At long last, we have BEGUN! I've been teasing this one for so long and it's SUCH A RELIEF TO FINALLY HAVE A START!

This story takes place chronologically between the Mini Tales called Imagination Meditation and The Special Avocado.

The chapter sizes in this fic will vary greatly, it's all part of the process! If this turns out the way I am hoping, it still won't be any Journey To Excelsior, but it'll be a very unique and interesting fic.

My new job coach, aka BEST JOB COACH EVER, has recommended I start this fic because a multi-fic will be easier to manage while working than mini tales. I was already hyperfixating on it, so being told directly to write it was a dream come true.

Mini-tales will come out too, but more sporadically. This is my main goal currently. That being said, my ADHD will force me to take a bunch of breaks in between. You know how it goes.

Alvin, have you got anything to add?

ALVIN 2.0: Writing this will take a toll on me, but I am doing this for you guys! Also cuz I love the angst! And cuz I want you to learn what happened in late August and September! We are in for a bumpy ride, folks. But for now, let's relax with a much more lighthearted chapter to begin!

Summer Doesn't Last Forever

Alvin 2.0's POV

Hello, and welcome to the next multi-fic at last! At this point in our crazy floating timeline, I've been Alvin 2.0 for a while. Years. I'm not sure how many years, because time is funny here, but it has felt like YEARS.

For those of you who don't know the story of how I transformed into the adorkable geek I am today, I am about to give you a super fast cliff notes style version.

It all started when I lost my status at school. I was feeling crummy, so I turned to something new to make me feel better. I signed up for a new class and it wasn't what I expected. The teacher and I really formed a connection. He got me hooked on physics.

My physics obsession increased exponentially and I found myself suddenly wanting to get good grades to impress my new favorite teacher. (Shocking, right?) With Jeanette's help, I began putting TONS of effort into managing my ADHD. I decided I wanted to do better in EVERY school class. I went on a quest to unlock the full power of my brain.

And unlock it I did! In a few months, my IQ had skyrocketed from a meager 102 all the way up to 155 (which is 1 point above Simon's and it drives him crazy oops.) I became a genius, and finally embraced my true self….that had been hidden away under layers of denial.

But I didn't just get smarter in the academic sense. Jeanette also gave me lessons on everything from controlling my impulses to making sure I consider other people's feelings. We turned my life around!

Fast forward several crazy events (that are all detailed in the COLOSSAL fic called Journey To Excelsior) later, and Boom! Ka pow! Alvin 2.0 is here to stay!

Does the ongoing identity crisis suck? Absolutely! But, it's been getting easier to deal with every day. Lately, I've been feeling pretty comfortable with all my contradictory personality traits and lifestyle choices.

Of course, that might only be because it's summertime…and summer brings less pressure, and more time to have fun. School starts up again soon, but for now, I just wanna enjoy the positive energy while it lasts.

I got a song stuck in my head that became my summer anthem! It was from a Curious George movie that I watched with Jeanette and Theodore. Being all 2.0-ified meant that I actually gave some stuff a chance that I'd turn my nose up at before. And it paid off! Because now I have a great new song to add to my ever-growing playlist! Ain't that amazin'? Anyway, it's by Jack Johnson. Please enjoy a wonderful summer montage inspired by the lyrics and music of this song! Here we go!

I walked along with Jeanette on the sidewalk. As I walked, I hummed the tune. She took my hand and squeezed it tightly. That always helped to center me. It kept me from sinking into the abyss of stress.

"Who's to say what's impossible

Well, they forgot this world keeps spinning"

Next thing ya know, I completed an awesome skateboard trick at the skatepark. Theo and Ellie cheered me on. They waved signs that said "Go, Alvin 2.0!" and "Knock Em' Dead!" I shouldn't have to tell you who made which sign. Lol.

"And with each new day

I can feel a change in everything"

I got out my checklist of summer plans and perused it for a brief moment. Most of the things I wanted to do were all checked off! This summer was going EXACTLY as planned. A sharp contrast from the way I usually wasted my summers only playin' videogames and stuff.

"And as the surface breaks, reflections fade

But in some ways, they remain the same."

I walked by a pond in the park and glanced at my reflection, rippling softly in the water. It shifted to Classic Alvin for a split second before returning to my usual face with the glasses and freckles and super cool long hair.

My bros, Simon and Theodore, caught me staring into the water and chased me away from the pond playfully. We ended up rolling down a hill together and our laughter echoed through the whole park.

"And as my mind begins to spread its wings

There's no stopping curiosity"

I didn't only prioritize fun over the summer. There was plenty of time to study and keep my mind sharp. I had a new interest building up! I wanted to learn to code videogames. I sat in the library one day with my nose buried in a book about Coding For Dummies.

"I want to turn the whole thing upside down

I'll find the things they say just can't be found"

One day, I showed up to a beach party dressed in a red T shirt with cyan trim that loudly proclaimed my status as a nerd. It was a shirt with a roller coaster design that said "I HAVE POTENTIAL!" And then it also featured the equation for calculating potential energy. Brittany facepalmed at my hopeless dorkiness, but then she took my hand and pulled me in to be part of the fun!

Few days later, Jeanette and I took turns skipping stones at a pond. Mine skipped about 3 times before splashing in. Jeanette gracefully skipped hers 7 whole times! I wondered how she could do that!

"I'll share this love I find with everyone

We'll sing and dance to Mother Nature's songs"

After that, I took time to sit down and read a story to Zeela, Pippi, and Warbie. If you don't know who they are, they're a robot, a mouse, and a baby bird. They're also sorta mine and Jeanette's kids. Netta was here too. She looked up at me, positively enchanted by the way I effortlessly shifted my voice for each character in the story I was reading.

Another day, Theodore joined Jeanette and I on a nature hike. We skipped through the forest together and Theo and I fashioned Jeanette a crown out of the few leaves that had fallen already. Then, we all danced together. It was magical.

"I don't want this feeling to go away"

In the backyard, I closed my eyes and felt the soft and comforting breeze on my chubby chipmunky cheeks.

"Who's to say I can't do everything

Well, I can try"

When it was my designated science time,…(not because I planned it out, but because my brain just suddenly wanted to do something more intellectually stimulating)…I spread out all the blueprints for my upcoming ADHD friendly invention ideas. I couldn't wait to make them a reality! I slipped into my trusty cyan lab-coat with all the doodles on it, grabbed a wrench from MY toolbox, and prepared to work.

"And as I roll along, I begin to find

Things aren't always just what they seem"

After that, I skateboarded again, beside Simon and Eleanor. Simon almost took a tumble off his board, but Ells and I saved him.

