Chapter 6: No.5

The sound of what I learned to be a wheelchair has happened to be something my ears have unconsciously searched for wherever I went ever since seeing her for the first time.

Touching my pursed lips, why was I so worked up? A mere earthian with an odd disability, it was annoying. Her weakness bothered me.

Once the sound has gotten closer there was no mistake, she was coming towards me. Pretending to not know I waited until the wheels stopped not far from where I currently sat.

"Hello," she greeted. Her voice as usual a puzzle my mind couldn't solve. "Are you better now?" she referred to the situation from the first day, and even after a few days how could I be? She had no idea of the magnitude this universe carried.

"No," I answered shortly.

The wind has breezed over my face; it was a feeling I was yet to embrace. Earth was an odd planet, the atmosphere and weather without a doubt stood up to its legends and gossip.

My eyes carefully tracked the side of the woman's face. Gentle features, those suited her well. Slim face with full cheeks and round chin. She was gorgeous, but what captivated me the most were her irises in the color of the Jakkarian's sand storm that for thousands of years wildly ruled over the planet.

The unexpected gasp that left the second her lips parted made me react automatically, catching the scarf that was stolen by the wind.

She observed me with those large pupils, now much bigger than before. Standing above her with my hand reaching over her shoulder, we were close. Maybe too close for me to be with an earthian, or anyone for that matter. I valued my space yet I discarded it completely for a piece of fabric.

Grazing the side of her shoulder as I retraced my hand—it made her body flinch. For a second my heart acted oddly, some sort of unexpected drop. I had to run a scan later, an unusual behavior had to be monitored.

"Here you go," I waited patiently till the scarf was securely retrieved, but when she's done no effort to do so I glanced at her with curiosity.

"How? How did you do it so quickly?" her voice was conflicted; did I act too carelessly? "Before I even reacted— You were already in front of me, catching it as it flew away."

Clenching my teeth I wondered, was I really that fast? Earth was confusing, I didn't know what was normal and what not.

"I'm sorry, I'm being rude, aren't I?" she chuckled to herself, shaking her head, and mustering an apologetic smile. "Thank you." Saving me a great deal of trouble my muscles relaxed. I had to be more careful.

Sighing, glad that we avoided this rather unpleasant situation I gently—not wishing to hurt or upset her—entangled the scarf around her neck.

Again, her pupils dilated and cheeks grew warmer against the chilly weather. Whatever it meant I didn't mind it, secretly enjoying her reactions.

"Thank you..." she whispered from under the thick fabric of her scarf. Her tone was different, I didn't recognize it, nor hear it once before.

Either way this was enough foolishness for a day. Heading for my backpack I threw it over my shoulder and began to walk away. She hasn't stopped me, but the thin sound she made with her breath has told me she did try to say something before catching her own tongue.

Using the watch to scan my health, it didn't report anything abnormal except the blood circling a bit faster during my encounter with the woman.

Walking through the school I spotted my friend making a fuss over something irrelevant. Dropping my shoulders in surrender not having the mental focus to argue with her over earthian things for the nth time, I made my way towards her and squinted my eyes to scan the object she held.

"This!" she pointed at an odd round thing in her hand. "This is donut. I love it, I'm going to marry it. It's so good Elina, you must try it. You must!" she urged while excitedly waving the 'donut' in front of my face.

With a heavy sigh, I tilted my head and grabbed her forearm before moving it away.

"Focus Washu, have you done any of your tasks?" I questioned sternly, giving her one of my disapproving looks — I had a lot of them, all created specifically for the brunette.

She huffed, before stuffing her face with the remaining piece of the donut.

"Washu... This isn't a joke," I reminded watching her pitiful attempt at swallowing the big piece. "At least don't choke."

"I've done plenty thank you very much, just because we are on the mission doesn't mean we cannot enjoy ourselves. I mean, come on! We are on earth. The Earth! Prohibited area, full of pleasures... And I just found mine. Donuts," she finished her speech so proudly I had nothing else to say. This fool was going to get herself killed, but good for her I wouldn't let that happen, that's why one of us had to stay resilient and on guard.

Administration didn't play around; one mistake and you're gone. My friend was too precious for this job, I had to protect her, just like I've always done.

"Here," she sent a file to my watch. With curiosity, I opened it up.

"This is?" I questioned unsure of what I was looking at.

"This guy is a legal visitor from Yuta."

"Okay? May I remind you we are after the Azgardian princess, which means a female."

"May I remind you we are after the Azgardian princess," she mocked with her childish attitude. Someone enlighten me why I decided to take her along. "Duh," she scoffed. "But I overheard his conversation, there's some sort of club for intergalactic residents. No humans allowed. Sounds like a good place to start looking, don't you think?" her cheeky grin followed by the last sentence. Rolling my eyes, she victoriously exclaimed knowing she did well.

"Enjoy your donuts, we are going there tonight."

"I will!" she yelled wasting no time in taking another bite.

Going towards my next class I began to develop a headache. The atmosphere on this planet wasn't easy to endure.

