Chapter 7:
Witch's Dilemna

Carpe Diem. It was a phrase Akko had read in a book, asked Chariot about, and took immediately to heart. Seize the day! On top of conjuring up images of knights and kings sitting around a round table, the message of living each day to its fullest is one she adored. She aspired to make every day worthwhile and memorable, to make use of every opportunity for adventure she could. As such she tried to live her life as one without regrets.

Invade an ancient dragon's lair? No problem. Go on a quest to save her friends from a disease where they all turn into moss? All done. Constantly put herself in danger for no apparent reason? As simple as breathing really. There weren't many things Akko regretted doing, whether this be because she was too busy moving onto the next major event of her life, or because she couldn't care to worry about what's passed wasn't certain. What was certain was that the bubbly and cheerful go-getter was now unexpectedly experiencing an unending torrent of anxiousness, regret and shame.

These crashing waves reached their high tide whenever Akko's eyes were closing for sleep. Her mind would settle and begin a slow replay of the day's most memorable events, and then just when you were about to fade off into dreamland it would get stuck on the one part of your day you wanted to forget. Like a broken record repeating on, and on, and on.

Earlier that day:

"Stupid birds with their stupid flocks and stupid migration or whatever." *sniff* "And Mrs Finnelane with her, 'ooh don't go flying on your brooms today girls, the Pamola birds are migrating. It's going to get chilly.' We get it, okay?" *sniff* Birds fly in one big group twice a year because they can't handle the cold." *sniff* "It's not my fault no-one told me that a flock of them would literally bring a blizzard to the school! How's any normal person supposed to know that!?"

This was the monologue of a freezing and snotty-nosed Akko whose ignorance had once again put into motion an unfortunate series of events. Pamola birds were a mythical creature that brought cold weather wherever they went. Akko had decided to sneak in a couple minutes of flying practice despite the warnings, and as her luck would have it she took to the air just as the flock passed through Luna Nova. In fact she was caught right in the middle of the literal flying blizzard. Needless to say with her flying abilities escape wasn't likely, and like plankton being sucked in by a whale, she was consumed by the storm. Of course within the storm she'd almost died, and really it was a miracle she'd got out with only a minor cold to show for it. You'd think most people would try to comfort someone who had faced mortal danger. But no, all it took was one (accidental) destroying of an old (and pretty ugly) statue of some great Witch or other and suddenly you're being punished.

"Stupid birds. Achoo!" Now Akko was slowly taking her ill and shaking body to the West Wing to begin her detention of cleaning up the old storage room. Looking sideways to the window, Akko caught her snotty-nosed reflection and sighed in relief that at least that person wasn't there to see her. She heard the cawing of birds in the distance and flinched. Yup. She was traumatised.

The little and ancient gnome who'd been guiding her stopped all of a sudden and indicated that they'd arrived at their destination. "Here we are young Miss." He declared in a dust-like voice.

Akko spent a moment in confusion as she didn't see a door, or anything that looked like an entrance to a room anywhere. "Uhh, sorry Hector, are you being overworked again? Your dementia usually acts up when you're tired. There's nothing here. Don't tell me I need to speak to your employers again." *sniff*

"Oh that's not the case at all young Miss. You've done enough for us already. The doors right here!" With a dramatic flourish of his hand he stepped out of the way to reveal a door that was even smaller than him, topping out at about two candy bars in height.

"That's a cute little door and all, but in terms of functionality it's useless. There's no way I'd ever fit inside that! I can't even get my head through!"

"Worry not, see it was designed like this because there wasn't enough space for all the junk they had to store here. So they shrunk the room and everything in it down to about a hundredth of its size. Door included. Let me tell you this room used to be as giant as they come, but with magic now it's smaller than me! Oh and all you need to get in is this here ring." Hector the Gnome held up a hand and passed a plain looking wooden ring over to Akko. "Just put that there ring on and you'll shrink down to size! Including anything you're touching. Imagine what a mess it'd be if you're carrying something and all of a sudden you leave the room and boom! It's bigger than you and you're crushed. Horrible way to go. Poor Tony."

As Hector shook his head heavily, Akko gulped at the thought of what had once transpired here. "Thanks…" Eyeing the ring for a moment, Akko decided that the sooner she started, the sooner she'd be done and never have to think about it ever again. She slid the ring on and with an underwhelming effect, shrunk to a size small enough to enter the door. She waved a thanks as Hector and made her way through the magical door.

