Rising Shards

As Kitty posed on stage, getting way more applause from some of Rising Shards’ student base than she deserved, I leaned over to Oka.

“How’d you know that was her?” I whispered.

“I…know what stupid shoes she wears from that dumb new commercial,” Oka said. “I saw them under the curtain, they light up in a specific way. She doesn’t even like them I bet, it’s just a sponsorship.”

“Ohohohoh.” Penteldtam said, his own mic in hand as he spun around his sister and pumped his fist and danced around. Berin stood behind them, rolling his eyes but making no further action to stop them. “This a big one. Big catch. Like we’re fishing. I got us a big catch. You won’t believe this.”

“Oh yeah.” Kitty said.

“I won’t blame you guys,” Penteldtam said. “If you get scared and run away after hearing this.” He took a deep breath but like weirdly, like opening his mouth like a fish doing the suction thing on the side of their tank. “It’s pretty shocking.”

“Normally I’d start with a song,” Kitty said. “But I’m gonna let little brother handle this one. You’ll get your song though, don’t worry.”

Kitty and Penteldtam high fived.

“Now I know what you’re thinking.” Penteldtam said. “What is maybe the most famous Kilander doing at our school? Especially when she’s a teacher at Wildfire Hearts?”

“Quack.” Kitty added.

“Well, it’s a long story,” Penteldtam said. “But let me start here. I’ve been in deep, close personal contact with a teacher from Wildfire Hearts. Not my lovely sister here, no no no, but a friend that I hope is also your friend. My main man Mantorvel!” Penteldtam pointed to the back of the stage, where the muscular Mantorvel approached, arms crossed and flexed as they usually were.

“Wait, he’s from Wildfire Hearts?” I asked.

“Explains why he’s such a jackass.” Kalei said.

“So in our private time Mantorvel and I chat over games of Go Bus Fun Adventure, the classic board game,” Penteldtam continued. “And cuz of our late-night chats, he’s been giving me the idea that like. Couldn’t we all just get along?”

Someone stood up at the front of the auditorium seats and stormed off, marching up the stairs. It was Caya, who practically kicked the doors she left through down.

“That’s a great sign.” Oka said.

“You three getting that ‘things are about to get a lot stupider’ feeling too?” Kalei asked.

Oka, Lillia, and I nodded. I had deep anxieties about Wildfire Hearts in general but having them right on our own turf made them much worse.

“Well,” Kitty said. “My school’s idea of getting along and yours are a little different.”

“Schools.” Penteldtam said. “Technically I run two schools. Isn’t that right, Falling Shards!” Penteldtam raised his arms but received no response. “Where are the boys? Did I forget to invite them?”

“You scheduled the Falling Shards assembly for later in the morning.” Berin said, saying that directly into his microphone to not hide Penteldtam’s failure from the rest of the students at all.

“Oh. Shut up.” Penteldtam said.

“I’ll make you shut up if you don’t get to the point…” Berin started before Mantorvel cut him off by taking his microphone.

“Now hold on there, gang.” Mantorvel said. “Sibling rivalries can sound fun on paper, be it for a sporting event or trying to best each other in an ice sculpting competition, but it can also lead to toxic behaviors.”

“We got it,” Penteldtam said, stopping Mantorvel from loading up another safety video. “You can show it for the Falling Shards lads.”

“At least he doesn’t have those freaky kids with him this time.” Kalei said.

“Anywhoodle! My sister Kitty gave me some really cool and great ideas to make the rest of this semester totally rule.” Penteldtam said. “Including a new sort of partnership with our favorite school, Wildfire Hearts! Exciting details of which will be revealed further as the semester progresses. In the meantime…”

“Yusss

, my turn!” Kitty said.

“But…” Oka said. “Penteldtam didn’t even…announce anything? Did he get to his point?”

"Was it the partnership thing?" I asked.

"But...the schools are already connected," Oka said. "How different can it get?"

“He did cut off Mantorvel from inflicting another one of those videos on her, so points there.” Kalei said.

Whatever was happening was likely incredibly stupid and feeling my normal-ish Rising Shards time be disrupted was not pleasant, but at least we got our ‘whispering during assembly to make fun of Penteldtam’s latest assembly disaster’ time in.

“OK, anyways, me,” Kitty said, waving to the front few rows of girls. “Pay attention to me now, students. Meeee.”

“What on earth must her classes be like?” Lillia whispered in bewilderment. “Cany those poor souls she teaches possibly learn anything?”

Kitty began to ramble on and on about seemingly nothing that related to us, subjecting us to her fights in Haven, as well as her new music video, and a very long (and scripted, she got papers out and read lines off of them) bit where she shilled the new shoes she was sponsored by. After singing a song for us live, we were dismissed.

“OK.” Kalei said. “Hold on.”

“Right, I’m more confused now than before,” I said. “We didn’t even get to the new students! Wasn’t that the whole point?”

“Berin just gave up,” Oka said.

“He lasted longer into the Kitty part than I expected at least,” Kalei said. “But like, still.”

“He could have tried anything.” Oka said. “Let’s just get to class, I need something normal today.”