Chapter 10
Redi
Author Notes
Well, here is chapter 10, some more chapters and this beautiful story is going to conclude, hope you like it.
Oh and remember make a review if you want.
Thank you for the Fav.
Declaimer: I don't own any characters from Little Witch Academia, I'm just doing this for fun.
The time has come, the year of waiting had passed in less time than it takes a mandrake to scream when it emerges from the ground. She was just a few days away from the appointment and needed to talk to her mother about it. Nerves were running high, but not because of past traumas those had largely been overcome after reuniting with Diana and finding a new purpose in life.
So, she could confidently say that it wasn't because of that.
So... what were they due to? Well, it was clear that explaining to her mother that she had to return to England wasn't easy, given the economic cost of the entire trip. However, they were in a favorable situation, so the blow wasn't too hard. The problem arose when she had to give her decision to the headmistress and the faculty. It's worth noting that leaving Luna Nova involves memory erasure, and she truly didn't want to lose this precious time that has led her to mature and look at life from a different perspective. But she didn't know if there were other options, if there was a way to achieve her total departure through another sacrifice.
Giving up and thinking that she will fix it when the time comes, she took the first step towards her mother's office.
"Mom, can I come in?" she said as she peeked through the corner of the door.
"Yes, tell me what you need, dear," said Haruko.
"Um, Mom, promise me you won't freak out when I tell you this," Akko spoke while looking at the floor.
"Now, what did you do, young lady? Is it about the broken dishes from your grandmother?" she said, raising an eyebrow.
"WHAAAT, h-how did you know if I checked twice to leave no trace?" said the young girl, a bit flustered.
"Atsuko..." she said, clearly having made a fatal mistake.
"No, w-wait, mom, i-it's not that," Akko stammered.
"Then... Oh! I know! It must be those lesbian comics under your bed," her mother said.
"How... HOOWWW, aaaaarrrgggggg!" Now she seemed like a boiling kettle about to explode.
"Don't worry, dear. I won't tell anyone anyway..." She said, continuing the torture.
"MOMMMM, p-please, it's something serious," Akko pleaded.
"Okay, okay, I'm all ears," her mother replied.
"Um, I-I have to go back to Luna Nova," Akko said nervously.
"W-wait a second, didn't you already leave Luna Nova? What happened? Did something change? Are you going back?" she asked, a little surprised, as it would be a quite drastic and unexpected change.
"Y-yes... nothing has happened... no... and no, the thing is..."
Akko spoke, pausing at times, and explained to her mother every detail she had excluded from the beginning, clearly avoiding the matter of the spell, as she wanted to bear that burden and figure out how to resolve it.
After the brief explanation, Haruko looked at her and said, "So, did you already get the tickets?" Akko opened her eyes wide and responded immediately, "Uh, y-yes, although I haven't booked them yet. I didn't want to do it without your approval."
"Ummm, well, what are you waiting for? Take the card and pay for them, and I hope you've already sorted out your things," said Haruko.
"Yes, and Mom, thank you for understanding," Akko replied.
"Sweetie, I know I haven't said anything, but it's precisely because I understand. I know that this decision you've probably already made is extremely important in your life, and there's no mother or father who wouldn't support their children, especially when they're embarking on a new path."
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The journey had been quick, and luckily, there were no issues with customs upon entering the country. Without wasting any time, she took the first train that went directly to Blytonbury, and from there, a taxi to the small town near Luna Nova.
Upon arriving, she immediately felt the magic emanating from the Ley Line's foundations, and on a whim, she decided to explore the town one last time.
She passed by several places, including small restaurants and stores she used to visit with Lotte and Sucy. Memories came and went, and some locals recognized her, greeting her affectionately. After feeling content with her little stroll, she climbed the hill to the portal, and as if he were a seer, there was the same Gnome waiting for her to take her back to the school.
"Good afternoon, Miss Atsuko," greeted the Gnome.
"Good afternoon," replied Akko.
"Well, miss, as you can imagine, I'm here to pick you up and take you to the academy. If you don't have any other matters to attend to, can we start the journey?"
"UGH! I hope it's not in that old thing that almost killed us," said Akko with a pale face.
"Well, miss, I'm sorry to inform you that it's the only vehicle we have, but don't worry, some modifications have been made since your departure to make the journey safer," replied the gnome.
"Aaaa…, anyway, I have no choice but to believe in your words, and there's no other way to access the school, so yes, we can start the journey," Akko said as she sighed.