When Akko passed through the door, it was like she'd entered into a new world, and the sudden feeling of inertia she felt threatened to topple her over. "This place is huge!" She yelled in awe at the absolute shift in scale of her surroundings. As her echo rang throughout the room, Akko examined the endless rows of shelves, cupboards, pots and other miscellanea that littered the room, which was really more the size of a factory. She'd expected this to be a one, maybe two hour job. This however, looked like half a year's worth of work.

"This school has way too much junk!" Akko shook her head at the pure scale of it all, at the veritable skyscrapers of shelves which seemed rise above the ceiling and towards the clouds. Whilst everything was the size it'd usually be, she felt as small inside the room, as she had felt outside it. Where do I even start?

At her musings a sudden glint of light caught her eye. Moving towards the glinting object, Akko found a full-body mirror whose carvings and frame looked uncannily familiar. Where have I seen it before? She wondered hands running across the smooth engravings of its frame. Upon touching the mirror, Akko's reflection sprang to life. The sudden movement caused Akko to stumble back and fall in surprise. "Ouch!"

Akko's reflection began to laugh at her expense, infuriating the brunette Witch. In response to Akko's face twisting into rage, the reflection responded with even more vigorous laughter. "Hey! Just who do you think you're laughing at?"

The reflection feigned confusion for a few moments, before smiling mischievously and beckoning Akko closer. Curious (and a little foolish) Akko inched closer to the mirror. At her reflections motions, Akko touched the mirror again. Then her reflection changed and she was met with the face of the person she least wanted to see at that moment. Cold blue eyes were furrowed angrily at her, the shock of seeing Diana's face sent Akko reeling back yet again, much to the mirrors amusement as it then again cracked up and laughed uncontrollably.

"Why you!" Upon gritting her teeth at the mirror, Akko noticed that she felt a little taller all of a sudden. Looking down she didn't see anything immediately different. Though her skin appeared whiter than usual and wait… was that blonde hair in front of her eyes? After a few more moments, and at her reflections exaggerated movements, Akko soon realised she'd been in this situation before.

She was now in Diana's body.

Or a copy of it at least. That's right! This was the mirror that had caused this whole phenomenon last time. That's why it had looked so familiar to Akko. The mirror had transformed Akko into Diana. That's right… Akko was now… Diana. Or at least her body was, which meant…

With slight hesitation, Akko stared at the hands that were both her own yet not. The reflection raised an eyebrow at Akko's actions. I can't! But, I must! Giving in to her urges, Akko placed her hands on her chest and began to feel herself up. Her fingers that were not her own, measured and memorised the contours of the flesh on her body, that was not her own. Diana's bigger than I am! I'm frustrated but somehow really happy too. This feels nice. Way better than my own. Unconsciously Akko also ran her hands along her collarbones, admiring them rather thoroughly.

It wasn't long before a big goofy smile plastered itself on her face. Her reflection tried to flee from the mirror, weirded out by the snotty-nosed giggles and lecherous grin of Akko groping Diana's body. Akko leaned forward bringing to attention her newly gained assets. Wait if I'm Diana right now then does that mean…

Before she could complete her thought, Akko pulled her clothes away from her body and looked down into chest. Satisfied, Akko nodded. It's purple.

"S-Stop what you're doing right this instance, you fiend!" Confused, Akko looked towards the source of the voice to see a blushing, and incredible peeved looking Diana pointing a wand at her.

"Wait, you can speak?" Asked Akko, wondering when the mirror had developed speech. However when Akko turned around, she saw the mirror shaking its head in pity, arms crossed. "Wait… if the mirror's here, but there's a Diana over there… then that means…."

Fast forward to present:

"AAAAAAAH!" Yelled Akko into her pillow, shaking her head furiously. "It's so embarrassing I want to die!" In response to their roommate's flailing about, Sucy and Lotte lit a candle to observe their pained friend.

"What's the matter, Akko?" Lotte had taken up the roll of avid listener to all of Akko's recent plights for the last week or so. Turning around in her bed, the brunette Witch faced her bespectacled friend.

"I'm a terrible person and Diana might hate me now!" She moaned, stuffing her face deeper into her pillow. Her two friend's looked at each other with tiredness in their eyes.

"Diana again, huh? Can't say I'm surprised."

