* * *
The mastras talked up a storm once they made it to the village. They only stopped chatting when they heard commotion coming from Shanvi’s hut. The two decided to cancel their evening games and make a detour to Aly’s home to see what was going on.
“I mean...wow!” Catty said as she looked at the front of Shanvi’s hut.
Aly couldn’t say anything. Seeing the evening lights on inside the hut-made-store was breathtaking. The yellow lanterns made the porch glow while the inside looked as bright as day.
Catty grabbed Aly by the wrist and pulled her to the door. “Let us see how the inside appears.”
When the two busted through the doors, five grown-ups were sitting and laughing with one another at a table in the corner. Shanvi was wiping his hands with a cloth near the back until Aly’s mesmerized gaze locked eyes with his.
“Now, there she be.” He turned around and extended his hands. Aly ran and leapt into her pappai’s arms, and Shanvi laughed as he swung her around. “You have forgotten something.”
“Oh. Right!” She grabbed Shanvi’s much larger face by the cheeks and kissed him on the right temple.
“So, how do you perceive the store?” Shanvi asked, still holding Aly in his arms.
“Truly, it is beyond grand, Pappai. It is done, yes?”
“Nay, not quite.” Shanvi set the mastra down on the newly-made counter. He spun around and grabbed two bowls out of a cabinet. “The workers must smooth out a few more of the corners and I have yet to include stools and booths. In the meantime, your seat can reside here. Now, did I not see Catty?”
“Over here!” Catty called out in the midst of the other Goolians. She stood on top of the table they were standing around. “Hello!”
“The little mistress was in the midst of telling us how her being-control was coming, Teacher,” one of the male Goolians said.
Shanvi rubbed his head. “It is simply ‘Shanvi’ now, lad.”
“Perhaps. Perhaps not. Even so, we have heard great dealings about you while you spar at the grounds, Little Mastra.”
Catty posed on top of the table with her hands on her hips. Shanvi chuckled and went to the lively mastra, as his Little One’s ears flopped.
“Truly, it be no trouble, once one has learned it.” Catty held out her palms. “Why, all that one needs to do is––”
“Why not offer us a display of your wondrous antics outside this board?” Shanvi said as he tucked Catty underneath one of his arms. “Truly, it would be a shame if the new store was to burn down prior to it even making an official opening.”
The grown-ups laughed as Catty shrugged. Shanvi set her down beside Aly and placed a bowl in each of their laps. Since they were both so tiny, the mastras could’ve worn the bowls like hats. Catty was about to try that logic, but Shanvi gently set her accessory back down as Aly giggled.
“Now, I suppose I shall grant your gracing us with your presence so late in the evening this once, Little Mistress,” Shanvi said as he placed a finger on Catty’s nose. He had his other hand behind his back. “Truly, I am sure your pappai shall not fancy you making it a habit of coming over to a store filled with sweets on a regular basis, very good?”
“Very good, Master Shanvi.” Catty eyed the floor, as if she was getting scolded.
Shanvi smiled and lifted the Little One’s chin up. “Even so, I would consider this a special occasion.” He pulled his other arm from behind his back and dropped leaves and nuts into Catty’s bowl.
The Little One’s eyes grew as Shanvi poured a sweet syrup over the dish. “This one deserves some reward for performing so well at the sparring grounds.”
“My thanks!” Catty stuffed her mouth with some of the leaves.
Aly watched the mastra chow down without missing a beat. She wondered if she’d ever get such recognition from the other grown-ups the way Catty did. Even her pappai was distracted by her. Shanvi then filled Aly’s bowl with the same mixture as Catty’s, but poured a little more syrup into hers.
“If I may, what good deed did I do to deserve this, Pappai?”
“Why, you were born as mine, of course.” Shanvi kissed Aly on the forehead and went back to attending the new customers.
Aly picked up a leaf and swept it along the edges of the bowl so she could get more syrup. She placed the leaf into the corner of her jaw, knowing the leaf was designed to absorb all of the extra flavors. Absolutely fantastic.
“Why the delay?” Catty said, still chewing with her mouthful.
“I prefer to get all the flavors. Nothing more.”
The two were too entranced by their food to talk to each other as they ate. When she finished, Aly watched Catty make laps around her bowl with her long purple tongue. Aly sighed and rested her head in a palm. The dessert must’ve tasted better when the reward was actually earned. Getting a pity dish didn’t bring out the flavors, even with an extra serving of syrup. Catty nudged her in the side.
“Is the dessert bad?” she asked. “Why does this one have the sad face?”
“Nay, it be of no reason. Perhaps I ate too slowly. Would this one like to finish mine?”
“Ooh! Very well.” Catty picked up Aly’s bowl and finished it off with one final swoop of the tongue.
Shanvi placed his hands on both their backs. “Very good now, Mastras. Enough time has passed. Come. We shall walk Catty home.”
“Aw, Pappai...”
“No fuss, Alytchai. The morrow brings forth another school day. As I said, this day marked a special occasion, very good?”
The Little One nodded as she and Catty hopped off the counter. Catty leaned over to her ear and placed her hand up so Shanvi couldn’t hear.
“Perhaps if I continue to come enough without saying a thing, your pappai shall not mind,” Catty whispered.
Shanvi slid the portal door open. “I heard that, Cattalice. And you best note that such a stunt may not likely work in your favor.”
Catty barely took a break from talking to Shanvi on the way back to her home. The Mature Aged gave suggestions and pointers to the Little One as Aly kept quiet, not knowing what to say. It wasn’t like she understood what the two were talking about anyways.
Truly, who would have ever thought that not being able to control my being would be so grand a deal? Aly was just another Little One a few days ago. She had no idea being just that – another Little One – was one of the best qualities about her until she lost the title. Now she was, “That child; the one that has yet to control her inner being.” She hated standing out in the world.
As the three walked across the fields leading up to Catty’s two-story house – the largest in the tribe – Aly contemplated her future. She still wanted to be a baker, especially after having such a fancy-looking treat, but maybe having a little decency in combat wouldn’t be that bad after all. Maybe she was being over confident and Truth’s Grace was giving her a lesson in humility. Shanvi said the Great Philosophy had a way of doing that to people. She’d have to ask Shanvi if they could make a quick stop at the temple on the way back so she could apologize for being so selfish.
The Little One examined her hands and realized what Teacher meant when he said inner being was an extension of the inner self. Her priorities were messed up. Yes, they had to be.
There be nothing beyond the tribe, she reminded herself. She could worry about learning how to bake later. Right now, she needed to learn how to control her being and ensure her worth to the people around her. No, she wasn’t going to be part Goolian, like Requai implied. She would learn. She would work, and yes, she would even fight if she had to. The Evaluations were years from now, but in that instant, Aly was going to work as if they were happening tomorrow.
“Why do you smile, Aly?” Catty asked, glancing over at her quiet friend.
“No reason. I simply look forward to the rest of the school week. That be all.”
* * *