Welcome to Gaia! ::

Chubbs was visiting the cafeteria late. The recent news, upsets, and shocks had him sleepy alot less than he should be. He sat at a table near the food counter, so he didn't have to walk far. He had three books on the table, one he was reading slowly, his head leaning on an arm.

Flicking through the pages of the book with his injured hand, he glanced down at the picture of the giant grizzly roaring with salivating teeth. He pondered the face, trying to get the idea that he may look like that. With a sigh, he broke a piece of cake off his plate and ate it, licking his fingers.

Chubs slowly turned the page of the book. The information would really go in one ear and out the other for him. He couldn't remember alot of things at times, specially names. The page opened to feeding habits of brown bears, Chubbs pondered now what they actually hungered for.

With a click in the cafeteria, Chubbs twisted his head to look up beneath the brim of his hat. Someone was at the door and clothed up plenty. If he knew any better, he swore that hoodie was... his. He smiled lightly and sat up a bit, waving his hand he was just leaning on. Amaya was here, and hidden under his large sweater. it made him blush thinking a girl was wearing his top.

" G'day hun"

Chubbs looked at his book, and checked the page number before closing it. Like he would remember it anyway, female company basically stomped on his memory. He shuffled his seat forward and couldn't help but notice that she was different. Her hands and feet were anyway, he remembered her feet, made him blush thinking it was other reasons he had remembered. She certainly had changed, and Chubbs guessed she had been using his hoodie to cover up, like she was now.

He didn't want to make her uncomfortable, she probably felt that anyway. He decided for now to obscure the fact he noticed the subtle differences. Picking up his fork in his bandaged hand, he picked at his cake.

" It's.. it's ah fine, I don't mind... I umm, feel almost flatered"

Chubbs tried to hide his face a bit, as he nibbled his cake and went red in the cheeks.

" Be, besides... you need it to... well.. keep warm"

Chubbs blinked up at Amaya, he was a little surprised she jumped up like that. He tried to reach over nervously, not of how her hand looked, just that he was shy, and take her hand. He tried to bring her back down to her seat, it'd been a little while since he'd hurt it, he felt it wasn't something to be so worried about.

" It's, o- okay, really umm.. I ah.. just hurt it.. is all"

He tried to comfort her with a couple of pats on her hand

" Please.. umm, ya salad's gonna evolve.. if ya don't eat it"

He slipped his hand to rest on his book, and switched to eating with his left

Chubbs looked up at her with a smile, only to be confronted by the new changes to her face. She had changed, it was noticable now. He sighed lightly, still mad at the staff here for what they had done, but he smiled anyway, at least for Amaya.

" No.. no really, I ah, well I spoke to em on the intercom thing... and well..I asked bout well .. well what I was gonna be.. and.. umm.. what you were gonna be"

Chubbs blushed a bit again, and hoped she wasn't mad at him for butting in.

" I well umm .. I thought ya might want to know.. form me or something.. , I got mine.. then the smeghead said ya were a hamster... I kinda got mad at him for that. And well other things... ya know .. what they are doing.. so I swore at him."

Chubbs rubbed the bandanges on his hand as he recalled the event that happened. Then he blinked and looked up.

" Well umm... it's well ya know... obvious ya not a hamster...and he was being a jerk. I - I didn't mean to.. sticky beak or anything.. I just wanted to help.. ya out. I ... I well put my fist through the intercom"

Chubbs lowered his head, trying to hide his face, feeling a little embaressed

Chubbs brightened in redness, almost wishing he was a turtle to tuck his head away, he instead pulled his hat lower over his face.

" Aww, it's nothin.. really...just.. well want to help, where i ah .. can"

He took a chunk of his cake and chewed on it. Had to admit this place had some decent food available. He peeked up a bit under his brim and smiled shyly in return.

" Wait.. let me guess... you got the beautiful mermaid serum... oh um wait... no... the...ravishing raptor serum.... oh.. no!.. better.. the sexy snake one?"

He smiled a little, hoping it'd make her laugh

Chubbs grinned a little cheekily. It felt a little better that someone else was blushing besides him, and it looked nice with her green. He finished his cake with a light hearted chuckle, picking the crumbs up with a finger.

" I ah... well the look on your face just now. Heh, I wouldn't mind it framed"

He smiled again, lifting his hat some more, " coming out of his shell" so to speak.

Chubbs looked her over, then leaned a little bit to his side. He wanted to see the tail for himself, but he decided against it, and sat back. He figured a girl hates you staring at her backside, why would it be any different to a tail? Chubbs watched her play with her salad, looking as though other things were on her mind. He leaned on the table some, looking to her.

" Not umm, hungry.. or for salad... or umm.. is something up?"

Chubbs tried to keep a brave face in it all, but he was worried about her, he didn't want it to show, he wanted to keep her happy. He reached over shyly and patted her hand.

" I can't .. well begin to ah.. understand what it's like. I will soon I guess, and well.. umm maybe then I will. Just well..."

Chubbs sighed, not from sadness, he was just trying to find something to help, to make her feel a bit better.

" You just.. well you use me... well what I - I mean is ya just think, that' no matter.. umm how I look... Chubbs looks worse"

He tried for a smile, a little one. In the back of his mind he new he'd be horrible and she at least might look okay still.

" If ya hungry.. I umm... I could make a batch of umm Chubby chilli?"

Chubbs blushed lightly as he took her hand in his injured one and patted it with the other. She seemed to like the contact last time they spoke, he thought it might help some and stop her shaking. His own though were another matter. He nodded at her, then looked at her salad. It was a pitty she couldn't get to taste his chilli, he liked cooking, specially for others. He thought he might have to adapt and think of something for her to eat, He could get some ideas from cook books.

Thinking about how she changed to a herbivore made him think of the animals he would become. The were pretty big meat eaters, could it be he would crave meat as well?

