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

[Awen Zyn]

And the waves they crash over me...

Awen arrived first at the beach. She strode out and stood for a short while looking at the waves before her. She stepped out until she stood around ankle deep in the water. She stomach was knotted and twisted with conflicting emotions. She wanted to go the manta said so, she had to go Jamal laying in his cage screamed it, but still the underlaying fear of the ocean was still there. Somethin deep inside made her pause.

She took a few deep breaths. She looked back at the island she had spent the passed months on. The memories it brought, the joys and the horrors. She had to go... But a few minutes of basking here wouldn't hurt her.

She closed her eyes and simply listened to the waves, smelled the salt from the water. She knew soemthing wasn't right but she pushed it to the back of her mind. She was focused....

Opening her eyes once more Awen started to slowly move into the water. The cool embrace felt good on her rubbery skin and the manta was certainly pleased. Something in her gut nagged though. Rex, she had seen Rex. And Amaya... she was there. Awen thought that maybe..they would follow her. Surely they figured out what she was doing? She told both of them before, Rex had the note but surely Amaya could figure it out by the way she had stormed in and away so quickly. Awen guessed they... just couldn't see her off. Maybe they didn't want Zach to see.

Whatever it was Awen knew in this she was alone. She didn't want to be...but she was alone. The water was up to her waist and she checked to see if the wallet would still be in place. She jean shorts fit snuggly against Awen's legs and the wallet was held safely between her skin and jean.

Her heart pounded. How could she be doing this? The water was chest deep as she remembered that poor man's tears. Jamal locked in the cage. Amaya's sad look at her newest transformation. Awen's own fear and pain turning into a manta ray. This had to stop.

Awen would stop it.

Or at least give it a try. She knew the doctor would probably try to stop her, had some precaution in place. Or maybe he had hoped the island would be nice enough, that Awen would be too afraid to swim off. A feat only a fish could do...and Awen was the only fish. He must have seen the meak girl and not accounted for her heart. That was it. He was counting on her fear to push her back to shore.

The waves were crashing passed her on their way to the beach. They cared not of the little blue haired bobble in their midst. She felt the fear rising up in her. She knew it was now or never. She had to go... into the place that took her parent's lives; into something that could easily take her life. She had to go now before this fire ran out.

She took a deep breath and plunged under the surface. With a mighty kick she already propelled through the water passed where her toes could ever reach. She opened her eyes letting them adjust to the waters around her. It was beautiful.

Awen had never seen anything so clear in her life. She pushed her way through the water a small grin on her face. This wasn't so bad. This was great. The manta finally felt free inside of her. This was where she belonged.

But something wasn't right. Something just didn't fit. An itch in her gills, she'd never had an itch like this while swimming. It was almost... like a burning sensation.

And then the pain really began.

Awen's gills burned worse than a cut would in the salt water. She stopped moving forward as she brought her hands to the sides of her neck. She tried putting some pressure on them to aliviate some of the pain, but it only made it worse. She let go promptly and clenched her fists.

Deep under the water she could still feel the pull and drag of the waters pushing her back towards the island. She couldn't go back, she had to keep...

But this pain! She didn't understand what was going on. Her pulse was quick as she felt her heart rattling against her ribs. She could breathe underwater, she should be able to breathe under these waters! But she couldn't. Awen couldn't breathe.

She stomach tightened into a knot as she felt her lungs start to burn. She didn't know if it was because her gills stopped working suddenly or if it was all in her head that the air wouldn't come but at this point she didn't care. She looked up and noted she was a long way to the surface. She had gone passed a huge drop off by the island and was in the colder depths now. This wasn't good she was fast but.. how fast?

She couldn't waste anymore time as the blue haired girl pushed her hands down and kicked her legs aiming for the surface. She had to make it. Once she had her head above water she would be able to breathe again. The nausea set in alongside the pain. Awen's stomach gave a heave but nothing came out. Instead Awen instinctively tried to draw in a breath of air, where there was no air to be had.

Water now had filled her lungs and her first reaction was to couch and get it out. But coughing required more air and more air only lead to more coughing. She had to get to the surface. She was almost there...she had to make it... if she could just make it to the surface at least....

She felt herself fading slowly. The water was seeping throguh her still too human lungs. She felt dizzy, light headed, naucious...and sleepy. She shook her head slowly as her movements became sluggish. The currents were pushing her back towards the shore but she was still under the water. The safe sand would do her no good if her lunges were full of water. With the last kick she could muster she propelled herself up and broke the surface of the water.

She coughed and hacked and still couldn't properly breathe at all. She felt like vomiting but she couldn't. Not now..not here. Her stomach clenched as she hit the surface of a small sand dune under the water. She was back to where she could be on her hands and knees on solid sand. She felt the waves crashing upon her back as she faced the island...and her stomach and lungs couldn't take anymore. Half a cough half a wretch the content of Awen's stomach emptied into the water around her. It took a short while but soon she just couldn't heave anymore.

She crawled her way throguh the sands, passed the tiny shells and small rocks below her. She coughed and weezed and still felt like she was going to be sick again. Her gills burned like nothing she had felt before. Awen managed to pull herself up to shore, so she couldn't wash away and collapsed.

She turned her face to the side so she wouldn't breathe in the muddy sand below. She still coughed as the waves slowly crashed onto the shore around her, beating against her.

This was a bad idea..... it had been a horrible horrible idea..... She remembered something...it had been so long ago. Something the skunk man had sung once. And the waves they crash over me... For some reason that stuck in her mind.

Those waves were washing over Awen, taking away her hopes of escape, ridding her of any further delusions. This had been a bad idea from the start. Something went wrong.... terribly wrong.... She didn't know what... but she was too exhausted to care.

The lingering feeling of being beaten was the last she felt. The disappointment in Avery's face, and Jamal in the cage were the last images that graced her mind. Awen let out a might cough...and slipped into blackness.  

[Awen Zyn]

A Useless Lump

Joliette trudged along towards the beach with him "Awen said we should go see her at some point..." Her tongue flickered the breeze off the ocean reaching her ... She hated the scent of the wsalt water that reached her via her tongue. She looks onto the beach as she reaches the sand "David... whats that?" she asks hoping her eyes were playing tricks on her seeing a form further down the beach at hte water's edge

Chubbs nodded a bit, he wasn't really listening all that much, he'd been thinking so much lately and that's what was bringing him down. The statement finally registered and he looked to Joliette.

" Yeah, that'll be good, haven't seen her since the camp"

Chubbs stretched a bit and blinked at Joliette as she asked what it was she was weeing. Chubbs tried to follow her line of sight to see what it was. It took him a moment, there was something on the beach near the water. He couldn't tell from where he was.

" Not a clue hun"

Joliette squinted "It looks like a person.. Oh god David what if it's someone else to get caught here" she said thinking the worst, that it was yet another person to get trapped "Come on.. we have to go see" she lets go of his hand to hold her camera tighter and picked up speed hurrying as fast as her heavy feet would carry her across the same

Chubbs wondered what she was on about, did she mean someone washed up? Great deal crap they landed into then hey, from the frying pan into hell. Chubbs ran to keep up with Joliette, she was a bit faster than he was but he tried. Getting closer now it certainly looked like a person.... kinda.

Once close she has a much better look who it is... "David ... oh god it's not anyone new it's Awen!" she looked over her shoulder at him before stopping near and dropping onto her knees trying to sort out what was going on

Chubbs heard one name and sprinted, he huffed heavily as he skidded on his knee's to pull up beside Joliette. Chubb's head just ran into panic and overdrive, trying to remember waht to do. Did she dive onto a rock or something? He didn't see anything that suggested he couldn't move her and so he rolled her onto her back to see what was wrong.

Awen didn't have much to respond with. She was breathing, thankfully enough, she had ejected enough of the water from her lungs and stuff from her stomach out further. However the breathing was shallow and she looked even paler than usual.

