of them, looking deeply at us, little do they know that we are going to innovate in this presentation, show how we are the best and deserving.
"Ah the sacrifice, I thought we wouldn't see" Said the old woman, we kept on keeping calm.
The monster appears behind us, which it would, but when it came time to swallow us, we sort of dodged it, I came flying out in an elephant form with flying ears, the girls were helping me with this, flying with the broom, just as Sucy was starting to use potions while I alternated between different creatures with my metamorphosis spells.
"What is this? What are these girls thinking of doing" said the old woman with the monocle.
"This is so ridiculous, look how this witch barely knows how to transform, hahahah, but what a ridiculous thing" Said the pretty one laughing at us and that was my intention, to use my lack of magic.
The monster was getting irritated, trying to go on top of us, I was caught by Lotte almost falling on the ground I mounted on top of him, already Sucy was continuing to throw the potions, the creature seemed to grow and irritate more, causing even a little destruction on the stage, we have to do something here, I'm kind of continuing to alternate forms, showing to the monster to distract him.
"Maybe you want a chicken, or an ox, or maybe an elephant, you can have a huge diversity of dishes to feast on Vajarois" I say teasing the creature who was getting annoyed, until Sucy stepped in front of the monster.
She was the first one devoured, but weird in the way she always is, she even seemed to be enjoying it, but damn, by the nine witches, one really has to be devoured for this to be over, I was trying to dodge it by changing my ways, the judges were kind of laughing at me, by my way of being ridiculous, Lotte couldn't distract enough and was devoured too.
"I'd say it's the first time I've ever seen such a sacrifice" said the white-haired old woman.
Then I stand in front of the monster with my arms open, as planned I allow myself to be devoured, in the most idiotic way, let's see how the value of this will be, we end up being taken by the monster to another place, it's cramped and gooey, but you can breathe, besides having a horrendous smell.
"What happens now? How are we going to get out of here?" I ask them.
"Akko, the vajarois will only evacuate us tomorrow morning" Lotte said.
'What? But what about the title of Moonlight Witch?" I ask even more shocked.
"Well we won't make it out of here in time, but even so I don't know if we really made it, no matter how much we make it the headmistress will hand it over after we get out and so satisfy vajarois" Yanson said.
"You can complain all you want, I'm loving it here in the bowels of this creature, it's like a paradise" Said the strange Sucy getting excited to be inside the stomach of a monster.
"For the nine witches, because I didn't remember that. Now we'll just turn to shit" I say in frustration.
Really, after all this we are going to stay one whole night inside a bug's stomach, what kind of tradition is this, we are simply given to a bug to eat us, where luckily we don't die, but we are an anti-stress ball of it, why the world has to be so unfair like this... Because these traditions are so stupid, now I have to sleep in this stinky and disgusting place, leave here like shit and get all covered in dirt when we leave here.
On the Luna Nova stage...
POV Diana:
It was different, I dinnae expect this from Akko, I thought she would just accept it, but she always tries something new and that can't be taken away from her, her idea tae make the judges laugh was really clever, I wouldn't be surprised if she won the title of Moonlight Witch being the sacrifice, this has never happened in the history of Luna Nova and it could be historical, they are always the worst selected to be the sacrifice.
"What did you think of that one?" asks Majoirane already starting tae give a judgement.
"Well they were totally out of tradition, but it's something interesting to see, a sham Shiny Chariot that tried to demonstrate a different way of rolling the sacrifice, I don't think it should be one of the best, but that it was surprising was, a comical closure, like the talent of the witch who was selected for the sacrifice" Ural said and gee they are pretty cruel with their words, it really gets me how everyone gets too much on Akko.
"I also think for that part it was way out of context, out of tradition, but it was a great comic relief, it's not like the girl who did all that thought she was going to win the title of moonlight witch hahahaha, ah that was comical, I haven't had a laugh like that in a long time and this student gave a bit of a comedy at this festival" Dorlin said, gee I'm glad Akko isn't here tae hear that, I think I'll help them after Vajarois evacuate them.
