Rising Shards

Aira Orbis had a difficult challenge in front of her. She had been assigned a group project in math class, where their teacher Mrs. Poppi had apparently come up with the perfect division of students, at least according to her. Aira was paired with Laenie, so she got that part right at least. But their other partners Rain and Ko Matora weren’t saying anything, and Laenie was getting anxious so she wasn’t talking either. It was up to Aira to break the ice and get this train rolling.

“Group projects, amirite fellas?” Aira asked.

None of them said anything. If Aira couldn’t get this ship righted soon, Laenie could get quiet for the whole thing, and she really didn’t want that for her best friend.

“I have an idea,” Aira said. “I don’t know Rain and Ko very well, and I assume you guys don’t know us. So how about we…say some fun facts about each other or something? It’d be better than diving into this project, right?”

If Aira couldn’t fill the gas of the metaphorical car of this group project with her suggestion, this whole thing may well go up in smoke. Rain clapped her hands and giggled.

“That sounds delightful!” Rain said. “Who should start?”

“I say Aira, since she suggested it,” Ko said.

“Alright, sure,” Aira said. “Hmmm…well, my last name is Orbis. My Cani power is teleporting, I can throw up on command, and I have an older brother who works at the school!”

“Whoa, you can throw up on command?” Ko asked.

“Yeah! I don’t want to show it off here obviously, but if you’re ever in a pickle, it can help out in a surprising number of situations!”

Laenie chuckled a bit. The most important thing for Aira was that she get involved. But she didn’t look comfortable enough to join in just yet.

“Alright, I’ll go next,” Ko said. “I’m Ko, I have a twin sister, my Cani power is stone, I love beam chasers, I’m recently learning a bit more about theater because...and, uh…what else…”

Ko thought for a moment. “Sometimes I wear this bandage when I’m not even cut or scraped,” she said. “Just so people can tell me apart from Kai.”

“Huh,” Aira said. “Have you thought about like getting a new hairstyle or something?”

“I keep trying to make her get a new one,” Ko said. “She’s the one that copies me.”

“Ah, sibling rivalries can be tricky,” Aira said. Then she thought about Laenie’s sibling situation and worried that would dissuade her from the conversation. “Rain, how about you go next!”

“Oh, me?” Rain asked. “My name is Rain Adagio, my Cani gift is mind control, of sorts, if I put my mind to it I can expand it further than just mental suggestion, but mind control is easier to say. Ah, what else, I’d love to be a news broadcaster someday or perhaps an actor if KJ has her way, and speaking of, my best friends are KJ and Amara. I am also one of the seven princesses of Novu, and I absolutely adore the Big Boy at Ultra Taco.”

“Wait wait wait, you’re legitimate royalty?” Laenie asked.

Aira internally cheered. Laenie was really getting involved in the conversation!

“Like a for real princess?” Aira asked.

Rain nodded.

“I don’t like to make a fuss of it,” Rain said. “I am not first, second, third, or fourth in line, so it isn’t as though I possess real power with it.”

“Still!” Ko said. “A real life princess at my school. That’s awesome!”

“I actually love studying Novu architecture,” Laenie said. “Especially their greenhouses!

“Oh, do you?” Rain said. “Enough about me, you’re next, Laenie!”

“R-right,” Laenie said. “I’m Laenie, I love flowers and plants, and as I just said studying Novu architecture, Tower of Hate and Love is the best show ever, and my Cani power is…well, I’m an Exa Cani. So my power is…er, that.”

Rain clapped again. “How thrilling! What a group we’ve assembled here. Perhaps Mrs. Poppi really does have a perfect method?”