"Hey," a sudden voice demanded. "Why have you been acting sad all day? You should have known you'd get in trouble with putting the settings on high and blowing it up. Like an evil, bad guy. Shouldn't you be doing the evil laugh, like they do on the television, not…this?"

Realizing the voice had been directed at him, speaking to him, with the 'blowing it up' bit, Blue turned to see the other making an over-the-top overall gesture to all of him.

Him.

Blue blinked.

Someone was speaking to him.

And it was the other kid from the Glaupunk Quadrant.

Wayne Scott.

Blue tugged Minion, still in the small robotic suit, closer to him. The suit had gone over so well. Minion had been able to move excellent with how he'd designed it and tailored it. Proving to be quite a fantastic fish, listening well enough and adapting to it quickly, managing to walk and then strut in the robotic suit by a matter of a couple hours.

Little top heavy though.

"I miscalculated," he mumbled. "I was low on time and I've never needed finesse the last time I made something like this. I didn't take into account the added ears of corn and the change of container."

Baffled, the other furrowed his eyebrows down, tilting his head at Blue. "Huh? It's a metal thing. They do exactly what button you push on it. And you don't make them. They're just there."

Blue's arms tightened around Minion, scowling and bristling at the condescending tone. "I made it," he snapped back defensively. Churlishly, he shifted so his back was to the other, head turned pointedly away. "Someone, at some point, made those 'metal things'."

The day had already gone horribly bad with his 'Show and Tell' literally blowing up in his face. Blue didn't want to take any part of more teasing and picking and insults and disregard of him. His hope of school changing, hope of the other kids accepting him eventually, had taken a really sharp nose-dive today. The other one, the luckier one, telling Blue he wasn't allowed his own feelings and that he should have known what settings to put the 'metal thing' on and Blue already knew he messed up and basically saying he was liar for making the device… None of any of that was helping.

Because of timing and rotation, Blue was always the last one picked up from school.

At first, he had hope on the extra time. More time to learn and ask questions of the teacher. More time to be around and talk to the other kids. More time to experience school. But it'd become more time to stand outside of the school, Missus Doe insisting he leave the building at the same time as the other kids. It'd been more time of having the kids of his class avoiding him and speaking and playing with anyone but him. It'd been more time to watch them all leave, one-by-one, picked up by parents who were quick to usher their kids away. From him. Blue saw the eyes, heard the mutters, and it took him barely any time at all to understand he was the cause for the rush.

"You made it blow up."

Blue hunched up his shoulders.

"I miscalculated."

"You didn't miss the calculator."

Blue spun back around to glare.

"I miscalculated," Blue repeated again in a harsher tone.

Bailey would have hated the repeated words. Blue's chest clenched. He'd rather be back home, all four of the Kimbles with him. Fred would understand. And Bailey and Charlotte. Even Delbert for all he bemoaned over the old toaster Fred had accidently destroyed.

"Not calculator. I underestimated, I erred, blundered, messed up, got it wrong. I made a mistake. My objective was merely to pop the corn kernels, not to blow the whole thing up. Do you understand? I am very much aware the device I spent all weekend creating was a failure. All I was trying to do was to impress everyone during 'Show and Tell'."

Spent, Blue's shoulders slouched and he shifted his body away from Wayne, curving himself over Minion in his arms.

And Charlotte thought it'd be nice if Blue made something to pop the corn because not everyone could do it like Wayne could. Which got him scribbling down a list of what the other boy could do, Blue thinking that he could someday make devices to match. Fred highly approved.

Then doing his own version of what Wayne could do blew up in Blue's face. So right now? All Blue wanted to do was to make a device to disappear.

"A…a mistake?"

"Yes!"

Blue's jaw trembled and he tried not to cry. Wayne hadn't believed him in all of this, voice doubtful at any of what Blue said as true. He just wanted to go home.

School had… School was losing its luster.

