2007 CE: Japan, Shiny Chariot Magical Showcase

Atsuko Kagari left the chair-laden field in a giddy run, she thought to herself on how much fun the show had been, and giggled to herself, closing her eyes for a moment too long. An object appeared in front of the young girl, and she had not seen it in time, thus, she ran straight into it. When the young girl opened her eyes, she saw two sapphire blue eyes staring back at her. Akko then focused on the carrier of those gem-like eyes, and realized that she had run into another young girl, who had platinum blonde hair, and fair skin. The Japanese girl once more looked into the other young girl's eyes and realized that there were tears forming around the corners of them, this caused Akko recoil slightly.

"Oh no! I'm so sorry!" She shouted out, bowing her head slightly, "I didn't mean to run into you! Please forgive me!" Akko's quick apology made the blonde across from her calm slightly, but not fully, then, seemingly out of nowhere, Akko rebounded.

"I know! We can get cotton candy together! That always cheers me up!" The crimson-eyed girl shouted, determined to make the other girl feel better, "C'mon! Let's go get some now!" Akko held out her hand to the blonde girl, to which the girl wiped her eyes, and grabbed the extended hand. Once on her feet, the blonde followed Akko to the stands that were nearby.

"Anyways," Akko began, turning her head to face the other girl, "What's your name? Mine's Atsuko Kagari, but you can just call me Akko." The brunette smiled at the other girl with a bright smile, and the blonde couldn't help but smile herself.

"My name's Diana Cavendish, it's nice to meet you." The blonde, Diana, said, smiling a little more than before. They reached the snack stall, and Akko used the money her parents gave to her for snacks and merchandise, and got the two cotton candy, as well as an extra candy bar for herself. The two girls walked over to a bench, which was out of the way of the large crowds that were walking in between the stalls. They sat, ate, and talked all things Shiny Chariot, Akko even began to teach Diana how to play the Shiny Chariot card game. After Akko won the fourth round and began setting up for another, a new topic popped into her head.

"Y'know, I wish I could fly on a broom, or do magic of any sort! But every time I try I don't even get off the ground..." Akko sadly said, Diana then tilted her head at the crimson-eyed girl.

"You do know you can't use magic outside the influence of a sorcerer's stone right?" The blonde asked, which caused Akko to tilt her head in return.

"Ehhh?" Akko started, "What's a sorcerer's stone?"

"Huh?" Diana began, "Well, a sorcerer's stone is what gifts witches their magic, as the magic in the world itself is not strong enough to support witch magic on its own." The girl briefly explained.

"Ohh, so it's a magic thing? I guess that makes sense as to why I can't use magic..." Akko said dejectedly. Diana smiled at the Japanese girl's antics, before continuing.

"You know, I am able to do magic." Diana stated, to which Akko excitedly slammed her hands on the table, and gasped loudly in awe.

"You can?!" The brunette questioned. Diana giggled at Akko's reaction.

"I can. But I can't show you here, because there's no sorcerer's stone nearby." Diana finished.

"Aww." Akko responded slightly upset at the news, then a question flashed her mind. "Wait, if you need a sorcerer's stone to use magic, then how does Shiny Chariot use magic?" The question caught Diana off guard, as she had never question how the older witch could use magic so far away from a stone, but quickly came up with an answer that made sense to her.

"I guess she might have a personal sorcerer's stone on her." Diana said.

"Ohh, I guess that makes sense." Akko responded, not sure if it makes sense or not, but taking Diana's word for it.

The girls continued playing, and browsing the wares of the festival, Akko buying the most items from stalls, some food, but mostly collectibles. Eventually the crowds began to thin, and the shops began to close, Diana was now accompanied by a tall woman, at first Akko thought that this might've been Diana's mother, but when Diana had called her Anna, and even once made reference to her mother, Akko realized this wasn't the case. Eventually the last shop closed, despite Akko's insistence that it 'must stay open', Akko's parents arrived and were thanking Diana and Anna for taking care of their daughter, when Akko piped up.

"I don't want Diana to leave..." Akko mumbled, causing her mother to smile.

"Are you from here?" Akko's mother asked Anna, who caught onto what was happening.

"No, we're just here for the Chariot show is all." She responded.

