One o'clock comes around the school bell rings throughout the school, signaling the early end for the second-to-last day of classes. Akko, Lotte, and Sucy strolled out into the crowded hallway. The Japanese witch had her most recent homework from Finnelan taped to her head with a gigantic "C-" written in red ink written across the page. Some students laughed as they walked down the hall, but most had grown accustomed to Akko's academic downfalls and treated it like normal. Akko didn't know what was worse.
"Well, you did kind of deserve it," said Lotte as Akko ripped the paper off her forehead and threw it in the trash. "In all honesty, I'm surprised your score was that high, considering you did the whole thing in less than five minutes."
"Even a broken clock is right twice a day," said Sucy.
"Stupid Professor Finnelan," Akko grumbled. "Can't even give me a break on the last day of school…."
"Well, at least she can't give you detention this time," said Sucy humorously.
"Tomorrow is the farewell ceremony," said Lotte. "And then we won't see each other for eight weeks. I wanna go visit Annabel before I head back to Finnelan. She said she has a new plot idea she wanted my opinion on. What're you two gonna do?"
"I promised Diana I'd help her finish setting up the party today," said Akko.
"You two have been spending a lot of time together ever since you came back from space," said Sucy with a wide, teasing grin. Lotte suddenly looked interested while Akko was as oblivious as ever. "You two must be real close."
"Of course me and Diana are close," said Akko unabashed. Several girls in the hall who happened overhear her spun around with hopeful eyes. "We're good friends."
"Just friends?" said Sucy.
"What else is there?" asked Akko cluelessly; several girls facepalmed themselves. "I mean, we're not enemies or rivals anymore, so what – "
"Just forget about it, Akko," Lotte cut her off, sounding almost sympathetic. Whether for Akko or Diana was anyone's guess. "What're you going to do on your last day, Sucy?"
"I want to check out the Sorcerer's Stone before we leave," Sucy answered simply.
"The Sorcerer's Stone?" Akko parroted.
"There's a rumor going around that some mysterious figure has been showing up at the top of New Moon Tower," Sucy explained. "Some teachers have already gone to investigate the rumors, but they never found anything. I wanna take a look around for myself."
"What if you don't find anything," said Akko, folding her hands behind her head. "Maybe they're just rumors."
"Remember that Seven Wonders of Luna Nova nonsense over the summer?" said Sucy. "We all thought they were 'just rumors', but they turned out to be important clues to finding the other keys for the Horologium Chamber. Every rumor has some basis of truth. Who knows, maybe I'll stumble across something like you did."
"And what if you do find something?" asked Lotte.
"I'll probably kill it, or it'll kill me =- whichever comes first," said Sucy with a nonchalant shrug.
"You are a real piece of work sometimes, you know that?" said Akko, which earned a wicked cackle from the Philippian witch. As they were rounding the corner to the cafeteria, Akko looked up at the clock hanging above the double doors and let out a surprised yelp. "Oh shoot, I promised I'd meet Diana in the gardens after class was over!"
"Good luck, Akko," Lotte waved her off. "Try not to cause too much trouble."
"That's like Amanda not to steal junk," Sucy commented.
"You two…," Akko groaned, but ignored them and went off one of the side corridors.
Akko ran outside into the clear evening air and ran around the length of the cafeteria, crossing the cobblestone bridge over the narrow river that ran through the school. She went around the edge of the sports field where several witches were playing a ball game on brooms and turned right towards the school gardens. Akko rarely spent time in this area outside of gather ingredients for alchemy class, but she knew that the glass building was home to one a hundred different types of magical herbs and fungi – five times than there were four months ago! In the center of it all was a twisted gnarled tree had sprouted after some old witch died a long time ago. Jenny or something – Akko didn't know.
Anyway, the gardens had changed seemingly overnight. There were over two dozen round tables and four times as many chairs all places in a swirled pattern around the ancient witch tree, dressed in fancy table clothes and silverware. Zizi's banner hanged overhead in the background, tied to the roof of the greenhouse, and the twenty fairy jars hovered in the air like fancy lamps, illuminating the gardens in a myriad of changing colors.
Akko had to admit: when Diana planned a party, she pulled out all the stops.
Speaking of whom, Diana was hovering around a long table off to the side, frantically flipping through her checklist, her hair slightly disheveled like she had threatening to tear it out. Akko knew she had to step it; she liked Diana's hair the way it was!
" – I could trust them with a few simple jobs," Diana grumbled irritably as Akko approached. "It's not even that hard. I just asked them to – "
"You okay, Diana?" Akko asked concerned.
"Okay, no," Diana sighed exasperatedly, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Annoyed, yes."
"What happened?" asked Akko curiously.
"I told Amanda and her friends to pick up a few supplies we will need for the party," Diana replied.
"Wait, you asked Amanda to help?" said Akko strangely.
