Rising Shards

Oka really didn’t want to spend her Sunday dealing with Kilander stuff, but after her recent excursion to Litus Empirica, she had heard some gossip that she’d been working up the courage to ask her father about.

“What’s the Kilander business today?” Oka asked.

Berin sighed. “Reit wants to cheer up Penty after all the unfortunate business with 09.”

“Right…” Oka said. 09 still hadn’t turned back to normal. Oka had visited her every day, and had seen firsthand how rattled Principal Penteldtam was by the whole ordeal of having a daughter shapeshifted into a wolflike creature.

“So we’re meeting up with some uncles," Berin said. "I guess they’d be great uncles for you, who tend to brighten his mood.”

“Have I met them before?” Oka asked. It felt like there were still hundreds of family members she hadn’t met yet.

“I don’t think so.” Berin said. “Have you met a Corus? Or a Lucri?”

“The names don’t ring a bell,” Oka said. “Are they fun family like you, or like…the unfun Kilanders?”

“I’d say more fun family,” Berin said. “They tend to stay out of most of the actual Kilander business."

“I feel like that’s a good sign,” Oka said.

“Definitely,” Berin said. “That said, we are going to a mat ball game, so brace for that.”

“Oh,” Oka said. “Zeta went to a mat ball game a bit ago.” She sighed, suddenly wishing Zeta were here with her.

“Did she have fun?” Berin asked.

“I think she left early.” Oka said. “Does Principal Penteldtam like mat ball?”

“No, but Corus does,” Berin said.

“We should go to a musical or something,” Oka said. “I’m surprised Reit didn’t suggest that.”

“He did, but Corus and Lucri had tickets, so…” Berin said.

The mat ball game was at an arena in Litus Emprica. Oka assumed this was the same one Zeta went to, but she wasn’t completely sure. Oka followed Berin up to a skybox, which offered a…very far away view of the game below.

“Is this like a rich people thing to be up here?” Oka asked.

“Kind of?” Berin said.

There were a lot more people there than Oka expected. She wasn’t sure where to go as Berin made small talk. Like a usual Kilander event, there were lots of other people that weren’t exactly family members, and some that were, but Oka couldn’t tell the difference. She actually got asked about 09 a fair amount, as Penteldtam’s downer mood was a big topic among many in the skybox. Oka wasn’t sure what to say, and hoped none of them blamed her for not helping her cousin more. Of the family she did recognize, Penteldtam was quieter than normal, standing by two men who must be the uncles Berin talked about, Caya stood by the glass and intently watched the game, Reit was on the opposite side of the skybox looking disgusted he even had to be here, and Kitty…

“Kitty, you doing alright there?” Berin asked.

“Bleugh…” Kitty was slumped down in a chair with a full table next to her of empty bottles of alcohol. Oka decided to steer clear from Kitty during this family meetup.

“Berin! There you are!” A loud and booming voice said. It was one of the men by Penteldtam, who waved Berin over. Oka followed her father. The loud voice belonged to Great Uncle Corus, a tall and heavyset guy with a bushy beard. He gave Berin a hug that got him off his feet. “You missed some great plays already.”

“Our team is losing though,” Penteldtam said, his voice somber.

“Oh, chin up Penty.” The other great uncle, Lucri, was wearing entirely bright neon clothes for the team they were rooting for, the Empirica Elite. He took off his foam hat and put it on Penteldtam’s head. “There’s still time on the clock.”

“Yeah, sure…” Penteldtam said.

Uncle Corus tilted his head when he noticed Oka. “And who is this? Could this be the fabled Oka we’ve heard about?”

“You’ve heard about me?” Oka asked.

“Ha! Your dad never stops talking about you when he calls!” Corus said. “It’s nice to put a name to a face. Or is that the other way around?” He laughed at his own joke. He had a laugh that sounded like, “TEEheeheeheehee!” which was actually really sweet and infectious.

“Yep, this is Oka,” Berin said. “And Oka, this is Uncle Corus and Uncle Lucri.”

“Charmed.” Lucri said. He handed Oka one of his Empirica Elite wristbands.

“Go…team!” Oka said, pumping her fist in the air after she got the wristband on.

“That’s the spirit!” Corus said. “This one’s a keeper, Berin. Don’t un-adopt her, got it? We don't want a repeat of that last one.”

“Huh?” Oka asked.

"There wasn't a 'last one,'" Berin said, rolling his eyes.

“It’s a joke, you’re the first one of his, to my knowledge at least.” Corus said. “So tell me about yourself, Oka.”

“I’m, um, well I go to Rising Shards…” Oka did her best to introduce herself. Corus was really nice so any shyness she felt was powerless to his friendly aura. After Oka brought up her girlfriend and heard Corus’ supportive reactions as she showed off pictures of herself and Zeta together, she decided that Corus was in the top tier of family members.

“Have you ever been on the Kilander show?” Oka asked.

“Oh, god no,” Uncle Corus said, grabbing Lucri’s hand. “I wouldn’t have been able to get married if I was on that trash heap.”

“Oh…” Oka said. “So I wouldn’t be able to marry Zeta if I go on the Kilander show…”

“Let’s give marriage a few more years before you worry about it, yeah?” Berin said. “Like maybe five? Ten? Fifteen, even?”

It ended up being a fun afternoon, especially with the great uncles, and less so when she had to be basically interviewed about 09 again. Penteldtam was even in a better mood, and the family cheered together as their team won.

Oka played with the wristband she’d been gifted on the way home, and checked her phone to make sure the note she’d written down with Corus and Lucri’s address on it didn’t get accidentally deleted, as the two asked her to send lots of letters. It felt like there was so much she didn’t understand about the family she had been adopted by, and every day there was a new wrinkle in things, but today felt like she’d gotten some nice new sides of the family.

“So, Berint. Father B.” Oka said, deciding now was probably a good time to ask.

“Yes. Father B is listening intently.” Berin said.

“I hear we’re not gonna be famous anymore.” Oka said.

“Oh yeah?” Berin said.

“Yeah, I saw this guy taking Kitty’s posters down, and he said…that we were going to be a lot less famous.” Oka said.

“I'm not sure, but it might not be a bad thing,” Berin said. “I could use some pressure being lifted off a bit, and last I checked I was in the bottom percentile of Kilander popularity.”

“What are you going to do with your newfound lack of fame?” Oka said.

“Hopefully I get to spend a lot more time being a parent.” Berin said.

“You do pretty well,” Oka said. “But it would be nice for you to be around more, yeah.”

“I’ll do my best to make it happen if we steadily get less famous,” Berin said. “And thanks for coming with today, by the way. I’m glad you got to meet Corus and Lucri.”

“Me too,” Oka said. “It’s nice to have some family members that are like me, ya know?”

“For sure, and they’re great role models there,” Berin said.

“Is it true you can’t be married and be on the Kilander show?” Oka asked. "I assume if I was straight I could."

“Ah…that’ll take me a while to explain,” Berin said. “I’ll tell you soon, definitely. But sleepy car ride home isn’t the best place for Kilander show secrets.”

Oka yawned. “Yeah, that’s probably true. I will say though if I can’t marry Zeta if I’m on the Kilander show, then I’m never gonna be on the Kilander show.”

Berin laughed. “That’s fair.”