Friday 23rd September 2005, Luna Nova
"My first days at Luna Nova were a disaster, I was trying to impress with my magical ability, but I wasn'talways a good witch, in the books they said I was the future prodigy, but that's all a big lie, you probablyknow it from Akko, or something like that in fact I was as bad as she was in the first classes, I could even usemagic, but not in the best way, which ended up in a lot of disasters and I soon got the reputation of being abig fake around the school, that the cookie witch was nothing and was just pure marketing, until thebroomstick relay came along, this was where things would change, I had faith that this could be my bigchance to really turn things around, who knows, maybe this way I would become better seen with my flyingskills."
The time has come, the afternoon classes are over, I'm fed and warmed up, now all that's left is for everyone to go to their post, I've decided to stay at the last one, it seems that here people are more diverse with their brooms, I could try something different too, but I'm going with the normal broom anyway, I want to show that I can win without needing any help.
"Come on, Chariot, go to your post, we'll be ready to give you your bracelet" said Becca.
"At least with one thing we can hope that you won't embarrass yourself, so you don't spoil everything" said Daniella.
"I'm going to give my blood to win this one, but I need your help to get to the sector as quickly as possible" I tell them, just signalling with my thumbs,
I touch their hands and with that we separate, each of us going to our own sector, I'm already getting warmed up, ready for what's to come. When I land there I notice that Croix is there, she's not on a broom, that's very strange, very strange indeed, what is she planning with all this? Well, I'm hoping to find out what she's up to.
The other contestants are using ordinary brooms like me, so it's quiet, I hope I can attract attention, if it's level I think I can show more of my skill, come on Chariot, show everything you've got.
[...]
The race starts, we can see from a crystal ball that Becca didn't start very well, but even so she was flying as fast as she could, still trailing behind some people, but I'm not getting worried, I know I'm going to win.
"And Vivian from the lilac team is in the lead, it looks like they really have it in them to win this second attempt by the second year students!" Heather was commentating on the race in the background and we could hear the microphone very well.
My friend is trying to keep up with the others, I hope I can keep a good pace or when I pass Daniella I can gain more positions, if I fall too far behind I may have less chance of winning, it's my reputation here in Luna Nova that's at stake if I do badly I lose all the respect anyone would have for me.
Everyone on my side is just as apprehensive as I am, and the lilac team are really giving us a run for their money, showing that they're much better than everyone else, come on Chariot, don't lose hope.
[...]
They reach the second sector, Daniella is very angry, you can see her reaction, we're very far behind, I hope she can at least fly... Wow, she's even slower than Becca, what do you mean, I swore she was the faster of the two, especially as she's paid to be the best witch of the three of us, apparently I was wrong, I think it's going to be difficult to win anything in this.
The lilacs are still very consistent, they haven't lost the lead for anything, I can see Croix's face and she's still very focused, she hasn't taken the seriousness out of her face, it just shows that she's not messing around with this race
"And the lilacs are proving to be too superior, the lead is held by the second year girls, and Julia seems to be making an excellent flight, will the prodigy finally have her long-awaited victory and thus say that she can win it all? She seems very focused as we can see" said the commentator.
Well, my priority is what's going to happen in the race from now on with me, the rest is to be expected, apparently we're losing positions, Daniella is slower than I thought, which sucks, because she wanted to run here so much, so she wouldn't be embarrassed, but she's barely managing to stay ahead to help me, she really wanted to be carried in this race by me.
I'm really worried about that, she's not doing that well, while the girls from the lilac team are ahead, I'm going to have to make up for a lot of time that I'm behind, it's really bad.
[...]
Croix's friend lands, she hands over the bracelet which she then shows her what she's going to use and it looks like a hoover, where she stands on it and starts flying at high speed causing a bit of a shockwave, I was impressed, she made a flying hoover, how cool is that, this Croix is cooler than she looks.
"Woah look at that! It seems that Croix Meridies has come up with a more peculiar way of flying, instead of using a broom she's using a flying hoover! That's really impressive and just shows her style! This girl really wants to innovate!" Heather said, I was very impressed looking at this, but now it's my turn to start flying too.
I'm very impressed that Daniella comes in almost 10 seconds after Croix's match and now what? How am I going to win this? I'd have to pull off a miracle, if the course was longer I might even have a better chance, but I don't know if I can do it on this short course, especially at the speed Croix has reached.
