Ivory possessed a natural ability to wow those around him without breaking a sweat. Like starlight skipping across the walls of every ship he’d ever served on, his energy was bright and carefree. Everywhere he went, from Earth to Mars to the distant planet Nexiotis-1432X, he shone brightly, captivating people even if they didn’t always grasp his essence.
For the first time in a long time, Ivory attended a solo student pod at the Orbital District Academy. He had a half-loaded project file, a slightly torn string backpack, and his father’s lucky hoodie. It had a drip-style mask on the front and urban-gothic lettering throughout.
“Now you take good care of this,” said Ivory’s father before heading out. “I don’t want you goin’ around and messing it up. Your mother isn’t finished with it yet.”
“I won’t, Dad,” said Ivory.
The air inside the classroom was thick with the smell of old textbooks and chalk dust as the three students worked diligently at their desks. One person had a broad forehead, their smile captivating and wide. With ears as big as an African elephant’s, the second child possessed a surprisingly gentle and lovely personality. The last kid, a small boy barely reaching the table, possessed the most powerful pencil grip anyone had ever seen.
While waiting for the teacher, Ivory went over to the group of students. They didn’t know who he was or what he liked. Ivory wanted to show them just how special he really was.
“Hey,” said Ivory.
Nobody said a word.
For the first time, Ivory found himself in a public place alone, the quiet pressing in on him like a heavy blanket. Keon and he were usually inseparable, going everywhere as a pair. Everywhere but this place, actually.
Clearing his throat, Ivory tried again. “Has anyone here ever seen a hover-chessboard glitch in the middle of a game? It looks funny, especially the knight doing a weird break dance.”
Unimpressed, the kid with the firm pencil grip looked up. “We need to complete this practice sheet before Ms. Voro arrives. Can you be quiet?”
“Oh. Right. Sorry,” Ivory mumbled, feeling smaller in his father’s large hoodie. With a slow retreat, he fiddled with the frayed straps of his backpack.
Unlike the ships on Nexiotis-1432X, nobody here knew him—or Keon. It wasn’t like Mars Base 3, where he totally dominated VR training. Here, he was simply Ivory.
No cousin.
No inside jokes.
No backup when needed.
To take his mind off things, Ivory sketched out his next comic idea. Perhaps those kids didn’t get his jokes. Maybe he ran his mouth a bit too much. Plus, it was his first adventure without Keon.
That kid, the one with the big ears, leaned towards his friends. “That kid is strange,” he murmured. The others agreed.
Ivory was devastated. He wasn’t looking to cause trouble at the academy. He just wanted to make people feel at ease and have a good laugh.
Heavy, silent tears fell onto Ivory’s comic, blurring the vibrant colors with a film of grief. He watched helplessly as the precious pictures dissolved, each drop a hammer blow to his fragile hope. Poor Ivory was quiet for the rest of the class.
After class, the three kids rushed to lunch. Ivory stood by the corridor window, watching the mini shuttles fly by. Suddenly, his wristband buzzed. Keon was patching in. Ivory pulled up a rusted seat and accepted the call.
“Hey, you good?” asked Keon. “How’s the pod today?”
Ivory wiped the tears from his face and gave a weary smile. “It’s fine. Everyone’s quiet. Stayed to themselves. How are you doing?”
Ivory explained what happened with the classmates. He paused, still trying to make sense of it. Keon listened, fighting the urge to rush to his aid.
“Well,” Keon sighed, “this is a learning moment for both of us.”
“Really? How so?” Ivory asked. “They don’t get me. They think I’m annoying. Maybe fake. I don’t know anymore. Am I trying too hard just to make a friend?”
“You’re trying way too hard to make others happy,” Keon said kindly. “You’re the kindest person I know. But don’t forget, you’re still a new face to them.”
“But I enjoy making new friends. I just can’t do it without—”
Keon cut in. “Hey man, you’re focusing on the wrong thing. Friendships change over time. Some might even be there forever. This isn’t the place to pretend to be someone you’re not for a quick impression. You’re here for your intellect, not your humor.”
After moments passed, the bell rang. Everyone rushed to their pods except for Ivory. Keon said his goodbyes and buzzed out, leaving Ivory alone again.
"Some cousin you are," said Ivory.
Ivory returned to his seat. The three kids came back, still ignoring him. One of them boisterously repeated Ivory’s earlier joke, falsely claiming it as their own.
“Hey, wasn’t that my joke from earlier?” Ivory asked.
“No, it wasn’t funny coming from you,” said the kid with the strong pencil grip. “You’re not even funny at all. Don’t you have to go home and talk to your mom or something? She might actually like your terrible jokes.”
“My mom passed away when I was small,” said Ivory. The words hung in the air, sharp and bitter. “I only knew what she looked like from old photos my dad had.”
“Ha, that’s worse,” said the kid with the big forehead. “I bet your jokes made her croak. Oh well. Sorry for your loss, dude.”
Everyone laughed at him as they settled into their seats.
Ms. Voro cleared her throat. “Class, welcome back. Today, we’re going to welcome our guest speaker.”
“Ooh, I wonder who it’ll be!” cried the big-eared kid. “Is it the president? Or a moon man?”
Ms. Voro just shook her head. “I would like to present to you Mr. Ivory O. Darcy-Laikin, a distinguished scientist and philosopher who is exceptionally gifted for his age. He is also the architect of the spiritual energy project between Earth and Mars, upon which you will collaborate during the next few weeks.”
The kid with the oversized African elephant ear blinked. His gaze nearly sliced Ivory into tiny pieces. “No way! That kid linked physical and spiritual energy? Are you serious?”
Ms. Voro just nodded. “Yes. Both he and Keon are pursuing studies in cosmology, spectroscopy, and astrophysics. You didn’t read the board this morning, did you?”
The three kids shook their heads.
“Well,” she continued, “while you were busy bullying him, he was getting ready to teach you how his energy model could help fuel the entire planet—without causing waste in space.”
Ivory raised his hand. “Ma’am, I think we’ve explained enough. I appreciate being here, but I’m not keen on giving my presentation. My discomfort in sharing this alternative approach to life and survival stems not from you, but from the lack of maturity among those present.”
Ms. Voro studied Ivory for a moment, then gave a small nod. “Request noted, Ivory. I’ll plan for another time if you change your mind.”
Silently, Ivory grabbed his things and walked out. The three kids were ashamed. Instead of giving someone a chance, they had spent their time tearing down someone they didn’t even know.
In the quiet hallway, Ivory leaned against the wall, the smooth surface cool against his back, and focused on the poster advertising the upcoming space tech fair. They had planned for him to be featured prominently as the headliner. Now, he wasn’t so sure it was worth it.
“I want to go,” he whispered. “Maybe I’m just too much. Perhaps they can’t keep up with the rapid changes. Oh, I don’t know what I’m doing anymore!”
The wristband blinked again. Keon sent a message. It was a picture of a lion strolling in a starry sky, with the caption: “Can’t confine what they can’t comprehend.”
Ivory chuckled and shook his head. “Corny,” he thought. “But it’s worth trying again.”
Head up, hoodie fixed, Ivory marched back in. He didn’t let the teasing get to him. Ivory had his own unique energy. He was ready to show everyone his true self.
“To build the future,” Ivory thought, “I gotta be bold now!”
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