[Chapter One](https://steemit.com/story/@anzha/the-cliffs-of-utpala)
[Chapter Two](https://steemit.com/writing/@anzha/the-cliffs-of-utpala-chapter-two)
[Chapter Three](https://steemit.com/writing/@anzha/the-cliffs-of-utpala-chapter-three)
[Chapter Four](https://steemit.com/writing/@anzha/the-cliffs-of-utpala-chapter-four)
[Chapter Five](https://steemit.com/writing/@anzha/the-cliffs-of-utpala-scifi-story-chapter-five)
[Chapter Six](https://steemit.com/writing/@anzha/cliffs-of-utpala-scifi-story-chapter-six)
[Chapter Seven](https://steemit.com/writing/@anzha/cliffs-of-utpala-scifi-story-chapter-seven)
[Chapter Eight](https://steemit.com/writing/@anzha/cliffs-of-utpala-scifi-story-chapter-eight)
[Chapter Nine](https://steemit.com/writing/@anzha/the-cliffs-of-utpala-chapter-nine)
[Chapter Ten](https://steemit.com/writing/@anzha/cliffs-of-utpala-chapter-ten)
**Chapter Eleven**
Kyra had to admit, as she prepared for bed, her quick thinking to swipe coffee off of Arjun had been the right thing to do. Her mother, of course, was *wildly* suspicious, but she held her tongue. She had guests and that her daughter had brought *coffee* to the gathering had impressed everyone. When pressed, Kyra explained it was a minimal down payment for job she was being asked to take for the short term. It was not something she felt comfortable discussing over a dinner party. That mollified everyone, except, perhaps, her mother. Ok, no, it didn't mollify her mother, but it at least bought time.
Short term jobs were not unheard of and she had a history of them, including with the low lands researcher who would no longer be named. Her mother tolerated them because they kept Kyra from getting into serious trouble. Or damaging her reputation. Getting a downpayment was not unheard of, but one of *coffee* was almost assuredly an aberration.
The meal went on. The discussions went on. The evening stretched and Kyra felt she had been at her mother's evening party so long she had gone to university in New Delhi and passed out. With multiple doctorate in human relations, communications and political science. She had been wondering if she needed to slurp down the last dregs of the coffee in the thermos, but decided against it. Then she saw her little brother Aarav off to the side.
She made eye contact. Aarav's eyes went wide and he realized he couldn't make a scene. And...there was no escape from Kyra. He actually tried though. He made it out of the dining room and down the hall to the bathroom. He'd almost closed the door to lock it when Kyra got her hand in and stopped the door shutting: some brilliant Indian engineer on earth had designed manually closing doors that could *not* actually squish your fingers. How it worked, Kyra didn't understand, but that person was first class in her mind right then. Since her fingers were anything but squashed.
Aarav almost giggled and cried at the same time as she loomed in the door. He backed away and cowered in the shower, his giggle-tears were almost hysterical. He knew he was doomed, utterly doomed and he thought it was funny...and terrifying! at the same time. Kyra wrath could be more terrible than the asuras upon the devas. He trembled remembering *why* she had him cornered and about to annihilate him, which made him giggle more.
Kyra leaned in close, so close their noses were almost touching and then eyes locked, she reached for him. Her eyes blazed with anger so strong he thought he might be incinerated right then and there. He giggled again and felt his death was fair trade for the prank he had successfully pulled. His life for his amusement he deemed was completely fair trade. And then...
She simply hugged him. He was at a total loss. He almost had a psychotic break. How? What? Wuh?! Who was this, what was this and what had it done with his sister?!
She hugged him strongly, tightly and with obvious sibling love.
For a whole half minute, he failed to know what to do. His awkwardness made the situation worse. He just didn't know what to do. Or how to respond.
She squeezed extra tight as though he were someone whom she truly missed and was going to have to let go of for a time. This confused him even more.
And just when he started to hug back, she whispered in his ear, "Don't worry, brother. I won't let your prank go by unchecked. Do one thing. Don't make any pranks tonight. It's mother's night. It's why I won't do anything to you. Behave, Aarav, and I'll make my prank back on you one you will remember."
Aarav didn't know how to respond again. It was...weird. What shapeshifter had taken his sister's place? it made no sense.
She pulled away and he nodded when she met and held his gaze.
She smiled and then walked out of the bathroom. Then she peered around the corner and smirked.
Wait. Had she *just* pranked him? Or was it still to come. He checked himself to see what she had placed on him. Nothing. He looked around the room. He watched her slide away. The smirk getting ever bigger. He didn't know what she'd done, if she'd done anything or if she had not, when she would. That was the point. It was going to drive Aarav crazy.
Which was *really* the point.
She'd do something, eventually, but she had other things on her mind right then and she didn't want to disrupt her mother's evening. Her mother *was* having a good time. Besides, Kyra really would need to do something extraordinary to get even. Aarav deserved no less. In the mean time, she played with him like a cat does a mouse, psychologically, of course. Then, when he thought he was safe, she pounced. Not before. Not before he'd driven himself nuts with his own imagination of what she would do.
She returned to the party and did her best to stay as long as could. She almost made it to when her mother's friend and her family left, but not quite. She'd had a very long day...and sleep was coming. She politely excused herself and went to her room. She hadn't gotten her studies done, which meant for more tomorrow. She almost decided to just lay down and embrace sleep, but...given Aarav, she doubly checked her room. Just to be sure. And, no, no furry Utpalan lifeforms were in her room.
And that was the way it ought to be. She snuggled up and under and went to sleep.
And dreamed of bipedal aliens and falling stars.