"It took too long" I say to my colleague.
"Stop talking and get on with it, flying on a broomstick was never my skill, now get on with it" said the nervous girl, when I was the one who should have been angry with her after this waste of time.
I put on the bracelet and get on the broom, I'm one of the last places, now it's all or nothing, I'm going to show everyone that I can be the best, I'm going to overtake everyone somehow, we're in tenth place, I have to pass a lot of teams now, by the time I jump I'm already letting the magic build up.
When I get closer to the ground than the others, I launch the magic boost, it hits me like a kick with so much force, but it's already coming out at an enormous speed, which I'm already approaching and passing a few girls ahead, it's only a matter of time before I get ahead.
"Woah, it looks like freshman Chariot Du Nord, the little witch of the Cookies is no small feat on the broomstick, this drag you could feel the whole relay post in the sector shaking, are we going to have someone to contend with more this year? She's too far behind, I don't think so, her team was too under-performing for her to achieve anything" Don't say anything about my team, I'll show you I can do it.
Wow, the girls ahead don't even look like they're racing, I'm going at full speed here, just to catch up with Croix, I've already moved up to eighth, seventh, sixth place, passing them has been very easy, it's coming round the bends and I'm going to show that I can do it as well as my ancestors and my mum Laura.
The bend has arrived, I keep my concentration, fifth position is right on the bend, I pass her on the outside and I'm climbing another one, which I even realise they brake a lot in the bends, you can go all out in these parts
"Croix Meridies is really doing very well with his new invention, it's amazing that our prodigy has such good equipment that he can go round bends at a much higher speed than a broom, but look at that! Chariot Du Nord is doing it too! I think our prediction is going to stand out with all this, the little cookie witch isn't as bad as we thought she was" says the commentator and I don't say anything, I just keep concentrating.
The bends are going pretty smoothly, I'm up to P4, I'm already three behind, from the looks of it Croix is well ahead, but that's the least of it, even if I end up losing I've already managed to do a lot more than anyone else would be able to do, that much I'm sure of, come on I can see the third one too, it's less slow than the others, coming into another straight I'm coming out of the bends at full speed.
Concentrate Chariot, show them that you can be the best, that's it, everyone is watching you run with the broom, I even stay lower to reduce the air resistance which increases my speed, I pass P3 and now I'm really much closer to reaching Croix.
"It looks like the little cookie witch is in third place, she's won nine in this race alone, but now she's very close, will she make it? The pirouetting part is very technical and she'll have to show that she's in contention, while Croix Meridies is comfortably in the lead!" I'm still going to catch up, pirouetting is even easier.
I'm coming up to this part, the runner-up is very slow and braking hard, I'm not afraid at all, my eyes are on fire, I get close and I slow down very little, remembering all the training that Mum Laura did, she told me about this route and this type of bend, it's easy for someone like me who just goes through the rings and so I keep up the speed and momentum for the straight before the final bend and then the final straight, now it's just about reaching Croix.
I reach the straight, I feel the speed, I even lower myself to reduce the air resistance, it's my big chance, I
know I'm going to win, I'm going to win the Chariot Du Nord, I'm going to win the broom relay, I'm very focused on everything, but Croix is still out of sight.
"Look, it's a surprise, but the little witch from Cookies was the fastest in the pirouettes, even more than Croix Meridies who had to slow down a lot, are we going to have a historic turnaround, a first year student winning would be very epic!" It would be, but I'm at the limit of what I can do, I still can't reach it.
I'm getting close to the bend, as always on the straights, even sometimes my broom sparks, due to the action of the explosions of magic that I've been doing, I'm really not having any mercy in spending it all, victory is what matters to me, I approach the bend without reducing much and I'm already leaning in.
I'm very close to the ground, I put my knee on the grass, my thigh too, and everything is scraping by, which hurts a lot, but I'm managing to make the turn and come out of it with a lot of speed, I can see Croix near the finish line, this is my chance.
"Woah Woah Woah! She left a trail through the grass as she rounded the bend, Chariot Du Nord really did go all the way! This girl is very agile on the broom, but will she be able to win? She really deserves to win!" I hope so, now I've gone too fast and I must be bleeding from my leg, luckily no sticks caught it or I was lost.
