Narrator POV
Monday, 19 March 2018, Luna Nova
The day after the Enchanted Parade, the green and red team girls' guarantee of spring break came true, which means they will get two weeks off from classes just like the other students until the last term starts and classes start again. To start this holiday with style the girls enjoy a snow day in March that was happening in Luna Nova as well as in the city of Glastonbury too, at the invitation of the boys that until the parade were against the witches they all decide to go with the exception of Diana who has something important to solve so much that she was invited by Chariot for another talk in the tower of Arcturus.
POV Diana:
Now it's just action, after gathering enough I have here what can exonerate Chariot, she will love tae know this news, I'm sure, I got closer tae Arcturus' tower, I landed there, I saw her with red hair, she must be already wanting tae discuss another part, with the dossier in hand I just need tae do that.
"We have to surrender soon Croix, she is with almost 70% of the Noir Rod ready, I visited her and I could see that it is almost full, if we are not quick, she will get the wizard stone and it will be the end of Luna Nova at the same time" She said and I already show the dossier to the teacher.
"I have gathered enough evidence, here is practically a detailed confession from Croix, it even seems that she really wants tae be caught, I will deliver this tae the authorities and soon she will end up being approached and arrested, just like ye will be acquitted Chariot" I say tae her, who even sends a signal with her thumb but at the same time she felt discouraged.
"Finally the end will come, despite everything I don't want Croix to have this fate, but she has to pay, she chose to come to this... Before you go without knowing anything I will tell you better who to contact, go to Edinburgh, to the WCI agency and ask for the agent Rosemary Morris, she is the one who has been taking care of the case for years, you will be very well received by her, I am sure" said Chariot and I already know who it is.
"Agent Morris is also investigating the case of the fire at the mansion, I know her, a coincidence that she is also in yer case, anyway I would go there, she gave me enough confidence" I say tae myself and then we both touch hands.
"Let's put an end to this Diana, thank you for your help... I will try to buy time with Croix, so she can't get the witchy stone" Said the teacher who then gives me a hug
I even felt all different, a calm hug, that made me relieve all the tensions, that even left me feeling better and stronger, then we left separately, I take Ley's line, looking kind of in the background at the girls playing in the square near the portal... I wish I was also doing the same, but I have more important things, it's good tae see Akko is having fun, I think after all this we will be able tae reveal to her what really happened, I hope ye won't be sae devastated... Time tae go tae Edinburgh.
POV Ursula:
I go flying with the broom back to Luna Nova, now it's all or nothing, I think I'll have to seduce Croix a little, so who knows she might be a little more distracted and not even try to reach the sorceress stone, when I arrive in Luna Nova, the students wave and I wave back, I walk through the corridors, going towards her lab, but director Holbrooke appears right on time.
"Oh teacher Ursula, I was coming for you, we need your help again, the loading workers accidentally inhaled a sleeping powder and the trucks can't wait, it's too urgent, as you are young I know you have the stamina to carry out this task" said the headmistress and that's no, how can such a thing happen just now.
"Oh but this is disastrous, don't you have any workers left at all? Not even the minotaurs or anything?" I try to convince her not to do it, I don't want to waste time before Croix does something.
"The place is too small for the minotaurs to pass and the other workers are too weak for this heavy load, please teacher, help us, you are the strongest among us, you will be very well rewarded I guarantee" she said and I try to deny it, but this is important.
"All right Mrs Holbrooke, I'll help" I tell her and she gets all smiles.
We walk through the corridors, I'm waving to everyone as I pass, still a little shy, but frustrated, this might delay my side, this way I won't be able to get to Croix in time and neither will I be able to stop doing some stupid thing, by the nine witches, I don't believe it.
We enter the logistics room, I see the kangaroos that were all really sound asleep, the open trucks, there are a lot of boxes, how am I going to get all this stuff out in time? It could take all afternoon.
"But that's a lot" I say shocked.
"Yes, that's why your help will be essential, please Ursula, do your best, I trust you, now I'll be going and I'll soon arrange an antidote with teacher Lukic, we can't waste time with the shipments and delay our truckers, they also have to have their day off, besides with them delayed it can also affect the shipment for the students and food, well have a good job Ursula" Said the director who then left there and I was looking at the pile of things already frustrated.
