{Puzzle Piece 1} "Anti-Social"


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"I
REFUSE to go along with this bullshit!" a sharp voice snapped fiercely.

The voice was coming from inside one of the many rooms of Wammy's orphanage, for extraordinary gifted and talented children. Particularly, that certain room happened to be Roger's office.

Roger, the forty-something year old man, also known as the manager of Wammy's orphanage, frowned deeply at the rude behavior coming from the boy in front of him.

The boy, Mello, had shoulder-length blond hair and eyes that were currently narrowed into a dangerous glare.

"I'm serious," he hissed spitefully, "This is ridiculous."

Roger sighed, rolling his eyes mentally. This was one of the many, many reasons why he disliked children so much. Especially teenagers undergoing adolescence. Why can't he just shut up like a good little kid and play along happily?

Well, this
was Mello, we're talking about. And he is known for his short-temper and his mule-like stubbornness.

Roger's eyes drifted over to the other two boys present in the room. A brunette boy dressed in a stripped shirt and a brown vest had his goggle-hidden eyes glued onto his PSP, seemingly immune to the vicious screams of Mello.

Matt; infamous for his unhealthy addiction to video and computer games. Where ever he went, he would
always have some sort of video game in his pocket, and would take it out at the most random times.

Roger wondered how many times the boy had went over the whole world of virtual gaming. Once, he even held up the bathroom for eight hours straight and was found seated on the toilet bowl, playing Mario cart. And finally when it came to the drastic measures of prying the game away from his protesting hands, he would just appear a few minutes later with a back up PSP.

Roger often found himself seriously contemplating if he should send him to some sort of rehabilitation for the painfully addicted.
Anybody could see that the boy needed help.

Then, there was Near. The third boy who he had summoned into his office.

Near was a boy who looked a few years younger than his true age. And strangely, he had snow white hair even though he looked so young. His attire was white too, going along with his ghostly pale complexion. He had long made himself comfortably at home on the carpeted floor, cross-legged, a few Power Rangers action figures scattered messily around him. He had the red ranger gripped tightly in his right hand, while a action figure of Godzilla was held in the other hand. He, too, was immune to the scenario taking place in front of him that very moment.

More like he couldn't care less, as long as it didn't concern his toys.

Roger stared dully at the three. His eyes switched from Mello, to Matt, to Near, and finally stopping on Mello's glaring face once again. He let out a long sigh. It was like a nightmare come true.

Why, oh, why did he have to deal with these three all at once?

"Mello, it would be best if you just surrender quietly--"

"Like hell, I will." Mello spat.

Roger pinched the bridge of his nose as Mello began his rant.

"Do you even
know what you're doing? You're asking me to enroll in a place out side of Wammy's, some lowly High school, and telling me to live in their pathetic little dorm! If you're asking me, it sounds like a big waste of time. And to top it all off, he has to come along too." He growled the last part, throwing a hateful glance at the un-offended white-haired boy behind him.

Roger noticed that he only complained about Near, leaving Matt out of this. Another problem that he had to face. Mello disliked Near. Well,
hate is a more appropriate word.

And why? Because Near just very plainly kicked his ass at everything. Studies, marathons, cooking, you name it. Mello had always been placed second next to Near.

Combined with his hotheadedness and his competitive self, this very much mad Mello's blood boil.

Though, Near seemed pretty calm about it. Or maybe he was too busy playing with his toys to notice that Mello was planning his very
slow, very painful death.

"This is
exactly why I'm forced to do this to you!" Roger's eyelid twitched a few times. He slammed his fist down onto the desk in front of him, causing the cup of coffee that had now turned cold to ripple.

"You, you and you!" he pointed a stern finger at each one of the boys in the room. "Take a look at yourselves! All of you, top of the level for everything! Honestly, three of the most gifted children Wammy has ever had! Yet, you all have the same damn problem." He took a deep breath, pausing to close his eyes and rub his templates.

He reopened his eyes and said in a firm voice,


"You all need social lives."


This time, Mello's eyelid twitched at the offending remark. The Godzilla action figure dropped out from Near's hand onto the floor and Matt miraculously managed to tear his eyes away from the screen of his PSP to look up at Roger.

"You. Have. Got. To. Be. Kidding. Me." Mello said through gritted teeth, stretching each syllable.

"So, you're saying that in order to increase our socialbility skills, we have to move to an unkown school in an unknown area just for this sole purpose?" Near asked calmly, setting Godzilla up on it's feet.

"Yes!" Roger exclaimed, throwing his hands up dramatically.

"Sounds lame." Matt drawled, resumming the game that was on pause.

"It's true!" Roger glared. "Let's face it; Matt, you hardly do anything else besides play video games. You talk, live, sleep, eat games. I wouldn't be surprised if you accidentally
died from swallowing one of your cartridges. Near hardly communicates with anyone and rather play with his action figures than make friends, and Mello. You need to control your temper. You're scaring away the people who try to befriend you. Some of them don't even dare to look you in the eye!"

"So? It's our problem, not yours." Mello snorted arrogantly.

"If the children of Wammy's orphanage have a problem, then it is my duty as manager to fix that problem." Roger replied curtly. He laced his fingers together and placed his hands onto the desk. The three, even Mello, listened solemnly to his words and this caused a small, smug smile to crinkle onto Roger's face.

Yes, now to finish off with an intelligent statement! Soon, he'll finally be rid of these three pests! Bwuhahahah!

He laughed an evil laugh inwardly on the inside, nearly letting a snicker slip out.

"I believe that once you have returned from high school, you three will be new and improved young men with brand spanking new social lives."

He faked an all-knowing nod, pretending to look serious.

"Trust me. It's for your own good."

Roger flashed a final victory smile at the three boys before waving his hand dismissively, picking up his mug of cold coffee.

"You'll be sent to St. Phoenix High school first thing in the morning, tomorrow. I suggest you get packing now. I wish you boys a nice life."

His satisfied smile stayed on his face as he raised the coffee up to the speechless boys.

"Now, who wants a cup of coffee?"