"It feels like ever since Akko's realised how she feels, we've only been taking steps backwards rather than forwards. What a pain." Sucy lay her lazy eye on her hopeless friend, sighing internally. Akko was an open person and rather forward, as such Sucy expected a quick resolution to the issue of Akko and Diana's mutual attraction the moment the brunette party had realised her own feelings. The only thing she could see delaying things was Diana's internal resistance. The truth couldn't have been further from her expectations.

Again, also due to Akko's willingness to share Sucy had heard all about how the real barrier to Diana and Akko's relationship, was Akko herself. In short, when Akko was in love, she became a major dork.

One week ago:

"Diana!"

The Witch whose name had been called spun around, her pale blonde hair floating along like a cloud in the sky. An uncommon sweat began to seep out of Akko's pores as she forced herself to meet Diana's cool blue eyes. She bit her lip. Oh man, oh man, oh man! I'm really going to do it! Alright, you got this far! Just, just say it Akko!

"Akko? Are you alright? You seem rather perturbed all of a sudden. Are you unwell? Or perhaps did someone…" Leaving her sentence to trail off as she did, Akko now felt strangled by Diana's hanging sentence. Her mind finally giving up on thought, she blurted out the top thing on her mind.

"You have really sexy collarbones!"

Silence. Curious, Akko who had shut her eyes, slowly lifted a single eyelid to examine Diana's expression. What she found was Diana's face twisted in bewilderment, and embarrassment.

"Excuse me?" Coughed Diana, reflexively raising her hands, whose red-tinged tips acted as a barrier to protect her collarbones from further perusal. It was at this moment that Akko's thick skull had finally deciphered just what she'd said to Diana.

"I-I mean like, you know collarbones are like pretty great in general or at least I think so, I mean I do? Honestly I didn't even know I thought that about them well maybe just yours because they're so nice you know. Wait that's wrong! It's not like I've been checking out your collarbones secretly or anything! Because that would be weird, totally really weird. If I wanted to look at some collarbones I could just look at mine, right?"

Diana looking extremely uncomfortable nodded her head slightly. "I suppose so." Realising that instead of comforting Diana, her words were doing the opposite Akko hurriedly continued.

"Not that I just stare at my collarbone when I can or anything! I much prefer yours in the end, maybe it's because you've got such pale skin so they just really pop at you and so, like… wait please forget I said that alright? I promise I don't have a collarbone fetish!" Her words did not seem to be working.

"Akko…"

"I mean like, your collarbones look like they'd be some super rare ingredient for a really strong potion or something? You know like 'eyes of albino newts', or 'legs of striped frog'. You'd have those and then your collarbone! Ha, ha ha."

At this point Diana's face was hidden, Akko could only guess as to what kind of rage-filled look the prideful and conservative Witch must have been making. Afraid of Diana's explosive anger and full of shame, Akko decided to cut her losses.

So, without any further words.

She ran.

Back to present:

"Just end me please! Sucy! Have you made any progress on that Amnesia potion?" Sucy shook her head.

"Afraid not, I'm having trouble gathering one of the ingredients, you know the one, 'collarbone of a fair maiden', or something like that." Like a volcano, red rose up from Akko's body, from toes to head, ending in a fiery explosion.

"What about cyanide? I hear that's a painless way to go," offered an amused Lotte. The other two parties involved paused, throwing concerned glances at Lotte for her nonchalantly grim suggestion. Noticing her roommates' concern, the freckled girl lifted her hands up. "Sorry, sometimes I get too influenced by the books I read. Remember the princess I though reminded me of Diana? Well she couldn't handle that everyone forbid her from loving a woman, so she committed suicide with cyanide! When Jessamine found her, oh it was so tragic! I was moved to tears, as was Big Ben! This has really been one of the saddest arcs in Night Fall to date."

"Well that's just stupid! Just because people tell you not to do something, doesn't mean you should kill yourself over it! This princess-character should have just run away or something! What cheap drama." Akko argued, fingers curling around her pillow.

"But they were forcing her into an arranged marriage with Baron Bleublanc! Her country was small, and the marriage was needed to protect them from their neighbouring countries, but if she did marry him then she would be unable to Jessamine ever again. To run away would have only assured that her countrymen would die, including Jessamine's family."

"Well what's killing yourself going to change? All that does is leave her country without a princess, not to mention Jessamine all alone and sad."

