Anna Lenox:
As of 6:00 P.M. on March 11, 2009
you are required to vacate room 3014. You will be relocated to 4017 in Simms Hall. Anything left behind after the afforementioned time will be incinerated.
Please have your room cleaned and left in the condition you arrived.
Failure to meet school standards of eviction cleanliness will result in severe consequences.
Thank you.

Throughout her classes, she'd repeatedly look back over the paper. Is it a trap? Is it another mind game? Her last "roommate" wasn't exactly a walk in the park. That is, assuming the whole thing wasn't a hallucination, a hoax, a... God, what could it possibly have been? Whatever was happening, she was damn sure she'd be prepared for any eventuality. So she slipped out after fifth period, walking against the crowds to head towards her dorm. If her new roommate really was a new roommate, then she'd be in class, and Anna would have plenty of time to snoop around. Cleaning up the room wasn't an issue. All her belongings were still packed in luggage, and as the bell rang, she slipped back into the hall, pack-muled with a couple of suitcases and a guitar case slung over her shoulder. Skipping across the quad, she made her way to the new dormitory.

Empty. Good.
She throws her bags down by the door, eyes cleaning her way over the new dorm. It looks lived in, at least. If it's a prank, at least they had the decency to put effort into it. Eyes flick over the couple of posters on the wall. Game of Death. Cool. She checks the windows, checks under the bed, tests the door to make sure there's no sort of jury-rigged auto-lock system, then clicks the lock into place herself. Eyes curiously roam the floor, everything pushed out to the sides for some sort of practice mat. Catfighting maybe? That's worrisome. She sets out to generally snoop around, sifting through the girl's homework, personal effects, hoping for something that will give her a clue as to who this is... but there doesn't seem to be anything that gives her an outlet into the girl's social life... well.... aside from the martial arts fetish. Even more worrisome. Either she lives a spartan existence, or this whole personality is nothing more than a mockup. She rifles through the girl's wardrobe, her books, her movies. Yojimbo, Iron Monkey, Drunken Master. You can't fake that kind of style. She pops Last Dragon into the little DVD/TV combo, curling herself onto the edge of the bed. The tiny school skirt rides up her thigh, exposing inches of creamy flesh, a notebook of the new roomie set in her lap as she skims her way through the scrawled notes.

Karen's room wasn't a mess, even though she had expanded her things to cover both sides of the double-bedded room. The mat was thin but firm, not nearly as big, thick, and soft as the cushioned blue mats that the gym had, and was a worn beige color. It seemed steady enough to stand or sit on, but easier on the rear than wood. The other bed... HER bed, was pushed down the wall and turned to the side side more to make room in the center of the dorm. One side of the room sat the dresser and one of the beds, pushed up to the wall but not seated against. Across the room was the desk, with an end-table extending it and offering the television and DVD player a place to sit. Next to that, turned on its' side and set against the far wall of the room, was where 'Anna's' bed was, right under the window.


The wardrobe, it seemed, had more slacks, pants, and T-shirts than anything else. White was a common color, as well as blue and green. One bright red shirt had a lower-cut neck, definitely something that would catch people's attention. There were a few white or blue blouses hanging up, and a pair of long skirts, though it seemed this was not her preferred fashion in the least. There was also a rather pretty blue and white kimono of all things, though it was tucked in the back behind the rest of the clothes. Not much else there, unless she checks for the underwear drawers...


Her desk and shelves was the real hot-spot. Her notebooks and school texts were there, math and english and other subjects besides, and all were open for the reading. Left there in a localized disorganized mess compared to the rest of the room. And Anna could see why... her roommate was no scholar. She wasn't... really dumb... but it was obvious that she wasn't going to get through calculus at this rate. Her notes were haphazardly written too, with scrawls all over the page as to what to look up and what this or that might mean. Hit and miss it was, too.

Her non-school books were mostly eclectic. There was a shelf that had a couple dozen various titles... fictions and fantasies. One seemed to be a new acquisition (Ender's Game), though it was the only real science fiction up there. There was a few books that didn't seem to even be in English, with kanji scribbled all over them. One of them looked to be on martial arts, and another might be some sort of mythology novel. A very thick graphic novel with the titled 'Bone' sat prominently in the middle of the shelf. A thin book called 'The 47 Ronin Story' sat besides it. Besides that, it was a bit of Terry Pratchet and Piers Anthony, and a few books that were definitely not fiction. A pair of books that looked rather worn, 'The Book of Five Rings' and 'The Art of War' were there unsurprisingly. With them was a couple books on Karate and Kung-Fu, and one on sword-use and other melee weapons. Go figure.

