[Journal]~Awen Zyn~Special Aquatic Duplex #1~

[Awen Zyn]

Under the canopy

After the relatively short trek to the beach Awen headed for the place she always knew Antony's camp to be. She didn't know why she figured that Antony would still be there, in this weather? It was a horrible place to be. At least further inland the winds were cut down by the trees. Awen nudged the bits of ash that was left over in the pit with her toe and sighed. She had to have left to find shelter.

Awen had focused on the sand and the camp before her. Honestly she was slightly afraid to look upon the stormy waters of the ocean. The one place that had been the source of all her fears, the place that the manta still longed for.

Looking up slowly Awen gazed upon the waters and gasped. A bright stream of lightning etched across the sky illuminating the rolling waves. The manta burned for her to just dive in, wanted nothing more than to swim away from the confines of this island but deep down Awen still felt a fear. Such a passionate one Awen was shocked that it still existed. She forgot how strong the pull of fear was on her body from this water. This was no confined, controlled lake inland. This was the vast and dangerous place that stole her parent's lives so long ago.

No...Awen would not be swimming off of this island to save anybody.

Awen sighed and decided it best she just returned to the lake. Antony, or anyone else, wasn't around anyway, so what was the use so sticking around here for? She started to turn back to the jungle when something caught her eye. The outline of the structure just a ways down the beach, a place where Awen had never rightly been but had seen a couple of times. Of course! How could she have forgotten. This was a ready-made shelter for anyone who would try to seek it. Why bother building lean-tos when you could have that sturdy piece of craftsmenship instead.

She started towards the bar awkwardly. Sand was not her specialty thanks to the flipper-like feet. She stumbled once or twice but was happy to be nearing.

"Antony?" She called ahead of her, trying to announce her arrival incase the girl was getting jumpyand defencive. Not saying that was specifically an Antony quality, but having something just appear without a sound in a place you thought was safe after being alone for so long? Not Awen's idea of a safe place for that something.

Antony, unlike Jamal, had been up for a while now, but instead of simply shifting the black man off of her lap, she stayed put and smoked a cigarette. She was halfway through the smoke when she heard Awen's voice down the beach. Squinting while taking a much needed drag of the cig, Antony was finally able to make out the manta girl's figure.

What in the world would this girl want?

"Yeah?" She half grunted, frowning somewhat. Letting the smoke dangle between her lips as she spoke, Antony kept her voice as hush as possible given the circumstances. Jamal waking up would just add to the impending drama.

Awen was too far and the visiblity was too poor for Antony to even begin to notice the additional changes since they last met.

Awen heard the reply and smiled. This was a good sign. She wouldn't walk in on a sneak attack, a frozen dead body or.... goodness knows what else. Her eyes were a little fuzzy through the haze on the beach and she honestly didn't see much of Antony with the bar in the way anyway. It wasn't until she was right up practically under the nice canopy did she notice the girl was pinned by the sleeping figure of Jamal.

She adopted a quick look of surpirse. She hadn't expected the back man to be here, he was, after all absent... or at least Awen figured he would be... when Rex had shown up. She rolled her shoulders a little, now uncomfortable with the situation. The punctures on Awen's shoulders seemed to mimic the one on Antony's shoulder, though the shreded bit of fabric across Awen's belly and slightly coloured skin under that was clear that it had been more deliberate than those given to the human girl.

Though she had thought to come to terms with her feelings and situation with Jamal seeing the near-naked Antony holding her ex sent a waved of jealousy through Awen. It made her a little sick to her stomach, despite the agreement her and Jamal had. She took a small breath and tried to calm down. Jamal wasn't Awen's anymore. It's no big deal. Besides they are just..sleeping. And...he had his pants on! Yes....see it wasn;t that bad. They were just...er..keeping warm? Yeah...

"I... um.. Was just coming to see if you were alright." She said meakly, still standing just outside of the beachbar where she had stopped from her shock. "I met Rex and said you gave him shelter and stuff. He hadn't mentioned the other girlk that was with you and Jamal and well... didn't really seem to make an indication that he knew very much about Jamal... So I thought you were alone... And..um.. might need some...company?"

The tattooed woman finished the cigarette between the time that it took Awen to amble her way to the Beach Bar and finish her rambling explanation.

Now she was down to 3 cigarettes. Damn.

Awen's look of surprise did not go unnoticed, but Antony's expression remained indifferent through the manta girl's entire metamorphosis of emotions. In the end, the other girl still looked uncomfortable and nervous.

Not Antony's problem.

Raising an eyebrow at the question, and then again, only this time a bit further north, when she mentioned Rex. She looked slightly confused when Awen mentioned the 'other girl,' but soon realized that she was probably talking about Anjali. Hopefully the botanist was alright...

"Jamal showed up after Rex had left," Antony explained in a relatively low speaking voice, careful not to move and stir Jamal. Obviously she didn't want the tiger man to wake up anytime soon.

As Awen stumbled over the words to her last question, the tattooed woman absently scratched an itch on her chest before replying with a light smile, "That's sweet of you."

Though Antony wasn't about to share food since it had been refused the first time, she did motion the manta girl in out of politeness. Then again, Awen looked perfectly happy out in the rain.

Awen didn't want to refuse the invitation, as she had refused the coconuts before. She hadn't meant any offence by the gesture before but... things happen. She did enjoy the rain but the constant tapping and drumming against her head was starting to give her a headache of sorts. It was much nicer just to be under the water where everything is nice and calm, where she didn't have to worry about hearing hte full blast of thunder the lightning produced. Or the uncomfortable social situations that presented themselves. The manta grinned a little bit insdie of her, a self satisfactory kind of smirk that just screamed 'I told you so'. It would have been perfectly content to let Awen slip back into the lake at the first thought of Antony.

Awen sat just under the canopy and out of the rain. She didn't really want to get their nice dry place wet, because Awen was still soaked to the bone and this place seemed nice for those who didn't have rubber skin. "I appreciate it." She mumbled with a little nod.

For a while Awen let this uncomfortable silence stretch between them. Antony really didn't seem like much of a talker at the moment and Awen still harboured some ill feelings for Jamal resting contently unaware in the tattooed woman's lap. It was fortunate though, that he was asleep.

Finally though Awen let out a slow breath. She had to face this and just let it go. She had to..let Jamal go. It was a difficult thing, seeing him in Antony's arms. But... she had to endure it untill these feelings faded. Besides, it's not like Awen had been completely fair to either of them. She had made her peace with Jamal... but Antony was going to be a tougher one to handle.

"Listen..." Awen said in a low voice, so she wouldn't wake Jamal. "I'm sorry for all this drama I caused you." Again she paused and looked right up to Antony's eyes. "Heh..." She once more looked away, facing the other woman, but not directly. "Jamal was just... ya know the first guy I..." The colour in her cheeks was still visible though the murky skin. "Well the first one I had any kind of real relationship with. So I wasn't really used to dealing with this crap, and it was just... dumped on me all at once with everything else that was piling up. Not that... it's any excuse..."

She trailed her finger along the floor slowly. Dipping her finger in the pool of water that surrounded her, Awen then traced shapes on the dry part close to her. "I guess I'm just apologising for the crap I caused. And... I really don't want any ill feelings between us." She glanced up from her drawings once more. "I remember whatcha said when you tried to give me those coconuts. Said you didn't care if a lot of people on this island starved to death, but I wasn't one of those people. I... don't know why exactly ya said that, I caused so much crap and really you seemed angry at me for the way I was acting. But I remember ya saying that and... I appreciate it. I just want to put this stuff behind us, this hostility and everything. I'd like it if... we might be able to be friends...or...something. Damn that sounds lame outloud huh?" She laughed a little pathetically as she looked out to the rain.

Antony watched the manta girl with mild interest, gaze moving to the pool of water that was growing underneath the soaked Awen. It wasn't until she started to speak did the tattooed woman's eyes return to her face.

She kept steady hold of Awen's eyes, both her gaze and expression rather unwavering. So Jamal was the one who popped her cherry? Well that would explain things a bit more.

Frowning as she continued on, Antony didn't really know what Awen wanted to hear from her, or if she should really care about this drama. After all, the tattooed woman had already put it all behind her. Why did girls just love to bring things back up that have already been dealt with? Closure probably, or some s**t like that.

"Well, s**t happens, and it's done. No use harping over it anymore," she began with an absent wave of her hand, careful not to speak too loud or move sharp enough to wake Jamal.

With a sigh, Antony paused, trying to figure out how to respond to the latter group of comments from Awen. She didn't see herself as being overly hostile or deliberately mean to Awen. Jolie, definately, but not Awen.

Sure she may have been a bit callous, but that was just her.

"To be honest, I've never really had a problem with you..." Antony started, trailing off with a lazy shrug, "You just seemed to catch me while I was irritated probably."

Truth was, she remembered the meetings, but they weren't exactly 'important' to her. Thus, they weren't worth thinking too hard just to remember them. At least to her they weren't.

"Looks like The Big Black Cat took a chunk out of you too," she stated with a chuckle, changing the subject.

Awen smiled slightly hearing the girls words. That was it then and Awen could officially go on the mend. She could put all this crap behind her, she didn't have to think about the awkwardness anymore. Sure Antony said that she didn't have a problem with Awen, that she was just irritated at the time, but Awen still felt it was a bit more personal or something. She just hadn't been used to Antony's attitude is all really.

But it was over. Closure on every aspect had been gained, the healing would be starting and everything would be okay from then on.

She noticed for the first time the healing wound of Antony's and realised she must have been hurt by Jamal in a similar fashion. She gave the other woman a small laugh. "Yeah... kinda spazzed out in the bush there for a minute. Glad to see he's feeling better anyway, more in a right state of mind..." She smiled down at the black man who was still dead to the world. "And to see you're alright too."

Antony chuckled softly, eyes moving to watch the dark lump on her lap, "He's pretty much back to normal." Her lips curled into a smirk, letting the other girl take that comment as she wished.

True the sex was more feral, and Antony ended up more sore than she usually ended up. Aside from that, Jamal had been pretty much himself. Well until he got all tiger territorial that is.

"The tiger's always there though," she said quietly, glancing up at Awen before returning her eyes to the male. It was likely that the tiger would get worse as he continued to change, but they'd deal with that can of worms when they got to it.

She nodded a little bit with a soft sigh. "Yeah... I didn't figure it would go away completely. I'm just glad I got a more passive animal." She rolled her shoulders a little bit wonder how she would cope with a more dangerous animal. She worried for the others on the island. Jamal had... issues before he started to change, but still he was never that bad.

As for the normal comment she hadn't intended to take it the wrong way but the smirk set her back a bit. But she simply decided to ignore the comment. She was just... saying Jamal was back to normal nothing more. Awen thought it best just to let the smirk go.

"Oh hey um..." She scratches the back of her neck a little bit. "If... you guys ever start doing bad on food, I can get you some fish if you want me to. I mean I'm sure you guys... know how to get yer own food by now but if that source ever dries up or you just have a string of bad luck or something. You know I'm just by the lake now so... yeah."

Her attention returned to the other woman when she offered food, and Antony nodded in polite thanks. "I'll keep that in mind, thank you."

She sighed and slumped down more against the wall, trying to shift into a position in which she could get blood to her legs without waking up Jamal. It was hard, but somehow she managed to do it.

"Do you think the rain will let up soon?" Antony lazily asked, not really sure if this girl knew anything about weather. Given the folks on this island, she wouldn't be surprised if a meterologist landed on this spit of land as well.

Awen glanced up at the sky dully. She could hazard a guess but she couldn't ever say for sure. Back where she used the live the biggest storms they used to have were snow storms and it was nothing like this at all. She shrugged a little bit adn as looked back to Antony.

"Sorry to say but I have no clue." Awen didn't mind the storm so much for herself, but Rex was already getting sick and she could only imagine what was happening to the rest of the islanders. "It's been awhile now though. I mean... bad weather can only last so long? It probably shouldn't be too much longer. I hope not anyway..."

"Ah... I've never seen a thunderstorm last so long..." Antony murmurmed, watching the brewing ocean with a frown before she scanned down the beach. Not that she could see far, but to her the storm didn't look like it was letting up in the least.

Well, at least she and Jamal had a sturdy structure that kept them dry and warm considering the circumstances.

She turned so that she was facing the side and shooted closer to the edge of the canopy. She sat with one of her legs stretched out into the rain. Slowly she stuck her arm out, palm faced to the sky, and slowly flexed her fingers. Awen though the storm was beautiful, now that she had a chance to appreciate it. She looked out as another bolt of lightning flashed across the sky. She sighed a little bit and just kept staring out towards mother nature.

"You think we're stuck like this Antony?" She glanced back to the other woman briefly. "Shut out of the buildings, the comforts... easy food and all that. Think Moreau or his staff are gonna come back? Or maybe someone from the outside will find us?"

Awen started to play it hthe sand between her webbed toes. "I mean... I hadn't much though of it until Rex was coughing by the lake. I don't really mind this life so much. I mean I can catch food and I love the weather now. But... what about everyone else? These conditions are in some ways even worse than what most people on the island has been through. I mean sure... some people grew up on hte streets or had hard times back home. But in this place... there's not even hope for help. There's no doctors, hospitals... People can get sick easily. I mean, do you know how many tropical diseases there actually are? And just the wear and tear of this kind of life... I can see that at least a few people wouldn't be able to survive too long like this..."

Her voice was rather dull. It was quite a switch for Awen really, she always tried to be the optimistic one around other people. She wanted to at least give other people hope, like offering to try to swim to get help, or thinking maybe people would try to find Rex and the other guy, try to find Joli, Chubbs when they got there. Heck, Awen was still hoping maybe one of her friends would try to come to find out what's going on.

She wasn't sure what she expected from Antony. She doubt too many words of comfort would come. Maybe understanding.... maybe just something along the lines of 'we just have to live with it' or 'nothing we can do about it, might as well just suck it up and stop complaining'. She didn't know really... Maybe she didn't need to hear what the tattooed one thought. Maybe this blue haired beast girl just needed to vent her worries on someone other than fish. Awen didn't really know for sure....

"We could be, but who ******** knows..." Antony wasn't much of an optimist, instead, she was more of a realist. s**t happens and then you deal with it.

When Awen mentioned she had met Rex, Antony debated whether she should say anything, but then figured he'd be the type to mention meeting her. Especially since she was the first normal islander that he met. "Ah Rex... Yeah, he stayed here last night. I hope he doesn't get sick, he was a good heater..."

It didn't even occur to her that Awen would understand the idea of just having sex with someone, and then persuing someone totally different on top of that. After all, Antony had no problem with multiple partners.

"Though I do miss my birth control... And my razor... Especially my razor..." She looked rather mournful, eyes warily moving to her legs. Luckily for her, Antony religiously waxed at salons before she came to the island, so she wasn't too terribly hairy. But being hairy really bothered Antony.

She didn't even want to think of when she changed.

Awen let out a soft sigh. It was nice the girl cared enough to show some kind of caring for Rex, even if it just was to be a "heater" and all that that implies. The rest of it didn't really help much.

She glanced at the woman from the corner of her eye and slowly stood up so she was standing in the rain. Birth control and razors. Why was Awen not so surprised. Then again Awen's more selfish reasons for wanting back did include her video games. Not too har to read there.

"Well..." She sighed a little. "Here's hoping that we can get those things back anyway. But I'm heading back h--...to the lake. If you guys need food...I'll probably be around there...."

She started walking through the sand a few steps before pausing. "Hey you guys take care." And then continued on.

