Star Festival

 

Kimiko jumped a little when Akira brought his hand down with a thwap on the edge of their table. Hardly the most polite request for attention—even boars were more subtle—but effective. Setting aside her jumble of forms, lists, and reminders, she looked between her partner and the girl he had by the wrist.

Isla Ward wore an expression of strained politeness.

If Kimiko had to guess, she’d say Akira was about twelve seconds away from the end of diplomatic relations and the beginning of sisterly wrath.

She’d met the other reaver, of course, but in that fleeting way in which two people acknowledged one another’s existence without any intention of learning more. Just like at Ingress. To be fair, everyone in class mostly stuck to their triad. This week was their first class-wide project, preparations for the Star Festival.

New Saga High School had been given a prime slot on the center stage. Classes 1-A, 2-A, and 3-A would be putting on a play, reenacting the story of Saint Midori. Kimiko would have loved to be one of the actors, but that was A-group’s role. B-group had been assigned to costuming and set design. With the rest of C-group, Class 3-C was organizing a long line of booths, where festival-goers could buy traditional Star Festival treats and Amaranthine trinkets.

“Do that thing!” Akira’s eyes were sparkling. “Please, Kimi. Isla won’t listen, so you need to show her what you can do.”

Isla tried to tug free. “Stop being a bother. Can’t you see she’s busy?”

“I’m telling you, she knows stuff you’ll be interested in.” He could be surprisingly stubborn. “Isla’s decent, but a little superior. You’ve gotta make allowances for geniuses. But you don’t mind, do you, Kimi?”

She might have fended off his pleading look, but Isla tipped the scales in his favor. Her expression was polite, but her posture betrayed her skepticism.

“I don’t mind,” Kimiko said blandly. “I need to check in with each team. Would that offer enough of a demonstration?”

“Do it!” Akira’s hands fairly whirled with his excitement. “Watch her, Isla. You’ll see.”

The girl was tall for twelve, already a match for Akira, and a beauty. Fair as a fairy tale princess, with glossy curls and big green eyes. Kimiko wondered what kind of person she was under all the pedigree, power, and connections.

Pretty wrappers were no guarantee of quality chocolate.

“Sorry for Akira,” Kimiko said, giving her partner’s shoulder a cuff. “This won’t take long.”

Pulling out her chair, she used it to step onto their table, gaining the attention she’d need. And with the same orderliness with which she arranged her collections, she silently addressed herself to the Amaranthine members of each triad.

Casual greetings. Calls for reports. Compliments for those ahead of schedule. Assessing the needs of stragglers. And relaying requests for extra help so everything would be completed in time.

Maybe she was showing off just a little, tailoring her messages to each particular clan, adding the sorts of nuances that would please her classmates. All the while, keeping her gestures discreet, refined, subtle. To the untrained eye, it might look as if she was turning in a slow circle, surveying the room. And fidgeting a bit in the process.

Responses varied—amusement, relief, a spate of sly banter, gratitude, and more than one compliment. Kimiko brushed them off, consistently referring to her role as representative, serving the class.

Hanoo rolled his eyes and teased. Shouldn’t a speaker for the reavers speak with reavers?

She laughed at herself. It was true, she was playing favorites.

While she had their attention, she made herself available in a general way, should any of them have questions or need clarification. And then she stepped down.

The whole process had taken less than a minute.

“That just leaves … where is Eloquence Starmark? He’s been gone all week.”

Isla had been scanning the room, so her answer was a little distracted. “Quen had a family obligation and won’t return to class until next week.”

“But he’ll miss the festival!” protested Kimiko.

“There will be other festivals.”

Kimiko knew that her Amaranthine classmates might well see a thousand such festivals, should the tradition be carried forward through enough generations. But this was the only one Eloquence could experience with this class. Shouldn’t he treasure these once-in-a-lifetime experiences more? Or … maybe he did. And he was as disappointed as she would be in his place.

Isla turned around, and Kimiko noticed the change immediately. Excitement seemed ready to burst through her hefty wards. “You conferred with them all?”

“Except Eloquence.” Kimiko tried not to look too smug. “Since he’s currently out of visual range.”

“Akira says you’re teaching him.” Isla slipped her arm through Kimiko’s, leaning into her side. “Which is good, because he’s awful.”

“Hey!” he protested. “I didn’t even know it was a thing before Suuzu pegged Kimi. She’s genius, right? Admit it, Isla.”

The girl pursed her lips, then huffed, then asked, “May I call you Kimi, too?”

“Please, do.”

“And … when you’re giving Akira lessons, will you include me?”

“I’d love that,” Kimiko whispered, then offered an earnest message. You’ve made me glad our paths have crossed.
 

After classes finished up for the day, Kimiko made the rounds with Hanoo and Sosuke, checking and double-checking their preparations. Once they were sure everything was as ready as it could be, she offered to report to Ms. Reeves in the faculty offices. Mostly so she could talk to her in private.

“Thank you, Kimiko.” Her teacher smiled knowingly and asked, “Was there something else?”

Grateful for the opening, she blurted, “I’m wondering about Eloquence Starmark.”

“He’ll return to classes next week.”

“After the festival.”

“It is a shame.” Ms. Reeves nodded, then nodded again. “Would you like to bring him some of the festival treats the class has prepared? I’m sure he’d appreciate the gesture.”

“Shouldn’t it be Isla? She’s his partner.”

The woman asked, “Who is the one who came to me because she wanted to make sure a classmate wasn’t left out? And if you don’t mind my saying so, I have an idea that you’re especially fond of this festival.”

“All of my memories of the Star Festival are good.” Kimiko took a posture of acceptance.

Ms. Reeves nodded approvingly. “Fill some of those tiered boxes and wrap them up. Are you familiar with the Starmark compound?”

Kimiko laughed a little. It was a silly question. The whole world was familiar with the Starmark compound.