It was two days before River was to depart to the government sponsored school called the Academy.

Their holo-brochure read : It is a haven for the gifted and extraordinary children of the Alliance.

She could hardly contain her excitement, her parents were equally thrilled for her.

River and her family were eating lunch outside on the marble patio that overlooked their luxurious flower garden, it was by far her favorite part of the house.

The Tam family had heard nearly nothing about the school for it had just started around four years ago what they did know was that the school was extremely exclusive and had the most challenging educational programs.

Before being enrolled in the Academy River went to the the Gen Ed school for the gifted children of Osiris.

However when River heard about how challenging and advanced the Academy's programs were she immediately asked her parent's permission if she could be enrolled.

Although Gen Ed had good programs she always felt that she was being educationally stifled in the school.

After discussing it with her family and being interviewed by the director, River had made the decision to go.

The only person who wasn't excited for her was Simon, her older brother.

Ever since she could remember River had always been able to pick up on how other people were feeling.

It was as if she could almost sense their feelings sometimes even before the people were aware of those feelings themselves, she discovered, over the years if she concentrated hard enough, she could even read people's thoughts.

Now she was looking across the table at her brother and felt that he was feeling very sad, even people without my gift can see he's troubled, I need to talk to him alone. River thought.

Clearing her throat she addressed her parents.

River smiled warmly and asked sweetly "May Simon and I have a little time to ourselves, for a while please, bābā and māmā ?"

Gabriel Tam replied cordially "Of course airén you two are going to be apart for a long time, your mother and I understand that you want to spend as much time with your brother as possible before you leave, come now dear let's leave them alone for a time."

Gabriel stood up and walked into the house.

Regan stood up as well.

She turned toward the direction of her husband and called out to him warmly "I'll be in a minute chǒng'ér!"

Regan then turned to River and said softly yet firmly "Fēngmì, make sure before you go to bed tonight that you have everything packed for your trip to the a bābā is going to send it on the freighter that is coming tomorrow evening all of the academy students luggage is going ahead of them and will be set up in their rooms so make certain that everything you need is packed because the freighter will not make a second trip back here, míngbáile ma?"

River nodded and said "Yes māmā I have everything, Simon and I will be in, in about a half a hour, I want to take one last walk with him through the garden I am going to be too busy double checking everything for my trip to the academy tomorrow to spend any more time with Simon. "

Regan smiled at them warmly and said "Certainly wǒ de nǚér your father and I will be inside."

River stood up and said to her brother pulling his hand impatiently, "Simon we're going for a walk, something has been bugging you for a while now, I can tell and before I leave for the academy I'm going to figure out what it is."

Simon turned to River he sighed and said unconvincingly "River nothing is wrong, now why don't you go be with māmā and bābā ?"

River put her hands on her hips.

She replied undeterred "I don't want to spend time māmā with bābā I want to spend time with you, now come on Simon let's go!"

Simon sighed and said "All right mèi-mei, I'm coming."

River then promptly hauled Simon to his feet and pulled him all the way down the patio stairs and into the garden.

The two of them just walked in the garden in silence for a few minutes.

River was keeping very close to her brother.

She found out that in order for her to get a good read on how a person was feeling she had to be close to them.

Finally after twenty minutes into their walk River finally picked up on how truly sad her brother was feeling.

She cleared her throat breaking the silence and replied intuitively "Sad about my leaving aren't you?"

Simon stopped turned to River and said once again unconvincingly "What do you mean I'm not I'm very happy for you."

River gave her brother her you-are-so-lying-right-now face.

She said discerningly "I can sense you are very sad."

Seeing her expression and hearing what she had just said Simon sighed slightly.

He then replied worriedly "It's true I am going to miss you, but it isn't just that, there is something about this "Academy" that's unsettling to me, mèi-mei."

River looked at him wisely and asked "What exactly is bothering you?"

Simon took a deep breath and tried his best to explain.

He sighed again and replied concernedly "Why won't they let you have visitors, that just doesn't seem right, you are absolutely certain that sure you've thought this through?"

River smiled and wound her right arm around his waist.

She then said reassuringly "The Academy doesn't allow visitors because they want the students to concentrate on their studies, I have already done my research."

Simon still looked concerned, he replied anxiously "Yes, but méi-mei because the Academy has no visiting schedule it means we we'll hardly see each other, and... I worry about you."

River smiled and replied comfortably "Listen boob, the Academy have really amazing programs far more demanding and noteworthy than Gen Ed has I want to go to this place to further my education and future."

Simon said concernedly "River what if something terrible happens to you there, we won't know, I won't know."

River rolled her eyes and said reassuringly "Simon nothing terrible is going to happen to me, I'm going to the Academy for schooling, I'm sure I'll be able to adjust without you for a year, wǒ xiǎng suǒyǒu de rén, nǐ de gěi wǒ chāoguò xìnyòng!"

Simon gave her a soft squeeze.