Antony nodded, waving towards the fish girl as she headed off back into the storm. "Will do, but probably not with the storm still blowing..." Trailing off, Antony smiled before glaring out into the storm with a sigh.

"Better ******** stop soon..."

She really didn't want to have to try and pee out in the rain.  

[Awen Zyn]

Feelings....for me?

Lauren found herself in the jungle during her search. It had been a couple of weeks where she had been surviving all on her own and actually hadn't been doing to bad. The rain made things harder for her, as she turned from hunting meat with her bow and arrow to a large diet of insects and raw reptiles. It was necessity and the mongoose seemed to love them and if Lauren was hungry enough she could shut her mind off to eat them.

Chubbs shorts were over her head for rain protection but weren't doing the best job at it. She was shivering a bit, looked tired and wet with her poor tail sopping wet.

After running away from Awen, and sticking her crush back into her subconsious mind Lauren had searched all over the island for Moreau. The search of course wasn't going anywhere.

Finding a large hollowed out tree Lauren sat herself inside of it, shivering and drying off as best as she could with her sopping wet clothing.

Awen had been walking for some time now away from the beach. She frowned as she realised she should have been back to the lake over a half hour ago. She paused to look around but instead of the familiar paths the jungle looked different, no pathways were around to follow. The rain was washing everything away, making everything seem hostile and unfamiliar.

"Great..just great!" She kicked a small rock out of the way as she sighed in a huff. "Now I'm lost."

The rock, unbeknown to Awen ended up careening right into the tree Lauren was hanging out in.

Lauren heard a familiar voice, Awen. What happened a few weeks ago flashed back into her head, but she quickly stuffed it back into her subconscious as if she didn't even remember. It wasn't going to stay there for long though.

For a second she contiplated just sitting in the tree hiding until Awen went away but Lauren craved interaction with someone, as she had starved herself of it the past couple of weeks. She got up, staying in the tree.

"Hey..." She said to Awen quietly, rubbing her hands against her arms for warmth.

Awen heard the small voice and turned slowly. She blinked a little bit and looked around. The trees were talking to her. She must have started to hallusinate. But why? She' had enough food and everything. Why would she be hearing or seeing things? Might as well go along with it.

"Uh...hello?"

Lauren realised that she was indeed within a tree so of course Awen couldn't see her. The funny things being drenched does with a person's mind, especially since Lauren's had a loose grip on sanity to begin with.

She stepped out of the tree and waved towards Awen. "It's ******** cold out here." Then she stepped back inside peeking just her head out.

"Oh Lauren!" Awen's face brightened up as she stepped around to the opening of the tree. Glacing insdie she whistled a little bit. "Nice and inventive hiding spot." She grinned a little bit. "Geez Lauren I haven't seen you in a bit. I was worried, tried looking for ya but couldn't find you. Where have ya been hun? Are you alright?"

Lauren sniffled a bit from the wetness. "It was shelter." She answered still shivering slightly from being soaked. Awen was best equiped for this kind of weather being aquatic and all.

"I've been looking for... him." She said almost ashamed of herself. "Someone has to." She backed it up suddenly in defense.

Awen nodded a little bit. "I agree Lauren. I'm sorry you couldn't find him." She wanted to give the girl a bit hug but Awen was standing out in the rain still sopping wet and Lauren was trying to dry her self off. So Awen just sat on a little log that happene to be by the hollow tree's entrace.

"I'm glad I found you again... When you just ran off like that I... Well.. I was worried hun."

Lauren shrugged as if she didn't care, which was a lie. "Eh, well I tried. We should just give him up for dead..." she woudl of went along with that but then remembered that Awen had changed, so he had to be somewhere around.

Then she looked at Awen confused, "I ran off?" She couldn't remember it. "I didn't run off." She said in a sarcastic voice as if she thought Awen was trying to pull one over on her. "Why would... I?" Then she remembered, oh crap.

Well the rain helped to put aside feelings but when it came down to it, she was a teenage girl. They just came welling up again. Lauren covered herself in modesty. "There are lots of things... you don't know about me." she said. For once it was time to be honest.

Awen was a little confused when Lauren seemed not to remember. About to open her mouth to explain their parting, going to leave out the more..embaracing moments when the look of realisation cross the taller girl's features.

The sudden shift left a tension in hte air again. Lauren covered herself the best she could with the rai soaking her clothes to her skin. Awen simply sat on her log and even stretched a little bit our in the rain. She couldn't help but try to get the manta more comfortable.

She smiled warmly to her friend. She didn't want her to feel too uncomfortable. "Yeah... we all have our secrets... But it's okay Lauren..."

Lauren started to blush a bit, nervous now not wanting to say anything that Awen said it was okay. Maybe she shouldn't say anything. She didn't want to ruin the friendship they had. "Well... yeah..." She said akwardly.

What was she so afraid of?

Maybe she should turn something around, "You have secrets too?" she asked back towards Awen.

Awen stopped herself from chuckling at the question but nodded slowly. "Of course even I have my secrets Lauren." She leaned forward a little bit. "Anyone who claims not to have a secret is lying. It's part of human nature to hold things tightly to themselves so no one else would know them. A defence mechanism and all that..."

She shrugged a little bit. "But whatever you did Lauren, whatever you feel, who ever you are.... It's alright. I came from circles of therapy. I've seen pretty much everything that there is to see when it comes to strange things. I've gone to anime conventions, videogame, sci fi and furry conventions even those energetic or psychic conventions.... That and therapy I think I've pretty much been around some of the strangest people on this planet. If you're worried I will think badly of you.... then don't sweetie."

Lauren internally scolded herself for being so childish. "I'm not used to people being understanding about this." She remembered her past, the people she lived with in the slums. She remembered Fire and she remembered Skull. Then she remembered all the other jerks that weren't worth anything that lived with her.

Lauren sighed and looked at Awen, she seemed so understanding and sympathetic. "Well, ******** it... Awen I'm bi... possibly gay. Hell I think I AM gay because I've not really been attracted to any guy since....." There was silence for a second.

She quickly followed this so that Awen would know. "But, I'm not looking for anything. I've had my heart broken before and it sucks a**." She blew out a sigh of relief. "That's a weight off my chest."

Of course there was another weight on her chest she wasn't saying yet... just testing the waters right now so to speak.

Awen's smiled grew a little bit even as the rain poured down and a lightning bolt cracked overhead. This was a very difficult thing for the girl to admit, Awen was sure. Lauren never seemed to be the type to share things so openly so Awen was really honoured for the girl to actually give this information to Awen was a big step.

"Well Lauren.... Thank you for telling me. I really appreciate you sharing your secret with me." So, that was the reason Lauren ran off. It wasn't because she thought Awen was bi, it was because she thought Awen wasn't comfortable with the fact that Lauren was bi, possibly gay.

"I thought.... when you ran off... that you thought I was bi... and weren't comfortable with that thought. I thought you ran away because of me...." Awen admited sheepishly.

Lauren laughed a bit nervously, "Thanks I.. ur geuss." She looked over to Awen as she said her last statement, a bit hopeful and scared at the same time. So, she thought Lauren thought that she was bi... that was odd.

"NO! I didn't think you were... no really I didn't I uh... ********." she started laughing. "This is messed up."

She went back to being nervous, feeling like a kid in middle school. It would be easier to write a note, if you like me we can meet after class and play together on the swings and call eachother girlfriends. Life wasn't so easy now that Lauren was so close to being an adult, and even considered an adult in most countries and even a few states. "I... kind of just discovered something. I didn't think you would be uncomfortable with me after discovering I prefer women although it kind of crossed my mind. I just... felt something." There she went with the blushing again.

"But I don't want to feel it." God, she was digging a hole. Lauren waited for Awen to run away.

Awen's smile disipated into a more serious look. She nodded a little bit. Well Lauren didn't think Awen was bi, which is probably half of the problem. Awen wasn't about to run away from her friend but the tension certainly did rise when she started to stammer again.

The slow realisation came across Awen. It was slow enough for Awen to be able to temper and school her features so she didn't look too surprised. She knew what was makng this so difficult.

"Feelings.... for me?" She jumped right to it. Her voice wasn't hard or appauled, just cool soft and gentle.

Lauren wanted to run away, hideing the truth was much easier than revealing it or so it seemed right now. "I'm not sure, I think so. God you probably think of me as some perverted idiot."

She looked Awen in the eyes, or at least tried to in order to read her response. Lauren had no clue what she was thinking but kept repeating in her mind, I'm such a dumbass "It.. they will probably go away I'm sure, no worries." She smiled nervously. "I can make them go away." But what if I don't want to she then asked herself. Her movements were jittery, her voice stammering. But at least the truth was out.

Whatever Lauren was afraid she wuld see in Awen's eyes, disgust, rejection, anger, fear, was not in the blue haired girl's eyes. A warm smile spread once more to the manta's features as she stood up slowly and stepped towards Lauren's little hidey hole. She knew that Lauren was starting to get dry, but at this point what she mongoose really needed wasn't to stay out of the rain... well it was and it wasn't. Physically it would be better...but emotionally... she needed something more.

Awen moved as close into the tree as she could to keep the rain away. It was a tight squeeze but Awen wrapped her webbed arms around the blond and hugs her tightly. A wet soppy hug to be sure... but a warm embrace non the less.

"Lauren sweetie.... You aren't perverted or an idiot." She rubbed the girl's back softly. Sometimes it was hard to see it... but Lauren really was still just a teenager. "You can't force something to leave your heart. Please don't try to. It will only cause you pain."

Lauren was surprised by the embrace. She wondered what Awen felt towards her, if she had even gotten that far yet. Lauren was sure she only thought of her as a friend, she had convinced herself that but she still hoped that maybe something more could happen.

She was only two years younger, that wasn't that much of a difference right? Or was it a huge gap? Lauren had no clue. She was just happy to be hugged. She started crying, the old Lauren before the pain, before her mother's death was comming through past the walls of her crude, lying, shell of sarcastic rudeness.

"So... do you like that I feel this way?" Lauren said quietly through tears still in the embrace. She needed the truth, then she could work from there.

Awen had been dreading that question. What was she supposed to say to that question. Lauren was such a nice girl.... pretty and strong. But... to Awen she really was.... just a friend. Awen didn't mind what the girl felt about her, but Awen knew that she just might hurt Lauren by telling her what she really felt.

Slowly Awen brushed some hair away from Lauren's face. A rubbery thumb brushed away her tears. "Lauren...." She said in such a gentle tone. "You're really nice.... brave and strong willed. I really admire you for all these qualities. I am flattered that you think enough of me to have feelings for me... And hey maybe under different circumstances... I just might be able to get into a relationship with you." She kept her violet orbs on her friend's tearful eyes. "But I'm still extremely hurt from Jamal... As much as I would say otherwise now, I still have feelings for that big lug." She smiled a little bit sadly. "And I'm not ready for a relationship. I don't want to ruin another friendship, when there are so few people to be friends with here. Especially a friend as good as you Lauren..... Maybe someday, but... Right now... I just can't get into another relationship... I'm just not ready."

Lauren had nearly forgotten all about Jamal. "He... broke your heart!" she said with slight malice. She still had feelings for him too, "WHAT did he do?" He was a sleeze, Lauren knew that from the beginning. She wanted to hurt him.

She had no clue this was old news. She was rejected, she thought as much from the beginning but was not surprised. Still hope left her eyes. "I... thought I wasn't ready either. But my heartbreak had been even before I came to the island." More tears came, "We can be friends, really I don't WANT anything more either, I just... they came at me and I looked back and realised WHY I was so rude to Jamal when I first met him."

Lauren got up, she wanted so badly to hit Jamal. She knew she couldn't take him, but she could try and maybe being knocked out by him would feel good considering.

Well, she didn't loose anything at least. "I need some time." Lauren got up wanting to get out of the tree, but Awen was right there at the entrance. She wiped away some tears, pouring down like rain. How embarassing.

Oh no. Awen had forgotten Lauren didn't yet know of Jamal. Well it's not exactly like she would keep it from her for very much longer, not that she was trying. But this was all a rush. She kept herself in the way of Lauren more protectively than anything.

Feelings she could deal with, but starting a fight was not a good idea reight now. She snugged herself right into the tree, blocking the entrance and sighed a little bit.

"Lauren please. Just it's okay. Me and Jamal have an understanding now I don't want any retaliation from anyone for me. It's okay, don't worry about it." She saw the look in her eyes, she wasn't just wanting out to go for a walk. "Besides in this weather? No way. I got you all wet again, you need to dry off. You'll get sick out in this rain."

Besides Jamal was sleeping in Antony's lap currently and Awen did not want the two women together even more than she didn't want Jamal to meet up with the angry Lauren. Jamal had a little bit more discretion than Antony and with both Jamal nd Antony again Lauren it was not a pretty sight. And Jamal changed, sure he could walk away before, but only because Awen asked him to and he could still keep his cool. The animal inside Jamal was violent and would not let him walk away again.

"We can just stay here and keep you dry, and relatively warm."

Lauren felt a bit trapped. "What did he do?" she asked again. Okay, so Awen didn't want any retaliation. Could she really keep that in? "You have an understanding?" She crossed her arms waiting for an explanation.

Awen sighed a little bit. Sure she had kept the girl there but she still had to tell the truth. She really didn't want to say anything though... because Lauren might very well react in a similar way that Awen herself did to the boar.

"He... slept with someone else." She mumbled a little bit but the instantly upped the olume and clearity of her tone. "But it's okay I mean I'm fine with it now, me and Jamal talked a lot about it. It's just... two different worlds that we were used to and...er... Yeah."

Lauren was a bit angry, but not horribly so. She tried to keep her cool, "I've been there. It sucks. I had to get over it though."

Lauren shrugged. "But at least she didn't do it behind my back. I mean, I knew Fire was with Skull, hell I was kind of with him too because I had to be. If I wasn't, those other freaks would eat me alive" She laughed at herself wipeing away the tears. "The messed up s**t I had to go through. People on the streets are more animals than we are, and they don't even have the ******** DNA."

"I really want to hit Jamal." Then she looked up at Awen, "But if you don't want me to... I won't." That was hard to do.

But when Moreau came back, the things she could make him do to make Jamal's life a living hell. And no one had to know who had the ideas.

Just friends, she could wait. If the feelings weren't mutual what good is a relationship anyway? At least she didn't play along with Lauren's feelings for a while only to dump her. It was all starting to sink in even though it still stung a bit.

Lauren mildly accepted the hug and shrugged, "No reason to be sorry, it's over now." Or was it? Awen was the first one Lauren had feelings for since then. She had shut herself off for so long. Or at least it felt that way to her.

"Are manta's even that dangerous?" Lauren asked with a slight chuckle. "Then again, yellow mongooses aren't. I thought they were the cobra eating kind, turns out they mostly eat bugs." But that helped survive out here.

Lauren yawned tired from all the emotional drama. Her head was still swirling. All she wanted to do was curl up in the tree and snuggle with Awen. "Getting sleepy."

Awen pauses a bit and thought about her question. "You know... I'm not really sure if manta's are dangerous or what. Might ask Chubbs the next time I see him.... which by the way our camp has kind of disipated. No one's around it anymore...."

But hearing those words "Getting sleepy" she had to stop her rambling. Awen smiled a little bit and nodded. "Yeah I think it's kind of late anyway.... We should get some sleep...." Though how they would ever sleep in that tiny cramped space. Maybe Awen should get out and sleep in that...nice..er..pile of mud.

Lauren plopped down, all closed up in a tight fetal position. It was kind of cramped in there, but it was cozy and 25% of her dna wouldn't mind being caught on the bottom of a snuggle pile. The other 75% of her dna though was rather boney and like her space.