" I - I ah recon i'll be eatin alotta meat myself probably... but .. umm.. hopefully i'll still like cake"

Chubbs didn't seem to mind at all really, people would know eventually, or at least, he'd have to explain the odd look to him. Reaching over with his uninjured hand, the other still holding Amaya's, he shifted his reading material closer for her to see. A book on bears, one on tasmanian devils and tigers, and the third on wolverines, all pretty thick with knowledge.

" Have a guess?"

Chubbs smiled lightly, he kinda figured she would say that, but he was sure she picked it for good reasons.

" Well... actuall.. supposedly umm all three"

He kept a small smirk on his face, knowing the news would certainly be a bit of a shock, but that she shouldn't worry.

Chubbs gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, noticing she was speechless. He looked from her to the books again, and blinked, realising one had two animals as a topic.

" Oh ah, yeah.. they said the devil one... heh trust the mad b*****d to ah.. give me the part serum of a waner brothers cartoon.. umm character.. that well eats everything"

He looked backed to Amaya with a slight grin

Chubbs nodded and sighed slightly, knowing she was right. HE really could have wound up completely freaked to the gills. There was need for trying to do something like that. HE was an expirimental though, The effects weren't going to be certain

" I'm glad it wasn't.. well a pig... I just felt that would been mean"

He looked down at her hand, checking out the her fingers and scales.

" Umm.. sorry, ya can take ya hand.. if ya like.. just thought ya um.. well liked to be warm heh"

Chubbs smiled a little at her blush, she was a little shy bout things, but not near as bad as him. He figured she misunderstood him about the hand.

" Just meant , ya know.. ya mighta wanted ya hand back, and umm, I thought I mighta been stoppin ya"

He watched her pull her hood up and realised how late it was.

" Heading back to ya room?"

Chubbs was surprised by the hug, and gave her a hug back, blushing lightly.

" It's um fine.. ya can look after my sweater for me"

He smiled and as she left, he looked to his books, grabbed then and stood, jogging after her to catch up and walk her home.

Ian made it to his door a little awkwardly still trying to get used to his hooves. However when he reached to grab his doorknob he came across a rather embarassing dilemma. He was having trouble grabbing onto the round doorknob. Frowning he tried to grab it again, but his fingers - which were seeming to stick together in two's like the Vulcan hand salute from Star Trek. "Dammit!" he cursed loudly, he needed to eat and couldn't do it from stuck in his duplex. "Dolts...." He gave the door a kick and was surprised when it didn't hurt with his hardened hoof.

Ian glanced towards the intercom, he would probably have to call to get assistance out of his duplex. That would be very embarassing to him so he tried to grab it again his eyes narrowed angrily.

Ian was more grateful thananyone could imagine when he heard Amaya outside. "Thank ye gods," he murmered letting go of what hold he had of the doorknob. "Amaya? Could thou please come in. The door is unlocked." He was still speaking in the formal speech..what had Cernunnos done to him? He stepped back away from the door almost falling backward on his hooves. But Ian didn't really want to alter his speech, it felt so...natural now.

While Amaya was gaping at him, Ian was gaping at Amaya. Lots of scales covered her face and legs and he was startled. Clearing his throat he decided that food could wait. "Please, my home is thine. Come in." Well damn, if he weren't already enough of a sight, he was talking like some freak as well. Damn Cernunnos. This language was corrupting his mind. Ian, feeling a bit self conscious put his hands behind his back. There was no way of hiding his face or legs however. He sniffed the air, trying to smell for any signs that Amaya felt anything other than worry. Then with a sudden thought, Ian realized he was very glad for his 5'9" stature, it prevented his antlers from scraping the ceiling.

Ian was puzzled. He had been screaming? Probably, it was a very painful process. He noticed Amaya's hands. Long and scaly...lizard...his mind supplied for him. "When did the transformation overcome thee?" he asked. "Mine may have been minutes, or hours ago. Time seemed not to exist." He looked at his own arm, covered in shaggy fur. "I am no moose, I am assuming that the creature whose looks I now share is a deer, though as to what kind I am still left pondering. Not many deer have as shaggy hide as mine own." He himself sat on his bed looking at Amaya. At least she didn't have an elongated snout.

"Ah," Ian said. "I have not been out of this home much, and when I have departed the security of my abode, I am usually in the jungle." His arm itched again...damned fur. He looked around quickly since the wall hadn't helped much before and decided on the corner of the dresser. He rubbed his arm along it, soothing the irritation of the itch. "A green iguana...art thou accepting of that reptilian identity?" Ian during his change had come into the idea that the animals which they were becoming was an identity that was shared with nature.

Ian nodded slowly. Well, that was better than hating iguanas. "Deer are nice, but becoming an animal is rather eerie. It could be much worse however were I becoming something like an arachnid, or insect." Ian did not like insects. He noticed Amaya looking at his hands and gave a smile as much as his changed face would allow. "Methinks I will be needing a new doorknob..."

No, I shall come." He interjected quickly. Staying in his duplex was the last thing he wanted to do, especially if he might not be able to leave again, he needed to get things to stock his little refridgerator. His stomach growled hungrily - and with more force than usual - Ian noticed. "I would not object to getting some apples to eat."

Ian nodded and followed Amaya shutting the door to his duplex behind him. He left his key inside and left it unlocked - he didn't want to go through the trouble of unlocking it as well as trying to open the door.

Ian follwed Amaya into the cafeteria just as silently. He approached the food and gave it a quick look.. all he really wanted was apples, he could get some grass later. He went to the apples and took a *very* large helping. He could smell the apples and his mouth was watering. Since getting apples was faster than making a salad Ian chose out a place to sit in the corner.

Ian chewed on an apple. He had been doing almost nothing the past few days.. "I have not done much. I was intending to visit Emerwyn soon, but may have to postpone that event in the case that I still be sore on the morrow." His apple lay heavily in his stomach - now that was odd... "Awen wanted me to give her a book. There is a new girl on the island as well. Her name is Joliette I recall... And thou?"

