It was on that day, she decided, on June 25th of her sixth year, that her life was changed forever. For it was on that special day that she found not only her destiny, but also a lifelong friend.
The Japan National Stadium was packed to the breaking point; every seat had been filled, so a good number of people had to stand in the aisles. But none of them complained; they were just grateful they were able to attend the event that was about to take place. No, it wasn't the Olympics – they could never draw in this much of a crowd – but the final round of the International Magic Tournament; a grand spectacle where the greatest witches from around the world competed for honor and glory (and a good bit of coin didn't hurt.) And it was here where our story begins:
["Mommy, daddy, hurry, hurry!"} a young girl practically screamed in Japanese, bounding down the aisle three steps at a time with complete disregard for the other patrons that only a child could get away with.
Her name was Atsuko Kagari, but all her friends called her Akko. A chubby-cheeked Japanese girl with messy chestnut-brown hair, a section of which was pulled back into half a ponytail, and large crimson eyes that sparkled with glee as she bounced down the steps. For this momentous occasion, she had dressed up to look her best: her pointed hat (bought at the souvenir store), her cape (one of her old bed sheets), and her own magic staff (okay, it was a toy, but it was still cool!)
Akko spun around, looking up the stairs as her parent sidled their way through the crowd, apologizing to everyone she had bumped into, and shouted impatiently, ["Hurry, hurry! It's about to start!"]
["The show's not going anywhere, Akko,"] said her father calmly. ["Just settle down…"]
Akko puffed out her cheeks in annoyance. Grow-ups just didn't understand! It was her birthday, and her most favoritest witch of all time was in Japan for one day only! She didn't want to miss it!
She paced the spot until her parents finally made it down the stairs. After her father checked the seating on their tickets, the three of them slid their way down the row, her parents apologizing to the seated patrons while Akko couldn't care less. They came to the three empty chairs in the middle of the row and Akko practically flew into the seat on the end, almost bouncing herself out in all the excitement. Their seats were in a great spot (they had better be for the amount of yen it cost her parents). They were facing directly at midfield and they were up a decent enough height so that Akko had a good view in either direction. She only hoped the fans in front of her didn't start standing up and block her view.
As her parents took their seats, Akko looked around when she noticed the person sitting directly to her left.
She was a little girl around Akko's age, but with a pale skin tone, the brightest blue eyes Akko had ever seen, and hair that reminded her of a head of cabbage. Akko had never seen anyone like her before; she looked foreign. Just like Akko, she had her own pointed hat and cape, but hers looked like they had been handcrafted by a professional. She was clenching a card in her hands and staring ahead at their field with an excited twinkle in her eyes.
She seemed to notice Akko staring, because a second later, she turned her head to the Japanese girl with an inquisitive look. Rather than feeling awkward like most grown-ups would, Akko smiled brightly and gave a friendly wave.
["Hi! I'm Akko!] said Akko friendly. [What's your name?"]
The blonde girl blinked and tilted her head at Akko, looking rather confused. It suddenly occurred to Akko that the foreign girl might not understand Japanese.
Just as Akko considered using mime to translate, the foreign girl tugged at the sleeve of the woman sitting next to her, who looked like she could be her mother. The girl said something in a language Akko couldn't understand – was that English? – and the mother smiled mirthfully with an understanding nod.
The mother reached into her bag and suddenly pulled out a book and started flipping through the pages. But it wasn't just any old book. Akko's jaw dropped in awe when she spotted the five four-point stars on the book's cover. It's a Grimoire, Akko screamed in her head. A book of magic!
Then that could only mean…this woman is a witch!
After finding what she was looking for, the woman said something in her native language her Grimoire briefly flashed a pale-yellow light. That same light covered Akko and the foreign girl, who rounded to her and said, "I'm sorry, I didn't catch that. What did you say?"
"Whoa, I can understand you!" Akko shouted, awestruck. "Can you understand me?"
"Yes," the foreign girl nodded. "Mama used a translation spell so we can understand each other."
"So your mom is a witch!" said Akko excitedly. "That's so cool! I've never actually met a witch in person! Are you a witch, too?"
