Chapter 38

Diana had no idea how Professor Ursula managed to use the interrogation room for her meeting with Akko possible without the interference of the institution's guards or the coppers. Especially since Detective Inspector Croix was supposedly being MIA.

"Diana?" a voice called uncertainly, peeking through the door.

"Akko!" Diana's lips instinctively curved upwards at the sight of her. She momentarily forgot that she was chained to the table because she wanted to reach out to her.

The Japanese girl grabbed the chair and adjusted it so she can sit down. "I vaguely remember this. This was similar to when Sergeant Kinsley went nuts."

Diana smiled. "I was watching over you from the other side."

"Sucy told me that Loa was controlling the man all the time while she was here with us—oh! Loa is the doll's name." She quickly added when she saw Diana's frown. "You know about the voodoo doll right?"

Diana attempted to show a regal posture and expression. "I was briefed last night. The existence of a doll as a medium to be able to put a curse on people is a concept that is of little use in making me understand the nature of magic. They do, however, help me enter the mind that belongs to Sucy Manbavaran. Not a long walk, I confess. "

Akko stared at the wall beside them. "Chariot, Croix, and the witches are over there looking through the one-sided mirror."

That answered the question that lingered before Akko came in then. Perhaps, they enchanted someone to let this happen. It could have been an easier spell rather than erasing people's memories after they found out that their prisoner was out of her cell.

Akko chuckled. "I don't know why they would think it's necessary for them to listen to our conversation like this. So? What do you want from me?"

"Please help me, Akko." She said, no longer beating around the bush.

"I don't see how I can help you with your situation."

"I know you have the evidence to prove my innocence by presenting anything about Sucy Manbavaran. You are a viable witness!"

"Oh, Diana. I'm sorry, but I don't know anything about what you're saying."

"The more you play dumb, the less likely am I to help you," Diana said. "I know you are trying to find a way to stop her. Please, Akko. We know for a fact that she is obsessed with you. Who is to say she would not harm you someday?"

"I don't need your help, Diana," Akko said, refusing to meet her gaze. "At least, not anymore, I've managed to do fine on my own and I don't know why Chariot wants me to talk to you about this when clearly, they're planning to do you a jailbreak instead of fighting the pieces of evidence presented in court."

Akko pushed her chair backward, getting up to leave.

Diana had been told about the jailbreak, alright. Being guilty in the eyes of the general public wasn't the issue anymore. Now, it's more of a safety procedure so Sucy couldn't get to her. Everybody knows Sucy will use her dark magic to finally finish what she started.

But Diana still needed Akko's help—her cooperation. She never wanted to hide all her life. She never dreamed of living in a possible life to hide away as a most wanted criminal in the shadows.

"Do you not think that we could save a lot of people if you would just let us help each other?" Diana asked, desperate to convince her. "You know a lot of things about her. You can help me. All we need is a witness to send the investigation in the right direction."

However, Akko didn't want any part of it. She had by now reached for the doorknob.

"Akko..." Diana called. Her voice was rough and pleading. She hoped the girl would turn around and look at her. She wished for it to happen so badly.

Akko did. Her eyes shone with little tears forming as if it pained her so much to do so. Her lips quivered, a little bit hesitant to speak. "Do you have any idea what I've been through, Diana? Do you know why I'm doing this? All the acts I put up, all the secrets I kept, and all the holy waters I wished that would save her when we're supposed to be normal kids who should have normal high school problems? Can you explain my actions? Can you posit my intentions? What would be your theory of my mind?"

Diana nibbled her lower lip. Akko's friend was a psychopath, and she learned sociopathic behavior as a result to cope and to survive. Though, Diana wasn't going to utter that out loud.

"There's nothing right?" Akko strode towards her, planting her palms to the table's surface, hovering over the chained girl. "You have an understanding of my state of mind, but since you fancied me, your judgment has been clouded. You don't try to read pass me, Diana. You don't know me as much as you thought. That gave me the capacity to deceive you."

"You have no understanding of yourself either, Akko. You and I... we are just alike. Though, you exhibited the normal behavior of capture-bonding. It is a passive psychological response to a new master. It is been an essential survival tool for a million years. You bond with your captor, you survive. If you failed to, you are dead. We both became victims of Sucy Manbavaran, and my mistake was fighting her head on. I failed to realize that I was beneath her."

"If I know something, I am not a victim. Victims don't know the meaning of their suffering. I am an enemy or a collaborator, not a victim." Akko said.

Diana's throat constricted upon hearing all that. Her jaw slackened, asking. "Akko... did you use me to save your skin?"

"I was afraid. I didn't know what to do. The best I could do is to have Sucy be angry with someone else."