"I suppose you don't mind the rain..." Lauren said in a yawn, falling to sleep before Awen could answer.

Awen blinked as the mongoose flopped down at the bottom of the tree. Well that would make things more interesting and squishy. It prevented Awen from sitting down or anything. She was just starting to figure it out when Lauren mumble something about Awen liking the rain.

Though the manta was happy to be out of the squishy place and back into moisture Awen's true side was a little disgruntled. She felt like she just was pushed aside... but maybe Lauren just wanted Awen away because of..the crush. Lauren wasn't comfortable with her being there. But...Awen was drying under the tree and it was warmer than the outside.

As much as she likes the rain and the moisture...it was still cold by herself. Her body, though able to stand the cold, would much prefer the warmth that Lauren and her had been making. But...if Lauren wanted her out...

Careful, as she wouldn't accidently kick Lauren or trip over her or something, stepped out of the tree an back into the rain. She looked around slowly and couldn't find a comfortable sleeping place anywhere. She curled up on the ground just infront of the tree and sighed a little bit. It would have to do....

She shifted around quite a bit but couldn't get comfortable. It would be hours before Awen finally just passed out from exhaustion from the day. Before sleep a few thoughts ran through her mind Jamal had Antony, Antony had everyone on the damn island, Joli had Chubbs, Chubbs had Joli, Ambrose has his girl-what's her name, and Lauren wanted to be alone now. It all left Awen feeling sort of hollow inside...though she knew it was just a superficial hurt...It was not going to be a pleasant night...  

[Awen Zyn]

Soul Calibur 3, Chocolate Bars and Skittles!

The last thing Awen remembered was passing out beside Lauren and her hollow tree shelter. She had been muling over relationships she knew on the island while being cold and pelted with little bits of rain. She was away from the warmth that a companion would have had, even if it was just to share body heat and be away fro mthe rain for awhile.

When she awoke however Awen was completely submerged in hte middle of the lake. She jerked awake, her eyes wide her heart pounding. She was underwate, she couldn't breath. She tensed and trashed in a weak attempt to swim to the surface. She would die if she stayed down there, flashes of her dreams the faces of her dead parent rotting and decomposing in the water ran through her mind.

She felt faint. She started to feel dizzy, as though she would pass out. Then all of a sudden she took in a deep breath, but not through her eyes or mouth. It was her gills. For a moment she was confused.... and then she remembered she could breathe.

She wondered how she got to the lake anyway... She slowly swam towards the shore.

Avery slowly woke up as the rain began to stop; he had been asleep in the lean-to with Colche for a while, and he was starting to feel very cramped... and very hungry. When did he last eat something? All I've eaten was that bit of jerky Timothy gave me in the burrow... I wonder where he is? He hasn't shown up at the camp yet, Avery wondered, feeling worried for his safety. He hoped Timothy was alright.

Avery crawled out of the lean-to and stretched, before glancing around the camp. Maybe I should try and find him. Not sure which direction he should go, Avery picked a random place to start and just began walking. There seemed to always be someone that he would run into on this island, so he wasn't too worried about getting lost... again. He made his way through the forest slowly, until he stumbled out of some bushes to find... a lake? Well, that was the last thing he needed - more water. Avery was already still soaked from the rain. But maybe he could try to catch a fish. He did see movement in the water, after all... and he approached the lake, only to find what was swimming in there wasn't quite a fish at all.

It was something about her luck but Awen always seemed to surface at inopportune moments around islanders. Of course, in most cases this means she surfaces when they're taking a bath, but being around Aery in general at the moment probably wasn't the best of luck for either of them. She caught a sliver of light coloured hair from under the surface, but from under the water and because of the darkness she couldn't be sure who it was exactly. The colour and form distorted Awen smiled, it had to be Chubbs! She hadn't seen the poor boy in forever.

She surfaced with a big smile, but even with her vision temporarily blurred she could tell, this thin form wasn't her dear friend Chubbs. "Er....hey there!"

Avery jumped and nearly fell over as he stepped back when the girl in the lake surfaced. He couldn't help but stare at here, even if it was rude of him. "Uh... h-hi," Avery stuttered. Really, why am I even shocked anymore, after seeing everything I have..? He shook his head a bit, trying to clear his thoughts, and he looked at the girl again. "Hello," he said, properly introducing himself this time. "I'm Avery... what's your name?"

Awen noted the stares he was giving her. She saw the surprise and even the hint of fear in his eyes, thoguh it was hard to see much she could see much more white around the iris than she would normally, so she figured. She tried to think if anyone had ever mentioned an Avery. Of course not, the way he was stumbling over his words.... It was obvious.

She laughed a little bit. "I'm Awen, sorry to scare you... You're with Rex right?"

Rex... this must be the lady in the lake he had told me about, Avery thought. He relaxed a little, and smiled at her. "Nah, it's okay... I was just a little startled," he said. "And yeah, Rex and I both washed up on this island together... he told me that he ran into you, I think. He said he saw--" Avery trailed off when he noticed the town lights not far on the opposite side of the lake flicker a few times as the power was restored, and then stayed on, shining brightly. Didn't someone say there was no electricity..? "Hey... those light just came on, over in those buildings... I thought there was no power here..?"

"Oh my god!" Awen turn in the water and saw the light's final flicker and then stay on. They're back. Someone was in the village! Moreau? Or had an islander found a way to get inside the main building. She practically leapt from the water....which meant of course her flipper stubed on the shallow shore and she fell to the ground. "There isn't supposed to be." Her eyes were bright and shining.

Grabbing Avery's wrist she hauled him towards the building. "C'mon we gotta see what's happening here. I can grab chocolate bars and Skittles in my room too!" She added as more incentive, incase the guy was hungry. She almost drooled at the thought of skittles after so long. And Soul Calibur 3! She hadn't barely even started the file before all this crap happened!

She raced as quickly as she could with flippers, and dragging of Avery. The comm system. She could page the main building! Yes! First stop, Awen's room.

He was surprised when Awen leaped out of the water and grabbed his wrist. What choice did he have but to follow her? Especially when she mentioned they would be getting food - well, it was candy, but that was definitely good enough for Avery.

"Well, food sounds good to me!" He hurried as fast as he could to keep up with her as they ran to the buildings. Avery had no idea where exactly she was leading him, but if there was food to be found, he was not about to argue.

When they got to her duplex Awen skidded to a halt. "Number Twenty One, please don't be locked. C'mon, c'mon, c'mon..." She let go of the cross dresser's wrist and grabbed the door handle. A second's hesitation, a moment of silent prayer and.... The knob turned and she pushed her door open.

Awen stood in shock as the village light flooded into her dark room. It had been....months... She had half expected it to have been stuck shut still. But it had opened. Thank god it had opened!

She stepped forward slowly and clicked on the light. She blinked away the brightness and stared around her room. It smelt a little musty but it was home. That was her scrap book on the desk, her PS2 and TV, her parent's picture on the nightstand.

Awen couldn't help it. She was so overwhelmed tears started to roll down her cheeks. She turned around to Avery and smiled, though she was still crying. "Welcome to the Island man.... how the island is supposed to be."

She moved to one of her dressers and grabbed the stash of candy she kept in case of emergency midnight snack craving. She tossed a bag and skittles to the blond and grabbed a coffee crisp for herself. Tearing off the wrapper she took a large chomp.

Joliette trudges slowly into the village, light had just illuminated the night and that alone caused her to blink, she had gotten used to no artificial lights... Her yellow tongue flickers and she moved through the village , and then she notices it... an open door... Trudging towards 21 she quietly calls out "Hello?"

Avery hadn't been stuck out in the wilderness as long as Awen had been, but he was still just as relieved to see the door open. Ever since he arrived, he has seen nothing but strange things, being forced to live out in the forest; no beds or anything... and it was truely a relief for him to see regular household items and electricity. Avery didn't even pause to think about what it might mean, that the doctors might be back and now was the time for him to try and escape.

He caught the bag of skittles Awen tossed to him. "Thanks," he said, smiling at her and ripping open the package, quickly shaking some of the candy out into his hand to eat. He was starving.

He paused when he heard someone call out behind him, and he turned around to peer outside, seeing a woman who looked... mostly human, with brown hair. Avery stepped outside of the duplex and smiled at the other girl. "Hey there!"

Awen grinned when she heard the voice but was already making her way to the intercom. "Hey Joli come on in! We've got candy!" She laughed and just was so happy to be back. Finally people could return to normal and put all of this survivor stuff left behind them. She still wondered though what made the electricity turn back on. Had someone gotten into the main compound? Were the doctors back?

She glanced a nervous eye at Avery. If the doctors were back that means him and Rex... But she sighed. Back to life as normal on the island. She couldn't let that dampen her spirits. She had chocolate!

"And hey a shower and PS2 and look heaters! God this is so....god!" She chuckled and pushed the intercom button. "Hello! Anyone in there?" She was just bursting with possitive energy now. "The power is back, like you don't already know! Whose in there then? Moreau? Chubbs hun did you break in?"

Joliette peers through the illumination at the male, her long yellow tongue flicked the air as she brought his scent to her "I've not met you... " she muses quietly and moves closer looking up at him, he stood a good foot taller then her, but that was nothing new, she was certain she was the shortest person on the isle. She peers around him looking at Awen "Your door was the only one I saw open... but I've picked up the scents of hte cafeteria" she says

Thankfully, the scales on the other woman prepared him enough not to be too surprised when she flicked out her yellow tongue. "Yeah, I guess I'm kind of new on the island," Avery grinned a little at her. "I got washed up on shore... been here for a few days. My name is Avery... want some Skittles?" he offered, holding the bag out to Joliette.

Awen frowned when there was no responce to her call. Maybe it was just Chubbs, or another islander stumbling around trying to find everything. Maybe they hadn't heard, or didn't know how to respond to the intercom yet. Awen imagines this huge counsle with lots of flashing lights and buttons and a big screen, with Chubbs standing slack jaw looking up at the screen, hearing Awen but too confused by the mass of button to know where to start.

But wait a second.

Joliette said there was food in the cafeteria. Awen sniffed the air but she couldn't catch much. Her sense of smell had been dulle in the last change and all she could smell currently was the chocolate bar and the musty smell...and body odor, but who was counting anymore? No. If the cafe was up then there had to be staff.

She buzzed again.

"Hello? Moreau? Sabin? Err..Au-Audrey?" She had never formally met the woman so didn't quite remember her name.

She krept pressing the button again and again. "Helllooooo?"

Frowning when still there was no responce she turned back to the others. "Okay this is kind of creepy. Like...horror movie creepy." Not accounting for the fact that there were part human part creature people walking around the island and she was a mutant fish thing, of course.

Her forked tongue flicked once more as she looked at hte bag "All right, thanks" she says reaching and sticking her sharpclawed fingers into the bag pulling some out onto her hand "I'm Joliette" she replied quietly, saying her distinctly french name in her thick British accent. She gave a weak smile. "Awen, I don't think they are answering, it's still pretty quiet dispite the power on"

Avery watched as Awen tried using the intercom, receiving no answer from whoever those people were she was trying to contact. "So... what... the lights and stuff just came back on by themselves?" Avery wondered; should he be surprised or not? Here he was, sharing candy with two women who were part animal... would weird things like power coming back on by itself really be that strange in comparison?

"Well... maybe they just stepped out to get some food, too?" he suggested. The last thing he wanted to think about was horror movies on an island like this.

Awen frowned a little bit and shook her head. "I've never seen staff...besides the cafeteria lady... in the cafe before. And sure maybe the lights came back on by themselves. But food starting to cook by itself? I don't know...."

She grabbed another chunk from her chocolate bar and threw the wrapper in the garbage. She moved slowly to the door and looked out. "Well whatever... we can figure it out later.... For now I've got a comfy bed with my name on it."

She glanced between the two slowly. "I mean yay the powers back and all but comfy sheets is the best thing after all this. Besides I don't want to deal with this....horror movie right now. Course..." She laughed. "If this were a horror movie I'd probably be the first one to be bumped off." She grinned a bit then just melted it to a smile. "You guys can join me if you want? Er... in hte sleep thing not the ..dying..thing."

She blushed a little bit. "Just cuz er....Avery you don't have a bed...and Joli if you don't want to be alone..."

Joli shook her head "No, I want food, and my darkroom... thanks for the offer though" she looks at Avery "I'll show you where it is if you want" her voice was still quiet "candy is nice... but I need real food"

Avery felt torn... real food, or sleep? He wanted both, badly... as well as a shower. "It's a touch choice... I think I'm going to go with sleep though, I'm pretty tired..." He had only just woke up not long ago, but he actually hadn't been sleeping for that long. Having to watch Colche's transformation was very stressful and nerve wracking. He hoped he wouldn't have to watch anyone else transform, either. "Thank you for the offer, though, Joliette," he smiled at her.

Awen nodded to Joli then again to Avery. "Alright then. I guess I'll see you tomorrow Joli? We can hook up and go tell the others, if they hadn't come back by then. And hey! Pancakes tomorrow! If they don't make 'em I will!" She grinned a little bit. "Sound good to you two?"

Joliette nods to both "All right... Uhm you'll probably find me int he darkroom.... it's the darkest duplex here" she motioned #28 down the way and stepped away from the door "Sleep well guys" the komodo woman says with one last flick of her tongue before turning and trudging away headinf got he boarded up duplex

"God, pancakes sounds like heaven," Avery sighed happily just thinking about it. He waved goodbye to Joliette when she left, and then he turned to look at Awen. "Thanks for letting me stay here tonight, I appreciate it..." he glanced around the room, wondering where he would sleep. "Do you want me to sleep on the floor, or share the bed?" Avery smiled. "I don't mind either way... it's just nice to not be outside for once."

She shut the door slowly and grinned hearing Avery's exclaimation about pancakes. One of her absolute specialties were pancakes. She started for the bed before realising she could finally change into something other than self made jean shorts and a dirty old top. She smiled and walked over to her dresser as Avery asked the question.

She waved her hand dismissively. "No no, you can stay in the bed. It's a lot nicer, warmer. And um...besides.... Rex er..thought..." She glanced over her shoulder. "Aren't you....?" She shook her head and grabbed some pyjamas from her drawer. "Well it doesn't matter anyway. Um if you want to change into something dry.... I mean this might sound weird, but you can borrow some of my PJs? They probably won't fit perfect but er.... better than soppy wet stuff."

Avery blinked, confused for a moment. "Rex thought what... oh!" he laughed a bit. "Yeah, kind of, I guess. I mean, I suppose you could say he's half right?" He shrugged. Was Rex going around telling everyone he was gay..?

"Thanks, I'd love to borrow something dry." He bent down, pulling off his shoes and placing them over by the door, so as not to track dirt futher into the room. He walked over to Awen and peered into her drawer. "I'll wear whatever you can spare, I don't mind what it is."

When Avery offered to wear whatever a few rather humourous things came to mind as she shuffled through her clothes. But she would never go through with that and just rummaged with a smirk on her face. "Ah..." She found her pair of relatively unisex pyjamas. A navy blue long sleeve top and with a pair of blue striped pants. "I hope these are alright?" She asked offering them to the man. She gestured over to the other door. "Bathrooms in there if you like."

But Rex? He's half right? Well well well.... Awen was just finding so many open people these days wasn't she! Having already thought of Avery in some...interesting situation Awen suddenly got a flash of Rex in a similar fashion. The weirdest part was, it wasn't just something funny to appease her sense of humour. Somewhere deep down the manta grinned a little bit. It had not yet had the opportunity to deal with these sorts of things just yet. But now that it was in her head the manta made sure it stayed for awhile. The two newcomers and a 50% changeling? That would be....sweet.