He then gently disentangled himself form her grip.

Stopping their slow pace he laid his hands on River's shoulders.

Looking directly in her eyes Simon replied trustingly "You know I don't think you are River, mèi-mei, if this is what you truly want then I support you, I'm sorry that I was upset earlier."

River smiled she gave him a warm hug and replied "It's all right Simon I understood why you had those feelings I'm happy that you feel better now and can support me, that makes me feel really great!"

Simon grinned back and said equally happy "As am I mèi-mei."

She rewound her right arm around his waist and Simon leaned into her contently.

River's natural grace and perfect carriage gave her the ability to support her brother's weight without falling down.

The two then continued their leisurely stroll.

After a while more walking they were reaching one of River's favorite places in the garden.

It was a swing that was attached to the biggest and oldest cherry blossom tree that they had.

After they had let each other know how they were really feeling River could already sense her brother lightening up and becoming less sad.

His energy and thoughts are practically bursting with relief I should talk to him like this more often! River thought happily.

The garden was quite large and the two of them were about two yards from the swing.

River said to Simon happily "I'll race you to the swing Simon!"

Simon for the first time that day smiled then he broke into laughter.

After he had finally stopped laughing He replied eagerly "Sure, on your mark, get set... Go!"

Simon was off before he had finished saying set.

River shouted at him "Hey no fair, you are such a yúchǔn de rén Simon!"

She then sprinted after her brother, she ran and sprung forward she used the momentum form her running and hand sprung all the way to the swing she then flipped gracefully onto it.

Simon stopped in awe by her speed and grace as he always seemed to be he wasn't even bothered that he had lost.

Simon who was a few feet form the swing jogged up to her.

After taking a moment to catch his breath he said shocked "Wā, mèi-mei, that was jīngrén really, jīngrén, I'm sorry, I shouldn't of cheated."

Simon then went behind her and gave her a push.

As she was swinging back and forth River replied forgiving "It's xíng Simon, I'm over it, besides I need to get as much practice in movement as I can."

Simon gave her a puzzled look and asked "What do you mean?"

River pushed off hard with her feet, and swung higher.

As soon as she was at the altitude she wanted to be at she answered him"When I went to be interviewed for enrollment at the Academy, before I accepted to become a student I asked them if I would still be able to continue with my dancing, they said that they would be happy to adjust my school lessons around my dance schedule."

River calculated that she was at just the right height to show Simon her new trick.

She asked excited "Simon can I show you this new trick I learned form Ling Chu in the park the other day?"

Simon looked at how high she actually was.

He gulped and replied anxiously "Sure River but please careful."

She replied beyond excited "I will, now watch !"

River stood up on the swing and flung herself forward then she bent her body inward and did four somersaults in the air then twisted her body to the left and spun landing softly and smoothly on the ground.

She turned and saw her brother was staring at her open-mouthed in disbelief.

River giggled and asked eagerly "Well what did you think?"

Simon shook himself then replied dumbfounded "River, how did you do that?"

River said simply "With mathematics of course."

Simon again looked puzzled he asked curious "How is that mèi-mei?"

She got back on the swing and kicked off.

She swung for a few seconds then replied offhandedly "You see Simon I sped myself up and calculated the perfect time and altitude to thrust myself forward which meant I had enough momentum to propel my body at the right time, which in turn gave me the right amount of velocity to complete the movements I just did."

Simon shook his head again and replied jokingly "In other words you did it just to show off!"

River put her hands on her hips and said mockingly "Simon Tam how could you say such a horrible thing to me, you are going to pay for that!"

Simon laughed and said "Oh really how?"

River giggled and said "Like this!"

She jumped off the swing and tackled her brother playfully to the ground.

The two of them wrestled in the cool dry grass of the garden.

River then pinned her brother and said victoriously "Ha, I got you, admit it your defeated!"

Simon laughed and said defeated "Okay okay you win."

She giggled and said smugly "I knew I'd win!"

Simon replied "Oh really?"

With that he started to tickle his sister.

River laughed and said breathlessly "Simon stop it ha ha, stop Simon, quit it, Simon stop!"

Simon continued to tickle River and said "Only if you say I am going to be the greatest trauma surgeon Osiris has ever had!"

River gasped said defiant "Never!"

Simon said eagerly "All right then-" his hands were poised above her ready for another onslaught of tickling.

River grabbed them and said breathless"Okay I surrender you will be a great fantastic surgeon!"

Simon laughed triumphant and said smugly " Yes,and the eldest is the victor once again!"

River giggled and replied unabashedly "Not if I can help it consider this round two!"

With that she tackled her brother again and the two continued their tickle fight.

A while into their fight they heard their father yell for them "River, Simon what in zài shàngdì de míngyì are you both doing, it's time for dinner hurry up now!"

River shouted back " Shi, bābā we're coming!"

Simon got up and offered his hand to River.

