POV Narrator:
Wednesday 1 September 2004, Luna Nova
With the news of what had happened to Laura with her separation with Bernadette being in a very forced way and with Daryl's intervention that she made by order of the boss, it was the motivation that Croix needed for a goal, which McLaren and Jordan also ended up motivating her to do that, which was exactly the motivation of becoming the deserving witch to be chosen by Claiomh Solais, as soon as Laura would leave aside the mission of finding the seven words, she started to dedicate herself more in that time, exclusively to the classes of magic, since she knew that the bearer of the staff was an extremely skilled witch and also, it was in this that she found that to be the chosen one she would have to be a more capable witch and that she did, she started to train more and also to read about the spells, learning deeply in this period of nine months until arriving in Luna Nova, she wanted to surprise.
And in this she will surprise a lot yet, showing a lot at school before graduating and receiving the application to study at the academy of witchcraft, which by the reports that were given she was accepted with much clamor by the headmaster, the Meridies was very excited for the arrival of the day, confident that she would be the chosen for the legendary staff, but still a little shy with the issue of socializing with other people, since she was already like that, but in the months before studying she became more reclusive, so that she would not fail when the time comes.
POV Croix:
I arrived, I don't even know which room I'll be in, but I'll show her that I didn't come to be just one more, I will be the chosen one, Laura gave me this trust and I have to show her that I will have the power of Claiomh Solais in hands, I will defeat the boss and change the world of magic, I will be this witch, I trust that I will be.
I walk to my room, I am from the lilac team, I open the door and see my colleagues there, I still don't know their names, I nod to them both still a bit shy, I prefer not to open up so much, even if I am still going to surprise them.
"Hi, I'm Aimee Crawford, welcome to the lilac team" said one of them.
"I'm Croix Meridies, nice to meet you" I say very politely, still very shy, I need to open up more.
"I'm Lia Yorkshire, welcome Croix, make yourself at home" She says and I already give a smile.
"Not only will I feel at ease, but you will see something that will surprise you" I say to them.
And so it was done, I took the opportunity to get the keyrings from my backpack, already with the devices that I will use, so we can mess with electricity in Luna Nova without the restrictions, as my mother had warned that here there are, but with me that will not be a reality, I am smart enough, I started to get the magic generator for energy, then assembling a television, putting my Playstation there, which they even wonder how I managed to do that.
"Woah, I thought it was forbidden" Aimee said.
"It's probable, but I'll do my best to make it, just hide everything and the teachers won't know, use a spell to shrink everything if any of them come in here and that's it, I know it can get boring so let's play" I say as I adjust my glasses.
"That's great, how come no student ever thought of that before? I already think you are the best friend here in Luna Nova" said Lia and I just laughed at the situation.
"I just want you to enjoy it, so that we can spend our time having fun, not only studying, and I want to get along with my future classmates, after all it will be three years sharing the same room" I say to them.
"Oh no doubt, now that you brought a Playstation I will be able to play in my saves, I brought my memory cards here, but more as a souvenir, I did not imagine that I would get to play here, I thought I would have to go to the video store of this city" Said Aimee showing her memory cards in her bag, Just remember to hide everything very well in case of emergency, anyway, feel at home, the Playstation is also free for you to play -I tell the two that start to see the games that I had, I left them on a shrunk shelf too, all original ones that my mother bought.
I am relieved, at least with the two roommates I will get along, I want to see when the classes come, I will show that I can be the best, but I have to keep my expression serious and formal, I don't want the teachers
to think I was influenced by Laura, I want to have a quiet revolution until I get my Claiomh Solais, just to surprise at the right moment.
In class the next day...
These are things that I already know, it seems that the history of magic will be quite easy to pass the year, the teacher Finnelan is explaining everything and I've simply read and also learned the correct version, a pity that I can't use here, I'll have to learn the one they use here and reinforce, the one full of lies, which can be a good thing.
"Do you know when Luna Nova was rebuilt?" asks the teacher and I stand up, confident and with my hands behind my back.
"Luna Nova was rebuilt twice, the first in 1017 with the loan made to the dragons at the time, the second in 1743, by the hands of the great witch Jennifer after more than 200 years with the school closed and a fire that was provoked in 1517, the current construction was a great success by Jennifer Campbell and helped bring about the golden age of magic, a period where we had the last era in which magic was becoming well known and acclaimed in the world, where the witches of that time had feats to impress" I say to all who look at me at the time.