Chubbs swung the door open to the cafeteria wide, looking towards the food trays, he was really hungry and couldn't wai. He slipped inside first though and held the door open for Joliette, force of habit for him to do.

Ian halted mid chew as two people entered the cafeteria. Joliette and...someone he didn't know, but that guy was huge. Ian tried to remain inconspicuous and finished chewing the bit of apple before swallowing. He sniffed the air - the big guy didn't have an oder that Ian's brain deemed threatening, but maybe his nose wasn't strong enough yet. He frowned. "Is that man Joliette is with new as well?" he asked. There weren't noticeable changes so probably, but he had to make sure. "And gracefully? What dost thou mean by that?"

Chubbs made his way in, rubbing his hands gleefully at the thought of a nce big meal. He smeeled the food from across the room.

" That'll be umm good.. ya have to.. umm come show me ya ah pics"

Chubbs grabbed a plate and eyed the food along it, selecting some baked vegetables and a big helping of roasted beef and gravy, he nabbed a couple of dinner rolls, a knife and fork and headed for a table to sit. Hearing someone talking, Chubbs looked over and saw Amaya and another person talking and eating in the corner. Chubbs blinked when he saw him, no matter how many times he would see the changes he feared he'd never get use to it. Blushing slightly he waved to Amya to at least stop his initial shock and went about eating.

The next day, Ambrose was feeling... at least partially better. Amaya had been right - after having some time to cool down, Angelina had come around, and seemed at least understanding of his actions. She was still overwhelmed - to say the least - but he saw hope.

She still wasn't ready to leave the duplex and meet the 'others', however, and Ambrose had volunteered to go to the cafeteria to get some food for her (and probably eat there himself as he wasn't quite sure how she would take his massive apetite for meat.)

Seeing that there were people (and familiar looking at least) there already, he first went though the lunch line for himself, getting piles of freshly made steaks before heading back to sit down at the table with a greeting to Amaya, Chubbs, Joliette, and Ian.... where he promptly did a doubletake at Ian.

He had changed again... drastically - just as much if not more so than himself. While he may not have been covered completely by fur like he had been, his face was stertched out into a short muzzle, and his antlers had grown to an impressive length.

Ambrose... cocked his head as he looked him over, and his stomach gave another kick, reminding him that he hadn't yet eaten today. At first, Ambrose didn't think much of this - it was normal for his early morning state to be hungry, and he picked up his utensils to slice his meat. The smell of the cooked steaks did indeed send his stomach clamboring for him to hurry... but that wasn't the only smell in the proximity - adn the vegetables on the plates of three of the people around him wasn't it.

It was then that a cold shudder passed down his back, setting his fur on end for a moment. It... couldn't be... no... he was jsut ungry was all and there was food in front of him. But... the thought of the conversation he had had earlier... abotu predators and prey.

Ambrose shoved a bite of meat into his mouth to quell the thought and appetite, hoping desperately that the thoughts didn't show in his eyes.

Finally, he spoke up, trying to avoid eye contact with Ian. "Hey, Amaya - I wanted to thank you again for the talk yesterday.." He smiled. "It really did help... and you were right about Angelina at least." He still hadn't seen Emelyn... and he knew he needed to....

Ian listend to Amaya nodding when appropriate when he heard the cafeteria door opened. Glancing over he spotted someone and stared, his mouth dropping open. A scent reached his nostrils and he became paralyzed with fear, his eyes becoming very wide. It took a few moments, but Ian finally recognized the person as Ambrose. He took deep breaths trying to calm his insticts down, surely Ambrose would not hurt him..he hoped...and prayed.

His mind had identified the smell as wolf....someone that could eat Ian. He needed to do something...Stop gaping,he told himself. That is horribly rude. "Morning Ambrose, Joliette." he greeted. "Hast the morning brought good tidings upon the both of thee?" Why the hell couldn't he stop speaking like that....he would have to try to speak normally....but perhaps after he persuaded himself that Ambrose would not eat him.

Chubbs started to eat into his delicious meal heavily, he always took big bites. Some people use to say he was being a pig and he was eating too fast, Chubbs just felt like his mouth was empty with the tiny bites people took.

Chubbs watch Ambrose walk into the room, he was something to look at, covered in fur as he was. He remembered the first time he met Ambrose and remembered to be delicate about staring so much. Chubbs didn't want to do what so others had done to him.

He gave Ambrose a wave and watched him sit with Amaya and the deer looking guy. Chubbs smirked a bit and looked to Joliette.

" This reminds me so much like high school"

Ambrose looked over to where the Chubbs and Joliette were sitting, giving them a friendly wave and a smile. It only struck him after he had sat down whether the 'segragation' was due to familiarity.... or how developed they were.

Ambrose then swallowed as he caught a different whiff from Ian, Fear. His ears folded to the back of his head - was he having ... instinctual reactions..? No... no - it couldn't be. Ian must just be reaction... to his change! He hadn't seen him like this yet. That was all.

"I'm sorry... my appearance is probably rather startling to you" he winced. "I... changed not too long ago myself. I... hadn't seen you since the beach party - I wasn't aware you had changed as well." Ambrose had no idea that this was a recent development for him as well.

"I... I'm doing alright. Could be better.... but could always be worse." He gave a small smile. And why was Ian talking like that? He had always been rather... strange... what with that whole 'druid' thing he spoke of... but not THIS odd. Had he?

Ambrose shook his head to clear his thoughts and turned to Amaya with an apologetic look. "No... she' not. She's still scared, understandable. And not ready to come out and deal with things outside of the duplex quite yet. But better. I'm going to be bringing her some food when I'm done here. I just... felt awkward pigging out like I do in front of her." He scratche the back of his head.

As the subject turned to Emelyn, his tail tucked. "N...no. I havne't seen her yet...." To say nothing of the fact he hadn't made so much of an effort to even go see her yet at her duplex.

