The Altered.

[Ian]

Hyde- How about this. You delete that picture and I won't eat your phone. And I'll tell you about the BBQ if you tell me about this pollution your dad was talking about. *starts pulling ingredients.* I think you said you didn't eat meat right? *Smiles a bit because he remembered he talking earlier. Still getting ingredients to cook dinner.*

 

[Lee]

Rend- Hmm... I'm going to say no. *Smirks* Besides you can't eat it.. I'll hide it. *sighs* I already told you! What more do you want me to say?! You are Bear-y annoying. *Smirks and walks around to a bar stool, sits and watches him cook, smiles* No, I don't. Heh.. I'm surprised you heard that. Now come on and tell me! What was going on today??

 

[Ian]

Hyde- You'll be sorry. But what is the pollutant that makes you so sick and where is it coming from? *Starts planning a way to get her phone away from her. Starts cooking dinner for the two of them.* Well I was confronted by someone and I was treated in a way that I've never been treated before. It really opened my eyes up. It pushed me into gear. I need to focus on grades, earning some money, and getting out of here. I can't let other people tie me down right now. I really need to be free and unrestricted. I'm going to join the wrestling team so I can have access to the gym and the weights. I'm going to train really hard, and start doing those fights you hear about in the ally and maybe move up to Uzagi's studio. I just thought I could be something and be with someone, and it turns out that I couldn't. So I guess you could say I am going through a life change right now. Umm hey could you come here and give me a hand real quick. Hurry up before this burns. *Starts his plan to get Rends phone from her. As she comes over to help he lifts the phone off her without her noticing.* Soooooo what do we have here. *Holds the phone up out of her reach and starts going through all her pictures and texts.*

 

[Lee]

Rend- ...~Doesn't..want to let other people tie him down?.. Wanted to be with someone..?~ *Just looks up at him with her eyebrows down a bit, doesn't say anything for a moment* ...Oh, I see. *Looks down* You can delete it if you want... I don't care. Look...just clean up when you're done! I'm not your maid! ...You can sleep on the couch! *Runs out of the kitchen and goes upstairs quickly and into her room, sits on her bed with her knees up and at her chest with her face buried in them* ...~What am I even upset for?! ...stupid bear...~

 

[Ian]

Hyde- *Puts the phone down without deleting the text. Gathers the food he just cooked and brings some to Rend. Knocking on every closed door until he finds her.* Hey Rend here you go I know you didn't eat yet either. You must be hungry. I have to say I had a ton of fun with you tonight. I think that was the most fun I have ever had before. I really felt like I could do anything, even leave this town, I felt really adventurous with you. Some people seem so rooted and concerned with everything else. I don't get that from you. You really made me feel good today. *Slowly starts to turn away from her after setting down the food at the foot of her bed.* Goodnight Rend, I'm going to go clean the dishes. I'm sorry if I keep you up with the noise but it will only be a few more minutes before I lay down.

 

[Lee]

Rend- ...*Doesn't look up* Don't leave. *says quietly but Hyde can hear her, picks her head up and looks over at him* You stupid bear.. *Smiles a little at him* ..Come eat with me okay?


___________________


(Next Day, No School, Mid-Morning.)


Ludwig, Ick and Kasumi are all on there way to the Inn to see Nadine.


Ludwig- *Looks over at Kasumi* Hey, did you ever get an answer from you dad or brothers about coming on the trip?


Ick- Yeah you gotta come!

 

[Ian]

Kasumi- *Kind of knowing where Hyde is even though he never called to tell her. She is upset with him about the situation.* Well I know that I'm going but I can't speak for my brother.


Hyde- *Wakes up mid-morning at the foot of Rend's bed. Rend is under the covers sleeping normally. The dishes are still on the floor from last night.* ~Hmm I don't even remember falling asleep. I guess I'll go do the dishes and make breakfast.~ *Gets up quietly not to wake Rend. Goes does the dishes and starts cooking.*

 

[Lee]

Ick- You can go by yourself?


Ludwig- *Laughs a little* Of course she can.. What are you thinking Ick?