"Is that the only reason you agreed on a date with me?"

Akko stared at her with a look of mild surprise, and then something in her face shifted as if she was looking at Diana with a new light. Diana's heart throbbed painfully.

"Of course not," she said, truthfully. "I'm just scared, Diana. If I step forward to be a witness, I'll be held reliable too."

"I've never been a fan of cutting deals, plea bargains, reduced sentences too. I think they are a necessary evil—a dilution of justice. I'm especially displeased when they help murderers. But you and I were never murderers."

"Don't jinx it, Diana. We don't know for sure what will happen tomorrow."

Diana inhaled deeply and released a long sigh. As if it was possible to gain more weigh on her shoulders.

"It might look so selfish," Akko began, her cheeks trickled pink "But I do wish we can work out."

"After all this?"

"Well, if we both survive, I can be part of your hero's reward."

"Hurray, you'll get the girl!" Lotte spoke through the intercom, painfully reminding the two that they weren't truly alone. There were surveyors.

Akko giggled, a little bashful. "But all kidding aside, I realize that our predicaments are very different. And it was wrong of me to forget that earlier and snap at you for venting about the difficulties you're facing. Even if I didn't like the way you did it."

Diana didn't laugh, but a reluctant smile tugged at her lips. "I would never, I will do my best not to repeat those mistakes and believe me, whatever your still somewhat elusive reasons on why you act like so.

"You are a mature person, Akko." she continued pointedly. "I don't know why you would act, unlike your character. Was conforming to society's norm to be blamed? Despite all that, I am grateful for your friendship, and I really am. You have already helped me a great deal, even if it's just for the moment. But you cannot really blame me for thinking, however irrationally, that it is not going to last. I mean, have you ever thought about what happens after graduation? Assuming we make it through the year as friends? For all we know, you will go off and become the next Shiny Chariot of the world, and I will be lucky if I manage to get my aunt off my back."

"So what? You think that just because we might be a little busy after graduation, we're automatically going to drift apart?" she asked incredulously. "That's a load of crock, Diana."

Diana laughed loudly, albeit half-heartedly, at the absurd expression.

"No, I'm serious," Akko protested all earnestness. "When I say I'm loyal, I mean beyond loyal," she insisted once the other girl's mirth had faded, "As in steadfast, dependable, with you until the bitter end... that kind of thing."

There was a pause as she walked back towards Diana.

"But do you know what? I doubt you'll be able to take my word for it whether you want to or not, so I'll just have to prove it to you in the long term. What do you say to that, Diana?"

For several seconds, Diana didn't answer her, opting instead to stare at her own hands—or rather, at the handcuffs that hugged her wrists. She felt its cold metal and idly, while staring into its depths, she moved her wrist in a circular motion. Diana's eyes followed the movement as metal clunks against metal until a low hum drew her attention; she brought her focus back to her surroundings just in time to catch Akko watching her with an intensity that set her heart aflutter, much to Diana's chagrin.

I'm not sure I could if I tried, Diana thought absentmindedly, entranced once more by the color and perspicacity of the other girl's eyes. And, what's more, I don't particularly want to in any case.

She knew flirting with Akko would only bring about more of Sucy's jealousy and wrath. She knew that she could end up dead. Or even Akko. What if she wasn't strong enough to save her?

A flash of terror tore at Diana's heart, and she regretted she had been so foolish. She needed her strength tonight to protect her loved one. And yes, goddamn it, she loved that girl.

Aloud, she eventually replied, "I say that sounds like a plan, Akko," her voice at a lower timber than usual, "and not a bad one at that."

"Alright," Chloe turned the doorknob and swung the door open. Her hooded companion quickly sprinted inside as she locked the door behind them. "Here we are at my apartment, pardon the place."

Just recalling that day, as Diana surveyed the living room and finally declared it adequate, her throat turned dry and her head grew quiet until she remembered why she was fretting about that night that was. Until she remembered Amanda's parting comments to her the day before.

"For someone who has OCD as you, this place sure is unclean for your standards.

Chloe rolled her eyes, sauntering towards the kitchen. "I actually hadn't lived in here for quite so long, the dust settled in. But I kept paying my rent."

In Diana's entire newly cautious attitude, she spoke. "Thank you, Chloe. For agreeing to keep me safe, it is fine that I could crash on the sofa for the night."

Chloe smiled and touched her hand momentarily, assuring. "That's not necessary. If you want to, I can stay here with you... tell Sarah and Elfriede that I need to go back for the time being."

"Would that not make it more suspicious that you are housing a criminal?"