In August, I think, I taught Theo to play ping pong. I drew out all the physics concepts and geometry concepts I could see. (I still get physics hallucinations randomly sometimes, they're so helpful. I just don't write all about them because I heard it can feel repetitive to readers.) Theo tried his best to pick up on it. There was a tiny smidge of improvement. Brittany watched us and laughed. She couldn't understand it that well either, but at least she wasn't laughing in a mean way.

"I want to turn the whole thing upside down

I'll find the things they say just can't be found"

One of my favorite moments was when Jeanette and I both hung upside down from a tree together. We heard rustling and realized Eleanor had climbed up to join us! She hung upside down and poked my nose playfully. Then, we all looked below and saw Theodore chasing after Lilly, his pet puppy.

The following day, I picked up a shiny rock off the ground in our driveway. I was hoping to run it through my rock tumbler and make it even shinier! Suddenly, SLAM! I felt a force collide with my back. I whipped around to see it had been a basketball that struck me. Simon waved sheepishly and then ran to retrieve his basketball. I chuckled. He was having fun. Always good to see Simon havin' fun.

"I'll share this love I find with everyone

We'll sing and dance to Mother Nature's songs"

Another time, I attached rocket boosters to our laundry basket and was about to send it up the stairs so I didn't have to strain myself carrying it. Dave walked by and grabbed my remote. I begged him to give it back and even hugged his legs and said I appreciate him tryin' to protect me, but I can handle it. Nothin' worked. He still wouldn't let me test the invention.

Oh, I almost forgot! We also had our own Hawaiian luau in the beach! Brittany and Eleanor teamed up to plan it. We all hula danced and wore leis with flowers on them and grass skirts. Except for Simon. Simon's too self conscious for a grass skirt. Simon and Theo teamed up and built a giant sandcastle. I'm talkin' sand MANSION!

"This world keeps spinning and there's no time to waste

Well, it all keeps spinning, spinning 'round and 'round and"

And we went to the amusement park again. The day was so awesome! I don't remember much aside from the general excitement. One thing that sticks out to me vividly was when Brittany and I hugged each other on the Tilt-A-Whirl ride while screaming adrenaline pumpin' screams.

A few days later, I sampled some lemonade from Theodore's lemonade stand. It was delicious! I prefer the raspberry kind, but plain has a sort of zing to it that really excites my tastebuds! I grabbed Theo's hands and we spun each other in a circle to celebrate me trying something new again!

"Upside down

Who's to say what's impossible and can't be found?"

Eleanor and I also rode this REALLY INTENSE roller coaster! I kept my motion sickness pills on me. But, even so, I did get a little anxious when we were upside down on the coaster and just sort of hanging there for a few seconds. Eleanor waved her hands around while I clung to the bar in front of me, praying that gravity wouldn't pull me out of the coaster car and send me hurtling towards the ground.

One day, Geizmo (Simon's robot son) wanted me to fix his remote control helicopter toy. Almost on instinct, I cracked the thing open and started poking around with the wires. Simon watched and shouted for me to be careful. I barely heard him. Hyperfocus was locked and loaded. I identified the issue and fixed it quickly. Simon's jaw dropped.

"I don't want this feeling to go away

Please don't go away"

I crossed off more days on the calendar. Summer was nearing its inevitable end. I pulled out my to-do list and smiled widely. It was 100% complete. I'd knocked out EVERYTHING I wanted to do in just three months. And I didn't even rely on candy that much. Once I got momentum, I just kept up the momentum!

Turning back to the calendar, my smile faltered. I felt a pang of sadness. To alleviate the sadness, I climbed up onto the toy chest near the window. I was mesmerized by the setting sun. I loved the way the pink and purple sky brought out different hues in the color scheme of the Chipettes' treehouse. It was remarkable.

"Is this how it's supposed to be?"

As we wrap up this song montage and the music fades from my head slightly (cuz some sort of music is USUALLY present in my head, ya know) I thank you for taking time to read through all those long winded descriptions of mine. Rambling, essentially, in fanfiction form.

I pulled out my headphones and slipped my phone away. Warbie perched on my knee, looking at me with his turquoise eyes. His yellow feathers ruffled slightly in the autumn breeze. I leaned back against the tree. This was as close as my overactive nervous system could ever get to true relaxation. It felt stupendous.

"Whatcha thinkin' 'bout?" The little bird's childlike voice asked. Think, Bart Simpson, but a little higher pitched and more toddler-esque.

I let out a heavy sigh as I put my hands behind my head. "I feel like this is cliche, so I don't even know why I'm saying it." I began. "But, I'm gonna say it anyway. I can't believe summer's almost over."

"At least we made it a fun one!" He chirped with enthusiasm.

I closed my eyes. "Yeah." I said happily.

Warbie fluttered over onto the brim of my baseball cap and hung upside down from it. "You checked almost everything off your list!"

I blinked my eyes back open and chuckled. "Heh Heh. That RARELY happens."

He flapped his wings, but stayed hanging from my cap. "So what are you gonna do tomorrow?" He asked.

What WAS I going to do? The list was complete. I could do whatever I wanted! Whatever I impulsively decided…within reason. But, well, being prepared for school took a lot of steps. And those steps might knock out too much time if I let my focus drift too much. Sigh.

"Probably register for classes since I haven't finished that yet." I admitted, clinging to the happiness as the conflicted feelings tried to bubble back in. "I'm on the fence about Computer Science. I really wanna code my own videogames….and the book from the library was not helpful. I need hands-on experience!" I frowned deeply as I said the next thing. "But, Simon told me I can't handle it."

Warbie released his talons from the cap and perched on my knee again. "So what? You'll show him who's boss and handle it fine!" He encouraged me.

I forced a smile, the feeling of not being good enough, not being smart enough, or talented enough, it still lingered.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence. Wish I had mine too." I said at a much lower volume than usual.

Warbie pointed one of his feathers at my cap. "Don't let Simon get in your head." He insisted. "You can do ANYTHING you set your mind to!"

I rubbed my chin thoughtfully. "I don't know. I'm inclined to trust my brother's judgment." I answered, surprising myself.

I musta surprised Warbs too. He cocked his head to the side, studying me the way I study physics.

"….You switched to full nerd mode again, didn't you?" He asked.

I just shrugged. "Yes? No? Maybe? I still dunno how it works. I wish I knew how it works." I confessed. "Dave thinks I need therapy. He's making me see a therapist when school starts up again." I made a gagging noise at the thought.

Warbie read my mind basically. He said exactly what I was thinking. "But what about Jeanette? Isn't she your therapist?"

I nodded, starting to gesture with my arms as I spoke. "Yeah, but, Dave was all like "your girlfriend can't be your therapist. It's not right. Don't worry, we'll get you all the help you need." I imitated Dave's lower and much more boring sounding voice.

"That sucks." Warbie flapped his winds and took off to perch on his birdhouse.

