by Zen DiPietro
Canan’s eyes lit and he nodded so hard his dirty hair bounced around his head.
“Just promise me you’ll shower first. And do something with that hair.”
A much cheerier scene filled the square later in the day. Will had allowed the majority of the troops to wander about Janis, greeting the people and generally putting a friendly, helpful face on the Guard. A handful of less socially inclined troops remained in their quarters at the monorail.
Kassimeigh’s attention had been diverted from public relations to a small reunion. Her mentor Eryl was among the shivs assigned to the detail in Janis, though she hadn’t expected his shoka to have a thin line of white piping around the collar. That small difference marked the line between a justice and an elder of the shiv council.
“One of the benefits of being an elder is being able to select my own assignments,” Eryl admitted to her as they walked down a side street, admiring the tidy homes and well-kept gardens separating them. Their small tour of the town was an excuse to get a few minutes of privacy. “I was eager to see how you’re doing.”
“As an average citizen, rather than as a shiv, you mean.” Her tone was calm and even, though her words rephrased his concern into a fine point.
“Yes. I know you’ll survive and excel, but I can’t help being interested in your well-being.”
“Thank you for that. I’ve missed the keep, and I find I still think of myself in shiv terms. I’ve also missed you and your wise counsel. I’m moving on, though.” She changed the subject. “You’re busy with being an elder now. When did that happen?”
“Just recently, but it doesn’t make me less available. Just in case you ever want to talk.” He gave her a fond, bittersweet smile. She did feel comfort from his offer, as she’d always respected him as both a mentor and a friend. Still, he remained a part of her old life, and she had to move beyond that. She knew she’d never call on him for help or advice.
“When the elders cast me out, I struggled. I didn’t know how to restart my life. I’m working on that.”
“You have to trust the elders. We have your best interests at heart.”
A spark of disobedience flared in her chest. “Actually, I don’t.” She smiled, with just a bit of an edge. “I don’t have to trust, or follow any directives, since I’m not a shiv. The sword cuts both ways.”
Eryl seemed caught between a laugh and a frown, leaving him looking muddled and a bit foolish. She patted him on the shoulder. “Relax. I’m kidding. Mostly. Of course I still value everything I learned as a shiv, and it continues to guide me. Nonetheless. . .” she made a broad gesture, “. . . I’m a free agent, so the elders cannot presume to tell me what I should or shouldn’t do with my life, so long as I stay within the law.”
Eryl rubbed at the back of his neck. “You’ve got me there. And maybe you’re learning the intended lessons even more deeply than intended.”
“Did the elders never consider disobedience from someone they cast out?”
“Are you planning disobedience?”
She considered. “One rarely plans disobedience. It just happens when two parties disagree about the right course of action. So I can’t rule it out.”
Eryl smiled ruefully. “Have you permanently accepted a position with the Guard, or is this a temporary assignment?”
“Temporary. For now.”
“I’d advise you to give yourself a good deal of time before making new long-term decisions, but then you might just do the opposite out of spite. So I won’t.”
“Good plan,” she agreed.
“You and the archer are still together?”
“Yes.”
“That’s good. You were alone for too long.”
“I wasn’t alone. I had the order.”
“The order is one kind of family. There’s another kind, too. Fortune, along with your courage in facing it, has brought you some extraordinary gifts.”
She lifted a shoulder noncommittally. She was surprised by her contrary attitude, but she kind of liked it, too. She chose to embrace the experience.
Eryl smiled, as though he sensed her ambivalence. He returned her shrug and they walked in silence for a time.
“Well,” he concluded as they rounded another corner and came back to the square. She saw Izzy talking with a young woman from Janis. “You’re missed. By me, as well as all the others. Your absence is a loss for us, even though it’s our own damn fault. If you ever need anything, or just want to talk, I’m only a comm away. I hope you’ll stay in touch.”
“Thank you. I appreciate that.”
He waved and strode off to join another shiv who sat on a bench, contemplating a pot of daisies.
