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 Posted: Sat Feb 03, 2007 8:48 pm
Newt had fallen into a rhythm again over time. Cleaning duties, garbage sweeps, maintenance checks. It was methodical and dull as stones. He liked the garbage sweeps, though. Stirring up the garbage always scared out the island insects that had hidden inside, and he could make a quick afternoon snack. For a frog his size, they were like popcorn. Hardly filling, not satisfying a bit, but oh so addictive. In the trash itself, he'd find perfectly good squares of cardboard from the backs of used up legal pads, rubber bands and twist ties, discarded makeup and orange peels and all sorts of useful things. The things he kept for himself he put in a separate trash bag tied to his cart, the rest dumped into the mane bin. It was a nice way to spend the afternoon, going along the path to the various garbage bins, snatching flies and finding surprises.
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Posted: Sat Feb 03, 2007 9:09 pm
It was afternoon and Lucas was just returning back from the construction site. Ever since Dasher had visited the construction area weeks ago, the dog had been eager to return every day since. Lucas imagined it was because the dog hoped to see Vixen again. He likely craved another dogs company. Lucas may look like a canine, but he wasn't one on the inside.
And every time they would show up there and find the place empty, the dog would mope. It wouldn't last long, but the walk back to the duplex was always easier and he could control Dasher a bit better. The chicken from the cafeteria always helped lift his spirits.
As he walked he noted a figure ahead. Squinting, he realized it was the same frog-man he'd seen all those weeks before. He had helped out at the construction site. He never did get to meet him or even catch his name. The dhole was also starved for "human" contact. It had been a while since he'd spoken with another person, aside from the labs.
When he got closer he realized the man was going through a trash can. Raising an eyebrow, he walked up to him. Dasher, happy to see someone, walked all the way up and tried to sniff him.
"Hello?"
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Posted: Sat Feb 03, 2007 9:28 pm
Even as the dhole spoke, a large fat beetle suddenly fluttered up into the air, scared by the frog's searching only to be snatched up by the squat janitor's tongue and crunch to a pulp under his teeth. The sounds of his rummaging had covered up Lucas's curious greeting. Perhaps it was for the best, considering how skittish Newt had been since the discovery of the maimed guard. It made rather daunting to be seen, lest someone felt vengeful towards Feral employees again.
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Posted: Sat Feb 03, 2007 9:38 pm
Lucas tried not to grimace as the frog-man snatched the insect from the air with his tongue and then crunched it.
Not sure if he had heard him, Lucas spoke again. "Hello?" For the moment the uniform and badge for Feral Labs went unnoticed. Lucas was more focused on the green skin and large eyes staring at him.
Dasher, at the same time, lifted his nose and sniffed Newt's bottom.
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Posted: Sat Feb 03, 2007 9:42 pm
At the sudden touch of a dog nose to his bony bottom and the voice pipping up again, Newt gave a startled ribbit and leaped forward away from his seeming attacker to hide behind the garbage bin with a noisy clatter.
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Posted: Sat Feb 03, 2007 9:47 pm
When Newt was startled and leapt, Lucas was startled. As was Dasher. When Newt jumped to the other side of the trash can, the dog's tail shot up and bounced backwards, eyes wide. Lucas' own ears went up and he flinched.
"Ah! Um, sorry. I didn't mean to startle you," he scratched the fur on the back of his neck. He laughed nervously. He walked over to Dasher and used his leg to gently push the dog back and away from the frog.
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Posted: Sat Feb 03, 2007 9:57 pm
At the sound of what seemed like a friendly enough voice, the frog peaked out, still quivering as he clung to the trashcan, "I... I... I'm s-sorry I w-w-w-w-was j-j-just um... I w-was... d-don't m-muh-mind me I'm ah..." It took him a few moments before the orange fur struck him as familiar. That's right! He had seen him there, hadn't he? He had been fairly distracted by the thieving... whatever that gentleman had been, and the whole wheelbarrow ordeal, but he did remember the man's.... fur color, anyway. Unless he remembered incorrectly... best to stay quiet just in case, so he wouldn't embarrass himself.
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Posted: Sat Feb 03, 2007 10:09 pm
This was certainly a nervous person. "You don't need to apologize."
Now that he thought about it, this frog-man had been cowering behind the wheelbarrow at the construction site, too. Tipping his head, Lucas watched him for a moment. "My name is Lucas. I saw you back at the, uh-" What was the word he wanted? "The stage-thing. The thing Gaius is building." He jerked his thumb in that direction. "A few weeks back." He pointed to the dog next. "This is Dasher. He's harmless."
He nearly said "we", but stopped himself. He really hoped it wasn't his appearance that was frightening the frog. Fuzzy, but not scary.
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Posted: Sat Feb 03, 2007 10:16 pm
"Th-th-theater?" He croaked, calming down a bit, but remaining behind the trashcan out of general shyness instead of just plan terror. His bulbous eyes twitched from dog to owner and back again, "A... a l-lot of p-puh-puh-people have... p-pet d-dogs, d-don't they?" After being slobbered by Comet and Vixen, Dasher was still daunting, even from farther away.
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Posted: Sat Feb 03, 2007 10:22 pm
"Yes! The theater. I couldn't think of the word. Thanks."
Lucas blinked. "Really? Who else has a dog? I only really know of Emelyn who has one aside from myself. I did see another female dog like Dasher here running around, but I don't know who she belonged to."
Deciding to go eye-level with Newt, Lucas squatted down himself.
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Posted: Sat Feb 03, 2007 10:24 pm
"Ah... w-wuh-well... G-g-guh-guh-giaus... th-the er... w-winged horse-man... h-he's got a d-dog... and... and w-well... I d-d-d-don't know her name b-but... sh-she y-yelled a l-lot and... er... had... had t-tan fur and... um..." He fidgeted before timidly shifting out from behind his hiding spot. Lucas seemed harmless enough...
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Posted: Sat Feb 03, 2007 10:29 pm
Tan fur sounded like Emelyn, but the shouting didn't.
"So Gaius has a dog?" He scratched his cheek as he paused to think. Did he also get his dog on Christmas? The gift of a pet dog still puzzled Lucas. He would have to ask Gaius a few things next time he saw him.
Lucas' tail wagged a bit as Newt started to come out from behind the trashcan. "I never got your name."
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Posted: Sat Feb 03, 2007 10:32 pm
"Oh... er..." He swallowed, tugging at his name tag to block it with his webbed fingers, as was his nervous habit. "N-n-noo-n-noo-noo-newton." He ended it with a sharp embarrassed, "KrrKIT!" He couldn't even say his own name properly, "M-muh-mr. L-lucas."
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Posted: Sat Feb 03, 2007 10:37 pm
"Nice to meet you, Newton." He laughed and waved his hand. "You don't need to call me mister. Just Lucas." Being called 'mister' made him feel old.
Lucas noted the tugging at the frog-man's tag, his eyes drawn to it. There he clearly saw the man's name and, right next to it, the Feral Lab's logo. Lucas' ear twitched. Did Moreau now turn his staff into animals?
"You... work for Feral Labs?"
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Posted: Sat Feb 03, 2007 10:39 pm
That made the man ribbit in fear and dart back behind the trashcan again, "I... y-yes, y-yes, b-but... b-but I r-really d-don't like it!" He babbled back as though that excused it. "I t-tried to q-quit, but th-they w-wouldn't let me, b-believe you, I w-would have s-stopped if I c-c-cuh-could!"
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