Rising Shards

I was effectively trapped in a painful societal prison. The new co-principal Kitty was showing new school faculty around, and two of those new people were not new to me. One was Mahina, who was cool and awesome, and the other was Snowglobe, who was also cool and awesome but she hated me. I maybe had some run-ins with her in the past, most recently borrowing a machine from one of her warehouses with the help of some students. There were a few others like that, but they weren't my fault. The cat Kanibari with gray fur waited after she asked me for an apology. Kitty egged this whole thing on.

If I just apologized, maybe she'd move on. But maybe Kitty would think I was weak and that probably wouldn't be good. But if I didn't maybe everyone in the room would think I was this total badass who didn't take shit from a tough looking gal like Snowglobe. Maybe Snowglobe would even respect me more.

I started to run simulations in my head of how it would go either way.

Scenario A: Do Not Apologize

I don't say anything, I just stand there, a smirk spreading across my face. Snowglobe would say something like "Y-you!" And get all pissed, but begrudgingly respect my badassery.

Kitty gets out a notebook and starts writing a new song just about me. Evy and Mahina start clapping for how epic and incredible I am.

But then everyone's face darkens. Evy and Mahina stop clapping, and say something like "I thought better of you, Alix Corinani." And they both leave. Then Kitty scoffs and rips up the pages.

"Wh-what's happening?" I ask, meekly and pathetically, but the moment is gone, I've ruined everything.

"They were just pretending to clap, pretending to think that not apologizing is cool and epic." Snowglobe will say. "That's why I got hired, to test you. You were supposed to apologize, and I instructed everyone on how to react to get your hopes up that it was a good decision, then when you think you're right we all show you what a jackass you are. Now I'm gonna call up your girl Pippi and tell her to dump your ass for a woman of character like me."

And then I scream "NO!" and cry and cry and pound the ground and cry some more.

So Scenario A, not great. How would Scenario B go?

Scenario B: Apologize

I say something like. "Wow, I'm really sorry."

Kitty laughs at me, immediately. Mahina and Evy are embarrassed about this for me and leave in shame.

Snowglobe smirks, all cocky and hot, and says something like "Thought you'd say that, you idiotic simple fool."

Then Pippi walks in and is all like, "Wow! Everyone in this room is so into each other!"

And I'm like, "Well, wait, I had a crush on Snowglobe but do we want to include her in our polycule thing? We only just started dating so I don't want to get too big for my britches, so to speak. Actually, are we even dating yet? We slept together, sure, but..."

Then Pippi would say, "That's a good point, yes, we're both into this but let's think it through! Maybe let's have more sex, darling?"

Then Kitty would be like "Wait, what the? You slept with Pippi Willowbee? The Pippi Willowbee?"

And I'd panic and Snowglobe would high five me for getting with such a hottie and then we all feel this weird tension in the room, and suddenly we're all kissing and tearing each other's clothes off and—

I was thrown out of my fantasy by Kitty snapping her fingers like an inch away from my face.

"Huh?" I said.

"Holy shit, I thought you died there, you going completely silent that long isn't like you," Kitty said.

"Uh...heh...sorry..." I said, trying to not think of Kitty and Snowglobe joining me and Pippi in bed.

"Just say sorry and we can get on with our lives," Snowglobe said.

I sighed. Scenario B was clearly the better one even if it wouldn't go as well as my daydream. "Sorry about your vending machine,"

"Arcade machine," Snowglobe corrected.

"Whatever! It's still a machine. So I'm sorry. And I mean that sorry, that's a real and true sorry, something I talk about in Corinani-nomics for Cani—"

"I know, chapter thirteen, whatever," Snowglobe said. "Is that all you're going to apologize for?"

"And I'm sorry for using your streaming passwords and sharing them with other people, and for the company prom thing," I said. "And whatever else I've done to hurt you."

Snowglobe had a strange face, like a cat about to hack up a hairball. She shook her head, then patted my shoulder. "Cool. Thanks."

I had a spark of hope that Pippi would show up and Evy and Mahina would leave so the rest of Scenario B could play out kinda like it did in the daydream, but no luck.

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