Parto 0: La Nesto. 01: La Amikoj

“Arakiiiil!” Kanako’s voice pierced through the closed door. “How much longer are you going to sleep?”

I had just finally fallen asleep after another restless night. I groaned and pulled the blanket over my head, but I knew it was futile.

“Come on, Arakil!” They started banging on the door. I sighed and dragged myself out of bed, opening the door a crack.

“Seriously? Don’t you think it’s too early?” I mumbled, blinking against the sudden light from the hallway. Kanako shook their head, grinned and held up their hand, three fingers extended.

“Three, two, one…” they counted down with exaggerated emphasis. “Go!“ And the waking-up music started playing all around us. I winced and closed my eyes, defeated.

“Can we come in?” Kanako pushed the door open wider before I could answer. They bounced in, their right pigtail hitting me on the face.

Gabino went inside behind them, looking upset. “I don’t know why you wanted me to come with you, though,” they complained.

“You were up all night thinking about Indigo, weren't you?” They asked me, ignoring Gabino’s complaints.

In a way, Kanako was right. I had been thinking about Indigo. Were they okay? Were they… waiting? The feeling of dread was always there now, a constant knot in my stomach. Even when the nightmares stayed away. Three red circles… What if…

“I know, I know.” Kanako put their hand against their forehead like a dramatic actress. “Oh, how difficult it is to sleep soundly while you await the rendezvous with your one true love!”

“I’m just excited about La Flugo,” I lied, trying to change the topic.

Kanako looked at Gabino.

“If that’s their excited face, I don’t want to see their bored one.”

“For reals, what are we doing here? They'll serve breakfast soon,” said Gabino.

“Come on, Arakil!” Kanako ignored Gabino again. “You will become an adult! Going to La Granda Ekstero! I’d trade places with you in a heartbeat!”

“And you will see Indigo!” Exclaimed Gabino.

You too Gabino? I trusted you!

“Yes! Yes yes yes! You will see Indigo!” This time, Kanako didn’t ignore them. “You will see Indigo and you'll... uh... I don't know..." Kanako paused, looking at their feet. “You will do things that couples do, yes.”

“Can we go get breakfast?” I said. Now I felt like I was the one left out of a conversation that was supposed to be about me.

Kanako agreed, but they continued pestering me the whole way. We got to La Kerno, the central area in La Nesto, where we ate and studied. Breakfast was already served, La Kerno filled with the clatter of utensils and the murmur of conversations. Steam rose from the bowls of warm porridge, the smell somewhat sweet. Almost all the kids were already there, and Medusa was the only one missing from our Ĉelo.

I looked at our table. Osiris was holding their bowl, trying to eat, their face pale. Serena hovered over them, holding a small spoon filled with soup. Osiris’s eyes darted towards the bowl, a flicker of hunger in their usually dull gaze, but they endured Serena’s service with patience. Serena, with their bright smile and limitless energy, seemed oblivious to Osiris's discomfort.

Serena often tried to help with things we didn't need help with. Kanako sometimes played along, but most of us politely declined. Osiris never said no, making them Serena's favorite target.

Gabino, never one for subtlety, shoved their way between Serena and Osiris, almost knocking the spoon out of Serena’s hand.

“Leave the mute alone, you little pest,” their voice sharp. “They’re starving. Didn’t they teach you not to play with the… with people who can’t defend themselves?”

“Osiris isn’t mute!” Serena screamed, offended.

Gabino’s instruisto noticed the altercation and approached our table.

“Is there any problem?” they said, without losing their smile.

“None at all,” said Gabino. Their instruisto seemed to be the only one who could control them. Well, they and Medusa.

We were already sitting down and eating when Medusa emerged from Ĉelo Kvar. They stretched with a slow, languid movement that made their long, black hair, the longest in all of La Nesto, cascade down their back like a dark waterfall.

Medusa went to Kanako and looked at them, pouting.

“You didn’t wake me up today either,” they said.

“There’s the waking up music, you know? Why do you need Kanako to wake you up? You’re such a baby…” Gabino intervened.

Medusa frowned for an instant, sighed, then looked down at Gabino, something only possible because Medusa was standing and Gabino was sitting.

“Who?” they asked Gabino.

“‘Who?’ Who what?”

“Who asked you?” sentenced Medusa with a smirk.

Serena giggled and Kanako shook their head, smiling. Gabino’s face became red, but they couldn’t seem to find a good comeback. They went back to their plate, Medusa sat down next to Kanako and nobody said anything else on the table.

I would miss them all so much.

When my parents left me here, the youngest, I felt like none of the older kids cared, not even Indigo back then.

Then Kanako came a year later, and they became my first friend. That’s when I promised myself that, even if talking to others wasn’t my favorite thing to do, I was going to become friends with all the new members of Ĉelo Kvar, so they would never feel alone.

I traced lines with the fork on my mashed potatoes. I considered each new arrival in Ĉelo Kvar. Had I been there for them?

I thought about Serena… I hadn’t had much time to know them. One year wasn’t enough. Especially when I was so busy with, well, that. Would I even recognize them in La Granda Ekstero, five years from now?

Osiris was always so quiet. Though we talked now and then. And the day prior, I felt a connection. They would be okay. I was sure of it. I was excited to see what kind of adult would they become.

Medusa was friends with everyone, so that was more they than me. They were the most charming person I’d ever met, so even if I didn’t exist they would be fine. I was going to miss their witty retorts to Gabino.

Gabino… Gabino was difficult, but their loyalty was unwavering. They were the kind of friend who'd be there, no matter what.

And then there was Kanako. Oh, Kanako. We were friends, without a doubt. They wouldn't have it any other way. The thought of leaving them behind ached in my chest. I wished I could have told them about my dream, but I couldn't bear the thought of them finding me crazy.

Anyway, I'd find out soon enough how much of it was real.

Later that day, when we were in the garden behind our Ĉelo, Kanako came to me alone. They sat down on the grass, their gaze fixed on their hands.

“I wish I could go with you,” they whispered.

“I know you want to leave,” I said. “But it’s just one more year for you…”

“It’s not about that!” They looked away, their eyes glistening. “I mean, I wouldn’t want to leave… if you stayed here with me.”

My throat tightened. I looked down at the grass, unable to meet their gaze. A tear escaped and rolled down my cheek. I wiped it away.

Kanako stood up and walked away without a word. It was so unlike them.

Gabino suggested a team game, and we all started playing. My mind wasn’t there, though. Only two days for La Flugo. I wished with all my might that the nightmare was just that, a nightmare.

I heard them laughing and saw their smiles. All of my friends were there, but I still felt alone.