Essly burst into the room to find Marie-Grace still reading. "I'm going to become a samurai; like it or not!" She announced, smiling widely. When she got no response, she wrenched the book from Marie-Grace's hands (carefully of course, not wanting to rip the pages).
"Hey, what gives?!" Marie-Grace cried, grabbing at the book, which Essly held just out of her reach.
"I'm going to accept Sensei Wu's offer to become a samurai," Essly explained. "I really want to learn to defend myself like you can and, well, if that prophecy thing really is true, don't you think we should do something about it? Maybe you'll even learn to control your-"
"There is no cure," Marie-Grace snapped. "There is no way to control it. I just have to deal with it and you said I'm doing better, so just drop it."
Essly looked down at her feet. "I'm sorry, Marie." She felt truly horrible about mentioning it. She knew it was a very sensitive subject. "I'm just going to tell Sensei that I'm going to become a samurai . . ."
Marie-Grace sighed. She knew that Essly hadn't meant anything bad by that. "Is there nothing I can say to change your mind, Es?" When Essly shook her head defiantly, Marie-Grace grinned. "Well, I'd be a horrible bestie if I didn't support you. And the best way to support you would be to join you." Essly smiled widely as Marie-Grace stood up. "Let's go tell the others."
The two left the room laughing and smiling like best friends do. Cole walked by and smirked. "Wow, you're actually smiling. That must be a rare event."
"You just don't know me well enough then," Marie-Grace smirked back. "You're . . . Cole, right?"
"Cole Brookstone, at your service." Cole bowed low, causing Essly to laugh. But Marie-Grace had a look of fright on her face. Cole raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong, Ms. Flamey? Need your pillows fluffed?" He and Essly laughed again, but Marie-Grace was still staring at him as if he had suddenly sprouted another head.
Suddenly, her horror-stricken face contorted into one of rage. "Just get out of my way, Brookstone," Marie-Grace growled, putting emphasis on his last name. She shoved past and stormed off.
Essly grimaced. "Shoot, I forgot about that old thing. I never thought she would actually meet-" Essly cut herself off and looked up at Cole. "Uh, don't mind her, Cole."
Cole's thundercloud coloured eyes were filled with confusion and anger. "Why shouldn't I? That was suspicious behavior! And weird." Cole pushed back his raven coloured hair and then scanned Essly. "You know what that was about though. Tell me!"
Essly shook her head and for a moment, Cole's caramel coloured skin actually looked red with anger. "Fine, I'll ask Kai or Nya!" Essly was about to explain how they wouldn't know, but decided not to. It was easier to let him find out for himself.
Essly ran to catch up with Marie-Grace. "Are you okay, Marie-Grace? Wait, disregard that, that's a stupid question. Of course you're not okay. New question: can I do anything to help? Maybe tell Cole why you suddenly hate him so much?"
"No, he already knows, no matter how sincere he sounded," Marie-Grace muttered. "He's faking a stupid act. He must know. Otherwise he really is a-"
"But he looked genuinely confused. Even a bit angry!" Essly pressed.
"Well, he probably has to fake it if he wants to actually fulfill the plan. I mean, obviously Kai and Nya don't know or else they wouldn't have anything to do with him. So he probably thought I wouldn't know either, but when he found out I did, he had to fake it!"
"If Kai and Nya didn't know, then how can you be so sure Cole knows?"
"Oh, Brookstone definitely knows," Marie-Grace hissed. "He has to. Otherwise he has never picked up a history book in his life."