Diana was feeling very mixed up at present.

It had been a week since Akko had confessed to her, and she still hadn't been able to give a response. It wasn't entirely her fault, though. After all, Akko had made it a point to avoid her after that day.

"Hmm?" Diana snapped back to reality when she realized a letter had been brought her by Jenson's messenger owl. "Thank you."

Nodding at her slightly, the owl flew away. The blonde decided to read her loyal butler's letter right away.

Dear Miss Diana,

My apologies for not writing to you sooner. We've been very busy lately, helping your parents get ready for all sorts of events and galas.

Speaking of which, the Earl of Hanbridge has requested your presence at his party tomorrow night. Perhaps he wants you and his son Andrew to hit it off.

Whatever the reason, I'm afraid you cannot decline. I will come pick you up myself at 8:30 p.m.

And as for your love problems, I believe that the best course of action would be to listen to your heart and make a decision that is your own.

Yours truly,

Jenson James.

Diana groaned. Not only was she not interested in going to any party, she was appalled by the very notion that anyone would ever pair her and Andrew together. Sure, they hung out when they were little, but they disagreed constantly.

She thought about how to crush everyone's expectations that she and Andrew could be an item, and immediately realized...

The solution was deep within her closet.

"Whaaat?" Akko frowned. "Andrew's having a party without me?! Why?"

"Well, it was his dad who sent out the invitations," Lotte reasoned with her infuriated friend. "And he only sent it to the socially elite."

"I'm 100% sure Cavendish got invited," Amanda scowled at the mentioned witch, who was sitting far away and reading a book.

"Y-Yeah, you're right," a sad smile formed on Akko's face. "Maybe it's good that I wasn't invited..."

"Akko, you really need to stop thinking like that," Amanda scolded her. "Just because you two are kinda in an awkward position doesn't mean that you can't go to the same party!"

"It's not like it's her party, anyway," Sucy added. "Let's all go crash it together."

"Sorry, girls," Jasminka smiled apologetically. "We have plans today."

"Oh yeah," Amanda nodded sheepishly. "We tried to raid the kitchen. Got caught. Now we have to clean out Professor Lukić's office."

Everyone grimaced. They all knew that the eccentric professor kept some pretty creepy and life-scarring trinkets in her office. Constanze quietly shivered.

"Well, if we're really going to go..." Akko stroked her chin. "Then I think I know where we can get some dresses!"

At 8:30 p.m., Diana stood outside Luna Nova Academy, eyeing the white limo as it pulled up in front of her. Jenson, with his slicked back dark blond hair and bushy mustache, came out to hug his friend.

"A pleasure to see you again, Miss," he spoke, his light green eyes smiling as well.

"You too, Jenson," Diana grinned back.

Her butler was the one who first pulled out of the hug, still holding her by the shoulder as he looked her up and down. "What are you up to, Miss? Your parents would not be happy to see you like this."

Diana was wearing the same tux she had purchased while shopping with Akko. "I know why the Earl of Hanbridge invited me specifically. He probably has some ridiculous fantasy in his head involving me and his son. If I wear this and go, Andrew will not want to dance with me and his father's hopes will be shattered."

Jenson raised an eyebrow at how little Diana cared. "Alright, Miss." He opened the car door for her, and she quickly went inside.

"Well, hello there, handsome."

Diana's head hit the roof as she jumped out of her seat in surprise. A small figure was sitting beside her, and upon closer inspection she realized it was...

"... Bree Anthony?!" the blonde yelled at her. She was wearing a black dress with black high heels. "Wh-What are you-?!"

"Your butler and my dad go way back," she yawned. "Ain't that right, Jen?"

"Indeed," Jenson nodded. "Now then, shall we go?"

The entire car ride consisted of our favourite tsundere trying to stay as far away from Bree as possible, lest she try to punch her in the arm for practice.

"Diana!" Hannah called out to her friend. "You left without us?!"

