AN: Still don't own anything but Kano and Kai. It's been an interesting week, alot of stuff going on IRL, but I am back and going to focus once more. I wanted to give you a little something before moving on an truly diving in to progressing the story. Have a good read and have a good weekend.

-Seeker

Next morning, Town Inn, Brightonbury

Kai slowly comes back to consciousness with a groan. "Well, I'm never drinking that much again" He rubs a hand over his aching head then sighs. His eyes shoot open in shock when he registers the warmth next to him. "Please tell me I didn't sleep with a random person" He whispers to himself, his free hand running over his naked body. "Bloody hell, I did." He takes a chance to look to his right and sees lavender hair fanned out over the pillow. He closes his eyes in elation and misery as memories from the night before replay in his head. "Croix…" he whispers to himself. "Somehow that makes this worse." He turns to face the woman and commits the image of her peaceful face to memory. "Here goes nothing…" Kai begins poking Croix's nose and chuckles when her eyebrows furrow and she sleepily swats his hand away before opening one eye.

Croix gives him a look and opens the other eye. She searches his face for a few seconds before gently smiling. "What time is it? Are you at least feeling better?" She reaches a hand up to push back his hair from his face taking note of his widening eyes. "What? What is it?"

"Croix" he starts.

"Yes?"

He motions between the two of them. "How did this happen? I mean we had…we…um…"

Amused at the man's actions Croix smirks. "Yes, Kai we had sex."

He deep sighs "Right, but how? Why?"

Still amused at her bed partner's antics deep chuckles fill the room. "Well Kai, when two people are attracted to one another—" A hand appears over her mouth and amusement is seen in her eyes.

"Yeah, I got that, but what about your feelings for Chariot?" He counters with a sad whisper.

Taking pity on the man, Croix removes his hand from her mouth and embraces him. "That's in the past. I haven't thought of her that way in a quite some time. Not since a certain British wizard came into my life." She stops when she sees Kai shaking his head. "What did you expect from me Kai? Chariot and I were young when we were together. She was my best friend and I loved her, but it took me a long time to realize I wasn't IN love with her." Croix placed a hand on his cheek drawing his eyes back to hers. "I was entranced with her magic. She had this ability to draw you in completely with the wonder and purity that her magic offers. She wanted to make the world smile and I wanted that for her." A frown overcomes her face. "When the Claiomh Solais chose Chariot instead of me, I was furious and jealous. I did not understand why I wasn't chosen, and I sought out to hurt the one who I felt hurt me the most. My feelings for Chariot died that day. And now, the only feelings I have for her is regret and a fond indifference. We were friends once. I'm sure after I apologize to her and let her beat the shit out of me, we can be friends again." She kisses Kai on the cheek then smirks. "Besides Chariot belongs with the shrimp right? That's what this ominous legend of Japan says. So, in a twisted way, I'm the reason Chariot gets a soulmate; therefore she can't be but so mad."

A uneasy silence fills the space between the lovers. "I'm…uh…certain that when you see Ms. Du Nord again…gratitude isn't going to be the first thing on her mind." Kai offers a shrug. "But I won't allow any unjust harm to come to you. Speaking of Akko, I need to call her and let her know I'm okay. She was probably out for most of the night looking for me." Kai turns over and searches the room for his pants. Spotting them on the ground by the foot of the bed, he shuffles down on the bed and reaches out to grab his pants. Pulling a small phone out of his pocket, he checks his notifications. "Blimey, 83 missed calls, usagi is going to kill me." He checks his texts to see the most recent one received being 10 minutes ago. He shuffles back to the top of the bed and settles next to his bed mate. "Think she's mad?" He shows her the message. Call me as soon as you wake up niisan or I'm letting Kano bite you.

Croix whimpers at the remembrance of the dragon bite. "I'd call her if I were you." Croix wraps the sheet around her before getting out of bed and searching for her clothes. Kai admires the view briefly before taking a deep breathe and dialing the number he knows by heart.

