Chapter Text
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“We’re almost there guys. Just up ahead!” Akko hollers out from the front while her companions in the back are left breathless trying to catch up with their energetic friend on an incline.
“A-Akko please hold on!” Lotte manages to huff out.
“I can see the top” Akko turns around to their direction and points up to the sky “let’s go!” and pivots back on her enthusiastic climb to the top.
Sucy grimaces, her skirt length not appreciating the strain of the ascent. Lotte and Ursula just sigh in unison.
All of them know it would be fruitless to subdue Akko’s buoyant stamina.
These last 2 weeks have been fairly eventful to say the least.
Soon after the first year at Luna Nova finished, Akko decided she wanted to explore Europe more, because she was so caught up in trying to keep up with classes, get better at magic and the Noir missile crisis that she didn’t even scratch the surface of her Europe Bucket list.
However since she’s also immensely grateful for the support sucy and lotte gave her, a bit more lotte to be honest though, so she wants to spend some quality time with team mates and since lotte already knows Europe from her travels she will be the guide.
Which means lotte wants to tour Europe nightfall style this time. Sucy and Akko weren’t too enthused by this, but Sucy considered the potential to gather various fungi and fauna from the various countries and wherever Akko is, trouble and hilarity is sure to follow.
Ursula haven gotten wind of this though decided to accompany the girls as an escort since 3 teenage girls, even if they are witches isn’t safe traveling Europe alone.
So here they are a good 2 weeks later after having visited the various night fall landmarks in the various countries, along with the exotic, delicious and sometimes bizarre cuisine, expensive souvenirs and other tourist traps and surprisingly only minor to medium level mishaps.
This sadly meant miscalculation on how much money would be allotted to accommodation so they ended up having to camp outside for most of the two weeks.
It is for that reason that our resident hyperactive witch alongside her comrades are hiking up the final hill to get a view of Cavendish mansion.
Right before vacation Akko asked Diana if she wanted to come along, since green team already had previous arrangements and even Barbara, fellow night fall fan was saddened that she could not tag along for the Europe night fall tour, but asked Lotte to take pictures and send to her.
Diana as expected had many commitments with officials in magic and non-magic community. The noir missile crisis and her part in it gave not only the magic community in general more attention, but also the noble families.
However Akko remembers Diana saying that if they are in the neighborhood they can drop by. She’s might’ve mentioned something about telling her a few days in beforehand as opposed to just dropping in unannounced, but Akko never sweated the small details.
“Yas!” Akko pumped her fists up in the air and starts running down the hill.
That will surely end well.
“Akko, No!” Ursula smoothly slides down next to akko who is flat on her back after having rolled down the hill into a small river stream, completely soaked.
Lotte arrives near akko shortly after along with sucy that is laughing up a storm. Akko never ceases to entertain after all.
Ursula helps akko up and uses a drying spell.
“Thank professor, guess I got too excited”
“No problem, but please do be careful Akko” Ursula responded even though knowing such cautionary words will go on deaf ears.
“Sure professor let’s get free food and comfy beds though, I missed sleeping on something that isn’t solid ground”
“And no bugs and proper shower” lotte mumbles out.
“Now we can’t abuse of Miss Cavendish’s hospitality either akko, although I do admit those all sound really nice” Ursula took a longing sigh no doubt already imagining the upgraded accommodation situation.
“Don’t worry professor she said we could stay if we were close by” Akko responded by showing a thumbs up to professor and a big smile.
“Very well, so I take it you contacted her informing her of our visit beforehand then?”
“ehh…….sort of…?” akko announces sheepishly.
“Akko!” Lotte and Ursula say in unison.
Sucy chortles, but decides to get some good mileage out of this as usual “It will be fine”
“See! Sucy thinks it’s fi-” akko happily jumped at any defense her way however it was premature it seems.
“I mean I’m sure akko’s girlfriend wouldn’t mind sharing her comfy bed with her”
“w-what! …..No …..sucy!” akko seems to have forgotten how to properly articulate
“Akko I did note you and miss Cavendish rather close, I wasn’t aware how-“ Ursula turned a curious expression towards akko.
Mortified of her teacher even going there, Akko’s hands are flailing around “N-No”, face and ears tinged a pink-red that had nothing to do with the earlier climb or even the subsequent tumble all the way down.
Sucy is cackling away and even Lotte can’t help but be a bit amused at Akko’s reaction.
“So I take it you and miss Cavendish…?”
“Just friends.” Akko parrots back immediately, but her flustered state is still prominent.
