POV Narrator:
Saturday 18 January 2020, Arcturus
The escape from the prison of Arcturus, was not so successful, because of what happened to Croix and Chariot being surprised by the presence of the boss who ended up murdering Margaret Ford and then stealing the flute of the two and thus preventing them from having an instant escape to the hills of Doras, However, the two managed to escape through a tunnel and then escaped to Doras with Laura's help, but the news would still arrive to everyone about the fire at the prison and also the escape of some inmates, including Croix, which had been the concern of some girls from Luna Nova.
Diana, Akko, Marianne and Hellene were called to talk to McLaren in the Arcturus tower the next day and they were gathering to know more about the fire and worried if Croix had escaped.
POV Diana:
I hope Croix dinnae get away, she still has tae pay fae what she did tae all of us, I also hope she is well above it all, I dinnae wish fae the worst, this prison being burnt down just now is a huge worry, after all that has happened, it seems The Council must be behind it all, Mama Laura soon lands on the tower arriving by broomstick and we go looking at her as she faces us.
"You're even early" my mother said.
"We just want tae know something very important, what happened in prison?" I ask bluntly and she takes a deep breath looking at us, starting to walk with her hand behind her back.
"I had to 'ide dis plan from you for a moment, as you may know I and Croix entered into an agreement with inmate Margaret Ford, she knew de identity of de boss, de plan was to deliver de jade stone and she would reveal de identity of de boss, but it turns out dat I did not want to mention some things, but first of all I will talk about de disaster" My mother answers and I am already starting tae get suspicious.
"I knew that Margaret Ford was nae tae be trusted" I say tae my mother who shakes her head in denial.
"More or less dat, but what actually happened was dat she was murdered, exactly in de hand of de boss, she somehow found out our plan and not only dat, but she also used Louis Blackwell as a cause of chaos in prison, apparently he was with a pyromaniac outfit and 'elped more to spread de fire, being in de end killed exactly by Croix, he worked for de boss to spread de terror in prison, de boss even changed de water of de sprinklers for paraffin and dat helped even more to spread de flames and de rest you can imagine, it was so hot dat melted much of de ice to de point of causing an avalanche and de mountain collapsed practically on top of the prison dat nothing was left but dead or buried people who are still trying to get out alive from prison" I'm shocked, the boss then appeared... I'm trying to understand here what happened... Did Croix die? I'm still confused.
"So we won't know who the boss is because of this?" Said Akko stepping into the middle and my mother shakes her head in denial, it seems our chance really has been crumbled like prison.
"Unfortunately de boss dedn't reveal herself to Chariot and Croix, plus she... De Fluit An Neart was stolen by de boss" I'm trying to understand why she would use the flute, will they run away? And now what? What has mother been hiding from me all this time? I don't know what tae think anymore.
The lassies are also in shock, just today I was planning tae go tae the frozen sea, we won't be able tae get the fourth sound anymore... That sucks, I was hoping tae complete the flute soon, even more because I learned tae memorize the sounds tae have more effect, this way we will nae be able tae defeat the boss, but what makes me even more tense is tae know if Croix really fled or nae, it's something that keeps hammering in my head, for the nine witches what is happening here.
"Well I imagine dat you must be wondering why Fluit An Neart was stolen and I will 'ave to reveal to you de reason, it is a more elaborate plan dat I wanted from de beginning, to defeat de boss, we would need brute force and de best way to get dis brute force dat I could think of was precisely to assemble Mechas, and so we could intimidate 'er power, and you know who are de best Mecha builders for dat, the ones dat know 'ow to work with technology, it would be a plan to defeat de boss and be able to cause de magical revolution" She can't be saying that she thought of that.
"From what I remember Constanze and Croix are the best at messing with magic and technology, plus Brooke too, but only the first two are the mechanical experts, mum ye dinnae mean ye thought of that intention do ye?" She even gets a little quiet when she sees that I even made a disappointed expression.
"Yes, that's what I planned tae do, I took the flute and convinced Chariot tae help Croix escape from the Arcturus prison, she wouldn't be any use serving the system and standing still, the best I could think of fae her redemption after all this was tae help us build the machines that will bring us the magical revolution and as ye might already know, Croix did what she did because she wanted tae solve this boss issue right away" I was shocked, I knew my mother was hiding something like that.
