Bryn could not, by any means, be considered a terribly proactive person. She tended to wait until Something Happened in order to get her butt in gear. She knew this about herself. She accepted it. She was never going to be the firebrand sort.

And that was fine.

But her almost complete inability to defend herself was a problem. And one that she had to sort out before Something Happened. Yes, Tea had said they could join a class together. And she would do that. But in the meantime, there were many classes and many things that she could learn. None of this was a one and done deal.

She had made a list of names and addresses and had decided to spend her day doing research. Did the place seem sus, were the teachers sketchy AF? Did the students seem safe and happy? These were the things that she needed to find out about. Especially now when anyone could claim to be an expert and the next thing you know, you’re part of a weird cult. Bryn wanted to avoid being shanghaied into a cult at all costs.

Thus, her research! The first place on her list already had a big red X through it. She had not liked the vibe of the place offering self defense for women classes, yet none of the teachers had been ladies. Perhaps it had been legitimate, but she had not felt comfortable once inside the doors. Needless to say, she had hurried out and gone on to the next. Now, that place had potential, she thought. The students had seemed happy enough and the teachers were calm and knowledgeable. She’d marked a star by that one.

The next few on her list seemed middling. While they didn’t alarm her, she was convinced that there were better options available. In the case of one of the teachers who seemed weirdly insistent that he would teach her to fight off the alien invaders from Tau Ceti, she made a note to check into the business as a whole and perhaps use Yelp for good.

A few more stops and Bryn was decidedly grumpy. She was tired, hungry and thoroughly annoyed with people. Her list had very few stars, though, thankfully, only one red X. Stopping for a bite at a little outdoor cafe, she clutched her hot chocolate in her hands and considered. She’d really felt the best about the first star on the list. She’d still report her findings to Tea, but for herself, she was inclined to go with them. As soon as she finished her snack, she would be good, go back and sign herself up for classes. Then, she could bask internally in the glow of having done something good for herself. Of having taken initiative.

Then, she could finally learn how to properly fight and defend herself. She doubted the classes would cover some of the weapons or magic the Negaverse employed, but once you had the grounding knowledge, everything else would be easy, right?

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