"Worst group setup!" one of the 11-year-olds spat out, his face twisted in irritation.
I glanced over at their group of five, all of them clearly agitated.
"Hey! You br—" Bj began to retort, but I and Zach quickly stepped in to hold her back.
"Why is that?" I asked, trying to keep my voice calm. Just how did our group roles setup became worst?
"Our group roles are the best when it comes to surviving."
"Ha! All your members are defenders? That's the worst group setup ever! How are they supposed to focus on their main roles when they're constantly fighting?!" one of them shouted, his voice dripping with scorn.
"You guys clearly don't understand our group's strategy," Thame said, crossing her arms.
"Let them talk. We'll handle it if necessary," I heard Mr. Carter murmur to Mrs. Delany, who nodded in agreement.
"We understand perfectly, and your group is even worse! All you do is talk!" another member of the 11-year-olds shouted back, their voices growing louder.
I turned to look at my group. Their faces were etched with frustration and concern, their brows furrowed deeply. glanced back at the 11-year-olds, their faces flushed with anger and frustration.
"You really think having all defenders is a good strategy?" one of them spat, shaking his head in disbelief.
"You need balance! Two or three defenders are enough to handle threats. The rest of the group should focus on their main roles—support, scout, and leader. Without focusing in those roles, you're just a bunch of fighters with no real plan!"
Another one added, "Yeah, if everyone's a defender, who's going to gather intel? Who's going to coordinate the group's actions? You can't all be on the front lines all the time!"
Thame's eyes narrowed. "Our strategy is about being prepared for anything. Defenders are crucial, especially when we're facing threats all the time. We have a plan to make sure we don't get overwhelmed."
"But it's not just about being prepared," another member of the 11-year-olds countered.
"It's about having a strategy that lets each member contribute their skills effectively. You need to have a balanced team with roles that complement each other. Otherwise, you're just going to get stuck in a constant defensive stance without any real progress."
Mr. Carter, observing the heated exchange, stepped forward.
"Everyone, calm down. Let's take a moment to assess the situation. Each group's strategy has its strengths and weaknesses. We need to respect that there are different ways to approach these challenges. For now, focus on working together and learning from each other."
Mrs. Delany nodded in agreement. "Remember, the goal is to learn how to collaborate effectively. Use this as an opportunity to understand different strategies and adapt accordingly."
The room quieted down a bit as the 11-year-olds began to cool off, their voices hushed but still filled with dissatisfaction. I took a deep breath and addressed my group, trying to inject some calm into the situation.
( Roseanne's Point of view )
"Guys, is it really a problem if all members are defenders?" I asked, holding onto Az's arms.
"No way! We discussed these roles two years ago! We need to show them the importance of everyone knowing how to fight!" BJ replied. I glanced at the older kids and looked away.
Huh, they're intimidating.
"Should we reconsider our roles?" I asked hesitantly.
"No, we all want to fight, right?" Zach said. We all nodded in agreement.
"What's so bad about having everyone be defenders? I don't understand their point," Reed said, adjusting his glasses.
"Those simple-minded kids!" I released Az's arm, intimidated by the intensity in his eyes.
"A-Az, are you okay?" I asked as he turned and walked toward the older kids.
Oh no, Az!
"Azriel!" Zach shouted.
"Az, calm down. No fighting is allowed here," Mrs. Delany said firmly as she stepped in to block Az. I sighed in relief and hurried to catch up with him.
"Mrs. Delany, please let me show them the importance of our role setup," Az said, sounding serious.
"Mrs. Delany, let us demonstrate how ineffective their group roles are," the older kids chimed in.
"Wow, Thame, Az is really serious," I said, gripping her arms.
"Go on, Az! Show them how we agreed on this two years ago!" BJ encouraged, placing a hand on Az's shoulder.
"Alright, but no fighting, okay?" Mr. Carter said. We all nodded in agreement.
Azriel took a deep breath and began to speak,
" Let's clarify this , Thame here is our support helper and medic, but she will be also trained as a defender. Then Reed is a scout, navigator, and communicator, yet he's also a defender and Roseanne is primarily a forager, but she's also a defender. Why is having all members as some form of defender considered a poor setup?"