Izzy ended her conversation with the woman and crossed the square to join Kassimeigh. “Not what you expected?” She watched Eryl from a distance.
“Yes and no. He was supportive, but I found I didn’t care so much about his opinion.”
“Hmm. What do you make of that?”
“That I’ve already changed. And that was probably exactly what the shivs intended. I’ve also decided that sometimes, all that wise, know-it-all crap is annoying.”
Izzy’s laughter rang across the square, causing several heads to turn. She hooked her arm around Kassimeigh’s. “Will’s idea of making this into a public relations gig was inspired. The mood of this town has completely changed, and I feel a great deal of acceptance toward the Guard. I fear Will might start planning a whole promotional tour.”
When Kassimeigh smiled reluctantly, Izzy continued. “I think we’re within our rights to head back to the monorail and check out some of the shops there. I saw one with some nice clothes.”
“Clothes shopping? Again?”
Izzy let out a long-suffering sigh. “You might be learning, but you have more to do yet. Shopping is more than a means to an end. It is a social opportunity, a cultural binding agent, and a whole lot of fun. Plus, with your hair straight like that, I want to dress you up in some new styles.”
When Kassimeigh opened her mouth to protest, Izzy casually remarked, “Carston and I had a chance to talk.” She met Kassimeigh’s eyes, and a slow smile spread across her face. She raised an expectant eyebrow.
So this was a quid pro quo situation. Fine. Kassimeigh set her jaw and drew herself up for battle. “All right, then, let’s shop.”
“There wasn’t a lot of time to say much,” Izzy admitted as she settled a hat on Kassimeigh’s head, then tweaked the angle just so. “But I’ll show you the message Carston left for me when he found out we’d be meeting here in Janis.”
“Is it X-rated?”
“No. Maybe a little. No. Unless you count seeing his—”
“I do not need to see that.”
Izzy grinned. “What?”
“Whatever it is Carston shows his girlfriend in a message.”
Izzy laughed and adjusted the angle of the hat once more. “There! That’s great on you. Very old-fashioned dramatic.”
Kassimeigh studied herself in the mirror. The short, broad-brimmed hat did indeed look feminine and old-fashioned. A sweet pink flower decorated the front of the crown, and a pink hatband wrapped around and ended in looping curls that hung to the side. Carefully, she plucked it from her head.
“No. No way. I don’t do flowers and ribbons.” She settled her Guard uniform cap back on her head. “I like this one better.”
Izzy groaned dramatically. “You’re still more comfortable in a uniform than in your own personal style.”
“Maybe uniforms are my personal style.”
“Uniforms are by definition the opposite of personal style. Work with me here.”
Grudgingly, Kassimeigh studied the hat rack. She selected a short, black top hat with a glamorous band of rhinestones. Removing her uniform cap, she stuffed her ponytail up under the top hat and settled it on her head. “How’s that?”
Izzy narrowed her eyes, studying her friend critically. “Surprisingly hot, on you. You could make that work. What do yo
u think?”
Kassimeigh tilted her head one way, then the other. She grinned. “Actually, I kind of like it.”
Izzy snatched it off Kassimeigh’s head, making the ponytail flop out and swing around before settling against her back. “Good. I’m buying it for you.”
“Where would I ever wear that?”
“I’ll find some occasion. And an outfit to match. Don’t worry.”
Before Kassimeigh could protest, Izzy had purchased the hat, along with a couple things she’d selected for herself. “Don’t scowl,” she ordered as she handed Kassimeigh the bag. “It’s the first thing with any particular style that you’ve liked. You should have it.”
“Fine, if you must.”
“You’re welcome.”
Kassimeigh smiled. “Thank you.”
“Now how about we find some dinner? Or do you need to check in with Will or Arc?”
“Already checked in, so yes, let’s get some dinner and catch up. I’d like to hear what’s been keeping you so busy at work lately.”