"I'm a witch, Diana." She said, ironically. "I can use magic sigils to keep you from being seen by mundane people. Remind me in the morning to check on Avery. Lotte's a bit hesitant to help her, but she's a companion of mine and I never had the guts to check what sort of black magic was used on her until I do. Now, let me heat you some food."

Diana nodded and gave silent gratitude to the girl as she walked towards the kitchen. She was left to muse on herself, and that wasn't a good thing.

There was something really unsettling about walking and talking and sounding like herself, and then looking into the mirror and seeing someone who was most definitely not herself staring back. Diana was tied together with a smile from the earlier conversation she had with Akko, but it's coming undone. Of course, Diana was on edge anyway. She sat on the couch while Chloe whipped up some salad and hot tea for the night.

They dined in silence. Diana's thoughts began to wander. Chloe raised a perpetual brow and fixing Diana with a look of amused anticipation. "Whatever it is you want to ask me, Diana, you should just ask, already."

Diana sighed and returned Chloe's stare with her own exasperated one. "I want to know what went wrong between my mother and Sucy's. Do you somehow know?"

"Not quite," Chloe said, munching on her food.

Diana knew the topic died right then and there.

"What magic do you specialize in, Chloe?" she tried again.

"My family specializes in life magic," Chloe said. "Anything that prolongs life, adaptation, and survival, to be quite honest, I might know something that you don't about yourself and your mother."

"My mother would have benefitted from your magic. She died of a mysterious illness."

"Maybe, maybe not," Chloe smirked. "Wouldn't it be quite a shocker if your sisters with Sucy Manbavaran?"

"I firmly believe that might have been the case if our mothers did end up together."

"That'll be another set of rivalry in the parallel future, don't you think?"

Diana narrowed her eyes at the French girl, who clearly wanted to bring the topic of their conversation further away from what she initially planned. "So... you would not tell me?"

Chloe's face changed. As if the question ticked her off. "I fear that it's not my place. After all, I heard it from my two biological mothers. I told you our family deals with that." She added when she saw Diana's questionable look. "Maman gave Mom quite a fright when she told her."

Diana nodded slowly; resolve to firm the curve of her jaw. "Are you willing to tell me about my mother without a price?"

"No price. I won't tell you either way. You're still in shock, that's all."

"That is unfair of you, Chloe."

"It is unfair indeed." She returned her cup to her saucer a little bit too harsh. "Who could have predicted that you liked Akko?" she mused with distaste in her tongue.

"I do not know how to respond to that."

"Now, I know how Sucy feels. Jealousy can really eat a person up. But that's where Sucy and I differ. I won't go around threatening you or killing Akko."

"Might be because of your pleasant upbringing," Diana said.

"Who says I had pleasant upbringing?" Chloe asked, her tone rose as she placed a hand on her chest.

"My apologies," she swiftly added, never knew until it was too late that she somehow offended her host. "I did not mean to speculate or compare. Why are you all against Akko by the way? And I am most definitely sure it is not all about jealousy."

Chloe looked away from Diana, fretting her bottom lip between her teeth and staring out the window at the grounds. Diana felt her curiosity mount as Chloe's silence stretched on.

"I can't tell you all of it yet," Chloe began eventually, "As I said, it's not my place to speak of it, but I can tell you part. Is that enough for now?"

Diana considered her offer for a moment, before huffing, "I guess. At this rate, anything is better than nothing."

"Well," Chloe said, then sighed and brought her frustrated gaze back up to meet Diana's. "You're going to think I'm a wretched person."

Diana openly scoffed at that, drawing a small smile from her companion. "I doubt it," she drawled, "but by all means, try me."

"She could never have been what you wanted, you know. Girls like that, they're just not suited to people like you."

Diana lifted my eyes from the cup of coffee that had long gone cold and returned dully. "Girls like that?"

Chloe nodded.

"You do not know what kind of girl she was, you barely knew her." It came out more defensive than she had intended, but it did not seem to offend Chloe in the slightest.

Instead, she slid slowly into the chair beside Diana and kneaded her shoulder. "I barely knew her because she couldn't bring herself to do the logical thing. She cares too much for the wrong person. That says everything I need to know about her."

Diana shrugged her touch away coldly, suddenly irritated by her presence.

Chloe smiled sadly. "You only heard partial of my reasons and you now seem to hate me."

"I have no wish to hear it all now."

"I did it to spare you of negativity."

"Thanks, but sparing me of my feelings does little to help me at all. Every time I caught sight of my reflection, I recoil from it. Every action I took lead to destruction and death. Everybody feels like it is their fault, but we always, always never blame the doll. It's the evil we need to desolate first before we can even save anyone."