A small noise escaped her lips but it was barely heard let alone understood, even by the hightened senses of the islanders. Nothing else came from the poor manta.

The sound of an all-terrain Jeep could be heard just moments later. Speeding down the beach as a very peeved looking Aubrey Lockheart. She was wearing casual clothes, a pair of jeans and a tee shirt. However, most notably was her neck. On one side a long bandge, on the other a smaller patch over one area. The skin on the throat was red and blotchy - a recently injury beginning to form a bruise.

She pulled up close to the group, spraying sand as the Jeep came to a halt. She jumped out, carrying an emergency kit. "Get away from her!" Aubrey bellowed at Chubbs and Joli, sounding furious and glaring at them as if they had done her a personal grievance. "Back away from her now of I will put you both down so help me..."

Joli had already experienced the sleep command and serious had no desire to repeat it, her expression was likely one of shock considering the last time she'd seen this woman she'd been standing or sitting silently with the Git when she first arrived....

She stood, hands jsut holding her camera as she backed up and then sat down several feet away "Come on David" she says softly to him

Chubbs blinked at hearing an engine, a jeep? what the heck. Seeing a woman pull up in it, was confusing even more. If it had of been Sabin, Chubbs would have evicerated him by now. Was this a lab staff? it was somewhat confirmed when she yelled at them to get away, and threatened them while pulling out a med kit. Chubbs didn't move, not an inch, and just stared at the woman. Every hybrid fibre in his body just wanted to break her face but h held on and just looked down out Awen.

" No... do what you have to, she needs help and I'm not going"

"And just how the ******** do you think you're going to help her, you lug?" Aubrey snapped, motioning the emergency kit. "Do you even a clue what the hell is wrong with her? Why she's like how she is? She's not out of the woods just because she's breathing, its more serious than that? So I suggest you move right now or not only will you be waking up god knows where, you might have Ms. Zen's death on your shoulders."

The woman did not look like she was in the mood for bullshit as she narrowed her eyes at the man.

"David, love please... " Joliette asked from where she sat, she felt she was far enough away, she could watch, but not be in the way, she really hoped her friend was ok. Crossing paths with a staff member here seemed to tend to be a bad idea, she didn't want to see David fall to those three horrible words

Chubbs visably went pinkish, his tuffs of fur and hair grew pink like in colour as he stared up and through the woman. His ears flattened back and he stopped breathing all together. A flush of warmth hit his body and all he heard was the beat.

Ga-thump
Ga-thump
Ga-thump

Chubbs stared at Aubery as he got to his feet, he heard nothing else but her heartbeat in his ears and saw nothing else but her flesh in his eyes. Chubbs tilted on a knifes edge, and as if the remaining sanity of Chubbs tugged at his mind, he took a step back from Awen.

Aubrey gave a curt nod, the closest to a 'thank you' he was going to get.

She reached Awen and pulled out the resuscitator to make sure she was getting several good lungfuls of oxygen until her breathing returned to normal.

"Just be still," she said quietly to Awen, brushing her hair out of her face. It was almost frigtening how fast her attitude when to b***h to motherly.

She pulled out a penlight and checked her pupil dialation, took her blood pressure, and temperature. She did it quickly as she could and still be effective, looking up every few minutes to make sure the others kept their distance.

Convinced Awen was stable enough to get to her Duplex, Aubrey put away her kit and then attempted to lift Awen off the sand and into the Jeep.

Joliette didn't move away from where she was sitting, but she did take few photos, some of the ocean, a few of Aubrey and Awen, and some of David, "She'll... be ok?" Joliette asks from her spot when it looked like Aubrey was about to move her friend

Awen, who hadn't been very responsive to date, groaned slightly at the point that Aubrey shone the light in her eyes. She had heard the quiet tone and felt the comforting hand brush away the still wet strands. Something Awen hadn't felt in a long time surfaced in her. The feeling of being with her mother again, she was dazed by the encounter with the ocean and wouldn't have been surprise had she...not made it. So... that's why Awen's mom was around.

When the manta was hauled to her feet she tried to stand too but her legs gave way almost the second pressure was applied. She opened her mouth trying to speak but couldn't form words. Instead she coughed some more.

Chubbs wanted to rend something, especially Aubery. Awen came into his few and he sniffed. She was looking at least alive and somehow, that wassuddenly all that mattered. He walked up to Aubery as she tried to get Awen to the jeep. a fist balled tight out of his right hand. He reached out with clwaed finger to turn Aubery to face him. But she was not met with a fist in the face, but two arms that took Awen from her. He nodded to Aubery to continue to the jeep as he made his way there himself.

" I said I'd help... even if I'm a lug"

With that he settled Awen gently into the jeep and made sure she was comfortable and secure.

Aubrey glowered at Chubbs as he touched, opening her mouth to get the command words out, but then he took Awen...and Aubrey forced herself to hold off...at least until Awen was secure.

"She'll be fine," Aurbey said to Joli. "She just needs some rest and lots of fluids."

She didn't say anything to Chubbs, but as the MOMENT Awen was buckled into the Jeep, Aubrey peeled off towards the village.  

[Awen Zyn]

Freak Show and Chocolate Cake

The sound of unfamiliar birdsong drifted through the window, eliciting a groggy, incomprehensible growl from the cocoon of sheets on the bed. An arm snaked out and grabbed the alarm clock on the nightstand. "Whuh time izzit?" Apparently the answer the clock gave wasn't pleasing, for it was tossed unceremoniously aside with another half-coherent curse. Chert didn't travel well. It boggled his mind that something as simple as sitting in place for a few hours could wreak such havoc with one's internal cycles. He was muzzy, sore, and definitely not ready to face consciousness, but even burying his head into its customary place under the pillow couldn't help him to fall back to sleep. The rest of the island was waking up, and he seemed destined to join it.

"I surrender," Chert said, flopping clumsily out of the sheets. He sat on the edge of the bed for a moment and blinked owlishly at the unfamiliar room, slowly letting the details of last night come back to him. After he and Valentine had hopped into the jeep, Chert had asked to be taken directly to his room. His mood had been rapidly deteriorating ever since he'd stepped foot on the helicopter, and by the end of last night it was either get the hell out of the jeep or hope he would be mercifully smothered under the weight of Val's luggage. Or hope that Val got smothered under Val's luggage. Yeah, that probably would have been more entertaining.

Chert yawned hugely as he shuffled towards the bathroom. A warm, soothing shower sounded absolutely wonderful right about then. He tossed his clothing carelessly onto the floor and hopped into the stall, letting out a contented sigh as the near-scalding water washed all of his travel grime away and began to loosen up his knotted muscles.

A few minutes later, and Chert even felt well enough to sing. Of course, it would probably be classified as "singing" by only the most forgiving and broad-minded people. but what Chert lacked in talent, he made up for in volume.

"I'm a Barbie girl in a Barbie world
life in plastic, it's fantastic
You can brush her hair, undress her everywhere
Imagination, life is your creation

Come on Barbie, lets go party!
Oh, oh, oh!

A small songbird that had been perched on the window sill turned its back on the room and made for the safety of the forest.

Some time later, Chert stepped out of the duplex and made his way into the outside world. His pace was relaxed; there wasn't anywhere he had to be. Which was fortunate, because he hadn't the slightest idea where he was going.

Mornings were Cheetah times, infact the Slender form of Colche slipped back in to the villiage with a spring in her step. It was customary for her to pad down the beach and watch the sun come up. Of course, when her belly rumbled, it was time for breakfast. Bacon egg sausage and black pudding. She wasn't exactly sure what a blak pudding was but it tasted good so she ate it. The dinner lady had taken up prepareing a breakfast for her every day and she made sure she ws there on time to eat it. She had been practacing so hard before they were locked out to learn how to use a knife and fork, she'd almost had to start from scratch again.