What do I do to deserve all this bad luck, just in the day that I have to delay Croix, something like this comes to happen, I hope she really doesn't do anything at this time, I can't falter not even for a second, for the nine witches, this has to be done soon, there are many boxes, but I will manage, you can be sure. I start levitating the first ones, I use my magic without fear, I will spend it, but for a good cause, I know I don't need it to use it in another way.
At Glastonbury...
POV Akko:
I really wish Diana was here with us, even Hannah and Barbara came, these kids here are loving playing with us, it doesn't even seem like yesterday they were throwing tomatoes until they couldn't do any more, I end up taking a snowball in the face that Amanda threw at me and keep laughing.
"Ohhh Akko, stop fooling around, are you thinking about Diana?" She said and I threw another snowball that she dodged.
"Stop imagining things Amanda, I'm not thinking about Diana" I say blushing.
"Denial is one of the first steps" Sucy said.
"Fuck you guys, I'm just... Never mind, let's get back to the war, or are you turning yellow?" I'm making a snowball.
"Oh witches you're kind of cool, why don't you use your magic a little bit, make this snow war a little bit cooler" Thomas said.
At this point Amanda kind of uses her magic by building two snow forts on either side, which was getting even more interesting, plus in the middle of the field she leaves some covers so we can hide, now I like this idea, heh, it will be fun, she takes off her scarf and then takes Lotte's, handing one of the scarves to us and the other to the boys.
"The rules are very simple, whoever gets snowballed has to return to the fort, the mission is to reach the other's fort, get the flag and bring it back to the base" said Amanda with a brilliant idea, I never thought of that.
"Ah so come on Yankee, I want to see how it's going to be" Thomas said.
"The flags will be at the entrance of the fort, there's no need to hide them, both sides have to have a chance" she said, and with that we began to organise ourselves.
They left their scarf on their side, we left ours, so we stayed organized, seeing the snowballs and several already made on the field, I got excited, O'Neill left the field all ready, so we stayed on the cover, just waiting, what was a shot with magic she did to signal the beginning of the game.
"Come on, one of you go risk the other side, we guarantee coverage, inside our base we are immune so there's nothing to worry about, we just aren't when we're in the middle" she said and I was just nodding in agreement.
"I'm going" I say all excited.
We already see that Thomas has also jumped to the other side and I go down the tunnel going down the corridor, I go stealthily, only seeing the snow and the cover on top, the girls until they manage to get the vision and they go sort of throwing the snowballs on the other side so they can't see me.
"Oh, take that!" Amanda said teasingly.
"Let's see how good you witches are" said another.
I give a lift with my head and almost get hit by a snowball, on the spot I lower my head and breathe a relieved breath, I was almost eliminated, I have to really be careful, or else I will have to come back again.
"We know you're coming witch, there's no point in hiding" Said one of them, but I just keep on dragging myself in the middle of the path.
I decide to make a snowball and just play in faith to try to pass to the other side, I'm doing it dragging myself as fast as I can and then I take cover, I already know what I'm going to do, I'm preparing a snowball sitting in the middle of the protection, just waiting for Thomas to pass, the girls are signaling to my person too, what we're planning everything with cleverness.
I see him passing and I hit him right in the ass with a snowball and when he turns his face I throw one more and he gets a little frustrated.
"Hey! That's a dirty one!" he said.
"I'm smart boy, now come back, you can even stand up" I say laughing.
"Hey guys the witch is in this penthouse, you can shoot me" he said and what a wretch, now how am I going to get out of this.
A while later...
I'm already tired of playing so much, we won some, but the boys are really knowing how to have more strategy than us, heh, this game was really fun, I liked the time we spent, we all lay down in the snow making little angels in the snow and everything else, it was such a good moment, I never thought I could spend days like this, with friends and everything, until a year ago I was alone finishing the elementary school, just me and no friends.
"Hey Akko? Are you just going to lie there? Get up and let's go get a snack at The Last Wednesday Society" said Amanda.
"Oh yeah, boys, you are going to have the best burger in the whole city, Chum is magic in his recipes, you are going to love it"
"Ah I was starving anyway, after all this snow I just want to eat a hot snack and also something tasty, I'm up for it, come on people" Thomas said excitedly.
"Oh you'll love it, and Chum is really nice" I tell them.
We get up in the snow, shaking our clothes which left the angels in the snow marking everything, it was very angry, so much so that Hannah takes the mobile phone and takes a picture of all of us together to register the moment in a selfie.