“Most of my work wouldn’t be very interesting to you, but I do have an update on Meli.”
They got a table at a casual restaurant inexplicably decorated in a shoe theme. Pairs of boots and sandals and slippers joined every other imaginable type of footwear in marching up and around the walls. Some were actual shoes hung on pegs and others were painted in random, wandering patterns. Plates were painted with a dainty rim of traipsing shoes. Even napkins sported a footwear theme.
After they ordered food and drinks, they settled into the comfortable chairs to chat.
“Meli’s doing well.” Izzy settled a napkin on her lap. “She’s very rooted in reality and has settled nicely into a daily routine.”
“I’m glad to hear it. What’s her prognosis?”
“Over the past months, she’s really flourished. I’d like her to remain in residential treatment for the rest of this year, but assuming all continues to go well, I think she could move out of the facility and continue therapy on an outpatient basis.”
“That seems remarkable, considering how incoherent and confused she was when we first met her.”
“Once she had closure on her childhood trauma, she was able to start fresh. She’s very positive and forward thinking. I enjoy my talks with her.”
“Is she taking dance lessons?”
“Yes.” Izzy’s wide smile spread across her face. “Because of your generosity, I was able to hire a teacher to come to the facility and teach her twice a week. A rec room has been modified to include a small dance space for her.” Izzy’s enthusiasm was obvious. “She’s very good. She hasn’t been willing to perform publicly yet, but she’s working up to it. She always wants to be just a little better before she shows what she can do.”
“I’d like to see her perform.” Kassimeigh fondly remembered seeing Meli dance, just that once. “And get a chance to visit her, if you think she wouldn’t mind. We chat on the comm but of course it isn’t the same.”
“She’d love it, and a visit would be good for her. The more rooted she is in the world, the easier it will be for her to establish her own place in it.”
“Do you think she’ll be able to live on her own?”
“I think she’d do best with a roommate at first. Or in some group living situation, so that she has people close to her that she can rely on. But yes. She will become self-sufficient, I think. She’s quickly going through her makeup schooling. She actually taught herself a great deal during her years of isolation, with the help of her books.”
“That’s fantastic.”
“It is,” Izzy agreed, picking up the hot tea a server had delivered and taking a sip. “But speaking of fantastic . . .” Her eyes danced with mischief. “What is up with Will? He’s not at all like he was when I first met him.”
“He’s grown into himself, hasn’t he? Taking his place as general changed him. He’s still courteous, but not painfully polite like before. And he’s much more confident.”
“Yes, I think that’s what I notice most. The confidence just changes his overall vibe. He seems so much older. In a good way.”
A small silence fell as they contemplated the changes in their friend. “And really hot,” continued Izzy. “There’s something incredibly appealing about someone who is comfortable with himself.”
Kassimeigh camouflaged a smile behind a sip of water. “But you’ve always found him particularly attractive,” she observed.
Izzy’s eyebrows raised. “Have I? I suppose. He’s a beautiful man. And strong, and skilled. His hair looks nice grown out a bit, too. What’s not to appreciate?”
“Exactly.”
Izzy narrowed her eyes slightly as she studied her friend. “I have a feeling you’re passively pointing something out, but I’m not quite sure what it is.” Her voice had an edge that said oh, yes, she definitely was sure.
Kassimeigh smiled serenely. “Just catching up on our mutual friends.”
“Yeah, right. But I’ll do some thinking about Will, if you think there’s something about him I’m not realizing.”
“I didn’t say that.”
Izzy smirked. “No, you didn’t, did you?” She shook her head. “Anyway, what’s next after Janis for you? Back to Capital?”
“I don’t think so. The scientists are better able to study the mana bugs than I would be. They can do the science stuff and Luc can do the mana stuff. I’ll probably check up on Élan. You’ll have to meet her sometime. I’m sure you’d like her.”
“She’s won your approval, so I’m sure I would. And some of my favorite people are bards, so that’s another point in her favor. But her disappearing act makes me wonder if she needs the services of a counselor.”