"Yes, Big Ben said the same. Though Jessamine was held captive! The princess' only joy in life was in danger because of her, I imagine she could no longer stand the pain of this mortal coil! When Jessamine heard that her love had killed herself, she only blamed her own powerlessness. But what could have been done?!"

"Oh so this princess just decides to croak and leave Jessamine wracked with guilt? This princess character is sounding more and more despicable by the minute. She sounds weak! It's like the exact opposite of Diana, she would come up with some sort of plan to be with Jessamine and save her country! Without having to marry some Baron Bluecheese."

"You really think so?" Lotte turned her head, curiosity piqued. Akko caught the transparent reflection of herself in her friends glasses, she looked as angry as she felt.

"Absolutely! After all, though I hate to admit, Diana's pretty i-incredible you know? Like sure she was born into a great family and all, but she works for everything. I thought it was unfair at first for someone like her to be so good at everything, but that's only because when Diana puts her mind to it, she can do anything!"

Shaking with sudden emotion, Akko's once tense body began to loosen as she grabbed hold of her knees. Pressing her chest against them, she mumbled into her legs.

"Unlike me, Diana's incredible. There's no way that someone like her would ever feel that way about someone like me. You know, lately I've been wondering if maybe I was just misreading things with Diana. Maybe I was just looking too deep into certain things, cause she's so nice. I feel like probably, that's the case."

"Akko…" whispered Lotte gently, stroking her friend's hair. "I get that feeling you know, the feeling that maybe you're just not good enough for someone." For just an instant, a moment shorter than a blink, blue met red.

"I can't handle this sappy stuff." An irate voice spoke out, intruding upon the momentary gloom. "Akko look at me." Rather than waiting for her disheartened friend to move, Sucy grabbed a hold of the brunette's ears, forcing them face-to-face. "Don't let those tears fall you hear me? I see them there in the corners of your eyes. Suckh them up. Along with all that disgusting snot."

"But Sucyyy," moaned Akko.

"No buts! Suck it up! You're hard to look at right now! If I was Diana I surely wouldn't want to see your face right now." Inspired by her words, Akko steeled her face. Ungracefully she tightened her face and with a sticky noise sniffed back as much trailing mucus as she could muster. "That's it. And the tears?" Nodding, Akko brought her wrist to wipe away the moisture surrounding her eyes. Along the way her forearms collected what was left of the mucus on her face. After her unceremonious clean-up, the brunette Witch shook her head, casting aside the last of her negative thoughts.

"All gone!" Akko responded with a shaky, yet resolute voice.

"Listen up, Akko. I'm only going to say this once. You may not be as naturally talented as some people, but never forget that you're still amazing. I only get to have half as much fun as I do because you're around. The same is true for Lotte, Constanze, Amanda, Jasminka, Chariot. Even Diana. That's the case for everyone alright, so brighten up already and stop thinking so much. I know it may be unfair but, when you're this sad, I can't help but feel there's something wrong with the world."

"I agree with Sucy! Akko, I'm sure everyone else does too. You're special because of the way you always follow your heart so confidently. We love that about you!"

"Y-You guys…"

"Oh boy, here come the waterworks."

Despite her previous attempts to regain her composure, Akko now began to cry in earnest. Although, these were happy tears.

"Alright, I've got a plan! I'm going to ask Diana to be my date for the Winter Ball!" Lotte and Sucy both looked at each other quizzically.

"What ball?"

"Ah, miss Chariot." Called out Diana, "I've already informed the proper Magistrate that we would be slightly delayed in our arrival. It seems the winds do not favour us in their directions."

"Oh! You're already here, Diana. AH! I mean, sorry for the delay, and thank you so much for fixing things." Responded a slightly flustered Chariot. She looked up to the sky and sighed at the unfortunate situation. The Pamola bird migration had ruined their original travel plans and ensured that it would be a chilly ride to their destination. Not to mention they were leaving just past six in the evening, if things went right for them, they might reach the Ministry at eight. The moons guiding rays were also being blocked by clouds, ensuring that this journey would be quite the ordeal. Still, Chariot's being shook in anticipation. "Well let's not delay things any further then, shall we be off?"

With a curt nod, Diana handed Chariot the other lantern which she'd been carrying. She watched as her teacher affixed it to the tip of her broom. Satisfied with her handiwork, Chariot passed the broom back to Diana. Once Diana had mounted the broom, Chariot followed suit, making sure to grip tightly around Diana's waist. "Ah, I really miss being able to fly" Muttered Chariot, "Thanks again for this, Diana." The platinum blonde Witch merely nodded, before finally taking off into the sky. The student and teacher were silent for the first leg of their journey, both waiting until Luna Nova had been swallowed by the horizon before speaking.