"Is this seat taken?" someone asked, which I found bothersome.

Without pulling my gaze away from the window I answered with a short, "No."

"Cool," the person didn't seem to notice my annoyance as they took a seat and began chatting with someone else.

Earthians were so simple, they laughed a lot, and cried easily. Their emotions were almost always in control of their actions, even if they believed otherwise. They loved to gossip and talk about others, but when you brought up their own faults, they got defensive and upset.

"Hello everyone, professor Harrison has asked me to take over this class, there's been a bit of a conflict with the other subject he's supposed to teach." The voice notified every nerve in my body, causing me to snap my head towards her.

"Fuck, she's pretty," someone whispered at the back.

A teacher, not a student. No wonder it made her laugh.

"Shame she's on the wheelchair, how do you have sex with someone like that?" some guy snickered and I wondered, what would be the best way to torture them.

Wait. Why would I think that? None of my business, this woman kept on taking away my focus from the higher priorities I've been sent to do here. Earthian stuff were beyond me.

"Let's begin!" she clasped her hands while making an eye contact with me, that's when she lost her focus, even if for a second. Raising a brow, unsure of why she reacted in such a funny way she turned away and never looked at me again.

The class was a childish play, no wonder humans achieved so little, they hardly had any idea of the basics that existed in chemistry, if I had to rate their progress, I would put them at my kindergarten level where they would still struggle to comprehend the bigger picture.

"Hey teach, let us help you," some guys gathered in front of her once most of the students left the classroom. The way they circled around her reminded me of hunting.

"Oh, it's okay boys I'm perfectly fine on my own," she assured playing it off casually, but her nervous chuckle was what stopped me from leaving.

"Eh, come on teach, we don't mind pushing the wheelchair for you," one of them carried further.

"Your beautiful hands shouldn't be doing it, let us help," the other continued.

I observed. This is what I always did, observed and acted at the last moment after analyzing the best solution and least invasive way of solving the problem. Being known for my speed even back at the Pentagon, I held trust in my abilities to always make it in time, even with the earth's atmosphere, which slowed me down tremendously.

Alarmed, by the movement from the tall guy, his hand almost in slow motion reached towards the woman. About to act, I paused surprised.

"Don't touch me!" she warned with authority. "I said I'm fine, leave now."

Boys backed off and played it off as a joke, apologizing and telling her to calm down before leaving the room. Her breathing was unsteady, I didn't have to scan her to notice. Her eyes caught mine as she frowned with anger.

"Do you need something?" she snapped and I couldn't help, but think; she wasn't weak.

"No, have a nice day."

Sitting at the bench I took a bite off a sandwich and chewed on it with content. So yummy, I thought to myself and began to swing my legs.

"Hello!" my friend appeared with a huge grin on her face, which quickly disappeared overtaken by concern and shock. "What happened! Are you dying?! Oh God! I knew it, I fucking knew it! We shouldn't come here."

Grimacing at her behavior I finished eating before even bothering to ask, "What?"

She knelt in front of me her hands on my thighs as she began to scan my body with her watch.

"Excuse me? What do you think you are doing?" I grew annoyed. "I'm fine."

She observed me still in disbelief before getting a hold of herself and patting off the dirt from her knees.

"Sorry, you were smiling, I thought the entire planet was about to go kaboom or something..." she murmured the last words and I sighed.

"Really?"

Her face looking at the ground like a scolded puppy, "...really."

"Washu... What— Actually never mind, let's not even. How was your class? How's their physics abilities?"

My friend took her hair out of a high ponytail and shook her head for a dramatic undertone, "They shall never make it far with such foolishness."

Cracking a laugh, I nudged her side with my leg. "If Asara were to see this impression, you would be dead."

My friend huffed and tied her hair back up. "Oh come on, she always says that. It's funny, you laughed!"

It was funny, she did execute it perfectly. This made me wonder about our lives back at the Pentagon, our teachers, and other students. It almost seemed like a different life being here on earth seeing all these things and humans. Not having to stay on your guard afraid of getting scolded or sent to the pit for disobedience. Washu made it out of there once, and the way my friend trembled and looked will never be erased from my mind.

Pentagon was a ruthless prison, but it was all we had.

"What's wrong?" she asked more serious dropping the funny act.

Playing with the paper wrapper I made a ball and threw it into the bin situated at the opposite side of the bench.

"Nothing..." I got up conflicted. "Let's just find the princess and go back."

My friend grumbled before telling me to stop. "Is it really that bad down here?" she snapped, I wished to avoid this conversation. "Why do we have to rush?! For all they care we could take years on this mission!"

Sighing I shook my head, "And what then? Get all happy and comfy down here, before going back to our hell? Get a grip, this isn't our life. Let's stop pretending and do what we have to do." Walking away I muttered knowing she could still hear me, "...even I got my limits."

Earthians' Garden of Eden was right upon their feet. Filled with temptations at every corner, starting with them—my eyes landing on the woman chatting with the other teachers, as she sat in her wheelchair—they were the biggest temptation of this planet.

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