The Eyebright's Dimension

Chapter Eight: Resectioning

Kasity sat with her back against the glass wall, clutching her clammy hands and watching her stepmates. Claia was staring, bovine, out the window. Tal fingered his flute, nimbly forging the different notes they were required to learn for music class. Aidan boasted feverishly to Shant and Macom about how he was sure to be put into an Aerial Squad, though it hadn’t been done since Calixte. They weren’t listening, just nodding, and Kasity fought the urge to scoff. She didn’t care where Aidan was put, as long as it wasn’t her team.

The second steps had entered the Council Room to be Resectioned about half an hour ago. The Council had called in the students step by step, generally forbidden to those not in the Council, to determine their placements, starting with eighth step and working downwards. With a thumping heart, Kasity watched the door that led to the Council Room with trepidation. The second steps had been in there for half an hour; the other steps hadn't taken half as long.

The doorknob to the heavy oaken door trembled, and Kasity stared at it. She looked around at her fellow stepmates, positive that someone had to have heard the pulse pounding a maelstrom in her head.

"First steps,” called Rissy as she emerged behind the door. As she had been the one to help the first step girls with the class selections, she always acted kind and friendly towards them. “You’re next.”

Kasity nodded and got up, feeling the others in her step do the same. Rissy saw the expressions on the first years’ faces, and made a beeline for them.

“Don’t be nervous,” she said with a cheerful smile.

Kasity gave a little anxious laugh.

“No, seriously, Resectioning isn’t bad at all,” Rissy explained. “Right, guys?”

She looked for support from her fellow second steps. One girl with dark tresses and a flashing smile exchanged glances with the pale, blonde girl next to her, and said in a conspiring whisper, “As long as you pass the obstacle course.”

“There’s an obstacle course?” Claia squeaked behind her.

The girl with dark hair nodded with wide eyes. “But it’s not bad, as long as you get past the mire of quicksand and dodge the fire-breathing dragons.”

“And the man-eating forest, you forgot the man-eating forest,” the blonde added.

“Oh, yeah,” the dark-haired girl snickered.

“Oh, stop it, Lorent,” Rissy chided, stomping a foot and glaring at the other girls. “You’re just repeating what Synnove told you last year.”

The snigger slid off of Lorent’s face, and she stalked off, her blonde friend in tow.

“Don’t worry,” Rissy sighed. “Just speak loudly and clearly. Never interrupt the Council members. Just make sure to be polite and respectful. You’ll do fine. But you guys should really get going.”

Kasity tried to say thanks, but her voice had been shoved into the back of her throat. Next to her, Karynn clutched her sleeve nervously. Aidan pushed past Kasity and Karynn and strode ahead jauntily, mouthing the word wimps. He banged with a loud and obnoxious fist on the heavy wooden door.

“Come in,” called a slow, solemn voice. The door opened by itself, and Aidan ran to the back of the line, leaving Kasity in the very front.

“Go, already!” Aidan whispered from the back of the line, and Kasity glowered at him, about to say something, but her feet were already mechanically trotting into the Council Room. It was a very nice room, Kasity noticed, with plushy couches pushed to one wall and an elegant stone fireplace on the other. A sky blue rug with silver embroidery ornamented the mahogany floor, and across from the fireplace, a shaded painting of a Sylph stretched across the wall. A table stood in front of that painting. The five Council members and the Sylph Leader, Gautier, sat behind the table. Calixte was sitting at the far right end. She stared at them.

Gautier spoke first. “New first steps. Congratulations on being chosen into Sylph, and welcome. I am sure this is your first encounter with most of the Council members, so I will introduce them. To my right are Yetta, Ground Division, and Devan, Ground Patrol.”

He motioned to a girl with short hair and pimples and a boy with protruding ears and dark skin. Yetta’s face looked squished in.

“Channer, Aerial Squad, Kael, Aerial Patrol, and Calixte, Ground Division, are to my left.”

He indicated towards Channer, who was handsome and blonde, and Kael, who was very tall and lean and wore a sprinkle of freckles across his cheeks and nose.

