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 Posted: Tue May 09, 2006 8:04 pm
"I've been buzzed once and believe me it's different. Last time, docs weren't involved when I woke up and this time they were right there." She shook her head, "This time was a ton stronger and came on slow..."
Lauren shrugged, "Maybe they got knocked out too. All power was out that night for a while and everyone seemed a bit worried about it at the labs. I think the power outage lasted till sun up."
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Posted: Tue May 09, 2006 8:25 pm
"Really?" Nita frowned. "I don't exactly have anything to compare it to, but all the others I talked to were zapped too. Some sort of automatic response, I guess." She shrugged and leaned against Lauren. "What were you doing in the labs that night anyway?"
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Posted: Tue May 09, 2006 8:41 pm
Lauren was happy Nita hadn't had anything to compare it to, "Moreau invited me to study with the lab techs, side by side. That's why I was away. They gave me a room. It was exciting until THAT happened." Lauren leaned back against Nita. "So you saw nothing huh? Oh well, geuss I will have to keep looking around. I'm too curious not to. Must be the mongoose."
Lauren yawned a bit, the excitement of making love with Nita was wearing into her being incredibly tired. "I'm sleepy all of a sudden." She laid down still holding Nita's hand.
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Posted: Tue May 09, 2006 8:49 pm
Nita nodded. "That does sound interesting. But no, I didn't see anything unusual, other than the storm itself."
She ran her fingers through Lauren's hair. "With so many people gathering information, I hope this blows over soon." A similar yawn split her face and she lay down willingly.
"So you'll stay here tonight?" she asked, suddenly a bit shy again.
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Posted: Tue May 09, 2006 8:52 pm
Lauren nodded, "I hope so too... and as much as I didn't like her in the past I hope Aubrey gets better. After Colche's birthday party I realised she's not that bad."
Lauren looked a little confused laying there, "Do... you not want me to? Because I can go... But I thought it might be nice to stay..."
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Posted: Tue May 09, 2006 8:55 pm
"For Colche's sake then," Nita agreed.
Nita blushed. "No, no, I mean, I'd like for you to stay, if you want to." She rested her head on Lauren's shoulder and kissed her cheek.
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Posted: Tue May 09, 2006 8:58 pm
Lauren smirked, "Good, well I would like to stay." Lauren rested her head on Nita's head snuggling up for the night. After some lots more snuggling and some more small smooches Lauren was out like a light. It seemed more cozy their by Nita and Lauren enjoyed sleeping with her in her arms.
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Posted: Tue May 09, 2006 9:04 pm
Nita returned the kisses lovingly, happily cuddled against Lauren. With Lauren in it, her formerly uncomfortable bed seemed wonderful. Pleasantly exhausted by their earlier activity, Nita drifted off to sleep as well.
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Posted: Wed May 10, 2006 9:22 pm
Bark Worse Than His Bite? Alec Derring Alec sat alone in the caf, surrounded by piles of dirty dishes and stacks nearer that still contained food. He was starving, apparently. Oddly enough, the dishes he'd chosen were quite mis-matched, meatloaf and icecream, brussels and jam. Anything to fill his stomach, it seemed. The pizza Amaya had brought him hadn't left a dent in his voracious appetite.
He hadn't bothered to venture anywhere else the entire day, though he still aimed to get some reading material from the entertainment room for some clues on what he might be turning into. He'd make sure they were picture books or something. Nita MacNeal Nita ventured into the cafeteria, stomach growling. The few pieces of fruit left in her minifridge were long gone, and she needed to restock. This was her first real emergence from her duplex since her change... and of course her favorite downstairs neighbor would be sitting there. Nita blinked. He looked different. Upon reflection, it made sense that Alec would have changed as well, since they had arrived together. She made her way through the line quickly, wondering if she even knew what bamboo leaves looked like. The shoots, of course, were familiar from lo mein. Which sounds really good right about now, she thought, suddenly missing the local Chinese dive near her old dorm. Ah well. Scrambled eggs and some varied fruits would have to do for now. Nita padded over to Alec's overburdened table and pulled up a chair. "Hey there," she said simply. Alec Derring Alec didn't look up when he heard someone enter, too intent on gumming the kaiser bun he had grabbed without consideration to his chewing abilities. "Aye." He responded in a monotone, recognizing the voice as the 'prude upstairs'. Before he could make any comments about not stealing his food and the like, he glanced up to find a very changed Nita.
He fought back a smirk, eyes automatically falling on her think layer of rouge fur and her much-changed facial features. Finally he couldn't help himself, and a very toothy grin spread across his face. "Ye furreh!" Nita MacNeal Nita rolled her eyes and sat down. Idiotic company was better than no company at all, right? The red panda said WRONG. "Holy s**t, I am??" Nita looked down at herself, feigning shock. "Heyyy, thanks Alec, I sure wouldn't have noticed that without you!" She grinned to show that she was just teasing. Mostly. Oblivious neighbors aside, Nita was still in a great mood from the time she'd spent with Lauren. "And you're toothy," she replied equably, eyeing the piles of food around him. Her stomach growled again and she bit into a nice juicy pear. Alec Derring Alec kept his wry grin, chewing difficultly on a chunk of beef in the side of his mouth. He only found her sarcastic come-backs even more amusing. "Betteh th'n furreh" He snorted and tried not to laugh, lowering his face to wipe at his mouth to try and retain some dignity. It was still very difficult to speak or eat and not spit saliva onto his own shirt. Damn teeth.
"W'nt sum?" He slurred and motioned to a plate of fresh salad, wondering why he'd bother to pick that up seeing as he loathed vegetables of any kind. A small curtosy to offer in exchange for some teasing to the poor panda girl. Nita MacNeal "Oh yeah? 'Least I can eat without slobbering on myself." She snickered, not particularly bothered by his teasing. "And I've been reliably informed that fur is sexy." Nita managed not to blush, wondering what in the world had led her to say that. Perhaps some vague desire to change Alec's opinion of her. Nita accepted the salad with some grace, thankful for her automatic habit of grabbing flatware even when she didn't need it.After a few bites and a couple moments of looking Alec over, she asked, "Any idea what you're gonna be, then?" Alec Derring Alec coyly leaned back in his chair, balancing as he braced his heel into a leg of the table. "Sorreh luv, d'sn't strike m'fanceh." He sadly shook his head, as if she would actually missing out on something good. His stuck out his tongue at her jab at his toothy predicament, trying not to get offended though it was truly his sore spot out of all the things that had changed in his body.
At her question, he scowled. She couldn't guess what he was turning into either? And she was supposed to be the smart one. "No fookin clue, wha' th' 'ell is THIS?" He sat up properly and bent his arm, gesturing towards the tough, fibrous material of his joint. Maybe if he had fur he'd be able to hide that. Nita MacNeal "I said reliably informed." Nita rolled her eyes. "And apparently it's true." She continued to work on the salad. Surely Alec couldn't be quite that dim. Nita's eyes grew wide at the stuff on his arm. "What the hell?" she muttered. "Looks almost like bark... Can they even do that? Turn someone into a plant?" Not to mention, plants didn't usually have a full set of very sharp teeth. Alec Derring "Ye, wuteveh." He mumbled in response, not quite caring what she was referring to as he poked at the remaining food on the last unconquered plate.
At her suggestion however, his head shot up with a vicious scowl that probably would've looked much less intimidating before his change. "'Am neh PLANT." He countered in offense. The idea was absurd, it couldn't be possible! He had been a little bold to make fun of her fur but she didn't have to make it sound like he was turning into a weed or something. "Prolly joost sum... sorteh fish a neveh heard 'f o' somethin. Righ'?" Nita MacNeal Or maybe he really was. Darn. It would have been awfully fun to see his reaction. Nita gave him a noncommittal shrug and finished up the salad. Reclaiming her pear, she jumped back a bit at Alec's vehement response. "I didn't say you were. I said it looked like bark. There are lots of weird fish and stuff." She took a few breaths to calm the part of her that wanted very much to be elsewhere. Preferably up a tree. "You could always ask the labs," she suggested. Alec Derring Alec felt a pang of guilt when he noted Nita's reaction, haven't not realized what he'd really sounded like. He wouldn't apologize though.
"Eh..." He quieted down significantly as he subconsciously scratched at the back of his neck. "A' d'neh... did ye?" He glanced up and obviously stared at her newer features, figuring she was some sort of cat or something, though she didn't remind him of Julian. Nita MacNeal Nita ate the last bit of pear and neatly wiped the juice from her darkened fingers. "Mmhm," she nodded. "A couple of weeks ago, actually." A hand reached up to touch her fuzzy ears. "The guy I ended up talking to wasn't so bad. A bit creepy, but who wouldn't be, up there?" She shrugged again. "Anyway, it's a red panda." Alec Derring Alec of course, wasn't aware pandas came in a red variety and was very impressed. "Cool." He mumbled and washed down all the odd combinations of foods he'd chosen with a tall glass of water. It struck him then that he felt VERY thirsty. "Maybeh a' should." He sighed as he got up to fetch another tall glass of water, the positive experience Nita was describing was beginning to waver his vow to never speak to the staff. Come to think of it, even the guards who administered his injection weren't that bad.
