Rising Shards

“Hey, this is Nikki. :) Wanna meet up before the movie?”

Kalei stared in shock at the text. She could barely comprehend it, much less the fact that she also somehow responded and now in a few minutes would be meeting up with Nikki, the person Kalei was starting to realize she had a crush on thanks to Zeta.

Just as she sat on a stone retaining wall on the path on the grounds she was on, she realized if Nikki was out practicing music like usual, she could be there imminently. Like, within the minute imminently. Suddenly, someone cupped their hands over Kalei’s eyes.

“Guess who?”

The jolt was eased by hearing that it was one of the Matora sisters. She uncapped her hands and stood in front of Kalei expectantly, gesturing to the bandage on her cheek.

“Hi, Kai,” Kalei said.

“Ha, got you! This is Kai!” Kai said. “Wait...you got it?”

Kai peeled the bandage off her face. “I even grabbed one from Ko’s stash and everything.”

“Ko doesn’t have that freckle over your left eyebrow,” Kalei said. “I’m kinda busy right now, what’s up?”

“You headed to the movie too?” Kai said as she started to stretch.

“Yeah,” Kalei said. “I’m just waiting for…someone.”

“Who?” Kai said. “Not Ko, right? She said she’d go with me.”

“No, not her,” Kalei said, fidgeting in her spot.

“Good, because we only bought one ticket and we’re gonna try and sneak in together.” Kai said. “That’s why I’m practicing with this bandage thing. Now I’m concerned about the freckle, but I can maybe cover it up. Plus, you know me better than some ticket seller geek.”

“I’m honestly surprised you guys don’t try that more,” Kalei said. “You could save a lot of money if you pulled it off.”

“Exactly!” Kai said. “You get me.”

Kai started doing somersaults in the grass. Normally, this was her way of inviting Kalei to challenge her to a race or to wrestle her right there or something like that. But her nervous energy was on a very different wavelength than Kai's normal physical energy.

“I’m thinking we might try it at a chasers game next,” Kai said.

“Yeah, good plan…” Kalei said. Her eyes widened as she saw Nikki walking toward her,

“Oh, you’re going with spaced-out Nikki?” Kai asked. “Good thing it’s not brooding Nikki.”

“Yeah, right…” Kalei trailed off.

“Well, see ya!” Kai said. “Have fun at the movie!"

“You too…Kai,” Kalei said. “H-hi, Nikki…”

“Sorry that took a bit longer than I said,” Nikki said, brushing her long hair with her hands. “I had to put my guitar away. I forgot it would be super annoying to bring with.”

“Oh, yeah?” Kalei asked. “That’s cool.”

“Right so you ready?” Nikki asked.

Kalei felt stiff and wired up all the way to her seat on the bus. It was bad enough getting a text from Nikki out of the blue (Zeta hadn’t warned her that she was giving Nikki Kalei’s number), but it was hitting her that now she had to go on a bus ride with her, alone. All the way to the Dentist Haircut premiere. Which she would also be with her new crush at. The bus was relatively empty too, which didn’t help.

“I’ve been waiting for this one since that first trailer,” Nikki said.

“Haha, yeah,” Kalei said. Oh god, this is how you talk to her? ‘Haha, yeah?’ She’s gonna think you’re an idiot if you don’t add on to that. “M-me too.”

They were at least not seated right by each other, taking a bench by the window seats. Kalei didn’t realize she’d have to panic about how close her arms would be to Nikki’s until the bus was rolling. In the theater, they’d be right next to each other. She really hoped she wouldn’t have a meltdown.

They passed by some armored trucks. Kalei was familiar with the sight, and if her stomach wasn’t already in a state of distress from this bus ride, it would have definitely dropped. A bunch of Order of Terina people tied up, with glowing green paint all around the scene. Nikki perked up at the commotion.

“Oh, dude, that Exile guy was there!” Nikki said.

The two watched as one of the Terina members was loaded into a truck. She had her head down, but from the brief passing glance Kalei could see the Exile had put paint on her too, mainly on her face. “I can’t believe how many of those Terina freaks are around here…”

Kalei stared at them. She silently hoped that the ones that got beat up by the Exile were the ones that had taken her when her fangs had come in. If it wasn’t them, she hoped the Exile had taken care of them already.

“I was kidnapped by those guys,” Kalei blurted out. “Like…brain kidnapped. In the void.”

Nikki turned back from the window.

“You serious?” Nikki asked, her eyes widening.

“Yeah, when my fangs in!” Kalei said. “It was…really scary, honestly.”

“I’d be really concerned if you said anything else, dude.” Nikki said. “My dad’s a doctor, and he’s told me the stuff those guys do and it's messed up.”

“Yeah,” Kalei said. “They put me in a void room that was a like, recreation of a company that makes fake sticks. And then they made a fake version of my friend, but she was all like, bloody and dying and stuff.”

“Whoa,” Nikki said. “What did you do?”

Kalei gulped. “They wanted me to like, give them my blood. And I said no. And they got all pissy with me and then left me alone.”

Nikki didn’t say anything, and Kalei worried she’d just ruined the conversation. Did she want me to say I kicked their asses like the Exile? Why didn’t I say that? That would have been so cool if I said that!

“Sorry to be a downer,” Kalei said.

“No, you’re fine dude,” Nikki said. “Let that crap out.”

“Thanks…” Kalei said. They were quiet for a bit, causing more internal strife for Kalei.

“Damn dude,” Nikki finally said, breaking the silence. “You’re even cooler than I thought you were.”

“Wait, what?” Kalei said.

“Yeah, turning those freaks down takes crazy guts,” Nikki said.

“I guess so,” Kalei said. “I got to talk to this agent guy afterwards too. He’s pretty cool. He walks dogs. I just saw him recently, actually.”

“You’re kidding,” Nikki said. “Like a for real investigating dude for this Terina stuff?”

“Yeah!” Kalei said. “I dunno if I should say his name because like it being all secretive and junk.”

“Point me out next time you see him,” Nikki said.

“Yeah I will,” Kalei said. “Especially if you have dogs to walk.”

Nikki laughed at that. She just laughed! At a thing I said! A thing I said on purpose!

“That is still so cool.” Nikki said. “And a perfect length story, we’re here. You ready for the biggest movie premiere of our lives?”

“Hell yes!” Kalei said. The bus stopped at Sky Clay’s main street. Kalei felt rattled, but she was mostly just thrilled that Nikki thought she was cool.