The next day at school, Max approached Liz.

"We're meeting at lunch today."

"Who's we?"

"All of us. Elsie, too."

"Oh.Is she."

"She's enrolled. And she's going to explain.stuff.to us."

"Ok."

At lunch, Max, Maria, Liz, Isabel, and Elsie were standing in the middle of the courtyard (so that if anyone approached, they could move away) waiting for Michael and Alex. Those two were always so very boyish when they got together: You know, immature and stupid?

Isabel heard their combined laughter, and said,

"Here they come." Everyone glared at them as they approached, but they didn't even notice.

"What's up?" Michael inquired casually, as he stuffed a cupcake in his mouth. Alex started to eat his too, but before he could, he saw Elsie.

"Hey, Elsie! Do you want a cupcake?" he said, proffering the brown blob. Elsie had been glaring along with the others, but suddenly she seemed very good natured, and grabbed the cupcake from his hand with a big smile. Everyone, but Michael, who was too self-absorbed, watched her eat it in three bites. As she finished chewing, Maria said,

"Michael!" slapping his hand away from his mouth, "Pay attention!"

"Okay! Elsie, what do you have to say?" Elsie now looked very uncomfortable. Her eyes looked over every inch of the ground, but never at any of the people waiting to hear her speak.

"This wasn't my idea." She seemed much older today than yesterday, although an age couldn't really be put to her. "I want to do it in the cave."

"Let's go," said Michael. At any mention of the cave, he was ready for action. It had been his home for many years. Also, he'd been more amiable towards Elsie just now because he'd been in the presence of food. Those are the two things (other than Maria) that make Michael happy.

"Michael, we can't just leave school," Max said, always the "responsible" one.

"What? Don't you think this is more important than school?"

"Yes, but it can wait." Elsie seemed to be getting more and more uncomfortable.

"I don't even want to tell you, okay!?" she exploded.

"What's this, female problems?" Michael was getting pissed. He's just been given a chance to go to the cave, then had it taken away.

"Let's just go to the cave," Elsie said, cooling off a little. "Max. Do you remember how I asked you to trust me with your lives? Now you have a chance to do that."

"What, can you put androids in our places?" Maria suggested, popping a cheese cube into her mouth. Elsie laughed a good-natured young laugh.

"No! I can just make them think you're still there." Isabel moved towards Michael.

"How can you that?" Maria asked, sounding very cynical, eating another cheese cube. Elsie's eyes darted around, evading the question.

"I just.can!" Liz moved towards Max. Like two little fish, Elsie's eyes darted ever more, this time to the two pairs that had formed.

"What's going on here!? Why are you pair off?"

"OH!" said Liz with her not-so-innocent act, "We're just-uh."

"Alex! Maria! Come with me to the cave." She reached out and grabbed their wrists and they all three vanished.