"Anneh news on th'girleh?" He was of course referring to Aubrey. Nita MacNeal "I guess," Nita replied. "Couldn't hurt to know, and it would save a lot of worrying." The girl? Oh, Dr. Lockheart. It seemed everyone was intent on that. "Actually, you might not want to bug the people at the lab about what you're turning into just now. Everyone's pretty upset up there." Alec Derring Alec almost rolled his eyes until he remembered how serious the situation was. He better start caring about what happened to her if he was going to save and everyone else's asses from being thrown into cages or fed to the birds. "Guess ye righ'." He admitted, figuring he'd better just look through the information provided in the many books in the entertainment room instead of risking drawing attention to himself.
In fact, he figured he'd better get it over with and go read up on his changes now. "'Am g'na go read th'... thengs. Info abou' aminals." He waved in the direction of the entertainment room lazily. Nita MacNeal I usually am, Nita thought, but tactfully didn't say. "Yeah? Well good luck with that." She nodded thoughtfully. The 'Animals of Asia' book she had borrowed from the entertainment room was still in her duplex. Now that she had actually changed once, it might be useful to read over the red panda information again. Alec Derring Alec nodded gratefully, getting up from his chair. He was about to leave the entire pile of dirty dishes just laying there until he glanced back, knowing that doing so would only give Nita something to chatter about. With an annoyed sigh he gathered them up and deposited them in their rightful place after one or two loads. "Seeyeh" He waved and finally left. Nita MacNeal Nita hid a smile as Alec cleaned up after himself. She waved after him. "See ya, and good luck again!" Her own dishes were easily cleared away. After making up a collection of assorted fruits and vegetables, as well as some more lunch meat, should Lauren get hungry while staying over, Nita padded back to her own duplex.
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Posted: Thu May 11, 2006 8:04 pm
Tree Buddies Cassidy Smith Cassidy was sulking, and she was quite aware that she was sulking, that it was neither sensible nor healthy to be sulking, and yet she sulked. She had found a comfortable spot in the branches of a tree, coiled and wrapped around the branches, her head resting on her feathered arms. Her stomach had dwindled quite a bit, barely more than the slightest bulge. Her head was tilted slightly as she listened to the sounds around her. Birdsong, mostly, with the rustle of leaves underneath it. It was nice, and it was comfortable, and she should have been perfectly happy. Stupid Vasile. Nita MacNeal Nita, on the other hand, was still in a pretty good mood. She was restless and a bit bored... and the red panda wanted the forest. So, for the first time since just before the storm, Nita walked along one of the faintly marked paths. A flash of color caught her eye, up in a tree. Not at all a bad place to be. "Cass?" she called. "Is that you up there?" She paused, leaning against the rough bark, and waved tentatively. Cassidy Smith Cass leaned over the edge of the branch and peered down; her tongue flickered thoughtfully. After a brief pause, while she tried to connect scent and voice and name, she called back, "Nita? Yeah, it's me." She waved. Company was really what she needed, too. Not solitary sulking up a tree. "You want me to come down?" Nita MacNeal "Actually..." Nita hesitated briefly before continuing, "I may as well come up." The tree just next to Cass had a few low sturdy branches, and while Nita had never been a particularly agile tree-climber, she managed well enough. Once she was on Cass' level, she settled herself in a fork, leaning against the trunk. Her new instincts knew how to balance just right. Nita wiped a few bits of bark and leaf from her newly-furred hands. Her ears twitched, everything in the jungle so much clearer than they had ever been. "How've you been?" she asked. Cassidy Smith Cassidy's tongue flickered, the only sign of her startlement. That was the thing about this place, too. Just when you got used to what someone looked like, they went and sprouted fur. Or worse. "Well," she said. "Things are... okay, I guess." No need to immediately start dumping on people, especially when she hardly knew them. It was one thing to wallow in woeful self-pitying angst, but it was quite another to do it aloud. "What about you? Other than, well, the obvious." Cass gestured vaguely to Nita's new appearance. "You look okay, though." She smiled in her faint way. Nita MacNeal One side of Nita's mouth twitched in amusement. It really was easier to let the red panda feel safe in a tree, instead of being all nervous. "Yeah? Well that's good, I suppose." Nita nodded, sharp eyes flicking over the remains of the lump in Cass' stomach. She was pretty sure that hadn't been there the last time she'd seen the woman. "And.. I'm okay. Still getting used to the fur, but it's not so bad." Pulling lightly on a braid, she snickered quietly. "At least I match, hm?" Cassidy Smith Cassidy let out a small giggle. "You do match. And really, it's a pretty good first change, as far as they go." She said this as reassuringly as she could, then continued on, a bit more sombrely, "You get used to it. I'm not sure that's a good thing, but you do get used to it." She shifted on the branch so as to face Nita a bit better, propping her stubby former legs over the limb. Silly things got in the way. "Settling in okay?" Nita MacNeal Nita wrinkled her nose and scratched absently at a branch above her. "I still look like me, I think." She nodded at the new tone of voice. "There are some really good people here, which definitely helps." The little vestigial limbs were probably the oddest thing about Cass' appearance, much more so than her snakey face. They just looked so awkward. "Settling in? Yeah, mostly. I finally got my bookshelves and I've seen the little library you mentioned." Cassidy Smith "Yeah, you're still you. Just fuzzy." Cass nodded enthusiastically. Nita looked almost like some sort of red raccoon, which was odd, but interesting. Good people. Of course there were good people here. At the moment she couldn't really name anyone on the list, though. Vasile would have been, but... Her tail tightened reflexively around a thinner bough that grew off of the branch she was sitting on; it cracked a little. "The library is fairly decent. And helpful. I really don't even like looking at the pictures, but occassionally I have to go consult the encyclopedia on pythons." She made a thoughtful noise. Nita MacNeal Nita giggled quietly at the 'fuzzy' comment, since she had thought just about the exact same thing. "I found a couple of good books about Asian animals, lots of information and nice pictures. Except if I try to think about what I might look like later, my brain breaks." She flinched at the cracking sound. Dratted twitchy animal. "What, no more research on Quetzalcoatl?" she joked. Cassidy Smith "Eh, they gave me a whole book on him. That's back in my room." With a bit of an effort, Cassidy relaxed her body. Squeezing the branch too hard was rather painful for her, too. "But I understand not wanting to know what you'll look like later..." She sighed a little, but smiled. " I'm sorry. I've had a rather rough couple of days. I'm not sure I'm really myself right now." Nita MacNeal "It's not so much that I don't want to know, more like if I think about it too much, it's just weird." Nita cocked her head to the side and raised her eyebrows questioningly. "Yeah? What's going on?" Shifting her weight slightly to get more comfortable, she scratched at a bit of dirt on her jeans. It was definitely time to do laundry again. Cassidy Smith Cassidy shook her head. "It's... it's nothing, I guess. Yesterday was just seriously bad... I was mistaken for a regular snake and nearly throttled, and then Vasile came and talked to me... he's my boyfriend... I mean, he was, because apparently he's gay now." She made a small, disgruntled hissing noise. "Which I would have appreciated knowing six months ago but he's talking like this is all of a sudden and--" Cass stopped. "I'm sorry," she said, with a guilty cough. "You don't care about this, do you?" Nita MacNeal Nita's brows shot up. Nearly throttled and dumped? "Wow," she murmured. "I'm pretty sure that counts as something." She shook her head slowly. "Vasile? Was he the guy with you at the beach bar that one night?"" She shook her head and smiled sympathetically. "No need to be sorry. And I do care. I don't mind if you need to vent." Her ears twitched again, automatically listening for anything out of the ordinary. "I mean, I don't exactly have experience with that kind of thing, but I'll always listen." She nodded to emphasize her words. Cassidy Smith "Yeah, that would be Vasile." Cassidy sighed. "I don't know. Just the way he said it... since his last change, he says. If Moreau somehow managed to turn my boyfriend gay on me, I swear, I'll... I'll. Goddamn." She shook her head. "I find one little bit of happiness here, and... honestly, maybe it's just an excuse, whatever he says. I'm not exactly going to win any beauty pageants, here." Her voice was unusually bitter, for her. "Although I'm not sure that'd be any better, if that were the case." She ran her fingers down her temple. "I'm... I appreciate the listening ear. I really do. There's just been no one to yell at, since I made Vasile leave me alone." Nita MacNeal Nita frowned, brows furrowed. "Turned him gay? Is that even.. Well, I'd ask if that were even possible, but considering they can turn people into snakes with wings and red pandas and goodness knows what else..." She shrugged and sighed. "Still seems like a bit of a lame excuse though." She sighed again and shook her head. Poor Cass. "And don't worry, I won't go blabbing or anything." Cassidy Smith "Either way, it's completely irrational to be mad at him over his newfound orientation." Cass snorted. " I know that. Hell, my aunt was forty-four when she came out of the closet. But... augh. Now I know how my uncle felt. Just a little." Nita MacNeal Nita bit her lip, considering. "It's not exactly something he can help, whether Moreau did it or not." She messed absently with the end of a braid. "You do kind of get the poor end of the deal, though..." Cassidy