We were simply silenced by the response we received, how come my mother thought of letting her go? By the nine lesbian witches, Croix committed horrible crimes with me and other children, how many dinnae end up giving up because of Dream Fuel Spirit, even more sae because they dinnae have the same privileged environment that I had I'm just getting furious with all of this, I'm not even indignant and I see that my mother showed more of a fearful expression tae me.
"Ye what?" I ask my mother angrily.
"I 'ad to do it, don't expect me to be 100% good and correct, or de demonstration of morality, I did what I thought was right to do, I already expected such a reaction from you..." I start walking towards her indignant and furious.
"Mother! That lass is a criminal! She destroyed the dreams of thousands of children of becoming witches! How many I, how manyAkkos did she nae end up making give up because of what she did! This lass has tae pay fae what she did, ye have now given her the freedom tae do whatever she wants, do ye realise the fucked up of the situation?" I try tae talk tae her who gets a kind of regretful expression.
"I knew you would answer me like dat, it seems dat de Bernadette part of you is really alive in you girl, but I just thought of what was right, you'll excuse me... But 'er staying in prison is not going to fix things, she is just going to spend 20 years in a place without really "paying" for what she caused, don't you think?" I nod my head, seeing that Akko, Mari and my sister dinnae agree either.
"Mum, ye've gone too far, she's a criminal, that's already beyond morality, do ye realise that she can... commit crimes again?" I said tae my sister and even though she is nae sae full of words she shares my thoughts.
"You don't know Croix as well as I did, yes she made dis horrible slip and she is willing to pay, she told me herself dat she would turn herself in as soon as it was all over, she is not de horrible person you dink she is and dink! Dink a little! She would be extremely useful in our mission" said my mother and I continued with my face still half turned to all this.
"Mother, she is a criminal, have ye forgotten what she did tae us? Or even with me? I suffered horrors in my childhood because of her, she destroyed Chariot's life, she destroyed the lives of several children, ye are the one who has tae think, mother" At that moment I even see a tear running down her face and my mother takes a deep breath and looks at us.
"I'd rather not remember dis all the time, but it's de truth, Croix did dese dings with dumb intentions, she became obsessed with de boss, she wanted to find 'er and discover 'er identity at all costs, she wanted de witches revolution, look you guys can talk about those lives she ruined, but remember, who was behind all dis is not on our side and not on Croix's side, she wanted to defeat de boss as much as we did, I don't want to pass de blame on 'er, but I want to make it clear dat Croix's intention was never to steal magic, she did it out of stupidity and obsession, she was morally wrong to give in to do such a ding and she is wrong in dat, but 'ave you ever stopped to dink... She is an ally and will be of great help in defeating de boss" Okay I think my mother might have a point here, but I still have my fears, ye can't trust her.
"I dinnae trust her anyway, that Croix is nae a bad person I know that well, but I still have my doubts, I dinnae think it's the right thing tae do, she still has tae pay for what she did" I say tae my mother who agrees with her head.
"I know it well, it's as disappointing for me as it is for you, believe me, I saw dis girl grow up, I saw 'er struggle to 'ave 'er identity, I lived de years she 'ad to 'ide from 'er family and I helped 'er in many of those times, we taught 'er a lot about magic, but unfortunately seeing 'er follow de path of trying to defeat de boss makes me feel even guilty of all dis, I feel bad until today for having opened my mouth to talk to Croix about de boss, I let 'er personality take over, unfortunately Croix 'as a problem of hyper focus and it affects even 'er frustrations, dat's why she was so devastated when Chariot was chosen, she was wanting and wanting to be de chosen one, but anyway, I hope you girls don't tell anyone dat I helped in Croix's escape" said my mum and we agreed with our heads.
"I just really hope ye make it mum, I recognise that maybe Croix could be someone important tae our fight against the boss, but dinnae expect me tae want to look her in the face again" I say turning my face tae my mum.
"Diana..." said my mother as I mounted the broom.
"It's OK, I dinnae want tae spoil yer plan, but I am slightly disappointed by what happened... Although I kind of want tae understand..." On the spot Akko puts her hand on my shirt.
"Baby... I think this might be the moment you can understand, you know, I was the most affected by what Croix did, look at me, you know what I went through to get here, yes I want Croix to pay for what he did... But one of the greatest virtues a human being has... Forgiveness" When my girlfriend said that I stopped immediately.
