Welcome to Gaia! ::

Chana wandered into the cafeteria. She'd been avoiding people for at least a week now, ever since she and Lily heard that weird announcement. It wasn't that she didn't want the person to be caught...she just wasn't interested in whodunits.

The beaver went straight for the salad bar, but made sure to grab some nice fish to top it off with. At least the fish would cheer her up, especially since it didn't look like she was going to see Stewart again for a while. She didn't want to pay him a visit...that would be like calling his phone after leaving a message, and he still hadn't called her back for the first time.

Billy had been staying in his Duplex for days. He figured it was the best of moves, what with his knack for getting tagged with blame for one event or another. He wished his bathtub was bigger, though, honestly. His garden had been nearly destroyed durring the storm, but he hadn't the drive to dig his tentacles in and try again. He'd have to go collect more seeds, if they had all been washed away. Damnation.

Finally, hunger drove the octopus from his nook, and he took up his crutches to head to the cafeteria. He'd have to pack some up to bring back with him, he decided as he slid inside, his feet as always making sad, almost comical suction-cup pops as the abused suckers on the soles of his feet clung to the linolium. In a practiced movement, he managed to snatch up his tray, moving along towards what options they had for fish. Still, the raw sushi seemed to trigger his interest the best. The sensitive tips of his tentacles could almost taste the fish, and grilled seemed... overcooked.

Chana had been about to go sit down when she heard something...strange. She couldn't really put a name to it as the noises came closer: a click or two, then popping sounds, then another click or two, and so on and so forth.

When the strange man limped in on his crutches, her questions weren't entirely answered. They didn't actually matter anymore. It was all the beaver could do to watch the PURPLE man head straight for the sushi section.

"Wha-who are you?" she asked, catching herself. He might not even know what he was, or want to tell her. Plus, she was sure she'd never seen him before.

Holding the tray in two tentacles while using another two to serve himself, Billy turned at the sound of a voice. s**t. Someone was here. He caught sight of the beaver-girl, his eternally damp eyebrows raising in as non-chalant a manner as he could muster, and popped a piece of fish into his mouth, "Who's askin'?"

She tried not to stare at the purple skin and tentacles. She honestly did. But when he turned to talk to her and another one popped a piece of fish into his mouth, that did it for the not staring.

"Well...I'm asking," she managed to respond without stuttering too much. But she couldn't help staring. What was he? She couldn't think of any animals that were purple!

Just a weird old poem. I never saw a purple cow./I hope to never see one./But if I saw one anyhow,/I'd rather see than be one.

"Well, obviously," He grunted, rolling his eyes as he turned to cruth his way towards the tables with what would most like be a rather expensive meal, had this been a paying restaraunt.

The beaver frowned at him. "If it's so obvious, how about answering my question." It occurred to her that she might want to introduce herself...but she pushed the thought aside for now. He was being purposely annoying, and it wouldn't do to indulge him.

Of course, she realized, he might have changed very recently and was still adjusting...that could account for some of the attitude. Frankly, she wasn't really in a mood to let it slide. Of all the people she had to run into...why this one?

"Listen, lass, I aint in th'mood fer games," He grunted, moving to sit at a table and set his crutches aside, his tapered, tentacle-like hands uncoiling from where hed' gripped them.

Chana deliberately took her own tray and sat down across from him.

"Let's start over. Hi, I'm Chana," she told him, giving him a look asking for his response. Give the guy another chance...then verbally flay him, if at all possible. Or maybe just verbally bruise him. Though he looked like a man-sized bruise already...

What was with her today? She hadn't been so nasty-minded in a while. The beaver made a note to stop at the help-desk-type-place and ask for some aspirin on her way back.

"There, tha' wasn' so hard, now was it?" He gave her a playfull wink. So far she hadn't run screeming at the sight of his tentacles, which made him feel ahead in the game. He gave a sniff, leaning back comfortably to eat.

Chana closed her eyes and took a deep breath. And another. Couldn't let him bug her.

"I assume you have a name," she snarled through her buck teeth. "I'd like to hear it." She kept her clenched hands under the table where he couldn't see, but nothing could disguise the sound of a flat tail repeatedly whacking her chair.

"Wha's so important abou' a name?" This was too easy. He slid a tentacle around his water bottle to take an amused drink.

Chana took a large bite of fish-covered salad and chewed it thoroughly, trying to calm down before she spoke again. It didn't really work, despite how savagely she chomped.

"I'm sure there's only one purple man with tentacles-" she refrained from using any of the more...colorful...descriptions drifting through her mind, "-on the island. So I'm sure I can ask around about you." The beaver looked up directly at him. "But I'd rather have it from the horse's mouth. Or whatever's mouth."