Kai's quarters, Luna Nova

Akko is pacing her brother's bedroom when she feels her pocket vibrating. Pulling out her phone her eyes go wide. "Otosan, Chariot…he's calling me!" She runs into the common area and answers putting the call on speaker phone. "Niisan where the hell have you been? Ow, otosan! My language is justified!" Akko rubs the back of her head and glares down at the phone. "Seriously, you couldn't have texted me or called me to let me know you wouldn't be back to the castle last night? I've been up all damn night worrying about you. Where are you? I'm coming to get you."

"Usagi calm down."

Akko looks affronted at the phone. "Calm down, calm down? Kai…when I see you, you are going to wish you were never born" Akko finishes darkly. The aura in the room becomes overwhelmingly sinister as Akko delves into her thoughts of revenge.

Shiro shakes his head at his daughter and shares an amused look with Chariot. "Kai, are you safe?"

Uneasy laughter comes across the phone. "I am now Master. However, I don't think I will be when usagi comes for me."

Shiro chuckles still gazing at his daughter who is now being calmed by her mate, the sinister aura slowly receding. "Yes well, you know how Atsuko is when it comes to her family. And where did you end up last night? I can't have my apprentice going missing for hours on end."

"I…I…ended up in town. At a bar…and met someone."

Shiro looks inquisitively at the phone. "Interesting. Did that help resolve the matter that you left to forget?"

"Haha no master. Unfortunately, it just made matters worse. I uh…"

"What he means to say is that I found him at the bar and kept him company last night."

"CROIX?! YOU MET CROIX?! MERLIN NIISAN I SAID KISS HER NOT SLEEP WITH HER." Chariot places her hand over Akko's mouth and gives her a stern glare before speaking up for the first time since the call started.

"Hello Croix. You and I have some unfinished business. I will be going with Akko to meet with you and Kai. I believe that the least I deserve is an explanation. I assume I can find you at your normal haunt? We will be there soon."

Shiro watches as Akko holds out her arm and a brilliant flame takes over the room. Kano hops onto Akko's shoulder and the girl grabs the hand of her mate walking out of the room. Shiro lets out a breath and prays that the three don't cause too much trouble. "Kai, she has Kano. I hope your healing is better than Croix's. You brought this on yourself. You should have stayed on campus instead of letting Atsuko ruffle your feathers. Please make sure that the five of you make it back here in one piece. Then we can all have a family dinner. Atsuko is too upset to forget that Chariot was not supposed to be with her. I have many questions for this mate of our youngest family member." Shiro sighs.

"Pardon me master, but have they left yet?"

"Yes, Kai they have."

A deep sigh is heard. "Well then I suppose I should get dressed then. You too Croix."

Shiro raises an eyebrow. "So, you did bed her then?"

"GOODBYE Master. I'll let you know when usagi-chan is here since you still have her phone. If I don't make it out alive, it has been my deepest pleasure to have served in your house for as long as I have."

Shiro chuckles at his apprentice's dramatic antics. "Please Kai, a dragon bite is the worst you will have to deal with. I will see you and Atsuko with your respective partner's promptly at 7 this evening for dinner." Shiro ends the call and laughter fills the quarters. "I will never tire of the antics of those two. Perhaps I should invite Miranda around to enjoy this evening as well. Yes, I think I shall." Shiro grabs his coat from the rack next to the door and heads to find his long-time friend.

Leyline portal, somewhere between Luna Nova and Brightonbury

"That fuc—" Akko looks behind her and rethinks. "Freaking idiot. How could he just DISAPPEAR and expect me to be okay with it? Really, you would think at almost 30 years of age he would be smarter than what he is. But noooo" Akko throws her head up and feels arms shoot out in front of her stabilizing the broom. Amusement fills Akko and she turns to face the woman behind her.

"Akko, please be careful. I don't want to lose control of the broom." Chariot senses the amusement in Akko's relaxed stance. "What is so funny?" Akko slides her hands behind her and holds them between them. Chariot's eyes widen. "Akko please, this isn't funny."

Akko smirks and tightens her legs moving the broom to the right and to the left, all while watching the emotions on her mate's face. She stops zigzagging when she notices the panic settle on Chariot's face. "Hey, it's okay. Look," Akko turns to the side and puts a hand back on the broom. "It was never unstable Chariot. It's all about muscle movement. My legs were still directing the broom." Akko notices calm settling back into her mate. "You know, for someone who used to do all sorts of stunts on a broom, it's interesting to see you freaking out over improper flying."

