Shock. Joy. Terror. Happiness. Horror. Exhilaration. Jess couldn't focus on a single emotion. All of them swirled around in her mind; a tornado, a hurricane, and an earthquake of sensation all at once. Her body made the decision to leak into the kiss, titling her head up as her muscles relaxed. The world melted around her, the people staring at her and the bus squealing to a stop all but gone from her consciousness. All that remained was the feeling of Kyodai's plush lips on hers, her hands roving to the princess's hips and their breasts pressing together. She didn't want this to end.
"Jess? Ground control to Major Jess, do you read me?"
"Huh? What? Um... what?" Jess stammered, jolting back to reality.
"The bus is here," Kyodai notified her and gestured to the open doors, waiting for her and Jess to get on.
"Oh, yeah. Sorry, let's go," Jess apologised. The princess climbed on first and paused at the front. Jess could see it as Kyodai turned her head from left to right, meeting the gaze of every passenger on board. Several visibly shrunk away from the baleful glare that befitted the devil itself. The princess eventually smiled to her companion and led the way to the back. Jess couldn't tear her eyes away from the beguiling beauty as she followed. Her surroundings blurred as her vision tunnelled on Kyodai alone, completely missing it as a foot appeared in her path.
As well as the metal grating rapidly approaching her face.
Jess lifted her head up in a daze. Her surroundings were blurry, though she could make out several people moving and pointing at her. Were they laughing? She felt a warm fluid run down over her lips. Curious, she brought a finger to inspect her face and dabbed at the flowing liquid. She pulled it back to find her fingertip coated in the unmistakable shade of blood. A growing ache formed at the centre of her face as realisation dawned on her.
Jess felt her breathing hasten rapidly. She was terribly squeamish as a child and even now, bordering on adulthood, she avoided the sight of it as best she could. Before the panic could fully set in, she felt a pair of hands grip her shoulders. She looked up to see Kyodai crouching before her. The princess could have passed for an angel at that moment, at least in Jess's mind, like benevolence personified. Kyodai smiled comfortingly and stood, pulling Jess with her. The two quickly fled the bus with a fleeting glare from the princess.
"You say she tripped?" Nurse Gretchen inquired while she bandaged Jess's nose. The nurse's diagnostic was that it was broken, but not severe. A few days of rest and it'd be good as new, though the painkillers she gave Jess wouldn't hurt at all.
"She was tripped," Kyodai corrected. She stood beside Jess, hovering about her like a worried mother.
"Hmm," the nurse murmured as she made sure everything was in order. Jess felt like her nose was three times its normal size with the bandages on her face, "In either case, I'll notify the principal. She'll sort this out, I assure you, Kyodai-hime," for the first time since meeting her, Jess didn't hear the princess object to her title.
"I'd expect nothing less," Kyodai asserted, her voice was soft as a cloud, but there was a hard, icy edge to it.
"As I said, Princess, I assure you this will be handled as best it can," Nurse Gretchen said as she stood to retrieve a small bottle from a cupboard. Jess couldn't help but notice that the nurse's posture was slightly hunched, as if afraid to stand at full height in Kyodai's presence, "You didn't happen to see who caused it did you?" The nurse questioned nonchalantly, but her voice shook ever so slightly. Jess glanced up at Kyodai and saw her arms were folded with her hands clenched into tight fists, her eyes alight with anger.
"If I had, Nurse Gretchen, then they would be at my home right this instant," the princess's baleful tone made it clear that the culprit wouldn't be treated to a lavish dinner. The nurse subtly flinched at the words. Her composure was beginning to crack like a patch of ice under increasing weight.
"Of course, Princess, my apologies."
"Let's go," Jess spoke suddenly, feeling the need to break the tension building. She hopped to her feet only to regret it as the world spun around her. Kyodai moved quickly and caught her before she fell, "Thanks," Jess mumbled and stood unsteadily for a few seconds, until she had adjusted to the gently swaying world.
"Are you sure?" Kyodai challenged with an arched eyebrow.
"Yes, now come on," Jess urged, already stumbling to the door. The princess followed close behind with her arms half extended. Once they were clear of the room, Nurse Gretchen fell back onto one of the beds and breathed a heavy sigh of relief.
"You really need to tone it down," Jess admonished from her seat at the bus stop. She had walked shakily, stumbled really, with Kyodai fretting about her like a nervous parent. The school bus had already departed, leaving them to the mercy of the public. Kyodai had offered to have a car drive Jess home, but the easily flustered teen quickly turned her down.
"I don't know what you mean," Kyodai stared blankly at her companion.
"The nurse was ready to turn over in there," Jess pointed out with a gesture towards the school. The princess tilted her head questioningly. Jess sighed, "You're hopeless."
Perhaps it was the fact that she was still reeling from the sight of her blood earlier, or the pills Nurse Gretchen had given her were finally kicking in, but Jess felt relaxed at that moment. Less like she was talking to the royal daughter, and more as though she was hanging out with a friend, though that in and of itself was somewhat alien to her. Jess could hardly remember the last time she'd called someone a genuine friend.
