The crowd echoed through the heavily crammed ceremony room. The nerves dripped from the young blue haired soul’s clasped hands. The soul struggled to retain their excitement. The idea of a riloshima graduating top of the class couldn’t be celebrated any other way. “And I know I say this often,” the voice of the elderly purple loced woman brought them back to reality. She had clearly been talking but Valore was far too excited to even listen. 

The elderly woman was Casius, the study’s principal. She had announced many riloshima graduates but this was the first year one would be pursuing studies away from the island. It was tradition for the future riloshi to study at Rajdan, the most elegant and prestigious study on the Rajas home island. But anyone who knew Valore knew that was not the case for them.  

“This year is definitely an honorable one. I would like us to honor our gifted souls sitting here today. They have all worked so hard to be here today.” Her voice was powerful, luring everyone in like a siren call. Val had waited for this day and it did not disappoint. Not only had they been treated to a gourmet rising meal but now the song of drums began to play. Every tribe has a signature. The Mmide people had water and ice shows, the Aude people had singing, and they had drums. It was saide to be a gift of welcoming from the Elders to their elders. Val had lost themself in the music. The thumping pitter patter shook through the rooms feet. Val could practically see the beats dancing through the ceremonial hall. “Now, we begin the send off! Starting with our very own riloshima Valore Mill Medu!” The crowd vibrated with joy, clapping their excited hands in a rhythmic pattern upon their thighs. Valore quickly rehearsed the lines they had wrote over and over for the past week when they learned they were being recognized. They stood from the chair and approached the front. “akyime ideru” they began, a common Rajas greeting which roughly means, peace be peoples. “akyime udey,” they all saide in harmony. They all quickly stood and bowed respectfully, Val returning the gesture. 

“I always imagined how this day would go,” the soul began. They stood before the people, branding the rajas tribal colors. “I imagined what I would say, how I would style my uniform, how I should tame my afo. But it made me realize how little those things meant. We spent 11 years training. Four thousand and four hundred long days of overachieving…” the soul paused for a moment, “well maybe not exactly 11 years but you get my point. I mean we earned this. No matter what we wore today, or what study we decide to pursue if you are, we earned this moment right here. So let’s celebrate. I am Valore Medu and we are the studying graduates of 4079, and I will be pursuing raje studies at Kyenjumorami!” The crowd rose to their seat in excitement. Their feet began to stomp upon the ground as their cheered. The drums began again and everyone lost themselves in the music. 

*

The clearly exhausted soul plopped down next to their ajamru (parents). They had all been fed played games, discussed student recognition, and now they were sitting for dessert. “So I guess convincing you to go to Raydan is out of the question now?” their ajam the riloshi toyed. Valore looked much like their maje (masculine male parent), the purple afo with blue patches which was a visible contrast to the natural rajas blue. They even had similar birth markings that lightened areas of they dark skin and blue hair. The pair were close in face and familyship. “I definitely can’t go back now, my announcement has been made.” They all laughed together with smiles stretched upon their features. Valore held a plate of noomi, a dessert popular in Rajas and began to indulge. They all were excited for the soul but everyone was quite nervous. Val would be the first Rajasin to study off the island.

Naturally there was collective fear. That’s why they would try to convince them not to leave. “I’m just proud of you Val, oh, and the gifts, they should be here by now.” A hair stood upon the soul’s neck, someone was coming. Val turned to see their sibling alongside their aides holding bags and boxes of gifts. The pleasant face returned a bright smile. “ Gwen?” Val exclaimed, turning to their parents in validation before going for them. Val wrapped their arms around their sibling, accepting the gift in return. The feminine female before them was tall, almost identical to their mother. “I can’t believe they let you come.” Val added to the other. Her purple hair was pulled back into a traditional updo, two low buns dressed in gems and pearls. Her rajas-clad dress was displayed with similar pearls and rajas patterns. “I couldn’t miss my ru shima big day! Plus I begged them for months!” She turned to the other to collect one of the boxes before continuing, “plus I know they won’t let me say bye at home so this was the compromise.” The pair giggled before another gift was giddily received. “Where’s Jean?” Val asked. Jean was their head advisor and a close family friend. Valore often spent time with Jean learning from her. “She was with me bringing in the other gifts. They all couldn’t fit.” The group began to scan the crowds for the familiar fro. 

The large crowded room was slip into smaller groups of other families. Roughly 700 ide about the floor, chairs singing against the smooth floor as the center grew more deserted. “right here,” she called out from the crowd. The woman entered with Saje, an aide training under her. The two aids placed gifts about and joined the nest. 

**

The day grew closer to an end. The lavish festivities continued to their dwelling. Folks flocked to attend the shadow drums at their dwelling wearing their finest attire. Their family provided lavish food, drinks, and events for the dark. Valore sat alone in the garden. The sun resting its eyes for it’s siblings greeting. The beautiful pinks and purples off the night was comforting to the soul. Her neck began to twitch as she heard footsteps approaching. “Akyime, ru rolishima,(good soul my roliʃima),” the soul beckoned, bowing in their presecnce. “The wind doesn’t laugh for you,” they scoffed. Val found it awful Saje used such honorifics with them. Saje was older, albeit a few month but still older. They would have settled for something less formal. “Saje, I’m excited to leave, but what about my parents, and Gwen.” They placed a conflicted hand upon their exhausted cheek. The uniformed aide took a seat, observing to make sure their were truly alone. “They will be fine, besides, we both know you’d be going regardless.” They both chucked before the aide handed over a letter from out their satchel. It was almost like a routine. “Gwen especially wishes she could tell you this one in ide.” They chatted for a bit before someone noticed that the aide was absent. They shook arms and the aide took their leave and disappeared into the nighting sky. 

The envelope felt expensive. Though after reading the name Val jumped up from leaning on the stone wall fence. “It’s from Kyenju studies,” they squealed. Behind was another letter taped to the back from Gwen; they began to read it aloud. “I know if it was up to mom and dad you’d be waiting to start till next year. Thankfully I have contacted them. Hope your all packed! -Gwen. Their eyes grew large. They quickly opened the other letter in one swift motion. A letter folded nicely with the elemental symbols on it. They opened the letter to reveal the big sentence, “Congradulations, You have been chosen.”