I was simply static looking at the immensity of the forest, I dinnae even know how tae react anymore, I just keep reflecting, I look back, I see that Akko was giving her hand tae me, as well as Hellene, Marianne and my mother, what do they want this time? I already kind of have tae accept Croix's escape, now I'll have tae do what else? Work fae her too? Ahhhhhhhh, I hate that.
"I know you're devastated by all dis, but I just want to give you a chance to get to know who Croix Meridies really is" My mum says and I huff.
"If doing this is going tae make me forgive Croix ye can be sure that ye are quite wrong, I will nae be taken in by her emotional blackmail" I say with my arms crossed.
"So you are willing to listen?" Akko asks, and I turn away half-heartedly.
"Unfortunately my knack fae wanting tae know things from the other point of view makes me want tae know, sae I'll go with ye, but dinnae think I'm just going tae forgive Meridies" I say clearly tae everyone who just shrug.
My mother starts tae float on the broom, now I will know where she will hide after sae long, we fly through the forest of Arcturus, I just see the surroundings, even from far away the mountain is without the prison building, then we end up catching a line from Ley, she must have fled tae earth probably, but then it would be too easy tae find her on the run after all this.
Passing through it we arrive in a familiar place, it's the hills of Doras, we are nae on earth, we are still near Arcturus and Luna Nova, well nae that close actually, but I suspected Sifla was hiding something, the treats my mother gave me were just tae bring Croix here, we land and I just stare at the house.
"Sae this is where ye ran away? Ye lassies know ye can't hold it that long around here, right?" I ask her.
"No witch can pass through de fairy realm without Sifla's permission, besides de next trip won't be until 2023, dat's long enough for us to 'ave already made our witch revolution happen" my mother said.
"I hope sae, and that the damn thing pays for what it has done" I say very clearly.
"Mum are you sure Diana took dat part from Mum Bernadette? Stubbornness is something quite yours actually" My sister said and I just turn my face tae her.
"I am not stubborn" Said the stubborn one who insists on this redemption of Croix.
We entered the house and there was Sifla who must have been addicted tae Fortnite, I knew the PS4 was an exaggeration, there were Chariot and Croix in the kitchen, I kept avoiding looking at Meridies, she sort of waved tae everyone, at least she dinnae have that cocky bitch face anymore, she's even a bit different, long hair, wearing glasses, she looks at us and notices that I dinnae keep giving her that friendly look.
"They know now by the looks of it" said the cursed one.
"I know very well, it seems that some people have nae screws in their heads when making certain decisions" I say looking at my mother, I'm still very angry at this, Croix should be in jail.
"I knew there would be someone who would not react well, I expected that from Akko, but not from you Diana, you really held too many grudges against me, I understand the reasons, look I'll explain everything, it's not like I'm really going to be useful by spending 20 years in that prison, I don't want to pay for what I did to the children by being useless, I want to do something for the world" she said.
"I know, I know, my mum has filled me up enough with this, just dinnae expect my forgiveness after all ye've put me and many other children through, I'm nae like that" I say with clenched fists.
"Resentful and stubborn like your mother Laura, I knew you'd get something from her, well I don't want your forgiveness, I just want to make things better, after that I'm willing to spend as much time as necessary in jail, I just want to be able to redeem myself in a way that I think is more correct than mouldering in jail" she said and I just ignored her.
"Well I brought dem 'ere because I want you to be able to explain better 'ow your past was Croix, I want dem to really know you, just like me and Chariot know you, to know dat you are too important for our plan" Said my mother and I already saw that there will be something.
"Oh so we're going to have a flashback moment here? I'll tell you what really happened, you'll be the first people to hear it after my mum April and Chariot, everything I did, you'll know where I came from, my motivations and all the rest, I know I'm not the best person to be on your side for what I did, but it was Laura's idea, she wanted me to help her with the mechas, for me I'd stay in jail for 20 years, well anyway she saved my life thanks to that" She said and I already imagined that my mum would have such a crazy idea like that.
"Well one life was saved, but what about the others ye destroyed in that performance in Japan? Chariot's life then? The person who once loved ye and ye still destroyed her" I still roast Croix, I can't trust her at all.
