POV Narrator:
Sunday 18 March 2018, Glastonbury, England
A week has passed since the preparations for the Enchanted Parade, and the girls from the red and green teams have managed to rehearse enough and do all the preparation to start performing the event through the streets of the city of Glastonbury, where there will be a moment that will break a tradition that used to be that witches would humiliate themselves publicly, But this time they don't have the need to go through this kind of situation anymore, but they will still have to perform a great parade to call the public's attention and Croix is ready to extract emotions from the event, since he is the main fuel of Noir Rod's own.
POV Akko:
We arrived at the city, everything is ready, now we just have to enter the Gran Charion and start parading, I can't wait to see how we are going to do this time, Amanda doesn't seem to be enjoying the costume at all, but it looks nice, it reminds us of the Shiny Chariot and it was teacher Ursula who sewed it for us.
"Seriously Akko, what kind of idea was this? We could just, I don't know, do this uniform presentation, we don't need these clothes" O'Neill said.
"Do you want to pass the year or not? This presentation can change everything today, you will see how the people in the city will love it" I tell her.
With everyone on top of the Gran Charion, the parade began, we were passing on the main avenue and the whole town was watching us, a song started playing and we started to look at each other, and then a dance began between us, following a choreography that Amanda had requested and that we had rehearsed a lot these days.
"Welcome everyone to the wonderful world of magic!" I say the city while holding a microphone and I was seeing the whole city even clapping my hands accompanying everything.
We then activated magic effects in the surroundings, which created an effect that looked like an ocean of magic where we were sailing and the brooms began to dance, just as the magic began to spread through the things in the city, enchanting even more the people of the city, since everything around was dancing.
"Booo! Witches!" said a stalker who was starting to throw tomatoes in our direction.
The balls were affected by the magic and got very scary faces, what Amanda already knew that was going to happen, and so did we, with that we started a choreography defending ourselves from the balls that were coming, kind of catching brooms that were not dancing and also using the brooms that were dancing to hit the balls and with that being part of the whole festival.
"We witches are much more than this humiliation, we are like any other person and we can also enchant the world with magic, look how impressive it is" I'm talking to liven up the audience while Amanda went up in the air doing acrobatics.
The people clapped, seeming to really enjoy it, I can't believe we're actually getting the crowd going, dancing, doing it just like Shiny Chariot, I hope she notices me more because of that, it'll be amazing. This time the boys quieted down, stopping throwing the tomatoes, noticing that nothing solved it, it only left the ship all dirty and smelly, while we still increased the choreography.
In the same street, watching the stop right next to the central square...
POV Diana:
Well nae sign of magic manifestation around here, I'm sure something Croix is planning, I'm keeping a close eye on it, teacher Ursula asked me tae look here while she was following the girls down the street, I hope nothing happens, the worst is that they are kind of recognizing me from here too.
"Look it's Diana Cavendish!" Said one person pointing at my person.
"She herself, I learned that her family's mansion caught fire" said another person.
"It must be a shame to have missed all that" Oh they're going to start gossiping in my face now.
"Well that's a sign of how evident it is that magic is something old fashioned, even the most traditional family is also in crisis" And sae I just turn my face away, I couldn't stand it, but ye'll have tae listen tae me saying things.
"Sae why dinnae ye watch the enchanted parade and draw yer own conclusions, magic may be in a crisis period, but soon it will renew itself tae the world, today will be a proof of that"
Oh great, so at least I dinnae have tae put up with annoying comments about magic, these people are being sae ignorant that it's boring, I hope that the parade goes well, by the nine lesbian witches, Croix dinnae ruin everything, that it's only emotions of this parade.
Back to the parade...
POV Akko:
Wow I am feeling alive, I have never felt this way before, this must be what Chariot was feeling when he was going to perform, everyone clapping for us, the children getting captivated, this all gives me hope, I knew magic could be something fun and that it could captivate people, Chariot wasn't lying and she must be seeing all this proudly, I will definitely be noticed.
"And now we are coming to the main attraction!" I say as the ship begins to approach the central square.
The tomato boys continued to follow us, still carrying boxes full of tomatoes. The city was following us and from up there I could see Professor Ursula watching us, riding her broom and trying to hide among the rooftops, but I could see that it is obviously her, all clumsy as always.
"Your magic is believing in yourself!" I say Chariot's words as I pick up the staff.
