Getting out {Open}

[Anja Boujinsky]

It was warm, almost too warm if you asked her. Her mother had been sure to pack her plenty of sunscreen, but she knew better. Within a few days she'd be burned to a char until her skin was used to all this sun. She wasn't near being stupid enough to sunbathe just yet. She'd let her skin get the light in small intervals until it was done with it's burning and to a gentle tan that might eventually build into an actual tan. Well, at least, those were her hopes as she made her way down the pathways around the school. The heat blazed against her back, and the sweat was already starting to generate on her back, trickling down and tickling the inner part of her back where the crease was. She shivered as it ran down, her hand brushing back in attempts to stop the tickle-y little droplets. A small breeze found it's way as she got from behind the school, and towards a fair breeze coming from what she could only assume was the sea.

She could smell the earthy scent of salt water and fish, ever so gently in the breeze. If she were to go closer she might have got a better scene of her surrounding, but for the time being she was more interested in the school grounds. Her feet echoed lightly in the silence of the grounds as she went down the sidewalk, stopping only when she saw the gleam of the glass building: The Greenhouse. She stopped short of the front door, the sun glared painfully off the translucent glass, and into her eyes. She blinked hard, looking away for just a moment. Shading her eyes with the back of her hand, she opened the door with her other, and instantly the mugginess caused by the growing plants inside could be felt all over. She gave a look of distaste, but entered. Within the mugginess was a pleasant feeling. As if she was back at home in Mama's garden. About this time she'd be putting her “jumanji flowers” as she had always called them. She scarcely remembered their real name. They were purple in color with very spiny looking petals that came off a very vine-like green frame. She used to walk around them carefully as if they might aim at her with their poison darts as a child. As a joke, but nonetheless, they were high in her favorites of late spring.

She tiptoed around as if the pure innocence of those moments from before had come about. As if she was in the Jumanji forest, where a hunter was lurking just beyond the corner with his gun and crazy pornstache stalking the area. She could almost hear the sound of the growling lion in the distance. Her steps were light, and it was then that she noticed a very sulking flower in the corner amongst some very pink flowers that she couldn't quite place. The petals were browning and falling to the side, as if giving up for the spring. She moved closer to them, her hands brushing over the leaves that seemed to be fine beyond the browning tips.

“Poor flower.” She said gently. It was then that the sound hit her ear. The sound of a fly. It was as if she could understand him. She could hear him hitting upon the glass not exactly in panic but in a kind of caveman urgency. As if the fly understood that it only had days, maybe even hours or minutes to live and getting out through the invisible frame meant for him to reproduce and she could—She paused her thoughts a moment as the sickening feeling entered her chest, she doubled over on her side as she felt her own urgency. Got to get out. They're by the water. By the water. By the tree. I felt them. I saw them. The movement was quick as she moved closer to the openness of the windows in the building. The sun was no longer blinding, because she was no longer concentrating on the sun, instead it was on a tree outside. She was close to the fly, and her hands went out, as if to go forward, as if to push the invisible force before her forward. Nothing. She pushed again, and the fly joined her as if he knew that she was like him. As if she was his o—She paused again, that feeling falling. Her eyes no longer benign to the sunlight, it hurt her eyes, and she fell back, her eyes on her hands in front of her.

She took a deep breath to stop the tears from coming. It happened only when she wasn—Only when... she wasn't sure what set them off. She didn't like that creature. In fact, as she turned her gaze towards the fly batting itself against the glass, she swatted at it herself, an angry glare upon her face.

“Grow a brain!” She snapped at the small creature, as if it could speak her own language.

[Lykaios Minsi]

Lykaios sighed contentedly, lifting her palms towards the sky as she did. The sun was her friend, and it went with her wherever she went. She loved the warm feeling it radiated. She was in a good mood today, perhaps because it hasn't rained in awhile. Soon it would be Summer, an idea Lykaios well liked.

She slowed her pace as she approached the greenhouse. She had never actually been in it before, which was odd. With a spring in her step, she walked over to the building. When she opened the door, a musty scent immediately surrounded her. She wrinkled her noise in distaste and coughed. How disgusting. She shook her head and walked in. It would just take a little getting used to.

It was then she noticed that she wasn't alone. The girl didn't look particularly happy. In fact, it seemed as if she was rather angry. Lykaios opened her mouth to say something, but wasn't exactly sure what to say in a situation like this. Her social skills weren't that great, to be honest.

