EXT. ELVINIA MAGIC PRIVATE ACADEMY- AFTERNOON

Alauress walks out of school with an earbud in. Students are hurrying past her. She walks at her own pace.

ALAURESS ( Singing Elysion's "Someplace Better" ) 

"Deep inside, day by day, there's no wind to blow your sins away. After all, could you be wrong? When your heart is broken walkin' alone. Walkin' alone."

Alauress comes across a child wearing an overgrown white shirt with rainbow colors as a decal, short denim jeans, and pink rain boots. Her blonde hair is in yellow bow pigtails. She is known as NEBULA. Nebula stares at her while sucking at a lollipop. She is sitting upon the glass-like walls of the school.

NEBULA 

Save it for the showers.

Alauress stops and looks at her.

ALAURESS 

Hm?

Nebula defeatedly sighs while rolling her eyes.

NEBULA

 I said save it for the showers. Not even a car wash inside my ears will be enough to unhear that.

ALAURESS 

Miss, how old are you?

Nebula looks disgusted.

NEBULA

 Does your realm ask for your age instead of saying hello? Ugh. Nine.

ALAURESS 

The elementary section doesn't get out for another ho-

NEBULA

 I'm homeschooled.

ALAURESS 

Oh.

NEBULA 

Where are you from?

ALAURESS 

What? I'm from Elvinia.

NEBULA 

Hmph. That's a lie, sweetie, no is a true Elvinian. They all come from different realms.

ALAURESS

 I have no clue...

NEBULA 

Seriously?

ALAURESS 

I was raised here, so I don't know.

[Beat.]

NEBULA 

Quiz time. There are five realms with magic. Do you know what they are?

Alauress thinks for a moment.

ALAURESS 

Haven, Everess, Voemic, Driapod, and Asmonastia.

NEBULA 

Correct. I guess you study, so tell me what differentiates their magic from the other realms?

ALAURESS

 Voemic and Diapods are from the lower realms-

NEBULA 

Not their location, dummy.

Alauress becomes a bit startled by her comment.

ALAURESS

 I was getting to that part. Driapods' power comes from their staffs, Voemic comes from their masks, Haven has magic circles, while Everess and Asmonastia are like the same thing.

NEBULA

 You're half-right. Everessians and Asmonastians have no magic circles, staff, or mask; their energy manifests by the user.

ALAURESS

 Whoever taught you at home is beyond the curriculum for a nine-year-old.

Nebula shrugs her shoulder with a smile.

NEBULA

 I'm used to it. I was also watching you.

Alauress looks towards the school and back at Nebula.

ALAURESS 

In the arena?

NEBULA

 Yes.

ALAURESS 

But I didn't see you in the crowd.

NEBULA

 I was way up top.

ALAURESS 

How do you sneak into the school?

NEBULA 

I got my hacks.

[Beat.]

ALAURESS

 So what do you think I am? Everessian or Asmonastian?

NEBULA 

Everessian. Magic is stronger than an Asmonastian. Asmonastians are more sparkly, flashy. I fear that if I walk through their spell, I'll be poopin' glitter for a week.

ALAURESS 

Wha-

NEBULA

 If you ever figure out you're an Everessian, I'm glad to see one for a change.

Alauress raises her brow.

ALAURESS 

One?

NEBULA

 I haven't seen any of them for a while.

ALAURESS

 How come?

NEBULA 

I don't know!

ALAURESS 

Okay, okay.

Alauress looks at her smartwatch.

ALAURESS 

I got to go! I will see you another time, and who are you-

NEBULA

 Nebula.

ALAURESS 

Nebula! Lovely name!

She waves goodbye and starts to make her way back home. She slows down, feeling some deja vu but shrugs it off. She continues to walk faster.