"I must say, Diana. I should have expected that when the principal told me that a student was joining me for my visit, she meant you. If you don't mind, I'm rather curious as to why you also need to visit the Ministry. It's quite the journey on broom, and we won't be back till at least midnight."

Glancing at Chariot behind her, Diana spoke. "It's nothing quite as interesting as your reason I'm afraid. Just a few minor administrative issues I need to sort out regarding my family's estate. I asked the principal for leave to do so, and she recommended I join you. Also saying that it would put her mind at ease were I to go with you."

"Ah, I see. Well I'll try to be done before you so that you're not left waiting too long."

With a small smile, Diana shook her head. "Please don't cut short your visit for my sake. I'm in no hurry I assure you. Please, enjoy yourself."

Smiling in return, Chariot laughed. "I know this may be inappropriate for me to say, but when it comes to you Diana, I sometimes forget who's the teacher is and who's the student. Speaking of which, you wouldn't happen to know what's wrong with Akko, would you? She's been awfully quiet recently, not to mention distracted."

"W-with Akko? I'm afraid I haven't a clue. Though it's odd to hear you say she's been quiet, during my lesson with her she's been dreadfully skittish, and often yells in shock. I agree on the distracted front however. Not to mention the other day she…. N-never mind."

"Hm?" It was difficult to tell with only the light from their shaking lanterns illuminating their surroundings, but Chariot thought Diana's face was a crimson that could rival the shade of her hair. She was unsure whether to chalk it up to cold from the chopping wind, or something else. "Did something happen between you two?"

At the question, Diana remembered just about everything that had transpired this week, from collarbones to witnessing Akko looking down her shirt (whilst in Diana's body). Diana fiercely shook her head. "Nothing at all happened!"

So something did happen, reasoned Chariot immediately. Deciding that it wasn't her place to press further however, Chariot feigned ignorance. "Is that so? Well, I just hope that she sorts out whatever's wrong and regains her focus soon. It's rather odd seeing Akko so subdued."

"Subdued, you say? Yes, odd." Around Diana, this week Akko had been anything but subdued. Frantic, loud, and embarrassing was closer to the mark. This new spark of information left Diana quiet and ruminative for the rest of the journey, wondering why there seemed to be such disillusion surrounding Akko. Ever since her confrontation with Sucy, Diana had been trying to keep her distance from Akko. Deciding that it was better for the both of them. She held back from touching Akko, stopped herself when her eyes began to stray too far and made sure to be very careful with her words. There were even times Diana had been down right dismissive towards Akko.

Diana had expected some kind of traction from Akko, some resistance to an increased distance in their relationship. Yet there was none, it was as if Akko hadn't even realised what it was Diana was trying to do, or perhaps Akko simply didn't care. Had Diana fooled herself? Did she think she was a more importance presence to Akko than was actually the case? Perhaps that was the reason Akko ran away the other day, all after a little teasing at Diana's expense. Not to mention what she'd witnessed earlier today, was Akko trying to get back at Diana? Did watching Sucy's video creep her out? Did Diana creep her out?

I need to stop thinking like this, Akko isn't like that at all.

In all likelihood, Akko was just bored of Diana and wanted to get back to her own crazy shenanigans without Diana's constant disapproval hanging around her.

I wonder, am I a fun person?

The answer to that question was painfully obvious to Diana. She wasn't as brash or as funny as Amanda, not as eccentric and enigmatic as Constanze. She couldn't bake or cook like Jasminka, she wasn't easy to talk to and get excited with as Lotte, and she certainly couldn't hope to be as mysterious as Sucy.

Is Akko just bored with me then?

Diana should be happy with that fact. It should be easier than for her to break away from Akko and end any rumours that may be circulating about the two. She should be happy. Instead however, she felt hurt, and that hurt made her frustrated, and that frustration led to impatience. She needed to start the next chapter of her life, before it all overwhelmed her.

"Hey, miss ruminative! We're here!" Called Chariot to her travel companion. She gave Diana a once over, the young girls brow was furrowed in deep thought. "If you keep your face like that you're going to get wrinkles."