Kasity gasped with familiarity, for Kael had been her visual tester. That test seemed a lifetime ago, although only a couple months had really passed.

Calixte was the youngest of all the Council Members. She was at least two heads shorter than Kael and looked very small compared even to Yetta, who was short herself, but there was something in Calixte’s eyes that made the others seem less mature, or at least less dignified.

“I run the final Aerial Squad,” Gautier finished in his deep, husky voice, and nodded at Channer, who said, “We have five openings for Ground Division and two for Ground Patrol.”

Kasity smirked at Aidan. So much for being chosen into Aerial as a first step.

We’ll start with the first person in line.” Gautier nodded at Kasity. “You are…?”

Kasity made a face, all of Rissy’s advice running through her head. “Kasity Ké,” she replied, trying to remember to keep her voice clear and loud.

The council members immediately drew out papers that seemed to come from nowhere and consulted them in silence. Kasity shifted from foot to foot and studied the woven rug beneath her feet during the pause. There was an odd ringing noise in her ears, and she wished with all her heart that someone would speak.

Kael broke the silence first and treated Kasity to a friendly grin. “She has an outstanding recommendation and ranking from her flying teacher.”

All of the muscles in Kasity’s face relaxed, but she couldn’t hide her expression of surprise. Miss Kimimela gave her an outstanding recommendation?

“Even so, I doubt she would be able to measure up to an Aerial,” Yetta sniffed, skimming the papers with an air of disdain.

“All the Aerials are filled,” commented Channer, leaning forward in his seat.

“I was merely commenting on the quality of our first steps this year,” Yetta replied, giving them a condescending glance.

Kasity decided she didn’t like Yetta very much.

“I hoped to make up with the first steps for the dead ends you’ve tacked onto my Division,” Yetta snarled, crossing her arms in front of her chest. “This girl’s flying might be half-decent, but I am running a Ground Division, and, for me, obedience and tractability are the two most important characteristics. I will not be accepting her.”

Yetta’s rejection comforted Kasity in a funny sort of way, for it meant she could still end up with Calixte. Still, it made Kasity feel uncomfortable that they talked about her in such a nonchalant matter. It was as if she wasn’t even really there.

“What do you want, Yetta?” Kael said, eyebrows narrowed in anger.

“I want to trade out the transfer student, Eunae Sun, for another fourth step.”

“Won’t that imbalance the Ground Divisions an awful lot?” asked Channer, frowning.

“Calixte, this concerns the students we have already put in your Division. What are your thoughts?” asked Gautier.

“I agree with Channer in that this trade might cause unevenness in experience of the Ground Divisions.” Calixte glanced at Channer, and then at Gautier. “But I can assure you that the quality of my Division will be no different.”

Yetta scoffed. “That is because you consider your Division’s quality to be based on your own personal success and in breaking every single conventional rule ever established in an attempt to undermine the others in your Cloud.”

Calixte continued as if Yetta had not interjected. “Nevertheless, I also recognize my own young age and will not attempt to force my own thoughts onto more experienced members of the Council.”

Kasity wasn’t sure if she understood what exactly was going on, but she had a feeling that it had nothing to do with her.

“However, I also feel that this is the right time to voice my opinions of the structure of my Ground Division last year. The clashes that I had with the Council were completely unnecessary. I am willing to take on any number of new students the Council assigns me, as long as I am given freedom to maneuver within certain boundaries, of course,” Calixte said, nodding at Yetta.

“Freedom to maneuver…I believe you took plenty of advantage of that last year,” sneered Yetta.

“That freedom led to her Division being the most decorated in the school,” snarled Kael.

“Let’s get to the point,” Devan said, a sour look on his face. “Are you definitely accepting this girl?” He looked straight at Kasity.

“Yes,” Calixte answered, glancing at Kasity, too.

“And three first steps in total—one more than the initial agreement?” Devan asked.

“Yes.”

“And the transfer student?” Yetta interrupted.

“Whatever benefits the Cloud.”