"Well to conclude I will also say my opinion about this presentation and the girl could not be the clown, she was the whole circus, this witch should be a comedian, no doubt about it, she has no magic talent, there is no point in even trying, this one is doomed to failure as a witch, she should give up and follow a mundane career, it will certainly hurt less, as Dorlin said, I think she wanted to innovate and try to be a moonlight witch, it was a very pathetic attempt I would say, But that's the funny thing, she doesn't have the slightest chance, nobody in history when they made the sacrifice had the chance to win the title of Moonlight Witch, because it is precisely the worst ones who are chosen" said Majoirane, they have very cruel words, are we witches being the reason tae kill magic, I am starting to think that we are nae that wonderful, especially with the arrival of Akko, if I had come here back there in the past I would be going through the same thing as her, I dinnae know... Well, it looks like I've made it.
I look up and then our team is called, where we go on stage, still with the remains of Vajarois being cleaned with magic, which even makes me think of Akko, she must be frustrated now, we go on stage and everyone was clapping for us, it seems it was a unanimous decision by the looks of it.
"Well, by the introductions we have had here, we would like to present the title of Moonlight Witch to the representative of the team, the witch Diana Cavendish, who by our conclusions is more than deserving of this title" said Majoirane who until a while ago was subduing Akko, which I dinnae present such a satisfied expression.
"You have shown yourself to be worthy of a Cavendish indeed, not since the time of mother Bernadette Cavendish have we seen such a brilliant presentation, although in those days they were practically all vying for which was the best, we will grant this honour to the daughter who won the deserved title after 30 years" Dorlin said, I was even moved by the mention of my mother, it is something heart touching I would say.
Everybody was clapping for me, they gave the moonlight witch clothes tae me, which I wore the cape and also the hat, but I dinnae show any smile or anything, I won, but I dinnae feel satisfied, I feel empty, I thought that this could give me an extra cheer, I have a title that my mother also has, it was even a moment that Akko did her best, even if her magic wasn't that great, I dinnae know... She seems to remind a lot of me when I was a kid, I'm feeling empathetic towards her I would say, after the photo we left the stage and the two of us kept on going with excessive adoration.
"Look at that Diana, you have achieved the title of Moonlight Witch" Hannah said.
"I know, you dinnae need to remind me" I say in a very discouraging tone.
"What's up Diana? Didn't you enjoy it? We finally have a title to throw in Akko's face, did you really think she could beat us? Hahahaha" said Barbara laughing at Akko and I just took a deep breath.
"It's nae that, I feel empty you know, I've only been getting these things and I never seem tae deserve any of it, I'm always either too good for the titles which seems unfair, or they just take the credit away from the deserving tae give it tae me, I don't want tae be known as someone who is a fraud" I tell them in a touching way.
"Still into that Diana? Never mind, you're a moonlight witch now, you're one of the best students in Luna Nova, if not the greatest, you might even be better than what your mother once was, I saw her yearbook and you're practically matching it" Parker said wanting tae throw me over.
"It's still at that, you think it's just a silly thing, but we are witches, real witches are genuine, they are deserving of greatness, even the Chariot Du Nord one, she went after being who she is and achieved her greatness on her own merit, she had something tae say that "hey I worked hard for this", but me? What do I have, we could give a horrible performance and still win this title?"
"Well we have to enjoy it while we can, after Luna Nova, nobody cares about witches, we'll have to have simple lives, marry some guy, have our kids, if we have daughters try to keep the tradition of magic, it's the maintenance of the greater good, you know that don't you Diana? How long will you hold on liking only women when you know you have a lineage to ensure your and magic's future, because you know your aunt's lineage can ruin everything," Hannah said and I just stopped walking on the way to Luna Nova.
"Hannah, just dinnae... Stop reminding me all the time, I still want tae be able to live life being who I am" I tell her, getting a little head down.
"Diana we have to be realistic too, I know you'd like to live a beautiful romance with some girl and maybe even more, but you know like me and everyone else, unfortunately there's no magic that will bring you a future with that person, one day you'll have to kick their ass in the name of traditions" England said and I simply put my hand over her mouth.
"You think I dinnae know that? My mother is proof of that... She had a romance with a lassie here in Luna Nova, had tae give it up tae have me, I feel the most guilty just existing because I had to end a wonderful romance... Just tae exist and stop my aunt from being the dominant lineage... Unfortunately I never even got tae meet my father and my mother never told me anything about him, only my aunt, talking about how he was so fast he was only practically used tae have me... Unfortunately I wanted tae know who it is, but my aunt won't reveal it, she loves tae throw this reality on me every day, look Hannah, dinnae talk about it tae me anymore - I say with a downcast face.