We nodded
Then The Girl in the Group of 5 members step up and cross arms at Az.
"In our group, we think that only some people should be defenders. We have a medic, and her job is very important for us to survive. If everyone is also trained as a defender, it weakens the special roles we need."
Az frowned. "So, you're saying that if everyone isn't specialized, the group doesn't work as well? But isn't it also important to be versatile?"
The other boy member of the girl group speak,
" It's important to be flexible, but not at the cost of our main roles. Our medic only focuses on healing and support. If she has to fight too, she might not do her main job well. Specializing in roles helps each person be good at what they do."
Az shook his head, feeling frustrated. "But our method helps us adapt to unexpected situations. If everyone can defend themselves, we're ready for any threat."
The girl crossed her arms. "Being flexible can hurt our main jobs. If everyone learns to defend, they might not do their specific tasks well. Our scouts and navigators need to focus on their skills, not split their time between scouting and fighting." she said pointing at her member
Suddenly Az smirk making BJ and I look at each other and she shrugged
" Let's apply this in real situation "
"What's he planning?" I whispered to BJ, trying to keep my voice steady as I watched Az turn away from us and walk toward the older kids.
Is he leaving?
BJ and Zach were both tense, but Zach managed a grim nod. "Just watch. Azriel always has a plan."
The group of five watched Az with irritation and curiosity. Az walk straight towards the medic boy from the other group, his face serious.
" Azriel! " We shouted especially Mrs. Delany and Mr. Carter
Suddenly! Az pulled back his fist and aimed at the medic's face. My heart raced. The whole room seemed to hold its breath as Azriel's fist was just inches from the boy's face. I saw the fear in his eyes.
" Aaah! "
But then Azriel stopped his fist right before hitting him. He looked down at him with a smirk, and he stumbled back and fell to the floor, shocked.
Everyone in the room gasped and whispered. I felt relieved when Az stepped back. I was still catching my breath from the shock of the medic falling.
" What was Az thinking?! " I whispered and BJ and Zach is smirking , Ehh?!
Az spoke loudly and clearly putting his hands in his pockets.
"This is what happens if everyone in a group can't defend themselves. In a real fight, if you can't protect yourself, you are in danger, and that can lead to big problems."
I looked at them and saw that the older kids were shocked.
Mr. Carter and Mrs. Delany exchanged worried looks, and then Mr. Carter said, "Actually kids , Azriel made a point, but remember, every strategy has its strengths. We need to learn from each other and find what works best for each team."
The room started to quiet down. The older kids, still shaken, seemed to be absorbing the lesson Azriel had delivered.
I glanced at Azriel, who was walking passed us. I could see the satisfaction in his eyes, but also a deep seriousness.
>///< Why is Az suddenly became cool?! Kyaah!
"Well done, Az," BJ said quietly, placing a hand on Az's shoulder.
Az's gaze remained focused on the older group. "Let's hope they take this seriously."
"You're so mysterious, Az. How come you know so much?" Zach asked as we sat down, and I clung to Az's arm.
He's so cool!
"You're acting like me, hahaha," BJ laughed.
"No way! That's just how I am," Az said, pouting.
"Uhmm, Az, you were so cool back there," I whispered.
"Huh? I'm not trying to be cool, Roseanne. They need to understand the importance of everyone learning to fight," Az said, looking serious.
Az really is mysterious and weird. He knows a lot about the apocalypse, talking as if he has experienced it before.
"Okay! Okay! Let's pay attention to Gab's group's presentation now," Mrs. Delany said as Gab's group went to the front.
I looked at the older kids in the back. I think they were asking Mr. Carter if Azriel was correct. Mr. Carter patted their heads and seemed to agree with Azriel's point. Then I heard the girl shouting.
"Still! We'll stay in our group roles setup!" she shouted and run circling , looking pissed.
Later on, Gab's group finished, and Mrs. Delany sat in front of us.