Beside them were a group of four books; one was on shogi and a whopping three on chess. Which is interesting since she hasn't seen a chessboard around, although she notices a thin notebook beside them that contains a paper-and-pencil method of a few games... and maybe just guesses at strategies.

The movies were sparse, set in a row alongside the TV; there were several martial arts movies, which made up the majority of the lot. A couple of comedies (one romantic comedy), and a couple of korean and japanese horror movies. Two action flicks (V for Vendetta and The Matrix)... she can't tell if that was a selection solely because they were 'popular' or not. There was little else in the way of furnishings in the room; a few small oddities here, like a tiny statuette of a dolphin, clear plastic, and some sort of tiny lacquered red... thing, hung or sat in different spots. A paper crane sat on the edge of the top of the television, though it looked to have been folded rather... awkwardly. A plug-in kettle and what might be a tea-set helped keep the movies straight. A tiny glass 'gem' hung from the window where its string was taped, reflecting tiny rainbows here and there in the sunlight.


It was when Anna had settled down to watch Last Dragon that she spotted something else. Where she sat, on the edge of the bed (the most comfortable sitting position in the room), she could see under the dresser slightly... which is why she caught sight of the edge of the corner of a book. It wasn't visible if you were standing up, and it was tucked behind the 'legs' of the dresser so it was hard to see from in front... but she was at an angle that let her spot it. Maybe a diary or journal? Though it was in a location that was bound to be very dusty...

With the TV playing in the background, she combs the room. Fingers drift over the book selection, stopping reverently on the Bone volume. She lovingly opens it up, flipping through the pages, an affectionate little smile before tucking it back into the shelf. She checks under the mat for anything hidden, taps out the floorboards for hollow sections. No. Looks clean. Looks like a style that can't be faked.

She unpacks a little bit, leaning her guitar case against the wall. A stack of books are pulled from her bag: Naked Lunch, a number of art reference books, a couple of thick graphic novel trades of The Invisibles, some Pynchon. She's casually about sliding them onto Karen's shelf. Living with people is nothing new to her, and she imposes herself on the girl's room without so much as a second thought. About a half dozen outfits, neatly folded, are moved into the closet. She pulls some sketch books from her bag, flipping through them, finally deciding to slide them under the bed, where they'll be safe.

And there she finds it. A dusty old journal. Curiouser and curiouser. She considers it modestly for a moment. Should she invade this girl's most private thoughts? Well, yeah, sure... just a little bit. Just to make sure the girl really is a girl. She slides cross-legged onto Karen's bed, flipping open the journal to peruse it.

The old leather volume was surprisingly thick and large, held shut with a pair of straps that snap closed; one around the width and one going all the way about the length. When she opens it, she is surprised to find a bunch of stuff sliding out of it! A few spiral-bound notebooks, about the size of paperback novels; a DVD in a thin case; a trio of really old, thin manuals, beige and yellow...

Though her true goal itself may be the journal itself. It was rather worn, though looking in it, it hasn't been in use more than a few months. The writing is simple but storylike, as if someone was conversing with the tome... or perhaps their family at home. It seems to have been started at the arrival of the island school, the curiosity, hopes, and excitement, as well as the nervousness. The sudden abruptness of its start might mean there is a previous journal somewhere... but not here.

It is a bit amusing, the tone so young and excited. At first it seems like just a school tale, though there is some mention of training, practice, and interest in whether there are any... martial arts programs there. Hm... With the movie in the background, and reading in on the beginning of a girls stay in this terrible place (though she hadn't gotten to the good stuff yet), Anna misses the sound of footsteps until they are right outside the door. Hands work the handle.

It's real. It reads real, at least. But then again, how hard is it to steal a girl's diary and plant it in a trapped room?

....

Okay. That sounds crazy.

Sprawled out across the bed, journal held over her face as she reads it. Smiling wistfully at the girl's experience, but feeling a dark cloud over it, unspoken murmurs of uneasiness that she fears will come crashing down a few more pages into it. Eyes bolt up as she hears the doorknob shifting, staring around her in shock. Shit. The contents of the book are scattered all around the bed. All she has time to do is look up, see the door creak open. Subtitles run across the bottom of the TV. Danger always strikes when everything seems fine "You're damn right about that, Kambei.... she murmurs. She puts on her best abashed grin, blouse exposing a strip of toned flesh, book closed and set flat across her stomach.