"Not so much asked, as much as they were forced to," Diana explained. "They got into trouble with Professor Finnelan – for the hundredth time, I might add – and they finally pushed her one time too many. She threatened to hold them back this year, but I happened to be passing by at the time and cut a deal. In exchange for helping set up the party, they won't get held back. For the most part, they've been doing well until now."
"What's wrong?" asked Akko.
"I asked them to acquire supplies for tomorrow's party," said Diana. "Food and drink, mostly. Constanze showed me some baked goods that could be ordered by drone delivery, so I agreed. Jasminka is a skilled baker, so I tasked her with making a cake. And Amanda said she could procure some Witch's Brew."
"What's Witch's Brew?" asked Akko curiously.
"It's like a fancy wine made with magic – non-alcoholic, of course," said Diana. "It was absurdly expensive back when magic was fading that not even Aunt Daryl could afford a cask. It's gotten cheaper since the magic has returned, but it's still outside the budget the professors gave me."
"So how did Amanda get a hold of one?" asked Akko.
"She said not to ask too many questions," stated Diana. "And though I would normally berate her for any potential illegal dealings, having a cask of Witch's Brew would be more than worth it. Unfortunately, it's been hours since I send them on their way and none of them have returned. Knowing them, they're probably slacking off somewhere. And I'm too busy with preparations to go hunt them down."
"You want me to look for them?" Akko offered.
"That would be helpful, yes," said Diana. "Constanze should be by the front entrance if I am remembering correctly – said she would wait for the drones there. Jasminka would naturally be in the kitchens if she was preparing a cake. And I for the life of me have no idea where Amanda went."
"Don't worry, I'll find her," Akko declared confidently.
"Once you have everything, bring it back here so we can finish the final preparations," said Diana, turning away and checking her clipboard again. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a job to do…."
Knowing it was better not to disturb Diana while she was working, Akko quietly slipped out of the gardens.
The first place she decided to check out was the kitchens since it was closer – plus, she might be able to sneak out something other than potatoes for a change. You would think with the increased budget from Hanbridge (by Andrew's recommendation no less) would get Badcock to loosen the purse strings a little.
Akko slid into the cafeteria, waving at a few people who greeted her as she weaved through the tables, and shouldered her way through the kitchen doors. Since most of the fairies had gotten lazy and decided not to work, students had been "volunteered" to work in the kitchen on rotation until Holbrooke found a permanent staff. Akko's team had only worked the lunch rush once and they were permanently banned after Sucy slipped in some mushrooms that had the whole school quarantined for a week.
Today it was the light-aqua team on kitchen duty. It came as no surprise that Bianca was leading the charge over her roommates, Hilda and Aileen. Akko remembered from the Horologium Loop that it was Bianca's dream to open a magical restaurant. Well, this would no doubt be good practice.
"Hey, guys!" Akko greeted light-aqua team cheerfully.
"Hey, Akko, what's up?" Bianca greeted while stirring a pot of chili.
"If you're trying to cut the line, you're out of luck," said Aileen diligently. "We don't give food to line cutters."
"I'm not here to eat…well, mostly," Akko admitted under her suspicious gaze. "I'm looking for Jasminka. She's supposed to be making a cake for Diana's party."
"Oh yeah, she said something about that," said Hilda while carrying a stack of plates to the counter. "She's in the back. I thought she finished that cake a while ago, but she's been working that cauldron for a while."
Uh-oh, that didn't sound good, Akko thought. Jasminka was hands down the best cook in the school, but she also had a huge appetite to match. If Akko's guess was correct, they were in major trouble….
She roamed around the rows of stoves and cutting tables to the back of the kitchen where she spotted her chubby Russian friend stirring a bubbling cauldron. Everything looked well enough; Jasminka was even humming a happy little tune as she stirred…. That was before Akko's eye landed on the table next to her where a large silver platter was bare except for a bunch of crumbs. Cake crumbs, to be precise. Oh boy….
"Hey, Jasminka," Akko greeted.
"Oh, hello, Akko," Jasminka replied cheerfully. "Did you bring a snack?"
"No, I came to get the cake Diana asked for," said Akko. "Did you finish it?"
"Yes, I finished it," said Jasminka, smiling.
"Great!" Akko cheered.
"And then I ate it," Jasminka admitted.
"Not great!" Akko slumped. "Jasminka, that cake was supposed to be for the whole school! If Diana doesn't have it, the whole party could be ruined! I know I'm probably exaggerating, but Diana will literally pop a vessel!"
"Don't worry, I'm making a new one with Alchemy," said Jasminka, which explained why she was stirring the cauldron. "It won't be as moist and soft as one made by hand, but it'll take a fourth of the time to finish. And with a little flavor magic, it'll taste just the same."
"Okay, that's great," Akko said in relief. "Anything I can do to help?"
