Chapter 68: Fated Burn(24)

"Wait, what?!" Nozomi asked Yoshino in surprise as both returned to their homes, walking side-by-side through the mostly empty street. Seiza followed right behind them, and Rudabaugh watched from afar to ensure they reached their homes safely. Neither girl wore their masks anymore, and Nozomi had transformed back to her civilian appearance before leaving the alleyway.

They could have asked Seiza for help reaching their homes faster. However, Yoshino felt she wouldn't be able to have the talk she needed with Nozomi if they didn't take the long way.

"Yeah, apparently, that darkspawn wasn't my mom's doing. It is something that happens when humanity produces enough negative energy. That's what our Professor told me while we were on our way to join you."

"So you're saying the Grand Master isn't responsible for the existence of darkspawns?" Seiza asked after ensuring no one he didn't want to hear him was listening, concern clear on his face at the implications.

Yoshino closed her eyes and nodded. "Yep."

Seiza frowned. "Then, even if we were to defeat the Grand Master..."

"Darkspawns would keep being born and cause harm and death to others all the same," Yoshino completed Seiza's sentence. As expected, the mood of everyone around soured after that confirmation, with Seiza looking down at the ground upset and Nozomi nervously staring at her best friend as she attempted to swallow the large pill that was this revelation.

"I-if that's the case, then what are we supposed to do?!" Nozomi asked, exchanging distressed looks between Yoshino and Seiza, hoping either one had a solution in mind.

Yoshino sighed. "For now, we should focus on dealing with the Grand Master and any other stray darkspawns your pendant detects while preparing to fight the former."

Nozomi frowned, noticing how her friend was avoiding mentioning a glaring problem. "And after we deal with the Grand Master?" she inquired uneasily.

Yoshino looked down at the cold, hard sidewalk as she thought about what to say. Well, obviously we stop with all this magical girl and darkspawn nonsense and try to live a normal life! That was Yoshino's immediate thought. But of course, that would be too good to be true.

"We'll cross that bridge when we get there." It had been Yoshino's way of saying she had no idea without directly saying it.

Unfortunately, Nozomi saw through it and slowly nodded. "Hmm, I see..." Nozomi trailed off, expression conflicted.

The heavy silence that followed would normally be enough of a hint for Yoshino to end the conversation there. However, she felt the need to discuss one more thing with Nozomi. "Also...do you want to talk about it?" she asked, giving her best friend a knowing look.

Yoshino watched as Nozomi's expressions changed from confused to realization before not-so-subtly attempting to act ignorant. Yoshino clenched her hands. "Talk about what?" Nozomi laughed nervously before having a fake moment of realization that Yoshino couldn't help but frown at. "Oh yeah, Rea and Tsujin, wow, yeah, you're right! Two people in one body, that's sure is—"

Yoshino sighed, able to see through Nozomi's attempt to avoid the subject. "Nozomi, please."

Nozomi opened her mouth to wave Yoshino's worries away, but the latter's look of concern made her close her mouth and look down. After an entire minute of silence, Nozomi finally spoke. "I'm sorry."

Yoshino's frown deepened. "For what?" she asked, genuinely wondering what her friend needed to apologize for. "Does it have anything to do with me going?" Yoshino guessed, the look she gave Nozomi immediately told her 'It was her choice.'

For a brief moment, Nozomi's mouth went agape, genuinely surprised Yoshino guessed it right before she closed her mouth and gave a nervous nod. "...I suppose it's a little bit of that. Was it that obvious?"

"Eh, a little bit. Care to share?" Yoshino asked, ensuring her tone wasn't intimidating.

"It's just..." The blondette sighed. "When I called for you to warn about the darkspawn, I assumed I would be able to protect you and Rea from whatever happened. In the end, I got tricked and ended up helpless. It's difficult not to think I was useless." After a moment of silence, Nozomi added, "And do I even need to say anything about how that darkspawn almost got away because I wanted to do more? If Tsujin weren't there to stop them...I don't even want to think what would happen if they did and innocent people got in their way." Nozomi corrected herself. Both girls and Seiza stopped as the transit signal shone green for the cars to go.