A slight puurr escaped her as the scent of breakfast touched that ever so sensitive nose. Miingled with that scent though was a new smell,a new man smell. She knew most of the islanders by their scents now, she didn't even need to see them to know they were on their way towards her. This was a new scent, though male. She stopped in her tracks. After her talk with Antony, after being informed that not all the men on the island were good, she was becoming once again rather cautous around men. Her big, innocent, baby blue eyes watched and waited for the person to appear. As was her norm, she was wearing the bear minimum, though she was at least wearing soemthing, a T shirt with a picture of dolphins on the front addorned her, reaching to her hips though no further, her bottom half, naked as always, leaving her legs free to allow her the best movement in those limbs.

Her ears flattened and she cleared her throat "who?" she whispered, trying to be brave, she was a big, independant cheetah now, was she going to be bullied by men? Her ears flattened against her head, she still feared them, even if she was less worried about them now, what if it was another bad man?

Awen stumbled out of her duplex. She had changed out of the soaking wet jean shorts and put on some pants, but unfortunately she couldn't get the shirt off without much work because of the IV attatched to her one arm, let alone putting the other shirt on.

She turned around and frowned. She had to struggle with the stupid wheelie IV thing to get it out of her duplex. "Aha!" She grined as she finally got it free. She reached around and closed the door of her duplex, taking a deep breath of fresh air.

She glanced to the side seeing the man strolling along the line of duplexes moving towards the main complex. He was too far away to really talk so she followed him a little ways. Wheeling her IV as she went along.

She didn't see, hear, or smell Colche nearby as none of her senses were inhanced above water. But she did finally get close enough to the guy. "Oh... hello there."

Chert's eyes drifted down from the sky (a different blue from the desert, but still quite pretty), and centered on the source of the unexpected voice.

"Mornin'," he said automatically. "How's it-..."

His voice died in his throat as he realized who he was talking to. The human brain is a creature of habit, and there is nothing quite as uncomfortable as having the wrench of the bizarre and unexpected thrown into its gears. Chert's thoughts ground to a halt before starting up again double-time. What is this? Costume party? New teenage fashion? Practical joke? Skin disorder?

A thousand speculations and questions clamored for space in his head, but all that came out of his mouth was, "W'the ********?"

He hadn't even noticed Colche yet.

Antony, now fed and showered, had just ambled out of her duplex, hair dry and tucked unceremoniously behind her ears. She was surprised to hear voices coming from down below, and her eyes followed the noises curiously. One was easily recognized as Awen, with her blue hair, and the other, near naked and with an unmistakable cheetah tail, had to be Colche.

But who was the obviously male islander with them?

Interest piqued, as it usually was when a male was involved, Antony moved quickly down the stairs to catch up with them. She returned to a normal pace once she hit flat ground, walking towards the three.

She arrived just in time to hear him utter a familiar word for her, but took this as a sign that he was new to the island. Obviously Awen was the first changed person that he met.

"You must be new," she stated bluntly to the man, giving him an appreciative look before turning her attention to the two females, immediately noticing the IV hooked up to Awen. "********, what happened to you?"

Blinking at Awen, Antony turned to force a smile at Colche while waiting for some kind of explanation, "Morning Colche, sorry I left you sleeping... You looked tired."

Colche finally pads around the little corner and stood before Chert she greeted Antony with a puurr and that oh so happy smile of hers. The sombre look of the cheetah was never sombre with Colche "Hulo" she smiled, letting the rest of the conversation go as she noticed Awen.

What was that thing. Colche poked the Iv bag, carefully, which was a good thing really, her claws were sharp now. "wazzat?" she tilted her head again though her attention was once again wrenched as she remembered why she hadn't just come bounding around the corner in her usuall, happy, hyper style.

Turning those blue eyes on Antony she slipped behind the older woman, shy wasn't her thing but fear was soemthing she had in reams "good or bad?" she asked, her blue eyed gaze fixed upon Antony's face, she trusted the squirrel womans judgement.

Awen first blinked at the man's reaction. Crap, he was a new islander. He must not have seen anyone else yet. Awen usually quick to tell new comers the truth was in no mood now that she had just failed to help people get away, to stop the new comers from moving in. She should have stayed in her room, she knew she should have.

She opened her mouth to say something but suddenly Antony spoke from behind her. She turned and smiled slightly to the woman. Wait Colche? Awen turned just in time to see the cheetah pad around the corner to greet them. "Oh heya Colche! Good to see you."

As the clawed finger poked the bag Awen held her breath. She wouldn't want that thing to burst. Aubrey said she needed it for a few days... "It's um... well I'm not sure exactly. Aubrey gave it to me...to help me feel better."

Glancing back to Antony she gave a half smile. "Er... I went for a swim. Appearently salt water does me no good." Awen was not about to explain her escape attempt. It had failed, no sense the whole island knowing about it.

But soon her attention went back to the man. She frowned and stepped back a little bit. "Um...stay calm it's alright."

Chert looked from Awen, to Colche, to Antony, and back again. From their conversation, it was obvious that they knew each other, but he was unsure exactly how they were connected. Circus troupe, his brain insisted desperately. Performers. But there was a strange air about them that undercut the certainty of his mental assertions. The tail of the cat-like woman moved with a grace that mechanics simply couldn't duplicate, as far as Chert was aware. And her legs- was there any way to fake that strange configuration of bone and muscle?

"Yeah. New," he agreed shortly. He wasn't sure he understood Colche's question (it wasn't directed at him, anyway), but Awen's reassurance definitely put him on edge. When people started to tell you things like "stay calm," you sure as hell knew there was something to panic about. His feet started to take him backwards and away from the odd gathering without consulting his brain.

"Not bad," she said to Colche after looking back over to the male. He looked rather not skeezy compared to Billy. For one thing, he seemed to shower on a daily basis, which was a plus.

She glanced towards Awen and nodded, "So you're fresh water?" Well that kind of made sense. Why would Moreau give the islanders the ability to leave the island?

And then Chert started walking backwards.

Antony to the... uh rescue?

"Welcome to the Freak Show," Antony announced to the new male with an amused grin. She had tried being blunt and explaining it to both Zach and Billy and hadn't gotten anywhere, so it was time to have some fun with it. "Have you had your injection yet?"

There was something strange about the way she said the second statement. She obviously wasn't joking, but was definately attempting to put a sarcastic spin to the entire thing.

"Okay" Colche stated, padding out from behind Antony and walking up to the moving Chert without an ounce of fear. Not bad, meant good, "I..Colche" she stated walking around him, her paws silent her tail swaying back and forth in a gentle manner. A breese moved her fur showing it was definately attached to her skin. She licks her lips and goes back to Awen "awen okies?" she tilted ehr head in that catty manner. Her vocabulary was definately developing, she was definately making more sence now.

"brekkist?" she grinned, her tummy reminding her that bacon eggs and sausage and the all important black puddign were waiting for her in the cafeteria. Breakfast waited for no man..woman..uh cheetah..

Awen sighed a little bit. Freak show was right, but she wasn't exactly sure if this was how they should handle the guy. She had gotten used to seeing newcomers that had seen other changed islanders before getting to Awen she hadn't been exactly careful with Chert.

"Now please dno't back away. We don't bite or anything. Except maybe Antony, but even then I'm sure it's not in a bad way." She gave a sideways glance at Antony with a slight grin, she was only joking with the girl. Looking back to the man she smiled trying to seem welcoming. Hearing Colche introduce herself the manta decided to follow suit. "My name is Awen Zyn, this is Antony and like the girl said her name is Colche. I know this is very confusing for you, but how about you come with us to breakfast and we can explain calmly. Um..the cafe has great pancakes..."

She glanced to Colche and gave the girl a soft smile. "Awen's okay Colche. Breakfast sounds good too."

