History Lesson Pt. 1 - RATS
Author: Kitrona
Challenge: Pistachio #26 (taking a break), Chocolate Chip Mint #13 (dazzling), Strawberry #21 (swing)
Word count: 1026
Story: The Agency: Case Files and Minutia
Title: History Lesson Pt. 1
My feet crunched lightly on the gravel as I slowly meandered up the drive. It had been one of those nights where I felt restless; the apartment was too small, my skin was too small, my head was too small, and Stella and Kiernan were irritating me. It wasn't anything they did on purpose, but I couldn't deal with watching the same movies over again, so I went for a walk.
And I went in my other skin.
Now, I have to admit that I'm lucky. My mother, before she died, taught me the trick to keep my clothes with me even in my other skin. This was definitely convenient. I would hate to be stuck somewhere that my size was a disadvantage, or I needed to talk, or some other circumstance where being human was a definite plus, and be unable to change back without being naked. It was a sort of extra twist of the mind - simple, but that didn't mean “easy”.
Fortunately, in my neighborhood, I didn't have any trouble with the wildlife. I was bigger than anything except a large-breed dog, and most of those were smart enough to steer clear once they got a good look at me. So I prowled around, occasionally amusing myself by taking to roofs. A change in perspective can alleviate the too-tight feeling in my head when I get like this.
I clawed a few trees, refusing to mark my territory, since technically it's not really mine, and stretched my spotted body. In appearance, I was a fairly large bronze-colored Egyptian Mau, and since I was adept at avoiding capture or inspection in this form, I just grinned at the rumors of “a big leopard-spotted cat”, even though that was technically inaccurate. I didn't expect the nuances of cat markings from my neighbors, though, so it didn't bother me too much. Occasionally I threw in my own rumor just for fun.
Reaching my destination, I padded behind the small enclosure for the bathrooms and changed back, giving myself a few minutes to reorient my thoughts. Sometimes changing can be a bit overwhelming. Then I wandered over to the playground and sat on a swing, looking up.
The stars had always fascinated me. You've heard all the analogies, I'm sure, but nothing really nails it. When I look up, I feel like I'm falling into that vast darkness, and that's actually comforting. Like anyone, I like to think that I'm important, that what I do matters, and it does, but not to the universe as a whole. I liked being reminded that there's far more out there than just us.
I don't know how long I'd been sitting there, though it was long enough for dew to form, when I heard a footstep and turned to see Stella approaching diffidently. That was definitely out of character; she was one of the most straightforward people I knew, and I wondered what was wrong, but I waited. She'd talk eventually, and if she didn't, it was because she decided not to.
“Ker thinks you're mad at him,” she finally said softly, taking the swing next to me and twisting herself in the seat. She raised her feet off the ground and let physics take over.
I nodded thoughtfully. “Why would he think that?”
Wrong thing to say; anger flashed in her eyes for a moment. “Because you walked out of the house without a word?”
“Did it ever occur to him that I just wanted to take a walk?” I shot back. I hate having conversations like these; assumptions, guilt, recriminations, ugh.
She raised an eyebrow. “Did it ever occur to you that we might be worried?”
Touche. But I wasn't giving up that easily. “I don't see why. I go for walks all the time.”
Her expression softened. “Because of the date.”
Oh. I paused for a moment and racked my brain. After several long minutes, I came up with the answer. “Really? I mean, he didn't even know her. And I'm good this year. It honestly didn't occur to me. Besides, it's not til next week.”
“It did to him. He... /we/ see what it does sometimes. And I knew her.”
I nodded again and just looked at her. “Yeah, you did. Pilgrimage this year?”
She didn't even have to think about it. “Of course. Every year, y'know? I mean, she helped raise me.”
It was true; Stella's mom had left when she was young, and after we became friends in kindergarten, my parents took her under their wing. It was a relief to her father, once he'd gotten over being embarrassed because of the situation - and because my parents had money. My mother wouldn't even hear of him paying her for childcare while he worked until my father had pointed out to her one evening that his offer was so he could retain a sense of pride. She relented, but only agreed if the price was ridiculously low; she had her pride, too, after all. Fortunately, in the odd way that the region is laid out, our house wasn't terribly far from her apartment, and when we were older we would bike all over the area. Stella had never forgotten all the things my mother did for her without thinking, from coming up with ways to get her father to accept the clothes my parents bought her to grounding her when her grades were falling.
What could I do but agree? “Yeah. We'll go next week. And Stella?”
She glanced at me.
“Thanks.”
We walked home hand-in-hand that night after talking some more, to be met by a worried Ker. He scooped me up in a big hug, then frowned at me. Stella interjected, “No, it's ok, we're good, all of us. She was just feeling cooped up.”
He nodded and put one arm around each of us, and we went in to watch the same old movies, but somehow, it didn't bother me anymore.
