New Friends

"Alright, guys I think that does it!" I announced, much to the newest kid's joy.

"Good! That was very unenjoyable!" Flame 2.0 said, annoyed. I can't believe Foster made a second flame. He said it's because Flame was promising until what happened with Leaf, then his heat raised about thirty degrees, so I count even touch him anymore. So we made another, who came out incredibly small. Speaking of small, my teaching class size was very small this time.

Out of the new group of eight, five were effective. Which didn't seem like too few, but after Grass group, Foster forbid me teaching the defectives reading or writing. He said it was a "waste of time". Of course he did. As they all walked away I scooped up the learning supplies and brought them to my office.

"Dr.Xavier?" Foster called from their office. I dropped the supplies on my desk and speed-walked to their office.

"Yes?"

"I'm reading through the files of the things and it seems they'd do better with more, you could bring out that leaf." He instructed, his monotone voice all too familiar.

"Leaf? She's been isolated for about two years, is that a good idea?" I asked with concern.

"Well, I think it's a good idea to see the effects it has on the leaf. It is a special case. Account for it when you eventually split them up evenly." They explained calmly, no concern in their voice. I kept a fake smile.

"Okay!" I said walking away. I'm glad she's getting out of the punishment rooms. But she might not be in the best state. All that isolation can't be good. But I sat down and began deciding new rooms. I came up with:

Room 1:-Cake-Clock-Coin-Eggy-Flame -Cube-Needle-Pin

Room 2:-8-Ball-Basketball -Building Block-Flower.Surveillance.Bot-Golfball-Grass-Tennis Ball-TV

Room 3:-Bubble-Fan-Flower-Lightning -Match-Pencil-Ruby-Snowball

Room 4:-Bottle-Light Switch-Pen-Pie-Pillow-Remote.Surveillance.AI-Tree

Room 5:-Bell-Eraser-Fries-Marker-Origami-Paper Cutout -Puffball-Stapler

Room 6:-Bomb-Bracelet-Donut-Flame 2.0-Gelatin-Nail-Paper Bag-Sponge

Room 7:-Book-Dora.Surveillance.Bot-Gate-Ice Cube-Lollipop-Saw-Taco-Teardrop

Room 8:-Balloon-Cloud-David.Surveillance.Bot-Leaf-Nickel-Rock-Robot.Audio.Surveillance-Wood

I don't know if I made the best choices. But I think they'll all fair well. Now to get Leaf. I carefully unlocked and opened the door to the punishment room. I listened to Leaf scurry back into the darkness. I reach my hand in and lay with my hand open.

"It's me Leaf. I'm getting you out." I held my hand open until I felt her nervously crawl onto my hand. As I pulled her out she quickly covered her eyes in what seemed like pain. These bright white lights must hurt her poor eyes. I cupped my hand over her so she was in the darkness in my hands. I ducked into a corner of my office so it was shadowy. I opened my hands and watched Leaf struggle to open her eyes. Poor girl. She has small tears around the edge of her body, which she did to herself. She slowly opened her eyes, still shading it with her hands.

"Dr...Xavier...?" She asked in a quiet hoarse voice. Has she really not talked this whole time? Poor thing.

"Yes! It's me! You won't be going back in that room, I promise," I said, petting her. Hopefully, I could keep that promise. She put her small hands on my finger.

"It's...too bright!" She complained. I put my hand over her like an umbrella.

"I know, I'll try to keep it dark for you. But you'll have to get better so you can join the new kids!" I announced to her. She instantly perked up.

"New ones?! Really? Who is it!?" She asked excitedly. I smiled.

"A balloon, A cloud, a nickel, and a robot! Those are the new ones." Her smile faltered.

"I don't know what any of those things are..." oh right. Why would she know what clouds are?

"Don't worry, you'll meet them soon. Which is why I got you out!" She smiled.

"Oh, I'm so glad! Let's go! Let's go right now!" She cheered giddily. I smiled and stood up, Leaf now bouncing up and down in excitement. I sat in my seat and began calling out names for where everyone should go, then letting them enter your new rooms. So organized! Hopefully, all goes well.