"I'd like to think I've grown past my reckless days." Chariot huffs settling against Akko's back.

Akko looks contemplative before answering. "I don't know Chariot, going to confront your ex in anger is pretty reckless." Akko feels her laughter before she feels it.

"Yes, my dear. You are right; however, this is a conversation that is long overdue. I have a lot to say to Croix. It's the next step to forgiving myself..."

Akko nods and focuses on getting them out of the leyline. Touching down in the Leyline Terminal, Akko shrinks her broom and places it in her pocket. She nudges the lump of scales on her shoulder in concern. "You alright little dragon?"

One eye opens and a little emerald head nods before settling back into Akko's shoulder. "I'm saving my energy. I know niisan and the broody purple one are going to require a big bite. So, I'm trying to conserve my energy to make the chase worth it." A cute yawn escapes from him and Kano lifts his head up. "You put a lot of magic into me yesterday usagi, I still have left over."

Akko strokes the scaly limb closest to her in comfort. "Kano, no magical bites this time. Niisan doesn't have the time to find healing baths close to school." She lowers her voice, so Chariot won't hear her next statement. "But you can put all the magic you want into Croix's bite. Just send me a thought and I'll give you more." Kano's deep laughter fills the air. Akko looks at her mate and offers her arm. "Shall we get this over with?"

Chariot takes the offered arm and starts the trek further into Brightonbury. Gently applying pressure on the arm laced in hers to direct Akko to the place where her showdown with Croix will be. Noticing them nearing their destination, Chariot pulls Akko into an alleyway, trapping her between the wall and herself.

"Chariot..what?"

Chariot places a hand over Akko's mouth and lets out a deep sigh before leveling her with a conflicted look. "Akko," she starts in a shaky voice. "There is going to be a lot of hurt in that room. I have years of pain that I need to get out." Chariot moves her hand to cup Akko's cheek. "I don't want you to feel as if I resent you; that is not the case. I'm not sure what is actually going to happen when we walk in that room, but I want you to know that it does not change the feelings I'm beginning to have for you. It does not change our future, because my future is here with you. Can you remember that for me? I can't ask you to stop me when I get mad, but can you just…just hold my hand?"

Akko takes the hand from her cheek, turns it over, and give it a kiss. "I will do whatever you need me to do. From now on, I'll be the one you can lean on. You'll never be alone again, not if I can help it." Akko spares a look at the creature on her shoulder. "Kano will always be available to you as well. I'll teach you how to pour magic into him. I'm sure with us being bonded, you'll have a smaller bond with him." Akko frowns then smiles. "That's something we can worry about later." She moves their hands down and begins pulling the woman into the inn. "Let's hurry up and get this done. You, Alcor, Kano, and I deserve to sleep for the next week after the few days we have had."

Akko pauses inside the door and reaches her magic out searching for the familiar signatures of her brother and frenemy. She pulls Chariot towards the back and up the staircase that she sees tucked away back there. She keeps pulling the woman until she stops in front of room 5. She looks at her mate and offers one more smile before barging into the room.

"Niisan, warden, how is it that I am the child and I'm still more responsible than the both of you?" Akko settles one hand on her hip stopping the other one when she feels the weight of her mate's hand in hers.

"U-u-u-usagi how did you get here so quick?" Kai puts Croix in front of him and peeks over her shoulder at the small but powerful and angry witch who happens to be his mistress.

"Really Kai, she's 12 she can't hurt you." Croix rolls her eyes at her new lover's antics before looking over Akko's shoulder and seeing her past glaring at her. "Chhhhh-chariot. Hi. I like the blue hair."