"Jenson was the one who came back for us," Barbara said. "How come you forgot?"

"Ah, sorry, you two," Diana mumbled, taking a sip of wine. She was currently at Andrew's residence and, as expected, no man asked her to dance. Well, she did spot a few young maidens giggling at her, but she wasn't too sure why.

The three old friends stood together in silence, until Barbera cleared her throat.

"We've actually been meaning to talk to you," she stared at Hannah, who got the message and joined in.

"Yeah, see..." the girl with a ponytail scratched the back of her neck awkwardly. "We realize that we haven't been spending much time with you, Diana. And the blame for that goes to us."

"We were trying so hard to befriend Akko," Barbera sighed sadly. "That we forgot all about our other, wonderful friend who really looks like she could go for a nap. It was only after a while that we noticed how exhausted you looked."

"We're super sorry!" They both said at the same time, with dramatic tears in their eyes.

Diana blinked, then smiled happily. She had forgotten as well, about her two amazing friends who cared deeply about her. All this time, she thought it was they who had decided to ignore her. But it was really she who tried to distance herself from them.

"You're forgiven," she said, and Hannah pulled them all in for a group hug. After a while, Barbera spoke up.

"I know this is supposed to be a special moment where words aren't welcome, but I have to ask: Why are you wearing that, Diana?"

To be honest, the party wasn't as bad as she thought it would be.

Diana had a fun time goofing off with her two best friends. She got to introduce them to Bree, and the four girls hit it off pretty well. Hannah and Barbera were acting very close as well, and they decided to dance together.

Diana and Bree were left at the refreshment table, a cup of wine in each half-dragon's hand.

"Why are you here, anyways?" Diana asked. "Not to be rude or anything."

"Dad's pretty respectable," Bree shrugged. "He's the head of this investment company, which makes him a member of the socially elite class, which basically means that I'm also socially elite, and that's why I'm here. Now I've got a question for you."

"If it's about the tuxedo," Diana sighed. "Please don't. You won't believe how many times I've been asked whether I'm gay or European. It's getting quite annoying."

"Pfft," the shorter girl snorted. "I get the reference. And no, I don't care if you're some kinda cross-dressing maniac. I was gonna tell you that you can't drink. You're underage. So put the wine down."

"You can't tell me what to do," Diana scoffed. "Besides, I want it."

"Ooh, is my lil' training buddy having life issues?" smirked Bree. "Come now. Tell Bree-sensei all about it."

Diana was about to retort back when she felt a funny sensation at the back of her skull and an unpleasant smell enter her nostrils. "Do you smell that?"

"Course I do," Bree frowned. "Smells like... a LoveLove Bee? The hell?"

"A what?" Diana absently asked, too focused on the fact that Akko might be in trouble.

A loud noise was heard from across the room, and when Diana and Bree rushed towards the scene, they stared in confusion.

Akko Kagari was being pinned against the wall by Andrew Hanbridge, who seemed out of character to the smaller girl. But to Diana, all she could she was her friend getting attacked, her friend who didn't seem like she was enjoying it at all. Rage took over the blonde as she ripped Andrew away from her.

"Lay another finger on her without her permission," Diana growled at him. "And I'll break all ten of them."

She shoved him towards another party guest and grabbed Akko by the arm, pulling her into the hallway.

"D-Diana," Akko whimpered. "You're squeezing my arm..."

"Sorry," the taller witch grunted. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, me, Sucy and Lotte heard that Andrew was having a party," the brunette explained quietly. "So we snuck in wearing Cinderella dresses. But then Andrew found us and told us to leave. And that's when Sucy let the LoveLove Bee loose."

"Man, you're a riot!" Bree laughed as she walked towards the two, accompanied by Sucy herself. "Guess who let the Cupid pest loose, Diana? It was this kid right here! She's hilarious!"

"I don't care who let that thing loose," Diana glared at her trainer. "We need to find out how to get rid of it, before someone else gets bitten."

