POV Narrator:
Tuesday, 5 November 2019, Luna Nova
Akko is overcoming herself managing to show that she is deserving of being one of the witches of the moonlight, since it comes from many moments where it is shown how much improved as a witch, conquering what she so much dreamed of since the first year, but that this time things were paying off, She could finally build up to be able to achieve such achievements that have been causing the older witches a discontent, not accepting to see that mundane, Chariot fan who arrived without even knowing how to fly a broomstick, but this time showed that she was one of the best students of the school, since they were trying what they could to reprove her, but she showed the opposite.
Akko was having one more day as any other of classes, even improving her magic, she still had some attention deficit that made it difficult to focus on what was in the classes, but later with the help of Diana and Chariot she was able to get back to the focus, except for the classes of magic language with the teacher Pisces that she could pay enough attention mastering the fish language and learning many others, even being one of the favorite students of that teacher, but she didn't expect something that was coming.
POV Akko:
Wow the class is really interesting today, too bad time is already running out here, me and the girls were leaving, but I notice that the teacher is calling me for what seemed like, then that I stop at the door with Lotte, Sucy and Diana, I see her talking and understand that she wants me to stay to talk to her alone, must be something pretty important by the looks of it.
"Hey girls, go ahead, I'm going to talk to Pisces" I tell them.
"The fish teacher? But what's so relevant to talk to her about? Can she hear through that glass? Well anyway go on Akko" said Sucy.
"Sucy! That's nae how it works with fish, their language is different, anyway, go ahead love, it must be something very important" said Diana giving me a kiss on the cheek and with that they are leaving.
I always do well in her classes, I have the best grades inclusive, but anyway let's see what she has so important to talk to me, I sit on the chair in front of her desk and see her starting to talk, I better pay attention.
"Akko you have been a very reliable girl these years we have been here in Luna Nova and I want to trust you with something of high importance that I know you and your friends can accomplish" said the teacher and I was already getting curious.
"And what would be so important, teacher?" I ask her.
"In fish language please, it is important that we talk like this so that no one hears us, these walls of Luna Nova may have ears, but eyes they do not have" I nod.
"Okay teacher, it's kind of weird that you call me that from nowhere, it must be something super important to be called to talk to you" Now I speak in fish language, something I know by heart how to talk at least.
"You have the Fluit An Neart in hand and I have how to help you find each of the six sounds, including the one that can help me immensely to get something I've always dreamed of having back, I'm not a fully Akko fish, I was cursed as such and have been for almost 20 years in that form, but if you can help me get back the human form I had before the curse I would be eternally grateful, but for that you and your friends will need to venture into many underwater caves and explore the seas and rivers of Arcturus in search of each of the six sounds, Including finding the Pearl on the Nephlim side which is extremely rare and only true mermaids can get such a relic, it is with it that you will be able to free me and with one of the sounds that you discover the stone will bring me back to my human form and thus break my curse, I know where each one of the sounds can be, The nine witches left them under the water so that a witch who was honored to have this power could find them and improve her ability to be an all terrain witch" said the teacher and I was getting shocked, it was too much information in my head, I had no idea that teacher Pisces is a human.
"Teacher, does this have something to do with the boss? I've been hearing about this boss and it must have been her who cursed her, you can be sure that I will write everything down for this adventure" I say excitedly to her, who then hands me three stones of the one that transforms us into hideous mermaids.
"Go with your friends on this journey, you will find each of the six sounds of Arcturus, they are in your Arcturus lakes, I studied them before I became this thing, I will ask you to write down the places where the
six sounds are. The Nephlim lakes near Luna Nova and the Doras lake, two in the Haraeil sea, one in the Rastavan river and the last one which is in the icy Karia sea, these places you will surely find on the map, they are huge, but I know you will find them if you use your tracking skills well, the creatures there will help you, just be careful with the mermaids of atlantis in the Haraeil sea, you will need to impress them in those ways so that maybe you can get the mermaids shell and so who knows also get the pearl that I want so much, I'm sure it will be of great help if I return to human form" I'm even impressed, there's so much, I've already written down a list, well come on, I'm sure this will be great.
"There is so much, I don't even know how to process it" I tell her.
