#aniopen

[grizzlyrachel]

Who wants to go shopping after school?

Now before you answer, I should add that I don't mean for clothes -- or even at the mall at all! I actually have to make a run to the art supply store, believe it or not. Want to come with?

[grizzlyrachel]

Detention?

I have detention? I have detention? I can't even...

This is so unfair! Can you believe this!?

[grizzlyrachel]

Saved by the Bag || Rachel & OPEN

When Tobias came up with the idea of carrying their Yeerk-morphed teammates to the pool in bags, rather than inside anyone's head, Rachel had almost broken-down sobbing with relief. If it had only been Tobias there with her, or maybe even Tobias and Cassie, she probably would have cried -- but with everyone there to see, she couldn't let herself weep like that, even though she could see Ax's four legs going just about as limp with relief as she felt. But she was the tough one, the fearless one; she had to keep it together.

And she did. She had. But suddenly, right in the middle of school the next day, it had swamped her like the world's harshest tsunami. Perhaps it had been staring at Mr. Tidwell's ear all through math class; perhaps it was the book they'd been reading with Mr. Davis; perhaps it was just a matter of timing, of knowing what was coming and, now, what wasn't coming in the near future. Perhaps it was just from being strong for so long; too long.

Perhaps it was just ugly adolescent hormones.

Whatever the reason, Rachel suddenly found the mixture of stress, fear, and relief too much to bear. She'd dumped her half-eaten lunch in the trash and slipped out into the half-off-limits-but-not-officially courtyard outside the lunchroom. Unnoticed by the gossiping, arguing students trying to scarf-down their food in the too-brief allotted time, Rachel crossed the faded, sickly grass and slumped down on the far corner bench.

She rested her head against the warm brick wall, closed her eyes, and out there where nobody could see her, Rachel Berenson cried. The tears slipped silently down her cheeks, leaving unaccustomed tracks of wet emotion on her skin. She hoped Tobias wasn't flying overhead today; while he might be the one person whom she'd be able to endure seeing her weak and weeping like this, she hated the idea of anyone catching sight of her in an unguarded moment of pathetic tears. It was very much at-odds with the image she cultivated; the image that she clung to, when all else seemed ready to fall apart. Rachel had to be strong for herself as much as for anyone else -- but not even she could be strong all the time.

Just most of it.

[conflicted-controller-blog]

More Than We Bargained For || Kathryn/Astrane & Open

Astrane tensed up as she entered the mall. She really, really did not want to be here, but the fact was that her trainers had been worn one too many times. Although Kathryn did have a slight weak spot for shopping, she was no fashion master: she just enjoyed buying things she liked, regardless of what was "in" - but shoes that weren't falling apart would be nice. And maybe a couple of other bits while they were there...

<I don't like it here. Let's just get what we need and go.> Astrane said to Kathryn.

<Okay. In and out, don't draw attention,> Kathryn agreed. Since their talk with Illim, neither of them liked being out in public much. Or at least, no more than was necessary to not arouse even more suspicion. Astrane shivered slightly. The mall was packed. Any one of these people could be a controller just waiting for her to slip up...

She fought the urge to look over her shoulder. If someone was following her, they would pick up on that. And even if she was being followed, what could she do? There would be no action she could take without causing alarm bells for her pursuer.

She sighed, and turned into the nearest shop. She hadn't been into the mall yet, so they were unfamiliar with the layout and the shops - some very different to those in England. She made her way towards the shoes, but something caught her attention in the corner of her eye.

Her reflection.

It startled them both. They hadn't realised quite how much the recent events had affected them. They studied Kathryn's face in a sombre silence, taking in the drawn expression, the tight lips, the growing bags beneath her eyes. They turned their head away. This was not a face they recognised. So new to this war, and already so much had happened - they were acting the double agent, barely knowing anything about either side!

<Let's just go home,> Kathryn uttered. By home, she meant their all American house in the suburbs: they knew that neither would be able to truly go home for a long time yet. <New trainers can wait.>

Astrane agreed silently, and turned to leave. As she was about to exit the shop, she saw a someone she recognised heading in her direction.

[conflicted-controller-blog]

Is this seat taken?

Hey, is it okay if I sit here? There’s no space anywhere else, I guess that's what I get for getting to the canteen - uh, cafeteria later than usual! I can move if you’re expecting someone...?

Hang on -  don’t I know you from one of my classes? Sorry, I’m useless with names, and quite new here, so I’m still getting to grips with it all, if I’m honest.

[grizzlyrachel]

Is it just me...

Or were Romeo and Juliet serious morons? I mean, somebody stop me if I'm just being like heartless or whatever? But I'm totally failing to see the romance in this messed-up teen-suicide story over here. Why are we reading this crap?

[jakeberensonrp]

School Day Snooze || Jake Berenson/Open

Jake wandered down the hall, his back pack slung over one shoulder, his free hand filled with a hastily assembled fried egg and cheese sandwich on toast. As he walked he ran through his mental checklist of last nights homework. 'I've got Tidwell's math mostly done. And I actually finished that free write for english. History was to just study for that test I'm gonna turbo bomb, and I never have homework for Bio other than study. I'm doing better than normal for me.'

When Jake finally approached his locked, the last bite of his sandwich being chewed as he entered the combination, one of his friends came up and stood against a nearby locker. Jake noted to forced casualness to the action, and he felt a surge of annoyance. At the precaution, at the need, at the absolute unfairness of it all. There weren't many things that all the Berensons had in common, but the hatred of secrecy and having to hide, that was one of them.

As Jake forced a smile and a very casual "Hey, what's up?" through suddenly dry lips and a tight throat, he opened his locker. When he began dragging his books out of his locker, he glanced at his team mate, trying to determine if the social call was purely to keep up appearances, or was an attempt at setting up a meeting.

[conflicted-controller-blog]

First time lucky? || Kathryn-Astrane/Open

Astrane took a deep breath through Kathryn's thin mouth, then stepped through the doors into the school building. Instantly she was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of people - why had no one warned her of this?! She kept her arms pinned to her sides as she worked her way through the crowds, rifling through Kat's more recent memories to find where she was supposed to go. Her host met this intrusion with some resentment, although less violently as she had done before. Astrane could sense excitement from Kat: of course - her first time around other humans. The night following her infestation, Astrane had taken her host straight to bed, managing to avoid the civilian parents. Now, however, she was regretting that: the first time she would have to recreate Kat's personality to perfection would be here, in these densely crowded halls.

At least no one here knows me yet, Kat said grudgingly. I guess you have that to your advantage. Oh, and the fact you CONTROL MY EVERY MOVE.

Astrane ignored her host. It was difficult: Kat was far more... vocal than she had been told to expect. No matter. She would learn to deal with it, soon enough.