When Hailey returned to her home, she felt drained.
Not just from traveling along public transportation and the fight she’d had with Dragonfly, but also from all that she’d learned about magical girls.
It really wasn’t much, but it felt like it was a lot to digest.
Especially when she knew that she had a lot of ground to cover to catch up to the level that Dragonfly was at.
Whether she’d be able to reach that level before Himari returned she couldn’t say.
All she knew was that she would need to focus on that regardless of how it affected her in any other way.
“Did you get a job?” her father asked the moment she walked in the door, his eyes unfocused as he held a beer in his hand.
“Not today,” Hailey answered, somehow returning to how she was before she’d had the confrontation with Himari.
Why she was suddenly feeling cold again and scared, she couldn’t explain.
Just that it suddenly felt like it was a different person who spoke to Himari than she was right now.
“Hmmm,” her father grunted, stumbling towards the couch where he could watch TV.
Hailey didn’t question why he didn’t try to hit her, like she expected.
Instead, she went straight to her room and pulled Dave out of her bag.
“So, what do we need to do for training?” Hailey asked him as she tossed him towards her bed.
Dave looked at her skeptically, as if he was trying to puzzle something out.
“Uh, what part did you miss when I told Hoshi that I have no idea what to do for your training?” “Hoshi also said that you should know what to do for my training, so what should I do?
Push-ups, sit-ups, squats, or crunches?” Dave shook his head, making Hailey frown.
She wasn’t sure why he was so dead set against giving her proper guidance, but it hurt a little that he wasn’t going to take it as seriously as she was.
Especially since both of their lives were potentially on the line here.
Although, she supposed that if her was deemed a natural whatever then she’d only be the one in hot water if she didn’t improve enough for Himari’s expectations.
“Alright, then what kind of training do you suggest I do?” Dave turned to look at her.
“If you really want to know, then you should focus on the ‘magical’ part of magical girl.
You should have magic at your disposal.
I mean, you did stop Dragonfly for a moment by holding your hand out and while I’m not entirely sure if those crystal shards you sprayed out could be considered magic, you at least did demonstrate you can use it.” Hailey frowned.
She wasn’t sure what it was that she did to stop Hailey, just that she was unsure if she could control it.
As while the feeling did well up from inside her but after Dragonfly continued her attack, Hailey wasn’t sure how she’d be able to copy that feeling.
However, as she thought about it, being able to control that feeling might be just what she needed.
Especially since she couldn’t say that she was much of a fighter herself.
At least considering the pitiful fight she put up when Dragonfly was attacking her without taking it seriously.
While Haiely did get off a kick, it was blocked without hesitation, making her useless in that regard.
“Alright, when should we begin my training?” Hailey asked, feeling motivated in a way she couldn’t remember ever feeling before.
She wasn’t sure if it was because she was a magical girl now or if there was some aspect of escaping her current life that was part of that motivation.
Besides, she’d only ever been vaguely aware of magical girl anime and manga before this.
So, it wasn’t like she had had fantasies of being a magical girl before she became one.
Although, as she saw Dragonfly transform, she couldn’t help but wonder if maybe being seen naked was something that happened to her.
If it was, she wondered if maybe she should try to find a more private place to transform from now on.
As she thought about that, her gaze drifted towards Dave.
As she recalled him saying that he was human, she couldn’t help but feel her face heat up as she realized that he’d seen her naked.
Even if it was for only a moment or two; at least considering the moment when she de-transformed as well.
“Is something wrong?” Dave asked, sounding like he might actually be concerned with her.
“No, nothing,” Hailey said quickly not wanting to talk about it.
After all, the more she thought about it, the more embarrassed she was likely to get.
“So, about the training.
When should we start?” Dave sighed, looking more resigned than enthusiastic like she was.
“Let’s do it when your family goes to bed, alright?
That way they’re less likely to overhear you when you transform and anything else that might come up that might require you to say something.” Hailey shook her head.
“If I wait for them to go to bed, I might wake them up.” “Then we’ll have to leave quietly and find a place you can train where you won’t be interrupted and won’t disturb anyone,” Dave said, looking like he might actually be seriously thinking about this problem.
“Well, if we’re going to do that, I should take a nap so I’ll be better rested,” Hailey remarked, moving to change out of the clothing she was wearing.
Although, as she started to lift her shirt, she suddenly remembered Dave’s presence.
So, she threw a thick blanket over him before starting to change clothing.
Whether he was actually human or not wasn’t something she was that concerned about.
He was male and she wasn’t comfortable being around him while she was changing.
She wasn’t sure if she’d ever get comfortable around him while she changed but at the same time, even though she knew that she wouldn’t be able to really do anything if he wanted to look at her when she transformed.
A thought that made her want to throw Dave out the window and be done with him altogether.