"Well as for the name of the sounds I think it is best that you discover them on your own and this is part of your journey to grow as a witch, I am sure this can be very useful for you, just remembering that it is always good to alternate between your friends, some may be better in certain areas while others are better in others, it will depend on the place, an example is the icy sea of Karia that requires a physically strong witch to pass through the lúgares and a mermaid keeps the physical strength for this, anyway you will study well the places and discover them by yourselves, I don't want to talk too much because even my life can be at risk in all this, I am sure that you will manage to find the six sounds of the Fluit An Neart and save the world of magic, I will be rooting for you, my confidence you already have" I nod and from there I wave saying goodbye to the teacher with the notepad in hands with the locations of each one of the six sounds, now it is just a matter of time so that I can get one more cool thing, now I have a new goal and more adventures ahead.
I'm leaving as if I were a RPG character about to do a side quest, or a main quest, I don't know, I just know that this will be too interesting to get better, maybe the teacher will give me more points for helping her find her old human form, gee, that mermaid thing will be useful for something in the end, I have everything we need to go further, I'll become a mermaid witch, I didn't even know that this could be real, I can even imagine it here in my head.
I soon reach my bedroom door, I open it and there I see Lotte, Sucy and Diana each one kind of in their own corner, Diana reading a book, Sucy playing a little videogame on my PS3 I brought from Japan and Lotte reading Night Fall as usual, I think it's time to take a deep breath and remember the old times.
"Girls I have something new for you!" I say all excited.
"What? Did the teacher send you a new assignment? Or are you going to be a fish forever now?" Sucy asks and I just shake my head in denial.
"We're going on an aquatic adventure, Professor Pisces has entrusted me to find the six sounds of the Fluit An Neart, besides you won't be the only ones to see me as an ugly mermaid, now is your chance to end up in it too"
"Hmmmmm, sae Professor Pisces is commissioning ye fae a mission outside of class and still trusts ye enough, interesting that love, but why all this?" Diana asks.
"Sucy you keep your mouth shut, this is a secret you can't spread to the whole school, Pisces' life depends on us" I tell her in a very serious tone.
They don't have a clue, but I don't know if I'll open my mouth, but I think it's good for them to understand the reason of this whole mission, I told her about all the bullshit involving the boss and she even kept quiet, I see her even nodding her head to me telling me to move on and this will be really shocking news, the worst is that it's well worthy of a gossip. Anyway that's the way we have to deal with it.
After Akko tells all...
They were really dumbfounded, but they need to know everything, this will be important for the progress of the mission in getting the sounds and also free the teacher, I even imagine how must be the human form in Pisces teacher, anyway I just want to see what they are going to say for sure they will be in shock, I even see Diana taking a kind of map from the books that are on the shelf.
"The first sound has already been found in lake Nephlim, now we just need all the rest and they must surely be well scattered, the sea of Hareil is huge and very dangerous, nae tae mention the lake of Doras, but at least we have the presence of Sifla tae help us protect, as fae the river of rastavan there is a place nae very safe fae witches, the icy sea of Karia also, The ice giants there are extremely hostile with strange creatures, nae tae mention that it has never been well observed what is under the ice in that water that is below the surface, which surely must be something, finally we have tae save Pisces, I love that she trusted ye love, we
just need tae organize and study well, who knows my mother Laura will nae be of great help with all this" Diana said already giving her word.
"I knew there was something very strange about Professor Pisces, she shouldn't be just a meme fish, even more so since a fish lives for almost nothing" Sucy said.
"And she has been a teacher here for 19 years, so she must have passed the life span of a fish, even more of her kind" Lotte said and that's interesting to know about it.
"Absolutely, but magic stretches the life span of everything, just look at the headmistress, she is 155 years old, who would guess she has all that? It's the power of magic and she wasn't even a witch beyond powerful, Chariot's great grandmother is 101 and she looks 60, even in history, Victoria McLaren lived 169 years, Beatrix and Woodward lived centuries, before they left, Jennifer the great witch lived until Headmistress Holbrook took her position as Headmistress, she died shortly after and by choice by joining with Luna Nova and becoming a tree, she dinnae even remotely show signs of old age, dying at 187 years old, so there is that factor to keep a fish that old, but none of those explain that the teacher was cursed, we together will find that cure and free her from this prison" Diana said explaining about this life and age stuff of witches.