We get out of there and walk towards Chum's shop, when we get there it was warmer, which relieved all the cold outside, even more after all the snow, wow... What a weight, at least now we can rest.
In the Croix laboratory...
POV Croix:
Well it seems that Chariot will take a little time, but I will take the opportunity to go to the city, call her attention, the moment she appears, soon the sun is setting and I will get the thrill I need, from what I see Akko is also in town, I just need these two and everything will go perfectly.
I take a machine that looks like a backpack, I climb on my roomba and go towards the city, taking Ley's line I get to the other side, I go towards one of the buildings and with that I just open my laptop looking at my spy robots and knowing exactly where Akko and Chariot are.
Time goes by and Diana finally arrives in Edinburgh, in the middle of the late afternoon...
POV Diana:
This is the WCI agency, I remember Officer Morris taking me here after the fire, I land with the broom at the entrance, walk through the door, walk tae where the secretary's desk is, where there she was to meet me.
"Good morning, this is the WCI agency, what does a lassie of yer age want? Would ye like tae join?" Ask the secretary.
"I am Diana Cavendish and I have important information tae hand over tae agent Rosemary Morris, it is a dossier of evidence surrounding the Chariot Du Nord case" I tell the secretary.
"Well, hand over the dossier and I will analyse if it's nae a bomb and after analysing it I will release it" said the secretary and I handed over the dossier.
I sit waiting, watching people passing by, a bit anxious and in a hurry, I dinnae even know what tae expect here, I just hope nothing bad happens, I hope Chariot can delay Croix, I dinnae even want tae imagine the worst happening, worst of all I just think how Akko must be now, I hope she's having a good time.
"Diana Cavendish? Ye're free tae go, the file is safe, ye can go tae agent Morris' room" said the secretary handing me the file back and the analysis was quite fast.
"Where is it again?" I ask, half scratching the back of my neck.
"I'll take ye there lassie, nice tae see ye back here again, any news regarding yer aunt? She sent some message" Said the agent herself leaning against the wall of the stairs.
"Oh hello Officer Morris, it's nae about my family's case, it's about the other case ye're also investigating" I tell her as we walk down the corridors.
The environment here is all different, full of offices, very reminiscent of those police series, I see some people walking calmly with their weapons and they wave tae me too, until we reach the door of her room, where I pass by and leave the dossier on the table, with all the evidence I could gather.
"The Chariot Du Nord case, I have a dossier with evidence that can exonerate her and the real culprit" I tell her, who is even a little surprised.
"A lassie of your age meddling in serious investigative matters, ye do realise that this is a case that dinnae belong do you?" Said the officer.
"Mrs Morris, Chariot herself asked me tae deliver it tae ye, I know who she is" I say to her.
"Of course ye do, Professor Ursula Callistis from Luna Nova, ye seem tae have a nose for such things"
"A confession from Croix Meridies, she got Chariot tae do her crime without consent, she was an accessory without consent and was framed fae it, in the whole magic theft scheme, here is evidence of what I was able tae get on her computer of information, it is all recorded on the flash drive I gave ye in the dossier" I answer the self who takes her feet off the table.
"That's quite revealing Diana Cavendish, anyway I will look into it further, if everything is really proven, I will show up in Luna Nova with a warrant for search and seizure, anyway thank ye, I had been wanting tae solve this case fae 10 years, we never had enough evidence tae exonerate Chariot and we had tae push this identity tae her so she could live normally, but just stuck in Luna Nova and reported missing" She said touching my hand.
"What about the case of the fire? And also, ye can say who would be my other mother? The other one besides Bernadette Cavendish..." I tell her who gives a smile.
"We are still trying tae track Daryl somehow, but she is hiding very well, as fae yer other mother, lass, lass, she told me nae tae reveal tae ye yet, she will reveal herself at some point, be patient, but I say I know her and very well" Said the agent and I am even in shock.
"What do ye mean? Why does she want tae do that? It's been 15 almost 16 years without seeing her" I say tae myself.
"Your mother is a bit crazy in the head, but she loves ye deeply, when the time comes ye will find out about her, I am one of her friends too, ye're quite similar in manner tae her own, even surprising, anyway I will help ye soon" Said the agent and I went then leaving the room.
"Thank ye fae yer help Officer Morris" I say leaving her room relieved.