Smith "And it seems like all the guys here are either taken or are not dealing with it well, and have gone all unstable." Cassidy considered this, her tongue flickering again. "Or both. I need cats in large quantities, I guess. Only way for me to go." She laughed lightly. "I guess I'll live. There'll be someone else, or there won't be. I'll survive, somehow." Nita MacNeal Nita sniffed in amusement. "No competition from me, at least. And, awful as it is, I've gathered there are new people showing up pretty often, so maybe a good one will show up for you." She smiled in a reassuring manner. "Of course you'll survive. But a kitty or two certainly wouldn't hurt." Cassidy Smith "Wouldn't mind a cat, I guess. Though sometimes... I'm not so sure I couldn't trust myself to, well, not act like a snake." No competition? Cass tried to decipher this comment. "Have you been seeing someone already, then?" Nita MacNeal "I do miss my cats. They're such silly little things." Nita blushed, inspecting a nearby leaf. Oh yes. Fascinating. "Well, yeah. I mean, it's kind of new, so I don't want to jinx it or anything." She laughed a bit. "But we.. work together, somehow." Cassidy Smith Cass made a small squealing noise. "Oooh. I'm happy for you, Nita, I really am. Good luck to the two of you." Nothing really cheered her up quite as much as hearing about someone else being happy. Vasile... she'd deal with Vasile another day, when she could stand to look at him. For now, it was easier just to enjoy this. Nita MacNeal Nita grinned, blushing more through her fur. It was nice to tell someone about it. Considering Alec was so clueless when she'd hinted at it. "Thanks. I don't really know where it's going, but it feels right, you know?" Cassidy Smith "I suppose that's all we can ever really hope for," Cass said, then grinned a little. "Can I ask who? I mean, I might not know everyone on the island, but I at least know some of them." It was encouraging, at least, to hear about Nita meeting someone nice. Nita MacNeal "I'm not one to kiss and tell, buuuut...." Nita grinned at Cass. "It's Lauren." Even though Nita knew that Lauren was far from being universally liked, she didn't really care. They liked each other, and that was what counted. She shifted her weight again and readjusted her grip on the branch above her. Cassidy Smith Cassidy's tongue flicked in and out, and eventually she said, "I... don't think I knew you were, um, a lesbian." Of all the people to complain about your ex's newfound gayness to! She'd probably come off as some close-minded, small-town hick girl, too. Or maybe not, since Nita hadn't been offended or anything. She hoped not. "I don't know a Lauren, I don't think." She shook her head. "But I guess I mostly keep to myself. Well, congrats, again." Nita MacNeal Nita watched Cass carefully, the flicking of her tongue decidedly eery. "Oh. Um. Yeah..." She shrugged again. "I don't exactly go around shouting it from the rooftops." She looked down at her feet. "I hope I didn't weird you out or anything," she muttered. "But thanks for the congrats." Cassidy Smith "No," Cass laughed. "No, I'm not weirded out. Just surprised. It's all cool. I'm hoping I wasn't offensive or anything while I was ranting about Vasile." Nita MacNeal "Oh! Well. Okay then." Nita laughed lightly at herself for misunderstanding. "I'm not offended at all. Being dumped is being dumped, and you never said anything bad about him being gay. You said it wasn't his fault. So, um, really I guess you're taking it about as well as anyone could." Cassidy Smith "Oh, I've heard it all." Cass shook her head. "About every concievable minority group you care to mention, too. I could repeat most of it, but I won't. I have more sense than that." Granted, she wasn't always sure she had a lot of it. Nita MacNeal "Ugh, I've heard too much of it as well. Comes from growing up in a pretty decent-sized city. Even if it is in the Midwest." Nita shrugged and let one leg dangle off the branch. "You seem like a sensible sort to me, at least." From Nita, being dubbed 'sensible' is considerable praise. Cassidy Smith Cass moved in a way that might be called a bow, if you could discern where her waist really was. "Why, thank you. I do try." She shifted a moment, to get a better grip on the branch, and settled herself down. "I'm from a small town. About five thousand, that's it. I'm not a complete hick, anyway." She smiled slightly. Nita MacNeal Nita grinned, her leg swinging back and forth. "There are hicks in big cities, too. It's really more of an attitude than something dependant on the population. Even if those small towns do get a bad reputation." She rolled her eyes. "You can probably find bigots pretty much anywhere." Cassidy Smith "Oh, probably." Cass shrugged. "I think it's human nature, unfortunately." Which was one reason she was no longer particularly keen on the idea of heading home. Her family, surely, would deal... but the rest of Vanderhoof? Not so likely. Her tongue flickered again. "You know, I should probably head back soon. I worry... I worry about losing myself out here, sometimes." Cass laughed lightly, though it was a little forced. "Thank you so much, for listening to me rant a bit. I really needed that, I think." Nita MacNeal "Hmm," Nita agreed, nodding slowly. She had come across enough ignorance and prejudice in her own life; primarily a couple of roommates in college who seemed to think that 'gay' was catching. At least when it came to her current physical appearance she wasn't terribly odd-looking, but that would change. "I probably should, too, before it gets dark." A slight frown crossed her face. She had almost forgotten her own temporary loss of self. "And I really don't mind listening." Nita smiled reassuringly. Cassidy Smith There was a slight rasping of scales on bark as Cassidy began to untwist herself, holding on the branch with both hands even as she did so. "I'll see you around then. Try to catch me around some time or something. We can, um." Normally, she would have suggested a bite to eat, but she wasn't inclined to eat in front of anyone lately, or something at the bar, but she didn't know if Nita drank. "We could watch a movie or something. I dunno. This Lauren person can come too, if she wants." All right, she'd just about straightened her tail out. "And, hey. If you ever need any reading material, I got my own collection. I'll share." She started down the trunk of the tree in a complicated process that was half snake, half hands. Nita MacNeal Nita descended a bit more easily, although she was still a bit awkward and ended up scraping her palm a bit. "s**t," she muttered, sucking on the raw skin. "Yeah? That'd be great. I've got books too, if you want to take a look. I'm in number 42, although I've got a feeling I'll be out here more..." She gave Cass a bit of a sheepish grin. Cassidy Smith "What I have is mostly... well, nearly all science fiction, if you're into that." Cassidy paused to duck under a branch. "Forty-two... life, the universe, and everything. Are we up to that many people? My god. I'm in number three. Have I told you that? I can't remember." All right. She was far enough down to make a conversation difficult. "See you, eh? I'm around." With that, she slipped down the trunk of the tree, moving with great care. Nita MacNeal "Sci-fi? Wonderful. I've got a lot of fantasy." Nita grinned again. "I keep thinking about 42 being the meaning of life, the universe, and everything!" Ahh, great minds. "Take care of yourself, Cass," she called, waving over her shoulder. Nita glanced around as if committing the spot to memory and pointed herself in the direction of the village.
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Posted: Mon May 15, 2006 4:56 pm
A Meeting By the River Fiona Brooks
Having essentially disregarded the announcement about the staffmember being injured (why should she care) Fiona had spent a great deal of time in the jungle, exploring and searching for something in particular. This day she found herself exhausted and feeling clammy, and so followed the distant sound of water to the river she knew wasn't far. With an annoyed sigh the girl flopped down on the bank and wriggled her sore feet in the cool flow. "Stupid jungle," she muttered under her breath, picking twigs out of the fur on her elbow. Yes, the river was indeed preferable. She could see much more around her- the open air was far safer. Wait- safe? What was there to be afraid of? Fiona scoffed at herself mentally and splashed her toes a little, enjoying the sensation on her toughening 'paw-pads'.Nita MacNeal Nita had also been in the jungle, having grown to like the time spent in the trees. She hadn't run into anyone since her meeting with Cassidy, however, which was mostly just fine with her. This particular afternoon, Nita found herself walking along the bank of the river, climbing over fallen logs and the occasional large rock. She tensed suddenly, a sound not belonging to the local fauna reaching her sensitive ears. A vaguely familiar form stood not far away... Nita approached with caution. "Fiona??" she blurted out, surprised. Fiona Brooks Her name, suddenly spoken from the lips of another person, caught Fiona off guard. She scrambled away from the water, away from the voice, and into a wary crouch, her shoulders tense. For perhaps a split second her expression blazed fear and violence, and then it was gone. "Nita!" She exclaimed, sighing and relaxing visibly. "Sheesh, you scared the s**t out of me! What are you-" a pause. "You changed." Her voice suddenly sobered, and Fiona glanced down at her own mutated, furry hands. "Guess I'm not as invincible as I thought I was, eh?" Nita MacNeal Nita stumbled, equally surprised by Fiona's frantic scramble. At least she wasn't the only one who had gotten jumpy. Catching her footing and her breath, Nita stepped a bit closer. "Whoa! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you!" she apologized quickly, twisting her furred hands together. "Are you okay?" She bit her lip, her heart still beating just a bit too rapidly. "Yeah. I did... The day after the storm." Fiona Brooks "Yeah, I'm fine," she mumbled, berating herself for being so stupid. What was she afraid of? Other than rabid islanders going around attacking people, of course. "So..." Fiona began to ask, rising to her feet somewhat awkwardly and peering at the other girl, "What are they turning you into?"
