The sunlight of dawnhad yet to wake the other girls on Alsoina's floor, and that's the way she liked it. Sitting in front of the communal floor length mirror, Leisant snuggled in her lap, she was scrutinizing herself. Her nightgown hadn't changed much since her fight with Athrym, perhaps fitting more snugly on hips and bust, but not anything the biased eye could see.

Beside her were many yearbooks, all opened to various classes... but it was the same year. They same group of girls and boys. One girl in particular, even. Catherine's beaming face peered out from every page, showing her various styles of hair, of jewelry. But it was always the same bright smile, the same soft eyes, the same black ribbon.

Frowning into the mirror, she tried it again. She relaxed the muscles in her face, shut her eyes, cleared her mind, and... smiled. Ali could see the girl's expression perfectly, and when she opened her eyes... there was still something off. She didn't look like Catherine yet.

With a frustrated sigh, she leaned forward until her nose almost brished the glass. There was something... not right. Something missing. Was her grin too wide? Were her eyes too narrowed? Playing with her kitten's tail, she paused, looking at the pictures again.

Wait! There it was!

Scrambling up, knocking the poor Leisant aside, Alisoina ran to her desk and began rummaging about in the bottom drawer, where she threw random gifts and accessories. After a second, she found her quarry. Dashing back to the mirror, she quickly closed her eyes, cleared her mind... and tied her hair back with a simple black ribbon. With a feeling of expectation, she drew in a breath and opened her eyes, the expression firmly in her mind.

Before her was the closest living thin to Catherine she had ever seen. The wide, misty eyes, the soft but brilliant smile, and the black ribbon. It was her.

She-- she had become Catherine.

She had never been so happy, or so horrified.

((insert giggly squeeing smily here))