He followed her line of sight. "Do you think we should invite them over...? Or do you think it would be awkard...?" He gestured to the three of them, all after their second transformation.

Chubbs, couldn't help hearing the the conversation over the other table, he looked up from his meal from time to time, blushed and decided to talk to Joliette to avoid prying ears. He didn't know what Ambrose was worried about, Chubbs ate worse than him.

" Let me guess Joliette, you, umm were in the... hmm.. smart kids section yeah?"

He was trying to figure out where Joliette might fit in a school cafeteria.

Ian finally got his instincts under control and managed to look as normal as he could. Ambrose's ears told volumes and Ian knew he had to control his instincts or it could cause many problems. His own ear twitched a littleand he felt he needed to aplogize to Ambrose. "Yes, it has been awhile." his voice was soft...he needed to try to talk normally... "I changed earlier. Amaya found me right after and together we came here." Ian knew Ambrose thought he was strange, what with talking the way he was, Ian thought it strange as well. "It would be rude not to extend an invitation to dine with us. If they refuse, then what injury would be done to our own meal?" That sentence had managed to avoid using words like thee and thou, though the hrasing was still not what one would term as "normal".

Ian looked towards Joliette "I fear that that condition shall almost permanently become thee..er, you, trapped on the island as we all are." Damn, and he had been so close too.

One of Ambrose's ears turned to the side, a further sign of his finding Ian's speech patterns strange, but he said nothing, not even aware how much his ears were acting as signal flags to his thoughts.

"Earlier... by that you mean today? Oh, lord, I'm sorry, Ian. You must be quite sensitive to all of this then.." Maybe that's what the fear he smelled was.... that... must be it. The realistic side of him doubted it, thought.

Ambrose nodded to Amaya, between hasty bites of food. "And I'd love to introduce her to you. I promise I will soon, as soon as things settle down a bit with her. And... maybe after I speak with Emelyn... we'll see." his tail flicked back and forth a bit.

He swallowed and nodded at the chiding from his 'little sister.' "You know, maybe you should be the big sister sometime." He said with a wink. "But seriously, I know. It's not easy... but I know. I Know I need to be the one to tell her, too, so... I need to do so before word spreads.

Ambrose gave an agonized shrug. "I'm not sure.... maybe we could get it out of the way quickly, just jump out at them and say 'hi, welcome to the freakshow." He commented bitterly, his ears pointing back. "But seriously... I don't know how much more or less difficult it will be for new people to cope with seeing us like this... versus .. whatever we look like then. I know that given our progress, we will likely be some of the firsts to... finish."

Now it was time for Ian's ears to go back. "Yes, today."z He needed to apologize to Ambrose as well. "and my apologies for the way I reacted to th..you. It was most rude." He had to make more effort to be "normal". Ian had no clue about who Angelina was but he knew Emelyn and was able to guess a tiny bit about what was going on. And Ian definately did not want to hear about "finishing". With his hands the way they were he didn't want to change any further. The apples that were seeming to lye heavily in his stomach suddenly decided to bother him. He stood up unable to resist the heave that overcame him. He stood p and both his hands were on hte table supporting him. He wasn't vomitting, that his instincts told him...no this was different. He began to chew the partiallydigested apples letting his deer intincts take over entirely, that was disgusting. When he finally swallowed he looked sick. "Dammit...why me?..."

"That is a possibility. Very blunt, to the point. It could work."

Chubbs kept peering over at the other table, he wasn't trying to stare, it's just the were together, and he felt a bit oucasted being where her was. Chubbs smiled to Joliette, he knew she was smart, but she sounded like she had a good time at her high school.

" Sounds like ya umm.. got the best spot in ah school"

Chubbs heard the talk over the other table, he was deffinately she about approaching them but it sounded like they wished to have two more there. Chubbs slowly stood up and grabbed his plate.

" Think we should .. umm.. well go.. say hello"

With that he walked toward the three, only to see the deer guy look like he was about to barf all over the table. Chubbs winced, seeing that would probably make his dash to the bathroom and he went a little pale. Then the guy didn't throw up and instead chewed. Oh boy... close call but. still... yuck.

Ambose shook his head. "It... it's alright. Really. I've had worse reactions, and I've at least had some time to get... somewhat used to it myself now. It was harder when I still was newly chagned. But... I have to admit... I still somewhat feel like a stranger in my own skin now." He took several quick bites of food. "The fur covering me.... a different face in the mirror... I feel so ... out of place still. I know I'll get used to it... but in the meantime I still feel so strange... so...." He swallowed, the word was there, but he was almost scared to vocalize it. "so... inhuman. animal."

Ambrose cocked his head at he noise that Ian made, and then, with widening eyes, guessed at what had happened. The poor b*****d. At least He didn't have to deal with anything quite like that. Just... a penchant for meat.

"I... wasn't exactly being serious" Ambrose winced. "though... it is ONE way. I... ah.. .was speaking about that with Emelyn the other day - what IS the best way to tell - or not to tell others. We finally said that everyone's going to react differently. Everyone's here for different reasons, and thus there really IS no single good way that we could think of at least to tell people."

Ambrose smild to the pair as they came over. "Hi guys. YOu don't need to be strangers. Scales and fur aside - we don't bite." He winked.

Ambrose nodded to Amaya.. "You're right - I do need to do it alone. And I will. I promise you. You can kick my a** if you see me next time and I havent' spoken with her. Speaking of - we need to get back to your fencing lessons. Hope you've been practicing." He winked and clapped her on the shouler.

Ambroe glanced down at his wristwatch as he finished the last bite of food. "Yeep... Angelina's probably waiting for me. I need to go bring her breakfast, she's probably waiting." He stood up and smiled to the group.

"I'm sorry, I hate to eat and run, but I'm sure I'll see you all about!"

With a wave, he bussed his tray, piled an assortment of food onto another, and carried it out.

