Months have passed since the initial hurricane of activity that marked Bryony's arrival into Nicola's life. In those first few weeks, the two girls faced danger together more than once. They nearly died together more than once. Somehow, though, they found their way through it. Maybe that seemed like the beginning of a new adventure for the two of them. But things haven't quite turned out that way.
Bryony was there when Nicola finally succeeded in retrieving Ruby Rose. She seemed genuinely happy for Nicola on their way home. But there wasn't much jubilation from her after the first few days of their reunification passed. Instead, Bryony got quiet afterward. There was an easy explanation for that during their break from school. She had her mountain of homework to take care of, which she attacked with renewed vigor. And when she was done with that, she took to burying herself in her textbooks. With how little Nicola and Jessamine knew her, it wasn't an unreasonable assumption that she had always been that studious, that she was getting back into her old habits now that she had settled in.
Now school has started. And a few weeks in, it's clear that things are a little different with her. There hasn't been any mention of adventure or exploration. She has been friendly enough--her usual awkward jokes and outspoken friendliness are still present, at least on the outside--but she has been distant beyond that, content to let Nicola carry on with her own affairs.
As the two girls walk home from school, it's mostly silence. Bryony turns toward Nicola and offers a slight smile. "I think Jessamine said she had work to do this afternoon. Do you want to get some food from the convenience store on the way home?"
"Sure, how about exploration cakes with adventure soda?" She suggests, the smile on her face suggests she's joking, but there's obviously some degree of concern to her jokes. Nicola wouldn't have used those words if she wasn't concerned. She leaves Bryony the opportunity to ignore the concern this way, however.
"Is that a thing?" Bryony asks, her voice perking up. She still doesn't quite get what's normal for this world, even if she's learning fast. "Oh . . . " It takes a few moments before the reality dawns on her. "Right . . . "
She smiles wide, though the expression doesn't look wholly genuine. "I guess you remember the things I said before. That . . . " Her expression shifts slightly. She looks embarassed. "That was pretty silly, honestly, wasn't it?" She laughs nervously.
Nicola reads that response as meaning she hit the right target, "Was it silly? I thought it was a fun idea, we just need to unlock Aegis properly and we can go explore and have adventures as much as we want." She is intentionally ignoring that Jessamine may disagree; to her, the woman remains a necessary evil.
"Do you really think so?" Bryony herself sounds doubtful, though. "I know I haven't been asking much about what you've been up to. Have you been OK? You . . . you looked like you got into a few rough situations, after we started school again. I didn't know whether it was just something that happened while playing, or if it was more serious. I probably should've asked."
"A ... friend of mine did something stupid, and I did something stupid to try to get through to her. I think it worked?" It's rather vague, as far as explanations go, and she doesn't look like she plans to elaborate. Is she keeping secrets? "And yeah, I think so, it'll be fun."
"A magical friend?" Bryony asks. She seems a little hurt that she isn't getting the full story. "Never mind. I get it. It's probably private, isn't it?"
The girls reach an intersection. A handful of cars drift by, the majority of them coming from the direction of the school, many with another Seishou Elementary student in the back seat. It's a nice day: a little warm as summer approaches, but a light cloud cover provides just enough shade to keep the heat from being oppressive. Bryony just stares forward as she waits, her face a little blank. "You're that kind of person, y'know, Nicola?"
Not turning to the face the other girl, she smiles wanly. "And I'm proud that you are. You're quieter than I am sometimes, but you still notice things. You notice when people are hurting or need help, and you move toward it, even if it's hard or dangerous. You're brave. You rushed off to save me that night beneath the city."
The signal finally shifts, and Bryony starts to walk. It's just the two of them crossing the street.
"I'm not sure if I'm like you. I want to be. I really thought I was. But there was nothing I could do to protect you." Reaching the other side of the street, she keeps walking. "I wasn't any help at all. Even if I could control Aegis . . . " She gets a dozen paces down the next block before she stops entirely. " . . . I was scared."
"I'm not sure if I'd be breaking her trust if I told you more." Nicola explains why she's keeping it vague, without offering any more answers. The wan smile and compliments make Nicola look towards Bryone, holding out her hand. "Dad made sure I would know what to do." She says, and then, when Bryony stops. "I was scared, too, you know? I just knew what to do because I prepared for it. We can teach you, right, Ruby?" <YES MASTER>
Bryony turns toward the other girl. Spreading across her face is a smile that slowly shifts from bittersweet to genuinely appreciative. She reaches out and grasps Nicola's hand in both of hers. "You . . . " A slight grin starts to show. "You don't need to do that. But /since you are/, I think I'm going to take you up on that. Thank you. And thank you too, Ruby Rose." She takes a deep breath in, her face a little more hopeful when she exhales. "It really is a nice day, isn't it?"
She keeps walking, letting go of Nicola's hand with only one of her own. "I always fantasized that I'd have big adventures when I finally got out of that room. There wasn't much else to do but dream. That was only a few months ago, to me." Her face turns thoughtful. "But I guess pacing yourself and learning how to do things is good too, isn't it? And being willing to talk things over."
She suddenly looks at Nicola again, this time with intensity in her silver-flecked eyes, a mischievous expression that usually hints at her having a "brilliant," often very bad, idea. "It's a long walk, but there's a sushi place just around Midori-Ya. It's cheap enough that I think we can afford it, if we pool our money. Want to blow our allowance on a nice lunch?"