"I'm sorry," she finally said, turning her head away. She clasped her hands behind her back, a little nervous. "I hope I didn't intrude." Perhaps that was the reason the girl was angry. This might be a place she can retreat too, and it obviously seemed as if she didn't want to be disturbed at the moment.

Lykaios took several steps back, knocking into one of the plants with her elbow. She whipped around on her heel, catching it before it hit the ground. Some dirt spilled on her hand and fell on the floor, but the plant and the jar remained intact. Lykaios set the jar back in it's place, quite embarrassed that she had already made a fool of herself.
She felt as if she owed an apology to the woman, who looked older then herself. Who was she to just barge into here, thinking she had free rein of the place? There I go again, doing things without thinking,she thought, annoyed at herself.

"About the plant...." she said, glancing over at the pink flower that she had almost sent to the grave. "Yeah. Sorry. I wasn't being careful." She glanced up at the girl, hopeful that she wouldn't yell at her. Then again, if she didn't, Lykaios might open her big mouth and yell at her in return. After all, she wasn't afraid of anything.

Besides water, that is.

[Anja Boujinsky]

It only buzzed back at her and continued to hit against the glass as if it hadn't taken her suggestion. She wanted with all her might to punch the stupid little creature into the glass and to tell it to leave her alone. To tell it that she didn't want to be like it. She wanted—Good memories back. She heard the movement of the opening door, and her body stiffened. She looked at the buzzing creature with a deep hate, flipping it the bird as she slowly turned around to take notice of younger girl. Brown hair, partially messed by the heat of the day. She wondered if the girl was sweating as much as she had been before even coming into there. Now she was drenched in sweat and a musty mist that had generated from the moisture boiling in the heat. She didn't move at first, instead watching as the girl fumbled. She wondered why she seemed so nervous. More nervous than she was herself. She watched curiously at the awkwardness of her movements, and the anger, and quite possibly the agitation from both the heat and a new place had left her body, if only for a few moments.

She watched the girl with a quiet stare as she apologized, nearly knocking over a plant. She wasn't quite sure what there was to apologize about, and from that, she got not only the nervousness and the awkwardness, but she understood something else: She seemed to almost be a people pleaser. One didn't apologize for nothing if they weren't a people pleaser. She took a few steps forward, still silent, but a smile went upon her face.

“I'm sure it's fine.”

She said quietly as she moved her gaze from the girl and over the empty spaces of air above the patched plants all about. She searched over the taller specimens, moving so she could get a better look around. She spotted the broom in a corner next to a very pretty blue-ish purple flower that she once again couldn't name, with Flora not really being her thing there wasn't much for her to be expected to know. A plant was a plant, and well, it could have been pretty, but she didn't know about them. In the back of her mind, telling herself that would only push her to grab a giant plant book to learn about these things. Ignorance was most not certainly bliss. Grabbing the stiff handle of the broom she moved back towards the girl, the smile ever present on her face.

"An apology might help, but you can change your life without one."

She said quietly, as she began to brush the bristles of the broom against the concrete of the floor, brushing the dirt into a small pile before handing her the dustpan, in hope that she understood that she'd need help getting the dirt up.

“You should never feel the need to apologize. Not that it's to say an apology is not recommended at the best of times, but, it wasn't necessary, and it rarely is. Better words can be found to fix a situation. Did you know humor is a good way to go when in a room full of broken glass. Then... what would you do? If you broke every pot in this room? You'd apologize, but that's pointless. It's better to make a joke and then to simply clean it up.”

She stopped as she had gotten the dirt into a sufficient pile, looking up at the girl, “Not that you had anything to apologize for.”

[Lykaios Minsi]

Lykaios took the pan from the woman, a little hesitant. She was nice. Quiet, but nice. As she continued to talk, Lykaios found it easier to relax. "I've never been in a greenhouse before," voice Lykaios thoughtfully. "I never knew a place could be so...musty. But the plants are okay." She went over to a trashcan and emptied the pan, watching as the dust trickled off it and into the pitch black hole of doom where they were sentenced. She looked around, unsure of where to put the pan. She finally set it down on one of the tables where there weren't very many plants.
"I usually don't like spring," Lykaios said, her eyes trailing over the many plants. "Just because it rains a lot. I don't like rain." She walked back over to the girl. The lady was very pretty, which in truth intimidated her. She had always been very self-conscious about her looks...especially when she arrived at the Academy. There were so many people, and all just as stunning. She pushed her hair back, wishing she should have dyed it earlier.