Ian still felt really sick from what had just occured. He looked at his plate of apples and the realization hit him that he would regurgitate and chew all his food for the rest of his life. That really hit a nerve and he started to shake. "I....I must go...sorry for any inconvenience....." He grabbed his apples and took care of his plate before dashing out the door hoping he would be able to get back in his duplex.

Chubbs blinked as Ambrose left just as he arrived, sure he was busy with things but Chubbs wouldn't have minded the company. Then no sooner had he sat down then the deer guy dashed off out the door. Chubbs watched them go and sighed a bit, looking at his half eaten meal.

He looked up at Amaya, half expecting her to go now, maybe for the deer's sake. Chubbs hated being new, there was so much he didn't under stand or know and people he had to keep meeting. He just lowered his hat brim and leaned on the table with one arm, stabbed a potato with a fork and nibbled it.

Hargun had found herself having fallen asleep outside her duplex where she had been relaxing the night before. Or.. was it that morning? Whatever. It was dark. Nomatter.

She got up and stretched, yawning then went inside to change, comming back out with her pair of sunglasses on, her tummy rumbling. "Ack.. should go get something to eat.." she muttered, and headed out of the duplex area.

It hadnt been very long when her ears picked up the sound of a man humming. Rather curious as to who could be so merry right now, she fallowed it until she was a few yards behind teh Father.

Wait.. isnt that the guy who freaked out.. earlier? she thought, and quickly tried to hide behind some bushes before being spotted.

Having returned to her room two days ago to a whole mirror and hungry pets, Greer had decided to act her age, suck it up, and go out into the village in daylight. If little Amaya could take all this so well, she could at the very least live up to the maturity level her 'adopted' daughter thought she had.

Walking down towards the cafeteria, she managed to turn the corner just as said lizard girl crashed out of the doorway to the laundry room.

"Amaya! Sweetie! Are you okay?" Greer ran to her friend's side, not noticing anyone else.

Hargun had heard Amaya and Greer making a bit of noise up ahead. She wanted to jump out and shout to them, but instead crept out from the bushes and followed after Father.

She looked at Greer and Amaya and sheepishly waved a hand then made several gestures to the figure in fron of her, trying her hardest to point out he was new, and exceptionally not easy towards her changes.

Instead she looked like some babbling goose, trying to spread its wings and scare a little kid on the side of a lake.

Greer tsked, eyeing Amaya for wounds and taking in her outfit. "I'd ask you if you hurt your head, but it seems you did that before getting dressed this morining. Or you got attacked by a masked scissor-wielding bandit."

Crossing her arms under her chest, she fluffed her wing feathers and turned to follow the girl's gaze. Random priest, Hargun jumping around like she was being electrocuted- Eeep! Greer had been raised vaguely Catholic, and so had some fuzzy, murky memories of men in a lot of black from when she was very little. How the hell had they gotten a priest here?!

Greer chuckled at Amaya's response to her teasing. "Be that as it may, even on laundry day I don't wear fishnets. Just as well: you pull them off better than I could have-"

Demons? The hawk woman's mouth fell open at the priest's assertion, the shock staving off the urge to laugh. Blinking, she spoke, letting her confused mind wander. "We're not demons... heck, I can still say the Lord's Prayer and probably a Hail Mary if you pushed me. I'm not sure though, since I haven't been inside a church since my confirmation."

He paused for a moment looking once again at all three of the women. The hawk, she could stand to speak the lord's name... How? We was becoming even more confused, and even a bit more scared. "A-Are you saying that it is true what the girl told me about the shots changing us? No tool of man could cause such changes. Obvisouly Satan is on this island, you all have fallen for his trap. May God save your souls" He said shaking his head, even though the truth had been explained to him, we was not leaving his little reality he had created.

Hargun raised eyebrow again, yet even higher.

"Whatever she said, if it had anything to do with a b*****d named Moreau, an injection, and us mutating into animals, then yes, its true." she grumbled, starting to get a bit tired of Moreau's name, and this man's impudence.

"Satan equals Moreau if you want us to put it that way, but again.. we're not demons.." she explained, trying to come up with a way to proove it. She wasnt in teh least bit religious and it would be hard for her to think of something that would defy what he believed.

At his insistance about demons, Greer wondered idly if he'd seen or heard about her blow up. She definitely would have pegged herself as a demon after that little show...

"I'm a scientist, and while I would never have thought science could go this far, I'm afraid it is possible. Although if you'd like to have us gave on some holy objects or get doused with some holy water to prove the whole not demon thing, go for it.

But you know, just to be sure: Hail Mary, Full of Grace, The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of death. Amen."

She was suprised she still remembered that.

Stewart could lie to himself no longer, everything Moreau had told him was a lie. Would he change into some horrible beast too? She had just recited the Lord's Prayer, no demon or posessed person was able to do that! They had just destoryed any hope he had left in his fantasy world. But he would pove this first, an exorcism mabye? Yes, that was the only way to prove what was really going on here. If it was successful, then we would have his work cut out for him... But if nothing was there, would he have to trust in science? He said something along the lines of "I need to go think this over" and started walking towards his house. Later he would get his exorcism equiptment together. But now he really needed get his thoughts together.

Hargun hadnt a clue what some of what Greer was saying but nodded along to it anyways.

She looked rather suprised at Stewart before he left and scratched the top of her head.

"Oookay then. I guess youve guys got him convinved?" she asked, feeling kinda weak not being able to think of anything quick enough. In fact she mightve made things worse if she tried something.

Greer watched him go sadly, mentally berating herself for chasing another person of. She needed to stop doing that! "Heck if I know, but I could see where he'd rather see us as demons than think he was going to turn into an animal. We all have our own delusions our brains use to protect us."

Sighing, the hawk woman ruffled Amya's hair affectionately and then turned to go. "I need food and lots of time outdoors to keep the hawk happy. I'll probably be sketching at the cliffs again if you need me. Have fun with your laundry and your interesting clothing."