Breathe in, breathe out. Don't bite down so hard you bend the fork.

"Conciderin' tha', I'm s'prised y'haven' nai' heard o' me b'for, then. How d'y'do?" His odd, pinched teeth flashed as he grinned wider.

Chana gave him a Look and pointedly took another bite of food before replying. "I don't always get out as much as I should." She looked him up and down appraisingly. "Maybe it's a good thing," the beaver continued, not -quite- sneering.

"An' wha' can I do fer you?" He watched her, still grinning with amusement as he ate his own fish.

"Well, you could tell me your name," Chana replied, trying her best to sound pleasant. It didn't really conceal the fact that she would have liked nothing more than to whack him in the face at that moment.

"Don' y'find anyt'ing else interestin' aboo' me?" He raised his eyebrows, looking hurt.

Chana looked at him again, examining him and his changed body for a good minute. Finally she spoke again.

"You're bruise-colored," she stated. The beaver also wondered what color new bruises would be, or if they'd just blend in with the rest of his slimy-looking skin.

Apparently they did, or she would have noted his badges of courage from his still recent guard-beating. "Very observant! An' yer rather rodentish about th'mouth." He grinned, giving another long swallow of water befor lowering a couple tentacles under the table. Hoping he was being nonchalant, he dribbled a bit over his almost amphibious-like skin in a quick motion, rubbing them along his legs where he had started to dry out.

The beaver sniffed and picked up her plate. G-d, but this man was so...so annoying. And childish. And nasty-looking.

"Are you sure you don't want to tell me your name?" she asked as civily as she could. At the very least, she could leave the cafeteria and go somewhere -anywhere- else. And she could ask who the tentacled freak was. Someone was bound to know.

"Last time I jes' told someone me name, they tried t'eat me. Th'time b'for tha' they tried t'drown me. Y'can understand me apprehension. What d'y'want?" After the incidents with Jamal and Chubbs, his little game had turned into a survival tactic.

Chana raised her eyebrows at that. Who would have wanted to try to kill this man? He wasn't Zach, or Jamal...or, wait. Hadn't Lily said something about a Mr. Reedy being dangerous too?

But that would be his attacker. Not him.

"Look, I never heard someone was growing tentacles. And you don't look like a killer, so I probably haven't been warned about you. Can't you just tell me your name?" she asked, for the final time. Seriously. If he didn't give her a straight answer now, she was leaving, and that would be that.

His odd, slightly changed eyes flickered over her in quiet concideration for a few moments befor he reached for another piece of fish, "William. Friends call me Billy. Happy, Chana?"

The beaver girl flashed him a big smile. "I am now. Happy that is. Todah Billy," she told him as she put her dishes away and then left the cafeteria.

Maybe he wasn't all bad. At least he could be civil when he wanted to be.

Chana had noticed many times that the cafeteria shared a building with other installations, but this was the first time she'd decided to actually take a peek.

Needless to say, she was pleasantly surprised, for once, as she noted the game system, video library, and comfortable looking chairs. The beaver let out a soft gleeful squeal as she began investigating some of the older movies single-mindedly.

Madison pawed over to the village so that she could have some fun in the entertainment room. This new addition always struck her as a bit of an oddity when she went there. Why was it made in the first place? She didn't think that Dr. Moreau cared at all about the fun of his subjects. Shrugging, she just went on her way there while whistling to the tune of the Andy Griffith show.

Once inside, she noticed a brunette woman that had hair similiar to Baby in Dirty Dancing..a movie she liked. Upon closer inspection, she saw this woman had buck teeth and fur like that of a beaver. Madison tucked her tail around her body as she greeted her.

"Hello! I see that you are into older movies.. have you ever seen Dirty Dancing?"

Chana looked up, startled, dropping a copy of Tron as she turned to face...a fox woman? Well, at least no explanations were needed. She thought back on the movies she'd seen.

"Dirty Dancing? I know I've heard of it..." she said, pursing her lips as she thought. The effect was rather ruined by her buck teeth, but Chana didn't notice. "Ah, now I remember! That was shown at one of those Saturday hang nights...and that's why I can't remember the movie," she ended, shrugging a bit sheepishly.

"Did you want to watch it?"

Madison usually preferred psychological crime dramas but DD always left her with a warm fuzzy feeling whenever she watched it. It was probably the awesome ending. She itched at her long fox ear and then smiled at this beaver woman.

