What's "Help!" in Naikuno?

Saina, "The Plan"

   “So Mirohya, are you in yet?”

   “Not yet. I guess they’re still considering.”

   By now it was late evening. The sun had already sunk below the tree line, throwing a bright pink and orange glow through the enormous windows of the eryinksuli room.

   Eric was seated on a cushion, stretching his legs. I hope I get used to sitting cross-legged all the time, he thought as he glanced around.

   Indeed, the other three were all sitting with their legs tightly folded, as if it was instinctive. Ayina was seated on the floor next to a low bookcase, on which Rin was sprawled. Every now and then Ayina would seize Rin’s legs and flip the cat over, and Rin would respond by grabbing Ayina’s hand and licking it fiercely.

   Like Rin, Mirohya was perched on a shelf. She was no longer wearing the formal black uniform, instead opting for a plain white outfit similar to Ayina’s school uniform. Though she seemed relaxed on first glance, she still had her short-sword at one side. On her other side was Tessira, curled into a fluffy red ball.

   Aejik was kept company on his cushion by a stack of papers, long since abandoned in favor of conversation.

   “How long has it been?” he asked. “A month? Two?”

   Mirohya sighed and grinned. “It’s only been two weeks. Patience.”

   Ayina turned to Eric. “Mirohya’s been accepted by the Avawin Corps!” she said loudly. Eric was caught off guard, not by the volume of her voice, but the fact that this was only the second time Ayina said anything to him.

   “Eya, Ayina!” Mirohya said. “I haven’t been accepted yet, they only asked for my application.”

   Even Eric had heard of the Avawin Corps, if only rumors. Supposedly they were the best soldiers in Eraknivan, hand-picked by the emperor himself. Stories he’d heard ranged from the Avawin being military officers to being ghost-ninjas, so he wasn’t quite sure about the facts.

   “What are Avawin?” he asked.

   He could feel Ayina staring at him, though Mirohya merely smiled.

   Aejik closed his eyes and leaned back. “Avawin are people who have been given special powers by the Emperor. They can transform into a black fog, or even become completely invisible. They have swords made of the blackness of space, and can travel through mirrors. They can even walk across water. And because their power comes from the Between-World, they can never be killed…”

   Eric didn’t know how to respond to this. Is he serious? he thought. Are such things possible…?

   Aejik laughed. “Sorry, Erik. I don’t get that chance often.”

   Mirohya laughed as well. “Leave it to Si-Si to tell fairytales! No, Erik, that’s all just myth and superstition. The Avawin Corps is the highest level of the military, supervised directly by Emperor Erakniv and the Five Governors, and is the single longest-running organization in history. While they aren’t really invincible,”--she gave Aejik a significant glance, which he returned with a grin--“they are indeed highly skilled. You can’t apply unless they ask you to, and it’s one of the highest honors to become one…”

   “…and Mirohya is as good as in!” Ayina chimed in.

   Mirohya sighed. “It’s not a sure thing,” she said, but Eric thought he saw a glimmer of pride flicker in her eyes. “They have to review the application, then maybe I’m called in for evaluation, then training… it’s a long process.”

   “Well, we’re all cheering for you, Mira,” Aejik said, beaming. “And whether they let you in or not, we’re proud of you.”

   Something about the scene was so bizarre to Eric. True, he had only been in Eraknivan a short time, but he had quickly noticed a sort of indefinable elegance to the Eraknians, no matter where they were or what they were doing. Even when Ayina and Mirohya taunted and fought each other, they maintained this natural grace. Still, the attitude in the room reminded Eric of eager schoolchildren, even though the Ziregas were conversing with relative calm. He was witnessing a true family moment, and it was as though an invisible shield had been removed.

***

   “… and either way, I’ll hear something sooner or later,” Mirohya concluded. She tried to keep her voice calm, as if she didn’t care whether she was accepted or not. In all honesty, she knew she was very capable as an Arbiter--her records were proof of that. But she never dreamed the Kirhedo would be watching her, would be asking her to be considered. It is a tremendous honor to even get that far. Still, she had to admit she would be disappointed if she wasn’t accepted.

   “Eya, that reminds me.” Her father shoved the stack of papers aside, got to his feet and straightened his coat. “It’s getting late. Who wants to help with dinner?”

