we are nowhere & it's now

[LEAH ELEANOR KARLSON]

It was never easy, being the "new kid". You immediately became the center of attention and gossip, and sometimes a nasty rumor or two. Of course, Leah was certainly not someone who it was easy to criticize from right off the bat; she dressed normally, didn't have any weird piercings, or smoke, so she was pretty much starting off as your average joe. However, she still didn't like being so new, and unaccustomed to her environment. She liked knowing where to go if you needed something specific, or who was responsible for what, those sorts of little details that proved oh-so valuable. But regardless of what she liked, she was stuck in the present. There was no alternative but to be accepting of what life had handed her, and wish for the best.

She didn't know exactly why she was drawn to the park. Maybe it was because as a little kid, before the "incident", her parents used to take her to the park around the corner from their neighborhood. Leah would spend hours there, on the seesaw, then on the swing set, making friends and laughing like little kids do. It was a simpler time, then. She looked down at her pale legs as she swung back and forth on the swing, suddenly thinking how horribly gross her paleness was. She twisted her chair back and forth, getting lost in her own thoughts. Maybe this really was the answer to her problems. Although she certainly hadn't had a pleasant journey there, maybe this was the place that could make her happier than she had been. It definitely was better than her old facility, she could tell that much. As she ran her feet through the sandbox sand, she tried to ignore the thoughts that gnawed so often in her brain.

Time to change the subject, she decided. Think about this great opportunity you've been given. Who knows what the future holds? This place will be great. It will be. She told herself this with conviction. To have negative thoughts, she always believed, was to harbor the negativity yourself. Why should she be a negative nancy or a debbie downer when there was a whole world out there she had yet to explore? Blinking her blue eyes and pushing a stray blonde strand of hair behind her ear, she watched a few kids run around on the playground, and she felt a small smile poke up on her mouth. They were so happy, and so... normal. She could be exactly like them, if she wanted. She only had to decide it, and she could be the happiest gal on the earth. With renewed optimism, she twirled her seat around several times until she began to unwind naturally, around and around, watching the world rush by, just like she used to when she was little.

listening to: we are nowhere and it's now - bright eyes
see it: click !
notes: open to all! :3

[CHASE RICHARD HARRIS]

It was such a nice day outside - not too hot, nor too cold - perfect. Instead of calling on one of his typical friends, Chase was more opt to be alone, where he was able to enjoy the weather without interruption. To further his want to take in the feeling from the great outdoors, the boy decided that a stroll in the park would be just what the doctor ordered. Already, he had begun to make his way down the stone path - through the shadowing, green trees and the sweet-smelling flowers. He had to admit, the park was a beautiful place, and he felt secure enough in his 'manhood' to express his thoughts of beauty on things such as this.

A short while into his walk, Chase paused, noting a small pier that stuck out into the pond. He made his way, quietly, to the end, peering over into the crystal blue water. Dozens of fish swam below, not even realizing that such a creature stood above them - were they even all real fish? Could some of them be shifters? It was odd - never knowing if an animal was a real animal or someone's inner shift. This had been one of the issues that always frightened Chase when he first learned of his unusual quality. The ability to control himself in his animal form was difficult to begin with, and even now, sometimes the inner-beast of the tiger erupts, causing him to literally hunt down prey to actually consume. The thought was rather disturbing - but luckily, Chase had much more control than before. But still, what about others that were not able to deal with their shift as well as he? What if they decided to hunt down a normal meal for themselves, never knowing that it was actually a human, unable to shift before their end was met?

Chase suddenly snapped back to reality - the voices of children laughing rang through his ears, coming from behind him. He turned abruptly, startling the fish in the water around him, scattering them in every which way. He continued observing the children while they played, a smile forming as he realized that their innocence still controlled their lives, reducing the effects that shifter life had on everything and everyone. These children, the ones here in Variel, they are the only ones that actually have a real option or choice in society. They fall into a variety of categories, determining their fates. Though they are all born of shifters, they may or may not actually become shifters - those that do not have the choice to stay or leave, and those that do must learn to cope, just like the rest of us. But even still, some, even at such a young age, have already realized their true fate, have accepted it, and have concreted themselves into Variel, making this a permanent home.

The boy made his way closer to the playground, stopping infront of a concrete bench, preparing to sit down. But, as Chase's mind continued to race through the thoughts of the children, he couldn't help but notice yet another being that inhabited the playground at this particular hour - a girl, about the same age as Chase (he assumed), sitting on the swing only a few feet away from him. He had not noticed her at first, but was now very intrigued. She was twisting the chain to the swing, then letting the tension loose as it swung her around in quick circles. Chase emitted a laugh, a bit louder than he had hoped...the girl had probably heard. To attempt to avoid the thought of Chase stalking her, he took another step forward, "Having fun?" His question was sincere, not one of sarcasm, and he hoped the girl would give him the benefit of carrying on some type of conversation.

Between glances at the girl, Chase planted himself in the swing next to where the girl sat, pushing off slowly, just to get the gentle rocking motion, but not take himself out of the area of the girl. Almost immediately, he felt a great deal of attraction for this girl - obviously, she was pretty...but the feeling could have even been something more. "I'm Chase, by the way, what's your name?"

[LEAH ELEANOR KARLSON]

Around, and around, and around. She spun and spun until she was dizzy, the sandbox twirling as she stayed stationary. Blinking a few times, Leah tried to regain her bearings. She smiled as she slowed, and her vision returned. For a split second she wanted to do it again, but she decided against it. The young lady didn't have a great threshold for dizziness, and didn't want to hurl where little kiddies liked to play. However, before she had time to think more on this, she heard a laugh coming from nearby. Squinting and looking up, she saw a handsome guy, about her age, looking at her with a kind expression. A smile crept up the corners of her own mouth in return as she realized he'd been watching her.

It must have been a little bit embarrassing to see her three-year-old style "moves" on the swing set, so she blushed slightly, a rouge tinging the apples of her cheeks. As he spoke, she laughed aloud. "Sure. I love swings," she said, which was probably obvious by the way she was fooling around, all alone, on the playground. In fact, she realized she looked like quite the loser, sitting around, all alone, clearly bored. She thanked God for the fact that he was alone too - Leah was friendly, but didn't do well when she was faced with a small group of new people who already knew each other. Small crowds were not her thing. Her head turned as he sat. She watched him carefully. Most guys her age weren't brave enough to go up to a girl, much less sit down next to a total stranger comfortably. This was intriguing.

"I'm Leah." She introduced herself. Kicking at the sand for a moment, she addressed him. "So, Chase, do you go to the Academy?" She wondered. He probably did, but it was a good way to start a conversation. Plus, she didn't have any friends here yet. If she could make just one, in him, that would be all she needed. "I'm the new kid," she joked, a welcoming and friendly look on her face. A new feeling came over her as she looked at him a second time; he was hot. She tried not to check him out obviously, but she definitely gave him the once-over, like most girls do. She looked at his sandy hair, then his perfectly-shaped face.. It was nice. She turned away abruptly. It was awkward, knowing someone was looking at you in 'that' way. So she forgot about it. C'mon, Leah, you just met this guy. Your mind, no matter how adolescent it may be, can not jump immediately to those thoughts.