"Yes! It's one of my favorite movies. I think you will enjoy it" she said while pawing over to the old video rack to locate the copy. It wasn't there..or maybe she wasnt' looking in the right place.

"Maybe you can help me find it or if we can't get it then we can watch Tron.. if it didn't break by you dropping it that is." she laughed.

Chana chuckled as well and started looking through the shelves nearest her--putting Tron back in it's place. "I didn't mean to drop it," she said conversationally. "You just startled me. I'd only picked it out 'cause I remember liking it as a kid, when my dad and I watched to together."

The beaver swallowed quickly as her throat suddenly constricted. She'd never see Dad again, would she? This whole Island thing really sucked at times.

Madison noticed the beaver woman's body language change to more sullen tones when she mentioned her father. She wondered why but kept her psychoanalytical questions to herself.

"I'm really sorry about that" she said and then extended a pawed hand, "My name is Madison. May I ask whom you are?"

Dirty Dancing was still not revealing itself and Madison thought that perhaps this movie wasn't here on the island. Still, there was so many more movies that she could settle down and watch. That was the important thing after all, losing yourself in a movie to forget how badly your life sucked.

"What? Oh, it's nothing," Chana said, trying to turn the apology away. Concentrate on the present and ignore the past and future, that's what she had to do.

"I'm Chana," she replied, clasping Madison's paw with her own furred hand. "Nice to meet you."

She glanced around a bit, wondering where the movie had gotten to. It might be possible that it wasn't here...but she'd seen Sleuth on the shelf, and if something that obscure was here, Dirty Dancing had to be here, somewhere.

"Well if you ever need to talk to anyone..then I keep an ear open" Madison nodded. Ever since she was young she delighted in listening to others problems and thinking of ways to solve them. For some reason the problems of others took her mind off her own.

"Oh the pleasure is all mine, Chana. I'm so glad to meet someone nice. I had a run in with this octopus character named Billy in the cafeteria. Have you ever met him?" she asked while picking up Tron to read the back.

The beaver smiled. "That's nice of you. I'll keep it in mind." She continued looking through the rows. An unlabelled box caught her eye.

"Yeah, he's a rather...rude...fellow," she replied off-handedly, picking up the box to examine the DVD inside. "This it?" she asked, holding the open case out to Madison for examination.

Madison took the box from Chana and examined it carefully. "I don't know.. why don't we put it in the DVD player" Madison grinned.

She nodded about the mention of Billy. "I agree. I think that is the most foul creature I have ever met..and I doubt I'll ever want to see or meet him again" her own words made her feel cold but she knew she spoke the truth.

The fur under the side of her white tang top began to itch so she gave a good scratch with her claws. Maybe she should just walk around naked like that octopus fellow..it would probably be alot easier. Still, she clung to her humanity like a loose thread on a bobbon. One mess up and she feared to lose it all together.

"Sure," she said, popping the disc in and turning things on. And Madison mentioned Billy again.

"I didn't think he was entirely bad," Chana commented cautiously. "I just found him very rude. He wasn't nearly as bad as some people-" a tattooed woman came to mind, along with Zach, "and I'd be willing to give him another chance," she finished, curling up on a couch and tossing Madison a remote.

Madison curled her fluffy tail around her legs to keep warm and her bright blue eyes twitched at the curiousity of what could be on the DVD.

She took the remote from Chana and pressed the PLAY button. No DVD menu came on screen and she tried to press more buttons..but still nothing.

'Odd..maybe this disc was taped over... Yes, your right. Everyone deserves a second chance. I was just rubbed the wrong way that's all" she whispered while trying to manipulate the remote.

Chana also watched the steady blank screen, a tad frustrated already.

"Who would, or could, tape it over? And yeah, I really hope he isn't like that all the time," the beaver replied. Had Madison hit any buttons at all? These things sometimes needed encouragement, after all.

Madison hit another button and the screen flashed to a taped episode of 'Lost'. She figured that some islander brought it with them from home and left it here..or some other reason.

"Ohh I used to watch this show. Have you ever seen it? It's about people who are stuck on an island like us" she said as the opening credits appeared on screen that introduced all the actors.

Madison snuggled back into the sofa with Chana while the show came on. She never seen this episode before.

"Actually...my boyfriend liked it a lot, and I purposely scheduled meetings and such for those nights," the beaver admitted. It had seemed perfectly reasonable at the time, since paranomal mystery things weren't really her cup of tea.

Now she wondered if it might have been a mistake...though it probably wouldn't have helped the situation any.

She sighed when Charlie came on screen. He was so hot.

"I only saw this show once before because the same guy that played a hot hobbit in LoTR is in it. So do you miss your boyfriend? I sure miss all my friends and family" she spoke quietly.

