Little Pilot Academia

Chapter 15

Akko watched in amazement as Diana did an amazingly quick U-turn and the Shooting Star stopped. They had been training for three hours now – Akko was, maybe, getting the hang on quick movements, as long as there weren’t that many trees in the way – and it was time for a break. Diana had been gone a few minutes longer than Akko, though.

Diana stepped out of the Shooting Star, and Hannah used the emergency exit to get out of it. The guns had been fixed, though the mechanics had been rather annoyed that they would start to waste resources just for practice.

Akko didn’t fail to notice that Diana was sweating slightly, the light of the white sun making her face sparkle even through the helmet’s visor. Maybe it was because she was still tired, but she found the sight to be picture worthy. Of course Diana would look perfect even when tired and sweating, Akko thought. Couldn’t the blonde girl do something wrong for once?

Diana looked at her as she was sitting on the ground. Surprisingly enough, she sat in front of Akko. “I caught snippets of you flying. I believe you’re doing better today.”

Akko smiled. Getting praise from Diana felt strangely good. “Thanks. You’re as amazing as always, too,” Akko said. Before the u-turn, Akko had seen her cross a small forest without touching a single tree. The way she maneuvered the ship was other-worldly. In the rhetoric way of speaking, of course, since they were in another world.

“Where is Ursula?” Hannah asked, sitting next to Diana.

“She went to get Amanda,” Akko explained. The simple mention of the name made Hannah frown. She really seemed to have been offended by the fact that Amanda didn’t remember how she handled the Shiny Rod’s weapons.

They stayed in silence for a while. Akko was growing hungry, but eating in the middle of the field was impossible. Even if you managed to somehow get food into your suit without dying of Magic exposure, the food would have been exposed to the same Magic, and eating it would’ve had the same effect.

“How is it?” Diana suddenly asked. She wore her normal expression, but when meeting her eyes, Akko sensed something else. Some extra feeling. “Flying the Shiny Rod. It must be quite the experience,” she was looking with a strange intensity.

“I don’t really have anything to compare it with. It’s harder than it was in my videogames, if that helps,” it probably didn’t, but Diana’s expression didn’t change.

“Interesting,” Diana said, though it appeared she was speaking more to herself than to Akko. “Tell me, how do you feel about the incoming race?”

Akko paused. She had actually kind of completely forgotten about that. “I… don’t know?” she shrugged. “It’s so abstract, I still don’t really believe I’m here,” she looked up. “But I’m going to win. Somehow, I promise.”

Akko didn’t feel that confident, but she found it comforting to say it out loud. Maybe, by making the promise to others, she’d win to fulfill it. Diana nodded slowly. Akko was starting to be slightly uncomfortable. Something about Diana felt a little different. Maybe she was trying to get something out of Akko. That look was still in her eyes.

“You should try going slower in narrow spaces. It will help you maneuver. Not everything in a race is about raw speed,” Diana said. Akko opened her mouth, but she had nothing to say to that. Going slower on narrow spaces? Of course she did that!