“…with benefits” Sucy quips.
“Sucy! Anyway! Let’s go!” Akko abruptly dashes towards the mansion.
“Honestly Sucy” Lotte chastises.
“Their pining is getting tiresome” Sucy shrugs and starts walking towards the direction Akko dashed towards.
Lotte and Ursula merely follow, because it’s not like what Sucy said was untrue, but they both believed in letting things go their natural process.
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“Akko?!”
Diana had just come back from a tedious meeting with a head of a noble family, her aunt is still the official head, but thought it prudent to bring Diana along since she will inherit the title in a few years and after the Diana’s part in the missile crisis Cavendish family has gotten more attention both from magic and non-magic sources.
“Hey Diana, remember you told me to drop by if we were ever around?” Akko sheepishly had her hand behind her head.
Diana could argue with Akko about the proper terms of ‘notifying beforehand’, but honestly having been away a few days and the long commute back has left Diana tuckered out.
Stronger even Diana doesn’t want to admit, but she seriously missed those red mischievous eyes and that adorable smile. Goodness, she is reminded all over again how hopeless she is with this girl.
So she merely sighed, an action she finds herself doing quite often in the proximity of Akko.
“Ahh sorry for dropping by so unannounced Miss Cavendish” Ursula apologetically directed herself towards Diana.
“No it’s quite alright Professor Ursula, I was merely caught off guard is all. You are all welcomed to stay for as long as you need.” Diana kindly regarded her guests.
“I would offer dinner, but seeing as you all are already here I will merely freshen up and join you all shortly”
The dinner went about fairly animated, with Akko regaling Diana with stories of their trip and showing the pictures they all took.
Diana said she had seen a few since Barbara sent her some every few days.
Diana told them about new possible agreements being talked about between magic and non-magic community as well as the influx of magic after releasing the grand triskellion and possible mitigation of the more adverse effects concerning this.
After dinner they played a game of magic charade. In this you had to materialize the object/subject on top of the player’s head.
This resulted in everyone getting a hefty dose of water splashed unto them whenever Akko had to materialize something in the first turns, but luckily it went on without too much trouble after that. Well, except Sucy materializing a dragon, giant carnivorous mushroom and venus flytrap-in that order.
Akko was screaming “This is not jumanji!” by which sadly the reference went over the witch’s head and Diana promptly dispelled Sucy’s spell and they decided to go to bed.
“Good night everyone, I do hope you all find the accommodation to your liking. Sadly I am fairly busy this summer and I won’t be able to-“
Akko immediately responds to this “Nope you are completely free tomorrow I checked it with Anna”
Diana, Lotte, Sucy & Ursula all seem surprised by this admission. Diana in particular turns to Anna. Who before this was picking up Diana’s teacup.
“I’m sorry for not informing you Miss Cavendish. I did not have any deceptive intentions, I assure you. I merely I felt you needed to rest up and considering how busy the rest of the summer will be I acquiesced to Miss kagari’s plan.” Anna bowed apologetically at Diana.
“No it’s quite alright Ana. However I was unaware you held correspondences with Akko” Akko pipes up.
“I sent her a mail right after you said you would be busy Diana, so tomorrow we are going to the last nightfall landmark. There’s this giant gryphon, it looks cool and-” Akko said happily.
“Very well”
“Wait for real Diana? Alright, we’re going to have to leave early though” Akko answered
Anna nods towards Diana and the rest. “In any case, I will be supervising all the other sections of the mansion, do sleep well Miss Cavendish and her guests.”
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“Why is the gryphon statue trying to maul us?!!”
Akko dashes to cover herself behind a bigger rock.
Hopefully this doesn’t end up getting smashed in matter of seconds.
Diana tries to fire up another spell, but it seems to bounce right off again.
It would seem neither of our spells worked.
Lotte’s spirit powers can’t calm it down either, because the gryphon statue has no soul essentially and even Sucy’s most toxic poison seems to burn of a small area, but for some unfathomable reason it regrows. Would’ve been great if we had the professor.
Professor Ursula seemed to take off this morning saying she got called in for something urgent that she couldn’t divulge no matter how much I asked. So we just wished the professor luck and she left after breakfast.
Our trip itself was long but the scenery was nice and ended up being able to ride our brooms part of way was nice.
Diana and Lotte dove behind the giant rock Sucy and I were hiding after sucy and I provided them cover to get where we were.
“What are we going to do?” Lotte was visibly pale although I’m sure neither one of us is fairing any better even Sucy seemed more annoyed than usual.