- - -

"We really got stuck with all these defectives huh?" Match said, snickering. Pencil scoffed.

"Yeah, that's super disappointing!" Pencil said, staring down the five defectives in the room.

Fan hated this. She's always been hateful. She knew she deserved to learn. But she didn't. Now she had to listen to rude girls talk about how she worthless she was. Which wasn't wrong. She had no arms, she couldn't read or write, and she was too hateful and antisocial to be any good for anything.

She surveyed her surroundings. Lightning and Bubble talked idly, but on opposite sides of the room, two objects were trying to isolate. Snowball and Flower, she had heard their names from Dr.Xavier. Why were they so alone? Oh. They're defective. Makes them antisocial. She walked over to Flower.

"Hello." Fan said calmly. She turned slightly towards me, only showing half her face.

"Get away from me." She said quietly, trying to sound intimidating. Fan rolled her eyes and walked to the other side. Before she could speak Pencil yelled.

"Are you defectives really that dumb? Are you trying to get yourself killed?!" She exclaimed loudly, making Snowball shudder.

"Killed? He isn't even moving. Don't be dramatic." Fan said frowning. Maybe the effectives were the weak ones.

"No, you idiot! Don't you know what he's done?!" Pencil squeaked.

"No..? What'd he do?" She asked curiously.

"He like, totally beat up Golfball! Even if she was a gross little defective, it could've been an effective! He's dangerous." Fan was on the fence. Hurting someone was a big scary thing, but they make it seem like only a threat to them.

"Didn't he like, kill someone Pencil?" Match asked her. Pencil thought.

"Hm, I don't remember, maybe? Probably, I'm sure I heard he did that somewhere." Now that concerned Fan. She knew it was very bad to kill. It made you worse than a defective. Fan walked away from Snowball, she hated scary things.

Snowball didn't know why he bothered anymore. She was so close to talking to him. SO CLOSE. But of course Pencil and Match had to open their stupid mouths and LIE! He never killed anybody! They lied about him! And as much as he didn't want to make anything they said true, he wanted to hurt them. The thought scared him, but he did. If they would go away he could have been happy. But he'll push away those thoughts for now.

Block surveyed his new group.

"All defectives? Are you kidding?" He murmured to himself, pointing out everyone's defective flaws in his head. But an armed figure caught his eye. His name must be Grass. Someone approached him. Someone armless. He approached just as she began to speak.

"Hey Grass! I'm glad we're in the same ro-" Block shoved her out of the way before she could finish. She looked at him angrily.

"And what was that for!?" She yelled, begging to attract attention.

"I don't want you to talking to any effectives!" Block yelled.

"Well, I won't listen to you! That's so stupid!" She yelled angrily, standing up.

"I don't need you infecting him with your defectiveness! I'm sure if he's effective he doesn't deserve that!" He said, pushing Grass behind him.

"Infect him?! That's not how it works!" She said angrily.

"I know how it works! If you hang out with him you'll ruin his mind with your gross problems. So just keep with the other things will you?" He said, pushing Grass away with him. Basketball looked down at her legs.

"It's not gross." She murmured quietly. She felt tears forming. She knew she was useless, but it just felt worse when others said it.

Block pushed Grass into a corner.

"There, much better," Block said happily. Grass peered past Block at Basketball.

"But Basketball is my friend!" Grass whimpered.

"Yeah maybe she use to be but if you hang out with her too much it'll make you defective!" He explained.

"Really?" He asked nervously.

"Yea, I knew a girl who was friends with defectives, and she totally got sick because of them! Haven't seen her in years!" He exclaimed, making Grass jump.

"Oh, that's scary! Okay, I won't talk to the defectives. I don't want that!" Grass promised Block. Block smiled.

"That's good! Now let's read a book together! That sounds fun!" Block said, leading Grass to the book cart. Grass would miss Basketball, but he didn't want to become defective like her.

Oho

Look at all the characters we see!!!

Ain't that a treat?!?!?!

Haha

:•)