"Very well Miss Meridies, this is an even more explained answer to the events, but hold on, we'll get to that part" said the teacher and I sat down.
The other students were looking at me, I want to show that I'm not just any student, I'm the prodigy here and I'll show it with great skill, I want to be worthy of these achievements, well soon I'll be in the spotlight of this place, I can't wait, I'll even pay attention in class again just to answer everything correctly and win the trust of the homophobic teacher.
In the flying relay class...
I am also putting into practice what Laura taught me, the most skillful witch on the broomstick that I know, I am showing that I have control, everything on their pattern, so I can surprise even more, but I hope it will be in a good way, I fly and when I brake they all clap for me, surprised that I managed to fly well.
"Look at you Miss Meridies, you are our best student in years, well Anne has made it clear that you could be one of our prodigies here, I am enjoying watching" said Miss Nelson.
"I just want to show that the level of this academy can remain high and be a great student" says the teacher.
"Look if you keep flying like this and show the same level, I think it will be a very fine moment, I haven't seen such a skilled witch around here since Laura McLaren from 1987 to 1990, it's been a good few years, I hope you keep surprising" she said and I was gaining confidence.
The other students were already looking at me impressed, but I have seen some jealous looks too, but I don't care, I am doing much better now, I will become the best witch, everyone will see that I am very talented, Woodward will see and recognize this, I am sure, soon she will show me what I have to do to be worthy of the staff, for now I will build my name here.
POV Narrator:
Croix was slowly gaining more reputation in Luna Nova, when the broom relay arrived she couldn't win because an accident happened to Aimee, which was the biggest concern of Meridies, who also showed that she is a witch of noble gestures, also showing a greater friendship with Crawford, besides the admiration of the teachers, who were loving the presence of the Italian in the first days.
In the following month Croix surprises once again and wins the long-dreamed-of title of Moonlight Witch by showing that she was well coordinated in the presentation of the Samhaim festival, but all this while still being very reclusive about her true origin and who she really is, about who Croix has been in this period, so much so that she did not show and expressed her displeasure for not liking the strict and conservative rules of the school that were being reinforced at every moment.
The year 2004 was coming to an end, Croix at Christmas time went back to Ireland where she was celebrating with her family and seeing that Laura had told her that she had left the staff for good, being that what Croix needed to start going after Woodward as well, the witch wanted by all means to become the so
represented chosen one, even telling how she was doing well in Luna Nova and was starting to gain a reputation.
2005 starts, another year where Croix is showing surprisingly in the second term, showing how capable she was, the teachers were full of praise for Meridies, who was more ambitious and confident, she was being adored, but also envied by the students, some wanted to have the genius of Croix, others wanted to get rid of her, but all had a consensus which was that Croix was showing a talent for magic that had not been seen for years.
There was no shortage of compliments from teachers and the headmistress herself, apart from her exemplary behaviour during the period, she was starting to escalate to one of the important students, she even received an offer to go to the blue team, but she said she didn't want to, to gain even more humility points, which the teachers once again admired her for, because Croix was everything they saw as a model in magic, only Meridies didn't demonstrate who she really was and how she was the opposite of all of that, which she believed did the right thing.
Saturday 30 April 2005, Luna Nova
The third and final term was coming and Croix was surprising, but as that time came too, she wanted to show Woodward that she was the deserving one to be the one chosen by Claiomh Solais, and saw that at Walpurgisnatch would be the time she saw perfect for that, on the same day Laura's eldest daughter was turning three years old, she could already talk and had no notion that the other mother was so far away, but she felt a certain emptiness.
Croix went to Arcturus tower on the day, she wanted to get Woodward's attention and that was just to see if she would be the chosen one, as well as wanting to get advice from the witch, the same way she appeared to Laura she thought it might happen to her too.
POV Croix:
Now I have given enough time to do this, I have dedicated so much time to building a reputation that I will now be able to have a comfort, I hope Woodward will attend to me, I have come precisely on the most special night for this, an important date for us witches, it has to appear to me, I am doing everything right as a witch has to be.
"Woodward, please, I ask you to come out and help me" I say looking at nothing and just wait.