"Keep stirring," said Jasminka, pulling Akko in her place and handing her the stirring stick. With her hands free, Jasminka made her way over to the cupboards. "Hmm…now where is it…?"
"Uh, Jasminka, are you sure it's okay for me to do this?" asked Akko worriedly.
"It's fine," said Jasminka unflappably. "Just keep stirring counterclockwise at a steady pace."
"O-okay," said Akko nervously.
"Just need to add three more ingredients," said Jasminka, reaching into one of the cupboards, pulling out a spiky ball, and tossed it to Akko. "First, add one fresh sea urchin and stir clockwise four times and then continue stirring counterclockwise."
"One sea urch – OUCH!" Akko tried to catch the sea urchin in her hand and stabbed her palm. Fortunately, it landed in the cauldron when she dropped it. She followed Jasminka's instructions and watched the liquid inside turn sky-blue.
"Next we throw in some Danish rye bread," Jasminka continued, throwing a loaf to Akko. "Once added, stir three times clockwise, then once counterclockwise, and repeat."
"One Danish bread going in!" Akko announced, dropping the bread and following the stirring pattern. The mixture gained a sweet scent. "Wow, I never knew cooking with alchemy would be so complicated."
"And finally, we toss in a jar of sweet honey," said Jasminka. Rather than tossing it, she walked over and added the ingredient herself. "Now stir clockwise four times and it's ready."
"Okay," said Akko, looking serious. "One…two…three…fo – BWAHAH!"
Akko let out a surprised yelp as the cauldron suddenly exploded into a purple, sweet-smelling cloud, blinding her momentarily. As she waved the haze away, she noticed that the empty tray on the counter was now carrying a seven-layer sky-blue cake with white pearl piping, green frosting vines, and a big Luna Nova crest topper.
"Sugoi!" said Akko in awe. "That's amazing, Jasminka!"
"Wow, this is even better than the one I made," said Jasminka, sounding genuinely impressed. "You must be really something special, Akko."
"Nah, I just followed your instructions," said Akko bashfully.
"Maybe, but alchemy reacts differently based on a person's magic," Jasminka informed. "The one I made had only four layers, but you made seven. You've really changed a lot these past four months, Akko. You really are an amazing witch."
"He-he, well, if you say so…," Akko chuckled self-satisfactory. "Can you get this cake to Diana. I still have to find Constanze and Amanda. Say, do you know where Amanda is, by the way?"
"No, I don't think so," Jasminka hummed thoughtfully. "But if I see her, I'll tell her you're looking for her."
"Thanks," said Akko before sprinting out of the kitchen. "See ya, Jasminka!"
With the cake situation taken care of (considering that Jasminka didn't get any more cravings), the next two items on her to-do list were the baked goods from Constanze and the Witch's Brew from Amanda. Since she had no idea where Amanda was hiding, her next stop had to be Constanze. Hopefully the silent engineer would shed some light on her team leader's disappearance.
Akko ran across the school (man, she's been getting a lot of cardio lately) and made her way to the front entrance where she had met Diana the previous day. She scanned the area. Abigail from Aqua Team were bargaining with the proprietor of the Last Wednesday Society for what looked like a troll's leg and Verochka and Linlin were having a magic sparring match. She finally spotted Constanze hanging around near the water fountain and dashed over to meet her.
The brilliant inventor had a deep frown on face (when did she not?) and was pounding her tiny fist on some type of remote control in frustration.
"Hey, Constanze!" Akko greeted loudly. Constanze turned toward her, initially annoyed, but perked up slightly when she saw Akko. "I'm here to pick up those baked goods for Diana's party. You got them?"
"…." Constanze mutely held up her controller.
"You were able to order them online, but then they got lost?" Akko gasped; she was fluent in "Constanze", apparently.
"…." Constanze made a wide gesture.
"The drone's navigation malfunctioned and they ended up scattered all over Luna Nova?" said Akko.
"…." Constanze held up three fingers and offered her controller to Akko.
"There are three drones and you need me to use this device to track them down before anyone else finds them?" said Akko, accepting the controller.
"…." Constanze tapped the antenna on the controller.
"Okay, so this thing will beep when one of the drones is nearby?" said Akko.
"…." Constanze gave a thumbs-up.
"Don't worry, Constanze!" said Akko cheerfully with a dutiful salute. "I'm hunt down those drones and bring the goods back to Diana so you won't get in trouble. But before I go, have you seen Amanda anywhere. She's supposed to have something for Diana, too."
"…." Constanze shook her head.
"Well, thanks anyway," Akko sighed, hanging her head. As expected from a master thief to not leave a trail. "I'll go find those drones now. Thanks for the help, Constanze!"