This entry was originally posted at http://kitrona.dreamwidth.org/369972.html. Comment here or there, whichever you like. :)
Challenge: Pistachio #26 (taking a break), Chocolate Chip Mint #13 (dazzling), Strawberry #21 (swing)
Word count: 1026
Story: The Agency: Case Files and Minutia
Title: History Lesson Pt. 1
My feet crunched lightly on the gravel as I slowly meandered up the drive. It had been one of those nights where I felt restless; the apartment was too small, my skin was too small, my head was too small, and Stella and Kiernan were irritating me. It wasn't anything they did on purpose, but I couldn't deal with watching the same movies over again, so I went for a walk.
And I went in my other skin.
Now, I have to admit that I'm lucky. My mother, before she died, taught me the trick to keep my clothes with me even in my other skin. This was definitely convenient. I would hate to be stuck somewhere that my size was a disadvantage, or I needed to talk, or some other circumstance where being human was a definite plus, and be unable to change back without being naked. It was a sort of extra twist of the mind - simple, but that didn't mean “easy”.
Fortunately, in my neighborhood, I didn't have any trouble with the wildlife. I was bigger than anything except a large-breed dog, and most of those were smart enough to steer clear once they got a good look at me. So I prowled around, occasionally amusing myself by taking to roofs. A change in perspective can alleviate the too-tight feeling in my head when I get like this.
I clawed a few trees, refusing to mark my territory, since technically it's not really mine, and stretched my spotted body. In appearance, I was a fairly large bronze-colored Egyptian Mau, and since I was adept at avoiding capture or inspection in this form, I just grinned at the rumors of “a big leopard-spotted cat”, even though that was technically inaccurate. I didn't expect the nuances of cat markings from my neighbors, though, so it didn't bother me too much. Occasionally I threw in my own rumor just for fun.
Reaching my destination, I padded behind the small enclosure for the bathrooms and changed back, giving myself a few minutes to reorient my thoughts. Sometimes changing can be a bit overwhelming. Then I wandered over to the playground and sat on a swing, looking up.
The stars had always fascinated me. You've heard all the analogies, I'm sure, but nothing really nails it. When I look up, I feel like I'm falling into that vast darkness, and that's actually comforting. Like anyone, I like to think that I'm important, that what I do matters, and it does, but not to the universe as a whole. I liked being reminded that there's far more out there than just us.
I don't know how long I'd been sitting there, though it was long enough for dew to form, when I heard a footstep and turned to see Stella approaching diffidently. That was definitely out of character; she was one of the most straightforward people I knew, and I wondered what was wrong, but I waited. She'd talk eventually, and if she didn't, it was because she decided not to.
“Ker thinks you're mad at him,” she finally said softly, taking the swing next to me and twisting herself in the seat. She raised her feet off the ground and let physics take over.
I nodded thoughtfully. “Why would he think that?”
Wrong thing to say; anger flashed in her eyes for a moment. “Because you walked out of the house without a word?”
“Did it ever occur to him that I just wanted to take a walk?” I shot back. I hate having conversations like these; assumptions, guilt, recriminations, ugh.
She raised an eyebrow. “Did it ever occur to you that we might be worried?”
Touche. But I wasn't giving up that easily. “I don't see why. I go for walks all the time.”
Her expression softened. “Because of the date.”
Oh. I paused for a moment and racked my brain. After several long minutes, I came up with the answer. “Really? I mean, he didn't even know her. And I'm good this year. It honestly didn't occur to me. Besides, it's not til next week.”
“It did to him. He... /we/ see what it does sometimes. And I knew her.”
I nodded again and just looked at her. “Yeah, you did. Pilgrimage this year?”
She didn't even have to think about it. “Of course. Every year, y'know? I mean, she helped raise me.”
It was true; Stella's mom had left when she was young, and after we became friends in kindergarten, my parents took her under their wing. It was a relief to her father, once he'd gotten over being embarrassed because of the situation - and because my parents had money. My mother wouldn't even hear of him paying her for childcare while he worked until my father had pointed out to her one evening that his offer was so he could retain a sense of pride. She relented, but only agreed if the price was ridiculously low; she had her pride, too, after all. Fortunately, in the odd way that the region is laid out, our house wasn't terribly far from her apartment, and when we were older we would bike all over the area. Stella had never forgotten all the things my mother did for her without thinking, from coming up with ways to get her father to accept the clothes my parents bought her to grounding her when her grades were falling.
What could I do but agree? “Yeah. We'll go next week. And Stella?”
She glanced at me.
“Thanks.”
We walked home hand-in-hand that night after talking some more, to be met by a worried Ker. He scooped me up in a big hug, then frowned at me. Stella interjected, “No, it's ok, we're good, all of us. She was just feeling cooped up.”
He nodded and put one arm around each of us, and we went in to watch the same old movies, but somehow, it didn't bother me anymore.
This entry was originally posted at http://kitrona.dreamwidth.org/369972.html. Comment here or there, whichever you like. :)