Chert stiffened at Antony's sarcastic remark, all of his improbable fears from last night returning at once. Injection? The only injection he'd rad recently was the strange immunization Moreau had insisted upon... But he slammed the breaks on that unpleasant train of thought before it could get too far.

"Get bent," Chert snarled. He didn't want any part of the game Antony was playing. 'I don't care what your ******** names are. Stay the hell away from me."

He'd stopped backing up as soon as Antony had managed to raise his ire, although truthfully most of his anger was born from fear and frustration. Things had become so surreal so suddenly that he was unsure if he was dreaming or awake, and either way he was fairly certain he didn't want to hear what the islanders had to say. Awen's words seemed heavy with the promise of imminent disaster, at least as far as Chert's peace of mind was concerned.

She simply smirked lightly at Awen's comment, expression not denying it. Seconds later she raised an eyebrow at how Awen was explaining it to him. Some crock of s**t. He wasn't going to listen to that.

And then he spoke, confirming her thoughts.

"Ohh, fiesty," she grinned and rolled her eyes, but held up her arms in a sort of surrender. "I'm not going to give you some 'things will be a-okay' bullshit, because that's not me. So before you go off and through a s**t fit, let me level with you about this island."

Absently, she reached out and grabbed hold of the back of Colche's shirt, nudging the cheetah girl behind herself. She also stepped to the side so that she was somewhat between Awen and this new guy. Antony wasn't about to let Awen or Colche get beaten for her comments.

Once she felt everything was okay, Antony continued, "Moreau's turning everyone into animals via injections, hence me calling it a 'freak show.' No one leaves the island. We're all trapped in one big, twisted experiment."

Antony sighed, all humor and amusement gone from her voice and eyes. Like she said, she was leveling with him, and was making sure to be entirely serious and honest with him.

Walking backwards wasn't easy but she stood behind Antony and peered around the older woman with a tilt of her pretty head and a look of pure curiosity in her eyes. A slight nibble of her bottom lip pushed away all fears though. Antony was big and tough, she wouldn't let anything happen.

Her brow creased though as her belly gave a resounding grumble "no brekkist?" she pouts, which was a strange thing perhaps to see on a face that was purely cat like. "Chocolate cake make it better" she stated, peering aroundAntony in a sort of cute, shy way as she watched the man. Antony had said he was good, people just didn't seem to like it on the island. She never fully understood that, it was ehr home now, she loved it heer, she had freedom. Truth be told, she didn't mind being furry, it certainly kept her warm.

Awen saw Antony stepping forward and it was probably a good idea. The blue haired girl wouldn't ever be much of a match against someone like Chert, especially not when she was holding onto an IV with one hand. The other hand reached out to Colche and scratched her ear softly.

"We'll get some chocolate cake hun." She leaned in a little to Antony to half whisper to her. "Hey, if anything goes bad here...it's probably better that Colche doesn't see it. And I'm in no condition... unless you think we should stay as backup..." Like thye could be any help. But Antony was also the least changed, the most normal. Maybe if they removed the other elements it would be better. She didn't want to leave Antony alone with this guy though.

Antony's mixture of wryness and pragmatism seemed to knock the intensity of Chert's anger down a few notches- at least, until she mentioned Moreau's plans. The man's face froze in an expression of horror and surprise- it would have been so much easier to deny the claim if he hadn't already seen the madman's earlier handiwork. But this was a whole new level of depravity. These people had been human.

Chert stood in place for a few moments, flexing and unflexing his fists uselessly. He stared blanky over Atony's shoulder at the two women talking softly to each other. They had been human, and Moreau had...

The stocky man's face collapsed into a dark and stormy frown, but his demeanor had lost most of its earlier heat. It was as if someone had placed a lid firmly overtop his anger- but that didn't mean it wasn't ready to boil over again. "I've got to talk to someone," he growled, stalking past the little group of islanders.

Yeah, right. "Talk."

"That might be a good idea Awen," she said quietly, keeping her attention on the male in front of them all. Antony didn't think the two could really help if he got violent, and the manta was right, Colche shouldn't see it.

She noticed his fists, and her tails bristled instinctively, red eyes boring into his. She was prepared for the worst.

And then he left.

The tattooed woman didn't try and stop him when he stormed past them, sighing in relief. She was relieved he didn't try and take his wrath out on the three of them, Colche especially.

"You all go on to eat, I already had breakfast," Antony stated to Awen, her tails returning to their usual twitching as she turned to head back towards her duplex. "Bye Awen, Colche." She waved before disappearing up the stairs of her duplex.

"Brekkie!" Colche stated again bounding off in that usual, hyperactive, happy way. Obviously the new man didn't think chocolate cake could solve all problems. She would have to change his mind one day. She giggled to herself and looked at Awen "I'v got rumblies..byes antony!..in my tumblies rumbly rumbly in my tumbly" she giggles, she liked the pooh bears song.

Bounding in to the Cafeteria she noticed the Cafeteria lady already had her breakfast all ready for her and she wasn't long in sitting down with her 'full english' and a big tall glass of milk. She grinned. Knives and forks were difficult things, even more so now she had pads on ehr hands, but she was determined to use them! She wanted to be like everyone else, one day.

She stepped aside seeing the man pushing passed. He did not look happy and was heading for the labs. She figured it was best just to let him go though, Awen was in no condition to follow. She smiled at Antony and waved a little. "See you later Antony. Thanks."

She looked back down at Colche and followed her to the cafeteria. Despite the setback of the new guy this day was actually starting fairly well. She smiled over at Colche as the cheetah was using the fork and knife. Awen didn't think there was anything that cheery girl couldn't clear up. She had always been so happy, even when she had been caught i nthe rain there was this innocence about her that made Awen smile and look on the bright side of things.

She sat down with Colche after grabbing her own breakfast. Yeah...the day was going good.  

[Awen Zyn]

Caged

It was several hours before the black man started to stir on the cool metal of his enclosure. Night was falling swiftly over the island by now and the blood on his claws and hands had long ago dried to his pale flesh. A groan passed his lips as his eyes flickered once...twice...three times before parting fully, taking in the sight of the smooth metal cage roof, then turned in the next second on his side to see bars now instead with a backdrop of duplexes and whatnot in the background.

"What da ********?...." he grumbled, not fully comprehending his situation, and turned to get on all fours. A quick glance around gave him the sight of bars on every side, a metal floor below, and a metal roof above. It was like a cage.

A cage?!

This was not the beach bar. This was not the beach.

Jesus ********' christ. This was Aubrey's fault. He -knew- it had to be.

"I AIN'T A ********' ANIMAL!" he roared abruptly as he got to his feet, rage contorting his face as he ran for the nearest wall of bars, latching onto them with his hands, and trying to shake them, bend them, or SOMETHING. "I'll KILL her. I'LL DO IT, I SWEAR!"

A strangled bellow sounded from the cage as Jamal's insides felt like they were going to explode. The anger was almost unbearable.

How could they do this to him?

He was truely trapped now. Trapped in a body that isn't fully his own, trapped on an island somewhere uncharted, trapped in someone's twisted game, and now physically trapped like the animal he was becoming.

He couldn't take it.

Jamal started to punch, kick, claw...whatever possible...at his enclosuring, paying little attention that they didn't budge and were quickly causing bruising on his hands, arms, legs, and feet as he continued to assault his 'home'.

Awen knew if she stayed close enough she would hear it when Jamal woke up. It was just a hunch that the big guy would be waking up in a fit. Having skipped into the cafeteria for a bite she finally heard the yell she had been waiting for most of the day. It had started out so nice with a breakfast with Colche too.

Seconds after Jamal's trantrum (at least the verbal one) Awen pushed her way through the cafeteria doors. The poor guy had been out since.... Awen shook her head a little bit as she held a tray with a glass of coke and a plate of fish sticks and fries in one hand and was rolling her IV along with the other. She got to the cage and paused a few moments.

