[Y/N POV]
Y/N: So what are we looking for first?
Lotte: Well first we can go and find the snow, but we have to make sure that the snow falls naturally.
She turned to Akko who began to her all defensive.
Akko: Don't look at me! I can be patient!
Y/N: W-well u-uhhh a-are you sure about that Akko? I-it's n-not a bad thing really! Y-your energy is super cute!
Akko: I-I know I am impatient and very energetic, but I can be patient! You need it to fall naturally? I'll wait for it to fall naturally!
Something told me that even though Akko meant well and was really trying her best...
She would still lose her patience no matter how hard she tried.
Y/N: Ah she'll be fine! Perhaps I'll be able to restrain her.
Akko: My energy is super cute?
I knew Akko was talking to me, so I looked over at her to see a huge grin on her face.
Y/N: W-well y-yeah it is! Y-you can light up the mood just by being there!
Akko: Awww well, I do my best!
I smile back at her. Lotte points at a clearing just outside a forest.
Lotte: We can land here.
I nod my head and follow Lotte down to the ground. Gently setting myself down, I take a look around and see absolutely nothing for miles.
Just the open snow.
Y/N: You know I brought binoculars! Not that there is much to see out here anyway!
Lotte: I still think it's worth it! But we have a job to do.
Y/N: Of course! S-sorry f-for getting distracted!
I pick up my broom and hurry over to the others, where I got a sweet smile from Lotte.
Lotte: I-it's fine Y/N!
Y/N: Y-yeah...I-I was just trying to lighten things up a little. I-it feels really tense right now!
Lotte: I-I'm scared...w-what i-if we don't succeed? Th-they...
Y/N: Hey...don't think like that! I-I promised that we would find a way. Now we have a way to cure them! We just need to stay on task and find these ingredients! They will be fine.
I hug Lotte and kiss the top of her head. Akko stood on the outside, edging her way closer.
Y/N: Come here Akko!
I drag her into the hug and she hugs me back.
Lotte: Th-thank you Y/N...I-I don't know where we'd be without you!
Y/N: Oh...you give me too much credit...
They both giggle and kiss me before letting go.
Lotte: Ok! So, this snow is what we need.
She was pointing at a pile of snow on a tree branch that was quite high up.
Y/N: So we wait for it to fall to the ground?
Akko: But won't that take too long?
Y/N: Well, all we have to wait for is a gust of wind right?
Lotte nodded her head as we all waited for the snow to fall off the branch.
It must have been around a minute or two, but I could see that Akko was getting impatient.
Y/N: Please Akko...
She turned to the tree and swung her leg at it.
Akko: Oops.
She managed to kick it had enough for it to shake and the snow to fall right down on top of us.
When I managed to dig my way out, I saw the other two trying to do the same. I grabbed their hands and managed to pull them out of the snow.
Lotte: Akko!
Akko: S-sorry! It was just taking too long!
Y/N: W-we've b-been waiting two minutes!
Akko: Two minutes too long!
I shake my head and take a little bit of the snow and make it into a ball and throw it at her.
Y/N: Y-you're i-impossible sometimes you know?
Akko: But that's why you love me~.
I grin at her as Lotte gathers some of the snow and puts it in the jar.
Lotte: It'll do though. Please just be more patient Akko. You have to take this seriously!
Akko: But I am taking it seriously!
I laugh a little at the two of them squabbling and walk up to them.
Y/N: Like I said, there's never a dull moment when I'm with you girls!
They both smile and I kiss them both.
Y/N: Right! Where next?
~
We had been flying for quite some time now and I could see that the other two needed a break.
But we couldn't because we knew how short on time we were. We were pushing ourselves, but we had to.
There were people back in the town that needed saving.
Lotte: Down there! I can see it from here!
Y/N: At last! We've been flying for absolutely ages!
So much so, Lotte had to give Akko to me because she had fallen asleep. She has her face buried in my back and was snoring away.