Now there is this, agent Morris has a friendly relationship with my other mother, this may help my own investigation, this other mother of mine may want me tae wait,but I won't and she will soon know the daughter she has, whether she wants tae or nae, running away she won't get away, now there is one more piece of my puzzle, someone who had a friendship with my mother, I also eliminate Morris from the redheads of 87, now there are only more tae find out about it.
Time went by, Diana was picking up her broom flying back to Glastobury on what would be a long journey as the sun was setting, in the midst of this Chariot, was finishing her services...
POV Ursula:
Seriously, this is a horrendous job, the sun is about to set and I'm finishing, this way Croix had more than enough time to get what she wants, for the nine witches, I finish taking the last boxes, I pat the truck warning that you can go and with that I walk to the headmaster's office. Arriving there, there were the headmaster and also the teachers having a tea.
"Oh Ursula you finished quite quickly, you must have been a lot of work" said the headmistress.
"You have no idea how it was, but now all the trucks have emptied, you forgot the antidote, the kangaroos were in a deep sleep the whole time, they are only waking up now" I tell them.
"Oh the antidote, I'm sorry Ursula, I am a forgetful old lady all right, but don't worry, you'll be well compensated for your effort, won't you sit here and have some tea with us?" she said and I just nodded.
"I don't have much time, have you seen Professor Croix?" I'll come straight to the point.
"I saw her leaving for the city earlier, she must not have returned by now" said teacher Nelson.
"Ursula, Ursula, still picking on teacher Croix? She is doing a great job" said the headmistress.
"I have to settle some things with her, have a very serious talk" I tell them and then turn my back leaving the room.
I go running to get my broom, I cross the portal of Ley's line, now let's see what you are up to Croix, I hope I don't have to use anything physical, because my magic is very weak after working so hard using it, I arrive at the city, landing there I notice that the sun is about to set, I take a deep breath.
When I start to see the cubes flying from a place, I take my broom and go flying quickly in the direction where it was, Croix not even hide the signs, when I approach the cubes are attacking me, but I dodge them.
"Croix!" I call out to her when I get close enough and she flashed the biggest smile;
I'm trying to defend myself, but the cubes are getting stronger, starting to surround me, by the nine witches I have to do something here, or else I'll end up being caught, I'm dodging, but the cubes are attacking very strong on my side, I'm trying as best I can.
"Give up Chariot, you won't get away this time" she said laughing.
This time she is not hesitating at all, worse than that I decide to stop flying, to save magic, I go leaning on the cubes, to throw myself towards the machine that she put, but the cubes are attacking, hitting me hard in the face to the point of knocking down my glasses, then my broom.
"Better that way, they were only getting in the way" I say this as I was trying to protect myself from the cubes and landed exactly on top of the building Croix was on, still with the cubes attacking me.
"Chariot Du Nord you really are very stubborn" She said as I tried my best to protect myself.
But the cubes are attacking harder, only I resist, I go with everything, I can't lose this chance, I am hit by lots of things, I feel pain, but I won't give up, I get close to the machine, but when I put my hand in, something holds me, leaving me completely tied up, I try to push, but if I push too hard there isn't even magic left to keep my hair blue.
"Chariot, Chariot, Chariot, once again you fall into one of my ambushes, it was all a plan to bring you here, because the show is about to start and you will witness my big plan" she said and I am still a bit tense, trying to find an escape.
"And what plan is that going to be?" I try to buy time.
"I'm not an evil villain to describe the whole plan, feel free to wait and see what happens" she said with a mischievous expression on her face.
I went trying to get loose, but the ropes are strong and they are tightening, ahhhhh, damn, I can't even use my magic to increase my strength and burst these ropes, or at least cut everything, by the nine witches... What Croix now plans to do, I hope she doesn't know about my connection with Diana and her plan, please Diana, get Agent Morris to arrest her soon.
POV Akko:
Wow, it was a great day today, eating a delicious snack and listening to Chum's stories, but now that it's night we will have to go back, a pity, he is so cool, even the boys liked here and are getting interested in magic because of him, that's really cool, to think that magic is not only a thing for girls.
"Well we're going now, my mum will be really pissed if I'm late home" Thomas said.
"Hey Chum, will you teach us magic?" said another boy.
"Ah I am not very good at teaching, apart from the fact that I am not a man like you are, you have seen the photos and even my scars" said Chum.