Effects of lights, smoke and magic began to come out of the ship, and also near my staff. Then Amanda started to fly, as well as Cons and Jas, as we got closer to the city, they were throwing me up in the air while I passed through some rings that were placed in the air and took the opportunity to do some metamorphosis spells, showing the little talent I have.
"Witches! Witches! Witches!" The whole town was cheering for us, this time everything is going well, how wonderful.
I was able to control the metamorphosis spell much better, going through each ring with style while also holding the Shiny Rod and kind of with the help of effects I was able to replicate what the staff did, with magical arrow effects as the thrown tomatoes turned into several killer tomatoes coming towards us.
"Fear not! For we witches are here!" I say to everyone as I go about hitting fake arrows into the flying balls.
The ship was getting closer and closer to the central square, almost to the point where we would start our climax, where the presentation would reach its apex, showing that magic can also be something interesting. We kept on dancing, doing the choreographies that Amanda taught us, sort of going from one side to the other through the sail of the ship, even looking like a circus and I was at the same time doing metamorphosis spells, showing the part of my talent that I have, everybody is loving it and that is the best thing.
"Your heart believes in its magic!" I say cheering up even more as we get closer to the square.
The ship arrives and with that, the gene sets up the best part where all the smoke and light effects were coming out, with a huge sea of magic that was ravaging the whole city around, things were dancing exactly as I expected, the telephone poles, the light poles, the even the tomatoes in the boys' boxes, it was all accompanying before they could attack us, even the cars.
"And don't worry, it's all part of the festival, feel the magic passing by you, believe in it that everything can get better!" I say this while the city was getting more animated, everyone was clapping, the objects were dancing, I felt like I was inside a cartoon.
We all got together lined up on the ship and hand in hand we danced, until we launched ourselves to the top holding each part of the ship, going from one side to the other, I even noticed that Diana was also there and watching us, what cheered me up a little bit too, We were passing in the middle of the rings, kind of flying on a broomstick, I was jumping from one to another that threw me up, using the metamorphosis spell, besides giving some mortals through the air, this is the most amazing thing I'm doing in Luna Nova.
In Luna Nova, in the laboratory of Croix...
POV Croix:
Things are already very lively, but they are not the emotions I hope to get from all this, let's put a little more pepper in this presentation, make things much hotter. I press the button to activate my robotic titan that I left ready in the town square and now things will get more interesting.
"Go Titan, make these things more emotional" I say looking at the screen.
From here just let it reach 70%, I'm sure it will, it's very close, with 70% I can get the sorcerer stone and thus break the seal of the Gran Triskellion once and for all, fulfil my wish and get out of here as soon as possible, hahahaha, that will be wonderful to achieve, I don't need Claiomh Solais.
"You see Woodward, I can bring the change too, you didn't choose me and things could be easier" I say to myself as I look at the screens.
Soon the change will come, everything that I spent so many years dedicating myself to will finally come true, I believed and succeeded, in the end I am not wrong, in the end all will be well, without having to steal magic from children, I spent so many years studying a perfect way to obtain magic and now I know that none of it will be thrown away.
Back to Glastonbury...
POV Akko:
The presentation will be over soon, I could never imagine that it would attract so much attention, people are enjoying it, laughing and being impressed, I am feeling the happiest and most satisfied witch in this world, I knew that in the end everything would work out, but out of nowhere a tremor is felt, how strange.
"Is that part of the presentation?" Amanda asks us.
The tremor was getting more intense to the point that we had to go back a little with the Gran Charion, a hole was opening in the square and a stone came out of it, it had a very familiar design around it, emanating a brightness, I've seen it a few times, the dragon... The wild hunt, they are appearing all over again, for the nine witches, it seems there is going to be trouble again and I didn't even know it.
"Don't worry people it's all part of the enchanted parade!" I say trying to reassure the nerves, but everyone was walking backwards in fear.
The huge stone with the glows was starting to move, I knew it was something, it was turning out to be a giant, with a huge human form, that reached the size of Gran Charion himself, to the point that it started to give the biggest roar to everyone, now I really shit myself with fear.
"Okay girls, I shit myself" I tell them.
"Are we going to have to fight this thing?" Amanda asks.
"We have to do something, before the city is destroyed" I say with my staff already in place.
We stayed positioned and with that the girls were all flying towards the creature and as they were shooting spells I noticed that it didn't do any good, it was just glowing more the purple parts that it had around its body, as if it was absorbing magic, so much that it was trying to hit them with its huge hand.
