The Quietest Seat in the Room

Zoo Vegas didn't have a quiet corner — except maybe this one.

Ms. Art Sheep's School for the Creative sat right in the middle of it all, a tall building painted blue and black, with big windows that caught the afternoon sun. Inside, the hallways smelled like fresh paint and marker ink, and somewhere down the corridor, someone was definitely using a pencil blast where they weren't supposed to.

Ms. Art Sheep floated just an inch above the front steps — not showing off, just thinking — her blue-and-black dress rippling softly, her blue mask sitting perfectly straight. She had thirty-two students this year. Thirty-two talented, loud, wonderfully chaotic young superhero artists.

Thirty-one of them she already knew.

The thirty-second was walking up the path right now. Small. Careful. Backpack pulled tight. Eyes aimed at the ground.

Ms. Art Sheep tilted her fluffy head.

"New kid," she said quietly to herself.

The Parrot Who Talks Too Much

Ms. Art Sheep landed softly on the front steps and smiled at the new kid.

"Hi there. I'm Ms. Art Sheep. You must be Pebble."

The girl — small, with dark braids and wide brown eyes — gave a tiny nod. Her backpack had three pencil pouches strapped to it, which was already interesting.

"Pebble Voss," she said quietly.

Before Ms. Art Sheep could say another word, something bright green swooped down from the school's front sign and landed on Pebble's shoulder with a loud thwack.

It was Captain Crackle — the school's resident parrot, a large emerald bird with a yellow beak and an extremely big opinion of himself.

"NEW KID!" he announced to the entire street. "HIDING SOMETHING! I CAN TELL! I ALWAYS CAN TELL!"

Pebble went completely still.

Ms. Art Sheep shot the parrot a firm look. "Captain Crackle."

"She's got BIG powers!" he screeched, louder. "I SMELL THEM! ENORMOUS! HUGE! LIKE A —"

Pebble's hand shot up and pressed over his beak.