Ick-*Shrugs* Well Hyde is usually guarding her like a hawk.


Ludwig- Yeah..that is true.


Rend-*Wakes up a little while after he's left the room* ...*Yawns and stretches, looks around* ~I wonder if he's still here..~ *Gets up and goes down stairs* Hey, what are you doing?? *comes into the kitchen and peers around* Cooking again?? Wow you must really like it! Haha. How'd you sleep?

 

[Ian]

Kasumi- I can make my own decisions. I don't have to be babysat all the time. Dad isn't around nor is Sebastian. Hyde can do things without me and make decisions without me and I can do the same. *Talks in a tone so the others know not to ask about it again.*


Hyde- *Smiles at Rend.* Well I don't know if you know how to cook. If your dad is gone for three months I was trying to make some good food for you. You know if you ever wanted to stop by myself my sister cooks way better than I do. Umm I slept alright. *Rubs neck because he had to sleep in a ball to stay on the bed.* How about you?

 

[Lee]

Ludwig and Ick- Uh, YES MA'AM! *Smiling nervously*


Rend- No, I don't. I usually order take out or make easy dishes. Heh.. I'm sure I prefer yours. *Smirks a bit and sits at the bar stool* When it's like this we seem like a married couple. heh.. isn't that funny? *Shrugs* I slept like a baby. *Smiles* What are you making?

 

[Ian]

Kasumi- Come on lets get to Nadine's place. *Starts walking ahead.*


Hyde- I can teach you how to do basic stuff. Come on get up off that bar stool and come help me. *Waves Rend over with a smile.* Married.? I don't know about that. I never thought I would be in a girls home with her parents gone and me cooking for her, I never thought I would have slept in a girls room either haha. We should try to save up some money and go to different towns. I know you've traveled but I never have. And your dad will be none-the-wiser if he is gone for so long.

 

[Lee]

Ludwig- *They get to the Inn and knock on the door*


Ick- Are they here? Seems kinda quiet.. *Looks around* Maybe she's at home?


Rend- *Turns red* Sleep in a girls room!? *Remembers they fell asleep right after eating, smacks him on the arm* You didn't leave!?! *Sighs* Don't mention that to ANY one!! Got it!? ...


*Looking at what he is doing* Yeah, that's fine with me. I can show you around some towns I know well. *Smiles*

 

[Ian]

Kasumi- Why don't you run to Nadine's house Ick? Me and Ludwig will look around the Inn and pick up the yard a little more.


Hyde- *Smiles a little after getting hit.* Let's eat and then walk around the town a little. I actually feel really good, better than I ever had. What was in those pills? I can't believe I slept all night.

 

[Lee]

Ick- *Nods* Sure thing! *Runs off into the woods*


Ludwig- *Smiles at Kasumi* I wonder what the trip is going to be like with everyone. We don't know each other that well yet. *walks around picking up things here and there and throwing them in the outside garbage can*


Rend- Sure, I guess. *Smiles* I can show you around some spots you might not know about. *Shrugs* I dunno.. I'm not a scientist. Is it done yeeeet?? *whines a little* Come ooon!

 

[Ian]

Kasumi- So Ludwig. You've been hanging around me a lot these past couple of days. I just wanted to talk with you about what is going on. I hope you know that I'm not really interested in dating. I don't mean to be mean or confrontational I just wanted to talk about what our relationship is. Because if we are friends then that is great. I think everyone will get along really well on this trip. I think there might be one issue but I don't think it will be that bad.


Hyde- *Flicks some uncooked food at Rend.* Quit whining. It's done. Come get some... and you are doing the dishes this time.

 

[Lee]

Ludwig- Dating?! Heh no no, it's nothing like that! Not that you wouldn't be a great woman to marry. *Smiles* But I don't really have time for things like that right now. Hm? What do you think the issue would be? *Doesn't seem rattled about what Kasumi said*


Rend- Ewwww! *Whipes it off and glares at him, walks over and grabs some* Heh... no way. My cleaning lady does that kind of stuff. *Smirks and looks at him* Haha kidding.. *They sit at the table and eat together*

 

[Ian]

Kasumi- I noticed something with my brother yesterday at the Inn. I think something happened between him and someone else but I'm not sure who or what it was about. *Doesn't seem phased by what Ludwig says about dating. Continues on as normal.*


Hyde- *Finishes eating.* Let's get out of here. We are wasting valuable day light here!

