That weekend, Lee remains at home, preparing for the start of his third Scholar year.

  On Monday, as he gets to school, like always at the start of every year, Lee goes to the main office to get his student card and schedule of classes.

  “What is your class this year, Lee?” Sue inquires.

  Lee looks at his card. “I am in class B again,” he says, noticing the details on his card, which contains his name, a photo, and after class says ‘Year Three B’.

  “That’s good,” says Sue extending her hand, and Lee gives her his card. Sue then proceeds to tap the card on her phone; after opening the school's app, the phone beeps and a holographic display of Lee’s class timetable is visible. “Do you need me to go with you to your class?” Sue asks after having taken a look at his schedule.

  “No, mum, thank you,” Lee says, then taps Sakura on her forehead. “Saki, good luck for today in your new class,” Lee says in Latin to his sister, who is officially initiating her first year in school.

  Sakura looks at Lee, then smiles. “Thank you, big brother. You too, good luck,” she says in Latin, too.

  Lee waves goodbye at his mum as he turns around and heads to his new class. Soon he is joined by Naxy and they start talking; as they get to the class, Suhan joins them as they line up outside the class talking.

  A teacher then opens the door and, with a clipboard in her hands, she starts to call out names; as the students get called, if they are already there, they go to the teacher. She gives them a key for a locker in the class and they go inside to place their belongings inside the lockers.

  Once everyone is inside, the teacher enters. “Very well, you all did well for a first day,” she says, proud of the class, as after storing their belongings, they selected their tables and are seated awaiting instructions. “Now before we start, I would like to announce that we will be getting a new student into the school,” the teacher says and points outside. A girl then walks in. “This is Emily Rogers; she was born in the United Kingdom, here on New Terra.” The teacher says introducing Emily, the same one Lee saved from drowning, then again two days prior from being abused in the woods.

  The whole class stands up and gives a small bow as they say in unison, “Welcome to our school, Emily!”

  “Emily, you can find a seat anywhere that has a chair on the table,” the teacher says to Emily.

  “Thank you, Miss,” says Emily to the teacher giving her a soft bow; then turning to the whole class, she gives them another bow and says, “Thank you for welcoming me into your class.” As she lifts her head, a bright smile appears on her face as her eyes land on Lee.

  Emily goes straight to the table on the same row as Lee, but Suhan is seated in between the two of them. “Sorry, but it's not a good idea if you sit there,” says Suhan looking at Emily.

  “The teacher said I could choose any table with the seat on top of it that I liked,” Emily says in confusion. “Or do you not want me to sit next to you?”

  “I don't mind,” Suhan says quickly. “But there is a boy that normally sits there.”

  “Suhan, I don't think Bardox has the right to choose a seat when he is late,” says Naxy, who is seated in front of Lee.

  “I agree,” Lee says simply, then turning to face Emily, he adds, “How are you feeling today, Emily?”

  Emily smiles. “Hello, Lee; I am alright. I had a small scare on the weekend, but I'm fine.” Emily then approaches Lee's table and takes a bow. “Thank you again for saving me,” she adds.

  Lee just lifts his hand and flicks her forehead. “Don’t do that; we are friends, and friends don't bow that deep when thanking one another.”

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  Emily rubs at her forehead. “Okay, is there a space that I can sit that is close to you? That way I can ask for your help faster.”

  The teacher, noticing a bit of commotion, approaches. “What is happening here?”

  Lee stands up. “The new student, Emily, was going to sit in the spot that Bardox usually chooses, and as we explained to her, she is asking what is the best place to sit, as we know each other.”

  The teacher looks at the seat, then back at Lee and Emily. “She may sit there; Bardox was moved to class E.”

  “Really? In that case, can I take the seat?” says a girl that is friends with Suhan.

  Naxy stands up. “That is a good idea; if you sit there, I can take your seat and Emily can have mine; like that, she is closer to Lee to ask for help.”

  The teacher looks at the five students then, with a sigh, she turns around as she says, “Just don't take too long.” Then, in two minutes, the whole class is seated.

  For the first two hours, the teacher goes through the different curriculum classes that they will have, on what classes they need to change, and any special materials they need to get. As she explains, Lee notices the military vehicles enter the school.

  After the introduction to the schedule of the new year, the children are given a fifteen-minute break. “Lee, can you show me around the school?” inquires Emily as they are about to exit the class. “I still don't know the school layout.”

  Lee nods, and Emily tags along with Lee and Naxy as they head to the canteen.

  “Emily, your Japanese is very good,” says Naxy. “But I can hear an accent.”

  Emily smiles. “That is because I was born in England, but my mother has always taught me Japanese.” She then looks at Lee. “But if I have any problem, I can ask Lee in English.”

  Naxy looks at Lee then at Emily. “How? Lee doesn't speak English.”

  “I have been learning, Naxy,” says Lee, rubbing his forehead. “But I try to keep it a secret.”

  Naxy smiles at Lee. “You have always liked the American superhero movies and complained that you can't read too fast.”

  Lee remembers having had that talk with Naxy, so thinking fast, he says, “Yes, so I learned English.”

  “Lee, wait,” Lee hears someone say among the noise of the crowd and stops, not because someone called him, but because they did so in Latin. Then Lee sees Sakura running at him. “Hello, big brother.”

  “Hello, Saki,” Lee says in Latin and starts to walk on again to the canteen. “How was your class?”

  “It was good. The teacher is… good, nice,” Sakura says thinking of the words in Latin.

  “Are you trying to say friendly?” Lee inquires and Sakura nods.

  Naxy and Emily look at one another. “What are they saying?” they ask simultaneously.

  Hearing this, Lee smiles. “It is a secret language that I have with my sister,” he says looking at Naxy and Emily.

  Once they get to the canteen, Lee shows Sakura and Emily how to order and pay for their food. As their student ID acts as a credit card, they scan it to pay for the food, then their parents get the bill, or the parents can opt for the option of adding money ahead of time.

  Lee escorts Sakura back to her class, and the teacher thanks Lee for looking after her; then he goes to his own class.

  “Okay, students,” the teacher says calling out for attention. “For the last two hours, the army has been setting up the field for the training exercise. So, as I call you, come to my desk to get your uniforms then go and wait outside.”

  The teacher starts to call out names; as students get to her desk, they are given a pair of black trousers, black trainers, and a white T-shirt; then they go and wait outside against the wall.

  Once everyone has their uniforms, the teacher escorts the students to the gym locker room, and the children change their clothes.

  Then for the next two hours, the students do some basic exercises: running, jumping jacks, and going on the monkey bars.

  Then at the end of the two hours, as they are taking a small rest to go to the toilets and hydrate, Lee feels a shadow loom over him.

  “Not bad; it’s nice to see you again, Lee.” Lee looks at who spoke, and the soldier looks familiar.

  “Hello, sir,” Lee says standing up and straight. “Sorry, but you look familiar, but I can't remember where from.”

  “That is alright, kid; you don't need to stand to attention; you can relax,” the soldier says. “I am General Cooper.”

  Lee smiles. “Now I remember! You are the General that went to my home after the explosion.” Lee then takes a bow. “It’s nice to see you again, General.”

  The week goes by in a flash; soon it's Friday. “Very well children. It seems that you third years did not spend the summer sleeping and playing games,” says the General in the last hour before school ends. “Compared to the third years from last year, you are in better shape. Now go and get changed, and relax this weekend, as next week you will have more training.”

  The students reply in unison with a “Yes, sir!” as they salute and then disperse formation and head to the changing room, and others like Lee just collect their bags and head to class to finish for the week.