A crimson tone came up to Awen's dull cheeks as she looked up at the blond, a little dazed look in her eye. What was she thinking!? She grabbed a pair of pink cow pyjamas and skooted away. "Um I'm gonna change too so..if you don't mind..." She gestured for the bathroom again.

"Yeah, those are perfect," Avery said, taking the pajamas gratefully. "I'll go change in the bathroom then," he smiled. "You just let me know when you're decent, and I'll come back out," Avery winked at her and walked into the bathroom. He shut the door and quickly stripped out of his soaked clothes (including his boxers), laying them out over the side of the bathtub so they could dry out. Avery pulled on the borrowed pajamas. They were a little small, but it wasn't too bad.

While he waited for Awen to change too, he decided to look in the mirror... Oh my god, I look terrible, Avery thought. He ran his fingers through his hair, trying to get tangles out and straighten his hair out a bit, then he turned on the sink and washed his face off. Well, at least that's a little better...

Awen blushed even more. A wink? Did he wink?? Oh by creation that wasn't helping her any. Once he shut the door she took a big breath. What were you doing Awen Sira Syn? What kind of girl are you anyway! You cannot very well have a grudge on Antony if you're going to be going arond like this! Well... Not that... you have a grudge on Antony anymore. That was being settled.

She sighed softly and just changed quickly. She put her wet, and rather ruined, clothes on the back of her chair. She doubted she would ever wear them again...but...it was a good enough place for now. She hear Avery was busy with water and stuff and figured he was cleaning up a little so too kthe time to get reaquainted with her room. "I'm good now Avery any time!"

When finally she got to her bed she sat on the side with the picture of her parents. She picked it up slowly and felt almost like the tears would return. It was a bright sunny day with the two of them posing before their boat. The boat they died in. She ran a thumb across teh glass surface of the frame. It had been so long. She often felt ashame of her fear of water when she looked at that picture, remembering how much her parents loved it. But without that fear to occupy Awen realised she felt quite empty. She didn't realise before just how much her parents death meant. She missed them, and thought life would be better with them of course. But she never thought of feeling so.....alone. Empty...

With once last glance in the mirror, Avery opened the door and stepped back out into the room. "I feel better already... but I could definately use a shower tomorrow," he said, grinning... and then he noticed Awen sitting on her bed, looking at a photograph, and Avery's grin faded.

He walked over to the bed and sat down beside her, leaning over to look at the photo she was holding in her hands. "Ah.. are they your parents?" Avery asked. He missed his parents too... he wondered what they were doing now. Were they trying to find him..?

Awen glanced over her shoulder, she had been lost in her own little world and forgotten about Avery for a second there. "Oh, um...yeah." She set the picture back down on her nightstand.

She smiled a little bit and attempted to change the subject, thoguh her tone remained semi-flat. "Oh hey, see now your hair looks much better. I have a brush on my desk..."

Brush. Yeah right. There was no way Awen was going to unknot her tangle mess anymore. Not that she was thinking much about that at the moment.

"Huh? Oh, thanks," Avery said. He stood back up and went over to the desk and used Awen's brush to brush out his hair. He didn't spend a long time on it, figuring he could just really brush it out after a shower tomorrow. He really just wanted to get some sleep. When he was satisfied that he got rid of most of the tangles and he looked semi-decent, he put the brush back down and went back over to the bed, plopping down on it.

"Thanks again for sharing your bed," Avery smiled, and he scooted back on the bed, laying down on the far side to give Awen room to lay down as well. He obviously had no problem with sharing beds with people.  

[Awen Zyn]

Schooling the Noob...Escape Plan?

Multiple glasses of water and a few bowls of water litter the floor around Awen. She sat with her back on the couch and a fish stick in her mouth as she plays her new Soul Calibur 3 game. She had gotten it for Christmas but hadn't seemed to be able to use it that much because of the..mishap. She still didn't know what happened, she had been trying the comm every once in awhile but there was still no answer. She wasn't giving up but wasn't exactly prepared to try to march into the main facility. She seemed to recall the eletric fences and doesn't like that idea too much.

She had just created a character and was testing it out. Yes Kilik was her favourite character and used him many a time in SC2 she just thought to use thi system to it's fullest. She wasn't quite sure if she liked this theif character she made or not. The handling seemed.... a little off. She supposed it wasn't as bad as whe nshe tried out Tira, by god she hated that character.

Smelly fresh and clean once again, Rex made his way back towards the town hall to explore the building a bit more. Last time his attempt to look around was veered off course when he met up with Avery and Colche. His hair back to normal and freshly shaved he eventually found his way to the entertainment room. Rex pushed open the door hearing some interesting music interupted by the occasional sound of rushing or small scream. Watching a movie or something? Well at least folks here aren't totally cut off from the world. but once he poked his head inside, he saw a girl playing a video games intently. He recognized the odd blue hair and little horns protruding from her forehead, "Awen." He said, glad he'd found someone he'd met before. He shut the door behind him and smiled, making his way to sit on the floor next to the girl. "What's up?!"

Awen glanced over to Rex and grinned. "Hey Rex-man!" Hearing her created character grunt and scream Awen quickly turned back to the TV. "Crap!" Seriously started to pound the buttons now, not button mashing though, style technique and spped of doing it, but not button mashing. Mostly.

Awen tilted her head back a bit to the couch. "Have a seat man. I'll hook you up with a controller right after I finish this fight, okay?"

Having her PS2 in the games room was a rare sight anyway. She simply figured that her smaller TV wasn't what she really wanted after this long absence from the real world. "Damn damn damn..." She mumbled under her breath as Voldo had a wicked combo against her.

Rex slinked his way onto the couch above them and stretched his legs onto onto the floor below, finding a spot for them to rest where they wouldn't knock any of the water glasses down. he watched in awe as the manta girl pounded away at her controller with furious accuracy. "Sheesh..." he muttered, watching the combo sprawl out across the screen, "I didn't know you were a gamer!"

Rex had never really played video games before. With no siblings and Nintendo 64 a little late for his time, the most he'd ever done was play GoldenEye. "You're demolishing that..." He watched Voldo slink his way back across the screen, "..thing."

She chuckled grimly at his false praise on the subject of kicking Voldo's a**. "Not really... I just had a kick a** combo but see at the top? My health is almost gone and Voldo has just over half of his left." Without missing a beat she grabbed another fish stick and popped it into her mouth, one end sticking out as she held it between her lips as she played.

She winced as Voldo did a wicked throw and ended up taking out the rest of her health. Shaking her head she set the contorller down and took the fish stick from her mouth. "I sure am a gamer, but you're not much of one are ya?"

She put the rest of the stick stick in her mouth and chewed as she dipped her webbed hands into the bowls and glasses of water then rubbed them against her skin. The rubbery sheen started to return to her already dulling skin.

Rex's eyes travelled around the screen as she pointed out aspects of how the game worked. He tried to understand, but basically it was a blur of colors and odd sounds. "Uh... huh," he trailed, "I'm not exactly a gamer myself, but I'll give it a shot. Anything once right?" The words 'You Lose' appeared on the screen followed by Voldo continuing the trend of weird noises. "They sure let you down lightly, don't they?"

He was a little thirsty, but didn't want to take any of Awen's water. Instead he sprawled his way across the couch since Awen was playing the game down below. "Let me have a go, I'll own you," Rex joked, picking up an unplugged control off the ground.

Awen had about several comments about Rex being such a n00b, or other harsher comments, but she decideds not to. He was, after all, an admitted non-gamer, obviouisly n00b, and..well Rex was nice and Awen was in a good mood. She dried her hands off on her pants and moved to plug the controller in.

"Sorry about the water thing... I know it's probably kinda gross."

She started into versus mode and didn't play around this time. She went right for Kilik, her all time favourite character. Simple but it works.

"Er now you have some choice of style. Strong and slow, weak and fast, medium type characters, long reach, short reach ectera. Basically if they look strong, they are, if they look quick...they usually are. Weapons are easy to see what reach you got so.... Just do your best, I just wouldn't pick Zasalamel or Tira for your starter characters, personal prefference of course."

"No worries," Rex replied to the water comment calmly, "I'm assuming you've gotta stay wet some way for another."

He focussed all of his attention to the game now, skimming over the characters quickly until settling on a creepy looking purple pirate-type-thing. "Cervantes!" he laughed, video game characters sure had unique names. Then again, alot of the people he'd met on the island had less-than-ordinary names themselves, so who was he to judge. "Prepare to be inhialated!" Rex joked, starting to get a bit competitve, I'm going to get my a** whipped. He inwardly grinned, but kept his serious poker face on the whole time. "Lets get thig thing going!"

"Watch it noob. I was gonna go easy on you but you keep smart mouthing like that and I might not be so nice eh? You are talking to a vet here." She grinned broadly and concentrated focused for the fight.

She let the opening scene with the camera circling the players and their little time to boast talk do their thing to show the graphics and give herself more time. She was trying to think of stratigies used to beat Cervantes. He was a half decent character when played well, and sometimes can be good depending on the button masher. Worst of all, Awen's style with Kilik was rather weak agaisnt the damn pirate.

Still... it couldn't be too hard. He was noob. He wouldn't even know how to block, and to hell if Awen would tell him the buttons. He'll have to learn all on his own.

Noob? Rex didn't bother, he figured he'd lay off on the joke talk for a bit though. This girl was obviously intense when it came to this stuff.

And then they were off... Rex imeadiatly Braveheart-charged the opposing fighter then jammed his finger into the three buttons at once, throwing in some of the buttons on top for good measure. A complete idiot could tell that he had no idea what he was doing, giving the word 'noob' a new standard of low. He watched in excitement, his eyes aflare with childhood glee. To think that the guy actually even thought he stood a second to a split second.

Awen wasn't surprised by such the bold move. There were two types of game strategy when first going into a new game. Sitting back off the start and trying to figure out the buttons, what lots of people tend to do, asking for a minute just to see what everything does; or there's the technique that Rex has taken to: dive in button mashing and hope for the best. The manta hadn't figured that Rex would be the type to just sit back and wait. So of course, she was prepared.

Side stepping Cervantes' attack, Kilik did one of his longer reaching attacks to push Cervantes away. As long as she could keep him away from Kilik she knew that she could win easily.

Rex really had zero strategy and no idea what he was doing. He was actually just doing it for kicks, something a bit playful to get his mind off the shady business thats been going on lately. Yet he was amused by her seriousness about it the game.

Occaisonally he'd pull off random combo from his fury of button mashing, but they all fell short, missing Kilik. "Grah, you're pounding me!" he said, the frantic Cervantes looked like his was going to fall over and have a seizure. This was obviously an unfair fight.

Awen grinned a little bit at her button-mashing companion. "Nice try Rex, but I'm afraid you are no match." She had just finished a nice long combo, not even letting Cervantes touch the ground. She laughed as the announcer yelled triumphantly "Kilik Wins!"

Setting down her controller she turned to Rex and patted his knee. "Poor poor noob. Maybe you should practice and then I'll beat you again, hm?"


Although freshly washed and hair brushed out - finally free of all the tangles - Avery still didn't have his own clothes back. They were still in Awen's duplex, and he was still wearing the pyjamas he borrowed from her. At least they were comfortable, at any rate. He relaxed in his duplex for a while, before deciding to find Rex and ask him what he meant that they were possibly already injected.

He got of out bed and left his duplex, first checking to see if Rex was in his own room. When he wasn't there, Avery decided to check out the larger building. He passed the cafeteria and laundromat (he made a mental note of where that was, to wash his clothes later when he got them back). Then he found the entertainment room, and peeked in there, spotting just who he was looking for - along with Awen.

"Hey guys!" Avery called to them, walking over to see what they were doing.

"Sheesh, you're rediculously good" Rex complimented, "How'd you get your skills?" A lame attempt at a conversation, but maybe distracting her form the game would increase his chances at winning.

"Hey there, Avery!" Rex said, sitting upright again on the couch to clear room for him to sit. "Here! Hurry and avenge me, this girl's good!" he tossed Avery the remote and patted the cushion next to him. Maybe he'd be a bit better than Rex, he looked a bit younger than Rex himself was. "Say, how old are you guys?"

Awen grinned a little. "Ooooo... fresh meat." The image of Rex and Avery in Awen's room flashed back into her mind and she blushed. The colour in her cheek she turned back to the screen and pretended to concentrate on it. What the hell was wrong with her? She chose Kilik for round two and waited for Avery.

"I'm nineteen." She offered to Rex and smiled. "I got this good by spending many summers practicing various kinds of video games. When everyone was at the beach or the pools...I was... playing Mario and Sonic, Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter... all the classics and going to moderns."

Avery nearly dropped the controller when Rex tossed it to him, but he managed to catch it. "Oh, there are video games on the island!?" He grinned and plopped down on the couch right next to Rex, forgetting why he was looking for him for the moment. "Soul Caliber 3, eh? I played one and two, but not this one..." He scrolled through the characters, finally settling on Raphael. He leaned back, letting Awen pick the Arena the characters would fight in. "I'm 19, too," he said. "How old are you, Rex?"

Suddenly Rex felt a little older... but just a little. What's a few years between friends. "Ninteen? Both yeh, huh? I'm twenty-five" He sunk slightly into the couch's cushions and watched Avery choose his character.

Then he remembered that morning in the cafeteria, "Oh, sorry about putting you on hold earlier." He searched for a place to begin, "Well... when I walked into the camp this morning with Amaya, she said that it's most likely we're... we're stuck for good." His tone became solemn as he wondered how Avery would take the news. Maybe he'd settled in with the thought of living here. "It's most likely that they've known about us being here from when we washed up on the beach. It looks like we're stuck here, I mean, they know our names and gave us duplexes, yet I've only met one of the scientists that works here."

Awen shifted her weight slowly, shifting her back against the couch a bit. She frowned at Avery's choice. Raph was a noob's dream player. Fast, relatively strong and wicked for combos. She set hte stage to rnadom and got ready for the fight.

She listened to the boys talking about the doctors and being injected. She supposed it was too late already if they had seen the doctors, gotten injections. So much for the ocean escape. Not that Awen was completely oppposed to the idea of just staying in her lake.

When the fight started Kilik backed away andstarted to circle. She didn't want to get close to Raph.

"And Rex man, next time ya toss the controller, be careful with the hardware man, it's mine." She preffered to stay off the topic of the doc for now. If they could help it.

Avery wasn't the best at fighting games. He usually just picked the smaller, faster characters - and the ones he thought were hot. However, when the fight started, Avery was already distracted by what Rex was telling him. "Stuck..." he murmured to himself. Although the thought was upsetting, he already figured they were trapped on the island. Injected with a serum, though... that, he was not prepared for. "I... I don't want to turn into an animal..." He stared blankly at the screen, thinking about what types of animals he could possibly turn into. An eagle? A rat? A jellyfish? What!?

The controller slipped from Avery's fingers, not even hearing what Awen said to Rex. "But... I don't want to turn into a ******** animal!" He hunched over, clutching the sides of his head and trying to control his breathing, his eyes wide. He would not panic... he would not panic...

He was panicking.