"Even your mother love, she looks extremely young, the only thing she has is a tiny wrinkle on her face, but otherwise she looks like she's still in her 20s, she hasn't aged at all" I tell her who nods in agreement.
"Without further ado, let's first get organized here, we have tae plan when each one of these trips will take place, we have tae take a weekend practically that if it's nae holiday days, especially the more distant sounds" Said my girlfriend and all of us even agreed with our heads.
"I'm already crossing the first sound off the list, let's start sorting by distance" I tell them and we all start.
Looking at the map the closest ones are the Rastavan river and also the Doras lake, so they will be our first ones, we marked on the map the doras lake, since we can get there quickly and it will be our next stop, then the Rastavan river, then the Hareil sea and finally the last one in the freezing Karia sea, now it is ordered nicely, we even made a list and also marked the map with some pins leaving it on the wall, to mark our future visits, I hope everything comes well, I miss to do some adventures like that.
"Very well, I take care of studying the places where we are going, ye will prepare equipment and supplies, or just focus on studying, especially ye Akko, I make sure that ye are focusing on studying and keeping yer grades, it is important that ye have every chance of being approved, finally now it is time that I come tae say goodbye tae ye I will focus on studying the places and getting information, as fae ye Akko, study, the exams fae the end of the first term start next month, I know it's early, but it's good tae remember everything before ye end up going wrong, I do this fae ye love, it's fae yer own good" Said my girlfriend who even gives me a hug and I kiss her then.
"You bet Diana, I will dedicate myself, I want more than anyone to be able to have a good break to pass the year, I do not want to risk losing this opportunity, I love you my love" I tell her with a smile on my face.
"I love ye too Akko, I'm going now" said my girlfriend leaving to the library and I can't wait for this.
POV Diana:
I leave the room after kissingAkko and wave tae the lassies, it's sae good tae see that things are like this, now I'm having a chance tae venture with my girlfriend as she used tae do, cause a good ruckus, who knows this way it will help the magical revolution, I really dinnae expect Professor Pisces tae be our ally, soon the most unexpected came tae pass us such a precious information, now it's time tae go tae the library, I go excited with my notebook in hand, but I'm soon approached by Professor Finnelan.
"What are you doing here?" Ask her.
"I was talking tae my friends" I answer her.
"This is no place for a girl of your class to be Miss Cavendish, come with me, we need to talk again, before you end up falling into the same hole your mother did" she said, even holding my arm.
"Let go of my arm, I can walk on my own" I say pushing her hand away and taking my arm, it feels like I'm a bug now.
I walk away with her staring at me in disgust, I am simply feeling more pressured this year than ever, it is nae the first time she has called me into this conversation, now she wants to put things in my head again, we enter her classroom, the teacher sits in the same armchair as always and I sit next to her in the other armchair, where she fills a cup of tea.
"All right Miss Cavendish look where we are... You are already in your last year here and you are going to become the fury of generations, but I don't see that, you still continue with this mentality that your mother Laura McLaren has been pushing on you, not only that but you have corrupted yourself to homosexuality, I am not going to stop trying to tell you Cavendish how you should behave, that has been my job, for everything that is most precious to you" She said and I am already going tae start picking on her just sae she feels what it is to put up with this all the time.
"Oh sae that means ye have admiration fae us? Does that mean we have someone in the closet? Tell me ye've never stopped tae think about going out with one of us, I dinnae know, it sounds like repressed homosexuality" She likes tae put me down, but I'm going tae respond by teasing her until I see her blushing and spitting out her tea.
"Please, Miss Cavendish, don't say such a thing... I have nothing but admiration for the Cavendish class, stop imagining things, I just want your future to be up to the mark" Uh huh, must be something Finnelan is hiding from me.
"Very curious one thing isn't it, ye even gets a bit flushed, what's up Anne? Is there some secret ye dinnae want tae reveal tae us? Look I have nothing against it, ye should swallow this prejudice and confess soon" I tell her teasingly.