"Well... Do you have a place to stay?" Akko's mother asked.

"We have a hotel room, but I don't think Diana wants to go back there." Anna said, gesturing toward the blonde, who looked saddened at the fact that she would be away from her new friend.

"Seems so, maybe she would like to stay the night at our place?" Akko's mother suggested. Akko, and Diana perked up at this.

"Oh I wouldn't want her to impose." Anna responded.

"Oh it's alright, she can stay for as long as you are here." Akko's mother said.

"Well we were going to leave tomorrow, but that was more of a suggested time, we can leave a few days late." Anna revealed.

"Well, then it's settled." Akko's mother stated, "Diana, would you like to have a sleepover with Akko?"

Diana perked up, a very large smile upon her face, "Can I?" This caused Anna and Akko's mother to chuckle to one another.

"You sure can." Akko's mother said, causing Diana and Akko to celebrate.

"First, however." Anna started, cutting into the celebration, "We must get your stuff from the hotel."

"Okay." Diana said, anticipating her first sleepover.

"Well then, Akko will be waiting." Akko's mother said, "Do you have anything I can use to write with?"

"Ah, the address, that's right. Here." Anna said, whilst getting out, and handing over a mini notebook.

Akko's mother wrote the address down, and handed the notebook back. The two girls said their goodbyes, and parted ways. Akko and her mother got into their car, and idly chatted about the show, when they got home, Akko helped set up an extra futon, and her mother prepared snacks for the two. When Diana arrived it was already past 10:00 PM, Diana set her things in Akko's room, and Akko's mother brought in the snacks.

"Alright you two, don't be too loud, your father and I have to work in the morning." Akko's mother stated, directing her gaze to Akko.

"Okay!" Akko replied, Diana just nodded her head whilst smiling.

Akko's mother sighed wearily, "Alright. Goodnight girls."

"Goodnight mom!" Akko quietly, and happily, shouted.

"Goodnight Mrs. Kagari." Diana said, causing Akko's mother to tense up slightly as she left.

"Mrs. Kagari... Am I really getting that old?" Akko's mother said as she walked down the hall to her room.

Akko ran over and closed her door, then turned to Diana. "What do you wanna do?" Akko asked.

Diana thought on what she wanted to do, when she came up with nothing, she settled on letting Akko decide. "I'm not sure..."

Akko smiled, "Well, how's about we learn more about one another?"

Diana thought on that for a second, before smiling herself and nodding her head.

"Alright!" Akko quietly cheered, she waled over to Diana's futon and sat in front of her, "What should we start with?" She asked.

"How about... Birthdays?" Diana suggested, to which Akko nodded ecstatically.

"Mine's June 25th!" Akko said.

"Really?" Diana asked, to which Akko nodded, "That's in four days. Happy Birthday!"

Akko smirked at this, "That's why I went to the Chariot show, it was an early birthday present."

Diana giggled, "Mine was a late birthday present, my birthday is April 30th."

The two girls shared their stories on what has happened in their lives, learning many things on one another, one of which were their ages Diana was 7, Akko was going on 7. They chatted for as long as they could, before they were too tired to continue. Both of them fell asleep on the futon, and were sharing the blanket.

The next day, Akko woke up and realized that Diana was nowhere in sight, she also realized was that a nice smell was coming from the kitchen. Akko tiredly walked from her room to the kitchen to see what was going on, once there, Akko saw that Diana was at the stove making something.

"What are you making?" Akko asked, while rubbing her eye.

Diana turned to her and smiled, "I'm making scrambled eggs, and toast." The blonde said.

"Oh wow!" Akko said excitedly, while heading over to sit at the table. "Do my parents know you're cooking?"

"Yes, I woke up around the time they were getting ready, I asked Mrs. Kagari if I could cook some eggs for breakfast, she didn't know if I could cook them, but a told her I was a good cook, and she said that it was alright." Diana said, while dishing up the food. She walked over to the table and set Akko's plate in front of her, and sat at the spot next to Akko.

"Thank you for the food!" Akko shouted, clasping her hands together, before digging in. Diana giggled at the Japanese girl's antics before eating the food herself.