Oh god, he's going to cry. Please don't cry, please don't cry. He would've appologized to Awen had he heard what she'd said, but all of his attention had shifted to Avery, trying to cheer him up. "Well.. hey! Think about it," He scooted closer to his bud and put his arm over his shoulder, pulling him in close, "We've got a nice living situation! And all the food we'll ever need. The people here are nice... and... and..." his next sentence was washed by the wetness of the tears welling up in his eyes. He found it hard to control his emotions when others were sad or distraught. He sniffed and wiped his eye, "Who knows? How many other people will get to spend their lives on a goregeous island like this? And... and.. and maybe being an animal won't be so bad!" He really had no idea what it would be like turning into an animal, so he looked to Awen for reasurance.

Awen rolled her shoulders when Avery started to have a breakdown. Gamer though she was her attention was shifted quickly to the blonds as she found even Rex was getting kind of teary. She would have loved to give them both big hugs...but given she was what Avery feared she just skooted away and watched, unable to figure out what else to do.

When Rex looked at her with those eyes that just screamed 'help me' she decided she couldn't just be silent. She moved closer trying to be reassuring. "It's...really not so bad hun. Rex is right ya know, people would pay millions to have a nice island resort like this. Hm? Heh... I should know..." She didn't like to give away what her finances were on mainland because most people Moreau picked up seemed to be...less fortunate. But it seemed okay right now. "Besides... I mean... the change...might help you, compliment you in some way. I... I'm turning into a manta ray." She glanced up at the books reminding herself to do a little research later. "I used to be afraid of water. A complete hydrophobe. And now... well.." She gestured to the glasses of water around her. "I paid a lot for therapy and to get rid of it. Moreau did what he said.... I dunno. The people are nice here...mostly. And.... I mean... like Rex said food games anything you want Moreau will provide...within..reason."

She really didn't know what else to say. She moved closer to the poor men and wrapped her arms around them. She only managed to wrap her webbed arm halfwa around Rex but she held Avery tightly. "I'm sorry...."

"I don't want to spend the rest of my life on an island, turning into some... some animal..." tears were falling down Avery's cheeks - he just couldn't hold them back anymore. "I want to be home! With my friends! I want to go clubbing with them again, and I just want to do normal things that all teenagers do!" He shuddered, but it was not because of Awen's embrace. He wasn't afraid of the changed people on the island - he was only afraid of turning into an animal himself.

"Turning into an animal is not part of being a ******** normal teenager! God, I - I can't ******** breathe," Avery gasped, feeling suddenly closed in, trapped, being hugged by both Rex and Awen. He struggled a bit, out of their arms to lean over the armrest of the couch, taking deep, shuddering breaths. He was out of their embrace now, but he still felt like the walls were ******** closing in on him. This wasn't happening to him. It couldn't be... and why was the room so small!?

Everything Awen said sure helped Rex, but he wasn't the one having a minor meltdown. He let Avery squirm from his grip, thinking about his own time life as a teenager.

Going to boarding school wasn't normal in the least bit, then all of his time had been caught up with work and Julie, struggling to make a life of his own and get off on the right foot. "Tell ya what. I'll try to speak with Moreau and see what he thinks about throwing some parties and such! We could have fun with this."

But the boy was hyperventalating, he had to get him outside to the fresh air. "C'mon bud," Rex got to his feet and went to push oppen the door, "lets go for a walk, it's kinda stuffy in here anyways." He smiled, trying to make things seem better than they really were.

Awen shut off the electronics and stood up to follow the boys outside. She smiled brightly at the mention of parties. "Yeah, we had a Halloween party and Moreau even got us all gifts for Christmas."

Awen had a lot of the same issues as Avery around december. For almost the entire month she spent her time alone. She had been missing her home terribly. The snow, skiis, skates...friends. She could relate to what Avery was going through, but didn't know how else to help him.

Avery didn't get off the couch for a moment, trying to breathe; but then he pushed himself up and stumbled towards the door. "Y-yeah... a walk..." he mumbled. "While you're at it, maybe you could punch him in the face for me," he said to Rex when he offered to talk to Moreau. Avery stepped outside, leaning against the wall for a moment, closing his eyes and trying to slow down his breathing. The fresh air definitely did help.

"A Halloween party and Christmas presents, huh? He sounds like a sick b*****d to me... as if parties and presents make up for what he's doing to you --" he paused, and then corrected himself. "To... us."

Ignoring Avery's punching comment, he continued off of what Awen had said. "See! They've had parties before, here. And by the sounds of it, Moreau..." he paused in thought, not wanting to say it outloud, though a sick sadistic b*****d, "doesn't seem so bad!" He finished with a smile, closing the door and clearing his throat, trying to get the quaver out of his voice from crying. He was thankful to have Awen to support him and Avery, she'd obviously had been here a while and was bound to have seen this happen several times before.

He let Avery take his time with gathering himself together then walked aimlessly away, "Apart from the whole... turning-into-animals thing, they seem to take really good care of everyone here! I mean, we're basically care-free! We don't have to worry about work... or taxes... or politics! All of those little things that bugged you before are gone." And so are all of the things you loved... No, keep it positive, Rex. He flicked at his ex-engagement ring, a nervous habit, remembering how he felt when Julie died. He hadn't left much at home, but by the sounds of it, Avery had alot left to live for. Maybe this entire island was completely fake. What if that night on the cruise ship, he and Avery died in the ocean's salty waters. What if the island was some twisted mix of Heaven and Hell, floating on the surface of the Atlantic Ocean... death was only the next big adventure.

Rex could easily ignore the comment but Awen couldn't. She fell silent and just couldn't think of what to tell the man. Tears started to rise to her eyes so she turned away. She took a deep breath and when the boys started walking she followed a half a pace behind them. She was a freak..she didn't have a chance on the outside. She couldn't escape this fate, without becoming a freak in the real world. But....Avery.....

"Stop...." She said quietly...too quietly for the boys to hear soe she repeated louder. "Guys stop." She paused and waited a minute. "Avery.... I'm sorry.... sorry okay? I can't make you feel better about this. I can't change how things are on the island.... But I think I could get you off."

She remembered her first encounter with the ocean since her change. So tempting but still too big and threatening to her human side. But now she had to steel herself. "I can swim, breathe underwater. Avery.... I could.... I'll swim away, get help.... I can get help..get you off the island before you start to change."

She took a second before wavering. "I think I can anyway..."

Avery followed Rex when he started to walk off. Well, being care-free wasn't a bad thing... it was a nice thought, actually. But he didn't think the trade off was that great of a deal. "I would rather deal with all that than turn into an animal..."

When Awen spoke up, Avery stopped and turned around to look at her. "You... you think you will be able to do that?" No, Avery, don't get your hopes up... but... still... if Awen could get help, then...

"You could get us off the island!?"

When Awen spoke Rex's heart gave a leap, was she really going to swim off into the ocean? That was incredibly kind and selfless of her. But how long would it take? They'd have to figure out the right direction to swim off from and hope for the best. How would the people back on the mainland react when a manta-girl-thing popped up on the beach or in some sewer?

"W-would you really Awen?" He stopped turning to look at the girl with half hopeful eyes. It was hard for Rex to imagine staying on this island for the rest of his life, but he'd taken a likening to the idea. Secretly, Rex was really looking forward to a new life here on the island. The thought of changing into an animal gave him some unexplainable emotion, a power, a stregnth. Even if he got something stupid like a turkey or some weird rat, the idea of being something beyond human felt within reach. I'm such a freak. He thought blatanly, but pulled himself from imagination and into Awen generous offer.

Awen's insides twisted at the look of hope on either islander's eyes. She knew she might just be leading them on. She hadn't tackled the ocean yet, could she really do it? An image of a school of sharks attacking her suddenly assulted her mind. All the other horrible things she could think of weren't scary. But the sharks definately were a threat to this manta. But...Avery.... she couldn't stand to see him like this. She didn't want him to be trapped like the rest of them were. Terrified of what mainlanders would do to the rest of the islanders were the only thing that had kept her in check. But, she had to put a stop to this.

She could do it. She was the only one who could....

No pressure or anything.

Awen schooled her expression and nodded to them both. "It might take awhile... I don't know how far mainland..or even another island is. I..wasn't exactly paying attention to the water during my trip, and it felt like days, not hours." She smiled to them and nodded. "But despite all that I think I could do it. If you want me to.... I'll certainly try."

Avery suddenly hugged Awen, tightly. Even if she wasn't able to do it, she was going to try; and that meant a lot to him. "Thank you so much..." Even just the hope of being rescued made him feel better.

But what if they were saved - would he still turn into an animal? Would his parents still take him back? Of course they would, they're my parents... But he couldn't help but wonder...

"What if... I still change when - if I get off the island?"

Going home was a tempting thought, who wanted to be cut of from mainland society forever? His heart welled up and he felt like he was going to cry again. Rex threw himself over Awen as well in a tight group hug.

"Are- I- ...it won't be safe, what can we do to help. Awen, this is so generous..." Blinking a tear from his eye.

But what would happen if she did make it? They'd know about the island and what Moreau had been doing and he'd most likely be arrested. But what about the other islanders? Would they go back? The world would be completely changed by the public knowning about the sick things going in. Or would they release it to the public, would they take all of the islanders and hand them to the government to be poked, prodded and tested? These were actual people, not animals. They couldn't do that.

Then to what Avery said, "Yeah, that is a good question. While we were locked out people continued to change without injections If we may have already been injected, wou- would we change?" Rex sniffed, finally getting over his little cold.

Awen was overwhelmed as both the men hugged her closely. She pushed down the manta ray's lesser desired thoughts with the solem fear of sharks getting to her in the ocean. She was changed further than anyone as far as fish were concerned. She could swim faster than any human. But how fast were sharks?

She shook her head slowly hearing their concern of changing still. "If what I hear is true, you guys were even suspecting being injected while you washed up on shore right? That means Moreau and staff were still on the island. That means they could have injected us while we slept or something. I passed out before my change.... they could have...used that sleep thing they used on the Dude a long time ago.... So if you're off the island, away from the doc..... I don't think you guys willl change. You'll be able to go back to your lives."

She smiled and wriggled her arms out from between the boys so she could give them a tight hug back. "It'll be fine. But... maybe a day or something to prepare? This will be...a big swim I need to build more energy, I'm still kind of wiped from the wild living we had to do for awhile. Give me a few days I'll get you guys out."

Avery grinned at her. "Of course! I don't want you to get hurt or anything, doing this... take your time getting ready, it's not worth getting hurt over." Now, not only was there hope they would get off the island... there was hope they might not change, either! Everything was going to be okay.

He hoped.

But Avery definitely didn't want Awen getting hurt over this, or worse, killed... Moreau on the other hand, he didn't give a s**t what happened to him.

"Anyway," Avery said, changing the subject. "D'you think we could go back to your place, so I can pick up my clothes? I saw a place that I could wash them when I was coming over here."

"Yeah, I fully agree with Avery. Take your time getting rested, it'll be a big trip for you." he said, pulling away from her hug and pating her gently on the back, "You're going to need it." Hopefully we won't get injected by the time she gets back. Then everything would've been in vain.

"Mmm, I washed my clothes at the laundromat earlier. Those are Awen's pajamas?" He questioned, motioning to Avery's change of clothes.

Awen nodded and started for her duplex. "Sure Avery, I was wondering when I could get those smelly dirt clods out of my room anyway." She grinned and stuck her tongue out at Avery as she passed him.

"And you can keep the PJs, they look good on you." She chuckled a little bit.

She liked the change of subject. The thought of swimming for great lengths of time with no land in sight was both amazing and terrifying. She just hoped she didin't run into any sharks.

"Yeah, these are Awen's," Avery said as he followed Awen when she began to walk again. "And they do look rather good on me, don't they? What do you think, old man - do they make my butt look too big?" he asked jokingly, looking at Rex. Sure, Rex wasn't that much older than them, so he wasn't really an old man... but that didn't matter to Avery.

"Thanks for letting me keep these... I didn't get a chance to really look through my duplex yet, so I don't know if I have any other clothes," he said.


"Heeey, watch it, little guy," he said playfully, pushing his shoulder. "Your butt?!" he exclaimed, "Oh yeah, gives it a nice figure." Rex joked, he was glad to get off the gloomy subject of being trapped and maybe not leaving, as well. This way he could simply enjoy the island and put worrying about getting off on a backburner in his mind. But for now, Rex was back to his frolicsome self, having fun when it's needed. "Let's go get those clothes... Where's your duplex Awen?"

"Just up ahead. Number twenty one." She smiled as she saw the duplexes. She stretched a little bit and put her arms behind her head. Those two were terribly cute together. They seemed to have a good bond like they had been friends for a long time. Or lovers...the deviant thought made Awen smirk lightly.'

But who wouldn't be that close after falling into the ocean together? Washing up on this strange island with crazy animal people walking about. Who wouldn't become close to the one who was there since the begining? It was...cute.

Avery did like Rex a lot; not in that way, but more like an older brother, or just a really good friend. It was a little strange - he hasn't known Rex for long, and doesn't even really know anything about him. But because of how they both ended up here together, Avery couldn't help feeling some kind of bond with Rex. The man did try to save him, after all.

Avery laughed at Rex's responce and ran up ahead of the two to Awen's duplex, and he waited outside for them to catch up to him. "Come on, guys! I want to get into some real clothes sometime today," he grinned.

Indeed, Rex had never felt anything more for Avery than just a friend or little brother. They had some kind of special connection even though he'd only known him for less than a month. They were buds and Rex felt like it was his responsibility to look out for the guy. He'd failed in saving him from falling overboard and still felt bad for not being able to set things back to normal. Yet now they had a new glimmer of hope.

He walked for a while while Avery ran ahead, but picked up to a jogging pace when he complained,"Impatient, are you?" he smiled, getting to the door of the duplex, "Number 25, gotta remember that." He'd learned so many new names and numbers, it was beginning to get hard rembering them all. Ambrose is 1, Colche is 17? I'm 35, Awen is 21... He ran over the numbers in his head, Rex'd remember them all eventually.

Awen laughed a little bit as Avery ran ahead to the door. She shook her head slowly. Energetic crazy, she wondered what the Doc had in store for that guy. She hoped it wouldn't come to that. Moving to open the door she laughed a little bit.

"Your stuff is on the chair Avery." She said gesturing as she walked into her duplex. She stretched slowly and smiled. Home sweet home. "Rex, welcome to my humble abode."

Avery followed Awen and Rex into the duplex. "Oh, that's right! I'm in duplex 32. Feel free to drop by anytime, either of you." He gathered up his clothes off the chair Awen had put them on. "Using the washing machines doesn't cost any money, does it? 'Cause... I don't have any."

"32, alright." Rex confirmed, stepping into Awen's duplex to check out her living space. It was the same cookie cutter shape and design as Rex's, but it was a bit more homey than his own. Then again, she had been here for months more than he had.

He looked to her nightstand and saw the picture of her parents. Rex didn't have the slightest idea he was going to end up on the island and obviously didn't have anything of his own, just the clothes on his back. Rex's parents were dead to him, he didn't need any pictures of them. However one of Julie to have by his nightstand would have been nice. At least he had his engagement ring to remember her by, and that was good enough for him. He waited for Avery to get his clothes and continued to check out Awen's living space. "Nice room... s'better than my empty one."

Awen shrugged a little bit. "It's not like I did much with it really. I was thinking of redecorating a little bit before I got locked out but..." She grinned over at Avery. "Not like that will matter much now will it?"

She laughed a little at Avery's question though. She moved to a drawer and opened it. Pulling out a purse she started to rifle through it's contents. She plucked a few canadian bills and some change and held it out to Avery. "Man if we needed money I probably wouldn't have this left anymore. Probably would have given it away to the other islanders at this point.... Most people didn't come with cash, everythings pretty much free here..."

