CHANGE
onelildustbunni

CHAPTER 1
Again

Laura watched as her phone sank into the harbor, biting her lip. She had been just existing here, aimlessly, in the place where Debbie and Megan had lived. Counting the days. The months. The years. She had lost her cousin, her friend. She was not dead, but she would never see her again, either. The safehouse circuit would make her disappear. She would not go looking.

She had no will to leave this place. No matter what Logan said.

The school had been a disappointment, when she had gone there the first time. She had not been introduced to the other students. Logan had put her in a room with several older girls. Teachers. They had become acquainted, but they did not really have time for her. She had kept to herself, feeling overwhelmed by all the people, and one night she had quietly slipped away, to go back to the last place she had felt welcome.

And now he was asking her to return.

The world just got a whole lot scarier and the kids at this school need you.

He'd also said something about her needing them, and about how she'd never make it on her own. That didn't matter to her. It was those two words. Need you. She looked down at the water, her eyebrows drawing together.

Would things actually be different this time, somehow? Would she belong? She remembered the few attempts she had made to introduce herself to the other students. The conversations had stopped as all had turned to stare at her. One boy had told her to "go away, creepy girl." No one had argued. She'd given up after that time.

Her claws slid out, and she drew them lightly across the opposing wrist. The physical pain helped her ease the discomfort she was experiencing.

Even as she cut her skin, she knew her next actions would be to gather her things, and head to the Greyhound station. She had sufficient funds for a flight, but airport security would take issue with her claws. It was easier to go by bus. Besides, she liked watching the scenery pass. The fields, the mountains. The change in the trees, from coniferous to deciduous. The world was interesting to watch.

Three days later.

"Laura?" Logan sounded surprised. "Where are you?"

She looked around the station, twirling the phone cord in her fingers. "Here."

"That's not helpful, kid." He paused. "Wait, caller ID says this is a New York number. You at the station? Or you callin' from the school for some reason?"

"The station." Laura paused. "You said to come."

"Yeah. Good girl." There was a jingling sound. Keys. "Stay put. I'll be there in a few."

"Okay." Laura started to hang up, but Logan was yelling "Wait! Wait!" so she pressed the handset to her ear again.

"Where are you? What station?"

"Central." Laura paused. "Goodbye?"

"See you."

They hung up at the same time. She leaned against the phone booth and closed her eyes.

BANG BANG BANG!

"Hey lady! What you think that is, a spa? Other people have to make calls, you know!"

Laura felt the urge to show him her claws, but the ensuing scene would not be worth it. So she simply slid one claw tip out, sliced the phone cord, then retracted it and walked out. She smiled slightly to herself.

Twenty minutes later, she caught a familiar scent. As did Logan. He headed towards her, his eyes giving her a once-over under his downward tilted cowboy hat. "Hey, kid."

Laura nodded at him, her eyebrows drawn together.

He reached her and clapped her shoulder with his hand, then threw his arm around her in a half-hug. "Damn. Almost as tall as me. Sure you're my clone?"

She smiled slightly, shifted her bag to her other shoulder. "Are you certain—"

"Yeah, I'm 'certain.' Stop doubting your elders." Logan guided her gently toward the large double-arched doorway of the station. "Things are nuts at the school. Chaos. Kids dyin', getting' hurt. They don't know what to do."

They reached Logan's bike, a black Harley Davidson. He obviously cared for it. It was very shiny.

Laura looked down. "I am no better."

"What you talkin' about? Course you are. You're my clone. And we're the best at what we do." Logan grinned. "We live for F.U.B.A.R."

She didn't return his smile. He sighed and patted the passenger area of the seat. "Get on. And I don't care how fast you heal, put the goddamn helmet on. In the saddlebag there."

They were at the school before she knew it, and were walking up the front steps. Laura gazed up at the big brick building as it swallowed her once again. Then she closed her eyes, regretting the decision to come here. She would slip away very soon. As soon as possible.

Logan stopped inside the foyer. "Where are those damn other kids at."

Laura's forehead wrinkled. There were many, many students at the school, last time she was here. Were there now so few that they would be gathered in one place? She tuned into her hearing, and looked down the hallway. "I hear them. And a television."