"No, but I will be when I get my Grimoire someday," said the foreign girl, giggling. Akko thought it sounds like wind chimes. "I'm Diana Cavendish. What's your name?"
"Atsuko Kagari," Akko answered, grinning. "But my friends call me Akko. Where're you from?"
"England," said Diana. "Mama brought us tickets."
"Wow, you came all the way from England?" said Akko in amazement. She didn't know much about geography, but she did know about England because that's where her favoritest witch studied. "That's so cool! Who're you rooting for? I'm cheering for Shiny Chariot! She's the greatest witch in the whole world!"
"Isn't she?" said Diana with equal enthusiasm. "Her magic is so amazing! And she's always so confident and levelheaded even when facing powerful opponents!"
"I know, right!" Akko exclaimed gleefully. "Shiny Chariot is so cool! I have almost all her cards except the super rare premium 'A Believing Heart is your magic' card."
"You mean…this one," said Diana in a teasing sort of voice as she flipped the card in her hand around.
Akko let out an overdramatic gasp. There, only a few inches from her face, was the fabled card that Akko had desired for so long. It was the most beautiful things she had ever seen (Well, considering she was only six, that didn't mean much). The luminescent image of her idol surrounded by many ethereal creatures, a bird stretching its wings behind her as if she had become an angel. If her parents hadn't taught her better, Akko would have considered snatching it out of Diana's hands and running away with it.
"A super rare premium 'A Believing Heart is your magic' card!" Akko squealed. "I can't believe you have a super rare premium 'A Believing Heart is your magic' card! Those are super expensive! Where'd you get it?"
"My mama gave it to me for my birthday," said Diana proudly. "It's my treasure."
"Lucky…," Akko said, pouting.
The Kagaris and Diana's mother watched their daughters interact, smiling amusingly to one another.
Suddenly, all the lights in the stadium went out at the same time. A surprised and almost frightened murmur passed across the audience. Then, a single spotlight popped in the middle of the field from a magical ball of light in the sky, illuminating a woman with fiery-orange hair dressed in a referee's uniform. Excitement welled up in Akko's chest as the woman whipped out a microphone, tapping the speaker to test the sound, and shouted out with great passion:
"Are you ready for some magic?!" She paused briefly as the audience screamed back their approval. "Well, you're in for a real treat today! Coming to you live from Japan, it's the finals of the International Magic Tournament! I'm your host for today's festivities, Aria O'Neill!
"Over the past six weeks, we have had many famous and fabulous witches duking it out for the chance to test their magical might all over the world and make their mark in history! From the frozen plains of the Siberian tundra to the humid grounds of the African Rainforest to the towering spires of New York City! This tournament started with over eighty witches, and now it's come down to these two! So whaddya say we stop wasting each other's time and bring them out already?"
The crowd roared with anticipation. Akko and Diana were screaming their little lungs out that Diana had to pause for a moment to breath, goggling Akko as she kept going.
Aria swept her arm to the left and said, "In this corner is the hardcore rock star legend whose latest album has gone double-platinum, and now she's looking to add the title of Magic Champion to her list of accomplishments! The Magical Mistress of Music, it's Marjolaine Vee!"
Another magical spotlight exploded over the left end of the field. Standing underneath was young and fashionable-looking witch with dark-green hair that was combed into a large ridge that fell over the right side of her face. She definitely had the vibe of a rock star, Akko agreed, just based on the way she dressed with a deep-maroon color scheme and exposed enough skin without it being considered inappropriate. Marjolaine waved politely to the screaming fans, no doubt accustomed to the attention.
A moment later, Aria swept her hand to the right and yelled, "And in this corner in the spunky newcomer that is making waves in the magical world! Despite only graduating from Luna Nova last year, this young witch has fought her way to the final stage of the tournament and looking good while doing it! Going by the moniker Shiny Chariot, it's Chariot Du Nord!"
"Shiny Chariot!" Akko and Diana squealed in unison, unknowingly holding hands as they did.
A third magical spotlight flashed on the opposite side of the field. There, for the first time ever,
Akko got a real glimpse of her beloved idol.