"Don't come with stupid provocations to my side, I have nothing but admiration for traditions, but anyway, I am not homosexual, I already made that mistake in my youth I don't want to repeat that mistake again, I am a serious lady of 81 years of age who is married and even has grandchildren, including all correct, although they don't like to talk to me very much, what I am saying, because I am opening for you" She said and I am managing tae rent a house in the head of the teacher.
"Looks like the pressure is back on ye Anne. Dinnae ye want tae say anything tae me? Dinnae this nice lady who hides sae many secrets and is sae homophobic have anything tae say? Tell me more about this experience, I'm sure I'm all ears for it. Look, it could be yer way of warning me that it's wrong" I'm gonna play her game a bit.
"Oh, if so I can tell you, let it be a lesson, this was many years ago, I prefer not to mention her name but it starts with the letter I, it was an experience I had when I was still a teenager of 17/18 years old, I was still young and very inconsiderate, believe it or not, I had these symptoms of homosexuality that today I fight, I know what it is, a girl... She asked me out, she was 22 years old, one of the best students here in Luna Nova, even a medical student, we went out together, it was the best thing I had, it was fun, but it was inconsequential, it was a homosexual relationship, I had already committed the sin... It was with her, with that platinum hair, that Scottish accent, that body... I mean, keeping the formality here, the girl was the first person with whom I had carnal desire, we even used magic, only that some months later, she appears saying that she was pregnant and with me, that's impossible, I didn't believe it, the bitch betrayed me with another, I trusted too much and I ended up separating at the time, I decided to change, I started to learn correct values and that was what made me great, she could only be lying all these years, I stopped talking to her since then... It was the best thing I did, I met my husband afterwards, he could bring me things that no woman could bring me, besides being faithful to me and passing me real values, only that... She never stopped showing up, her daughter already showed up at the school where I taught and I taught her well, she was the best student I had in all my life, I really saw her as a daughter, but I knew it was the fruit of the betrayal of the wretched girl, I tried to escape by going to Luna Nova in 1980, but the ghosts of the past still showed their faces, let this be a lesson to you Cavendish, you must be the fruit of a consensual betrayal between your two mothers and you don't even know it" She said and I'm kind of getting shocked, what she just said, I even stand up, with my hand still on my mouth.
A platinum haired woman, Scottish accent, letter I, there must be something there, she used the fertility stone and I had nae idea, gee Finnelan's past is with these mysteries, it can't be that she is... She's... Nae this is too much, I go backwards, I was in shock, it can't be her... I'm even in shock.
"Isabella Cavendish" I say that and the teacher goes into shock, I see her face in shock.
"Don't mention that name again! Yes... You found out who my first mistress was, don't think about spreading that in Luna Nova, my heterosexual purity must remain here, I don't feel clean for getting involved with your great grandmother" She said and I think I'll get smart.
"Well then I have a proposal, I keep my mouth shut about ye being my supposed great grandmother, ye stop picking on Akko's foot and my foot and leave us alone tae have our love, what do ye think? Or do ye really want yer past tae come out?" I tell her and she slams the table in anger.
"This is not up to negotiating Diana! Do you really want to tarnish your family's reputation? Do you want to end up like your mother and grandmother? Do you want to end up like isabella? You should realise that..." She was already tearing up.
"I have already done a DNA test with my mother Laura, the test came back positive fae her maternity, we are biological mother and daughter, Laura has nae siblings, it is real and possible fae two women tae have biological children, ye are my great grandmother Anne! Stop hiding yer past, or else leave me alone with Akko, all I ask is that, I just want tae date my girl in peace, the examples of how this is possible is in yer face, Isabella never betrayed ye Anne, ye still abandoned her... Ye got carried away by yer prejudice" I tell her and she was already devastated tae the point of throwing a cup in my direction.
"Get out of here! Leave me alone Diana!" She said having an emotional breakdown.
I decide tae leave her alone, my great grandmother really has too much information in her head, but fae this confession I really dinnae expect, this is what she had been hiding all these years, Holy Lesbian Beatrix, my great grandmother is Professor Anne Finnelan, my great grandmother Isabella kept it a secret fae years, that's why we never knew who was the guy she came out and got pregnant she always told, there is gay in this family since always, I remember Mama Laura said great grandma was openly bisexual, but that's news tae me, she had an intense life by the way, Professor Finnelan say sae, that's why we have found some few similarities with her until today, gee, that's the gossip of the gossips, I keep walking tae the library and I can't forget what I had tae do.