"I still don't see how you didn't know pushing that button would make it blow up. Buttons do exactly what they're supposed to. And they're made to be safe." Wayne's voice jerked to a halt, then slowly, he kept going. "Unless it was broken or damaged by someone on accident. So maybe… Your metal thing did kind of fall apart. You didn't break it on purpose before, right?"

Slowly, Blue peered up and over his shoulder back to Wayne, green eyes wide. He shook his head.

"Okay, then! We'll tell Missus Doe tomorrow and it'll all be good! Well, that will be good. Whatever you did to be a criminal in orange, you still have to pay for that."

Startled, a strangled noise rose up Blue's throat.

"I haven't seen you stealing anything or looking like you want to kill anyone or even really being all that bad. You seem okay enough to me, even if you make up stories like me being an alien too with us having the same birthday, which I thought was kind of neat. The us having the same birthday thing I mean. But… What did you do to be wearing prison clothes?"

Blue frowned. "I didn't do anything. It's my home. It's where my spaceship landed. After I got knocked off course by your spaceship."

"I don't have a spaceship. I'm not an alien." The boy stomped his foot twice, punctuating his stress and definitive 'not'. The sidewalk cracked under his foot and Blue took a hasty step back. "My parents are from here, not the Milky Way. I have gifts, superpowers."

"Glaupunk Quadrant," Blue corrected. He toed the edge of the crack. Enough to crack at the sidewalk, not enough to really be a tripping hazard right in front of the school building. "Not the Milky Way. We are from the Glaupunk Quadrant. Do you really not—"

"I'm not!"

Wayne's fists clenched as he shouted, the forceful flex pulsing through the air, thrumming with promise and pushing Blue slightly back. Green eyes wide, Blue stumbled farther back, twisting himself so that Minion was angled away from the other boy. His mind scrambled in something to say or do to undo what he had caused. But Blue couldn't find the words to say or thing to do. His body angled more, hands circling Minion around his side and behind his back.

"Look at me! I'm human! Human! You're blue! And a liar! Trying to say the teacher is wrong about us having the same birthday! About making metal things! Pretending it blowing up wasn't your fault and trying to make me believe you that it was a mistake! A liar! I have superpowers! Superhuman! Human! Not a freaky blue bad boy alien, who is so bad, your home is a jail!"

Wayne's eyes went wide, coming to some realization, flying closer with his fists still clenched. Breathing hard, Blue moved backwards as fast as he could, not daring to take his eyes off the angry boy. Stumbling, he flung out an arm and caught himself, wrapping his other arm tight to not drop Minion. Blue couldn't slow to make sure he didn't fall on his rear though. His feet moved even faster. And then ran back right into the fence lining the school. Panicked, Blue's jaw trembled, chancing a glance either way.

Too late. Wayne was right in front of him. His face red and nose flaring as he spat.

"I bet you lied about landing there! Anyone who goes to jail has done something bad! Like you! You belong there! Not here with the rest of us!"

Blue swallowed. He wanted the ground to swallow him up. He wanted to sink through the fence. He wanted to disappear.

Wayne turned in the air, flying back to the front, air kicking up at Blue and firing loose clumps of dirt at him.

"Sir?"

Minion's voice came from behind Blue, cautious and concerned.

"Not now, Minion," Blue said.

His voice was thick. Swallowing again, he felt the tremble of his jaw and tried to force it to hold still. Drawing in deep breaths to attempt to have his chest to stop moving so much, Blue barely held it in. Then the long white limousine pulled up and who must be Wayne's mother exited to give the boy a hug, ushering him inside the vehicle.

The other boy was so sure of who he was and his place here, believing and having a loving family, his every whim and desire catered to. And Blue… He had never had that option. Not with looking like this. Not with landing where he did.

Blue gulped, tears streaming down his face, the visage of the leaving limousine shrinking and wavering before him. He watched it go until he could not anymore. And then lost the will to keep standing and holding it in, sliding down the fence with a great sob.

"Sir!"