Akko snickers and moves further into the room, allowing Chariot to close the door behind them. "Hello Croix. Long time no see. It's been what? 10 years? I believe the last time I saw you was the morning that the Tokyo Academy came to our room and tried to charge me for magical theft." Chariot watched in fascination as Croix winced and put her head down. "Tell me, do you know what it's like to be accused of a magical taboo only to have the one person who you trusted in the world be the one who betrayed you? No let me tell you what happened. I was thrown out of the country and not allowed back. I had no one to turn to, no one who would let me explain a circumstance that I still do not understand. I was along Croix, the one thing that I hate more than anything." Chariot starts shaking as tears stream down her face. Akko stands closer to her, wrapping her arm around her. "Just tell me why. What was so important that you had to ruin my life."

Croix starts to take a step forward and then pauses. "I, um, I don't have a good answer for you. I was jealous that Woodward chose you Chariot. I was distraught that she didn't find me worthy of her magic when you were already so great with magic." Croix starts playing with the hem of her shirt and feels Kai's hand on her lower back. "I have no more excuses Chariot. I was young and stupid and unable to move on and actually support you."

Chariot quickly moved from Akko to stand in front of Croix. A slap was heard in the room. "I hate you. I hope you know that." She looked back at Akko and offers a teary smile "But I am also thankful to you." She goes to stand next to her mate wrapping an arm around her shoulders careful not to displace Kano. "If it wasn't for you, I'd be wandering around feeling empty. So, thank you."

Croix looks up in shock in time to see Chariot placing a kiss on Akko' forehead. She allows herself to smile before leaning back into Kai. "We were friends once Chari-" A glare in her direction makes her feel like she has overstepped again. "Chariot. Maybe we can be again."

"No" Three sets of eyes look at Akko. "You haven't earned that right. You are such a pain in the ass Croix, what you did was unforgiveable and you haven't had to deal with the consequences. You need to prove to her like you proved to otosan that we can trust you. That you won't hurt us." The room is suddenly drenched in magical power. "Or I will not be held responsible for my actions towards you. She is my mate Croix, I will protect her with my life, even from the people that I surround myself with" Kano, sensing his master's magic flies over to Croix and chomps on her forearm.

"KANO!" Croix and Kai swat at the dragonling and inspect the bite once the dragon lets go and settles on a chairback close by.

"Be lucky I didn't bite you niisan" Kano growls in Kai's direction. "You had usagi-chan worried. And the broody purple one has had that coming for months." Kano keeps growling and biting the air around him when Croix attempts to grab him.

Akko sensing the tense moments have passed moves to her brother and holds out her hand in a high five. Kai reluctantly gives her the high five and then laughs at Akko as she wiggles her eyebrows. "I'm beyond upset at you, but good on you niisan for manning up! Though next time just leave a note or send me a text. Croix gave us these phones for a reason." Akko groans in discomfort. "Now because of you, all of us get to have dinner to otosan." Kai and Croix shudder and Chariot giggles. Akko looks back at her mate and shakes her head. "You won't be laughing when he starts asking you personal questions love. He is ruthless. He has a meticulous agenda and should he perceive you to not meet his expectations, he will try to make you uncomfortable." Akko motions to Kano and he lands back on her shoulder. "But Kano and I won't let that happen to you. You are too important to us. We will protec—"

"We need to go now" Kai interrupts pushing the other three towards the door.

"Kai, what is it?" Croix asks.

Kai shakes his head in frustration. "We were too preoccupied, we didn't cast the normal spells when Akko got here and she used magic." Croix nods and pulls out her wand to pack their belongings and shrink them simultaneously.

"Kai, is Akko in danger?" Chariot asks pulling her mate closer to her.

"I wouldn't say in danger, but her magic has attracted someone that Master and I have gone through painful steps to hide her from."

"Who?" Chariot asks fiercely before opening the door.

Standing in the hallway was a small Asian woman dressed in the finery of her country. In one hand she held a mask to her face and in the other hand, she held a worn stuffed bunny. Noticing the occupants of the room staring at her, she lowers her mask and sets her eyes on the youngest of the occupants.

"Hello Atsuko"

Akko steps back and gasps. Trying to burrow into her mate before answering. "Okaasan?"

AN: AAAAANNNNNNDDDDDD there it is. I didn't make Croix the big bad of the story, but I still felt like there needed to be a big bad. Enter Akko's estranged mother. We will get more on her next chapter. Leave a review and lemme know of what I should name her!

-Seeker