"Don't kill me with your kung-fu! This isn't what it looks like!" Pay attention students. This is the definition of red-handed.

((Oops. I was thinking she was watching Seven Samurai. I'll change that in edit))

Karen, a towel hanging over her head, paused as she held the doorknob. Was it her, or did she hear something inside? That... yes. That is one of my movies. Someone's... in my room. As of late, that could have a whole other connotation that made her hesitation at the door draw on for several seconds.

Finally, body tense, she pulled the still-moist towel off her head, working it into a whip, and then curling it into a loop. Held casually in one hand, she pushed open the door...

And blinked at the sight of the blonde in her bed. The quarter-Japanese girl just kind of stared a second time as she took in the girl laying in her bed, watching her movies... and reading her journal. A growl escaped her throat, the earlier fear forgotten. Whether this girl was beauty or beast... she snapped out the whip audibly and stormed for her, fury in her eyes. To have someone poking through something ~that~ close to her...

If she had thought it was just a normal girl, Karen might have hesitated more, thought that she might be going overboard. But with the fear of the potential danger involved, she simply stormed over and closed the distance quickly. Sometimes back in high-school, bullies and brats had to be dealt a harsh lesson by her... something she remembered from years back and was falling into now...

"Whoa! Whoa, girl! Chill!" She scrambles backwards, pile of Karen's personal effects tumbling to the floor. She scoots back towards the wall as she tries to gain some distance, finding herself trapped against the wall. She's ready to roll to either side if Karen makes a swing, plucking the room change notice from her pocket and unfolding it, holding it up to Karen like a white flag. "You didn't get the notice, right? I'm your new roommate."

She's not a fighter, but her instincts are good, and she can read a situation quick. She's toned, tight-bodied in contrast to Anna's skinny softness. There's a considered awareness in her muscle movement, a tactical movement in the way she reads the room. If this girl's a girl, she could be mopping the floor with Anna in a matter of minutes. And if she's not a girl... well.... She could be mopping something else with her. Loose hair falls in her face, doing her best to put on a disarming smile. "You can beat the shit out of me, but you'll have to deal with the consequences. The admins here don't fucking play around, right? So me and you, we're gonna be together for a while."

Karen slowed down finally as the white flag was raised, and she watched the half-panicking girl for a minute. Finally, something she said pushed its way through her rage, and she reached up for the paper.

Roommate? Now?? She kept a sharp eye on her, but held it up to be skimmed over. She wasn't sure it was a fake... but she hadn't found anyone trying to mess with her like this before. Her eyes went back to the girls' face, and her disarming smile.

Consequences... Karen repeated slowly, then actually looked embarrassed for a moment. Cripes. What if she was right?

Then she remembered what had lit the fire of her anger to begin with. So you show up... with nothing... and start going through my things? She turns a critical eye back on the girl... she no longer had murder in her gaze, but she wasn't going to let her think that she was all and safe just yet...

Karen may not be a bully, but there was no way she was going to let this girl get off the hook like that! Reaching up, she brushed a few errant strands of black hair out of her face, eyes still on the girl.

Okay. Cool. This is a situation she can bend. The smile eases as Karen calms down, still practiced, but less tense. Big eyes are lowered submissively. She knows how to play gamma wolf. They flicker up occassionally to meet Karen's eyes as she talks. "That's more like it. Has anyone told you you're cuter when you simmer than when you boil?"

She nudges the note forward, towards Karen, her free hand rubbing at the back of her own neck. "It looks ugly, I know. But I'm just being cautious. My last roomie." well, sort of "was kind of schizo. kind of fucked around, you know? I just wanted to make sure you weren't going to... like.... murder me in my sleep. or rape me in the showers with a bar of soap. or lock me up in a cage, or...." She drifts off. Her mind's been working up any number of dreadful outcomes to every situation she's encountered these days. Her nose wrinkles up. "Wait a second. You said I showed up with nothing. What the hell's that supposed to mean?"