Taking a step towards Nita, she noticed absently that her odd new way of balancing on her feet made her feel taller. "How have you been, anyways? Haven't seen you in a little while. I've been... busy..." she trailed off, eyeing her cautiously. Nita MacNeal "Red panda," Nita said quietly, automatically reaching up to feel her slightly pointed ears. She realized that Fiona had gotten taller, although she was nowhere near as tall as Lauren, who was a good foot taller than the petite red panda girl. She wondered momentarily whether or not her own changes would increase her height at all. "What about you, do you know?" She raised a brow in query. "Busy?" With a shrug, she continued, "I've been okay, I suppose. I haven't been doing much, mostly wandering around outside. Reading. The usual, I guess." Nita sat carefully on a sun-warmed rock and slipped off her sneakers, revealing fuzzy feet with darkened toes. Fiona Brooks "Reading, eh?" A part of her wanted to ask if she'd been fraternizing with that stupid bitchy McBitch b***h. Another part, however, didn't care to know. "What kinda stuff you read? Fiction... Not-Fiction... Almost-Fiction?" This was clearly the sort of girl who chatted with the person beside her throughout library orientation in grade three. Woops.
"But yeah... I'm not sure what I am..." a pair of her fingers traced idly up along the long, pointed ears. "I'm thinking rabbit, though." She twitched her nose pointedly, pointing at it as she did so. "I could never do that before. Seems pretty rabbity to me." Nita MacNeal Nita nodded, scratching at a bit of moss with one fingertip. "Mostly science fiction and fantasy, odd as that seems, considering what's going on here. There's a pretty decent library in the building with the cafeteria. Lots of books on animals, too." She rolled her eyes. "How appropriate, huh?" The nose-twitching demonstration caused her to giggle slightly. "I had a pet rabbit when I was in middle school, and that's just what her nose did." Nita's damp black nose wiggled a little bit, although not nearly as much as Fee's. Fiona Brooks Fiona smiled broadly, but nostalgia creeped through her heart. "Annie had a rabbit too. Cutest little thing..." she was suddenly reminded of something and sat down on the ground, crossing her legs. "I've never told you how I ended up here, have I? Hell, I don't think I've told anyone." Without waiting for a response, Fiona began to animatedly narrate the story of her tragic downfall.
"So, me'n Annie volunteered with the PETA, right? And we'd heard about Feral Labs a few times before- they're awful for animal testing, but nobody can really prove it. So they open up this research station thing in our town. I didn't think they would, since they're mostly based in the States, but we're near the border, so I guess it makes a bit of sense. But anyways, it got me real pissed that they would build their sick testing facilities near my home. So me'n Annie make this plan, snuck in, right? And there were cages and cages of animals. Rabbits, rats, puppies. So we were just gonna free them all and leave. Nothing too serious. Then these guards show up, and I get knocked out. Woke up here." Fiona pursed her lips- as much as she could around her oversized incisors. Nita MacNeal "I got mine from a guy who lived down the street from my parents. He had an alligator, and raised rabbits." She made a face. At least she'd saved one little bunny. Before Nita could say anything like, "No, you never did," Fiona had launched into her story. She sat quietly, nodding and making appropriate noises at various intervals. "Wow," Nita mumbled at the end, not really knowing what to say. Her own experiences with PETA were mostly negative: mostly people shoving pro-vegan brochures at her with gruesome images of mangled animals. Although she applauded much of the ideology, (Yes, cruelty to animals is horrible and should be stopped,) PETA's means and general attitude tended to annoy her. (We're right, you're wrong, meat is murder, blah blah). Fiona Brooks She sighed, rolling her shoulders and turning away from Nita to dapple her feet in the water once more. "Yeah. It sucks." Fiona scratched the back of her neck. "But... I sorta regret it. Not cause I'm bitching about being stuck here. I mean, maybe it was supposed to happen. Maybe I've got some... purpose, or something... here. It's probably just wishful thinking... but I like the idea that I can change this. Put a stop to all the insanity, somehow. But... I regret Annie getting dragged here. She doesn't deserve this. She was always the smarter one. The good kid. Y'know?" Nita MacNeal Nita shrugged, still looking at her feet. "Maybe," she said noncommitally. She peeled the moss off the rock, for once not minding the mud on her hands. The smart one. The good kid.She shuddered, old memories and dreams resurfacing. "I do know," Nita managed. Fiona Brooks Oblivious to any internal distress she might have caused Nita, Fiona forced herself to resist the urge to blubber about how she missed her home and her parents. She was better than that. "But yeah. That's kinda depressing. Let's talk about something better. Or even not talk at all- it's pretty nice out here when it's quiet. But then, that means I have to shut up for more than a second, doesn't it?" She laughed at herself, flopping back and bonking her head on a small rock with a grimace, pushing it out of the way before resting her skull against the dirt and pebbles. "So how've you been?" Nita MacNeal Nita was relieved to change the subject, and she couldn't help but laugh along with Fiona. "Gah, you okay?" she asked, when the girl whacked her head. She straightened herself out from her hunched position and looked out across the river. "It is nice out here," she agreed. Warm sun, a gentle breeze, fluffy clouds, birdsong... Nita sighed, enjoying the scent of earth, trees, and water. "And I've been okay, all things considered. There are good people here," she continued, almost forgetting who she was talking to. Fiona Brooks "Yeah..." she agreed softly, turning onto her side when the nub of a tail began to complain about being crushed under her behind. "I should probably get out and meet more people. I've been so focused on-" she cut herself off, suddenly avoiding Nita's gaze. As much as Fiona wanted to trust her... 'She's friends with Lauren. She might let something slip, even if she doesn't mean to. I can't tell her about this.' "Well, maybe I'll tell you some other time," she lied, "I'm not sure if there are cameras around here." Nita MacNeal "Plotting again?" Nita teased. Not that she really thought Fiona would get anywhere with all her plans. "Stupid cameras," she agreed. "Supposed to be all over, though, so even out here." She shrugged. It was much easier to try to forget about them, to forget they were in a giant experiment, even if their cage was an entire island. Fiona Brooks "Heh, that's just who I am. I can't sit still or I'll go insane," Fiona grinned, leaning against her fuzzy arm. "One of these days," she said, eyes twinkling with mischief, "I'll find a way to stop them for good. Overthrow the scientists. And then we can all live here on this island, living off the land. Maybe find some fruit trees and plant an orchard, and in a few years... it sucks to think that we'll be stuck here that long, but I'm not about to go back to the real world with pointy ears and a mini-tail-thing. The fur I could shave off... the rest of it is a bit too weird to get away with. Maybe I could pretend I'm an elf or something. Work in a mall with one of those rent-a-Santa dudes. Probably doesn't pay that well, though. I could go around in a giant beaver suit the rest of the year. Yeah, I could be a mascot for a sports team. How lame would that be?" Her train of thought had clearly meandered. What had she been talking about before, anyways? Nita MacNeal Nita blinked. Since her change, she hadn't really thought of going home. Even if she didn't look so bad now, she would change again. And life really wasn't so bad for her on the island. She was certainly less stressed than she'd been for years... and of course there was Lauren. "You do look a bit like an elf though," Nita said, amused. "I don't think you'd really want to be a mascot though. I know I wouldn't!" Fiona Brooks "You're right," she mused, "it'd get old really fast. Maybe I should..." her stomach suddenly gave a loud, obtrusive gargle. "Get something to eat?" She laughed, patting the offensive organ and slowly getting up with a yawn. "I have to admit, I'm really relieved I didn't end up with some kind of meat-eating animal. I surprised they didn't make me like a crocodile or something, just to mess with my head. Anywho, I better get goin' before they get any ideas." Fiona smirked widely, bobbing her head at Nita. "Guess I'll see you later, then?" Nita MacNeal Nita chuckled. "A rabbit's not so bad then, I guess. Much better than being some silly mascot." She paused and nodded back. "Yeah, sure. Have a good meal then." Fiona Brooks "Right. Seeya!" She waved and made her way up along the river back to the village.
