Mirror

Chapter 7: Unprotected Secrecy

I ate a whole bar of chocolate while trying to write this chapter.

Banner suggested by @TheSeventhWriter

I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by;
And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking,
And a grey mist on the sea's face, and a grey dawn breaking.

-John Masefield

The cool of the  ventilation system powering up washed over Kyli as she stepped, not into the Old Ones' Meeting Place, but into the Chief Hall. A few people looked up from their work, but most hardly noticed, if at all. It was not unusual for Onlies to arrive after the third hour, despite its being against regulation.

Only Re'Jel stood, and smiled, his dark gray eyes lighting with welcome. His black curls were, as usual, falling all over the place, giving him the look of someone who had just finished a long run. Kyli found herself looking at a freckle on his nose instead of into his eyes. Probably a defense mechanism, she decided, and did not move her gaze.

He sat with his sister, Marquera, at the Engineering table, undoubtedly working out the System Malfunction that was the object of Kyli and Rory's curiosity. Several other Onlies were present as well, including Jima, Porter and FfeKi—the Onlies in charge of Electrical Manipulation. Kyli wondered vaguely why all three were there—surely only one was needed?

"You look surprised to be here, LiLi," Re'Jel teased, "did you forget what day it is?"

Kyli smacked her hand against her forehead. Of course—it was the third Wednesday, The Home was rearranging itself. It did so every few weeks, to provide an extra challenge for the Onlies in getting about. She had become too attached to the old blueprint.

"I'll have to start charting the whole building again." Marquera complained halfheartedly, standing as well. She had an uncanny knack for getting lost.

Kyli shook her head. "It's okay, 'Quera, I'll do it for you. You look very absorbed in your work, anyway, and we were meaning to go see the Old Ones."

"What about?" The other girl's curiosity was immediately piqued. A visit to the old Ones was fairly unusual—the Onlies had everything they needed, so they typically kept to themselves: with exploring the building, creating new mechanisms, and repairing the broken ones, they had plenty to keep their hands full.

"Oh, just the system failure, we thought they might want to know."

Marquera looked a little offended. Her Engineering skills were the most renowned in The Home, and nobody complained to the Old Ones before first doing so to her.

Suddenly wondering why Rory hadn't added anything ridiculous to the dialogue, Kyli turned to the tall Asian girl, expecting to find her listening with interest. She was not.

She was, in fact, engaged in a silent conversation with Re'Jel, her face showing every word she could have said out loud. Re'Jel had his head tilted to the side, and Kyli quickly turned away: A silent conversation was a private one, and she didn't need to know what the two were saying—though, if she knew Rory, it would be something about her. 

Their privacy was their own, and Kyli took Marquera by the arm and walked around to the other corner of the room. Marquera glared at her.

"Come on, LiLi, I had just about decoded Rory's last expression!" She whined, but followed her nevertheless. Kyli shook her head firmly.

"No, Marquera, that's their conversation and neither you nor I have the right to break into it. I don't understand why you're so keen on being as untactful as possible! Get some manners, maybe?" 

The words were blunt, but Kyli knew that Marquera appreciated unveiled honesty. It was preferable, as she said, to vagueness. 

"And don't call me LiLi." She added as an afterthought, because she really did dislike it. Her name was already shortened to Kyli (infinitely preferable to her original name of Kylienaflei), and it didn't need anything more. Or less. However you looked at it.

"Whatever. You like it when Re'Jel says it."

Kyli felt her face burning. Two people had already mentioned that today! Was it really that obvious?

"Anyhow, why were you actually looking for the Old Ones?"

Kyli snorted, but was inwardly glad for the change of subject. "It's just like I said. We were going to tell them about the System Malfunk."

"I'm sure they know already."

"Probably, but we were bored, okay?"

"And you, of all people, couldn't find anything to do." Marquera shook her head disparagingly. "I'm disappointed."

Kyli rolled her eyes. "Why are you so interested, anyway?"

Marquera stuck out her tongue. "I'm bored."

"Well, what were you working on?"

"FfeKi thought she might be able to find a way to improve your NH technique."

"Is there something wrong with it?"

"Well, it just has your touch—you know, how everything you fix only gets worse—"

"Oh, very clever. I forgot you liked to pin your attributes on other people. By the way, did I mention I saw you sneaking out of our chambers last night? Going to meet someone?"

"No, I needed a midnight snack."She retorted sarcastically, not even bothering to deny her unauthorized act, and Kyli rolled her eyes once again.

"Sure, as if you didn't eat enough during the day."

The bickering continued on for several minutes, but neither of them could think up anything good to say, and both kept glancing over at their two friends across the room. Rory and Re'Jel had not switched to speaking at loud, nor had they sat down. 

Marquera and Kyli couldn't keep from eavesdropping, and neither found the conversation pleasing.

Me loves the cotes and vomments!