She paused a minute and looked at the coins and bills in her hands. "You guys think I should take some of this with me? I mean...if I'm going back to mainland..I might need it?"

"Oh, that's probably true... you should bring it with you," Avery said. "That's good at least - that everything's free. Otherwise, I'd be in trouble," he chuckled. "I never had a job after high school, so I never had any way to make money... my parents just gave me some money sometimes, when I went out with my friends." Avery shrugged a bit.

"Well, I think I'm gonna go wash these now... either of you want to come with?" he asked.

Rex chuckled at Awen while she dug through her drawers, "That'd be just plain mean if he made you play," he saw her pull out the Canadian bills and coins, "You're from Canada? I'm from California." He said, not that it mattered, just throwing that out there. Were all of the islanders english-speaking? That would make things easier for Moreau, but maybe the man liked a challenge. "You might need the money, even if the bills do get a little wet. Though something tells me the police will find you before a taxi or something." The hard part was getting there, but once she came on shore, it should all be a nice and easy downhill trip. Who wouldn't believe this girl? She has fricken webbing under her arms.

Then to Avery, "I actually think I'm going to go for another walk or head back to my duplex, I've had an.. emotional day."

Awen nodded and put the money back into the purse. She'd bring a small wallet or something with her when she goes. Though she wasn't quite as convinced as Rex that it will be downhill when she steps ashore. Monster movies have taught her that these sorts of things weren't exactly... accepted in society.

"Maybe. I just hope there isn't a furry convention or something going on at the time. Or I would blend in all too easily." She gave the guys a slightly grin.

"Naw Avery I think I'm gonna head to the cafe for a bit, grab some more fish sticks or something...." Glancing over to Rex she gave a self satisfied smirk. "Emotional day definately. You're just going to find tissues 'cause I whooped your a** with Kilik." As she spoke she was starting to usher the boys from her duplex.

Avery laughed a bit. "Ouch. Got owned, huh Rex?" he grinned at the other man. "Well, I'll see you two later!" He hugged them both with one arm - Awen first, then Rex - holding his clothes in his other arm. Then he pulled back and waved, and jogged off toward the laundromat.

Furry convention? This one eas definately better left unanswered.

"Yeah, Awen gave me a pretty good pounding. But I'll get my revenge eventually," He winked at Awen and gave Avery his hug, "Later, dude!" he said, waving the boy off as he made his way back towards the town hall.

"I may as well be off, too." He gave Awen a big hug, "Rest well, all right? You're gonna need it." He waved good-bye and headed back to his duplex to sleep after a long day.

Awen gave the two men their hugs in turn. They seemed like such nice people. She gave Avery a little extra squeeze when he hugged her, he really needed the support now.

"And you take care Rexy. Practice and maybe one day you'll beat me. Even with the webs I can handle a controller better than you." She winked and chuckled letting him go.

She grinned a little bit and made her way towards the cafe. She was going to need the rest, Rex was right. And luck.... lots and lots of luck.  

[Awen Zyn]

Unfavourable company

Hands thrust into his pockets, a spring in his step and a whistle in his heart, William made his way down the rows of buildings, looking each over. It really was like a small village. Cor. He wanted to *do* something. Go somewhere. Meet someone. Preferably someone with some good curves and a rather wonderful chest. A nice round buttox would help matters too. This in mind, he found what he figured was the cafeteria, on account of the large, well labeled sign above the door.

Just Awen's luck to be within that very cafeteria as the newcomer would walk in. She was up for a little food carrying a bottle of water and fish sticks on a tray walking carefully to a table. As she glanced up, seeing movement from the corner of her eye, she saw the skruffy looking man making his way in. She hadn't seen him before... But that wasn't a surprise. There were so many islanders that she hadn't even met yet, let alone the new ones that have to be coming in now that things were back to "normal".

She set the tray down and smiled to the man. He looked.. a little creepy, but who was Awen to say what was creepy anymore. She waved a little. "Hey there."

When he heard the voice, William glanced around, spotting the other figure. A girl, eh? A young girl. Even better. He grinned broadly, stalking towards her table to lean a hand down on the counterop and look her over, seemingly oblivious to her strange appearence. "Why hallo there, lass. Tha's a funny headband y'go' there. Y'live here too, then?"

So far, Antony hadn't had the heart to cut holes in her pants for her tails, so like the day before, she was wearing these unbuttoned and slung low under said appendages. Black lace peeked out from the denim, but Antony could care less. Other things were on her mind. She was hungry, and hopefully no one was in the cafeteria.

Unfortunately, she wasn't so lucky.

Pushing the doors open, Antony didn't bother putting out her cigarette when she walked in. She had just lit it, why would she waste it just to appease Awen and some new guy?

She wouldn't.

Antony did feel a little better about herself after she had shaved the fur off of her nose as well as what she could reach on her chest and shoulders. Her changed eyes glanced between the pair before she simply made her way over to grab her food silently.

That was, until she heard the man speak, nearly dropping her tray in a mix between surprise and excitement. He had an accent... A very strong and sexy one at that.

Somehow, she managed to collect her food and meander to an empty table, facing the pair so her tails would remain out of sight.

She'd just listen for now.

Awen glanced over to Antony as she walked in. At first she didn't really see the changes because she was preoccupied with the new comer, but a slow realisation came to her eyes. She didn't know what to say to the girl with...three tails? She had no idea what to do, Antony wouldn't like Awen poking around right now probably.

So she looked back to the greaasy man infront of her. "Um..yeah I do. And..er..it's not a headband." She mumbled the last part. "They're attached."

"Aw, tha's so cute," He chuckled, reaching to playfully tweak her nose. He heard the sound of someone else entering and turned to look. Another woman! This island was looking better and better. "Hoy hoy!" He grinned at her, flashing his yellowed teeth, "Why don' y'come sit down wit' us, then, lass? Plenty o' room fer all!" He grabbed Awen's waterbottle, takinga long drink. Man was he thirsty.

"Because I already sat down," she said with a smirk, raising an eyebrow at the man before returning to her food. That and Antony was having a secretly fun time watching this man making Awen uncomfortable.

And there was the accent as well...

Her nose twitched as the man touched it. She looked down to her plate a minute and shifted in her seat. She looked up at the man and made a face of disgust and surprise when he snagged her water. "Hey tha-" But he had already started talking and it was too late.

Nice rescue there Antony. Awen's only hope was that she would intrige the man enough to have him walk over there and let Awen to her food. She grabbed a stick and chewed it's fishy contents quietly.

But he stayed put, leaning on the table between them, "So this is th'cafeteria, then? Where we all get our food? Lovely, Lovely. Is i' any good?"

Antony put out her cigarette butt before finishing up what food she had gotten quickly. She wanted to be able to smoke and watch this entertainment for as long as possible.

Moments later, there was a fresh smoke dangling from her full lips, which she plucked between two of her fingers so she could exhale. Now she could interject in the conversation. "What else would a cafeteria before?" She interrupted, raising her eyebrows expectantly for an answer. Yes, more accent please.

"Food's not bad." Awen nodded a little bit after Antony said her bit of the cafe. She was actually a little glad Antony was over there and not at her table, Awen wasn't a big fan of smokingin the first place but with her new gills she wasn't sure if it maybe would affect her more, if the smoke went directly through them, or what.

She tilted her head a little looking up at the water-theif. "So...you new to the island eh? When did you get here?" Had to have been within the passed few days sicne the island was back. And that means that the staff must be around.

And that means they have been ignoring her intercom attempts...

William leaned across the table to pluck Antony's cigarette from her mouth and take a drag himself, "Aye, jes' this mornin'," He grinned, smoke curling from his nose. "Lovely place this! Nice lad, tha' Doc."

Antony narrowed her eyes in irritation when he swiped the cigarette from her.

Two could play at that game.

Pushing her tray to the side, Antony leaned forward, allowing her ample cleavage to spill over somewhat as she licked her lower lip. He was only a man, a skeezy one, but a man nonetheless. And from what she could see, he was definately straight too.

Piece of cake.

While he was presumably distracted, Antony snatched her cigarette back and took a drag before plopping back onto her chair and snorting at his comment, "Moreau's an a*****e... Brilliant, but an a*****e."

Awen, while the two were distracted with the cigarette an the ..cleavage...took the opportunity to slip out of her chair slowly. She snuck towards the entrance of the cafe. Neither of the two did she honestly feel like she wan't to be around at the moment.

The Doctor was sort of a jerk, but she wasn't going to say so outloud. She knew that the man was one of their only hopes to be comfortabel here. The recent time without him has only served to teach her that. Speaking of which...she should be trying to comm again, seeing as this greasy guy is here and met Moreau.

She slipped out of the cafe then.  

[Awen Zyn]

Potted Plants, Heat Lamps... and Worried Scales.

Awen sighed a little bit. She felt so guilty for never having met with Amaya again. Things always seemed to get busy, but sometimes she didn't know what she had been doing ith her time. She had assumed most, if not all, islanders had seen the lights and returned. But she felt so guilty for not having seen her scaley friend in ages.

She knocked on the door to Amaya's duplex and waited, something hidden behind her back.

Amaya hadn't left her duplex in a couple of days... though that was alright with her. She didn't belong out there anymore. A pile of food rested on the small table by the window, which had it's curtains drawn. Her light was on, giving her some time to bask on her bed in silence.

At least until there was a knock at her door.

She jumped a little, her head turning around to look at it. Who in the world would be knocking on her door? Ambrose? Chubbs? ... Hargun?! She haden't seen Hargun at all! Her tongue flickered, but was unable to pick up anything through the door.

The iguana girl sat up before slidding off her bed and placing her large feet on the floor. Thankfully her claws didn't click on the carpet. She stopped just behing the door. "He-hello?" Her voice sounded a lot more timid and sad then it ever had before.

"Amaya? Hun that you? It's me, Awen." She smiled brightly hearing Amaya. At least she was in her duplex Awen had feared that the girl wouldn't be in. She knew Amaya couldn't see her encouraging smile and that only made her grin at Awen's own stupidity.

But why had Amaya sounded so...hurt? She wasn't sick was she? After all the rain that had been going on before the reopening Amaya could have easily caught a cold.

Oh... it was Awen. Amaya fidgetted with her long claws. Awen was okay... she wouldn't freak out would she? She was still scared though. Her long tail slid back and forth behind her nervously.

"Yeah... it's me." There was a long pause. "Kinda... anyway..."

The handle clicked unlocked and cracked open. Heat surged from the room from the tiny crack, part of the young girl's face and shoulder in the opening. She wore a hat that blocked some of her face, though the red tank top she wore let little to the imagination.

The joyful, happy expression she normally wore was gone. What was in it's place was a forlorn, defeated looking lizard girl.

Awen closed her eyes softly feeling the warm brush against her skin. She wasn't sure that it was the best thing for her skin.... But it will be alright for a little while. It wasn't like she had to, it just got gross if her skin dried out.

Opening her eyes again she saw Amaya and almost gasped. She wasn't sick, she had changed again. The door was only open a crack or Awen would have wrapped the girl into a hug. "Oh Amaya...."

She hesitated a little bit and pulled a potted flower from behind her back. She had taken the pot from a different plant that was decorating the entertainment room and searched awhile in the jungle for a very pretty flower. She took the time to dig up the roots and transplant the flower into the pot. She held it out to the young lizard. "I had a present...."

Amaya just looked down sadly at her words, then back up as something was brought towards her. A plant?

She hesitated for a moment before opening the door halfway. The only other thing she wore was a red skirt. It was over her tail to hold it up, the back potruding slightly because of it. Though it was the only way to really keep it up. "Thank you. It's beautiful." She managed a smile and took it in both palms to keep from dropping it.

"You... can come in if you want. I dunno if it'll be too hard on your skin though." A scaley face looked at Awen. If she hadn't been in her duplex, one probably wouldn't even be able to recognize her... save for the silver pendent around her neck.

Awenpushed the door open a little and stepped inside the duplex. She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly looking over to Amayaz. "Not a problem really." She whipped up a bottled water, she kept those ones with the clips on the tops so she would always have water, to drink or to absorb.

"Besides if all else goes wrong I can just go for a dip i nthe lake or something." Her grin slowly faded as she took on a more serious tone. "But hey..how are you feeling hun..."

As Awen came in she moved over to her window and pushed one of the curtains so she could sit the flower on the window sill to get some sun. Her long tail dragged on the floor behind her, occasionally twitching.

"You know..." She gave a small shrug, her eyes focused on the flower. "As good as it gets, I guess." One of her hands grabbed a bottled water sitting on the table next to her, then she pulled up a chair and spun it around so she could sit on it. Her tail didn't allow her to sit normally anymore. "I've kinda just been staying in my room."

The young girl didn't seem capable to meeting Awen's eyes as she gestured to the chair opposite of her.

Awen went and took the chair that was motioned to. So Amaya wouldn't feel outcasted Awen spun the chair around an sat like her. It was more comfortable anyway, her own tail wasn't as flexible as she would like...

"Well... I set up the PS2 in the gamesroom for awhile. Figured I should share the joy of SC3 for a little bit before hording it again. Besides..my room gets stuffy after awhile and...the gamesroom has a bigger TV." She chuckled a little bit as she scratched behind her gills.

"You should...come out.... sometime. We could play..." She nodded. She locked her eyes on Amaya's face, noting direct eye contact never happened. "Hey now. Amaya... listen no one will think any different of you... besides..scales are kinda hot eh?" She glanced around the room before looking back at the lizard. "Pardon the pun..."

Amaya listened to her in silence, her eyes only briefly catching Awen's before going back to the floor. "Maybe... I guess..." She took a sip of her water and looked towards the small crack in the curtains.

"The other day... some other blue-haired woman ran into me in the cafeteria. I doubt she could even tell if I was a girl or not." Her frown deepened. She did look very... androgenous without her hair and now that what little breasts she had were practically gone.

She took a deep breath through her scaley nose, exhaling through her mouth. "I don't want to run into any new people either."

The hair on the back of Awen's neck stood on end. Her heart froze up as a frown finally graced her lips. Other blue haired woman? Unbelieveable. "What did Antony do to you?"

She stood up and glared at Amaya's door. "I'll kill her if she said anything...." Talk about pent up anger. Sure she had gotten over the Jamal thing...but Antony's personality in general conflicted with Awen's and for everything Ant did to Joliette..... Awen was a little up in arms.

"Amaya she's just a jerk you shouldn't listen to her. She doesn't know compassion except for those she's trying to lay!" Awen growled under her breath.

"That was Antony?" Amaya watched the older girl, physically cowering a little as she stood and the tone of her voice reached her non-exitant ears.

"Sh-she didn't say anything... really. Just kinda stared at me until I left."

She hadn't said anything. Well...that wasn't as bad... She sat back down and sighed a little bit. "She's just a jerk...like I said." Awen's hand balled into a fist that she kept under the stable.

"Don't poay attention to her Amaya. She doesn't know how to be civil. Honestly she already acts like an animal...and she hadn't changed until like..maybe a few days ago from what I could tell." She sighed heavily. "I think you're very beautiful, inside and out. That stuck up girl is just going to have to learn to deal with the fact that we're all animals now and she'll be seeing a lot more of this."

Amaya simply nodded and smiled a little at Awen's words. Even though she didn't really believe them, she liked being called pretty or beautiful. She would never say it vocally, but she envied the manta ray. She might have been transformed so much, but she looked very gorgeous in the iguana girl's eyes.

"Okay." Came her timid voice, though it seemed a little happier.

