Moonstone: Scene 7

C Minor Schietto

I'm kneeling here at the family table of my own funeral. To say that I felt odd is an extreme understatement. I had the humiliating experience of first being introduced by Darx as if I were a piece of property, then of removing my high platform shoes before stepping onto the mats - in front of all of our guests, which I'm sure is what caused them to gasp and murmur en masse, and finally now being told to go to each table and personally thank each family with the gifts in the basket that Darx just handed me. As if it weren't weird enough that my own picture was hanging on the wall with a grey band over my face, well, my old face anyway. The square packages in the basket all had grey bands wrapped around them with grey family name tags hanging down. I give them a gift, they give me a gift. I thank them profusely and then I go straight to bed.

"Go!"
GAH! I quickly got to my feet and hurried to the Maki family table. Ugh. Kast Maki. At least he was wearing his school crest with a grey band around it because I had been a class mate. This was probably the ONLY time I'd ever seen him acknowledge the fact that I too had been a student at his academy, or well, the male me had been. He had been vicious when I attended school with him. I *still* hated him.

I knelt beside the open space at the end of the table that had been reserved for my "brother."
"On behalf of my family, I humbly thank you for being kind enough to see my brother depart." Go ahead, ask me how many times I had to practice THAT statement without sounding bitter and hateful. I had a welt on my arm from Itxata's speech "lessons" earlier. I handed Kast's father the small grey box labeled "Maki."
"The Maki family takes great pride in supporting the Khial family." He sounded sincere, but I'm sure he had to practice saying it correctly. Every family I went to would say the exact same line. What a bunch of crap. I knelt there waiting for the return gift. Kast was staring at me.
"Kast?"
"Oh yes, father, right." Kast handed me a slender box which I tucked into the basket. I thanked them again, profusely, and went on to the next family table.

It was all the same scripted nonsense except for one table. At one of the last tables I went to were many Water race individuals. I'm assuming that's who they were because the three members of the family all had blue hair and slightly bluish skin, except one of them had white skin, so I don't know. Of course I had never actually seen an individual from the Water race, as I was used to seeing mostly Air race, with their yellow-based hair and yellowish skin. My own family had kind an eclectic mix of races, but most other families did not. Suiryoku family. That had to be them, because I knew the other family name still in the basket.
"On behalf of my family, I humbly thank you for being kind enough to see my brother depart." It was almost automatic saying this stupid acknowledgement. As I went to hand the little gift to the head of the table, I noticed that he had been staring at me for quite some time. He had very short blue hair, with gold strands, I think. His eyes were the deepest blue I had ever seen, and he had these strange dark blue markings on his very white hands, that I *felt* I recognized!
"My father expresses his deepest apology that he could not be here personally. I was instructed to give you two gifts. One for your family to ease it's loss, and one for you personally, Flower."
Me? He was still staring intently at me. My mind kept playing this picture of my hand touching those blue markings on his hands. It was the oddest thing. The blue haired male on his left handed me two small packages. One clearly said, "Flower" on it. He was still staring at me. Did I know him?
"Please tell your father that we are very sorry for his loss and that we will be here for him, as he was there for us."
This was definitely not scripted!
"I will tell my father, as you have requested." What else could I say?
"I hope you will find the value in your gift."
What the hellfire did that mean? Quick! Think of something polite and respectful to say!
"I am humbled by your father's kindness to me." Yeah, that sounded good. Maybe I was getting the hang of this crap. I thanked him profusely. He was still staring at me. Did I have something on my face? GAH! I bowed and went to the last table.

After I had thanked all of the guests, again, as they were leaving, I handed Darx the basket of gifts as we entered the family hall. He immediately noticed the one marked "Flower." My brothers were all concentrating on their studies, spread out over the furniture in the room. I wanted so badly to join them. Darx picked up the special package.
"That is from the Suiryoku family. He said it was a gift just for me."
"They are our oldest allies. You should not dishonor his request."
Ally? I took the thin package from the basket.
"I am afraid I must go retire now."
"Of course Lyte, of course."
I was suprised he let me off so easily.
"Drendyn resolved some of my internal issues. I apologize."
What did that mean?
"No apology necessary, but I must go retire."
He nodded and I exited the room without a second glance back at my family. I would have given anything to study with them right then.

I stormed into my room and simply flopped onto my bed, face first. I was exhausted, angry, mortified, humiliated, and just plain weirded out. Plus, I had the start of a killer headache. I didn't want to worry about bathing, clothing, or any other fluffy crap right then. I wanted to just rest. Sleep! I could get away from all this stuff with just a little sleep.

I think that was the last thought I had before my body completely gave in to my exhaustion, and cooked up one of the most surreal incidents in my life.

I think I need more rest from now on.