3.8.

Monday morning.

Time for school.

Emily got out of the car, waving goodbye to her family’s driver. He was funny, and she liked the jokes that he told her each morning.

She waited with her friends after storing her backpack and taking out her supplies for her first class.

When the bell rang and everyone expected class to begin, however, the principal announced over the loudspeaker that there was to be a school assembly, so everyone got out of the seats they’d just taken to line up and go to the auditorium.

She continued gossiping with her friends as they took their seats. The chaos took some time to organize, but eventually everyone was seated and the principal called on them to be quiet.

“This is a little unusual, I know, but this assembly is really just to introduce our newest student. His situation is unique, but as always I remind everyone of the school handbook and our stance on bullying. Please make him feel welcome. It is my pleasure to introduce you all to John Doe.”

A boy walked out and stood next to the podium. He was stiff, and almost military-like in his stance. And he looked kinda funny. Kinda like...

“Thank you and I apologize for the inconvenience I have caused. I told the principal that I just wanted to tell everyone at the same time rather than have everyone gossip about it. Yes my name is John Doe. Yes I am Yonohoan. Yes I got into a fight with the authorities and would have won if it weren’t for the Yonohoan military. I can’t do that anymore though, they took my abilities away so I’m no stronger than any other child my age now. I don’t want to hurt anyone, I never did really I just thought I had to because that’s what the people who brainwashed me taught me. Please don’t worry that I’m going to hurt you because I’m not.”

And with that the rambling ended and the boy stopped talking.

The principal looked surprised, but quickly recovered. “So, yes, anyway. John obviously has a very complicated past. He’s trying very hard to fit in with us Earthlings, so please be kind to him. That’s all. You can return to your class now.”

“What is he doing here,” one of her friends asked. It wasn’t disgust or fear in her voice, more like confusion. “I thought they were going to dissect him or something.”

“What are you talking about?” Emily asked.

“Don’t you remember? A few weeks an alien boy infiltrated a school and blew a bunch of stuff up, but they caught him and the president gave a speech about him saying that she couldn’t prosecute him because the aliens didn’t want her to,” her friend explained.

“I don’t think that’s what really happened,” One of her other friends argued. “She said he was brainwashed. And so did he, right? So it’s probably true.”

“He had superpowers,” a boy said. “I wish I had superpowers. I’m going to ask how he got them.”

“What do you mean superpowers?” Emily asked.

The boy broke a school rule and pulled out his phone. A moment later, Emily was watching as a boy inside black armor fought two men in glowing blue armor.

“That’s John?” she asked.

“Sounds like it,” the boy said, standing next to her so that they could watch the video together. Somehow a car turned from being a car into a gun and shot a bolt of light that the men barely dodged in time. “Look how awesome that is. Do you think he lost his powers forever or just for a while?”

“I don’t know,” Emily said.

The teacher stepped up from behind them and without saying a word took away the phone. The boy grumbled, but he knew he’d get it back at the end of the day.

They returned to their first period classes. Everyone was settled in and the teacher was just about to start the lesson when they were interrupted again by the door opening. The principal came in, leading John behind him. The Yonohoan boy was walking stiffly, his uniform emaculate and his hair cut short.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

She could definitely see his heritage in his skull, she noticed. If he hadn’t told her maybe she wouldn’t have noticed, but now she couldn’t not notice that he was an alien.

And he was also kind of cute.

“This is your class, John. I hope you get along with everyone. Students, I need someone to volunteer to be John’s buddy for the rest of the day. Someone to show him around and make certain he gets to all of his classes,” the principal said.

Emily raised her hand, as did the boy who was interested in superpowers and two other students. The principal chose her, mostly since the desk next to her was empty anyway, which meant that was where John was going to sit. It just made sense to put him next to his buddy, after all.

He took his seat, folded his hands on top of the desk and looked firmly at the front of the room as the lesson began. She frowned. She had been expecting him to say hello, or thanks, or something.

“Hi,” she whispered as the teacher lectured. “I’m Emily. I’m your buddy.”

“I know,” he answered.

She frowned again. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing is wrong. I’m socially stunted, so I’m sorry if I seem rude. Is it permissible to whisper in class?”

“No, but we do it anyway all the time,” she whispered.

“What is the punishment for it?”

“We might get scolded.”

“That is all?”

“Yeah, or maybe extra homework.”

“I see.”

“Did you really used to have superpowers?”

“That is one way of describing it. I had implanted nanites which allowed me to be incredibly combat effective. When I tried to kill myself to prevent my capture they were disabled, so I’m normal now.”

Wow, she thought. “No, I don’t think you are,” she said.

“Sorry.”

“No, I’m sorry.”

The teacher cleared his throat, interrupting their conversation. They returned their attention to the lecture, and Emily continued to shoot sidelong glances at John as the day progressed.

He wasn’t normal, but they wouldn’t let him into class if he was still dangerous, right?

~~~~~~~

The drop pods slid out of slipspace in low orbit around planet Earth. By the time anyone realized that they were there, they were already breaking apart. One thousand and one pieces exactly. They spread out and began falling through the atmosphere, spread out across the entire globe, each landing in a landmass separated from all of the others.

The swarm needed intelligence on Planet Earth.

So the swarm had sent its best scouts.

Minus, of course, the one who was already there.

~~~~~~

In the middle of third period, John abruptly stood up at his desk. Panic upon his face, his eyes moving rapidly up and down and left to right.

“I have to go,” he said, and he ran out of the classroom before anyone could stop him or ask him what was wrong.

He ran to the office, and he demanded to speak with Olivia.

Olivia would know what to do.

She had to know what to do, because he had no idea.

He had just been reactivated.

And pretty soon, his body would be flooded with nanites once more.

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