Waving to Hargun, Greer trotted towards food.

"Hmm." she muttered to Amaya's comment.

"Oh.. see yah then greer." Hargun said and returned a wave before turning back to Amaya.

"We all know the ******** Moreau. I dunno if its good or bad saying this though, at least he didnt take another female. Makes me worry why theres so many of us here even though he and Aubrey are an item." she shuddered at that.

"Certainly though he doesnt have our showers monitored.. we arent going to do much transforminng in there.."

she sat on a dryer next to hers and sighed.

"Doesnt he have the whole place wired? I mean, hes probably watching us right now.." with that she scowled and looked up and looked around the ceilings, and brushes her chin with her webbing. "Thats right, ******** you, Moreau!" she called.

"Argh. Im pushing it.." she said and slouched, discontinuing her offensive behavior.

"Yea.. kinda screwed. Although I bet we could make mean faces and vulgar gestures all day. Surely he cant use that 'put us to sleep' command thing from far off. I bet you have to hear it or something like that... otherwise we'd be dropping like flies all the time."

She took this thought into consideration. Maybe Moreau's power over them could be fairly easy to avoid if they simply stayed away from him, and considering he hardly ever showed his face around the islanders, that really wouldnt be a difficult practice.

"Ugh.." she made a sick noise. "What if like.. sticks probes and tracking things in our food? I mean that could explain.. things." although she hated to think about all these things, it was worth talking about. They could find ways to weave around without fear of their disturbing master.

Hargun grinned. Nice change of subject at least.

"Ah well.. ever since appologizing to Ambrose, meeting with Joliette, and Jamal, and hopefully getting an apology to Awen through him, Ive been a lot better. I keep finding myself almost cheerful being here.. which is really wierd. Guess its experiencing watching more and more people come and more change.. you feel like everyone here, whether or not theyre agreeable, have become bonded. Almost like a family, if not a brotherhood."

her grin changed to an embarassed look. "Eugh, see? A bit unusually positive."

She sighed and looked up, leaning back a bit, putting an arm behind her to hold her up. "I even slept outside my duplex the other night after relaxing and listening to everything."

With the memories of her mother surfacing and no one around that celebrated her birthday a while back, Lauren had remained mostly in isolation. A small part of her hated it, but the part that was still the bleeding emotional mess of a human forced the social mongoose to the far most corner for a while.

Yeah, this was why she hated being human, but things needed to be that way for a bit, she needed to know herself as familiar for she was the only one she ever got by trusting.

And lately, this miss goody two shoes doc's daughter bit was getting to her. She didn't need anyone.

Well, the room did get rather boring, and only so many times you can go through all the trails in the jungle of this tiny island before something else must be done. So she decided to hit the beach.

A small part of her was bouncing to meet people, a large part of her was craving to mess with someone's mind. The internal conflict made her brain spin at times.

Right now, it spun full force and stopped when her eyes met on Amaya. She was an easy target for both those needs. . .

"Hey girl!!!" Damn she looked different and that tail, was rather long. Lauren stopped a bit, acting stunned, "Oh. . ." she simply said.

Now if this was feined sympathy or an act to get Amaya going Lauren didn't fully know herself but somehow part of her personality would win.

Lauren kind of cocked her head in confusion at Amaya, what was with her? She remembered when Lauren first met the girl and she was all bright bubbly and chipper, as if nothing could phase her. Right now, she seemed depressed.

Lauren went up and patted her hair a bit, sitting right beside Amaya to view the ocean with her, "Soo... uh... hey.." She looked at Amaya, "When did you change?" Lauren had been skipping classes a bit and was sure the doc would be mad but the doc retaliated by takeing away the wonderful pleasure lauren found in people changing. He was leaving her in the dark about such things right now.

Lauren looked sternly at the new info of her change, "Oh, well... Damn I had no clue. Doc's been keeping me in the dark lately about such things." She was rather angry about that but mostly knew it was her own fault.

Then Amaya asks how she has been and that makes Lauren's expression look even more defensive, "I'm fine, good as gold, high as a ******** kite!" God why couldn't she be 50% by now! Why did Amaya get to do that!? Was she rubbing it into her face!? "Why?" Lauren backed away defensively.

Lauren stopped a second looking back at herself. Geuss it wasn't that obvious she was upset. She shrugged it off. "Heh, yeah... Idle conversation. Well, that just means I'm suppose to lie, say things are great and turn around to ask you how things are going then you say great. Never really understood that kind of talk." She laughed at herself. Small social concepts like that Lauren was always puzzled by. Maybe that's why she came off as gruff at times, she hated the social rituals built up by people to avoid talking about what was really on her mind.

Then again, she also hated talking about what was on her mind, so she avoided most people all together.

Until she came to the island.

Lauren shook her head, "Never heard anyone tell the truth to that question is all." She smiled at Amaya's claws, her deformed face and increasing scales. It was all so monsterous yet beautiful, like a merge of science and art. "So... you feel like s**t huh? Still, would think you would be over things by now, suck it up and move on. She knew she was stepping the boundries here a bit but wondered how Amaya would react.

"So, can you grab a whole basketball with that hand now?" She reached her lengthened claws over to compare, Amaya's was twice the size of hers. Lauren had already found her hands made it difficult to pick up small things. Spreading her hands out Lauren added, "Damn Amaya, I mean they're huge!"

Maybe the old Lauren was winning, but in an odd and unfamiliar way.

"Oh..." Lauren was quite surprised, had she lost her ability to get to people? Has the mongoose won? "Over that and mulling over something else. Yeah, this was never a problem for me." And she was right it wasn't. She pulled away her own hand standing in akward silence for a while.

"Soo, what is buggin' ya?" Now she was curious and wanted to know even if she wouldn't tell Amaya what was bugging herself.