Akko wasn't too perturbed about having to search the school for the missing drones; her time in the Horologium loop made her an expert treasure hunter at this point. It's too bad they had to seal up the chamber, Akko thought. They decorated that whole room with a lot of awesome stuff. But at least this time, she had some help instead of blindly searching everywhere.
Fortunately, the first drone's beacon had led her to school's central courtyard. She asked around if anyone had seen it until Molly McIntyre had pointed her towards the statue. The drone had landed perfectly in the stone witch's arms with a large square box, thankfully undamaged. Akko climbed up the side of the statue, completely forgetting that she was capable of levitation magic now, and retrieved the package without too much trouble. She hopped down to the grass and ripped open the packaging paper, discovering a large box filled with dozens of decadent white chocolate and cinnamon cookies.
"Sweet – literally!" said Akko enthusiastically. "Diana really went out for the good stuff. Not as good as pickled plums, though…. Anyway, one down, two to go."
The second package proved to be more difficult to acquire. Akko followed the radar to the second floor and straight into the counseling office…right into the crossed arms of Professor Finnelan.
Now Akko and Professor Finnelan didn't have the best relationship (especially after Finnelan tried to get her expelled near the beginning), but they had at least become more civil since the Missile Crisis. Rather than outright blaming Akko, Professor Finnelan had given Akko the courtesy of explaining why a drone had crashed through her window. Akko wasted no time explaining the details of Diana's party and how Constance's drones went out of control due to a malfunction.
Professor Finnelan pinched the bridge of her nose when Akko concluded, clearly exasperated. But, thankfully, she stern teacher waved her wand and levitated the package (cups of custard pudding) into Akko's arm.
"Since it is the end of the year, I will let it slide this time, Miss Kagari," said Professor Finnelan with a hint of warning in her tone. "But if see another one of those…machines breaking any more school property, I will give you and your accomplices detention for a month starting next year."
"Yes, Professor Finnelan!" Akko yelped with a salute, back away toward the door. "Sorry, Professor Finnelan! It won't happen again! Promise!" She made a hasty exit and slammed the door behind her, letting out a relieved sigh. "Why do I always get the worst luck…. All right, just one more package to go. Now where is it…?"
The final package went further than the others. Akko walked down to the first floor and passed the cafeteria heading outside. She crossed the cobblestone bridge, walked around the bend, moved across the sports field, bypassing the gardens, the aviary, and the troll bathrooms. The radar eventually brought her to…New Moon Tower. And, to Akko's dismay, the device was pointing to the very top of the tower, right where the Sorcerer's Stone was housed.
"Aw, you gotta be kidding!" Akko whined. "Why does this always happen to me?"
The Japanese witch hanged her head, knowing there was no point in complaining, and reluctantly trudged inside….
"Hah…hah…hah…," Akko wheezed, sweat pouring down her brow like a waterfall. "Seriously…if Croix ever gets out of prison…I'm asking her for an elevator…."
Twenty-two thousand, eight hundred and seventeen – that's the total number of steps in New Moon Town from top to bottom. Akko knew – she counted them. After a long and arduous journey, Akko finally crawled to the top and collapsed on her stomach with an exhausted groan. After taking a few moments to catch her breath, Akko looked up. To her immense relief, the drone and its package was sitting underneath the Sorcerer's Stone, perfectly preserved.
The Japanese witch picked herself up and walked over to collect the package. It was a box of fancy scones – the ones that Purple Team constantly bought and always mocked Akko for never having. Oh, how the tables have turned, Akko thought.
"And that's all three," said Akko. "Now all I have to do is find Amanda."
Before she left, Akko took one last look at the Sorcerer's Stone, watching as the stone shifted and molded in on itself consistently. Ever since the magic had returned, the Sorcerer's Stone no longer had any use and had been reduced to mere decoration. More than once, this stone had been the cause of many troubles when witches suddenly found themselves without magic. Honestly, Akko thinks the only reason the school hasn't gotten rid of it is out of nostalgia.
But as Akko turned to leave, she jumped back, startled, when she found her path blocked. A tall man was standing at the top of the staircase, dressed in white, his face obscured by a strange golden mask. How had she not heard him coming up the steps? And how did he get into Luna Nova, for that matter. It wasn't exactly against the rules, but men were rarely seen hanging around Luna Nova, especially a creepy one like him.
"W-who are you?" Akko stuttered fretfully.
"I've come to see the door to this world," he spoke in a smooth, eerie tone that made the hairs on the back of Akko's neck stand.
"Huh?" Akko dimwittedly responded.
"This world has been connected," said the man cryptically.
"W-what are you talking about?" asked Akko, trying to contain the shiver in her spine.
"Tied by the strings of fate," the man continued. "Soon to be completely swallowed."
"O-okay, weirdo!" said Akko, trying to sound braver than she actually was. "Whoever you are, this place is off limits! So buzz off!"
"Such bravado – and I know it's not just for show," said the man with a hint of humor. "I can understand why you were chosen. But bravery isn't enough for what waits beyond the door..."