I put my head down on the straight, I feel the broom even fighting against the wind and the speed, even with the force field to reduce drag I still have a bit of wind pushing, I see the Croix approaching the finish line. The broom must be bursting behind me, but it's my chance, I'm going to get very close, I hope, this thing is even getting closer to the ground to reduce drag, I arrive at the finish line and I don't know if I've won, only that I was on Croix's side and that everyone was jumping for joy in the stands, which I'm already braking the broom, with some pain in my leg.
"That was the most epic finish I've ever seen, who won? How do we know? Simply Chariot Du Nord shows all her skill, she really showed how far an ordinary broom can go, apparently Croix Meridies is still in shock from all this, did she miss her chance to win again?" I finally manage to put the brakes on the broom, landing and everyone's celebrating, it looks like I've won, doesn't it? I hope so, I was giving it my all.
I'm getting pains in my leg, barely keeping myself upright, but I think I've managed to show how monstrous I am, until it's shown in the crystal ball, Croix just beat me by a long shot, heh, I don't think I won this time, but I think I drew enough attention, I hope everyone will respect me better, I'm even leaning on one of the walls of the stands, with pains in my leg.
"It looks like the winner is Croix Meridies! She won the 2005 broomstick relay, the second year prodigy can finally win everything she can in Luna Nova!" I'm even smiling a little, she doesn't seem to be too happy about it.
"Wait a minute, she didn't win anything, this girl cheated, she used technology, Miss Meridies must be disqualified" said Professor Finnelan, arriving where Croix was.
"No!" I shout at everyone who looks at me.
"Are you really going to be stupid enough not to want to win and lose to a cheat?" She said.
"It's not against the rules, she beat me on her own terms, but next year I'm not going to take it so easy, I'm going to win and show that I can be the fastest too" I say pointing at Croix, who has the most neutral expression in the world.
"Miss Du Nord is right, there's nothing against the rules about using other means of flight, well in this one we can't disqualify Miss Meridies, so she's the champion of the broom relay" said Professor Nelson and at least one sensible person around here, it's very unfair that she should be disqualified for being so good.
With that the trophy is handed over to her and the Croix team arrives, the girl doesn't even smile for the photo, she just looks tired, as if she's exhausted all the time, but that's to be expected for a prodigy, while my friends are appearing, they don't seem at all happy with what I've done, but I just did the right thing, I won't regret it.
"I can't believe you threw that away" said Daniella.
"You're very stupid Chariot, I'd agree with her disqualification, now look it could only be us there, winning, but no you preferred to be the fair one, right now" Becca said.
"You two realise what you're talking about, real witches know when something is fair and unfair and they'll always fight for what's right, witches have to think for others too and not just their own noses, apart from the fact that I wouldn't accept a victory based on that, I want to beat Croix in a fair way" I tell them both.
"Fair way? She used a flying hoover and was faster with it, is that fair form?" I'd pass her if I had another metre of track.
"That's right, if you were faster we'd win, I gave it my all to win, next time we'll practise more for the broom relay, I'm going because you two are really unbearable" I said, picking up my broom and leaving.
I fly off towards the courtyard where it's emptier, at least this way I can be more alone, I'm even reflecting a little, gee I tried my hardest to win, but I lost in a fair way, these girls really only think about their noses, I do everything and they ahhhh, just because I'm embarrassed when it comes to doing other classes, it's not my fault that I'm really bad at them, I just didn't have time to learn these other things.
I'm just deep in thought, looking at the sky, in the background the excitement of the race, I think that now at least Croix must be very happy with me, she really is the prodigy, I know I did the right thing, it's not fair that technology is forbidden
"Hey" I hear a voice, without realising that someone has arrived and I look back, it's just her.
"Oh hello Croix" I say to her as she sits on a bench.
"Thanks for that strength, I couldn't have opened my mouth like that, I was so keen to win the broom relay" said Meridies, who seemed more sympathetic than the vision I had of her.
"Oh well, it was only right, you didn't seem very happy to have won" I say to her.
"Oh that's just a way of showing that I don't like things around here, I don't want to show that I'm the happiest person in this system, but anyway, I think it's a lot to explain to you, it's a form of rebellion on my part, but I'm really happy" Oh that's really interesting, but I don't know, there's no reason why it should be like that.