"She fainted?" Lauren had to hold back the laugh, "God, how pathetic. That's what's been buggin ya well if you want I can go beat her around a bit for you I mean that's really ******** rude." Lauren cracked her knuckles. "Nah, I bet there are new people out there that won't be so stuck in their own little world enough to accept you how you are. For example, back on the streets I wouldn't be able to bathe for months, months!" She made it a point to emphasise this disgusting fact. "Oh I would reek of dumpsters and body odor but you get used to it. Well, there would be those who would look at me like I was a freak at it hurt at first." She looked down at her claws, her slight canines shining through her smile. "I learned though that it rocked being different, no one's gonna pick on the smelly girl so they left me alone. You'll see soon enough, it's great. And it doesn't matter, she's can't faint at her own self." Lauren patted Amaya hard on the back hopeing her little pep talk was working.

Mongoose 1, Lauren 0... geuss she would find out. I mean, she was trying to cheer Amaya up for some unknown reason.

Lauren smiled wickedly at Amaya, "Fainting at your own self? That's even more pathetic." Her small tail puffed up emitting a weird strange odor as Lauren snarled a bit.
"Perhaps, they deserve to feel like us!" She yelled back. "We don't get a family or a home, now it's their turn." Lauren's head was spinning a bit as she felt something comming on, she wasn't frightened at all it seemed but her tail was fluffed out like a wire brush as she slightly haunched over in anticipation of something just in case it happened.

Lauren laughed a bit, still on guard. "You have to be selfish to survive. I suppose I started transforming into an animal once I hit the streets." She looked Amaya straight into her eyes, the orange appeared to be flaming as the orange pupils seemed to be alien of any emotion. "I don't wish this punishment on anyone, I just enjoy it."

A part of her hated saying that, but it was small and hiding in the corner watching the monster created by Lauren's pain go full force. That ******** Moreau taking away the changes, maybe she should go back to a good student to view them again.

And to watch Amaya's 2nd change over and over and over again. . .

Lauren watched Amaya head back, her words falling on deaf ears.

Right now, there was no beach, there was no sun, in Lauren's head it was concrete and trash.

She fell down, her head spinning in confusion, nearly pounding in on itself. "Yeah, I kind of am aren't I?" She looked at her claws.

Moreau was her new father and yet again, her father was turning her into a monster.

Hargun threw on her sunglasses, and pushed her way out the door. Talking with people a lot lately, and doing so many helpful things lately for her friends made her feel quite positive and almost cheery.

She hummed a song she had recently got in her head as she skipped down to the cafeteria, a silly dance to her step, but her ears helping her notice if anybody was around. The last thing she needed was an embarassing moment to bring her down.

She stopped dancing and hummed a little softer when she entered the cafeteria.

"Oh, heya there, Amaya." she said, and pranced on in towards the food bar, stopping so suddenly when she noticed Joliette.

What... the hell... happened.. to her

Hargun hit the table slightly.

"Yep! I knew it be him. Eek... so.. if he heard you and Chubbs poking fun.. hes probably heard us bitching about him right?" she asked and shuddered. Although he probably wouldnt, she thought maybe hed prank her too. Maybe glue her hardly even fingers to something or switch her sunglasses with some messed up ones.

She turned to Amaya. "Oh he likes her. Shhh." she said and flinched, laghing. "Im kidding. "Sorry. Anyways, how have you two been?" she asked and smiled sweetly, attempting to erase her humorous comments.

Hargun looked a bit suprised. "First kiss? Well thats pretty cool!" she exclaimed.

"Ah yes.. one of my favorite pastimes.. making faces at Moreau. Oh, how I bet hes got something so awful waiting for us though.. hes just saving it to tease us and make us feel triumphant I bet." she grinned.

She turned back to Joliette and put on a preppy voice for fun. "So.. so lyke.. who'd you kiss?" she asked.

Hargun laughed at Joliettes blushing. "Aw, yea, that IS cute." she said and tossed a few ants in her mouth.

((oye.. short post xD))

Hargun shrugged. "I cant quote think of anyone else. But those are three cute couples." she smiled and patted Joliette lightly on the back.

"Good for you two. Youre lucky now to have someone like that around during such a crappy a** time. Maybe you could get him to kill Sabin" she said and ate a few more ants.

"Hmm.. have you found anyone that strikes your interest yet?" she asked Amaya.

Hargun nodded, chuckling a bit. "Yea, theyre all over our age. And if I had met a guy here around my age, wed probably just be best friends. I never was a relationship person."

She then stood up kinda triumphantly. "Single and proud." she giggled and sat back down. "Although theres always the chance I might just meet a guy Id like enough to get into a relationship with. At the rate Moreau's dragging people in.."

Although hes hardly brought any guys in as compared to the amount of women... pervert.

"Yea thats true." Hargun said and felt a little bad for bringing up Moreau's obsession with 'people'.

"So... anyone got any plans to get off this island yet? Or kill Moreau or something?" she asked leaning back in her chair and clawing around the supports under the table with her clingy toes.

"Yea, and beat them to the boat." Hargun said and glanced at Joliette. "Or we could build a typical raft.. use Sabin's hair to tie it together." she grinned and sighed. "Ah, but that wouldnt happen."

"The best conditions for us getting out of here would be one, the boat.." she said, and nodded. "..two, at night.. when at least MOST of the staff is probably asleep; if not we'll have a bit of cloaking, and three a storm, or a group of people, or something that would work as an defensive mechanism, so we could get on, get out and go before the staff could stop us."

Three miracles that were surely not going to happen.

Hargun snorted. "Rather be shot than left in a prison like this all my life." she said and threw a few more ants in her mouth.

"I know though, that nobody would know about the secret here until it was too late, but still.. if someone was threatening you like that, youd kinda figure you were in for something pretty bad."

"I will admit though, the group of people was a silly idea. But make that group of people the army, the navy or whatever THEN it would be REALLY great."