I stood up and began pacing near the tree and big yellow mansion of a birdhouse. "And I don't even NEED help right now!" I stated firmly. "I'm handling everything okay! I'm fully adapted to being Alvin 2.0 now." Wait, was I? I better correct that statement, in case it's a lie. "At least, sometimes it feels like I am." I added in a rush.

"Seems like it." Warbie confirmed. "You are happier, and more fun! No offense, but ya kinda turned into a grouch for a while."

I frowned again, recalling my tendency to mirror Simon's grouchy attitude and general dissatisfaction with life. (But he's kinda better now too!)

"I know. I'm sorry, little buddy." I found myself staring up at the brilliant blue sky with powder white clouds sprinkled throughout. "So whattya wanna do now?" I asked, flipping my attention back to the young bird.

"I dunno, dad. What do you wanna do?" He asked.

"Not stress about school starting." I answered with barely a thought. "There will be plenty of time for that later."

"Wanna race to the skatepark?" Warbie suggested.

I noticed my flyin' skateboard or skyboard or whatever I call that thingie was leaning against the tree.

Wasting no time at all, I picked it up and tucked it under my arm. "Ohoho! You're on!"

My mind replayed the seconds earlier conversation and something hit me like a runaway train going 400 miles per hour. "Wait, wait, wait, Warbie…." I began.

"Hmm?" The little bird perched on my shoulder.

I gently scooped him up and held him in my free hand. "Did you just call me…dad?"

He looked down at his talons. "Was that too much?"

"No. It wasn't. Just caught me by surprise, that's all." I answered honestly. The next thing that escaped my lips weirded me out considerably. "I kind of….like it."

"I swear I've called you dad before a few times. You just don't remember." He said, flapping his wings and taking off again.

"Hey! It's summer! My memory doesn't HAVE to be as good in summer." I reasoned, before spewing into an intellectual tangent. "Not to mention, my hippocampus actually shrinks in the summer, it's a chipmunk thing. It grows in fall and wintertime. Shrinks in spring and summer! Fascinating topic, really…."

Suddenly, I noticed Warbie had already gotten a huge head start to the skatepark.

"Hey! Wait up!" I ran to the sidewalk and put my skateboard down. I lept onto it and rolled along expertly. "You sly bird, you got me monologuing!" I chuckled. Gosh, I loved that kid.

"Catch me if ya can, dad!" Warbie flew ahead, laughing and giggling up a storm.

I narrowed my eyes with determination and a smirk pulled at my lips. I zoomed ahead as I raced to catch him!

We both had an amazing time at the skatepark that day! Truly amazing! I was gonna miss going there so often once school started again. But, such is life.

After the skatepark, I played some Zombie War 12 and Dungeon Master 16. They were okay, but I could feel the push to do something more worthwhile, like register for classes. I hated how much my anxiety nagged at me. I was more aware of it during the school year, but having it still present during the summer was KILLING MY VIBES!

I needed to talk to someone else about my issues. Get a second opinion. Warbie's advice isn't always great, because it's filtered through the lens of a toddler aged kid. I needed a PEER. Someone who knew the horrors of High School. Luckily, I knew exactly who to talk to.

I knocked on the treehouse door and found it was unlocked. I ventured inside to find Jeanette in her room, with a crafting video teaching her how to knit playin' on YouTube.

"Got a little while to talk?" I requested politely. "It's okay if ya don't. I'll just come back when you're not busy."

She paused the video and set the laptop aside on Britt's vanity. "I have time." She grinned.

And so, I laid down on Jeanette's bed as she pulled up a chair and sat next to it. Like any good therapist, she brought out her clipboard and started taking notes. These sessions weren't as frequent as they used to be, but I definitely needed one today.

"Netta, I don't wanna go back to school." I whimpered.

Her big midnight eyes filled with sympathy. "I know, I know, but at least you'll get to see your friends more and Dr. Wilson and learn some new things and…" She was doing her best to make me see the good side.

But alas, I couldn't. Those things didn't help as much as I knew school would hurt.

"Yeah, but it's so….repetitive." I lamented. "Every day this summer has been full of excitement and wonder. Now, I have to go back to boring, monotonous, repetitive days and piles of work that I'm constantly behind on."

Do I complain too much? Probably. Must be an ADHD thing. The entire world is so RIGID and BOXED IN. Everything is set up in a way that's the direct opposite of what I need to thrive. I have every right to complain.

Jeanette completely understood. She's also bogged down by the traditional school system. "It is….very unfortunate. I wish the world were structured in a way that wasn't driving us all toward burnout."

I sighed again, leaning harder against her pillow. "I've really scheduled everything perfectly this summer. I had time for chores, I worked on new invention ideas, I made comics, I studied to keep my brain sharp, and I got to spend quality time with my family and friends! And ALL of it was fun." I informed her, reminiscing fondly and bittersweetly.

"But just because school's starting again, doesn't mean the fun is all over. Does it?" She proposed.

I felt tears welling up and shoved them back with a healthy dose of annoyance. I wasn't in the mood to cry. "For me? Yeah. Pretty much." I answered sadly and bitterly. "No matter what I do, Miss. Smith makes my school life miserable. Dr. Wilson's great, but AP classes are hard. And I'm taking two AP classes this year." I revealed.

Jeanette looked VERY concerned. "T..Two?" She stammered.

"But even if I wasn't,.…all my personal goals and projects have to be put on hold 'til next summer." I added. "I gotta focus on only school oriented stuff, or I'll fail." How MISERABLE is that!?

Now, she looked like she was gonna cry. "But that's not a healthy balance, Alvin. You need leisure time." She tapped her pen against the clipboard rapidly. I loved that sound. So…soothing.

"I would have it if Dave eased up on the chores and wasn't making me attend family therapy every week." I responded, with an aggravated ear flick.

Her brunette colored eyebrows ascended. "Family therapy? How is this the first time I'm hearing of that?" She wondered.

I rubbed my forehead. "He just dropped the news on me YESTERDAY." I grumbled. "I need a break. I've already felt the school stress on my back and school is still 2 full days away!" I stood up on her bed and clenched my fist. "I can't let this wreck the last days of summer!"

"I'm so sorry, Alvin." She jotted something down on the clipboard and nibbled her lip. "I don't understand why Dave is pushing you so hard all the time. I know he wants to help, but it does the exact opposite."

I threw my hands in the air. I was fed up with fighting. Fighting didn't lead anywhere. If only got me in trouble.

"Guess I just gotta play along until I prove that I can't handle everything." I muttered angrily.

Jeanette set her clipboard down and came over closer to her bed. "You'll always have me to vent to when things get rough." She promised. "And I'll help you with your homework too."

I slumped my shoulders. As much as I loved her help, I knew I'd become too coddled if I kept relying on her assistance.

