Minor edits and some changes.

oOo

The next morning I woke up on the couch still. My hat was on the coffee table and a blanket draped over me. I picked myself up and stretched my back until I heard a satisfying crack. I looked around the room and found my bag; grabbing it then headed for the bathroom. I took a hot shower that helped me wake up then I quickly changed into a fitting black shirt and gray sweatpants. When I walked out of the bathroom I noticed that my mom was gone. I decided to head towards the mess for some food, hoping to run into a least a friendly face to sit with.

When I got there everyone was there eating and chatting. My mom waved me over and move over to make room as I sat my tray down. The food here wasn't bad but it wasn't great either. It's just good enough to fill your stomach and leave you full until lunch. Norm was talking to everyone about his dream that he had and so did Jake. When they asked me, I just shrugged and said what I normally say.

"Nothing much, just watching me and my mom play in the back yard. Did you know we used to play leap-frog?" They laughed and my mom hugged my shoulders, not knowing that I told a lie. I couldn't say what I really saw but I could tell in Max's eyes that he knew I was lying. He's the only one who could actually tell the difference. Once we finished eating and talking, my mom dragged Norm, Jake, and me to the link room. I could tell that the boys were excited as I was.

"Celene, how much link time have you logged?" my mom asked.

"770 hours." I answered.

"Excellent, Norm?" my mom pointed the questions at Norm.

"520 hours." Norm told her.

"That's good. Celene you're in the first one, Norm you're in the second, and Jake you're in the third. Celene wait a minute before you hop in." My mom said. I nodded and went to the case. The inside is filled with some sort of gel padding while the nerve sensors are placed on the top of the case. "All set?"

"Yep." I told her and climbed in. The gel felt cool against my skin as I laid down. My mom typed something on the monitor before turning to me again.

"Keep your head down and relax. You'll wake up in your new body and we'll get started. See you soon kiddo." She kissed my forehead and started to close the case.

"See yea." I answered as she closed the case. I closed my eyes and waited for me to fall asleep. The sound of a heartbeat that wasn't mine pounded in my ears as I tried to relax. Just when I thought I couldn't fall asleep, I saw a flash of mixed colors. Red's, blue's, purple's, and I thought I saw lighting but it quickly went. My head began to spin and next thing I knew, I heard a faint beeping sound.

"She's in. Celene? Celene can you hear me?" I heard a faint voice as I tried to open my eyes. A blinding white light made things go fuzzy as two doctors came into view. "She's in." They waved a light in my eyes.

"Papillary reflex is good." Went the other doctor then a snapping noise awakened my ears. Ah, my hearing is the same thankfully. "Pinna response normal. How you feeling Celene?"

"This is so cool." My voice seemed more melody like and I love every bit of it!

"Welcome to your new body Celene." I brought my hands up and looked at them. I could move my fingers and I didn't feel like I was wearing a second skin…it felt so normal to me.

"Good, we're gonna take this nice and slow." When I tried to sit up, my head throbbed a bit but I shook it off. They helped me sit up and I watched my toes curl and uncurl with fascination.

"Are you feeling light-headed or dizzy at all?" one asked.

"Just a bit when I sat up but now everything feels great!" I answered. I looked and watched as Norm and Jake were also in their bodies.

"Motor control is good. Do you feel and numbness or pain?"

"No." I wanted them to stop asking me questions and just get me outside already.

"Jake! Jake!" Shouted one of the doctors. I looked over to see Jake standing up but then his tail whipped and knocked over a few things.

"Jake take it easy!" I told him. He looked up at me and smiled.

"I can stand…I can stand!" He walked over to me and rested his hands on my shoulders. "Celene I can walk!"

"Good to know now sit down or you're gonna get yourself hurt." But he just shook his head and stated to take off the monitors on him then on me. "What are you…."

"Come on!" He dragged me off the bed and led me to the door. Once he opened the door, the sunlight blinded our eyes but when it cleared. I could see avatars playing basketball and jumping over hurdles in exercise routines. Jake started to pull me along as we broke into a run. Once he let go of my hand I began to run on my own. Each time my foot hit the ground I was drought back to my dream.