"What're you even talking about?" Now Akko was just plain confused.
"There is so very much to learn," said the man, "yet you understand so little."
"Okay, ow you're just being rude!" Akko snapped, her anger outweighing her terror. "You don't know me! I mean, sure I don't get the best grades or anything, but I'm still learning!"
"Heh-heh…so much like her, yet different in so many ways," the man chuckled humorously. "In the end, it is all meaningless. One who knows nothing can understand nothing."
Akko glared at the man, feeling a familiar sense of frustration bubbling in his stomach similar to when she was the butt of everyone's jokes. But the man paid no heed to her annoyance and turned his golden mask toward the Sorcerer's Stone, fascinated by it. Drawn by curiosity, Akko looked back at the floating gemstone herself. She didn't see anything out of the ordinary – it was the same as it had been since she first arrived at Luna Nova. Akko turned back to the masked man….
And he was gone.
Akko's mind was running a million miles a minute as she climbed down the spiraling staircase (somehow, going down was much easier than going up.) Just who was that strange man? How did he get into Luna Nova without anyone noticing? Was he some ancient magical villain that had been awakened when Akko broke the seal on the Grand Triskelion like in the ones in Akko's manga? Akko considered going to Professor Ursula or even the headmistress. Surely they would know something about this….
But the man in the golden mask was pushed from her mind when she stepped outside the tower –
"Yo, Akko, heard you were looking for me."
The Japanese witch snapped to her left. Amanda O'Neill, her hair the color of flames and a cocky smirk on her lips, flashed a peace sign to Akko while leaning against the tower. At her feet was a small wooden barrel, hardly taller than her kneecaps. Akko had to assume that was the Witch's Brew. Hardly enough to serve everyone at the party, but if what Diana said is true, it was a miracle to get at least that much.
"Amanda, I've search everywhere for you!" shouted Akko.
"Well, here I am," said Amanda, putting her foot on top of the barrel, striking a pose. "And I come bearing drink for all/ Well, not all, but a good amount if princess portions it right."
"That's the legendary Witch's Brew?" asked Akko curiously.
"The real McCoy," said Amanda proudly. "I had to call in a lot of favors for this – and I mean a lot – but one sip of this stuff is worth the cost."
"Sugoi!" Akko cheered. "That's perfect! Now I just need to get that to Diana and – "
"Whoa, whoa, slow your roll, fan girl," said Amanda, holding a hand up. "Do you have any idea how many hoops I had to jump through to get this stuff. I'm not just gonna give it away for free."
"But Diana said – "
"The princess said to get the Brew, and I did," Amanda interrupted. "But I didn't say I was gonna just hand it over. She's a rich, right? Owns a mansion and everything. I'm sure she can spare a few grand here and there."
"That wasn't the deal, Amanda!" said Akko heatedly. "We need that Brew for the party! Diana's worked so hard so that everyone could have a good time!"
"Well, if you feel that passionately about it, then there's only one way to settle this," said Amanda, grinning mischievously. "With a race."
"A race?" Akko parroted.
"A race," Amanda nodded in confirmation. "We start in front of New Moon Tower, go one lap around the outside of the school starting from the west side, then come back. First one to touch the tower wins."
"You're on!" said Akko confidently.
"Did you say you're having a race?" Akko and Amanda jumped back with startled yelps when Yellow Team, lead by Wangari, suddenly appeared between them. "Now that's the kind of story readers want to see in the LNNN (Luna Nova News Network!) A test of speed and skill between two hot-blooded racers!"
"Where did you come from?" yelled Akko.
"We were investigating a rumor about the elusive Shooting Star," said Wangari. "No one has seen it since the Missile Crisis four months ago, but a reliable source said it was seen flying over the Arcturus Forest. More than once, in fact. It may be looking for something. But that's not important. One final heated race before the end of the year is bound to drum up some excitement in our readers! A clash of two underdogs! Who will win? Amanda, the daredevil delinquent with a fantastic flair for flight – "
"You forgot to mention devilishly handsome," said Amanda cockily.
"Or Akko, the queen of underdogs, destroyer of classrooms, bane of all teachers – "
"Why do I get the crappy commentary?!" Akko yelled.
"The odds are stacked a thousand-to-one in Amanda's favor!" Wangari shouted loudly, drawing a lot of nearby attention. "But Akko has made happen before. Will she do so again? Stay tuned to find out!"
This was getting out of hand quickly, Akko thought. Thanks to all of Wangari's yelling, a small crowd was starting to form around New Moon Tower. Several people were using their smartphones to make posts of Witcher and Spellbook (Holbrooke never did get rid of them after Croix was arrested – she had quickly become a gacha addict.) Word was spreading fast through Luna Nova and more people were coming to watch the race, making it a much bigger deal than it needed to be. The only one who was unlikely to know about it was Diana, who strangely abstained from modern technology. Maybe that was a good thing in this case….
