𝐙𝐄𝐑𝐎 - 𝟎𝟎𝟏 𝐅𝐀𝐍𝐅𝐈𝐂 ✔️

019

Food was becoming a recurring theme in your lesson. Now, the redhead laid popcorn kernels in front of you. She didn't have to give any orders for you to know what she wanted you to do. It took a moment, but with some effort, the seed turned into popcorn.

"Excellent. Now try turning it back into a seed."

A transformation from one form into the next was one thing, but now you were being asked to reverse it. You bite your lip, this had never worked with the rose.

"You can do it," the woman says.

You can do this. You repeat in your mind.

You focus your thoughts on the popcorn piece, fists shaking with the power erupting through your veins. Your so focused, the walls of the room disappear, the woman disappears—even you do. Right now, all that existed was your mind.

And for the first time in forever, the redhead woman claps. When you open your squinted eyes, the popcorn piece had turned back into what it once was. A seed.

"Well done," she says, and maybe you were still exhausted from the struggle, but you could've sworn for a second she smiled.

From a nearby drawer, she pulls out a rose. It was dead and crumpled,  just barely hanging on its stem. She holds it out to you.

"I think you should try again with this," she insists, as your other rose had long since wilted into nothing.

You nod and take the flower into your hands. You were confident after your previous feat. The woman shakes her head, motioning to your nose. "Not now. You've overworked yourself today."

You bring your fingertips to your nostril, feeling the slick liquid of blood. She was right. You had worked hard today, so instead of protesting, you retreat back to your room. Just as you're about to walk inside, a hand falls on your shoulder.

"000," Papa grunts.

What now?!

"Yes, Papa?" you greet with a smile on your face, hoping it will soften his agitated demeanor.

It doesn't. "Meet me in the rainbow room."

An irritated sigh leaves your lips. At this point, you weren't sure what he wanted. You only knew he was making your blood pressure rise. Your fists clenched around the flower in your hand. What you didn't know, was that amidst your anger a transformation was happening. Ever so slowly, the tip of the stem was turning green.

Papa throws open the rainbow room doors, you let out a gasp at the sight.

The room had been completely upturned. Toys were littered all of the room, paint was on the walls and splattered on the floor, the chess board was broken in half, and the glass of the Plinko had been shattered. The part that shook you the most, was that 002 laid unconscious in the middle of it. 001 was standing next to him.

Your jaw drops. 001 stood over two, breathing jagged and scared. Slowly, he backed away, looking down at his hands in fear and then at the injured boy on the ground.

"Papa..." he pleads, voice shaking. "I told you. I swear, I didn't do this, I swear—"

"Do you see what I mean, 000?" Papa prompts, glancing down at you. "This boy is dangerous."

"PAPA, I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!" 001 cries.

001 backs away, holding his hands up in surrender, chest still heaving with the fear of punishment. He'd already endured many, but Papa's children were precious to him. Any uncoordinated violence between them would result in a greater consequence.