Yoshino slowly nodded in understanding. "I mean...I suppose that's one way you could see things, but...Rea's saved, the stray darkspawn died, and most importantly, all of us got out of there alive. Shouldn't those matter more?"

Nozomi didn't answer back, giving the path ahead a conflicted look, wanting to say something but not going through with it for fear it would be wrong.

When Yoshino realized this, she attempted to empathize with Nozomi, figuring their situation wasn't so different. "I get it." When Nozomi turned to Yoshino, she elaborated. "I also feel useless, but that's why I, no, we are training, so we can be strong enough to do something about this feeling."

Nozomi raised her left arm to rub her right one. "Will we even be lucky enough to reach that far?"

Yoshino reached for Nozomi's right hand. "Yes. One way or another, we will." Yoshino intermingled her fingers and clenched Nozomi's hand, the warmth she felt from Nozomi's hand made the words feel more assured.

A tiny, tired smile grew on Nozomi's face. "I hope you're right..."

In response, Yoshino grew a tired smile of her own. "Yeah...I do too." She strengthened her grip on Nozomi's hand.

"Also, I think there's one more thing we need to discuss." Yoshino trailed off, attempting to approach this topic as best as possible.

"Hmm?" Nozomi turned to Yoshino and tilted her head confused. "Would there be something else?" Nozomi frowned. "Wasn't this what you wanted to talk about?"

"I mean, right now after hearing all of that? Yeah, that too. But it wasn't what I first thought we needed to discuss." With her free hand, Yoshino raised two fingers to her own eyes.

Even if Nozomi's eyes getting burned might not have been as severe compared to the damage Judai had caused her, the former lasting a lot longer than the latter felt a good enough reason for Yoshino to address it.

Nozomi immediately got the message, deflating a little when she did. "Oh."

The transit sign turned red, allowing the girls and puppy to cross the street and resume their walk home.

"I...assumed you didn't want to bring it up because you thought I wouldn't understand what you just went through, which," Yoshino sighed, "you're correct, I don't." She admitted. "But I also don't just want to do nothing while you clearly need someone to talk to, at least, not a second time today." Yoshino scratched the back of her neck as she tried her best to comfort her friend while ignoring how she also needed herself.

Nozomi slowly nodded. "I see..." She sighed. "I...will manage. I'll probably feel much better tomorrow, maybe." She tried to play it off, but Yoshino could see through it from the subtle increase in Nozomi's grip.

"...If you say so." Yoshino bit her lip as she was tempted to say more, but she could feel Nozomi didn't want to speak further. "Speaking of, have you done your homework for math class tomorrow?" she asked to change the subject to something lighter, having done hers after taking a bath to wash off the training.

"Hmm...no, I don't think I did..." Nozomi trailed off, lacking any interest in her voice.

Yoshino had to do a double-take, as she expected Nozomi to panic over not finishing her homework, before shooking her head. She's just tired, it has been a long day... Yoshino told herself. "Oh, well, I did, so if you want, I could send you photos with all the calculations and answers since we probably won't have much time to study."

"I see...thanks." Nozomi turned to Yoshino and smiled, which should have been of appreciation, but Yoshino couldn't help but feel it was forced.

Yoshino closed her eyes and mentally sighed. Very, very long day... She kept telling herself, convincing herself that it was enough and she would push Nozomi's patience too far if she continued.

In the end, Yoshino decided they could talk about it anytime when they were both well-rested, so she stayed silent the rest of the way home. If she was thankful for anything, it was that her best friend hadn't become too upset to end the handholding prematurely.

In retrospect, she should've just rolled the dice and hoped Nozomi was still in the mood to talk.