"Eh?" Muttered Diana, relaxing her features in fear that wrinkles just may develop. Before she could respond however the two Witches were waved down by an official whose uniform was a mix of modern practicality and tradition. Diana handed over her broom and received a slip in return.

"Hold onto that. Otherwise getting your broom back can be a real mess of paperwork. That's bureaucracy for you though." Taking Chariot's words to mind, Diana nodded. "Well then, I'll be off to visit the Detention Centre near here. I'm sure I don't have to warn you but make sure you don't get into any trouble." With a wave of her hand, Chariot left Diana to her own devices. She made haste to her destination, with hurried steps.

Oh, maybe I should have offered to help more. Though she's been here before and I doubt she needs it. Besides…. Chariot came to a stop, and waved at the Ministry official behind the glass window. Now recognising her by face, the official immediately rung up the required number. Receiving the all clear, Chariot waited for the magical barrier in front of her to dissipate before entering the opposing room. She reached her hand into a bowl of crystals and procured a shining white gem. She inserted the crystal into a slot within the dark brown door before her. Once it seemed everything was in place she spoke.

"Croix Meridies."

The crystal sunk within the door, which then shimmered as if a stone had been cast into a pond. Once the door's ripples ceased, Chariot turned the door knob and entered. The room's only occupant was buried within a mass of research notes. Hand on chin and mind deeply considering some magical phenomena or other, Croix Meridies, with cool lilac hair cut a striking figure.

"Chariot?" Roused from her contemplation, Croix's teal eyes lit up when she noticed her visitor. She got up from her chair and embraced Chariot. "It's been too long since I've seen you. Why the odd visiting time? I'm sure visiting hours are over, and I certainly don't see them bending the rules for a wicked Witch like me."

"Let's just say I had to resort to some bribing by ways of signing some things for Chairman's kids. Shiny Chariot's name still carries a lot of weight in some circles."

"Is that so, how marvellous. Though I still would've liked some warning. I would liked to have spruced the place up a bit."

"Please, this place is spotless as is."

Croix chuckled pleasantly. "The room yes, still I'd prefer I'd had some time to spruce myself up as well. I just haven't been able to maintain my hair at all, it's such a mess these days. And they won't give me the shampoo I keep requesting, nor any other hair products. I swear they're afraid I'm going to make a bomb or something."

"Could you do it?"

Croix smiled slyly, "Maybe." The two of them both laughed at the small joke. With how easy it was to talk to each other now, Chariot struggled to recall just how stale conversation had been between the two of them when she'd first visited. However, over the course of the last several months the two of them had mended their relationship almost completely. Croix had finally spoken to Chariot of the jealousy she'd held towards Chariot for being chosen by the Shiny Rod. None of which mattered of course to Chariot, who was just glad to have her friend back.

"Sorry." Croix's serious tone cut the laughter between the two of them short. She reached her hands up towards the redhead's cheek. "I'm so sorry for everything I did."

Cupping her face further into Croix's gentle hand, Chariot spoke. "How many times have I told you that the past is the past? Just look towards the future now, look towards the brightness to come."

"Ah, ever the optimist Chariot. You're too nice still. But I'll take your words to heart and look towards my bright future! In this cell."

"And you're far too pessimistic. My visit today is about that actually, your future that is." Breaking apart from Croix, the redhead removed her hat. She reached deep within it and procured a number of files, pages and black-and-white forms. The very symbols of bureaucracy. "Thanks to the principal's pressuring on my behalf, as well as the signed approval of man of the other teachers at Luna Nova, we've been able to press for a lighter sentence for you. Whilst you were at Luna Nova, you really were a great teacher. And so under the condition that you once-again become a teacher at Luna Nova, as well as that you're constantly monitored, you'll be able to leave your little room here and come live at Luna Nova again. Th-though you'll have to share a room with me, if that's fine."

Croix blinked several times at Chariot, unbelieving at the terms presented to her. Taking Croix's silence as negative confirmation, Chariot hurriedly continued. "I mean, aren't these condition pretty good? I'm sure you enjoyed the teaching at least a little bit? And the surveillance won't be that bad just a couple weekly reports and about the sharing rooms thing, I mean I just volunteered for it, but if you'd prefer someone else then. Ow!" Croix's hand had met Chariot's skull in a righteous chop, interrupting the woman's ramblings.

"Who said that was the part I had an issue with?" Rubbing her head, Chariot looked up with one eye.