Professor Nelson gave Amanda and Akko a broomstick each and volunteered to referee the match (instead of shutting it down like a normal teacher would.) The two girls startled their brooms. Akko felt a little nervous. She had only been flying a broom for three months while Amanda practically lived for flying. Wangari was right: the odds are stacked against her. But she couldn't let Diana down. She was counting on Akko.
"Losing your nerve already?" Amanda taunted, noticing Akko's twitchiness. "Not back down, are ya?"
"No way!" said Akko confidently. "I'm gonna kick your butt!"
"Is that right?" said Amanda, grinning. "Then whaddya say we raise the stakes?"
"What do you have in mind?" asked Akko curiously.
"I overheard your little chat with princess yesterday," said Amanda with a wicked smile. "About those Bond Ring thing. So how 'bout this: winner gets to share the Bond Rings with Cavendish."
"Wha – what?!" Akko sputtered. For some reason beyond her understanding, Akko's heart started pounding against her ribcage. Sharing the Bond Rings with Diana…sharing an eternal connection…. Akko shook her head furiously. "Y-You can't make that kind of bet! Diana would never allow it."
"Never know unless you try," said Amanda haughtily. "I think of worse things than spending a lifetime with a super-rich and super influential heiress."
"B – But wait a minute – "
"On my mark!" Professor Nelson cut in, standing in front of the girls with her arm raised.
Amanda pressed herself lower against her broom and Akko did the same. Whether Amanda was being serious or not, it made Akko extremely uncomfortable, like her whole body was on fire. Maybe that was part of Amanda's plan, to throw her off so that she would do poorly in the race. It was certainly effective; Akko couldn't deny….
"Begin!" Professor Nelson shouted, throwing her hand down.
"Tia Freyre!" Akko and Amanda shouted at the same time.
With magic fueling their brooms, the pair took off like rockets to the cheers of their screaming fans. Akko thought she heard Wangari yelling something, possibly the play-by-play for the LNNN, but the wind rushing through Akko's ears blocked everything out.
They shot across the playing field and swerved around the goal post; Akko's turning was excessively wide from lack of practice, but Amanda performed a crisp ninety-degree pivot without fail. Just after the first obstacle and Amanda had immediately seized a substantial lead over Akko, flying at least one broomstick ahead of her opponent. Amanda peered over her shoulder and shouted back at Akko:
"Looks like someone's a little slow!"
"And someone's a little too fast!" Akko shouted back, pointing ahead.
"Raising her brow curiously, Amanda looked ahead and instantly put on the breaks. She was inches away from ramming into one of the bull-like fairies carrying a stack of china (really, the joke is right there), but stopped herself at the very last second. This gave Akko a chance to overtake Amanda, sweeping around her and the fairy and following the path to the western side of the school. Amanda gritted her teeth and shot after her, kicking up a dust cloud that got into the bull's eyes, causing him to drop the fine China.
They shot over the cobblestone bridge, nearly running into Headmistress Holbrooke, who casually stepped ahead, and Professor Ursula, who threw herself in the river to avoid them. As they swept around the outside of the school building, they had to pass through a thicket of trees. Akko forced herself to slow down so she wouldn't run face first into a branch, but Amanda ducked her head and shot through like an arrow once again over taking Akko by a head.
They circled around the front entrance where Amanda shot between Verochka and Linlin's sparing session, separating them with startled screams. Akko flew over the pawn shop proprietor where she snatched what looked like an ostrich egg out of his hand without his notice, greatly confusing the man. Akko took careful aim and tossed the giant egg, conking Amanda in the back of the head. The American witch grabbed spot where it hit, wincing, but noticeably slowed down, giving Akko a chance to catch up.
"Hey, no throwing stuff!" Amanda complained.
"We never said it was against the rules!" Akko replied cheekily.
"Oh, a wise guy, eh?" Amanda snorted. "Still not gonna beat me!"
"We'll see about that!" yelled Akko.
They weaved around the east side of the school, crossed the second cobblestone bridge (causing a soaked Ursula to jump again when she tried to take an alternate route), and shot back to the playing field. The crowd had swelled to a over a hundred, all cheering and screaming for their favorite. Akko and Amanda were neck-and-neck – fighting back and forth for the lead. Akko screwed up her eyes and pressed herself flat against her broom, trying to pour out as much magical energy into her broom as she could. No matter what happened to her, Akko could let Amanda win –
What Akko didn't notice was Amanda smirking playfully before she subtly decelerated, giving Akko a foot-long lead as they reached the finish line –
"THE WINNER IS KAGARI!" Professor Nelson announced over the roars of the crowd.