She was definitely younger than Marjolaine, looking like she was barely on the cusps of adulthood, but she stood tall with her fists on her hips and a confident grin on her lips. A messy mop of apple-red hair was half hidden under her white pointed hat, matching the color of her eyes. Her outfit was flashy in a way where she could flaunty her youth that Marjolaine couldn't, from her unnecessarily short skirt to the ample exposure of her cleavage. It was easy to see why many adults (mostly men) were fond of her, but not Akko. She loved Shiny Chariot for a more genuine reason –
"All right, ladies, you know the rules!" Aria's voice cut through the stadium. "Each of you is equipped with a special device that will monitor the amount of magical damage you take, which will be displayed here" – two screens popped up in the air; one for Marjolaine and one for Shiny Chariot, both with empty meters below their pictures – "the amount of damage you take will differ depending on the strength of the spell used. Once the damage meter is full, you will be considered KO'd, even if you still have the strength to fight. The person who KO's their opponent wins!"
"Now, it's time to reveal the field they will be competing on!" Aria announced. "Light – on!"
Aria snapped her fingers and all at once the stadium lights flashed on all at once, nearly blinding entire audience who had just adjusted to the darkness. Akko blinked the spot out of her eyes as her vision slowly started to clear. When she looked back down onto the field, she couldn't hold back the excited yell in the back of her throat; Diana made a similar noise next to her.
What had once been flat, smooth turf was somehow transformed into a treacherous rock valley in the ten short minutes that the lights were off. The ground was uneven and broken in many places, gigantic rock spires formed a forest of stone in the middle, and high plateaus rose on either side of the field where Marjolaine and Shiny Chariot stood waiting for their cue. Aria the judge hovered the terrain riding a broom with the magical spotlight still following her.
"The final round will take place in the Messier Crag," said Aria. "where our contestants will not only have to battle each other, but the unstable environment as well!
"All right, the field is set, the rules are explained, so now it's time to get into the action!" Aria declared to a howling audience. "Contestants, are you ready?"
"Don't cry if you end up losing, kid," Marjolaine taunted playfully.
"Try not to break a hip, granny," Chariot retorted, laughing at the throbbing vein visible on Marjolaine's temple even from a distance.
"All right, ladies, enough smack talk!" said Aria. "The final round of the International Magic Tournament begins in 3…2…1…"
"You can do it, Shiny Chariot!" Diana cheered.
"Kick her butt!" Akko screamed, pumping her fists over her head excessively.
"START!"
A loud buzzer roared from the stadium's sound system, and both witches launched themselves into the field.
Chariot sprinted out of the gate, weaving through the towering pillars with her cape whipping behind her. She jumped over a large crack that would have destroyed her ankles if she hadn't seen it and arrived where the half-field line would usually be when she suddenly stopped in her tracks. She looked around the forest of stone, trying to drown out the rumble of the crowd, when she realized something was out of place.
She couldn't see Marjolaine anywhere. Chariot knew she was fast on her feet, but that wasn't any reason she should have….
Chariot's musing was broken when she heard a trembling roar on her right that most certainly was not the crowd's cheering. For one thing, it was getting closer as well as louder with each second that passed. Chariot went momentarily bug-eyed before she threw herself to the side just before a column of air pressure blasted through the area where she had been standing, ripping apart the ground and shattering several pillars like they were made of glass.
Chariot pushed herself up to a kneel, blinking astonishingly at the level of destruction, before glancing in the direction it came from. Standing atop one of the stone pillars with her arms crossed dramatically, Marjolaine smirked amusingly as her Grimoire hovered in front of her. The cover was deep maroon just like her outfit and the five cyan stars forming the shape of a musical note.
She looked up at the damage meter, noticing that Chariot only received a small sliver of green added to hers. With a huff, the rock star witch flipped through the pages of her Grimoire again until she found what she was looking for.
"Song Magic: Death Metal Devastation!" yelled Marjolaine.