"No, Netta. Dave's right. I can't keep leaning on you like a crutch." I said, forcefully. "I gotta be my own independent man."

Her frown deepened. She looked hurt that Dave would view her that way. "I'm….I'm not your crutch. I'm your girlfriend. I don't want to see you overwork yourself."

I sat down on the bed. "It's fine, Netta. I'll make it through. Somehow." I HOPED.

"If….If you're sure." She put her pointer finger in her mouth and nibbled the nail.

"I'm not sure." I blurted out. "But I just get so paranoid about people thinking I'm using you. Ya know?"

She nodded.

I jumped up from the bed and paced the floor, a whirlwind of complex and hard to articulate feelings as usual. "I miss Classic Alvin. He hasn't been around in a while. Weird, since it is summer. He usually loves summer."

My girlfriend raised a shaky paw into the air. "May I make an observation?" She asked softly.

I froze in my spot. "Sure."

"Classic Alvin seems….very repelled by your anxiety." She stated with a frown. The pen tapping against the clipboard resumed.

I nodded. She had solved the case. "Yeah. I noticed that too." I squeaked. "I'm gonna try and do some imagination meditation tonight like ya taught me….and see if I can summon Classic at will."

"Good luck." She wrote something else on the clipboard.

I was suddenly bored. Understimulated, now that my negative emotions were unloaded and could no longer provide me conflict in my head for a while.

"Until then….got any plans?" I gave Netta a goofy and well meaning smile.

The beautiful brunette, in the lilac T-shirt with a bunch of butterflies on it, put the clipboard away "Not much. I just finished registering for classes and I was going to write my next short story. But the motivation isn't playing nice. So, then I went on YouTube to find story ideas and next thing you know, I was watching a video about knitting." She looked at her laptop and then back at me. "But it doesn't interest me right now. I'll finish it later."

"Sounds like we're both in desperate need of some fun!" I exclaimed. I squeezed my eyes shut tightly and called upon my other half, begging him to talk to me! To show me how to party! My head was by no means silent. There were PLENTY of thoughts in there, but unfortunately the voice I was searching for wasn't around.

"What are you doing?" Jeanette asked gently.

"Trying to activate my Classic Alvin side." I pushed again, calling out with my rapid and ever changing thoughts. Attempting to summon that carefree and charismatic chipmunk everyone was most familiar with, even now.

I opened my eyes and groaned. "It's not working."

Jeanette pulled me into a warm embrace. Her honeysuckle shampoo smelled so sweet and inviting. "That's okay." She reassured me. "I think your Alvin 2.0 side is equally fun."

I couldn't help but break out into a goofy smile at her. "Aw shucks." I said, awkwardly.

We decided to do some art together. I worked out a comic idea and then got bored with that and moved onto some invention blueprints. Jeanette drew a picture of the beach using watercolor pencils. Those are so cool! They're like colored pencils, but then you paint with plain ol' water over them and the picture gets a watercolor painting look!

As we were makin' art, another thought occurred to me. Since becoming 2.0, my creativity has been completely refocused. It didn't disappear. I just rarely use it for pranks and getting around being grounded anymore. I've gone from scheming to schematics.

Instead of just sitting around daydreaming and messy doodling, I turn some of my daydreams into fully illustrated comic books. Inspiration is still EVERYWHERE, but what I want to do with that inspiration and information is totally different than before. It weirds me out…constantly.

Because my 2.0 side processes stuff differently. More productive-creative at the same time. More analytical, abstract, divergent and yet also convergent.

He can anticipate patterns in his behavior and calculate possible consequences. Something Classic TRIED to do, but was never good at.

But, ya know. Sometimes it might be nice to turn all that off and just go back to vibing in chaos like Classic. As long as I don't have too many responsibilities left unattended.

I'm just….awful at turning it off.

And gosh darn it, I WANT TO TURN IT OFF! I need a temporary break from being a chronic worrywart and total nerd!

When I left the treehouse, I was still thinking about any possible way to turn Classic Alvin on again. I loved being Alvin 2.0, but being him constantly was EXHAUSTING! I always had to think so far ahead and feel so self aware of my stupid body and all its limitations. Ick!

An idea popped up, among the sea of other ideas I knew were too risky. (Seriously, one of them was 'skateboard in the middle of the street for an adrenaline rush.' COME ON!) Anyway, I decided my biggest problem was forgetting the Classic Alvin mindset. I needed a refresher. Fortunately, I had an entire box of home movies featuring my Classic persona! If I watched enough, maybe I'd remember how to tap into his carefree attitude and party animal-ness!

I selected a few and popped them in. I was watching one where I kept trying intense and dangerous stunts…on a wild weekend with Dave, when my brothers interrupted me.

Phew! At least they let me pause the movie and stop calculating the statistics of how many people have died doing all those adrenaline pumping stunts I used to love. Does a part of me even love them anymore? I can't feel it.

"You never watch these things outside lessons with Jeanette." Simon pointed out the absurdity of the situation. "What gives?"

"I guess I just wanted to cringe at how stupid I used to be." I retorted coldly, still reeling from the feelings the episode had stirred up.

"Oooh!" Theodore squealed, looking into the box of DVDs. "Can we watch the one where I think I'm allergic to sugar next? I wanna cringe too!"

I let out a heavy sigh. "Theo…"

Simon stuck his hands in the pockets of his denim shorts. "Alvin, what's the REAL reason you're doing this?"

"I told you!" I snapped.

"No you didn't." He argued.

I poked him directly in the medium blue T-shirt with a picture of a beaker containing pink liquid on it. "Yes, I did."

Theodore watched us curiously. "I dunno. I'm picking up the same vibes as Simon." He said. "You're hiding something."

I played with the TV remote in my hands. "I miss Classic." I admitted, in a hushed tone.

I glanced down at the red sports jersey with cyan letters that read "Alvin 2.0." I loved that jersey, but I wished I felt like wearing my old ratty and torn red hoodie.

"Here we go again." Simon rolled his eyes.

My younger brother in the spring-green T-shirt with pictures of daisies on it and the words "It's A Lucky Day" decided to do what he does best. He provided the comfort Simon wasn't in the mood to hand out.

"But you ARE Classic." He climbed up next to me. "You always have him right here!" He tapped my heart.

"I know." I fidgeted more with the remote. "I'm just having a hard time, you know, tapping into him recently." I stared at my pink, purple, and blue galaxy patterned shorts and let the swirls and planets immerse me.

"Whattya mean?" Theodore inquired kindly.

Simon came to join us, standing by the coffee table. "I thought he's always talking in your head." He teased.

I sighed. "Not always. It comes and goes." I explained. "Lately, every time I feel like I wanna activate Classic mode, it's like there's this huge mental blockade running interference."

"That's sucky." Theodore rubbed my shoulder. "I'm sorry, bro."