"I like the sun, though," continued Lyka. She paused. "Guess I was just startled when I saw you. I didn't expect someone to be in here, truthfully." She wondered if she should trust this person or not. They seemed a little too nice. Or maybe she just felt bad for her.

Lykaios took in a deep breath, feeling a little oxygen deprived. "I'm not actually that shy...or clumsy. Just for the record." She turned. "What's that noise? It's really rather annoying." That's when she saw it, a fly. Lykaios tried not to act disgusted. She didn't exactly find insects all that appealing, or interesting. She was glad that she hadn't shifted into a fly. That most of hurt. A lot. After all, flies were tiny things. Plus they were annoying and gross. Who knew what diseases they carried?

"I'm tempted to swat it," she said. "But whatever. It's just a fly." She adjusted her golden bangles on her wrist. "Do you spend a lot of time here, in the greenhouse I mean? I'm Lakaios, by the way." She smiled, hoping to appear more friendly. It would be terrible if she seemed unfriendly and unsociable.

[Anja Boujinsky]

Anja took the pan into her own hands, fumbling with it as she attached it onto the broom. She nodded as the girl spoke, making sure she knew that she wasn't being ignored. She moved slowly, her hands brushing over the plants, forgetting the fly if only for the time being. Yes, it was a musty scent, but it was pretty at the same time. The sweet scent of Pea Body, at which she was sure she had seen a specimen of. It was one of her favorite perfumes, and she could tell it pretty easily. She placed the room in it's little niche in the corner, turning back towards the girl with a thoughtful smile. She listened to her silently, her steps slow as she allowed herself to enjoy the sound of a human voice instead the sound of that fly. It was pleasant to actually hear something a proper person was supposed to hear, whether it was polite chatter or not.

She paused a moment, about to take the time to finally speak when the fly came into the conversation. It was as if at that moment her brain went from social to fear, as if the fly in her had taken over. Her hands were at the girl's wrist as those words came out: I'm tempted to swat it. There was a look of panic upon her face, and her body was stiffened. Her heart beat rapidly, and her eyes went quickly from the girl to her little comrade. She might have hated him, but there was no way she'd stand by and let him get hurt. That was for sure. She bit on her lip and quickly backed away from the girl. There was pure embarassment written on her face. She managed to give her an apologetic look, as she backed up into one of the tables. A leaf brushed against her back, and she took a deep breath.

“I'm really sorry.” She said, her voice soft. Her eyes moved upwards at the girl. They were no longer filled with fear, but something else that the fly in her would never be able to feel: shame.

She didn't speak at first, letting her gaze fall back onto the ground. She could see the small fragments of dust and dirt along the dirty floors. She wanted to sweep them that very moment if only to get her mind off what had just happened. Impulses should not be allowed. Never. Ever. She finally allowed her gaze forward, this girl deserved a reason for her oddness.

“I—I'm, well.” She couldn't even muster a nervous laugh.

“I shift into a brother of his.”

She pointed towards the fly, her eyes blinking lightly as she took steady and long breathes, “I'm pretty sure that's a housefly... I shift into a blowfly. It's similar but--”

She bit hard on her lip, “It's pretty in here.” She wanted to quickly changed the subject and instead brushed her hand over the table next to her, starting down the table, her hand raised. She brushed her finger tips of the clay pots and towards the green stems of long flora that she couldn't name. She continued down the line. Her fingertips moving from the stems and onto the smaller branches connecting with the leaflets. Her fingers stopped short, her hand rising as she walked of a pretty orange flower. She could name that one. A poppy.

“Prune ye my vines and fig trees, With care my flowerets tend, But keep the pathway open
Your home is at the end.”

She spoke lightly, her eyes directly on the poppy.

“Beyond the smell, there's something better. Musty, most definitely.”

She turned towards the girl, offering a smile, “But within there's someone more beautiful.”

[Lykaios Minsi]

Lykaios was a little taken aback by the girl's reaction, and almost a little mad. I mean, it was a stupid fly. It was like she had just committed murder or something. But then, as the girl continued to talk, Lykaios began to understand the situation better. She felt sorry for the older woman, she couldn't help it. A fly? Lykaios hated insects and arachnids, she couldn't stand them. She would be embarrassed to if she had shifted into a fly. Still, Lykaios knew it probably wouldn't be appropriate to say such things to the girl. She felt responsible for making the girl uncomfortable, something that made her angry at herself. If there was one thing she hated, it was responsibility. She shrugged it off. This time, she just couldn't walk off with a simple apology or a 'whatever'. It would be on her conscious all day, and it would ruin her happy mood. Lykaios set her hand on the wood and leaned against it.

