Challenge 25: Camouflage

[sakurazuka-jae.livejournal.com]

Title: Urban Camouflage
Word count: 236
Rating: PG-13
Challenge: Camouflage
Characters: Abby, Helen



Abby observed quietly as Helen Cutter briefed the group on what she knew about the latest creature to come wandering into the present. Personally, Abby wondered why they even bothered, given that not single member of them believed that Helen was telling them everything, and all she ever did was twist and wind everyone up. But appearances had to be kept, apparently.

Appearances.

Abby watched as Helen focused her attention on Nick and Stephen, with occasional glances at Claudia to rub in the fact that she was the focus of attention.

Cow.

Helen never once looked at Abby, and that was just fine with her. Helen had joined a long line of teachers, employers, and potential love-interests who had taken one look Abby's hair and clothes and written her off as a vacuous blonde, only to find too late that appearances could be deceiving.

Abby couldn't help grinning as Helen went onto a tangent about their target's forest camouflage, and how humanity had never developed such a useful genetic trait. The movement caught the other woman's eye, and for a moment she seemed puzzled, then her gaze moved to Abby's stylishly short blonde hair, and she dismissed the zoo-keeper, moving back to her real targets. Abby's grin widened.

Forget forest camouflage, that's old hat. Urban camouflage is all the rage now.

You just keep your attention on the obvious threats, love.

You'll never see me coming.

Comments

[fredbassett]

I love sneaky clever urban Abby! And the reference to the men as Helen's "real" targets :)

[sakurazuka-jae.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I've noticed that Helen seems to only focus on the male characters (Nick, Stephen, Lester etc) as potential threats (or mates, but best not to go there methinks), and only really relates to Claudia as a rival, so it seemed logical she wouldn't really bother with Abby. Which is a big mistake, IMHO. :-) And yeah, the creature may be her excuse for being there, but we all know it's just to jerk everybody else around.

[fredbassett]

Sounds like a good character reading of HELEN! as bigtitch always calls her, 'cos the male characters are always yelling her name at her rapidly retreating back :)

[cordeliadelayne]

Heh, very nice.

[sakurazuka-jae.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[telperion-15.livejournal.com]

Like it! We don't see enough Abby around here, and now I know why - that urban camouflage is really good! *grins*

[sakurazuka-jae.livejournal.com]

She's sneaky that way. Glad you liked it!

[rodlox.livejournal.com]

*evil wicked grin*
One wonders intensely what Abby has planned.

I suppose one could pardon Helen for forgetting about urban camoflage, given where she's been living...but that's not the point of the drabble, right?

tis a wonderful drabble. I love it!

[sakurazuka-jae.livejournal.com]

Something sneaky and unexpected, that's for sure. I have complete faith in Abby's ability to come up with something surprising when needed.

Nope. Besides, Helen needs to stop underestimating/scoffing at other humans, and I think she's missed a couple of crucial changes in the present time while she's been gadding about through history that are going to bite her later on (metaphorically).

Thanks for your comments, I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[deinonychus-1.livejournal.com]

Nice fic. Sorry I've only just found it, I'm having a fic catch-up session. An interesting look at the dynamic between Helen and Abby, because really they never really interacted on the show. And you're right: people underestimate Abby at their peril.

[sakurazuka-jae.livejournal.com]

Aha... *nervous laughing* and now I'm having a comment catch-up session, so I guess we're even. Yeah, I think Abby is a lot stronger than most people around her think, and that forgetting that is likely to result in a rather humiliating defeat. And personally, I think Helen could use a few more of those!