"AKKO WON!" Wangari announced with a passionate scream. "Against all odds, Akko has beaten the master of flying in an unprecedented upset! Not a bad way to end the year in this reporter's opinion!"
"Not bad Akko," Amanda complimented her friend as they landed. "You've gotten a whole lot better since last time."
"Yeah…thanks…," Akko wheezed. She used up too much magic for the last burst.
"Whelp, a deal's a deal," said Amanda. She whipped out her wand and cast a levitation spell, bringing the barrel of Witch's Brew over the crowd's head and into Akko's. "The Brew's yours. Just don't forget who gave it to you when you hand it out."
"W-wait," Akko stuttered, slightly confused. "The bet – "
"You thought I was serious about that?" Amanda laughed, making Akko's face fall. "Nah, I just said that to get you riled up. Why? Where you jealous or something?"
"No!" Akko answered almost too quickly.
"Sure you weren't," said Amanda teasingly.
Before Akko had a chance to retort, she was swarmed by the crowd of student who lifted her into the air, chanting her name in praise. Okay, so maybe Amanda had fooled her with that Bond Ring bet. Still, getting cheered on by her classmates was an equally good prize.
By the time Akko escaped the mob of fans and Wangari's interview, it was already getting close to sunset. She hauled the three boxes of baked goods and the cask of Witch's Brew to the gardens, using her foot at an awkward angle to open the doors. The entire greenhouse had been decked out in banners and party favors in the time that Akko had been gone – Diana had really gone all out to make the farewell party a success.
Speaking of whom, Akko spotted the cabbage-headed witch making her final checks at the food table. Thankfully, Jasminka had been good on her word and delivered the cake without stopping to sample. Diana heard Akko's stumbling footsteps and turned to greet her.
"Akko, thank goodness, I was starting to wonder what was taking so long," said Diana, sounding relieved as her friend deposited the keg and boxes on the table. "I heard quite a commotion outside. Did something happen?"
"Let's just say Amanda didn't make things easy," said Akko, cracking her sore back.
"She never does," said Diana, shaking her head exasperatedly. She took a moment to inspect the treats and Brew, then nodded in satisfaction. "Good, good, that's the last of it. We're ready for tomorrow."
"Good," Akko exhaled a tired sigh. "I don't think I have much energy left for anything."
"We should probably retire soon anyway," said Diana. "We have a long day ahead of us."
Akko and Diana left the gardens a little while later; Diana locked the doors behind them. They walked together across the playing field, which was thankfully clear of Akko's fans. As they headed back to the school, Akko stared out to the horizon as the sun slowly disappeared over the forest.
"Any plans during the break, Akko?" asked Diana.
"Probably just gonna laze around the whole time," said Akko, stretching her arms above her head. "This year has been way to eventful. And it's only our first. I'm kinda scared to see what happens next year."
"Eventful is certainly accurate," said Diana with a soft giggle. "A lot of things have changed since the start of this year, haven't they. When we first started out, I hardly imagined us being friends."
"Yeah, you were making fun of me for wanting to be like Chariot," said Akko. "Which is hypocritical since I know your secret now."
"That was…not one of my better moments," said Diana shamefully. "But…things have gotten better since then. Magic that was once scarce now thrives in abundance. Everyone who shunned you now looks at you with respect – "
"Not Teresa's team," Akko pouted.
"Well, you can't please everyone," said Diana brightly. "And thanks to you intervention, Andrew is more honest with his father and I am finally able to make amends with Aunt Daryl and my cousins. All because you're so bull-headed and stubborn."
"You don't have to put it that way, you know!" said Akko, puffing out her cheeks.
"But it's not inaccurate, is it?" said Diana with a knowing smile. Akko stayed silent and crossed her arms in defiance. "So many things have changed…but I'm glad one thing hasn't." She suddenly stopped, making Akko look back curiously. "Akko, don't ever change…."
"Huh?" Akko mumbled dimwittedly. Diana shook her head amusingly and kept walking.
"Only one more day," she said reminiscently. "Then we will begin the next chapter in our lives. Whatever that may be…."
While the witches went about their carefree lives, everyone at Trigger Tower could feel an intense pressure coming from the office of Satsuki Kiryuin, giving them good reason to avoid the area. Inside, the head of Trigger Tower sat behind her polished mahogany desk, her hands folded together, staring down at the open letter in front of her. On her left, Over Justice (sitting behind his own damaged desk) waited patiently for her response.
Meanwhile, Michiru and Galo stood in attention before their boss, both sweating nervously. Galo didn't even know why he had been brought along – he was the innocent party here! Michiru, on the other hand, was waiting for the inevitable outburst that was sure to come once Satsuki finished the letter. Michiru, who was the first to read it, already knew what it said:
Hey, Sats
If you're reading this, then I'm already long gone. I'm not running away from work – I'm not the same punk little sister back at Honnoji! But lately I've been having these…weird dreams. Or visions might be the better word. I've been having this…nagging feeling ever since we beat Ragyo, like it's not over yet. Maybe it's the Life Fibers in me, or maybe I'm being paranoid. I don't know. But my gut is telling me that trouble is brewing.
