a question of identity {melissa}

[hedgierobindale]

This was so stupid.

It was near the end of her senior year, and Chris Robindale hadn't had this much control in... well, in ever. Her junkie parents didn't exactly know she existed all the time, and there were so many messed up children in that home or whatever the fuck it was that no one really payed attention to the girl in the corner who appeared to be talking to herself. Not to mention her psychologist adopted parents had been lenient the first few years so she could 'adapt to' and 'bond with' them. But all of the sudden, she was getting grief from them for everything. Whether it be how she dressed or who she hung out with or behavior at school.

Which was why/how she had landed in Ms. Hewitt's office.

Yeah, she had gotten suspended a few times. So what? She got all A's, right? She didn't drink or do drugs, right? Then what the fuck was the problem? Well, whatever it was, her parents decided she needed counseling. So here she was, sitting across from the older lady, trying not to meet her eyes. Because honestly, Chris wasn't exactly the most trusting person around, and she had never spoken to this lady before in her life, so why should she trust her?

This was getting a bit difficult, though. After all, there were only so many posters to read before it got monotonous. "Words have a mind of their own; think before you speak." "Treat others how you want to be treated." Yeah, well whatever. She'd have to say something eventually, right? So Chris just looked at the school counselor and opened her mouth to say something sarcastic.

But wait- there was something familiar. Was it? Could it be? Yes, counselor lady had it. She had that same glow that the rest of them had. Fron her slouchy, uninterested, I'm-just-going-to-sit-back-and-ignore-you position, she sat up, noticing something different about her glow. It was a bit brighter than the others, not in the way Pooh's had been, but... Could she know who she was?

Could she help her find the rest of them?

OUTFIT

[MELISSA HEWITT]

It had been a good day. Melissa had gotten through to three of her five morning appointments. She was almost caught up on her paperwork. She had bonded with her counselor co-workers over lunch. The sun was shining, birds singing, clouds fluffy and sky blue. It was a good day. She even had a good feeling about her next student. Christina Robindale. Perhaps it was wishful thinking to hope that this girl was Christopher Robin. It was perfectly possible for a male character to take refuge in a female. It was just the ‘Chris’ and ‘Robin’ part of Christina Robindale’s name that made Melissa hopeful. Kanga couldn’t help but to agree with this wishful thinking. So, when Christina Robindale entered her office, Melissa was a bit on edge.

She waited as patiently as she could and prayed that her posture was inviting and friendly. She didn’t want to seem strict with a rigid posture or over-eager by squirming in her seat. However, she had every right to be squirming in her seat. Because this Christina Robindale was indeed her Christopher Robin! The girl had the glow and not only was it the glow, it was a well-aware glow. She knew she was Christopher Robin! Oh, this was too perfect. Doing her very best to keep her grin mild and not insanely excited, Melissa nodded at the girl. She had gone from slouching to sitting up quite suddenly. Did she know? Best to go about this carefully. “Do you prefer to go by anything other than Christina?” Melissa knew that most Christopher’s preferred Chris, after all.

Kanga had made herself visible. She wondered if Christina could see her, as she was aware and all. Melissa almost wondered how this would go. She was quite sure this would be the farthest thing from a regular appointment. How could she possibly give the girl guidance when all she wanted to do was scoop her up and squeal because she’d found her Christopher Robin! “Tell me about yourself.” Melissa suggested, hoping this was a subtle enough way to make sure. Oh, how dreadful would it be if she were wrong!

[hedgierobindale]

“Do you prefer to go by anything other than Christina?”

Then she saw her. Kanga. Bouncing around near the counselor. Kanga! Chris woke Chris Two up and made him get out of her head. He had a tendency to laze around up there when nothing interesting was going on. He appeared and waved at Kanga, a bit tired looking. Not that he ever really did anything.

"Chris, please." Instead of the sarcastic and uninterested tone she would have used with any other counselor, it was actually polite and kind, for Chris. Anyone who knew her and heard her using that kind of tone would have scoffed.

But Chris always had respect for Kanga. Any psychologist would probably say that it was because she was the proper mother figure she never really had. Of course, she never really mentioned the gang to anyone anymore because they would just think she was crazy, but hey.

Well, she may as well continue on with this whole counselor thing, right? Maybe she was just crazy and Miss Hewitt couldn't even see Kanga, let alone Christopher Robin.

“Tell me about yourself.”

Wow, that was a pretty broad question. Well, may as well start with the basics. "Well, I grew up with junkie parents who kind of neglected me. I had a bunch of imaginary friends." Not that they were imaginary or in the past tense. "Then I was finally 'rescued,'" she made quotation marks with her fingers, "by a social services. I was adopted by two psychologist parents who had taken my case. And they were pretty cool at first, but now they're just kind of... protective, I guess?" Chris had no idea she could talk this much. "I think my adoptive mother is pregnant or something and they won't tell me, even though it's obvious."

[MELISSA HEWITT]

Melissa could hardly contain her excitement. If this girl was indeed her Christopher Robin, then almost everything would be right in the world. Melissa seemed to believe that Christopher Robin would know his characters when he saw them. That must mean that, if the others were at this school, that Christina knew who they were. Oh! They could find Roo! Kanga perked up at that, thinking it'd been much too long since seeing her little joey.

Despite being quite eager, Melissa had remembered what some counselors had said about Chris(tina). That she was sarcastic and could be a bit rude. She was the sort to not have a care in the world. However, Chris sounded polite this time around. There was no hint of sarcasm. "Chris, of course." Melissa made a note, not that she would have forgotten anyway. Just because she'd find Christopher Robin didn't mean she could throw her job out the window. She'd take notes but that didn't mean they had to be entirely truthful. (Imagine the questions she'd be asked if others saw a mention of Winnie the Pooh).

Christopher Robin! There he was! Right in the open, just as Kanga was. He seemed a bit sleepy but there was no denying who he was. Kanga was beaming. They were one step closer to all being together again. "Christopher!" she spoke softly but there was the undeniable tone of happiness. Melissa watched from the corner of her eye, feeling it'd be entirely too obvious and a bit strange if she were staring at empty air (she was still a bit wary).

Melissa had been ready to jot down some notes so when Chris starting talking, Melissa began to write. Her counselor mind was working but she ignored it mostly. The last thing she wanted was to go all shrink; she had to take this slowly. It displeased her that her parents hadn't raised her well; Kanga seemed just as upset over this. No child deserved neglection. The quotation marks associated with rescued made her curious and she jotted that down to question later.

"And if she is, are you looking forward to a sibling?" She was asking broad sort of questions. "I had imaginary friends, too. Though, I suppose we all have. Do you mind telling me about them?" Because that there could explain everything. If they happened to be tigers or owls, well...

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