Their conversation was briefly interrupted when loafer-shaped bowls of soup arrived, along with sandwiches and drink refills.
“What is up with this place? The shoe theme is just really strange.” Izzy frowned at the bowl.
“Probably an inside joke or someone’s secret passion. It’s peculiar, but irrelevant as long as the food is good.” Kassimeigh took a hearty bite of her sandwich and chewed. “And it is.”
Izzy sipped a spoonful of soup. “It’ll do.”
“How long do you have before you need to get back to work?
Izzy’s eyes unfocused as she did some mental figuring. “I could probably get away with a few days. Why?”
“I think we’re just about done here. Will’s putting effort into meeting people personally, but I think he’s just about made the rounds. He’s met several new applicants to the Guard, though I’m not sure if he’ll accept any of them. I don’t know if he has a recruitment policy in place yet. I expect we’ll be leaving here soon, and I was wondering if you wanted to come with me. Check out the forest, the mana bugs, meet Élan.”
Izzy’s lips pursed as she mulled the offer. “It sounds interesting,” she said. “Is there something I can help with? Is she a little . . .” She framed her face with her hands and waggled her fingers chaotically.
“No, nothing like that. I just thought it might be a nice break for you, a change of pace. And I could take you for a ride on my kite. It’s in storage here at the station, actually. I brought it in case of emergency. We could make it out to the hinterlands in short order.”
“Mmm, yes, your kite. I’ve heard about that. Not sure I want to ride it though. I like to keep my lunch in my stomach.”
“Trust me.”
Izzy rolled her eyes. “Okay, I’ll come with you to meet Élan. It sounds interesting and it would be a good diversion for me.” She brightened. “I bet there are some great shopping spots along the way, too.”
Now Kassimeigh resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Then she thought what the hell, why resist, and indulged in a dramatic eye roll. It felt pretty good. “I had no idea you were so obsessed with shopping.”
Izzy seemed surprised by the eye roll. “I’m not. It’s helping you find your personal sense of style that interests me.”
/> “Why?”
“How we present ourselves to others has a big effect on who we are. It reflects what’s inside, while becoming self-fulfilling in regard to what it represents on the outside. I think finding your own style is a good exercise that goes along with your quest of seeking out new experiences.”
“That’s too logical for me to argue with. Very well, then, we’ll shop along the way. As time permits.”
By the time they finished their dinner, the sun drooped low, slipping behind the horizon. Catching up in person with Izzy had been great. Chatting on the comm was convenient, but nothing beat interacting three-dimensionally. Kassimeigh looked forward to having some additional time with her. Other than Arc, Izzy was her closest friend.
“Are you and Arc sharing a room at the station?” Izzy asked.
“Yes. He’ll show up eventually. Probably long after I’ve gone to sleep. You know how he loves the opportunity to meet new people.”
“Yes.” Izzy smiled fondly. “And you’ll enjoy some time alone until he arrives, right?”
“Of course.” It was no secret that her introverted nature was the polar opposite of Arc’s compulsive sociability.
“Then I’ll walk you back to your room. You know, be your bodyguard. I’ll leave you to your ‘me time’ and see if Carston manages to find me.”
“You won’t go find him?”
“Nah. No need to make it easy for him.”
Kassimeigh chuckled and shook her head. They settled their bill, then traveled several long corridors and right angles through the monorail complex. They bid each other good night at the door to Kassimeigh’s room.
“I’ll meet up with you in the morning.” Izzy waved and sauntered down the corridor. Her blazing self-confidence attracted the glances of men and women alike as she passed by.
Smiling to herself, Kassimeigh slipped into the quarters she shared with Arc and savored the silence. There was nothing like an empty room to recharge her batteries. Well. Maybe silence and a good workout. That sounded like a great idea, so she changed into some workout gear and let her body fall into the comfort of rigor.
The next day, Will and Arc saw Kassimeigh and Izzy off.