He bowed and said with the most proper formality he could muster through his wide grin "May I do you the honor by escorting you back to your house this evening young miss?"

River giggled and gave a deep and graceful curtsy.

She then replied back with false formality "Of course I would be most delighted to have a tǐmiàn gentleman such as yourself escort me home."

The two then burst into laughter after a few seconds unable to keep their proper facades any longer.

River then let Simon pull her up.

She smiled at him and said happily "Thank you Simon, that was very fun, perhaps we can do it when I get back form the Academy?"

Simon replied warmly "We will do what ever you want when you come home méi-mei I promise."

River smiled and said contently "That sounds jīngcǎi Simon."

Simon grinned.

He looked at his sister lovingly and said adoringly "Yes it certainly does méi-mei come on how about I give you a lift back to the house piggy back style like I used to do when we were little?"

River nodded and said "Shi that would be kěài "

She climbed on Simon's back and he carried her back to the house.

The two enjoyed the coming silence both were worn out quite a bit form their playing and neither wanted or cared to speak.

River leaned her head against Simon's back she closed her eyes and listened to the slow steady pace of his breathing it was extremely comforting to her.

She loved times like this were they could just enjoy being in each others company.

Both had been so busy with their studies lately either of them had spent as much time together in the past couple of months as they would of liked too.

River opened herself up to her brother's mind and felt that his thoughts were extremely light and happy.

She smiled and thought to herself reassuringly He needs more times like these. We're he can just play be a child again he has already lost so much of his childhood due to his studies we defiantly need to do more things like this I'll start making a list of all of the things we can do together once I'm home form the Academy this summer.

Suddenly River felt that they needed to play again

She cleared her throat and said teasingly "You know Simon I knew you would cheat as soon as I challenged you to the race , I felt it but I bet that if we raced again I would win."

He gently placed River on the ground next to him.

They were about three and half yards form their back yard patio.

Simon then looked at River with a powerful competitive glean in his eye.

He smiled and said eagerly "First one to touch the patio's railing wins, no cheating this time méi-mei I promise."

River nodded she then said keen to get the race started "Okay on three One.. two.. three!"

With that the two of them sprinted off for the patio.

Although Simon's legs were longer River was able to sprint farther than him.

Within mere seconds of starting off she was in the lead.

Soon she found herself grabbing onto the patio's railing.

Then just for effect River grabbed hold with both of her hands and swung herself upward easily and gracefully balancing on the railing like a professional gymnast.

Simon caught up with her a few minutes later he took a second to catch his breath.

River smiled and said smugly "I told you I would win Simon."

Simon grinned and said somewhat annoyed "River you are such a xuànyào and a brat."

River stuck her tongue out at her brother and replied teasingly "True but I'm also it seems that I am way faster than you."

Simon shot back jokingly "Well this time you got lucky but next time we'll have a rematch and I'll win."

River took her left hand off of the railing.

Now balancing one handed on the railing she said disbelievingly "Really, I doubt that not unless you cheat."

Simon sighed fed up by his sister's teasing.

He then said bossily "River get down form there before you break your wrist!"

River laughed and replied "Oh Simon stop being such a shāfēng jǐng I'm xing really I am."

Simon sighed exasperated and said "I'm not being a killjoy I'm being a yǒuguān older brother, please méi-mei come down form there before you seriously hurt yourself!"

River exhaled and replied complacently "All right Simon I will."

With that River swung herself around the railing once and landed agilely on the ground a second later.

As soon as she was on the ground Simon swept her up in a large and comforting hug.

He exhaled and said relieved "Thank you I was so worried."

River smiled and replied "You always worry about me Simon you should worry about yourself more."

Simon squeezed her again and said tiredly "I try méi-mei, I really I do."

Suddenly the pair were interpreted by Regan who appeared standing in the back door way.

She looked at her two children and said firmly "Értóng, bābā called you both over an hour ago zài lǎo tiān de fèn now is not the time for playing it's dinner time, your food is getting cold, come along zhè shùnjiān!"

River and Simon both said in unison "Shi māmā we're coming!"

With that the two siblings went straight inside.

Chinese translations

Māmā - mother

Bābā- father

Értóng- Children

Chǒng'ér- Darling

wǒ xiǎng suǒyǒu de rén, nǐ de gěi wǒ chāoguò xìnyòng~ I thought you of all people would of give me more credit than that

Fēngmì- Honey

zhè shùnjiān- this instant!

zài shàngdì de míngyì - what in god's name

Zài lǎo tiān de fèn - for heaven's sake

méi-mei- Little Sister

Àirén- Sweetheart

Wā- Wow

míngbáile ma- understand

Jīngcǎi- wonderful

wǒ de nǚér- my daughter

Xuànyào- show off

tǐmiàn- honorable

Yǒuguān- concerned

Jīngrén- amazing

Yúchǔn de rén - foolish person

Xing- okay

shāfēng jǐng- killjoy

Shi- Yes