'Yeah. She's just - young, in a lot of ways other than just age.'

'Maybe - maybe one of the things we should do once the League is bigger is some kind of - training period.  If you're more powerful when you wish younger, you can still do that, but you don't have to go out fighting witches right away, you can just practice and spar and live off the grief seed pool.  It's still not - great - to make a decision like that so young, but.'

'Yeah. And then we can try getting to potentials and younger girls, before they get defensive or mean.'

'Oh, yeah, that's a good idea too - I was imagining after we go public and more people know it's an option.  But if we can convince Kyubey to introduce us to potentials too, that'd help a lot.'

'I suspect 'all the coolness of being a magical girl but none of the danger until you're ready' will help pull in a lot of edge cases, yeah.'

'For some people the coolness might be the danger.  But, yeah, I think you're right.'

'Thanks. So, get our stories straight for the folks?' She has a few suggestions about what they supposedly did at the 'con', in addition to their trips to the museums. 'Not that my mom will care, but you never know... Wow I'm in a bad mood, I'm usually not this negative.'

'Fighting that girl was - tough.  Let me know if there's anything I can do to help.'  She rubs her shoulder.

Kaylee helps straighten out their stories.  'Working in the museum visits is a good idea.'

'Thanks. I think I just need time to get my equilibrium back.'

'Any time.'

The bus trundles along.

Soon enough they're back to the junction to their usual bus route, then to home. "See you in class!" Lianne says when it's her next stop. 

"See you then!"

Lianne returns home, fakes a smile for her family, gives a cursory overview of her trip, then heads upstairs. 

The next day, she's feeling better, and she greets Kaylee cheerily when she arrives on the bus. 

"Hi!  How are you feeling?"

"Better!" 'That was a setback, but I think we can do better going forwards, now that we have a slightly more realistic picture.'

"I'm glad."  'And yeah, I think you're right.  - we never did get a chance to figure out anything about Kyubey, though.  We might have to take a different tack there.'

'Yeah. Though we'll have to be careful he doesn't get annoyed at us for investigating him then refuse to help.'

' - should we be talking about it over telepathy?'

'Good point. Head to my house after anime club? Or yours. We can talk in one of our rooms.'

'Yeah, lets.  You can come over to my place, I can't imagine my parents would mind.  I'll text them.'

'Thanks! I'll let my sister know after school.'

'Cool!'

Kaylee sends off a text to her dad as the bus pulls into the parking lot.

The school day proceeds as normal. 

After anime club, Lianne calls her sister to let her know she's going over to Kaylee's, then waits with Kaylee for the bus home.

"Oh, by the way!  Dad offered to make homemade pizza for everyone, you included," Kaylee says.  "I don't think I ever mentioned."

"Sounds delicious!"