"Perhaps it's a sign that you've fused with Classic at last. He's still around, but now you can't isolate him and slip into that childish mindset as easily." Simon rubbed his chin.

I started to feel panicked. "What!? Aw nuts, I hope not!" I gulped. "Keeping him separate was so important to me! Cuz if we fuse, the opposite traits will cancel each other out! I'll be bland-er and pretty dang boring!"

"No." Simon folded his furry arms. "You'll be NORMAL. Like everyone else."

My tail bristled. "I hate that word!" I shouted. "I don't WANT to be like everyone else." I clutched my head protectively. "I like the extra voices! I like them!"

"Maybe Classic Alvin's just taking a nap and he'll wake up later all nice and refreshed." Theodore suggested, pulling a package of trail mix from his deeper green shorts.

"M…Maybe." I hugged my knees. "I just really really miss him. He deserves to come out one last time before school starts up. Especially since I'm gonna start that second AP class."

"I highly advise against that." Simon cautioned.

"I'll be fine." I insisted.

A playful smile appeared on my brown haired bro's face. "There's that Classic Alvin spirit." The smile faded once more. "But seriously, do NOT sign up for Computer Science. Kevin and I can barely handle it."

"You're not the boss of me, Si." I stood up on the couch. "I'm a certified genius now, did you forget?"

"If you truly wish to take that class, I'll help you any way I can." My tallest brother informed me. "But I implore you to heed my warning and save us both the trouble."

Theodore nodded in agreement. "And the headaches." He added.

I got out my phone, suddenly having enough motivation to do something I had been putting off. I turned the episode back on and let it play in the background. I could pay attention to both things at once.

"Who are you texting?" Simon raised an eyebrow.

"Nobody." I said with a smile. "I'm just finishing my registration stuff. And I'm registering for Computer Science."

"Thank goodness I'm taking Study Hall this year." Simon commented. "At least one class will give me a break from you."

"Ouch. My poor feelings." I filled out the registration forms as fast as I could.

Theodore watched the rest of the episode with his eyes practically glued to the screen. "Oh oh is this the one where you and Dave go to jail and then escape?"

"Uh…I dunno. I think so." I finished my task and hit enter. "There. It's done."

Simon looked at me with half lidded eyes. "You know there's still an exam you have to pass to qualify for Computer Science too. It's an AP class."

"I'll be fine. I have my ADHD management strategies." I said with a bigger grin. I took a small box of Nerds candy from my pocket and shook it.

It elicited another eyeroll from the king of eyerolls.

I kept shaking the box. I enjoyed listening to the shaking noise! It served as a really nice stim.

Simon took the box from me and shoved it back in my pocket. "Knock it off." He instructed. "You can't keep relying on sugar to get you through high school."

"I have other strategies besides sugar too." I waved my hands around. "But anyway, back to the whole Classic Alvin thing. I gotta know how to summon him at will!"

The episode ended and Theodore rejoined our conversation. "I don't think that's how it works." The boy in green squeaked.

"Well….actually…" Simon held his pointer finger in the air.

Theodore sighed. "Those are your favorite words, aren't they?"

I snickered.

"What are you laughing at?" The youngest of us went on. "They're yours too."

I didn't think that was true. So, without even thinking about it, I prepared to correct him. "Well, actually…" And then I realized what I was saying and my face turned red hot with embarrassment. "Never….Nevermind."

Theodore giggled. "SEE!? You can't even help yourself!" He collapsed on the floor and held his belly. "You guys are two of a kind!"

Simon's face was slightly pink now as well. He cleared his throat. "As I was saying…" He looked at me. "Perhaps there is a way to isolate Classic Alvin a bit and allow you a much needed release from the stress."

"There is?" My face cooled down and my tail twitched with excitement.

"However, you're not going to like the solution." My tall bro in the beaker T-shirt continued.

"Try me!" I ran over to him and fell to my knees, begging. "I'll take anything ya got!"

"Anxiety medication." He paused to wait for the reaction that I knew he knew was coming.

I got off my knees and backed away. "No! No! No! I don't do brain altering meds! I refuse!" I felt my heart pound faster. "Think of the side effects, man! It'll make me a spaced out zombie! Or it'll make my hair fall out! Or cause my rash to flare worse! Or make me sweatier! Or…or…stunt my creativity!"

"I don't know much about meds." Theodore interjected. "But don't they only do that if they're the wrong dose or wrong med? And when you stop taking them, you're fine?"

"Yes. Exactly." Simon confirmed.

"Whatever." I spat. "I'm not in the mood to go see a psychiatrist and play med roulette and go through months of heck trying to find a medication that gels with my mutant body and half-human half-chipmunk brain. Already been there, done that. Years ago. It was awful."

"But what if it's the only way to have the kind of carefree and exciting feelings you've been missing out on?" Theodore reasoned, taking the remote out of my hands before my trembling hands dropped it.

I shook my head very fast. "I can't risk it! I hate side effects! I hate them! This whole 2.0 thing has ENOUGH side effects!"

Simon rolled his eyes again. "Okay, well, what if you DIDN'T have to try a bunch of different medications? What if you didn't even need to see a psychiatrist?"

I tilted my head. I was unsure where he was headed with this. "I'm listening."

"Creating the perfect medication is just…chemistry." Simon smiled proudly. "And while you are Mr. Physics Legend, I happen to hold the title of Family Chemist."

"Wait, are you saying you can make Alvin a perfect side effect free med?" Theo's eyes widened. "That's FANTASTIC!"

"Yes. It wouldn't be something he'd take daily. I assume you don't want to be Classic Alvin every day, " Simon looked at me. "…right?"

I nodded. "Yeah, everyday would just set me back where I started. I'm not looking to revert fully, I just need a vacation. A 2.0 personality vacation."

My brother in blue rubbed his hands together. "Splendid. I'm positive I can come up with something."

"Can I help ya? Do you need me for any tests?" I volunteered.

"No." He patted my head affectionately. "A hair sample and a saliva sample will do. I have all your other information already filed, as well as documents explaining the differences in humans and mutant chipmunk-human hybrids."

"Okay cool." I relaxed a bit again. Though the thought of whether I could trust Simon fully kept nagging at my mind. "Thanks, bro."

"Go do your sciency thing!" Theodore cheered with a grin showing the tiny gap between his front teeth.

I spit into a cup and cut off a tiny tiny sliver of my extra long shoulder length hair. Then, all there was left to do was wait.

I did my best not to bother Simon during the process of inventing my super awesome as-needed basis anxiety medication. I busied myself with some more activities, and watched more and more "episodes" of our life with Theodore.

The wait was painful as heck, but I survived it! Go me! I only went down to bother him a total of ONE time.

"How's it going?" I asked, hustling down the stairs.

