The Autobiography Of An Alien

Chapter 5 - Education

Draft #29 - Education

School is, admittedly, something that I did not enjoy when I was younger. It was the three most boring and dreaded months of my years as a hatchling, despite my initial eagerness to attend. While I did not regret going to school - I learned, as is the case for most, far more there than I would've had I not gone - what I do regret were the circumstances in which I started.

***

Bhrak's claws tapped methodically on the control panel of the car. Had it not been Rulshkka in the backseat, he was sure the elderly Vokkrus would be humming along to whatever tune he had in his head. As it were, the only sound that filled the enclosed vehicle was claws clicking against metal.

Rulshkka gave a little sigh, staring at the phone in his hand. Rukka's texts stared back at him.

[Rukka]: Will you pick up Nohkka from school today? This meeting is lasting longer than I expected, and Kac is running errands for her mother.

[Rulshkka]: Of course. I will take her back to my place. Same time?

[Rukka]: Yes. Thanks. You should spend more time with her, you know. Having a hatchling isn't so bad.

He hadn't figured out a response to that, yet. Vokkras had no place having hatchlings, as far as he was concerned. Spirits, he couldn't even have a pet without half the planet attempting to do him harm.

At the thought of Kohgrash, he flicked through his phone to find their message log. While he could only communicate with Kohgrash through his computer, he had been ecstatic to find out that he could read any incoming messages on his phone. Trosk was working on a remedy to that particular problem. The technology was rather new, after all. It had only been a year and a half since Rulshkka had started talking with Kohgrash after all.

01:35:31 > I won't be able to respond for a while. Rukka has requested I pick up Nohkka from school.

01:52:44 > o7 tell her I said hi!

Rulshkka wondered if the translator was broken. Regardless, he got the message. He sighed again, feeling just a little listless.

"Sire," Bhrak said suddenly, breaking the heavy silence that had settled over the car. Rulshkka idly wondered if he should invest in music; there wasn't much on his planet, and Earth had been filled with it. It had been nice to listen to, at times, and he thought that his planet would likely benefit from an influx in the art.

"Hm?" he hummed in response, tearing his eyes off his phone to look at Bhrak. The elderly Vokkrus was looking at him through the reflection of the windshield.

Bhrak raised his brows, widening his eyes as he tilted his head toward the building where they were parked outside. "Sir Rukka's hatchling has been released."

Rulshkka suppressed a smile. Released. As if Nohkka had been imprisoned. He turned his gaze toward the building; the same one he had taken Kohgrash to. A sudden surge of children were rushing out of the building in waves, and it took Rulshkka a long moment to locate Nohkka, huddled up together with her friends. She was tall for her age, he noted.

He hadn't had to pick her up from school in a very long time; often, he was only asked as a last resort. Rulshkka wasn't the most reliable of Vokkrus.

"Thank you, Bhrak. I will return shortly," he said, opening the car door and stepping out. He heard Bhrak grunt in response, having learned to roll with the punches that came with Rulshkka's 'quirkiness.' Some Vokkrus were still hung up on his mannerisms - he didn't exactly act like a pompous Vokkra all the time - but most of the population had figured out that protesting his actions did not force him into changing.