The rock star witch lurched forward and let out an ear-splitting screech that transformed into a stream of solid air pressure, tearing up the ground as it flew over. Chariot took cover behind one of the rock pillars, but Marjolaine's song magic smashed through with ease, kicking up a humongous cloud of smoke and gravel.
Akko and Diana gasped, grasping each other's hands supportively without realizing it.
Marjolaine smirked proudly as she watched the dirt cloud drift slowly across the field then looked up at the damage monitor. To her immense satisfaction, that one spell had managed to fill up one-third of Chariot's meter. She raised her Grimoire preparing to use the same spell again when she caught something zooming out of her peripherals. Something white had shot out of the dust cloud and hovered in the air over the field. It was Shiny Chariot! The young witch's outfit was noticeably scuffed and she had several scratches on her exposed skin, but otherwise appeared unharmed.
The crowd exploded into cheers; Akko and Diana were probably the loudest among them.
As she glided over the terrain, locking eyes with Marjolaine from a distance, Shiny Chariot undid the clasp of the bag attached to the back of her belt and opened the flap. Her Grimoire levitated out and floated in front of Chariot. The book had a pure-white cover with a golden binding and not four, not five, but seven lime-green, four-point stars on the face aligned in the pattern of the Big Dipper.
"There it is!" Diana squealed excitedly.
"Shiny Chariot's one-of-a-kind Seven Star Grimoire!" Akko cheered.
Chariot's Grimoire flew open unaided and turned to a seemingly random page in the middle. The book briefly flashed with a lime-green glow. Something began to materialize from the pages of the Grimoire, rising from the book like a sword being drawn from its sheath. It was a lightly-colored staff with a golden ornament at the top and embedded with seven crystals also in the shape of the Big Dipper. Chariot snatched up the staff and twirled it in her hand with a dramatic flair.
"It's the Shiny Rod!" said Diana.
"That's your Shiny Rod that everyone keeps talking about!" Marjolaine shouted harshly. "What a stupid name! Song Magic: Death Metal Devastation!"
The rocker witch shouted another volley of solidified air pressure in the sky toward Chariot. Chariot, however, only smirked. The redheaded witch twirled the Shiny Rod in her hands and the magical tool seemingly unraveled into threads of light, its seven crystals glimmering amid the tangle, and bound together into a new shape. What had once been a staff had transformed into a smooth gilded broomstick with three straw bosoms. Chariot gripped the neck of the newly made broom and pulled it over her shoulder as Marjolaine's spell approached –
"Wind Magic: Balai Bellows!" yelled Chariot.
Chariot swung her broomstick across the air. In that instant, Marjolaine's spell was swallowed by a tidal wave of gale force winds so powerful it nearly launched the audience out of their seats. Marjolaine threw up her arms over her face to protect herself from the harsh tempest, which matter very little as the heavy winds lifted the rock star off her feet and threw her across the field, smashing her through a rock pillar. Marjoline's damage meter filled with a quarter of green.
Shiny Chariot flipped on to the broomstick with a theatrical flair, standing perfectly balanced on the tool's thin neck like a trained acrobat. The broomstick allowed her to stay aloft as she waved to the cheering crowd, reveling in their praise. But in her moment of distraction, the young performer was almost thrown off when a large chunk of rock flew past her face. She looked back down at the field to see Marjolaine emerging from the rubble, her clothes dirty and her face scratched up, but otherwise okay.
"Lucky shot!" Marjolaine declared. Her Grimoire rose to her side and flipped automatically to another page. "Song Magic: Ballade of Blades!"
Marjolaine sang a long, high-pitched note like she was singing an opera. Dozens of foot-long daggers made of solidified air formed around her. She sent the blades flying with a motion of her hands, still maintaining that high note.
Seeing more than twenty air knives flying toward her caused Chariot to panic and fell backward on her broom, accidentally dodging several that flew past her face. The redheaded witch twisted around so that she properly straddled the broom and flew out of the way of the rest of the knives. Chariot appeared relieved for a moment, believing herself to be safe. But when she looked back over her shoulder, the air daggers had curved around and started chasing her like a swarm of angry bees. She dived down into the stone forest, swerving around the stone columns in hopes of shaking them off, but the blades weaved around the obstacles flawlessly and continued their relentless pursuit.
