After the prom night, after being turned into the laughing stock of the prom, after being defeated by that stupid… what's his name, Elmo was now back home, though there was still one obstacle he had to face...

Annoyed grunts sounded as a less than pleased rat tried to open the door hindering his path to… wherever he was intending to go. Home, was it? Of course, he was going home, if it wasn't for that stupid lock. With a disgruntled sigh, he rang the doorbell and kept working on the door.

He needed keys, of course. But there were no pockets in the yellow suit he was wearing, he had no room for his keys. Did he leave them back at school? With a loud groan, Elmo hit himself in the face, repeating the action several times. How could he forget his keys, his mind screamed at him as he felt the electricity make its presence known in his hands. Pricking and threatening.

And just like that, the door opened to reveal a friendly, though tired face which calmed the distressed rat down instantly. The door was opened, he could get in.

She looked at him with squinted eyes as she tried to place the face behind the getup Elmo sported before going wide-eyed at the realization of who this person before her was. ''Elmo?''

''Yes?''

''...Since when did you get yourself an afro?'' a distinct confusion in her voice could be heard as she studied the younger in the door. ''...Or that suit?''

''Just tonight. I think.''

''Oh,'' she replied and moved out from the door to let Elmo get through. ''Trying… something new?''

''Uh. Sure, ma.''

The middle-aged lady inspected Elmo, still highly confused at the entire scene. This was so unlike her son. Her son kept his hair down, well kept and combed, this was anything but what she had seen from him. Such a drastic change in style had she never seen from her son in all his or her life. Elmo had always been so quiet and didn't do much to stand out, yet that suit and do screamed 'LOOK AT ME, I'M HERE'.

It was different.

''So, how was prom? Oh, and of course, how did your project go?'' Mrs. Sputterspark tried to start up the conversation in the attempt at putting away the jumpsuit from her mind. Such a distracting piece of cloth.

Elmo gave out a little grunt, thinking long and hard to find the answer to her questions. As recollection took form in his mind Elmo made a frustrated whine, throwing his hands in the air. His hair reacted to the movements of his hands, seeming to get attracted to the electrical current that pulsed in them amid his frustrations. ''Both sucked! I didn't get to do even half of what I wanted before it all was ruined! Ruined!'' He shouted, screeching louder than his poor mother had heard him in years.

It tugged at Mrs. Sputterspark's heartstrings to see her son like this, what made him so frustrated? ''What happened?'' she urged, trying to help with what she could. A worried look, approaching to give him a comforting hug.

Elmo shot her a nasty glare and smacked the air in her direction. ''Don't go close to me, woman!''

The command had her stop in her tracks to register what he said. ''What?'' she said sharply, giving Elmo one chance to change his tone. Mrs. Sputterspark wasn't going to allow being disrespected like that no matter how distressed Elmo was.

Elmo dragged a hand through his great hair now that he could think clearer than he did for just a moment ago. ''Oh, uh. Sorry, ma. It just kinda sucked.''

Still on the fence about the reply, she relaxed. Well, at least he apologized, probably wasn't going to become a habit. ''Do you want to talk about it?''

More silence, the gears in Elmo's mind working hard to find the answer he needed. Talking and thinking things through had gotten so difficult after that experiment. A scientific breakthrough like no other but yet so difficult to recall now that he had a few hours to distance himself from the process.

''No thanks. I'm starving though,'' Elmo noted and approached the kitchen now that he got the thought in his mind. Food sounded good right about now.


I hope the story was fine for its first chapter. English isn't my first language, but I hope it's readable!