Karen grimaces at the doe-eyed look. That was one she saw before... a few tried it on her with some success in the past. One hand swiped over the arm of the school uniform she was wearing, feeling the dampness from the towel fade. Her hair was still wet, Anna could see, as if she came from the shower. Probably the gym. Karen blinked as Anna continued, the cute comment making her flush slightly. Grimacing, Karen pinched the bridge of her nose. Dear god...

But she wasn't going to smack the girl. This had settled well past that. Watching Anna, Karen couldn't decide if the story about her... last roommate was true or not. It may be just a sympathy play... but...

Karen sighed finally, and managed to take on an irritated look again. Maybe the girl could see through the act just a little... but the question would pin her down. You said you are moving in. Where's your stuff?

Hn. She sees through it all right. Level playing ground. But she keeps her cards close, shrewd. It could be a rope-a-dope. Get her secure and BAM! Tentacles from left field. Eyes take the time to drift over Karen's body, meaning to take her off guard, Anna's knees pulled to her chin. With a roll of her eyes, she points around the room. "Suitcases by the door. Clothes in the closet. Books on the shelf. Stratocaster against the wall. I didn't exactly leave home with a Rooms to Go bedroom set, see? Satisfied?" Her head tilted up, watching a trickle of water drift its way down Karen's collar bone.

"Besides.[b/] She flops the journal onto the mattress. [b]"There's nothing here worth getting worked up about. Nothing juicy at all, really. The least you could have done is made up some steamy scenes for the people who sneak in here to read it."

She takes a double-take, this time focusing on the suitcases. That was enough... she hadn't caught sight of them, with a pesky girl reading her book. With a low grumble, she fought the urge to rise to the smarmy comments and collected it.

There was a reason it was hidden. She gave Anna a dark look, then sat down roughly on the edge of the bed. Karen was still annoyed and angry, at least a bit, and it was hard to think about what she should say that ~would~ endear her to her new apparent-roommate.

I'll remember that next time. She says drily, then looks about the room. Karen's things were still all over it, more or less. ...rearranging things are going to take a bit. But I guess you can make yourself at home. Mostly. She regathered all of the notepads, booklets, and other things, putting the journal back together and placing it back in its' hiding spot.

So to who do I owe this... honor? It took real effort not to add 'dubious' in there. Even with her warming up to the thought of a roommate in tiny, midget steps.

"Yeah. But not reason enough to hide it well." Well, that's that. Comfortable? She's already there, baby, sprawled back down across the bed lazily, head near Karen's thigh. Eyes roam back to the Kurosawa on the TV. Eyes sink to half lid. Despite the -- well, the worries surrounding this new school -- she likes the exposure to all these new luxuries. TV, steady showers, healthy meals, cute girls with tight kung-fu bodies and soft hearts. If you can just push that whole phantasmagoria rape to the background, it's a real step up.

She watches Karen bustle around, content to stay sprawled herself. Apparently she's made this bed her own. Lips curl upward. "I guess you owe the dean. or the principal. or, huh, whatever you call the dude who runs shit around here. or that bitch Barbie. Tits like zeppelins. red hair. fetish for demon horns."

Suppressing a sigh, she settled down. Perhaps it was the sound of a familiar movie that helped her calm herself and settle down. Maybe it was just that she felt guilty for storming after this girl like that.

Karen... blinks and blushes at Anna's comments about the school, and her last roommate. Every single time the girl opened her mouth, Karen became more and more confused as to what the hell she was talking about.

Fetish for... no, wait. Y'know what? I don't -want- to know... She groaned and put a hand over her eyes. She didn't even want to see this... but it was happening just the same. For a few minutes, she just let the movie continue, watching it lethargically.

Then, she looked over at Anna. You know... this is my bed... At least she wasn't speechless anymore.

Anna's eyes are locked on the TV, but drift naturally back to Karen now and then. She lays on her back, head flopped to the side, shoes on bed. She comfortably hogs the majority of the bed, oblivious to any sense of intrusion. It seems she's set her mind at ease. "Yeah. You definitely don't want to know anything about that..."

She knows Seven Samurai inside and out, murmuring along in English to the subtitles, eyes drifting open and closed, stretching in her little school uniform. Finally Karen speaks, and an eye drifts open, a murmured "mm?", as if she'd forgotten the girl was there altogether. "Oh. Yeah. Well.... The other bed's kind of flipped on its side over there. So unless you want me to strap myself onto it sideways, I figured me and you could switch."

Wait. What?