Through The Blaze (ch2)

FOR MY HIGH-PLEDGING PATRONS!

Another short chapter, but I promise they'll get longer.

Disclaimer: I do not own Little Witch Academia.

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													Chapter 2. Uncertainty

The next few days progress as normal witching schooldays should, with only a minimal amount of tomfoolery in between.

But it's nothing like the trouble Akko had been getting herself into a month ago with the Shiny Rod.

When she takes a moment to sit back and appreciate her current semester, she has to admit it's rather nice to be taking classes and learning magic instead of putting herself in potentially perilous situations on a near-daily basis.

For now, she just wants to focus on attending Chariot's school with her friends like she'd always dreamed.

She sticks to her new schedule, doing her best to complete all (or most) of her homework every night so as not to get scolded the following day. She practices with her friends and professors after classes if need be during the weekdays, and on the weekends they have little picnics outside. Hannah and Jasna prepare the snacks, Diana prepares tea, Constanze brings things to build or play with, Lotte and Barbara share books, and even Sucy Amanda and Akko do their own parts with helping to carry things or set up the area. They eat, chat, play, and overall enjoy themselves as they wind down from a demanding school week.

And for once in her life, Akko is actually looking forward to Monday.

When Monday does roll around, Akko charges in headfirst. Quite literally.

She'd woken with a sudden vigor, a determination to be the first one into their homeroom class, even earlier than Diana. So she spends the morning rousing her teammates and getting herself ready.

"Come on you guys! We're gonna be first today!" she declares, tossing Lotte and Sucy their uniforms.

"Someone's excited," Sucy mutters. "What's with you?"

"Nothing's with me," Akko says. "I'm just feeling it today, y'know?"

"I think it's great you're excited for classes," Lotte smiles. "Good for you, Akko."

Lotte hurries to get ready to support Akko, and even manages to make Sucy hurry up as well.

And for the first time ever, the three of them are walking the hallways even before the earliest morning chatter of the earliest early birds is audible.

Akko skips on her way with her chest puffed out and her chin high.

"This isn't so bad once in a while! I don't think I could do it every day, but just now and then it shouldn't hurt!"

"I think you're right," Lotte agrees. "It's nice to be up early for a change."

"It's pretty quiet," Sucy comments, actually seeming to prefer it this way.

"See?" Akko grins. "This is it, you guys. This is the new 'me'! I can't wait to see the look on Diana's face!"

In the past she would've said this in a snide manner, but now she's just genuinely excited and curious about it.

After all, she and Diana are much... closer now.

The day after tomorrow will be her weekly study session together with Diana in the library, and she can hardly wait.

Akko and her friends continue on their way, stopping by the dining hall for a quick breakfast, and continue on their way until they are the first ones through their classroom door for the first time ever. Akko checks and re-checks that it's the right classroom before she bounds over to her seat.

"This is cool! If we get here early we can sit wherever we want!"

"Well, maybe at the beginning of the year," Lotte says. "But with how far we're in now I think everyone has sort of chosen their spots."

"Yeah, guess you're right. But still, it's neat! Professor Ursula isn't even here yet!" Akko takes her seat and sets her gaze on the doorway. "I wanna see how surprised Diana is~"

"Always Diana with you recently," Sucy observes. "What's with that?"

"Huh? I-I mean we're friends now so... like..."

"Uh-huh. Friends."

"Sucy!" Lotte swats at her snickering teammate as Akko turns red.

"Th-That's all we are, okay!" Really really really good friends!

It isn't a lie, because they are friends.

They're just... a little more than that too.

Either way, Akko doesn't let Sucy's teasing spoil her mood.

She expects Diana, Hannah and Barbara to be the next ones in this morning. But surprisingly the trio of witches who enter next aren't them, but three other of Akko's classmates whom she isn't as close with. Even so they're all shocked by what they see.

"Akko? No way!"

"You're the first ones here?"

"What's going on? Did the world flip upside-down overnight?"

Akko chuckles and waves.

Maybe Diana had morning patrol or something...

Over the next few minutes, several more of her classmates wander in, but not the person she's been looking for. Everyone has the same reaction of surprise to see that Atsuko Kagari is already here before them, and most of them frantically check the clocks to ensure they aren't late.

As each person who isn't Diana enters the room, Akko becomes increasingly more agitated. Her mind takes her back to the evening of their studies last week, when Diana had suffered from a sudden heat flash.

Is she sick? Did something happen?

She starts to shuffle her feet and squirm around.

Professor Ursula enters, joining in on the amazement of seeing Akko here already and congratulating her for her punctuality.

Finally, to Akko's relief, Diana and her team enter shortly afterward. Not the first ones and not the last, just somewhere in between it all.