A family member of hers was on the island ..Dr. Moreau.. but he didn't care much for her at all. It hurt but it wasn't like she could do anything about it. Madison kept quiet about this detail. She did not want anyone on the island to know her secret in fear they might be against her.

"Really? I didn't know that..." she replied, wondering if a hobbit would really be that short in real life.

Then the beaver smiled nastily. "I should have mentioned that' he's been my ex since before I got here. Lost was one of his less-annoying quirks." And it had been immensely freeing to stand there and shout out everything she'd grown to hate about him. Thinking about it still gave her a warm feeling of satisfaction.

"Of course I miss my family though..." she added quietly. Now she'd never get to stand under the huppah with a nice, Jewish boy...

On the screen, was a kissing scene between two characters that Madison didn't know the names of. She looked away in a flinch and closed her eyes. Would she ever find love like that? Probably not on this island.. or was she wrong?

"Ohh I see. What all did he do to upset you? I had an ex that would chew up his food and then spit it out in a napkin when we dined in fancy restaurants because he was watching his weight. I doubt your boyfriend was THAT psycho" she threw her head back in laughter.

At the mention of Chana missing her family, Madison patted her gently on the shoulder. The show was kinda boring so she wondered whether or not to turn it off and find something else to view.

Chana made a face at the screen before turning to Madison. "Eh...it all boils down to him trying to control the relationship and I finally gave up changing his attitude." The beaver shrugged. "Some people are just like that."

The beaver almost wished the fox wasn't such a...caring...person. She'd been pretty successful at not thinking about her family...with all the weird stuff going on, she couldn't afford a breakdown. Not yet.

Though maybe if a certain goat could comfort her...that could always work.

Madison tried to focus back her attention to the show... It wasn't really to her liking so was hard to get into it.

"I vote we watch something else instead. Don't you? I wonder what would be good.. " Madison went up and turned off the DVD and then picked up Tron instead.

"Why don't we watch this? Sorry to bring up any old feelings like that. I know that you probably just want to have some fun and get your mind off things"

"Something else sounds good. Got something in mind?" Chana asked, ready for something less...less likely to remind them of how helpless they were.

"Oh, it's okay. Really," she tried to assure Madison. "A time and place for everything, you know?"

Madison scooted over to the DVD player and popped in another movie that lay by them. It was called 'Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure'..a comedy. 'This should cheer Chana up.. who wouldn't like the slapstick of a young Keanu Reeves?'

The menu came up and Madison pushed play on the remote with her pawed hand. 'Hey we need something to snack on. I wonder if there is any food around here'

Chana watched Madison with interest, curious about the next movie. It didn't look like anything she'd seen before, which was probably a good thing.

And snacks. Another good thing.

"Well, there is a cafeteria just down the hall, I'll go and grab something for us. Any preferences?" she asked. Popcorn was normal for movies...but she had a feeling that the fox might want something...different. To say the least.

"Oh that would be great. I'm craving meat mostly..but I suppose popcorn will do. I haven't had that in awhile" she nodded.

How nice Chana was to go get them some snacks. The movie was beginning to come on so Madison pushed pause and laid back into the sofa to relax.

"No problem!" the beaver told her cheerfully and set off down the hall.

She returned a few minutes later with a large bowl of popcorn, a plate of sandwich meats, and another plate with very raw roots. (She still hadn't had much success in getting bark actually on the menu, but that could wait for another time.)

"I hope this works for you," Chana said a bit anxiously, setting the meat plate down by Madison, and the popcorn between them. She helped herself to some of the roots, which were pretty fresh. Mmmmm.

"Yummy! Thank you, Chana. These meats will hit just the spot" Madison picked up one of the lunchmeats on the plate and nibbled on it.

Picking up the remote, she pushed the play button again to unfreeze the movie. On screen, it showed Bill and Ted finding a phonebooth that could transport them to other time periods with the help of Rufus.

The smell of hot popcorn encircled her nostrils and she salivated for a taste. Madison dipped her furry paw into the bowl and then snacked on it. She hoped she didn't get any fur into the bowl in the process but didn't think Chana would mind.

This movie was beginning to calm Madison and soon she felt like she was just an ordinary human away from this island watching a movie with a new friend.

Chana watched the movie with a vague interest. She wasn't exactly sure what was going on, but it was amusing and Madison was good company, so it was all good. And the popcorn was hot, she amended the mental list. The popcorn was hot and tasted fine with a piece of root mixed in.