A heartbeat pounded under my feet.

I could feel everything around me.

I heard voices of animals just like back home but I could hear different sounds of them from far away. It felt like I was meant to be in this body and feel the things I was feeling now. When we landed in the garden I felt the soil beneath my feet., in-between my toes. I felt life itself. I felt it going through me.

"Hey marine! Celene what do you think of your mother!" I heard my mom call but when I turned around I found myself looking at an avatar that looked some-what of my mom. However, she was wearing a Stanford shirt and khaki shorts.

"Mom?"

"Grace?"

"Who did you'd expect numbnuts?" She picked two fruits from the bush and tossed them to us."Think fast." We caught them and looked at each other. I followed what Jake did and bit into it. It was watery and sweet at the same time. It tasted so good! "Motor controls looking good. Come on, let's get you two into some real clothes." She turned and headed towards a log cabin. I have a gift for you Celene." My mom told us. We waited for Norm and then followed my mom where she entered the building. She pointed to a bed that had a trunk that held clothes and such for us. I waited for Norm and Jake to get dressed so I could get dressed. I picked out a white shirt and khaki shorts as well. When I was finished, my mom held out her hand and there sitting was a wooden moon carved necklace, the exact same one my grandmother gave me.

"Mom how…"

"Max helped me carve it out. I tried my hardest to get it like your grandmothers'."She said but I just hugged her. After everyone changed, my mom told us to explore. I walked away from everyone so that I could talk to Max who came out to see us in our bodies. I told him that I was able to hear the animals voices but I had yet to find out if my ability to control plants or even yet to even talk to them in my new body. Max said that it was great that I could hear them but he said I shouldn't get my hopes up if the plants don't respond. It would be likely that I would have them but since I'm in a new body my abilities would probably occur at a later time or not at all.

I spent most of my time exploring and looking at the plants to see if I could even move anything but sadly, nothing happened. When nighttime fell, my mom called everyone into the tiny building we were in before. My bed sat right next to Jake's while Norm was a few beds away. I was brushing my hair when I noticed Jake playing with his braid. I saw tiny pink tendrils move when the hair was out of the way.

"Don't play with that or you'll go blind." My mom told Jake before she went to close the door.

"Freaky." Jake said and threw his braid behind his back.

"Go on scat." My mom told the scientist and locked the door. I put my brush away and sat on my bed then lay down.

"See you at dinner kiddies." My mom told us. I got in a conformable position and closed my eyes. Next thing I knew I was being pulled back into my body.

oOo

I could hear the case stop running and it opened to show Max smiling down at me.

"Welcome back, have fun?" Max asked. I smiled and sat up slowly with Max's help.

"It was better than I've imagined." I told him.

"Come on. Everyone is going down to dinner. I bet your starving." Max took my hand and helped me up then headed for the mess. Everyone was talking about his or her day and Norm was talking with my mom about something he's been dying to ask. I saw Jake roll his eyes as I finished my meal. When I was done I decide to head to bed early.

However, that night, something happened. I didn't have the reoccurring dream from before. I heard whispers and then I saw a flash of purple color when I woke up. But I didn't wake up in my bed when I opened my eyes.

I woke up outside!

In my avatar body!

"Celene….." I heard a woman whispered my name. I jumped from my avatar bed and looked around.

"Who's there?" I whispered as if the other avatars would wake up if I talked too loud.

"Celene…I gave away a daughter that day. I watched her grow and wished her to come home. Many nights she was within reach but many mornings woke her up before she was able to come home. Please find her. You know where she is. Remember. You have to remember where you left her." The woman's voice echoed then faded.

"What do you mean? Who are you? Wait!' I shouted quietly but the voice was gone.

"There is always an option." There it was again but this time it was gone for now.

I sat on the bed thinking. How did I end up in my avatars body? Should I tell mom? No, that would be bad. She might not let me link with my avatar until she's figured out how I did. Yes, I'll tell her later when I get a chance and wrap my mind around this. I laid back down on the bed and closed my eyes, hoping that I'll return into my body. What the hell is going on?

oOo