Part
Two
Life changed drastically for Northern Star after his ninth Visiting Day. His time of childhood was over. School, which before that time had been relaxed and easy, then became deadly serious. He knew that after his next Visitation Day would come his first level tests, and his first year in The Games, which were very important to him. The higher you scored in The Tests, and the higher you ranked in The Games would depend your status in society. Failing in either, below certain marks, would mean the loss of position. The winning of high scores in both would mean the choice of any career you wanted in your twentieth year. So winning was extraordanarily important! North was pleased that his friend Morn had been assigned to the same class as he. At least there would be friendliness from one fellow student!
The boy's class days were split into four parts: two study sessions in early morning, and early afternoon, and two physical training sessions in late morning, and late afternoon. The first one was devoted to developing flying, running, and climbing abilities, the second to combat techniques.
Northern Star did well in his physical training, but in test after primary test he saw his grades weaken in two subjects. Though he spoke well he had great difficulty in mastering written language and math. His mother and father recognized his problem and did their best to help, but his mother could barely read, and knew nothing of mathematics, and his father was kept terribly busy with his command duties, they were of little help...but one day, North received help from an unexpected source.
After mid-year tests he and the other boys were, as usual, at the read out screen in the school corridor awaiting their results. Slowly, in alphabetical order, each boy's grades were posted. North read his friend Morn's with envy. He'd scored highly in everything. He had the highest scores in his class, even in the whole school! The other boys always grumbled when they saw his scores. "Half-breed!" some of them would whisper, "He doesn't deserve such marks!"
North only envied his friend, he did not despise him. When North's own grades came on the screen his spirits fell as he wrote them down; good grades in everything except math and language, as usual! It was then that Morn stepped to the side of his friend and what he said almost mystified every boy there.
"You're not doing well with math and languages North," he began, "I am very good at them. Would you like me to come to your house and tutor you?"
For several minutes North was speechless. Such an act was almost unheard of among his people. Hardly no one would offer to help anyone else advance! To do so, to even offer to some, would be considered an insult. But North Star recognized an act of friendship, and while the other boys remained speechless he replied,