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Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 6:05 pm
Recession Emerwyn Emerwyn was exhausted. She did not sleep well at all the previous night. Her slumber was filled with visions of terrifying beings, and horrible screams. And blood. It was all getting too much for her. She needed to find a comforting shoulder to rest upon. Ian would not see her. She knew he wouldn't, and she couldn't force herself upon him. It would only make things more difficult. It seemed that after she'd had that - difficulty - with Ian, she'd only met with animosity. First, she saw Pyroth, and he attacked her! It was sheer luck (and unexpected help from her worst enemy) that saved her. Then she met that man, Billy. How anyone could be so filled with hate, she could not comprehend. All of this coupled with the frightening times they were all going through, Emerwyn was ready to break. She couldn't even bring herself to enter the jungle out of fear. So, she satisfied herself with wandering around the village paths, going in no particular direction. Nita MacNeal Nita was actually on her way to the jungle, where she had spent quite a lot of time over the past 10 days or so. Padding along the village path, she spotted a vaguely familiar slim figure in the distance. Emerwyn. The girl who had held on to her when she transformed. After she had startled Fiona so much yesterday by approaching silently, Nita was sure to make a bit of noise as she walked, although not enough to be construed as dangerous. 'Emerwyn?" she called softly. Emerwyn Emerwyn, who had been tuning out some of her senses through pure lethargy that day, did not hear or notice Nita til she called. Slowly, she turned and offered a sleepy smile. "Oh, hello, Nita!" Gradually, it dawned on her that Nita had been the one Emerwyn had coaxed through a transformation. This showed on her face as she hurried over to Nita, and gave a small embrace. "How are you faring?" Nita MacNeal Nita smiled and returned the hug. "I've been okay, under the circumstances. Spending a lot of time in the jungle." She shrugged and stood casually, arms crossed over her stomach. At least Emerwyn wasn't surprised to see her changed, since she had been there when it happened. "How have you been? Taking care of yourself?" Emerwyn "I'm glad to see that you're doing so well. I didn't fare quite as well as you seem to have, after my first one." It was a terrible memory. "I have been... well, to be quite honest, it hasn't been the best of weeks," Emerwyn said with a laugh. The way she felt now that the harship had (for the most part) passed, was much different in the thick of it. Nita MacNeal "Oh?" Nita furrowed her faded brows and she tilted her head to the side. "What's been going on?" She figured the laugh was sort of a good sign. Whatever it was couldn't be too horrible. Bad weeks seemed to be going around though, Nita thought, remembering her conversation with Cass. Emerwyn Where to begin? She hoped she wasn't holding the poor girl up. "Well..." she laughed again, unsure of herself. Emerwyn was not very good at talking about her problems. That's why she resorted to old English when she confessed her love to Ian. "I was attacked. Yesterday. I don't know if you know the man, Pyroth? He's the most animal-looking person here. Some wild dog of a sort. And it wasn't the first time... But, this time, it was far too close." She rubbed the bump on her head from the branch she'd crashed into. Nita MacNeal Another person attacked? Maybe she wasn't as safe in the jungle as she had thought, even if she did spend most of her time perched in a tree. "Pyroth? Doesn't sound familiar, but I certainly haven't met everyone here." Nita frowned, looking at the bump on Emerwyn's head. "You should probably get some ice for that or something." Emerwyn "He's a good person, really." Emerwyn was quick to defend him. "It's not his fault. It's the serums... the effects of these animal instincts. I was the prey, he the predator." Emerwyn shook her head. "It's not so bad." Really, it had given her a sore headache the night before, but she had ignored it. Nita MacNeal Nita nodded. She knew how the serums could affect people, even though her own side-effects were relatively harmless. "If you're sure," she said, automatically feeling the corresponding spot on her own head. Nita would have put ice on such a bump, but she didn't have a very high pain tolerance. "I'd been wondering about that whole predator and prey thing; how severe the.. the mental changes are..." Emerwyn "I suppose it becomes more extreme as we advance. He's far more animal than anyone I've yet seen... I wonder if..." but she did not continue with this thought. She was not comfortable thinking that someone she knew, considered at the very least a friendly aquaintance, could... She shook her head and smiled awkwardly. "Have you met a - man - named Billy?" Nita MacNeal Nita had to admit the thought was alarming. She had seen Rex angry, had seen him yelling at Zach, and that was before his most recent change. Would he, such a nice man, really become that much of an animal-- a beast? Her fingers clenched nervously, although her face did not betray her thoughts. "Billy?" Nita sneered at the name. "I've met him... Why?" Emerwyn It felt so good to get these thoughts off of her chest. Emerwyn found Nita so easy to talk to. She brandished a hoofed hand in a swooping gesture, and began to walk in the direction Nita had been. "Oh, I just met him yesterday. It's funny. As of yet, I hadn't met anyone on the Island with whom I felt any real animosity... without any reason. Excluding, of course, our 'benefactor.' How can someone be so angry, so hateful? I cannot understand it." Nita MacNeal Nita hadn't had any particular destination in mind, except perhaps to the jungle, but that didn't seem to be the best place just then. "I met him a couple of weeks ago... I was just trying to be friendly, and he was all snarky and asked if I was on drugs." She rolled her eyes. "He said he'd killed someone, back on the mainland. But I just don't know. I don't know why he seems to think the whole world is against him." Nita deliberately didn't respond to the reference to Moreau, out of deference to Lauren. Emerwyn Emerwyn kept them wandering at a slow pace, walking more to keep her legs busy than anything else. Killed a man? Another prospective killer. Emerwyn's body issued a noticable chill up her spine. "I'm so nervouse these days... it's frightening to be alone. I can't sit still in my room anymore." She began to fidgit with her cloven hands. Nita MacNeal Nita walked along beside her, having to take more steps because of her shorter legs. "I've been nervous as well... Jumpy. I keep wanting to climb up trees." She laughed softly, shaking her head. "It's funny. Well, not really funny at all. But I've always been in such control of myself, except for a brief time..." Nita paused. What was it about Emerwyn that made her almost say such private things? Perhaps it was the same thing that let people talk to Nita herself. She chewed thoughtfully on the inside of her cheek. Emerwyn Emerwyn turned her head fully toward Nita, instead of toward the path. "Is everything alright?" Nita MacNeal "Hm?" Nita shook her head slowly. "Yeah, I'm fine." She smiled weakly, still keeping pace. "Just.. Bad memories." Nita shrugged and fiddled with the end of a braid. Emerwyn Emerwyn nodded, knowing it was wise not to press her. Everyone had memories that they'd rather not talk about, not think about. She sighed deeply, and looked up at the sky. There were a few clouds in the sky. It was a reminder of the storm that had passed, or perhaps forboding storms in the future... Emerwyn was weary. Nita MacNeal Nita sighed. "I'm alright though," she repeated. "But other than almost getting eaten, how have you been?" A genuine smile crossed her face as she pushed away the less pleasant thoughts. For Nita, the clouds spoke of nice weather, and not a calm before another storm. On the Island, at least, she tried to live one day at a time... "It's almost my birthday," she said, suddenly remembering. Even though she had been keeping track of the days, it hadn't quite registered how close her birthday was. Emerwyn Emerwyn laughed at this, this statement that would have been ludicrous in any other situation. "Generally? I've been wonderful." It felt good to say that, despite her problem with Ian. Generally, she was indeed wonderful, comparitively speaking. "Is it, now? What day?" Of course, Emerwyn did not rightly know what day it was now, only that it was very nearly Ian's birthday. Nita MacNeal Nita giggled. Her question had been pretty ridiculous, but technically it made sense! She'd have to remember to add it to her mental list of "Things I Never Thought I'd Say." "Well, I'm glad," she said, still giggling. "Today's the 16th, and my birthday is the 20th," she continued. Emerwyn "It's the sixteenth?!" Emerwyn almost yelled. Ian's birthday was the seventeenth. It was tomorrow. She had to see him before then. She had to make things better. Nita MacNeal Nita jumped, never having heard Emerwyn speak much above a whisper. "Is.. is that a problem?" she asked, confused. Emerwyn "Oh! Oh, I'm ... sorry. It's just, I hadn't realized how much time had passed." Emerwyn ran a hoof through her hair. It hurt her throat to exclaim as she did. "Tomorrow's an important day." She smiled a small smile. Nita MacNeal "It's okay, you just startled me, is all." Nita smiled back, wondering absently if they were going anywhere in particular, or if a stroll around the village was just fine. Not far away, strange-looking buildings sat, stark against the cut-back jungle. "What's tomorrow, then?" Emerwyn Emerwyn's smile grew. "It's, um... a friend's birthday." Her eyes trailed toward the strange buildings as well, curiosly. She had not noticed them before. Nita MacNeal "Really? That's cool. I always seemed to know a bunch of people who had May birthdays. I used to live down the street from a girl who was like 4 hours younger than me, because I was born late at night, and she was born around 2 AM on the 21st." Nita grinned. "We were very proud of ourselves for figuring all that out." Nita hadn't wandered over to this particular end of the village yes. "I wonder what those buildings are for," she muttered. "Or who they're for..." Amaya Vaughan Amaya had spent most of her day in the jungle reading. She didn't read often, but lately she had been... thinking too much. That was a nice way to put it. It was nice to just shove one's nose into a book and forget what was happening while sitting in a nice, high tree.
But she could tell it was somewhere passed noon, and her stomach was starting to rumble.