Minion had wiggled his way out from under Blue's arm, managing, in what was left of the mechanical contraption Blue had made, to pull himself onto Blue's lap. Wiping at his face, Blue looked at Minion. He scarcely took in the wide eyed look of alarm, before he let out another loud gulping and sobbing noise, wailing loudly.

"Sir!"

"Not now!"

"But sir!"

"Blue!"

Was that…Ben?

"Dave! He's over this way! Give us a second Frank."

Gulping, Blue frantically tried to rub all the evidence of tears off his face, trying to get his breathing under control.

"Hey, Blue. Hey. We're here. You're not alone, we got you." Blue could feel the warm large hand sliding over his shoulder, rubbing his back. Dave. There was a hiss up and away from Blue. "Where is that teacher?"

There was a snort. "Yeah, right. You mean someone of authority clearly okay with ignoring what they see or plain not bothering for someone different? It was written all over her face from day one. I know that look. Pretty damn well. Which one of the little punks made you cry?"

Hiccupping, Blue shook his head. "No!"

"Was it your popcorn machine you made?" Dave asked in a soothing voice. "It's all right. Mistakes happen. You'll get it figured out. You know you will. You've got both the brains and the tenacity for it, Blue. Whatever happened, it'll be fine. Minion looks perfectly fine. And those other kids? They'll see when you get it working again and it'll be the coolest thing. It's popcorn. All kids love popcorn. What? You burnt the kernels? It didn't pop them like you wanted?"

"No." Blue shook his head. "I…I… It blew up!"

Silence followed.

"There may have been a slight fire," Minion admitted. "Minor. The only damage was done to the old pot we were allowed to use."

"Well, then." Ben sounded cheerful, a slight laugh. "That's it? That's not even all that bad. A contained fire in a pot. A real campfire. And burned popcorn. Sounds like my family on a camping trip. That's far better than the prison wall you blasted through. Ha. You do know that's pretty much what little Freddie did to the toaster, right?"

Blue blinked at that point, peering up. "Y-yeah. But he's good. People still like him, include him. He's good. I'm…I'm not."

Dave's hand froze on Blue's back. Then lifted. Up and away. Jaw trembling again, Blue lowered his gaze. Only to find Dave had grasped a hold of his chin to lift it up. Blue kept his gaze down to the grass.

"Blue. Look at me," Dave said firmly. Swallowing, Blue slowly lifted his eyes up. Minion was there by his legs looking up in concern and Ben looked upset. But Dave's eyes were narrowed, pinched at the corners, boring straight at Blue. Blue swallowed again. "You are a good kid. You have a good heart. You like helping others. Which is why that wall thing happened. You wanted to help. Which is a good thing. You are young and will make mistakes. Even adults make mistakes. One hopes you make less over time, learning from old ones and learning more of the world around you, but it happens. But you, Blue, you are a good kid at the heart of it all. You hear me?"

"G-good? But, I was sent to the corner and blew up the pot and scared everyone and they all…don't like me. I was sent to the corner. I can't be good. I—"

"Made a mistake. And I bet while you were in the corner, your big head was figuring out exactly what that mistake was and how to fix it so the popcorn would pop properly next time for everyone, wasn't it?"

Startled, a noise exited Blue, his green eyes wide up at Dave. "How did you know that?"

"Because I know you, Blue. And like I said, you are a good kid. All kids get sent to the corner or some form of punishment when they mess up. It happens. Like after the wall thing, remember? Warden took away your time with tools for a week, but you got them back and you learned a lesson. Right?"

"Right," Blue agreed slowly. "All kids go to the corner? Not just me? Because I'm…evil?"

"All kids. And you're not," Ben replied forcefully.

"That's right, sir," Minion chimed in. "I have said this all before. And pointed out all that is worth celebrating. Warden really looks out for us. And Dave and Ben here, they came running as soon as they knew something was wrong. Red and Carl. Carl's out now, but he still sends you postcards and letters. We got the chance to meet the best visitors, rather than ones that prefer poking and prodding. Missus Oh too. All of them, all of any of the people who have bothered to see past how you look or where you come from, they all like you. They all care about you. Do you really think they would like and care about someone evil?"