They come in majorly unnoticed; rather than Diana Cavendish's uncharacteristic lateness, everyone is instead talking about Atsuko Kagari's incredible early arrival.

Diana takes her seat on one side of Hannah and Barbara, and eventually the news must drift her way, because she glances up toward Akko. Their eyes meet from across the room, and Akko sends her a big grin. Diana is clearly shocked, but quickly recovers, giving a nod of approval.

Akko is so caught up in her glee she forgets to wonder about why Diana had been later than usual.

The final bell rings, and for once no one is stampeding in at the last second. Professor Ursula begins the class with a smile brighter than usual.

"For the first time this semester, we have perfect and punctual attendance!"

The class applauds and sets an overall good vibe for the beginning of the week.

Akko's next goal is to answer a few questions and participate in her classes rather than just scramble to take notes. When Professor Ursula opens up a question to the class, Akko shoots her hand up eagerly, once again surprising everyone. Professor Ursula is glad to call on her, and even more thrilled when Akko actually answers correctly.

It's almost too good to be true. By the time homeroom is over, Akko feels she's answered as many questions as Diana herself.

All throughout the day Akko makes it on time to her classes. She turns in completed assignments, raises her hand, and even goes up to demonstrate a spell for Professor Badcock.

She's the most reserved in Professor Finneran's class, but even there Akko raises her hand halfway. Finneran spots her like a hawk and raises an eyebrow.

"Miss Kagari? Is that your hand I see?"

"Y-Yes...?"

"Then go right ahead. Please give us the answer."

"Um... I think it translates to a list of ingredients. B-Burdock, rosemary, and thyme, or something..."

And Finneran's eyes nearly pop out of her head.

"That... That is correct. Well done, Miss Kagari."

The whole class shifts to turn and look at her in awe while Akko basks in the first praise Professor Finneran has ever given her.

By the time the final bell rings, Akko feels better than ever before at the end of a school day.

"Wow! I feel great you guys!"

Lotte and Sucy flank her as always.

"You were amazing today, Akko! You surprised everyone!"

"You were thew know-it-all for once."

"You think so?" Akko muses. "I don't think I could do that every day, but every now and again might be doable!"

"That's a good start!" Lotte agrees.

"Just don't screw it up."

"Don't jinx me, Sucy!"

After some bantering with them, Akko leaves them to get ready for her afternoon session. This afternoon she has flying practice with Amanda. Akko returns briefly to her dorm room to grab her broom before heading outside.

Amanda is already waiting for her next to a pair of bushes they'd decreed their meeting spot. She's leaning against her broom lazily, but perks up to give Akko a wave as she nears.

"Oy, well if it isn't Little Miss Punctual!" She softly punches Akko's shoulder. "You were on fire today, Akko! I couldn't believe it!"

"You think so?"

"Hell yeah! You were on top'a things even more than Diana! It was incredible!"

"I... I really was, wasn't I?"

Akko tapers off as her mind is brought back to Diana. When she thinks about it, she hadn't gotten to say a word to her today, whereas normally now they would have sat at lunch together or chatted in the hallways a little bit.

Akko had been so caught up in her temporary popularity that she hadn't realized until now that she hadn't actually seen or spoken to Diana today, and Diana hadn't made an effort to talk to her either. Akko gulps.

D-Did I make her mad or something by being the first one in class? No way! Diana would never get jealous or mad about that! She'd totally be happy for me! So then why didn't she say anything...?

Akko grips her broom's handle with both hands and gets lost in thought. Amanda bonks her head with her broom.

"Oy, you waited till my lesson to start spacin' out?"

"S-Sorry! I'm ready, Amanda!"

"Good. Since you're getting better at take-off and steering, let's practice landing today."

"Right!" Akko has to focus, not just so she can improve her skills, but also to respect Amanda and the time she's spending with her. Akko pushes thoughts of Diana to the back of her mind.

I'll talk to her tomorrow or Wednesday during our session.

By the time her training with Amanda is over, Akko feels she's gotten down a method for a sturdier landing. She thanks her, and Amanda ruffles her hair.

They head off toward the dining hall together and meet up with their friends for supper. But when Akko looks around, Diana and her team are nowhere to be seen.

Maybe she's thinking too much into things. Maybe Diana is just having a bit of a rare off-day. Maybe she's just extra busy.

She tries not to let it worry her.

I'll talk to her tomorrow, she keeps reminding herself.

By the time Akko is back in bed for the night, she feels accomplished and successful about the great day she'd had. Her mind is at ease with all of her homework done and her quizzes studied for.

Diana's fine, she tells herself. Everything's fine.

That's the kind of energy she wants to set for tonight and wake up feeling tomorrow.

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A/N: On a random note, I always enjoy writing Amanda, or characters who I take a bit of liberty with their accents and speech patterns. I sort of do it with Diana as well, just very differently.