"Den. Figures." Logan shook his head. "When I was a kid…well, I don't remember, but I know I wasn't wastin' my life on TV. Ought to be outside, playin' ball or somethin'."

Laura looked down, her hands sliding into the pockets of her jacket.

Logan squeezed her shoulder. "Come on."

As they approached the room, an argument began breaking out. A girl brushed passed Laura, hugging herself, tears streaming down her face. Her long brown hair swept behind her like a train. She ran down the hallway and up the stairs.

Laura stopped to watch her, eyebrows drawing together.

Logan also stopped. "Probably that little punk, Keller. He makes a lot of people upset. Including me."

She gave him a questioning look.

"Fuckin' nightmare to teach. Went through a lot of whiskey this year." Logan grinned. "Do us all a favor and make his life suck, okay?"

"I…" Laura frowned.

"Don't worry about it." Logan guided her toward the room. The argument was picking up again.

"We're not finished yet, Keller!"

"You just picked the worst time to mess with me, little girl!"

Logan cleared his throat. "Am I interrupting something?"

The room froze, all of the students turning to stare at them, including the two who had been arguing.

Laura froze, too.

"No?" Logan grunted. "Good." He reached up and patted her on the back. "This is Laura. My sister. She's a genetic clone created from my DNA and…you know what?" He glanced at her, then back at the kids. "It doesn't matter. The bottom line is, yes, she has my claws, and yes, she could kill you if she wanted." Pause. "So don't make her want to."

Silence.

He squeezed her shoulder. "Consider yourself introduced."

Laura looked down. She didn't know much about social interactions, but she knew enough that even she realized that a threat was a terrible way to make friends.

Logan cleared his throat as he walked away. "For the record, my money's on Nori."

She shifted her pack on her shoulders and bit her lip. Finally, the eyes started to turn away. The argument was resuming.

"Let it go." Another boy was patting the shoulder of the blue-haired girl, who Laura assumed was called Nori. He had a very serious face, with brown eyes, thick glasses, and dark skin. "He's not worth it."

"Can't I kill him, just a little?" In addition to her bright, choppy blue hair, Nori had brown, almond-shaped eyes, and spoke with a slight accent. Laura suspected she was from Japan. She recognized the pronunciation, and the name.

Laura had not seen either of them before.

The boy she was arguing with smirked. "You wish, gloves." She suspected this was the "little punk" Keller that Logan had mentioned. He seemed familiar, but she couldn't quite place him. He had hair dark as hers, bright blue eyes, and symmetrical, even features that seemed like they could be pleasant to look at. But she could also sense a hostile, challenging energy radiating from him, probably from his body language: folded arms, stiff shoulders.

"Come on guys. I've got a better way to blow off steam." Nori's friend brushed past her as he left the room. He was followed by several others.

"I'll see you later, tough guy." Nori hissed.

"Looking forward to it." He was about to say something else, but was cut off by a girl that seemed to be made out of metal. Except for her bright red hair.

"Julian, I love you, but it's time for you to grow up." She sounded disappointed with him.

Laura sniffed. Mercury, it seemed like. A toxic metal. Strange, that she was allowed to walk around. Her eyes turned to the boy named Julian, the only one left in the room.

"What are you looking at, clone?!" he snapped.

She flinched slightly. Finally, she realized that he was the student who had called her a creep. The one that had finally convinced her to leave the school. It was somewhat a relief, to realize that he made others feel unwelcome, too. It wasn't just her.

"This place is falling apart." He sneered at her. "It used to be cool. Then they let in all this trash, like Ashida, and smell girl, and now you. I shouldn't bother staying here anymore."

Laura's eyes narrowed. She hated sneering. It reminded her of Rice. She bared her teeth, just slightly.

He stopped, and his heart started beating faster. She could smell adrenaline. He was afraid of her. Good.

"Uh—my name's Julian." He offered his hand.

She didn't take it.

His face darkened. "Fine. Whatever. Thought you might not be a loser, for a second there. I won't bother with you again. Just so you know."

She didn't say anything, and he stormed out, his back held very stiffly.

"Sofia?" he called. "Hey, Sofia! Come back!"

Laura entered the room and slumped down on the couch, rubbing her face in her hands, then holding it. Why had she come?

After a few minutes, she popped her claws and began slicing at her wrist.