As you can imagine, she won't appear like that, I'm an idiot, I thought she would appear only with words, but there must be some ritual I must do to summon her, I think I'll ask Laura how she managed it, after all I'll manage to be the chosen one that way, I hope so at least.
"Croix Meridies, you're not being ignored, I'm right here" That voice, it can only be her, I turn around and see her right behind me, I get it, so much so that I kneel down.
"Woodward, you showed up what an honour you were to have granted my request" I tell her and see her putting her hand on my shoulder.
"Stand up and you don't have to kneel down" She said and I took a closer look at her, this woman is beautiful.
"Woodward, how do I become the deserving witch of Claiomh Solais?" I ask her who goes half floating backwards and opens her arms.
"Croix Meridies, the chosen one does not want to be chosen in the first place, she is chosen without asking for it, but it is the staff that chooses her, it will not be pretending to be who you are not that the Claiomh Solais will go to your hands, one of the most important parts of being a witch is this, you have to genuinely express who you are, show the world that you are willing to fight for what you believe in, Laura did that, she wasn't chosen because she was an exceptional witch, she was chosen because she believed in her fight, she went deep to change things in the world of magic, she didn't want to be chosen, but the staff chose her" She explains to me.
"So I have to kind of not motivate myself to be chosen? I'm afraid to express myself Woodward, you have no idea how dangerous it is to open up to Luna Nova about my true side and my intentions, I want to remain the prodigy, I..." By the time I say that I just see Woodward shaking her head.
"That is the reason why you would not be the chosen one, you are stuck in your comfort zone, the chosen one is brave to follow what she believes in, remember that, remember how important the fight is, don't let yourself be taken by appearances" she said and then disappeared in front of me and I was getting a bit indignant.
What do you mean? Fighting for what is mine... If I show my admiration for technology, that I'm trans, my world falls apart, my reputation here in Luna Nova goes away, that doesn't help me at all, am I really going to have to appear that I don't want Claiomh Solais? Seriously, it's something important for my journey, I have to earn it, I'm sorry Woodward, but that's for when I get back, I don't want to throw away my reputation as a prodigy in Luna Nova.
POV Narrator:
It was that thought that held Croix back from continuing to not show who she really was, she continued for the rest of the school year still being the perfect little girl that all the teachers and students wanted her to be, frustrated that she didn't get the staff, in that she didn't even have that much time to talk about either, since Laura and April had been busy developing their latest game and also worrying about finding the cure for the curse.
During the summer holidays was the reflective moment of Meridies, she was trying to think of ways to demonstrate what she believed in, without running the risk of suffering something at the hands of the teachers and students for being different, she didn't really know how to do that after all she was also kind of alone at that time, only having some schoolmates that she went out once in a while and her younger sister Megan, until the classes come back again. Croix saw herself in a situation where she would need to change her head and mind to be the chosen one, but the stubbornness also spoke loudly and the comfort zone situation, but something was about to change her life.
Thursday, 1st September 2005, Luna Nova
Croix arrives at Luna Nova again, her head is thinking about various things, many of them involving the issue of being chosen by Claiomh Solais, which even made her head kind of full after being so stuck on what to think, she went first to try and open up to her roommates, since for them Meridies has a little more trust than for all of Luna Nova.
POV Croix:
Aimee and Lia have to know about this, I hope they don't hate me for knowing this and don't spread it around, otherwise I'll be in the worst shape, it's not enough that I was a target in Dublin for some assholes who found out about it, who will say here, I take a deep breath, I see they are going to play, I think it's time.
"Aimee, Lia... I have to tell you something" I tell the two who turn to me.
"What's up Croix? You've been getting a bit apprehensive these days, since before the summer, has something happened?" Aimee asks.
"Yes, actually there are many, I have secrets about myself that I'm afraid to reveal, I'm not a real girl, I'm a trans girl, I..." At that moment Lia puts her finger in my mouth.
- Don't repeat that Croix, you are a girl regardless of what's between your legs, the most important thing is to see yourself as one" I was even shocked and I saw Aimee blushing.
"I... I already knew... Sorry about that Croix, but... There was one day I noticed when your skirt showed a little bit of volume and I couldn't help but look" She said and I even smile at her.