"Akko!" She calls teacher Ursula and I run towards her.
POV Diana:
Damn... I knew Croix had left some surprise for us and what's worse it might take the biggest risk for us, I notice some boys were trying tae attack the monster with balls, especially one who went trying tae think he was a colossus, I went flying with the broom quickly, the monster threw him just from moving, but I managed tae hold him in time and went flying back, looking at the lad flushed face.
"You saved me" Said the lad after I landed with him.
"Dinnae stand there in the middle, ye could have died - I tell the lad who swallows saliva and still stares at me, even though I stare at him after the scolding, it seems that one more person is falling fae me, what a mess.
I then fly back tae where the girls are, kind of continuing tae shoot at the huge monster, I have tae warn them that it's useless tae cast spells, we're only helping more Croix and making this thing stronger, I get close, and I see them flying like flies, it can't be possible.
"Lassies, ye're only making him stronger! - I warn them tae take a break.
With that we go around the monster trying to distract him but the people in town seem tae be following us thinking it's all part of the performance, until the titan makes a bump on the street that breaks everything and with that people run away scared, as expected, when things get serious, people run away.
"What do you want us to do Cavendish? That monster's not going to sit around waiting" O'Neill said.
"We have tae find a weak point" I tell her as I surround the creature.
POV Akko:
The forehead, I just need a very accurate shot with the staff, but Diana and the girls are too distracted by the monster, how are we going to solve this at once, even more without hurting people, I don't know, but I hope I can, I am left on top of a building looking at everything from afar without being able to do anything.
"Teacher! I can't stay here and wait!" I tell her.
She was simply going away, I started to take aim with the staff, and try all the time to recite the first word, but nothing, the worst part is that I don't even know how I'm going to get down from here, nine witches, now we're really in the worst situation, I'll just stay here and watch this monster destroy everything, while my friends look like flies, their magic will soon be over and they don't know the weak point.
"What do I do?" I say this out loud until I feel a hand on my shoulder.
"Where is your heart that believes in magic?" Said a soft voice that I recognised from somewhere, as I looked back.
"Chariot!" I say surprise, her hair and clothes were a bit different, she had a cape standing on her broomstick, her hair was all the same, I was even in shock.
"Come on girl recite the words" She said and I grew more hopeful.
"I can't" I say without motivation.
"You're not believing yourself" She said holding out her hand to me and I went over and held her hand.
I climbed on the broom, half trying to stand up, we stood very close to where the girls were circling the huge monster, I have to make it, I aimed the staff, I concentrated some more, I felt Chariot's hand touch mine.
"Come on Akko" she said.
"Noctu Orfei Aude Fraetor!" We said together and I went feeling the magic emanating around my body the staff was transforming, kind of the magic was emanating around it, I can't believe I could touch Chariot.
I look to the side and see her disappearing, I was sort of propped up in the middle of one of the Gran Charion's masts as magic emanated around my body now with the sight of Chariot I believe myself, the staff is getting a lot stronger, to the point where it's a huge bow and arrow, a ballista, I'm sure this is going to do huge damage.
POV Diana:
Got it! It's in the forehead! I quickly hit a spell on it across the forehead, which makes the huge monster take a few steps backwards, with that the girls kind of notice this and are joining my side, now we know the creature's weak point.
"It's on the forehead!" I tell them all.
"Now it's gone from being like flies, but how are we going to do massive damage to this thing being that magic is being spent flying?" asks O'Neill.
"True, now we have to think of a way, even if we come together in one shot, we have to find a way" I say already getting worried that we won't make it.
"Girls! Help!" Shouts Akko and I look back seeing her with a ballista in hand.
At that I extend my wand towards her sending magic and it might be our chance, the monster is still a bit stunned, the other girls are doing the same thing, let's send our magic to Akko, she might really be our hope for a victory.
"Akko is our hope" I tell them all.
"I'd even forgotten about Akko, so she was preparing the best plan all along" O'Neill said.
"While you guys are talking the monster is waking up again" Sucy said pointing at the creature no longer being stunned.
Until we saw Professor Ursula suddenly appearing giving a two foot volley right at the huge monster and right in the chest it was a strong enough impact tae make it take a few steps backwards, she came tae our aid, and wow what legs, it seems that even in the times outside of being Shiny Chariot the professor still has the stamina.
"Go! Defeat that thing, send more magic to Akko, I'll provide the support for that side, I'll take care of the titan" Said the teacher and we just signaled with our thumbs.