"Do you think I don't feel the weight of it all? For all those ruined lives I will work with Laura so that the witch revolution happens and no more lives are ruined by this system we live in" She said.
Well enough of this, now I want tae know more about what she wants to tell us, I was sitting at the table, I even ate some bread and drank some tea, I'm still nae very calm about all this, I'm shaking with rage actually, I can't believe that this woman is in front of us, she caused sae much harm tae us.
A while later in the bedroom, there they gathered for Croix to tell her past...
Well, here we are, we dinnae go tae the room since Sifla has better things tae do, honestly I would rather watch her play Fortnite than stay here watching Croix's past, but I want tae know her side of all this, let's see what made her get tae this point and fae sure nothing will justify the fact that she ruined the lives of several children.
"Well now it's time to reveal my past, my childhood, a part of my life that I'd rather forget one day I wasn't Croix Meridies, I was just a boy who was confused about his identity, since that time I knew well I didn't want to be him" Croix said and this part of her being trans I understand how hard it is, here in the UK the NHS is shit at dealing with mundane trans people, thankfully the witches are better at it Brooke said tae me a lot about this shitty system
She starts tae make the crystal ball glow and there we go fae another session of crystal ball flashbacks, at least the story of my mother Laura was wonderful, I loved knowing what really happened, everything became clearer, but that's another thing here.
POV Narrator:
Wednesday, 2nd February 2000, Florence, Italy
Going back a few years in the past, when Croix was still an 11 year old trans child who was discovering her true identity, but faced an extremely transphobic family, but that was until she found out about where she could be safe to be who she really wanted to be, but before that she would have to have a plan to get there, since by the way she was born she was forbidden to learn magic, which she was already doing in hiding with her childhood friend Giovanna.
POV Croix:
I again climb the roof of Giovanna's house, looking at this beautiful cityscape from afar, I wish my family could accept that I want to be a witch, but I don't know what to do, I think I'll have to run away from here and find this place yet, I look to the side and see that Gio was looking at the sky.
"Hey [Deadname] what's up man? You've been so weird lately, quieter" she said and I think she'll be the first person to know.
"Gio, I have to tell you something, when you taught me magic... a secret of mine... I think that... What would you think if I told you that I want to be a girl?" I blurt out to her, who turns her face confused.
"I would finally say, that is the least surprising thing you have told me" She said and I was even in shock.
"What? What do you mean Gio? I never revealed any of this to you, did my signs become that obvious?" I asked my friend who shook her head.
"I don't know, man, your hair you never wanted to cut, I remember the many times I put my clothes on you and you accepted it with ease, not to mention that day when we talked about what we would do if we were of the opposite sex, you said with all the passion of the world if it was a girl, I just said I would be jumping and see my dick waving hahaha" she said and I was laughing a little.
"So you would accept if I were a girl?" I ask her who blushes a little.
"You are... I don't know what to say, but I like you a lot, being a girl or a boy I won't stop liking you, we grew up together, you're my best friend... Or friend, I don't know, have you decided what you want to be called?" I've already thought of a very good name.
"Croix, with my surname my name will mean Southern cross, I always found French names charming, ah and it's called Croa not Crocs" I tell her.
"Croa? The pronunciation is a bit confusing, but then, what about your parents, what are you going to do?" she asks.
"I will have to hide it from them, but I don't know, I am afraid, when I am older I will start to develop boyish things and I don't want my body to look like a man's, I would look terrible like this, I wouldn't feel comfortable, even when I take a shower I look a bit like this" I let it out a bit more.
"Look if I could I would offer my house, my parents would even receive you, but your parents would follow you until they couldn't anymore, you know they didn't accept your sister Giulia when she said she is a lesbian, who will say you say you are trans" said Gio.
"I know that, I will take a good look before making any decision, anyway thanks for the support Giovanna" I say hugging her.
"Thank you. Croix, now you're Croix, that's" She's speaking with the pronunciation sounding like Crocs but I still loved watching.
"It is Croa that is pronounced" I tell her who keeps laughing.
"I try to get used to it, it's the first time my best friend says something like this to me, let's go downstairs, I want to see how you look in my dresses" Gio said and I get a bit euphoric about it all.