So she jumped from her tree and started out of the jungle, arriving at the edge a couple moments later. Green eyes didn't look to see if anyone was around. Normally she would just walk passed them anyway... it kept people from asking questions. Emerwyn Emerwyn listened politely to Nita's story. Vaguely, she wondered how old the girl was. She seemed younger now than she had before. Her interest was piqued, however, when she brought up those buildings. "More duplexes, maybe... He's running out of room, and he doesn't seem ready to stop pulling in victims..." Emerwyn's attention was pulled away by a disturbance in the green of the jungle. Part of the green was moving out of synch. She began to move towards it, after deciding it was alive. Nita MacNeal Nita continued, hoping she wasn't babbling too much. "Of course, we were in 2nd grade at the time. I guess it's a bit silly, but it was fun to figure out back then." The red-head nodded, eyeing the buildings speculatively. "I don't think there's really been anyone new since I got here, but there are still empty duplexes. Makes me wonder how many more people he could possibly want or need here." She shrugged, barely noticing their change in direction. Amaya Vaughan When the green iguana noticed someone coming towards her out of the corner of her eye she looked at them with equally green eyes and stopped. Her tongue flickered as she watched the approaching deer woman... it was Emerwyn, though she had changed a lot and looked a lot more graceful.
... She haden't seen her since her last change though. Amaya didn't even look like herself anymore. The only thing that stayed the same was her eyes and the pendent around her neck. Frowning, she looked away to the side. Emerwyn "Maybe part of some sick, new experiment of his..." Emerwyn mumbled, focus turned now away from Moreau's expansion. "Hello!" Emerwyn called softly ahead of them, at the creature who had already noticed them. It was someone she knew... She stopped at the edge of the jungle, where the lizard woman was. Searchingly, Emerwyn moved around the girl as she dodged, to look into her eyes. So big, so green... The girl was so full of energy, but was so self-concious. She had spoken to her a long time ago, in the woods. That was when she first met Ian. None of them had changed by that point. "Amaya. It is good to see you again." Nita MacNeal "Probably," Nita agreed, finally noticing the lizard-girl. Camouflage did seem to work pretty well after all. Or maybe Nita was just that unobservant. "Oh, hi Amaya," she said with a smile. It had been a while since she had seen Amaya in the cafeteria with Alec; before her change. At least Nita was still easily recognizable. She had never known Amaya looking any other way to know how drastic the younger girl's transformation was. Amaya Vaughan She recognized her?
That was comforting... The girl gave a smile and glanced back up at her. "Nice to see you again too, Emerwyn."
Amaya offered a smile to Nita as well. It looked like she had changed too, though she didn't mention it. No need in pointing out the obvious. She shifted the bag over her shoulder that contained her book and a couple other things like her CD player. "How have... you two been?" She asked, perposfully dragging the conversation away from herself. Emerwyn Emerwyn smiled. Some things about her certainly had not changed. It was hard to decide just how that made her feel. "I've been feeling alright... as good as one can feel when they're first choice on a menu." She laughed and shook her head at this. The best way to fight her fear was to laugh at it... right? Nita MacNeal "I've been alright, reading a lot, but I guess that's pretty normal of me." Nita laughed slightly at Emerwyn's jest, not entirely sure if she could be so apparently calm about something like that. At least not so soon after it happened. Her ears twitched periodically, on the alert for anything dangerous. Even though she knew Amaya was harmless, it was vaguely disconcerting to know she hadn't even noticed the girl until she was right in front of her. "And yourself?" she asked. Amaya Vaughan The reptile gave a slightly forced laugh and a nod to the taller deer woman. "I know how that feels." She shuddered a little, recalling just days ago that Zack had lunged at her with that... look in his eyes.
But Chubbs had saved her. And she was okay now. ... Right?
"I've been... fine, I guess. As good as it can get." She gave another small, sad smile as her long tail curled around her finger-like toes. Emerwyn She wasn't alone. It made sense. After all, someone had been attacked, and they hadn't been as lucky as Emerwyn or Amaya had been. She wasn't even a subject. She was someone Moreau obviously cared about. A grim smile played in Emerwyn's mind that his plans could backfire so. "Then, that's wonderful," Emerwyn said in response to Amaya's report on how she felt. She was trying to be optimistic. Someone had to do it for Amaya, since she was not going to do it for herself. "Because, I've found that the best it can be is really rather pleasant." Nita MacNeal Nita nodded. She hoped those attacks would stop, although she wasn't particularly optimistic. Especially since Emerwyn had implied how strong those insticts could get. Before she could say anything, her stomach gurgled loudly and obviously. Nita grinned and poked at her stomach, feigning annoyance. "Hey, I'm sorry to dash off like this, but I think I can feel my blood-sugar dropping as I stand here." It was obviously an exaggeration, but now that her stomach had made its needs known, it wasn't about to stay quiet. Amaya Vaughan Amaya nodded. "I have had nice moments. Lately it's just been a little hard though..." Oh, don't start on a rant now. It's not your place to complain. She scolded herself mentally and bottled her depression back where it belonged.
"Oh, alright. I'll see ya around Nita." She gave her a goodbye head-bob without even noticing it. Emerwyn Emerwyn turned to Nita before continuing the conversation. "Goodbye, Nita. It's always good to see you!" Nita MacNeal "I'm sure I'll see you both around before too long," Nita said, waving at both women. Her stomach complaining again, the red panda-girl veered away from the jungle on the path that would take her to the cafeteria, and eventually back to her duplex. ((Nita leaves, and Amaya and Emerwyn's conversation continues here.))
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Posted: Sat May 20, 2006 3:03 pm
Happy Birthday, Dear Nita... Nita awoke early. After pulling on her jeans and a t-shirt, she slipped into her sandals and grabbed her towel. Exiting her duplex, she made a quick stop by the cafeteria. She walked slowly to the beach, taking deep breaths of the almost-cool morning air. The sun was just hovering over the horizon, and the west side of the Island was still dark. She spread her towel out on the sand and lay on her stomach, facing the ocean. Her head rested on her folded hands, her knees together, feet waving slightly in the air. She stared out across the water, lulled by the waves and the salt and the angry cries of gulls overhead. Absently, Nita propped herself up on her elbows and began to make a pile of sand. She walked down to the tideline to collect some strips of seaweed and a few shells. The seaweed covered the sandpile; the shells decorated it. Finally, Nita stuck a twig on top of the whole thing. Sitting crosslegged in front of her "cake," Nita sang softly: "Happy birthday to me,
Happy birthday to me.
Happy birthday, dear Nita...
Happy birthday to me."She pretended to blow out the stick-candle. A few moments later, Nita gathered up her towel, kicked the pile of sand and seaweed and shells flat, and followed the tideline north, back to the village.