The teacher was soon showing her moves, flying around, saving magic, tae the point she would throw herself and go striking with her own body, wow... She is really stronger than I thought, if it was on the day of the Cavendish family ritual my aunt simply wouldn't be able tae hold her back, she could handle even against the three of them, I never thought I would see that side of the teacher.
"Come on Akko! You can do it!" I say motivating her.
"Wow, Professor Ursula is a good fighter, I didn't expect that one, she always proves to be the clumsiest" O'Neill said.
"There are things about her that ye have nae idea the teacher is hiding" I say just tae make her more intrigued.
The teacher is holding on as best she can, but then the monster ends up holding her hands, now things can really get worse, so much that she is trying tae force her way out of this, but even so the teacher shows that she is still in control of everything, I hope nothing bad happens, she can be squeezed with those hands.
In the Croix laboratory...
POV Croix:
No! Stupid Titan! You're gonna kill Chariot like that, don't squeeze her, shit... I can't even interfere like I did in Wagandea, all my cubes have been automated to control this massive titan, this way I'm left with no option but to hope that Akko throws that damn magic arrow soon and deactivates this damned monster.
Back to the enchanted parade...
POV Akko:
Now I know it has enough magic I think, it has to have it for us to get home, I pick up the ballista and aim stylishly towards the monster, Professor Ursula has been held down and I cannot allow her to be crushed by the monster, now yes let's see how you like that.
"Take that you giant idiot!" I say this firing the huge arrow towards the monster.
She caught it right in the forehead, right on, releasing the teacher, who then went flying away from the creature who was kinda starting to get a green glow around the purple part, I hope it all worked, then it was starting to swell, the magic ballista really worked.
The giant swelled up and then it was starting to explode flying pieces everywhere, that's a good sign, the remains were flying everywhere, while I was feeling conquered, it kind of didn't have a full on magic thing going on, but at least the parade didn't fail, there's still plenty of people.
"And that was the enchanted parade!" I say to everyone who started clapping their hands for us, who were then joining in.
The teacher Ursula used a spell to repair the streets and the square that was destroyed by the huge stone giant. I even have a smile on my face, my mission here was done, everyone liked it, the clapping was what made me even more excited.
"Well done Akko, ye really showed it all today" Diana said.
"I couldn't have done it without your help" I tell them and then they hug me as a group, as usual with Diana a bit embarrassed not to join in.
"Fuck Akko, that was pretty fucking great" Amanda said scratching my head.
Later in Luna Nova...
"Destruction of the property, caused even the biggest panic, invoked a monster and almost that something worse does not happen, what were you thinking when you thought of doing this parade? The mayor is going to ask us for a huge indemnity" said teacher Finnelan, already getting on our case.
"I don't even want to imagine how you emptied our pockets, it was the biggest damage that was caused due to this invention" said Professor Babcock.
"Calm down girls, I had no way of knowing about the titan, did they perform normally, or was the titan really part of your staging?" asks the director.
"No! The plan was to shut down, but the titan appeared and we had to fight him, or else the city would be destroyed" says the director.
"And you all confirm that same version of your friend?" said the annoying teacher.
"I confirm that it was my mistake, the titan was detected only later and at very short notice, but I had no way of knowing that it would appear so suddenly headmistress, it was a dormant titan in Glastobury, possibly a golden age witch must have brought it and forgot to return it to Arcturus" Said teacher Croix kind of easing the burden to our side.
"So you take responsibility for this Croix?" Professor Finnelan said.
"Yes, if we have to pay anything for damages, I'll take it out of my pocket for that, the girls are not to blame for anything, they were even quite heroic actually, they saved the town of Glastonbury from the worst that could happen" I love Professor Croix, since she came along things have only got better here.
"So it's decided, you of the green and red teams are free, with maximum marks the enchanted parade was approved, you can enjoy the spring, we return to school in April, as for teacher Croix, I am grateful that you took responsibility for the event, for the act of nobility, you can rest assured that I will relieve anything that the mayor may imply with you" said the headmistress who finally released us.
We left the room, I even wanted to show my middle finger, but I don't want to be doing classes during spring break, now that we have two weeks off, everything is cooler, it's very different from the year in Japan, we would already be finishing the year in spring and we only come back in May, leaving the room we all jumped with emotion and touched our hands in celebration.
"Yes! Yes, Akko, the parade was great and you also guaranteed us two weeks off" said Amanda.
