Rising Shards

Oka and I weren’t ready to get back to dancing just yet. While it was fun spending the dance with Lillia, including her surprising dance with Sai and Anastasia (and maybe even more surprising moment where Ana was able to communicate with me without threatening to beat me up or something), I was kind of hoping for some time with just me and my girlfriend. Oka was still on the subject we’d left Lillia on.

”I wanna give more people advice while we’re sitting,” Oka said. She put on a raspy voice for some reason, different from the last weird voice she’d done. ”Spread our love advice around, you know?”

”Where are you getting these voices from?” I cackled. ”That sounded like...sleazy.”

”Sleazy? No no, our love advice is pure,” Oka said.

”I know that, but you said ’spread our love advice’ in a really weird way,” I said. ”Like you’re some old lady living in a van with twelve other old ladies and you all smell kind of strange.”

”I could see that,” Oka said. ”They’re just coming to me, I dunno. I get goofy around you when I’m really happy, you know?”

”I most certainly do,” I said. ”It’s making me laugh, so I’m curious to see what other voices you bust out.”

”I kind of want to do a ticket teller voice next,” Oka said. ”Find some construction paper and markers and make a sign about our new dating advice business. Come one, come all, step right up!’ That kind of thing.”

”So it’s a business now?” I asked.

”It could be! I bet we’d make some cash giving advice on how to get a relationship as sweet as ours,” Oka said.

I couldn’t help but bury my face in my hands. ”You’re way, way too cute.”

I thought we were just gonna do a bit about us opening a relationship advice business, but Oka was getting into a hyper mode. She left briefly to get us more sodas, then after handing me a cup she slammed her own drink really fast and crumpled the plastic cup. That gave her a sugar rush, putting her into an even more excitable state. She darted off again and found some paper and markers, whipped up a sign, then waved to anyone that passed by that were by themselves. The first was a girl in a sparkly crimson dress.

”Howdy, over here!” Oka said. ”Need some last-minute dating advice at the dance?”

”Not from you,” The girl said casually and kept walking.

”Whuh?” Oka said. ”What was that supposed to mean?”

”Oof,” I said. ”Just a jerk, let’s ignore her.”

The next few folks who were alone didn’t acknowledge our presence, even if Oka’s theater kid voice was able to carry over the DJ’s music.

”What gives?” Oka said, huffing as she crossed her arms. ”We’re cute and adorable, wouldn’t you want advice from us?”

”Maybe they just want to dance,” I said. ”But if we weren’t dating, and you were giving dating advice, I’d so go to you.”

”My dating advice to you would be all, ’Hey hot stuff, go out with me,’” Oka said.

”OK, but in this scenario would you be giving dating advice because you have a great partner already?” I said. ”Who’d presumably be right by you when you hit on me.”

”Nah, see, I’m picturing you at my side, and then like, another you walks by,” Oka said.

”What do you mean another me?” I asked. ”Like a clone?”

”Like...you, but you’re also over there,” Oka said. ”Zeta A with me, Zeta B walks by. Both are Zeta.”

”And would Zeta A be OK with you hitting on Zeta B?” I asked.

”Presumably, because you’d be the same person,” Oka said. ”Airtight logic here.”

”Is it?” I snort laughed. ”What happens if I say yes? You date two me’s?”

”I’m thinking you fuse together somehow,” Oka said. She said all this with so much confidence that it made me more willing to roll with the premise, even if I had some questions.

”Like we were cosmically separated somehow? I got split apart and the only way to reunite me is to date you?” I said.

”Yes, you date me and the balance is restored, and the two Zetas become one once more,” Oka said. I took a sip of my soda when she added, ”I’d fuse with you any day, Zeta, if you catch my drift.”

I spat my drink out. ”Whoa, hey!”

Once I’d somewhat successfully napkin’d up the mess I’d made of the tablecloth with that soda, we both just laughed for a minute at Oka’s joke. Then as our laughter trailed off, we both ended up staring at each other quietly, blushing. Then some nervous laughter. Then more silence. No matter how long we were together, we seemed to always have moments where we were just shy geeks around each other.

”What are we even talking about?” I said.

”Dating advice!” Oka said, snapping back into her hyper state.

”Oh god, do I need that,”

We didn’t immediately see anyone, until the gremlin-like Chumbler rose up from below, sighing as she sat down across from us.

”You weren’t under the table that whole talk, were you?” I asked.

”No, I just got here!” Chumbler said. ”I was crawling around some of the other tables looking for quarters to gamble with, but empty tables, c’mon.”

”Alright...” I said. ”So you need dating advice?” I kind of hoped Oka would say she was just kidding and make Chumbler leave, but she just grinned.

”Great, now we’re talking!” Oka said, rubbing her hands together. ”ZetOka Dating Inc. has picked up our first client.”