Rising Shards

Aira wasn’t sure if she should talk to anyone after the assembly. It was still surreal to be back at Rising Shards even if she’d only been gone for a little while. She’d gotten a few stern talks from Caya for letting her down with her careless trip deep into the void, but at least Caya had apologized for putting too much of a burden on Aira in the first place. She felt an odd sense of almost guilt but not quite hearing Caya discuss the Recreant games getting delayed. Like, they were cancelled due to something Aira was a part of. Even if she didn’t really want to be there. And hated all of her contributions to that. 

She remembered how Oka and Zeta were at the fight at Kitty land or world or whatever it was. If nothing else, she figured she could talk to those two pretty easily. Aira found them along with Kalei and Lillia outside the auditorium. While Oka and Zeta would probably be fine, Aira was less sure Kalei and Lillia would be happy to see her. Kalei obviously because Aira had been a part of her void-napping, and Lillia because she and Aira never got along. I was never sure what Lillia’s problem was with me. But maybe she could sense that I’d be stupid enough to mess everything up, and she was right... 

Still, she found herself needing to approach them.

“So all that stuff Penteldtam said last time was pointless?” Zeta said.

“Like everything he says.” Kalei said.

“Now what?” Zeta asked.

“I do appreciate the idea of focusing more on our studies as finals approach,” Lillia said. “But don’t think that will get in the way of our new endeavor.”

“Oh, yeah!” Oka said. “Do you still want to send out some feelers and see if we can recruit some people?”

Aira wasn’t sure if there was a good time to jump in, and didn’t want to look like she was butting in. So she teleported a bit ahead of them and tried to look casual like she didn’t do that.

“Aira!” Zeta screeched as soon as she saw her.

After some greetings that were more joyous than Aira expected, but also more awkward (Zeta managed to drop her bookbag three times somehow in increasingly embarrassing fashion), they sat down at the cafeteria to chat a bit. Lillia wasn’t saying anything, which was a bit troubling, and Kalei was tapping her feet as she had her arms crossed, looking like she wanted Aira to leave as soon as possible.

“So they said you’re back, so are you going to be in our classes again?” Zeta asked.

“I have to go to the Wildfire Hearts only classes.” Aira said.

“That’s a bummer.” Oka said.

“But I can sit wherever during lunch!” Aira said. “If um. You guys will have me back.”

Kalei thought about it, tapping her feet a bit more intensely before uncrossing her arms. “I’m still mad at you, but like the least mad out of everyone. So just stay like the Aira I know and I’ll probably get over it.”

“I’ll try.” Aira said.

Kalei looked at her phone and grimaced.

“Risa texted me again. She’s…here too.” Kalei said. “I think I’m gonna go for a run instead of dealing with this right now. Later, gang.”

Kalei seemed more worried about Risa than mad at Aira, which was nice in a way. Aira was prepped to have no friends at all.

“Have you…talked to Laenie at all?” Oka asked. “Since the whole…yeah?”

“Yeah,” Aira said. “I mean, yeah, no. I haven’t…had the nerve. I don’t know if she’s back in Exa form or if she’s herself again. Or what herself even would be now.”

Laenie was probably in the school somewhere, which filled Aira with dread. She hated that her best friend had her feeling like that. But the last time they were together, the harrowing journey they went on left Aira wondering if the two would ever be OK again.

“Sorry,” Aira said, feeling the phantom grip of Laenie’s giant Exa form claws wrapped around her, crushing her ribs. “I’m not really feeling like me. So if I get quiet, that’s why. Once I’m me again, I can…talk more like me.”

“Take all the time you need,” Oka said. “We’re glad to have you back.”

“Thanks,” Aira said.

Though everything was foggy and felt awful, she felt better sitting at that table quietly than she had in a long time.