Friday 18th February 2000, Florence, Italy
It is time to have courage, I think that this way I will never manage, I really hope that my parents can accept me like this, my sister said that it is dangerous, she even accepts me, but I want to see their reaction to me, I hope that nothing bad happens, I go down the stairs I get to the living room and see that my parents were watching a documentary and I see that it was exactly about transgender people, it had to be right now.
"Look at that hideous thing" said my father.
"[Deadname] come and see this, this ugly thing has been quite common, this kind of people make me sick, instead of accepting how nature gave them, they mutilate themselves" said my mother.
"Your sister at least didn't do something like that, but I don't doubt that Giulia will also want to become a man and do these mutilations, I hope not, it's already disgusting that she's a lesbian, who will say being a man, although she cut her hair and I don't doubt it" My father being a complete asshole, I was afraid to speak but I'll take a deep breath.
"Why talk about her Antonio? For me Giulia is already dead, she chose the wrong way, she had the nerve to say that just when she was running away to study in Luna Nova, let her ask for waiting, because here she doesn't step anymore" I even swallow saliva, but let me test something.
"Dad, Mom... What if I told you that I am a girl? And if I told you that I identify myself as a girl, how would you react?" I ask them and I can already see my father's angry face.
"Have you gone crazy kid, faggot talk is this? I knew you shouldn't let his hair grow Francesca, did you see the kind of question this retard asked? It must be the influence of Giulia talking to him on this internet thing, or else Giovanna" My dad said being homophobic as usual.
"It's a joke folks, I wouldn't do such a thing" I say waving to them and my mother stood up giving a serious cough.
"Don't joke like that [Deadname] you know it's not the time to do these things especially since we're reminiscing that your coward sister only told us she's a lesbian at Christmas time, now this, even as a joke don't say this, but if by chance you did this... You'd first be beaten into a man, we'd shave your hair, we'd see everything you talk about on the internet and ground you until you became a real man, that's not the behaviour of a boy" I keep swallowing my saliva.
"Francesca, I don't know about you, but for me it's clear that it's time to see what [Deadname] is talking about on the internet" I swallow saliva, not that one, I don't even know how to hide things, I completely forgot.
They even leave the room just because of my attempt of what I tried to talk I go walking with fear accompanying them to my room, where my father starts to sit at the computer, I get scared, he goes looking at things, I had just passed the pictures that I took with Gio wearing women's clothes, what the hell, they go to see me wearing a dress and soon they realize that the name of Windows had changed to Croix, until then nothing different, until they look at the history and then the messages by ICQ.
"[Deadname] What the fuck is this kid?"- I said to my mother, she already looked at me with a frown.
"I, uh... I... I..." I'm shaking with tension.
"[Deadname] this was not a joke, you better explain yourself" My father said and he was already starting to get up, I was scared, but a little courage rose in me.
"My name is Croix that's right! I'm a girl! A girl! And I'm going to be a woman!" I shout at them and then I'm slapped in the face, knocking my glasses on the floor.
"Come here now and I'll teach you what it means to be a real man [Deadname]" My father started to hold my arm and I was trying to get out but he was holding on tight.
"I'll get the little machine" my mother says and I am terrified.
I headbutt my father with all my strength to the point that he releases me and I start to try to run, towards the window, it was half open, my father was starting to run after me, I see the ground and I see him behind, honestly I don't see any other alternative, I start to try to go down, only that I lose my balance, falling from the window feeling my feet hitting hard against the ground, as well as my legs, I was getting full of pain.
"[Deadname] Come back here! We're not finished with you!" My father shouts through the window and I see a blur, I just show the middle finger and go running without seeing much of what was ahead.
I think I'd better go to Gio's house, it's kind of far away, but I can luckily see a broom on the outside, so I grab it and see that nobody noticed, I get ready to fly and get out of there in desperation, flying to Gio's house, seeing her playing with Huey, who even barks with my presence and comes after wanting some affection.
"Croix are you all right? Your arms are a bit grated and your face what was that?" Gio asks me.
"My parents found out everything" I tell her who gets a more frightened expression.
POV Narrator:
The discovery of Croix's escape causes a huge revolt in Diana, which she cannot accept because of the grudge she has joined the witch for everything she has gone through and also because of what her girlfriend went through for what Meridies was responsible for doing, but things can still get better in this relationship, once the Italian's past will be revealed and they can get to know better what made Croix get to where she got to, much because of occasions that made her get to the point she had reached.
See you, reveal witches...