Lotte: Try and keep her asleep. That way, it can be more natural this time!
Y/N: Gotcha!
Lotte dismounted her broom as I hovered close to her. She looked up at me with a sad smile on her face.
Lotte: I-I'm r-really s-sorry Y/N...I-I wanted this to be a nice time f-for you to m-meet my parents...b-but it's gone so wrong...
I could see tears falling out of her eyes as I got off the broom and enveloped her into a hug.
Y/N: Lotte. I-I said that there is never a dull moment when I'm with the three of you. The festival, the Nightfall Convention in town, the whole thing of a reanimated skeleton that was the father of our headmistress running around town. I-I would never have it any other way! E-Even though this time th-there are lives at stake.
Lotte doesn't say anything and continues to cry. So I let her. This girl was so scared for her family so it was only right to let her get it all out.
Suddenly, there was a loud sneeze from beside us which blew the leaves off the bush and onto the floor.
Akko: S-sorry. W-what's going on?
Lotte: Akko...n-nevermind...
Y/N: Well at least we got the leaves! That was natural enough right?
Lotte: I-I guess...
Lotte clung to me as Akko gathered the leaves.
Y/N: D-Do y-you need a break Lotte?
Lotte: N-no. W-we have to continue.
Y/N: Ok. But you can fly with me. My broom should be big enough for the three of us.
Lotte: Th-that sounds good.
I pick her up and place her on the broom.
Y/N: Akko, could you just carry Lotte's broom please?
Akko: Mhm! Of course!
Y/N: Thank you.
Climbing on the broom, Lotte put her arms around me and rested her chin on my shoulder.
Lotte: Y-you're so sweet Y/N. Th-thank you for taking care of us...
Y/N: Always...
Akko had her hands full with the two jars and also Lotte's broom.
Y/N: You gonna be alright Akko? I-I didn't really think this through. You might fall off.
Akko: I'll be fine! Just try not to stop suddenly ok.
I nod my head and we fly on. Lotte was being my navigator as we flew over the endless snow.
However, soon we were flying over a field of green grass. The landscape had changed really quickly!
Akko: Wow! It took so long to gather just two ingredients!
Lotte: Oh no!!
Y/N: What? What's wrong Lotte?!
Lotte: But...he's not here!
I land the broom and Lotte jumps off and looks around.
Y/N: Who's meant to be here?
Lotte: We have to gather reindeer droppings from a reindeer raised by a Laplander. But Mr Nicholas seems to have moved!
Y/N: Moved? Wait, Mr Nicholas?
Lotte: Yeah, he's always been a bit of a nomad. He could be anywhere!
Y/N: Depends when he moved. He might not have gone far!
Lotte inhales deeply and yells out into the wilderness.
Lotte: MR NICHOLAS!!!
Her voice echoes all around and off into wind.
Lotte: *sigh* we've done all we can today. Let's go home...
I could tell that Lotte was even more deflated than earlier on. It was going to be hard to sleep tonight knowing that we had left the job half done.
But we just had to deal with it...
Once we land back at the house, something immediately caught Akko's eye.
And it caught mine as well...
Y/N: O-oh n-no....
Akko: Sucy!!
Akko rushed to Sucy's side as I do the same. The moss had managed to take Sucy now as well.
Y/N: Sh-she w-was so close. H-How long could we have been gone?
Akko: Who knows?! She could've been really quick! We have to-.
Lotte: A-kko...
We turn around to see Lotte turning into moss, slowly making her way to us.
Y/N: N-no...no...NO! LOTTE!
Lotte: Y-you t-two h-have to make the cure. I-I kn-know y-you...c-can...
She stopped moving. I could feel tears welling in my eyes as Akko clung onto me and started sobbing.
Y/N: I promised I would protect them...no harm would ever come to them while I am around.
I failed them...
Y/N: N-NO!
