Name: Arden O'Conner
Location: Arden's Room, Rori O'Conner's Residence
Affected RPers: None

Arden was sleeping. At least that's what it would look like to anyone entering her messy room. Curtains hung low over the two large windows, barring the morning light from entering. Piles of books were stacked on every surface, and clothes were flung across her desk, chair and carpet. Aunt Rori had made her promise to have the room pristine by the time she returned from work today. Ugh.

Arden lay completely still, arms by her sides, facing the ceiling. Her eyes were shut but concentration was evident in the way her lips were pursed. As her chest rose slightly with each breath, her mind was far above the ceiling, above the apartment block even, resting safely within her pet bird and dearest friend Rafferty the American kestrel. His blue-grey wings flapped lazily as he circled above the city. It was beautiful up here above the noise and smog and dirty streets. Arden felt a pang of longing for her home in California, full of wide open spaces and fresh air. Projecting into Raff was the only way she stayed sane in this completely opposite place. Still, it wouldn't be for too much longer. When she saved enough for college she would head back to the west coast. At last.

All at once, Raff let out a series of short squawks and dove toward the ground. Arden felt her stomach drop as he fell, but she felt no fear. She saw the mouse through Raff's own eyes, poor unsuspecting thing. With a slight lurching feeling, she snapped back to her own body, content not to view the impending massacre when Raff no doubt caught his breakfast. After taking a few moments to reacclimatise to being back on the ground, Arden rolled over and sat up, her head spinning for only a second.

She scrambled to wash and dress, then, decked out in her makeshift work uniform - black leggings and a t-shirt with "Expecto Patronum" on the front - and grabbed a banana from the fruit bowl in the kitchen on her way outside. Raff greeted her with an enthusiastic squawk and maneuvered himself to perch on top of her curly red hair. Arden laughed but swatted him down to sit on her shoulder. As she walked the familiar block to the bookstore she flicked through her Facebook feed. Among the pictures of college parties and Californian sunsets was a video from Demon's Run. Arden felt her stomach drop. She had heard of the rogue group of Foram - who hadn't? But she had been careful to keep right away from that mess. Didn't they, and the other Foram who had gone public, realise how hard they were making it for their fellow Foram just to stay safe? Arden's powers were relatively inconspicuous but plenty of others weren't so lucky. She closed the window and pocketed her phone without watching the video, but the rest of the walk was undertaken with heightened alertness.

Once she arrived at the shabby old building housing the book shop, Raff flew from her shoulder to join the other birds perched in the eaves. The store almost looked abandoned but it was an aesthetic that had somehow become popular in the last few years. David often joked about how he was glad he never updated the store since buying it in the 80s or he would have had to change it all back again. Arden entered the little store, greeted by the tinkling of the bell above the door. David popped his head out from behind a towering, overstocked shelf. He was not a small man, but he looked even larger among the narrow walkways between the shelves. "Good timing, we have about a hundred sale items to mark," he said cheerfully. He weaved through the packed store and handed Arden a roll of price stickers. Arden glanced at the door, who knew what was happening out there? Maybe she should have watched that video after all... She turned back to the books and got to work. At least in here, everything was normal.