What could she tell him? What could she say? Nothing...she really couldn't do anything for him.

"Jamal...." She said in a soft voice. She wished she could have escaped this place... brought help. This was no way to treat anybody. This was absolutely riddiculous.

Zach had woken up farily late that morning, and after showering and dressing, he stepped outside his duplex. He was met with the sound of a loud roar. His eyes bulged, and his immediate thought was of Rex. He panicked; what the hell was going on now?

He jaunted down the stairs of his duplex, following the echoes of the noise. There, in a large metal cage, was Jamal, the tiger. An icy feeling gripped Zach as he watched the man kicking and flailing against his veritable prison. With every ringing slam against the bars, Zach winced. Did the man feel no pain? There appeared to be no way out of the metal box - not a lock, not any form of door or handle.

He was just about to approach and see what he could do when Awen arrived, sparing him the trouble. She trailed an IV. He remembered the previous night, and the note she'd handed off to Rex. How she had injured herself was beyond him, but the island was looking bleaker and bleaker everywhere he turned. He didn't dare wonder what was next.

After staring for a while, he realized he'd be more useful taking a look at the cage. He approached, though he announced himself in case Jamal wanted blood. He didn't think so much as simply speak.

"Jamal! Awen! What the hell is going on?"

Ian had come out of his duplex carrying a backpack and wearing the clothes he had gotten at Christmas. Inside the backpack were a photograph, a knife, and a plastic bag he had found in his luggage.

He shifted the pack on his shoulders and headed for the cafeteria, stopping when he saw two people gathered around an object near the 'village square'.

One, a male he didn't recognize at all, and the other looked vaguely familiar. it was the blue hair that jogged his memory. "Awen," he breathed and jogged closer, feeling vulnerable since he had lost his antlers.

As he came closer he was able to identify the object as a cage and he gasped. Inside the cage was a large dark-skinned man. Ian didn't know him, he would remember having met a man like that and he involuntarily took a step backwards looking towards Awen.

"What happened!?" he blurted out not even realizing how rude that was distracted as he was by the cage and the sign on the cage. He didn't even introduce himself as he normally would have under the circumstances.

Jamal didn't miss a beat when Awen approached the cage, continually throwing himself at his prison in succession, failing every time to cause any damage to anyone but himself. Any body surface that had struck the cage was beginning to swell and he somehow managed to split his lip in the process, the blood trickling down his chin to smear on his tank. His eyes had a crazed gleam to them; he was beyond hearing. The tiger was furious at being caged in this manner but was at a loss of what to do now that this 'attack' was not working.

Jamal finally started to pant, frustration still evident but his body simply unable to continue the abuse. Finally, he fell to his knees and gave a choking cough, flecks of blood from his lip splattering the metal flooring below. His chest heaved painfully but he wouldn't admit he was defeated. Not yet.

After a long pause, Jamal's head lifted and he saw three people staring at him. Like he was some sort of animal at a zoo. The black man bristled and bared his fangs at them, even Awen, and snarled weakily due to still being out of breath.

"Enjoyin' da show?!" he barked, trying to get back to his feet for another round of bar-crashing, but his knees wouldn't hold him because they were so bruised and he was so tired.

As Jamal had been continuing his attack she looked to the other two. She glanced slowly between Ian and Zach with a look that really told them she was as confused as they were "I don't know. I found him like this earlier...." And then went to try to escape.... "He just woke up so..."

She turned back when she heard Jamal slip to the bottom of the cage. She still was at a loss for him. How the hell could they do this to them? As if it wasn't bad enough? What was this going to solve!

He snarled and spoke Awen was taken aback. She couldn't blame him at all, but it was really rare he ever snapped at Awen like that. She sighed a little and stepped forward the IV pulling behind her. "No Jamal... I am not enjoying this..." She said very gently.

She bent down and set the tray on the ground before the cage. There wasn't room to fit it throguh anywhere but she could slip the plate in and food after. It wouldn't be so hard. "I brought you some fish sticks. Thought you might be hungry... You've been out for hours...."

"How can they do this?" he growled. Rhetorical question. Rather than tower over the obviously hurt Jamal, he got down on his knees. The man needed every comfort he could get while he was trapped in this little mind game. Unfortunately, he couldn't find any words he thought would get through to the raging black man.

Zach's face showed disgust. Not at Jamal, but at the island. And here the other day Rex had told him to make the best of it. Deep down, he realized it was no wonder he couldn't. This was a fate that awaited all of them; to be no better than a broken beast in a cage, putting on a show for the cameras.

It was a mockery of human life.

He glanced over at the new guy, and looked away just as quickly. Whatever he was, he wasn't all human any more, and it was obvious by the brown fur. Zach didn't need distractions right now. Looking at another changed islander only served to remind him of Rex's sudden and drastic transformation.

"Jamal," he said slowly, "don't keep hitting the bars. The more you fight this thing, the worse you'll hurt yourself." He could see the desperation and insanity in the man's eyes, and was afraid that in enough time, there could be no way to get rid of it.

Ian looked back to the man in the cage.

He was bleeding, and Ian grimaced. He hated the sight of blood or any bodily fluid. The deer-man looked toward Awen and gave a grim smile.

"I will have have to meet thy friends at a later time, I have a few things to take care of."

And he did, he had been on his way to the cafeteria and was then going to head out for a few day stay in the jungle. It was important to him that he did this, he needed to find out where he truly belonged - and avoid being caged.

He shifted his backpack and went to the cafeteria.

Jamal finally hauled himself to his feet after crawling to the nearest wall and using the bars as a support, wobbling briefly as his knees almost refused to take the weight, his face twisted in silent fury.
"I'll ********' kill that b***h," he growled lowly. "Lyin' ta me and ev'ryone else...lockin' us out of our duplexes on purpose...." He shook the bars again as he spoke the last phrase, panting again when he ceased, then finally looking at Awen as though he just registered what she said.

"I ain't hungry," he growled irritably, but it was a lie. He was actually very hungry, having been out for quite some time, but...this was all just too reminiscent of being at the zoo, only he was on the inside looking out. It reminded him of the signs that were always around the cages: "Don't Feed The Animals". The black man turned his icy glare to Zach, taking a moment before he recognized him as the man at the cafeteria when he fought with Ambrose. His face twisted into a sneer.

"I tol' ya this placed is ******** up, didn't I? But no. People like Ambrose 'n' dat ********' bitchass ho Aubrey act like it ain't nuthin," he said snarkily, almost in a taunting manner as he slid back to his rear, turning so his back was against the wall he had been holding onto. "Puttin' me in a cage fo' punishment ain't gonna stop me...they can't keep me in here fo'eva..."

Awen sighed a little standing up. What the hell. "This is a punishment?" She asked her voice rising in inflection and anger. "What the hell do they think they're doing. ********!" She turned and kicked a rock she had seen. Unfortunately it was too quick for the awkward IV and the whole thing almost fell ontop of her. You knew Awen was angry, not nessicarily because she showed it too much outwardly, but she rarely swore, or at least used the stronger set of swear words.

"We're still people you assholes!" She shouted knowing cameras somewhere would see her. "You've already got us beat in every ******** way you don't have to add this insult to god damn injury!"

She took a deep breath and turned back to the cage. She shifted once more to the softer more caring Awen with a soft tone in her voice "Jamal... I know you're angry but you have to eat.... You can't do anything if you don't keep up your strength alright? Please hun..."

Aubrey? The name would stick. He had yet to meet her, but he didn't like the sound of her and these twisted antics. Zach was now facing Jamal's back. "You're right. But Jamal, that's why we need to find a way off of this hellhole. All of us. We can't let them put you into another cage, or..." Or transform another person and rob them of their future like they've done to these former humans.