"I'm actually almost finished." Simon surprised me a LOT by sayin' that.

"Really?" I raised an eyebrow and looked over his shoulder. "That was fast."

He adjusted the prescription safety goggles that replaced his usual glasses. "Indeed. I'll confess, I have had parts of this in the works for quite some time. All I needed was the confirmation that you'll actually try them to motivate me to complete the process."

"My anxiety is….real bad, isn't it?" I rubbed my arm awkwardly.

He nodded. "Yes. It is. Classic Alvin had a lot of anxiety as well, but he could ignore it easier. You cannot. It shows in everything you do. From the way you walk to the way you talk to all your facial expressions and your body language. Now, anxiety can be a helpful emotion. It keeps you from getting hurt, forces you to think of consequences." He frowned. "But when it runs rampant, it can start to hide parts of who you are…until you forget they were ever there. It must be managed. And Jeanette can only do so much. A shift in brain chemistry now and then is what you need."

I was listening to his speech the best I could, while also watching his beakers with their bubbling liquid. "I agree, dude. Plus, you know, it's not like my brain chemistry isn't CONSTANTLY shifting." I joked. Then, I got a little sidetracked again. "Are you making pills? I am not great at swallowin' pills."

"Already a step ahead of you." He gloated gleefully. "These are going to be chewable tablets. And they're fruit punch flavored."

Awww he knew me so well! "AWESOME!" I cheered.

"You should be able to take the first one tomorrow and enjoy a full day in Classic mode." He informed me.

"Whoah! A full day! I thought I was only getting like 3 hours!" I exclaimed. "You're a wizard!"

"Nope." He smiled. "Just a chemist." He suddenly turned very serious. "Alvin, you cannot go around telling people I made you these, okay? Creating medication without proper training is technically illegal. As is getting it without a prescription from a doctor or psychiatrist."

I made the lip zipping motion. "I won't tell a soul." I promised. "Unless they're a trustworthy soul. I can tell the Chipettes, right?"

"Yes yes. Absolutely." He responded. "Now, if you don't mind, I would like to return to my work."

I nodded in an understanding way. "You got it! Ohoho! I can't wait 'til tomorrow!"

I zoomed up the stairs and Simon just shook his head in exasperation as he watched me go.

The very next morning, I leapt out of bed, ready to start the day. I raced out of my room, only to be roadblocked by Dave.

"Alvin, I want the dishwasher unloaded before I get back from work today." He said sternly.

I chuckled, trying to hide how annoyed I was. "How about a "good morning?"

He continued down the stairs and grabbed his jacket. "Good morning. Now, go unload the dishwasher. Before you forget."

I clenched my jaw to stop myself from shouting at him. "Okay, Dave." I sighed. "I wasn't gonna forget though!"

"You usually forget." He put on his shoes. Boring black loafers. "If you do it now, there will be plenty of time to enjoy your last day of summer."

"Urrrrgh." I groaned as I slogged my away to the kitchen. My brain wasn't awake enough for chores yet, but I suppose I better get started.

"And do NOT give me an attitude." My dad snapped.

I trudged out of the kitchen to stare at him. "That was the sound of me waking up."

"Don't lie to me." He looked at his watch.

"It's not a…" I just gave up. All the fight left my body instantly. "Have a great day at work, Dave! You're gonna be the best employee they have! Maybe you'll even win employee of the month!"

He looked at me like he didn't believe a word I was saying. "I don't need your sarcasm, Alvin. I'll see you tonight. And that dishwasher better be unloaded and reloaded or I'm confiscating your comic books." He threatened.

"It will be!" I promised him. "Thank you for teaching me the value of hard work, dad!" I forced my voice to say, even though I hated myself for saying it.

"I don't know what your angle is, but you need to stop." He opened the door and left. He didn't even remember to say goodbye.

I started to second guess myself. Had I been sarcastic without meaning to be? Had my words sounded as insincere as Dave thought? Maybe. It was early and I am no early bird…err…early chipmunk. I should spend more time with Warbie, since I have birds on the brain. I wanna be the best dad ever for him.

What was I supposed to be doing again? Also how long have I been standing here? I noticed the dishwasher hanging open and ZAP! My thoughts returned to the task at hand. It's a good thing I'd already opened the dishwasher or there's no telling WHERE I'd have ended up. My ADHD symptoms are way worse in the morning than at night.

I plugged in my music, which activated my laser focus, and sang my way through doing the dishes. I don't even remember the song. It's not relevant. We have PLENTY more songs to come! Ohoho!

When I finished that, I knocked on the basement door.

"Simon!?" I called. "You down there!?" I knocked louder. "Have you been down there all night?"

"Hello, Alvin." Simon's deep-ish, but still high for a human, chipmunk voice came from BEHIND me.

I jumped out of my skin like the scaredy-cat I was.

"AHHHHH!" I turned around after jumping and then promptly tripped over my own feet and went down, hard.

"Are you okay?" My brother asked. He helped me up.

I groaned softly. "Yeah." I stared at him hopefully. "Please tell me the anxiety meds are ready."

"As a matter of fact." Simon reached into his pocket and pulled out a container of small, red-colored chewable tablets. "They are."

"Oh boy!" I was trembling with excitement, and teetering on the verge of an anxiety attack. What if they backfired!? What if they made my anxiety WORSE!? No, no, I had to trust Simon. He knew what he was doing!

"You may sample one immediately. If you're ready. It'll last 12 hours and by 9:30pm you will return to your usual self." He opened the container and shook out one tablet.

He told me all the ins and outs of how they worked. I listened to the best of my ability. The tablets were meant to like…soothe the part of my brain that created an anxiety response. Doing that, would theoretically release Classic Alvin from wherever he was locked away in my subconscious. Seemed simple enough. But would it work as he said it would?

Well, we were about to find out.

Theodore came scampering over to join us. "Don't forget to eat something with your meds and drink plenty of water." He handed me a sippy cup and a granola bar.

"Oh, yes. I almost forgot that part. Eating helps trigger the medication to release faster." Simon patted Theodore's head. "Good call, Theo."

I took the red tablet and held it in my palm. It was pretty small, but definitely big enough that swallowing it whole woulda been a PAIN! Thank goodness for chewable stuff. They should make all meds chewable, but I understand why they don't. Mixing these things up with candy would suck. I don't wanna overdose like I did on those memory supplements I took for the Physics Bowl.

"What are you waiting for, Alvin?" Theodore nudged me. "Try it."

"I'm just….preparing." I stared at the tablet more. It seemed too good to be true. What if it reverted me to Classic and NEVER wore off? No, no, scientifically speaking, I knew that couldn't happen. Simon wouldn't let that happen. If it didn't wear off naturally, he'd make me something to counteract it and bring me back to bein' 2.0.