"I knew you had noticed, I was so full of thoughts that day that I just couldn't sit still, that's why I walked all the time with the books in front of me until I got back to normal, after I started taking hormones with magic I've come to change totally" I tell them.
"It's okay Croix, we don't mind, but there..." Aimee looked at me with a thirsty look on her face and I blushed a little.
"Aimee, no, just no, if that's what you're thinking, no" Lia gave a loud huff to aimee and I half laughed tensely.
"Look, it's not only that, I'm also not the perfect princess you think I am in class, I only did this to gain reputation, I just wanted to punch some teachers in the face for the way they are old fashioned, I want to
change the world of magic, I wanted a revolution, it sucks that they forbid technology, when it works together with magic things get even better, you can see by the things we use in the room" Let's just make things clear here.
"You just don't want the teachers to get on your nerves about it, it's totally understandable Croix, but we really feel honoured that you are opening up to us in this way" Aimee said.
"I thank you both for reacting well, now I think I will go for a walk, I think I can clear my head from all the tension" I finally said to them.
I leave the room, a little tense to be honest, it seems that my head is fried after all this, I better take a walk, I go looking at the corridors, the looks coming back on me, it seems that I'm going to melt, the anxiety takes over me this way, when I arrive at the courtyard I see a girl with her wand kind of dancing on it and trying to call the attention of the students that were passing straight, but what a shameful thing, she ends up tripping.
On the outside I thought it was an embarrassing thing, but inside I think that the right thing is to help her, I go to the red haired girl, I give her my hand to get up.
"Do you need help?" I ask her, who stands up and takes my hand.
"Oh thank you, you are the first person here who welcomes me, I am Chariot Du Nord" that smile, that name.
I start remembering things in my head, 2002, 2003, she was there, the girl with red hair and ruby eyes, for the first time talking to me, my heart starts racing, I remember that face very well, it was like a trigger for me, I can't believe I could see her again here in Luna Nova, I didn't know she would study here, my expression was one of complete shock.
"Hello? You were talking to me, is everything okay?" I come back to the real world and get a little silly.
"Ah pleasure Croix Meridies" I tell her.
"Hey, I remember you, the one with the purple hair that was at the birth of Diana and Hellene, you're Mrs. Jordan's daughter, it's true, we haven't seen each other for a long time, you've really changed a lot since then, I remember you were all skinny and now you have a different body, I don't know if it's my illusion, besides, you're short, or I must have grown a lot, I remember you were taller, what happened all this time" She said looking at me and I just blushed.
"I think you've grown, because I haven't grown that much, I've only gained a little height in that time, but seriously no one has talked to you in that time, you're so cute and cuddly" I tell her and she laughs - in reality I was 1.77 when I was before transitioning, but I've dropped to 1.72 now, she must have noticed that I've dropped a little, she has grown a lot too.
"Ah you know how it is, looks don't count for anything, nobody liked my dances, but only the girls in my room seem to ignore me after all this, even if I show them the cool technology your mum made, it's a little boring, but it's good to know that there's someone nice, wanna go to my room and play a Nintendo 64?" I nod my head in agreement.
"Yes" I say excitedly, and she takes my hand, which makes me blush.
By the nine witches this girl is really another world, she wasn't even a little bit sorry for holding my hand, so silly and cute, I loved that, I think I'm going to enjoy spending time with her, we're going to enjoy it a lot, we get to the corridor and she shows her room to the pink team, there were the other two girls there, her colleagues doing their nails and I go running to see the gadgets, very closely analyzing.
"Hold on a second... These generators are mine, they are my model, look here, CM-05, I made this year to improve the capture of magic for energy in a way that is more efficient even in cases of a magic blackout of the sorcerer stone, this can store 3 hours of charge" I say in surprise as I look at my generator.
"Mrs McLaren gave it to me, she said I would need it to be able to use electricity in Luna Nova, since there are some very annoying rules here" said Chariot and I was amazed.
"I built those generators, believe it or not, I'm April's assistant and she said I'm already better than her in that regard, it's an honour" I say all full of myself.
"Oh the prodigy really breaks the rules of magic who would have thought, the biggest frill this there" Said Julia Parker this girl is a bit of a pain, but I hope she doesn't ruin everything.