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Posted: Sun May 21, 2006 11:20 am
Bear Hugs and Birthday Songs Nita MacNeal Nita sat cross-legged on her towel, headphones on, staring out to the horizon. Her rather fuzzy knees poked out through the holes in her jeans, which were rather the worse for wear. Oh well, she figured, they're comfortable, and until they were actually in shreds, she would still wear them. Although she had given the area a cursory glance, there was no sign of her "cake" from yesterday. Just as well, as there was no need to get all pouty about it. Chubbs MacKraken Chubbs had gone for a walk again like he usually did when things got a little to heavy for him. Strolling through the wilderness close to the beach, he still couldn't remember anything that had happened while he was out of it. Giving up and making his way onto the sand, he found himself looking at someone sitting on the beach, and by the sounds of things, listening to music. Chubbs wasn't sure if he knew the girl but he tried to slowly circle her from a distance to get a glance at her face. Nita MacNeal An unnerving prickle went down Nita's back. One white-tipped ear twitched, and not from the music. She glanced around, a bit nervous. She was being watched, and she could feel it. Nita hugged her knees to her chest and removed one ear bud. A dark figure made its way across the sands. She put one hand to her brow to block the glare from the mid-afternoon sun and squinted. "Hello..?" she called softly. She couldn't banish the sense of unease the jungle gave her since her latest conversation with Emerwyn, and the large being looked to be all too comfortable within its confines. Chubbs MacKraken Chubbs blinked and rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, thrying to figure the right words to say other than " Don't mind me, I was just looking". He felt the warmth of a blush on his cheeks and waved gently in the girls direction. " Oh umm sorry... I was just trying to see if you were somone I knew umm.. sorry to bother" He gave a apologetic smile and another wave, taking another good look beore trying to find a place to go to. Nita MacNeal The... man's voice (for surely he had been human once, despite his current fearsome appearance) was at odds with his looks, as was his general demeanor. Feeling a bit embarrassed, Nita relaxed visibly. "It's okay," she said. "You just startled me is all. Don't think I know you, though. My name is Nita." The girl smiled, tugging the other earbud out and pressing the stop button on her CD-player. Chubbs MacKraken Chubbs blinked and turned to face Nita once more, he wasn't expecting an introduction. Butt that was better than running off screaming so he shuffled his way towars her, his tail wiggling behind him. " Umm Know, haven't met yet really, names Chubbs" He walked up and held out a paw to Nita then looked at the tools of terror the island hand given him, his claws. He looked awkwardly about them and tried to look non threatening. It didn't go so well with his smile either, his teeth showing the large canines as he spoke with his accent. " Sorry, can't be helped these days" Nita MacNeal "Chubbs?" Nita asked, trying not to laugh. The nickname seemed to fit him, however, despite the teeth and claws. She shook his hand after only a brief moment of hesitation, noting how her own slightly furry hand was effectively dwarfed by Chubbs'. Nita nodded, brushing a few wisps of hair out of her face. "Of course, it's not your fault at all," she agreed knowingly. The poor guy, she thought, recognizing his general good nature underneath all the fur.. and teeth and claws. "I'm sorry," she said, shaking her head and tugging on one of her long braids. "It's a bit rude, but... What are you being turned into?" Chubbs MacKraken Chubbs covered his mouth and burst into chuckles and snickers, he couldn't help it, he just found the question the way he said it oddly amusing. He stroked his chin and sat down, sniffing at her general direction for a moment as he did and settled into the sand. " Sorry.. just sounded funny is all, yeah, you'd be hard to tell what I am, in fact so are you in a way, I'd think a cute fuzzy elf, but that wouldn't be right" He smiled again and tapped his claws on his cheek. "Would you believe I'm the genetic milkshake of three animals?" Nita MacNeal Nita giggled and turned pink. It had come out funny, but she couldn't figure out any other way to phrase the question. She decided that Chubbs wasn't nearly as intimidating when he was sitting down and laughing, even if the laughter was at her own expense. "A cute fuzzy elf?" she repeated, one hand automatically going up to touch her ear. "Red panda, actually, or so I've been informed." Nita's faded eyebrows raised of their own accord at his question. " Three animals? Yeeshk, they can do that?" Of course, a couple of months ago, Nita would have been even more surprised to find out that anyone could turn a person into an animal at all. Chubbs MacKraken Chubbs nodded, then the twinge of realisation hit again, cursed with three maddening animals of savagery that he was losing control to, if only Nita knew how sometimes he truely was. " Yeah three... I really could have wished for anything but these three. Wanna take a stab at em all? I'll give ya a hint, they are all in cartoons, one of which is just a name though" Chubbs looked her over in the mean time, checking her changes. He'd seen a picture of a red panda long ago, she really did look cute. The freckles, the braids and his favourite, the red hair. It was always the red hair that did it. " Sorry bout the elf thing, but well ya do have that looks to ya, I like it actually" Nita MacNeal "Hmm..." Nita eyed Chubbs critically. "I think mostly I'd say a bear of some sort. It's not quite right for the face..." She cocked her head to the side, chewing gently on her lower lip. After a moment she shrugged and grinned. "Other than that, I dunno." Nita flushed again, aware of being looked over. The white fur on her face wasn't exactly the best at hiding a blush. "I know what you mean about the elf thing, actually." She shook her head, still smiling. "I had people tell me I was pixie-like long before I changed, so I guess it fits." Chubbs MacKraken Chubbs smiled and rested his hands in his lap, Nita was quite cute when she blushed, he liked making her do it. He had to ponder what she looked like before the change, she still had close to her normal features now to get a good guess. " Yeah it's grizzly bear, tasmanian devil and wolverine... I'm not really happy with the combination at the moment" He fiddled with his claws awkwardly, remembering the letter he had sent to Aubery, and hoping he could stop his progession into a mindless killing machine " Been keepin busy?" Nita MacNeal Nita's eyebrows shot up again when Chubbs listed his particular combination. "Wow," was all she managed, remembering little bits of information about those particular animals. "Temper, much?" she asked lightly, although her expression showed a distinct sense of sympathy for anyone having to deal with instincts like that. She thought back to her conversation with Dr. Duvert, who had said she was lucky to have received the red panda serum. Nita knew she wasn't nearly as changed as a lot of the islanders, but even so, the red panda's instincts didn't seem to be terribly intrusive. "Mostly," Nita said, nodding absently. "I read a lot, and I've been spending quite a bit of time out here or wandering the jungle. Well," she amended, "Not so much there, recently. But I usually end up running into people, and I have a couple of good friends already." Nita blushed at that. Lauren was more than just a 'good friend.' Chubbs MacKraken Chubbs scratched his chin and looked up when Nita asked about his temper. He just sighed and nodded his head, it was a terrible thing to have. " It's.... horrible, things tick me off, little things,... and I think I could hurt someone one day if I'm not careful." Rubbing his cheek, he hoped he hadn't scared her off. He hated to instill that into people he liked, he still remembered Joli's and Colche's faces. " Well if ya don't mind another friend?" Chubbs smiled a little and leaned over, and grabbed Nita up in a big cuddly bear hug. Nita MacNeal Nita shook her head slowly. It really was a shame to dump three vicious animals on one guy. She made a little squeaking noise, surprised at the hug. She hugged the big guy back, his shaggy fur softer than it looked. "Aw, thanks," she mumbled. "I kinda needed that." Chubbs MacKraken Chubbs smiled a bit and patted her back when he gave the hug, then blinking he looked down at the girl, wondering why she really needed it. " Sorry bout that, I just tend to be over friendly... and well Colche thinks I'm just a big Winnie the Pooh bear and likes my hugs. I guess all this makes me a good teddy bear huh?" He grinned a bit, it was still a little disturbing to see with his teeth and all, but his heart was in it at least. She didn't seem to mind his smiles though, and he felt right away she was going to be as good as Awen. " So ho come ya needed a hug?" Nita MacNeal "I don't mind," Nita told him. "Much better to have more friendly people around here." She nodded to emphasize her point, amused by Colche's nickname for him. It seemed the cheetah-girl had nicknames for all of her friends. "Colche called me Ariel," she laughed. "We watched The Little Mermaid together, a couple weeks ago." "Oh..." Nita paused and poked at the sand. "Yesterday was my birthday." Chubbs MacKraken Chubs smiled and chuckled, amused by Nita's nickname as well. The girl watched way to many movies he thought. " Well ya weren't wearing a seashell bikini top at the time were ya?" He chuckled again at his own little joke, secretly hoping it made her laugh as well. Colche seemed to get around alot, and hearing that Nita had been here for weeks kinda surprised him. Chubbs was also shocked to hear it was her birthday, then smiled a little. " Aww happy birthday for yesterday hun, look I know I'm almost a stranger, but hey, if ya need it, I got two big furry teddy bear arms to cuddle ya up when ya need it" With that he offered his arms to her again. Nita MacNeal Nita laughed. She was hardly the kind of girl who'd wear a bikini top at all, much less one made of shells.. and especially since her change. The girl didn't particularly mind the changes, but she was still a bit self-conscious about all the fur. Even her old one-piece bathing suit was out of the question for now. "Nope, I can't say that I was!" Nita replied, grinning. "And thanks. I know it's a bit silly to make a big deal over a birthday, but still. I always had a party of some sort, even if it was just going to lunch with a couple of people." Her smile changed to a slightly sadder one, but she nodded and leaned gratefully against Chubbs. Chubbs MacKraken Chubbs shifted closer to Nita and wrapped his arms around the girl, he could understand how sad it was to have your birthday just go by without people around to celebrate it. He cuddles her against him and sighed. " Ya have a right to feel sad hun, I felt the same when my birthday came and went a couple months ago. I had parties too, they were always the neighbourhood coming together to throw me one, made me feel like I was wanted, it was good. " He rubbed her arm softly, thinking it was the comforting thing to do. With another sigh he tried to think how to lighten the mood. And so he sang. " Haaaaappy birthday to you, for yesterday too, you look like a panda, which I still think is cute" Nita MacNeal A few tears threatened to fall, although they weren't particularly sad or happy tears. It was just.. emotionally overwhelming. Nita sniffed as quietly as she could and surreptitiously dried her eyes. "Thanks," she murmured, closing her eyes for a moment. The little variation of the birthday song did cheer her up; Nita giggled quietly. "I like that," she said, amused. It was probably a good thing he hadn't said 'You live in a zoo'! Chubbs MacKraken Chubbs hugged her tight, not to squish her up, just to show some feeling into it. He knew how bad the island could break you and the poor girl was feeling upset. He pulled his shirt forwards and dabbed at her eyes to dry what tears may have come. " I'm glad ya like hun, and don't you worry, we'll have a party sometime hey? Right now you just smile and think about what makes you happy" Nita MacNeal Nita nodded, touched by the gesture. "Thanks again," she mumbled, her voice muffled by the big man's fur. She really didn't need a party, but she appreciated the offer. Just having a giant teddy bear to hold on to made a considerable difference in her mood.