He allowed himself to be cut off by suddenly noticing the toppling IV. The webbed girl was working herself into a frenzy. His eyes darted in the direction she yelled, wondering if indeed there was a camera eyeing them back. Deep down, he wished he could join her in it, but it wasn't justified. After all, he'd hardly been on the island, and these two must have been there for a while. The experience felt more like being a silent witness than an active participant.

He balled his right hand into a fist nervously, ignoring the sharp sensation of the band-aids ripping at the delicate hairs on his hands. Wait, Jamal this was a punishment. His eyes lit up suddenly. "What did you do to get put in this piece of metal, anyhow?"

Something, anything to distract the guy. Zach rose to his feet and delicately began probing at the bars, feeling only cold and solid metal. There had to be a lock of some kind on here. If they'd sealed in Jamal permanently...

Jamal grumbled and made no move to approach the food Awen had offered, instead sitting against the wall and staring off into the distance from the other side. Zach's question registered with him though and he gave a chilling laugh, whiskers fanning the air.

"Tried ta' choke the life outta dat Aubrey b***h," he said cooly, keeping his voice flat. "Literally."

Not even hearing Jamal's answer at first just angry with the staff in general at the moment she opened her mouth. "Just for that? Oh that is complete bu--" And then something clicked. Aubrey? The...Aubrey that just saved Awen's life earlier? She fell silent. She wanted to support Jamal, how badly she wanted to support the black man.

But to try to kill someone? This wasn't the accident Jamal had described the last time as. No, this was deliberate. She..couldn't blame him. His animal was vicious, he was strained beyond belief they all were especially with the last two months. Moreau, sure she could understand, she might even support. But.....Aubrey had just saved the manta's life.

"Au-aubrey? You tried to kill...Aubrey?"

Zach paused in his delicate search along the bars to flash a wicked grin. Zach didn't know this Aubrey at all, but if she was as bad as Jamal made her out to be - Jamal had an accurate record so far in Zach's eyes - then she deserved it.

"It's a pity you didn't get a chance to finish the job," he sighed. The less staff left alive to Jamal's physical brutality, the better. They deserved it. Most all science fiction spoke of creations turning on their creators. The islanders had every reason to. He ignored Jamal's strange laugh, contributing it to the predator within.

He glanced at Awen in her disbelief. What could be wrong with toppling a dictatorship?

Jamal rounded on Awen, his gaze icing over again and any mirth, as twisted as it was, disappeared

"Damn ********' right I did," he growled. "Almost got her...but she said somethin' like a command 'n' I don't 'memba' nuthin' past dat." A tinny plink noise echoed from the floor as he tapped his claws on it. "You know dat lockdown bullshit was all intentional? Dat it was jus' an experiment?! Jus' wantin' ta ******** wit' our heads?"

A quick glance was given to Zach...calculating, but not completely cold. Jamal liked him so far; he seemed to be on the right side.

Intentional? Those two months and four days of hell were intentional!? That was unforgiveable. It was horrible, how could they in good conscience do that? Looking at Jamal in the cage she wasn't surprised anymore. It was obvious they had no coinscience.

But it wasn't right. That very mothery figure that saved Awen from the brink of death... no way she could have had any part of it. Awen clutched the IV and stayed in thought.

"I don't agree with what they're doing to you Jamal. And if I get my hands on Moreau I will not be forgiving." She took a small breath. "But...I can't be mad at Aubrey. She just saved my life."

Zach didn't see Jamal look at him, as he'd returned to feeling around the bars for holes, breaks, or anything that signalled a way to open the cage. He was having no luck. The thing was huge and solidly built. For a moment, he wished he had two hands to get the job done faster - but soon scolded himself mentally for even thinking that.

So, Awen had definitely done something serious, or the doctors had done something serious to her. "How did you get hurt, anyhow?" he questioned her.

If she continued to keep secrets, he'd just get exasperated. It wasn't like the cameras and microphones didn't know already. Speaking of which... he shifted uneasily on his feet, looking around. He could barely sleep at night thinking about those damn things always watching him.

"Saved yer life?" he repeated, just now focusing on the IV that she had been pulling around with her the entire time. "What da ********' hell happened?"

He peered out the bars at the contraption suspiciously, again ignoring the food. If they had hurt her, so help him...he had made a promise to go after anyone that did her wrong and he'd do it.

"I..." She sighed and shifted her weight from one foot to the other. "I tried to escape the island. I figured I could get off because I could breathe underwater."

Biting her lips she looked to her flipper like feet. "But appearently I'm a fresh water fish. When I couldn't breathe with my gills I tried to inhale normally..which well... only made water get into my lungs. I almost drowned. I barely managed to make it back to shore. Everything was hazy for awhile there were two people talking over me...then a sound and someone was shouting. I don't remember all that much but the clearest thing after that was Aubrey talking to me. She'd been the one that helped me out at the beach, gave me the IV and everything. She saved my life.... so... I'm kind of.. glad you didn't kill her."

Zach let go of the bar he'd been searching and gave up. This was hopeless. The cage was solidly built and Jamal had no hope of getting out until the doctors wanted him out.

Likely never, seeing as he'd almost strangled one of their own.

At the mention of failed escape, he turned his entire body so that he stood facing her. She'd risked everything to leave, but she'd been foiled... He gave Awen a piteous glance up and down, his eyes finally coming to rest on the arm in which the IV was stuck. "So you're some kind of freshwater fish? You look more like... um..." He looked away a moment as he let the question fight its way out. "What are you -" And the word rolled off his tongue like a square wheel- "Becoming?"

He didn't comment on the thought that this Aubrey had helped Awen. If they hadn't started turning her into a fish, she wouldn't have been out in the ocean drowning. Case in point.

Jamal snorted and leaned back against the bar wall, whiskers flicking agitatedly. If Awen couldn't escape as her fishy self, then what could possibly be a safe way out now? Those damn doctors had thought of EVERYTHING. Even if Aubrey had saved Awen, he didn't feel any less distastefully towards her. She might have even been trying to get on the islanders good side with that bit of charity.

"...Well, I ain't sorry I went afta' her. She deserved it fo' lyin' ta me 'n' all dat s**t dat be goin' on," he grunted, forcing himself to remain on the floor of his 'home' and not start throwing himself against the walls in a feeble attempt to break them.

Zach recieved another grunt in respond to the question he asked of Awen, caring little it wasn't directed at himself. "She's turnin' inta a manta ray. They ain't freshwata', from what I was told...but s**t, these ********' crazies kin turn ya into a goddamn animal so it ain't outta their league ta change otha s**t 'round."

Awen smiled a little to Zach when he put the comforting hand on her arm. She hadn't really minded the question at all either. But when Jamal kept going on about how he was still sorry Aubrey was alive she just didn't know what to say.

She was glad that Jamal answered the question because didn't to test her voice. She thought Aubrey was a really nice person. She had gotten mixed up in all of this, sure, but she surely wasn't so bad. She was probably the one that kept this place civil. That's what the Halooween argument had been about as far as Awen knew.

She simply nodded to confirm what Jamal had said.

He frowned a little. Jamal was right, mantas were found in the ocean. Whatever they'd done to make her freshwater, it had been done on purpose. Sick, twisted science.

"You were told right." He took his hand off Awen's arm and held it in a slight fist in front of himself. This whole island was built on a foundation of insanity. "There's nothing these people won't do, is there?"

He looked up at the sky, the last chance any islander had to leave. Sabin and Moreau must have prepared for that as well - a route that obvious was bound to be heavily guarded and likely impossible. He hadn't seen any avian-looking islanders, now that he thought about it.

He finally stated to Jamal what he'd noticed. "Jamal, there don't seem to be any locks to this cage. I can't find you a way out." There were no holes in these doctors' plans. If they wanted Jamal caged, he would be caged.

Jamal didn't care if Awen was grateful for Aubrey or not; that was fine with him. HE personally did not like Aubrey and that was enough for him. He had never really had a meeting with the woman that came out on a positive note in the first place, unless you counted their first meeting...he just didn't know what he was in for at the time.