Blue bit at his lip. "Well. Red and Carl were in prison. And…and Fred and Bailey and Charlotte and Delbert…they're all young and may not know better. Except. Their dad is Warden."

Those were all good people in Blue's eyes, whatever the details about them, good people. His eyes trailed from Minion and back up to Dave and Ben. Guards. The guys on the side of good. Er, depending on who was defining the word, but still, a force of good. So definitely good there with them. And Warden, the man in charge. Blue's mouth twitched up.

"See?"

"I still want to know what little punk I need to have a talk with about this," Ben grumbled gruffly. "Don't tell me there wasn't a kid that did or said something to you. Who was it? Or them. Tell me."

Blue's eyes shot wide. "No!"

"Ben," Dave toned, full of disapproval. "Really? You think that's the best way to handle this?"

Ben huffed, looking away. "Spoilsport. Best way for me to feel better about dropping him off here, yes. Please tell me it was the other kid. The Scott brat. Oh! It was!"

"Don't!" Blue scrambled up, frantic, pleading. "He…he's the good kid here! He's good! He…he is the only one who is nice to me and gets the other kids to include me. A little. Or… He was…"

Trailing off, Blue thought over how upset Wayne had been and not sure how he'd gotten Wayne that upset to fix it or not do it again. He'd probably do whatever it was again. Was it the truth? That Wayne didn't remember it? Which was ridiculous. Blue remembered. But maybe Wayne had bumped his head really hard and forgot and he clearly had a good life. Why would Wayne want to be treated like Blue was when Blue was so…so…

Such a whole series of bad luck and bad mistakes and bad everything.

Wayne had been the nicest of everyone at school.

But why would Wayne ever be nice to Blue after today and what had happened? Blue could see the other kid's face so well in his head, a face bare inches apart from his face, and Blue could feel the fence behind him and the fear. Wayne had been so mad. So mad. The power Wayne had let loose to crack the sidewalk and kick up all that soil and move the air…

What if Ben really did go to Wayne's home? And Wayne was still mad? Ben…Ben could get hurt.

"Don't talk to him," Blue breathed out. "Please."

Ben rolled his eyes. "Fiiine. Both of you. Spoilsports. Eh. I was going to the gym tonight anyway. And I can still glare at the kid tomorrow morning."

"Ben."

"What? Like you aren't going to do the same, Dave?"

The silence lingered. A little too long. And Dave looked away.

Ben's mouth went up, smirking, then breaking into a full force grin. Him and Minion made eye contact. And Ben suddenly bent over, grasping at his stomach, silent laughs shaking through him. Minion grinned, spurts of laughter coming out. "He is. Oh, look at that face, he is going to do it."

"Shuddup," Dave grumbled.

And Blue broke into giggles too.

"Yeah, yeah." The man continued the grumbling, but the corner of his mouth quirked up and his eyes crinkled at Blue. "How about we get going over to the bus? Hm?"

Blue nodded, scooped up Minion, and stood up.

"Do you think Frank has a bus rule about keeping him waiting?"

Ben chuckled. "Bet so. We'll tell him to tally that one being broken on the Scott kid. Earn us a third glare in the morning."

Head swiveling, green eyes wide, Blue gasped up at the guard in astonishment.

"Ben," he chided the man.

Except it wasn't much of an admonishment. Ben had too much humor in him. Ben would still do it, the glaring, Blue would believe it. And get Frank going on top of him and Dave. Stepping down from really saying or doing anything to Wayne like Blue had been worried about, yet still…

Blue ducked his head. In his arms, Minion smiled and nodded up at him. And Blue smiled back, feet a little lighter as he walked across the schoolyard to the bus, trailing after Ben and Dave.

It did not change anything at school, but Blue felt much better.

He was not evil.

He was a good kid.

He had a good heart.

He made mistakes, but there was nothing wrong with that.