   “What is dinner?” Ayina asked, rolling Rin around the shelf again. “Not soup again…”

   “Au, not today. Mirohya is home, and Erik is here. We have a couple of special occasions, so I thought fish would be appropriate.”

   Ayina accidentally shoved Rin too hard. The cat yowled as she rolled right off the low bookcase. Tessira glanced over and blinked at Rin, who was now casually washing her paws.

   “Fish?” Ayina said excitedly. “Ocean fish?”

   Aejik grinned and nodded.

   “Wow,” Mirohya said. “Big spender today, aru?”

   “Well, we have two guests today, so why not? Give me a hand, Ina dear?”

   Ayina bounced down the stairs after Aejik. Rin gave a sharp glance to Mirohya and Eric before following, flicking her long tail proudly.

   “Is fish expensive?” Eric asked.

   Mirohya nodded. “Oh yes. It’s not as pricey as it used to be, but it’s still up there.”

   “Are fish rare here?”

   “Fish? Rare? No, it’s fishermen that are rare.”

   Eric raised his eyebrows. “Uh… what?”

   “Well no one really wants to do it, do they?”

   “Why not? You just go out on a boat and…”

   “Exactly! Boats! Boats are dangerous, aru? Never know when the whole thing’ll just… tip right over, or sink… or who knows what?”

   “That sounds a little paranoid. I was on a boat before, and nothing bad happened.”

   Mirohya peered curiously at Eric. “You weren’t scared? But what if you fell off?”

   “No problem. It was just a small lake, so I could just swim to the shore.”

   The smell of cooking fish was wafting up from the kitchen by now. Tessira rose from the couch, stretched, and sauntered down the stairs. Mirohya just sat and stared at Eric.

   “Hiyumans can swim?” she finally said.

   “Of course. Eraknians can’t?”

   “Not really, no. Maybe a few of us can, but mostly no.”

   “So that’s why you are afraid of boats. That makes sense.”

   These hiyumans are just full of surprises, Mirohya thought. First the absence of swords, and now swimming…

   “Do you… do you think you could teach me?” she asked tentatively.

   “To swim?” There was a hint of unease in his voice and eyes.

   “Only if you’re up to it of course, zir-Furiiman, zir-girnuré.”

   “I suppose… if you are up to it. Keep in mind, I am better at teaching people to think than teaching them to do.”

   “Well, teaching is only half the work, learning is the other.”

   “Okay.” Eric nodded. “Why not? We will see how it goes.”

   “Kiroga, Erik.”

***

   “Can’t remember the last time we had fish!” Ayina said, breathing in the aroma that filled the small kitchen. “It’s been ages…”

   Aejik smiled as he removed the epir from the stove. “Maybe someday you’ll be rich and powerful, and be able to have ocean fish every day. Clear the table, please.”

   Ayina grabbed a heap of books and papers from the table and placed them at the base of the stairs. “That’s a lot of pressure… What if I plan to just coast through life and live off of you and Mirohya? What about my plans?”

   “That’s my little freeloader,” Aejik said, patting Ayina’s head. He glanced over at the grill. “Eya, that looks about right.” With a few more pinches of herbs, he began pulling the strips of fishmeat off the stove.

   “Looks done, Ina,” he said. “Be a dear and fetch your sister and Erik.”

   Ayina nodded and, pausing once more to take in the scent, climbed the stairs to the upper levels.

   “…find that hard to believe. Never? Really?”

   Ayina paused as Mirohya’s voice drifted down the stairs. Her sister and the hiyuman were talking about something.

   Hiyuman! That’s right! In all the excitement over Mirohya, Avawin, and fish, Ayina had almost completely forgotten about the hiyuman and her mission. She prodded her head with one thumb. At least he’ll be more relaxed and unsuspecting, she decided with a sigh. As silently as possible, she crept up the stairs until she could peek into the eryinksuli room. The hiyuman was still seated on a floor mat with his legs stretched out. Mirohya, however, had abandoned her perch on the bookshelf for a spot next to Eric. On the floor between them was a large open book, to which Mirohya kept pointing.

   “So, like a Zodiac-kinda thing, right?” the hiyuman said.