Zach's words did not surprise him in the least. He knew, deep down, that he was stuck there until the docs decided to let him go. When that was, he'd never know. They were probably trying to break his spirit. <********' wonda'ful," muttered the black man, staring blankly out of the cage into the distance. He was growing restless already; the greenery of the jungle was calling to his tiger counterpart and he wanted nothing more than to slink off into it and prowl the darkness like he ought to be able to. Those thoughts did not seem strange in the least to Jamal. "Figures. Bastards kin' ******** people all up wit' a shot 'n' lock an entire island down...makes sense they kin make a damn good cage." He had to fight to keep himself from sounded dejected about the situation, despite the fact he was mad.

Awen didn't know what to say anymore to either of them. She didn't want to tell the two that they hadn't given Awen any warning about the salt water. She didn't really think they had a reason to. The intercom had to have been busted because they weren't responding...or they probably would have warned her. But she knew these two wouldn't think so.

She felt terribly uncomfortable with all of this. Something that wasn't just right. As if she was on the wrong side between these guys and the staff. She still didn't like what they were doing...but it was better to accept it than...this.

She shook her head slowly. She didn't know how to help the situation. So still she simply stayed quiet.

Zach tapped a foot nervously against the ground. There was a sort of hopelessness permeating the area. Jamal fought back and got locked in a cage for it. Awen tried to escape and nearly drowned due to the foolproof planning of the staff. Madness all around them. He felt a little claustrophobic from thoughts alone.

For Jamal, he had no words. He could hear some tension in the man's voice, like a rubber band about to snap. It couldn't be long before he went back to fighting against the bars of his cage.

"Awen," he said suddenly, after noticing her unusually long silence. He saw the look on her face and misinterpreted. "You... you don't look so good."

Jamal glanced back over at the two, hearing Zach mention Awen not looking well, and frowned.

"Awen, you best go lay down o' somethin' if you ain't feelin' right. Trust me, I ain't goin' no where...Zach'll make sure you make it, yeah?"

His question was more of a statement and he gave the one armed man a very clear 'don't tell me otherwise' look. Not that it mattered much, since he was stuck in a cage...but eventually (hopefully) he would get out.

It was a way out. A shoddy way out... but a way out none the less and Awen would take it. She sighed softly and nodded a bit. "Maybe I should lay down for a bit..." She stepped forward to the cage and looked directly at Jamal. "If you need anything, anything, give me a shout, I will never be too far away. I'll come by to visit again soon." She reached her hand in to tough his shoulder gently and gave him a softly smile. She sighed a slipped her hand back through the bar.

"And damnit eat before the bugs get at it huh?" Another small grin before she glanced over to Zach. "I'll be fine getting back on my own. No worries..." She really didn't want people to be too worried about her. She was better, fine even. The IV was just an eyesore, a reminder...that's all.

She smiled and turned to go back to her duplex. Maybe a nap wouldn't hurt anyway...

Zach nodded to Jamal. Scary as he could seem, the guy had a definite soft spot for the manta-girl. He waved to the tattooed black man. "Don't do anything drastic while we're gone."

Zach turned away from the cage and followed Awen. "How about this? I'll walk you half the way." He smiled wryly. "No use arguing..."

It's the least I can do for both of you, he added in thought.

Jamal watched them both go, his face stoney until they disappeared, then his hissed and thumped his open palms on the cage flooring so that they stung sharply.

"I can't ********' believe this," he hissed bitterly, looking to the plate of fishsticks as his nose caught the scent. The tiger wasn't so much thrilled with it, but he needed to eat something. With great reluctance, he pulled it closer and nibbled on them whilst looking out at the village for signs of life.  

[Awen Zyn]

reserved just in case of something spiffy before what comes next  

[Awen Zyn]

Sabin Really Is Nice
(Why do I hear people laughing at me?)

It was late, Awen was tired and she still had to fight with the IV to get through her door of her duplex. It had been a long day. Not exactly the great day Awen had invisioned when she was eating pancakes and chocolate cake with Colche that morning.

She sighed and moved over to the intercom. It hadn't been working and Awen was pretty much passed the point of trying. But she wheeled the IV over and hit the com button. This time she didn't wait five minutes by the com she just pushed it and went to get ready for bed. She made it to her dressed and was trying to figure out what she could change into. She would probably have to leave her top on because of the IV in the way, but the bottoms were easier. She would just sleep naked now that her bed was just a pool of water pretty much and it didn't make all that much sense to wearing uncomfortable clothes in it but she knew the cameras were always watching. She had no idea who was watching her and that was always creepy.

Sabin was back at the moniters after his.... activities earlier in the day. And ah what a beautous day it had been - a day full of watching Jamal rage against the bars, Aubrey actually yelling at one of the new subjects (AND helping her with her little piece of Revenge. Ah how sweet to corrupt the relatively 'innocent') and then more fun activities hiding Bili's stash.. and watching him try to find it.

When the light began blinking on the intercom, Sabin tapped the receive button hardly before looking to see who it was. He was in such high spirits that he didn't care - it proised to bring him more amusement.

"Saaaaabin Duvert, at your service." Sabin called out in a twisted cheeriness.


"Huh?" Awen blinked and looekd up from her clothing selection and stared dumbly at the intercom for a second before it registered. Holy crap they had answered. it had been days and now, finally, they answered. SHe had to act quickly before they changed their minds!

Awen leapt towards the intercom, which probably wasn't a good idea...being attached to an IV and all. The metal wheelie thing jerked and pulled at Awen's arm first which made her wince, but worst yet it was thrown off balance and ended...ontop of the poor girl. The crash resounded with a cry from the other end of the intercom. "Crap!"

That had hurt.... but she couldn't be wasting time. She pushed the metal thing off of her and got up slowly. She soon righted the IV and went right to the intercom. After all the hustle she had almost forgotten who had answered. "H-hello? Um this is Awen, Awen Zyn. I've been calling for days, and no one ever answered..."

"My apologies, Miss Zyn, but I haven't been manning the intercom. Something about most of the staff not feelign comfortable talking to the subjects or something. But I'm here, I'm listening." He grinned, invisible behind the intercome.

"But mind yourself - that IV probably isn't quite as mobile as you are m'dear."

She forced out a little chuckle. "Yeah I...kinda noticed." She was rubbing her forehead between the prongs. Where it not for her skin already looking bruised Awen was sure there would be one there later.

"So...Sabin....the one from the Halloween Party. Joli told me you were staff... didn't quite believe it myself. Er..that really is you right?" Awen wasn't surprised that most of the staff were ify with talking to the islanders. Most islanders wouldn't be too polite sometimes when they buzzed on the intercom she was sure. Awen didn't understand why Joliette had such a problem with this Sabin guy though. He seemed perfectly friendly to Awen.

Sabin ran a hand through his hair... he remembered the still-human at the time bluehaired girl. Pity that his charade had to come to a close. He would have enjoyed mingling amongst the subjects. But there were too many to continue it now - someone like Chubbs or Joliette would likely try to rend him with the claws that he helped give him... and that would just make him have to spoil his good time.

"The one and only." He responded, nonplussed. He leaned forward to look at the hesitant raygirl on the display screens. She was one of the few that, surprisingly, handled the time out in the jungle the best - it certainly had been an interesting experiment.... even though Sabin was still staff he no longer had absolute control.
"What's been on your mind?"

"Well... I was just wondering if I could get hooked up with a few bathing suits. Now that ya know... I can, and do prefer, swimming I think it would be best to get a few." She glanced to the webbing under her arms and frowned a bit. "Probably going to have to be the two piece kind that ties around the neck. I have no idea how I would fit into any other kind, especially if these webs keep growing..." Her brow furrowed a little bit. She knew they probably would though she wished they wouldn't, they were altogether uncomfortable most of the time.

