Caeda was transfixed by a little fountain toy at the receptionist's desk. Water washed down a clear plastic shell, lit in a pale blue hue, then turned green as it rushed back up around the sides. She didn't know how it worked, but it was pretty to look at.

She didn't realize how long she'd been staring and jolted when she saw the clock.

"Ma'am?" Caeda asked.

"Yes?" the receptionist said, barely looking up from her Cani Knitting Secrets magazine.

"Have I been called in yet?" Caeda said. "I was a bit entranced by that hypnotic toy of yours."

"No,"

"Do you know when they will?" Caeda asked. “I really have somewhere I need to be."

"I'm not sure,"

"Because I have an important meeting to get to," Caeda said. "And then I'm going to be the main event of the talent show."

"Well. Hopefully they bring you in soon then," the receptionist said, turning another page.

Caeda really couldn't waste any more time. Octa wanted to meet one more time before the talent show.

Dang it, Caeda thought. If she was at all late to the talent show, she would miss her moment. This could be the most important thing she'd ever done in her life so far, and Octa was going to help her accomplish it.

"Ma'am?" Caeda asked.

"Mhm?" the receptionist finally put her magazine down, only to pick up another issue.

"I really have somewhere to be, can you check if they're ready? Who exactly called me in?"

"That's..." she clicked around on her computer for a bit. “I’m actually not sure who called you in…I guess you can go. But if you're supposed to be here and you're not you'll hear it on the intercom."

"Got it!" Caeda said. "Thank you, ma'am!"

Caeda rushed out into the hallway, promptly bumping into the first two people she uncountered.

"Oops, sorry!" Caeda said, then realized who she'd bumped into. She winced.

"What were you doing in the front office?" Clover asked.

Caeda winced, more for who was with Clover than the getting summoned to the front desk thing. Clover was with her ex, Naomi.

"I'm...not sure," Caeda said. "I think it was a mistake? But I really have to go! Clover, aren't you going to watch the talent show?"

"Naomi has prefect business to attend to, and I offered to help," Clover said.

Naomi's expression was blank. Caeda didn't know her well, but she doubted the two would ever be friends. Caeda felt a bit responsible for Clover and Naomi's relationship ending the way it did, even if Clover frequently denied that she had any involvement in that.

"Heh," Caeda said. "This is sort of awkward, isn't it?"

"Not really?" Clover said. "Anyways, we're busy."

"Me too," Caeda said. "Dang, I'm really late now..."

"Late for what?" Clover said.

"Oh, well before the talent show..." Caeda said. "I just need a lot of time to prepare."

Octa asked Caeda to keep their recent meetings quiet even from her close friends. She didn't like lying, and could tell Clover knew that she was lying.

"Be careful, alright?" Clover said.

"I will," Caeda said. "I'm gonna be the last one going in the talent show, so if you finish your business on time you could maybe see my performance!"

Clover's concerned expression broke a bit. "I'll try."

If Caeda pulled this off, no one could ignore her ever again at Rising Shards or Wildfire Hearts. Even the Falling Shards boys would have to take notice.

"Just you wait," Caeda said after Clover was already long gone. "Everything's about to change."