I turn to Akko and grab her shoulders. She looks up at me, tears streaming down her face.
Y/N: We do not give up! Lotte told us that we had to! She's counting on us! Everyone is counting on us! We already have gathered three out of the five things we need! Two more Akko! And then this ends!
Akko: B-But...
Y/N: Akko, I will do this. We will do this! Come on! You and me Akko! We've got this!
It took a bit more than that to gee Akko back up, but in the end she triumphantly nodded her head.
Akko: Yeah! Let's do this Y/N!
She rushed over to Sucy and grabbed the third jar and came back over.
Y/N: Now. A reindeer. Where do we find a reindeer. This place is so barren! Well apart from the town and all, but beyond it is miles and miles of snow!
Akko: Well let's get a better view then!
I watch Akko run off and start climbing on the roof of one of the houses. I join her with all our things and sit down.
Y/N: Good thing I brought binoculars in the end then huh.
Akko: Yup! Pass them here!
I hand her the binoculars and she stands up and surveys the landscape.
Meanwhile, a small egg shaped pigeon landed on the roof and began to peck at the floor.
Y/N: Hey little guy! Don't suppose you know if there are any reindeer around here?
The pigeon looked at me and shook its head.
Y/N: You can understand me? Although come to think of it, Luna Nova is home to all sorts of talking creatures!
Luna Nova...
What would they say if only I turned up? If we did fail and the others did die and I survived.
How would they see it?
Y/N: Akko.
Akko: Yeah?
Y/N: If we do fail and you all die, do you think they'll see me as a murderer?
Akko: What?! Why are you saying this?!
Y/N: The disease isn't affecting me. And I touched the moss. There's a speck of it on your hand...
Akko looks at her hand and tries to rub it off, but to no avail.
Y/N: I-I'm sorry. I-I didn't do enough. I-I can't do anything. What's the point in having power like me and I can't cure you all?!
Akko: Y/N...it's not your fault. This was always going to happen. Like the book says, this happens every a thousand years! We just so happened to be here at the exact time!
Y/N: I-I don't want to loose you...
Akko: You won't! You told me we would cure this, and that's what we are gonna do!
She swoops down and hugs me tightly. I hug her back and feel the smile return to my face.
Y/N: Damn, my mood shifts so quick!
The pigeon was jumping up and down trying to get our attention.
Y/N: Yeah? What is it?
It flapped its wings and hovered in the air.
Y/N: Can you find a reindeer for us?
Akko: Hang on!
Akko goes into her pocket and pulls out a bag of seeds.
Y/N: Where'd you get them?
Akko: Don't ask! I'll give you these if you do!
The bird saluted seemingly satisfied and flew off.
Akko: Now we wait.
Y/N: Yep!
Akko: With you by my side, we will get this done!
Y/N: Of course! Whenever you need me, I'll be by your side!
She smiled and rested her head on my chest.
Y/N: Please hang on everyone! We're coming with that cure!
Very soon, the pigeon returned and started pointing far out in the distance.
Y/N: You found one?
Akko was fast asleep next to me, so I took the binoculars and looked where the pigeon was pointing.
Y/N: Reindeer! Bingo!
I turn to the pigeon and open the bag of seeds.
Y/N: Thank you! Have the whole thing!
The pigeon cooed and flew onto my shoulder and I gave it a quick scratch before it took the bag and flew off.
Y/N: That's one strong pigeon!
I glance back at Akko who was still fast asleep and crouch down. That tiny speck on her hand was growing.
Y/N: I can't leave you here. But stay sleeping Akko. I can do this.
I didn't want to take my eyes off her and let her succumb to this on her own. Luckily she seemed to be turning a lot slower than the others.
Y/N: Lucky you threw all that up into the bin.
I place her on my broom and climb on in front.
Y/N: Hang on tight!
I put her arms around my waist and took off in the direction of the reindeer.
Y/N: Please just be the correct reindeer!
[To Be Continued]