Meanwhile in the teacher's room...
POV Finnelan:
Diana discovered the most revealing secret of my life, now she will actually theorize something about it, but it can't be that such a thing is possiblity, the fertility stone is a myth, even if I have seen Clarie many times it doesn't say anything, why did I go and put my hand in having to go out with you Isabella, I open a chest that had a key, where I go looking at the black and white photos of those times, they were another time, look how I was a young and elegant girl, it doesn't even seem that I am old today.
"Isabella, have I been wrong all these years? Have I... Have I become one of the baddies?" I say this looking at the surroundings.
I let myself get carried away with Roy's ideas all these years to be someone of class, but I could never imagine that maybe Bella was right? I got so blinded by the idea that she betrayed me that I never listened to her again, if this is all true? My supposed daughter died and she carried the values I passed on to her,Isabella had died of cancer, my supposed granddaughters were killed, one murdered by her sister the other committing suicide in the melting sea, now I have two supposed great granddaughters, they are happy being who they are... But... It's wrong, look where I ended up... And if I had accepted Bellla's betrayal and forgiven her, even if I was too young to be a mother, things might be better.
"No! I won't let this little girl do my head in, I'm playing her game, I never confessed this to Bernadette, nor to Clarie, now why did I open up to Diana, she can use this to get in my way, now she has this to stop Atsuko Kagari's disapproval, it's better I don't risk it, this is a very revealing supposed secret" I tell myself.
I have to be unconcerned, after all, she's never going to be able to find out anything, it's not like she's going to find any remains of Clarie to prove such a thing, it's not like it's possible for two women to have a child, unless one of them is a dysphoric male, but still... One thing that has always made me feel bad... I could never feel attracted to Roy nor comfortable when I lay with him, but that's just my body tempting me to homosexuality.
In the library...
POV Diana:
One of my great grandmother's relics must have something revealing like, the box would only open with a specific strand of hair, sae if it's what I'm thinking, the strand I got from Anne Finnelan will open the box and reveal things, I'll definitely try tae prove the DNA test with the teacher's hair, even I can't believe she's my great grandmother.
Here is the book about Doras lake, just what I needed, I soon sit down and read one of the books, tae occupy my head and nae think about any of this.
"Do you intend to go to Doras?" Teacher Chariot asks, noticing my presence.
"We have a mission tae do, find the six sounds of the Fluit An Near, Pisces sent us, but dinnae spread it tae anyone Chariot, she entrusted us with this" I reply and she nods in agreement.
"I had no idea that the Flute existed, anyway good luck to you, knowing that you are all studious I am sure that you will manage, be careful, moreover do not delay too much Akko, you know she can get hurt" I already have a way.
"I assure ye that I am quite sure of this, nae one pushes her tae study more than I do, she will manage tae graduate and overcome all difficulties" I assure ye that I am now in control I won't let Akko being expelled from Luna Nova.
"Good luck to you and a good adventure awaits you, I am sure you will make it, by the way don't forget that The Council revival is on the loose" The teacher was leaving the library and I am aware of all this, it will be the hardest year, but I will graduate.
My supposed great grandmother will also walk in my shoes now, who told you to get involved with my great grandmother and confess right in front of me, I have information that can guarantee me a security, the first voice when it comes to sabotaging Akko will shut up, and I will not stop there, I will find a hair of Clarie Cavendish the fire must have finished with everything, but there must be something in a book that got loose, hair falls all the time, it is not possible that I don't find it, even Lotte can help me the next time I come home, this winter even the truth will come.
POV Narrator:
More shocking revelations, a supposed kinship between Anne Finnelan and Diana, a supposed connection between the two that already wants to symbolize a lot of things in relation to what they are, although the teacher does not believe that the stone of fertility will be an option, which she will end up breaking her face by the past that denied coming to chase again as a train and this train in the form of great-granddaughter. This along with the revelation of Pisces and the beginning of what will be a journey full of emotions that are to come, more songs are being discovered and with that the magical revolution will be a matter of time.
See you, great grandma witches...