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Eco-friendly Shapeshifter
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 Posted: Sat Apr 19, 2014 5:05 pm
With all the hub-bub surrounding the days after the collective dream of wonderland ended, Alexis had barely any time to reflect or get his bearings. First was the trip around the school with Frosty, and then that battle with Alice... Resting came later. Two days of just moping in the dorm room and letter sending. One to Ulka and One to Pages.
On the third day, finally the school sighed with relief. Guests were home, and new students were officially enrolled. Old students were graduating. Life was moving forward in Amityville as if it hadn't skipped a beat. Forget the Ancient of time and death appearing before the students. Forget the strange MMO and the Queens of Grief and Rage. It was time to keep moving forward.
Forward meant classes.
Alex sighed very softly and collected a small messenger bag of things he'd want for class. Nothing too big or bulky, just a note book or two, and some pens. Emily, his Seakles, flapped over and snuffled at his legs and hair playfully. "All right, you can go too Emmy." The Seakles bayed in happiness and bumbled lazily to his door. It was going to be a normal day, but... How did you go to normal again after all of that? After finding great friends and adventure? Now Alex was back to being plain, dumb, boring Alex. "Let's get some food."
The Creepateria was packed that morning. An anticipatory, happy mood hung over everyone. It buzzed in their words and sentences. Unleashed potential for learning and a new year. They were moving on, but Alex was still stuck. His mind was so preoccupied he had no idea what he'd bought for breakfast until he sat down at one of the long creepateria tables. Mushed pumpkin gruel and spook eggs with a side of ham. Not the worst meal.
Chewing absentmindedly on the meat pieces first, Alex allowed his mind to drift as he observed the students. He was in a prime spot to see most everyone entering and exiting the creepateria. A bright flash of multi-colored fur made his heart skip a beat. Alex nearly choked on his food. It quickly turned to ash in his mouth when he noticed that it was just a Chimera.
Two days of crying and moping, but Alex still hadn't let it go. Ulka said he had never been accepted, so why would... Why would Alex have expected to see his friend in the deluge of guests? Of course Ulka wouldn't, or couldn't, come to the school. It would be to painful for the teddy bear. Sighing bitterly, Alex took a bite of the mush and tried to think of happier, less depressing things.
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Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 3:16 pm
Wonderland had been a dream. Again and again, Ulka had to tell himself this, he had ended up being so thrown by the whole thing. There were the wonderful memories of friendship, and laughter, and adventure… but there was all the enormity of the memory that he had died. His head had been severed from his body, and that had been it. No respawn, no game over, just the sudden realization that he was dead.
It was the sort of feeling you didn’t get over easily.
His other self- the self who had stayed behind in his place- had assured him, in the end, he was real. It was why he had woken up to the eerie silence of his own home once more. No ambient sounds of wonderland, no players laughing… just his room. Just him. And it had only been a single night.
It felt surreal, now, being awake. There was no pocket assistant chirping at him, no deck to pull in times of trouble. Just him. Ulka Ursa, bear. He tumbled unceremoniously out of bed, running his claws through his hair with a sigh. There had been so many friends to talk to, in his dream. And now, there was nobody at all.
Ulka drudged through the little house on the outskirts of Halloween, in a daze. His normal books were forgotten, toys overlooked. It just wasn’t the same. There was no one to share it with, no one to laugh with. His father wouldn’t be home for hours, and even then…
The little bear sighed, shuffling through the mail on the table. Junk, junk, a letter to him…
…Wait.
A letter. From Amittyville.
Immediately, his face had lit up. He… he had a letter. Oh goodness gracious, he had a letter. Steadying his shaky paws, Ulka ripped into the letter, reading over its contents. Dear Ulka Ursa, we are glad to congratulate you..
It still felt unreal. Even now, settled in the Creepateria with his food, Ulka could hardly believe he was here. He had immediately packed his books and toys and set out, and found his way to the school. As undecorated as his dorm was, he was here. Ulka had finally made it.
Smiling to himself, Ulka took a bite of his food, chewing over it thoughtfully. So what if his dream of Wonderland hadn’t been the happiest? He was here. He had made it. Everything else was in the past and that was okay.
Even if he hadn’t found Alex… well. He hadn’t gotten here. And now, there would be time to figure everything out.
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Eco-friendly Shapeshifter
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Posted: Fri May 02, 2014 4:23 pm
It was just a flash. Just a moment. Just a blink. A breath that slipped away. There was no way that the little blotch of blue and orange fur was Ulka. It was pathetic that Alex was seeing things that made him think it was his friend. Sighing, Alex nibbled on more mush. Beside him the Seakles snuffled at his leg before flopping down and yawning.
Even if it was pathetic, the question kept coming up. What if it was Ulka? Sighing softly, Alex looked up again. Craning his neck this way and that, the Harpy finally spotted the blue fur amid the sea of restless student bodies.
And his heart stopped. Not literally, but almost. With wide eyes and jaw dropped, Alex pointed as if in horror.
It was Ulka.
Oh. my. god.
Stunned, he wasn't sure to whoop with happiness or hide below the table. Last words rushed quickly to mind. Oh god, he'd been so stupid. And those... He didn't want to imagine it. Not yet. It was so embarrassing. Was it worth the possible backlash? Worrying his lower lip, Alex slipped from his seat. Emily, her master temporarily gone, found the rest of Alex's food and ate it.
Flapping nervously across the room, Alex approached Ulka's table.
And then immediately turned around and left. Hiding behind a post, the harpy clutched his chest. NO NO NO. He couldn't just go in hot like that. All nerves and worries and paranoia. This had to be smooth. It had to be perfect. If it wasn't 100% great he'd never ever forgive himself. Alex fished in his pockets and pulled something out. Clutching it in his hand, he took a few more steadying breaths and left from his pillar hide out.
He approached Ulka from the back. Swallowing his nerves, the harpy gingerly tapped the bear's shoulder with his clawed hand.
"Yo, dude. I think you, uh... I think you dropped something."
Alex beamed like an idiot, caught between panicked and ecstatic. His palm opened to reveal the ring. The other ring was still riding in his pocket.
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