Because he learned. He learned from those mistakes. Everything he had ever made he'd learned, fixed, improved, tweaked it. If learning and making and creating things and all his hard work was something celebrated and praised upon and cheered, except for the wall thing as Warden had explained the reasons and let him know that was not okay in purposely trying to do that, well then…learning and making mistakes in other parts of life were bound to happen.

It was just… Minion had pointed it out before, but perhaps Blue did not quite fully realize the truth of it and importance, the impact. He had people. He had people supporting him and caring for him. Learning and making things, well, they had never ever been discouraged. And he'd hardly been discouraged about things he had made which wound up not working quite as he wanted, because there had always been someone there focusing on the bright side.

Blue had thought school would be a place full of people like that, a place of learning. There were things being taught, just…it was different. Today had been the first time he had really been discouraged by his learning and making. Because…Blue expected that support for it. And he had never fully realized he had been supported. All in their own ways, there were people who supported him and who he was and kept an eye out for him.

Well, no matter what, he would keep on doing what he loved. Learning. Creating. Improving. Mistakes would happen. But that's how you kept doing those. The learning and creating and improving. It was part of it.

And…and he had them.

Ben and Dave.

Frank the bus driver.

Red. Carl.

Missus Oh. Warden.

Who were behind his favorite visitors.

Fred with the shared excitement and joy and glee of taking things apart and making them anew. Ideas and what if we do this or try this spoken easily between them, often finding themselves talking too much. Distracted by those notions or other ones tossed in from others or in how to make something to make an acted out story with everyone better.

Grumpy Bailey always being so easily bothered and roused and spoke bluntly, but that was how he was and how he cared with people.

Delbert, excitable Delbert who liked pipping up and in with the rest, had grown even more talkative and giggly and excitable in how if he said something wrong, Blue would say it wrong too.

And Charlotte. Charlotte who shared books Blue had never seen the likes of in the prison library. Who retold those simple, but somehow captivating children's stories with him and her brothers as the characters. Who took him by surprise. Who brought up ideas he had never thought of. Who thought he should have a name, like everyone else, not merely a mound of nicknames. Who was equally annoyed she had no nicknames of her own, nixing all the insulting or teasing ones her brothers then attempted to give her. Who got him interested, intrigued and wanting to know more, when she spoke of things other than his favored mechanical joys. Who managed to bring him a simple recorder and lesson book for him on their last visit. Who was nice and the one Blue really wished he had started school with at them being the same age. Rather than…rather than…

Well, he had people. He would have to remind himself in the hours spent at school. The words and support and care and that he was not really all alone even if it felt like that there.

Blue was determined to learn things from the place of learning.

And he always, always had Minion with him.

Warden had made sure of that.

That night, with his spare time allotted for using the room with all the tools, Blue tweaked and fixed the earlier problem. Then popped a big pot of corn (using a newer one from the kitchen with permissions and promises of not blowing it up like the last one—it didn't). One by one, he gave the popcorn out. To Dave and Ben. Putting a bag aside for Frank tomorrow morning. One for Red. Another bag to ask about mailing to Carl. Then half of it, carrying the pot out in front of him so he didn't bump it with his knees, Blue made his way to Warden's office, Minion rolling along behind him.

"What's this fellas? Ah. Really got that popcorn device producing masses now, don't you?"

Blue nodded.

"Good for you! It is getting close to lights out soon though, you should—"

"For you," interrupted Blue softly. "And Missus Oh and Fred and Bailey and Delbert and Charlotte."

"I'm sure Delbert will really enjoy it," Minion chipped in brightly.

Warden's mustache twitched as he leaned back in his chair, eyes going between Blue and Minion. "That he will. A bit too much maybe. The gesture is nice fellas and very appreciated, but not really allowed and there are guards who are aware of that."

Blue straightened.

"I thought of that. And my earlier mistake comes in handy."