"So what are we going to do these days?" I ask them.
"Tomorrow the forecast is for snow in Glastonbury, how about we teach those tomato stragglers a lesson?" O'Neill said.
"One of them who's name is Thomas came tae excuse us afterwards, he kind of wanted tae invite ye lassies tae play in town" Diana said appearing in between us.
"Ah so now they want to apologise" I say half with inflated cheeks.
"I caught the little lad when he almost died for the titan, he got the scare he deserved, I'm sure now they understand they can't mess with us" Cavendish said and now it's got less worse.
"Ah I love a snow day, it's very rare for it to happen back home, even more so in March" I say with amazement.
"Back home it snowed until May, almost in summer, days later it was hotter than ever, New York is simply a crazy city, it's cold almost all year round and then a scorching summer, which only gets worse near the buildings" Amanda said.
"Where I live it is summer all year round, you have no idea how hell it is, either it rains or it is hot, and even when it rains it is hot, I like it better here because of that, the cold lets me wear clothes that are more my face and I don't melt" said Sucy.
"So we have already decided what to do on the first day of spring break" I tell them who nod in agreement.
"I dinnae know if I'll be able tae turn up there" Cavenboring said.
"And the news? You're always the grimace" I tell her and she gets a little irritated.
"It won't even make a difference, Cavendish will have her face stuck in books for a long time, it's not her taste to go out and play snowball wars, or even make snowmen, she's the real ice queen" Amanda said and I just laughed.
"Ice queen! Hahahaha!" I say laughing and she just went about showing her finger to us.
"Dinnae call me a ice queen, I'm nothing like that, besides I can go out and have fun, I just have more important things tae deal with, if ye dinnae mind" she said, leaving the room looking like she was holding her nose, but I held my tongue to keep from laughing, even though she didn't want to look like one, she still looked like the starched aristocrat.
In the Croix laboratory...
POV Croix:
Now it is carrying everything, this presentation was the biggest success I am sure, soon the Gran Triskellion will be mine, I will take advantage of this spring break to cause my havoc hahahah, I will only need the sorcerer stone and that is easy, then take the Noir Rod to the seal site and all my plan will come true, I after so much work will get what I deserve.
"Satisfied Croix?" Chariot coming here to pick on me as usual.
"Plenty, you know Chariot, you and I can soon be together in this new world, why don't you talk to me about it and we can work something out? Look how much you're going to miss out on" I tell her.
"I don't give a shit about any of this, you earned all this on the basis of a lot of dirt, is this what you want for your legacy? You'll always have the burden of stealing magic from children, just like I have, only you're getting away with it" she said and I started to laugh.
"Look who's talking, you're such a coward that you hide in the identity of Ursula Callistis" I tell her who gets a bit angry.
"Because of exactly your fault, I cannot be free even to be the real me and even have to change my tone of voice to look like someone else, almost Akko found out that I was Chariot because of the motivation I gave to defeat his machine" Chariot said while shrugging.
"Well, it was your decision, you took a risk and soon it won't be possible to hide all the time Chariot Du Nord, come on, stop being stupid, this world doesn't accept me and also doesn't accept you, we can together build a new world, exactly as we wanted" I said holding out my hand to her who only turned her face away.
"Stay you and your little world, let's see if you'll feel as fulfilled as you do when you're alone, this fixation of yours is what broke us up never forget that Croix" She said and then took the lift.
"You say this now, but soon I know you'll be in my arms, when all this changes for the better, I'll be able to be myself for real" I say as I saw her rising and distancing, I held tight not to cry.
I hit a nearby table and started to have a cry, to think that she still picks on me a lot emotionally always destroys me, I just really wish I could not have those feelings, the mission is more important, I have to change things.
"Total energy obtained" said the computer.
I wipe my tears, I get excited, I walk to where Noir Rod is, but when I see the machine I get a little frustrated, 69%, seriously, I thought it would give at least 70%, but I think I have a plan to get the 1% that's left, I even know exactly how to do it.
You shouldn't have done this to me Chariot Du Nord, your actions will have huge consequences and consequences, especially to my next target hahahhaha! Let's do one last damage before the excitement starts.
POV Narrator:
And the enchanted parade was a success despite all of Croix's intervention to cause more emotions and from her side it looks like it was a partial success as there is only a meager percentage point missing that will involve still causing some emotions of what is to come, just like spring break which is marking its beginning for something great that could happen
See you, enchanted witches...