"Let's do our best Teseia." Felis said next to me. As soon as she said what she did, the electronic bell went off, signaling the end of homeroom.

  Noe went to the front of the cssroom and began a timer on the digital projector. We still had time, but by then students were preparing themselves mentally for the exams. Noe wasn't a main-course subject instructor, but all the exams were taken with our homeroom instructor as proctors.

  "Everyone, I'll go through the basics of your first-quarter exams." Noe said in the period that would normally be for our commute from csses, "If you need to use the restroom or leave for anything, you will need me to sign a pass. Other than that, please have a writing instrument, and be academically honest." Noe was straightforward, but at the same time serious. She wasn't a normal subject instructor, but she still held the integrity that an instructor should have for exams. "And... Of course, please do your best. I know you all have prepared for this, so I am excited to see you guys succeed."

  With her speech came the bell signaling the start of what would normally be our first css. Noe took a stack of papers and began walking to each of our desks and handing out a packet that was our test. After passing out packets to everyone she returned to the front of the cssroom.

  "This marks the start of the Mathematics Exam everyone. Please do your best; do not cheat yourself." Noe said as she started a timer on the screen board. It ticked down from three hours - well, 2 hours and 59 minutes now... Our exams started now, to lunch.

  I focused everything on my packet and pen. "Teseia Alicia." I uttered my name while writing it. With my name written, I began the test.

  Math was something that I knew I could ace, as long as I didn't get too ahead of myself or overthink it. And looking at the questions, everything in the test was what I expected to be in the first-year exams for the first quarter. I carefully answered each question, and after around an hour, I finished my exam. I spent a bit of time, checking over my answers, before going through again. Being satisfied with my answers - which should all be correct -, I took a deep breath... I was done. I stood and looked around, there were others that finished before me; no surprise as I did triple check my answers, but I was confident I aced the mathematics exams.

  I checked the timer up on the board which read 1 hour and 37 minutes. With the test packet in hand, I handed Noe my packet silently. "Thank you Teseia. Come back at 13:00 for the Language Exam." Noe said to me quietly. I silently nodded and left the cssroom.

  I didn't have much to do, but I did have around three hours until my next exam. With that in mind, I went upstairs to the music room Noe instructs from, to eat lunch and wait out the time. After eating, I messed around by pying the piano, then messed around by trying to tune one of the spare violins in the room before practicing on a music sheet left in the room.

  My finger movement felt natural and smooth, almost like how drawing first was to me. I was sure the natural memory this body held pying instruments aided me in my fast improvement and enjoyment... The body remembers, but not the mind - and certainly having to learn how to read music notation was about the only reason I couldn't py.

  "Teseia..." Eh—, "Apologizes for scaring you, Teseia." Noe? Why did she seem so serious? "Is it okay if I ask you something, Teseia?" Why—err...

  How did Noe know I was here? "Ye—yes." I didn't even hear her come in. Seeing her as serious as she was, I was worried... what did I do?

  Noe let out a small sigh as she took out a packet from a file. In her hand—eh? "I don't want to scare you. I'm not accusing you of anything; especially since I know you are an excellent student in general, but..." On the packet was my name, and a 100. She—wait, "Your score is incredible—too much so as the Academic Deans have doubts on your academic honesty..." She let out another sigh, "These tests - much to my disliking -, they're designed to challenge and test students. And it is incredibly rare for students to ace them - they aren't designed for normal students..."

  ... Well—I wasn't a normal student... Noe knew me, and knew my accident a little bit, so she knew I wasn't normal - per se -, but I doubt she meant normal in extraordinary.

  I knew I topped the score chart st year, almost getting 100's on everything but the Language Exam. I know for sure, st year no one questioned me on my score, yet—here I was being questioned for my academic honesty. I found it unfair—but... Then again, what were Alicia's actual scores before me? I never knew how Alicia was other than her actions and hobbies. For all I knew, Alicia could have bombed the initial exams coming into the school. If that were the case, they would undoubtedly question my results - though I still found it unfair...

  "I cim that I did not cheat." I told her, "It's... I feel like my past actions keep coming back to haunt me..." I uttered with a sigh, "Like—,"

  Noe let out a rge audible sigh again, "I won't question you further Teseia; you're a wonderful student. Despite what the Academic Deans say with their doubts, I have my full confidence in you and will defend you; you can do this." Ah—Noe.

  "Thank you..." Hearing such encouragement—it was different from others, but hearing Noe tell me that made me realize she trusted me and my academic abilities. She trusted me enough to have confidence in me and defend me.

  Noe turned around, "I'll see you for the Language Exam, good luck Teseia." She told me as she left the music room.

  The two days of exams went by quickly - for me at least. I wasn't too concerned taking the exams, but talking to Felis, it seemed she also wasn't too concerned about them either. The Language Exam was a little troublesome, but it wasn't as difficult as I anticipated - especially compared to what all the first years had to do for their nguage exam st year. The science and history exams were both simirly easy. I was a very studious student, so they were easy subjects to ace.

  Though... Thinking back, I remembered the look Noe gave me as I finished the History Exam and gave her my packet, "... Noe gave me a dirty look as I turned in my st exam..." I remember our st conversation in the music room; she held me in high regards... I was sure she was probably also asked to observe me, though I wonder what she thought of me and the situation.

  With all my exams done, I headed back home to end the day. We would be having a 4 day break - 2 off days with the 2 day break. The off days were mostly for the instructors to grade exams and do all the grading and data input of it, but it gave us students a small break for the quarter.

  As I entered the train back home, I wondered to myself... "What to do in those days...?" I had physical therapy tomorrow, but aside from that I didn't really have many pns...

  I pondered what to do for my break until I arrived home. Changing out of my uniform, I id in my bed, looking up at the glittering stars on my ceiling...

  "I... I'm done." I survived the first quarter exams. I still had three more exams left this school year, but... It was a significant mark. "... To think I was going to switch csses..." I thought back to my first few days; I was anxious for all these new things. Things I've never done, "I would never have imagined I could be an artist and musician before."

  I got off my bed and went to my desk to write. I felt like this day was an achievement; and thinking to myself made me want to write my emotions down.

  Lunar Year 933, First Half, Day 164-2

  I was finally done with exams. It has been a while as Alicia. To think I would ever be able to be a musician or an artist. I accepted early on in my life that I would never be able to be anything else other than my fate as a Waltsia, but now it seemed I had a chance to another life.

  Now came my four three-day break. As of now, I didn't know what I was going to do, but I had pns to simply go and enjoy myself for a bit.

  Finishing writing that bit, I thought to myself...

  "... Everything's still the same..." Even this many days in as Alicia; my life as her hasn't changed... Besides new hobbies for myself, nothing major changed about my way of living. "It's peaceful." I uttered as I let go of my pencil. "I hope I can be someone's joy."