He grinned, then ducked his head, trying to play it down as Warden tended to do. The straight face did not last on Blue. His pursed mouth peered mischievously up in Warden's direction. A twinkling smile.

"The pot I blew up in the corner of your office here. It's bigger. You can put this pot inside, keep the popcorn clean and covered, carry it out like you're getting rid of the one I errored on with the power for the added ears and container size factorization I didn't realize I'd need to take into account. And because of my mistake and learning, you and your wife and kids can all enjoy a tasty treat tonight."

There was a pause. Warden blinked. And then, under that mustache, a smile shone through.

"Why so you're right. Very thoughtful. And sure to be enjoyed."

Blue beamed.

Then dashed back to the door to get back before lights were out.

But paused, shyly glancing back, then out the door for any nearby ears. And back to Warden. Nervously, he fingered the lightning mark on his chest, mumbling some as he spoke.

"Thanks. With…with the blanket. And extra time for things and stepping in with certain visitors. Bringing...bringing my favorite visitors and letting them come back. School. Minion with me there. And… Well, things. Thanks."

Blue hovered at the doorway, head still tilted down, eyes tracing the edges of the lightning bolt with his fingers rather than looking at Warden. He could feel the color in his cheeks and ears. His head tilted and shifted, trying to hide exactly how much it meant to him and in how he had never taken the time to let Warden know before now.

There was a pause.

It lingered.

And then Warden spoke before Blue thought of shooting off down the hallway.

"Arthur."

Not expecting that, Blue's head shot up instead. Green blinked. "Huh?"

"For a name suggestion."

Warden's gaze was steady on Blue's eyes.

"Why Arthur?" Blue asked curiously.

The man shrugged, gaze shifting slightly away, but not completely.

"Shortens to Art or Artie. You got a good streak of creative in you. Go on fellas, get going before those lights go off now."

Brows slightly furrowed at the name suggestion and where it came from, Blue slowly nodded. And found the clock. They only had five minutes!

"Ah! We must hurry Minion! It's almost time!"

"What? Ah! You're right! Oh, thank you Warden! Sorry for the rushed departure and no proper farewell!"

"It's fine. Best hurry fellas," Warden called out behind them as they sprinted away.

Back safe in his cell, star blanket wrapped around his shoulders, Blue dragged out a book not from the prison. Opening it to where several sheets of paper were tucked neatly inside the book. Pacifier plucked out from the robotic suit, Blue should really figure out logistics of other energy sources sometime, he used the pacifier's glow to see the sheets. Flipping to the last one and digging out the pencil, Blue carefully added on to his list, then took the time to go through all the sheets and ruminated on all the names and order variations and pros and cons and how he felt about them.

Eyes growing sleepy, he put the items back away, drifting asleep in the midst of pondering about Warden's single name suggestion. Charlotte had said their dad was really for him having a name of his own, but couldn't do anything about it. Missus Oh had given a few suggestions, all with the letter 'l' somehow incorporated, making him feel warm at every suggestion. But Warden had not and Blue had not expected Warden to speak up about it considering things. The book said the meaning was 'noble strength, a bear' which Blue didn't think fit or why Warden gave that name as his single suggestion.

Arthur.

Hmmm.

Well, he liked how the name sounded when said out loud.

And Warden gave it.

So Blue would keep it on his list along with all the others the Kimble family had suggested. And Ben and Dave's suggestions after overhearing them talking in the visitor's room about it the first day. At his tentatively asked question off to the side during mealtime, Red had said Blue should go with a name of what he wanted and Red would call Blue whatever name he wanted to be called by. Minion was much the same, but enjoyed going back and forth with Blue, discussing all the names and ideas.

It was nice, Blue thought. Having people. And soothed by that, he finally fell asleep.

AN:
No, this did not happen again. How did this happen again? Where am I even going with this? Other than some semblance of normal childhood for him and having more people shown in his corner other than Minion... Oh yeah, right. Okay. I'll go with that? So it was in my head and I wrote more and yeah, might as well do something with it and post it up. Again. What's wrong with me?