"I was going to ask about a bed..but it seems you all were ontop of that. Thanks, and ingenious design! Can you by any chance relay a message to Aubrey for me? Just tell her I say thanks again... I mean.. she saved my life. I probably couldn't do anything for her, since ya know my position here and I think Moreau would give you lab techs good compensation anyway, so a thanks will have to do." She was just on a roll now. She had no idea if anything she was saying was going to be filled or even worthy of a com call but she was trying anyway. "Oh, and is there any chance I could get hooked up with an xbox 360? I mean hell if Moreau doesn't want to spend his money on stuff for me I'll gladly pay for it myself and all no big deal. Last thing too, could you send like a teddy bear or something, one to Lauren and one to Avery with a little note saying sorry from Awen?"

"Bathing suits... okay.." He spoke, mostly to himself as he brought up her file and added the items to the notes, flagging them for the aquisitions department.

"And... I'll be certain to forward your message to Aubrey... I'm certain she'll appreaciate the sentiment. She hasn't exactly been in very high spirits recently. But I don't blame her given some of the newer... ah.... characters about." Sabin said with a slight note of irritation.

He paused on the last few requests. "I'd have to ask Moreau about the XBox... but we'll see what he says. And I wouldn't see a problem with the stuffed toys." He responded, typing.

Pausing, he glanced back at the screens. Standing there in a nightshirt... IV, but still making the best of it - much more so than her on the island originally. Fascinating... yes.. that was it - fascinating. Not sweet, not touching. fascinating.

HE shook his head a few times. Subjects... projects. And he hadn't had a more entertaining time in .... such a long time.

"Alright that's cool." She was actually happy talking with Sabin. He really seemed like such a nice guy to Sabin, she couldn't imagine him doing all the things Joliette says he did. It must have been someone else that had been jsut doing it in Sabin's name. Their idea of a practical joke maybe? Come to think of it... Joli had no proof that any of what happened was Sabin at all. She just always ...assumed. Awen shrugged off the thought. Speaking of what the lab techs did that was negative.

"Um....Sabin." Awen said a little quieter. Her voice loosing the upbeat tone and replaced it with more of her old nervous self. "Were those two months... really just part of an experiment? That's what Jamal had said he heard. And isn't there a better way to punish Jamal? I mean I understand the severity of what he did... and I'm not approving of it... but don't you think sticking him in a cage on display like that is, well, harsh? I don't think it will solve anything, it will only infuriate whatever animal you guys have got growing in him and that's not even accounting for how Jamal would react normally. Wouldn't there be better ways of dealing with this kind of thing?"

Sabin's eyebrow twitched at that. "Well, yes, the lockout was part of the experiment. We have to test the psychological side-effects of the serums in addition to just he purely physical reactions. But never fear - we had everything under .... control." He murmured.

"And Jamal deserves everything he got. To be honest, he likely deserved worse. He made an attempt on Dr. Lockheart's life - and would have succeeded if he hadn't been stopped in time. He isn't in any physical discomfort. You know, putting someone in 'stocks' was once a very common practice. Serves as a punishment and an example to otheres."

"I suppose.... but I just think that...it might effect a lot more than just Jamal negatively. An anti-lab sentiment might grow.... Maybe some other..more private punishment that didn't remind everyone of ...the fact that we really are prisoners, or that we're animals... You guys aren't helping PR like this..." And why the hell did Awen care about anti-lab sentiment? She had been hanging around Lauren way too much lately.... Or maybe she's just tired of fighting. After the whole near-drowning experience it was no wonder.

It was more than that though. The experience in the wild has taught her that they need Moreau. As much as they hate him they need the lab techs to live as well of lives as they could. She missed her comforts way too much, even if she tried to adapt well in the jungle she had always missed her bed, her nice warm duplex, the cafe, gamesroom.... And she was begining to see the staff weren't so bad of people. Aubrey saved her life and Sabin is being fairly pleasent actually.

"I just.. don't want anyone getting hurt." She sighed finally. "As long as no one's in any real danger... I guess I can see the advantages to experiments like the wild. I don't agree with it, because it was not fun at all... but I suppose scientifically I can understand.

"What I don't understand is what good these experiments are doing. I mean... what's the point in turning us into animals. Is it something being developed for people like me, to help them cope with something, or some medical purpose like that? I mean... am I at least allowed a brief explaination of the point to all of this?"

Sabin leaned back in his chair, giving an eye-roll. "SO.... you're suggesting that we pretend that nothing is wrong when one of our own is attacked? We might be keeping you here, but we're seeing to your needs. And we sure as hell aren't threatening lives. The serums are thoroughly tested and retested to make certain that nothing.... breaks." He stressed the last word, letting her imagination fill in teh blanks.

"No one is getting hurt, and no one is in any real danger. We were monitering everyone during the lock-out. Antiseptics were administered and antibiotics when there were minor injuries. Even though we were careful to make sure no one knew what was going on.."

"And I... well, I am here to see to it that things run smoothly... to oversee some of the other technicians... but believe me, un understanding, unraveling, and changing the human genome, we're learning volumes... so much more than government restructions on genetherapy would allow. Did you know that after World War Two, the US gvernment paid a lot of money for the Nazi research that was conducted - and that forms the basis for a lot of modern medicine? People just don't ... care to admit that."

He spun in his chair, fidgeting with one of the cords.

Awen really felt like an idiot afte all that Sabin had just said. She hadn't meant that they do nothing at all just...she couldn't even think of a solution to her own problem. What could have been better punishment? She didn't like it but she knew her words probably wouldn't change anything anyway. She had understood already that no one was in danger, she was speaking of if the islanders...started a revolt or something.

"I never actually knew that. I had heard Hitler was trying to fuse cats and humans to make some kind of super soldier... I never really bought it though. Didn't think it was possible really." The convorsation while starting good was getting a bit more depressing. Like a prisoner talking to the jailor about the prison. Or... a noob gamer talking to a vet and getting schooled horribly in the process.

"Thanks Sabin." She said in a little bit more of a chipper voice. "I hope Aubrey will be alright. Give her my best wishes with the thanks, would you? While we're at it you take care too. I'm really sorry to waste your time with all of this but I guess I just needed to talk to some official and get some things off my chest. Sorry for talking your ear off like that." She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Yeah things would get better again, her mood would pick up.

"I'lll be certain to pass along ze message." He smirked. "And thank you." He said with a note of surprise. "No waste. I'm just... sitting here. Glad you like the new bed - and I'll see about those requests of yours."

"Alrighty." She wondered why he sounded a little surprised that she wished him well. It's not like it was an uncommon thing to wis hthe best for someone who's been nice to you. "Thanks a bunch for seeing to my requests. And hey if you ever want to talk when you're on watch duty I would love to hear more of those history facts you have stored up in that brain of yours. Very facinating stuff!" She gave a general wave to the room knowing somewhere the camera was watching and he just might see it.

"Night Sabin! For whenever you get off duty and sleep, have good dreams." She then proceeded to go for the light switch.

She stumbled over to her bed and decided that if she was going to be going around in her swim suits, at least for sleep, anyway it didn't make much difference. She just dropped the pants she was wearing, standing in the underwear she had on and the shirt she..still.. couldn't take off due to the IV. She just laid down and adjusted it so she was completely submerged. Having woken up that morning with her shoulders neck and face peeling was not very fun she would make sure to keep hydrated this time.

Sabin smirked. "I did teach a history class or two at Harvard.." He said quietly. Even though it had been less than a year ago, it already seemed like a lifetime. Such a dramatic shift in gears, being able to live the life that he had restricted himself from while keeping up the appearances of a mild mannered university professor.

The corner of his mouth turned up. "Pleasant dreams to you as well." He murmured - a strange note in his voice, something knowing.

And he flicked off the connection.