W swallows quietly, their heart nearly pounding through their scale-covered chest. Their antennas tremble nervously and their three eyes frantically look around, while they're trying to blend in. They repeatedly think to themselves: " You're supposed to be here. You're supposed to be here. You belong here. You belong here. You're meant to..."

     " Excuse m-me? "

W jumps, almost peeing themselves. B answers for them.

     " Yes? "

The young Exon tears up, sniffling.

     " Have you s-seen my L-life Bearer? T-they are wearing a d-dark grey d-dress... "

Their friend shakes their head.

     " We haven't... Sorry. " The child moves on, but after a few steps, B suddenly grabs them from behind their neck. They squeeze tighter as the youngling tries running off and lean over to whisper, W being the only passenger able to hear:

     " Hey, you little idiot. Give them back their wallet, or I'll crush your windpipe. " Frowning, the kid turns around and hands out their pouch, made out of tinted leaves. B lets the pickpocket tiptoe away among the crowd inside the Transporter and hands them their possession.

     " So much for not attracting attention... " they whisper.

     " You should thank me for getting your money back, W. "

     " Thanks. "

     " See, that wasn't that hard. " The Mind grins in a satisfied way and winks at them. Blushing, W can feel their heart palpitating harder and their antennas twisting.

The two MoonSiders get off at their stop, W follows B through the crowds. Bewildered, X's sibling stares at the bright metallic structures all around and is startled every time an overly sweet and friendly voice comes out of nowhere, slightly muffled, announcing things like: " Welcome to The Market. We hope your experience will be more than delightful. " Or: " If you have any questions, refer to the Exons responsible of any stand. We are here for you. " And even: " Remember, the Exonian Rulers want what is best for you. And, today only, that's half-priced washing machines over at JK's Washerz' kiosk. " They veer between two booths and walk for a while until reaching a heavy-looking reinforced door at the end of the alley. The mysterious reddish lights attached to the walls flicker, making the space darker even with it's clean light grey walls. B knocks four times and a small panel, that they hadn't noticed was in the door before, slides to the left. A single eye, which is most likely whoever-is-on-the-other-side's third one, peers through.

     " Who's that? "

     " A discreet friend. "

     " Discreet? That's all we ask for. " The Exon's laugh sounds more like a croak and doesn't feel trustworthy, but they don't really have a choice, do they?

The bulky glittering door lowers into the ground with a high-pitched whirring. The Illegal Exonian Market is situated on the SunSide, unlike what most Exons would expect. Including Exonian Law Enforcers, fortunately, both for its clients and vendors. This is the place where X came when she needed to gather tools and inventions in preparation for her trip to Earth. It was the only way to get merchandise such as a Clothing Modifier or parts for her Teleportation Machine. Also, a famous shopkeeper who goes by the alias " Pages " sells many books about Earth, all of those who were banned by the government of course. Their sister loved reading these books so much she could buy ten of them in one go. They fascinated her, and B shared that feeling, apparently. In contrast to W's reaction, the minute X told them their idea, they immediately were on board. The thrill they could perceive in their friend's eyes at the mere thought of Earthlings, this spark ignited by the prospect of breaking every and any rule... The alien knows they'll never feel it. If there's one thing they like about the SunSide, it's the reinforced safety measures. Honestly... Humans and their unlawfulness raise revulsion in them more than anything.

Dustin's fingers are clenched so tightly around the pruning shears' handle that his tanned damaged knuckles are turning almost paler than X's own skin, which is barely a shade away from seeming unnatural. Helen doesn't seem to notice, so the extraterrestrial decides not to invade the handyman's mind... Not for now, anyway.

The evening goes smoothly, she spends most of it alone in her new room, using her Clothing Modifier to turn her navy denim overalls to a fresh and crisp white tint.

After a peaceful night of well-earned sleep, her colleague shows her the washrooms of the women's side. There are six tiny rooms, each containing a toilet and a shower head, centered above a drain screwed into the beige tile flooring. They all have a number painted on the outside of their door, the teachers simply use the one bearing the number of their sleeping chamber. Once they're both clean and dressed, the strawberry blonde suggests they take their breakfast upstairs. Apparently, the unceasing chatter of the other staff members isn't as charming as X thought it was. At least, not according to the mathematics' instructor's opinion. The alien gleefully agrees, after all, this is a perfect opportunity to learn about her intriguing roommate. To her disappointment, Helen doesn't seem up for discussion. The two ladies eat their bacon and eggs, courtesy of the Earthling since X - unsurprisingly - wouldn't have known the first thing about preparing such a meal, in silence. Miss Woodward swallows her last sip of coffee, before suddenly inquiring:

     " Do you know the saying? Si vis pacem, para bellum. " X enters her mind to find the meaning of those Latin words, then nods.

     " Of course: if you want peace, prepare for war... Is that true? "

     " I hope, because that's what we live by. "

     " I think it's true. "

Helen can't help but notice the sadness in her smile. " I think it's time you meet the students, Xarya. Or should I say, Miss Pepper? " X takes a second, it still feels strange to hear people call her by her new human name. " Oh, I don't really mind what they call me! "

     " You know, I'm starting to understand what he meant... "

     " Who meant what? "

     " Dustin, he told me you were like a little kid inside the body of a cultured woman. "

X's soft laughter, which sounds exactly like drops of water falling on a crystal surface, fills up the small room. As soon as they've cleaned their dishes and got hold of their briefcases, the two young educators head out for the Orphanage and Educational Institute's building. X notices Helen's makeup is subtle, similarly to hers. She also seems to be pretty taken aback by her outfit.

     " May I ask you something? "

     " Go ahead. "

     " How on Earth did you manage to get seven pairs of the same model of overalls in white? "

     " Overnight, you mean? "

     " At all, actually. It's... Impossible. "

     " If I told you, you wouldn't believe me... Also, mysteries are what make life exciting, don't they? "

     " They do... And God knows how much of those there are. " X is tempted to peek at her memories, the look on her coworker's face proves there's more to her than what first catches the eye.

     " Like why you own a pair of boxing gloves! "

Helen nods, smirking slightly, as they cross the bridge. She appears to remember something when they walk through the double doors into the North Tower.

     " Don't forget you're a young and attractive female teacher, alright? "

     " Why would I forget that? "

The look she receives for an answer implies the reason is obvious, but even after two or three minutes of brain racking, the alien doesn't have a clue as to why her fellow schoolteacher would say that. Xarya Pepper's classroom is located in the South-West Wing, that information is indicated by a small golden plaque screwed under the window allowing any passerby to glance into the surrounding rooms.

     " Make yourself comfortable. The students normally arrive before eight o'clock, but some of them might try coming in late to mess with you. My advice: don't take it to heart. But then again, you do you. Not all of us have the same methods and you got in for a reason. "

     " Thank you... Where is your classroom located, Miss Woodward? " She spins around on her oxford shoes, stopping in her tracks, to reply to X's inquiry.

     " The South-East Wing. I'll see you around, Miss Pepper. "

The intonation of her voice, when she called her by her last name, had sort of a playful twist to it. Could it be that X was making her first human friend? Or, as it so happens, her first friend ever..?