Fun fact about me irl: I have a major sensitivity to light. Not to the point of getting seizures, but it's still pretty bad. Every professional photo that's been taken of me has me blinking. Every. Single. One. Well, I mean, the ones we actually get do have me with my eyes open- but it wasn't without ten more before that were my eyes were closed!

Thank you for reading!

"Picture day won't be so bad." Strelitzia tried to tell Anora as the older smoothed out the younger's hair with a flat iron. "They tend to do us by house, then by year. So if we need to, you, me, and Affie can afford to be a little late, since we're in the middle Years."

Anora hummed a little in response. Her head gently rocked as Strelitzia worked the flat iron against her hair. The warmth from the iron was nice, and the older girl was doing her best to be gentle.

"Vulpes will have their pictures taken in the auditorium." she went on to ramble. "Leopardus is in the gym. Unicornis is in the cafeteria (which means we may have to eat off campus later). I'm not sure where Ursus and Anguis are having their pictures done. It should still be on campus, I think. I haven't been able to talk to Lauriam in awhile to be sure."

Deciding she was finished with Anora's hair, Strelitzia gently placed the flat iron on her table before going to unplug it from the wall. The older girl then decided to go over to her dresser, humming a small tune to herself. Anora remained where she was at the table. For the first time, she was starting to realize just how long Strelitzia's hair was when it wasn't tied back. It reached well past her torso and, while thin, was soft enough that large pieces easily glided over her shoulder when she bent over.

"Should I use my red ribbon, or the black?" Strelitzia asked as she fished through her dresser drawer. "It won't matter for the year book- since it'll all be in black and white. But Lauriam likes to order the professional photos in color for safe keeping."

"Why not keep it down?"

Strelitzia paused for a moment, then turned to face Anora. There was a small, pleasant smile on the younger girl's lips. The older blushed in the faintest shade of pink.
"O-oh, I can't." Stelitzia stammered. "I'd look too much like my-" She stopped herself to quickly shake her head. She turned back around to dig through her drawer again, pulling out the ribbon, then almost caught her hand as she closed the drawer. Now holding the ribbon up for Anora to see, Strelitzia once more asked; "Red or black?"

The younger one of the two made a funny little face as she thought it over.

"Red." she officially decided.

It took the girls a few more minutes to decide they were ready before heading on out. Affie was waiting for them not far from the girls' dorms. His characteristic afro was a bit poofier than normal, and the suit he wore looked like it had been neatly ironed out some time before. When he saw Anora and Strelitzia come up, he immediately waved to them.

"It's picture day, ladies!" he cheerfully declared. "And both of you look absolutely picture perfect!"

The humble blushes on the girls' faces were equal. Affie laughed at them for a moment before turning his attention to Anora.

"Wow Anora," he remarked, "After everything you've been through this past week -going into a coma, getting lost on the field trip-, getting school pictures done must seem so mundane."

Anora quickly shook her head- indicating that the mundane was exactly what she needed right now. It earned another laugh from Affie. He trailed off when he noticed the sports tape wrapped around Anora's ankle- the rest hidden by a low cut sock.

"How's your foot?"

"Still sore..." she replied, even lifting her foot up a little to rotate it at the ankle. Her point was proven when she'd flex her foot, and the small shot of pain made her wince. Both Strelitzia and Affie flinched back in sympathy.

"I thought so." the Vulpes boy told her. "You're still walking with a limp. Be careful, though; it's not like we can carry you across campus or anything."

Anora gave Affie a bright smile. She was lucky that she had so many people that cared about her.

With the trio together, they started to head toward the auditorium. They did not have a hard time getting there. It didn't even take them long to find a spot near the middle rows to sit and wait in. Anora tried to relax as she looked around the auditorium. At this point, it seemed that a lot of the younger students had already gotten their pictures done. Everyone else that remained looked to be about her age or older.

Ava was sitting with crossed legs near the edge of the auditorium stage. The curtains were drawn- possibly because the camera was setup behind them. Every so often someone Anora didn't recognize would peek their head through the curtain and tell Ava something. The Vulpes headmaster would then nod her head before calling out the next student. In between those moments, she gently swayed from side to side, as if she were remembering a soothing song.

Beside her was Shelby. The turtle didn't do much other than hide in its shell- occasionally coming out whenever Ava called a new student, giving her a dark glare as if she had woken it from a nap. Some times he came out to just stare at the students crowded in the auditorium. Anora could have sworn that he looked right at her at some point. Suffice to say, a distinct chill ran up her spine.

When Ava called out Anora's name, the young woman slowly got up and started to walk to the stage. Sure enough, behind the curtain was the photographer and all of their expensive looking equipment. The area set up for the photos was the standard picture day setup; two softboxes were placed on opposite sides of the camera on its tripod. The backdrop was a generic soft gray and blue gradient, with a small stool placed not far from it. Anora awkwardly made her way to the stool and carefully took a seat. Whoever had been here before her must have been taller; her feet barely touched the ground. Or maybe the photographer had it that way for a reason? It's not like they were telling her that she could adjust it.

"How you doin' today, hun?"

Anora looked at the photographer and offered a nervous half smile. Seeing it made the photographer laugh.

"Well I hope that's not the smile you're going to give for your picture!" they noted with a chuckle. "Now, if you can, could you sit up a bit straighter for me? Yes, just like that. Turn your head a little to the left… Yes! Great! Stay just like that for me..."

The young woman tried to sit as still as she could while the photographer took their photos. She waited for the flash from the softboxes, but it never came. The photographer snapped away at their camera without a single light flash. After a minute or so, the photographer got up from their camera and gave Anora a smile.

"All done, honey. You did great!"

For a moment, Anora wondered if the photographer was just messing with her. There was no way they were finished already. But was she going took a gift horse in the mouth? Of course not! She got up from the stool, giving the photographer a small smile of thanks, before quickly making her way back over to Strelitzia and Affie.

Affie was the first to look up and notice her. "Are you all done?" he asked- a small hint of surprise was laced in his voice.

Anora nodded her head before taking a seat. It wasn't until she sat down that she felt a sudden wave of exhaustion pass over her. She quickly blamed it on picture day. When was the last time she had a professional photo of her done, anyway? Back when she was three?

"It's awful being put on the spot like that, isn't it?" Strelitzia wondered, giving Anora a small smile of assurance. "I'm sure your pictures will turn out beautiful."

Anora lulled her head from side to side for a moment. Would they turn out nice? She wouldn't really know until they came in. A part of her realized that she'd have to ask her cousin if he wanted any prints. She'd have to ask him in an email- maybe closer to the time the preorders came in. And then, a smile started to appear on Anora's lips, which soon became a bubbly laughter.

Strelitzia and Affie looked at each other before turning back to Anora. With a small raise of his eyebrow, Affie asked, "You alright there, Anora?"

But all the young woman could do was laugh. Strelitzia had been right- so many eventful things had happened to her in the last month, even the most mundane of activities were like a breath of fresh air. Hopefully, the rest of October was going to be just as boring, and predictable, and just so normal as today. She deserved it.