Hargun sat back up after finishing the last of her ants and leaned over the table surface, almost laying her head down on it.

"Yea.. those and us. Its pretty easy to tell the difference between the people whove had their first change and those with their second." she yawned.

Oh crap.. what about our NEXT transformation? And... maybe theres more after that? Ugh.. its hard enough as it is..

Hargun frowned. "Ughharhgh.." she made a disgusted sound.

"Poke and probe at us.. stick us in Area 51.. then yea. Use us in the military." she stood up again and saluted. "Sir yes sir.. we'll use the bat girl, the lizard girl, and sea lion man to attack them by air, land, and sea. We'll call it.. operation 'H.A.D.'!"

She couldnt help but laugh at herself for comming up with such a great acronym, then turned to the same disgusted face. "That would really.. suck. So who COULD we trust to come and rescue us, if at all? Because yea, itll be the same thing wherever we go."

"Hmm.. sleeping gas, really?" Hargun looked curiously. "I never heard about that, but after taking into consideration, they havent put anything in what we eat that could cause them to have control."

She finally set her head down on the table and swung her legs slowly. "Thats always bothered me though, the events that have lead up to them using that sleeping thing. Its like, the only thing to trigger it is to come in physical contact with one of the staff members. But then theres Vasile.. from what Ambrose said, he didnt really do anyhting to the b*****d Moreau and he put him to sleep."

She chewed on her tounge slightly. "I kinda... wish itd happen to me. JUST so I could probably figure out what it was before I passed out." she glanced at Joliette. "You didnt feel anything particular anywhere did you? Or where you too busy concentrating on getting another hit on Sabin?"

Hargun groaned. "Thats the only thing it COULD be. The clues only seem to add up. Just wish we could figure out where particularly whatever it was could be.."

She sat up and looked at the door. "I should head back soon. This is going to take a LOT of serious thought. Besides, theyre probably listening in on us as we speak... and Im sure this is something they wouldnt have wanted to be revealed.. even IF we dont know what it is yet.."

"Yea. We know for sure theyre always watching." she said, grinning as she gave the ceiling a vulgar gesture like she usually didbefore leaving a building.

"Well then Im gonna head back now. See you two. Stay out of trouble.. especially you, Joliette. Theres no doubt Sabins probably got SOMETHING else waiting for you."

She waved and headed out the door to her duplex.

((wraaaap ^^ bedtime now! xjkfaljfla D: ))

The noise and bustle of the cafeteria was only contributed to as Jamal poked his head in, deciding to play "social butterfly" today as opposed to remaining holed up in his room. As of late he'd been feeling pretty aloof and cranky...which wasn't too abnormal for him, but still. He didn't feel completely right.

The first thing he did was search for familiar faces and saw them, which was good...but there was also two strange faces that had to belong to new folk, since they were unchanged like he was. Hm...

((I think the posting order is: Me-Jamal-Angelina-Amaya-Rayanya))

Ambrose hesitated, a bit of a frown as she drew attention to the awkward problems that her changed feet had brought. "Well... maybe there's something that could be done about it... adjust the stances to cater to your physique...." He swallowed. After all.... wouldn't he have to make his own adjustments eventually? From what he had read about wolves, they walked on the balls of their feet as well. While his feet hadn't changed much... yet... that didn't mean that they wouldn't eventually. "If you're still interested, that is.." He offered.

His tail wagged as he saw them shake. That was a good start, right? He watched Angelina... he could smell her anxiety, and his tail slowed. He wished he could make this easier for her... but how?! It had taken him long enough to seeing the others change - and that was only aided by his own change first...

He sighed, resenting the absence of alcohol. Maybe alcohol could help. He never used to think like that...

He looked up as the door opeend again and Jamal entered. He nodded to him, giving him a wave. On the good side, he was seeing several of the people he had missed recently.... on the downside... he hoped that it wasn't making things worse for Angelina.

"Here, let's go take a seat, shall we?" He offered, walking to a table and setting down his tray, taking a seat behind it and extended inviting hands to Angelina and Amaya, with nods again to Jamal and Rayanya.

He waited before digging in immediately on his stack of food.

Jamal hardly looked at all troubled by Amaya...perhaps he was comfortable now with all this genetic "bullshit" as he'd taken to calling it. Or perhaps the fact that Awen had changed, thus forcing him to believe this was happening, had given him a good dose of reality. Who knew.

He gave Amaya a stiff nod, showing that he saw her, then gave a wave to Ambrose. Jamal had gotten along alright with him lately, mostly because of the construction with Chubbs, realizing Ambrose wasn't a bad guy.

However, he wasn't pleased at the expression on the stranger that had come in before him. The look in her eye was completely interpretted wrongly as perhaps not shock over being startled, but...well, a completely racial bias. His own eyes narrowed some as he gave the girl a slightly intimidating stare, icy silence, and pushed around her to get at the food bar. After a quick round of grabbing, he turned and went to join the others at the table with his meal.

"Yo," he said flatly to the assembled group as he took a seat. "I ain't neva seen so many peeps in da caf'tera at once."

Jamal gave Angelina a very slight eyebrow lift, easily picking up the looks she was giving him. Not that he minded at all....Angelina was hardly ugly. However, he was smart enough to not comment on it in front of Ambrose. Jamal might be bigger, but Ambrose could probably do some damage being as he was being turned into a carnivore. Instead, he gave her a very smooth smile and lifted a french fry from his plate. "What up," he drawled. "I take it you be pretty new herr. Doin' a'ight wit' all dis?" She obviously had to know what was going on since she seemed to know Ambrose pretty well.

The black man pointed ignored Rayanya since she hadn't joined their table. That also irked him sufficiently and only confirmed what his first thought was. Perhaps she was too good to sit with a black man? Hmmph. Well, this wasn't the first time and certainly wasn't the last. Nevermind the fact that he was probably 100% wrong on his determination.