"So, that's not the problem?"

Croix shook her head. "Honestly it just sounds too good to be true. After everything I've done, I didn't expect this, at all. Though I wonder, will the student's really want me back? I can't imagine them being at ease with me around again."

"You worry too much, Croix! They'll probably be surprised at first but they'll get used to it. You're very popular, you know? Even now the kids still miss you. In many ways, you're quite the role model to them."

"Still, I put a lot of them in danger. Especially Akko, Diana and the bunch. The whole missile crisis was all my fault after all. Because of Wagandea you can't fly anymore! And as much as I hate to admit it I'm no closer to finding a cure and, it's all my fault."

"Croix we've spoken about this before, nobody cares about any of that anymore. They see what a kind person you really are, and I've always known."

"I just, I'm sorry. This all sounds too good to be true."

Reaching out, Chariot intertwined her fingers with Croix's. The soft sensation of their skin sliding together left tingles running up her spine. "What's wrong with that? You know Croix I, I know this may be selfish but I really want you to come and live with me at Luna Nova. I can't help feeling there's so much we need to make up for. So, stop holding back, okay?"

Croix's breath caught in her throat, she could feel her chest tighten, like a hand was slowly curling its way around her heart. She met Chariot's crimson eyes, and let her emotions lead her just this once. She shut her brain off.

"Fine. Where do I sign?"

The smile on Chariot's face extended from ear to ear. It was dazzling.

"So," began Croix as she settled down, preparing to make headway into the mountain of forms before her. "How did you get here today anyway? I don't see any of the other teachers carrying you on their brooms at this time of night." Flipping over the page, Chariot pointed to when Croix needed to sign.

"Actually Diana was the one who carried me. She has some business here."

"Oh really," Croix glanced at the form, confirming some minor details. "Speaking of Diana, how's Akko doing? You still tutoring her?"

"Yep. Although admittedly for the past week or so she's beginning to slip again. She's been very distracted."

"Is there a reason?"

"Well, if I had to hazard a guess. It's probably Diana."

"And we're back to her. You told me they were getting along well though. Has that changed?"

"Well…" Chariot told Croix of her suspicions regarding the two of them and their feelings for each other. She also mentioned how Diana also seemed off, especially on the broom ride here. Once Chariot had finished speaking, the lilac haired beauty smiled mischievously.

"Is that so? Well it sounds to me like our two little lovebirds are having trouble. You know, those two, don't they kind of remind you of us?"

Chariot angled her eyes, "How so?"

"Well you know, the personality connections are there for sure. Akko is as bright and cheery as you were. Not to mention clumsy. Diana definitely seems to have my smarts, though she seems to have a better head on her shoulders. Then of course there's the whole blossoming love between the two!"

"I see where you're coming from. But I don't remember any 'blossoming love' in our days."

"Oh really?" Remarked Croix nonchalantly. "I must be mistaken then, though somehow I doubt that. I wish you were as cute and honest now as you were back then."

"Hey!"

Croix snickered at Chariot's reaction. Turning over the page to sign in the next spot though her face grew serious again. "I'd like it if those two didn't make the same mistakes we did. If Diana's even half as similar to me as I think, then she's going to become a real idiot soon. She's probably overthinking things, coming up with excuses here and there. Making herself ignorant. She won't see what's really important until she's lost it. And she'll only have her own foolishness to blame."

"I'm worried too." Both women shook their heads, aware that overlapping feelings could overlap yet fly straight past each other.

"Well! That'll be something I can help prevent once I'm a teacher! After all, it'll be my duty to look for what's best for them."

"Croix…" In an odd swap of position, Chariot found herself cheered up by Croix's infectious enthusiasm. "Exactly! As teachers we'll look after our students, together!"

It was at this moment Chariot experienced a soft unfamiliar sensation on her lips. Closeness of body, breaths intermingling, and eyes closed. For a moment that felt like paradise, the redhead revelled in the unexpected and unexpectedly sweet kiss.

"I'm looking forward to working together," said Croix in a low, husky voice. "We've got a lot of time to make up for, isn't that right?"

A/N: This was satisfying to see unfold.

Did this chapter take exactly one month? Yes it did. Was that too long? I definitely feel like that was the case. To that thank sickness, exams and Trails of Cold Steel. So enjoy a longer than usual chapter and expect more DiaAkko in the next chapter.

Till next time – R2Legit4You