"Eternal wanderers," whispered Nibi. "No, I didn't read your thoughts. I understood you anyway. Only I fly with my body, and you—your dreams chase after me, sometimes even racing ahead."
"So where are you from, really, Nibi?" the boy tried once more.
"From here. Right here." She patted the solid ground, then sprang to her feet, bouncing lightly on her platform boots. "Enough lying around. The customs of your world demand knowledge through schools, institutes, things like that. You could live without them, but around here—they're part of your human community. And without that, you'd struggle."
"How do you get by without any of it?" Erich blurted, awkward and instantly regretting the question. Nibi's face darkened for a moment, and she answered reluctantly.
"Lats isn't my only companion. There's always another beside me…"
"Me?" the boy asked hopefully.
"Loneliness." Was it the wind rustling through the yellow leaves, or was it truly Nibi's voice, suddenly heavy with sadness?
The conversation fizzled out after that, and they walked the rest of the way in silence. Picking up their pace, they nearly ran to their destination. The school sat at the very edge of town, which meant they didn't have to race through all the little streets to get there.
The building itself didn't tower over the others or look special. It blended in, like a cousin to all the other squat houses around. There weren't many people in town, and so there weren't many kids who needed schooling, either.
Adjusting his backpack, Erich suddenly remembered he'd forgotten to grab the lunch his mom had packed. Too late now. More important was giving Nibi a grand tour inside. He was already rehearsing how he'd point out the lobby, the honor roll board (where he was absolutely sure his picture would be one day!) when he heard a whistle from around the corner.
Four kids were waiting there—and trouble usually followed them. Erich hated admitting it, but he never knew how to answer back when they teased him. Especially since they were older, bigger, and stronger. They were already in the final grade, but still never missed a chance to needle "Big Er."
That was the nickname they'd slapped on him, mocking his scrawny frame. The worst part? It stuck. In a small town, nicknames spread fast… even his own mom sometimes called him that now! He hated it, but didn't know how to shake it.
And yet, as always, his legs carried him straight toward the group. Judging by the smirk on Maris's face—and his sister Mary's too—they were already cooking up trouble.
Maris opened his famous mouth, the one with a missing tooth. He bragged it had been knocked out in a brawl with nearly the whole neighboring town. Erich, though, was pretty sure it had just rotted away from not brushing. Either way, Maris wore it like a badge of honor, even using the gap to whistle louder.
Mary had two huge moles on her cheeks. Erich actually liked them—they softened her scowling face and made her look almost kind. The other two kids, a boy and a girl, didn't matter much. He didn't even know their names; they just laughed at whatever Maris and Mary said.
"Do I need to get ready?" Nibi asked quietly as they drew near.
"Yeah… but don't worry. They're not really mean. They just don't see the sky the way we do. And you—you can actually fly in it. That makes you three times happier than all of them put together."
"What are you mumbling about, Big Er?" Maris sneered, then snorted with laughter. "Let me guess—you're rambling about tree branches again, or which bug is prettier. You're such a dork!"
The whole crew burst into laughter. Mary added her spice:
"Look who he's got with him! Usually it's just his dumb, flea-bitten dog, but now he's swapped it out for this… What, did even your mutt get tired of you?"
"No, no!" her brother cut in, twirling a finger at his temple. "That is his dog! He just turned it into a person. Look—same weird look on her face."
"You're right—spitting image! Even the tail sticks out. Turns out Big Er's a wizard, only with the lamest magic ever!"
All eyes locked on Nibi. She was hurriedly tucking her lats back into her jeans, but instead of blushing, her skin shimmered brighter, shifting colors like quicksilver. That had to mean she was embarrassed. She fixed her gaze on the brother and sister and asked sharply:
"Want me to turn back into a dog and bite your fingers?"
The four bullies blanched and staggered back a step. Nibi spun on her heel and strode off into the little park beside the school.
And Erich? He was frozen in place, throwing helpless glances between the suddenly silent bullies and the girl storming away.
What do I do? Why can't I say anything? I'm supposed to stand up for her. She's my guest!
The spell finally broke, and Erich bolted forward under the jeering cries of the bullies who had recovered and decided to get revenge for their scare. He ignored their nonsense, poured every ounce of himself into running, and sprinted faster than he ever had before.
But Nibi was gone.
His eyes darted wildly, scanning every detail around him. Then he spotted a figure behind a tangle of scraggly bushes and dying plants. Rushing over, he found Nibi sitting right on the bare ground, legs stretched out in front of her.
Suddenly, she laughed. A bright, ringing laugh. Erich flinched in surprise.
"Whoa! What's so funny?" he asked, baffled.
She explained, still smiling:
"I haven't figured out your emotions yet. I don't really know what to do when I'm sad. So far, I've only learned laughter. And honestly? I like it much better than tears."
That answer set Erich off. He doubled over, shaking with laughter.
"Ha-ha! You're right! Laughing really is way better than being sad. I should try your method sometime."
Nibi studied him thoughtfully and asked quietly:
"Why did they make fun of you… and me? Are we worse than they are?"
Without thinking, Erich answered straight from the heart:
"No. It's just… while they waste time messing around and hurting people, we'd rather sit on the cold ground and watch tree branches sway in the wind. They judge us by our clothes, but we judge the air—how cool and fresh it feels."
She lifted both hands, like she was trying to touch the air itself, and nodded.
"It really is… invigorating."
"And this rock poking into my back? Ice cold and sharp. I don't like that one nearly as much," he complained sincerely, then burst out laughing again. His co-laugher couldn't help but join in.
"You know what…" He suddenly jumped to his feet, puffing out his chest. "Mom's totally gonna scold me, but let's skip school today! I mean, I'll skip it—you don't need it in space anyway. Let's go to the place I always visit when I'm sad and want to be with someone who understands me."
"Interesting! Let's do it," Nibi agreed. And so they set off once more on foot, the day's walking already starting to feel natural. Somehow their legs never got tired. Digging in his backpack, Erich discovered two bananas, already a little browned.