erased - Frouse AU

The Park

He was on edge. He could tell the other three were too, though Dooo seemed to be settling in a bit better than him and Smiity. But from what Droid had mentioned once, he'd been gone for over 3 years and Smiity gone for over 2.

Matt had been gone for about 18 months, Dooo, 10 or 11 months. He hadn't had the chance to fully be broken like he or Smiity, and Droid had told him he was a part of the 5%.

Droid had explained the tiers of powers to him after a couple days. He was considered part of the 5% because he had "godlike" powers of creation and manipulation.

What that meant for him, he didn't know. Droid had explained that because he was so high on the tier list, he usually had eyes on him to make sure he was safe. Which confused him even more. If that was the case, then how did he get taken?

He hadn't spoken to anyone since that day in the hallway, the clock telling him it had been nearly 7 weeks since then. Not because he didn't want to, but because it hurt like a complete bitch.

He made small noises though, hums and he'd even laughed a couple times. Those noises hurt too, but not as bad as actively speaking. Which he knew because he whispered quiet words to himself when he was laying in his bed, wanting to speak more but struggling hard.

He knew his friends were looking for the scientist who'd wiped his and the other three's memories, along with Core. He still couldn't really associate that name with the woman who'd given him orders daily for over three years, but he was working in placing names with people.

Puffer and Grizzy had been spending more time with him, Puffer giving him as many stories as possible about their high school days and Grizzy about their little outings to create mayhem.

He'd definitely grown to like the people in this place, his smiles coming more naturally and laughs harder to bite back.

He spent a lot of time with John and Smiity, the latter seemingly just following him around everywhere. Though Smiity was also seen around Matt a lot.

There was something soothing about John. He hadn't been told everyone's power, though most of them seemed to use theirs naturally.

Like he'd seen Puffer do his phasing thing, and knew about Grizzy's illusions. He'd seen Soup mimic peoples images or voices to pull pranks, and of course he knew about Droid's abilities as a technical android.

He didn't know McNasty's or John's abilities, nor the other three's. They never used their abilities, or if they did, never around him. He only ever used his to communicate, gaining the habit of carrying tissues to change into sand or water to create words.

He knew Droid wanted him to talk again, having overheard him excitedly telling Puffer and Grizzy about the word he'd said that day. But he was utterly thankful none of them ever pushed them.

John seemed to be the somewhat leader, McNasty next to him. Though he had seen the others also looking to him, especially Smiity, Matt and Dooo. He wondered if it was because he was considered a 5% while the rest of them were 25%, and they considered him more powerful.

He hated that idea. He wasn't a leader, he'd been kicked and forced into being a soldier, he was good at following orders, not giving them. He was too stuck in his head half the time to really focus on what was going on around him, so used to isolation that he hid away most of the time.

Of course, he always came out for meals. It was in the rules, and he knew he needed to follow the rules. So far, only Matt had broken a rule, and it was him slipping up and making a mistake near the beginning then habitually turning and slashing his palm open with his nails.

John and Soup had leapt forward, bandaging his hand before pulling him aside to talk to him quietly. Pezzy had watched the whole thing wide eyed, in complete disbelief that that had been the punishment.