"I didn't realize," Lykaios started. She stopped, unsure of what to say next. She was never very good at feeling sympathetic towards others, but she had to try to at least act as if she was. "You should take pride in what you shift into. After all, it's what makes up your identity. So it's a fly. Nothing to be ashamed about. Heck, if someone laughed at me because of what I'd shift into...I'd punch them. Besides, what really matters is personality."

She looked over at the flower the girl had pointed out. "A poppy, huh? I'm not very good with flowers. Guess I just never really took time to notice them." To herself, she thought, Sometimes we all have to make an effort and go outside of our comfort zones. It was brave of her, at least, to explain to me why she was so upset.

She pushed back her hair. "If anyone makes fun of your animal...or insect that you shift into, just come find me. I'll make sure they get a mouthful." The girl, based on her actions so far, probably wouldn't find this method too appealing. It was good to at least offer, right? No matter. "Name's Lykaios Two Socks Minsi. I'm in tenth grade here." She held out her hand.

[Anja Boujinsky]

Anja knew she had to knock herself out of this little niche she had found herself in. She didn't feel herself, and whether there was discomfort in these new situations, she'd have to let it go. She'd have to let it take her in or she'd end up embarrassing herself every time something like this happened. She took a deep breath, allowing her hand to fall over the yellowy-green plant at her side. Yes, it was all a general stupidity on her part to allow herself to panic on such ocassions. Shame seemed to come everytime, and it was that shame that would cause her embarrassment. There was part of her that wanted to say that the shame had nothing to do with her venue against her shift, but it had everything to do with it. She wasn't exactly ashamed of the fly in general, but ashamed of the feelings that the topic gave her. Maybe there was a certain pride there that she damaged each time she reacted in that way. As if her hard shell was down at those moments and she felt open to the world.

But she silently watched the girl from the corner of her eyes, and that fear of being left open slowly slid away. This girl seemed rational enough. There was no teasing at her actions, and it made her wonder why she had to be ashamed of such feelings, given that she'd never seen anyone react crudely against her because of them. Pride. It had to be the answer to this entire problem, and she needed it to fall before she ended up, well, embarrassing herself more than she was already doing since she had arrived. She'd just have to suck it up and let herself calm enough to get back to normal. Maybe—Well, this girl seemed to have some sense, and she couldn't help but smile at her attitude. She seemed to have a tough interior, and that was useful for all sorts of things. She nodded her head at the girl, taking in all that was said but not saying much in return. She'd punch them. She wanted to giggle at that, if only for the pure entertainment of her words. She had seemed a tad shy, if not overly caring at what others think. But then again, she had her own two different sides? If not more than that.

She saw a caring person within, maybe even one that was a bit of a fighter, and she enjoyed that in a person. She nodded thoughtfully at the girl.

“Thank you.”

She offered her a small smile, her fingers leaving the rubbery plant as she too leaned against the wood of the shelving units. She wondered what this girl shifted into, but she didn't want to press the question, so instead she took solace in at least knowing a name, no matter how peculiar.

“I'm Anja Boujinsky. It's good to meet you... is there a much easier name to call you?” A slanted smile appeared on her face, “I think I may have trouble remembering that name.”

[Lykaios Minsi]

Lykaios smiled, comforted at least that the lady seemed to not be so embarrassed or awkward now. She never really had an older friend before, though she always wanted one. There was a small hope inside of her that perhaps this person could be her friend, though she didn't seem very outgoing or rebellious. Still, her conversations were interesting, and that was much more appealing then having an idiot of a friend that complained constantly. Lykaios let her hands fall to the side, and allowed herself to relax. There was no need she should feel competitive or reserved around this person.

"That's okay," she said with a shrug. "My name is a little hard to remember, so I don't blame you. People always spell it wrong, too! Do you know how annoying that is? You can call me Lyka, for short. Or Minsi. Minsi is my last name, I like it a lot. It's short, and fun to say. Lykaios Two Socks Minsi. That's my full name."

With two fingers, she brushed the leaf of a nearby plant. "I wonder why my parents gave me that name...but I like it. Some kids change their name when they come here, to school. I could've, but even a different name can't change who you are." She glanced up at the woman. How much older was she, anyways? She could always guess. Or she could just ask. But she didn't want to do something to make the girl uncomfortable again, so she decided to keep her mouth shut on the subject. If the person wanted to tell her, she could.

