The birds tweeted outside of Sardonyx's window as she awoke to the sunlight. She came to the window, stretching as she watched the ocean waves.

Good morning, Earth, Sardonyx thought as she slipped out of her nightgown and into her employee uniform. Today was her first day at her new job. It felt strange wearing something other than her typical dress; but then again, this planet still felt strange too. Before she went downstairs for breakfast, Sardonyx marked another day on the piece of paper she had taped to the wall, to help her remember how long she had been on Earth. She sighed as she placed the crayon back in the box on her desk. Eight days, she thought out loud as she started down the stairs leading to the living room.

She turned the corner of the hallway, entering the dining room where the family was eating their morning meal. "Good morning Steven.", she said to the boy as she took a seat next to him. "Hi Sard. You look really nice in your uniform. Excited for your first day?" The woman nodded excitedly, glowing. "So, is this your first time getting a job?", Rose queried as she spoon-fed Amethyst. "Hm. Unless you count being a princess as a 'job', then yes."

Rose dropped her off at the arcade on her way to take Steven to school and Amethyst to daycare. "I'll be here when your shift is done." Sardonyx nodded as she entered, the air conditioning of the arcade blasting her as she walked in. She loved the human technology and how it worked. Although it all felt so primitive compared to the machines on her home planet, it had a charm that Sardonyx loved.

She entered Mr Smiley's office as he requested. "Hello darling. I'm here." He chuckled. "Good to see you." After running Sardonyx through a few basic training questions, she was brought to her position. Within a few minutes, her first customer arrived see. "Oh, hello dear. You know, you're my very first customer." The man smiled. "Wow, that's pretty cool. Anyways, I'll have 60 game tokens, and a Sugar Shock Shut-down."

Sardonyx paused. She had no idea humans were so specific. "...of course, coming right up." She turned to the refrigerator and opened it up. Now then, which one of these was it?, she thought as she looked through the many cans and bottles of soda and water. Eventually, she decided to just pick a random bottle and hope it was right. She grabbed a red bottle and placed it on the counter, hoping that it was right.

After she filled up a plastic cup with tokens, she thought: "Hm. This can't be the right amount." She turned to the man. "Just a moment dear." He nodded, a little confused as she proceeded to dump the tokens onto the counter, and count them out. "Yes, just the right amount. Here you go." The customer looked a little confused. "...thank you, and how much is it?"

"Oh, nearly forgot, you humans use a currency." He seemed more confused. "What do you me-" Sardonyx interrupted. "No, no, it's nothing dear, just... let me see your total." This is so embarrassing, Sardonyx thought as she tried to understand the cash register. It had so many buttons. "Er... maybe this one?" The price on the register went from zero to 23.50. "Hm. That'll be... Er.."

"Is something wrong?", the man asked. "...sorry, what's your total?" "It's 23.50, right there?" Sardonyx looked. "Oh. So sorry sir, this is my... first..." She felt overwhelmed. The numbers were so different compared to the ones back on her planet. The man gave her twenty five dollars. "...keep the change.", he said as he walked off.

Sardonyx went to Mr Smiley's office. "Mister Smiley? ...I'm having problems with the currency box." He seemed confused. "Ohh, you mean the cash register. Lemme see what's wrong with it." She showed him the total of the previous customer. "It isn't showing numbers, it's just these... weird lines and boxes." Mr Smiley looked to her. "Uh... those are numbers." Sardonyx looked up to him, wondering how he could think those were numbers. "...no, you don't understand. Where I'm from, we don't use numbers like those."

"Look, you're a good kid, you really are. But I think that this isn't the right field of work for you. Let me see if I can't find you another position here." Mr Smiley took her to his office. As he looked at his computer for other jobs, Sardonyx felt a pang of regret. She felt like she messed up big time. Her boss noticed her as she began to cry.

"Hey, I'm sorry if I was too harsh on you. But the issue is, you're just so... young, and I don't think that this is the place for you. You have potential, you really do. But this arcade is just too small to unleash it." She seemed confused. "What do you mean?" "Well, I mean that maybe this isn't the right job for you. There are other jobs that you might like. I hope to see you have a successful career, wherever it may be." Sardonyx stood up. "Alright. Thank you, sir.", she said, smiling as she walked out, waving.

She arrived to Sabina's house. "So, you're home early.", Sabina stated as she opened the door. "Yes, you see..." She explained what happened. "Oh, I'm so sorry you didn't have a good time. I guess you never really had a job, with being a princess and all."

"I'm just about to have lunch, wanna come in?" The alien nodded as she entered the house, going to the bathroom so she could change into her dress. She left the bathroom and watched Sabina cook. "Ooh, what are you doing?", she asked. She had never seen something so mesmerizing. "This? I'm just making a salad. It's some lettuce and tomatoes, carrots, and some cucumber." Sardonyx watched as she chopped the ingredients, putting them all into a bowl. "Wow! That was incredible! You turned all of those things into something else!", Sardonyx exclaimed, beginning to glow.

Sabina smiled, putting the salad on the table. The two enjoyed it, especially Sardonyx. Sabina looked to the princess as she ate. She was just so...

Cute, she thought out loud. "Oh, I remember you used that word when you invited me over for a movie. What does it mean?", Sardonyx asked. "Oh, uh, I was just... thinking out loud. Well, cute... it means anyone you find endearing." Sardonyx thought. "Like Kevin?"

"Yeah, it can describe how I felt about him." She paused. "Although I'm definitely having second thoughts about that." Sardie seemed confused. "Why? He was so nice to you. But... not me.", she asked, looking at the bandage on her knee. "That's the point. I don't want anyone I know to hurt my friends." Sabina cleaned the dishes. "But, now that he's gone... I kind of had those feelings for you."

"You're just so... amazing, you aren't like anyone I've ever met. I can't lose this, at least not yet.", she continued, holding her hands. Sardonyx thought for a moment. "...you are rather... cute as well." Sabina smiled, happy that they both knew the meaning of the word. She came over to her.

"I've been saving this for someone special.", she whispered as she went in for a kiss. "Er, what are you doing?" Sabina giggled. "It's a kiss, silly. Let me show you on your hand.", she explained before holding Sardonyx's hand and kissing it. Sardonyx blushed, as Sabina held her own hand out. "Now you try." She attempted to kiss her, just like she had done on her hand, but she ended up licking her hand.

Sabina giggled. "No, no, let me show you again." She kissed the princess on the cheek, making her blush even more. "Wow... you were awfully close to my lips on that one." "That's the point."

Sardonyx thought for a moment. She pulled Sabina into an amorous hug, before kissing her on the lips. Sabina blushed, embracing the hug as the alien began to glow. "This is amazing..."

"Yeah. If I could glow too, I would right now.", Sabina whispered.