"I think you are a very cool man, you being born a different way doesn't make you less cool than us, I even think you are cooler, we want to be cool wizards like you"
"Oh who knows, I can teach you the basics, here there is a witchy stone influence so you can use magic" he said.
Then we went out of there, wow the cold is worse than during the day, I thought it was going to be even colder, the snow is intense too, we waved goodbye to each other, I see the strange cubes in the air and I get strange, this is very suspicious.
"The cubes again, I'll see what it is" I tell the girls.
"We are waiting for you at Ley Akko line, try to stay out of trouble" Lotte said.
"I promise it will be a quick look" I tell them.
I start following where the cubes are, noticing that they reach a building and from there I open the door, I start going up the stairs, I will find out everything is now, I really want to know who is behind these cubes, I reach the last floor, I open the door and I see... The teacher Ursula tied up and the teacher Croix all with a smile looking at her with her arms crossed.
"Professor Ursula!" I call out to her and she tries to signal desperately for me to leave.
"Oh it looks like you've got to the part where I wanted to" Professor Croix said.
"Because you are tying up Professor Ursula! Did she do something wrong?" I try to ask Croix who holds up a wand and goes about shooting a spell at herself which sort of makes her blue hair turn reddish.
"Why don't you tell her Chariot Du Nord" The teacher said and I was left trying to process everything.
The eye colour, the familiar raven, the even slightly suspicious voice, now the hair, she's... She's Chariot! I can't believe the whole time Professor Ursula was Chariot and she kept it from me... That's why she knew the words, that's why she spoke as if she knew her own, my world is falling apart, but I have to protect Chariot from all evil, Professor Croix has tied her up.
"Why are you tying up Chariot? What has she done wrong?" I ask the teacher.
"Akko... I'm sorry, I'm kind of forced to hide my true side, because I didn't disappear due to criticism, in fact I... I committed a crime and I'm being persecuted for it, it happened right at the exact time I went to Japan... The real cause why you suck at magic is because I used a device called Dream Fuel Spirit, it steals the potential of all the children that were there, leaving them with almost zero magic ability, I'm sorry Akko" she said.
"You see girl, she stole your magic" Croix said and I was starting to tear up.
"All that hardship, all my suffering, all the admiration I had for you, now I know that you are the one responsible for leaving me like this, I can't believe that someone I idolised so much You... I don't care about you anymore Chariot! You destroyed my dreams and hopes! I knew I shouldn't be a witch! I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!" I say crying and right in front of her who got the same devastated face, but it's meant to be anyway, all my chance of being a witch was diminished because of her.
"Wait Akko!" She said and I was turning around.
"Stay there with teacher Croix, I don't want to know more about you or anything else, you destroyed my hope" I tell them and go down the stairs with my head down, I'm walking through the city, looking from far away the tower of Luna Nova.
In the end you won, you wanted me to give up and go away and that's what I'm going to do, in the end I am this, a disgrace, I don't deserve even an iota of dignity, neither as a witch nor as a human being... I go to an alley where I sit in the street, kind of hiding, I just want the snow to cover me now and I die, my life has lost its meaning now.
POV Ursula:
"Satisfied? Look what you've done? You destroyed a child's dream, you didn't even give me a chance to explain myself, do you have any idea what can happen? You took away the meaning for her to continue... How cruel you can be Croix, I was hoping for you before, but now I can't see anything but an empty and cruel shell, a heartless woman is what you have become, a monster, even the snow that is falling now is not as cold as what is inside your chest"
"It was a sacrifice for the plan, that was my intention, I just needed a little excitement for my Noir Rod, well now you are free to find your student, you two work it out" she said and let me go, I walked towards her and punched her in the face, she fell on the ground sitting up.
"This is for everything you put me through, this is for Akko too, it's the last thing you'll feel from me, because I can't feel anything but a deep dislike for your person" I tell her later picking up my broom and turning my hair back to blue, "I need to warn someone that Akko is out on the streets and could get hurt.
POV Narrator:
The potato is baking, Croix's situation is coming to a climax and with that she took the opportunity to get her 1% based on Akko's emotions when being revealed about the truth that Chariot was hiding so much in her identity of teacher Ursula, which was a huge blow to Kagari who ended up discovering the reason why she is in the situation she is in at the moment.
See you, revealed witches...