Awen rolled her shoulders and sighed a little bit. She was glad to hear the hint of happy in the little one's voice but wasn't sure it was enough. She took a swig of her wateer and just set it down on the table.

"Say maybe I could lug my PS2 over here sometime? Or...the Gamecube or the Xbox..though the box isn't mine I'm sure people won't mind without it for a little bit. I'm honestly starting to think meand Kim are the only ones who use the damn thing.

"I used to play it sometimes..." Amaya frowned again and held out her hands, palms upward. "I doubt I can play it anymore though." The thought hadn't occured to her until now. The controllers were probably way too small.

"Oh...." She looked up at Amaya's hands and frowned looking down. Well that was stupid wasn't it Awen? "I'm...sorry..."

She shook her head a little bit. "I guess I wasn't thinking properlly." She fiddled with the water bottle. "Maybe we could go swimming sometime?"

"It's alright..." Amaya was used to such things by now. "Swimming doesn't sound that bad, though." Another tiny, slightly forced smile.

She nodded and grinned a little bit. This was at least an improvement. Got the girl smiling some and everything. "Amaya....listen... I might... not be around for awhile...After a few days."

Amaya blinked, finally looking up at her. That was an... odd thing to say. She knew she probably wouldn't see her in a couple of days but normally it was just because they didn't run into each other. This seemed... different.

"What? Why?"

She looked around a little bit. She didn't know what to say at all. Should she say anything? Some places she was sure had some gaps in Moreau's little web of hidden cameras and microphones, but the duplexes... were horribly bugged she was sure.

"Im just... needing some time to...stretch my fins abit. I'll be in the water for a long time." It wasn't a lie. But it wasn't truth enough to tip Moreau...she hoped.

Amaya stared at her for a moment before finally catching onto what the older girl meant. She was going to try and swim for help. Her scaley mouth opened, ready to start convincing Awen otherwise. They had ways to keep them on the island, even in the water. Why else would Moreau turn her into a fish?

But she shut her mouth, unable to find anything to say.

By the way Amaya stared at Awen she knew the scaled girl figured it out. Appearently she didn't mask it enough. If Moreau didn't know by now... he was not genious enough to pull this place off.

"You should have seen Avery.... he was so upset Amaya.... He broke down he was crying. Rex too... hell even Jamal cried a bit over this... I can finally help. I don't just have to sit back and wait for something to go wrong with these people. Amaya.... I can help now. I have to.... They still have a chance..."

By the way she was talking now, she figured it was futile to hide it from Moreau... but even so, she spoke in a whisper, bitting her bottom lip with sharp teeth. "But Awen..." Amaya paused. "If he's turning you into a fish he must have already taken precautions. Who knows what he might do to you." Her expression seemed to be getting increasingly worried.

Awen sighed as she looked to the waterbottle in her hands. "I know.... Moreau isn't stupid. He might have something...." She glanced up at Amaya. "But then again he might not. I don't even see what kinds of things could stop me. I'm fast, I can go deep, and he wouldn't ever think of harming hois precious subjects, too much. The way I see it too...is I'm valuable to him, ya? Everyone else has fur and scales, what do I get? Rubber. I mean that's dfferent from anyone else, he can't just throw away this little specimine because she was a little over zealous. If all else fails... it's my instincts that want me to go. I have to go. I want to help, if there's even a chance I can...."

Her eyes were pleading to Amaya. She didn't think the younger girl would understand. Awen knew it was risky..but it was a risk she had to take.

"But won't he just put you to sleep and drag you back? W-What if something happens?" Amaya was still panicing slightly, her fingers fidgetting with her water bottle and her tail slidding from side to side behind her.

"I figure I'll never know until I try." She stood up and slowly walked to the window. Running her webbed fingers along the edge she sighed softly. "Amaya.... I know it's dangerous. I've been afraid of water, especially the ocean almost my whole life. I have had plenty of time to contemplate the dangers of that alone, and lately I've added Moreau to those fears."

She glanced over her shoulder to the lizard. "But the manta says theres nothing to fear. I've been in the lake enough to not fear all of the things I had been afraid of. I know how to swim properly, I know how to use my trans to my advantage. I've got to try.... If there's a chance to make it. To save Rex and Avery. Maybe find a cure for all of us Amaya.... I have to take it, despite the risks. This has to stop."

She turned back to her friend with a passion in her tone. "How many more people does Moreau have to hurt? How many more have to be taken from their homes by a trick or half truth? How many people have to be duped here? I can't let this continue.... I can't let him keep doing this to people. Good innocent people..." Not even Antony deserved this and Awen knew it. She sighed heavily and let her arms drop to her sides. "I have to try."

Amaya watched the manta in silence, her head following her as she walked to the window then back to her. She did very much envy Awen for her determination... her courage.

She stood, pushing her chair away in front of her and walked over to the older girl. For once she didn't hesitate to give her a long hug. Her head nodded, the hat on her head shifting slightly. "Be careful..." The worry was evident in her voice.

The manta carefully wrapped her webbe arms around the lizard slowly and held her tightly. She was very warm and even with scales it felt comforting to have her support.

"I promise." She almost whispered and pulled away to look into Amaya's eyes. "I promise I'll be careful. If it gets to be too much, too dangerous I will turn back. I swear. I'm just going to try."

Amaya pulled back as well, allowing her large hands to drop at her sides. She looked into Awen's eyes and nodded again. Even though she was worried about her friend's safety... she couldn't argue with her reasoning. She had to try. Awen might be the only one who could get off the island and help everyone.

"I'll be fine. I promise." She grinned and patted the girl's shoulder before slowly going to grab her water bottle. She took a big gulp and sighed softly. "But I think I'm gonna head out... this is starting to get too much for me."

She smiled sheepishly. She didn't want to hurt her feelings or anything but...it was just too hot for the manta.

Amaya nodded in understanding and followed her, opening the door awkwardly with her fingers. "It's okay. Just... come by when you come back?" She asked with pleading eyes, her form in a postion behind the door so Awen would see her but any passerbys couldn't.

"Will do." She gave Amaya a broad grin as she stepped out of the door. "I'll be fine I promise. Just take care of yourself. And try to get a little sun hm? A great gal like you shouldn't be all locked up and away."

She waved a little bit and turned strolling down the duplexes. She couldn't believe her passion and confidence either. These changes had inspired confidence where she didn't expect. But Awen wasn't sure if it was from the manta or not. Just the fear if water being taken away....everything didn't seem as bad anymore.

She could do this...


Amaya gave a small wave back as the manta left. "Bye..."

And once she was out of sight, she closed the door slowly and went back to her bed to bask. She had a lot to think about...  

[Awen Zyn]

Surprise Attack

Awen hadn't thought she'd be back here in a long time. After the months she had spent outside without anything, even her video games one would think the girl would hate the confines of the bark and leaves. But a walk was just what she needed to clear her head after her long talk with Amaya. She could do this. She would save the newcomers, if not the islanders. After all..everything had an antidote right? There had to be an antidote.... Something that could reverse them back to normal... Yeah. So she was getting away not just for Avery Rex..and the skeasy new guy.... but for everyone.

She had grown unaware of how loud she was on land, tramping hrough the bushes. She had always been used to being able to tread lightly on the forest floors of her home, but after two months she had gotten used to being a little clumsier on land. A littler louder. It didn't much bother her anyway, she was alone.

Back in the forest's cool darkness, Zach had begun to get a little nervous. He couldn't see much of what was ahead, and only by constantly brushing aside the heavy fern fans and other huge waxy leaves could he even know where to put his foot down next. Odds were he was lost. He'd veered away from following the cliff's edge, and for that he knew he'd have a rough time returning to his duplex. He badly wanted a shower.

His boot was caught in a couple of vines hanging on the ground, and unceremoniously Zach crashed to the wet ground. Ohh did he need that shower now... "Dammit!"

There was mud all over the side of his face, and on his clothes too! Before he could get back to walking, he noticed a sound that he'd assumed to be coming from him. It was the slow footsteps of another person right here in the forest. They were close.

Were they friend or foe? Either way, they must have heard him swear. With his one hand, he grappled a tree trunk in order to stand back on two feet, and busied himself brushing the dirt off his face. There wasn't a reason to run, as they'd only catch him more quickly if he did.

Awen heardthe familiar sound of a body crashing to the ground ending in the dull thud. She frowned. Though she was glad for once it wasn't her falling she hoped the other person wasn't hurt too much.

The unfamiliar voice followed with a curse and she frowned. It wouldn't be the best way to walk in, they might be embarassed when she stepped throguh the bushes and say they had tripped. But she didn't exactly think hiding would do her any good.... and she didn't know the voice.

She stepped slowly towards the place where she heard the man. She put on a smile and opened her mouth to greet the person, warn them she was on her way, but all of a sudden she big flipper like feet caught on a root. She stumbled forward and ended up jumping to keep her balance, landing just before the poor guy.

Zach cried out in alarm and lay stiffly against the tree beind him. A blue and grey humanoid blur seemingly flew through the nearby trees to land right in front of him.

"Get away from me!" He didn't bother with formality. He - or she - had nearly killed him! There wasn't anywhere to run now.

Well, on a closer inspection, it was a girl. But he also saw the winglike flaps and wriggling horns, and the overall shiny texture to her grey-tinted skin. The blue hair didn't help. She looked like a monster.

He felt like prey. His fingers wrapped around a length of his rope. If she tried to attack again, he'd attempt to entangle her with it and run like hell.

Awen blinked a little bit in the face of the man. Her cheeks took on a crimson hue as she quickly stepped back. He had obviously not been on the island very long at all. She withdrew as much as she could and tried to make herself appear as unthreatening as possible.

"Oh my gosh I'm so sorry..." She pointed over her shoulder. "I...tripped over a root there....I didn't mean to scare you...."

She scratched her neck softly and sighed a little. "I'm Awen.... Terrible way to meet someone..I'm sorry."

That was it. He'd never get used to this place. The adrenaline from that shock was making him shake. So her name was Awen... he'd have to remember that.

"P-pleased to meet you, A-Awen..." His hand slowly loosened from the rope. Having figured he would be in a cave by this time of day, Zach had neglected to do anything about his other sleeve. She'd quickly notice his lack of a left arm. It wasn't easy to miss. "I'm Zachary... s'my fault. I-I'm not used to this place."

Still breathing quickly, he tried to sort out her predicament. He couldn't imagine what she was turning into. It was grosteque. At least even the reptilian islanders were recognizable. This girl... the animal she was becoming wasn't even imaginable. She definitely looked like a particularly affected victim of this whole sick joke. His eyes betrayed his thoughts, as they were still wide and full of horror at her transformed appearance.

After her encounter with Amaya earlier she had felt a little better about how she was looking. Not because she thought Amaya had looked bad, by no means. She just sort of saw it in Amayas eyes, something that had made Awen feel better. And Lauren, she had practically...well...that was a different situation altogether, but she didn't think Awen was too freakish either. All of the other islanders, even the newcomers seemed to think she wasn't that bad looking.

But it only took this one to break down the newfound confidence. She kept her arms down and fingers closed so that the weebing would be less appearant. She tried to fluff her hair a little bit to make the prongy things not look so evident, though that was futile.

"No..I jumped out and scared you I'm sorry." As she got a better look of the guy, except for the blur and the face close up she had a chance to notice the man's arm or rather lack there of. Her brow creased in sympathy for a second but then quickly schooled that away...he probably didn't want her pity. And... he was distracted anyway.

"Why don't you sit down or something.... you're shaking like a leaf. I take it your new.... I'm so sorry that was horrible of me."

He pushed the rope back up to his shoulder to keep it there. The girl looked... self-conscious? She was preening herself quickly in front of him, obviously making a major effort to hide her changes. He felt a pang of guilt at that. It wasn't her fault she looked like that. She was a captive here against her will.

He saw the look of pity that crossed her face. He was glad that it left just as quickly. He honestly didn't need that at the moment. He needed his shower. That'd be the prize of putting up with this godforsaken forest.

"I'm fine... really..." He'd stop shaking after a few minutes. He just had to wait for the scare to wear off. He didn't offer a handshake, seeing how his glove was now all muddy. "I guess I really need to stop being so scared of this place. You guys don't need a newcomer like me freaking out all the time. I'm going to learn my lesson..."

Not that he had a choice in that.

"As long as you're okay... You don't have to be afraid" Awen smiled softly. The manta meant that the man didn't need to be afraid really but she was also thinking about her escape. She wouldn't start explaining her plan again and she didn't want to give other people hope, now that she was feeling self concious she didn't know if she could pull it off.

"So you're new hm? You don't know your way around the island either hm?"

"Oh, yeah, I'm still unfamiliar with this place. I don't think I've been here a full week, even. I have a map, but..."

But it reminds me of that sadistic freak Duvert every time I look at it.

He peeled himself off of the tree. "Oh! I almost forgot. My name is Zachary." He smiled politely. It really just took a good amount of staring to get used to the outlandish appearances here.

The duplex was getting to be claustophobic, Lauren wanted to get out and explore. The best spot for this was of course, the jungle.

In an unusually chipper mood, Lauren was walking through with her mp3 player drowing out any noise from her pointed ears. She was singing aloud to the music.

"Hermaphrodites with x-ray eyes,
Shapeshift into paradigms.
March like nazi's to a polka dirge,
To conjure the spirit of lucifer.
Virgin mongoloid.
Girlfriend mentally begins to bend.

Valley girl ventriloquists.
Move her lips and slash her wrists.

Ammonia sweet river,
Winged rats will take us there,
Anchored by the ledfish.
We are pregnant with animal joy.

Don't fall asleep or we'll mutilate your genitals."

Awen had opened her mouth to say something to Zachary but all of a sudden she learn a familiar voice singing outloud to a rather "cheery" song. Blinking she turned around to see a flash of someone trampsing through a nearby bush. "Uuhh..... the heck?"

She motioned for Zach to come along. "Don't worry..she's harmless."

She stepped slowly towards her dear friend, just out of her line of sight. "Hey there Lauren." No answer.. she said it a little louder. "Hey Lauren!"

Nothing...

She grabbed the mongoose's arm softly. "LAUREN!"

Zach was a little disturbed by the randomly thrown together words being sung, especially in the dark here.

The name... he'd met her before once, shorty. Lauren!?

The mongoose. She had seemed a little off, in that she didn't treat the island experience very negatively. Her appearance stood out, especially the long fingers.

He waved to her, though she didn't seem to notice. Awen went ahead and got her attention instead.

After his shower, Rex decided to go for a little walk out in the jungle. As far as he knew there wasn't a gym here and his muscles craved some exercise. A little hike never hurt anyone.

So there he was, venturing through the forest and enjoying the fresh air. The sunlight trickled through the tree's high canopy in little splotches, though most of the forest was shadowed and dark. In a way, it was pretty soothing.

Rex heard them first, a few different voices, one of them singing. "Hmm?" He said, seeing some silhoutted bodies through the thicket. he approached quietly at first until he saw the webing under one of the bodies' arms. "Oh, hey Awen!" Then the strange man from the cafeteria earlier, Zachary? "And Zach!" though the third figure he'd yet to meet.

Lauren looked up, pulling the headphones from her ears as the shouting song by Dog Fashion Disco could still be heard... all be it slightly muted.

"Awen!" She said as she hugged the fish girl. "Oh man... I have some freakish news!" Odly enough, Lauren was happier than she had been in months.

"And Zach! Hey... how's things? Not going to spazz out on me are you?" She gave him a friendly punch to his good arm.