They ate in relative silence, after all the food was cleaned from both of their plates, Akko helped Diana wash the dishes, before both of them went into Akko's room to play with Akko's Chariot cards. After about an hour of playing with the cards, Akko seemed to get a little bored, but jumped up at random when she decided on what to do next.

"Let's go to the park!" She shouted, grabbing Diana by her wrist. "It'll be so~ much fun!"

Diana couldn't help but agree, and the two set out from the house to the park that was just down the block. Diana and Akko decided to play a witch game, and were casting invisible magic on one another, and running all around the park for hours. By noon, Akko and Diana were sitting underneath a tree, resting. suddenly Akko's stomach growled. Diana giggled at Akko, but stopped when her stomach growled too. The two headed back for Akko's house, when a car stopped right next to them.

"Young mistress." A familiar voice said through the open window, "I was just coming to pick you two up to get some lunch together."

The two girls hopped in the car, with Anna and ended up going to a small Japanese restaurant that Akko told them was really good. They all got their food, and began to eat.

"Anna?" Diana asked.

"Yes young mistress?" Anna responded.

"Can we stay 'til the 26th?" Diana asked.

"Of course young mistress." Anna responded.

"Well then, we need to get a present for Akko sometime later." Diana whispered into Anna's ear, eyeing Akko carefully as to see if she was listening, but Akko was too preoccupied with her food to even notice the other two existed.

"Why so?" Anna questioned.

"Her birthday is on the 25th, and I want to be here for it." Diana answered.

"I see." Anna stated.

The three finished their food, Akko was first to, then Diana, then Anna, and when all three were done, Anna paid, and they all headed for the car. They stopped at a store for a bit, and Akko and Diana played around while Anna bought the gift. Once they were finished there, they all went to an arcade, and Diana and Akko ran around and played games until 5:00 PM, Anna took them back to Akko's, and then went back to the hotel. Akko and Diana then played the Shiny Chariot Card game for two hours, and chatted for the entirety. At 7 Akko's parents returned, and Akko and Diana help prepare dinner, even at Mrs. Kagari's wishes not to make a guest help out with dinner. Eventually dinner was done, and Akko and Diana sat next to one another while eating. They went back to Akko's room, and played with Akko's cat, and some more with the cards, before sleeping.

June 25th snuck up on the two girls, and soon Akko's party came around. Diana sang happy birthday to Akko, and they all ate cake, soon enough presents were being handed out, and Akko opened each one excitedly, thanking everyone who gave her a gift, waiting to give her's last Diana finally was able to, Diana walked up to Akko and handed her a small wrapped gift.

"Happy birthday Akko." Diana said while handing her the gift.

"You got me a gift too?" Akko asked, happily taking the gift.

"It's the least I can do..." Diana mumbled.

"You've already done so much though! I thought you being here was gift enough anyways!" Akko started, "But thank you for the gift!"

"Go on open it." Diana suggested.

Akko took the gift with both hands and tore off the wrapping paper, when all of the paper was off, Akko looked at what was inside excitedly.

"Thank you so much!" Akko shouted, throwing her arms around. "I love it!"

In the young Japanese girl's hands was a new Shiny Chariot card, one that said 'A believing heart is your magic', and had a very angel-esque looking Chariot on the front.

"This was the last card I needed to get!" Akko cheered, all Diana could do was smile, and accept her friend's compassion.

The next day came, and the two girls finally had to say their goodbyes. The two of them were a little teary-eyed, but they knew this day was coming.

"Diana, I want you to have something to remember me by." Akko said, pushing toward Diana a small stuffed Alcor toy.

"Thank you Akko." Diana said.

"Young mistress." Anna said, after clearing her throat.

"Oh, right. Akko, take this." Diana said, handing over a piece of paper.

"What is it?" Akko questioned.

"It's the number to the manor." Diana said, before hugging Akko once more. "Remember to call."

"I will!" Akko said, embracing Diana with an even tighter hug, "I want you to take good care of little Alcor."

"I will!" Diana said, and soon they both released their embrace, and Diana began to head to the car.

"Goodbye Diana!" Akko called, waving with both arms.

"Goodbye Akko!" Diana called before entering the car.

The car receded further down the road, and soon Diana would be on a plane back to England. Akko went to her room, and grabbed all of her cards, as she now had a full collection.