 

[Lee]

Ick- *Gets to Nadine's house and knocks on the door* Hey! You in there girlie??


Ludwig- Oh I see.. You're brother can be a little bold at times. Maybe he pissed someone off? Or someone pissed him off? *Shrugs* Oh well. *Looks around* How long has Ick been gone..


Rend- Do you ever stop? Geez.. *Gets up with him* We are still in pajamas you know. *Goes to the laundry room and gets there now clean clothes and hands Hyde's to him* You can change down here. Just yell when I can come down. *Goes up and changes in her room*

 

[Ian]

Nadine- *Opens the door. Cough cough* Hey Ick! Yeah I'm coming sorry. I'll be out in just a second. I had a rough night last night. *Invites Ick inside.* Hang on just a second. *Runs upstairs to get herself together. Comes back down and starts walking to the Inn with Ick.*


Hyde- *Changes quickly still feeling like Rend is a little odd about getting changed.* Come on Rend! I'm ready. Where do you want to go first?

 

[Lee]

Ick- Ah there you are. Hey, you still coughin'? *Walking with his hands in his jacket pockets* Gettin' sick? *Looks over at her* Maybe you over worked yourself yesterday?


Rend-*Comes down stairs* I know a cool club! ...well.. it's morning isn't it? They are only open at night. Hmm.. *Ponders where they could go* Do you know any good places?

 

[Ian]

Nadine- Yeah probably just some dust and stuff. *Walks along trying to control her cough.*


Hyde- Oh gross! Clubbing? No thank you. Come on I know a few places. If we go south on the train tracks there is this cool stone cave with a huge tree growing right at the opening so no one really knows its there.

 

[Lee]

Ick- Ah yeah that's probably it. *They make it to the Inn* Hey guys! Were back!


Ludwig- *Smiles* Oh hey guys. Is anyone else coming over today?


Rend- It's not a dance club doofus! It's just a hangout. ...A cave? *Raises her eyebrow* I'm not hanging out in a cave! That's boring!! Think of something else!

 

[Ian]

Nadine- I'm not sure if anyone else is coming. I don't really remember what Hyde, Erebus, or Rend said last night.


Hyde- Alright I have an idea come on follow me. *Starts leading the way to the cave anyway but avoiding the train tracks so Rend doesn't catch on until they are there.*

 

[Lee]

Ludwig- That's fine. *Shrugs* What do you guys wanna do? *Looks around at the group*


Ick- Let's go shoppin! Like uh... for beach stuff!


Ludwig- I do need a swim suit. You guys want to go? We could go to Junes.


Rend- ...Wait a second. *Looks at the cave* THIS IS THE CAVE!? HYDE!! I said I DIDN'T want to go here!! Eeeeh! Stupid bear! *Looks at him angrily* It's going to be boring! Why did you bring me here?

 

[Ian]

Kasumi- *Looks at Nadine.* Umm yeah I guess we can go shopping. I don't need anything though.


Nadine-*Looking back at Kasumi with an excited smile.* YES! That sounds like a ton of fun. *Muffled cough.*


Hyde- Would you shut up you little girl. Come on. *Pushes some branches and roots out of the way to enter the cave.* Come on I've found this cool place. *As they go deeper into the cave it gets cooler and cooler as well as very dark. But up ahead they see a faint glow.* Come on we are almost there. *The glow gets a little brighter but is not bright like a lamp or natural sun light. The air gets very light and moist. It feels clean and refreshing.* Come over here and sit down. I found this place a while back. I always feel really good in hear and these plants or mushrooms or something give off this faint glow so it isn't super dark. Look lay down here on the stone and look up at the roof of the cave. *Looking up at the roof of the cave the fungus or plants look very much like stars in the night sky with their faint glow.* I've never seen anything like it. Not even in the other caves around here. Cool isn't it?