The little Gnome didn't take long to recite his spell, and the carriage ascended without any turbulence. It seemed that what he had said was true, as the first time had been a bit rough. Upon arriving on the other side, Akko saw from a distance the majestic Luna Nova Academy, as always a tall and imposing structure that, in the past, would always evoke a feeling that made her blood run faster.
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"Cof, cof, Miss, we have arrived," spoke the creature. Akko, who had been lost in her thoughts, reacted mechanically, grabbing her small bag and getting out of the vehicle.
"Well, it was a pleasure serving you," Akko, remembering her manners, replied, "Yes, thank you for bringing me here."
She watched as the object disappeared in front of her along with the magical creature, and when she was alone again, a supremely important question arose in her mind: 'Now what?' She looked around again, and there was not a soul in sight, not even a teacher to tell her what the proper procedure was to follow. She waited a little longer in case something happened, but no one appeared. Growing impatient, she decided to venture on her own. Besides, she was hungry, and even though she was no longer a student here, going to the cafeteria didn't seem like a bad idea.
.
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She walked through the hallways, but even though they were empty, which seemed strange in its own way, she assumed that maybe everyone was in class or in a meeting with the headmistress in the main hall.
Brushing it off, she brought to her mind a certain British girl who was well-known in the school. After the meeting, which she assumed was the beginning of a friendship or something more, they had only communicated through some calls and occasional letters. She had to admit, she was dying to see her again.
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.
Without realizing it, she arrived at the place, and thanks to the hunger that was increasing with every step, along with her wandering thoughts, she opened the door with too much force. As she took her first step towards the delicious aroma inside, she noticed a bunch of eyes staring at her.
She stood there like a lamb in a slaughterhouse, completely static. Every student present looked at her as if she were some kind of ghost or magical creature that had snuck into the school. The only thing that could be heard was someone running, approaching from behind.
"Akkooooo! U-ufff, why do you w-walk so f-fast," it was Ursula-sensei, most likely the one in charge of welcoming her.
"Akko," she heard again, this time in front of her. She fixed her eyes on the whisper and, of course, it was Lotte. She was sitting in her usual spot, Sucy was next to her, equally surprised. She scanned the next table, where Amanda, Constanze, and Jasminka were sitting, all with unrecognizable expressions.
"Akko," this time it came from a table not far from the previous one. The tone was as sweet and firm as always, and she recognized it instantly. There was Diana, sitting with Hannah and Barbara side by side. Their expressions, like the others, were completely altered, but Diana's seemed a bit... hurt? Suddenly, the fact that this wasn't mentioned in Norway, nor in any of their calls or letters, dealt a somewhat hard blow to the trust they had between them. They needed to fix this, but that would be for another moment.
She felt a hand on her shoulder, knowing it was Ursula-sensei, so she turned her whole body to give her the attention she requested. But as she turned her back to the audience that was looking at her, her whole body was enveloped in an almost inhuman grip.
"¡P-Please!, w-wait!, don't go," it was Lotte again, who had arrived at lightning speed from her seat to where Akko was. Still in a state of shock, Akko replied, "L-Lotte, I just got here, how could I leave so quickly?"
The grip didn't diminish, and a quick glance at the hands tied around her stomach indicated that she had to do something before suffocating. In a delicate movement, she took both hands and began to caress them gently, slowly loosening the human knot.
When she finally felt her lungs receiving oxygen again, and her freedom of movement was guaranteed, she turned to look at her friend who, of course, was no longer alone. They were all there, nervous, probably thinking that if anyone said something, she might disappear. Even Diana stood a little further away, but attentive to any movement she made.
She took a deep breath again and said, "Girls, I know we need to talk and sort out... everything that has happened, but could you let me rest? The journey here was very long, and I'm really starving. Besides, I'd prefer to do it in a more private place." She saw doubt in each of their eyes, and it even seemed like Amanda was about to protest. However, Ursula-sensei intervened and said, "Girls, Akko has a valid point, so why don't you leave it for later?" Understanding that Ursula-sensei wouldn't accept any other response, they tried to relax a bit.
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Diana was standing at the door of a room that didn't belong to any team, but it was where, at the moment, the person who was the talk of the school was staying. Apparently, due to her unique situation, she was given a private place.
And why was she here? Well, the doubt was cruelly devouring her, and she needed answers before going crazy. So, taking advantage of her reputation (something she had never done before), she managed to leave her last classes early, thus obtaining some time alone, avoiding the long-awaited conversation with her other friends.
Filled with courage, she caressed the red ribbon on her wrist, took two steps, and knocked on the door.