"Clearly I've made you upset." She chuckled. "At this rate, if we continue to, we might just ignite our old feud. Old habits die hard, don't it, Diana?" she asked lightly, trying to hide the fact that her heart was a drumbeat of mounting worry.

"Thank you for a warm bed and a warm roof over my head, but I won't have you badmouthing Akko."

Chloe nodded, retrieving her coat and keys as she headed out to the door. "There's already a protection spell around this apartment. No ordinary eyes can see you here, at least you'll be safe and the Mets can't find you. The Inspector gave you a new burner phone, hadn't she? Don't hesitate to call when you need me. Have a good night, Diana—and sweet dreams." She turned slowly, her long skirt swished around her legs as she left Diana, thoroughly chilled.

Diana tried to maintain some semblance of calm, despite the storm raging about inside. A warm apartment was no different from a cold glass prison. She was all alone all over again.

Akko had been given a mission when she was advised by the Professor of Occult. "Grab the chance to get inside a witch's house, try to find their dark magic black book, do not try to open and read it or else the wicked curse that protected it will transfer to you."

She made sure that nobody was inside Sucy's apartment when she broke in. So when she chanced to see Sucy hurrying to head to god knows where. Using the lock picking skills she learned from Chariot, she got to her feet and grabbed her tools. Her sweat trickled down as she tried to go through Sucy's complicated lock. Akko cursed, she was certain she made marks. But it didn't matter at all. Once she will find the book, she will toss in into a fire and burn it until it turned to ash. That was the first step to hinder Sucy from learning more and more hexes and curses.

After successfully wrenching it open, she slowly latched it back. Taking a deep breath, she gave an overview of the place first, figuring there are better chances to find it inside Sucy's bedroom.

Akko nearly flipped when the flat room's doorknob turned. It was enough to make her whirl on her heels and brave the savage doll and its witch. But she was met by a caramel brown haired French witch who was equally surprised to see her there.

Chloe's eyes met Akko's with an air of hesitancy. Akko shuddered at the arrogance, which she thought that she was the first to think of this method into slowly stopping Sucy's schemes.

"What are you doing here?" her voice cut through the amiable silence and stabbed right into the other girl.

"Might be the same reason as you."

Akko's eyebrows knitted together at Chloe's calculated response. She shared the same authoritative disposition as Diana, shared the same background, education, and upbringing but despite all that, Akko didn't like how the French girl was unfriendly. "Should you be doing that?" she muttered between clenched teeth.

"I didn't mean to," she inhaled a lungful of air, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Look, I had a huge fight with Diana, and I am finally free of the dream of a perfect friendship. I never wanted it to come true. I wanted it to remain a dream and vanish the way dreams do."

"You must be exaggerating."

Akko felt her hand on her shoulder, and for a second, thought she was going to swing around and hit Chloe, the emotions within were so intense, even Akko found it impossible to predict what she would do next.

"Did I hear that from you?" she asked, challenging her.

Akko chortled. "That's true. My whole existence is the ultimate exaggeration. I can't help but care, that's all. So? Are you going to tell me what you guys fought about?"

"Well, you're certainly nosey, aren't you? Makes me really wonder why Diana fancies you so much." She tilted her head upwards, feigning to remember what was on the top of her head. "But if you insist, I gladly won't spare you of my bickers. First, I refused to tell her some information about her mother that she knew nothing about. Then, I expressed my dislike for you."

"Wow that's a shocker, you don't like me?"

"A functional sociopath like you? It's normal for people who can clearly see through your faux emotions to not like you."

Akko frowned, crossing her arms. "Yeah sure, I believe you. But what is it? Is there anything else that Diana doesn't know that I don't?"

"Well, that depends. Do you know that Diana's a clone of her mother? Bernadette created her by separating a small portion of her flesh and bones from her body and infusing it with my family's magic and made a great show with her having a lavender marriage with an eligible bachelor who signed an NDA?"

"SHE'S A WHAT?"

"Oh crap, you didn't know." Chloe dipped her hand inside her what seemed to be an endless pocket in her dress and pulled a collapsible wand. "I can fix this."

"BITCH NOOO!" Akko literally jumped out of the way. "Wait a minute, if you're here, does that mean Diana's all alone and unprotected?"

"Yeah, you weren't listening to me earlier, were you? But I placed a concealment spell."

Akko didn't hear her words at all. She also couldn't care less. The prominent thing replaying in her mind was that Sucy was headed off to somewhere with the doll.

In haste, Akko shoved Chloe out of the way, running headfirst to where Chariot was hiding Detective Inspector Croix.

A/N

Let's have a supreme guessing game now shall we? What would be the ending? Just get your tissues ready and your weapons away from me :)