"I really don't understand the rebelliousness of the dead fish, but that's okay, I love what you've done to fly, it's quite ingenious" I say to her.
"Thank you and don't make fun of me with that, I know that on the first day of school you turned up in the library and spied on me, it's weird, I'm not an animal, I don't want you to do any weird experiments, I'm just a person" I really feel bad about it.
"Sorry, I just wanted to know more about you" I say to her.
"I think you already know that I'm not a very friendly person, in fact, here's a golden tip: don't trust teachers or students too much, these people aren't very trusting, they spread things about you or they try all the time to take away your advances, that's why I had this repercussion from Finnelan with my Roomba, I was only able to use it this once, now I'm going, thanks a lot" She flew out of there, I couldn't even talk to her about who I knew.
This Croix is really mysterious, but at the same time she's very interesting, I'm glad I finally got to meet her and talk to her, she's really cute and cuddly, even with that dead fish look when she takes the photos, now I'm going back to my room, there's not much to do, play a bit and enjoy the day.
I climb the stairs to my room, take a deep breath and open the door to find my mum sitting on the ottoman playing my SphereGame.
"Do you want to play too?" She said.
"Mum! You're here" I say excitedly, hugging her.
"Did you think I was going to lose the broom relay? For me you won morally, you may have lost out to Croix and April's technologies and all the money I lost betting with her, but in the end, you blew me away, your friends who are fucking slow, so train a bit more and next year it's yours" said Mum Laura and I smiled a lot.
"Thanks for everything Mum, I couldn't have done it without your help" she strokes my head and I pick up the remote control.
"Your control on the broom is very good, but what about your other lessons? I want to know about my little witch" said Mum McLaren.
"I don't know how I could have been so bad at everything, all these years of working and just doing basic magic have made me really bad at everything, I just wish I could be better, this way I'm really going to fall behind, I'm not going to be like you and Mum Bernadette" I say a little sheepishly.
"Oh girl, you don't have to be like us, Bernadette was forced to be the best by violence, she suffered a lot of abuse from her narcissistic mother and had to do everything to her expectations, I was trained to be a machine practically, my great-grandmother wanted to make me a better witch than she had ever been for fear of the return of a witch who almost killed the whole family, but it was that thing that I liked to do, I had the power of magic and enormous strength, I still do in fact, but in class, I was terrible at numerology and potions, I didn't learn it in depth, even my great-grandmother complained about it, I knew about numerology, but it was more a part that I felt than really knowing, but it was thanks to your mum that I was able to change that, she taught me better and I was able to understand, she saved me from failing" Wow, that makes sense then.
"If I get a clever friend then it might help me?" She starts laughing.
"It doesn't work like that girl, but she can help you, I met Bernadette without really wanting to, I just wanted some company to play and suddenly the girl from the blue team who treated me politely was a good choice, since April was... Rosemary, on the other hand, was spending the weekend with her boyfriend, I was left alone that afternoon and we started a friendship that later became what you know today" Woah, I've never heard that story before.
"So that's how it started?" I say all impressed.
"I don't think I've ever told you, have I? We were waiting for you to get older to understand that, I'll tell you more about how our relationship unfolded, while we play a little, later I'll go out with April, we have to go to the forest of Arcturus at night to find one of the ingredients to cure the curse" I hope everything works out, so the two of you can be together as a family.
I'm starting to play, listening to the mums' stories about how they met, I love spending time with her, at least it's fun, today's defeat is softened by this maternal affection, that's for sure next year I'll win, I'm also going to try a friendship with Croix, even though she's a year ahead she can help me with everything, I get confused with almost everything, I'm a joke as a witch, really, but how do I get through to her.
[...]
Wow, it was really fun to spend time with Mum, now it's dark, she's going out I think, just as the match finishes, so my roommates turn up just in time and of course Mum Laura waves to both of them, as if we were at home, they're both startled by her presence.
"Hey girls, you're just in time, I'm going now, but take good care of my daughter, I'm going, I have an important mission to do" said Mum McLaren, who walked over to the window and then threw herself out of it, waving at me and I waved back.
"Bye Mum, good luck with your search" I say happily, and the girls are a little dumbfounded.