"I see that look on your face." Simon grimaced. "You're catastrophizing. Aren't you?"

"Y….Yeah." I admitted. "Little bit."

"You really are so much like me." He tilted his head. "Like a warped reflection wearing red."

I didn't love being compared to him. I was learning to live with it, but in that moment it triggered me greatly. "I won't be in a few minutes!" I announced happily, popping the tablet in my mouth and chewing it thoroughly.

Simon smiled like he just won a chess game. I think, in a way, he did. "Ohoho! I knew that would work."

"Do you think I'll feel it when it kicks in?" I asked, still slightly worried about what I was getting into.

Theodore shrugged. "You might be so disconnected from reality that you won't feel it."

My other brother shook his head. "Oh, you'll feel it. It will be VERY clear when it kicks in. That's a guarantee."

"Well, I don't feel any different yet." I reported.

Simon jotted down notes on a notepad. "Give it time." He instructed.

I paced the floor and fidgeted with my hands. "Maybe you gave me a dud. These are dud pills."

"It's only been a minute." The aggravated boy in blue reported.

Three minutes later, it still hadn't kicked in.

"I feel NO different." I muttered impatiently.

"We should talk about stuff to pass the time." Theodore suggested. "Do you wanna hear about the next episode of Cyberchase? Or Wild Kratts?"

"Uhhhh…." I wasn't sure what to say to that. The thoughts just temporarily stopped. Completely. Then, they started up again.

There was a cooling sensation in the back of my head that slowly enveloped my entire skull. I would have been freaking out, but I didn't mind it for whatever reason. It just felt….good. Really really nice. Then, the cooling sensation dissi…disspatid,..screw finding that word! disappeared! And I was AWAKE! It was like someone jolted me with electricity! I hadn't realized just how tired the constantly pressing anxiety was making me. That anxiety had been yeeted into another dimension! I felt INCREDIBLE!

"Something tells me it just kicked in." I heard Theodore say faintly.

Concentrating on anything they said suddenly felt harder than ever!

"Alvin, how are you feeling?" Simon asked, touching my hand.

Classic Alvin's POV

I just sorta stood there in a daze. I was re-adjusting. What should I say? I had to say SOMETHING, right?

"I'm awesome!" I cheered. And then almost every thought that entered my mind, started spewing out of my mouth at warp speed. "This is some quality stuff, Si! You saved me! I'm reborn! I will rise from the ashes like a bird on fire, I forget the name of it. Remember when I accidentally set the chemistry lab on fire? I don't that clearly, but I remember being yelled at. I hate when people yell at me, it's like dude shut up! It's also really stimmy though! Part of me likes it! Lol aren't I complicated. Wait, did I just say Lol out loud? Moving on, I gotta teach Netta some of those texty things. Gah! Why can't I remember words? I'm not dumb, I'm just hyper! Hyper super sonic the hedgehog blueeee! I'm blue bada dee bada die…is that how that song goes? Simon, your favorite color is blue! You tell me!"

While I was babbling, I started walking around the house. My brothers followed me. I also kept wildly gesturing and almost knocked over the lamp.

I heard Simon gasp and then say. "Oh no. What've we done!?"

"What have YOU done?" Theodore corrected him. "Cuz I am just the observing guy." He folded his arms.

I stared at Theo and got very caught up looking at the individual strands of fur on his face, for 3 seconds until I moved on to babbling some more.

Oof. This was a LOT! I was NOT prepared AT ALL to be back in Classic Alvin's mental headspace. Everything was so WILD! To give you an idea of what the inside of my brain now sounded like…

"Ooooh what's that? Hey, what's this? I bet I could use this for an invention!"

(Singing) "SHINY HAPPY PEOPLE LAUGHING

I'm just a kid, my life is a nightmare!

Do the Alvin twist!"

"Beep boop. Hehe funny robot noise! THAT FOOD SMELLS SO GOOD! Hey, hey, what are we supposed to do again? Where are we also? Should probably pay attention to that. Yo, nerd voice dude! You here? Hellooooo?

WHOAH WHAT IS THAT!?"

That's not even all of it. It's just what I want to write. There were pictures and random noises mixed in and the song switched like every verse to a new song. A total song mashup! I didn't even have to like…try. (Since making song mashups in my head is a usual thing. I just gotta be a bit more intentional about how the songs flow and connect.) This was entirely random! It was so cool!

Was Classic ever this bad, or WONDERFUL before?

Gosh, if he was, I had really REALLY slowed my brain down (by like 2-3 seconds) overtime without realising it. I'd learned to sift through the constant mind chatter and pull out all the most important stuff. I was so PROUD OF ME!

But that meant this was super hard to adjust to. Every thought was only 3 seconds faster than usual, but it may as well have been 30 seconds faster. I was overwhelmed.

And so so soooo understimulated! The boredom was EXC….EXC….uhhh Ex-ru-ci-at-ing. That means really really baaad.

I'd lost my ability to pay attention to what was actually important. EVERYTHING WAS NOW IMPORTANT!

And I couldn't stop TALKING! I was giving new meaning to the word rambling. They'd have to invent a new word for what I was doing.

"Why are there only 10 digits that make up numbers? Who invented Binary code? Does everything on a computer really only run on 1s and 0s? Or is there some magic involved? Has Jeanette ever been to a Wicca magic ceremony? How are Wiccans different from what people think of when they think of witches? Should I have a scary movie marathon next week? Maybe I should check out some more Goosebumps books! I gotta re-watch the Goosebumps movies! Do you think I'm too addicted to TV? OH TV TROPES! I should start looking up TV tropes again. I never did get to look up the ones for that IF movie. That was a sad movie, but also so good. The angst was brutal. I don't know why I'm so drawn to angst. I feel like I gotta tone the angst down, but I'm such a passionate person. I hate toning myself down. Who made the dumb rule that being fun is annoying in certain situations? Why can't work be serious AND also funny!? Like on a sitcom! Speaking of sitcoms, BIG BANG THEORY! And Young Sheldon! Huh…funny….I'm still drawn to those. But I'm Classic Alvin now, aren't I?"

"I'm not sure what you are right now." Simon took a step back.

I forced myself to pay attention to his reply, even though it was super difficult. It was like someone turned the dial on my ADHD symptoms up from an 8 to an 11. Maybe more than 11.

"Well, uh, on the positive side…" Theodore smiled. "At least his anxiety is gone!"

"He's gonna be so hard to handle." Simon commented. "Quick, go lock the doors. We can't let him out of the house!"

Suddenly, out of the house was the only place I wanted to be! I ran toward the doors.

"Outside! I wanna go outside! Catch me if you can, suckers! Ahaha! I'm going to be freeeeeee! Oof!"

Simon grabbed me and held me back while Theo locked every door and every window.