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Posted: Sun May 21, 2006 8:45 pm
Sorry, new guy, but your definition of 'normal' is going to change... Nita MacNeal Dressed casually in shorts and a t-shirt, Nita sat at a corner table in the cafeteria. She had a fruit salad and a grilled-cheese sandwich in front of her, and a book lay propped open next to her plate. Nita was considerably cheered by her earlier meeting with Chubbs. She had definitely needed that hug. Nita ate slowly and neatly, alternately taking a few bites and reading a couple of pages. The cafeteria was empty, although she wouldn't be surprised if other islanders showed up; it was just about a 'normal' mealtime. Thomas Brinley Thom had slepped most of the day away, waking every so often and attempting to rise, only to be lured back to bed by a pounding headache that simply refused to let up. But off towards evening, hunger had gotten the best of him, and he had reluctantly climbed to his feet, somewhat awkwardly making his way towards the cafeteria Dr. Duvert had mentioned. If what the doctor had said was true, he hadn't eaten in some days... That would have to be remedied. He found the cafeteria without much effort, pushing open the door with his shoulder and slipping inside. One hand remained stubbornly fixed to the side of his head, as if that alone was keeping him upright and balanced as he made his way to the buffet. After fixing a tray with random foodstuffs that caught his eye, he turned, balancing said tray on one hand, towards the tables, only then realizing how empty the room was. After a moment of indecision, he stepped over to the table where the woman sat, sliding into a seat across from her, failing to immediately note her...changes. "Evenin'. Mind if I sit here?" Nita MacNeal Nita looked up from her book, not realizing at first why the man in front of her looked so strange. Oh. He was still human. Her breath caught in her throat. He didn't seem to notice her own odd appearance. Surely he knew what was going on here...? "Sure," she said, composure regained. "I'm Nita." The redhead took note of the current page number and closed her book. Thomas Brinley He let his hand fall from his head and turned whole-heartedly to his meal, but paused at her sudden intake of breath, glancing up and quirking a brow. Something seemed...off, he mused, giving the girl a curious once-over. But, this was some sort of hospital...place. Perhaps she was diseased. ...On that note, was it safe to sit near her? "Thom," he offered after a moment, returning his gaze back to his meal. "Brinley. Pleasure, I'm sure." Nita MacNeal "Nice to meet you, Thom. So," Nita said, between forkfuls of melon and apple slices, "When did you get here?" She shifted in her chair, sitting cross-legged. If Thom had looked, he would see red fur-covered legs and dark-nailed feet, matching her fuzzy arms and hands. She smiled and noted the bandage on Thom's forehead. "Y'okay?" she asked. "That looks nasty." Thomas Brinley "If what Dr. Duvert says is correct, about two days ago." Without looking up, he jabbed his fork into a piece of hamburger, absently dipping it in a large pile of ketchup. He grimaced, eyes flickering up towards the bandage, but merely shrugged. "Gettin' there, anyway. Suffered a concussion, from what I've been told. I've 'ad worse." One the way back to his plate, his eyes one again fell on the girl before him, but this time, now that he'd had a few bites to eat, he allowed himself to stare, gaze tracing the Nita's strange facial features before noting the...fur towards the base of her neck. "Pardon my forwardness, but..what is wrong with you? Can't say I've seen, ah... Well, nevermind. My apologies. How long've you been here, then?" Nita MacNeal Nita nodded. Even if Dr. Duvert was definitely a bit off, he had at least been honest with her. She wondered absently who else Thom must have met in two days. It never occurred to her that she might be the first. "Ouch," she muttered, wincing sympathetically. Nita blinked. Alright, now it occurred to her that Thom might not know what the hell was going on here. "Almost two months," she said, answering his latter question first. "And there's nothing wrong with me." Nita flushed, hands moving unconcsiously to touch her black, damp nose. Thomas Brinley "Two months?" he repeated after finishing off his hamburger bite. Two months? That was utterly ridiculous. The girl seemed in perfect health. Except for the facial differences, and the profuse body hair... But surely that didn't warrant remaining at a hospital facility for two months? "And nothing wrong," he mused aloud, giving her a skeptical look. "Then you're, what, turning into a cat or somethin'?" For the first time, he cracked a grin, shaking his head at the absurd thought and cutting another piece of hamburger with his fork. Nita MacNeal "Yup, since the beginning of April. Others have been here since last fall." Nita shook her head. Not-quite-two months was nothing compared to, say, Cassidy's term on the Island. "Red panda," she said, in a matter-of-fact way. Nita flicked her braids over her shoulder and speared a peice of fruit with her fork. Thomas Brinley "Red panda!" He agreed, noddng enthusiastically and ceasing only when it sent a sharp pain through his skull. Of course, she wasn't a cat at all. How silly of him. ...It was all a prank. Mind, he was extremely tempted to play along--knowing the team, he would wind up in bed with miss panda girl here, which was quite alright for him--but on the same note, he wanted to finish his meal. Wanted to leave this hospital resort..thing and be back in time for the game one Friday. Chuckling idly to himself, he set his fork down on his plate, resting his arm on the table and leaning forward toward Nita. "Right, then, who put you up to this? Aaron, was it? Th' team's prob'ly lurkin' just outside th'door, hm?" Nita MacNeal Or maybe he did understand... Nita's barely-formed hope was dashed at the mention of some sort of trick. "What? I don't know anyone named Aaron." She blinked and took a deep breath. So this was what it was like to 'break the news' to a new Islander. Oh joy, oh rapture. "Seriously. I'm turning into a red panda. Everyone here is being turned into an animal." Or multiple animals, she thought, thinking of Chubbs and Cass. Thom probably didn't need to know that quite yet. Nita waved an arm to indicate the whole village. "I dunno what they told you to get you here, but whatever it is, it's a lie." Thomas Brinley He sat back in his seat with a nod, absently tugging at his goatee in a thoughtful manner. "Not Aaron, hm... Ah, I'll agree with you there. He wouldn't bother with a concussion. Now, per'aps Marlo..." He trailed off, for the moment ignore her while he inwardly debated over who could have come up with such a ruse. However, nothing seemed entirely plausible. Furry women was a stretch for anyone on the team. Finally returning his eyes to Nita, he quirked a brow, smiling kindly and reverting back to his original decision: She was diseased. Mentally as well as physically, he decided. Hopefully it wasn't contageous. "Turnin' into an animal... Well, that's one I 'aven't 'eard b'fore. Pray tell, what'm I turnin' into, Nita?" Nita MacNeal Nita's eyes narrowed and she was very tempted to snap at him. There was no need to humor her like that. If only one of the other islanders would show up... But no. It wouldn't be nice to sic Mr. Concussion on anyone else. Suck it up, Neets; stay calm.She shook her head again, muttering something along the lines of, "I don't know anyone named Marlo, either." With a sigh, Nita gave Thom a pitying look and replied honestly. "I don't know what you'll be, but you could ask the staff. They may be whackos, but Duvert was honest with me when I asked him." So he didn't believe her. Big surprise. She hadn't been the most accepting when she had first arrived. Thom would know first-hand she was telling the truth before long. Thomas Brinley "Nah," he winked, retrieving his fork and impaling what remained of his hamburger. "Why ruin the surprise, hmm? I'm sure I'll learn when I start changin'." He wiggled his fingers ominously, then, laughing, finished off the last of his burger pattie. "Though, t'be honest with you, lovely, I doubt I'll be here that long. Game on Friday, you know. I'll be up and about and out by then," he preened, adding a jab of his fork for emphasis. Nita MacNeal Nita twitched at being treated in such a condescending way. She had always hated being talked down to, especially when she had been in a good mood before. "Look," she told him, trying to look him straight in the eyes. "I know you don't believe me right now, but it's true. Maybe it would have been better if someone else had told you all this, since I'm relatively new here myself." Nita chewed her lip for a moment before continuing. "I can guarantee you won't be playing in any game on Friday, unless the labs brought your whole team here." Although she wouldn't put it past them, ganking so many people at once would be awfully conspicuous. She poked at the crusts of her sandwich, not really hungry anymore. Thomas Brinley "Ah, but we've already discussed that. They're waiting just outside th' door, remember?" The glanced towards the door in question, as if expecting half of his teammates to suddenly barge in, but didn't seem the least bit put out when they failed to appear. Instead, he climbed to his feet, scooping up his tray and moving to put it away. "Tell you what, Nita--I'll ask real nice, an' per'aps Dr. Duvert'll let you come t' m' game. Do you some good t' get out among a normal crowd." Nita MacNeal Nita frowned and shook her head again. For his sake, she wished his team really would be right outside, and told him so. There was no use in getting upset by his denial, although the remark about 'getting out with a normal crowd' stung a little. "You've no idea," she said softly, eyes following his movements. Thomas Brinley Feeling much better for the meal and amusing conversation, Thom set down his tray and started for the door, waving a goodbye over his shoulder. "A pleasure meeting you, Nita. If I'm still here Friday, I'll search you out." With a final dry laugh, he nudged open the door and started back for his duplex. Nita MacNeal "You do that," Nita called after him. "I'm in duplex 42." Making a face at his retreating back, Nita gathered up her plate and utensils. After depositing them in the proper bin, she decided to wander about the building. Maybe there were new books in at the library.
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