"Mum? - That woman who paid for us to go for a walk is your mum, Laura McLaren? The same one who won the broom relay three times in a row, who also knows the legendary Bernadette Cavendish, do you have a connection with these people?" Daniella is shocked.
"Oh she's the redhead who won in '87, '88 and '89, she's great, you can tell just from the photos, she doesn't even look that much like you, I didn't know she was your mum, even more so given your age, she would have had you when she had just graduated, it doesn't even make sense" It makes sense what I'm about to tell you.
"I'm their adopted daughter" I explain to both of them.
"Now it makes sense, what do you mean them? Didn't Laura McLaren have a husband?" Oh, they're naive.
"Laura McLaren and Bernadette Cavendish are girlfriends, they only didn't get married because the law didn't allow it, at least the mundane law, but in witches' law they've been married since 1992, so yes I have two adoptive mums, but we've only lived together for a short time" I say to the two who are impressed.
"Why didn't you tell me you had this connection with the two of them? What do you mean they're a couple? All they say is that they were good friends, it only gets more confusing, I know they erase these things from
history, it's something I'm even more shocked about, especially because they have daughters! Not only are you their daughter, but they have two little girls, I've seen them a few times at events I go to in Edinburgh, I remember only seeing Diana recently, the other daughter I've never seen, but I know she exists, how? This is really bizarre, it must have been painful for them to have to give themselves to a guy or they must have done it in vitro" Little do they know what really happened.
"You're silly, you have no idea what's happened, but it's bizarre, let's make a move" I say to both of them.
"I want to process all of this, you've just revealed the gossip of the year, Bernadette Cavendish's lost daughter, Laura McLaren's lost daughter, they were both talking about something like that, about a daughter that was taken away from them in 2000, now everything is intertwined, that's why you have that broomstick flying technique, you just missed learning more magic with them, but you can take it in your stride, you were just a child when they took you away from them, well... I need to think about what happened" Daniella seemed shocked, while Becca just shrugged.
We even started playing games, looking at the screen, for me it's just my mum, she's the one who knows all these stories, it's really different, well I hope nobody knows about this kind of thing, it could ruin my life around here, even my mums, this is the kind of rumour that could get into the wrong hands.
"That's great that you have two mums, I wish that were possible, two mums seems like the perfect combination, my mum's all right, but she's a real cunt when my dad's around, she seems to change from one moment to the next" said the blonde and I just carried on playing.
"It's really nice, my two mums were very attentive and gave me all the love and support I needed, I really lived in paradise, any toy I wanted I had, anything I could have, as long as I was an obedient child and I always was, they also helped, it was really nice, they taught me things, everything I could to be the person I am today, that I don't have to give up on my dreams, but it all came crashing down in 2000, when I went to live with my alcoholic father, he's very homophobic and wouldn't accept that I had two mums, which they even hid from him, since the adoption was in my mum Bernadette's name because she had British citizenship, so it's quite complex" I tell her.
"And where did you get off being the cookie witch in that?" She asks
"My father didn't want me to have the money to go to Luna Nova and he didn't want me here at all, so I went there and made my own money, I needed 300,000 francs at the time, but it wouldn't be easy, my father made me pay for all the household expenses and practically support everything, I was already working like an adult at the age of 11, that's why I made the little cookie witch in Annecy" I explain to her.
"Was that it? You were in need and suffering family abuse? That's awful, I thought it was just a joke, but it was just your way of making ends meet, I'm sorry for being so mean" said Leyland.
"I know, I know, but what can I do? Nobody knows the story and nobody wants to know, so let's keep playing" I tell them.
"You should try other things, it could ruin your reputation as a witch, being a witch is serious, not a street performer" Daniella said and I still disagree, I can be an incredible witch.
And I'm going to be one, I'm just here to one day boost my career as a stage performer, I'm going to show the world how enchanting magic is, I'm going to be able to be responsible for creating several generations of witches, create a magic revolution in the world, I know I can do anything.
"I didn't win the broom relay, but I ended up earning Croix's respect, even if I didn't earn Luna Nova'srespect, things even seemed like they could be perfect if it wasn't for the fact that Daniella is someone whosucks a lot, she was very shocked by the news and obviously it would leak all over Luna Nova soon, shewould start gossiping from one to the other and in a few days it would reach Croix."
See you, broom racer witches...