"Oh what bad luck your Chariot, Julia Parker's partner, she is a bit picky with me, you seem to be new, what is your name?" I ask the colleague of the two.
"I'm Clara Martinez, I just started this year, I'm new here" she said.
"Oh Croix, you just got more interesting now, I swore the class nerd was all straight, you breaking the rules of school and magic made me more impressed, but anyway, I'm going to go" Julia said getting out of her bed and leaving the room.
"I think I'll go for a walk too, but it's nice to know you do such nice things" Martinez said walking out of there and with that I was left alone with Chariot.
By the nine witches now that I'm going to blush for good, I didn't expect a moment like this, right now alone with Du Nord, ahhhhhhh, she's so pretty, I was watching her putting the game's ribbon all cute, until I look at the window and simply Laura was sitting there, does this woman have nothing to do, it scared me almost.
"Laura!" We said together.
"You seem to 'ave hit it off right from de start" She said to us and then Mrs McLaren walks in, which we walk over to hug her.
"What a miracle to see you here" I say surprised.
"What miracle? I always come on your first day, I want to see 'ow you are, well I'm glad you already know each other and are together, I'll come more often, we'll say dat de witches' revolution will come with you" Said the redhead and as expected.
"I can't wait to enjoy the days in Luna Nova and become the great Shiny Chariot" she said all motivated.
"But for dat I 'ave to say, work together, you will realize your dream if you work together for dat, de witches' revolution is a joint effort and de Shiny Chariot is an important piece, as well as de brain and de machines of Croix, both of you will be important for dat future, if you can get far it will be wonderful, now I'm going, I don't want dem to find out dat I've been coming 'ere" Said Laura who went flying by the window.
She just shows up to give advice, that's from my first day of school, to when I was here, she only didn't show up on the first day even because she gave birth to Holly, but when I was doing well she showed up to assist me, I just really hope I get more comfort with Chariot, it's going to be fun spending time with her around here.
"Hey Croix wants to play a Pokemon Stadium, I love doing the minigames, or play a Smash Bros" Anything I'll already be loving doing.
"Sure, I'd love to play with you, it's been a while since I've played on a 64, you've seen that there's the Gamecube and the Playstation 2 too, besides that the Xbox came out recently and they're going to make the sequel soon" I tell her and she shakes her head.
"My mum wouldn't let me bring my gamecube here, just the 64, she said it might be risky to have my new game being confiscated, there's just one problem with playing on the 64, my analogues are a bit old" Said her with her hand on the back of the neck.
"Let me do it, I can do it quite easily" I tell her and she gets all excited.
I'm getting the 64 controllers from Chariot, I notice that they are both with the analogic broken, I wouldn't even have how to play on it here, it's rotten to rotten, luck that I can fix it easily, easily, it's just change the material that is underneath to not wear out and keep the analogic in place, I open the control and make repairs, with a little help from magic I can do it easily, in seconds the control was already in perfect condition, then I get the other three and they are all cherry colored, that's cool that she has the transparent N64, I only had the traditional black one.
"And here... Perfect, now see how it is" I say handing the control to her who is using the analog and surprisingly, it's much better to pick up.
"Croix you not only fixed it but you made it better than when it was new, I can feel the sensitive button, it doesn't go with everything, you can take it easy, I love it, you're a genius, we definitely have to work together" said the excited Chariot hugging me and I blushed at such a hug, so close.
"Thank you, I love to tinker with these things, by the way, how long have you had the 64 like this?" I ask her.
"It's been 3 years now, I stopped playing on it to stay on my Gamecube, I didn't sell it because I'm really attached to it, and Mrs. McLaren gave me the Nintendo 64, I was embarrassed to say that the control broke, so much that I avoided playing, but now that you fixed it I can play again after so long" She said excitedly putting the Pokemon Stadium cartridge and I just smiled with all this.
POV Narrator:
Croix arrives at Luna Nova, but things didn't go as she expected, she thought that dancing according to the music and doing what was the most correct for her behaviour would be the best attitude to do in order to be the chosen one, but soon she will discover what Woodward had talked about the importance of her being herself, She will still have a long journey ahead of her if she wants to become the chosen one by Claiomh Solais, also because of the impact that the world around her is having, with many surprises that will come to her in these years in Luna Nova.
See you, prodigy witch...