The calm smile on Calixte’s face surprised Kasity. It was as if she had expected, or even wanted, the unexpected number of students going into her division.

“I will not take Kasity Ké into Ground Patrol. I will take two first steps, but she will not be in my group,” said Devan, his protruding ears pink. He too sensed that Calixte had somehow planned this trade out, and it surprised and angered him. “I think you should take responsibility for her, Calixte.”

“I think I have made it very clear that I will take her, Devan,” replied Calixte, inclining her head gravely. “We are all late for dinner and I am sure the first steps will appreciate it if you would stop reaffirming topics that do not need any more reaffirming.” Her tone was mild, but Devan flushed and glared at Calixte, slouching in his seat.

“Any more comments?” asked Gautier after a short period. He frowned and looked down at his papers. “Karynn? Karynn Ames?”

Karynn blushed a little and raised a hand timidly.

“I’ll take her,” Calixte said. “Great defensive scores.”

Devan looked as if he was going to say something, but Channer was already writing and he sat back, looking sour.

“That was settled quickly,” Gautier muttered, and then raised his voice. “Next in line—Claia Lavaca.”

“Best herbal scores in the class,” Calixte put in.

“Devan—you should take her then,” Kael said.

“I will,” Devan replied, glaring at Kael.

“Next in line,” Gautier announced, motioning to Tal.

“Tal Kaenten,” Tal said.

“You might as well take this one and fill up the Patrols,” Yetta told Devan with a lazy wave of the hand.

Devan nodded.

Gautier called, “Next in line.”

“Macom Mé,” Macom said.

“I’ll take him,” Yetta said.

“Next two—introduce yourselves,” ordered Gautier.

“Shant Shé,” Shant responded.

“Aidan, noble Aé,” Aidan replied.

Generally, this introduction got peoples’ attention, but none of the Council members even looked up. Aidan looked bemused and a bit put out at the same time.

“Calixte,” Yetta started, dragging her voice as she dragged her fingers through her short, mousy hair. “Perhaps you could take both of these boys and give me Rissy and Synnove in return.”

“Unacceptable!” Kael roared.

“What do you expect Calixte to do, put first steps as Unit Leaders?” Channer demanded.

Yetta looked at Channer and blushed. Her voice was an octave higher. “It was just a suggestion, Channer. I didn’t know you’d be so against it.”

“If you want another second step so badly, why don’t you trade with Devan?” Kael frowned.

“If I have to, I’ll take that one.” Devan motioned at Shant.

“That’s nice,” Shant muttered, and the first steps giggled, but became silent as soon as Gautier shot them a condescending look. Aidan, however, took a step away from the group.

“No, Calixte has already agreed to take three first steps. She can have the one I don't want,” Yetta said, crossing her hands on the table and sitting up straighter. “I absolutely don’t want that one,” she muttered, looking at Aidan. “I’ll have him—Shant. Is that your name?” She leered at him with a smile that Kasity thought was supposed to be benevolent. “Calixte, you take the remaining boy.”

Calixte looked at Aidan and nodded.

“First steps, dismissed,” Gautier said.

Aidan stormed out, his face a crimson red. Shant followed, with a mortified look on his face. The rest of the first steps scurried after them.

“Aidan….” Karynn started.

Aidan stomped past her. Kasity and Karynn exchanged glances.

“Tal, Macom, maybe you two should try to talk to him,” muttered Shant. Tal and Macom, still not looking at Shant, ran after Aidan.

“I can’t believe he got mad over that,” groaned Kasity, although with a note of dubiousness in her voice.

“Poor Aidan,” sighed Karynn.

“Poor me,” said Kasity. “I’m going to have to deal with him.”

“I’d rather be rejected than be in Yetta’s Ground Division, anyways. They’ll be coming out in a couple minutes to post up the final teams, but I’d rather not wait. I’m going down to supper. You guys coming?” asked Shant in a weary voice.

“Let’s go,” Kasity decided. “If we get down there fast enough, there still might be some pudding left for dessert.”