"For I had to say, there is no magic that will give you children Diana, besides science is something that would be outrageous for you to do and it would be a betrayal to your partner because it wouldn't be hers but it would be a random man's" She said and I just walked away half silent.
"Can you guys just be quiet for a while and nae keep throwing this weight on me, I know, I know and I know, you should... You should just nae remind me, you are like my aunt" I say tae them until I arrive at the room and go to the bed lying down already crying.
I keep crying because of this conversation, the two try to console me a little, Hannah even lowers the ball, but seriously, today was not one of those days, lately I feel empty and meaningless, I feel like I don't have a reason to go on, I got really discouraged to study in Luna Nova, it was a dream of mine, but now lately it's becoming an empty dream.
The next day...
I decide to wake up earlier than everyone else, I get out of bed, get my uniform, go tae the bathroom, change, from there I get my broom, I get tae the window looking at the Arcturus forest, where I go following what were the remains of the tracks of the monster Vajarois and there I see the body of the three girls lying on the ground, full of the monster's goo, they are sleeping by the looks of it.
"Cleanseriou" I do a spell to cleanse the bodies of the three, which get shiny, then I kind of take a keychain that was in my pocket, which looked like a wagon, I make it get enlarged, I put the three of them there gently.
Let's take them back to their room, I walk halfway there's nae one around besides the servants, the day was yet tae dawn, I pass through the corridors, I leave the cart in front of the door of their room, where I take them out of there and take them one by one floating with magic in their beds, then I shrink the cart with magic leaving it as a keychain again in my pocket.
I stare at them lying there, especially Akko.
"How can you be so cheerful like that... Sometimes I feel an envy of your spirit and way of being Akko" I tell her I was still sleeping, I think I will stay here until they wake up.
A while later...
This room of theirs, always leaves me a little enigmatic, it's all alive, I dinnae know, small, but each thing makes me feel comfortable, like it's a place that calls me all the time, like it's a little place tae feel at home, even at home I can't have a comfort of place like I have here, it's too strange... I was going tae go through the box Akko leaves her letters in from Chariot, but I see them wake up.
"Huh? Diana? What do you do here? What are we doing here?" Akko asks.
"Weel ah knew that na yin wid bring thaim back fae arcturus efter whit vajarois did, sae ah brought thaim back masell, ye deserve tae lie doon in a better steid, by th' wey th' presentation wis crakin"
"And you won didn't you?" she said sleepily yawning and I nodded my head in shame.
"Ah didnae wantae sae muckle, bit ah did win, ye lassies that weren't ill at a', 'twas different, 'twas interesting" Holy Beatrix lesbian because right now I shuffle with words.
"Your voice is funny Diana, you keep speaking unpronounceable English sometimes, I can barely understand what comes out of your mouth, but it's okay, I'm not mad that I didn't win against you, I can try next year and I'll improve and beat you" she said that didn't stop being motivated, which even makes my heart beat faster, why is this happening to me now? What a strange thing.
"Weel a'm gaun noo, ah hawp a've bin helpful enough" Still in my shuffling Scottish accent I try tae leave, but Kagari holds my hand I get a bit flushed.
She gets up, and kind of hugs me, I... I'm heart racing, Holy Beatrix of all lesbians, I'm getting a lesbian panic here, I think I'm going tae melt, at the same time I'm also feeling good and comfortable, I feel more accomplished for this than a moonlight witch title, it's weird, very weird indeed, why am I getting happy for a simple hug? Akko has hugged me a few times before and she after the hug looks at me with her captivating smile.
"Thanks for everything Diana, I guess you're not as bad as I thought you were, in the end you've been a really nice friend, even though you're the best one here, you're one of the few who really doesn't put me down, I guess I could say you're the best one in Luna Nova, but that as a human being too, which no one here sees you as, just as a witch, you have a very good side, you should show it more often you know," she said patting my shoulder.
I was going to freeze, sae much sae that I turn around walking hard as a rock, leaving her room, as I close the door I lean against it and take a deep breath, hide my face and get the urge tae scream, ahhhhh, what happened here... Holy Lesbian Beatrix.
POV Narrator:
The festival of Samhaim was not as Akko expected it to be, the results turned out quite differently, but it was serving as a moment that may bring the relationship between Diana and Akko even closer, as well as putting a bit of a conscience into Cavendish regarding the traditions of magic itself.
See you, festival witches...