I tried to grab hold of the believing hearts card Diana gave me, but I find it missing. I had it hanged in a transparent plastic container hung around my neck. Ooh no it must’ve fallen off earlier.
To my horror I spot it near the gryphon’s legs. I need to get it back but how?
Just then a giant pink blob seems to fall from a weird black hole that opens right above the gryphon. This startles the gryphon. So much so that it comes crashing towards the big rock we were hiding behind.
Darn. We dash away as fast as we can. I decide to do something reckless. I sprint towards the card.
“Akko, no!” Diana followed right behind me. I slide and get my card but just as I was about to cheer a pink-haired girl in a….spacesuit I think?... brings the black hole that appeared come crashing down at the giant blob, the gryphon, me and because I stupidly ran here, Diana. It all goes black.
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“Akko, please be alright”
I can hear the troubled voice of Diana. Oh right. Giant slime. Killer statue. Black hole. I start opening my eyes and notice the gorgeous blues of Diana staring back at me.
My head is on her lap. I feel my face heating up. Snap ok so maybe I’m in denial about being ok with ‘just friends.’ Diana put a hand tenderly on my cheek. Why does she look at me so softly? This is killing me. I have to try and remember how to form words. Shit. Nothing. No words. Wait she’s been saying something.
“Akko, are you ok?” she looks even more worried than before.
I have to do something. Come on. So I spring up. Thud.
Diana is groaning and so am I. Genius, Akko.
“I take that as a yes” Diana responded while getting up and handing me a hand to get fully up while still rubbing the bump with her other hand.
“Sorry Diana”
“It’s quite alright akko” Diana sends me a sincere smile despite having giving her a near-concussion and it just gives me this very warm feeling and I reflexively smile back at her. Despite my not so friend feelings aside there’s a more pressing matter.
“Where are we?” I look around the room we are in is completely bland, light grey, metal and there’s one giant metal door in front of us.
“Let’s find out, shall we?” And we both pull the door open and proceed to walk out.
We both stop. No this couldn’t be right, right?
“Why is it pitch black outside?” The window to the outside only shows us vast darkness almost like-
“Space?” Diana seems as floored as I do and instinctively grab unto her hand. She squeezes back.
However our panicked expressions doesn’t fade.
I mean sure we’ve been in space before, but we could see earth then. Here there wasn’t a single planet in sight and by the feel of it now that I truly focus on it we are moving.
We are on a spaceship heading towards merlin knows where with no clear way to get back.
Wait…no there was someone before the black hole fell on us.
“Diana….did you see a pink haired girl in a spacesuit?
“Yes, right. Good idea Akko. She might be able to know how we can go back”
Exploring this ship was bizarre. For one we couldn’t find either the Blob or the Gryphon, which while good is weird, since we got slammed by the same black hole.
We did see this blue skinned alien of sorts with a 3rd eye and she yelled out intruders and started chasing us. We bumped into an octopus creature thing and we kept zigzagging to various rooms but found only one weird creature after another. One things for certain. Aliens. They exist apparently.
We were both running on adrenaline all throughout when we finally saw a man resembling human, he was wearing this brown trench coat he called out ‘intruders’ as well and transformed into a weird gun…a gun!
I swear even their metamorphose ability is weird.
We were both panting, exhausted, with cuts and bruises all over from the scrapes we got from the various creatures onboard this space ship.
We were at a dead end.
This was it. I can’t say I ever pictured this is how I would die, in space nonetheless, especially since space was so cool back when I saved the world in space with diana a few months back.
No, at the very least I have to tell her how I feel. I mean she might reject me, but we are in a cold metallic room again, just like we started. We are holding each other’s hand so hard that both are knuckles appear to be partially cut of circulation.
I turn to her and she’s already looking at me
“Akko” “Diana”
Looks like we both call it out at the same time. We both smile at that. I mean not much of anything left so might as well enjoy the last moments. As we’re staring at each other we gravitate towards each other. All I think I have to kiss those lips at least once and I start leaning in.
“Heeelloooo!!!” the door comes bursting open and a figure comes tumbling in.
This is definitely not the ending either of them was expecting to say the least.
They both grab their wands. Although their magic seems to be significantly weaker. Might have to do with being away from Yggdrasil and earth.
The figure stands upright. Wait.
“You!” Akko pointed her wand accusingly at the pink haired girl. This time sans astronaut suit. Instead she sporting a school uniform.
“Eh…ooh hey!” the pink-haired girl fidgeted and tried to wave. Diana was a bit nonplussed.