"Shiny Chariot's in trouble!" Akko gasped, shaking her fist. "Hey, stop chasing Shiny Chariot you stupid…whatever!"
"It's Marjolaine!" Diana said. "She's controlling where the spells are going! Shiny Chariot needs to take her out!"
As if she had heard Diana, Chariot looked around toward Marjolaine, who was still maintaining that high note (wow, those are some powerful lungs, she thought.) But while she looked away, one of the song daggers flew by and sliced a clean line across her left bicep, spilling a small trail of blood (and increasing her damage bar). Grimacing, Chariot looked back at the flock of blades still chasing her, then flattened herself against her broomstick, shooting across the field like a rocket. Despite going at what seemed like the speed of sound, Chariot expertly navigated her way through the stone forest and was swiftly approaching Marjolaine.
Marjolaine ended her spell when she noticed Chariot heading her way and rapidly flipped through her Grimoire. The spell book flashed with power as Marjolaine reeled her head back, taking a deep breath:
"Song Magic: Bolero Breath!"
Marjolaine sang again, but this time in a deep, resonating note. The air solidified around the rock star, curving and molding until it formed a perfect sphere. It was a barrier; even Akko could recognize that. Marjolaine must have actually been worried if she needed to go on the defensive.
But if Chariot was put off by Marjolaine's defense, she didn't show it. The young witch jumped off her broomstick, sliding her feet across the ground less than ten feet away from her opponent, and caught the broomstick in the air, which had reverted back into its staff form. Chariot's Seven Star Grimoire appeared at her side, glowing with a lime-green aura. She raised the Shiny Rod with both hands over her head as it unraveled once more, transforming into a great gilded axe blade.
"Earth Magic: Shattering Gaia!"
Chariot slammed her Shiny Axe into the ground, creating a row of stone spikes from the ground. They slithered across the terrain like an ominous serpent toward Marjolaine. While her barrier was able to deflect the spikes from the outside, she neglected to realize the sound shield didn't protect her from the ground beneath her feet. As such, a colossal spear of stone rose underneath and pierced her shoulder, tossing the rock star in the air.
Marjolaine hit the ground with her back, wincing from the open wound, and looked up at the damage board apprehensively. Chariot's spell had filled up two-thirds of her meter. Marjolaine cursed under her breath.
"Yeah, go, Shiny Chariot!" Akko was beside herself, screaming herself hoarse.
"She really can use more than one Natural Element," Diana murmured in awe.
"Okay, okay, I admit, you're good for a kid," Marjolaine complimented. Chariot, however, stood her ground, having shifted her weapon back to its staff form. "But I can't let myself get beat by some newcomer fresh out of school. It would make me look bad. Sorry, But I'm not pulling any more punches," Her Grimoire flipped to a new page, which glowed ominously. "Song Magic: Ragna-Rock!"
Marjolaine screamed another long note – this one more powerful than any before. It reverberated throughout the stadium, rattling Akko and Diana's bones. The air in the stadium began to thin as shapes of solidified wind appeared on the field. First it was a ten-foot claw, which was attached to a thick arm, which was connected to a broad chest. Three more limbs took shape, a long tail lashed behind it, bat-like wings stretched into the night sky, and a lengthy neck gave way to a horned head with glowing yellow eyes.
In seconds, a massive dragon made of solid wind pressure filled half the stadium. When it roared, Akko could feel the ground quaking beneath them.
"What is that?" Akko shrieked, taking shelter behind her homemade cape.
"It's Marjolaine's most powerful spell: Ragna-Rock!" cried Diana. "No one's ever beaten it before!"
"But…but Shiny Chariot can, right?" asked Akko timidly, peeking over her cape to her idol down on the field. "She's the greatest witch of all time…."
To her credit, Chariot did not shy away from the massive wind dragon when so many would tremble in fear. Whether brave or foolish, Shiny Chariot stared straight into the glowing eyes of the dragon as if challenging it. The great dragon rumbled and, with a wave of Marjolaine's hands, stomped forward toward its prey.