The beaver tried to understand the story a bit better when the prig inside complained that roots and popcorn weren't a normal snack. Let the movie take you away, right?

The way that Chana ate roots made Madison arch a brow and she turned towards her. "Are those really good with popcorn? They look icky from over here. I guess it's just because I'm more a meat lover"

The scene where Bill and Ted meet the princesses after time traveling to 14th century England came on screen. It was so hillarious the way both guys were acting. Such fools..especially Keanu Reeves. Who could ever take this guy seriously after he did this movie?

Madison cuddled into the sofa and licked some butter off her furry mouth. She was having alot of fun with Chana and really enjoying her company.

Chana shrugged. "Tastes fine to me...maybe if you wrapped some popcorn in the baloney?" she offered. It was really nice, sitting here watching a pointless movie with someone who she could really relax around. Even though they'd just met, they were pretty comfortable.

The movie progressed and Chana could tell that it was starting to wrap up now. "We should definitely do this again," she commented idly.

Madison giggled at the thought of eating baloney with the popcorn. She decided to try it..and was pleasantly surprised that it tasted good! Everything must taste delightful with popcorn..well just about everything.

"I agree! It would be fun to watch another movie sometime. I should be getting back to my bungalow for some rest. I feel so tired." she said as the movie credits began to roll. It was like a blur of pointless events but good enough to get her mind off things.

The beaver swallowed the last of her roots and grinned over at Madison. "Sounds wonderful! I'm in 26, if you want," she offered. This had been one of the best ways she'd spent time since...since coming to the island!

As she spoke, Chana got up and ejected the disc to put it back on the shelves. No sense in leaving it lying about.

Her legs felt like stone as she tried to get off the sofa. That's what happens when you sit still for so long.. your limbs go to sleep. Madison shook her furry legs until the blood rushed to them and she was able to stand up.

"Of course. I think I know where duplex 26 is located. Maybe I can just drop in sometime to hang out with you. Well, it was very nice meeting you and I had a swell time" she grinned. Madison picked up the plates and bowl of popcorn "Do you mind if I take this with me?"

She started towards the door.

"Not at all!" she told Madison, nodding to the food. "And please, stop by any time you want. I know I could use a bit less predictability in my life," she said, chuckling.

At least she was able to find where this DVD ought to be on the shelves and replace it there. Having things where they belonged made the whole world look better for a moment.

"See you around, then," she said, heading for the door as well.

"Ok! Bye!" Madison exited and headed in the direction of her bungalow.

You've been feeling off most of the afternoon. The sun is hot, you feel itchy, and there seems to be a rather annoying mosquito bite on your forearm.

It's later in the evening, after you've been feeling crummy and vaguely feverish, yet oddly munchy all day that the changes begin. Already fully furred, you're spared the encompassing itch from growing fur... but this time there are other, more deeply physical changes.

This time, it starts with your tail. The small flat leathery paddle aches and contorts, expanding and growing longer, wider, until it reaches all the way to the ground even when you stand. Your legs swell as your bones adjust for a stouter build, mucles and fat adjusting and bulking you up. Your feet broaden and lengthen, your shoulders crack and widen... and finally your face. With more bone-grinding crunches, your face pushes out into a small muzzle.

Chana yawned and glanced outside the window. The moisture was from humidity outside, and it was definitely growing dark. Another spectacular sunset. The beaver grumbled to herself and dabbed cold water on her face to wake herself up further.

It wasn't fair that beavers tended to sleep more in the winter...she'd gone to sleep after the first night of Hannukah and woken up for the third. Missing even one day further soured her already-grouchy mood. Still, it was sunset, and she had candles to light.

She really wished that it was frost on the window, instead of condensation. She wished she needed the heat on instead of the A/C. She wished for a lot of things, but very few of them were actually feasible.

She wished she could get up the courage to leave her duplex again. She wished Stewart would come to visit. She wished she could see her family again.

The story of Hannukah, a series of events that had never actually happened, is a story of hope and faith. Chana's hope was most of what she had left, and as for faith...it depended what subject one wanted her to have faith in.

The beaver sighed and watched the little candle flames dance in the wind from her breath. The glowing lights were comforting, and her eyes drifted closed once more, a smile on her sleeping lips.

The beaver yawned and blinked at the small package outside her door. Curious, she gently opened it to reveal a brightly painted rock. One of the ones she'd seen just the day before. Chana smiled and closed the door, holding up the gift. She'd have to find something to give little Cody in return. She remembered what he'd been eating the other day...he'd probably appreciate freshly caught fish.

Humming to herself, the beaver busied herself with plans. She also wrote down a number of notes including "Cody - 51."