“Don’t hey us! You’re the reason we’re here and this state in the first place!” Akko dangerously wags her wand in the pink-haired girl’s direction.
The pink-haired girl pulls out her gun. Diana immediately reacts by disarming her with her wand.
“W-wait! Listen I’m sorry, I didn’t know someone jumped into the area of it at the last minute” the pink-haired girl starts waving her hand defensively in front of both akko and diana. Diana decides to rapid fire some pressing questions.
“Very well even if that is plausible, what is all this? What where you doing? And who are all the aliens on this space vehicle?”
As it would seem the pink-haired girl’s name is luluco. Seems like she is part of the galactic space patrol and they were dealing with the giant space blob when a tear in the fabric of space ended up with the creatures being attracted to crack that are open and it passed through, the abnormal high energy readings in the last few months on earth has been increasing.
Ever since releasing the grand triskelion, most likely.
Luluco has the power to open tears in space among other stuff. She mentions alternate universe and other space jargon that I can’t wrap my head around. Personally I’m still floored aliens exist and apparently not all of them are bad.
That said not sure what I would call the ones we met today, good seems like a hard fit.
She profusely apologizes for involving us in this mess and warns us that the rising magic level after the gran triskelion might not only bring stronger dormant or lurking threats, but also intergalactic ones.
So she hand us a method to contact space patrol if the need arises and they will monitor it from time to time as well.
Of course she immediately offers to send us back, because the superiors will have her head as well and honestly as much as I’m curious about space adventures, despite how perilous, I’m sure lotte and sucy are worried sick and to be fair we had enough of an adventure for now.
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And so we got sent back through a portal where the gryphon statue was. Apparently they still need to siphon out the aggressive energy and will be putting back a perfectly harmless gryphon statue once again, or so they say.
Lotte comes bawling and running towards us, it would seem we were gone long enough that professor Ursula managed to get here as well.
Looking at the almost completely set sun, we have definitely been gone for a few hours. Heck even sucy seemed relieved.
For some unfathomable reason sucy smirked when she saw luluco. Luluco balked and merely shouted out ‘sorry for the inconvenience’ and proceeded to leave. Huh that’s weird.
“I thought I recognized her” sucy drawled out.
“Wait! What?”
“I might’ve fed her mushrooms that will kill her slowly in less than 60 years” sucy shrugs. “In any case good thing you guys are ok, or else Anna might not let us stay tonight at Diana’s place” she turns around and starts walking towards the long trek back at the mansion.
That’s sucy for you alright……..“So aliens exist apparently”
Which lead to many more explanations on the trek back home. We decided to take the final stretch on a train this time. Ursula and lotte went to get some snacks and sucy went to observe a special night mushroom that bloomed around these parts, but she wanted to view it from the back of the train.
It was again just us. And suddenly I remember the almost kiss.
“Diana….” She turns to me and gives me as much attention as she can manage despite her exhausted state. Can’t blame her. I am too.
“Yes akko?” and I freeze up, I’m going back home for a few weeks in summer. Lotte, Sucy and I are all going to our respective homes tomorrow. Yet I can’t seem to say anything. I mean shouldn’t I make sure of these feelings? Wouldn’t the summer away be the perfect test for that?
“No, it’s nothing…Just…sorry how things turned out Diana…”
“Do not apologize akko, besides I’m sure no one could’ve fathomed a space force and aliens of all things alongside the whole reanimated gryphon” diana goes to grab my hand and leans her head next to mine. “Besides it was a pleasure seeing you again. As nerve-wrecking as adventures with you tend to be it sure broke the monotony of the last 2 weeks and besides there’s yet another reference you must tell me about….Jumanji?...was it?”
“Honestly diana your pop culture, witches in general have to get with the times”, she smiles at me she starts dozing off “Hey diana”
“hmmm?”
“Thanks for being my friend” as I reach out for her hand. Diana stirs and turns to me. Ooh no did I screw up? So I let go of her hand.
“No, thank you akko” and diana then gives me a kiss on my cheek and proceeds to use my shoulder as a pillow.
It is in that state of red-faced shock that Ursula and Lotte find me. They shoot a curious glance my way and I tell them she was tired. I proceed to ignore their searching eyes and find myself staring outside of the slowly moving dark scenery. My eyelids are feeling heavy.
I’m unsure when exactly but the last thing I remember hearing was sucy coming in snickering about ‘how obvious we are being’, maybe she is right, because all I can think about while drifting off is Diana’s tender expression staring down at me and all I could feel were her hand holding my cheek.