The rows of metallic tables and shelves that almost reached the ceiling had impressed W to an extent only a fellow MoonSider could have understood. Hence why they weren't paying any attention whilst B was buying illegal merchandise left and right. Now, crouched in a corner of the hideout's single bathroom, they are trying to make sense out of a specific gadget. It allows the user to speak to anyone through an invisible holographic presence that can be projected anywhere as long as there is no sunlight to interfere with the powerful and intricate rays of the machine. It has the shape of a typical Earth telephone, which is frequent with illegal handmade creations, since the kind of Exons that make those are often quite passionate about the Earth. The crackling in the receiver abruptly ceases, replaced by a low and continuous beeping sound. Its tone starts to change and W's fifth limb's fingers clench themselves more tightly around the handle.

     " Hello? "

The voice of an Earthling. Well, seemingly the voice of an Earthling, is heard. Even with this new intonation, they could recognize their sibling's voice anytime.

     " X! I'm so glad it's working! "

     " W?! It's... You! How? Where are you? "

     " I wish I had time to explain, but I must warn you about something. "

     " Then tell me. "

X waits a second, before slowly turning around to stare out the windows of her new classroom. She's heard of inventions which made communication through holograms possible, but would W ever be able to acquire such a thing ? She switches her focus to the door, no one is standing in the frame. Hesitantly, she whispers:

     " W..? " She clears her throat to repeat, louder: " W?! "

The only response she gets is the chirping of birds outside and the incoming sound of footsteps. The noise of shoe soles against the stone-tiled floor stops and four children peek into the room simultaneously. They are all dressed in dark brown denim overalls. The one who appears to be the eldest steps in confidently. Her long black plat swings around and nearly over her shoulders, which are covered by a pink short-sleeved shirt.

     " Hi! Are you our new teacher, Miss? "

The three others follow her in.

     " I am. What is your name? "

     " My name is Laureline Clifton, ma'am. I gotta say, you look much younger than our previous teacher! " She presses on the middle part of her glasses to avoid them sliding too low on her short, pointy nose.

The alien smiles, and the smallest one, a boy with ginger hair, tells her rapidly:

     " How's your hair like that, Miss? "

     " Well, aren't you curious? What is your name? "

     " Oscar! "

     " And you two? "

She learns their names too and, then, proceeds to write hers neatly on the blackboard with a piece of chalk. The kids sit down together and chat in a low voice, while she opens her briefcase. Flipping through a few printed documents she prepared, the other students come in. About ninety percent of them, seventeen that is, showed up before the bell. The small hand of the clock on the wall aligns itself with the engraved number twelve and a ringing sound fills up the whole building. Taking a subtle deep breath, X advances in front of her desk, behind which she had remained until now.

     " Hello, everyone! My name, as you can read on the board, is Xarya Pepper. You may address me however you feel more comfortable to... " Laureline briskly raises her hand, cutting the young woman off. " Yes, Laureline? "

     " So, if I understand correctly... We can call you Miss Xarya if we feel like it? "

     " Of course! The only rule in my schoolroom, apart from the ones previously established by the administration, is that respect must prevail. "

Her smile disappears as suddenly as it often appears on her face. Carefully, to make a good first impression, she keeps her voice soft to add:

     " Any disrespect towards any living creature will lead to severe punishment. "  

Some students exchange confused looks, apparently finding the lightness of her tone peculiar. Smiling once again, she goes on with her introduction speech.

     " I truly hope that we will all learn together and have an extraordinary experience this year, as for the ones to come, if it applies... " From the corner of her left eye, she catches a shadow lurking next to her classroom's door. More exactly, as it happens, two shadows. Spinning on her white high heeled pumps to face her left-hand side, she raises her voice while interrupting herself.

     " You have my permission to come in. "

Slightly taken aback, two teenagers enter. She can tell this is their last year of admittance at the Orphanage just by their height and self-assured posture. Also, a quick dip into their minds confirms her theory: they both are eighteen years old. The male one's eyes roam along the extraterrestrial's slender figure and he exclaims, after wolf-whistling:

     " You're lookin' real nice in those overalls, Miss. " His brown eyes have a reddish shimmer to them and they're sparkling with malicious amusement.

Laureline is blushing and wiggles on her chair worriedly, a similar reaction to most of the young girls of the class. X scoffs, still smiling.

     " Would you have the decency of at least sharing your name? "

The female, wearing a flamboyant pixie cut dyed in dark purple, replies for her friend:

     " Y'know, everyone hopes there's something decent about him, but there just ain't. I'm Hadley, and he's Gunner. "

     " Thank you very much, Hadley. I'm certain you both are aware of your tardiness? "

     " Hadley and me don't need English class as much as those little babies. Is it true that we can call ya however we want? " cockily intervenes Gunner.

     " It's 'Hadley and I', which goes to prove you do need my teaching... "

Before she can go on, her new student decides to attempt annoying her again.

     " Got it, sweet pea. Although, I learn way better with private lessons, if you know what I'm sayin'. " He winks at her, clicking his tongue, and his friend, leaning onto the doorframe, stifles her laughter.

X stays admirably calm and friendly to affirm, with an innocent tone which isn't entirely false since she isn't at ease yet with all the double meanings Earthlings come up with:

     " I most surely do not and, although I applaud the brilliant ingenuity behind the nickname, 'sweet pea' is not something I allow my students to call me. "

Speaking of students, all eighteen of them are inquisitively and closely watching this sort of duel like middle-aged men would a tennis match.

     " Brilliant? If I didn't know any better, I'd say you dig me, Miss. " Proud of his effect on the audience, he chuckles, looking sideways at Hadley.

     " If that was such a successful insult, why seek your friend's approval, Mister Gunner? " X's intonation slowly transforms into irony.

     " My, oh my, are you insulted, sweet pea? "

He laughs, but the alien - not without wit - swiftly tells him:

     " You did it again... Miss Hadley, I heavily suggest you take your seat. " 

     " Alright, lady, we had our fun, see ya next week..! " The teenagers almost leave, but X is quicker.

     " Oh, I think the fun has just begun. Hadley, please bring me one of the front row seats. Gunner, you will sit on it. " She entwines her pale hands, watching the two students do as she wishes, reluctantly, but mostly intrigued. A hopeful smile illuminates the extraterrestrial's face.

     " Now, Gunner, tell me, do you respect me? "

Standing a bit straighter in the chair and turning his head up and to the right to look at his new teacher, the adolescent answers:

     " I don't. Tough luck, huh, sweet pea? " Something flickers in the woman's pitch-black eyes and his confident grin fades slightly, as if he can sense he messed up gravely.

     " Laureline, may you close the door, please? "

Her heels click against the floor, sounding like miniature fatal explosions. Her right hand lands on her desk in the instant the door is shut by the young student. Nearly staring into each and every one of her new students' souls, the Exon asks her question, in a calm yet cheerful voice.

     " Good, that is settled. Now, I invite one of you to tell us: what happens to those who commit acts of disrespect in my classroom? "

Oscar enthusiastically waves his tiny hand in the air and says, after a nod from the English teacher:

     " They will be severely punished..? "

     " Exactly! "

Her exclamation is tainted with a worrying amount of delight and Xarya promptly grabs an object lying close to her fingers on the desk. Light reflects off the blade of the letter opener and sheer terror momentarily shows in Gunner's widening eyes.