"Suit yourself." I muttered. "I'LL JUST JUMP ON THE COUCH! I love to JUMP! WHEEEEEEE!" I made a complete fool of myself and I didn't care. No anxiety meant no self con…sci….shush…whatever.

"Alvin, be careful!" Both my brothers screamed.

"You know, we really should have seen this coming." Theodore told Simon.

My taller bro just facepalmed.

"Jumpy jumpy juuuump!" I continued. "Bouncy bouncy bounce! I feel like Tigger! The stripey guy! I should dress like him for Halloween! That would be so funny. And I could start my own stand up comedy business. Oh, oh, did you guys know that the world record for the longest time spent on a trampoline is 35 hours and 40 minutes!? It's held by four Australian people! Did you know the Chipettes come from Australia? Oh wait, no, not our Chipettes. The ones from that 80s dimension we visited one time. I love the 80s it has such good music! I can't focus so good! I need my phone, where's my phone…oh who cares? Jumping is way more fun than phone stuff. what did I even need it for? I don't remember. Has our TV always been that big? It looks bigger from this angle. Oh wait, I was supposed to eat this granola bar, right?"

I stopped jumping and stuffed it in my mouth.

"And now I gotta drink lots of water!" I ripped the lid off the sippy cup and poured it all into my throat. "That's not enough. I'll get more."

"No, I'm sure that's plenty." Simon told me, unsuccessfully trying to keep me away from the stairs.

"I'm gonna get my hoodie now." I said confidently. "This jersey is kinda laaaame."

"But….it's too hot for a hoodie." Theodore pointed out.

"I want my HOODIE! Hoodie hoodie HOODIE!" I ran upstairs and clumsily removed my sports jersey T-shirt before anyone could stop me.

Throwing open the closet doors, I rooted around and made a mess searching for my beloved, ratty, crimson, hooded sweatshirt with a bright golden A. When I found it, I pulled it on over my head without even taking my glasses or cap off first.

"Owie." I muttered. "Oh yeah….I do wear glasses now."

I shrugged and then ran to the bathroom. I tucked all my hair underneath my cap. Then, I activated the button that changed my boring nerdy glasses into super cool sunglasses. I was ME again! Classic Alvin! IT HAD BEEN SO LONG SINCE I'D BEEN ABLE TO INFLUENCE OUR PERSONALITY THIS MUCH! Unfortunately, little bits and pieces of Alvin 2.0 were still stuck in me, but that was just something I'd have to live with.

After taking a much needed bathroom break, I slid down the stair railing and did a backflip. "THANK YOU FOR SILENCING THE NERD WHO KEEPS ME IN A HEAD CAGE THINGIE!" I announced.

"I didn't silence him forever." Simon reminded me.

I didn't want to think about that, so I didn't. "Whatever." I started to ramble again. "I'm ready to enjoy my summer! Ya really should let me leave this house, man. It ain't fair keepin' me locked away. I ain't grounded, ya know! I deserve freedom. Come on, you can trust me." I gave them both a charismatic smirk.

"No we can't." Simon stated firmly. "You can't even trust you at the moment."

"I dunno what that's supposed to mean." I blinked. "And I don't care anyway. You're boring, dude. I need excitement! I need to play! Let me play! Oh oh! Great idea! Let's play tag! You can be It! But not like the It from that scary clown movie. Hey, Theo, are you still afraid of clowns? I got something really cool to tell you about clowns! They're actually aliens sent to this planet to make us laugh and then our laughs power their spaceship. No, wait, that's sorta the plot of Monsters Inc. That's a great movie! I like comparing Eleanor to Randall cuz he's a chameleon and so is she. But not like, actually? Could you imagine if Eleanor was actually a lizard? That'd be mega dope."

"You're acting like a mega dope." Theodore muttered under his breath.

I caught it, because I was getting better at paying attention a little bit again. I was adapting to being Classic Alvin. Adapting sounds like adopting and now I'm thinking of Dave and I don't wanna, so back on topic.

What's the topic again?

"Alvin, slow down!" Theodore begged. "We can't keep up with you?"

"It's part of the game, Theodore! You wanted to be It." I insisted.

I hadn't even been aware I was running. My body just DID STUFF, without me asking it too! Cooool!

I noticed something else that was different. Classic Alvin's movements were a lot more fluid than 2.0's. He also moved with more random gestures and at a whim. My 2.0 self moved with purpose, with conviction! But, he was REALLY awkward and I couldn't hide it. Occasionally, he'd stiffen up so much that it felt like piloting a mech-suit instead of my body.

I'm sorry if I'm boring you with all these descriptions, it just fascinates me how different I can be depending on my brain chemistry…even though it's physically the same brain with only the neurons themselves firing differently.

This felt so…fun. So freeing. It was as if parts of me that had been turned off completely, pushed aside, or ignored, because society demanded it, WERE BACK! I felt more like a kid than I had in years. I NEEDED this. I absolutely NEEDED this. It was a shame it was only temporary.

"I DIDN'T want to be It!" Theodore fumed. He was frustrated with my chaos. "I never even said anything."

"I'll be right back." Simon started to head toward the door.

Theodore looked worried. "Where are you going?" He squeaked.

"To get the Chipettes." The boy with the blue dork circle glasses replied. "It's going to take a village to stop Hurricane Alvin from destroying this house."

I felt my fur bristle. I couldn't feel anxious, but I could still take offense to things. "HEY! That's Hurricane CLASSIC Alvin to you, buster." I corrected him.

It was gonna be a great day! Ohoho! 12 whole hours of bliss! I AM SO READY!

HE'S HERE, YA'LL (sorta?) Classic is in DA HOUSE! They're all going to have such a fun time dealing with Classic's intensified personality. The anxiety holds even usual Classic back so much.

Yes, this is based on the first time I tried my own in-case-of-emergency anxiety medication. I only take 1/2 of the lowest dose, but the stark increase in my ADHD is so OBVIOUS. I luckily don't go quite this crazy, but I definitely fully unmask and I revert to exactly what I was like when I was much younger. But I CAN still act "adult-ish" it just feels more unnatural than usual.

Alvin in my head goes totally bonkers and we just dance around with music plugged into our head the entire time. (If we can) Music sounds so insanely good while I'm on it because I can pick apart every little beat without just getting wrapped up in the lyrics!

Anyway, I think I have somehow managed to set up MOST of the plot points the whole fic will be covering in this chapter. We've got the meds stuff, Alvin's relationship with Jeanette, Alvin discovering more about being Warbie's dad, Dave being stressed and misunderstanding Alvin, Alvin being unaware of his tone of voice, the upcoming Computer Science class, and more!

When we pick up in chapter 2, we'll see more of Classic and what happens once the anxiety meds have worn off.

I can't wait! Thanks for reading! I hope I can update soon!