Log: Clarice & Karolina - backdated like woah

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Backdated to about 3 weeks ago

Karolina and Clarice meet and have a heart to heart on appearances. For all Clarice sometimes still whines about being purple, she realizes how far she's come in accepting herself and her appearance since she first arrived. And they discuss the weather. Mostly fluff with a lovely maturing Clarice (can you tell I'm so proud of her?) and uber-cute Karolina.



Karolina was bored. She wanted to rollerblade, but it was all icky outside. Still, she refused to let the cold keep her from going outside, where the air was fresh and clean (and freezing!). So instead, she put on an undershirt, and a t-shirt, and a turtleneck, and a sweater, and a jacket, and some leggings under her jeans, and three pairs of socks, and two pairs of gloves, and a scarf, and hat...the only glowy part showing when she god done was cheek to forehead, which was a bonus. Smiling at her reflection (She was even getting used to the rainbow!) she made her way outside, feeling silly and bulky, but also warm.

"You look like the little brother from A Christmas Story, when his mom wraps him up in the snow suit and he can't move," Clarice commented from a chair on the back porch. She'd 'borrowed' one of Shiro's empty sketch books and was working on some designs. She didn't normally sketch things out, she was no artist with pen and paper, but sometimes it helped.

Kare looked over and giggled. "I feel like him," she answered, voice muffled by the scarf. She unwrapped it once, freeing her mouth. "You're the purple girl. ...Clarice?" She made her way laboriously over and held out a stiff-armed, gloved hand. "I'm Karolina."

"Clarice Ferguson, good to meet you," being known as 'the purple girl' was better than being known as 'that asshole' or something although it was tiring to always be referred to by people like that. Not that Karolina was being rude, intentionally or not, "Things going okay?"

"Not too bad. I'm getting used to glowing in the dark," she replied flippantly. She bit her lip, wondering if it was cool to ask, but if anyone could answer her question, it'd be someone like Clarice. Someone who couldn't hide their mutation. "How do you...not let the stares--or the anti-stares, for that matter--get to you?" she asked softly.

THAT question. Um. Putting her pencil and sketchpad down, Clairce scooted over on the bench, "Sit down?" she invited smiling, while she gathered her thoughts.

"They get to me," Clarice finally said after Karolina was settled, "The very pointed not-staring is worse. Like I violate their reality, I shouldn't exist. And that's bull shit. At least when people stare, it gives me an oppotunity to show that I'm a normal person too. Every time I go out, I know I'm being watched. I know I'm on display...and I refuse to change who I am or how I behave because of that. This is MY life," she was very vehement about this point, "and I decide who gets to hurt me and define me and control me. And stupid idiots don't get to do that because they're stupid idiots."

"...Wow." Karolina liked that attitude. It even sounded like something she could pull off, once she stopped feeling so self-conscious about her own appearance. "I just feel like I'm wearing a big neon sign that says 'freak' now," she admitted in a near-whisper. She hadn't told anyone this stuff.

Clarice shrugged, "You are wearing one - it's a bright neon rainbow. It's pretty though. Looks a little like a pair of pants I have. Honestly? When I got here, I was really angry at everyone and everything. And scared shitless. Rebel without a clue kinda thing. But...I don't want to live my life like that. I wanna have a life for that matter. But no one is going to give us that opportunity, we gotta take it, but we gotta do it without hurting anyone or pissing people off if we can or it will bite us in the ass."

She looked closely at the little girl next to her, "I probably shouldn't curse, huh? Corrupting the youth of America and all that."

Karolina shrugged. Language like that wasn't allowed at her old school, but she grew up in California, with actors and agents and producers around all the time. She'd heard much worse. "No big." She sighed, then wrinkled her nose at the cloud of visible air this produced. "...I need an indoor hobby, now." But back to the real subject. "I guess I just need some time to get used to it myself, before I feel comfortable with other people reacting to it." WHich didn't mean she'd lock herself in her room, it just meant--she wouldn't be flaunting herself in public, either.

"It's not easy...I've been where you are and it's easy to sound like I have the answers, but sometimes I want to smash the mirror and just curl up and disappear for a little while too. It...gets better. Really. Just takes way too damn long, I think," Clarice smiled humourlessly, "And you can always take up fencing."

Karolina looked at her for a moment, then awkwardly (due to too many layers) hugged her. "I'm so glad there's someone I can talk to about this stuff," she said, pulling away again. "I mean...just saying it, and not being told I'm being selfish or superficial or something is suhuhuch a relief!"

"Nah, what do I look like? My mom or something?" parents sucked, at least, hers did. She didn't have too much recent experience with other peoples, but she assumed they weren't like sitcom or reality TV families. Hugging Karolina back, Clarice couldn't help but laugh at all the padding, "You know, if you take some of the layers off and move around, exercise, it's not as cold. Feels really good actually."

Karolina made a face. "Frostbite," she proclaimed with a nod. "It's dangerous." She grinned then, to show she was joking, but showed no inclination of dropping any of her layers.

Where did she think she was, the arctic? "No one gets frostbite in 27 degree weaher. Bobby wears shorts and t-shirt, even." That Bobby was immune to the cold went unsaid in a hope that she wouldn't notice.

Karolina squeaked. "That's insane!" She shivered at the very thought. "Sixty is cold to me, this is Not Right."

"You'll get used to it, whiner," Clarice said good naturedly. It was something that you had to get used to if you weren't already acquainted with it, "And besides, we have our own weather-goddess to help make spring come sooner, but you can't just completely ignore a season entirely."

"Can in California," Karolina retorted with a grin. "Leaves room for more summer!"

Rolling her eyes, Clarice disengaged herself from the swing and Karolina, "Well, I have homework to finish. And I need some hot chocolate, whaddaya say?"

"Tea for me," Karolina replied promptly. It was just easier than reading the back of the hot chocolate mix. "Other than that, sounds great!"