And still, Chariot did not flinch or back away, even as the crowd urged her to run. Instead, the redheaded witch took a deep, cleansing breath and raised the Shiny Rod in front of her. The magical tool unraveled for a third time and reformed into a gleaming gilded bow with a string that glowed like a thread of moonlight. Chariot furrowed her brow and took aim at the summoned beast.
"Light Magic!" Chariot chanted as she pulled back the silver string, conjuring an arrow of neon-green light. "Shiny Arc!"
Chariot loosened her fingers and allowed the arrow to fly, a powerful shockwave exploding across the field upon release. It sailed through the air toward the hulking wind beast, which opened its mighty jaws and swallowed the projectile whole.
A moment of tense silence fell over the stadium….
Suddenly, Majolaine's conjured monster began to groan loudly, as if it were suffering from a severe case of indigestion. Majolaine looked up at her summon with a quirked brow, still holding the note, when she noticed a bead of green light forming in the belly of her beast and slowly expanding. Within seconds, her Ragna-Rock spell was glowing with the same energy as Chariot's spell, moaning like a wounded beast. And before Marjolaine knew what to do, the wind dragon detonated in a burst of light.
Marjolaine, who was standing right next to the dragon, was blown off her feet, feeling the radiance of Chariot's magic burning against her skin. She was thrown all the way back to the raised plateau at the end of the field and slammed the back of her head into the rock wall, knocking her unconscious (and filling her damage meter.) The energy inside the dragon shot into the starry sky above and exploded into a shower of colorful fireworks.
Akko and Diana watched without blinking, thoroughly enraptured.
"And that's the match!" Aria O'Neill shouted over the loudspeakers as the airhorn went off (Where had she been this whole time?) "In a stunning and rather theatrical performance, the winner of the International Magic Tournament is…Chariot 'Shiny Chariot' Du Nord!"
Akko and Diana were nearly deafened by the sheer volume of the audience's cheers. Everyone had jumped out of their seat and was either screaming or clapping with roaring enthusiasm, but were also blocking the girls' view of the field, much to their displeasure.
Meanwhile, Chariot used her sleeve to wipe the sweat off her brow, her body feeling heavy with exhaustion. But before she could even consider the possibility of relaxing after a long, hard-fought battle, Aria O'Neill swooped into her personal space, practically shoving the microphone in Chariot's face.
"Chariot Du Nord, you have just set the record for the youngest champion of the International Magic Tournament," declared Aria, "defeating the most talented and experienced witches one year after graduation, and established yourself as one of the most powerful witches of the age. What are you planning on doing next?"
Chariot paused for a moment, tapping her chin and looking up thoughtfully. A sly grin crossed her lips after a few seconds, then she snatched the microphone out of Aria's hands and turned to face the general audience. Thankfully, the crowd had finally sat back down in their seats, allowing Akko and Diana to see their idol…who was staring in their direction!
"You give me too much credit," said Chariot, sounding humble despite her cocky smirk, "but I still have a long way to go until I reach my goal. And trust me, I do have a goal. You say I'm one of the best, but I plan on being the best." An excited murmur passed around the crowd as the realization of her words washed over them. "That's right, I'm aiming straight for the top! One day, I will become…" She pointed a finger dramatically to the stars, "the Magic Empress!"
"The Magic Empress…," Akko repeated in awe.
"The number one witch in the entire world…," Diana muttered.
Aria retook her microphone, looking a little peeved Chariot stole it in the first place, and said, "That's a pretty lofty goal you're aiming for. You know every witch in the world in going to be gunning for that spot. You'll have to go through the strongest, the smartest, the fastest, and most experience witches on the planet before you can even think about sitting on the throne. You really think you have what it takes to be number one?"
"As long as I believe in myself and my magic, anything is possible," said Chariot, looking out to the crowd once more. More specifically, she seemed to be staring intently at two starry-eyed girls dressed in capes and pointed hats, hanging on to her every word. "Never forget, a Believing Heart is your magic."