Lauren spotted the muscular tall blonde man, "Hey! Names Lauren what's happenin' ?" She held out a clawed hand towards him when he aproached closer.

The flurry of greeting exchanges confused Awen terribly. She first turned to Rex. "Hey man!" Then quickly looked back to Lauren when she announced she had freakish news. "Oh yeah? How ya doing anyway? Sorry for dtiching you."

Then she saw the girl punch Zach in the good arm and almost had a heart attack. The poor guy was near a breakdown because of Awen he did not need someone's fist flying at him.

Then just as quick the hand reached out to the male blond. Dizzy, confused she tried to stumble over words. At least everyone seemed to know her and Zach. "Er Lauren that's Rex, Rex this is Lauren, a very good friend. Oh and thanks Rex for reminding me... Lauren I've got to talk to you about something..."

"Ow," he grimaced, trying to laugh off the punch. She didn't seem to notice; her mood looked too good to be spoiled by something like that. He hoped it wouldn't be. She got a little instinctive when it was, as he'd witnessed on the beach.

The other man from the cafeteria, Rex, sauntered over. Zach still didn't trust this guy, no matter how friendly his demeanor. He gave a vague nod toward the guy. "Rex?"

Underlying the whole accidental gathering here was a sense of business. It paid not to be noticed sometimes, but it wasn't going to happen on this island.

Well, he couldn't do anything but wait out the soreness of his arm where Lauren had knocked it. He was curious what was going to be said.

Rex first turned to Lauren, her spindelly hand stretched forward. He shook it in greeting and locked in on her eyes with a friendly smile. "Lauren? Rex." He stated simply, jotting her name down in his mind. She looked a little changed, but nothing drastic.

Then he looked to Zach, giving a nodding in confirmation at his name. It seemed like a question, though he'd just met him not long ago. Ahh well, Rex had some trouble with names as well.

He went to Awen and put his arm over her shoulder in a half-hug, glad to see his girl out and about instead of cramming in video game hours. I reminded her of something to say? He thought, unsure of what it could be. It must be her trying to swim away soon, he was still nervous as could be but decided to keep his emotions hidden. Rex didn't think this was something he should be advertising and telling everyone about.

"Hey rex! New huh?" She said as his pretty blue eyes met with hers. Too bad they were attached to a male, such a waste.

"Yeah.. sure thing." She said to Awen. "Now?" What Lauren was hopeing Awen had to talk about was probably not something she was going to talk to Lauren about, but regardless the hope was there. Lauren waited for an answer. "And I need to tell you my thing too!" She looked over at the other islanders. Did she really want to sound excited about this in front of them? She alread got bad PR for being Moreau's student.

For now, Lauren was going to be quiet about things unless proded too deeply.

Awen smiled at the exchange. Now? Well... Awen took into concideration who was around. Sure Rex was fine, he already knew... but Awen had already been resolved on the issue not to tell Zach. No...now wasn't a good idea. She didn't want it leaking to too many people. She had only told Amaya and was only planning on telling Lauren, maybe one other person. People she trusted and needed to know she was leaving....

"Um... not now. It's something er... a little more er...private." Great that had two effects coming, Lauren's probably going to think it's something about their hollow-tree talk and/or Zach is going to feel left out because Rex reminded Awen of something to say to Lauren and Zach is hte only one not in the loop. Great. She did not want to hang out for dmaage control on this one.

"But hey whatever, um... I think I'm going to..head to the river.. my.. skin is starting to flake again.."

Oh dear, looks like she noticed his curiosity straight off. His arm couldn't possibly be the reason he was hard to miss; maybe it was his totally human looks that made him noticable. Rex had stuck out like a sore thumb to Zach initially, when he hadn't seen a normal person for days.

He looked back at the others. He felt a little awkward, like being alone with the enemy. These two didn't seem very bothered by the island. Lauren, it had already been established, was a big fan of Moreau, whose life or death status was ambiguous. Rex was someone who could only be speculated on, but he gave off this strange sense of NOT being bothered by the island.

Zach cleared his throat and began to toy with the rope on his arm. He sure as hell wasn't going to continue saying things he'd regret.

He continued to smile, looking at Lauren. "New? Umm, I've been around here for a while, but new in several regards." He swept his hands up his chest, motioning to the fact that he'd yet to change. Time was ticking and recently things had seemed that if they didn't get to work on this escape plan, they'd lose all the hope they never had. He'd had his doubts about Awen's journey, but had to remain confident.

Rex wondered if Awen's secret really was the escape plan. Was she not telling Lauren because Zach was around. Awen seemed to trust this blonde girl, she did call her 'a very good friend'. "To the river with yeh?" He looked closer to the rubbery patches on her skin, "yeah, you are looking a little dry."

Zach seemed uncomfortable.. indifferent. Was there something about Rex that just made him feel awkward, or was Zach always like this? He'd left in a hurry back at the cafeteria as well, maybe starting some nice conversation would get him talking again, "So Zach, how've you been? And what's with the outfit? Going mining?" He didn't mean to sound sarcastic or rude, Rex was genuinely curious. You didn't see people in the jungle an odd outfit like that often.

A surprised an happy look came upon Lauren's face. It was private? Was it really what she was thinking about? This day kept getting better and better "Sure Awen! It can wait until later." She gave her a wink and another hug. "See ya! Don't be too long."

Yeah she was looking a little dry. She pushed aside several creative thoughts on how to fix that.

Getting her mind out of the gutter, Lauren looked back to Rex, "Yeah, you havn't changed.. that's what I was refering too." He didn't seem too bothered by things which she fond odd and comforting. Maybe this was someone Lauren could talk with about things around here. She mentally jotted his name down to bring up with Moreau later.

Lauren's eyes looked at Zach's outfit. What was that about anyway. And... he was missing an arm as well. Was he a veteran and had wicked cool war stories to tell? "Yeah, what are you planning?" maybe it was a dumb escape attempt.

Before they all got too in depth into their 'why is Zach wearing that?' convorsation Awen quickly hugged Rex and Lauren. "See you guys. Um Lauren I'll drop by your duplex after supper, alright?" She nodded a bit then looekd to Zach.

"Nice meeting you. I hope we see eachother again sometime." She smiled brightly and trodded off to the river.

"Bye guys!" She shouted with a slight wave of her hand.  

[Awen Zyn]

[ Message temporarily off-line ]  

[Awen Zyn]

Attack at the Riverside

Awen was floating lazily on her back in hte river. She had been practicing for the majority of the time she's been wake for her off island swim. She knew she told Rex and Avery she would do it very soon, she was starting to get self concious about the amount of time she was taking, but she had to be ready. She had to make sure she could swim all that way without something going wrong. She just needed a bit more practice.

But she was tired and relatively sore for the amount of hard swimming she had been doing, so she simply floated on her back kicking her feet slowly to propell her back towards the village. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

She hadn't gotten around to ordering a bathing suit yet, mainly because the intercom still hadn't had any responce. Awen instead wore the jeans-cut-to-shorts and green shirt she wore during the passed few months. She had washed it at least, and cut the ripped bottom of the shirt so Jamal's claw marks weren't there anymore. Needless to say that left....very little to the imagination at the moment.

Having successfully avoided Antony, Billy soon found the ocean give way to river, watching the sand change to dirt and rocks as he explored away from the beach. Stupid woman, spoiling his fun. Ah well, it was a large island. He hadn't gone far befor he spotted a girl swimming, and his mouth twisted into his usual grin. It was the girl he had met the other day. Brilliant. "HOY!" He called, "Don' drown, Lass!"

Happy to have a camera again, Joliette wandered into the jungle towards the river, camera strap over her neck, and pocketted vest holding lots of film and lenses. She was tweaking the dials pausing now and then to take a photo, and then she heard a voice and looked up, a new person, or least someone she'd never met, and most certainly not change... Drown? she peered through her lens to the river.. Awen, nah she wouldn't drown.. She altered her path and headed towards where the pair were

She tilted her head from her spot on the river and she grinned a little bit. "No chance of that stranger! Gills and every thing." She hoped by now the guy had understood about the island. With all the progressed islanders around how could he not? At least he couldn't steal her water this time. No, this was her domain this place was all hers.

She didn't see Joli at all. From her position she could barely see the skeasy guy, let alone the quiet photographer.

"Gills, eh? So yer a fish?" He squatted on the bank, looking down at her with a mischeivious look. "Or a mermaid?" Hell, he'd let these people believe what ever they wanted to. At times like this, he often would believe he himself was changing. One night he was *convinced* he was turning into a lamp, afterall. It was only after the dishwashing detergant had worn off that they could have convinced him otherwise, and all they had been able to do to keep his fingers from any elecrtical outlet.

"She's turning into a manta ray" Joliette said quietly in her own thick accent as she came up behind the scruffy looking male "Hello Awen" she says pausing to one side of the male, she wondered just how long hte man had been on the isle. She set a dial on the new camera and observed them both.

Awen opened her mouth to answer, but blinked when the words came out in a thick british accent. That definately was not her voice. She let a grin slip to her lips as she saw Joli appear beside the strange man. "Yeah what she said manta ray and all." She swam over to the bank but stayed in the water, at least now she was standing on the ground under the water. "Hey Joliette."

"So you've come to terms with Moreau's experiments? That was fast of ya."

"Oooh, so it aint jes' yanks on th'island, eh?" He beamed at her, "I was startin' t'get scared," He turned his attentions towards the new comer. She was small and young... but then again, he liked them small and young and tender, didn't he? Although her complexion left a lot to be desired. Ah well, he was still having fun. He swaggered towards her, shifitng in and out of view in her lens.

Joliette snapped a photo and then lowered the camera "Glad to see you are well Awen" she replies with a smile and then looked towards the taller man "No there are others here besides 'yanks' as you put it" Her forked yellow tongue flicked as she finished her words, interesting swagger, it only made her curious what his story was, Lily's words had started her journalistic wheels turning and they'd yet to stop

Awen nodded up to Joli. "You too. I couldn't find you and Chubbs after you guys left camp that one time. I dunno I guess our group kind of failed. Glad you see you're alright though! Lauren's fine too...incase you're wondering."

She crossed her arms a little bit. "Hey, who are you calling a yank?" Assuming of course that meant yankee, which to her mean a citizine of the USA. "I'm Canadian, not American thank you very much." She stuck her tongue out at the two then chuckled a little bit. How childish.... But she didn't care she was in quite the good mood. Swimming did that for her these days.

"So th'two o' ye are friends, then?" Billy growled, pulling the camera out of Joli's hands to pull her closer by the strap, "Play t'gether, do ye?"

"I saw David a few days ago, he's good, and I'm glad to hear Lauren is too" She says to Awen sounding glad for the news just before he takes hold of her camera. "Oy! Let go" she said firmly in annoyance her hand taking hold of the wrist of the hand holding her new camera her eyes narrowed, she didn't like how he was pulling her

Awen frowned and immideately stepped from the water. "Hey let go of her." She didn't like this at all. What did he think he wasn't doing to Joliette? And hey that was a new camera wasn't it... her old one hadn;t been in good shape last Awen heard.

So hastling her friend and damaging new equipment like that? Heck no! "What do ya think you're doing man?"

He chuckled harder at the game, pulling it off of her neck completely as he heald it up high, turning his back on her, "Wha' sor' o' camera is it? I've been known t'be a bi' o' a photographer meself, y'know! This is th'button tha' takes th'pictures, aye?" He jogged backward, snapping photos of her enraged expression.

Joliette's claws dragged roughly biting into the flesh of his wrist as his hand moved furhter away from her, He expression is NOT impressed at all.. Words not in her frame of mind having ony just got that camera, his arms in the air to keep it out of her reach, he left himself open and she decided to take advantage of that. Situations like these were why her parents insisted she take martial arts right through to black. Angry, he aims her fist at his gut

Awen frowned this was not going good and she couldn't know what to do about it. If This guy took off she sure as heck couldn't keep up and....oh... never mind. Joliette seems to be able to take care of it as Awen has that partly scaled and clawed fist heading for his gut. Angry Jolieete would be scarey, even for a short thing like her. Angry Joliette with the vicious Awen-eating lizard look in her eye.... terrifying.

"This is not going to end well..." She mumbled under her breath.

She stepped a little bit away and moved around the man as Joliette had him there. She'd just hang back and..block the way to the village. If Joliette went too far, the manta would step in. But... she'd just stop the skease for now.

"Just give the camera back man" It was more for his own good she thought, than anything.

"Ach! Soddin' b***h!" He snarled, his wrist stinging as the force of the blow made the camera drop from his hands to the muddy, stoney bank with a heartwrenching crack and he staggered backward. "I was jes' playin'!"

"I do not take taking someone elses brand new property as playing when they told you to stop. I just got that camera if it's toast, I will be even angrier then I am now" she steps towards the camera and scoops up her equipment looking it over her tongue flicking angrily as she brushes the mud off

"Gormeless plonker!" she says angily when her eyes light upon the broken lens on the front of the camera. She looks at him the anger that can accompany the Komodo behind her eyes as she stares at him

Awen frowned a little bit but didn't move from her path between the two and the village. She knew that look in her eye and Awen didn't like it too much. She moved forward a put a hand on the guy's shoulder. "Shouldn't haven taken it though... islanders tend to be a little volitile when they're changing...." She muttered in his ear.

She looked back over to Joli. "Now.... it's okay Joli. The film's alright, right? I'm sure the Doc won't mind getting you a new one if anything's broken.... It's alright Joli... he was just playing around... he didn't mean anything by it." Glancing back to the man she added. "But it still wasn't very nice."

"Wha's this crap abou' changin'?? Everyone's blatherin' on an' it's mad!" He snarled, pulling away from the two young women, his face flushed as he gripped his wounded wrist.

"Moreau is changing us all ... we are all prisoners here, and we are all his lab experiments for lack of a better word. Every single one of us, including you, Is being changed into an animal." she tells him bluntly

She loops the camera over her head again "As for the film,.." she shakes her head and looks at Awen with a much softer expression "I'll have to open the camera in teh darkroom and what not, I've got more lenses, I'll change it"

"Bloody hell," He grunted, "She's go' some fingernails on' tha' gel!" He spat in Joli's direction rudely, grimacing as he felt the blood get sticky under his hand, "Fine, fine, lead away, lass."

Awen nodded a little bit at Joli's explaination of the film. She hoped it was fine, and it probably should be. It was odd though, to hear Joli explain the same thing Awen only months before Awen tried to hammer into the photographer's brain the hard way.

She looked to the man's wrist and frowned. "That looks nasty..... I have a first aid kit in my duplex... We could help fix that..."

"Claws, not nails, I'm being turned into a Komodo Dragon, these are just the first stage" she wiggles her fingers towards him and then looks at Awen, she said we, Joli intended to follow

"Eh..heh right then." She smile and put a hand on the greasy man's arm to turn him toward the village. "Um.... good to just keep pressure on it. It doesn't look..er..too bad." She glanced back over her shoulder to make sure Joli would come too. This guy was hurt sure, but he still creeped Awen out terribly.

"I don't know your name yet either. I'm Awen Zyn, that back there is Joliette."

"William. Friends call me Billy," He answered gruffly, "Well, Miss *Joliette*," The name sounded peculiar strained in his brogue, "Aught t'keep a better handle on her temper. Or someone'll get hurt." At that, he gave a sharp laugh.

"Three people have gotten hurt by me, and all of them for doing something against me, I can, and will defend myself, I may be short... but I'm not helpless" she says following closely behing Awen, she wasn't liking hte idea of leaving Awen alone with him in Awen's unit, so she was glad Awen seemed to want her to follow