"Use this," the gloomy witch produced a fly swatted from thin air. "If you kill it with this, the effects will disappear. Andrew and Akko will go back to normal."

"Hunh?" Akko squinted at her friend in confusion. "I wasn't bitten."

"But you will be," Sucy stated. "Riiiiight... now."

And sure enough, Akko collapsed into Diana's arms as the bug bit her neck.

"Akko!" the blonde called out in surprise. "Are you all right?"

"Oh, I see where this is going," Bree chuckled. "Otaku-kun, you sly dog."

The red-eyed witch looked up to see Diana holding her. But what she saw was very different from what everyone else saw. To her, the blue-eyed witch seemed so beautiful and handsome at the same time. Her eyes were sparkling and she had such a strong-looking jaw. Not to mention her perfectly wavy hair. And all of her curves.

"Diana..." Akko gazed at her longingly. "Aishiteru~!"

"W-What does that mean...?" Diana turned to Bree hastily.

The tanned midget tried to muffle her laughter. "I-It's a very intimate term for... pfft... 'I love you'. Even married Japanese couples are afraid of using such a term! Looks like she really likes you..."

Diana could feel the already pink tinge in her cheeks becoming redder and redder by the second. Still, it did make her feel a little happy, knowing that Akko was willing to use such an extreme term.

She steadied the brunette and looked around for the LoveLove Bee. Its pollen scent was disgustingly strong, masking every other smell in the area. But she couldn't pinpoint where it was coming from. The only thing that was clear was a different scent. It smelled dark, if that was possible, with traces of hatred and despair.

"Somebody isn't having a good day," Bree warned. "And I think they might be here to hurt someone."

Just then, a cloaked figure striked. She pushed Sucy aside and tried to mutter a spell at Akko. Luckily, Diana reflexively jumped in between them and took the blow.

"Aaagh!" she writhed in pain. The spell sent electric volts throughout her spine, rendering her unable to do anything. Bree responded to the attacker by punching her in the abdomen.

All of sudden, more cloaked figures emerged from the crowd, ready to back their member up. Diana got up unsteadily.

"Akko," she grunted. "You need to get out of here immediately."

"I can't leave you," Akko whined. "I won't let anyone hurt my precious Diana! I'll just get out my Shiny Rod and-"

Sucy cut off their conversation by grabbing her chirpy friend and running away.

"I'm going to try and find the Bee," she called out. "You keep doing... whatever you're doing."

After they left, Diana and Bree stood together, backs facing each other. "This can be a test for you, Cavendish. Time to see if you paid attention during training."

The blonde nodded, and proceeded to kick one of the opponents in the jaw. Assuming a fighting stance, she then hit another in the face. Bree pushed one to the ground and thrust her elbow into their back, all while laughing hysterically. She was obviously having the time of her life.

"Use your fire, Diana!" Bree fist pumped the air.

Upon hearing her trainer's request, Diana smirked and got into a new position, with her entire body facing towards the adversary and her hands in front of her mouth.

"3, 2, 1, FIRE!"

Taking a deep breath, she exhaled a brilliant blue fire, enough to make anyone tremble in fear. Every individual that dared to attack the pair had run off, most probably returning to their commander.

"Bree," Diana looked at her. "Was that... Prima?"

"Maybe," the older half-dragon shrugged. "Oh, lookee. Your girlfriend's back."

Sucy and Akko rushed towards them, fly swatter in hand. "I killed it."

Diana held Akko's hand, and peered at her closely. The dreamy, far-off look had vanished, her sparkling wide eyes reverted to their natural appearance.

"D-Diana, what is it?"

The blonde realized that Akko was staring back at her, cheeks flushed completely. From running around, most probably.

"I just wanted to tell you," Diana placed a light kiss on her knuckles. "That you look lovely."

With those last words, she left Akko speechless, Hannah and Barber fainted, Sucy rolled her eyes, and Bree laughed at it all.