Lykaios plucked the leaf she had been holding, and held it up to her eye level in order to study it. She turned it around in her hand. The leaf was fuzzy, which she found odd. She was sure that she had seen the plant before. Then she remembered. Her mother had planted these same plants, and kept them around the house.

"African violets," she said, looking over at the plant. "Their leaves are very sensitive. They're my favorite." She paused, staring at the leaf for a moment. "Oops." She set the leaf down on the table and moved away from the plants. Hopefully the older girl wouldn't get too mad at her. She shrugged, and turned away to look at a new plant.

[Anja Boujinsky]

Anja liked where this conversation was going. It seemed so much easier to deal around someone that wasn't stuck on their shifts. She was more... normal? Was that what she was looking for amongst this oddness that she had found coming to a shifters school? Maybe she was looking for the normal stability she had. Where she didn't have to be afraid to say her mind. Where she would be able to talk about why the sun shone, and someone would listen and put their own ideas into the story. Maybe just a small conversation about what they would have for dinner, and what they would study tomorrow. How was the day? It was a good day, beyond the sun. Which she seemed to like better than Anja did.

She was unable to stop the smile on her face as her fingernails traced over the wood, carefully looking over the notches as her nails ridged over the lines. She nodded as girl spoke, looking up, wondering what kind of thought might be on her mind. She seemed simple, and there was this sweetness to her. Even a toughness beneath it all, as if she should protect everyone but herself. She seemed to judgmental of herself, just by the simple embarrassments, but then again, wasn't she just looking at a younger and maybe more defiant form of herself?

“Well, when it comes to names, you are correct, it doesn't make the person.” She moved towards the broken petal, reaching for the velvety softeness. She brushed it against the back of her hand, before passing it back towards the girl.

“But if you think about it, is it not the person that makes the name. If I were to say Bill, what would be the first person you'd think of. Maybe Bill Gates? Bill Clinton? You see. When you say the name, you didn't think of the name as a thing, did you? No, you thought of the person behind the name. You have a unique name, and if you said your name, there would be no thoughts other than, 'Hey, that's unique, that's you.' Or, something of the sort. You make your name, your name does not make you. Many might say by the end of our lives all we will be is a marked grave with a name, but if you go after your dreams, and if you succeed, or even just nearly succeed, or even just try, then you are more than your name, you are... a future giver. A changer. Someone to never be forgotten. They'll talk about you, family, friends in the future and they'll look back at that name, and see the person behind it.”

She nodded at the girl, and slowly moved towards the wood at her side. She pulled herself onto the edge of the shelve, her eyes wondering around the sunlight. She could feel the slight burning of her skin, and flinched just a bit before looking back down.

“Do you know who Edgar Allen Poe is?”

[Lykaios Minsi]

Lykaios watched with interest as the girl winced as she sat in the sunlight. Why did she do that? The sun was warm, so much better then the cold. Lykaios found the sun very relaxing, it's intense rays hardly a bother to her. But this girl wasn't Lykaios, it was someone else. Perhaps her shift made her that way? It was a possibility, Lykaios wasn't exactly an expert when it came to insects. She despised most insects, and arachnids. She especially loathed those creepy crawlers called spiders. Thinking of them sent shivers down her spine. Spiders ate flies, didn't they? She made a mental note to herself NOT to mention spiders to this girl ever. Lykaios knew that some shifters could be very hateful against their animal's natural predator.

Lykaios thought for a moment before answering the girl's question. "Kinda. He's some poetry guy, right? Never read any of his stuff, though. It seems a little dull. I had to read it one time for class, but I didn't. I couldn't bring myself to do it." She played with the leaf in her hand as she talked. The fuzzy green leaf was unique from most plants she saw, just another reason she liked it so much. It was different.

It occurred to her that she didn't know the girl's name. Here they had been talking, yet she had been ride enough not to even ask! She shook away her embarrassment, determined not to show any more 'weakness'. After all, she had embarrassed herself plenty today.

"I never got your name," Lyakios said with a smile. It seemed a relevant enough question, seeing as they had just been talking about the significance of names moments ago. She walked over to a trashcan and tossed the leaf inside, watching it float downwards slowly before it hit the black bottom.

In her mind, she reviewed what the woman had told her. She found truth in what she said, but she'd still have to think about it afterwards. Lykaios brushed her hands together lightly, finding traces of dirt was still on them. Stuff like that didn't annoy her much. She was careful this time as she leaned against the wooden counters, careful to not send anymore plants to their death. Lykaios doubted the girl would be very pleased to help her clean up another spilled pot again.