(Un)Happy Reunion

Narrated by Alex

Now it's my turn, and let me tell you, this test isn't my cup of tea. There's this bottle sitting there, looking all innocent. But when I try to make it move with my so-called energy, it's like trying to teach a cat to dance-messy and not going anywhere.

I'm staring at that bottle, trying to will it to move or whatever, but it just sits there, mocking me. My buddy, John, he's got this whole energy thing down, but me? Not so much. The room's quiet, except for the awkward shuffling of my feet, and I can feel the supervisor's eyes on me.

Eventually, I give it a little nudge, and the bottle tips slightly for a second, but that's it. No grand movement, just a sad attempt at controlling something I don't quite get. The room kinda sighs with me, like, "Well, that happened."

The supervisor's nod is sympathetic, like he knows I'm not winning any energy control awards today. It's a bit frustrating, but hey, not everyone's a pro at this stuff. Maybe there's more to it than meets the eye, and I just need a bit more time to figure it out.

So, they set up this test with a fancy name - creating a barrier. Sounds cool, right? Well, not so much for me. There's this invisible force field thing they want us to conjure up, and I'm here thinking, "How on earth do I do that?"

I stare at the spot where the barrier's supposed to appear, giving it my best 'energy stare.' But surprise, surprise, nothing happens. It's like trying to build a sandcastle with no sand. I'm just standing there, feeling a bit silly, trying to make something invisible happen.

Eventually, I manage to squeeze out a little something, like a ghost of a barrier. It's there for a second, then poof, gone. The room's so quiet; you can almost hear the crickets in my head.

The supervisor gives me this nod, probably thinking, "Well, he tried." And I did, but barriers and me? We're not best friends yet. Maybe I'll get the hang of it eventually, but for now, it's like trying to catch smoke with your bare hands. Not the easiest thing in the world.

I stumble out of the test hall, and John catches up with me, a glint in his eye.

"Hey, Alex," he says, like he's got something big to share. "We're all in the same group."

Finally something great, I thought, but then John adds the kicker. "Gordon's in the group too."

Gordon. The guy who's got a grudge the size of a mountain against John. I try to keep my cool, but inside, it's more like a storm than a victory dance.

And just when I thought it couldn't get worse, John drops the bomb. "Oh, and Anne's in our group too."

So now both the people who Gordon's got a problem with are in the same group as him. Great.

As we're standing there, Gordon waltzes in, scowl on his face like he just bit into a lemon.

"In the same group? Seriously?" he grumbles, looking at John and me like we're the last people he wants to share a room with.

John, matching Gordon's mood, mutters something under his breath, not too thrilled about our newfound trio.

And then, like a burst of sunshine (or maybe a storm, who knows), Anne breezes in, eyes lighting up when she spots John.

"Hey, John! We're in the same group!" she says, all smiles.

But her grin fades into a frown when she notices Gordon lurking in the background. It's like she just found a fly in her ice cream. The air gets even more awkward, and I can feel the tension reaching new heights.

Seeing the vibes resembling a gathering storm, I decide to be Mr. Sunshine for a moment.

"Come on, guys! Team bonding time!" I throw in, attempting to muster some group spirit. "We're in this together, right?"

But it's like trying to light a bonfire with wet wood. Gordon shoots me a look that could freeze lava, and John, well, he's not exactly buying my pep talk either.

Anne, caught in the middle of our not-so-friendly triangle, tries to offer a timid smile, but it's clear the group spirit ship is sinking fast.

"Just think of it as an adventure," I add, trying to salvage the moment, but my attempts at team building are about as successful as trying to teach a fish to ride a bicycle.

We stand there, a group in name only, each of us mentally calculating how soon we can escape this forced alliance. The journey ahead seems longer than ever, and I can't shake off the feeling that this "team" might be in for a wild ride - one none of us signed up for willingly.

Things were looking quite grim when out of the blue, this mysterious dude strolls in. He's got that cool vibe, sporting a brown leather jacket over a blue tee and dark skinny jeans complimented with some really expensive looking sneakers.

Next thing you know, the guy's walking right up to us with this sly grin.

"So you four are Unit 92?" He asks.

I nod, and he smiles,"Great! I'm Oliver Benji, your mentor and guide on your path to becoming an amazing Bender!"