I've noticed a lot of stars in the sky have been going out recently. Not sure if it's related, but my instincts tell me it might. I get the feeling a huge disaster is on the way. I'm sorry for leaving, but I can't just sit back and do nothing.
In my dreams, I see someone with a "key" – the key to our survival. I know it's asking a lot, but can you do me a solid? I need you to send someone to find this "Key" and stick with them. I have a feeling that "Key" will be important to our future.
Send them to Arland and look for an alchemist named Rorona. She'll point them in the right direction.
I'm really sorry to leave you hanging, but this is something I have to do. I promise I'll come back alive.
P.S. Tell Mako I'll be late for dinner…for a while.
Signed,
Ryuko
After finishing the letter, Satsuki leaned back in her seat with an exasperated groan, pinching the bridge of her nose.
"Oh Ryuko, of all the foolish…," she said.
"So what do we do, Satsuki?" asked Over Justice.
"What can we do?" said Satsuki. "We can only trust that Ryuko knows what she's doing."
"She's tough," said Michiru encouragingly. "She'll definitely come back safely…. I hope."
"Lady Satsuki!" Galo spoke boldly, saluting the woman. "Allow us to go and search for this key! If we follow them, we're bound to run into Ryuko eventually."
"Wait, who's we?" asked Michiru apprehensively.
"You and me, silly," Galo said simply with a wide smile.
"Why am I getting roped into this?!" screeched Michiru.
"Hmm…that's not a bad idea," Satsuki hummed thoughtfully. "With your shapeshifting abilities and Mr. Thymos's natural combat ability, you two would make an excellent team.
"B-B-But – "
"Then it's decided!" said Over Justice. "Michiru, Galo, your task, should you accept it – and you have to accept it, because you have no choice – is to find Ryuko Matoi and this 'Key!' Are we clear?"
"Yes, sir!" said Galo, saluting enthusiastically.
"Not like I have a choice in the matter," Michiru grumbled, slumping dejectedly.
"Justice!" shouted Over Justice.
"Hey, Miss Kiryuin, if I'm heading off to other worlds, can you tell Nazuna – " said Michiru.
"We'll inform Miss Hiwatashi of your situation," Satsuki nodded understandingly. "And rest assured, she will be well taken care of in your absence."
"Thank you," said Michiru gratefully.
"So…how're we getting to the other world, anyway?" asked Galo, scratching the back of his head awkwardly.
"You can take the Space Patrol's ship! Justice!" Over Justice offered.
"Huh?! That pile of rusted scrap metal?!" Michiru screamed, her eyes bulging in panic. "You trying to kill us you sack of bones?!"
"Don't worry, it's perfectly safe!" said Over Justice confidently. Immediately two seconds later, the building rattles as an explosion is heard off in the distance. Over Justice's cellphone rings and he answer. "Yes, Over Justice speaking…. Uh-huh…uh-huh…all right. Justice!" He hangs up the phone. "So…the ship exploded again."
"You see!" Michiru yelled.
"You can take the Prometheus," Satsuki interrupted. "It's an experimental space craft we have been working on in secret, using the remains of the Parnassus left behind by the former owner of this tower. Not many are aware of its existence."
"The Parnassus?!" shouted Galo. "That thing that sucked the life out of bunch of innocent people?!"
"The engine has been modified by a collaboration with Dr. Ardebit, Inumuta, and Miss Kushinada," Satsuki explained. "It still runs on Promare energy, but it was provided voluntarily by your friend, Mr. Fotia. Thanks to him, the engine should run for several years before exhausting."
"That guy," said Galo proudly. "Always with the assist…."
"Now with the matter of transportation solved," said Satsuki, rising from her chair and gesturing to the two. "Michiru Kagemori, Galo Thymos, go forth and hunt down this 'Key!' Find and aid my sister in any way possible!"
"Yes, ma'am!" said Galos and Michiru, saluting in unison. Satsuki just had that natural authority to get anyone to do what she wants.
"And please…come back safely," Satsuki added with a gentle tone.
Michiru and Galo nodded. Together, they marched out of the office and made their way to the lab, where they would find their new ship and begin their unexpected new jpourney.
Their first stop: the Republic of Arland, and hopefully this mysterious "Key."
Leave it to Amanda to make more progress getting through Akko's thick skull better than anyone else.
Also, before we get any further, I want to make it clear that I will NOT incorporate the Keychains into this story. They really serve no purpose outside the game other than for looks and it's too much of a hassle to have to come up with new ones after each world. So, Akko's original Keyblade, which will appeared in the next chapter, will be its permanent form.