   “Sure,” Mirohya said. “Why not. In any case, almost every person fits somewhere on the Elemental Circle, based on personality or physical nature or what-have-you.”

   “An example might help.”

   “Example… Okay. Ayina. Ayina is an easy one: she’s always been happy, high-energy, relatively good-natured, and fairly unpredictable. That’s the very definition of Jaksei, the Wind Form.”

   Ayina shifted slightly as Mirohya continued.

   “Si-Si, on the other hand, is more of a mix of Jaksei and Jiisei, the Wood Form. He’s fun-loving and all, but he’s also very empathetic and nurturing, good qualities for a teaching career.”

   “And me? Which one am I?”

   By now, Ayina was listening intently.

   “Well… and keep in mind, I haven’t known you very long… I’d have to say Water. Jinsei. You compromise, make balance. Change pushing into pulling. And there’s something else, something deep down that I can’t quite see. Water is mysterious, after all…”

   Suddenly, Ayina felt something graze her leg.

   “Ai!” she yelped and leapt up and whirled around to find Tessira’s sharp brown eyes peering up at her. The fox sniffed once before trotting forward into the lit room to sit by Mirohya.

   Eric’s expression was relief, as if he had himself jumped and since recovered. Mirohya, on the other hand, was watching Ayina intently, as if she was aware all along that her sister had been listening in.

   Ayina froze for a second, trying to remember why she was here Oh, right! Dinner!

   “Aao… dinner.”

   Without waiting for an answer, she turned and darted back downstairs.

   Her father wasn’t in the kitchen--as the books and papers were also missing, Ayina assumed he had gone to put them away.

   He’s getting too close, she thought frantically. The hiyuman is getting too close. Think, think…

   A sudden clatter came from the counter. Rin was settled on a high shelf, displacing a few wooden spice boxes.

   “Rin! What are you up to now?”

   Retrieving the boxes, Ayina made to put them back… and paused. An idea began to rapidly take shape in her head. With a quick glance down the hallway and another up the stairs, she peered through the cluster of containers until she found what she was looking for: a blue ceramic jar.

   The table was already set with four places, each with several small bowls containing the grilled fish, steamed epir, pickled vegetables, and soup.

   Ayina dashed forward, tore open the jar and dumped the contents--a bright red powder--into one of the little soup bowls. It swirled around for a moment before dissolving, completely disappearing in the pale gold liquid, just as footsteps approached from both directions.

   Quick as a flash, Ayina stuffed the jar and the spice boxes back in line. She pried Rin off the shelf and, as nonchalantly as she could, she lowered herself down to kneel by the table as the others entered the dining area.

   Mirohya and the hiyuman came down the stairs, laughing. Ayina watched them silently. She was suddenly aware that she was scowling, and rearranged her face into a cheerful smile.

   Closely tailing Mirohya was Tessira, bushy tail swaying gently with each step. Halfway down the staircase, the fox stopped abruptly and stared at Ayina, as if to say, “I know what you did.”

   Ayina simply ignored this; it was one of Tessira’s habits, and it ceased to be intimidating after the first few times. Instead, Ayina turned her attention to more pressing matters.

   “Jou!” Mirohya exclaimed. “This is what I’ve been missing!” She knelt at the setting at Ayina’s left.

   As Aejik entered, Mirohya turned and knocked on the table. “So you still have your cooking skills, I see. Glad to see this family doesn’t fall apart when I’m not here.”

   Aejik laughed. “Well, we try.”

   Ayina was beginning to panic. By happy chance, Mirohya had taken the spot across from the sabotaged soup, but there was now a fifty-fifty chance her father would be the victim. What to do, what to…

   “Zer-Erik, sit next to me!”

   The quiet was almost deafening, and everyone had turned to stare at Ayina. Aejik’s face was drawn back in surprise, and the hiyuman’s was just as bewildered. Mirohya, however, sat calmly watching the scene.

   “Fiya,” Aejik said at last. “See? We’re practically family!”

   Forcing herself to smile, Ayina seized Eric’s hand and yanked him down onto the seat on her right. Inwardly, she breathed a sigh of relief. It’s like Neia said, she told herself. You have to get close to find a weakness….

   “Kiarisé!” Aejik said cheerfully as he joined the table. “Enjoy, everyone!”