In that moment, Akko felt a strange sensation wash over her. She couldn't describe the feeling, but it made her skin tingle like static electricity and her heart suddenly sped up for a quick second. And just as fast as the feeling came, it was gone again. What was that, Akko thought to herself….
Aria opened her mouth to say something when Chariot suddenly aimed her bow into the sky and shouted, "Dark Magic: Dimensional Gateway!"
She pulled back the string of her bow and formed another arrow – this one made from black energy – and loosened it toward the sky. The arrow flew high above the stadium where it seemingly punctured a hole into space itself, creating a swirling vortex of many lights. While everyone looked slack jawed at the portal, Chariot twirled her bow and reshaped it into her broomstick again. The redheaded witch hopped onto the broom like a surfboard, shooting straight into the air and flying into the mouth of the vortex, which immediately closed behind her.
And just like that, she was gone, leaving a stunned audience in her wake.
"…Well, she certainly knows how to make an exit," Aria spoked up after an awkward pause. "Um…well, I guess that's the end of that! Thank you all for being here for this spectacular event! Drive home safely and please join us again next year where our champion hopefully doesn't go running off again before we start handing out the prizes! This is Aria O'Neill saying good night and keep the magic alive!"
The crowd started to rise from their seats and shove their way towards the exits, excited chatter mingling in the air as everyone talked enthusiastically about their favorite parts of the match….
Everyone except Akko and Diana.
Even while their parents were getting ready to leave, the two girls remained in their seats, staring up into space where their idol had disappeared. Diana clutched her treasured Shiny Chariot card against her chest, letting out a breath she didn't realize that she had been holding.
"Shiny Chariot…," Diana exhaled softly. "She…really is amazing, isn't she?"
"Yeah…," Akko murmured, barely breathing herself. "Hey…Diana…."
"Hmm?" Dian hummed.
"Do you think…I could be an amazing witch like Shiny Chariot someday?" asked Akko, still staring into space. "I mean, I know I don't come from a witch family like everyone else does. But…I can still be a witch someday if I work hard, right?"
Diana blinked and glanced sideways at her new friend. She suspected that Akko might not have come from a witch's family when the Japanese girl saw her mother's grimoire. Though young, Diana knew that first generation witches were almost unheard of in the modern world and that Grimoires were typically passed down to those who came from a magical lineage like hers. But instead of telling her that, Diana gave a kind smile and said:
"It'll be hard," Diana admitted, "but if you believe strong enough, I bet a Grimoire will choose you some day. No, I know it will. Like Shiny Chariot always says, 'A Believing Heart – "
" – is your magic," said Akko, smiling appreciatively. The Japanese girl turned in her seat, facing Diana fully with a determined look. "Then…let's make a promise, Diana!"
"A promise?" Diana repeated curiously.
"When we grow up, let's get our Grimoires together," said Akko, clenching her fists with resolve. "Then we'll both become amazing witches who protect the world and make people smile, just like Shiny Chariot." She held out her littlest finger to the English girl. "Pinkie promise."
Diana goggled at the brunette child, taken aback by her level of conviction in her words. She was absolutely serious; anything to argue against her would likely fall on deaf ears. Diana giggled, but not in a mean way, then raised her hand to loop her littlest finger with Akko's.
"Pinkie promise," said Diana
It was on that day, she decided, on June 25th of her sixth year, that her life was changed forever. For it was on that special day that she found not only her destiny, but also a lifelong friend.
After that day, Akko and Diana went their separate ways, living their lives in their own countries, but they remained connected by a dream (and the miracle of modern technology.)
Diana would continue to study diligently in her family's manor, driven by the promise she made as a child, even when the day came that she would have to say goodbye to her ailing mother. She would not let sadness, or anger, or regret consume her, because she knew there was someone who was waiting for her. Someone who shared the same dream as her.
Akko would continue to put all her effort into learning magic in her modest home, driven by the promise she made as a child, even when it seemed like she would never achieve any progress. She would never give up and never back down when all seemed hopeless, because she knew there was someone who was waiting for her. Someone who shared the same dream as her.
Time marched on, and in the blink of an eye, ten years had already passed….
